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My Biography
Now .... where should I start .... and what would you like to know ....
Name
Age
Nationality
Current
Status
Languages
On
Moving To Sydney
On
Migration
On
Family and Relatives
On
Friends
On
Love
On
Dreams
On
Looks
On
My Webage
Okay I have been asked this question many times. Are you a King, and is King your first name? Well, the answer is "No" to both questions. In an Asian culture and in the "ancient days", our Chinese names are first decided and then they are translated into English. My dad was in Germany when I was born and thus, the task of deciding my English name fell on my aunt (because my mom's command of English was not strong enough.) So, that's just about how much I know, which was from a letter I came upon a few years ago .... by accident. As for why "King", I never asked because I kind of liked it. You seldom questioon stuff you like .... you just leave it the way it is just in case it turns out otherwise.
Age : My birthdate falls on 22nd December and I'm part of the 70's. Yes, it's that disgusting bell bottom era. Thank God I was not old enough to be part of that!! Ha! Ha!. If you really want to know, you could just ask.
If a woman is allowed to keep secrets like age, why should a man be 'robbed' of this same priviledge. Well, if we are talking about equality and equal rights, I believe a man should be able to withold any 'sensitive' information he likes. I'm not too sensitive about telling my age, I'm just trying to have a little fun here. Anyway, why should age be even an issue at all? If one stays young at heart, there is no reason why he/she should live each other day differently from another. Yes, that is of course, if you're body tells you otherwise. The issue here should be maturity ..... which sadly, a lot of people still lack, and don't realize..
Nationality : Singaporean (The funniest and most ironical tagline given to this 'man-made paradise' is "Disneyland with a death sentence")
Yes, I was born in Singapore and lived in Singapore for most of my life. I have travelled to Thailand and Brunei (both occasions on overseas national service training and not for R&R), and had been to Japan twice and Korea once. Of course, it is rhetorical to mention that I had been to Malaysia countless times and I need to make this mention to some of my Malaysian friends that Malaysia is not the 'mother country' of Singapore. As for that tag line, it was obtained from an Australian friend, who lived there for two years and learned it from her fellow expatriates. We have lots of fun just comparing the differences between both countries.
Languages Spoken : English, Mandarin and a little bit of Japanese
One of the most common misconceptions about Singaporeans is that we can't speak English well. Most people express their astonishment when they realize that we can speak and perhaps, sometimes write better than them. Well, to clear matters up, our first language is English and we are allowed to pick a second language of choice (Mandarin because I'm Chinese, the others being Malay or Tamil) and we start learning it the moment we enter school. As for Japanese, I had this passion in me to learn Japanese for a long time (since I watched a Japanese variety program in 1984 and fell in love with Japanese music), but did not get a chance to actually learn it until I entered my current university in Sydney. I have only studied the language for a year and is still considered too amateurish to converse fluently, though the irony is that I'm able to sing some Japanese songs. I guess I've got my 'system' working in an 'anticlockwise' manner. Ha! Ha!
I guess most people would perceive a better answer as being "single/married". Well, on that issue, yes it's the big 'S" for single .... enough said. I had the wonderful opportunity to begin studying at UNSW (University Of New South Wales) last year and be a student once again. After 3 years of working full time and studying part time, it was a big change being a full time student once again. This time, being a mature age student, you tend to look at school life through another angle of maturity. You remember how you wished you were still studying when you were working, though 0when you start studying, the first question popping up is "What was I thinking!!!??? Why am I putting myself through all this again!!!" Ha! Ha! Now, who ever said "Life was a bed of roses" ..... Truthfully, I'm enjoying every moment of it now .... except when it is test or exam time. It's also getting a little scary with you start realizing that you have one more year to go before graduating. How fast time flies .... Just when you're getting the hang of it .... Bugger ....
Well, it was a big change
for me. My first true taste of independence. Many people might find this
funny but if you were brought up in an Asian culture,you would understand
it better. It is very different from a Western culture. In Asia, most parents
suffer from "withdrawal symptons" when it is time for their children to
leave home. For most westerners, the situation is almost a total reverse.
They suffer if their children doesn't leave home after a certain age. Personally,
I advocate a hybrid of both ways. Parents must know when to let go and
let their child venture, but at the same time, make sure that they are
brought up the right way. Not spoon fed but not to be thrown out there
without any advice. Children are a great responsibility and one must be
prepared for all the joys and hardships involved. Ultimately, I still think
that they are a joy until they lose that innocence that we all try to seek
for once again. Especially, when we start realizing that the world is no
paradise, the way we thought it would be.
Friends .... Australians ... It's not only a personal observation because many of my friends from exchange programs feel the same way too. Everyone is too hedonistic nowadays. It is easy to make an acquaintance here, but to have a true friend, it is more of an upheavel task, especially in a place like Sydney. I can't boast that I have many Australian friends but maybe it is because we share different interests .... only time will tell .....
Well, of course there are many good things about Sydney as well. It is beautiful and most importantly of all, you get to experience a wonderful thing called "freedom of choice and voice". Not everyone is lucky enough to be born in a country where you realize you own such privileges. There are many people in other parts of the world that don't even realize that they have human rights, let alone choice or voice. Human behaviour is shaped by the environment in which they are in and thus why we suffer from 'culture shock'. I love this 'culture shock' I'm experiencing and am making full use of it by assimilating part of it into my behaviour and values . I'm fully enjoying my new life and though I will not advocate that everyone does the same, it is good to know that cultural differences exist and that you can accept them for what they are. Just like many other issues in this world, based on just difference. Be it skin color, sexual preference, behaviour .... etc. Who are we to judge anyone? If only there is more love in this world .... would it be a better place? Mother Theresa says "If we spend time judging them, we will not have time to love them. How true!!!
Well, at the moment, it is still an undecided issue. All I know is that once you had experienced something new which you feel is great, you can't go back to a place that inhibits all these .... Therefore, it just means that I will probably not be going back to Singapore eventually. I still have wondeful memories of that place and will always hold them in my heart .... my family, relatives and all my friends but .... I know that I'm not meant for it anymore. There's just too many adventures for me to explore, and I do look forward to those challenges. I wouldn't commit myself to Australia now, because there are so many other places around the world. Your life enriches itself with every little thing you discover and learn, though there will be downfalls along the way as well. There will be loneliness and sad times, but look on the bright side, and give a smile to someone and hopefully, you will get one back. Everytime you fall, you learn something. You get bruisd, but hopefully, you get stronger and wiser ....
Many years ago in the 70s, I was home delivered by the stork to my parents. Years later, I believe the same stork gave me a beautiful sister and brother. Thank You!! I believe that I'm extremely lucky to be be born into a loving family, with close knitted relatives who are just as loving in every sense. In many ways, I lived in a 'homestyle' that was similar to Westerners. Hugs and kisses are no strangers in our family, and I do cherish those lovely memories of celebrating Christmas when we were young. Grandpa dressing up as Santa Claus and one of the aunts as Santa Rina. The stuff dreams are made of. If I haven't had a chance to let you know how much I appreciate all that you have done to make it such a memorable childhood, I hereby express my greatest gratitude with "Thanx and I love you!!!"
One of the things I'm most thankful for as well, are my friends. Some people have addictions for cigarettes or alcohol but for me, I'm addicted to friends. Just can't get enough of them. I'm eternally thankful to you for your time and friendship rendered to me. I can't live without any of you and for every little thing that you have done (like giving me your friendship), I thank you. All of you make my life complete .... and without all of you, my life would not be as fulfilling as it is now. I can't name all of you here, as much as I would like to. Therefore, in my section on friends, I would like to include your photos and do a little description of you as well (if you don't mind). So, if you have any photos to send to me, please do but do take note that no obscene photos will be posted in this webpage, unless it is what would be viewed as purely art. Now, didn't I say in one of my presentations that there is a very fine line between art and pornography. Ha! Ha! Don't worry .... Just Joking!! Thank You! My dear friends, for keeping me sane :)))
I guess it is difficult to live in the real world when you grow up reading stories about everlasting love and 'happy ever after' endings. It is just not the same out there with deceit and heartbreak hotels everywhere. Does perseverance ever pay? How many success stories have you read?
Well, there are many different kinds of love and I must recommend a book that gave me the ultimate courage to tell the people I love, how much they mean to me and how much I love them. The name of the book is "Chicken Soup For The Soul" and the most important lesson that I have learnt is that "Never to stop telling people around you how much they mean to you and never be shy in showing any appreciation." Everyone needs some form of appreciation and encouragement once in a while. Sometimes, just a phone call to find out how someone is doing can do wonders, you never know .... Sadly, not many people think that way and they end up only with regrets ....
I rate one of my biggest achievements as being able to look beyond the wall of 'pride' and tell my grandma that I loved her deeply. I didn't have to courage at first to tell her in person and wrote her my first 'love letter' when she was ill. I'm glad that I did it because I would never forget the look in her eyes. After that, you are never shy with expressing love. She left us 10 months later and till today, I'm forever grateful that I had done it. Advice that I can give is : It only takes a second to sum up that courage to say "I love you" but regrets last a lifetime .... Just do it!!!
While I was growing up, all I wanted to be was an actor or singer. I knew that in my society, it was not a profession to be desired and definitely not what my parents had planned for us. It was more than easy to give that dream up when you realize that you basically stopped growing taller at the age of 18, and decided that the most possible nickname that you will be tagged with is 'shorty'. Ha! Ha! The fact that my looks are not photogenic enough, helped to crush that dream as well. R.I.P.
Now, being more realistic, I guess I should modify it to what I'm currently studying .... Marketing. I love Marketing because it is a non restrictive subject and no one is neither right nor wrong, which is the beauty of it. You just have to be more aggressive and 'bigger' and beat everyone up into accepting your idea. Which is why I go to the gym so often. Ha! Ha! Just Joking!!! It is beause of my love of writing and appreciation of creative ideas that marketers churn out everytime. Another thing I like about Marketing is that presentations can be just as creative as well. I particularly enjoy writing little screenplays that will require my partners and I to act out certain scenarios that will help explain the concepts or what the writer is trying to convey. That's what you call, "Killing two 'dreams' with one stone". Ha! Ha!
My other dream is to write a book one day. I have been advised by my friends that I have the capability to do it. So much so that I'm starting to believe that it might be true. Now, what kind of book to write about. My life? Who's interested? Why are you reading my biography then? Ha! Ha! I guess it is not so much for moneymaking, but rather for remembrance. Something that people who know you, can remember you by. They can also finally exclaim, "Hey, that's one person I would read like a book." So, now here I am, starting this homepage as a stepping stone to the realization of my dreams. I will be using this as a platform not only to voice my views on issues surrounding us (mostly questions on life - non religious) and allow discussions and views to be posted as well. Hope to read your inputs as well!!!
Maybe it is lucky that I was brought up to think that I was unattractive because being egoistic is that last thing I want to be. The flip side of this, is low self esteem. It sort of comes hand-in-hand, like 'buy one get one free'. You have to start building your confidence in the hard way and you end up being more shy than people think you are. People mistake your silence and shyness for conceit. The biggest misconception about me is 'I'm a very proud person who thinks very highly of himself, just because I have been blessed with average looks.' This is generally the comment that I get from my closest friends but of course, thankfully, they change their minds later.
I'm still taking big baby steps to building a stronger self esteem and my supposed infactuation (or obsession) with working out at the gym. Working out used to be a great help to that, because I used to associate higher self esteem with an improved self image. Now, I do it purely for health reasons because I realize that being comfortable with what and who you are, is the right and better way to go .... Just be happy ....
Ask me if looks matter in this superficial world and I would sadly, still say 'Yes'. To me, everyone is beautiful until proven otherwise. Moreover, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and the only ugly people are those with a wicked heart. It will be a major issue to be discussed in my forum and I will post my views there and you are most welcome there too.
Well, basically anything
of interest to me. My faves, photos, friends, entertainment news (via SeaBuzz),
updates and most importantly, issues that I would like to discuss and invite
discussion and maybe even a column just like the one in "Sex and The City"
....
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