Happy Vesak Day!

It is the annual Vesak Day today.

Also known as the Buddha's birthday, it encompasses the birth, enlightenment Nirvana, and passing (Parinirvana) of Gautama Buddha.

Buddhists all over the world celebrated this holy day by paying homage to the Buddha.

We do this by not taking lives (eating meat of any kind is prohibited), participated in the ritual of bathing the Buddha, singing hymns in praise of the holy triple gem followed by the candlelit procession.

I visited the Singapore Buddhist Youth Mission at Clementi with my parents just like previous years.

We first went to bathe the Buddha as usual.

Video: Alma

In this post today, I am going to share with you this creepy short film by Rodrigo Blaas.

Since young, I have always had an indescribable fear for dolls especially those life-like ones with movable eyes.

I often wonder, do they have a mind of their own, coming to life at night when everyone else is fast asleep?

To me, dolls are empty shells that attract evil forces to reside in them.

In Memorium: Emma Yong

Singapore theatre has lost a talented actress tonight.

Emma Yong - one-third of the Dim Sum Dollies, has passed away at the age of 36. She was diagnosed with stomach cancer last year.

My deepest condolence to her loved ones.

There will be no more pain and sufferings, Emma.

Rest in peace.

Nick Pitera - The Youtube Sensation!

You know, some people really have it all.

Take Nick Pitera for instance. 

He looks like Elvis (to me anyway), works for Pixar as a Technical Director and is extremely talented. 

Transvestite Show, Hat Yai *Videos*

After we returned to the hotel from the [Floating Market], some of them went out for more shopping while some of us proceeded to watch the Transvestite show.

There was nothing sleazy about it like I had thought initially. It was more like a cabaret show with elaborate costumes, stage design, plenty of lip-synching and dancing.

Cameras were not allowed but people still take photos anyway so I joined in too albeit discreetly without flash.

Traditional Hakka Lui Cha @ Boon Lay Market

Hakka Lui Cha (客家擂茶)

Lui Cha (擂茶) is an iconic Hakka rice dish that is topped with chopped leeks, long beans, kale (kai-lan), mani cai, string bean, cabbage, beancurd (tau kwa), pickled radish (cai pok), and served with a bowl of grinded tea made from a selection of herbs such as basil and mint.

Well, there might not be any hard and fast rule stipulating what vegetables to be used in the making of this dish as I believe the Hakka womenfolk simply used whatever vegetables they have on hand or had growing in their backyard at that moment.

Apple's Ipod Nano 6th Generation

When I received news of the replacement program for the 1st Gen iPod Nano last December, I procrastinated till March this year before I finally send in my set to be replaced.

(Refer to the Apple's Official Statement here)

The replacement could not have come at a better time as the battery in my device was just beginning to get cranky.

Even after a full charge, the power would be depleted within ten minutes which is about the length of two songs.

After dropping my Nano off at the service centre, I waited for four weeks before I received the email to pick up my new MP3.