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Friend (15) – Silent night
Moment in the dead of night, my friend quietly visited me. He brings with him the crystal cold dew with a basketful of blinking stars light.
His name is called “Silent Night”. It’s tough for one to extricate from his beautiful flow. Each time at this moment, ignite aroma incense to allow my thoughts to curl in and be shrouded with the smoke between. With this carefree feeling I put aside the physical and mental troubles.
Silent Night, you soothe all worried faces. You allow people to put down contradictions and conflicts, put down right and wrong and to lay down social status and class.
Your voice resonates the sounds of nature. It’s a space of emptiness, a palace of the soul for a listening ear.
This is where beauty and ugliness befall. Right and wrong remain speechless. Passion and indifference lost its temperature.
Silence is warmly alive at this moment.
Derision and ridicule, power and struggle, settle like dust with no flush.
6) Cactus Song
I live in Texas my homeland, a desert an untouched ground
I love the sun being my clothes
And I love the sweet, warm breezy blows
With a grouchy cuckoo on my head
No autumn leaves or winter snow
No splashing stream or falling rain
Just an empty Paradise on my own,
With the rocks and stones.
I like to dance in the falling night,
With the cowboys dancing around
That is my homeland, a desert an untouched ground
I live in Singapore IKEA my homeland, a concrete desert ground
I love the air-conditioner being my jacket all year round
And I love the halogen light giving me a good shine
With a grocery shopper passer-by
No autumn leaves or winter snow
No splashing stream or falling rain
Just a perfect Paradise within my reign
With my color and little sands deco
I like to sing in my own shadow
With the shopper’s cajoling around,
This is Singapore IKEA my homeland, a concrete desert ground.
Friend (14) –Car Park Entrance Gate (Barriers) / 朋友（14）- 闸门
这个闸门在外人看来象个傻瓜似的,车来举臂，车走放下。工作毫无意义，毫无乐趣，在虚度人生。
In the eyes of others, this barrier looks like a fool, it jiggles its arm up and down whenever a vehicle comes up or goes down. Its job is no fun at all and to some is wasting life after-all.
这小人物坚守一份小工作, 任劳任怨, 做起事来不闻不问,不问付出,不求收获，一整天只会抬头点头，举臂放下。它的唯一工作就是听从指示，不可以有意见，不可以有投诉。
Still, this little guy stick to his insignifficant work. He is hard working, never ask for much, never ask for returns and is able to get things done in a different. Day in day out, he jiggles his head and waggle his arms. His only job is to follow directions. He doesn’t own his opinions or have his own grievances.
试问，除了它有谁做得到？
How can anyone do this, other than him?
答案是有的；就是那些没有感情的机器。举凡桌上的电脑，厨房的冰箱，24小时开放的手机还有那令人舒服的空调等等。它们就是那一群任劳任怨的傻瓜。
Certainly there is! These are machines without feelings. Whether it is a computer on the table, the kitchen refrigerator, our 24/7 mobile phone, the comfort providing air-conditioner and so on. Again, these are groups of hard working fools.
但有谁会跟这些傻瓜说声谢谢？那他岂不是也变成傻瓜？
However, who will thank these fools? Perhaps only fools will appreciate what these fools had done?
我们真的不需要跟它们说谢谢，唯一可做的是心里多一分感激，两分珍惜，三分欢喜，这样就行了。
Indeed we need not thank them for what they done, the things we can do is to show a little gratefulness, a little cherishing and a little delighting.
这样一来，当它们罢工时，你就会多一分包容，少一分埋怨，青春永驻。
By demonstrating, you feel more accommodating, less awful and that’s helpful way to stay youthful.
5) Forms form my days
How many forms do we have to fill before we call it a day?
Birthday Form, Jab Form and the X-ray Form
Your Childcare Form, your Kindergarten Form and don’t forget your primary school Enrolment Form
Your Secondary School Form, Pre-U Form and University Form
And what about the National Service Form
When you graduate, you got to fill your Interview Form
If you lucky it lasts you forever,
And if you are not so lucky
You got to fill it over and over
One form to another, one form to another
When you got your first pay
You will get your Credit Card and Insurance form
Later part, follow by your Apartment Application Form
And, your Loan Form is on the way
One form to another, one form to another
CPF Form, Medisave Form and your Broadband Subscription Form
What happen if you got a car?
There are many forms to go
And you go for many forms
When your kid comes
Another set of forms begin to go
Until you are six feet down under
Your forms will be filled up by others
One form to another, one form to another
4) Blue collar’s song / 蓝领之歌
When I push the trolley to collect reuse items
I have to bend myself down.
As the sun is so heavy on me
Hey, call me a Karang Guni
I am A Karang Guni
I work for a bowl of rice with a price
I work from sunset to sunrise
When I stand behind the counter
I have to keep up and look neat
As everyone’s eyes are on me
Hey, call me a sales girl or a counter girl
I am a sales girl or a counter girl
I work for a bowl of rice with a price
I work from day to night
When I go from seats to seats
I clean up tables and seats
As I am pay to clear dirty seats and tables
Hey, call me a cleaner
I am a cleaner
I work for a bowl of rice for a price
I work from day to day, holiday to holiday
When I reach your house steps
I have rubbish to collect
As the garbage is unpleasant to environment
Hey, call me a refuse collector
I am a refuse collector
I work for a bowl of rice with a price
I work from home to home, moment to moment
(4) Life – Chinese Ghost Month / 生活 (4) – 中元节
中元节是华人传统的节日，它也叫孟兰节或鬼节。传说农历七月鬼门关大开，被禁放出来的孤魂野鬼，会到处去觅食,于是人们借助祭拜仪式，祈求游魂得到他们的保佑。
Hungry Ghost Festival is a traditional Chinese festival, which is also call a Mong Lang Festival or Ghost Month. The Chinese believe that during the Seventh Lunar Month, the Gates of 
Hell are opened and spirits are let out to roam the earth for 30 days foraging for food. Believers will arrange worship ceremony to pray and appease the spirits in return to get their blessings.
另一个说法是源自于佛教故事；释迦牟尼佛的弟子目犍连拥有神通，他妈妈生前做了很多坏事，死后变成饿鬼。目犍连知道后用法力将食物拿给母亲吃，但食物到了妈妈的嘴边却化成灰烬。目犍连非常伤心，向释迦牟尼佛求助。佛陀告诉他，必须以众僧的力量，在7月15日把百味五果放入盆中，以此才能济度他母亲。最后目犍连依照佛陀的指示，他母亲终于得到解救。
Another saying is derived from a Buddhist tale. Moggallana a disciple of Sakyamuni Buddha had supernatural powers and his mother during his lifetime did a lot of bad things. She became hungry ghosts after her death. Moggallana used his supernatural ability to offer food to his beloved mother, but whenever the food touches her mouth it turned into ashes. He was heartbroken and seek help from Sakyamuni Buddha. The Buddha told him to draw on the power of the monks, and on this very day of 15th of the Seventh Month to place five types of grains into a pot so as to appease his mother. Moggallana act in accordance to the Buddha’s instruction and his mother was finally rescued.
从此，祭拜的形式一代传一代，种类也演变成多样化。流行于新马一带的歌台也是其中一种演变出来的祈福仪式。仪式通常由一些工会，小组织联合主办。他们会临时搭建一个有蓬盖的小舞台，找一些知名的主持人和艺人载歌载舞，再配搭劲爆的音乐，效果非常平民化与富有娱乐性。庆典的目的是给那些孤魂野鬼观赏，所以你会发现观众的前排椅子是空着的。这种表演仪式慢慢形成一种，有7月必有歌台的风气。
From then on, the form of worship passed from generation to generation, and it evolve into diversity. Getai (a live stage performance) is one of the ritual evolution of the festival and is popular both in Singapore and Malaysia. The performances and ceremonies are usually jointly organised by number of unions or/and small organisations. There will be a makeshift canopy of a small stage, looking for some well-known presenters and entertainers, with their boisterous singing and dancing, match with the world’s best music, the very civilians entertaining. The performance are meant to be for the spirits but also for people during the Seventh Month. Chairs lined up in the audience’s front rows are usually empty and reserved for the spirits. This form of entertainment has become a must have in the Seventh Month festivals.
庆典的目的是给那些孤魂野鬼观赏，所以你会发现观众的前排椅子是空着的。
The performance are meant to be for the spirits but also for people during the Seventh Month. Chairs lined up in the audience’s front rows are usually empty and reserved for the spirits.
另外一种仪式是拍卖会；就是大家一齐拍卖东西，拍卖成功的人把东西请回家，接下来的一年会得“好兄弟”的保佑而一家平安。
Another observed ceremony is the auction where people dine at the auction dinner and bid for the highest priced items. The sucessful bidder will bring home the items where the Good Brothers (euphemism for spirits) will bless them with good tidings for the following year.
所谓“一人得道，鸡狗升天。”现在歌台旁还有一些流动小贩，卖的小食如雪糕，麻糍等等。可见，这种祭拜仪式不止单单反映当地的文化民俗，也为国家经济添加一分力。
As the saying goes “When a man attains enlightenment, even his pets ascent to heaven”. Next to the performance stage, there are some itinerant hawkers selling ice creams, Ma-Ci (a soft rice snack with grounded peanuts) etc. This does not only reflects the local culture and folklore, it adds a contribution to the national economy.
更可喜的是，草根传统文化在科技时代里还能生存是非常难能可贵。
Far more and far most, it is even more gratifying and commendable that the grassroots traditional culture is able to survive in the era of Science and Technology.
19) Where is this Famous Tourist Spot in Singapore? / 这旅游景点在哪里?
(This picture needs Parental Guidance)
Where is this Famous Tourist Spot in Singapore? / 这旅游景点在哪里?
9) The tale of a kid (1) – The invisible rider
小孩（1）- 隐形摩哆车骑士
小娟到了这个年龄还记得小四那年发生的事情。
记得那年她去上课读书，妈妈陪她上学，当时它们一起走在路上，接着她的脚就被一辆摩哆车碾过，脚没痛但感觉麻麻的。
过后她呆在那儿，妈妈看她没跟上，转过头问她什么事情？
小娟说：“刚才有一辆摩多车走过我的脚，上面没有人的？”
妈妈说：“小孩子不懂事，不要乱讲话！”跟着拉着她的小手上学去。
到了课室，妈妈回了家，小娟感觉越来越害怕，不禁哭了起来！老师不明所以，问小娟到底发生什么事？不问还好，结果反而越问小娟哭得越大声。
这时，一个人走进课室里，她是妈妈！妈妈这时奇迹般地出现眼前！
妈妈见到小娟哭得那么可怜，问她也问不出什么原因，也只好要求老师把小娟带回家。
小娟回到家，哭算是停止了。但她一直投诉脚麻麻没有感觉，而且身体开始发烧。妈妈检查她的脚没什么不妥，然后给她吃一些退烧药，但是没有效，结果只好带她去看医生。
医生看了看，也检查不出什么原因，只是说：“小孩子比较脆弱，容易受到惊吓，吃过我给的退烧药应该没有会没事了！只不过。。。。。”
医生看一看小娟的脚背：“这里有点奇怪？”
“脚？什么事情？”妈妈不明白。
“你看这里！”医生指着小娟的脚背。
“这里好象有一道深红色的线。”医生解释。
小娟妈妈仔细看了看，真的有一道大约两寸宽，比皮肤深一点的红线带从脚趾头到脚背，如果不特别留意是不容易察觉到的。
医生问小娟妈妈：“她最近有没有跌倒或撞到什么东西？”
小娟妈妈想了想说：“有！她说她被一辆摩哆车碾过，而且。。。。。”
“而且什么？”医生追问。
“而且摩哆车上面没有人。” 小娟妈妈有点难为情地说。
“哦！这样啊！没事没事！我给你一些药膏，早晚给她搽一次就没事了。”看来医生也不相信这些荒谬的事，给了一些药膏敷衍了事。
之后的两个月，小娟变得特别安静沉默。然后就渐渐地，恢复本来活泼好动的性格。过了半年以后，妈妈已经把这件事淡忘了。
但这件事情在小娟的脑海里烙下难以磨灭的印记。
小娟长大以后，一天她问妈妈：“妈妈，你记得我小时候被摩哆车碾过脚的事吗？”
妈妈听了很惊讶（可见她没有忘记），但她还是装出很淡定的样子问：“大概还记得，怎么啦？”
小娟问：“妈妈，事情虽然过去这么多年了，但有一件事情我一直想问你。”
妈妈调整了一下身体,准备洗耳恭听。
小娟继续说：“妈妈，当年我在课室哭得那么厉害，没有一个人甚至老师都没有去通知你，但你却回来看我象是早就知道我在课室里发生了事情。到底你怎么知道？”
“小娟，你对的，是真的发生一件事情。当年我没告诉你是因为你还小，还不懂事告诉你也没用，你已经吓成这个样子了。”妈妈浅浅的一笑。
“好！现在我就告诉你。”妈妈说。
“我记得那天送你上学校后，我又走回那条我们经过的路。走着走着，突然有一把男人的声音叫我：“安娣！”
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