#ngasg

[iwanttobeyourwonderwoman]

Nobody Gives A Shit, Git (5)

Act 1, scene 1.

Brahmpur, India.

-Enter Lata-

-Spotlight shines on first box-

Kabir Durrani swinging his bat and looks out to the crowd

-Spotlight dims, and shines on second box-

Amit Chatterji, legs stretched out on a bench, jotting down lines of poetry.

-Spotlight dims and shines on third box-

Haresh Khanna placing the contents of his bag neatly on his desk.

-Spotlight dims on all 3 as Lata stares into the darkness-

-Exit Lata-

HELLO HELLOOOOOO and welcome back. Totally steering away from the tension of the elections for this post because I just finished watching A Suitable Boy on netflix the other day and as usual I have certain scenes stuck in my head that need to be discussed.

So an introduction, (And lots of spoilers ahead!)

Netflix’s latest indian release has been A Suitable Boy, an adaptation of a best selling book written by Vikram Seth (which i now kinda wanna read) and in collaboration with BBC studios,  follows the lives of primarily Lata and Maan. Set in post partition independent India, it highlights the journey of self discovery as well as what the title suggests, the search for a suitable boy. Intertwined with lots of secrets and scandals, the show is overall captivating and takes a little bit of a modern twist, mainly because of the fact that the characters mostly speak in English!

The main actress, Lata, was portrayed beautifully as such a well educated and independent woman trying to follow her mother’s wishes of finding her a husband but battles with her own secret love for the dashing Kabir Durrani, a muslim star cricketeer of their school; amongst her slight attraction to her sister-in-law’s younger brother Amit Chatterji, a witty poet who holds the power to charm Lata’s brain as much as her heart, although much to her mother’s disapproval. Lastly, we have Haresh Khanna, a humble and talented cobbler who Lata’s mother has introduced her to as her choice of a suitable boy who is  constantly fighting for Lata and her mother’s approval. Overall this aspect of the show somehow reminded me of GIlmore Girls, because of how close mother and daughter were, as were Lorelai and Rory and also how it was always a battle between Dean, Jess and Logan. But who did Rory, and Lata in this instance, really want to be with in the end amongst their romances with each of the 3 men.

So before starting on the show I had only heard of the title and that the lead role of Maan was played by Ishaan Khatter. The rest of the cast included Tabu, Ram Kapoor and so on. A stellar cast to bring out the dramatic tones of the show and highlight the political and religious unrest, scandals and romance all across the 6 episodes. I mean look at the stellar performance and chemistry between Ishaan and Tabu throughout the show!

Starting the first episode, I realise like I mentioned above, that most of the show is in English which is great for a potato like me so I don’t have to read subtitles. Did it match the setting of 1950s India? Initially I wasn’t sure because how do you portray the accuracy in culture if it’s all in English and then I realised a damn good cast is all you need, which they definately had. Also because its a collaboration with BBC, the show has some actors with stronger British or American accents than others, and yet they transition from speaking in English to Hindi or Urdu very seamlessly. I think this would really help to attract the non Indian crowd to also take an interest in the show, as well as the culture.

Now the whole series has been made to be very theatrical, hence the introduction to my post. Throwing in a little fun fact some might not know about me is that I used to study Theatre and Drama, which made my appreciation grow for this style of directing/acting because I feel like it’s hardly being used nowadays. That being said, i feel like having the show in English was key to bring out all the dramatic aspects of the series. I think many people did not like that or maybe could not understand little aspects of it. I loved it though I thought it was a clever way to show off the historical side as well as attract a bigger audience.

*More spoilers ahead!!*

 My favourite scene though, was the ending of Episode 5!

Maan, in a fit of drunk rage and jealousy, had just stabbed his best fried Firoz.

Firoz enters the scene dragging his feet, hands clutched to his side, as blood gushes out of his stab wound. He stumbles and finally gives up as he falls to the ground and continues to bleed out as the scene ends. The best part is, the whole scene was set to be red in colour with very dim lighting all around but a huge spotlight on Firoz. Wow I cant even explain how well thought-out that scene was and how impactful of an ending they were able to portray in that episode. It’s like creating a whole other air of suspense and drama as you watch him as an audience bleeding out. I mean they could have just shown him bleeding out on the naturally lit street (but then again were streets ever well lit at night in that era???) But what I’m trying to say is that the whole show could have taken a very different direction but i very much enjoyed the theatrical direction. 

Overall, I really liked the series, took me some time to get through all 6 episodes though, but it was worth it. It’s also quite a nice and simple reminder while watching that that was what people were doing at that time, without technology and so on. It also makes us think back to (the unfortunately stereotypical) topic of parents thinking that they have to find a suitable partner for their child after a certain age. I mean as bright as Lata was, she was still made to believe that she had to follow the path laid out for her by her mother when she was portrayed to be an excellent student of English Literature. I mean you could actually cross refer this series to A suitable Girl on netflix (a documentary focusing on 3 indian girls and how they’re parents and society pressurise them to get married as well how their married life ends up looking like) and the problem comes back to society, expectations, religion, pressure and just the indian culture. 

So yes to end it all off, I do definitely recommend this show for primarily Indians but also to non indians to have a better understanding of issues ad culture of that time.

Cast - 5/5!!

Plot - 4/5

Ending - 3.5/5 (Why does she end up with Haresh!!!?????) 

Acting - 5/5!!!

Set/costumes - 5/5

That’s about all I’ve got on this show to end off yet another topic really nobody cares about! Well I’m off to watch The bonus episode of Hookup Plan/ Plan Coeur on netflix which is a French series, which I also previously reviewd back in season . So as usual, my other writings can be found in the gituuuu tab so knock yourselves out folks!! 

[eddietheweirdo]

Don't worry, the leeches will help I actually didn't mean to put that color on the mask but I like how it turned out anyway #watercolor #tattoo #tattooart #flashtattoo #plaguedoctor #aspiringtattooartist https://www.instagram.com/p/BvHvL-NgaSg/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1bqwchb8gpq63

[iwanttobeyourwonderwoman]

Nobody Gives A Shit, Git. (6) We move along.

I’ve been gathering my emotions and the right words to talk about how I feel and I really don’t know. 

First of all, I’m terrible with changes, I get anxiety about a lot of things and major changes is one of them. 

So after 21 years, I have finally said my goodbyes to my childhood home. 

It was definitely not easy, mentally preparing myself to not take the same route home, to see my neighbours, to roam around the house and have so much space all around me. 

I’ve basically led my life in that house and in that neighbourhood. Also growing up, I was never really allowed to explore much or do anything out of the norm in a sense so my whole life really did revolve around that house. I mean I even watched the neighbourhood playground go through 2 major renovations. I went trick or treating to almost all the houses over the years, made friends with all the other kids in the neighbourhood, spending almost every day between 5.30-7 playing in the playground and with my friends. And if not, I was at home. 

My beautiful large home. That’s what I love about it, it was a really long and big plot of land in such an ideal estate. I think all the way till I was 17, I really enjoyed inviting my friends over. I wanted them to enjoy with me, as well as the house having enough space to carry out all our group project meetings, birthdays or multiple dance practices for weddings. And then afterwards it just wasn’t as fun a place to bring my friends over to anymore as we all got older, but still...

I guess I am warming up to the fact that I’ve shifted but I still will definitely miss my home in Roseburn and the peace and quiet of the neighbourhood. Adjusting takes time but I guess it’s also good that I am so busy with work that I don’t have the time to think too much and dwell. We’ll see how things go.

But for now, I end one era of my life just before we end off the year and must learn to accept whatever comes, emotionally and mentally. My beloved Roseburn, you will be missed. I hope your new owners do something nice with the plot of land and treat you well, the way I have enjoyed the house over the past 21 years. 

To changes,

And adapting

To a new dawn.

[iwanttobeyourwonderwoman]

I BE UP IN THE GYM JUST WORKING ON MA FITNESS HE’S MA WITNESS (oohweeeee)

Nobody gives a shit,git (4)

So on the next topic of things I personally want to share but really, nobody cares about - my fitness journey.

So I present to you

-drumroll-

GIT’S TIPS FOR A HEALTHIER/HAPPIER/FITTER LIFE!!

1. It starts with...

One thing, I don’t know why it doesn’t even matter how hard you try keep that in mind I designed this rhyme-

I MEAN

1. Have the right mindset

Think about it. What are you doing this for? Is there a specific part of your body you’re hoping to train on? Do you just want a healthier lifestyle? Are you trying to lose weight or tone up? Whatever it is, have that purpose and tell yourself that this is what you want and this is good for you. Remind yourself. Push all that positivity and go through with your workout plans. Have some realistic goals and always tell yourself it is possible. Never allow yourself to fall too far behind or give yourself too many excuses.

No space to workout at home? Go out and go for a run!

Not enough time to run outside? Find simple videos to follow online at home.

Start small. It is all possible as Long as you have the right mindset and realistic plans and goals.

2. Pick a killer playlist

Music helps get you in the mood. Find something upbeat and that you like listening to that makes you wanna jump and dance around.

My top playlists when working out

Latin hits (my most played Latin favs, mostly for when I gym)

Fall Out Boy (AMAZING for runs!!)

Pitbull (can’t deny me some Mr Worldwide)

Jason Deruloooooooooo

Whatever works for you and your mood honestly! But just pick a good one, because trust me, it makes it WAYYYY more fun.

3.  Workout attire

I never realised how important this is honestly. When I was in school I would hardly buy branded items for training, even if I did i got them discounted or a gifts (sports bras/nike training tights) and knowing me I’m not one to spend too much money on these things for myself. And the past few years I haven’t worked out as much as I should, so I used all my school jerseys (which I am proud to wear because honestly i feel strong in them) 

So now that I have been working for a few years, making me more financially stable, I have been able to spend more on better attire, so I’ve bought a couple of Puma apparel (tights/shorts/tops) as well as some other clothes from online and I kid you not IT FEELS GREAT! Not only do I feel good because I look good, the tights cover my tummy which is my biggest insecurity, the tops have the right cut to show off my arms and back and that helps to make me fee a little more confident too!

Running shoes also matter. Whether you work out at home, run around the neighbourhood, play sports or shred it at the gym, the right pair of shoes plays its part. I recently got a pair Adidas senseboost and its super comfortable and lightweight and perfect for my runs. it’s all black with a white boost base and even looks good to wear out on a normal day if I’m feeling it. What is key is cushioning especially, so find the right fit for you and whatever activity you plan to do!

4. Do your research!! Make a plan!!

I started off blindly exercising, doing what was simple or I could figure out on my own and never understood technique. That is a big NO NO!! IT’s easy to follow a video but do you really know which part of the body you are training while doing that exercise? Do you know that having the right posture affects how you carry out that exercise and how not to injure yourself in the long run?

I spent a lot of time trying to figure out on my own the right way to do a certain exercise, which exercises help to target specific parts of my body that I really want to work on and most importantly, how often to workout. I learnt to plan my workouts during the circuit breaker and split them according to targeting different body parts, how not to overwork my body by simply throwing out random exercises into my routine. 

If you follow fitness idols and their home workouts (especially during the lockdown period) what is important is that you find idols/videos that you like, match your physical fitness standards and activity level, your daily timings as well as your personal goals. 

5. Start small, till you go big or go home!

If it’s been a long time since you last exercised, start back small. Don’t be over-ambitious. Slowly allow your body to get used to high activity and build up from there. Your body is not suddenly going to be able to do a 14 day shred programme like Chloe ting claims or whatever, there has to be a gradual build up ESPECIALLY if you don’t exercise regularly.

Then from there, track your progress. Watch how your body gets stronger and stronger and be amazed at it.

6. Don’t give up!

I know some days are hard. You may not feel like getting out and working out or maybe it’s raining and you can’t actually leave the house. It’s ok, there’s always a back up plan. Don’t give in to excuses! Find your motivation and stick to it! I hardly skip a workout these days because I’ve really stuck to my routine and the only time that I skip is probably during my period because I know what my body can and cannot handle.

Whether it’s having a workout buddy so you can push each other or whether it’s treating yourself to a good meal after, just always stay motivated and stick to your plan. You reap what you sow so put in the hardwork and the results will show eventually.

So basically these tips are what I realised really pushed me through the past few months that I’ve been working out properly. I started out my journey in March, slowly building up from a weekly run or a gym session, to having to go into full home workout mode a month later because of the lockdown, and then slowly building back a routine for myself as gyms were allowed to reopen as well as working around my new work schedule. It took my body some time to adjust and be able to workout properly but I can proudly say I went feom working out 6 days a week when I was jobless during the lockdown to currently working 6 days a week doing overnight shifts and fitting in workouts 3 days a week. It really helps me get through my week and even though sometimes my body aches but It also really helps me feel good. I Guess everything is generally going a lot better for me currently which allows me to have the motivation to workout consistently and not feel like I’m drowning in work or life. And you can’t imagine how much clarity I get from a good beach run these days, that I’m almost back to being my sunshine self, considering how bad last year was for me that I was just the ultimate heavy dark cloud.

So all that being said, this is sunshine me hoping to motivate you all to incorporate some exercise in your daily life. I’m no fitness guru, neither am I actually skinny, I just have a heart for it and hoping I can share it with you all and get you guys on board my train haha.

Till the next Super whatever topic I feel like sharing that literally nobody cares about!

xx

[iwanttobeyourwonderwoman]

She’s just the girl I’m looking for .

Nobody Gives A Shit, Git (3)

(Yes my post titles will always be song lyrics haha I pride myself in that)

So yesterday I kinda limited my instagram to about half my followers so that I could target a certain crowd/generation to find out more about people’s perceptions of interracial relationships. Particularly I was also hoping to find out if people would only be comfortable to date/marry within their own race and why? And if their families play a part in rejecting someone of another race.

I myself have been in interracial relationships so I can clearly understand certain joys but also the many struggles that come from it. And I wanted to find out how other’s felt through their own personal experiences or simply even if they now would consider someone of another race.

I’m glad I managed to have discussions with people I haven’t spoken to in a while and gather their opinions on dating within and also out of their race.

So some of them did say they would be open to dating interracially but it would take time for their parents to accept, which i think is actually quite normal now because the older generation do have certain traditional values and beliefs and preferences and to them its difficult to accept anything that deviates from that.

Another point is I feel some people lack the exposure to have an understanding of other races and cultures before they can even consider that person to be their significant other. Or maybe they lack the maturity to put in effort to properly understand these things.

Then there are those who say they’re fine with anyone as long as they can vibe with that person and that’s all that matters. I mean ideally that’s how it is, despite coming from 2 different backgrounds you learn from each other and educate yourself on different kinds of people and what matters most at the end of the day is if you are happy with the other person and can hopefully see yourself spend your life with.

I also do totally understand that people may not be willing to say it out loud that yes I am only attracted to someone of my own race and not because my parents are traditional about it. I mean it is hard to call yourself out on things like that, and maybe that’s just the way you swing, so really while carrying out this little social/cultural experiment it was hoping to spark conversations about these topics or get them to reflect on it.

So what inspired this whole little experiment?

The first would be the show Indian Matchmaking on Netflix. HAHAHAHAH.

Guys this show is the bomb I got a little obsessed over it because I’m the kinda person who loves listening to these kinda stories. And I am not too much a fan of online dating or matchmaking etc. So in this show, you also get to see the difference between the traditional upper class families in India as well as a variety of families of Indian Americans and I think there’s really a lot to take away from the show, whether you as a viewer are Indian or not. Yes I know there are multiple flaws being put out in this show such as elitism and what not, but the thing that struck me about the show was the fact that in America, these Indians also still preferred to date someone of the same race and some were even open to hiring a matchmaker all the way from india to lead them in that direction, when Americans are generally a lot more open than Indians and even Singaporeans. And growing up with the American culture how they have different perceptions but somehow still steer back to their Indian roots in a way? Anyway to anyone who hasn’t watched the show, I do totally recommend it like watch the first 2 episodes first and see how you feel about it.

Also another point was that my friend and I were having a conversation about the guys we have met and how we get along with them and we somehow came to say “where are all the good singaporean indian guys???” And a combination of these 2 reasons and a lot of unnecessary thinking got me to want to open up this discussion through Instagram basically.

So yeah that’s the views and thoughts I have to share with you today! Very open to continue to this convo with anyone who would like to share their experiences or views about this and also very open to reccomendations of guys!!??? Hahaha nah I’m kidding (or not) because my single ass of four years is busy building herself to be a better Chef and a better person before I can allow another person in if I’m only gonna get heartbroken again.

Till next time

xx

[iwanttobeyourwonderwoman]

Never be like you -

Nobody gives a shit, git (2)

I believe like 2 people read my previous post HAHAHA LEGIT #NGASG

AND SO IT CONTINUES...

Bringing back a new topic for me to write about that you all literally don’t care about - the struggles of a local Chef.

-Cricket Noises-

I’ve been working professionally in pastry for 3 years now and spent 5 years before that in school studying F&B.

Yes there are many differing views about learning by working in the industry and going to school first. But honestly, it depends on you. The kind of personality and attitude towards learning, working and so on. I think a certain amount of food knowledge is necessary for you to really understand what is going on in a professional kitchen, but experience in the industry also pushes you further in skills and techniques. So yes Pros and cons of working experience/ culinary education.

So anyway the whole point of this post is because we all know how competitive the food industry is, and for me, being in pastry, we have had more home bakers pop up in the recent years and then suddenly even more during the circuit breaker period it’s like everyone’s inner chef was released and everyone wanted to sell their bakes DURING A PANDEMIC???? 

And yet,

I feel like people don’t appreciate what chefs do. Or they honestly just don’t give a damn for the people who make all the food you eat? They just claim they do because a couple of weeks ago they cooked themselves a meal?? Or baked their family some muffins? #shef????

There’s no respect for the people who slog 10-14 hours a day in the kitchen, standing the whole day, hardly getting a break to eat or sit down, just moving non stop to get things done. And depending on which type of f&b establishment you work in, there’s certain rules, For example, working in a big hotel or fine dining restaurant is very much different from working in a cafe. This is where environment and colleagues play a huge part in terms of hierarchy and job expectations. There’s so much going on behind the scenes that so many people are unaware of, and thus have no respect for the sheer hard work chefs put in. 

Chefs don’t earn a lot. I’m putting it out there, straight and frank. We don’t, it’s how the job is. After all that standing and non stop work, many of us earn the amount we do while our friends in industries such as digital marketing can earn so much more? Why?

This is one of the reasons Singaporeans don’t want to be professional chefs. And this is why Singapore has to hire a large amount of foreign talent to fill job positions that Singaporeans have no appreciation for. I mean if you really look at the industry here, it’s mostly malaysians/chinese/filipinos/indians filling up jobs in restaurants/hotels.

I’m not complaining. I’m simply stating facts many people don’t know about and trying to cultivate a sense of appreciation and understanding for jobs that look different from yours. Working in F&b is like a whirlwind - messy stressful, demanding clients etc.

So what inspired this post was that the other day I was having a conversation with my ex colleagues. We talked about how much we respect our previous head chef for teaching us all she did, no matter how much we struggled while working there. It was still our training ground to make us the chefs we are today. We also talked about how difficult it was to earn more and plan for our future. 

If I wanted to be able to make much more money, there are a few options, I could slave away in hotels/ fine dining and climb my way up to a head chef position. That would take quite a few years and experience that I do not have. And obviously I don’t wanna do that, because I’ve had my fair share of that experience and I know that it’s something I can’t continue long term.

Another way is to open my own place and invest every single cent into it and makes sure it does well so I can expand and upkeep, which is also something difficult. 

I mean yes there are certain places that do pay higher or certain types of f&b related jobs that don’t necessarily involve cooking that could allow me to earn more, but as of now, I still would like to remain in a kitchen and gain more knowledge and experience before I do anything else. 

So this is when I started considering another option, rough thoughts I would say. I looked at overseas markets and questioned why and how they can sustain their establishments as compared to here. Cheaper rental? Cheaper equipment? Cheaper ingredients? (Considering many ingredients here are imported...) 

I mean i don’t know for sure. But one day, I hope to be able to find out and try it out for myself. 

Food is an art, it’s a lifestyle, it’s a (literal) burning passion for some of us and I love food i love creating it I love getting to work with it. At 17 I had already decided that I wanted to pursue f&b and I don’t regret it one bit. I’ve come a long way so far, experienced all sorts of bullshit that someone should never have to go through. Learnt a lot, failed a lot, cried a lot, panicked  A LOT. It’s a cycle. It’s not easy, but it’s life. And I hope that I can continue to be able to experiment and explore food and ingredients and desserts for as long as I can.

[iwanttobeyourwonderwoman]

Nobody gives a shit, git. (1)

Finally. Finally I’m gonna have the courage to say and post about certain things. And even then, nobody ever reads or listens to me but I’m gonna do it anyway. For myself. Whether anyone reads it or not, it’s something for me to look back on in the future.

So here I go.

On a new segment I like to call “Nobody gives a shit, git”

(for many obvious reasons)

So it’s the day after Singapore’s general elections.(Yes in the middle of this pandemic, the country decides COME LETS VOTE FOR OUR PARLIAMENT!) The past 10 days have been very heated with intense campaigning being done on such short notice. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE had their own views on this. So much drama and even more chaos. So that’s when I decided to do a little research myself to understand what the hell was going on and as a first time voter, who should I vote for to represent my constituency?

So what’s so special and dramatic about elections for parliament in our small island of a country, you ask? LOTS.

Firstly, I wanna talk about the opposition candidates.

I didn’t realise how many opposition parties there were but it’s good to see a healthy competition in all areas. Before last week I knew nothing. All I knew is that PAP rules the whole country basically and WP ruled Aljunied GRC. This year I feel that WP had a stronger support from the public as well as better and more capable candidates. After all, you’re voting for who represents you in your area and ultimately in parliament. Yes PAP still makes most of the decisions but then the opposition is the one who stands up and says “but why not this way?” This in a way helps to challenge the PAP but also forces them to take a look at the public’s perspectives a little more closely instead of just a general view.

What was good this year is that there are many younger members in WP as compared to considerably older Politicians of PAP. This in itself reflects on the parties as PAP has been around from the beginning, gaining us our independence. Whereas WP has been wiggling their way through over the past few elections. A younger team, a fresher mindset, with candidates having different backgrounds and experiences, as compared to the (majority) elites of PAP. 

Now, Pritam Singh. This man. Amazing leadership. He has ensured his candidates exude class and confidence and respond gracefully. This is something I really admire about him. Everytime a WP member has spoken against other parties, he has made sure that they do so with class and not simply throw down PAP. Yes PAP has faults, we all know that. But we would not be here without them. And it is necessary for us to be grateful as a nation for all the work PAP has done over the years, instead of simply calling them out on their faults and spewing accusations. PAP is too powerful for that. You must fight on their level. Which is exactly what Pritam Singh and the Worker’s Party have tried doing.

Hot favourites obviously belonged to the Sengkang team, who as a whole, managed to reach out to their specific demographics as well as the rest of Singapore youths/millenials in particular. Despite online accusations and what not, they managed to fight through and secure Sengkang GRC which was a MAJOR accomplishment and milestone in so many ways. As well as the East Coast GRC team who fought very hard but fell short by a very small margin. 

Another party that was so close to being elected, was PSP led by Dr Tan Cheng Bock. This one is an interesting story. I had only found out all this information a couple of days before. This man is already 80 years old and was making waves on instagram because most campaigning was being done so online. Dr Tan Cheng Bock was already a familiar name among the older generation, considering he was formally from PAP, then having resigned to run for presidency but unfortunately could not win. Affectionately known as hype beast ah gong to the younger crowd, he as well as his marketing team made a huge move to post videos of him on Instagram to relate to the youth. And Guess what, it worked. Even those who don’t really know much or care much about politics (me for example) went to research him and found out how qualified he is and what he stands for. I wish his party did have a little more support to win (he lost by a less than 2% percentage) because it would have really shaken the PAP. But he was also going against strong PAP members and I also think that people may question him because of his age (he’s 80!!!???) thus questioning his ability to govern at his old age. Yes I would say it is a possible concern to many but who is to say he is not capable of the role? He has built such a strong name for himself, which is admirable at his age. Another very admirable thing he did was saying if his party did not win but if one candidate is being offered a seat in parliament, he will not take it. So if you agree with what he says and want him to oppose PAP, it was either you vote for him and his whole team to all have seats in parliament, or you don’t get him at all. Like do or die. Definately a risky move, but just shows how much he cares for his whole team. Also, I’m sure they’d target him throughout so he would require his team for backup,otherwise another strong member shall be sent in his place, which I also think might be a good idea because TCB has had his run in parliament already and can serve as a very good advisor to his potential candidates. 

So coming back to my second point, which is regarding PAP. Ahhhh, so much could be said about PAP. long story short, their feathers were definately ruffled and could have acted with a little more grace. Yes they do handle certain areas well, for example, my GRC, Marine Parade. Formerly run by senior minister Goh Chock Tong, it was always a sure win for PAP. But then watching the results I realised many people were unhappy. Why? Was PAP not handling their area well? Possibly. Handling Marine Parade is a little tricky as well. An area with such rich history and culture that represent Singapore, is the home to many affluent Singaporeans. The area is decked with endless landed homes and condos as compared to HDBs. Well known government and Catholic schools, and our very own East Coast beach. Now for Marine Parade, I realised there are a few types of residents who voted the way they did.

1) Genuine support for PAP, usually the older generation who have only known the ways of PAP all their life, through independance of Singapore till now. 

2)Genuine support for Worker’s Party, people who possibly root for the underdogs. 

3)People who want to see change and have an impact but were not convinced by the Worker’s Party candidates and their lack of experience, hence voting for PAP as the safer option to maintain our area, which has done pretty well till now.

4)People who could not be bothered and just vote for PAP because that’s how it’s always been and  would rather stick to that and be ignorant. 

So basically going back to PAP, yes they have the experience and the knowledge to run the country. But what about a lot of underlying problems that have surfaced during this elections? Racism, social class, education opportunities, elderly healthcare? Are they really considering all these factors too? That’s when the opposition comes in plays their part. To really represent the people. I’m not saying that they don’t know how to do their job, they most certainly do. And over the years they’ve had some great and highly respected ministers who have made a huge impact in their respective fields.im just saying that times are changing and the younger generation is getting more involved and PAP isn’t getting any younger.

I don’t wanna make this any longer so I’m gonna shorten my third and most important view personally.

SPEAK GOOD ENGLISH!!!!!

How do you expect to be the ‘voice of the people’ if you can’t speak proper English? The way we articulate things, being our points across, never underestimate the importance of this! How are you going to be credible to your people if you can’t speak well with confidence and passion? Listening to some of the broadcasts made me crazy because many opposition members could not speak well and spent most of their argument blaming the PAP!! Where is your point? Where is your class? You wanna argue with PAP and with your very own prime minster, then at least try to do so with some elegance. This is our prime minister after all, not some hawker uncle. If you wanna talk about these issues, he could very well devour all of you single handedly. If you want to state your cause or your unhappiness, do so smartly and in a way people will listen, not just empty words spewing out in anger.

Looking at the better speakers this year such as everyone’s new favourite person, Jamus Lim ; Raeesah Khan, He Ting Ru, Pritam Singh, Nicole Seah, Sylvia Lim and also Tan Cheng Bock of the opppsition and then Dr Vivian Balakrishnan, Tharman Shamugaratnam, and a couple other more. I have much respect for you all to be able to speak the way you do and it’s people like you who give me hope for the betterment of the country.

So to end off, I mostly just wanted to share a snippets of my thoughts. I did my research during the elections and went from knowing nothing to being able to have proper conversations about this. Why? Because I felt stupid for not knowing what was going on and seeing many others my age ranting online and having full on discussions about all this and I tried so hard to understand what was going on. Everyone seemed to know what was happening and I thought to myself, why is it I don’t understand? Do I not care or do I just not know? I am a person who doesn’t like being in the middle of controversy and arguments and will gladly silently back out just so I can avoid the hooha. And I did this time round too but I also just wanted to educate myself a little more so that I could form my own opinions and not blindly follow what others say. Yes I respect PAP for building this country from the ground up. But I also respect the oppositions, mainly the few teams from workers party who have made a very strong impression.

Change is inevitable. And this year’s election is the turning point.

And with that, I end off. If you read through all this, congratulations, this was long but it was what sparked me to write after quite a while. I am just a simple girl with simple views but nonetheless views that matter and it’s about damn time I speak up a little more. I may be young and dumb and slightly carefree or ignorant about certain things, but that doesn’t mean I am not smart about certain things or am not capable of having mature conversations. I am and I don’t want that to be overlooked at times.