le kua simi

Its National Day!

National Days were much more happier days for me in the past. No lessons, just going to school for celebrations, watching the National Day Parades on television, while waiting for RSAF's fighter jets to roar across my window, and seeing the distant skies light up at night as the fireworks were let off.

Then the studio apartments came up opposite my house, and blocked the view to the fireworks. Not long after the NDPs are shifted to Marina Bay, and the fighter jets no longer fly across my window.

Before 9/11 and the SARS outbreak, I'm quite sure security and temperature checks weren't top priorities then. Now, not just at NDPs, X-ray and temperature scanners are common sightings at all major events.

Maybe I'm older now, I'm more aware of what is happening around me, and I find that things are not as good as they should be, people are not as happy as they should be, I am not as happy as I should be, and I'm not exactly in the mood to celebrate anymore.

So now National Day becomes another ordinary day for me, just that the broadcast of the parade and the news bulletin that comes on earlier at 5.45pm instead of the usual 6.30pm adds a little difference to the usual programming.

This year's parade is surprisingly refreshing however; perhaps because there's more singing and music than dancing. Would have hoped for more fireworks though.

Whatever it is, I still wish her a happy 44th birthday and 国泰民安.

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The movie G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra reminded me of the Command and Conquer universe, with all the soldier suits and advanced weaponry, while the story itself reminded me of Ironman and the controversies around the weapons industry. They made the major battle scene between the underwater marine crafts looked more like a dogfight in the air instead, and I found it interesting how the Japanese ninjas fits nicely in the movie where it was set in the future with all the weapons and technologies.

Overall I liked the movie; gave some space for imagination.