BLOG MOVED

Hi all,

I taken a Fancy of how wordpress organised and make blogging neat that I have moved to wordpress.

If u are here to check out new posts, Please be informed that my new blog has moved! Click here :~~LINK~~

Regards,
Mr Corn.

My "Too Fast Too Furious" Wedding

Marriage Preparation in Singapore with ROM usually take months to prepare. But less than 5 days is what my wife and I did to complete everything needed for a moderately simple wedding.

Standard Singapore wedding includes:

1. Choosing wedding package: normally couples will visit many bridal shops and view the wedding dress collection and viewing many diff photo shoots from different shops before deciding.(usually take 1 full day for fast decision maker to weeks for slow decision maker)
2. A full day of wedding shoot: Normally it is scheduled days, weeks or months from the initial selection wedding package.
3. Research and booking of restaurant for traditional Chinese wedding: Estimating number of guests, selecting restaurants and deciding on the wedding dinner package normally takes 2 man days to weeks.
4. Time also need to be spent for selecting and buying wedding bands. Normally, few hours.
5. ROM normally scheduled away from the planning to avoid hectic schedule.

All the above, My wife and I did with a bit of luck and sheer decisiveness. I must thank her for being a fussy-free, cheerful and supportive significant half.

Below is the short narration of my "Too fast too furious ROM"
*Remember my wife only here in SG for slightly more than 5 days*

• Day 0: During the day, my family and I booked the resturant and got the estimated tables for the traditional Chinese dinner next year. @ night 10 pm>> My wife and family arrived in Singapore.
  
  
• Day 1: We went straight for Citigems @ vivocity, choose a set of wedding bands and purchase from the shop with a budget in mind. Upon shopping and looking for a decent white function dress...we stumbled upon a bridal roadshow @ vivocity in the EVENING. Upon asking, we managed to get the package with lots of perks and also the next day for wedding shoot with the rest of the week tied up for the bridal shop. Lucky!
  
  
• Day 2: Went to ROM to sign confirmation of rom date. Rush to the bridal shop to get makeup for my wife. We had a whole day of photoshoot in the studio, botanic garden and sentosa. My wife and I keep cracking cold jokes, that the photographer almost wanted to throw her camera @ us... LoL
  
  
• Day 3: I slept for most of the day, with my sister helping me to bring my in law around to visit temples with my wife (being dragged to follow despite exhausted) . I met up with my in laws in the evening for dinner and then we went off to KTV. No wedding prep day.
  
  
• Day 4: Photo selection is scheduled on this day plus collection of the wedding bands which is re sized to fit our 4th fingers respectively.
  
  
• Warning: Corny Stuff below!
  Day 5: morning, my wife and I went to makeup plus dressing up for ROM.
  During the rom, my solemnizer is not fluent in mandarin but to respect my in-laws who are from China, i requested the vows to be taken in Mandarin. My wife had a hard time in listening to the instructions. There is a instance she strained to listen and then say "I do" in a frantic manner (She is nervous anyway). The Solemnizer instead of asking "I can't hear u can u please speak louder.." said "Are u willing to say "I DO" or not". My wife is stunned and say "Of Course, I DO" angrily. This cause a laughter in the room.
  
  Another funny point is that my wife and I supposed to hold hands before the vow taking. She is supposed to place her hands with palm down on my hands and we hold each other hands. Instead she place her palms up and then i try to signal her by doing a palm down action...she flipped her hands..phew...I flipped back to my position and she flipped again GOsh!! then she flipped back...Its like we playing some hands flipping game. Again the room roared in laughter.
  
  Funny point 3: My wife when asked to sign, she ask: "does it need to be clear?" I say "of course" She wrote her Chinese name very straight and clear...very different from the signature of the ROM confirmation which she had signed on day 2. then when i told her the 2 signatures supposed to be the same, she panic and look very blur. haha, then the solemnizer took out the previous copy say ok...u just need to counter sign again. The room burst into laughter again.
  
  The whole ROM look so cartoon, with me look stunned by my cute wife all this while.
  

• Day 6: early morning rushed my wife and in laws to airport and bid them goodbye!

Indeed time flies, and those memorial days with my wife just sped through. I am anxious for the Chinese traditional wedding and hope it is less "cartoon" and corny that day. haha, but with Mr and Mrs Corn around, what else do u expect?

Crisis brings opportunitities: Learning to catch fishes in troubled waters

The financial tsunami reaching into Asian market and it may be bad news for most. Singapore is officially declared in recession.

Many of the stocks reminds me of the overpriced sw*s*n ice cream i had in Orchard road. Suddenly sold like ice cream being paddled by the uncles on ice cream motorbikes selling @ $1 per scoop per cone. (sidetrack)

Think this way. ..if you are home maker, or someone looking forward to long term investment. My foresight is property market in SG. SG is diff from U".S simply because we lack of land and govt have plans to further increase the poplualtion. Pro-family policies including baby bonuses not long ago remember?

Through previous down periods of Singapore banks, we see mergers (DBS-POSB, (keppel bank)). This is not likely to happen as the last merger have consolidated the strs of the major banks now. If the tsunami threatens to destroy MAJOR SG banks like DBS, UOB etc, do you think our govt will sit there and watch the show. Knowing the mentality of our government is another important point. "What goes up will come down" A rubber ball that thrown into the air will come down to the ground and then bounce... (U get the hint?)

This is only a handful of opportunities i see..there are specific ones...but i will not reveal too much for it is better to put things into action than to say a million "do wat"s.

My 2 cents about the financial turbulance.
Last advise : "The hastier u are eager to make quick bucks, the quicker u are likely to lose"

Molested by China Chick

One of the usual guys' past time is to look at eye candies. This is particularly true in the case of my old NS friend who invites me to Geylang for food as well a walk down the alleys to catch some eye candies.

As it has been years since i last seen him and I do not mind seeing some eye candies. (I am honest here :) ) as long as he do not go for some "Extra curricular exercise" and make me wait for him at some coffee shop.

After a sumptuous meal at Geylang, we walked down to the lorongs (alleys), chit chatting and start viewing "arts". I need to admit, temptation is real but a mixture of fear of STD, beliefs and commitment to my fiancee helps suppress it. (Best way to resist is to avoid yourself in those places rather). Temptation however seems to catch my friend when we saw a certain chio PRC lady with her friends nearby. He start to approach *chio PRC babe and asking for cost of services. (you know what).

I went and tapped his shoulder signalling that i am leaving soon. But the friend of the *Chio PRC babe (not too bad looking but i will not call her *chio). I was looking at my friend feelingannoyed when i feel a hand stroking my thigh then to my butt and a voice from the lady saying "Shuai Ge...lai ma...wo hui ran ni hen shu fu de~" (translated: Handsome, come on, I will make u feel very comfortable~).

Feeling disgusted rather than "high", OMG "I am being molested. I signaled to my friend i am leaving that place. and quickly moved off. Going after me and grinning at the same time, he exclaimed "Too bad I am not handsome enough." I felt like punching his face.

From this incident, I learnt few valuable lesson:
1. Never stop walking if you are there for viewing only.
2. If your friend has intention of engaging the services, move off and drop him a call or sms.
3. Stay at least 2 arm lengths from the girls so that you have time to react.
4. Best option is never go with a horny friend.

I still can't help to feel disgusted.

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"

It seems strange that I particularly liked movies with humanity values that I have never watched "Tears of The Sun" (lead actor: Bruce Willis, lead actress: Monica Bellucci) until now. In the show, Navy SEAL Lieutenant A.K. Waters and his elite squadron of tactical specialists are forced to choose between their duty and their humanity, between following orders by ignoring the conflict that surrounds them, or finding the courage to follow their conscience and protect a group of innocent refugees.

At the end of the show, before credits rolls...The quote:

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing" Edmund Burke.

Adolf Hitler, the world renown dictator broke a series of treaties and the league of nations did nothing until he declares war.

Upon research, i found this blog about children in Africa. It seems like good men are doing nothing and evil prevails.

Many crimes would have been stopped in their tracks just because we all thought someone would call the police and catch the bad guys without getting ourselves into trouble.
Bullying in school would have stopped, if someone is brave enough to report and stop it.

I am wondering if I am going to meet a situation where saving others might mean a risk in my life just like Lt Waters in the movie, would I make a clear decision to save. 80% chance i would if i am single and probably 10% chance if i have a family of my own.

I am not trying to say that all should do something to help others at the expense of his/her own interest. We are all selfish creatures seeking to protect ourselves first. But do salute and pat the back of those who do something to help the weak at the expense of their own interest or even their own lives.

My Difficult Mother-In-Law To be

Friend A: Mr Corn, aren't u getting married?
Mr Corn: Yes, I am.
Friend A: So when is ur big day?
Mr Corn: I dunno.
Friend A: What do u mean by u dunno...its u who is getting married!
Mr Corn: .....

*Clap clap* The above conversation has been repeating itself months and months again. Many would have thought that this lucky-go-happy Mr Corn isn't serious about marriage.

Well, when u have a mother-in-law to be who is all about traditions (regardless they make common sense or not) and thinks that planning marriage is easy in Sg as in China. U got a whole load of problems and uncertainties @ hand.

My parents actually wanted the big wedding day to be of liking to my mother-in-law to be, so they suggest her to decide. But, she answered "the guy side suppose to take care of it, Must be some auspicious date". With my mum a Christian and my dad an atheist, it is not in their belief. However, my mum being computer-illiterate was unable to find " 通书" the so-called great book that contains all the "u should do this and u shouldn't on which dates".

Anyway, it doesn't matter to me much which date the big day should be. I just need to find a date which is so called "auspicious"...finally "Mr Google" show me 2 " 通书"s @ sina Web (China website) as well as one local Singapore one. Checking the contents of both, they are almost the same. Any " 通书" should be the same throughout, isn't it? Getting my mum to access the information and read the " 通书", she decided June will be a good time for my Dad to attend and then selected careful the date that reads auspicious for wedding. Finally solved the hassle of finding a big day right?

Not so fast, a reply from my mother-in-law to be says she is unable to check coz the printed version/calendar isn't out. I took pains to explain Sina Web (china own leading website) got 通书 and i have checked. She just brush off my explanations saying "she will check to see if the date is suitable for she hope that everything is well for us" Fair enough, I offered even to print out the 通书 from SINA website and then send to her. She asked me not to worry. But when would i know? Ans she gave is when i need to know... ZzzzZZZZz

Any couple who tried to arrange for a traditional wedding dinner knows that, In Sg we need to reserve the restaurant months before the actual day. Finding make up artist, photographers, wedding car, decor, checking on procedures on ROM and application of PR for my wife to be, flats application, i have to do it all by myself. Can't my mother-in-law to be make any things simpler? With my wife to be and her mother who can only stay in SG for no longer than a week and my wife to be cannot be in sg for any other reason like sight seeing, finding jobs OR accustoming to lifestyle of SG. (Note the word: "OR" chinese means "huo ze"). To pile up my misery, i do not even know when they are coming to Sg for me to plan for ROM.

I decided to break my silence and call my mother-in-law and painfully managed to get her to say "Go ahead to do with ROM stuff and let her know when the date was". Do not get me wrong to say that mother-in-law is a bad person. She is a kind person who is just bent on her own ideas and bound by stupid traditions of Chinese. Isn't alot of traditions in 封建时代 which enslaves million of Chinese women to their ideas. If following the tradition, if my wife did not give birth to a son that carry the family name in future,does it I can look to other women to help carry on the family's name? This is plain stupid. By the way, men in the region of Fujian can dun lift a finger to help with household chores. Rules are dead but humans aren't.

As a total opposite to my character who do not like to bound to traditions, logical in thinking and being broad thinker in many ways...It is extremely hard for me.
Being marriage across countries, we all have to give and take. But somehow i find myself in position of giving in, giving in and giving in. Surely Misery loves company. Any difficult parents-in-law out there? Please let me know to make me feel better.

Lastly, in the name of love for the wonderful lady i am about to married to, understanding the background culture of the place (which i extremely detest their thinking patterns and thoughts Not the people), I have to endure, endure and endure.
I will write someday about "traditions and its stupidity" both in religion views (bible Pharisees and how this so called men of God use traditions to enslave many minds of jews that time). need some time to research. It isn't just Chinese enslaving themselves with traditions!

My mind: The powerful tool to ward of road bullies.

Trying to quieten my handsome, mischievous nephew is never an easy affair. He bounced up and down on the car seat singing on top of his voice some random nursery songs after we fetched him from nursery. My dad seemed a little distracted but to ensure safety drived at a slower than normal pace.

The driver behind us obviously wasn't pleased and definitely unforgivng. He suddenly sped, cut abruptly into our lane and suddenly stepped on brakes. My dad being a careful driver reacted well to the situation by braking in time. The driver continued irritating act of accelerate then brake follwed by accelerate again and again. This happen awhile on the whole stretch of the road b4 we reached the next red traffic lights.

"Birdman!" said the 2 years plus old kid beside me. ("Birdman" Translated to chinese) This is something my nephew who picked up from me. Anyway, the guy is an absolute jerk but i have my ways to stop him from bullying a 60+ years old driver. Calmly taking out my camera phone, without switching to video mode (coz i too lazy and also predicted such drivers have no "balls" to continue his childish act) and i pointed the phone @ his car holding it high up to enough for him to see hfrom his rear mirror. I told my dad "well let's see if he continues his childish acts."

When the traffic lights turned green, he moved off changing lane and sped off immediately. yes run..u coward..!!! Just a small trick made him piss in his pants. This isn't a new trick, years ago i used a non camera phone and frighten off a car who cut in and out of the lane of my friend's car. Definitely, If the scum continues to do that in front of my dad's car, i'll switch to video mode and send a copy to traffic police.

First Trial of Marrying a PRC lady for a Singapore Guy.

More and more Singaporean guys are marrying foreign ladies. Old news..Newspapers has articles reported about Vietnam, PRC bride agencies. Not shortly after,Newspapers reported that many PRC girls dubbed as "Little Dragon Ladies" marry local SG guys for SG PR status and not for Love.

Forums, news, coffee Shops discussions has been stating while local guys who find foreign wives are normally inferior in some way.
1. Inferior complexity: cannot stand wife earning a higher salary or with better qualification.
2. Social inadequacies: not being able to be socially intriguing enough to court any female locals.

The above "Complexity and Social Inadequacies" theory is flawed. Let me illustrate why. Firstly there are increasing no. of white collar sg males marrying foreign wife. Due to Globalisation, in many developed countries, chances of meeting foreigners @ work or in schools has increased over the years. Therefore there is higher chances of love blossoming.

In My university in Australia, in fact more than half of the Singaporeans i know of(including myself) had a foreigner lady as our other half. While a proportion of sg females bitching lack of good singapore guys, singapore guys are more wussy compared to the Ang mohs, less handsome than the koreans/japanese. A fact slap hard on their face: Singaporean guys are far more appreciated by foreign ladies.

Some statistics:
15 out of 29 girlfriends/wives(inclusive of me) of Singaporean Guys (uni grads) are foreigners.
Breakdown by countries (out of 15): China-5, Japan-3,Taiwan-2, Korean-2,UAE-1, Aus-1, HK-1
Some of my japanese female friends commented: "SG guys are more mature and gentlemanly than JP guys." Those comments even though make me feel flattered as a Singporean guys, I feel that those are very general views of Japanese Girls.
My Fiancee now has absolutely no need to be a Singaporean and could have stay on to be Aussie. She do not depend on me financially and has obtained Her Bachelors. So are the rest of the PRC ladies of my friends. They are of an inferior than SG girls?

Reasons for bringing up the old issue:
I am going to marry a wonderful PRC lady who i met during my studies in Australia.
Recently, I got church aunties telling me this: "Ah boy ya, U are a Master holder and a white collar professional. Why not find a local girl or some girl in church?"

One of my friend's mother told me: "Be careful, your PRC wife-to-be might be after your money and SG PR status. Only guys who are blue collared ones, or socially Cannot-Make-It ones then find China girls or order brides. Y u like that?" The last question lead me to think if I am some Sg elite cheapening myself by getting a PRC wife.

Being very polite to elders or showing my friends' face, I did not tell them off in a face. But that i find is indeed revolting and discriminating against PRC girls. I got a few friends tell me it is better to get a local girls, i do understand their point of views as in marriage procedures, registration for HDB flats and getting bank loans will be much easier.

I read one blog bitching about Sg guys and ask them go marry PRC brides or order Vietnam bride (taken down quite some time ago). Not being wussy, but i never like to post back scolding people "@#$@$%@#%" which i find pointless to be angry with people who anyhow insult others without brains. I am a high EQ guy to start with. (I normally ignore low EQ folks).

Man, I am getting worried for my wife-to-be and must prepare her for this type of insults which i predicted she will encounter one day. The last pondering thought I have is "Am telling her our SG society is ungraceful, proud and insensitive ?"