Do your bit and have your say

My political awareness started when I was in secondary school - thanks to one of my teachers. We were talking about history in class when he mentioned about things not being what it seemed. In particular, he mentioned about the redrawing of electoral boundaries - gerrymandering, phantom voters, 1969 and that certain figureheads were doing nothing but bad for society. Just as abruptly he stopped and continued the class - in hindsight probably with the fear of ISA - but what he said shook me.


Before this, politics for me was basically about independence and progress of the country as a whole. The only stuff I read was what was in the major dailies - I did not know that they were government controlled and thus had control over what got published. Of course I was still young then, and at this stage, Internet availability was limited and availability of altenative news sparse. However over the past few years, the availability of various portals of information (be it via meeting other people, reading literature/ online sources) has given me the ability to realise that things are not what it is.

You all know the various problems plaguing the country of late; I don't need to list them all out. Needless to say I am pretty much disgusted with many things that are going on, and that change is needed before the point of no return (perhaps we have even crossed it).

On one of my previous trips back, I duly registered for voting at the nearby post office. Come the upcoming elections, I will be eligible to vote for the first time. Pending the backdate of the electorate roll to be used, rest assured that I will make sure that I will do my part - for the country I still do love.

Imperial Treasure

Been busy, massively backlogged. So here we go:



Taiwanese style long beans

Crunchy and delicious!

Salad prawns

This was great too, chunky prawns with mayo dressing.

Some rice flour dish

Didn't quite find this to my liking.

Some dumpling, I think it was Beijing style.

Reminds me of pan-fried gyoza

Forgot the starters, here they are:


Xiao long bao with prawn cutlet and roasted peanuts.


Closer look at the prawn cutlet.


And even more prawn dumplings.


And a beef brisket soup as well!


Imperial Treasure Restaurant
Marina Square
Singapore

The passing

'The vet is here.'

'Do you want to watch?'. I nodded and followed, wanting to be there for it as it had for me for the past 14 or so years.

We entered the room. I called its name, but he so weak, all it could do was to raise his head but did not have the strength to look at me. We had to carry it in from the car earlier. I crouched and gave him a pet. One assistant held him down, while the other searched for a blood vessel in its front right leg. He missed the first time, but at the second try, crimson started to enter the syringe, clearly noticable over the pink-purple tinge of the euthanasia agent.

A nod, and he pressed on the syringe. The dog gave a slight shiver, and its head dropped to the side, which caught me by surprise as I had expected it to take perhaps a minute. One assistant felt its abdomen to ensure that the heart had stopped, and both left the room.

I stayed there for a short while, felt its nose and whiskers a last time and ensuring that its eyes were closed. I then gave it a final pet, walked out of the room and closed the door behind me.