I am quite impressed with the quality of the columns in the Sunday Times and Lifestyle of late. I'm not complaining that I don't just read the comics and the food interviews at the back of the paper anymore, but actually spend time to read between the erm, lines. It's quite funny really, that I envisage myself writing columns and articles for publications in the future that I don't really wanna read and appreciate another journalist's work at the expense of an inferiority complex or the reverse. I realize now, however that there are indeed those who walk among us that know how to spin a story or tell an experience without appearing corny, lamb, over enthusiastic, self pitiful or a potent and pungent mix of the above, for instance Sylvia Toh Paik Choo, goddess of Singapore journalism. I mean, whoever calls her column Paik Chaik has got to be presented with some accolades no? haha . If I ever have my own column, I'm gonna call it Lim Peh as a tribute to her, or maybe Kani... Nah,better not. =)
I wish that, in lieu of all the spick goot engrish campaigns and stuff, that the writings of today's yoof may be less narrow-minded and conformists, that people would write because they want to, not because they have to. I miss creative writing in the sense, that you get marks for an examination by lettting your imagination go off tangent. WOW! Ahem. The sad thing is that ed yoo kay shun has effectively taken the creative out of the writing. And it stems right from primary school, with the antichrist being an abomination called Model Compositions. I've known poor souls that memorize the entire frickin compo just to regurgitate that slimy mess out onto a piece of writing paper during the examination itself! Fool's Cap indeed! Breh hell, think what, Science ah?
I guess it is not fair to assume that everyone likes expressing their feelings through writing. Some like intepretive dances. But I dare say that writing, be it brogging, composing a song, poetry or anything else does something therapeutic for you, much akin to yoga and Yo Yo Ma. People should write because they feel like it, hence I think the reason why ed yoo kay shun forcing creative (isn't that an oxymoron) writing on youth nowsaday will only kill any vestige of interest that Peter and Jane developed in them when they were wee kids. Maybe some like reading more than writing, but I think they come in tandem.. ah well.
This post has been somewhat inspired by Stevie Ng and his soliloquy on how "I'm a jock but I can appreciate Shakespeare" during English the other day. Granted, Stevie, or Sir to the uninitated is a Jack of all trades. Bass, keyboards, tennis, lit, taking pictures in front of Angkor Wat, I've got respect for the man, man. And as we were analyzing Twelth Night, it just hit me that this year I've been so sensitized by lesser( I don't care, it is) literature such as Singaporean poetry(possible oxymoron) that the sheer vastness and majesty of the Bard has escaped me, or rather I am unable to comprehend, in an appreciative sense the extent that good ol' Will has made the English language a tool in which he conveyed timeless themes with sheer genius.
Thus, it is my wish that we, the citizens of Singapore may learn to appreciate the finer works in life(or death,his) rather than just keep content with a literary mindset only tuned to the ilk of Model Compositions. Surely there's more to the English language than getting an A for some gahmen examination right?
and btw, Orsino si beh cheeko. tsk.
Delivered at 8:15 PM;
KENNETH
Name:Slumber
Born:16th August
FANCIES
Him.K.anglo-chinese.music for the passionate.marvel.gunners.
Orange.debate.
long bus rides armed with an eye and a pod.74.
philosophizing.dystopia.
coffee.Rove.Health.Famary.
Buddies.
writing.1984.
expression.Italian food.
journeys.teh-peng.
stream of consciousness.
witty play on words.musing.
accents.the heartrands.performing.
being a closet connossieur.
a point of view.vigorous
interaction with spherical objects.
irony&pathos.yum.
JS.spirit.a girl that would smile