Author: Wilfrid

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Uncategorized

A Good Night’s Sleep is So Rare for Light Sleepers Like Me But Once in a While …

If I could design my own DNA like an RPG video game, I would want to be a heavy sleeper. Being a light sleeper sucks. It is an arcane gene passed down from the caveman era so that my ancestors don’t get easily eaten by wildlife. Or get robbed and/or murdered in the middle of the night. Other than that, I don’t see why anyone would want to be a light sleeper.

Last night’s sleep was good. It has all the elements of a good sleep. It was uninterrupted and I have slept a full 8 hours. As a bonus, it came with a really good dream.

I dreamed that I was a girl, being framed for something I did not do in a large social gathering, embarrassed and humiliated. My home was harassed. Then, one good friend turned up (also a girl) and she went through a great length to clear my name. I felt vindicated. And then I woke up.

Days like these are hard to come by. It could be the wine. It could be the vegetarian dinner. It could be the lessen of work stress, the K-drama I watched before going to bed. It could be that I didn’t drink that much water before going to bed (oh, I love drinking water in the evening, not sure why), the terrible sleep I had the night before.

Or just a mix of everything.

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My Good Life

The Thin Line Between Colleagues and Friends

Looking back at my two-plus decades of working life, I can recount three periods of my career when I am truly happy. All involve me having a phenomenon rapport with my team. All involve me being able to operate at the peak of my performance. There must be a correlation between the two. Or three, if counting opportunity or luck as well. At one point in my career, I have stopped socializing with people from work. Because corporate life can be brutal. It is not unlike a playbook written by Shakespeare. Full of tragedies and treacheries. At one point, I have decided that the best way not to get affected by the transient work entity is to detach myself from the people within. In retrospect, life is about taking risks and accepting the consequences of the decisions made. To the least, I have lived. And not just zombied my way through life.

I Was The Architect

Rising up the ranks from a new recruit a.k.a. fresh graduate to a lead architect of enterprise-level trade finance software was quite a feat. Started off my career with Accenture as a support consultant on a job that no one wanted (read: maintenance), I managed to learn everything I needed to know about trade finance. From accounting to interest and commission calculation, from letters of credit to banker guarantee, from front end user interface to batch programs, reporting (back then, it was line printer) and invoicing, from visual C++ to C to PLSQL to Oracle Report Writer and many more. I was so good with version 4 of this proprietary Accenture / Deutsche Bank joint venture that I was enlisted to implement version 5, which was an object-oriented design by the same partnership.

Technology evolved. Accenture has decided to create her own trade finance product using the latest technology from Microsoft. Since I had been persistent enough to survive through version 4 and version 5, I had landed the job to be the lead architect in designing and building version 6 with a large team of people working with me. Looking back, while I seriously do not recall implementing the final product, I had fun building it. My team from diverse gender, social, and academic background was fantastic. I really connected with my team. Many have become my friends and some, I still keep in touch with. Many crazy, crazy things we have done. There were happy times; there were sad times. Memorable nonetheless.

I Was The Trainer, Facilitator

Good things don’t last. That’s a universal rule. After Accenture went public, it wasn’t the same organization I have grown up with. There was an office move. And I left.

For a long time, I was detached from the people in the workplace. Because eventually, the organization will disappoint (that could go both ways too, I suppose).

Then I met a group of the younger crowd at Ernst & Young Associate whom I enjoyed coaching them (perhaps that’s my calling?). We got close, almost like a family. There were peers too, whom I still keep in touch with today. The peers, we formed a band. I remember the days when I shared my recorded music in the car with my juniors. Oh yes, we were that close. I was the trainer and the facilitator as I moved to the defense industry. Absolute freedom. We could be in one military camp in the morning, had lunch at Sentosa (as I drove), and headed to another military camp in the afternoon. We were seldom in the office. The clients loved us. But the people at the office didn’t.

Politics.

Project Management Was Born During Egyptian Era When Pyramids Were Built

Good things don’t last. That’s a universal rule. Office politics doesn’t exist when it is working for you. Office politics becomes prominent when it is working against you. There was an office move. And I left.

After EY, I joined Standard Chartered Bank. For a long time in my career, I have stopped caring for the people at work. There is a line clearly drawn between colleagues and friends. There were nine to five. And I detested socializing with my colleagues after working hours. When you live through the countless disappointments at work, the natural defensive thing you could do is to have a clear mindset on what is work versus what is life.

And then something magical happens. I am gifted and blessed with a team of good people with a team size surpassing anything I have had in the past.

I guess, looking back, putting your heart out there can be risky. It doesn’t always pay off. But when it does, it is memorable; it is magical.

My beloved team sent me a bunch of gifts and written messages for my birthday, in the time of Covid-19.
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My Opinion

The Legend of White Snake (2019) Ending Analysis & Afterthoughts (Spoiler Alert)

I have just finished watching 36 episodes of The Legend of White Snake (2019) that totaled up to 27 hours of TV entertainment. The first post is a review, with no spoiler. If you are interested to read my thoughts on its ending, read on. Spoiler alert!

Rating: 9/10.

White Snake 2019 has a complex event that leads to an interesting ending. Now, is it a happy ending? If I could borrow a repeated response from Fahai the Buddhist Monk, that would be a Yes and No (which my boss at work would have hated it).

It is a sad ending in the sense that Suzhen the White Snake gets locked up inside Leifeng Pagoda for what could have been at least 20 years. To Suzhen the 1,000 years old white snake spirit, 20 years seems fleeting. But she can’t see her husband Xu Xian during that time, also missing out on her child’s upbringing. That punishment of her seems pretty harsh, though still better than being executed by the gods.

More so for Xu Xian the Physician and his mortal and short life, not able to see his wife for two decades, also missing out on his son’s upbringing while busy curing people for free in order to seek redemption for his wife’s sin.

But in the spirit of reincarnation – which is the theme of White Snake 2019 – two decades or more may well be a sand inside an hour glass. Because there is the next life to look forward to. When these people believe in eternity and especially eternal love, missing out two decades in this lifetime doesn’t seem that bad.

Let’s not forget that Suzhen who was so close to immortality through 1,000 years of ‘cultivation’ with progress unknown even as the credit rolls.

The happy ending though, is that the family gets to reunite after two decades or so, which is possibly the best ending given the pretty terrible circumstances as Xu Xian was so close to be toasted together with Mind Demon inside the temple.

Before we agree that this is possibly be the best ending, let’s look at some of the alternatives.

Alternative Ending #1 – Just Walk Away

Upon receiving the elixir that trapped the Mind Demon, Xu Xian the Physician could have just passed that to Fahai the Buddhist Monk and walked away. Let the guys with supernatural power deal with the problem. And if Mind Demon is going to turn into a Prime Evil (like in Diablo games), let the gods deal with the situation. After all, did it not take the god of lightning one single strike to take out Mind Demon without killing the host in the actual ending?

Xu Xian could have followed his wife Suzhen the White Snake and retire happily in Emei Mountain raising their son Xu Shilin. He probably wouldn’t be able to play as a hero for a brief moment, nor his wife as a villain for a brief moment.

But alas! Since Xu Xian is a dude with big heart (and a pure heart according to the show), he wouldn’t have been able to walk away from saving the city, which ironically as his wife tried to save him, wiped out the city.

Alternative Ending #2 – Xu Xian Gets Toasted with Mind Demon

This could be rather tragic, though Xu Xian could have died a hero for those who know his true intention (read: just a handful). It would also be rather painful for us to watch Suzhen witnessing her husband getting toasted by some holy fire from Emei Mountain with her power being restrained by the Monk her “own good” (what could have been a few more days to immortality).

And since Suzhen the White Snake was pregnant with a deity reincarnate, let’s skip the alternative ending of her getting sacrificed instead.

Alternative Ending #3 – Mind Demon Gets Defeated by Snakes and Monk Combo Plus the Heavenly Army

That would have been my favorite ending. Suzhen the White Snake manages to overcome the influence of Mind Demon just before the flood hits the city. Heaven and Earth join forces to defeat Mind Demon a.k.a. Prime Evil. And a truly happy ending.

I guess this ending would have displeased the purists as it deviates from the original story too much without mentioning Leifeng Pagoda. I honestly don’t care. Maybe Guanyin can reward the two snake spirits to study at the pagoda and accelerate their path to enlightenment.

In the End, Almost Everyone is At Fault But One Takes the Punishment

From Suzhen the White Snake’s perspective, after going through so much to save her husband so many times, the final act is a no-brainer. Just that this time around, it is a bit hard to justify, when innocent lives are lost (and restored by the goddess). Hence, all down to the flood. Let’s break that down.

The idea comes from Jingsong the Golden Mouse, who by the way gives up yet another mysterious heavenly relic to restore Xiaoqing the Green Snake’s 500 years of cultivation, which she lost during a fight with Fahai the Monk. Jingsong’s plan was to threaten Fahai with the flood so that Fahai would give up toasting Xu Xian the Physician.

Xiaoqing the Green Snake is the one who steals the water token from the dragon god of the eastern sea, passes it to Suzhen, and strongly encourages her to use the token to call forth the flood. For lack of a better word, she is the accomplice.

Fahai the Monk does not give up toasting White Snake’s husband knowing very well that innocent lives will be lost. He has stopped in the past given similar situations. Why does he not this time around? The Monk has decided that sacrificing the city is justified when he could have stopped the ritual. I still don’t get why Fahai has to restain White Snake’s power when Mind Demon is at large and White Snake has demonstrated time and time again her power has proven to be useful. This Monk makes bad decisions.

Xu Xian the Physician should have shared his plan with his wife, especially when time and time again his wife the White Snake has managed to think of a solution of saving people, even saving the same person multiple times. But he goes ahead with his plan with full knowledge that his wife will certainly intervene.

Let’s not forget Suzhen the White Snake angered by the crowd’s lack of empathy is under the influence of Mind Demon when calling forth the flood. In the end, almost everyone is at fault but one takes the punishment.

To close off these ending afterthoughts with a bit of lightheartedness, I would just blame the Mind Demon, which by the way, has been vanquished by the god of lightning (Thor!) all thanks to the White Snake calling in the flood.

That One Question Unanswered

With this type of fantasy story genre, I am often flexible when it comes to whether or not a plot is believable. So long as it is consistent with reasonable support by Chinese culture or beliefs. For example, Suzhen does not participate in Jin Ruyi’s funeral nor visit Ruyi’s gravestone. It is because according to Chinese culture, pregnant women should avoid such events.

There is however one question unanswered. Ruyi towards the end of her own story line was alone, with no friend nor servant. Let’s just be a bit open minded and accept the part about her being able to throw her body into the furnace that is smaller than her. I mean, she was possessed. She could do ‘stuffs’.

But who then delivered the elixir from the furnace inside a cave that very few knew when no one even knew the existence of such elixir in the first place to Xu Xian’s home? Together with Ryui’s dress gifted by Xu Xian at the mid autumn festival?

It can only be supernatural.

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My Opinion

The Legend of White Snake (2019) Review (Spoiler Free)

I have just finished watching 36 episodes of The Legend of White Snake (2019) that totaled up to 27 hours of TV entertainment. The first post – which is this one – is a review, with no spoiler. If you are interested to read my thoughts on its ending, click here instead.

Rating: 9/10.

I have grown up watching White Snake in a Chinese opera house in Hong Kong decades ago. My dad was used to work in a theater. I was very small. I could hardly remember the story despite the fact that I must have watched it numerous times thanks to free family tickets. I remember the opera version of White Snake as a tragic fantasy love story. But I don’t remember the specifics.

The Plot

Fast forward to 2020, I have zero expectation on this modern adaptation of a story about love and obsession. I am more used to Korean drama – short-and-sweet (16-ish episodes) and more often than not, a happy ending that is heartwarming. Watching Chinese drama (or reading Chinese books) can be a roller-coaster experience. Any character – whether he or she is good or bad, whom you love or don’t – can die in any episode. It is full of deception, betrayal, poison and prison, sacrifice, and more sacrifice. White Snake 2019 is no exception.

Plot-wise, there are plenty of twists. At times I wonder, how many times can the same person be poisoned or put into yet another life-and-death situation that requires yet another hard decision to be made, which on top of all that, leads to misunderstanding and more misunderstanding that will take a few episodes down the road to resolve. If you are looking for character development, White Snake 2019 has plenty. If you are looking for extraordinary plot twists, White Snake 2019 has plenty.

The Main Cast

I am not going to lie. Whenever Ju Jingyi (who plays Bai Suzhen a.k.a. White Snake) appears on the screen, the story literally lights up. Chinese fans dubbed her as ‘once in 4,000 years idol’ (she must have some really hardcore fans in China). Japanese media somehow translated that to be ‘once in 4,000 years beauty’. That branded her as the most beautiful woman in China, ever.

Ju Jingyi plays Bai Suzhen a.k.a. White Snake

I like Ju Jingyi’s acting in White Snake 2019. Or rather, the character that she plays has offered her the opportunity to express a wide spectrum of emotions – innocence, smart, playful, joyful, thoughtful, falling in love, anger and rage, despair, determination, stubbornness, empathy and sympathy, sadness, and content. The acting is natural to watch, hence convincing.

I must say, with a few exceptions, the video clips without her in it feels longer to watch.

I also found Xiao Yan who plays Xiaoqing a.k.a. Green Snake a delightful watch. She can be reckless, has terrible manner, but super faithful to Suzhen making her a superb support character.

I have nothing against Yu Menglong (Xu Xian the Physician). His character does get more interesting passing the midway point. It is pretty hard to match up against Ju Jingyi – in my opinion. The chemistry perhaps could have been better. At times I wonder, what attracts Suzhen to fall in love with Xu Xian?

The Cinematic

Out of the three categories, cinematic is something I can often overlook if the plot and cast are great. Compared to say, The King also produced in recent time, White Snake 2019 pale in comparison.

It is hard to describe. But it seems like the brightness has been boosted while contrast is lost. At times, the character’s face may look too ‘flat’ losing that 3D effect (all white without contrast). The color vibrancy is not there, contrast at times is not there, and CGI is so-so (still better than other Chinese dramas I have briefly watched lately).

In Closing

I am entertained and happy that a classic story has been remade into a modern adaptation. I am fortunate that I don’t have any expectations for this remake. Because the only version I could compare this against would be the Chinese opera I have watched decades ago. Any adaptation would have beaten that.

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Diary

The Pain & Frustration of Almost

You know that pain and frustration of almost. You almost passed your driving test. At the last turn back to the driving center, you forgot to signal. Hence, you failed. You almost got married or at least have a longer relationship with that someone. But a third person came along and your loved one left you. Your favorite Formula One driver almost won the race. But a mechanical failure at the final lap robbed him of that podium, which in that case, not only the fans suffered from the pain and frustration of almost, the car team too.

And etc.

A couple of days ago, after a 2 hours casual catch-up with my friends online and since I have failed to find a driver to deliver dinner ordered online, my wife suggested that we shall cook instead.

I enjoy cooking – love is a strong word – and the process is therapeutic to me. It is seldom about the destination. Because I often take 5 to 10 minutes to consume my meal. Cooking takes longer. It is the journey, not just the destination.

I chopped red onion, peeled the garlic, sliced the ginger, deseed the chili, and diced the tomato. I dried and marinated the fish fillets and fried them to golden brown. The smell was so good.

After the fish was cooked, I removed the fillets from the fire, washed the wok and stir fried the onion, garlic, chili, and tomato. I added water, covered the wok to soften the tomato, poured in the rest of the seasoning, and just when the dish was almost done – all I needed was to put the golden brown fish filet onto the tomato sauce when …

… a bottle of chili flakes fell from the kitchen cabinet as I accidentally knocked that off the shelf. That bottle of chili flakes fell onto the plate that held the beautifully and perfectly fried fish fillets, shattered the plate into pieces.

I attempted to clean up the fillet under a running water and continued to cook – much like how an F1 driver continued to pilot his car after a mechanical failure. But as I looked at the tabletop, there was really a lot of shattered colored pieces. I even bleed my hand as I clean it up. Can you imagine what if some of these pieces got stuck onto the fish fillets and then we ate them for dinner?

I sulked. Genuinely sulked. I nearly cried. Not sure why. Perhaps the food waste. Perhaps the effort made. Or perhaps I felt sad about that home-cooked dinner on a late Friday evening that we almost had.

After making a joint decision with my wife, I threw the dish into the bin, took out the trash, and went to a food center nearby to buy dinner.

Looking back and as of now, I don’t feel that sense of pain and frustration no more. That’s what time does to you. That almost driving test, didn’t matter no more. That almost relationship, didn’t matter no more. That almost F1 victory, didn’t matter no more. But at the moment, when the reality dealt its hands, that really hurt.

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Diary

French Wine Box 05 from Eiffel Markets

I am not really a refined wine drinker. I can hardly tell one from another. Having said that, once in a while, I do come across some really good wine that I wish I have recorded it somewhere, have a repeated experience. These days, I have French wine ordered online.

Well, that’s why I have my own website, yes? I will update this post as I go.

Wine Box 05

Chateau la Marjoliere, Cahors Tradition Red 2014

South West, 80% Malbec, 20% Merlot, lots of black fruits and plummy notes.

OK. Both Cynthia and I love this one. I can really taste the plummy notes. I love the fruity aftertaste. Though my wife was like … how does plum taste like? I am happy that she doesn’t have … erm … that problem. Once in a while, I do take in plum juice for its natural laxative effects.

Domaine Martin, Mediterranee “Le Petit Martin” Rose 2019

Rhone Valley, 60% Grenache, 40% Cinsaut, light, citrusy and refreshing.

I am not that into rose wine, but my wife does. This one is pretty light and refreshing. Very easy to drink. I did experience a headache the day after. Probably nothing to do with this wine, but rose wine in genera.

Chateau Palene, Bordeaux White 2018

Bordeaux, 50% Semillon, 40% Sauvignon Blanc, 10% Muscadelle, a dry and fruity white wine.

This one is interesting. I have no idea how French wine works or if the wine is blended. I like Sauvignon Blanc. That is my go to white wine. But this one though, is lighter than the usual Blanc from say Australia or New Zealand. It is very accessible. Perhaps a bit too light for me.

Domaine de Noire, Chinon Soif de Tendresse 2017

Loire Valley, 100% Cabernet Franc, light-bodied, fruity and mineral.

My experience with red wine is very limited. Because my wife prefer white to red. But thanks to this box set concept, my wife is keen to try. Again, very light and accessible. Fruity indeed, kind of playful (maybe the label). Great for some casual catch-up, which I did open this one during my chat with my friends online.

Domaine Buisson, Meursault “Les Climats de Marguerite”

Burgundy, 100% Chardonnay, rich and complex with a long finish.

Yet to try!

Domaine Burle, Vacqueyras “La Muse” 2015

Rhone Valley, 75% Grenache, 25% Syrah, round and powerful.

Yet to try!
Categories
Diary

My Hairdresser Part 2

My hairdresser and I have known each other for a long time. It must have been 22 years. I always go back to the same one because the result does not vary. I like consistency when it comes to haircut. For 22 years, she delivers the same result without failed. That is why even as she moved to another location, I followed. That is why even as I have moved house, I still return to her.

I can’t tell your her name or which branch she is at right now. What I can say is that she is from Jean Yip, one of the chains in Singapore. She seldom takes leave. The only time she takes leave is when she returns to her home country during major festivals or when she takes an oversea trip with her friends. For more than two decades of working as a hairdresser, she had accumulated close to one year worth of leave.

To cash out her leave, she would need to take a 30% penalty. That is Jean Yip’s policy. She cashed out some. Because who knows. Policy changes all the time.

In the time of Covid-19, the service industry is being hit the hardest. As part of ‘circuit breaker’ phase 1 here in Singapore, basic barber service was still allowed. As someone who has leave balance, she was asked to take leave. And as ‘circuit breaker’ phase 2 kicked in, barber serviced is no longer allowed.

It must have been a stressful period for those who are in the service industry, as I can imagine. Imagine not knowing when one can resume work.

Each crisis affects different segments of people. I feel blessed that I still have a job, and working from home. I will most likely look like a caveman when life goes back to normalcy. Perhaps I shall take this opportunity to grow my hair long and have a different hairstyle for a change.

Categories
Diary

That Look from a Poodle

In the time of COVID-19, we seldom head out. And when I do, I hurry to the wet market nearby to buy fresh produce or pack lunch and then back. I don’t usually get out of bed early on a weekend. But these days, the line between weekdays and weekends has been blurred with the working from home arrangement. If there is one thing I look forward to these days, that would be the opportunity to walk out of my apartment, even for a simple act of buying groceries. A 5-minute walk to the wet market, through the rows of 4-story tall and old, yet well maintained public housing. There is a playground – now closed due to the outbreak. Trees along the pavement. Those who live on the ground floor naturally inherited a piece of grassland in front of their homes. Most have turned the public area into a garden with a perimeter set up to gain some level of privacy.

One of the homes on the ground floor lived a Western couple. Artists I presume as I have seen homemade furniture at their ‘garden’ decorated with lines of small light bulbs. Plants meticulously well placed, which form a perimeter. As you walk past the apartment, you can see what happens at the front porch. But you would avert your eyes even though you know you are looking into a public area for it is an extension of someone else’s home. If you were with me on that day, you would also see a shirtless young man sitting by the front porch. Shortly after, another man passed by – with a mask on of course like everyone on the streets these days – walking a dog. I don’t know the name of the breed. The dog was handsome. A bit of white, a bit of brown. Short frame with short legs. The dog would pee onto one of the trees. Upon finishing its business, giving a few forceful pushes onto the ground with its hind legs, it went on finding another spot to pee.

At that moment, I was thinking, would I be fine having dogs of others peeing at my front porch though technically speaking, it is the public area? I probably wouldn’t like it. But hey, free fertilizer I guess.

By the playground, there was someone else walking the dog. This time, I wasn’t paying attention to the dog. I was observing the girl who walked the dog. Somehow, there is a heightened mystery when a girl puts on a mask. What does she look like? It is fascinating. Because what you see may please you. But what you can’t may excite you more.

At the gate of my condo, upon finishing my daily visit to the wet market, there was a man with a white singlet walking a white poodle. I am not a big fan of poodles. But this one was special. It was playing with the grass and when it saw me, it looked deep into my eyes. I sensed a connection, between a human and a dog. That look of longing and perhaps, a sense of loneliness. Its owner was on his wireless phone all the time playing a mobile game. Beep, beep, beep at maximum volume. The dog was ignored. I was annoyed. The pet owner was there. But at the same time, not there.

And for that brief moment, through our connection, I was thinking, perhaps walking a dog also means that one should be with the dog. Not just literally walking the dog. I am not a big fan of poodles. But I wish I could walk this one instead while its owner was busy playing his mobile game.

We looked into each other’s eyes, into each other’s soul. As I entered the condo and closed the gate behind me, I hurried back to my home. It was just another day, in the time of COVID-19.

Categories
Book Reviews Fiction

The Woman Who Married a Bear by John Straley – Book #1 of Cecil Younger Investigation Set in Alaska

I don’t usually read detective or private investigation stories. My wife does. There are a couple of reasons why I picked this book up from the local library.

First, the title enticed me. Second, Alaska intrigues me (it seems so different from the rest of America). Third, I managed to borrow the entire 6-book series from the library. The downside is that I have to finish reading them within six weeks!

The Woman Who Married a Bear started with the main character Cecil Younger taken up a private investigation job on a closed murder case. While investigating this bizarre murder case, someone was trying to kill him.

Cecil is not a successful PI. He has a weakness of getting drunk most of the time. But he has a good network for information. He is fearless and would do all that he can to get to the truth.

The story is loosely based on one of the Tlingit myths. It goes much deeper than that. I had fun reading it and am looking forward to book #2!

Categories
Book Reviews Fiction

The Ninth Hour by Alice McDermott – An Irish Catholic Story in the Early 20th Century America

The Ninth Hour tells the story of a man who committed suicide leaving behind his wife and his unborn daughter. The Catholic nuns took in the widow and her daughter was raised by the Catholic clan. The story is narrated by the children of the daughter.

What I really like about this book is the amount of detail that goes into the day-to-day work of a nun and the life of the main characters. It is so vivid as though I was living through the early 20th century of America. As a Catholic, I can immediately grasp the concept of sin and penance amongst other topics such as the political dynamic between priests, nuns, and the Church.

I found this book very enjoyable to read.