Letting go

After some thought, I've decided to put a "don't disturb" sign to this blog. It not longer serves the original purpose I meant it for, and I think I need to disengage myself from the cyberworld for awhile. So this blog is going on a hiatus indefinitely.

There are pertinent questions in my life right now that only I can answer myself, and changing priorities that will require restructuring my life. And I think the best way is to disconnect myself from all the baggage that I've been carrying for years and just let go.

A clean slate and a fresh start.

Cut down the time spent online and spend the time instead with my family.

Sleep at 11pm and wake up at 7am daily.

Exercise and take more walks.

Count my blessings.

Learn to live a more meaningful life.

I thank those who have been following this blog faithfully for the past 2 years. It's time you all move on too. Go lead the life you want to lead and have no regrets. All the best.

Here can you handle this? (Otherwise please don't make me go sing Karaoke))

Yes another YouTube MV which you should skip if you are not interested. At least I am addicted to YouTube not because I find a sadistic joy in watching the misfortunes of ordinary people but because I won't otherwise ever get to see all these videos since they never get shown on Singaporean TV channels.

And there I go jumping before the gunshot has gone off
Slap me with a splintered ruler.

This is the song that will get me to visit a karaoke place. If you know me, you'll know I never visit K-Box and the likes, mainly because I think it's a bloody waste of time and money. And also partly because of the limited song choices available. I listen to Chinese pop, but I don't really get addicted to them so it's difficult for me not to feel bored at K-Box. And the English songlists at K-Box and most Karaoke places in Singapore plain suck. I don't think anyone has seen me high before. Well if you listen to me sing this song, you will see a side of me that will shock you. I play this on repeat so many times in the past that I irritate the hell out of those around me until I wisely decided to invest in a set of earphones. So that's what I am going to tell everyone who ask me to go K-Box with them from now on. Find me this song and I'll gladly go. Otherwise, really, I much rather prefer a steamboat dinner.

Thank you Alanis for getting me through my angsty teenage days.

A pretty random post, but I like to indulge myself sometimes.

"If not me, then who will?"

That's coming from the emo momo during one of our photojournalism classes where we had to do an assignment on our immediate family. So of course our family members had to ask why we are being their paparazzi. And the momo said: "If not me, then who will?" I thought that was a simple yet strong enough reason to be photographing what we think is important to us as a family. For the past two years, I haven't been celebrating many traditional festivals that I used to take for granted during my childhood, such as Chinese New Year, Qing Ming (tomb-sweeping festival) and all those random visits to the temples. I asked a few friends of my age if they still bother to do something as traditional as tomb-sweeping, and the majority said no, unless they really have nothing better to do. Who the hell would bother to wake up at 4am to climb through the jungles of Mount Pleasant (ha, I bet you don't even know there exists a huge plot of land with old graves right next to the PIE...) just to pay respects to an ancestor who has been resting in peace for the past 50 years?

These days, I feel compelled to document the daily happenings around me, especially among my family. It's like I have this sense that things will not last for long. And judging from how rapidly our dot has been progressing, I don't think I am too far off in my sensing. In a way that is back to the basics of photojournalism for me. To document, to tell stories through pictures. I may or may not become a photojournalist in the future, but I think I really start making pictures when I feel the need to document something. Take away all the deadlines, commissioned work, school projects, stress and "you are a photojournalist so please take some wow pictures", and I will start to see the world with wide-eyed wonder again. Alas such a way of photographing will unlikely pay the bills for me. I realised most of my best pictures come from none of the abovementioned categories. Most of them exist because I felt compelled to make those pictures. In other words, photography for me has to be intrinsic. Even if everyone hates these kind of pictures I take, I really am not too bothered by it, because to me it is the process, the compelled feeling of taking that picture that matters to me, and not the various responses to my pictures.

I am not James Nachtwey, who can make award-winning pictures of human suffering. And I don't wish to do that either. Why should only stories and photos of human suffering be worthy of winning awards and capturing the world's attention? To me, I feel more compelled these days to photograph the 70-year-old uncle who runs the neighbourhood Chinese medicine shop and my family going tomb-sweeping each year. Leave the human suffering pictures to the likes of Nachtwey. I don't want to end up being another Kevin Carter, because really, journalism can do that to you. I keep reminding myself that I am a human being first with my own culture and family, and not a journalist who is just out to get that sexy quote or that sensational story or that particular human suffering award-winning picture.

So I am listening to what my heart tells me to take and document these days. Even if I get a bad grade for doing that, then so be it. I want to be a photographer by passion, not just by profession.

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both.

It is inevitable to feel sad knowing that friends are starting to go their own separate ways to begin their lives. Especially those who are going the paths where you once trotted with such carefree abandonment. While you feel happy and excited for them, you know you are not them and is unlikely to go down those paths again. That's why it's important to follow your heart. Listening to others can be good, but ultimately, it is you yourself who has to walk the road you chose.

So listen to yourself and follow your own heart.

"Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose."

A shoutout to all the singer-songwriters out there. While Singapore Idol bores me to tears, American Idol is actually pretty entertaining for me. And it's a great way to discover great songs. I never knew Kara DioGuardi is such a awesome singer and songwriter until I saw one of this season's Idol contestant Didi Benami sang this song that was written by DioGuardi during Hollywood week in the earlier rounds.

Beautiful lyrics and just a wonderful song to listen to (fast forward to the second min):

And Idol contestant Crystal Bowersox's latest performance of Janis Joplin's Me and Bobby McGee (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5jrYI0jlHk) totally blew my mind away. Why can't all singers just sing like these people? Put their heart and soul into a song, minus all the dancing, gimmicks and fancy costumes (sorry Adam Lambert...). I mean, call me a purist or whatever, but really, if you want to have all the fancy stuff, at least be able to sing first. Too much sleek marketing in the music scene these days. Just go back to the basics already and let people who can sing, sing.

跌倒老大汉

So my thoughts have kind of switched language lately. I don't know if this is normal, but I have always been able to switch between and think in the different languages that I grew up in. Of course most of the time I think in English, although at home when I communicate with my family I tend to think in Chinese too. I'm sure those of us who grew up in Chinese-speaking homes do that quite often.

I was brought up by a babysitter during my kindergarten days, where my working parents would just leave me and my sister to the care of the babysitter before they went to work and then come collect us at the end of the day. So my babysitter was a Teochew lady who spoke only Teochew and often brought me to watch Teochew operas. And my parents speak Hokkien to each other at home and to their parents and siblings. Until I went to primary school, I only spoke these dialects and Chinese. As those who speak these dialects might know, the two are really quite similar to each other, with only slight differences in the ending pitches and some word usage. So while these days I do not speak these dialects as much as English and Chinese, I think somehow my brain kept that ability to think in these dialects over the years.

But lately, I might have regressed into my pre-primary 1 days. Call it a brain glitch or whatever, I realized thinking in Hokkien is not as horrifying as it seemed at first. Some people, especially the younger generations, think Hokkien is an uncouth and vulgar language. But I think like Chinese it also has many interesting phrases which I thought were very apt in describing things.

For example, just last week, my dad and I were on our way back home from the coffeeshop when we walked by a toddler who suddenly fell smacked face first onto the floor. Her mum (I assume) immediately rushed forward to coddle her, while her grandma (again assuming) said in Hokkien,

"Buay yeow geen, pua toh lao dua han. Le dua han liao." (Nevermind, when you fall, you grow up. So you've already grown.)

跌倒老大汉 (pronounced "pua toh lao dua han" in Hokkien), that is a phrase I haven't heard in a long time. In Chinese it literally translates to "When you fall, old big man", which dosen't do justice to the meaning at all.

I guess it was rather apt that the toddler didn't cry at all when she fell. She just got up quietly and continued to move forward, "growing up" a little like her grandma said.

Perhaps that's what we should all do when we fall. Get up and keep moving forward.

But all that I found was silence and dirty ground

Combining one of my fave singers with something I really want to try before I die:

Allez moi.

On leadership

I've been walking around my neighbourhood alot lately. For two main reason. The first was that I needed to have a change of environment instead of being cooped up in a silent house all day long staring at the laptop screen. My parents are away in Taiwan for holiday, and my sister never spends more than her limited sleeping hours in the house. The second reason has got to do with my photojourn project, which I decided should be on my neighbourhood.

So I've been going around and photographing all the familiar places. And I've been plucking up my courage to go talk to the people in my neighbourhood. I decided that the least harmless people are the aunties, who love a good gossip anyday. It's slightly easier when you are a familiar face in the coffeeshops and convenience stores. I eat at the coffeeshop or hawker center everyday, to the point that the coffee aunty knows what drink I want the moment I sit down at the table. But in a way it's also difficult. How do I make pictures of things and people who seemed so ordinary to me? That's a thing that many photographers struggle with. But I am trying, to open my mind and eyes to the ongoings of my neighbourhood.

And last night while I was eating at the coffeeshop again, the Member of Parliament for my GRC Cynthia Phua happened to be doing her walkabout and was at the coffeeshop too. Since I happened to have my camera with me, I decided to go up and take some pictures of her. When she saw me doing that, she came up and talked to me. This is the first time since the last election that I've seen her, and I wondered at the regularity of these walkabouts. I mean, I know the MPs are real busy people, but I think as a leader of the country it is important to get a sense of the people at the grassroots level. But she did invite me to the weekly Meet-the-People session to see what she does, so perhaps I'll go and take a peek next week. Some ministers are so ivory tower I don't think they have ever taken an MRT or bus ride in Singapore before. But really, I think one of the hallmarks of a great leader is the ability to connect to those he/she leads. If a leader can't empathize with the commoners, then no matter how capable they are they will never be able to win their loyalty and support. Yes the people will still do their bidding, but not with respect.

So Mdm Cynthia Phua asked if I wanted a photo with her. I mean, it's not like I can say no to an MP right, much as I hate having my photo taken. So there I was, in my unglam shorts and slippers and messy hair, having my photo taken with the MP while the rest of the folks at the coffeeshop watch with amusement. I shall break an unwritten blog rule of mine and post a picture of myself here. Notice I didn't even bother editing my own photo to look less unglam.

I think I'll avoid eating at the coffeeshop for the next few days.

Brain plasticity?

The split-brain me:

Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz The higher of these two numbers below indicates which side of your brain has dominance in your life. Realising your right brain/left brain tendancy will help you interact with and to understand others. Left Brain Dominance: (16) Right Brain Dominance: (16) Right Brain/ Left Brain Quiz

Of this I see both clockwise and anti-clockwise. Made me super confused. First I see it as anti-clockwise then I blink once and it's clockwise. I seemed to be able to switch back and forth quite easily:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/wacky/the-right-brain-vs-left-brain/story-e6frev20-1111114577583

You Are 40% Left Brained, 60% Right Brained

The left side of your brain controls verbal ability, attention to detail, and reasoning. Left brained people are good at communication and persuading others. If you're left brained, you are likely good at math and logic. Your left brain prefers dogs, reading, and quiet. The right side of your brain is all about creativity and flexibility. Daring and intuitive, right brained people see the world in their unique way. If you're right brained, you likely have a talent for creative writing and art. Your right brain prefers day dreaming, philosophy, and sports.

Are You Right or Left Brained?

I don't know if this is a normal occurrence in most people. I wonder if most people have a distinct side of the brain they use most or they are split-brainers like me...

On growing old and staying healthy

Today while I was out having dinner at the coffeeshop with my dad I saw something that reminded me of my family. There was a young boy about 5 years of age who was crying and beside him was his mother, who was pregnant with another child. What was interesting was that the mother looked older than the usual pregnant mum, perhaps about 40 years old. And she was having such a hard time trying to stop the child from crying and trying to order food for them at the same time. They reminded me of my family because my mum gave birth to me, her first-born at 35 years old. And to my sister a year later. Both times she got fired by her bosses. And it wasn't easy having to work and raise two young kids in your forties when you are starting to age and your energy level is just not as high as before anymore. So naturally I wondered if this mum is going through the same hardship my mum did, and I also wondered about the boy when he grows up. By the time he graduates from uni, his parents would have been around 60, and I wonder how he is going to support them and himself too. Perhaps the government now is really trying to solve the problem of the aging population, but I think I would have been a lot worse if my parents did not scrimp and save for our family. Even with that, you never know when you're going to need the money for any healthcare emergencies. Being strong is important when growing up, but being strong is even more important when you grow old. I've seen family fortunes whittle away because of health problems.

So lately, I've figured out that the best gift I can give my parents is to stay healthy. Perhaps because of the increasing amount of stress that people have to go through as society progresses, I think people have become less healthy. I see so many unhealthy habits especially in the young people these days. Including me of course. My sister for one skips her meals and survives on snacks. Of course there will be the occasional late nights and lack of appetite, but I think health should ultimately trumps everything. So I am going to try to lead a healthy lifestyle from now on. With a healthier lifestyle, I think it will be much easier to lead a more meaningful life.

On Family

Favourite song of the month, where I first heard in the new show Life Unexpected:

These days I'm grateful for my family.

I'm trying hard to hold on

Sometimes music comforts better than anything else. The recent earthquakes in Haiti and Chile has certainly put my life into a better perspective these days.

Waging wars to shake the poet and the beat

Today I was reminded of a great song by the Kings of Leon. Of all places, I discovered the Kings of Leon in a dinghy shop in Thamel, Kathmandu in Nepal last year on a lazy afternoon where there wasn't much to do in the office. I was helping my Nepali colleague look for their latest album and we finally found it in that shop. Talk about an international following...

I might not be able to sing well, but music is an important part of my life.

"You're beautifully imperfect"

It's a heartwarming feeling, to know that there are people out there who wholeheartedly accept you for who you are, faults and all. That, to me is one of the meaningful things in life.

Thank you.

I'm not cut out to be a city girl

I haven't been sleeping well lately. Insomnia can get really depressing because it leads to many other problems. As a result of it, I have no appetite even though my stomach churns. So comes the vomiting spells. Dosen't help that I have low blood sugar so along comes to giddy spells too. So I can't think properly and I lose focus. Initially I thought the source of my problem is work stress related. Well maybe part of it is the reason. But last night I decided to take matters in my own hands and change my sleeping environment. So I moved all my pillows into my mum's room and slept on a mattress on the floor. And you know what? First night in months that I slept for 5 hours straight without waking up. It's not alot, but when you have been waking up every 2-3 hours or sometimes toss and turn for 6 hours straight without sleeping a single wink it's a miracle. And so I discovered the root of my problem. The location of my room. It faces a road that is not very big but is very busy almost 24 hrs.

Now you might think after sleeping for 10 years in that room I should be used to it by now. Maybe I was used to it but ever since the start of my university life it has been a very different experience. During my first three years at NTU I was either staying in Hall (where the buses stop coming upon midnight and is generally peaceful except during orientation period), or away on exchange in Mizzou and internship in Nepal (ah, what I would I give for those peaceful nights). So I really started sleeping regularly in my bedroom since I came back from Nepal last year in June. And I realised that's when the insomnia really started. It was still not that bad then, because I was travelling alot to school and for overseas trips so exhaustion usually takes a good toll on me come bedtime. But since the start of this semester I have been going to school lesser and the work I have are more computer-related where I have to sit in front of the computer and type away for the whole day. So I get mentally but not physically drained.

And recently since the start of the year I think there is this group of crazy bastards who decided that they have alot of free time to do night racing on the road facing my bedroom. And so for the past two months I've been tormented by the engines and cheers of these bastards. My sister even witnessed them racing late one night when she came back at around 2am. I wonder why someone has not complained. I have a good mind to go down and take a video of them but I might get beaten up by these people if I go alone.

So for now I'm camping out in my mum's room, where it faces the other side and is such a peaceful haven compared to my room. Honestly, I don't think my parents will ever be able to sell the house even though it's very spacious for a 5 room apartment. Bad location with no MRT nearby and crazy people at night and a military airport with fighter planes zooming overhead and bus depot (not interchange) nearby which means lots of buses passing by every night at 1am and every morning at 5am.

I'm really tired of city dwelling. I think I'm not cut out to thrive in the city. Give me the remote mountains of Nepal anytime. Even without the electricity.

Hello World

They say that the kind of music and tv shows you watch influences your way of thinking. Like how emo momo is always so emo because more than half of his songs in his hard disk are emo songs (I've looked). I don't know what I come off as, perhaps always kinda an oddball? But this is my current favourite band and song of the month, which probably not many people in Singapore has heard of:

"Well hello world

How you been
Good to see you, my old friend
Sometimes I feel as cold as steel
And broken like I’m never gonna heal
And I see a light, a little grace, a little faith unfurls
Well hello world

All the empty disappears
I remember why I'm here
Just surrender and believe
I fall down on my knees
Oh hello world
Hello world
Hello world"

Hello World - Lady Antebellum

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7ZETyw8-A4

On a side note, they played Radiohead's 'No Surprises' on American Idol last night at the part where the participants were eliminated from the final audition rounds. EHH??? Radiohead fans' heads must be exploding all over the world yesterday...

Watch the first 50 secs of this clip to see what I mean:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0VCFld7-vo

I told you so

This song never fails to comfort me when I am down. Cheers to Randy Travis for the meaningful lyrics and Carrie Underwood for doing wonderful justice to such a beautiful song.

Carrie Underwood - I Told You So

What's your drink?

I came across this article via a friend's FB posting:

http://www.theage.com.au/news/entertainment/epicure/2010/02/08/1265477562658.html

I wonder what's the basis on all that prediction. In case you don't know, I'm a coffee/caffeine addict. On average I think I drink about two cups of caffeine in all forms daily. I get cranky if I don't get my daily caffeine fix.

So let's see, I'm a black coffee drinker, although I make do with instant coffee if I have no other choice or am in a rush for time. Pretty on target about my personality I guess, but it really depends on which side of it you're talking about...

The best black coffee is still the one at the hawker centre near my house. The entire lift will smell of coffee for 5 minutes if you carry a bag of that coffee shop's black coffee into the lift.

Looking for my oyster

These days I've been busying myself with not only running the last lap of my FYP but also worrying about my future. After all the career fairs and recruitment talks, I've come to a realization that there are really very few jobs that suit me. In case you think I'm being too picky, let me tell you that I only have 3 criteria when it comes to applying for a job:

1) It is not a desk-bound job

2) I get to live and work in different countries

3) It must be a job that I can find meaning in doing

Are these criteria hard to fulfill? I think so. Perhaps I'm looking at the wrong places, or I simply do not know where to start looking. And so when I finally find something that fits all the 3 criteria, I get my hopes up, only to be dashed because it seems that these jobs somehow equate to stringent selection process. For example, becoming an international social worker can easily fulfill these 3 criteria, but I think the selection process is harder than getting a higher-paying job such as becoming an accountant. Perhaps it's simply because in the absolute sense there is just more demand for accountant and engineers in our practical society than social workers and diplomats and photojournalists. The jobs I plan to apply usually have no hiring quota though, just that they are trying to hire "the right person".

Or perhaps I'm really just being too picky, like what my mum constantly tells me. But I think I have a right to be, because I am looking to start a career, not just get a job. I am lucky in that I am not at the point of starvation that I need just any job to keep me going, so what's wrong with being picky? I am not someone who applies to every available job just to increase my chances of landing one. Same as after my A Levels when my peers and I were looking for scholarships to apply. I only applied to one, simply because it was the only one that I truly wanted even though I badly wanted to study overseas.

My friends see it as my desperation to get out of Singapore. To clarify matters, I do not hate Singapore. If I were given a chance to choose where I get to grow up in, I will still choose Singapore for sure. I am just tired of staying here for so long that's all. Quite normal for any young heart I think, the need to go explore. It simply makes me even more frustrated with the overcrowding problem here, to the point that I often pray in earnest that I can just have a seat to myself on the train from Eunos to Pioneer everyday and don't have to stand in line for an half an hour just to grab a Subway sandwich in NTU. I know that some parts of the world may not even have trains for me to commute in, or may exactly be even worse (think Renmin Square station in Shanghai), but at least most countries are much bigger than Singapore and where drastically different environments are just a few hours' drive away without the hassle of going through any customs. The very size of Singapore makes me feel extremely claustrophobic, and if you know me well I don't do too well with feeling trapped, both mentally and physically.

Someday I think when I can afford to I'll live in a small house with wide open fields on one side and the sea on the other. Grow some vegetables and keep some chickens and sit down and write anything I want. Take slow and long walks in the nearby woods. No neighbours, or perhaps one or two that live a mile away for me to walk to for an occasional chat. No computer, television and cellphone also nevermind, just an electrical wire for the lights is enough. So there you go, my perfect idea of "settling down". But before that, I must see the world, so that I have a lifetime of memories, experiences and thoughts to keep me company in my small house. Even if I die alone I'll die happy then.

So yes, if there are any jobs that fulfill those 3 criteria, hell I'll even do it for free if I don't have to pay anything out of my own pockets to survive. As long as I find my oyster.

How to thrive in the knowledge-based economy

What I learnt from Nicholas Chee (founder of Sinema) during Advanced Photojournalism class today:

"If you know, you make $.

If you don't know, you pay $."

and that

"$ is looking for ideas to make $$$"

So ideas, anyone?

But ours so truly parallel, though infinite can never meet.

I came across this poem while watching an episode of Lark Rise to Candleford (yes, me and my BBC period dramas). Some may write off love poems as cheesy, and I agree that many modern ones are. But I thought this was a beautifully written love poem by 17th century poet Andrew Marvell, so heartbreakingly apt. I hope no one has to ever feel that way, because it sure hurts a hell lot and often there's nothing one can do about it.

The Definition of Love

by Andrew Marvell (1621-1678)

MY Love is of a birth as rare
As 'tis for object strange and high
It was begotten by Despair
Upon Impossibility.

Magnanimous Despair alone
Could show me so divine a thing
Where feeble Hope could ne'r have flown
But vainly flapt its tinsel wing.

And yet I quickly might arrive
Where my extended soul is fixt
But Fate does iron wedges drive,
And always crowds it self betwixt.

For Fate with jealous eye does see
Two perfect Loves; nor lets them close:
Their union would her ruin be,
And her Tyrannic pow'r depose.

And therefore her Decrees of Steel
Us as the distant Poles have plac'd,
(Though Love's whole World on us doth wheel)
Not by themselves to be embrac'd.

Unless the giddy Heaven fall,
And Earth some new Convulsion tear;
And, us to join, the World should all
Be cramp'd into a Planisphere.

As Lines so Loves oblique may well
Themselves in every Angle greet:
But ours so truly Parallel,
Though infinite can never meet.

Therefore the Love which us doth bind
But Fate so enviously debars,
Is the Conjunction of the Mind,
And Opposition of the Stars.

Just indulging my inner romantic poet here so please bear with me.

The comeback queen

What an epic, epic, match that was! I'm glad I dragged myself out of my bed from my flu-medicine induced state to turn on the tv for the match.

For those who can't understand my fascination with Justine Henin's tennis, well you just got to watch her play a match like that and you'll know. She makes normal people like us feel that everything is possible and impossible is nothing. Why I don't really like Federer? Well he's just too "godly", and he makes me feel the exact opposite - that normal people like us can never hope to become great people like him.

I thought Rohit Brijnath wrote a nice commentary on this match on ST today:

http://foxsports.foxnews.com/tennis/story/10587864/Henin-hasn't-lost-grip-on-greatness

Allez Justine and an interesting bit of Hwa Chong history

Back from an interesting trip to China. But down with flu so that kinda sucks. More reflections of China later. In the meantime, I'll be glued to the tv for the next two weeks watching Justine Henin (pronounce Joos-teen Eh-nahn) fight her way through the Aussie Open, on top of trying to juggle my last remaining module and FYP.

While in the Shanghai History Museum last week, I heard a song that was playing in one of the museum exhibits on the Chinese communists that was to the same tune of The Chinese High School song. We had to learn how to sing it when I was in year 2 when TCHS merged with HCJC to become Hwa Chong Institution. I never learnt the full lyrics by heart, since it was written is some ulu classical Chinese that was unpronounceable to my kangtang lips. I always thought it was an ultra-communist sounding song, but I didn't realise the tune wasn't original until last weekend in Shanghai. So I did abit of a research and found that the original melody actually came from the west! And I realised it was also part of Mizzou's school song at one point in time. No wonder they always played that same tune in the quadrangle at Mizzou at least once a day now that I come to think of it. I think the person did a great job here digging up all that history and making this video:

And yes, the school band plays the national anthem and school song everyday during morning assembly. I remember having to endure one year's worth of bad singing from TCHS boys. If there's one thing I can't stand very well, it's off-pitch singing. I can't sing, but at least I know it.

PS: btw, the new American Idol season has started. I've watched the first two episodes and I love how stupid and thick-skinned some Americans can be. But then again, there were some pretty good and unique voices so it should be an interesting season.

The first post in the new decade...

...is dedicated to the past:

The present: Allez Justine!

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/05/sports/tennis/05iht-TENNIS.html

And to the future: May we have a safe trip in China and not get stuck in any snowstorms.

Welcome to 2010.