Highlights from 2019

The year is ending yet again.
And despite planning to blog on a regular basis, I haven't posted anything since April haha.

Commitments at work have escalated significantly, though I enjoy them very much. The culture at my hospital is a far cry from what goes on in the public sector, and I personally feel that super-sized institutions are detrimental to patient and staff welfare.
Even if you have the newest gadgets, technology, etc., what still matters is doing basic things well. Recruit good people, train them properly, and make every effort to retain the best ones.

A colleague from my former department joined us a few months ago and I'm really glad to see her jumping right in. She received the promotion she greatly deserved, and it's always reassuring to have her on shift. :)


One thing that really stood out in 2019 was the huge number of live shows I attended ( about 10 of them ).
From Josh Groban to Jason Mraz and Trevor Noah, the spectrum was vast and I burned a big hole in my pocket.


My top 3 are:

#3 - Westlife
Their 20th anniversary tour saw them filling the National Stadium for a 2-hour extravaganza.
I still remember the lyrics to their greatest hits and belted along with my fellow fans.
The guys have remained trim and fit with full heads of hair! And they were deeply appreciative of our support, putting on a wonderful concert that surpassed all the previous gigs I'd attended.

#2 - Shawn Mendes
It was my first time seeing him ( passed on his first show at the Star Theatre a couple of years back because I found him too immature for my taste ) and he effectively blew my mind into another universe. :D
Only 21 years old but already a master at commanding the stage and driving a crowd of 10,000 wild, without the need for backup dancers, suggestive moves, pyrotechnics or skimpy outfits.
I'm extremely grateful for the mid-show segment where he moved to a smaller stage near the back of the venue, and decided to face my section during what I consider the most incredible part of the concert - a sizzling hot acoustic version of Ruin.
I always feel guilty when I swoon over someone who's so much younger than I am, but at that moment, my ovaries exploded lol!
Bravo, Shawn! I now completely understand why you're so successful and am a new fan. Hope you'll be back soon for another show.

#1 - John Mayer
I already posted a lengthy blog entry 8 months ago so I'll keep this brief.
He came, he saw, he conquered!
One of the most magnificent musicians in existence, capable of hypnotizing 10,000 people with his sheer artistry on the guitar.
Super gorgeous, and keeps looking better with age.
Please come back asap!


Others worth mentioning:

Josh Groban - his very first show here, 18 years after his first album was released.
He sang flawlessly and I was very lucky to snag 4th row tickets, though I felt the prices were a bit too steep.

Maroon 5 - let down by a horrible venue, i.e. the National Stadium, mainly because the standing section was way too big, and everyone who was seated was miles away and hardly saw anything. The acoustics were also awful, and Adam Levine wasn't in top form.

Jason Mraz - my favourite musician disappointed me for the first time after 6 gigs ( this being the 7th ). The Star Theatre has terrific acoustics and the venue is just right for his type of show. I was in the 2nd row but there was clearly something lacking that night.
He's previously expressed some loss of inspiration and doubts about his future in the industry, but I really hope he'll find his mojo again and return to the glory days of I'm Yours, Mr. Curiosity and Absolutely Zero.
It's our job as fans to keep him going. Let's keep him motivated!

Backstreet Boys - another first despite knowing most of their songs when I was a teenager. I remember avoiding their concerts because I heard them singing off key at a number of televised awards shows, but that night at the Indoor Stadium, they were 100% perfect.
It was 2 hours of pure heaven, and the audience was awesome!
I'm loving all these boyband reunion tours. Someone please bring NKOTB to Singapore!


I haven't booked tickets for any big shows in 2020 yet, but I hope Michael Buble and The Script will return.


President Barack Obama

He deserves a separate section all for himself. :)
Mum and I attended The Growth Faculty's inaugural event in Singapore, with no regrets about paying the high ticket price.
It was surreal to be in the same venue as Obama, and I was surprised when my eyes teared up during an introductory video which played before he came on stage, as I thought about the abominable Donald Trump and how he's messed so many things up these past 3 years.

Obama spent 75 minutes answering great questions from host Nicholas Fang. I think the latter used to be an entertainment reporter for the Straits Times' Life! section, and I remember criticizing one of his concert reviews ( Westlife? ), and him emailing me back with equally sarcastic comments. Well, kudos to him for moving on to something much better. :D

Fang conducted a terrific interview. So terrific, in fact, that a few of Obama's remarks were picked up by international news agencies like the BBC, and even quoted at a recent Democratic Party presidential debate.
What a privilege it was to be at this momentous event and to hear Obama's words in person! Definitely one of the best moments of our lives.



Travel-wise, mum and I visited Central Europe and Hokkaido / Asahikawa.

Europe was a real eye-opener, covering Berlin, Prague, Vienna, Budapest, Krakow and Warsaw.
This was the focal point of Hitler's domination, where millions of Jews were imprisoned and exterminated.
It was very sobering to see remnants of the Nazi movement everywhere we went. And when we chanced upon a Holocaust memorial - i.e. the Shoes on the Danube Bank - during a long walk around Budapest, we were moved to tears as we stood in silence, imagining the horror of mass executions at that location.
Visits to the Auschwitz and Birkenau death camps were the highlights of the trip, but the crowds were massive and there was almost no time to linger at the exhibits. The noisy tourists - especially those from China - also ruined the atmosphere with their loud chattering and inappropriate laughter.
A major sore point was seeing Chinese tourists pose for photos on the railway track at Birkenau as they laughed and flashed victory signs.
This was where the trains deposited Jews and sealed their fates. It took a lot of self-restraint to stop myself from scolding those idiots.

Hokkaido was much more pleasant, timed during the summer for us to enjoy the flower season.
I did some research and decided to stay in Asahikawa instead of the more popular Sapporo, to reduce our driving time by an hour each way.
I also hired a private guide, who turned out to be a Russian lady who's lived in Hokkaido for some time.
It didn't matter at all that she wasn't a native Japanese. She knew all the great places to visit and took very good care of us.
Hokkaido is huge with something for everyone. We're not fans of winter but I fully intend to return in spring or autumn one day!
If you're ever in that area, make sure you see the sunflowers in Hokuryu! More than a million blossoms cover a gigantic field, with a little market nearby that sells - I kid you not - sunflower ice-cream!
It's my favourite flower so this was definitely a bucket list item. :)


I've got a couple of trips lined up in 2020. More on those next year.


Now, we move on to TV and movies. :)


Favourite film - Avengers: Endgame

Others worth mentioning - Midsommar, It: Chapter Two, Midway, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Note: These are just the ones that I saw. I'm sure there're movies I didn't watch that are better, e.g. Joker.


Favourite TV show - Succession season 2

A close second - Chernobyl, The Crown season 3, Big Little Lies season 2

If you haven't tried Succession yet, I strongly encourage you to start now.
It reminds me of the film Knives Out ( which is getting lots of award nominations ) but with way more venom and drawn out over 2 whole seasons.
Nothing amuses me more than dysfunctional families, especially those with fame, wealth and power. For me, it's one of the universe's ingenious ways of being fair - i.e. if you have an advantage over others in certain aspects, you have to lose out in other ways.
The writing and directing are phenomenal, but the cast is the glue of the production.
It's been a while since I loved a TV show ensemble this much ( I think the most recent example is Godless ). Jeremy Strong is by far the most impressive of the lot, with a perpetual hangdog face belying a slow simmering thirst for vengeance.
The climax of season 2 was epic and my jaw hit the floor.

The Witcher has received a lot of hype, and while the first few episodes were superb ( particularly episode 3, where Geralt's all-night battle with the striga made my knuckles turn white ), it started to lose steam towards the end of the season, with the finale fizzling out.
But I watch mainly for Henry Cavill. Those shirtless scenes are so satisfying. :D


Favourite book: A Warning by Anonymous

Very well written and thought-provoking yet supremely entertaining.
I'm extremely curious about the author's identity.


A close second - Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell

Fast-paced, fascinating and educational. He's an exceptional writer.


As for music, my favourite album this year is, without a doubt, At Last by Luke Evans.
Yes, that Luke Evans, from The Raven, The Three Musketeers, Dracula Untold, Beauty and the Beast and The Alienist.
The songs are all covers, but the musical arrangements are wonderful and Luke's vocals are spectacular.
Standout tracks include The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face, At Last and Show Me Heaven.
But the most incredible number is Bring Him Home from Les Miserables. I've heard many versions of it over the years, but Luke's interpretation takes my breath away and makes me reach for the tissues.

Now I wonder if he'll do a Broadway musical at some point in the near future. If he does, I will try my best to attend a performance and meet him at the stage door!


To end off the year, I'd like to also mention that I've decided not to be a Christian anymore.
I was one for 16 years, but recently, a lot of people have disappointed me deeply, and I realize that religion in general no longer fulfills me in any meaningful way.
I'm not criticizing anyone's beliefs. But I'm done pondering the intangible and want to focus my attention on other things.

My personal motto is: be a good person because it's the right thing to do, not because you want to go to heaven or earn blessings or avoid punishment. Being good with a motive is hypocritical.

If anyone wants my bible and other books about Christianity, let me know 'cos they're collecting dust.


That's it for 2019! Thanks for reading, and I wish you all a healthy and happy 2020! :)