Some people collect stamps.
I collect blogs.
To be more precise, I start new blogs or contribute to them.*
The latest addition to my burgeoning blog collection is Blogging Bishan. This blog will focus on estate developments, heritage features and random observations through the eyes of someone who has lived here since the estate’s early days. When my family moved here, it was brand spanking new. They were still building some of the blocks of flats. In fact, Bishan Central had yet to be built. Ahh, the memories… I shall save those impressions for Blogging Bishan.
This project had always been at the back of my mind. I must thank Alvin Yeo, who writes the very impressive Tiong Bahru Estate blog, for giving me the impetus to start this. Compared to Tiong Bahru, Bishan New Town isn’t very old, but the area has a rich history. As the place evolves, I want to write things down and take photographs so that people can remember what Bishan was like. I hope I can cover Bishan as well as Alvin does Tiong Bahru!
Speaking of which, the Sketches, Visions and Impressions of Tiong Bahru exhibition is on this weekend at Tiong Bahru CC. The exhibition showcases the work of a group of NAFA students who spent five weeks studying the area. In doing so, they came into contact Singapore’s colonial past, its turbulent early years and hope of a future that reflects our heritage. You will get to see the students’ street sketches, a video documentary, an Art Deco architecture guide and proposed designs for the Tiong Bahru conservation area.
A pity that it’s only on for two days.
Sketches, Visions and Impressions of Tiong Bahru | e-flyer
Tiong Bahru Community Centre Reading Room
67A Eu Chin Street
Sat 25 Aug to Sun 26 Aug
11 am to 9 pm
Video presentation is on Sat, 25th at 7.30 pm
* Whether I manage to sustain the blogs or my contributions is another story altogether!
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I think it is a good project you are embarking on; although it could be quite time consuming. Spore is changing too fast. Before I can even blog about all the old places, they are rapidly transforming the present places. Too fast for individuals like us to keep up.
For example, they are re-building Queenstown and Toa Payoh. So much of these 2 old estates are of significant heritage value. I went down to Margarent Drive yesterday to go to the library and noticed that many of the buildings have disappeared. The last cinema there too has shut down. I took some photos but unfortunately the battery ran out. Better take more before the remaining buildings disappear too.
As I said, it is a good thing that you are capturing the present with your camera. A few decades down the road, you won’t face the problem I am facing now. Trying to describe things without the aid of photos.
Nice way to capture one’s memories and past before the onslaught of time takes them away in a hurry. I personally feel saddened that I have devoted so much time and energies to my work that I hadn’t paid attention to capturing more of my past and present in my blog. Perhaps I should do more of that, and at least leave something that money cannot buy for my son Ethan.
I already face the problem of describing places without the aid of photos, so I know exactly what you mean, Chun See. Indeed, things transform too fast here.
Walter, it seems that you already are leaving something behind for your son in your blog. In due time, he’ll appreciate all the photos and descriptions of your family outings.
Last week we celebrated my elder sis’s 60th birthday (big thing for traditional chinese) and she was so glad when I put a collection of her b&w fotos into a video with Jose Mari Chan’s song, Beautiful Girl and played for her guests to enjoy.