Space Message - Ikaros & LightSail

22nd March, 2010 ~ I dunno why, but all my life, I have always been intrigued by space. Love to look at the night sky, Milky Way, stars, planets & lucky enough to have seen a number of colorful shooting stars, blue, orange & even green. Also been to meteor showers watching, braving the cold & mosquitoes. Fascinated by pictures of the stars, galaxies & nebulas. Had NASA space pictures gallery bookmarked in my browser. I would really love to go out to space & now my my dream came true. I'm a space-faring Hamster! xD
Haha... not really. It's only my name & message is going out to space. Last week, I signed up at the Planetary Society web page for my name & message to be digitally encoded on 2 solar sails which will be use to propel the spacecraft, Ikaros & LightSail-1 through the cosmos.


My Ikaros numbered certificate with my name & message.
(Click on pic to see bigger image)

My LightSail numbered certificate with my name & message
(Click on pic to see bigger image)


The 1st mission, the Ikaros spacecraft is due to launch on 18th May 2010. LightSail-1 will hopefully be ready by the end of 2010. To find out more about what's Ikaros, LightSail, solar sail or the technical/scientific aspect of this space mission/experiment, please go to the Planetary Society web site:
http://cosmiclog.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2010/03/19/2233551.aspx

Nikita Hengbok is spaceward bound or at least, my name & message is. Well, it's a start isn't it? Who knows, I might get lucky & make it to space some day. Imagine this. What if I'm a lost princess of a space-faring race marooned on Earth by galactic civil war. When my space navy found Earth's solar sail with my name on it, my royal space yacht will land to pick me up one day. Maybe this might explain why I don't feel that I belong to this world at all or why I am so interested in space & yearning space travel for no reason at all. I can hope & dream can't I? LOL! xD

Chinese Opera & Resort World Sentosa (RWS)

7th, 19th & 20th March, 2010 ~ You won't believe what I had been doing or been through the past few weeks. First, it happened when a manager of a Chinese opera troupe was short of a few people for an important upcoming performance. He approached a friend of mine for help & I was hastily roped in to cast in a supporting role. Me performing in a Chinese opera? You got to be kidding! Never in my wildest dream did I dreamt of that! LOL! xD
After just doing a 2 hours training cum rehearse sessions twice, I was pushed off to perform at Kaki Bukit Town Day 2010.

Kaki Bukit Town Day 2010


The event was a day of fun & games for the town residents, attended by the town MP(Minister of Parliament), Associate Professor Muhammad Faishal Ibrahim & to top it off, the guest-of-honor was none other than Senior Minister Goh Chok Tong.

Town MP(in black top in 1st pic) & Senior Minister(tallest guy in white top amidst a flag waving crowd in 2nd pic).


What if this little timid hamster had a flutter of nervousness, panic & do it all wrong in front of the VIPs! Geez... I Was Stressed Out! =P
Luckily, nothing went wrong. I just pretended it was just another training session & it got me through. xD
Guess which is me in the below pics? =P

Hamster in Chinese Opera! xD

Doing the Waves

The finale featuring the cast of Choy's Brothers Opera Troupe


Just after about 2 weeks after my opera performance, came another public appearance for the Hamster! This time, it was at a much classy place, RWS(Resort World Sentosa) with newly opened casino & Universal Studios theme park.

Universal Studio & Casino @RWS


This time, I wasn't in a supporting cast anymore, but the main feature. A Queen of Heart no less! What a rapid promotion! Now, can I scream "Off with their heads!"? LOL! xD

Queen & King of Heart


And that's not all. Behold! The Queen & King of Heart on stilts! xD

Towering, Colorful Queen & King of Heart @RWS


How did I do that? During the following week after the Chinese opera, I went for stilt-walking lessons, 2 hours nightly. Yep, you heard right. I'm a Hamster on stilts! Well, I'm always so short when in a crowd & now is my chance to topped everyone, looking down from majestic height! I love walking on stilts! Heeheehee... =P
And it happened that just after a week of stilt-walking practice, on Friday, 19th March, I was called to RWS as a temporary replacement for the female stilt-walker who had fallen sick. As there are so very very few local female stilt-walkers, a chance came for me to be a stilt-walking Queen of Heart, parading @RWS. xD

Parading through the crowd @RWS


With only a week of practice, I was quite nervous & a little unstable, unused to the heavy costume at the beginning of my first parade. After the first few anxious minutes, I was into my stride with no problem at all & on with the show! We were accompanied by a team of percussionists wherever we paraded. It was so fun & I was happily greeting, waving & taking picture with the visitors. Basking in glory? More like baking in that heavy costume! xD

As it was, I went back on the following day for a second performance cos the other female stilt-walker had not fully recovered from her sickness. Not that I wish her ill, but I found that I enjoyed being an entertainer very much. It was fun & the pay is not bad at all. I might not be able to sing nor dance or speak very well, but there are other acts I believe I can do. I simply love to make people happy & see them smile. Wish I could do more of that! xD
And also, I'm a lime light snatching Hamster, remember? LOL! =P

Photo taking with visitors


Anyone wanna learn stilt-walking with me? Preferably young females as there is a real shortage of such. =P

Forum Reunion Dinner & Clarence Birthday

Saturday, 27th Feb, 2010 ~ Among certain regular members of an online forum which I am a member of, there is this tradition to meet up once every Lunar New Year. This year is no different & we gathered for a reunion dinner. The call for this occasion was also due to the fact that 1 of the member had just strike a substantial amount in lottery. Thus the dinner was on him. Heeheehee... xD

Forum members Reunion Dinner


The restaurant we were at was very noisy & we had to screamed to update the latest news of everyone. Beside the shouting, we eat of course & there was no standing on ceremony at that. We cleared almost everything that were placed before us.

Yummy Food! xD


After dinner, my soulmate & I went to The Boiler Room @Saint James as we were invited to a friend's birthday bash.

With Nath & birthday boy, Clarence @ The Boiler Room


Never been to The Boiler Room & it was my first time there. As Clarence knew the management of the place, we were given front seats roll. Not bad at all & the on-stage entertainment, excellent.

Stage Performance

Sexy Singers

Fancy Costumes


Below stage, everyone were having a good time...

Friends of Clarence

Rolling Good Time


As Clarence is the birthday boy, the fun started with him. He was 'encouraged' to down a whole bottle of Vodka. LOL! xD

Clarence facing off the Vodka

Drowning & Clowning Clarence =P

And he did it... finishing the whole bottle! xD


After the Vodka, Clarence thought that all he had to suffer... & came the real bombshell. The leader of the performing troupe, Gino sprang a surprise on Clarence. Dressed up as a female, fake stuffed boobs & all, Gino called Clarence up on to the stage together with a girl whose birthday incidentally fell on the same day.

Gino on stage with Clarence & birthday girl


And in front of everyone, Gino made Clarence strip! LOL! xD

Gino stripped Clarence

Embarrassed Clarence with an admiring Gino!


To add further insult to the birthday boy's predicament, Gino put salt on Clarence's nipples & asked the birthday girl to lick it off which she happily obliged! Hahahahahaaaaa... hilarious! xD

Clarence's with birthday girl


I missed videoing that part coz I stupidly started to film without hitting the 'on' button! By the time I realized it, it's nearly over! Dammit!

When the clock strike 12, out came the birthday cake.

Candle up the cake

Make a wish & blow out the candles

Clarence's sexy cake


Predictably & inevitably, some friends will smash the cake on Clarence. Knowing this, I escaped the messy endeavor by staying as far away from Clarence as possible. =P

Clarence got caked & stripped again! xD


Happy Birthday, Clarence! xD

Cake-face Birthday Boy! =P

"24 Seven Heartland Beats" Photography Competition

26th Feb, 2010 ~ Late last year, for the first time in my life, I joined a photo competition & it was a nation-wide one. The "24 Seven Heartland Beats" Photography Competition was organized by HDB(Housing & Development Board) of Singapore with Nikon as the sponsor. I indulged in photography, but isn't much of a hobbyist photographer, just an opportunist one. Took pics if & when passing by only, lazy in going after any particular subject in earnest. Worse is, didn't own & dislike carrying a bulky DSLR. When I learned about this contest, I was quite hesitated in taking part coz I knew in such major event, 99% of the entries will be shot using DSLR & many contestants will be pro, semi-pro or devoted hobbyists. Me with my silly point & shoot camera won't stand much of a chance. It would be a very very tough challenge going against those odds. However, the prizes are very attractive, camera & cash. I plucked up my courage, took faith in my skill/talent & submitted 10 photos for the Open Category. The closing date was 31st Oct, 2009. Nov, Dec & New Year of 2010 passed without news. Actually I had forgotten about the whole thing until...
Imagine my utter surprise & joy when in mid-January this year, I got a call from the organizer saying that I won a prize! OMG! WOW! I was EXHILARATED! There were over 8000 entries for the open category. Imagine pitting my small camera against all those pro, semi-pro or devoted hobbyists with their big powerful DSLRs & I won! Among the selected 63 winning photos in the open category, I believe mine is the only 1 shot by a point & shoot camera. WOOT! xD

So, on Friday, 26th Feb 2010, I went to the prize presentation ceremony cum official opening of photography exhibition at the HDB Hub Mall, Toa Payoh Central. The winners wasn't told what prize we had won till our arrival at the venue. I discovered I had won a Merit Award. To tell the truth, I couldn't care less what prize I'd won. I mean, this is the very first time I'd taken part in a photo contest, an open category nation-wide one at that & I couldn't believe that I had won something using my little camera! Can't blame me if I am a little proud of my achievement, can you? Power to the Hamsterish Photographer! xD

Prize presentation cum photo exhibition @HDB Hub Mall

Proud Hamster Photographer! =P


The event started off with some stage performances after the arrival of the guest-of-honor, Dr Mohamad Maliki Bin Osman, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of National Development.

Stage performance watched by VIPs, contestants & guests.

Hamster patiently waiting in the audience


The performance was followed by an opening address by Dr Mohamad Maliki who is also presenting the prizes to the winners.

Opening address by guest-of-honor, Dr Mohamad Maliki


Prize presentation time came & oh boy... I was so excited & at the same time, scare! I had stage fright, mouth dry! Luckily nothing unduly happened & I got through the presentation smoothly. xD

Dr Mohamad Maliki giving me my prize

Merit Award winners with Dr Mohamad Maliki


After the prize presentation, comes the opening of the photo exhibition by the guest-of-honor, CEO of HDB & Nikon representative.

Official opening of photo exhibition


It was also the start of the buffet dinner & it had sushi, my favorite food! Yummy! =P

Buffet Dinner


All the winning entries were displayed at the photo exhibition. I took pics of the 1st, 2nd & 3rd prize winner of the open category, but I forgotten to take the photographers name. My apologies if I did not credit the winning photos below.

1st, 2nd & 3rd prize winner of the open category


And of course, most importantly, to me at least, is my Merit Award photo displayed at the exhibition. To see the original photo in my album, please click on the below pic.

My winning photo with admirers taking pic of it. xD


What did I won? Beside the glory, S$100 cash(cheque), a Nikon CoolPix L21, a certificate & a 5R photo of my entry.

Merit Award Hamster Photographer! xD


Am proud to say, with just my small, but faithful point & shoot Canon A630, I Did It My Way! YEAH! =D

Me with my trusty Canon A630


Now, I'm a fully certified photographer... with point & shoot camera only! Heeheehee... LOL! xD