Rambling Librarian's Podcast: "I Am Singaporean"

The guys at The Mr. Brown Show (a local podcasting that probably has the most local audience) were inspired by the Molson beer "I am Canadian" commercial (see Youtube video) and they came up with this "I am Singaporean" podcast/ blog meme to tie in with our upcoming National Day.

Any excuse for me to much around GarageBand, I'm interested. And so I tried to try my hand at it. Before I uploaded it, I tested it on my wife. She laughed at some parts but overall it was OK (she did add a few more Cs but I won't mention them here -- go guess).

Total duration for my recording is 3mins 32 secs. Apparently there's no time specification for this podcast meme, so what the heck. Anyway if it bores you, there's always the 'Stop' button:

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I've also uploaded the Soundtrack (minus narration) - original composition. It has some added "incidental" sounds like Triangle and flute and drum. Approx. 3mins 32 secs:

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The script as follows:

My name is Ivan Chew. People call me Ivan. I am a Singaporean.

It's been said that Singaporeans are concerned about the 5 Cs. I have 8 'Cs' that I want to talk about.

'C' is for 'car' - I have never owned one and don't see a need to. I get around in Singapore just fine. I've also never driven a car. The only vehicle I've attempted to drive was an Amoured Personnel Carrier during my full-time National Service.

'C' is for 'Condominium' - I don't live in one and don't aspire to. Perhaps I'm too used to HDB apartments. Growing up, I stayed in a flat (2 rooms, 1 hall) living with my parents and 2 other siblings. I slept in a hall for over 20 years and never had a room to call my own till I moved out after marriage. Now my wife and I (and our dog) live in a 4-room HDB flat. It will be fully paid in 25 years or so. I'm perfectly fine with that.

'C' is for Credit Card - I choose to have only one. I use it for convenience because I don't like to carry cash.

'Cash' is the 4th 'C', of which I have some but not a lot. Enough for me to look beyond tomorrow but not so much that I take things for granted today. *I make an effort to save because I know what "money no enough" is like. Sometimes my wife complains I am too stingy and sometimes she is right. Sometimes.

'C' is for 'Career' - I would like to think I have one in librarianship. My current employer is a government agency but I don't consider myself working for the government. I tell myself I work for Singaporeans through the government.

That's 5 Cs so far and I have 3 more:

'C' is for Chew - my surname. 'Chew' as in 'Chewing gum', which by the way, isn't illegal to buy or consume in s'pore. You just can't sell it.

My surname 'Chew' is a pronunciation in the Hokkien dialect. It is my heritage, which brings me to my next 'C' -- for 'Chinese'. I am Chinese by race but I'm not from China. Singapore isn't a province of China. I am 3rd or 4th generation Singaporean.

Finally my last 'C' -- for 'Choice'. A friend once emailed me this saying: "Choices are like belly buttons - we all have one". I believe in that saying most of the time although I accept that sometimes we just have no choice. Of those times I've learnt to accept rather than fight. Maybe acceptance in itself is a choice. I guess my friend is right after all.

Singapore is tiny in size but I think we are big in dreams and ideas.

My name is Ivan. My Chinese name is "文良". I, am a Singaporean.

"And so say we all".

And so say we all.

Ivan Chew, July 2006.

Click on this link for all the "I am Singaporean" posts at technorati.com. There was about 15 - 20 posts (excluding duplicates) when I last checked. Here are the ones by Brown and Miyagi that kicked started it all.

It's simple: You can either record your version (or just blog if you prefer not to do a sound recording), title it "I am Singaporean" and tag it iamsingaporean.


Tags: singapore, podcast, podcasting, iamsingaporean