How to ask for help?

HELLO EVERYONE. This post and all my posts before are always moderated in comments so if you ever do comment, wait a while before I approve or well, not because a) this is my blog b) I didn’t ask you to read it.

However I am putting it publicly here as a warning or reminder to all or to safeguard each other or you know. WHATEVER.

I am pretty much pissed off when writing this. ALSO I didn’t punch the guy because on technicality he didn’t touch me. I AM JUST PISSED IF YOUNG SCHOOLGIRLS OR EVEN SCHOOLBOYS OR ANYONE ASKS FOR HELP, WILL THEY GET IT?

~

Dear LTA and SBS,

I am posting this on my blog just in case you don’t get to see your feedback channels or it gets lost in the midst of complains that I am sure you might have.  Thus, I am also going to copy paste this email to both of you since SBS has a feedback page while LTA at least has a public email under their contact us.

To cut it short, an old man sat next to me in bus 51. It was then I noticed he was sitting quite next to me, not the usual, guyish big legs kind of sitting but a suspicious kind of way. I wondered if he had a health issue or perhaps it was just his zipper making his crotch pants bulgy because hey, sometimes it happens. However, I was suspicious enough to move to another empty seat when it was available because he wasn’t doing anything too suspicious just shifting now and then.

Once I sat on the empty seat however, a few minutes later a lady sat down on a seat on the next row. It was then he also moved and sat next to her. Now it was obvious what he was doing because he was now shifting more and was holding a folded umbrella and using it as a ‘shield’ or a prop.

My stop was approaching but now since I knew this wasn’t a coincidence, I shouted at him and asked him if he was a pervert. The old man just smiled and tried to play it off. I approached your bus driver and told him what happened in English in simple terms. “There is a pervert in the bus. He is touching himself in your bus” but unfortunately your bus driver could not understand me and told me that the next stop was Bugis.

This could be quite a comedic happenstance since no matter what I told him, he could not understand me even if I had said aloud for the whole bus to hear that the man was masturbating in the bus.

Unfortunately, no one else in the bus would help translate what I said.

In my own way, I am glad to at least say it out loud so that the lady was warned and that there was a couple sitting behind her too if anything for I stomped out of the bus angrily. For that would increase more suspicion on their part.

My fault was that I didn’t take the number of the license of your bus nor did I take a picture of the pervert because I was too incensed about it. Because really, I was too angry that your bus driver couldn’t understand me that such things was happening in there.

Thus LTA/SBS, while you have your Thoughtful Family campaign now, can you tell me what should I do or others do when drivers cannot understand that there is something happening in their bus or perhaps in trains?

This was just one incident, if there was another incident, what should we do or what is your protocol?

As it is, I checked on this SBS page on Public Transport Security Committee and there is actually nothing on the page.

 

EDIT: SBS REPLIED on 27th September. That’s good. But so far they say they’re investigating and going to counsel the driver. However, we’ll see how because I asked them what is the SOP instead.

Things I Didn’t Learn in School


This should be in a category of its own, I guess but this is after all a semi announcement.

You’d know if you were talking to me as of late.

For now, I’ve researched the ‘self-help’ or non-fiction side of Singapore’s publishing and it’s either Candid which is pretty much self publishing but they do have distribution services or Armour which is not really self publishing and more well known for the self help or even Marshall Cavendish. I’m gonna give first dibs to Two Trees first whenever completed though for reasons.

There might be Adulting by Kelly Williams Brown or Twentysomething: Why do Young Adults Seem Stuck? by Samantha and Robin Marantz Henig and much more but they don’t really have it for Singapore context. They’re books are helpful but still, it’s good if you can have something that is not US-centric.

And no, I didn’t think of this when I read their books. I only learned about their books after my friends pointed their existence when I wanted to write mine. Heh, looks like we all need a lot of help somehow.

So here’s Things I Didn’t Learn in School aka #TIDLiS if I wanted to hashtag it. A non-fiction book which I haven’t tried out before but ehh, my blog here has been pretty non-fictional yeah?

I’m switching in between my fiction and non-fiction work whenever I get stuck so this is pretty ok.

That’s it for today’s State of Sarah because… really I wanna let you know the things I didn’t learn in school.

A walk around the Sports Hub

The Kallang Wave!
I was invited to a Sports Hub tour last weekend and it was pretty informative and yesss much potential fun.

By the way, the easiest way is to drop off at Stadium MRT. Once out of there, you will have the mall, Kallang Wave to your right. And the visitor’s centre for the Sports Hub is in the building to the left, after the sports library.

I assure you, it just hit me why the mall is called Kallang Wave. AUGGH.

Anyway, Calvin (or do I spell it as Kelvin?) and Jennifer were the guides for our group. Here’s Calvin starting off the tour. They’re both really nice by the way.

Continue reading A walk around the Sports Hub

Carry On

I’ve been watching The Great Doctor, or Faith as some channels would call it.

It’s a different time travelling Doctor. YES. THIS IS A Korean drama historical time travelling series with a doctor. Her companion would be a warrior, a commander of the Yuldachi, the army that helps protect the king.

ANYWAY, LISTEN TO THE OST.

Carry on, carry onnnnn…

Time travel, romance, actual doctor thingies in which patients are treated.

Continue reading Carry On

Packed Sunday

Yes, it’s a teaser post or at least a very short one. Sunday was the Tampines Run which I just ran around Bedok Reservoir pretty quickly (relatively quickly) so I could go home and prepare for STGCC!

Since I posted my ‘loot’ from my run, this is my LOOT from the Singapore Toys Games Comic Convention. More details in my main post for STGCC! In the week or so. Heh, I still have interviews I did during ICDS.

The cosplay/comic season has begun fully.

The STGCC 2014 Survival Guide!

Hello everyone! This is going to be a text based post so you can COPY PASTE any segment for notes to you.

This year’s STGCC is pretty interesting since for the weekend of 6 and 7 September, there’s lots of events elsewhere happening around too. For one thing, the Cafe Fest is happening along Marina Bay. Which means that you can possible walk over from Cafe Fest to STGCC or have a break at Cafe Fest and then go back to STGCC etc. You get the idea since they have cakes and whatnot to eat too.

Also, you can read my 2012 guide and it still works but hey, I’ve been to MBS and here’s the latest tips.

 SURVIVAL TIPS 2014!

Attire

I realize I have out of town readers so here’s tips for you.

  • Singapore is really hot. Wear summer clothes or t-shirts and light layered clothing.
  • Track shoes/covered shoes are good because your feet might get stomped upon in a crowded hall or walk way.
  • If you’re cosplaying, toilets in the convention hall have a lot of cubicles. Those not at the convention hall have very few OR take the ones on the same floor as the theatre. Alternate toilets would be pretty much at the MRT stations but just go to the ones nearer the convention hall.
  • For cosplayers: DO NOT WASH HAIRSPRAY DYE/ETC AT THE TOILETS THERE AND CLOG IT UP. Non-newbies know not to do this for ALL cosplay events but this is always a good reminder to know.

Money

We use Singapore dollars here. Also, we might have artist friends from different countries in the artist alley too.

  • The big ‘companies’ will mostly have NETs which is our debit card machines and you can pay using that.
  • For artist alleys and small booths PLEASE try to give them exact change if possible. Do not be a douche canoe.
  • ATMs are available near the entrance of the hall, behind a small cafe. Other locations would be uh, near the casino entrance.
  • Bring cash since at least you’ll have a limited budget for what you want to spend on during convention days.

Transport

How to get to Marina Bay Sands really.

  • You can actually walk from City Hall if you’re lurking around there. Look up into the sky and find the flying/floating ship on top of the buildings. Behold, it is probably a twenty minute walk depending on which part of City Hall you’re at. It’s closer from Marina Square too.
  • If lost, see cosplayers and follow them discreetly. It’s a tip because they are probably going to STGCC. If not, well, too bad.
  • Take the MRT and drop of at Bayfront MRT station. This requires getting off at either Promenade(?) I can’t remember but do check your YELLOW line train because it will stop one stop before it and then you might have to take just the NEXT yellow line train that reaches Bayfront. In case of being lost, follow cosplayers.
  • I’m not going to bother with buses here. If you’re really lost, I recommend using Gothere.sg

Food

It’s time to pretend you’re a school girl/boy packing bentos to sit underneath a cherry blossom tree. Well, we have none of that but we have lotus near the Art Science Centre.

  • The 7-11 at the MRT station would be a good place to stock up on sandwiches or candy but their prices are way above 7-11 prices elsewhere. I recommend stocking up at your local supermarket first.
  • There is a Coldstorage at the basement of MBS, you can get more food or drinks there.
  • Pack at least a large bottle of water with you, candies, mints or trailmix.
  • There ARE food courts there but it will cost you quite a bit of money. If you wanna save, pack or buy from the malls at City Hall/Marina Square.

STGCC!

Ok, here’s STGCC specific tips I’ve learned from the previous years.

    • Make sure you know what time the autograph sessions are for and queue up before it starts or if the line is not open, just lurk by.
    • Really give exact or closest change to artist alley people. TALK TO THEM. Sometimes if it’s near the last hour of the last day, they might throw in some stuff or it’s discounted. But this doesn’t work with really popular goods since THAT means you just get it as soon as you ENTER the convention hall.
    • Talking to booth owners are nice. Just don’t hog the area though.
    • Try to get a seat before the next panel comes on if you’re wanting to listen. If not, you should bring your own mini foldable stool.
    • GET post it pads! Write YOUR name or whoever’s name on it for stuff you want autographed and put it on your item to be autographed so that it can be a speedy process.
    • DO help out another person if they look lost, are being harrassed etc. You can also ask staff on hand to help or point it out to them.
    • If for some reason you wanna ice skate (in costume?!), wear socks and bring gloves. There’s a skating ring there in the building.

THINGS THAT ANNOY ME AND STUFF YOU SHOULD NEVER DO AT STGCC:

  • Harrass booth owners/staff/random people. Duh.
  • Block walk ways.
  • Give big change to artist alley people especially when they’re from out of Singapore and won’t have the ability to have too much change when you buy ‘small’ items.
  • Have TOO many stuff to get autographed. I know the feel but don’t bring a fifty comics or something. There’s limits for it.
  • Don’t ever glomp or hug a cosplayer or touch their stuff without their permission. You don’t do it anyhow to a random person what makes you think you can with a cosplayer?
  • Stupid ‘sexy’ interviews for your own web youtube channel. People are ok with interviews but try to be funny ha ha sexy oh noes naughty, prepare to be punched in the face.
  • Freak the guests out by asking questions that do not have a question during a Q & A session.
  • TALK LOUDLY WHILE WAITING FOR THE NEXT PANEL. HELLO, ANNOYANCE MUCH. I am sitting HERE listening to the panel, I know you’re waiting for the NEXT panel and thus ‘booking’ your seat, can you shut up because I want to listen to the panelists and not you?

Ok, I think you know which one pissed me off greatly.

I should be there on Sunday so HELLO TO YOU GUYS. I am generally nice and you can ask me for pictures, just talk to me politely or something. I might lurk around GnB or Books Actually since I have friends there too.

 

ICDS 2014 (part 1)

Dat Baka!

International Cosplay Day 2014 was quite an exciting day that I’ll have to split my posts into two. This is the general event reaction post. Interview with the special guests will be on another!

Anyway, it started off with Dat Baka saying hello to us, introduced by Jason, the organizer of the event.

The line for his autograph.

After a little session on stage with opportunities for people to take photographs, it was meet and greet session. Mind you, this was early in the morning and that was how his queue looked like, heh.

Heroes of the Storm?

Alright the free zone was quite nice since you could still try out demos and visit the ‘corporate’ booths. This was Asiasoft’s Heroes of the Storm set up. Too bad I didn’t have anyone with me that day or I’d take a picture and pose with the vehicle.

Heroes of the storm!

Right now it’s in beta and if you want to sign up, head to the Heroes of the Storm website and follow the instructions and wait till you get access.

Continue reading ICDS 2014 (part 1)