An Evening with Edwin Thumboo

Today was the day we honour Prof Edwin Thumboo for his great contributions to the Singaporean literature scene. While I really enjoyed all the readings, the only one I felt remotely moved was by his granddaughter. The girl picked a poem she really liked, read it and then said why she thought her Grandpa was great and special.

I really didn't like the fact that everyone else read one of their own poems after reading Prof's poems. Perhaps I am just being anal. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed the session.

You sign my book, yes?

At the risk of being seen as 'unprofessional' I bought a copy of The Proper Care of Foxes by Wena Poon, and very unabashedly ambushed Wena and asked her to sign my book. Which she did. :)

I mean I bought this, instead of Lions in Winter because Wena said Foxes is a book for fighters. When she first met me and after I shared with her my story about bigtallwhiteguyIusedtoworkwithatthebar she said, 'You are a fighter, and fighters must write.' Which is probably the largest inspiration to me all year. (And we are already in October, so you know how much this means to me..)

And incidentally, one of the stories in the book was set in Palo Alto, and its about an lesbian Asian barista. How can one not love it.

The Proper Care of Foxes, you have to read it.

I am your biggest fan....!

The thing about writers is that they might be eccentric, but they are REAL. Here's a photo of Miguel Syjuco and Wena Poon queuing up to get Dai Sijie's signature. How Cool Is That?

The good thing about persuading the gang in the office to take this project is that I do, honestly feel very very honoured to get the chance to meet these awesome writers. Wena Poon is just cool. She is real, she is personable, she is talented and she is witty. What else can you ask for in a writer (I hear some of you say 'Alcoholism', but no, we're not talking about that today..)

Dai Sijie on another hand, is just a lovely lovely man. Obviously a person who has endured hardship and has seen the Cultural Revolution and its ugly sides while being 're-educated' in China, Dai Sijie is very much a storyteller. Full of anecdotes, this man is just a pleasure to be around.

There's no wonder why both Miguel & Wena are queuing up for his autographs...!