Satire
An American friend visited Singapore for the first time. Within 6 hours, he went through all five stages of culture shock. Stage 1: Awe He took photos of Changi Airport like it was the Louvre. Then asked if he could just… stay. Immigration was not consulted. Stage 2: Confusion He
Satire
I went to Chinatown. Then I realised… I never left. Luckin Coffee. Haidilao. Mixue. Mala Pot. Somewhere between the fourth shop and the second menu, it started to feel less like Chinatown… and more like China town. I checked my GPS to see if I’d accidentally cleared Immigration. Still
micro memoir
My mother used to sell kueh kueh near Lorong Tai Seng, starting in the quiet hours of the morning and ending just before lunch. I remember the image clearly, her balancing the baskets, walking from house to house, bringing food right to people’s doorsteps. She was just trying to
Satire
In Singapore, rules are everywhere. The most dangerous ones? The unwritten ones. Especially about seats. One wrong sit, and your life becomes a social experiment you didn’t sign up for. #1. Hungry Ghost Month Opera – Front Row VIP (Very Invisible People) Row empty. Best view. Fan blowing. You sit,
Satire
Every office has cubicles. You can tell exactly who a colleague is just by looking at their desk. We have seen the Empty Table Person. We navigated the Cluttered Table Person. We respected the Precision Engineer. Today, we arrive somewhere… warmer. You may want to take off your shoes. Species
Satire
Every office has cubicles. And every cubicle tells a story. We have seen the Empty Table Person. We survived the Cluttered Table Person. Today, we enter a different environment. Proceed carefully. Species #3: The Precision Engineer In their cubicle, everything is aligned. The keyboard is centered. The mouse sits at
Satire
We used to fear dangerous addictions. Smoking. Gambling. Opium. Now, we carry the dragon in our pockets. Face ID ready. Fully charged. Welcome to scrolling. A thumb moving endlessly, like it has somewhere important to be. We scroll while eating. While walking. While someone is literally talking to us. It
Satire
Every office has cubicles. And every cubicle tells a story. Yesterday we met the Empty Table Person. Today, we step into something more… complex. Species #2: The Cluttered Table Person Here’s how their cubicle looks: Stacks of paper. Sticky notes layered like geological sediment. The top layer says “Return
Satire
Every office has cubicles. And every cubicle tells a story. You can spend months working beside someone and still not really know them. But walk slowly past their desk, take one quiet look, and suddenly… oh. There they are. The cubicle is not just a desk. It is a psychological
Satire
We Are World-Class. Except for These 5 Things... Singapore runs like a machine. Changi Airport wins awards. Our trains are almost always on time. Our hawker queues move faster than immigration lines in some countries. And yet. Habit #1: The Void Deck Trolley Migration Supermarkets lend you a trolley. You
Satire
Singapore has many national tests. PSLE. Driving test. IPPT. But there is one test that reveals far more about a person. The trolley test. No one is watching. No one will fine you. There is no CCTV officer waiting to issue a summons. You have finished shopping. You have pushed
Satire
Everyone is a forensic linguist now. One look at a caption and—boom—“AI detected.” Here is the cheat sheet for the rest of you: First: AI writing is too organized. Human writing is naturally chaotic. A real writer begins with one idea, gets distracted by a memory from 2009,
