This is such a horrible experience that I have to put it on the front page of my website. Less than 6 hours ago, a group of 4 or 5 malays & 1 Chinese stole my bag from under my nose in MOS, & I'm going to tell u exactly what happened as I had told the police when I lodged my report.
Me and my galfrens were taking pictures and so I was sitting on the chair where the wall was just on my left. The people on the next table behind us were nearby (approx 10-15cm distance from me), and no other persons walked between us between the time I used my hp to take a picture till the time I realized my bag was missing. (approx 10-15mins duration)
When I realized my bag was missing, coz I wanted to take a picture with my hp again, my group of frens all stood up and starting searching the area, and then some of them went to help me approach the bouncers to report the lost bag. While they were gone, a few of us (including me) continued searching around, and I turned to the Malay guy sitting just behind me and asked "Did u see anyone take my bag?" He answered "no. we just came" I turned and asked my fren Esther "Is it true that they just sat down?" She said no, and that they had been there a long time, much longer than us... I immediately suspected that they must be up to something since they were not being truthful, plus the whole group were acting most suspiciously. So I told Esther and another guy friend to watch the group while I went to alert the bouncers to ask them to come and help me search the area around those guys' table. Unfortunately the bouncers were too slow, and then Esther called Sarah to say that the bag was found as the group had left after I did, and the waiter clearing the empty glasses actually found my bag between the wall and the leg of the chair nearest the wall (which was the seat directly behind me).
We rushed back to the scene of the crime, I looked in my bag and realized that the following items were already missing:
1) My brown n beige Coach coinpouch (present frm Kaori & Madoka)with about $60+ in it, my POSB ATM card, my Coffeebean "Chinese New Year" ver. prepaid card, and my 2 charms (both with my birthstones, one is a heart with 18 MAR written on it, another is a ring with a dolphin in the middle- present from Sze-chan)
2) My blue plastic cardholder with my I/C, Driver's license, EZ-Link Card, my neoprints w Sze-chan, my polaroids w Tua & Alex & the rest, my Japan Airlines Staff Card.
3)My Motorola V3 Pink Handphone (present frm Rongyao), with my lucky clover(present from Mum), my golden owl, a red mini pouch and my Go Morita lucky charm (present frm Ling chan)
Thank God for the culprits spared my credit cards which were in the silver glittery Ebase pouch.
Immediately me, Winston & Dennis ran out with some of the MOS bouncers to try and find the culprits. We searched for a while, and finally I noticed that the Malay guy that I had spoken to was seated not far from the MOS main entrance, in front of the multi-storey carpark, and I pointed him out to the bouncers. This guy was also coincidentally Winston's friend, and before the terrible act of theft, Winston did say hi to him (which is why Esther knew that they definitely did not "just come" as they had claimed and were there even b4 I had arrived) I told the MOS bouncers and management that I wanted to lodge a police report. I approached the police up near the baracades and told them to refer an officer who could handle my case.
2 officers, Sgt Md Shahrul Nizam and Cpl Neoh Wei Kiat came to my assistance, and they rounded up the suspect. They searched him but nothing was found on him (expected since the time they exited the club and were rounded up was already quite some time). Of course the suspect admitted nothing, and later, all his friends, the whole group of suspects were rounded up, but they all denied involvement, were searched and nothing was found on them. The preliminary CCTV shot captured by MOS CCTV showed that when I stood up, my bag had slipped off my lap. It also showed that one of the guys directly behind me had bent down and pulled something. (but apparently it is not clear if it was my bag, and hence despite the loud evidence, it was insubstantial to keep these suspects detained) The whole hoo-ha lasted till 5plus, the whole group of us waiting there for some result, only to be told that the suspects would be freed 15 mins after we left the place as currently evidence was insubstantial to detain them.
I am still waiting for Investigator Koh Yong Keat to follow up with me on my case, known as the offence of Criminal Misappropriation of Property. We realized that their fingerprints may be on my bag n belongings in the bag, so I kept my whole small bag in a plastic bag and am refraining from touching it until further followup from the police. I would like to send it in for fingerprinting so that these culprits will be brought to justice. We even have a photograph (courtesy of Sarah) of the culprits in the background (accidentally taken during our raving photoshoots) to prove that it was those 2 guys sitting behind us and not anyone else.
I'm quite frustrated to hear that they get to go off without detainment. I really hope that the police will not disappoint me by handling my case with a trifle mentality as this will let these scum go off scot-free and who knows who else they might hurt or harm in the future, since they know they will not get caught as long as they are not caught with the items on them.
Truth is, this horrible incident could have been worse if not for the great people who were around me at that time. I really thank God for blessing me with this encounter because now I know that whilst there is alot of evil in this world, there are also alot of righteousness & good in the people around me.
Dear Janice, Sarah, Winston, Esther, Calvin, Dennis and Jin Yao, I'm sorry for spoiling your night and thank you for sticking out the night with me throughout from the time my bag was discovered missing. I really appreciate it, and my strength in handling the whole situation came from your physical and moral support. Thank you, thank you so much, for being my Heroes of tonight.
I don't think I will ever want to step into MOS again. The last time I was there, my shoes were stolen... and now, my Bag from right under my nose. Please everyone, be very careful when you club, and do put your bags at the locker, or just don't bring your valuables out with you. You never know when Evil might be lurking just around the corner, and not all of us will be lucky enough to find the culprits of the crime, n even if you do find them, there sometimes is the horrible thing called "lack of evidence" that might just let them go scot-free. But I believe that God will deal with them in his own way... Look back here for updates on my horrible ordeal and how the "efficient" police, the "responsible" MOS club, is handling this CMOP (Criminal Misappropriation of Property) offence.
I went for my first HOT YOGA class at Yogaffinity @ Telok Ayer Street on Monday 8 Jan 2007. After hearing what the Yoga instructor for the night, I decided I needed to put my thoughts about Yoga after my first Yoga class down in my blog so that I could look back maybe after my first month of unlimited classes and see how I've grown.
Why HOT Yoga suddenly? Actually I was recommended by my Japanese colleague, Nana, who started classes there sometime last month.
And also since 1 Jan 2007, I decided to be pro-active in improving my health, since the star signs indicated that 2007 was not going to be a healthy year for me.
But whatever the reason for taking that first trial lesson, I'm glad I did it. For a long time, I realized how much I had been neglecting my physical health. The more pain I experienced in the lesson, the more I realized how my body screamed out to me in defiance, telling me that I had finally come to my senses... literally.
And now, I think I owe it to my body to bring back the flexibility and the well-being it so yearns for. And also, my mental and my soul cries out for my attention, and I think Yoga is what will help my mental and physique find themselves and achieve a balance that is so important for a person's well-being. Maybe Yoga will also be a great chance for my posture to be corrected, and for me to lose some weight as well as become more disciplined with myself.
I loved the way I felt after the lesson. I perspired so much I felt detoxed. Instead of feeling tired after the draining session, I felt more energetic. I also loved the location of the class because it gave me opportunity to continue connecting with my mind and soul by taking a slow walk to my fav bus stop at Chinatown, buy my Apple Tea from the Ito-En vending machine, and wait for my bus 12 ride home.
Yogaffinity also provided great value for beginners in terms of its packages. I signed up for unlimited 1 month which cost only SGD180 for first timers. Thereafter, the unlimited costs up to SGD270, but still it's great value for money if you intend to go often.
I liked my experience because it was about understanding my physical needs better. In that 90mins, I learnt how much I could show my body I loved it by helping it to achieve and slowly progress beyond it's perceived limits.
Some famous hollywood actress on MTV's top 85 hot bods said that as long as you try something everything, no matter how small, it will make a difference.
I hope HOT Yoga will help me become a healthier person and make me move closer, step by step, to achieving my 2007 new year resolutions.
Wish me luck k? (^0^)Y
I'm home after sending my Buyo teacher (Grandmaster Onogawa Jukai) off at the Airport... It's been a gruelling week of traditional Japanese Dance since my teacher was here on Monday... despite the few practices we had on the saturdays (which turned out more like senior junior bonding & gossip sessions coupled with fun movements more than serious dancing...) , preparation for yesterday's performance @ the Hilton for the NUS JSS 25th Anniversary Dinner was just never enuff...
But though it was tough, it was great. It's been some time since I've performed like that, in a proper group with enough like-minded individuals. And when I was on stage dancing in front of the strong white lights in front of like almost 30 or 40? tables of people... I suddenly realized I really liked to dance like this.
& then I knew why I was so hooked on to Japanese Dance. It brought out a side of me that impressed even myself. When I was on that stage, I took on a persona... My mind was calm, my eyes alive (almost burning), and my heart virtually on fire. & yet... my actions were amazingly controlled and stylized. The country dances are also very stimulating as they give me an adrenaline high that no alcohol can ever achieve. It's the "High" of the 5 senses, as I like to call it.
When I start to dance, I actually do not see the audience anymore. I feel suddenly transported to a universe whereby I am intricately aware of all my movements, from the positions of my hands, legs, spine, head to the sharpness of my gaze and the shortness of my breath...
Another me stands in front watching me dance when I dance. I look from outside the box at the dancer in the box. I can't explain why but it's a very external visual realization and sensitivity which connects the inner self to the outer being.
And of course I love it when I realize that people are touched by our performance. We're no professionals, just amateurs, but if we work hard enough, the effort & time spent in practising our art will reflect in our movements, and that aesthetic beauty and love for our art surely will be strong enough to affect that group of few who appreciate and are sensitive to youthful courage and the lively spirit of performance. Hearing comments that come from the heart, sincere praise from even just one member of the audience is enough to have made that performance worthwhile.
That's why I love to dance. For yesterday's performance, I even stepped up stamina training a week in advance by starting my jog & swim routine again. For a long time, I've never felt so revitalized as this week.
Good luck to my juniors who will be performing this sunday. Their music is still with me by the way, so I guess I'll be down at the Asian Civilizations Musuem to support them on Sunday. Okagesama de, mata jyounetsu wo mitsukemashita. Dakara, sono jyounetsu wo sasaete agetai~
Watashi ni totte, kokoro wo kirei ni suru Odori ha Nihon Buyo ni chigainai.
(There is no doubt that to me, that the dance that evokes a pure heart is none other than traditional japanese dance)
Kongo tomo yoroshiku onegaiitashimasu.
