I gave this speech during a speech competition a year ago. I lost. But I still think its a pretty good speech 

                                                                                                                 -Alan Tong  

This weekend, I walked into a comic book shop nd I watched grown men play the magic trading card game. They played D&D. Yep D&D. They talked about Star Trek and took turns insulting each other in Klingon and Romulan.

It was fun and it brought back some memories of my own background. I am a comic book nerd and I’ve grown up with the idea of heroes. I am convinced, everything I need to know, I have learned from comic.

I am going to tell you a little about comic books. I am going to talk to you about heroes. I think in this day and age where people are so bitter and cynical about almost everything, we need to believe in heroes and heroism. They have a lot that they can teach us. Ladies and gentlemen WE NEED HEROES

Since I was a little boy, I have wanted to be Spiderman. Why do like I like to Spiderman? Well it’s certainly not the red and blue tights.

I have never had an Uncle Ben, but the phrase “With Great Power comes Great Responsibility” really stuck with me Because it’s absolutely true. Too many people pursue power and ignore the responsibilities that come with it. It’s true in the comic book world and it’s true in the real world.

What are you willing to forgive? Is the ability to forgive others for past wrongs the mark of a great person or is it foolishness. Are there some crimes that cannot be forgiven?

Read this story. This couple is from the city I live in. What happened to them is monsterous. I could never forgive the men (beasts really) who attacked them. Yet they have forgiven their assaliants.

I am amazed. I almost think them foolish and at the same time I am in complete awe of them. Things get more confusing as I grow older.

Complete story

http://www.canada.com/cityguides/toronto/info/story.html?id=fd5308e5-e6d0-4404-a765-4742a937f9c1

 Incredible.

Team is a word that is overused, but I am going to use it. I believe a team is a group of people who believe in each other, not just work with each other. I believe a team supports each other not just smiles at each other. I believe a team works together because they want to not just because they have too.

I believe in my team. 

Yep this is lame. My team is the team designing our latest project. I have faith in my team. And everything is going to be okay in two weeks. I have faith in our abilities. I believe in our team. 

I need a new car. Even though I love my Korean sweetie to death, she is getting too old. One day she's just going to die on me I know it.

 What kinda car should I get. Maybe something green and environmentally friendly.

Take a look at these.

Are they for sale? 

I know a girl from Hong Kong who once told me she did not know what a mountain was until she came to the city where I am. I guess thats understandable. What they call mountains in HK I call hills.

This weekend, with my good buddy we went out into mountains for our annual hiking trip/ Sixteen kilometers, 500 meters of elevation and 7 hours later we completed our mission. Contrary to my fears, I neither had to hantam wild animals or become their makan...Still one of the hardest trips I have ever done.

The scenery was awesome thoough. It was worth all the blisters and pain.

 A very serene creek up the mountain. But we were not done yet.

 Alpine lake about 350 meters up! It was full of jumping fish. Too bad we had nothing to cath them with

A view of the valley about 400 meters up from where we started I am guessing. 

 Alpine Lake about 500 meters from where we started. Lonely miners and mountain men often tell stories about mermaids in lakes like these. Needless to say there were no mermaids to be seen. I was pissed.

Every holiday weekend in the summer, fat lazy office workers in Canada like myself get the urge to spend time in the wilderness. We like to fool ourselves that we can survive in the wilderness like wildmen or tarzan. Its a guy thing.

So yep. I am going to be spending time in the wilderness this weekend with my good buddy. Its back to nature for us. Only problem is, lately there are lots of stories of wild animals like bears and mountain lions chasing humans in the mountains lately. The predators are getting ready for winter and/or need to feed their young...

So the question is if it comes down to a question of survival - Will I hantam the wild animals or will I be their makan? (I like singlish!). 

I have bought pepper spray and flares to prevent myself from becoming a tasty morsel for the wild beasts....

But what will happen? I hope it will not come down to this but in the event of a SMACK DOWN...

Will I hantam or will I be makan? Who knows? If I don;t make another entry, you know what happened

I watched the Dark Knight and it absolutely blew my mind.

BEST...SUPER HERO ...MOVIE...EVER 

It had the best Bruce Wayne/Batman...the best Joker (oscar for Heath Ledger...screw Jack Nicholson... that overstuffed pumpkin...) and the best story for a super hero movie.

In fact The Dark Knight has inspired me to film my own super hero movie!

Yes. I am producing a super hero movie. To be more exact, a super heroine movie. i think the world deserves a good super heroine. A movie not about someone crappy like Electra or Cat Woman...I am thinkin...She-Hulk!

But who can play the sensational She Hulk? Hmmmm...thinking...thinking...thinking...of course! She will be perfect!

Straight from the pages of the comic book - The Sensational She-Hulk!!!! The star of my new movie - Denise Keller!!!! 

It'll make The Dark Knight seem like a lame child's movie! Haha!

I am sure Ms. Keller will be very pleased that I can indeed pronounce her name! I promise not to call her Dennis or Dense ;)  

You heard me. Yep. I think Singapore smells. ;) Before I earn the ire and righteous anger of millions of Singaporeans ( or maybe more likely the ire and anger of the 2-3 people who read this blog), hear me out !

I've always been amazed at the diversity of this planet. I have had the pleasure of travelling a little bit in my life its help me appreciate what a beautiful place planet earth really is. Two years ago I visited Singapore and was amazed by the place. Its a microcosm of Asia within a modern westernized city. It's amazing, fascinating and exhilarating to see all at once. I like Singapore. I even toyed with the idea of moving to there. At the time my company was thinking about setting up shop in Singapore...it lost out to Hong Kong in the end.

But you know what? I still think Singapore smells funny. Yes, I do. You know why? I have never smelled a mix of ocean, jungle and city before. I'm serious! Singapore has a smell thats quite unique and its not really unpleasant...just different. I live around here...its very different from Singapore...

Forty minutes west of my city you will see mountains and forest like this. I can count the amount of times I have been on a beach on two hands...I have spent my entire life climbing mountains. Soo different from the beaches of SE Asia...

 If I head east I will see endless prarie and millions of cows. If I head north, I see the industrial machinery that extract billions of dollars of oil from the ground and oil sands...Yep. Singapore smells funny. A funky mix of ocean, jungle and city smells. Of course this is coming from a guy who has spent his life 18 000 kms away. I can imagine what Singaporeans will think of me...I can imagine it..."Wah lau! That apollo guy smells like cows, petrol and mountains" ;)

Sorry I could not resist! This post has nothing to do with ah lians...I joke when I am nervous and do not understand how to express something.

I should not make jokes about a topic that struggles for credibility already. I will go on the record books and say very directly - I want to believe.

Yes, as a university educated working professional with 8 years of professional experience, I am willing to say I am a believer in the alien and ufo phenomenon. Think what you want to of me. A man I greatly admire has come forward with some very interesting claims. These claims have been reported by multiple sources. Look at the links.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24070088-5002700,00.html

http://www.livenews.com.au/Articles/2008/07/24/Former_NASA_Astronaut_claim_aliens_do_exist 

In case yiou are wondering who Edgar Mitchell is:

I expect more news sources to repeat this information soon. Can it be true? I have my doubts, but I believe in the charecter of Edgar Mitchell. I believe him. Its both a gut feeling and honestly I think it makes sense.

Think what you will of me. I know I am not crazy. The question is - What is happening to our world. So much is happening...it boogles the mind to think of what everything could mean.