The daily post #100: Game Over (Over to you, Innsbruck & Nanjing!)

We’ve made it. I frankly never thought it would come, but it has.

It’s with great pride, relief, happiness and sadness that I write this post.

The Games have been delivered, and by my measure (I don’t know about you), it’s been a rip-roaring success.

There was so much joy, moments of despair, many dreams realised, many dreams still to be fulfilled, and a whole lot to be thankful for.

With a lump in my throat the size of Sentosa, I would like to thank:

The athletes: For your determination and athleticism that remind us all how pure sports can be and how it can unite us all.

The organising committee and my crew: I’m thankful for the great bosses,colleagues, partners, vendors, and other awesom people I have had the honour of working with, and my amazing New Media team that has hung in there since we started work on this just over 2 years ago. Amanda, Jialin, Kok Siong, Yee Hon, Victor, Nazif and Adeline: You guys rawk. hard.

To the extended family that have come forward to multiply what we’ve been able to deliver during the Games… STARS and volunteers, you don’t know how incredible you’ve been, and how there wouldn’t be a Games without you. I’m proud to have worked beside each and every one of you.

And finally, thank you dear reader for accompanying me on this 100-stop journey. I hope you enjoyed the ride.

This flame may have gone out, but the Singapore 2010 spirit burns on

Don’t stop believing.

 

The daily post #93: Everything stops now.

It’s here. It’s now. It’s on the Float @ Marina Bay, on TV, on the internet.

Sorry if we're a little slow with emails, we're watching TV

Captain Crutch visits!

We’ve all stopped what we’re doing and turned to the TV in the office. It’s tough trying to type this and focus.

The boss just SMSed to thank us for an incredible journey. And I in turn, would like to thank my team and the extended SYOGOC family, for getting us all here. One of those lump in the throat moments, if you know what I mean.

And 12 amazing days beckon!

 

The daily post #92: Tonight’s the night

In less than 3 hours, we’re going to kick off the Opening Ceremony for the first ever Youth Olympics.

Videographer shoots the skyline around the Float @ Marina Bay

Give me goosebumps just writing it.

Shot at 4.45pm. This will be the best place to be on earth in just a few hours.

But even if you don’t have tickets, you’ll get a feel of the whole party atmosphere just being in the vicinity of the city. You can go for the FREE performances at the Promotionary Promodory Promodormitory Promontory, which is the piece of land between the Marina Bay Sands and One Marina Boulevard.

And when all else fails, just look to the sky.

Watch the top of buildings around Marina Bay as they join in the celebrations

Now these are what I call "high beams"!

For those of you too lazy to get out of the house, or are in another country, you can watch the webcast HERE.

 

The daily post #91: MI

Just like Tom Cruise, I was sent to do a MI yesterday morning. Unlike our Hollywood superstar though, my MI stands for Millenia Institute and not Mission Impossible.

But having pull myself out of bed (having slept past 3am) and be in Bukit Batok for a 8.30am talk show seemed just as challenging.

That's Millenia, tucked away in Bukit Batok (photo by Gaurav @ Flickr)

I eventually got there, but was about 15 minutes late. (Didn’t have my bus with the Olympic rings and flashing lights unfortunately. :p)

They told me that there’d be about 60 students, but I think it was a fair bit more than that. Probably double that number!

Host Daniel Martin warms up the crowd. Tough when it's before 9.00am!

It was a cool (but perhaps a little short) discussion that talked about the expectations of young Singaporeans and the Youth Olympic Games, and why they were excited/not excited.

Think they were kinda surprised when I pulled out a camera. Hee.

The focus on studies and expectations of parents came up, which was important. But Daniel also pointed out we tend to blame our parents for everything. True? 🙂

Jed (I think) says he'd like to go back to Basketball, but his folks disapprove

Anyway, I’m glad I made it in the end, and thanks to my co-panelists for the morning – James (from Coca-Cola), Philip (from Sports Zone), Richard & Amir (from Millenia Institute), and Daniel Martin from 938LIVE for having me on the show.

Hope to see you at the Games!

P.S. Hope you guys didn’t think I was rude when I was on my phone tweeting. And sorry for the early morning draaawwl. :p

 

Show: The last time I see the Opening Ceremony Stage

After spending close to 4 months working on Opening and Closing Ceremonies (aka OCC), I’ve started to grown attached to the Floating Platform, the Marina Bay skyline, the people I work with, the performers and the security uncle who always smile at me when I walk in.

This entry documents my last trip camwhoring around the OCC Stage.

I'll miss you both (Tong and Lyo) when YOG ends... Do you know Lyo has an official pass to the Float?

Eugene (one of the NS boys we work with), Tong and I under this roof decoration.

we thought of going swimming in the Reflecting Pool

tried to be Godzillas climbing the props

Got eaten and killed by the Dragon Head

guess what it is?

shaking hands and making friends with the Giant Monster

The coils of tubes are actually those washing machine tubes where the dirty water comes out from

 

The daily post #90: 10 posts and 1 day to go

Oh dear, what have I gotten myself into.

Today is Friday the 13th, and I find myself in debt. I owe you, our loyal readers (yes, all 4 of you), another 10 entries with only a day to go to the opening ceremony.

"You owe me blog entries..."

Blogging here has been a blast, and I’m thankful to have regular readers who keep my posts warm with comment love. But sadly work has often resulted in my deadlines not being met, and as such, I find myself 10 posts short on the day before the Opening Ceremony. Argh!

So, what say you?

By the way, I’m on a radio show at Millenia Institute some time tomorrow morning – probably about 9am – on 938 LIVE (FM93.8 in Singapore). Tune in if you can, and I’ll try to tweet during the show on @singapore2010. Pls tweet back? 🙂

 

The daily post #88: 15km, 39 winks and XX birthday candles

It’s still 3 days+ to the Games, but some of us are already displaying traits traditionally associated with Olympians.

1) This is Vicson, and he looks like he hasn’t slept since July while working for us.

Vicson catches a few winks (while he can)

2) I don’t have a picture of John Wong, but this is a (great) picture by John Wong.

Nice shot, Mr Wong!

Today is John Wong’s birthday – I don’t know his exact age though. John braved the elements  today as a volunteer photographer to help us bring the Games to all of you. (We’ve got a little surprise here at the office for you John! :))

3) This is Weijie. Weijie is a champ in my book, for running with the torch. For 15km. In the rain. In slippers.  (Read more about Weijie)

Photo by unidentified Straits Times reader

Sleepy Vicson has woken up, and he seems happy, I think.

Ya right.

And even though I haven’t met John or Weijie, my feel is that they’re pretty thrilled to be part of this whole experience too – Just like the rest of the Singapore 2010 workforce, who are working their behinds off so we’ll have an event all of us can be proud of.

 

The daily post #87: The kids are alright (with tech)

I was just talking to Robin D., one of our STARS (Short-Term Assigned Regular Staff a.k.a. staff from government agencies who have volunteered to help us for the Games) today. He was reminiscing about how the earliest Olympic-related memory he has is of a howling wolf (with a sore-throat) from 1984 Winter Olympics in Sarajevo. We googled and learnt that it was Vucko, the mascot for the ’84 Games, seen here in this video from YouTube:

It’s old-school animation, and we talked about how much time and effort it probably took (back then) to bring Vucko to life.

But with technology where it is now, it’s pretty mind-blowing what off-the-shelf software and hardware can do. Just look at this video that a few students from Nanyang Polytechnic came up with as part of their school work:

There’s actually an even more kick-ash version that’s in stereoscopic 3D (that’s nerdspeak for needing the 3D glasses).

And all I had in school were crayons. :p

By the way, since we’re (sort of) on the topic, what’s your earliest Olympic memory?

 

The daily post #86: National (Rest) Day

Yesterday was Singapore’s 45th birthday, and many of us were grateful for a little breather just before the Games hits us square in the face.

photo by kodomut @ flickr

But some of us had to still stick it out, and there was no respite – despite it being a public holiday. Just like Flame Guardian, Feodor Mak (read his story here).

Feodor is second from right (photo by Erik Estrada)

There were many others who were also working at the various Games venues around Singapore, and we salute you. (It’ll all be over before you know it!)

Anyhow, it’s back to full-time over-time work again, and Coke Zero to stay alert awake.

A belated Happy National Day Singapore, and here’s hoping you show the same love for us  (a.k.a. the Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games) as well. 🙂

photo by i.am.leon @ flickr

 

The daily post #83: Fire up the Eastside

It’s Day #2 of the Torch Relay, and it’s heading to the EAST, and right past my house!! (See the LIVE location of the torch) Sad thing is I won’t be able to be there to watch, as I’m locked up in the Main Media Centre. Any updates from my homies in Simei are most welcome!

Even our Social Media dude, Victor, is part of the torch relay today along Chai Chee Drive in about 15 minutes! (Go say hello if you see him)

That's him, right there!

Victor even employed a stunt double today, hoping we wouldn’t notice he was missing.

In terms of looks, close... but no cigar.

Anyway, we’ve gotten wind of his dastardly plan, and have scheduled a video crew to ambush him. Watch out for the video coming soon!

As promised, we’ve got some videos from yesterday for your enjoyment:

Other videos from Day #1 you want to check out:
Singapore’s TV stars take the torch to MacRitchie Reservoir
Shan Wee & Joanne Peh run the torch relay