Sometimes the anticipation is better than the actualisation, the journey better than the destination. It just means we have to learn to enjoy the anticipation and the journey more…
One Very Amazing Journey…
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Storyteller
Digital Storytelling (DS) is something I stumbled upon, got infected by and never recovered.
I love how digital storytelling validate people.
I love how it turns a group of total strangers into friends.
I love the process, the people, and the product…
November 2012… Public screening of digital story commissioned by the Kreta Ayer-Kim Seng Citizens’ Consultative Committee for their Havelock View Community Party. “Promise – The Bukit Ho Swee Story” told by fire survivor James Seah bears tribute to first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and all who helped turn Singapore from a mud-flat swamp into a metropolis.
< WATCH “PROMISE – THE BUKIT HO SWEE STORY” >
August 2011… Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong quoted me in his National Day Rally, 14 August 2011
August 2011… “Telling the Singapore Story” published in the TODAY papers, 10 August 2011
June 2011… I had the honour to be the first Asian invited to give the keynote address at the International Digital Storytelling Festival (DS6) in Aberystwyth, Wales on 17 June. The event was organised by the Arts Centre, Aberystwyth University. The yearly event is Wales’ premier festival to celebrate international digital storytelling and is supported by the Arts Council of Wales, National Assembly of Wales and the BBC.
August 2010… I resigned from my job of 22 years to start a social enterprise. With money from my savings, gifts from my mother, and friends, we made a trip to the Center for Digital Storytelling in the USA to get ourselves trained. By December 2010, with great fear and trembling, I hired my colleague Aurelia so that she could remain in the country to develop DS with me. I had only enough money to keep us going for three months.
2009… Aurelia and I put together our own materials and made guinea pigs of our friends and anyone else. Mr Rama was the guest of honour at our second workshop. He was so impressed that he invited us to teach under the umbrella of the Book Council.
August 2008… Aurelia and I volunteered to help at the second workshop run by NBDCS. We also had our first Asian DS Congress. I asked Executive Director Mr Ramachandran, “Can I volunteer? I’ll serve coffee if I have to. I want to be part of DS.” He said, ”Oh no! You can’t do that!” He let me be lab assistant.
August 2007… the National Book Development Council of Singapore (NBDCS) organised the first DS workshop. It was facilitated by Denise Atchley, wife of the late Dana Atchley, a.k.a. father of digital storytelling. I caught a glimpse of the man, his passion, and his genius through the eyes of his wife.
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Writer
My (written) stories have been published in the Today papers, New Paper, and Chicken Soup for the Singapore Soul.
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How the Moken Sea Gypsies got their Book, a biography of Burmese anthropologist Naw Say Bay was published in 2006.
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Lifelong Learner…
In 2008, I was one of 16 recipients of the Lifelong Learner Awards jointly presented by MediaCorp, WDA, NTUC, and Spring Singapore.
Lord, you establish peace for us;
all that we have accomplished you have done for us.
– Isaiah 26:12
