Flipping through lj communities, I always perk up when somebody says that they're from Singapore too. This perky feeling however, is oft dampened when they continue vaguely about how Singapore is terribly boring, ugly and (inserted derisive adjectives here).

But I love Singapore! I mean honestly, even if you hate the parades of cheesy propaganda, I kinda find them a hilarious experience of overenthusiastic patriotism. Hours of too much organza and cheap satin, body glitter and anal organization and FIREWORKS. It's funny! I don't see how people don't get that, and sort of choose instead to moan and groan about it. Even the clearly biased reporting of the General Elections in the Straits Times was funny, because it's kinda ridiculous how *obviously* slanted they were being! That we seem to have a hub-obsessed neurosis: we are/want to be an education & sports & arts & biomedical & business & telecommunications & defense & trading hub. It's like the scrawny guy out there with the sports car - trying to make up for something, aren't we? We've got our fingers stuck in so many pies, its silly.

It's not a boring place to be either, you just have to know how to tear yourself away from the Orchard Road belt of hyperconsumerism.

And we have good local music, if you know where to find it.

Oh I don't know why I feel so obligated to prop up Singapore. I like this place, even more so because sometimes it's so indignantly stubborn and silly. Singapore-bashers just need to chill and grab a 70 cents teh tarik from the coffeeshop, take a look around and grow a sense of humour.

Besides, what is it that you really want, my Singaporean Fellows?