Chronicles Of HDB Dwellers. part deux

Since the new year is coming, community clubs (not centres, it now clarbs okay, dunch play play) are starting to hold block parties. Parties at the void decks are not uncommon and occur almost once every two months and if your in a happening HDB estate maybe even once every month. It's cheap too, usually free or the sit down dinners cost less than 20 dollars. All of them celebrate with many reasons and it's a common trend among CCs to join alot of reasons to celebrate. A few examples

- Children's Day cum Racial Harmony Art Competition
- Deepavali cum Fire Safety Awareness Exhibition
- Mid-Autumn Festival cum Crime Prevention Celebration

Maybe they are on a tight budget and have to combine two activities into one. They always like to use the word CUM, cum this cum that, prize giving cum buffet. Everything lah! Why can't they just use AND?

Today was even better with three activities combined into one. Christmas cum New Year cum Old Folks Karaoke competition. Three leh! not the normal two and like all CC parties they never celebrate it on the actual day, it's always a few days late or early. In case you don't know what goes on at the void deck here are some things they usually have

1. Food. It's a kampung thing that everyone contributes. Usually bee hoon, fish balls, nuggets, fried rice and the always well received chicken wings. No beer though and everything is buffet.

2. Competition. "Cuz we all is kiasu, everything must be win" be it Childrens Art Competiton, old folks Karaoke Challenge and cooking competitions. They are really fun and everyone eventually ends up winning, there are prizes for every participant.

3. Songs. Usually in Malay, Indian, Chinese, English and the most often heard are dialects especially Hokkien. Usually sung by the resident crooner. The one in my area can't even make it to the first auditions of Singapore Idol, but she is entertaining nonetheless. Her cover of Teresa Teng's Tian Mi Mi, very emotional, sometimes I even hum along.

4. Lucky Draw. In the west they call it a Raffle but my grandma calls it a "Lar Kie Dlaw". Prizes consist of simple home appliance like toasters, kettles and the much coveted Electric Steamboat (wahhhhh) and food hampers.

One thing i don't like is the song choices they make. Not one time will they not fail to play or sing Selly Yeh song. PLEASE sing more Tian Mi Mi please. In case you don't know what song it is I managed to record the ending of it with my handphone.

Download here. Warning, listening to this may cause trauma to the ears for at least one week as you hum along to the addictive emotional tune.

Apeh's standard is to sit outside and "enjoy the show" they never go in until the last part where the loud yam sengs start. YAMMMMMMMMMM yammm yamm yammmmmm Yammmmmmmmmmm SENG!