Category Archives: culture and politics

Lent 2022: abstinence, fasting, and prayer

Posted on March 13, 2022 by Topher Ong

On 2 March 2002 was Ash Wednesday. Mass is usually observed on this date. In school, there was an Ash Wednesday mass and as a result, all students would have a black mark on their heads. The placing of ashes … Continue reading →

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9/11: Twenty years on

Posted on September 11, 2021 by Topher Ong

9/11/2001 On this day twenty years past, Al-Qaeda terrorists hijacked two airplanes that struck the twin towers late that morning. This was the most brazen and the worst terror attack ever in history. Pictures of the crumbling towers dominated the … Continue reading →

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In honour of my father

Posted on September 5, 2021 by Topher Ong

Today, 5 September, marks Father’s Day in Australia. Unlike other countries such as the US and the UK, our celebration falls on the first Sunday of September. For most of us, our dads fill an important role in our lives. … Continue reading →

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Sydney Lockdown NON-essentials

Posted on August 22, 2021 by Topher Ong

‘To be necessary, or not, that is the question.’ Sydney, Australia has been in lockdown since 26 June. Despite the heavy restrictions (including mandatory wearing of masks), the past two days has seen the state’s local cases eclipse eight hundred. … Continue reading →

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Notes from (Sydney’s) lockdown

Posted on July 4, 2021 by Topher Ong

A flurry of COVID cases last week had prompted the NSW government to enact a partial lockdown last Friday (25th of June). This would’ve lasted a full week. The four councils included City of Sydney, Woollahra, and Waverley. This meant … Continue reading →

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Mac OS Big Sur reviewed

Posted on March 27, 2021 by Topher Ong

Last weekend, I finally made the move to the latest Mac Operating System (OS). Until then, I’ve been using Mac OS Catalina. My Mac came with OS Mojave pre-installed but even when Catalina was out, I took my time. Some … Continue reading →

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La nina reads

Posted on February 19, 2021 by Topher Ong

This summer has been unseasonably milder. The heat came in spots, with cloud cover and showers taking its place. The cooler temperature and occasional rain could be attributed to La Nina. Regardless, the first month of the year saw me … Continue reading →

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Egpytian Revolution: Ten years on

Posted on February 14, 2021 by Topher Ong

This weekend marks the tenth anniversary of the Egyptian Revolution. While the widescale protest commenced on the 25th of January, the coup lasted until the eleventh of February 2011. For two weeks, the nation held the world’s attention. The protesters … Continue reading →

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Categorising the various fragrances

Posted on December 4, 2020 by Topher Ong

The other week, I purchased an EDT (eau de toilette) from Myer. The Calvin Klein fragrance was forty percent off. The item was called CK Everyone and was very eco-friendly: no nasties, recycled container, and reusable bottle. The fresh scent … Continue reading →

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The Last Hair Bender

Posted on November 22, 2020 by Topher Ong

Having hair obliges us to have a haircut. From the moment we wailed in the delivery room, we are subject to hair maintenance. As usual, your mileage may vary (ymmv). Boys and girls, men and women will have different due … Continue reading →

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