For someone whose first full-time job was in the local theater scene, it is kind of embarrassing to say that it has been a long time- years- since I made a planned, intended attendance at an arts festival or even an arts event.
Sure, I've kept myself in the loop with brochures and flyers and all, but most of what I've attended has been merely in-passing, where, drawn by the crowds, I manage to catch only the tail-end of the performances.
Life got in the way, I suppose.
But Life is a mandela and She has an interesting way of bringing you back to where you began. It doesn't matter how you've lived your life, how you've grown, how you've pivoted or varied or whatever, Life just somehow finds a way.
Which is how I found myself at The Arts House on a particular Saturday afternoon.
I hadn't quite thought about it, but a colleague of mine suggested going together to this one TEXTures event- "it's a Writing Festival!"- "it's about a movie!"- "it's about autism!"- and because I'm interested in books, movies, special needs, society, meaningful movies etc etc, on we went.
It was a pleasant time.
Seldom is it when you get to go to an event where the author of the book and the director of the movie sit together on the same stage and talk about both the book, and the movie.
Often it is either one, or the other.
Not so here at this TEXTures event.
Because even though this was technically a celebration of words and the written expression, there was room for performance. room for the cinematic expression, and listening to them both speak on "Open" and "The Wayang Kids" gave me a resassuring nod that regardless of expression, regardless of the medium, regardless of art style, writing style or cinematography, Storytelling and Character and Personality form the foundation of them all.
I wasn't there very long, two hours maybe, thereabout.
But long enough to make me think of another black box theater, another room, another staircase, another time.
The black box theater is still there.
And I hope it continues to remain.
Who entered this place, why he or she entered this place, what they did, who they met, who they greeted, what did the foyer look like, where were the chairs and tables, where was the drawing room, was it a residence, was it a waiting area if it was not a residence, were there pets, were the interiors beautifully done, what was the river waterfront like, were there parties, who went up these stairs, where did they go, what were the rooms like, what was the view like, were there bedrooms with four poster beds and linen drawers and curtains, was it an office, were there desks, what kind of desks were they, and the light, what about the light, did they use gas lamps or candles, were there horse carriages, were there motorcars, what was the kitchen like- if there were one.
The questions are endless.
Of which I presently yet have no answers but which I think must be sitting quietly somewhere waiting to be dug up and filtered through.
Maybe one day.
One thing though, Life really does go in a circle.
I'm talking about this mobile snack truck parked right outside The Arts House.
You see the Sawadeee Cup on the door. #sanook
You also see the statue of an elephant in the background.
An elephant gifted by Thailand's King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in the year of 1871 to commemorate his visit to Singapore.
An elephant that has been around the same space for 147 years.
That's a long time.
But you know what, they're still here.
However the world has changed, however the world has pivoted and transformed and shifted and the technology has advanced and the climate has changed, they're still here, and I don't think they're going anywhere away.
But long enough to make me think of another black box theater, another room, another staircase, another time.
The black box theater is still there.
And I hope it continues to remain.
Because there is something really beautiful and timeless about architecture. Every wall, every room, every foyer, every stair, every staircase landing, it all possesses a story of its own.
I cannot imagine what memories they will hold, what stories they will tell. 
Who entered this place, why he or she entered this place, what they did, who they met, who they greeted, what did the foyer look like, where were the chairs and tables, where was the drawing room, was it a residence, was it a waiting area if it was not a residence, were there pets, were the interiors beautifully done, what was the river waterfront like, were there parties, who went up these stairs, where did they go, what were the rooms like, what was the view like, were there bedrooms with four poster beds and linen drawers and curtains, was it an office, were there desks, what kind of desks were they, and the light, what about the light, did they use gas lamps or candles, were there horse carriages, were there motorcars, what was the kitchen like- if there were one.
The questions are endless.
Of which I presently yet have no answers but which I think must be sitting quietly somewhere waiting to be dug up and filtered through.
Maybe one day.
One thing though, Life really does go in a circle.
I'm talking about this mobile snack truck parked right outside The Arts House.
You see the Sawadeee Cup on the door. #sanook
You also see the statue of an elephant in the background.
An elephant gifted by Thailand's King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) in the year of 1871 to commemorate his visit to Singapore.
An elephant that has been around the same space for 147 years.
That's a long time.
But you know what, they're still here.
However the world has changed, however the world has pivoted and transformed and shifted and the technology has advanced and the climate has changed, they're still here, and I don't think they're going anywhere away.