Wednesday, December 26, 2007
Happy New Year!!!
Hi, everyone! I just came back from Taiwan yesterday afternoon. It was great fun touring the country. The Taiwanese guide, who was close to 60 years old, was fantastic! He had more than thirty years of guide experience. He took us to various parts of the country. Let me sort out the things first before giving you a more detailed account (if I have time). Hehe!
Friday, December 7, 2007
A Changing World!
Nowadays, a lot of reports on contaminated food and food stuffs containing cancer-causing ingredients. Recently, the shocking news of Prima Deli, a famous local bakery, producing cakes that were tainted with a virus known as salmonella. I guess we have been taking food safety too lightly, not just in Singapore, but in other countries as well.
There are also other reports on toys that are made from poisonous materials, food made from tainted raw materials, etc. China has long had the worst reputation of producing tainted toys and food stuffs. Surprisingly, some tainted food, such as the recent tainted potato chips, was from America. I wonder if that was some kind of conspiracy as the test was conducted in China.
There are also other reports on toys that are made from poisonous materials, food made from tainted raw materials, etc. China has long had the worst reputation of producing tainted toys and food stuffs. Surprisingly, some tainted food, such as the recent tainted potato chips, was from America. I wonder if that was some kind of conspiracy as the test was conducted in China.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Happy Gathering!
Today, I had a good chat with my old friends and sister. I have not seen them or talked to them for a long time. It's good to gather once awhile to catch up with them. :D
Friday, November 23, 2007
17th November 2007 - In Memory of xxx
17th November was a sad day for my family. We could have welcomed a new member to our family next year, but it did not turn out well. Nature had its way, the doctor had said, and nothing could stop or prevent it. I guess this is FATE. :(
Friday, November 16, 2007
My Son's Graduation!
Auntie Lim, Teacher Rahimah & Yu Hong
Yu Hong with his Graduation Certificate :D
Family photo :P Finally, Yu Hong's first graduation ceremony at Apply Tree Playgroup.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Shock!
Today, I got a rude shock from a pupil in the class that I was teaching. I was conducting an enrichment class in a "popular" school in the West. I guess it was the last day of school, so a number of pupils were rather restless and wanting to play or talk with their friends, although their teacher was also in class. Nevertheless, I had to finish the workshop, so I tried to coax them to continue with their work. At one time, the teacher tried to help me by asking the pupils to "show respect to the trainer (that's me)". Then, one boy stood up and talked back at the teacher. He said rudely,"Why should I show respect when you never show respect to me!"
I was shocked at his words! I saw the teacher was also at a loss of words.
I was shocked at his words! I saw the teacher was also at a loss of words.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
A Day at the Bank!
Today, I was going to Kovan to set up a computer program. On the way, I passed by a bank and I decided to withdraw some money from the ATM. After I got the money, I realized that I could do a cash card refund as the card was expiring. My cash card was also an ATM card. I went to join the main queue in the bank. I waited for about 15 minutes before I was served. When I showed the counter staff or the cashier my card and told her about my intention, she immediately told me to go to counter 6.
As directed, I went over to counter 6 which looked like an Inquiry Counter. The counter staff was serving a lady who had absentmindedly left her $500 at the ATM machine after withdrawing it. She told the staff that it was not her first time and she anxiously would like to know whether the machine had "taken" the money back. The staff politely advised the lady that she had no idea as she had never encountered such a problem before. They talked for quite awhile and the queue started to become longer. Finally, the staff showed the lady the report she had written for her and got her to sign for it. The lady still lingered at the counter, turning her bag upside down to make sure she did not "absentmindedly" put the money in her bag. The man behind the lady immediately asked the staff about his query. Then, it was finally my turn after a long wait. She told me to fill up the form, which I already did. But I told her the form was meant for the normal cash card and not my "special card"! She realized it and gave it a queue number. She pointed to another part of the bank with a few cubicles. Oh my! I had to wait for my TURN again! I sat down on a chair and in front of me was a man talking to another staff about his problem. They were pointing to a piece of paper and the man was trying to tell the staff that there was no need to open another investment account as he was just renewing his contract or some sort. It was another long wait ...
I got tired of waiting, so I decided to tell the staff at the inquiry counter that I was not going to wait any longer. She kindly told me that I was the next one, but I had waited for more than 20 minutes and it was still not my turn! She then advised me to join the main queue. I told I came from the main queue and now she asked me to join the main queue AGAIN! She took me back to the first counter staff and told her to serve me after the current customer. What! I thought she could not process my refund. Finally, I realized that she did not know the procedure for the refund. She asked a senior staff and she also did not know how. Then, I saw the senior staff in jacket left the bank with another staff, probably for her break. The counter staff took my identity card and disappeared from the counter! After awhile, she came back with a more senior staff - probably the manager.
Finally, there was someone who knew how to process my refund. She issued me with a new ATM card while keeping my old card. I never like going to the bank because of the long queue. I enjoy my banking online.
As directed, I went over to counter 6 which looked like an Inquiry Counter. The counter staff was serving a lady who had absentmindedly left her $500 at the ATM machine after withdrawing it. She told the staff that it was not her first time and she anxiously would like to know whether the machine had "taken" the money back. The staff politely advised the lady that she had no idea as she had never encountered such a problem before. They talked for quite awhile and the queue started to become longer. Finally, the staff showed the lady the report she had written for her and got her to sign for it. The lady still lingered at the counter, turning her bag upside down to make sure she did not "absentmindedly" put the money in her bag. The man behind the lady immediately asked the staff about his query. Then, it was finally my turn after a long wait. She told me to fill up the form, which I already did. But I told her the form was meant for the normal cash card and not my "special card"! She realized it and gave it a queue number. She pointed to another part of the bank with a few cubicles. Oh my! I had to wait for my TURN again! I sat down on a chair and in front of me was a man talking to another staff about his problem. They were pointing to a piece of paper and the man was trying to tell the staff that there was no need to open another investment account as he was just renewing his contract or some sort. It was another long wait ...
I got tired of waiting, so I decided to tell the staff at the inquiry counter that I was not going to wait any longer. She kindly told me that I was the next one, but I had waited for more than 20 minutes and it was still not my turn! She then advised me to join the main queue. I told I came from the main queue and now she asked me to join the main queue AGAIN! She took me back to the first counter staff and told her to serve me after the current customer. What! I thought she could not process my refund. Finally, I realized that she did not know the procedure for the refund. She asked a senior staff and she also did not know how. Then, I saw the senior staff in jacket left the bank with another staff, probably for her break. The counter staff took my identity card and disappeared from the counter! After awhile, she came back with a more senior staff - probably the manager.
Finally, there was someone who knew how to process my refund. She issued me with a new ATM card while keeping my old card. I never like going to the bank because of the long queue. I enjoy my banking online.
Monday, November 12, 2007
What Sickness?
I did a quick diagnose of my sickness. Started with sore throat, then came running nose and cough. Seems to me, it is a kind of common illness that I had before. I would feel cold on my forehead, though I might be sweating. I have yellow mucus and phlegm, which indicates that my body is feeling "heaty".
Based on that, I should avoid cold drink and chili, so as not to aggravate my sore throat and cough. I should avoid taking "heaty" food and take in more "cooling" stuffs. That reminds me that I should buy some Chrysanthemum tea. :D
Based on that, I should avoid cold drink and chili, so as not to aggravate my sore throat and cough. I should avoid taking "heaty" food and take in more "cooling" stuffs. That reminds me that I should buy some Chrysanthemum tea. :D
Feeling sick...!
I am not feeling too well recently. I started to have a bit of sore throat last Friday. I think I must have been using too much of my voice recently as I have been going around the island to conduct workshops for pupils on the use of calculators. I tried to drink more water but sometimes I only drank a bit before and after the workshop.
Well, last Friday, my family and my wife's sisters went to Downtown East. I went there quite late as I had classes till 9pm. We stayed there for three days and two nights as my wife's brother-in-law had booked the chalet through his company.
The following day, we went to Wild Wild Wet. The weather was good as it was cloudy without much sunlight. It was a mistake not to apply sun-block as we came back with over-tanned skin!!! So remember, even though the sky might look cloudy, apply your sun-block. There were a number of slides you could play there, but we could only play those which my 3 year-old boy could play. We went into this "lazy pool" which we sat onto this big round float and the current would bring you round and round. Later, we went to the "wave pool" where strong waves were "made" and you could move with the waves. Next, we went to the jacuzzi pool where we relaxed ourselves under the sun. There was a party going on next to the jacuzzi pool. I think it was a child's birthday party.
I find the entrance fee to the Wild Wild Wet a bit expensive. $12.80 for each adult.
I find it strange for people to pay entrance fee each time they enter the chalet area, although each chalet was given 4 entrance tickets. So, before you leave the chalet compound, you must get the security guard to stamp your arm. Then, the guard will check your arm for the stamp under the ultra violet light when you return to your chalet.
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Student charged with abusing teacher in class
A 17-YEAR-OLD student was charged on Wednesday with using abusive language on a teacher in class earlier this year.
Jeremy Tan Wei Liang is accused of abusing Ms Tang Anqiong, 36, at Clementi Woods Secondary School at West Coast Road on April 26.
His lawyer, Mr Edmond Pereira, told the court that he would be making representations. A pre-trial conference will be held at Community Court on Dec 5.
If convicted, he faces a fine of up to $5,000 under the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
Jeremy Tan Wei Liang is accused of abusing Ms Tang Anqiong, 36, at Clementi Woods Secondary School at West Coast Road on April 26.
His lawyer, Mr Edmond Pereira, told the court that he would be making representations. A pre-trial conference will be held at Community Court on Dec 5.
If convicted, he faces a fine of up to $5,000 under the Miscellaneous Offences Act.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Workshops and more workshops!
Recently, I have been busy going around conducting workshops for students. The workshop is meant for P4 pupils who will be using calculators next year as part of the change in the Mathematic syllabus.
The other day, I went to this all-boy school and started greeting them "boys and girls"! They stared at me and told me there were no girls in their school. Haha! I told them I was used to greeting "boys and girls" for a few years already.
The common question they usually asked is "How to switch off the calculator?". Well, the calculator used is the Casio, model FX-82AU, which is currently used by the secondary students. Well, there is another brand, Sharp. I understand this model will be used by Zhangde Primary School. Also, the pupils in Xinmin Secondary are also using this model.
This morning, I met my old friend, old classmate and old "relative", who shares the same surname as me, in a primary school I went. She is Michelle. Well, she is getting married next March, so I must start saving for her ang pao! Haha! :P
Another of my "relative" is also getting married soon, this end of year. I hope she is all ready to become the Bride of the Year!!! :D
The other day, I went to this all-boy school and started greeting them "boys and girls"! They stared at me and told me there were no girls in their school. Haha! I told them I was used to greeting "boys and girls" for a few years already.
The common question they usually asked is "How to switch off the calculator?". Well, the calculator used is the Casio, model FX-82AU, which is currently used by the secondary students. Well, there is another brand, Sharp. I understand this model will be used by Zhangde Primary School. Also, the pupils in Xinmin Secondary are also using this model.
This morning, I met my old friend, old classmate and old "relative", who shares the same surname as me, in a primary school I went. She is Michelle. Well, she is getting married next March, so I must start saving for her ang pao! Haha! :P
Another of my "relative" is also getting married soon, this end of year. I hope she is all ready to become the Bride of the Year!!! :D
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Jailed for importing dog without licence
HOW much is that doggie in the window?
The Singaporean man who claimed he bought this cute puppy from a pet shop in Malacca has found that it cost him a three-week jail sentence.
Tan Chai Teck, 29, pleaded guilty yesterday to importing the two-month-old white and brown shih tzu into Singapore, without a licence, on Aug 20.
Tan, a mechanic, had arrived at Woodlands Checkpoint in a taxi with a Malaysian friend, Ching Mee Ling, 32, a masseuse, at about 12.10am that day.
A police officer found the puppy in a paper bag which Ching was carrying. Neither of them could produce any import document for the puppy.
Yesterday, a warrant was issued for the arrest of Ching who failed to show up to answer the summons.
Agri-Food and Veterinary Services prosecuting officer Yap Teck Chuan, in pointing out that smuggling of pets like small dogs was hard to detect, sought a deterrent sentence for Tan.
He said any dog or cat imported from any country, except Australia, New Zealand, Britain and Ireland, had to be vaccinated against rabies and subsequently quarantined.
This is 'to safeguard Singapore against the introduction of diseases, especially rabies', he said. Someone bitten by a rabies-infected dog might die of the viral disease.
Malaysia, Mr Yap said, is not free from rabies.
Tan could have been fined up to $10,000 or jailed for up to 12 months or both under the Animals and Birds Act. Dogs here need a licence issued by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority.
Meanwhile, Tan will not have to serve his sentence immediately as he has been given until Nov 30 to settle his personal matters first.
In 2001, a Malaysian taxi driver was jailed three months for smuggling four puppies into Singapore in his vehicle.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Taken from ST Forum, Oct 30, 2007
Learning in the classroom: Pity the strugglers and stragglers
DR GOH Kar Cheng's advisory to parents, 'Teach kids to face difficulties' (The Sunday Times, Oct 28), is laudable.
The young ought to be immunised against the potential pitfalls of mental and emotional cave-ins.
Dr Goh's is the plaintive voice of reason and rationality almost inaudible in the rising cacophony of a generation of liberal, literate, articulate, demanding and vocal parents.
Not a few principals and teachers stand in awe of such parents.
Defiant kids who challenge the teacher's authority in the classroom are not uncommon.
Parents take umbrage if a teacher so much as suggest their kids are 'lazy', 'naughty', 'playful', 'inattentive', 'defiant', etc.
Woe betide any teacher who tries to impose firm discipline on errant children whose parents over-protect them.
Holding back kids to do extra work (during recess and after school) because they have been slack, careless, lazy, indifferent, etc, is deemed punitive, counter-productive and restrictive.
For close to 40 years, I taught kids who were academically weak: the tail-end classes.
Those whom I taught from the 60s to the 80s were a hardy lot. They hardly cried nor whined if injured. If punished for any misdemeanour, they bore the correction with equanimity.
Above all, their parents were fully supportive of the teachers whenever their kids were punished for any wrongs.
Dr Goh talks about examination questions, which differentiate bright sparks from the average ones.
I had never come across kids who were traumatised by impossibly tough examination questions before the 90s.
Since then, I have personally come across some really tough ones, which not only whack the daylights out of the weak and average but also demoralise the very bright ones.
Some adults are talking rhetorically about discriminating the hares from the tortoises with nary a concern for the ones not endowed with advantages like good family background, solid parental backing and support, etc.
Presently, even kids in P3 solve challenging mathematics problems, which involve four working steps.
My friend, a retired teacher, struggles to teach his grandchild mathematics problems of this genre. Additionally, some of the questions unfairly test the child's English language comprehension ability.
My compassion and empathy are with the strugglers and stragglers.
Ho Kong Loon
DR GOH Kar Cheng's advisory to parents, 'Teach kids to face difficulties' (The Sunday Times, Oct 28), is laudable.
The young ought to be immunised against the potential pitfalls of mental and emotional cave-ins.
Dr Goh's is the plaintive voice of reason and rationality almost inaudible in the rising cacophony of a generation of liberal, literate, articulate, demanding and vocal parents.
Not a few principals and teachers stand in awe of such parents.
Defiant kids who challenge the teacher's authority in the classroom are not uncommon.
Parents take umbrage if a teacher so much as suggest their kids are 'lazy', 'naughty', 'playful', 'inattentive', 'defiant', etc.
Woe betide any teacher who tries to impose firm discipline on errant children whose parents over-protect them.
Holding back kids to do extra work (during recess and after school) because they have been slack, careless, lazy, indifferent, etc, is deemed punitive, counter-productive and restrictive.
For close to 40 years, I taught kids who were academically weak: the tail-end classes.
Those whom I taught from the 60s to the 80s were a hardy lot. They hardly cried nor whined if injured. If punished for any misdemeanour, they bore the correction with equanimity.
Above all, their parents were fully supportive of the teachers whenever their kids were punished for any wrongs.
Dr Goh talks about examination questions, which differentiate bright sparks from the average ones.
I had never come across kids who were traumatised by impossibly tough examination questions before the 90s.
Since then, I have personally come across some really tough ones, which not only whack the daylights out of the weak and average but also demoralise the very bright ones.
Some adults are talking rhetorically about discriminating the hares from the tortoises with nary a concern for the ones not endowed with advantages like good family background, solid parental backing and support, etc.
Presently, even kids in P3 solve challenging mathematics problems, which involve four working steps.
My friend, a retired teacher, struggles to teach his grandchild mathematics problems of this genre. Additionally, some of the questions unfairly test the child's English language comprehension ability.
My compassion and empathy are with the strugglers and stragglers.
Ho Kong Loon
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Trail at Budget Terminal
I realised that Singapore Changi Terminal 3 is different from the Budget Terminal. So I am writing this to correct my mistake. Sorry...! :P
This morning, I helped to conduct an educational trail at Changi Budget Terminal. Basically, it was a maths trail. I was happy to meet a number of familiar faces there. They were my ex-pupils. Most were happy to see me, but one kept avoiding me and even hid behind his classmate when he boarded the bus. Well, I would say he had gained some weight. :p
This morning, I helped to conduct an educational trail at Changi Budget Terminal. Basically, it was a maths trail. I was happy to meet a number of familiar faces there. They were my ex-pupils. Most were happy to see me, but one kept avoiding me and even hid behind his classmate when he boarded the bus. Well, I would say he had gained some weight. :p
Sunday, October 21, 2007
Cooking as a Career
Well, thinking of cooking as a career? Sounds "delicious". I saw this piece of news about cooking in the newspaper today. I remember one of my schoolmates who went into the "cooking" industry after he took up a course with SHATEC. He is a nice and gentle person, but I have lost contact with him for a long time. I met him on a bus while I was going to work in Lim Chu Kang. He was on his way to school. We met a few times on the bus after that as we stayed in the same area. I guess he could be still working as a chef in one of the hotels in Singapore. Maybe he could have started his own business. Who knows? :D
Do you know SHATEC? It is an institute which conducts hotel-related courses, such as culinary and hotel management courses.
Do you know SHATEC? It is an institute which conducts hotel-related courses, such as culinary and hotel management courses.
Monday, October 15, 2007
West Coast Park!
These are the photographs taken in West Coast Park last week. Trying hard to upload the pictures. By the way, I went to Kusu Island last Saturday. It is a wonderful place to relax and have a picnic. Of course, people go there mainly to pray.
Monday, October 8, 2007
Reach for the M!
I titled this photograph as "Reach for the M!" Well, the "M" here does not refer to the brand name "M". The M here stands for "MAXIMUM". I hope everyone will reach for their MAXIMUM potential.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
My D24 Fruit!
Yesterday, I mentioned to someone that I actually grew two pots of D24 fruit outside my flat but she laughed it off as being "ridiculous". She thought that I stayed in Malaysia in the D24 Fruit plantation! Well, I am not trying to "boast" about my D24 fruit. Not to worry, I will prove my words with photographs. I will take pictures of the plants and post them in my blog. So, stay tuned and watch this site for the photographs, which should be "published" by end of this week. Haha! :D
Wednesday, September 12, 2007
A Strange Dream
Last night, I had a strange dream. I dreamt that I went to a place which looked like a theatre or something of that sort. I met my old primary school classmates there. One of them is my best friend. Anyway, I still recalled talking to him and he told me he was attending a wedding ceremony. Somehow, I felt I was not invited to the ceremony, so I started walking out of the theatre. Then I walked down the streets towards a church. I did not know why I walked towards that particular church. It looked familiar though. Maybe I had gone to too many churches already.
As I approached the church, I realized that the people there were all dressed up smartly and they were preparing for a ceremony - a wedding ceremony. Out of curiosity, I went towards the table which had a few photo albums on top of it. Near the table was a poster-size portrait of the wedding couple. When I took a closer look at the portrait, I recognized the lady in the portrait. She was my ex-pupil who I had taught four years ago and she had graduated last year. I shall not reveal her name. Haha! Funny, isn't it?
Later, I went back to the theatre to meet up with my friends. We boarded a bus which took us to the SAME church that I had gone earlier!!! What a coincidence! Another strange thing I realized was that that church was very near to the theatre where we boarded the bus. I could see the building where the theatre was from the church. If you travelled on foot, it would probably take you ten minutes or so to reach the church as you could cut across the roads and buildings. But if you travelled on bus, you will take you about the same time as working because the bus had to go a big round to reach the church.
I did not get to watch the wedding ceremony because my wife woke me up after I got off the bus. Haiz... I guess I can only attend the wedding ceremony again tonight. Haha...! :D
As I approached the church, I realized that the people there were all dressed up smartly and they were preparing for a ceremony - a wedding ceremony. Out of curiosity, I went towards the table which had a few photo albums on top of it. Near the table was a poster-size portrait of the wedding couple. When I took a closer look at the portrait, I recognized the lady in the portrait. She was my ex-pupil who I had taught four years ago and she had graduated last year. I shall not reveal her name. Haha! Funny, isn't it?
Later, I went back to the theatre to meet up with my friends. We boarded a bus which took us to the SAME church that I had gone earlier!!! What a coincidence! Another strange thing I realized was that that church was very near to the theatre where we boarded the bus. I could see the building where the theatre was from the church. If you travelled on foot, it would probably take you ten minutes or so to reach the church as you could cut across the roads and buildings. But if you travelled on bus, you will take you about the same time as working because the bus had to go a big round to reach the church.
I did not get to watch the wedding ceremony because my wife woke me up after I got off the bus. Haiz... I guess I can only attend the wedding ceremony again tonight. Haha...! :D
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Uninvited Visitors
These are SOME of the uninvited visitors which pop in this evening. They might have lost their way home or they could have lost their home!! Whatever it is, they are in the midst of dying while I am writing this blog entry. Farewell little visitors!!
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
What a morning!
I guess this morning was the WORST morning I have. This morning, as usual, I took my boy to his play group. After settling him in his class, I drove back to my in-law's place. That was around 9.10am in the morning. As usual, I would stop near the parking lot and signal to park my car. Just as I was about to reverse into the parking lot, this taxi from behind horned and flashed at me. I took nothing about it. The taxi made way and I reversed my car into the lot.
I got out of my car and walked towards the lift lobby. I saw this not-so-old lady getting out of the taxi and walked towards the lift lobby as well. She was looking fuming mad as though a lightning bolt had struck her! She saw me and instantly shouted at me in her perfect English, "Don't you know how to park your car?!" Then, she started pointing to her chin and said that she had knocked her chin against the seat in front while she was in the taxi. I looked at her and said that I was sorry to hear that. She continued to say that she would have flung out of the taxi if not for the seat belt she was wearing. She went on and questioned me if anything should happen to her, how I would answer to her parents. I told her that was a carpark and cars and taxis are not supposed to be moving a high speed. She rebuked and blamed me for reversing "out of nowhere". I told her I did not reverse "out of nowhere" and I did signal before I reversed my vehicle. She admonished me for trying to argue my way. I was stating the facts and was told off!!! She continued to point at her chiny chin chin and repeated her "pain and suffering". She insisted that I appeared "out of nowhere" and reversed, almost knocking the taxi and caused the taxi to brake suddenly that made her chin to hit the seat in front. She went on to tell me that she had been living in that block since she was young, and that she had not seen me before. She kept asking," Where do you stay?" and "Which level do you stay?" I did not reply her as I did not know what she would do. So, I told her I did not live there (which is true). She started to "interrogate" me,"You don't stay here? Then why are you here?!!" (Notice the double-exclamation marks? It is to show the volume of her voice - super loud!) I kept quiet for a while as I did not want to answer her questions.
Suddenly, she yelled, "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?" I was caught by surprise as I did not really know how to answer her. So, I just looked away from her direction. I did not argue with her, so I asked her what she wanted me to do. She repeated her "sorrows" AGAIN, pointing to her chin AGAIN and said I did not even want to apologise to her!!! No choice. Such a fierce woman standing in front, so I apologised for "causing" her "pain". But she said I did not even apologise in the first place. Anyway, I wanted to get away from her. So, I pretended to go away to the next block, she followed and shouted,"Are you going away just like that?" I turned back and asked her what she wanted me to do in order to stop that "argument". I suggested that she could make a complaint or something. She took my "heed" and asked for my number. Number? I said that if she wanted me car licence plate number, she could go and see it in the carpark. So, when she went to check out my car plate number, I got into the lift and went off. I got a bit scared as I did not know what she would do to my car. She looked so "educated" as she spoke a strong accent of "good" English. I wonder why she came back early in the morning. I think she might have a bad night the night before and she was probably asleep when the taxi stopped suddenly.
I got out of my car and walked towards the lift lobby. I saw this not-so-old lady getting out of the taxi and walked towards the lift lobby as well. She was looking fuming mad as though a lightning bolt had struck her! She saw me and instantly shouted at me in her perfect English, "Don't you know how to park your car?!" Then, she started pointing to her chin and said that she had knocked her chin against the seat in front while she was in the taxi. I looked at her and said that I was sorry to hear that. She continued to say that she would have flung out of the taxi if not for the seat belt she was wearing. She went on and questioned me if anything should happen to her, how I would answer to her parents. I told her that was a carpark and cars and taxis are not supposed to be moving a high speed. She rebuked and blamed me for reversing "out of nowhere". I told her I did not reverse "out of nowhere" and I did signal before I reversed my vehicle. She admonished me for trying to argue my way. I was stating the facts and was told off!!! She continued to point at her chiny chin chin and repeated her "pain and suffering". She insisted that I appeared "out of nowhere" and reversed, almost knocking the taxi and caused the taxi to brake suddenly that made her chin to hit the seat in front. She went on to tell me that she had been living in that block since she was young, and that she had not seen me before. She kept asking," Where do you stay?" and "Which level do you stay?" I did not reply her as I did not know what she would do. So, I told her I did not live there (which is true). She started to "interrogate" me,"You don't stay here? Then why are you here?!!" (Notice the double-exclamation marks? It is to show the volume of her voice - super loud!) I kept quiet for a while as I did not want to answer her questions.
Suddenly, she yelled, "WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?" I was caught by surprise as I did not really know how to answer her. So, I just looked away from her direction. I did not argue with her, so I asked her what she wanted me to do. She repeated her "sorrows" AGAIN, pointing to her chin AGAIN and said I did not even want to apologise to her!!! No choice. Such a fierce woman standing in front, so I apologised for "causing" her "pain". But she said I did not even apologise in the first place. Anyway, I wanted to get away from her. So, I pretended to go away to the next block, she followed and shouted,"Are you going away just like that?" I turned back and asked her what she wanted me to do in order to stop that "argument". I suggested that she could make a complaint or something. She took my "heed" and asked for my number. Number? I said that if she wanted me car licence plate number, she could go and see it in the carpark. So, when she went to check out my car plate number, I got into the lift and went off. I got a bit scared as I did not know what she would do to my car. She looked so "educated" as she spoke a strong accent of "good" English. I wonder why she came back early in the morning. I think she might have a bad night the night before and she was probably asleep when the taxi stopped suddenly.
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
I was HIT!
Ya, right! As you can see in the photographs, the rear of my vehicle was knocked by a lady driver yesterday afternoon about 2 plus. I was just driving out of Sim Lim Square, waiting for the traffic along Bencoolen Street to clear, when the vehicle behind hit my car. So today I was busy going to the Borneo Body Care Service Centre to get it assessed. The initial figure came up to be in the range of $2200 to $2500 at least. Initially she agreed to claiming from the insurance, but after she went to make a report at the insurance company, she was persuaded by one of the agents to settle the case privately. If not, she would have lost her no-claim bonues for her car insurance. She called me after I reached the carpark at the void deck. I agreed to have it assessed at an authorised (so-called) workshop, and the bill came up to be slightly more than $800 which she willingly paid for it. She was going overseas tomorrow. I learnt that she was working in a company selling vitamin ingredients for all sorts of things, like beverages, milk powder and even animal feeds. Wow!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Happy Birthday, Singapore!
Thanks Clarice for sending me her scanned copy of the National Day Parade's ticket. I managed to make two copies of the ticket and sneaked into the parade. :p
Thursday, August 2, 2007
What a day!
Just yesterday afternoon, I found my front wind shield or screen cracked! The crack line was about 15 cm long the day before, but today it was like almost twice the length (see if you can spot the crack line in the picture above). So, no choice, I had to send the car for repair at the Body Care Centre in Leng Kee. Luckily, I called up the service centre to check about the repair. Otherwise, I might have sent the car to the wrong service centre for repair. The usual service centre I go for my routine servicing does only the mechanical repair work while the body care service centre does the windshield and other accident-related repairs. I had to make a wind shield claim from my insurance. This was my first time I encountered a cracked wind shield since I started driving more than 13 years ago!
I have quite a few problems with this 2006 model of Vios. There were problems related to the power windows, the alarm system, the rubber gasket of the window, etc. Maybe I was a bit "unlucky". Both rear tyres had punctured once. :(
Saint Pat's
These were five of the boys in my enrichment class in St Pat's School. It is a boys' school. They were the fun-loving boys who never failed to amuse themselves in the two days I had with them. They would call me "sir" and not "cher".
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Friday, July 20, 2007
To market!
Going to NTUC supermaket yesterday, 19 July.
Little boy was tired "dragging" the trolley there.On the way, he swopped hands as the other hand was too tired.
Making a monkey face ...Friday, July 13, 2007
End of ICT
Finally, today is the last day of my ICT for this work year. My comrades and I went out to have lunch at a coffeeshop-like restaurant, opposite Sembawang Shopping Centre. It boasted of its curry fishhead, so we ordered one bowl. We also ordered half a fried chicken and a plate of tapioca leaves. The curry fishhead was so-so, nothing special lor.
By the way, the answer to the riddle:
"If they drop it, the eggs will break!" Haha!
By the way, the answer to the riddle:
"If they drop it, the eggs will break!" Haha!
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Riddle, Anyone???
Today, I was having fun giving riddle to my comrades in Chong Pang Camp. It was fun as they tried to solve the riddles. One even came up with a ridiculous explanation for "How the Chicken got its name?".
Anyway, here is a riddle for you, reading my blog.
Why do Chickens lay eggs?
Anyway, here is a riddle for you, reading my blog.
Why do Chickens lay eggs?
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Two of Us!
Today only 2 of us left. There are 5 of us in this ICT. Yesterday, one injured his back and one went for dental appoint and got 2 days medical leave. This morning, another one reported sick. So tomorrow, it will be two of us there again!
I saw the IPPT results that the conducting unit faxed over. My timing for the 2.4km was 12 minutes 51 seconds and the Shuttle Run was 10.27 seconds. I think I am running slower than the previous year. :]
I saw the IPPT results that the conducting unit faxed over. My timing for the 2.4km was 12 minutes 51 seconds and the Shuttle Run was 10.27 seconds. I think I am running slower than the previous year. :]
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
I have PASSED!
I have passed my IPPT! Hurray! I must thank Kelly and Clarice for their well-wishes. Well, it was a struggle in the last few minutes of the 2.4km run, but I managed to pass it. My time was 12 minutes 31 seconds. I needed to get below 13 minutes to pass.
At around 7.40am, I reached Lim Chu Kang Camp 2, which was at the junction of Jalan Bahar Road and Lim Chu Kang Road. The camp is quite near (about 5 minutes' drive) to the P4 camp site at Sarimbun Scouts Camp. I reported to the cookhouse and found my comrades there waiting. At about 8am, the conducting officer first briefed us about the sequence of the IPPT test, followed by the medic who briefed us on the safety and "evacuation" procedure for any casualities during the IPPT. We started with the Sit-ups and most of us did 31 sit-ups as that was the minimum requirement to get 3 points. Then, we proceeded to the chin-up or pull-up station and I managed to pull up 4 times while my comrades did 6. I guess I was a little overweight to do more. After that, we moved on to the Standing Broad Jump Station in the parade square. I did 213cm on the first attempt, but I managed to reach 230cm the second time and earn myself 5 points for that station. Next, we got to the Shuttle Run Station and I ran a time of slightly more than 10 seconds (I forgot my timing). One comrade sprained his back while attempting the shuttle run and he was taken to the Tengah Medical Centre to see the Medical Officer. He was later given two days of medical leave to rest his back. It was quite serious as he had great difficulties even to stand and walk on his own. I hope he will recover soon. Anyway, this round could be his last ICT and he needs not go back to camp again. We rested for about 10 minutes before we proceeded to the final station.
The final test was the 2.4km which everyone found it the toughest. Most of us had passed the four stations, except for the one who injured his back, and all we needed was to pass the final station. My comrades started off the run pretty fast and I had a hard time keeping up with them. It was only during the second round that I managed to catch up with them. In the last and final round, they started to slow down, so I overtook them one by one. When I saw that I had only about 3 minutes more to pass the test, I started to speed up by increasing my pace. Somehow, I felt both my calves weighing down my legs and I could not run as fast as I would like to. Glancing at my watch, I saw the seconds moving fast. Thinking that I would have to retake the IPPT all over again somehow "boosted" my endurance and I quickened my steps and moved towards the finishing point. I clocked a time of less than 13 minutes. Phew! I felt all my energy drained out and I could move no further so I sat down on the kerb by the road. I could not walk properly for the next half an hour. My comrades did not make it by the 13 minutes. Fortunately or unfortunately, I was the only one who had passed the IPPT. They would need to retake the WHOLE IPPT again, as the rule states that we have to retake all the stations if we fail the 2.4km run.
I was given half-a-day off for passing the IPPT, and here I am now, writing this post. :)
At around 7.40am, I reached Lim Chu Kang Camp 2, which was at the junction of Jalan Bahar Road and Lim Chu Kang Road. The camp is quite near (about 5 minutes' drive) to the P4 camp site at Sarimbun Scouts Camp. I reported to the cookhouse and found my comrades there waiting. At about 8am, the conducting officer first briefed us about the sequence of the IPPT test, followed by the medic who briefed us on the safety and "evacuation" procedure for any casualities during the IPPT. We started with the Sit-ups and most of us did 31 sit-ups as that was the minimum requirement to get 3 points. Then, we proceeded to the chin-up or pull-up station and I managed to pull up 4 times while my comrades did 6. I guess I was a little overweight to do more. After that, we moved on to the Standing Broad Jump Station in the parade square. I did 213cm on the first attempt, but I managed to reach 230cm the second time and earn myself 5 points for that station. Next, we got to the Shuttle Run Station and I ran a time of slightly more than 10 seconds (I forgot my timing). One comrade sprained his back while attempting the shuttle run and he was taken to the Tengah Medical Centre to see the Medical Officer. He was later given two days of medical leave to rest his back. It was quite serious as he had great difficulties even to stand and walk on his own. I hope he will recover soon. Anyway, this round could be his last ICT and he needs not go back to camp again. We rested for about 10 minutes before we proceeded to the final station.
The final test was the 2.4km which everyone found it the toughest. Most of us had passed the four stations, except for the one who injured his back, and all we needed was to pass the final station. My comrades started off the run pretty fast and I had a hard time keeping up with them. It was only during the second round that I managed to catch up with them. In the last and final round, they started to slow down, so I overtook them one by one. When I saw that I had only about 3 minutes more to pass the test, I started to speed up by increasing my pace. Somehow, I felt both my calves weighing down my legs and I could not run as fast as I would like to. Glancing at my watch, I saw the seconds moving fast. Thinking that I would have to retake the IPPT all over again somehow "boosted" my endurance and I quickened my steps and moved towards the finishing point. I clocked a time of less than 13 minutes. Phew! I felt all my energy drained out and I could move no further so I sat down on the kerb by the road. I could not walk properly for the next half an hour. My comrades did not make it by the 13 minutes. Fortunately or unfortunately, I was the only one who had passed the IPPT. They would need to retake the WHOLE IPPT again, as the rule states that we have to retake all the stations if we fail the 2.4km run.
I was given half-a-day off for passing the IPPT, and here I am now, writing this post. :)
Friday, July 6, 2007
Fifth Day of ICT
Five days of ICT have passed. I can say time really passes by so fast that you may not aware. Today, I did not do much as I had already taken the PKE. Well, no news means good news. So if the OLTC did not "say" anything, it probably means I have passed the PKE. Yeah...!!!
Another test is waiting for me... That is the IPPT (Individual Physical Proficiency Test). It is similar to NAPFA test that is taken in schools and institutions, except that the Sit-and-Reach section is taken off. You may want to ask why? Well, who can do pass the Sit-and-Reach test with a tummy? Haha! Oh, the test will be conducted in Lim Chu Kang Camp II - a faraway place in the western part of Singapore. It is situated just opposite Lim Chu Kang Chinese Cemetery and it is next to Tengah Airbase.
Sorry, I could not show you any photographs of my ICT as we are not allowed to bring in any camera phone into the camp.
Last evening, one of my good pupils handed me four Maths questions and asked me to help her solve them. Well, I actually asked two of my comrades to solve them. The first question was a little tough as it dealed with speed with only the time taken given, and they could not solve it even after one and a half hour. So, I guided one of them and he managed to come up with the solution using algebraic equations. Not too bad though! The other one gave up half way and dozed off! Haha!
After work, in the late afternoon, I took the questions back to her place. (I shall not mention her name - to "protect" her. Hehe!) The first question was quite tough, so I showed her an example with a similar question and solution. After that, she was able to do it on her own without any help. Bravo! Then, I got her to do the remaining three questions. I pointed out to her about the quantity that was unchanged throughout the two questions, and she was able to solve them right away using her own method. But I still taught her the Unitary method which was much easier to solve that particular type of question. Of course, it is also possible to use the Model Method to solve that type of questions, but it will be a little tedious as you need to "cut" the "units" into smaller "parts". She told me that there was no need to "cut" as writing the "number of parts" in the "units" will be sufficient. Maybe that is more efficient, in a way. :)
Later, her daddy came back from his work. We had a good chat talking about his army times. We also compared the times he did his basic training and my times as a recruit. Interestingly, he wore the very old type of uniform which was plain light green in colour - just like the uniform which the NCC (National Cadet Corps) used to have. He had completed his thirteen cycles of ICT at the age of 33 in 1995. That was also the time when a "black" baby was born into the family! Haha! It was quite an memorable time for him.
Got to rest now... Bye!
Another test is waiting for me... That is the IPPT (Individual Physical Proficiency Test). It is similar to NAPFA test that is taken in schools and institutions, except that the Sit-and-Reach section is taken off. You may want to ask why? Well, who can do pass the Sit-and-Reach test with a tummy? Haha! Oh, the test will be conducted in Lim Chu Kang Camp II - a faraway place in the western part of Singapore. It is situated just opposite Lim Chu Kang Chinese Cemetery and it is next to Tengah Airbase.
Sorry, I could not show you any photographs of my ICT as we are not allowed to bring in any camera phone into the camp.
Last evening, one of my good pupils handed me four Maths questions and asked me to help her solve them. Well, I actually asked two of my comrades to solve them. The first question was a little tough as it dealed with speed with only the time taken given, and they could not solve it even after one and a half hour. So, I guided one of them and he managed to come up with the solution using algebraic equations. Not too bad though! The other one gave up half way and dozed off! Haha!
After work, in the late afternoon, I took the questions back to her place. (I shall not mention her name - to "protect" her. Hehe!) The first question was quite tough, so I showed her an example with a similar question and solution. After that, she was able to do it on her own without any help. Bravo! Then, I got her to do the remaining three questions. I pointed out to her about the quantity that was unchanged throughout the two questions, and she was able to solve them right away using her own method. But I still taught her the Unitary method which was much easier to solve that particular type of question. Of course, it is also possible to use the Model Method to solve that type of questions, but it will be a little tedious as you need to "cut" the "units" into smaller "parts". She told me that there was no need to "cut" as writing the "number of parts" in the "units" will be sufficient. Maybe that is more efficient, in a way. :)
Later, her daddy came back from his work. We had a good chat talking about his army times. We also compared the times he did his basic training and my times as a recruit. Interestingly, he wore the very old type of uniform which was plain light green in colour - just like the uniform which the NCC (National Cadet Corps) used to have. He had completed his thirteen cycles of ICT at the age of 33 in 1995. That was also the time when a "black" baby was born into the family! Haha! It was quite an memorable time for him.
Got to rest now... Bye!
Thursday, July 5, 2007
Fourth Day of ICT
Today is my fourth day of ICT. This is the day which I have to take my PKE. I started to go through all the few hundreds of questions, question by question, in the booklets. I used my knowledge of examination skills to help me revise the questions in the shortest possible time. My comrades were smart enough to link the solutions to the questions based on some key words. We did not go to the canteen this morning. Seeing the lack of time, one of my comrades bought breakfast for all of us, so we had our breakfast in the office. After our breakfast, we began to study all the questions again. By noon, we had revised the bulk of the questions and we rushed to finish up the remaining hundred of questions.
We set the time to go for our lunch at 1pm in the Specialists' Mess. The Mess is actually a place for the servicemen to relax and have their breaks or meals there. In the evening, the servicemen who have knocked off from work can go to the Mess to buy beer at a special price. There are also food and other tidbits sold in the Mess during the Happy Hours. One of my comrades ordered the last of the Chicken Chops, while the rest of us ordered Chicken Cutlets and Steak on Hot Plate. By the time we finished our meals, it was almost 2pm. Our Master Sergeant Cheung came in and took us to OLTC for our examination. Along the way, I met some of my old colleagues from other units. We went to the CAI (Computer Aided Instruction) room to take our PKE. Someone made a mistake and we almost needed to take another 40 questions on top of the 140 questions. We took about an hour or so to complete the 140-Question paper. After that, we went back to the Mess to have our tea and some fries, sponsored by MSG Cheung.
Sorry, I have to end here because my little is waiting for me to go to sleep. He is moving my mouse here and there, and fidgeting with the keyboard. I cannot do much now. Good night and bye! :D
We set the time to go for our lunch at 1pm in the Specialists' Mess. The Mess is actually a place for the servicemen to relax and have their breaks or meals there. In the evening, the servicemen who have knocked off from work can go to the Mess to buy beer at a special price. There are also food and other tidbits sold in the Mess during the Happy Hours. One of my comrades ordered the last of the Chicken Chops, while the rest of us ordered Chicken Cutlets and Steak on Hot Plate. By the time we finished our meals, it was almost 2pm. Our Master Sergeant Cheung came in and took us to OLTC for our examination. Along the way, I met some of my old colleagues from other units. We went to the CAI (Computer Aided Instruction) room to take our PKE. Someone made a mistake and we almost needed to take another 40 questions on top of the 140 questions. We took about an hour or so to complete the 140-Question paper. After that, we went back to the Mess to have our tea and some fries, sponsored by MSG Cheung.
Sorry, I have to end here because my little is waiting for me to go to sleep. He is moving my mouse here and there, and fidgeting with the keyboard. I cannot do much now. Good night and bye! :D
Wednesday, July 4, 2007
3rd Day of ICT
Today is my third of ICT in Chong Pang Camp. I only managed to complete "browsing" through all the questions that I am required to answer. There are hundreds, almost to a thousand, of questions and some are new questions that have been added this year. I hope I can pass my examination tomorrow afternoon. I have one more morning to revise and "remember" how to do all those questions.
The food today was quite good. We had salmon burger with a slice of cheese, baked beans, scrambled eggs, potato wedges and ice cream in the cook house. I chose the chocolate fudge ice cream while my comrades had vanilla-lime ice cream. I think I should have taken the vanilla-lime ice-cream as vanilla is my favourite. But I wanted to taste something new which I had not tried before.
Initially, I tried to make sense of all the questions and their possible solutions, but I gave up trying to make sense of them yesterday. I don't have the time to slowly "digest" all the questions! I guess life is also like that. You really do not have all the time to try and make sense of all the things happening around you. Perhaps you can selectively take a few of them, break them down into "smaller parts" and analyse them. I can tell you that you may not find one that can make sense. Perhaps LIFE is sometimes quite SENSEless.
This evening, my little "Kim" called to chat with me. She is a nice girl, but she likes to use some "crude" words on me. I know she meant to joke. She told me she had done well for Chinese, and I am glad she did. She got me to test her on her timestable over the phone, which I did. I can sense she still have some motivation in her studies. One day, I hope she will achieve something in her own area of interest. :)
The food today was quite good. We had salmon burger with a slice of cheese, baked beans, scrambled eggs, potato wedges and ice cream in the cook house. I chose the chocolate fudge ice cream while my comrades had vanilla-lime ice cream. I think I should have taken the vanilla-lime ice-cream as vanilla is my favourite. But I wanted to taste something new which I had not tried before.
Initially, I tried to make sense of all the questions and their possible solutions, but I gave up trying to make sense of them yesterday. I don't have the time to slowly "digest" all the questions! I guess life is also like that. You really do not have all the time to try and make sense of all the things happening around you. Perhaps you can selectively take a few of them, break them down into "smaller parts" and analyse them. I can tell you that you may not find one that can make sense. Perhaps LIFE is sometimes quite SENSEless.
This evening, my little "Kim" called to chat with me. She is a nice girl, but she likes to use some "crude" words on me. I know she meant to joke. She told me she had done well for Chinese, and I am glad she did. She got me to test her on her timestable over the phone, which I did. I can sense she still have some motivation in her studies. One day, I hope she will achieve something in her own area of interest. :)
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
2nd Day of ICT
Today is my second day of ICT. Well, my comrades and I have started preparing my our Professional Knowledge Examination (PKE) on Thursday. We have about three days to prepare for the examination. Do you know how many questions we have to answer? The paper is about one and a half hour, and we have to answer 140 questions! Two years ago, it was still only 100 questons! But since last year, the people in Operational Logistic Training Centre (OLTC) increased the number of questions to 140!!! Yesterday, we were told that the number of questions could increase to 180! Wow, I guess the GST increase not only affected the prices of things around us, but also the number of questions!
I started "learning" the hundreds of questions in the manual. Hopefully, I can "remember" all the answers there on Thursday. I realised that they had also changed a number of the "standard" questions in the manual. Nevertheless, I think half of them are still the same standard questions. I felt that some of the questions were quite irrelevant to me as I do not operate forklift or perform servicing on aircrafts although I am serving in the Airforce.
This is my little boy who was doing his penmanship. I have got him to write something this evening after I got home from camp. He needs someone to be with him before he will do any work. Sometimes he will do the work given on his own. :)
I started "learning" the hundreds of questions in the manual. Hopefully, I can "remember" all the answers there on Thursday. I realised that they had also changed a number of the "standard" questions in the manual. Nevertheless, I think half of them are still the same standard questions. I felt that some of the questions were quite irrelevant to me as I do not operate forklift or perform servicing on aircrafts although I am serving in the Airforce.
This is my little boy who was doing his penmanship. I have got him to write something this evening after I got home from camp. He needs someone to be with him before he will do any work. Sometimes he will do the work given on his own. :)
Monday, July 2, 2007
First Day of ICT
Today is my first day of ICT. What is ICT? It stands for In-Camp-Training. Originally, we were known as "reservists", but now we are known as "Operational Readiness National Servicemen". Well, they both mean the same thing. We are afterall serving our duties as servicemen. I guess the term "In-Camp-Training" is used to reflect the need for us to continue training "in camp" every year we are back to our unit.
It's a good way of gathering a few old army comrades so that we can "keep in touch" with one another. Some enjoy the break from their normal work routine, while others find it disruptive as they have to put off some important things from their busy schedule.
Today I met two of my best former colleagues and friends in the teaching service. They have been very supportive friends and they took time off their busy schedule to spend an evening with me. The food we had was delicious and filling as three of us filled our stomach with five different dishes. Anyway, we had a good chat and that led me to think about my future. I remember today, one of my In-Camp comrades showed me a book by the title "Finishing Well". I just flipped through to find out what the book was about. It mainly described the "Almighty One" whom most of us are familiar with. It talked about how HE knowing the end of HIM coming and how HE planned HIS way towards the "finishing line". I guess the main point is that we must think about what we actually want in life - the goal in our life. Maybe it is about what we are seeking for in life. Maybe it is about how we look at LIFE at different points of our life. Are we heading to the desired ending or are we changing directions everytime we hit a road junction? "Begin a task or job with an end in mind".
It's a good way of gathering a few old army comrades so that we can "keep in touch" with one another. Some enjoy the break from their normal work routine, while others find it disruptive as they have to put off some important things from their busy schedule.
Today I met two of my best former colleagues and friends in the teaching service. They have been very supportive friends and they took time off their busy schedule to spend an evening with me. The food we had was delicious and filling as three of us filled our stomach with five different dishes. Anyway, we had a good chat and that led me to think about my future. I remember today, one of my In-Camp comrades showed me a book by the title "Finishing Well". I just flipped through to find out what the book was about. It mainly described the "Almighty One" whom most of us are familiar with. It talked about how HE knowing the end of HIM coming and how HE planned HIS way towards the "finishing line". I guess the main point is that we must think about what we actually want in life - the goal in our life. Maybe it is about what we are seeking for in life. Maybe it is about how we look at LIFE at different points of our life. Are we heading to the desired ending or are we changing directions everytime we hit a road junction? "Begin a task or job with an end in mind".
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Flowers Bloom
These were the flowers that bloomed outside my flat. Too bad they did not survive to develop into fruits. The problem was that the owner was too busy to take care of them. He had no time to water and nurture them to fruitation! Sadly, this was not the first time the plant had bloomed. Anyone knows what plant it was? :D
Buddha Tooth Relic Temple
I visited the Buddha Tooth Relic Temple last month on the 31st May. It was such a majestic sight! The temple was situated in the heart of Chinatown. If you are keen to know more about Buddhism and its origin, there is a exhibition hall in the third level which showcases the story of one of the most important Buddhas.
At the top of the temple (you may have to climb two flights of stairs to reach it), there is this Wheel of Dharma which you can turn round and round, and hopefully your life will change for the better. Remember to turn it in the clockwise direction and turn it slowly for three rounds.
There is also a beautiful garden at the top of the temple, next to the Wheel of Dharma. My family and I walked round the temple and I discovered something interesting there. Do you know what it was? Look at the picture below and guess what it is and what is the use of it. It is quite an important item and it serves an important function as well.
As we decided to leave the temple, something else caught my eyes outside or rather next to the temple. There is this street known as the Street of the Dead! Read the words on the picture to find out why the street is named as such. :)
Monday, June 4, 2007
A Thought on Trees
Thinking of the strange things that happpened in the recent months. A number of people were killed or injured when the trees or parts of a tree fell on them. Life is so fragile and you won't know when such thing may happen to us. Touch wood! But hope the wood doesn't fall on us! Haha! The most recent one was the young Vietnamese man who died after being hit a one-metre branch. He was so "high" up the nature reserve and he was hit by a branch from one of the trees. I could imagine the fear you may have the next time you walk into such nature reserve. So who do we blame when such woody tragedies happened? Blame the trees? Why must they fall on humans? Blame the NPark people? Why didn't the "tree" doctors check every tree in the country? Blame the goverment? How come the government did not inform us of such danger???
Well, it is always the case when bad things happened. We, as humans, would rather point our fingers at the most logical way. We forgot that there are such things as mother nature and the Creator of mankind, if you believe. As we learn about life cycle, there are certain things we ought to be aware - we are also part of the LIFE cycle, and we cannot do much to prevent or even stop "natural" disasters to occur. Of course, we should take every precaution we know to "preserve" our life for as long as we can. This includes taking good care of our bodies and taking care when we do things.
I read with sadness that one more victim, a young six year-old girl, had drowned in a swimming pool - a place we all are so familiar with. How it happened and why it happened? Just the other day, two adults were found drowned in a reservoir. Also, teenagers drowned in the monsoon drain! So how can we prevent such bad things from happening? Stay away from the waters and places where there are big trees?
I don't think so.
Well, it is always the case when bad things happened. We, as humans, would rather point our fingers at the most logical way. We forgot that there are such things as mother nature and the Creator of mankind, if you believe. As we learn about life cycle, there are certain things we ought to be aware - we are also part of the LIFE cycle, and we cannot do much to prevent or even stop "natural" disasters to occur. Of course, we should take every precaution we know to "preserve" our life for as long as we can. This includes taking good care of our bodies and taking care when we do things.
I read with sadness that one more victim, a young six year-old girl, had drowned in a swimming pool - a place we all are so familiar with. How it happened and why it happened? Just the other day, two adults were found drowned in a reservoir. Also, teenagers drowned in the monsoon drain! So how can we prevent such bad things from happening? Stay away from the waters and places where there are big trees?
I don't think so.
Sunday, May 20, 2007
My First Class in PPS
This was my first class of pupils when I first started teaching in PPS. It brought back sweet memories I had with this class and the school. Two of them were transferred to another school after P3. I understand one of the two went to Rosyth Primary School. They have all grown up and now should be studying in various secondary schools this year. After this class left PPS, I also left PPS sadly. :'(
The first P3 class I taught was also very memorable, but the school stopped taking class photo that year so I did not have a class photo with them.
The second P3 class was also unforgetable and some of them still keep in touch with me. I got praises from Mr Ong who took over them in P4, but I had complaints from other teachers who taught them other subjects in P4. Funny? This was the class which remembered and 'celebrated' my birthday after we came back from excursion.
The first P4 class I taught was the fun and adorable lot as I got to teach them for the second year, from P3. Last year, some of them got to go to Sentosa to 'celebrate' their Progress from P3 to P4. Eventually, they also got their Good Progress Award the following year.
Well, my life in school has come to a full circle. Bye, PPS!
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