Are You Fried?

2012-05-19T20:24:00.001+08:00

How a kid turns out depends on the parents. I can totally understand when some kids say no one understands them. Some parents are just unfit to be parents. Maybe instead of Graduate Mother's scheme, we should have a fit parent scheme. Then maybe some kids' lives may not be that miserable.

2011-12-27T21:54:00.001+08:00

The more I say, the more stuff I shouldn't say. So stressful to talk to people.

Japanese dramas

2011-12-26T18:57:00.000+08:00

When I watch japanese dramas and I could catch some of the grammar that I have learnt, the feeling rocks. 'Hey I know that!'

I guess it also applies to learning in schools. Applying what we learned to real life, that's where the joy of learning comes.

2011-12-26T18:49:00.001+08:00

One of my female friend tweeted, "bras are more expensive than clothes, so men should learn how to appreciate them when they sleep with women."

O_o

Just 1 person

2011-12-12T10:58:00.001+08:00

It takes just 1 person to cause problems.

1 person to jump onto the MRT track to inconvenience thousands of people.

1 person to stand on the right side of an escalator to block everyone behind the person.

1 person to cycle in the middle of the road and block all the cars behind the person.

1 person to take part in unprotected extra marital sex and bring grief to the person's family.

1 person to bomb a place or to carry out mass killings to cause chills to run in everyone.

But it also take

1 person to touch the world. Mother Theresa.

1 person to teach the world. The girl who fell in a race but picked herself up and continue to win the race.

1 person to save thousands. The doctor who went to teach the mid-wifes in China so that many babies and mothers won't die in childbirth.

Are you saying 1 person is insignificant?

I’m Christian, unless you’re gay.

2011-12-07T02:18:00.001+08:00

Read the article in the following link.

http://www.danoah.com/2011/11/im-christian-unless-youre-gay.html

My sentiments.

Opinions

2011-11-19T19:08:00.001+08:00

Was reading through my friends' tweets and saw this tweet forwarded, which was criticising a guy's fashion sense.

In one tweet, you say one should not jump to conclusions. In another tweet, you are criticising other's dressing such as wearing sports shoes and saying one should show respect to the girl.

Isn't this being hypocritical, because you are already jumping to conclusions? Could there be other reasons other than disrespect that the guy is wearing sports shoes? Do the tweeter know the reason? For example, being flat footed myself, there are lack of shoes that cater to people like me and most shoes that cater to flat footed people are sports shoes or do not have good fashion sense. Now does the tweeter know that?

How about asking that girl dress down to suit the guy instead? Sorry, it takes 2 hands to clap. Instead of criticising one party, should praise the girl for looking beyond superficial stuff like fashion. Superficial tweeter. For you will get a superficial partner too.

First Pre-Advance Class

2011-11-15T03:18:00.001+08:00

Yesterday night was the first lesson for my Pre-advance 1 class. It is only for a duration of 1.5 hours unlike the Beginner and the Intermediate which are 3 hours per lesson. So this lesson seemed fast and short. Well, I got a culture shock. First of all, my classmates were from the same class previously, I guess, because when they were introducing themselves, they were like facing me. Hmmm....... ok I feel outcasted. and there were 7 people including me and so I do not have a partner as so to speak...... so I felt like a sore thumb. more sian.

Anyway, the teacher is also different and he spoke way too fast and he mumbles!! So I was like huh huh huh? especially when he asked me questions. I'm like 'what did you just say?????' but i dont dare to ask him to repeat cos no-one else actually asked him to repeat! so paiseh if I asked him to repeat....... my classmates seemed zai leh!! stressed liao.... STRESSED!! hopefully by 5th week, i can understand him or something.... *cross fingers*

頑張ります！

Experiences in HK

2011-11-15T03:03:00.001+08:00

didnt post anything about my hk trip. so i shall do so now.

It was an interesting trip, i would say. I only have been there for like 5 hours the previous time, when it was just a stopover from s.korea.

People say HK is just like SG with all the tall buildings and the shopping but i would defer. If you have stayed in SG for long, you would have realised how orderly SG is and how messy HK is. some people may find the messiness of the HK buildings interesting but if you are a resident, you would have much frustration, i think. Everything is all over the place! You really need to search your way around to get your stuff. One thing to appreciate about Singapore, you know where to get your stuff and how to get there.

HK is very colourful with all the lights but I guess this is because of the urban planning or the lack of it, which allows them to have all kinds of things hanging on the buildings. Of course, an interesting sight to tourists. I saw a sign that writes 'Underwear' and the sign is so huge that you just cant miss it. That is soooooo weird. Underwear here!! lol.

Food is everywhere but we spend a long time trying to find the food that we want to eat and that is the dim sum! I thot they say dim sum is everywhere but what i see is noodles and rice everywhere! hmmm..... in the end, after we ask the filipino in charge of our hostel (which is surprising to us), we finally went to a cheap dim sum restaurant on our last day. phew.

now the time to complain! I met a horribly rude Indian father in HK!! OMG!! I was at the Peak looking at the scenery and then there is this Indian father who used his hand to gesture to me and said in his exact words "Hey you! come here!" Can you imagine?!?!?! Who on earth would respond to that? but i did. Dumb me. I guess I was just too nice to reject him but I should have given him a piece of my mind. I am a tourist, you know!! He wanted me to take photos for his family. And guess what, he was not happy with my shots and then he kept asking me to take photos like I was his servant or something. Seriously, where's the please and thank yous?!?! argh. cant believe such a rude guy can exist. *rolleyes*

but of course, there are nice people around, esp the locals though their service can be lacking. Asked me and my friend to take photos for them but they asked us in cantonese, maybe thinking we are locals. real weird. got this granny asked me to explain a supermarket poster to her. hmmm... thankfully, I didnt ga-bra or something... think she still think i'm a local. lol. then got this group of sec school kids would say '1,2,3 thank you' to me after i help them leh. so cute! well there are nice people and not nice people around. shall not let my mood be affected by the not-nice people. life is bigger than them.

yap, that sums up my HK trip. interesting but I think I was bored quickly. I prefer more interactions during the trip where I can go with many friends and talk nonsense. talking nonsense during overseas trips is more interesting than just sightseeing. =P

God at work (interesting article)

2011-11-13T01:15:00.001+08:00

God's bankers: How evangelical Christianity is taking a hold of the City of London’s financial institutions

Alex Preston asks how the disciples of evangelical Christianity reconcile their faith with the avarice of high finance

When I worked in the City, I could see the spire of Christ Church Spitalfields from my desk. I liked to look at it as I traded – it represented something far from the grubby materialism of my day job. This was 2007 and the first intimations of the financial crash were being felt. People were skittish: I think we all knew the party was coming to an end. On Tuesdays and Thursdays some of my colleagues on the trading floor would disappear around lunchtime. Groups of twos and threes scurried off to return an hour later, looking cheerful. In the pub after work one evening, I asked the Australian girl who sat at the desk beside mine about her lunchtime absences and she told me of secretive evangelical meetings that took place in the City, about how the church gave her a place to step away from the pressure and worry of her job. It also gave her a sense of belonging to a community. She was lonely in London, she said.

The relationship between faith and finance runs deep. Quaker-run banks such as Barclays – founded three centuries ago on Lombard Street – survived when many of their peers crumbled during the crashes of the mid-1700s precisely because of the Christian ethics that underpinned their businesses. More recently, Stephen Green stepped down as chairman and chief executive of HSBC to take holy orders. And over the past decade, a specific type of evangelical Christianity has taken hold of the Square Mile, although only recently has it dared speak its name (at least in City circles). Foremost among them is the Alpha course, whose extraordinary expansion has been funded in part from the deep pockets of former Lazard chairman Ken Costa.

Founded at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) in Knightsbridge in 1991, Alpha has grown from an initial four churches to operate in more than 55,000 locations in 164 countries. It is estimated that more than 16 million people have taken the course worldwide. Jonathan Aitken, Geri Halliwell, Sir Ian Blair and Bear Grylls are all regulars.

While the course draws those from all walks of life, its heartland in the UK is leafy west London, and the wealthy, youthful (average age: 27), 4,000-strong congregation of HTB is the model upon which its success is built. Rumours circulate of Alpha demanding a tithe from its richest members; wilder stories suggest it is a brainwashing cult. What is clear is that while traditional Anglican churches have seen their congregations dwindle dramatically over the past several decades, the packed pews of HTB and its sister churches attest to Alpha's remarkable spiritual pulling power.

The Alpha course is presented as a friendly, accessible introduction to Christianity aimed specifically at non-churchgoers. Led by charismatic barrister-turned-priest Nicky Gumbel (also vicar of HTB), the course is made up of 10 weekly get-togethers where the members eat dinner, listen to a talk, then discuss the week's topic in smaller groups. It twins sermons and Biblical exegesis with more happy-clappy practices such as speaking in tongues (where members pray in a "heavenly language"), and it includes a weekend retreat during which members are encouraged to fill themselves with the Holy Spirit.

Alpha in the Workplace (a scaled-back, quick-sandwich-at-lunchtime version of the main course) is the focus of Alpha's operations in the City, and runs in a number of major firms, from Lovells to PWC, UBS to RBS. There are also traditional courses run in a number of City churches. Alpha's success in the Square Mile has spawned a large number of similar evangelical organisations over the past decade – Christians in the City, Christianity Explored, the Banking Christian Fellowship, the City Prayer Breakfast and even a floating church moored at Canary Wharf. These groups share a number of characteristics: they are based around a shared meal, encourage open questioning of the Christian message, and are structured as a spiritual journey leading to a personal relationship with God.

In 2008, as the financial panic took hold, more and more evangelicals began to come out of the woodwork. It seemed as though the crash was causing City workers to flock to the nearest religious get-together, desperate to repent of their sub-prime sins. The truth, however, is a little different. The evangelical Christians had always been there, but the uncertainty of the crisis made them feel more comfortable about revealing their faith, according to Marcus Nodder, the chaplain of St Peter's Barge, a church which bobs on the Thames's tide in the shadow of the Canary Wharf skyscrapers. "We didn't see any increase in numbers during the credit crunch," he reveals. "If anything, numbers fell as people were fired and those who stayed felt less able to leave their desks given the pressure and focus upon them. What we did see was that the crisis gave Christians working in the City the opportunity to speak about the hope their faith gives them."

Jeremy Crossley, the rector of St Margaret Lothbury, the centre of the Alpha course in the City, tells a similar story: "I was never very conscious of people rushing to church as a result of the crash who weren't coming to church already. But the interesting thing was that it was much easier to talk about your faith because the realities were being shaken. The things people thought they could rely on were suddenly not there. People were less likely to ridicule convictions."

There does, however, seem to be a fundamental incongruity about these City Christians – the Bible isn't very keen on rich people. In it, we read that: "The love of money is the root of all evil" and "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." So how to deal with the "problem" of being rich in a religion that preaches humble poverty?

"That's a very complex question," says Nick Fletcher, a member of HTB's congregation and the chief executive of financial advisers Saunderson House. "You could ask, 'What is rich?' I think it's more of an attitude to capital. It's not the money but the love of money that is the root of all evil. We need to earn a living and we need to provide for our families – the Bible says that, doesn't it? And actually, in this day and age, if someone earns £1m, I mean firstly you're giving 80 to 85 per cent away in taxes – income tax, national insurance, VAT – then you provide for your family's education, shelter, warmth; at the end of the day, there's not much left for what you might call yourself."

I'm not sure now is the time to take the line that a banker taking home £1m isn't earning enough, but Fletcher points out that many City Christians give away a substantial portion of what they earn. And this is where I find myself agreeing with him. If we accept that we – perhaps reluctantly – need the financial industry in this country, I'd much rather the bankers running it had some moral code guiding them.

Even after giving up my suit and tie, I remained fascinated by those Christian bankers I met during my time in the City. I decide to send emails to the handful I know who are still in their jobs – middle-ranking executives at Morgan Stanley, Lloyds, Bank of America and Credit Suisse. Several agree to meet, but warn me that any quotes will have to be agreed by their firms' compliance departments. After a number of careful, unedifying conversations, where it feels as if a lawyer is standing over my shoulder, I go home dejected.

High-flying City bankers such as Ken Costa, Stephen Green or Baron Griffiths of Fforestfach (the vice-chairman of Goldman Sachs, who made headlines last year after telling the press that inequality was good for us) are able to discuss their faith openly and honestly. Costa's God at Work courses attempt to "equip Christians in finding purpose in their everyday work"; Griffiths, in a recent interview about globalisation, said: "It is very clear that the Church is an expression of something unique, because it is the spirit of Christ. I have found over 40 years that this is most relevant to our current economic challenges." And Green's unintentionally hilarious book about the credit crunch, Good Value (opening passage: "Lake Como. Spring 2008. April. Eliot's cruelest month.") sets out his views on the financial mess "through a Christian prism".

But younger financial workers seem to feel that talking about their beliefs could hamper their careers. Those I contact seem terribly guarded and somehow ashamed. One, a 29-year-old mergers and acquisitions executive – let's call him Dave – calls me back the following day to apologise. He suggests we meet for a coffee to discuss things more openly, but it will have to be under the cover of anonymity. We sit in a Starbucks near Liverpool Street and I ask him when he'd become a Christian.

"I did a course called Christianity Explored in 2006. It's basically Alpha without the [speaking in] tongues. One of the guys on my desk asked me to go along to a service at St Helen's Bishopsgate on a Tuesday lunchtime. I did and now I'm a regular. We get hundreds of people most weeks. Huge crowds on Sunday nights."

"Do your colleagues know you're a Christian?"

"Are you joking? Of course not. It'd make things very difficult. The City isn't immoral any more, it's amoral. But if my boss thought I was relying on prayer to get me through the day, he'd look down on me. It would make me seem irrational. I tell him I'm going to physio when I go to church."

"Is it tough to be a Christian and not tell anyone?"

"It's sometimes very tough. When you have to entertain clients and they want to go to strip clubs or whatever, it can be awkward. That's why Christianity Explored is so great, because you go there and there are others facing the same dilemmas. You can support each other through it."

While the various senior City Christians I speak to are unanimous in insisting that they would never specifically set out to hire fellow evangelicals, it is clear that these groups also offer the opportunity for some excellent networking. As Dave says to me, "Of course we look out for each other – not in a nasty or cliquey way, but if I need some research, or if I have a legal question to do with a deal I'm working on, it's natural for me to phone one of the guys from the church. It opens you up to a much broader group of people than you'd meet in your day-to-day working life."

Christianity Explored was founded 10 years ago by Rico Tice, a former Hewlett-Packard executive, and now operates 5,000 courses across 54 countries. One of its trustees is Jeremy Marshall, the chief executive of venerable British bank C Hoare & Co, whose illustrious clients have included Samuel Pepys, William Gainsborough, Lord Byron and Jane Austen. Marshall agrees to meet with me in the bank's Fleet Street headquarters.

A softly spoken, thoughtful man, Marshall leads me along corridors lined with the bank's ledgers from centuries gone by. We sit down in a meeting-room and Marshall tells me about his background: his father was a pastor who took his children on Bible-smuggling trips into the Soviet Union for their holidays; Marshall joined the City in 1984, worked at Barclays and Credit Suisse, and has been chief executive of Hoare's for two years. He believes the rise of evangelical Christianity in the City is down to its focus on spreading the Word: "People are looking for something that has rules they can believe in, not something wishy-washy. We talk about our faith to anyone who wants to hear about it, just as if you were a customer whose business I was trying to win for the bank, I'd tell you about all the great things we're doing."

Marshall speaks with bluntness about the seeming discrepancy between life as a money-man and life as a Christian. "It's a matter of stewardship," he says. "If you're given lots of money, there's nothing inherently good or bad in it. It's a question of what you're going to do with it. Practise philanthropy, take care of those who don't have much. This is one of the reasons that people are quite rightly angry with the City: 'Unto those who much is given, much will be required.' Jesus said it's impossible for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven and I believe that."

I suggest to Marshall it is easier for him as a Christian working at a family-owned bank like Hoare's than it would be at, say, publicly owned Goldman Sachs. "I think that's true. [Hoare's] has strong Christian roots. Our statement of purpose is to treat customers as we'd wish to be treated, which is an extension of the Christians' golden rule."

Eve Poole is a theologian who teaches business ethics on the MBA programme at Ashridge Business School. Describing herself as a "totally paid-up God squadder", Poole worked at Deloitte Consulting before completing her doctorate on capitalism and Christianity at Cambridge last year. She is full of strong faith, yet with none of the smugness that sometimes seeps from believers. I tell her about my interviews with City Christians, how the younger among them find it difficult to combine their faith with their jobs.

"It's often harder for young people to come out as Christians than it would be for them to come out as gay," she says. "Because of the vocal atheists – Dawkins and so on – people think your judgement is impaired if you say you're Christian at work. The problem of serving two masters is at the heart of it. There's a worry that Christians are up to something, that they're loyal to something other than the firm."

James Featherby, a partner at big-five law firm Slaughter & May, is closely involved with the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity, which tries to break down the divide between secular and sacred life. "One of the problems for people in the City is loneliness," he tells me. "If they're not married by the time they get here, or in a close relationship, it's tough to build a family life and a network of close friends as they're working so hard. So by the time people reach 30, they're looking around and saying, 'Hang on, how do I connect with other human beings?' At Alpha, or Christianity Explored, you find a bunch of guys and girls who will connect with you on an emotional level and share your journey."

I decide to go along to a lunchtime meeting of Christianity Explored at St Helen's Bishopsgate. It's a beautiful 13th-century church, almost lost amid the glass and steel of the skyscrapers that rise around it. There are perhaps 150 in the congregation, sitting at tables, enjoying lunch. The congregation is young – mid-twenties to early thirties – and as ethnically diverse as the City itself.

William Taylor, the rector of St Helen's, is a tall, dashing fellow. An army officer before becoming a priest, he speaks in the relaxed tones of the mess hall. There is a reading from Luke's Gospel, then Taylor carries out a detailed analysis of the text, peppering his talk with whimsical anecdotes and corny jokes. The audience leaves knowing a little more about the Bible, but it strikes me that what was really useful for these City workers was to escape from their desks for a while. Groups cluster outside after, chatting in the spring sunshine.

As I make my way down Bishopsgate, my phone rings. It's one of the young bankers I spoke to a few days ago. She works in human resources at an investment bank in Canary Wharf and, like Dave, apologises for her reluctance to speak on the record. "I literally wouldn't be able to do my job without my faith," she says. "Particularly the past few years, when so much of my job has been handling exit interviews, standing beside guys as their whole lives fell apart around them. It has been horrid, and it's why Alpha helped me so much. It helped me to get my faith sorted; if you have that, it enables you to survive almost anything. I don't really feel I can talk about it openly at work – I never say I went to church if people ask me what I got up to at the weekend, but I think it helps me act in a moral way. I hope my colleagues can tell I have some moral grounding, even if they don't know about my faith."

I speak to Jeremy Crossley again, asking him why young Christians seem to find such difficulty opening up about their faith. "Ken Costa and the like have nothing more to prove; they can be open. The younger guys are in a more competitive environment. But Christians are becoming more confident. As they get into their thirties and forties they are much more relaxed about talking about their faith than they were when I arrived [at St Margaret Lothbury]."

And as for the problem of the camel and the eye of the needle? Isn't it convenient that Alpha manages to skirt around the issue of wealth when it relies on its members to finance its vigorous expansion? "That's a good question, but I think it mistakes the nature of Alpha. It's not a full-scale course on Christian ethics, it isn't a church. It deals with those questions that come up as people come to Christianity for the first time. It doesn't address that specific question, as that's for down the road, once people have come to God." Given Alpha's expansionary tactics – nine courses are now running in China, 15 in India and hundreds more across the developing world – it's clearly to the movement's benefit that it doesn't try to stand in the way of its members' economic advancement.

It is easy to be cynical about these evangelical movements; easy to paint them as offering a convenient way for guilty financiers to salve their troubled consciences. For some, I'm sure this is true. But the vast majority of the City Christians I met were decent people using their faith to make sense of a dog-eat-dog world. And even if God doesn't exist, I've always thought the fundamental tenets of Christianity – charity, humility, forgiveness – are a pretty good moral basis for a human life. Especially a life spent in the City of London.

Alex Preston worked in the City for 10 years. He is the author of the novel 'This Bleeding City' and the business and finance columnist for the 'New Statesman'. His next novel, 'The Full Fathom Five' (Faber), will be out in January 2012

2011-11-11T23:11:00.000+08:00

Happy Ones! =)

Bad companion

2011-11-07T23:07:00.001+08:00

I think I am a horrible companion because I can complain a lot. Sigh. Need to watch that mouth of mine.

But I guess the biggest complaint from me when I embark on a long walking journey or those hikes will be that of my feet. My feet hurt real bad after some amount of walking. And my friends love to walk for long distances because their feet don't hurt at all. For me, my energy starts to go down quickly and then all the complaints start to begin. Of course, I'm back to normal after some good rest by just sitting down and look at scenery or people walking past or just chit chatting. Sigh a lot of my friends don't do that. I guess they don't understand at all.

I think I am just better off alone when I go walking. Sigh.

15 Life Lessons They Don't Teach You In School

2011-11-03T23:04:00.003+08:00

Found on Facebook. I shall be the teacher that teach this in school. =)

1. As Richard Carlson says, 'don't sweat the small stuff', and most of it is small stuff. Much of the time we get stressed and worked up over "stuff" that in the grand scheme of things really doesn't matter. When we allow ourselves get too caught up in it we ruin our perspective and don't take time to enjoy the moment.

2. Life can be unpredictable and throw you some curves. Just say "never" and see what happens! To avoid the jolt when life's surprises come your way, be prepared by being open-minded and maintain the positive mindset that welcomes the life lessons offered.

3. The most boring word in any language is "I". It's wonderful to be self-confident and self-sufficient, however, it's not all about you. There is nothing more monotonous than hearing someone talk about themselves and their accomplishments endlessly. Being self-centered is not the same as having self-confidence.

4. People are more important than things. Relationships are more important than any material goods you may acquire on the road to success. Without the love and support of family and friends in life, material goods are not of much use. Setting your values and priorities can help you establish what's important.

5. Nobody else can make you happy. Your happiness and state of mind are your responsibility. It's up to each of us to know what it takes to be balanced and happy. Our relationships enhance our lives and make them richer, but they do not "make" us happy. We do.

6. Character and integrity count. It's important to be a person of honor. Your good word and deeds inspire trust and confidence from family, friends and employers. Be the kind of person others are proud to know.

7. Forgive yourself, your friends and your enemies. We are all only too human. All of us slip sometimes and make mistakes. Holding grudges and past hurts only serves to prevent us from enjoying life to the fullest.

8. A good joke can be better than any pill. Take time to laugh each day. Humor really is good medicine.

9. There are no substitutes for exercise, eating well, and fresh air and sunshine. Never take your health for granted or underestimate how much feeling good physically affects your moods.

10. Persistence will eventually get you almost anything. Never give up. Keep your goals and dreams alive.

11. Television probably ruins more minds than drugs. Get away from the TV and read, exercise, learn and stretch yourself.

12. It's okay to fail. Everyone has failed at one time or another. Failure is a great life teacher. It teaches us humility and how to correct our course of action. Thomas Edison had a great attitude towards failure. He said, "I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

13. Learn from the mistakes of others. There's an old Zen proverb that states: "It takes a wise man to learn from his mistakes, but an even wiser man to learn from others."

14. Don't be afraid to show and tell others you love them. Life is short, so learn to give and receive love. Love and be loved.

15. Live so that there is only standing room at your funeral. Be the best spouse, parent, friend, boss, worker that you can be and leave the world a better place than you found it.

"The difference between school and life? In school, you're taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you're given a test that teaches you a lesson." Tom Bodett

Infamous

2011-11-03T21:51:00.000+08:00

The 2 near most infamous person in Singapore currently.

Shocked

2011-11-03T21:42:00.003+08:00

This is very shocking. I do not know how to make sense of such people. It is no wonder there are people who are so against the Church. Where is the love in this people? Where is God's love? Jesus ate with the downtrodden people in his times. Who are we to judge? Seriously shocking......

http://www.landoverbaptist.net/?

By the way, there is a thread, where the church members were actually praising a man for hitting his wife because his wife disobeyed him.

Kopi O?

2011-11-03T02:08:00.003+08:00

Interesting. However, this is not the full list, I believe. There are many options you can choose when you order coffee at the coffeeshops. I do not drink coffee so I am not really bothered by all these combinations. This list can also be applied to tea, just change the word 'kopi' to 'teh'. And I only drink teh or teh peng! Cos I do not know how to order the rest! lol.

My knowledge of Hokkien is just sooooo bad....

2011-11-03T01:39:00.003+08:00

Wah, just found out that blogspot can track views for every post! People stalk me and I stalk people back. Hmmm....

We all just love to kaypoh, don't we?

What it's like to be young and looking for work in Britain

2011-11-03T01:37:00.002+08:00

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/nov/01/young-looking-for-work-britain?fb=native&CMP=FBCNETTXT9038

After reading this article, I am thankful that I got a job that pays relatively well and in any case, I like this job. Learn to appreciate what you have.

Australian PM slams 'extreme' Qantas shut down

2011-10-31T22:59:00.001+08:00

Ms Gillard ah, Ms Gillard ah.... You do not believe that Quantas has no other options other than grounding all planes after months of industrial action and your government cannot do anything but within hours of the grounding, your government suddenly could do something and get the regulator to force an end to the industrial action. Amazing huh...

Be positive

2011-10-30T23:03:00.000+08:00

My friend who is a social worker is lamenting about her very bitter client who is blaming everyone and the world. She cannot talk through the client and build any rapport. I feel for her. Wonder if it is a mental problem? I hope that I will not end up in a situation where I become so negative. Must remain positive everyday!

And oh, I do not want to be known as a grumpy old man! Eeks!

3 Reasons to Travel While You’re Young

2011-10-30T22:59:00.000+08:00

http://goinswriter.com/travel-young/

And my thoughts...

Yeah, travel while you are young. Yeah, ask your parents to pay for your trip. Yeah, forget about your responsibilities and pile more debts to your debts if you have not claim from your parents. Yeah, being young is to be reckless. Yeah, some people just can afford it.

If you want to learn culture and compassion, Singapore has very good places where one can learn. The old folks' home, the foreign workers' dormitories are good places to start with. The only thing is, do you want to?

2011-10-27T14:46:00.001+08:00

Going to re-blog here again. And practise my languages too!!! Going to take exam end of this year and I am still very weak in grammar and listening!!!!!!!!!!!! Intensive study!!

Anyway, was surprised that yesterday my sec sch friend asked me to go to HK with him!! yeah!! Time to go out of Singapore!! Actually I want to go to Japan!!! hmmm, one day soon.....

2011-10-27T14:40:00.001+08:00

Jay Chou determined to marry by 35 to avoid "generation gap" with kids
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/entertainment/view/1162026/1/.html

TAIPEI: Taiwan singer-actor Jay Chou revealed that he is determined to find a wife by 35, reported Taiwan media.

Speaking to the media at a Halloween promotional event in Taiwan on Monday, Chou explained that he didn't want to get married too late as he wanted to avoid "having a generation gap with the kids".

When asked about whether he has anyone in mind to fill the coveted position of Mrs Jay Chou, the 32-year-old superstar took some time to consider the question before giving his answer.

"This is a rather special problem, I will tell you after I have thought it over," said Chou.

The singer also took the opportunity to refute media reports that he has secretly registered his marriage in Europe with an 18-year-old model.

"These reports are really a little ridiculous. Responding to them makes me feel stupid.

"There is nothing to hide, there is no need for me to go so far away to register my marriage," said Chou.

"I'll probably go public with it (his marriage) because I cannot hide from it. When I get married, I might just issue a press release to inform everyone," added the singer, who is scheduled to release his 11th album "Exclamation Mark" in November.

-CNA/ha

LOL. But I think it can be quite scary when you cant even relate to your kids. You will feel SO outdated. But life as a single is so fun!

Grandma

2011-10-22T02:14:00.001+08:00

Did my grandma enjoy her last days? It is so sudden that she passed on because of an accident. Did she have time to say goodbye to her loved ones? May she be resting in God in heaven. We miss you, 婆婆。

Goodbye Grandma

2011-10-22T00:48:00.000+08:00

RIP Grandma.

You will be missed greatly.