Our holiday trip photographer.

Saturday, 10 March 2012 at 7:45am,

getting ready to board the coach,

Singapore.

Presenting... ... ... 小tz, our photographer for our holiday trip!

Err... this photographer have her mood one. It's totally up to her to decided what and when to use her camera. *fainted*

Anyway, after we arrived at Lotus Desaru Beach Resort, she decided to quit and focus on the fun she is having in the "Lazy River". Oh... That will be another posting. 

:-\

How to lost weight?

Saturday, 10 March 2012 at 2pm,

The Desaru Fruits Farm, Malaysia.

Carrying an overly excited and now tired 小tz, who have not been sleeping well since the night before and after having travelled for hours on a coach, walking around the fruits farm.

The experience was fun and educational for 小tz to see the guava, passion fruits, banana and laksa leaves, and visiting the monkeys, chickens, rabbits and goats in their small zoo.

Incidentally, I happened to find out that Singaporeans are not the most horrible looking people when we are having our buffet lunch. That lost in appetite contributed to my weight lost too! Haha...

The great scholar!

19 Mar 2012 at 7:08pm,

Grandma's house.

小tz did not recognised and read the letters in one word. Neither did she read one sentence nor a paragraph. She read the entire book without assistance! OMG!!!

* Jumping around *

Thanks to my mother-in-law. Yippee!!! :-D

Having hours of fun without an iPhone.

Monday, 12 Mar 2012 at 2:30pm,

Desaru Beach, Malaysia.

小tz and I had hours of fun building sand castles and soaking our feet in seawater. 小tz told me: 

"Daddy, come soak your feet in seawater, your wound will recover faster you know. Let's go!"

Unexpected show of little kindness.

Enjoying my food at a food court, I saw a little girl pointing to the pair of Crocs slippers left on the floor, under the table she and her grandma were about to occupy. The gentleman sitting at the next table heard the little girl, look at the Crocs then continue eating his food.


About some 20 minutes later, he stood up and proceeds to walked towards the back of the food court. Hmm... maybe he is going for his second helping, like me.
:-P~


Instead of another plate of food, he came back with an old lady following behind him. Looking closer, I remembered she was seen sitting at the table next to the gentleman, together with a younger lady carrying a little boy who was sleeping. They left the table after finding a bigger table that can accommodate 2 friends who joined them later.


The old lady picks up the pair of crocs and thanks the gentleman. I saw the gentleman smile, gestured, and said something like "its ok" before moving out of the food court.
Either he is very cool or like me, food is as important to him. Well I did see him enjoying his food in the entire 20 minutes.

"Oopsy! Dear, I am interested in his food and not him." Err... Politically incorrect answer cause either way, my baobei is going to nag at me.

:-/

Ok, ok... This is a better answer. "Dear, I am interested in how he was concentrating on his food and being mindful with his eating. I am also surprised how he is NOT tempted by the many options of delicious food surrounding him." Yippee! Is this model answer passable?
:-P

My witty daughter.

小tz: "Daddy, it's so cool and sunny! I am going to wear my sunglasses."


Me: "Dear look, it's raining. Rain goes with cool and Sun goes with hot."


小tz: "Daddy look again! It's raining but the sun is high up there. Hee hee.."


Me: "Then?"


小tz: "It's cool and sunny so I am going to wear my sunglasses. Haha..."


Me: "... ... ..."

3 reasons why we should not get angry.

"Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned." - Buddha


I know it’s easier said than done. Especially so when you see with your own eyes that people who did bad deeds, have ill intention like the person mentioned in my earlier post, are still living their life.


It is very wrong of you to think about it in that way for 3 reasons:


(1) As Buddhist, I believe in karma. Explaining in a very religious manner (and you can skip this paragraph if you are not comfortable), this person that you are angry with may had done well and accumulated many good karma which he/she is currently enjoying. Continuously doing bad in the present life, only quicken the usage of his/her good karma. She is on the journey of self destruction when her good karma finishes and started to face the consequences of her bad deeds.


(2) Seeing her doing bad deeds and knowing her doesn't mean that we have the ability to understand how she feels or struggle in her daily life. Is she having company of good people, happy family and reliable friends? Is she able to sleeps well every night? Only she knows. Besides, we should not be judging her without knowing why she does so. Is she doing the bad deeds to prevent greater harms to others? Choosing the lesser of the 2 evils?


(3) We should be concerned with our life and not others. What is it that you wanted to do in your life? Have you been spending time with your loved ones? More importantly, did you notice that by you getting angry at that person, your mind is frequently occupied with unproductive thoughts, you missed spending time with your loved ones and your health get affected. Notice you need to eat more to comfort yourself, the rise in your body temperature and blood pressure when you are angry?


Are you still angry, still holding on to that hot coal and burning yourself? Let go and live life.

NEL train service between Dhoby Ghaut and HarbourFront stations disrupted - Channel NewsAsia

NEL train service between Dhoby Ghaut and HarbourFront stations disrupted - Channel NewsAsia

"Attention passengers using the North East MRT Line, train services from Harbourfront to Dhoby Ghaut are affected. Please use the free bus shuttle service outside the station if you are going to Dhoby Ghaut, Clark Quay, Chinatown and Outram Park station. Thank you."

Great! It is finally my lucky day to experience a disruption of the public transport service. So great too that it fall on the day when I needed to do a presentation early in the morning.

;-/

After sending a message to my boss and colleague, I proceeded to the boarding area as directed by the MRT staff. Overall, from the numerous disruptions they had encountered previously, I believe they must have learned and they were well organized this time. There was adequate staff to direct the traffic and handle enquiries. The police and extra MRT staff not in uniform were also activated to handle the crowds.

My only complain is that there aren’t adequate buses to transfer the crowds. While the bus was pretty empty when I boarded, it is packed with people when it reached Outram Park MRT station.

"Hey, MRT close down la! Stop pushing people up the bus!!! It is packed like the buses in India and it will overturn ok!"

Ah~ that’s when my peace ended. The start of the arguments between the Chinese man that shouted and an Indian lady who replied:

"Please don't mention about India. It’s racist! Thanks."

During the arguments between the 2, a few Indians spoke up for the lady. The Chinese man became angrier and commented why no Chinese stand up for him, and start calling his friends for help.

Upon reaching Dhoby Ghaut MRT station, I was relieved to see a row of police man standing and getting ready to handle the crowds and any disputes.

Why am I blogging this? Wei, it’s a once in a lifetime (I hope) experience to be affected by the train disruption leh. I am "proud” to be involved. 

;P

Care for the care-givers.

Having shared my view as volunteer and staff in the social service sector supporting the lives of the disadvantaged in my earlier post, it is only fair too that I share the difficulties faced by the care-givers looking after their family members with illnesses or disability. I felt there is no better way to share this than to tell the story of my friend's journey in looking after her sick father.


Being the eldest in the family with 2 other siblings, she was destined to look after her father when his health failed. At that moment, she decided to leave her successful career to look after her sick father so that her 2 siblings can focus on their study and the start of their career. 


Both her siblings subsequently did very well, married and moved out of the family. While she wasn't happy with her siblings over the care of their father and issues related to money, the family had been living peacefully as what she and her father wanted. She recalled some of those small incidents of unhappiness when she was asked to pay her father's share when they went out for meals. Her siblings had always argued that they pay for their wife and my friend should pay for her father. He is her father? I thought it is also theirs, right? 


Anyway, the second biggest frustration came when her 2 siblings chose to forego their bi-monthly visit, after their father was discharged from Tan Tock Seng Hospital, even after her father's home quarantine order ended for weeks during the SARS period. If not for her friend's help during the quarantine period, my friend and her father may have to suffer without proper meals.


The biggest disappointments came when my friend announced that she had found a partner and decided to proceed with her marriage. Both siblings starts to talk bad about my friend's partner, influenced their father and one even told my friend to 


"... stop thinking about marriage. You are already so old! You can't have children so why waste time and money. Just be happy staying and looking after father."


There were lots of tension in the family and situations between her and her father was really bad. The worst came when the siblings discharged her father without her knowledge when her father was hospitalized. Keeping her father, they then forced her to surrender her father and her money and assets to them.


To others and their relative, her father seems to be having a good life thereafter with a maid, new wheelchair and nice clothing. Gone are the days where they saw how she and her father struggled to the dialysis centre or making their way to the market next block to have their breakfast.


She received the news on the death of her father half a year later, just a few hours on the day before her father was cremated. It saddened her with the news as she cannot come to terms with her father's death. Her father who survived many operations and hospital visits died within 6 months after leaving her.


Knowing that I worked in the social served sector, she shared this with me in the hope that I can share this with my fellow colleagues to gain a better understanding on the difficulties of care-givers, their frustrations and sacrifices. She also hopes that more help can be made available to provide the care-givers with their much needed financial, physical and emotional support.

"Tell you a secret, Daddy."

A conversation 小tz and I had in the bus on our way home.

小tz: "Daddy, I tell you the secret between mummy and me. You want?"

Me: "Ok."

小tz: "But Daddy, you promise not to beat me again then I will tell you the secret. Ok Daddy?"

Me: "If you promise not to be naughty again, then I promise I will not beat you. Ok?"

小tz: "Ok Daddy! The secret is 'easy peasy lemon squeezy'. "

小tz turned and faced her mummy seated 3 rows behind us and shouted: "Mummy! I told Daddy the secret because he promised not to beat me!!!"

Err... Did I have a paper bag with me? Wa!!! Where to hide my face huh? Mama me ahhhh....

路是人走出来的!

路是人走出来的, 你注意到了吗?

很多路都是人从草地踏出一条沙路, 然后又被人放上木板, 再慢慢被人发现而造成石灰路的。从找寻目的地, 到一脚步一脚步的印在草地上, 到最后的石灰路,
费时费力,流子很多人的汗洫, 得来不易呵!

很多人明了这道理, 只要是目标一致, 都会跟随先人的指标而到达目的地。可这世上就是有一些人, 死都要自已开发一条署已自已的路。

没有人教他盲目跟从。他可以去查看, 去探听以了解这路是否能到达他要去目的地。没有人教他不求突破。他可以改进原有的路, 加上扶杆给老人家方便与安全,
或加上路灯方便夜间行驶。可他却扁扁要浪费时间与精神, 迷失方向。就算只要传个湾走回旧路, 或开口问人, 他都不要。

路, 是人走出来的。而最痛的是始终如一的要走着自已的路, 那其实是没有路的。先人费心费力为你铺好的路你不走, 何苦呢? _/\_

How can I say "no"?

小tz: "Daddy, can you take leave on Thursday?"

Me: "Why dear?"

小tz: "I want you to go picnic with me. Ok Daddy?"

Review of the Cheese and mushroom ham sandwiches by yt & Co.

Even before eating, the bright yellow, rounded rectangular box that stores the sandwiches had already captured my attention. What a thoughtful packaging, I say to myself. It reminds me of the “back to school” kind of feel, just like the good old days. Err… wait! I just remembered I never ever bring sandwiches to school previously. Ops… err… imagine (just like what 小tz always says) la, the good old days when we are in primary school. Hee…

The sandwiches were perfectly cut with no extra bits and pieces showing at its edges. The feel was great too, with the sandwiches chilled and compressed to give it a unique feel. The mixture of its coolness with the assurance of its fillings from the firm touch was simply amazing!

You must be thinking that it’s great right? No, it’s simply, terrifically, wonderfully great to be able to taste such a unique, limited edition sandwiches. With my first bite, the mixture in taste from the chilled bread, the cheese and mushroom ham filled my mouth and instantly satisfied my taste buds with its coolness, the smell of the mushroom and the texture from the ham and cheese.

Hmm… wondering if I ever have another opportunity to write another review on the food from yt & Co.

A Beautiful Sunday!

Brought 小tz to enjoy Beautiful Sunday, an Esplanade presented concert titled “Symphonic Pop!” by Singapore Wind Symphony on 4 March 2012 at 3pm. Yeah, it’s FREE! 
;-D


Initially, 小tz was amazed and interested by the set-up and decoration in the Esplanade Concert Hall. However, after sometime, she started to get bored and ask…


小tz: “Why the people are all on stage but not performing mummy?”
yt: “They are waiting for the Conductor, without him, they can’t start performing.”
小tz: “Oh, why the Conductor is still not her yet mummy?”
yt: “小tz, why not you go and ask the Conductor when he arrive?”
小tz: “But mummy… … …”


Fortunately, when the music started, she was seen shaking her head, swinging her body, clapping her hands or tapping her fingers. Hee… like father like daughter.


Ops… who farted in the Concert Hall? Wa!!! Smelly sia for one whole hour! 
:-/

"Daddy, can you come home earlier?"

小tz,


The other day while I was working late, you called to tell me what you did in school and how you have enjoyed yourself after school with mummy during outing. Before you ended your call, you asked: 


"Daddy, can you come back earlier? Why you always work and worked until very late?"


This, together with your other usual question:


"Daddy, can you put down the phone and play with me?"


has been troubling me ever since you started to ask them. The actual reason is much more complicated than what I had always told you. It is not as simple as earning an income to support you and mummy.


As usual, I am writing it here so that in case I had forgotten to tell you when are older, or when you no longer wants to hear my nagging, you are still able to find the answer when you wanted.


I had been speaking about the right livelihood in my earlier post. Taking up this job before I court mummy, is also about this and about paying forward for the help I had received previously. I am always thankful to mummy for allowing me to keep the job and support my desire to pay forward.


To others in the commercial sector, not answering a call or sms, not working late or over the weekends may result in them for not able to submit a report, losing a sale or the very most losing their job. For daddy, not doing those may result in a delay in taking an action that affect the life of another person or even the entire group of residents with disability under our care. It is simply too great a responsibility to simply ignore.


Having said that, I am equally guilty for not being able to spend more time with you and mummy, fulfilling my responsibilities as a husband and father. 


Recently, I am guilty when I was at the void deck answering a work related call, leaving mummy at home to cope with the bad news she received. I am saddened for not able to support mummy and you, busy replying my sms when we were looking for a resting place for Gong Gong. I am frustrated for having to answer a call when I visited Gong Gong at the hospital. I felt bad for discussing cases and signing documents at Gong Gong's wake.


小tz, those are necessary as I had mentioned earlier for the well-being of the people under our care at work. I take this opportunity to apologies for those disruptions and having arranged for some of them to happen. 


I really am looking forward for you to grow older so that daddy can share those with you over a cup of tea.


Oh! I am delighted to find out that teh-o-kosong is selling at $0.60 at our place as compared to Hougang. Hee...


I wanted you to know that I will always love you and mummy.