Thursday 24 April 2014

A fun day going topless.

2nd February 2014, a great and fun day for me! A much delayed post as usual. Anything new?
;P

No, we are not topless, but we were on a bus that is topless! Right, a double-decker bus with its upper deck exposed to the weather. They call it the Funvee Hopper.
It's HOT!

You try moving around Singapore, without air-conditioning and under the mercy of Uncle Sun. Air-conditioning you know. Something we so get used to when traveling in Singapore. Luckily, we got the tickets to travel on it for free. Anyway, the important thing to note, the experience was great and the views were fantastic!  Well, a happy ending from a grumblings start. Hee...

Next, we got our hands dirtied trying to make fruits tarts. I, putting on a girly apron, getting my hands dirtied making fruits tarts!?!? Hey man, this would never ever going to happen years ago! And it happened. Thanks to my little princess for getting her crazy daddy involved in all the girly stuffs. Well, can I say no, darling? Hahahaha... ...

Addition to the above, we also got to meet a very terrific taxi driver along our journey back from the trip. When we boarded his taxi, yt addressed him as uncle and he told her:
"Don't call me uncle lah. It sounds so old; I am not that old you know. Call me mister can leow."
Uncle, first off, the word uncle is a common form of respect addressing strangers who are of certain age. Second, you uncle seems to be flirting with my wife in front of me. Quote a phrase yt always say, "知道死字怎么写吗?" [You know how to spell the word die or not huh?] (yt, 2014).

In any case, UNCLE, you ARE older than us. People my age or younger also called me uncle. Why can't we call you uncle? Uncle, we are your customers and not the other way round hor.

What a interesting taxi driver we have in Singapore.

Saturday 5 April 2014

Is it fair and right? Think again, please.


Saw yet another photograph published on social media, the owner of the social media account with the person he/she is helping, befriending or supporting. The person who are dependent on the owner of the social media account, poor, less fortunate, old, weak or suffering with disabilities. 

I understand that very few of us are able to work or volunteer in the social service sector without a motive. Fulfilling a calling, satisfying a passion, paying forward, seeking an income, filling up our free time, upgrading our social status, enhancing our image and looking for a partner are some motives I have seen and heard. I also understand that it is reasonable to collect memories of that part of our life involve with the social service sector. The certificates we received, recognition from the organisation and photographs in this part of our life journey. 

But I cannot understand the reason behind posting photographs of you and those you are helping or supporting in the social media. Or rather, I cannot tolerate the motive of people posting photographs of themselves with their beneficiaries in Facebook, Twitter and Google+!

It is not uncommon to hear excuses that the beneficiaries had agreed to have his or her photographs taken.

Really?!

The person who looks weak, helpless, dependant make an informed decision to have his/her photographs circulated in social media to your friends, and friends of friends? The person agreed to be portraying to be weak, helpless and dependant just to uplift your image of a person with good heart, sacrificing your life for him/her?

To start with, most of them don't even have the exposures, knowledge and cognitive ability to understand the implications of having that photograph taken. What's more, are you there for his or her entire life? You only contribute towards part of his life. What rights do you have to use him/her and belittle him/her?

What's your motive in posting that photograph? 

If you are unaware of the implications and just wanted to collect memories of your life, may I then suggest that you not circulate that photograph? 

Thanks for taking some time to read this posting.