A neighbour of mine consulted a medium. She inquired about her son. The medium rightly told her that her son was very intelligent and a few other true facts. What was strange was that he commented that the son would retire before the mother does. But how could that be, since the son is in his early twenties and the mom is almost fifty?
It is a good thing that this mother is taking it very positively, she thinks her son must be earning big money fast, so he could afford to retire early. However, her mother (the grandma of the son) kept this in her heart and worry that the grandson would turn out to be a lazy bone who would not work. Now I see why it is not a good idea to look into the future. Although some may say that they would not believe the bad things predicted. Unless such predictions were strictly kept to those who would not be adversely affected, else others may suffer unnecessarily.
Saturday, November 26, 2011
(576) Jack and Jill by James Patterson
This is the fifth book I read in this series. It is a chilling thought that above any Government, there are political, economic, military powers that could and did liquidate any upright leaders that advocate reform from a corrupt system.
In this book the killers who called themselves Jack and Jill assasinated a few Washington's rich and famous folks before shooting the President. It is not by chance that the President and the First Lady were code named by the secret service as Jack and Jill too.
To confuse things further, a few contract killers of the CIA were brought in as suspects. As the bodies piled up, these killers seemed all powerful. Then the hero Alex Cross found his break with his painstaking many hours of tedious search.
In this book the killers who called themselves Jack and Jill assasinated a few Washington's rich and famous folks before shooting the President. It is not by chance that the President and the First Lady were code named by the secret service as Jack and Jill too.
To confuse things further, a few contract killers of the CIA were brought in as suspects. As the bodies piled up, these killers seemed all powerful. Then the hero Alex Cross found his break with his painstaking many hours of tedious search.
(575) Hide and Seek by James Patterson
It is an interesting peek from the angle of the wife of a famous sociopath.
Maggie Bradford seemed like a born victim. One after another, she was tricked into marrying men who had mental issues and took it out on her physically. But unlike the run of the mill of abused wives, she had talents and did make it to the top of her chosen profession. She became an internationally known song writer and singer.
My peasant grandma had a saying:"the first bowl of rice may contain grain with seed coat, but the second will contain sand". It rightly or wrongly pointed to the chances that a woman would make good in her second marriage.This saying came from China since hundreds of years ago. It may no longer apply to a Post-Mao society, But I notice that within limits, it is generally true. Of course there are exceptions to the rule in these modern days.
Interestingly, in the book we find Maggie did not marry the only good man whom she had a son with. Her second husband was more evil than her first. The first one merely wanted to kill her in a rage. The second one staged his own murder by killing his younger brother. He made sure the wife went through a long and drawn out murder trial. It is a marvel that the defense team could find out the new evidence to declare the first case as a mistrial. This way she escaped a long prison sentence. Later she was acquitted in the second trial. I actually expected the monster, Will to be killed. But James put in a better ending: Will was to face life confinement in a mental facility, it was sweet justice that he was aware of everything but was unable to talk.
Maggie Bradford seemed like a born victim. One after another, she was tricked into marrying men who had mental issues and took it out on her physically. But unlike the run of the mill of abused wives, she had talents and did make it to the top of her chosen profession. She became an internationally known song writer and singer.
My peasant grandma had a saying:"the first bowl of rice may contain grain with seed coat, but the second will contain sand". It rightly or wrongly pointed to the chances that a woman would make good in her second marriage.This saying came from China since hundreds of years ago. It may no longer apply to a Post-Mao society, But I notice that within limits, it is generally true. Of course there are exceptions to the rule in these modern days.
Interestingly, in the book we find Maggie did not marry the only good man whom she had a son with. Her second husband was more evil than her first. The first one merely wanted to kill her in a rage. The second one staged his own murder by killing his younger brother. He made sure the wife went through a long and drawn out murder trial. It is a marvel that the defense team could find out the new evidence to declare the first case as a mistrial. This way she escaped a long prison sentence. Later she was acquitted in the second trial. I actually expected the monster, Will to be killed. But James put in a better ending: Will was to face life confinement in a mental facility, it was sweet justice that he was aware of everything but was unable to talk.
(574) Story from my childhood
I grew up with a grandma in my house. We lived in a squatter area with wooden houses. Down the road was a family who was rich enough to rebuild their house with half brick walls and proper roof tiles instead of zinc sheets. There were many people coming and going at all times of the day and night for a few months. One day I heard wailing and keening from that house. I ran there with a group of children.
Apparently a man died. Soon a wooden coffin was delivered. That night the children were all present to witness the Taoist rituals to bring the departed to the desired level in hell. In those days, coffins were huge and ornate. They were carved from gigantic tree trunks. The top was curvy and I imagine a few bodies could fit in if the trunk was really hollowed to create maximum space. We saw the Taoist priest leading the family round and round the coffin. We also saw the children of the deceased carrying water containers all around the wake area and later poured the water into a basin placed under a small wooden bridge. There were musical instruments being played and the priests took turn to sing out what was required.
The next day my grand ma grabbed hold of the situation and taught us a lesson about how the man died. It seemed the deceased was a trader. He spent a good part of his earlier life living in two countries. He brought goods from Siam to his home town and also other goods from his home country to Siam. I guess today we call it export import business. Except in those days roads were narrow and winding, goods were mainly transported by boats. Like many Chinese business man, he set up two house holds. Since he was constantly on the move, he spent equal amount of time with either family. It seemed a logical approach, that way he was taken good care of by two wives. Since he was able to support both families quite comfortably, neither wife minded the fact that he had two sets of children.
All good things eventually came to an end, he grew old and wanted to retire. He chose to pay off his Siamese wife and gave part of his estate to his children there. No one knew if he was mean or fair to them, he never revealed much. But it seemed the Siamese wife told him that if he did not return after six months, he would not live beyond the next six months. He scoffed as he was in excellent health. But true to what the woman claimed, he fell ill on the dot of six months after his final return. After spending much money, he would seem to recover with each type of treatment only to fall more seriously ill the following week. Ultimately he did not live long enough to celebrate the anniversary date of return.
My grandma said that Siamese ladies were pretty and charming. It was extremely easy for Chinese from out of Siam to woo and marry them. They made excellent wives too. But woe to the man who desired to return to his homeland, the wives would not follow. It was customary that through the years he would have swallowed some form of black magic, it would not hurt him as long as he kept returning to his foreign wife. But should he decide to leave for good, he would not be able to live for long whether he believe or not in black magic. Of course all these were tales from fifty or so years ago. But I do remember that the poor man had a long illness and died of a distended belly. It was a painful and drawn out death. Could that be co-incidence?
Apparently a man died. Soon a wooden coffin was delivered. That night the children were all present to witness the Taoist rituals to bring the departed to the desired level in hell. In those days, coffins were huge and ornate. They were carved from gigantic tree trunks. The top was curvy and I imagine a few bodies could fit in if the trunk was really hollowed to create maximum space. We saw the Taoist priest leading the family round and round the coffin. We also saw the children of the deceased carrying water containers all around the wake area and later poured the water into a basin placed under a small wooden bridge. There were musical instruments being played and the priests took turn to sing out what was required.
The next day my grand ma grabbed hold of the situation and taught us a lesson about how the man died. It seemed the deceased was a trader. He spent a good part of his earlier life living in two countries. He brought goods from Siam to his home town and also other goods from his home country to Siam. I guess today we call it export import business. Except in those days roads were narrow and winding, goods were mainly transported by boats. Like many Chinese business man, he set up two house holds. Since he was constantly on the move, he spent equal amount of time with either family. It seemed a logical approach, that way he was taken good care of by two wives. Since he was able to support both families quite comfortably, neither wife minded the fact that he had two sets of children.
All good things eventually came to an end, he grew old and wanted to retire. He chose to pay off his Siamese wife and gave part of his estate to his children there. No one knew if he was mean or fair to them, he never revealed much. But it seemed the Siamese wife told him that if he did not return after six months, he would not live beyond the next six months. He scoffed as he was in excellent health. But true to what the woman claimed, he fell ill on the dot of six months after his final return. After spending much money, he would seem to recover with each type of treatment only to fall more seriously ill the following week. Ultimately he did not live long enough to celebrate the anniversary date of return.
My grandma said that Siamese ladies were pretty and charming. It was extremely easy for Chinese from out of Siam to woo and marry them. They made excellent wives too. But woe to the man who desired to return to his homeland, the wives would not follow. It was customary that through the years he would have swallowed some form of black magic, it would not hurt him as long as he kept returning to his foreign wife. But should he decide to leave for good, he would not be able to live for long whether he believe or not in black magic. Of course all these were tales from fifty or so years ago. But I do remember that the poor man had a long illness and died of a distended belly. It was a painful and drawn out death. Could that be co-incidence?
(573) Pontianak, Kalimantan
Last night I chatted with an Indonesian cleaning lady from the southern part of Borneo. I asked her why her hometown was known as Pontianak. As far as I know, Pontianak means a female ghost seeking revenge.
She sat down and told me the following story:- She came from another part of Kalimantan. When her husband was courting her, she was very afraid of his home town. She thought that town must be filled with ghosts. Her husband explained that his home town once had another nicer name. But one man seduced a young girl who became pregnant. He lied about taking her back to his family. But he killed her with his friends. The spirits of this poor girl went around seeking to pay back the murderers. As more and more people heard and saw the apparitions, the town was referred to as the haunted town, hence it became known as Pontianak. I asked her if the spirits were still haunting the town. From the many years she spent there as a married woman, she said she did not hear of any present day haunting. She believed that once revenge was exacted, the spirits dissipated.
From the Christian point of view, the spirits were demons which are fallen angels whom left heaven with Lucifer.
She sat down and told me the following story:- She came from another part of Kalimantan. When her husband was courting her, she was very afraid of his home town. She thought that town must be filled with ghosts. Her husband explained that his home town once had another nicer name. But one man seduced a young girl who became pregnant. He lied about taking her back to his family. But he killed her with his friends. The spirits of this poor girl went around seeking to pay back the murderers. As more and more people heard and saw the apparitions, the town was referred to as the haunted town, hence it became known as Pontianak. I asked her if the spirits were still haunting the town. From the many years she spent there as a married woman, she said she did not hear of any present day haunting. She believed that once revenge was exacted, the spirits dissipated.
From the Christian point of view, the spirits were demons which are fallen angels whom left heaven with Lucifer.
(572) Closing doors
Last year I met a lady with a lot of physical ailments. Listening to her I sensed a lot of fears. I took some time to share with her how events of the past might have opened spiritual doors that allowed her to be attacked which resulted in physical complaints. All it would take is for someone to guide her in prayer to tell God she was sorry that she was ignorant in the past and asked him to close those doors.
I was not telling her anything new. She seemed very knowledgeable in the area. I promptly changed the topic and moved on to other more social issues. Recently I heard from a common friend that the lady in question was fully aware of the fact that her bitterness acted as an open door. She knew she has to forgive to be rid of the bitterness. It was not true that she did not want healing. At this present time she is still working at her emotional turmoil.
Meanwhile, she has back problem, diabetes, leaky gut syndrome, retina detachment, trigger finger ... I truly feel sorry for all her pains, dietary restrictions, mobility limitations. She is a practising Christian who is rather sincere and kind. Yet it is crucial for us to forgive others before we can appropriate God's blessing for us. Jesus already healed us at the cross two thousand years ago. We have to claim the healing and bitterness is a block in the conduit!
I was not telling her anything new. She seemed very knowledgeable in the area. I promptly changed the topic and moved on to other more social issues. Recently I heard from a common friend that the lady in question was fully aware of the fact that her bitterness acted as an open door. She knew she has to forgive to be rid of the bitterness. It was not true that she did not want healing. At this present time she is still working at her emotional turmoil.
Meanwhile, she has back problem, diabetes, leaky gut syndrome, retina detachment, trigger finger ... I truly feel sorry for all her pains, dietary restrictions, mobility limitations. She is a practising Christian who is rather sincere and kind. Yet it is crucial for us to forgive others before we can appropriate God's blessing for us. Jesus already healed us at the cross two thousand years ago. We have to claim the healing and bitterness is a block in the conduit!
Sunday, November 20, 2011
(571) Super natural
A young mother related how her one year old girl would wake up in the wee hours, screaming as if she was being beaten. The mother spent quite a few nights walking the floor of the bedroom to calm the child down. Yet the strange thing is that the child would sleep through the night in the nanny's house, each time the exhausted mom bunked her there.
I shared with her how my own young daughter was able to see spirits from her first floor bedroom window, when I looked out I could see nothing except a beautiful moon-lit night. (this experience was blogged in (654) Ghosts?) I went on to say that a bad smell was present that one visitor could not sense in that particular house. Here the young mother excitedly told us how she could sense a foul odour where her daughter sleeps but her husband could not. For my problem, my pastor came with a team to read scripture, sing praise songs, pray and anoint each doorway and window of my old house with olive oil. Subsequent to that, nothing else untoward occurred. All that happened thirteen years ago.
Brenda also described how her young son would have recurring nightmares and screeched. Then he would be shouting for something not to come near. Typically it would happen when the father was not at home. Brenda returned to her church around that time; as she prayed and cover her household with the precious blood of Jesus nightly, the nightmares occurred less and stopped eventually. Her son is fifteen years old now.
Brenda went on to tell me that her niece could even communicate with the spirits. The girl's mother called it the little girl's imaginary friend. Through the years, it happened less. Lately the girl (about twelve now) was seen visiting our Children's Church.
* Read also (130) Woke from death
I shared with her how my own young daughter was able to see spirits from her first floor bedroom window, when I looked out I could see nothing except a beautiful moon-lit night. (this experience was blogged in (654) Ghosts?) I went on to say that a bad smell was present that one visitor could not sense in that particular house. Here the young mother excitedly told us how she could sense a foul odour where her daughter sleeps but her husband could not. For my problem, my pastor came with a team to read scripture, sing praise songs, pray and anoint each doorway and window of my old house with olive oil. Subsequent to that, nothing else untoward occurred. All that happened thirteen years ago.
Brenda also described how her young son would have recurring nightmares and screeched. Then he would be shouting for something not to come near. Typically it would happen when the father was not at home. Brenda returned to her church around that time; as she prayed and cover her household with the precious blood of Jesus nightly, the nightmares occurred less and stopped eventually. Her son is fifteen years old now.
Brenda went on to tell me that her niece could even communicate with the spirits. The girl's mother called it the little girl's imaginary friend. Through the years, it happened less. Lately the girl (about twelve now) was seen visiting our Children's Church.
* Read also (130) Woke from death
Saturday, November 19, 2011
(570) Change of stat
Here I am recording for your convenience the ten top blogs:
134 Upbringing
374 Interesting building 62
160 Upbringing 20
155 You Changed My Life by Max Lucado
395 Hearts of gold
562 Fruit from an earlier investment of time
211 Upbringing 24
206 Learning difficulties 9
150 Upbringing 13
389 Genetic variation
Thank you for your encouragement, my first commentator from The Retirement Group. You have made my day!
134 Upbringing
374 Interesting building 62
160 Upbringing 20
155 You Changed My Life by Max Lucado
395 Hearts of gold
562 Fruit from an earlier investment of time
211 Upbringing 24
206 Learning difficulties 9
150 Upbringing 13
389 Genetic variation
Thank you for your encouragement, my first commentator from The Retirement Group. You have made my day!
(569) lady's fingers or ocra
My sis-in-law loves dessert. When she tested high in blood sugar, she trawled the net searching for folk cures. For almost a complete year, she soaked sliced lady's finger (one medium size) in cooled boiled water over night. The next morning she would drink the sticky water into her empty stomach and discard the vegetable pieces. After three months of continual drinking, she found her blood sugar slowly dropping even though she continued her merry way enjoying her many desserts. A few months ago she stopped taking the sticky solution and enjoy both sweet food and a normal blood sugar level. Though she tests her sugar level periodically just to be sure it is good.
My husband started this routine, within the first ten days, his blood sugar level remained unchanged but surprisingly his LDL dropped for the first time in ten years. He had been on cholesterol controlling drug for at least 5 years. On top of that, he takes raw soaked haba(an Indian spice) as well as cooked oatmeal every morning for at least a year. Now my husband in turn trawled the inter net for explanations. What he found is that the fibre in lady's finger absorbed LDL in the lower gut and so LDL is passed out of the body. You see, my thrifty husband could not bring himself to throw away his hard earned money -- the pieces of lady's finger. And so he ate them up every morning as a matter of course.
Recently I accompanied my mother to visit unwell elderly relatives who live hundreds of miles away. While chit-chatting, we brought up the above testimonies. My elderly aunt by marriage is a diabetic with lots of complications. She decided to try this folk cure, after all lady's finger is cheap and readily available round the year where we live. Two nights ago, my uncle called excitingly to let my mum know that her blood sugar dipped after just one week of the new suggested remedy. This really is the most dramatic result I have heard, for most folks, it takes months to see effects. Some give up too soon to see any benefits. Of course a diabetic has to continue her medications, to take tests as prescribed by a physician over regular check ups.
My husband started this routine, within the first ten days, his blood sugar level remained unchanged but surprisingly his LDL dropped for the first time in ten years. He had been on cholesterol controlling drug for at least 5 years. On top of that, he takes raw soaked haba(an Indian spice) as well as cooked oatmeal every morning for at least a year. Now my husband in turn trawled the inter net for explanations. What he found is that the fibre in lady's finger absorbed LDL in the lower gut and so LDL is passed out of the body. You see, my thrifty husband could not bring himself to throw away his hard earned money -- the pieces of lady's finger. And so he ate them up every morning as a matter of course.
Recently I accompanied my mother to visit unwell elderly relatives who live hundreds of miles away. While chit-chatting, we brought up the above testimonies. My elderly aunt by marriage is a diabetic with lots of complications. She decided to try this folk cure, after all lady's finger is cheap and readily available round the year where we live. Two nights ago, my uncle called excitingly to let my mum know that her blood sugar dipped after just one week of the new suggested remedy. This really is the most dramatic result I have heard, for most folks, it takes months to see effects. Some give up too soon to see any benefits. Of course a diabetic has to continue her medications, to take tests as prescribed by a physician over regular check ups.
(568) Coconut rice 2
I attended a farewell gathering in honour of a friend who is returning to her home country. The theme of food was local delicacy. We had coconut rice, two types of jelly, a fresh cake, Cantonese style noodle, Siamese rice noodle, sambal prawns, Thai style fish curry, pork puffs, fried brinjals nyonya style, and six types of desserts made in the northern nyonya style.
(for most of my readers who are not conversant with the term "nyonya", it is a word that denotes Chinese who settled in my country for hundreds of years who no longer speak any Chinese dialects nor language. Their dressing is distinct from the Chinese and the local. The cuisine is a blend of southern Chinese and the local tropical spicy and coconut style close to Indonesian cooking. My paternal great grandma was a Nonya.)
While we were exclaiming over how fragrant the coconut rice was, everyone was asking every body else for different recipes. Most googled for theirs except for one or two who cooked according what was handed down from their grandmas. That was the first time I tried coconut rice cooked with ginger, lemon grass (root), onion and pandan leaves (screw pine leaves) on top of coconut milk. It was a meal to remember!
In the conversation, I mentioned how I was surprised by how much rice was given by a street side peddler selling her coconut rice 70 cents a pack a few days ago. She gave half a boiled egg per pack, which is unusual for this day and age. Then my friend said that our neighbours are not as mercenary as Chinese. She too was floored by how little her caterer charged her for some delicacy she booked for her daughter's birthday party. Perhaps the ingredients are cheap, but it involved hours of tedious preparation. Still, it is human relationship that our non-Chinese neighbours value above money.
(for most of my readers who are not conversant with the term "nyonya", it is a word that denotes Chinese who settled in my country for hundreds of years who no longer speak any Chinese dialects nor language. Their dressing is distinct from the Chinese and the local. The cuisine is a blend of southern Chinese and the local tropical spicy and coconut style close to Indonesian cooking. My paternal great grandma was a Nonya.)
While we were exclaiming over how fragrant the coconut rice was, everyone was asking every body else for different recipes. Most googled for theirs except for one or two who cooked according what was handed down from their grandmas. That was the first time I tried coconut rice cooked with ginger, lemon grass (root), onion and pandan leaves (screw pine leaves) on top of coconut milk. It was a meal to remember!
In the conversation, I mentioned how I was surprised by how much rice was given by a street side peddler selling her coconut rice 70 cents a pack a few days ago. She gave half a boiled egg per pack, which is unusual for this day and age. Then my friend said that our neighbours are not as mercenary as Chinese. She too was floored by how little her caterer charged her for some delicacy she booked for her daughter's birthday party. Perhaps the ingredients are cheap, but it involved hours of tedious preparation. Still, it is human relationship that our non-Chinese neighbours value above money.
(567) Alcohol
Elizabeth was working at placing some advertisements in my blog few nights ago. I refused cigarettes adverts but said beer and wine is OK for me. When she asked why, I had to stop for a moment to think of an answer.
I grew up in a typical Chinese family where my father drinks sparingly either in social occasions or privately for health. Since as young as I can recall, I would hang around my dad if I see any beer bottle being opened. I love the bitter clear taste of beer. Children are allowed a sip on ordinary days and maybe a few mouthfuls during festive days.
When I was eighteen, I went to my first party with alcohol. A dear friend's brother brought back a bottle of red wine from Australia. I was greedy and accepted a second glass. It really tasted heavenly. The same night I broke up in hives all over my body. Even a full course of anti-histamines did not chase away the itchy bumps. Finally my family doctor had to jab me.
Since then I avoided all forms of alcohols. Some friends pointed out that I may be allergic to fermentation products and not to pure alcohol. But my stand is why should I try liquor when it may adversely raise my level of allergy to a life threatening reaction? Perhaps God is being kind to me, I would not become too fond of the bottle like my maternal grand father who died drunk at the age of forty nine by either a stroke or a heart attack. He groaned and fell dead in the midst of a shower leaving behind a young widow with five young children.
I grew up in a typical Chinese family where my father drinks sparingly either in social occasions or privately for health. Since as young as I can recall, I would hang around my dad if I see any beer bottle being opened. I love the bitter clear taste of beer. Children are allowed a sip on ordinary days and maybe a few mouthfuls during festive days.
When I was eighteen, I went to my first party with alcohol. A dear friend's brother brought back a bottle of red wine from Australia. I was greedy and accepted a second glass. It really tasted heavenly. The same night I broke up in hives all over my body. Even a full course of anti-histamines did not chase away the itchy bumps. Finally my family doctor had to jab me.
Since then I avoided all forms of alcohols. Some friends pointed out that I may be allergic to fermentation products and not to pure alcohol. But my stand is why should I try liquor when it may adversely raise my level of allergy to a life threatening reaction? Perhaps God is being kind to me, I would not become too fond of the bottle like my maternal grand father who died drunk at the age of forty nine by either a stroke or a heart attack. He groaned and fell dead in the midst of a shower leaving behind a young widow with five young children.
(566) Black Market by James Patterson
If I remember correctly, this is the third Patterson book I am posting about. By far, this is the best so far.
To put my feelings into context: I have been watching the happenings in Wall Street via CNN news while I was reading the book. It is sad! What I saw on TV screen was not the USA I knew in the eighties. To think that I was planning to work and settle in the States then, I shudder to think where and what would I be doing now if I did not come back to my home country twenty over years ago. Would I be one of the protesters being man handled by the uniformed personnel?
What happened to the Land of the Free? And the Home of the Brave? I do realize that Black Market was written as a fiction. But many things recorded in it sound plausible. You may call it conspiracy, but how could things changed so much within two decades? The poor lost their means of livelihood. The middle class is shrinking. Yet the rich are becoming super rich at an unrelenting pace. Is certain parts of America becoming more like Bombay and Kolkata?
To put my feelings into context: I have been watching the happenings in Wall Street via CNN news while I was reading the book. It is sad! What I saw on TV screen was not the USA I knew in the eighties. To think that I was planning to work and settle in the States then, I shudder to think where and what would I be doing now if I did not come back to my home country twenty over years ago. Would I be one of the protesters being man handled by the uniformed personnel?
What happened to the Land of the Free? And the Home of the Brave? I do realize that Black Market was written as a fiction. But many things recorded in it sound plausible. You may call it conspiracy, but how could things changed so much within two decades? The poor lost their means of livelihood. The middle class is shrinking. Yet the rich are becoming super rich at an unrelenting pace. Is certain parts of America becoming more like Bombay and Kolkata?
(565) A Parrot in the Pepper Tree by Chris Stewart
My brother paid $12 for this delightful volume. I was able to read it without paying a cent. I am extremely grateful for this privilege.
Much as I tried to recall, I was not sure if I have read his earlier book: Driving over Lemons. Just maybe I did read it a few years ago and the book ended up in my cousin's private library. One day I will hunt for it in her piles of books ...
I really admire Chris' courage in chasing after his heart's desire. I may like watching a Flamingo dance and love to listen to a Flamengo music number. (Am not even sure I got the terms right!) But I would never dare to save up some money, then go to study it in Spain. Perhaps generations of poverty in Southern China had instilled in my genetic ties and blood lines that one has to be down to earth and practical in life.
Really, Chris did everything that would bring horror to my parents and fore bears, yet the beauty of it is he has obtained a way of life that many of us (my extended family members) would not dare to dream about in our wildest moments. Well, we count teachers, lecturers, bankers, engineers, advertising exec, accountants ... in my clan. All of us live in smog filled, traffic congested suburbs and hardly have much time to look at any clear blue sky and smell the roses.
Perhaps the next generation, with a little financial stability, may aspire higher than mine.
Much as I tried to recall, I was not sure if I have read his earlier book: Driving over Lemons. Just maybe I did read it a few years ago and the book ended up in my cousin's private library. One day I will hunt for it in her piles of books ...
I really admire Chris' courage in chasing after his heart's desire. I may like watching a Flamingo dance and love to listen to a Flamengo music number. (Am not even sure I got the terms right!) But I would never dare to save up some money, then go to study it in Spain. Perhaps generations of poverty in Southern China had instilled in my genetic ties and blood lines that one has to be down to earth and practical in life.
Really, Chris did everything that would bring horror to my parents and fore bears, yet the beauty of it is he has obtained a way of life that many of us (my extended family members) would not dare to dream about in our wildest moments. Well, we count teachers, lecturers, bankers, engineers, advertising exec, accountants ... in my clan. All of us live in smog filled, traffic congested suburbs and hardly have much time to look at any clear blue sky and smell the roses.
Perhaps the next generation, with a little financial stability, may aspire higher than mine.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
(564) Chasing the Devil by Tim Butcher
I must admit my complete ignorance about all things African. Apart from one fellow college student of mine from Kenya (many, many years ago), I have had absolutely no contact with any African whatsoever since.
It was an eye opener for me to read about Sierra Leone and Liberia in this book. What little I knew about the occult (voodoo) came from my Jamaican friend from college days. Right through high school, little was taught about Africa. But I memorised lots about North America and Australia to pass public examinations. Neither do I know much about the history of these two countries except from an isolated article or two of Time magazine I picked up in a public library.
The author must have a love for the continent to want to walk through these war torn zones. I would never dream about even visiting such places. Not that I have no interest, but I would be too fearful to venture there.
The good folks from England must have good intentions when they established Sierra Leone as a place for freed slaves to return to. But I suppose good intentions are not enough. America had poured in tons of aids into Liberia apart from sending many freed slaves there. Yet the end result is pretty deplorable. For the present generation of citizens in these two countries, they could not help being born there.
My grandparents and parents have suffered at the hands of the Japanese occupiers during Second World War. My husband has spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as an exchange student. I have met with one or two of his host families when they visited my home town. They are wonderful people. I suppose it is easy for me to treat them as ordinary people, since no one in my extended family was killed by the Japanese soldiers.
Reading this book changed my views completely regarding how I feel about TV news coverage of war and unrest. What happened in these two countries would be far worse than what happened in Indo China. We have seen Vietnam rising up after years of war. Even Cambodia seemed to be doing better these few years when my friend went there to volunteer their services. Only time will tell if Sierra Leone and Liberia will rise up out of the ashes.
It was an eye opener for me to read about Sierra Leone and Liberia in this book. What little I knew about the occult (voodoo) came from my Jamaican friend from college days. Right through high school, little was taught about Africa. But I memorised lots about North America and Australia to pass public examinations. Neither do I know much about the history of these two countries except from an isolated article or two of Time magazine I picked up in a public library.
The author must have a love for the continent to want to walk through these war torn zones. I would never dream about even visiting such places. Not that I have no interest, but I would be too fearful to venture there.
The good folks from England must have good intentions when they established Sierra Leone as a place for freed slaves to return to. But I suppose good intentions are not enough. America had poured in tons of aids into Liberia apart from sending many freed slaves there. Yet the end result is pretty deplorable. For the present generation of citizens in these two countries, they could not help being born there.
My grandparents and parents have suffered at the hands of the Japanese occupiers during Second World War. My husband has spent a considerable amount of time in Japan as an exchange student. I have met with one or two of his host families when they visited my home town. They are wonderful people. I suppose it is easy for me to treat them as ordinary people, since no one in my extended family was killed by the Japanese soldiers.
Reading this book changed my views completely regarding how I feel about TV news coverage of war and unrest. What happened in these two countries would be far worse than what happened in Indo China. We have seen Vietnam rising up after years of war. Even Cambodia seemed to be doing better these few years when my friend went there to volunteer their services. Only time will tell if Sierra Leone and Liberia will rise up out of the ashes.
(563) Food?
Someone I know threw a cut lemon into the drinking water and expected the water to be drinkable 24 hours later. I suppose she was thinking of her mum using dried lemon to flavour plain water. Or maybe she could do that and get the expected result in her home country that is much cooler than the equatorial climate here.
Come to think of it, the preserved vegetables from China like salted vege and mui choy may be considered by nutritionist as non-food. But Kim Chi from Korea is good for health because of the enzymes it contains. My deceased grandma who was a peasant in southern China practically survived on preserved vegetables in the cold seasons many years ago. Now my brother and sister-in-law would not even touch such food with a ten foot pole. I actually have nothing against preserved food but since my poor health twenty years ago, I have been allergic to any food containing too much preservatives. There was not much choice for me apart from avoiding such food like plague.
From whole grain to white rice...from molasses to white refined sugar ... from fresh noodle to instant noodle ... some how we cannot escape from the changes brought by industrialization. Neither can we regain the activity level of the farmers in the by gone days as we sit in front of our computers in our air-conditioned offices or home.
Come to think of it, the preserved vegetables from China like salted vege and mui choy may be considered by nutritionist as non-food. But Kim Chi from Korea is good for health because of the enzymes it contains. My deceased grandma who was a peasant in southern China practically survived on preserved vegetables in the cold seasons many years ago. Now my brother and sister-in-law would not even touch such food with a ten foot pole. I actually have nothing against preserved food but since my poor health twenty years ago, I have been allergic to any food containing too much preservatives. There was not much choice for me apart from avoiding such food like plague.
From whole grain to white rice...from molasses to white refined sugar ... from fresh noodle to instant noodle ... some how we cannot escape from the changes brought by industrialization. Neither can we regain the activity level of the farmers in the by gone days as we sit in front of our computers in our air-conditioned offices or home.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
(562) Fruit from an earlier investment of time
I met up with a previous child I helped thirteen years ago. She is twenty five years old now. I am pleased to note that she chose to teach in a city with little or no help for special children. Although she could cross the border and teach in another city that would pay her more than twice what she is getting now, she felt strongly that her place is in her home town where those suffering children need her.
It is a wonderful feeling to see that a "gamble" I took years ago bore fruits. I visited her family and noted that she was being treated differently by her mum and siblings. As she lives a few hundred miles from me, there is little I could do for her. Her family is Mandarin speaking. I offered to take her home to teach her English. Actually the real aim is to change her reactions to the shabby treatment she received at home.
During the three weeks she was with me, I showered her with lots of attention and filled the days with new experience and fun. We went swimming, we took walks in the park, we visited libraries and shopping centres, we went to see shows, and she met many families we are close to. Whenever I was alone with her, I would talk and get her to open up and tell me things that bothered her.
The main thing that gave her a patient suffering look in her eyes was the fact that she was being treated as an unpaid work horse at home. While she was the eldest and had to help with chores from a very young age, all the younger ones tend to escape scot free. It took me quite a while for me to convince her that she was being well trained for life while her brothers and sisters are really being short changed. She was twelve and I explained that she may come out to work at age eighteen. By being compliant and obedient for another six years, she would at least not be beaten and sent to solitary confinement in her bedroom. I impressed upon her that education is her only way out of this domestic drudgery. She promised me that she would work hard in Mathematics and Chinese language, subjects she likes. I made sure she understood the need to pass other subjects too in order to get a presentable certificate for the job search after leaving high school.
She has been working in private kindergartens. Lately she was being promoted to become the Assistant Principal. She has found a loyal boy friend who supports her goals in life. She has even completed a Diploma related to her field of work. I congratulated her on all her achievements. She has come a long way from the waif who looked pitiful. The only thing that I could see her improve on is her relationship with her family members. Overall I told her that she out performed what I hoped for. For an eleven year old who had to bite her arm to remind herself which one is her right hand, she has done excellently.
It is a wonderful feeling to see that a "gamble" I took years ago bore fruits. I visited her family and noted that she was being treated differently by her mum and siblings. As she lives a few hundred miles from me, there is little I could do for her. Her family is Mandarin speaking. I offered to take her home to teach her English. Actually the real aim is to change her reactions to the shabby treatment she received at home.
During the three weeks she was with me, I showered her with lots of attention and filled the days with new experience and fun. We went swimming, we took walks in the park, we visited libraries and shopping centres, we went to see shows, and she met many families we are close to. Whenever I was alone with her, I would talk and get her to open up and tell me things that bothered her.
The main thing that gave her a patient suffering look in her eyes was the fact that she was being treated as an unpaid work horse at home. While she was the eldest and had to help with chores from a very young age, all the younger ones tend to escape scot free. It took me quite a while for me to convince her that she was being well trained for life while her brothers and sisters are really being short changed. She was twelve and I explained that she may come out to work at age eighteen. By being compliant and obedient for another six years, she would at least not be beaten and sent to solitary confinement in her bedroom. I impressed upon her that education is her only way out of this domestic drudgery. She promised me that she would work hard in Mathematics and Chinese language, subjects she likes. I made sure she understood the need to pass other subjects too in order to get a presentable certificate for the job search after leaving high school.
She has been working in private kindergartens. Lately she was being promoted to become the Assistant Principal. She has found a loyal boy friend who supports her goals in life. She has even completed a Diploma related to her field of work. I congratulated her on all her achievements. She has come a long way from the waif who looked pitiful. The only thing that I could see her improve on is her relationship with her family members. Overall I told her that she out performed what I hoped for. For an eleven year old who had to bite her arm to remind herself which one is her right hand, she has done excellently.
(561) Channeling water
Recently I watched a program in Discovery which showed in great details how water from the wet south is being channeled to the parched north in China.
It is a great and difficult engineering endeavor, the targeted completion date is 2014. I was awed by how miles of canals were dug, tunnels were made, pumping stations erected, and dams were employed. Each geographical section's Head were brought in front of the camera and in turn they told their own struggles with a slice of the mammoth project.
I was most impressed by the water purification project that involved many research students and their Professor. If aquatic plants and tidal species could reduce the level of pollutants to the minimum allowable levels of safe drinking water, there is yet hope for our future generations in this troubled earth.
It is a great and difficult engineering endeavor, the targeted completion date is 2014. I was awed by how miles of canals were dug, tunnels were made, pumping stations erected, and dams were employed. Each geographical section's Head were brought in front of the camera and in turn they told their own struggles with a slice of the mammoth project.
I was most impressed by the water purification project that involved many research students and their Professor. If aquatic plants and tidal species could reduce the level of pollutants to the minimum allowable levels of safe drinking water, there is yet hope for our future generations in this troubled earth.
Monday, November 7, 2011
(560) Ice-cream in the snow
One night during my first few months in America, I chatted with a dorm mate. Out of the blue she asked me if I wanted to do an ice-cream run with her. We were both walking back to our rooms from the bathrooms after brushing our teeth. Since I was ready to try new things, the idea sounded exciting.
I was prepared to get dressed again but she said we could put our winter jackets on top of our night gowns. After all we need not get down from her car. We were going to a drive by counter. And out we walked to the faraway car park through a foot of snow. We had fun scraping snow and ice from the wind screen. To her who came from New England, it was a matter of fact dealing with the winter elements. But that was a brand new experience for me from the tropics.
She had a brand new sports car. It was a bright yellow two seater. That was mind boggling for me who came from a family who did not own a family car. Among her set of friends from private school, it was no big deal being given a new sporty model for going to college. She laughed it off by saying her old man could not be outdone by his contemporaries.
We chatted and giggled through licking the icy cones. Some how she was able to drive with one hand. From my limited experience of being a front seat passenger, she was a good driver who did not cause my heart to beat any faster in fear. As I thank her for the treat, she jokingly said that someday I would be able to tell my grandchildren about one crazy American girl who took me for an ice-cream while it was snowing at night. That was many years ago! I do have children in their twenties, but I am no where near the point of having any grand children yet.
I was prepared to get dressed again but she said we could put our winter jackets on top of our night gowns. After all we need not get down from her car. We were going to a drive by counter. And out we walked to the faraway car park through a foot of snow. We had fun scraping snow and ice from the wind screen. To her who came from New England, it was a matter of fact dealing with the winter elements. But that was a brand new experience for me from the tropics.
She had a brand new sports car. It was a bright yellow two seater. That was mind boggling for me who came from a family who did not own a family car. Among her set of friends from private school, it was no big deal being given a new sporty model for going to college. She laughed it off by saying her old man could not be outdone by his contemporaries.
We chatted and giggled through licking the icy cones. Some how she was able to drive with one hand. From my limited experience of being a front seat passenger, she was a good driver who did not cause my heart to beat any faster in fear. As I thank her for the treat, she jokingly said that someday I would be able to tell my grandchildren about one crazy American girl who took me for an ice-cream while it was snowing at night. That was many years ago! I do have children in their twenties, but I am no where near the point of having any grand children yet.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)