The other day I watched TV with my niece and caught one documentary. My niece loves all programs Korean. She went to Korea on a package tour with her family and the following year went to another part of the country with her own savings.
In that program, we followed the lives of 8 Vietnamese young ladies who went to Korea to marry their husbands. Among the 8, I remember one supermarket cashier, 2 restaurant workers, one farm assistant and one or two homemakers. It was quoted that for the past few years, an average of 7,000 over Vietnamese single ladies went to be married to Korean men.
I can't help but wonder, if so many women left Vietnam to get married to foreigners, would that mean that Vietnamese men have to seek wives from Laos or Cambodia? Well, perhaps in a stable society in my country, I see more unmarried women than men, especially from age 35 to 50. Let us say that mutual friends match make, a few of them get married to farmers in outback Australia or some lonely bachelors in Calgary, Canada. Such social "tampering" would not change the demographics much here.
But imagine that in a Vietnamese village of 5000 population, we have 80 girls who chose to marry some far off Koreans; suddenly there is a shortage of marriageable age women. Would that mean that some men remain single longer? Or widows get good marriage offers? Or maybe some men might end up marrying women a few years older than them? Would it simply mean that single men have to court women a few villages away?
Thursday, November 22, 2012
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
(121) Death by Overdose
A few afternoons ago I caught a program in CNN by the Chief Medical Correspondent. Apparently every 19 minutes there is a death somewhere in the US by prescription drug overdose. This cause of death exceeded death by cancer. It is common for even a young and healthy man to take some pain medicine in excess of what the doctor prescribed and then take a few beers. He then went to sleep and breathing stopped.
Even though the drugs taken were legitimate, they were opiates in origin. When pain medicine was taken together with tranquilizer, drug interaction would double or triple the effect each drug has on slowing down breathing. What happened would then not be too different from heroine overdose. These people has no intention of killing themselves. They were just guilty of "stacking" drugs and maybe mixing drug with alcohol. For instance, they were used to taken two painkillers every four hourly to control back pain. Maybe when they were under stress, they also were used to taking one tranquilizer to go to sleep. Now supposing one evening they were in acute pain, they popped in four painkillers and then decided to take a tranquilizer to sleep early. Before the pills were swallowed, they had two beers before dinner. As they lie down, the cocktail were mixing in the blood stream. Respiration slowed. The heart pumped slower. Breathing became shallow. Gradually it stopped. It was painless. The person was either unconscious or asleep.
Looking back, I did notice that in most American households I visited about thirty years ago there were many bottles of drugs in each bathroom cabinet. The people who hosted me were generally healthy and vibrant. It therefore would not be too far fetch to believe that USA uses 80% of all prescription painkillers worldwide now.
Even though the drugs taken were legitimate, they were opiates in origin. When pain medicine was taken together with tranquilizer, drug interaction would double or triple the effect each drug has on slowing down breathing. What happened would then not be too different from heroine overdose. These people has no intention of killing themselves. They were just guilty of "stacking" drugs and maybe mixing drug with alcohol. For instance, they were used to taken two painkillers every four hourly to control back pain. Maybe when they were under stress, they also were used to taking one tranquilizer to go to sleep. Now supposing one evening they were in acute pain, they popped in four painkillers and then decided to take a tranquilizer to sleep early. Before the pills were swallowed, they had two beers before dinner. As they lie down, the cocktail were mixing in the blood stream. Respiration slowed. The heart pumped slower. Breathing became shallow. Gradually it stopped. It was painless. The person was either unconscious or asleep.
Looking back, I did notice that in most American households I visited about thirty years ago there were many bottles of drugs in each bathroom cabinet. The people who hosted me were generally healthy and vibrant. It therefore would not be too far fetch to believe that USA uses 80% of all prescription painkillers worldwide now.
(120) Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
An abridged version of Jane Eyre was used as my literature text in Grade 8. Now that Elizabeth is collecting the classics using her pocket money, I read the original book for the first time.
I agree with Joyce Carol Oates, who wrote the introduction, that in having Jane marry Rochester is a triumph for the service class. Most novels written before that time championed marriage between people of the same class or with money. To be valued for brains, character, personality traits and not fortune ushered in a new era.
It is interesting that even in those days, orphans were brought up with education and not trade training. Yet for someone like Jane, without a teaching post or a governess placement, she was worse off than a lady's maid.
I agree with Joyce Carol Oates, who wrote the introduction, that in having Jane marry Rochester is a triumph for the service class. Most novels written before that time championed marriage between people of the same class or with money. To be valued for brains, character, personality traits and not fortune ushered in a new era.
It is interesting that even in those days, orphans were brought up with education and not trade training. Yet for someone like Jane, without a teaching post or a governess placement, she was worse off than a lady's maid.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
(119) Home sweet home
I am back to the land of 56% obese people by medical charts. Well! One glaring difference I can see is that there are too many fast food places here. In Danang and Hoy An, they have yet to have one McDonald!
A second difference is the mode of transportation, here we only see foreign workers cycling while in Danang those who could not afford motorcycle still bike around. Thirdly, people in the Danang-Hoy An area sleep early, by ten most houses are dark. Here, we see streams of vehicles running in the highways and the byways way past midnight.
Of course we could vote for the most livable place on earth, but could we really choose a better spot and be able to really move and settle there just like that? Perhaps when one is a billionaire? Quite a few of those rare breed moved to Singapore and jacked up their per-capita income. A friend of mine who have ties in the island nation said that such astronomical wealth did not add any benefits to the have nots in the streets of the island. The high exchange rate is the main reason that I have not visited Singapore for years even though it is the nearest foreign country to me.
A second difference is the mode of transportation, here we only see foreign workers cycling while in Danang those who could not afford motorcycle still bike around. Thirdly, people in the Danang-Hoy An area sleep early, by ten most houses are dark. Here, we see streams of vehicles running in the highways and the byways way past midnight.
Of course we could vote for the most livable place on earth, but could we really choose a better spot and be able to really move and settle there just like that? Perhaps when one is a billionaire? Quite a few of those rare breed moved to Singapore and jacked up their per-capita income. A friend of mine who have ties in the island nation said that such astronomical wealth did not add any benefits to the have nots in the streets of the island. The high exchange rate is the main reason that I have not visited Singapore for years even though it is the nearest foreign country to me.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
(117) Comparative sizes
I am currently in Danang, Vietnam. This is my first visit to this country. The first striking thing I noticed is the slimness of Vietnamese in general. When I visited Thailand in 2000, what I saw was the contrast between the thinness of women below 20s and the heaviness of older women. After a few visits, I realized the contrast was brought on by they way they added sugar to their regular diet. Once a woman gets married and have children, her slowed metabolic rate could not burn the excess sugar taken on a daily basis.
While I was petite as a foreign student in USA. Now I am grossly over weight in Vietnam. Interestingly I have only gained 15 pounds in the interim period. Girls my height here have impossibly small bone frames. According to our tour guide, Vietnamese were incredibly poor ten years ago. Most families could not even afford night lights. What they did make aplenty were babies. He came from a family of twelve children. Now the government only allowed two children per family. There is of course enough for everyone to eat in the country now as the country is opened to investors.
What I found difficult to believe is that couples who hardly had enough to eat ten or fifteen years ago could produce a baby each a year and most of them did grow up! What about malnutrition? Childhood illnesses? Childbirth complications?
While I was petite as a foreign student in USA. Now I am grossly over weight in Vietnam. Interestingly I have only gained 15 pounds in the interim period. Girls my height here have impossibly small bone frames. According to our tour guide, Vietnamese were incredibly poor ten years ago. Most families could not even afford night lights. What they did make aplenty were babies. He came from a family of twelve children. Now the government only allowed two children per family. There is of course enough for everyone to eat in the country now as the country is opened to investors.
What I found difficult to believe is that couples who hardly had enough to eat ten or fifteen years ago could produce a baby each a year and most of them did grow up! What about malnutrition? Childhood illnesses? Childbirth complications?
(116) Persimmon leaves for relieving gas
Just the other day my husband bought ten persimmons on behalf of an associate. Quite a few missionary on furloughs came for the meeting.
The persimmons were orange in color and they were crunchy. For our missionaries in remote desert area, faraway Pacific islands, and generally small villages with only helicopter transportation; they were a rare and delicious treat. Each persimmon costs 1 local dollar.
One of our missionary to an East Asian country said the if we collect, wash and dry the four pieces of leaves; they make excellent medicine for relieving stomach gas. All one needs to do is to boil let's say fifty leaves in water on a small fire for about an hour. The semi-cooled medicine should be drunk. If one dose could not cure the problem, the next day repeat the procedure with another bunch of persimmon leaves.
Folk medicine is very important for missionaries who live in the inaccessible places with hardly any medical service.
The persimmons were orange in color and they were crunchy. For our missionaries in remote desert area, faraway Pacific islands, and generally small villages with only helicopter transportation; they were a rare and delicious treat. Each persimmon costs 1 local dollar.
One of our missionary to an East Asian country said the if we collect, wash and dry the four pieces of leaves; they make excellent medicine for relieving stomach gas. All one needs to do is to boil let's say fifty leaves in water on a small fire for about an hour. The semi-cooled medicine should be drunk. If one dose could not cure the problem, the next day repeat the procedure with another bunch of persimmon leaves.
Folk medicine is very important for missionaries who live in the inaccessible places with hardly any medical service.
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
(114) Set between two hard places
Right before the US election, one of my husband's friends switched all his unit trust investment to US shares. He fervently believed that Romney would win, and that would cause US share prices to go up. Sad to say, when votes were being counted and Obama gained enough majority, he quickly sold and switched to local shares. In these two switches, he lost money.
Well, we gain sometimes and we lose sometimes! But on a lighter note, it must have been hard for the man or woman in the street to choose between a man suspected to be Muslim and a Mormon. Talking about between the fire and the frying pan!
Well, we gain sometimes and we lose sometimes! But on a lighter note, it must have been hard for the man or woman in the street to choose between a man suspected to be Muslim and a Mormon. Talking about between the fire and the frying pan!
(113) An Interesting Lecture
I just came back from a public lecture by Christina Lagarde, the MD of IMF. This is the second time I went to our national institution equivalent to the US Federal Reserve.
She was articulate and very easy to understand. If English was her second language, she must be a fantastic speaker in her mother tongue. Throughout her lecture, I have been listening not only for content but for pronunciation(after all, I have taught English for many years). So far I only detected one "mistake", she pronounced "multi" differently from most news readers.
For my American readers, she said that your country would have to tend to your fiscal cliff and deficit ceiling soon. If not, the projected 2% growth in your nation could be cancelled by the inaction of policy makers. We all know that 0 growth would mean stagnation and that is not good for any country.
My own country fared a little better, but with a 53% of debt to GNP ratio; we are not exactly in the pink of health. Once any nation hit the "magic" number of 60%, things could go out of control and not respond easily to remedy.
She was articulate and very easy to understand. If English was her second language, she must be a fantastic speaker in her mother tongue. Throughout her lecture, I have been listening not only for content but for pronunciation(after all, I have taught English for many years). So far I only detected one "mistake", she pronounced "multi" differently from most news readers.
For my American readers, she said that your country would have to tend to your fiscal cliff and deficit ceiling soon. If not, the projected 2% growth in your nation could be cancelled by the inaction of policy makers. We all know that 0 growth would mean stagnation and that is not good for any country.
My own country fared a little better, but with a 53% of debt to GNP ratio; we are not exactly in the pink of health. Once any nation hit the "magic" number of 60%, things could go out of control and not respond easily to remedy.
(112) this book will save your life by a.m.homes
My niece bought this book as a teenager. I read it once many years ago. Until recently, I thought of it as a rather unusual book.
A week back, I decided to read it once more. This time, I have plenty of time for reflection. After all, the last of my chicks has flown away. I begin to see the purpose for Homes to write this book. Personally speaking, I am the exact opposite of Richard Novak. He had millions, I have a few hundreds in my bank account so the bank cannot charge me for service. Any extra I lavished on my children, I gave to missions. He lived in an expensive hill top house, I live in my tiny house in a cheap part of town. He chose to leave his wife and son, I hung onto my husband and children. He was totally independent, I am totally dependent on my husband now and I will be dependent on my children if I live longer than my husband.
Yet I see his dilemma: What is the point of gaining the world (much wealth) but losing your very soul?
A week back, I decided to read it once more. This time, I have plenty of time for reflection. After all, the last of my chicks has flown away. I begin to see the purpose for Homes to write this book. Personally speaking, I am the exact opposite of Richard Novak. He had millions, I have a few hundreds in my bank account so the bank cannot charge me for service. Any extra I lavished on my children, I gave to missions. He lived in an expensive hill top house, I live in my tiny house in a cheap part of town. He chose to leave his wife and son, I hung onto my husband and children. He was totally independent, I am totally dependent on my husband now and I will be dependent on my children if I live longer than my husband.
Yet I see his dilemma: What is the point of gaining the world (much wealth) but losing your very soul?
(111) Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen
My daughter Elizabeth is going through a phase of reading the classics. Hence I benefit from the books she borrowed from the university library.
For a long time now, I have been rereading books like Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma. Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors. However, I have never had a chance of seeing even a copy of Northanger Abbey until this week.
My goodness, what if Henry Tilney was as bad as his father? It would be horrible to have Catherine Morland go back to her parents' home and stay there year after year as a spinster! Well, at this point you will probably think I am a hopeless romantic! In real life, I am more hard boiled than romantic. But I would like all the books I read to have happy endings. Same with movies! Life is already hard. Why look for more hard luck in fiction? If I were to pay for any book or movie, I want to be entertained. Even when I have the choice of what books to borrow, I would choose happy books if I could.
I am very glad that this is 2012, my daughters could choose to be single and earn decent livings.
For a long time now, I have been rereading books like Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility and Emma. Jane Austen is one of my favorite authors. However, I have never had a chance of seeing even a copy of Northanger Abbey until this week.
My goodness, what if Henry Tilney was as bad as his father? It would be horrible to have Catherine Morland go back to her parents' home and stay there year after year as a spinster! Well, at this point you will probably think I am a hopeless romantic! In real life, I am more hard boiled than romantic. But I would like all the books I read to have happy endings. Same with movies! Life is already hard. Why look for more hard luck in fiction? If I were to pay for any book or movie, I want to be entertained. Even when I have the choice of what books to borrow, I would choose happy books if I could.
I am very glad that this is 2012, my daughters could choose to be single and earn decent livings.
(108) Raping a foreigner
A day ago I heard on the radio that an Indonesian woman was raped by three local policeman in a Penang Police Station.
I was shocked! If the guardians of the Law were rapists, what chance do we have in this nation? The poor woman took a taxi in the morning, these fiends trailed the taxi and forced it to stop. The police hand-cuffed and intimidated the driver into submission. Later they released him and took the woman into "custody". Apparently when the taxi driver and the victim called a press conference with the help of an elected official, ten citizens came forward to confirm they witnessed the "kidnapping".
What were the three thinking when they decided to do the unthinkable? Did they really believe that they were above the Law? Did they really believe that the taxi driver and the witnesses were so afraid that they would keep quiet? If these eleven were to keep quiet, I suppose these policemen could go on and act like the Nazis with impunity!
This tragedy brought to mind what I witnessed in a nearby eatery. I went to an Indonesian shop to buy fried rice one morning at 11:30 am. As one waitress was packing my food, two policemen in plain clothes came in and arrested one worker with no work permit. The waitress serving me hurriedly took my money and departed. She ran upstairs to call the owner, who is another Indonesian woman. The owner came down and called the husband of the helper who was arrested. According to her, once the husband appeared and pay a fine which bore no receipt, the wife would be released. They dared not let her be in custody for too long in case she gets raped. At that time, I took the comment with a big pinch of salt. Now, I realized that the owner did not exaggerate at all!
I was shocked! If the guardians of the Law were rapists, what chance do we have in this nation? The poor woman took a taxi in the morning, these fiends trailed the taxi and forced it to stop. The police hand-cuffed and intimidated the driver into submission. Later they released him and took the woman into "custody". Apparently when the taxi driver and the victim called a press conference with the help of an elected official, ten citizens came forward to confirm they witnessed the "kidnapping".
What were the three thinking when they decided to do the unthinkable? Did they really believe that they were above the Law? Did they really believe that the taxi driver and the witnesses were so afraid that they would keep quiet? If these eleven were to keep quiet, I suppose these policemen could go on and act like the Nazis with impunity!
This tragedy brought to mind what I witnessed in a nearby eatery. I went to an Indonesian shop to buy fried rice one morning at 11:30 am. As one waitress was packing my food, two policemen in plain clothes came in and arrested one worker with no work permit. The waitress serving me hurriedly took my money and departed. She ran upstairs to call the owner, who is another Indonesian woman. The owner came down and called the husband of the helper who was arrested. According to her, once the husband appeared and pay a fine which bore no receipt, the wife would be released. They dared not let her be in custody for too long in case she gets raped. At that time, I took the comment with a big pinch of salt. Now, I realized that the owner did not exaggerate at all!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
(107) Being angry on another's behalf
I have a friend whom I was walking with through a rough patch in her life. Let us call her Patsy here. Just as Patsy was 90% recovered, she stopped attending church. I sat and collected reams of information, but none of the many things she mentioned really sounded like the last straw that broke the camel's back.
Until one evening she invited my husband and I to dinner, I was still wondering why she was no longer making any attempt to attend church. Sure, I know she was tired. Other times she was unwell. Yet there were weekends that she had to go back to the office. All these did not account for the fact that I have probably seen her once in three months in church.
She told my husband and I how her former pastor had a full blown affair with a leader's wife. When the secret blown open, the church split. Those who found forgiveness in their hearts stayed on. The Pastor repented. Patsy left with a horde of disillusioned folks, some stopped attending any church but Patsy went on to join another church.
Recently, her sister came back from a mission trip led by her Senior Pastor.(her sister attends a different church) S. Pastor's wife did not go, but her God daughter did. Throughout the journey, S. Pastor and the so called "God daughter" were blatantly flirting. Patsy's sister was so disgusted that she would not go to another such mission trip again.
The conversation went on to how Patsy wondered about whether her Pastor allowed personal dislike to dictate whether he supported (if Pastor says no, the church won't support) a young person to mission training. Patsy heard that her church did not come out with a single dollar when this young lady applied and attended a six month discovery program for mission. Interestingly, most of the cost was borne by her pre-Christian relatives.
Patsy recalled that prior to all these, she was in church and witnessed Pastor talking to a group of youth. Her Pastor was quite a joker, laughter followed him wherever he went. He has a funny habit of saying "You know? " in between ideas, pronounced the American way. Apparently the young lady in question imitated him and said "You know?" right after some thought and he said "I don't know!" rather emphatically showing his displeasure in no uncertain terms. I was not there, therefore I can't tell if this young girl was mirroring or ridiculing him at that instance. I suppose such a youth who dared to ridicule the Pastor deserve whatever he dished out as repercussion. But what if she was mirroring as a high form of admiration? Wouldn't this Pastor be reacting to something not intended as rudeness?
Well, no pastors are perfect. We are all forgiven sinners, those of us who are found in any church on Sundays. If we look for a perfect church, there is none on earth. Similarly we cannot find a single perfect pastor. We go to church because we believe in a Perfect God.
Until one evening she invited my husband and I to dinner, I was still wondering why she was no longer making any attempt to attend church. Sure, I know she was tired. Other times she was unwell. Yet there were weekends that she had to go back to the office. All these did not account for the fact that I have probably seen her once in three months in church.
She told my husband and I how her former pastor had a full blown affair with a leader's wife. When the secret blown open, the church split. Those who found forgiveness in their hearts stayed on. The Pastor repented. Patsy left with a horde of disillusioned folks, some stopped attending any church but Patsy went on to join another church.
Recently, her sister came back from a mission trip led by her Senior Pastor.(her sister attends a different church) S. Pastor's wife did not go, but her God daughter did. Throughout the journey, S. Pastor and the so called "God daughter" were blatantly flirting. Patsy's sister was so disgusted that she would not go to another such mission trip again.
The conversation went on to how Patsy wondered about whether her Pastor allowed personal dislike to dictate whether he supported (if Pastor says no, the church won't support) a young person to mission training. Patsy heard that her church did not come out with a single dollar when this young lady applied and attended a six month discovery program for mission. Interestingly, most of the cost was borne by her pre-Christian relatives.
Patsy recalled that prior to all these, she was in church and witnessed Pastor talking to a group of youth. Her Pastor was quite a joker, laughter followed him wherever he went. He has a funny habit of saying "You know? " in between ideas, pronounced the American way. Apparently the young lady in question imitated him and said "You know?" right after some thought and he said "I don't know!" rather emphatically showing his displeasure in no uncertain terms. I was not there, therefore I can't tell if this young girl was mirroring or ridiculing him at that instance. I suppose such a youth who dared to ridicule the Pastor deserve whatever he dished out as repercussion. But what if she was mirroring as a high form of admiration? Wouldn't this Pastor be reacting to something not intended as rudeness?
Well, no pastors are perfect. We are all forgiven sinners, those of us who are found in any church on Sundays. If we look for a perfect church, there is none on earth. Similarly we cannot find a single perfect pastor. We go to church because we believe in a Perfect God.
Friday, November 9, 2012
(106) Curfew
When my eldest left home to further his studies, I was more concerned that he made good friends in the capital. I did not give him any rules about when to return to his hostel. After all, he was so quiet and homey that he hardly went out throughout his teenage years.
When we located a mattress that was in fairly good shape that one friend of mine would like to give to Kenneth, his father found one friend who agreed to loan us his van for transporting the item to Ken's hostel. I remember calling him hourly from five pm to one am on a Friday night. He did not answer. The next day, we drove to his hostel armed with the phone number of his resident head just in case he was not there to let us into his room. He was there, sleeping after a late night. I was really more taken aback than upset that he was out "teh-tarik" until 2 am the previous night and he forgot to take his hand phone with him. (it is a local beverage of red tea+milk+sugar, hot but being poured from one container to another to add air bubbles to the mixture to make smooth the texture)
Now that my youngest is in university second year, I am still enforcing a curfew of 12 midnight (been doing that since she was 15). Well! She is totally different from her brother. If the week-end is made up of three days, she would be out three days in a row. Should she promise to return by X hour, nine times out of ten she would return at least fifteen minutes after the aforementioned hour. If she is Cinderella, she would stand much chance of being turned into a pumpkin if she return past the appointed hour. If we were to argue nature versus nurture, I suppose nature would account for the opposite temperaments. The kind of friends they attract would account for the disparage amount of activities between the two. Yet they came from the same set of parents.
When we located a mattress that was in fairly good shape that one friend of mine would like to give to Kenneth, his father found one friend who agreed to loan us his van for transporting the item to Ken's hostel. I remember calling him hourly from five pm to one am on a Friday night. He did not answer. The next day, we drove to his hostel armed with the phone number of his resident head just in case he was not there to let us into his room. He was there, sleeping after a late night. I was really more taken aback than upset that he was out "teh-tarik" until 2 am the previous night and he forgot to take his hand phone with him. (it is a local beverage of red tea+milk+sugar, hot but being poured from one container to another to add air bubbles to the mixture to make smooth the texture)
Now that my youngest is in university second year, I am still enforcing a curfew of 12 midnight (been doing that since she was 15). Well! She is totally different from her brother. If the week-end is made up of three days, she would be out three days in a row. Should she promise to return by X hour, nine times out of ten she would return at least fifteen minutes after the aforementioned hour. If she is Cinderella, she would stand much chance of being turned into a pumpkin if she return past the appointed hour. If we were to argue nature versus nurture, I suppose nature would account for the opposite temperaments. The kind of friends they attract would account for the disparage amount of activities between the two. Yet they came from the same set of parents.
Thursday, November 8, 2012
(105) Bullies became friends
Recently I read that a fourteen year old boy was beaten by two school mates(both male) to death in a bus stop. According to the columnist who commented on the tragedy, it was a case of bullying carried to excess. The deceased was the only son of his parents, he was being picked on because "he walked funny".
This piece of news brought to mind Kenneth's(my eldest son) brush with two bullies when they were nine years old. At that age, Kenneth was over weight and rather shy. He came home complaining that his two classmates took his water bottle and forced him to run after them while they threw the container one to the other. I am normally optimistic, while not agreeing to giving him extra money for drinks( thus dispensing with bringing plain drinking water); I did allow him to start using a disposable mineral bottle.
A week later, they did the same with an exercise book that Kenneth had to hand up after recess. While I still thought positively that they were trying to rouse Kenneth to play with them, I set about preparing goodies for him to bring to school. I baked some scrumptious short bread and packed extra, encouraging Kenneth to share with his friends, including those two playful boys who gave him a hard time. Kenneth returned with an empty food container and told me that one of those boys took some pieces of short bread but the other refused. Other classmates finished the lot.
The next day, I took the trouble to drive out of my way to buy a loaf of delicious banana bread. I cut a third of it into bite size and packed them attractively into two disposable containers. My instruction was for Kenneth to eat from one while offering the other to the friend who enjoyed the short cake. At the end of the day, Kenneth came back reporting that his friend took the small container and persuaded the other to try one piece. Quite a few of his classmates came over to help them finish the rest.
Thereafter, I would either prepare or buy some goodies or others at least once a week and let Kenneth take more than he needed to school. In this case, those two boys became his friends eventually. For it is difficult to have children partake treats from another and continue to be mean to him. Many years have passed, Kenneth found out from Facebook that the boy who ate his short bread will be a qualified medical doctor next year.
This piece of news brought to mind Kenneth's(my eldest son) brush with two bullies when they were nine years old. At that age, Kenneth was over weight and rather shy. He came home complaining that his two classmates took his water bottle and forced him to run after them while they threw the container one to the other. I am normally optimistic, while not agreeing to giving him extra money for drinks( thus dispensing with bringing plain drinking water); I did allow him to start using a disposable mineral bottle.
A week later, they did the same with an exercise book that Kenneth had to hand up after recess. While I still thought positively that they were trying to rouse Kenneth to play with them, I set about preparing goodies for him to bring to school. I baked some scrumptious short bread and packed extra, encouraging Kenneth to share with his friends, including those two playful boys who gave him a hard time. Kenneth returned with an empty food container and told me that one of those boys took some pieces of short bread but the other refused. Other classmates finished the lot.
The next day, I took the trouble to drive out of my way to buy a loaf of delicious banana bread. I cut a third of it into bite size and packed them attractively into two disposable containers. My instruction was for Kenneth to eat from one while offering the other to the friend who enjoyed the short cake. At the end of the day, Kenneth came back reporting that his friend took the small container and persuaded the other to try one piece. Quite a few of his classmates came over to help them finish the rest.
Thereafter, I would either prepare or buy some goodies or others at least once a week and let Kenneth take more than he needed to school. In this case, those two boys became his friends eventually. For it is difficult to have children partake treats from another and continue to be mean to him. Many years have passed, Kenneth found out from Facebook that the boy who ate his short bread will be a qualified medical doctor next year.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
(104) The Fourth Estate by Jeffrey Archer
This story reminded me a lot about Kane and Abel by the same author. While in Kane and Abel we have a hotelier bearing animosity against a banker. In The Fourth Estate we have two communications moguls fighting in business with each other.
True to form, this type of male aggression seemed to play out until the death of one party. In the "war" between Kane and Abel, only the banker's death ended the ill feelings. But in the territorial war between Armstrong and Townsend, it ended with Armstrong's suicide. Both were willing to gamble, to take great risk for tremendous gain.
The closest in life I have come to so far in life to this type of animosity is the disagreement between two Chinese men. One man was educated by the British and he was big on keeping his promise. He was also very adamant that any gentleman should not go back on his word. The other man was related to the first by marriage. The first man was poor while the second was rich. Under a certain set of circumstances, the rich man promised the poor man's wife something. But by the time the rich man realized what the promise implicated in terms of dollars and cents, he changed his mind.
The poor man held the rich man by the promise that came out of the latter's mouth. As long as the latter refused to keep to his verbal promise, the former refused to talk to nor acknowledge the former. This became difficult when there were family occasions, if A turned up, B would not be there. Whereas if B turned up, A would walk off. Now that the poor man passed away, the stand off ended.
True to form, this type of male aggression seemed to play out until the death of one party. In the "war" between Kane and Abel, only the banker's death ended the ill feelings. But in the territorial war between Armstrong and Townsend, it ended with Armstrong's suicide. Both were willing to gamble, to take great risk for tremendous gain.
The closest in life I have come to so far in life to this type of animosity is the disagreement between two Chinese men. One man was educated by the British and he was big on keeping his promise. He was also very adamant that any gentleman should not go back on his word. The other man was related to the first by marriage. The first man was poor while the second was rich. Under a certain set of circumstances, the rich man promised the poor man's wife something. But by the time the rich man realized what the promise implicated in terms of dollars and cents, he changed his mind.
The poor man held the rich man by the promise that came out of the latter's mouth. As long as the latter refused to keep to his verbal promise, the former refused to talk to nor acknowledge the former. This became difficult when there were family occasions, if A turned up, B would not be there. Whereas if B turned up, A would walk off. Now that the poor man passed away, the stand off ended.
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
(103)The Careful Use of Compliments by Alexander McCall Smith
Although this is the first time I read about applied ethics and a Ph.D. holder who edited a magazine on Philosophy, it has been a rather pleasant experience!
When I moved to the part that Isabel admitted to her lover that she owned eleven million pounds of assets in America, my thoughts strayed to two women I have the privilege of knowing.
The first one inherited serious wealth when her father passed on. She was still in her mid-twenties, but she has always had her head screwed on right. Wealth did not change her much, she was still frugal and refused to touch even a cent of the interest her inheritance generated.
It became a matter of contention between her and the rest of her immediate family. If only she would loosen her tight grasp on the dough, say let ten percent of the interest be enjoyed by her husband and her four children; I dare say she would have a happier family life.
My second friend inherited millions in her fiftieth year. She has been well-to-do all along, being married to a husband who provides aplenty. Being generous with friends on food, my family and I have enjoyed her hospitality for many years. Those millions did not change her. It gives her a push to prove to herself capable at investing and generating more money. She is currently more focused than all the previous years I have known her.
Isabel is happier with her life that money enables her to lead compared to my two friends. My first friend is unhappy that for the last few years she could not add any of her earnings to her amassed wealth. My second friend has just begun to gauge her self-worth by the measure of the earning ratio of her investment. Wealth is a good servant, but a rather exacting master!!
When I moved to the part that Isabel admitted to her lover that she owned eleven million pounds of assets in America, my thoughts strayed to two women I have the privilege of knowing.
The first one inherited serious wealth when her father passed on. She was still in her mid-twenties, but she has always had her head screwed on right. Wealth did not change her much, she was still frugal and refused to touch even a cent of the interest her inheritance generated.
It became a matter of contention between her and the rest of her immediate family. If only she would loosen her tight grasp on the dough, say let ten percent of the interest be enjoyed by her husband and her four children; I dare say she would have a happier family life.
My second friend inherited millions in her fiftieth year. She has been well-to-do all along, being married to a husband who provides aplenty. Being generous with friends on food, my family and I have enjoyed her hospitality for many years. Those millions did not change her. It gives her a push to prove to herself capable at investing and generating more money. She is currently more focused than all the previous years I have known her.
Isabel is happier with her life that money enables her to lead compared to my two friends. My first friend is unhappy that for the last few years she could not add any of her earnings to her amassed wealth. My second friend has just begun to gauge her self-worth by the measure of the earning ratio of her investment. Wealth is a good servant, but a rather exacting master!!
Sunday, November 4, 2012
(102) East met West
My last blog, Feeding Station, seemed to have been received well. Let me continue, the gentleman who has been such a blessing to the needy in Penang went on to tour Thailand and he landed in a hostel for poor hill tribe children in Chiangrai state.
This orphanage or hostel was founded on faith, people and Christian organisations from many parts of the world donated funding to feed and educate the children of minorities who otherwise would not receive any education. Our friend met a Thai widow there and to cut a long story short, they were married and worked in this place where abandoned children find hope and future.
Well, the East is still the East while the West remains the West. I stepped into a rather volatile situation where the East and the West clashed. Since I am an Asian who speak English, I was asked by both sides to speak to the other. After listening to the long and short of it, I came to the conclusion that the Thais were expecting the white man to behave like a Thai since he has been there for quite a while (in their opinion). However, nobody could change his culture in such a short time (as far as I know). The white man obviously was behaving like a sincere crusader but no one appreciated that.
For a while I believed both parties were right in their own ways. Yet I know that if there was conflict both parties must be wrong too. After praying for wisdom and a persuasive tongue, I ventured to try to be a peace-maker. After assuring the hosts that they did have a right to set down some basic rules for the guests, I explained that once a Thai lady married a white man, she should step into his culture. That would most easily be accomplished when she follows her husband to his country. Therefore, the hostel should release her so that she could be with her husband in his own country (she was a staff member prior to marriage).
For the newly wed, I explained that they need to start anew. After all, she has not gone over to meet his family at that point. Why not take her over to Australia, let her stay long enough to get her permanent residency. After that, if they so feel called, they could always return to Thailand and start their own work in any way they see fit.
The day after I provided a solution and talked to both parties, I could sense relief and the very worked up people relaxing. My friend, the Thai lady, was really excited about her forthcoming trip to Australia. The hosts, which was made up of many families serving in the community, were most pleased about their white guest willing to leave for a few months. As my white friend worked out the finance side, his wife said that she would be more than willing to work in his home town at any jobs she could find. Hence everyone was focusing on how to help the couple make the trip. Conflict flew out of the window, truce was declared and the atmosphere really improved. They did leave for Australia in a few months' time and stayed on there.
This orphanage or hostel was founded on faith, people and Christian organisations from many parts of the world donated funding to feed and educate the children of minorities who otherwise would not receive any education. Our friend met a Thai widow there and to cut a long story short, they were married and worked in this place where abandoned children find hope and future.
Well, the East is still the East while the West remains the West. I stepped into a rather volatile situation where the East and the West clashed. Since I am an Asian who speak English, I was asked by both sides to speak to the other. After listening to the long and short of it, I came to the conclusion that the Thais were expecting the white man to behave like a Thai since he has been there for quite a while (in their opinion). However, nobody could change his culture in such a short time (as far as I know). The white man obviously was behaving like a sincere crusader but no one appreciated that.
For a while I believed both parties were right in their own ways. Yet I know that if there was conflict both parties must be wrong too. After praying for wisdom and a persuasive tongue, I ventured to try to be a peace-maker. After assuring the hosts that they did have a right to set down some basic rules for the guests, I explained that once a Thai lady married a white man, she should step into his culture. That would most easily be accomplished when she follows her husband to his country. Therefore, the hostel should release her so that she could be with her husband in his own country (she was a staff member prior to marriage).
For the newly wed, I explained that they need to start anew. After all, she has not gone over to meet his family at that point. Why not take her over to Australia, let her stay long enough to get her permanent residency. After that, if they so feel called, they could always return to Thailand and start their own work in any way they see fit.
The day after I provided a solution and talked to both parties, I could sense relief and the very worked up people relaxing. My friend, the Thai lady, was really excited about her forthcoming trip to Australia. The hosts, which was made up of many families serving in the community, were most pleased about their white guest willing to leave for a few months. As my white friend worked out the finance side, his wife said that she would be more than willing to work in his home town at any jobs she could find. Hence everyone was focusing on how to help the couple make the trip. Conflict flew out of the window, truce was declared and the atmosphere really improved. They did leave for Australia in a few months' time and stayed on there.
Saturday, November 3, 2012
(101) Feeding Station
During one of my train journeys up to Chiangmai, I met a man who was born in UK but grew up and worked in Australia. He went on a round the world back-packing tour and stayed in Penang for two years. Whenever his social visit visa expired, he would take a train journey to Bangkok. After a night or two, he would travel on the train back to Butterworth(the main land side). He spent his two years as an unpaid volunteer to feed the street people in Penang.
He considered his time well spent as his way of contributing to society. When I asked him if he had any difficulty entering and reentering that many times, he said none. After all, most of the immigration officials in my country are Muslim and they believe in good deeds to the poor. While they worked at jobs that feed their big families, they have no quarrel to pick with this foreigner who has his own means that enable him to do charity work in our fair land.
That was about ten years ago. I saw the feeding station he mentioned from my hotel window. I was surprised that it was still open and some people were still eating at 10:30 pm. Food prices are still going up but wages remained very low. With thousands of foreign workers flooding in to take most of the low level jobs, locals who work at menial jobs would be hard pressed to earn enough to feed, clothe and educate their children without any aid.
He considered his time well spent as his way of contributing to society. When I asked him if he had any difficulty entering and reentering that many times, he said none. After all, most of the immigration officials in my country are Muslim and they believe in good deeds to the poor. While they worked at jobs that feed their big families, they have no quarrel to pick with this foreigner who has his own means that enable him to do charity work in our fair land.
That was about ten years ago. I saw the feeding station he mentioned from my hotel window. I was surprised that it was still open and some people were still eating at 10:30 pm. Food prices are still going up but wages remained very low. With thousands of foreign workers flooding in to take most of the low level jobs, locals who work at menial jobs would be hard pressed to earn enough to feed, clothe and educate their children without any aid.
Friday, November 2, 2012
(99) Pearl of the Orient
Years ago, my husband bought into some time-sharing vacation club. As a result of trying to use up this year's room nights, we came to Penang quite unexpectedly. Paying for express bus ticket of $35 each, we were freed from driving. The journey lasted six hours with two stops.
It must have been ten years ago that we drove from Silver City to Batu Feringgi to meet up with my husband's Japanese host family. Twenty years ago my husband took part in a cultural exchange program which allowed him about three months in Japan. He met many wonderful people from that country.
While there are still many old buildings, the Heritage Building Society did a good job in getting some of them spruced up. Penang is famous for street food. We had some beef noodle and Char Kuey Teo(fried rice noodle with egg, cockes and prawns) from Ho Ping Restaurant on Penang street. We have some Chendul ice (an Indian dessert made up of green soft sticks, ice crystals and coconut extract in liquid and dark sugar) in another nearby eatery.
We took advantage of the CAT(Central Area Transit) Hop On which is free to get around the town area. The bus is air-conditioned and it runs in a circuit around 19 bus stops in the central business district. We saw a budget hotel that boasted of $99 providing two free breakfasts. If that means a private twin sharing room with attached bath, it is pretty good for Penang. We read that in the year 2011, there were 17,000 successful applicants of MM2H, a program that allows foreigner to have yearly visa to stay in this country. For this group of people who love my country, Penang is the top choice of residence. Apart from the choking traffic jams, this is a very nice place. I guess retirees do not need to rush any where, so even traffic jams do not affect them if they live away from town. Suppose if a British person draws pension in pounds, the exchange of let's say 5.5 would enable him to live very comfotably here.
It must have been ten years ago that we drove from Silver City to Batu Feringgi to meet up with my husband's Japanese host family. Twenty years ago my husband took part in a cultural exchange program which allowed him about three months in Japan. He met many wonderful people from that country.
While there are still many old buildings, the Heritage Building Society did a good job in getting some of them spruced up. Penang is famous for street food. We had some beef noodle and Char Kuey Teo(fried rice noodle with egg, cockes and prawns) from Ho Ping Restaurant on Penang street. We have some Chendul ice (an Indian dessert made up of green soft sticks, ice crystals and coconut extract in liquid and dark sugar) in another nearby eatery.
We took advantage of the CAT(Central Area Transit) Hop On which is free to get around the town area. The bus is air-conditioned and it runs in a circuit around 19 bus stops in the central business district. We saw a budget hotel that boasted of $99 providing two free breakfasts. If that means a private twin sharing room with attached bath, it is pretty good for Penang. We read that in the year 2011, there were 17,000 successful applicants of MM2H, a program that allows foreigner to have yearly visa to stay in this country. For this group of people who love my country, Penang is the top choice of residence. Apart from the choking traffic jams, this is a very nice place. I guess retirees do not need to rush any where, so even traffic jams do not affect them if they live away from town. Suppose if a British person draws pension in pounds, the exchange of let's say 5.5 would enable him to live very comfotably here.
Thursday, November 1, 2012
(98) different learning styles
Do you know what your learning style is?
Mine happened to be audio, that was why from day one I thrived in school. One of my brothers' learns best from ideas written as points linked to each other as spider webs. I know from the notes he puts into books for as long as I can remember. Now that method is being taught as mind mapping in seminars in leading hotels. Some of my wealthier friends spent hundreds to send each of their children for three days two night seminars teaching them what my brother has naturally learnt on his own.
One of my son's friends learns best from audio-visual means. He even could close his eyes and remember events as AV footage. Then I happened to have a dorm mate who lived in the room on top of mine. She walked night after night studying. She was a born dancer who was working hard to get into a law school. In order to register facts in her brain, she has to walk up and down her room while reciting the facts aloud to herself. I knew that well, as I lived in a building that was over a hundred years old and the flooring was made of wood. I could hear her steps if I did not get to sleep before her nightly study sessions began.
Elizabeth, my youngest daughter, studies best when she has her favorite music or songs on. A few of her friends have to turn on both the TV and the radio to do their homework. I find that difficult to believe. When I was in my senior year, my study carrel was in a corner in the basement where there was hardly any human traffic. Baby boomers may need absolute silence when generation X needs a healthy mix of white noise in order to concentrate.
The most amazing person in history who had overcome all obstacles to learn was Helen Keller. She was both blind and deaf. Her teacher used the sense of touch to reach her. I presumed she learnt Braille. Without the sense of hearing, she learnt to speak. Someone who heard her recording said she spoke like an automaton. Whatever she sounded like, she wrote beautifully.
Mine happened to be audio, that was why from day one I thrived in school. One of my brothers' learns best from ideas written as points linked to each other as spider webs. I know from the notes he puts into books for as long as I can remember. Now that method is being taught as mind mapping in seminars in leading hotels. Some of my wealthier friends spent hundreds to send each of their children for three days two night seminars teaching them what my brother has naturally learnt on his own.
One of my son's friends learns best from audio-visual means. He even could close his eyes and remember events as AV footage. Then I happened to have a dorm mate who lived in the room on top of mine. She walked night after night studying. She was a born dancer who was working hard to get into a law school. In order to register facts in her brain, she has to walk up and down her room while reciting the facts aloud to herself. I knew that well, as I lived in a building that was over a hundred years old and the flooring was made of wood. I could hear her steps if I did not get to sleep before her nightly study sessions began.
Elizabeth, my youngest daughter, studies best when she has her favorite music or songs on. A few of her friends have to turn on both the TV and the radio to do their homework. I find that difficult to believe. When I was in my senior year, my study carrel was in a corner in the basement where there was hardly any human traffic. Baby boomers may need absolute silence when generation X needs a healthy mix of white noise in order to concentrate.
The most amazing person in history who had overcome all obstacles to learn was Helen Keller. She was both blind and deaf. Her teacher used the sense of touch to reach her. I presumed she learnt Braille. Without the sense of hearing, she learnt to speak. Someone who heard her recording said she spoke like an automaton. Whatever she sounded like, she wrote beautifully.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
(97) The Know-them-all parents
My husband's best friend from Uni days happened to have come from within five Km of my parents in law's home. Ever since he married his beloved who hailed from a northern island, he has changed jobs and then moved to his wife's territory.
One time we went to his city and looked him and his family up. When his wife took the children to the rest room, my husband asked if he returned often to our home town. He made a face and said,"It is very difficult to have parents who are successful in their respective careers!" On reflection, I realized his father climbed rather high in the civil service ladder and then retired early to start a business. His mother did rather well in a Bank and later retired to help in her husband's business. For people who have had no set backs in their lives, it is easy for them to expect their children to do better. But times have moved on. What their children face now is not what they faced twenty years ago.
His parents probably were not gracious in their reaction and words to their only son and daughter-in-law. The worst part is that it seemed every company he joined seemed not to last five years, it was not true to assume he wanted to change jobs. Yet it would be futile to expect him to want to join his know-it-all parents in their business. It was bad enough to hear discouraging things on a weekly basis. Life would become unbearable if he were to work for them.
I could well imagine how his mother would react to his wife who chose to take care of her children herself and home make. The older lady would take it as a lack of ambition or straight laziness. The truth could be she wanted to give her best years to her children and bond with them. A close knit family is more important than financial security to some people.
As his parents badgered him and his family, he just drew closer to her side who were encouraging and supportive. It is very natural and unavoidable.
One time we went to his city and looked him and his family up. When his wife took the children to the rest room, my husband asked if he returned often to our home town. He made a face and said,"It is very difficult to have parents who are successful in their respective careers!" On reflection, I realized his father climbed rather high in the civil service ladder and then retired early to start a business. His mother did rather well in a Bank and later retired to help in her husband's business. For people who have had no set backs in their lives, it is easy for them to expect their children to do better. But times have moved on. What their children face now is not what they faced twenty years ago.
His parents probably were not gracious in their reaction and words to their only son and daughter-in-law. The worst part is that it seemed every company he joined seemed not to last five years, it was not true to assume he wanted to change jobs. Yet it would be futile to expect him to want to join his know-it-all parents in their business. It was bad enough to hear discouraging things on a weekly basis. Life would become unbearable if he were to work for them.
I could well imagine how his mother would react to his wife who chose to take care of her children herself and home make. The older lady would take it as a lack of ambition or straight laziness. The truth could be she wanted to give her best years to her children and bond with them. A close knit family is more important than financial security to some people.
As his parents badgered him and his family, he just drew closer to her side who were encouraging and supportive. It is very natural and unavoidable.
Monday, October 29, 2012
(96) Skin color
My cousin's daughter brought her boy friend to meet her family. He is a "Chindian" (what locals call a child between a Chinese and an Indian).
I was listening to my great aunt, she was reacting to the whole thing rather well. Apart from the fact that the prospective member of the family is not as tall as she expected, she has no other negative comment. In the course of the conversation, I mentioned that the future children could be as dark skin as an Indian or as fair as a fair-skin Chinese. True to form, my great aunt said that she may not live long enough to see which end of the scale the skin color of the next generation goes.
That reminded me of a program I just watched call Exciting Europe. An ethnic African European brought the viewers to see how African immigrants or the second generation fare in Europe. Of course I expect a certain amount of racism. But I did not expect to see the photos of hundreds of Africans that were murdered in hate crimes. What I like about the program are the bi-racial marriages. Quite a few couples of African men and white women were interviewed. Most of them admitted that they have had many differences to overcome initially. However, many of them said that love means sharing work, African men have to abandon the notion that their spouses would do all the work while they sat around twiddling their thumbs.
While no one can really claim that he or she has no prejudices, it helps to remember that skin color is only skin deep. Inside us, we are all human and no higher or lower than one another.
I was listening to my great aunt, she was reacting to the whole thing rather well. Apart from the fact that the prospective member of the family is not as tall as she expected, she has no other negative comment. In the course of the conversation, I mentioned that the future children could be as dark skin as an Indian or as fair as a fair-skin Chinese. True to form, my great aunt said that she may not live long enough to see which end of the scale the skin color of the next generation goes.
That reminded me of a program I just watched call Exciting Europe. An ethnic African European brought the viewers to see how African immigrants or the second generation fare in Europe. Of course I expect a certain amount of racism. But I did not expect to see the photos of hundreds of Africans that were murdered in hate crimes. What I like about the program are the bi-racial marriages. Quite a few couples of African men and white women were interviewed. Most of them admitted that they have had many differences to overcome initially. However, many of them said that love means sharing work, African men have to abandon the notion that their spouses would do all the work while they sat around twiddling their thumbs.
While no one can really claim that he or she has no prejudices, it helps to remember that skin color is only skin deep. Inside us, we are all human and no higher or lower than one another.
Sunday, October 28, 2012
(94) Best of Me by Nicholas Spark
Spark wrote well. But I was a little taken aback with his plot. Suppose if Cole did not die, his beloved would leave her husband of twenty over years and break the family up. I know things like that happen everyday in every part of the world where women have the legal right to sue for divorces. Yet somehow it would not fit in with my view of Spark's style of writing romantic novels.
Of course it ended well, there is closure. I know Cole died instantly from a head shot. He managed to save the Doctor's adult son from a certain death by Cole's kin. A life for a life! Even if Cole killed the Doctor in a car accident, he had been feeling the guilt all his adult life even after serving a maximum prison sentence. On top of all these, Cole's heart gave a second lease of life to his beloved's first born son. The story could not end any better. Just after the widow told him that there was no longer need to send her any money, he spent the last few minutes of his life saving her only son's life.
For those of us who are not wired like Cole or his mentor to love deeply, passionately only once in life, it is still quite an experience to read about a similar tale to the mute swan, who mates for life and would stay alone always if the partner for some reason died before its time.
Of course it ended well, there is closure. I know Cole died instantly from a head shot. He managed to save the Doctor's adult son from a certain death by Cole's kin. A life for a life! Even if Cole killed the Doctor in a car accident, he had been feeling the guilt all his adult life even after serving a maximum prison sentence. On top of all these, Cole's heart gave a second lease of life to his beloved's first born son. The story could not end any better. Just after the widow told him that there was no longer need to send her any money, he spent the last few minutes of his life saving her only son's life.
For those of us who are not wired like Cole or his mentor to love deeply, passionately only once in life, it is still quite an experience to read about a similar tale to the mute swan, who mates for life and would stay alone always if the partner for some reason died before its time.
Saturday, October 27, 2012
(93) The Hungarian Professor by Jeffrey Archer
In this short story, Archer chronicled a young man's experience in meeting a Hungarian professor of English who distinguished himself in translating Hamlet. While the old man loved the English language, he had never been to visit the UK. When he was young, he could not afford to go. Then when he had saved up enough, his government was not about to grant him permission to go.
My mother's youngest brother went to China for studies in his teenage years, way before the communist take over. He chose to stay on after others left for Hong Kong or Taiwan. A few years after that, his fiancee swam to Hong Kong and entered as a refugee. He regretted but then it was really too late, his every step was watched for years. Easily for twenty years he did not meet with his siblings. Only my grandma, who was above 65, could apply for a visit using letters of invitation.
It took bilateral trade relations to break the ice, finally even my parents in their mid-fifties could visit communist China. Then the tide of mainland tourists begun to flow our way. My uncle and auntie came to visit my country and met up with everyone in the family. It goes to show that no matter how repressive a regime is, one day it would fall. Even with the dead body of Chairman Mao preserved, the country is taking its rightful place in the world. The tyranny of one man could only keep that country backward for just so many years.
My mother's youngest brother went to China for studies in his teenage years, way before the communist take over. He chose to stay on after others left for Hong Kong or Taiwan. A few years after that, his fiancee swam to Hong Kong and entered as a refugee. He regretted but then it was really too late, his every step was watched for years. Easily for twenty years he did not meet with his siblings. Only my grandma, who was above 65, could apply for a visit using letters of invitation.
It took bilateral trade relations to break the ice, finally even my parents in their mid-fifties could visit communist China. Then the tide of mainland tourists begun to flow our way. My uncle and auntie came to visit my country and met up with everyone in the family. It goes to show that no matter how repressive a regime is, one day it would fall. Even with the dead body of Chairman Mao preserved, the country is taking its rightful place in the world. The tyranny of one man could only keep that country backward for just so many years.
Friday, October 26, 2012
(92) Body language in speaking English
I was trying to help a missionary kid who has been away from my country for eight years. We worked at grammar some. I tried some word games. While I was telling my son and a friend from church about her, both of those English majors told me that English is more than comprehension, grammar, composition, pronunciation, vocabulary, tenses, ... They brought in accent, body language, local usage, the differing level of let's say between reading and speaking ...
Since I have access to this teenager for a few months, at most I can see her only once a week; therefore I realize the best job I can do is to instill in her a desire to excel. This week I have been away a few days. There was hardly any time to prepare any serious lesson. We talked about body language and how it differs from country to country.
The first example I gave her: what my room mate pointed out the first week of my first semester in USA. My room mate was a very out-spoken young lady. She touched on many topics that were taboos in my country. While I was rather serious even when I was college age, I found myself giggling when I became embarrass. She was very upset with that, as she claimed that those were not funny topics and she was not trying to be amusing. There after, I have to consciously keep a straight face and to tell her in words that she was venturing into my taboo topics and that I have no response to such topics until I can become comfortable with her.
My informal student's assignment for the week is to watch any video program and find me three differences between the body language of any two countries.
Since I have access to this teenager for a few months, at most I can see her only once a week; therefore I realize the best job I can do is to instill in her a desire to excel. This week I have been away a few days. There was hardly any time to prepare any serious lesson. We talked about body language and how it differs from country to country.
The first example I gave her: what my room mate pointed out the first week of my first semester in USA. My room mate was a very out-spoken young lady. She touched on many topics that were taboos in my country. While I was rather serious even when I was college age, I found myself giggling when I became embarrass. She was very upset with that, as she claimed that those were not funny topics and she was not trying to be amusing. There after, I have to consciously keep a straight face and to tell her in words that she was venturing into my taboo topics and that I have no response to such topics until I can become comfortable with her.
My informal student's assignment for the week is to watch any video program and find me three differences between the body language of any two countries.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
(91) Shoeshine Boy by Jeffrey Archer
At the end of reading this story, I think of the British dry sense of humour and the stiff upper lip.
To think, once the British Empire was extensive enough that at any time, the sun would be shining on one or another of the many British colonies. If any politicians were to be offered the honour of becoming a Governor of one of the colonies, people would not normally refuse the appointment.
However, it was one thing to be called Your Excellency, it was quite another to be living in a decaying humongous mansion and driving an old car and have a staff of two. Ted and Hazel must have been one hardy couple who could adjust to adverse conditions in their twilight years like any adventurous colonial officials. While I was reading this tale, I could just picture in my mind the funny scenes of acquiring a full complement of house hold servants, lots of crockery and putting up a charade worthy of entertaining a royal, ex-commander in chief and ex-Admiral all rolled into one.
I suppose things of this kind can only happen in Britain, being able to keep up appearances of having colonies when it no longer make any financial sense: hence there was no budget for keeping the Governor or figure head in style.
To think, once the British Empire was extensive enough that at any time, the sun would be shining on one or another of the many British colonies. If any politicians were to be offered the honour of becoming a Governor of one of the colonies, people would not normally refuse the appointment.
However, it was one thing to be called Your Excellency, it was quite another to be living in a decaying humongous mansion and driving an old car and have a staff of two. Ted and Hazel must have been one hardy couple who could adjust to adverse conditions in their twilight years like any adventurous colonial officials. While I was reading this tale, I could just picture in my mind the funny scenes of acquiring a full complement of house hold servants, lots of crockery and putting up a charade worthy of entertaining a royal, ex-commander in chief and ex-Admiral all rolled into one.
I suppose things of this kind can only happen in Britain, being able to keep up appearances of having colonies when it no longer make any financial sense: hence there was no budget for keeping the Governor or figure head in style.
(90) The Black Circle by Patrick Carman
-Book Five of the 39 Clues-
Amy and Dan Cahill flew to Russia. There, the plot thickened. Their grandma knew the mother of NRR (the person who sent them a telegram and furnished them with forged travel documents, disguises and a credit card).
At the site where the last Russian Royal family was killed, they found a file where their parents' passports showed that they went to many parts of the world in search of the 39 clues.
This round, they formed a temporary alliance with the Holt family. Working together, they beat the clock and found the fifth clue. It is amazing that four individual Cahills a few centuries ago produced hundreds of thousands descendants who lived in many parts of the world.
Amy and Dan Cahill flew to Russia. There, the plot thickened. Their grandma knew the mother of NRR (the person who sent them a telegram and furnished them with forged travel documents, disguises and a credit card).
At the site where the last Russian Royal family was killed, they found a file where their parents' passports showed that they went to many parts of the world in search of the 39 clues.
This round, they formed a temporary alliance with the Holt family. Working together, they beat the clock and found the fifth clue. It is amazing that four individual Cahills a few centuries ago produced hundreds of thousands descendants who lived in many parts of the world.
(89) Never Stop on the Motorway by Jeffrey Archer
This is a typical Archer short story with a twist at the end. I suppose it was stupid of Diana to stop on the motorway to check on a road kill. But no one deserve to undergo a hair raising chase. She was dead scared of the driver who tail-gated her and was warning her to stop.
But in actual fact, the poor guy was a good Samaritan. Without him, Diana could have become the next statistic of rape and murder. This story reminded me of my friend who lived in a small flat as a young mother in Australia. During the year that her husband was undergoing training in the nearby hospital, she was looking after her first son at home.
Once her husband was away, she continued to go to her life group meeting. That night, another couple sent her home as her husband drove to a medical conference with their only car. The other couple took the trouble to go into the flat with her, look into every room, under each bed and into any big closet. You see, those were the years that windows in Melbourne were without locks and doors without iron grill. It was possible for any man with the right tool to easily break into any such a flat.
Lately, there have been many cases of men forcing themselves into single lady's car in shopping centers in my hometown. Some women were lucky, they jumped out and escaped with some injuries. Some were gang raped and lost cars too. One or two even died after being raped and were abandoned on the road side. It is really tragic that even the most independent woman who could succeed in the exam halls, board rooms, any business enterprise become quite defenseless in such a situation.
But in actual fact, the poor guy was a good Samaritan. Without him, Diana could have become the next statistic of rape and murder. This story reminded me of my friend who lived in a small flat as a young mother in Australia. During the year that her husband was undergoing training in the nearby hospital, she was looking after her first son at home.
Once her husband was away, she continued to go to her life group meeting. That night, another couple sent her home as her husband drove to a medical conference with their only car. The other couple took the trouble to go into the flat with her, look into every room, under each bed and into any big closet. You see, those were the years that windows in Melbourne were without locks and doors without iron grill. It was possible for any man with the right tool to easily break into any such a flat.
Lately, there have been many cases of men forcing themselves into single lady's car in shopping centers in my hometown. Some women were lucky, they jumped out and escaped with some injuries. Some were gang raped and lost cars too. One or two even died after being raped and were abandoned on the road side. It is really tragic that even the most independent woman who could succeed in the exam halls, board rooms, any business enterprise become quite defenseless in such a situation.
Sunday, October 21, 2012
(88) Beyond the Grave by Jude Watson
-Book Four of the 39 Books-
This book is set in Egypt. Ten years ago, I heard that middle class Singaporeans rushed like bees to the land of the pyramids. Lately, some of my more well-to-do friends are visiting the Nile valley.
Amy and Dan Cahill flew to Egypt . There they met an old friend of their grandmother, Hillary. Hillary and her nephew helped them in many ways. Interestingly, both of them helpers conspired to steal a priceless statue from the Cahills. Hillary was resentful that her deceased good friend did not remember her in the will. The nephew was aghast that they carried such a priceless item around with them simply because of a sentimental reason.
What their lawyer said is true: trust no one while on the hunt for the 39 clues!
This book is set in Egypt. Ten years ago, I heard that middle class Singaporeans rushed like bees to the land of the pyramids. Lately, some of my more well-to-do friends are visiting the Nile valley.
Amy and Dan Cahill flew to Egypt . There they met an old friend of their grandmother, Hillary. Hillary and her nephew helped them in many ways. Interestingly, both of them helpers conspired to steal a priceless statue from the Cahills. Hillary was resentful that her deceased good friend did not remember her in the will. The nephew was aghast that they carried such a priceless item around with them simply because of a sentimental reason.
What their lawyer said is true: trust no one while on the hunt for the 39 clues!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
(87) The Sword Thief by Peter Lerangis
-Book Three of the 39 Clues-
Here we find Amy and Dan Cahill in Japan. Finally their au pair could not help them in translating. The Cahills hooked up with Alistair Oh, their Korean uncle.
Sabotaged by Ian and Natalie Kabra, Amy and Dan were separated from their au pair temporarily. Hunting around the topic of Japanese swords, they met Yakuzas and were the targets of shuriken (ninja throwing stars).
From Japan, they traveled to Korea to seek for the final battle ground of a Japanese warrior with Cahill blood. In looking at the various old books collected by Alistair Oh, Amy Cahill placed one torn page over a parchment they found. The two fitted together into a map that Alistair could recognize.
As soon as a clue was unearthed, the Kabras double-crossed the rest of the group and left them to rot in the hidden cave. By wit and speed, the Cahills managed to escape once more.
Here we find Amy and Dan Cahill in Japan. Finally their au pair could not help them in translating. The Cahills hooked up with Alistair Oh, their Korean uncle.
Sabotaged by Ian and Natalie Kabra, Amy and Dan were separated from their au pair temporarily. Hunting around the topic of Japanese swords, they met Yakuzas and were the targets of shuriken (ninja throwing stars).
From Japan, they traveled to Korea to seek for the final battle ground of a Japanese warrior with Cahill blood. In looking at the various old books collected by Alistair Oh, Amy Cahill placed one torn page over a parchment they found. The two fitted together into a map that Alistair could recognize.
As soon as a clue was unearthed, the Kabras double-crossed the rest of the group and left them to rot in the hidden cave. By wit and speed, the Cahills managed to escape once more.
Friday, October 19, 2012
(86) Krippendorf's Tribe
This is a comedy starring Richard Dreyfuss and Jenna Elfman.
It is a rather silly but entertaining show! With the help of a lady colleague and his three children, Professor Krippendorf run rings around the academic machinery. It goes to show that push comes to shaft, people are very creative in staying a few steps out of prison.
The meek and mild Krippendorf seemed to attract high dynamic and brilliant woman. I suppose it is natural that opposites attract. The first Mrs K was obviously quite a brain made quite a name for herself and her husband. It does look like the next partner is quite talented in attracting recognition and money. It is just as well that the show ended at the success pulled off by some grand standing acting in Papua New Guinea as a favor requested by Krippendorf's eldest daughter.
It is a rather silly but entertaining show! With the help of a lady colleague and his three children, Professor Krippendorf run rings around the academic machinery. It goes to show that push comes to shaft, people are very creative in staying a few steps out of prison.
The meek and mild Krippendorf seemed to attract high dynamic and brilliant woman. I suppose it is natural that opposites attract. The first Mrs K was obviously quite a brain made quite a name for herself and her husband. It does look like the next partner is quite talented in attracting recognition and money. It is just as well that the show ended at the success pulled off by some grand standing acting in Papua New Guinea as a favor requested by Krippendorf's eldest daughter.
(85) Return by Karen Kingsbury
I came across my first Karen Kingsbury book when Elizabeth borrowed two from her friend after their visit to Doulos, the library ship a few years ago.
Unlike Elizabeth, I grew up in a pre-Christian home. I did not read any Christian book until my late twenties. Sure, Christian novels keep to biblical values. But, I must be honest to say that not all Christian stories are up to the market place standard. I say that with shame, as I am doing nothing to help the situation. Much as I like to write, I don't think I am cut out to become a novel writer.
Perhaps one should not compare a secular novel with a Christian novel, as they are from two completely different genres. If there are die hard Christians among my readers, you may feel like throwing rotten eggs at me. I would not spend even five dollars buying most Christian novels (second hand). I did buy one of the "A Cape Light Novel" : A New Leaf by Thomas Kinkade & Katherine Spencer because Elizabeth and I wanted to complete the series. Elizabeth received two books of the series as a birthday present. I can't remember buying another book that belongs to this grouping.
Perhaps what was foremost in any Christian writer's mind is to preach God's truth. That could be the underlying reason why many such Christian novels seemed so contrived, stiff and unreal.
Unlike Elizabeth, I grew up in a pre-Christian home. I did not read any Christian book until my late twenties. Sure, Christian novels keep to biblical values. But, I must be honest to say that not all Christian stories are up to the market place standard. I say that with shame, as I am doing nothing to help the situation. Much as I like to write, I don't think I am cut out to become a novel writer.
Perhaps one should not compare a secular novel with a Christian novel, as they are from two completely different genres. If there are die hard Christians among my readers, you may feel like throwing rotten eggs at me. I would not spend even five dollars buying most Christian novels (second hand). I did buy one of the "A Cape Light Novel" : A New Leaf by Thomas Kinkade & Katherine Spencer because Elizabeth and I wanted to complete the series. Elizabeth received two books of the series as a birthday present. I can't remember buying another book that belongs to this grouping.
Perhaps what was foremost in any Christian writer's mind is to preach God's truth. That could be the underlying reason why many such Christian novels seemed so contrived, stiff and unreal.
(84) The Ghost of Thomas Kempe by Penelope Lively
Right at the beginning, I must state that this is not meant to be Christian propaganda. It is the record of my personal belief.
When a bag of books was given to the proposed library in a college town, this was one of them. I took one look at the title and realize that it would not fit the Christian library setting. It went to the reject pile. A week later I sorted through the reject pile and noted the ghost book was published by Heinemann New Windmills. Now I must admit that throughout my teaching days and reading years, every book Heinemann books I have come across has been of a certain high standard.
Accordingly, this book went into the to-be-read box. Last night I finally read it. While I would hesitate to give it to a young child, I guess most teenager would be able to handle such issues as the Poltergeist and exorcism. Reading about such topics reminded me of two actual cases that I came across in Silver City.
Personally I think that upon death, human souls would go to heaven or hell. What was left behind that could masquerade as the deceased are familiar spirits. Just like our guardian angels, familiar spirits are fallen angels that would follow us everyday of our lives. I was present at my father's death bed. As I prayed to God about my father's destination after life, I have a dream within weeks of his death that comforted me greatly. Therefore I am convinced that as soon as I enter heaven, I will look for him in the heavenly library or any gathering places for scholars.
While I was in Silver City, a church friend accompanied her unbelieving sister to read tarot cards. When the said friend returned home, there was manifestation in her house. Vases would fall and lighter stuff would fly like there was a Category one storm happening in the family home. The church prayer team came, they have a praise session with bible reading, prayers and my friend confessed that she sinned by ignorance and repented. The leader anointed every door and window with olive oil and everything returned to normal.
The second case was a little more frightening, my husband's colleague was a demanding mother. Her first born son was depressed over struggling to meet the exacting standards of expectation in all things academic. He started seeing the School Psychologist but sad to say he had a failed suicide attempt. It seemed a church group went to exorcise some demons that brought a death wish to the youth. Thank God it was successful, today the son just graduated from some college. My husband who met the family by chance recently, he said that the eldest son put on some weight and looked rather relax.
The Ghost of Thomas Kempe is a work of fiction written to entertain youth. While I do not agree with the methods of exorcism that sounded much like Harry Porter, it is not a bad book if the parents care enough to explain things right in the beginning before letting the children read such books. I really disagree with the view that Christian children are only allowed to read Christian books: I think that is an unnecessarily narrow way of upbringing.
When a bag of books was given to the proposed library in a college town, this was one of them. I took one look at the title and realize that it would not fit the Christian library setting. It went to the reject pile. A week later I sorted through the reject pile and noted the ghost book was published by Heinemann New Windmills. Now I must admit that throughout my teaching days and reading years, every book Heinemann books I have come across has been of a certain high standard.
Accordingly, this book went into the to-be-read box. Last night I finally read it. While I would hesitate to give it to a young child, I guess most teenager would be able to handle such issues as the Poltergeist and exorcism. Reading about such topics reminded me of two actual cases that I came across in Silver City.
Personally I think that upon death, human souls would go to heaven or hell. What was left behind that could masquerade as the deceased are familiar spirits. Just like our guardian angels, familiar spirits are fallen angels that would follow us everyday of our lives. I was present at my father's death bed. As I prayed to God about my father's destination after life, I have a dream within weeks of his death that comforted me greatly. Therefore I am convinced that as soon as I enter heaven, I will look for him in the heavenly library or any gathering places for scholars.
While I was in Silver City, a church friend accompanied her unbelieving sister to read tarot cards. When the said friend returned home, there was manifestation in her house. Vases would fall and lighter stuff would fly like there was a Category one storm happening in the family home. The church prayer team came, they have a praise session with bible reading, prayers and my friend confessed that she sinned by ignorance and repented. The leader anointed every door and window with olive oil and everything returned to normal.
The second case was a little more frightening, my husband's colleague was a demanding mother. Her first born son was depressed over struggling to meet the exacting standards of expectation in all things academic. He started seeing the School Psychologist but sad to say he had a failed suicide attempt. It seemed a church group went to exorcise some demons that brought a death wish to the youth. Thank God it was successful, today the son just graduated from some college. My husband who met the family by chance recently, he said that the eldest son put on some weight and looked rather relax.
The Ghost of Thomas Kempe is a work of fiction written to entertain youth. While I do not agree with the methods of exorcism that sounded much like Harry Porter, it is not a bad book if the parents care enough to explain things right in the beginning before letting the children read such books. I really disagree with the view that Christian children are only allowed to read Christian books: I think that is an unnecessarily narrow way of upbringing.
Thursday, October 18, 2012
(83) One False Note by Gordon Korman
-book two of the 39 Clues-
Dan and Amy Cahill went on their merry way with their au pair. It is difficult to believe that two children could criss-cross Europe that easily. But of course their grandmother was a very wealthy woman. Even her personal jewelry sold at a heavy discount would enable them to travel to many cities.
In the first book, they were following the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin. Here they were researching Mozart and his sister. In following a competitive team, they entered the Janus strong hold. In the tradition of adventure stories, they lived to bring out important historical documents.
From one chapter to the next, Amy and her brother jumped in and out of action. More often than that, they had to run for their lives. Amy remembered much of what her grandmother carefully told her. Dan has a perfect recall of whatever(picture, diagram, words, foreign language, signs, or visual material) he paid attention to. They made a team to be reckoned with!
Dan and Amy Cahill went on their merry way with their au pair. It is difficult to believe that two children could criss-cross Europe that easily. But of course their grandmother was a very wealthy woman. Even her personal jewelry sold at a heavy discount would enable them to travel to many cities.
In the first book, they were following the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin. Here they were researching Mozart and his sister. In following a competitive team, they entered the Janus strong hold. In the tradition of adventure stories, they lived to bring out important historical documents.
From one chapter to the next, Amy and her brother jumped in and out of action. More often than that, they had to run for their lives. Amy remembered much of what her grandmother carefully told her. Dan has a perfect recall of whatever(picture, diagram, words, foreign language, signs, or visual material) he paid attention to. They made a team to be reckoned with!
(82) Getting mum to wash hair
My cousin has a mum with early Alzeimer's. She complained that she could not persuade her mum to wash hair. It has been a month and the hair stinks.
I heard during a seminar that one patient's daughter lured her mum into the bath room, locked the door and splashed water everywhere until both women were wet. Then the resourceful daughter brought out a bubble blowing toy. The old lady sat on her bath chair happily blowing bubbles while her daughter shampooed the patient's hair. By the time the latter's hair was clean and was bathed, the daughter passed the patient to her maid to dry and dress. Then the daughter took her own bath before going back to work.
Such is life for those who love their parents who live longer lives than their brains' useful span.
I heard during a seminar that one patient's daughter lured her mum into the bath room, locked the door and splashed water everywhere until both women were wet. Then the resourceful daughter brought out a bubble blowing toy. The old lady sat on her bath chair happily blowing bubbles while her daughter shampooed the patient's hair. By the time the latter's hair was clean and was bathed, the daughter passed the patient to her maid to dry and dress. Then the daughter took her own bath before going back to work.
Such is life for those who love their parents who live longer lives than their brains' useful span.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
(80) How to Lose a Guy in 10 days
Believe it or not, I have watched this movie twice. The first time my husband was watching it and I was attracted to the clothes those women employees were wearing in the magazine office. A few months later, I could not even remember how the show ended.
One day I could think of nothing to blog, and my husband suggested this movie. The second time round, I noticed more things in the movie. Here I confess that I am late bloomer in AV communication. I suppose not many people my age grew up in homes with no television. My eldest brother used his year end bonus to buy us a tiny TV--our very first idiot box. I was 19 when I finally could watch my first TV show in the comfort of my own sitting room.
Most of the time I would prefer a book than a movie. Interestingly, watching this romantic comedy second time round, I actually enjoyed it more than the first time. It is not that fantastic a movie, certainly not any block buster. It is funny that I thought of quite a few of my dorm mates whom I have not thought about for at least twenty five years. My husband said it is the nostalgic factor. Lately I hardly met anyone American, at least not any frivolous and fluffy ones or the sharp and bitchy type. I have to ask my husband what exactly happened at the end, he explained the bit about calling her bluff. She was trying to run away from her own mistake, not exactly because of the interview in Washington. You see, I have worked for decades on vocab, grammar, comprehension,writing and even public speaking, my listening ability is still below average. By the time my movie buff son was 9 years old, he was the one who could tell me what was just said on screen when I froze the screen. That comes from learning English as the 5th language/dialect at the age of 9(that is me). I still prefer to watch any English movie in a public cinema because of the availability of subtitle in the national language.
One day I could think of nothing to blog, and my husband suggested this movie. The second time round, I noticed more things in the movie. Here I confess that I am late bloomer in AV communication. I suppose not many people my age grew up in homes with no television. My eldest brother used his year end bonus to buy us a tiny TV--our very first idiot box. I was 19 when I finally could watch my first TV show in the comfort of my own sitting room.
Most of the time I would prefer a book than a movie. Interestingly, watching this romantic comedy second time round, I actually enjoyed it more than the first time. It is not that fantastic a movie, certainly not any block buster. It is funny that I thought of quite a few of my dorm mates whom I have not thought about for at least twenty five years. My husband said it is the nostalgic factor. Lately I hardly met anyone American, at least not any frivolous and fluffy ones or the sharp and bitchy type. I have to ask my husband what exactly happened at the end, he explained the bit about calling her bluff. She was trying to run away from her own mistake, not exactly because of the interview in Washington. You see, I have worked for decades on vocab, grammar, comprehension,writing and even public speaking, my listening ability is still below average. By the time my movie buff son was 9 years old, he was the one who could tell me what was just said on screen when I froze the screen. That comes from learning English as the 5th language/dialect at the age of 9(that is me). I still prefer to watch any English movie in a public cinema because of the availability of subtitle in the national language.
(79) Absent in the Spring by Agatha Christie/Mary Westmacott
If I remember correctly, it was said that Christie's Absent in the Spring was a book that is almost biographical.
If I remember correctly, it was said that Absent in the Spring was the closest autobiographical fiction Christie wrote.
I read it with great interest, I have been looking for it for more than 10 years. Yet strangely, it did not ring true for her relationship with her daughter(whatever little I did pick up from her other books). The next possibility could be that she was the daughter and it was her mother that she portrayed in this non-detective novel.
I wonder what was the age she married her first husband? Did she pick that first guy who proposed to her in order to live away from her mother? From my pathetically little pile of facts, I cannot say yes or no to any of these questions with conviction! Being able to read this book added more questions than answers. It was not exactly helpful! Now I understand why my daughter, Elizabeth, said that Virginia Woolf was famous not just for all her books but her many volumes of journals were a treasure trove to students who wanted to find out more about her in order to understand her literary work.
Whenever I wonder why I need to continue to write about my responses to hundreds of book on this blog, I reminded myself that should I live 10 years more, I may chalk up 5000 blogs. Should God bless me with grand children some day, one of them may look to this record as a means to finding out the Grandma that he or she has never met.
If I remember correctly, it was said that Absent in the Spring was the closest autobiographical fiction Christie wrote.
I read it with great interest, I have been looking for it for more than 10 years. Yet strangely, it did not ring true for her relationship with her daughter(whatever little I did pick up from her other books). The next possibility could be that she was the daughter and it was her mother that she portrayed in this non-detective novel.
I wonder what was the age she married her first husband? Did she pick that first guy who proposed to her in order to live away from her mother? From my pathetically little pile of facts, I cannot say yes or no to any of these questions with conviction! Being able to read this book added more questions than answers. It was not exactly helpful! Now I understand why my daughter, Elizabeth, said that Virginia Woolf was famous not just for all her books but her many volumes of journals were a treasure trove to students who wanted to find out more about her in order to understand her literary work.
Whenever I wonder why I need to continue to write about my responses to hundreds of book on this blog, I reminded myself that should I live 10 years more, I may chalk up 5000 blogs. Should God bless me with grand children some day, one of them may look to this record as a means to finding out the Grandma that he or she has never met.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
(78) The Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer
This is a sequel to Kane and Abel. In fact a fair bit of the book is a mirror image of the earlier book, written from the angle of Abel's daughter.
Compared to the TV show of the first American woman President, this lady portrayed in the book gave me a more human and softer feel. I guess it is a matter of time before even the US will have its first female CEO. And why shouldn't the lucky lady be a Roman Catholic of Polish descent?
Even though most of us would have to admit to some latent prejudice hidden deep within, yet universally we admire great leaders in spite of their race and nationality. Since it is possible for US to democratically elect a black man as the President, there is yet hope for this world.
Yet I can't say exactly what is lacking in this book, it is the first Jeffrey book which fell below my expectation. Before this, I found that every single one of his books blogged in this site delightful to read. I still managed to finish this book, but it took discipline and effort.
Compared to the TV show of the first American woman President, this lady portrayed in the book gave me a more human and softer feel. I guess it is a matter of time before even the US will have its first female CEO. And why shouldn't the lucky lady be a Roman Catholic of Polish descent?
Even though most of us would have to admit to some latent prejudice hidden deep within, yet universally we admire great leaders in spite of their race and nationality. Since it is possible for US to democratically elect a black man as the President, there is yet hope for this world.
Yet I can't say exactly what is lacking in this book, it is the first Jeffrey book which fell below my expectation. Before this, I found that every single one of his books blogged in this site delightful to read. I still managed to finish this book, but it took discipline and effort.
(77) As the Crow Flies by Jeffrey Archer
This is about the best novel I have read in the last three months. As my hair becomes more grey, I seldom lose sleep over reading. This is one book that I did not put down. As I well know there is not much point in trying to fall asleep in vain over wondering about the story line. I read the last page at about five in the morning. I certainly remember doing that with Grisham's The Testament.
There are a lot of good books in the libraries. But sad to say, not many of them are wrote to be believable. Novels are a great way to escape. Yet I am partial to a story that seems real. Becky in the story reminds me of one of my classmates who was well endowed weight wise in my teenage years. Whether my friend was partial to cream buns like Becky, I don't really know. But both the character and the girl are only children, so I presume both must have been at least a little spoiled. Like Becky, my friend lost a fair amount of weight in her early twenties. I heard that the lawyers in the firm she chambered voted her as the prettiest student.
While young men went about sowing their wild oats, I suppose they did not give a thought to the children they left behind. Some would be aborted to protect the good name of the would be mom. Those who were born faced a mine field of half sisters or brothers. What if one married such a "lost sibling", would that mean that one's children would be deaf and blind?
One of my distant cousins married a girl against his mother's wishes. They have a daughter that is normal. After many years, they tried in vain to give the little girl a sibling. At last they decided not to wait but went to a fertility doctor. The second child they have is far from normal, one could see from the number of fingers and toes of the new born. This child is the one in a few millions who inherited the same rare warp gene from both parents. When the boy requires a compatible bone marrow donor, all the aunts and uncles by blood went for tissue typing. As they compared notes, they realized three of the siblings are of blood types that are not probable from the same set of parents. In other words, at least these three siblings are born from fathers that are not their legal father. At the end of this debacle, all is swept under the carpet. I was there when my cousin's mother objected vehemently against the new girl friend but she could not give a single valid reason. Finally I understood her agony, old sins cast long shadows. She must have dreaded seeing the future grand children from day one of meeting the would be daughter-in-law.
There are a lot of good books in the libraries. But sad to say, not many of them are wrote to be believable. Novels are a great way to escape. Yet I am partial to a story that seems real. Becky in the story reminds me of one of my classmates who was well endowed weight wise in my teenage years. Whether my friend was partial to cream buns like Becky, I don't really know. But both the character and the girl are only children, so I presume both must have been at least a little spoiled. Like Becky, my friend lost a fair amount of weight in her early twenties. I heard that the lawyers in the firm she chambered voted her as the prettiest student.
While young men went about sowing their wild oats, I suppose they did not give a thought to the children they left behind. Some would be aborted to protect the good name of the would be mom. Those who were born faced a mine field of half sisters or brothers. What if one married such a "lost sibling", would that mean that one's children would be deaf and blind?
One of my distant cousins married a girl against his mother's wishes. They have a daughter that is normal. After many years, they tried in vain to give the little girl a sibling. At last they decided not to wait but went to a fertility doctor. The second child they have is far from normal, one could see from the number of fingers and toes of the new born. This child is the one in a few millions who inherited the same rare warp gene from both parents. When the boy requires a compatible bone marrow donor, all the aunts and uncles by blood went for tissue typing. As they compared notes, they realized three of the siblings are of blood types that are not probable from the same set of parents. In other words, at least these three siblings are born from fathers that are not their legal father. At the end of this debacle, all is swept under the carpet. I was there when my cousin's mother objected vehemently against the new girl friend but she could not give a single valid reason. Finally I understood her agony, old sins cast long shadows. She must have dreaded seeing the future grand children from day one of meeting the would be daughter-in-law.
(76) The Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan
-Book One of The 39 Clues-
As an answer to my prayer for children's books, a bag of 30 over books (including this one) came. Now that the library to be set up accepts only Christian books, I will have to find someone who would appreciate this after I am done with it.
The cover of this book depicts swirling skulls and thigh bones. When I first saw it I thought it could be satanic. It turned out to be a well thought and well written book that I would not hesitate to hand to any seven year old who could understand the words used.
Given the choice of walking away with two cool million US Dollars or being given the first clue to a round-the-world treasure hunt, Amy and Dan Cahill chose to risk their lives.
Within days, they almost were lost in the Parisian Catacomb. Dan was almost run over by an underground train. The hunt was on!
As an answer to my prayer for children's books, a bag of 30 over books (including this one) came. Now that the library to be set up accepts only Christian books, I will have to find someone who would appreciate this after I am done with it.
The cover of this book depicts swirling skulls and thigh bones. When I first saw it I thought it could be satanic. It turned out to be a well thought and well written book that I would not hesitate to hand to any seven year old who could understand the words used.
Given the choice of walking away with two cool million US Dollars or being given the first clue to a round-the-world treasure hunt, Amy and Dan Cahill chose to risk their lives.
Within days, they almost were lost in the Parisian Catacomb. Dan was almost run over by an underground train. The hunt was on!
Monday, October 15, 2012
(75) In Search of Excellence
The other day a group of us were talking about immigration. One couple was ready to fly to Canada to start their new life with three young children. Another outspoken man was saying that he would not go to a western country and be a second class citizen. The rest of us looked at each other, none of us felt much like first class citizens in our beloved country! Well, perhaps there is less glass ceilings in terms of making money here compared to living in Canada, that is about all most of we can agree with.
In terms of equality and justice, I guess majority people all over the world usually have much to grouse about. I could complain too, but I chose not to. During my time, I was accepted by Estate Management in Singapore (NUS) with a S$3000 bursary. With special favor from God whom I was actively searching for but had not met yet, I was offered a 97% scholarship from a US liberal arts college. I accepted that with much gratitude and went with little money but much hope that somehow everything would work out. (Things did work out miraculously.) Looking back, it was blind faith because I wanted very much to leave my birth country that did not offer me any place in any of the 5 government universities. During that period of time, it was the norm. Five of my talented class mates who did better in the public examination was forced to register as article clerks and today they are all successful chartered accountants.
When I was in college second year, a faculty member asked me why every single student from my country throughout college history turned out to be exceptionally outstanding. After I was surprised with this question, I went to look at the list of award winners and found that this faculty member was being perceptive: it is true that every single compatriot from my country won at least one form of honor or award upon graduation. A few months later, I explained to her that my country women of Chinese and Indian origin have to work extra-ordinarily hard to overcome the quota system which favor the majority group. My parents had to save for many years to be able to afford a private college education for one of my siblings. The rest of us slaved throughout our academic career to win foreign scholarships. While I could concentrate on the unfair system, it is smarter to see that adversity breeds character. To overcome this in built bias, the only way out is to make sure one is excellent! It is the same with my children, apart from one who did not choose to attend college but went into elder care as a career, the rest excelled and overcome every obstacle to enter colleges locally.
In terms of equality and justice, I guess majority people all over the world usually have much to grouse about. I could complain too, but I chose not to. During my time, I was accepted by Estate Management in Singapore (NUS) with a S$3000 bursary. With special favor from God whom I was actively searching for but had not met yet, I was offered a 97% scholarship from a US liberal arts college. I accepted that with much gratitude and went with little money but much hope that somehow everything would work out. (Things did work out miraculously.) Looking back, it was blind faith because I wanted very much to leave my birth country that did not offer me any place in any of the 5 government universities. During that period of time, it was the norm. Five of my talented class mates who did better in the public examination was forced to register as article clerks and today they are all successful chartered accountants.
When I was in college second year, a faculty member asked me why every single student from my country throughout college history turned out to be exceptionally outstanding. After I was surprised with this question, I went to look at the list of award winners and found that this faculty member was being perceptive: it is true that every single compatriot from my country won at least one form of honor or award upon graduation. A few months later, I explained to her that my country women of Chinese and Indian origin have to work extra-ordinarily hard to overcome the quota system which favor the majority group. My parents had to save for many years to be able to afford a private college education for one of my siblings. The rest of us slaved throughout our academic career to win foreign scholarships. While I could concentrate on the unfair system, it is smarter to see that adversity breeds character. To overcome this in built bias, the only way out is to make sure one is excellent! It is the same with my children, apart from one who did not choose to attend college but went into elder care as a career, the rest excelled and overcome every obstacle to enter colleges locally.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
(74) The Penultimate Peril by Lemony Snicket
-The twelfth book of A Series of Unfortunate Events-
Missing books 4-11, I suddenly find Sunny Baudelaire grown. The three orphans are intelligent, resourceful, adaptable and unusually matured at their different ages in this book. Who is to say if their parents were around, they would not have developed so far and so fast.
I am happy to say that the name of the book indicated that this is the second last book of unfortunate events. Perhaps we can look forward to the last book bringing glad tidings of them either finding a loving home or the eldest girl attaining the legal age of being able to control her fortune.
It is good that none of us can really look into the future. We can at least hope for a better tomorrow.
Missing books 4-11, I suddenly find Sunny Baudelaire grown. The three orphans are intelligent, resourceful, adaptable and unusually matured at their different ages in this book. Who is to say if their parents were around, they would not have developed so far and so fast.
I am happy to say that the name of the book indicated that this is the second last book of unfortunate events. Perhaps we can look forward to the last book bringing glad tidings of them either finding a loving home or the eldest girl attaining the legal age of being able to control her fortune.
It is good that none of us can really look into the future. We can at least hope for a better tomorrow.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
(73) Cracker by Cynthia Kadohata
When we travel, it is often that we see working dogs sniffing the luggage and eyeing the passengers walking past in airports. I admit that I was ignorant that dogs served in most recent wars USA was involved in. Cracker was supposed to be the only dog being selected to be returned to the US with the handler, Rick Hanski, after the Vietnam war ended.
Like Rick Hanski, I did not know for a long time what I was going to do after leaving school. Starting from I was nine years old, one teacher after another told me I could earn a living as a reporter. I guess I was so used to that kind of praise that I looked elsewhere. Starting from age 12 I was very impressed with science and dreamed about becoming a scientist.
After my government examination, I was picked to be interviewed in a Mandarin Radio program. The first interview was done in an empty classroom. A few weeks later, it seemed everyone heard the interview being broadcast except me. Then the same radioman called me for another program and we spent three hours recording a 15 minute segment. He showed me how he transferred the 15 minutes' recording from the master tape to the program tape. After a third invitation, he offered me an assistant's part time post. Pending my father's permission, I would have to sign a one year contract after I attended a three month pronunciation course. Since I was 16, my father objected. And that ended the opportunity to broadcasting.
While in college, I was trained in scientific programming. Even though I was given a scholarship for a Master's program, I was instructed to return to my home country. By now, I can see that if I had delayed returning, I would never return. Either marriage or a good career would have kept me somewhere in the USA. Ever since I started school, I have spent a lot of time observing how different teachers taught. Since I was bright and needed little teaching the first ten years, I spent a great deal of time helping slower students. When I returned to my home country, jobs were hard to come by and I went into college teaching. Good times or bad times, parents still pump in their life savings into their children's education.
My formal teaching life ended at age 31. After that it was training and special education. Around that time I received a prophesy from God that I will do four things for Him. It was only three years ago that I started doing two: writing and publishing (in the internet). The time for the third task has come. I am to record what He told me to, offer the recordings to a to-be set up social enterprise. Should these people refuse to take it, I am to learn to pod cast it. Either you too believe that each of us is here on earth for a specific purpose or you must think that I am raving mad!
Like Rick Hanski, I did not know for a long time what I was going to do after leaving school. Starting from I was nine years old, one teacher after another told me I could earn a living as a reporter. I guess I was so used to that kind of praise that I looked elsewhere. Starting from age 12 I was very impressed with science and dreamed about becoming a scientist.
After my government examination, I was picked to be interviewed in a Mandarin Radio program. The first interview was done in an empty classroom. A few weeks later, it seemed everyone heard the interview being broadcast except me. Then the same radioman called me for another program and we spent three hours recording a 15 minute segment. He showed me how he transferred the 15 minutes' recording from the master tape to the program tape. After a third invitation, he offered me an assistant's part time post. Pending my father's permission, I would have to sign a one year contract after I attended a three month pronunciation course. Since I was 16, my father objected. And that ended the opportunity to broadcasting.
While in college, I was trained in scientific programming. Even though I was given a scholarship for a Master's program, I was instructed to return to my home country. By now, I can see that if I had delayed returning, I would never return. Either marriage or a good career would have kept me somewhere in the USA. Ever since I started school, I have spent a lot of time observing how different teachers taught. Since I was bright and needed little teaching the first ten years, I spent a great deal of time helping slower students. When I returned to my home country, jobs were hard to come by and I went into college teaching. Good times or bad times, parents still pump in their life savings into their children's education.
My formal teaching life ended at age 31. After that it was training and special education. Around that time I received a prophesy from God that I will do four things for Him. It was only three years ago that I started doing two: writing and publishing (in the internet). The time for the third task has come. I am to record what He told me to, offer the recordings to a to-be set up social enterprise. Should these people refuse to take it, I am to learn to pod cast it. Either you too believe that each of us is here on earth for a specific purpose or you must think that I am raving mad!
Thursday, October 11, 2012
(72) Being attacked by a "best friend"
I have a friend who trusts me enough to tell me her difficulties: over her divorce, her learning disabilities even as a middle-age adult and her problems with her old friends.
We will call her Barbara here. She has an old friend from her child hood days who has stuck to her through thick and thin. Lately Barbara has been taking lifts regularly from that old friend, let us call this second lady Dorothy. Dorothy has two girls, one of them is definitely having some learning problems or other. Now, as a former tutor for such children, the first question I would ask is from which parent came the learning problems? It seems that even though Dorothy is a full time home-maker, one could not normally find a seat empty and ready in her sitting room. Each seat is either covered by newspaper, magazines or dried clothing that came back from the lines outdoor. I mean one may find such a state of disorganization in anyone's house once in a long while. But it seemed that it is the normal state in Dorothy's home. Looking at that, my bet is on for Dorothy to be the transmitter of those genes that her special daughter has received.
Interestingly, Dorothy began to attack Barbara for all her weaknesses: being not very co-ordinated in driving, poor directional recognition, inability to remember a sequence of steps that number more than three ... Since they have been best friends since childhood and stayed close, I doubt the attacks are personal in nature. I think Dorothy is in denial about her own shortcomings that she has more or less overcame. While her husband's millions added to what others expected of her, she resolutely refused to have a live-in maid. It does not help for others to pressure her to force her special daughter to shape up - some people thought that money could improve anyone. She herself foolishly chose to get involve in a church base charity teaching poor children with special needs. Well, actually she should have concentrated on helping her own child and achieve a certain measure of success before dabbling in other children's affair.
On top of all this, Dorothy chose to be with another mother whose young son has all the same symptoms as Dorothy's daughter at the same age. Dorothy's daughter is about five years older than this third woman's son. It is possible all these circumstances added up and pressurized Dorothy to a near breaking point. Barbara's proximity and her ineptness really irritated Dorothy and that could have been the last straw on the camel's back.
There are seven million people in our part of town. Barbara would be wise to meet Dorothy less under such circumstances. We vote with our feet where we want to go, whom we want to spend time with and what we want to do. For Barbara who has just attained a certain amount of peace and may be experiencing God's healing balm, she should not even allow a "best friend" to attack her just because the "best friend" happens to be having a raw deal. Temporary withdrawal seems to be the best policy at the moment.
We will call her Barbara here. She has an old friend from her child hood days who has stuck to her through thick and thin. Lately Barbara has been taking lifts regularly from that old friend, let us call this second lady Dorothy. Dorothy has two girls, one of them is definitely having some learning problems or other. Now, as a former tutor for such children, the first question I would ask is from which parent came the learning problems? It seems that even though Dorothy is a full time home-maker, one could not normally find a seat empty and ready in her sitting room. Each seat is either covered by newspaper, magazines or dried clothing that came back from the lines outdoor. I mean one may find such a state of disorganization in anyone's house once in a long while. But it seemed that it is the normal state in Dorothy's home. Looking at that, my bet is on for Dorothy to be the transmitter of those genes that her special daughter has received.
Interestingly, Dorothy began to attack Barbara for all her weaknesses: being not very co-ordinated in driving, poor directional recognition, inability to remember a sequence of steps that number more than three ... Since they have been best friends since childhood and stayed close, I doubt the attacks are personal in nature. I think Dorothy is in denial about her own shortcomings that she has more or less overcame. While her husband's millions added to what others expected of her, she resolutely refused to have a live-in maid. It does not help for others to pressure her to force her special daughter to shape up - some people thought that money could improve anyone. She herself foolishly chose to get involve in a church base charity teaching poor children with special needs. Well, actually she should have concentrated on helping her own child and achieve a certain measure of success before dabbling in other children's affair.
On top of all this, Dorothy chose to be with another mother whose young son has all the same symptoms as Dorothy's daughter at the same age. Dorothy's daughter is about five years older than this third woman's son. It is possible all these circumstances added up and pressurized Dorothy to a near breaking point. Barbara's proximity and her ineptness really irritated Dorothy and that could have been the last straw on the camel's back.
There are seven million people in our part of town. Barbara would be wise to meet Dorothy less under such circumstances. We vote with our feet where we want to go, whom we want to spend time with and what we want to do. For Barbara who has just attained a certain amount of peace and may be experiencing God's healing balm, she should not even allow a "best friend" to attack her just because the "best friend" happens to be having a raw deal. Temporary withdrawal seems to be the best policy at the moment.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
(71) The Wide Window by Lemony Snicket
-The third book of A Series of Unfortunate Events-
After the disaster with Uncle Monty, the three orphans were taken to Aunty Josephine who lived by Lake Lachrymose. Due to the Aunt's fear of fire, they hardly have any good thing to eat.
Count Olaf did not give up. He turned up as another character and frightened Aunt Jo into fleeing and hiding in the caves. After the stint of being given too many grammar lessons, the orphans had to leave as Aunt Jo proved to be negligent and irresponsible carer.
By this book, we can see that the orphans were forced by circumstances into becoming resourceful survivors. It is indeed true that adversity builds character.
After the disaster with Uncle Monty, the three orphans were taken to Aunty Josephine who lived by Lake Lachrymose. Due to the Aunt's fear of fire, they hardly have any good thing to eat.
Count Olaf did not give up. He turned up as another character and frightened Aunt Jo into fleeing and hiding in the caves. After the stint of being given too many grammar lessons, the orphans had to leave as Aunt Jo proved to be negligent and irresponsible carer.
By this book, we can see that the orphans were forced by circumstances into becoming resourceful survivors. It is indeed true that adversity builds character.
Monday, October 8, 2012
(70) The Reptile Room by Lemony Snicket
- the second book of A Series of Unfortunate Events -
After the fortune-hunting evil guardian, Count Olaf, Uncle Monty was a rather desirable guardian even though he loved snakes. At least he fed the children well and took them to the cinema and other exciting places.
But things could not remain well as Count Olaf turned up like a bad penny. I wonder why the orphans did not kick up a fuss and had Stefano (Count Olaf) fired! They were just too well brought up and were no match for the crooked Count Olaf. It is one thing being polite, it is quite another at being able to insist on something as important as their own future. But of course if they were brats, there would be no more unfortunate events: as then Count Olaf would have been gotten rid of, there would be no one else to make any more trouble.
After the fortune-hunting evil guardian, Count Olaf, Uncle Monty was a rather desirable guardian even though he loved snakes. At least he fed the children well and took them to the cinema and other exciting places.
But things could not remain well as Count Olaf turned up like a bad penny. I wonder why the orphans did not kick up a fuss and had Stefano (Count Olaf) fired! They were just too well brought up and were no match for the crooked Count Olaf. It is one thing being polite, it is quite another at being able to insist on something as important as their own future. But of course if they were brats, there would be no more unfortunate events: as then Count Olaf would have been gotten rid of, there would be no one else to make any more trouble.
Sunday, October 7, 2012
(69) The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
This is the first book of A Series of Unfortunate Events.
For those children who are too lazy to check dictionary, these books are wonderful as every difficult word is explained on the same line.
My children have watched the cinema interpretation of the series. None of them would recommend others to view it. In fact Elizabeth asked me why would anyone in their right mind choose to read such a sad tales. Well! Why not? For one, I often count my blessings when I open books of this kind. Compared to these three young orphans in the book, I have a mother who is alive and active today. I lost my dad at the ripe old age of eighty seven. Just this thought kept me grateful for months.
For those children who are too lazy to check dictionary, these books are wonderful as every difficult word is explained on the same line.
My children have watched the cinema interpretation of the series. None of them would recommend others to view it. In fact Elizabeth asked me why would anyone in their right mind choose to read such a sad tales. Well! Why not? For one, I often count my blessings when I open books of this kind. Compared to these three young orphans in the book, I have a mother who is alive and active today. I lost my dad at the ripe old age of eighty seven. Just this thought kept me grateful for months.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
(68) A Prisoner of Birth by Jeffrey Archer
This is not one of Archer's best sellers. From what the publisher wrote, Kane and Abel sold better.
In a sense, everyone of us is a prisoner of our birth. My mother was a rubber tapper in her youth. My father was relatively well educated by private tutor hired by a few village families. Sadly, Chinese classical education was never in great demand in a British colony. He started working for a soft drink company as a lowly salesman who sat beside the lorry driver. When he married my mother in 1956, he earned one hundred and twenty dollars monthly.
I am very fortunate that I was born after independence. Education was free for 11 years. As a result, girls were educated. After years of struggle, I improved my English enough to win a scholarship from a small college in USA. The education abroad freed me from the prison of my birth from an insignificant beginning. My former childhood neighborhood friends are accounts clerks and administrative assistants (not that I see those jobs as unworthy). Without my strong will to excel, I would probably have ended up somewhere with similar jobs as that was what my background indicated me to be.
Danny grew up in the poorer part of London. His accents would forever mark him as a lowly person from the lower, hardly literate back ground. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time, fate threw him into jail as a murderer even though he was innocent. But it was in jail that he learned to read and passed his GCSE O-Levels. Later he escaped from a high security prison as Sir Nicholas Moncrieff. After that he inherited the huge Moncrieff estate as Sir M willed it to him before his death. It is interesting that four years in prison changed his life totally.
In a sense, everyone of us is a prisoner of our birth. My mother was a rubber tapper in her youth. My father was relatively well educated by private tutor hired by a few village families. Sadly, Chinese classical education was never in great demand in a British colony. He started working for a soft drink company as a lowly salesman who sat beside the lorry driver. When he married my mother in 1956, he earned one hundred and twenty dollars monthly.
I am very fortunate that I was born after independence. Education was free for 11 years. As a result, girls were educated. After years of struggle, I improved my English enough to win a scholarship from a small college in USA. The education abroad freed me from the prison of my birth from an insignificant beginning. My former childhood neighborhood friends are accounts clerks and administrative assistants (not that I see those jobs as unworthy). Without my strong will to excel, I would probably have ended up somewhere with similar jobs as that was what my background indicated me to be.
Danny grew up in the poorer part of London. His accents would forever mark him as a lowly person from the lower, hardly literate back ground. Being in the wrong place at the wrong time, fate threw him into jail as a murderer even though he was innocent. But it was in jail that he learned to read and passed his GCSE O-Levels. Later he escaped from a high security prison as Sir Nicholas Moncrieff. After that he inherited the huge Moncrieff estate as Sir M willed it to him before his death. It is interesting that four years in prison changed his life totally.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
(67) Gift certificates
When I was a student, I used to be very happy to receive book certificates as prizes at the end of the year. With a book cert in hand I was able to hunt high and low in the designated book shop for a book I like.
As the years passed by, I see MPH gift certificates, Popular Book Vouchers, Jusco Vouchers ... Lately, the super market chain Carrefour launched their own gift voucher. Near where I live, a local Carrefour built two spacious glass partitioned private rooms, installed two beautiful young girls with individual latest model computer in those rooms. As I sat there on the cushioned bench provided in the white space in between the rooms after a strenuous walk about grocery shopping, I did not see even one customer making any inquiry for the 40 minutes I sat there waiting for my family who ventured to a nearby shopping center.
While one beauty killed time by filing her scarlet nails, the other was probably playing tic-tac-toe on the high tech computer. And I was left wondering whose bright idea it was to spend that kind of outlay to pay two workers to twiddle their thumbs day after day? In Jusco the customer service officer would serve in gift wrapping, gift redemption, card inquiry, card renewal as well as selling gift certificates.
As the years passed by, I see MPH gift certificates, Popular Book Vouchers, Jusco Vouchers ... Lately, the super market chain Carrefour launched their own gift voucher. Near where I live, a local Carrefour built two spacious glass partitioned private rooms, installed two beautiful young girls with individual latest model computer in those rooms. As I sat there on the cushioned bench provided in the white space in between the rooms after a strenuous walk about grocery shopping, I did not see even one customer making any inquiry for the 40 minutes I sat there waiting for my family who ventured to a nearby shopping center.
While one beauty killed time by filing her scarlet nails, the other was probably playing tic-tac-toe on the high tech computer. And I was left wondering whose bright idea it was to spend that kind of outlay to pay two workers to twiddle their thumbs day after day? In Jusco the customer service officer would serve in gift wrapping, gift redemption, card inquiry, card renewal as well as selling gift certificates.
Monday, October 1, 2012
(66) Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
This is a rather familiar story. Kane came from a blue blooded family with old wealth. Abel was an immigrant from Eastern Europe who clawed his way into the American dream.
While the two fathers had a misunderstanding that developed into a family feud, Kane's son and Abel's only daughter fell in love and eloped. Of course as epic stories went, Kane's son was handsome and intelligent. Abel's daughter was beautiful and had a flair for making millions(like her father) too.
The part of Abel's childhood, being an illegitimate baby brought up by a trapper's family who were on subsistence survival on estate land. I found that part of the feudal life eye opening. While the Baron owned land, buildings, gold and other forms of wealth, all other families living on the estate were equally poor as the hill tribe folks I saw in northern Thailand. That kind of poverty meant basic shelter, clean water miles away down hill, hardly enough to eat to keep body and soul together, probably one or two sets of basic clothing per person to cover nudity and family members having to share blankets if there was any in the family home.
The villages of aborigines in my country which I have visited are much more affluent in comparison. I suppose at every age there are hundreds of poor people found compared to one rich individual. Will civilization progresses further until more countries are like the northern European countries where the difference between the richest and the poorest is not so abysmal ?
While the two fathers had a misunderstanding that developed into a family feud, Kane's son and Abel's only daughter fell in love and eloped. Of course as epic stories went, Kane's son was handsome and intelligent. Abel's daughter was beautiful and had a flair for making millions(like her father) too.
The part of Abel's childhood, being an illegitimate baby brought up by a trapper's family who were on subsistence survival on estate land. I found that part of the feudal life eye opening. While the Baron owned land, buildings, gold and other forms of wealth, all other families living on the estate were equally poor as the hill tribe folks I saw in northern Thailand. That kind of poverty meant basic shelter, clean water miles away down hill, hardly enough to eat to keep body and soul together, probably one or two sets of basic clothing per person to cover nudity and family members having to share blankets if there was any in the family home.
The villages of aborigines in my country which I have visited are much more affluent in comparison. I suppose at every age there are hundreds of poor people found compared to one rich individual. Will civilization progresses further until more countries are like the northern European countries where the difference between the richest and the poorest is not so abysmal ?
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