The call

Yes, the call came. I am to go for an interview after the Chinese New Year.
I have taken the big step to head back to school. The world is suffering and I hope I can do my part to influence. I submitted my application and they have called me for a meet-up.



2014 is going to be exciting. I lay my plans before You, direct my path.

Your belief

While having breakfast at the Tiong Bahru market, I saw a group of SDP people. They are the opposition party in the Singapore political scene. They have been around for sometime and have yet to make an impact. What I really admire in them is their fight for what they believe in. How many of us do that? Not many,really. As long as we have our house, food and clothes, we will not rock the boat. We will just live our life as it is and complain behind closed doors if we are not happy.

What would the world be like if Martin Luther King did not lead the Civil Rights Movement or Nelson Mandela did not lead the anti-apartheid revolutionary? Or even our very own Mr LTK. It is an undeniable fact, if one of them had not fallen, none of the changes would have taken place.

I wish them the very best.

What a week

I guess by now, you would have known all about this ang moh call Anton Casey. If you are still in the dark, google his name or search him in yahoo, there are a list of news articles all about his foolish comment. While I feel sorry for his Singaporean wife and son who perhaps, are preparing for the Chinese New Year festival, have to drop everything and fly off to Perth. The reunion dinner must have been booked but all plans have to be called off because of some insensitive remarks written without  thinking through.

I do not blame my fellow citizens for being angry. In fact, angry is an understatement. For so long, we have allowed the foreigners to stamp on us. There is a long list as far as I can remember. From the brawl outside Suntec City to being called dogs to the racist remarks by Amy Cheng…patience has a limit. Ang Mohs must wake up. They do not rule us like they used to do during the colonial days. That is history, the past.

If there is anything to learn from this episode, it is no longer about you but your family as well. Look at how his foolishness has caused so much pain and hurt for his family.

Always remember, the pen is mightier than the sword or in this era, it is the keyboard.

Another opportunity knocks

Kai given another great opportunity to excel! Soon, I may need him to forgo some things, otherwise, he will be heading for a burn-out.


 
 
In life, never give up. Always make the best out of closed doors.

My little dancer

Ann, at her performance…



 

She will be taking her first RDA exams in April. If she continues to excel, SOTA will be the next target.

Twenty long years!

Long? Really depends on who is looking at it. For a couple who did not survive the first five years of their marriage, 20 years is indeed very long. For a couple who will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary, 20 years is really nothing. Nevertheless, the spouse and I celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary.

I think for two person, from completely different family background, can come together and stay together for 20 years is really not easy. I can safely say that we both belong to each opposite end. The spouse is the very passive type. So passive that sometimes, I can just pull my hair out.  I remember in the very early days when I first started writing to The Straits Times, he often reminded me to be careful with what I write in case we get chased out of our HDB flat. Bwahahaha...20 years on, we have two kids and have enjoyed the baby bonus, all the rebates,  all the whatever shares.  I, on the other hand is the ‘life is short, just do it’ type. I don’t like to live a life of fear and regrets. Yes, we are very different. Perhaps, it is this great difference which attracted us. We kind of pull and push each other. He pulling me back when I become too bold. I pushing him out to the unknown.

There is no perfect marriage. Seriously, never will you find one. Even the most successful marriage has its challenges. Sam Keen, put it so well “We come to love not by finding a perfect person, but by learning to see an imperfect person perfectly.”

The one good thing about a Christian marriage is the vow that is made before the pastor and all the many friends and relatives and above all, God. There is a central figure in the union. That is Christ as the head of the household. Many marriages start breaking apart when the empty nest appear. Why? For too many years, the central figure is the children, once the children are gone, there is nothing to hold on to, couples start going their separate ways. If the central figure is God, He is there for life. Really, what caused us to grow in this past 20 years?  It is the same focus for both of us, that is recognizing Christ as the head of the house.

So, to our next 20 years…to all married couples…Cheers!
 

Aug 1991 – courtship. Looks so young, we were actually not that young already. Both in the late twenties.


January 8 1994 – wedding day


I was surprised when the spouse brought this home.





These beautiful pictures were taken in Melbourne. They were specially taken to celebrate the coming 20th wedding anniversary.

Great respect for the photographer  Stewart Leishman, he was once a chef. Decided to give that up, learn photography all by himself and now enjoying his work and capturing all the beautiful moments for people. It was very tough starting up. I could see that. His wife was working for World Vision and they have three young kids. Hard work and determination can bring you anywhere (of course, a supporting wife). An attitude of ‘never say die’. He was really kind to do this for us. A gift from him.

Really, what is there in life that man cannot conquer?

Edit?


I really wonder where are all the good editors? Where have they gone to?

Referring to the report "45 childcare centres to be built this year to meet demand" (ST 3 Jan 2014)
It is heartening to know that the authorities are ramping up the number of childcare centres to meet its target. We are assured of the quantity however, the quality of the centres are still lacking.
On the same day, a report "Girl, 2, found with injuries at childcare centre" was also published in the papers. While we have yet to know the reason for her injuries, it is a great cause for concern to know that a toddler has been hurt in a childcare centre whose job is to take good care of children while their parents are at work.

As the authorities continue to increase the number of childcare centres to meet its target, I would like to know if there are enough, passionate and qualified pre-school teachers to fill these centres. It is not enough to fulfill the number of centres and drop some teachers into them. It is not enough to just hire qualified pre-school teachers. Handling little kids requires more than just having a piece of certificate. The three Ps are important when hiring pre-school teachers - personal, passionate, patient. In short, pre-school teachers must know what they are in for when they choose to pursue this career. Do the authorities have the right people ready to fill these positions. Are operators running the centres focused on making money as there is a demand now or their priority is placed on giving the best to the children placed under their trust.

According to the report, the expansion will result in an additional 20,000 places. Do we already have the personnel ready to take on these 20,000 children? Childcare centres are not drop-in centres. It plays a far more important role than that of primary schools. Enough research has been done to prove that the first five years of a child's life is important. Sadly, our society does not advocate mothers to be the first care givers. Instead, our children, as young as three months old, are placed under the care of childcare centres. If we do not focus on the heart of a childcare centre now, we are only doing a great injustice to our future generation.

A pool of resources the authorities could look into are women who gave up their promising careers to become stay-at-home-mums. These women may not have the relevant certificates but they surely qualify for being passionate educators. Granting them flexi hours to work when their own children are at school and a reasonable pay-check, they are great assets for childcare centres.
Shirley Woon (Mdm)




?

The great Oz adventure - the final chapter

Apart from the planned places to visit, we also managed to take time out to see some places which we happened to come across…

 
Honeycomb farm

 
The bee hotel


Guess what is this? The backside of the bee. Look closely


We got to taste all the different types of honey and jam. All homemade. Yum!

 
Eating flowers. They tasted good. Just like eating fresh lettuce


This is a solar oven. They made use of the heat from the sun to cook their food. So good, if I can do that in Singapore, I will save lots on electricity bill


Another one. Really huge



Mulberry tree, mulberry fruit. I like the taste

Time to play with the farm animals

  

 
Ann was very happy when Kai helped her to catch this really furry chicken. I am amazed by my kids. They are city kids yet they are not afraid to carry these animals. I mean, what happen if they poo on them!


This is the view of the farmland. Beautiful

Next, we chanced on a Timbertown

Looks like cowboy town


The old cowboy way of getting water


Do you think a giant lives up there?


We didn’t go in so not sure what is in there.

As Christmas was just around the corner when we were in Australia. The Sydney Town Hall was all lighted up. Our hotel was just 10 minutes away from, we walked over to enjoy the lights.  In my opinion, this beat Orchard Light-up hands down.


 
 
    
 
Enchanting

This ends my post on my great Oz adventure. The longest post ever…from 2013 to 2014!