Snippets

Last weekend, I attended a wake. A friend in church has been promoted to glory land. We have known each other for many years and have served on the church board together. He was truly a jolly good guy. He always giggled. He always has a smile on his face. Actually, I have never seen him frown at all. Sadly, he passed on. Not very old, probably only in his late 50s. I guess, heaven is a more worthy place for a guy like him. Enjoy your time up there, MK!

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At the wake, I met another old pal. He is a professor in NUS. Smart guy with smart sons. I still remember his eldest son, after his PSLE, chose to go to Swiss Cottage Secondary School. He could choose RI, you know. He qualified for it yet, he decided to go for a “non-elite” school. He is now doing his masters in Law and soon to be a DPP. Non-elite school, no air-con, no swimming pool…is he successful now? Need I say more?

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Remember that Scientific Thinking Programme? Well, Kai has been selected. Friday, he will make his way, together with seven other kids to the Republic Poly to meet their mentor. I asked Kai if all these are too much for him. He said, “no.”  I guess, when you are doing something you love, it will never be too much.

Yes, “non-elite” school. Bad kids? No opportunities? Failure? Doomed? I thank God for that experience. I now champion P6 parents to look beyond the name of a school!

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The school called and I went for my interview on Monday. I was very surprised at how I handled the interview. I could not even remember when was the last time I went for an interview. More than a decade ago, perhaps. There were no butterflies or sweaty palms. I just took on every question with ease. In fact, it was more of a chat than an interview. I guess life’s experiences help.


I got this in 2000. My employer then did nothing with it. In 2001, I decided to just invest my life on my kids. For these past many years, I always tell the spouse why did I waste my time and money on it. The spouse always said that, it helped to produce smart kids. You see, I was pregnant with Kai when I was in my final year and Kai influenced Ann.

Today, I see the reason for getting that. It paved my way to my next goal in life. Yes, I have been accepted to do my Masters in Social Science. I will graduate in 2016. I will be 50. What a significant year that will be. Kai will be doing his ‘O’ levels, Ann will be doing her PSLE and mama will finish her Masters. I will be the big push, the motivating factor for the kids to study. We will do it together.

There is never a waste in education, in whatever form it takes. Education is life!

Three is never a crowd
 
I love taking pictures of Kai, Ann and the spouse. It always gives me a warm feeling looking at them from the back. Father, son and daughter. The spouse is an excellent father to them. He hardly has to raise his voice because he is really cool, calm and collected. I always tell Kai and Ann…”if your father raises his voice, you know that you have not made him mad….you have made him very mad.”
Pictures of the trio I have captured…

 
 
 
 
 
Look at their height over the years. If only they don’t grow up so fast (so, I won’t grow old too).
真的，很不舍得你长大！

If only time will stand still

Chinese New Year has come and gone. That was how fast it has been. In a blinking of an eye, it was all over. The special moment was when a group of us met up at my place. These group is very special to me. I have know them since I was 13 years old. Yeap, that long. The friendship of more than three decades. It is rare, very rare. During this time, one has suffered from auto immune disease and is on medication. One had an open heart surgery and has a pace maker implanted...That life. To be able to wake up and breathe again is a privilege.

We don’t meet up often so this time, it was really nice to gather together. Cheers to more good years. This is what Chinese New Year is all about. The gathering of your loved ones, don’t shun it !


Friends


With our kids


Nice one. Aptly describes our friendship.


Chinese New Year family photo.

Ann, as usual, always trying to be funny. Kai has grown a whole lot. He is now taller than me.

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.