Being a Working Mother

Speech Writing Course

2012-01-25T18:39:00.004+10:30

I was packing my bookshelves when I chanced upon the notes on speech writing course which I have attended in 2009. I thought it would be good to share with my toastmaster friends. Here are the tips.

Objectives of a Speech
First, consider the objectives of the speech. Usually, a speech falls into one or more of the four categories - 1) inspire thinking; 2) stir feelings; 3) motivate action; and/or 4) provide information.

So what are the qualities of a good speech?
1. Meet the objectives
2. Well-organised
3. Interesting
4. Passionate
5. Precise and concise
6. Persuasive

It will be good that the speech is also humorous, relevant, easily understood and memorable.

In a nutshell, a good speech is one that is 1) easy to follow and understand; 2) achieve its objectives; and 3) memorable.

When we are drafting a speech, we need to bear in mind tht the attention span of audience is short and getting shorter. There is an audience beyond the one in front of the speaker - such as the media (TV/ newspaper).

That sounds intimidating. Fret not, to navigate the thouroughfare of speech writing, we can follow the following process closely.
1. Determine the message (e.g. staff conference?)
2. Consider the audience
3. Think about the person delivering the speech (if the person is not you)
4. Collect informaton and organise it into about 5 points and rank them.
5. Start from point 1, then 5. Move on to 3, then 4 and finally point 2.
6. Link points with smooth transitions, e.g. meanwhile, 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc
7. Write the conclusion then introduction
8. Work on a sound bite (sound bite refers to the "boxed-up text" in the newspaper, usually it is a quotation, it's short 1 sentence or at most 2 sentences. They are important and expressed in a nice and stylised way.
9. Review conclusion and introduction
10. Have someone deliver it and assess how it flows.

Tips to consider
Use:
1. Alliteration (e.g. fast and furious)
2. Anedotes
3. Antithesis (e.g. "We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." Martin Luther King, Jr., speech at St. Louis, 1964)
4. Call to action
5. Contrasts
6. Conversation English (read Bill Gates' speeches)
7. Definitions
8. Humor with care
9. Quotations
10. Repetition
11. Rhetorical questions
12. Rounded-off figures
13. Short sentences
14. Set of threes
15. Similies (same in some aspect usually 1 - he eats like a pig, life is like a journey) and metaphors (same in everywhere). E.g. Passion is like fuel in the rocket, it propels the rocket to greater heights.
16. Simple words
17. Sound bites
18. Statistics - to use sparringly
19. Transitions
20. Vivid imagery

Avoid:
- Cliches (expression that is no longer fresh. e.g. at this mount in time, without further ado, last but not least, we work 24/7, on that note. Instead use finally, let me end my speech...) and platitudes (sentences that say something that is true but people have heard it so many times. e.g. Change is the only constant).

Writing the introduction
- You have 15 seconds to capture the attention of audience (most important)
- You never get second chance to make a good first impression
- Write the intro towards the end
- Possible introductions include - a provocative quotation, a vivid anecdote, a thought provoding question or a startling statistics

Writing the conclusion
- Repeat your main point more emphatically (you want them to retain that one point. e.g. Let me end my speech by emphasizing/ repeating this very important point/ by leaving you with the thoughts of...)
- If appropriate, call for action
- Possible conclusions include a rhetorical question, or an appropriate quotation e.g. is that the kind of world you want to live in?

Remember there are two aspects - 1. what to say (contents) and 2. how to say (method)

How Long is a Piece of String

2012-01-23T08:51:00.003+10:30

This blogpost is more on the book "How long is a piece of string?" by Rob Eastaway and Jeremy Wyndham.

About the book

The book is about the hidden mathematics of everyday life. This title is for anyone wanting to remind themselves - or discover for the first time - that maths is relevant to almost everything we do. Get-rich-quick scams, blind dates, taxi meters and many others have links with intriguing mathematical problems that are explained in this book.

How Long is a Piece of String

With my interest piqued by the title of book, I did some internet searches to find out the meaning of the phrase. "How long is a piece of string" is an idiom. The website www.usingenglish.com provided the most straightforward answer as follows:

If someone has no idea of the answer to a question, they can ask 'How long is a piece of string?' as a way of indicating their ignorance.

However, it did not capture adequately the mathematical aspects of the phrase, which www.phrase.org.uk appears to have done well as follows:

Intrinsically a piece of string has length but that length is unknown hence the
: the phrase 'how long is a piece of string' means that the quantitative answer is not known and there is an implicate understanding that the answer will be difficult to find given the information available.

How Do Conmen Get Rich

Let's move on to the articles in the book. Today, I will like to share more about the second article, how do conmen get rich, which reminds me of the phrase "when something sounds too good to be true, it probably is".

In particular, the football con detailed the experience of George Tindle, a football fan who was being sent many free tips on which football team will win in the coming match. As it turned out, the scam was deceptively simple.

To start with 8,000 emails were sent out to people known to have some sort of interest in football. All possible outcomes were being sent to different recipents. For example in the first match between Team A and B, there would be 4,000 emails "predicting" Team A as the winner and the remaining 4,000 emails betting Team B. Of course, 4,000 would be "right", while the other half would delete the email and think no more about it. This is repeated for the next match. Due to the sheer size of emails in the start point, there would still be a few hundreds around 5 rounds. 250 to be exact (you could work out the math but that is not the point) and they would be immensely impressed so much so that some would be willing to hand over money to the organiser in exchange for a "good tip".

This concept reminded me of what Malcolm Gladwell shared in his article "Blowing Up". http://www.gladwell.com/2002/2002_04_29_a_blowingup.htm. The relevant excerpt is reproduced as follows:

For Taleb, then, the question why someone was a success in the financial marketplace was vexing. Taleb could do the arithmetic in his head. Suppose that there were ten thousand investment managers out there, which is not an outlandish number, and that every year half of them, entirely by chance, made money and half of them, entirely by chance, lost money. And suppose that every year the losers were tossed out, and the game replayed with those who remained. At the end of five years, there would be three hundred and thirteen people who had made money in every one of those years, and after ten years there would be nine people who had made money every single year in a row, all out of pure luck. Niederhoffer, like Buffett and Soros, was a brilliant man. He had a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Chicago. He had pioneered the idea that through close mathematical analysis of patterns in the market an investor could identify profitable anomalies. But who was to say that he wasn't one of those lucky nine? And who was to say that in the eleventh year Niederhoffer would be one of the unlucky ones, who suddenly lost it all, who suddenly, as they say on Wall Street, "blew up"?

I hope I have convinced you that mathematics is everywhere and we can apply it in our day-to-day life as long as we make an effort to do so. Do it, it's FUN!

Serendipity

2012-01-15T08:47:00.000+10:30

The dictionary definition of serendipity is "pure luck in discovering things you were not looking for". Scientifically, it is explained as the very short period of time whereby our brain neurons "go out of sync", most of the time however, our brain neurons are in the lock-in phase.

You may have times whereby you are stuck in a rut when you are trying very hard to solve a problem. Then you take a break, maybe have leisure walk in the park or in my case, hit out at the gym. Eureka moment strikes. That is serendipity! Hold it, is there such good luck in life?

Being a mathematician, I think one needs to be very, very lucky to have that and I will seek out the truth behind before agreeing to such statements. I found my answer yesterday while reading the book by Steven Johnson's "Where Good Ideas Come from".

What happens is the collision of existing ideas in our brain and making new connections that enable us to have the ah-ha moments. So if you have to increase the "hit-rate" of such ah-ha moments, you will have to absorb new ideas from the outside world.

As Johnson shared, reading remains as an unsurpassed vehicle for the transmission of interesting new ideas and perspective. We can block out time to read around the edges of our work schedule, listen to audio books during the morning commute hours. One problem with assimilating new ideas at the fringes of daily routine is that the potential combinations are limited by the reach of our memory. For example, if you take 2 weeks to finish a book, you may have forgotten much of it when you get to read the next book. Furthermore, if you immense in a single author's perspective, it is harder to create serendipity collision between ideas of multiple authors.

One suggestion is to read many books by different authors at the same time. I read that Bill Gates will carve out dedicated periods - in the form of annual reading vacation - where he would read a large and varied collections of books and essay, much of which are unrelated to the day-to-day operation of Microsoft.

For ordinary people like you and me, we could not afford such luxury, so my suggestion is to read many books/ magazines at one go. At the same time, train our memory. Yes, you can good memory! If you are interested to know how, you can read the following article on "Do you have good memory" by Nishant Kasibhatla. Thanks to my asociation with the Toastmasters' Club, I have the great fortune to meet and see Nishant in action. He is a Grand Master of Memory at The World Memory Championships and the CEO of Memory Vision - The Memory Training Company.

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Do You have Good Memory, Nishant Kasibhatla

Can you remember any information fast? Can you recall information whenever you want?
If your answer for the above questions is "No" or "sometimes", then you need to know about the 3 stumbling blocks of memory improvement. Just the awareness of these blocks would also help you in a great way. So what are thee blocks?
1. Disbelief
Most people have an "amazing level" of disbelief on their memory capacity that they don't even try to memorise new information.
If I write a 50-digit number and ask anyone to memorize, I usually get some great answers like:
"You mean the whole 50 digit number? "I think I will never be able to do it" "Come again. Memorize what?" "It will take an year for me" etc
Well, I do not find fault with any of the above responses. But what is interesting to note is that no one wants even to try it. What causes such disbelief in people in their memory power? The simple answer is "lack of awareness".
Your brain is the most amazing machine on the planet. If you train your brain, nothing is impossible. Make sure you give your memory it's true value.
Many people brag about their memory, but don't do anything to make it good. You just can't wish to improve your memory. You need to act. You have to give your memory a good workout.
The next time you want to memorise anything, just make a committed effort to memorize it. Believe that you can do it. You will be surprised with the result.
2. Disinterest
You know that interest plays a vital role in the process of memory. If you have to memorise any information, YOU HAVE TO BE INTERESTED IN IT!
If you don't, then it will be difficult to memorize it. Trying to memorize information, without getting interested in it, is a great way to waste your precious time.
Try to find out ways and means of making the information fun to learn. Try to find an expert on that information and discuss the topic with him. The expert can explain the same information in a way you could never think of. Well, that's why he is an expert!
Remember this: If the information is not interesting enough, it's your duty to make sure it is interesting.
3. Disuse
The fastest way to forget information is to not use it in your day-to-day life. Research indicates that people forget about 80% of the new information they learn in as less as 24 hours. Unbelievable, isn't it? To stop this loss of information, you have use the information you learn as much as possible.
Some ideas are:
1. Teach the information to someone else.
2. Discuss the points with your peers.
3. Write a summary in your own words.
4. Write an article about it!
5. Think how can you teach it to any 5 years old kid.
Memory improvement is not possible unless you kick the three stumbling blocks out of your way. Eliminating these blocks early on in the process of memorizing can save you a mighty amount of time and mental energy.
Coming out of the traps of disbelief, disinterest and disuse is you first step to memory improvement. It's easy. If only you take action.Nishant Kasibhatla is a Grand Master of Memory at The World Memory Championships. He is the CEO of Memory Vision - The Memory Training Company.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/391580

Can I trust what I read in papers?

2012-01-04T01:10:00.003+10:30

I am almost done with the book "How long is a piece of string" by Rob Eastaway and Jeremy Wyndham. However, the final chapter is so appealing that I zoomed head in to immerse myself in the magical word of mathematics.

Though sharing of the key points put forth by the authors, I hope to have also rubbed off some zest for maths on you. So much so that you would also pick up this wonderful book and read.

Maths is Magic

The final chapter is about magic. This is the magic of the spin doctor, and his props are numbers.

Spin doctors help all sorts of people to manipulate the truth, but most often they are associated with politicians. Recall what Mark Twain has once said "There are lies, damned lies and statistics."

The aim of such spin is usually to make information sound better than it actually is. Numbers play a crucial role in this, taking advantage of the public's general discomfort with maths and their consequent reluctance to challenge the figures. It turns out, too, that numbers can be surprisingly helpful as a flexible tool in helping you to say what you want to say.

Below are some of the tricks:

1) Making something out of nothing - E.g. last year's sales was $500K and this year's sale was $515K. Public relations department could easily declare an increase in revenue by 3%, which ignores inflation. As it turns out, ignoring inflation is probably one of the most common sleights of hand used by spin doctors, and passed on to the public without challenge.

2) Double-counting, or turning one into two - The book quoted the example of so-called double-counting escapade of the Labour government where the Education Secretary, then David Blunkett, announced a whopping $19 billion increase in spening on schools. Given that the total amount spent per year at the time was $38 billion, it was an impressive increase by 50%.

However, there was more than met the eye. As it turned out, it was the way the politician interpreted the figures over 3 years from 1998 to 2001. The total amount spent in 1998 was $38 billion and was to increase to $41 billion in 1999, $44.5 billion in 2000 and $47.5 billion in 2001. So the increase in 1999 was $3 billion (or $41 billion - $38 billion). As for the increase in 2000, it was with reference to Year 1998 i.e. $6.8 billion. Likewise for 2001 which worked out to be $9.5 billion. The total increase was obtained by adding up the increases each year - a whopping $19 billion.

Sounds gibberish? You bet it is.

3) Making something smaller and bigger at the same time. Here is another very useful prop for performing the spin doctor's magic - percentages.

First spin doctor - Last year, the price of coffee went up by only 2%. This year it has gone up by 3% - that's an increase of only 1%, which is quite reasonable given the poor crop this year.

Second spin doctor - Not at all. If it went up by 2% last year, and 3% this year, that means it has gone up by 50%.

4) Use averages to make everyone feel better - or worse. One can also pull off a lot of tricks with averages. The whole concept of what "average" means is a slippery one, bandied about by politicians with little respect for its subtleties. Just remember, average masks differences.

5) Missing the big picture. Another ploy of a good conjuror is to make you concentrate on a small part of what is going on so that you completely miss something else. This is about graph plotting by magnifying small differences through selective presentation of figures.

6) Blind them with science. Finally, there is the mesmersing bit of chicanery that leaves the audience saying, "Wow, I have no idea how they do that!" One way to keep out prying eyes is to send out the message, "We are so clever, it's not even worth trying to understand what we do".

A standard way of doing this is to make simple things complicated, with the implication that complicated = sophisticated. The truth is, of course, that complicated often means no more than muddled thinking.

In Conclusion

A lot of maths is extremely difficult. That's what we do in the varsity. But most of the maths needed for everyday life is not. In fact, an understanding of maths can have all sorts of benefits: it can stimulate curiosity, it can answer those questions that bug us all the time, it can improve decision-making, and it can help to settle arguments.

I think this final chapter tells us that the most important role of maths in everyday life is it can help to prevent us from being conned, defrauded, misled and otherwise ripped off. There is nothing that spin doctors would like more than a generally innumerate society, so that can be fed exactly the numbers they want to feed us.

With maths, it is possible to fight back.

Walking with the dinosaurs

2011-12-18T21:57:00.001+10:30

It was the stupendous school holidays again. The Lim family embarked on a travel 250 million years back in time at Science Centre for a prehistoric adventure.

It was not everyday that one had the chance to walk with the dinosaurs. We did just that. Not with one but with almost 50 life-sizes dinosaurs, roamed their habitats and heard them roared.

We were reminded of civilisation with many other time travellers also with children in toll. My boys were excited to collect the dinosaurs stamps. There were also kiosks at the exhibition which allowed their creative juices to flow. They coloured, etched and drew dinosaurs the way they liked. They also played pretend to be palaeontologists at the Dig Pit, where they searched for fossil evidence, interpreted evidence and identified dinosaurs from bones.

At the end of the unforgettable prehistoric adventure, my boys each had a clay dino figurine and sheets of paper stamped with their proud collection of dinosaurs.

Ho, ho, holiday in Australia, 6

2011-12-18T16:24:00.013+10:30

Day 7, 17 Dec 2011, Saturday

Beautiful Memories

Besides the usual themepark visits, we also enjoyed playing along the beach. Gold Coast boasts a long and beautiful coast line. Enjoy the pictureque views just a stone throw from our apartment.

Burleigh Heads - the place where we were putting up at.

Did you spot the double rainbow?

View from the park near our apartment

Mt Cootha, Brisbane

On the last day of our stay in Australia, we managed to drive up to Mt Cootha in Brisbane to take in the bird's eye'

Mt Cootha

Ho, ho, holiday in Australia, 5

2011-12-18T16:03:00.012+10:30

Day 6, 16 Dec 2011, Friday

DreamWorld

Yes, there were more thrill rides but what set Dreamworld apart from the other theme parks was its Australian Wildlife Experience. It consists of one of the largest, native, wildlife parks in South East Queensland, with more than 800 native animals including one of the largest koala populations in the world.

My boys particularly liked Bilby, also known as the rabbit-eared bandicoot. Bilby is a rabbit-like marsupial. It lives in deserts, dry forests, dry grasslands, and dry shrubby areas in Australia. The bilby's pouch faces backwards. These big-eared, burrowing mammals are in danger of extinction. The bilby, like all bandicoots, is a nocturnal animal (most active at night). Digging with its strong, clawed feet, this solitary mammal excavates long, complex burrows. Its underground dens are up to 5 feet (1.5 m) long.

Oh yes, on this last day at themepark, I managed to muster enough courage to take the "Wipeout" Ride - one of the Big 7 Thrill Rides. See if you can spot me screaming out loud.

Ho, ho, holiday in Australia, 4

2011-12-18T15:30:00.009+10:30

Day 5, 15 Dec 2011, Thursday

WhiteWater World and Harbour Town

On Thursday, we checked on the rest of the theme parks which we had yet to visit, namely, Dreamworld and Whitewater World. These two themeparks were side-by-side and we could purchase the park tickets at a discounted price over the Internet.

As it turned out, dark clouds loomed throughout the day. Though it did not rain, the sky looked ominous and with temperature in the early 20 degree celius, it was not a good day for soaking good fun. Fortunately for us, Whitewater World was smaller compared to Wet n Wild, so we did not miss much of the action.

We managed to check out The Green Room - a key attraction of Whitewater World. Towering 20 metres above the ground, The Green Room was a massive, 1.5 million dollar funnel of fun. The specially designed 4 person cloverleaf tube accelerated riders from a 75 metre tunnel to a 15 metre funnel before literally dropping out! Riders were thrown into the upper hemisphere, off back-to-back “vertical” banks before a needle-nose splashdown that will give the most hardened of thrill seekers the chills. Cool!

In addition to The Green Room, we also took the Super Tubes HydroCoaster, a water-based rocket and the world’s very latest innovation in waterslide thrills and technology. This intense rollercoaster on water, complete with exhilarating drops and terrifying turns, propelling riders up the steepest of inclines at the highest speeds. One of only two of it’s kind in the whole world, it’s a 28 second, ‘magic carpet’ ride for three that would leave Aladdin begging for mercy.

Filled with open tubes and enclosed flumes, Super Tubes HydroCoaster’s back to back turns and loops are like nothing we had ever experienced before. We were seated one behind the other in a special Rocket Raft built for three before being blasted from the 18 metre tower down the 236 metre track of terror.

Thursday was also a shopping day for Australians with the shopping malls having extended shopping hours. The last time a few days back, we visited the Harbour Town in Gold Coast at around 5 pm, most of the shops were closed. Many good deals awaited the intrepid shopper here!

Oh yes, our tiring but fulfilling day was capped by the awesome dinner at Cav's Butchery and Steak Restaurant. The thought of their steak, Yahoo Pork Ribs and Whisky bread pudding with ice-cream still made my mouth water. Yummy.

Ho, ho, holiday in Australia, 3

2011-12-18T14:47:00.009+10:30

Day 2-4, 12-14 Dec 2011, Monday-Wednesday Early in the morning, we mulled over our decision on where to head out for the day. We decided to visit the various theme parks as per our research prior to taking the airplane. The decision now was which one to go first.

We did more indepth internet searches and pinned it down to the three worlds - Movie World, Wet n Wild and SeaWorld. Apparently, the trios were under the same management and we could grab a special price to visit the three within a certain time period. Ticket prices were slightly cheaper over the internet than the counter. We checked with the receptionist who informed that we could use the internet counter at the lobby for printing. The basic cost was AUS$2. And this was what we did.

Movie World

Thereafter we sent forth for Warner Brothers' Movie World. There were quite a number of rides for thrill-seekers and family as well as shows. One of which was the fast cars and bikes. This reminded me of the "Lights, Camera and Action" which we had watched at the Disneyland theme park.

There were also special appearances by Batman and other Warner Brothers' cartoon characters. This being the Christmas season, my boys also had the opportunity to skate.

Wet n Wild and Infinity

The following day, we visited the "Wet n Wild" water theme which was touted as the biggest in Australia. My boys loved the wave pool also dubbed as "Dive n Movies". We also enjoyed the relaxing Calypso Beach where the gentle wave swept us around the park. As for the thrill rides, we did the Super Aqua 8 Racer as well as the Mammoth Falls. Basically, we each grabbed a mat and then slided with it. For the kids, there was also the Buccaneer Bay, somewhat like a water playground.

In the evening, we managed to squeeze in another tourist attraction - Infinity at Chervon Renaissance. Infinity was not for the faint-hearted, especially those with fear of darkness. It was somewhat like a futuristic maze using interesting play on lights and colours.

SeaWorld

The most beautiful among the three worlds that we visited. We were wowed by the adorable penguins, dolphins, sea birds and the many lovely marine creatures.

Ho, Ho, Holiday in Australia, 2 - Beautiful Brisbane, Gorgeous Gold Coast

2011-12-18T02:15:00.006+10:30

In the last post, I mentioned about the arduous planning involved in a DIY, self-drive holiday. However, for those who prefer not waking up in the early morning to catch the coach, the rushing around and your chosen of preferred food, it is all worth the effort.

In this blog post, I will do a brief write-up of the highlights of the first day of the self-drive holiday in Brisbane and Gold Coast. Sit back and enjoy!

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Day 1, Sunday, 11 Dec 2011. It was a midnight flight from Singapore to Brisbane. As it was a direct flight, the journey was about 8 hours long. So we boarded the plane and had our good night sleep onboard.

Brisbane

We arrived at Brisbane airport at around 10 am - Brisbane being 2 hours ahead of Singapore's time. Thanks to the good advice of our colleague, we had applied for visa via the Internet beforehand. Not only did that save us money, it also made the crossing the immigration checkpoints seamless.

The first thing that we did was to look out for their local phone operator - Vodafone which had an outlet in the airport. We bought a pre-paid sim card for our iPad 2 which would help us to get around in Australia at a fraction of the mobile cost.

As it was still early to check into our accomodation in Gold Coast, we browsed a free copy of the guide around Brisbane and decided to head down to South bank. Thereafter, we proceeded to pick up our rental car, which I nicknamed "Must Be Very Sexy. We fidgeted with the GPS and our iPad before we embarked on our journey.

We explored the South bank on foot for about an hour before we headed to New Farm Park and had lunch at New Farm Fish Cafe. The seafood there was great. After lunch, we drove to Gold Coast which was about an hour or so drive.

Gold Coast

When we arrived at our accomodation, we were somewhat taken aback as there was no reception. It then dawned on us that it was a Sunday afternoon. So we pressed to talk through the intercom, who guided us to open up the safe to pick up the keys to our apartment. I knew I had booked a 2-bedroom apartment with ocean view. Still, I was blown away by the postcard perfect view from all vantage points in the apartment - from the living room, kitchen, master bedroom and the kids room. It was simply breaktaking complete with the sound of the waves crashing in. Welcome to Surfers' Paradise.

We lazed around for until evening time before we drove around and chanced upon Cav's Butchery and Steakhouse. The steak and Yahoo Pork Ribs were simply yummy. Thereafter, we hopped onto our car again and were on a lookout for a grocery store to buy some fresh milk, chocolate bars and cereal for our morning breakfast the next day.

Ho, ho, holiday in Australia,1

2011-12-14T22:51:00.008+10:30

It is a holiday that the Lim family is looking forward - a self-drive, free and easy holiday in the surfers' paradise, Gold Coast.

That was a lot of planning amidst the day-to-day work challenge and juggling of family responsibility. Somehow we managed. How as life always throws at one surprises. So advanced and contingency planning is our best defence. We brought along our GPS alongside the Australian roadmap. We hunt for the local mobile service provider, Vodafone and bought a pre-paid card for our trustworthy iPad II. Yet when reached our destination, we were surprised that there was no reception desk. A classic case of cultural shock and misunderstanding. I did not realise that I had booked a holiday apartment not hotel accomodation. The difference? I had a fully functioning apartment with 2 bedrooms and equipped kitchen, a sheltered and secured carpark space. The minus? No room service. As my family does no fuss much over household messiness. This apartment concept is a godsend. No to mention the gorgeous view we enjoyed in the apartment.

We are enjoying ourselves here. And yes, I am using a tablet which is android- operated. Having just read I, Steve Jobs and also a user of Apple products. The latter is a clear winner. I have to stop now as I am taking ages to type this.

Make a difference

2011-12-11T22:40:00.001+10:30

Just to share a meaningful story which I have read.
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One day, a man was walking along the seashore. He noticed that many seashells and starfish had washed up on the shore during the night.

Far off in the distance, he saw a small figure dancing. The man was joyous that someone was celebrating life in such a grand and uninhibited manner. As he drew closer, however, it became apparent that the figure was not dancing, but repeatedly performing some act.

Approaching the small figure, the man noticed that it was a child. The girl was methodically picking up starfish from the shore and tossing them back into the surf. The man paused for a moment, puzzled, then asked, "Why are you throwing those starfish back into the ocean?"

"If I leave these starfish on the beach," she replied, "the sun will dry them, and they will die. I am throwing them back into the ocean because I want them to live."

The man then said, "There must be millions of starfish along here! How can you possibly expect to make a difference?"

The young girl pondered the man's words for a moment, then she slowly leaned over, reached down, and carefully picked up another starfish from the sand. With a gentle effort, she lobbed the starfish back out into the surf.

She turned to the man and smiled. "You may be right," she said, "but I made a difference for that one!“

Never worry about numbers. Help one person at a time, and always start with the person nearest you. ~Mother Teresa

The Slow Hunch, Inspired from my readings

2011-12-10T17:45:00.001+10:30

Historian, Robert Darnton has written the following to describe the tangled mix of writing and reading habit of the early modern Englishman:

"Unlike modern readers, who follow the flow of a narrative from beginning to end, early modern Englishmen read in fits and starts and jumped from book to book. They broke texts into fragments and assembled them into new patterns by transcribing them in different sections of their notebooks. Then they reread the copies and rearranged the patterns while adding more excerpts. Reading and writing were thereafore inseparable of things. They belonged to a continuous effort to make sense of things, for the world was full of signs that you could read your way through and by keeping an account of your readings, you made a book of your own. One stamped with your personality."

An epiphany moment hit me as I read Darnton's account as I too have been doing that for decades. To-date, I have a number of notebooks which were filled with notes of books I have read. Unlike the early modern Englishman, I am luckier. With the advent of technology, today, I also have word documents of my readings, my thoughts as well as a blog which shares the new knowledge which I have gleaned.

When I have the luxury of time, I love to reread my writings. Each rereading brings a new revelation. Each encounter holds the promise of that some long forgotten hunch that will connect in a new way with some emerging obsession. This is akin to some evolutionary path of one's past hunches.

My dear readers, I encourage you to also read, think, write and think again.

Basic Lesson on Data Analysis

2011-11-25T22:38:00.007+10:30

A friend asked me how to approach data analysis and how to decide on the data presentation.

From my experiences and reading, Dan Roam in his book, The Back of the Napkin had explained the process very well. Below is the excerpt from his book with my two-cents' worth thrown in.

Data analysis is both an art and a science. It is increasingly important due to the advent of Internet. Today, we are flooded with information. The sad thing though is that, we are inundated with details at the expense of the big picture. While in the past data was power, today making sense of data is more powerful. In essence, we need to be able to separate the wheat from the chaff.

How to Look Better - 4 Rules to Live By

1. Collect everything we can look at, the more the merrier (at least at first)

2. Have a place where we can lay down everything and ready look at it, side by side

3. Always define a basic coordinate system to give us clear orientation and position

4. Find ways to cut ruthlessly from everything our eyes bring in - we need to practise "visual triage".

Remember: When data is packed in individual tiles and records, it is impossible to look at the big picture - but getting everything out in the open makes otherwise invisible connections visible.

General Rules of the Thumb

1. It's the data that matters, let it show.

Many people find numbers boring, so we jazz up our charts with visual bells and whistles hoping to make pictures more interesting

That's only the style. In my opinion, substance is the most important ingredient. Let us face it, insightful data is exciting! If what we show resonates with our audience (either it shows exactly what they hope for or it scares the daylights out of them), they won't fall asleep.

2. Always show the fewest possible pictures to make a point.

Less is more. Pick the simplest model to make your point. I prefer charts to tables as the former provides hooks to catch our visual memory. In the case of tables, if we cannot remember the precise numbers, we would not have a larger context to fall back on. On the other hand, with pre-cognitive quantity charts, it enables our eyes to read immediately, compare and viscerally recall long after we have forgotten the numbers.

However if the differences among the slices are critical and yet too small to be visually detectable, one is better off with the non-pictorial table.

Part 1, Where good ideas come from, Steven Johnson

2011-11-23T22:17:00.001+10:30

I started reading "Where Good Ideas Come From" by Steven Johnson a few nights ago. I was captivated. This is a fantastic book.

In his book, Steven Johnson takes us on a fascinating tour starting with Charles Darwin's long, slow hunch back in the 1800s, the "liquid networks" of London's coffee houses to today's high-velocity web.

A totally enchanting read so far, where I learnt about the linkage between the rich living organisms in coral reef with densely populated cities. While people often credit their ideaVs to individual "Eureka" moments, Steven Johnson shows that it is through exchange of ideas that innovation is born.

He has cleverly linked many diverse fields such as chemistry - carbon, its four valence bonds, and its high propensity to form new combinations with other atoms, the origins of all living things, the neurons in our brain and drawing comparison with the linkages in the World Wide Web. Read: the linkages among neurons in our brain is much, much denser than that in the World Wide Web. Homo sapiens (that's you and me) are simply amazing.

Environment is important, Johnson argued, YouTube would be successful had it not for the internet platform and technological advancement that enabled users to upload their videos on the web and share with others seamlessly. This is what he termed as "adjacent possibles".

I am now only about one-fifth into the book. So you bet there will be more sharing as I read on.

Eightfold Path

2011-11-09T12:03:00.002+10:30

Below is a brief summary of what I have read thus far from the book on Eightfold path on policy analysis.

The eighfold path is a thinking guide for one to go through the intricacies of policy analysis.

Step 1: Define the Problem
Appropriate problem definition is important. It is useful to use deficit-and-excess approach, such as too many, too few. E.g. 1. There are "too many" patients in the hospital. 2. There are "too many" crimes in the country.

Other terms such as "growing too fast/ slow" are also useful to frame the issue which is not a problem at the current moment but could become so in the future.

One should be mindful not to prescribe a solution implicitly in the problem definition. E.g. the earlier statement "There are too many patients in the hospital" if rephrase into "There are too few beds in the hospital", the implicit solution will be to have more beds in the hospital. This will limit the scope of one's thinking.

Step 2: Assemble the Evidence
Data are facts, or representation of facts.

Information is data with meaning. Information helps us to make sense of the world, by allowing us to categorise information into different groups.

Evidence is information that affects the existing belief.

Before one embarks on policy analysis, it would be a tremendous plus to think on the type of evidences that one needs before one leaps.

Step 3: Construct the Alternatives
Often, we need a base case - status quo and assuming current trends persist.

Another thing to take note is that alternatives may not be mutually exclusive. Sometimes, they may co-exist.

Step 4: Select the Criteria
Resources are limited. So as policy analysts, we need to be mindful of the evaluative criteria. E.g. when we talk about taxation, there are at least 2 key criteria - the rich pays more than the poor; the tax rate cannot be so high that pushes the rich out of the country.

Remember evaluative criteria are not used to judge the alternatives, or at least not directly. They are to be applied to the projected outcomes. It is easy to get confused about this point because of a commonsense way of speaking: "Alternative A looks to be the best - therefore let's proceed with it." But this way of speaking ignores a very important step. The complete formulation is "Alternative A will very probably lead to Outcome O_A which we judge to be the best of the possible outcomes; therefore, we judge Alternative A to be the best."

Applying criteria to the evaluation of outcomes and not alternatives makes it possible to remember that we might like Outcome O_A a great deal. However, if we lacked sufficient confidence that A would actually lead to O_A, we may decide not to choose Alternative A after all. With that judgement on the table, it would be possible to look for other alternatives with a greater likelihood of producing O_A.

Step 5: Project the Outcomes
This step tells us that it is important to compare "outcome" of the alternative and not the alternative.

Assuming for the moment that benefits are uncertain while costs are not, ask yourself 2 questions: (1) Given what I know for sure about the costs of this alternative, what is the minimum help we need to get from Condition X to ensure adequately offsetting benefits? and (2) How reasonable is it to believe that Condition X will actually produce that minimum?

Implementation scenarios should be written in the future perfect tense. This encourages concreteness, which is a helpful stimulus to the imagination.

Step 6: Confront the Trade-offs
Economics tells us that trade-offs occur at the margin. In policy analysis, we ask this question "If we spend an extra X dollars for an extra unit of Service Y, we can get an extra Z units of good outcome."

This puts the decision maker in the position to answer the question "Does society (or you) value Z more or less than X?" and then to follow the obvious implication of the answer.

Step 7: Decide
Put yourself in the shoes of the policy maker and ask yourself which policy alternatives would you choose.

This is also known as the twenty-dollar bill test which is a joke about economist - there are 2 friends walking on the street. They saw a twenty-dollar bill on the floor. The economist resisted his urge to pick up the bill as he asked himself when no one has done it before him.

Step 8: Tell the Story
This is on public communication and we can apply the Grandma Bessie test. In other words, we need to be able to explain the policy to the man on the street.

As it is a thinking guide, in the final product, we do not write our thinking process. Rather the essence of it, just like in the case of report writing. Just because one has gone through the thinking process, it does not mean that one has to beat the drum to tell the reader about it. The reader will be more appreciative if one could distill the important key takeaways from the paper.

Brain Teaser

2011-10-28T00:12:00.002+10:30

Suppose you have 4 cards - each will have one side with an alphabet and another with a number.

The side of the 4 cards shown to you are:

A; C; 3; and 6

There is a rule. If a card has a vowel on one end, then it has an even number on the other side.

Question : Which card(s) must you open to prove the above rule is true? I need to limit it to the minimum number of cards to open.

The same question can be re-framed as follows:

Suppose there are 4 persons sitting in a bar.

One is drinking beer; Another Pepsi; the 3rd fella is aged 16; and the 4th is aged 25

There is a rule. Only those aged 25 and above can drink beer.

Question: Who should you check to prove the above rule is true? Similarly, to limit to the minimum number of persons.

Answer: This should be easy - The one drinking beer (A) and the 3rd fella who is aged 16 (3).

What is the morale of the story? This game is designed to prove that our human brain is more sophisticated when it comes to people and less so with abstract concepts such as numbers and letters.

So next time when you are stuck. You just need to re-frame the question. Using analogy and story will help.

About Cardboard Boxes

2011-10-26T22:45:00.013+10:30

One of the lasting impressions which I have of USA was that it was big on recycling. Cardboard boxes were used, where possible, and in so many varied ways, not limited to the ones detailed below.

Cardboard Boxes in lieu of Plastic Bags

In our weekend grocery shopping which we would always do at Aldi, 2348 Ardmore Blvd, Pittsburgh, PA 15221, our groceries would come in boxes. Not that we bought the entire box of goods, rather it was the way of living of the locals - to reduce the use of the environmental scourge - the lowly plastic bags. In a sense, it fit in nicely into the lifestyle of the locals as they would be driving around to buy groceries and the cardboard boxes would go into the car boot. However, it would seem that much as the locals loved the environment, they loved their gas guzzlers more. Probably, it was a symbol of freedom to travel around that the Americans hold close to the heart.

Besides Aldi, there were also other grocery stores such as Grand Eagle which we would drop by when we went to the campus, Shop 'n Save and of course, the ubiquitious Walmart. Shop 'n Save made an impression on me as it introduced me to the key fob rewards card, where we would produce at our purchase and earned reward points. With driving a vehicle their way of life, a key fob attached to the car key was simply brilliant. For smaller purchases, the plastic bags were still dispensed.

Cardboard Boxes as Lego Pieces and also Furniture

It could have been the environment which promoted creativity and innovation. My two boys quickly found new uses for the cardboard boxes. These cardboard boxes became their life-sized Lego pieces. They would arrange the boxes to make different modes of transportation - on air, land and sea - and play pretend.

Towards the end of our stay, these boxes also found new uses as our makeshift furniture. It was the time whereby we had sold off most pieces of our furniture via the online garage sale.

And if you could just think harder and add on to the above list of uses of cardboard boxes.

Common Sense in Decision Making

2011-10-15T22:05:00.000+10:30

When hunting for a book on probability and statistics a few nights ago, I stumbled onto a book on Combinatorics bought in 1994 and my honours year thesis.

Combinatorics is a branch in Mathematics that study about relationship. An example will be in a room, there are 3 people - A, B, C. A relationship is defined by A knows B. What is the maximum number of relationships? One could draw 3 nodes representing A, B and C; and lines (also known as edges) connecting the nodes to represent a relationship. The maximum number of lines is 3. Try drawing!

In a very simple way, combinatorics is about counting the different combinations. And when we look about relationships, they are highly complex and complicated matters. So even in the era of supercomputers that we are living in, these computers are not that "super". They have their limitations in counting - recall the time, when your computer "hangs"?

Here in, enter the white knight - "heuristics". Heuristics may look like a big word but essentially, it means common sense.

An example will be in the case of an MRT coin changing machine. Suppose there are only 3 coin denominations - 10 cents, 30 cents and 40 cents. What is the minimum number of coins to disburse for the notes that a customer may slot into the machine? The heuristics way will be to disburse the highest value coin first. E.g. $1 note = 40 cents + 40 cents + 10 cents + 10 cents; or four coins.

Most of the time, the heuristics way will give the correct answer, but not all the time. E.g. $3 based on the heuristics way will disburse a total of nine coins - seven 40 cents (i.e. $2.80) and two 10 cents (i.e. $0.20). However, the minimum number is eight - six 40 cents (i.e. $2.40) and two 30 cents (i.e. $0.60).

Every day, people are inundated with decisions, big and small. Heuristics are one of the many ways that people arrive at their choice. It is not only an area of Mathematics but also of cognitive psychology. Hence, heuristics have been researched to understand the decision making process.

Heuristics serve as a framework in which satisfactory decisions are made quickly and with ease (Shah & Oppenheimer, 2008). Many types of heuristics have been developed to explain the decision making process; essentially, individuals work to reduce the effort they need to expend in making decisions and heuristics offer individuals a general guide to follow, thereby reducing the effort they must disburse. Together, heuristics and factors influencing decision making are a significant aspect of critical thinking (West, Toplak, & Stanovich, 2008). There is some indication that this can be taught, which benefits those learning how to make appropriate and the best decisions in various situations (Nokes &Hacker, 2007).

Several factors influence decision making. These factors, including past experience (Juliusson, Karlsson, & Gӓrling, 2005), cognitive biases (Stanovich & West, 2008), age and individual differences (Bruin, Parker, & Fischoff, 2007), belief in personal relevance (Acevedo, & Krueger, 2004), and an escalation of commitment, influence what choices people make. Understanding the factors that influence decision making process is important to understanding what decisions are made. That is, the factors that influence the process may impact the outcomes.

See Mathematics is alive and is everywhere :)

No School in Pittsburgh

2011-10-11T22:13:00.002+10:30

This series of blogposts is meant to document the Lim's family's memory of the time we spent in Pittsburgh. In this blogpost, I asked my boys of the things that etched in their memory.

The boys were in unison on "no school in Pittsburgh". I supposed for me, it was "no work in Pittsburgh". Hmm, so what did we do there?

The Elite Fly Swat

My elder boy remembered the time when we became the elite fly swat team. We were staying at a rental house at Wellesley Road near Highland Park. It was the lodging sourced by my hubby who arrived at Pittsburgh two months or so earlier. During that time, he had also bought a second-hand car, Chervolet 3.0-litre, silver salon.

A house near our rented place at Wellesley Road

We arrived in Pittsburgh in around May/June of the year. It was the sweltering summer. The curosity act on the part of my elder boy who swung open the back door a tad too long created the perfect opportunity for the gigantic summer fly into the house. The unwelcomed guest was buzzing around my head ever so often.

Armed with a folded newspaper, P and I sat in the middle of the living room and waited patiently to strike at the fly. Alas, the fly while big and dense, was swift. After a few unsuccessful attempts, I decided to close the partition door that would subdivide the living room into two. It would reduce the area which the fly could maneuvor. And voila, the fly was squashed.

This was my first and most unforgetable job as a stay-at-home mother. In a sense, count P in as well as this incident was on the top of his mind.

The Little Snow Man

My younger boy, R was barely two when he was in Pittsburgh. Understandably, his memory was hazy and became more concrete towards the latter part of our stay. He remembered our first snow man.

For the uninitiated, the first day of snow was not suitable to make snow man. It took a few days before the snow became more compact and dough-like. This was the snow that one could play with.

Winter in Pittsburgh

We made our little snow ball by cupping two snow balls - the big one as the body and the small one was the head. The eyes were made of fallen black seeds and the twigs formed the nose and hands. Before all things eco became trendy, we were already embracing it. I supposed you could say that we were trendsetters.

Oh yes, another thing about snow which I learnt was salt could melt ice. I would see my landlord dusting salt on sidwalks. There is the logic. The salt works by lowering the melting or freezing point of water. The effect is termed 'freezing point depression'. So add salt with water to snow, it will become more difficult for the snow to re-freeze with salt. That's textbook science coming alive for us.

Learning without School

On the whole, while there was no school or work in Pittsburgh, we were still learning as long as we opened our eyes, our ears and most importantly our minds. At times, I would be reading my hubby's postgraduate notes with thoughts racing through my mind. There were many others who might have gone through university to learn only to forget after the university. To them, the degree is the end. But learning should be a life journey.

The things that I learnt in Pittsburgh are more precious than what I have learnt in my former school years. It is not about knowing more things but about being inquisitive. Does that mean I will be rich? No in terms of material wealth, but a resounding yes, in terms of happiness and yes, living my life, my way.

Different tools to manage the economy

2011-10-09T21:11:00.002+10:30

Prof Lim Chin was my favorite lecturer at NUS. He was the one who introduced my hubby and I to micro-economics and then macro-economics. He suggested us to read The Economist, talking about which we have been a faithful subscriber since then (close to a decade and counting).

I have utmost respect for this man and his views about economy especially macroeconomic issues. Salute.

Enjoy his article recently published in The Straits Times.

=====================================================
Different tools to manage the economy By Lim Chin

Although they are both large economies, the United States puts a lot of emphasis on interest rates while China targets the exchange rate in managing the economy and reining in inflation. What is the difference and why?

ECONOMIC growth and controlling inflation are two of the most important targets of monetary policy. The first aims to create jobs and the latter to control prices.

There are different ways to achieve these goals. The US uses the interest rate while China focuses on its exchange rate.

A country may aim to target an interest rate for its currency. It cannot do so directly, but only indirectly, by buying or selling funds in the market. For example, the Federal Reserve - the US central bank - regularly buys or sells short-term government bonds on the open market. This injects or withdraws money from circulation, affecting the short-term interest rate and, thereby, the other rates.

Interest rate targeting is based on the idea that the private sector, and not the government, is best at allocating funds for spending.

In a recession, the Fed aims for a lower rate. This makes it cheaper for private sector companies to raise or borrow money for their expenditure. This raises aggregate demand. But in times of inflation, the central bank works towards a higher interest rate to cool down the demand.

There are, however, circumstances where interest rate targeting may not work. For instance, in the current zero-rate environment, the Fed cannot push the interest rate down any further.

But in normal times, interest rate targeting is effective in curbing inflation or unemployment.

If inflation and recession occur at the same time, as they did in the 1970s, the Fed has to make a judgment call as to which is more important to tackle.

The ultimate aims of China's efforts - increasing growth and reining in inflation - are not that dissimilar to those of the US.

But the institutions that can support its market are still underdeveloped in China and its average living standard is still a fraction of that of advanced economies.

To catch up, its priority is fast growth. So it sees using its exchange rate to drive up its manufacturing exports as the best strategy for now, even though this may lead to unbalanced growth.

Such a strategy has many advantages for an emerging economy. First, it feeds on the large global consumption market rather than the smaller domestic market. Secondly, it attracts foreign investment and technology, and the global market network of multinational corporations.

Competing in global markets also subjects companies to stringent market discipline, thus improving domestic production efficiency.

Over the past few decades, this strategy has taken Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore from poverty to First World standards of living.

The strategy, together with other state-directed investment policies, has also produced spectacular results for China. It is now the second-largest economy in the world. It manufactures a large array of goods at low prices.

The strategy has also lifted the national income of its trading partners that produce commodities and resources, and it has amassed nearly US$3 trillion (S$3.6 trillion) of foreign reserves that can help its own domestic development and be lent to debt-ridden advanced economies.

But these achievements come with several problems: unbalanced growth between the manufacturing and service sectors, income inequality between the coastal urban and rural areas and, on the global stage, huge trade imbalances between China and the US. These are acute problems that raise domestic and international political tension, and have been acknowledged as urgent challenges to be tackled in China's latest five-year plan.

Another serious consequence of the strategy is inflation. Keeping the exchange rate low requires the constant purchase of foreign exchange using newly created money, leading to loss of control of its money supply and fuelling housing bubbles and inflation, problems that further increase social tension.

Several measures have been put in place to soak up the money supply. These include foreign capital control, purchase of foreign assets, raising the amount that commercial banks must hold in reserve, and sales of government bonds.

But such policies are costly and only partially effective in taming inflation and asset bubbles. China may have to allow its exchange rate to move upwards sooner rather than later to deal with inflation.

In the long term, when China approaches advanced economy status and has developed market-supporting institutions, including finance markets, it will not need to pursue the unbalanced growth path it is on now.

Instead, it is likely to engage in interest rate targeting and allow its currency to float as the advanced economies of the US and Japan do now.

The writer is a professor at the NUS Business School.
Adapted from an article on the ST, 28 July 2011

Chinese Food in Pittsburgh

2011-10-05T00:39:00.006+10:30

I missed Chinese food when I was in Pittsburgh. So did my family. There was however a dearth of good Chinese food that catered to our Singaporean tastebuds, served at reasonable price at Pittsburgh.

We tried a few Chinese restaurants. Among the few, I could now remember Lulu's Noodles and Orient Express. Both were value-for-money restaurants which catered to the campus crowd. There was also a Golden Palace Restaurant which was a slightly higher-end one but food being a highly localized product did not appeal to us well. The Chinese food there was somewhere in between Americanized and greasy which locals associated with authentic Chinese food. Consequently, I became the go-to person when my family craved for a taste of home.

That Fuzzy and Warm Feeling

While the Chinese food may not be the main cast when we visited the Chinese restaurants in Pittsburgh, there was a certain warmness in the atmosphere. It might be the loud greetings that one received upon entering the restaurant. It might be the similarities in look that we shared. Then there was a certain feel to the restaurant which drew me in. I felt that I was well taken care of.

It probably had to do with the way the restaurant was laid out which was influenced by the owners. I inferred that the owners were to be some hardworking Chinese migrant family eking out a decent living. The kitchen was set in the background but yet not totally shield from the prying eyes of the diners. This allowed the owners to multi-task - tending to food preparation in the kitchen and yet able to see needs of the diners. This included the times when diners asked for replenishment in certain food served on the stainless metal containers in the buffet section.

Deja Vu at Da Chang Jin in Singapore

Recently, I relived that experience when I dined at the two Da Chang Jin Restaurants in Geylang - one was touting northeastern Chinese food, the other Korean BBQ buffet. While the food was different, the feeling was distinctively the same.

Like in Pittsburgh, the servers were loud. The food was also a tad greasy for our palate. The arrangement of the kitchen and dining areas were strikingly similar as if the owners knew each other's mind. One glance at the place, you knew it was not slick, neat or polished as the upmarket restaurants. But somehow, you also knew that the owners would take care of your dining needs to their best of their abilities.

Unlike Pittsburgh however, I felt that I was a foreigner when I was in the restaurants. The main cliente appeared not to be Singaporean Chinese but mainland Chinese. Notwithstanding, I still had that warm and fuzzy feeling that I was dining in good company. Maybe, this time round, I felt that I was transported back to a Chinese restaurant in Pittsburgh.

Mental Sum

2011-10-02T00:00:00.000+09:30

Question:
There are a total of 150 coins in 14 piggy banks. If each piggy bank contains a different number of coins, what is the largest number of coins that can be found in one of the piggy banks.

========================

My boy tossed this question to his daddy and his mommy during a car ride last weekend. We solved it mentally within 2 minutes. You can do it too, the key is practice.

Of course, there was trick invented by a Math wizard many, many years ago when he was just 5 years old or so. We taught our boys when they were around that age too.

Answer
Container 1 holds 1 coin;
Container 2 holds 2 coins;
Container 3 holds 3 coins;
...
Container 13 holds 13 coins;
Container 14 holds ??? coins

What is the sum of

1 + 2 + 3 + ... + 13 ?
Flip it the other way round,

13 + 12 + 11 + ... + 1
====================================================
14 + 14 + 14 + ... + 14

So the sum is 13*14/2 or 13*7 = 91
So ??? = 150-91 = 59 (Ans)

The Cat in Numberland, by Ivar Ekeland

2011-09-27T22:47:00.000+09:30

How do you prove that fractions are countablely infinite?

You can find the answer in this book for children. I read to my boy when he was around 6 or 7 years old. He was intrigued. Math is not difficult, it's just abstract. So the problem is that there is a dearth of good math teachers. Most people are floored by algreba, which is the key to higher level math learning.

The concept of Hotel Infinity was pioneered by David Hilbert, an eminent mathematican, though George Cantor was the mathematican who came up with the concept. So I suppose mathematicans at the pinnacle are not teaching children or teenagers. They are more interested in research.

Fret not, for there are still wonderful books like The Cat in Numberland around :)

F1 Singapore 2011

2011-09-24T23:41:00.013+09:30

This was the fourth year in the running that Singapore was hosting the F1 race and the second time that my younger brother and I attended.

We took MRT, alighted at Lavender MRT station and took the free shuttle bus service to Gate 1. The place was abuzz with activities. Funky music filled the air. The many kiosks selling F1 merchandise and big golly balloons all added to the drumming-up of the F1 thrill factor.

Upon entrance, we were greeted by stilt performers with afro hairdo. They were also very friendly and offered to take a picture of us.

The crowd was just nice, not too thick for comfort. There was enough room for all to enjoy the performance around and to take in crisp fresh air. We took our time to sample the performance on our way to our seats. The leisure walk towards Marina Channel was relaxing with the cool evening breeze accompanied the gently lapping waters.

We were able to reach our designated seat in time for the start of Formula One Third Practice. The ushers were very efficient and courteous. They promptly guided us to the correct seat when we seemed a little lost.

The view from our seats was set against the Singapore Flyer and it marked the start and end of the lap. From our angle, we would be seeing the fast cars zipping by as they crossed the finishing line of the lap.

After some time, we decided to walk down further towards the Singapore Flyer as our tickets came with free rides on the Singapore Flyer. That was the highlight of the night.

It has probably been a year or so since I last boarded the Singapore Flyer. This time, I noticed that the miniature model of the Singapore Flyer and some models with interative element were exhibited as one walked into the passage leading to the capsule. These exhibits were much welcome as they broke the monontony of waiting to board the capsule, not that the wait was long.

The inclusion of the ride at Singapore flyer in this F1 event was a Fabulous One. We enjoyed an unparalleled bird's eye view of the Marina Bay Street as the capsule gradually brought us up 165 m above ground. The air-conditioned capsule carried 10 to 20 people and we could follow the fast cars zooming around almost the entire track.

After the ride which coincided with the end of the practice round, we were close to Gate 2. We exited the event venue and walked to Promenade MRT station. Along the way, the friendly and knowledgeable ushers were there to help. There were also ample and clear directional signs. This pointed to good planning beforehand all the way to the execution. All in all, it has been a fantastic experience.

Financial Advice from Mr Buffett

2011-09-23T21:58:00.000+09:30

Amidst the current bearish financial market, I will like to share what Mr. Buffett has written a few years back. It's food for thought. Ponder on.

Back in 2008, Mr. Buffett wrote:
"A simple rule dictates my buying: Be fearful when others are greedy, and be greedy when others are fearful. And most certainly, fear is now widespread, gripping even seasoned investors. To be sure, investors are right to be wary of highly leveraged entities or businesses in weak competitive positions. But fears regarding the long-term prosperity of the nation's many sound companies make no sense. These businesses will indeed suffer earnings hiccups, as they always have. But most major companies will be setting new profit records 5, 10 and 20 years from now."
..."In short, bad news is an investor's best friend. It lets you buy a slice of America's future at a marked-down price. Over the long term, the stock market news will be good. In the 20th century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts; the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a flu epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497."

One of the most important reminders for investors during times of market turmoil is what Mr. Buffett states here:
"You might think it would have been impossible for an investor to lose money during a century marked by such an extraordinary gain. But some investors did. The hapless ones bought stocks only when they felt comfort in doing so and then proceeded to sell when the headlines made them queasy. Today people who hold cash equivalents feel comfortable. They shouldn't. They have opted for a terrible long-term asset, one that pays virtually nothing and is certain to depreciate in value. "

The things we did in Pittsburgh

2011-09-19T21:59:00.011+09:30

The year was 2005, the Lim family decided to spend a year in Pittsburgh where papa Lim was to do a one-year postgraduate study.

It turned out to be a year which I would always remember. The year which outsiders would expect it to be a bed of roses but I could assure you that it wasn't easy. In fact, it was tough, tremendously difficult. The year which I proved to myself that nothing was insurmountable if the family stayed together.

I could still remember the shock of staying at home to look after two toddlers. The younger one was one going to two. At this stage of his life, it was termed the terrible two for a good reason. Yet, he was also so clingy, so loving and always melted my heart at the end of the day. The elder one was obedient, very teachable and always spellbound by my little history lesson and also science through observing the world around us.

Weekly Ritual

It took a while before we settled into the routine. We looked forward to our weekend grocery trip at the Strip District. We would stop by Lotus - a Chinese departmental store - to buy our oriental cooking needs such as soy sauce, jasmine rice, kaya and stuff. Next would be Wholey's for fresh produce, and also lunched at the second storey where the in-house cafeteria was. We savoured the freshness of the fish and chips and creamy soup. There were also free sculptured balloons just for kids.

My very considerate husband would come home early once every mid-week and brought us out to Freeport Road where the restaurant was Ponderosa. It was to be my break from housework and it coincided with the restaurant's family promotion so kids would well get free sculptured balloons. My two boys would be so excited and would just go to the balloon guy to get more balloons.

Sometimes, we would go to King's restaurant - a restaurant similar to our local Swenson - with ice-cream, yet distinct in its own way. One of which was the building which was single storey with a rooster north arrow atop.

Besides food, we also visited the parks. Our favourite spot was Lakepoint Shelter which was near our place. The scenery changed alongside the season. Autumn was the most beautiful with the vibrant hues of red, rust, yellow and gold. Winter looked solemn with the bare trees covered with snow.

I have now started my journey to detail more our one-year stay when I have the time. Little by little, they would piece together the precious memory that we have together.

Quartiles, deciles and percentiles

2011-09-17T23:39:00.001+09:30

I have an affinity with Mathematics. This is a short blogpost consolidated from some quick google and my little explanation on how to remember coupled with my little list of related topics.

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Quartiles, deciles and percentiles (which are all examples of quantiles) are standard descriptive statistics which are used to divide a set of data points into equally sized subsets.

Quartiles divide the sample into four groups, with the lower quartile being 25%, the median value being at 50% and the upper quartile at 75%. Quartiles are essentially ranking mechanisms. The upper quartile is that position in the data set which has 75% of values below it and 25% above it. (How to remember: Quartile comes from the word quarter).

Deciles divide the sample into ten groups, with the lower decile is equivalent to the 10th percentile. (How to remember: Decile comes from the word decimal).

Percentiles divide the sample into one hundred groups. The 90th percentile is that position in a data set which has 90% of data points below it, and 10% above it. (How to remember: Percentile comes from the word percent).

So what is interquartile range?
Ans: 75th percentile - 25th percentile

Other related topics:
- Cumulative frequency curve
- Normal (or "bell-shaped") distribution.
- Power-law distribution - this is interesting. It looks something like a hockey-stick leaning against the y-axis. It appears to situation where big is rare and small is common. The distribution of wealth is one example, there are many poor souls around but few very, very wealthy ones.

When we are analysing data, we need to be mindful if it is one of power-law distribution. 'cos we are schooled to think that normal distribution is well, normal.

Pittsburgh Curry Chicken

2011-09-17T22:51:00.005+09:30

Today was the day when I decided that I should replicate the chicken curry recipe which I learnt in the faraway Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. The initial period of being terribly homesick, led the then reticent me to seek out the Singapore recipe for chicken curry. A fellow Singaporean shared with me her family recipe tweaked slightly due to the availability of the ingredients in Pittsburgh and to cater to the palate of her little ones at home.

The curry which I shall now name, Pittsburgh Chicken Curry, which used to evoke that soothing, nostagic feeling, now has another meaning to it. It symbolises the bonding that we have together as a family and also with other fellow Singaporeans in a foreign land. Today's curry chicken was a success and a hot favorite with my two primary school going boys.

So here is the recipe (enough for 4 persons) which I hope my boys will pick it up when they are older:

The ingredients are
- 1 heapful tablespoon of curry powder
- 1 teaspoon of ground chilli powder
- 1 medium-size onion (to chop into small pieces)
- 4-5 small potato (to remove the skin)
- 3-4 medium-size carrots (remove the skin and cut into medium pieces)
- 800g to 1 kg of chicken pieces (can be all chicken wings/ leg if desired)
- 1 can of evaporated milk
- half can of plain water
- a pinch of salt

Steps (Estimated time to prepare- 30 to 45 minutes)
- Marinate the chicken pieces with the curry powder for around 15 minutes
- Chop the onion into small pieces and add the chilli powder
- Cut the potato and carrots
- In a pot, heat some cooking oil (about 3-4 table spoons or so, just enough to coat the pot with oil), pan fry the potatoes and carrots, until one can smell the fragrant. Then scoop up the potatoes and carrots and leave aside.
- Now, add the chopped onion with chilli powder and fry until the onion fragrant is in the air.
- Next, add the marinated chicken pieces and stir them together with the onions-cum-chilli mix, until the chicken pieces are about 75% cooked.
- Add in the evaporated milk plus half can of water, bring the mix to boil.
- Add the potatoes and carrots.
- Simmer for about 30 minutes for all to soften, if need be, one may need to scoop up the chicken pieces, leave aside and add to the mix when the potatoes and carrots have softened.
- Add a pinch of salt and the curry is ready.

A little tip - if you want more curry gravy, be judicious with water. Instead, you can consider adding fresh milk or skimmed fresh milk.

LIM FAMILY - MANY ANGRY BIRDS IN HAND...

2011-09-07T23:34:00.002+09:30

Three months' ago, despite the light dizzle, the Lim family ventured in a nondescript yet idyllic corner in Ayer Hitam. We walked gingerly to avoid the rain water trapped in the potholes which were aplenty along the tarmac road. The occasional splashing of the accidential foot in hole did not dampen our spirits and we trekked along relentlessly.

We were rewarded handsomely when we found soft toys abound in the little shops in the cluster. Yes, among the plethora of toys were .... Yes, no prize for getting the right answer. It was - Angry Birds soft toys - the latest craze in Singapore, Johore and China. What made this a wonderful catch was that these were not just the not-too-pretty versions of Angry Birds soft toys - aka counterfeit ones - which one could get all around Singapore, but the real deal, erh or somewhat the real McCoy.

Since then, we have been thinking about the cute plush soft toys. So when Papa Lim suggested a day trip to Ayer Hitam, the boys were raring to go. We did not bother to ask much about the origin of these lovable soft toys but grabbed two - the yellow and black one - the last time round. This time, my younger boy was more direct and interestingly very diplomatic. (Ahem, it must be from my pool of good genes :P) The owner explained that in each batch of Angry Birds soft toys, there would be a few nice-looking ones which they would separately take it out for sale.

We rounded up our haul of a medium-size blue bird and the red one, enlarging our earlier collection, plus a bolster with the emblem of the green bird or in the words of my boys - the boomerang and a very powerful one, a large-size red bird. Oh yes, with the running of Cars 2, we have also grabbed a little plush Lightning McQueen backpack for my 4-year old nephew.

It has been a wonderful half-day road trip up north, that brought a smile to everyone in the Lim family. As the sun gradually set, we hit the road again on our journey to Singapore.

The Joy of Reading

2011-08-29T20:06:00.000+09:30

My elder boy has always been an avid reader. I suppose the home environment has a strong influence on him. His parents would be having a book, a periodical or newspaper in hand whenever they could afford the time. Not so for my younger boy, who is a very active boy and never could quite sit still.

We feel that it is just that he has not found the "right" book. A few weeks ago, he found the "right" genre. The book was Do-It-Yourself Wimpy Kid. He has been doodling and asking for me to spell out certain words so that he could complete his own comics strips. Another fave activity of his would be "hangman". He would carefully count and draw the dashes for each word, add a space in between intervening words, to prepare for the game. Thereafter, he invited us - his parents - to play with him.

Recently, he branched out to more conventional books - Geronimo Stilton. He asked his mother, that's me why I did not read his books. To which, I told him that mummy has her own favorite books which stimulated her thinking.

It led me to think about the subjects I enjoy. I have a very broad interest - economics, mathematics, sociology, criminology, international relations and sometimes even physics. They broadened my perspectives a great deal. Most importantly and the reason I could sustain reading as a hobby must be the joy they brought to me. A very recent example will be the recent US politics - with Democrat trying to spend more and Republican trying to cut taxes (especially for the wealthest). It was almost nonsensical with such trival tussle playing out in the fore of their domestic front, US today is still the world's superpower. I remembered the twin-deficit of the US which I have studied in Macroeconomics. When I proved that it worked, I was smiling at the disbelief and yet with a tinge of marvel. This is US, a land of opportunity, a land of innovation, a land where impossible becomes possible.

Reading is a discovery of the many magic around the world. It is the best gift you can ever give to someone. For through reading, one's thinking will open like a parachute. And once opened, it will never be the same.

Coaching for People Development

2011-08-27T20:11:00.006+09:30

I have just attended a 2-day course on Coaching for People Development. This little post is to share my key take-aways.

First thing first, what is coaching? Besides coaching, there are also other terms such as mentoring, consulting and training, sometimes some of the words are used interchangeable with coaching. However, there are subtle differences.

In the case of consulting, it is more of a company paying an expert to find the solution. For the other terms, the relationship runs deeper.

Training is more the first level which the trainer will focus on transferring skills or knowledge to the trainee. Mentoring is more of sharing the knowledge acquired over the years by the mentor to the mentee. Coaching is about empowerment. No solution is given to the coachee. Instead the coach will guide the coachee through a series of powerful questions, deep listening and keen observation.

GROW Model for Coaching G - goals, R - eality, O - ptions, W - What's next.

This is the model to conduct coaching. Coaching is only possible when the coachee intends to change. One will want to change when there is a tension between reality and goal.

The coach's role is to help the coachee to have awareness and clarity on his goals. This could be done by asking the coachee to imagine a typical day when his goals become true. In other words, it is to dream.

Thereafter, the coach will bring the coachee back to reality and allow the coachee to think about what he should do next. This step will allow the coachee to think and identify the critical areas that will help him to move forward. It is in this step that the coach will have to practise deep listening to identify the mental model the coachee has.

There are basically 4 types of limits that people have. One could use the acronymn MARS - namely, Motivation (e.g. just feel unhappy when Monday comes), Ability (e.g. not good with numbers), Role Perception (e.g. a good employee spends 24/7 at work) and Structure (e.g. no computer access at home).

Thereafter, the coach will have to guide the coachee on the options available to him. The last step is "What's Next" which is to get a commitment to action. The coach's job is to find baby step to help the coachee get started and be motivated to continue the change process.

In conclusion, I would say that it is a skill which one cannot really go very far through passive learning. Just like one can only know how to swim by jumping into the pool, this is another skill which calls for on-the-job training.

Family Outing at Upper Pierce Reservoir

2011-08-09T15:20:00.004+09:30

It was somewhat the spur of the moment decision that our family decided to drive down to Upper Pierce Reservoir just to idle around. Afterall, we love to be close to nature.

There was one portion in the ride where our car was on a winding road flanked by two rows of rain trees with their widespread canopies. My eyes were treated in a kaleidoscope of different hues of green as we passed the trees by.

When we reached that park, I saw the picture perfect sight in front of me. There was the Upper Pierce Reservoir with it clear blue water and in the middle of the reservoir a forlorn white structure. Amidst the gentle mid-morning sun, the glistening water washed away the stress of the mundane.

There was a little pavement leading to the edge of Singapore Island Country Club where to the one side was Upper Pierce Reservoir and the other Lower Pierce Reservoir. There was serenity as I peered afar into the horizon. Every tree, every leaf and every branch seemed carefully orchestrated. These colours of nature accentuated the park setting. As I strolled down the long and steep slope nearer to Lower Pierce Reservoir, I took in deep breath of the chlorophyll-infused air. A broad and satisfied grin broke over my face.

It is a joy to be one with nature even if only for a short fleeting hour, and therapatic to feel the stress of urban living melting away. I am definitely looking forward to more of such idyllic getaway.

More on Tipping Point - A Case Study

2011-08-04T23:40:00.001+09:30

Small things matter.

This is the story about a different way of thinking from The Tipping Point. Enjoy!

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For many years, governments of the states in US have been focusing on the message that smoking is not cool. They are actually barking at the wrong tree.

Smoking is not cool. It is the smokers who are cool. Teenagers smoke 'cos they want to be like their 'idiots' who are cool.

The solution proposed in the book is not to focus on the message the smoking is not cool. It is to work with the manufacturers to make each cigarette with lower nicotine level so that teenagers will not get hook so easily. This approach accepts the part that it is idiot-worshipping is the rite of passage in the growing-up phase of a teenager. So instead of working against the natural flow of things, it works with it hand-in-hand but lower the risk.

I thought it is a brilliant approach. There is another broken-window theory - more on criminology. It is about fixing broken windows so that criminals would think twice before committing a crime. This is another a fresh way of looking at things.

The Tipping Point

2011-07-26T22:47:00.004+09:30

I have just finished reading The Tipping Point by Malcolm Gladwell. As what he is aptly put it, he brings to the reader an intellectual adventure story.

The tipping point is about how little things can make a big difference. It is the magic moment when an idea, trend or social behavior crosses a threshold, tips and spreads like wildfire.

In his little book, he painstakingly explained three rules of social epidemics.
1. The Law of the Few
2. The Stickiness Factor
3. The Power of Content.

1. The Law of the Few

It is not all that difficult to stand an epidemic. However, one will need to concentrate resources on a few key areas. In this case, the law of the few says that connectors, mavens and salesmen are responsible to starting word-of-mouth epidemics.

Connectors refer to people with many friends or many linkages. Mavens are those who are not just passive collectors of information but love to share and initiate discussion with others. As for salesmen, they are people who are very persuasive.

A key lesson which I learnt about persuasive people was the way they were able to "show" their emotions. And this is a paradigm shift in thinking. We normally think of expression on our face as a reflection of what we feel. In other words, emotion goes inside-out. Emotion contagion, though, suggests that the opposite is also true. If you smile, you will feel happy. If you frown, you feel sad. Emotion, in this sense, goes outside-in. One can really make used of this little information to stay happy - just by "faking it" until you really feel happy.

2. The Stickiness Factor

The stickiness factor underlines that there is a simple way to package information that, under the right circumstances, can make it irresistible. All you have to do is to find it.

I loved the example of the tetanus shot information package to students. When it was just a brochure to students, the proportion of students who took the free shot was low. However, just by including a map of the clinic (in campus) and the operating hours of the clinic, there was significant increase in the take-up rate. The explanation was that the latter presentation shifted an abstract lesson in medical advice - a lesson no different from the countless academic lessons they received in their campus live - to a practical and personal piece of medical advice.

3. The Power of Content

The power of content is about our environment and also our limitation to relate to new information and to each other.

A good example of the environment is in Georgia Sadler's quest (a nurse) to start a grassroots movement towards prevention of diabetes and breast cancer among the black community in San Diego. When she tried to have talks after church seminars, she failed miserably as they were tired and hungry after the service. She needed a new context which she found in hair salon where she had a captive audience.

The second point is our limitation to relate to new information and to each other. We have trouble estimating dramatic, exponential change. We cannot conceive that a piece of paper folded over 50 times could reach the sun. We have problem relating to people when the number crosses 150. Re-framing the information and awareness are the keys to unlock our limitations.

Conclusion

It is another good book to read and ponder over. It makes me think that band-aid solution may be the panacea afterall. It is inexpensive, convenient and remarkably versatile solution to an astonishing array of problems. It solves a problem with minimum time, effort and cost. We have been conditioned to think that the true answers to problems have to be comprehensive and there is virtue in the dogged and indiscriminate application of effort. But there are times when we need a band-aid solution, a way that makes a lot out of a little, and that is what Tipping points, are all about.

It reinforces my belief that change is possible, we just need the right kind of impetus. With the slightest push, in the right place, things can just tip.

The Indomitable Human Spirit

2011-07-21T22:21:00.001+09:30

Do you dare to dream? And dream BIG?

Many people dare not do so as they fear failure and rejection. I will like to encourage you to dream like a child. Ultimately, the destination is not half as important as the journey there.

A few weeks ago, I read the book "No Journey Too Tough" by Dr William Tan. Dr Tan is a polio victim and as a result he could not walk. But rather than focusing on what he did not have and wallowed in self-pity, Dr Tan focused on what he has. He set big goals and achieved them. Among the many big goals is his dream to be a doctor. He was not accepted in the medical school in NUS and did a detour to first become a neuroscientist before pursuing his dream to be a full-fledged medical doctor.

His achievements do not stop there. He is also an established paralympic sportsman. His most amazing feat was to complete 10 marathons in seven continents in 65 days. Such a feat is tough even to able-bodied men and women like us, what's more for him.
Belief is such a powerful notion. In his book, there were times when he felt defeated and disheartened when things didn’t go the way he wanted. For mere mortals, it is easy to just give up. That is why 90% of people in life are ordinary - they make the easy choice to quit. I will like to encourage my readers to focus on the positive aspects of life and to keep trying no matter how tough the path in front seem to be.

Focus on what is great in your life, you will live an extremely happy and fulfilling life. I hope this blog post inspires you as much as it has inspired me to keep going for my dreams despite the odds.

Surviving Yet Another Period with Hubby Out of Town

2011-07-07T20:29:00.000+09:30

The first time that my hubby was out of town for business trip was about 10 years ago. I had just given birth to our first newborn and he was barely two months old before my hubby went for business trip for about two to three months.

We did not have a maid so I moved together with my baby to stay with my mother then. Before we had children, I was alway longing for my husband's return as I would miss him dearly during such time. When the children came along, they filled the emotional gap. Though it was also tough juggling work and taking care of them without a maid and living as a nuclear family.

We still do not have a maid as somehow we manage to cope. During times when I am just too busy at work, they would have to learn to manage their time. Therefore when I could afford to take leave from work, on the top of my priority list is to get the boys to learn to be disciplined and plan their timetable for the next few days. A break from office does not mean a lazy day ahead though. I would be inundated with work at home. Fellow housewives would know that there are always tonnes of housework at home. I would be planning for and whipping up the next meal. Often I would be dog-tired by mid-day. I learn to give myself a well-deserved break by declaring an afternoon nap for all.

There is also a silver lining during such time.... I would have car to ferry the children to-and-fro school/student-care centre. When my hubby is around, due to his work nature, he will take the car. However, I am the main caregiver and I am in charge of fetching the children after school. It is neither easy nor efficient to get the two playful boys to follow you. The car helps a lot and saves quite some time, especially when I get caught up with work.

On the whole, such little episodes have enabled me to be a stronger and more independent modern woman. I know that I cannot do it by myself. I need my two boys to also take on some responsibilities. Though not at home, I know my husband miss us dearly. He too needs to take care of himself when your truly is not around. So we grow up stronger together.

Eat Healthy and Stay Fit

2011-06-29T22:58:00.001+09:30

I came across this article and will like to share with my readers.

Health is important in order for us to do whatever we want to do. Do take good care of yourself.

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Here are some tips for eating healthy at home, work, and elsewhere to help you get started. Try some of these ideas.

1 . Start your day off right!

Eat breakfast! Breakfast is an important meal and having a good breakfast just help give you the right start to your day.

Have a piece of toast with peanut butter, unsweetened cereal with low-fat milk, or a steamed bun with lean meat/vegetables.

Try livening up your cereal with some fruit like sliced banana or diced apple.
If you are in a big rush, take a piece of fruit to munch on during your commute (OK, OK– not on the MRT!)

2. Eat a variety of foods

Our body requires over 40 nutrients for good health. No one food or food group can provide you with all the nutrients, so have a variety of food to ensure that you are getting what your body needs. Use the Healthy Diet Pyramid as a guide for what to eat and how much of each type of food.

3. Eat more fruits & vegetables

Wouldn’t it be easier to eat something if it was right in front of you? The next time you go grocery shopping, make sure you stock up on fruits & vegetables. Then keep bowls of fruit on the kitchen table or counter. Reach for a piece between or after meals. Don’t forget to cook up those vegetables you had bought too!

4. Eat less fat & foods high in fat

What can we say about fried foods? They taste great, but are not great for you. They’re high in fat. Here is a few suggestions that will save your heart.
Deep-fry less often. Try grilling/barbequeing, baking, steaming or boiling your foods more often.

Use oils sparingly in cooking or when flavouring foods. Choose less saturated oils, try olive and canola oils which are high in monounsaturated fats. Watch those fast foods. Many of them are high in fat.

If you use butter and margarine, use them sparingly. Even better, switch to reduced-fat margarine or use a little jam/jelly on your bread, bagels, and other baked goods.

Use low-fat dairy products such as non-fat or Hi-Lo milk, reduced fat cheese, low-fat yogurt, or light ice cream. You’ll still get the nutrients and taste but half the fat.

If you like to eat meat, you can help reduce fat by choosing the leanest cuts. If you are preparing it at home, trim all visible fat and drain the grease that cooks out of the meat. Also take the skin off chicken and substitute meat with bean curd, lentils or dal a couple of times each week.

5. Watch those snacks

Why do we eat snacks? They taste great, they’re easy, and they satisfy our sweet and salt cravings. And, let’s face it, crunchy food is fun. However, some snack foods are high in fat & salt.

6. Eat everything in moderation

There is no "good" or "bad" food. As the American Dietetic Association suggest – All Foods Can Fit – as long as you have them in moderation. Too much of any food is bad; if you only eat vegetables and nothing else, that would be a problem too. And just because something is fat free or low fat does not mean you can eat as much as you want. Many low-fat or nonfat foods are also high in calories. Eat everything in moderation. Reduce, don't eliminate foods that are high in fat, sugar or salt.

7. Maintain a healthy body weight and feel good

Being overweight increases your risk for a wide range of diseases including heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers. Excess body fat results when you eat more calories than you are using up. If you are very active, you can eat more. However, if your lifestyle is sedentary, you need to:

cut back on the amount of food eaten;

choose lower calorie items; and

increase your activity.

Calories come from all food - protein, fat, carbohydrate or alcohol - but fat have the most calories, followed by alcohol, then protein and carbohydrate. To maintain weight, cut back on calories and be more active.

8. Drink plenty of fluids

Adults need to drink at least 1.5 litres or 6 cups of fluid a day! You need more if it is very hot or you are physically active. Plain tap water is obviously a good source of fluid but variety can be both pleasant and healthy. Choose also from unsweetened juices, lightly sweetened drinks, tea, broth, milk, etc. Coffee is not a good source of fluid as it acts as a diuretic (draws water from your body).

9. Get on the move

As we have seen, too many calories and not enough activity can result in weight gain. Moderate physical activity helps burn off those extra calories. It is also good for the heart and circulatory system and for general health and well-being. So, make physical activity part of your daily routine. Use the stairs instead of the lift/elevator (up and down!). Park your car a little further. Go for a walk in your lunch break. You don't have to be an athlete to get on the move!

10. Start now! - and make small changes

Making gradual changes in your lifestyle are much easier than taking a big jump all at once. To start on the road to healthy eating, pick one tip and work on it for a couple of weeks. When you feel comfortable with that, move on to the next one.

If you want to know how your current diet is, write down the foods and drinks you eat at meals and as snacks for the next three days. Check your diet again in 3 months & see if your diet has improved.

Speaking to Inform - Advanced Toastmaster Project 3

2011-06-19T11:34:00.003+09:30

Project 3: The Demonstration Talk

Executive Summary

A demonstration is the most effective way to explain a process, activity or product. Demonstration can be done through body movement (showing a dance step or skiing technique), showing a physical object, or displaying a model. Carefully rehearse the demonstration and be sure the audience can see it. Anticipate any problems that may occur and plan how to handle each one.

Objectives
1. Prepare a demonstration speech to clearly explain a process, product or activity.
2. Conduct the demonstration as part of a speech delivery without notes.

Time: Five to seven minutes

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3, 4, 5, 6 Code of Thinking

Greetings,

How many of you learn about KSTMC through the Internet? [Pause] Quite a good number of you.

This is the power of Internet. It gives you tons and tons of information. So much so that dear friends, today, we are inundated with information. Yes, information is power. But we also need to separate the small details from the big picture. When your thinking is clear, you will be able to articulate your thoughts better and make a great impression to your bosses, your supervisors and your friends.

Today, I will like to do a show-and-tell on a new way of thinking which I termed as 3,4,5,6 code of thinking. I learn this from Dan Roam, the author of the book “Back of the Napkin. This is an interactive session, meaning that you will need to do some work. I subscribe to what Confucius says “I hear I forget, I see I understand, I do I remember”. Please refer to this sheet of paper on the table and fill in the blanks.

Let’s start with 3. Please write in the sheet 3 built-in tools, which are 1. Eyes, 2. Mind’s eye (through our experiences); and 3. Our hands (to draw, to see things in pictures).

Even though, I say that this is a new way of thinking, it is also in us. We have all the tools.

Next, I will move on to the number 4. 4 here stands for the 4 steps of visual thinking.

- Look, see, imagine and finally show.

For example, you decide to improve your public speaking skills. So you look around you, you google for how to improve your public speaking skills. Look is the step whereby you gather information then you see, meaning you sieve out the information that is most pertinent, most helpful. You decide to come to attend KSTMC meeting today. You are now watching me giving a presentation. Next, you imagine yourself on stage doing public speaking. Finally, when you join us as a member, you will show us by standing on stage and speak.

I will now move on to 5, which refers to 5 key questions which we need ask ourselves when we are looking at a problem. These 5 questions will help us to cover almost all aspects in the problems. Write on the sheet of paper – 5 questions and draw a squid like this – S, Q, V, I and D.

When you look at an issue, you will need to first consider your audience and decide whether you want to do simple approach or a more elaborate one. For example, for fellow guests who are interested to join KSTMC to improve his or her public speaking skills, I will use the simple approach. When you join us, you improve your speaking skills by doing. For fellow members, I will go further into the details – when you join us, you will receive manuals which will explain to you how to do and you will need to complete 10 projects in order to be a competent communicator.

Q here stands for quality versus quantity. V – vision versus execution, I – individual attributes versus comparsion (for example, you may be deciding whether to join KSTMC or to join a course on public speaking. You will look at the individual attributes – the members of KSTMC, the cost involved and so on). The last question is Delta – change versus status quo. When you decide to change, to join KSTMC you will be a better speaker compared to status quo.

Last but not least, I shall move on to the final number which is 6. 6 refers to the 6 ways of thinking.
1. Who/ What (draw a portrait)
2. How many (draw a chart)
3. Where (draw a map)
4. When (timeline)
5. How (flowchart)
6. Why (multivariate plot)

Which one you choose will depend on the issue on hand. Today, I shall demonstrate using the “why”, why you should join KSTMC. This calls for a multivariate plot which means you need to look at the various reasons which will entice you to join our club.

The reasons include,

- KSTMC is a warm and welcoming club. We provide a supportive and encouraging environment for you to practise your speaking skills. It is a laboratory for you to experience different ways to engage your audience.

- We have a good track record. Our club is chartered in Year 2000. This year marked the 11 year that our club has been around. We have helped many people like myself to conquer the fear of public speaking. I used to be a very shy person who would fear even to talk among friends, but no more, thanks to KSTMC.

- We have a mentor scheme. When you join us, we will assign a more senior member to help you in your first few projects so that you know exactly what to do.

- Not only will you be a better speaker, you will also learn leadership skills by taking on appointment holders. You will learn time management by speaking within the allotted time.

- You will also learn new things such as the 3,4,5,6 code of thinking. You will be inspired by fellow toastmasters to continue in the journey to be a better speaker and leader.

And many, many more. If you are interested, I will strongly urge you to approach any of our club members later during tea break. We will be more than happy to answer any questions you have.

Back to you Toastmaster of the Day.

All about Leadership

2011-06-18T21:40:00.000+09:30

Below are some wise sentences by Napolean Hill which in my view are true from time immemorial.

1. What is initiative? It is doing the right thing without being told.

2. What is leadership? It is self-confidence, knowing what is happening and able to impart that knowledge.

3. "To lead, you must know!" You may bluff all of your men some of the time, but you cannot do it all the time. Men will not have confidence in an officer unless he knows his business, and he must know it from the ground up. There is no substitute for accurate knowledge.

4. If the officer does not know, his men will be questioning his orders as his men know exactly what is happening on the ground.

5. Not only must the officer know but he must be able to put what he knows into grammatical, interesting, forceful English. He must learn to stand on his feet and speak without embarrassement.

6. To be a leader, he must also possess moral ascendency - being a better man than any others.

7. Any reasonable order in an emergency is better than no order. The situation is there. Meet it. It is better to do something then to hesitate, hunt around for the right thing to do and wind up by doing nothing at all. And, having decided a line of action, stick to it. Don't vacillate. Men have no confidence in an officer that does not know his own mind.

June Holidays 2011

2011-06-18T13:15:00.003+09:30

Today marked the close of about 1-week of fun and play of my family. Daddy and mommy have taken a week's duty-off to spend more fulfilling and fruitful family time.

We started with a four-day driving holiday up north at Genting Highlands. The two young boys were exhilarated. This time round, they enjoyed the bumper boat ride at the outdoor theme park, followed by bumper car at the indoor theme park. Dinosaur Land remained on their must-visit list. During the warmer June season, the mist has cleared somewhat compared to during the wetter December month. Their fave activity must be playing the video arcade games.

When we reached Singapore, we planned for more family activities. We visited Kidz Amaze at SAFRA Jurong. It was an indoor playground somewhat similar to the one at Downtown East. The 17,000 sqft playground housed a three-storey play system with many indoor spiral slides. It was also an interactive Foamball Arena with an array of motion play events, slides and activities.

At the end of this intense family bonding time, I am exhausted but happy. Kids have so much energy and we adults were having a challenging time to catch up with them. I do not know about the kids, but I am definitely looking forward to school reopening. There would be more sanity in the house....

Quotes from Vince Lombardi

2011-06-11T23:10:00.000+09:30

I enjoy good quotes. Below are some from Vince Lombardi (1913 to 1970) forwarded to me by a Toastmaster friend.

It has been used in the Table Topics Segment. Fellow toastmasters or guests are invited to pick a number from one to 10. Each number corresponds to a pre-designated Vince Lombardi quote. Thereafter, they are to talk for about one to two minutes on whether they agree with the quote.

Vince Lombardi Quotes
1. Confidence is contagious. So is lack of confidence.
2. Dictionary is the only place that success comes before work.
3. Success is never final. Failure is never fatal. It is courage that counts.
4. It's not whether you get knocked down, it's whether you get up.
5. Winners never quit and quitters never win.
6. Winning is habit. Unfortunately, so is losing.
7. Winning is not everything, but wanting to win is.
8. Winning isn't everything, but the will to win is everything.
9. The greatest accomplishment is not in never falling, but in rising again after you fall.
10. We would accomplish many more things if we did not think of them as impossible.

Vince Lombardi was an American football coach. In a sense, good sports encapsulate the best of human values. That of consistent hardwork, persistent perservance and pursuit of perfection. That is why sports captivate the hearts and souls of the spectators. They cheer and cry for the athletes who have pushed themselves beyond the shackles of ordinary human beings to achieve the extraordinary.

I believe that such power exists in each and everyone of us. What we need to do is to first believe and set a goal for ourselves. The process of working towards the goal will make us a better person.

Enjoy and believe :)

Uplifting Sentences

2011-06-01T21:56:00.000+09:30

These are the wise words that give me the courage and resolution to press on to work towards my dream.

Ponder on it :)

=============================

If you can run a losing race without blaming your loss on someone else, you have bright prospects of success further down the road in life.

Success is the development of the power with which to get whatever one wants in life without intervening with the rights of others.

The best compensation for doing this is the ability to do more.

You can do it if you believe you can.

Far from being a disadvantage, struggle is a decided advantage, because it develops those quality which forever lie dormant without it.

Being forced to work and forced to do your best, will breed in you, temperance and self-control and strength and a hundred other virtues which the idle will never know.

Neglecting to broaden their view has kept some men doing one thing all their lives.

My boy's work

2011-05-25T20:59:00.000+09:30

Myself

Growing up is like an egg-and-spoon race in an obstacle course. You have to crawl up from bed at the crack of dawn, dash to school just before the gate closes, complete whatever homework your teachers assign you - like this one - and also take care of the family at the same time.

Hi, I forget to introduce myself. My name is P. L. I am 10 years old and in Primary 4 this year. I am glad to say that I have survived three years of primary school life and still counting.

Being the elder boy at home, I also need to juggle homework with housework. My mother says that it is my responsibility. I say it is a serious case of child abuse.

My main household chore is to take care of my younger brother who is in Primary 2. It is not easy to be big brother who is always being accused of being a big bully.

Sigh, I suppose this is all part of growing up. I just hope that the egg will taste yummy at the end of the race.

***

A yet to be named poem

Dirt causes germs.
Germ causes diseases.
Diseases cause death.
And death causes sorrow.

Heavy rain causes flood.
Flood causes panic.
Panic causes death,
And death causes sorrow.

Mad about Maths

2011-05-19T22:46:00.000+09:30

Maths is my favorite subject. I can spend hours and hours thinking about how to solve the problem. It gives me great satisfaction when I understand the concept and how to solve the problem.

In the world of Maths, I find comfort as things are either black or white. Logic prevails. Solving Maths problem brings a smile to my face. I enjoy such simple pleasures in life.

Spot the number patterns:

If
a) 2 4
16 and

b) 4 8
64 then

c) Fill the missing number

5 10
???

====================

This one is interesting.

If
a) 13 10
41 and

b) 23 22
54 then

c) 42 43
???

Notes from a Friend (II)

2011-05-18T22:49:00.003+09:30

Below is the script of the project which I will be presenting at the coming Toastmasters Club meeting.

In a sense, I am killing two birds with one stone - below is a book review of the book "Notes from a Friend" by Anthony Robbins and also the script of my Toastmasters project.

"Notes from a Friend" is a very uplifting and good read. I strongly recommend that you head down to your local library or bookstore, grab the book and read. It may just be the book that change your destiny.

Enjoy!
=====================

Three years ago, there was a lady who was at a low ebb in her life. She was preoccupied by thoughts of why life was unfair to her, of what she did not have, and of God’s denial.

Then destiny intervened. She walked into this room and found this group of well-meaning friends. They gave her the encouragement to face whatever challenges, not just speaking, that faced her.

This lady is me.

Greetings. In the Toastmasters journey, I learn not just the skills of public speaking. More than that, it opens my eyes to read extensive, to read with an open mind and opens the door to self-improvement. I learn that what happens to me is not God’s denial, but God’s delay. And I am grateful for the detour. Because of that, today I am a Toastmaster and also a wiser and happier person.

Tonight, I will like to pass the Toastmasters’ gift of sharing on and share with you three golden lessons to live our lives to the fullest. And I have used the book title “Notes from a Friend” written by the world renowned success coach Anthony Robbins. Like Anthony Robbins, I hoped my little speech today could encourage you to press on despite the many vicissitudes of life.

Golden Lesson Number 1. [Draw a curve line on the whiteboard]. Is this line concave or convex? It’s both depending on how you look at it.

You are what you believe. That is the easy part. The hard part is that you have to take absolute responsibility. For example, my dear friends, you can believe with all your heart that you are a fantastic public speaker. But would that belief alone make you a fabulous speaker? [Pause] No, you need to take responsibility. Taking responsibility will give you the power to be in control. By giving excuses such like I have no time to attend Toastmasters’ meeting or prepare speeches, this power will be taken away from you slowly and surely. By taking responsibility, you acknowledge that it is your action that determines how good a speaker you are. It gives you back the power to be in control.

A good example is Roger Bannister. At the time when people believed that it was not only impossible for a person to complete one mile in less than four minutes but also dangerous to the health of those who tried to do so, he chose to believe otherwise. He not just believed in it, he took responsibility for it. Roger Bannister was then a 25-year old medical student at Oxford. He trained hard and he approached his belief scientifically using his medical knowledge. On that fateful day, May 6, 1954, he raced and crossed the finish line with a time of 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds. It was his moment of vindication. The psychological barrier of 4 minute mile was broken forever.

Golden Lesson Number 2. Persistence pays. In whatever field that you may be, the key to success is to take consistent action every day, every minute, every moment. Every time you do something you learn from it and you will find a way to do it better next time. Doesn’t that sound familiar? It is just like doing our Toastmasters’ project.

By using this same formula, we have Colonel Sanders who built an empire of KFC restaurants all over the world. At the age of 65, Colonel Sanders’ one and only restaurant failed due to the opening of the new highway, Interstate 75 which diverted customers’ traffic from his restaurant. He took a meager $105 dollars from his first social security check. He then decided to sell his secret chicken recipe. He was a very, very, very persistent man and he stayed true to his path even after 1,009 “no”s. He succeeded eventually because he focused on the solution and not the problem. With each “no”, he learnt how to win a potential franchise in his next encounter.

The third golden lesson is the most important. It is to have goals in our lives. There are some people whom we all know who seem to be constantly lost in a fog of confusion. They go one way, then another. They try one thing, then shift to another. They move down one path, then retreat in the opposite direction. Their problem is simple, “they do not know what they want”. You cannot hit a target if you do not know what it is.

We need to set goals is to give our lives focus and to move us in the direction we would like to go. Ultimately, whether or not you achieve a goal is not half as important as the type of person you become in pursuit of it.

So my friends, I urge you to set goals in your life. Believe in yourself, take responsibility for your action and be persistent. I believe you will achieve a more fulfilling life with these three golden lessons.

To your success.

Back to you Toastmaster of the Evening.

Tomato Bruschetta Recipe

2011-05-07T21:23:00.002+09:30

I am not exactly a food fanatic. However, I do appreciate a quick and easy fix which also taste yummy. This is one of them:

Recipe:

3 large tomatoes (diced seedless)
1 tbsp chopped basil
1 tbsp chopped parsely
1 tsp chopped garlic (can be fried with the oil, if preferred)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ tsp coarse black pepper
½ tsp salt

Mix all tog & chill. Eat with toasted bread or whatever u like.

Enjoy!

Secrets of Speaking Success

2011-04-30T22:01:00.000+09:30

After a hiatus of a few months due to a change in work portfolio, I have finally managed to wrestle some semblance of control. I have resumed my favorite pastimes - reading, writing and yes, speaking.

I booked a speaking slot in my Toastmasters club and delivered the promise to myself - to keep my journey of self-improvement. I deeply believe in the Toastmasters program of learning by doing. It has been a life-transformational journey which is still evolving.

Tonight, I will like to share with my readers the "Secrets of Speaking Success" which I have delivered for my first advanced project for Speaking to Inform. I hope you too can benefit from it.

The Secrets of Speaking Success

Greetings,

There once was an eight-year old girl who was extremely shy and reserved. Alas, she was thrusted into limelight when her teacher signed her up for a story telling contest. She chose the option of avoidance - not to think about it until that fateful day. She stood on stage, froze with fear. In the end, the teacher had to lead her off stage. I was the girl.

By a show of hands, how many of you are currently having or used to have phobia speaking? [Pause] I see that almost all in the room raise their hands.

Fret not, help is at hand. This is the Competent Communicator Manual that you will have when you join any Toastmasters Club. It is in the welcome package sent right to your doorsteps.

Today, I will like to share with you on how this manual will make you a better speaker. There are 10 projects in the guide and you can divide them into three levels – beginner, immediate and advanced.

Beginner level projects are projects 1 to 3. 1 is on Ice Breaker for you to know the speaking skills you already have and what are the areas to improve upon. Thereafter, you will move on to Project 2 and 3 to learn about structure in a speech – opening, body and ending; and what you want your audience to do or to know at the end of the speech. For example, in my case, I will want my audience to have an overview of what the Competent Communicator manual covers.

After the basics are the in place, you will move on the Immediate stage in Projects 4 to 6. In project 4 we learn to use vivid and expressive words. For example, when I say, I stroll, I walk, I sprint, I zoom. The words, stroll, walk, sprint, zoom refers to moving from one place to another using our legs, but there is a different speed associated to each word. You will also learn to create music using words. Eg, I zoom and zonked out. Zzzzz… Project 5 is on body language – a confident person is confident because he is congruent in his action. How would you perceive a speaker who say yes and do this (shaking the head). But these are the things which we do subconsciously when we are nervous. Project 6 on vocal variety, so when you talk be careful of not doing this “I am going to share with you on the ten projects in the Competent Communicator manual.” This is a sure way to get people to go to sleep. By the way, vocal variety also includes pauses. [Pause]. I pause because I want to STRESS that having pauses are important. So we can pause before we say something important.

Finally, after completing these projects, you will find yourself several notches up in your public speaking skills. Then you can proceed to the Advance stage in project 8 to 10, whereby you will learn how to use different visual aids in project 8, learn to persuade others and finally, having inspired in the Toastmasters journey, it is your turn to inspire others in finale project – project 10.

Before embarking on the Toastmasters’ Journey, I was groping the dark before any business presentation. And because, it was so dark, I could not see, there was a lot of fear. Then there is light and the secrets of speaking success are revealed to me.

Learning public speaking is like learning swimming. Can you learn swimming just by reading books or attending a 3-day crash course? [Pause] Naturally, I was crashed.

The magic of the Competent Communicator module is that you do not need to complete all the 10 projects to be better. After each speaking assignment, you will be better. That is the law of nature. It is just that we have to battle that lousy feeling of defeat initially especially when we are no good. But in the Toastmasters’ Club, we provide a safe environment for you to practice. Remember successful people do things NOT because they are good. They DO, SPEND TREMENOUS AMOUNT OF TIME ON IT TO BE GOOD.

I hope to see fellow toastmasters to register for their next time speaking slot. For guests who are looking to improve their speaking skills, hesitate no more, sign up with our club today, reward is within your reach.

Back to you Toastmaster of the Evening.

John Rock's Error

2011-04-23T00:35:00.003+09:30

I had just read the article John Rock's Error by Malcolm Gladwell.

http://www.gladwell.com/2000/2000_03_10_a_rock.html

It piqued my interest as as a friend of mine has recently lost her battle to cancer.

It gives a layman's understanding of what is cancer:

"Cancer, after all, occurs because as cells divide and reproduce they sometimes make mistakes that cripple the cells’ defenses against runaway growth."

It talks about the female reproduction system and how John Rock, the inventor of the birth control pill thought that women would find it strange not to have monthly menstruation. How presumptuous! A man could never understand a woman.

I find the alternative argument based on evolution instead of theology more convincing. In the evolutionary case, a medical researcher Straussman went to South African to study the woman's reproduction system in pre-industrial era. Read this in the past, a woman only had about 100 menstruation cycle compared to the current 350 to 400 in her lifetime. It is due to demographic shift whereby women today do not have so much children (8 to 9 in the past) and also shorter period of nursing.

It also fills the information gap on women on the pill having a higher chance of having breast cancer. The reason is the the pill works by releasing the hormone progestin which leads the body to think that it is slightly pregnant. This helps to reduce the number of times the egg breaks into the ovarian walls and the sloughing off of the thickened uterus lining. On the whole, the risk of ovarian and endometrium cancer will be greatly lowered. However, whatever good the progestin does is undone as the same hormone is responsible for preparing the breast for child-birth. Again, the division and reproduction of cells heighten the risk of breast cancer.

I like the last segment which is an argument in logics on why Henderson and Pike do not believe that it is the environment that causes breast cancer:

"Henderson and Pike, however, became fascinated by a number of statistical pecularities. For one thing, the rate
of increase in breast-cancer risk rises sharply throughout women’s thirties and forties and then, at menopause, it starts
to slow down.

If a cancer is caused by some toxic outside agent, you’d expect that rate to rise steadily with each advancing year, as the number of mutations and genetic mistakes steadily accumulates. Breast cancer, by contrast, looked as if it were being driven by something specific to a woman’s reproductive years. What was more, younger women who had had their ovaries removed had a markedly lower risk of breast cancer; when their bodies weren’t producing estrogen and progestin every month, they got far fewer tumors.

Pike and Henderson became convinced that breast cancer was linked to a process of cell division similar to that of ovarian and endometrial cancer. The female breast, after all, is just as sensitive to the level of hormones in a woman’s body as the reproductive system. When the breast is exposed to estrogen, the cells of the terminal-duct lobular unit—where most breast cancer arises—undergo a flurry of division. And during the mid-to-late stage of the menstrual cycle, when the ovaries start producing large amounts of progestin, the pace of cell division in that region doubles."

Enjoy!

Lessons from Japan

2011-04-16T22:19:00.001+09:30

The recent unfortunate triple whammy - earthquake, tsunami and nuclear fallout that besieged Japan was heart-wrenching. Amid the chaos, there was calm and order. The Japanese stood out for their stoicism.

I know my own personal challenges is merely a tiny drop in the ocean compared to what Japan has or is facing today. However, the way Japan handles these disasters holds profound lessons to the way we lead our lives.

Japan is no stranger to natural disaster. The word "tsunami" originates from a Japanese word meaning harbour wave. Japan lies on the cusp of the Pacific-Philippine-Eurasian triple plane junction, where the complex interaction of the three tectonic plates is unpredictable.

The Japanese are well-prepared, they have built buildings to withstand the tremors of earthquake, they have built barrier at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear plant, they have numerous back-up plans to handle the many what-ifs situation. Despite their preparedness, a black swan event occurs.

Instead of despair, we see the stoicism of Japan strongly playing out as the unfortunate event continue to unfolds. Besides stoicism, there is perhaps another Japanese word "Gambaru" which means "do your best", "hang on there", "keep going" that is keeping the Japanese going.

Japan is still coming to grips to the extent of the damage. I have every confidence that Japan with her stoicisim and Gambaru spirit will recover from this setback and rise to greater heights.

Theory on Risk

2011-04-11T23:41:00.000+09:30

Another interesting insight from Freakonomics.

According to Peter Sandman, mathematically, the risk equation can be written as follows:

Risk = Hazard + Outrage

Unfortunately, hazard and outrage do not carry equal weight in the risk equation. When hazard is high and outrage is low, people underreact. But when hazard is low and outrage is high, they overreact. In other words, risk that you can control is much less a source of outrage than the risk you cannot control.

An example is that though many more children die from drowning in a swimming pool than from a gun shot. Most parents in the States forbid their children from going to a family with a gun but not one with a swimming pool.

So why is a swimming pool less frightening than a gun? The thought of a child being shot through the chest with a gun is gruesome, dramatic, horrifying - in a word, outrageous. Swiming pools do not inspire outrage. This is due in part to the familiarity factor. But it takes only about thirty seconds for a child to drown, and it often happens noiselessly. The steps to prevent drowning meanwhile, are pretty straightforward: a watchful adult, a fence around the pool, a locked back door so a toddler doesn't slip outside unnoticed.

Notes from a Friend (I)

2011-04-07T22:27:00.005+09:30

I chanced upon a very fantastic book "Notes from a Friend" by Antony Robbins, an international leader in peak performance. I have his other book "Awaken the Giant Within" and as what Antony confessed, many readers did not manage to finish reading the 400-plus pages book as it was a heavy read. I was one of them.

This is another good book which I will like to share with my readers. It is concise and easy-to-under guide on the most powerful and life-changing tools and principles. Starting in 1991, a self-published version of this book has been handed out to thousands of people in need, as part of the Anthony Robbins Foundation's Thanksgiving "Basket Brigade." The book provided inspirations to individuals to overcome the most challenging circumstances.

From my personal experience, I used to doubt the soundness and effectiveness of such self-improvement books. I was then sailing smoothly in my life. However, when I picked them up and read again at the lowest ebb of my life, I found a new meaning in the same words that I have once doubted.

Napolean Hill said that when one was ready for success, he would know. I realised that there would not be success without failure. It was only when one encountered failure that the path to success would appear before one.

It is not difficult to be successful. One just needs loads of positive thinking, persistence, and never-say-die attitude. Sounds simple? It is that simple. But Napolean Hill never said that it would be easy. In fact, he acknowledged that it would be a Herculean task. That is why, reading "Notes of a Friend" helps to keep our hopes alive and propels us to keep on trying.

I will be sharing with you on the key takeaways from this little insightful book in my next post. Until then, my friends press on in your quest!

Do you believe in 4D?

2011-03-28T11:16:00.005+10:30

My mother is a housewife. She has never held a full-time job after she was married as her hands were full with looking after her brood of children. Later when we were reached our teenage years and were old enough to look after ourselves, she would take on house cleaning job occassionally. Not anymore now as age catches up with her alongside with age-related ailments.

I remembered mum like most other Singaporeans, would bet a dollar or two on 4D with dreams of strucking it big. Being a mathematician, I am too logical to believe in 4Ds. Yes, you may win one big prize but the temptation of winning again will make one plough back all the winnings. In the long run, Singapore Pools is the one laughing to the bank.

The Alternate 4D-way to Success

However, I have my own version of 4D which I learnt from a fellow Toastmaster Ramana. Ramana has just completed his project 10 of the Competent Communicator manual and he will be conferred the title "Competent Communicator" for this accomplishment. The 4Ds are:

1. D- Desire
2. D- Decision
3. D- Determination
4. D- Destination

I agree with Ramana that this set of 4Ds is the secret of success to anything that one wants to do. It is especially poignant now when I compare my emotional state of mind in the past and now when dealing with challenges.

In the past which was more than 5 years ago, I would feel so stressed out that I could not think. Even when I was thinking, my mind was filled with negative emotions. In short, I was thinking about why was life so unfair to me. No longer, I come to realise that while I could not change the cards that I am dealt, I could change the way I play the cards. Some may say that the hard fact of life is that sometimes, bad things happen to good people. I beg to differ believe that things happen to me for a reason. These things happened to me because they are there to make me a stronger person that I was yesterday.

This belief helps to cultivate the habit of persistence which is an insurance against failure. No matter how many times one is defeated, one finally arrives up toward the top of the ladder. Failure is never final as long as one keeps trying.

Blink I

2011-03-27T23:35:00.000+10:30

After reading Outlier by Malcolm Gladwell, I was sufficiently interested in his other books. Afterall, he has proved himself to be such a compelling writer and presented his arguments in a concise and interesting way. More importantly, I have gained new insights from Outlier.

So the recent 20% discount by Popular Bookshop for the purchase of 3 or more English books sealed the deal and I bought his other book Blink written in 2005. I made that snap judgement after laying my eyes on the back cover of the book for mere minutes. I was intrigued to know why I was drawn to the book.

Now that I am almost halfway reading the book, I have made an attempt to trawl the net for more information about the book. This blogpost is to share what I manage to find.

About Blink

Blink is a book about the power of thinking without thinking. It considers both the strengths of the adaptive unconscious, for example in expert judgment, and its pitfalls such as stereotypes.

Thin-slicing - Making Snap Judgement

The main subject the book is defined as "thin-slicing". It refers to our ability to gauge what is really important from a very narrow period of experience. In many instances, "thin-slicing" will serve us well or even better as ploughing through loads of information.

Analysis Paralysis - When Having More is Detrimental

Gladwell mentions that sometimes having too much information can interfere with the accuracy of a judgment, or a doctor's diagnosis. This is commonly called "Analysis paralysis."

The challenge is to sift through and focus on only the most critical information to make a decision. The other information may be irrelevant and confusing to the decision maker. Collecting more and more information, in most cases, just reinforces our judgment but does not help to make it more accurate. The collection of information is commonly interpreted as confirming a person's initial belief or bias.

When Less is More

Gladwell explains that better judgments can be executed from simplicity and frugality of information, rather than the more common belief that greater information about a patient is proportional to an improved diagnosis. If the big picture is clear enough to decide, then decide from the big picture without using a magnifying glass.

Beware though Thin-slicing is Not Perfect

The book argues that intuitive judgment is developed by experience, training, and knowledge. However, prejudice can operate at an intuitive unconscious level, even in individuals whose conscious attitudes are not prejudiced. An example is in the halo effect, where a person having a salient positive quality is thought to be superior in other, unrelated respects. Gladwell uses the 1999 killing of Amadou Diallo, where four New York policemen shot an innocent man on his doorstep 41 times, as another example of how rapid, intuitive judgment can have disastrous effects.

Conclusion

Thus far, my reading of the book has covered up to the part about our uncanny ability to thin-slice. I have also read about examples of our intuitive judgement failing us. Going forward, I have my eyes open on how to capitalise such judgement and when to avoid the pitfalls. If I am able to identify this trait, the initial investment of 20 bucks on this book will reap me great dividends worth over a few hundred times.

Stay tuned for my next blog posting.

Xiangqi Competition

2011-03-20T19:55:00.001+10:30

The March 2011 holiday was kicked off by the 16th "Char Yong Cup" Students Xiangqi Championships. It was the much-awaited event by my elder boy, P who was a Xiangqi enthusiast. This was the second year in the running that we registered P for the competition at his request.

We chanced upon the yearly event when we were at a Community Club. I was taken aback when P who usually shunned such events indicated his interest. Last year, he was pretty discouraged after losing two games though he did win one. However, competition is more than a test of skill, it is also a test of one's mental prowess. Hence, we were not surprised when P went into a losing streak as he became more impatient in his game. We reminded P that victory is never final as long as we learn from our mistakes and keep trying.

This year, he has improved by leaps and bounds. He managed to stay cool for the entire 7 games and won 3. Not too bad a feat for a child as the entire event lasted more than 3 hours.

There has also been much father and son bonding as his daddy will be there giving debrief to P on what he could have do better after each game. In a sense, I suppose the interest to play Chinese Chess runs in the Lim family.

Hmm, I have better also pulled up my socks on the game as there are times when P and R insist to play with mummy to have a winning chance...

The Last Lecture II

2011-03-15T19:33:00.003+10:30

Having read The Last Lecture, I pondered on the three most important things that I learnt from the book.

It is a challenge as the book shares more than just three things about how we should lead our lives. From the book, I gathered that though Randy did not live to a ripe-old age, he definitely led a meaningful life and he has fulfilled his childhood dreams.

But if I need to pick, these are the three which resonated the most in me:

1. Think Out-of-the-Box, Things will Somehow Fall into Place

Randy shared that he and his wife, Jai were married under a 100-year-old oak tree on the lawn of a famous Victorian masion in Pittsburgh. It struck me that they did not leave the reception in a car with cans rattling from the rear bumper. Instead, they opted for the unconventional - a huge, multicolored hot-air balloon.

The beginning was well and beautiful. The balloon raised and carried the newly-weds and the ballooner up the air and above the city's famous three rivers. Things went awry when they had to land near the train track.

I was struck by how Randy managed to maintain his cool and think straight. That was one important attribute to navigate out in a stressful environment.

Perhaps, part of the reason I was drawn to this little episode was that it reminded my stay in Pittsburgh. Though some people may term this one-year stay as being a carefree stay-at-home mom or "tai tai".

I can assure you that the initial adjustment period was a challenge. There was a time when I would cry silently when my hubby went to school and my boys were having their nap. I remembered a Singaporean friend who called me showing her concern. It was when I calmed down and decided to make the best of the situation. That was my first real-life lesson on the phrase "It is not what that happen to you that matter but what you do." Though I realised the wisdom of it at the grand old age of 35, it was never too late. Today, this phrase still has a familiar ring to it.

And what else did Randy say? Don't complain, just work harder. To paraphrase him, too many people go through life complaining about their problems, if you took one-tenth the energy you put into complaining and applied it to solving the problem, you'd be surprised by how well things can work out.

2. Going Back to Basics

In the car-craze Singapore, what is your reaction when someone pours a can of soda on purpose in his convertible? He must be nuts.

But this was what Randy did. He did so to prove a point, a car was there to serve a utilitarian function - to travel from one place to another.

Many a times, we need to go back to basics. It does not just apply to the tangibles but also the intangibles. Randy knew very well when he shared the story of Coach Graham, his football coach. In whatever things we do, we need to get the fundamentals right. Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. In the course of my work, the temptation is there to ignore the fundamentals - asking the right questions before plunging head in to solve the problem. You have got to get the fundamentals down, because otherwise the fancy stuff is not going to work.

3. Head Fakes

I especially like the concept of head fakes in the Alice project. The people are learning program and yet they think they are having fun.

If we view our job as play, we will be having fun. I have always tried to make it fun for my boys to study. And it definitely sets me thinking of what head fakes I could use.

The two head fakes that Randy delivered in his last lecture were brillant.

"It's not about how to achieve your dreams. It's about how to lead your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you."

The second head fake.

"The talk wasn't just for those in the room, it was for my kids."

The last one tugs my heartstring. Whenever I work or I do something, I think about my children. I want to put in the best efforts, because it is not just for others, nor is it for me. It is for my kids. I want to prove to them that it is not difficult to be successful, if we just work harder than others.

The Last Lecture I

2011-03-09T15:26:00.001+10:30

About Randy Pausch
On September 18, 2007, computer science professor Randy Pausch stood in front of an audience of 400 people at Carnegie Mellon University to deliver a last lecture called "Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams."

He started with slides of his CT scans and as a matter-of-factly told his audience about the cancer which was devouring his pancreas and would claim his life in a few months' time. On stage that day laid the cognitive dissonance - Randy was energetic, youthful and often cheerfully, darkly funny. He seemed invisible. Sadly, Randy lost his battle to pancreatic cancer on July 25th, 2008.

Randy's lecture has become a phenomenon. I remembered googling for the You-Tube on his last lecture. Later, I took mental note of the book he wrote based on the same principles, celebrating the dreams we all strive to make realities.

Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University
In a sense, I felt closed to Randy as I once breathed the same air as he did. I stayed for a one short year period in Pittsburgh where my hubby was doing his post-graduate study in the same Carnegie Mellon University. But no, he was not in the computer science faculty. I could also imagine the seemingly unsurmountable challenges that Jai, Randy's wife would have to overcome in the years ahead. But Randy's last lecture and his book will leave a legacy to inspire many to cross the brick wall. Afterall, brick wall is there to bring out the best of our abilities.

A Sampler of The Last Lecture
In this post, I will just give you a sampler of the book.

Introduction
Randy Pausch describes his cancer as “an engineering problem.” He talks about the lecture as a means of expression, and a way to reach his kids: “If I were a painter, I would have painted for them. If I were a musician, I would have composed music. But I am a lecturer. So I lectured.”

Chapter 1: An Injured Lion Still Wants to Roar
Randy almost didn’t go to Pittsburgh to deliver his last lecture. His wife Jai had wanted him to stay home with her and the kids.
Chapter 3: The Elephant in the Room
Randy decided to begin his talk in a specific way – showing his CT scans, introducing “the elephant in the room,” assuring everyone he’s not in denial, and doing push-ups.

Chapter 4: The Parent Lottery
Randy said he realized many of his dreams because he had terrific parents.

Chapter 5: The Elevator in the Ranch House
In his talk, Randy encouraged parents to allow their children to paint on their bedroom walls. “As a favor to me,” he said, “let ’em do it. Don’t worry about the home’s resale value.” The real message he says he was trying to give was this: Find ways to help your kids be creative. Nurture those instincts in them.

Chapter 6: Getting to Zero G
The chapter ends with the line: “If you can find an opening, you can probably find a way to float through it.”

Chapter 7: I Never Made It to the NFL
This is a chapter about football, but so many of the lessons in it can apply elsewhere in our lives: Talk about ways fundamentals are important off the playing field, too.

Chapter 11: The Happiest Place on Earth
Throughout the book, Randy says: “Brick walls are there for a reason. They’re not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something.”

Chapter12: The Park IsOpen Until 8 p.m.
In this chapter, we see Randy as an advocate for his own medical care. We also get a sense of how he decided to adopt a positive attitude.

Chapter 14: The Dutch Uncle
Randy credits his professor Andy van Dam with telling him the tough-love things he needed to hear.

Chapter 15: Pouring Soda in the Backseat
Throughout the book, Randy makes a distinction between “people” and “things.”

Chapter 17: Not All Fairy Tales End Smoothly
In this chapter and chapter 19 (about the birth of his son) Randy reminds readers that even wonderful life events – such as a wedding or the birth of a child – are fraught with unexpected dangers.

Chapter 18: Lucy, I’m Home
Was Randy right? Was there no need to fix the dents in those two damaged cars?

Chapter 21: Jai
It is clear in the book that Randy and Jai have a deep love for one another. And yet, like other married couples, they’ve had to work hard on their relationship. Randy’s illness created additional challenges.

Chapter 23: I’m on My Honeymoon, But If You Need Me…
What do you think of Randy’s time-management tips? Would you have walked out of that grocery store, knowing you overpaid by $16.55? Do you have to-do lists?

Chapter 24: A Recovering Jerk
Randy believes the number one goal for educators should be helping students learn how to judge themselves. How crucial do you think this is in the learning process?

Chapter 27: The Promised Land
Randy and his colleagues tried to attract girls into the field of computer science. He’s proud of “The Alice Project,” and calls it his greatest legacy.

Chapter 28: Dream Big
Randy missed the 1969 moonwalk because he was sent to bed by camp counselors. Have you ever wished adults in your life were less rigid? What advice would you give to adults about helping kids to dream big?

Chapter 29: Earnest Is Better Than Hip
Do you agree with Randy? Is earnest better than hip? Is fashion truly commerce masquerading as hip? Or can fashion be a way in which people express themselves?

Chapter 32: Don’t Complain, Just Work Harder
Randy admired Sandy Blatt and Jackie Robinson because they didn’t complain. As Randy put it: “Complaining is not a strategy.”

Chapter 35: Start By Sitting Together
Have you ever had trouble working in groups? How might Randy’s tips help you get along better with others in the future?

Chapter 39: Be the First Penguin
Randy writes that “experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.” How do you think his First Penguin Award was able to inspire his students?

Chapter 41: The Lost Art of Thank-You Notes
Do you agree with Randy that handwritten thank-you notes, even in our computer age, can offer a kind of magic? When was the last time you sent a handwritten thank-you?

Chapter 47: A Bad Apology Is Worse Than No Apology
Randy describes two “classic bad apologies.”

Chapter 55: All You Have to Do Is Ask
What would you like to ask for that you haven’t been able to find the courage to articulate? What do you think will happen if you “just ask”?

Chapter 56: Make a Decision: Tigger or Eeyore
OK. So which one are you? And why? If you’d like to be more of a Tigger, how might you go about that?

Chapter 59: Dreams for My Children
Randy says parents don’t realize the power of their words: “Depending on a child’s age and sense of self, an offhand comment from Mom or Dad can feel like a shove from a bulldozer.”

Chapter 61: The Dreams Will Come to You
Randy realized that he didn’t give the lecture because he wanted to. He gave it because he “had to.”

Stay True to Your Dreams

2011-03-05T13:52:00.003+10:30

Recently, I have not been able to blog as much as I wish, to read as extensively as I used to, to attend Toastmasters meeting, to practise my piano and the list goes on.

Though it is a cliche, I will still say it nothing is constant but change. Change brings uncertainty and is disruptive. Yet, I love change for its challenges. With each mountain of challenge which I conquer, a wider expanse of view presents in front of me. Yet, admittedly, it is a daunting journey.

I wanted to quit my various activities. But the fighting spirit in me to never give up prevails. In the end, I decide to go slower on these activities - taking one step in two months is a giant leap compared to stopping altogether.

Of course, I started these activities with a dream. The propelling force is my wish to prove my children that challenges are meant to be conquered. Reading makes a more knowledge man. Writing forces one to organise his thoughts in a cogent manner. Toastmasters programme hones one's presentation and leadership skills. Piano trains one's left and right brain, and it is also my childhood dream to be able to play the piano.

Dear readers, I hope you too have a dream and set your benchmark high. It's better to die trying and not to try at all. The process of trying will make one stronger and a better man. Stay true to your dreams too!

A Trip Down Universal Studios Singapore

2011-02-16T11:01:00.019+10:30

Movies bring us to another world where imagination reigns, where the impossible becomes possible, where dreams come true. So does a trip down Universal Studios Singapore. It is a transporter which will immerse us in not one but seven uniquely themed-zone surrounding a lagoon.

On 13 Feb 2011, our family of four headed down to Universal Studio Singapore. As it was the Lunar New Year period, the park's opening hour was extended from 10am to 9.30pm instead of the usual 10am to 7pm. We were also treated to the special fireworks at 9pm.

Best Time of the Day to Visit the Park

Taking stock of the sweltering Singapore weather, morning is a good time to enjoy the park. Unfortunately, as the park is only open from 10 am, one only has about 2 hours of soft sun rays before the blazing heat makes any outdoor activities uncomfortable. Hence, the best time to explore the land of movie magic is from 3 pm onwards. Our outdoor experience tells us that that is the time when the sun is setting. While it may be hot in the beginning, the temperature will cool down as the clock ticks.

Universal Studios Singapore is big by Singapore standard - 20 hectares (49 acres) in size, occupying the easternmost part of the 49-hectare (120-acre) Resorts World Sentosa. Yet, it is compact and one could have a fair idea of the park in 4 hours flat complete with a good dose of rides but you would have to skip taking pictures with mascots along the way. That said, to me with two young primary school boys monkeying around, this is a small price to pay as my family will be able to complete or at least most of the park in our best mood in the best time of the day, with minimal stress by the time the park closes at 7 pm.

If you feel that you need a little more time, you may want to consider checking out from 10 am to around 12 pm and coming back again later in the afternoon. Afterall, the park allows you to re-enter with your handstamp and park ticket.

Map of the Park

In this blog, I will be sharing with you the key attractions to look out for based on my own experience visiting the 7 zones in Universal Studios Singapore. I will be detailing the activities at each zone from "Hollywood" zone clockwise back to "New York".

Hollywood and Madagascar

When you enter the park, you will first be greeted by a broadway-style theatre with a variety of flagship shops. Welcome to Hollywood! This zone is a replica of the famous Hollywood Boulevard and is flanked by dynamic architecture and palm trees.

Walk a little further north, you will be in Madagascar, where as in the movie of the same name, penguins can also be found there. There was supposed to be a waterboat ride but it was not ready yet.

Far Far Away

You will know that you are in the land Far Far Away with the 40-metre tall Far Far Away Castle - the world's first - staring right in your eyes.

The star attraction is the Shrek 4-D Adventure. It is a fascinating adventure as you will see, hear and feel the action right from the motion seat as you join Princess Fiona and Shrek in a fairytale adventure. There are other attractions such as Donkey Live an interactive "live" show, enchanted airways - a junior roller coaster and magic potion spin which our family decided to give it a miss as my boys were raring to go to the next zone, The Lost World.

The Lost World

By far, the hot favorite of my 2 boisterious boys, especially the Jurassic Park. As in the movie, Jurassic Park by Steven Spielberg and novel by Michael Crichton, one enters the park in a water ride, Jurassic Park Rapids which leads to an adrenaline-rush as hell breaks loose and one becomes the hunted by the fiery dinosaurs. Beware though, one can be drenched. If one prefers to stay dry, bring or buy a poncho (at $2) available at the ride. Do also try the Canopy ride which offers a bird-eye's view of this zone.

Another area withing The Lost World is the Waterworld, based on the film starring Kevin Costner. Sit back and enjoy a live show as a seaplane swoops towards you, skidding across the water. Feel the heat as giant fireballs explode in the air.

Ancient Egypt

After The Lost World, one will be teleported to a few hundred years later, still in the past in Ancient Egypt. Though my younger boy just met the 122 cm mark to gain entrance to the ride "Revenge of the Mummy", my elder boy protested vehemently against it. The memory of the topsy-turphy dark roller-coaster ride in Hong Kong Disneyland was still vivid in his head.

Sci-Fi City

After ancient Egypt, one would be quickly thrusted into tomorrow's land - Sci-Fi City. As such high-speed whirling twisting adventure is not for the weak stomach of the Lim family, we just sit and hear the screams from those brave-hearted ones who are taking the Battlestar Galactica Cylon (blue track) or Battlestar Galactica Human (Red track).

New York

This is my favorite zone, New York, based on the original New York City, during the era of post-modernization. Perhaps it reminds me of the scenes in the city - the trademark city skyline, neon lights, facades, sidewalks as well as the romantic atmosphere of the Big Apple. After dinner, I sit in one of the many benches in the zone and for a short moment feel that I am in the famous New York City.

Do visit "Lights, Camera, Action!" hosted by none other than Steven Spielberg. It is an eye opener as to how filmmakers are able to create spectacular special effects such as a major hurricane hitting New York City.

Outcome = Event + Response

2011-02-12T21:29:00.001+10:30

This equation is by Jack Canfield (co-author of Chicken Soup for the Soul).

Outcome = Event + Response

Many people believe that it is the events around us that shape our outcomes. But it is not the things that happen to us, rather how we choose to respond to happenings that ultimately shape our outcomes. This is the fact:

“We cannot control every single thing that happens to us, but we can control how we choose to respond to it.”

There are many stories of people who were born with all kinds of handicaps and despite all the odds stacked against them, they managed to create a life most others can only dream about. When we look at things from one perspective, it may seem totally bad. However, when we change the way we look at the same thing, i.e. from a different context, the meaning completely changes. In other words, there is no meaning in life except the meaning we choose to give it.

People who succeed and live fulfilling and enriching lives don’t experience better events, they just re-present things and respond in a much more powerful way.

We can all choose to live the life we want to but we need to take responsibility for our life.

Brain teaser

2011-02-09T23:09:00.002+10:30

Suppose you have 4 cards - each will have one side with an alphabet and another with a number.

The side of the 4 cards shown to you are:

A; C; 3; and 6

There is a rule. If a card has a vowel on one end, then it has an even number on the other side.

Question : Which card(s) must you open to prove the above rule is true? I need to limit it to the minimum number of cards to open.

======================================================
The same question can be re-framed as follows:

Suppose there are 4 persons sitting in a bar.

One is drinking beer; Another Pepsi; the 3rd fella is aged 16; and the 4th is aged 25

There is a rule. Only those aged 25 and above can drink beer.

Question: Who should you check to prove the above rule is true? Similarly, to limit to the minimum number of persons.

Answer: This should be easy - The one drinking beer (A) and the 3rd fella who is aged 16 (3).

What is the morale of the story? This game is designed to prove that our human brain is more sophisticated when it comes to people and less so with abstract concepts such as numbers and letters.

So next time when you are stuck. You just need to re-frame the question. Using analogy and story will help.

Happy Rabbit Year

2011-02-04T17:10:00.004+10:30

Dear readers,

As many of my friends would have known by now that recently, I have been extremely busy. So much so that I have had very little time for my toastmasters' activities and also blogging.

But hey, a new year has come. There is no reason for us to wish that this year will be better than the last. After all, Singapore economy roared in the Year of Tiger despite what the doomsayers predicted.

Remember, you are what you believe in.

Happy Rabbit Year:

From the house of AC.

Chicken Soup for the Soul

2011-01-22T21:03:00.000+10:30

What does success mean to you? Does success bring happiness? I believe it does. For that simple reason, many people crave for, dream of, aspire to be a very successful person.

Yet many people fail to go back to basics and ask themselves what is the definition of success? Is success to you a glittering report card of your achievements to-date? When I was young, I was taught that success was measured by the number of academic awards in school. After graduation, it is to be replaced by the fastest sprint to reach the top of the corporate ladder.

The vagaries of life have taught me that this is too simplistic and one-dimensional. Each of us will be faced with his or her own predicament. To me, the victor is one with the resilience to withstand the cruel storms of life. But not alone, we all need friends who will pull us through the hard times. And I believe friends are abound in this world, it's just that we have yet to meet them. But we will need to have the persistence to never stop trying and the ability to attract these living angels. And I hope you can be my angels :)

Data and Simple Fix

2011-01-15T20:57:00.000+10:30

Apart from Think and Grow Rich, Freakonomics and Super Freakonomics blew my mind away. Below is written from memory based on what I can remember. Enjoy!

From Super Freakonomics

In the past, childbirth was a dangerous affair. 1 out of 10 deliveries would see to either the death of the mother or infant or both.

The story was in Venice during the 1840s. It was found that women who gave birth in the top-notched hospitals, were more likely to die from child delivery. In particular, those who were delivered by doctors were twice as likely to die from complications (8%) than those by midwives (4%). Such complications were termed as puerperal disease.

Many possible explanations were spun:
1. Misconduct by the mothers during the first trimester (e.g. wearing tight corset)
2. Foul air in the delivery room
3. Trauma from the outrage of modesty by doctors - most if not all were male during the 1840s.
4. And etc.

Note that these reasons had not apparent solution. Most were figments of someone's imagination, with no solid grounding. It was not until one man by the name of Semmelweis that later came to analyse the statistics, that the reason was found.

Semmelweis first ruled out the explanations one by one by using logic. He found that women who gave birth at home and subsequently arrived at the hospitals did not have such high death rates. So it would be strange that only women who delivered in the hospital "misbehaved" during the first trimester. As for reason number 2, the air in the delivery room was the same for those delivered by midwives. In the case of reason number 3, it did not explain why the occurrance was only for delivery when we also had women who suffered from other ailments but did not exhibit such "trauma".

It was through an accident that Semmelweis found out the real reason -- from the death of a friend who died from a cut while carrying out autopsy. His friend died from the cadaverous materials from the cut.

What happened was during the 1840s, in the top-notched hospitals, the doctors were all busy with conducing autopsies on dead people to understand the cause of the death. Most rushed to the delivery ward with a only cursory clean of their hands at most. As a result, women in labor and being attended to by the doctors had a higher chance to die due to cadaverous materials. The explanation was further buttressed by the fact that women in longer labor had a higher death rate. It was because the longer the labor, the higher the number of proddings by the doctor to check the uterus which increased the risk.

Once the cause was identified. The fix was simple and easy. Doctors who performed autopsy had to wash their hands with a sprinkling of chorine with lime. The rest as they say is history. The death rate from deliveries performed by doctors fell to the level similar to those by midwives.

Ria Bintan - Real Beauty

2011-01-12T00:32:00.006+10:30

Bliss is soaking in nature's beauty. My hubby and I did just that in Bintan last December over a short weekend getaway. We made our way to Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal on a Friday afternoon.

As I rushed there after work in the morning, my mind was still mulling over some unfinished work matters on the ferry. With my mind filled to the brim with work details, my head soon felt heavy. Fortunately, the ferry trip was a shortone hour journey, the sparadic spasms in head were calmed as my feet felt the stability of land.

We put up at Bintan Lagoon - a resort which faced the ocean. It was a seaside paradise. As there was still daylight, we strolled along the beach and were greeted by the wide expanse of pristine sand the the greyish sea line in the horizon as far as the eye could see. We found a little bench and sat together relishing the postcard-perfect sight.

Before the break of dawn the next day, we proceeded to Ria Bintan for a 18-hole game of golf at the Ocean course. The view was magnificent as we hit our golf ball as the waves came crushing at the beach. At the same time, the sea breeze rushed into land and played with our hair. We were also intoxicated by the whiff of nature's bounty. There was a quiet serenity about the surrounding beauty. For the both of us who were more used to a concrete jungle, the ocean, the greenery and the breeze offered a refreshing respite.

After our 18-hole game, my sprighty hubby suggested to go for another game of 18-hole. It sounded like a great idea at the time when we were mesmerised by nature's beauty. Alas, it was no walk in the park. The next 18-hole game was punishing. I became reacquainted with muscles screaming for attention from the abuse I suddenly subjected them to. My hubby was not one who would allow me to give up once I had agreed to do something. Suddenly, I realised that I owed my discipline to him. Discipline has always been hard to me. Afterall, I am not built for discipline but for novelty and excitement. Boy, I am glad that he is around to give me the much-needed nudge.

Yes, we managed to complete the 36-hole. Though in the final few holes, I swung my golf club byut mostly did not manage a good hit. But you know, sports is not about winning but about completing. To soothe our aching bodies, we indulged in a 60 minutes massage. The skilled hands of the massage therapist rubbed away the muscle aches from overexertion like magic.

On our way back to Singapore, I gazed at my tired hubby as he shifted his head to dodge the draughty air on the ferry. I smiled, leaned my head on his shoulder and closed my eyes for forty winks.

Marriage is so Beautiful

2011-01-09T18:39:00.003+10:30

I just have had a very enjoyable weekend. Yesterday, my hubby and I enjoyed a round of 18-hole golf in the afternoon before I headed out to attend my company's Dinner and Dance event.

It was then that I realised that I have known my dear for more than 2 decades. 20 years is a long time but yet our love has grown from strength to strength. No doubt, we have arguments and disagreements but we respect each others view.

Golf is not an easy sport to pick up. It is really tough to keep moving when every stroke that you hit seems to be wrong. When the golf ball of other players was taking off like a jet, mine was just spurting along like an old car's engine. Yet perseverence is the key to success. Underlying this perseverence is my love to keep my hubby company and support him.

This is mutual. Last night, he asked me to call him to pick me up after the event which only ended over 11 pm. I did but then realise how tired he was. I assured him that I was old even to take care of myself to take public transport home. The sweetness of his thoughts warmed my heart. That's the beauty of marriage. I love you dear.

Working more than you are paid for

2010-12-30T22:18:00.003+10:30

For readers of "Think and Grow Rich" by Napolean Hill, I suppose it will be natural for us to also delve into Hill's other books such as the Laws of Success.

One of the most important laws is to work more than you are paid for. It sounds simple enough but it is an extremely difficult law to adhere to. Once you are able to live by the law, success is within your reach.

In any job, there are four factors that affect the salary that the job commands. 1. Number of people who are willing to do the job (e.g. salesman, insurance agents -- there are many who want to be in the sales and insurance line); 2. How much specialised skill the job requires (e.g. a doctor who is a specialist in any field will earn more); 3. How undesirable the job is; and 4. How many people are willing to pay for the service.

Factor 4 is positively correlated to factor 1. Factors 2 and 3 will require one to be really passionate about the job in order to endure the hardwork and unpleasantries that come with the chosen job. All factors will require one to work doubly, triply and much more in order to be better than your competitors.

Besides that love for the job, it will also help if you can use the law of attraction by visualising that you are at the top. Be a child again, to experience the creative power of our mind through visualization. Give yourself hope when all else seems bleak.

To your success,
AC

Bandari - Melody of Nature (3 CDs)

2010-12-26T16:59:00.007+10:30

My family bought this set of 3 CDs. The music is beautiful, enchanting and soothing. Perfect to heal that tired, urbanite and at times, disillusioned soul.

Artist: BANDARI

The Bandari Orchestra consists of a group of young composers, instrumentalists and sound recording engineers. It was founded in Switzerland in 1990 and is led by Oliver Schwartz.

Deeply influenced by the beauty of nature, they are especially apt in portraying nature through music to produce the BANDARI signature sound that the world has come to love.

“Melody of Nature” comprises 3 of the Bandari Orchestra’s latest albums: “Garden of Dreams” (Bandari’s 10th Anniversary Album and a musical tribute to Suzanne Ciani, Kevin Kern, George Winston & other New Age icons), “Crystal Lake” and “Breezy Valley”.

This attractive package comes with a free booklet containing useful information on the Bandar’s music and its therapeutic effects, as well as a guide to stress management and aromatherapy.

TRACKS:
Vol. 1 – Garden of Dreams
1. Turning　
Irish drums - whirling round and round in triplets - eading the melody subtly forward. Beneath the flute, you hear not only rich, silky strings, but also beautiful decoraibe percussions that give this track a magical, dreamly quality.

2. Dreamcatcher　
The piano first appears in this track, followed by tinkling wind chimes in the light breeze, ushering the entry of melodious strings. The piano re-enters just before the track ends, leading this beautiful dramscape to a close.

3. Beyond the Sundial　
Crystal clear sound engineering paints a vivid picture of sunrise. The flute alternates with the oboe on a sentimental melody, intercepted occasionally by strums of the harp. This track and clear and refreshing, like gentle sunshine relected on a lake on a bright day; and pure and simple - like lilies that grace the lakeside.

4. Adagio in Minor　
Thick, solid sounds of the double bass grip your heart from the very beginning. The strings then enter in unison and the air stirs with excitment. This track is decorated with light-hearted punctuations of the piccolo, bells and triangles.

I have tried to google for the music, this is the closest I could find by Yanni. Equally magnificent music! Enjoy.

5. Zarabanda　
The introduction is filled with an air of mystery, as the flute paints a picture of vast widerness. A strike on the drum adds to the rich immensity of the soundscape. The brass carries the main theme, signifying a bountiful life and a carrying on of traditions.

6. 在輝煌的季節中 (In magnificent season)
Nostalgic sounds of strings gives this track a bright and beautiful beginning. The piano, clarinet and flute weave in and out of the melody like butterfiles in spring. Simply delightful.

7. Lauren
8. Give Me Your Hand　
9. The Soong Sister　
10. Ortaffa　
11. Beyond the Invisible　
12. Hymn　
13. The Golden Land　
14. Breakout　

Vol. 2 – Crystal Lake
1. Mystica　
2. Marco Polo　
3. Raindrops on Your Face　
4. Summerwaltz　
5. Black Windmill　
6. Japanese Girl　
7. The wings of Icarus　
This Greek god donned magical wings and took to the sky. What joy it must have been cruising the peaceful heavens!

8. Theme From Missing　
9. Sparkling Raindrops　
10. Blue Love Theme　
11. A Day Without Rain　
12. Aqua Blue　
13. White Moon Over Tibet
14. Love Letter to You　
If you had a chance to come to this beautiful lake, and perchance you decided to stay for a while, or even for a very long tiem... Who would you invite to share this moment with you?

Vol. 3 - Breezy Valley
1. Snow
Snow falls - silently. But too loud for the sleepless Bear. Snow falls on the vast fields, covering the tracks of memory, and it all began, with silent snow... falling... falling.

2. Song of the angels　
3. Indian Summer　
4. Mars and Venus　
5. Dreaming in the moonlight
6. Love of my life　
7. Sunset Valley　
8. Love me tonight　
9. If I love again　
10. Heaven on earth　
11. Green leaves of spring　
12. Good morning sunshine　
13. The way of the wind　
14. For your heart only

Merry Christmas and a Wonderful 2011 ahead

2010-12-26T16:05:00.003+10:30

Dear readers,

A BIG THANK YOU for visiting my blog.

As I reviewed my year, I thought about my readers. Yes, that's you. This blog is started a few years back as an avenue for me to share my experiences. At times, I have been less than able to post my thoughts due to other commitments. Those are trying times which I was glad that I pressed on guided by my compass - my dreams.

Being able to continue to post my thoughts is a commitment I have for myself. In a sense, it is a glimpse of how I lead my life - once a goal is made, never falter in the face of challenge. As blog writers, we do not draw a salary. It is done out of the hope that through our sharing, we could help fellow friends out there in one way or another to live their lives better and not to make the same mistake where others have erred.

2010 has been yet another extremely fulfilling one because I know that I am working towards my aim, getting closer each and every single day.

Here's wishing you a beautiful and relaxing holidays!

Women in India

2010-12-11T11:46:00.002+10:30

From Freakonomics:

It has been record much in history that for ages women lag behind men. Notice that I use present tense, because it is still true.

If you are a woman born in India, count yourself real unlucky for women are viewed very lightly in the country. India is a country which practises male-worshipping. Having a boy means your twilight years will be taken care off by the boy. On the hand, a girl is viewed as a burden where you have to incur money to raise her and more to marry her in the form of dowry.

The issue is that not only men look down on women in India. Women, themselves feel that it is alright to be beaten up by drunken husband, it is alright to suffer all this injustice that we as outsiders see it.

So it is interesting that some economists attempt to measure the extent of emancipation of women with the outset of well, the goggle-box, television. These economists conducted face-to-face survey with the women in two towns near to each other. In the first town, television has found its way there while not the second town.

They found that in the town where television is a fixture at home, women are likely (in statistic terms, we say statistically significant) to send their girls to school, they are also more likely to exercise some degree of autonomy in some of the day-to-day activities.

However do note that there is a difference between declared preference and actual preference. In the former, we can expect some fibbing as respondents may want to say something which the interviewer wants to hear. For example, if someone were to ask you your household income, you are more likely to quote a lower number.

So the economists went to verify the declared preference - the enrolment of girls in the local schools. They confirmed that there is indeed an increase in the number of girls admitted to the schools.

***

Lesson I learnt: When we read survey findings do take note that it only reveals the declared preference of the respondents. Wherever possible, look out for data which can help us establish the actual preference.

Tips on Public Speaking

2010-11-06T19:51:00.000+10:30

Due to a change in work portfolio, I have not been able to find time to do my Toastmasters' project for two months and counting. Many thanks to my fellow club members who have been so understanding and helped out in the club activities.

As I find time to tidy up my messy abode, I found previous Toastmasters' Club programme sheets which I had then frantically scribbling my notes. Each meeting was jam-packed with so much information that I tried to record down what I could take home as much as possible.

Here are the notes for sharing:

- an atmosphere of ...
- an aura of handsomeness
- redundancy, verbosity
- elicit
- logic tells emotion sells
- there is music in language (wishy-washy, topsy-turvy)
- success will not elude you
- ... refreshed my memory
- enchanted/ smitten
- reproach
- pillar of strength/ support
- mould a person's character
- full-house effect
- gratification was like reaching the sumit
- out of comfort zone
- scan around to survey the area
- not a single soul
- heartbeat skipped once whenever a canine barked.
- eyes sparkled
- aim too high is akin to shooting at the moon
- life is a sum of missed opportunities
- a blanket of darkness
- a river that flows
- never show all your cards

Triads:
- inspiring, educational, entertaining
- blood, sweat, tears

To my club members, I am trying very hard to find time to continue my toastmasters' journey. I believe this is a only a passing phase and as I learn more I will become more proficient and productive. This is just like when I learn to be a better public speaker. See you people real soon.

Honestly speaking, I never lie

2010-10-27T22:47:00.002+10:30

Below is a very recent article on public speaking.

It strikes a chord with me and I believe also with other fellow toastmasters. Enjoy.

=====================
Honestly speaking, I never lie

MANOJ VASUDEVAN

MY SKILLS at public speaking were evident at an early age.

At my high school, the teacher asked each student to tell the class what they wanted to become when they grew up.

When my turn came, I knew exactly what I wanted to say.

But as I stood in front of my classmates, my mind became my master.

It said: "What if you sound stupid? What would your friends and teacher think?"

I stood scared stiff and silent.

Nevertheless, I learnt three lessons that day.

One, the meaning of the word petrified.

Two, what butterflies in tummy feels like.

Three, never try this again.

Lack of public speaking skills didn't bother me much.

Sometimes, it was surprising to see how people who have little to say can speak loudly for so long.

Most of them prospered well and some of them became my bosses.

I have heard peers commending my bosses by saying "boss, you speak well!"... which was another way of saying that they were good for little else.

Public speaking is for people who do not know how to speak quietly in private; smart people listen, think and act... these self-serving thoughts were always handy.

Fortunately, the mind has the amazing power to provide plenty of reasons to prove that you are right, under all possible circumstances.

But, why is it that most people are afraid of public speaking?

It did intrigue me; but that was nothing to lose sleep over.

Things started to change after my son was born.

To start with, I was no longer the most important man in my wife's life.

It suits me to believe I had that honour before.

The arrival of our daughter 1 1/2 years later changed things even more.

I was not important anymore.

Whoever said "child is the father of man" might have been a father.

Just that it really means children control fathers' destiny.

When our son was four, we trained him for days for a "show-n-tell" session.

After persistent practice through pushy pedantic procedures, he could deliver every line with energy and enthusiasm in his cosy home.

On "show-n-tell" day, daddy and mummy accompanies him with Handycam in tow.

I am convinced that my children will be famous one day.

In the distant future, when the media throngs our home, we should be ready with their childhood videos.

See, I am a practical parent with significant foresight.

Lights ON, camera rolls, my prodigious son walks up on stage.

He freezes up on seeing the audience.

Oops! This was not his cosy home anymore.

He repeats everything vividly and accurately, but it was only in his mind!

What bliss of silence!

What a brutal assault on parental ego!

At that instant, I clearly understood my parents' past predicaments involving me.

Lights OFF, plight ON.

On our drive home, there was lots to express and discuss.

Emotions varied from anger, sadness, frustration, sympathy, contemplation and fault-allocation to the appropriate parental genes.

A series of similar episodes prompted me to be a positive example for my children to look up to.

I took up public speaking and got associated with Toastmasters.

While I learned the ropes, I fumbled and faltered, but persisted.

Public speaking soon became a solemn diversion for engagement and expression.

That also improved my communication with my wife - yes dear, I learnt that eye-contact and listening is also an essential facet of communication.

I felt tempted to volunteer for every opportunity to speak, whether it was to deliver a talk, be an emcee, do stand-up comedy or speech contests.

It was never easy, neither was it as difficult as it once seemed.

As Madame Curie once said: "Nothing in this world is to be feared... only understood."

The cynical among us may add "except for marriage".

Public speaking is not about speaking, it is about communicating.

It is the ability to communicate our thoughts, clearly, concisely and convincingly.

Needless to say, folks who are able to clearly and convincingly communicate their ideas get noticed and listened to.

They progress faster in their careers and life.

Some become bosses.

It does not make them smarter, but it just makes them more self-assured and acceptable.

When I speak in public, I still have butterflies in my tummy.

But the more I speak, the more the butterflies fly in formation.

But when people tell me "boss, you speak well", I scratch my clear head and think... are they making fun of me?

tabla@sph.com.sg

Say Swish

2010-10-17T15:19:00.002+10:30

I was re-reading Unlimited Power by Antony Robbins recently. I was at this part on Swish technique. I used it yesterday nite to do away with my bad habit of touching my hair. Dunno if successful, but at least I am more conscious that I am touching my hair. So I guess, that itself is an improvement.

============================

The Swish Technique

The Swish technique is one by which we re-direct our thinking from unwanted thoughts to more fruitful and resourceful thoughts.

This is a valuable technique for managing your own thinking, states, and behaviours. By using the Swish in your own life you develop your ability to maintain resourceful states, manage your responses to stressful situations, and engage in the behaviours you want.

Six Steps to Swish Technique
1. Select a replacement image
First select your Replacement Feeling - ask yourself How do I want to be instead.

Having selected the Replacement Feeling see and hear a detached image of yourself experiencing this feeling. It is quite important that this image is dissociated. Enhance the detail and the quality (submodalities) of this until the image is quite compelling.

2. Find the trigger for the unwanted mood
What is it that you respond to? How you know when to have the unwanted response or reaction?

Ask yourself What occurs just before this negative or un-wanted state begins? This time, you want an associated image of what is going on immediately before you engage in the unwanted activity.

3. Put the replacement in the corner of unwanted image
Imagine a small sized version of your replacement picture in the bottom corner of the unwanted picture.

4. Swish the two images meeting you want to make both images change simultaneously and with increasing speed.

Have the 'negative' image become smaller and shoot off into the distance. At the same time have the 'positive' replacement image become larger and closer until it replaces the negative image completely. Imagine a "swish" sound as you do this - hence the name. That's one Swish sound.

(Do this fairly slowly at first taking, say, 5-10 seconds to do it. Then continue, doing it a little faster each time, until you are swishing almost instantaneously - in less than a second!)

5 Clear your mind

After each Swish round blank your mind, fully! Think of something else or visualise your favourite colour. Breathing easily as you do this since some people tend to hold their breath while concentrating on doing the Swish. It is crucial to the success of the Swish to clear your mind or turn your attention outside before you do each next round.

6 Practice 5-7 times

Repeat steps 3 to 5 up to about seven times until you have difficulty in maintaining the unwanted image.

Outliers - The Story of Success

2010-10-02T02:04:00.000+09:30

Outliers - The Story of Success by Malcolm Gladwell is the latest book that I have read. Tonight, I will like to share with my readers of my key takeaways from the book.

What I like about the book is the way it uses stories to support the points that the author is trying to put forward. We all love stories which add a human dimension to an otherwise dry academic work and make the book a captivating read. The most famous one would the 10,000-hour rule. And me being an involved parent is naturally drawn to his two chapters devoted to "The Trouble with Geniuses".

The 10,000-Hour Rule
The 10,000-hour rule needs little elaboration as there are tonnes of materials written about it in the Internet. It is not surprising as this is the most inspiring piece of information for us to be an outlier.

An outlier does not practise because he is good. He practises to be good. With 10,000-hours being an enormous amount of time, a great deal of perseverance and help are needed for one to stay focused in his goal. I would say it make a lot of sense. It is the same reason that the Toastmasters Club has been so successful helping people to conquer the fear of public speaking. It is the practice of delivering the speech in a supportive and encouraging environment that makes the difference. In the same light, I teach my children that there are no such things as "I cannot" as long as one puts in substantial efforts. It is important to have a goal in life and keep working towards it. It is alright to fail. As every failure carries with it the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit. I walk my talk and keep my faith going, or rather my children give me the motivation to do so.

The Trouble with Genius
My heart ached badly when I read Chris Langan's story. A genius in him was squandered away as he so lacked "practical intelligence". The latter includes things like "knowing what to say to whom, knowing when to say it, and knowing how to say it for maximum effect". It is the knowledge that helps one read the situation and get what you want. This is different from analytical intelligence which is measured by IQ or intelligence quotient. IQ is in our genes. If you are smart, you are born smart. On the other hand, practical intelligence can be learnt.

So we can work on our practical intelligence. And as parents, we can help our children be more socially savvy by teaching them how to interact comfortably with adults. This means talking with them, not to them. The book detailed about children able to make special requests to teachers and doctors to accomodate their desires. I saw it in my children which I did not see it in myself. This the book explained was due to different upbringing. When I was their age, I was quiet and dared not look at adults in their eyes. My mother believed that "whatever would be, would be". That was the thinking of most working-class families then. They were pre-occupied with what and when the next meal would be.

What's Next
With these newly gained knowledge, you can bet that I will be constantly reminding my children and myself whenever a setback hits - we will need to put in more hours. We will continue to improve our practical intelligence.

As for intelligence quotient, there is something known as Neurolinguistic Programming, which could help. Antony Robbins is the guru and he has written a few books. For those who are interested, "Awaken the Giant Within" (if my memory serves me well) is a classic.

Goal Setting - Making Dreams Come True

2010-09-20T23:39:00.002+09:30

I am researching on parenting tips on the internet when I chanced upon www.4lifehappykids.com and the website shares a sample 4 page of a book on goal setting. I will like to reproduce the gist for the benefit of my readers:

Making Dreams Come True
How would you like to learn how to get the things you want? Children’s stories say fairies or genies make wishes come true, but really, you have everything it takes to get the things you want and make wishes come true yourself. It doesn’t take magic, except for the kind you already have inside you. Another word for “wishes” is “desires,” and another word for “coming true” is “manifesting.”

Desires manifest when you decide to do something about them. That’s called setting a goal. Sometimes wishes come true without that, but wishes sitting on shelves usually don’t amount to much. You have to take them down, dust them off, and make them go to work. Then things start to happen.

Very successful people have written famous books telling how they achieved their dreams. They knew a few secrets, and applied them to their wishes. That’s why they became successful when other people didn’t.

They knew and practiced the secrets of success, while people who didn’t know those secrets left their wishes on the shelf and pretty much forgot about them.

Wishes are not silly. They are important. They always have been. Many things that kids wish for and imagine about in their childhood become real when they grow up. Would that have happened if they had not had a dream?

Wishes are powerful, when you know how to use them. Some people say children are born knowing what they came into this world to do. They say we each have a special purpose, and that kids’ wishes and dreams are clues to what their special purpose is.

Grown-ups may have forgotten their purpose, but children usually remember theirs. They remember in the deepest part of their mind, a place called the Subconscious. Serious wishes come from there. They are messages from the deepest part of you, reminding you of what really matters.

Never give up on your serious wishes, because when you do, you give up on yourself. You give up on your purpose. Have you started to forget about your serious wishes? If so, it’s time to take them seriously again!"

We all know that we need to set goals but how many of us actually keep our new year resolution. Or even have a new year resolution to start with. I hope the above can be a wake-up call for all to start to dream again like a child and work seriously hard to make our dreams come true too.

Nifty Memory Tools

2010-09-04T00:04:00.001+09:30

Since late June this year, I have embarked on the journey to improve my memory. I used to pride myself with an enormous memory which has enabled me to ace History and Literature in my "O" Levels. It may be umpteenth years ago but victory was certainly memorable and has a sweet aftertaste. Probably due to neglect and to some irony the prevalence of modern day technology, a coat of rust formed on my once well-oiled memory.

Then through my Toastmasters Meeting, I met Nishant - a world record memory holder. He was not bornt with great memory but he trained himself to remember. Inspired, I picked up some skills from Nishant from his book.

Allow me to also avail you the key to unlock your memory capacity.

Rule number 1: This is the most important rule of all and it is given to you as an acronym - CARR. Connect, Associate, Recall and Review. Using this rule, you will be able to remember a list of things e.g. a shopping list. However, you will first need to "connect" two items with each and another. Then "associate" through imaging some action between the two. Thereafter, you try to recall and review on which are the items which you have difficulty remembering. The latter is usually due to weak association so you may want to change the association.

Rule number 2: Building upon rule number 1, we could use the Number Shaping or Rhyme Technique to help us remember a list of 10 or more items. What's more, we can remember the items in exactly the same order!

I prefer the Number Shaping Technique which uses the shape of the number to create an image. We then connect the image with the word we want to remember. I use this technique to good effect to remember my boys' spelling list - up to 15 words and give them spot test whenever we are.

The images to the numbers 1 to 10 are:

1 - Candle
2 - Duck
3 - a pair of glasses
4 - Yacht
5 - Hook
6 - Hockey Stick
7 - Street Lamp
8 - Hourglass
9 - Balloon with a string
10 - Baseball bat and ball

Let me explain the how to by using an example. The simile/metaphor list of my boy.

1. As light as feather - Imagine a feather floating on top of the candle. The feather is very light and is buoyed by the hot air above the candle
2. As regular as clockwork - Imagine a duck carrying a clock swimming on the lake.
3. As short as two planks - Imagine a boy wearing a pair of spectacles with two planks of wood. Excruciating!
4. As beautiful as a rose - Imagine Cindella (beautiful) on an yacht holding a rose.
5. Like a bear with a sore head - Imagine a hook on a bear's head - hence it has a sore head!
6. Like a bull in a china shop - Imagine a bull holding a hockey stick and breaking all the china in the china shop.
7. Like a cat on hot bricks - Imagine a cat on a street lamp with hot bricks on top.
8. Like a sack of potatoes - Imagine a sack of potatoes on the upperpart of hourglass.
9. Like a lamb to the slaughter - Imagine a lamb in the balloon and being pulled by the string to the slaughter.
10. Like a knife through butter - Imagine the baseball bat is like a knife that cuts through the ball (butter).

The above represents the Connect and Associate portion. If you want to commit it to memory, you will have to do the Recall and Review as well.

Try it! My elder boy has used it to good effect. It may seem very difficult at first but once you master it, you will be on the way to fantastic memory. Remember, practice makes .... better!

I am now learning the Ultimate System to remember long strings of number. Basically, it is a system whereby numbers are converted into images and then we use rule number 1 again to create the association. So far, I have managed to use the system to remember those difficult to remember 8-digit telephone numbers. It is like learning a new language - only now, it is simpler and fun :)

For those with children, you can share this set of tools with your children. For me, my P3 boy is ready but not my P1 boy - in time to come, he will be ready too. This is a life skill, it will definitely be helpful to help them ace that examination without stress. Not to mention, it will also be helpful to us to up our productivity at work.

My 10,000 hours Relationship

2010-09-01T10:59:00.000+09:30

This year, I celebrate my 10,000th hour relationship with him. 10,000 hours is a mighty long time. 10,000 hours is the time needed for a small fry to shoot to catapult to a big shot, according to Malcolm Gladwell in "Outlier". And yes, our relationship has blossomed and bloomed after spending the magical 10,000 hours together.

Our relationship started off on a shaky note though. I rejected him as I was not confident of a long-distance relationship. His sincerity touched me and I was embraced into his warm, welcoming arms soon after.

Okay, I have better stopped before I get carried away further. What I mean is that this year marks the 10,000th hour of my relationship with my unit.

The Early Beginning

The year was 2005 when I knew that I was transferred to the then newly-minted unit. It was the time when I was busily gearing myself for a new phase in my life - to be a stay-at-home mum in USA. So after a few months of the establishment of the unit, I started on my personal adventure - leaving him to the good hands of the pioneers of unit - SK and HL.

Through Thick and Thin

It was only a year later in 2006 that I joined SK and HL. The initial years were challenging as the unit needed to build a niche for itself. Under the then leadership of LC and then TLC, we blazed new trails and ventured into uncharted work areas in the formative years of the unit. There was never a dull moment. Strong team spirit was forged during those trying times.

Change in Stewardship

A few years later, HY joined us as the captain of this ship. There are new crew members - EA, MF, CY, YT and TR - who joined this team of wonderful people. As the Chinese saying goes "it's difficult to start a business, tougher yet to sustain it." The results speak for itself. The unit has more than delivered what it sets out to do. It maybe a cliché but it's true - the only constant is change. Not just to our work area but also our team members. EA has since been transferred out and so will I.

A Pleasure Always

But I will always be thankful of the many marvelous memories and fabulous friendship that were formed. Not forgetting that I will still be part of the family and always round the corner. So if you have any problem with your work, you are always welcome to pop by. Afterall, two brains are better than one and work will miraculously turn from pain to pleasure. Whoever says that "No Pain No Gain" should re-word it to "No Pleasure No Gain". Guess that it what that gravitates us to look forward to coming to work everyday.

Cheerios,
AC

A Primary 3 Essay

2010-09-01T10:42:00.001+09:30

Below is the essay which my boy wrote for his recent CA English paper. I commended him for a job well done and obtained his permission to share his little piece of work. Enjoy!

=====================
It was a sunny day. The sun-drenched morning sky promised another hot day. Tom and Jill were in high spirits as their parents were bringing them to the playground. They walked there.

When they reached their destination, it was noon. Many children were running around, playing on the slide, swinging and also riding on the see-saw. With all the excitement going on, Tom and Jill could not wait to play. They ran around like bulls in a china shop, taking and throwing things that did not belong to them.

Suddenly, something caught Jill's attention. It was a girl standing on a swing. Looking at her mischevious face, you should know what happened next. She ran towards the swing and stood on the swing and swung happily from side to side. Tom quickly came to warn her, "It's very dangerous to do that!" Unfortunately, his kind words fell into deaf ears.

All of a sudden, Jill lost her balance and fell of the swing. All the children who saw the whole incident dare not stand on the swing again. Jill started to wail very loudly. Tom told his mother what had happend. Then she came to comfort Jill.

Luckily for Jill, she was not badly injured. Jill heaved a sigh of relief as she did not need to go to the hospital. Jill had learnt her lesson - not to follow people who did the wrong things.

The Three Great Forces that Rule the World

2010-08-28T23:55:00.003+09:30

This is the script which I have written for the Humorous Speech Contest. I have prepared it to fulfill Project 2 "Resources for Entertainment" of the Advanced Communication Manual, The Entertaining Speaker.

I like the topic as it marries my two passions of my life - my professional knowledge and my role as a mother.

Enjoy.

===================
The Three Great Forces that Rule the World

“Ka-Ko-Ko-Ko, Ka-Ko-Ko-Ko, the sky is falling!” Henny-Penny, a farm chicken shouted at the top of her voice as she raced down the road. “Run, run for your life!”

“Henny-Penny,” Goosey Loosey, the goose living in the farm next to Henny Penny stopped her and asked, “Why do you say so?”

“H..rrr…H..rrr…” Henny Penny panted and tried to catch her breath before she let out in bullet-train speed, “See this bump on my head. I was having my lunch when a piece of the sky hit me. The sky must be falling. I need to hurry to alert the King of this critical information.”

“Wah, your bump is certainly big and bloodshot.” Goosey Loosey’s eyes widened as she examined the swell. “We should quickly tell the rest. Let me join you in this noble quest.”

Soon, two became twenty, and twenty became forty. Everyone was panicking.

En route to the King’s palace, the farm animals met Foxy Loxy, the fox who invited them to his cave which according to Foxy Loxy would protect them from the falling sky. Of course, that was not true, the farm animals became Foxy Loxy’s meal.

***
Greetings.

I have just shared with you an English Fairy Tale, Henny Penny. Of course, the sky was not falling, Henny Penny was hit on the head with an acorn while eating her lunch. There was a lot of fear and panic in the Henny Penny’s crowd. And the crafty Foxy Loxy took advantage of it.

Here it is the first great force that rules the world – it starts with the letter “F” and ends with the letter “R”. FEAR that’s right.

There are many people in the world just like our Henny Penny. They panic when they listen to the news. They think the sky is falling and we are all about to die. And this is precisely what happen what the stock market or property market crashes. This just happened as recent as in around March 2009. Everyone was dumping their shares, selling their properties at fire-sale prices. And no one was interested to buy. But now when prices are high, people are busy chasing these assets.

Why is this so? These people believe that well if they buy high, they can sell even higher. But why is there any sucker that is willing to pay a higher price for the same asset? [Pause] This is irrational right? But this is how the stock market works. It thrives on greed.

There is a story about a dog biting a piece of meat in its mouth. He was on the bridge when he saw another dog with a big juicy piece of meat in the river. He was greedy and wanted to snatch the meat as well. “Woof” he barked and opened his mouth, dropping his meat into the river. He then realized that the dog he saw was his own reflection. So instead of two pieces of meat, the dog was now left with none.

I would say many people remembered this lesson well. In around April last year, the market rallied. Some were tempted to go in to take a position while many waited. Then the many heard about their friend, Freddy making a bundle from the stock market. They wished they were Freddy but then they told themselves “better be saved than sorry”, wait a little while more to confirm that the coast was clear. Soon, every Tom, Dick and Harry in the coffee shop and even taxi drivers were talking about how much they had made in the stock market in early this year. Then many decided that this was the time. They took a huge position but then market headed south. This is a very familiar story. What happened?

This is the third force that rules the world. It is ignorance or stupidity. It is no different from believing that the sky is falling when the acorn hit Henny-Penny in my first story. Many believe that money too will fall from the sky. Like sheep, they find safety in numbers. There is no alternative to hard work. If you want to be a good public speaker, you have to practice the craft. If you want to win a speech contest, you have to invest time and effort to craft a good speech, prepare and practice. So if you want to make money from the stock market, you have to study the market, the asset that you are buying and not merely following what others are doing.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have shared with you what Albert Einstein has once said about the three great forces rule the world. They are stupidity, fear and greed.
Conquer them and you will be the one who would rise to extraordinary heights amongst the sea of ordinary men.

To your success.

Back to you Toastmaster of the Day.

***

Faith

2010-08-22T21:09:00.000+09:30

DTM Mr Edward Ma forwarded the story below to me. Hope you like this story as much as I do. Never give up. Remember winners never quit and quitters never win.

------------ --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- --------- ---------

Watch out! You nearly broad sided that car!" My father yelled at me.

"Can't you do anything right?"

Those words hurt worse than blows... I turned my head toward the elderly man in the seat beside me, daring me to challenge him. A lump rose in my throat as I averted my eyes. I wasn't prepared for another battle.

"I saw the car, Dad. Please don't yell at me when I'm driving."

My voice was measured and steady, sounding far calmer than I really felt.

Dad glared at me, then turned away and settled back. At home I left Dad in front of the television and went outside to collect my thoughts.. Dark, heavy clouds hung in the air with a promise of rain. The rumble of distant thunder seemed to echo my inner turmoil.. What could I do about him?

Dad had been a lumberjack in Washington and Oregon . He had enjoyed being outdoors and had reveled in pitting his strength against the forces of nature. He had entered grueling lumberjack competitions, and had placed often.

The shelves in his house were filled with trophies that attested to his prowess.

The years marched on relentlessly. The first time he couldn't lift a heavy log, he joked about it; but later that same day I saw him outside alone, straining to lift it. He became irritable whenever anyone teased him about his advancing age, or when he couldn't do something he had done as a younger man.

Four days after his sixty-seventh birthday, he had a heart attack. An ambulance sped him to the hospital while a paramedic administered CPR to keep blood and oxygen flowing.

At the hospital, Dad was rushed into an operating room. He was lucky; he survived. But something inside Dad died. His zest for life was gone. He obstinately refused to follow doctor's orders. Suggestions and offers of help were turned aside with sarcasm and insults. The number of visitors thinned, then finally stopped altogether. Dad was left alone.

My husband, Dick, and I asked Dad to come live with us on our small farm. We hoped the fresh air and rustic atmosphere would help him adjust.

Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. It seemed nothing was satisfactory. He criticized everything I did. I became frustrated and moody. Soon I was taking my pent-up anger out on Dick. We began to bicker and argue.

Alarmed, Dick sought out our pastor and explained the situation. The clergyman set up weekly counseling appointments for us. At the close of each session he prayed, asking God to soothe Dad's troubled mind.

But the months wore on and God was silent. Something had to be done and it was up to me to do it.

The next day I sat down with the phone book and methodically called each of the mental health clinics listed in the Yellow Pages I explained my problem to each of the sympathetic voices that answered in vain.

Just when I was giving up hope, one of the voices suddenly exclaimed, "I just read something that might help you! Let me go get the article."

I listened as she read. The article described a remarkable study done at a nursing home. All of the patients were under treatment for chronic depression. Yet their attitudes had improved dramatically when they were given responsibility for a dog.

I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon. After I filled out a questionnaire, a uniformed officer led me to the kennels. The odor of disinfectant stung my nostrils as I moved down the row of pens. Each contained five to seven dogs. Long-haired dogs, curly-haired dogs, black dogs, spotted dogs all jumped up, trying to reach me. I studied each one but rejected one after the other for various reasons too big, too small, too much hair. As I neared the last pen a dog in the shadows of the far corner struggled to his feet, walked to the front of the run and sat down. It was a pointer, one of the dog world's aristocrats. But this was a caricature of the breed.

Years had etched his face and muzzle with shades of gray. His hipbones jutted out in lopsided triangles But it was his eyes that caught and held my attention. Calm and clear, they beheld me unwaveringly.

I pointed to the dog. "Can you tell me about him?"

The officer looked, then shook his head in puzzlement. "He's a funny one. Appeared out of nowhere and sat in front of the gate. We brought him in, figuring someone would be right down to claim him. That was two weeks ago and we've heard nothing. His time is up tomorrow." He gestured helplessly.

As the words sank in I turned to the man in horror. "You mean you're going to kill him?"
"Ma'am," he said gently, "that's our policy. We don't have room for every unclaimed dog..."

I looked at the pointer again.. The calm brown eyes awaited my decision. "I'll take him," I said.

I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me. When I reached the house I honked the horn twice. I was helping my prize out of the car when Dad shuffled onto the front porch. "Ta-da! Look what I got for you, Dad!" I said excitedly.

Dad looked, then wrinkled his face in disgust.. "If I had wanted a dog I would have gotten one. And I would have picked out a better specimen than that bag of bones. Keep it! I don't want it" Dad waved his arm scornfully and turned back toward the house.

Anger rose inside me. It squeezed together my throat muscles and pounded into my temples. "You'd better get used to him, Dad. He's staying!"

Dad ignored me. "Did you hear me, Dad?" I screamed.

At those words Dad whirled angrily, his hands clenched at his sides, his eyes narrowed and blazing with hate.

We stood glaring at each other like duelists, when suddenly the pointer pulled free from my grasp. He wobbled toward my dad and sat down in front of him.. Then slowly, carefully, he raised his paw.

Dad's lower jaw trembled as he stared at the uplifted paw... Confusion replaced the anger in his eyes. The pointer waited patiently. Then Dad was on his knees hugging the animal.

It was the beginning of a warm and intimate friendship. Dad named the pointer Cheyenne . Together he and Cheyenne explored the community. They spent long hours walking down dusty lanes. They spent reflective moments on the banks of streams, angling for tasty trout. They even started to attend Sunday services together, Dad sitting in a pew and Cheyenne lying quietly at his feet.

Dad and Cheyenne were inseparable throughout the next three years. Dad's bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne made many friends. Then late one night I was startled to feel Cheyenne 's cold nose burrowing through our bed covers He had never before come into our bedroom at night. I woke Dick, put on my robe and ran into my father's room. Dad lay in his bed, his face serene. But his spirit had left quietly sometime during the night.

Two days later my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad's bed. I wrapped his still form in the rag rug he had slept on. As Dick and I buried him near a favorite fishing hole, I silently thanked the dog for the help he had given me in restoring Dad's peace of mind.

The morning of Dad's funeral dawned overcast and dreary. This day looks like the way I feel, I thought, as I walked down the aisle to the pews reserved for family. I was surprised to see the many friends Dad and Cheyenne had made filling the church. The pastor began his eulogy. It was a tribute to both Dad and the dog who had changed his life. And then the pastor turned to Hebrews 13:2. "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it."

"I've often thanked God for sending that angel," he said.

For me, the past dropped into place, completing a puzzle that I had not seen before: the sympathetic voice that had just read the right article..... ..

Cheyenne 's unexpected appearance at the animal shelter . ...his calm acceptance and complete devotion to my father. .. and the proximity of their deaths. And suddenly I understood. I knew that God had answered my prayers after all.

Life is too short for drama & petty things, so laugh hard, love truly and forgive quickly. Live While You Are Alive. Forgive now those who made you cry You might not get a second time.

But do share this with someone. Lost time can never be found.

May you reach for your dreams and always remember to be proud of who you are knowing God always answer prayers.

"Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle."

A Trip Down the Memory Lane

2010-08-15T16:47:00.000+09:30

It was a rainy, lazy Sunday morning. The heavy downpour had just given way to a light drizzle. Hubby and I were hungry to go for places to fill our grumbling and rumbling tummies. We were kept at home as the then formidable sky promised a storm in the brewing.

A quick search in the Internet decided our brunch destination. The blog www.ladyironchef.com threw out a few to-go places for dimsum. We zoomed into Asia Grand Restaurant as it is one of the few places in town which serves dimsum half an hour early at 10.30 am compared to 11 am by most restaurants. We were so hungry that we could not wait a second longer.

Maybe it was our growling stomaches, food at Asia Grand Restaurant was glorious and heavenly. It was love at first taste for the savory century porridge. The you tiao was fried to crispy perfection and the congee was generously laden with minced meat and sliced duck meat. The chao siew bao, fried prawn dumplings and chang fen did not disappoint in both the sight and taste departments too, though the shao mie and lotus leaf dumpling were mediocre in comparison. The restaurant also scored high in their service. There was a server in charge of our table at a distance so as to avail us with the much needed privacy for our small talk. At the same time, close enough to refill our tea before the last drop was emptied.

Perhaps what I loved most was the pictureque view in front of me. I was seated opposite the full-glass window, shrouded in veil-like curtains that allowed only soft natural light to come into the restaurant. At the same time, I could enjoy the view of the magnificent, historic Raffles Hotel juxtaposed against tall and comtemporary buildings.

I noticed that there was a delivery van which stopped to deliver goods. It sent me down to a trip down the memory lane. My father was an odd-job laborer who delivered food to food stalls and small-time restaurants. I used to squat in the "cargo-compartment" of his three-wheel motorbike. These motorbikes are the regular two-wheeler but fitted with a metal cart on the side for goods. Compared to vans, motorbikes consume lesser petrol and hence cheaper to maintain. However, they are not allowed in the expressway. For such reasons, my family used to live in the city area.

After the sumptuous brunch, hubby and I braved the light drizzle to the nearby Bras Basah building. It was another of those places which held many of our still standalone memories - we had yet to meet. Hubby worked during his school holiday as pamphlet distributor, shoving pamplets to passers-by. As for me, I did not part-time at Bras Basah but I would be there to catch a glimpse of some of the xingyao singers during my teenage years. It was also there that Eric Moo launched his fledging singing career.

We headed back with a spring in our step. Our hearts warmed by the sweet memories of our past and a deep sense of gratitude of what our country, Singapore has given us in terms of opportunities for sons and daughters of coolies to also rise and reach out for our dreams.

Time Management and Toastmasters

2010-08-05T22:47:00.002+09:30

Tonight, I will like to share with my readers on time management. I have a time log which I record down what I do at what time. It depends on which aspect of time management one intend to improve. For example, I always wonder why is it that I have so little free time after work. So I record the way I "spend" my time from the moment I wake up till I turn in.

We all have 24 hours each day. I used to think that I have to forego my sleep to do more. Not anymore. Yes, the formulae "there is no such thing as nothing for something" still holds. But we can learn to be more effective and efficient with our time.

Recall - To be effective is to do the right things and to be efficient is to do the things right. To be effective, we need to know what we want in life. We need to set goals. To be efficient, we need to keep our eyes open on ways to improve our productivity. That is one of reasons I join the Toastmasters Club. In fact, I found that through diligently doing the projects, I have not only improved my speaking skills but also my writing skills - vital skills for my job.

In closing, I will like to share a very meaningful quote which I read in Think and Grow Rich by Napolean Hill, the best way to conquer fear is courage. So if you fear to speak, you have to conquer this fear by courageously taking the stage. We need desire - it is like the fuel that will propel the rocket. That is why mothers are the greatest beings on earth is our love for our young ones, this love gives us immense courage to surmount the seemingly unattainable.

To Your Success in Time Management
AC

Rejuvenating Genting Highlands

2010-07-23T23:53:00.002+09:30

This June holiday, my family visited Genting Highlands for a good 4 days, 3-nights again. It was a refreshing break as the weather on top of the mountain was cool, comforting and offered the much needed respite from the sweltering summer heat.

The view from the top of the mountain was awesome. The puffy, white clouds were drifting down into the atmosphere. As they touched the heat from the atmosphere, its tails tapered away and vapourized into the thin air. It was a sight to behold and to marvel at the wonders of nature.

Fabulous Family Fun at the Peak

Atop the mountain, we were away from the bustle and hustle of the city life. We were transported into another world where fun and excitement never end. The children loved the theme park with both indoor and outdoor parks offering exhilarating thrills. As for us, we especially appreciated the safety aspect that came with the rides. The cooling weather was a big plus point. It was not a coincidence that this theme park was rated amongst the best in Malaysia.

We stayed at First World Hotel because that was where all the actions were. The key attraction of the outdoor theme park was the Dinosaur Land. My two boys never failed to play make-believe that they were dinosaur-slayers or some poor victims who were stranded in an island and constantly in the run away from these humongous creatures. There were also carnival games where my hubby and children tried their try at "fishing" rubber ducks. As for the indoor theme park, the "gondola ride on the sky" was their favorite. After a hard day of play, the entire family proceeded to the relaxing heated swimming pool. The waterslides kept the children occupied and mini-waterfall that poured gushing water massaged the adults' sore backs. The night was still young after the stimulating hot dip and after a sumptuous dinner, the children had dollops of fun at the video arcades.

There was a bonanza of entertainment at the peak. The shopping galore was aplenty. Besides shopping, our family also made time for movie catching the latest Toy Story 3 and also a magic live show, "Dazzle" at the Pavilion. My husband and I also managed to catch two old movies on the TV - "Which Planet Are You From" and "Love Thy Neighbour", while our two little guys enjoyed their cartoons and bedtime story from yours truly. I also managed to have some "me-time" reading the famous "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill.

Foresight and Going Forth

As I read I could not but admire the foresight of Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong, a prominent Malaysian businessman. He conceived the idea for a Las Vegas-cum-Disneyland style theme park in the 1960s. At that time, investing in construction at an altitude of 2,000 m above sea level was considered absurd. Yet, Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong was firm in his decision. Just the building of the tortuous and impossibly steep road cutting through the dense, jungle-covered hills took 7 years. His persistence paid off when the government conceded to allow Malaysia's only casino to operate.

All in all, it was a rejuvenating trip and it also set me thinking about what I really want in life. Perservance, persistence and patience are the important ingredients of success. There is also much in common between Tan Sri Lim Goh Tong and Steve Jobs who once said "Stay Foolish, Stay Hungry." This is the renewed energy that I shall instill in my two little boys and bring back to work.

Woodlands Waterfront

2010-07-18T22:41:00.006+09:30

My colleagues ask me where my favorite vacation place is. I tell them I love to take leave and stay in Singapore. They burst into laughter. But it is true.

When I was younger, I tended to be more footloose and wanderlust hit me ever so often. But this disappears after I have two boys. They keep me rooted and that is a blessing in disguise. I am then given the opportunity to explore the nooks and crannies of Singapore. Of course, it helps that Singapore has also been embracing other aspects in life, not just blindly pursuing the number 1 spot as the fastest economy on earth.

I am duly rewarded in my quest to find the next beautiful place in Singapore and Woodlands Waterfront is the latest gem to be added into my treasure trove of places to go in Singapore.

My family make our way via car on a Sunday morning. I understand that parking is currently free. Standard facilities like toilet and water coolers are available but we have not seen any shops in the vicinity of the park.

The jetty.

Situated along Admiralty West road where a stretch of old warehouses used to be, is now Woodlands Waterfront. The jetty used by the warehouses is now refurnished and opened to public. The jetty and many parts of the coast is opened for fishing.

View from Woodlands Waterfront: Across are the buildings in Johore Bahru.

The somber structure in the sea cuts a forlorn figure.

We love the waterfront park, which overlooks the Straits of Johor. I understand that more is to come when the remaining six hectares of the Woodlands Waterfront is opened by end of the year. There will be Catilevered Promenade, nature area, trails and green spaces. When fully completed, it will be linked to the nearby Admiralty Park and the park connector along Woodlands Centre Road and Admiralty West. The Woodlands Waterfront will also add on to 1.5km of the 150km-Round Island Route, which allows seamless strolling, jogging or cycling around Singapore.

It looks like another good place to go. However, the tree foliage is too thin to offer much shade against the menancing heat. So do bring along umbrella and/or hats, slather loads of sunblock to protect yourself against the scorching sun

Sawadee Ka in 2000

2010-07-08T23:56:00.002+09:30

The first and only time I visited Thailand was in 2000, with my husband. Thailand was still the "Land of Smiles" and it was a place where cheap deals were aplenty. The latter was a big plus point as we had only joined the workforce for a couple of years and were low on cash.

We scoured the local tour agencies for the cheapest package tour to Thailand and found one at around S$500 per pax - most of the meals in package. It was a 5 days/ 4 nights tour package which would offer us the opportunity to visit Bangkok and Pattaya. It was a good deal considering that budget airlines were a non-existence then and we took a full-fledged airline - Thai Airways. Thai Airways was then celebrating its 40th anniversary and I still vividly remembered the beautiful and graceful air stewardess who dished out the collar-pin to commemorate the special occasion.

The Gem Scam

One very important lesson which I learnt was never to buy jewellery in a foreign land. We heard about the abundance of precious and semi-precious stones and metals, the relative low cost of labour and plenty of skillful craftsmen and designers. But there are also unscrupulous con men. The jewellery scams in Thailand were well-publicised. Stranger will come up to you with promises to take you to 'a good place for gems' and a too-good-to-be-true deal. The same applies to taxi or tuk-tuk drivers with similar promises. They are usually collecting commission and the gems that you pay with your hard-earned cash are worth only a fraction as they are of inferior quality.

Chatuchak Weekend Market

One would not have visited Bangkok if he had not gone to the famous Chatuchak Market. It covered an enormous 35 arces of land with over 15,000 stalls. More than 200,000 visitors thronged the place every Saturday and Sunday in search of good buys.

You can virtually find anything under the sun hawking in this market, ranging from clothing and fashion items, household goods, crafts, pets, art and collectables, plants, food and etc. Yes, virtually anything, you name it, you have it. The only challenge here is how to to find them. The stallholders seem to have a mind of themselves in deciding where to peddle their wares.

As we had just bought our matrimonial home, we took the opportunity to buy fake fruits that looked like the real McCoy. They looked so real that we almost could not believe our eyes. The biggest giveaway was in their touch and feel. They were much lighter than real fruits and lacked the lustre feel of real fruits. But they had adorned our dining table for a good eight years before we finally decided to dispose them when we did a major renovation to our home.

The Floating Market

The floating market was colourful, noisy and very touristy. The transactions were more concerned with tourists than locals. However, it was a good experience. The bulk of the little souvenirs which we bought back were from the floating market. It was really chaotic place where the small 'klongs' or canals were filled with small flat boats jolting for position, expertly paddled by mature ladies ready to stop and bargain at a moment's notice.

Glitzy Nightlife

Then there was the glitzy nightlife. We visited the famous Tiffany Cabaret Show in Pattaya. The bevy of professional transvestite entertainers were very talented with their artistic impersonalationns through songs and tales of love and adventure. The experience was further heightened by the fantastic sound and light show.

Amusement Park, Zoo and Shopping

Also in our itinerary was a visit to the amusement park which looked pretty flimsy. My husband took the spin of his life, suffered a nasty stomach churn and avoided similar ride henceforth. We also visited the zoo with domesticated tigers as their key attraction, that was before the tiger mauling in Thailand. And of course, more shopping.

I never visited Thailand again after that trip. My inability to speak Thai is a great giveaway that I am a foreigner in a foreign land. Though things are cheap, somehow, I find Thailand to be too touristy for my preference. Perhaps being a Singaporean makes me feel awkward to engage in bargaining. And I feel as if I will always end up with the shorter end of the stick when I am engaged in bargaining.

Raise-a-Reader Workshop - The Primary School Years

2010-07-04T13:00:00.007+09:30

I have just attended the Raise-a-Reader workshop to enlighten and educate parents on how they can play a supporting role to raise the reading levels of children. Here are the key learning points.

General Comments

It was a very information-packed session and it spanned 2 hours. The speakers obviously have done much research and put together a very comprehensive information package for parents to refer to after the session. However, due to the very wide range of topics covered - almost too exhaustive for me - it was a challenge to remain attentive throughout the entire session. The speakers did try to engage the audience by asking questions but there was limited response as the question only called for a one-liner kind of answer.

Perhaps, the speakers could divide the audience into groups of 5 and allow them to discuss about the challenges that they faced in raising a reader in their child. Afterall, the maximum number of audience was 30 and this breaking up session will enable parents to network and learn from others. This would also promote more response with the speakers as the audience would find "safety-in-number".

Key Learning Points

The speakers shared about three categories of readers - namely, Emergent, Early and Fluent Reader. To nurture the spark in reading, do turn off the television and other distractions and be familiar with the stories that your child would be reading. For those who are reading bedtime stories to their children, be anitmated in your story telling. Encourage your children to read through leading by example and have a little library corner at home.

For those with emergent and early readers, you can start with books on rhyming, engage in reading activities with your child, play word and sound games. Do visit the library and bookshops and allow your child to choose the books. Allow your child to ask questions anytime during the storytelling sessions and not for questions to be raised at the end of it.

I particularly like the recommended booklist for the different categories of readers. As a rule of thumb, emergent readers would be around age of 6 to 8 years old. Early readers in the 8-10 age group and fluent readers would be those aged 10-12.

Books for The Emergent Reader
- Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? by Bill Martin (JP MAR-[BA])
- Chicka, Chicka Boom, Boom by Bill Martin (JP MAR)
- Mouse Mess by Linnea Riley (JP RIL)
- Who Took The Cookie From the Cookie Jar? by Bonnie Lass (JP LAS)
- Dr Seuss, the Cat in the Hat by Dr Seuss (JP SEU)

Books for The Early Reader
- Are You My Mother? by P.D Eastman (JP EAS)
- Frog and Toad Are Friends by Arnold Lobel (JP LOB)
- If You Give a Mouse a Cookie by Laura J Numeroff (JP NUM)
- Amelia Bedelia (Highly Recommended) by Peggy Parish (JP PAR)
- Tiny Seed by Eric Carle (JP 582 CAR)

An example of Word Game (taken from Riddle Rhymes by Charles Ghigna, J 818 GHI) which the child would enjoy:

Here I sit upon the shelf.
I'm not a toy. I'm not an elf.

Yet I can take you far away.
To any place, night or day.

We'll travel to each foreign land.
Yet I will stay right in your hand.

My Friends and I, you will see,
Are full of facts and fantasy.

So pick me up and take a look.
Now you know - I am a ...... BOOK.

Other resources which you may be interested in would include searching for relevant materials using the keywords "kids crossword" and "enchanted learning".

Books for The Fluent Reader

What I find most heartening here is that a fluent reader does not agree with everything that is read. So the fear about the fantasy element in books such as Harry Potter may not be well-founded. But each child is different, as parents, we need to also monitor the child's behavior and prescribe the action needed accordingly.

Some recommended books include:
- Flat Stanley by Jeff Brown (JS BRO)
- Two Times the Fun by Beverly Cleary (JS CLE)
- The Genie in the Book by Cindy Trumbore (JS TRU)
- Revolting Rhymes (Highly Recommended) by Roald Dahl (J 821 DAH)

Parents can also google for American Library Association for recommended booklist.

Reluctant Reader

The most challenging type of readers would be the reluctant readers. They tend to say "I Can't", "I Don't Know How", "I'd Rather", "I Don't Care" and etc.

To encourage them to read, we need to be creative. Does a book necessarily mean one with words? No! There are currently pictorial books for children that would tell a story without words. Magazines and graphic novels are books too! Unlike the yesteryears where graphic novels or comics as they are also known, were plagued with bad English, today, they are pretty well-written.

Follow the interest of the child. E.g. if he likes cars, get books or magazines on cars. While majority of children enjoy visual learning, some would prefer sound and action. So we can try audio books and engage in physical activities such as acting out the scene in the book.

More Resources

For those who are interested to know more, you can access www.pl.sg for a copy of "Reader Profiling" brochure.

I find this piece of information the most useful, we can access a list of e-books from the NLB e-sources. It is at http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg. Click on Register on the left menu. Afterwhich, you can log in and click on Browse - For Children and access the TumbleBook Library (Story Books) for P1 to P3 pupils, Tumble Readables (Chapter Books) for P4 pupils, Tumble Readables (Middle School Readers or YA/Teen) for P5 pupils and Tumble Readables (Children Classics) for P6 pupils.

I hope you will find the above materials useful. I am going to the eresources now...

Lessons from Shrek Forever After

2010-06-27T20:36:00.006+09:30

A few weeks ago, my family went to watch the movie "Shrek Forever After". It was a theme which many adults can relate too. In the case of parents, at times, we find parenthood too intense and would want to return to the past. For others, it could relate to a challenge that one is facing and hope to return to well the good, old past.

The Story

The movie began with once upon a time, there lived a princess, Fiona who was under a curse. By day, a beautiful lady, by night an ogre - a hideous creature. This cycle will only be broken by the kiss of true love. Fiona lived in a high tower, guarded by a fiery dragon, while she waited for her Prince Charming. Days became months, and months became years.

Her parents, the King and Queen of Far Far Away Land were desperate and turned to the help of the magical con man Rumplestiltskin. In the nick of time, they heard the news that an ogre, Shrek has come to Fiona's rescue. Thereafter, Shrek and Fiona settled down, had three beautiful children and they lived happily ever after. Or until, Shrek was exhausted from his wonderful life.

[Lesson 1: Many a time, we are exhausted from the daily demands of life. We are weary of our mundane life. We hope to go back to the past. Thinking that we have it better than. We forget to think of the bliss that we are currently in. But this is not always true. So the next time, when you encounter a challenge and hope to go back to the past. Think again. ]

At the one year birthday party of his three children, he flew into a temper and hoped that he could return to the good old days. He was tricked into a magical contract with Rumpelstiltskin whereby he signed away one day in his childhood day, a day which he could not remember, in exchange for a day as an ogre whereby people feared him.

Unknown to him then, the day that he had signed away was the day he was born. Without him saving Fiona from the tower, Far Far Away became an awful place because the King and Queen signed the magical contract. They wished for a solution to Fiona's curse. A solution they got themselves was to vanish into the air. In return, Rumpelstiltskin became the ruler of Far Far Away. In this alternate world, the ogres were all slaves to Rumpelstiltskin.

[Lesson 2 is about Rumpelstiltskin's too hard to resist contract. When things look too good to be true, it probably is.]

Shrek, was a stranger to his old friends. Luckily for him, there was an exit clause - kiss of true love. However, he must win their trust and Fiona's heart to break the spell before sunset. Failure would bind the contract final. Shrek became friends again with the singing donkey and cat.

At first, he was in a haste to make Fiona, the leader of the resistance group in the alternate world, kiss him. But the spell remained as Fiona did not love him. It was sacrifice on the part of Shrek - giving himself up to Rupelstiltskin in return for the freedom of all ogres that touched Fiona's heart.

Hand-in-hand, they fought against the fiery dragon and fell in love all over again. The spell was broken and Shrek was transported to the world before the contract was inked.

He now realised that he already has the best things in life. The story ended with the very poignant message embedded in the conversation between Shrek and Fiona.

"You say that I am the true love who save you from the Dragon?" Shrek asked.

"Yes, you are." Fiona smiled and loved at Shrek lovingly.

"I say that you are the one who save me from my world." Shrek replied knowingly.

[ Lesson 3 is on love. Loving a person is not about you - about how much the person love you. But it is about how well the person live thereafter. Love is a two-way street. It changes both parties.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.
- I Corinthians, chapter 13"

I love you, darling.]

KSTMC is TEN!

2010-06-27T01:10:00.007+09:30

26 June 2010 marked the 10th anniversary of Kowloon-Singapore Toastmasters' Club (KSTMC) - my home club. I joined this special occasion as the Toastmaster of the Day - to play the role of a genial host. This was also the last project required of me to attain the next level of my Toastmaster journey - Advanced Communicator Bronze.

On the Whole - General Evaluation

As expected from a toastmasters' club meeting, I learnt so much. I would start with the general evaluation given by ACB, Jerlynn Ang, who had so concisely and comprehensively covered the areas which our club has done well and the areas which could be further improved.

First and foremost was the very positive and warm environment. She had also very animatedly recounted the morning's phonecall David of some last minute change which was reflected in the programme list circulated during the club meeting in the afternoon. This was the very committed spirit that KSTMC exuded.

For the Sergeant-At-Arms, it was a good idea to have a round of introduction among fellow toastmasters and guests. It helped to break the ice. Carrying on the momentum, Club President, David then gave a very uplifting opening address. His motto was to "join and enjoy" ourselves in the toastmasters' journey.

Moving on to TMD - with the most stage time, that was me. She commended on my efforts to be a good host, putting everyone at ease and dressing up for the occasion. She gave me tips on how to remember the key things to say when I introduced a speaker. This was given in the form of an acronym for ease of memory:

P- project
O- objectives
E- evaluator
T- title of the speech
S - speaker

Another very useful tip was for the TMD to sit near the stage to facilitate movement and reduce time.

For timer, she suggested to give the report in full sentences and not in SMS language. It drew laughters from the audience as we all were also guilty of falling into the SMS trap.

She then moved on to the panel of evaluators. She hit the nail on the head when she opined that the evaluations were very well-done. They were all very encouraging and at the same time, we all learnt how to further improve the speech. In Jerlynn's words, the evaluators not only tell us what to do, why this was so, and most importantly, they showed us what to do. She suggested to have a summary/conclusion in one sentence but qualified that there could be time constraint as the red card was flashed at the 2nd minute.

Proceeding to the Table Topics segment, there were clear instructions from the Table Topics master. She also suggested fellow toastmasters to consider having a punchline or a call for action, quoting the example of Cynthia when she concluded in her mini-speech (aka table topic) about her first date with we should not wait for others to take the initiative.

The Special Talk on How to Have a Phenomenal Memory

Today, our club was very privileged to have ACB Nishant Kisbhatla, a world record holder and 1st and only grand master memory holder to share with us the secrets of a phenomenal memory.

He explained that many people did not have a good memory due chiefly to a lack of interest. In order to bridge the gap between phenomenal memory and the current state you, we would need to first believe in ourselves, then acquire the knowledge and most importantly, act on it.

Three key questions to have a better memory were:
1. How can I visualise this?
2. How can I associate it with?
3. How can I have fun?

Evaluation Segment

I particularly enjoyed the evaluation segment because I have learnt so much from the grand masters at work.

I liked DTM Michael Rodrigues' analogy of to give more insight of the speaker as an appetiser to prepare and expectant the audience. By personalising the speech before moving on, it would help "stick the speech into our mind". Perhaps, I was too nervous I did not capture the entire flow of his evaluation. It was such a pity. Fortunately, I do have his written evaluation.

DTM Kan Kin Fung's evaluation was equally impressive. He was evaluating a P10 speech "Inspire your audience", this was the general flow of his evaluation.

"General evaluation of the entire speech. Eg. impressed with the speech - what really inspired me were the vivid and colourful description. The speaker also repeated important phrases to help us remember the scene.

Some suggestions would include
1. organisation - to make the main message clearer. e.g. instead of giving the message in the last 10 sec of the speech, perhaps it could be upfront.
2. to try to act out the experience - eagle - flapping its wings or fish swimming in the stream. Do not neglect your most favorable asset.... - your face.
3. shorten the story to give a personal story e.g xx minute for the story, xx min for the personal story."

ACB/CL Stuart Ralls evaluated P5 Your Body Speaks. Points that he brought out included: eg. of confidence - strode up on stage and projecting confidence, eye contact, body language. But the speech could have more impact if there could be bigger gesture - eg. reach out for the stars. He gave very vivid description - sticky legs, pasting your goals on the wall, pointing to the watch to signify time and counting on your hand. Finally, he summed up his evaluation.

ACB Nishant Kasibhatla evaluated P4 How to Say it. Again, he gave his overall impression "smile", "starting with a story to paint a picture". Next he moved on to the specifics - eye contact, quality of voice, the project objectives. Suggestions he had were with reference to the project objectives that called for the use of rhetoric devices and pointed out on the limited usage. He suggested for the speaker to script out the text and look for areas which could incorporate the rhetoric devices.

In Closing

How can I not mention our 10th anniversary celebration? The club was chartered in June 2000 to join ordinary men and women achieve extraordinary feats. It was very successful and had also nurtured leaders such as DTM Edward Ma and ACB/CL Yetti Chiu. We walked down the memory lane as we reminicised the photos of our past activities.

In closing, it was indeed a very enriching and enjoyable day indeed. I learnt so much from fellow toastmasters. Thank you, Toastmasters' International for giving me the opportunity to meet these wonderful fellas. Using the words of DTM Edward Ma, it has made the world a better place to be.

I Have a Dream

2010-06-20T21:52:00.004+09:30

Two years ago, I was just another struggling middle-career woman who like so many before her, feared presentation. It was an unspoken belief that people who could talk and deliver a presentation are those who are capable. I tried real hard to conquer this fear but everything the fear debilitated even my ability to stand still on stage. My wavering voice was trembling with so much fear that I could not think properly.

The sheer refusal to give up led me to the Toastmasters' Movement. And the rest as they say is history. Today, I volunteer to speak as I know that practice is the only way. Yes, there are mistakes. Yes, there are disappointment. But with each failure, I learn something new. I used to be a very shy person. But lo and behold, shy is hardly the word, my friends know me as today. The Toastmasters' Movement is a life transformational one.

Today, I am also given more speaking opportunities as I hone my skills. I realise that I have an ability to breakdown difficult to understand issues into more digestible bite-sized information for my audience. Not worrying too much about the stage fright, I begin to focus on my audience. What I want my audience to bring back home and how can I help better understand the issue.

The Toastmasters' Movement has rekindled my ability to dream. It's really a very simple formula - Practise, practise & more practise. Isn't this the same idea the book "The Story of Success - Outlier" by Malcolm Gladwell trying to say? And if this advice has a familiar to it, it is because it has been used again and again. Not only in the arena of public speaking but in all walks of life.

It is off the beaten track and it does not guarantee success. In fact, I have a bout of burnout recently. I was the overdrive mode - going on full steam to complete more Toastmasters' projects and participating in competitions. And I struggled to juggle my time in the many multiple roles which I needed to play on the stage of life. I felt myself reaching a plateau in the arena of speaking and any more incremental improvement will be at the expense of more time. Yet, time was a zero-sum game. An hour for honing my speaking skills would mean an hour less for my other commitments.

I took a two-to-three months' break. During this cooling-off time, I realise that it is not about the number of projects that I do. It is not about the improvement that I will see in myself. It is about giving back to the Toastmasters' Movement which has transformed me.

With this newly-found direction, I took part in the recent Achievers' Day held at Whampoa CC. And I am glad that I re-initiated my toastmasters' journey. And thanks to fellow Toastmaster Jerlynn Ang who is also my evaluator that day - You are ever so encouraging and offering such fantastic advices. I especially like your opening address which I have paraphrased below:

"One can choose to be either average or excellence in life. Yet majority choose to be just mediocre. They would want to be the top, they wish to be the best, they hope they are the creme de la creme. However, those who choose to be excellence, must achieve that goal."

It is tough to opt to be excellence. But with the Toastmasters' Movement, we can be excellent as we are in the good hands.

The Lake House

2010-06-15T22:51:00.002+09:30

A few weeks ago, I watched the show "The Lake House" and was drawn to the beautiful love story. However, I was somewhat confused at the same time. I did a google and this is what I obtained from the Wikipedia. I have further edited to enhance clarity.

The Lake House

It is a winter morning in 2006, and Dr. Kate Forster is leaving suburban Wisconsin, where she completed her residency, as she prepares to take a job at a busy Chicago hospital. She is reluctant to leave behind the refuge of the woods and the beautiful house she's been renting, an artfully designed home with glass walls that overlook a placid lake. As she goes, Kate leaves a note in the mailbox for the next tenant, asking whomever to forward her mail and pointing out that the paint-embedded paw prints on the walkway leading into the house and the box in the attic were already there when she arrived.

Alex Wyler is a talented but frustrated architect supervising the construction of cookie-cutter tract housing at a nearby site. He arrives at the lake house and finds it neglected - and with no signs of paw prints anywhere. The house has special meaning for Alex, having been built by his estranged father, a celebrated architect who let his career grow at the expense of his family, and himself. Like Kate, Alex feels a sense of peace at the lake house and commits to restoring it. He doesn't think twice about Kate's note until days later when, as he paints the walkway's railings, a stray dog runs through his paint and leaves fresh paw prints right where Kate said they would be.

Baffled, Alex writes her back, pointing out that the house was unoccupied before he came and wondering how she could have known about paw prints that weren't yet there. Kate, who just left the house a week earlier, imagines he is playing some kind of joke on her, and she fires back a curt reply. Just for argument's sake, she asks, what day is it there? "Jan 14th, 2004," Alex answers. But for Kate, it's Jan 14, 2006. The same day, two years apart.

As Kate and Alex continue their correspondence through the lake house's mystical mailbox, they confirm that they are, strange as it may seem, living two years apart, and each at a time in their lives when they're struggling to make a new start. Sharing this unusual bond, they reveal more of themselves to one another with each passing week. In one of her letters, Kate mentions a Jane Austen book, Persuasion, she had accidentally left at a train station in 2004. Alex goes to the station and finds it there on a bench. Seeing Kate for the first time as she boards the train, Alex keeps the book, deciding he will return it to her in person some day. Alex then sends Kate an annotated map of Chicago and invites her to take a walking tour of his favorite places one Saturday morning. Kate wishes they could spend time together and near the end of the tour she finds a message sprayed as graffiti on a wall: "Kate, I am here with you. Thank you for a lovely Saturday together." One day in 2004, while leaving work with Mona, a coworker who has a crush on him, Alex's dog runs away. Alex pursues and meets Morgan, Kate's boyfriend at the time, who invites Alex and Mona to Kate's surprise birthday party, not knowing that Alex and Kate have been writing. At the party Alex talks to Kate about the book and she summarizes it as being about two people who wait for each other. They dance and end up kissing which is witnessed by Morgan and Mona.

In later correspondence, Kate recriminates Alex for not saying anything but Alex rightly points out that she would not have known who he was. Determined to bridge the distance between them at last and unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary connection, they tempt fate by arranging to meet. Alex makes a reservation at Il Mare (Italian for "The Sea"), an elegant restaurant (whose name is an homage to the original Korean motion picture), for a date two years in Alex's future — but only a day away for Kate. When she shows up full of wonderful expectations for their dinner date she waits but Alex fails to appear. Kate is heartbroken and she begins to wonder if she has been making a mistake focusing so much of her emotional energy on a man who, in her time, had clearly moved on. She tells Alex about a day right after she left the lake house; an unusually warm Valentine's Day when she'd spent time with her mother in Daley Plaza and witnessed a terrible traffic accident and held a man who died in her arms. Life was too short, she now knew, to wait for what might be. She asks Alex not to contact her again, to "Let me let you go", and stops coming to the mailbox for his letters.

Alex decides to quit the lake house and move in with his brother in Chicago, leaving all of Kate's letters packed neatly in a box in the attic. The dog, Jack, runs away as Alex packs — only to appear at the side of Kate's old boyfriend Morgan, just after Alex passes along the house keys, reminding him of Kate’s wishes to one day live on the lake. The 2006 Kate renews her relationship with Morgan, and they live together in her Chicago apartment for over a year. One afternoon, irritated with his inattention and preoccupation with work, she walks into the bedroom, where a hollow-sounding area under a floorboard finally gets her attention. Stepping hard on one end, she pops the board loose, revealing a small package hidden underneath. It is the Jane Austen book, Persuasion, that Alex retrieved for her from the train station. He has left a flower marking a specific passage: "There could have been no two hearts so open, no tastes so similar, no feelings so in unison...." Kate holds the book to her heart. One unusually warm winter day, Alex and his brother leave their office, heading out to lunch. When Alex suggests they meet up after work for a beer, Henry reminds him that it's Valentine's Day and he has plans with his girlfriend. Valentine’s Day 2006 ... something clicks in Alex's memory and he takes off for the lake house.

For Kate, it’s Valentine's Day 2008, and she and Morgan arrange to meet at an architectural firm to review renovation plans for an old apartment she wants to buy. Morgan, unenthused about both the project and the idea of moving, has been so busy with work, he has forgotten to get Kate a Valentines card. After they meet with the architect, Kate notices an illustration hanging on the conference room wall - it's a drawing of the lake house. The young man explains that it was drawn by his brother Alex Wyler who, by coincidence, was killed in a traffic accident two years ago to the day. Kate quickly realizes why Alex never met her at the restaurant; he was the man who died in her arms in Daley Plaza. She rushes to the lake house, leaving a bewildered Morgan behind, and frantically writes a note for Alex. "Don't go looking for me", she begs him. "Wait for another two years and come to the lake house, instead." It is in this very note, in fact, that she first explicitly professes her love to him. She puts the note into the mailbox and raises the flag.

But Alex has gone off to find her - and sees her sitting there in Daley Plaza on that unseasonably mild Valentine's Day in 2006. As he seems about to step into the street, he raises his hand and rereads the note from Kate, begging him to wait for her. "I love you", she writes, "and it's taken me all this time to realize it but I love you". Alex wisely decides to remain on the sidewalk, splitting himself off from the original timeline. Kate falls to her knees, clutching onto the mailbox stand, sure she was too late, but then the mailbox flag slowly lowers - Alex has picked up her note. Soon she sees a vehicle arriving beyond the high grass and then a figure walking toward her on the gravel path, and it turns out to be Alex. "You waited!", she cries as they begin to kiss each other. And then they turn and, still huddled together, proceed up the wooden walkway toward the lakehouse.

Diary of a Reformed Elitist

2010-06-02T22:33:00.002+09:30

I have stumbled upon this article which was also posted at a fellow Toastmaster's blog - www.ganchau.blogspot.

This article was publised in the Straits Times on Thursday, April 08, 2010. It resonates with me as I was from Raffles Junior College but I was from from the so-called elitist family. My first home was an HDB one-room rental flat, progressing to a two-room rental flat then to a three-room sold flat. Today, my parents are living in a four-room HDB sold flat and myself in an Executive HDB flat.

I was fortunate enough to be able to stay in USA for one year with my family. I can definitely identify with the loneliness that the author wrote about. And ultimately, the thing that kept me going on was my family.

It's definitely:

"Worth reading!

"I never guess. It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data. Insensibly one begins to twist facts to suit theories, instead of theories to suit facts." - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

***

Diary of a reformed elitist

I AM as Rafflesian/Raffles Girls' School (RGS)/'elite' as they come. My father was a Raffles Institution boy; I went through Raffles Girls' Primary School (RGPS), RGS, then Raffles Junior College , then on to the National University of Singapore, boarding at Raffles Hall.

My sisters went through much the same route. My little girls are in RGPS.

I recognise the syndrome Ms Sandra Leong talks about ('Scoring high in grades but not in values', last Saturday). I live it, breathe it. Most of my friends are like me, graduates. Most of us live in landed property, condominiums or minimally, executive condos or five-room flats. None of us talks about making ends meet, or how we must turn down medical treatment for our aged parents because we cannot find the money.

But I will add to her essay: that those traits, that aura is not unique to RGS girls. It resonates within a social group, and its aspirants, the well educated or well endowed. I hang out with so many, I have stories by the barrel.

- My doctor friend, non-RGS and one would even say anti-RGS, was shocked when she found out how many As I got in my A levels, since I opted to do an arts degree. In her words, 'I thought all arts people were dumb, that is why they go to arts'. Her own family boasts only doctors and lawyers - she said they would never contemplate any other profession - and by implication, all other professions are below those two.

- A church-mate who lived in a landed property in District 10 - definitely not an RGS girl, and I venture to guess, not even a graduate - once, in all sincerity and innocence, prayed for all those who had to take public transport and live in HDB flats, for God to give them strength to bear these trials.

- Another friend, also non-RGS and a non-graduate, shudders when she recounts the few months she lived in an HDB flat. And that was a five-room flat. Imagine the culture shock if she had lived in a three-room flat.
I continue to meet people who never visit hawker centres, who wonder why the poor people do not work harder to help themselves, who fret if their children do not get into the Gifted Education Programme (reserved for the top 1 per cent of nine-year-olds).

The pattern repeats itself in the next generation. When my 11-year-old had to go on a 'race' around Singapore, using only public transport, the teacher asked for a show of hands on how many had never taken public transport (bus and MRT) before. In a class of 30, five raised their hands. I think if the teacher had asked for those who had taken public transport fewer than 10 times in their young lives, the number would have more than doubled or tripled.
Many of us live in ivory towers. I know I did. I used to think Singapore was pretty much 'it' all - a fantastic meritocracy that allowed an 'HDB child' from a non-graduate family to make it. I boasted about our efficiency - 'you can emerge from your plane and be out in 10 minutes' - and so on.

It was not that I thought little of the rest of the world or other people; it was that I was so ensconced in my cocoon, I just thought little of anything outside my own zone. 'Snow? Yes, nice.' 'Starvation in Ethiopia ? Donate $50.' The wonders of the world we lived in, the sufferings and joys of those who shared this earth were just academic knowledge to me, voraciously devoured for my essays or to hold intelligent conversations at dinner parties.

Then I lived in China for seven years. I looked on in amazement as the skinny tree trunk in front of my yard blossomed and bore pomegranates when spring thawed the ground. And marvelled at the lands that spread east, west, north and south of me as we drove and drove and drove, and never ended. I became friends and fans of colleagues and other Chinese nationals, whom so many Singapore friends had warned me to be wary of.

I realised it was not the world and other people who were limited in their intellect, in their determination, in their resourcefulness; it was me and my world views which were limited. I also know full well that if I had stayed in Singapore , in my cushy job, comfortable in my Bukit Timah home, I would have remained the same - self-sufficient. I had always believed that if I put my mind to it, I could achieve anything. For example, I used to look at sick people and root: 'Fight with all your willpower, and you will recover.' And when they did not, I'd think they had failed themselves. I, like Ms Leong, believed 'mental dexterity equated strength of character and virtue'.

But those years in China taught me terrible lessons on loneliness. I learnt that money (an expatriate pay package) and brains (suitcases of books) did not make me happier than my maid who cycled home to her family every night in minus 20 deg C on icy roads to a dinner of rice and vegetables. The past few years, I have known devastating loss and grief so deep I woke up in the morning and wondered how the sun could still shine and people could go on with their lives.

And so perhaps I have learnt the humility I lacked. Humility about how small I am in the whole schema of things. About how helpless I truly stand, with my intellect in my hands, with my million-dollar roof over my head. To remember, in the darkest valleys of my journey, it was not Ayn Rand or other Booker list authors who lifted me, but the phone calls, the kindness of strangers, that made each day a little less bleak.

And perhaps finally, to really see other people, and understand - not deflect, nor reflect their anger and viewpoints, but see their shyness, pain, struggles, joys. Just because I was 'fortunate enough' to have trawled the bottom levels. And perhaps that is the antidote to the oft unwitting elitism so many of us carry with us.

Sim Soek Tien (Ms)

My Gregarious Friend

2010-05-31T20:07:00.005+09:30

Above: M and I posed for a photo shot on her last day in my department.

Isn't M a gorgeous lady? She is not only gorgeous, she is also gregarious and a joy to be with.

M is an architect by training but has taken a slight detour in her career to experience life as a marketer. I am glad that she has done it and because of that I am able to know her better. M is that some people that come to my life and leave footprints in my heart.

An irrepressible lady, she keeps the mood up even in the most dire situation. I am very grateful to her for helping me to put up an exhibition which I had zilch knowledge and within a short time frame. Beneath her happy-go-lucky personality lies a creative streak. True to her architecture background, she is good with drawing and has an artistic flair.

In the last five years or so that I have known her, she is a very capable woman. Like me, M is a working mother. And she has managed her career and family superbly.

The poem below is dedicated to M. On her return to her first love, I wish her health, wealth and happiness.

SOME PEOPLE

Some people come into our lives
and leave footprints on our hearts
and we are never ever the same.

Some people come into our lives
and quickly go... Some stay for awhile
and embrace our silent dreams.

They help us become aware
of the delicate winds of hope...
and we discover within every human spirit
there are wings yearning to fly.

They help our hearts to see that
the only stairway to the stars
is woven with dreams...
and we find ourselves
unafraid to reach high.

They celebrate the true essence
of who we are...
and have faith in all
that we may become.

Some people awaken us
to new and deeper realizations...
for we gain insight
from the passing whisper of their wisdom

Throughout our lives we are sent
precious souls...
meant to share our journey
however brief or lasting their stay
they remind us why we are here.

To learn... to teach... to nurture... to love

Some people come into our lives
to cast a steady light
upon our path and guide our every step
their shining belief in us
helps us to believe in ourselves.

Some people come into our
lives to teach us about love...
The love that rests within ourselves.

Let us reach out to others
and feel the bliss of giving
for love is far richer in action
that it ever is in words.

Some people come into our lives
and they move our souls to sing
and make our spirits dance.

They help us to see that everything on earth
is part of the incredibility of life...
and that it is always there
for us to take of its joy.

Some people come into our lives
and leave footprints on our hearts
and we are never ever the same.

~by Flavia Weedn~

My Little Triumph in Music

2010-05-30T13:01:00.000+09:30

It is a pleasant surprise and a testimony of the incredible power of believing. Once taught that I have passed the optimal age to learn music, I have proven myself wrong.

I must say that it has been an arduous journey. I was having a difficult time trying to remember what the note on the music score refer to. It was like learning a new language altogether. At first, I got a little ambitious and attempted more difficult pieces. Only to find myself losing interest and giving up altogether.

Interestingly, it was the urge to prove to my boys that persistence is the key to success that I picked up the books again. This time round, I started all over again with the preliminaries. I referred to the old books that my boys started out with and practised relentlessly until I could literally play the pieces with my eyes closed.

It was then I proceeded to Grade 1 pieces. Lo and behold, things miraculously turned easier. I could play using both hands with different notes and at different counts. I remembered 10,000 hour of practice from Malcolm Gladwell's book, Outlier. It is a very simple theory and it works all the time. Patience, persistence, perservance are the keys.

Bird's Eye View from Pinnacle@Duxton

2010-05-22T23:41:00.003+09:30

The 50th storey of Pinnacle@Duxton offers a commanding view of the city. I was there a few weeks ago and I was soaked in the panoramic view from the top. Instinctively, I whisked out my trustworthy Sony Ericsson camera phone to capture the aerial view of our cityscape. Enjoy!

Words Move People

2010-05-18T01:29:00.002+09:30

A few weeks ago, I laid my hands on Eric Feng's latest book "Get to the Point" through mail. I have responded to his email and ordered the book via Internet.

Written in a simple but powerful frequently asked questions-and-answers manner, I was intrigued by the sheer amount of information the book was power-packed with.

How to Ace a Persuasive Presentation

One of the first few pages of the book shared tips on how to ace a persuasive presentation. The technique is by using the power of emotion. People are moved by pain and pleasure, with pain being more dominant.

I have a Dream

Incidentally, I am currently also studying the speech by Martin Luther King Junior, "I have a dream". This is the famous speech that gave hope to African Americans that they will one day be free. It used the technique of knowing what move the audience, what are their underlying beliefs and values.

For the first one, it was the desire to be free. There were allusions to the pain of being second-class citizens, being brutalized by the police and etc. On their underlying beliefs and values, the speech called upon the broken-promise made in Lincoln's famous Gettysburg Address speech which began "Four score and seven years ago...", which was particularly poignant given that King was speaking in front of the Lincoln Memorial. Please see also the excerpt of the speech reproduced below:

Five score years ago, a great American, in whose symbolic shadow we stand today, signed the Emancipation Proclamation. This momentous decree came as a great beacon light of hope to millions of Negro slaves who had been seared in the flames of withering injustice. It came as a joyous daybreak to end the long night of their captivity.

King could have as a matter-of-factly just said that he was standing in front of the Lincoln Memorial. He could throw in statistics such as the date and year the Lincoln made his Gettysburg Address speech, the consequences which Lincoln did it. But he did not for using these data will not help him to appeal to the pain of African Amercians who were "Negro slaves ... seared in the flames of withering injustice". In the same speech, King had made reference to "Mississippi" on four separate occasion as the state would evoke some of the strongest emotions and images for his audience. He could dwell again on data and statistics.

Words Can Convey Substance

I am pushed to write this to prove my point - these words are not just style, there are also much substance. Just because there is not much data and statistics do not make it less substantial in content. On the contrary, it showed the thought that went into crafting the speech through the use of allusions and repetition to bring across what the data/statistics would also show.

So the next time, you need to do that presentation, think about your audience. What are their pain and pleasure? Try to evoke that pain and offer the solution through your presentation. If you could do so, half of the battle is won in a persuasive presentation.

Rustic Charm at Sebana in April 2010

2010-05-13T22:55:00.017+09:30

Our family went for a short two-day jaunt during the weekend in April 2010 to Sebana Resort in Desaru. Located at the southernmost tip of Malaysia, Sebana Resort boasts an impressive sprawling grounds with magnificant marina view to boot.

This time round, I took opportunity to take more photos of the surrounding to share with my readers.

The above was a picture of the resort which our family put up at. It was obvious that the grand dame has seen better times as it still exuded the grandeur of yesteryear.

The interior did not disappoint either. It was simple and tastefully designed. The splendor view which brought Mother Nature up close and personal, soothed my urbanite's soul the instant I set my eyes on it.

Perhaps, human being is often short on unpleasant memories but long on nostalgia. We were quickly reminded by the leaflets on the side tables that amid the tranquility of nature, mosquitoes were lurking outside. With the bloodsucking insects being the bane of the existence of city dwellers, we resisted the temptation to open the windows for a breath of fresh air. Notwithstanding, we felt that we had become one and in harmony with Mother Nature.

Venturing outside of our room and into the other compound of Sebana Resort, we slathered liberally our skin with mosquito repellant - better to be safe than itchy.

The long jetty on the left would lead to a rounded tip whereby hotel guests could loan fishing rods from the guest relations office and wait patiently to see what rich marine life lived in the sea.

The right picture was my favorite photograph of our trip. The rainbow after the passing shower was in full arch.

On the whole, Sebana Resort scores high on being rustic and simple. Its strategic location at the tip of Malaysia and beautiful landscape are hard to beat. No doubt, these are things of beauty, no matter how weather-beaten the structures are. But to a true-blue city dweller, I would be looking forward to some major sprucing up to give this old dame a good facelift.

My Mothers Day when time comes to a standstill...

2010-05-12T00:12:00.013+09:30

Last Sunday was Mothers Day. Perhaps, that was the reason why I relived the experience of not knowing the difference between day and night. The last time I have had that experience was when I was taking care of a newborn baby more than five years ago.

No I did not have a third baby, I was not ready to take on that challenge yet. And I do not know if I would ever be that courageous. If anything, last week's experience strengthened my conviction to stop at two. Two was and still is a handful.

Day 1 and 2 - Slow and Steady

It started on Thursday. I received a phone call from the school. My elder boy, P was running high fever. As expected, he needed to stay at home to recuperate for two days.

As P was a mild-manner boy, he was relatively easy to take care and would take his medication as instructed. He usually recovered from illness in a jiffy.

Day 3 - Fast and Furious

I would have expected that his younger brother R will also be down with flu as flu was very contagious. However, I did not think that it would be that bad. The pace of the story was about to turn fast and furious.

It was 10 pm when we made our way to the 24 hour clinic in a hospital as it was a Saturday night and most clinics were closed for the day. My younger boy, R had high fever of around 40 degree celsius. He used to have such high fever when he was younger but the last febrile attack was more than two years ago. So much so that I knew by hard that he would need two different fever medication to bring down the temperature. His elder brother's medicine alone was not enough. However, it was such a long time that our fever medication had past their expiry date untouched.

That night we only managed to reach home at close to midnight and I had to constantly check his temperature on a half hourly interval. When he refused his medication or threw out, I had to sponge him.

Day 4 & 5 - Time Came to a Standstill

This went on for the next two days. He was in a state of delirium that at times, made me demented, in part also due to sleep deprivation. Though there were times whereby I was simply too exhausted and had to yak my husband from his slumberland, it was tough job. Most of the time, he would stir slightly and then fall back to sleep. Positioning the hot potato, R next to him did not work. I needed to raise my voice and my limbs too, to ensure that my call for help did not fall on dreaming ears.

R was so sick that he was totally zonked out and the only time, I woke him up, was for medication. Even so, that was kept to the bare minimum as I used suppository to replace some of his medicine. He had two sets of medicine to be taken at different time intervals.

As for his mother, by Day 5, I was too exhausted and could hardly open my eyes at daybreak. So during the day time, my husband took over as the main caregiver while I caught my forty winks. I only needed to wake up intermittently to tend to R's medication.

Day 6 - The Recovery

His body regained strength slowly from Day 6. His high fever subsided into a minor one. R was no more lethargic but energetic. He was also no more sleeping but leaping around.

Of course, I am one happy mother. And yes, a child's health is the greatest Mothers Day's gift.

To all mothers, a very happy Mothers Day!

Liao Zhai Rocks!

2010-05-02T10:47:00.012+09:30

This was my third attendance to a live musical. This time round, it was to watch a Chinese musical "Liao Zhai Rocks!".

It was somewhat an impulsive decision on Saturday evening. My husband and I just had our dinner and were in the vinicity of National Library Board at round 7 pm. My husband faintly remembered that the musical "Liao Zhai Rocks!" was on and nudged me to go with him. As the call operator was no longer in service, we went to the site and bought the tickets on the spot. As it turned it was almost full-house event and we were lucky to be able to grab two tickets.

About Liao Zhai

So how was the show? On a scale of 0 to 10, I would give it an eight. In terms of content, it was A-star. Wu Xi, Resident Director of The Theatre Practice, Liao Zhai Rocks! brought to us the wonderful world of Liao Zhai Zhi Yi, a famous classic collection of almost 500 supernatural tales. The classic was written by Pu Song Ling (1640 to 1715) who conjured up a mystical world of fairies, spirits, celestials, demons and of course, humans. These beings frolicked in a vibrant cacophony of life, a boisterous world of emotional interplay and every shade was displayed in all its hedonistic glory.

The Story

The story was captivating. Now that the curtains of the production had come down, I would jot down as much as I could recall.

The scene started in Hades where the little ghosts pestered the young Sang Xiao to share his story on how he ended up there. Flashback of Sang Xiao three days ago unveiled in the next scene. Sang Xiao, a philandering scholar was on a spring outing when he was smitten by a young woman's beauty. He pursued her mindlessly into the deep forest where spirits and vixens roamed. The young girl was Ying Ning, a vixen spirt who had just attained the power to transform into a human. She was an innocent girl who was quick with laughter, and had no inkling about love. However, upon tasting the sweetness of love, she devoted herself wholeheartedly to Sang Xiao.

The same cannot be said about Sang Xiao who quickly succumbed to the seduction of Feng San Niang, the gorgeous ghost who appeared out of the pond and was bent on seeking out a human body so that she could be rebornt. Sang Xiao was tricked into drinking a poisonous brew and died. Not knowing, the reason for Sang Xiao's death, the love-strucken Ying Ning, embarked on a dangerous journey to save him.

The three met in Hades, together with a Taoist priest, Cheng Ban Xian (the name played on the sound which also meant "half god"). At which time, Sang Xiao quickly fell in love with San Niang and was torn between San Niang and Ying Ning.

The story unfolded further to reveal that Cheng Ban Xian was Feng San Niang's lover in his previous life. Twenty years ago, Ban Xian and San Niang eloped but the latter died as she was tricked to drink the poisonous brew. Ban Xian, too died of grief shortly. While Ban Xian was recarinated, San Niang was trapped in the spirit realm as she was under the curse of the poisonous brew. To break the curse, she would need another human to drink the brew.

The Halls of Hades were out of bound to the undead which Ying Ning and Ban Xian had blatantly flouted. As punishment, the King of Hades sent Sang Xiao and Ban Xian back to the human world while Ying Ning and San Niang remained in the Halls of Hades. Sixty years later, Sang Xiao and Ban Xian died of old age and the four were reunited in the Halls of Hades. Touched by their true love, the King of Hades sent them back to the world, reversing the 60 years of lost time.

San Niang and Ban Xian were reincarnated as a boy and girl who were betrothed to each other at birth. What about Sang Xiao and Ying Ning? Imagine the following scene in your mind:

"Sang Xiao slowly floated out from the pond, as he saw the women walk off, he became pensive as he sat by the pond. He smiled suddenly and howled like a fox and a white fox's tail promptly appeared in the woods".

After experiencing much tribulations, Sang Xiao finally brought Ying Ning "home", but not where humans lived but to the woods where the fox spirits dwelt. With the flash of the white fox tail at the ending, it brought an element of surprise.

Afterthoughts

Whoever says that Chinese literature is boring should think again? It is really a world of possibilities. It is a world we break away from the shackles of time and space and through our imagination acquires new inspiration and strength.

I would dare say Singapore is being a more vibrant city. With the proliferation of these productions, it will definitely me less dense and more able to appreciate classics and arts. And yes, Singapore Rocks!

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee

2010-04-27T21:48:00.002+09:30

You must guess it. I am busy, busy and busy. Amid all these buzz, I have received the following email from a friend.

It gives me the strength to see through this hectic period. Reading the article reminds me of the main character of the popular Japanese anime "Naruto Shippuden". I love Naruto as he just gets stronger with each and every challenge.

May we all be coffee!

=========================

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl.

Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard-boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled, as she tasted its rich aroma the daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest, do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy..

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.

Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

You might want to send this message to those people who mean something to you (I JUST DID); to those who have touched your life in one way or another; to those who make you smile when you really need it; to those who make you see the brighter side of things when you are really down; to those whose friendship you appreciate; to those who are so meaningful in your life.

May we all be COFFEE!!!!!!!!

Learn to have better enunication

2010-04-04T17:15:00.004+09:30

Some sounds which you may want to practise to improve your enunication:

ab, ad, af, ag, aj, ak, al, am, an, ap, as, at,
ub, ud, uf, ug, uj, uk, ul, um, un, up, us, ut,
ob, od, of, og, oj, ok, ol, om, on, op, os, ot,
ib, id, if, ig, ij, ik, il, im, in, ip, is, it.

Next are some little poems designed to practise saying and distinguishing the sounds above:

Dot

Dot had a pot of milk.
Dot had a hot pot of milk.
Dot had a big log.
Dot sat on the log.
The log is in the fog.
Dot sat on the log in the fog.
Dot had a dog.
Dot had a big dog.
The dog is in the fog.
Dot and the dog had a lot of fun in the fog.

Bug on a Rug
A big bug.
A big rug.
The bug on the rug.
The big bug on the rug.
Tug the rug.
Sit on the rug.
Hug the bug on top of the rug.
Hug the big bug on top of the rug.
Sit on the rug and hug the big bug.
Hug the bug but not on top of the rug.

A Fat Cat
A cat.
A mat.
A rat.
A fat cat.
A fat cat sat on the mat.
A fat cat and a rat sat on the mat.
A fat cat, a rat and a bat sat on a mat.
A rat on a bat on a cat in a hat on a mat.

A Big Pig
A pig.
A fig.
A wig.
A fig and a wig.
A big pig had a wig.
A big pig bit a fig.
A big pig had a wig.
A big pig in a wig.
A big pig did a jig.
A big pig in a wig did a jig.