balloons

Picture of samuel taken holding a bunch of balloons. A young couple gave the balloons to him. He was really happy that night.

My dearlings been supportive of me during National Service

TOP #1 picture that comforted me during the cold and lonely nights I was away from them in the army camp bunk when I stayed-in.


TOP #2 picture of my son Samuel very happy to try out daddy's Army Beret.


TOP #3 picture of my daughter (at Suntec) during weekend outing when I was able to book-out from camp.


TOP #4 picture of another picture of my daughter at Suntec.


TOP #5 picture of my son Samuel at the Mac Donalds outlet in Airport T1 two days before my in-camp training.


TOP #6 picture of both my children at Airport T3 the night before my in-camp training.

Somehow, when I return to army for in-camp training, I always felt I was a recruit going to report for army. The feeling kept coming back every year, an experience that is forever etched in my mind.

Happy Lunar New Year 2008 - Rats!!!

Gong Xi Fa Cai! Happy Lunar New Year 2008! This is a significant event for billions of Chinese people around the world. The story goes when an ancient monster long time ago known as "Nian" which means "The Year" in Chinese often attacked and killed many villagers in China. Nobody could stop the hideous beast but to just run away fearing their lives.
Then one day, an ancient wise sage appeared to the villagers and was told that "Nian" was about to attack again. The wise sage came from the deep forests in China and he thought he might want to test and defeat the beast to save the lives of many. So, true to the warning, "Nian" attacked one night.. This time, the villagers have the wise sage with them, who immediately jumped to action. He rode his horse and fought with the beast. Fortunately, he was able to trick the beast into his forest where he was stronger there and eventually defeated "Nian".
The wise sage came back to the villagers and told them that "Nian" has been defeated and will not trouble the villagers again. But, he warned that during every lunar new year, the villagers must put up red banners and lanterns on their houses. They must also light firecrackers and perform lion dances. These, he said, would frighten the beast away and will therefore not attack them. The wise sage found out about this after defeating "Nian".
Where is "Nian" today? It was said that the beast still remained in the deep forest under the guard of the wise sage. But sometimes, the beast do escape....

My two children darlings...

This photo never fails to cheer me up. Whenever I am down, sad, very sad, depressed, I turn to this photo. It's a very unique photo. I don't know if you notice, the expression on my children's face is original, true excitement and passion sparkles from their eyes as they looked at me on the swings. They give me the only few joys I found in life.

The Paradoxical Commandment

From: http://www.kentmkeith.com/commandments.html

Has been cold weather for many days...

The period of time I recalled being warm, humid and stuffy in the night was long gone. The weather has been heavenly for me, as I truly enjoy cool temperatures especially in the night. Even in the day, I perspire less, and I feel more comfortable at work. I hope the weather will remain this way (though some people I spoken preferred the weather warmer coz they can't take the cold). Still, whatever it may be, cold or hot, humid or dry, or anything on earth or in heaven will separate my love for God.
The weather has helped me physically, I was able to jog longer in cooler temperatures. My physical fitness level shot up quite quickly in a week and was able to pass my IPPT quite well. I was satisfied with my IPPT results (something like NAFTA), and I don't have to worry about IPPT until next February! Hippee!

2008 - A Great Beginning of Good Hope

I cannot feel more joyful than any time of my life. As I look back at 2007, the sense of achievement in my life, my personal, social, work and the spiritual, have reach all time high. My children have grown up stronger than before, and they seems to be enjoying whatever that have. I see 2008 as the plateau of joyful emotions and peace from the actions of my past three years. I am not sure what will come in 2009, but I am already feeling that something nice is coming, which tended to coincide with my son going to primary one! Yes we have found a top primary school for him and the principal has accepted my wife and I as parent volunteers, which means we stand a greater chance of getting my son into the school. Hoping for the best!

The Boys' Brigade (BB) Vesper

Great God who knowest all our needs,
Bless Thee our watch, and guard our sleep,
Forgive our sins of thoughts and deeds,
And in Thy peace Thy servants keep.

We thank Thee for the day that's done,
We trust Thee for the days to be,
Thy Love we learn in Christ Thy Son,
O may we all Thy glory see!

Amen.

Horrible experience..

My family and I had an awfully horrible experience at Teck Ghee market hawker centre during dinner. I really thank my wife for spotting it before I did, almost paid for the food that was served to us. This has to do with a western food hawker stall where we ordered a plate of chicken nuggets for my children, as they loved nuggets lots. So what happened was, my wife saw one of the hawker stall helper dropped two pieces of nuggets from the plate to the hawker centre floor only to quickly pick it up and came over to our table and asked for money. Unknown to him, my wife saw everything from nuggets falling to the floor and him picking up two pieces of nuggets and put back to the same plate that was served. So when I almost paid the dirty guy, my wife raised her voice and said that the nuggets dropped on the floor. But the helper replied that its the chilli packets that dropped and not the nuggets. My wife insisted that she saw with her own eyes that two nuggets fell on the floor and he picked up with his dirty hand (we sat on the table directly next to the stall!). In reply, he said, "So do you want or not? Want or not? Don't want ah?" OFCOURSE WE DON'T WANT IT!
What angered us was that he lied about not dropping the nuggets and insisted that the chilli packets dropped. Well, we refused to pay and decided to leave the place asap. Worst of all, as we were leaving, they asked us again if we still want nuggets (they refried the plate of nuggets and wanted to serve us back). Oh my goodness!
So, I want to urge you reading this to be very careful how our dear hawkers handle our food. I condemn the act, but I want to emphasise that not all hawkers are like that. This one experience is the very first I have encountered in my entire 34 years of existance.

Pictures from Perth..

Cavasham Wildlife Park - Kangaroo enclosure

Cavasham Wildlife Park - Camel ride

Cavasham Wildlife Park - Koala sleeping with baby

Vineyard - Grapes for making wine

Strawberry Farm - Picking

Subiaco Weekend Market - Beautiful flowers

Endless driving - long roads between towns

Penguin island - Entrance

Penguin island - Guided tour of endangered blue penguins

Freemantle - Shopping scene

Perth City night fall.

Back from Perth Australia!

Yes, I am back from Perth after a week's vacation with my family down under. I have taken lots of pictures from our vacation trip but haven't got the time to upload to my online album. Once I have done that, I promise you will see some really nice pictures of my family on vacation!
Till then, have a sweet and wonderful time with your families. =)

Samuel doing stretching Exercise!

Samuel doing stretching exercise during warming up session for school outdoor party and games.

Samuel Enjoying himself in school

It was during a school party recently. My darling Samuel was enjoying himself during a dance workout at the party. Look at him, so cute!

Sandra and her new pinky hat..

Finally first pic since dunno when. Sandra and her new pinky hat with brother standing next to her.

3889 visitors

I didn't know that so many people visited my blog. And I seldom check since the counter is found way below at the bottom and I know many people don't know where it is. But, anyway, probably about a thousand came from me (can that actually happen?), still I wanna thank the rest for visiting my blog =). 3889 a good number no? But pls don't buy 4D because it is a waste of money.

When faced with a difficult situation...

As I looked back over my shoulders the past thirty-four years of my life, well let's take away the first six years of my life since I was only a little boy, I realised that character cannot change, and no matter how much cultural brainwashing, schooling indoctrination, religious conversions, pressures to conform to society to friends and family, one's own character cannot change. Like the Chinese proverb that says "A leopard cannot change it spots", so does our character.
Let me explain why based on my personal experience. When I was a child, I was afraid of disappointing others, and I was afraid of being alone. Since young, I am always friendly, fair and understanding. Three things always come to my mind when I face with a difficult situation, i.e. either I can face it, run away from it or be indifferent. Again, my character is one that always told me to look at the problem in the eye, and think why the problem occurred. Most often than not, it has to be somebody's doing that caused the problem. But because of my other character traits to be kind, friendly and understanding, I am reluctant to bring up the problem to that particular person's attention, worried that I might jeopardise our kinship or even friendship.
And I cannot change, as I have been born to be like this, and I am very comfortable with it. So no matter how I face the problem, I am always very considerate about the person's feelings. But if this were to go on, I don't think I can ever solve any problems in my life. But I did, and have always solve problems that came along. So how do I face the problems, I will take over and do it myself and get it done. =)

The truth to life

I was able to find time to think about life. Despite having two noisy kids and a lot of house chores to be done, my mind was overloading itself with several thoughts all at once - the dreams, hopes, ambitions, responsibities, loves, hates, religion and the future. Somehow, after a year of constant mental activity, I couldn't find a way to rest my mind. If it was not thinking of work, it was always thinking of something else.
I thought about life, how those people I respected, cherished and loved would leave me. They have somehow given me reasons to be who I am, a distinctive character I call me. Life as funny as it is, does not come by being alive and living the way I wanted, but its through being part of a larger community that living comes alive. Everytime someone that I know departs from my life, a piece of me left with them. I felt a hollow of sadness created in my mind and my heart.
And most often, when people leave, they seldom keep in touch and I am not sure why. Thus the hollow persists until time somehow fills in the gaps. I have to let time heal my sadness.

Irony of Life...

Every night, when I got home, I would always go to the kitchen for a glass of water. I got thirsty everytime I got home. Must be the water, its kinda sweet and soothing to my throat. But, before I pour out my glass of water, I will always look into my cup. Every day, ants would somehow find their way to my cup, crawl into it and search for the thirst quenching water that was left in the cup. I peered into their little lives, and saw how they struggled to find water, all the way up seven floors seeking that precious H2O to survive. But they died. Yes, they died of exploding stomach or getting drowned in the water after their stomach exploded. Basically, they have no way out but death. As I reflected on their lives, I saw how people's lives could be as sad. Lots of times we slogged away the night getting work done and knowing that in return for our achievements we are promised the gains of material wealth, financial security, food on the table, children happy, but yet not realising that we lost our lives in the process.

At the end of the road, many will find themselves in the same situation as the ants in my cup, struggled so hard to get what we wanted, and when we got them, struggled to get out of it. It's so sad, that many didn't, and couldn't make it out alive.
The moral of the story is, do what is right in life and to be contented. You will never feel that you have enough of anything. Like the ants didn't know that they are taking too much of water until they burst or drowned. It is greed. Do not try and do the right thing, but do what is right. And always remember this - that having too much of anything will knock you out...cold.

The Pursuit of Happiness

Just the other day, a colleague started the conversation asking if I have watched the movie "The Pursuit of Happiness" and I suddenly nodded excitedly. The question brought my memories back several months ago when I first saw the movie on a plane back from Taiwan. In the show, a man by the name of Chris Gardner (actor Will Smith - my favorite sci-fi actor of MIB, MIIB and iRobot fame), started his career as a pharmaceutical salesman carrying a portable x-ray device everywhere hospitals to see potential doctors willing to buy from him. Due to poor luck, he was unable to sell many of his device, at the same time choked up with mortgage loans and hefty parking fines. He was unable to bring home enough money to feed his family that his wife, a nurse, left him. He loved his wife and his son. He decided to take care of his only 3 yr old son and forbade his wife to take him away. Once his wife actually secretly brought him out of the childcare centre and did not return home for a few days. These caused a lot of panic and anguish in poor Mr Gardner.

Things became so bad that he was chased out of his home, and was homeless for a long time, his little kid in tow. They slept in buses, trains, and station toilets. Sometimes he was quick enough to reach the church that provides free lodging and simply meals for homeless people in San Francisco and stay overnight. Everyday was a struggle for him and his child.

But one day, he saw a gentleman carrying a briefcase and wearing an expensive suit in the streets. Apparently, the man looked wealthy. So he approached the man and asked him how to make it rich. The man looked at him and replied that he is in the stock-brokering business and if he is interested, there is a job interview down at his company and he can go have a try.

To cut the story short, he worked hard attending a no pay programme organised by the company where only one out of fifty is selected to join the company. He endured agonising days and night trying to study and taking care of his son. He still tried selling his medical device in the hope to get some income. At one point, he sold his blood at the bloodbank for cash to feed his son and pay for rent.

The day before his final interview after completing his training programme, he was locked up in jail for 24 hrs for failing to pay his parking fines. He went to the interview in smelly clothes which had paint all over because he was trying to paint his old rented room when he was arrested by the police.

I cried at the last part when he was being interviewed by the stock-brokering firm directors. He was honest and told them everything that had happened to his miserable life. Well, he got the job. Now, he is a 53 yr old multi-millionaire who owns a stock-brokering firm called "Gardner Rich" in New York.

I was kinda able to relate to his life because I was also once a biomedical sales engineer doing the same stuff he did trying to sell to doctors. It was tough. I was also married with one kid, my eldest dear also around three at that time. I was able to feel his struggle.

You can read more about him here: (Sony) http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/thepursuitofhappyness/ and here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_gardner. This is a REAL story.
God Bless you.


Reference: http://www.sonypictures.com.

It was only yesterday..

I thought it was only yesterday when I last blogged. I wondered how my mind was tricked by time, and everything just gone by me so fast. I was doing so many things at once I never had the time to reflect and think what I was doing. It has been challenging for me at work, coping with so many things at once. In no time exam started and everyone was so busy and I also doing something for somebody. Besides work, I had to cope with tiredness that was building up over the seconde semester. It was like running the last 500 metres of 2.4 where you can see the end approaching but everyone was rushing around you trying get there first. The adrenaline rush is terrible and many times I felt I was dragging myself forward. But in my mind was the happiness knowing that the end is nearer each time I put one more step forward.

Also, my handphone camera stopped working again. And my Cybershot 3.2mpx is with my aunt. She went for holidays a month ago and she has not returned it back. So "NPNT". I am looking forward to my Perth trip in December. A second time I am going to Perth with my family in a year. I miss Perth and her weather. Very fine weather and the air is fresh. But this time I am going north from the city, compared to the last time we went south.

Can't wait to take my children for the tour, I know they will be enjoying themselves in Perth as they had done last year.

Teacher's Day - A special day for everyone..

Should have updated days ago, but I think it is still not too late. Cos my camera stopped working and I couldn't take any pictures after National day. Just bought a new camera and the first pic I wanted to take was the one above. Can you imagine being showered with so many gifts and a gigantic teddy bear? Sure must take photo! I never expected this coming, it was even better than I have anticipated to be! Really thank my dearest students FROM 2E2 for everything they had done to make my day. Also want to thank students from other classes for the wonderful present. Felt it was my birthday! The first thing that came mind was the statement that "teaching is a thankless job", who said so?!! Students do recognise the efforts made by their teachers and they will show it but only during the right time on Teacher's day. Thank you for making teacher's day a memorable day for me...

More pictures from NDP 2007..

NDP 2007 Starts.....!!

Finally NDP 2007 is about to start! The contingents of uniform groups are marching onto the floating platform. The picture above taken for the school uniform groups marching in..In view the Girl Guides, Red Cross and Scouts contingent.

The great Wheel by the Marina

Like a giant, it stood half-completed by the seating gallery. If only it was already in operation, would have been even more enchanting at the NDP 2007...

Before NDP 07 started, stunt bikers performed..

Took pictures of stunt bikers from Australia performing really scary stunts on top of a raised platform. They were flying like nobody's business in the air only hanging on to the handle of their dirt bikes. Was exciting though..

The CBD skyline was so beautiful!

Took this picture of the Central Business District. How beautiful it is from my vantage point! All I can say is, "We have got a beautiful country".

Channel News Asia Reporter next to me...heee

The CNA news reporter stood next to me as she reported the NDP 07 celebration to the world. It was an emotional feeling deep within me, as I wondered how many people were watching the show.. It was really an eternal experience..

Look at the sea of great people of Singapore!

From my seat, I took this pic of the people at the NDP 07. Row after row of people waiting to sing the birthday song to our Singapore. I can't believe that I am at an actual NDP celebration!!

The Day I queued for the Nation!

It was time to go to the National Day celebration. First time Singapore is having its NDP at the Marina Bay aka NDP 2007 - A City of Possibilities. Wow it was a long queue up to the security post before entering the seating gallery..very hot but worth it!

Me in the car...

Finally have time to update my blogs...Tiring week with lots of work, but it was all worth the effort knowing that I can relax over National Day holidays. Picture taken by Samuel as I was showing him how to use my Canon digital Camera.. We were going to the Botanic gardens for a nice picnic with my cell group aka P22.

Group Picture @ Publicity Roadshow '07

Picture taken last Saturday, we had a publicity roadshow over at Coral Primary School. Thought I wanted to put the picture up to show how much I appreciated the enthusiasm and support from each of them here.. You have done very well! Thank you to each of you, you are the greatest bunch *tears in my eyes*. Thank you.