carrots and more carrots

Another irony - this time in the form of carrots.

Carrots - a very good choice as a vegetable - rich in Vit A and in the higher band of 'not to be missed' category, in terms of what to put on our plates.

Every 4/5 years, I grapple with the other 'carrot' which leaves a bad taste in my mouth, only because in my opinion, people who are doers and have the capacity to perform, should never resort to such 'dangling of the carrot'.

It brings to mind, how we 'dangle' treats in front of our pets, to coax them into obeying a command, for instance.

Are we, as a nation, being looked upon as nothing more than puppets?  Puppets to be toyed with when it amuses the puppeteer? Puppets to be cast aside, when the novelty wears off?

The up-coming by-election was announced and then a sack of carrots were hung from the tembusu forest.

When will our nation grow out of immaturity and become the mature, thinking people who they are?

We live in a regimented society - almost - Every day, hardly anything moves a whisker in schedule. Carrots have become a predictable choice during elections.  This will backfire sometime soon, when the farm runs out of carrots to offer ; estates no longer require covered walkways.

BUT again, scholars might prolong the life of such farms, by doing the building slowly - to stretch as long as the ink on the white paper can last.
It's not difficult to keep the carrots in supply actually - I am certain they have figured it out after half a decade.
Lavish Dinner tables must abound every 4/5 years - lavish visually - but the consumption of the table offering, is in instalments over 60 months or so.  That way, the farm has time to replenish and prepare for another lavish banquet thereafter.

This is the difference between THINKING individuals and SPONGES.
We are select in who gets to become THINKING - because it won't do for SPONGES to suddenly forget their place...so 95% are left to fend for themselves.  This 95% will be those waiting for the carrots to be distributed by that 5%.

Too much of the same thing is never good.
Sooner or later, the benefits just zeroes out.

Irony or not?

I fished this out from a sub-reddit thread - FF14 - a game I dabble with to wind down my day.

The image is unclear but the image reads.
DURABILITY 10/80
CONDITION Excellent

This situation shouldn't even exist!

Yet, time and again, REAL LIFE situations/circumstances prove that this position is not an anomaly.

Computer programmes are based on mathematics or at least some form of Math.  Even crime/criminals fall into some mathematical dynamic, otherwise, there will not be any such thing as MO or patterns to trace.

Life is very much made up of systems.

So when we are left with 10/80 DURABILITY, how can our condition be EXCELLENT?

Let's look beyond IRONY or BUG (as gamers would put it).


My Interpretation if this is about Life:
When you are left with just ONE MORE SHOT (whatever that shot is for), your condition is EXCELLENT because when you are backed in corner, you will do it right that final attempt.

It's a lot similar to once you've hit the rock bottom the only way to go next is up situation.


Many times, I have somehow taken a dead end pathway.  But whenever I get back on track, its always with more strength to take the next bad hit.

My life has been a kaleidoscope of colours - but my journey, finally without excess baggages, is nothing less than fulfilling.
I do regret, never making that choice of going SOLO from the start - but perhaps it's because I needed to have a reason to be the best that I can be - the reason is in my son, without whom, life will not be as meaningful and I will not strive to live my life/make the decisions for a greater tomorrow.

It may have taken me a long time to realise how SOLO life works better for me, but at least I've arrived.

On my last DURABILITY 10/80, I am in excellent condition to live life fully.

Thoughtfulness - even in the virtual world

Originally Posted by Naoki_Yoshida Hello everyone,FFXIV Producer and Director Yoshida here. 
It's touching to see so many of you posting heartfelt comments in regards to the earthquake that occurred the other day in Kumamoto. The FFXIV development and operation teams would also like to extend our deepest condolences to all of those affected by the earthquake. While minor compared to the severity of the situation, Square Enix has announced a plan to support earthquake relief efforts.

• Support for 2016 Kumamoto Earthquake Relief Efforts (Japanese)

Some players have made thoughtful suggestions to help support relief efforts such as through the purchase of Crysta. We have heard your willingness to help and held a conference with each of our project teams, as well as the management divisions in our company, and we have decided to support the earthquake relief efforts as a group.
Additionally, taking the situation into account for FFXIV, we have decided to temporarily halt the automatic reclamation of housing. We anticipate those affected by this earthquake may not be able to contact our company, let alone log into the game; therefore, in the next scheduled maintenance, we'll temporarily halt the timer for the automatic reclamation for housing for approximately two weeks. However, since this change is being implemented with urgency, please note that the announcement in-game will most likely still show the days remaining until the house is automatically reclaimed.
We will stop the internally running timer and observe the situation for about two weeks to decide if we should continue to halt the timer, or to resume it. In the event that we decide to resume the timer, we will make an announcement in advance.
Lastly, I hope and pray that those in the affected areas are able to make a speedy recovery.

I am proud to be part of this community - community of people who spend time playing FF14, a MMORPG by Square Enix.

Even as I disagree that the Japanese are still killing whales mindlessly (not that there is a mindful way of doing it!), my heart goes out to all those who lost their homes to the earthquake.  While the more thick-headed continue with whaling, the earthquake hit everyone whether or not they were the people who deserved the hit.

Apparently a lot of FF14 gamers either live in that region or have families there.

It was very thoughtful of YoshiP and team to allow us, fellow gamers to contribute in our little way.

There are millions of us, across the globe, playing this nerve-wrecking grindy game, so if everyone gave a little, the total sum will be at least a useful pool.  And because gamers have lost their homes in real life, the Developers Team is making sure, they don't loose their virtual home in FF14.  That again, is a subtle but very thoughtful gesture.

Thank you Square Enix and all the Final Fantasy 14 Heavensward gamers for supporting the cause!

Wine Connection

I had brunch with a friend today at Hillview2.

I was very surprised that the place has changed, but then, most of Singapore does - almost as if, if you don't go there often, time just waves it's wand and you find new buildings and eateries!

Thing is, this wonderful lady, is my 'boss' - and we became friends from day one.  Most of my colleagues believe that we knew each other from way before, since we come across as always being of the same mind in decisions.
I learnt a little more about her today, which gave me a better insight into how we get along so well.

While my life has been plagued often with avoidable drama, hers was mainly trouble free - yet we both had our share of being almost backed to a wall which ultimately pushed us to make decisions that turned out to be correct.

This wasn't her choice of profession, yet she's been in it for more than 30 years.  This isn't my choice either, yet I've been in it for longer than I wanted to.

She finds me weird but not in a bad sense.  She wanted to understand how I got to be this strong in personality, come hell or high water.

My answer - my belief in the existence of GOD.  He who has never abandoned me, ever - whether it was my choice in husbands or any tough decisions in parenting I had to make.

She did the same - when things fell apart with the mergers of our Universities back then, she was caught in the middle - but she trusted that she didn't come all the way here to fail and be played out by our changing educational landscape.  She was the first batch to graduate from NUS.

So we celebrated our life, graced by GOD at Wine Connection.
Today's lunch was long overdue - we were supposed to have had this lunch the first year I worked with her.  Better late than never.

Food tasted great.  Service was great.
Ambiance was perfect.  There were people but not enough to make me claustrophobic.  We walked to the pet shop, got my hay...walked to Tanglin Market's branch there and got our stuff and ended the sunday understanding each other better.

This is a great place to have a catch-up quiet meet.  Excellent value for money menu and for weekdays, there's a one for one meal deal.

Until you use the footpath daily - you have no idea how many indiscriminate cyclists we have

The upcoming 'law' is not good enough.

I say this because, it's not just the modified bicycles that we have to beware of, but also the inconsiderate cyclists that believe they have the right of way on a footpath.

The authorities have recently stated that bicycles and people can share a footpath.

FOOTPATH = for feet

How did we end up having to share already narrow paths with bicycles?

Never mind these cyclists DO NOT think they have to stop peddling when people are clearly carrying marketing/grocery bags.  They ring their bicycle bell and expect people to move aside for them.

I think this new rule is going to breed more inconsiderate behaviour.

I walk to the market and I have a foot with an acute pain in the heel.  Walking is a struggle some days - call it the aftermath of too much sports in my younger days - and then here comes the 2-wheeler who expects me to move aside quickly so they can pass.

If we want to encourage exercise, please, let's do that in parks and other open spaces.  Not in areas where there is walking traffic between eating places and HDB flats.  As pedestrians, we use the shorter walking route.  But people on bicycles also are using the same, when they can actually go around a car park for example.  It defeats the purpose of cycling for health if they intend to use shortcuts.

The latest rule is, that such bicycles shouldn't be modified to travel faster than 25km/h.

Question: Just how many of these errant owners will be caught?
If they are travelling that fast, good luck in chasing them!

For once, I would like to read about authorities making rules/laws more relevant.

We can't even get smokers to stop smoking near the bus-stops - and they are not even on modified bikes.  What a joke.

To support or NOT to support

AND so I found a link on a yahoo news page.

Frankly, I have no idea why this hoo-ha is anyone's business anyway.

Are people so dense that they FAIL to see how much Dr Lee is hurting?  To loose a parent who is everything you have become - a mentor - a patient - I cannot find enough words to describe the relationship she must have shared with her father, because I was not privileged enough to have the same.

Let's all STOP this cheap gossip.  It just tells me that I'm right that Singaporeans have no life worthy enough for them to indulge in which is why they MUST poke their unwanted noses into anything remotely sensational.

No matter how GREAT our life on this earth may be, we all die and go back to being a part of the NOTHINGNESS.  Let's not forget that.

Depression and Grief is not a position, even the mentally ill patient would want to be stagnated at.  It saps up your energy and yet, the little that you do have, you will want to use to claw out at anyone who tries to encroach upon your lair.  Dr Lee like anyone of us, is not perfect.  She is as human as the next sister, woman, daughter who have lost someone very very dear.  Give her the deserved space.

I have read an article that warns that she might be looking for something to lash out at next.

Why is it anyone's concern?  She has always been frank and I enjoyed reading her writings all the years before.  Let us remember, that a Comment or a Perspective is exactly that - a comment/perspective.  But because she is now at odds with our main paper, she is to be ridiculed?

Wake up.

A paper is the main paper, not because of fair competition.  Let's face it.  We have ONE PUBLISHING HOUSE FOR NEWSPAPERS.  NO matter how we cut up that pie, it's the same big pie.

Call a pot a pot.

Keep the focus that differences of opinion between rulers/government officials, exists because we are not robots.  

Holy Land - Jordan

 This is the baptismal site of Jesus.
It's significant because on this same week, Singtel aired Morgan Freeman's The God Story.  It was a very 'odd' coincidence in my book.

I find it strange because, I flipped channels to find this documentary.  It explores the areas in Jordan and even the Vatican archives.

Personally, I do not subscribe to everything the Catholic bible says - a priest described me as being a 'protestant'.  I am not one who swallows unverified information preferring to always ask for clarification.  However, as with a lot of religions, it's lacking in that department either because it's on a need to know basis or that the higher ups, just don't know themselves.  Which brings me to where I am - a spiritual person, but not a religious one.  I uphold philosophies strongly because they make more sense to me.

The documentary probes the Apocalypse - and it's rather obvious that people in general, religious or not, are interested in the impending Apocalypse.

A rabbi featured in the documentary, clarified that the Messiah that they are searching for is not of the Order of the supernatural but one of man - which I find to be fascinating.

The anti-Christ already ruled and died - but the belief is that he is able to re-incarnate into any lifetimes.

There was discussion about the symbol of the Anti-Christ : 666.

As this generation grapples with terrorism, climate change and global warming, perhaps we forgot the scriptures left behind for us to use.

We might find that if we went back to basics, we might be able to make this Earth more habitable and safe.

 These pictures were taken in Jordan this week.

Today, we see it as holy ruins.
Yesterday it was a holy place bustling with believers.

As mindless terrorists blow up other historical ruins, we best keep the photos of those still standing because ages ago, those places meant something to some people and it was there for a reason.

This is today.
No one knows what will happen tomorrow.

For now, it's very much a calming ruin.
Calming because whatever our belief system, the sheer size and intricate carvings are enough to make one stare in awe at how devoted they must have been to have done this without modern engineering.

Family Feud turned public spat

For a small nation, we certainly live for juicy happenings.

We have been privy to a bubbling cauldron the past few days.  I have read some exchanges and many have 'taken sides'.
In some sense, if they were to be told to stay out of it, they would say, they were only clarifying the matter at hand because they don't want to be misquoted or partially quoted.

Does it matter?

To me, this is actually a private matter between two very prominent figures in our little nation and GRIEF, affects us all in different ways.  A lot of people who have posted to stand on one side, obviously missed that point.

GRIEF makes people do many many strange things.  Some like fanfare, some prefer the quiet cry.  Where is our respect for the dead?  The surviving family members are trying to cope in the best way that they can.  Where is our empathy?

We talk about being a compassionate nation.  We sing high praises about being subtle and sensitive.  Where are those traits now?

I do not subscribe to a hush-hush of things, but we must be tactful when this is not about someone who went topless or someone who laundered money.  It began with how we celebrated the first year death anniversary of a 'founder' which somehow spiraled into 'plagiarism' which is a very serious accusation.  
I believe that when people post on a social media platform, it's a personal opinion on some matter, which in itself is just a comment and NOT AN ACADEMIC PIECE which requires references.  Let's say I read from somewhere, some funny incident.  I post it on social media.  It doesn't mean I'm claiming credit for that tiny piece of news.  My comment would be nothing but a comment.

People are hurting from a huge loss.
Allow them some space to be like the less prominent common folk.  No more excuses about 'oh I needed to clarify this and that'.  It's not helping them.

Graphic from:
http://www.picturesof.net/search_term_pages/feud.html

Emotional Blackmail

The saddest thing to deal with is EMOTIONAL BLACKMAIL.

I detest that women generally, turn on their TAPS when they don't get what they want.

A guy can't dump his girl without having to don Wellingtons and a double poncho.  The same also applies in the reverse, of course, although not as often.

Today, I had to deal with a colleague, who started her rain parade, because I told her that I was in an eruptive position and therefore, less unforgiving and should be left alone to simmer.

Instead of giving me my space, which is mine and only mine, she decided to take advantage of my hospitality (it was my break time, with my clique) and went on to put her point across about a 16 year old.  My patience was wearing very thin and I repeated myself - I need space to cool down, so please don't ask this boy to present himself in my face, because I am not his Mother and I am certainly no Mother Teresa, and it will be in his best interest to stay away from me.

She started to ball her eyes out.

Her nose started dripping mucus, and she wiped away her flowing tears like a 6 year old - no Kleenex, just the back of her hand and continued, words interrupted by gasps of air.

Obviously that didn't move me. It irritated me.

In this day and age, how does a mid-20s female, get so emotional over an issue that doesn't even concern her!

I laid it out for her.

If a parent is totally comfortable that her teenager is just GREAT, who is she to beg me to accept his apology?

I accept apologies on my terms, not anyone else's.

I invited her to sit but she refused, saying she had work to do.  Yet, she continued conveying her case to me, for the next 30 minutes.  Wow....if that means, she had work to do, I would like to imagine what having no work to do meant!

So I spelled it out for her.

I AM NOT THAT CHILD'S PARENT.

I AM NOT EVEN HIS SCHOOL TEACHER.

I AM NOT CONNECTED TO HIM IN ANY WAY.

SO I AM THEREFORE NOT INTERESTED IN HIM.

I am a tax payer, like everyone else.

If he's a school-going kid here, using up our tax dollars for subsidised education, then I have a right to ASK the authorities, what we are doing about such individuals, who clearly are not interested in following basic rules, like respecting others and to not waste public resources for his education.

Mostly, children who never learn in school, about discipline and rules, seldom grow up to become contributing citizens, without first having to come to blows with some part of societal norms or breaking some law.  There are exceptions to this, but for the most, youths only really learn, when they are forced by law to.

Some Parents are no longer interested in parenting.  They feel that their responsibility ends, after they have succeeded in applying for financial assistance for their child's meal in school and/or textbooks.  They wash their hands and hope that our efficient government will take care of their failings.

UNFORTUNATELY, our present government always does - and so this cycle can never be broken.  We are stuck, with no possibility of becoming a greater nation because parents fail at parenting.  They need to be able to go for annual vacations, but it's not critical for their child to learn basic manners.

Gone are the days, when Singaporeans work for something to be proud of.  Our efficient government provided us everything, that I'm sure the applications for citizenship has ballooned.

Here I was thinking, US is having a huge immigration headache as debated times over in their GOP.  We apparently also are in the same boat.

People come here so our government can educate their children, teach them manners with no cost to them but all the inconveniences spread among those these delinquents come in contact with.

At the end of the day, WE are poorer in morals, because our own will ask - how come they can do that and we can't?

Did I budge from my stand of DND?

Nope.

I sent her away.

I told her to please respect my personal space and decision, because she is not me and cannot predict what I am capable of doing if she pushes me another inch.  

I also told her, to never be emotionally entangled in matters she has no idea about.  If her work was too overwhelming for her, to kindly not to get that confused with the real matter at hand.

Failed Parenting

When does PARENTING fail?

This is a relatively easy question.

When a teenager, who is older than his classmates, refuses to complete classwork, and chooses to walk out of class to attend a rehearsal without permission.

The student is older, because of local admission rules - unless the student is from another academic institution similar in educational standards, they can only join a lower grade class.

I believe that a lot of high schools in the world share the same practice.  H/e, the problems surface when their parents fail to teach them the basics.

If a student can walk out confidently, or talk-back rudely, it tells the adult a lot about his upbringing.  In this day and age, I am still surprised that parents have children yet refuse to teach them anything at all.  Such parents should be shamed.  Schools should not tolerate such behavior either.  Students like these should be expelled.

Discipline is critical in how we are going to succeed in life.  Without discipline, there is nothing to keep anyone from breaking societal laws, because there never was any foundation for the importance of following rules.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

If that is too tall an order to fill, the parents should just take their child out of that environment and find another more suited to their peasant thinking.  Behavior like that is toxic to the student community and it's unfair for parents who have taken the time and put in the effort to parent their children only to have an out-of-control child undo all that teaching.

This is why I have no empathy.  People do not deserve empathy because they themselves do not see that others need it too.  Kindness and patience means nothing to the teenager who thinks he is above everyone else.

Yesterday, a teenager sliced the neck of another with a blunt box cutter because he 'felt like it'.  Lucky for the victim, the box cutter was blunt so he escaped fatality.  I'm surprised the parents of the victim have not made a fuss about it.
My friend, who witnessed this incident was appalled.  His hands are tied, because again, if the authorities are not going to react, he cannot.

To parents who raise children to be proud of their achievements, I say, you have failed.
The real test comes when these kids grow with society and influence others to be more considerate and to make sure the standards are not compromised but upheld.  A kid, who is 50 now and running a company is not the product of successful parenting if he spends his time basking in his achievements instead of being more altruistic towards whoever he contacts.

I'm disgusted at how lame people have become.
People who say out loud - winning is not everything, yet whose mantra is about trophies.

Parenting did not just fail for this generation.  It has been failing since the economic boom.  It started to fail as the city scape changed.  Someone broke the parenting for success mold.

Lighting the Way - Literally

 .....little it may be...HUGE is the impact.

After years of swerving left, right, avoiding dead end walls then facing potential head-on collisions - of which some hit and some missed......I surrender to time and decided that people who are just friends/acquaintances/colleagues but who make my days a little brighter, deserve to be acknowledged.

I remember posting about a colleague who went for an overdue/well-deserved fishing trip in the open sea.  Well, he thought that we were all right and that after a suicidal year, he should and must get into his element and re-charge whenever he can.  He's going fishing again this weekend!

We were so happy to hear about his plans, not because planning for a fishing trip is exciting, but the twinkle in his eyes, the lost faith found in his body language rained joy upon us, as he spoke about it this morning.

It doesn't take a lot, to be there ; to be a friend - all I did was to get him an LED waterproof magnetic penlight - a joke actually....since people who love fishing, are fearless in the open sea, day or night....while the penlight would represent me, with all that power source and a 'security' magnet so there will be no sea falling incidents - will not get me in that tiny sampan to fish.

Another colleague mentioned that this chap is almost back to how he was before - laughing and at a manageable stress level.  We all agreed and it made me realise that these colleagues will never be my closest friends in terms of years, but they spend the most time with me from Mon-Fri and well, they deserve to have the same privileges as friends I have known for many years, yet hardly see them except once or twice a year.

The best part of it all was - I left the unwrapped penlight on his desk, with a post-it note, handwritten in his mother-tongue language and unsigned.

It was hilarious, because he wasn't even sure which of us clowns pulled this prank.  

It's just a little penlight - but it brought so much of laughter, not just to the recipient but to the people around him that makes the gift more than just lighting one person's way.

As he makes his journey out to sea - I pray that the GODs will be smiling upon them, so they will go safe and return safe.