The other day, Son No 2 asked me, "What is tee-u-tion?" Apparently, all his friends went for tee-u-tion and he was wondering why he did not.
Tee-u-tion is of course the local (mis)pronunciation of tuition.
I told him that he did not need tuition. Which is true and yet, not. This is because I personally coach him every weekday morning and so he does not need to go for tee-u-tion. At home, I take our coaching sessions seriously. We follow a fixed schedule: we start lessons at 9am every morning and end around 10-ish. When exams are near, we also do another short session at 9pm every night.
I have come to realise that, except for the really brilliant few, all students here do need tuition... for the simple reason that the young students are burdened with too many subjects. In the Chinese school that Son No 2 is attending, the students are expected to master 3 languages: Mandarin, Malay and English, besides other curriculum subjects, Math and Science. The standard of Mandarin and Malay are very high since both are pitched at the first language level. These two subjects alone take up most of our time. Language learning is really no joke. Luckily, Son No 2 reads a lot in English and has no problem there.
I have ranted endlessly about the system of education here. There are so many things that need fixing besides the curriculum. I have written to the press about it, many times, and even left my comments on the PM's webpage .... but this is not my focus today. Don't get me started! Coming back to Son No 2...
So, instead of engaging an external tutor, I am his personal tutor because I don't think anyone else can do a better job. Really. I am not trying to boast or anything... but the mother knows her child best AND the mother has the child's best interest at heart. Another advantage is that I can point out things to them that relate to their current learning, whether it is from the TV, newspapers or from the world around us.
Son No 2 is pretty disciplined himself and is a joy to teach most of the time, despite the inevitable ups and downs. He is now in the midst of his first term exams and he has been pretty pleased with himself the past few days.
When I pick him up after school, he would wear a big grin on his face. And in the car, he would be telling me what questions came out and how he answered them. Always seeking affirmation... and I would tell him that so long as he has done his best, that will be good enough. If he has made a mistake, it's ok, he just needs to learn from the mistake.
Son No 2 ever told me before that some of his friends were getting 3 marks, 14 marks, and so on, out of 100 marks. And I feel deeply for these children. Who will help these children? I know some of them are from disadvantaged background and I wish there's more institutional help for them....
But anyway, so Son No 2 is coping, despite the ills of the system. At the end of the day, the actual marks that he is getting is not that important. I just want him to maintain that positive self-esteem. That is reward enough for me.
Friday 27 February 2009
Thursday 26 February 2009
The Talk
I did not expect to get The Talk from Son No 3 yesterday.
Yesterday, Son No 3's school organized a Parents-Meet-The-Teachers session. Normally, there would be no school on that day but because his Chinese enrichment class was still on, he still needed to attend lessons. The prospect of my being around his school while he was having lessons must have troubled him. In the morning, Son No 3 made it point to specifically tell me that "when I am doing my work in my Chinese class, you don't look through the window and see (look at) me, ok?"
It was The Talk - the one where the children tell their parents how to - or not to - behave. Huh? I did not expect it so soon from Son No 3. He is two months shy of his 6-year-old birthday.
My hubby and I only received The Talk from Son No 1 when he was 10 years old. Son No 1 was going to perform a dance on stage and we would naturally be in the audience. Before the performance, he made sure he "prepped" us on how to behave. He told us that, whatever it is, Do Not Wave. Hmm... he must have been pretty bothered when we did that in the past. Clearly, our outward show of support was not appreciated.
I fully understand that there will come a time when children will want to be untied from the apron's strings. Heck, we raise them to be so - nurturing them to become confident and independent, ready to go out to embrace the world. So, should we be happily giving ourselves a pat on our backs?
Not so soon. I need to know one thing: that the children are NOT embarrassed to be seen with their parents. That they know that the image of them with loving, caring parents does not somewhat reduce their stature among their friends. That it does not take away their masculinity, manliness or machoism, whatever name we want to give to that quality that boys or men crave to be in front of their friends.
Of course I do not go out of my way to embarrass the children.
Recently, Son No 1 went for an outing at Mid-Valley with his classmates (5 girls and 4 boys). They were going to meet at KFC and then just hang out. When Son No 1 realised that I was going to park my car and go down with him, I could sense that he was kind of alarmed. But now that he was older and being the tactful boy that he was, he did not want to come outright to say that my presence would ...err, not be welcomed. Do not worry, I assured him, I was not going to tag along. [I didn't need to because two of the girls' mothers would be there *grin*] I was going window-shopping. See, I am not the molly-coddling parent.
I certainly do not want to hang out with their friends. But my point remains that my boys need to understand that it is alright to be seen with loving parents - whatever shape and sizes the parents are. If the friends view it negatively, then I would question the values held by those friends.
I remember this story one of my primary school teachers told us during moral lesson:
There was this girl who was ashamed of her mother because her mother was disfigured. In front of her friends, she would humiliate her and deny her presence. To the girl, the mother was ugly and she did not want to be associated with her at all.
Until one day, her principal called her in and told her why her mother was disfigured. When the girl was a baby, there was a big fire and the girl was trapped in the house. To save her baby, the mother fought her way through the flames, enveloping the little bundle with her own body. As a result, the mother was badly burnt and was disfigured.
Now, our lives are seldom fraught with such drama. But we do see the moral of the story.
So, you may ask, did I peep into Son No 3's Chinese class in the end? If you had ever been a mother of a pre-schooler, you would already know the answer. Truth be told.... of course I did.... I just made sure he did not see me!
Yesterday, Son No 3's school organized a Parents-Meet-The-Teachers session. Normally, there would be no school on that day but because his Chinese enrichment class was still on, he still needed to attend lessons. The prospect of my being around his school while he was having lessons must have troubled him. In the morning, Son No 3 made it point to specifically tell me that "when I am doing my work in my Chinese class, you don't look through the window and see (look at) me, ok?"
It was The Talk - the one where the children tell their parents how to - or not to - behave. Huh? I did not expect it so soon from Son No 3. He is two months shy of his 6-year-old birthday.
My hubby and I only received The Talk from Son No 1 when he was 10 years old. Son No 1 was going to perform a dance on stage and we would naturally be in the audience. Before the performance, he made sure he "prepped" us on how to behave. He told us that, whatever it is, Do Not Wave. Hmm... he must have been pretty bothered when we did that in the past. Clearly, our outward show of support was not appreciated.
I fully understand that there will come a time when children will want to be untied from the apron's strings. Heck, we raise them to be so - nurturing them to become confident and independent, ready to go out to embrace the world. So, should we be happily giving ourselves a pat on our backs?
Not so soon. I need to know one thing: that the children are NOT embarrassed to be seen with their parents. That they know that the image of them with loving, caring parents does not somewhat reduce their stature among their friends. That it does not take away their masculinity, manliness or machoism, whatever name we want to give to that quality that boys or men crave to be in front of their friends.
Of course I do not go out of my way to embarrass the children.
Recently, Son No 1 went for an outing at Mid-Valley with his classmates (5 girls and 4 boys). They were going to meet at KFC and then just hang out. When Son No 1 realised that I was going to park my car and go down with him, I could sense that he was kind of alarmed. But now that he was older and being the tactful boy that he was, he did not want to come outright to say that my presence would ...err, not be welcomed. Do not worry, I assured him, I was not going to tag along. [I didn't need to because two of the girls' mothers would be there *grin*] I was going window-shopping. See, I am not the molly-coddling parent.
I certainly do not want to hang out with their friends. But my point remains that my boys need to understand that it is alright to be seen with loving parents - whatever shape and sizes the parents are. If the friends view it negatively, then I would question the values held by those friends.
I remember this story one of my primary school teachers told us during moral lesson:
There was this girl who was ashamed of her mother because her mother was disfigured. In front of her friends, she would humiliate her and deny her presence. To the girl, the mother was ugly and she did not want to be associated with her at all.
Until one day, her principal called her in and told her why her mother was disfigured. When the girl was a baby, there was a big fire and the girl was trapped in the house. To save her baby, the mother fought her way through the flames, enveloping the little bundle with her own body. As a result, the mother was badly burnt and was disfigured.
Now, our lives are seldom fraught with such drama. But we do see the moral of the story.
So, you may ask, did I peep into Son No 3's Chinese class in the end? If you had ever been a mother of a pre-schooler, you would already know the answer. Truth be told.... of course I did.... I just made sure he did not see me!
Tuesday 24 February 2009
The Myth of Multitasking
I am lousy at multi-tasking and I've always known it. I felt like an uber-underachiever when I was juggling work and family responsibilities. I was like going nowhere. This lack of ability to juggle tasks has seemed like a liability and a deficiency, especially when I look at some supermoms out there.
But now... aha, now I have come across a book that validates my position that multi-tasking is a myth (see left). We are essentially uni-task creatures.
According to this book, we cannot perform many jobs at one time and still achieve the same level of success, simply because our brain and neurological pathways are not designed that way. Millions of readers have since concurred that this has been their experience too. Good to know that I have lots of company out there.
Those who claim that they are great at multi-tasking may cry foul now. But really, according to the book, what they are doing is either 1) background-tasking or 2) switch-tasking. Yeah, learn these new jargons, man.
Background tasking has to do with focusing on one task while performing another task that does not require focus, like ironing clothes while watching TV. It is debatable though which is the background task and which is the task that requires focus. For me, ironing would require total focus and watching TV is the background task, though for others, it might be the other way round.
The other behaviour, switch-tasking, happens when one switches focus between tasks rapidly. The premise is that this is less efficient than completely focusing on one task and then moving on to the next task. According to the writer (and he has done studies to prove it), giving full attention to a task is more effective and efficient.
I do find it true in a way - I remember when I was studying for exams, I would listen to music, but the music would recede to the background when I was totally focused on my studies. However, when I was done studying one point, I would be able to hear the music again.
So to all the multi-taskers out there, it is time to examine if there is a better way to distribute tasks that need to be completed. People who, say, only answer emails during designated times like twice a day, understand this concept already. To be constantly distracted, in the name of being a super-multi-tasker, is actually counter-productive.
But now... aha, now I have come across a book that validates my position that multi-tasking is a myth (see left). We are essentially uni-task creatures.According to this book, we cannot perform many jobs at one time and still achieve the same level of success, simply because our brain and neurological pathways are not designed that way. Millions of readers have since concurred that this has been their experience too. Good to know that I have lots of company out there.
Those who claim that they are great at multi-tasking may cry foul now. But really, according to the book, what they are doing is either 1) background-tasking or 2) switch-tasking. Yeah, learn these new jargons, man.
Background tasking has to do with focusing on one task while performing another task that does not require focus, like ironing clothes while watching TV. It is debatable though which is the background task and which is the task that requires focus. For me, ironing would require total focus and watching TV is the background task, though for others, it might be the other way round.
The other behaviour, switch-tasking, happens when one switches focus between tasks rapidly. The premise is that this is less efficient than completely focusing on one task and then moving on to the next task. According to the writer (and he has done studies to prove it), giving full attention to a task is more effective and efficient.
I do find it true in a way - I remember when I was studying for exams, I would listen to music, but the music would recede to the background when I was totally focused on my studies. However, when I was done studying one point, I would be able to hear the music again.
So to all the multi-taskers out there, it is time to examine if there is a better way to distribute tasks that need to be completed. People who, say, only answer emails during designated times like twice a day, understand this concept already. To be constantly distracted, in the name of being a super-multi-tasker, is actually counter-productive.
Encounter With A True Penangite
The University, where I am working part-time, is based in Penang. In fact, my recruitment interview was conducted over Skype between KL and Penang. So I've never actually met any of my Penang colleagues face-to-face until a few months after I have joined the KL Office.
Penang is not really a small town (its industrial parks count Dell and Samsung among those which have chosen to set up assembly plants there) but it has managed to maintain that quaint small-town charm. Just last year, the Georgetown area was officially designated a World Heritage Site.
But it is its people that I am most amazed with. Penangites are some of the most personable people I have ever met. My best friend while I was in high school in Singapore hailed from Penang, as did many of my wonderful colleagues in Singapore. And after all these years, Penangites continue to win me over with their warmth and sincerity.
At my present workplace, I have many opportunities to come into contact with Penangites again. My first course coordinator is a graduate from USM, one of the top two local universities. She is now working for her PhD. Her surname is "Teoh", a dead giveaway that she is a Penangite (in other places, the surname is translated to "Teo" without the letter h at the end).
The first time she visited the KL Office, she greeted me like a long-lost friend and brought a box of tau-seah-peah for me and my family from Penang. Tau-seah-peah? It was totally unexpected and I was touched. Note that until that first meeting, we only shared a professional relationship over the e-mail. In the corporate world where I came from, I would never have thought of bringing gifts for my business acquaintances. If I did, it would be one of those really boring type of office momentoes. Not something as personal as tau-seah-peah, that delicious bean-paste pastry from Penang.
I would add that this course coordinator of mine is NOT your typical local graduate. She truly knows her job, is fluent in English and has one of the best working attitude I have ever seen on both sides of the Causeway. How I wish we can see more of her kind in the working world.
At the end of that first visit, it suffices to say that I know more about her hubby and one-year-old daughter, than she knows about my family. Before she left, she issued me an open invitation, saying that any time, I am in Penang, drop by at her office and she promises to show me around. The way she said it, it did not sound like lip service at all.
I don't deserve this. I am born and bred in the city (as if that gives me an excuse) and in my working relationships, I have always been direct and professional. I have had no reason to examine any other mode of interaction. Where I came from, we always strived to behave professionally (read: in a task-oriented, objective-focussed manner, without being personal). That's how one gains respect in the workplace.
Later, when my course coordinator moved on to another assignment, she sent me a thank-you card, not the electronic type, but a paper-based, signed-with-ink, and inserted-into-an-envelope type. Now, why shouldn't I be surprised? That gesture is totally in keeping with her character.
It's not that she's not internet-savvy - after all, the university runs on-line university courses - but she took the trouble to be personable. We all could learn a lesson or two from her.
Penang is not really a small town (its industrial parks count Dell and Samsung among those which have chosen to set up assembly plants there) but it has managed to maintain that quaint small-town charm. Just last year, the Georgetown area was officially designated a World Heritage Site.
But it is its people that I am most amazed with. Penangites are some of the most personable people I have ever met. My best friend while I was in high school in Singapore hailed from Penang, as did many of my wonderful colleagues in Singapore. And after all these years, Penangites continue to win me over with their warmth and sincerity.
At my present workplace, I have many opportunities to come into contact with Penangites again. My first course coordinator is a graduate from USM, one of the top two local universities. She is now working for her PhD. Her surname is "Teoh", a dead giveaway that she is a Penangite (in other places, the surname is translated to "Teo" without the letter h at the end).
The first time she visited the KL Office, she greeted me like a long-lost friend and brought a box of tau-seah-peah for me and my family from Penang. Tau-seah-peah? It was totally unexpected and I was touched. Note that until that first meeting, we only shared a professional relationship over the e-mail. In the corporate world where I came from, I would never have thought of bringing gifts for my business acquaintances. If I did, it would be one of those really boring type of office momentoes. Not something as personal as tau-seah-peah, that delicious bean-paste pastry from Penang.
I would add that this course coordinator of mine is NOT your typical local graduate. She truly knows her job, is fluent in English and has one of the best working attitude I have ever seen on both sides of the Causeway. How I wish we can see more of her kind in the working world.
At the end of that first visit, it suffices to say that I know more about her hubby and one-year-old daughter, than she knows about my family. Before she left, she issued me an open invitation, saying that any time, I am in Penang, drop by at her office and she promises to show me around. The way she said it, it did not sound like lip service at all.
I don't deserve this. I am born and bred in the city (as if that gives me an excuse) and in my working relationships, I have always been direct and professional. I have had no reason to examine any other mode of interaction. Where I came from, we always strived to behave professionally (read: in a task-oriented, objective-focussed manner, without being personal). That's how one gains respect in the workplace.
Later, when my course coordinator moved on to another assignment, she sent me a thank-you card, not the electronic type, but a paper-based, signed-with-ink, and inserted-into-an-envelope type. Now, why shouldn't I be surprised? That gesture is totally in keeping with her character.
It's not that she's not internet-savvy - after all, the university runs on-line university courses - but she took the trouble to be personable. We all could learn a lesson or two from her.
Saturday 21 February 2009
Why Grades Matter
Some people believe that all I care about my sons is their academic achievement. Some people do not know me at all.
I practise what I preach - when I say that there are 5 aspects of development that is important in a child: Cognitive, Emotional, Physical, Social and Moral. And I do all I can to make sure that they develop into well-rounded and well-adjusted adults. Of course, sometimes my best is not enough - I recognise my own limitations - though any failing is not through lack of effort on my part.
Of course there are very talented people in non-academic areas who have gone on to achieve phenomenal success, and I am not belittling their achievements in any way. Some may be extraordinarily gifted in EQ and some may have some cultural or material advantage. Some are at the right place at the right time. Good for all of them.
But statistically, we have seen that people who have done well in school have a higher chance of leading a successful life. People used to say that education is the key to escaping the poverty trap and it still holds true today. A good education is still the best insurance that a parent can subscribe to for the child.
Whatever liberals may think, academic achievement is important for a child to build self-esteem which is undoubtedly a pre-requisite to success. Especially in our society. In some schools, teachers actually punish students for scoring low marks. Think what that will do to a child's self- esteem. And in family gatherings, people do ask, how is the child doing in school? These are things that we cannot change. That's why I spend considerable amount of time and effort to help my children in their school work. I do not believe that I pressurize them too much; I just want to make sure, as a responsible parent, that they have done their best.
We also have to look at our children from a strategic point of view. In business, we do the SWOT analysis, that is, we look at the organization's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, to come up with a competitive strategy. The same can be applied to our children.
If we understand their strengths and weaknesses, we will have an idea how to guide them through life. They need to leverage on their strengths in light of the opportunities that are availed to them. And that's why there is really no broad-brush approach to guiding a child. For example, if a child is going to take over the father's business, then arguably academic qualifications may be less important.
What if the child cannot get good grades in school, even if he has tried his best? Yes, that's the difficult part and there are parents who face this very real dilemma. It may not be that their children are lacking in cognitive ability. It could be just that the system is working against their children. I have seen this in both Singapore and Malaysia. And I can understand why parents are very concerned and would even go to the extent of migration for their children's future. [Foreign education systems have their flaws too but that's besides the point for now.]
The point is, before we need to take any drastic steps, first, we need to help the children cope in school and if possible, excel. Then, if they can't cope, we see if we can continue to nurture their spirit in other ways. If that also fails, only then may parents want to consider other options.
These are all realities of living in this part of the world. Our education systems, on both sides of the Causeway, are not the best, nor are they the worst.
Bottom-line is this: children want to do well in school. It makes them feel good. It is when they keep failing, that their self-esteem goes south and then it becomes a downward spiral. This is the path that we do not want our children to take.
I practise what I preach - when I say that there are 5 aspects of development that is important in a child: Cognitive, Emotional, Physical, Social and Moral. And I do all I can to make sure that they develop into well-rounded and well-adjusted adults. Of course, sometimes my best is not enough - I recognise my own limitations - though any failing is not through lack of effort on my part.
Enough said. At the end of the day, how much we want to make out of parenting is an individual choice. It can be the simplest thing in the world (clothe and feed them) or it can be an all-consuming effort.
But I would like to share my thoughts on why grades are important. Let's be clear, I am not saying that it is all-important - but it is important, nevertheless. It may sound like a motherhood statement, especially within the context of our Asian culture, to even think otherwise, but increasingly there are so-called "liberals" in the world who think that doing well in school is not a big deal. And they go on to quote successful people who have not done well in school and yet have done very well in life.Of course there are very talented people in non-academic areas who have gone on to achieve phenomenal success, and I am not belittling their achievements in any way. Some may be extraordinarily gifted in EQ and some may have some cultural or material advantage. Some are at the right place at the right time. Good for all of them.
But statistically, we have seen that people who have done well in school have a higher chance of leading a successful life. People used to say that education is the key to escaping the poverty trap and it still holds true today. A good education is still the best insurance that a parent can subscribe to for the child.
Whatever liberals may think, academic achievement is important for a child to build self-esteem which is undoubtedly a pre-requisite to success. Especially in our society. In some schools, teachers actually punish students for scoring low marks. Think what that will do to a child's self- esteem. And in family gatherings, people do ask, how is the child doing in school? These are things that we cannot change. That's why I spend considerable amount of time and effort to help my children in their school work. I do not believe that I pressurize them too much; I just want to make sure, as a responsible parent, that they have done their best.
We also have to look at our children from a strategic point of view. In business, we do the SWOT analysis, that is, we look at the organization's Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats, to come up with a competitive strategy. The same can be applied to our children.
If we understand their strengths and weaknesses, we will have an idea how to guide them through life. They need to leverage on their strengths in light of the opportunities that are availed to them. And that's why there is really no broad-brush approach to guiding a child. For example, if a child is going to take over the father's business, then arguably academic qualifications may be less important.
What if the child cannot get good grades in school, even if he has tried his best? Yes, that's the difficult part and there are parents who face this very real dilemma. It may not be that their children are lacking in cognitive ability. It could be just that the system is working against their children. I have seen this in both Singapore and Malaysia. And I can understand why parents are very concerned and would even go to the extent of migration for their children's future. [Foreign education systems have their flaws too but that's besides the point for now.]
The point is, before we need to take any drastic steps, first, we need to help the children cope in school and if possible, excel. Then, if they can't cope, we see if we can continue to nurture their spirit in other ways. If that also fails, only then may parents want to consider other options.
These are all realities of living in this part of the world. Our education systems, on both sides of the Causeway, are not the best, nor are they the worst.
Bottom-line is this: children want to do well in school. It makes them feel good. It is when they keep failing, that their self-esteem goes south and then it becomes a downward spiral. This is the path that we do not want our children to take.
Friday 20 February 2009
25 Random Things About Me
I've been tagged! Thanks, sweet niece.
I've been dying to get tagged since reading many blogs written by those who were tagged. So now I am supposed to write 25 random things about myself? Well, here goes...
1 I love my family insanely. Though sometimes I do wish I can love them less and love myself more...
2 I'd always wish I have soft hair. My hair is thick and stiff, and even bonding doesn't help to soften its texture, so styling is very limited. Ah, for some blow-in-your-face type of wispy hair...
3 My 3 favourite ice-cream flavours are rum and raisin, mint chocolate chip and macadamia nut from Haagen Daz.
4 If I could do only one piece of plastic surgery, I would do a liposuction on my tummy.
5 My dream travel destination - the Silk Road/Tibet.
6 I am a thinker. And proud to be one.
7 I am passionate about issues of the day. It's like I've missed out on the revolutionary youth phase or something and am now making up for it.
8 I like to read... a lot... novels, biographies, newspapers, blogs, and even textbooks. Seriously.
9 I also like to write a lot. My writing skills served me well when I was holding a paid job, and now I am writing for myself....which is nice. And sometimes, I write to the press or on on-line forums to let off steam.
9 My favourite character from Grey's Anatomy is Dr Izzie Stevens. I imagine if I were a doctor, I would be like her.
10 My good friends from varsity are surprisingly like me, a stay-at-home mom to a brood of kids. One has 5 children, another has 4 children. Hmm... in a world where two-kid families and working moms are the norm, we must have shared many common values, even in our younger days. No wonder we clicked.
11 I am a good driver. I practise driving on the road like 4-5 hours a day.
12 I can't imagine a life without responsibilities. Kind of sad, isn't it?
13 I love playing the piano. Always have and always will. What I play depends on my mood. Remember Clair de Lune from Twilight? The piece that Edward put on in his bedroom? I can play that too :)
14 I hate Malaysian politics. Really, really hate it.
15 Sometimes, I wish I have a daughter. I love my sons, but to have a girl to balance the yang... that would have been so-awesome. Well, sometimes the boys wish they have a sister too.... so I shouldn't feel bad about it. Just natural instinct.
16 When I watch shows that portray the close mother-daughter bond, like in Joy Luck Club, my eyes would be filled with tears. I am thinking of my own complex relationship with my mother. No wonder Amy Tan is one of my favourite authors.
17 Mosquitoes love me.
18 I am not a people-person. Most people think I am aloof, since young. Others are wary about the intensity of my emotions, especially on things that I feel strongly about. I don't do small talk.
19 I am still using the handphone that I bought in 2003. The last watch that I owned lasted me more than 15 years. I generally do not discard things until they are non-functional.
20 I still have the blouse that I wore for my Varsity interview, and that's like donkey years ago.
21 I do not understand why God made us such that we need to exercise in order to be healthy. The only exercise I do daily is walking up and down the stairs leading to my carpark and stretching my right arm when I need to pay toll using my Touch-And-Go card.
22 I have zilch cooking skills. The other day, my second son paid me a compliment when he said that even when mummy cooked the steamed pork, it still tasted good.
23 Hoop earrings in white gold are my signature accessories. I have like 5 pairs of them now, in different sizes and thickness.
24 I love Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals, though my all-time favourite is Les Miserables.
25 I just want everyone to be happy. Why is it so difficult?
The Pet Society Champ
Son No 3 is the biggest fan of Pet Society, the computer game on Facebook.
Those who are Friends with Son No 3, and have been playing the game, will realise that over the past two weeks, Son No 3 has soared in his rankings. It may appear that he has been spending an excessive amount of time playing the game... but I can vouch that he has not played more than usual, which is about an hour daily. He has also maintained the same number of Friends because I do not allow him to anyhow add on Friends.
What happened was that he has found the .... secret, if you like.... to the game and has managed to level up very, very quickly. I know the "secret" but am not about to disclose it here :)
I do keep a close watch on how my boys play the game (or any game, in fact) and I must say I am quite impressed with how Son No 3 plays Pet Society. He analyses the game, sets a goal, is single-minded about achieving this goal and understands the concept of trade-off..... (wow). Ya, wow. But really... let me explain.
Two weeks ago, Son No 3's pet, Name, was ranked third in the game among his Friends. He decided to set an immediate goal to beat Copper, then at second place. And to do that he knew that he had to accumulate paw points so that he could level up.
So, Son No 3 tried this and that and finally, voila, he stumbled upon a strategy! He was visibly excited and I must admit that I was excited for him too. It was a simple strategy. But now I understand why he sold off everything that he owned - it was not due to any whim - but really, to get coins which he could convert via some indirect means to points. That's why his pet's house was bare and the pet was not clothed. To him, it was no sacrifice - he just did what he needed to do.
Meanwhile, the rest of the family shared in his excitement as he would update us daily how close he was to achieving his goal.
After he has beaten Copper, I thought that was it. But no, Son No 3 has set his sights higher. His next goal was to beat Snuffles. Snuffles was way above him in terms of points at that time but bit by bit, he chipped off the difference until one day, he emerged top in the rankings. He was on top of the world!
Even then, he continued to play until he estimated that he was 3 days ahead of Snuffles. Only then did he relax. Now, he plays more leisurely and has finally spent some of his coins buying clothes and furniture.
I have learnt a lot about my son from this episode. But I am not going to go all-heavy and do an on-line analysis of him here (I shall do it in the private recesses of my mind :)) When I see my children, each with very distinct set of characteristics, I am more convinced than ever that, as the Chinese saying goes, it is easier to shift a mountain than to change a person's basic character. Some traits are truly inborn.
Monday 16 February 2009
1,2,3...and Go!
This year, we were unable to celebrate the children's grandma's birthday with her and so we decided to create a short video and post it on Facebook. It would be the children's birthday gift for their popo.Easier said than done.
The final product was 42 seconds, but the production took days in the making! OK, we had other things to do and could only talk about it at night. But we had a glimpse of what directors of films have to go through to get a movie done :)
First, we had to decide on the concept. Initially, Son No 1 wanted to mix a birthday song using the GarageBand software which he has been using in his Music Technology class in school. Son No 3 would play the tune on the piano and it would be a collaborated effort. But after a few attempts, the sound that came out was just not .... right. So we had to abandon the idea.
Then, we thought of having each son performing an item. Son No 3 was ab-so-lute-ly game, he was excited and practised diligently the "Happy Birthday" solo on the piano and I duly recorded it. Son No 2 did not practise a lot but managed to play another solo piece on the piano. But Son No 1 was stuck. Hmm... maybe not... somehow, the whole thing was turning out to look like a piano recital.
On the day before the actual day, I finally provided the story-board and the direction for our grand effort. I would play on the piano and the children would sing the "Happy Birthday" song, first in English and then in Mandarin. Hubby would be the cinematographer. We had to agree on how and where the children would stand, the type of lighting and the effects. I wanted to pan the children's faces close-up, but hubby said our camera would not be able to do a decent job. So we settled for what our equipment could do... which was not a lot.
Anyway, then the actual recording started. The children were nervous on the first take. They sang softly and kept looking uncertainly on the floor or at me. The next take, Son No 2 acted up a bit and moved from his position so that he was half-hidden behind Son No 1. And so on and so forth. Mid-way, I amended the script to have them cheer and greet popo at the end, but after a certain point, it was difficult even to coax smiles from the boys. OK, I think we just had to make do.
Then the post-production began (cheh!). We played the various videos and chose what we thought was the best. But we had a setback when we tried to upload the video - we were told that it would take something like 20 hours! That would cut it really fine to meet our deadline. So, as Plan B, we took a backup video with a poorer resolution and smaller filesize, just in case. But thank goodness, somehow, the uploading speed accelerated a bit and we got our original video up after a few hours.
The feedback from everyone was good - especially popo, she was really happy with her three grandsons. Well, all I can say is that it was definitely worth the effort!
Saturday 14 February 2009
Don't Just Follow Law!
Singaporean drivers..... ah, they're a lovely lot.... really. They Just Follow Law.
I was amused to read the deluge of forum letters to the Straits Times recently, following a complaint by a lady driver that nobody gave way to her when she wanted to change lane during a Causeway jam. She claimed she got into the wrong lane and signalled her intention to change lane but all she got were dirty looks and a concerted effort by drivers on the next lane to inch their cars even closer so that she could not slot in. Some forumers accused her of trying to cut queue while others blamed a whole range of factors ranging from social ills to Mas Selamat.
Wa, what a big discussion on what is a daily occurrence here! Now, if they were driving in KL, they would know that, alamak, that was nothing-la. A skilful Malaysian driver will always manage to slot in, no matter what.
When Singaporean drivers come to KL, they are bent on observing the rules. Like me when I first returned here to live. (Pause) I soon learnt the hard way. Let me share some of my learnings:
1 When In Doubt, Always Do As The Locals Do
At Sri Hartamas, there is a one-way street in which everyone drives one-way... the other way. If you are new to the area and you want to follow the directional sign correctly, you will land yourself in trouble. At SS2, there is a traffic junction where you can turn left even when the traffic light is red. And everywhere, nobody follows lane markings. Of course, Singaporean drivers are not expected to know all these local norms. That's why the rule is: when in doubt, just follow what the locals do.
2 Don't Be Geh-Kiang (think you know best)
There was once I parked at a proper roadside parking lot and I wondered why so many cars shunned those lots and preferred to park further away. Two hours later, I found the answer. Unknown to me, that street at Subang Jaya had pasar malam that night. When I returned to collect my car, I found it surrounded by pasar malam stalls and there was no way that I could remove my car. I had to wait until 11pm.
Parking is one of the motorist's major woes (see picture below) - cars trying to pack like sardines.
3 Amber Light Means Please Accelerate
Do not slow down when you see the traffic light turning amber. This is because all the other cars behind you are actually accelerating to beat the red light. Heaven forbid if you should attempt to stop your car at amber light - your back may very well be kissed.
4 Red Light Does Not Always Mean Stop
Listen, when traffic is heavy and the average speed of cars is below 20 km/h, some traffic rules do not apply. For example, when the traffic light turns red, at least 3 cars can still go through. I promise you, that's the norm and you will not be fined. As for safety, remember what I said that this is only applicable when the traffic is slow...
5 Be STREETsmart
I know this is a tall order for some Singaporeans (can't resist the dig!) but I will offer some practical examples:
I was amused to read the deluge of forum letters to the Straits Times recently, following a complaint by a lady driver that nobody gave way to her when she wanted to change lane during a Causeway jam. She claimed she got into the wrong lane and signalled her intention to change lane but all she got were dirty looks and a concerted effort by drivers on the next lane to inch their cars even closer so that she could not slot in. Some forumers accused her of trying to cut queue while others blamed a whole range of factors ranging from social ills to Mas Selamat.
Wa, what a big discussion on what is a daily occurrence here! Now, if they were driving in KL, they would know that, alamak, that was nothing-la. A skilful Malaysian driver will always manage to slot in, no matter what.
When Singaporean drivers come to KL, they are bent on observing the rules. Like me when I first returned here to live. (Pause) I soon learnt the hard way. Let me share some of my learnings:
1 When In Doubt, Always Do As The Locals Do
At Sri Hartamas, there is a one-way street in which everyone drives one-way... the other way. If you are new to the area and you want to follow the directional sign correctly, you will land yourself in trouble. At SS2, there is a traffic junction where you can turn left even when the traffic light is red. And everywhere, nobody follows lane markings. Of course, Singaporean drivers are not expected to know all these local norms. That's why the rule is: when in doubt, just follow what the locals do.
2 Don't Be Geh-Kiang (think you know best)
There was once I parked at a proper roadside parking lot and I wondered why so many cars shunned those lots and preferred to park further away. Two hours later, I found the answer. Unknown to me, that street at Subang Jaya had pasar malam that night. When I returned to collect my car, I found it surrounded by pasar malam stalls and there was no way that I could remove my car. I had to wait until 11pm.
Parking is one of the motorist's major woes (see picture below) - cars trying to pack like sardines.
3 Amber Light Means Please Accelerate
Do not slow down when you see the traffic light turning amber. This is because all the other cars behind you are actually accelerating to beat the red light. Heaven forbid if you should attempt to stop your car at amber light - your back may very well be kissed.
4 Red Light Does Not Always Mean Stop
Listen, when traffic is heavy and the average speed of cars is below 20 km/h, some traffic rules do not apply. For example, when the traffic light turns red, at least 3 cars can still go through. I promise you, that's the norm and you will not be fined. As for safety, remember what I said that this is only applicable when the traffic is slow...
5 Be STREETsmart
I know this is a tall order for some Singaporeans (can't resist the dig!) but I will offer some practical examples:
- Empty your bladder before you commence a journey, even if it is 5-minute drive - a traffic jam can strike anytime (see below). Guys, have those airline doggie bags handy for quick relief.
- Always give way to those really old cars - they have nothing to lose if they hit you.
- Remember the Motorcycle is the King of the Road here. Motorcyclists whizz and weave, tempting fate day in, day out. They are the most defiant of traffic rules too....
One bin too many...
Helmet is not enough... rubber tyre for extra protection
All in the family.. a common sight
Shifting house...local style
But don't be daunted. Amazingly, most Malaysian drivers are very seasoned (they spend a lot of time on the road) and will know how to keep safe. They may honk you but it's ok, you will learn.... as I did.
Photos courtesy of The Star On-Line.
Friday 13 February 2009
Celebrating Love
Tomorrow will be another busy day for us. Besides the usual Chinese and taekwando classes for the boys, we need to fit in two more items on the agenda: Son No 2 has a full school day (as replacement for the CNY holidays) and Son No 1 needs a haircut - badly.So this morning, after breakfast, I started discussing with hubby how to organize the day - whether we need to split up our driving duties and so forth. Then hubby reminded me gently - that it's Valentine's Day tomorrow.
OMG, I could literally feel my mind re-booting itself to process that bit of information!
It's not like I have been living in a vacuum. Despite the gloom on the economic front, the media and the shops have been advertising V-Day, as has Pet Society :) I have even bought champagne and roses for my pet, lol! But still it had not registered.
And now suddenly, the pieces started to fit together. My newly-wedded niece in Singapore has told all her Friends on Facebook that she could not wait for Saturday because her hubby had planned something - and believe it or not, before this, I couldn't connect it - I thought it was just another special weekend for the couple.
Just goes to show how having a family and parenting responsibilities can take the wind out of romance. It's not that we have always celebrated V-Day in a big way - I don't like the feeling that I am being extorted by the shops on V-Day. As we all know, the prices of roses and dinners shoot through the roof due to high demand. Courting couples have no choice, I guess... But for us, we have always preferred to celebrate our birthdays or wedding anniversary.
But still... on this special day, we should think of something that we can do as a family. After all, V-Day is not only for lovers, but for all those who want to celebrate love.
Thursday 12 February 2009
My Mom And The Habit Of Thrift
Last night, my mother called me long-distance for the third consecutive night. It is unusual because ... um, sometimes, we do not talk for weeks - which happens when we get too caught up in our own worlds. Well, the reason she called me could be because my younger sis is vacationing in Hanoi and she needed some female affirmation which she may not be able to get from my brother :)
My mother's Chuan Park apartment is vacant now and on the phone, she was discussing the various prospective tenants with me. As our conversation drifted, she starting talking about how bad the economy in Singapore is. Like me, she uses everyday observations to prove it. She told me that she just came back from the NTUC supermarket and there was no queue that night at the check-out lanes. In fact, the cashiers were sitting around, digging their noses!
My mother has been very concerned about the economic crisis - not for herself, but for us, the younger folks. At the end of the phone call, she reminded me to be thrifty, telling me what I have been reading in the papers and listening on the news everyday... that the depressing economic spell could be a prolonged one. And my children are still young... I noted that during other recent economic bad times (Asian financial crisis, SARS fall-out), she did not ring such an ominous bell.
I have a lot of respect for older folks and I appreciate her concerns. The Chinese saying goes that they have eaten more salt than we have eaten rice. And I know where she is coming from because her generation has gone through a lot in the past.
My mother does not talk a lot about her past but from bits and pieces gathered over the years, I know my grandfather was a tailor and the family headed to wherever the economic opportunities were - so they had lived in Kampar, Telok Intan, Penang, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Times were tough and my mother only went to school when they had the money to pay school fees. During the Second World War, my mother was around 10-12 years old and her head was shaved bald by my grandmother so that she could pretend to be a boy to avoid the unwanted attention of the Japanese soldiers. Her elder sister by ten years disguised herself as an old woman.
Things might have got a bit better much later when she married my dad, but she was widowed when I was 6 years old. I can imagine how daunting it must have been for an uneducated young woman (she was 35 at that time) to think of a future without the support of a husband. Remember this was the early 70's and women's lib was still in its infancy in Asia.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, we survived - through wit, grit and thrift. Thanks to my mother.
Knowing her background, it is not surprising that even today, although most people know my mother as being financially comfortable, she continues to haggle over every single transaction, big or small. I like to go to the wet market with her because she can bring down the prices to shocking levels! She goes to the hairstylist and haggles over the price of a hairperm. She would do the same while shopping for a car or an apartment with my brother.
I'd like to think that I have inherited the habit of thrift from her. Not the haggling, I am hopeless at that. But I do not crave for material possessions of the non-functional kind. My needs are simple: it is already considered a luxury if I buy a full-priced book from a bookshop. My reading materials are normally sourced from 1) discount bookfairs 2) those 3-for-the-price-of-2 promotions and 3) what is available on my brother's bookshelves!
I have one weakness, though. Travelling. If I have to choose between a 1-carat bling-bling and an overseas holiday, the latter would win hands-down. What if I have enough money for both? Then I would choose to go for two holidays. You get what I mean?
So, in the spirit of belt-tightening in anticipation of the deepening recession, overseas holidays will have to go for the time being. I declare that we are grounded. But there is still Cuti-cuti Malaysia (the tagline from the local tourism promotion board). Now I can't wait to explore the rainforests and some of the beaches and mountain resorts in Malaysia.... :)
My mother's Chuan Park apartment is vacant now and on the phone, she was discussing the various prospective tenants with me. As our conversation drifted, she starting talking about how bad the economy in Singapore is. Like me, she uses everyday observations to prove it. She told me that she just came back from the NTUC supermarket and there was no queue that night at the check-out lanes. In fact, the cashiers were sitting around, digging their noses!
My mother has been very concerned about the economic crisis - not for herself, but for us, the younger folks. At the end of the phone call, she reminded me to be thrifty, telling me what I have been reading in the papers and listening on the news everyday... that the depressing economic spell could be a prolonged one. And my children are still young... I noted that during other recent economic bad times (Asian financial crisis, SARS fall-out), she did not ring such an ominous bell.
I have a lot of respect for older folks and I appreciate her concerns. The Chinese saying goes that they have eaten more salt than we have eaten rice. And I know where she is coming from because her generation has gone through a lot in the past.
My mother does not talk a lot about her past but from bits and pieces gathered over the years, I know my grandfather was a tailor and the family headed to wherever the economic opportunities were - so they had lived in Kampar, Telok Intan, Penang, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur. Times were tough and my mother only went to school when they had the money to pay school fees. During the Second World War, my mother was around 10-12 years old and her head was shaved bald by my grandmother so that she could pretend to be a boy to avoid the unwanted attention of the Japanese soldiers. Her elder sister by ten years disguised herself as an old woman.
Things might have got a bit better much later when she married my dad, but she was widowed when I was 6 years old. I can imagine how daunting it must have been for an uneducated young woman (she was 35 at that time) to think of a future without the support of a husband. Remember this was the early 70's and women's lib was still in its infancy in Asia.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, we survived - through wit, grit and thrift. Thanks to my mother.
Knowing her background, it is not surprising that even today, although most people know my mother as being financially comfortable, she continues to haggle over every single transaction, big or small. I like to go to the wet market with her because she can bring down the prices to shocking levels! She goes to the hairstylist and haggles over the price of a hairperm. She would do the same while shopping for a car or an apartment with my brother.
I'd like to think that I have inherited the habit of thrift from her. Not the haggling, I am hopeless at that. But I do not crave for material possessions of the non-functional kind. My needs are simple: it is already considered a luxury if I buy a full-priced book from a bookshop. My reading materials are normally sourced from 1) discount bookfairs 2) those 3-for-the-price-of-2 promotions and 3) what is available on my brother's bookshelves!
I have one weakness, though. Travelling. If I have to choose between a 1-carat bling-bling and an overseas holiday, the latter would win hands-down. What if I have enough money for both? Then I would choose to go for two holidays. You get what I mean?
So, in the spirit of belt-tightening in anticipation of the deepening recession, overseas holidays will have to go for the time being. I declare that we are grounded. But there is still Cuti-cuti Malaysia (the tagline from the local tourism promotion board). Now I can't wait to explore the rainforests and some of the beaches and mountain resorts in Malaysia.... :)
Wednesday 11 February 2009
Make You Feel My Love
Adele's cover version of this Bob Dylan's song is simply the best yet. It has the power to move one to tears (it did to me).Watch this live performance and listen to the song in a dark room, with just you and the music. Magic!
When the rain is blowing in your face,
and the whole world is on your case,
I could offer you a warm embrace
to make you feel my love.
When the evening shadows and the stars appear,
and there is no one there to dry your tears,
I could hold you for a million years
to make you feel my love.
I know you haven't made your mind up yet,
but I would never do you wrong.
I've known it from the moment that we met,
no doubt in my mind where you belong.
I'd go hungry; I'd go black and blue,
I'd go crawling down the avenue.
No, there's nothing that I wouldn't do
to make you feel my love.
The storms are raging on the rolling sea
and on the highway of regret.
Though winds of change are throwing wild and free,
you ain't seen nothing like me yet.
I could make you happy, make your dreams come true.
Nothing that I wouldn't do.
Go to the ends of the Earth for you,
To make you feel my love.
Footnote: I dedicate this song to my three sons.
All of them are too young to appreciate this, but in time to come (like in 30 years), maybe they will.
Monday 9 February 2009
Digital Natives
Son No 1 (above, 2 years old, 1998) is the first "digital native" of our family. He grew up in a wired world and learnt to control the mouse before he could hold the pencil properly.
A few months before his second birthday, he had his first interaction with the computer. He started playing a free sample CD-Rom called Living Books (pic) that was packed in a cereal box. He spent hours clicking here and there on the screen, seeing cartoon images pop out at his command. He was hooked. For his second birthday, we got him the Winnie-the-Pooh Interactive Animated StoryBook. And as they say, the rest is history.Today, Son No 1 exhibits all the traits of a digital native. He:
- types faster than he writes.
- is more comfortable before the screen page than the printed page.
- multi-tasks like crazy - he may be playing a computer game, messaging, chatting on more than one channel (eg msn and facebook), and even reading a real book in-between or doing his school homework - which is largely posted on his school web portal - all while listening to music on his i-pod.
- is never without a digital gadget in hand - his cell phone, MacBook or i-pod.
- sources information almost completely on google and wikipedia.
- eschews the TV (due to commercials) and watches TV programmes on YouTube.
- watches movie DVDs on his MacBook.
- adopts new technology and ideas like fish to water.
- wants everything instantly, or yesterday.
I know Son No 1 is not the exception. He belongs to the 29% of the Malaysian population who are digital natives. In a recent survey (Synovate Young Asians, 2007), it was found that this group, aged 8-24, multitask so intensely that they are able to fit a total of 43.8 hours of media activities into a 24-hour day! This is the highest regionally, even beating Hong Kong (42.6 hours) and Singapore (39.1 hours). A dubious honour, indeed. But good information for marketeers, I am sure!
My hubby and I, on the other hand, are digital migrants. We adopted technology at a later stage of our lives, but still, we did (vis-a-vis digital outcasts who are lost in the digital age). We are comfortable enough with the computer and the internet. It helps that we are willing to learn from our digital native son.
The two younger boys are following their brother's digital footsteps.
Much literature has been written about raising children in the digital world but so far, I think, there is no firm authority on the subject. We parents are learning as we go. Fact is, the world is undergoing a digital revolution and it is changing the way we think, interact and do things.
That's why I am not a hardliner against the use of computers. I just try to guide them in this brave new world as best as I could.
Saturday 7 February 2009
Project Memory Lane
My hubby and I have embarked on a new project - Project Memory Lane.
It all began when my brother posted 3 Chinese New Year photos, taken over the last 3 years, on his Facebook account. This gave me the idea to do the same and so I attempted to trace back over the years all the CNY photos that we have taken. I started looking at the recent years and only found 3 years' worth of photos on my present laptop. My hubby's old and new laptops each stored some pictures - the earliest was taken in 2003.
In our enthusiasm, we took it one step further and began looking at photos taken before we had a digital camera. We carted out our old photo albums and guess what? We found CNY photos for every year, all the way back to 1993! I was jubilant!
The next step was to digitize those printed photos. Using a scanner, we patiently converted each photo into the digital format. It was time-consuming, but worth the effort.
I shall be uploading these photos into our Facebook account after some minimal touch-up so that Friends can share our trip down memory lane. Below is one of such CNY photos. Anyone can guess which year this was taken?
But that's not all.
Project Memory Lane will enter its second phase as we begin to compile digital photo albums for each of the three sons, from birth to present day.
Son No 1 (left - a digitised photo of his kindergarten graduation) had tonnes of photos in print, all arranged and labelled conscientiously in albums. In time to come - just don't ask me when - most of these photos will be digitised. That ought to keep us busy for a long while.
For Son No 3 (below), it would be easier as he was born into the digital era. We just need to find those digital photos! Look at the photo below - one can almost hear the gurgling laughter!
Along the way, we also re-discovered some old - and forgotten - videos of the children. It brought smiles and laughter to us all as we viewed their childhood antics. The children enjoyed them very much. Our Friends on Facebook would have seen some of those videos and hopefully, shared in the merriment.
I shall so-look forward to many, many hours living in the past!
It all began when my brother posted 3 Chinese New Year photos, taken over the last 3 years, on his Facebook account. This gave me the idea to do the same and so I attempted to trace back over the years all the CNY photos that we have taken. I started looking at the recent years and only found 3 years' worth of photos on my present laptop. My hubby's old and new laptops each stored some pictures - the earliest was taken in 2003.
In our enthusiasm, we took it one step further and began looking at photos taken before we had a digital camera. We carted out our old photo albums and guess what? We found CNY photos for every year, all the way back to 1993! I was jubilant!
The next step was to digitize those printed photos. Using a scanner, we patiently converted each photo into the digital format. It was time-consuming, but worth the effort.
I shall be uploading these photos into our Facebook account after some minimal touch-up so that Friends can share our trip down memory lane. Below is one of such CNY photos. Anyone can guess which year this was taken?
But that's not all.
Project Memory Lane will enter its second phase as we begin to compile digital photo albums for each of the three sons, from birth to present day.
Son No 1 (left - a digitised photo of his kindergarten graduation) had tonnes of photos in print, all arranged and labelled conscientiously in albums. In time to come - just don't ask me when - most of these photos will be digitised. That ought to keep us busy for a long while. For Son No 3 (below), it would be easier as he was born into the digital era. We just need to find those digital photos! Look at the photo below - one can almost hear the gurgling laughter!
Along the way, we also re-discovered some old - and forgotten - videos of the children. It brought smiles and laughter to us all as we viewed their childhood antics. The children enjoyed them very much. Our Friends on Facebook would have seen some of those videos and hopefully, shared in the merriment.I shall so-look forward to many, many hours living in the past!
Friday 6 February 2009
Blogging Is Here To Stay
Yesterday, a Singapore Straits Times journalist wrote that "Blogging is so dated... now you twitter".
I am not sure if the above link works for non-subscribers to the Straits Times, so I am reproducing part of his article here.
"BLOGGING is so last year.
Now, the latest rage among netizens is the Internet form of SMS, using tools such as Twitter or Plurk to give friends an instant update on their lives, on subjects ranging from good makan places to news events.
According to research firm Hitwise, blogging traffic slowed last year, while the usage of Twitter and Plurk has exploded.
The number of Singaporean users visiting and using Twitter's site jumped 602 per cent between January last year and last month, said Hitwise, which does not reveal absolute figures."
The reporter went on to interview 2 undergraduates who went on and on about how great Twitter was.
There are two points I want to make here.
One is that the purposes of blogging and twittering are not the same. Those who blog for the purpose of keeping friends and family updated (I call them social bloggers) may want to switch to twittering or social networking sites. I agree that these could be more effective channels, especially for those who are finger-tied (as opposed to tongue-tied) when fingers come into contact with the keyboard. Twittering is also very suitable for those who are always in a rush, and I know a lot of young people who are like that.
But there are many others who blog for other reasons - for example, there are the serious bloggers who want to share their thoughts with the general public - in this case, the growing community of netizens - and have nowhere to publish them, save the internet, via a blog. Many of these succeeded in influencing opinions, as politicians in many countries can attest to. If blogging is dead, I think the politicians will be the first to cheer.
So, no, I do not think that blogging is dead or dated. But for the casual blogger, like me, it does take considerable motivation and time. But a twitter will not do the trick for me. I have problems keeping my posts short!
The other point I want to highlight is how statistics can pull the wool over one's eyes. First of all, I would like to ask what is the volume of blogging traffic compared to twittering traffic today. We all know a low base will distort numbers when we talk about percentage rise, so a phenomenal rise of 600+% is nothing to shout about if the base is low, and I believe it is. Without announcing absolute numbers, the researcher loses credibility. Is it deliberately trying to create a story - that might be true - but not unexpected?
I would also like to ask who commissioned the research firm, Hitwise, to conduct the research. Research firms know on which side their bread is buttered.
By the way, I am not against twittering... in fact, I have a dormant twitter account. It just does not serve my needs.
I am not sure if the above link works for non-subscribers to the Straits Times, so I am reproducing part of his article here.
"BLOGGING is so last year.
Now, the latest rage among netizens is the Internet form of SMS, using tools such as Twitter or Plurk to give friends an instant update on their lives, on subjects ranging from good makan places to news events.
According to research firm Hitwise, blogging traffic slowed last year, while the usage of Twitter and Plurk has exploded.
The number of Singaporean users visiting and using Twitter's site jumped 602 per cent between January last year and last month, said Hitwise, which does not reveal absolute figures."
The reporter went on to interview 2 undergraduates who went on and on about how great Twitter was.
There are two points I want to make here.
One is that the purposes of blogging and twittering are not the same. Those who blog for the purpose of keeping friends and family updated (I call them social bloggers) may want to switch to twittering or social networking sites. I agree that these could be more effective channels, especially for those who are finger-tied (as opposed to tongue-tied) when fingers come into contact with the keyboard. Twittering is also very suitable for those who are always in a rush, and I know a lot of young people who are like that.
But there are many others who blog for other reasons - for example, there are the serious bloggers who want to share their thoughts with the general public - in this case, the growing community of netizens - and have nowhere to publish them, save the internet, via a blog. Many of these succeeded in influencing opinions, as politicians in many countries can attest to. If blogging is dead, I think the politicians will be the first to cheer.
So, no, I do not think that blogging is dead or dated. But for the casual blogger, like me, it does take considerable motivation and time. But a twitter will not do the trick for me. I have problems keeping my posts short!
The other point I want to highlight is how statistics can pull the wool over one's eyes. First of all, I would like to ask what is the volume of blogging traffic compared to twittering traffic today. We all know a low base will distort numbers when we talk about percentage rise, so a phenomenal rise of 600+% is nothing to shout about if the base is low, and I believe it is. Without announcing absolute numbers, the researcher loses credibility. Is it deliberately trying to create a story - that might be true - but not unexpected?
I would also like to ask who commissioned the research firm, Hitwise, to conduct the research. Research firms know on which side their bread is buttered.
By the way, I am not against twittering... in fact, I have a dormant twitter account. It just does not serve my needs.
Monday 2 February 2009
What Does Mummy Do?
Yesterday, Son No 3 was discussing one of his favourite topics again - what he was going to be when he grew up.
"I want to be like Mummy when I grow up," he declared earnestly.
My face lit up. I was flattered. But I was not exactly sure what he meant. Which aspect of my life was he talking about? So I asked him, "What is it that Mummy does that you like?"
"Do nothing," he grinned.
Wait a minute. He likes it that being a Mummy means doing nothing? Oh, I geddit. Mummy does not go to work and so she does nothing.
In my mind, I can just imagine, if his class teacher were to ask the class, "Children, what does your mother do?", you will hear a dozen voices shouting - my mummy is a nurse, a manager, a lawyer, an accountant, a whatever... and when it is Son No 3's turn, he has nothing to say. His mother does nothing?
It's ok, he's probably too young to understand. But then, even Son No 1 tells his teachers that his mother is a lecturer - which is not factually incorrect - but it does show that being a stay-at-home mother is not something that is worth mentioning. And Hubby, who is generally supportive, occasionally slips and says things like, "So what type of stress do you have?" Millions of people think that being a stay-at-home mum means doing nothing. So don't blame the poor 5-year-old.
But it's really ok. Like what my dear sister said recently, I do not need to justify myself to anyone, I only need to justify myself to myself. If I tell people how my life revolve around the children, and how I arrange my life around the children's needs, I will only sound pa-the-tic.
Nevertheless, I make a mental note that when I start my new semester at the University this Sunday, and go to work, I will make a big deal out of it - just so Son No 3 will remember and have something to say if his teacher or anyone were to ask him what his mother does.
"I want to be like Mummy when I grow up," he declared earnestly.
My face lit up. I was flattered. But I was not exactly sure what he meant. Which aspect of my life was he talking about? So I asked him, "What is it that Mummy does that you like?"
"Do nothing," he grinned.
Wait a minute. He likes it that being a Mummy means doing nothing? Oh, I geddit. Mummy does not go to work and so she does nothing.
In my mind, I can just imagine, if his class teacher were to ask the class, "Children, what does your mother do?", you will hear a dozen voices shouting - my mummy is a nurse, a manager, a lawyer, an accountant, a whatever... and when it is Son No 3's turn, he has nothing to say. His mother does nothing?
It's ok, he's probably too young to understand. But then, even Son No 1 tells his teachers that his mother is a lecturer - which is not factually incorrect - but it does show that being a stay-at-home mother is not something that is worth mentioning. And Hubby, who is generally supportive, occasionally slips and says things like, "So what type of stress do you have?" Millions of people think that being a stay-at-home mum means doing nothing. So don't blame the poor 5-year-old.
But it's really ok. Like what my dear sister said recently, I do not need to justify myself to anyone, I only need to justify myself to myself. If I tell people how my life revolve around the children, and how I arrange my life around the children's needs, I will only sound pa-the-tic.
Nevertheless, I make a mental note that when I start my new semester at the University this Sunday, and go to work, I will make a big deal out of it - just so Son No 3 will remember and have something to say if his teacher or anyone were to ask him what his mother does.
Sunday 1 February 2009
Recession Is...
... finding 483 vacant carpark lots at noon in Mid-Valley on a Sunday.
Initially, we thought the digital signboard might have malfunctioned (I always wondered how they got the numbers since the carpark lots are not tagged, unlike in Singapore), but the truth bore out when we entered the basement carpark. We got a lot next to the carpark lobby.
Lol, we do not need the economists to give us leading or lagging indicators. Like what my former boss from OCBC used to say, just look out over the Keppel Shipyard from one of the highrise buildings at Shenton Way in Singapore and view the stacks of containers there. During the good times, the place will be stacked high with containers. No prize for guessing how it is nowadays.
Bleak, bleak, bleak....
Initially, we thought the digital signboard might have malfunctioned (I always wondered how they got the numbers since the carpark lots are not tagged, unlike in Singapore), but the truth bore out when we entered the basement carpark. We got a lot next to the carpark lobby.
Lol, we do not need the economists to give us leading or lagging indicators. Like what my former boss from OCBC used to say, just look out over the Keppel Shipyard from one of the highrise buildings at Shenton Way in Singapore and view the stacks of containers there. During the good times, the place will be stacked high with containers. No prize for guessing how it is nowadays.
Bleak, bleak, bleak....
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