Learning Mandarin

Went to Tawau last weekend to give a health talk. I gave the talk in Cantonese to a mandarin-speaking audience, and tho my 'presentation-Cantonese' is half-past-six (not so good), my audience could understand me (I hope!). They were laughing. (Ermm... or maybe they were laughing at my chinese?)

I could understand some Mandarin, but I can't seem to get my brain and my tongue to connect! Can't get the words out! But once I know the word, I have been told my pronunciation is as good as any native speaker (ahem!).

I know Mandarin is really so important, and not knowing how to communicate in Mandarin is a draw-back. It's been a struggle for me to learn Mandarin. But even so, I did not send my kids to a chinese-medium school. Many reasons.

Yes, they're real bananas (yellow outside, white inside). But I do believe when they want to, they'll learn the language.

When Damian was around 5, I sent him to this learning center to learn Mandarin. He'll be whining and crying each time, until I gave up!!! But now, he's asking me how come I didn't let him learn Mandarin? I reminded him what happened and he has the audacity to look embarassed. He said "Yar, it's better this way. I prefer to learn now that I'm interested and not forced to do so."  (Why the interest? His friends are all speaking Mandarin around him!)

So now, I have a teacher come to the house to teach Mandarin once a week for 90 mins. Some asked "Can learn meh? Just 90 mins a week only wor?"

I think can lor. When you are interested enough. Kids can understand a bit, but they can't really speak yet. Never mind... they'll be ok. No need to speak Mandarin professionally. Just enough to get by... but hopefully a lot better than me. Hopefully, the advantage of their age would allow their brain and tongue to connect!

A smile to brighten up my day

Whenever I go grocery shopping at Carrefour, Endah Parade, I always look forward to meeting him.

He always greet me with a cheerful smile, a happy 'thank you' and a wave of the hand.

He's none other than the guy who collects the parking fare.

I'm sure that despite his humble job, if he keeps his cheerful attitude, he's heading towards a great, happy life. All the best to him :-)

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Support a Home

All the camps and worskhops finally over as of yesterday. There's still the Church Christmas Party this Saturday (but that doesn't really count)... so I'm set to relax. Of course I still have Fitline and Breastfeeding... that's year-round work. (Actually not work la, since I really enjoy doing it, so it doesn't feel like 'work' - more like hobby. But I get paid for these hobbies! Good eh?)

I've always have an interest in Homes for Children. These homes not only take in orphans but also kids whose parents are not able to take care of them. Whenever I start talking of these Homes, invariably some people will comment that some of these Homes are very 'high-profile' ie, they have big corporations and many influential people supporting them. These people will also comment that they rather give their money to lesser-known Homes. and when I asked them which Home do they support, most will not be able to give me a name!!!

As I've been working closely with some of these 'high-profile' Homes, I found out a few facts:

1. Yes, they may be well funded, but all the monies goes towards the welfare of the children. These children, like any children deserve:
good food
good clothes
good education (it's difficult to get anyone to volunteer to tutor them for FREE, so tuition teachers have to be paid)

All the above can be bought with Money, and most of the time, all the money donated to these Homes are actually not eough! Home Administrators sometimes have to go looking for donation when they should be spending their time looking after the welfare of the Children.

2. It's a fact that most people are more willing to just give money, but not their time

3. And even if Big Corporations and Influential People support these Homes, they do not visit the Kids on a regular basis and give them what they need most - a warm, caring and loving HUG and ADULT EMOTIONAL SUPPORT - on a regular basis.

I know of this company. My friend was in the committee. They wanted to do some charity. When my friend suggested these 'high-profile' Homes, the other committee members shot down the idea, saying that these homes already got the support of many big organizations. They wanted a lesser-known Home. Guess what? 2 years later they still have not done any 'charity' for any Homes. Why? All Homes suggested do not meet their criteria of deserving their help. So what happens to the money collected? Dunno.

Why are many people against supporting these Homes? Some refused to give anything because they say the Home Administrators will only take for themselves the rice or canned-food donated. Do they have proofs? Mostly it's just hearsay. It's just rumours passing from one mouth to the next without a thought to find out for themselves if it's really true. It's really a bleak way of looking at people - with suspicion, thinking that all these people who worked for the welfare of the less-priviledged as dishonest or worse - crooks!!

If you can help just ONE child by regularly giving your help and love, you might just have changed this CHILD's future. And if you really want to support ONLY 'lesser-known' Homes, then do it!! Don't just yak about it.

It's rewarding

I've not updated this blog for 10 days!!!

It's been a frenzied time for me. Feverishly promoting the school holiday camps. Runing north, south , east and west asking people to sponsor 15 less-priviledged teens so that they too can attend The YES! Camp which was held on 2 - 4 Dec 2009 (Wednesday to Friday).

It's already 1st Dec and with 4 more teens left unsponsored, but I knew somehow, someone will help us pull through. Amazingly (but not surprisingly), it happened! Thank you to all my good friends who either sponsored a teen (some even sponsored 4!) or heped me get the word out!. Indeed there are many great amazing people out there!

Someone asked... why am I doing this? Honestly, I'm not making tons of money from these camps (yet), but I do it because I really really enjoy it. I enjoy seeing the awareness and understanding dawning in the kids eyes. I enjoy seeing them come out of their shell and start opening up. I enjoy pushing them to their limits and have them succeed.

There were many participants who were initially not happy to be there. They were forced by their parents, or by their guardians(in the case of some of the sponsored teens)

There was this girl.... she was sulking. She was not happy to be there. Everything is boring for her. On the last day, she was smilling and high-5-ing her new friends. And she wrote "people are not that bad... i just have to give them, and myself a chance". That's great isn't it?

Another said "Now I appreciate all that I have. I will be more positive from now on, and not complain just because I don't get my own way."

Yet another, "I have been to many camps, but this is the best camp ever!!"

Out of 29 participants, all (but 1) had an amazing time. I'm not making this up. I've proofs!! I actually recorded them saying these! And I have it in writing too!!! Ask to see it if you want!

So... one did not enjoy himself. He felt that the camp was 'military' and he did not come to camp to be 'tortured'!!! He told me personally that he hated the camp. (But yet, during graduation time, when we gave out the certificates, he said that he had a great time.) Oh well.... you can't please everyone!!

I'm happy.

And exhausted.

But Happy

Very happy

Kudos Damian and Marcus!

UPSR Results were out last Thursday (19 Nov).

As expected - 5As for both Damian and Marcus. (out of 87 students, 19 of them got 5As.)

Now we can all relax. The weeks before the exam.... the weeks after the exams.... were pretty torturous for Damian , and me! Damian - because that's Damian la. He allows his imagination to run wild with 'what ifs'.
What if he wrote the wrong thing,
what if he accidentally shade the wrong box,
what if he calculated wrongly.

And torturous for me - coz - he keeps 'what if-ing' with me!

One of his teachers was telling them about a student who didn't get the results she expected and she killed herself! I told Damian (the day before the results were out) that if he kills himself, I'll kill him!!!

So... UPSR so important meh? 5As so important meh?

On results day, one of the boys were seen with his fingers crossed, eyes screwed shut and chanting to himself "Pls let me get a C! Please let me get a C!" (He was expecting a D for his BM paper!)

Another boy who was totally not expecting it, continued to stare off into space when his name was announced as amongst those who has gotten 5As!

A girl cried coz she worked so hard for her BM, score the A, but then scored a B in another paper!

Seriously ... how important are the As? Yes, of course it's great to have, but seriously.....does it really determined our kids future?

Stephanie and Josehine is now worried that they can't get 5As. I always told them.... no need to compete with kor-kor. Be the best they can be. Always either do better or maintain their own standards. Good advice? And when they've tried their best (and don't get an A), I really think they deserve a reward for their efforts.

It's all worth it

Sometimes, something just happen out of the blue, and makes my day:

Selamat Hari Raya

I remember (in my childhood) .....

But now the only 'feel' of Raya is ......

Raya decorations in Shopping Complexes:

Is this 'sad' or what?????

A Pasar Malam Experience

I took Damian to makan dinner at the local Pasar Malam (Night Market). He has been to the Pasar Malam , ummm, maybe 4 times in his entire life, so you can imagine that this is indeed a treat for him and he's eager to try some new stuffs.

We decided on Asam Laksa and some sinful fried chicken fillet with cinnamon and fresh chilli powder (yummy!) We have to share a table with this man (in his late 40s, maybe). He was eating his asam laksa quietly, he doesn't look like anyone you'd take notice of.

Immediately after his dinner, the man lighted a cigarette and literally blew smoke into our faces and food! Damian coughed and look meaningfully at me. I said to Damian, "It's all selfishness. The world would be a better place if we're not so selfish."

And to our shock, the smoker started yelling at us "What's wrong with me having a quiet smoke after my dinner? Can't I enjoy life?!!!!"

I stared back at him (coolly, I believe), "Of course you can enjoy life, but we have the right to breathe un pollutted air!"

He continued yelling, "Then drop dead! Your son can also drop dead! Hah! I was not disturbing anyone! I was just having a quiet dinner!"

Damian was obviously shaken. I whispered to him "It's ok. Just finish our dinner. When someone curse you, the curse will fall back on him."

And he continue shouting (yes, people were looking) "So what if the curse falls back on me? Hah! You don't like ciggarette smoke, don't come out of your house-la!"

I fixed my eyes on him and stared daggers at him. (Anyone who's familiar with the killing-look-of-a-mother will know what I'm talking about.) He immediately shut-up. He finished his ciggy and dialled someone on the phone and started yelling into it saying "If you don't pay up I'll just have to force you" (yar, like that kind of talk is going to scare me!)

I continued staring at him ... making him all flustered. Then we left, only after I slowly finish my asam laksa, all the while staring at him!

Damian was troubled by the whole incident. I explained that maybe that man had a real bad day, and is somewhat crazy, and the slightest provocation sets him off. Poor guy!

"What about him telling us to drop dead?" he asked

It's like this. If you throw a stone at a wall, what happens? It'll bounce back and hit the thrower, right? We are like the wall, protected by our strong faith and values, and no curse can touch us. We are children of God and Jesus is our Lord after all. Who can harm us?

Damian is more relieved after that.

My Millionaire

Attended the Millionaire Mind Intensive by T.Harv Eker with Damian.

Damian has always been very money-minded. While some [like some older folks, and even some younger ones] might frown on this, I actually encourage this!! How I wished I have been money-minded from an earlier age! Then I would have learned more about making and managing my money and not make the mistakes I made!

So.... Damian is having an early start!! When asked why he wants to be rich, his answers are the usual buy books & toys, live in big house and go on holidays. But on his list there are also:

• build libraries for all the poor people


• save the planet by creating environmental awareness


• build schools


• give money to people affected by natural disasters

Now of course you might still be able to do that if you are poor, but we believe we can do more if we are rich!! And we'll have more fun too!!!

Keep Moving Forward Damian!!

Go Get It! Period!

One of my favourite movie is "In Pursuit of Happyness".

It’s a great movie starring Will Smith as Chris Gardner.Always hard working and tenacious, a series of circumstances in the early 1980’s left Gardner homeless in San Francisco and the sole guardian of his toddler son. Unwilling to give up Chris Jr. or his dream of financial independence, Gardner started at the bottom.

Without connections or a college degree, he earned a spot in the Dean Witter Reynolds training program.Often spending his nights in a church shelter or the bathroom at a Bay Area Rapid Transit station in Oakland (that scene moved me to tears!), Gardner was the sole trainee offered a job at Dean Witter Reynolds in 1981.

"You got a dream, you gotta protect it. People can't do something themselves, they wanna tell you that you can't do it. You want something? Go get it. Period" Chris Gardner to Jr.

I urged you to go get a copy of this most inspiring movie. You'll understand....

Spring Cleaning

I received this in the email, and I really like it:

Last Week I threw out worrying,
It was getting old and in the way
It kept me from being me;
I couldn't do things God's way.

I threw out a book on MY PAST (Didn't have time to read it anyway).
Replaced it with NEW GOALS, Started reading it today.

I threw out hate and bad memories, (Remember how I treasured them so)?
Got me a NEW PHILOSOPHY too,
Threw out the one from long ago.
Brought in some new books too, called I CAN, I WILL, and I MUST.
Threw out I might, I think and I ought.

WOW, you should've seen the dust.

I ran across an OLD FRIEND, I hadn't talked to in a while.
His name is GOD the Father, and I really like His style.
He helped me to do some cleaning and added some things Himself.
Like PRAYER, HOPE, FAITH and LOVE,
Yes... I placed them right on the shelf.

I picked up this special thing and placed it at the front door.
I FOUND IT- it's called PEACE.
Nothing gets me down anymore.

Yes, I've got my house looking nice, Looks good around the place
For things like Worry and Trouble there just isn't any space.
It's good to do a little house cleaning,
Get rid of the things on the shelf.
It sure makes things brighter;
maybe you should TRY IT YOURSELF.

BE BLESSED AND BE A BLESSING TO SOMEONE ELSE!!!!

Bless someone. Keep the Faith!

Ignorance!

I am a breastfeeding consultant and advocate. I received this sms just now:

"I don't understand. Why majority women around me against breastfeed. Some comment milk formula better than breastmilk.Some said breastfed not good for mother healthy. They said my wife not strong enough for breastfed. Breastfed wil cause my wife not get enough sleep, indirectly affect her health in future. Some said my wife milk less quantity and quality. All of them are women. I really not understand!"

This was from a new-daddy of a 3 week old baby. From day 1 he has been very supportive of his wife, very encouraging, and I know his wife really appreciates him. They both want to give the best to their baby and know that breastfeeding is the best. Unfortunately the confinement lady they hired has been very negative about breastfeeding. All people around them were not supportive.

The doctor told them baby's not putting on enough weight and advised them to switch to formula! They called me. I checked the WHO growth-chart for breastfed baby and discover that the weight gain is right on target!

IGNORANCE!!!

While breastfeeding might not be the best for every parent, it certainly is the best for every baby! And it's so sad when the parents wants to breastfeed, has sufficient milk to breastfeed, they were discouraged from doing so! Ignorance!

Ignorant and negative family and friends can certainly add lots of stress on the new parents.

So....my plea to those of you who might have friends or family who are pregnant and intended to breastfeed - PLEASE ... if you have nothing nice to say about breastfeeding - just keep your big mouth shut!!!!

Inconsiderate

I was looking for a parking space in a place where parking spaces are really really limited.

The law of "when-you-are-rushed-for-time-no-parking-space-is-available" kicks in.

I have driven very slowly around the place 3 times when I saw this lady walking towards her car. I quickly reversed and waited behind her Proton Waja. This lady certainly saw me.

She continued talking into her phone - ok, I can be patient.

With her phone in between her ears and her shoulders, she rummaged through her big 'Coach' bag. - I'm drumming my fingers on the steering wheel.

Ah - found her keys! Dropped her keys! Pick keys up, Coach bag fell off her shoulders! Nearly drop her phone. Drop keys again!! She shot a quick look towards my car - ok, ok, take a deep breath.

Finally she got into her car!!! - Yay, I might not be late for my appointment after all. Got ready to zoom in as soon as the Waja is out!

30 seconds later - what's she doing? Putting on lispstick!!!!!! What the f*** !!! - I started chanting "I am calm and peaceful"

Now she's applying mascara!!! - I politely gave her a honk

She's applying face powder!!! - I not-so-politely gave her two honks.

She turned sideways to look towards my car. Oh S***, she answered a call on her handphone, then appears to be searching for something in her car... found it - the handsfree earphone - plug it into her phone. - I am rummaging in my car for a gun!

The Waja right signal started to blink, the car moved slowly out of the parking lot. Then it's gone!

I was a about 2 mins late for my appointmnet, but the other person was 15 minutes late!