I hate moving house.
We recently moved to another house in the same compound due to issues with the old house. This is the umpteenth time we've moved. And moving just one street over doesn't make the process any easier. All that packing, then unpacking then sorting out & putting stuff away...it makes you realize just how much stuff one accumulates (let alone FOUR people) in a lifetime.
Moving into a new house is kinda like getting to know a new acquaintance. We have to figure out how things work & where things belong & all those idiosyncrasies that go with the new place. An added challenge now, that comes with age, is putting things away & being able to remember at a lated date, where these things are! Ah, the joys of aging.
Showing posts with label Ramblings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ramblings. Show all posts
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
"4 legs good, 2 legs better" *
I read this letter today in the ST online forum:
Shark's fins menu: Why the double standards?
WHAT Resort World Sentosa has done to promote goodwill and highlight its commitment to the environment is very heartening, 'No shark's fin served here' (May 30).
Dr Huang has blogged about the plight of the FDW & how the government still refuses to impose a mandatory day-off policy - another example of how things are done in Singapore. No high road here.
Until the day comes when the government itself realizes that doing the right thing applies to everyone, & not to just certain people, things will not change.
*from "Animal Farm" by George Orwell
Shark's fins menu: Why the double standards?
WHAT Resort World Sentosa has done to promote goodwill and highlight its commitment to the environment is very heartening, 'No shark's fin served here' (May 30).
I am a nature lover. I have attended seminars on the environment and learnt how sharks have been thrown back into the sea after having their fins cut. Why must there be such cruelty to sharks?
However, I was disappointed to read that shark's fins will be served to high-end rollers at the resort. Why the contradiction?
Ace Kindred Cheong
I am surprised at Mr Cheong's naivete. Hasn't he learnt by now that in Singapore, soon to become the capitalists' capital of the world, money talks the loudest? From all-business class flights to an all-A-class wards hospital, it has been proven time & again that those with money are pandered to, high moral standards be damned.
Dr Huang has blogged about the plight of the FDW & how the government still refuses to impose a mandatory day-off policy - another example of how things are done in Singapore. No high road here.
Until the day comes when the government itself realizes that doing the right thing applies to everyone, & not to just certain people, things will not change.
*from "Animal Farm" by George Orwell
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Time Passes Us By
It's amazing how time has passed by the last year & a half. It almost seems like half a lifetime ago that we relocated to China. But now, here we are - the kids are finishing up their school year, & I've been invited to more farewell parties than I'd like. That comes with the territory I suppose, of being part of & living amongst an expatriate community where the population is transient. Goodbyes are never easy, especially so for the children. It will be hard saying "au revoir" to good friends we've come to know, as they leave for different parts of the world. But the world being as small as it is these days, one never knows when we will meet again.
With the end of school, comes the summer holidays & our plans are finally confirmed. We will be visiting both West & East coast of the US, including some campus visits of colleges to give our older boy an idea of what college life is like there. I know that the next two years will fly by, & soon, he will go off to college & the start of a new life for him - not something I look forward to, but have to come to terms with as part of the cycle of life.
While in New York, we will watch Jersey Boys (highly recommended by spacefan!) It was exhilarating to be able to buy tickets for this immensely popular show which is usually sold out, or left with pathetic seats. But luck was with me today as I surfed through the Telecharge website & found 4 relatively good Orchestra seats. However, at the same time, it was painful parting with more than USD 100 per tickets!!!
In a flash, the Olympics will come & go, & the next school year will start. And I will be the parent of not one, but TWO high-schoolers.
And life goes on.
With the end of school, comes the summer holidays & our plans are finally confirmed. We will be visiting both West & East coast of the US, including some campus visits of colleges to give our older boy an idea of what college life is like there. I know that the next two years will fly by, & soon, he will go off to college & the start of a new life for him - not something I look forward to, but have to come to terms with as part of the cycle of life.
While in New York, we will watch Jersey Boys (highly recommended by spacefan!) It was exhilarating to be able to buy tickets for this immensely popular show which is usually sold out, or left with pathetic seats. But luck was with me today as I surfed through the Telecharge website & found 4 relatively good Orchestra seats. However, at the same time, it was painful parting with more than USD 100 per tickets!!!
In a flash, the Olympics will come & go, & the next school year will start. And I will be the parent of not one, but TWO high-schoolers.
And life goes on.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Happy Birthday (I think)
You know you are getting older when:
a) you wake up on your birthday & forget that it's your birthday;
b) you have to think hard to remember how old you are by taking away the year of your birth from the current year to arrive at the answer (your age).
a) you wake up on your birthday & forget that it's your birthday;
b) you have to think hard to remember how old you are by taking away the year of your birth from the current year to arrive at the answer (your age).
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
No Money No Talk
- Parkway to build hospital with A Class suites only.
- SIA to convert all direct non-stop flights to Los Angeles & New York to Business Class only.
You tell me.
Impressions from Singapore - Dubious Imports
I was quite alarmed to read this in today's Straits Times. I wonder if the hiring managers or whoever makes these decisions in SMRT & SBS Transit have ever traveled on the streets of China before. I certainly hope so. Nightmare, is all I can say.
Let's hope these Chinese bus drivers don't bring their horrible driving habits here to Singapore. And I hope SMRT & SBS Transit puts them through intensive training to get rid of these bad driving habits & teach them some road etiquette before letting them loose on the streets of Singapore.
Yikes.
March 11, 2008
China bus drivers hired as few S'poreans keen on job
120 from China hired; low pay, irregular hours are major roadblocks for Singaporeans
By Yeo Ghim Lay & Jamie Ee Wen Wei
BUS operators are turning to China for drivers as more Singaporeans here shun the job, complaining of irregular hours and low pay.
This is the first time SBS Transit and SMRT are looking beyond Singapore and Malaysia in their efforts to hire more drivers.
SMRT's first batch of 34 drivers from China arrived in January. It has hired about 100 to boost its pool of 1,700, 80 per cent of whom are Singaporeans.
Meanwhile, SBS is bringing in 20 such drivers to start work soon on two-year contracts.
SBS Transit spokesman Tammy Tan said that if its first batch of bus captains from China performs well, it might hire more of them and also consider drivers from other countries.
It currently has 5,200 drivers, 75 per cent of whom are Singaporeans or permanent residents.
For both bus operators, Malaysians make up the rest of the drivers.
Both companies said they are turning to China as they find it increasingly difficult to hire Singaporeans.
It is a problem that has surfaced in the past.
In 2005, the basic pay of bus drivers was raised from $936 to about $1,200 to get more Singaporeans to take up the job.
In addition, as part of a job redesign programme - a larger initiative by the labour movement to get Singaporeans to take up jobs they once shunned - drivers were renamed bus captains, to improve their self-esteem.
The measures worked initially, as the number of Singaporeans signing up rose.
But although salaries have risen since then - SBS Transit says its bus captains earn between $1,600 and $3,500 a month now - hiring Singaporeans is getting tougher.
National Transport Workers' Union (NTWU) general secretary Fang Chin Poh said the revised salaries are still not attractive enough for most Singaporeans, especially given the long and irregular hours.
Bus drivers usually work 10 to 12 hours a day, including overtime, said Mr Fang, a bus captain with SBS Transit for 28 years.
Those who are on the morning shift have to start work at 4am or earlier, while drivers on the night shift get back home at about 2am or later, he said.
They also work a six-day week, and their one day off is not fixed. Breaks between bus trips are usually 10 to 15 minutes, added Mr Fang.
'It is a tough job. Not only do you have to drive and keep a look-out for other vehicles, you have to take care of commuters too,' he said.
NTWU president Lau Lye Hock noted that with more jobs being created by the booming economy, Singaporeans have more job choices now.
Driving a taxi is more attractive than driving a bus, for instance, because the hours are flexible, said Mr Lau.
For its part, the union is encouraging older bus captains to continue working if they are able to, instead of retiring.
But Mr Fang acknowledges that as time goes by, it is likely that Singaporeans will see more bus drivers from China.
Besides the lack of interest from Singaporeans, China drivers also come cheaper, he said.
When contacted, SBS Transit said it is still finalising salaries for its China bus captains, while SMRT declined to give figures.
Before they hit the road, the new hires will be given lessons to improve their grasp of English, said the bus operators.
They will also get other training, including service route familiarisation, customer service and how to handle local road conditions.
One major change for the new bus captains from China: They will have to keep to the left-hand side of the road when driving, instead of to the right as they do in China.
ghimlay@sph.com.sg
jamieee@sph.com.sg
On a different note, I wonder if Singaporeans will react by protesting the importation of foreign talent (again). This is another example of Singaporeans not wanting the "tough" jobs.
Let's hope these Chinese bus drivers don't bring their horrible driving habits here to Singapore. And I hope SMRT & SBS Transit puts them through intensive training to get rid of these bad driving habits & teach them some road etiquette before letting them loose on the streets of Singapore.
Yikes.
March 11, 2008
China bus drivers hired as few S'poreans keen on job
120 from China hired; low pay, irregular hours are major roadblocks for Singaporeans
By Yeo Ghim Lay & Jamie Ee Wen Wei
BUS operators are turning to China for drivers as more Singaporeans here shun the job, complaining of irregular hours and low pay.
This is the first time SBS Transit and SMRT are looking beyond Singapore and Malaysia in their efforts to hire more drivers.
SMRT's first batch of 34 drivers from China arrived in January. It has hired about 100 to boost its pool of 1,700, 80 per cent of whom are Singaporeans.
Meanwhile, SBS is bringing in 20 such drivers to start work soon on two-year contracts.
SBS Transit spokesman Tammy Tan said that if its first batch of bus captains from China performs well, it might hire more of them and also consider drivers from other countries.
It currently has 5,200 drivers, 75 per cent of whom are Singaporeans or permanent residents.
For both bus operators, Malaysians make up the rest of the drivers.
Both companies said they are turning to China as they find it increasingly difficult to hire Singaporeans.
It is a problem that has surfaced in the past.
In 2005, the basic pay of bus drivers was raised from $936 to about $1,200 to get more Singaporeans to take up the job.
In addition, as part of a job redesign programme - a larger initiative by the labour movement to get Singaporeans to take up jobs they once shunned - drivers were renamed bus captains, to improve their self-esteem.
The measures worked initially, as the number of Singaporeans signing up rose.
But although salaries have risen since then - SBS Transit says its bus captains earn between $1,600 and $3,500 a month now - hiring Singaporeans is getting tougher.
National Transport Workers' Union (NTWU) general secretary Fang Chin Poh said the revised salaries are still not attractive enough for most Singaporeans, especially given the long and irregular hours.
Bus drivers usually work 10 to 12 hours a day, including overtime, said Mr Fang, a bus captain with SBS Transit for 28 years.
Those who are on the morning shift have to start work at 4am or earlier, while drivers on the night shift get back home at about 2am or later, he said.
They also work a six-day week, and their one day off is not fixed. Breaks between bus trips are usually 10 to 15 minutes, added Mr Fang.
'It is a tough job. Not only do you have to drive and keep a look-out for other vehicles, you have to take care of commuters too,' he said.
NTWU president Lau Lye Hock noted that with more jobs being created by the booming economy, Singaporeans have more job choices now.
Driving a taxi is more attractive than driving a bus, for instance, because the hours are flexible, said Mr Lau.
For its part, the union is encouraging older bus captains to continue working if they are able to, instead of retiring.
But Mr Fang acknowledges that as time goes by, it is likely that Singaporeans will see more bus drivers from China.
Besides the lack of interest from Singaporeans, China drivers also come cheaper, he said.
When contacted, SBS Transit said it is still finalising salaries for its China bus captains, while SMRT declined to give figures.
Before they hit the road, the new hires will be given lessons to improve their grasp of English, said the bus operators.
They will also get other training, including service route familiarisation, customer service and how to handle local road conditions.
One major change for the new bus captains from China: They will have to keep to the left-hand side of the road when driving, instead of to the right as they do in China.
ghimlay@sph.com.sg
jamieee@sph.com.sg
On a different note, I wonder if Singaporeans will react by protesting the importation of foreign talent (again). This is another example of Singaporeans not wanting the "tough" jobs.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Getting Healthy
It's been over 2 months since I've started going to the gym on a regular basis. As in really regular, 3 times a week without fail, with at least 30 to 45 minutes of cardio workout, & a bit of weight training on targeted muscle groups, the latter to strengthen muscles that support joints like the knees & shoulders which I've been having problems with.
As I get older, health matters become more of a concern. I know it sounds strange coming from a doctor, but doctors can be the worst patients. I know in my case, I haven't exactly been the paradigm of health as far as my weight & eating healthy was concerned. And I had my VERY FIRST HEALTH SCREENING just over a month ago. I know, I am very bad. So my LDL is slightly high, but HDL is at a nicely high level too. But my TG's need to come down - so I guess that means trying to eat fish & perhaps taking omega 2 (Jan 28 -correction: should have been omega 3) fatty acid supplements.
(The good news is that I have been religiously regular with the female checks like the PAPs & the Mammos & the US scans).
In my schooling years, I had always been active, with ECAs (as it was known then) & in university, with representing the medical faculty in various sports. So my activity level had always been decently healthy. Then after graduation from medical school, housemanship & MO ship started & I needed to find time for other things (like sleep!). Although I had had sporadic periods of time during which I went to the gym or played various kinds of sports once or twice a week, I inevitably found myself stopping due to either lack of time or different priorities coming up (like children!). I am sure many working parents succumb to the same trap; whether or not it's avoidable, that's arguable.
The turning point came after my thumb injury last year, as I became terribly sedentary during the recovery & rehab period, & felt myself getting more & more lethargic. It's a vicious cycle, really. The less you do, the more lethargic one becomes. So I decided - that's enough lazing around, aliendoc. You need to get off your butt & get healthy again.
In the months that I've become more active, I have found myself with more energy, & feeling less lethargic. If I miss out on a day of exercise, I find myself feeling uncomfortable, & bloated. Perhaps its the endorphins & adrenaline doing their jobs. Whatever it is, I need to continue working on it, not so much to lose weight, but for the sake of my cardiovascular health.
I hope I can persevere.
As I get older, health matters become more of a concern. I know it sounds strange coming from a doctor, but doctors can be the worst patients. I know in my case, I haven't exactly been the paradigm of health as far as my weight & eating healthy was concerned. And I had my VERY FIRST HEALTH SCREENING just over a month ago. I know, I am very bad. So my LDL is slightly high, but HDL is at a nicely high level too. But my TG's need to come down - so I guess that means trying to eat fish & perhaps taking omega 2 (Jan 28 -correction: should have been omega 3) fatty acid supplements.
(The good news is that I have been religiously regular with the female checks like the PAPs & the Mammos & the US scans).
In my schooling years, I had always been active, with ECAs (as it was known then) & in university, with representing the medical faculty in various sports. So my activity level had always been decently healthy. Then after graduation from medical school, housemanship & MO ship started & I needed to find time for other things (like sleep!). Although I had had sporadic periods of time during which I went to the gym or played various kinds of sports once or twice a week, I inevitably found myself stopping due to either lack of time or different priorities coming up (like children!). I am sure many working parents succumb to the same trap; whether or not it's avoidable, that's arguable.
The turning point came after my thumb injury last year, as I became terribly sedentary during the recovery & rehab period, & felt myself getting more & more lethargic. It's a vicious cycle, really. The less you do, the more lethargic one becomes. So I decided - that's enough lazing around, aliendoc. You need to get off your butt & get healthy again.
In the months that I've become more active, I have found myself with more energy, & feeling less lethargic. If I miss out on a day of exercise, I find myself feeling uncomfortable, & bloated. Perhaps its the endorphins & adrenaline doing their jobs. Whatever it is, I need to continue working on it, not so much to lose weight, but for the sake of my cardiovascular health.
I hope I can persevere.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Saturday, December 29, 2007
Season of Cheer
It's strangely quiet now after two weeks of a full house filled with the sounds of, well... just family. It's amazing how one gets used to the ambient noise of chatting, xboxing, guitar-playing, cooking that was present during the two weeks when family was here visiting & spending the festive season with us in chilly Beijing.
The below freezing temperatures were not enough to temper the hearty warmth generated by family love & togetherness.
Home truly is, where your heart is...& mostly, one's heart is where one's family is, no matter where you are geographically.
Have a Happy 2008 everyone.
The below freezing temperatures were not enough to temper the hearty warmth generated by family love & togetherness.
Home truly is, where your heart is...& mostly, one's heart is where one's family is, no matter where you are geographically.
Have a Happy 2008 everyone.
Monday, December 24, 2007
Tis The Season
Christmas is...
...Love...
...Family...
...Warmth...
...Togetherness...
...Presents...
...Good Food...
...Good Company...
...no matter where in the world you happen to be, if you are with your loved ones, Christmas is always more meaningful.
Wishing everyone out there: Love, Family, Warmth, Togetherness, Presents, Good Food, & Good Company this holiday season!
...Love...
...Family...
...Warmth...
...Togetherness...
...Presents...
...Good Food...
...Good Company...
...no matter where in the world you happen to be, if you are with your loved ones, Christmas is always more meaningful.
Wishing everyone out there: Love, Family, Warmth, Togetherness, Presents, Good Food, & Good Company this holiday season!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Numb
Wednesday, December 05, 2007
Winter - a random post
I like Winter.
It's a refreshing change to feel the crisp air after a summer of drenching humid heat.
Except when it gets too cold & the chill goes right into your bones & your teeth can't help but chatter & you can't help but shiver to generate more heat to keep warm.
Layering helps. Except that when you enter a heated building, you have to peel off your gloves & scarf & hat & heavy jacket & sometimes your sweater, so you end up with your hands full which makes shopping damned inconvenient.
No, I really do like Winter & am actually looking forward to the first snow of the season, whenever that may be. Especially if I can look at it from the inside through the window of my toasty warm house.
It's a refreshing change to feel the crisp air after a summer of drenching humid heat.
Except when it gets too cold & the chill goes right into your bones & your teeth can't help but chatter & you can't help but shiver to generate more heat to keep warm.
Layering helps. Except that when you enter a heated building, you have to peel off your gloves & scarf & hat & heavy jacket & sometimes your sweater, so you end up with your hands full which makes shopping damned inconvenient.
No, I really do like Winter & am actually looking forward to the first snow of the season, whenever that may be. Especially if I can look at it from the inside through the window of my toasty warm house.
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Aaaawwww....
This is an amazing video of a grateful lion - a modern day version of David in the lion's den. This lion remembers & hugs his rescuer...how sweet is that???
Saturday, November 17, 2007
Oldies but Goodies
"There is no age limit for applications."
I was pleasantly surprised to see this in a recent mass mailing I received from a certain medical association calling for applicants for specialist traineeship.
2 years ago, in a similar letter (I guess they send one out every year), I noticed an age limit in place for applicants. When asked by a director in the public health institution I was working in at the time whether or not I was going to apply for traineeship, I gave him a wry smile & said that I was too old. Admittedly, I was flattered by the look of surprise on his face when he realized that this lowly M.O. was already the mother of a teen & a pre-teen (at the time) & already over-aged for such lofty ambitions (sarcasm intended).
So why the change in policy now? If I had to make an educated guess, I would say it is to try to make up for the perceived lack of doctors in the public sector. Whether or not this will make more senior doctors step up to the plate...we can only wait & see.
I am glad the age limit has been abolished (for now, anyway). After all, in this day & age, 40 is hardly considered over-the-hill. Yes, the eyes may be starting to go a bit, & some of us need reading glasses to read the small print; and the reflexes may not be as good as, say, a decade ago. But the brain power is still there. Plus the added years of experience of practising general family medicine I think is a huge advantage.
But I wonder how this will affect the teacher-trainee relationship, especially if the trainee is one who was already practising medicine when his teacher was still struggling with the PSLE! It will be interesting, to say the least!
So does this mean that I am considering applying? Nah...not right now. But who knows? Five years from now, when I am an empty-nester, I may reconsider it. But by then, the policy may have changed again...
I was pleasantly surprised to see this in a recent mass mailing I received from a certain medical association calling for applicants for specialist traineeship.
2 years ago, in a similar letter (I guess they send one out every year), I noticed an age limit in place for applicants. When asked by a director in the public health institution I was working in at the time whether or not I was going to apply for traineeship, I gave him a wry smile & said that I was too old. Admittedly, I was flattered by the look of surprise on his face when he realized that this lowly M.O. was already the mother of a teen & a pre-teen (at the time) & already over-aged for such lofty ambitions (sarcasm intended).
So why the change in policy now? If I had to make an educated guess, I would say it is to try to make up for the perceived lack of doctors in the public sector. Whether or not this will make more senior doctors step up to the plate...we can only wait & see.
I am glad the age limit has been abolished (for now, anyway). After all, in this day & age, 40 is hardly considered over-the-hill. Yes, the eyes may be starting to go a bit, & some of us need reading glasses to read the small print; and the reflexes may not be as good as, say, a decade ago. But the brain power is still there. Plus the added years of experience of practising general family medicine I think is a huge advantage.
But I wonder how this will affect the teacher-trainee relationship, especially if the trainee is one who was already practising medicine when his teacher was still struggling with the PSLE! It will be interesting, to say the least!
So does this mean that I am considering applying? Nah...not right now. But who knows? Five years from now, when I am an empty-nester, I may reconsider it. But by then, the policy may have changed again...
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
Monday, October 08, 2007
Disconnected
We’ve been offline for almost 3 whole days now. THREE WHOLE DAYS.
It’s sad how reliant we’ve (at least our family) become on our Internet connection. It feels like losing the use of my left thumb. (I don’t mean to belittle the importance of the opposable digit, but on the contrary, emphasize on the importance of keeping connected with the cyberworld.)
Email, Facebook, Blogging, Google…all a means of keeping connected with family, friends, & the community at large. For work, or for school, or just plain daily living, we’ve felt lost without it. Hubby needs it to access his email from home; kids need it to research school work, do homework & just for keeping in touch with friends in far away places.
By the time you read this, we obviously would be back online.
Hallelujah.
It’s sad how reliant we’ve (at least our family) become on our Internet connection. It feels like losing the use of my left thumb. (I don’t mean to belittle the importance of the opposable digit, but on the contrary, emphasize on the importance of keeping connected with the cyberworld.)
Email, Facebook, Blogging, Google…all a means of keeping connected with family, friends, & the community at large. For work, or for school, or just plain daily living, we’ve felt lost without it. Hubby needs it to access his email from home; kids need it to research school work, do homework & just for keeping in touch with friends in far away places.
By the time you read this, we obviously would be back online.
Hallelujah.
Monday, September 24, 2007
Money Can't buy Everything
Hah. A lesson learnt about citizenship & what it should be about.
I've said it before & I will say it again: Being a Singaporean should be more than how much one is paid for one's services, no matter what those services may be - whether it be sporting ability, intelligence, scientific knowledge or artistic talent.
This fiasco has cheapened this country's citizenship. Obviously, these athletes were in it for the money & not for love of this country. Why the Singapore Athletics Association went along with it is beyond me.
Imports 'failed', but locals will take up baton: Athletics chief
Cubby Leongcubby@mediacorp.com.sg
HE ONCE memorably said that if medals were what Singapore was after, then he could simply "hire" athletes from China to deliver.
Under the country's Foreign Sports Talent Scheme, Mr Loh Lin Kok eventually recruited China-born shot put specialists Du Xianhui, Zhang Guirong and Dong Enxin.
The two women received their Singapore citizenship in October 2003, while Dong got his in May 2001.
Another shot putter, Luan Wei, and hammer thrower E Xiaoxu, touted as possible graduates of the scheme, were brought to Singapore in 1999.
But today, Mr Loh, who is president of the Singapore Athletic Association (SAA), brands his association's efforts a "failure".
Du and Zhang are back in China after disagreements over training and salary issues; Luan is currently embroiled in a court case with the SAA over unfair dismissal; E Xiaoxu dropped a similar action due to financial constraints; while Dong has failed to live up to his billing thus far.
"The foreign talent scheme has failed miserably," Mr Loh admitted in an interview with this newspaper.
"The characters were, quite simply, unreliable. Two have abandoned us and another two have charged us in court. As a medal prospect, Dong is unreliable, too.
"When I brought the China-born athletes over in 1998, I wanted the sport to be more professional, to have full-time athletes training professionally. But they've abused my generosity."
Does that mean the SAA has lost faith entirely in the foreign talent scheme, launched in the 1990s?
"No, we are not going to abandon it," said the SAA chief. "It's just that the previous failures have taught us a bitter lesson. From now on, we will have to tread even more cautiously and look at each case with a microscope before making any decision."
The closer scrutiny of foreign-born athletes augurs well for the local athletics fraternity, for the SAA can concentrate on grooming the home-grown talent coming through the Singapore Sports School and other institutions under the Ministry of Education.
Eight of the Republic's best youngsters qualified for July's World Youth Championships in Ostrava, the Czech Republic (see box), and Mr Loh is counting on this pool of juniors to kick-start a new era in track and field.
"There's a new generation taking us out of the rut. Right now, we might have to suffer a bit," he said. "But believe me, when it bears fruits, they are going to be bountiful and they are going to be beautiful fruits."
Even though the decision may mean that for the first time since 1989 Singapore would almost certainly not win a track and field gold medal at the South-east Asia Games in Korat, Thailand, from Dec 6 to 15, the SAA supremo remains upbeat for the future.
"We are in transition," he said. "Instead of relying on foreign talent, we are putting our faith in a bunch of really promising youngsters, all born in Singapore."
The athletics chief is also looking for a radical change in the local club scene to pump-prime the sport. From Wings Athletics Club to Swift, there are some 20 such organisations affiliated to the SAA – but with some pulling in different directions, with what Mr Loh describes as an "I don't trust you, you don't trust me" attitude.
He believes such rivalry is "unhealthy" and is looking to adopt the school-based American system, with schools here taking over the grooming of young athletes.
Said the 59-year-old lawyer: "Right now, the Singapore Sports School is leading the way towards an American tertiary format. Its manufacturing process is good.
"Of course, it's not easy to manage schoolwork with athletics, but times are different now -- it pays to be in sport these days … We have insisted that the athletes are not put under too much pressure at a young age. American athletes complete their degrees in eight years, and we can adopt that."
Mr Loh was SAA president from 1982 to 2004 before making way for his handpicked successor Tang Weng Fei, a businessman and former hurdler. But Mr Loh was never far from the scene and two years later, he was back in the hot seat when Mr Tang stepped down.
Said Mr Loh: "People may call me autocratic, but running an association of this nature needs tough measures.
"Some clubs seem to exist for the sake of bickering, others just want to chase that elusive title of 'best club'. But there's a bigger picture here. The duty of the athletes is to perform, not get involved with club politics."
I've said it before & I will say it again: Being a Singaporean should be more than how much one is paid for one's services, no matter what those services may be - whether it be sporting ability, intelligence, scientific knowledge or artistic talent.
This fiasco has cheapened this country's citizenship. Obviously, these athletes were in it for the money & not for love of this country. Why the Singapore Athletics Association went along with it is beyond me.
Imports 'failed', but locals will take up baton: Athletics chief
Cubby Leongcubby@mediacorp.com.sg
HE ONCE memorably said that if medals were what Singapore was after, then he could simply "hire" athletes from China to deliver.
Under the country's Foreign Sports Talent Scheme, Mr Loh Lin Kok eventually recruited China-born shot put specialists Du Xianhui, Zhang Guirong and Dong Enxin.
The two women received their Singapore citizenship in October 2003, while Dong got his in May 2001.
Another shot putter, Luan Wei, and hammer thrower E Xiaoxu, touted as possible graduates of the scheme, were brought to Singapore in 1999.
But today, Mr Loh, who is president of the Singapore Athletic Association (SAA), brands his association's efforts a "failure".
Du and Zhang are back in China after disagreements over training and salary issues; Luan is currently embroiled in a court case with the SAA over unfair dismissal; E Xiaoxu dropped a similar action due to financial constraints; while Dong has failed to live up to his billing thus far.
"The foreign talent scheme has failed miserably," Mr Loh admitted in an interview with this newspaper.
"The characters were, quite simply, unreliable. Two have abandoned us and another two have charged us in court. As a medal prospect, Dong is unreliable, too.
"When I brought the China-born athletes over in 1998, I wanted the sport to be more professional, to have full-time athletes training professionally. But they've abused my generosity."
Does that mean the SAA has lost faith entirely in the foreign talent scheme, launched in the 1990s?
"No, we are not going to abandon it," said the SAA chief. "It's just that the previous failures have taught us a bitter lesson. From now on, we will have to tread even more cautiously and look at each case with a microscope before making any decision."
The closer scrutiny of foreign-born athletes augurs well for the local athletics fraternity, for the SAA can concentrate on grooming the home-grown talent coming through the Singapore Sports School and other institutions under the Ministry of Education.
Eight of the Republic's best youngsters qualified for July's World Youth Championships in Ostrava, the Czech Republic (see box), and Mr Loh is counting on this pool of juniors to kick-start a new era in track and field.
"There's a new generation taking us out of the rut. Right now, we might have to suffer a bit," he said. "But believe me, when it bears fruits, they are going to be bountiful and they are going to be beautiful fruits."
Even though the decision may mean that for the first time since 1989 Singapore would almost certainly not win a track and field gold medal at the South-east Asia Games in Korat, Thailand, from Dec 6 to 15, the SAA supremo remains upbeat for the future.
"We are in transition," he said. "Instead of relying on foreign talent, we are putting our faith in a bunch of really promising youngsters, all born in Singapore."
The athletics chief is also looking for a radical change in the local club scene to pump-prime the sport. From Wings Athletics Club to Swift, there are some 20 such organisations affiliated to the SAA – but with some pulling in different directions, with what Mr Loh describes as an "I don't trust you, you don't trust me" attitude.
He believes such rivalry is "unhealthy" and is looking to adopt the school-based American system, with schools here taking over the grooming of young athletes.
Said the 59-year-old lawyer: "Right now, the Singapore Sports School is leading the way towards an American tertiary format. Its manufacturing process is good.
"Of course, it's not easy to manage schoolwork with athletics, but times are different now -- it pays to be in sport these days … We have insisted that the athletes are not put under too much pressure at a young age. American athletes complete their degrees in eight years, and we can adopt that."
Mr Loh was SAA president from 1982 to 2004 before making way for his handpicked successor Tang Weng Fei, a businessman and former hurdler. But Mr Loh was never far from the scene and two years later, he was back in the hot seat when Mr Tang stepped down.
Said Mr Loh: "People may call me autocratic, but running an association of this nature needs tough measures.
"Some clubs seem to exist for the sake of bickering, others just want to chase that elusive title of 'best club'. But there's a bigger picture here. The duty of the athletes is to perform, not get involved with club politics."
Copyright ©2005 MediaCorp Press Ltd
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Reminiscing
The kitchen now is all white-washed walls, stainless steel surfaces and clear-glassed fridge doors. Utensils are pure white porcelain, with square plates & uber-large bowls, all zen-like to match the interior decor with its straight lines & right angles.
I remember when this was a free-standing stall in a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop in Holland Village, back in the days when it was just a sleepy enclave made up of shophouses in the midst of a predominantly residential area. It had the best Ipoh Hor Fun & Curry Chicken Noodle south of the (JB-Singapore) border.
The waiters used to yell your orders to the cooks, letting everyone know what you were eating, & the orders would be served in melamine dishes with melamine soup spoons. Wooden chopsticks soon became the generic off-white plastic kind & now, a clean sleek zen black.
Unfortunately, the quality of the food has not improved along with its environs, never mind the air-conditioned space & the waiters who dutifully take your orders & serve you at the table in a civilised manner. I prefer the mouth-watering food back in the days when we had to stand in line patiently, sometimes waiting for half an hour at peak times before it reached our turn. Service was brusque, but the rewards delicious.
Now, the food tastes rather blah, sadly. Gone are the good ol' days.
Unfortunately, the quality of the food has not improved along with its environs, never mind the air-conditioned space & the waiters who dutifully take your orders & serve you at the table in a civilised manner. I prefer the mouth-watering food back in the days when we had to stand in line patiently, sometimes waiting for half an hour at peak times before it reached our turn. Service was brusque, but the rewards delicious.
Now, the food tastes rather blah, sadly. Gone are the good ol' days.
Friday, September 14, 2007
Fat?? FAT???
So what's the deal with the latest Britney Spears saga?
She appeared in the recent MTV awards show wearing a silver sequinned bikini. She apparently ran off the stage exclaiming that she looked like a fat pig.
No, dear girl. You've been brainwashed by the media with its high regard for Women-Whose-BMI-is-Less-Than 16. You are not fat. You are a woman who has carried two babies to full term. If my body looked like yours, I'd be really happy. No, make that deliriously happy.
You should fire your manager & agent for getting you this gig. MTV was looking for ratings. You are obviously not ready to perform again, given your recent history, not to mention the hormonal flux your body must still be in after having two babies within two years. I know because I've been there.
It sounds cliched but things WILL get better. Allow your body & soul to heal, for the sake of your boys. They are the most important things in your life right now.
She appeared in the recent MTV awards show wearing a silver sequinned bikini. She apparently ran off the stage exclaiming that she looked like a fat pig.
No, dear girl. You've been brainwashed by the media with its high regard for Women-Whose-BMI-is-Less-Than 16. You are not fat. You are a woman who has carried two babies to full term. If my body looked like yours, I'd be really happy. No, make that deliriously happy.
You should fire your manager & agent for getting you this gig. MTV was looking for ratings. You are obviously not ready to perform again, given your recent history, not to mention the hormonal flux your body must still be in after having two babies within two years. I know because I've been there.
It sounds cliched but things WILL get better. Allow your body & soul to heal, for the sake of your boys. They are the most important things in your life right now.
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
Man's Best Friend
Reading the book Marley & Me was like picking a scab off of a wound that had not quite completely healed.
It had me laughing then crying then laughing again, over the antics of a mentally subnormal (the author's words, not mine) yellow Labrador retriever, who was lovable, destructive, loyal, slobbery, devoted, hyperactive, & most of all, a beloved family member.
I saw so much of my old dog in Marley, and as I read, I thought, "Oh my God, this all sounds so familiar!" The incessant shedding, the jumping, the highly dependent personality (read: leech), the eager desire to just BE with someone (24/7 if possible), the undying devotion, the insatiable appetite for everything & anything (from pebbles to mulch to plastic bags)...all this described my old dog to a T.
It was re-living heartbreak again, when the author described the problems that came with an aging big dog & the eventual decision to let him go as humanely as possible.
When I picked up this book to read, I thought that I had gotten over what I had gone through almost a year ago. For many months, I distanced myself from dogs. When previously, I would have gushed over & cuddled a cute little puppy, I would instead walk away, for fear of stirring up unwanted emotions.
No, the wounds have not healed yet. Maybe another year. Maybe not ever completely.
It had me laughing then crying then laughing again, over the antics of a mentally subnormal (the author's words, not mine) yellow Labrador retriever, who was lovable, destructive, loyal, slobbery, devoted, hyperactive, & most of all, a beloved family member.
I saw so much of my old dog in Marley, and as I read, I thought, "Oh my God, this all sounds so familiar!" The incessant shedding, the jumping, the highly dependent personality (read: leech), the eager desire to just BE with someone (24/7 if possible), the undying devotion, the insatiable appetite for everything & anything (from pebbles to mulch to plastic bags)...all this described my old dog to a T.
It was re-living heartbreak again, when the author described the problems that came with an aging big dog & the eventual decision to let him go as humanely as possible.
When I picked up this book to read, I thought that I had gotten over what I had gone through almost a year ago. For many months, I distanced myself from dogs. When previously, I would have gushed over & cuddled a cute little puppy, I would instead walk away, for fear of stirring up unwanted emotions.
No, the wounds have not healed yet. Maybe another year. Maybe not ever completely.
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