my ajumma notes

Not about NKF, lah. So much said about that already anyway, and more to come, I'm sure. BUT... I've lived my whole life believing that Singapore was completely safe from earthquakes and now I'm told we are NOT 100% quake-proof . Now, that is really, really hard to accept and I feel, in a sense, that we've been cheated all this while with the 'wrong' info. And I doubt our buildings have been built with earthquakes or tsunamis or anything in mind. That just completely changes our whole perspective about living in Singapore, doesn't it? Made a rare appearance in Orchard Road yesterday and I noticed quite a few children practising in their workbooks while sitting around waiting !! Math... Chinese... do they really need to do all this work while they are out in town?? Amazing. I know there will have been many children whose tuition lessons continued throughout the holidays. And none of that happened in this house, of course. But for the two days of 'Chinese c...

Poignant Christmas memories for Banda Aceh . Life can't 'return to normal' after tragedy, can it? But it can and will go on... Christmas, Shanghai-style , from where we have just returned. And we were just at St Peter's International Catholic Church last Sunday! Indeed, there was great singing there by a largely Filipino choir. More on that some other time. As I said, peace to all. (picture taken from AsiaOne) Oh my word, Edmund Chen Zhicai acted in Turn Left, Turn Right (showing on Channel 62 right now)??? Must get down to watching Mr Takeshi in Perhaps Love sometime...

Back in Singapore. More on the trip some other time but for now, peace to all :-)

Just had the misfortune of meeting a Merc test-driver on the expressway. Now, this lady looked rather overwhelmed by the car and although she had the very bad Merc habit of not signalling when wanting to change lanes (even on the expressway , mind you), and of driving onto the lane marking even when another car (mine) is obviously there , she did not have the very bad Merc habit of speeding like there's no tomorrow. I mean, if you want to cut into people's lanes without signalling, you should at least do it fast and get out of the way, right? Very uncharitably, I refused to let her cut into the lane in front of me, since I was already there , and there was no reason why she couldn't join the lane behind me. The next car was rather far behind me. And she wasn't even trying to speed!! She was driving rather slowly and I noticed that even when we got onto the ordinary roads, she was still not signalling when changing lanes and still driving slowly! Really, people who wan...

Aiyoh, I just cannot believe some people's audacity and presumptuousness (presumption? whatever). All over the Edusave Merit Bursary, which is awarded to students in each cohort in each school who fall within the top 25% in terms of academic achievement for that year. Obviously, it being a BURSARY , there is an income ceiling (family income must be this letter to both the ST and TODAY, arguing that children from better off families should not be denied the Edusave Bursary. The reason: it was no encouragement for children to be told they are within the top 25% but did not qualify for the award because of their higher family income. The letter writer suggested that all be given a 'token' amount. Then came this next letter to TODAY, arguing along the same lines that children from higher income families should not be 'penalised' by being excluded from the Bursary . The reason: going on stage to receive the award and shake the hand of the Minister would be great motivat...

Some brief and perhaps belated thoughts on two issues: 1. GEPers versus others Certainly not a new issue, it recently re-emerged in the news when someone's findings on adjustment issues, etc, of students in the GEP were reported. What I think: a. In every education system, and, in fact, in any given society, there will be the elite. Just as there will be the other end of the scale. And for obvious reasons, as pointed out by some who have commented on the issue, people tend to stick to people who are like themselves. There is nothing surprising about that. b. It is also to be expected that others will always look at the elite as different - either negatively or positively. And people's perceptions will be based on their personal direct interaction with them, what they hear from other people, what they hear from people who heard from other people, what they read in the newspapers, etc. In other words, people's perceptions are very likely accurate only to some extent. Anyway,...

Well, I was wrong. There is SEA Games coverage apart from the nightly reports. Or at least there was this evening when I turned the telly on. Watched the young ladies from the gym team taking one gold and one silver. There might have been more medals but that was what I caught. The SEA Games balance beam competition remains very painful to watch. It's like they are liable to fall off the beam with every move they make. I believe only the gold and silver medallists didn't fall off. I would almost suggest that they cancel that apparatus for the SEA Games, but I suppose any gymnast worth her salt must compete in the four apparatus. All in all, though, it was still entertaining, though nothing compared to watching the Olympic gym competition. The coverage from the pool ended rather abruptly when Mr Bean started.

Oh, I am an incurable shopaholic. Went to Cocoon again, to collect my altered dress, and the whole shop is on a 1-for-1 sale now!! But... I had parked some distance away (what to do, we non-tai-tais, who count ourselves fortunate to have a car, still have to save on parking fees whenever possible and park at URA car parks when we can find them) and had put just one coupon for half an hour. So... I didn't really have time to try anything. And who should I meet but radiant, just-married S , who was picking out clothes to try as I left. Enviously. Sigh... sigh... Well, I suppose it was good that I didn't have enough time to try the clothes. I don't need anymore, do I? The holidays are certainly fun, even for stay@ home mums. No pressing need to get anything ready at a particular hour, or to be at the school gate at a particular time, etc. Anyway, the poor boy is stuck these two days at a Chinese 'camp' (full-day enrichment programme). He proclaims that he dislikes Ch...