my ajumma notes

In yesterday's ST article, "More saying 'I do' and 'I do... away with you'" , we are told that there are two encouraging signs in last year's marriage statistics: While divorce rates were at an 'all-time high', the 'silver lining' is that the number of marriages also went up, 'Heartening, too, is the fact that remarriages have become increasingly common...' Sorry to be a wet blanket but here are a couple of (negative) thoughts on the above points: Will the increased number of marriages mean even more divorces some years later? I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that people in their second, third,... marriage are at higher risk of divorce, so it isn't always 'heartening' to know that people are getting re-married. I also have a question about the second point: what do they mean that remarriages have become 'increasingly common'? What is 'common'? Is it like 50% of divorcees get married again or som...

As in the General Election, I am not voting for anyone. I'm not wasting 60 cents per vote. Cheapskate me... I spotted Brother Paul Rogers sitting among the SJI-like all-white supporters of the underdog. So nice of him to turn up to cheer for the old boy. Like I said before, it's a good thing we were spared a horrible final and I must say last night's show was entertaining. Somehow it seemed better than the previous final. (But my memories of that one are vague) However, there is obviously a great big generation gap here because when they talk about Snow Patrol and Dreamz FM and Energy and all these singers, I really have no idea who they are. Although I do know George Michael and Chaka Khan. So... one guy is obviously the better singer, while the other has got 'personality', not that the better singer doesn't have 'personality'. You know what I mean... Wonder how people will vote this final time.

I reproduce here a letter in today's Forum: Lifestyle article cast aspersions on IJ Girls I am the chairperson of the Infant Jesus Board of Management of 11 CHIJ Schools in Singapore and an old girl of one of these CHIJ Schools. I refer to the article published on pages L4 - L6 of Lifestyle of The Sunday Times ('Alternative Singapore: The Encyclopedia'; Sept 17) where the authors indicated their desire to present 'overseas visitors' with an 'Insiders' Guide to help them get the most out of their stay'. They have therefore 'come up with (their) own counter-culture compendium of nuggets' which will 'initiate you to the local hybrid lingo'. I note that the article was written 'tongue-in-cheek'. I am concerned and dismayed that the authors have elected to include in their 'compendium of nuggets' their definition of 'IJ Girls', together with other commonly used words within the local Singapore community. My concern lies...

I am not trying to pick on Andy Ho or anything. It's just that his ST article today, 'Activists shooting themselves in the foot' and this bunch of letters in TODAY make me wonder how and why Singaporeans, with almost NO experience with activists and outdoor protests (except one letter writer who lived for 3 years in Sydney) and such can comment with such authority on them. I shall not bother to go into their arguments but I just want to say that it really doesn't look good to be so defensive and to be unable to recognise and acknowledge that there are other modes of existence outside our fair shores. We once walked right beside these riot police in Seoul, who were on duty during a peaceful anti-war protest. Our Korean friend told us these protests and demonstrations were weekly (weekend) affairs. I must say the protest was very orderly and the protestors well-organised. They even had people in charge of directing traffic! It's not that I'm advocating protests a...

If I were a teenybopper, I would probably be counting the days to the Idol final or something. However, as things are, i.e., I'm not one, I'm just glad that common sense prevailed and we are spared an embarrassing final. I wonder if there's some kind of conspiracy, though, to push for Jonathan as the winner. From the odd bits I caught in the last couple of weeks, I get this sense that the judges are rooting for him. Wonder why. Anyhow, I've discovered another Rain lookalike and he is none other than m y hair stylist! I don't think very often about my hair stylist - or Rain - so I didn't quite put the two together until I went for my haircut the other day. Jonathan bears some resemblance to Rain but this guy looks like he and Rain could be brothers!! I'm serious. Maybe he could take part in a singing contest sometime... ha ha... Might suggest that to him the next time I see him... As for Rain, SCV is sort of halfway through Full House . I find it rather enter...

I didn't watch Federer versus Roddick 'live' (nor Justine H-H versus Sharapova). I refuse to watch any 'live' matches - even if they are tennis ones - at 4am or whatever other weird time. However, I did read the match reports and I found myself asking 'What??!' when I read about Tiger Woods sitting in Federer's player's box. Seems Woods and Federer were brought together by Nike (their sponsor) and their management company. Talk about product placement. And now, the two have become soulmates of sorts since, of course , nobody else understands what it is to be #1 and practically invincible. Whatever. I was taken aback because I thought it was rather insensitive to poor Roddick, who was already the underdog. I wonder how he felt about Woods cheering for Federer. I am now watching, as I'm typing this, the replay of the ladies' final. Sharapova's outfit is really lovely. But I wish she wouldn't scream so. I wonder if Justine's energy a...

There's an article in today's Sunday Times entitled 'Did Andre stay too long?' It says that the legendary Andre Agassi 'ends career on low note by playing on despite age and injury'. The article says that he should have left the stage 'on a high', i.e. when he was still winnng Slams. It points out that in the past two years, he has just had one 'sole' win (not a Slam). In comparison, others such as Pete Sampras and Agassi's wife Steffi Graf retired while they held Grand Slam titles. The writer says Steffi 'knew when to call it quits'. I find the article rather disturbing. Why does winning have to be the end-all? Why does a sportsman have to end his career on a 'high'? Why can't he play for however long he wants to, even when he's never going to be #1 again? I'm sure that in these last couple of years or so, Agassi and (most of) his fans were not deluded enough to think that he was going to win another Grand Slam. ...

It is confirmed! We are at the stage where the son eats more than the mother. And the mother is not even on diet or anything. I cannot believe that an eight-year-old's stomach has greater capacity than mine. How does all that food fit into his slim frame? I am reminded of a recent conversation I had with one of our neighbours. She told me that feeding her 3 teenage children was a challenge. Apparently, the teenagers are eating all the time, so she is considering investing in a couple more fridges. Anyway, everyone has always been amused at how the boy mirrors his father's eating prowess. But his father thinks he is like me... ha ha... my secret eating powers...