Golf & The Asians

My golf hero Tiger looks like he will be history as a golf champion ... not that soon but soon enough. Gone into the back woods? (ok ok bad joke!) So, he got infamous in a different arena, not because he played badly, but because he played behind his wife's back. NOW he is playing badly ... and spitting even! Enough already.

I go in search of a new golf hero ... or heroine. I keep my attention on the on-going HSBC Women's Golf Championship being played right here in Singapore. I am amazed at the number of Asians playing, mainly the eleven South Koreans, four Japanese, two from Chinese Taipei, one from China and one from Singapore.

We use to think that Asians are at a disadvantage in most sport, due to our small frame and lack of height. Perhaps, these don't matter in the game of golf where the main muscles that work are in between the ears. Golf is a mind game. Think fast, calculate right and be accurate. Rattle your opponents and keep calm. This was exactly what Ai Miyazato did to win last year and what Chie Arimura is doing at this year's tournament. She has just two faces she shows - a calm face and a calm face! I hope she wins, only to prove the point that you don't have to be tall and muscular to win at golf.

What Singapore needs is a golf champion to kick start the "I want to be like that" fad among the young hopefuls. That was how it happened in South Korea when Pak Se Ri started winning tournaments in 1998. The whole culture of the game changed and many youngsters wanted to do the same ... and they are now doing it! But what of Lam and Madan, our own golf champs? Yes, what of them? Now you hear them, then you don't ...

Right, so I shall be rooting for Arimura (Jpn), Tseng Ya-ni (Tpe) and Choi Na Yeon (S K) - all Asians. For no other reason than that I feel it is time for the Asians to emerge in a sport that gives an equal chance to all - tall or short, fat or thin, pretty or otherwise! Hmmm ... maybe I should take up golfing!

Take a Drive to Kluang

If you have some free time and don't fancy going to Sentosa or Orchard Road, and you enjoy driving, take a day drive to Kluang in Johore, Malaysia. An hour and a half away via the Tuas Second Link, Kluang is often seen as one of the many "sleepy" Malaysian towns. However, if you know what to do and where to go, it can be an interesting place to explore with really great food to enjoy.

My sister has made Kluang her home and over the years, I have visited her and been acquainted with her "home town". In the early years when her children were growing up, having their Singapore aunty visit was a big deal. The older girls would plan to take me to their only cinema in town and I must say it was a very real experience for me watching a horror movie with them. Rats and cockroaches run around the cinema hall and often you will hear very real screams from the audience and it would have nothing to do with the movie! Bats fly around and add much "atmosphere" to the whole horror movie experience. It was simply great!

My nephew on the other hand would plan to show us the hiking routes in the forest and we would go and explore and often end up having to piggy back him out either because he had sprained an ankle or was too tired. To be fair, he was only about 7 years old at that time.

That was then. Now, there are no more "authentic" cinemas in Kluang. Instead they have movie complexes in shopping malls. But, the hiking trails are still there.

Gunong Lambak at 510m high (about 5 times the height of Bukit Timah Hill) in Kluang remains our favourite out-of-Singapore training ground when preparing for any of our mountain or trekking expeditions. The climb is exciting and the rugged terrain with its badly eroded slopes increases the level of difficulty. On any morning, you will be climbing with many of the locals. On Sundays, you will be invited to some tea and snacks at the first stage of the climb. You will be able to identify the "foreigners" who are usually all decked out in proper hiking gear armed with proper ski poles. The locals climb in their local rubber shoes or even in slippers!

Kluang's railway station coffee and nasi lemak is well known and for the real feel of the old town atmosphere, eat at the station. Ignore their other outlet in a modern shopping building. The nasi lemak packets are really small so be prepared to down more than two at a time. The coffee is a must for kopi lovers. The aroma is out of this world.

Star Lounge is our favourite makan place in Kluang. It is a proper restaurant with fantastic crispy duck with steam buns. The deep fried cod fish is a must! Crispy on the outside and soft and juicy on the inside. Served with garlic and light sauce, it has a lovely"cheng" taste to it. Romaine lettuce fried with garlic is refreshing. Sometimes, you can get the long beans fried with dried prawns and belachan. For a sinful meal, order their te ka bak (pig's trotters). The other dishes are also good but not as outstanding as those named. Ask them for their vegetable crackers for starters. Forget the peanuts.

For kopi tiam eating, Teoh Heng serves really good bak kut teh. You have a choice of "fatty" meat or lean meat, and all the innards from kidneys, liver, large and small intestines and stomach. Yikes! We normally keep to the meat and at most add on some liver and small intestine. Toppings include fried dry bean curd skin, black fungus and button mushrooms. Side dishes are yew char kuay (fried flour rods), kiam chye (preserved vegetables) and white or yam rice. Wash it all down with lovely chinese tea of which they have a variety. I like best pu er tea as it does not leave an after taste in your mouth nor coat your tongue or teeth.

If you still have the time, you can visit their organic farm (there are some good buys), goat farm,

handkerchief factory and their many malls for "cheap" shopping. I have found this website to be the most informative: www.kluangonline.com/

So, if you have time to spare and nowhere to go and yearn for some good food, get into the car and drive to Kluang. For a smooth drive, it is best to go on weekdays. You will breeze through the checkpoints. Don't forget your passports, white immigration cards, Malaysian Ringgit, Touch N Go Card for faster clearance at toll gates and your hiking boots!

Selamat Jalan!

Values Vs Virtues

I read with interest a new perspective on life and death. We think we are among the living on earth and will join the dead in heaven (we hope!). How about this? We are among the dying on earth and will join the living in heaven! Wow, how true! The minute we are born, we are slowly dying ... and when we die, we "live" (provided we are believers) forever in heaven.

So, what can we do to make sure we get to live when we die? We need to examine our great example - Jesus. Why? Well, He got there didn't he? And He still is there, no? I extract some ideas from the Discovery Series Kingdom Living by Joe Stowell.

We need to live like Christ and that is a tough act to follow. But we can try and I am sure God will appreciate our efforts. But first, let us examine our values and see why it is better to develop and sharpen our virtues. What are values? And why virtues and not values that we want to have?

First, I looked up the definition of both the words:

Values can be defined as broad preferences concerning appropriate courses of action or outcomes. As such, values reflect a person’s sense of right and wrong or what “ought” to be.

Virtue (Latin: virtus, Greek: ἀρετή "arete") is moral excellence. A virtue is a trait or quality deemed to be morally excellent and thus is valued as a foundation of principle and good moral being.

My understanding is that values are subjective - a personal opinion of what is right or wrong. So what is a value to you, may not be so for me. It is also an intengible thing. A virtue on the other hand is a trait - something that shows - and these are God's moral authority in our lives.

Joe Stowell talks about Kingdom Living - to live like Christ. So, what are the virtues we should have and exhibit? Stowell cites at least 7 kingdom virtues reflected in Christ's life. They are:

1. TRUTH vs Tolerance

2. GRACE vs Greed

3. LOVE vs Self Centeredness

4. SERVANTHOOD vs Significance

5. SELF_CONTROL vs Sensualism

6. JUSTICE vs Oppression

7. HUMILITY vs Haughtiness

Wow! Just looking at the seven, I think for me, Servanthood appears to be the most difficult to embrace and exhibit.

Do ponder on these, and I will be back to examine each virtue in my future blogs.

God bless us as we walk towards His Kingdom and may we be able to strive towards Kingdom Living here on earth and reflect Kingdom Virtues as we head towards God's Kingdom.

God bless.

Carelessness Can Kill

It was sad and sobering to read about the sinking boat in Halong Bay in Vietnam that killed 12 people. Today's report pin pointed the reason for the boat sinking to a hole that was left unplugged. The hole that drains out water from the engine area works when the boat is moving. When anchored, the hole left unplugged, allows water to seep in and eventually sink the boat. The people who drowned never had a chance as the boat sank while they were sleeping. "Human error" was reported as the cause of the tragic accident.

I remember a personal experience with leaving holes unplugged while I was learning to sail. Having passed the beginner's course, some of us went back to practice sailing so we would not forget what we had learnt. But even then, I did. As we sailed out on the Picolo (boat for 2 sailors), we enjoyed the feel of the wind and the feel of independence (no instructor). After awhile, we wondered why we were rolling from side to side and realised that the boat was slowly sinking as water collected in its hull. We signaled that we were in trouble and to our embarrassment (and his), it was our instructor who came to our aid. A "real" sailor jumped into our boat and sailed it safely back to shore while we scrambled onto the safety speed boat. Red faced, we had the task of draining out the water from the hull. I had forgotten to replace the bung that would have prevented water seeping into the hull. It took half an hour to drain the hull. We never sailed on our own again. My "human error" could have resulted in a nasty accident. Thank God, we escaped with just a huge dose of embarrassment!

Carelessness can kill and in the instance of the Halong Bay accident, it did. I am now determined to double check whatever I do to minimize "human error" - mine. If there is anything I would like to teach, I think I would like to teach children to be careful. I would like to teach them to be meticulous, demanding a sense of care and carefulness in whatever they do. Perhaps, we can help to cut down "human error" and save lives.

I pray that the pilot flying the plane I am in is careful. I pray the surgeon operating on me is meticulous. I pray that the mechanic attending to my car is not careless in even checking a screw. Carelessness can kill. This is what I would like to teach.

I thank God that He was not careless when He created the earth and us.

Rustic Get Away

I am now sitting on my day bed in a rustic looking chalet looking out at sea ...the Straits of Malacca actually! The horizon stretches in the distance and if you carefully avert your eyes, you can avoid seeing anything else but the far horizon. This is Avillion, an award winning beach resort that won the Excellence Award for architecture in 2000.

The spa, which also won an award (for its unique architecture) is an interesting structure with full glass walls to let in the light and a unique stretch canvas-like material for its roof. I wait for a thunderstorm to see if it all holds up. I guess it must have to be still standing 11 years on.

Above the spa is the foot message area that forces you to look out at the sea, relax and get your feet rubbed. What luxury! The other half is the lounge.

I like best its round arm that stretches out to sea with a circle of curved seats that allows you to just sit and soak in the sounds and feel of the sea ... with a nice cold drink in your hand.

The water chalets stretch out into the sea and one has this sense of being at sea ... without the sea sick sensation of actually being out there. It is a beautiful sunny morning.

Avillion is in Port Dickson, a popular sea side get away for the urban Kuala Lumpur (KL) folks. The long stretch of beach is dotted with resorts and hotels on both sides of the road. It is an hour and a half from KL and a long 4 hour drive (keeping within speed limits) from Singapore on the north south highway.

Malaysian Resorts have the reputation of being run down after being in existence for a few years. It is always best to try and choose a relatively new resort. However, Avillion seems to be holding its own. Built to model an old world Malay fishing village, it fuses traditional culture with modern amenities. I must admit, other than the rather loud air conditioning, they have succeeded.

The sound of the waves lapping against the sandy beaches lulls you to sleep and the happy chirping of birds will wake you at the light of dawn. You just need to block out the sound of the !!@@** air con compressor unit! Yawnnn ... it is so easy to be lazy here. No one is in a rush and everything is at leisurely pace.

There are walks to be taken, jogging tracks to be jogged on, pets to be petted, sea and pools waiting to be swam in, gymnasium machines longing to be used ... ahhhh ... I think I shall just sit on my day bed and day dream. Maybe later I shall sit out on deck and imagine I am on the Titanic ... or visit the spa for a foot massage ... maybe. But for now I shall stretch and yawn and just waste some hours away. After all, that is why we come to resorts, no?

Avillion

3rd Mile Jalan Pantai

71000 Port Dickson

Malaysia

(606) 647 6688

No Greater Love Than This

Today is Valentine's Day. I almost forgot, being out of school and away from it all. The hot commentaries just across the causeway is another reminder that Valentine's Day is NOT always a day of love. Anyway, to me it is not a religious celebration and never was. It is just a day to commemorate love - pure love.

I don't quite remember the story but it had something to do with a priest named Valentine being jailed and forming a pure relationship with the jailer's blind daughter. Well, that is it for me. Valentine's Day to me is a reminder that pure love exists. To me it is about remembering to show love for your parents, siblings and friends.

Tough to do, especially our Lord's command to "love thy neighbour as thyself". Very tough. Easy to love the nice people around us ... but that noisy, grouchy old neighbour? Hmmm ... different story. Love thy enemies? Wow! Even harder! But when we pause to think about it - who are our enemies? Do we really have enemies?

Finally, for me - there is no greater love than the love of our Father who laid down his life for us. I quote from John 15:13 "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends".

Happy Valentine's Day. Let us be reminded to love someone today ... and every day.

Be Still And Know ...

I sit on my deck and am enjoying the stillness of the morning. The sun is up, the skies are blue and the songs of the cicadas, and the chirping of the birds outplay the busy sounds of human traffic on the expressway nearby.

I sigh a wonderful, happy sigh. The stillness is sometimes broken by the gentle caress of the morning breeze and I enjoy the feel of the coolness of the wind. It feels almost like the Lord walking by and allowing his fingers to touch each leaf as He passes. Was it the wind that ruffled my hair?

My mind is drawn to the Song of the Psalmist in Psalm 46 where in verse 10, the Psalmist says, "Be still, and know that I am God;" How beautiful a psalm that asks us to simply be still ... AND know that our Father is God.

Do we rush around being busy doing God's work? Do we feel we need to be like "kan cheong spiders" to be noticed by God? Do we in our eagerness to please Him, try to DO instead of to BE? BE still says the Psalmist ... simply BE still to feel the presence of God.

This morning as I contemplate on Psalms 46, I am stilled and I am sure I felt the presence of God ... right here in my garden, as He passed like a breeze.

I feel His presence right now, right here ... in my heart.

Praise the Lord!

That Ol' Kampong Feeling

We recently had a satay party at our place. It was a farewell party for my American cousin Lani and her family. Satay was something new to Brandon, Lani's son in law and her two grandchildren Logan and Jack who were all first timer visitors to our sunny and rainy shores.

We set up the tables for 25 guests in the garden, and dressed them (the tables not the guests) in "sarong" pattered disposable table cloths. Ali came with his satay tray, satay sticks, rice cakes, cucumber, onions and lots of satay gravy. Soon, the air was filled with charcoal smoke and the smell of BBQ seasoned meats.

We "squatted" around forming our own groups and after some preliminary small talk and laughter, the eating started. The chunky pieces of chicken satay were flying off the tray with the mutton ones in hot pursuit. The beef sticks went a little slower. We liked the chunky meats vs those that come all soft and minced almost. The seasoning was subtle which allowed the flavour of the meat to surface.

The rice cakes no longer come wrapped and cooked in their coconut-leaf jackets, called "ketupat". They are now cooked in bamboo sticks "lontong" style. That was disappointing but according to Ali, nobody makes rice cakes "ketupat" style any more. Sad!

Cucumber pieces and onion bits were generously available and so also the very important "kuah" or satay gravy. The consistency of the peanut sauce was just right although I would have liked it a little thicker. The taste again was not over powering and was a good complement to the meats.

We had some cucumber, bean sprouts, kang kong and "tau pok" on the side for those wanting a more vegetarian meal.

Some bottles of red and white wine helped to wash the meats down. We also had star fruit juice which is said to be "cooling" to combat the "heatyness" of the BBQ meats.

Local fruits at the end of the satay meal was refreshing. Then the KING of fruits made its presence known. The Mountain Cat durian caused Caucasian noses to wrinkle and we had to initiate poor Brandon who took a brave bite off a durian seed and immediately rushed to the bin. He will never ever forget his wonderful experience of a satay party in Singapore.

There was much eating and chatting and laughing throughout the night. All in all, it was a great party with good satay, great wine and super company ... and that old "kampong" feel ...

Want a satay man? Call Ali Satay at 9061 8086 or email him at ali_satay@yahoo.com.sg

Spices and Everything Indian

One of my favourite hang-outs for Indian food is at Greenwood Avenue at the Hillcrest Park area. Named Chat Masala Too, their first outlet is in the East ... thus the "TOO"! I thought that was rather ... cute.

So, head over to CM Too if you feel you want a little bit more class than a banana leaf joint, but nothing too stuffy and formal. The restaurant is cozy and simply decorated with nothing too overbearingly Indian ... other than the food of course.

I love the garlic nan and the fluffy pilaf rice. These go well with the mango prawn curry, rogan josh (lamb curry), tandoori or masala chicken, the ladies fingers, brinjal stripes and any of the other vegetable dishes.

If you decide on just a one dish meal, go for the briyani. I like the fish or mutton briyani. I find the chicken briyani too spicy.

Don't forget the fish vada (cutlets) for starters. They are fantastic. A little spicy, usually one is not enough.

End off with a cup of Masala tea.

After note: If you call a day or two ahead, you can order their fish head curry or Masala (Sri Lankan) crabs which is the reason I keep going back! On a quiet weekday lunch, one can forget one's manners and eat with one's hand! Yummy.

AND if you are celebrating some special occasion, speak to Boss Dershini and if she can, she will make her very light and nice carrot cake (English style without the black sauce and chili paste!) Or, hop over to Lana's Cakes just a few doors away.

Chat Masala Too

18 Greenwood Avenue

Hillview Park

67622133

5 Burps for me (Note: I am a die-hard Indian food fan)

Do be prepared to pay more than your banana leaf joint. This is for the quality of the food and the ambience.

Rating by BURPS

5 BURPS - worth every burp - MUST go.

4 BURPS - try to go

3 BURPS - if got time then go

2 BURPS - let other people go

1 BURP - anyone also no need to go

0 BURP - DON'T go

Tong Tong Cheng (TTC) & An Ode To A Lecturer

If you know what TTC stands for, then you are within my age group and in the education service. The Teachers' Training College (TTC) was the first institution that did teacher training in the early 1960s. It proudly stood at the corner of Patterson Road and was within walking distance to CK Tangs, Metro and the Lido and Orchard Cinemas. It was at an ideal location... for us!

Part time and full time teacher training courses were offered. Part timers had to teach in one session (morning/afternoon) and attend classes in the other. They were paid an allowance. Full timers (like me) paid the College to study there for two years, but had no teaching duties other than when we went out for teaching practice, one term each year. I was in the Physical Education course.

Last night, 10 of us met up for dinner. We would often get together each time we had one of the girls living overseas visiting. This time it was Shirley. Bubbly as ever, she recalled all the funny things we

did while in College.

As we ate and laughed over old times, I wondered what kept us

together over all these 41 years! I reckon it must have been the hours spent at the TTC. We practically lived there - eating, playing, showering and "studying" at campus far into the night. We played netball and tennis and badminton and swam during our training hours and did much of the same during our leisure hours. We practiced gymnastics twice a week at nights under the bright floodlights of the basketball courts. It did not matter that we were not very good. We simply had fun doing it together.

When called upon, we would go out and represent the College. It never bothered us that we were ill prepared or even new to the event. The College needed us and we responded. Often we would come close to embarrassing ourselves and sometimes, we would bring back a medal or two!

We attended camps, canoed till our hands blistered and hiked till our feet were sore. We went on expedition to Mount Orphir in Malaysia. We put up gymnastics displays at graduation ceremonies and on National Days. We mounted our own adventures and walked from Newton Circus to Johor Bahru town, hitching a ride when it got too hot and our feet hurt. We looked out for each other and was always there when needed. We helped each other get better and helped the better ones excel. We were a team ... a great team.

But what really kept us in touch was ... habit. The habit of meeting up every year without fail on the second day of Chinese New Year at the home of our PE lecturer Miss Ong Siong Ngo. Her Open House at her Neptune Court home at Marine Parade was always packed with her ex-PE students as well as her colleagues. So we went, killing many birds with one stone. We had the chance to meet our other lecturers, friends from the PE fraternity of different years and we were always treated to a sumptuous lunch. Usually, very very good Malay food like mee siam or mee goreng or lontong. Some years, it would be rice with rendang and curry chicken. After all the chinese food and goodies, we often looked forward to the spicy "sedup and shiok" lunches at Miss Ong's. The amazing thing was that we went EVERY year without fail. it became much like a tradition, a habit. We had to go ... we wanted to go ... and we went.

When Miss Ong passed away, the CNY gatherings and eating at her place stopped.

But the habit of meeting at least once a year continued. And so it did last night. Thanks Miss Ong! I hope you are proud of us.

An Ode to a Lecturer

You taught us more than just sports and games

You taught us how to live

You taught us that life is never fair

But we will always have the chance to even things out

You taught us fair play

How to lose graciously

And why we should get back to training

So we don't lose again!

You taught us tenacity and perseverance

How we should never give up

Fighting for what is right

And why it was worth the fight

You taught us to question

With our brains and not our hearts

Logic over sentiment

Mind over all else

You taught

And we learnt

And we became

Great teachers!

Much like you ...

In stature

And in principles

But never ... in size!

elizabeth poey

8 February 2011

(I know Ms Ong is laughing!!!)

Litter Bugs ... ME!

I took a walk round my park earlier this morning. It is a beautiful morning with blue skies, sunshine and a cool breeze blowing. I gave thanks to God for such a lovely day and said a prayer for those enduring the bad weather in Australia and other parts of this world.

A man wiping his car windscreen caught my eye, only because he was wiping it rather vigorously. Then he did what many would do - he threw the wet and used tissue on the road. It was on the tip of my tongue to yell out something but I held back, the coward that I am. I remembered the recent stories of road rage and punch ups reported in the papers.

I stared at him but he was not even looking at me. He seemed a decent type of guy. He looked educated and obviously well off enough to own a Toyota car. Why did he litter? Was it out of thoughtlessness, selfishness, laziness or defiance?

I pondered as I continued on my rounds. It can't be out of ignorance. After much thinking, I concluded that it was out of thoughtlessness - many do not even think about littering when they litter. I guess the bin, 50 m away was too far to walk to (laziness?) and the tissue should not be thrown into his clean car (selfishness?). I think very few would litter out of defiance, as a statement against the government and its laws.

And why did I not do anything? I know it was out of fear of being confronted and embarrassed. The very least I could have done was to perhaps pick the tissue up and dispose of it into the bin. But I did not. So, litter bugs continue to litter because of people like me who would not make a stand. It is such a crying shame for if we can find that courage to, I am sure we can do something about the littering problem in our beautiful city state kept litter free not by its citizens, but by a whole hoard of cleaners. As some say - Singapore - the cleaners' city! Well,one day we might become the cleanest city!!

I shall build up enough courage to do something the next time I see a litter bug who bugs me. I shall (hopefully) bug them!

Coffee Shop Style, Restaurant Food

I read with some apprehension about the Fish Head Curry restaurant in Sabah wanting to sue the guy who blogged about how blend the food was. So, I have decided to only feature places that I have found to be okay food wise. No sense in having to go to court just because we blab too much!

Food R Us at Queen's Road offers coffee shop style ambience with restaurant style food. One can get simple, relatively cheap tasty one dish food or go for a more elaborate spread, reasonably priced.

We had a 4-table family lunch there recently. We started with the Chinese New Year Lo Hei platter with smoked salmon. It was a good starter. The vegetables were crisp and fresh. As we had some American cousins visiting, we ordered the roast chicken which was very tender and tasty. Also, for their benefit, we had the sweet sour fillet fish. (This is so nothing comes out with heads attached, eyes staring blankly into space. Can freak some people out!) This was pleasant tasting and had enough of the tangy taste to make it appetizing.

Their ever popular long beans with garlic (sans dried shrimps and cut chili because of the children) was done just right and was still crispy. Their home made tou fu was the wrong order (our fault). It was the normal clay pot tau fu which was okay. We had wanted their special "shuang bau" (double treasure) tou fu which has bits of dried shrimp and preserved radish which gives it a lovely taste.

The salted egg prawns (shelled) was a new taste for most of us. It had enough saltiness and richness to the dish. The "hak min" (black noodles) was as good as the ones I ate in KL. So really, no need to drive so far away for a tasty meal of black noodles.

We rounded off the lunch with platters of fresh fruits which included water melon, jack fruit and red dragon fruit. They serve a variety of drinks from hot coffee (kopi tiam style) tea and fresh fruit juices. Go for the avocado drink - thick and yummy. BURP!

Food R Us

Blk 3 Queen's Road

#02-171

Rating: 4 Burps for me.

Rating by BURPS

5 BURPS - worth every burp - MUST go.

4 BURPS - try to go

3 BURPS - if got time then go

2 BURPS - let other people go

1 BURP - anyone also no need to go

0 BURP - DON'T go

Good News Bad News

I picked up the Main section of the papers and from page 1 it was bad news. The crisis in Egypt, predictions if the violence will spread to Jordan and Syria (having started in Tunisia), destruction by cyclone Yasi in Australia, the volcanic eruption in Miyazaki prefecture in Japan, winter storm chaos in the US, two Singaporeans involved in insider trading in Britain, obesity rising like a tsunami worldwide, the price rise of essential commodities and how it is affecting the poor around the world, corruption as one problem of what is ailing India ... I skipped the obituary page!

I looked for something pleasant to read. There were some good news about Singapore's economy, three babies being born during cyclone Yasi's "attack" and the safe return of many Singaporean students and workers based in Egypt and more to be done to improve the lot of the lower income group in Singapore ... all pretty good news on this third day of the Rabbit year. But I searched for something ... pleasant and found it in Letter from Kyoto by Janice Tay.

I loved her description of the winter scene and I looked up and imagined my garden draped with snow. It would be all white and the trees would have snow hanging from its branches instead of leaves. Little sparrows will hop around searching for the odd frozen worm. The sun will shine and the snow will melt slowly dripping from the trees, glistening in the sunlight and then more snowflakes will fall and blow in the wind, twirling like break dancers before they settle on the ground.

I sigh. It will never be. But for a moment, it was nice to imagine.

Back to the real world, I picked up the Home section of the papers and braced myself for more bad news ... Such is life. We have good news and bad news. I guess it is all about balance ...

Gong Xi Fa Cai. God bless our new year!

Lap Top vs Lap Dog

I was busy with emails sitting on my deck when my little dog Chloe came up to me and placed her head against my knee. I had my lap top on my lap so there was obviously no space for her. I patted her and told her I was busy. She heaved a sigh and walked off. I felt bad. It is amazing how these little creatures can tug at your heart strings and manipulate you with their seemingly meaningless actions.

I went back to my mails and soon felt a warm tongue licking my toe. This time, I sighed, put away my lap top and picked up my lap dog. I placed Chloe on my lap where she settled in comfortably with a murmur and a satisfied moan. I looked at her and smiled. I guess a lap dog can give more satisfaction than a lap top can!

Chloe often gives me this sense of being needed and appreciated. She demands nothing more than to be curled up close to me ... although ON me would be better.

Do you have a pet? Have you hugged your pet today? Have you given your pet some attention? So many of us get pets and then "abandon" them. Some literally, others emotionally. You have a pet? Make sure you spend time with your lap dog as much as you do your lap top!

And if you don't have a pet yet, then don't get one till you think you have the time for it. Pets often live long lives. Make sure you can commit to the number of years of your pet's lifetime. It is so sad that people give up their pets because they are getting married, or having a baby or moving house. Pets should become a part of the family and we don't give up family members for anything ... or do we?

I wrote this poem as a reminder that if we are not ready, we should not get a pet.

STOP!
This is a cry from my heart
For all the abandoned pets
They don't deserve this
Just because God made us
To have dominion over all
The creatures of this earth
He meant for us to care for them
Not slaughter and kill and treat them
With disdain and cruelty

My heart cries out to all mothers
STOP!
Don't buy that pet for your children
They are too young to understand
Responsibility and to love and care
For these creatures who live long lives
That can be years of misery
Uncared for
And unloved!

My heart goes out to those creatures
That get passed on from one owner to another
Some end up better than before
Many end up confused and afraid
And the sparkle and anticipation
For a better life dies
Like the sparkle in their eyes
Gone forever till they
Return to their Maker

STOP! THINK!
When in doubt
DON'T!
Don't buy that rabbit
Don't buy that dog
Don't buy that cat
Don't buy
Don't!
Just DON'T!

liz poey
20/01/11