The haze has gone and the rainy season is back.There is negative ion on the air and its so calming.I love the sound of rain pitter patter on the window,a cool breeze chills the niteand I curl up in my arm chair reading "convenience store woman" by sayaka murata and chuckling at her observation.
"The baby started to cry.Mysister hurriedly picked him up and tried to soothe him.What a lot of hassle I thought.I looked at the small knife we"d used to cut te cake still lying there on the table:if it was just a matter of making him quiet,it would be easy enough.
I love understated humour.Sayaka murata was a closet novelist working at small jobs in convenience stores while she kept on writing her narratives.really the experiencebenefitted herwriting as thecattention to details is reaistic and meticulous.
I love Japanese novelists especially yoko ogawa.
Thursday, October 17, 2019
Wednesday, September 25, 2019
appreciate the ordinary day
It's when we keep our mind and eyes focused on the distant future that we forget to look around and appreciate the ordinary day.
There's the mad rush to go to work that I didnt notice the sky was blue with wisps of white clouds.What! there is no grey,haze blocking the sun.it rained lightly.How refreshing the rain smells after the smell of smoke .The mock orange blossoms emits a sweet scent and the small red lanterns are blooming in the vine as a small sunbird starts chirping.That's why happiness come in small doses.
It need not be an earth trembling event that should wake us to the frail beauty of life.We can walk past the same spot 5 years in a row and never see the yellow blossoms on a tree at the corner.Suddenly you open your eyes to the beauty of an ordinary day when a life changing event like a car accident,a tsunami,
a cancer risk or earthquake threatens to completely turn your life upside down.That's when we realize the beauty of an ordinary day
There's the mad rush to go to work that I didnt notice the sky was blue with wisps of white clouds.What! there is no grey,haze blocking the sun.it rained lightly.How refreshing the rain smells after the smell of smoke .The mock orange blossoms emits a sweet scent and the small red lanterns are blooming in the vine as a small sunbird starts chirping.That's why happiness come in small doses.
It need not be an earth trembling event that should wake us to the frail beauty of life.We can walk past the same spot 5 years in a row and never see the yellow blossoms on a tree at the corner.Suddenly you open your eyes to the beauty of an ordinary day when a life changing event like a car accident,a tsunami,
Tuesday, September 3, 2019
Keep Earth green and clean
In bali rampant use of nonbiodegradable plastic is hearttbreaking to see plastic rubbish floating.Bali needs a better waste management system before its scenic beauty is marred by waste pollution.
Its so much an uplifting experience to see herds of wild dolphins happily leaping out of the ocean.But sad to see grossly obese monkeys fed on junk food.A huge obese monkey with a big fat belly was happily munching on salty potato chips given by irresponsible tourists.I saw many overweight, apes too lazy to climb up trees to forage for food and taking easy way out by begging for food.
The time spent in nature is soothing and calming.The salty tangy sea air,the glorious sunsets ,waves lashing the shore are what makes one feel so alive.After parasailing,I tried ocean walking and love sensation of fish nibbling the bread from my hands;I was thrilled to see clown fish and sea anemone.An unforgetabble experience.No time for river rafting or trekking as distances are far and schedule tight.Incredible to view kecak dance with 1,900 visitors from all corners of the world.here in Bali cultural ritual is a part of daily life as we view a thanksgiving ritual by Bedugul lake.Little packs of flowers are placed at altars.
Its so much an uplifting experience to see herds of wild dolphins happily leaping out of the ocean.But sad to see grossly obese monkeys fed on junk food.A huge obese monkey with a big fat belly was happily munching on salty potato chips given by irresponsible tourists.I saw many overweight, apes too lazy to climb up trees to forage for food and taking easy way out by begging for food.
Thursday, August 22, 2019
isolation from the global institutions is shooting oneself on the foot
China made a mistake in the past with its closed door policy to isolate itselffrom foreign influences.It to a decline in scientific and technological innovations and lower standard of living.
Realising it had to compete at international level,it decided to become a global palyer under Deng Xiao Peng's economic liberalization experiments in the special economic zones.
In the 1990s,China under the leadership of Zhu RongJi wasdetermined to get into the WTO.Zhu famously said."I've prepared 100 coffins,99 for corrupt official and one for myself." It's hard to think of a more courageous statement.Clinton despite all his fine rhetoric about keeping the world open couldnt match Zhu's courage.
The fundamental reason that China and America have been goingb on in opposite directions is because the Chinese triedthe isolated Middle Kingdom" approach.it failed It made China weak.China now wants to engage the world and its international organizations.
The contrasting attitudes of America and China to international treaties and conventions and international organizations may surprise a lay reader.Much of the international fabric that provided the foundation for these treaties and organizations rested on ideas generated in theUS.Yet China has a better track record than America in the field of ratifying international treaties and conventions as well as joining international organizations.China has signed and ratified international agreements the US has refused to sign or ratify including the Biodiversity Convention,The Kyoto Protocol on Climate,the Hazardous Wastes Convention,and the law of the Sea treaty.By contrast,while China has been embracing the WTO and opening itself up to more international trade,American policymakers have progressively turned away from the WTO even though the WTO is essentially an American creation.It has not ratified the TPP which Obama had been pushing as a multilateral trading system and oushing for unilateralism.
America suffers from three systemic challenges:groupthink,the erosion of individual responsibility and an inability to see how its abuse of power has contributed to many of the problems it now confronts abroad.many Americans are oblivious to the structural failures within their system of governance(dominated by special interests,(their social contract)-characterised by a widening gap between rich and poor and their response to globalisation (increased protectionism)Deep structural reforms are necessary in America to avert an inevitable failure.Tom Friedman states "Our country faces a big choice right now.We can either have a hard decade or a bad century"
The Great Convergence
Author"Kishore Mahbubani
Realising it had to compete at international level,it decided to become a global palyer under Deng Xiao Peng's economic liberalization experiments in the special economic zones.
In the 1990s,China under the leadership of Zhu RongJi wasdetermined to get into the WTO.Zhu famously said."I've prepared 100 coffins,99 for corrupt official and one for myself." It's hard to think of a more courageous statement.Clinton despite all his fine rhetoric about keeping the world open couldnt match Zhu's courage.
The fundamental reason that China and America have been goingb on in opposite directions is because the Chinese triedthe isolated Middle Kingdom" approach.it failed It made China weak.China now wants to engage the world and its international organizations.
The contrasting attitudes of America and China to international treaties and conventions and international organizations may surprise a lay reader.Much of the international fabric that provided the foundation for these treaties and organizations rested on ideas generated in theUS.Yet China has a better track record than America in the field of ratifying international treaties and conventions as well as joining international organizations.China has signed and ratified international agreements the US has refused to sign or ratify including the Biodiversity Convention,The Kyoto Protocol on Climate,the Hazardous Wastes Convention,and the law of the Sea treaty.By contrast,while China has been embracing the WTO and opening itself up to more international trade,American policymakers have progressively turned away from the WTO even though the WTO is essentially an American creation.It has not ratified the TPP which Obama had been pushing as a multilateral trading system and oushing for unilateralism.
America suffers from three systemic challenges:groupthink,the erosion of individual responsibility and an inability to see how its abuse of power has contributed to many of the problems it now confronts abroad.many Americans are oblivious to the structural failures within their system of governance(dominated by special interests,(their social contract)-characterised by a widening gap between rich and poor and their response to globalisation (increased protectionism)Deep structural reforms are necessary in America to avert an inevitable failure.Tom Friedman states "Our country faces a big choice right now.We can either have a hard decade or a bad century"
The Great Convergence
Author"Kishore Mahbubani
Friday, August 9, 2019
Disposable income
Growth will be driven by domestic demand in future in China.Chart by OECD countries in 2017 compares a few industrialised nations middle class disposable incomes in 2017.Standing out is China's urban cities at more that 6.5 compared to Japan at 0.8,Germany at 1.7,the US at 2.3,the UK at negative0.2.The Chinese statistic between 2015 and 2030 sees a drastic rise by 2xin disposable incomes of the elite upper class from 3 to 7,the upper middle class and the middle class.Poverty in the low class is reduced a lot too.So growth can still be consumer driven in China.
In developed nations,student loan,mortagage and car repayment and high medical burden cuts away the reserve of liquidity and disposable incomes of the middle class.
The demand for electronic and cars will skyrocket when disposable incomes in rural regions of China increase.There is still inequality in distribution in urban areas like Shanghai,Beijing,Zhejiang and Guangzhou surpassing areas in Yunnan,Guishou and etc.
Still there is need to look at household indebtedness figures before any conclusion can be made.
In developed nations,student loan,mortagage and car repayment and high medical burden cuts away the reserve of liquidity and disposable incomes of the middle class.
The demand for electronic and cars will skyrocket when disposable incomes in rural regions of China increase.There is still inequality in distribution in urban areas like Shanghai,Beijing,Zhejiang and Guangzhou surpassing areas in Yunnan,Guishou and etc.
Still there is need to look at household indebtedness figures before any conclusion can be made.
Tuesday, July 23, 2019
movies
There seems to be a lot of superhero movies being churned out.Is that a sign that when reality sucks,people turn to fantasy for a feelgood factor.But I still prefer indie movies or documentaries.Movies from India are so entertaining so it's not the big names or fancy CGI that counts but the plot and characterisation.
Although the clothing,and lifestyle are distinctively Indian but the human angle in the story can be easily identifiable by all of usThe themes of struggles,challenging the status quo,love of family and etc are so relatable to us.
When we are laughing at the characters,we are also holding a mirror to ourselves and being able to laugh at our own faults and weakness is a sign of a healthy and self confident personality who is not ashame to admit his or her flaws for that is what makes us humans.
Sometimes,when i take a step back and meditate,the journey of self discovery is so enlightening.I'm a louder than life person and make no apologies for talking and laughing loudly.Im not a shy violet or wallflower.But when I hear my son trying to hush me down by saying "don't talk or laugh so loudly mom,people are looking!" "Sonny, let them look all they want.I must have been a laugh out loud comedian in my past life".Just walk 10 steps behind and pretend you don't know me.
It had been a hell of a ride to be your mom.I've done the mummy thing and now it's time for me to try new experiences.just dont expect me to be your free nanny to your kids and call me only if your kids answer you back or break your curfew rules.Then I'll pass some tips to you.
Although the clothing,and lifestyle are distinctively Indian but the human angle in the story can be easily identifiable by all of usThe themes of struggles,challenging the status quo,love of family and etc are so relatable to us.
When we are laughing at the characters,we are also holding a mirror to ourselves and being able to laugh at our own faults and weakness is a sign of a healthy and self confident personality who is not ashame to admit his or her flaws for that is what makes us humans.
Sometimes,when i take a step back and meditate,the journey of self discovery is so enlightening.I'm a louder than life person and make no apologies for talking and laughing loudly.Im not a shy violet or wallflower.But when I hear my son trying to hush me down by saying "don't talk or laugh so loudly mom,people are looking!" "Sonny, let them look all they want.I must have been a laugh out loud comedian in my past life".Just walk 10 steps behind and pretend you don't know me.
It had been a hell of a ride to be your mom.I've done the mummy thing and now it's time for me to try new experiences.just dont expect me to be your free nanny to your kids and call me only if your kids answer you back or break your curfew rules.Then I'll pass some tips to you.
Tuesday, July 2, 2019
One man show
When my only colleague changed from teaching to another profession,I was left high and dry as a one woman show.But I began to appreciate the freedom to teach four classes using my own methodology.The international syllabus gave me freedom to vary my coursework evaluation so that I could introduce poetry writing and reading,writing of storyboard and scripts,project work of short movies and documentaries,review of feature films,making collage as representation of themes.I believe in educating and teaching of diverse characters from different socioeconomic backgrounds so that there is no one size fits all solution.
I've to observe student behaviour,get feedback and devise lessons that will scaffold step by step towards instilling attitudes and building up skills in editing software,improvisation etc so that they learn to build teamwork and trust.With standardised lessons,we have uniformity in pace of teaching among the four classes but people don't learn in the same way and at the same rate.For the restless class,I devise movement exercises ,for the competitive class,quizzes and contests,for the weaker classes,remedial work to reinforce basic skills.So to make all classes being taught in the same way and the same pace assumes that learners absorb information in same way and so a cookie cutter approach makes lessons dull and repetitive.I like being a maverick teacher and buckle the trend
My approach is to work on social skills as well as EQ.In this I feel drama and play with movement is important because after 4 straight hours of sitting still,the brains suffer a mental shutdown and I'm teaching zombies with brains somewhere in outerspace.
As a language class,I prefer an interactive,noisy,participative class rather than a quiet,passive one.Sometimes there should be jokes and laughter,another time the excitement of running to the finishing line to complete a task,sometimes there is singing and sometimes there is heated debate.
I'm a firm believer in role play and understanding current affairs to make a well rounded person.Sue Jennings work on neuro-dramatic play is really relevant in resolving a lot of emotional problems in teenagers.The creative arts has been neglected in schools when neuro dramatic play and embodiment projection role are as Sue Jennnings put it important in developing core competencies like: "establish healthy attachments,develop trust,creates confidence in the body self,facilitates growth of empathy,encourage resilience and maintains emotional literacy."
These are life skills important in mental health so that the child or teenagers knows how to seek help to pull themselves out of depression and mental disorders at a period of hormonal challenges and trying to find self identity.
It would be great if I can access her reading references here.The book I'm dying to read is Gerhardt,A,et al(2014) Why Love Matters .Hove:Routledge and Jennings,S(2013) Activities for Managing Challenging Behaviour.Buckingham:Hinton House.
We can never really understand someone until we've walked a mile in their shoes.
So when we see a student struggling with schoolwork,I believe we should befriend them so that they see that we are not punitive and hostile but really care for their emotional and social development.To bar teachers from interacting with students outside the classroom limits our ability to intervene nd help students with challenging issues.It's through sports activities,drama activities or class trips that we can establish trust and rapport with the students.We should never take over the parental role but acts as an extra support system to these kids.
My first school was a fully residential school in which all activities and tuition was preplanned and decision making taken out of the kids hands.They would grow up with no initiative and have an "self entitlement" attitude.My second school had students from different socio economic backgrounds and races.I empower the kids to initiate projects,seek their own funding and carry out activities without constant monitoring by me.i only step in if they are in serious trouble.The kids in this environment are resourceful and self reliant besides taking initiative without being prompted.
When we did folk dancing and lacked a stage,wooden tables with wobbly legs or slightly damagedones were used by kemahiran students to be recycled into a stage.Legs were sawn off to the same height,cheap planks placed on the table tops and covered with old carpets to became a make do stage.Of course with tap dancing,you can get away with noise.
Some kids came from rural backgrounds.I found out the Malay student who skipped classes did so because he had to guard the durian trees of his grandparent orchard by staying in a hut so that no one would steal the durians that dropped in the nite.In those days,durians were costly and had only one harvest a year. I didnt have the heart to reprimand him but gave him coffee in the morning to stay awake.He gave me a whole basket of durians after he passed his high school exam.
Some students ,I did home visit and went to Pulau Ketam to stay for the weekend.Theirfamilies were fishermen who depended on the sea to make a living.The kids took me to the kelong to see how the fish like garopa were reared in cages.They took me to the seafood processing plant and the stench of drying salted fish is unbearable.The place was previously a mangrove swamp so all houses are built on stilts with no cars allowed.
So kids who are not overprotected and oversheltered by parents are more hardy,resilient and resourceful and adaptable.
One of my students was determined to enter the medical line although he took arts subject in high school.He was so determined that he took extra tuition in science subjects to catch up.He used to ge up at 5am in the morning and drive across town to reach the college and slept in the car park until classes started.I told him to open a gap in case he had carbon monoxide poisoning.He got into the medical course through sheer hard workThe gal i was teaching came from a single parent family with two younger siblings.She has been working part time to pay for her tuition fee and even saved enough to be an exchange student in the UK and describing the thrill of watching Shakespeare play live in a theatre.She changes two MRT lines to reach for 9am class although she works past midnite at her part time job.Kids like that will do well in life because they have the right EQ.
The education system that does everything for a child will grroom adults who will not have the mental strength to face the ups and downs in life.I tell the kids all the time,if you are not ready to learn in school,I'll let Life teach you as experience is the best teacher.There's no one to guide you ,to tell you right from wrong or what to do,Life is a tough teacher and you will have to learn on your own.The other thing I won't do is lower my expectation of an A grade.Getting an A from me is like squeezing blood from a stone so when Claire Chew and Choo See Yuan got A at international examsthey know they have reached the global standard of achievement.
I've to observe student behaviour,get feedback and devise lessons that will scaffold step by step towards instilling attitudes and building up skills in editing software,improvisation etc so that they learn to build teamwork and trust.With standardised lessons,we have uniformity in pace of teaching among the four classes but people don't learn in the same way and at the same rate.For the restless class,I devise movement exercises ,for the competitive class,quizzes and contests,for the weaker classes,remedial work to reinforce basic skills.So to make all classes being taught in the same way and the same pace assumes that learners absorb information in same way and so a cookie cutter approach makes lessons dull and repetitive.I like being a maverick teacher and buckle the trend
My approach is to work on social skills as well as EQ.In this I feel drama and play with movement is important because after 4 straight hours of sitting still,the brains suffer a mental shutdown and I'm teaching zombies with brains somewhere in outerspace.
As a language class,I prefer an interactive,noisy,participative class rather than a quiet,passive one.Sometimes there should be jokes and laughter,another time the excitement of running to the finishing line to complete a task,sometimes there is singing and sometimes there is heated debate.
I'm a firm believer in role play and understanding current affairs to make a well rounded person.Sue Jennings work on neuro-dramatic play is really relevant in resolving a lot of emotional problems in teenagers.The creative arts has been neglected in schools when neuro dramatic play and embodiment projection role are as Sue Jennnings put it important in developing core competencies like: "establish healthy attachments,develop trust,creates confidence in the body self,facilitates growth of empathy,encourage resilience and maintains emotional literacy."
These are life skills important in mental health so that the child or teenagers knows how to seek help to pull themselves out of depression and mental disorders at a period of hormonal challenges and trying to find self identity.
It would be great if I can access her reading references here.The book I'm dying to read is Gerhardt,A,et al(2014) Why Love Matters .Hove:Routledge and Jennings,S(2013) Activities for Managing Challenging Behaviour.Buckingham:Hinton House.
We can never really understand someone until we've walked a mile in their shoes.
So when we see a student struggling with schoolwork,I believe we should befriend them so that they see that we are not punitive and hostile but really care for their emotional and social development.To bar teachers from interacting with students outside the classroom limits our ability to intervene nd help students with challenging issues.It's through sports activities,drama activities or class trips that we can establish trust and rapport with the students.We should never take over the parental role but acts as an extra support system to these kids.
My first school was a fully residential school in which all activities and tuition was preplanned and decision making taken out of the kids hands.They would grow up with no initiative and have an "self entitlement" attitude.My second school had students from different socio economic backgrounds and races.I empower the kids to initiate projects,seek their own funding and carry out activities without constant monitoring by me.i only step in if they are in serious trouble.The kids in this environment are resourceful and self reliant besides taking initiative without being prompted.
When we did folk dancing and lacked a stage,wooden tables with wobbly legs or slightly damagedones were used by kemahiran students to be recycled into a stage.Legs were sawn off to the same height,cheap planks placed on the table tops and covered with old carpets to became a make do stage.Of course with tap dancing,you can get away with noise.
Some kids came from rural backgrounds.I found out the Malay student who skipped classes did so because he had to guard the durian trees of his grandparent orchard by staying in a hut so that no one would steal the durians that dropped in the nite.In those days,durians were costly and had only one harvest a year. I didnt have the heart to reprimand him but gave him coffee in the morning to stay awake.He gave me a whole basket of durians after he passed his high school exam.
Some students ,I did home visit and went to Pulau Ketam to stay for the weekend.Theirfamilies were fishermen who depended on the sea to make a living.The kids took me to the kelong to see how the fish like garopa were reared in cages.They took me to the seafood processing plant and the stench of drying salted fish is unbearable.The place was previously a mangrove swamp so all houses are built on stilts with no cars allowed.
So kids who are not overprotected and oversheltered by parents are more hardy,resilient and resourceful and adaptable.
One of my students was determined to enter the medical line although he took arts subject in high school.He was so determined that he took extra tuition in science subjects to catch up.He used to ge up at 5am in the morning and drive across town to reach the college and slept in the car park until classes started.I told him to open a gap in case he had carbon monoxide poisoning.He got into the medical course through sheer hard workThe gal i was teaching came from a single parent family with two younger siblings.She has been working part time to pay for her tuition fee and even saved enough to be an exchange student in the UK and describing the thrill of watching Shakespeare play live in a theatre.She changes two MRT lines to reach for 9am class although she works past midnite at her part time job.Kids like that will do well in life because they have the right EQ.
The education system that does everything for a child will grroom adults who will not have the mental strength to face the ups and downs in life.I tell the kids all the time,if you are not ready to learn in school,I'll let Life teach you as experience is the best teacher.There's no one to guide you ,to tell you right from wrong or what to do,Life is a tough teacher and you will have to learn on your own.The other thing I won't do is lower my expectation of an A grade.Getting an A from me is like squeezing blood from a stone so when Claire Chew and Choo See Yuan got A at international examsthey know they have reached the global standard of achievement.
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