The best thing that happened to me this month was when my son introduced me to "http://podcast.com". It all started when I had to download an audio book (borrowed from the library) so that I could listen whilst doing housework. To avoid all the hassle I can just download stuff from podcast instead.
I was indeed thrilled to find so much information and entertainment at the podcast website, ranging from religion, health, news & media to business, education and food, all of which can be downloaded for listening pleasure. Housework now is no more a drudgery.
Under religion alone, there are 12 sub-headings relating to different religions and spiritualities, each sub-heading again consists of perhaps another 10 sub sub-headings. One can now have an open mind and learn more about various religious teachings at a few clicks.
The news and media segment also carries articles from a long list of journals and magazines. Just when I was spoilt for choice, my son again introduced me to New Yorker under which there is a fiction section. In this section guest authors are invited to select a short story by another author, read and discuss it. Listening to these episodes reminds me I have read very little since I left school. It also reminds me that my sensitivity to literature has almost vanished. The review and discussions about the short stories help me appreciate them more, such that I would play back again. I hope this will inspire me to read more. Reading fiction provides insight into how life experiences evoke feelings and mould peoples' character and behaviour; which we can often relate to.
I tried to analyse why I have not read much whilst I was working. It could be because my mental energy (or for that matter my energy in general) is rather low. When weekend came at the end of a work week, I would prefer activities like shopping and watching TV which demanded less of me. I guess I found justification to rot after earning a week's bacon money.
My current situation is now quite different. I need to use my brains more to keep it active and alert. In addition I need to keep my language ability intact. Interacting with children often requires me to speak in a more simple manner. This does not help me improve my speaking and writing skills.
What a gem this website is for me!
Monday, December 28, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Free
I spent last weekend at Desaru. Whilst sitting at the beach I wrote:
"Desaru is probably the first holiday destination outside Singapore for my kids. Yes it definitely is for there is a photo of myself pregnant with my son and my chubby baby daughter playing (with plastic pail and spade) on the beach. Fast forward 20 years and I am now sitting alone on the same beach. Husband has brought his mum and sis for a fruit farm visit nearby.
I see some children positioning their back against the incoming waves. This was what we loved to do as a family too. I am sitting beneath a neatly knotted thatched umbrella whilst the strong winds try to topple the plastic bottle I placed over my book.I am sitting on higher grounds, almost like a mini cliff. It gives me a good view of the horizon although I keep wondering whether there is anyone on the beach just beneath me and what they are up to.
I also wonder what my daughter is doing now, thousands of miles away. It is past 3am her time. Though she should be sleeping I know most often than not she isn't because to sleep early "is a mark of weakness" in Columbia. There, people are supposed to stretch their experiences in every aspects and have no time to waste in slumber. My son did not want to join us because he was just liberated from NS and is languishing in "being human" again.
Hmm...I feel so good with the wind sending my short hair on flight. The sea suddenly takes on beautiful hues, multitude shades of green. A bright, sharp, bluer than blue streak spans the middle of the sky between the horizon and the roof of cotton wool.
I ask myself "Do I love it now more than 20 years ago?" But I do not feel like giving further thoughts to provide an answer. Suddenly, a big ship appears in the horizon. Strange, how come I didn't notice it earlier. The strong winds rock the wooden chair I am sitting on, nudging me for an answer.
"I am enjoying myself because I feel free of attachment. Trillions of beautiful moments have been lost due to over attachment." Yes, over attachment to your loved ones, your identity & hence your job, your possessions, your health, your everything." (end of journalling)
Just when I was about to go back to my hotel room, a string suddenly appeared swinging and swaying before my face. I got up from my seat, got hold of the string, manoeuvred it (alternating between pulling and letting go), and traced it to a kite caught in one of the trees behind the thatched umbrella. Like a kid I tried to retrieve the kite but it was too entangled amongst layers of thick leaves high up on the tree. After some time I let go of the string and in a moment it disappeared, the wind sending it whirling up to be near the kite.
"Desaru is probably the first holiday destination outside Singapore for my kids. Yes it definitely is for there is a photo of myself pregnant with my son and my chubby baby daughter playing (with plastic pail and spade) on the beach. Fast forward 20 years and I am now sitting alone on the same beach. Husband has brought his mum and sis for a fruit farm visit nearby.
I see some children positioning their back against the incoming waves. This was what we loved to do as a family too. I am sitting beneath a neatly knotted thatched umbrella whilst the strong winds try to topple the plastic bottle I placed over my book.I am sitting on higher grounds, almost like a mini cliff. It gives me a good view of the horizon although I keep wondering whether there is anyone on the beach just beneath me and what they are up to.
I also wonder what my daughter is doing now, thousands of miles away. It is past 3am her time. Though she should be sleeping I know most often than not she isn't because to sleep early "is a mark of weakness" in Columbia. There, people are supposed to stretch their experiences in every aspects and have no time to waste in slumber. My son did not want to join us because he was just liberated from NS and is languishing in "being human" again.
Hmm...I feel so good with the wind sending my short hair on flight. The sea suddenly takes on beautiful hues, multitude shades of green. A bright, sharp, bluer than blue streak spans the middle of the sky between the horizon and the roof of cotton wool.
I ask myself "Do I love it now more than 20 years ago?" But I do not feel like giving further thoughts to provide an answer. Suddenly, a big ship appears in the horizon. Strange, how come I didn't notice it earlier. The strong winds rock the wooden chair I am sitting on, nudging me for an answer.
"I am enjoying myself because I feel free of attachment. Trillions of beautiful moments have been lost due to over attachment." Yes, over attachment to your loved ones, your identity & hence your job, your possessions, your health, your everything." (end of journalling)
Just when I was about to go back to my hotel room, a string suddenly appeared swinging and swaying before my face. I got up from my seat, got hold of the string, manoeuvred it (alternating between pulling and letting go), and traced it to a kite caught in one of the trees behind the thatched umbrella. Like a kid I tried to retrieve the kite but it was too entangled amongst layers of thick leaves high up on the tree. After some time I let go of the string and in a moment it disappeared, the wind sending it whirling up to be near the kite.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Of standards & subculture
In today's papers, Minister of Muslim affairs- Yacoob, bemoans the high incidence of dysfunctional families amongst the Malay community. Often in these families there is a missing parent, either in jail or drug rehabilitation centre, or arising from single parenthood out of wedlock. Then there is the problem of teenage pregnancy, teenage parents and divorce. His concerns arose from recent reports of deaths of kids from broken homes. He seems at a loss and in despair and says the Malay community needs to be "worried" which he doesn't feel is happening.
He also cited the low passing rate amongst Malay students in Maths at PSLE and seems at a loss after having provided more tuition and handing out more workbook etc.
Commenting on teenage pregnancey, he said " My take is this group of people do not live by our standards. They have opted out and have their own cultural understanding, where staying together with a non-married partner is accepted...This is not Malay culture, this is a subculture."
This article made me recall a case I had with a Malay girl who played truant and smoked. The school referred the family and the girl for counselling at the Family Service Centre. This girl does not come from a broken family. The ibu (mother) is a gentle woman in her forties and ayah (father) is a hard working technician of some sort. In the first session with the whole family, ibu cried and cried. Ayah sighed and sighed. Ayah said all he wanted of her was to attend school, stayed out of trouble and that the parents were not expecting her to perform academically. The girl remained silent, seemingly indifferent.
At a subsequent sesssion with the girl alone, she sobbed and sobbed.She knew how much pain she was bringing her parents. However she detested school and shared that she just could not follow in class.
Mr Yaccob is right "This group of people do not live by our standards". What is our standards? Our standard is: you need to pass PSLE Maths, just to be on par with the co-hort? Otherwise you are lousy. Otherwise accept that you are an under achiever and be prepared to settle for a lower paid job in life. And as long we also have standards for material needs, we will have a group of disillusioned people (who perhaps have aptitude in other areas other than maths and science) who then opt for the "subculture".
I think of a loveable 9 year old Malay boy in my school whom I am counselling. The last session before school ended he told me jubilantly he made a vast improvement in Maths because he worked hard on it. He scored 37 compared to 18 previously. I clapped my hands in delight. He told me however he failed English because he spent all his time on Maths. I know it will be quite an uphill task for me to sustain his perseverance for academic performance. I hate the day when he too becomes disillusioned and join the "subculture". I need to continuously instil in him that there is hope yet, standards or not.
He also cited the low passing rate amongst Malay students in Maths at PSLE and seems at a loss after having provided more tuition and handing out more workbook etc.
Commenting on teenage pregnancey, he said " My take is this group of people do not live by our standards. They have opted out and have their own cultural understanding, where staying together with a non-married partner is accepted...This is not Malay culture, this is a subculture."
This article made me recall a case I had with a Malay girl who played truant and smoked. The school referred the family and the girl for counselling at the Family Service Centre. This girl does not come from a broken family. The ibu (mother) is a gentle woman in her forties and ayah (father) is a hard working technician of some sort. In the first session with the whole family, ibu cried and cried. Ayah sighed and sighed. Ayah said all he wanted of her was to attend school, stayed out of trouble and that the parents were not expecting her to perform academically. The girl remained silent, seemingly indifferent.
At a subsequent sesssion with the girl alone, she sobbed and sobbed.She knew how much pain she was bringing her parents. However she detested school and shared that she just could not follow in class.
Mr Yaccob is right "This group of people do not live by our standards". What is our standards? Our standard is: you need to pass PSLE Maths, just to be on par with the co-hort? Otherwise you are lousy. Otherwise accept that you are an under achiever and be prepared to settle for a lower paid job in life. And as long we also have standards for material needs, we will have a group of disillusioned people (who perhaps have aptitude in other areas other than maths and science) who then opt for the "subculture".
I think of a loveable 9 year old Malay boy in my school whom I am counselling. The last session before school ended he told me jubilantly he made a vast improvement in Maths because he worked hard on it. He scored 37 compared to 18 previously. I clapped my hands in delight. He told me however he failed English because he spent all his time on Maths. I know it will be quite an uphill task for me to sustain his perseverance for academic performance. I hate the day when he too becomes disillusioned and join the "subculture". I need to continuously instil in him that there is hope yet, standards or not.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Lofty ideas
This is a follow up on my earlier blog "Is the norm really existent?" wherein I mentioned about the book by David Smail. After further reading , I conclude this guy is a socialist. Basically he feels that a person is born to contribute to the social world, otherwise his life is meaningless even if he manages to fulfil all the needs that are dreamed of in modern society. Indeed much of our distress arises from the "preoccupation with ourselves and our needs". (This focus on private satisfaction is reinforced by the commercial culture). When reading this I link this rationale to that of the Buddhist concept of reducing self importance.
However I am puzzled how Smail operates as a psychologist when he is sceptical about the various approaches and techniques in psychotherapy. Does he preach such lofty ideas to a suffering client instead? It may work with certain clients I suppose.
However I am puzzled how Smail operates as a psychologist when he is sceptical about the various approaches and techniques in psychotherapy. Does he preach such lofty ideas to a suffering client instead? It may work with certain clients I suppose.
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