Fear reflexes of the Virus

The lock out of Wuhan city is really like a drama in a horror movie. As the Wuhan virus spreads to other big cities in China, one wonders whether these cities will be locked out too? Some airlines have started to suspend some flights in and out of China and countries are pulling their citizens out of  Wuhan by chartered flights.

In Japan a local  driver has contacted the virus after driving a group of Chinese tourists from Wuhan. The mayor of Wuhan said that 5 million people have left the city before the lock out. There is now a fear of coming into contact with China nationals with some netizens in countries like Malaysia calling for a total ban of travellers from China. Racism against the China nationals is sprouting.

Though I am not prejudiced  against PRC nationals, I have begun to fear coming into contact with them. The third day of CNY was a public holiday and though the departmental stores were shouting out attractive Sales, my husband and I decided to avoid the crowds and went to Macritchie Park for a walk. What we didn't expect was that many park visitors whom we overtook or who overtook us on the trail were speaking in Chinese with a clear PRC accent. I guess they thought the park was a safe place where they would feel less unwelcomed. At the last leg of our walk I was really tired and had slowed down when suddenly one of the 2 guys at the back of us started sneezing loudly. As they closed behind us I could pick up their conversation in typical China accent. Never was there such a sudden surge of energy in me and I started to bolt.  Another day at the wet market while mulling over fishes at a stall the voice of a lady close behind asking about prices in clear PRC accent drew a reflex action in me when I stepped away quickly. I must say I feel rather ashamed of my actions but ascribe them to fear.

"This week, my ethnicity has made me feel like I was part of a threatening and diseased mass," said Sam Phan, a master student at Manchester U, UK relating incidents when people scrambled away from him. He continued writing in the Guardian, "It's important to see us in all our diversity, as individual human beings, and to challenge stereotypes. The coronavirus is a human tragedy, so let's not allow fear to breed hatred, intolerance and racism."

I hear you Sam but I am still scared. I shall try to control my fear reflexes or at least be more discreet.

Fantasy unmet

Knowing that my husband will never take me to a bar, my daughter suggested a night out with me when he was out of town. So she and her boy friend brought me bar hopping after a dinner.

I told her my idea of visiting a bar is to sit on a bar stool at the bar counter watching the bar tender shakes the cocktails. Like what they often show in the movie it's also about chatting with the bar tender.

So we did the Keong Siak-Duxton-Bukit Pasoh bar hop. Really it wasn't too much of a hop because I was literally knocked out after the second spot. To meet my "bar counter" specification, we peeped in a few places to see whether the bar counter is full. The overwhelming music, chatter and laughter punching out every time we pushed open the door made me apprehensive.

We finally settled for a bar listed in Time-Out as one of Asia's best cocktail place. It doesn't look like a bar but more like a living room with a T shape bar counter. The cocktail was good.  The youngsters told me in most bars, bar tenders seldom talk to customers. They were curious to know why I fantasize  chatting with the bar tender. They also observed that I don't look very excited.

To be honest the places she brought me are too civil and are more like lounges in a good hotel. The idea of drinking at the bar counter crept into my bucket list which my daughter came to know about. However what she doesn't know is that it is more of a dare than a wish. Hence the pre-requisite has to be a place which I step in with trepidation. I suppose then the bar has to be busy, loud, jam packed, smoke filled and a tart seedy, very much like those often portrayed in HK TV drama where the cops look for the kingpins.

What a crazy fantasy! Perhaps there is underlying boredom in my life and a dare to puncture it. Perhaps it symbolises coming out of my comfort zone.

I guess my bucket list can live with one crazy dare among the many standard norms. So I am still looking for a gangster to bring me to my type of a real bar.

Goals for a Decade

A student asked a Buddhist meditation teacher how to assess whether he has made progress. The teacher replied that results may not be evident in a short span of time but suggested three signs to look out for over the years:

1) When one experiences moments of inner quiet and bliss during meditation. Though brief these moments could occur increasingly over time.

2) When one notices one is less affected by difficult circumstances,

3) When one notices one is less angry with others, more understanding and has more love in the heart.


As per the teacher these are long term goals. Instead of New Year resolutions, the above can be adopted as goals for the new Decade.

Joy, Equanimity and Compassion.