I am so proud of you baby!

Baby's first article submission about our educational system was successfully published on today's Straits Times website. First attempt and you got a positive response - Well done dear! I am so proud of you. Keep up the excellent job!!

"Private tuition: Is this the face of primary education?"

WHAT does it say about the state of our education system when private tuition services blossom into a multimillion-dollar industry?

Is our educational curriculum so cumbersome that the lessons cannot be adequately taught within the six to eight hours of each school day?

Or are our teachers so incompetent that, at the end of each day, half the children leave their schools totally clueless about the lessons taught earlier in classes?

A friend was flabbergasted recently to discover a group of K2 students struggling over mathematical concepts that used to be taught in Primary 4.

Why should we rob our children of their childhood and burden them with a curriculum which is ridiculously beyond their age-appropriate mental capabilities? Are we unfairly setting them up for failure?
How then can we reasonably expect our children to develop a love for the subjects they learn?

I remember my own primary school days when I had time to play 'hide-and-seek' after school and spend hours doodling cartoons. Not a minute was spent on tuition. It did not stop me from topping my PSLE cohort, getting into a top secondary school, scoring straight As and winning a scholarship to study overseas.

The curriculum could be easily understood and thus adequately mastered within the allotted time. Sadly, this no longer seems to be the case, particularly at the level of primary education.

Two years ago, I was a volunteer manning a crisis hotline when I answered a distress call at 9.30pm. The caller was a nine-year-old girl. She was calling on behalf of her classmate who was on the verge of an emotional breakdown, having had to complete one worksheet after another. It was a classic case of kiasu parents who had unwittingly become victims of an overzealous education system. The number of workbooks they bought for their nine-year-old? Forty-two.

Is this then the face of Singapore's primary education? Is it any wonder that some families have migrated elsewhere while some others have resorted to home schooling?
How creative and resilient will be our workforce when they are bred on a diet of worksheets?

Children should be able to spend more time outside the classroom where life - itself a great teacher - can provide an even more enriching education.
If this calls for an overhaul of our primary education curriculum, so be it. After all, sticking our heads in the sand and pretending everything is fine has never been the Singaporean way.

Yusri Ithnin

Designer shoes, Designer queues

By Yusri B Ithnin

“Ooh..! I LOVE the shoes!!”

That’s the off-the-cuff reply I got recently when I asked my girlfriend what she thought of Sex and the City. Never mind the movie. Cary Bradshaw and her Manolo Blahniks probably have more impact than the storyline ever will. Call it in-your-face product endorsement if you will, but designer wear have caught the imagination of generations of shoppers and movie-goers. How else would you explain the line of schoolgirls and middle-aged aunties in the queue outside a certain designer boutique?

I’m an average guy who likes to look good as much as the next guy does. But I find it utterly ridiculous that people are willing to spend an hour in a queue for the chance to spend thousands of hard-earned dollars on a piece of leather. It borders on obsession. Why else would you join a queue that tells every onlooker that you are too much of a cheapskate to buy the designer item at regular retail price? As an acquaintance of mine used to say, albeit in a snobbish, diva-esque manner, “If you must queue up to buy it, then you certainly can’t afford it.”

So what makes these brands so sought-after? I used to think ‘exclusivity’ is the factor attracting these hordes to designer brands like bees to honey, to be one of the privileged few to lug around a $10,000 designer bag very much like a ‘look-at-me-I-have-arrived’ label. But when your neighborhood kopitiam ah soh is seen clutching a designer bag too, albeit a counterfeit from Petaling Street, it makes me wonder if ‘limited’ has gone ‘mass market’ and ‘exclusive’ has become ‘mainstream’.

Perhaps the queue represents another Hello Kitty phenomenon? Who among us can forget the crazy queues at McDonald outlets some years ago when obsessive bandwagon-jumpers were seen dumping burgers like discarded sweet wrappers as soon as they lay their hands on the Hello Kitty dolls, obliviously ecstatic in the mistaken belief those dolls will appreciate in value in the near future. Now I do not have firsthand knowledge as to what happened to those ‘investments’ but I do know the only one laughing his way to the bank looks suspiciously like Ronald McDonald.

The ‘designer’ queue is no laughing matter. Not to the ones who are party to it. But onlookers may find it hard not to chuckle, even snicker. Some, like the few men in the queue, sport that “don’t-look-at-me, my-wife/girlfriend/mother-in-law -made-me-do-this” look. Others probably just want the bragging rights to making ‘the deal of the century’ and turn their mahjong kakis green with designer-hued envy. Frankly, I can’t tell the obsessive ones apart; they all seem nuts to me.

Many women think a typical guy like me do not understand the psyche behind designer wear shopping. They are right: I don’t. Otherwise, FJ Benjamin would have hired me. But I do see a male equivalent in the snaking queues at Funan Centre whenever techies and geeks converge for newly launched products or popular online games like World of Warcraft. These queues were however driven by the desire to adopt new technology rather than a need to satisfy some narcissistic vanity. I won’t discount the desire for bragging rights, though. Geeks can get obsessive over hardware specifications, even over intangible bytes and pixels. I should know. I used to be one of them.

Which graphics card will best match this motherboard? Which designer bag goes with this designer outfit? See the similarities, ladies? Men are not from Mars after all. But here’s where the similarity ends. Our $800 top-of-the-range graphics card sits proudly within the CPU casing, protected by a host of cooling devices and surge protectors. Your Manolo Blahniks costs as much if not more. But when nature calls, would you sashay your way to a public toilet in your Blahniks or would you rather hold your bladder till you can find a more agreeable, designer shoe-friendly environment? I don’t know about you but that is a decision I’d rather not have to agonize over. Not when I just had a couple of drinks.

pictures to share

Happy 27th birthday to me!

Monday
15th June 1981
920am

That was the date and time of my birth. The day i was named, Meliza. And the day my twin sister, Masyida Salim was born. She passed away 1year after her birth due to cardiovascular related disease. Till today, and many years to come, i will always remember her. It is as if she never left. My celebrating every birthday, every year, will be the day, i am reunited with my late sister.

And yesterday, was the first time, my mum threw a party for me. A double blessing she said. To celebrate my new found job and my new beginning. More than 50 people came to the party. Wide variety of food, from the sweets to the spicy one. Food was superb as usual, thanks to "ibu", the Indonesian grandma who is a close friend of my mum's. My special invites went to dearest friends like Jun and her fiance, Maya, Jean and of course, my baby. Not forgetting my beloved relatives, especially couz!

The get-together was a good way to bond and share. Lil chats, cheeky giggles and HOT gossips here and there! The cake from Secret Recipe was amazingly good too. The guests did not leave empty handed. They were blessed with food from the party, to fill up those empty stomachs later in the night. ;)

I had a memorable birthday, mum. Thank you.

The age is just a number, someone said. I feel so lucky to have such great friends, family and life companion. I thank you for all your listening ear, kind advice and words of encouragement. May we remain close, even closer, in the future to come. To all, may we be blessed with good health, fortune and happiness. For eternity.

To Jun: Have a blissful marriage!

To Maya: Also, have a blessed relationship with him. You deserve it!

To Jean: All the best and success in your work.

To my cousin: Stay positive and cheerful. Never give up in your search for that perfect job.

To my family: I love you for being who you are. My pillar of strength.

To Ayang: You can reach the sky if you put your mind to it. Focus and aim high.

" Working towards success will make you a Master. Working towards satisfaction will make you a Legend."

And to you sis, I love you. Forever in my thoughts.

2 more days to my birthday!

15th June here i come!! Turning 27... it's just a number.. what counts is one must always enjoy life.. and so far i am!

It's A Long Long Entry

Hmmm where do i start? So many things had happened the past weeks. I have not been updating my blog for way too long!! Well.. one thing at a time.. let's see;

24th May 2008
My first visit to the New Sentosa. Tried the express train. Quite an experience, though, the train doesn't look any much different than the old monorail. But the colour of it does remind me of the bullet train in Tokyo. That one was an experience to remember-> smooth ride yet, it was moving super fast! The three of us decided to get the combo package which included the Sky Tower, Butterfly park, Luge, Museum and 4D matrix. The go-cart lookalike at luge was crazy fun! But one problem was the steering-> you have to pull it back hard otherwise it will bring the vehicle to a complete stop. So can you imagine your posture and weight you have to put on your arms throughout the 15mins drive?!

The most terrifying of all was the Sky ride. I love thrilling rides and feel utmost safe in them cos of the safety belts fastened around my waist. But this particular one, despite its baby-slow speed, it has no safety belt!! Except for that metal bar pressed against my thighs! What if a strong gush of wind suddenly rock the cabin!!!! We could fall and die... arrgh... never am i ever taking that one again.. The rest of the "excursion" was fine. Butterfly park was a disappointment tho, not many of them seen flying around. The museum was fantastic if you are one who loves history. We caught a video narrating the lives of our ancestors and played our o'l childhood games like "hopscotch, 5 stones, magic sticks, capteh and congkak". The tourists gathered around us while we showed off some of our skills ;)

Finally the Sky Tower. Had an almost complete view of Sentosa. The scenery would look lovelier at night i guess. The 4D Magix was like any simulator ride. Equipped with the 4D glasses, and living the life of a pirate, effects like an on-off windshock on your neck and vibrating seats were some of the highlights of the ride. Other than that, nothing comes close to a surprise.

A great day spent. Wouldnt mind going there again.

25th May 2008
Happy 26th birthday cousin! Celebrated with the whole lot at Chai Chee Seafood. Also known as Ooh La La restaurant. Situated near Kembangan station. A case of bad branding. We ended up spending 30mins looking for this place. Was recommended by my aunt who called it Ooh La La. In actual fact, the name is Chai Chee seafood. The former was only found on its takeaway boxes. What a way to confuse your customers! Other than that, the food was average, not overly priced. The company of my family was priceless.

6th - 8th June 2008
Took a drive down to KL to attend my cousin's wedding. Held at Puspanita, Dewan Sri Endon. Lavishly done, the parents spent more than RM$100,000 for the whole sheebangs. The couple: both a House office at Queen Victoria hospital in UK. Freshly graduated. The wedding dinner started at around 8pm, with 800 guests ranging from layman like you and me to VVIP like Tan seri, Datuks and Datins. The whole wedding affair lasted for more than 4hrs with more than 5 acts of traditional malay dances, silat and singing. Next comes the grand opening before the food was served, followed by endless phototaking and well wishes from the guests. If you think about it, the amount of money we threw here (say S$40,000) could be better spent there! Look at the grandness of the place. It a wedding fit for a king and queen! Ni baru dikatakan, raja dan permaisuri sehari ;)

11th June 2008
Had my first TP. What can i say the weather was against me. Maybe i was not destined to pass on my first attempt. It was a bright sunny morning. Had my warm up session at 730am before the actual driving test at 825am. All was smooth; my parking especially. "You have a chance to pass today" was the exact words from my instructor on that day. But as i waited for my tester, at approximately 815am, the weather took a bad turn. The dark skies covered the sun, and strong winds everywhere. I knew this was a bad omen. And true enough, as i turned on the ignition, heavy downpour filled the city! The visibility lessened. I took a huge gulp and did my best anyway. I guess it was a mixture of anxiety, esteem and concentration that screwed my driving on that day. For the first time ever, i was not able to do my parallel parking! The car just refused to get into the lot!!! Even after generous leniency from my tester and 5times later, i still failed to do so! I just could not see my poles for godsake!!! arghh... in the end, i succumbed to fate. I requested for an IM. But the tester let me to proceed on. As if i was still doing the test. We did the other routine and went on to the road. All was smooth. But i still failed. He assured me that i would be able to pass on my 2nd attempt, provided my parking improved. Perhaps its the weather, he said. And with thatm i hurried on to book my next TP. 5th Aug; i pray that the sun will shine brightly on me that day! Stay positive...

And to celebrate my failure for the day, the girls brought me out for a movie. Nothing better than a girly show like Sex & the city. Not too bad i must say. Really shows the strength of friendship and how it changes with time. Love among friends and between soulmates. To my bestie and good friend, i love u both! May our friendship remain strong.

Dreaming of my david

Had the weirdest and funniest dream last nite. U know one of those u get, that made wonder yet put a smile to your face. Mine was really queer -> I was the so-called the girlfren of David Cook... Haha!!! Can't get any weirder than that! ;)

P.s: Don't cry David! Perhaps we can be tog in another life! Hehe

Cats of the world II: Photography exhibition 2008

A walk to remember...along Singapore River

Another fun day today! Out with my lil & love ones to someplace away from our normal east routes. New venue: Raffles Place, Singapore River. The initial intention was to see the Cat exhibition at the Art House, but our attention was diverted to the chain of ice cream stalls, the bronze statues and gorgeous landscape of Boat Quay/River. It was not my first time there, but somehow the place just looked surprisingly different today. I guess that is the nature of love; everything normal looks extra special when you are with the people you adore and cherish!

Took loads of pics! Cat lovers should go to the exhibition. Not an extensive range of cat photos, but those displayed were well taken and the cats are extremely adorable. Feel like adopting one..hmmm..

Before the outing ended, my inner child reappeared the moment i stepped into the playground at Kembangan. Played a lil hide and seek as well as catching... ahhh...really felt young again! Tried so hard to squeeze myself onto the animal rocking chair. Trust me, it wasn't easy! Hehe... it is good to be a kid again... and to remind us of the simple things in life. Never take things for granted.

Our pictures:
a. Nadya & papa

b. The trio

c. Our Singapore River

d. Playground time

Demsey virgins no more!

After months of our "Demsey talk", the 3 ladies finally did it! We paid the beautiful, non-localised town, Demsey Hill, a visit. Jun was the most excited among the 3 of us, well at least the first to showcase her outburst of euphoria and exhilaration. :)

The place is just downright gorgeous! Felt like we were transported into another faraway place. A different city altogether.. we briskly walked along the tiny lanes to see all the antique stores, restaurants and winery. Finally made our stopover at California, a somewhat italian-american fusion deli. Was sooo mesmerized by its decor, and unique service style. It is more of a self service deli than a full serviced one. Yet, kindness from the staff was in abundance. And the chef, for once, a Malay guy. He is good! The food was superb.

Finally made our pick. Entree was the nachos; thin slices of chips smothered with melted cheese, pickled jalepeno and salsa sauce. We gobled it up within minutes! Jun and Maya tried the Fisherman's salmon wharf. Rich textured salmon, slightly topped with orange sauce. A mushroom lover that i am, mine was a giant sandwich with sauteed mushroom and thyme. One word: AMAZING.

After 3hrs of bumming at the deli, we decided to head off elsewhere. The plan was to chill at East coast park - but a failed formula was at play - 2 (semi new) + 1 (trainee) + 3 (lady) drivers = disaster! haha.. we got lost and ended up in Changi village instead. Equally cool place. Soft breeze and an okay concrete bench. So.. not too bad! Had a good chat about the past, present and future.

Another hour passed, and it was time to come back to our hood: northside. Quick stop at AA coffeeshop, off Sembawang road. Had a drink to quench our thirst, and shared a plate of Thai mee goreng. Surprisingly enough, it was good. Spicy and moist. Yum.. can't believe we could actually eat again after a hearty late lunch! (but, we had only a sandwich and technically a scoop of ice cream.. so still did not qualify us as glutton. haha)

Finally, Maya's car had a good bath at Esso. It had paid it's dues today and therefore needed some pampering. Haha. Had a greeeat day today girls! Next trip.. Hog Kong??!

Which ones are you?

Heard of the line "Till death do us part?" How true is this in today's world? I have seen couples express their love for each other, promising to stick together through thick and thin. But how many of them really keep that promise, when things go wrong? When circumstances fall short of your expectation, you will be amazed to see how "fast" your partner can run

I stumbled upon a snippet in Life today. The wise words of a HK veteran actor who said, in his own words, "Behind an unsuccessful man, is his wife and mum." He mentioned how his wife and family supported him during his debt-striken days. And I can never agree more, nor feel so touched. Take note of the word he used - "unsuccessful". The usual one we heard of on a regular basis is "Behind every successful man, is a woman". But has anyone ever asked who this woman is? His wife? his mum? Or his other woman? All of us just assume "the woman" is his spouse.

Reality sets in and that is not necessarily the truth. How many times have we seen the rich and famous got entangled in a lot more than "a happy ever after marriage". Divorce lawyers can't wait to sink their teeth into the greener pastures on the other side! Wih material wealth comes temptations and greed. Once you sink too deep, it is almost impossible to get out.

Money, money, money. Don't we all love it. What we forget is simplicity. Money is the basic survival for everyone of us, but it DOES NOT spells out Eternal joy and security. I have seen couples who barely make ends meet but such joy on their faces. Never once they feel incomplete just because the lack of "000"s in their bank account. They have the support, deep respect and strong love for each other, and that is a gift no money can buy.

I have also read about the celebrities, the rich and famous , who have it all. They have huge mansions, private jets, high life and all the money you can think of. But it is still not enough. They are always hungry. Why? Cos they are searching for that one thing, to fill the emptiness in their hearts. "Is she with me cos of me or my money?" - a common query in their mind. And this uneasiness is just so overbearing at times that you would rather let go of all your material possession just to feel truly loved and cared for.

To sum it all, when you are at your peak, rich and powerful, every woman or living being will shower you with all types of promises (empty ones mostly)and even sell their soul to the devil just to have a share of your pie? But when you are down and poor, no one sticks by you, not a single drink buddy, friend, colleague, and sadly to some, not even their wife.

See how sucky the reality is. Some women are just bitches, while some are a saint. But looking for angels are like finding a needle in a haystack. So know who your true love and friends are. Bad times are a good judge for that.

Ok.. enough negativity. Not all love is bullsh*t

I am lucky to know some friends who are blessed with true love. My bestie for one. I saw how she helped him through his financial woes and never once, separation lingered in her mind. And with that, i totally respect her. I love you bestie! ;)

Yes, i am a hopeless romantic. I would trade any worldly riches for the simple things in life. And grow old with someone who loves me for who i am and to share my joys and sorrows together. And thank you god, to have given me this gift. I cannot ask for more

So guys, the next time a girl say "I love you" to you, while getting comfy in your Beamer or Mercedes, really scan thru those words. They may disappoint you, or worse, bring you to the divorce court.

Happy birthday Shaz & Wan!

The twins just had their 18th birthday 2 weeks ago. Left my cam at their place, hence the delayed post. Overall, i had a blast. Some funny moments, happy ones and best of all, was when a son professed his love to his mum!... no song did it better than "Ibu" by Exist. Sweet!!

Videos taken during the bash:
a. The birthday song


b. Sabo time


c. Duet with the girlfren. She has a nice voice!


d. A special song for mummy

All about Jeff Dunham.. www.jeffdunham.com

He has a few dolls that he used during his act. My most favourite is "Achmed the dead terrorist". Check them out.
1. First up: Melvin the superhero


2. Peanut, his buddy


3. Walter, the vietnam war veteran


4. His new manager, Sweet Daddy D


4. "Achmed the dead terrorist"
a. Singing the christmas carols

Totally hilarious!!

A great game to play at your next chalet outing. A game you can play with your friends. I must say, these jaos are realli creative!!

Books

Read some wonderful books over the past few months. Just thought it is time for me to compile the titles and share them with my frens who frequent my blog. ;) Hope to give you an idea for your next book purchase! Or even to escape from having to select titles from the millions of choices in the library database.

1. "Tuesdays with Morrie" by Mitch Albom (the best ever book! Strong insights on real life experiences, socio-psychological teachings and advises from a wise man)

2. "Freakonomics" by Steven D.Levitt. A serious book on economics and the way the world functions. Gave a deep insight on business and the logic behind it.

3. "How Starbucks built a company one cup at a time" by Harold Schultz. All business. How a man is so determined to make his dream come true. And to free his family from further hardship.

4. "Diary of a Manhattan call girl" by Tracy Quan. True story of her life as a high class call girl in America. The social stigma, the lying and the life of rich businessmen who engage in such distasteful activity.

5. "Blink" by Malcom Gladwell. You never see things as they are ever again.

Currently reading,
"The undercover economist" by Tim Harford. Similar to Freakonomics.

Added to the collection, yet to be read:
"Microtrends" by Mark trend and "Straight from the gut" by Jack Welsh

"Essential 55" by Ron Clark (just watched Hallmark "The Triumph". Inspired by the old movie "Dangerous minds". Played by our dear ol' Chandler from Friends. About a teacher who changed the attitudes of a bunch of students from a bad neighbourhood. A story of how perserverance and belief in yourself and your students always triumph!" )

Happy reading everyone!

New video clips

"She's like a star" by Taio Cruz feat LL COol J. Remix version. Listen to the lyrics. To all guys in love-> you can steal some words from here. ;)



Soundtrack from Step Up II. Not too bad. Like to see the dance moves tho.


And for those guys who just never learn to love, stop him from hurting you further. Learn from this next song. No official music video. Sigh.


Last video, came across it in Bali. I thought it was some environmental song..haha.. cos of the music video. But they r actualli from a real band. 30secs to mars. And fell in love with the song immediately.

Food galore!

Another day in the kitchen today. A promise that was broken a week ago, was fulfilled today. A delayed one... but nevertheless, done. Menu for today was simple. Fragrant Thai white rice with;

a. Ginger soy sauce chicken
b. Fried beansprouts with beancurd
c. Egg sambal with cut tomatoes
d. Mini chocolate chip with peanut muffin (saved for tomorrow's party at Kak Ani's. her twin sons are celebrating their 18th birthday.)

Photos will be uploaded soon. Meanwhile, am so glad to see that wide grin on my baby's face when he is well fed with home cooked food. Food served with love. just priceless. Muaks.

Just Garfield in the house!

Is it a tiger? No. Its just the cutest cat ever! Garfield. His new hangout place. :)

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday mak ngah! May you be blessed with an eternal happiness and good health... and thank you for the wonderful birthday lunch at Gelang Patah. Too bad i was too famished to retain my sanity.. and take some pics.. haha.. i gorged at the food the moment they were laid on the table. Had a superb meal. Chilli crab, butter prawns, calamari, baby squid, kangkong belacan and kailan and ikan tiga rasa! Not too mentionl, jugs of drinks. From bandung to teh tarik, to kopi o ice to nestleo (looks like iced milo to me!).. end of the meal, we were stuffed!!! Oh.. not to forget the cake from Royal cakes. Yummy!