1st Visit to Ho Chi Minh City & Nha Trang

It was quite an experience for me esp when I saw how the traffic works here. CHAOTIC! But somehow, it works. Don't remember seeing any accident since day 1 in HCMC. Everyone seems to know how to go about manoveuring on the roads with all the motorbikes, lorries, buses, pedestrians comeing from all sorts of directions. (will put some photos when I am back.)

The 10-hour train ride from HCMC to Nha Trang was quite a "thrill" for me too. Thank goodness I could still sleep my way through. The tickets we bought were supposed to be one of the more "luxurious" one, i.e. a cabin with 2 double deck beds. I tend to think the ride will be more fun and enjoyable with groups of 8. Hahaha!

Today marks the end of the trip of the 1 week break in HCMC. It was a good off from office but if you asked me if I would come visit again... hmmmm maybe not but I wouldn't mind to join in if more friends are keen to join the tour adventure.

Well, kinda passing time now cos' waiting to head off to the airport later. So a bit "boliao" to start this post.

Jason and Lyn's Wedding

Of Supermen (aunties too)

I meet Supermen (aunties too) when I drive out from my carpark, navigate the minor routes that round the market and via the main entrance and finally to the main road.

These people cross the roads with nary a hoot to whether cars are approaching. Some walk with noses in the air daring the drivers. Of course, I dare not bump into them so when I see these Supermen, I politely slow down the car.

Reading the ST yesterday, there was an article of a driver (with an alledged embassy plate) who beat two traffic lights and knocked down 3 people and seriously injuring two of them.

So I am feeling worried for these Supermen. They become used to cars giving way that they lose sensitivity of approaching cars. If they should encounter the hit-and-run driver mentioned in the earlier paragraph, I hope they will be able to realise early to "siam".

Seeking the future - cause and effect

There is gradual increasing interest in futures. Not the stockmarket type. But thinking and analysis about what the future might be, what it might bring, especially negative effects so one can take the necessary actions to prevent or to soften the inevitable impact.

Initially, I was very puzzled and perturbed. How does one think and discuss what has not come, especially for longer term strategic issues?

I thought about this and rationalised my understanding this way. It is like weather forecasting. There is randomness in cloud movements but within the randomness, there is a pattern and it conforms to a cause and effect principle.

An action here and there today will lead to a consequence days later or years later, and some actions or people have more impact than others.

The consequence of climate change we experience today is also no accident. It is the very culmination of all of human kind, from governments to individuals, from years back to the global warming we see today.

So it is possible to spot trends, possibilities and what-ifs because the future is happening right now.

Story of Long Ke-duo

I shared this story from the excellent chinese serial 《雍正皇朝》 with my lunch khakis two days ago. The message of the story is akin to my earlier blog post on Deng Xiaoping.

The protagonist is a soldier called Long Ke-duo who had fought gallantly in battle with Emperor Kangxi who later personally honoured Long Ke-duo with a sword adorned with precious stones and jewels.

However, after the battle, he was not needed anymore nor was he asked to serve in any official post. This left him despondent and poor. At one stage, he had to pawn, albeit reluctantly, the sword from the Emperor.

After many decades, after Kangxi, for the second time, abolished the CrownPrince, Long Ke-duo was appointed the Chief Security Officer for theImperior Palace. At the Emperor's death bed, Long Ke-duo was given an even higher appointment to be in charge of the entire capital's security and also became something like a modern day Cabinet minister.

The Emperor called Long Ke-duo to his side and said that he understoodLong's frustration all these years but it was the emperor himself who obstructed Long's progress as he wanted test and train Long.

I hope my friend got the message.

解铃还需系铃人

华文华语教学最近在报章上谈的热，同事也各自分享自己 '读' ，不, 应该是被 '教' 华文的痛苦经历。

真的，俗话说得好，解铃还需系铃人，当年的政策还得当年的决策者自己推翻，多少曾经心灵受苦受难，今已成年的学者，心里终于好受释放了。

其实，也没有真的错与对，没有当年的试探，没有今天的发现。历史本来就有许多的牺牲者，一个人在哪里生，哪一年生，难免左右着他的命运。

我自己小学和中学的华文老师，我都没话说，因为他们都是很好的老师，我对汉语拼音很好的了解全都因为在小学扎的好基础。

但从高中高级华文我就也有苦水吐了。我爱老师教的红楼梦，现代散文，唐诗宋词。 但一直让我不理解的是为什么我得背人物分析之类的标准答案。 我自己的理解和标准的不合，那便是错！我考得很辛苦。

但是考试已经是很久以前的事了，心也不再痛了。 剩下的，也是最珍贵的，是丰富我炎黄子孙文学的精髓和色彩。

Hiatus

Since coming back from holidays, I have been finding it difficult to find motivation to blog. It may be because of the sheer discontinuation of momentum or due to a dearth of events to contemplate on.

It could be also due to my reading less since I have been spending my evenings re-watching the excellent DVD series 《雍正皇朝》.

Eventful Week

This week, full of events, finally ended. For the first five days, it was liaison officer duties for a ministerial meeting held in Singapore. And yesterday, it was a performance item with some colleagues for our organisation's dinner and dance.

Liaison Officer

The week started off on a somewhat bad note unexpectedly. The delegates lost but recovered a huge sum of cash. I had to spend the rest of the week facilitating between the delegates and the hotel for the investigations whilst performing my liaison officer duties for the minister. Despite this distraction, I enjoyed introducing some of our local attractions to the minister although this came at the expense of shut-eye time. They enjoyed a one-hour plus stop at the Night Safari followed by chicken rice and pork satay at a coffee shop along Syed Alwi Road. I also brought them to try some local hawker fare at Chinatown. The minister quipped that he will be bringing his family along for a visit when his schedule permits.

(A group photo with the minister and delegation before his departure at Terminal 1)

D&D Performance

Our preparation for our performance item was not smooth sailing as well. We abandoned our initial plan involving the use of instruments. Our final item had us singing and dancing to Michael Buble's Sway. We were let down by a poor sound system and not so professional sound engineers. I was particularly dissapointed when my wireless head-mic failed just at the start of our performance. This has taught me a valuable lesson in performance -- never use a head-mic unless it really is meant for singing. And I should have insisted a on sound check before the item.
Still, I enjoyed the week immensely having had the opportunity to make new acquaintances and to work together on a project with a team of young people.

Recce at Hort Park

Recce for LO duties at Hort Park for CGS 2010.

You only have one FIRST TIME

Recently, I had a new big boss and in our weekly meetings with him, a few of us were caught by surprise at his interest in details. Monthly reports that typically will pass without further questions got queried line by line.

At first, the joke was he had too much time. But after a few months studying him, and noticing his quick grasp of our work, I now know that his method was deliberate.

What I learnt from him was that you only have ONE chance for a first time.

When you step into a new job, there is only one FIRST time you see a paticular report or supervise a particular operation. Especially if you are in a relatively senior position, this is the chance for you to ask the fundamental, basic questions without the risk being seen as stupid or incompetent.

So grasp the first time. Go detail. Line by line, word by word, figure by figure to totally understand the concept.