Some years ago (19)

Date of entry: 14.8.1948 (Saturday)

Today is the first day of the Perak Turf Club Autumn Meeting. Mr. Wong and I went to Ipoh at 2 pm and reached the race course at 3pm. It was the starting of the 5th race. We then bought a cash sweep each and subsequently for each of the succeeding races. The nearest number we got was in the 8th race. Our number was 1991 and the number of the first prize was 1985.

We drank beer and whisky, half peg, after every race. Each of us lost about $10.

I then went to my cousin's place, Rex Hotel, and the whisky in me began to work. I felt giddy and vomitted in the wash basin in Room 7. I could not control myself and slept on the canvas bed till the next morning.

Now, remember again..never over drink!

By Joon/Woon SC

Mr. "What's left"

A person cannot be judged by his appearance

人不可貌相，海水不可斗量

A person cannot be judged by his appearance in the same token as the sea cannot be measured with a bucket.

Maid, 13, left starving...

Indian police rescued a 13-year-old maid who was locked up by her employers in their apartment with little food and water while they vacationed in Thailand.

The girl was rescued after spending 6 days locked up in the apartment, in an upper-middle class New Delhi neighbourhood.

News reports say her employers were doctors. The neighbours heard her crying for help and called police.

A child welfare official said the girl ran out of food after two days and was weak with hunger.

India's child labour laws make it illegal to employ children under 14, but the law is rampantly flouted.

Source: http://www.theaustralian.com.au

Aging gracefully!

ON TURNING 70
'I still chase women, but only downhill'.

ON TURNING 80
'That's the time of your life when even your birthday suit needs pressing.'

ON TURNING 90
'You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake.'

ON TURNING 100
'I don't feel old. In fact, I don't feel anything until noon. Then it's time for my nap.'

Quote - Bob Hope

Clip art credited to www.picturesof.net

Our broadest smiles

I met this Hokkien speaking woman (about 60+) several days ago. She does not speak English, just only the Chinese dialect Hokkien. Here goes a translation of our conversation:

Hokkien woman: Hey... you look familiar...I think I have seen you before. Are you from Parit Buntar?

Me: I lived in Parit Buntar for 10 years. Maybe we went to the same school?

Hokkien woman: School? Cannnot be. I have never been to school.

Me: Were you in the Chinese primary school near the river?

Hokkien woman: Yes, I know about the Chinese primary school near the river. But I had never been to school. When I was small I used to help my father sell "tit-bits" outside that school. I used to envy the girls who go to school and always stared at them.

Well, talk about a small world. Although I do not remember her, possibly she remembers me

because she had wished she was like me, able to go to school?

Me: Where did you used to stay in Parit Buntar?

Hokkien woman: Actually along the river, 2 miles away from the Chinese primary school

Me: You are now staying in this condo?

Hokkien woman: Yes, I am staying with my daughter, looking after her 2 children.

Hokkien woman: You know, I brought up my 2 children all on my own. When my son, the second child was only 1 month old, my husband left me for another woman and never came back. I had to do all sorts of odd jobs to buy milk for the 2 children. I carried my son on my back and washed clothes for people. I also washed houses and offices, sold curry puffs and "kuehs". I put my son on my father's bicycle and cycled into the villages to prick the ears of little girls for 50 sen per child. I also used to sew and would sew until 2 or 3 am in order to earn some money to pay their school fees. You know, I worked and toiled for 25 years. Now they are big.

When she was telling me her life story, she was smiling all the time. I think she was not complaining, she was just so proud of her own ability to overcome life's harsh challenges.

I brought up my 3 kids singlehandedly too. But compared to her, my experience may have been a walk in the park, maybe along a tough mudder course, slippery at times but generally okay.

At the end of the day both she and me can put on our broadest smiles.

人生

生活从来都不是一帆风顺的，成功从来都不是唾手可得的。生活从来都不是容易和一帆风顺的，出现挫折，一要通过自己的努力去改变.

Some treasured things

Family ties are treasured things
and far though we may roam,
the tender bonds with those we love
still pull our hearts toward home

得不到的永远是最好的

Women still the najority of the world's poor

Image credited to www.chipchick.com

Today is the 101th anniversary since March 8 was first observed as International Women's Day in 1911. In some countries like China, Russia, Vietnam and Bulgaria, International Women's Day is a national holiday.

The very first International Women’s Day was held in 1911 to protest unfair wages and poor working conditions for women. Granted, a lot has changed for the better for women, still much remains to be done. It was noted on the IWD website, “the unfortunate fact is that women are still not paid equally to that of their male counterparts, women still are not present in equal numbers in business or politics, and globally women’s education, health and the violence
against them is worse than that of men.” It is a fact that "Women are still the majority of the world's poor, unhealthy, underfed, and uneducated. They rarely cause violent conflicts but too often bear their consequences and Women are absent from negotiations about peace and security to end those conflicts. Their voices simply are not being heard." (quote Hilary Clinton)

Of Zimbabwe's 1.3 million orphans, some 100,000 are living on their own in child-headed households!

Photo credit to http://aaron9902.wordpress.com/2011/05/17/topic3-child-labor-poster/

Photo credit to http://riteshmin2.blogspot.com/2011/08/child-labor-prohibition-and-regulation.html

According to a 2010 UNICEF report, 13% of Zimbabwean children are engaged in child labour (which the International Labour Organization (ILO) defines as work that is mentally, physically, socially or morally harmful to children and that interferes with their schooling). In the capital, Harare, the figure is closer to 20%.

A study of child labour in Zimbabwe conducted by the Ministry of Labour together with international and local partners including ILO and UNICEF, released in June 2011 concluded that "the prevalence of the worst forms of child labour is on the rise and cause for concern." The report identified poverty as the main driver of children being employed, along with "the breakdown of the family unit due to HIV and AIDS, as well as the inadequacy of the social services delivery system."

According to UNICEF, of Zimbabwe's 1.3 million orphans, some 100,000 are living on their own in child-headed households. Many such children are forced to leave school and find work as street vendors or labourers on tobacco farms, tea and sugar plantations, and in mines in order to support younger siblings.

PLEASE READ FULL ARTICLE ZIMBABWE: Child labour on the rise

Some years ago (18)

Date of entry: 11 July 1948 Sunday

University education constantly calls to my heart. It is my thought now and again that without going through this stage of studies,very little can be done, very little or no success at all can I achieve during the course of my career. I must determine therefore to go to an university at the first opportunity.

Today my thought is centering at the St John University at Shanghai. This university as I have heard, offers a course in English of an advanced standard, much better than those in other Chinese universities. Besides, it is situated in Shanghai, the biggest city and port in China, the centre of culture, industry and commerce.

The subject I would choose, I think, should be English Literature. I should try to be a translator, reporter, a journalist, an editor, a school master, a writer, a secretary, etc.

I should save $1000 a year and after 4 years I should be studying in my desired university.

By Woon/Joon SC

Note: My father never realized his dream of pursuing a university education, but his desire was realized 4 folds through his children and many many folds through his 16 grandchildren

Catch the trade winds in your sail!

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." -- Mark Twain

Some years ago (17)

Date of entry: 24 June 1948

(The original entry was in Chinese. This is a translation)

Recently in Malaya there had been some security issues. In Johore there were gun-killing incidents. A European rubber estate manager was killed. The government issued emergency orders to address the situation. Every morning I buy meat from the pork seller in the market. He always treated me very well, often charging me less than others. This morning I was surprised to hear that he has been arrested. So far in Parit 6 persons had been arrested.

By Woon/Joon SC

Note: In the picture, the writer is in a white hat, white shirt and short trousers, holding a gun

A smile in my heart

Images like these always send a smile to my heart.

My friends Ethelin and Beng at their 60th anniversary

My friends Agnes and Jerry who are accomplished dancers

Courtesy of http://phtosearch.com/

"Lou Hei" with family and friends!

This dish consists of raw fish slices, crushed peanuts, shredded pomelo, carrots, radish, lettuces, and many varieties of colorful raw vegetables and fruits placed together on a large dish. When it is served, everyone will stand up with their chopsticks and toss up all the shredded ingredients as high as possible into the air with the chopsticks, while saying auspices wishes (吉祥话) out loud at the same time. Everyone who participate in the "lou hei" will have better business opportunities and success for the coming New Year and the higher one tosses, the greater will be his fortunes for the year.

CNY with the family

The very crowded SS2 market on the morning of Chinese New Year Eve.


At my Father's house on the first day of CNY. CNY is the time when family members all try to come home.

Dinner at the Curve where we enjoyed my daughter Deedee's generosity...a record of sorts because it was the first time she played host!

The joy of living

The south wind is driving
His splendid cloud-horses
Through vast fields of blue.
The bare woods are singing,
The brooks in their courses
Are bubbling and springing
And dancing and leaping,
The violets peeping.
I'm glad to be living:
Aren't you?

The Joy of Living
by Gamaliel Bradford(1768 - 1824)


Little miss gorgeous, Iffah, just turned one!


The Lion was mingling with the crowd at the Curve

When at this restaurant, the way to go is to eat one whole fish EACH! My mouth still watering...

Some years ago (16)

Date of entry: 14 June 1948

The 10th of June was a public holiday, being the King's birthday. I went to Ipoh on the 9th at 6 pm and brought 3 chickens, one for cousin and 2 for sister.

At 9 pm I took a walk in the Jubilee Park. Suddenly, Chew Jong Kiew met me and called me before I could see him. Thoo Yam and Low Sow Yee were also there, the former came to Ipoh on transfer 6 months ago and the latter had been in the Security Department for the past 9 years. Jong Kiew, the Station Hotel Clerk and I went to Celestial Cabaret and sat down for about 15 minutes. I took beer while they took light refreshements. This is the first time I met Jong Kiew since the Japanese Surrender, while we were in Kuala Lumpur we did not care to meet.

by Joon/Woon SC

(In the picutre, Joon/Woon SC is seated, 4th from the left)