Enjoying the peace of silence

Today my Father's caregiver asked for a day off. So I spent the day with him. My Father is nearly a hundred years old. He is healthy, can move around freely, albeit a bit slow and eats heartily if he likes the food served. His only weakness is his hearing impairment.

Many of us might think that being silent is a negative quality and thus the saying "the silence is deafening". But watching him, I think he is comfortable with himself. Although he was silent throughout the day, he was active...he read the newspapers, English and Chinese newspapers from page to page, he meddled with his writing table, taking out everything and putting the contents back again, he made some entries into a diary for a while, he watched television (the TV was silent), he had lunch and tea and gave sighs of satisfaction when he finished. Today in particular, he made no attempt at all to communicate with me. It looks like he is enjoying his silence. So I chose to remain quiet as well and did not try to pick a conversation with him and break his peaceful silence.

My Father now and before

Occupational hazard!

I have been working from home for more than 9 years now. I have a serious occupational hazard- not being able to limit my distractions! It doesn't help at all that there are a million things that can be so distracting at home. Everything from facebook to emails, to HongKong Cantonese dramas, to Taiwan Hokien shows, to HBO, to phone calls, to visits from friendly neighbours, to taking out the rubbish, etc...etc...all so easily tempt me away from my concentration. Writing sometimes can be boring particulary when information is insufficient. So it is a lot easier to read a few emails or to switch on the dramas or to take a snack (more like taking many snacks!) on the excuse of "clearing my head".

Most often instead of getting the head cleared, the mind gets totally derailed. And...when the dateline draws nearer, it is usually back to the bad habit of pressing the panic button and burning the midnight oil! It is the same everytime. I have not improved a bit! Anybody can tell me how to?

The adorable dolphin

I just could not resist keeping this picture of the baby dolphine in my blog. So adorable! Apparently she is only 10 days old.

Source: Rescued-baby-dolphin

I am 35 today!

I am 35 today! Well...actually...the truth is... I happen to be one of those women who had stayed 35 for a long...long time! ):

My daughter gave me a very useful present (in the picture). Much as I would have preferred a designer handbag or a new golf set, I take comfort that my years of toiling and house cleaning had not gone unnoticed by her.

“The years between fifty and seventy are the hardest. You are always being asked to do things, and yet you are not decrepit enough to turn them down.”
- T. S. Eliot

Woman, stop complaining!

Today at the car park of a hypermarket near my house a blind couple almost took a tumble. I asked where they wish to go. I sent them to the escalator as they requested. Before they went up to the escalator they told me they will be okay.

In the short drive home to my house, I told myself "Woman, stop complaining, there are countless others who do not have what you have". We always complain about what we don’t have. But, do we really truly appreciate what we have?

I have all my faculties, good food, good children, relatives and friends, a roof over my head, a car to take me wherever I want, in good health...etc...etc...countless other blessings...

My lunch today- tuna sandwich with my favourite local fruit, the duku langsat

My dinner today-soba in soup with brocolli and pumpkin.

Liza Leong, my dear friend of 48 years (we were classmates from 1962-64), now based in Sydney, back in Kuala Lumpur for a short visit. We met up yesterday with several other ex-classmates in the Midvalley Megamall for a meal and for some catching up.

My alone times

When the children were younger, I had never quite had time alone. Now as they grow up, get married, go to work, I am getting my fair share of the alone time. Now, I kind of like my alone times.

How did I get to like being alone? I suppose it was just an evolution of being forced to get used to it and to learn to like it. I still remember not too long ago I never felt easy about having to spend the night alone in the house. Now that I am no longer afraid of it, I realized that it feels very empowering. And, my alone times allow me to have control over what I am doing and not having to adapt to other family members.

"Being alone isn't so bad as long as you like your own company."
Byron Pulsifer

Burning the midnight oil!

When I took on this assignment after retirement, it suits me fine because the contract allows me to work from home,only going to the office once a week. The only problem is, occassionally, I am given last minute assignments. Like today, I was asked to write on quite a heavy topic that requires a fair bit of research and to give a briefing to a group on the topic within 3 days. So for the next 2 days and a half it looks like I have to burn the midnight oil.

He who labors diligently need never despair, for all things are accomplished by diligence and labor.
- Menander

(Image from cartoonstock.com)

Against all odds

Had dinner and breakfast on the TV couch, glued to CNN. Against all odds, 33 miners were saved after spending 2 months trapped half a mile undergound. What a feat for the rescuers and what a relief for the victims and their families!

So great has been the endurance of these men and so incredible the achievement!

Trapped Chilean miners hours before rescue

Picture of rescue capsule from FOX news

Like millions all over the world I had been anxiously following the news updates for the preparations being made to rescue the Chilean miners, trapped since August 5, about half a mile underground, near the city of Copiapo in Chile. They were detected alive on 22 August. That was when rescue operations frantically started.

After digging a 680-yard (622-meter) tunnel, and drilling through to the miners on Oct. 9, rescue teams are conducting test runs and evaluating the stability of the capsule that will carry the miners to freedom. Each miner is to be slowly brought to the surface individually in the capsule through the narrow, rescue shaft that was completed on October 9. The custom-built rescue capsule was designed through a joint collaboration by NASA engineers and the Chilean navy.

The rescue operation is expected to start at 8 pm (GMT)Tuesday.

I hope all 33 of them will be brought up safely. I think no one can even imagine what ordeal these men had been going through.

Virus attack woes

Last week my computer quitted on me. Some horrible viruses attacked and I had to send it to the professonals to do a rescue job!

Being without the machine was quite bad for me. I had an assignment to do for my client. I had a deadline. I tried to write but a lot of my info and data were in the computer. So what to do? I almost panicked. Fortunately I had saved some of the info in my thumb drive. To fill up the gaps I had to make phone calls and for the first time in many years, visit the local library! Well, after some effort I managed to deliver my assignment on target. Fortunately too for me the assignment wasn't very complicated.

I guess what this whole week without a computer has taught me is that I need to ensure I have systems in place to back up all my data all the time.

This reminded of the time when I started my professional life many years back. Of course back then there were no computers. We wrote volumes of reports by hand or dictated to stenographers who were proficient in shorthand. The stenographers then transcribed the notes using the typewriter. The work actually got typed and re-typed again and again until there were no mistakes. The stenographers used to grumble among themselves when we changed what we originally dictated. With computer technology of course many processes are so much more simplified. But then again haven't we become too dependent on technology?

Simple economics tutorial!

Look on the bright side!

She had lived this way for 2 years, since she was 7!

Josimene and the photojournalist Gigi Cohen

Haiti, a nation of only eight million people, is home to some 300,000 restavecs -– young children who are frequently trafficked from the rural countryside to work as domestic servants in the poverty-stricken nation's urban areas.

Parents send their children away, often to wealthy looking strangers, hoping that they will be fed and educated in exchange for performing domestic work.

As poverty and political turmoil in Haiti increases, human rights observers report that the number of restavecs continues to rise dramatically.

Documentary photographer Gigi Cohen spent a month in Haiti photographing Josiméne, a 10-year-old restavec. Cohen's is one of 11 stories that are part of Child Labor and the Global Village: Photography for Social Change, a project of The Tides Center and Julia Dean & Associates.

Cohen's month with Josiméne evolved into more than a simple assignment –- the two forged a close relationship. Freelance producer Rachel Leventhal asked Cohen if, in addition to her photographic assignment, she would also make recordings for the radio. Using Cohen’s recordings, she tells Josiméne's story.

Josiméne lives in a two-room cinderblock house outside of Port-au-Prince. Her parents, who have seven other children, are small farmers in Haiti's remote and mountainous heartland.

Among her other duties, Josiméne cares for two younger children, cleans the house, washes dishes, scrubs laundry by hand, runs errands and sells small items from the family's informal store. She has lived this way for over two years, since she was seven. It has been over six months since she has seen her family.

From http://www.npr.org/

The violence, exploitation and abuse experienced by children all over the world takes many forms, including corporal punishment, harmful traditional practices, hazardous labor, sexual exploitation, trafficking, association with armed groups and forces, and needless placement in prisons and institutions - UNICEF publication: Progress for Children: A Report Card on Child Protection (No. 8)

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri!

Eid ul-Fitr or Hari Raya Aidilfitri as is popularly known in this country that marks the end of Ramadan, the Islamic holy month of fasting, fell on 10th September this year. A family tradition that we have kept for many years now is to invite friends and relatives to the house for a small celebration. It is heartwarming to know that many of them still make time for me and my family.

Food laid out for our guests

My elder son Feris - waiting for the guests to arrive or just couldn't tear himself away from the television...?

My seond son Farouk, an expert in posing for the camera, a result of years of experience as a advert talent...?

My first guests-Daisy, Siew Hong and Harvey from our EPU days! Ya...those were the days....

My daughter Deedee and her friend Naem.

One of my dearest friends Meng Foon and her daughter Meilisa. They can win the Mother-Daughter Lookalike contest hands down!

My angelic daughter-in-law and her mum in the background.

My daughter-in-law's parents, a beautiful and loving couple Zahari and Sharma.

Four of my most favourite people L-R: Iskandar Lim and his wife Nor, sister Wan Lan and her husband Ching.

My daughter's very good friend Yin Li and her bf. She had been coming to the house every Hari Raya without fail since in her early teens. Now all grown up and going steady.

My daughter and another of her very good friends, Joan, a very successful and capable career woman now. How fast they grow up!

Loving couple PN Tan and wife Suzanne

Our beautiful Helen.

Ethalene (Mrs Teo), having an alone moment.

What is Mr. Teo up to...? Got to check with Ethalene...heh...heh...

The many generous gifts brought by my guests

Not exactly a cat lover, me

People who are either afraid of cats or who do not like them will give themselves away if a cat approaches them. Rather than shy away from such people, cats often approach people who are afraid of them or who dislike them, but without making any obvious attempts to be stroked or made a fuss of. Cats that come up against people who are not favourably disposed towards them will often just sniff people and keep their distance. However, cats that are aware that you are a cat lover will approach you with a different sort of attitude. Cats are more likely to rub up against your legs and encourage you to stroke their head, chin and their back. They will also purr once you start to make a fuss of them.

From an article Can cats sense if you are a cat lover? by Spohie S

My daughter's new kitten, Orlov. Well...I hope he will just sniff and keep his distance where I am concerned!

I prize you more than gems

Happy birthday my dear daughter.

With her second brother Farouk

Deedee and her sis-in-law Azni

More than gems in my comb box shaped by the God of the Sea,
I prize you, my daughter -8th century Japanese poet Otomo no Sakanoue Iratsume

Good bye to tension!

Dedicated to several of my friends (you know who you are) who will be joining me in the pensioners club soon.

3 year old literally beaten to death!

Chandler Detective Gary Fuller has investigated hundreds of murders, but he has only one victim's photo on his desk: Schala Vera, 3, whose brutal slaying a year ago Tuesday had a profound effect on police and medical staff.

Kepra Jack, one of the nurses at Mercy Gilbert Medical Center who tried in vain to save Schala's life, has never been so shaken. She just recently began sleeping through the night again.

"It was the worst thing I have ever seen," said Jack. "She was wet when she got here. She was naked," Jack said. There wasn't one part of her that wasn't bruised, Jack said.

The child was blue and purple from being whipped, police say, repeatedly by a belt. Her mother, Susan Joan Witbracht, 27, and her mother's boyfriend, Dauntorian Lydel Sanders, 24, have been charged with her murder and could face the death penalty. They are being held without bail.

Please read more at http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2010/08/27/20100827chandler-schala-vera-abuse-campaign.html

She died five days after her third birthday. That day, Sanders whipped her repeatedly with a belt, investigators reported. Schala's face fell between her knees, then Sanders whipped her back, investigators said. He picked her up and dropped her, repeatedly, on the tiled bathroom floor, according to court records. While she was sprawled on the floor, a door was repeatedly slammed into her head, records stated.

"That little child was literally beaten to death," Favazzo said. "She had the strength to crawl between the toilet and the wall, between a sink and a toilet. A 3-year-old has to die alone."

God opening millions of flowers everyday

Don't try to force anything
Let life be a big let-go
See God opening millions of flowers everyday without forcing the buds
-Bhagwan Shree Raynesh

My Jasmine plants flowered again after 4 weeks


More flowering plants in my collection

The world, my home

Elise, my brother-in-law's cousin, is here on a visit. They share the same Grandfather. Their Grandfather married 3 women. The first wife (from China) was the Mother of Elise' Father, the second wife (from Malacca, Malaysia) was the Mother of my Brother-in-law's Mother, the third wife was also from Malacca. Elise is here to trace the members of her extended family in Malaysia.

Elise' family migrated from China to Vietnam and subsequently to France. She is now a French citizen and currently residing in Xiamen, China.


Elise (right) with her cousin, my brother-in-law (left)

At a restaurant in kuala selangor

Adoning the lifejacket before getting onto the boat to see the fireflies at kampungkuantan Kuala Selangor , one of the largest firefly colonies in the world

The firefly jetty

The souvenir shop at Kampong Kuantan

A man's homeland is wherever he prospers.
Aristophanes (450 BC - 388 BC), Plutus, 388 B.C.