You never realize how important health is until you fall sick.I was down with flu for two weeks and it was a miserable feeling.Coughing and have a weakened body with a loss of appetite made life so difficult.A blocked and running nose made sleeping difficult and many a night was spent tossing and turning.
The body is a wonderful piece of machinery and one just has to think of the many parts a body is made up of to realize the miracle that is in our body.That's why its important to take care of this machine in the best possible way.How? Every doctor will tell you,eat moderately, drink lots of water,avoid unhealthy food, have lots of rest and exercise and above all have peace of mind.We all know it yet how many of us follow such advice?Its only when you are sick that you begin to realize how important it is to keep healthy.
I had a number of medical experiences which made me realize that I want to avoid sickness.One was when I was a teenager and had to go for a hernia operation.I was operated on in a Batu Gajah hospital and spent about two weeks in the ward because I was not allowed to walk until the wound healed.The second was when I was attacked by Bell's Palsy a disease which attacked the nerves.Imagine the feeling when you wake up one morning and found that your mouth was crooked and your speech slurred.I was in my early forties at that time and the thought of being unable to work and support the family was frightening. Fortunately through a mix of Malay,Chinese and western medication and treatment I was cured and almost back to normal within a couple of months.
The latest was when I had to have a pacer put in my body because of irregular heartbeat.The operation though simple was frightening because every time you go under the operating theater you never know if you are coming out intact and to make matters worse the surgeon made a mistake the first time and had to redo the operation again.
Good health should never be taken for granted.Our body is precious and should never be abused by stress, late nights and over indulgence.A lifestyle of moderation and discipline would help you ensure that your body functions efficiently without you having to go through expensive and maybe painful medical treatment.There is a lot to be said about the old maxim "Prevention is better than cure".We tend to take too many things for granted but never lose track of the fact that good health does not happen just by itself..you have to take the necessary steps to bring it about!!!
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Living with diabetes
I had been diagnosed with high sugar level in my blood.It is not something unexpected as my dad was diabetic.We only realised this after his retirement when he was eating well but losing weight.The issue was complicated by the fact he had stomach ulcers.
Knowing that one has a high sugar level puts one on the alert and hopefully with awareness the necessary precautions can be taken.
My doctor prescribed insulin injections which I refused to take as I do not want to be dependent on it for the rest of my life.The thought of jabbing yourself everyday is certainly unacceptable.I prefer to take the medication and go on a low sugar diet which means forgoing all sweet stuff like ice cream,chocolates ,cakes and all sorts of pastries and also a reduction of rice and noodles.
This coupled with exercise and lots of plain water should help control the sugar level.I cant imagine that at one time I was suffering from low sugar level,the symptoms of which are that your skin would itch whenever you face cold weather.The appearance of the high sugar level is probably due to unhealthy eating habits or hereditary of which nothing can be done.
To live with diabetes means that one has to forgo a lot of yummy sweet stuffs but through self control this should'nt be a problem.
Knowing that one has a high sugar level puts one on the alert and hopefully with awareness the necessary precautions can be taken.
My doctor prescribed insulin injections which I refused to take as I do not want to be dependent on it for the rest of my life.The thought of jabbing yourself everyday is certainly unacceptable.I prefer to take the medication and go on a low sugar diet which means forgoing all sweet stuff like ice cream,chocolates ,cakes and all sorts of pastries and also a reduction of rice and noodles.
This coupled with exercise and lots of plain water should help control the sugar level.I cant imagine that at one time I was suffering from low sugar level,the symptoms of which are that your skin would itch whenever you face cold weather.The appearance of the high sugar level is probably due to unhealthy eating habits or hereditary of which nothing can be done.
To live with diabetes means that one has to forgo a lot of yummy sweet stuffs but through self control this should'nt be a problem.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
A quaint marriage tradition
Yesterday 17 Nov 2010 was a red letter day for our youngest daughter Sze.It was the day when the groom's side brought the traditional gifts as an official gesture that they are requesting for the girl's hand in marriage.The custom has evolved since the time it started.In the early days there would be a big delegation from the groom's side and they would bring all types of gifts made up of expensive silk cloth,exotic foodstuffs,gold and jewelery.The richer the groom is and the richer the lady is would determine the size and value of the dowry.
There would be a kind of procession involving the people who brought the gifts and those who were to receive them waited patiently for them to arrive.Before that there would be a negotiation from the groom's side and the bride's side regarding what would be the appropriate amount and what should the gifts be made up of.Sometimes this negotiation would end up in quarrels and before the couple even get started in life there would be dispute.
Today we leave it to the groom to bring what he felt like bringing and we never demanded a lot for our daughters because of the simple fact that we are not selling our daughters and the dowry was just a tradition to be followed.Mum and I always believed that there is no point in us asking for anything from the groom's side.What matters is the couple's happiness and that they have a good start in married life without having to incur expenditure which they can ill afford.Still tradition must be followed so we insisted on the dowry which we only took a token and returned the rest and the fruits and so on which we returned the bulk of .As mum says "Got come ,got go" in Cantonese.We did this because we wanted the other side to know that we are not selling our daughter for if we were to they will not be able to afford it because all our daughters are priceless.
Mum did a good job preparing everything in advance and the groom's representatives got a taste of her "Lum Mee" and they were really surprised that it tasted so good.After the lunch there was the small talk and tea before they left ,I believe quite happy.
The ceremony was a family affair and it was also to let both families know each other better.There is thus much to be said about our traditions which have been handed down for generations and if people can see the intrinsic value of such practices they would then find more meaning and understand why we must ensure that our traditions and practised for what are we if we do not value our traditions and heritage?
There would be a kind of procession involving the people who brought the gifts and those who were to receive them waited patiently for them to arrive.Before that there would be a negotiation from the groom's side and the bride's side regarding what would be the appropriate amount and what should the gifts be made up of.Sometimes this negotiation would end up in quarrels and before the couple even get started in life there would be dispute.
Today we leave it to the groom to bring what he felt like bringing and we never demanded a lot for our daughters because of the simple fact that we are not selling our daughters and the dowry was just a tradition to be followed.Mum and I always believed that there is no point in us asking for anything from the groom's side.What matters is the couple's happiness and that they have a good start in married life without having to incur expenditure which they can ill afford.Still tradition must be followed so we insisted on the dowry which we only took a token and returned the rest and the fruits and so on which we returned the bulk of .As mum says "Got come ,got go" in Cantonese.We did this because we wanted the other side to know that we are not selling our daughter for if we were to they will not be able to afford it because all our daughters are priceless.
Mum did a good job preparing everything in advance and the groom's representatives got a taste of her "Lum Mee" and they were really surprised that it tasted so good.After the lunch there was the small talk and tea before they left ,I believe quite happy.
The ceremony was a family affair and it was also to let both families know each other better.There is thus much to be said about our traditions which have been handed down for generations and if people can see the intrinsic value of such practices they would then find more meaning and understand why we must ensure that our traditions and practised for what are we if we do not value our traditions and heritage?
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Something about food
Its interesting to note some of the background about food:
1.The Romans enjoyed food so much that they ate it many times during the night or day>What they do was after eating in one place ,they would tickle their throats and vomit everything out and then go on eating again.That is the classic example of living to eat.
2.The Chinese have food on all occasions.From the time a baby is born its eating to celebrate.Weddings ,birthdays ,full moons, anniversaries etc are incomplete without eating.Even at someone's funeral there is eating.
3.Families eat together all the time and there are some families where strict eating rules Re laid down.When I was young mum would insist that nothing is left on our plates ,not even a drop of rice telling us that if you leave things on your plate you will marry a pock faced partner.No one could come to the dinner table before showering and properly dressed and there should be no leftovers on the table.
The reunion dinner was a compulsory thing and all the traditional Hokkien food would be served.Duck soup with pork leg and salted vegetable,jiu hoo char with fresh vegetable leaves,chicken,mushroom and sometimes curry would be there for the dinner>To us it was an eagerly looked forward event as we seldom had these goodies but the spirit of the reunion dinner was not just the eating but having all the members of the family together and it was a time of merry making and family happiness.
4.The Asians are less formal when it comes to eating.Anyone coming by during meal time would be invited to join in.The Uzbeks are well known for their dining hospitality proudly saying that "An Uzbek would rather go hungry than let a guest go home hungry" and they really make sure it happens.An Uzbek dinner would take at least two hours to complete.Not so with the Americans or Brits..you only get to eat with them if you are invited.I had an American lecturer who invited me for lunch at his house one day and while we we eating his father came back and went up straight to his room and when I asked if he was going to join us my friend said "No ,I did not invite him"
What is common amongst all people is that we all celebrate or socialise with the aid of food hence eating is a universal unifying factor.It is said that we are too lavish with our food which is quite true and also that we tend to be too fussy about food.Sometimes when we fall into this category we should pause a second and think of all those unfortunate people who live in a state of hunger and deprivation
1.The Romans enjoyed food so much that they ate it many times during the night or day>What they do was after eating in one place ,they would tickle their throats and vomit everything out and then go on eating again.That is the classic example of living to eat.
2.The Chinese have food on all occasions.From the time a baby is born its eating to celebrate.Weddings ,birthdays ,full moons, anniversaries etc are incomplete without eating.Even at someone's funeral there is eating.
3.Families eat together all the time and there are some families where strict eating rules Re laid down.When I was young mum would insist that nothing is left on our plates ,not even a drop of rice telling us that if you leave things on your plate you will marry a pock faced partner.No one could come to the dinner table before showering and properly dressed and there should be no leftovers on the table.
The reunion dinner was a compulsory thing and all the traditional Hokkien food would be served.Duck soup with pork leg and salted vegetable,jiu hoo char with fresh vegetable leaves,chicken,mushroom and sometimes curry would be there for the dinner>To us it was an eagerly looked forward event as we seldom had these goodies but the spirit of the reunion dinner was not just the eating but having all the members of the family together and it was a time of merry making and family happiness.
4.The Asians are less formal when it comes to eating.Anyone coming by during meal time would be invited to join in.The Uzbeks are well known for their dining hospitality proudly saying that "An Uzbek would rather go hungry than let a guest go home hungry" and they really make sure it happens.An Uzbek dinner would take at least two hours to complete.Not so with the Americans or Brits..you only get to eat with them if you are invited.I had an American lecturer who invited me for lunch at his house one day and while we we eating his father came back and went up straight to his room and when I asked if he was going to join us my friend said "No ,I did not invite him"
What is common amongst all people is that we all celebrate or socialise with the aid of food hence eating is a universal unifying factor.It is said that we are too lavish with our food which is quite true and also that we tend to be too fussy about food.Sometimes when we fall into this category we should pause a second and think of all those unfortunate people who live in a state of hunger and deprivation
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Unpredictability of life .
Life can be very strange but it shows that the future is unpredictable que sera sera (whatever will be will be).Never would I have imagined years ago that today I would be sitting down typing on the computer.When I was a principal we were sent for computer courses but at the end of it none of us learned anything and we thought since we have our clerks and secretaries there was no need for us to learn.The first time I actually used the computer was when I was sent for a course in Stanford University USA.We had to do a 2500 min.word assignment and it had to be type written.We thought we could get one of the students to do it but the amount we had to pay was too high and we had no choice but to do it ourselves.Days and nights were spent struggling with the one finger typing but finally mission impossible accomplished.
Never did I think that I would spend more than a year working overseas but when I retired I was offered a job in Uzbekistan and because the money was good and needed I accepted.It turned out to be a great experience and an opportunity to live in a central Asian country was something else>I had good friends there amongst the Uzbeks and the Malaysian community and learnt alot about life under difficult circumstances which I guess in some respect changed my outlook in life.Surviving under hardship gave you the opportunity to learn more about yourself.The worst part was the cold winter nights spent alone by yourself in a cold apartment.Time was so difficult to pass so we had to find alternatives to keep occupied.
One of these things was cooking your own dinner which I had never done before and it turned out to be quite fun though the washing up was dreadful.
Having served in Tashkent I would have thought that it would be the last time I worked overseas.Suddenly in 2000 my nephew Suan Loong came to see me for help in an English learning centre which he was setting up with a friend in Xiamen China.Being retired at that time mum and I decided it was a good opportunity so we accepted and off we went to Xiamen.Another unexpected development.
After that I thought that would be the end so for a year a half mum and I enjoyed retired life in Ipoh.Then in early 2002, from out of the blue SB Cheah called me and asked me to help him set up his hostel in KL.? again? and why KL ?I had wanted to avoid KL right from the early days preferring to work in smaller towns and now in my twilight years why me?I tried to turn him down but SB had his ways and soon after New Year in 2002 we were in KL.Would I ever imagine working with my nephew and in KL at the age of 62?Most people would be happily retired by this age.Mum had something to say "You have been working for the family all your life ,now you can work just for the two of us!"words of wisdom which I accepted and till today I'm in KL and still working at the age of 70.I have decided that as long as I am still wanted I will continue to work because education is not just a job but also a vocation and as long as I can contribute why not?
Of course deep down I know mum and i yearn to be back in Ipoh but we have our children and grandchildren here and we shall have to make our little sacrifices.But being close and accessible to the children and grandchildren is something which we treasure and are blessed with.It might be good to be in Ipoh but just the two of us might pose some unforeseen problems like what if one of us were sick and one cannot leave the other alone.So we decided to count our blessings,after all we can always go back for the weekends though driving back can be quite a strain especially in the night or late evenings when it rains.
At 70 I would never had expected to be able to chat on line with my kids and be writing on this blog.Point to note ,the future cannot be foreseen and you never know what to expect but if you live a good life ,practise some of life's precious values ,do no evil you will definitely be blessed.
Never did I think that I would spend more than a year working overseas but when I retired I was offered a job in Uzbekistan and because the money was good and needed I accepted.It turned out to be a great experience and an opportunity to live in a central Asian country was something else>I had good friends there amongst the Uzbeks and the Malaysian community and learnt alot about life under difficult circumstances which I guess in some respect changed my outlook in life.Surviving under hardship gave you the opportunity to learn more about yourself.The worst part was the cold winter nights spent alone by yourself in a cold apartment.Time was so difficult to pass so we had to find alternatives to keep occupied.
One of these things was cooking your own dinner which I had never done before and it turned out to be quite fun though the washing up was dreadful.
Having served in Tashkent I would have thought that it would be the last time I worked overseas.Suddenly in 2000 my nephew Suan Loong came to see me for help in an English learning centre which he was setting up with a friend in Xiamen China.Being retired at that time mum and I decided it was a good opportunity so we accepted and off we went to Xiamen.Another unexpected development.
After that I thought that would be the end so for a year a half mum and I enjoyed retired life in Ipoh.Then in early 2002, from out of the blue SB Cheah called me and asked me to help him set up his hostel in KL.? again? and why KL ?I had wanted to avoid KL right from the early days preferring to work in smaller towns and now in my twilight years why me?I tried to turn him down but SB had his ways and soon after New Year in 2002 we were in KL.Would I ever imagine working with my nephew and in KL at the age of 62?Most people would be happily retired by this age.Mum had something to say "You have been working for the family all your life ,now you can work just for the two of us!"words of wisdom which I accepted and till today I'm in KL and still working at the age of 70.I have decided that as long as I am still wanted I will continue to work because education is not just a job but also a vocation and as long as I can contribute why not?
Of course deep down I know mum and i yearn to be back in Ipoh but we have our children and grandchildren here and we shall have to make our little sacrifices.But being close and accessible to the children and grandchildren is something which we treasure and are blessed with.It might be good to be in Ipoh but just the two of us might pose some unforeseen problems like what if one of us were sick and one cannot leave the other alone.So we decided to count our blessings,after all we can always go back for the weekends though driving back can be quite a strain especially in the night or late evenings when it rains.
At 70 I would never had expected to be able to chat on line with my kids and be writing on this blog.Point to note ,the future cannot be foreseen and you never know what to expect but if you live a good life ,practise some of life's precious values ,do no evil you will definitely be blessed.
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
Surviving at work (Part 2)
4) Going the extra mile.
To be the best in your position you need to have that little extras which would distinguish you from the mediocre.What are the extras? Initiative,proactive ,hardworking,focus and above all sensibility are some of the qualities which an outstanding staff will have.These traits will inevitably be noticed by the superiors in time to come but to be noticed is secondary>What is important is that we set our standards and live by them.This way ,we not only get self satisfaction but keep pushing ourselves to reach higher levels.
Look at some of the great people,they wake up early ,plan each hour in the day and little time is wasted in trivialities like gossip ,staring at the wall ,etc.
The road to the top is not easy but if we realise what it takes to get there we will get there one day.
When I was a teacher ,I wanted to be able to teach my subject well enough so that a percentage of my students got A s.That was my motivation and to achieve that I had to map out my strategy knowing that things dont just happen ,we got to make them happen and this can only be done through careful thought and strategies.
As school principal I wanted to make my school the best in academic achievement and the best in the extra curricular activities and more than anything to ensure that we produced the all rounded student,academically sound and morally strong.As a leader its no use if you yourself want this,the vision must be shared by your team ie the teachers,the students and parents.
In my lifetime career I had a number of firsts which I think one can be proud of:
1.I was the first Hons. graduate to work in schools in Teluk Intan.
2.I was the first non Brother to be appointed Head of a Mission School.
3.I was the first Headmaster who never served as an assistant Head first.In fact my promotion to headship was a double promotion.
4.I was the first non Malay District Education Officer in Perak and the last.
5.I was the first Chinese officer in the education dept. to be awarded the PMP by the Sultan of Perak.
6.I was the first and last Chinese Chief Inspector of Schools for the state of Perak.
These things did not happen by chance and it was some of the qualities which I mentioned earlier which got me there and looking back I think I have a track record which I can be proud of.
5.Your Image.
You must present an image commensurate with the position you hold.You may have simple tastes but in the world of work and business you would certainly need to project a certain standard in the way you dress and behave.People are very critical and they have certain expectations about how a person should look.When I was in the Inspectorate my friends described me as the best dressed officer from tie to shoes.And proud to say some of them even used me a s their role model.
Dressing to please oneself is one thing,dressing to the requirements of our status is another.Never be stereotyped in your dressing.Remember people are looking at you and you do not want to be known as so predictable when it comes to your dressing and professional image.I remember when I was with the Renong Group all senior officers had to be in coat and tie whenever we attended meetings outside and it spoke a lot for the image of the company.
Dressing should enhance your image and if you look at why the Chinese Emperors were dressed so lavishly you will realise that its because they wanted to present an aura of superiority.You certainly would think less of a person whose shirt is crumpled,tie a cheap one and shoes dirty looking.An impeccable dress image gains you a little bit more respectability and maybe credibility.
People are such they like to feel good just looking at you.
Being able to communicate at all levels is important and dont just talk because you have to say something .Be known as a chatterbox ,or empty vessel making alot of noise or as a person of few words is all up to you.
6.Interpersonal relationship.
be polite and courteous.It costs you nothing but can give you so much in return.Compliment your staff or colleague every now and then,it gives them that little extra to maybe go through a difficult day.If you need to reprimand do so in a diplomatic way.Tear them to pieces at the beginning if you need to but before they leave you make sure you restore their self esteem.Your tearing them to pieces will make them learn and your restoration will give them the motivation to become better.
Working life is full of challenges and you cannot avoid meeting and dealing with all types of people.Understanding people,knowing yourself and keeping track of your own work objectives will make your work so much more fun and enjoyable.Learn to keep work in the office and be able to switch off when you leave the place of work.There was a joke about a husband and wife team who were said to discuss business plans and strategies at home during dinner and before sleeping until their children told them off.
To be the best in your position you need to have that little extras which would distinguish you from the mediocre.What are the extras? Initiative,proactive ,hardworking,focus and above all sensibility are some of the qualities which an outstanding staff will have.These traits will inevitably be noticed by the superiors in time to come but to be noticed is secondary>What is important is that we set our standards and live by them.This way ,we not only get self satisfaction but keep pushing ourselves to reach higher levels.
Look at some of the great people,they wake up early ,plan each hour in the day and little time is wasted in trivialities like gossip ,staring at the wall ,etc.
The road to the top is not easy but if we realise what it takes to get there we will get there one day.
When I was a teacher ,I wanted to be able to teach my subject well enough so that a percentage of my students got A s.That was my motivation and to achieve that I had to map out my strategy knowing that things dont just happen ,we got to make them happen and this can only be done through careful thought and strategies.
As school principal I wanted to make my school the best in academic achievement and the best in the extra curricular activities and more than anything to ensure that we produced the all rounded student,academically sound and morally strong.As a leader its no use if you yourself want this,the vision must be shared by your team ie the teachers,the students and parents.
In my lifetime career I had a number of firsts which I think one can be proud of:
1.I was the first Hons. graduate to work in schools in Teluk Intan.
2.I was the first non Brother to be appointed Head of a Mission School.
3.I was the first Headmaster who never served as an assistant Head first.In fact my promotion to headship was a double promotion.
4.I was the first non Malay District Education Officer in Perak and the last.
5.I was the first Chinese officer in the education dept. to be awarded the PMP by the Sultan of Perak.
6.I was the first and last Chinese Chief Inspector of Schools for the state of Perak.
These things did not happen by chance and it was some of the qualities which I mentioned earlier which got me there and looking back I think I have a track record which I can be proud of.
5.Your Image.
You must present an image commensurate with the position you hold.You may have simple tastes but in the world of work and business you would certainly need to project a certain standard in the way you dress and behave.People are very critical and they have certain expectations about how a person should look.When I was in the Inspectorate my friends described me as the best dressed officer from tie to shoes.And proud to say some of them even used me a s their role model.
Dressing to please oneself is one thing,dressing to the requirements of our status is another.Never be stereotyped in your dressing.Remember people are looking at you and you do not want to be known as so predictable when it comes to your dressing and professional image.I remember when I was with the Renong Group all senior officers had to be in coat and tie whenever we attended meetings outside and it spoke a lot for the image of the company.
Dressing should enhance your image and if you look at why the Chinese Emperors were dressed so lavishly you will realise that its because they wanted to present an aura of superiority.You certainly would think less of a person whose shirt is crumpled,tie a cheap one and shoes dirty looking.An impeccable dress image gains you a little bit more respectability and maybe credibility.
People are such they like to feel good just looking at you.
Being able to communicate at all levels is important and dont just talk because you have to say something .Be known as a chatterbox ,or empty vessel making alot of noise or as a person of few words is all up to you.
6.Interpersonal relationship.
be polite and courteous.It costs you nothing but can give you so much in return.Compliment your staff or colleague every now and then,it gives them that little extra to maybe go through a difficult day.If you need to reprimand do so in a diplomatic way.Tear them to pieces at the beginning if you need to but before they leave you make sure you restore their self esteem.Your tearing them to pieces will make them learn and your restoration will give them the motivation to become better.
Working life is full of challenges and you cannot avoid meeting and dealing with all types of people.Understanding people,knowing yourself and keeping track of your own work objectives will make your work so much more fun and enjoyable.Learn to keep work in the office and be able to switch off when you leave the place of work.There was a joke about a husband and wife team who were said to discuss business plans and strategies at home during dinner and before sleeping until their children told them off.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Surviving at work
Having worked since I was 19 i believe I'm in a position to offer some advice to the younger ones on how to survive at work.
1.Your work .
Make sure you know your job scope .This is the basis of what you are there for.Master the things which you have to do daily and be punctual when it comes to meeting deadlines.Never let your boss remind you that a piece of work is due.
If you are competent in your job no one can touch you.Aim for the sky, be the best in your field and realize that to do that there is no substitute for hard work.
Develop your own work brand.What sort of person do you want to be known as? Hardworking? Pleasant?Reasonable?Knowledgeable?Approachable? A team player?It is important for people whom you work with to identify you with certain traits.When I was the District Education Officer ,one of the Directors of Education in his farewell speech said"I wish I had the diplomacy and patience of Mr.Toh".It was a good compliment and that was my brand mark while I was in service as stated by my superior.
2.Your attitude.
How do you view your work? Like it? tolerate it? enjoy it?.A lot depends on how you view your work.If you enjoy doing what you are doing that's fine but if you are not then everything becomes a drag and maybe its time to take a step back and decide what to do.Continue with what you are doing or take the next bold step?Take the case of a CEO in one company who was laid off because of bad times and went on to make pastries and became so successful that he never went back to the corporate world.
A cheerful and friendly demeanor will make your working life so much more pleasant.Look at things from a positive perspective and never let work problems upset you ,just tell yourself these things are part and parcel of working life.
3.Dealing with people.
People are part of every organization and you cant run away from this fact and there are all types of people whom we come across.If you are in a position of authority you have to learn to be objective and mould everyone into a cohesive team member.Never get personal in a working relationship .Its so easy to personal but so difficult to be objective.Be a team player yourself and always think of group interest instead of your own.But being a team player does not mean that you follow blindly for at times you may disagree with the group and in such cases at least have your say.
Look at the good side of others and try to overlook their weaknesses.That is human nature.By so doing you become more positive yourself.People do change and will change if they see the need for it.There are examples of people who have changed for the better or worse because of a certain catalyst.The key is what will the catalyst be?Can you be that catalyst yourself or be the one to initiate it?
(To be continued)
1.Your work .
Make sure you know your job scope .This is the basis of what you are there for.Master the things which you have to do daily and be punctual when it comes to meeting deadlines.Never let your boss remind you that a piece of work is due.
If you are competent in your job no one can touch you.Aim for the sky, be the best in your field and realize that to do that there is no substitute for hard work.
Develop your own work brand.What sort of person do you want to be known as? Hardworking? Pleasant?Reasonable?Knowledgeable?Approachable? A team player?It is important for people whom you work with to identify you with certain traits.When I was the District Education Officer ,one of the Directors of Education in his farewell speech said"I wish I had the diplomacy and patience of Mr.Toh".It was a good compliment and that was my brand mark while I was in service as stated by my superior.
2.Your attitude.
How do you view your work? Like it? tolerate it? enjoy it?.A lot depends on how you view your work.If you enjoy doing what you are doing that's fine but if you are not then everything becomes a drag and maybe its time to take a step back and decide what to do.Continue with what you are doing or take the next bold step?Take the case of a CEO in one company who was laid off because of bad times and went on to make pastries and became so successful that he never went back to the corporate world.
A cheerful and friendly demeanor will make your working life so much more pleasant.Look at things from a positive perspective and never let work problems upset you ,just tell yourself these things are part and parcel of working life.
3.Dealing with people.
People are part of every organization and you cant run away from this fact and there are all types of people whom we come across.If you are in a position of authority you have to learn to be objective and mould everyone into a cohesive team member.Never get personal in a working relationship .Its so easy to personal but so difficult to be objective.Be a team player yourself and always think of group interest instead of your own.But being a team player does not mean that you follow blindly for at times you may disagree with the group and in such cases at least have your say.
Look at the good side of others and try to overlook their weaknesses.That is human nature.By so doing you become more positive yourself.People do change and will change if they see the need for it.There are examples of people who have changed for the better or worse because of a certain catalyst.The key is what will the catalyst be?Can you be that catalyst yourself or be the one to initiate it?
(To be continued)
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Tradition Vs Change
Sometimes people change for the sake of changing without knowing why.Change to keep up with the times is fine eg in the technological era you have to change yourself by learning how to use the computer and thus have access to the world of information,change in your lifestyle to cope with the demands of modern day living,the food you eat,the things you do etc.But there are some things which should not change and must not be change and one of them is TRADITION which as defined in the Oxford dictionary means"Opinion or belief or custom handed down,handing down of these from ancestors to posterity especially orally or by practice".
A wonderful definition I must say and a reminder to the younger ones that :1)they should know what these traditions are and 2) upkeep these traditions and 3) value our traditions because they are what make us what we are.
As Chinese we must know where our forefathers came from ,why they came and what were the important things to them.The Chinese always revere their forefathers because of this and this reverence and honour is especially shown on Ching Ming day or ancestor remembrance day where traditionally offerings are made in the belief that the dead can receive them for use in the afterlife.Traditionally as a mark of respect jossticks and candles are burnt at the graves.This is tradition and has nothing to do with religion.But there are some idiots with the "holier than thou" mentality who are confused between the two and refuse to light the jossticks .Pretty ignorant idiots I would say.
Our traditions make us what we are and we must understand and follow these traditions.If we do not then what are we?There are so many traditions amongst the Chinese because we have one of the oldest civilizations and we had a lot of famous Chinese thinkers and philosophers whose teachings and examples are even adopted by the western countries.The teachings of Confucious and Lao Tzu for example are still being analyzed and studied to this very day.
I cannot tolerate the so called Christians who refuse to know what traditions are and try to show that they are more Christian than others and in the process actually show how shallow and ignorant they are.
The Chinese have many good traditions like filial piety,respect for the elders,celebration of festivals ,family responsibility etc all of which if practised and upheld would certainly make us all better persons and the world a better place.
A wonderful definition I must say and a reminder to the younger ones that :1)they should know what these traditions are and 2) upkeep these traditions and 3) value our traditions because they are what make us what we are.
As Chinese we must know where our forefathers came from ,why they came and what were the important things to them.The Chinese always revere their forefathers because of this and this reverence and honour is especially shown on Ching Ming day or ancestor remembrance day where traditionally offerings are made in the belief that the dead can receive them for use in the afterlife.Traditionally as a mark of respect jossticks and candles are burnt at the graves.This is tradition and has nothing to do with religion.But there are some idiots with the "holier than thou" mentality who are confused between the two and refuse to light the jossticks .Pretty ignorant idiots I would say.
Our traditions make us what we are and we must understand and follow these traditions.If we do not then what are we?There are so many traditions amongst the Chinese because we have one of the oldest civilizations and we had a lot of famous Chinese thinkers and philosophers whose teachings and examples are even adopted by the western countries.The teachings of Confucious and Lao Tzu for example are still being analyzed and studied to this very day.
I cannot tolerate the so called Christians who refuse to know what traditions are and try to show that they are more Christian than others and in the process actually show how shallow and ignorant they are.
The Chinese have many good traditions like filial piety,respect for the elders,celebration of festivals ,family responsibility etc all of which if practised and upheld would certainly make us all better persons and the world a better place.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Changing values
Life has changed drastically from the time I was young till now.One conspicuous change is in our values.We used to live with very strict parents especially my mum .Children were to be seen and not heard and to argue with the elders was considered disrespectful.Dinner was only eaten when the head of the family sat down and everyone must have bathed and clean.Dinner was usually simple with everyone eating a lot of rice to make sure that you do not go hungry the later part of the night unless you have some extra money and wanted to wait for the char keow teow man who usually came round at about 10.
Children were expected to give money to the parents every month,an obligation and a house law laid down by mum.I remember for as long as she and dad lived I had to make sure a part of my salary was set aside for them every month and mum would not let me go if I were a few days late in sending the money even to the extent of calling the school where I worked and demanding to know what's happening, why the money not sent blah blah blah.We took this as an obligation and did not actually grudge giving money to the parents.
Getting scolded and even whacked with the cane was a normal process of growing up.Relatives would visit each other regularly.I remember the first time we travelled in a bus and dad said he was taking us to makan angin and I actually opened my mouth to taste the angin.Silly me but it was the first time i even sat on a motor vehicle and it was a big deal.Dad would visit his mum in Bidor and later Tapah Road and his sisters in Bidor and Tapah Road too.Keeping in touche with the relatives was important and dad brought us up that way ,to be in touch with relatives as often as possible.Travel those days was by bus as we had no car of our own.Cars were not even considered as we knew we could not afford it.
New year was a time which we all looked forward to as everyone of us got new clothes and there were the ang pows to look forward to, but mum would take back the ang pows we collected saying that she had to give out to others.We only got to keep those given by mum and dad.We used to make our own cakes and that was in the spirit of the new year.We had to grind the rice into liquid,scrape the coconuts,cooked the koay kah pek (Loveletters) in the fire pit where the fire came from charcoal>It was hard work but everybody chipped in and it brought the family members so much closer.We used to compete to see who could make the most koays and who was the fastest.Making the new year cakes together was a great tradition which unfortunately is lost today as all these goodies are now sold in the market and we just buy them off the shelf.
Even the games we played has changed so much.Those days we had no computers,no handphones or astro.We made our own kites, our own spinning tops,and we palyed marbles and all the games you can think of.There was no racial factor, no need for 1 Malaysia,children were children and just played together,fought with each other and came to each other's house on festivals.The Chinese used to carry trays of cakes to the Malay and Indian neighbours houses and vice versa .It was a quaint practice which you dont see so much nowadays when you have the Open House being practised sometimes way after the festivals were over.Children dressed up in their new clothes and proudly carried the plates of goodies to the neighbours' house.Today?
Yes those were the good old days.Today we see a very materialistic culture where evryone is out to excel and in the process perhaps lose a bit of the important values in life!
Children were expected to give money to the parents every month,an obligation and a house law laid down by mum.I remember for as long as she and dad lived I had to make sure a part of my salary was set aside for them every month and mum would not let me go if I were a few days late in sending the money even to the extent of calling the school where I worked and demanding to know what's happening, why the money not sent blah blah blah.We took this as an obligation and did not actually grudge giving money to the parents.
Getting scolded and even whacked with the cane was a normal process of growing up.Relatives would visit each other regularly.I remember the first time we travelled in a bus and dad said he was taking us to makan angin and I actually opened my mouth to taste the angin.Silly me but it was the first time i even sat on a motor vehicle and it was a big deal.Dad would visit his mum in Bidor and later Tapah Road and his sisters in Bidor and Tapah Road too.Keeping in touche with the relatives was important and dad brought us up that way ,to be in touch with relatives as often as possible.Travel those days was by bus as we had no car of our own.Cars were not even considered as we knew we could not afford it.
New year was a time which we all looked forward to as everyone of us got new clothes and there were the ang pows to look forward to, but mum would take back the ang pows we collected saying that she had to give out to others.We only got to keep those given by mum and dad.We used to make our own cakes and that was in the spirit of the new year.We had to grind the rice into liquid,scrape the coconuts,cooked the koay kah pek (Loveletters) in the fire pit where the fire came from charcoal>It was hard work but everybody chipped in and it brought the family members so much closer.We used to compete to see who could make the most koays and who was the fastest.Making the new year cakes together was a great tradition which unfortunately is lost today as all these goodies are now sold in the market and we just buy them off the shelf.
Even the games we played has changed so much.Those days we had no computers,no handphones or astro.We made our own kites, our own spinning tops,and we palyed marbles and all the games you can think of.There was no racial factor, no need for 1 Malaysia,children were children and just played together,fought with each other and came to each other's house on festivals.The Chinese used to carry trays of cakes to the Malay and Indian neighbours houses and vice versa .It was a quaint practice which you dont see so much nowadays when you have the Open House being practised sometimes way after the festivals were over.Children dressed up in their new clothes and proudly carried the plates of goodies to the neighbours' house.Today?
Yes those were the good old days.Today we see a very materialistic culture where evryone is out to excel and in the process perhaps lose a bit of the important values in life!
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