Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Cars

As far as I can remember I have used quite a number of cars since the first one which I had.Of course the first car which I bought was for my dad as I could not bear to see him cycling to work and back everyday>It was a white colored Fiat 1200 with the number F 4242.It cost Around RM 6000 those days and it was a good buy and dad really treasured it and I was happy that he enjoyed the car.
My first car for myself was a Volvo 122 PE 9133 blue in color and also known as the German tank.It was a prestigious car those days but without air con and the gear was manual.It gave me years of service and we happily drove up and down Ipoh with it.The next was Volvo 244 AL 893 yellow in color and it was slightly a higher grade but still with manual gear but with air con.
Then came the Ford Capri a sports model AP 2442 which I bought new but only used for a short period.Then came the Mini 1275 a sporty low bodied car which again did not last long . .After this we decided on the Toyota Corolla AM 9478 which my daughters had great fun with, driving it up the divider,banging the school gate and what have you.Together with this I had the toyota toyopet which was a 1000 cc car.I drove this to school when I was the Headmaster and the students could not believe their eyes.
The next was a Toyota too but 1800 cc,AAP 2882 which I used when I was transferred back to Ipoh.But not for long as after that I decided to switch back to the Volvo 244 NX 989.This was because of the frequent traveling which needed a more sturdy car.
This served me the longest until came the Toyota Camry ADE 1888 which was supposed to be my retirement car.As I was not working anymore we decided to change to a proton Wira ADE 8363 and we used this till 2002 when I was reemployed in KL and we got the Honda Civic W..6628 and this was later replaced by a Mercedes 280 BHT 8893 and the current car is BKV 8660 a Nissan X trail.
Come to think about it I have never stopped paying car installments till today but I have had the pleasure of driving so many of them.Those days buying a car was one way of getting some money .If you buy a new car for say RM25,000 and your car is say worth 15,000 you can get a loan for !5,000 but if you take 5,000 out you have that cash for your use while your loan is still for 15,000.That was how we survived in times of difficulty.You just borrow more and pay back over a longer period that's all.
Today I have no more interest in changing cars cos that fad has since long gone but on looking back changing cars was fun.You have a different car to drive and some extra money to spend and a lot of experience.

Monday, May 30, 2011

IQ vs EQ

All this hype about how many As you get and how deserving you are of a scholarship and an overseas one at that cant help but make me wonder...We have become so materialistic and in our quest for materialistic gains sometimes we forget how to be a person>The Japanese had to reform their educational system when they found that a new generation of Japanese,mercenary,calculative,success orientated were being bred .In the process the traditional values were being neglected.We had the same problem and Moral Studies was introduced into the school curriculum but the programme failed right from the start because teachers and students did not pay much emphasis to it.Today we see the results of this failure.
We have bred a generation of young people who lack so much in the living skills.Very few of them think of others or put others' needs in front of theirs.They cannot converse intelligently or listen and comment intelligently.I once came across a young man who was kinda listening to a discussion.Apparently he listened but was not attentive,and at the end of the discussion asked "What is that?".I totally ignored him because his question was totally out of context and I was certainly not going to repeat myself.
Its also quite maddening when you bring up a topic for talk and all you get is either silence or a totally blank look.Sad to say many people today dont know the art of conversation or even how to socialize.I recently traveled with a friend from Ipoh to KL and we were able to converse all the way ,from golf,to stock market,to politics and values.Can you imagine the scope and depth of the conversation?I seldom come across people who can talk within that scope.Today many young people do not have the depth of knowledge which is required to be what I call all round individuals.
To put others' interests ahead of yours ,to care for others' to be sensitive of the feelings of others and above all to be considerate.There are many things which you learn outside your textbooks and have the necessary academic qualification does not allow you to claim to be educated.There are too many of so called educated people who have no eq at all.They do not treat their staff,colleagues,friends and family members with the proper decorum and social or professional etiquette.Thye themselves have such limited outlooks in life that they live in a shell and fail to even bother to find out what is out there.Besides surfing the net,you can also surf the TV and have a lot of fun.There are some who confine themselves to ceratin programmes only and go for meaningless programmes .That's fine..its their right but is there a need to shut your mind off to others? And watching TV itself has its etiquette for if others are interested in other programmes you should at least be aware that you are hogging the TV for a show which only you watch.That is EQ ...sensitive to others nad their needs and putting others interests ahead of yours.When I play golf for example if my friends choose to play in a course which I dont like I will go along in tantrum with the needs of the group which always take priority over mine.Eating is another example.If you eat alone you can eat what you want and where you want but in a group its the consensus that should be followed.
Thus having IQ is never enough ,you must have the EQ too.In that way you stand a better chance of being a complete person and not one with high IQ but no standard in terms of character.You just have to look at some politicians shaking hands with people to see this.Looking away ,making it as though its your privilege to even touch their hands is their way of greeting you.Compare this with the warm handshake amongst friends and you can see the difference immediately.Got IQ no EQ,got money ,no class,got class no money or power,which is better?

Friday, May 20, 2011

Teachers' Day

May 16 has been declared as Teachers' Day and is celebrated to honor the teachers who have worked hard to nurture the youth of the country.Very few know how Teachers' Day started.Actually the celebration of Teachers' Day was started by the Mission Schools long before the govt. did it and spoilt the spirit of the Day.When we first celebrated The Day the students would make little presentations for their teachers and would give little gifts like cards,chocolates ,flowers and whatever.There would be fun games between the teachers and the students and we all had fun playing football,basketball,badminton against the students.That night there would be a party for the teachers where there was dancing ,eating and drinking.At the end of it all you went home feeling good as a teacher.
Today ,this has changed>Schools do have their own Teachers'Day celebration but its more ritualistic than a day really dedicated to the teachers.What is worse the Ministry has its own version of Teachers Day at District,State and national level where the spirit of the day is not there anymore.They have speeches,formal dinners with VIPs who hog the limelight instead of the teachers and what more they have an award called "Tokoh Guru" which is awarded to two or three teachers every year as a tribute to their contribution to education.I do not want to comment on the nomination and selection procedure but certainly I feel that many good teachers have been left out.Just 2 or 3 outstanding teachers? Hard to believe!
When I organized Teachers Day for my District I called upon all the retired teachers to attend and they were all treated as VIPs.Each one was given a small bouquet of flowers when they stepped into the hall ...They were the VIPs not some stupid political figure.We had one singer who sang a special song by the BeeGees "Dont forget to remember" and I told the singer while he sang the song to go round the ViP retired teachers and shake their hands.Many were so touched that they had tears in their eyes and at the end many came to thank me and said "Thank you for remembering us".That was teachers day where we remembered our teachers then and now ,not the hoo ha which they make teachers go through nowadays .That is what happens when simple events become politicized Let Teachers Day be celebrated in the respective schools ,let the students show their appreciation to their teachers in their own way..that is what Teachers' Day is all about.

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

another coincidence

Yesterday I had a call from an old student of mine way back in 1965 and he wanted to meet me as he had just got back from Australia for a holiday.His name is Harbachan Singh and I can vaguely remember him.The meeting was fixed at Starbucks Bangsar Village.When I arrived there a couple of minutes before the appointed time he was already there and when I commented on that he said" Sir,with you we always have to be punctual .You taught us that"That got us off on a good start.
Over a big cup of coffee we talked about the good old days(He wanted to have a couple of beers with me but I told him I dont drink,but that he could go ahead.Out of politeness he said he will also have coffee).
He told me that he had stayed in Australia (Melbourne) since 1974 and is now happily settled down there.He was talking about how if you are hardworking there are endless opportunities there.Hmm sounds interesting but I told him too late for me.What amazes me was that he brought a photostat copy of his report card which I wrote in 1965.I cannot imagine how he kept it for so long and it was because he wanted me to see it.
I wrote that he was by nature a playful and mischievous boy ,very weak in Geography and Science and that he needed to work harder if he wanted to pass and overally I rated him as a poor student.It was that report which actually motivated him to work hard and he said proudly that it changed his life and he is what he is today.
he still remembered my first car a Volvo 122 a grand car those days and he told me that me and mum were their role models as an ideal couple and a lot of the boys looked up to us because of that.
It was quite amazing that he could remember so many things about his school days and he had some good memories.Today he is about 60 + and totally different ,a testimony to the fact that everybody changes with time some for the better and some for the worse.As a teacher I guess nothing makes us happier than to see our students make it in life and to know that in however small a way we made them what they are.
On hindsight I feel that I should not have been so candid in my assessment of him and surely if I were to write that report today it will be different.I was 25 then and not a trained teacher yet and did not realize the impact of what we say of our students.That is also part of my own learning process.
We left each other after more than 2 hours of chatting and Harbachan promised to keep in touch and invited me to be his guest should I ever be in Melbourne.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

An interesting encounter.

This morning at breakfast one Indian guy walked up to me ,gave me a good stare and asked " Excuse me ,were you a School Principal? I said "Yes" and guessed he must be one of my former students and indeed he was>Told me his name is Baskaran and he related to me his impressions of me as a Headmaster.He said "Sir,you were always walking around the school with a cane in your hand.You were very strict and the moment we hear your footsteps,everyone would be at their seats.We know you are a fierce disciplinarian but actually we all loved you"
I was so touched and happy that Baskaran ended up as a ship pilot and is one of the few involved in this kind of work.We talked about teachers then and now and he said he was fortunate to be under the guidance of good teachers or he would not be where he is today.Its so gratifying that as teachers our students recognize what we did for them and sadly enough he said teachers today are not what they were.I am inclined to agree .Its not that the teachers are no good today but they actually have no chance to teach,what with all the projects and meetings which they have to attend.This is because we have the unfortunate case where the direction of education is determined by politicians whom we know do things for their own self glory.
Gone are the days when we can think of teachers who exerted such big influences on us and gave us the most important ingredients for our character which is one of the things we took from school other than knowledge.I can still remember some of teachers who had such charisma that we tried to be like them,hardworking,strict,disciplined and knowledgeable.I remember one Maths teacher who could draw such amazingly round circles with his hands and no instruments,I remember my literature teacher who brought us to the world of Shakespeare with such vivid dramatization that we all listened with open mouths all the time.
School those days were fun and we teachers had such great rapport with our students and would do our very best not only to give them the knowledge which they needed to pass their exams but also to shape their characters.
As teachers it is painful for us to see what the politicians are doing to our education system and the future of the younger generation.

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Coping with changes

Mum is in Spore with Aaron for more than a month now and we have to adapt to a new lifestyle.For one thing without them the house is so quiet and dull.Everybody works and comes back at night by which time we only watch TV for an hour or so before I call
it a night.No "my turn" for the tv and the cartoon programmes are not turned on.
In the mornings papa is so free he does not know what to do cos he does'nt have to cope with dramas and etc or fight to get Aaron off from watching his favorite Ultraman or Bob the Builder to take his shower and get ready for school.Yup life is not the same without the little fella .
After work there was always the little fella waiting to greet you and its strange coming home without someone greeting you and more importantly having to look for your own dinner everyday.I am not one to be fussy about food ,we have been brought up to eat just to fill your stomach ,to keep you from being hungry.I would just drop by anywhere convenient and grab a bite and that is sufficient.The Sundays are still something to look forward to .Waking up early ,having breakfast with the cronies and enjoying a round of golf and then lunch are things to look forward to.
Even the maid is trying to adapt.I'm sure she is a bit lost as she has to spend the whole day by herself.If she could express herself I'm sure she will tell us how bored she is,more so having to plan her own meals.
But life goes on so we have to adapt,just like when we did when all our children were away from home at one stage.I have also stayed alone in four different places.Sitiawan,Tashkent,Melaka and lembah Beringin and that has taught me to be independent and to be self reliant.Man is adaptable and its a matter to coping with a new environment and making the best use of circumstances beyond your control and at the end of the day you will be surprised how resilient we really are .

Sunday, May 8, 2011

Mother's Day

Mother's Day was celebrated throughout the world yesterday.It's to pay tribute to mothers for everything they have done.There is no doubt that our mothers have done so much for all of us but do we need that one special day to show how much we appreciate them? Once a year to show our mums how precious they are? Mothers should be appreciated every day and in so many ways ,not just a dinner and maybe gifts of flowers.
There is nothing that will make a mother more happy than to have her children or grand children around her .Despite the noise ,despite the hassle which such gatherings usually bring mum is never happier.To see her children grow into useful adults and abide by all that she has taught them makes mum feel that all the effort is worthwhile.
Caring for her and loving her even more when she is down and out makes the spirit of mother's day ever more so precious.The Filipino saying"My mum, may she always be what I expect,but yes or no she will always be my mum" tells us a lot.
No need to wait for Mother's Day to show how much we appreciate our mums.Do it every day, a nice word , a little gift ,a little thought would mean so much more than the commercialized Mother's Day Dinner.

Friday, May 6, 2011

The little ones

Aaron has been away for a week now and its funny how one little fella can change things so much.No po po in the mornings,no dramas with papa in the mornings,no monopoly of the TV in the mornings and nights,no tantrums at the dinner table and showering or going to bed.Ya this hero really has an impact on our lives.
We miss him and it goes to show that when someone is around you think he's a nuisance at times but when they are away you begin to realize that you really miss him.
Anyway Aaron is with Kyra in Spore and they must be having a great time and I'm sure if Ta Che and Alvyn consider them too much to handle now they will surely feel the difference when Aaron comes back.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Health is wealth

You never realize how important health is until you fall sick.Too often we see people neglecting their personal well being through bad personal habits:
1.Over eating.They eat until they are really full irrespective of what they eat.
2.Overindulgence in certain types of food.I love sweet stuff but because of my high sugar level stay away from them)
3.Unhealthy lifestyle.All work and no play..late nights and late mornings.Many dont realize how much can be done productively when you wake up early.Sleeping until 12 or 1 wastes so much precious time which can otherwise be spent doing so many things .The time spent sleeping can be used to self develop,pursue hobbies,catch up on your reading etc.
4.Eating late at night.The culture of yam cha amongst many young people is so unhealthy and leads to body abuse.After 10 at night all the vital organs need rest to recover in order to function well the next day and if they are stretched sooner or later they break down.Sitting and probably smoking than you normally would weakens the body ultimately.
5.Exercise.Why is exercise so difficult? Ever one knows the value of exercise yet how many do it? Why is it so difficult just to spend a few minutes everyday just to get a bit of exercise?
6.Water.So basic yet many people forget to drink enough of this life giving fluid.They prefer to drink alcoholic drinks or carbonated drinks which we know is not good for health.
7.Supplements.I have been on multi vites,vitamin c and e for as long as I can remember and can vouch for them .Its just a simple matter of popping a few pills every morning.Make it a habit and you are not likely to forget to take your pills.
A healthy body will let you enjoy a better lifestyle.We all know what it needs to keep healthy yet many of us do not follow.Today there is so much literature on health.Know it and be aware that good health is not a God given gift.Its something which you must cultivate through a lifestyle of discipline and following what has been proven formulas for good health.
Do this and you will find that you may be free of a situation where your body needs to be cut open and you have to go through a painful process of going through an operation where they have to cut open your body and fix the problem.If you dont think of yourself think of those who will have to suffer with you when you fall sick."Health is wealth"..dont lose it!!