When we were young we were taught never to leave any unfinished rice on your plate for if you do this you will have pock marks on your face.We were taught never to be fussy about food as it was in the first instance difficult to come by.Dinner was set after everyone has bathed as mum would not allow us to come to the table if we are not clean.
No one could eat until the head of the family started and once you finish your meal you are out of the table to wash your own dish.there were no leftovers because mum would insist that food must not be wasted and the last one would have the honor of finishing all the food.
Eating in restaurants or eating out was almost unheard of and if ever we ate out it would be at the hawker stalls.Today the young people fuss so much about food.They would go the extra mile just to eat something they like and price was no issue.And after a meal you are talking about coffee and dessert.What a far cry from what we had when we were young.
I am never one to fuss about food and would just eat to keep off the hunger.Three important meals a day a must, what you eat is of no importance as long as you are not hungry>Malaysian are never in want for choice ,you can have so many options for b'fast,lunch and dinner.When we were young breakfast was always bread ,butter and jam and a cup of coffee,lunch was rice as was dinner.No fancy dishes but there was always sambal and curry to give you the appetite to eat more rice.On hindsight this was healthy living as today there is so much hoo ha about having three important meals a day.
We are so lucky today as you can have so many types of food to choose from ,Japanese,Italian ,Thai,French,Vietnamese etc but during our time we had no such options so to me even today a good meal would be rice with sambal and curry.But we have to keep with the times and eat what is available and to try what the food market has to offer.There should be no big fuss over a meal ,just eat whatever is served,if you like it eat more if not eat less.There are people who would insist on the type of food they like only without caring for the needs of others.
The Uzbeks have quaint eating habits.If you are invited to a house for dinner or lunch be prepared to allocate at least three hours.The meal would always start with the table full of appetizers which are a meal by themselves.Then you have the main course and after that dessert. Bread was sacred to the Uzbeks as it was their stable food and if a piece of bread fell on the floor you have to pick it up.Because bread was so important it was just served on the table without it being put in any plate.Dinner was a lengthy affair because there was a lot of idle chatter and small talk.
Eat to live or live to eat?To us common people of course its eat to live and I have found eating moderately an important maxim and meals should be eaten at the proper time.Breakfast should be between 7 to 8am ,lunch 1to 2 pm and dinner should be not later than 7 to 730pm as it would then give you enough time to digest your food before you sleep.Of course if your personal schedule is off you cant follow this timetable.A lot of young people skip breakfast because they wake up just in time to go to work and on weekends or holidays they sleep till lunch time.The key to good eating habits is eat on time ,eat moderately and dont be obese.Then you will find that you do not become sick because of poor eating habits.Enjoy food by all means but learn how to determine what you should eat,when you should eat and how much should you eat.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Seremban 3
We played golf in a little known course called Paradise Valley in Seremban 3.It is one of the few dry courses you can find nowadays.Green fees are cheap but no caddies are available .A hilly ,narrow mountainous course,it is not one for the faint hearted.
After a challenging round we landed in a restaurant called "Seremban Siew Pau" and it is a pretty good one with food reasonably priced.We had four dishes including fish, meat and vegetables and shellfish and the bill just came to RM 80.00 and two of the group drank a bottle of stout and beer.
What makes this place interesting is that they have a mini market selling fresh siew pau(The best I have eaten cos its freshly baked)and a lot of other goodies like salted chicken ,chocolates,etc.etc.The restaurant is very popular among tourists ( a few bus loads were there as we arrived).Despite this the food came within 10 or 15 minutes and its really value for money.We decided that the next time we play in Seremban this is where we will go for our lunch.
After a challenging round we landed in a restaurant called "Seremban Siew Pau" and it is a pretty good one with food reasonably priced.We had four dishes including fish, meat and vegetables and shellfish and the bill just came to RM 80.00 and two of the group drank a bottle of stout and beer.
What makes this place interesting is that they have a mini market selling fresh siew pau(The best I have eaten cos its freshly baked)and a lot of other goodies like salted chicken ,chocolates,etc.etc.The restaurant is very popular among tourists ( a few bus loads were there as we arrived).Despite this the food came within 10 or 15 minutes and its really value for money.We decided that the next time we play in Seremban this is where we will go for our lunch.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Challenging the paradigms
I was asked for my company profile the other day by an officer who was handling our application to manage another hostel.He was taken aback when I said " Sorry ,I have no such profile because my company is me ".He asked me what I meant and I said " My credentials are in the form of my record as an educationist " and I listed to him my experiences as an educationist and after that he said "OK no need for company profile".
On looking back and reflecting many would still wonder why I am still working at an age when many would be happily retired.Challenging existing paradigms has always been what I like to do.Playing active golf at this age and sometimes beating my younger opponents is so much fun.I have a friend who is is his mid fifties who is always so frustrated when he loses to me because we play level ie he does not give me any handicap and for me its such an achievement to be able to do that.Working?Why not? I have told myself that I will work for as long as I can and for as long as I am wanted.
I still find that many young people need guidance and they cant even remember things better than me.I cannot imagine sitting at home day after day and just waiting to die.I would rather die on the job or die on the golf course.Then you go doing the things you like .Education is such a challenging field and one can get no better satisfaction than to be able to pass on knowledge and experience to the young and nothing is more satisfying than seeing them learn .That is why till today I still like to teach and I have a group of Vietnamese and Indonesian students whom I am helping to improve on their English.I do this on my free time and do not take any money from them and the reward of seeing them improve day by day is certainly worth more than money.
They say you never know what you are capable of until you have to do it.I never imagined that I could cook but when I was in Uzbekistan I had no choice but to do it as eating places there are limited.I have so been used to mum's meals all the while that I never bothered to learn how to cook but because there was no other choice I cooked my dinner every night when in Uzbekistan and as it went on began to enjoy churning out different types of dishes.Unfortunately when back to Malaysia the need was no longer there cos good old mum takes care of the food and you can always get food outside.
Bottom line ,we can do anything if we set our heart and mind to it but then there are things which we simply cannot change or do anything about.You will find it difficult to change somebody or save somebody from sickness>It is so sad to see my elder sister wasting away.She is no longer the sister I knew and whenever I look at her I think of the time when we were all young staying in the same house.All said and done I have only good memories of her and I always come out depressed after seeing her in her condition today.This is something which we can do nothing about ,nothing which we can change and this realization helps you draw the line between what you can do and not do and therein perhaps lies the secret of happy living.
On looking back and reflecting many would still wonder why I am still working at an age when many would be happily retired.Challenging existing paradigms has always been what I like to do.Playing active golf at this age and sometimes beating my younger opponents is so much fun.I have a friend who is is his mid fifties who is always so frustrated when he loses to me because we play level ie he does not give me any handicap and for me its such an achievement to be able to do that.Working?Why not? I have told myself that I will work for as long as I can and for as long as I am wanted.
I still find that many young people need guidance and they cant even remember things better than me.I cannot imagine sitting at home day after day and just waiting to die.I would rather die on the job or die on the golf course.Then you go doing the things you like .Education is such a challenging field and one can get no better satisfaction than to be able to pass on knowledge and experience to the young and nothing is more satisfying than seeing them learn .That is why till today I still like to teach and I have a group of Vietnamese and Indonesian students whom I am helping to improve on their English.I do this on my free time and do not take any money from them and the reward of seeing them improve day by day is certainly worth more than money.
They say you never know what you are capable of until you have to do it.I never imagined that I could cook but when I was in Uzbekistan I had no choice but to do it as eating places there are limited.I have so been used to mum's meals all the while that I never bothered to learn how to cook but because there was no other choice I cooked my dinner every night when in Uzbekistan and as it went on began to enjoy churning out different types of dishes.Unfortunately when back to Malaysia the need was no longer there cos good old mum takes care of the food and you can always get food outside.
Bottom line ,we can do anything if we set our heart and mind to it but then there are things which we simply cannot change or do anything about.You will find it difficult to change somebody or save somebody from sickness>It is so sad to see my elder sister wasting away.She is no longer the sister I knew and whenever I look at her I think of the time when we were all young staying in the same house.All said and done I have only good memories of her and I always come out depressed after seeing her in her condition today.This is something which we can do nothing about ,nothing which we can change and this realization helps you draw the line between what you can do and not do and therein perhaps lies the secret of happy living.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
Being observant
As a School Inspector I was trained to observe ,comment and report.Along the way we also had to make suggestions for improvement.This training has stuck with me till today.Of late I have been to the market with mum a few times and was happily observing what was going on in the market.Come Ching Ming when we went to buy all the offerings for our ancestors I could not help but be amused at the lengths which these people would go to to make the dead happy(if you believe they receive and use all the stuff which you burn for them).
You will observe many things as you go along in life as long as you keep you eyes open and survey the environment you are in immediately.When I play golf I always look at the gear which my friends have ..that is an indication of how much they value their equipment and also how much they have spent on it and indirectly you get an idea about their character.
The golf course is also full of beauty, trees,flowers,ponds and even wildlife.You just got to keep your eyes open and learn how to admire and appreciate nature.Lots of things to look out for in a golf course to keep you occupied.
One of my former bosses taught us one of the first things to look out for in a guy are his shoes.Till now I cant help but look down and see guys' shoes.Well polished? Leather ? British ? Local? Branded ?
Also the shirts and pants.Shirts cotton?Collar? Color matching pants? Branded? I remember once my good friend in Tashkent proudly showed me his new suit and I looked at it and said'You mean you bought X brand?" He asked "what about X brand" and I cruelly replied "No standard la".
Cant help but look at belts and finally watches.To me all these are indicators and I am naturally drawn to such things.Today my perception about the indicators have changed but still cannot resist looking at these things.
The ladies? I always like to see how organised their handbags about.I shall not say more about the ladies.
You will never be bored anywhere if you just care to look around you and observe ...so many things to see and note if you just care to do so.
You will observe many things as you go along in life as long as you keep you eyes open and survey the environment you are in immediately.When I play golf I always look at the gear which my friends have ..that is an indication of how much they value their equipment and also how much they have spent on it and indirectly you get an idea about their character.
The golf course is also full of beauty, trees,flowers,ponds and even wildlife.You just got to keep your eyes open and learn how to admire and appreciate nature.Lots of things to look out for in a golf course to keep you occupied.
One of my former bosses taught us one of the first things to look out for in a guy are his shoes.Till now I cant help but look down and see guys' shoes.Well polished? Leather ? British ? Local? Branded ?
Also the shirts and pants.Shirts cotton?Collar? Color matching pants? Branded? I remember once my good friend in Tashkent proudly showed me his new suit and I looked at it and said'You mean you bought X brand?" He asked "what about X brand" and I cruelly replied "No standard la".
Cant help but look at belts and finally watches.To me all these are indicators and I am naturally drawn to such things.Today my perception about the indicators have changed but still cannot resist looking at these things.
The ladies? I always like to see how organised their handbags about.I shall not say more about the ladies.
You will never be bored anywhere if you just care to look around you and observe ...so many things to see and note if you just care to do so.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Priorities in Life
Life is a cycle.Birth,growth ,death.Everyone goes through this and its important to remember that while we are alive and in good health to always give quality of life your top priority.Young people today are so caught up with the rat race that they tend to forget to live their lives.Before you were married your friends and family were your priorities.You enjoyed being with them ,eating and playing together.
When you found your life's partner it was always a joy just to be together>You talked,laughed and shared a lot of things.Togetherness was such a joy and you had such fun just being with each other.Then when the kids came it was everything for them and all the plans and energy was focused on them.The challenge of bringing them up, ensuring that you gave them the important things in life became your priority.
Fine,but along the way let us not lose track of what life is all about.We need to live a quality life,have time for ourselves and family.Life is not just about working ,about making money ..its about living.As we go along we forget the joy of being together with each other as when we were young,the joy of seeing our children growing up.Children grow up fast.Before their teens they need us to spend time with them.Have you seen parents sharing time with their kids? Laughing and playing together?This is quality time because before you know it kids grow up and dont really need you anymore and you ask yourself."Did I spend enough time with my kid when he needed me?"If not its too late to turn back the clock .Time once lost can never be regained.
Meals?Today people rush over meals.They work so hard that when they come home sit down straight at the dinner table and just go through the rituals of eating.In the good old days we were taught the be ready for dinner in good time, after a shower and change of clothes and dinner was never a rushy affair.It was the time when the head of the family would communicate with the family and there was good family banter and fun.Meals were never rushed.Today we see people coming home late ,rushing over dinner with hardly a word spokes.Quality of life?Is doing business or work so important that all else is secondary ?
Couples must always try to go back to the way they were.Remember the young days?Why cant they be relived?.Treasure each other because at the end of the day one of you will have to leave the other.Too late for tears,too late to regret...
We are never more happy than to see all our kids and grandchildren together under one roof.You should see how happy mum is when the children come back for a meal.She happily goes to the market ,buys all the goodies and cook with such joy that you cant believe it.That's mother's love!!!
A friend just told me that we must never forget that our spouses shared our life from young,through the good times and the bad.Now that we in our golden years we must always try to bring back the good times we had when we were young.If you rush over life its an indication of bad time management that's all.People get all riled up if they rush things.Look at the example of some of the most successful people in the world,see how they manage their time ,how they draw the line between work and private time.
At the end of the day let us not forget to live our lives because you are here only once and what is more important to you? Are you in control of your life or does your life control you?
?
When you found your life's partner it was always a joy just to be together>You talked,laughed and shared a lot of things.Togetherness was such a joy and you had such fun just being with each other.Then when the kids came it was everything for them and all the plans and energy was focused on them.The challenge of bringing them up, ensuring that you gave them the important things in life became your priority.
Fine,but along the way let us not lose track of what life is all about.We need to live a quality life,have time for ourselves and family.Life is not just about working ,about making money ..its about living.As we go along we forget the joy of being together with each other as when we were young,the joy of seeing our children growing up.Children grow up fast.Before their teens they need us to spend time with them.Have you seen parents sharing time with their kids? Laughing and playing together?This is quality time because before you know it kids grow up and dont really need you anymore and you ask yourself."Did I spend enough time with my kid when he needed me?"If not its too late to turn back the clock .Time once lost can never be regained.
Meals?Today people rush over meals.They work so hard that when they come home sit down straight at the dinner table and just go through the rituals of eating.In the good old days we were taught the be ready for dinner in good time, after a shower and change of clothes and dinner was never a rushy affair.It was the time when the head of the family would communicate with the family and there was good family banter and fun.Meals were never rushed.Today we see people coming home late ,rushing over dinner with hardly a word spokes.Quality of life?Is doing business or work so important that all else is secondary ?
Couples must always try to go back to the way they were.Remember the young days?Why cant they be relived?.Treasure each other because at the end of the day one of you will have to leave the other.Too late for tears,too late to regret...
We are never more happy than to see all our kids and grandchildren together under one roof.You should see how happy mum is when the children come back for a meal.She happily goes to the market ,buys all the goodies and cook with such joy that you cant believe it.That's mother's love!!!
A friend just told me that we must never forget that our spouses shared our life from young,through the good times and the bad.Now that we in our golden years we must always try to bring back the good times we had when we were young.If you rush over life its an indication of bad time management that's all.People get all riled up if they rush things.Look at the example of some of the most successful people in the world,see how they manage their time ,how they draw the line between work and private time.
At the end of the day let us not forget to live our lives because you are here only once and what is more important to you? Are you in control of your life or does your life control you?
?
Friday, March 4, 2011
Something to think about.....
I have noticed one thing which sadly is happening all around us.When we were courting each other holding hands itself was such a thrilling experience.Today you note very few married couples hold hands anymore let alone show each other the special look and bother to show any closeness.What happened? Does it mean that once you are married the romance has gone out of your lives?
The guy will walk in front or they will walk apart from each other.Before marriage there were the Valentine candlelight dinners,bouquets and special gifts for birthdays.After wedding?Has marriage changed a relationship so much that the little things which mean a lot dont matter anymore?Each party will have his/her own activity and its not often that things are done together as a couple.Where is the life of togetherness ? Of sharing ?
Worse of all is when we stop to communicate with each other.There were times when the first person you talk to whenever something happens was the spouse and the two would discuss and talk things over and in the process a lot more understanding comes about.Life is not just about the rat race ,the race for success and monetary gains.Its about living and sharing and spending quality time with the family and each other.That was the commitment we made to each other when we got married,to share the rest of our lives together.
We need to go back and relook at our priorities ,at how we treat each other and how we share precious moments together,bring back the romance to our lives and not just live together without sharing life.The other party must always be treasured and what better way to do it than to have little surprises now and then.A flower? a box of chocolates,a surprise candlelight dinner ? So many things can be done ,only thing is sometimes we forget.........
The guy will walk in front or they will walk apart from each other.Before marriage there were the Valentine candlelight dinners,bouquets and special gifts for birthdays.After wedding?Has marriage changed a relationship so much that the little things which mean a lot dont matter anymore?Each party will have his/her own activity and its not often that things are done together as a couple.Where is the life of togetherness ? Of sharing ?
Worse of all is when we stop to communicate with each other.There were times when the first person you talk to whenever something happens was the spouse and the two would discuss and talk things over and in the process a lot more understanding comes about.Life is not just about the rat race ,the race for success and monetary gains.Its about living and sharing and spending quality time with the family and each other.That was the commitment we made to each other when we got married,to share the rest of our lives together.
We need to go back and relook at our priorities ,at how we treat each other and how we share precious moments together,bring back the romance to our lives and not just live together without sharing life.The other party must always be treasured and what better way to do it than to have little surprises now and then.A flower? a box of chocolates,a surprise candlelight dinner ? So many things can be done ,only thing is sometimes we forget.........
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
" In sickness and in health"
I have to take my hat off to my elder brother in law.My elder sis has been bedridden for the past few years.As her physical condition deteriorated her ever faithful husband was always there by her side looking after her.Looking after her did not just mean keeping an eye on her.It means feeding her,washing her,seeing to her toilet needs and making sure that she was as comfortable as can be.One can imagine the difficulty of such tasks but he has done this faithfully without complain all these years.Responsibility? Concern? Caring?Love? What makes him do it ? Just wonder if we can do this for our loved ones for so long.He is not young himself but finds the strength and energy to do all these things,all other things have to be sacrificed.I believe he has no life of his own now as every moment he has is devoted to attending to sister's needs.I'm sure he must have pleasant memories of their younger days when they were in good health.They had gone through a lot but brother-in law is never one to chicken out on life's difficulties.It is sad that after going through so much they cannot happily enjoy their golden years.
A lot of things have been said about him but to me he is a good husband,father and brother in law and this is proven by the way he looks after my sister.Its what you do that actually counts in the final analysis.
A lot of things have been said about him but to me he is a good husband,father and brother in law and this is proven by the way he looks after my sister.Its what you do that actually counts in the final analysis.
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