from Clay we create

What one can create from clay, creativity, sprinkled with care and gentle touch!

Determination and Motivation

These real stories of these Chinese students are inspiring. From barely knowing the language, to aceing the subject just a few years later, is nothing short of remarkable. And speaks much for their strong determination to go against all odds, in order to achieve what they aim for.

Rings a resonant bell, and touches more than a chord with our pioneers and those of us who grew up with the determination to do well in school in order to move up the economic class, to earn a livelihood and give our families a better life. The path out and up was through getting scholarships or educational grants to university. So hit the books we'd better, and score A1s, or we would not get the chance.

Theoretically, if the young start from a stronger base of more resources available to them, they should do better than their parents. But somehow, somewhere, that robs them of some motivation, some determination that is fuelled partly by desperation of no road behind, that pushes them to drive harder to achieve.

Let's hope, and pray, that the sons and daughters of Singapore will have that determination, that drive, or our little red dot may fade into nothingness, instead of beaming as a vibrant hub.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
How we aced English
Memorising, reading and dogged practice have made them fluent speakers
By Jessica Lim (Sunday Times, 18 Feb 07)

CAI Sang had her first English lesson in Secondary 1, chanting the alphabet along with her class in Chengdu, capital of Sichuan province in central-western China.
At No. 7 Middle School, the top school in the city, English was taught in Chinese - the students would repeat English sentences read out to them, but everything else was done in Mandarin.
At the end of three years, they were able to construct sentences with words like who, what, where and why.
Cai Sang, 18, came to Anderson Secondary School two years ago with barely a Primary 4 foundation in the language and mimed her way through conversations, gesticulating with whatever props she had at hand.
'I could construct full sentences but would sometimes forget what word went with which object. I would mix up pronouns like 'he' and 'she'. Quite often, I would point at something to explain what I wanted to say, or just revert to Mandarin,' she said.
In Sec 3, she sat for her first English test in Singapore. She failed because she could not understand the questions. She decided that this would not do and started to memorise the Collins English dictionary - 10 pages a day. In six months, she had memorised the entire book.
But she did not know how to use most of the words she had memorised. She sprinkled them 'randomly in essays' until her teacher told her that her expressions were 'extremely weird' and suggested she start with 'simple words and sentences'.
Fine-tuning her strategy, she read classics like Wuthering Heights and Oliver Twist, hoping they would show her how to use the words in context. She read about three such books a month.
'Soon, I started writing like a classic novelist. I thought that was what my teachers wanted. My essays sounded a bit Victorian, but my teacher said my style was outdated!' said Cai Sang. She then switched to reading magazines like Time and Newsweek - and scored an A1 for English at the recent O levels.
Today, she speaks English fluently with only a slight accent.

Cai Sang is one of five students from China to whom The Sunday Times spoke who have mastered the language in the short span of two years.

Ru Mohan is another.
The 17-year-old from Shaanxi province listens to the BBC, imitates various accents, reads the student newspaper IN and cuts out articles.
He, too, started off poorly. Two years ago, he used the word 'neckless' instead of 'reckless' in an essay.
'Everyone makes mistakes. I laughed at myself, but made a point not to make it again,' he said. He now speaks more fluently than the average Singaporean teenager, rolling off words like 'amicable', 'rudimentary' and 'humiliating' during his interview with The Sunday Times.
He, too, earned a distinction for English at the O levels. Unlike Cai Sang, memorising words did not work for him. His mantra: Reading and speaking makes perfect. And he did a lot of that.
'I read at least three hours every day. I also forced my friends to speak to me in English even though at first I did not understand half of what they were saying,' said the only child of a university lecturer and middle school teacher.
He added that speaking to his friends in English helped him to 'test out new words' and made sure he was 'using them in the right context'.

Other students from China, like Shao Shiyu, 17, of Hunan province, remembers getting four out of 25 in her first English test. She headed to the bookstore right after that and grabbed some assessment books.
On her first day at Tanjong Katong Girls Secondary School, she remembers speaking really slowly so that people could understand her.
'Now, it just comes naturally,' said Shiyu, who is now a student at Raffles Junior College.

These students are very dogged in the way they study, said Mrs Lim-Koh Hui Hui, 36, a teacher-mentor to students from China at Xinmin Secondary School, which admits 10 to 15 of them every year.
'They are also extremely focused. It is amazing to be able to get a distinction in just two years of learning English. That puts some of our local students to shame,' she said.
She helps them adapt to the new environment by hiring tutors to bridge the gap when it comes to English. Among the things the tutors do to help the students is to drill them in pronouncing their 'Rs' and 'Ls'.
'We also split them up when we deploy them to classes to facilitate their integration process,' said Mrs Lim-Koh.
'But these students do take the initiative to seek help from their peers and are very pro-active in finding out information about anything they do not understand.'
limjess@sph.com.sg

Drill, drill, drill
Cai Sang reaches for reading material every chance she gets. The Sunday Times sneaks a peek at her timetable.
7.15am: Once she reaches RJC, she pulls out Newsweek to read for 20 minutes before assembly.
10am: At recess time, she nips to the library to browse through English fiction books.
4.30pm: After school and a nap, she reads The Straits Times. She pens down interesting phrases in a notebook which she refers to when writing her English compositions.
7.30pm: After dinner, she does her homework and memorises 10 pages of the English dictionary.
10.30pm: While brushing her teeth, she recaps the words and phrases she has learnt that day.
10.40pm: In bed, she listens to English songs on the radio for 20 minutes before sleeping.

just follow lor!

Once upon a time, there was an organisation ...

It was the time of the year when the IA moved in to check accounts and use of funds,
a time when accountability came under scrutiny.
For after all, what else, but shareholders' money were involved.

"Why did you extend the air-con hours for this dept till 10 pm for one month?", queried IA.
"I can't remember lah," said Services.
"What do you mean you can't remember?" pursued IA. "Where are your records?"
"What records?" replied Services.
"We not so bureaucratic one! People ask, and we give.
We don't demand to have them write in to us. They can just call us verbally; and we do.
No red tape lah! We Services, you know; must give good Service!"

"But this was for the floor occupied by the 9-to-5 Dept," continued IA.
"We notice it was also during the month of warm weather.
A whistleblower also complained to us that one of the staff was using office facilities for his own personal pursuits. Was someone misusing company facilities?"

"We don't know lah. We don't ask so many questions." said Services.
"People need aircon; just call us; and we extend.
No need to write in; no questions asked.
So much red tape for what?"

"But we have to be accountable!
Record-keeping is to account for how the resources are spent and why. Otherwise, if everyone uses resources any which way they like, how do we account to our shareholders?," said IA.
"Aiyah, don't preach lah. Why you so like civil service one!" pooh-poohed Services.
"We got no red tape! We got good service. Just follow us lor!"

http://www.justfollowlaw.com.sg/

Coming Together - for Prosperity and All Good Wishes

It is the Lunar New Year again, coming hot on the heels of sweet Valentine's Day.

Today is the Eve of Lunar New Year - shopping centres are crowded with last-minute buying; florists/nurseries are packed with patrons out to get flowers for auspicious symbolism or to add cheery colour to the home. The nurseries at Thomson Road were jam-packed with cars - at 10 pm last night! Cars were even parked at the bus-stop outside! This morning, we thought the situation would be better. But only slightly - we managed to get in and just in time to get a lot, at 10 am this morning.
Many will be having Reunion Dinner tonight. Some married couples, we hear, go to the home of one set of parents earlier in the evening, then to the other set of parents later at night. So that they can have Reunion Dinner with both sets of parents.

Some have Reunion Dinner on two nights - one last night and one today. Like mine.

No Emperor's Banquet or those that the Korean emperor eats in the famous drama series "Da Chang Jing". But it is a heart-warming meal, everyone round the table, enjoying food prepared with care. Of course, there is the usual symbolism - the fatt choy, the fish ("yu"), mushrooms and "hou si" (oyster).

The delicious dishes are consumed with great relish, especially after a day of last-minute spring-cleaning. (Seems like much of it should have been done in December! Dust here, dust there ... the visitor may not see, but we still want to clean and clean!)

Then there is a visit to the temple. As we were there early this morning, the temple of the Goddess of Mercy at Queen's Street was still quiet. But the barricades were lined up, ready to control the crowd should they turn unruly in their bid to be the first to put the joss-stick into the urn at the stroke of midnight tonight.

Inside the Guan Ying Temple, we prayed for good health, good (school) results, and safety (ping an).

May there be peace and prosperity!

Photo: "shou tao"/longevity peach - at perimeter of Guan Yin Temple

from 123greetings.com

FRIENDS, and valentines

Today's Valentine's Day and retailers have been dangling advertisements of tempting gifts for us to buy for our loved ones. The gift of love, they say.

Such strong reminders are difficult to ignore, especially when one is young and wooing the special someone.For those who just want to indulge in, and help spread, the "shiok" feeling of the day, some spend time to make little angels, like these ..... toiling and adding little touches, to make them better. :)

Other than valentines, I think that this day is also one to remember one's friends. I'm sure there is some Friendship Day somewhere in the calendar, when retailers again exhort us to buy cards and presents for our friends.

A friend recently mentioned that she would miss her friends as she was leaving for another organisation. While yes, not being in the same office, it is not quite the same - you would no longer share the same tribulations and challenges...

Still,

friendship is like a circle.
A circle of friends
that grows with nurture and care;
friends who unselfishly advise,
lend a listening ear
to woes and frustrations;
friends who are always there,
even if you don't meet everyday,
and regardless of
whether you are up-and-coming
or over-the-(career)-hill
(and no longer useful to them).

Friends ...

Queuing - to return home

In Singapore, we grumble when we have to go from East to West, North to South. We grumble abou being caught in traffic jams or in slow-moving traffic while going home at the end of the day.

See what the Shanxi people have to do - just to get train tickets!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
They just want to go home

(Straits Times, Sat 10 Feb 07)

PHOTO: AP

Queuing for a ticket home for Chinese New Year is a bone-chilling task for these folks in Taiyuan in China's central Shanxi province.
The heavy snow has blanketed the highways, preventing coach services from running; hence this long line for train tickets outside the railway station.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And we complain about the traffic at the Causeway!

That bowl of noodles

Garlic, ikan bilis, then egg and noodles, with a dash of sesame oil and soya sauce. Seems like a simple meal, but it can be a significant milesone when Growing Up.

From the days of being bottlefed, to spoonfed and then help with gettng the dishes;
from days of cradling to holding hands while shopping or crossing the road,
to a gentle "You don't need to hold my hand, Mum; I can cross the road by myself".

Then from watching noodles being prepared for breakfast, to actually preparing it themselves! So bowls of noodles such as these, though simple, are symbols of growing up.

And all the more when there is a caring offer - "I'm cooking noodles. Do you want some?"

Aw ...

When someone tries to bitch to U about your friend

A friend sent this to me. Don't know if it really came from the great Socrates. But it certainly is a good reminder!

********************
The Triple Filter Test
In ancient Greece, scholar and philosopher Socrates was reputed to hold knowledge in high esteem.
One day an acquaintance met the great philosopher and said, "Do you know what I just heard about one of your friends?"

"Hold on a minute," Socrates replied. "Before telling me anything, I'd like you to pass a little test. It's called the Triple Filter Test."
"Triple filter?" asked the man.

"That's right," Socrates continued. "Before you talk to me about my friend, it might be a good idea to take a moment and filter what you're going to say. That's why I call it the triple filter test. The first filter is Truth. Have you made absolutely sure that what you are about to tell me is true?"

"No," the man said, "actually I just heard about it and wanted to tell it to you." "All right," said Socrates.

"So you don't really know if it's true or not. Now let's try the second filter, the filter of Goodness.
Is what you are about to tell me about my friend something good?"
"No, on the contrary, it is bad."
"So," Socrates continued, "you want to tell me something bad about him, but you're not certain it's true.
You may still pass the test though, because there's one filter left - the filter of Usefulness.

Is what you want to tell me about my friend going to be useful to me?"
"No, not really," replied the man, now more than a little embarrassed.

"Well," concluded Socrates, if what you want to tell me is neither true, nor good, and nor even useful to me, why tell it to me at all?"

************************************

Hmm, makes sense.

sumptious food ... for thought, or the stomach?

We were at a seminar on new media or blogs. (Every time we use the term "new media", I'm reminded of someone's comment that we shouldn't be calling them "new" or "old" media. Over time,what's "new" turns "old".)

It was an interesting and inspiring one. New ideas on how to reach out, how to track eyeballs on one's blog.

Not the least was the sumptious lunch. And the delicious dessert - the ultimate "must" for those with a sweet tooth. :)

Of rotted plants and growing cactus

The fu gui hua had rotted (in its stem, no less). So I wanted to buy another to fill its place in the nice jade-coloured pot. When I got hold of one at NTUC Fairprice yesterday during a grocery shopping trip, the family's reaction was "no flower, why you want to buy", "it won't flower in time for Chinese New Year"!

What short-sightedness! I wasn't looking to get it to flower in time for Chinese New Year. I was thinking of planting it and nurturing it so that in future, it would hopefully bear flowers. Alas, my long-term vision was not appreciated!

Since the jade-coloured pot was still there, looking so regal, yet without any "owner" in it, I decided to transplant the three plants of cactus species into the pot, as they are now in the centre of the pot (in the picture above). (I added the two creepers at the side to "dian jui"/add variety.)

The cactus plants themselves are a story of their own, a symbol of hope. They were among the plants that we bought one Chinese New Year. Like most potted plants that we buy during Lunar New Year, they don't seem to last much longer beyond the 12 days of new year. So these cactus plants were kind of dying off. I put them in another smaller pot and put them in the shade, hoping that they would rehabiliate and recover, while trying to calibrate the sunlight/shade and quantity of water given.

After some time, they survived. And recently, they actually grew! When I see them (and other plants like them that have successfully rehabilitated), I feel a wave of hope. The perseverance and life that they show, is an encouragement to us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
About the rotting (to the core) of the stem of the fu gui hua, this is not the first time. I wonder if the flowering plant is prone to this.
When I see this, I can't help but think about how, in drawing up policies whether in govt, private sector or volunteer groups, we have to be careful and be above board. No point trying to polish the apple if it is rotten at its core. Ultimately it will be known. The truth is out there.

Orchids, Orchids on the Wall

Dear Orchid,

We are so glad that you are finally flowering.

We placed your pot here, and there, wondering if this spot is too bright, too hot, or is that spot too windy, too dry. Somehow, it is not easy growing orchids. Though looking at the nurseries full of blooming orchids of all shapes and sizes, one could be misled into thinking that growing orchids is piece of cake.

You joined our home about three years ago. After the initial flowering period, there were no more flowers. We were disappointed and wondered what we did wrong, or did not do right. We bought fertiliser and used it. But it didn't seem to work. Perhaps the conditions were somehow not optimal.

When we found the spray of buds last Sunday, we were surprised and very happy. Even happier when during the week, we found three other sprays of buds! And then, the buds blossoming into pretty flowers!

They say a bird on hand is worth two in the bushes. I say an orchid flowering in your garden is worth a bouquet in a vase. :)

Moon over SG

Picture below: Moon, what moon?

The Moon peeps between the trees,

shining bright in the dark sky.

We are no lovebirds

in the park,

inspired by the moonlight

to whisper sweet nothings.

We are parents

in the school grounds,

waiting purposefully

to pick up our offspring

from CCA.

The school canteen is still bustling with activity,

students still there,

talking, discussing.

Nearby in the car park,

are parents in cars, parents standing next to cars,

waiting and checking their watches.

This is Singapore,

where distances are short,

with no long journeys back into the suburbs.

But where distance benchmarks are low,

and caring parents make detours

to save their children time

in waiting for buses to go home.

This is Singapore and our way of life.

festivals@sg

STI, Thurs, Feb 1, 2007, 7.17 pm (Singapore time)
Thousands of Hindus celebrate Thaipusam



Devotees walked from the Sri Sinivasa Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road to the Sri Thandayuthapani Temple at Tank Road. -- MICHAEL CHAN

MORE than 30,000 Hindu devotees hit the streets on Thursday to mark the Thaipusam festival.
At least 10,000 of them carried milk pots and metal structures attached to their chests and backs in a display of devotion to God.

They walked from the Sri Sinivasa Perumal Temple at Serangoon Road to the Sri Thandayuthapani Temple at Tank Road.

Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar graced the occasion and received blessings at Sri Sinivasa Perumal Temple.

For the first time this year, students of all faiths from secondary schools and junior colleges were taken on a guided tour of the temple.

Galleries featuring pictures of the festival and kavadis - the burdens that devotees carry - were also erected at Serangoon, Selegie and Penang Road.

*Some info on Thaipusam http://http//www.nus.edu.sg/oed/onsite/issue1/thaipusam.htm

* Hindu Endowments Board http://www.heb.gov.sg/