queue, q u e u e, queue

We queue up for everything - we queue at food centres, we queue to collect cinema tickets, we queue to enter car parks ... we queue overnight for the coveted condo ... we queue overnight for that coveted place in the school we want!

Queue overnight for a place in a primary school? In the rain?

Well, that's what happened at the Tanjong Katong Primary School! They set up seats and tents, to queue up for what they thought were 10 school places. But it turned out there was only one place. Still, the rest in the line stayed in line, to keep the ones in front company! Camaraderie indeed! And then the first two in the line gave up their places to the third parent, as they were sending their children to international schools. (Wonder why they queued in the first place then? =_= )

And these were foreigners as they were applying after the locals have taken their turns. Maybe they have caught our habit of queuing, and of kiasu-ism!

The positive side to this? The strong emphasis parents place on education, and their care and concern for their children. :)

dim sum trol-ley

Dim sum meals used to mean choosing the kind of dim sum we want from the trolleys that the waitresses push up and down the aisle in the restaurant. Part of the fun is in choosing the dim sum dishes. Or in seeing the carrot cake fried atop the mini-stove in the quaint trolley.

But nowadays, we order dim sum from a menu. I suppose it's the lack of space so restaurants did away with the trolleys.

With the closure of the Neptune Restaurant (at Shenton Way) end of last year, I thought there are no more of such restaurants.

Then we came across the Fortunate Restaurant 幸福饮茶 at Toa Payoh (near the library and above the Shop N Save supermarket). It has dim sum on trolleys!

The ambience not quite "atas", the setting and crockery etc not quite elegant. But the dim sum's not bad. :D

love your job

From the Aging Workforce News

Survey: Older Workers More Satisfied with Their Jobs

A survey released by the University of Chicago study shows that job satisfaction increases with age, with workers over 65 among the most satisfied. According to the report--“Job Satisfaction in America: Trends and Socio-Demographic Correlates”--by Tom W. Smith, Director of the General Social Survey at the National Opinion Center at the University of Chicago, 86% of the people interviewed between 1972 and 2006 said they were satisfied at their jobs, with 48% saying they were very satisfied--for older workers, 71% said they were very satisfied.Smith said that “job satisfaction is especially high among those 65 and over because most people working at that age are not those forced to still work due to financial reasons, but those who choose to do so because they like their jobs.”

Source: University of Chicago News Release (August 27, 2007)

Cartoon - thanks to cartoon.stock

Virtual 999 ?

Beijing Police 公安局 are reportedly going to start patrolling the Web with animated officers. They can walk, bike or drive. And warn U to stay away from illegal Internet content!

Need help while on the Net? Click on the cartoon images and you will be redirected to the authority's website.

Leaders - real ones

Leaders.

Not just persons put in a position. Not just persons appointed by someone else.

A leader.

One who draws Talent to join them, like the talented volunteered services to great emperors in thriving and prosperous civilisations.

One who command respect and trust. One who can galvanise people into action. One with moral integrity.

Real leaders.

http://www.tms.com.au/wothot.html

~WHY ARE LEADERS IMPORTANT?~

Leaders Manage Through Times of Change

They determine direction.

They move organizations from where they are to where they need to be.
Leaders Make Things Happen

They shape the culture.

They use the management tools.
Leaders are Revolutionaries

They face reality and mobilize appropriate resources.

They encourage others to do the same

- Noel M. TichyThe Leadership Engine

~The 9 Faces of Leadership ~

Charisma
Instills faith, respect, and trust. Has a special gift of seeing what others need to consider. Conveys a strong sense of mission.
Individual consideration
Coaches, advises, and teaches people who need it. Actively listens and gives indications of listening. Gives newcomers a lot of help.
Intellectual stimulation
Gets others to use reasoning and evidence, rather than unsupported opinion. Enables others to think about old problems in new ways. Communicates in a way that forces others to rethink ideas that they had never questioned before.
Courage
Willing to stand up for ideas even if they are unpopular. Does not give in to pressure or to others' opinions in order to avoid confrontation. Will do what's right for the company and for employees even if it causes personal hardship.
Dependability
Follows through and keeps commitments. Takes responsibility for actions and accepts responsibility for mistakes. Works well independently of the boss.
Flexibility
Functions effectively in changing environments. When a lot of issues hit at once, handles more than one problem at a time. Changes course when the situation warrants it.
Integrity
Does what is morally and ethically right. Does not abuse management privileges. Is a consistent role model.
Judgement
Reaches sound and objective evaluations of alternative courses of action through logic, analysis, and comparison. Puts facts together rationally and realistically. Uses past experience and information to bring perspective to present decisions.
Respect for others
Honors and does not belittle the opinions or work of other people, regardless of their status or position.

~"What is the glue that hold this organization together"?~

Fill the glue pot with the fresh, pure, clear water of undiluted human spirit.
Take special care not to contaminate with preconceived ideas, or to pollute with excess control.
Fill slowly; notice that the pot only fills from the bottom up. It's impossible to fill it from the top down!
Stir in equal parts of customer focus and pride in good work.
Bring to boil and blend in a liberal portion of diversity, one part self esteem, and one part tolerance.

Fold in accountability.
Simmer until smooth and thick, stirring with shared leadership and clear goals.
Season with a dash of humor and a pinch of adventure.
Let cool, then garnish with a topping of core values.
Serve by coating all boxes in the organizational chart, paying particular attention to the white spaces. With proper application, the boxes disappear and all that can be seen is productivity, creativity, and customer service.

-David M. Noer

the meritocratic road up

In an interview with former remisier Peter Lim, the New Paper quoted him as saying that:

"Education must be cheap and accessible to anyone.
'For me, I was the son of a fishmonger, but I could still go to the best school. I had the opportunity to make money. There's no discrimination.
'I think this policy of meritocracy actually works. It's very very fair and nobody can complain."

It is thanks to meritocracy that many of us are where we are today. Without it, many would not have been able to go to university in those days, and even now.

We have to keep this route open for our future generations so that there's a way out and up.

pensive this weekend

It's sad news on the news bulletins, one after another, this weekend.

A 16-year-old boy died from being hit by a bus - so much life, so much hope, snuffed out in an instant. Then in the early hours, two young men died in burning flames after their car crashed. And this morning, in the SAF Sheares Bridge Run, a young OCS platoon commander died after a 21-km run.

(Even the comedy detective drama series from Hongkong that runs every weekend, ends on a tragic note in its last episode tonight ... !)

So much sad news. The young lives. All the potential. All the hopes.

All these also a reminder to us to treasure our loved ones, our friends. A reminder to express thanks and appreciation promptly. A reminder to count our blessings, and be appreciative that we are blessed.

changing moods

A squirrel came by this morning. Under the cheerful morning sunlight, it scuttered along the wall. But before we could say "hello", it has scampered next door.

The morning sun was soon overcast by the grey clouds invading the sky. As we hurried to trim the garden plants of dead leaves, the wind started blowing. We could feel the hint of rain.

But after we had hung up the laundry and withdrawn into the shelter, the Sun came out again.

Back and forth, like a pendulum.

Father Weather's in his volatile moods. He just sneezes, and the earthlings cower under the power of those in between. Venture and seek opportunities, and admonishments may flow. Earthlings have small brains and no ideas. Father Weather may not subscribe to it, but any sign of ill mood multiplies down the eco-chain.

七月 Hungry Ghost Month

http://customsholidays.suite101.com/article.cfm/the_chinese_ghost_month
The Chinese Ghost Month
At the climax of August, the most inauspicious time of the year, the Chinese hold the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts
© Katrien Vander Straeten
Sep 6, 2006
The Chinese seventh month, usually August, is the most ill-fated time of the year. It is called Ghost Month, and its climax is the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts.
The seventh month in the Chinese calendar is the "Month of the Hungry Ghosts". Buddhists, Taoists and believers of Chinese folk religions believe that, during the "Ghost Month", the spirits of the dead wander the earth. During this dangerous time they suspend all important activities and decisions. At its climax, they celebrate the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts.

This goes back to the Buddhist Ullambana Sutra, which tells of Maudgalyayana, who as a young boy left home to become a disciple of Brahma, and later of Buddha. When he attained enlightenment, he remembered his parents and looked for them. He found his father in heaven, but his mother had been reborn into the Realm of the Hungry Ghosts, a realm of hell. She hadn't respected his wish that she welcome any Buddhist monk, and had instead been greedy with money and kindness.
The description of her ghost is terrifying. Her skin was "like that of a golden pheasant when its feathers have been plucked, her bones were like round stones placed one beside the other. Her head was big as a ball, her neck thin as a thread, and her stomach like a great sea swelling out." Because her throat was too narrow to eat or drink, but her belly so distended, she went terribly hungry. But the rice and water that Maudgalyayana gave her caught fire in her belly. So he pled with the Buddha, who instructed him to gather the Buddhist monks and sacrifice food and drink, on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. Maudgalyayana did so, and his mother was liberated.

Both aspects of the story - the terrifying, and the happy occasion of being reunited upon fulfilling one's filial duty - are mixed in the present-day Buddhist festival of Ullambana and the Taoist and Chinese folk festival of Zhongyuan Jie, collectively known as the "Festival of the Hungry Ghosts", held on the fifteenth day of the seventh month. In 2006, that day was August 8.
On that day families solemnly pay homage to their ancestors and pay Buddhist monks (as charity) to pray for their souls. But they are also horrified by the ghosts, and to appease them they put food outside their homes, float paper boats and lanterns on water to give them directions, and burn "hell money". Superstition takes over entirely in their belief that Ghost Month is the most inauspicious time of the year, during which traveling, weddings, moving to a new house, and even swimming are suspended.

Other articles:
http://www.chinatownconnection.com/hungry-ghost-month.htm
http://app1.chinadaily.com.cn/star/2001/0906/fe20-1.html

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Be Happy; Be Healthy; Relax, Be Happy

Today there are two interesting articles - one about a study showing that anger and hostility raise the risk of diabetes; another a commentary about relaxing.

Well, when one is angry or feeling hostile, a negative force does build up and one generally feels negative about things and people around one. Perhaps that can arouse and build up negative forces in the body.

And when one is overly hyper, well, more stressed and definitely less relaxed.

~~A~~
Anger and hostility raises risk of diabetes...
...heart disease and high blood pressure, a decade-long study of US war veterans shows

Researchers studying 313 healthy Vietnam war veterans in the United States have found that anger and hostility may increase the risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Over a period of 10 years, the men had regular physical examinations involving a wide variety of medical tests. They also underwent psychological examinations using well-established questionnaires to determine their levels of hostility, anger and depression.
The researchers measured blood levels of a protein called C3, a marker for the inflammation that is a risk factor for cardiovascular illnesses. After controlling for other variables, the scientists found that those in the highest one-quarter in hostility, anger and depression showed a steady and significant increase in C3 levels, while those in the lowest one-quarter had no increase.
'This may put those men at increased risk for hypertension, diabetes and coronary heart disease,' said Dr Stephen H. Boyle, the lead author of the study and a researcher at Duke University Medical Center.
Why these increases in C3 levels happen is unknown, but the authors speculate that anger in hostile and depressed men initiates a series of chemical responses in the immune system that lead to inflammation.
Taking steps to control hostility may be helpful.
'There are interventions that appear to be useful in lowering levels of anger,' Dr Boyle said. 'I don't know if their long-term effects on physiology have been tested, but if you're less angry and hostile, that in itself is a worthy goal.'

- NEW YORK TIMES/ST Mind Your Body

~~B~~

Learning to let go and relax

There are two kinds of people in the world - those who can relax, and those who can't.
Okay that's a sweeping attention-seeking statement, but seriously, some people are better designed to cope with inactivity than others.
I think I first realised that I was not good at being still when I took up yoga 10 years ago, during my first pregnancy.
I had wanted something to help me de-stress. Yoga had the opposite effect, especially during the 10-minute relaxation exercise at the end of the class.
That's the one in which the teacher helps you relax mind and body through some guided imagery. I had to fight a constant furious need to wriggle or move my arms and legs out of turn. In the end, I usually distracted myself into stillness by thinking about shopping...
Perhaps it's not altogether correct to equate hyperactivity with the inability to relax but it can be torture for someone always on the go to be forced to sit still.
I was reminded of this over the weekend when talking to a friend who had hurt her foot a couple of weeks ago.
She was going out of her mind having to stay at home and recuperate, she said. She'd never read so many books in her life and she'd watched all her DVDs several times over.
She chafed at knowing there were things to be done which she couldn't get done.
My friend is one of the busiest and most efficient people I know. Being unable to discharge her many responsibilities felt nearly like being bereft of the raison d'etre for living.
Of course she knows there's more to life than doing chores. But she had a hard time accepting that she had to be still for a while.
I know my friend has her own ways of relaxing, mostly through physical exercise. Not being able to run was another blow.
Everyone needs to recharge, even the very driven, or risk burning out sooner or later. That's what weekends and vacations are for.
Many people also have hobbies outside of work and responsibilities (unless you are one of those lucky few who find your work is also play).
That carving out of time for play is something most can do. But that's still being active. What I find much harder is achieving stillness and calmness in the midst of activity.
I'm talking about conscious mental relaxation, taking a deliberate breather from work or worries to recharge the mind and thus the body.
There are many techniques one can use to get some downtime from a busy mind. Yoga is one of the ways to get one into an expanded meditative state.
The good thing is that such conscious relaxation can apparently be learnt. There is hope yet for me. The challenge is finding the time and inclination to do it. Perhaps a sprained ankle is just the thing for a lesson in patience.

- SHARON LOH E-mail: sharonl@sph.com.sg ST Mind Your Body

~~ ~~ ~~

Gardening is another form of relaxation. It gives a great sense of satisfaction to see plants growing (especially from weak seedlings), to see plants flowering and blossoming.

Or to watch the fish swim so gracefully, and co-existing so peacefully.

the Singapore Spirit

"... never give up,

think coolly under pressure,

battle tenaciously and prevail.

'This is the Singapore spirit

which will see us through as we remake our nation

and build our home together."

- Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong

at National Day Rally 2007

http://www.straitstimes.com/Podcast/Podcast.html

大风吹

A wet morning,

a gustily windy afternoon.

To market, to market,

in the morning.

Do the laundry,

wash the toilets, clean the house,

iron the clothes.

Then finally down to a fullfilling lunch,

topped with tea.

A gusty wind blew in the afternoon,

bringing a fresh lot of stray leaves, twigs and flowers to sweep.

As the trees sway and leaves flutter in the wind,

as the wind chimes sound furiously in the strong wind,

one can't help but think of scenes of strong winds

in movies like Harry Potter, the Lord of the Rings etc.

One also thinks of practical things like whether trees with weak roots or weak trunks would fall.

But the skies did not darken further, and soon cleared. Back to calm, and hopefully, peace. Now to get ready to listen/watch the PM's National Day Rally speech tonight.

Misty Windscreens, Wet Roads, and Kway Chap

It started off as a sunny day. Music blaring from the neighbour's maid; loud music piercing through the closed bedroom windows. A recipe for a headache.

Then the skies turned dark, and raindrops began to fall.

As we travelled along the roads, the drizzle grew to torrents of rain. Vehicles on the roads, splashing water as they moved.

Kway chap, hot off the pot, really fills the stomach and warms the heart!

At our favourite stall (Tong Lok Kuay Chap) at the coffee shop at the corner of Pepys Road and Pasir Panjang Road.

health and fitness

It's stressful filling out a health screening form. The questions asked makes one feel inadequate, or just guilty.

Eg questions like do you exercise three times a week (and each time lasting 20 minutes, so that you sweat and your heart gets a good workout)?

Or questions like do you eat helpings of vegetable and fruits in every meal, one meal in a day, or none at all?

=_=

I dutifully filled it out, trying to blank out the guilt. The guilt of not exercising enough, in frequency and length of time each time. The guilt of indulging in sweets.

=_=

All these not helped by the ever-appearing TV and print ads of Before-and-After pictures of women. Olinda Cho, Chen Li Ping, Irene Ang ...

All these images were so inspiring that I went on my cross trainer, even if only for 15 minutes.

:(

Tread, tread, tread. Better do more often, and try and lose some weight before the health screening exercise, even if only a fraction of a kg! Or the BMI figure will be bigger than the blank space allocated on the form!

饭碗

Yes, sir, yes, sir,

three bags full.

Yes, mdm, yes, mdm,

as you say.

our Blessings

We live in a safe and secure country,

stable and prosperous,

with good governance and incorruptibility.

We are blessed.

We have good education (albeit competitive),

good infrastructural services, clean water, electricity flow,

a vibrant city with shopping galore, pubs

and cosmpolitan cuisine.

We are blessed.

We complain and gripe, we know,

but in our hearts, we know too,

that we're blessed.

We come home to warm home-cooked meals,

family members eating together everyday

(no need to wait for Eat With Your Family Day).

We are blessed.

Our family members - young and old- are healthy,

though some may be roly-poly.

We are blessed.

We have good jobs,

though at times at 24/7 pace (after all, we're not in Utopia),

and at times unfair comments.

Money to bring home to feed the family

and educate the young,

with some left over for retail therapy.

We are blessed.

We may gripe and cringe at the nagging

(Did you bring your umbrella?

The maid next door was blaring her music so loudly!)

But in our hearts,

we are thankful

for all our blessings

- our family, our friends, our country.

~ ~ ~

friend and mentors

These two days, it's as if the dementors have been kept at bay.

A friend/colleague from the past,
we met up for good old hearty conversation.
A friend/mentor since long before time,
we chatted, like old times.

Familiar voices, familiar viewpoints,
a comfort indeed.

And the team,
cheerful and thinking,
brainstorming and writing proposals
- it's like seeing a bean sprout grow up and up,
strong and resilient.
A comfort indeed; a camaraderie warm
like freshly baked waffles!

So Patronus!
The deer, the doe, the stags, even the phoenix, appear.

~~~

fly free - and the ways of the wild

A little bird perched on the gate,
a fluffy little bird,
fluttering its wings,
cute like the birds in cartoons.

Flutter, flutter, flutter its wings
- maybe it's learning to fly.
Eventually the last flutter propels it up into the air,
and the little fluffy bird flies off.

The next day, while trimming the grass and clearing the weeds,
we chanced upon a little bird.
It was the same fluffy little bird,
now no longer fluttering its wings,
its life snuffed out of its little being.

Did it fall while flying?
Did a big bird attack it?
Did the cats attack it?
We would not know.
Just that a little life has stopped flying free in the air.

joining the global stage

At this time, between the National Day and the PM's National Day Rally, it is an opportune time to reflect on our beginnings as a global citizen and the struggles that faced our first foreign minister.

Our first Minister for Foreign Affairs was the late Mr S Rajaratnam who

"set out to make friends for Singapore

and to avoid making enemies.

His integrity and polite idsposition won the respect

of many leaders he worked with."

He "accepted Singapore's vulnerabilities as a geopolitical fact.

But he maximised Singapore's assets

as a small but resolute and principled member of the UN."

- Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Nov 06,

in a foreword in A Tribute as part of the fundraising

for the Endowment Fund for the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies

in NTU

invitation to join the team

No man's an island,

they all say.

So too at work, no man works alone?

A team we are, A, B and C; X, Y and Z;

each with his/her own role

optimising the combination

through the talents of the individual members.

All galvanised, ready to go!

But dampened the spirit is

by constant complaints of

being dragged onto the 贼船 ；

worsened that a friend should think so.

Faster than the spell "Stupefy",

the energy is drained,

deadened like the cold swept over muggle land by the dementors.

when young friends gather

Young friends came together on the post-National Day school holiday.

They discussed what to get for the BBQ, what to order, what to prepare. On the day itself, the host and family got the place ready. The BBQ pit was in place; the charcoal, tongs and firestarters ready. The extra light for the BBQ area was up. The caterer came with the pre-seasoned meats. One friend came to prepare his speciality sauce.

One by one the friends came. One came with music (his guitar), another with watermelons, yet another with delicious doughnuts. The young friends had an enjoyable evening/night of chatter and friendship, over the warmth of the barbequed sausages, chicken wings, otah, satay, cheese dory, squid and sting-ray, thirst quenched with root beer, orange drink and the old reliable H2O.

Like in stories by Enid Blyton, the get-together attracted others ... in the afternoon, a squirrel dropped by, attracted by the hint of lemon. It scampered away when approached. Later, it came by again, conducting its recce from the backyard of the neighbour!

Well, at least other animals did not drop in to grab the sausages and chicken wings!

~~~

Globe-trotting fervour

Though it is only August, the travel fairs have started appearing.

Even before the NATAS fair in September, individual tour agencies have tried to get the sales. Once Chan Brothers advertised their travel fair the following weekend, the local papers soon carried ads from other tour agencies of their own travel fairs or their own discounted tour packages.

So many choices; but yet constrained by the needs of our travel group and by the pocketbook...

At the People's Park Complex, where there are many tour agencies including SA Tours, the new ASA, CTC etc, the place was milling with people yesterday. At one tour agency that we went to, the seats were all occupied, and a queue was forming.

Eventually we found our tour package and settled the booking. Now to hope for the best and to look forward to the year-end vacation, after the Sep/Oct/Nov months of more diligence, strategic thinking and intellect at work and at school/school exams.

the Evening when Earth, Wind, Fire, Water came together

More pictures of the NDP07 @ Marina Bay ...




from TODAY

Sights and Sounds at NDP07@marinabay

Some snippets of the atmosphere at the Marina Bay ...

9) fireworks

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8) fireworks

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7) fireworks

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6) finale

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5) Kit Chan's performance

.

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4) Kit Chan on "There's no Place like Home"

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3) The Bhangra dance

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2) The Rap

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1) The Dim Sum Dollies

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NDP@marinabay - through the eyes of the media

TODAY, 10 Aug

From ST online

Photo Gallery at CNA online - http://www.channelnewsasia.com/ndp07/gallery_20070806180521.htm

Singapore our Home

The Sun blew hot and cold on the day of our 42nd birthday as a nation.

Aug 9, 2007 began with a light drizzle. The Sun then emerged, beaming. Then he blew cold dark clouds across the nation, sending tremors of anxiety over the organisers. Then he chose to appear again, only to disappear again. By afternoon however, the Sun decided to come out in full force. (Thank goodness - such ambivalence only trigger jitters in the higher-up and add to the stress levels beneath.)

The Suntec / Marina Square area was a hive of activity, and all ablazed with RED. Young kids, women, men, senior citizens - almost every 8 in 10 person in the Marina Square malls was wearing a red top!

By 4 pm, many people were streaming towards Starbucks behind which was Entry Point 2 to the seating galleries. It looked that the public took heed of the security advice to travel light and not bring along all the shopping barang barang. As we went through the channels, we came upon the bag section - we actually had a choice of colour of bags! The chap on duty obliged us with our whims, giving us the bags we wanted. Many polite uniformed personnel or those clad in red-and-white showed us the way; one even shouted through the loudhailer "Welcome to NDP at Marina Bay!" :)

Having settled in the seat, after fixing the batteries in the light-clapper, one could sit back and admire the floating platform, with water around and fountains (a smaller scale of the musical fountain in Sentosa) in front. Yes, really, our stadium should be surrounded by water. Isn't Singapore itself an island, surrounded by waters? Looking at the floating platform and the surroundings, the Sheares Bridge to the left, the Barrage coming up further left, the Merlion on the right, with the Shenton Way financial hub behind it and the Esplanade near it, and the Integrated Resort coming up behind the floating platform - all seem to come together so naturally. The earth, the wind, the water.

The performances were scintillating; the musical performances could be heard clearly and well. The melodious notes resonated far and wide across Marina Bay. (It must have been a high performance amplifier and acoustics setup.)

The audience was amazing. It never fails to awe when we see the audience doing the Singapore Wave (Kallang Wave when in the National Stadium, Marina Wave when at Marina Bay). Eveyone - from the aunties, uncles, pakcik, makcik to the young - took part, shooting up agilely, waving their flags vigorously and shouting and cheering. And when President Nathan came by in his vehicle (to inspect the contingents), as one people, the audience stood up and waved their flags cheerfully at the President; and the latter responded with waves and a warm smile for everyone.

This is togetherness; this is Singapore United.

On a moon-less night

The sky was dark, with no moon (as far as we could see) and few stars above.
It's the eve of National Day.
Those performing or on duty tomorrow are probably having an early night. But some may toss and turn, in excited aniticipation - don't we when we're excited over the next day's events?
Those going to the National Day Parade (NDP @ Marina Bay) tomorrow may also be in excited anticipation - for some, it may be their first NDP.
Others may relish in the public holiday tomorrow, and so catch up on their movies, videos and their games (meeting their friends online).

On a dark night, with no moon and few stars.
One's mind casts back;
the mind roams,
inspired by the solace of the dark night.

~~~Change, they say, is a constant today. Change management then is big business. People attend the classes, and recite the principles, waxing lyrical and impressing with their knowledge of vision, mission, desired outcomes and KPIs.

Many words, each more impressive than the last.

What truly impressed was a training session on transactional analysis (no longer the favoured today). In particular about Walking the Talk.

Walking the Talk, practise what you preach;

Walking the Talk, it's easy to speak, come do it and show how to do it well;

Walking the Talk - with the moral courage to apologise when in the wrong,

to stand up for the wronged;

To practise the One Minute Manager, and praise what has been done well

Interact, integrate; Walk the Talk - show it in treatment unbiased and fair.

Use the best talents - well, Walk the Talk - invest and nurture to groom so that the people can grow and blossom, as part of one united team.

Walk the Talk - know the ground, get out of the tower.

Teamwork - easy to say; not easy to practise;

begins with bringing co-leaders into the fold,

showing them trust and confidence.

Rambling on, and on, on a dark night with no moon and few stars.

Rambling on and on, random thoughts, sincere views.

~~~~~~

struggle on to New Plateau

MM Lee gave a wide range of views and responses at the seminar organised by the Economic Development Board (EDB) Society and The Straits Times (and vodcast over straitstimes.com) yesterday.

An interesting response to ST reader Tan Chew Ling (as reported in ST today) is this:
"... from time to time things are going to change and your comfortable life will be in peril and you must be prepared to take uncomfortable choices to overcome them and get on to a new plateau.
There is no just one sweet progression up to the heights. You're always going to have changes in the environment, changes even within the system. But you must be prepared to take painful medicine. "

~~~

Really a new plateau. Often one may do good work, but after a while, others will take it for granted. Whatever goes right, no one notices; when something goes wrong, there would be complaints a-plenty. So after good results, one has to push harder to reach a new S-cure, a new plateau. And so on, and so on. Along the way, one has to make tough decisions - at times unpopular, at times not pleasant to superior's ears. One has to swallow bitter medicine. Would that it is worth it.

Heritage Majestic

The Majestic - a place that I used to take for granted when I visited Chinatown and the People's Park / People's Park Centre.
It turns out it has a romantic past ...

~~From Sunday Times (5 Aug 07)(photos thanks to ST)

**Built for an opera fan
The Cantonese opera house was built in 1927 by philanthropist Eu Tong Sen, a tin mining and rubber magnate, for his wife, an opera fan.
He also formed an opera troupe for her, bought the street on which the theatre sat and named it Eu Tong Sen Street.

**Swan and Maclaren, the leading architectural firm at the time, was commissioned to design the building.

**Originally known as 'Tin Yin Moh Toi', it could seat 1,194 people. The exterior walls are panelled with shiny and colourful mosaic depicting Cantonese opera scenes and Chinese dragons.

**In 1938, Shaw Brothers rented the place, renamed it Queen's Theatre and screened Cantonese films.

**The theatre was renamed Tai Hwa Opera House during World War II, when the Japanese took control of it.
It was leased to The Majestic Film Company, which lent the theatre its current name, shortly after the war ended in 1945.

**In 1956, Cathay Organisation bought the building from the Eu family for $1.1 million.

**During the 1950s and 1960s, the theatre was not only popular among the locals but also attracted film stars from Hong Kong.

**In 1983, Cathay Organisation became the sole owner after it bought out the partnership. The theatre continued screening Chinese films until 1998, when it was closed.

**On Jan 17, 2003, the Majestic Theatre was re-opened but as a shopping mall.

'The Majestic witnessed the various eras of Chinese entertainment. So it will be good if it becomes a museum showing the Chinese opera and theatre scene here in the 1930s and 1940s.' - said DR RICHARD EU, 84, whose father built The Majestic.

Counting down to our 42th National Day!

Flats displaying the National Flag, in celebration of the 42nd National Day!

Myspace Countdown Clocks at WishAFriend.com

What it should have been - Hindsight

People often advise, and say what should have been done, AFTER the event, after something has been perceived to go wrong, especially when the lord expresses displeasure. Then the latter gets caught in a spin that takes on its own momentum, spiced with perceptions, misperceptions and the base feelings of the humans.

HINDSIGHT, as we know, is

20/20.

How many remember that they are part of the same team. And no one remembers - or cares to remember - the advice in the One-Minute Manager. To look out for what has been done well and to commend on that. Some don't even see it fit to descend to say a simple thank you.
Well, few, even the well looked upon, dare or have the morale courage to stand up and give professional credit where it is due. Too often we forget that lords, even emperors, are human and fallible. Only when there is wise counsel, will the empire not crumble in the hands of eunuchs and the weak. As history has shown.

when one is O L D

~It's hard to fight unease when you're older worker
By Zuraidah Ibrahim, POLITICAL EDITOR, in Thinking Aloud (ST, Sat 4 Aug 07)

WHEN management gurus preach the need for 'creative destruction' in the economy, one wonders what the message means for employees.
For the young, it probably spells new opportunities, the promise of virgin terrain where inexperience is no barrier to success.
But among the old - anyone past 40 - I'm guessing that not a few fear it is they who will be creatively destroyed.

There is an age gap in the economy. The perceptions - and realities - of those who have most of their working lives ahead of them are different from those who have already crossed the halfway point.
For the latter group, it may be unnecessarily bleak to think that it's downhill from there on, but there is no avoiding the sense that one's earning power won't last forever. It's not just one's finite shelf life that becomes apparent, but also the creeping sense that even the productive days one is able to contribute are less valued.

There are gurus who tell us that age is just a state of mind, but one would have to be downright delusional to imagine that age does not matter in the workplace.
Of course, there are bright spots. Two of my colleagues are in the midst of researching a story about very old workers who are still going strong. Hearing from the reporters and reading their drafts, one got the sense that few of these employees felt discriminated against. It is probably one of the many secrets of their workplaces' success in retaining them.

It is not easy to avoid being ageist. In comparison, it is harder to get away with gender and race discrimination. For example, when workers get laid off because they are pregnant, the news offends people's sense of decency enough for them to speak up against it. Now, such women even have a celebrity they can relate to, in the form of MediaCorp star Zoe Tay, who hinted recently that she too faced the likely prospect of suffering a loss of income while sporting a baby bump.
When ethnic minorities claim they are being discriminated against, they too can count on some moral outrage from the public. Politicians may dance gingerly around the subject, but at least it is on their radar.
Similarly, gays who encounter unfair treatment from employers are sufficiently aware of their rights to make an issue of it, and they are not short of vocal spokesmen.
However, when workers say that their age cost them their job or a transfer to a less rewarding position, most Singaporeans would not bat an eyelid. Like ageing itself, ageing's effect on employment is seen as something inexorable and natural.

The old are not young,

but why should they be seen as automatically inferior?

Part of the reason, of course, is the general obsession with youth in our popular culture. Potency and desirability are associated with youth.

There is some good news for older workers in Singapore. The tight labour market and an increasingly ageing population mean that employers have to overcome some of their prejudices if they are to stay in business. Indeed, the employment rate for people aged 55 to 64 hit record highs last year, with 78 per cent of men in their late 50s and 60 per cent in their early 60s holding jobs.
These employment rates for older Singaporeans compare favourably to those in other countries. In Britain, only 54 per cent of males aged 60-64 are working, in the United States 57 per cent, in Taiwan 46 per cent and in Germany 29 per cent.
Singapore's employment rate for women in their late 50s and early 60s also hit record highs, at 43 per cent and 25 per cent respectively. However, it lags far behind corresponding figures for the US (64 per cent and 46 per cent) and for Sweden (77 per cent and 55 per cent). It is clear that older women are finding it hard to retain their jobs or re-enter the workforce. Something concerted needs to be done to overcome their difficulties.
Furthermore, while the current economic boom means a healthy job market for all, young and old, it is only a matter of time before conditions become less favourable.

In bad times, will older workers be the first to be let go?

If so, is it because they are the most costly to retain? A Manpower Ministry survey suggests otherwise. According to a ministry study on its website, high wage expectations of older workers is only the fourth most significant reason why companies do not have on their payrolls those aged 50 to 55.
The top three reasons given by firms are that these workers are unable to meet the physical demands of the job (34 per cent); are not flexible and adaptable to changes (around 18 per cent); and are less receptive to training and skills (14 per cent).
These are the same top three reasons for why companies do not hire workers aged 60 or older. The fourth reason for this group is not their high wage expectations but their medical expenses.
If these companies are honest in their responses, the attitudes and abilities of older workers are the chief reasons companies are not enthusiastic about them.

One wonders, however, how many older workers are victims of self-fulfilling prophecies. If bosses perceive them to be unwilling or unable to adapt, do firms then under-invest in training and career planning for older workers because they think it won't be worth the effort?

With seemingly more mouldable young workers knocking at the door, it is the easiest thing in the world to bid farewell to older employees with golden handshakes. And job advertisements - until lately - have often specified the age required for many jobs.
Too often, unionist and Nominated MP Cham Hui Fong tells me, firms ignore those in their late 50s, believing that they are just to be put up with for a few more years. Instead, companies should have invested in their re-skilling in their early 50s so they can continue to be productive beyond 60 or 62.

The human resource philosophies of many companies will require some revamping if older workers are to receive fair treatment. The focus, as advocates have been saying, should be on competencies and behaviour towards tasks at hand. SHL, a company that specialises in assessment tools, says its monitoring of variance in test scores shows that it is often speed that tends to decline with age, not actual performance.
The variation in scores between age groups is insignificant when compared with variations within age groups. More influential factors in determining performance are socio-economic background, education and experiences, not age.
Unless the job requires speed (like Formula One racing) or fine work (like needlepoint), age is less relevant.

Legislation will be in place within five years to make it easier for employers to rehire older workers beyond the official retirement age of 62. But, for the legislation to be meaningful, perceptions need to change. For example, that older workers are not necessarily slower workers.
What about older workers being forced out during bad times? Unions have to be more vigilant against this. And even in good times, will the hiring crunch tempt employers to turn to foreign workers when older workers here are ready and willing to take on the jobs?

In the end, the space that older workers have in the employment scene is a reflection of how society as a whole views them.
If those who are young and in control think the old are there to be merely tolerated, then the old have not much hope.

The only solace they can seek is in an old saying:

you reap what you sow.

The young too will be old someday.

~~~~

Hear, hear, Zuraidah.

patronus we try

Like dementors, the words fill the heart with ice;

More, they inject hurt.

One wonders why the Dumbledores didn't tell the Harrys directly

- why the feedback has to be done through third parties,

books, objects and paraphernalia?

All with their own spin on things

and imposing their own webs of control.

Evil death-eaters

hovering nearby,

to spoil and upset,

so that good work is degraded,

and networks are destroyed.

One has to conjure up positivity

enough to project a Patronus,

to spread warmth that disperses the icy coldness of the dementors.

We hope the Patronus appear,

but they be now almost as rare as rainbows.

~~~