Dear Dreams – Page 144

The Weirdest Steamboat

It was a weird occasion. I was not greedy for any free big meal but was dragged in by kind intention. I did not know everyone well and actually, got to pack up my house before the Lunar Chinese New Year.

Anyway, I went with them and was actually feeling quite awkward and sometimes, indulging in the silence. Steamboat was never same like any of the previous times in my life because my table was basically doing our own cooking and not minding each other’s business. We exchanged smiles at times, looking at the next table where there were more jokes and laughers.

None of us was anti-social but it was just that we did not have many opportunities in office to talk to each other when everyone was so busy and spending most of the time in the classrooms instead.

Kok Chiang and Ah Teck were at the other table since they arrived later; it was actually the entire group arriving much earlier than the stated time. It did not matter much since both of them usually did not really talk to me despite we had been playing volleyball together for so many years.

I really wanted to stay behind in school, at least to finish up a bit of my work and spending the rest of the time watching volleyball at the hall and having dinner with my gang after that.

Again, I Hate Mondays

Like what I have mentioned, I hate Mondays. There is only this much that I can do, but nothing is enough.

Long day with problems, nothing beats that.

Efforts seem too insignificant.

I feel helpless and it makes me sick when not everyone appreciates.

There is Backstabbing Everywhere

During primary school, I already knew that not all teachers had good character and passion for teaching.

It takes lots of passion to stay on to the job because of the stress; but to those without passion, the salary can easily wage off everything. However, there are some rare cases of old teachers who obviously have attitude problems and no passion, and it takes quite long for their pay to increase, and they have no choice but to stay on the job since they are old.

What normal people would expect is only the knowledge of the teacher, but I always think character is the most crucial factor. To me, character is more important than studies; and thus, a teacher should be of a good character rather than knowledge.

For anyone who has working experience in an office job, he would certainly see or face some sorts of office politics, regardless of private sector, government sector or even the army. It is all about colleagues trying to kill one another for promotion or just simply to make things go his ways – for money or pride.

A teacher is deemed as a role model of the students. Therefore, you would probably be thinking that those who work inside the staff room are all saints. Nevertheless, due to greed, arrogance or jealousy, a person may easily lose his dignity and righteousness.

The world is cruel after all. Mr. Confucius has taught us not to be involved in fights, but often, we just cannot avoid hypocrites from backstabbing us. We may not be involved in the promotion or pay raise competition and we may be very polite and friendly to every colleague, but somehow, some of them may be jealous due to salary difference.

It becomes so sad when someone is trying his best to help all the students, spending extra time out of class, treating everyone with respect and smiles, offering helps whenever possible, yet being stabbed badly.

What will he feels if one day he realises the backstabber is someone who always chit-chat with him in the office like a buddy? What can he do if the backstabber is someone whom he has never chatted with? Whatever the case, the hardest thing to get over is the fact that some assholes are actually showing bad examples to the future generation.

This society is simply too frightening.

Phone Scam

Some types of crimes are repeatedly broadcasted in news or special documentary shows but people still fall to the tricks.

We cannot blame the elderly for not watching television or not remembering the scam. Perhaps, those scammers are resorting to very despicable methods to con the poor people. The power of love sometimes does cause harm.

On Thursday (31 January 2008), my mum suddenly called me during office hour to check me out. After work, I realised someone have called her earlier on and was in a very soft and sorry tone, addressing her as “ah ma” (grandma in Chinese). My mum was usually naïve, but managed to put down the phone immediately.

Luckily, just a moment before she received the call, our neighbour had received a strange call from an unknown person, telling her that her son was in trouble, and someone was crying in the background. My neighbour was old but alert. She told the person she had no child and that person scolded her in Cantonese vulgarity before putting down the phone. After which, this neighbour quickly called my mum to inform her of the scam.

This group of shameless and stupid scammers were trying too hard to play this “trial and error” trick, and probably was targeting the entire neighbourhood. If the owner of the house was not calm enough, he or she might be fooled and would probably have to fork out large sum of savings to “redeem” his or her child from “loan shark” or for “medical bill”.

Anyway, the funny thing is that my mum has no grandson yet. Nice try, losers!

It would be good if everyone can inform the elderly at home about such scams. If possible, pretend to fall for the trick and call the police immediately after putting down the phone. Let all the bastards be caught.

It Could Be the Chicken’s Fault

Sickness often starts with sore throat and cough, followed by fever and giddiness.

Hours after having the dinner with my gang, my throat started to itch. It worsened after which.

I cannot afford to be sick because there are still many people for me to help. I hate falling sick. I hate feeling weak.

Dong Dong Mao

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Z2X44iSyUE
桃花朵朵开 peach blossom one after another
Recommended by Mingfa

Dinner Treat and Chinatown Tour

I almost forgot it was near Chinese New Year until they mentioned going to Chinatown.

I happened to chance upon Mingfa when he was on the way to Clementi ITE. I thought of having dinner with my gang and it seemed so coincident that the few of them were free. Somehow I was supposed to treat them to dinner after getting my first pay and it was such a good opportunity. Weitat even got to drive and five of us, inclusive of Mingfa, Jingkun and Mingli got to fit into the car comfortably. The dinner was actually so random.

Anyway, we went to a coffee shop called Hong Kong Street Chun Kee, located opposite Queensway Shopping Centre. We ordered some dishes to share but the food was not fantastic in any way.

A dinner was actually nothing compared to friendship and their kindness.

Definitely, they did not understand my concept of money management. My understanding of the difference between needs and wants was too great for anyone with an average or well-to-do family to apprehend. Money which had to be spent must be spent and temptation should be resisted. Whereas, sometimes money could buy a little happiness for people who worth it, and so, why not?

We dined in joy, beginning with some serious matters and towards the usual jokes soon. The night was joyous.

We proceeded to Chinatown and it seemed to take almost centuries to find a parking lot. We started strolling around and all of them, excluding Weitat, were “conned” to buy “Japanese Grass Cake”. However, Weitat was the one paying for Mingli. The lady started making merry around and soon, the plastic bags were getting heavily. A hundred gram cost nearly two bucks and we got plastic bags of two and three kilograms. Luckily for me, I did not have any attempt to buy at all since I was not interested in these enjoyments. Anyway, the price would drop tremendously at the last day of sales, which was the Midnight after Chinese New Year Eve.

It seemed boring with so many stalls selling same items. I was expecting more visitors but they actually made ways for us to move easier. We did not manage to cover the entire basar malam. I was quite disappointed that I did not get to see any interesting item other than food.

We took a little rest at the Food Street and hydrated ourselves. The guys took Wantan noodle at four bucks each. I missed some good shows on television!

Teachers and Education

In my opinion of a school, it should be teaching students not only knowledge but morale too. The latter is always the most important of all. An iterated person is someone with knowledge, and an educated person refers to someone who has both knowledge and moral. What we need is education for the future generation.

However, if a school is only looking for students who are wizards or saints, what is the purpose of attending the school? If a school gives up on students without trying, tear down the school please.

We always discuss about students’ attitudes. We are worried that in current education system, the students will not obey teachers since parents always side with their children. We only care too much about the behaviours and studies of the students, letting aside the fact of a greater issue.

We have to realise that teachers play a very big part in students’ future. A student will be more willingly to learn if her teacher treats her with respect. If you have a teacher who has been finding faults with you since the first day of school just because somehow she does not like your appearance, would you be nice or show respect to the teacher?

A teacher is supposed to set a good example for the students. Even if the teacher does not hold any qualification, as long as she is devoted to educate her students, with a kind and positive heart, she is more valuable than any professor.

A teacher should be more than magnanimous. A teacher should not destroy a student’s future by pinpointing and then chase her out of the school. In Singapore, if a student with poor grades cannot stay in an ITE, where do you expect her to go to? Without teachers taming her in the school, how bad will the girl become when she goes out to the working society? What kind of job can girl without any certificate get? What kind of friends will she be mixing with in future?

We just cannot avoid the fact that there are still many narrow-minded teachers in our society. Some teachers need to be sent for morale education and counselling. They are not fit to be addressed as teachers.

We are simply too short of teachers, but more short of teachers who really have the passion and devotion. Therefore, we raise the welfare of the teaching force to attract more people without thorough screening, but it ends up we are destroying our future generation.

The Money-Sucker Key-maker

Four persons were sharing a cabinet and there were only two pairs of keys. You could see how inconvenient it was when we had to keep our laptops.

Only until last week, I took the key from Jingkun to duplicate it.

Before I went to work the next morning, I went to the usual shop which sold clocks and watches as well. The uncle was actually my brother’s ex classmate’s father. He had moved away from my opposite block to a bigger house. He could not remember me and probably assume I was one of the office workers from Shenton Way.

I took out a two-dollar note and prepare to collect change from him. Halfway into making the duplicate key, suddenly he announced the price was three dollars. I got a shock out of my life because that was only a simple and normal key. Because I was in formal wear, he must have treated me as someone from other neighbourhood and thus, trying to take advantage of me.

It was probably too late to argue with him. The shop’s name was “Kai Jo”. I would call it a “black shop”. In fact, if I could have walk a few metres down to another electric appliances shop, which would certainly charge me much cheaper.

The weird thing was that this money-sucker even dared to advertise another shop of his, which was doing wedding preparation, and was located near Tanjong Pagar MRT station. Thanks to him for letting me know, so that I could condemn the shop as well.

Words Kill

Before you realise, you have already hurt so many people directly or indirectly. Words behind the person can be so damaging.

You probably have not understood the effects of your words. Each time you critic, you simply put the person into a bad situation. Looking at another angle, you are actually flattering yourself.

You never know you are so fearful.

You think you are always right; you never want to lose in an argument, not even a leisure conversation. If you think egg comes before hen, you will insist it till everyone’s saliva dries up and you win.

The world seems to be less boring with your presence, and laughers seem to be louder; but not many people realise that your voices are actually covering everyone’s lowered volumes.