Friday, March 14, 2008

Fishballs are healthy and tofu.. debatable...

Looks like fishballs are the next items removed from the basket of goods used to calculate CPI...

Fishball prices increase 20% due to rising cost of raw ingredients
By Valarie Tan, Channel NewsAsia | Posted: 12 March 2008 2222 hrs




Fishballs




SINGAPORE: Retailers said the prices of fishballs have risen by 20 per cent since last July due to rising cost of raw ingredients.

The retail price of Foochow fishballs, for example, has gone up to from S$7 to S$9 per kilogramme.

Prices of five-spice ngoh hiang (meat roll) have also risen by 25 per cent, from S$2.60 to S$3.00 per kilogramme, over the same period.

Retailers said the price hikes have been caused by the dip in supplies of frozen fish from countries such as Thailand and Indonesia.

Fisheries in those countries have been affected by bad weather.

Even though retailers in Singapore have started looking for cheaper sources of ingredients, they said the prices of fishballs are expected to climb further in the later half of the year. - CNA/ac

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Peeking thro' TALL, WHITE Walls...

I WRITE WHEN....

I write when either of the 2 things occur, I am very free and have nothing to do, or when I stumble upon something really good I thought I should reflect on it and share some thoughts from it. Sometimes it might just be stumbled over something, sometimes it can be stumbled by something.

i don't want to appear soooooo hor-ducated and talk like I know know kno kno no no no no o o o o .. it all, because i don't and in my imperfection I have thoughts and emotions too, which you may not agree with, nor will you see eye to eye with. but isn't that what pushes your thinking buttons and isn't that what makes you sit up and rethink many decisions you have made in life... because an imperfect perspective which is different from your perceived perfection throws a spanner into your momentum of motion.

JUST SCOLD ME....
I get rebukes so many times when I question things, when I question technicalities, when I question intentions. people publish it all over the blogs about how wet blanket i become when i ask question or put an alternative perspective. Name calling and labelling, these are nothing more than the actions an intimidated, intimidating the threats that intimidate their validity on the grip of things.

It leaves me unfazed when you do name calling, murmuring or bashing (some call it cyber-bullying) because the truth is in what you place your security in.

BUILDING (CHRIST-LIKE) COMMUNITIES
Well, I want to share with you about something written by Henri Nouwen (and I encourage you to read his works yourselves, just like i read your's at opportune moments, instead of selectively choosing only what you want to read which agrees with your line of thought and philosophy; as that would narrow's one's mind, doesn't it?)

As people in my community grapple with many changes lets explore, in Henri Nouwen's words, what is community.

HE SAYS...
He shares, 'Community is like a large mosaic. Each little piece seems so insignificant. One piece is bright red, another cold blue or dull gree, another warm purple, another sharp yellow, another shining gold. Some look precious, other ordinary. Some look valuable, other worthless. Some look gaudy, other delicate. As individual stones, we can do little with them but compare them and judge their beauty and value. When, however, all these little stones are brought together in one big mosaic portraying the face of Christ, who would ever question the importance of any one of them? If one of them, even the least spectacular one, is missing, the picture is incomplete. Together in one big mosaic, each little stone is indispensable and makes a unique contribution to the glory of God. That's community, a fellowship of little people who together make God visible to the world'

'The basis of community is not primarily our ideas, feelings, and emotions about each other, but our common search for God. When we keep our minds and hearts directed towards God, we will come more fully "together".'

Lets plough through this together, but before i continue, make a few acknowledgement and recognise a few realities we must face up to.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Firstly, there is a season to everything. And being at a certain place/community for that season, and leaving when the season is up, is a natural course in life we all take. How do we know the season is up for you in that community and for you to move on, is something that everyone will ask, and trust me, my answer will be 'poison' to many. Afterall, one man's meat is another's poison, wasn't it? So lets not get into this whole area, unless you ask, of course.

Second, Change is the only thing Constant (and perhaps, to combat that, we need communities, because change can be controlled, or even responsibily managed). These being said, let me go back to the 2 paragraphs I took our from Henri Nouwen's Can you drink the Cup? and see what realities we can learn.

THOUGHT ONE - The Big Picture...
Community is like a large mosaic. Henri brings out the point that we all have to fit into a larger picture, purposefully placed there for a reason. Some of us are bright and shiny, and believe that we should stand out in the crowd, noticed and given the rights of the glamarous, since our comtemporaries which are shiny and blink blink gets so much recognition.

We become dissatisfied when we are placed beside the duller looking pieces, and share the same 'glory' with them. We become unhappy when no one really notices our needs, when we keep twitching our blink blink bodies to get the attention we want, some attention to come and polish us, so that we can SHINE better in the picture, hoping to believe that the more shiny we are, the nicer the picture would look.

What becomes worse is that we start looking down on the neighbour beside and say that they don't deserve to sit here because they are not as shiny as you are. We start to talk about 'dropping out of the picture' since it is starting to look gaudy with Mr. Gaudy standing beside me, we start moving around.


What happens then, to the picture, which we had first started out to form? Have we forgotten the responsibilities we committed to for the rights we shared? Our season is up? Have we risen enough duplicates of ourselves in the community to ensure that when we leave, another just as shiny piece can take over? If we haven't, then we must seriously rethink about this whole season talk.

THOUGHT TWO - Individualism in Community
Henri also mentioned something which hit me very hard, and that was how the community that we shared being about our ideas, feelings and emotions that we had. Instead, despite acknowledging that we have difference, recognize that we have one common, underlying and totally important desire. That desire was what created the community in the first place, and that desire was, is, and will be God and His will.

He mentioned that when we kept our minds and hearts directed to God, that also meant, focusing our energies on the Cross and the work of the Cross, we will come more fully together, or we can view it to be, we are more united in mind and heart.

It takes courage for us to admit that we have differences, and more courage for us to address these differences; but we need to rise above pettiness to co-exist with these difference. So that we choose not to take offense with someone else's opinions and actions, but communicating concern about how that action fits into fulfilling the task of everyone else, and underscores the objectives of the community.

Communicate, not condemn. What we need would be encouragement for us to understand that we have a choice to lay down our lives daily and take up the Cross. We can only feel offended because anger is basically an emotional response to another persons' violation of our rights.

That encouragement constantly rings in my mind, because I am often reminded that when we take up the model of the Cross, Christ did not fight for His rights, as the universal laws will never punish an innocent man, much less hang him on the cross to die as an atonement.

Notice that the only mention of individualism and rights in creating a community is the fact that we actually deny them for the greater identity of the community. If we were seeking for a 'hollywood effect' feeling, then we make sure that we join a community seeking the same thing.

This is true because when the community communes for the common purpose, speaking the same language, having the same desire, it actually 'frightens God'. I am not saying that God is a scaredy cat, but lets refer to Gen 11:6 'behold, they are one people (isn't that a community?) and they all have the same language (isn't that unity in speech?) And this is what they began to do, and now nothing is impossible for them.'' The Scripture clearly states the effect, and the powerful effect of a group of people who are willing to unite for a common cause. This, because of Christ's redemption, has provided His community a tool to use for the benefit of the us.

Concluding Thoughts...
Just as there is very Lous Voutton bag, there would always be the imitations, which can serve the same purpose of putting things within, but have stolen an original concept which never was intended for them.

Be careful of how the devil uses our tools and weapons against us. We can always shine our very best, but for whom do we shine?

Thursday, January 17, 2008

An Intentional Accident

I saw through your plot the first day you did that. I saw it in your eyes that justice had to be served to you, and through that many would be given their justice as well. You gave the impression that you needed to serve the world, for without your contribution to the situation, people will walk scot free. You thought your suffering would just be a means that would justify the ends.

Social justice was vengence to you, and you had no respect for social structure, stability and security. You thought that you could be the vigilante; and any form of prosecution against you were signs of repression and persecution. You did not mind being martyred for your cause, yet you made an issue out of your own martyrdom; getting as much sympathy as you could, looking as victimized as you could, and dragging with you many others along with you.

You and your cronies have mangled the meaning, sources and plumplines of justice for your own gains and agenda. Refusing to come under submission and responsibilty of those who runs the community, yet demanding your rights, you have behaved in ways undesirable to part of any community because you want the enjoy the privilleges without the commitment.

Your walls of defences are thicker than lead; not because you are right, but you do not give your detractors (opposition) a chance to even speak; you use different polys to defray questions, discussions or retortation by using immature means of silencing your opponents. You lie about them, discredit them, defame them; and when all else fails, in all lack of civility, you start making noise, the louder, the better, to mask whatever else they have to say.

I have not started on how you are able to manipulate tears to threaten, when looking or being naturally angry has no more impact. What do you have to fear? Present your case for all to see, and defend it at all cause if you have such strong convictions.

Throughout history, we are taught that people (who) stand up for their cause that creates history, people who think they are right, and live in their own righteousness, and not engage in intellectual discussion, forums to spread their cause create history too, but for the weirdest reasons. Look at Hitler.

You are beginning to look less different..





Monday, May 08, 2006

when I look into your eyes...

When I finally looked into your eyes, I know that you have allowed me into the deepest secret you hide from me. You trust me and want me to protect you in the most vulnerable moments; you show the pain you surrendered, the tears that betrayed you, the dreams and visions you have, and the sacrifices you will be willing to make.

I want pinch your cheeks, to tell you that you are adorable. The way you smile warms my heart, and your laughter is contagious. Yes, and that you are cute...

I want to pinch your nose, to tell you how I treasure your cheekiness. Your antics, however weird, is not unnoticed.

I want to kiss you on your forehead, to tell you how I am willing to protect you, to show you how I want you blessed. How I want to cover you under my wings of care and protection.

I want kiss your hand, to honour you. To tell you that I am willing to honour you as the honourable lady you are. That you know I will not dishonour you nor what we share.

I want to rub your back, to tell you I know what a long day it had been for you. To tell you that I am behind you in whatever you do and give you warmth at the end of that day.

I want to massage your shoulders, to tell you I understand the burdens you shoulder. That as I knead, deep within me, I want to take them away from you, or at least carry them with you.

I want to carry you on my back, to tell you that I am strong enough to shoulder you on when you can't walk on anymore. That you know I am willing to do it for you.

I want to put that ring onto your finger, to tell you that my love for you is eternal. Like the ring, going round and round what it is on... never having an end to come to, never ending.

I want to take your hand in mine, to tell you that I am willing to walk by you, through the best of times, or the toughest days. To share with you the joys and pain, to be by your side...

I want to take you by my arm, to tell you that I can lead you the way ahead. That you can trust me to take you beyond our wildest dreams, that I will walk before you to clear the way, to test the ground... to bring you there.


I want to...

... but where are you now?
... but when I could; did you want?
... but why did you not see it?
... but why I felt it was a forsaken gift?

Take me not for granted I beg;
Take me not for what I have.
Take me for what I have to give;
Love me, because it took all of me,
I gave.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

An Obituary - A Tribute to My Man

If the news has not reached you yet, my beloved grandfather passed away this afternoon 4:20pm, Melbourne Time.

He was at peace and with God, blessed with the company of his family around him; he was not in pain, nor in discomfort.

Grandpa's departure was very peaceful, his Pastor came and prayed with him at 4:10p.m., and he breathed his Amen. After that, he slowly and quietly slowed his breath, holding onto the hand of my uncle, till he breathed his last.

When faced with the shadow of death, my grandpa continued to remain calm, collect and brave. Like how he braved the many trials in his life; and the illness in the later part of his life.

He never failed to show us his bravery while I last saw him last month, in the times where it was painful to walk, he never stopped; the days where he was tired, he tried to remain awake to spend the moment with us.

Through the years of growing up, my Grandpa had be someone that disciplined with love, shared with me his wisdom, gave us a love that we could never comprehend. He doted on us in his special way, cared for us beyond our imagination, but he never imposed on us.

I remember going out one night at 10:30p.m. while he was with us in Singapore. He smiled and just said, enjoy myself. Although it was late and he worried, but he never imposed on us.

When he was in pain, and saw us doing something, he never told us to stop; he could endure to not trouble us.

And its all these that makes saying goodbye harder. Because he showed me beyond what I could see, in all his giving, he showed selflessness, tenacity and above it all, love. Love for God, love for my Grandma, and love for humanity.

I feel a pain and a deep sense of loss that words cannot express, and tears try to find. But I know that Grandpa will not want us troubled over his passing, but instead remember the legacy he left behind.

For a man that received visitors streaming in hourly until visiting hours are over. A man who's children flew in from all over the place to spend time with him. A man who's been loving the same woman for 60 years. A man who selflessly only wanted to protect his wife, his family and his loved one.

He's my Man, my grandpa.

He is survived by my grandmother, 5 children and 13 grandchilden.

I have started to miss him so much already.

Test test...

I'm so suah ku, finally tryng to upload a picture here. I reckon its going to be fun now that I have finally explored this viability.

Till I start writing more concretely!

Cheers!

Sunday, May 22, 2005

A Tribute to Mothers

A Mother holds her children's hand for a while,
their hearts forever.

The best medicine in the world is a Mother's kiss.

If I had a flower for each time I thought of my Mother
I could walk in my garden forever.

There is no v elvet so soft as a Mother's lap,
no rose as lovely as her smile,
no path so flowery as that imprinted with her footsteps.

A Mother is a person who seeing there is only for pieces
of pie for five persons,
promptly announces she never did care for a pie.

Mother's Day is in honour of the best Mother who ever live,
the Mother of your heart.


Author Unknown

P.S.: I remember the day that this was being read, it was the Mother's Day that I was left in tears; remembering all my mom had done for me in these 21 years.

There could never be a me, without the her love.

A Mother's Love.

Wednesday, March 09, 2005

National Service

If you are reading this, you'd also be the few from different circles in my life that would know I would be doing my bit for the nation today, in Pulau Tekong.

I got to know about the news in late January, much longer than most of you expected. And if I kept it from you until so late, don't worry, i kept it from other just as long.

Then again, very few knew, and very few knows.

It is now my turn, finally to put down everything i am doing, and take the pledge of allegiance to the nation. the world seems to come to a standstill for me, where projects i had been working on has to stop, where things i was helping out on will come to a standstill.

and a new life will begin.

regimentation will be the difference. my stance against regimentation being the force against creativity will cease; and personally embark on a new journey for 2 years, alternative ways to express creativity and intelligence.

muhahahha..

not that i am saying folks in there aren't smart, but like all of the rest, we just can't show it too much!

opps..

Pray for me..i'm turning in now for an exciting day tmr