Give thanks with a grateful heart

There was recently a lengthy and revealing interview done by The New York Times on Singapore's Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew. I read the replicated copy in The Sunday Times and it left me quiet for awhile. He opened up with much depth in emotions, or maybe we haven't seen this side of him before.

MM or LKY has always been known to be the leader, the head, the Asian giant of politics. But rarely do we see him in the light of pain, stress or discomfort. In this interview, he still is the former and also the latter.

Every time LKY does an article that is not about changing the world but revealing something about his aging self to the people, it draws flak. "Ahh, he's doing it because GE is approching" or "He's playing the race card again". While I am not an expert on drawing votes during the GE, I can only imagine if these same people will keep quiet if the interview was done any other time of year. What would they say if he did it at a random time like say, Christmas? They'd still say, " Aahh, he's doing it cos he wants more presents from Santa". Crap.

It is valid for everyone to have an opinion, and therefore this is mine.

This man has given his LIFE for the country, having lead Singapore from third world status to first and giving all he's got in the early years to steer us in the right direction. I know nothing about politics or being scheming or gaining popularity. But I know one thing.

LKY has given his all to give me a safe haven to live in, a good education to benefit from, a flat when I am getting married and bragging rights to live in a 'First World oasis in a Third World region'. I have drinkable water at the turn of the tap, lights at a flick of a switch. I walk around in the middle of the night and not get robbed and justice duly metted out when it is due. I have a comfortable home and I speak English. I have an equal playing field with my peers and opportunities where I want it.

I think for all that's been given to me, I can only say thank you. And all you nay sayers, I pray that in the quiet of your heart you will someday give thanks. When you drink clean water from the tap, or leave the lights on when you don't need it, you will remember that there we have neighbours that get dysentry from drinking water from their taps and light candles in the middle of the night because electricity does not reach them.

Last week, Shihui found a bird's nest for me. I'll be using it for a very very special purpose. And if you notice the green ball in the background, that's my new pet - a Morimo moss ball. And the plastic bottle? I just like how it looks. :)

And this picture is a fake Lomo. I think its time to take out my Holga for some real Lomo shots.

The Best Hospital In The World

I have many quirks. I only buy books that have fonts I agree with, paper stock that I like. I love airplane food and how there is a little something for every task you take to feed yourself. I have to eat my french fries before I eat my burger and if I don't finish my fries before I start on my burger, I will not re-visit the fries. They'll cut my tongue 'cos they're dead fries. Yes, so before you go delete me off your Facebook list of friends, I have one more that will push you over to disown me forever.

I like visiting hospitals.

I like it when I can go and visit someone (not that I like my friends and family to be admitted) or receive outpatient treatment myself. Yes, I go to the hospital for outpatient treatment. I only visit GPs if I have a company card that doesn't require me to pay and my sickness is small enough that I feel well the moment I step out of the clinic. But when I get hit by large sicknesses like the recent flashmob of a gastric flu, I head to the hospital. A&E no less.

And my preferred hospital, which in my humble opinion is the best hospital in the world even after they have changed management? Alexandra Hospital.

The motley crue that ran management at Alexandra Hospital (AH) recently upsized their operations at Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, a large building far flug in the corner of Yishun so JurongHealth took over AH and I must admit I was skeptical but I soon realise it was all unfounded. Before you run off thinking I have too much time on my hands, having an opinion about hospitals, read on.

AH has saved me once too many times for me not to pledge loyalty to them. Many a times when I get struck by the odd stomach flu, I run to them and like a mother hen with open arms, they take me in and nurse me back to health in a matter of 2 days. When a biker friend of mine had a metal chip so tiny we couldn't see fly and embed itself in his budding pilot's eye, AH banded around him and worked relentlessly till they got the chip safely out of his eye and waved him as he soared the skies in a great way to fly. So like I said, AH has saved me once too many times for me to trust another hospital. It's just not right.

I was first whisked to AH by my then boyfriend, now fiance when I was hit by a bad case of cough. I scowled when I had to pay $60 (then. it's $75 now) upfront. But as I went through the procedures I realised my mighty $60 gave me full access to all their technology. I was brought for a consultation with a doctor. Then he recommended an X-ray which was done 10 minutes later with results displayed 20 minutes where I was diagnosed with acute bronchitis. I was sent home with medicine that cost me $5 and an MC for 2 days. I was as fit as a fiddle within 2 days.

Just in case you think I'm sickly, frail and constantly diseased, I'm not. I'm just condensing my experiences, or at least the worse ones.

Another time I had a bad bout of gastric / stomach flu (I never know the difference). They brought me in, another $60. The doctor decided I needed to do a scope. A week later, I was lying on my side with a tube down my throat into my stomach (and gagging of course). In 30 mins, I was looking at images of my insides. If I ate a mentos mint 5 mins before the scope, it might be sitting there looking smug squeaking, I'm the king of the world! I framed up the picture. I kid you. My reddened stomach walls were proof that it was protesting and I had a bad bad case of gastric. But in a week, I was done. I was cleared of it and everything was back to normal, order was restored.

I ranted so much just to say this: AH may not look like its prettier Tan Tock Seng cousin, or the handsome Khoo Teck Puat NKOTB and though it sometimes look haunted and pre-war and like a 'small public hospital', but in my opinion, they are the best hospital in the world. bar none.

*Alexandra Hospital is located at 378 Alexandra Road, next to Queensway Shopping Centre where you can go for laksa after getting your MC. I recommend the A&E for the 'best hospital in the world' treatments. No complimentary tea provided. Help yourself to an apple at the registration counter though. 

Book Review: Giants of Asia - Conversations with Lee Kuan Yew

I haven't been writing for a while (obviously) and the last I did, I promised to do a book review on the Giants of Asia - Conversations with Lee Kuan Yew piece when I was done reading it. Truth be told, I had finished it sometime back and have passed the copy on to be borrowed. But since National Day had just passed, this moment might be most appropriate.

I was greatly inspired by the book having felt like I was given a secret seat by the fireplace with the Grandfather of Singapore. Unlike the other biographies or books on him, this book differs in tone and heart. It might be the author who was daring enough to add humour into a written piece about grandfather Lee. It could be the paper stock they used to print it on, giving it a slightly classy yet fun feel. It could be the font (I am a fontist) among other reasons. But I came to a conclusion that it was simply LKY opening himself up unbashedly to Tom Plate, who freely wrote and represented the grandfather in an almost caricature way (therefore the cover).

The main thread that ran through the entire book was a heat pad. Yes, a heat pad that LKY was fiddling with and had placed on his knee throughout each interview held over 2 days. Shifting it, adjusting it, making it give him comfort. He was in some pain, but what sort we are not told. The heatpad, the star of the book doesn't divulge us as well. The only thing it suggests is that LKY is not as robust as he used to be in his 1965 days where he valiantly lead the country into independance. But yet though his physical being is weakened but the heart that fiercely ploughed Singapore through third-world status to first still burns with pride.

I am a patriot and I and passionately proud of being a Singaporean. I know of lots of people from different generations that are skeptical about LKY and everything he does and young Singaporeans make up this majority. We have not gone through the Japanese Occupation or when Singapore proudly turned independant. We were not there during early nation building days when water had to be rationed or uncertainties wrought the land. And therefore, their excuses for being skeptical is that LKY rules with an iron fist, he is an Asian Hitler, he runs Singapore like his family business. But we speak with ignorance that we do not know we should be embarassed of.

LKY is deeply respected by great leaders around the world. Deng Xiaoping looked to him on how to wake the Chinese sleeping giant, of which LKY was somewhat responsible for the opening up of China today. LKY gave America advice on the Vietnam war and Henry Kissinger wise insight on the affairs of America (if you must know, they came to him, not him to them). LKY was late for his 2nd day interview because the Vice President of Indonesia was visiting to get some TLC from Grandpa Lee because he was facing problems with his President.

When we do not know the heart of a man, we doubt his actions. But if you will make a trip down to the Library and borrow a book (I forget the name) that has bound page to page quotes from LKY, you will know that his heart since 1959 was to make Singapore good for the people. When Singapore first became independant, he was quoted as saying, "This has to work. I am not responsible for just myself and my family. I am responsible for the many citizens and their families that trust their lives with me". That is the responsibility he carried and I must say he has done damn well.

I find it hard to do a review on the book without gushing in admiration for the person but I must say that if you found his previous (LKY, not Tom Plate) books boring and dry, you should give this a shot. It is refreshing  and humourous and like I said, once you know a man's heart, you will trust his actions.

I Wished I Was Born In The Exciting 60's!

Benji and I love visiting the National Museum. It is such a curious place with insightful exhibitions! Last weekend, we trot on over excitedly to check out the Singapore 1960's gig and here's a walk down, well I couldn't say it was memory lane but, history's lane for us.

  

Chaa... CHAMBO!

Zubir Said's piano which he wrote our National Anthem on.

That's Benji's finger striking a B key. We got told not to touch the '100 yr old' piano as it is 'fragile'.

Despite that, Benji was happy he was in tune with Zubir Said.

This IS the defining moment for Singapore. MM Lee, then Mr. Lee,

swearing in as Prime Minister of Singapore.

See! The National Museum now is actually the Assembly House then.

A fact I relished with joy!

A display of jade from the 1960's. Actually I don't know what this display was about.

I'm posting it up because I think it's a well taken shot. Frivalous, I know.

What really intrigued me about the exhibition were the newspaper display from the 60's.

Especially the ads! Check out this travel agent ad.

Things were much simpler before, no brightly colored ads screaming FREE LUGGAGE! Travel for $50!

Aahh, something familiar you say?

Dude, it was a REAL power station. Like the electricity kind.

Ads the Health Ministry now wished wasn't so rampant before.

Whoelsome underwear ads with no jiggly boobs and models

 strutting in the air brushed bodies.

The terrorists of yesteryears: The Communists.

 I am glad MM was bent on chasing them out. Hail ! Hail !

Ah ! Proud moment - Weightlifter Tang How Liang and the

first Olympic medal for Singapore!

How much we, and our waistlines, have progressed.

They had ads to encourage people to PUT on weight. Now?

Even those that need to PUT on weight are bent on shedding those precious kilos.

Hey! This is so cool ! These are marriage ads!

The headline read: Four Married Over The Weekend!

When 8,000 was a large number. We have progressed.

Hey!

TIGER beer when the tiger neither had its paw in or out.

Spot the mistake?

This skyscraper took FOUR years to build.

Now we build an IR in 1.5 years... or less.

Well, I won't show everything here and rob you of the joy of discovering the exhibition for yourself.

Check out the exhibition which is on at The National Museum, Exhibition Gallery 1 till 22 Aug. Free Admission. Have fun!

How Much Further... or Farther?

How many of you, like myself, can never get it if we should use 'further' or 'farther' in a sentence? Conveniently, I always dismissed it as being U.S and U.K English. You know, to-mah-toes and to-may-toes.


However I was determine to understand the two words in a bid to strengthen my English so I gathered all my detective skills and Google (but of course) and it turns out that these two words 'further' and 'farther' do mean something on their own and are not just a product of years of English customisation. (po-tay-toes, po-tah-toes)

According to www.lessontutor.com,

FARTHER denotes physical advancement in distance.
For example: It is farther down the street (for distance physically travelled)
It's not that much farther to the gas station

FURTHER denotes advancement to a greater degree, like time.
For example: Do you have any further plans for your education?

Try it!

How much _______ farther do we have to walk to get to the ice cream parlour?
How much _______ do you intend to take this legal matter?
Do you intend to _______ your career with management courses?
How much ____________ do I have to read in the text?
The ________ I walk, the _______ I am in my schedule!

Now, aren't we happy the mystery is solved? :) So how much further will you take your English?

Live Curiously at thepebbletrail.blogspot.com

Benjamin, or Benji as he is known is a curious fella. He reads voraciously and is interested in every nary detail that exists in the world. He is your details man. In thepebbletrail.blogspot.com, he breaks down the thorough scores of information that soars through his head everyday and lays it out for us, the short attention span generation, to enjoy.

He presents curious facts and interesting happenings in bite sized blog entries - things you knew but never really know, facts you didn’t know and is glad you now know and things that will make you sound a lot smarter when stuck in a boring social gathering.


Live curiously and read up these intriguing thoughts on thepebbletrail.blogspot.com

You’d be glad you read it.