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02 May 2007

Smeell? Smell? Smile?


I just came across this box of tissue at my place and mang.... this branding really confuse the hell out of me?

What da heow is Smeell? Is it supposed to be Smell? Then again looking at all the smileys, perhaps it's Smile?

iConfused.

- Voxeros

1. sunflower left...
Wednesday, 2 May 2007 10:04 pm
iConfused too ><
China China


2. Ruok left...
Thursday, 3 May 2007 10:48 am :: http://vinceli.com
Its a Jedi mind trick. You are supposed to smile when you smell it.


3. JayWalk left...
Thursday, 3 May 2007 12:26 pm :: 
Sunflower: Harnor!!! Chor lim peh blur niah..... -_-"

RUOK: What? And while breathing through the tissue you go "Wah si lim peh.... *breathe breathe* kueh lai orh orh jeet peng" *breathe breathe*..."

01 May 2007

Cream Or Sugar or Butter?

In my earlier blog, I mentioned the unusual practice of adding butter to your coffee. Well, because Jaschocolate wants to know, I shall tell the stories here.

Yes. Stories. Plural. I have been asking around about this for the past few years and so far I have gathered quite a few versions, all somewhat a little different from each other.

Feel free to add on more stories that perhaps you also know that I don't via the comments. Do ask your parents or grandparents if they know about Coffee and Butter (Kopi Goo Yew?). Ask your local kopitiam Ah Laos if they know of this. Would be an interesting story to uncover and share it here.

Anyway, here's what I have gathered so far. 

1) Butter was free back in the old days.
I got this from my dad when he first stepped on Singapore shores in 1962. Those were the pre-independence days and there were many labourers then. To these coolies, the regular breakfast staple would be kopi loti (coffee and bread) and butter was a condiment, like salt, pepper and dark soy sauce, that is available on every table. In other words, butter was free and these labourers would help themselves to generous heaps of butter and added them to everything, including coffee. Their mindset was to get the most value out of the precious few cents that they spend on breakfast everyday.

Also, being labourers, they tend to get hungry fast due to the nature of their physical work and so having an oily meal helped them to last until the next meal. A practice still in existence today in my part of Spitland. Though not butter but their cooked meals are all very oily.

The only problem with this story is that in my own recollection as a kid, I did remember these yellow cans alongside the salt and pepper. Only difference was that I remembered them to be Planta i.e. margarine but not butter. Then again, my memory only go as far back as the early 70s and perhaps it was indeed butter a decade before that?

2) Butter lines the stomach.
According the my MIL, who is a part-time kopi soh, some of the folks feel that butter lines the stomach to guard against the acidity of the coffee and hence prevent gastric.

3) Butter protects the lungs.
MIL went further to explain the in the old days, labourers are more often than not chain smokers and a cigarette is usually part of the kopi loti breakfast. It was not uncommon for these chain-smoking folks to be coughing and wheezing in the morning. They believed that the butter oils the lungs like that of a lubricant and hence alleviate the morning coughs.

4) Coffee is more fragrant with the butter in it.
This is fairly straightforward. Who can resist the heavenly bouquet of melted butter lingering in the air?

5) A diabetic's option.
I got this from Ed's dad who is a diabetic. He was the first person I knew that still drinks his coffee with a slab of butter to this very day. For us, our regular coffeeshop's kopi is coffee with condensed milk that serves the dual function of cream and sugar. Ed's dad explained that he switch to butter to avoid the sugar from the condensed milk. While it is true that one can simply use creamer (e.g. Coffeemate) to substitude, Ed's dad says that coffee and butter "比较香" as per my Point (4).

6) Butter keeps the coffee warm for longer.
It is a common sight every morning to see retired uncles come downstairs to the coffee shop for their daily breakfast. More often than not, they will come armed with the day's newspapers. Nothing better than to have a slow and relaxing breakfast while the hectic bustle of everyday life passes you by. After all, these gentlemen have already paid their dues and are now reaping the rewards after decades of toil.

The slab of butter would float on top of the coffee and slowly melt into a layer of oil. The oil would then spread evenly across the cup and thus sealing the coffee underneath. When the steam from the coffee is unable to escape, evaporation is hindered and the coffee stays warm longer. Just long enough for them to finish their daily newspaper read.

Anyone has anything else to share? Proceed to the comments section.

- Voxeros

1. akk left...
Tuesday, 1 May 2007 12:40 pm
i shall go ask my mother....


2. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 1 May 2007 3:10 pm :
Akk: The picture was actually my morning coffee. Actually hor, with the butter in it. Not bad leh. The oil from the butter give the coffee a rather smooth texture. Drink that time feel very 顺口. And pang pang too!


3. spinnee left...
Tuesday, 1 May 2007 5:41 pm
i ask around liao, bo lang drink b4 leh. u sure it was in sgp?
but anyway heck la. everyone got diff habit of drinking stuff... nothing unusual. must be open minded hor! wahhwaahwhwahwa


4. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 1 May 2007 6:06 pm :: 
Spinnee: Yes, it's in Singapore and likely Malaysia too. Maybe those folks you ask are not old enough? You should be asking people around the age of at least 65?


5. Gary left...
Tuesday, 1 May 2007 7:09 pm
i ask my grandma about it.. and she was like, "you know how to drink meh?" er.. i think i will try it when im not schooling..


6. spellbound left...
Wednesday, 2 May 2007 3:49 am :: http://verniceloy.blogspot.com
i will try my coffee with butter tomorrow and give my verdict...something new for me to know!


7. Chocolate Ah gal left...
Wednesday, 2 May 2007 7:55 am
Hahaa.. i ask my mommy already.. she said she got saw ppl drink like that 30 plus years ago.. Muahaha.. Got time, i will try.. hehehe...


8. JayWalk left...
Wednesday, 2 May 2007 1:46 pm :: 
Gary, Spellbound & Jaschocolate: I tried liao. Not bad. The aroma is very fragrant but I especially like the oily texture of the coffee making it very smooth as it flows down your throat.


9. Gary left...
Monday, 7 May 2007 12:48 am
i tried the coffee with butter today.. wah.. the taste was heavenly sia, better than the normal coffee we make.. now my grandmother willing to make this coffee everytime before going to school..


10. JayWalk left...
Monday, 7 May 2007 9:04 am :: 
Gary: Your grandma quite sayang you siah. Still, this type of thing, I think better not to consume too much since we are talking about butter here. Moderation is key. Besides, if you have it everyday, you will take it for granted and not appreciate it as much.


11. Gary left...
Monday, 7 May 2007 11:15 am
ya.. besides, im not addicted to coffee where i need to have it everyday.. lucky i still have a wide range of beverages to make every morning..


12. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 8 May 2007 7:51 am :: 
Gary: Ahh.. addiction. I have learned to be a master of all things and never a slave to any.

30 April 2007

Gabriel SkinCare 101


Was supposed to be watching over Gabriel when Faith came over to me with a storybook. Seeing that Gabe was quietly playing with the toys by himself, quietly in one corner, I put Faith on my lap and proceeded to read the story to Faith.

Perhaps we were both too caught up with story reading that we didn't realised that Gabe has sneaked off into the study. Come to think of it, Gabe is very good at moving around with stealth these days.

Anyway, as I read till "The End", I paused to take a breath and that's when I noticed the quietness of the house.

It was too quiet.
 
The rule of thumb in the house is that when the house is too quiet. Gabe is up to no good.

Instinctively, I checked the bedrooms before finding Gabe in the study and was shocked at the sight before me.

Gabe was eating Aunt's jar of hand cream though I doubt if he actually enjoyed the taste.

A quick grab of the jar away from him and it's off to the bathroom we marched for a thorough clean up.

But not before taking a snap first.

- Voxeros

1. spinnee left...
Monday, 30 April 2007 9:48 am
muahaahahhahahahahahahahaha!@!!@!!@ that pictures rulez! anyway curiosity really kills eh...wahahahah


2. sunflower left...
Monday, 30 April 2007 2:00 pm
aiyo... this ah pa... pls lor... wash your son more impt than taking this pic........... Xd


3. OLLie left...
Monday, 30 April 2007 2:03 pm :: http://ooohlah.lah.cc
I think he's stunned by you. hahaha..
Eh, where got people take pic likett one? Later he don't know whether what he has done is correct or not. Take pic = correct. Chiding = not correct. Will confuse him one leh. hahaha..


4. Gary left...
Monday, 30 April 2007 6:10 pm
hahaha.. new facial cream.. wonder what your aunt's response will be..


5. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 1 May 2007 7:13 am ::
Spinnee: Yah man.... now I myself curious what face cream taste like... but I sure as hell not going to be finding out for myself!


Sunflower: Pls lah... wash up already still got picture to take meh?

Ollie: This boy stone stone one. No reaction one. So hor, praise or chide also no effect one. Haizzzzzzz.....

Gary: Ok lah.... everybody just very amused....


6. yanzzz left...
Sunday, 6 May 2007 1:36 am
O PLS !! i thought u suppose to clean him up 1st ... this is so scary ... i wonder when gabriel grown up and happen to read all ur post will he thinks tat ur a "bad daddy " .....
hai ~~


7. JayWalk left...
Sunday, 6 May 2007 9:23 am ::
Yanzzz: Me bad? Nah... au contraire, mon cherie. I would be good.

I am see it now..... Gabriel's reaction....

tmd..... you GOOD!!!

So hor, I must be good lor. :P

25 April 2007

Air, Sea & Land - Indonesian Style

Yet another disaster in Indonesia. Dozens are injured in Java island but the good news is that there hasn't be any reports of fatalities. It seems almost routine by now.

Officials were quick to deny liability stating that it was purely an accident as the heavy rain caused the ground below the tracks to slide, resulting in the trains derailment.

Weren't there regular geo-audits?

Nevermind, not about go into a debate over this one.

Anyway, it seems like Indonesia is out of a mission to score a disaster in every mode of transportation.
If every one of these modes of transportation is a circle on the tombola card, we would heard them shout "BINGO!" before anyone even has a chance to look at the card proper.

I wonder if Jakarta has a subway system? Hmm....

Image Credit: https://www.liputan6.com/
- Voxeros

24 April 2007

Dying Inside To Go Loo

I was at the CowBoyBar when there was a thread talking about stuff back when we were kids. Then there was a mention of this song by Timmy Thomas named "Dying Inside To Hold You".

Ahh yes, it was 1993 when the whole nation was singing the jingle over and over and over. No thanks to the radio stations who kept it on the air a tad too frequently. It was a catchy tune that got everyone singing despite it being a crappy song to begin with.
Like Lemon Tree, nobody complained back then.
 
I got the song in one of those *cough* cheong *cough cough* CD compilations where I bought in Jurong West market. Yup, I was in NTU then and getting there was just a short walk away from Hall 3.

Anyway, it was the night before my Law paper and I was kan cheong as hell that I couldn't sleep. With my body at rest and my eyes closed. My mind was like a rabid hamster high on speed and xtc, running the exercise wheel.

Then it happened. My mind started playing the song in loop. I supposed that being a big fan of Wierd Al Yankovic was probably the reason why my mind started to parody the song.

So, it's lights back on and I sat down to scribble the new lyrics out. Granted that it was crappy but hey! The song is crappy to begin with and so what worse damage could I do?


My mind is warped. I know.

Below is a karaoke MV of the song that I found on YouTube. Click here or the play button to hear the song and read the lyrics. Then replace them with mine. Have fun!

Warning: The MV quite horriggible one. The imagery, the fact that the words and song don't sync among many other things, may leave you a permanent mental scar after watching it. Proceed at your own risk. I watched already, iBuayTahan.

p.s. Btw, I got a C for the Law Paper.



Dying Inside To Go Loo
(Sung to the tune of "Dying Inside To Hold You")

[Stanza 1]
It started off, just another day.
I woke up and I went on my way.
My bus 199, took me to the Spine*.
I smelled a fart and I knew it was mine.

Standing there, I didn't know what to do.
Shouldn't have eaten that leftover stew.

[Chorus]
(I think I'm gonna shit now baby.)

And I was dying inside to go loo.
I Couldn't believe that the loo was full.
Dying inside, I was dying inside.
Think I'm gonna have to do it in my shoe.

[Stanza 2]
There was this guy in cubicle two.
Reading the papers while he push out his poo.
When he got out, I thought he was through,
He rushed right back in with the Section Two.
[Chorus]
Standing there, I didn't know what to do.
Shouldn't have eaten that leftover stew.

(I think it's coming out now baby.)

And I was dying inside to go loo.
I Couldn't believe that the loo was full.
Dying inside, I was dying inside.
Think I'm gonna have to do it in my shoe!

[Repeat Chorus]

[Bridge]
I can't recall this part of the song that I wrote. Sorry.

[Repeat Stanza 1]

[Fade Out]

* NTU has 2 sections. The North Spine and South Spine which is essentially separate wings of the campus.


- Voxeros

1. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 1:31 pm :: 
Question Of The Day
=============
I wonder how many people did actually sing the song with my lyrics? Time to own up! Don't pretend neber hor! Leave your name here!


2. aloe left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 3:48 pm
i din know wat that song was till I reached the chorus. LOL! I think I only remembered the chorus... =P
so yah, the answer to your question is "no" loh...


3. ihawk98 left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 5:04 pm
this song...this song...it is so hypnotic...strange desire to click play again.
must be associated with some repressed memories for me....heh heh


4. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 8:16 pm :: 
Aloe: Dun bruff lah... so paiseh one meh? kekekekeke.....

ihawk98: Must be some girl you use the song to bruff her right?


5. ihawk98 left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 8:57 pm
but jay....repressed memories leh....must have been very bad...


6. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 9:12 pm :: 
ihawk98: Crash and Burn har?


7. Gary left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 9:39 pm
wah.. this song very fitting to me right now.. lol..


8. ihawk98 left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 10:26 pm
gary: don't get hooked to this song....


9. JayWalk left...
Wednesday, 25 April 2007 7:24 am :: 
Gary: Why? You stomach ache now har?

ihawk98: Too late! Muahahaahah.... *evurl*


10. OLLie left...
Wednesday, 25 April 2007 8:18 am :: http://ooohlah.lah.cc
Wah piang. So nice a song you write about going to the loo. Win liao. hahaha.. I nearly wanted to say the song too old liao, cant recognise. But apparently I'm not that young. Sigh.


11. JayWalk left...
Wednesday, 25 April 2007 9:53 am ::
Ollie: Ok lah... you still young in my eyes lah. Then again, Lao Chio also good what!


12. Gary left...
Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:08 am
eh.. not literally stomachache lah.. you should know.. haha..


13. JayWalk left...
Wednesday, 25 April 2007 1:22 pm ::
Gary: Yah lah... just kachowing you lah....


14. ihawk98 left...
Wednesday, 25 April 2007 8:45 pm
let gary associate this song with his current situation....next time he will react to it like me...


15. JayWalk left...
Thursday, 26 April 2007 8:52 am :
ihawk98: Ahh... I see you passing your legacy to your young padawan.....


16. akk left...
Thursday, 26 April 2007 8:58 am
do it properly! sing it!!!


17. JayWalk left...
Friday, 27 April 2007 2:15 pm ::
Akk: Mai lah... how can?? After your Ji Ba Ban rendition, I don't dare liao.... iShy.


18. akk left...
Tuesday, 1 May 2007 12:41 pm
chicken....pak pak pak kehhhh.....


19. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 1 May 2007 3:07 pm :: 
Akk: You win. I don't have a comeback to that..... *cluck cluck*

23 April 2007

Sian XMM Episode X - Aftermath

Remember the prank C.O.O.L and I pulled on hawk?

Well, I was part of a 3-way chat with the two of them when I left to grab a quick shower, having just return from gym. Yah.... I think I ish MSN addict liao :P


So anyway, when I returned to catch up on the chat, I couldn't help but started laughing and reading at the same time.

Looks like we scarred the fella for life and he now lives a life of paranoia.

Poor boy.

Heh heh.....


.
Session Start: Saturday, April 21, 2007

(9:39 PM) C.O.O.L: 2-2 spurs draw level

(9:39 PM) hawk: wait...i got delay!!!! f8&@ but happy if it is true

(9:39 PM) C.O.O.L: jenas!!
(9:40 PM) C.O.O.L: no more second prank lah..

(9:40 PM) hawk: i don't trust the 2 of you. heh heh

(9:40 PM) C.O.O.L: nvm

(9:40 PM) hawk: last time you got me good

(9:41 PM) C.O.O.L: lol. last time is man u
(9:41 PM) C.O.O.L: now tottenham.. wont prank

(9:42 PM) hawk: still hasn't happen le

(9:42 PM) C.O.O.L: the last min of injury time

(9:42 PM) hawk: ok goal
(9:43 PM) hawk: !!!!!!.. sorry...see delay reaction!

(9:43 PM) C.O.O.L: lol.. is ok

.
Image Credit: http://soccernet-akamai.espn.go.com

- Voxeros

1. Gary left...
Monday, 23 April 2007 1:22 pm
once bitten twice shy.. guess ihawk was afraid that we are up at it again.. lol.. maybe we can surprise him once in a blue moon..


2. ihawk98 left...
Monday, 23 April 2007 5:28 pm
it always pays to be careful nowadays...


3. Gary left...
Monday, 23 April 2007 5:32 pm
no matter how careful you are.. we are still ahead of you.. heh heh..


4. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 11:29 am ::
Gary & ihawk98: We see how it goes lah but definitely different pattern next time.


5. ihawk98 left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 5:13 pm
i'm not talking with you guys during matches again....


6. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 8:18 pm :: 
ihawk98: buahahahahahahaah!!!!


7. Gary left...
Tuesday, 24 April 2007 9:42 pm
i already got some mischief up in my mind liao.. no thanks to jay for the genes that passed to me.. hahahaahha..


8. JayWalk left...
Wednesday, 25 April 2007 7:26 am ::
Gary: Pass what genes? Harlow!! I am not your Lao Peh. How to pass genes to you? You think you Luke Skywalker, I Darth Vader har? 


9. Gary left...
Wednesday, 25 April 2007 11:09 am
i dont want that dubious honour.. but is more of mischief pranks that i learn from you.. lol..

10. JayWalk left...
Wednesday, 25 April 2007 1:28 pm :: 
Gary: Ahh.. then cannot say I pass genes to you. Must say I 传授武功 to you.


17 April 2007

The Rod On The Tot (Part 2)

I came back from work the next day expecting the cold shoulder from Faith, after Sunday's incident. I was prepared for her to be holding a grudge after the last beating.

How long is this going to be? I don't know.

Instead, she was happy to see me home. All that has happened has been forgotten and put behind.

If I am feeling the pain in the heart from the wound inflicted the day before, her smile was the salt, lime juice and tabasco sauce, all mixed into one and dripping on the wound.

It hurt real bad.

 - Voxeros

1. OLLie left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 4:07 pm :: http://ooohlah.lah.cc
Ay, it's normal de la. Usually after my dad beats me with the cane, I would forget about it the day after. Don't feel so bad ok? *hugs*


2. Gary left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 4:48 pm
different people react differently.. for me, i will just stubbornly never talk to my dad.. instead i will ask third parties to pass the msg..


3. akk left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 5:29 pm
isnt that a good thing? my parents will be pissed if i give them cold shoulder. it means i dunno i'm wrong yet. so they hit me again.


4. mht left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 5:29 pm
do not worry, this is the first time and it will not be the last. though as parents we try not to use the cane, there are times when too many chances have been given and the kid just 'went off the track'. having said that, dun be too 'cane-happy'. use it wisely and it moderation. too much of anything is bad! dun feel so bad! okay?


5. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 8:37 pm ::
Ollie: Well, the good news is that she has forgotten all about it. We were playing together today.

Gary: When you were stubbornly refusing to talk to you dad, why? Did you feeling that you did nothing wrong to deserve the beating?

Akk: I think ultimately the main idea behind the beating is not solely just to inflict pain but to reinforce a message to you in a way that you would not forget easily.

MHT: Hey dude. Good to have you back. Long time no hear. Hor seh bor? Anyway, I also don't want to hit the kid one lah. But sometimes like an errant computer where you must do a hard reset.


6. Gary left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 8:48 pm
i donno.. lol.. maybe what i did was wrong.. i just dont like to admit it.. after tat, it will be back to normal..


7. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 9:26 pm :: 
Gary: Ahh... a case of too much pride to admit one's wrong and then act blur the next day. ;)


8. akk left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 11:19 pm
aiyo...now u muz think i psycho. i not saying beating is just to inflict pain, i'm just saying that it's much better than cold shouldering because someone's little gal is willing to let go and admit wrong or forgive and forget. in time to come, u'll appreciate fully her inability to cold shoulder, which is such a powerful passive aggressive tool to use on other ppl. I hope she'll never learn how to do it or have someone do that to her.


9. JayWalk left...
Wednesday, 18 April 2007 8:05 am ::
Akk: Ahh... yes... the cold shoulder. The Achilles' Heel of the mighty Akk. Yeah. Let's hope we never have to come to the stage of being passive aggressive.


10. Gary left...
Wednesday, 18 April 2007 1:25 pm
it will be wonderful if your girl wont show the cold shoulder starting in the family.. like that sure got alot of suitors one.. hahahahaha..!!


11. mht left...
Wednesday, 18 April 2007 2:48 pm
after changing two jobs within the last six months, m still alive and kicking.
'password protected'? what is the password? 'open sesame' ah???


12. JayWalk left...
Wednesday, 18 April 2007 3:34 pm ::
Gary: Ah yes.... some guys are suckers for this kind of passive aggressive psychological abuse. Haiz...

MHT: Get online and I will yahoo/msn over to you.


13. Qiaoyun left...
Thursday, 19 April 2007 2:29 am :: http://www.sheylara.com
I feel your pain reading your entry. I think, intellectually, you know that most of the time, children don't bear grudges and they love their parents unconditionally, but I guess it'll always feel terrible having to be the "bad guy". But, really, try not to dwell on it because you did what you had to do, right?


14. JayWalk left...
Thursday, 19 April 2007 9:05 am ::
QiaoYun: The thing about children not holding grudges must never be taken for granted and most certainly does not grant parents the license to take this as a first resort no matter how effective it may appear at first lash.

I have lived through it myself and so have quite a few of my friends. As a person, most if not all, turned out pretty alright. As for the holding of grudge, I'm afraid the picture isn't as rosy.


15. Qiaoyun left...
Thursday, 19 April 2007 12:14 pm :: http://www.sheylara.com
Yeah, I agree. Nobody should be taken for granted, not even kids. But I think kids are amazingly resilient. I read about this boy who gets physically abused at home for years and he still loves his mum and hopes for love everyday. That's something I will never understand.


16. JayWalk left...
Thursday, 19 April 2007 9:03 pm 
Qiaoyun: Yes but to every person/child, there is a threshold. Like a rubber band where some are more elastic than others. Cross the limit and the rubber band snaps. It will be permanent damage that one will have to live with for the rest of their lives.

I ask myself. "Am I willing to take that risk? Wouldn't the price be too high, just so you can figure out where the limit is for each child?"

I rather stay way under the point of no return.

16 April 2007

The Rod On The Tot (Part 1)

If you recalled the Christmas gift I got for my kids last year, I am sad to say that I finally had to use it yesterday. It was a painful decision but I had to harden my heart to do it.

The screams pierced through the quiet neighbourhood on a Sunday night and the windows across my front yard started lighting up like a Wheel-Of-Fortune word board.

It wasn't a one-off incident where Faith was behaving badly that sparked the hantam session. It was the accumulation of her nonsense finally coming to an over-boil.

It wasn't her defiance of picking up her shoe and storing it properly that triggered the thrashing session. It was the tantrum that she threw in her attempt to cow us into relent that tripped the circuitry.

No way, Missy. Not this time and certainly not with me.

I gave her a count to three to go pick up her shoe.

1... 2... 3... Faith still sat there on the floor bawling in defiance.

*PIAK*

Her first reaction was shock. She didn't expect me to really go through with it. Nobody tried to stop me. Grandpa and Grandma just watched her in silence. She tried to call my bluff and lost this time.

I gave her another count.

1... 2... 3... Still refused to get moving.

*PIAK*

She couldn't believe it. She told the worst was over after that last stroke.

Sorry, Missy. We have only just begun.

She then started scrambling for her shoe but was still screaming and bawling at the same time. She is still defiant as if I have wronged her.

I told her to get in the house. She stubbornly refused to budge.

1... 2... 3... Still sitting there.

*PIAK*

This must have gone on for quite some time and if I were to count the total number of lashes. It would come somewhere close to 20.

That's how stubborn she was.

However, while the first few strokes were really hard, the subsequent ones were controlled or missed her "by accident".

I bought 5 canes during my last trip back. I am left with only 1. The rest were all "accidentally" destroyed by the kids using them as a toy. Perhaps the ease of destroying the canes led them into a false impression that I just bought them for the sake of buying to scare the kids. I supposed Faith really did not expect me to really follow through with it. But I did.

What followed was a big tiff with the wife as I shut myself up in the Faith's bedroom for the night.
The lashes were no doubt painful, but it was I who have to bear the permanent scars.

- Voxeros

1. Gary left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 4:05 am
wah lao.. think your princess daughter will be crying for mummy for the next few days.. and the second time wont be that soon either!!


2. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 11:10 am :: 
Gary: She is always crying for mommy on a daily basis. I doubt if that actually made any difference. I really hope I don't have to do it again.


3. Marcus left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 1:28 pm
I come from a 'martial' family and when all forms of explanation and reasoning have been exhausted, the cane is the final answer. And I am glad to admit that I turned out better and stronger for it.


4. JayWalk left...
Tuesday, 17 April 2007 8:29 pm :
Marcus: Welcome to the blog! Let's put it this way, we were all brought the old skool way i.e. kena hantam left right centre when we were young and guess what? We all turned out pretty ok.

So how is it that this age-old tried-and-tested method be wrong and that we need all these new age fancy smancy teaching methods to replace the old way of bringing up a child?


5. winter left...
Thursday, 19 April 2007 9:53 pm
hmmm.. i am sure it's painful in ur heart to hit her with the cane.
i guess u can explain it to her in the later part the reason for the caning.
so tat she knows that she will be punished when she does something wrong


6. JayWalk left...
Friday, 20 April 2007 1:28 pm :: 
Winter: Well, I didn't conduct a debrief or something to that matter. I laid out everything up front before I start the caning.

12 April 2007

Faith The Fashion Disaster


This is Faith the other night. Not exactly her brightest moment. I have no idea what she was thinking donning the bucket on her head.

Whatever it is, this photo will definitely come back to haunt her some day in the distant future. Heh heh heh...

Looks like I need all the help I can get from my fashionista friends.

Haiz...

- Voxeros
1. sunflower left...
Thursday, 12 April 2007 4:10 pm
tsk tsk ><


2. JayWalk left...
Thursday, 12 April 2007 5:04 pm ::
sunflower: Damn unglam lor!! How can!!??


3. akk left...
Friday, 13 April 2007 9:16 am
is that an easy-chair?


4. JayWalk left...
Friday, 13 April 2007 6:40 pm :: 
Akk: Nope, that's a high chair for kids.

11 April 2007

5 Gold Plated Peanuts

There has been a lot of talk with regards to ministers' pay hike of late and the overall sentiments were pretty mixed, though the negative ones tend to be heard and seen more.

Here are my 2 gold plated cents' worth.



1) Bulldozing. When Gahmen announces something that is not popular, it is only natural to have people jumping up and down, kpkb in protest. But seriously, ask yourself this.

Got use meh?

Just because many people write many negative letters to the newspapers, the Gahmen will heed the people's advice and reverse their decision? Wake up lah! You saw what happened when they propose the GST increase? You saw what happened when they proposed the casinos integrated resorts? You seriously think the Gahmen listens to the people meh?


2) A Pair Of Sng Buehs. Speaking of newspapers, I was told that it has been pretty quiet as far as reflecting the negative sentiments from the people. Again, one-sided journalism at its best. After what they have seen over the mrbrown saga, all the editors started having shriveled nads. Why ah?

Makes me wonder why people are still paying good money keeping them around. There are more credible news website out there that are free.


3) Transparency. What is transparency? Transparency is when Gahmen want money hor, they openly take it from you. Better faster learn this word. Exam will come out one.  As much as people du lan over the sheer size of their pay packets, at least they never do it behind our backs with golden taps, non-existent software contracts and first class tickets. Remember Durai?


4) Bird Talk. MM Lee was quoted as saying "The cure for all this talk is really a good dose of incompetent government..." This is known as Gong Jiao Wuey (讲鸟话). Please lah. Any idiot also know that a useless gahmen is bad. We don't need to fork out millions of dollars to pay someone to tell us that. Stats and figures were brought up about how the $46 million spend on paying top civil servants is 0.13% of total gahmen expenditure, 0.022% of GDP and how his (MM Lee) salary is a "fraction of what the top manager in the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation (GIC) earns".

Lucky, MM Lee is smart, with all the small small percents floating all over the speech, he never utter the word Peanut. Otherwise, he would have set the local blogosphere on fire.


5) Peanut. I was chided last year by a friend's mom for agreeing that 600,000 was indeed peanuts. However, I was misquoted. What I originally intend to mean was that the number of 600,000 is indeed peanuts in relation to a number as big as 262,000,000. I have never intended to belittle $600,000 as a sum of money. Some how, my delivery just didn't come out right resulting in a tongue lashing which was actually a simple case of misunderstanding. Imagine what RunForFunds can do with $600,000? Imagine how many kids we can feed, clothe and send to school with that sum of money? Now how is that ever a small sum of money?


6) Money To Attract. Quite sad to see that the only way left to attract good people to the Gahmen is with the lure of money. Are there no one left in Singapore that would do it because he/she loves the country? Monetary incentive is indeed a logical option but there is one problem. There is no soul.

The pay hike is more or less a done deal. What I would like to see is for that one minister to step up and donate the excess to charity. While acknowledging that more pay is justifiable in retaining good people in the gahmen, I would tip my hat to that one minister who would give it back. Will there be such a person?

Afternote: Just as I was drafting this entry, it was announced that the Prime Minister is donating the hike to charity for the next 5 years. I applaud the gesture and hope more ministers would follow suit.
 
Like a student, from a well-off family, winning a scholarship. My utmost respect if the family could simply acknowledge the scholastic award and pass the scholarship money to the next worthy candidate who needs the money more.


7) George W. Bush. Reports say that our Prime Minister is currently earning over 3 times more than George Bush and will be more if the hike comes into place. Trust me on this one. Bush is an idiot. I think the people of America wasted money hiring this monkey. If Bush runs Singapore, our women will be maids of the maids in other people's country. Less money spent doesn't necessarily mean money more wisely spent.

Then again, you seriousy think Bush makes so little money meh? Confirm got sideline one lah. If Vice President Cheney got all the contracts for Haliburton, what makes you so sure Bush got no lobang and kangtows outside also?


8) Things That Make You Go Hmm... MPs are supposed to represent the people in their respective constituencies. I wonder if any of the MPs actually live in the constituency that they represent? Wouldn't it be really cool if your MP lives in the HDB flat next to you? That way, you can be sure that he is really there at ground level together with you.

Ok ok, it is not fair to impose that an MP die die must live in HDB. I mean if he is capable and makes good money, there is no way anyone should stop him/her buying landed property anywhere.

But hor, try to visualise this scenario. Imagine yourself living in Marine Parade a few years ago. Having voted for Goh Chok Tong means you are now having your flats upgraded. However, all is not smooth sailing as upgrading contractors went belly-up halfway through the project leaving many residents in limbo. So now imagine yourself in a dusty, dirty, half-done, half-fucked, living environment and your MP is staying in a swanky cool bungalow in Bukit Timah. How does that make you feel?

Still, credit goes where credit is due, the matter was eventually resolved and if I may add, rather quickly. Kudos to GCT on this one.


9) Not Happy? Too bad lor. We voted for these guys and we will have to live with them until the next election. Thereafter, the people gets to choose again. This is called democracy. The only thing undemocratic is the GRC concept where we have uncontested MPs coming in via the backdoor under the shield of the established incumbents that we die die will have to vote for.

I am thinking that if we are to fork out money to pay the salaries for these guys, at least let us have a say of yes or no to each candidate.


Is that too much to ask?

- Voxeros

1. ihawk98 left...
Wednesday, 11 April 2007 9:49 pm
i can suggest a few more "undemocratic" examples. one, the constant "redrawing" of constituency lines during elections resulting in a year where residents living along Holland Road ended up as part of Tanjong Pagar GRC, and two, not fixing elections at a fixed time like the way the US always have elections every 2 years in November.
what more can i say but this is one big wayang show...


2. JayWalk left...
Wednesday, 11 April 2007 10:58 pm :: 
ihawk98: Well, that's the GRC concept that I was referring to. As for the timing of the elections, I don't have a qualm with that.

3. sunflower left...
Wednesday, 11 April 2007 11:28 pm
Bravo! Nice post...
I am definitely very disguested over the recent debate.
WTF

4. JayWalk left...
Thursday, 12 April 2007 8:59 am :: 
Sunflower: It got me thinking that while this "decision-before-consultation" approach may be clinically efficient, it sure pisses a lot of people off. Now I am wondering if this is the very same reason why our neighbours are so upset with us?

5. akk left...
Thursday, 12 April 2007 9:17 am
but during election time, who will you choose? its not that we support them so much, it's that there isn't a good opposition to choose from.

6. JayWalk left...
Thursday, 12 April 2007 9:25 am :: 
Akk: An excellent point there. Those who voted for PAP are those who think their candidate is indeed the better or because they think the opposition candidate really CMI.

In the past, opposition has not produced any worthy successors to the likes of Chiam See Tong and Low Thia Kiang. Instead, we have clowns like Chee Soon Juan and Gomes running amok.

However, this is slowly changing and we start to see more credible candidates stepping up. Dr Sylvia Lim has impressed me very much in the last election. If she were to contest my ward in the next election and the PAP sends some minnow candidate, Dr Lim has my vote on account of who she is and not what political party she is from.