Quality VS Quantity

When the question on the attitudes and moral values are imposed against our generation Y and Z. Kids these days are smart, quick witted gift of the gap and they know what they want, more importantly, they know how to get things their way. Of course there are 2 faces to a coin. Spoilt, over-sheltered,pampered brats lacking proper discipline and etiquette. Those are some of the unpleasant remarks which have been branded, sad but true.

I had a conversation with someone(Kaiyang) I met at a workshop it was then I realised actually its all about the environment and up-bringing. It all boils down to the role models and mentor the kids look up to. Reflecting on the way kids are brought up nowadays, it will be easy to see why some of them end up spoilt.

To provide and maintain the cushy lifestyle everyone yearns for, both parents would have to bring in the dough and leave the kids under the care of grandparents, maids or worst child-care centres. Every grandparent will definitely dote and shower attention, discounting any misconducts. As employees, their duties are to fulfill the instructions and demands of their masters which normally the doting parents endow that authority. Why would the domestic maid, a stranger to the family, care about a kid who doesnt know his/her manners. Especially when they are mistreated(so many cases of has surfaced, snoobish singaporeans), they may even induce inverse values to the young ones as a form of revenge. Child care centers are no better too. Whenever I see kids line up walkin to back frm the playgrounds, they just remind me of prison imates serving their sentences. Their routine probation within the child care centres repeats day after day after day.

Finally at the end of the day when the parents return after a long tiring day, quality time with the kids are top of the list. So for the meager time and energy left inside them, there are limited interactivity time. Would it be worthwhile for the 2 parents to realise their kids had misbehave then pick up the rod and lecture the child thus ending the night with a sad, depressed mood. Of course not, "dont do it next time ah...", then its off to play... How common these senarios occur?

Kids are like a blank sheet, provide vibrant pastels, you'll get rainbows, black ink, shades of black and white, peanuts and you'll get monkeys. I am not a preacher of coporal punishment(but it made good work out of me) but in this era, proper guidance and reasoning are of utmost importance.

Its not just spending quality time with the young ones. Quality and Quantity time. I was left pondering upon how many of us could actually afford that? Everything is about balance, there's no best of both world, but its up to one to work that out and create miracles. So many things to see, learn and experience...

pat

My life, a simple life

As technology and civilization keep up the pace of modernization and advancement, so many things have changed, improved making lives of many so much better and comfortable. Look at the sky scrapers soaring up the heavens, underground dwellings together with tunnels linking up and cities forming over previously rustic, rural areas into bustling metropolis! Its happening everywhere.

With the booming economy roaring from with the 2 awaken giants of India and China, people are moving around as globalization fueling the respective push and pull factors. With all the different cultures and ideas circulating around amist the migrations, my feel is that new idealogies are slowing evolving.

The ferocious pace of life can literally consume an individual. As one steps out to the society to earn his/her keep, there are so much factors to weigh upon, so many decisions to commit to and relentless problems to tackle. As I end my academic phase and prep my initiation as a peon, there are mixed feelings. Excited to the fresh new environment awaiting, dampen by mundane of work life, anticipatory on the challenges that lies ahead, fearful of failure, confident that I will do a good job. I'm like a melting pot of emotions with everything fusing together.

I was introduced to a series of documentary by Xiao Ming on the engineering wonders and marvels of ancient civilizations. The egyptians with their magnificient pyrimids, romans have networks of underground canals and aquaducts and the chinese with the breathe-taking great wall. It wasnt the beauty and architectural brilliance but the amount of man-power, blood, sweat and toil which made things happened. Amazes me that the workers and citizens of ancient times really go all the way out fueling the constructions. The people of the past.... dont they have aspirations? Dreams they yearn for? Of course there are whippings and tortures to "motivate" but I am really awed by the people of the past.

They led such simple lifes. Well I am sure those were tough times, but I really admire the endurance for hardship and perseverance. Wondering if its fair for me to pen down this statement, but I feel the ppl of the olden days are so much more giving. Maybe they have lesser to tend to and thus live an easier life. Alas, lifes about decisions and choices. I'm still undecided which path I want to go.

A few more weeks, it'll be time to return and rander my services to my country. Many a times, I've heard of nasty remarks towards my career, many times I had to swallow my pride and ignore the hurtful insults. My wish, just a simple wish, I'll do my best and make all those selfish statements disappear.

Soldiering on,
pat

Its the time of the year again

The mugging spirit once again decents onto the campus of NTU where we will relive the hello kitty queues in front of Lee Wee Nam (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9OWFI4_Q8Wk). Ferioucious demons will charge into the Gates of LWN so that they can "chop" the best seats and tables before heading towards the canteen for breakfast. Then the wandering spirits will roam the grounds within the library seeking out for their "resting sites" but there just aint enough spaces for everyone. They are greeted with empty seats with notes, text, jackets all slewed over the tables. The watchers and gurdian of the sacred grounds will prowl the grounds and issue ticket summons like parking attendants which indicates a further absence of 30 mins, will permit anyone to seize the spot which the exisiting personal items will be deposited onto a central depositary box.

Just like how pretty smiles swept guys off their feet, see how the librarian swept things off the tables. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRYPL06ONt4

Everyone knows the pink slips wont work at all, its just a formality. whislt the rest are busy mugging and enjoying the controlled ground smiling sheepishly at the late comers who has to suffer such a sorry fate to wander. Most of them eventually stop at "Loser Corners" which individuals are banished to a spot that no one will ever set their eyes on them. For the rest who occupy the vast desks and paranomic view of Singapore's Live Firing Area together with Malaysia's coastline merging into the horizon, they yak, malinger, space out, sleep on the tables causing much disturbances for the rest.

All in a days work on the grounds of Lee Wee Nam.

I'll miss this place

pat