What are the latest inventions that you guys know of recently? They are all pretty lame, isn’t it? Another gadget, another handphone, another faster broadband, cup that enable women to pee standing up and such.
These are nothing like the inventions of my time.
Back then, we had
1) Gas!
I remembered we used to cook using wood fire and charcoal. My mom had a long, steel pipe which we need to blow to get the fire going. Also, in the kitchen is the fan made of some palm leaves. Our stove is a huge thing made of cement.
Then, there were gas. Gas stove and gas tank, delivered to our home. No more blowing. No more dirty soot and flying ashes.
2) Colour TV or rather TV station with colour
Then, there was the colour TV and TV3 which was the first national TV with colour. Back then, Lionel Ritchie’s Hello was so popular. Wow, it took my breath away when I first watch a TV show with colours. It was in KL at a friend’s place when I was about 18, I think.
3) Stick on pad
Before there was Sanita, there was only Kotex. Kotex with strings. You need to use a cotton ribbon to tie the pad. Never used that cos when I started needing it, they already have Sanita. Peel off and stick on. How easy.
4) Instant noodle
I think the first brand of instant noodle was Vit Mee. The buzz about it was so huge. We can now eat noodles from Japan that takes only a few minutes to prepare. I remembered buying them from the ‘ke leng nga tiam’ (Indian sundry shop) at Bayan Lepas.
5) Man on the moon
Ok, this is not exactly an invention but how the whole nation talked about Neil Armstrong landing on the moon. I think I was only about 5 years old but could remember people talking about it. Because the moon is no longer the home of the Moon Goddess and all those prayers to her were just pure myths.
Addition : Flush toilet
No more maggots swimming in buckets and night soil carrier with his yellow face walking in the kampung. One pull and your shit disappeared.
Compared to all the above inventions which actually made our life much more fun and exciting, the inventions of today are just a big yawn. I cannot remember anything exciting that has just been invented. Can you?
(this post is inspired by the aroma, taste, sensation and trance-like happiness of eating Maggi Assam Laksa at 12 midnight. I kiss the feet of the genius who invented instant noodle.)
Lots of people have that
1) Wait until I make more money
2) Wait until the children are older
3) Wait until we move out of our monster-in-law home
4) Wait until we retire
5) Wait until the kids are financially independent
and so on and so forth.
In the process, we forget to enjoy the day. The day when the morning sun rise till the time when our head hits the pillow.
This thought came to me this morning. It is the school holidays. All my three older children don’t wake up so early. My little boy and I were already awake by 9 am.
He has always wanted to eat Sausage McMuffin. It is a rare opportunity to him because normally on weekends, we forgot all about McDonald’s. On weekdays, it is one mad rush for school.
So, he asked nicely, “Mommy…can I have Sausage McMuffin for breakfast please?” and puts on his cute, puppy eyes face which I taught him to manipulate his father. Hahaha.
“Of course! Let’s go!”
And we drove to Gurney Plaza at almost 10 am. It is a very short drive. But we managed to chat. I am not sure how the topic comes up but I was telling him how lucky he is. He was comparing how he hasn’t been to Italy and Paris while his older brothers had.
1) He was taken care by me since birth. I told him I carried him around the house like a treasure. He said, “Oh, like a pirate’s treasure chest?”
2) He doesn’t need to go to daycare.
3) He has me to fetch him to and fro from school.
4) He gets to eat Sausage McMuffin!
He gave his ‘I am thinking hard’ look and said, “Oh ya hor. Ko-ko they all have to go daycare, sit bas sekolah, stay at babysitter place, I no need hor. That one is call lucky lah?”
“Ah boh? (if not?) How about I go to work 9 to 5, and you take a bas sekolah to daycare? You want? You want? Then we got lots of money to spend on you. But no time for Sausage McMuffin, ok? Mommy must take leave like papa, long long only get a few days.”
That’s when I got this divine nudge that I should thank God for the carefree days. It is really a wonderful day. I guess that sums up what trusting God is. I have been reading a bit and faith is about leaving it to God to guide our lives. Just like how God called Abraham to move from place to place, not knowing exactly what he is getting except the promise of descendants numbering like the stars in the sky.
Me? I will quietly play my role as the mom until God finds something interesting for me to do. God says, “Ah, Lilian, stop dreaming of your ‘I want to be a mission worker, working in faraway places”. Cos I freaked out at tiny bamboo huts with no aircond and small compact toilet and bathroom. The other day, we stayed in an 8-bed aircond, resort. Next day, they do not have that room anymore. So, we moved to an aircond room and a non-aircond hut because rooms were limited.
Wuah, I am so spoilt, I decided we are coming home after one night. Thank you God for the aircond, creature comforts hotel rooms. And the husband who earns enough to spoil me. Thank God for routine life with Sausage McMuffin. (it is egg mcmuffin for me, ok?)
If I behave more, I am growing halo on my head. So, lemme crap a bit, ok?
For someone who hates caves, small spaces and dark places, I must be out of my mind to get my children and hubby to travel to the Phu Pa Pet cave. Let’s call it the Pet Pet cave, can?
We drove and drove through Thai countryside to this place where they have an awesome cave. Well, at least that’s what the Thai Tourism brochure said.
Before I even reach there, I was already hoping to squirm out of the climb. The cave is located high up on a hill. I thought it is something easy like our Perlis Gua Kelam. But no…it goes up hill and climbing it almost kill me already. We ran out of water somemore.
The entrance is sooo tiny and one has to crawl on fours to get in. It is dark, very dark.
I was breathless, dark until my legs also went soft and I hate the cold, quiet cave. I have no mood to take any photos though some of the formations are really breath-taking. I only took a few photos just to whine, rant and show off how brave I was. A person who hates cave went all the way up north in southern Thailand to visit one.
But I think I have a good sense of humour. While trudging, grudgingly inside, I told myself that I am lucky I am not born a dick. Imagine having to do cave exploration all my life? Ewwss…forcing its way into tiny spaces, usually tight and the place is so dark and slippery. No wonder dicks have to vomit all the time.
Back to caving, at one point, we lost our direction. The Thai group has gone somewhere. They don’t have a freaking Exit sign, only Thai words. So, we walked around in circle. And finally found the exit.
Wuah, I was so glad to see the bright lights of the entrance. No wonder all dicks usually went limp out of exhaustion after a caving adventure. *shivers* Still glad I am human and not a dick.
I will show you my lunch and my inspiration thoughts at the same time. We came back from Koh Lipe yesterday instead of today because we decided we are baked enough. It is a beautiful place and I will make another post about it.
This morning, everyone wakes up early. So, I went to the market to grab some things to cook. Recently, I am hooked on local cili padi with soya sauce. It is so kick-ass. In Thailand, they have sachets of fish sauce meant for rice and it is even more kickass.
I bought some beansprouts. It has been a long time since I remove the tails (roots) of beansprouts before cooking. I bought 40 sens of beansprouts, sat down and slowly remove the roots while I was reading a book about Lent.
(soup with mushrooms)
And I wonder if I have been doing it wrong. I mean trying hard to be vegetarian as a Catholic during Lent. I took a long time to get rid of those darn roots of the beansprouts. One by one. I think there must be thousands of ‘em roots! So, I read and read.
(pork leg with mushrooms and dried oysters)
My thinnest son went to breakfast with hubby and I. So, I asked him to follow me to the wet market and see if he likes the smell of the place. He is so sure he wants to take up culinary arts though I am pretty sure he will do well in mass comm as his English is good. Oh yeah, that monkey bluffed me he failed miserably in his exam.
I got punked. He took his SPM result, didn’t sms me, I sms him, he said he got only one credit and the rest are D and E and F. And I actually believed him, told hubby and we both bo-chup, wutudo, our kid is not so bright, it is our fault. Then, the monkey phoned me while I was out. He asked me if I had looked at my FB status. He put on his emo voice like he is putting a suicide note.
Oh I digressed. My thin-thin son loves pork. So, I mun-chee-keok today because I didn’t do it during CNY.
Anyway, my son’s result is not too bad. He got a couple of As, many credits and he failed Add Maths just like how I did when I was in Form 5. Add Maths is a waste of time so I told them to not bother about it. He never study, never take tuition so ok lah…
So, what’s my inspirational thoughts? Well, sometimes we worked too hard trying to please God. I guess God is such a big, divine being, He couldn’t care less if we please Him or not. He probably expects us to please our humankind by showing them Christ-like characteristics.
And you are curious if I ate the pork leg stew or not? Nay, don’t be busybody.
I like this video a lot. I like it so much, I sent the link to a few politicians.
Since you are all my valued customers blog readers, I will share with you the feelings behind it. I don’t just shoot a video, chop chop chop, snip snip snip, join join join and put it on Youtube. Sometimes, I put my feelings into it. That’s why my videos are all so special, you know?
Let’s not forget my time (which could be better spent at home sleeping, playing computer games, watching Hongkong TVB or porn kekeke), my sweat of driving out in the hot, burning sun plus the parking coins I have to slot into the meter.
So, I was rather pissed one day when Gerakan, including Teng Hock Nan ‘kong sui’ (speaks bad) about Lim Guan Eng’s effort. It is not so much about defending the cause but the timing they chose to talk about this Warga Emas Program.
It was announced one year ago, carried out for the last ten months and Gerakan never make a single noise. But just because it is Pakatan Rakyat 2nd year anniversary and it is the closing date, Gerakan decided to be petty about it.
Teng said there are so many rich people who would gain from the RM100. Then, UMNO claimed that it is DAP’s evil plot of getting people to join DAP because when the old folks are given the form, they will be expected to join DAP too. And the clowns in Gerakan Youth said it is a form of bribery to get people to vote Pakatan Rakyat.
Well, these are politics. I don’t usually bother because most politicians are morons who just want attention. But using a program for old folks and also a small amount of RM100 as their political mileage, I feel they are being very petty.
So, I decided to myself. I am going to see who are the people who come forward to receive the money. In July 2009, I had met up with YB Sim of PKR when he held the registration in an Indian temple. Now, I decided to go to DAP office instead.
I asked for permission from YB Phee and I went to DAP HQ. I was told that earlier, before my arrival, a couple of old folks were angry that their registration under Datuk Zahrain and Tan Tee Beng were not entered in the computer. I would have love to meet those people to hear what they have to say about their Bayan Baru MP and Nibong Tebal one.
I hang around the DAP HQ for about three hours. I keep my eyes open to the facial expressions of the old folks. I am touched that some of the old folks were brought in by their neighbors/tenants. Some are pretty rich ladies but they just want to be part of the fun.
So that’s how this video is done. If Gerakan wishes to question DAP (actually it is not DAP but Penang State Government) motive, please do that at other time. Kick up the fuss during the next election ceramah. But to do so when things are already 7-7-8-8 and the old folks are all so excited about receiving RM100 by the end of this month, it is really sad.
What have you done for these people in all the years?
As for Teng’s questioning Lim Guan Eng, Teng is just trying to fool us. This Warga Emas program is an additional money given to old folks. There are other welfare help for other groups of people. Teng also said LGE could have used the money to build old folks home. Teng, you are a sourgrape. Guan Eng purposely do the program to bring reminder to children to take care of their parents and also to appreciate the old folks for their contribution to the state. Not to build more homes to stuff them there. That’s why there is a beneficiary to it. Imagine how children will feel a sudden nudge when the parent asked for them to accompany them to the registration? Wouldn’t that sort of pinch them to remember they are supposed to be caring to their parents?
Oh ya, after all the sweat (cos DAP office no aircond one), my Tanjung Bungah Adun gave me a mug of ‘cheh chau teh’ (pegaga leaves juice) to cool down. Awww..where to find such nice treatment? I got served by a YB, you know….I feel so humbled with nice policitians like him.
I am thankful my little boy who attended only one year of kindergarten turned out to be quite a brilliant kid. He can read English story books well and he has no problems with his Maths and Science.
However, being Chinese, he needs to learn from scratch all the Bahasa Melayu terms. Learning a language is not too difficult for children. But language is something either you take naturally like duck to water or you have to struggle a bit. I think it is an inborn thing in us. Either you have it or you need to struggle to learn.
School started oin January 4th 2010. In late February, the six years old and seven years old school children have to sit for their LINUS test on top of their monthly test.
LINUS test is like the litmus test to some. Eventhough I thought I am in the know of what’s happening in my kid’s school, I also missed the information. I didn’t know such test exists. I really don’t care because I dislike the idea of putting six years and seven years old boys to test how smart they are. Long time ago, my older boys only get segregated in Std. Two, after two exams. But three years ago, the Edu. Min. introduced the BM tests and all six/seven years old kids are segregated within the first few months of primary school.
Just before Chinese New Year holidays, my boy brought home a piece of printed paper with their test schedule. But, before the monthly test was over, my boy insisted and argued with me that he has more tests the following week. I kept telling him that the printed paper said only three days. He wrote the extra days later on.
True enough, he came back from school one day and told me, “Today test I must read and answer questions.” The first one is Maths where they have to re-arrange some numbers, read zero to ten and say whether it is a bigger or smaller number. This is in English. And for the Bahasa Melayu, he has to read a passage and then, answer some questions verbally.
Wow, six years old having to do oral tests? For real? My boy reads BM with an Ingrish slang, so how to answer? For him, it is still manageable as he has quite a good foundation at his Tadika JG. But for those students in Chinese and Tamil schools where the parents are not fluent in either English and Bahasa Melayu, can you imagine how the kids cope?
Personally, I think our Education Minister is out of touch with the children. Do they even know what six and seven years old kids are capable of? Must they put these little boys and girls through such a test to filter them? Can’t they wait for at least six months or even better a year to do so? Imagine a six years old kid being given the impression that he is dumb just because he hasn’t have time to command the two languages?
This is why some Chinese parents tend to whisper the conspiracy that our Gov. purposely put the children through such tests to remove the cream. It is public knowledge. But how many dare to actually bring the issue up? No one. I for one will not put my head out simply because it is a losing battle.
So, looks like our children are going to be given the bad news that they are stupid simply because they haven’t have time to have better command of languages. This of course will lead to even more tuition for some children.
Today, many parents were outside the school compound complaining how their kids have been singled out because they did badly in the Linus test. These children are bright students with good Maths and Science but one surprise test like that probably killed off their enthusiasm and self-confidence.
I told my boy about the article in the Star which is a piece of news featured in Sin Chew. (link here, second story, after Jack Neo)
I asked my boy’s class teacher if the children are going to be sent to different classes according to their ‘achievement’ in this Linus test. She said the school has not confirm yet. I don’t really care. My boy is only seven years old.
