dhs4K01: October 2004
Sunday, October 31, 2004

"Nice" Defined

nice [nīss](comparative nic·er, superlative nic·est)
adj

1. Mother Theresa Nice: Genuinely nice to everyone, altruistic, fly to heaven type

2.Romeo/Juliet Nice: Between two beautiful people only. Must be sexual in nature. (yea, put in a bit of love here and there, it makes people feel better)That kinda of nice

3. Machiavelli nice: I am nice to you so you must remember to be nice to me, or else I will stab your back and carve out the the word "Nice", nicely and gently on your back and whisper to you in your ears,saying "Nice, nice".

4.Natural Selection nice. Natural selection favors people who are nice to adapt to a environment and pass on genes for survival and reproduction. Eventually, over a period of time, assuming constant selective pressure, people with nice genes with come to dominate the population. This is akin to the HIV virus which is very good in natural selection. As long as humans spawn more nice humans and constantly spawn more nice people until they die, one day we may reach the reproductive speed of viruses

5. Class(y) nice: Hi, I am XXX, I come from Eton Kindergarden, educated in GEP program with IQ of 250, Humanities SCCCHHOLAR, Oxford universary. My great great great grandfather was a tai shi in the Qing dynasty, my great great grandfather own Christmas island, my great grandfather own SHELL company? OH! You are also a president scholar! Nice! Nice. Yeah, my brother is also a president scholar! Yeah, my family comes from a long pedigree, tracing our ancestry to the noble Affenpinscher line... Nice to meet you, oh your botox is leaking from your face..but it is ok, the botox serves as a moisturier, what a good product right? Haha, that is why i only use branded products, they are exquisite. Take care cya

6. Paranoid nice: That guy sent me a card... that is nice but what is his motive? So carefully timed...he wants to play mind games and disrupt my beautiful life...I am half way across the Atlantic, in Elysium..he will ruin it all!!!! He is not rational,mad, insidious, pervert..IGNORE it, else he will bring me down in flames!!!!!!


「 coolgoh posted at 9:20 AM 」
0 Comments

The Tactic of being Tactful

Inability to mask my feelings

Some of closer new friends around me have advised me to be more tactful with my words, implying that it is not always a good thing to be frank, or too frank...

Haha, oh well there it goes again....

I am under the impression that I used to be more "tactless" when I was in DHS. Under the impression that I have hopefully become more "sensitive" as wisdom and age mellow down my revolutionary,reckless, youth. I remember with fond (although tinged with a bit of guilt, not much) memories of answering Mrs Pang's question " What are the things you look for in a girl?"

"Well, I don't really know what I want, but I know what I don't want, and they are all present in this XXX girl"

My memories are clear. The class laughed with glee at the moment, particularly the guys, (including the girls, whom many criticise me subsequently), but everyone laughed, because I have said something that one wanted to hear someone say, but without the guts or intestines to say :)

Yes, looking back, I think I am an ass for being so callous and direct :)

Bias

I think I am a heavily biased person. If I think you are an ass, I will treat you like one. Civility is very hard to maintain. I either stay silent or I will say something to the effect of hurting you, most likely because I intend to. So damned it, how do I tell you I think you are an ass, without telling you I think you are an ass? ( Wait, the interesting thing is that the person has not done anything to me at all, but my primitive instincts, combined with my sensory perceptions of the persons, processed through cerebral processes tell me that I dislike him) ( something like that guy in our class whom never integrated with the guys and sound like a whinner, whim, shucks I can't rem his name)

Can someone teach me the art of telling the person he is an ass straight in the face, being civil in the process and having a nice, amicable relation subsequently? ( I can imagine Lu Gui Xia with a halo " Zhen Xiang!! Yao Yuan Hua!! Yuan Hua! Bu Ke Yi Zhe Yang Sie!!!!!!!!)

Life is so hard. Sigh. I long for the stone age days when the sign of showing affection is raising the club and hitting the other person on the head, and showing anger by hitting harder and cracking the head...

Simple and beautiful. Direct to the point. Gone are the days. No mind games. Lovely. Sweet.




「 coolgoh posted at 8:17 AM 」
3 Comments

Wednesday, October 27, 2004



「 Siew Kuang posted at 2:32 PM 」
0 Comments

the little penguin Okieo


「 Siew Kuang posted at 2:30 PM 」
0 Comments

Saturday, October 23, 2004

Another one!

One more Chinese article that I feel worth sharing... This one is not cliche. I feel that it is quite important. For those in America, chance for you to keep in touch with Chinese!
Btw, CS, are those 2 group photos in your room yours or your roommate's? And did you learn any Cantonese from him? Haha :)


社论/言论/天下事
2004-10-22
精英请揽镜自照

翁德生
  
前资深常任秘书严崇涛在一篇演讲稿中提到“自满与精英主义,执政党面对的两大危险”,强调“当精英领导国家时,就不应该奉行精英主义,这是错误的决策。因为精英主义代表着精英是优越的,这会导致分化。”

  我国教育是精英教育,是通过分流制因材施教,配合政府的“狮子领导兔子”宗旨,以最高生产力作考量。不可否认的是精英领导的成果,但也得正视精英主义产生的弊端。问题是接受“能者多劳”,任人唯才制度后,如何避免产生精英主义?这才是关键。

  这么多年来,精英主义在不知不觉中滋长,常常有人会对某一些人皱眉头,嗤之以鼻。所以当我看到有个德士司机读者写了一篇好文章登在《联合早报·言论》版(陈金顺《新加坡永远需要强势政府》10月7日),我给作者掌声,也为编辑部叫好。

  言论要经得起考验最重要,个人衔头则次要。本地近来有衔头满天飞现象,然而这种盲目崇拜又再印证了精英主义作祟。

  有些新加坡人多到中国几次后,接触了当地较有文化水平的艺术,便会对本地制作产生极大排斥感,这些也是另类的精英主义。虽然认识优秀的中原文化是可喜的,但也得接受自己国家的现实环境和极限。

  我们能够做的,中国也能够做,而且能做得更好。反而是中国做得到的,我们未必能够做。我们或许永远拍不出导演谢晋、张艺谋的影片,但我们也不用因此而数落自己的制作,只要它忠实完整地反映我们的文化环境,这就够了。

  随着新中人民交往更加频密,我们不能掩饰本身的不足,但力求上进才是务实的做法。所以无论在综艺节目,还是报章里反映的本地特色,都切切实实让外人认识我们。我们当然得不断提升自己,这可是漫漫长路,但在这之前,就得坦诚以真面目面对世界。

  精英们,别一边去“精英”,一边不禁“精英”,精英照镜子,里外勿自相矛盾。精英领导没错,精英主义则大错特错。每个社会都存在不少鸿沟,有种族宗教的,也有贫富的,还加上同族不同年龄层的代沟等。相对来说,我们这里贫富鸿沟不大,特权现象几乎不存在,种族宗教语文源流隔阂却依然存在,精英主义则会加剧社会的分化。

  至今收集民意工作重英文轻华文源流,官方机构或许将华文源流都列为无病呻吟一族,当然也可以解读为官员大都以英文作为工作语文。英文媒体强调他们的读者群代表着社会中上层,可见英语族是主流精英的共识早已在官方民间形成。而在华文源流的精英主义,有一小部分自诩知识分子的,强烈排斥社会底层民声民意。市井当然免不了肤浅之见,但这些真实的声音必须有抒发的空间。

  政治枭雄排斥社会精英,将后者贬为臭老九,古代秦始皇、近代毛泽东,难道真的一无是处是书生?社会需要领导,领导取之政治,民主讲求包容,“海纳百川,有容乃大”。


「 Hiu Yeung posted at 6:29 PM 」
2 Comments

Life In Chicago

Academic Work
It has a busy month for me, doing epsilon-delta proofs all the time and really challenging mathematics. I never expected mathematical induction to be this hard, consider the following:

A group of n mathmatically minded monkeys is imprisoned by a bad genie. They can see each other but are unable to communicate. It so happens that all the monkeys have green eyes but none of them knows the colour of his own eye( they have been brainwashed). The bad genie announces at midnight each night, those who figured out the colour of their own eye will be set free. They became captive for months until a beneficent genie appears and declares," one of you has green eyes" Show that all the clever monkeys can gain freedom in n days. ( Hint: induction, but on what"

Imagine 15-20 of this kind of math questions per week, really cool :) I enjoy the challenge. Academic work is rigorous here, but I like it, though the humanities teachers like to talk cock and sing song too much. Highly quality crap is insight, low quality crap, is well just crap.

Surrounding Environment

The view of lake michigan is really nice here, with sparkling water and dazzling shores. It is a pleasure to stare at the squirrels, while the trees shed their clothing, preparing for their winter best. People are generally nice here and I have yet to be mugged. Though my room is less than desirable as I do not have a good view of the lake, I can take comfort at the fact that my roommate is not gay and a decent human being.


City

Once you visit the museums in Chicago, you WILL NEVER EVER want to visit the Singapore museum. The art collection is so impressive, that even a layman like me is blown away by the sheer beauty and artistry. I just came back from watching Shark Tales, which is a movie that I highly recommend. Walking down the streets of a foreign city at night has that "shi qing hua yi" quality that I enjoy. It is amusing that people think Chicago is a barren land, because the city has so many cultural offerings, so many art galleries, stage, music, that I just don't know where to begin.

Girls

Probably the most exciting topic for most people. The ABCs are not bad here, though I am too busy to even talk to them :) Singapore girls of high standards are high endangered (wait, do they exist?). While there is a decent Singapore girl staying opposite my room , I am probably too busy to know about her. Basically, I don't have any interest in any girls now, disappointing as it seems:)

All right,1.15 am here. Tired and sleepy now. Good luck guys and take care.


「 coolgoh posted at 1:53 PM 」
1 Comments


Last but the not least, the best picture of all, tada! all of the 4K people who steamboated at TK's on 161004 Saturday! Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:31 PM 」
0 Comments


and the guys played cards.. while we girls had a talk under the stars haha. Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:30 PM 」
0 Comments


and we all watched erkin cheng look alike hero fighting game clip Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:29 PM 」
0 Comments


xiaoyang analysing the wine Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:28 PM 」
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KX looks drunk Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:27 PM 」
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Mr TK happily frying his tomatoes Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:18 PM 」
0 Comments


peixuan and soak yee! Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:17 PM 」
0 Comments


shi hui and me! Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:16 PM 」
0 Comments


steamboat! in TK Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:15 PM 」
0 Comments


the 4K guys were unusually weird that night... perhaps, it's their way of missing someone? haha...  Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:14 PM 」
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that's all of us from a far.. like at some chinese restaurant... taken by weihong Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:12 PM 」
0 Comments


all the food! see the tomatoes and mushrooms frying.. haha.  Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:12 PM 」
0 Comments


the other side of the table, kang xun and TK happily frying the dory fillet... Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:11 PM 」
0 Comments


the 4K steamboat dinner!!! Posted by Hello


「 Siew Kuang posted at 12:07 PM 」
0 Comments

dear, i really hope u can show that u appreciate the things i do.... or maybe u dun...


「 WeiHong posted at 10:34 AM 」
0 Comments

Saturday, October 16, 2004

This is not a very good article... and it's a little cliche. But sometimes we do require some reminders, don't we? Of course, the ideas do not apply to teachers only...

社论/言论/天下事
2004-10-11
希望从教师开始


劳悦强

  常言道,教师是灵魂的工程师。其实,魂而真的有灵,则这个魂必定是充满希望的魂灵。没有希望的魂是游魂,是野鬼,是行尸走肉。希望是一种无比的力量,希望是生命,是灵魂。

  教育如果是一种事业,它的一个重要目的就是要给人带来希望。所谓人,当然包括接受教育的人,也就是学生。学生离开学校以后,就是社会的一分子。

  学生受过教育,即使他没有毕业,没有拿到文凭或者学位,如果他所受的教育真的能够在他身上起了教化的作用,那么,教育的影响也就由学生而波及和渗透到社会里去了。因此,教育最终是要给社会带来希望。没有教育,社会也没有前途了。

  然而,教育所带来的希望其实最先是从教师开始的。教师当中自然有形形色色,林林总总的人。对于人生,他们有乐观的,也有悲观的;对于世事,他们有顺适的,也有愤懑的。

  教师们从事教育的动机尽可以大相径庭,但无论如何,如果他们将教育看成是一种事业,他们对人生,对社会应该仍然抱有希望。正因为他们心中有不死的希望,他们才有精神,才有魄力可以当教师。

  对于教师而言,教育工作让他们自己心中的希望之火,可以继续燃烧,发热放光,社会和人生因而得到一点闪烁,甚至一片明亮。

  希望本来只是个人心中的一个意念或者一种愿望;希望必须通过人自己的行为去践履、去充实,才能成为真希望,而真希望往往更可以影响他人。

  只有教师真正相信自己的工作是一种事业,教育才能给他们本人带来真希望。教师的生命有了真希望,他们的人生也就充实了;这时候,他们的人生才真有寄托。

  只有充满希望的生命、充实的人生才能感化别人,给别人带来希望。教师心中没有希望,在他的想像中,自然也不可能有什么日新而止于至善的憧憬。教师自己没有灵魂,试问又如何塑造别人的灵魂呢?

自己先站起来才能“立人”

  我们常常误会孔子是在政治上失意以后才无可奈何从事教育工作的。事实上,孔子三十而立以后,就设立杏坛,广收弟子,开始他有教无类的事业了。

  孔子心中有他明确坚定的憧憬,他设帐授徒并非逼不得已,而是遥有寄托的。

  孔子在教育方面的深远寄托,乃由于他本人能够自立。这也是为什么他30岁以后才从事教育工作的一个重要原因,正如他说的,“己欲立而立人,己欲达而达人”。

  一个人连自己都站不起来,试问又如何帮助别人站起来呢?立人达人不但要给别人带来希望,而且更要帮助别人成就自己。教师给别人带来希望,同时也就实现了自己的希望,充实了自己的人生。

  人怎样才能够自立呢?孔子回顾自己一生,自称30岁才能够自立,而他在15岁就“志于学”了。“志于学”是孔子自立的基础和关键。

  《论语》一开卷,孔子就说:“学而时习之,不亦悦乎?有朋自远方来,不亦乐乎?人不知而不愠,不亦君子乎?”孔子从个人心中不期然的自悦来讲述他的学习经验,这种自悦就是自立的基础,也是自立的精神。

  君子能够自立自悦,所以,他不求人知,当别人不了解他的时候,他并不会愤懑抱怨,他甘于“贞而不谅”,因为他心中早就充溢着悠然自得的自悦。

  君子不怨天,不尤人。只有这样的君子才堪当人师,所以,孔子说:“温故而知新,可以为师矣。”温故就是学而时习之,知新所以心中自悦。

  孔子认为人必须要能在学习的过程中深赏自悦之乐,日后才能够培养出承担事业的魄力和精神。孟子私淑孔子,他说:“得天下之英才而教育之,一乐也。”这应该也是孔子心中的经验。

人不知我也无所谓

  今天心中满怀热情,准备投身教育工作的年轻人,应该好好品味孔子学而时习的精神和不知不愠的胸怀。同时,他们更需要像孔子一样先自立志,先求为可知,否则,他们第一天走进教室,恐怕就受不了学生的“不己知”了。

  兴致勃勃的新教师一心要给学生带来希望,可是,当他们每天面对种种的不为人知,很容易就变得气馁沮丧,不久,他们少壮的热情也许就不期然冷却下来。最后,这些教师可能还会发现自己心中原来也并没有什么淑世化人的希望。

  毕竟,己必先自立然后可以立人,而己欲立又必须心中先有志,先有寄托,先能够自得其乐。

  乐必须从自家心中流出才是恒久的真乐,从学生身上借来的快乐,最终的确只是一时之快,并非真乐。孟子说:“无恒产而有恒心者,惟士为能。”教师是今天的士,只有有“恒心”的人才能够当教师。


  陆游有一首咏梅的小调,题为《卜算子》。词云:“驿外断桥边,寂寞开无主。已是黄昏独自愁,更着风和雨。无意苦争春,一任群芳妒。零落成泥碾作尘,只有香如故。”热心教育的青年人,愿君惜取梅花不管风雨的寂寞幽香。

·作者任职于新加坡国立大学中文系


「 Hiu Yeung posted at 1:15 AM 」
1 Comments

Monday, October 11, 2004

a thought....

THE UNIVERSE:
4. Population


It is known that there are an infinite number of worlds, simply because there is an infinite amount of space for them. However, not every one of them is inhabited. Therefore, there must be a finite number of inhabited worlds. Any finite number divided by infinity is as near to nothing as makes no odds, so the average population of all the planets in the Universe can be said to be zero. From this it follows that the population of the whole Universe is also zero, and that any people you may meet from time to time are merely the products of a deranged imagination.


--The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy


「 ho posted at 7:48 AM 」
2 Comments

Saturday, October 09, 2004

tk said...
do they have a power plug there so we can have steamboat?

SK says...
lol... they don't have power plug lah.. it's all grass! lol. we can go marina south for steamboat den go watch BUTS? heh why the sudden craving for steamboat?? grinz. or we can have a sushi picnic! come on reply quick! i need to book tickets. dun wan also must tell me mah.. den i go watch BUTS on Fri and join u all for steamboat on Sat!!!
Quick! reply!
everybody!


「 Siew Kuang posted at 1:50 PM 」
0 Comments

Sunday, October 03, 2004

What the Modern Woman Wants

By Amanda Chong Wei-Zhen
Winner of the Commonwealth Essay competition

The old woman sat in the backseat of the magenta convertible as it careened down the highway, clutching tightly to the plastic bag on her lap, afraid it may be kidnapped by the wind. She was not used to such speed, with trembling hands she pulled the seatbelt tighter but was careful not to touch the patent leather seats with her callused fingers, her daughter had warned her not to dirty it, 'Fingerprints show very clearly on white, Ma.'

Her daughter, Bee Choo, was driving and talking on her sleek silver mobile phone using big words the old woman could barely understand. 'Finance' 'Liquidation' 'Assets' 'Investments'... Her voice was crisp and important and had an unfamiliar lilt to it. Her Bee Choo sounded like one of those foreign girls on television. She was speaking in an American accent. The old lady clucked her tongue in disapproval.' I absolutely cannot have this. We have to sell!' Her daughter exclaimed agitatedly as she stepped on the accelerator; her perfectly manicured fingernails gripping onto the steering wheel in irritation.' I can't DEAL with this anymore!' she yelled as she clicked the phone shut and hurled it angrily toward the backseat.The mobile phone hit the old woman on the forehead and nestled soundlessly into her lap. She calmly picked it up and handed it to her daughter. 'Sorry, Ma,' she said, losing the American pretence and switching to Mandarin. 'I have a big client in America. There have been a lot of problems. 'The old lady nodded knowingly. Her daughter was big and important.

Bee Choo stared at her mother from the rear view window, wondering what she was thinking. Her mother's wrinkled countenance always carried the same cryptic look.The phone began to ring again, an artificially cheerful digital tune, which broke the awkward silence.'Hello, Beatrice! Yes, this is Elaine.' Elaine. The old woman cringed. I didn't name her Elaine. She remembered her daughter telling her, how an English name was very important for 'networking', Chinese ones being easily forgotten.'Oh no, I can't see you for lunch today. I have to take the ancient relic to the temple for her weird daily prayer ritual. 'Ancient Relic. The old woman understood perfectly it was referring to her. Her daughter always assumed that her mother's silence meant she did not comprehend. 'Yes, I know! My car seats will be reeking of joss sticks!' The old woman pursed her lips tightly, her hands gripping her plastic bag in defence.

The car curved smoothly into the temple courtyard. It looked almost garish next to the dull sheen of the ageing temple's roof. The old woman got out of the backseat, and made her unhurried way to the main hall. Her daughter stepped out of the car in her business suit and stilettos andreapplied her lipstick as she made her brisk way to her mother's side. 'Ma, I'll wait outside. I have an important phone call to make,' she said, not bothering to hide her disgust at the pungent fumes of incense.

The old lady hobbled into the temple hall and lit a joss stick, she knelt down solemnly and whispered her now familiar daily prayer to the Gods. Thank you God of the Sky, you have given my daughter luck all these years. Everything I prayed for, you have given her. She has everything a young woman in this world could possibly want. She has a big house with a swimming pool, a maid to help her, as she is too clumsy to sew or cook. Her love life has been blessed; she is engaged to a rich and handsome angmoh man. Her company is now the top financial firm and even men listen to what she says. She lives the perfect life. You have given her everything except happiness. I ask that the gods be merciful to her even if she has lost her roots while reaping the harvest of success.What you see is not true, she is a filial daughter to me. She gives me a room in her big house and provides well for me. She is rude to me only because I affect her happiness. A young woman does not want to be hindered by her old mother. It is my fault.The old lady prayed so hard that tears welled up in her eyes. Finally, with her head bowed in reverence she planted the half-burnt joss stick into an urn of smouldering ashes. She bowed once more.

The old woman had been praying for her daughter for thirty-two years. When her stomach was round like a melon, she came to the temple and prayed that it was a son. Then the time was ripe and the baby slipped out of her womb, bawling and adorable with fat thighs and pink cheeks, but unmistakably, a girl. Her husband had kicked and punched her for producing a useless baby who could not work or carry the family name. Still, the woman returned to the temple with her new-born girl tied to her waist in a sarong and prayed that her daughter would grow up and have everything she ever wanted.

Her husband left her and she prayed that her daughter would never have to depend on a man.She prayed every day that her daughter would be a great woman, the woman that she, meek and uneducated, could never become. A woman with nengkan; the ability to do anything she set her mind to. A woman who commanded respect in the hearts of men. When she opened her mouth to speak, precious pearls would fall out and men would listen.She will not be like me, the woman prayed as she watched her daughter grow up and drift away from her, speaking a language she scarcely understood. She watched her daughter transform from a quiet girl, to one who openly defied her,calling her laotu; old-fashioned. She wanted her mother to be 'modern', a word so new there was no Chinese word for it.

Now her daughter was too clever for her and the old woman wondered why she had prayed like that. The gods had been faithful to her persistent prayer, but the wealth and success that poured forth so richly had buried the girl's roots and now she stood, faceless, with no identity, bound to the soil of her ancestors by only a string of origami banknotes.Her daughter had forgotten her mother's values. Her wants were so ephemeral; that of a modern woman. Power, Wealth, access to the best fashion boutiques, and yet her daughter had not found true happiness. The old woman knew that you could find happiness with much less. When her daughter left the earth everything she had would count for nothing. People would look to her legacy and say that she was a great woman, but she would be forgotten once the wind blows over, like the ashes of burnt paper convertibles and mansions.The old woman wished she could go back and erase all her big hopes and prayers for her daughter; now she had only one want: That her daughter be happy.

She looked out of the temple gate. She saw her daughter speaking on the phone, her brow furrowed with anger and worry. Being at the top is not good, the woman thought, there is only one way to go from there - down.The old woman carefully unfolded the plastic bag and spread out a packet of beehoon in front of the altar. Her daughter often mocked her for worshipping porcelain Gods. How could she pray to them so faithfully and expect pieces of ceramic to fly to her aid? But her daughter had her own gods too, idols of wealth, success and power that she was enslaved to and worshipped every day of her life. Every day was a quest for the idols, and the idols she worshipped counted for nothing in eternity. All the wants her daughter had would slowly suck the life out of her and leave her, an empty soulless shell at the altar.The old lady watched her joss stick. The dull heat had left a teetering grey stem that was on the danger of collapsing. Modern woman nowadays, the old lady sighed in resignation, as she bowed to the east one final time to end her ritual. Modern woman nowadays want so much that they lose their souls and wonder why they cannot find it.Her joss stick disintegrated into a soft grey powder.

She met her daughter outside the temple, the same look of worry and frustration was etched on her daughter's face. An empty expression, as if she was ploughing through the soil of her wants looking for the one thing that would sow the seeds of happiness. They climbed into the convertible in silence and her daughter drove along the highway, this time not as fast as she had done before. Ma,' Bee Choo finally said. 'I don't know how to put this. Mark and I have been talking about it and we plan to move out of the big house. The property market is good now, and we managed to get a buyer willing to pay seven million for it. We decided we 'd prefer a cosier penthouse apartment instead. We found a perfect one in Orchard Road. Once we move in to our apartment we plan to get rid of the maid, so we can have more space to ourselves...' The old woman nodded knowingly. Bee Choo swallowed hard. 'We'd get someone to come in to do the housework and we can eat out-but once the maid is gone, there won't be anyone to look after you. You will be awfully lonely at home and, besides that, the apartment is rather small. There won't be space. We thought about it for a long time, and we decided the best thing for you is if you moved to a Home. There's one near Hougang-it's a Christian home, a very nice one.'The old woman did not raise an eyebrow. 'I've been there, the matron is willing to take you in. It's beautiful with gardens and lots of old people to keep you company! I hardly have time for you, you'd be happier there.''You'd be happier there, really.' Her daughter repeated as if to affirm herself.

This time the old woman had no plastic bag of food offerings to cling tightly to; she bit her lip and fastened her seat belt, as if it would protect her froma daughter who did not want her anymore. She sunk deep into the leather seat, letting her shoulders sag, and her fingers trace the white seat.'Ma?' her daughter asked, searching the rear view window for her mother. 'Is everything okay?' What had to be done, had to be done. 'Yes,' she said firmly, louder than she intended, 'if it will make you happy,' she added more quietly.'It's for you, Ma! You'll be happier there. You can move there tomorrow, I already got the maid to pack your things.' Elaine said triumphantly, mentallyticking yet another item off her agenda.'I knew everything would be fine.'Elaine smiled widely; she felt liberated. Perhaps getting rid of her mother would make her happier. She had thought about it. It seemed the only hindrance in her p ursuit of happiness. She was happy now. She had everything a modern woman ever wanted; Money, Status, Career, Love,Power and now, Freedom, without her mother and her old-fashioned ways to weigh her down...Yes, she was free. Her phone buzzed urgently, she picked it up and read the message, still beaming from ear to ear. 'Stocks 10% increase!'Yes, things were definitely beginning to look up for her...And while searching for the meaning of life in the luminance of her hand phonescreen, the old woman in the backseat became invisible, and she did not see the tears.


「 Siew Kuang posted at 2:45 PM 」
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