Teacher from the past

Bumped into my form teacher from primary school today. Quite a coincidence. Actually, I saw her a few times before recently (from a distance), just that it has been many years (about twenty years) since she was my form teacher, and I wasn't sure if it was her. Today, it just so happens that I walked past her, and I decided to ask. Turns out that I was correct, it is her. Glad to see my form teacher still well. In my rush, I forgot to ask for her contact number, but nevermind, I am sure I will be able to bump into her again.

Pain as a teacher

Pain is a good teacher.

When a child burns himself, he learns that fire is hot and can hurt. When a child falls off the table, he learns that high places are dangerous. When you didn't catch your teacher's instructions and have to rewrite your assignment, you learn the importance of paying attention. When you shout back at a customer and lose your job, you learn the importance of patience. In Kingdom of Heaven, after taking his oath of knighthood, Balian was slapped by father, so that he remembers his oath. Pain as a teacher to help him remember his oath.

Pain is a good (effective) teacher, for we all remember the lessons most painful.

But pain is not the only teacher. That, we must always remember. There are more than one way to teach someone lessons that he will remember.

Kingdom of Heaven (film)

Caught this on DVD recently. It is a show called Kingdom of Heaven, about a young man who took over his father's land in the promised land. It is about chivalry, it is about knights, it is about the Crusades, about Saladin. I like the large scale fight scenes of knights on horses, cavalry charges, castle sieges. A good movie to enjoy the large scale battles, especially if you like medieval era shows. It has a bit of historic truth to it, though not everything in the movie is as per what happened in history.

Why learn from a teacher

While I don't think that it is impossible to teach yourself a skill through reading, I think it is a lot more efficient to learn from a teacher. Especially when you are first starting out.

You can imitate what is written in a book, but you never know if what you are producing is good or bad unless someone else tells you. That is what a teacher is for. He tells you your mistakes so that you can improve on them, nipping them in the bud before they become bad habits. He tells you your good points so that you can continue to do so.

Without a teacher, you won't know your good points or your mistakes until someone points it out to you. By then, your mistakes may have already become a habit, and old habits are hard to change.

Writing down to make you think

Writing down what you think helps you to think. In fact, by writing it down, it forces you to go through the thought process to think through things. Instead of it remaining an inkling, when you write things down, you are forced to form it into proper sentences, forced to work it into a logical sequence. You are forced to think through it to make it logical, about why A leads to B.

Thus, the next time you have an inkling, write it down. Don't just let it remain an inkling that is hard to grasp, let it develop into something logical and well-thought out.

By the rules

I think it is important to play by the rules. So what if you lose? It means that you have not developed the correct skills (or attained the correct skill level) to win under those rules. You then have two options: work on improving your skills, or find a way to win by going around the rules.

The shortcut is to go around the rules. Highly recommended if you cannot take the ego beating of losing. But it isn't going to improve your game or your skills. In order to continue to win in the future, you have to continue to go around the rules.

You can of course continue to take the beating and continue to lose, but each time you lose, ask yourself what were your mistakes, and how can you thus improve your game. Each time you lose, if you do some self-reflection, you learn about your weaknesses and thus you can work on improving them. Eventually, you will improve in your skills and your game, and win by the rules.

Iaido club in Singapore

I have gotten queries about where to learn iaido in Singapore before. Well, I don't know, but I think as of now, there isn't such a place. I have, however, suggested that it may be possible to get together a few who know iaido to practise together, and those interested can follow along.

I met up with someone (KLW) today to discuss this possibility, and just to consolidate what I think would be the way ahead after the discussion.

Those interested in iaido can form a club, whereby those who have learnt iaido can coach those who are interested in learning. Senior club members can teach the junior ones. If there are enough club members and they are interested in getting a sensei from Japan to come down for a coaching session, the members can pool together a sum of money and invite a sensei over. We probably will be able to get someone from Esaka-sensei's group to come down.

For equipment, those with iaito can practise with them (if they are confident). Else, we would suggest starting with wooden swords before progressing to iaito. The only other essential piece of equipment is a belt (obi). I would think we can start with any karate/taekwando belt first, no need to get a proper one, since I don't think they are available in Singapore. For those who want, they can get themselves a kendo hakama and a karate/taekwando dogi (top only). Of course, if you want to order a proper set of iaido gear from Japan, I think we probably will be able to arrange something (though it will likely cost something that a beginner is probably going to be unwilling to part with).

Those interested in getting an iaito can buy one in Japan (you have to fly there yourself). Buy one, bring it into Singapore, declare it at the airport to the customs (you cannot leave the airport with it), and the police will call you to collect it at Police HQ (Cantonment Street) when it is ready for collection. You need to pay a licence fee when you collect your iaito.

The challenge is in finding a place. KLW is currently trying to see if we can get a place at Tanglin CC, but if not, I suggest we can pool together and rent a dance studio at any community centre on a regular basis for practice. Alternatively, if any of the club members happen to have access to a suitable location (school hall, function room, etc.) we can use those as well.

Cost breakdown
Initial starting cost: about $50 for wooden sword and belt (I think)
Monthly rental: ??? (maybe $200-$300 a month, to be shared by all members)
Optional: $400 and more for iaito, maybe about $200 for a set of hakama/dogi (you should be able to get a feel of this searching the Internet)

Do leave a comment here if you are interested in joining such a club, with a bit of details (such as if you have learnt iaido before, and if yes, what dan/school are you, plus if you have access to suitable practice locations). If there is enough response for something feasible, who knows, we may be able to start the first iaido club in Singapore.

New Year in Japan 2010

Like last year, we spent the new year in Japan. This was the sight that welcomed me on 1st January 2010. The sight of the majestic Mount Fuji, as seen from the living room of my in-laws' place. This year, the new year period was a very cold period (it was snowing heavily all over Japan, except for the Kanto area). Arriving at Narita airport clad only in a long-sleeve t-shirt (I checked in my jacket since it was bulky and Singapore was hot) wasn't really the best idea. But somehow, I managed to survive the cold.

There is also the new year food (osechi), very traditional. In a way, the new year is a period of rest, even for housewives, so the food is prepared in advance and meant to last for a day or two.
Hatsumode (初詣) was at Kashima Shrine too! This year, we went on New Year Day itself. Except that this time, it is with the baby, all wrapped up to withstand the cold.
And we did the annual trip to Kawasaki Taishi. To pray for a good year ahead, as well as the enjoy the food at the street market there. Guess which is the main reason?
And another picture of Mount Fuji, on another day, a slightly different look, but just as majestic.

A leap of faith for Sumiko Tan

Just a follow up post from a previous one, in which I thought something might be brewing up for Sumiko Tan when her old crush reappeared in her life.

Well, in her article "New Year, New Start" published in The Sunday Times today (10 Jan 2010), it seems that she is pondering whether to take the leap of faith and enter a relationship again (and risk the heartaches, etc.) or to play it safe. Seems like the old crush has been making advances, and she is enjoying the attention.

And yup, she knows to watch the "post-Christmas breakup syndrome", which is why she is giving herself some time to see if it is just the lonely holiday season that is playing her up, or whether there is something there deeper down.

All the best, Sumiko Tan! Go, go, go!

PS. Can someone point me to a link of the article?

PPS. If I were her and a guy does all that for me (send me cake for birthday even though we are time zones apart), celebrate Christmas with me over Skype, and uses Skype to countdown to the new year together, I would take the leap of faith. But I am an easily satisfied person and a romantic.

Taxi driver's blog

An interesting blog here:
A Singapore Taxi Driver's Diary

Too much good food

Too much of anything is never good.

Have you gotten sick (as in not wanting to eat anymore) from eating too much good food?

Over the new year, I was in Japan visiting the in-laws (photos will follow...) and they prepared a feast over the few days that we were there. Knowing I am a meat-lover, there was Japanese beef and pork and chicken... Japanese beef and pork is very fatty (and therefore very delicious) and I had so much that I ended up not wanting more... stopped halfway after eating too much shabu shabu, and couldn't finish my plate of stir-fried pork.

I guess moderation is everything. I am going to have to exercise a lot to get rid of all that fat consumed. The Japanese probably live long lives because they eat such good food in moderation (most of the time it is simple plain fare) and I guess I need to remind my in-laws that while I appreciate them doting on me, the healthier option may be the better option.

Thanks ANA!

Just want to thank the stewardesses (especially Yamamoto-san) on ANA Flight 901 that departed Tokyo on 9 Jan 2010. Thanks for going out of the way to help us in handling the little "emergency" when the baby dirtied himself twice onboard the plane.

船歌 by 齐豫

姐儿头上戴着杜鹃花
迎着风儿随浪逐彩霞
船儿摇过春水不说话
水乡温柔何处是我家
船儿摇过春水不说话
随着歌儿划向梦里的他
嘴儿轻轻唱呀不说话
水乡温柔像那梦里的画
嘴儿轻轻唱呀唱不休
年华飘过歌声似水流
船儿摇过春水不停留
摇到风儿吹波天凉的秋
船儿摇过春水不停留
鱼儿双双结伴水底游
谁的船歌唱的声悠悠
水乡温柔来到天凉的秋
唱不休似水流不停留天凉的秋
不停留水底游声悠悠天凉的秋
谁的船歌唱的声悠悠
谁家姑娘水乡泛扁舟
谁的梦中他呀不说话呀
谁的他呀归处是我家

(Yet another song that I like by Qi Yu.)

生命过客 by 童安格

在拥挤的街头
你在忙碌的追求什么
在孤寂的角落
你知道失去的也多

在拥有的角落
你是否曾经好好珍惜
在失去的时候
是否依然那么在意
一生要失败几回
才知道成功的意义
一生要爱过几回
才了解爱的真谛
一生要失败几回
才知道成功的意义
一生要爱过几回
才了解爱的真谛

问情 by 蔡幸娟

山川载不动太多悲哀
岁月禁不起太长的等待
春花最爱向风中摇摆
黄沙偏要将痴和怨掩埋
一世的聪明情愿糊涂
一身的遭遇向谁诉
爱到不能爱聚到终须散
繁华过后成一梦啊
海水永不乾天也望不穿
红尘一笑和你共徘徊

(You will probably remember this song from the TV drama series 戏说乾隆.)

Welcome 2010!

Happy New Year! Wishing everyone a good year ahead! May your wishes come true in 2010!