Category: Uncategorized

Yes, our own local version of English has again being elevated to the global stage by none other than the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)!

Singlish is an English-based creole language spoken in Singapore. It is a confirmation of our multi-ethnicity culture, where the language of all the major races (Chinese, Malay, Indian and English) are mixed together in a “rojak” (salad) fashion that is unique to us. Some say that it even improves the efficiency of the communication process by minimizing words to effectively convey the same message.

Earlier this week, OED has again added new Singlish words into its global new words list for September 2016, to the pride of our citizens. In this round, the following words have been included : Ah Beng (stereotype Chinese man), Aiyah/Aiyoh (irritated exclamations), Atas (high class), Char Kway Teow (a type of fried noodles), Hongbao (a red packet) and Kopitiam (coffee shop).

The government has been trying to stamp down on Singlish for the longest time, calling it an uncouth bastardized version of English which a good student should avoid. But it has continued to thrive as an underground language to the dismay of the authorities. If you can’t beat them, you might as well join them then. Its uniqueness is now seen as our pride and joy. A new citizen is seen to have truly integrated into the local society if his mastery of Singlish is now steady pom pi pi (well prepared)…

 

 

 

A visit to the dentist used to always scare the shit out of me and it still does, to a certain extent.

No thanks to the horrible experience I had when I was a young boy. At that time, all schools had an ad hoc dental clinic that was manned by nurses who were not too skilled. We kids trembled whenever our names were called.

During one time, the nurse who attended to me was supposed to do a tooth extraction. She had a big problem with getting it out and therefore decided to firstly crack the bad tooth into 3 pieces before yanking each chunk out, one at a time. The pain was so intense for me that I almost screamed in pain with tears flowing like a river. My mouth was literally filled with blood by then and I looked like a freaked out zombie. That traumatic episode tainted me for life and my fear of dental visits persisted.

My family members were generally born with a good set of teeth, except me. My tooth enamel was softer than normal. As a result, most of my teeth were chipped. My mum did ask a doctor about it and he suspected that it might have been caused by the Chinese medicine that she took while she was pregnant. Throughout my childhood, I tried to perfect my smile without showing any teeth, like Lee Majors from “The Six Million Dollar Man” TV show. One of my cousins eventually became a dentist and he decided to provide pro bono dental work for me, just before I started my undergraduate days.

With better technology nowadays, a dental appointment is much easier and less agonising for me, at least until I hear the sound of the drill and I become that 9-year-old again.

Guess what, I have a dental appointment today…

 

 

 

Over my 26 years career, I have been on both sides of the interviewer/interviewee fence for countless times and I am still learning.

For a new graduate, some basic interviewee rules to follow would be to dress appropriately, never to be late, pay attention and try to do some homework on the company and if possible, the interviewer as well. Do also prepare some questions to ask to show your keen interest in bringing the discussions further along. Always aim to strike some form of chemistry with the interviewer (watch the body language) and be ready to engage in a common area of interest when the opportunity arises. It is never easy to try to second guess the person and don’t be afraid to ask for further clarification. The tone may be softened by saying : “I may be wrong, but can you elaborate further on ….”. The tricks of the trade are learned through experience and the more you practise, the better you can get.

On the other side, there is the interviewer. To me, it is common courtesy that I should prepare for each interview by making an effort to review the CV beforehand and take down a few pointers that I want to expand on or to clarify. I think it is downright rude whenever an interviewee realised that the person in front of him had not even bothered to read his well prepared CV prior to the meeting. The meeting is a waste of time when one realises that the interviewer is just going through the motion to get the meeting over with. The first round of shortlisted candidates is usually culled by the HR team. The line manager then reviews the list, usually no more than a few minutes per CV, before he agrees to meet up with a few chosen ones.

Like golf, there is never the perfect interview. Each is unique on its own. One should look at an interview as a new adventure and as an opportunity to hone and sharpen our communication skills.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nowadays, business paranoia exists even for the number 1 company in any particular field.

Either you are number 1 and constantly striving to stay on top, or your biggest competitor (Number 2) will be hot on your heels to take you out on a double or nothing pursue of business supremacy. Country borders are meaningless. Businesses these days transcend all boundaries.

Look at Apple and Samsung – both are constantly fighting it out to stay on top of their game in handphones. It is a take no prisoners approach. Elon Musk’s Tesla, SolarCity and SpaceX are constantly doubling down to be number one. They are their own worst enemy, setting audacious goals which a normal CEO would not dare to promise.

In most sectors in today’s world, one hardly hears about the number 3, 4 or 5 competitors. The top 2 guys will battle it out to kill each other and the rest of the players are just by-product road kill. Like Uber and Didi in China recently, where billions were spent. Uber finally calling it quits a year later.

Where does it leave the rest of the competitors? They should be very very afraid that the rug might be pulled from under them any day soon. Fintech startups are obviously trying to do that now to all banks. Any industry with an inefficient matching system is ripe for a new tech startup to disrupt and collapse their big profit margins. They are always around the corner, waiting to sneak up upon the unsuspecting fat and bloated old timers.

We are witnessing the beginning of the acceleration of the next new new thing(s). Where innovations once upon a time only comes once every few years, we are going to see many new killer apps coming fast and furious very soon.  Hang on to your seats!

 

 

 

Yup folks, it’s finally here.

Released 2 days ago, there were little surprises as most of what were leaked out over the months actually came true. How can you ever keep a secret nowadays as everyone is carrying a smartphone camera and Apple trying to produce millions of them for the launch date? Anyway, the production factories already employ a few hundred thousand people to assemble the final product.

My 2-year-old iPhone 6 is starting to show wear and tear signs : the battery was already replaced twice and Bluetooth signal is patchy. Perhaps these “perceived” excuses make it easier to convince me to change phones …  I have been doing Apple phone swaps for every 2 generation since my first iPhone purchase in 2008.

The upgrades are less painful financially now, thanks to websites like Carousell where we can hive off old phones without being rip off by middlemen. The indicative price of my old iPhone 6 is about $400-500, which will help offset my new contract renewal with the carrier, plus the $100 discount voucher they are throwing in for new phones.

Managed to get into the priority queue of the carrier and target date of my new toy delivery is next Friday. I have decided on getting the iPhone 7 Plus 128 GB in the latest jet black colour. Meanwhile, I have just completed my shopping on Qoo10 for the new iPhone 7+ covers and protective glass screens. It’s a nice way to begin a long weekend 😉

 

My older boy turns 17 today.

I can’t believe that he is now a teenager, on his way to becoming a young man soon. It seems like just yesterday that I was carrying him in my arms. He was my regular breakfast buddy when he was a toddler as my wife had to take care of the younger one. We ate lotsa noodles and soft-boiled eggs and had many great father-son bonding sessions. I taught him to listen to rock music and shake his head like a mad man in the car and he dutifully followed my actions.

We shared the same bedroom and I always looked forward to our play time before bed. He will pretend to be Superman and be flying in the air as I balanced him with my arms and legs to make him “airborne”. We tickled each other and did fun things together, like pasting stickers on each other’s face. He was always game to try all my cooking experiments. I just need to tell him that the food tasted lovely and he will attack it with gusto.

School was never a problem for him as his absorption of knowledge was always good. Teachers liked him for his enthusiasm and curiosity. He made it to the softball team and the tough training sessions were physically good for him. By the time he was 15, he was already taller than his old man.

Son, you still have a long life journey ahead of you. As parents, we tend to want to always protect you from the bad things but sometimes, you need to face up to them yourself. These experiences will mould you into a stronger person. I hope that over the years, we have provided you with a strong foundation and inbuilt in you a solid framework to help you face your future courageously. We love you, son.

 

 

Yes, tonight we will know what Apple will be launching next.

Tonight is where they do their marketing spin on new products, ahead of the year-end consumer buying spree. Interesting note : is it me or are all new phones and laptops starting to look like Apple nowadays?

What is known so far : iPhone 7 will do away with the audio plug, battery life will be 15% more and the 7+ will have a dual camera feature for better photos and videos. This is aimed at getting iPhone 6 owners to upgrade. 6S people should wait for another year as the rumoured 2017 model is expected to dazzle Apple fans even more as it will be the 10th anniversary of the iPhone next year. Improvements on the Apple Watch and the release of a new IOS is expected to be revealed tonight.

Samsung screwed up on its recent Note 7 launch due to the battery fault and the recall will probably dent its bottom line by at least $1.5 billion. Sony also launched its latest model this week but the initial market response was lukewarm.

My 6 is already giving me problems after 2 years. Bluetooth connectivity is patchy and shadows appear on the screen. The lifecycle of phones seem to be getting shorter and batteries don’t last as long anymore. A 7+ with its bigger battery and a new dual camera would be my new tech purchase this month 😉

 

I am perturbed, sad and angry at the same time.

Within 10 days last month, 2 teenagers from my son’s junior college took their own lives. It is such a tragedy that I wished we could have prevented them from happening. One of them hinted about her depression in her personal blog, questioning her very existence. The other case seems to be linked to a relationship issue.

The latest report from SOS stated that 27 kids age between 10 and 19 ended their lives last year in S’pore, the highest in 15 years. It was 13 in 2014. As a parent myself, this data is so alarming. Why do teenagers think that suicide is an escape option nowadays?

I remember as a 17-year-old, perhaps due to the hormonal changes and first-time exposure to a wider school audience, I did question the meaning of life. I was very confused and at a loss about my purpose in this world. What is the point of studying? Thankfully, a good friend managed to straighten me out. He recognized what I was experiencing and shared that it was a phase that every teenager had to go through, even for himself. He made me feel that I was not alone and that this episode will pass. It gave me the strength to toughen it out and it worked.

Recently, I reminded my boys again that suicide must NEVER be an option. Nothing in life warrants the taking of one’s life. You have to think of your loved ones whom you will have condemned them to suffer and regret for life because of your selfish action.

Mummy and daddy’s door is always open and that we are a listening ear for all your troubles. Do remember that, please.