When you have very deep pockets or hidden resources, you don’t really need to worry much or make any major decisions. Many things have already been well taken care of. You can get someone to carry your baggage and others to be your advance-party to prepare your route ahead. You just need to take your time to enjoy the scenery and landscape as you stroll along leisurely to the next rest-point where everything is prepared and waiting for you.
You may be still thinking about your next move or just pondering how to overcome your current challenges.
Now you can take an extra day off to decide.
Wishing everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
In our uncertain and ever-changing landscape, three things are
certain.
We cannot turn back or turn back the clock and many outcomes don’t
turn out as we have expected. While very few plan ahead in detail their routes
using roadmaps and game strategies, many just take each day as a new adventure
and face any challenges as they come. Most avoid thinking and just follow the
crowds to get by. Whichever way you prefer, it’s your decision. It’s your call.
Your journey may be challenging and steep. Hold on tight and take care on every
step you make!
Friends or no friend, life must goes on.
We cannot rely on friends to help us as they have their own
baggage too. We can only rely on family to help and share the load.
If you have lots of baggage, your life could be a lot harder. More
stressful when your load is getting heavier and your journey still looks never ending. One way to keep the mind
mentally strong is to take regular breaks at the side. It’s ok to watch and let
others overtake you. As you enjoy the breeze and recover physically, you can also
do something enjoyable or amusing to energize your mind. Only when the body and
mind are fully ‘charged’ can one continue to move forward in the harsh terrain
ahead.
On this topic of sense of humour: you either have it or you don’t.
It’s already developed inside your personality. It can’t be taught or learned.
Honestly speaking, I don’t have it.
This explains why I have so few friends.
Now is not the time for humour or games but to keep up with our vigilance and be socially responsible.
When one gets it, it’s no laughing matter!
I’m very concern when strangers stand very
close to me or some ‘mindless’ people touching everything and buying nothing in
shops and supermarkets. Why they behave like that? Sigh! :(
We are living in difficult times.
Yet Uncle LIM told me, “It’s good to have some humor during this
difficult time.”
Not so easy when many things are going wrong right at the same
time and many are stressed with daily challenges and hardships affecting their livelihoods.
But it is still possible for anyone to be humorous if one has the ability
to control the mind like a tap: to turn it on or off when we like. 😊 Not so easy, isn’t it?
Talks and pledges are cheap.
They achieve nothing for climate change. Also no penalty for breaking old promises or non-action. Politicians are just playing games for their own hidden agendas and gains.
I could only do so little to help climate change:
Removed and returned my air-con (to scrap yard).
Refuse to use food delivery.
Reuse & reuse my containers for food take-away.
Reuse others’ old gadgets.
Recycle & reuse plastic-containers.
Refuse to buy new clothing (this is my 10th-year of
endurance!).
Refuse to buy drinks in plastic bottles.
Refuse to buy non-essential item.
Resell non-essential items for coffee money.
Refuse to take plastic bags at retails & supermarkets.
Repair, repair & repair my old computers till the repairman kept scratching his head & gave me weird looks. Even my friends laughed at me. 😊
 This medium of exchange is the most essential now, especially in
current difficult times. But many are not prepared and are currently struggling with loss of jobs, income and livelihoods. My thought on this is: Money is not everything. Without money, we are nothing! ☹Nothing to count. 😊Nothing to hide. ☹Nothing to show off. ☹Nothing to celebrate. 😊Nothing to think about what to buy. 😊Nothing becomes waste to worsen climate change. |
It’s the new norm these days that everything is going perfectly wrong
all at the same time. Sigh!
It’s getting really tough for everyone here.
You see these things keep rising or about to rise again in the
coming weeks or months:
Pump prices
Food prices
Bus and train fares
Health care costs
Insurance premiums
Energy costs
………………
Stress level & blood pressure…
Someone once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle, you have to
keep moving forward.” This is quite true. However, it’s better to sometimes pause
for a moment to take a step back and look at the big picture. Maybe one could see
ideas or big opportunities to make things better. Many saw opportunities but
failed to take actions. But if we cannot see any opportunity or possibility,
how can we take action? I discovered this wisdom too late on my own! This
explains why I’m still perspiring and struggling inside the mad rat-race with
no finish-line in sight! Sigh!
The outside world right now is quite chaotic and uncertain. Some people have already ended their journey. Many others are facing real difficulties and challenges in the current unprecedented tough times. Most are in survival mode and preserving their resources to outlast this pandemic. The ‘invisible enemy’ is still raging out there, please be vigilant and do the right thing.
What’s the difference between difficulty and challenge?
Well, when something is doable or achievable, it’s called a
challenge. If not, then it’s called a difficulty.
For example, it’s very difficult to spot litterbugs in public places and is very
challenging to change their habits without pain. It’s also very difficult to
convince everyone to wear a face-mask correctly and it’s extremely challenging to
ensure that people stick to it even when nobody is checking.
It’s a challenge to deal and handle very difficult people! ☹
是困难还是挑战？见人见智！
简单来说：
容易解决的问题叫挑战, 不能解决的问题叫困难。
员工每天面对的是困难, 老版有时面对的是挑战。
穷人想要走出困难, 有钱人急要跳进挑战。
要改变别人很有挑战，要改变自己很困难！
下一课: 不要放弃😊
Our mothership is charging ahead against waves after waves of uncertainties.
Nobody knows what our captain is really thinking. Perhaps, our ship is running
out of fuel, so needs to charge ahead. Everyone feels the severe toss and
bounce due to the sudden changing of speed and vigorous twists and turns in this
voyage. Now our ship is full of holes
and many have fallen into deep water and left to fight for themselves. From official
count yesterday, 224 people did not make it!
Someone once said: Life is like the ocean, it goes up and down. It’s
more relevant to say: One can bully the mountain but not the ocean. ☹
When top management keeps changing their plans and directions with
twists and turns, workers suffer the most. Bosses either took the wrong advice
from “experts”, never consult others or do not really know what’s happening on
the ground. When this happens, workers are constantly being pressurized,
stressed, and are often burnt-out!
It’s “do or die” in current unpredictable times, one has to think
and make own judgment and “do the right thing.”
Many people are like me, confused and disrupted by this pandemic.
If you’re a runner, it’s like your road ahead has been blocked or
has disappeared suddenly.
If you’re in business, your cash flow in-tap is running dry and
your expense bucket is leaking continuously from the bottom.
If you’re a worker WFH, one-third of your working hours are either
spent on online shopping portals or resting on your bed/couch!
If you’re a student, your home is now your class room and your
teachers and classmates can only appear on your small screen.
If you’re a retired senior, you’re feeling like being stranded on
a small remote island with nothing and you keep looking and waiting for the
rescue ship to arrive to pick you up!
Many may have misunderstood or sold the wrong info that “vaccination protects oneself and loved ones”. This motto is not entirely true.
Many vaccinated people are infected with mild or no symptom and they then infect others without knowing. Many thought they are well and it’s back to normal doing no-mask activities. This explains the high infection rate and fatality rate here with clusters everywhere! Showing clusters on our map is useless because our island is so small, where can one run to hide?
Now, the main focus is no longer on vaccination or booster-shot. It’s whether you’re tested before events/activities or even going to work. Soon, this would be made mandatory and the norm, perhaps even for dining-in. Vaccination status would be of no use. This explains why there is a serious shortage of ART test-kits here just like we had the face-mask shortage 18 months ago! Sigh!
Many years ago, I wanted to re-make a popular Chinese movie based on a novel by the renowned novelist JinYong. The output was to be used to train co-workers on new management tools and concepts.
I was the Creative Director and was bold enough to use a French
actor as the lead. He spoke very little Chinese and his only Chinese phrase was
“朋友，你好吗?” Half-way through
the project, a new boss took over. Budget was cut and many restrictions were
imposed. I could not do many things as I’d planned and wished for. He even
deployed his men in black to monitor and track my every move. Sigh!
Soon after, people started to leave for good, including myself. This
movie was never completed but those who previewed the earlier movie clips, many
just laughed and gave me their thumbs-up. 😊
(Read the full story inside my 2nd-book)
Buy my books here at LINK: leefhCaricatures - Store (webs.com)
Here, the daily infection rate is four-figures despite the high
vaccination rate of 82%.
Daily fatality is climbing at a faster rate!
In the past when the vaccination rate is low, control and restrictions were high and fatality rate was low. Now, it’s the opposite. Something is not right.
When you don’t have a roadmap and the road ahead is uncertain with
many twists and turns, do you go fast or go slow?
Do you want to use a new driver on the job to manoeuver a vehicle
he uses for the first time?
Many people are confused at the moment due to the frequent
changing of gears and the radio blasting different and conflicting instructions
every other day!
Sigh!
Everyone must stay vigilant at all times and reduce or minimize no-mask exposure outside.
I was giving my opening speech in a crowded gallery exhibiting my artworks
for the first time. Suddenly a group of government men (they all worn long-sleeve
shirt with a pass on lanyard) burst through the main door looking for me.
Everyone panicked and dispersed to the nearest exit doors to escape. I grabbed
my most expensive art pieces and fled to the emergency exit door at the rear.
When I opened the door, a group of men was already waiting for me. I could see the
smiles on their eyes (all were wearing facemasks of course). They were there to
take me in for questioning for the public display of my satirical political
cartoons. Then I felt a chill on my back and my clothes became wet. I woke up from
my sleep in cold sweat!
Many could not and would not forget the horrifying terror attacks
today, twenty years ago.
The Americans may have withdrawn from Afghanistan after 20 years,
terrorism may be on the rise again in the coming years as many have had fled
the country as refugees, settling in foreign countries and preparing for the
next attack. There is a Chinese saying: 名枪易挡, 暗箭难防, meaning it’s easier to
deflect attack in daylight, it’s harder to prevent attack during the night!
Everyone has to be vigilant and be prepared to run!
We have 2 ears but only one mouth. So one should talk less and
listen more. Especially so when we are unfamiliar with the topic conversed. IMO,
it looks cool and smart to remain silent than to ‘talk rubbish’ that confirms
your weaknesses. Of course when your boss asks you for your opinion on some
topics, you have to think quick on your feet and give something in response! If
you have nothing to give, just say something humorous to get by or divert the
topic.
When
my boss tells the truth. He is honest and complete even if we don’t like what
is said.
But
when I tell the truth and my boss doesn’t like it, I’m finished.
When
I tell the truth and our ‘big bro’ doesn’t like it, I’m completely finished!
The
lesson to learn here is: be smart but don’t openly show it. One can survive
longer in the market.
When
I was a kid, I was fearless. I say and do what I liked. I learned via the hard
way.
When
I was in the army, I was fearsome. I didn’t need to say a word, yet soldiers
had to salute me when they passed me. Now that I’m older, I’m fearful to say or
do the wrong thing. These days, I try to say less and use my artwork more to express
my thoughts and feelings. Even this, some friends warned me not to put my brand
name on my creations as they might bring un-invited outcomes. Hmm…..
If
you have both health and wealth, kudos to you. You’ve have made it. Enjoy your
every day.
If
you have wealth but no health, you can use some of your wealth to take care of
your health.
If
you have health but no wealth, you have to continue your work to try to
accumulate wealth. Everyone says 'health is wealth'.
If
you have no health and no wealth, so sorry to hear that. Perhaps you can ask
for help.
Unless one has very deep pockets or hidden wealth, nobody could retire here due to the high cost of living. The key to survival is re-training or ‘re-tyre-ring’ to learn new skills for new jobs. Some seniors cannot find skills that interest them or are not so keen. At times, they have to take on risky and dangerous jobs to get by. This is the real world of high-expenses vs no or low income for seniors!
To excel in sport, one must start from young and do it full-time. Unless your parents have very deep pockets or someone sponsors you, very few could take this path. Every parent knows that sport careers are very short. Even shorter when one sustains injuries. So time, energy and resources are split among work, study, other commitments to prepare them for their next careers after retirement from sport. This is the main reason why we cannot be a sport powerhouse. Dream on.
Age does matter and it matters a lot in sports, in employment and many other physical activities. Whoever says it’s not does not belong to the real world. It’s just a common phrase used by old people who have finished the rat race and those who wants to comfort oneself to feel better going through the aging path.
I’d tried my best in sports with some regrets.
In secondary school, I tried to join the soccer team. The coach
told me my legs were too short, so cannot. Then I wanted to join the basketball
team. I was told my height was below the standard. Cannot also. Then I went to
join the air-rifle shooting club but was rejected due to my poor eyesight. After
school, I went to join as a sport volunteer with GetActiveSG but they asked me
to go pick litters at beaches and major non-sport events. 有冇搞错呀! Of course, I refused to do
it! They thought I’m stupid！
This explains why I ended up being a sport cartoonist creating arts to entertain others for free.
To many, it’s a dream comes true for those who are able to participate in the game. Also a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a few to get a medal. If you have missed it, you can try harder next time? Yes but only a few elites can do it. The fact is time waits for no man. With time, our body slows down, our agility deteriorates and our actions are getting sluggish. In a few years’ time, there would be changes like more ‘mountains to climb’ (一山还有一山高), face more competitors like clouds in the sky (高手如云). Soon, many will wake up from this dream and have to go back to work for money.
We are a ‘fast nation’. Everything we want we want it fast. We want fast answers, fast solutions, fast deliveries & fast results.
Example: when we don’t have sport talents to represent us for the Olympic games, no problem. We started the Olympic Pathway Programme (OPP) or the ‘foreign talent’ door. Just lure them here, spend few million dollars, give them citizenships & make them wear our t-shirts to represent us. After their sport careers are over, where are they now? Most just renounced their citizenships & went back to their home countries to continue their lives. Does this program contribute to our sports progression? Well, many other countries are also doing the same thing. You make your own judgment and conclusion.
It is a very big mistake to go ahead with this game. It may be a dream come true for many but is personal glory more important than public safety? Those decision-makers think so even with losses. The host country will lose big! After the curtain comes down, the host country will have to face and deal with this big infection problem by themselves. Oneself eats oneself liao!
Thanks to many errant people, we now have the biggest cluster and are back to tightened restrictions again. Many are surprised and disappointed that such blunders have had also happened here. My guess is either our big bro took the wrong advice or no thorough risk assessment was carried out or both before allowing them to operate. Can these businesses be converted to F&B outlets? All of them don’t have a kitchen by setup. Maybe can but everyone knows people congregate and flock to these places not for the food or drinks! Something else is on their minds.
Thanks to the coronavirus, many activities have ceased or disappeared. No problem. There are still many activities we can do to congregate and have fun in the dark. Just don’t let our ‘big bro’ catch us. The key is you can wear nothing while having fun but don’t remove your running shoes!
Before the pandemic, when my friends wanted to meet me for coffee,
I would say: Welcome, welcome!
Now with COVID-19 still raging fast and furious, I tell my
friends: Don’t Come, don’t come…… as I’m still trying to avoid crowded places.
But my friends tell me they are bringing me good news, goodies and free-stuff, and ask me why they cannot come. I tell them they have heard it wrongly. I said: Don’t come empty handed lah!
When you’re a star performer and well-known, many employers want to take you in. Age doesn’t really matter. Over here, if you are just an average performer and unknown, age is the crux of the matter!
Some seniors here have special abilities and skills that others don’t. That’s why they are successful and living a free and happy life. I give them some respect until their public behaviours and actions proof that my perceptions about them are wrong!
Just when I have gained some confidence in digital banking and cashless-payment, our biggest bank here dropped a bombshell last week for their double-deduction transaction glitch. What the ****. Now my confidence level has dropped back to zero! They are ‘investigating’ this glitch and they would never tell us the full story what had happened or changed. Anything that is digital can be easily ‘manipulated’. Now everyone needs digital payment means. Is there another alternative?
For > 30 years, Pa cycled daily to work rain or shine from our old house at Indus Road to his workplace at Mackenzie Road. On some weekends, he would ferry me on a rattan-child seat to his workplace to play and feed chickens he reared for food. When I grew up, I often took his bicycle for spins in the neighbourhood (on roads, not on footpaths). Now I cannot recall what happened to this China-made bicycle that had a dynamo attached to the front-wheel for the headlight. A real workout for the legs when cycling at night.
What did you do together with your dad in your growing-up years?
Happy Father’s Day.
The best way to guarantee a +ve is to quit being vigilant. Just
let all the guards down to get it.
It’s easy to spot many people flouting Covid-19 safety rules outdoor and there is nothing one could do except to stay very far away and complete tasks at double quick time and return! Human behaviour is the most complex and challenging issue here causing many social problems. Taxpayers’ money is used to tackle all these problems. Sigh!
This invisible ‘enemy’ is still raging fiercely everywhere! Yet many are letting their guards down and not wearing masks or wearing them half-heartedly. Stay safe means staying away unless there is no choice. It’s still a very long way to go in this ‘fight’ and life would never be the same again. Sigh.
After more than one year of hardships rained down by this
pandemic, it’s still very tough to live life abnormally. Many people ‘kena’
bruises as many things are either banned, stopped or restricted!
But we still need essential services like food. So many hawkers
have raised their food prices everywhere while pay is either disappeared or being
cut or reduced! Si-bei jia-lut!
It’s very tough to ‘keep heart’ as things are not turning right
for many people. I can’t help them except to lend them a listening ear to pour
out their frustrations.
For anyone who has experienced Quarantine, SHN or self-isolation during this pandemic, time passes differently for everyone. But one thing everybody agrees and confirms is that the day is long and the years are short. This is also the same feeling as those who have retired and have ‘nothing’ to do whole day! Is this your current lifestyle? To some, this is good life 好命😊 envied by many who still struggle to make a living. To others, it’s misery 好苦☹ not knowing how to pass time!
In pre-covid times, it’s easy to see humor in almost every
challenging situation. Not any more. After more than one year of hunkering down
hardships, lockdowns and many restrictions, it’s very tough to be humorous. It’s
really very tough to don a face-mask and work whole day under our current hot
and humid weather. It’s better to stay indoor with the fan blowing when given a
choice. Si-bei jia-lut for those who still need to work outdoor!
There is still no end in sight! :(
Well said by Vince Lombardi.
In this difficult time, we must not quit
vigilance.
We cannot abandon our face-masks.
We cannot stop washing our hands after touching something! We cannot socialize and meet families, friends or strangers unless there is no choice. We must not go to crowded places except for essential needs. If we quit, everything may be over! The risk is very high and would affect many.
In the past, people kept telling me to be positive. Now, I tell
them it’s safer to be negative!
When one is confirmed positive, there is no cure. You would have a long-term health effects on your body and it would be normal. Your family and close contacts would have to suffer lots of disruptions to their well-being. Unless there is really no choice, it’s better to avoid crowded places and social activities. Meantime, we have to try to endure and hunker down to protect oneself and others. We have to try to wait out this pandemic.
