The World Is Changing

  

Those who dislike you may not be your enemies. Those who like you may not be your friends. And those who say they like you but do ‘funny things’ behind your back are the most dangerous people to deal with. Hmm…I said this before. This is the real world. Even our ‘Big Brothers’ are not immune from it and have to face challenges and impasses sometimes. Some say life is tough and I tend to agree with them. We have to adapt and live with it. As the famous saying goes: a road without pot-holes is not worth traveling.  





It’s challenging to work for or with someone with a strong personality and character. If their thinking and attitudes are aligned to yours, good for you. If they are not, then good luck to you. We can never change a person’s perspective and thinking. There’s a Chinese saying: 江山易改，本性难移, meaning, it’s easier to re-shape the mountain than to alter one’s mindset and attitude. To survive, we can only change ourselves to adapt or choose to leave the environment and away from these people. We have to take care of our mental health. It’s your choice, really.     
 
One former big boss complained to me. When he was at the top with power, many people wanted to befriend him. Even his foes and some ‘ang-moh’ (Caucasian) queued up to meet him to further their own interests. Now that he had retired from corporations, many had already forgotten him and had never made any attempt to chat him up. He felt sad and disappointed. I told him this is the reality. This happened not only in politics, but so common in organizations and in some families. I told him If I had the time and money, I’d buy him coffee and tell him some jokes. This seemed to offer him some comfort as he nodded and gave me a weak smile.


 

US Presidential Election 2016

The politics in this country is complicated.

The candidate with the highest vote count does not guarantee to be the next President as there is another system in place. It’s strange to make their citizens vote.

Some don’t follow the developments of the presidential election. But it’s funny to watch the news and see the flood of hilarious caricatures published in magazines and newspapers on this topic. I felt to urge to join in the foray.

It’s obvious if someone dislikes you. Their actions disturb your work schedule and their behaviour turns your emotions upside down. These people are not a problem if you know how to deal with them. The most dangerous people are those who pretend or appear to like you but they do funny things behind you. That’s how someone coined the term ‘back-stabbing’. This happens not only in politics but also in the workplace. That’s life!

 

Sport is Big Money

His success is the results of great sacrifices made by his rich parents, mentorship from his two committed swimming coaches (Eddie Reese and Sergio Lopez) and his tremendous hard works. There is a Chinese saying: 台上一分钟，台下十年工。Translated it means: to be able to perform one minute on stage, you need to practise for 10 years behind the stage. His 50.39secs butterfly feat in Rio was achieved with only 7 years of hard work. Come to think of it, he’s very productive and extraordinary.

   

As a badminton fan, I had wished he could win an Olympic gold medal in probably his last attempt at Olympic glory. After all, he is Asian, has the same family name as me and he lives in a neighboring country. On the other hand, I had also wished he would not win. Otherwise, his country’s ranking in medal tally and performance would have had surpassed our country’s medal ranking. It’s a dilemma with mixed feeling. This example well illustrates the concept: Conflict of interest. Either way, I’m happy. 

   
 

Believe in Yourself

Winners are those who persevere and believe in themselves.
Self-belief is a very powerful ‘fuel’ that keeps the passion’s fire burning. Yet only a handful of people are constantly using it to drive them towards their goals. Whatever your heart, mind or body has set out to do, whether you believe you could do it or not, you are probably right. 

 

A tribute to our Paralympics Athletes



 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to our Paralympics athlete for achieving gold in RIO.

Many sport psychologists have studied and concluded that winners build their mental strengths over time from overcoming pressures, setbacks and failures. I believe this is applicable in our career or daily lives. Winners tend to focus on getting the job done well. They don’t waste time pondering why their bosses or “big brothers” treat them differently, gave them less reward and show them less physical and morale support on their achievements. As the famous saying goes: “Tough times never last, but tough people do.”

 

A tribute to our late former President

Many years ago, I volunteered in a fund raising event for the Community Chest. It was an open house at the Istana (official residence and office of the President) where I was tasked to sell souvenirs to visitors at a booth near the entry gates. During my pee-break, I wandered into the Istana garden to have some quick looks and I saw from a distance the President smiling and mingling with the crowds and taking photographs with visitors. That was the closest I saw this heavy man in person.






 

Singapore's First Olympic Champion

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Congratulations to our national swimmer for achieving gold in the Rio Olympics.

 

The 21-year-old University of Texas undergraduate was wise to participate in the men’s 100m freestyle and 100m butterfly but dropped out of the 200m fly to conserve his energy.

Now he’s a millionaire in Schooling’s case just by doing sports. It’s the Singapore National Olympic Council’s Multi-Million Dollar Award Programme where athletes in an individual Olympic event can win up to $1 million (Singapore) for a gold medal.           

Now he can take the rest of the day off!

 

Book Review: A Caricature Perspective V1

            













Thank you to all friends, families and fans who have bought and supported my first book. I'm grateful to them.  
My second re-print was completely sold out before the printer could deliver the books to me. This drives me to improve and be better for my second book, now in the making. This would take time as the process is slow and tedious. Look out for Volume 2 in 2017. 
  
Here are some comments from those who had bought my first book. 

The passing of a legend

                                

I believe only those born in the era of black-and-white television would know this man. It was a time with no internet, social media, email, twitter or facebook, but he was already famous and well-known.

I remembered watching him fight on square-box tv (with sliding-doors on both sides of the screen) when sport events were telecasted free.

 
A tribute to a great fighter and boxing legend.  



 

My First Book is fully SOLD OUT

      

There’s a lot of enquiries about my first caricature book.

So, I am running a second re-print to meet these demands. But they were all sold out within one day. Wow!

 

Anyone who buy my book, send me a selfie-photo holding my book & send me comments after reading my first book may get his/her caricature drawn and may be featured in my next book.

The artist decides.

                    
                

WAR Against Diabetes

 
     

 

In the old days, our family could not afford to buy soft-drinks except during the Chinese new year period when we bought some for visiting guests. They were mainly F&N or green-spot bottled drinks with a metal cap where young children keep them as toys and games. My mum call these bottled-drinks “Holland-water” in Cantonese. I had never asked her why.

 

Everyday before work, my dad would put 2 stacks of coins for my brother and myself. They were our daily pocket money for the day’s school recess. The amount was just enough to buy a bowl of noodle and nothing left for the attractive syrup-colored-water. We only drank plain water.

 

Now I could afford it, I still avoid drinking any sugary-soft-drinks. It’s a matter of personal choice and lifestyle. Our “big brother” could continue to build more and more hospitals to cater and treat this diabetes but the war against it should be a personal one. It’s a cause-and-effect analogy. The only weapon and fire-power to fight this war is nothing but our discipline and will-power.

 

About Elections

Disclaimer: This drawing was produced purely from my weekly drawing practice and is not created as a political propaganda.

But I’m always in a dilemma when I need to exercise my vote in every election. I do not really know the candidates in person, their real agenda and motives for entering the race, yet I had to choose one to represent our constituency. They never really asked what the residents needed. What I needed. They always pushed their ideas in their campaigns & expect voters to buy them and give them a high-paying job in public office.

I don’t really care about estate upgrading as many residents do not use the upgraded or new facilities added in the area after every election.

I’m more concern about curbing the rising costs of living, controlling the escalating health care costs, and how to get employers to employ older PMET (Professionals, managers, engineers, technicians) and how to get “big brother” to implement bus services to  run parallel to all train routes as an alternative to our transport woes?

Can these candidates make a difference?

I doubt so.   





 

Farewell to another music legend

            

















I remember in the 80’s, there were 2 very popular black male pop singers.
One was Michael Jackson. The other was Prince.

When people hear them sing, everybody would go “hoo…hah……” and screamed non-stop. That’s how famous and popular they were.

While MJ came to perform in Singapore a few times, but Prince did not. What a pity!

While I heard some MJ songs, but I was too young to understand and appreciate Prince’s songs and never tried to hear him sing. 

 

My Caricature Book Now in Printed Version

Dear Friends,

 

My first Caricature book is now available in printed version.

 

Go to my STORE or check link below to look inside and share this launch with your friends.

 

For eBook, it's not available in Singapore (amazon said our market is too small). Nearest region to purchase is from amazon Australia.

But it's available for purchase in other amazon regions. Check it out. 

I've pledged 10% of total royalties received in 2016 from the sales of this book, shall be donated to a charity foundation to help improve the lives of the poor communities.

 

Appreciate your support to this cause. 

 

After you have read my book, don't forget to write a review for me and to help promote this book.

Thank you for your support.  

Amazon.com Home Page Link:

http://www.amazon.com/LEE-FOO-HOE/e/B01CDP0AKO/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0

 

Best regards,

LeeFH 

 

Remembering LKY

                           

One year has passed since the passing of our founding Prime Minister. For this first anniversary, many events, activities and exhibitions have been organized for Singaporeans to remember this old man’s legacy and life.

But I wonder why our “big brother” did not issue commemorative stamps and first day cover to mark this event. If there were, I would surely queue up to buy them for keep-sake. I believe many people out there would also want to buy & keep them as a memento.  

 

In fact, every stamp tells a story. 

It’s a good way to let people keep a part of our history.
It’s disappointing that nobody has thought of this to mark his first anniversary of his passing. So I created this first day cover to look like the real deal. This one here is not for sale. Sorry.
But you can pen your comments.  


 

KAKI chiak KAKI

Our badminton kaki has been playing for months and years every week yet I don’t really know everybody in person.

 

Every week, we just come together to slog, sweat and battle each other out. After every game session, everybody seems to be in a hurry to leave and rush for their next activities or appointments.

 

So I’d name our group as KAKI chiak KAKI, meaning (in local hokkien dialect) - you’re on your own to eat your own meal at your own time and own target. Nobody would bother you.

 

Fortunately Mr ANG (third from left, the one who raises his thumbs up) is an exception. He never fail to accompany me for drinks and dinner after each week’s game. He would sit quietly besides me at my dinning table and would listen patiently to my complaints, jokes and “nonsense” from an  old man who “shoot” from his hip. I observe that he is a quiet man with very few words. Often times, I had to probe deep or “beat around the bush” to make him talk about his work, stories, hobbies and jokes. If not, my dinner would just be another boring activity.

 

I appreciate his company & listening ears.

Thank you very much, Mr Ang. Drinks on me!

                                   

First Kindle eBOOK Release

Dear Friends,

Almost all people published their books to make money or a name for themselves.

I do it to learn about the process.

Voila! Here is my first inaugural eBook successfully published on amazon kindle store.

Unfortunately, this KDP title is not available for purchase in the region of Singapore.

Fortunately, you can purchase it from other amazon regions’ kindle store (Australia, china, japan, UK, Netherlands, etc.) and pay in respective local currency. Just go to the respective portal & search for my title.

In the coming weeks, the printed version (physical book) will be released.

Look out for it.  

All thoughts and feedbacks are welcome and appreciated.

Please send them via amazon’s book review or my personal email:leefhcaricature@gmail.com

Best regards,

LEE F.H.

Note : the link below does not have a purchase-icon

(Amazon told me Singapore market is not setup).
Go to amazon.com, scroll down & click on respective region’s portal you want to purchase it from.

A Caricature Perspective: Volume 1 by LEE FOO HOE   Learn more   Connect with us © 2016 Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. All rights reserved. Amazon, Amazon.com, the Amazon.com logo, and 1-Click are registered trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. Amazon.com, 410 Terry Avenue N., Seattle, WA 98109-5210.

                 
 

2016 Year of the Fire Monkey

Most artists drew him at younger age. Nobody draws him as he ages now.

At this festive moment, I had received some bad news. I’m aware that sometimes, we have to face challenges thrown at us unexpectedly. There is no escape or running away. We just have to deal with it and hope for the best outcome.    

At this moment, my heart is heavy and my worries are building up. Many questions and thoughts keep spinning inside my head. I couldn’t sleep well every night. Things are definitely not going to be the same again and I’ll have to take some time to compose myself and grapple with the impending changes. 

As CNY draws near, I’d like to wish all my family, friends, followers, fellow-colleagues and kaki, a healthy, happy and lucky lunar new year.

 

Actions Against Litterbugs

In the past, I volunteered to pick up litters in public places. But I still find much more litters everywhere. I realized that my actions are not solving the roots to the problem. And I visualized litterbugs are always smirking at my act from afar. So I stopped and joined the Community Volunteer Programme in 2014 to be an Environment Enforcement / Authorised Officer to help in counseling and educating litterbugs.

When I spot litterbugs, I want to give them my PPP. I want to make them :

Pay fine,
Pick up litters in public places (sent to CWO),
“Piak” them (if first 2Ps did not work).

I hope more people could come forward to volunteer in this program to help in eradicating this chronic problem. But be warned : spotting litterbugs is a real challenge and is no easy task. It’s like striking lottery if you ever find one!

 

To ride or not to ride?

Few years ago, I complained to “big brother” that the  distance-based mrt fare formula was flawed.

How could it be that commuters are made to pay higher fare for taking the quickest and shortest route?   

The fare software assumes that all commuters are stupid and travel via the longest route to reach their destinations. If one travels clockwise (shorter route) vs anti-clockwise (longer route), the fare system calculates fare based on the longer route to reach the same destination/station.

Big brother sent me one page A4 reply to explain the fare calculation method but I just “catch-no-ball” (could not figure it out). I’m still very confused today.

Now my strategy is to leave home early, travel to my destination via a few transfers (bus, mrt, bus) to save on transport fare and take advantage of transfer rebate. If time permits, I usually take the indirect route that takes a longer time to reach my destination.

Other point to note : there is no direct and parallel bus service to the mrt networks. This is forcing commuters to take the mrt networks for faster rides (provided it doesn’t breakdown). Sigh!