Lots of shit has been happening over the past weeks. New Orleans and
Louisiana has been turned into watery graves and typhoons blew across
Taiwan and China. It's as if Mother Earth has finally had enough and
decided to retaliate. Still, its incredulous that there are still
disbelievers who disclaim that all that is not a result of man's wanton
ways and the repercussions on nature.
Back in 'pee sai'
Singapore, we are battling a natural disaster of a different kind. The
victims count for dengue dever exceeded the whole of last year hence
ringing alarm bells. The Anti-Mozzie campaign has hit pitch fever with
ministers and agency heads out in full swing to launch a Weapons of
Mosquito Destruction (WMD) campaign against the potent Ades Mosquito.
According to one expert's postulation, the Ades mosquito is adapting to
our environment by looking for alternative venues to breed instead of
its traditional joints. The NEA is now deciding if it needs to cut down
all palm trees because they are new breeding grounds for the Ades.
On
a more eventful note, Jess and Sal managed to have their photos taken
together with PM Lee during the National Healthy Lifestyle Walk-A-Jog! A
serendipitous opportunity to wave at the PM from a safe distance
emboldened them to assail the PM when he waved back at them and gave
them his best Kodak smile. After that, they just could not stop raving
about it. I have to admit I was at first embarrassed by their puerile
behavior but such was their spontaneity and reverence for the man that I
was delighted for them too.
Meanwhile, the NKF saga proved to be
the Pandora box with other charities like SATA confessing to some
"issues" one way or another. Just yesterday, NKF let 92 staff go as it
suspends all fund raising activities until further review.
On the
subject of retrenchment, I've come across more and more people peddling
tissue papers for a living. I was particularly stumped when I came
across this lady at Maxwell Market. Stumped because unlike many of the
others who were old or crippled men, she was relatively young although
sloppily dressed. Why was a healthy abled woman reduced to selling
tissue paper? And how is it that people could turn her and the many
others like her down I do not know. Some time back, I was disappointed
that a parent rejected the polite old man when approached to buy
tissues. That man was right in front of his kid! I really don't know
what kind of example he is setting for the child.
Granted what P
said about the profit margin is true, it still should not prevent people
from reaching into their wallet for a dollar to help the needy. At
least I find that a better use of money than donating to the charity
where I do not know WHO the money is actually helping.
And please spare me the graphic images of sobbing beneficiaries. How
many times can one see such pictures and not grow immune to it?
Personally,
I am not saying all this to glorify myself. I will even confess that
I'm am donating not necessarily out of chivalry but because I'm afraid
that I may someday end up the same in this ephemeral economy. When that
happens, I would really appreciate some sympathies thrown my way if that
be so. Call it sowing seeds if you like but the future looks bleakfully
tenebrous.
As expected, I flunked my CFA exams again. This time,
I was really hesitant to retake it again as it has not translated into
any real economic benefits although the intention was to prove that I
could do it. But I've since been vindicated by the Tickle IQ test and I
really do not think I am stupid. If at all, I am careless and suffer
from a severe case of ADD. But I've resolved to give it a shot again
just to see things through. And to make up for lost time, I've also
decided to enrol for the ChFC couse. I'm hoping N will be agreeable to
sponsor my ChFC studies. If the company can subsidise millionaires like
HO and JT, then I see no reason why it should deny me this opportunity
to upgrade myself.
On a more postive note, Toon invited me to his
spanking new 25th storey house at TPY to watch Liverpool play. You can
never underestimate the power of a simple message could do to rekindle
an old friendship. If Toon's new house which cost him S$50,000 to
renovate is any yardstick, I am way behind in this rat race. Of late, P
has been asking me when I'm gonna pop the question again but the best I
can do is say "when I have the money loh." Truth be told, I don't know
if I'll ever have money.
Of late, I've also got this feeling that
I am ill at ease with sucess and responsibility. I just feel it down
inside of me. It's like whenever I get any measure of success, I start
to self-destruct again and throw it all away. I've got to get rid of
this poverty consciousness and self sabotage but I'm not sure all that
self help books are going to help. I've sorta decided that rather than
read about how to run my life, I should just live it the best way I know
how. If I failed, at least I took action rather than sit around reading
or waiting for divinity.
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