Que Sera Sera

Since my girl came back from our holiday in Taiwan, she has been showing much interest in setting up her own Youtube channel to review products, just like those that she watches from time to time.

As any good parent, some time will inevitably be spent pondering if such behaviour should be tolerated or even encouraged, especially in our academically-biased country.

This little girl, has shown much passion for the arts, having participated in drama, song and music. What I should do is to encourage and allow her to realise her full potential in whatever she wants to be.

Que Sera Sera.

A Walk Down Memory Lane - Peace Centre

How many buildings still have wooden and iron railings, tiled flooring and yellow lights?

Yet there is a hint of modernity - you can get 3D printing here!

For Reference: Civil Service Pay Grades (supposed)

Pay grade: MX9 (Superscale)
Job title: Deputy Director, Director
Salary scale: S$11,110 – S$15,280 / S$15,280 – S$17,370

Pay grade: MX10
Job title: Assistant Director, Deputy Director
Salary scale: S$7,000 – S$9,980 / S$9,980 – S$11,470

Pay grade: MX11
Job title: Manager, Assistant Director
Salary scale: S$4,740 – S$7,115 / S$7,115 – S$8,305

Pay grade: MX12
Job title: Assistant Manager, Manager
Salary scale: S$2,945 – S$5,925

Pay grade: MX13
Job title: Management Executive
Salary scale: up to S$3,000 for fresh graduates

Source: http://forums.salary.sg/income-jobs/885-compare-civil-service-salary-556.html

Boy in Thought

Becoming a pseudo-academic faculty?

When I met my friends and tell them I've started working in SMU, their initial response would inevitably be "you're now a lecturer?" or "what are you teaching there?". After I tell them what I really did, they would go "oh" and then next question would then be "have you considered teaching or become a lecturer"?"

Well, I've thought about it and have explored but the unfortunate reality is that it takes an awful long time to get a doctorate and embark on an academic career (to become faculty and get tenure), so my "shelf-life" in the university's perspective would be fairly short before retirement.

However, there is another route that I could use to become a "pseudo-academic" faculty member, which is to write and publish papers. Not for the aim of becoming a true faculty, but to share what I've learnt since I started working to the academic world.

From what I gathered, writing papers is not for the faint-hearted, it requires a fair amount of time to conduct research, write them and look for a suitable publishing agency to accept the paper.

Considering that I have quite a fair bit of experience in the areas of strategic planning, project management, change management, futures and foresight, there should be some scope and a suitable niche that I can find interesting stuff to write about.

No harm trying right?

In moments like this

After having joined SMU for a while, I discovered that I had a direct bus that could bring me from my home to  my office :)

And as it started service near my place, l could also get a seat for my entire trip there. This meant that I have, on average, 45 minutes of personal time every weekday.

Considering that I'm not the kind that sleeps on the bus, even though I could, I'm exploring how I can use this time most efficiently.

Happy 50th National Day, Singapore!

The shops of SMU

Time to say goodbye

After 7 years and 3 months, I bid a fond farewell to my old office and am looking forward to the new one. 

Lunch with Regina, Shao Fay and Fareez

Lunch with Chui Hwang, Anita and Joyce

Lunch with Edmund, Iven, Jacqueline, Cherrilyn, Darrick, Choo, Jane, Joyce, Mrs Ong and Pui Yoke

Lunch with Amy, Lean Whee, York Yee and Zach

Lunch with Cheng Choy and Adeline

Lunch with Marieta, Sally, Siti, Tien Siang and Rick

Goodbye Uncle Herbert

Uncle Herbert passed away last Friday.

He and his wife have been our family friends ever since we went to BA since I was a little boy.

When I was growing up I remember visiting his house every year during CNY and he would host us and a few other families for a simple meal. My favourite was the popiahs that I had to roll for myself.

IMO, his greatest act of Christian service was to take a bunch of "forgotten" boys under his wing almost 35 years ago.

In the early 80s, there was a bunch of young boys who loved to run to the neighbouring provision shop off Jalan Girang because they didn't seem to fit into the "normal" Sunday School programme.

Seeing this, he went out to get them back by attracting them with organising soccer matches, teaching them to make paper guns, planes and even sparred with them by teaching aikido during church time in parallel with the normal programmes.

Under his supervision and love, most of them have grown up to be good men of faith; while several of them are no longer in the church, I believe that he had made a tremendous impact on their lives during that time.

Uncle Herbert, we will miss you terribly until we meet again.

Lunch with Roz, Fareez, Nick and Shawn

Lunch get together

Life

Farewell Mr Lee

We lost our first Prime Minister Mr Lee Kuan Yew, who passed away on 23 March 2015.

Seeing Singaporeans coming together to grieve openly for him in spite of the differences and challenges still facing us brings a tear to my eye. 

He will be missed. 

Marina South Pier and Cruise Centre

Today's lunch walkabout led me to Marina South Pier.

This is probably one of the most "ulu" MRT station in Singapore. Except for the station control master, I didn't see anyone else in the train station.

The MRT exit to the Marina Bay Cruise Centre and its surroundings.

 

Directional signs indicated this was a 500 metres walkway.

Along the way, it was quite scenic and there were a few fishermen trying their luck in the scorching sun :)

I guess you could try to grow rice here if you're desperate enough.

A distant view of the Cruise Centre. Looks like a cruise ship doesn't it?

The front or rear (stern?) of the cruise centre. Is the hole supposed to represent a swimming pool?

This was the warning sign posted at the hole. So I guess I can try to take a dip next time?

 

Before this gets replaced by another shopping centre, the field looks like a good place to fly a quad or a heli here when the ground is dry.

Right-side (starboard?) side of the Cruise Centre.

Close-up of the terminal fenders/bollards (?)

Loved the sea-nery.

More fishing.

The cruise centre itself was pretty boring though. It seemed so... desolate.

As there were no ships berthed at that time, I couldn't get in to explore further.

So I walked back to the Marina South Pier and its ferry boats.

For those old enough will recognise this riverboat, which used to be at Sentosa.

 

The pier's second floor had a maritime gallery, but due to time constraints, I didn't go in.

And on the top floor, you can get a bird's eye view of the pier and its surroundings.