long long time never hear tis song oredi......wonder any1 has tis song? can burn 4 me???
:. Should I Stay .:
Had a drive, driven by your love
But when you messed around, I lost the drive I found
Thought you needed, needed someone true
But you changed your mind, or had I failed you?
Wish you’d been careful with my heart
But you tore it apart and broke an angel’s heart
The kiss was true, has to end somehow
But I am livin’ proof of what love is about
It’s hard holding you loving you, losing you
It’s sad to be true and be fooled by you
I don’t know (I don’t know) I gotta know
Should I stay or should I go?
You played me on, played me like a clown
But I feel for you, even though I’m down
My heart is heavy, heavy like a rock
But I am so amused, you’re still in my thoughts
It’s hard holding you loving you, losing you
It’s sad to be true and be fooled by you
I don’t know (I don’t know) I gotta know
Should I stay or should I go?
Oooohh…should I stay? Should I go?
It’s hard holding you loving you, losing you
It’s sad to be true and be fooled by you
I don’t know (I don’t know) I wanna know
Should I stay or should I go?
This time its done, it’ll never feel the same
But we had some good times, guess it’s sad just the same
I guess the truth, doesn’t matter somehow
But you were livin’ proof of what love is about…
Thursday, December 30, 2004
cranberries.....dreams....
i love tis song.....
"Dreams"
Oh, my life is changing everyday,
In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams, it's never quiet as it seems,
Never quiet as it seems.
I know I've felt like this before, but now I'm feeling it even more,
Because it came from you.
And then I open up and see the person falling here is me,
A different way to be.
Ah, la da ah...
La...
I want more imposible to ignore,
Imposible to ignore.
And they'll come true, impossible not to do,
Impossible not to do.
And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don't hurt me.
You're what I couldn't find.
A totally amazing mind, so understanding and so kind;
You're everything to me.
Oh, my life,
Is changing every day,
In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams,
It's never quiet as it seems,
'Cause you're a dream to me,
Dream to me.
Ah, da, da da da, da, la...
"Dreams"
Oh, my life is changing everyday,
In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams, it's never quiet as it seems,
Never quiet as it seems.
I know I've felt like this before, but now I'm feeling it even more,
Because it came from you.
And then I open up and see the person falling here is me,
A different way to be.
Ah, la da ah...
La...
I want more imposible to ignore,
Imposible to ignore.
And they'll come true, impossible not to do,
Impossible not to do.
And now I tell you openly, you have my heart so don't hurt me.
You're what I couldn't find.
A totally amazing mind, so understanding and so kind;
You're everything to me.
Oh, my life,
Is changing every day,
In every possible way.
And oh, my dreams,
It's never quiet as it seems,
'Cause you're a dream to me,
Dream to me.
Ah, da, da da da, da, la...
pls do attend.....
Tidal Waves Asia
We are organizing a candlelight vigil this weekend for the victims of the tragedy last Sunday. At the same time, we are collecting donations to contribute towards SRCS’s humanitarian efforts. Details of the vigil are as follow: -
Date : 2 Jan 2005 (Sunday)
Time : 6pm to 8pm
Venue : Tanjong Beach, Sentosa
Candles will be sold at $10 each.
All proceeds will go towards SRCS’s disaster relief fund.
You can also make your donation by writing a cheque to payee “Singapore Red Cross Society” and on the back of the cheque, please write. Then, please mail your cheque to:
Singapore Red Cross Society
15 Penang Lane
Singapore 238486
Yours sincerely,
The Sentosa Volunteers
29 December 2004
We are organizing a candlelight vigil this weekend for the victims of the tragedy last Sunday. At the same time, we are collecting donations to contribute towards SRCS’s humanitarian efforts. Details of the vigil are as follow: -
Date : 2 Jan 2005 (Sunday)
Time : 6pm to 8pm
Venue : Tanjong Beach, Sentosa
Candles will be sold at $10 each.
All proceeds will go towards SRCS’s disaster relief fund.
You can also make your donation by writing a cheque to payee “Singapore Red Cross Society” and on the back of the cheque, please write
Singapore Red Cross Society
15 Penang Lane
Singapore 238486
Yours sincerely,
The Sentosa Volunteers
29 December 2004
death.....
can i seek every1's opinion on death?????
wat does death mean 2 u......
wat do u tink dying is????
wat does death mean 2 u......
wat do u tink dying is????
stars, planets, satellites........
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
wat's e difference between stars & planets?
kj: just me says:
ok... stars are either those that have ignited and give off their own light, or those that have collapsed into white dwarves or neutron stars, which don't give off light, only EM radiation. GEnerally stars are made of gas and are very massive
kj: just me says:
so even though a white dwarf or neutron star could be the same size as a planet, they are much more massive and dense
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so stars r alive while planets r not?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
stars generally give off light while planets do not?
kj: just me says:
planets on the other hand are generally rock, though gaseous planets do exist. Jupiter is an example of a planet that didn't make it to star status. If it had amassed much more gas and mass, chances are it would have ignited and there would be two stars in our galazy
kj: just me says:
Wat's your definition og alive?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
alive, i.e. have activities in itself
kj: just me says:
Stars may or may not give off light, but for sure at some point in their lifetime they would have given off light. Planets will never give off light unless something starnge happens
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so planest juz reflect light?
kj: just me says:
er... but Earth has activity what... The inner structure is still molten and moving
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
oh yeah....
kj: just me says:
yes, most, if not all, planets jsut reflect light.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
then how do u tell e diffeence between statellites & stars?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
planets dun twinkle but stars do rite?
kj: just me says:
satellites? They normally orbit around a massive object, and are themselves significantly smaller. So the Moon is a satellite of the Earth.
kj: just me says:
Not all stars twinkle. The sun doesn't twinkle
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but i read smewhere tt tt's how u tell e difference between planets & stars....
kj: just me says:
The twinkling is caused by gaseous interferences as the light comes to us. So it really depends on how far the light source is
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so how do u tell which r stars & which r planets
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
if u dun have a star map?
kj: just me says:
that works only if you are trying to tell apart planets from our solar system, and stars from other systems. This is because planets in our solar system are very close, specifically Mercury, Venus and Mars. SO when the light is reflected off them to us, the light will not twinkle. however, light from far away stars will twinkle.
kj: just me says:
from earth? You can use the twinkling as a rough guide. It works almost all the time on earth.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
oic
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
how abt man-made satellites?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
how do u tell them apart fr stars?
kj: just me says:
haha
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahaha wat????
kj: just me says:
that's a good one. honestly, I'm not too sure, but satellites have a tendency to stay in on spot in the sky, so it's perhaps a non-twinkling object that doesn't move faster than the earth
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
ok....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
1 last qn
kj: just me says:
but that's a good question, I've never checked up on it.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
which star map shld u use?
kj: just me says:
it's difficult to spot saellites thoguh cause of their small size.
kj: just me says:
not sure.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
4 northern hemisphere or southeren?
kj: just me says:
er... that's somethign you'll have to pick up from the library or book store
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
there're sme online
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but they have only e southern & northern hemisphere 1.....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so i'm tinking which i shld use.....
kj: just me says:
we should mostlikely be using both
kj: just me says:
but I believe most of us rely on the north star for bearing
kj: just me says:
so you can try using the Northen one.
kj: just me says:
still I'd say standvby the So one
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but u dun get 2 c e north star now wat...
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
e only constellation i can always identify is orion....
kj: just me says:
oh you mean you're going soon is it? Then standby both maps lor.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i hope e skies wld b clear on new yr
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
new yr's eve i mena....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
cos i 1 2 go star gazing.....
kj: just me says:
should b fun
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
yeah
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
tt time at nipah i also bought both north & south star maps....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but dunno if we identify e correct constellations....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
2 tired then....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but e stars there were great!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
shld have stayed up then.......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
in s'pore can hardly c much......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i 1 2 go bk 2 bintan 2 c e stars......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
it's a real haven........
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i saw my 1st shooting star in bintan!!!!
kj: just me says:
good for u
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
all my 23 yrs, tt's e 1st time i saw shooting star!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahaha so mountain turtle then!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
shout so loud!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahahaaaa...
kj: just me says:
my turn to go _ _
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hope i get 2 c shooting stars gain!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
wei...........
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
do u mind if i post ur answers 2 my qn on my blog????
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
cos i 1 2 remind myself......
kj: just me says:
not at all, but be forewarned that I'm not a real astronomer, so my answers, though I believe to be correct, may not be v accurate.
wat's e difference between stars & planets?
kj: just me says:
ok... stars are either those that have ignited and give off their own light, or those that have collapsed into white dwarves or neutron stars, which don't give off light, only EM radiation. GEnerally stars are made of gas and are very massive
kj: just me says:
so even though a white dwarf or neutron star could be the same size as a planet, they are much more massive and dense
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so stars r alive while planets r not?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
stars generally give off light while planets do not?
kj: just me says:
planets on the other hand are generally rock, though gaseous planets do exist. Jupiter is an example of a planet that didn't make it to star status. If it had amassed much more gas and mass, chances are it would have ignited and there would be two stars in our galazy
kj: just me says:
Wat's your definition og alive?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
alive, i.e. have activities in itself
kj: just me says:
Stars may or may not give off light, but for sure at some point in their lifetime they would have given off light. Planets will never give off light unless something starnge happens
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so planest juz reflect light?
kj: just me says:
er... but Earth has activity what... The inner structure is still molten and moving
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
oh yeah....
kj: just me says:
yes, most, if not all, planets jsut reflect light.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
then how do u tell e diffeence between statellites & stars?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
planets dun twinkle but stars do rite?
kj: just me says:
satellites? They normally orbit around a massive object, and are themselves significantly smaller. So the Moon is a satellite of the Earth.
kj: just me says:
Not all stars twinkle. The sun doesn't twinkle
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but i read smewhere tt tt's how u tell e difference between planets & stars....
kj: just me says:
The twinkling is caused by gaseous interferences as the light comes to us. So it really depends on how far the light source is
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so how do u tell which r stars & which r planets
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
if u dun have a star map?
kj: just me says:
that works only if you are trying to tell apart planets from our solar system, and stars from other systems. This is because planets in our solar system are very close, specifically Mercury, Venus and Mars. SO when the light is reflected off them to us, the light will not twinkle. however, light from far away stars will twinkle.
kj: just me says:
from earth? You can use the twinkling as a rough guide. It works almost all the time on earth.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
oic
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
how abt man-made satellites?
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
how do u tell them apart fr stars?
kj: just me says:
haha
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahaha wat????
kj: just me says:
that's a good one. honestly, I'm not too sure, but satellites have a tendency to stay in on spot in the sky, so it's perhaps a non-twinkling object that doesn't move faster than the earth
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
ok....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
1 last qn
kj: just me says:
but that's a good question, I've never checked up on it.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
which star map shld u use?
kj: just me says:
it's difficult to spot saellites thoguh cause of their small size.
kj: just me says:
not sure.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
4 northern hemisphere or southeren?
kj: just me says:
er... that's somethign you'll have to pick up from the library or book store
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
there're sme online
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but they have only e southern & northern hemisphere 1.....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
so i'm tinking which i shld use.....
kj: just me says:
we should mostlikely be using both
kj: just me says:
but I believe most of us rely on the north star for bearing
kj: just me says:
so you can try using the Northen one.
kj: just me says:
still I'd say standvby the So one
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but u dun get 2 c e north star now wat...
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
e only constellation i can always identify is orion....
kj: just me says:
oh you mean you're going soon is it? Then standby both maps lor.
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i hope e skies wld b clear on new yr
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
new yr's eve i mena....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
cos i 1 2 go star gazing.....
kj: just me says:
should b fun
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
yeah
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
tt time at nipah i also bought both north & south star maps....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but dunno if we identify e correct constellations....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
2 tired then....
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
but e stars there were great!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
shld have stayed up then.......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
in s'pore can hardly c much......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i 1 2 go bk 2 bintan 2 c e stars......
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
it's a real haven........
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
i saw my 1st shooting star in bintan!!!!
kj: just me says:
good for u
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
all my 23 yrs, tt's e 1st time i saw shooting star!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahaha so mountain turtle then!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
shout so loud!!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hahahaaaa...
kj: just me says:
my turn to go _ _
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
hope i get 2 c shooting stars gain!!!
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
wei...........
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
do u mind if i post ur answers 2 my qn on my blog????
J_ _L nic trying very hard 2 read... says:
cos i 1 2 remind myself......
kj: just me says:
not at all, but be forewarned that I'm not a real astronomer, so my answers, though I believe to be correct, may not be v accurate.
Wednesday, December 29, 2004
WR.....
i saw him.....torchic, u probably wld 've bumped into him at e mrt station on ur way 2 work every morning......
he's a sweet-talker.......he has tonnes o galfriends......he can make e bird fly down fr e tree......
i dunno him tt well actually......i dun even know when his bday is......i dun remember at all.....no idea at all.......
he's a sweet-talker.......he has tonnes o galfriends......he can make e bird fly down fr e tree......
i dunno him tt well actually......i dun even know when his bday is......i dun remember at all.....no idea at all.......
Monday, December 27, 2004
still no news.....
there's still no news......i hope she's fine......i dun usually pray.....but now i'm praying wif all my heart tt she's ok......goosebumps all over when i read e news......i console her tt she said she's coming bk b4 e new yr.....she was relieve but i'm watching e news 4 any developments....i hope she's in s'pore....but she wrote her last email in thailand on e 25th.....i hope she's ok......
15 mins officially....
i've 15 mins officially b4 i shld start working......
i know i promise myself tt i'll do sme reflection but i didn't do tt...much as least...i was busy sleeping & making x'mas cards...yes i made e cards during x'mas day so much 4 early greetings...i made a record over 30 cards 4 tis x'mas......every1 had a similar card.....adapted fr last yr's cards.....
every1 says tt it's e tot tt counts....i hope so 2.....
ok i've reflected on a few things e last couple o days.....1st, i wonder if my family wld b closer if i die.....i was really hoping 4 a family gathering 2 celebrate my mom's bday.....but in e end, only half e family strength turned up.....i was tinking o making an effort 2 get every1 2 go, but i didn't even try.....i was juz 2 lazy......my family is not 1 2 display affect openly.....everytime i took time 2 make a card or smething 4 sme1, my dad wld ask me y i'm making it? "u 2 free is it??" i dunno, i feel great tt at least e friends whom i give e cards 2 smehow appreciate it more.......mayb tt's y i always make it a pt 2 make them....at e very least they say thk u......i dunno if it's juz my family....we dun really talk.....i'm closer 2 my friends then i m 2 my family....i can talk 2 my friends more than i can talk 2 my family....mayb i didn't try 2 talk 2 them.....i wonder if my family feels e same.....i felt really jealous smehow when i was at swing's place e other time, watching her family have dinner 2gather.....even though she complains abt how her mum can get really irritating at times (i can vouch 4 tt!!!).....at e veyr least i can really c a family there......i dunno if it's cos my family is so big tt's y it's hard......smetimes i tink tt i'm e 1 gelling e family 2gather.....i always make an effort 2 include every1.....but now i dun even try.....i'm juz so tired.....i hate having 2 make an effort when no1 else care.....i hate it.....i hate myself for not trying anymore......i hate it.......
i'm supposed 2 b working but i'm still blogging away.....
2nd, friends.....i didn't know i actually inspired u Jancy!!! it's great 2 know tt at least once in ur life smething u did actually matter......i've never had 2 great a dreams......yes i did dream o becoming a psychologist.....i'm still dreaming o it.....i really hope tt smeday i can fulfill tt dream....if only i try harder!!!! i try 2 stay in touch wif those whom i know i haven contacted.....but i wonder if they appreciate my doing so......mayb they tink i'm such a bother......i'm writing n essay 4 each 1 o my close buddies.....i hope they appreciate it.....i may not b able 2 write congruently or even comprehend my tots/feelings corrently, but i'm trying.....i may write things which doesn't make sense or simply juz rubbish, but i tried.......so dun take offense at wat i wrote.....i'm juz writing......if u dun like wat i wrote juz 4get abt it......& yes, i'm gg 2 telling u gals who i'm pursuing......i've tot abt it, & i tink it's no big deal......it's funny how u gals r so kp abt it!!!! heheehe.....if i tell u dun faint or laugh 2 much!!!!
ok, i tink i beta go bk 2 work, 10mins overdue oredi......
i know i promise myself tt i'll do sme reflection but i didn't do tt...much as least...i was busy sleeping & making x'mas cards...yes i made e cards during x'mas day so much 4 early greetings...i made a record over 30 cards 4 tis x'mas......every1 had a similar card.....adapted fr last yr's cards.....
every1 says tt it's e tot tt counts....i hope so 2.....
ok i've reflected on a few things e last couple o days.....1st, i wonder if my family wld b closer if i die.....i was really hoping 4 a family gathering 2 celebrate my mom's bday.....but in e end, only half e family strength turned up.....i was tinking o making an effort 2 get every1 2 go, but i didn't even try.....i was juz 2 lazy......my family is not 1 2 display affect openly.....everytime i took time 2 make a card or smething 4 sme1, my dad wld ask me y i'm making it? "u 2 free is it??" i dunno, i feel great tt at least e friends whom i give e cards 2 smehow appreciate it more.......mayb tt's y i always make it a pt 2 make them....at e very least they say thk u......i dunno if it's juz my family....we dun really talk.....i'm closer 2 my friends then i m 2 my family....i can talk 2 my friends more than i can talk 2 my family....mayb i didn't try 2 talk 2 them.....i wonder if my family feels e same.....i felt really jealous smehow when i was at swing's place e other time, watching her family have dinner 2gather.....even though she complains abt how her mum can get really irritating at times (i can vouch 4 tt!!!).....at e veyr least i can really c a family there......i dunno if it's cos my family is so big tt's y it's hard......smetimes i tink tt i'm e 1 gelling e family 2gather.....i always make an effort 2 include every1.....but now i dun even try.....i'm juz so tired.....i hate having 2 make an effort when no1 else care.....i hate it.....i hate myself for not trying anymore......i hate it.......
i'm supposed 2 b working but i'm still blogging away.....
2nd, friends.....i didn't know i actually inspired u Jancy!!! it's great 2 know tt at least once in ur life smething u did actually matter......i've never had 2 great a dreams......yes i did dream o becoming a psychologist.....i'm still dreaming o it.....i really hope tt smeday i can fulfill tt dream....if only i try harder!!!! i try 2 stay in touch wif those whom i know i haven contacted.....but i wonder if they appreciate my doing so......mayb they tink i'm such a bother......i'm writing n essay 4 each 1 o my close buddies.....i hope they appreciate it.....i may not b able 2 write congruently or even comprehend my tots/feelings corrently, but i'm trying.....i may write things which doesn't make sense or simply juz rubbish, but i tried.......so dun take offense at wat i wrote.....i'm juz writing......if u dun like wat i wrote juz 4get abt it......& yes, i'm gg 2 telling u gals who i'm pursuing......i've tot abt it, & i tink it's no big deal......it's funny how u gals r so kp abt it!!!! heheehe.....if i tell u dun faint or laugh 2 much!!!!
ok, i tink i beta go bk 2 work, 10mins overdue oredi......
Friday, December 24, 2004
changes....
i dunno if i've changed.....i tink i did.....i tink i let more pple into my life then i used 2 b.....i was guarded in e past cos i felt stupid 2 've been hurt badly by a friend....a friend i tot wld never hurt me.....but as e yrs go by, i felt tt guarding myself is so tiring.....i feel tt i'm not being me anymore....i felt comfortable talking 2 u.....more & more comfortable.....but there was a period when i actually felt tt we drifted apart......but now, i felt more at ease cos i know even if u judge me, it's 4 my own gd......i dunno if i shld b so trusting.....i was so stupid 2 b so trusting b4, wld i get hurt again? i hope not......but i'm still guarded smetimes cos i dunno how 2 react & i didn't 1 2 get hurt......it's painful......but i really 1 2 b able 2 really talk & not b all alone.....i may b blunt a lot o e times but i never meant 2 hurt any1, & i know u know......smetimes i dun tell u everything cos i'm embarrassed o telling it......i dunno how 2 say it.......mayb u know but never told me.....i tink i still trying 2 explore myself everyday.....trying 2 feel as best as i can.....trying 2 grow up.....i appear 2 b practical & logical most o e time but i 1 2 b more emotional 2......i'm trying 2 b.....i dunno......i feel stupid smetimes......i try 2 laugh at every little thing 2 lift my spirit.....i try 2 remain calm....i try 2 widen my horizon more.....i try 2 read more....i try 2 b more responsible.....i try 2 b politically correct.....i try 2 understd.....i try not 2 tink so much.....i try not 2 procrastinate but end up being rash.....i'm trying 2 hard smetimes......or mayb i'm not.....but as long as u try it's gd enough isn't it????sprouting random tots again......so far i've written 1 letter 2 a friend, buti tink tt letter is gg 2 bring me trouble cos i meant 2 explain but i tink my letter didn't comprehend tt.....i tink i still have at least 10 letters tt i 1 2 write......i'm gg 2 go home sleep then start writing at nite...tt's when i get all emotional & i can cry all i 1 w/o any1 knowing......i tink i know y u tink i've change.....i never used 2 cry in front o pple.....now i really dun bother.....i dun like 2 cry in front o pple cos 1stly i look ugly, 2ndly cos i feel vulnerable.....till now i still can't get over being hurt......
ST Dec 24, 2004
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT: THAILAND
Let's hear it for the children
By Nirmal Ghosh
THAILAND CORRESPONDENT
POI PET (CAMBODIA) - WHEN it rains, Krousar Thmey's shelter for children in Poi Pet, across the Thai border in Cambodia, starts flooding. Below the walls of a giant casino where millions are gambled every day, the children of Krousar Thmey pick up toddlers and wade through shin-deep water to do their chores. A pedestal fan churns hot, humid air inside a hut on stilts which serves as the office of the Phnom Penh based non-government organisation (NGO).
Krousar Thmey means 'new family'. Here the children are free of the circumstances they have been rescued from - the bondage of illegal traffickers and exploiters. Some have been repatriated from Thailand, where they were sent to beg on the streets of Bangkok or work in airless sweatshops or sordid brothels. Some were taken off the streets of Poi Pet itself, where they would sniff glue and split methamphetamine pills to help pass the night.
Poi Pet is a funnel for traders in everything from clothes to people. Around 60 per cent of the town comprises a floating transient population out to make a quick buck - or just to survive.
When I walked into Poi Pet, from Aranyaprathet on the Thai side, several hustlers approached me to offer visa services, transport to Siem Reap, and women - in that order.
Krousar Thmey attempts to find the children's homes and families, assess their circumstances and reunite the children with them. It has a 70 per cent success rate, mainly because of follow-up and insistence that the children should go to school - for which Krousar Thmey provides support. In some cases, children come back to the shelter, and some stay on or are successfully re-housed with other families.
Like the water that swirls through the low-lying Krousar Thmey village, many NGOs in Poi Pet fill the holes left by a government that has inherited a country gutted by war, and struggles to implement a semblance of policy through a machinery that is often distorted by corruption.
Illegal migration - often abetted by people smugglers, which is another term for human traffickers - is an everyday phenomenon on Thailand's borders. In recent months, it has been the focus of new attention as governments in the region realise the phenomenon is almost out of control; the Thai government estimates that there are at least one million foreigners - mostly from Myanmar, followed by Cambodia - working inside Thailand. And that does not count the family members who are with them.
An unprecedented agreement was signed last month in Yangon between six countries of the greater Mekong sub-region, one of the world's hot spots for human trafficking: Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
Preventive measures
MINISTERS pledged to 'address trafficking from a comprehensive perspective, encompassing areas of policy and cooperation at the national and international levels; legal frameworks, law enforcement and criminal justice; protection, recovery and reintegration of victims; as well as preventive measures'.
After the legalese it will be implementation that counts. This was stressed repeatedly at another forum in Bangkok recently, to which youth representatives from Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines were invited to give their views. Organised jointly by Ecpat (End Child Prostitution, Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) and two United Nations organisations, the workshop was part of a review of commitments and action plans against the sexual exploitation of children.
The MOU signed in Yangon did not refer to the need to consult the most vulnerable group under discussion - children themselves.
Such non-consultation, say NGOs which have worked closely with children, means agreements and action plans are usually weighted towards law rather than in-country and cross-border security and protection of human rights - which is what the children need.
An interesting comment was made on the issue of children being heard, after the Ecpat-UN review in Bangkok. A youth delegate from the Philippines sat together with representatives from Thailand and Cambodia. The rest of the panel comprised adults working for UN agencies and Ecpat. Together, they faced a modest gathering of local and international press.
After several questions were directed to the adults and answered by them, the youth delegates were given a chance to speak. The Filipina mentioned that she had been disappointed that 'hardly anyone' had turned up for their own workshop. The Thai delegate said: 'Many actions that are well intentioned, do not however address the needs of children.'
She singled out the media as failing in its responsibility to deliver content both truthfully and sensitively, with a clear distinction between good and bad. And she gave some insight into issues that bother children.
'From our perspective, often the exploiters are not strangers but family members or other people we are close to and respect and trust. From the children's perspective, it is a beautiful world without deceit; when bad things happen, who do we turn to?'
And to underscore the importance of the issue, the Filipina delegate declared abruptly: 'I'm sorry, this conference is not child friendly at all,' before pushing her chair back and walking out.
i hope tt e conference tt children's society is hosting next yr wld create greater awareness not juz in s'pore but also ard e region.....hopefully everything will turn out gd! cross my fingers
FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT: THAILAND
Let's hear it for the children
By Nirmal Ghosh
THAILAND CORRESPONDENT
POI PET (CAMBODIA) - WHEN it rains, Krousar Thmey's shelter for children in Poi Pet, across the Thai border in Cambodia, starts flooding. Below the walls of a giant casino where millions are gambled every day, the children of Krousar Thmey pick up toddlers and wade through shin-deep water to do their chores. A pedestal fan churns hot, humid air inside a hut on stilts which serves as the office of the Phnom Penh based non-government organisation (NGO).
Krousar Thmey means 'new family'. Here the children are free of the circumstances they have been rescued from - the bondage of illegal traffickers and exploiters. Some have been repatriated from Thailand, where they were sent to beg on the streets of Bangkok or work in airless sweatshops or sordid brothels. Some were taken off the streets of Poi Pet itself, where they would sniff glue and split methamphetamine pills to help pass the night.
Poi Pet is a funnel for traders in everything from clothes to people. Around 60 per cent of the town comprises a floating transient population out to make a quick buck - or just to survive.
When I walked into Poi Pet, from Aranyaprathet on the Thai side, several hustlers approached me to offer visa services, transport to Siem Reap, and women - in that order.
Krousar Thmey attempts to find the children's homes and families, assess their circumstances and reunite the children with them. It has a 70 per cent success rate, mainly because of follow-up and insistence that the children should go to school - for which Krousar Thmey provides support. In some cases, children come back to the shelter, and some stay on or are successfully re-housed with other families.
Like the water that swirls through the low-lying Krousar Thmey village, many NGOs in Poi Pet fill the holes left by a government that has inherited a country gutted by war, and struggles to implement a semblance of policy through a machinery that is often distorted by corruption.
Illegal migration - often abetted by people smugglers, which is another term for human traffickers - is an everyday phenomenon on Thailand's borders. In recent months, it has been the focus of new attention as governments in the region realise the phenomenon is almost out of control; the Thai government estimates that there are at least one million foreigners - mostly from Myanmar, followed by Cambodia - working inside Thailand. And that does not count the family members who are with them.
An unprecedented agreement was signed last month in Yangon between six countries of the greater Mekong sub-region, one of the world's hot spots for human trafficking: Cambodia, China, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.
Preventive measures
MINISTERS pledged to 'address trafficking from a comprehensive perspective, encompassing areas of policy and cooperation at the national and international levels; legal frameworks, law enforcement and criminal justice; protection, recovery and reintegration of victims; as well as preventive measures'.
After the legalese it will be implementation that counts. This was stressed repeatedly at another forum in Bangkok recently, to which youth representatives from Thailand, Cambodia and the Philippines were invited to give their views. Organised jointly by Ecpat (End Child Prostitution, Pornography and Trafficking of Children for Sexual Purposes) and two United Nations organisations, the workshop was part of a review of commitments and action plans against the sexual exploitation of children.
The MOU signed in Yangon did not refer to the need to consult the most vulnerable group under discussion - children themselves.
Such non-consultation, say NGOs which have worked closely with children, means agreements and action plans are usually weighted towards law rather than in-country and cross-border security and protection of human rights - which is what the children need.
An interesting comment was made on the issue of children being heard, after the Ecpat-UN review in Bangkok. A youth delegate from the Philippines sat together with representatives from Thailand and Cambodia. The rest of the panel comprised adults working for UN agencies and Ecpat. Together, they faced a modest gathering of local and international press.
After several questions were directed to the adults and answered by them, the youth delegates were given a chance to speak. The Filipina mentioned that she had been disappointed that 'hardly anyone' had turned up for their own workshop. The Thai delegate said: 'Many actions that are well intentioned, do not however address the needs of children.'
She singled out the media as failing in its responsibility to deliver content both truthfully and sensitively, with a clear distinction between good and bad. And she gave some insight into issues that bother children.
'From our perspective, often the exploiters are not strangers but family members or other people we are close to and respect and trust. From the children's perspective, it is a beautiful world without deceit; when bad things happen, who do we turn to?'
And to underscore the importance of the issue, the Filipina delegate declared abruptly: 'I'm sorry, this conference is not child friendly at all,' before pushing her chair back and walking out.
i hope tt e conference tt children's society is hosting next yr wld create greater awareness not juz in s'pore but also ard e region.....hopefully everything will turn out gd! cross my fingers
all alone.....
all alone in my office.....i guess every1 else decided 2 eat snake since it's x'mas eve & boss is not in.....she juz walked in.....e colleague tt i was comtemplating on blogging......she really a weird person.....i have difficulties communicating wif her a lot o e times......aiya, i've got 2 do my article reading b4 i can blog.....prob blog after x'mas.......i'll write a special's of her 1 day.......
Thursday, December 23, 2004
Miss you finally by Trademark.....
But I miss you finally
But I miss you finally
Try to remember all these years
We shared the love we shared the tears
Thought that forever it would be
I realize you lie to me
I still hold on
Still dream of days when we were one
[CHORUS]
You played with my heart
You played with my mind
But I miss you finally
Right from the start
My love made me blind
But I miss you finally
All of these promises you made
This 4 letter word it seems to...
Baby it's hard to understand
Now that you're gone
We reached the end
I still believe
Still dream of days when we were one
[Chorus 3X]
You played with my heart
You played with my mind
Right from the start
My love made me blind
Miss you finally by Trademark.....
But I miss you finally
Try to remember all these years
We shared the love we shared the tears
Thought that forever it would be
I realize you lie to me
I still hold on
Still dream of days when we were one
[CHORUS]
You played with my heart
You played with my mind
But I miss you finally
Right from the start
My love made me blind
But I miss you finally
All of these promises you made
This 4 letter word it seems to...
Baby it's hard to understand
Now that you're gone
We reached the end
I still believe
Still dream of days when we were one
[Chorus 3X]
You played with my heart
You played with my mind
Right from the start
My love made me blind
Miss you finally by Trademark.....
Wednesday, December 22, 2004
Today December 22, 2004
FLIP SIDE OF ABUSE
Mei Tan
AS I write this letter, feelings of guilt, anger and pain start to flow in my heart. My story began just after Christmas last year. We employed a domestic helper to help around the house and take care for my two sons, aged three and a newborn. I would rate her as a capable worker and fast learner. I trusted her a lot.
But I ended up spending New Year in hospital with my then two-month-old boy who suffered from two skull fractures. After an hour of persistent questioning, my helper admitted she had dropped my baby, who hit his head against the side of the rocker.
The police started their investigations when the doctors found that the injuries were not consistent with what the helper had said and the Ministry of Community Development,Youth and Sports stepped in as this could be a case of child abuse.
We sent the helper back to the agency and cancelled her contract. We were told by the police to write to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to place her on a special pass while the investigations were carried out; she would be placed in remand under the agency's care.
We were also told by the maid agency that we had to bear the levy for as long as the helper was in Singapore. I found out later (in March) that I could write to MOM to explain the circumstances and ask to be exempted from paying the levy. We then had no further contact with the maid agency — until October, when I received a call from the agency demanding that I pay the $5,000 bond as the helper had gone missing since July and her special pass would expire on Nov 2. The agency also said the police had decided to prosecute her and would also charge her for being an illegal immigrant, as this was her second escape from the boarding house. The first time, she was found eating at a hawker centre.
Where did she get the money to pay for the food? Had she perhaps been allowed by the agency to work part-time illegally?
I was disgusted that the agency had not done its job in keeping an eye on her and that it had not bothered to check that I had earlier bought insurance for the bond.
I also have not heard from the police since June. Every attempt made to contact the officer in charge of the case was in vain. Other official bodies also could not shed light on the matter.
The authorities should have the courtesy to let me know the status of the case, so that I can close this traumatic chapter.
I thank God today, my boy is a happy and healthy 13-month-old. We always read about helpers being abused and how they get little help. What happens if the tables are turned? How often, if and when, do we hear of abuse to children, be it physical or sexual, by these helpers? Are there any statistics or surveys about such abuses?
I am all for organisations such as Aware and TWC2 which foreign domestic helpers can turn to for help.
But what about employers like me? Who do we turn to for help? I believe that when faced with such crises, many employers simply terminate the contracts and send the helpers home, for fear of the financial burden or long time needed to sort out the problem.
I am a good example. It has been a year and the case is still pending.
What happens, when it is through no fault of the employer (as in my case) that the helper goes missing? Is it fair for the employer to be responsible for the bond?
I also feel maid agencies have too much autonomy. As such, some conduct their businesses in an improper manner. Finally, I hope a group can be set up to act as a mediator for the employers/employees. And for parents with similar experiences, I wish you well and ask that you speak up. It helps.
Mei Tan is a 35-year-old homemaker who wrote this letter to Today. Have you a view? Tell us at news@newstoday.com.sg
My sis had a lot o trouble wif her maid as well.....she has since changed countless maids & wif e recent events o maids dumping babies off high-rise flats, i tink she's having 2nd tots o employing 1 but no choice cos she has 3 little 1s 2 take care o.......
i dun deny tt e maid has 2 work doubly hard in our h/h cos there r really tonnes o clothes 2 wash cos o my very big family......& i dun deny tt my bro-in-law is a "gd employer".......he demands 2 much fr e maid.......however e hassle & e financial burden levied on 1 is really a lot when u encounter problems wif maids.......tt's y a lot o pple juz choose 2 send e maid bk instead o pursuing matters further.......these maids i presume will come bk 2 s'pore 2 work again......& e next family has 2 go thro' all e nightmare again......
i really hope tt more can b done abt maid problems.....but now i'm not in e rite frame o mind 2 tink o a possible solution......i'll try 2 tink abt it during my scheduled vacation wif myself.....i'll reserve a slot 2 review all social issues then i can blog abt it........
FLIP SIDE OF ABUSE
Mei Tan
AS I write this letter, feelings of guilt, anger and pain start to flow in my heart. My story began just after Christmas last year. We employed a domestic helper to help around the house and take care for my two sons, aged three and a newborn. I would rate her as a capable worker and fast learner. I trusted her a lot.
But I ended up spending New Year in hospital with my then two-month-old boy who suffered from two skull fractures. After an hour of persistent questioning, my helper admitted she had dropped my baby, who hit his head against the side of the rocker.
The police started their investigations when the doctors found that the injuries were not consistent with what the helper had said and the Ministry of Community Development,Youth and Sports stepped in as this could be a case of child abuse.
We sent the helper back to the agency and cancelled her contract. We were told by the police to write to the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) to place her on a special pass while the investigations were carried out; she would be placed in remand under the agency's care.
We were also told by the maid agency that we had to bear the levy for as long as the helper was in Singapore. I found out later (in March) that I could write to MOM to explain the circumstances and ask to be exempted from paying the levy. We then had no further contact with the maid agency — until October, when I received a call from the agency demanding that I pay the $5,000 bond as the helper had gone missing since July and her special pass would expire on Nov 2. The agency also said the police had decided to prosecute her and would also charge her for being an illegal immigrant, as this was her second escape from the boarding house. The first time, she was found eating at a hawker centre.
Where did she get the money to pay for the food? Had she perhaps been allowed by the agency to work part-time illegally?
I was disgusted that the agency had not done its job in keeping an eye on her and that it had not bothered to check that I had earlier bought insurance for the bond.
I also have not heard from the police since June. Every attempt made to contact the officer in charge of the case was in vain. Other official bodies also could not shed light on the matter.
The authorities should have the courtesy to let me know the status of the case, so that I can close this traumatic chapter.
I thank God today, my boy is a happy and healthy 13-month-old. We always read about helpers being abused and how they get little help. What happens if the tables are turned? How often, if and when, do we hear of abuse to children, be it physical or sexual, by these helpers? Are there any statistics or surveys about such abuses?
I am all for organisations such as Aware and TWC2 which foreign domestic helpers can turn to for help.
But what about employers like me? Who do we turn to for help? I believe that when faced with such crises, many employers simply terminate the contracts and send the helpers home, for fear of the financial burden or long time needed to sort out the problem.
I am a good example. It has been a year and the case is still pending.
What happens, when it is through no fault of the employer (as in my case) that the helper goes missing? Is it fair for the employer to be responsible for the bond?
I also feel maid agencies have too much autonomy. As such, some conduct their businesses in an improper manner. Finally, I hope a group can be set up to act as a mediator for the employers/employees. And for parents with similar experiences, I wish you well and ask that you speak up. It helps.
Mei Tan is a 35-year-old homemaker who wrote this letter to Today. Have you a view? Tell us at news@newstoday.com.sg
My sis had a lot o trouble wif her maid as well.....she has since changed countless maids & wif e recent events o maids dumping babies off high-rise flats, i tink she's having 2nd tots o employing 1 but no choice cos she has 3 little 1s 2 take care o.......
i dun deny tt e maid has 2 work doubly hard in our h/h cos there r really tonnes o clothes 2 wash cos o my very big family......& i dun deny tt my bro-in-law is a "gd employer".......he demands 2 much fr e maid.......however e hassle & e financial burden levied on 1 is really a lot when u encounter problems wif maids.......tt's y a lot o pple juz choose 2 send e maid bk instead o pursuing matters further.......these maids i presume will come bk 2 s'pore 2 work again......& e next family has 2 go thro' all e nightmare again......
i really hope tt more can b done abt maid problems.....but now i'm not in e rite frame o mind 2 tink o a possible solution......i'll try 2 tink abt it during my scheduled vacation wif myself.....i'll reserve a slot 2 review all social issues then i can blog abt it........
Today December 21, 2004
'Slamming' 'tude
She's a maverick who shocks, inspires and cares deeply
Surekha A Yadavsurekha@newstoday.com.sg
SHORTLY after the earth-shaking events of 911, Singaporean Greta Georges and her mother sent out more than 200 letters to prominent groups and individuals all over world – from rock band U2 to United States President George W Bush.
This led up to the planet's first World Harmony Day, which mother and daughter organised on Feb 2, 2002 at 20.02 pm, at Suntec City.
The event included a two-minute vigil in honour of all who have lost their lives in war.
"We didn't have, and still don't have, a message. For us, it is just about making it known that we are for peace," says Greta.
Pulling the whole thing together single-handedly was "very tough" and "quite the emotional ride." But the effort paid off. Support flooded in, and today, World Harmony Day is an annual event supported by international organisations including the United Nations.
As a maverick poet-film-maker-activist, Greta tends to both shock Singaporeans and inspire the world in turn.
She spouts poetry off the cuff and sings, shouts and dances — doing what is called "slamming", a poetic form of rap battling. Only, this performance isn't limited to salon recitals. "One morning, I had to give up my seat to a pregnant lady on the train. So that afternoon, I decided to get a seat for myself by dressing up as pregnant lady — but I still could not get a seat, so I "slammed" to show my displeasure," says Greta, adding that apart from looking startled, the passengers showed no reaction. It is this kind of apathy here that Greta doesn't understand.
"I was brought up to think, pay attention to my world, have an opinion and share it. That is what I'm going to do," she says.
She has always beaten her own path. By 16, Greta had travelled across America alone. By the time she was 20, she had been across the globe.
Emblazoned on her tattered, once-white backpack are the words, "Universal Peace Forum, Barcelona".
"I was there for a month for the Condition of Peace dialogue and I shot my second movie there," she says. At 23, she looks more like a bouncy teenager than world-weary traveller and cynical, Michael Moore-type documentary-maker.
The movie she refers to, Weapons Of Mass Deception, is "a parody of everything (US President) Bush said", says Greta. With one cameraman and a microphone, she ran around at the forum trying to pull together the movie without a script.
"Everything was impromptu. I would attend a forum and accost the speakers afterwards for sound-bites. I was a madwoman," she said with a laugh. What intrigues her is how views differed from nationality to nationality on the issue of weapons of mass destruction.
"It is very interesting, this difference. A professor could tell me with great confidence which countries carried the weapons, while a man from the Congo told me the "weapons" were the repressed people in his village."
She intends to submit the movie in local film-making competitions.
Her upbringing is as unusual as her choice of path in life. At 2, she left her birth town in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, when her mum ran away from an unpleasant marriage. "So drama right? But I think it's because of who my mother is, that I am what I am," she said. Her standard joke about her father, whom she has not seen in years, is: "He is not a terrorist."
But her mum, an events planner, has become her partner in her battles for the things she believes in — such as peace. Right now, Greta is hard at work on her next film project. "I don't want to say what it is just yet, except I'm going to film in the Middle East," she says with an elusive smile.
i know her fr dragonboat......she's flamboyant i wld describe......i never knew she was doing so much.....i admire her....i'm jealous o her even.......
'Slamming' 'tude
She's a maverick who shocks, inspires and cares deeply
Surekha A Yadavsurekha@newstoday.com.sg
SHORTLY after the earth-shaking events of 911, Singaporean Greta Georges and her mother sent out more than 200 letters to prominent groups and individuals all over world – from rock band U2 to United States President George W Bush.
This led up to the planet's first World Harmony Day, which mother and daughter organised on Feb 2, 2002 at 20.02 pm, at Suntec City.
The event included a two-minute vigil in honour of all who have lost their lives in war.
"We didn't have, and still don't have, a message. For us, it is just about making it known that we are for peace," says Greta.
Pulling the whole thing together single-handedly was "very tough" and "quite the emotional ride." But the effort paid off. Support flooded in, and today, World Harmony Day is an annual event supported by international organisations including the United Nations.
As a maverick poet-film-maker-activist, Greta tends to both shock Singaporeans and inspire the world in turn.
She spouts poetry off the cuff and sings, shouts and dances — doing what is called "slamming", a poetic form of rap battling. Only, this performance isn't limited to salon recitals. "One morning, I had to give up my seat to a pregnant lady on the train. So that afternoon, I decided to get a seat for myself by dressing up as pregnant lady — but I still could not get a seat, so I "slammed" to show my displeasure," says Greta, adding that apart from looking startled, the passengers showed no reaction. It is this kind of apathy here that Greta doesn't understand.
"I was brought up to think, pay attention to my world, have an opinion and share it. That is what I'm going to do," she says.
She has always beaten her own path. By 16, Greta had travelled across America alone. By the time she was 20, she had been across the globe.
Emblazoned on her tattered, once-white backpack are the words, "Universal Peace Forum, Barcelona".
"I was there for a month for the Condition of Peace dialogue and I shot my second movie there," she says. At 23, she looks more like a bouncy teenager than world-weary traveller and cynical, Michael Moore-type documentary-maker.
The movie she refers to, Weapons Of Mass Deception, is "a parody of everything (US President) Bush said", says Greta. With one cameraman and a microphone, she ran around at the forum trying to pull together the movie without a script.
"Everything was impromptu. I would attend a forum and accost the speakers afterwards for sound-bites. I was a madwoman," she said with a laugh. What intrigues her is how views differed from nationality to nationality on the issue of weapons of mass destruction.
"It is very interesting, this difference. A professor could tell me with great confidence which countries carried the weapons, while a man from the Congo told me the "weapons" were the repressed people in his village."
She intends to submit the movie in local film-making competitions.
Her upbringing is as unusual as her choice of path in life. At 2, she left her birth town in Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, when her mum ran away from an unpleasant marriage. "So drama right? But I think it's because of who my mother is, that I am what I am," she said. Her standard joke about her father, whom she has not seen in years, is: "He is not a terrorist."
But her mum, an events planner, has become her partner in her battles for the things she believes in — such as peace. Right now, Greta is hard at work on her next film project. "I don't want to say what it is just yet, except I'm going to film in the Middle East," she says with an elusive smile.
i know her fr dragonboat......she's flamboyant i wld describe......i never knew she was doing so much.....i admire her....i'm jealous o her even.......
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
