How can drinking be condoned, notwithstanding it being done at home before going to the clubs? It is still a vice and not something to be proud of. Patronising clubs in itself is already immoral for ladies, as it provokes males into harbouring lustful thoughts towards their bodies. Real ladies do not go to such places.
Focusing on physical beauty and vanity is also something to be frowned upon. Ultimately, it is the character and the heart of a person that will last.
Sad to say, the impressionable young are misled into thinking that these three perceptions are normal and to be encouraged. Sad to say, there is no shame involved but instead mistaken thoughts of seeming 'cool'.
Vulgarity is not merely in linguistic speech or in manners. It is also present in the volume of speech. Loudness exhibited when service is commented on and thinking that it is 'cool' to do so, is not ladylike, despite the ironic efforts to look pretty. Another type of vulgarity that makes me aghast is loud conversing on undergarments with the opposite gender.
What has happened to the young adults of the present age and how do we stop them from teaching the younger ones such horrid things? Such degeneration and licentiousness!
Friday, June 06, 2014
Saturday, November 09, 2013
Disrespect of tradition and art
It is so ironic that this happened in China, a cultural destination steeped in history.
The authorities painted over an ancient painting with animated-like characters, albeit with a slightly similar look. Their claim was that it was a way of restoration.
The restored painting looks more modernistic and avant-garde. The context of the restored painting is also so different; the postures of the characters and the setting are completely new.
Thank goodness the culprits were asked to leave their posts.
The authorities painted over an ancient painting with animated-like characters, albeit with a slightly similar look. Their claim was that it was a way of restoration.
The restored painting looks more modernistic and avant-garde. The context of the restored painting is also so different; the postures of the characters and the setting are completely new.
Thank goodness the culprits were asked to leave their posts.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Retail salespeople
I am a shopper who prefers to be left alone to browse products and I choose which business to patronise in the process. I experienced two contrasting styles of sales service over these few days. The first one made my shopping experience a really enjoyable one, while the second style left me uncomfortable and pressurized.
At Centrepoint, I weaved in and out of a few retail outlets, in my quest to obtain a pair of kitten heels. At Payless, a polite male salesperson approached me to ask what kind of shoes I was looking for. He told me what the layout of the store was like, so that I could better navigate my way through it. He also recommended me a few pairs of shoes which he thought satisfied my requirement. After I politely told him I would prefer to browse the store on my own, he got my drift and offered his help should I need it. He knew I was a new customer to the store but he did not fawn all over me. :)
I was left on my own at Bata too. This male salesperson was even more remarkable. He somehow managed to understand my body language and gave me the space I wanted. I was really impressed and grateful. I was so tempted to thank him for it but I guess it would have sounded strange to him. It was the same at Hush Puppies too. No one 'bothered' me and again, I felt free to look at the shoes :) My last stop was at Robinsons where many shoe brands are offered under one roof. Again, the salespeople merely smiled at me and moved away from the shoes, so that I could look at them in detail. I really feel so grateful for such innate understanding from them.
At Marina Square, two particular salespersons at John Little's made me feel uncomfor-table, on the contrary. They started off on the right foot(pun!) by smiling at me and helping me find the size of the shoes I wanted. It went downhill from then on. They kept recommending shoes that were not to my taste and following me around, as I browsed. I guess they were aggressively trying to get me to choose their brand of shoes. However, I am a consumer who prefers to compare all the available choices and take my time coming to a decision on which one to finally go for. I did try to hint to them that I would prefer to choose my own shoes, but I guess my hint was too weak and was taken in the wrong way. There were two other salespersons who were there but gave me a lot more space to browse, thankfully. In the end, the two aggressive salespersons lost me as a customer, as I was too affected by their pushy service to buy anything from them.
The above contrast continued at Nex, albeit in a worse nature. DMK's male salesperson was like the one at Payless :) Charles and Keith's, Isetan's, Studio Tangs' and D&C's services were like Bata's, Hush Puppies' and Robinsons' services. Then, a saleslady tried to sell me a beauty treatment by first enticing me with a free skin product sample. I should have been firmer in walking away.... Using her bag of tricks, she tried to shock me by pointing out my black eye rings, which I took with a pinch of salt. I don't always have late nights. Then, she pointed out the white spots underneath my eye and said the beauty treatment could remove them in just one session. She stated the "special" price and I said it was too expensive. Besides, I am fine with their existence, as I told her.
She then asked if I go for facial treatments and what brand of skin products I use. She finally sensed my resistance and stopped her promotion. After all, I don't go for such treatments and I use cheap brands of skin products. It was the way she ended her conversation with me that made it ugly. Sensing I would not fall prey to her trick, she just abruptly took the pamphlet away from me and left me with the sample. Though I was polite in my rejection of her treatment by telling her I would first have to consider it before going, I guess she was frustrated in her failed attempt to convince me and felt that she had wasted her time on the wrong person, me not being the 'vain' kind of woman.
I had a very positive experience at BHG J8. I guess I had the courage to be more assertive in my shopping preferences. The salespeople also understood what I really meant. I told one that I needed to first consider before actually deciding to buy the pair. She got the message. I told another that I usually look at all shoes and then walk a second round to the ones I like. She respected my shopping style too and even said it was all right. The last one somehow read my body language and left me to browse on my own, after I mentioned that I had so many choices to look at and I kept rejecting the shoes she suggested to me. The service was really good. The staff did not mind going back and forth to get my requested sizes and they did it with a smile. The last saleslady even did it for a brand of shoes not her own. I am especially impressed by the other staff member who willingly answered all my questions with not one frown on her face. Even the cashier was genuinely polite in her transaction with me.
At Centrepoint, I weaved in and out of a few retail outlets, in my quest to obtain a pair of kitten heels. At Payless, a polite male salesperson approached me to ask what kind of shoes I was looking for. He told me what the layout of the store was like, so that I could better navigate my way through it. He also recommended me a few pairs of shoes which he thought satisfied my requirement. After I politely told him I would prefer to browse the store on my own, he got my drift and offered his help should I need it. He knew I was a new customer to the store but he did not fawn all over me. :)
I was left on my own at Bata too. This male salesperson was even more remarkable. He somehow managed to understand my body language and gave me the space I wanted. I was really impressed and grateful. I was so tempted to thank him for it but I guess it would have sounded strange to him. It was the same at Hush Puppies too. No one 'bothered' me and again, I felt free to look at the shoes :) My last stop was at Robinsons where many shoe brands are offered under one roof. Again, the salespeople merely smiled at me and moved away from the shoes, so that I could look at them in detail. I really feel so grateful for such innate understanding from them.
At Marina Square, two particular salespersons at John Little's made me feel uncomfor-table, on the contrary. They started off on the right foot(pun!) by smiling at me and helping me find the size of the shoes I wanted. It went downhill from then on. They kept recommending shoes that were not to my taste and following me around, as I browsed. I guess they were aggressively trying to get me to choose their brand of shoes. However, I am a consumer who prefers to compare all the available choices and take my time coming to a decision on which one to finally go for. I did try to hint to them that I would prefer to choose my own shoes, but I guess my hint was too weak and was taken in the wrong way. There were two other salespersons who were there but gave me a lot more space to browse, thankfully. In the end, the two aggressive salespersons lost me as a customer, as I was too affected by their pushy service to buy anything from them.
The above contrast continued at Nex, albeit in a worse nature. DMK's male salesperson was like the one at Payless :) Charles and Keith's, Isetan's, Studio Tangs' and D&C's services were like Bata's, Hush Puppies' and Robinsons' services. Then, a saleslady tried to sell me a beauty treatment by first enticing me with a free skin product sample. I should have been firmer in walking away.... Using her bag of tricks, she tried to shock me by pointing out my black eye rings, which I took with a pinch of salt. I don't always have late nights. Then, she pointed out the white spots underneath my eye and said the beauty treatment could remove them in just one session. She stated the "special" price and I said it was too expensive. Besides, I am fine with their existence, as I told her.
She then asked if I go for facial treatments and what brand of skin products I use. She finally sensed my resistance and stopped her promotion. After all, I don't go for such treatments and I use cheap brands of skin products. It was the way she ended her conversation with me that made it ugly. Sensing I would not fall prey to her trick, she just abruptly took the pamphlet away from me and left me with the sample. Though I was polite in my rejection of her treatment by telling her I would first have to consider it before going, I guess she was frustrated in her failed attempt to convince me and felt that she had wasted her time on the wrong person, me not being the 'vain' kind of woman.
I had a very positive experience at BHG J8. I guess I had the courage to be more assertive in my shopping preferences. The salespeople also understood what I really meant. I told one that I needed to first consider before actually deciding to buy the pair. She got the message. I told another that I usually look at all shoes and then walk a second round to the ones I like. She respected my shopping style too and even said it was all right. The last one somehow read my body language and left me to browse on my own, after I mentioned that I had so many choices to look at and I kept rejecting the shoes she suggested to me. The service was really good. The staff did not mind going back and forth to get my requested sizes and they did it with a smile. The last saleslady even did it for a brand of shoes not her own. I am especially impressed by the other staff member who willingly answered all my questions with not one frown on her face. Even the cashier was genuinely polite in her transaction with me.
Monday, August 13, 2012
The Olympics
The Olympics have ended but boy, did it leave an impression on me!
My countrymen put Singapore in a higher position on the medal list, with an additional medal. They obtained for us 2 bronzes. They had given us 1 silver 4 years ago. One of the bronzes was an individual medal, thus ending the 52-year longing we had to obtain one! I salute their fighting spirit and tenacity to bounce back after defeat, specifically that of the Women's Table Tennis team. They had been sorely defeated by the Japanese team but gathered their battered spirits to trounce the South Korean team. Well-done! I am so proud of you! Thank you for a fantastic National Day present!
My favourite male tennis players were pitted against each other in the finals, a replay of the Wimbledon match earlier this year. Andy Murray was representing the host country England while Roger Federer, world no. 1, was representing Switzerland. I got the impression that the latter had purposely let the former get the gold medal. After all, he had beaten Murray soundly in the Wimbledon match. The way he played the match was one with less than his usual finesse and he made mistakes which did not fit his ranking. Granted, he had been worn out by his previous 4-hour match with the bronze medallist. However, he was smiling so broadly at the victory ceremony, despite having obtained only the silver medal. Somehow, it smacks of a sense of joy at having made someone else happy, and let him make his country proud for that moment.
How would Murray feel? Gratitude or Humiliation? It is probably a mixture of both, I reckon. Federer was a gentleman at giving him leeway during the match but at the same time, Murray may have felt insulted at being deemed desperate for a chance to make England proud, though as incapable of actually doing so. How would you have felt?
My countrymen put Singapore in a higher position on the medal list, with an additional medal. They obtained for us 2 bronzes. They had given us 1 silver 4 years ago. One of the bronzes was an individual medal, thus ending the 52-year longing we had to obtain one! I salute their fighting spirit and tenacity to bounce back after defeat, specifically that of the Women's Table Tennis team. They had been sorely defeated by the Japanese team but gathered their battered spirits to trounce the South Korean team. Well-done! I am so proud of you! Thank you for a fantastic National Day present!
My favourite male tennis players were pitted against each other in the finals, a replay of the Wimbledon match earlier this year. Andy Murray was representing the host country England while Roger Federer, world no. 1, was representing Switzerland. I got the impression that the latter had purposely let the former get the gold medal. After all, he had beaten Murray soundly in the Wimbledon match. The way he played the match was one with less than his usual finesse and he made mistakes which did not fit his ranking. Granted, he had been worn out by his previous 4-hour match with the bronze medallist. However, he was smiling so broadly at the victory ceremony, despite having obtained only the silver medal. Somehow, it smacks of a sense of joy at having made someone else happy, and let him make his country proud for that moment.
How would Murray feel? Gratitude or Humiliation? It is probably a mixture of both, I reckon. Federer was a gentleman at giving him leeway during the match but at the same time, Murray may have felt insulted at being deemed desperate for a chance to make England proud, though as incapable of actually doing so. How would you have felt?
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Social taboos which are my pet peeves
1. Ladies sitting like men in public, with one leg crossed over the other leg's thigh while shaking the crossed leg.
2. Digging one's eardrums in public and flicking the contents away with one's fingers.
3. Narcissistic snapping of oneself in photos.
4. Snapping photos of one's purchases in public.
5. Taking service crew for granted and not thinking of their interests; failing to show appreciation for their efforts in attending to one's needs; making their job difficult for them; being insensitive to them and loudly commenting on their products/efforts with negativity.
6. Taking friends' feelings for granted and thinking only of one's own convenience.
7. Always being late for appointments.
8. Being picky over outing details and failing to compromise to the majority's view.
9. Verbal diarrhoea in terms of vulgarities and mere complaints without appreciating true blessings.
2. Digging one's eardrums in public and flicking the contents away with one's fingers.
3. Narcissistic snapping of oneself in photos.
4. Snapping photos of one's purchases in public.
5. Taking service crew for granted and not thinking of their interests; failing to show appreciation for their efforts in attending to one's needs; making their job difficult for them; being insensitive to them and loudly commenting on their products/efforts with negativity.
6. Taking friends' feelings for granted and thinking only of one's own convenience.
7. Always being late for appointments.
8. Being picky over outing details and failing to compromise to the majority's view.
9. Verbal diarrhoea in terms of vulgarities and mere complaints without appreciating true blessings.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
SG's transport system
There have been complaints and disgruntled remarks about our transport system. I have an opposing view towards some of them. I present my opinion in numerical points.
1) Overcrowding is something normal. So is switching transport modes.
2) We don't need to deal with strikes by the staff, dirty vehicles or the inadequacy of facilities for the disabled.
3) The government is doing all it can to address these grouses. Give it time.
The latest update is that the entire Circle Line will be opening in 2 months' time. I am happy that I have more places nearer to my doorstep. There are:
1) SAM via Bras Basah station
2) Island Creamery at Serene Centre via Botanic Gardens station
3) Holland Village via the station of the same name(in case my god-brother wants to go there)
4) Colonial bungalows at Portsdown Road via one-north station(to take photos of the vintage homes)
1) Overcrowding is something normal. So is switching transport modes.
2) We don't need to deal with strikes by the staff, dirty vehicles or the inadequacy of facilities for the disabled.
3) The government is doing all it can to address these grouses. Give it time.
The latest update is that the entire Circle Line will be opening in 2 months' time. I am happy that I have more places nearer to my doorstep. There are:
1) SAM via Bras Basah station
2) Island Creamery at Serene Centre via Botanic Gardens station
3) Holland Village via the station of the same name(in case my god-brother wants to go there)
4) Colonial bungalows at Portsdown Road via one-north station(to take photos of the vintage homes)
Sunday, May 01, 2011
The ethics of teachers having their students as FB friends
With the UK article where teachers were told not to accept their students' FB friend requests, and the local article where Spencer Ng, an election candidate, faced accusations of inappropriate behaviour towards his former students, this issue of teachers and students being connected to each other on FB is a current topic. I stand by my opinion that teachers should have nothing to hide on their profiles. What I mean is, they should maintain a clean character as associated with their vocation. Why have separate accounts or restrict profile features in order to appear clean, when one is clearly dubious in character? Why be afraid of accepting their students' friend requests if one's conscience is clear?
A teacher posted her student's essay on FB and made some disparaging remarks on it. I think that defies the trust put upon her by the student when he handed in his essay. If his essay is good, on the contrary, reading it out in class or giving copies of it out to the students is a better method of compliment on it. I would still not advocate the idea of posting it on FB. I am more appalled by a teacher who made a comment on NA students on the network. It may have been meant to be positive but it can mislead people into thinking that these students are seen by him in a negative light, especially with the use of "tumours". Both these teachers should have known better that FB is a place where many people can read their posts, especially if they have not adjusted their privacy settings. They should learn to be sensitive to the feelings of their students when posting anything about the latter.
I agree with a teacher who said that teachers are "role models" and can "understand (their) students better" through FB. It allows them to create a sense of rapport with their students and at the same time, they do need to maintain boundaries with the latter, according to a university lecturer.
A teacher posted her student's essay on FB and made some disparaging remarks on it. I think that defies the trust put upon her by the student when he handed in his essay. If his essay is good, on the contrary, reading it out in class or giving copies of it out to the students is a better method of compliment on it. I would still not advocate the idea of posting it on FB. I am more appalled by a teacher who made a comment on NA students on the network. It may have been meant to be positive but it can mislead people into thinking that these students are seen by him in a negative light, especially with the use of "tumours". Both these teachers should have known better that FB is a place where many people can read their posts, especially if they have not adjusted their privacy settings. They should learn to be sensitive to the feelings of their students when posting anything about the latter.
I agree with a teacher who said that teachers are "role models" and can "understand (their) students better" through FB. It allows them to create a sense of rapport with their students and at the same time, they do need to maintain boundaries with the latter, according to a university lecturer.
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