TIME STANDS STILL !!

March 2010. Have challenged my sons (twins) to excel in their exams. To help churn up their adrelanin to study, I had to tease them with a trip down under to Australia. The plan is simple -- for Dennis, get a placing of first twenty in the form and for Daniel, get a placing of top ten in the class.

Sometimes, its better than punishment. Less stressful on the parents.

As for the girls, its time to decide on Juliana's school. In the end after much soul searching and advices from her teachers and my wife, I decided to let her compete with the best rather than send her to a less hectic school. Better a 20th position in class than be first in class in a less stressful school. Mixing with the focused and driven classmates set better example than the other way.

Makes me think back forty years ago...

Then if anyone asked, I had to say I stayed in a house in Chateau Garden as that was the address for getting me enrolled into St Michael's Institution, a premier school in Ipoh. My father then thought it would be better for the children to be schooled in the better school as it would be more beneficial to us. Guess I'm of the same thought as my father.

No matter its forty year on but the idea still remains valid. Time does not change a good idea after all. Time stands still here!!!!.


Golfing Baby

Time Flies

Its been weeks since my last blog. Guilty to say I ran out of time with work commitments throwing the spanner onto my free time. Coming home around 9.30pm every night does put a person off his PC.

It been a whirlwind few weeks, a couple of trips up to KL, the capital city for meetings and the main big event being my wife's Convocation. She finally graduated after many a long nights of study after a full days work and evenings making sure the kids are attended to. Sure proud of her; for her strong perseverance and commitment.

To boot, I got myself a new Lenovo notebook. It interesting to see the insides of this brand and its outside is similar to an IBM thinkpad!! And it only costs RM1,700 at Tesco!

25 years to change a model!

18th January 2008 marks the day Malaysia's first national car, the Proton Saga was replaced by a new model. The first national car was launched in 1984 and this model lasted 24 years!

It has been well received by the public and has maintained its main feature which is its affordability. In this era where things become aged over 6 months, it has been a remarkable for the Saga to enjoy a demand.

I can only think of the mini and the Volkswagen Beetle where production has been longer. So would you consider the old Saga an iconic car where people would buy for nostalgia???

Begin with yourself

For 2008, I decided to send more time reading. I hope to think a bit more about how I interact with the world around and make a more significant impact in 2008.

My first book for the year was "for one more day" authored by Mitch Albom who became known for his earlier book "The Five People You Meet in Heaven"

The book revolved around a man who was at his wits end emotionally, financially and he decided to take his own life. In his attempt to kill himself in his hometown, he causes an accident and in a state inbetween living and death, he meets his deceased mother who had been his emotional rock in his life.

Many a times, when we focus too much on our work, we tend to forget life is a balancing act between our responsibilities. These responsibilities include time for the family, physical activities, spiritual nurturing and self renewal.

My past and current long hours at the office often times leaving after 8.00pm compromises my time with my family. Especially when I get home after 9pm and my youngest daughter is already asleep. Weekends are spent running errands, grocery shopping and sometime a bit of exercise.

A self assessment on my current lifestyle confirms an inbalance. The results of this inbalance is now prominently visible for all to see.

Physically, I have gained over 5kg. My frame has gone flabby and my stamina is low. A result of a lack of exercise. I have been putting off my physical fearing adverse report.

My shortage of time in reviewing my sons school progress has left me a long catchup with how they are feeling adapting to a chinese language school. We comunicate in English at home.

Most of all, I have short changed myself in self reflection, in taking a step out of the loop to view how I had faired todate. A step which provides opportunity for fine tuning myself before rejoining the rat race. I have forgotten how useful this has been.

As the saying goes, it's always a good time to put events in one's life in perspective so that we are able to make our adjustments to suit the direction we want to take.

DADDY'S GIRL ON HER FIRST DAY AT SCHOOL

It comes to all fathers at one time or the other. Their daughter's first day at school. That day for me was the 3rd January 2008. My baby Juliana starts her first step into formal education.

She was all excited the night before, going to sleep early and waking up at 6.45am in the morning to get ready for school. The kindergarten or pre-school is located about 300 metres from the house at the local methodist church.

Daddy is proud to report his little princess only lost her composure when daddy and mommy left her there by herself but it lasted less than 5 minutes!

golfing baby

MY FIRST BLOG

I mark 29th December 2007 as a landmark date - a date when I enter my journey into the world of blogging!!!

After much egging on my wife who now blogs daily, I now take my baby steps into this much unknown and unfamiliar virtual world. For a 45 year old man, the virtual world is very unrelated and intangible. Its not normal for me as I was brought up in a physical world of touch and feel. To explore and learn in this world, I have taken my blog name golfingbaby as it reminds me of the first time I started learning the wonderful game of golf in 2000, itself a whole new world of adventure, a beginning where every step is clumsy and very comical.

Let the adventure begin.............

golfingbaby