Princess or GI Joe

As the date draws near for my solo spa resort/jungle trip, I am getting pretty excited. 

The Hubby Bear worries about me disappearing into the bowels of an untamed Jungle. A rainforest lodge in the heart of nowhere. Hubby's worry is my fault really, as I told him that the rhinoceros beetle I saw back in 1990 was bigger than the palm of my hand. I suppose it then led him to think that the cicak (gecko) must be Godzilla-like. And given that Malaysia has lots of cicaks, there must be an impressive gang of Godzillas roaming about on the ceiling of my hotel lodge. 

My only issue is, I am keen to be packing like a princess for my stay in lovely 5-star spa beach side resort, but then, realised I need more ammo than a GI Joe for the rainforest stint. The princess wants to take along a nice handbag, sunglasses, headscarf, colour pencils and a drawing book, alongside the dresses and court shoes. The GI Joe is screaming for mosquito (leech) repellent, Nike sneakers, long pants - fortified if possible (against leeches), linen shirts, tshirts, baseball cap, khaki clothes, thick socks. 

How now? Princess or GI Joe.

A well meaning friend said "GI can go for spa, but princess shouldnt be in the forest".  

1,000 year of annoying the French

We had our annual Hong Kong bookfair over the weekend (july 24), an event I look forward to with much eagerness each year. So do 1,000,000 other HK people, judging from the armpit to armpit crowds each year. Thankfully we see as much books as we do people's armpits! Gross.

I bought enough books to bend double my husband's and my back, carrying them home. Not unlike ancient soldiers returning home from pillaging, ladened with battle spoils. One book that I never even knew about, let alone scheme to buy it, was this book called 1,000 years of annoying the French. Obviously written by an Englishman/ Stephen Clarke faithfully used up 600 over pages to minutely record the countless things that Britain has done to snub at the haughty French darlings. I am laughing all the way, because it is so entertainingly humourous. Anytime I would replace my Sejarah textbooks with this wicked book.

The other books in the sack are my usual thoroughfare of "How to....." this or that. I am not sure what really is my life long passion for How to books. Is it because subconsciously I feel like an unfinished masterpiece and therefore constantly reading up on "how to...." in an attempt to finish the unfinish myself. Or it is because my (work)life is enough of a drama/adventure/terror that all other fictions, including Harry Potter is bland in comparison, and therefore I only read "how to..." books to escape the humdrum of corporate life, and act like a messiah of change at work. Whatever is the cause, I have now a few dozen books that boast of its capability to "develop self confidence & Influence People", "Lead a new Generation (steve jobs)", Innovation Secrets (still Steve Jobs), the Richest Man in Babylon, Tuesdays with Morie, sun tzu the Art of War etc etc.

funny enough, the book I am reading most is the 1,000 year of annoying the French book. Bet this is annoying my subconscience!

The journey begins － A Lasallian Brother in China

I first met Brother David when I was about 12 (and that, for the records, was a looooong time ago). Brother D is the younger brother of my ku-cheung, husband of my ku-mah. Ku-mah in turn is my father's elder sister. And Brother D is a Catholic priest of the La Salle order. In other words, I am sort-of like his niece.


Always with a quick smile, a kind word and a hearty laugh, every one warms up to dear Brother D easily. 


What seems like a thousand years have passed since that childhood memory of him, and suddenly, I heard news that he has retired a few years back and now lives in a remote Chinese hamlet in China, teaching English for free. Records of his teaching, his travails and joys of a simple life in the heartland of his ancestors can be found on www.lasallechina.com


His writing style is light and warm (like the real person) and quite often, with a touch of humour. 


A sample of his writing (and also shows his popularity)


"At lunch on Thursday, one of the ladies in Baijiang made the remark that it was hard to invite me over for a meal.  I assured everyone that I always accept the first invitation and will not change, no matter who invites me later on.  It was then someone suggested that in order to avoid the discomfort of “failing to invite laoshi” that I fly a red flag on top of my house so that villagers will know that I already have an invitation for a meal.  One villager even suggested that I fly a green flag when I need a meal! "

The meaning of marketing

(sent by Lynn Liu - Oct 2010)

1. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say: "I am very rich. Marry me!" - That's Direct Marketing"

2. You're at a party with a bunch of friends and see a gorgeous girl. One of your friends goes up to her and pointing at you says: "He's very rich. "Marry him." -That's Advertising"

3. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and get her telephone number. The next day, you call and say: "Hi, I'm very rich. "Marry me - That's Telemarketing"

4. You're at a party and see gorgeous girl. You get up and straighten your tie, you walk up to her and pour her a drink, you open the door (ofthe car)for her, pick up her bag after she drops it, offer her ride andthen say:"By the way, I'm rich. Will you "Marry Me?" - That's Public Relations"

5. You're at a party and see gorgeous girl. She walks up to you and says:"You are very rich! "Can you marry ! me?" - That's Brand Recognition"

6. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say: "I am very rich. Marry me!" She gives you a nice hard slap on your face. - "That's Customer Feedback"

7. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and say: "I am very rich. Marry me!" And she introduces you to her husband. - "That's demand and supply gap"

8. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and before you say anything, another person come and tell her: "I'm rich. Will you marry me?" and she goes with him - "That's competition eating into your market share"

9. You see a gorgeous girl at a party. You go up to her and before you say: "I'm rich, Marry me!" your wife arrives. - "That's restriction for entering new markets"

8 hand goddess at work

Style of cartoon inspired by Mandycats