Let's play engineer

First it was Changunnie who insisted that there's a big spider on the ceiling (Don't ask me how she got the supervision. Maybe the smoked salmon...) and then I noticed the tiny cracks (i.e. the spider) turned into bigger ones. There are yellow watermarks on the ceiling too. It feels like the ceiling is going to melt if we have another heavy rain.

We called 6 contractors and 4 provided quotes with details. I started my research on the material they use and within a matter of days, I was forced to learn about modified polyurethane elastomer, setting up a temporary crane on the roof top, calculation of tension between the brick wall and the cement layer....etc. It's like back to school and this time, the lab is a lot bigger!

Grandma and grandpa want to have a green house on the rooftop after the waterproofing work. That will require the hiring of an achitect, submit the blueprint for approval at the Building Department, paying the fee for increase the plot ratio... it's gonna be fun fun fun! I think the cost will deter any desire to have a greenhouse. Will see on this one.

Anyone who gotta deal with domestic stuff like this, give me a call! I can probably help you to cut the cost by 25%. No need to go for the top end heat resistent tiles. Light colour stone reflects enough heat to make a difference. Make sure the leveling is done properly or you are creating a puddle on the roof top. Fun fun fun! When should I go to Wanchai to source for tiles now?

Baby boom

I don't think there's any change to the aging society. I mean there are a lot more crying (add screaming, kicking, puking....whatever that fits the bill) babies around the work place these days. People simply have no control over their temper. If things don't go their way, they have a go at people around them. The spectrum of people is as wide as you can get from senior manager to trainees.

When I was a trainee (was 15 years that long ago?), I went through pretty bad verbal abuse. Some were intended to be character building, some were results of my own stupidity. I cried, of course, in the bathroom by myself and I had to face with the same people and same tasks again. These days, I need to care about how the recipient feels. I am not saying it's good to yell at people but why can't people realize they are not always right?? I need to care about how the other feel, what about me feeling suffocated from being around dodos who won't benefit even if they get a new brain (Sorry, Wizard of the Oz is just a story!)

I think people just got the whole "positive thinking" idea wrong. Disciplines is important and makes this world a better place. However, lots of people got stuck in this positive thinking mindset and decided that you should not say No or "discourage" anyone. Children need to know the boundary. These days? Try to have coffee at Starbucks at IFC on the weekend. I guarantee you to see little kids throwing temper tantrum at their parents at least once during your coffee break. The parents? They beg and beg for the kids to stop. What would I have done? Leave the kid there, cry all he/she wants because Mama isn't gonna yield.

Off track from the office thing? No, you see the exact same traits on people who are supposedly well educated and mature. You know why I don't buy any financial products? Part of it is I know the risk and most of them don't suit my risk profile and part of it is I know the people. I just don't feel comfortable to entrust my life time savings with people who throw a temper tantrum whenever things don't go as they planned.

This is a problem as I don't think the world can function relatively smoothly if the society is packed with people like that. Decisions will not be makde promptly and appropriately. Resources will be wasted on nothing. Do I see light on the other side of the tunnel? Unfortunately no.

A blessing

I went to a 15th anniversary and vows renewal party on Saturday night. An awful accident in August 2008 prompted the couple to have the party. The mother and her elder son got into a taxi with a malfunctioning brake. Despite their repeated pleads to pay the fare and be allowed off, the driver went down a steep and winding road. The taxi was out of control and hit a wall to a complete stop. The mother was thrown from the back to the front, hit the windshield head on and passed out on the spot. The son was stuck in the back, one leg broken.

I remember the night of the accident. Everyone showed up at the hospital on that night. The mother was in a coma and no one knew when and whether she could come around. Just when you think modern technology gives us more certainty in life, we had no clue of what could be done that night. The scans didn't indicate any blockage in the brain but she was still in a coma. The son, despite at a tender age of 9, was able to tell the police in details of what happened. The accident was bad but he was more concerned if he could have his mother back.

The family recounted the blessings at the party (i) The mother had no memory of all the events related to the accident. She couldn't remember she was screaming in the taxi or being hospitalized (ii) The son dealt with the trauma really well. He wasn't scarred (iii) The family got closer

How often can one be so lucky? I cannot answer that question. I should remember to always be good to my family and friends as I never know if there's a next time.

First haircut

We gave Changunnie her first ever haircut last night on Jun 3, 2009. There wasn't much to cut and we only trimmed the part around her neck so that she doesn't get heat rash. Changunnie was very good about it. There was no tears nor any squirming. We wrapped the hair up in tissue and put the little parcel in a porcelain jewellery box. I hope Jun 3 and Jun 4 will always have a special place in her mind

If your mummy doesn't do well in the interview, you cannot go to kindergarten!

Applying for kindergarten is no monkey business in Hong Kong. There are consultants and special prep schools (I did my research because I wanted to do that for a living too!)

Where should I start? Let's look at some of the questions on the application form and the answers I have in my head which if I put on the application form, our application will go straight to the bin, more spectacular than a determining last second three pointer in the seventh game of the NBA playoff.

Q: Which student learning results particularly connect well with your hopes and dreams of a school for your child?
A: I just don't want my kid to end up in jail!

Q: Give an example of a way that you and your family have helped your child to grow in one (or more) of these learning results
A: Run! Run! The police is coming

Q: What do you feel your child will contribute to the school's community?
A: Err... my mum taught me to swear in four languages. Diversity? Multi-cultural exposure?

Application begins the day the kid is born. Applicants have to pay some ridiculous amount of application fee to get their names on the waitlist. Two years or so later, the applicants will be summoned to take some assessment test and attend an interview. According to horror story I heard from other parents, kids are supposed to strike up a conversation with the teacher instead of giving simple answers that a two year old is capable of. Apparently, parents whose native language is English were told that their children cannot get into the school because the children's English ability is not at par with other native speakers!?!

We didn't do anything and only started looking for school last week. I will also be interviewed and if I act like myself, I basically deprive my daughter of a "decent education". I really should get Changunnie to learn to swear in six languages now!

Do I speak Chinese? Hmm... do you?

Hong Kong is going through a cultural "Great Leap Forward". If you are not aware of it, don't panic. You probably are just like me, belong to a generation when things were a bit different. Want to know how I found out about the GLF? Two incidents:

1. The Cable Guy

I called an internet service/cable TV provider the other day to renew my ESPN / Sports subscription. The other end said something in Cantonese but I couldn't understand. I asked again and the other side repeated the same lines at a slower pace.

Ah! It's the pronunciation! All the "l", "n", "ng", "ch", "c", "s", "sh", "a", "ae" are messed up! The operator asked me to press the "疹色制" (rash colour instead of the orange colour button) on the remote control and to input my "生粉证" (Corn starch card instead of ID card) number to confirm. And it didn't help when they threw in couple "English" words.

2. Miss Hong Kong

I read about a complaint "letter" (if I can call that a letter at all) written by Lucy who tried for the Miss Hong Kong Pageant this year:

QUOTE BEGINS*** 我 是 Lucy, I went to Miss Hong Kong first interview. Wah d judges very not polite and not nice law. Today I see a megazine saying this year's Girls so ugly. I saw many good and pretty girls there but they didn't choose ja ma. Don't choose mei suen law but the judge in first interview -- most very not polite to many young girls and to to me law. I only 18 the judges ask me to "why join Miss HK go and why not study la u only F7 ja wor how can fright with other wor." Also say my English bad … hurt die me.
Ho La, other girl tell me la, she study in University ok ga dou but little fat or short then the judge (woman) said " why you look fat or so short!" wah ho hurt ga ma.
One girl is a 博 士 student ar very high level and very nice ga dou cant get in second interview la. We think she will be in ga but she said no law. You can search her pic and my pic to see la. She gum high level duo ng dak, gum me ng duk duo rite gei but i think the whole choosing is not fair law, choose model mei? young yao inch', high study level yao inch, short yao inch … They onky choose rich girl law so bad.
We don't go and let them inch ga law if they need tall or high level people then why not put in the application form lei.
Waste time !
dou ng fair gei!
u can email me if u want.
Lucy *** QUOTE ENDS

Youngsters in Hong Kong seem to have problems mastering the two official languages. For those who don't follow HK news as frequently as I do, the Education Bureau is fine-tuning the "Medium of Instruction" for secondary schools. (See link: http://www.info.gov.hk/gia/general/200905/29/P200905290241.htm )

What the heck is that? First the Education Bureau wanted schools to teach all subjects in Chinese. Yet, the Education Bureau allow a small group of QUALIFIED schools to continue to use English as the MOI. All parents in HK naturally rushed to the English (read ELITE) schools just like they would have to an egg tart shop at 3:15pm. Parents and kids were in tears when they found out they couldn't get into the English school. What's wrong to learn in Chinese? I don't think there's an issue PROVIDED that students also get to learn English properly as a second languag. In the end, there were lots of complaints and noises and now the Education Bureau is "fine-tuning" the policy. What are the teachers supposed to do? Bin all the teaching material and prepare new ones? What if the honourable officials have a change of mind tomorrow? Will the teachers be able to switch freely between the two languages when they talk about something technical? I speak Chinese with my parents but I cannot present my work in Chinese and I have been doing it for over 10 years without a break! Mind you, I did invest in Chinese lessons and dictionaries.

Now you probably want to ask me, "what about the first case you quoted. It's Cantonese!" It puzzled me at first too. I rarely notice people of my generation (or the older generations like my brother and sister... Kekeke) giving new life to words. I scratched my head and got the answer when I watched a variety show on the plane the other day.

I couldn't really tell who's who on the show but all the people (I cannot call them artists, actors, singers or entertainers as that would be an insult for those who can master their art) on the show share some common traits

- They are all young and look like a stick
- I think their management agent told them it's cool to be ignorant as ignorance is bliss
- They are not fluent in any language

Young people are crazy about them and imitate them all the time! Doesn't matter what is right so long as their idol said "just do it".

How am I and Changunnie going to survive this GLF? I really have no clue. It's about time to apply for kindergarten for Changunnie (that's another long story) and I am very inclined to home school my daughter.