Gyms must change their policies
Filed Under (Fitness & Health) by tehpau
Before my last maid finished her contract, I enjoyed about 10 months of regular gym classes at mYoga. Ever since the maid crisis, I have not been able to attend gym. Since my contract with mYoga is up, I decided to terminate my membership.
Why? No doubt it is an excellent gym. The concept does not work for me because it is all class based. How often can I attend classes? Everyday, after work? Attend 2 or more classes in one evening? Honestly, I don’t need to torture myself to make my money’s worth. I know my body needs rest after a long day of work. There is no equipment for me to work out on my own. So I was literally throwing money away.
Before this I was attached to CF. The gym is not bad but maintenance had fallen behind and it is too crowded. I am thinking of going back to CF but this crowd issue is stopping me. Other than that, I hate the idea of being forced to commit for one year or more.
As consumers we don’t get to choose. I think it is time for our gyms or fitness centres to change their policies. When people are feeling the pinch, gym membership easily becomes the first thing they will cut from their budget. People will quit when their contract is over. At the same time, it will be hard for them to get new members due to the contract.
Why not have prepaid system? I will welcome a fair and reasonable pay per use system. I wish there are other gyms around my work place or near my house. To bad there are little or no choice left for me. 
Is your child colour blind?
Filed Under (I Teach) by tehpau
Most parents will be involved in guiding their children to learn as they’re growing up. Like ABC and 123, children are being taught about colours through daily coversations as well. Are you aware if your child has problems identifying certain colours? Do you think he/she is a slow learner? Do you bother at all because you think it is a teacher’s job to teach your child?
The reason I talk about this is because the sooner parents identify their child’s problem, the earlier they can start to change the method of educating their child. This will give the child more confidence as they grow up and enter school.
Last weekend a parent told me his daughter had been tested for colour blindness. She is already 7 years old. That makes me wonder what had the parents been doing for the past 2-3 years? I feel a bit sad for the girl. She does not know how to get help due to her young age. She probably lacks confidence to ask her teacher or friends for help also.
As an art teacher, I do not purposely correct colours used by children between the age of 4-6 unless it is really necessary. The purpose is for them to be able to express themselves. Most children will have no problem using their favourite colours. 
They are allowed to use their favourite colours as long as they acquire better drawing skills.
However, older children will be taught using the correct colours for natural objects. This girl will always use a lot of light green and light blue. No red, purple or orange most of the time. Yes, I noticed that. Sometimes I had to make her change the colours of flowers to something else. Children do need time to change if they’re accustomed to using their favourite colours.
If I had known her condition earlier, my teaching method will be totally different from the start. She could have been taught to read colours at the age of 5. She would be taught the common colours for things around us. But then again, how can the parents not noticed this earlier? Do they teach or guide the child at all?
Nowadays I noticed many kids are being brought up by maids. Yes, a maid can feed, wash and make sure the child is being taken care of. Can a maid teach or instill proper habit for children? NO.
People in Singapore often talk about how pet dogs are actually the maids’ dogs because the maids are the ones that bring the dogs out on their daily walks, feed and wash the dogs. All the owners do is come home and play with their pets for a while everyday.
Our children will end up like that. This is very sad.
Photo source : Dreamstime
Posted on 01-03-2009 at 8:37 pmFood Topic
Filed Under (Good Food) by tehpau
Food is something I love to splurge on once in a while. I think we are eating way too much nowadays and our body is trying to tell us something before it’s too late. My philosophy is to live moderately. Eat moderately and spend moderately. Money is better spent on things that will bring us long term benefits.
So on my blog I will share only my absolute favourites. I am not going to bring a camera along just to take pictures of everything I eat so that I can blog about it. When I am dining, all I want is to enjoy the food and company of the person I am with. What we should be doing more is to have a leisurely meal over hearty conversation.
It is very rude indeed to point a camera at each and every dish especially when one is not eating alone. I face this situation during company lunches sometimes. First of all, it made us look like “sa-kai”; people who never been to restaurants before but we’re a bunch of people in office attires. Secondly, there should be some level of respect for the people whom we’re sharing the meal with. Thirdly, this is a very childish behaviour.
If you’re traveling on a holiday it is another matter. Why should one be going crazy over daily breakfast, lunch and dinner? Why not let the food surprise you? It is more exciting and meaningful to explore and discover something. Rather than chasing after good food alone. I see this as human greed. Believe me, we’re being punished by greed but most of us choose to deny this by substituting greed with other things we want to believe.
So my food topic will seldom have photos, unless I feel like it.
Posted on 01-03-2009 at 7:48 pm