Bangkok facing massive flood crisis - worst in over 50 years.

      I called several friends today by phone, and was shocked and saddened to learn that a business associate has lost his house totally submerged to the floods in Thailand, the worst ever in over 50 years. Several other friends' companies are also partially submerged, ruining millions of Baht of equipment. Over 1000 factories are affected, many shut for the forseeable future, and our old customers such as AAT Auto Alliance Thailand (Ford Mazda) has its production lines stopped due to parts stoppage from parts suppliers who are shut or worse. Toyota has shut its factory and so has Honda too as of today. Many thousands of car owners are parking their cars on the high flyovers in Bangkok to prevent them from being washed away or flooded making them totally out of use.

       I thank God, for divine providence, I was all ready to invest into a new venture into Thailand by June of this year but somehow did not do so, instead decided to expand further into my home country Singapore.

       I pray for all the friends whose jobs, livelihoods, businesses and homes are being threatened or wiped out every hour of each passing day. Lets hope this disaster ends soon.  After this, ALL OF US should take ownership of our actions which is causing Global Warming and causing freaky weather patterns, polar caps melting, and rising tides.

Club Med Bintan 22nd - 24th June 2003

My father Geoffrey (83), son Noel (7 years) and mother Anna (73)

Andrew, triumphant with his potato crisp

Can I have some please ?

My father and mother dining at Club Med Bintan

          With regards to my post earlier about my son Andrew, here are the pictures of that famous Bintan trip in 2003, the first picture up at the top shows them in the ferry with Noel in between his grandparents taking the 1 hour ferry ride. As I recall, we went for 2 trips to Bintan first in 2002 and then in 2003, after which my father suffered a fall in November 2003 which weakened his legs.

          Andrew (2nd picture) was extremely successful in extracting maximum benefit from all the holidaying families on board the ferry. I am reminded of the saying "when there is a will, there is a way" so it is always good to stay positive and not be disheartened when things do not go exactly as you planned it.

         Our family had alot of fun at Club Med, with the grandparents enjoying the beach and sea-breezes, us parents playing tennis and swimming, and the boys doing everything from playing the water-slides, tennis, and archery. Club Med also has a Kid's Club where you can park your young ones and let the minders take care of their entire activity. We let the boys go and have fun for 1 day while we had time to ourselves. 

         The 4th picture shows my Dad and Mum dining at Club Med Bintan. The great thing about Club Med is that its an 'all-inclusive package' for 1 price per person, so food, drinks (wine and beer) are all free flow. However, we had young children along, it wasn't good to quaffle too much and get drunk lest you give them the wrong impression !

         A memorable trip, for me, May, my parents and definitely for the boys. 

Worried about you - Rolling Stones 1981

     The MTV version of the song performed by the Stones in 1981, just after the album Tattoo You was released, I believe it was the Rock Album of the Year. As you can see from the video, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards (Lead Guitar), Charlie Watts (drummer), Ronnie Wood (Bass) and Chris Perkins were thoroughly enjoying the session even though it was in front of the cameras.

     I suspect Mick, Keith and definitely Charlie were into some drugs then, as can be seen by their rather stoned out expressions, but as rock and roll stars, its "par for the course" or common practice in the Western world.

    My best slow rock song at the moment !

Coolest 65+ elderly gentlemen in the world - The Rolling Stones

Rock On Guys ; Rock On !!

Happy Birthday Andrew - in advance !

Family portrait in Egypt 2009

Andrew is on the extreme right, Noel is to my right.

     In 10 days time, my younger son will be 14, a fully fledged teenager. How time flies. I still recall the days when he was a baby, and he had a thick shock of hair, a mango-shaped head and smiled many times to everybody. When he was a toddler, he charmed many people, with his winsome smile and easy demeanour. He was never short of people wanting to carry him.

    One trip, some 9 years ago, my parents and our family went for a 3 day 2 night stay at Club Med Bintan, Indonesia. Andrew was around 4 years old, and was a real bundle of energy- as I recall. My wife, May had packed for the 1 hour ferry trip plus half hour bus trip to the resort, alot of nice healthy fruits and cooling drinks, fearing that the boys would be out running around in the hot sun, and sea, and eating all kinds of junk food.  So anyway, as we were in the ferry for the 1 hour ride, every other family, had bags and bags of potato crisps, and soft drinks.  So, being the street smart fellow all of 4 years old, Andrew ignored the fruits and barley drink which May had offered to him. Instead, he went all around the ferry and started chatting with the fellow holidaymakers, total strangers. With his winsome smile, charm and some pathetic looks, he managed to get (this is no joke), enough packets of potato crisps to feed him and his brother, Noel. We we stunned speechless to say the least. This boy can fend for himself in future life, I think. 

       Happy Birthday in advance Andrew !!

        

Sports Karate Anyone ?

     The Karate Club which I have been an active member of for the last 10 years is on a recruitment drive. Helmed by Sensei Chia Kwek Fah, who holds the title of "Hanshi" and has a 7th dan Black Belt in Shitoryu style karate. We conduct our classes every Sunday from 6.00 to 7.30 pm. Interested participants can come a little earlier and speak with the class instructors, Sensei Mickey Tay or Sensei Jason Chua who can assess their fitness and flexibility level.

      Whilst running is an excellent cardiovascular and aerobic exercise, one must cross train, so either swimming, martial arts or the softer exercises like yoga and Pilates would be recommended for one's personal fitness regimen used together with running. From the sports experts, one needs to have training in the following 4 key areas to fully achieve the benefits of fitness, they are :

a) Endurance (running, cycling, triathlon,walking,swimming)

b) Flexibility  (Yoga, martial arts, Pilates)

c) Strength (Weights training)

d) Balance (Martial arts, Yoga) 

    Exercising of Core muscles (belly) area is a must for middle aged men like myself. So there are alot of leg raises, crunches, turning kicks, poses such as the cat stance, which require core or stomach strength.It is essential that core muscles are first strengthened before attempting to do these exercises. Hanshi Chia also holds a Bach of Sports Science (Edith Cowan, Australia) and is well qualified to train not oly karatekas but also can offer body conditioning classes.

    There are currently about 50 regular trainees, ranging from 5 years to 60 years old, so I am not the oldest !!  

    So stop sleeping the whole afternoon on Sunday, get up and work that body !! 

       

Elderly Man in Tiong Bahru Market Food Court

This elderly man was trying to talk to anybody around him

This morning while having my fish porridge breakfast at Tiong Bahru market, I noticed an elderly man, in his 60s having a cup of coffee. Midway through his coffee he put it down and started to mutter first to himself and later to the 2 elderly women next to him, who ignored him. He also tried to talk with another woman seated across him, but she ignored him too.

In relation to my earlier post, when one has developed a purposeful life, sometimes it is sad to see people like the elderly man, with no friends or no one to talk to. My parents are great examples of people who have lived full, purposeful lives and helped many people in times of need, paying for the University education, in their jobs, and creating opportunities for many young and not so young people. They were always popular with many friends right up to the day they passed away. It is with great admiration that I can learn from my parents' examples and I hope I can develop that kind of success which they had demonstrated all those wonderful years and touched the lives of many.

What is the point of dying rich, in a big house, with many millions in the bank and no one bothers to come for your funeral ??