The Star has this section which allows readers to spot and publicly humiliate people with poor English usage, called Mind Our English. It created a whole new breed of stuck-up, snobbish people who think that their English is sooo good, who submit photos of signage or labels with bad grammar and/or spelling, who make (in my humble opinion) insulting comments or jokes on these mistakes. I would think the ridicule acceptable if these mistakes were committed by professionals (eg, the academicians: I have heard this from a fellow lecturer - "Are you cook yourself every day?") or were spotted on official government property. However, some were simply handwritten cardboards signs put up by farm owners, hawkers, coffeeshop owners - the likes. One can imagine they probably didn't had much knowledge (nor the need to know much of) the English language. (No, I am not being discriminating) So is it really fair to point out (and make fun of) their errors in public? Give them a break! Another thing I absolutely cannot stand is how some of these peacocks make fun of how people pronounce certain "English" words which are actually not English to begin with - brand names originating from French, especially (the most famous examples: carrefour, peugeot). How can you label a person as having poor English for not knowing how to pronounce a word which is essentially French? Cacat.
My readers may conclude that I appear to be a hypocrite, since I too, have a habit of pointing out and making public (as "public" as my blog could be) certain mistakes made by others. Well, sure I do - but I don't insult people like snobs do. (Do I?) If I want to quote and make fun of all the bad English that I encounter everyday, I wouldn't have time to breathe. I only quote those that are unusually interesting and amusing, such as the following:
Would you believe it, I saw on this online album of what looked like a wedding ceremony, with this title: Wedding Day - Broom Arrival. I was sure the author meant "Groom" instead of "Broom"! Afterall, the letter "G" is adjacent to "B" on the keyboard, and a typo like that is absolutely possible. Just a typo, I told myself. And then... I saw the next album, also of the same wedding ceremony, labeled: Wedding Day - Broom meets the Bride. A little romantic alliteration? Maybe. No, I am not going to make any derogatory remarks about it. ;)
Tuesday, September 12, 2006
Saturday, September 9, 2006
The Shame
What is worse than making a fool of myself on the tracks, with everyone watching? Not making a fool of myself by chickening out of the event before it even started! Yup, that's what I did - stood by the sidelines and cheered those who ran. Haha. What a lucky escape. :D
And the shame of having opted out the last minute - hey, I can live with that. I never was a runner, to begin with, anyway!
And the shame of having opted out the last minute - hey, I can live with that. I never was a runner, to begin with, anyway!
Wednesday, September 6, 2006
Testing 1-2-3
I am going for a test run in two hours' time. I had to - of course. If I were to die halfway around the tracks, then I'd rather do so in a practice session (with no spectators) than during the actual event (with students and staff and their children all watching!). These are the things I am going to pay attention to:
1. Where to start and stop running
2. The optimum speed to run at without appearing excessively lame or wearing myself out too soon (I at least know they are trade-offs!)
3. How to lift and replace my feet so I don't look funny and won't tumble and roll in the dirt
It's not too bad at a glance, isn't it? Still, I'm all freaked-out. How about taking this up as a personal challenge? Hmmmph. I'd much rather sing off-key in front of 300 guests at a wedding dinner (wait, I've already done that!)
1. Where to start and stop running
2. The optimum speed to run at without appearing excessively lame or wearing myself out too soon (I at least know they are trade-offs!)
3. How to lift and replace my feet so I don't look funny and won't tumble and roll in the dirt
It's not too bad at a glance, isn't it? Still, I'm all freaked-out. How about taking this up as a personal challenge? Hmmmph. I'd much rather sing off-key in front of 300 guests at a wedding dinner (wait, I've already done that!)
Tuesday, September 5, 2006
Run Away
I don't like running. For one thing, I have legs lacking in lengths, so I take more steps to cover the same distance than my regular-height friends. Secondly, I get breathless really quickly, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, I firmly believe that running or jogging hurts your spine and knee-joints. :)
When I was in school, I had always come up last in any running (or worst, cross-country jog) events. I remember we had this set of funny "tests" called Ujian Daya Tenaga Asas (UDTA) in which we had to do sit-ups, push-ups, stretching our fingers past our toes with legs straight, jumping into squares labeled 1-2-3-4 on the floor and (the dreaded) 1500m run. We were evaluated based on a standard grading scale, and I remember I could manage the highest or second highest score in each task - but for the stupid run. For that, I would get the lowest score in the scale - if I could actually finish the whole run (which I usually did, by walking half of it).
Although I now sometimes run after my bus or train, the last time I ran competitively was more than 6 or 7 years ago. We were at a karate training camp and a smart fella suggested a long jog around a kampung area as part of the morning warm-ups. That was killing enough for me, but apparently not enough for the karate masters. We were stopped about 100m from the gate of the training center, and forced to race 2-by-2 to the end (the gate), and the loser had to do like 10 or 20 push-ups. My partner, Ghost, and I came up with an (so we thought) ingenious plan - we would run as if we were racing, but we would synchronise our steps so that we could finish together, at the same time. If we ended our race in a tie, then (so we thought) there would be no loser, and no push-ups. And guess what - we were so good and precise in carrying out our plan, that the masters actually could not determine who finished first. Therefore, both of us had to do the push-ups. Bummer!
Why all these tales about my lame running history? Well, this - I have been asked to run. Yes, run - as in a race. The event is 4x400m. (!!!) I was informed about it two days ago, and the race will be three days from now. Not only have I not been running for the past few years, I have stopped exercising regularly altogether, and am now a qualified couch potato. Gosh, losing the race and losing my face aside, I can think of a lot more dreadful things that are going to happen. :(
When I was in school, I had always come up last in any running (or worst, cross-country jog) events. I remember we had this set of funny "tests" called Ujian Daya Tenaga Asas (UDTA) in which we had to do sit-ups, push-ups, stretching our fingers past our toes with legs straight, jumping into squares labeled 1-2-3-4 on the floor and (the dreaded) 1500m run. We were evaluated based on a standard grading scale, and I remember I could manage the highest or second highest score in each task - but for the stupid run. For that, I would get the lowest score in the scale - if I could actually finish the whole run (which I usually did, by walking half of it).
Although I now sometimes run after my bus or train, the last time I ran competitively was more than 6 or 7 years ago. We were at a karate training camp and a smart fella suggested a long jog around a kampung area as part of the morning warm-ups. That was killing enough for me, but apparently not enough for the karate masters. We were stopped about 100m from the gate of the training center, and forced to race 2-by-2 to the end (the gate), and the loser had to do like 10 or 20 push-ups. My partner, Ghost, and I came up with an (so we thought) ingenious plan - we would run as if we were racing, but we would synchronise our steps so that we could finish together, at the same time. If we ended our race in a tie, then (so we thought) there would be no loser, and no push-ups. And guess what - we were so good and precise in carrying out our plan, that the masters actually could not determine who finished first. Therefore, both of us had to do the push-ups. Bummer!
Why all these tales about my lame running history? Well, this - I have been asked to run. Yes, run - as in a race. The event is 4x400m. (!!!) I was informed about it two days ago, and the race will be three days from now. Not only have I not been running for the past few years, I have stopped exercising regularly altogether, and am now a qualified couch potato. Gosh, losing the race and losing my face aside, I can think of a lot more dreadful things that are going to happen. :(
Wednesday, August 23, 2006
Preferably
I saw this sign a couple of days ago, posted outside a shop in a shopping mall. I think it'd be fun to share:
Wanted: Sales Assistant. Preferably female or male, with or without experience.
It reminds me of a joke I once read somewhere - it goes: "I drink only when I am alone, or with company"
Wanted: Sales Assistant. Preferably female or male, with or without experience.
It reminds me of a joke I once read somewhere - it goes: "I drink only when I am alone, or with company"
Monday, August 7, 2006
Lame Excuse
Check this out:
To: Miss neil
Sorry, Miss neil because I pass up my laboratory report lately. Actually, I already finished my report on last Tuesday. Unfortunately, I sprained my ankle on that night. My wound was very serious and I couldn't walk for the whole week. So, I couldn't pass up my report at last week. I hope Miss neil can forgive me.
From: ... (name omitted to protect privacy)
I got that message on a piece of paper clipped with a lab report which came waaay after the deadline. It gives a whole new literal meaning to the phrase a lame excuse. Poor fella! Here's an egg... take it home and boil it for your ankle.
Hmmph!
To: Miss neil
Sorry, Miss neil because I pass up my laboratory report lately. Actually, I already finished my report on last Tuesday. Unfortunately, I sprained my ankle on that night. My wound was very serious and I couldn't walk for the whole week. So, I couldn't pass up my report at last week. I hope Miss neil can forgive me.
From: ... (name omitted to protect privacy)
I got that message on a piece of paper clipped with a lab report which came waaay after the deadline. It gives a whole new literal meaning to the phrase a lame excuse. Poor fella! Here's an egg... take it home and boil it for your ankle.
Hmmph!
Dinner-Date with my Old Roommate
BeeRee was my housemate for a year, and roommate for 2 years back in university. According to her calculations (I don't dare to count the years...), that was 8 years back. *whoa!!!* We exchange email messages every now and then, but I have to say it was two years since we last met each other. Thus, I was thoroughly (pleasantly, but still pretty much) shocked when I got a call from BeeRee, with an invitation to dine at her place last weekend.
We took some photos at the dinner, and she said she was going to post them on her blog. Today, when I looked, I found the most delightful post ever written about me... well, sort of about me. Heheh, actually no, it is about us. I must say I can't think of a better way to enjoy university years than what we've had.
Thank you very much, BeeRee, and a jolly good bwera bweralar to you too!
We took some photos at the dinner, and she said she was going to post them on her blog. Today, when I looked, I found the most delightful post ever written about me... well, sort of about me. Heheh, actually no, it is about us. I must say I can't think of a better way to enjoy university years than what we've had.
Thank you very much, BeeRee, and a jolly good bwera bweralar to you too!
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