Musings

HHHMMMM... getting a bit ansy about finances during this retirement period. Must seriously start intensive job hunt, while working on the 2 projects I have for freelance.

Today was crazy 'run around' town day. Met C for lunch and caught up; she's one of my oldest friends - almost 2 decades, amazing! Before that, I had to go pick up my Matt & Nat bag (http://www.mattandnat.com) from Quintessential; got it 2 months back but had trouble with the zipper. The Quin ladies were so nice and absorbed the cost of repairs. The personalised service is one reason I enjoy shopping there and also the fact that many of the pieces are 'one-of-a-kind'.

Before I could get down to the Mandarin Shopping Gallery, I had to endure a horrible bus ride on 171. My grouses (you know lah, Singaporeans love complaining):

1) Bus driver was going really, really, really slow. When you are rushing for time, every second and minute counts. I was running behind schedule. Of course, on the other hand, there are also mad-cap drivers who speed at the expense of passenger safety and also often miss stopping at bus stops.

2) The slow ride, on top of the fact that the bus stopped along every stop from Upp Bt Timah to Town meant the driver had to brake often. That meant the pukey, bus sick feeling again.

3) Airconditioning wasn't working. It was stuffy and I really couldnt breathe!

4) Lady standing next to me (I was sitting) was wearing some cloying and sickeningly sweet parfum. Flowery and heavy scent, must be a French parfum. That sure added to my discomfort. Oh and though she was the last person standing at the back of the bus, she refused to move on all the way to the back (I was sitting in the middle, next to the door at mid section) and caused the crowding at the front of the bus. I always feel bad when I don't move way back when the bus is crowded. However, doesnt anyone realise how Singaporeans look at you weird when you do move in? I like what my school busdriver used to say; 'the back got ghost is it?' when we kids refused to move in.

OK, enough bus woes. What urked me before I got on the bus were the secondary school students at the bus stop. Being a former educator (and am currently in the process of going back - anyone who has school vacancies, pls post me a comment, mucho gracias) who was schooled in the old school way, it was hard not to say something to the kids. Frens reading this blog of course know I was on the Discipline Comm at my previous high school. Dervish may still remember me scolding kids without realising I was holding on to a mike and that the entire Staff Room heard me. What ruffled my feathers? This lower sec boy (he was wearing 'short pants', which in Singapore equates to a student in junior high) was screaming at the top of his voice, which was like a banshee's shriek, oblivious to the fact that the people at the bus stop were affected by him. Especially the old man who happened to be seated next to the group of boys. I was this close to giving them a sermon.

Think there was a report a week or two ago about how the young people in Singapore were litterbugs? Having witnessed it myself during my teaching days, I can sure attest to that. I saw a group of girls from the same school, littering their tissue paper and drink packets while at the traffic light. All this in plain view of drivers and pedestrians. I mean I was at least 100m away and I still could see them. Think that's the sad reality. How do we maintain our clean and green city reputation? Following the report above, a regular tourist to Singapore wrote into the Forum pages to say how he too has been noticing this trend over the past few years. It's sad that the fruits of the many campaigns that our parents and the 70s kids like us went through are in vain. Are the kids of today just to spoilt, having not lived through hardship? What can be done? For sure nagging isn't going to help. Stick or carrot? That's the debate that will carry on for time to come.