Are you sure?!?!

Took this pic at a library. It is an advertisement for English tuition.


I'm not an English expert, and I'm not sure if this is good writing. This seems to me a cut-and-paste from composition samples. And for ONE paragraph with imagery, emotive phrases, alliteration, metaphor, personification and hyperbole ... seems very dense! This is sarcasm . Haa Haa.

I vaguely recall that in my primary school days, in the composition, I always 'run as fast as my legs could carry me' and something that is frightening always 'sent chill down my spine'; in Chinese composition, the rainy days are always '乌云密布, 雷电交加'. But those were the days when essays were graded my the number of idioms you could remember and stitch together.

But I don't think, that's my personal opinion, that this is a way to cultivate creative writing. More importantly, for students today, they must learn to express their thoughts accurately, and also in a tone and style most suited for their audience ( or the purpose of that writing).

Coming from a non English speaking background, I can attest that the memorize-1000-idiom method is not really useful.

For good writing guide, at least for those practical uses, I recommend these two books:

1. The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr ( This is a classic!)
   
2. Style Guide - The Bestselling Guide to English Usage published by The Economist.

These two books are particularly useful to me. They teach you the principles to good writing rather than telling you what to write. It's like teaching you how to fish rather than giving you tonnes of 'flowery' fishes for you to show off. Once you are left on your own, you will be hungry for words.

Another guess what's the place

Ok, here's another one:
Where is this?

Sentosa Flower 2008

After new year visiting ... went to Sentosa with my cousins. Here are the pics taken at the Flower 2008.

I find this sculpture rather interesting:


Tonnes of flowers ...

Bamboo - a CNY post

This picture is from my colleague. She got this picture on a pilgrimage to India. The bamboo grove.



One may ask why I post this picture for the New Year, instead of the usual red, red pics. Hmm...

Most people , at the new year , will make some new year wishes or resolution to work towards, or at least convinced by the media that they should.

However, this year, I beg to differ: For this coming year, I wish that ... I won't have to wish much?!?! In other words - I wish for contentment for peace of mind, hence tranquility; and hence, the reason for this picture - a symbolism for tranquility.

Coincidentally, bamboo （竹）in Chinese sounds like (足), not as in leg, but as in enough, contented, as in 知足长乐.

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After pondering through what makes a mind disturbed or troubled ...

I have come to a understanding/realization that a pre-requisite for a peace of mind, or at least one of the pre-requisites, is doing the right thing. There is a saying:

Moral Courage is doing the right thing.

But I think doing the right thing is important not only for moral courage, but also for future peace of mind.

Basic cause and effect will us that if I were to be lazy and not do my work properly, or fail to control my budget and splurge on shopping ... one of these days ... trouble will be coming my way.

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A bit of advertisement:
if you have not read my reflection on the Scout Hymn, please go to:
http://ykwee.blogspot.com/2007/11/scouting.html

Ubin again!

A trip to Ubin never fails to amaze me. Manage to catch shot of hornbill on a papaya tree. Wow!


On the way there ... kelong.




A close up of a kelong.
Inside the mangrove, some ships parked there. Not sure if they are serviceable.


Not really a good shot, but there 's a crane or something look-alike at the mud plain at the mangrove swamp.

Stop for lunch at the jetty.