I'm a Canadiophile. Well, you must have known from my blog's name.
Somehow, that amuses some of my acquaintances. I often hear "What is it with you and Canada?" or "Canada? Really?"
One of the famous landmark in my hometown is named after Canada. So growing up, Canada seems to be a land beyond the hill. Maybe a land full of magic and surprises.
Canadians are kind and polite too! They'll buy you candy when your mother is in the hair saloon doing her perm.
At least, that is how I think about Canada as a child.
When I was 11, there was a storm in Canada. The storm caused power failure. Some died of hypothermia. Living on the equator, never experienced extreme cold weather, I thought why on Earth would somebody died of coldness? In the sweltering heat, I asked my father, let's go there! My father a no nonsense man replied "Stupid!". Hey, he had been to the Europe. He had been to the UK and the Netherlands. He experienced winter. I've never been out of this island.
I grew up listening to Canadian singers. Alanis Morissette is my favourite. In the past, Canadians are the best musician. Sarah McLachlan, Celine Dion.
I also grow up watching Angela Anaconda and Yvon of Yukon.
Some say Canada has the most concentration of left-handers. And if my birthday falls on Monday, it coincide with Thanksgiving.
That explains why I am a Canadiophile. And visiting Canada is in my bucket list. Maybe, my parallel universe is in Canada. That is why I have a strong affinity to The Great White North.
Hey, it's Saturday. I need to check Matthew Santoro's youtube channel
http://www.youtube.com/user/MatthewSantoro
Saturday, 8 November 2014
Pardon my French
I don't really speak French, but I can comprehend basic written French. I had a hard time understanding spoken French. The only (part) French song that I can sing fairly well is the bilingual version of O Canada.
Growing up outside the French diaspora, I thought of learning French never came to my mind. And I found it's hard to pronounce French word. My first exposure to French is actually some Canadian cartoon like Angela Anaconda. It's in English but I can't understand why the main antagonist's surname (Manoir) is pronounced as Mah-nwa. Another cartoon, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. There's a minor character called Frahn-swa... It took me 5 years to realize that it is spelled as Francois. The good old days, growing up watching funny Canadian cartoon like Angela Anaconda, Freaky Stories and Yvon of Yukon. Oggy and the cockroaches is a French cartoon but not a single French word was uttered throughout the whole episode.
As I grow older, I wanted to learn Latin but Latin is a dead language. And in this region, nobody cares about Latin. So I decided to learn some Romance language. Spanish is quite common as America Latin Telenovelas are frequently aired here. Dubbed or with subtitles. Furthermore, there are lots of Spanish loanword in Tagalog. We had a copy of English -Tagalog dictionary in our house. It is a present from my aunt. I am always intimidated by French. They seem hard to learn.
One day, my best friend introduced my to a girl. She can speak basic French. She is just being humble. So finally, I had somebody to practice/learn a bit of French.
In my opinion, before learning French, one should learn Italian. Orthographically, Italian is more familiar to me. And Italian and French shares similar lexicon (Lexical similarity).
Like Rome, French is not built in a day.
Growing up outside the French diaspora, I thought of learning French never came to my mind. And I found it's hard to pronounce French word. My first exposure to French is actually some Canadian cartoon like Angela Anaconda. It's in English but I can't understand why the main antagonist's surname (Manoir) is pronounced as Mah-nwa. Another cartoon, The Hunchback of Notre Dame. There's a minor character called Frahn-swa... It took me 5 years to realize that it is spelled as Francois. The good old days, growing up watching funny Canadian cartoon like Angela Anaconda, Freaky Stories and Yvon of Yukon. Oggy and the cockroaches is a French cartoon but not a single French word was uttered throughout the whole episode.
As I grow older, I wanted to learn Latin but Latin is a dead language. And in this region, nobody cares about Latin. So I decided to learn some Romance language. Spanish is quite common as America Latin Telenovelas are frequently aired here. Dubbed or with subtitles. Furthermore, there are lots of Spanish loanword in Tagalog. We had a copy of English -Tagalog dictionary in our house. It is a present from my aunt. I am always intimidated by French. They seem hard to learn.
One day, my best friend introduced my to a girl. She can speak basic French. She is just being humble. So finally, I had somebody to practice/learn a bit of French.
In my opinion, before learning French, one should learn Italian. Orthographically, Italian is more familiar to me. And Italian and French shares similar lexicon (Lexical similarity).
Like Rome, French is not built in a day.
Thursday, 6 November 2014
Oh my English! (is it considered double standard?)
Now I am at the Ford auto dealer to service my mother's car. It will take approximately 2 hours to service the car. As usual, when dealing with the front desk/sales rep/cashier I initiate the conversation in English. Not that I am a snob, it's my second nature to speak English in an 'air-conditioned establishment' like hotels, supermarkets or offices. I'm conditioned like a Pavlov dog in any air-conditioned building... how is that for today's pun?
Earlier, I test drive the new Ford car, Ford Eco Sport. It's a mini SUV. Officially, that's the first automatic car I drive in here... All this while I drive manual car here and automatic in the capital city. It's like driving a sedan car. Key-less entry, sun-roof. Wow! So I drive to the nearest drive-thru McDonald's as the sales rep accompanying haven had his breakfast. Poor him. I wish my best friend is with me. The last time I really test-drive a car was with my best friend. We drove a BMW. So, no, I am not a test drive virgin.
Upon reaching the sales centre cum service centre/ car dealer. The receptionist needs to verify something with me. As I initiated the conversation in English earlier, she asked me: "Sir, these are the things that we need to change...." We continued our conversation in English until a mechanic entered the reception area. He's the one servicing my mother's car. He wants to confirm what needs to be changed. Speaking in our regional dialect. The receptionist got shocked as I spoke to the mechanic in our regional dialect. She kinda scolded me for not speaking our regional dialect because she struggled earlier. I speak in our regional dialect to most blue collared worker. (It is considered double standard to do such thing?)
Speaking English here can change other people's perception towards you. Some would treat you better i.e. white collared worker. Some would not be pleased, they would think of you as a snob i.e. blue collared worker. My primary reason why I speak English is to improve my English. As you can see, my English is not that perfect. As the adage goes, Practice makes perfect. It's a self improvement act. Not an act to show off superiority (as some might see)
I've been called a banana* in the past. With my Eastern Asian feature i.e. my hooded (slightly slit) eye, and my parentage. An 'auntie' called me banana* for trying hard to speak English, not Mandarin or Hokkien or Hakka... Honestly, despite my parentage, I only know a meager amount of Mandarin. Thanks to a year posting in a town by the river with high Chinese concentration. I only know my Yi kwai, liang kwai, pu yao, mei yo, and pu huis. As basic as that.
In this region, speaking in English is quite bothersome. However, I really admire the receptionist's effort to speak English. Her English is not that bad. She should keep on practicing her English. Kudos! I hope everyone here are comfortable when speaking English and take the opportunity to speak in everyday conversation. And by doing that, we can improve our English command.
p/s
As I said earlier, I don't speak perfect English. I don't speak RP/BBC English. But I tried and tried... and keep an open mind to criticism. Never give up when somebody correct you. Thank them.
English is not my first language. Nobody, even native speaker speaks English right after the come out of their mother's womb.
*banana = Chinese looking person who doesn't speak Chinese, trying hard to speak English. Not just speaking English, trying hard to be English (Ang mo)... Like banana, Yellow outside, white inside.
It's Native American/First Nation equivalent to Apple. Red outside, white inside.
Earlier, I test drive the new Ford car, Ford Eco Sport. It's a mini SUV. Officially, that's the first automatic car I drive in here... All this while I drive manual car here and automatic in the capital city. It's like driving a sedan car. Key-less entry, sun-roof. Wow! So I drive to the nearest drive-thru McDonald's as the sales rep accompanying haven had his breakfast. Poor him. I wish my best friend is with me. The last time I really test-drive a car was with my best friend. We drove a BMW. So, no, I am not a test drive virgin.
Upon reaching the sales centre cum service centre/ car dealer. The receptionist needs to verify something with me. As I initiated the conversation in English earlier, she asked me: "Sir, these are the things that we need to change...." We continued our conversation in English until a mechanic entered the reception area. He's the one servicing my mother's car. He wants to confirm what needs to be changed. Speaking in our regional dialect. The receptionist got shocked as I spoke to the mechanic in our regional dialect. She kinda scolded me for not speaking our regional dialect because she struggled earlier. I speak in our regional dialect to most blue collared worker. (It is considered double standard to do such thing?)
Speaking English here can change other people's perception towards you. Some would treat you better i.e. white collared worker. Some would not be pleased, they would think of you as a snob i.e. blue collared worker. My primary reason why I speak English is to improve my English. As you can see, my English is not that perfect. As the adage goes, Practice makes perfect. It's a self improvement act. Not an act to show off superiority (as some might see)
I've been called a banana* in the past. With my Eastern Asian feature i.e. my hooded (slightly slit) eye, and my parentage. An 'auntie' called me banana* for trying hard to speak English, not Mandarin or Hokkien or Hakka... Honestly, despite my parentage, I only know a meager amount of Mandarin. Thanks to a year posting in a town by the river with high Chinese concentration. I only know my Yi kwai, liang kwai, pu yao, mei yo, and pu huis. As basic as that.
In this region, speaking in English is quite bothersome. However, I really admire the receptionist's effort to speak English. Her English is not that bad. She should keep on practicing her English. Kudos! I hope everyone here are comfortable when speaking English and take the opportunity to speak in everyday conversation. And by doing that, we can improve our English command.
p/s
As I said earlier, I don't speak perfect English. I don't speak RP/BBC English. But I tried and tried... and keep an open mind to criticism. Never give up when somebody correct you. Thank them.
English is not my first language. Nobody, even native speaker speaks English right after the come out of their mother's womb.
*banana = Chinese looking person who doesn't speak Chinese, trying hard to speak English. Not just speaking English, trying hard to be English (Ang mo)... Like banana, Yellow outside, white inside.
It's Native American/First Nation equivalent to Apple. Red outside, white inside.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
Hiya... the title is a verse in the Lord's Prayer. But I'm not gonna post about religion per se, but how we concentrate on our difference instead of the common things we share.
It's no doubt everybody are born different. Difference and variation makes the world colourful. Different point of view, different philosophy, different doctrines, different race, different colour....
Can difference separates us? In Apartheid South Africa, there is designated beach for white and coloured, blacks. Same goes to the Southern States. Sometimes it is more than skin colour, like the Rwanda genocide. War among different religion, like Auto da fe. Ethnic cleansing. Even different classes can start a mass murder like Khmer Rouge. Do we really need to hate somebody who are different than us?
Like my earlier post on the Mormon missionary, why can we just love them as they are. Not shun them? Maybe it's because we like to use this word as an excuse: "We don't hate the criminal, we hate the crime". So it's not considered hate. Although we don't really hate them as most claim, we do propagate prejudice. Parents would warn their children not to come near to them.
Can we just embrace what we have in common? When I watched an episode of South Park, the one where the 3 main Abrahamic faith come together and worship together. That episode where Eric pulled a prank by painting polka dots on a cow. Although there are some stupid antics involved, if we look past it, why can't we find common ground and acknowledge it and be good to each other.
Why can't we just do that and agree to disagree on our differences?
The reason why I choose the verse above as a title is doesn't the verse sounds similar to A`ūdhu billāhi min ash-shaitāni r-rajīmi (أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم) which means I seek refuge in Allah from Shaitan.
Similar? And why are we cursing each other?
It's no doubt everybody are born different. Difference and variation makes the world colourful. Different point of view, different philosophy, different doctrines, different race, different colour....
Can difference separates us? In Apartheid South Africa, there is designated beach for white and coloured, blacks. Same goes to the Southern States. Sometimes it is more than skin colour, like the Rwanda genocide. War among different religion, like Auto da fe. Ethnic cleansing. Even different classes can start a mass murder like Khmer Rouge. Do we really need to hate somebody who are different than us?
Like my earlier post on the Mormon missionary, why can we just love them as they are. Not shun them? Maybe it's because we like to use this word as an excuse: "We don't hate the criminal, we hate the crime". So it's not considered hate. Although we don't really hate them as most claim, we do propagate prejudice. Parents would warn their children not to come near to them.
Can we just embrace what we have in common? When I watched an episode of South Park, the one where the 3 main Abrahamic faith come together and worship together. That episode where Eric pulled a prank by painting polka dots on a cow. Although there are some stupid antics involved, if we look past it, why can't we find common ground and acknowledge it and be good to each other.
Why can't we just do that and agree to disagree on our differences?
The reason why I choose the verse above as a title is doesn't the verse sounds similar to A`ūdhu billāhi min ash-shaitāni r-rajīmi (أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم) which means I seek refuge in Allah from Shaitan.
Similar? And why are we cursing each other?
are we that germaphobe?
99.9% vs 100% that is often seen on anti-bacterial soap/shower gel/shower cream. Can they make us sterile?
Just remember, babies coming out from the you know where are not that clean. Meconium, fishy amniotic fluids, bloods... (actually, those mess are quite sterile... but the sight...)
Despite those horrible sight everything is compensated by the cuteness of the baby.
I have slight ADHD, so I often wander from the topic. Are we that germaphobe. Say if somebody who bathe in anti-bacterial soap but drinks cultured drinks like yoghurt, doesn't these negate each other. (This is actually what my dear cousin did... he is so health conscious that he is easily fooled by advertisement. He even washes his face 3 times daily just to get rid of oily face.)
Hand washing is another issue. Anti-bacterial hand wash are not effective if proper hand washing technique is not applied. Some studies even found out that anti-bacterial hand wash do more harm than good.
So. Are we germaphobe? Yes.
Just remember, babies coming out from the you know where are not that clean. Meconium, fishy amniotic fluids, bloods... (actually, those mess are quite sterile... but the sight...)
Despite those horrible sight everything is compensated by the cuteness of the baby.
I have slight ADHD, so I often wander from the topic. Are we that germaphobe. Say if somebody who bathe in anti-bacterial soap but drinks cultured drinks like yoghurt, doesn't these negate each other. (This is actually what my dear cousin did... he is so health conscious that he is easily fooled by advertisement. He even washes his face 3 times daily just to get rid of oily face.)
Hand washing is another issue. Anti-bacterial hand wash are not effective if proper hand washing technique is not applied. Some studies even found out that anti-bacterial hand wash do more harm than good.
So. Are we germaphobe? Yes.
Wednesday, 5 November 2014
Ghost... paranormal
Today, my mother had to go to a seminar held in a hotel. So this morning I sent her to the city. My poor old mother can get disoriented easily. That is why, I have to send her to the city, because of the tendency of her getting lost. I might exaggerate here. So I literally sent her to the doorstep of the seminar room/ballroom. (yup, in this region, nobody dance in the ballroom. Ballroom is meant for government function or seminars or annual dinner. Our Cinderella didn't lose her shoe while dancing in the ballroom. Our Cinderella broke her fragile glass shoe after stuffing herself with Asian foods... just kidding)
Back to the ghost/paranormal thing my mother experienced. The seminar ends at 1 pm. So my mother went to the lift to get herself to the lobby. She was in the lift alone pressing the G button (G for ground floor which is the first level, the lobby). The lift cabin (or elevator cab...) reached the destined floor, floor G. But it was not the lobby. Instead of the lobby, she found herself in a corridor with row of doors. (seriously... Alice in the wonderland). After finding herself not in the lobby, she went back to the 4th floor, where the ballroom is. There, a kind lady ushered her to the lobby and they reached the lobby. She swore that she did press the G button like the lady did. (Actually, my mother never swore... I'm just exaggerating like always). When I sent her to the ballroom nothing happened to me.
And I told her why in the hospital that I was attached to, there's yellow amulet in every lift cabin. Her face turn as white as a paper. (And all this while, she thought hospital is a hospitable place. nope it's hostile!)
Anyway let's forget the whole paranormal thingy. I found driving here a pleasure. No perpendicular parking space. Most are angled to ease the drivers. Large parking spaces. I even laughed at my mother, why on earth she hates parking her car in the basement. I even reverse-park a 4wd in a so called crampy basement parking lot. In other city, I never reverse park in the small parking lot in the basement. That while driving a standard sized sedan. The only gaffe is switching on the windshield wiper when I intend to switch the turn signal/indicator lights. Normal reaction if your're driving a continental style car to non-continental. (continental style as I'm not really driving a French or German car... nope, no Audi or Renault, just a standard Asian made/branded sedan)
Handsome smart young men cycling...
Sounds like a line from romance novel. But that's what I'm about to rant today...
The line refers to some young men, wearing shirts, slacks and ties, cycling under the hot tropical sun. Yup, the Latter Day Saints missionary.
There's a lot of stigma surrounding this so called 'cult'.
First, I respect those young men very much. Cycling in business casual attire under the hot sun just to spread the words of God (or at least their version of word of God, hey who are we to judge who's religion is true). I often ponder, "It must be hotter in Utah than here. That's why they acclimatize easily". (again with my Mormon stereotype and Utah)
I've never met one so I can't really say something about their religion. But, cycling under the sun, I respected them for than... cycling under the sun in foreign country, I respect them even more... cycling under the sun to tell the world about their believe... that's even hotter. (no wonder they have missionary calendar with hot missionary/model... well that's what cycling do to your body) Link below for the calendar.
Although their doctrine are different from other Christians, as a good Christians we must not mock them for their belief. It is their right to worship what they want to worship. Problem with so-called religious-pious Christians. They think that they are right and have the right to condemn other denomination. What if you bring them in for a discussion, and agree to disagree. They might be some exchange of ideas and more understanding towards each other's religion.
So, if Christians, lose those stigma and try to see the good in them. After all, all religion teaches us to be good to others. Maybe offer them some drinks, like Abraham and his 3 visitors. Who knows, they might bring good news or like the Samaritan at the well.
If you're strong enough with your believe, nobody can change them. So try to open up and see how others see the world.
Peace and love
p/s No I'm not advertising or proselytizing for the LDS church. I just admire their passion in spreading their religion.
Link for those calendar http://menonamissioncalendar.com/meet.php
Don't they look hot? I know they're hot because I'm getting jealous. Let's start cycling.
The line refers to some young men, wearing shirts, slacks and ties, cycling under the hot tropical sun. Yup, the Latter Day Saints missionary.
There's a lot of stigma surrounding this so called 'cult'.
First, I respect those young men very much. Cycling in business casual attire under the hot sun just to spread the words of God (or at least their version of word of God, hey who are we to judge who's religion is true). I often ponder, "It must be hotter in Utah than here. That's why they acclimatize easily". (again with my Mormon stereotype and Utah)
I've never met one so I can't really say something about their religion. But, cycling under the sun, I respected them for than... cycling under the sun in foreign country, I respect them even more... cycling under the sun to tell the world about their believe... that's even hotter. (no wonder they have missionary calendar with hot missionary/model... well that's what cycling do to your body) Link below for the calendar.
Although their doctrine are different from other Christians, as a good Christians we must not mock them for their belief. It is their right to worship what they want to worship. Problem with so-called religious-pious Christians. They think that they are right and have the right to condemn other denomination. What if you bring them in for a discussion, and agree to disagree. They might be some exchange of ideas and more understanding towards each other's religion.
So, if Christians, lose those stigma and try to see the good in them. After all, all religion teaches us to be good to others. Maybe offer them some drinks, like Abraham and his 3 visitors. Who knows, they might bring good news or like the Samaritan at the well.
If you're strong enough with your believe, nobody can change them. So try to open up and see how others see the world.
Peace and love
p/s No I'm not advertising or proselytizing for the LDS church. I just admire their passion in spreading their religion.
Link for those calendar http://menonamissioncalendar.com/meet.php
Don't they look hot? I know they're hot because I'm getting jealous. Let's start cycling.
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