Playin' Santarina at Desi's Place - UPDATE

desiderata.english

It's Christmas Day -- celebrating the birthday of Jesus some 2,000 years ago in a manger in Bethlehem --in SE7EN Days time. This festive season when school children are still on holiday finds many parents putting on their thinking caps on what to buy as presents for their loved ones. A handphone costing at least RM200 for the 15-year-old who just scored 7As for the SPR examination? A perfumery set for a daughter now blooming as a teenager about to enter college or university?

A camcorder for the young man proceeding to matriculation studies -- going to a co-ed school for the first time after attending a Brother's School up till Secondary 5. Does a camcorder make him "cool' among his "gang" many of whom may be now tasting the fun of dating -- first in a group, then graduating to solo dating? These modern times add a heavy burden to Dad and Mum, who besides having to earn bread and butter working 9to5, five days a week, have to cope with teenagers with their body hormones raging for adventure.

Unlike in the 1970s and 80s, children would be happy just going for a movie at the weekend, followed maybe by bonus bowl of mee and teh tarik at the roadside mamak stall. Nowadays, one reads in the news of school students being nabbed at night clubs on suspicion of smoking drugs even on a weekday. One asks: what sort of discipline do their parents exercise?

Now there are temptations of the malls with the expensive San Francisco Coffee House where a cuppa costs RM10; worse yet, some parents have to worry about late night outings at the Crazy Horse dance hall or Karaoke lounge where a person can easily part with RM100 in one night. And the menace of booze, and God forbid, drugs … and the police raids.

Over-indulgence can result in backlash

It's so tragic to read about the case of a 16-year-old schoolboy in Petaling Jaya earlier this week who was found "electrocuted" next to his computer in an apparent suicide. His distraught father claimed the boy had been spending an obsessively long time playing computer games and the Internet.

But my concern is that why some parents did not exercise some control and discipline over their children's play and study times Seven hours a day playing computer games? My question is: How can the situation degenerate to this level?

Parents need to be strict in laying down some ground rules which their children must respect -- observing curfew hours, times for games and outings with friends, and time for school work and tuition, properly guided. All too often, I have seen some parents "off loading" such responsibility to the teachers, expecting them to be even supervising their charges after school-hours. Believe me, it's true, I have personally involved in some "delinquent" cases referred to me for advice. (My sister is also a secondary school teacher in charge of discipline, and explains why Boston Public remains one of our favourite TV programmes.)

Even the smartest of school going kids should not spend more than two hours of a 12-hour day in leisurely activities during weekdays, perhaps with some latitude over the weekend. In this case, the parents realise it too late the price of "over indulgence" of the child, who was reportedly upset that his request for an upgrade of his computer was not entertained. And rightly, the victim's schoolmates who paid respects at the funeral did not accept the "willed" computer as it had robbed their friend of hi life.

But I do hope adults would ponder buying expensive gifts for their children who have yet to earn their first ringgit at work. The money would be better placed as investment for the future -- the child's entrance to tertiary institution or picking up some useful skills at a college teaching modern day living skills that are in demand in the marketplace or equipping the more adventurous youth in entrepreneurship -- venturing out as a self-employed, doing a business.

So for a change, Desiderata suggests giving your child a Book for this Christmas? On my horizon is The Little Prince, written by Saint-Exupery, Antoine De, enhanced also by the author's watercolor illustrations. Priced at about RM20, the hardcover edition would definitely be an ideal gift for a 10 to 15-year-old child. Compare with a handphone prematurely given, with good intentions no doubt, but yet may spoil the kid through misuse or even abuse. One buddy of mine complained that his son in secondary four ran up phone charges of RM200 in the first month of receiving the RM800 "toy" (with photo-capture function)! I don't blame the boy as much as the father -- this well-meaning friend is a spendthrift on himself but indulges his children too much! And the kids hardly spend time reading books, so it's not surprising their communication skills are lacking.

The Little Prince tells of the friendship between the prince from another planet and a pilot whose plane had crashed at a desolate place. He speaks of the time he spent with the fox, learning the art of "taming" and rites, which cements the relationships between the participants. The pilot learns to love the little prince, as the latter loves the rose. Nearing the end, the pilot has repaired his plane, and the parting of friends is impending. Yet the "farewell" is only physical, for the"taming" process has created a bond that endures beyond time and space. In our modern life friendships, how many can last forever and a day?

Another lesson taught us by the prince is that often, adults lose the curiosity of childhood, and their lives are bound by the present, and they could only see with their eyes up to a physical point. We lose ourselves in the race for wealth, power and other things which to many a child, are "meaningless". Some adults even wear blinkers, like the horses do at the weekend races. One track. One direction, to try to win the physical race, no time for the nuggets of nature's beauty and mysteries along the journey of life.

For immediate gratification, another suggestion for a Christmas treat is see a movie at the cineplex. Peter Jackson had been entertaining the past three Christmases with his Lord of The Rings trilogy, and he returns now with another thrilling blockbuster, a remake of King Kong, a three-hour fantasy adventure.

Or for a wholesome (especially those of the Christian faith) story which will never disappoint is from C.S. Lewis' Narnian tales - The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. But personally, I'd go for "The Constant Gardener", from another favourite author of mine, John le Carre (remember The Honourable Schoolboy?), with shining acting by protagonist Ralph Fiennes, potentially an Oscar award-winning performance.

For the longer term enjoyment, back to the bookworms, some other selections. For the primary school children, there's always Enid Blyton's Famous Five and Secret Seven series, the fables from Han Christian Andersen (The Emperor's New Clothes, just one popular example) and Grimm Brothers, with too many tales to mention.

Or for those who love to solve mysteries, the detective novels of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Agatha Christie will never go wrong as gifts. Join the pipe-smoking Sherlock Holmes as he traversed the dark alleys of London solving murders most foul, as he explains to his hard-working -- but none too sharp witted -- assistant Dr Watson, the whats and whys of events and their logical conclusions.

If you enjoy some fright that surpasses the horror of the kind you encountered watching movies like The Exorcist and Elm's Street, read "The Hound of the Baskervilles". The sort of terror Sir Arthur doles out brings the readers to hear the howling of the invisible creature, and feel the taut tension in the air of the English moorlands. But a fair warning: you might not dare venture alone into the kitchen downstairs for that orange drink as your throat dries up; maybe you might even tiptoe out of your room to switch on all the lights in the living room while being transported on a murder solving journey,. After reaching the destination, you won't be so attracted to Blackie the neighbourhood dog, as you used to hug before!

Meanwhile, Hercule Poirot's murder usually involves a fair number of potential "killers". He entertains the readers with his explanations how he would eliminate the usual suspects, and along the train journey like "The Murder On the Orient Express", the reader would be misled by many red herrings and feel he is indeed taken "for a ride". Then the revelation points often to the least-suspected person in the story as the "murderer" -- it comes in the closing pages of course, so don't read from right to left as one would do with Chinese literature.

Other authors I recommend to cater for varying tastes include the Bronte sisters - Emily, Charlotte and Jane - Daphne du Maurier, (My Cousin Rachel), Mark Twain (Adventures of Tom Sawyer), Alexander Dumas (The Three Musketeers) and H.G. Wells (The War of the Worlds). Happy reading!

While we celebrate, please remember the less privileged children in the orphanages,and other training centres for the disadvantaged. The fact that Jesus was born in a stable among humble creatures like horses and lambs (and moo-moo?)has a message of humility and for the common chord of humankind -- not just for the rich and connected. Visit the homeless and handicapped at their lowly but dignified shelters with a group of friends to sing with them Jingle Bells, even it's out of tune or tempo. A little hamper of cakes and sweets as a gesture will lift the li'l ones' hearts, and they are the ones who should enjoy top priority -- the LittleOnes like the special Babe born in a manger.
At the end of the day, it's the spirit of goodwill that comes along with presenting a gift that's important: It's the thought that counts.

Seeing wit' the heart, not just your eyes alone...That's the lesson from The Little Prince.

UPDATED @ 9:00AM -- Nobody a(r)sed for it. I don't NO about some1 called Hows(d)y! Is he a beesy or NObod??

But one Sleepless in London guy/gal (potentially playin' Santa/Santarina...So must not rule out any possibiliti...) came knocking at Desi's door at SE7EN sumthin'offering Desi CON BF, let's4:

howsy said...
A book is always a good idea for Christmas presents.

La Petite Prince? Hmm...never read that before. And BTW...you missed out the Harry Potter series!

Joyeux Noel and Bonne Annee 2006!

7:28 AM

Desi jawab pada lebihkurang jam 911 pagi:

Anda belum baca Putera Cutsesy ni?
Katak di bawa ke Jambatan Lundun?
Desi pun tak pernah dipotkan oleh "Dirty" Harry Pot-tal! Minta Maaf ia jika sperring pagi ini seperi manyak-manyak di monyet Rumah bulan-8 di Jalan Barlimen, Koala Lumpur, siti yang terlalu wolfish dan bahaya tu. Brute, et tu!

Tapi, Better late than never.
Kids, and Mums2, Dads NOT aloud.
Join the Harry Potter crowd at the cineplex nearest thee!
Kyels to send over some tickets in a Golden Goblet,
Hey, Howsy, you can double that to one on a Ag Goblet?
And Sab: how about one on a Platinum?


Desi envies another Journalist who lives in the style of a Donald Trump apprentice ... she has too much yen (literally and euphemistically, tho this Engrish teacher drowned in Yuletide jolly and holly by golly! 1/2 understands the meaning of this word! 'femes+tic+ally" I know, but the EU?)
Mayhaps my French teAcher Howsy, or JPsc my spa-Ring pardner, can help?

from the Yarn factory at http://yancorner.blogspot.com:

Saturday, December 17, 2005
Being Kindergarten

*Holiday is a time to read books that you have bought for quite a while but no time to read. I grabbed hold of “When there’s a will” from my bookshelf at home before leaving home for Sing-Land for a week of holidays.

This is my third day here. Rachel (reminds Desi of Rachel Ward, I have a soft spot for Aussie!) and Christopher (reminds me of ....:)(only between the subject and this self-appointed mentor...) are fascinated by the world of books here. The uniquely Singapore is not the “wild wild wet”, the “no-other-comparable dolphin show”, “the Christmas lightings at Orchard”, it is the smell of the books. I overheard Rachel said, “Wow, the books smell so nice.”

Yesterday, at the check-out counter of a bookshop, Chris rushed to the counter and asked if he could buy another book. I took a look and said, “That’s a kindergarten book.” He said, “It’s okay to be kindergarten sometimes.”

The lady behind the cashier was amazed by Chris’ response of being “kindergarten”. I readily accepted her compliments and felt “kindergarten” too at that moment.

Hey, Y&A Chris: Desi is only SE7EN, goin on S'X ... can I join thee at kindie ah?
Leave thy Mum alone, Rachel is at da Fashion Show in Gay Paree, we'll play Dr Hyde and Mr Jekyll, howsy's dat?

To top up my CON BF this Dec 18 morn, is a maybe, lifter, perhaps, a heavyweight li"f"er, mayhaps, Viva la liVer!
Howsy: I know sum French2, learnt it in secondary school, Elvis the Pelvis was my ESteamed teAcher! Viva Viva Las Vegas!

from page 3 of THE SUNDAYSTAR

A true friend of the Befrienders
BY LEE YUK PENG AND VINCENT TAN

MALACCA: Apart from investing in a furniture factory here, a Taiwanese man has also put his money into the business of helping the depressed by supporting Befrienders Malacca.

The 57-year-old, who only wanted to be known as Cheng, has donated RM100,000 to help the counselling group move into a centre of its own in Ujong Pasir.

“I have enough money for my own wants and my family’s needs. Rather than spending the money frivolously or just investing it to acquire more profits, why not put it to good use?” he said.

Cheng, a member of the Tzu-Chi Buddhist group in Taiwan, did not merely give cash to the group.

He also roped in a local contractor, Sheng Yong Engineering Works Sdn Bhd, to renovate the new centre, providing work worth some RM40,000 for free.

Chen visited the centre twice while the renovations were ongoing to make suggestions on what could be done to make the place more comfortable.

“I know I could have just donated the money and not given it further thought, but I felt I should help in every little way. We should all contribute to the best of our abilities,” he said.

Befrienders centres worldwide provide emotional support to the depressed.

As a result of his efforts, the Malacca group moved into its new home on Dec 11 and is now able to extend its services from just phone counselling to include face-to-face sessions.

Volunteer Amy Lee, who had approached Cheng, said the group would not have been able to get the centre, a 20-year-old house – purchased for RM130,000 – without his help.

“I was speechless and could not believe it when he told me he wanted to give RM100,000. I thought it was a dream,” she added.

According to Cheng, he had been moved by her account of two Befrienders Malacca volunteers who had rushed to a high-rise apartment to save a suicidal man after receiving a call from him.

He said while he also donated to other charities, including Tzu Chi, he was supporting the Befrienders because people with troubles did not always approach religious bodies.

“If they can help people just by listening to them, then I’ll consider the money well spent,” he said.

Apart from Cheng and the contractor, a painter also chipped in by charging the group just RM500 to repaint the centre.

Desi to Sdr CHENG:
Szieh, Szieh! Ribuan Terima Kasih! Danke Sha(o)en!Y

You are a man after Desi's heart and soul.
To all Malaysians, YOU ARE A MAN.