Thursday, 29 January 2009

My Carelessness

It is really a cause to be laughed at. I was really very careless today.

Had my schedule planned after I knocked off today. First make a trip to supermarket to purchase a packet of jelly powder, put my stuff down and go for a jog in the evening before having dinner.

Thought making agar-agar was easy. So I thought there is only a need to buy a packet of jelly powder will be enough for me to try out making agar-agar. Went about doing my stuff and having dinner. As I was doing the preparation to make agar-agar, I flipped back and saw the ingredients required. Never did I think that there's a recipe and an ingredients list. I had to get caster sugar and citric acid too with the packet of jelly powder that I bought. I asked my brother whether it is possible to do without the citric acid. To my horror, if I do not have the citric acid, the jelly powder would not solidify. I was like... Alamak!!! Why like that!!! Haiz... too bad. I could not try out agar-agar making tonight. My brother told me that there is a premix packet and I remember seeing it on the shelf. I thought that it was such a big packet and I could not finish it tonight so no point buying it.

The problem is I did not read the back of the package and bought the jelly powder only. If only I was not so careless and had taken a look at the back and not assume that agar-agar is easy to make. It is my plain carelessness which has made me a clown. Well, everyone learns from mistakes and bearing it in mind, I will not commit the same again next time.

Wednesday, 28 January 2009

In hard times, families must draw closer

"The family. It's the most important life raft in times of crisis."

Either immediate or extended, the family is the most fundamental in life. Without a family, there will always be this missing piece in an individual's life. Family is a place where one goes through the life's trial together. It should be the top priority be it in good or bad times.

A recent survey by OCBC found that the top 3 dreams/goals this year is firstly, family and children, secondly settling down/starting a family and thirdly, house and home. This is in stark contrast to last year where the top 3 dreams are to see the world, self-improvement and making money. This actually shows that in bad times, people will think of family but in good times, there is a more individualistic mentality which is personal wants. A thought came to my mind. When things get stormy outside, humans will think of family and home but when its sunny, the family will be left behind. It seems more like an ingrate act to me. Family isn't a place to think of and come back when we meet with difficulty outside. We should share both good and bad times together.

Family is actually a fundamental nuclei in an individual's life. Quoting what PM Lee's said, "Family will always be core to our human instincts and our social fabric". Without it, there will be no self to talk about. Family is a place where each of us learn and grow. It is a place where we build our human instincts.

We should inculcate family values and the importance of family and family values to young children. It is important to start nurturing them since young to allow them to see the importance of a family.