AIMING FOR THE BEST, REACHING FOR THE HIGHEST

I am a staunch advocate of aiming for the best and reaching for the highest in every aspect of life, as according to one’s abilities.

When I was a student I set my mind on entering Malaysia’s top university then. I remember I was given three university choices in the application form. I put down the name of the same university for all the three choices.

So when it was my youngest daughter, Audrey’s turn to apply for a place in the university, I encouraged her to go for Trinity College Dublin because Trinity College Dublin offers excellent resources for her course and continues to be Ireland’s top university. It is the only university in Ireland in the top 150 universities in the world according to the Times Higher Rankings. It joins the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh among 25 other top listed universities drawn from 11 countries over the age of 400.

The question that comes to my mind is ‘Why do you limit your life’s ambition?’ Why do we sell ourselves short because of insecurities or fear? 

We think we need ‘connections’ to get ahead. 

I remember my daughter telling me that her friends knew ‘so and so’ to get them that job placement. Discouragement set in as we have no ‘connections’ since we are not Irish and I encouraged her to believe in her abilities and that there is still merit in hard work. There is also divine intervention for those who are faithful. It is our choice to soar like an eagle even when surrounded by chickens and naysayers.

Take for example attending a job interview.

It is not unusual for renowned companies to have as many as five stages of interviews or more before they select the applicants that they want.

During her final year at the university, Audrey applied for different top graduate programmes. 

A graduate programme is a stimulating one to two year programme with hugely empowering training structures. It also includes the support of dedicated mentors who are focussed on the new entrant - her development needs and career objectives. Upon completing the programme she is given the opportunity to be part of the company.

The advantage of a graduate programme is that an undergraduate enters into the job market seamlessly while others are still searching for jobs and sending in their resumes.

So she applied for different graduate programmes and although the interviews were similar some of them had different things. The majority of them had about 2000-3000 applicants each for 10 – 20 vacancies.

This is an example of what she went through.

Stage 1: Online application with CV attached and short questions on why she is the essential candidate for the job.

Stage 2: Online psychometric testing for numeric ability, verbal ability, personality and shape matching 

Stage 3: In-person competency-based interview with one current graduate and one Human Resource manager

Stage 4: Group assessment (with other competitors) to solve 3 challenges on the day itself.

·  Challenge 1: She was presented with a hypothetical case study of a business seeking to expand with limited funds. She had 20 mins to prepare a presentation to argue what she would do within the budget.

·  Challenge 2: She was presented with a hypothetical case study of running a new business project. She had to engage in a group discussion with others to decide on what should be done. There was no final presentation.

·  Challenge 3: She attended a competency-based interview with an organisational psychologist and company staff.

Stage 5: Interview with senior manager of chosen department.

All I can say is that I am glad I escaped that gruelling experience. 

I only attended one interview in my life after graduation and I became a lecturer at Universiti Teknologi MARA and I kept that vocation for 27 years because I enjoyed teaching and loved my students. I still do.

So, bring on September! That is when Audrey embarks on a new life with a prestigious company. She has made it to the top 10 out of 2000 applicants from Ireland, the UK and the EU.  

I attribute that to hard work and divine intervention.

. 
THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PRINTED IN THE NEW STRAITS TIMES MALAYSIA
 20 AUGUST 2017

https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2017/08/270033/aiming-best-reaching-highest

ART IS IMAGINATIVE, SENSITIVE

I normally scan through the week’s television programmes to record movies and documentaries that I would watch (minus the advertisements) at a later date. One of the recent ones that caught my attention was Vermeer, Beyond Time aired over RTE (Raidió Teilifís Éireann) in conjunction with the exhibition of Johannes Vermeer’s works which runs from 17 June till 17 September at the National Art Gallery in Dublin.

Johannes Vermeer perhaps is most famous for his painting entitiled ‘The Girl with a Pearl Earring’ which is a tronie of a girl with a headscarf and a pearl earring. Today, together with the old masters, he is much treasured and well known but not surprisingly, relatively undiscovered during his time – the short lived Dutch Golden Age of the 17^th century.

So I purchased a ticket and walked through the halls trying to absorb the magnificence of the works of the masters that hung on the walls. Besides Vermeer’s paintings, there was also a great collection of works done by Gerrit Dou, Caspar Netscher, Frans van Mieris, Gerard ter Borch, Jan Steen and others.

Art is imaginative and sensitive at the same time – the way light and colour interplay to evoke different perspectives across similar themes. As I listened to the recorded description of each painting, I couldn’t help feeling that I was in the very room itself where the artist was trying to capture that smile, that side glance and that movement of the eye. It was like a privileged intrusion into the world and life of the master and observing the cultured women, the maids and the curious minds of learned men. It was peeking into domestic interior scenes of middle class life of another era.

It is difficult for me to choose a favourite. But I really like The Lacemaker. According to the art historian Lawrence Gowing,

"The achievement of Vermeer's maturity is complete. It is not open to extension: no universal style is discovered. We have never the sense of abundance that the characteristic jewels of his century gives us, the sense that the precious vein lies open, ready to be worked. There is only one 'Lacemaker': we cannot imagine another. It is a complete and single definition."

To me, the allure of art can best be enjoyed alone or with a like-minded companion. It is a form of meditation, evoking feelings and responses hidden in the recesses of your soul. You can leave the snarky and angry world outside and imbibe the enriching quiet education. It’s totally different from viewing art over the internet which I liken to looking at a rainbow through the windowpane instead of being outdoors and enjoying its full essence.

I know what it is like not to be recognised for what you are worth. It is often said that a prophet is not accepted in his own town - Vincent Van Gogh, Paul Gauguin  and Georges-Pierre Seurat are victims amongst others.

Coming from the Delft, Vermeer too had moderate publicity and sank into obscurity after his death. His works were largely overlooked by art historians for two centuries after his death. He was rediscovered in the 19th century by Gustav Friedrich Waagen and Théophile Thoré-Bürger, who attributed 66 pictures to him in an essay, although only 34 paintings are considered his today.

I know what it is like to live in limited means. Vermeer evidently was not wealthy as he left his wife and children in debt at his death at 43. He used expensive pigments and produced relatively few paintings because he was meticulous in his work and sometimes even taking time to paint over his original images when he felt that less is more.

I know what it is like for your works to be ‘claimed’ by others. Some unscrupulous dealers apparently painted over Vermeer’s signatures on his paintings. They then forged the signatures of more renowned artists on his art in the hope of getting higher prices.

This was my second visit to the National Art Gallery in Dublin and I thought that the whole exhibition was very well done. As I was leaving the hall, a friendly staff approached me and asked me what I thought about the exhibition.

I told him how I felt and asked if he had seen it himself. He said he had been working there for the past 30 years and knew every nook and cranny of the gallery. We exchanged pleasantries and before I took leave, he asked, ‘Are you single or married?’

‘Married’, I said with a smile.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PRINTED IN THE NEW STRAITS TIMES MALAYSIA 
6 AUGUST 2017....https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2017/08/264596/art-imaginative-sensitive

PADDINGTON BEAR'S CREATOR LEAVES A LEGACY OF LOVE

I have a number of favourite writers and poets and sometimes I forget that they, like myself, are only human and that they do not live forever. Frank McCourt, Maeve Binchy, Elie Wiesel and Seamus Heaney. And lately Michael Bond who died at age 91 about a month ago on 27 June.

Michael who? Michael Bond, the creator of the marmalade loving Paddington Bear.  

I have unashamedly amassed a number of Paddington paraphernalia – an umbrella, a key holder, buttons, washi tape and an 18 inch bear complete with his signature duffle coat and wellies.  I saw the Paddington movie three times, (once on the big screen and twice over the television) because of the bear and because of Hugh Bonneville, who plays Mr Brown. When I went with my friends to see the movie, I brought along little tubs of marmalade for everyone, just to be in solidarity with the bear.

I even made a special trip to Paddington station. I was secretly hoping to see Paddington sitting on a small suitcase near the lost property office, wearing a hat.  I felt how the bear felt – lost - when he first arrived as a stowaway, sent by his Aunt Lucy who has gone to live in the Home for Retired Bears in Lima.  I could not resist standing beside the little statue of Paddington Bear at the station.

What makes Michael Bond’s creation so endearing?

Basically it is the connection.

When we attend a social event it is inevitable that we need to mingle. Imagine talking to a group of people who bore your socks off. The first reaction is to wish that the event will end quickly and you can go home. The same goes with the characters in a book – you either love them or hate them.

So I connect with Paddington.

He is honest and kind and has very good manners. It is hard not to love someone with good manners, even more so a bear!

It is also the sorry feeling for an unwanted toy. Michael Bond was searching for a gift for his wife on Christmas eve in 1956 when he came across a teddy bear all alone on a shelf. Clearly he was a last minute shopper and he ‘adopted’ Paddington. That was the humble beginnings of a famous bear.

Paddington came from a different land. Originally Bond wanted him to come from darkest Africa but he was informed by his agent that Africa does not have bears. The bear was a refugee seeking a new home on foreign soil. Because of his cross cultural background, Paddington was chosen in 1994, by English tunnellers as the first item to pass through the Channel Tunnel to their French counterparts when the two sides were linked up. There are over 35 million copies of Paddington books sold worldwide which have been translated into 40 languages. This bear has inspired pop bands, race horses, plays, hot air balloons, a television series and a movie.

According to Bond, Paddington’s universal appeal is due to the ‘Paddington-type situations’ that happen all over the world – the fun times and the mishaps.

I was first introduced to wellies by Paddington. There was no need for me to wear wellies in the city where I was born but I knew about them because of Paddington. Now I have three pairs of wellies of different designs and heights and I can identify with the bear when I trudge into puddles, mud and bog.

Then there is this label around Paddinton’s neck when he first arrived in London which read: ‘Please look after this bear.’ It reminds me of a visit to a school in 1970. It was Chefoo School in Brinchang in Cameron Highlands which functioned as a school for the children of missionaries and the curriculum was based on the British education system. The children were away on holidays at that time and on one of the bunk beds I saw a well-cuddled bear with the same label on its neck. That stopped me in my tracks and I wondered how the child would have felt living in a residential school and also having to leave her favourite toy behind when she went home for the holidays.

Bond’s first book was published in 1958 and his last in 2017, a span of 59 years. The next Paddington movie will be released at the end of this year. On the last day of the shooting, Michael Bond passed away. He left behind legions of fans, his family, his guinea pigs and most of all the much loved bear

from darkest Peru.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PRINTED IN THE NEW STRAITS TIMES MALAYSIA 
23 JULY 2017
https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2017/07/259876/paddington-bears-creator-leaves-legacy-love

THROUGH THE LENS: PLEASURE IN PHOTOGRAPHY

I remember buying a camera with my pocket money. It was a prized possession and I had to load it with a roll of film. Once the film was used up, I couldn’t wait to get it developed at the shop around the corner. There was no way I could have a sneak peak of what the photos would look like. Most times they came up average-looking with one or two over or under exposed. But at 13, I was not fussy.

Photography as a hobby has come a long way.

My son Samuel is into photography big time. When we go on family holidays he has an extra backpack where he puts in his wide variety of gadgets and filters and lenses, to be sure, to be sure. Presently I am using my second DSLR and the difference between Samuel and myself is I am afraid to experiment on manual mode for fear that not a single one of the pictures taken manually would turn out the way that I pictured in my head.

I decided that the way to overcome fear is to confront fear itself. So I joined an advanced photography class conducted by Jim Finn at the Killaloe-Ballina Family Resource Centre. Jim is an excellent teacher and he takes the time to answer any question, however trivial it may sound. The class participants are a lovely crowd who freely share what they know.

There is a different kind of feeling when you walk the streets armed with a camera. Almost immediately people mistake me for a tourist. (Having said that, without the camera, people still mistake me for a tourist even though I have been here for a good few years now.) You often meet people who are more interested in your camera than yourself, which is not a bad thing altogether because it becomes a conversation starter. Then you have friends and family who will gladly inform you where you can get the best shots of rivers, rubble and roses. After all the pictures have been taken, you choose the best to print or put them up on social media. That is what I would do anyway but I know of some who would post 111 photos of an event at any one time on facebook with themselves in 110 of them.

The pleasure in photography is waiting for the right shot.

I was up in the Wicklow mountains recently and saw some lovely horses. As Murphy’s law goes, I did not have the zoom lens with me. So I crept up stealthily to get a good view. The horses saw me approaching and did not seem to mind as they were as curious of me as I was of them. Just as I was about to capture a beautiful shot, the twig that I was holding on to, snapped. The horses bolted in fright and any hope of a good picture vanished, not unlike the disappointed fisherman regaling the tale of the whopper that got away.

The pleasure in photography is looking for something different in the mundane. You can look at a tree and see a tree. You can also look at a tree and see the knots and the grooves and wonder how old the tree is. If the tree could talk, it could tell stories of people taking cover or having picnics or arguments under it. The beautiful tunnel-like avenue of intertwined beech trees planted in the 18^th century in Ballymoney, County Antrim has been there long before it became famous in the Game of Thrones and voted number 1 in the must-see list on TripAdvisor Ireland.

The pleasure in photography is in the unexpected, a bonus even. I am talking about photographing a flower at Glenstal Abbey and then out of nowhere a bee lands on it. So I can zoom in on the bee as well, stripes, sting and all. However, we also hear of photographs that have been spoiled by the unexpected appearance of an unintended subject in the camera’s field of view as the picture was taken. Yes, the photo bomb. Some are quite hilarious actually especially animal photobombs.

The pleasure in photography is in the chasing. I’m talking about the actual running after a person or object to get some good shots. I remember in 2014 a giant 25 foot grandmother of a puppet roamed the streets of Limerick as part of the Limerick City of Culture celebrations. She was followed by 27 Lilliputians who were tasked with moving the Giant Granny, her own band of musicians and a massive wheelchair - weighing 5 tonnes. I was so enthralled I could not stay put at one spot but had to walk the whole length of O Connell Street alongside the Giant Granny, so I did not miss anything. In my excitement, I forgot to inform the beloved (who was standing with me on that spot for a minute). He then realised the next minute that I had disappeared. The street is about a mile in length, starting at the Arthurs Quay / Denmark Street junction and ends at the Crescent.

I still have a long way to go in photography but I am learning. Believe me there is such joy in learning something that is evolving each day and the beauty of it is I can never say that I know it all.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE NEW STRAITS TIMES MALAYSIA ON 9 JULY 2017
https://www.nst.com.my/node/255702

COOPERATION IS ABOUT US

I was walking around the children’s playground  in Vileyka, Belarus and suddenly a sculpture caught my eye. The sculpture comprises a whole family including a dog, a cat, a mouse and a huge turnip . That triggered off memories of how my children would ask me to read the fairy tale ‘The Enormous Turnip’. Little did I know at that time that this is a Russian fairy tale. So it all made sense why the sculpture is there.

"The Enormous Turnip" was written by Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy.

It is a progressive story in which a grandfather plants a turnip, which grows so large that it takes many to pull it up - the grandfather (deduska), the grandmother (babuska), the granddaughter (vnuchca), the female-dog (zhuchka), the female-cat (koshka) and finally the female-mouse (myshka). The humour or moral of the story is that only with the help of the weakest and smallest creature (the mouse) can the giant turnip or radish (repka) be pulled up.

It is all about co-operation and that if we all work together, we can do anything.

Summer had finally arrived and with it the much awaited glorious sunshine. The whole character of the Irish society changes  as people make the most out of the great weather which can be here today and gone tomorrow.  Many will head out to the beach or engage in outdoor activities like cycling or hiking. People painting their houses or mowing the lawns is a common sight. 

Having come from a society where the individual is driven to compete to survive, I find that the community spirit over here is very strong. People here co-operate and do community work on a regular basis, even more so in summer because we can go outdoors and work in the fine weather. Co-operation in a community setting is something very new to me, where everyone contributes to a common good and in return reaps the rewards.

Martin A. Nowak, writer for Scientific American and author of “Why We Help: The Evolution of Co-operation” points out that selfless behaviour is a pervasive phenomenon. Life to Nowak is not just a struggle for survival but rather a ‘snuggle for survival.’

A case in point is the local community garden which I am part of. We grow vegetables and flowers and we meet twice a week to mind what we have planted. But the best part is members who pop by the garden other than the scheduled times will water all the beds as well. The group also organises an open day where the public would be invited to a barbeque. Each of us will bring some kind of meat or sausage or fish. For the past few years I have been showcasing Malaysian satay complete with peanut gravy, onions, cucumber slices and ketupat.

The spirit of co-operation generates several outcomes.

Firstly it is a given that we reciprocate good deeds.

I share a garden bed with a fellow gardening enthusiast. When I was away on a trip and there was fear of bad weather, she covered my plants with protective fleece. There was no danger of my crops being destroyed by frost and I came home to thriving seedlings. Likewise, when my friend is busy, I’ll help water her crops. During harvesting season, we share the produce.

Next we also have indirect reciprocity. Indirect reciprocity simply means if you build a reputation of helping others, others will help you. One example is the East Clare Co-operative Society that runs many programmes for free or for minimal payment. Such programmes range from cooking classes to hobby crafts.

Recently, the director of the co-operative invited me to teach volunteers how to do Sugan chair weaving. So we spent a number of hours on a Saturday morning putting new life into old chairs. The results were amazing. Although the participants could not bring the chairs home with them, they felt proud because they had learnt a new skill and they had contributed something to the co-operative.  Every chair that was painstakingly woven by a participant now stands proudly in the co-op cafe.

When we use the word networking we think of it as getting connected with people to get something in return, especially in career advancement. That is networking for a motive.

But when we co-operate, there is an unwritten code of support and sharing within the group. Co-operation results in networking at a different level. Everyone brings with him life’s experience and perspective. When we put that together as a group, it becomes a powerhouse of knowledge. For cooperation to work, everyone has to be an active member of the team and do what they agree to do.

I guess what I enjoy most about co-operation is that it is not about me, myself and I. It is about us and there’s a good feeling that comes with it.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE NEW STRAITS TIMES MALAYSIA ON 25 JUNE 2017  http://digital.nstp.com.my/nst/books/nstnews/2017/20170625nstnews/index.html#/25/

A MATTER OF LUCK?

When we receive excellent news, sometimes we wonder if it is true. This was what happened to Veronique Jacquet when she heard the news on the local radio that she had won a Michelin star this year. It was highly impossible as her restaurant didn't fit the criteria of a gourmet restaurant at all.

Mrs. Jacquet runs Le Bouche à Oreille in Bourges in central France. It is a modest, lunch-only bistro with 20 tables and a clientele mostly of local workers. Even the cook works part time and Mrs. Jacquet herself is the only other member of the staff. And so it turned out to be a technical mistake as the restaurant that actually won the Michelin star is about 120 miles away in the village of Boutervilliers and has the same name.

Then there is this bizarre story of Frane Selak, a Croatian music teacher who escaped death when a train he was on fell into the lake. After that, he survived a car crash, allegedly fell out of the plane, and landed in a stack of hay, while 19 passengers tragically died.  Finally, Frane in 2003 won about €800,000 in a lottery.

There’s also this expression “the luck of the Irish” and I thought it meant that the people    from Ireland are lucky. However, according to Edward T. O’Donnell, an Associate Professor of History at Holy Cross College and author of "1001 Things Everyone Should Know About Irish American History," the term is not Irish in origin.

"During the gold and silver rush years in the second half of the 19th century, a number of the most famous and successful miners were of Irish and Irish American birth....Over time this association of the Irish with mining fortunes led to the expression 'luck of the Irish.' Of course, it carried with it a certain tone of derision, as if to say, only by sheer luck, as opposed to brains, could these fools succeed."

The Malay proverb ‘Durian Runtuh’ means a windfall. Literally it is an avalanche of durians. Even now I dream of eating the rich and creamy durian. But then again I digress.

Every so often we wish for nice things to happen : winning the lottery especially. I have seen so many hopefuls at the supermarket counter buying lottery tickets. The idea of getting big money at an affordable price is too hard to resist. Raffles are also very popular here and for 5 euro you get 3 chances of winning prizes. Usually they are done to raise funds for a club or a specific cause. You can sense the spirit of hope and expectation in the air. However, we hear of many saying  ' I never win anything' maybe because in any draw, the winners are few and the disappointed many.

There are some people who are always on a winning streak - so we say that lady luck is smiling on them. Or grudgingly we mutter beneath our breath 'some people have all the luck'

Tempting though it may be, I do not buy lotteries or gamble in the hope of striking it rich.

In fact, about 70 percent of people who win a lottery or get a big windfall actually end up broke in a few years, according to the National Endowment for Financial Education. Scary but true.

I used to enter many competitions because I enjoyed solving puzzles and coming up with creative slogans. To that end I did win many holiday trips abroad and electrical appliances. Now I've passed on that mantel to my son.

I remember once when we released a fire lantern into the sky. The host of the party asked us to scribble our hopes on the lantern. We decided on ‘Good health’ while others wrote ‘Money, money, money’.

Luck is fortune which is an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result in one way rather than another.

Blessing on the other hand is the formal act of approving and of divine grace. So, I attribute all that I had, have or will have to being blessed rather than being lucky. It lies in the difference in the mind set and heart where I do not leave happy events to chance. It is also an attitude of gratitude. When we know that we are blessed, then it is so easy for us to give to others.

So what happened in the end to the bistro that was told it had received the Michelin star?

When Jacquet’s cook Penelope Salmon was asked whether she ever dreamt of receiving a Michelin star, she said, ‘No, not at all. I cook with my heart.’

The last time I heard was that the lunch spot has received really good reviews on Google.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED IN THE NEW STRAITS TIMES MALAYSIA ON 11 JUNE 2017  https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2017/06/247685/matter-luck

LESSONS FROM WINNIE THE POOH

I am going to buy an umbrella that is windproof that is designed to be resistant to strong wind gusts. In Ireland an umbrella is a necessity because there are so many ‘blustery days’ in the words of Winnie the Pooh.

Winnie the Pooh has always been one of my favourite childhood characters. Not so much the mass produced Disney version of the orange coloured bear but the original vintage hand drawn bear.

I don’t know whether Winnie the Pooh is as famous as Mickey Mouse but the fact that he is actually 91 (his longevity must be due to the health benefits of honey, his favourite food) this year earns him some space in my article this week.

Created by A.A. Milne in 1926, he lives on the Hundred Acre Wood which in reality is a cultivated pine plantation called the Five Hundred Acre Wood, South East England. Pooh Corner in Hartfield village is home to a large selection of ‘Poohphernalia’.

His search for honey makes him an unwelcome guest to the bees or even to his friend Rabbit who fears Pooh might eat him out of house and home. He is quite a celebrity even. On Queen Elizabeth’s 90^th birthday last year, Winnie went to Buckingham palace and presented her with a song.

But he is endearing alright and most of all his philosophy of life is actually rather helpful.

No overthinking.

Rightfully so, as he is a bear of very little brain and is stuffed with fluff. Most of us tend to worry too much or analyse too much. Truth be told most of the stuff that we worry about never actually materialise in the end. Sometimes we over analyse another person’s words and get ourselves all worked up. When we finally seek clarification from the person who uttered the words, we find that they may not be what we thought they were in the first place. Unfortunately, not everyone seeks clarification and so we may go through days or even years being upset over what we thought we heard. Sounds convoluted but it is true.

No fences.

“Tigger is all right, really,” said Piglet lazily. “Of course he is,” said Christopher Robin. “Everybody is really,” said Pooh. “That’s what I think.” (The House at Pooh Corner, p. 108) There is this air of acceptance in the face of staggering differences. It has often been said that a stranger is a just a friend I haven’t met yet. Far too often we base our judgement of others through first impressions because there are so many in-built filters in our minds. These filters could be anything from experiences, opinions, prejudices and judgements.

Granted some of these first impressions are right. It is most natural that we find comfort among those who are of similar disposition and share our interests. But I have met so many that I never thought I could be great friends with because they are so very different from me. Imagine if I have not allowed myself to embrace these differences, I would have missed out on such a great friendship.

No such thing as a silly question.

One of the greatest technique to learn something new is to ask. Children are never afraid to ask. But adults generally are more reserved in that area due to embarrassment or pride perhaps. I find myself asking a lot of questions because I want to know the specific.

Sometimes the person at the other end thinks I’m an ignoramus and gets impatient with me.

Recently I signed up for a postal service called AddressPal whereby I am given a postal address in the UK for online purchases. The website was not very clear so I called up the customer service and asked for specific information. I could sense the voice on the other end of the line getting agitated by my questions.

Then there are those who give very vague answers. The plumber tells me that he’s coming after dinner to fix my leaky pipe. To me that is no help at all because I wouldn’t know what time he eats his lamb stew and spuds. So when I ask him for a possible time he feels pressured.

So, how did I end up writing about Pooh’s philosophy of life? Oh yes, it is about buying a windproof umbrella and I should get it now before the blustery day comes.

THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PRINTED IN THE NEW STRAITS TIMES MALAYSIA, 21 MAY 2017.  https://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnists/2017/05/241116/lessons-winnie-pooh