DOCTOR AT YOUR CERVIX
(THE LIGHTER SIDE OF O & G)
After nearly 40 years working in the field of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, I had my fair share of interesting moments with women and their bodies. Not the close encounters of the sexual kind!
Workplace, not playground
A gynaecologist has to learn how to switch off his sex centre in the brain when in the clinic. After all, the most potent organ in the male body is the BRAIN, a mere thought can raise an erect organ!
Many lay people would regard gynecologists as very privileged to be able to handle the female sexual organs, even to point of envy. We are the only profession to have the pleasure to receive smiles from beautiful women when we meet them on the street. The retort however is “your profession or hers!” However, please remember that other men’s playgrounds are our workplaces.
The initial gynecological examinations of women in India, where I did my medical studies, and in the rural areas were not very pleasant. The standard of perineal hygiene was deplorable. After all, the reproductive canal is between the sewage and the waterworks!
Umbilicus & Wind
In private practice, the situation is much more pleasant. Many women would sprinkle talcum powder and even some perfume! There is one part of the body where some women have neglected to clean, that is the umbilicus. A young woman may be so well-dressed and clean, yet there is a one centimetre of solidified dirt in the umbilicus. It was never cleaned for fear of wind entering the abdomen! I reassured them, if that was so, they better not go swimming! Fortunately, most of them did not protest when I helped to clean their umbilicus, at no extra charge!
At Your Cervix
The most appropriate greeting made by the gynecologist to his patient would be “I am at your cervix”, to which the patient would reply “I am dilated to meet you”. There is a story of a Singapore professor who would just look from below the drapes and greet their patients by their names, without looking at their faces!
Foreign Bodies
On a few occasions, I had to remove foreign objects from the vagina, including remains of broken condom, sex aids like ring of hair, small toys and marbles. On one occasion I had to gently remove the top broken off a glass bottle! She was not one of the Thai performers who could perform vaginal gymnastics with balloons, blowing trumpets, or even keeping a gold fish alive for three minutes.
Menses & Sex
Can a woman have sex during her menses? Besides the fear of infection and injury, there is a fear of the husband getting “poison” from the menstrual blood. It is thought that during the male orgasm, the menstrual blood would be sucked into the male organ! I would ask them to experiment by masturbating in a glass of water to see whether the water would be aspirated!
Virgin Birth
Very often, there is denial of sexual activity. One day, a mother brought her daughter to the A & E with severe abdominal pain. She was on the verge of delivering a baby. Yet the mother was not aware that her daughter was even pregnant, and still insisted that her daughter had no boyfriend. I just told her that the only time a virgin gave birth was on Christmas Day 2000 years ago! The best method of avoiding pregnancy is to put the pill, between the thighs!
Where do babies come from?
These days, people are no longer ignorant of where babies come from. Even children can be told that babies are not brought in by the stork or picked from shopping in the hospital. In an episode of “The Cosby Show”, a little girl was smart enough to ask how the stork knew which baby to drop on which basket in the hospital!
There is still hesitation to talk to children how babies are born. There is even belief that babies are born very small and expand on exposing to the air. On the other hand there is little logic to deliver babies in the water tub. After all women deliver human babies not baby dolphins!
Pain Dear?
However, when your wife is groaning in pain, do not ask “dear, is it painful ah?” One woman screamed at the husband, “You had your minutes of fun, now I have to go through hours of pain!” By the way, noises made by the woman in labour are not much different from the sounds she may make at the height of sexual orgasm! Women make similar sounds in pain and in ecstasy! Mothers’ day was celebrated long before Fathers’ Day. After all, to be a father is just 9 minutes of work. To be a mother is 9 months of heavy- laden pregnancy, 9 hours of labour pain, 9 months of breastfeeding and 9 years of nurturing the child.
Sex after Delivery
Many patients do not ask their doctors when then could resume sex after delivery. Malays wait for 6 weeks while Chinese are suppose to abstain for 100 days! I would tell them that their husbands are not “woh seong” (monks)! There was a joke by a sex medicine specialist at a seminar that the husband, if he is a gentleman, should wait until the placenta is delivered! Medically speaking, three to four weeks is sufficient for abstinence.
Thursday, 31 October 2013
Tuesday, 15 October 2013
Young Emotion
The title of my book comes from this love poem, which reflects the various aspects of "Romantic Love" experienced by a typical teenager, throughout the ages.
YOUNG EMOTION
“IN love?
Did you say you're in love?
I cannot believe it. No, not again.
What you'd said, is a hackneyed refrain."
“But 'tis different; this time it's for real.
Oh I know it from the bubbling zest I feel.
No more need I keep searching or in quest, seeking or in pursuit,
For I have found her."
“SO sweet
The daintiest one can ever meet.
Her lips so warm, so full, so rubious;
Her eyes enrapture, they're so lustrous.
As fine as cobweb, her soft silky hair,
Her face halos with radiance, smooth and fair.
A beauty exquisite, most elegant, unmatchable and supreme,
The Pride of my Heart."
“BUT wait,
What became of majestic Margaret?
It was but a month last you were with her,
Oblivious to all when you're together
In the Gardens, theatre or the Drive.
Did you mention she'd be your wife?
Those ecstatic moments spent in cuddling, petting, embracing, caressing.
Then why the Discord.
“AND then
You cannot forget heavenly Helen.
It was during last term I noted
A popular remark so oft quoted,
'Where she is, you will always be
Either in class, field or in the library.'
She set your heart stirring and whirling, pounding and twirling.
Till He intervened."
"TELL me,
Can you gather a girl called winsome Winnie?
Your first and last love that was your proud claim.
Puzzled? Cannot recollect the name?
Possible, for she stole both your mind and heart.
At least that was not a poor start
In spite of the split and cleaving, breach and parting.
Farewell to First Love."
“STOP it
No more must you list. I prohibit.
Don't you see that they belong in history now?
One must advance and forget them somehow.
We must gaze ahead, never to the past.
Why bother about the affairs that didn't last.
Our moods keep on modifying and changing, developing and differing.
So Adapt to them."
“Romance
Can it be so encountered by chance?
Is it so fleeting, has it no will?
No inherent force that it can instill?
Can it just come, then obliterates
Until with another, it resuscitates?
Infatuation perhaps, or obsession or passion or craze.
Certainly not Love"
"Enough
Impermanence is not love.
Its flame of devotion does not flicker and dim,
It is more sentimental, demure and prim,
Pure, rich, virtuous and rewarding.
The heart's feeling but the mind's ruling.
It must go on sprouting and fostering, persisting and enduring
And on Forever."
SILENCE.
Doubts replaced his smile of innocence.
"Am I not in love," He snapped the pause,
"Then why this feeling, this glow. What's the cause?
"You are, but only with love itself.
Girls of beauty, your weakness.
Dreams you delve.
Of love, she is a myth or a vision, an image or a figment.
Dissolve and forget."
"CANNOT,"
He was determined to the dot.
“Nothing you say can alter my mind
She is my own, my very kind.
Soon we'll come to understand each other
To vow to cherish our love forever.
We'll never be skeptical or suspecting, doubtful or questioning.
We shall prove you wrong."
"P'RHAPS so
It might bear fruits, who'll know.
Time is the only factor that can decide
Under it, the love you have, must abide.
Last three months or so, you'll be half-won
If a year, I'll be the stupid one."
The son in teens saluted and disappeared
While his father chuckled and stroked his beard.
YOUNG EMOTION
“IN love?
Did you say you're in love?
I cannot believe it. No, not again.
What you'd said, is a hackneyed refrain."
“But 'tis different; this time it's for real.
Oh I know it from the bubbling zest I feel.
No more need I keep searching or in quest, seeking or in pursuit,
For I have found her."
“SO sweet
The daintiest one can ever meet.
Her lips so warm, so full, so rubious;
Her eyes enrapture, they're so lustrous.
As fine as cobweb, her soft silky hair,
Her face halos with radiance, smooth and fair.
A beauty exquisite, most elegant, unmatchable and supreme,
The Pride of my Heart."
“BUT wait,
What became of majestic Margaret?
It was but a month last you were with her,
Oblivious to all when you're together
In the Gardens, theatre or the Drive.
Did you mention she'd be your wife?
Those ecstatic moments spent in cuddling, petting, embracing, caressing.
Then why the Discord.
“AND then
You cannot forget heavenly Helen.
It was during last term I noted
A popular remark so oft quoted,
'Where she is, you will always be
Either in class, field or in the library.'
She set your heart stirring and whirling, pounding and twirling.
Till He intervened."
"TELL me,
Can you gather a girl called winsome Winnie?
Your first and last love that was your proud claim.
Puzzled? Cannot recollect the name?
Possible, for she stole both your mind and heart.
At least that was not a poor start
In spite of the split and cleaving, breach and parting.
Farewell to First Love."
“STOP it
No more must you list. I prohibit.
Don't you see that they belong in history now?
One must advance and forget them somehow.
We must gaze ahead, never to the past.
Why bother about the affairs that didn't last.
Our moods keep on modifying and changing, developing and differing.
So Adapt to them."
“Romance
Can it be so encountered by chance?
Is it so fleeting, has it no will?
No inherent force that it can instill?
Can it just come, then obliterates
Until with another, it resuscitates?
Infatuation perhaps, or obsession or passion or craze.
Certainly not Love"
"Enough
Impermanence is not love.
Its flame of devotion does not flicker and dim,
It is more sentimental, demure and prim,
Pure, rich, virtuous and rewarding.
The heart's feeling but the mind's ruling.
It must go on sprouting and fostering, persisting and enduring
And on Forever."
SILENCE.
Doubts replaced his smile of innocence.
"Am I not in love," He snapped the pause,
"Then why this feeling, this glow. What's the cause?
"You are, but only with love itself.
Girls of beauty, your weakness.
Dreams you delve.
Of love, she is a myth or a vision, an image or a figment.
Dissolve and forget."
"CANNOT,"
He was determined to the dot.
“Nothing you say can alter my mind
She is my own, my very kind.
Soon we'll come to understand each other
To vow to cherish our love forever.
We'll never be skeptical or suspecting, doubtful or questioning.
We shall prove you wrong."
"P'RHAPS so
It might bear fruits, who'll know.
Time is the only factor that can decide
Under it, the love you have, must abide.
Last three months or so, you'll be half-won
If a year, I'll be the stupid one."
The son in teens saluted and disappeared
While his father chuckled and stroked his beard.
Saturday, 12 October 2013
(Cancer is just a) WORD
I wrote this poem " Cancer is just a Word", from a Christian point of view.
WORD
A Word
Have you not heard?
Cancer is just a word,
Not a death sentence.
There is no pretense,
No reason to fear.
God’s WORD has it clear,
Gives us Faith and Hope,
Enables us to cope.
Through Christ who died on the tree
We are now set free,
From suffering and pain,
From death to live again
To eternal life
Through the Living WORD
WORD
A Word
Have you not heard?
Cancer is just a word,
Not a death sentence.
There is no pretense,
No reason to fear.
God’s WORD has it clear,
Gives us Faith and Hope,
Enables us to cope.
Through Christ who died on the tree
We are now set free,
From suffering and pain,
From death to live again
To eternal life
Through the Living WORD
Monday, 7 October 2013
LIFE BEFORE TVs,COMPUTERS & IPHONES
Life before TVs, Computers and Iphones
(From my book YOUNG EMOTION)
Many young people nowadays, may be wondering how their parents survived in the sixties, without many of the modern gadgets that they take for granted. Most of us did not have tuition. So we had more free time during our school days. There were many free extracurricular activities in school to keep us occupied. On the other hand, many of us had to help in the home and in the family business. I myself had to learn how to make coffee from the “sock-like” sieves. Yet, we still have fond memories of those wonderful years of simple unspoiled living.
Marbles and Fighting Fish
During our primary school days, there were many games to play. Spinning tops, flying kites, shooting catapults, kicking feather cocks and throwing marbles were among the popular games for the boys. Girls would prefer hop scotch, seven stones, skipping rope and hula hoop. Most of the “toys” would be homemade. Tops were carved from blocks of wood, catapults were shaped from forked branches of the jambu (guava) tree, and feather cocks were assembled by fixing duck feathers onto a base made from coin-sized rubber tires. We used to “gamble” with marbles laid in a row, and then we tried to hit them from a distance. Similar bets were also played with rubber bands (which were valuable then) and picture cards. Kite flying was seasonal during the windy days. Although we could buy the kites from the shops, most enthusiasts would pride themselves in making the kites themselves. They pasted coloured rice paper onto light bamboo strip frames, which were tied to a long string smeared with boiled animal resins mixed with grounded glass fragments. The aim was to fly the kite in the air, to try and cut the strings of other flying kites. When one of the kites was cut loose, the children would run to catch the falling kite, often crossing streets recklessly, amidst shouts of joy. Rearing Siamese fighting fish and catching small spiders (there was a recent Singapore TV series called Spider Boys) from garden hedges, and challenging one another were fun, especially with occasional bets.
Comics and Pen Pals
Most of us would have hobbies, a word that is seldom heard nowadays. A hobby is an activity to enjoy and indulge in our spare time. We collected many items, such as stamps, coins, cigarette packs, picture cards, or matchboxes. Stamps were most popular. We would join stamp clubs, and received stamps from England, which we would buy and then mail back postal orders as payment. Some collected stamps according to themes such as flowers, ships, animals or famous people. We eagerly looked for letters (a dying practice) from overseas, with foreign stamps on the envelopes. We learned about names of exotic places like Sierra Leone, Seychelles, and San Marino! Other hobbies would include photography (where we had to learn about aperture, exposure, and depth of field), indoor games (without using batteries) like chess cards and caroms, painting (with real paper and paints) and writing (and rewriting several times without a word processor). During the pre-television days, we spent a lot of time reading. Our favourite books were reading stories from the “Famous Five” and “Secret Seven”, written by Enid Blyton and classic novels by Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, which had been adapted into simpler English. The girls would read the romantic stories from Mills and Bloom. We read many comics magazines, such as Beano and Dandy with characters such as Desperate Dan, Jonah and Korky the Cat. The popular drink Kickapoo was made famous by the comic strip Alley Oop. Comics characters like Superman, Batman, Zorro, The Lone Ranger, and Spiderman were our heroes then and apparently now, after being resuscitated on the big screen. We did not know what porn was. The nearest we read were the steamy classics such as “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” and “The World of Susie Wong”. Before the era of Facebook and emails, many of us had pen pals from near and far. There were pen pal columns in newspapers and magazines, with names of those who were keen on “friendly correspondence”. We selected the persons, according to the age, gender and country and then wrote letters to them. We had to wait for five days for the replies from local pen pals or as long as 2 weeks from pen pals overseas. We exchanged personal information, interests and news from our countries. We learned to take time to put our thoughts on paper in proper English sentences, instead of the garbled words nowadays.
Back Lane Badminton
There were many opportunities to take part in sports and games. Every student learned how to play football, cricket, hockey, badminton and rugby in school. Malaysia was world champion in badminton then, with our heroes like Wong Peng Soon, Eddy Choong and Teh Kew San. Thus everyone played badminton. Any house with a garden would make a badminton court on grass, sand or cement. We also played on any empty ground, from gardens with frequent damage to plants, in the middle of the small roads (not too many cars then) and in back lanes, often picking up wet shuttles from the longkangs (drains). I remember playing in Gim Hye’s house in Aboo Sittee Lane and enjoyed the jambu ayer as well.
Cycling – Sweat and Rain
Except for the few wealthy families, most of us walked or cycled to school. School buses were rare then. During the early morning and mid-afternoon hours, the streets would be flooded with bicycles. Schools used to build long sheds for the parking of bicycles. School journeys could be as far as five miles (we had not heard of kilometers then). The mornings were pleasantly cool (the days before the earth-warming), but returning home in the afternoons could be hot and sweaty. Sometimes we had to cycle back for sports later, leading to sore bottoms and sweaty clothes and underwear! When it rained, we had to wear raincoats. It was against the law to carry umbrellas while cycling. In any case, we could be blown upwards by the wind! We were proud of our trusty “steed”, often with famous brands like Raleigh or Humber. China-made bicycles came later. During our cycling journeys, we looked forward to see school girls cycling in the opposite direction, hoping to receive some reciprocated smiles! Children in those days did not have to go to the gyms. All the walking and cycling provided the necessary exercise. It was only in the mid-sixties that a few students managed to ride the popular 50cc Honda Cub. It would cost around $600 (dollars, ringgit was not introduced yet). Most of the cars in the sixties were European cars such as Morris, Austin, Ford, Fiat, and Renault. When the first Japanese Toyota came out, it was widely ridiculed; the thin car body was allegedly made from Milo tins. There was no air –conditioning in the cars then. At the most, there was a small fan, which blew hot air in the afternoon!
Beaches and Hills
During the weekends and holidays, when exams were not too near, we would go on picnics and hikes. Most of us did not swim in pools, even if we could afford to join the swimming clubs. There were many clean beaches, some with fancy names like Moonlight Bay and Miami Beach. There were no big hotels or condominiums then. We had the whole beach to ourselves. One of our friends had a small sampan, which we could row out to catch fresh fish for the barbecue on the beach. Sometimes, we would pitch tents and spent the night on the beach, playing cards, drinking beer and telling ghost stories. We might trek up the hill or cycle to villages or jog across rambutan orchards (especially when they were red and ripe). Hiking up the Penang Hill from the Moon-gate, near the Botanical gardens, would take about 2-3 hours. Some of us had walked round the island, taking three days with sleeping stops in the local school hall or Scouts campsites. Cycling round the 46 mile road round the island would take about 6 hours, especially struggling across the hills near Balik Pulau. We were consoled by the aroma of the durians! In 1964, Yew Oo, Hon Tat and I cycled all the way to Kuala Kedah (about 60 miles) to catch the boat to Langkawi. Iyer (now Sulaiman) took the bus with four girls. We started before 6am and should arrive at K.Kedah at 2 pm. We were delayed as Hon Tat had leg cramps, and we had to detour to Alor Star for him to take the taxi. Yew Oo and I continued cycling strenuously to Kuala Kedah, hoping to catch the ferry. Fortunately, they managed to ask the boat to wait half an hour for us. We took the bicycles as there was no public transport in Langkawi then. Fortunately Yew Oo had a friend who took around in his timber lorry. Langkawi was really unspoilt then with pristine beaches and clear waters. That was the forerunner to “Tour de Langkawi”! Sometimes we would rent the seaside or hill bungalows for a few nights and share the costs. Oon Siew was generous enough to invite us to his family’s holiday bungalows on Penang Hill and along Tg Bungah Beach. One of the bungalow, called Adorable, was known to be haunted! We would eat canned sardines, baked beans and egg sandwiches. We would play games, cards or even mahjong and held campfires and barbecues. Girls would be invited, but there was no hanky-panky. In those days, we were too naïve and innocent or perhaps there were no TV or internet to corrupt us.
Kachang and Ice-balls
Of course we spent a lot of time eating, usually at the food stalls of course. They were not called food courts then. The favourite haunts were Dato Keramat padang, Penang Road, Gurney Drive, Pulau Tikus and New World Park. Food was cheap. We could buy a packet of kachang puteh (old spelling) for five cents, thus the popular saying “cheap as kachang puteh”! Sweets were two for five cents. Noodles were around 20-30 cents a bowl. Drinks were 5-20 cents. My father ran a coffee-shop, and he used to remind me of the number of cups of kopi-oh at 10 cents a cup he had to sell, to pay for my fees. In those days we had to pay monthly fees of $2.50 in primary and $5 in secondary schools. None of our classmates went to pubs. We would spend time in the old style kopitiam with round marble-top tables and the classic wooden chairs with specially shaped seats. Ice kacang was 20 cents a bowl, ten cents more with ice cream or with banana slices. Ice-balls made from shaved ice, with red beans or sweet corn inside the centre, and flavoured with rose or sarsi syrup, could be enjoyed for just 5 to 10 cents. Another popular drink was the coconut water sold in a glass filled with strips of grated coconut flesh. There was an Indian man selling curry puffs. He would go round with his basket, singing from the song Clementine, “Oh my darling, oh my darling, karipap karipap!”
Cartoons and Stars
Movies were a popular form of entertainment. The famous Cathay, Lido, Rex and Odeon cinemas were like our second homes. Tickets were sold at different prices, $1.20 for the first class seat at the back of the theatre, then 80 cents for the second class seat in the middle, and 40 cents for the seat in the front rows. Some cinemas had balcony seats, meant for the richer patrons, with seats at $2.00. We would wait for the popular shows to come the second round, perhaps three months later, for prices that were 40% less. Older shows would be shown on weekend mornings, called the matinees, with ticket prices at $1 for balcony and 50 cent for the stalls. Of course, those cinemas were before the Cineplex sound systems and cushioned seats! The only problem was the frequent bites from bed bugs. There were no hand phones to disturb us, instead there were crackling sounds from those eating kwa-chi (melon seeds) or groundnuts. The feature movies were often preceded by the Pathe newsreel (no CNN then), and then cartoons (Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny and Pop-Eye) or the Three Stooges. We already had coloured movies in the sixties but wide cinemascope screens came only in 1958. The first such movie was the musical “The King and I.” I stayed next to the New World Amusement Park which was like an old version of a theme park, with merry-go-round and dodgem cars, food stalls and gaming machines. There was a small cinema (called Globe) inside, which only had netting side-walls, and we could watch old movies for free. There was a theatre, with just five feet high sidewalls, which often showed Chinese wayang operas. Occasionally, Rose Chan would perform in that theatre and I had the opportunity to watch her for free (by standing on a stool!) Unfortunately, I was only ten years old and did not “enjoy” that experience. We had our share of hero-worship of film stars. Popular screen stars were Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, Tony Curtis and Kirk Douglas, and Charlton Heston. The last mentioned acted in biblical epics, such as the “Ten Commandments”. The movie was so long (about 3 hours), that there was an interval in the middle of the show for us to come out and buy drinks. Our school would arrange for special screening for school children at student prices.
Radio & Redifusion
Television came to Malaysia only in 1964. Even then a small black and white TV set would cost about $500 (a car would cost about $7000). Colour TVs came only in the 1970s. So we listened to the radio with only one RTM station with four mono AM channels, to cater to the different races. We could tune in to shortwave (with a lot of crackling noises) to the BBC and Voice of America. At that time, the Radio RAAF, broadcasted from their airbase in Butterworth, was very popular, characterized by the Australian accent of their DJs. Sometimes there were live broadcasts of events such as the Thomas Cup badminton or the Malaya cup football. With just the voice commentary, we had to use our imagination, when we tried to follow the game with its smashes and drop-shots or the goals. Even more ubiquitous was the Redifusion, which was a two-channel radio that was transmitted through telephone wires. With a monthly subscription of $6 a month, we could listen to pop songs or Cantonese stories which came in series over several months. We were able to request our favourite songs and dedicate them on air to our friends. A popular programme was the Top of the Week, where we would guess the following week’s most requested songs by sending Hacks sweet wrappers. If our lists were correct, we would get a cash prize of about $30. If nobody got all the top 8 songs in the correct order, the cash prize snow-balled till as high as $500, which was a fortune then. I entered one quiz show and won a dozen bottles of Brand’s Essence of chicken. Gramophone vinyl records were the only medium of recorded music. Later, recordable tapes in the form of reels came in. Cassettes were introduced only in the late sixties. However the record and tape players were not affordable for many us. Our favourite singers were Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Cliff Richard, Doris Day and Connie Francis till the arrival of the Beatles and Rolling Stones in the mid sixties. Those songs had melodies and words we could understand.
Girls and Dancing
We seemed to have matured during Form 4 and 5, when we were 16 and 17 years old. We began to show interest in girls. We had a nickname for the girls, Alley-oops! I attended my first party in Form 4 and learned how to wear a tie. I tasted my first beer but never enjoyed it. I even tried my first puff of the cigarette but was so nauseated with it, that I became an anti-smoking advocate in later years. By Form 4, we began to mix with girls from Methodist Girls School and St George’s School and the occasional Convent School girl. There were picnics, barbecues and dance parties. We tried dancing (not “lam sing”) the Foxtrot, Waltz and Cha Cha Cha, though not many of us were good. Our generation saw the introduction of the Twist by Chubby Checker, followed by some crazy dances called the Shake, the Hustle and the Jerk! There was usually no liquor, except perhaps the occasional punch and beer. Boy-girl relationships were by and large innocent. There were a few couples who paired up, but we never heard of any scandal happening.
Blind and Orphans
While waiting for our university admissions after Form Six, the former classmates of Form 5 science got together informally as “The Club”. In addition to regular gatherings in the homes and picnics, we would volunteer to help the blind in St Nicholas Home by reading to them. We tried learning Braille so as to help transcribe reading materials, but it was not that easy. Once a week, we would accompany the blind children to Chinese Swimming Club, to help them enjoy the water. Some of us also volunteered with the Ramakrishna Orphanage, by playing with the children, helping their studies and even painting the walls. In one election year, I was selected to be one of the helpers in the counting of the votes. The counting went on till 1 am, and we were provided snacks and an allowance of ten dollars.
Fun and Friends
Without TV, we actually played sports and not just watched the televised games. Without computers, we read and wrote proper sentences (with occasional reference to dictionaries and encyclopedias). Without mobile phones and Facebook, we went out and met our friends more often. Of course the modern gadgets have made our lives more convenient, but they are no replacement for the fun we had enjoyed, the friends we had made, and the fulfilling experience which had enriched our teenage years.
(From my book YOUNG EMOTION)
Many young people nowadays, may be wondering how their parents survived in the sixties, without many of the modern gadgets that they take for granted. Most of us did not have tuition. So we had more free time during our school days. There were many free extracurricular activities in school to keep us occupied. On the other hand, many of us had to help in the home and in the family business. I myself had to learn how to make coffee from the “sock-like” sieves. Yet, we still have fond memories of those wonderful years of simple unspoiled living.
Marbles and Fighting Fish
During our primary school days, there were many games to play. Spinning tops, flying kites, shooting catapults, kicking feather cocks and throwing marbles were among the popular games for the boys. Girls would prefer hop scotch, seven stones, skipping rope and hula hoop. Most of the “toys” would be homemade. Tops were carved from blocks of wood, catapults were shaped from forked branches of the jambu (guava) tree, and feather cocks were assembled by fixing duck feathers onto a base made from coin-sized rubber tires. We used to “gamble” with marbles laid in a row, and then we tried to hit them from a distance. Similar bets were also played with rubber bands (which were valuable then) and picture cards. Kite flying was seasonal during the windy days. Although we could buy the kites from the shops, most enthusiasts would pride themselves in making the kites themselves. They pasted coloured rice paper onto light bamboo strip frames, which were tied to a long string smeared with boiled animal resins mixed with grounded glass fragments. The aim was to fly the kite in the air, to try and cut the strings of other flying kites. When one of the kites was cut loose, the children would run to catch the falling kite, often crossing streets recklessly, amidst shouts of joy. Rearing Siamese fighting fish and catching small spiders (there was a recent Singapore TV series called Spider Boys) from garden hedges, and challenging one another were fun, especially with occasional bets.
Comics and Pen Pals
Most of us would have hobbies, a word that is seldom heard nowadays. A hobby is an activity to enjoy and indulge in our spare time. We collected many items, such as stamps, coins, cigarette packs, picture cards, or matchboxes. Stamps were most popular. We would join stamp clubs, and received stamps from England, which we would buy and then mail back postal orders as payment. Some collected stamps according to themes such as flowers, ships, animals or famous people. We eagerly looked for letters (a dying practice) from overseas, with foreign stamps on the envelopes. We learned about names of exotic places like Sierra Leone, Seychelles, and San Marino! Other hobbies would include photography (where we had to learn about aperture, exposure, and depth of field), indoor games (without using batteries) like chess cards and caroms, painting (with real paper and paints) and writing (and rewriting several times without a word processor). During the pre-television days, we spent a lot of time reading. Our favourite books were reading stories from the “Famous Five” and “Secret Seven”, written by Enid Blyton and classic novels by Charles Dickens and Mark Twain, which had been adapted into simpler English. The girls would read the romantic stories from Mills and Bloom. We read many comics magazines, such as Beano and Dandy with characters such as Desperate Dan, Jonah and Korky the Cat. The popular drink Kickapoo was made famous by the comic strip Alley Oop. Comics characters like Superman, Batman, Zorro, The Lone Ranger, and Spiderman were our heroes then and apparently now, after being resuscitated on the big screen. We did not know what porn was. The nearest we read were the steamy classics such as “Lady Chatterley’s Lover” and “The World of Susie Wong”. Before the era of Facebook and emails, many of us had pen pals from near and far. There were pen pal columns in newspapers and magazines, with names of those who were keen on “friendly correspondence”. We selected the persons, according to the age, gender and country and then wrote letters to them. We had to wait for five days for the replies from local pen pals or as long as 2 weeks from pen pals overseas. We exchanged personal information, interests and news from our countries. We learned to take time to put our thoughts on paper in proper English sentences, instead of the garbled words nowadays.
Back Lane Badminton
There were many opportunities to take part in sports and games. Every student learned how to play football, cricket, hockey, badminton and rugby in school. Malaysia was world champion in badminton then, with our heroes like Wong Peng Soon, Eddy Choong and Teh Kew San. Thus everyone played badminton. Any house with a garden would make a badminton court on grass, sand or cement. We also played on any empty ground, from gardens with frequent damage to plants, in the middle of the small roads (not too many cars then) and in back lanes, often picking up wet shuttles from the longkangs (drains). I remember playing in Gim Hye’s house in Aboo Sittee Lane and enjoyed the jambu ayer as well.
Cycling – Sweat and Rain
Except for the few wealthy families, most of us walked or cycled to school. School buses were rare then. During the early morning and mid-afternoon hours, the streets would be flooded with bicycles. Schools used to build long sheds for the parking of bicycles. School journeys could be as far as five miles (we had not heard of kilometers then). The mornings were pleasantly cool (the days before the earth-warming), but returning home in the afternoons could be hot and sweaty. Sometimes we had to cycle back for sports later, leading to sore bottoms and sweaty clothes and underwear! When it rained, we had to wear raincoats. It was against the law to carry umbrellas while cycling. In any case, we could be blown upwards by the wind! We were proud of our trusty “steed”, often with famous brands like Raleigh or Humber. China-made bicycles came later. During our cycling journeys, we looked forward to see school girls cycling in the opposite direction, hoping to receive some reciprocated smiles! Children in those days did not have to go to the gyms. All the walking and cycling provided the necessary exercise. It was only in the mid-sixties that a few students managed to ride the popular 50cc Honda Cub. It would cost around $600 (dollars, ringgit was not introduced yet). Most of the cars in the sixties were European cars such as Morris, Austin, Ford, Fiat, and Renault. When the first Japanese Toyota came out, it was widely ridiculed; the thin car body was allegedly made from Milo tins. There was no air –conditioning in the cars then. At the most, there was a small fan, which blew hot air in the afternoon!
Beaches and Hills
During the weekends and holidays, when exams were not too near, we would go on picnics and hikes. Most of us did not swim in pools, even if we could afford to join the swimming clubs. There were many clean beaches, some with fancy names like Moonlight Bay and Miami Beach. There were no big hotels or condominiums then. We had the whole beach to ourselves. One of our friends had a small sampan, which we could row out to catch fresh fish for the barbecue on the beach. Sometimes, we would pitch tents and spent the night on the beach, playing cards, drinking beer and telling ghost stories. We might trek up the hill or cycle to villages or jog across rambutan orchards (especially when they were red and ripe). Hiking up the Penang Hill from the Moon-gate, near the Botanical gardens, would take about 2-3 hours. Some of us had walked round the island, taking three days with sleeping stops in the local school hall or Scouts campsites. Cycling round the 46 mile road round the island would take about 6 hours, especially struggling across the hills near Balik Pulau. We were consoled by the aroma of the durians! In 1964, Yew Oo, Hon Tat and I cycled all the way to Kuala Kedah (about 60 miles) to catch the boat to Langkawi. Iyer (now Sulaiman) took the bus with four girls. We started before 6am and should arrive at K.Kedah at 2 pm. We were delayed as Hon Tat had leg cramps, and we had to detour to Alor Star for him to take the taxi. Yew Oo and I continued cycling strenuously to Kuala Kedah, hoping to catch the ferry. Fortunately, they managed to ask the boat to wait half an hour for us. We took the bicycles as there was no public transport in Langkawi then. Fortunately Yew Oo had a friend who took around in his timber lorry. Langkawi was really unspoilt then with pristine beaches and clear waters. That was the forerunner to “Tour de Langkawi”! Sometimes we would rent the seaside or hill bungalows for a few nights and share the costs. Oon Siew was generous enough to invite us to his family’s holiday bungalows on Penang Hill and along Tg Bungah Beach. One of the bungalow, called Adorable, was known to be haunted! We would eat canned sardines, baked beans and egg sandwiches. We would play games, cards or even mahjong and held campfires and barbecues. Girls would be invited, but there was no hanky-panky. In those days, we were too naïve and innocent or perhaps there were no TV or internet to corrupt us.
Kachang and Ice-balls
Of course we spent a lot of time eating, usually at the food stalls of course. They were not called food courts then. The favourite haunts were Dato Keramat padang, Penang Road, Gurney Drive, Pulau Tikus and New World Park. Food was cheap. We could buy a packet of kachang puteh (old spelling) for five cents, thus the popular saying “cheap as kachang puteh”! Sweets were two for five cents. Noodles were around 20-30 cents a bowl. Drinks were 5-20 cents. My father ran a coffee-shop, and he used to remind me of the number of cups of kopi-oh at 10 cents a cup he had to sell, to pay for my fees. In those days we had to pay monthly fees of $2.50 in primary and $5 in secondary schools. None of our classmates went to pubs. We would spend time in the old style kopitiam with round marble-top tables and the classic wooden chairs with specially shaped seats. Ice kacang was 20 cents a bowl, ten cents more with ice cream or with banana slices. Ice-balls made from shaved ice, with red beans or sweet corn inside the centre, and flavoured with rose or sarsi syrup, could be enjoyed for just 5 to 10 cents. Another popular drink was the coconut water sold in a glass filled with strips of grated coconut flesh. There was an Indian man selling curry puffs. He would go round with his basket, singing from the song Clementine, “Oh my darling, oh my darling, karipap karipap!”
Cartoons and Stars
Movies were a popular form of entertainment. The famous Cathay, Lido, Rex and Odeon cinemas were like our second homes. Tickets were sold at different prices, $1.20 for the first class seat at the back of the theatre, then 80 cents for the second class seat in the middle, and 40 cents for the seat in the front rows. Some cinemas had balcony seats, meant for the richer patrons, with seats at $2.00. We would wait for the popular shows to come the second round, perhaps three months later, for prices that were 40% less. Older shows would be shown on weekend mornings, called the matinees, with ticket prices at $1 for balcony and 50 cent for the stalls. Of course, those cinemas were before the Cineplex sound systems and cushioned seats! The only problem was the frequent bites from bed bugs. There were no hand phones to disturb us, instead there were crackling sounds from those eating kwa-chi (melon seeds) or groundnuts. The feature movies were often preceded by the Pathe newsreel (no CNN then), and then cartoons (Tom & Jerry, Bugs Bunny and Pop-Eye) or the Three Stooges. We already had coloured movies in the sixties but wide cinemascope screens came only in 1958. The first such movie was the musical “The King and I.” I stayed next to the New World Amusement Park which was like an old version of a theme park, with merry-go-round and dodgem cars, food stalls and gaming machines. There was a small cinema (called Globe) inside, which only had netting side-walls, and we could watch old movies for free. There was a theatre, with just five feet high sidewalls, which often showed Chinese wayang operas. Occasionally, Rose Chan would perform in that theatre and I had the opportunity to watch her for free (by standing on a stool!) Unfortunately, I was only ten years old and did not “enjoy” that experience. We had our share of hero-worship of film stars. Popular screen stars were Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot, Sophia Loren, Tony Curtis and Kirk Douglas, and Charlton Heston. The last mentioned acted in biblical epics, such as the “Ten Commandments”. The movie was so long (about 3 hours), that there was an interval in the middle of the show for us to come out and buy drinks. Our school would arrange for special screening for school children at student prices.
Radio & Redifusion
Television came to Malaysia only in 1964. Even then a small black and white TV set would cost about $500 (a car would cost about $7000). Colour TVs came only in the 1970s. So we listened to the radio with only one RTM station with four mono AM channels, to cater to the different races. We could tune in to shortwave (with a lot of crackling noises) to the BBC and Voice of America. At that time, the Radio RAAF, broadcasted from their airbase in Butterworth, was very popular, characterized by the Australian accent of their DJs. Sometimes there were live broadcasts of events such as the Thomas Cup badminton or the Malaya cup football. With just the voice commentary, we had to use our imagination, when we tried to follow the game with its smashes and drop-shots or the goals. Even more ubiquitous was the Redifusion, which was a two-channel radio that was transmitted through telephone wires. With a monthly subscription of $6 a month, we could listen to pop songs or Cantonese stories which came in series over several months. We were able to request our favourite songs and dedicate them on air to our friends. A popular programme was the Top of the Week, where we would guess the following week’s most requested songs by sending Hacks sweet wrappers. If our lists were correct, we would get a cash prize of about $30. If nobody got all the top 8 songs in the correct order, the cash prize snow-balled till as high as $500, which was a fortune then. I entered one quiz show and won a dozen bottles of Brand’s Essence of chicken. Gramophone vinyl records were the only medium of recorded music. Later, recordable tapes in the form of reels came in. Cassettes were introduced only in the late sixties. However the record and tape players were not affordable for many us. Our favourite singers were Elvis Presley, Pat Boone, Cliff Richard, Doris Day and Connie Francis till the arrival of the Beatles and Rolling Stones in the mid sixties. Those songs had melodies and words we could understand.
Girls and Dancing
We seemed to have matured during Form 4 and 5, when we were 16 and 17 years old. We began to show interest in girls. We had a nickname for the girls, Alley-oops! I attended my first party in Form 4 and learned how to wear a tie. I tasted my first beer but never enjoyed it. I even tried my first puff of the cigarette but was so nauseated with it, that I became an anti-smoking advocate in later years. By Form 4, we began to mix with girls from Methodist Girls School and St George’s School and the occasional Convent School girl. There were picnics, barbecues and dance parties. We tried dancing (not “lam sing”) the Foxtrot, Waltz and Cha Cha Cha, though not many of us were good. Our generation saw the introduction of the Twist by Chubby Checker, followed by some crazy dances called the Shake, the Hustle and the Jerk! There was usually no liquor, except perhaps the occasional punch and beer. Boy-girl relationships were by and large innocent. There were a few couples who paired up, but we never heard of any scandal happening.
Blind and Orphans
While waiting for our university admissions after Form Six, the former classmates of Form 5 science got together informally as “The Club”. In addition to regular gatherings in the homes and picnics, we would volunteer to help the blind in St Nicholas Home by reading to them. We tried learning Braille so as to help transcribe reading materials, but it was not that easy. Once a week, we would accompany the blind children to Chinese Swimming Club, to help them enjoy the water. Some of us also volunteered with the Ramakrishna Orphanage, by playing with the children, helping their studies and even painting the walls. In one election year, I was selected to be one of the helpers in the counting of the votes. The counting went on till 1 am, and we were provided snacks and an allowance of ten dollars.
Fun and Friends
Without TV, we actually played sports and not just watched the televised games. Without computers, we read and wrote proper sentences (with occasional reference to dictionaries and encyclopedias). Without mobile phones and Facebook, we went out and met our friends more often. Of course the modern gadgets have made our lives more convenient, but they are no replacement for the fun we had enjoyed, the friends we had made, and the fulfilling experience which had enriched our teenage years.
Sunday, 6 October 2013
Book Published "YOUNG EMOTION"
.jpg)
.jpg)
YOUNG EMOTION
Contents
I) POEMS
Young Emotion
Starry Lights
You Came To Me
True Way to Love
May
I Am Not
Parting Sorrow
I will Love you Ever More
Penang Free School
II) SHORT STORY:
Village Encounter
III) ADVICE
Keep on Smiling
Thinking for Ourselves
Tips for Study & Exams
Let Us Help
Save for a better Future
IV) PERSONAL
Teenage Years
Youth to Adult
The Room in the House
Why I Chose to be a Doctor
V) OPINION
Our Hungry World
Number of “As”
Scholarships and the Rich
Gambling
Juvenile Crimes
Speed and Death
Apa Fasal?
Why I Think Malaysia is a VIP
Malaysian Politics 1962
Prologue
Looking Back to Schools
Life before TVs,Computers & Iphones
Golden Reunion
VI) Songs with a Twist
VII) Teachers’ Quotes
VIII) Random Thoughts
Saturday, 5 October 2013
Gems from Devotions-Sept
In my devotion today, came across one of my favourite passage:
1Cor13: "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered. It keeps no record the wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Lover never fails"
Hebrews12:4 "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as a discipline; God is treating you as sons.... God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however,it produces a harvest or righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Romans 8:28, 31 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,who have been called to his purpose...If God is for us, who can be against us? " Many people claim to "fight for God", but more important is for us to know whether God is on our side? This verse was quoted by Abraham Lincoln.
Romans 8:37-39: " No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.....neither death or life,neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers.....will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Love of Christ removes all fear.
Romans 10:9,10,13 " That if you confess with your mouth "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved..for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved"
Romans 12:1: "Therefor I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind". Worship is not just singing bu serving with our lives.
Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." v14:"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. v16: Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. v17: Do not repay anyone evil for evil. v21 "Do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good". Difficult but Christlike!
Romans 14:17-19 "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification." This will set our priorities right.
Romans 15:1-3, 7 "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbour for his own good, to build himself up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written 'The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.' Accepted one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."
Hebrews12:4 "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son. Endure hardship as a discipline; God is treating you as sons.... God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however,it produces a harvest or righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Romans 8:28, 31 "And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him,who have been called to his purpose...If God is for us, who can be against us? " Many people claim to "fight for God", but more important is for us to know whether God is on our side? This verse was quoted by Abraham Lincoln.
Romans 8:37-39: " No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.....neither death or life,neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers.....will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Love of Christ removes all fear.
Romans 10:9,10,13 " That if you confess with your mouth "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved..for, Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved"
Romans 12:1: "Therefor I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God - this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of the world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind". Worship is not just singing bu serving with our lives.
Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." v14:"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. v16: Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. v17: Do not repay anyone evil for evil. v21 "Do not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good". Difficult but Christlike!
Romans 14:17-19 "For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification." This will set our priorities right.
Romans 15:1-3, 7 "We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Each of us should please his neighbour for his own good, to build himself up. For even Christ did not please himself but, as it is written 'The insults of those who insult you have fallen on me.' Accepted one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)