Monthly Archives: April 2008

04/8/08

The New Semester’s New Look

School semester begins in a week. It’s time to stress about my hair.

Here’s the plan:

  1. Self-straighten my hair on Tuesday, which is today.
  2. Print a sample picture of the hairstyle I want, and make an appointment with the salon.
  3. Go to the salon on Thursday for the haircut. Explain to and show the hair dresser my desired hairstyle.

It should be quite simple because this time, I am clear on what I want.

If the outcome is a success, I’ll post the picture. If not, I may still post it. If it looks like donkey ass, forget it. Hahaha.

Logen

04/7/08

On Teacher’s Day Last Year

Last year was the year after my graduation from secondary school. I went back there on Teacher’s Day to rekindle the memories and attachment to both my alma mater and the teachers. There was even an invitation sent via email.

Contrary to my intent, I and several other students who had kept their hair long and/or dye it were barred from entering. The pretext for that absurdity was our influence to the ‘innocent’ students there. Well, my previous sentence should suffice on what I feel about this treatment.

Now when I remember it, it seems I no longer feel much for that place. Yes, I remember my experiences within the school compound, and the constant hide-and-seek game with the discipline committee. But in some cases I’ve disassociated many emotions to that place. You can even call me crazy but I felt betrayed.

Imagine having few links that attach you to the past. And with time, each link breaks. You would expect the link to a building to be broken much later because mainly it is an inanimate object and doesn’t change much. Well, so much for expectations… People who set any expectations bound to be disappointed.

At least I’ve hung out with certain friends after.

Ikea Evening with Friends

Let’s see what happen this year…

Logen

04/5/08

Stupid Bangla Is Racist

More and more people are using the word ‘Bangla’ in a derogatory and racist sense. And it disgusts me.

The word ‘Bangla’ refers to a language native to Bangladesh and West Bengal. It is accepted also as a term to refer to the people of Bangladesh.

However, in Singapore where we import labour, ‘Bangla’ characterises construction workers who may or may not even come from Bangladesh. It has a hidden meaning behind it, which people are ignorant of.

Through the countless racist jokes and stereotypes, the workers in question, have been associated with the qualities of being dim-witted, perverted, smelly, illegal and inferior. I must add that there are some workers who fit this stereotype, but to use a word that associates those qualities with their skin colour is just wrong. Everyone should be treated with respect and should not be judged by their race.

Imagine going abroad to work. There is the language and culture barrier to get used to. Does it make you dim-witted for being inept in speaking another language? If you are a construction worker, wouldn’t you sweat and consequently smell? Because of these things, is it fair for people of another society to judge people like you as outcasts.

Consider this, commonly used by people:

Stupid Bangla!

Seems innocent, doesn’t it. But what if it was ‘Stupid Chinese’, ‘Stupid Malay’ or ‘Stupid Indian’ (replace Bangla with your own race)? Wouldn’t this be an insult directed to the person’s race.

This word has not only been indiscriminately used to describe any dark-skinned construction worker, some have used it on Indians to insult them. And who’s to say this racist sentiment won’t be spread due to popularity?

Now, I’m not one for political correctness. I’m not saying when we talk about a person’s race we should say: ‘I have this friend who is of China origin but she was born in Singapore. Her grandparents migrated, you see. That was a century ago.’.

That would be plain stupid. If you’re going to mention race, just say it.

There was this Bangla worker who pissed me off today. He dropped the rusty steel reinforcements through my foot, which kept me rooted on the ground for five hours. Bloody fucker!

That would have been fine because you have not made the issue about his race. The use of the italicised word clearly implies a worker from Bangladesh.

My whole point is, do not use a word or insult that targets a person’s racial traits. It is a gutless and brainless thing to do. Lastly, we ought to treat people with more compassion and understanding of their situation, not bully them for being a minority!

Logen L.

04/2/08

Neuro Linguistic Programming, A Way To Change Behaviour?

I came across the term ‘Neuro Linguistic Programming’ (NLP) again recently. I have a rough idea of what it means and saw it in effect on the Tyra Show.

Neuro Linguistic Programming is a means for changing behaviour, which are deep-set in the subconscious. To learn and unlearn behaviour.

Before having a clearer idea on what it was, I thought it was a cheater’s way of doing things. The results would be there but it’d be impermanent. I was wrong.

In NLP, it is proposed that behaviour was learnt at a young age. When you found an effective way of doing things, you replicated it till it became habitualised. Thus, based on that proposition, if you can unlearn certain defected behaviour, things could change. In other words, you are not stuck the way you are.

This knowledge can be applied to unlearn phobias, anxiety, depression triggers and so on. That’s why I’m interested in it.

Before, I had only two solutions to changing behaviour. They were either meditation or the 14 days of replicating a new habit. Meditation to change was time consuming and the 14 days technique required hard core persistence. Both could work hand in hand. But I’m too impatient and hasty. NLP was said to give quicker results.

If I hadn’t considered NLP, I would be meditating with a cockroach in front of me to dispel my fear of them. I’m not joking here. However, that would require myself to be a more accomplished meditator to prevent myself from running out of the room screaming.

Anyway, allow me to find out more about Neuro Linguistic Programming techniques, try them and then tell you if they work.

Logen L.