Spore is a technologically advanced country. However, in this advanced pace, its surprising that there is also a large group of people who go up and about their life in the most traditional ways; not owning or using a mobile phone, not using the atm machine and go into the banks to do their transaction, queuing up to top-up their ez-link card at the counter(I cant remember the last time I joined the queue at the counter to top-up my ez-link card) and many more.
My 78 y/o grandma is one of the large group of people who do things the traditional way, even if it means taking a bus and queuing for half n hour or so just to perform a simple transaction. I asked her several times about it and she said " Ai yah, I'm so old. The ATM machine words are too small and too fast for me. So many options, I dont know which button to press. The bank counter is better, the cashiers at the bank counter are helpful."
In grandma's words, the bank counter cashier is more user-friendly. I feel grandma could take more autonomy in her own transactions and after some thoughts, I decide to do an experiment; to take "baby steps" to convince grandma to use the ATM machine. So I wrote a simple application (I named it Withdraw.apps and wrote the program using JBuilder) , which has the options of an ATM machine and a log in module (authentication module). I went to sim lim square to look for a numerical keypad (so it looks just like the normal ATM machine keypad) and a couple of weeks later, I got it up n running.
The most difficult part was convincing grandma to use the application. I racked my brain cells and told her I was testing out a sch assignment for elderly use and grandma said she would help me. So grandma got down at my laptop and started learning to use the "ATM machine app" for the very first time! After a number of trys, grandma said she's getting use to the application. I told her it works just like an ATM machine and took the opportunity to convince grandma to use a real ATM machine.
A few days later, we were in the bank and grandma applied for an ATM card. We went to the ATM machine outside the bank and I could feel the moment coming. I watched with bated breath as my grandma started typing the options into the atm machine and after 30secs the machine chunked and soon, grandma turned with her ATM card and two $10 dollar notes in her hands! Yes! Grandma did it! I apologized to grandma and told her the truth that it was not for my sch project. She said that I was very cheeky =p
Anyway, I believe if anyone would learn, technology is not as difficult or complicated as one would perceive it is.
Monday, April 11, 2011
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
If Chinese New Year is one Big Halloween Party...
Every year as Chinese, we celebrate Chinese New Year. The elders (i.e my grandma and other older relatives) really look forward to CNY as a mass family gathering. However, like many youths of my generation, we feel that Chinese New Year has long lost its sparks.
In 2009, I visited Taiwan during the last week of CNY and the mood is definitely different. There are fireworks everywhere n everyone is really spirited abt celebrating CNY. I remember spending the 15th day of CNY shopping at Ximending and the shop owner invited me to release fireworks. What an interesting experience! I told grandma that my cousin n I will take her overseas to celebrate cny but she said we have to stay(during the 1st week) cos its where our relatives are.
CNY in Singapore is lacklustre; there is no live firecrackers, no fireworks and our very memories of CNY here are watching streams of repeated telecast, eating snacks, having steamboat(Usual Singlish response - Wah! Steamboat again... sian) and making visits to various relatives house, whom we see like once a year . There will always be this polite awkwardness where older relatives who cant remember our names try to make conversation with us - " Try the pineapple tarts. Its nice. How old are u all? How's work/ sch? Which Uni? Which Job? Any Girlfriend/ boyfriend? And the concerned ones would offer to dish advise to singles on dating(sighs...)"
Sometimes I imagine CNY could be a lot like Halloween party. (Yeah u can say that I'm too imaginative, unrealistic, crazy, impossible etc). It would be a lot more fun and interesting to dress up in different costumes(Yes... u will have less headache shopping for new year clothes too) and it would be even more fun seeing our elders in costumes (imagine the tall and stern looking 2nd uncle dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow). It will definitely be a great conversation starter and yes, I will not say no to anyone who offers Kueh Lapis in a leopard suit.
Alright, enough said, its back to reality for me cos I'm helping grandma prepare reunion dinner and do my projects and study for the exams after dinner (P.S :why do they like to put exams n assignment deadlines just after CNY?)
In 2009, I visited Taiwan during the last week of CNY and the mood is definitely different. There are fireworks everywhere n everyone is really spirited abt celebrating CNY. I remember spending the 15th day of CNY shopping at Ximending and the shop owner invited me to release fireworks. What an interesting experience! I told grandma that my cousin n I will take her overseas to celebrate cny but she said we have to stay(during the 1st week) cos its where our relatives are.
CNY in Singapore is lacklustre; there is no live firecrackers, no fireworks and our very memories of CNY here are watching streams of repeated telecast, eating snacks, having steamboat(Usual Singlish response - Wah! Steamboat again... sian) and making visits to various relatives house, whom we see like once a year . There will always be this polite awkwardness where older relatives who cant remember our names try to make conversation with us - " Try the pineapple tarts. Its nice. How old are u all? How's work/ sch? Which Uni? Which Job? Any Girlfriend/ boyfriend? And the concerned ones would offer to dish advise to singles on dating(sighs...)"
Sometimes I imagine CNY could be a lot like Halloween party. (Yeah u can say that I'm too imaginative, unrealistic, crazy, impossible etc). It would be a lot more fun and interesting to dress up in different costumes(Yes... u will have less headache shopping for new year clothes too) and it would be even more fun seeing our elders in costumes (imagine the tall and stern looking 2nd uncle dressed as Captain Jack Sparrow). It will definitely be a great conversation starter and yes, I will not say no to anyone who offers Kueh Lapis in a leopard suit.
Alright, enough said, its back to reality for me cos I'm helping grandma prepare reunion dinner and do my projects and study for the exams after dinner (P.S :why do they like to put exams n assignment deadlines just after CNY?)
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Stereotype
Ok lets admit, some part of us is pretty stereotypical. My classmates and I were at the library and the librarian who was at the counter was pretty unhelpful and to an extent rude to us when we asked her for help to run a directory search of the books we were looking for. I guess the librarian, who is around her 50s, must have had a busy day or a bad day with so many people asking for the same enquiries. However, it did not escape the notice of some guys for they were harping about the librarian's age.
Guy 1: "So rude and unhelpful. Scold us for no reason. Did u notice how old she looks? "
Guy 2 : " Should at least be in her 50s."
Guy 3 : "Ai yah old auntie, no wonder lah... At this age, she confirm menopausing that why so rude and irritable!"
I told the guys to be more understanding and just look for the books ourselves but the third guy went on and on about the menopause theory. Geesh!
As for me, whenever I work part-time at night, at the helpdesk during my holidays, there will always be this HR person who goes "Yo!!Yo!!! Geeks are cool! Yeah!!"and wanting to high five whenever he sees me along the corridor or at my workstation. After some time it got quite irritating and I told him to stop. Apparently, this HR guy thinks that techie ppl are all geeks. Well, we can be very involved with what we are doing at work but we have our personal lives out of technology.
And how many of us do not feel guilty when chatting with fellow school mates from FASS and half thinking he/she must have poor A levels results and thus being dumped in FASS.
I am often too asked by people who asked me why I choose SoC and have been reminded countless of times during my poly life, working life and uni life that technology field is doomed and that I will be in the front line of unemployment and retrenchment when I finish my degree or that I should not take up honours cos I will be wasting another year of my life. Many assume that I too, have been dumped into SOC due to poor A level results (Naw, I did not take A levels but as a Techie poly entrant, I wasn't given much choice either). Anyway, I'm interested in technology and that's why I'm in this field =)
Or how some ppl recoil about working and living amongst foreigners and recoil even further when I picked going to Chennai for internship program during my poly days. Yes, it can get rowdy there but it was one of the most beautiful place I have ever been to and the people are really nice and after being there, I become more appreciative and understanding about their culture and working style.
I guess with a bit of open heart and being more accepting and understanding, one will be alot less bitter and can truly see the beauty of things around us.
Guy 1: "So rude and unhelpful. Scold us for no reason. Did u notice how old she looks? "
Guy 2 : " Should at least be in her 50s."
Guy 3 : "Ai yah old auntie, no wonder lah... At this age, she confirm menopausing that why so rude and irritable!"
I told the guys to be more understanding and just look for the books ourselves but the third guy went on and on about the menopause theory. Geesh!
As for me, whenever I work part-time at night, at the helpdesk during my holidays, there will always be this HR person who goes "Yo!!Yo!!! Geeks are cool! Yeah!!"and wanting to high five whenever he sees me along the corridor or at my workstation. After some time it got quite irritating and I told him to stop. Apparently, this HR guy thinks that techie ppl are all geeks. Well, we can be very involved with what we are doing at work but we have our personal lives out of technology.
And how many of us do not feel guilty when chatting with fellow school mates from FASS and half thinking he/she must have poor A levels results and thus being dumped in FASS.
I am often too asked by people who asked me why I choose SoC and have been reminded countless of times during my poly life, working life and uni life that technology field is doomed and that I will be in the front line of unemployment and retrenchment when I finish my degree or that I should not take up honours cos I will be wasting another year of my life. Many assume that I too, have been dumped into SOC due to poor A level results (Naw, I did not take A levels but as a Techie poly entrant, I wasn't given much choice either). Anyway, I'm interested in technology and that's why I'm in this field =)
Or how some ppl recoil about working and living amongst foreigners and recoil even further when I picked going to Chennai for internship program during my poly days. Yes, it can get rowdy there but it was one of the most beautiful place I have ever been to and the people are really nice and after being there, I become more appreciative and understanding about their culture and working style.
I guess with a bit of open heart and being more accepting and understanding, one will be alot less bitter and can truly see the beauty of things around us.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Just a shot
A party before sch starts on Monday. Yeah, its a great night out n thanks Elliot for the JW with Perrier! Happy Birthday Tim!
Saturday, January 1, 2011
1.1.11 Food Poisoning
Today is the first day of 2011 and I'm seating in bed typing into my iPad.
Food poisoning is a sneaky illness. One moment, you are well and happily playing charades with your friends and next, a sickening dizzy, nausea washes over, followed by waves of strong abdominal pain which makes u double up and u could feel bile rising up your throat.
This is how we spent our class New year's Day countdown chalet. Eight of us were down with food poisoning (those who had taken the egg mayo salad)and I wouldnt say that its a pretty affair because we ended up in a puking frenzy even before uncorking the champagne we bought for the night. I was having my first bout in the tiny chalet washroom and turned to be sick and I knocked my head into door. For that moment I could'nt decide which was more painful; having to come out from both ends or having a big egg on my head.
Anyway, our bottles of aerated drinks came into handy. We drank some fizzy drinks, after much more puking, we felt much better and once we could keep something down , we took some activated charcoal and went to sleep.
Alas, we missed the countdown, champagne and planned wee hour trip to visit the "Red house."
Food poisoning is a sneaky illness. One moment, you are well and happily playing charades with your friends and next, a sickening dizzy, nausea washes over, followed by waves of strong abdominal pain which makes u double up and u could feel bile rising up your throat.
This is how we spent our class New year's Day countdown chalet. Eight of us were down with food poisoning (those who had taken the egg mayo salad)and I wouldnt say that its a pretty affair because we ended up in a puking frenzy even before uncorking the champagne we bought for the night. I was having my first bout in the tiny chalet washroom and turned to be sick and I knocked my head into door. For that moment I could'nt decide which was more painful; having to come out from both ends or having a big egg on my head.
Anyway, our bottles of aerated drinks came into handy. We drank some fizzy drinks, after much more puking, we felt much better and once we could keep something down , we took some activated charcoal and went to sleep.
Alas, we missed the countdown, champagne and planned wee hour trip to visit the "Red house."
Friday, December 24, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Up for Adoption
My two Ryukin goldfish fr Mongkok fish Market. I named them Kinyobi and Mokuyobi (Kin and Moku in short) respectively; which means Friday - Gold day and Thursday - Wood day in Japanese.
With 2 more weeks to go before I leave HK, Kinyobi and Mokuyobi are up for adoption. I will miss how they brighten up my hostel room and yes, they are looking for a caring owner to give them a new home. So if you are a caring fish enthusiast, they are all yours. Goldfish bowl, filter, fish food, water plants and of cos, the two ryukins are provided!
(P.S Update as of 09/12/2010 - My room mate has decided to adopt the ryukins! She cant bear to leave them to someone else. Thanks roomie! Gd luck!)
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