Personal and family – Page 17

Category: Personal and family

From car to public transport

18 November 2014 blogpastor 2 Comments

At the Chinese Garden MRT before peak hours — At the Chinese Garden MRT at 7.50am on Tuesday morning

With the cost of buying and owning a car in Singapore inching upwards with every month more car owners have had to give up their independence and mobility and become users of public transport. I had to do so and have been taking public transport for the past two months. The jury is still out, but my tentative feel is that our public transport system is good. The MRT and the buses are clean and effective and they do get you from one place to another in comfort and safety if not on schedule. However the peak hours can be suffocatingly crowded. Of course this can be alleviated by timing your trips earlier or later. It has been 30 years since I have to depend on public transport so much. By the grace of God my transition has been mainly positive. There are several things that have happened to me and I have made several observations during this transition:

My daughter had to teach me the tactics of positioning to increase your chances of getting a seat on the MRT.

I have walked more and perspired more than when I had a car.

The huge fans at the MRT stations are my favourite things about the MRT stations.

I now prefer short-sleeved cotton shirts for comfort.

I carry a small black umbrella in my bag for sunshine as well as rain. I find it cuts off 60%

Daughter mentoring father on tactics

of the heat and I perspire less.

I deliberately walk slowly.

Planning to leave much earlier for trips is something I am getting used to.

Review of sermons before preaching on Sunday is now done in the MRT on the way to the service.

Getting a taxi on Sunday can be difficult unless you book them.

Taking a taxi when it’s necessary is something I need to get used to as I am not used to spending that kind of money.

I have recently decided to stop carrying my laptop to office unless it is absolutely necessary. Its too heavy. The Samsung tablet is my companion and I am going to try working from an external hard disk on an extra laptop in the office.

My backpack can be full and heavy at times, especially when I borrow or return books from Trinity library.

I feel loved and humbled with the numerous offers to give me a lift, some even going the second and third mile to do that.

The transition made me consider alternative modes of transport like the Brompton, a foldable portable bike allowed by MRT and buses.The LTA has ruled out electric stand scooters.

I cannot go nearest where I want, and when I want, and at the speed I want, like when I had a car to use. Public transport tells me, You can only go thus far and by this time.

Each time I hear the “TEENH” in the MRT turnstile it is my Money Rapidly Taken (MRT).

On the whole I am amazed at my rapid adjustment during my transition to public transport. God gives the grace. He has given me a grateful heart. Thank God also for the smart phone. And also for times to be quiet before Him as you stand in the train. This is a transition many in Singapore will have to make. Most retirees will have to give up their cars and adjust too. God gives us the grace.

Hyundai Matrix: farewell

22 September 2014 blogpastor Leave a comment

The Hyundai Matrix, the faithful servant

Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, metal to scrap. The Hyundai Matrix that was bought by the church and that has served so faithfully has used up its entitlement to be on the road. It has been ten years. It is durable and roadworthy. But this is Singapore – a cemetery for 10 year old vehicles. It’s such a sad under-utilization of resources. Some of the cars will be re-exported to other Third World countries to be re-conditioned and used for perhaps another 20 years. The rest will end up as scrap metal. Very few will continue on Singapore’s roads. Today I said Goodbye to my Matrix.

Singapore is probably the most expensive place in the world to own and use a car. If you buy a new Toyota Vios at today’s prices, live in Jurong and work in Changi, include all expenses such as repairs, servicing, insurance and road tax, minus inflation, you would have spent about S$200,000 by the end of ten years. This was what I read somewhere.

It is strange but though the car is not a living creature we develop some kind of feeling towards it. The feeling could be positive or negative or both. For me it is all positive. It is respect. The car looks petite but this lady has a big inside that can even squeeze four in the back seats. The luggage space can handle four persons luggage. It is gratitude. This car has done its bit for the Lord, and for my family too. It is fondness too. After so many years, I have grown to like it. Maybe I am not fussy. Nor have I driven many cars in my life to provide any kind of comparison. I only drove passenger church vans before this car: a Toyota Hiace van and a Isuzu van, before this blessing from the church came into service. She is a petroholic, but I am still fond of her.

Now it has become too expensive for the church to provide a car. I am very thankful to the church that I had one for so many years. The church has been good. The Lord gives, the Lord takes away, blessed be the name of the Lord.

Even my children said, Take some photos before it goes. The family got sentimental with the car. So before it went we took some shots after lunch. I want to remember its spaciousness, its usefulness and faithfulness.

Well done thou good and faithful servant. Dust to dust, ashes to ashes, metal to scrap.

Now I will undergo some major adjustment. I am converting to a BMW (B for bus; M for MRT; and W for walk). Add on a double turbo (T for taxi and T for tompang). First heard this BMW thingy from Benny Ong a popular church speaker. Stuck with me. This will be a challenging and interesting change. Like the Minister of Transport once did, I will take the MRT. But unlike him, I cannot do anything to improve it. I can only adjust and live with it. Let the hardship begin. It cannot be as bad as what others suffer in other countries.

National Museum of Singapore: a refreshing change

9 June 2014 blogpastor Leave a comment

Against the grey the museum still exudes grandness

The last time I stepped into our national museum, I was probably a 10 or 11 years old primary school boy on a class excursion to the National Museum of Singapore. All I remember from that time was a huge mammoth bone structure hanging suspended in a huge hall. I also remember hosts of specimens of plant and seeds and stones and I cannot remember what else.

50 stained glass panels to commemorate Queen Victoria's 50 years reign

So it was refreshing to visit the newly done up Museum. It is located in the same place next to Wesley Methodist Church. The old British colonial building still looked impressive. It was a wet day but even in the backdrop of grey it looked dignified and classic. I had wanted to visit since it was announced that it would be free admission for Singaporeans. That was months ago. It took a welcome invitation from friends for us to set aside a morning for this visit. Nick and Lai Lin gathered 8 others to this specially guided tour. Nick was a volunteer with the museum and had undergone rigorous training. We looked forward to this special tour.

Nick talking about the Malay annals — Nick talking about the Singapore Stone

We were promptly given tickets on showing our identity cards. Mine was a snap of my i/c in my mobile. It passed muster. Immediately Nick began with an introduction to the history and architecture of the building. Now I know why there are 50 stained glass on the dome that was the central feature of the roof. He told us about all the various sections and the exhibits in them but began the tour with the most important: the Singapore Living History.

At basement famous photographer Salgado's "Genesis" prints are on show

It was a tour that was engaging and interesting. I learned things I didn’t know before about Singapore’s beginnings, the political background of significant events in our nations short history and some interesting bits about Singapore’s culture then. What heightened the experience was not just Nick’s expertise but also the enthusiasm with which he delivered detailed interesting information in an engaging, interactive way. The guided tour took more than an hour and a half but it did not seem long. We enjoyed it. And that was topped up with lunch at a museum restaurant of Chef Chan.

Chef Chan's restaurant at the museum annexe

If you have not gone to the museum, go there as soon as you can. Free guided tours are available for the first 15 who sign up for them at the 11am and 2pm slots. Who knows, Nick may be your museum guide.