Singing with a violinist backup!
I am honoured to be able to sing with a violin backup! Listen to my Chinese song duet with a violinist!
***********
**********
*********
I love power. But it is as an artist that I love it. I love it as a musician loves his violin, to draw out its sounds and chords and harmonies.
*********
Happiness is a thing to be practiced, like the violin.
***********
Making the most of what one has got (left)
***********
***********
a young man became quadriplegic
after a diving accident,
which broke his neck
**********
a woman felt half-a-woman now
after a radical mastectomy,
cos she felt less feminine
with less a breast or two
**********
a middle-aged man felt like a handicap
after amputation below his knees
for infected foot and uncontrolled diabetes
**********
Stephen Hawking has accepted
his condition and achieved so much in life
so much more
than a normal human being could!
********
We really shouldn’t be complaining!
***********
CLASSMATES AND THE TRICKERY OF LIFE
Got this (forwarded many times) from an old classmates through my group chat.
***********
There is something both amusing and tragic about classmates.
When we are young, sitting side by side on stiff wooden desks, everything feels equal. We wear the same uniforms, complain about the same teachers, and dream the same big dreams.
We believe that with the foolish confidence of youth, that life will reward us fairly. That the one who topped the class will top in life, that the one who struggled will always struggle, that effort will always equal success.
But life is not a classroom. Life is a trickster, a mischievous storyteller who loves to plot twists.
Then, one day, years later, we meet again at ordinations, weddings, funerals, airports, or by accident at a supermarket. And suddenly, we see what nobody warned us about.
The boy who never did his assignments now owns a mansion. The one who won all the academic prizes is still searching for relevance.
The one who was always quiet now commands boardrooms, while the one who once led every debate now sits in silence, waiting for an opportunity that refuses to come.
And we ask ourselves: How did this happen?
Nobody told us that life does not follow the rules of the classroom. That hard work is important, but so is luck. That intelligence is valuable, but connections sometimes matter more.
That some rise not because they are the best, but because they were in the right place at the right time. That life does not grade us like exam scripts. It rolls the dice, and sometimes, the results are baffling.
There is a good side to all of these: no matter how far life scatters us, when classmates meet again, the years disappear.
Titles do not matter.
Bank accounts do not speak.
We laugh over memories of forgotten nicknames, of teachers we swore we would never forget but now struggle to remember. For a brief moment, we return to a time when we were just young with dreams before life stepped in with its unexpected script.
*And just maybe, that is the real lesson: success is not just about who has more, but about who still has a heart that can remember.*
*********
This reminds me about the quote:-
It is not what you know but who you know in life.
*********
The daily clergy visitor
********
Every noon time,
an elderly clergy man would stand
at a corner of the busy ward, observing.
Streams of visitors strolled in
towards their loved ones or friends.
Some brought extra fruits and food.
They would hug and kiss
the face or the hands of the patients,
chatting concernly.
********
A few lonely patients watched silently,
but their loved ones were struggling
in a hand-to-mouth existence
to feed their family,
let alone afford a trip
from the interior to the city hospital.
*******
The clergyman clasped his hands together
in front of his chest
and gestured if he may sit down
next to a bedridden patient.
The patient nodded and pointed
to a chair next to his bed.
*********
It was all silence and touch communication
as he peeled an orange or banana
to feed the patient.
He would wipe the face
and hands of the patient.
And he would just sit for a while
before moving to
the next targeted patient.
Until a security man came in
ringing his bell signalling
the end of the visiting hours.
************
Once in a while, maybe.
“Do one thing every day that scares you” — Eleanor Roosevelt.
I am not sure if I want to do it EVERYDAY, but maybe once in a while, I like to challenge myself to sing another country’s song (see below)..
Chensp, 2025
I aspire to inspire before I expire
*****
In Malaysia, I remember these three men:-
****** ************
I like this comment by Geoffrey, lovely!
“If you conspire with an umpire and a vampire, you never know what will transpire.”
Stumbled upon…
Stumbled upon (Senyru)
***********
calm evening walk
oops, what was that animal?
we all stood rooted
********
the shape of it’s tail
and its head seemed to await us
walking towards him
********
diming light at dusk
it’s silhouette seemed to move
trepidation felt
*********
my curiosity
needed answer the next day
oh…it is only….
******
Quess what was it?
Rat by Pat? Cat by Ab? And finally, the right answer … a tree root by, Janet!
My first thought when I saw it … a tiger (Don’t blame my mind for going wild. Our housing estate is near the national zoo. We had once, many years ago, one of the gates was broken. I can’t remember which animals escaped but were caught back.)
It is normal, though, to have several monkeys swinging around our houses here, as this valley is surrounded by hillside trees.
It’s all in the packaging
I saw this cute bag when I bought the cookies
People are getting more creative while selling their products. They are good as a gift during weddings dinners.
******
Haze, haze, everwhere
Haze, haze, everywhere (senyru)
drove out this morning
it was hazy everywhere
a depressing start
there was a couple
sold morning delicacies
and 'nasi lemak
Both wearing a mask
but would the mask help reduce
the dust they breathe in?
then came heavy rain
thank goodness for cloud seeding
artificial rain
Pizza in Italy
******
have you tried pizza
Italy is famous for
but oh, the sizes
*******
four of us sat down
alright, we should have one each
something stopped us all!
********
one next table had
unlike what we have back home
their pizza was huge!
*********
ordered one only
glad we did cos it was big!
but scarce ingredients!
*******
Back home, our pizzas are smaller, but with a lot more ingredients. Their carbohydrate intakes must be quite high.
It was a good experience. I can imagine if four huge pizzas landed on our table!
A humble and pleasant ambassador for Vietnam
HANH, a Vietnamese singer (Senyru)
humble and pleasant
Vietnamese ambassador
in singing circle
she encourages
when other countrymen sing
songs from her country
Here are a few songs by. Hanh and Ms Chen Song Ping :-
************
When a country’s land has boundary, but not the air above the land, unfortunately
************
(Haiku / Senyru)
***********
slash and burn on land
smoke and haze in air above
neighbouring countries 😏
**********
slash and burn is cheap,
no labour to clear their lands
here, we cough, cough, cough! 😩
*********
how’s the difference
when a country owns its lands
not the air above😒
*********
children stay indoors
hazy smoke is in the air
to protect their lungs
*******
Grateful to be able to thread through the ‘eye’…
Sewing
*******
ever tried threading
‘impossible’ tiny eye
of sewing needle?
*****
a test one can pass
presbyopia in old age?
or short- sightedness?
*****
each time thread went through
a smile, a grateful relief
tis good for my age!
********
wow, you can still type
on your mobile and read book
without your glasses?
****
so, I am grateful
to be able to still thread
that tiny lil’ eye.
Whoosh, whoosh… wind, wind!
Wonderful nature: the wind
(Senyru or Haiku?)
***********
the main door opened
small hands shielding, eyes widened
effusive wind blew!
*******
small body leaned forth
within daddy’s strong armhold
“whoosh, whoosh, wind, the wind!”
********
wonderful, childish,
child expression of nature
infectious delights!
*********
we were surprised, too!
innocent demonstration!
that’s how a child sees!
**************
**************
“Children are the hands by which we take hold of heaven.” — Henry Ward Beecher.
Music and dementia
********
(senyru)
******
She forgot my name
but remembered the whole song!
Selective neurons?
******
Music can reduce dementia by up to 40%.
Blogging: I run my race
Blogging is like running
but running a race?
I paused, I sweated,
feet apart, panting,
and watching others
... forging ahead.
Jane Trombley wonders
about the paucity of
baby-boomer bloggers
and her generation's 'voice'.
A counselor opines
that blogging feeds wellness!
Is blogging a new way of coping
for some?
Of course,
many baby-boomer bloggers
have joined the run.
but, are they running
the same race,
the same pace,
for the same goals?
Quotes:
1. Baby Boomer Bloggers: Are you out there? - Jane Trombley
2. Blogging feeds wellness!- Beth Moore
3. "Coping through blogging..." - Petko D. et al.
Royal display of love for a sibling with special needs.
********
Royal display of love for a sibling with special needs. (Senryū)
*********
Parents with a child
many needs to take care of
‘Is yours the same, too?’
*********
Read an article
a royal family pic
with a special one
********
an adult stroller
with family around him
such open display
********
many others hid
their special needs one, unlike
the royal model
******
Read this royal model:-
Royal sibling love , a great model for many families who have to handle children with special needs.
The other patient
The other patient (Senyru)
***************
Parents together
they shared their experiences
of disabled kids
*********
Of their dependence,
suicidal ideation,
of them dying first
*********
I saw his mum cry
plucking the grass aimlessly
during gardening
*********
A mother grieving
despite being a strong leader
when in her office.
********
years caring for him,
she was a silent patient,
and a depressed one.
*******
Through the year of guilt,
‘Have I failed as a mother?’
She pondered at times.
********
Yet as a carer,
she had to be strong all times
could not, a patient.
**********
Head, shoulders, knees, and toes
A poem (senyru)
**********
A new kid joined them
A centre of attraction
and quite a cute one!
************
her mum sang a song
and she followed with actions
simultaneously!
**********
The bigger kids watched
amused with the little one
they played together
************
Wars and those so-called ‘world leaders’
Today, I watched a drama about war.
My thoughts went to the profound and debilitating effects current wars have on innocent lives, humanity, and economies that many countries' leaders and people took years to build.
My thoughts went to the many sons and fathers who were sacrificed, when the leaders initiating the wars had their sons and fathers well-protected.
What do these leaders learn in school about humanity?
When there is war, the poet lays down the lyre, the lawyer his law reports, the schoolboy his books.
"War knows no law except that of might."
From a distance – a second attempt on this song
Faithful Friday with the News Breaker
This is a poetic triplet (tercet) depicting faith and the anguish after a cancer diagnosis.
They come to break the cancer news decision over treatments, I muse with meditative prayers and cues. Vegetarian I am on Fridays Feeling dispirited, in malaise At times, in denial, fiercely ablaze. In your hand I take it all in a stride though tears came and dried this journey I will take under your guide.
Quotes:-
I would like to repost an old article, recalling that in 2024 it occurs twice: today 13th September and next 13th December. On this date some people avoid flying on a plane, going to work, or even getting out of bed. And it was on Friday, October 13, 1307 that King Philip IV of France […]
It’s Friday 13th – the unluckiest day!
What we don’t have enough now is…
A group of old retired professionals sat together.
"There is a vacancy in this place. Would you take it as a mentor?"
A: "Why not? I could do with some more money!"
B: "I don't mind working 2 days a week. Give me half the pay. And get a young staff permanently there, whom I can groom!"
C: "Is that enough?"
B: "Yes, what I don't have enough now, is enough TIME to catch up with what I had missed out making money,... and more money,... to support this family!"
D: "Are you sure? People, your age, may live another 30 years!"
B: "I also know of staff who don't wake in the morning, and who were in their 40s and 50s."
B: "My genogram shows that many of my ancestors lived up to about my age!"
B: So, I am working on my hobbies now! Singing, pottery works... and baby-sitting, sometimes only!
I can’t comprehend, too, what all these wars are for!
As I sang this song, from a distance, I, too, can not comprehend what all these wars around the world are for?
Can you?
*******
“All warfare is based on deception”.
Sun Tzu: “The supreme art of war is to subdue the enemy without fighting.”
So, are you retired?
Some of these ‘works’ here after retirement can be even more tiring than those days doing sedentary office works!
Winter Sonata
I am happy to be able to sing this lovely Malay song ( listen to my solo Musim Sonata Salju) as I remember the Korean drama, Winter Sonata. It was such a heartfelt drama, the chemistry between Bae Yon-joon and Choi Ji-woo was beautiful to watch, but so sad.
Overview
After losing Joon Sang in an accident, Yoo Jin decides to marry her childhood friend. However, she meets someone looking exactly like her lost love, putting her in a bind. (The ending story here)
*******
To be remembered as a teacher because of singing
Whenever I read social media, many batches of former students would remember me as one who made them sing during breaks.
When they came back from oversea to visit me, we would go to Karoake joint to sing!
********
every comment
of them remembering me
is making them sing
*********
every short breaks
especially dry topics
and they loved it then
********
not because it’s fun
listening, talking to them
mine, would follow suit!
*********
I learned singing too
from these young school leavers, then
mutual agendas!
********
Quote:
“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” – Albert Einstein.
********
HEAVEN, EARTH, LIFE, AND SOUL (HELS)
HELS is one of the best singers I duet with in WeSing. He has a vibrant voice!
Rare comments from this ‘busy’ singer, HELS, are a great motivation!
Listen to some of our duets!
I only have you in my heart.
Listen to my solo 我的心里没有他 wo de xin li mei yu da (meaning I only have you in my heart.)
This song reminds us that females can be such petty and jealous species.
I wonder if it applies to men, too!
******
“Jealousy is not a barometer by which the depth of love can be read. It merely records the degree of the lover’s insecurity.”
– Margaret Mead
Mental disorders: Applying the safety net
Li Na passed by a house in a rural village.
An unkempt, half-naked man was squatting
over a drain outside a half-burned house.
The driver said, “he is a mentally-ill person.
He was probably trying to cook some food.”
A lady sitting next to Anna chuckled,
“… and burning down his own house, crazy fella.”
Li Na was disappointed with the elderly lady.
“But, but, this house is so near the hospital!
He needs treatment!” Li Na exclaimed.
“The police would not come and take him to the hospital because no one reported it,” the driver explained.
… Society has failed him.
… Our mental health safety net has failed,
…His family members have failed him and not gotten him treated.
Li Na felt guilty too for not picking up the phone,
as the team moved on.
***************************
The above anecdote is an example and illustration of some neglected persons.
Covid-19 causes stress and potential mental disorders risks in society and work places as well. Safety net policies need to be enforced for these people at risk
****************************
Special angels: because we are the chosen ones!
****************
It was an annual dinner. The doctor held his child’s hand as they walked towards their table. The happy and excited child (with cerebral palsy) walked with jerky and clumsy limbs besides his dad. At the table, he started to hit the cutlery on the plates, enjoying his ‘music’.
“Behave, dear!”
Immediately he stopped!
*******
Quotes:
These ‘angels’ (parents) have so much patience and compassion; not many people have these qualities, and no university can teach one these attitudes, too! – Chen S.P., August, 2021
The question: Why me? Because you are the chosen one! … So do it well! – Chen S.P., August, 2021
********************************
Ironically, In This Vastness Of Land
This is a poem, titled after a hand-painted bowl which was created by the author, a few years ago. Whereas, the poem is inspired by the many tragic news of perished immigrants on rough seas. They were trying to reach a better-land in this, ironically, vastness of land on mother earth.
****
In this vastness of land
stretching and circling this bowl
round and round, but, to no end!
From the bowl’s interior
radiates that phosphorescent glow
a beckoning promise, almost superior!
Across the wide seas and oceans
breaking families, risking lives
to find that elusive ‘greener grass’ notions!
On rough waters,
human lives are inhumanly packed
in overcrowded sea vessels
clutching desperately to partners and wives.
“I see the land, I see the land!”
But it was, many a time,
an illusion to touch beaches,
to kiss the sand.
Can you see the land, a better land?
Will freedom be your stand
in this vastness of land?
****
Quotes:-
2. “What has happened to us in this country? If we study our own history, we find that we have always been ready to receive the unfortunate from other countries, and though this may seem a generous gesture on our part, we have profited a thousandfold by what they have brought us.”
― Eleanor Roosevelt
Gratitude is a basketful of vegetables!
(a poem)
Here’s my basketful
with blessings and gratitude
for healing my wounds!
A former student, Ms Paat S.L. narrated how she put stoma and wound care into practice when she went back to Sarawak. It was very satisfying to see her patients recovering and healing. Some patients’ relatives came from the far interior (in Borneo Island). They would bring a basketful of vegetables or fruits as a token of appreciation upon discharge!
Stoma and wound-care can be very challenging, yet rewarding, indeed!
I am glad she found the ‘ikigai’ in this new field as the first stomaltherapist in Sarawak!
She went on to train many other nurses in the Borneo Island.
Suicides among school-children and the need to review school system
Quote:I've missed more than 9000 shots in my career. I've lost almost 300 games. 26 times, I've been trusted to take the game winning shot and missed. I've failed over and over and over again in my life. And that is why I succeed. Michael Jordan, Basketball Player
******”
As quoted above, failures should be taught to be are part of a journey to success.
It is worrying to see young school children committing suicide because of their inability to cope with homeworks and examination stress.
School should be fun!
Snorkelling, and getting spirited away?
It was a beautiful island for snorkelling, they say. It was a tourist spot.
Got into the water, and it was beautiful…. colourful fishes swimming around our feet at a crowded beach!
Did someone put some food to lure the fish to be near the shore, much to joy of the squealing kids!
Something made me want to explore if there would be bigger colourful fish farther up. So I went snorkelling outwards from the beach.
I didn’t see more fish… instead, the water was becoming cooler, greener, and quieter.
I lifted my head up. My feet weren’t touching the ground! There were several poles with white floats planted around the area… to warn people from going farther and deeper?
The crowd was just tiny distant dots playing at the beach far away!
My mind went back to news about a strong Korean swimmer who drowned while snorkelling at this very island.
I was sure my heart missed several beats! Was I spirited away?
Kicking and flapping calmly to keep myself afloat, I took a few deep breaths and swam towards the shore. I did very strong and calm strokes surprisingly. Only God heard my fast heartbeats!
To me, it was a close call to being spirited away into the ocean!
And my last snorkelling ever!
Swimming, a brain bath
Swimming offers
profound brain benefits, including enhanced cognitive function, improved memory, and better mental health,
often dubbed as "rewiring" the brain.
It increases blood flow (oxygen) to the brain by up to 14%.
Swimming,is also known as a "natural antidepressant", as it reduces stress, anxiety, and depression by releasing endorphins, serotonin, and reducing cortisol.
My teacher told me that she started to learn swimming at the age of 60.
It is never too old to learn a skill like swimming, to bathe our brain!
Don’t laugh, I am happy to just do my simple dog style and stay at the shallower end of an adult pool!
*********
Love your nemesis
Meet your nemesis
*******
Sometimes,
there is a certain someone
even a nemesis,
who will give you a push,
a much needed push,
to a direction
you have been hesitating
but it was a direction
to your success in life!
*********
Have you got one in your life?
Be thankful to that certain individual!
Delayed flight, extra bites
Delayed flight, extra bites (A senyŕu poem)
******
a flight was delayed
some were upset and restless
Why curse? Enjoy it!
*****
a flight was delayed
to pass extra time waiting
I chose extra bites
*****
a flight was delayed
and with recent flight crashes
glad they check again!
******
a flight was delayed
an opportunity here
relax and enjoy!
******
Quote
“Delay is preferable to error,”
by Thomas Jefferson.
This suggests that sometimes it’s better to wait and get things right than to rush and make mistakes.
Changing the mindset of a hoarder
*********
*********
No! This is important!
No, that is important, too!
Ten years ago,
and ten years more,
you will be saying
the same thing!
*******
so I cleared
a few items at a time,
yet they noticed!
Oh, that jacket?
you haven’t worn it
the last five years!
Someone may need it more!
See?
You are doing a good deed!
(Instead of hoarding!)
*******
Quotes – serious
If a man has an apartment stacked to the ceiling with newspapers, we call him crazy. If a woman has a trailer house full of cats, we call her nuts. But when people pathologically hoard so much cash that they impoverish the entire nation, we put them on the cover of Fortune magazine and pretend that they are role models. Lester B. Pearson
******
Quotes- funny
“I’m not a hoarder, I’m a collector with a spacious apartment.”
“I don’t need therapy, I need a bigger house!”
Karma Chameleon ( Listen to my song Karma chameleon).
“Karma Chameleon,” by Culture Club, is often interpreted as reflecting Boy George’s experiences as a gay man. The song’s lyrics tells about fear of alienation and the struggle of being true to oneself while navigating societal pressures, including homophobia.
Iceland, Norway, the Netherlands, Sweden, and Canada are the top five most accepting countries, and acceptance has increased over time for LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or intersex).
Quote
“Love him and let him love you. Do you think anything else under heaven really matters?” – James Baldwin
You say it best when you say nothing at all
******
Listen to my duet song 1 .. and duet song 2, “You say it best when you say nothing at all”
Silence is power.
Music heals
Music in a hospital room heals things monitors can’t measure.
A song can change vital signs.
( Listen to my solo)
*****
The power of love ( Senyru)
****
love from your mother
love from the healthcare workers
love’s healing power.
*****
in its tender touch
soothe the pain within one’s soul
healing from within
****
Quote
“Love is the greatest healing therapy.”
Sorry seems to be the hardest word
Listen to this solo by Ms Chensp.
Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word
********
The first to apologize is the bravest. The first to forgive is the strongest. The first to forget is the happiest…
Trouble is a friend
“Where there is no struggle, there is no strength.”― Oprah Winfrey.
“The key to life when it gets tough is to keep moving. Just keep moving.”―Tyler Perry.
“You never know how strong you are, until being strong is your only choice.” – Bob Marley
********
Listen to my solo song……Trouble Is a friend
*********
Best comment thus far :-
Beautiful pottery work, Serena. While I don’t intentionally court or seek trouble, I agree to a degree that adversity builds character and strength. By Ab
Who drives you crazy?
Have you ever been driven crazy?
By someone at home, at work
and where else?
********
Here is a duet on ‘You drive me crazy’
Cyberbullying in singing circle?
Cyberbullying, often fueled by gossip and rumor-spreading on digital platforms is strongly linked to a higher risk of depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation...
网络欺凌往往由数字平台（如微信）上的流言蜚语助长，与抑郁、焦虑和自杀念头的风险显著相关……
Buli siber, yang sering didorong oleh gosip dan penyebaran khabar angin di platform digital sangat dikaitkan dengan risiko kemurungan, kebimbangan dan pemikiran membunuh diri yang lebih tinggi...
Forest therapy and hiking, anyone?
( PICTURES AND WRITE-UP BY CO- AUTHOR, TOH HL, MY FORMER PHYSIC TEACHER.)
“Forest therapy can have a positive impact on the oxygen levels in your brain,” Dr. Albers explains. That’s because you’re surrounded by trees and vegetation that engage in photosynthesis. The result: Plants absorb carbon dioxide and release oxygen into the air.
“The forest has higher oxygen levels compared to urban or indoor environments,” she continues. “As you breathe in the fresh air within a forest, you’re inhaling oxygen-rich air, which can support proper oxygenation of your blood and subsequently benefit your brain function.”
Forests are also chock full of phytoncides, which are antimicrobial compounds released by trees and plants.
“Inhaling these compounds during forest therapy sessions may benefit the immune system and contribute to stress reduction,” Dr. Albers says. “And the pleasant aromas of nature can have a positive impact on mood and emotional well-being.” In other words, forest therapy is also aromatherapy. Add the mental health benefits of walking to this cocktail, and you’ve got a recipe for better mental and physical health on your hands.
But chances are you won’t see doctors endorsing forest therapy as a cure for physical or mental health concerns any time soon. The evidence just isn’t there. But here’s the thing: It doesn’t really matter. Enjoying a few hours soaking in nature isn’t going to hurt you, and there’s a decent chance it could help. So, if you think you’d enjoy it, you.
******
While i admire their enthusiasm, this hobby is, certainly, not my cup of tea! 😅
****
What a wonderful world!
By Toh HL (my former Physics teacher)
My fellow hikers go scampering up the steep incline of Batu Putih once or twice a week, with the intention of staying healthy and fit… And I say to myself, what a wonderful world.
There are many areas of the shore in Tg Tuan, where we have to devise our own plans to avoid getting wet… And I say to myself, what a wonderful world.
We see trees of green, and we know they are absorbing CO2 and generating O2… And I say to myself, what a wonderful world.
We observe the mangrove trees, with its unique breathing roots and prop roots to survive with salt and wind of the sea… And I say to myself, what a wonderful world.
Occasionally, we see gorgeous lotus flowers growing in abundance when we hike.. . And I say to myself, what a wonderful world.
While we were busy hiking, panting n proceeding with caution, we could not help but observe little insects busy pollinating flowers in a symbiotic relationship… And I say to myself, what a wonderful world.
****
Great idea for fish aquarium!
I saw this idea online.
Now, I feel like getting an aquarium, too!
Maybe I should add some sponges inside the bottle to filter the water.
