Play

I went for a short play in the local theatre the other day and was quite surprised with the style of delivery. It was unique as the play lasted around 40 minutes, but dragged on for another 40 minutes as the actors engaged with the audience about the topic of the rise of gangs and knife related crimes in London.

What I found particularly interesting was the maturity these actors had knowing that all 6 of these girls who engaged with the audience in this mini forum were around the age of 16 to 20 only.

At some point, one of the audience (a parent, I assume) actually had a potentially difficult question for the actors. However, one of them actually stood up and reminded the audience that all of their views are theirs alone (and is not the absolute and each case should be viewed differently) and being a parent asking these questions - they really should be the ones who know how their children are.

One of the very good analogies that is stuck in my head was how a parent should be more like a football supporter rather than a football fan. Her definition of 'fan' was what the British supporters see as the Asian fans - that we do not go to each match every week like a true 'supporter'; travelling with the team as they play and sing the songs - spurring the teams on.

And this is what they see parents role should really be more similar to that of a supporter, staying with their teams (children) through thick or thin, rain or shine; rather than that of a fan - following the team (children) only when the time and day is convenient, more often than not - especially ONLY when the team is winning.

This is a very good example which really got me thinking - "damn, we should all attend more plays!"

Experience

Because of experience, we tend to know more than other people who have been through fewer changes in their lives than us. And this does not necessarily mean that it goes with age.

However, a very good example of this would be when I was very much still a teenager doing an apprenticeship off Old Klang road in this audit firm. I stayed in my grandfather's old 'abandoned' house during that period which was in the capital of Malaysia - Kuala Lumpur. After less than a month, my father would start talking about being in Kuala Lumpur back in his days. Much of what he was talking about did not make sense to me at all (why of course!).

In Malaysia, some of the road names have been changed throughout the times, with Batu Road becoming Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman. Being an ignorant teenager, how was I supposed to know this? I could almost feel the disappointment in my dad's voice as he tried to explain different areas around where he lived.

But this is a mistake we all seem to make. We speak about things expecting people to know.

How will people know if they have not experienced it themselves?

Further into that, each person goes through a unique process, so although the time and place may be the same, two different people may end up having differing reflections on that period.

To put into a simple scenario, imagine Jack and Jill walking up the hill. Jack is holding a bucket, which is quite heavy and his attention is focused on the well above the hill. Jill on the other hand is looking around the hill at the beautiful flowers and butterflies as they walk up.

Ten years later, we ask both Jack and Jill about this experience, I'm sure Jack wouldn't really be aware that there were beautiful flowers along the way. And Jill doesn't really remember the bucket being that heavy.

So it is good harping on about our experiences, but then the audience would need to be receptive. As one of my staff put it the other day, “We have ONE mouth and TWO ears."

So, maybe we need to listen more than we talk?

X

X

What the Arsenal XI were generally reduced to during the Patrick Vieira era.

The Marlboro Man

There was once upon a time when smoking was viewed as the equivalent of being cool. I suspect Tony Leung continues to appear in Wong Kar Wai movies for two reasons:

1) to appear cool
2) to be able to continue smoking on set.

Watching one of the old TVB Cantonese serials - Looking back in Anger to be specific, I realised the influence smoking had on people just 20 years ago. Everybody smoked. And they smoked everywhere. It didn't matter if it was in a restaurant or in the hospital, all the actors and actresses smoked consistently. It came to a point I actually dream of smoking only to subconsciously feel sick imagining the poison being sucked slowly down my lungs.

So how did it all come to an end?

At the moment, Malaysia has not fully enforced an all round smoking ban which includes bars and cafes. Although legally it is prohibited to smoke in air conditioned restaurants, enforcement tends to be an issue.

Awareness amongst society tends to play a part in this as well. In the UK, people tend to be more aware of their surroundings and what people may or may not like, where as a fair amount of Malaysians tend to adopt the "don't care what you think" attitude. Enforcement plays an important role of policing society. When I first arrived the shores of the UK, I was amazed by the amount of sirens I hear daily, wondering if it's safe to go around and about. Then I realise that their police actually work very hard to ensure that there is a certain amount of law and order around.

So what makes smoking such a thrilling activity? Why do people succumb to peer pressure and eventually become a smoker themselves?

Maybe it's all the Marlboro Man's fault...

Magicians and Politicians

The magician holds his wand in his right hand and the eyes of the crowd follow with full attention while the trick is executed with his left hand.

The politician holds papers of economic and social evidence in his right hand as he speaks with great intent on reform and the crowd are moved by his execution while his left hand is behind his back with fingers crossed.

Not much difference is there between politicians and magicians? The similarities do not just end there. If we are watching the same trick over and over again, it ends up feeling a bit tedious. And we all smarten up towards the execution.

To some certain extent, bloggers wield a potentially dangerous weapon in their hands without even knowing it. The problem lies that they probably write about current affairs without realising with their magic wand (the keyboard) without realising they've successfully executed the 'trick'. If they repeat their 'trick' too often, people soon smarten towards their actual intent. But the damage is done.

There are always two sides of the story in life - my version vs. your version.

We're probably both right to our beliefs, but we're probably both wrong to a third party.