SCHOOLIES- DRUNK & OUT OF CONTROL

That's what the Gold Coast News read today about the schoolies in town. It is an annual event around this time in November when the teenagers or 'schoolies' who graduate from Year 12 who are entering college 'initiate' their freedom and independence and adulthood with this teenage ritual sanctioned and funded by the Gold Coast City Council (Oh my God..). Every year, thousands of them descend upon the city and let loose. They come from Gold Coast and other parts of Australia. It's like pools of hormones stirred in a pot together. Havoc, that's the chemical 'X' that comes out of it.

Considering the drunken bad behaviour, teenagers getting smashed, drunk, sex, fights and vandalism and drugs, the police are stationed everywhere in Surfer's Paradise monitoring the situation and they even have chaperone volunteers helping out to keep an eye on the youngsters before they get into serious trouble. But I wonder why it is being declared as part of the Gold Coast City Council's annual calendar event. Is it because they think it generates revenue, publicity.. or just can't make it go away, so might as well sanction it... what?? If anything, it actually makes them spend more money to clean up the mess and hire more people to enforce the laws in the area. Plus it drives away business in most stores downtown. People are afraid of the noise, potential violence and drunken brawls. And my even bigger question is why do the parents allow their kids to be part of this? Is it supposed to represent a cool groovy must-do ritual and 'oh let them have their fun, they worked hard, they're grown up, they can handle it..' Well can they handle THIS??

Or THIS...?

One Gold Coaster wrote: ""close to being out of control" that is taking chances with our kids -> PERIOD. Forget the government for a minute, besides they are concerned about global warming, where are Moms? Fathers? Shame on you "

By the early hours of Monday morning- Day 3 of Schoolies event, 36 schoolies had been arrested -- 31 for alcohol-related offences, two for possessing cannabis, one for unlicensed driving and one for stealing. Another 56 non-schoolies were arrested, largely for drunken behaviour. Meanwhile a 17-year-old man will appear in Southport Magistrates Court this morning after allegedly stealing a woman's handbag, before punching her in the face.

Police allege that an 18-year-old woman was approached by the man at 9.30pm along the esplanade in Surfers Paradise. The man tried to grab the woman's bag, before punching her in the chin.

Most Gold Coasters don't just tolerate this event, they hate it. It is giving Gold Coast a smutty image and bad name, alongside with Super GP, meter maids and other 'cultural' icons. Nothing to be proud of, and yet it still continues year after year. When will the change come? God knows. This city needs to re-evaluate its values and what it wants to be identified with. If it is icons and cultural events like this that rules its image year after year, not even the best spin doctors in town can salvage its reputation as the city that welcomes thrill and fun seekers who may be law-breakers.

THE SUN, YOU SEE, IS THE KEY.....

Have been noticing since moving here that the aussie 'kia's' or kids here don't seem to wear glasses that much. Very few of them can be spotted wearing glasses in Jordan's school. However, many kids in Malaysia and Singapore are bespectacled at an early age. Could it be the diet, the air, the genetics, what?? In fact, My research landed me into this article which might carry some answers to this phenomenon.

Spending time outdoors in the sun stops myopia, according to Australian research study Jan 7. Playing outdoors in the sun reduces the risk of myopia in children, according to an Australian Research Council study highlighted by Today (Here’s sunny hope for the short-sighted; Wednesday, January 7, 2009). Ultraviolet light stops the eyeball from growing longer which results in myopia.

The Today report indicates that up to 90% of Singaporean students wear glasses by the time they leave school as opposed to just 20 % of Australians at a similar life stage. 30% of six and seven-year-old Singaporeans are myopic while only 1.3 % of Australians are at the same age. The Australian study compared ethnic Chinese children in Singapore and Australia to remove ethnicity as a factor.

A look at any Housing & Development Board (HDB) estate in Singapore will confirm the state of affairs. The playgrounds are typically empty because children usually prefer to stay indoors these days. Even if they did want to go out, caregivers are loath to let them out of their sight. A glance around parks nestled in housing estates will also yield few youngsters. Another reason is that youths are often stuck in school for various Co-Curricular Activities (CCA). And if they out of school, they are stuck in tuition or other enrichment classes. Some parents are also paranoid about seeing their young children turn a darker shade from the sun and keep them indoors during the day.

Singapore’s myopia problem is so severe that it has emerged as a national security issue. The Defense Science & Technology Agency in Singapore conducted a study with 15,000 pre-enlistees and found that 80% wore glasses.

I am of course, hoping to keep my son off glasses as long as possible. But the sun here is pretty strong with zero clouds on most days that the UV can get pretty harmful. He gets plenty of sun everyday at school and has turned a shade darker. But perhaps that's what they mean by brown and healthy, not just the looks but the eyesight, u know...

EPISODE 35: SWEET IS THE REWARD

Jordie scored a distinction in his Grade 1 piano ... we were so happy... For all the discipline, practices and training, sometimes even tears of protests, it was worth it. He learnt the lesson that hard work and perseverance, it pays off. Reward is sweet, so the pre-reward is also something sweet, his favourite Freddo chocolates... and then later, a very nice toy for Christmas this year.

RAIN, RAIN COME AGAIN

It's rainy season now in Gold Coast- already November, time flies. We are ushering into summer and that's when it gets hotter and rainy, but we are thankful for the rain for it cools down the air. Been raining almost daily, which is quite a lot after all the dry season we had in winter and spring. The only thing I am not looking forward to is it that it breeds weeds in the garden and I have to get back to weeding.. not my fave exactly..

EPISODE 34: PIANO EXAMS GRADE 1

This is a backdated post about a week ago last Sunday.. Jordie had his piano exams and boy, what a difference from piano exams conducted in Malaysia as I know it! I remember us having to sit outside lobbies of hotels or formal music schools and wait for our turns and then the door is shut and you are unheard to the rest of the world except the examiner.

Jordie's exams are AMEB, which is accredited by the Australian Music Education Board. He was taking his Grade 1 practical since he missed his exams last year due to the move. The exams were held in a private home overlooking a lake in Mermaid Beach, and we entered through a side gate and waited in this dingy looking room with some foldable chairs stretching right out to the air well where potted plants hung over our heads.. formality in a casual setting pretty much. Had to whack Jordan's hand from reaching out for too much candies put invitingly on a bowl for visitors. There was even a poodle dog sniffing at the door whenever he escaped.. the house owner's , I presume..

When it was his turn, I asked if I could sit outside his room. It was not fully enclosed so his teacher and I eavesdropped right thru this exams! So strange, we were never allowed to do that in Malaysia. The house owner walked around in his casual short pants and kept assuring us, "He's doing very well now, isn't he?" Jordie's final attempt at aural went a bit off pitch and his teacher tried not to laugh when we heard this...I hope he does well, it sounded like it went well..

DEAR BIG BRO

P1040766 (Small)
Originally uploaded by och88och

Today is me big bro's birthday. My one and only and also eldest brother.

So, on the sentimental side, I have fond memories of our 'childhood'. Most vivid was him coming to get me in the heavy rain when I was stuck in school for hours. I usually walk back from school. My mum was out and must have phoned him to come and get me. I was eight but still.. it meant a lot. Sorta symbolical in a sense, because he was actually quite the man of the house as our dad died very early so he kinda watches out for us. but also sometimes bullies, as with all elder brothers...I remember how he divided mooncakes in such a way that he gets the biggest chunk of eggyolk everytime even in a double yolker!! I always lost that game but he would end up sharing some with me...

He's very good at maintaining contacts with people he knows. He's got friends all over the world, including people he knew way back in childhood days. Of course, facebook helps. And I do appreciate his efforts to stay in touch with us all far flung out and in different parts of the world. I mean who would rent a car, drive all the way down from Brisbane to Gold Coast just to spend one night here with his sis and nephew? then fly back to Sydney again. Also, catch a flight from Singapore down to KL just to send us off when we moved to Australia... only he does it, no one else.

He's got a good wife who keeps him in line... and prevents him from changing his mind too many times... and two lovely kids who also remind him that he needs to be mature.. haha! Smart man, exasperatingly but endearingly absent-minded and fickle but totally so my big brother... what can I say?

So.. Happy Birthday Brother! Yup..You're as good as it gets! and I do appreciate you....enjoy life and be happy. God bless lots!