There’s language and then there’s language.
Some people still live in the past, with their eye on the proper way of speaking and writing English.
Sure you need to have a good grasp of your tenses and you need to stop making silly mistakes in English. But having knowledge of the language doesn’t mean you can make it in the everyday world.
Many folks still think they need to write like their English teachers of yore to be able to stand proud in the world today.
Sorry to burst your bubble but if you write like that, no one will ever read your work.
Month: August 2013
Oh My Country!
One of the reasons I have a blog is that it allows me to write what often bogs or bugs me. All my life writing has been a therapy. I find that I am happiest when I get to write, and it can be in a journal or in a blog.
Getting home after a few days in Singapore can be a study of extreme contrasts. I have many friends in the island republic – most of them are Malaysians with a sprinkling of Singaporeans.
I don’t indulge in much retail therapy over there. Mostly I am there to meet friends and try to uncover hidden gems which could be food, people or places. In most cases, it is the company that matters, not so much the gastronomy.
Each time I land in Changi, I feel even more morose. Neil Humphreys, a Brit who wrote a series of books about Singapore, says that upon landing in Changi International Airport, if you fail to be impressed, you are either a liar or Helen Keller.
I am apt to agree.
The Queer, The Exotic & The Melancholy
I wrote this when I was in Phuket about 3 weeks ago when I was on holiday. We were at Patong, the most popular tourist beach area in Phuket. It’s akin to Batu Feringghi but with lots more flavour.
We’d stayed at the southern and quieter stretch of Patong but from our hotel, it was only a 10-minute walk to the infamous Bang La Road. During the day, this stretch of road is harmless but after 9pm, the road becomes a throbbing night life full of people and gawkers. I wrote this piece as a means to figure out the conundrum that is Phuket, Thailand.