新加坡人。。。 自我？？？

或许，不是自我； 也许，是忘我？还是，我行我素？ 其实，具体地说，是缺乏礼貌，是不会为他人着想。。。

电梯到了十一楼，门打开了， 不是一个出口。是一个人，一个大人，站在出口面前，差点撞个正着。奇怪，里面的人还没有出来，哪来的空间给你进去呢？如果里面的人没看见你，岂不是撞个正着？

再看看，早上车站里的人，三三两两的。。。可是，看到29号的踪影，立刻一窝蜂的人， 不知是从哪里茂出来的。

即使， 在巴士转换站，大家都是鱼贯地排队，上车。可是，总有一两个人紧紧地站在车的入口处，捉紧机会，抢先蹬上。天啊！ 难道，你忘了“次序”了吗？还是，“怕输”呢？

早上，到地铁站，似乎，大家都在比快。看看谁走得快，走在谁的前面。即使，电动扶梯一有告示贴着说， 站在左边，右边行走。可是，站在右边的人都视物无睹。

等地铁。 露台上，有明显的行人箭在地上，指示候车的搭客站在门的一旁。可是，看到的是，怕输的待车人，都笔直一线，把 车门都‘封’住了。

天啊！这就是我们的“优雅”社会。

QWERTY

I learn a new word! It's "qwerty"!!!!
Hey, looks familiar? Ah-ha! it's the first 5 letters on the keyboard!
You mean, it's a word?

Yep, according to the Straits Time Review (12 April 2007, p32), in the business word, the Qwerty effect refers to outdated and sub-optimal but perhaps good enough ways of doing things.

That reminds me another word, WYSIWYG... ring a bell?

独孤隐士

有时，有感自己是名隐士。。。 那种不问世间种种无聊事。。。 与世隔绝。。。 也不为一桩乐事也！

有时，仿佛自己躲在一个洞穴里，与世隔绝。。。为尝不是件好事。。。不必管它，是骄阳，或是暴雨，亦不关我的事。我，是否太冷漠了？对外面的事毫无感觉吗？

或许，这是一种保护自己的技巧吧！只要不参与，只要不投入，感情就会极少。。。换句话，即使真的受到伤害，也因该及低的吧！

一路来，或许满于山东里的生活，外面的天气即使多么的恶劣，仍然可称得是很冷静的应付着它。因为，大雨在外面下，没有喷进来, 不关我的事。风即使刮得多么的大，没有吹进来，也不关我的事。莫管他人瓦上霜也！我钟爱这种日子。

或许，这就给了旁人一个错觉，我不关心周围所发生的事，所以，自然而然的，就不知周围发生了什么是。。。错，错，错！！！

有时，尝试把头伸出去，不小心，把风给引了进来，感到，自讨的。。。发现，引风易，送风难也！有时，觉得和风做朋友，是件辛苦的事。尤其是不识趣的风！苦哉！

说者有意。。。是风者，你可会意呢？

Good Leaders Take Blame, Give Credit ???

This is an article, published in the Straits Times (recruit section) on 6 April.

The title caught my eyes - the first reaction was, "What??? Is that what's expected of a Leader? Has it got something to do with "Servant" leadership?"

The story cited that while one junior officer own up to his direct supervisor that he had brought the company's computer system down, which was a very serious and led to losses. The supervisor took full responsibility instead of owing the junior officer up." Of course, the key comes from what she said at the end of the story:

• "Don't do that again."
• " I think you are going to remember the importance of backup. And we will have a different kind of conversation."
• "But you came in and owned up to your mistake. A lot of people don't do that. I respect that."

Yes, the leader of the team has been entrusted with a job to do, to lead the team to work towards achieving the goal of the organisation. Whatever outcomes, good or bad, the leader of the team is the first to answer, the big boss will go to (after?) this person. He is the conductor of the orchestra (the team). Of course, something unsaid and understood, everybody plays a part. When the boss looks good, the team looks good. Of course, when things don't turn out well, both look equally bad... However, no matter what, it's the conductor who will get the hit first and hardest. This applies everywhere... be it in school or now at HQ. So, what SC has been emphasizing is nothing new.

The leader is the one who 'outsource' the tasks to the members of the team. He delegates the job. Mind you, delegate does not mean just ask the person to do the job. It does not mean to 'empower' the person to do the job and hands-off!

Delegation comes with

• shared responsibility
• monitoring and when necessary, timely intervention
• involvement
• mentoring and coaching, when necessary
• 有福同享， 有难同当。

Delegation means team work and capacity building (to both the leader and the member). So, these are expectations of the leaders. On the other hand, it also does not mean the leader will 'cover' the errors made by his team members. The leader will also have to assess, the amount of involvement and guidance made available to the members. Yes, review.

Of course, being forgiving should not be taken for granted. Always remember that, and try to apply that in the course of work, "Once is an accident (give it the benefit of doubt). Twice is a coincidence. But thrice is a pattern!". So, not too many chances. Be cautious of how much deposits we have in the emotional (trust) bank account.

Through the story, any virtue that surfaced strongly is ownership of error. It takes courage to admit or confess, but honesty is the best policy.

Ironically, beside the article was a comic strip where a ship captain told a distressed damsel: "Of course, I'll take all the blame. I'm the captain. But I'll appreciate it if you will let go of me."

I guess, it's alright for him to shoulder it once, but don't take for granted. If you know thyself well that you don't fit the job, please let go... otherwise, the team will sink together. 别拖累大家！

That familiarity... 似曾相识

昨晚，又迟归，是为了要把那电邮给寄出。

6点多时，S问，明天是假期，还不回？ 唯苦笑地答：得打完这电邮。 是的，非把它给寄出不可！

9点多，拖着疲惫的步伐，离开了办公室。 大概，这层楼的人都走了吧？走廊茶水间的灯已息了，洗手间的灯也息了。啊！是S 的杰作吗？记得有时迟回的话，他总是会顺手把灯给息了，省电。 或许，他知道，多数人都不把环保当是一回事吧？

背着那电脑，提着那两个包包， 站在路旁，等着等着。德士都到哪儿去了？这晚特别的难等。是因为明天是假日吧？

抬头看看，黑漆漆的夜空，有好几颗微落的星星闪烁着。啊！那不象新加坡的夜空。因为我们的地面灯太亮了， 星光都被地面灯给遮盖了。说也奇怪，从来不会去理会夜空的样子，这晚居然有闲情雅致去看它呢？妙！

终于，来了一辆德士。司机说PIE 塞车，建议走ECP。 没问题。反正好些日子没走这条路，除非是要绕道去Bedok。 可是，刚上AYE没多久， 电子路牌却显示，massive jam ahead。 天啊！看来这晚的路况奇差。从没碰过这种情况。司机又建议，不如从CTE直上Nicoll Highway。 也行！哈哈，今晚终于有机会走不同地路线回家了。我看，司机也很庆辛，没碰到会为难他的客人。敢说，没几个人象我那么随便哦！

车子转入了CTE，出来，再经几条路，过了几个交通灯，从City Hall 和supreme court之间的小路转了出来， 在City Hall 面前驶过。在这些英殖民时代建筑物中穿朔时，突然，有感在伦敦那几天。该是那几晚吧！

向来，在国外，很少会在日落后还在街上溜达。即使在不丹那一年，也很少，除非是没法子。最主要，本身，非野猫子。

回想，在伦敦时，是破天荒。或许，是因为白天都在公干，好不容易，接下来的时间，是自己的，可是都是傍晚过后。 说以，要享受一下到伦敦一游的滋味，唯有在傍晚过后溜达溜达。当然，走着走着，就是穿朔在那一栋栋的英殖建筑物啦！快近夜深人静时，那频密地脚步，凭着直觉，往住处前进着。。。那是一总全新的感觉。想想看，其实那几段时光，是顶开心的， 蛮难忘的。

忆着。。。很快的，到家了。 这晚的车费，比往常的贵了些。

或许，那段回忆美好时光的路程，值回票价了。

Recipe: Brownie (without oven)

(from Boon Yean)

Set A

• 2 eggs
• 1 butter (250g)
• 1 bowl of sugar (adjust)
• van houlton cocoa powder

Set B

• Half a packet of Khong Kuan Marie Biscuit (1 roll out of 2) - smash into small pieces

Process

1. Add butter to pot to melt it
2. Add sugar to butter
3. Add eggs
4. Add 2 tablespoon of cocoa powder
5. Add biscuits
6. Dish up and spread on the tray.
7. Cool it and put in fridge