Our job is made more interesting when we get some controversial characters. Most of us agree that they are fabulous leaders who did a fantastic job during their term. They were capable, eloquent, charismatic. And we always know, with all these, there is alway a "but". Yes, this has been the case, yet again. The character is lacking. It is something that I hang on to so dearly and I am now beginning to ask myself if I am too old fashioned for the industry?
After all, which company cannot appreciate a worker who can get to their goal, regardless of the ethics? Do the companies not provide subtle benefits in some way or another in order to for the business deal to go through? We all know this happens and still happening, be it government linked or privately owned businesses. They do need people who are are able to work without their conscious being pricked too badly. They do need people who dared to do the work most would avoid.
But at what cost? Does this explained the sprouting of the like of Wee Shu Min and family, and the high profile civil servant who splurged on improving his and family's exquisite culinary skills during an economic crisis?
No doubt, character development comes from home. But we cannot reduce the responsibilities in the schools. However, if we overlook the character flaw and still reward base on achievement, what would the student leader perceive himself or herself to be? That all he/she had done were right and flawless? Good friend and colleague of mine said let the world take care of it and humble him/her. I disagree because if a small problem that is not attended to while in primary school, I am sure will snowball to something bigger in future. No, I am not referring to delinquency but PERHAPS lack of empathy, pride, egocentricity, arrogance? Do we just pass it on and hopefully learn in due time?
Maybe I am just old school training. Perhaps, it is time to evolve. My silly student commented and I quote, "I thought you were one of those traditional teachers..." Dammit! Really? And I thought I was pretty liberated already? And I quote the same friend again, "sometimes in life its all about perceptions".
***
Today was the day I shaved my head in raising awareness and funds for Hair for Hope. My wife said I looked 10 years OLDER. Oh man!...
I felt naked and so susceptible to the phantom stares of people around me - a figment of my own imagination of course. It did strike me to be more conscious and I began to understand why the children will tend to be more withdrawn because they simply looked different from the rest of their peers. I had started on this project because I wanted to help in whatever little way I could. I raised a small sum of $843. [Could have been more if I had gotten help from my wife, which I did not because the card did not have enough space to fill up any more.] But what was more impactful was really the shaving. It was like something that had been with me for along time had been taken away. Although I cannot feel the actual pain and emotional trauma the children will have to go through, but my heart goes out to them.
Will I do it again? Even if it makes me look 10 years older? Or even tip the UGLY scale even lower? Am afraid it will have to be a resounding YES. And one day, I would love to dedicate an ironman race to them?
Came across this video
Look beyond the money making job that he is doing, which we know is highly possible. Let's just assume that he really treasures his life. Should we not be doing the same, and even more?
***
I had my swim today. Even warm up was tiring. Did the 1st 100m and I stopped to take a breather and completed the rest thereafter. I have begun to appreciate why Coach puts me on warm ups all the time. Even just before the race. Especially in swimming, this is very critical because it gets the arms warmed up to doing that motion for half hour (OD tri) to beyond 1hr (ironman swim). It gets better the longer you get into the swim. So, yes. Do that warm up swim before a race and it will do you wonders. Warm up of 400m or so is good.
400m warm up with 400m kicks - standard stuff. 2x400m, 2x200m, 2x100, 12x50m on the 55s and 6x50 combination of no breathing and sighting swim on each lap. All the sets were manageable except for the 12x50m on 55s. I was hitting the wall at 50-52s but only about 6-7 laps I left on the 55s. The rest I took 10s breather before taking off again. And the last 6 laps of sighting swim? They were crazy! Absolutely lung bursting.
Looking back, I started the swim dreading it. But upon completion, the sense of achievement made me elated. May not be my favourite part of training, but I will want to go back into the water again. Yeah. That's what people say a few days later when they finish an ironman too. But when they were at the swim start? "Oh what the hell am I doing here?"
No comments:
Post a Comment