#123 foursquare

This is the only incentive I need to explore new places. If I'm needed to run an errand to far-flung places, foursquare makes me feel less stupid. As a rule, I only check in somewhere when I have an interaction there. That's good enough, compared to people who do so just for the points.

#122 Children

They're so incredibly cute when they're not yours. You can play all you want with them, with none of the attendant responsibility. And those cheeks! So pinchable!

#121 Dresses

According to Jasmine's logic, she's entitled to pay more (up to double) for dresses as they are an outfit in itself, and it costs less than a blouse & pants combo. I'd never thought of it that way before, but I find myself agreeing with the logic. We looked for a sombre, morose and funereal few that would instil fear & trembling in the kids at work next year.

#120 Counting offering

While possibly an onerous and mundane task, I look forward to counting offering as it reminds me of God's faithfulness.

I'm especially heartened when I see the younger ones tithe their pocket money, even if it just amounts to a few cents; we all started small.

The other big encouragement for me is when people tithe out of their blessing and abundance. These are typically huge amounts that come at opportune times. What's worth remembering is that these generous people all started giving when they were receiving far smaller amounts, but they are now equally faithful to God in giving when they are blessed with much more.

After all, we are reminded to emulate the widow with two copper coins, not the Pharisee who gave ostentatiously out of his largesse.

#119 Home cell groups

Perhaps, like all good things, its time has passed. Home cell groups are now difficult to maintain because of the sheer logistic effort of getting a large number of people to commit to meeting in one place at one time on one day. Decentralisation seems to be de rigueur now.

In simpler times, however, home cell was the only way we knew how. And what times they were.

Sing a few simple songs, pray fervently, read Scripture, and - as a kid, this was the most important part - relentless makan and play time thereafter. We'd even traipse off to the McDonald's playground at Sembawang after that. This was before issues like being too busy with work set in. People made it a priority to meet.

Sadly, times have changed. It's not just the discipleship that's lacking in putting God's business first, but the reality that work consumes so much more of our lives now that work-life balance has been eschewed in favour of work-life harmony; balance is no longer attainable; we have to be content with its coexistence instead.

Well, we are the new working generation, and by those bonds that were forged in blood, sweat and tears at McDonald's, we can make small groups work again, but in vastly different ways. Our methods may change, but our objectives remain unchanged - discipleship, fellowship, worship His Lordship.

#118 Friendly neighbours

My tee, which had been hanging outside my living room window, was blown downstairs by a particularly strong gust. To my dismay, it was trapped on the parapet between the fifth and sixth floors. The sixth floor unit was unoccupied, and it'd be more tricky to get it from the fifth floor, probably by using a pole to poke the shirt down.

Knocking on the fifth floor unit, I realised my neighbours were out. I left a note with my number, asking him to call me when he was back home.

I then went out to run some errands. Halfway through, behold - an SMS! My neighbour kindly informed me that he had seen my note, and taken the initiative of retrieving my shirt and putting it at my door.

We Singaporeans may not be the most sociable lot, but as neighbours, we can and should go the extra mile.

#117 Cleaning my ears

Nothing gave me a better feeling as a kid when my mum put my head on her lap and she proceeded to clean my ears with a cotton bud. Sometimes this would be accompanied by a story or two. Bliss.

#116 Value added

In its simplest form, value added is a great way of assessing your value as a teacher, with the possible exception of really high-scoring classes. You can factor in the relative difficulty of examinations, and know how your pupils have improved compared with the rest of the cohort. From here, you know who's really improved and whether you've improved them. Also, you could also find out how consistent your respective exam setters are.

#115 Pet shops

For those of us who can't handle the commitment a pet requires, there are always pet shops. Play all you want, see all you want, touch all you want, and there's no need to pick up any poop. Unless you have a kid, of course...

#114 Memories

I think the mind works brilliantly. How wonderful it is, that even if you've neglected to record something down that happened when you were in primary school, your brain is able to retrieve it from its long-term memory, in vivid detail with nary a gap, even though it happened 20 years ago. Truly amazing.

#113 Rewarding improvement

One of the best decisions I've made as a teacher is to reward improvement instead of achievement. The pros are numerous and obvious:

1. Every child has an equal playing field; they are compared only to their past achievements.
2. Even if the child underperforms at any time, the child can redouble his efforts at any time and still improve.
3. It encourages every child to keep putting in their best effort and keep trying; even the best-scoring pupil can't rest on his laurels.

Of course, you'd need a formula to measure improvement. The simplest way is to see the net difference from the child's entry score. However, it'd be helpful to compare to the entry score only for the first few tests; thereafter, to provide a more accurate and relevant measure, you need a 'moving average', comprising the last two test scores and the last average. By so doing, late bloomers are forced to continue to improve instead of relying on just being better than their underachievement last year.

Empirically, it also enables me to identify who's really trying, or just plain better, though it does not exclude external factors such as tuition or learning difficulties.

#112 Photography

When I'm assigned for school duties, I love it when they leverage on my talents, such as hosting (apparently), photography, and data crunching. Sure beats ushering, filling out forms or standing guard at imaginary danger spots.

#111 Cycling

Thank God for two wheels. Not only is it a cheap commute, it also provides great exercise and a faster way of exploring an area. Now if only I can be less lazy and if I can get more padding for my butt.

#110 Keeping in touch

How blessed it is, that even though you don't make that much of an effort, people from your past still make the effort every decade or so to meet catch up. Thanks for the effort, guys!

#109 Flowers

Flowers are amazing. They have the singular ability to cheer up my wife. If she needs cheering up, these invariably do the job.

#108 Trivial Pursuit

One of my favourite childhood games, Trivial Pursuit, comes to the iPhone!

#107 Kangen water

I don't personally drink it, but I do see the benefits in drinkers around me. Many thanks to my parents who make the water run a few times a week, just so Sarah has the purest water possible.

#106 Drizzles

Drizzles are perfect for snuggling up under umbrellas, even better if there's a baby in between. =]

#105 Hewlett-Packard

As far as printers and scanners go, I think HP is right up there. It's generally reliable, quick, and had a wide range of products for every need. Yes, ink could be cheaper, but that could be said of every printer company.

#104 Pram-cessibility

It's only when you have a baby and a perambulator that you realise how you've been taking ramps and elevators for granted. Escalators are still OK, though they require deft balancing skills; it's the stairs that get me. Having to carry a 10kg pram with a 9kg baby is no joke. Every public building should be wheel-accessible, for the young and the old.

#103 Spontaneity

My personality loves order. Class has to run according to a certain system and structure, sometimes to the point of boredom. So, some novelty and spontaneity is always welcome.

#102 Improved English syllabus

Finally, MOE listens to its teachers: greater emphasis on listening in listening comprehension (and hence no emphasis on dictation), removal of picture conversation in lieu of conversation per se, assessment of exposition instead of just narratives.

http://www.moe.gov.sg/media/press/2012/09/learning-of-english-to-develop.php

#101 Gardens by the Bay

I thought this was just another over-hyped attraction, especially when I heard it costs $25 just to enter the conservatories and OCBC Skyway. Well, coming here was truly a different experience, taking in a well-tended garden with species of plants you don't normally see in Singapore. For once, I didn't mind the insects.

#100 Technology

Though Sharon is overseas, she's just a second away with apps like Scramble With Friends. Somehow, it makes my sister's absence that much more bearable. Now even my parents are on board!

#99 Hope

All hope seems lost when a loved one passes away. However, we should realise that God has a plan for everything, though we may not be able to fathom it. What is for sure is that God will give us the courage and determination to see through the rest of our time on earth without that person. We miss you Pastor Sally.

#98 Mandarin

You have to admire the sheer variety of words Mandarin has. I especially love the idiomatic expressions it has. Incredibly poetic and creative. Most commonly used? 一个风和日丽的早上。。。

#97 Golf

I never thought I'd say this, but golf is rather interesting. It really does take a lot of skill and hand-eye coordination to hit a small ball so accurately. Hit a 9-iron about 100 yards, so looking to improve on that.

#96 Educational apps

While I am normally reticent to try new technology too fast, my iPhone has helped bring some tech into my classroom. Apps like Arithmetic motivate them to train their multiplication tables, LightMeter measures the amount of light passing through materials, Decibel measures their voice level - the list goes on. Most of them are free, but I don't mind paying S$1.28 to upgrade their learning if they deserve it!

#95 DVD rental

With a baby now, we don't have time to watch movies anymore. In any case, spending $30 to eat popcorn in a freezing cinema filled with plot whisperers, giggly prepubescents and potato chip crunchers just doesn't cut it. So, unless it's a must-watch, and we are watching with people for the sake of sharing the experience, I'd rather wait for the DVDs to arrive. We got a $23 deal for 10 DVDs from HollywoodClicks.com, and might continue with them if it makes sense. They mail them to you, and you mail them back when you're done. Easy.

#94 Porridge

It's one of the simplest ideas: a cacophony of food, watered down with rice and water in (almost) equal measures - Teochew porridge. Jasmine's comfort food!

#93 Initiative

Once again, a pupil surprises me. Having observed we were out of BluTack, Shervon took the initiative to get some for our class. Ain't that sweet?

#92 Teacher's Day

And it all becomes worth it, when genuine, sincere, uncommercialised remonstrations of gratitude pour themselves from the crudely-held pens of my charges, and in their best handwriting to boot. Sure, some got help, but it pays to know that all you do makes a difference, even in the most apparently stubborn, hard-headed one. I was one; I'd know.

#91 Too many books!

It is indeed a pleasure to own books. Sure, I may not finish them in my lifetime, at the rate I'm procuring them, but I can always bequeath them to the next generation. There's still something quaint in this technology-driven age about curling up with a good book.

#90 Animals

Aaron = horse
Jasmine = cow
Sarah = rabbit
All = pigs

And we have a lamb, dog and penguin too. Have we mentioned the poodle and the octopi?

#89 Punggol Waterway

Sometimes, I take for granted that I live beside something that is the envy of Singaporeans elsewhere. A gorgeous manmade canal winds its way through my neighbourhood, bringing life wherever it goes. Just such a great place to take a leisurely stroll with a pram, with great views night and day. And when I get a little complacent about where I live, God shows me this. Wow.

#88 Baby dedications

Nothing more noble than dedicating your child to God.

#87 Starbucks offers

Starbucks remains one of the more generous and outreaching organisations. They give free beverages in return for donations, and give free samples of new drinks. The increased customer engagement and improved customer perception is priceless in return for a negligible proportion of costs and lost income. Companies need to learn to do this: Lighten up, loosen up, and be prepared to spend a little to invest in customer loyalty that can go a long way. Look, they even won over a CBTL die-hard like me.

#86 New members

You know what they say about the church with the open doors: Inevitably, people leave through these doors too. Hence, for equity, let alone healthy growth, there has to be an influx of people as well. Every year, I look forward to AGM, as we see new Agapeans presented to the body. It is irrelevant if they are transfers, new believers, or even graduands from Children's Church; we take equal pleasure at everyone who takes this step of commitment with us. Congratulations!

#85 Thank-you notes

No matter how big or small, never take these for granted. It still takes effort to write these, encourages more of such behaviour, and actually makes you happier. So, thank me, and thank you!

#84 Sleep

The older you get, the more precious sleep gets. Now, I employ a high-tech alarm that detects your body movements and wakes you when you are in your lightest sleep, so you have less grogginess. I must say it's not working so far.

#83 Racial harmony

Cliched as this may sound, this is really one thing we take for granted in Singapore. With the influx of foreigners into Singapore, it appears racial tension will continue to rear its ugly head.

When that happens, it pays to harken back to the innocence of childhood. In my class, Chinese, Malays, Indians, Bangladeshis and Filipinos mix freely without fear or favour.

If we could all get back to doing that, wouldn't that be better?

#82 Football tournaments

There's nothing like testing your mettle and skill at a proper football tournament. Sure, we were just competing against other schools in our N1 school cluster, but what was really outstanding was how we cobbled a team from next to nothing. Our riff-raff motley crew: Kok Leong (MT) as keeper, me, Aidil & Mr Chia (VP) in defence, Fairus (AED) in midfield and Mun (admin) up front. We even had new guys like Muru (UCT), Mr Lim (adjunct) and Harold (practicum) with us. For goodness' sake, Harold hadn't touched a football till two weeks ago, and Muru had no boots! Mr Lim is from the Samad Alapitchay era, Kok Leong lost a contact lens and Mr Chia came straight from a meeting!

We acquitted ourselves pretty well, remaining unbeaten with four draws. We were the only team to avoid defeat to ultra-competitive Hougang Sec. With a bit more luck, we would have won a couple of matches and made it to the knockout stage.

PS: Too bad didn't meet Xinmin Pri. I always enjoy their relaxed style of play.

#81 American Express

Of all my credit cards, I think Amex is the best. Their points don't expire, rewards are attractive - that's all I ask for. And sometimes when you get a new country manager, you get movie tickets!

#80 Fruit

When it's time for a meal but I'm not that hungry, there's always fresh fruit. All this for $1 in my school canteen!

#79 My best man, Sarah's godpa

I was so glad when I heard Yew Hock was coming to Singapore to work. For years, this was someone I looked up to as an older cousin. I always remember the fun times we had every Chinese New Year in Melaka.

And now, I get to do ministry with him! I'm so blessed to have such an intelligent and caring person as my best man, and now my daughter's godfather.

#78 Students' parents

Love 'em or hate 'em, getting parents on board is the first step to succeeding with teaching children. I was at first reticent to connecting with them, but I realise most parents are like me - a little too busy for their own good, a little misguided, but still wanting the best for their child. Once we acknowledge that, you'll realise engaging them is better than not doing so. While not all may agree, I provide my personal mobile number to them, to facilitate communication. Over the years, the grateful parents have far outweighed those who abuse the privilege (I can think of just one). So, to the people without whom I would not even have children to teach.

#77 Sleep

There's nothing like someone carrying you to sleep, especially if you can drool all you want on the person's shoulder. Bliss.

#76 Mornings

While I'm generally not a morning person, (un)fortunately, my wife and daughter are. They're full of smiles in the early hours, while I'm full of scowls. But then, with this sight to greet you every morning, wouldn't you cheer up too?

#75 Sun-dried tomatoes

There're tomatoes, and then there're sun-dried tomatoes. Just in case you underestimate what the Sun can do, this little treat proves you wrong. Juicy and packed with flavour, this unassuming fruit can turn a simple aglio olio into a veritable tour de force. Now, to try it with feta cheese...