Sometimes, I weep for thee, Humanity

There are plenty of good reality TV shows out there, but this post is not about them.

It's hard to blame reality television stars or their producers for what they do. They are just smart entrepreneurs who improvise and market whatever skills and assets they have, to earn a lot of money and fame in a very short time. So then, who's to blame really, for the shockingly low standards of entertainment quality that exist today?

Reality television shows have hit a whole new level of absurdity. These days, they make reality TV shows out of pretty much everyone and every life circumstance. The continued success and popularity of these shows depend on the reception from a huge following of viewers. A generation of intellectually inferior human beings who need to feed on the drama of other's lives to get by in their own (un-stimulating) lives, are in the making.

Here are a few prime examples:

"19 Kids and Counting" - follows the drama of a family with nineteen children. Believe it or not, they are in Season 10 now.

The planet is facing a crisis, heavily pressured by exploitation of natural resources to feed and sustain a growing human population. What a crying shame - that too, to feed a population that includes people like this who are irresponsible enough to not practice birth control and have already spread too much of their genetic potential by justifying 19+ children as follows:

"We would love more! I'm 43, almost 44 this September. I know that my mommy years are probably numbered, and I don't know how many more children God will see fit to give me. It is something we've been praying about because we do love children. Each child really is a gift and that doesn't mean just our children. We asked the Lord to give us a love of children the way He loves children. That is something that we've prayed about, and we'll just see what the Lord has in store for our family in the future."

Aren't there are plenty of unwanted children out there in need of love and homes for couples who love children that much and can provide for them? But that's not a very marketable idea on reality television compared to having 19 of your own, is it? And no, I didn't think they were that selfless.

In December 2011, they announced that they lost baby number 20 to a miscarriage

"Keeping Up With the Kardashians" - follows the drama of a celebrity family, their everyday lives, moods, fights, marriages, affairs, divorces, work, etc. It's not surprising to see the lengths these celebrities go to earn money like having cameras follow them around all day and have their dirty laundry aired out for the world to witness. But seriously, don't the people who watch these and idolise these celebrities have even an ounce of self respect for themselves or have better use for precious time? Apparently not.

Who doesn't love a fantasy that involves accentuated feminine body parts and the portrayal of a rich life of indulgence?

"Toddlers and Tiaras" - follows the drama behind child beauty pageants.

This program is mostly about mothers who sacrifice a lot to achieve their dreams of having a daughter who might make it out big as a beauty queen someday. These impressionable children (some as young as 23 months) are no doubt subjected to a lot of psychological stress, pressure to perform, competition, chemicals from cosmetics and hair products, energy-boosting drinks, controlled diets to keep the body in shape and tonnes of fake attention. It is not hard to project that they are missing out on a conducive environment for growing up, suitable role models, proper education, friends of a similar age to develop social skills, the joys of having food and pleasures that children tend to like, freedom to be creative, freedom to play as they please and worst of all, knowledge that there exists a bigger universe out there.

Wait, children who get all that are way too common and don't become famous on TV! Bummer. And let's not worry about the types of personality traits and values that these girls will not grow up to have.

This is just the life of one contestant, but it speaks for the rest too

Snakesss

I tried asking my mother for a pet snake when I was a child. Kids in the Western hemisphere of the globe seemed to be allowed to keep them, so why couldn't we? We could remove the fangs and keep one, I suggested. But she bluntly refused. Of course, I hadn't thought it through properly - it won't be happy to eat vegetables and fruits, I can't teach it any tricks and an escaped snake is not a comforting thought. Kids nowadays are better informed about the realties of adopting wild animals.

A few years back, during a vacation back home, we were horrified to see a huge blackish snake swallowing another snake of nearly the same size in our backyard. We had never seen such a thing before or even heard of it. It was not uncommon to bump into the occasional snake in our garden - looking for food, water, a place to chill out (literally) or even having courtship rituals. But what seemed like cannibalism at the time was a shocking observation.

Yesterday, I went for my first on-the-job volunteer training session at zoo. There were several stations to pick from - birds, rain forest animals, primates, African savannah animals, domesticated animals and the night safari animals, but I thought I'll spend some quality time with the reptiles (snakes, lizards, crocodilians, tortoises and turtles). I find them quite fascinating.

Reptiles remain a class of animals that are often misunderstood and seen in negative light. They are feared, they look intimidating, there are plenty of horror movies about killer reptiles to feed the imagination, they are often associated with all things evil, they don't seem to resemble our behaviour that much, and yes, they can be deadly too. But from a biological perspective, the evolutionary adaptations that these creatures have developed to survive all these millions of years are pretty darn impressive. We easily attach ourselves to animals that look "cute" or do things that remind us closely of our behaviour  - like baby animals, furry animals, warm-blooded animals, ones with big eyes, ones that look after their young like us, docile ones or sociable ones. So in reality, there is more public support for the well being of animals that humans have an emotional attachment to compared to those that don't. Needless to say, reptiles aren't on the top of the list, despite their significant role in maintaining the balance of ecosystems. 

Yesterday's lesson was on snakes - the most misunderstood of all reptiles, I think. They are mostly timid animals that go to great lengths to avoid us humans and usually strike when startled, provoked, cornered or while guarding their eggs. But with reducing natural habitat, they often find themselves in human territory while looking for food, water, mates or safer habitats. Although only 17% of the world's snake species are venomous, any one of them would be easily be killed as a precaution if accidentally found in someone's home or backyard. Elsewhere in the world, they have a lot of demand and are captured as exotic pets or hunted for their meat, skins and as ingredients to traditional medicines which are believed to have various healing properties (not scientifically proven, of course). 

Meet Elvis 

Elvis, the yellow 4.3m King Cobra, is the star exhibit at the reptile station. He was captured several years ago at the Singapore Country Club and handed over the the zoo. Looking that impressive a specimen, he would not have survived in the wild for too long in metropolitan Singapore. I don't suppose Elvis understands that, but he sure has been forcefully recruited into being a conservation ambassador at the zoo, to represent his brethren! If I met a giant King Cobra like Elvis in the wild in a threatened position, my first reaction would be an attempt to scream and run, but before I manage that, I'll probably pass out (it is most advisable to keep calm, stand still and back away slowly when faced with a snake). Turns out King Cobras eat other snakes for food when given a choice (and hence the title "King"). So that finally solved the mystery of the snake-eating snake. 

Their defense mechanisms are so effective that a bite from a venomous snake is almost always fatal. Chances of making it to a hospital on time with access to anti-venom and making a full recovery will be something short of a miracle. That's the thing with wild animals. They and us are not meant to share the same habitat and compete for the same resources. They need their space, just like we do. It's not our sympathy they need, rather, it's our respect for their existence. Looking at the diversity of species on Earth resulting from millions of years of evolution, it is obvious that they have equally earned their right to roam the planet freely, just like we have. But what probably isn't that obvious is that ultimately, our survival as a species will depend on theirs. 

To sunny days

Gone are the days when weekends made me ecstatic.
Also long gone are the days of watching Sesame Street.

Up and about

Meanwhile, waiting for a job.....

This morning, when I went for a swim, I was pleasantly surprised to realise that last week's training experience at the pool got me some new friends. As I left the pool for the day, I had to wave to a bunch of smiling people; the cleaning lady, the lifeguards, the reception lady and my swimming instructor! Sweet, they consider me a regular.

Singapore has a huge population of aging baby boomers. I don't suppose any other nation has a more active elderly community like Singapore. It might be partly due to the high cost of living here, where the older folk do not have the luxury to retire early and laze around and partly due to the promotion of healthy and active lifestyle initiatives by the government. When I first came to Singapore, my heart dropped to see very old people working at canteens slowly cleaning away the food people eat, cleaning toilets in malls and sorting out garbage. Most become the babysitters of their children's children, so the working adults can go about doing their full time jobs. Early in the morning, before the sun is up, a group of old people practice Qigong by the park outside my window. Taking the bus on weekday mornings when the adults are at work and the children are at school, I see so many old people at the market shopping for their groceries. My attitude towards them working has changed somewhat from sympathy to admiration over the years. They are very resilient and active both physically and mentally than an average senior citizen who retires and sits or sleeps at home for most of the day and drowns negatively in their sorrows.

Speaking of elderly folk, every public bus and train carriage here has several designated seats for the elderly, pregnant ladies or others with small children. It's a good idea, actually. All younger and able people like me, avoid those seats like the plague. Selfish as I am, I too like to enjoy a comfortable ride sitting all the way and not keep looking around to see if there is someone who I should be giving up my seat to. One fine day however, the bus stopped next to a huge Buddhist temple and believe it or not, about 30- 40 people got in, all of them had to be over 70 years of age! It might have been right after a religious ceremony of some sort. And it was one of those strange occurrences like when it rains fish! Anyway, all of us who were under 50 years of age gave up our seats, and this time it was willingly. Even those seats were not enough to accommodate that many feeble people.

Every Saturday, the newspaper has a special feature with job vacancies. I have to make sure I go get my copy before the stocks run out at the store. The rest of the paper (90%) is utterly useless to me as I dislike flipping a large newspaper to read mostly disturbing, boring or 'who gives a rat's ass?' news. Making paper costs trees and industrial waste so without having atleast two uses for a newspaper like reading, cleaning windows, wrapping stuff, selling to a paper collector or sending it into a recycling plant - throwing it out fresh feels like a small crime. Leaving it lying somewhere, hoping someone will take it for reading is considered littering here and the last thing I need is a fine. One day however, while I was waiting at the paying counter, a man walks in to find there were no papers left. He asked the cashier loudly if there were any extras. I grabbed the opportunity and told him that he can have my paper if he didn't need the job feature. He happily agreed to the arrangement, and even thanked me and wished me all the best in finding a job soon! I don't meet such random people every week, so now I have discovered that the cashier is willing to take back the part that I don't need. I wonder what they do with it.

Macdonald's is smart. Well, not smart enough to consider my feedback for introducing a vegetarian burger, but, recently they introduced a mocha frappe (complete with whipped cream!!) at a very good price of $3.45. At Starbucks, that same thing would cost between $9 -12. Surprisingly, the quality in terms of taste has not been compromised so it's gaining popularity. I have a terrible weakness for mocca so one day after a grueling interview, I headed to Macdonald's for my treat. After taking the first heavenly sip, I looked around and noticed a wallet someone had left behind. That poor girl must be panicking somewhere, I thought. I handed it over to the staff and continued to enjoy my drink. When I was almost done - and by this time, my tongue was anasthetised by the blended ice - a guy runs in, looks around frantically and asks if I saw his wallet. With much difficulty I stuttered and told him to ask the staff. Soon after, he was reunited with his wallet. Dude, that's such an ugly man-purse.

Shuri: Mocha Frappe is like Cat: Catnip

In the absence of a full time job and too much time on my hands, my creative side has blossomed. I have taken a liking to cooking and making tasty-good looking-healthy-interesting food feels challenging (for lack of other challenges, that is). I made my second chop suey since leaving the apprenticeship of Cheffie the Chef (my sister). This one turned out way better than the last one and it's got all kinds of things in there - carrots, peppers, broccoli, bean sprouts, leeks, onions, garlic and tofu (yeah, run away, all you vegetable haters!!). Also, I tried out my first Chinese spinach with garlic. That was not all too bad either. Unlike Sri Lankan or Indian food, Chinese food is so much easier to make. There is no complex chemistry of balancing out a hundred exotic spices involved and food is not boiled beyond recognition.

It's Chinese on the menu at Bistro de Shu

Shark Tales

Swimming is a great way to relax, exercise and improve lung function for people of all ages. Though heavily tanned from the activities of this week, I feel fit and in good spirits. This post shall serve me as a reminder for when I am being a lazy, unfit couch slob, procrastinating and wasting away precious oxygen.

Truth is, pools are dirty places where people from different backgrounds share a water medium along with germs, various body fluids, hairs and chlorine. The trick is to try not to swallow the pool water. Apparently, urine indicator dye - which supposedly turns dark blue when it comes in contact with pee - is an urban myth! I read it on the net but I wasn't daring enough to confirm my suspicions in situ. I think it's a great piece of false information to spread around, especially to kids until they can comprehend the concept of being considerate.

Monday: Rude Awakening

After receiving confirmation of the swim test for Wednesday, I went for a swim at Bishan Swimming Complex. No details as to what was going to be tested was given, asking didn't help either. Little did I know that I was really out of practice and could hardly swim 25m in the 'freestyle stroke'. 

From the top: Free Style, Breast Stroke, Back Stroke, Butterfly Stroke

Tuesday: Unlearning and Relearning

To get familiar with the pool where the actual test was to be held, I went to the Queenstown Swimming Complex. A little internet research gave me the idea that being able to manage one lap, i.e. 50m was a safe bet. Watching a few videos on YouTube, I realised what I thought was my 'freestyle stroke' all these long years was not the actual technique. That was a shocker. I didn't know anything about exhaling underwater. I used to do the inhale plus exhale while I surfaced but that was always tough and most of the time, I swallowed water too. To counter this, I had learnt to prolong holding my breath underwater. Needless to say, I never got too far in one stretch. I didn't have any proper formal training and most of my unorthodox 'shustyle' moves came about interpreting what I thought others did and while swimming in the river every other day back home. I was also a little skeptical, thinking technique didn't matter much, as long as I was able to float and knew enough to survive from a drowning situation plus I wasn't going to participate in any competitions. Well, I was wrong. Determined to build stamina, I learned as much tips from the video and decided to practice the following morning.

That day concluded with finally watching Brave!! The movie was even better than I imagined and the minute details in the animations...WOW, I was totally immersed in that fantasy! Merida and I would have made great friends.

Wednesday: Only Practice Makes Perfect

Early morning on the day of the test, I went to the Clementi Swimming Complex, which I assumed was nearer to my place. After getting bad directions from a couple of people, I made it there very frustrated and tired after about an hour of walking from the MRT. That day, I worked on brushing up my freestyle technique - learning to blow bubbles underwater to exhale, streamline the body, wave the legs without bending knees and mastering gasping for a breath by turning the head to a side above the waterline. During this time, I also noticed that most people here did the breast stroke, which I never tried before. It was a slow swim, but seemed far less energy-consuming compared to the mad waving and flapping of the freestyle, which burnt out the body very quickly. When comparing freestyle to a fast paced 100m sprint, the breast stroke seemed like a slow and steady marathon. 

In the afternoon, I got a call. The test was postponed to Friday due to problems with the pool booking. Hallelujah! I could not have asked for a better turn of events. Two more days to practice. I headed to the Bukit Batok Swimming Complex for my evening swim practice session. 

Thursday: A Guiding Star 

Early morning hours at the pool are the most peaceful and relaxing. There are far fewer people around and most of them are the senior citizens. I contemplated on getting a private lesson from an experienced coach to learn the breast stroke - by now, I knew that was the only way I was going manage one full lap. I called so many of them and apart from them all having an expensive standard flat rate ($1 per minute), most were not willing to teach on such short notice. Finally, I found a willing lady coach who agreed to give me a lesson that evening.

Another trip to the same pool in the evening for a swimming lesson. My new coach taught me the breast stroke, treading water (a technique to stay without drowning) and helped to improve my freestyle and diving techniques. A coach can really do wonders and give encouragement - we all need it sometimes. They can point out small things which can make a big difference in the techniques. She asked me to look at the pool floor while underwater than keep my head up facing forwards, stretch the arms to glide and streamline the body and finally how to turn the head properly to inhale -  all which helped improve speed and conserve energy. She left me when the hour was up, with a fair knowledge of the breast stroke, but more practice was required. I had to discourage her from giving me another lesson, considering it was expensive.

Friday: Judgement Day

More homework on YouTube on breast stroke techniques, and I was up by 6am, ready for my morning swim! Treading water required a lot of practice and I could not master that. Over the years, I already had developed my own 'possum technique' for staying afloat for long periods of time by floating face upwards like a dead body. I didn't see how the conventional technique was any better when mine required only a fraction of energy to move the arms and legs. 

Half hour into the swim, it started raining cats and dogs and we were called off the pool. I stayed another one and a half hours until the rain subsided, watching the rain fall hard on the pool as I enjoyed a hot cup of tea from a vending machine. Ah, life's simple pleasures. I also made two aunty-friends. One of them who cleaned the facility took a liking towards me. She told me most of her life story and pried about my background too. Her three children were educated and off working in good places and she was keeping busy and making her own income by working at the facility for a few days of the week. She did complain that the pay wasn't so great but it was better than nothing. She also mentioned she had one son at home who was not married and she found a crafty line of conversation to check if I can cook. That and her interest in my background led me to believe she remotely considered matchmaking. It seems universal that mothers with children of marriageable age have their radars turned on for potential partners for their children and like to take matters in to their own hands. 

That morning, I finally made my first 50m goal with the breast stroke! I was overjoyed. 

After a nail-biting hour stuck in peak hour traffic, I made it to the test on time. They made the seven of us do two laps (100m) in any preferred stroke (it was not timed, luckily), a dive, 20 push ups and read out a speech. I made the 100m using every bit of will power I could gather, the dive went well, I collapsed at 10 push-ups (men clearly had an advantage over women when it came to push-ups) and I was asked to be louder while reciting the speech.

Regardless of the outcome, I'm glad I gave it my 100% best. Thanks to that experience, I know two strokes now, the proper way! Moral of that experience is that it is better to learn things in the standardised way for a start and then experiment later. Time tested ways are mostly there with good reason, they are a result of practices and techniques perfected over time to give the best possible output. While the breast stroke won't be that useful in getting the hell away from a water snake or attempting to escape a killer baby shark, it will certainly be useful in swimming long distances, like to a faraway island from a ship wreck (in non-shark infested waters, that is).

Introducing, the song of the week - "We are one, tonight, and we are breathing (swallowing) the same air (water)....". 

Shake, Shake, Shake Señora

Singapore celebrated her 47th National Day on 9th August. Normally, I would have stayed indoors to avoid masses of people outdoors on a public holiday, but I had a guest in town. I agreed to meet up with her for some shopping, dining and watching the fireworks display. It was a bonus to spot a party photo booth next to Ion Orchard, where we stood in line with many other tourists to get free photos after given a selection of funky props to pose with! It was the perfect souvenir for her to take back.

"Window shopping" and "shopping for fun" with ladies are two of the most unproductive tasks I find hard to deal with. For starters, most of them do not need anything, are not willing to spend much or do not have in mind what it is they want to buy. So they go on touching and feeling clothes, shoes and accessories on display, shop after shop, UNTIL.... an item strikes an emotional connection with their sub-conscious mind. A few are able to rationalise and take into consideration their actual requirements and budget, but others, well, can't, and they keep looking. Another problem I face is being asked for feedback on how they look with the item - this is tricky to differentiate from their need for reassurance. Depending on the intensity of their emotional connection with the item, most shoppers are already decided on whether they will go the lengths to acquire it or not. So at times, external feedback doesn't matter.

Looks are subjective too - what might appeal to them, may not appeal to someone else in the same way and vice versa. Then, I have a tendency to consider many factors - looks, cost, quality, practicality and feelings of the person - before delivering my opinion in the most delicate way possible. Unless something is very obviously over-priced and of bad quality, I don't usually dissuade them from getting to their "means of joy". So more often than not, my friends and family find my sugar-coated feedback absolutely useless in helping them decide anything. This time consuming and emotionally draining experience does not end there. Sometimes, after much time, thought and energy was spent on picking an item (and with no surprises), they decide at the paying counter that they don't need it. With years of experiencing similar situations, I have come to accept that it is a common female nature, which even I am guilty of only very, very, very occasionally. With my guest, there was the added factor of currency conversion rates. Coming from a country where the cost of living and income per person is far less than in Singapore, she (we) struggled to manage her desires and budget. Thankfully for Shuri, it was only a quarter day of shopping.

On the topic of giving feedback, I recall another incident where I sent a friend of mine a photo of hers taken from my camera. I had no strong opinions towards the picture, except that I thought it was a good one capturing a few colourful birds in the background. She replied saying "I look like a fat lump". I could not fathom if she made a final statement or it was one of those tricky ones where she was expecting a reply. I felt part of my brain short-circuit and fry out with a spark, for lack of a good response to hers. A few lines came to mind (with no malice on my part), but nothing felt entirely presentable or sensitive enough.

"Oh, it never occurred to me. But now that you mentioned it, you are right."
"Yes. Cameras take pretty accurate pictures of what IS."
"Well, you are on the heavier side and you wear baggy clothes so that's what you really look like from an external point of view."
"If it bothers you that much, consider doing something to lose a little weight."
"Your appearance does not affect our friendship dynamics in any way, in case you wondered."
"Nah." (this would have been a lie)

In the end, I kept quiet. I am glad she didn't ask "Do I look like a fat lump?", in which case I would have been obliged to reply. Moral of the story is people are far more engrossed about their own looks to bother much about how others look in photos and in real life. So the next time I feel overly obsessed with my looks in a photo, I'll remind myself that's it's just me over-thinking it. [Afternote: this phenomenon where people overestimate how much attention other people are paying to them is called the Spotlight Effect].

Back to the National Day, the fireworks display was absolutely worth the trouble we went through to get to the place. Getting there was no easy feat, we had to fight through hoards of people, find alternative routes after being turned back several times due to road closures and I had surpassed my physical endurance limit for the day.

The fireworks display overlooking Marina Bay lasted about twenty minutes and it was such a treat to the senses (the smell of gunpowder included)!  

With passing time, part of me feels that something exciting every now and then is essential for my continued mental well-being and another part of me feels a little guilty about spending on entertainment during this phase of life. But for this month's endorphin dose, I purchased a Groupon voucher for four Zumba classes with my dance partner, Katy Kat. The class was extremely fun, fast-paced and strenuous. There were so many dance moves from various styles (predominantly Latin-inspired) going on and we were just supposed to keep up. The tracks played were perfect in my mind. It was like hitting a club with good music - only better, without the cigarette smoke, poor lighting, pressure to socialise, having to ward off unwelcome males in heat and the overall drunked-ness. Not knowing the dance moves wasn't a concern. Even social anxiety wasn't a concern (woot!). They also had showering facilities for no additional cost, so we went home feeling like jasmines instead of rafflesias.

Who knew a threesome of dance, music and serious exercise can be this fun! As seen in the video below, there are plenty of lost sheep in any class, but NO ONE CARES.

Anima Mundi

Only if we understand can we care. Only if we care will we help. Only if we help shall they be saved.

- Jane Goodall

Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) recently called for applications for the 2012 Docent Programme. I was fiddling through the pages of Singapore Zoo one fine day when the advertisement came to my attention. A "Docent" is a volunteer who assists the education wing at WRS by sharing information with the public at various interactive Discovery Stations based at all the parks managed by WRS. Seeing that I hadn't missed the deadline, I thought I'll give it a shot. Just short of being a paid job - which was what I really supposed to be looking for these days - this was the perfect opportunity to do something I enjoyed, observe a mind-blowing collection of wildlife at close range and get more comfortable with public interaction! After an 'interview', the batch of about 30 enthusiasts were called for a 2-day orientation session to get familiar with operations at the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and the Jurong Bird Park - all of which were managed by the parent organisation that was WRS.

Feeding the colourful and loud lories at the world's largest lory flight aviary in Jurong Bird Park is one of the biggest attractions over there

During these two days of digesting great amounts of information and observing things at work, my limited understanding of a zoo being just a place that uses animals on display to generate income from visitors changed immensely. Given an understanding of what goes on behind the scenes by several passionate people who have been working there for many years put things in great perspective and ultimately, the experience was a huge eye opener.

While going on tours, we got to meet a few super-cute new-borns (clouded leopard cubs, FTW!) and learnt so many touching stories behind several animals that were born in captivity, rescued while smuggling or had overcome other issues and survived. Also told was a shocking story of cruelty to Orangutans as a result of the palm oil industry. As if there wasn't enough killing and orphaning of these animals going on, workers at a palm oil plantation were found using a chained female orangutan as a sex slave after shaving off it's fur and dressing it up in women's clothing and makeup. The human psychology behind such a cruel act eludes my level of understanding.

Zoos have come a long way since being places of horror for exotic animals. With growing knowledge in Science and the dire need to conserve wildlife that is rapidly declining as a result of harmful human activity, modern zoos are evolving into institutions of education and conservation, rather than just being income-generating visitor attractions to watch animals in captivity. Despite Singapore being a small country with limited natural habitats and wildlife populations, Singapore Wildlife Reserves has set a great example and a high standard, displaying the potential such institutions can tap into, both conservation-wise and revenue-wise. Of course, countries with bigger internal problems to tackle have conservation and well-being of wildlife low on their list of priorities so there is much room for improvement for zoos in developing countries where it is not uncommon to see animals kept in very poor conditions.

Up close with a stick insect - after being told not to grab these gentle and delicate creatures with force

Nowadays, cages and shackles are slowly being replaced by open enclosures and better landscaping, where animals have the freedom to move around and interact better with natural surroundings. Equipped with years of research as well as having trained veterinarians and keepers, the quality of life for animals in captivity and captive breeding programmes are seeing much success than in the past. These institutions also work hard to create interactive and enjoyable educational programmes to inspire and educate visitors, in hopes that they carry with them an appreciation for nature beyond the gates of zoos and parks. They also work closely with local authorities to combat illegal animal trade by rescuing and rehabilitating confiscated animals and spreading awareness to the public on the dangers and consequence of such trades. On an international level, wildlife institutions network with each other and with other NGOs such as WWF to share information, share expertise, have animal exchange programmes and work closely on conservation-related projects across the borders. WRS has been involved in several projects - elephant conservation in Malaysia and Sumatra, turtle conservation in Cambodia, restoring Bali Mynahs populations in Indonesia and conservation of Oriental Pied Hornbills in Singapore. Thankfully, there is so much effort put in than that which meets our eyes and ears on a daily basis!

Compared to the past, where exotic animals were seen mostly as creatures to be acquired, eaten, used as medicines or decorations, there is an emerging shift in the mindset of people who visit these places, thanks to years of education and awareness spread by zoos, schools, work of conservation groups and media such as National Geographic Channel, Discovery Channel and Animal Planet. There is a slow but increasing trend in the number of people who are becoming more interested, empathetic, curious, appreciative and conscious of mother nature and all her components. These people try to make time to visit places that represent nature, take their children to such places to try to instill in them the same level of consciousness and make small lifestyle changes to do what they can to help. With this significant achievement, there is much support for governments and various pro-conservation groups to tackle the larger problems at hand causing loss of natural habitats and biodiversity. A growing human population, exploitation of natural resources, deforestation, palm oil plantations, poor agriculture practices, industrial wastes, overgrazing by livestock, forest fires, oil spills, building of dams, over-fishing, animal poaching, illegal pet trading are some of the concerns that needs to be addressed urgently before we lose the wild animals to extinction one by one.

A few more weeks of training and assessments to go through at the Reptile Realm Discovery Station before I am a full fledged Docent.

Recommended links:
International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF)
World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA)
Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS)
National Geographic
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)

My Hero

I found Jeff Corwin on Facebook - the fan page, that is!! Now I can stalk his whereabouts and read his updates on what he does. Muahahaha. OMG. I LOVE HIM, his shows and everything wild he stands for. Yesterday, I was reading up on his impressive bio and also found out that he was born on July 11th, just like me. How randomly cool is that?! But fan-girl madness aside, just like Steve Irwin, he's so awesome at what he does and the places he goes to, the animals he encounters and the awareness he spreads about them and conservation is totally awesome and inspirational. He's my hero.

Another one of Shu's celebrity crushes

This weekend, I start my 8-week training to be a Docent at the Singapore Zoo. It's going to be one whole weekend of getting familiar with the operations at Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park and then seven weeks of training to be a Docent or volunteer ranger based at a Discovery Station at one of the parks. If all goes well during those 8 weeks, I'll volunteer every once a month or more if I can manage it, educating and engaging the public at the station using a variety of interactive methods, which I'll be trained on. I'm very nervous about the bit on public interaction and although there won't be any animal interaction as I would have liked, I'm very psyched!

I found me...well, not just me...on YouTube. In this concert performance from 2007, the university's Indian classical orchestra plays a piece with a touch of Western influence

Also found online were two other pieces from the same concert:

"Purity" - composed by the very multi-talented violin tutor, Mr C. N. Thyagaraju. It is characteristic of his compositions in showcasing the strengths of different combinations of instruments with percussion at the beginning, followed by a slower paced centre and finally bringing out a dramatic ending to the piece.
"Laughter" - this piece was directed by the veena/vocals tutor, who was also very talented in her field. I do not know what the lyrics mean, but this piece takes me back in time to the visual of a rural Indian village revolving around rice farming and somehow, involving bullock carts and earthenware too.

Listening to old concerts during my university years always gives me a bittersweet feeling. The melodies of all the pieces I have been part of have been etched in me, thanks to many months of long hours of group practices before the actual concerts. Those moments at practices - pushing the limits of my abilities in playing the violin, losing myself in profound combinations of musical notes and finding it meaningful was the only therapeutic escape I had from life at the time.