Category Archives: Thoughts

Five Stars Maternity Hospital

Posted by Jewelle Tan on February 3, 2012 None comments

On the same line of thought as the previous post on the cost of labour these days in Kota Kinabalu, I wonder what necessitates such huge increase in rates.

For one particular hospital where I delivered all my three children, the panel of doctors only had a few new additions, the nurses uniforms’ are still the same, the furniture did not change much and the furnishing are still sparse.

I have no experience in the other private hospitals but I am sure there are none in Kota Kinabalu with a five-stars-hotel ambience or I know that the whole mothers and mothers-to-be community would be raving about it.

But I think our market is ripe for such luxurious service as offered at The Cradle at Hawthorn, claimed to be the first five-stars maternity hospital in Australia, don’t you think – those of you who are willingly forking out RM5000+ for a normal delivery?

Is February Your Month Of Love

Posted by Jewelle Tan on February 1, 2012 1 comments

It took me a while to register the meaning of a sentence I read today, that February is the month of love.

Perhaps it’s my age – read : OLD.

It was 20 years ago when the thrill of anticipating a bouquet of flowers from admirers (secret and otherwise) ruled school days that happened to be a Valentine’s Day.

Or maybe it’s my life – read : BORING.

Valentine’s Day, celebrated in the ways that the media says it has to be celebrated (with candlelit dinners, fancy gifts, flowers and everything else you can get if you click here), is so low down in the list of our priorities that …

Let’s just put it this way, my household has not seen any bouquet of fresh flowers (small, big or even a single stalk) in February for many, many years.

But I do not miss it because instead of getting flowers once a year, I prefer getting help with the dishes or help with washing the kids every day.

….

Yes, it’s definitely my age AND life.

Days Of Taking Things Easy

Posted by Jewelle Tan on January 31, 2012 None comments

During spring-cleaning, I found a box of old letters.

How nostalgic it was, re-reading stories and happenings from 20 years back. How differently we see life – all the hopes and dreams, issues and problems that seemed so huge then.

But most of all, how patient we were in those days.

Remember how easy it was to let a few weeks past before expecting a reply to our letters?

Try to communicate via SMS or e-mail NOW and see if we did not expect a reply in 2 mins time. One day of non-response would already get us all bothered and most of us would likely get ready to follow-up on the non-responding other person!

How impatient we have become with all these technology at hand.

Of course it is good to be able to contact and get answers instantly. It’s great to be able to call AND see the person on the other line. Remember how out of this world such things as internet video conferencing or wireless computers were 20 years back?

But do you know, I miss the days when not everything – people that we want to contact or information that we need – are at our fingertips.

And I definitely miss the days when people did not expect me to respond immediately – and worse, will be able to check if I was deliberately taking my time!

Christmas Expectations

Posted by Jewelle Tan on December 30, 2011 None comments

There was a site that posted disappointed/angry/annoyed Facebook statuses of people who did not get their desired Christmas presents – expensive electronic gadgets and even cars!

How sad that it has become simply a time to demand and expect specific items.

How stressful it must be for people in this kind of community and mentality to face Christmas – knowing that certain expensive things are expected.

How did it become to materialistic?

Perhaps it all started with the simple and innocent question asked to small kids, “What would you like for Christmas?“

Growing up with this kind of expectation, it can easily turn from “A Barbie!” to “A purple bicycle!” to “A white iPhone!” – with the list becoming more exclusive and expensive by the year.

In some ways, it is good training for kids to demand and be more assertive with what they want.

But good training or not, my kids are not asked what they wanted and they were happy with whatever they received – stationery, t-shirts, books, hair accessories and etc.

And they mostly enjoyed being with the whole family and that is what Christmas should be about.

House vs Handbag

Posted by Jewelle Tan on December 30, 2011 None comments

Chatting with a friend about the newly opened Coach store at Suria Sabah, I was speechless for a while when she said that she prefers “buying property”.

Now this is a woman who has her priorities right.

She lives in her own home, her financial plan sounds solid with savings and insurance (wholesale life insurance, investment-linked insurance and etc) and she dresses simply.

This is the kind of person I like to be around with.

It is nice to chat about the latest fashion, to know the best deal for exclusive goods and to discuss about how to be the most stylish – and envy of all.

But it is also good to be able to share and learn about things that will last beyond the various fashion seasons. Knowledge that will enable us to indulge in a little fashionable items once in a while – if we so wish – without compromising our finance.

Because “I have a house” sounds so much better than “I have a add-French/Italian/American-brand handbag” any time.

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