Keep the Fun in the SG Funpack!

Hosay News!! As part of our Golden Jubilee Year celebrations, every Singaporean and PR household will get an SG Funpack each!! 

 

What's so special about the Funpack this year? Would Singaporeans be keen to get their hands on one?

 

 

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Here are 5 reasons why we believe they will:

1) Cool & Retro Bag Designs

 

Step aside Muji, Rubi and Cotton-On! Here comes the SG Funpack tote!

There are 50 different original designs drawn by 50 Singaporeans. Uniquely Singapore designs you won't see anywhere else, cool hor?

 

 

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2)  Invasion of the old school games

 

Sick and tired of seeing your kids holding on to their iPads and iPhones all day?

Time to relive your childhood and share with your kids the stuff you play back in your school days! Take this opportunity for a great family bonding time and who knows, your kids might get addicted to games like Snap Cards, Pick-up sticks and "Rubbers" !

 

3) Start your own Singa collection

 

No need brave long queues at McDonalds to get your hands on the cute courtesy mascot – Singa the Courtesy Lion. You will find him in the pack!

 

If you didn’t get the your favourite character, you can choose to either:

 

a) Convince your neighbours or friends to exchange with you

b) Purchase one at The Kindness Gallery located at 

140 Hill Street #01-09 Singapore 179369. 

All sales proceeds go to the Singapore Kindness Movement’s Seed Kindness Fund. 

All for a good cause ya!

 

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4) Have your own mini NDP celebrations!

 

Unable to get NDP tickets for this year? Bring along your SG Fun Pack and join in the fun at community celebrations at your neighbourhood lah! Or you can wave your balloon light sticks and sing along National Day Songs while watching live screening of the NDP with fellow neighbours.  Confirm there will be such events, so you are definitely not left out of the excitement!  

 

It's a BIG difference watching it at home, and watching with a group of people. The more the merrier! Like soccer matches :) 

 

 

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5) Receive a funpack specially packed by fellow Singaporeans

 

Under this initiative that allows Singaporeans to pack a funpack for a fellow Singaporean, yours might be packed by packers from Voluntary Welfare Organisations (VWOs) such as the Association for Persons with Special Needs, Down Syndrome Association, Movement for the Intellectually Disabled of Singapore or Singapore Association for Mental Health. 

 

The Funpacks prepared through this “A Funpack from Me to You” project will include a card with a message from the packer. You can extend your appreciation with a simple message which can be sent to the packer through the organisation they are from! So remember to keep a look out for the card ya :)

 

But.....Where to collect the Funpack??

Reports say that Grassroots Organisations from the People’s Association would be assisting in the distribution and ensuring that every Singaporean/PR household would get their funpacks. Seniors who live alone and people who have mobility challenges will have their funpacks delivered to them. No one is left out :)

 

Keep a lookout in your letterbox for a letter from your respective Grassroots Organisations (GROs) on how you can collect your funpack. Lost the postcard that was sent earlier? Fret not, you can simply bring along the GRO’s notification letter to collect. Don't say I never share ya!

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All set to celebrate National Day?

 

Not every year each household get a Funpack leh, so let's all come together to celebrate our nation's 50th birthday as proud Singaporeans ya :) 

 

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People who have less, give more

Some people who have less, give more

Sometimes, I feel that people who have less, give more.

Do they have a sharper sensitivity to need, and to people who could use that extra helping hand?

Do we give because it feels good and natural to give?

Are these people more attuned to other people’s body language? Is it really true that as people attain higher status, their ability to take others’ perspectives diminishes? Does it become this way as you depend on others less?

Do we give because we feel more fulfilled when we give? Do we give because it gives us that little bit more control and freedom in our lives?

 

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What about us?

We always have ranges of opinion, and there has been much talk about foreigners in Singapore – some appreciate them for literally building Singapore, some are neutral towards them, and some just do not like them, for one reason or another.

Have a little thought about how lucky we are and how these foreign workers have contributed to our lives.  Here are some heart-warming stories, to remind us there is plenty of good in this world, and that as we complain about how they are over-populating our city, they relentlessly give their best to us, and more.

Good Job #1 - Foreign worker who didn’t hit and run

A Mr Tony Wee wrote a letter to Straits Times, sharing that he discovered his car had been hit by another vehicle the night before. The foreign worker, who was driving the company’s van, not only stayed to leave a note with his contact number; but returned to leave a second note, for fear the first would get destroyed in the rain. Mr Wee is also another kind soul – in light of the worker’s honesty, he would be paying for his own repairs lest the worker would have to pay out of his own pocket. Now, who says Singaporeans are not kind!!!

Imagine getting this note instead. Source

Good Job #2 - Most Popular: Mr Spidey

These foreign workers Mr Shanmuganathan (sounds like Minister Shanmugaratnam hor) and Mr Muthukumar were not only young brawny men – they had their wits, hearts, and brawns about them.

Much has been said about this heroic act, in which Mr S. and Mr M. both climbed up to a second floor unit to save little three-year-old Auni, but it still touches our hearts nonetheless.

With no hesitation, up he went. Source

 Good Job #3 - I pay it forward the way I know best

DIY Gifts are the the best, just cos they are made with time, effort and love. 

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Couple Mr Priveen Raj and his wife found a surprise gift from one of the contractors who had worked on their building project at their new flat. Mr Priveen and his wife had given food and drinks to the latter and his friends previously; and to show his appreciation, Mr Raj Kumar made a beautiful shoe rack out of recycled wood. What a lovely gift.

Mr Raj told Mr Priveen that few in Singapore even talk to the workers, much less show them kindness. Local paper The New Paper also shared that Mr Priveen would be holding a post-Deevapali dinner for these workers, to let them know they aren’t alone. A good way of paying things forward.

Good Job #4 - No creature is smaller than me 

A pitiful meow attracted the attention of Yvonne Hairstyles when she was on her way home.  A little kitty was stuck in a drain filled with gushing water, with no one around to help. Three men agreed to the rescue mission, even deftly climbing into the drain to save the little kitty. Yvonne caught this heroic act on video, one which showed three great man with big hearts, treating a smaller creature with more love they sometimes receive. 

Question is: Would we have done the same? Source

Cum Again?

HSB saw this photo floating around online recently, which had many folks talking at lengths about it.

Lots of excitement and chatter on the use of the word “cum”. Now, who says that guys are only obsessed with Singaporeans are not creative?

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But is the word choice really wrong?  A quick check online seems to reveal otherwise.

Cum:

1. Used between two nouns to designate an object of a combined nature  [Latin: with, together with, along with]  source
2. A vulgar slang word for the liquid that comes out of the male privates* [*Sanitised for under age readers] source

From the reaction towards the banner, we guess that most people are used to the second definition. In fact, it’s so widespread that we have come to accept it, even if it’s vastly different from its original intent.

Cum is just one of the many words that had gain a new meaning over time. Below are some other examples that HSB thought of.  Just like superheroes, there are many words which have *gasp* “alter-egos” in them:

1)      Incredible

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How we usually use it: Amazing, extraordinary – “I had the most incredible day ever! Best day of my life”

What it originally / also mean: Not credible, unbelievable

‘Incredible’ started its meaning as not credible when it entered English in the early 1400s. These days, people began using them loosely and in a more positive form. 

2)      Terrific 

How we usually use it: extremely good; excellent – “That was a terrific goal scored by Singapore!”

What it originally / also mean: Causing terror, terrifying, terrible, frightful

The word started out with the meaning of terror-inducing. But it took a different turn during the 19^th/ 20^th century and ended up meaning really great.

3)      Gay

How we usually use it: (of a person, especially a man) homosexual – “Have you heard? John is gay sia!”

What it originally / also mean: Light-hearted and carefree; bright and showy

Gay meaning ‘homosexual’ became established in the 1960s as the term preferred by homosexual men to describe themselves. So vastly different from its original meaning…?

4)      Awesome

How we usually use it. Something that's  very impressive - "This Char Kway Teow is awesome la!"

What it originally / also mean: Inducing awe; inspiring an overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, or fear.

We probably feared for our cholesterol.

5)      Factoid

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How we usually use it: A brief interesting fact / shorten summary of the facts

What it originally / also mean: The suffix –“oid” usually means resembling, but not really the real deal. E.g. humanoid, planetoid etc.

So technically, a factoid should be something that resembles a fact, but is not a fact…

So was the choice of word used in the banner wrong?

Inappropriate perhaps, in today’s context, but not if we consider what were their original meaning.  

A slang word becomes standard; standard word takes on a slang meaning. That’s what makes the English language so incredible, terrific and awesome to begin with, right? :)

Multi-coloured Facets of A Little Red Dot

Sit alongside my bak kut the eating friends, while I savour my Nasi Padang from the stall run by the jovial Malay makcik. Celebrate Chinese New Year, Deepavali and Christmas in the homes of my kakis, and inviting them over to mine during Hari Raya. Witness an Indian uncle and a Chinese uncle “lim kopi” at the coffee shop downstairs and having an exchange in fluent Malay.

Uniquely Singaporean? Yes.

Proudly Singaporean? Heck, Yes! 

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Often, we take for granted this thing called “racial and religious harmony” that we enjoy. We routinely say “regardless of race, language and religion” – without fully comprehending how precious that statement is. I bet like myself, many of you will not remember the turmoil that ensued following the 1960s racial riots, cos we didn’t have to live through it. To have to live in fear of your neighbors, of your fellow Singaporeans is simply unthinkable of today. 

At the recent 66^th anniversary dinner of the Inter-Religious Organisation, PM Lee Hsien Loong said that it was “quite unrealistic” to assume that there should be “unfettered discussions or even criticisms and blasphemies on matters of race and religion”. PM Lee also said that “Singapore cannot afford to take its harmony for granted”.

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Bonding activities, such as those organised by the People’s Association and its grassroots and through education and activities in schools, national holidays to foster racial harmony and to bring people of various races, religions and backgrounds through their common interest played an integral role then. And I believe they will continue to play a major role in our society. Without this move, one wonders if we’ll still be as chummy as we are with one another today. Needless to say, these programmes have helped us understand better the norms and the quirks of those that are not of the same race/culture as us.

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I guess we can liken this “tolerance” that we have towards each other to paper – once crumpled, it can be straightened, but the creases caused by these “memories” will never be fully erased, no matter how hard we try. Now and again, it is good to remind ourselves to be mindful and tactful in our conversations and actions, both online and offline, while we enjoy and reap the benefits of a community that is racially and religiously harmonious. 

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Let’s all do our part in preserving the peace for ourselves and for many generations to come. We are colour blind and proud!