A conversation with Kai

Kai walks into our bedroom, while I was getting myself ready to go to work.

Kai:  Daddy, what doing??

Me:  I’m getting ready to go to work.

Kai (sounding like he fully understood):  Auh……

Kai walks to a corner of the room, picks up a tiny semi-circle piece of paper.

Kai:  Look! A small house!

Me:  ok…

Kai:  Daddy, I want to eat shum-thing…

He’s going to grow up to be a great communicator!  :)

A sudden decision…

A brave decision or a silly decision?

I’ve resigned from my current position. That is not a surprise to many, not even to my managers. The surprising thing is that I’m not resigning to go to another job. I’m just resigning.

There are many reasons, compounded…

It has been a long, tough 5 months…

I have not been fair to family & church…

It has been very harsh on Laine…

I have thought of doing this a few times, but never summoned enough courage to even discuss with Laine. Not because of anything else, but for fear of the unknown, of the uncertain, of the RISKS…

After the decision was made and delivered, the relief I felt was unlike any other lifting of burden I’ve felt before. It was… liberating! That day, I came home from work a happy person again… after so many months.

What lies before me, I can’t see. Maybe a brave decision or a silly one, but I know it’s the right one.

We as a family wait upon the Lord for what He has installed for me. Pray for us, if you would.

Bohemian Rhapsody – Muppets!

Here’s one for a bit of fun…

Did you know…

So, what does it all mean?

Information may lead to knowledge, but not wisdom.

“For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding”  Proverbs 2:6

Thinking about politics…

It’s time to deal with a bigger, “not me” issue out there – politics!

I have been a keen observer of Australian politics for the last 2-3 years. On top of that I have been trying to keep abreast with world current affairs, all the big summits, conference going on around the world. It has been a really interesting exercise. And I can understand now why people can earn a more-than-decent living out of commentating on politics.

The biggest problem I have with politics is the political process itself. It can be so interesting & intriguing, but oh so frustrating, so irritating, so… arrggh!

In Australian politics, the elected members of parliament of the party in opposition will spend their time beating up the party in power. They criticise and howl at government policies, while at the same time offering precious little in the form of reasonable, workable, properly thought-out & costed alternative policies. They can say what they want, and at the end of the day, they can dust their sandals and say “well, you’re the one in power, so it’s your problem”. And, apparently, it’s their right & mandate to ‘keep the government honest’ this way!

On the other hand, the government ministers (obviously, of the party in power) spend their time gloating at their defeated rivals. They sneer at the policies that were “shot down” by the Australian public, they blame the deficiencies & issues on “years of neglect” by the preceding government (which is in opposition now). Public policies, rolled out for the people, are trumpeted far and wide, squeezing out every single ounce of political mileage for the “good of the party”. And, the people can’t really complain, because they have voted the government in.

I suppose that is the problem with democracy.

Sure, democracy (at its best) is the most reasonable method of populace governance. The people (each with equal voting rights) cast their ballots to elect a group of representatives to form a popular government, which in turn is responsible for the public good. The government is tasked with protecting the rights of the nation, diplomatically, fiscally and militarily. The government also provides essential goods & services that a free market economy is unable to provide at a price where most of the population will be able to afford without stress. And, for those who are disadvantaged (physically, socially, economically), the government supports them unto a decent standard of living. In contrast, absolute monarchy & dictatorship (not that they are similar in deeds or results) invests tremendous power in the hands of very few, with the populace effectively at the mercy of those in power, with little or no ability to undertake remedial action.

To me, the problem with democracy is the very fact that democracy is not really workable in its purest sense. After years of political evolution, most people seeking to represent the populace have grouped themselves into parties, sharing some political values, having similar (but not exact) sentiments to different forms of social justice. These parties have grown big and powerful, with some “power-brokers” able to wield influence on individuals within the party, and those seeking to represent the populace are faced with “toe the party line, or else…”. In the process of elections, the powerful parties (corporate entities, not individual consciences) would trump their policies to entice votes. Many policies are obviously well-thought out, but once in power, the political party could potentially (and frequently, would) tweak their promised election policies to achieve more immediate wins, while sacrificing true long-term benefits for the nation. This is probably justifiable, in the sense that the party would need to keep the populace happy, so they can have a second, third or more term to implement far-reaching policies. But, it seems to me that political parties are overwhelmingly more concerned with their own triumph than the real needs of the nation.

There is not really a perfect answer for popular governance. After millennia of civilisation, where monarchy was the rule for an overwhelming majority of that time, we still have not found the perfect form of governance, and we probably would have to settle for the current form of democracy for a while yet.

And, with the prevailing thoughts of political science favouring democracy, countries around the world feel that they have the rights to urge so-called “rogue” countries to move to democracy, via diplomatic missions, sanctions, and (at times) military force. So, it seems, we have interesting situations where the ways of a rogue are used to enforce a more genteel regime.

After considering the above, one can appreciate why politics, as a subject of conversation, is so unpalatable to some (or most?). But, I believe one should always maintain a level of general interest on this topic, for it does affect our lives.

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone — for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.   1 Tim 2:1-2 (NIV)

The October List

Wine-wise, October was as above-average month for me, perhaps because parents-in-law visited, and we had some nice group dinners that called for good drops.

• Philip Shaw ‘No 8′ Pinot Noir 2006 (Orange, NSW)
• Wirra Wirra ‘Church Block’ 2007 (McLaren Vale)
• Yalumba ‘The Scribbler’ 2007 (Barossa Valley)
• Hahndorf Hill Winery Shiraz 2005 (Adelaide Hills)
• Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc 2008 (Marlborough, NZ)

October's Wine List

And, Coriole ‘The Old Barn’ Shiraz Cabernet 2006 (McLaren Vale) – not pictured – they took away the empty at the restaurant without me noticing…

The standout for quality was ‘The Old Barn’. I double-decanted it 1+ hours before leaving for mum-in-law’s birthday dinner @ Gusto Ristorante, then allowed it to sit for another 1/2 hours in a decanter there before drinking. By the time the wine hit our lips, it was singing. Beautiful aromas, and on the palate, rounded with nice silky tannins carrying the burst of berries. Well balanced, nicely structured, and a good, long finish. Wonderful example of great estate-grown fruit.

The standout for consistency was the ‘Church Block’. I’ve had this Wirra Wirra winner many times, and each time I thoroughly enjoyed this well-crafted red blend. Great value for money too at only $16 (6-pack price) @ Dan Murphys.

Also learned (from forums) how to extend the no. of days to enjoy a bottle of wine – when first opened, pour ~1/2 of contents into a clean 375ml bottle, right to the brim, then apply cap (or whatever stopper). The half-bottle will keep for a while more. Good stuff!  :)

Kai’s 4 surprises

4 recent things (in alphabetical order) Kai did/say that made me go “wha?!”

1.  ”BROCCOLI” – we were out at TTP shopping centre, and I asked him what he wanted to eat for lunch…

2.  BROWN RICE – when given the choice to have plain jasmine rice or brown rice, guess what he chose…

3.  MEDICINE - sometimes when we open the fridge, he sees Difflam (for kids) and requests: “I want medicine…”

4.  PRAYING - one night as I concluded our short praying time with “in Jesus’ name”, Kai started to cry and protest… after some coaxing and probing, I realised it was because I missed out this (usual) line in the prayer: “dear God, please help Kaikai not to feel itchy-itchy tonight”…

Maybe I should submit some of these things to Readers’ Digest… might get some financial returns!  Hehehee…

Wine Romance

Here are 2 reasons why I spend time on the internet reading about wines…

• Halliday’s Last O’Shea (by Campbell Mattinson)
• Kami no Shizuku (Japanese manga by Tadashi Agi)

The 1st is a beautifully written article revolving around the romance of drinking an iconic Australian red wine, a tribute to an Australian wine icon, involving some of Australia’s best known wine identities. When I finished reading that article, I found myself longing to be there savouring that exact moment brilliantly brought out by the author, and yet at the same time, felt as if I had actually tasted of that experience.

The 2nd is a cult-hit Japanese manga, apparently singly responsible for boosting the overall sales of wine in Korea, and bringing much attention to certain French chateaux wines. I love how the writers express the beauty of wines in a romantic fashion that only Japanese manga can. The storyline is intriguing, and serves to introduce wine to the “unconverted”. I’ve been reading “scanlations” this manga on MangaFox.com…

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These are 4 wines I’ve enjoyed in the past month:

MonRedon & Coriole

Mon-Redon Cotes du Rhone 2006 – I think this was opened when we had stew for dinner, not a bad match. Very approachable, even when just drinking it in with fresh bread rolls. There’s something complex, and yet uncomplicated and direct in presentation. I like this.

Coriole Racked Semillon 2006 – A dessert style wine, achieved by leaving Semillon bunches on racks to dry out so as to achieve high concentrations of sugar. It drinks beautifully, whiffs of flowers in bloom, and tastes of luscious fruits like lychee and longans. Should have bought more of this…

Schild & Mt Surmon

Mt Surmon Wines ‘Sweet Peri’ 2006 – Made from Pinot Gris grapes, partly fermented for a sweetish wine. Mt Surmon is in the Clare Valley, just north of Clare town. Their wines are beautiful, and are only available from cellar door. ‘Sweet Peri’ is very enjoyable by itself, and I think would go well with a fresh Thai salad or any lightly spicy Asian food.

Schild Estate Barossa Shiraz 2006 –  Not your typical brutish, bang! in your face Barossa Shiraz. Although 14.5% alcohol, it’s not warm or over the top. The good-tasting fruit is in the fore, and overall an enjoyable wine for any home-cooked steak dinners.

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More… more… I want more…