Random thoughts: The win, loss and the coaching

This is not a post about investment.

Is about volleyball, the CCA I am in charge of. This is my second year coaching, until today, I am still learning how to do better. 

I must first explained, coaching and playing are 2 different things. Having played since secondary till my uni days at competitive level means I have a rather good understanding of the game, but it only help so much. Coaching is like management, what u want to do with the sessions, how you organise the kids, what role they play, what strategy to use, and most importantly, how to get the basics right.

I caught myself yelling a lot at the kids. I wonder if I am too results conscious.

Today, we lost the "semi final", but I am rather happy. It was the best game the kids have played. The opponent is better with less mistakes. 

I feel more at ease knowing that I actually really just wanted them to reach their potential. 

It is sad to see them go, but as compare to last year, I have many in the junior squad waiting this year.

I have manage better.

Looking at how the top 2 teams play, have also given my ideas how to train. 

I will miss them, although they are not as close as last year batch. 

I am also glad that finally, things have come to an end. I believe is decent results to be in the national top 4 and top 8

The top 8 is already hard fought with a good draw of hands. Given the boys are not motivated and didn't really train hard last year. Guess boys like last minute work, this year they played like mad. It is results beyond my expectations le. If only... ... But life has no second chances

I am also glad that many of them who can't even serve a ball in Nov last year, can hold their nerve with the top 4 teams and play a game with good rally to and fro.

It is very tiring to spend mornings and recess practising service and the sorts. 

I felt like a stupid fool at times too. I just keep telling myself is for development, I am in the education line. 

May I continue to have the strength and passion and hone my craft. 

随心笔：原来爱

原来过多的疼爱，

对孩子造成的伤害，

比没有爱，还要大 。

认识一些没人疼，

或者少人疼，

或者没人管的孩子。

他们都有些怪癖，

脾气坏，不说话，

故意跟你对着干，

但是你关心他们，

他们知道。

什么都顺着孩子的父母，

功课可以不做，

学校可以不来，

因为孩子闹一下，

就肯定是忧郁了，

辛苦了。

孩子就会自我，

什么都要顺着他，

完全吃不起苦。

我希望我错了。

但是，往往这样下去，

孩子一事无成，手不能提笔，

肩不能扛包袱。

我希望我错了，但是几年来看到的，都是如此 。

家里无人，还是再婚数次，不管环境多糟。我都觉得他们又可爱的一面，让人心疼的一面。

是你们的孩子，我与他们的缘分很短。

你的业，你自己承担吧。

孩子无罪，大人无知。

真心疼孩子吧。

如果不能，就别管他吧。

别到行逆之，孩子变成你的爸。

爱的教育，变成了堕的实验。

随心笔：味道、仪式篇

味道篇

人生如味，酸甜苦辣咸。

所谓五味杂陈，多有贬义。

五位杂陈，才是圆满人生吧。

咖啡，就有苦，酸，甜。

味道过盛，对身体无益。

唯一例外，唯有苦涩。

然，我们都厌恶苦味。

身上散发的，都是酸味。

酸葡萄。

也许嘴上不说，你羡慕别人的还少了？

切莫让酸葡萄，变成了铜臭味。

五味，淡淡即可。

所谓甜丝丝，就是如此。

仪式篇

仪式很重要。

仪式，是一种提醒，让自己牢记，让别人莫忘。

祭奠仪式，就是莫忘祖先。

仪式，也是一种尊重，表示我们的重视。

毕业仪式，对那些勤奋学习，学有所成的学生表示重视，鼓励。

提醒其他人孜孜不倦地学习。

仪式，是一种提醒，一种重视，一种尊重。

莫忘了，仪式背后，提醒什么？重视什么？

莫要本末倒置了。

新年迎春，提醒什么？尊重什么？

谁的屋子布置华丽吗？

能吃上最美味奢华的大餐吗？

红包的行情很重要吗？

还是提醒我们破旧迎新，

记得布比受有福？

Surprises in 2022 at work, that i am thankful for

This post is perhaps 1 day late.

2022 has its ups and downs.

These are some surprises in work

1) Creating lessons that are fun, like "cooking" in class, and a Harry Potter escape room

2) Coaching a volleyball team. It is my good fortune this year to meet some of the most passionate players, who turns up without fail before 7 am in the morning to practise, and yet still clamor for more, doing it during recess. I obliged. It is hectic, tiring, and crazy, given i still have my teaching lessons and other duties.

Nonetheless, I will gladly do it again. 

When the NSG season is over, I am kind of sad to see them go. Most are P6 pupils who need to focus on preparing for their exams.

I am happy that most of the dilligent players all gotten DSA to schools of their choice. I told them they are good enough among their peers to apply for any schools, but they need to consider their academic competency too.

Till now, i remembered vividly how they are waiting for me during recess, sipping milo and waving frantically when i walk towards the court. What i didn't expect, is long after their competitions is over, so many of them still crowd around me to chat or simply to listen, when our lunch break coincided. Crowded by them as they simply sat around me is a 千金难买 feeling, especially when i feel 缘分已到尽头. During the holidays, they returned for training and helped me with training.

3) Unforgettable conversations. A parent whose child is not taught by me, (his boy with my team, i taught her elder daughter years ago) came to look for me, wanting to pass me some snacks from Overseas and thanking me for advice given when his son gotten his exam results.  She had wanted to meet another teacher to get some Certificate and i was playing volleyball with the old boys and girls. We ended up chattig for hours and she ordered Macdonald for the kids, when i said some of them didnt take lunch to play volleyball. We ended up having a picnic of sorts, chatting and eating.

One of my most quiet pupil in my graduating class actually told me a lot about her family and show me a lot of photos of her younger sister on the last day of school. I always said she is 冰山, as u can hardly get much response from her in class. She is not that cold afterall. Her mum texted me on the day of release of results, thanking me.

I was tasked to relief a new class after the year end exams. I am surprised that a pupil can earn 50k a year just by chatting to people on a platform with games. I am sure there are plenty of info she didnt tell me, and i told her my concerns about the job taking a nasty turn. Well, i am surprised with the amount of info she is willing to share with a "stranger". I heard enough to feel that she is street smart enough.

Well. I am thankful for these things at work. Happy 2023, have a great year at work too

Thakral, a gem under the rubble?

Note: vested interest

Never heard of it? Is a singapore listed company with distrubution and real estate business.

Maybe u should take a look too and tell me what u think?

Some interesting facts:

1) 7.5 +- yield, that is backed by it's dividend policy of 2 half yearly payout of 2 cents. It is broken only in 2020

2) The distribution business has turnaround and with China also opening up, the longer term trend makes tailwinds more than headwings.

3) Hit the jackpot with its 50-50 JV with Gemlife, which has been developing retiree homes for the above 50 in Australia for almost a decade. It is going from strength to strength, and there is failed attempt to merge living stone and Gemlife and to attract a new investor for a 1.billion stake. Although Thakral clarfied the australia news article price tag of 1billion is "indicative", and the deal has been called off, a comparison with its existing market capitalisation suggest a wide discrepancy.

4) Company did a partial offering in 2019 to raise its stake to 50.2 percent at low ball target, of 50. Cents, then just 11 percent prenium to then WAP.  It restarted shares buyback above 50 cents recently. It has not done any shares buyback in years

It is purely my speculation that the company might be privatised. But if is not, a 7.5 yield seem like a good deal to me, especially if the dividends never exceeded the company Net profits and is stated as a formal dividend policy. In short, the dividende seem sustainable.

Merry Christmas and Thakral you, i mean Thank you for reading.

Have a festive year end

随心笔：放松

想要放松一点，

就把一切不愉快的遭遇当渡劫，

让一切的失败和辜负被原谅。

Random thoughts: Thankful for a satisfying day

Yesterday was a great day! I am thankful for it.

For those who read Rolf H2F3 post, it was one of the days where I feel everything is falling in place

We celebrated my wife's birthday. We didn't really celebrate birthdays beyond a meal at home due to Covind. I spent quite some time planning for this. While my wife changed the plan quite a bit to fit her busy tuition schedule, I can see she is visible happy about the meal out, and the surprise gifts we got for her, which are not expensive. 

I also meet up with some secondary school friends for a game of volleyball, and I brought my son along. I could not recognise most of my seniors, but I nonetheless had a good 1 hour game. I could not play longer as I need to fetch my wife from work. 

What really makes me happy is I used to be very anxious when I played a game with the seniors. This time round, I simply said I would like to play the role of a "setter", even to strangers. There are mistakes made, but it doesn't bother me anymore and I could really enjoy the game as it is. What I have been telling my pupils in my CCA to do, I finally is able to do it myself. 

Even my son said he has the best game play ever and would really want to play more. 

Although there is not much catching up with friends, I am just contented to have re-connect with my secondary school friends, even if it is just short whatsapp messages.

The time spent thinking and planning for my wife birthday celebration is really worth it. I realise I have spent so much time planning for my pupils' study and I have not put in as much thoughts for my family. Will try to do so more often.