Author: Terence Seah

I am sitting now on an Air India flight to New Delhi.  This is an early morning flight, and after a short breakfast, I could see everyone around me sleeping, wrapped around a warm blanket. Zzzz.

Well, I cannot sleep, so my mind wonders. I think about the many friends and members whom I have met in the SilverHairsClub over the last 11 years. And I went further, pondering where we will be in the next 11 years.

Winding back quickly, I remembered how hard it was to get to find a few good friends to spend time together when we retire.  At that time, I was living and working in Thailand.  I then decided to move to Singapore but at that time, the financial markets crashed, and economic scenarios changed.  And from then, many Singaporeans over 45 lost their jobs. Full time employment was a thing of the past, and today, term employment contracts are common. But I was determined to bring SilverHairs together.  A wish till today.  And that’s how SilverHairsClub started.

A. In 2005, I took up advertisements in various media, and here’s my experiences and adventures starting the Club. One lady who today is very active in SHC met up with me.  I forgot whether she called me or I called her. But I met her over a coffee. During the chat or rather the interview, she questioned me on why I am starting a SilverHairsClub. She had doubts, not about the club but about the person who is starting a Club for seniors.  Her son must have warned her mum about getting involved with men or unfamiliar organisations. But I also remembered her saying her son did say, “go out mum”. I have to admit I had difficulty explaining the objectives of SHC. Yet, I decided to preservere, and make effort to build SHC as a platform for SilverHairs to come together and meet new and more friends.

B.  The Club grew quickly, and within a year, we had our 1st Dinner and Dance. A surprise indeed.  To continue…

Terence Seah

A few of us have been toying with the idea of going to Ho Chi Minh City, free & easy.  In particular, SS James, Andrew and myself.

HCMC has many exciting attractions. The food is varied; especially street food. Beef noodles are every where. It’s most famous market is the Banh Tanh market.  The cars and motorcycles just don’t seem to hit you, even if you were to cross a 3-lane road blindfolded. Beer is about one dollar a bottle.

For those in the know, HCMC is famous for its cafe.  The ladies are somehow always slim, 28 inch waist.  With Grab bike, one can travel inside narrow lanes and markets.  And the day starts early for the Vietnamese.  And ends late too.

End Nov is cooler, and the weather likely to stay dry.

We can all meet in HCMC. We can have our own mini flexible itinery.  A private massage.  The dates have not been decided but it does not matter. We meet there.

For those who have been there, please recommend the hotel you have stayed before. Maybe near the famous market or Riverside.

Interested, let us know. I think it will be fun.  You can bring anybody along.

Terence Seah

It has come to my attention that some members of the Club are offering investment schemes to fellow members.  These members attend Club events and try to convince fellow members the benefits and rewards from investing in these schemes.

I am also aware that these members have misrepresented themselves as founding members of SilverHairsClub. SHC has been around for the last 11 years and founding members are well documented in the Club history.

This post serves to inform fellow members and those who are offering investment schemes that SHC does not allow the selling of these services in Club gatherings.  

If it should come to my attention again that these members continue to sell investment products or schemes within Club activities, the member involved will be taken off the Club membership immediately.

Please do take note.  SHC will continue to serve as a platform for SilverHairs to meet and make new friends.

Terence Seah

A video cotribution by MegaA as a kickstart to “One night in JB”.

We had a Dinner and Dance at KSL resort, JB some months ago.  The feedback was generally good, and this time again, towards the year-end, we shall have another event in JB, over a Sat/Sun.

Feedback from members suggested that transport from Singapore to the event is an important consideration for many members.

Feedback from dancers suggested that the dance floor needs to be big enough and suitable for dancing.

We had good feedback on the food, the rooms and the event proper, although some fine tuning is required to make the event more fun and enjoyable.

Feedback also indicated we can consider a venue change.  Besides KSL, we may consider the Double Tree Hilton hotel.  We are now confirmed to use KSL hotel and resort again.

Again,”One night in JB” promises lots of dancing, singing, good food and good companionship. This time around, the Club will target 40 pax, with a possibility of up to 200 participants.  We shall leak out more details as we form the committee.

You are invited to contribute your ideas and suggestions. The date has not been set but it will be Nov or Dec 2016 be around mid 2017. Transport from Singapore will be provided from Singapore via the 2nd Link, though optional if you wish to drive yourself or go on your own via the causeway.

If you like to join the club committee for this event, plse WhatsApp me at 9489-4360.

Terence Seah

Our forum tech guys have looked at reviving live chat.  The old chat apps was too cumbersome.  Here’s a new one.  Tell us what are your travel plans, the when’s, the excitement, the dates, etc. Interested travellers can then come together, agree on a time, and chat here.  If you are free, say the date and time, and when everybody comes together, just talkcock.

You can use Talkcock anything on the right column.

Let’s see and have fun.  Please respect other members’ views and comments.

Terence Seah

I have been told by my software guys that a Whatsapp Button has been installed into our Forum for use by members who are EOs or ECs.

However, I dont see the Whatsapp Button, and these tech guys tell me that only when using the mobile, then one can see the Whatsapp Button.  I am also not sure how it works.  If you have a chance to try this out, please share what you see and maybe how these works.

Terence Seah

Many of us SilverHairs, now in our 50s and 60s, have been associated with Britain ever since we started our early education. We learn English, our laws are based on the English system, we go to London, Scotland for our holidays.Some of us send our kids to study in Manchester, Leeds and Glasgow.  In recent years, many SilverHairs have bought properties in Central London,  We saw the ups and downs of Britain; and many of us tracked the growth of the English empire, and its association with the European Union.

Yesterday, at noon, the shock came as Britains voted to exit the EU.  The financial markets tumbled, governments come out to stabilise their currencies and economies.  What’s next?  How will this BREXIT affect you?  What happens to your properties?  Your kid’s education? And how does this affect your business, your equities and your savings?

Let’s discuss and share your thoughts?  A turmoil few of us expect.

Terence Seah

We have gone to facebook as a revamp of our online fleamart. Many members have their own facebook.  If you have something to sell, rent, exchange or give away, go into silverhairsclub fleamart.  Advertise all you want.   Anything except MLM items.  Not for announcements of events, gatherings.

Have fun.

Terence Seah

Singaporeans now do not need visa to enter Myanmar. I am very happy with this news; so convenient to me now.

I am now planning to go to Yangon in July. with the new govt, open door policies and fast developments going on, this is a good time to see Yangon.

if you like to visit Yangon on a free & easy trip, you can join me. fly Sin/Ygn/Sin, stay in one of the 3 stars China town hotels, try Myanmese food and see Yangon before it becomes another modern Asean city.

Find your own room-mates, book your own flights, book your own hotels. we will meet one another there. No visa required.

Our PM Lee is in Yangon tomorrow.

let’s me know if you are interested to meet in Yangon.

Terence Seah

All of us are in the seniors group.  Some of us need to work, while others can manage through.  I thought that some of the current schemes are interesting and I would like to hear if you have other views or options besides putting retirees through training programmes.

The brighter side reports solar power companies and IT giants may be able to offer up to 30,000 jobs by 2020.  And the Career support program for PMETs retrenched.

Personally, I do not support retrenchment insurance.  We hear of the need for companies to be more creative and be the disruptor In recent years, new business models have disrupted existing ones and improved the lives of consumers.

This Post is intended to hear your views and hopefully some of your ideas will be picked up by fellow readers.  As I said, some of us need to work, others don’t.

Please do not finger point any person or political party or Govt body.  Stick strictly to ideas and suggestions.

Terence Seah

We have now almost completed our target of 80 pax for our D&D Cabaret Night 3 on 23 Apr 2016.

Hotel room bookings are now open.  Closing date and payment:  30 Mar 2016.  All bookings with KSL hotel will be handled by SS James who is our liaison man with KSL hotel.  Our corporate rates are:

Room category
OPTION 1: Superior (Double/twin) RM 258 Nett per room, per night (with 2 breakfast)

OPTION 2: Superior (Double/twin) RM 208 Nett per room per night (without breakfast)

* Room guests have free access to dinosaur water theme park.

* Members may stay in any other hotels of their choice. Members can also book through any other channels.

* If booking through SHC, payment will be in cash and in RM only.
Bookings and payments closed on 30 Mar 2016.

Booking confirmation:

1. SS James           6 + 1 rooms (all without breakfast)
2. Andrew Koh        1 room (without breakfast) (Paid deposit of SGD50)
3. Terence Seah     1 room (without breakfast)
4. Judy Lim             3+1  rooms (without breakfast) (Paid deposit of SGD200)
5. Ann Lim              2 rooms (without breakfast) (Paid deposit of SGD100)
6. Daniel Chan        1  room (without breakfast) (Paid deposit of SGD50) 
7. Rose White         1 room (without breakfast) (Paid deposit of SGD50)
8. Cecilia Lim          1 room (without breakfast) (Paid deposit of SGD50)
9. Lydia Chin           2 rooms (without breakfast) (Will pay in cash to Terence)
10. Bobby Bok          1 room (without breakfast) (Paid deposit of SGD50)
11. May Woo            2 rooms (without breakfast) (Paid deposit of SGD100)
12. .    23 rooms todate.

Please hurry to do your hotel rooms booking now.  If you are lookiing for a partner, please make your reqest here. A number of members will be staying 3 pax per room, altho the hotel will only provide for 2 pax only.

Entrance to Dinosaur theme water park is free, for hotel guest.

Terence Seah

Sam Goh has always been supporting and helping out at Charity homes in Johore Bahru.  The children comes from orphanage and handicap homes.

He has requested the Club to sponsor a table of 10 for these children to attend the early part of our Cabaret function.  The children will also be giving a performance during registration time. And they will also be joining us for dinner. But will leave our ballroom when dancing proper starts.  Sam will organise all the logistics to bring the children to and fro the homes.

SHC invites members to sponsor each child at SGD 50 each. Besides the dinner, we shall also give the children a gift.

Partaicipants as well as non-participants are invited to sponsor these children to our D&D.  We also look forward to their performance.  Thank you Sam for arranging this activity.

To kickstart the sponsorship for the handicap and disabled children, we have our first sponsor Peggy and Arther Yap.

Kindly register here.  An account will be set up, please let us have your transfer reference  Thank you,.

Registration list:

1. Peggy and Arthur Yap – 1 child, SGD 50. (paid)
2. Anonymous LY – 1 child, SGD 50 (paid)
3. Anonymous LB – 1 child, SGD 50 (paid)
4. Bobby Bok – 1 child, SGD 50 (Paid)
5. Charles Wee – 1 child, SGD 50 (Paid)
6. Yoon Chin – 1 child, SGD 50 (Paid)
7. Anonymous LB – 1 child, SGD 50 (Paid)
8. Holly Lim – 1 child, SGD 50 (Paid)
9. Frisna Tan – 1 child, SGD 50 (Paid)
10. Vander Straaten Angela – 1 child, SGD 50  (Paid)

Max sponsorship for 10 pax from the handicap and orphanage.  This sponsorship is now closed.  Thank you for your support.

Terence Seah

Cabaret Night 3 “The Last One Night” will have both dancing and singing. If you would like to sing during the night, plse register your name and the song title on this Post personally.

Guidelines:

1. Songs suitable for dancing, popular, in line with the theme, and from within the 60’s – 70’s period.
2. Can be in any language, in line with the theme.
3. Singers can be male, female or duet.
4. Time allocated for singing and dancing is 4-5 hours, subject to programming.
5. During to limited time, each singer is limited to one song, duet to two songs.

This song list is created.  To participate, simply register on this post personally with the song title, dialect/language. We will close the singing list on 31 Mar 2016.

Terence Seah/Judy Lim

Singing and song list:

1. Sally Tan
2. Judy Lim, song and music coordinator
3. .
4. This list closes on 31 March 2016.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkAr43nphKs&feature=youtu.be

For some of us, we had sad memories in our lives.  We tried to forget the good times and then the bad times, and then we remembered the good times again.  We tell ourselves life must go, and that we must try to forget the good and the sad memories. Many sad memories are painful and they are difficult to shake them off.

Songs bring back time, sorrows and hurt.  And to kick start “Cabaret 3  The Last One Night”, I like to dedicate this song to those who have been hurt and wish to move on with their lives.

Terence Seah

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92XuYiJXL20

Updates:

1. Date: Sat 23 Apr 2016
2. Venue:  Ballroom, KSL Hotel, Johore Bahru City
3. Recommended hotel:  KSL hotel IN 23 Apr OUT 24 April 2016. Members can stay at any hotel.  Corporate rate will be advised soon
4. Time:  6pm to midnight
5. Dinner:  Round table, seating, Chinese menu.  Halal dinner on request.
6. Price:  SGD 40 per pax (members only).  SGD 50 per pax (non-SHC members)
7. Price per dinner table of 10 pax:  10% discount, if registration on this post before 6 Mar 2016 1200 hrs.  There is a * against your name in the list.
8. Payment to:  POSB Current:  951-00428-6.  Please indicate your name, transaction reference, date and amount. Last day for payment:  31 Mar 2016.

Program:

1. Mainly a night of songs, singing and dancing.
2. Will be advised.

Committee:

1. EO:  Terence Seah
2. Hotel venue and F&B Liaison:  SS James
3. Song and music coordinator:  Judy Lim
4. Compere:  Sam Goh (Ah Huat)
5. Co-compere: Lily Ho
6. Welcome Registration desk: Lydia Chin
7. Mamasan:  Vacancy open.  Likely no mamasans for the night.
8. Gifts and sponsorships: Terence Seah/Andrew Koh

Dinner menu (subj to change by the hotel kitchen):

• Unity Combination of Five Varieties
• Sichuan Hot & Sour Soup with Fish Maw & Assorted Shredded Mushrooms
• Boneless Almond Chicken with Orange Sauce
• Steamed Sea Bass Hong Kong Style
• Sauteed Shrimp & Squid with Broccoli in Nest
• Braised Mushroon & Bean strip with Cabbage & Garlic
• Fried Spicy Rice with Dried Shrimp, Ham, Mushroom & Long Bean
• Chilled Longan with Sea Coconut or Chilled Sichuan Rolls

Registration List:

Table 1: (Table complete)

1. Yew Kwong *  DI
2. Judy Lim * (Paid)
3. Lily Ho * (Paid)
4. June Ho (Paid)
5. Sally Tan * (Paid)
6. Lydia Chin * (Paid $40)
7. Lydia Chin’s partner * (Paid $40)
8. Shirleen Kao * (Paid)
9. Andrew Koh * (Paid)
10. Sam Goh Ah Huat – Compere * (Paid)

Table 2: (Table complete)

1. SS James – Hotel and Venue liaison * (Paid)
2. Yee Chee Kong * (Paid)
3. Jennifer Wu * (Paid)
4. Gracie Gingko * (Paid)
5. Robert Ong * (Paid)
6. Molly Chua * (Paid)
7. Susan Chang * (Paid)
8. Charlie Teo * (Paid)
9. Cynthia Phua * (Paid)
10. Terence Seah – EO * (Paid)

Table 3: (Formed by James Tan) (Table complete)

1. Lee Kow Muay * (Paid)
2. Tan Lay Hue * (Paid)
3. Koh Yean Hong * (Paid)
4. Ang Gek Liang * (Paid)
5. Betty * (Paid)
6. Neo Ah Koon * (Paid)
7. Soi Ai Ling * (Paid)
8. Karen * (Paid)
9. Ng Soh Chye * (Paid)
10. Chan How Mui * (Paid)

Table 4: (Table complete)

1. Mega A * (Paid)
2. Jane Tan * (Paid)
3. Christine Poh SH * DI
4. Sue Chan * (Paid)
5. Wong Hong Jeng * (Paid)
6. Bobby Bok * (Paid)
7. Karen Lim*  (Paid)
8. John How *  Evon Lim (John How Paid – will be refunded) (Evon Lim Paid)
9. Dan Huang *Ng Meng Wai (Dan Huang Paid – will be refunded) (Ng Meng Wai Paid)
10. Stella Sheng (Paid $36…. should pay $40  ~ not early bird)…extra $4 paid 

Table 5:  (Table complete)

1. Ann Lim * (Paid)
2. Lilian Teo * (Paid)
3. Bessie Lam * (Paid)
4. Andrew Tan * (Paid)
5. Mary (Irene Wong’s friend) (Paid)
6. Doreen Ho * (Paid)
7. Rose White *(Paid)
8. Cecilia Lim (Paid)
9. Cecilia Lim’s friend (non-member) (Paid)
10. James (Irene Wong’s friend) (Paid)

Table 6: (Table complete)

1. James Tan * (Paid)
2. Susan Tan * (Paid)
3. Alex Woo (Paid)
4. May Woo (Paid)
5. Adeline Tan
6. Rina Tan (Paid)
7. Mike Tay (Paid)
8. Kent Chan (Paid)
9. Joe Choo (Paid)
10. Veronique Lee (Paid)
11. Daniel Chan* (Paid $40)

Table 7: (special sponsored guests from the Homes)

1. – 10 Altogether 10 pax.

Table 8: (Table complete)

1. Ben Teo          Barbara Ong (Paid)
2. Bart Teo          Karen Phoo (Paid)
3. Henry Lum (Paid)
4. Anna Chai (Paid)
5. Janie Leong (Paid)
6. Janie Leong’s partner (Paid)
7. Irene Wong (Paid)
8. Irene Wong’s partner (Wilbur) (Paid)   
9. Maria Oh (Paid)
10. Corrine Pereira (Paid)

Reserved List:

1. Evon Lim
2. Ng Meng Wei
3. Barbara Ong (Paid)   (see table 8)
4. Karen Phoo (for  table 5 if approved)   (see table 8 – table 5 is full)

• For members who are looking for groups or share in transport arrangements, do join the Whatsapp group “Going to KSL on 23 Apr”.  You can also look for room partners on this group.  Whatsapp 9489-4360.
• All early birds have a * besides the name.  You are entitled to a 10% discount off the D&D ticket.  Last day for payment – 31 Mar 2016.
• All later birds ticket price is SGD 40 per pax.
• 8 tables completely filled

Many of us keep pictures of our school days.  Some of us still remember our classmates or schoolmates.  You may still have these pictures in your storeroom,  bedroom or on a shelf in your living room.  Perhaps, if we look at these pictures again, we may not be able to recognise our own faces.  “It cannot be me, I cannot be that skinny”, or “I was the most handsome boy or pretty girl in class”.

If we show our old school pictures around, this may even help us to find old friends whom we have lost touch.  As we get older, our memories go back to our school days, our primary or kindergarden days.  Maybe, during our school days, we went to a waterfall with some boyfriends; and all we have left is a picture, no boy.  Or we went to a disco with a few girls, and then, we lost touch with them forever.  What about ourselves?  Do you still have your old school dates pictures?

Let’s have a competition.  Send in one of your old photos.Take the picture with your mobile camera, as high resolution as possible. Then whatsapp it to +65 9489-4360 or email it to admin@SilverHairsClub.com.  You can also whatsapp or email your entry to any senior SHC member who will insert your entry picture and name in the comments of this Post.

We shall then enter you into a competition by inserting your picture as a comment on this Post.  We shall then see if any member can recognise you.

** You will win a prize if no member can recognise you.

** The member who can recognise the most number of pictures correctly will also win a prize.  The owner of the picture will decide if you have correctly recognise his/her face in the picture.

The prize is the latest design of the SilverHairsClub T-shirt.  Winners will get to choose the size S, M or L.  Closing date has not been decided; but you may start sending in your entries now.

The objective of this competition is to encourage members to get to know one another better and also to know other members.  In the spirit of friendship and fun.

Terence Seah

   On behalf of SilverHairsClub, I like to take this occasion to wish all members and families a healthy and happy Monkey Lunar New Year.  It would be nice to see how playful we can get as we enjoy our SilverHairs years.

And if you have not been active for some time, do take this opportunity to wish fellow members our seasons greetings.  We want to know from you.

If you are travelling on holidays, do remember us too.

Happy seasons.

Terence Seah

 Dear fellow SHC members,

It would be nice if we can gather together for a CNY lunch, sometime during this festive period.  Years ago, we went to this Red House at Chin Swee Road.  I am not sure if this place is still around.  We could have a dim-sum lunch.

I am definitely game, as I will be around during this CNY period.  I am not too familiar with many places, but if you know of a restaurant that can take, maybe one or two tables, let’s gather together to enjoy the season.  I guess we have to be fast, as the monkey year is here, and restaurants are being booked up fast.

Even, if one table, and we can book the table, it would be fine. Let’s find a place that is nice, and we can chat.  Maybe at a price tag of less than $30 per pax.

Well, we have found and confirm the place.

1 Restaurant: LingZhi Vegetarian, a Tunglok restaurant.

2. Place: Novena Square, Velocity, #03-09/10, 3rd floor

3. Date/time: Sun 21 Feb 2016 / 1500-1700 hrs

3. Food: New Year Hi-tea buffet

4. Cost per person: $25 per person, including Chinese tea. Any surplus will go into buying Monkey toto or Big sweep.

3. To participate, please pay $35 $25 into an account which will be provided soon. Payment:  POSB Current:  951-00428-6. Payment confirms your participation. If you cannot come, you can replace your seat with another SilverHairsClub member. No refund for not turning up.

Once you make payment, plse inform here on this post, with the transaction reference number.

You may also register first on this list, but only payment can confirm your attendance. Limited seats, please be quick.

Terence Seah

Registration and payment list:

1. Terence Seah (Paid)
2. Mary Chan (Paid)
3. Philip Chia
4. and Jian Li
5. Magdalene Phey (Paid)
6. Gabriella Chua (Paid)
7. Charles Wee (Paid)
8. Alan Ang  (Paid)
9. Richard Kwok
10. Andrew Koh (Paid)
11. SSJames (Paid)
12. Susan S W Tan (Paid)
13. Jane Ong (Paid)
14. Judy Lim (Paid)
15. Jimmy Tsin (Paid)
16. Dan Huang
17. Mega (Paid)
18. Leow Soon Huat (Paid)
19. Dona Ching (Paid)
20. Friend (MH)(special approval from fairy godma).. Will pay to Terence on day of high tea (Paid)
21. Steven Yuen (Paid)
22. Eleanor Chan
23. Catherine Koh
24. Joy Chuang

Dear Fellow members,

Last two years, I have not been able to spend enough time with SHC, mainly because I dont have enough time.  As such, not much has been going and we dont have enough activities to keep our club active.

Many members have gone into private groups, and we have lost the cohesion of the club as a whole.  Unfortunately, I dont see myself spending more time; infact, I expect to reduce my time in Singapore.

Would you like to take the lead and give SHC a change?  Ilook forward to hearing from you.

Terence Seah

On behalf of the SilverHairsClub, I like to wish everybody a Merry Christmas and a Happy New year. As we are all getting more senior, it is a good time to enjoy ourselves.

I hope you will make more new friends, so that you will have good company when you are older and need friends to chat and go out with.

Merry Christmas.  A good time to hear your greetings too.

Terence Seah

      Nowadays, it is difficult to get desktop calendars and book diaries. Especially when companies reduce their promotions budgets.  I put all my appointments in my Blackberry and it has worked well for me for the last 20 years.

However, some of us still need a desktop calendar, book diaries and also small diaries to carry around each day.  If you have spare, do not throw them away or keep them in a corner.  Give them away.

Use this post to give them away or use this post to ask for a calendar or diary which you need.  Maybe you can meet one another during Dec.  This is a good way to know one another better.

Terence Seah

Help me see where I went wrong.

I have always marvelled at the Blackberry mobile phone, having used it for more than 10 years.  3 days ago, I decided to upgrade the mobile device software to the latest.  I could not because there was not enough space on the Blackberry.  So, I went to my PC, downloaded and upgraded my mobile phone.  It worked well.  And I thought it was safe, I decided to do a backup of my Blackberry. This went well and I had a successful backup in the cloud.

A day later, I thought why not I upgrade my PC from Windows 7 to Windows 10.  So, I did, and why not, Windows 10 was free.  Again successful, although I had to get used to it.

The trouble has just begun.  Itchy as I am always, I decided to restore my Blackberry backup. A whole host of nightmare starated to surface.  I could not restore my contacts.  Nothing else could do the job.  After numberous hours, I decided to go back to Windows 7.  This was difficult, although I need to hunt for the button to revert to Windows 7.  Finally, my PC could talk to the Blackberry.  But, still cannot restore any of my contacts which are still on the PC.

My Blackberry now does not have the contacts of all SilverHairsClub members.  So, when an email, whatsapp or telephone comes in, I cannot recognise the name of the sender.

I am now pissed with my Blackberry; can look at it, can touch it but cannot use it.

Terence Seah