Learning by Trial and Error!

I had not attended any commercial computer class. By that I mean the one where you have to pay money to learn. Perhaps it is my phobia of fierce and impatient teachers that inhibit me from signing up for classes in subjects which I know I am very slow and will take a long time to learn.

Memories of my fierce home economics teacher, Mrs. Lian, still remain etched in my brain cells. I had also once registered for a beginner's Japanese class, but hardly had time to study. My teacher was very impatient and often scowled. She was also quite sarcastic. For some strange reasons I find Japanese and Cantonese very difficult, while other languages/dialects hardly pose any problem.

My first exposure to the computer was when I was teaching at River Valley High. Teachers had to learn how to key in marks into the computer. Fortunately our colleague, Mr. Ch'ng Heng Guan, was very patient. I learnt enough of computer for the sake of my school work. Afer that when I ceased teaching, I never touched the computer again, and even the computer bought from my tenant, was left to die a slow death by gathering dust, hairs, and whatever was in the air!

Now I can't do without the computer! If I had to choose between a car and a computer, I would still choose the computer. Many people had taught me the computer. This is also the reason why I take in tenants so that they can teach me and help me when I am stuck with a problem.

I was so happy when I saw that I had arrived at the lovely number of 1005 artciles in my blog, The Oriental Express. My tenants, Jasmin and Avinesh, told me my computer had virus and hence this is why I could not see the posted pictures in my blog or hear music! I was shocked when I saw that there were only 997 articles in my blog instead of the 1005! What had happened? Have the virus "eaten up" my articles? Then I realise that even drafts in my blog had been accounted for so that when I deleted some of the drafts, the number of published articles reduced in number. Pride before the fall!

I sometimes managed to arrive at doing something successfully with my computer, albeit the longer and slower way. There are still so many more things to learn.....like putting more photos than the usual four in each blog, and making my template look more attractive. I saw the lovely template in my friend's Jeanelle Tan's blog. She even had photos of her unborn baby in her blog and readers could see images of the movement of the baby! Wow!

I am grateful that my client, Mr. K. Foo, had kindly offered to teach me how to go into the URA website to look for caveats lodged. I am meeting him in a few hours' time at Startbucks Cafe.

What a blessing to have helpful friends and associates around us!

Gan Chau