tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629209057489249999.post6298075522268599856..comments2024-03-25T21:22:49.845-04:00Comments on The Cockroach Catcher: Golf and HealthAm Ang Zhanghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07466386105122653445noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629209057489249999.post-23126241751732805482008-02-21T13:30:00.000-05:002008-02-21T13:30:00.000-05:00Thanks! I also saved the page with the recipe for ...Thanks! I also saved the page with the recipe for braised goose/duck.<BR/><BR/>Dick NgeeDick Ngeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10821135145485191625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629209057489249999.post-78695557834284350242008-02-21T00:21:00.000-05:002008-02-21T00:21:00.000-05:00Good for you with your piano playing. As it happ...Good for you with your piano playing. As it happens, one of the blogs I shall post touches on music and the brain. <BR/><BR/>I know the toy well. It is called the “yin” or foot shuttlecock.Am Ang Zhanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07466386105122653445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629209057489249999.post-30136663685395026052008-02-20T21:01:00.000-05:002008-02-20T21:01:00.000-05:00Is that the case? I didn't know it's about finer w...Is that the case? I didn't know it's about finer wrist movements... I'll quiz my hubby to see if he knows. <BR/><BR/>I didn't take violin lessons though I enjoy violin music. I am quite surprised that I have learned to play the piano 'cause repetitive actions drive me nuts. I must say that I didn't practice as much as I should have. Most of the time I put practice off till the day before the piano lesson. <BR/><BR/>I took a Royal School Grade 8 Examination some 30 years ago. I just made the passing mark. (My stomach hurt like crazy as soon as I finished.) My score on the play-by-sight piece saved the day. It may be interesting from the psychological perspective that I failed the scale portion as it was the first thing tested. On top of not having practiced enough (blame it on a family trip to England and France :)) I was a nervous wreck at the beginning. By the time I got through the required pieces (or by the time I finished torturing the examiner) I gathered that it was a done deal, that I probably failed the whole thing miserably. I remember telling myself that I couldn't do any worse than what I had already done. I was then able to relax and made a conscious choice to play the sight-playing piece at a tempo much slower than indicated and focused on the melody to make sure that it came through without sounding broken. I made up some notes with my left hand as I proceeded. Playing the piano at church seemed to have paid off as I had learned that no matter what happened I had to play the melody and finish the song! My score for the sight-playing piece was near perfect and put me right at the passing mark! I think the examiner also wanted to make sure that I didn't have the opportunity to torture him or other examiners in the future.<BR/><BR/>I learned the importance of being able to relax from that experience, which I believe contributes to better performance in art or in life. I also applied the lesson of "focusing on the melody" especially in the past few years, that I focused on how much Christ and family love me, the purpose of my life and my calling regardless of the crushing circumstances and my feelings in order to persist in "finishing the song." The latest "song" I finished playing was a degree program and by God's grace I graduated!<BR/><BR/>I don't know if I'll ever learn to acquire the fine wrist movements for playing golf. I'll be quite satisfied if I can get to play ping-pong in the near future. Looking forward to your blog on the game. By the way, do you know the name of the Chinese toy made of a bunch of feathers attached to a pile of newspaper (about half-an-inch thick, 2 inches in diameter and round in shape) to be bounced with the foot? I was pretty good at that when I was...hm... a kid.<BR/><BR/>Dick NgeeDick Ngeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10821135145485191625noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629209057489249999.post-48782478959875101672008-02-20T17:08:00.000-05:002008-02-20T17:08:00.000-05:00Thanks for your comment. Now you have given me an...Thanks for your comment. Now you have given me an idea for my next posting. I used to play Ping Pong and in my book "The Cockroach Catcher" there is a story of how the child psychiatrist used Ping Pong in one of his cases. It is still a fun game and if you are good at it, you will probably be good at chipping and possibly putting in golf. It is the training of the finer wrist movements that count. If you also play the violin, then you have even greater potential!Am Ang Zhanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07466386105122653445noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5629209057489249999.post-45836088735978358782008-02-20T13:58:00.000-05:002008-02-20T13:58:00.000-05:00I was caddie to my husband (who actually carried t...I was caddie to my husband (who actually carried the bag because it was too heavy for me while I held it to free him to hit the ball) some years ago. It was just a few days ago when I asked him why people like to play golf (before I read your blog). The other side of the question is why I have not developed an interest in it. I am not a sporty one to begin with. Ping-pong is one of the few games I like. I have actually voiced my desire to play it last week except that there is no such venue in town. How I miss the ping-pong table outside my childhood home and those in the high school I graduated from! My husband was quite surprised with my ability to play ping-pong the first time he saw me play. That was my famous "secret" which came to light eight years after we were married. <BR/><BR/>Nonetheless I enjoy going to the golf course largely for the serene scenery. Maybe I lack the patience for playing golf.<BR/><BR/>Dick NgeeDick Ngeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10821135145485191625noreply@blogger.com