TeenY Thots

TeenY Thots

“TeenY Thots” – by Dan the Man, ISBN 981-05-2397-1, December 2004, 88 pages

DANIEL CHIA was born on 19 Jan 1989 and spent 10 years with the Anglo-Chinese School and 2 years at Anglo-Chinese Junior College. He is a natural sportsman, representing Singapore as a junior gymnast and competing in the long jump and pole vault at National Schools level. At age 15, driven by necessity arising from his parents terminating his pocket money he published a book TeenY Thots which earned him five years of pocket money. Daniel served his full-time National Service with the Naval Diving Unit. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree in animal science from the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, in 2013, and has a Doctorate in veterinary medicine from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Email daniel@jc3.com.sg

TEEN THOTS  by Dan the Man is an anthology of thoughts by a teenager for parents, teachers, teenagers and pre-teens. The poems are pure enjoyment. They are really funny and touching.

How the Project Started – by James Chia (Daniel’s Dad)

From September this year (2004), I stopped giving pocket money to my two older boys, Chris in JC1 and Daniel in Sec 3. The purpose was to help them learn how to make money – an important area of any education. Making money, as opposed to merely earning, or getting, money, involves an awareness of other’s needs; an awareness of one’s talents, leadership and teamwork. (Any parent who has tried this process of experiential learning will agree that it is hard work – it’s much cheaper to just pay the pocket money!)

We first noticed Daniel’s talent in writing poems when he was in Primary 5 (age 10). But he was not keen to write more as he was involved with two sports at national schools level. However, we continued to notice this quiet, young man demonstrate two key principles of “Life Mastery”. He had the ability to “experience his experience”, and communicate his experience such that others “got” it.

Thus we decided to publish a book of his thoughts expressed in short verse to raise money for his pocket money. This was an act of faith that he would be able to produce a work that people would want to buy. It also required much discipline to produce, over the final examination period, one poem every two days initially, and, later, one poem daily to meet the Christmas deadline – 32 poems written in less than two months.

Daniel’s poems are genuinely felt and observed. They show what can be achieved when words are treated with respect. They come across as fresh and alive as the sap of a tree. Because there is no pretence at Poetrythey are a joy to read.

– Sng Boh Khim, Singaporean poet and entrepreneur.

NCC

Put on that uniform,
March up and down,
In the sweltering hot sun,
Making ourselves look like clowns.
All because of instructors’ sadistic minds,
Torturing the innocent till they whine.
Mostly standing around doing nothing.
At least we learn something.
Patience

– (His school required all students to play a sport and belong to a uniformed youth organization as part of a balanced education.
Daniel joned the National Cadet Corps)

CLASSROOMS

Classrooms are the teacher’s hell,
Where little devils come and dwell.
Screeching and yelling,
Wrestling and jumping.
Running up and down,
Just like clowns.
Balls of paper,
Flying through the air.
Flinging and throwing,
Tables and chairs.
Well, they put us there,
Why shouldn’t it be all so fair.

HOUSEWORK

Housework is real hard work,
That we all try to shirk.
We would hate to do more
Of these tedious chores.
We’d much rather do other things,
Than suffer housework and all it brings.
It’s boring and tiring all together.
So why bother?
Just leave it to your mother.

(And so say all of us!)

SMOKING

Housework is real hard work,
That we all try to shirk.
We would hate to do more
Of these tedious chores.
We’d much rather do other things,
Than suffer housework and all it brings.
It’s boring and tiring all together.
So why bother?
Just leave it to your mother.

RAIN

Dark grey clouds swarm overhead,
Rumbling and growling threateningly.
Streaks of light flash across the sky,
Lighting up the dull gloomy atmosphere.
Little droplets fall to the ground,
Forming tiny puddles with ripples on the surface.
The water beads patter on the rooftops,
Creating soothing rhythmic music to the ears.
Then the ripples disappear
And the music fades away.