Red Wine Headache

I did not sleep well last night. I felt my head aches the whole night. It must be the red wine I have to drink as punishment for wrong "signal" in drinking game. I am really a bad drinker. By lunch time, I had to take two tyernols as the headache refused to go away. It was only evening before I feel normal again.
I have no idea why people like to drink. It has the most terrible aftermath. Headaches that is stubborn and it hurts.

Annual Party at Cafe Del Mar

We had annual party in Sentosa. It is my first time since I joined the company seven years ago. Human Resource Manager has changed, so I was invited. Usually, I get invited by the Malaysian side as my office is there. Kind of complicated to explain. Never mind! I had a good time. Just that there were not enough food and I have to order my own food.

Do Not Believe in What is in the News

I read about the DBS layoff and the Chairman says that it was a very difficult decision and all the staff laid off will be given counselling, help to look for another job and other services to ease the pain.
The sad fact is you will not be told that you are laid off. Reporting to work as usual, you will find something unusual. Your entry pass do not work. You wonder why initially. Then another colleague come by and hey presto! no problem. Sorry, you are no longer allow into the office. Man! Don't you get it??!! You are laid off!

Sinking Sands!

Will our IR, integrated resort or Casino be completed? Sands is having problems raising funds since the financial crisis in US. Will Singapore has two Casinos or one? Only time can tell.
I hope we get both our casinos. They will create jobs, bring in tax revenue and make Singapore more vibrant!

Poor Thaksin

I don't mean Thaksin is poor. I feel sorry for him. He is an extremely wealthy man. Now he has no home. He cannot go back to Thailand, UK now do not welcome him. It is not fun. He is a rich guy who went into politics. While he did get richer during his term as Prime Minister, look at all the trouble he is in now.
Money cannot buy everything!

Bagels

Tanglin Mall's supermarket sells freshly baked bagels. Bagels are not commonly available in Singapore. The dough is quite dense and chewy. Bagel is a popularly breakfast item in Canada. I bought 2 at $1.50 each, plain and whole wheat.
Bagels look like doughnuts. It is a ring. To eat, split the bagel into 2 rings and toast it in a toaster or oven. Then butter it when hot so that the butter melts into the hot dough. After that add cream cheese or peanut butter. Eat while still hot or warm.

DBS Retrenching 900

DBS draw first blood. The new CEO was a "people" person according to news when he was hired. DBS made history in the first retrenchment since it existence. When you have an outsider for CEO, this is not unusual. Outsiders do not have the history nor the intimate understanding of the organisation. They are therefore disinterested and can bring forth the sharp knife in order to deliver results. Results that are short term as outsiders are usually hired guns who know their tenure will be short term. This may be the shot in the arm for our government linked bank. It may also send shocks and cause unfold damages for years to come. Damages that DBS will take long time to heal or even not recover.
We can only wait and see.

Great Deals in Borders

This weekend, Borders has a Sale going. The discount is 25% for 3 books, 30% for 4 books and 35% for 5 books or more. Members get an additional 10%. What a great deal! Borders is finally get more competitive in price and will put pressure on Kinokuniya. However Kinokuniya is quite firm on pricing. So far the best deal in Kino is 20% and usually during school holiday. Borders is very busy today. It is also good that Borders did not require a coupon. It is usually a hassle to cut coupons and only one coupon per book which mean you have to buy more copies of Straits Times just to get the discount. It is not environmentally-friendly sales tactic. I like this "Buy more Save more" promotion.

Food That Cause Bad Reactions

I just returned from Malacca and KL. Malacca was a food tasting trip. Our first order after checking into Holiday Inn is to go for dinner. We went to the Portuguese Settlement for seafood. We had crabs, bbq fish, deep fried sotong, otah and rojak. The table is set at the edge of sea. The sea was so dark. There were no ship out. Unfortunately, it was cloudy and the stars cannot be seen. With no artificial lights and clear view of the sky, I am quite sure if there is UFO, it will be seen clearly.
Then day 2, we had satay celup. Satay celup a big pot of peanut sauce in the center of the table just like Korean bbq. You go to the fridge to select the food that come in a long sticks. The sticks are colour coded on based on price. Red-end is RM0.60 per stick and regular is RM0.50. After collecting your choice, just dipped into the satay sauce until it is cooked and sup them up. There were bean curd skin, fishballs, prawns, kangkong... basically anything that can be skewered. After satay celup, we had Bikik Neo nonya food. The nonya food was excellent in taste. Unfortunately, it is also nonya food that cause bad reactions. I could not sleep that night and thought I overeat. I wake up with a migraine. However, after easy breakfast of fruits, juices and cappuccino, I felt OK. However, by lunch time, I was nursing a headache and took tyernol before going for the Malacca famous Chicken Rice Balls. I had a bad reactions and basically returned my lunch into the hotel toilet. Luckily after an hour of rest, I felt much better. So I return to KL with no problem.
Before flying home, I had chicken again as it looks appetitizing. My memory was short! When I reach home, I could not do anything but sleep. I had two tyernol again after a couple hours of nap and return straight back to sleep. I must have slept 14 hours straight. It is terrible.

Eating should not be a dangerous pastime. Seems like my body disagree with hawker foods in Malaysia. I had so many bad experience now with hawker food in Malaysia. They are tasty but cause nasty reactions. So in Malaysia, eat at your own risks!

Obama, President-elect

Yes, I am still amazed. While I do hope that Obama will become the President, there were many doubts especially "The Bradley Effect" where a black man running for Mayor in Los Angeles who was way ahead in polls lost out in the actual election.
Black or white, I hope the new President will be able to improve US standing in the world.

Calm after a Storm

First heavy dark ominious clouds form up in the sky. The rains. After that lightning flashed. Huge and frequently lightning accomplished by deafening thunder. Explosive sounds indeed. Now the sky is clear and everything looks fine.

It is Terrible!

If you want to commit murder and get away with it, come to Malaysia. Prime Minister of Malaysia, once said this in one of his speeches. Today's headlines "Political Analyst acquitted of Murder of Mongolian Model". He is speaking the truth although the audience was having a good laugh as it seems like he was jesting when he said it.
I am not saying this guy did it or didn't. However, the father of the victim felt that his daughter will not get justice right from the start.

Community Gardens

Gardening are now encouraged in small patches in the HDB estates. The oldies are enthused and have less aches and stiffness. It is good for community development and bonding for the old and young. There are fruits like starfruits and passionfruit that were harvested. So growing your own fruits and vegetables has many benefits other than the fruit of our labours.

Obama, For President

Obama looks like will be a good President. He is wise in choosing Warren Buffet to be his financial advisor. Tax the high income and relief the low income. It may seem like wealth redistribution but it is the high income earners who benefits most from the government expenditure and infrastructure building...

Weekend is coming

Yeah, tomorrow is Thank God It's Friday. I wonder the bar TGIF is still around. 1985, my boss, Grant Smith brought to this bar and explains to me what TGIF means. I could not believe people live for the weekends. It was fun to work in Asia. It was until I live in Canada that I appreciate the culture of weekends.
Weekend is the time for family and relaxation. Do your own stuff and determine your own destiny - fishing, shopping or going to the cabin. I learrn to love long weekend where we can do a road trip to a nearby town or city like Upstate New York or Buffalo. In Singapore, weekend mean a trip to the shopping mall...boring.

The Oil Factor

This book was published a few years ago and the scenario it painted have come true. Now it is a bestseller. It is really prescient in predicting the current financial crisis. What good about this book is it recommended what to invest in and when. So if you want to get ahead of the curve for the current financial state, get this book. You can also subscribe to their newsletter. However, it is US focus and may not work for us in Asia well. The calculations commodities are interesting. Overall, it provide a clear explanation of the events unfolding today.

Stock Market is like a Yo-Yo

Prices are going up and down. It is a fantastic time for day traders. However bad time for investors. The stocks I bought recently had come down dramatically even though I bought them at what I thought was a bargain price. Right now it is best to sit tight and hold on and wait till the market stablized.

A Proliferation of....

Snakes! It seems like we see a dead one every day. There were two babies about 1 foot long on the pathway to the playground. There were two on the new road from Jalan Kayu to Compass Point. Urrrrggghh!!!!

Buffet and Gates Go Back to School

This is a video where Warren Buffett and Bill Gates field questions from students of University of Nesbraska. It is very interesting and insightful. The answers are very down-to-earth from Warren. He is just a regular guy. I like his views of the world.

Urine as Fertilizer!

While feasting on the crabs, I asked my fellow diners around my table how to grow vegetables since they should know farmers. The key tip is using urine diluted 50/50! I know that in Cameron Highlands the farmers use urine. It is so simple. I was asking for the type of fertilizer to use and how to make sure they grow big and green. The best part is urine is free!! Googling I found plenty of information on urine as fertilizer. It is amazing that I did not check on the net.
I know talking on bodily excretions may not be the best subject. I learn a lot while having dinner. I am so happy to be a backyard gardener.

Candid Shot of TCS Actor and Actress

This is at a food court in SengKang. They were there with two kids and a granny.

Hairy Feast Pictures

The resturants at the lakeside.










The crabs neatly stacked. Everyone gets a pair i.e. male and female.




My fellow diner smiling away enjoying the delicacy. You can see she is in Seventh Heaven!










The pretty waitress that serves us.

Hairy Times

It was hairy time in a fun way. Hairy crabs are in season and we had hairy crabs dinner. The crabs are quite small and very tasty. It is just lots of work and therefore dinner takes lots of time which is also good relationship building time!
We had a cruise in the lake. The town is only open for 3 months a year during the crab season. It is a rustic place and very touristy. I will post pictures when I reach home.

Day Two in Shanghai

Temperature is high and humidity is at the level where I am sweating profusely. It is all day preparation for tomorrow's conference. Work is quite slow pace. I am not use this kind of pace. However, we do have a good team putting together a program to improve our business. Lunch is at Coffee Bean. I had the pasta with tomato sauce and herbs. It is terrible and poor value for money. Do not order this if you ever feel hungry. The cookie is passable. I would say cookie in Starbucks taste a lot better.
The best cookie is from a hotel chain in California, US. It is crusty outside and soft inside. You get a pair when you check in and I usually request for more. The trip to hairy crabs help me recall the name of the hotel. It is called Doubletree. Out-of-this world cookies!

Shanghai

Weather in Shanghai is quite warm at 20 celcius. It is nicely cool and dry. It must have been more than a year when I was last in Shanghai. On the way to the hotel, the radio in the cab report Shanghai ren tor (lots of people) and cher tor (many cars) give the city a unique problem. This set me thinking about the complexity of a megacity. Who determine how many taxi drivers? How do you licence them? How would anyone know all the streets? This is just the cab services. How about the train and bus services? Who plans? How will it work? If God forbids, disaster strikes how would the people react? There are so many tall gigantic buildings containing many people. What would have if services stop?
In Shanghai, the hustle and bustle is palpable. It is ren san ren hai (literaly people mountain people sea or a sea of humanity). I like Shanghai, the most comopolitan city in People's Republic of China.

Scientific Toys

I love Scientific toys. I just returned from Japan with two. A "pop pop" boat and a Stirling Engine. The Stirling Engine is a little more complex and requires some skills. Japanese are very good at their craft. Although the instructions were in Japanese, they are very well illustrated with drawings. I must say the instructions are very clear and I managed to get the engine working. The "pop pop" boat is very simple and easy to assemble. I am very glad to have two working models. Will show you pictures next time.

Full Moon in Osaka

It is a beautiful evening and the sky is clear. My cellphone camera does not do justice to the view. Anyway, a pictures is worth a thousand words. So here it is...

Rural Japan

I went to rural Japan to meet Customer. It is fall and the weather is wet and cool. I had a little time. Actually, I have to kill time because in Japan, we have to arrive early and wait for the exact appointment time before going to the reception. Below is two persimmon trees heavy with fruits. Unfortunately, the fruits are not ripe. Otherwise it will really be tempting to pluck it off the tree and eat.

I like "green". There is a windmill generator and a small solar panel (left picture) and a complete solar roof for the bus stop picture below. Rural Japan has plenty of land. The farms are all very small unlike US or Canada.

Wet in Tokyo

It is cool and wet in Tokyo. After landing in Narita, it is another 3 hours trip to check into the hotel. This is a long day. Will have to get up early tomorrow morning for first meeting. Well, such is life when working on a trip.

Jim Rogers Live!

Jim Rogers is an excellent, excellent speaker. He is very simple and clear with his folky wisdom. It was a privilege to hear him live at the NUS Cultural Centre. I am glad to attend his seminar. He is very basic and down-to-earth. However, there are a lot of intricacies in the investment he suggest, Commodities. There are many commodities and he says farmers will be the one getting rich in future. Gold, oil, water is the future for the next 10 years. We should invest in commodities rather than stocks.

Aeromodel Site

Right across Anchorvale Community Club is an enormous square field. Aeromodel enthusiasts are flying their planes on weekends early in the morning and in the evening. Many joggers are doing their exercise for the week. The planes are all electric and therefore quiet. It is nice to see so many R/C flyers. There are many types of planes as well. The advances in technology now mean flying radio control aircraft is now affordable.
I must re-ignite my interest to fly again.

Madness at Takashimaya

Traffic jammed all the way to the car park. Then add insult to injury, car park is full and the entrance is blocked. In the mall, huge crowd buying like there is no tomorrow. By looking at the shopping mania, who would believe there is a financial crisis. Retail is still going strong. Of course marketing helps! Taka department store has 20% discount and Taka cardholders get additional 15%. It is an excellent deal.
At night, Compass Point has food festival in the main concourse. As my boys put it, it is like Pasar Malam in Aircon environment instead of out in the street. We sample many varieties of food available. It can get expensive to feed three boys. All in all, we all had a good time. Yummy and excellent for father-son bonding.

Opportunities

Conversations with neighbours and friends on the financial crisis have one common thread. Everyone is waiting for the opportunity to buy up stocks. Obviously there are many people sitting on a pile of cash. I wish I have the kind of money all these people are talking about. I wonder how many are speculators and how many are genuine investors.
There are many cash rich people in Singapore!

Stock Market Meltdown

Today, the Singapore Stock market lost more than 6%. It is a terrible day. My stock portfolio suffers a bruising. I probably lost a fair bit as I am still holding a few shares. Both my shares in Singapore and Canada lost a lot of value. Luckily I am still young. But my "retirement funds" is not looking pretty at all.
Looks like the whole world is in turmoil. Markets around the world drops. I review a book I read earlier by a stock analyst. This book was published in 2004. The author Simon Sim forecast 2008 was the peak and after that our stock market will go into decline for the next 7 years. Look like he is right. The book is titled The Joseph Cycle.

Financial Markets in Upheaval

The past week market upheaval reaches Richter scale of 9.0 in earthquake language. Lots of opportunities and financial stress. Stock market now is low. Will it get lower? Is this the start of bear market? Now Europe has financial crisis. Raffles Education stock was $2.56 is now trading below 60 cents. The boss of Raffles Education was featured in a two part series on Sunday Times in two separate Sundays. He was third or fourth richest man in Singapore. Now, he must be a lot poorer but still very wealthy by any standard.
Warren Buffett, the world 2nd richest man famous saying "Be fearful when everyone is greedy and be greedy when everyone is fearful." He just invested 8 billion dollars in Goldman Sachs and GE. I am not sure about US market anymore. A little gun shy after getting burnt.
I think the Singapore stock market offers good value now. However, it will take several years before the stock will climb back up in value. So if you have spare cash, this is the golden moment to invest.

Another Good Day

I am happy to write a report that results are good. Today is the day. This is why it is a good day.

Wonderful Day

Sunday! The most beautiful day of the week. Wake up late! Ahhh! No problem at all. We ride our bikes to Jalan Kayu for breakfast. Many bikes at the roti prata shop right beside the carpark(there is only one "official" carpark where coupons are required). There were road works. It was going to be noisy and smelly from the fumes of the heavy vehicles.
So we go further down and had dim sum instead. The taste and quality is just so-so (average). It is good value. Price is quite reasonable. However my boys were not impressed by the siao long bao. After breakfast, we cycle back home. A good start to our Sunday morning, breakfast and exercise at the same time.
Lunch was famous mee rebus. Then I spend some time at the poolside and off to the playground with B2 and B3. B3(the baby of the family) plays with his friends who were there. We finished the day with barberque hamburgers. It is a wonderful day of rest and recreation.

Dead Tired!

I have been cycling for exercise and my body is protesting. I am aching all over especially my butts! Sorry for not writing the past few days. Work, family and other committments are keeping me away from blogging.
The good news is I am exercising and working like a dog. The bad news is my weight is still at 88kgs. I have no idea why burning up calories with bone-tired body is not bringing my weight down.

Loud Bang that Echoes

There are two loud gunshots. One at about 8:35pm in Fernvale. It is very loud that it echo. Someone must have loud gun or using a gun for construction. I heard the same bang in downtown Shenton Way as well. It is quite unusual as it is a sound blast and then nothing. I wonder if any of my readers living in SengKang or Fernvale heard this extraordinary gunshot bang.

Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri

Our newspaper has change the name to Aidilfitri instead of Puasa. I just check up to see if I was wrong and found out that I am just outdated. More information can be found in http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hari_Raya. It is an important Muslim festival to celebrate "Day of Fasting". The mosque at the junction Yio Chu Kang Road and Ang Mo Kio Ave 3 is full of Muslims from all walks of life including foreign workers. They are all there! It is incredibly crowded with everyone in their finery.

Wishing my Readers Hari Raya Puasa

I wish all my readers a happy Hari Raya Puasa.

What a Feeling

I have been riding bike for exercise. The feeling was fantastic even those my butts are sore and aching. Sweating profusely and feeling sticky all over is quite uncomfortable yet the sense of well being and euphoria is strongly present. It must be the endorphin kicking in. It is addictive. I will continue to ride to exercise.

Amazing F1 Race

The Champion came up from 15th position to become number 1. I am totally amazed in a race that is so close. Ferrari is out-of-luck with both cars damaged in the race. The first F1 night race is a huge success. Congratulations to all the drivers and congratulations to Singapore!

B3 and I was at Anchorage today

Anchorage is a mall cum condominium. The mall consist of two levels, B1 and Level One. It is really tiny. However, there are plenty of resturants and IKEA is just directly opposite. Times is having 20% today in this mall. B3 wanted a book "You can DRAW". There are 8 books in one. It is one big colorful file folder. The instructions for drawings different animals, pets, sea creatures, people at work, insects and people at work as well as cartoon characters. This is quite interesting and B3 love to draw. At 20% I think it is a good deal and I bought this book for him. He is very happy and grateful to his daddy, me!

Home-made Sex Movies

This is like a nightmare for naive women that repeats itself over and over again. In the New Paper, this girl's pictures are splashed in many pages. "Sun Tan" had many nude pictures and home-made sex video with her boy friend. They even have a blog and she thought the blog is just for the two of them. Now, she and her boyfriend breaks up. Guess what. It is all over the internet. She files a police report. The damage is done. When will a girl learn? Maybe she wants to be famous? Er, I mean infamous!

Ensaimada

Ensaimada is a Philippines "national" bread. It is a soft roll with sugared cream on top sprinkled with cheese. I like this bun. There are many versions by different resturants and cafe chains. I like the Red Ribbon's and Goldilock's. The advantage of travelling is getting exposed to the different cultures. Food is an important part of culture. I enjoys Manila and what the city offers. Only incovenience is there are checks everywhere in the malls. The good thing about going to Manila is the airport is only 30mins to the hotel. Really short and sweet.

Seven Notes For Employees

I saw an interesting notice in a conference room of a Customer. It is titled Seven Notes for Employees.
1. Ask yourself always "Is there any room for improvement?"
2. Consider other people's situation as well as your own.
3. Be responsible for what you speak.
4. Act and show to others what you mean to say.
5. Share your pleasure as well as pain to attain mutual goal.
6. Volunteer to report good and bad information to your superior.
7. Always be conscious of Cost and Profit.

This reminds me of Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey. This company is extremely successful.

Sabrina

I am watching the show again. The modern version by Harrison Ford. It is very enjoyable and touching. My tears drops like rain...(well almost, a little exaggeration is fun) It was a happy ending. I love the intrigue at the ending. Linus, the protangist makes the chauffeur's daughter fall in love with him and break her heart at the same time. He fall in love in the process and felt guilty for what he has done. In trying to atone, he try to send his brother whom Sabrina always loved. David, his brother turned the table on Linus and he sends Linus off in a Concorde to meet Sabrina after she lands.
Hmm! Money is not everything. It does helps! Concorde ride ain't cheap.

Cycling - the latest fad

There are a lot more bicycles on the road today and everyday. Cycling is a recent phenomenon. Most common cyclists are foreign workers and weekend cyclists are other foreign workers or expatriates with their fancy speed bikes and skin-tight sport wears complimented with helmet. The weekend cyclists are serious enthusiats cycling in large groups.
Nowaday, there are many cyclists on the road and it is good that more and more people are getting into the environmentally-friendly bandwagon.
I am cycling for fun and exercise. It is a wonderful way to keep fit and reduce weight...er I mean prevent weight from creeping up.

Modesto's

Great Italian food, deliciously yummy and filling. I added two kg just during this dinner alone. Of course, two glasses of water and two fruit juices is worth a kg alone. I had dinner with a colleague from India. He is vegetarian and ordered a pizza. I had seafood linguine, the signature dish. The seafood was fresh and the sauce was tangy. I eat up every morsel and finished with tiramisu. I will need to exercise a lot more tomorrow. For now I am happily satiated.

Ipoh Girls

Last night, in the resturant at Pavilion on the sixth floor, the table next to me was girls talk loudly that I heard everything they says. It is interesting to hear them talk. "How many years ago did we last meet?" "I think it is 1976 when we were in form 5". Whoa! I calculated... it is 32 years!! Then I guess how old they are. By now you know they are "old" girls. What is amazing is they are keeping in touch. I felt left out. Right in front of me is a live example of people staying keeping in touch after so many years. I hear who is now living in US, another living in Auckland after marrying a Kiwi and divorcing, a couple who are now teachers teaching in Singapore... Then they continue with their fond memories of their favorite teachers. I kind of wonder about Ipoh. Seems like all the kids grew up and leave town. So will be left. It is a small and right beside me a whole class has grown up and seem to have left Ipoh. There should be no one left. I really wonder???
I need to understand how come there are still people living in Ipoh from an Ipoh girl in our office.

Eating like No Tomorrow

I know why now. I have been skipping lunch yesterday and today. Now that my training is over, I swim for 10 mins and eats a full dinner, then adjorned to teh-C in Toastbox accompanied with you tiao and sesame ball with peanut fillings. When I am done with two meals in one, I walked over to the supermart and bought nuts and cookies to bring back to the room.
With a weak will, it is a big waistline and heavier body.
I must start to work on discipline in making sure my calorie intake is more consistent. Sigh! So far My Spirit is willing but My Flesh is weak!

Morning Walk around The Westin

Was up early. Thought of swimming but pool only opens at 7am. Gym is opened 24 hours. So I went down to check it out. There were plenty of treadmills and stationary bicycles, some gym mats and weight lifting equipment. Nay! I go for a walk instead. Downtown KL is quite deserted. There were one or two staff in resturants setting up and cleaning getting ready to open shop. Many luxury brands in the upmarket malls. It is nice to explore the place in the morning where everything is still closed. I can take the time to drink in the experience. Yes, the contract of the old and new as well. The back alleys of Bintang Walk are shophouses that probably date back to pre-war. However many more new buildings are coming up. I guess over time everything will change. It is hard to resist the almight ringitt when the land on which the shophouse sits is so valuable.

Bukit Bintang in KL

It is interesting to stay in downtown KL. Sungei Wang is a huge shopping mall and I get lost there. It is quite old however and have plenty of toy and pewter stores. It seems like every twenty steps is a Starbucks. It must be a hip place because all the big coffee chains are represented including Coffee Beans and Tea Leaves, Gloria Jean, etc. A mix of old and new. The glitzy street for the tourists and the backlanes where traditional shops and resturants who has been there for generations. Some more than 60years. A real taste of nostalgic KL.
My colleagues and I ate at Sakura, a local Malaysia joint that offers malaysian cuisine and western food. I had nasi lemak and it is excellent. There is curry chicken, ikan bilis in sambal, half a hard boiled egg and a floss of some sort. Yummy is my verdict.

Wedding Dinner

This is the 2nd wedding dinner I attended this year. It is in Jurong East Central near the Science Center. The place is full of people. It reminds me of my childhood days growing up. I have not seen makeshift in this kind of setup and the merchandise. I guess we are so used to shopping mall that the neighbourhood stores is something we do not frequent anymore....

Step Up

Interesting show. The storyline is typical American - rebellious, out-of-control boy meets girl with passion for dancing. Boy turns new leaf, girl breakup with boyfriend, the two get together and their dance sizzles. The subplot about the younger brother killed for stealing a truck is quite touching. The pace is quite slow throughout movie but the storyline develops well and will keep you on the seat the whole time. The grand finale is the awesome well-choreograph dance. Boy gets admitted to the fine school of Arts and it is happily ever after. Maybe not. Because Step Up II is now available to own.

Sunway Lagoon

Sunway Lagoon is a nice hotel. It is bright and smells clean. The people are friendly. Sunway Pyramid is a big mall and the extension has makes it even nicer. There are more food outlets and variety has increased. I enjoyed mall crawling and there is a hawker center just 3 mins walk away. Short trip is tiring. Up early and finished late. Home to my own bed. Ah, warm and sweet.

Latest Exercise Fad

Now I am onto cycling. I bought myself and youngest boy a bicycle each. We learn to cycle together. A 7 year old learn to cycle like putting a fish in the water. He take only a few minutes and off he go. Ok! Maybe 30 minutes. Now he can cycle with one hand and do tight turns. Me, I am still a clumsy cyclist and prone to accidents and falls. Still this is better than roller blading. Injury is not as severe. Actually, I do get cuts and abrasions. My wrists hurts when I flipped over. However, the roller blades falls are extremely painful and take a long time to recover. My left wrist still hurts. So onwards and forward. My new exercise regime is cycling.

Usual Morning

The morning after plenty of lightning is normal. We start the day in a rush with our daily activities. So quickly I forget my fear and wonder about the weather pattern changing. Kids to school. Work pressure, day-to-day grind. Hmmm! No wonder global warming is an abstract subject. We need to earn to live...

Lightning Galore!

It is like huge group of photographers who keep using their flash. Lightning flashing continously lighting up the sky. Some time there are thunders. Most time it is just lightning with no thunder. I have been looking out of my French door for the last four years. I do not remember seeing so many lightning when I first moved in.
Ok! as I type, the rain starts to pour. The sky is purplish pink. Looks like we will have good sleep tonight...zzzzZZZZzzzzZZZZ

Traditional Mooncake

There are many types of mooncakes. New and exotic flavours like chocolate, durian, custard... It is flavour extension just like brand extension... the new and improved! My personal preference is still the traditional style mooncake. Actually the Teochew style which has multilayered flaky pasty with lotus paste. I bought one from a bread shop in HDB. Mmm, it is so good I ate up the whole piece by myself. Eating it bring nostalgia of growing up in a HDB provision shop. We sold it in the shop and we always get to taste the different maker's. Sweet memories indeed.

Poolside Party

We have a potluck party to celebrate the Mooncake festival. The kids all have a wonderful time with lanterns, sparkles and neon lights. The adults just eat and eat. Hence, the weight issues for most of us. The new comer to our estate is a French family and they are very friendly as compared to the other French family we have. We will get tips from them on where to visit in Paris if we go there.

Offering My Prayers

This afternoon I visited Kuan Yin Temple in Queen Street to offer my prayers and regular donation. I also try my hands on the "Chiam See" or drawing of the lots. This time I get a mix with not so good lots on my next year's target. I have to pray more and harder....

Rat Race on a Endless Treadmill

Was having a late lunch when a call came in target for next year has been increased. This happens every year. It is becoming a regular event. It is a neverending race trying to match up to higher and higher expectations made worse by other departments dipping into my kitty. Well such is life working in a big corporation.

Ridiculous ERP!

It now cost $3 to enter into the city in the evening. We went to Sim Lim Square to buy computer accessories. We have our dinner after. Then on the way back, it cost $1.50 on CTE. In the National Day rally, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong put up a chart that show government is actually collecting less with the road tax decrease. This is really incredile. $4.50 just for my car to be on the road in the evening. There are many cars. So LTA is getting rich, very rich. It is good to be in a monopoly business. Come up with a good reason like we are controlling the flow of traffic. Sit back, relax and watch your wealth grow!
Fantastic wealth formula.

Sunway Lagoon and Pyramid

Sunway Lagoon hotel has upgraded and the rooms now are new. Pyramid, the shopping mall has a new wing. The mall is lively and huge. However the MPH in Pyramid is quite small and book selection is quite pathetic. I did not have a chance to visit Popular as I am there for one night only. I loved walking around shopping malls. It is my favorite pastime. I just like window shopping and looking at snacks and tasting the delights of junk food. I am a glutton. No wonder I have weight issue.
I am glad to catch up with my friends in the office. It is a productive and effective day for me. I am satisfied.

Massive Traffic Jams Around Suntec

At 3:15pm, we exit Suntec carpark to Nicoll Highway. The traffic hardly move. It is an impossible situation. I wonder if this has something to do with setting up for F1 race. Every green light move a few cars only. Maybe COMEX is so popular. Many are buying all kinds of electronic gadgets. I can observe them at Ya Kun and the food court while waiting for my boys. Maybe the economy is not so bad. Or it is the "new and innovative" economy that is thriving and growing.

COMEX

The computer and electronics exhibition is so packed that the escalator broke down from overload! Loads of new gadgets and deals. B1 and B2, my two older boys are very excited and went there by themselves while I spend time in MPH to take advantage of 20% discount and free membership. Electronics is still growing strong. Price are getting better with improved performance. Many great deals. So my boys are discussing on the merits of the different laptops.

Closure?

It is a quick end to the table tennis saga with a press conference. The poor table tennis manager's job is extended for 3 months. The new head madam still stay and will "take time to learn".

Nice Ride

It is good to be service by the good men and women of SQ. They are polite and keeps offering me drinks. I had a conversation with a steward. The team just came back from Vancouver. He like Vancouver. We chat for a few minutes on Vancouver and Toronto. He wish SQ fly to Toronto. After he joined a few months, the service was stopped because Air Canada cannot compete. I know because I came back to visit Singapore on that flight that go via Frankfurt. I do like SQ to go Toronto. Unfortunately, the Canadian Airlines(now only Air Canada as Canadian Air has been absorbed by AC) are totally uncompetitive with poor service and very outdated aircraft and archaic entertainment system, lobbied the Government to protect the routes. Canada will not progress with this kind of protection. British Airways was very bad before and improved so much that it is competitive internationally.
Government has to realise when they protect their industries, they are causing them to be weak.

Early Start

Will have to rise early at 4:45am Singapore time. This is the not so fun part about travelling. Long day. Early start and late finish. Super long hours working to cramp all the meetings and customers' visits. It pays well. So I am sticking to the tough regime. So "sian" (hokkien for tired) sometimes.

Rewarding Myself

I have been on one major meal per day for the last two days. Tonight I rewarded myself with a chick-a-rib in Outback. Mmm! Soooo Good! No wonder I have weight issue. My weight increased more at home as I snacks and drink too many teh halia and teh-C. Ya Kun kaya and butter toast is very fattening too.
I enjoyed bagel yesterday for breakfast. Toasted bagel and cream cheese reminds me of living in Canada. I miss Canada. When the earth axis shifts, we may be back living in Canada. Of course if we survive the shift.
I am a big believer in a lot of the predictions. My wife feels I am living in a make-believe world of books.

Seoul Warm

It is still summer and weather is warm in Seoul. The walk from the city air terminal to the hotel is pleasant. It is good to check into the same hotel as it is like coming home. There are other nicer hotel near Itewon. I like COEX Intercont as it is walking distance to city air terminal where the bus schedule is every ten mins. Also the underground shops allow me to walk around the mall for exercise and to kill time when I am free.

Terrible Headache

I wake up not feeling too good. In the aircraft, I drank choya umeshu. What a mistake! I am down most of the time with a massive headache and sweating profusely. 7 hours plane ride became a long nightmare. After that another hour and a half of sleeping in the limosine bus. I have to abstain from alcohol to prevent migraine recurrence.

FIRED!!

Well, the Olympic is over. The most interesting news for Singaporeans is the Manager and Coach of our medal winning team were fired. The team is not even back to Singapore to celebrate. The new President of Singapore Table Tennis Association is the new broom that sweeps clean. She started her job a month ago. This may sound sexist... I guess it takes a woman to inflict this kind of pain to the two men. Maybe they may have said something she did not like. I bet the two men are totally clueless. They have no idea what "innocent" remarks can be interpreted by a woman who is "serious".
My deepest sympathy to them. Just as they thought they did a wonderful job of helping Singapore to win a medal in half a century, they lost their jobs. I believe a famous guy once said "Hell is nothing compared to a woman's wrath".

The Culture Code

I like this book by a French anthropologist who now lives in US. Why so many Americans are obese? Food is Fuel. When an American is eating consuming more than what he needs, he is putting it away. The history of America is the wild west. You do not know when your next meal will be. American invented fast food and French slow food. Eat as you go. Movement is health - American Code. When a French finishes dinner, it is delicious. When an American finishes dinner, I am full.
The Culture Code is good story telling. It is actually very interesting and is available in the library.

Websites on Books

What kind of booklover am I without any links to websites on books???
My favourites are now on the Fun Places to Go...

What do I really want?

Eat, Love, Pray author Elizabeth Gilbert insist that there must be really 3 times so that we dug deep into our heart and psyche. I am not sure if it is necessary. That said, I must say this is quite a profound question. Something I rarely asked myself. I think I am in the same boat as most.
Deep in my heart...what do I REALLY want? The list may be long as I written previously. Or do I really want to live a hermit live and purify myself into a living Buddha and cease my karma and rebirth? Be one with unconscious or superconscious. Can I a mortal with limited intellect and consciousness be able to transcend the travails of daily living and live the life of a holy man? Why do I pursue work, career and money? Why do I have family? Why do I enjoy food and have weight problem? Why do I love? Why do I enjoy material life like computer, internet and bigger TV? Reading and pursuing knowledge instead of wisdom. I am always going after external pursuits instead of scaling inner mountains and developing wisdom.
Knowledge and capability I believe is no match for Wisdom. How can I cultivate and grow my Wisdom? What can I do? Or is it I can only attain wisdom by experiencing life itself.
Many questions to ponder over....

Money Management

I am very intrigued by the question of money management by Calvin, my Chinese colleague. I have been toying the idea of doing a session on money management for some time now. Actually, since two of my Malaysian colleagues who attended the Rich Dad Poor Dad seminar two years ago. I wonder how my team members are in managing their finances. One has now bought a terrace house and the other living in Bangkok. The rest I do not know. One thing I know for sure. All who have left my team are making much higher income. An indicator of success for me.
However, earning more money is only part of the equation. I like to educate my team members in Wealth building or at least lead to a part of financial independence. Hmm! I should do a Personal Finance workshop in my next meeting.

Great Deals

We ran out of vegetables and out of stock to cook up lunch for our boys. It is past 12 pm when I reached Fernvale Point. 20cents for a cucumber! I decided to buy one. The green grocer or vegetable seller in local terms gave me great prices for other vegetables as he is packing up for the day. He insist I should buy the tan kuey or gourd for cooking broth. One slice is $1.50 each. He sells to me two thick slices for $1.50. As he pack it into a plastic bag, he gave me two pack of baby kailan for free! Ok the kailan is turning yellow and wilted. He probably have to throw them away tomorrow. I am totally sold by him. I feel great as I walk home. Maybe I can fight inflation by going to buy when stall owners are closing up to pick up great deals.

Hurray! Progress

My weight after Manila trip is below the magic 88kg. Will continue to watch calorie intake especially at home. Next week will be easy as I will out in Seoul. Long hours and infrequent meals and best of all only snacking late at night. So I can expect further reduction. Hmmm! I must stay the course.

Swimming in the deep end

Mandarin Oriental has a deep end in the pool and I thought I will touch the bottom. In order to swim downwards, I have to release air in my lungs to reduce my bouyancy. Touching the bottom, I started to swim upwards. On the way up, my need for air was so high that instinctive I breathe before I reach the surface assuming I have surfaced when I had not. Water gets into my lungs and I choked and hurriedly swim to the ladder to cough out the water. I tried the floor again but this time touching only with my feet. Even so the water so deep that it is quite an effort to get all the way up to the surface. I realised how easy it is to drown. There is no way to make any noise and any one on the pool even lifeguards do not suspect anything.
So if you are swimming out in the open sea, it is even riskier with water currents and waves. Please remind all your kids. I am safe, I thought it is important to record this experience.

Manila!

Land of Buxom ladies! Miss Thailand had been crowned Miss Universe. The next country would be Philippines - the land of Gorgeous Women. Fabulous food at a reasonable price and wide variety of choices. Philippines has lots of potential. Literacy is one of the highest in Asia with highest percentage of population well versed in English, this country has lots of potential all gone to waste due to politics and corruption.

Urrrgghhh!

I now have zoom past 89kg. This is record high! I am very sure this is one record I do not want to break. D24 durians, all day eating and sitting...it is guaranteed to fatten anyone up. Eat when happy, eat when stressed, eat when sad, eat, eat, eat. Nett result weight gain. Discipline when it come to eating is an uphill task. Maybe I have to look for a different strategy. Exercise and calorie counting is the key. I enjoys food too much and also feels hungry most time. And not hungry has the compulsion to try out food.
Battle of the bulge continues....

Gooooodddd Morning!

6:45am. Dawn is interesting as the light from the sun showing up slowly in the east turning the sky from dark blue to lighter and lighter shade of blue. Orangey colours when the sun is about to peep above horizon. The cocks will be crowing and birds chirping and chattering as if calling each other to wake up.
Looking out from the roof just like being in a resort in Malaysia. A clear view of the sky. The quiet sounds of nature. It is something we now rarely enjoys in the hustle and bustle of city life. High rise buildings and reduced greenery put us out of touch with the "kampung" close to nature living. City living is so convenient and full of man-made entertainment - resturants, shopping, cinemas, library, tv, computer/internet...
I love connecting with nature!

Food Allergy - 2nd Episode

Fatty Crab was on my banned list for a long time. The reason is I was sick after eating there and thereafter we did not go to this place anymore, at least not when I am around. This time another team member is hit. It is awful. The symptons are similar - severe headache, nausea, cold sweat, diarrhea and miserable. The body is total out of action and in pain and royal discomfort! There must be something in the seasonings or the crabs may not be fresh as the taste will be cover up by the strong flavorings.
I am so glad I was not affected. As I write, the bring memories of the durian, D24, which I think deserves it title "Sultan" as it tasted heavenly and its flesh is just like custard.

Team

I have stopped focusing on work for sometime. I cannot resist putting an entry as work is my passion. We get together as a team every quarter. This quarter's meeting was very productive and the team is very open and share a part of their lives not related to work. We had a session on Happiness. The common themes for happiness for our group of 11 are Friends, Family, Kids, Grandparents/Parents, Independence, First paycheck/bonus, Recognition, Being Alone, Giving Gifts to family members and others. It is quite easy to be happy. Focus on the Family as Dr. James Dobson's daily column in Today - the free newspaper.
I am very happy to have a wonderful team.

Sweetbitter

It was great three days in KL. Fabulous and sumptious buffet in OneWorld Hotel. Designer Coffee during coffee breaks sweetened with cookies and biscotti. Dinner at Penang Village and Fatty Crabs washed down with Chendol, Lychee Tofu and bittersweet, custardy D24 durians. We really enjoys food and more good food. Trouble with wonderful meals is weeeeight!! I gained a kg in 3 days. Now my weighing scales read 88.5kg at night. This is because I skipped dinner tonight. If I did not, I am very sure the scales will go past 89. Now the bitter part. It is time for diet and starve myself.

The Night is Young

Two days of meetings and teambuilding. We have fabulous food. Eat enough to gain some serious weight. Sigh! We have life backward. When we are young, we should have the money to enjoy good and plentiful food. When we get older, we should do exercise program for team building instead of eating. We ended dinner early as colleagues from China went th an ex-colleague and her boyfriend to Ampang.
Dinner was at Fatty's crabs with crabs cooked in two different style, satays and chicken wings. Simple fare, excellent taste! Desserts was D24 durians, mangoesteens and rambutan. We have great bonding...
I took a walk around the resturants in the Curve and it is very happening. The young, good looking(especially female species) and restless are enjoying alfresco dining. I think it must be the hot weather that makes people enjoys staying up late and hanging out with their friends. Alfresco dining is the way to go. In Mid Valley Mall, most resturants are closed by 10pm. Only those on the outside of the "box" with tables and chairs outside are open late.
KLites are night birds. At 11pm, the night is young and teeming with young adults. Cheers to them.

Lucky Me!

I arrived in KL today. So I thought I will check out Borders and see if there is a copy of 4 Hours Workweek. The computer indicates there is a copy in the store. However it is not in the shelf that it is supposed to be located. So the store assistant call another location. After almost an hour (of course I was spending the time productively by browsing all the other books) it confirmed that there is a copy in the Gardens i.e. MidValley Mall and will reserve for me. I have no idea if I will have time to get over as the next two days is meeting from morning till late at night. Anyway, reserving it I may have the chance to go over.
I go over the MPH and check it out. Amazingly, the store assistant who was typing the computer halfway stops and says there is only a copy in the store and walk over to the right shelf to get it. She must know this book well that she no longer need the computer to tell her if it is in the store or the location. I hope this book do not disappoint. The reviews of this book in Amazon.com is not flattering.

The Future of Work

There are more and more interest in the future. I am also trying to figure how to forecast our future so that I can be more prepared. Reading books is my way of learning. Thomas Malone, the author first explain an insight. It is communication that enable human to organise in a bigger and bigger scale. Also through communication that democracy system of government develops and succeeds.
With business, the centralized bureaucracy has developed in the past 100 years or so. Now with internet and emails, new model of work is required. Machines are taking over production of things. Humans are involved in the creation of knowledge. How do we live and earn our living?
I have to read further....

Family

My sisters are over for dinner. It is great to spend some time with my nephew and nieces. I must do this regularly. It is good to bond with my extended family and it is a very happy evening for me. I must do this more often. Family will always prevail over work or money.

Olympic Extravaganza

Watching the TV last night on the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, it is so much bigger and grander than our National Day Parade. The lights and the fireworks is just amazing. The choregrapher is Yimoz. I find it hard to believe this guy will be able to design so many dances and performance. He is just getting credits for all the creative work done by a big team.
Maybe it is fatigue, I also feel that after a series of two extravaganza in a short time period. It looks like the same old same old.
There are plenty of creativity. The effects are spectacular and the fireworks, AWESOME.
China has ARRIVED!

All Gone!

I can't believe it! There were 5 or 6 copies of the four hour work week and they are all gone. I browse through but did not buy on my previous trip to Kino. Only soft cover was available. The Kino staff informed me that hard cover is not available in Kino and to try Borders. He also say the price of hardcover and paperback is the same. I was at Kino during lunch and where the 4 hours workweek were was just an empty hole.
All gone! It may be a required reading for book club or a team meeting.

Tui Na

Just discover a tui na or the art of Chinese Bone Manipulation master in Old Airport Road. My left wrist has not recovered after two months. This master was recommended by a fellow diner in the hawker centre. He obviously know that I have had problems with my left shoulder which I wrote about earlier. He "released" the flow and stick some black sticky stuff to my wrist and gave me some pills. There are orange, white and pink. I am supposed to take one each twice a day after food for 5 days. I am supposed to be cured by then.
I must say so far my improvement has been rapid. However I am a bit sceptical that he can fixed in 5days after two months of pain.

Keeping up with the Jones

We are keeping up with the Sngs and Tans. My new and shiny 42" Plasma is installed today. Sng and Tan are my neighbours. Most of my neighbours have bigger TVs than us. Even our latest is not the biggest TV in the neighbourhood. Why plasma? I have be sold by Hitachi who cited a study that more people prefer Plasma. Although in the showroom LCD TVs are far clearer and brighter, I still stick to Plasma as the picture are more realistic and there is no delay for action movies. Delays or response time will cause fast moving actions to be blurry. The Plasma is also cheaper LCD for the same size. Technology advance quickly and price keep dropping. I was convinced by LCD 4 years ago and bought a 32" for $4000. Today the same TV with better features cost below $1,000.
High tech is tough business as the life of a product is no more than 6 months. Price is expected to keep dropping and features keep increasing. A majority of my customers are in high tech and we are constantly under the gun to deliver better value.

Aha!

The Four Hours Work Week is talking about entrepreurship. Getting ideas and making products in China and selling them in internet. This guy is quite successful and intelligent. He is a guest lecturer in Stanford University. He fails in several ventures before achieving his current success. Author also claims there are others who copied his designs but still fails in the business. It is a typical rags-to-riches story in US. The Horatio Alger stories. Have you heard of Horatio? More to come....

The 4 hours work week

At the poolside, an Angmoh (Caucasian) who look like a Big Wig of a Big Company is reading this book. It was featured a couple Sundays ago in book review and it was on a young girl current reading list. I must get this book and see if I can work for 4 hours a week. This sounds like One Minute Manager. I recall a colleague saying it takes more than a minute to read the book. Therefore One Minute Management cannot be realistic. He is quite logical and it makes sense.
However, I do like to find out more about the 4 hours work week as it sounds really intriguing.

The Ritz Carlton Millenia

It is full dress rehearsal for National Day Parade this evening. Prelim exams for "O" level was over yesterday. And B3 has been requesting to go to the parade. B2 has been asking when we are going for holiday. So Mummy checked around yesterday with the various hotels that were offering NDP rooms. She settles on Ritz Carlton as it offers the best view where the parade just right in front of the hotel. She also cut a deal to include all three boys for the meals that comes with the room. Ritz Carlton lives up to its reputation for service. The staff are friendly and makes eye contact all the time. I think they may be a little biased toward teenagers as it seems like the two older boys do not get the service or attention when they need something.
It is the first time for us to stay in a hotel in Singapore. It is just like holiday oversea. All three boys are very excited and enjoys the new and strange environment. It is also the rare time they stay in a hotel.
Ritz Carlton Millenia is luxurious. We stayed in a room with living and dining room. The toiletries are by Bvlgari. The towels are very thick and soft and feel luxuriant.
According to the research on Happiness, it is memories and events that makes people happy and not things. So the money is well spent as our family will be nursing the sweet memories of watching the fireworks that explode their glories directly in front of our eyes.
This is happiness indeed! If you want to know more about happiness, click on Science of Happiness under title my interesting links on the right.

Airconditioner Breakdown

Our aircond breakdown last night. It is hard to sleep well without aircond. The outside temp was not bad and with the fan at full blast it is still bearable. However, aircond is beautiful even though it is not environmentally friendly. Life is hot and stuffy without aircond. Luckily, we managed to fix the aircond. The PCB or printed circuit board broke and it cost $900 to replace. The whole outdoor unit cost only $2,000. So there is something wrong with the way services are charge. With $2,000 I can get one year warranty with brand new condenser and other parts whereas with the circuit board, the warranty is only 6 months. This really defies logic!