Second Hand Books

Today I visit Bras Basah Complex. There are a few used books dealers left. It is lost the old charms. There are many old textbooks. So if you need outdated texts or old editions, they are available there. I guess if you are looking for out-of-print books, this may be a good place. Only problem is the books are not catalogued. So it all depends on luck.

Knowledge is increasing tremendously. I wonder how we can cope. I am reading this book, The Joy of NOT Working. The insight is many people are money rich. Not many are time rich. Time rich is a rare in this modern society. We do not have time to relax and do nothing. There must always be things to do and to accomplished. I am now learning the importance of time rich. Time rich is infinitely richer than money rich.

Money can buy many things. Actually, money can buy love (just go to a karoke lounge) or time (domestic help free up time for doing household chores). So money and time are interrelated.

Reading this book, I now opted for time rich rather than money rich. Of course I hope I do not have to worry about bills....

To see Used Books Stores in Boston, click here

Bird by Bird

Reading Bird by Bird again is bring in new understanding. I know many readers always says reading the same book again always bring in new perspective and more in-depth understanding. This is long time since I experience re-reading. There are many new books to read. Also the majority of my books are on management, leadership and training. So most time, I just refer specific sections as and when needed after I have read them.

Yes, writing is hard work and requires many editing. The emotional ride is no different from a roller coaster ride. Getting published is extremely challenging and by the way to earn a living as a writer will take about 4 published book before the money is comfortable. Bird by Bird brings in the harsh reality of living as a writer. I think the author is a single mom.

Searing Temperature

We must have hit record high in temperature. It is hot and humid. My potted plants are withering under the heat. I lost weight just sweating!

Still it is a good day. We had our chiropractice adjustments. Then the boys go for their extra classes aka tuition. We finished the day going to Courts Megastore in Tampines. There were loads of people but I do not see many buying. Maybe most have bought during the day. The Giant next door is incredibly busy. There is a long queue for carparks. Grocery shopping must be the favorite weekend pastime.

Runners Galore!

Seems like the new SengKang Gardens are attracting a lot of runners. I met a group at about 7pm. They have finished their run. The track is good training ground as it has uneven terrain. The air quality is not bad even though TPE is just right beside the garden. Parking is free and since it is recently opened, not too many cars. It is also popular with young couples strolling their babies in the strollers. Our government really put in a lot of efforts to maintain the garden city image.

UP Again

Stock markets are up again. The rally is 6 weeks now. Hurray!! Meanwhile all the analysts are saying this mini bull is unsustainable and flogging bads news that it is just temporary blip and the market will go down again. Analysts have a herding mentality. They do not predict accurately. Only follow the trends. Right, they felt the trend should be down and therefore the rally is baffling them and talking down the market. That is they will keep saying it is not a sustainable rally until investors believe and start selling.

I like it when market is up. My portfolio which had gone under water is back at original value again.

Migrating Birds

The new SengKang Park right next to the Tampines Expressway (TPE) is attracting migratory birds in the man-made pond. There are fishes in the pond and tall grasses fringing the edge. So it must be bird-friendly and the birds are coming. So I must says the designer of the SengKang park did right. I am very happy to enjoy nature in a clean setting. I am sure the park will be popular.

Tadpoles

My pond in the front yard is full of tadpoles. This is the 2nd time we had tadpoles spawning. I believe the cycle started when B3, our baby boy caught tadpoles from the nearby field during the rainy seasons. He brought the tadpoles back to our pond and they survived to tiny toads and left their home. It seems like the toads have grown and some of them come back to spawn in the water they grew up with. It is like salmon returning to the source of river to spawn. There are probably more than 50 tadpoles in our pond right now.

B3 enjoys observing the tadpoles and playing with them. The boys from around the neighbourhood were excited to see the tadpoles too. I had some guppies recently and they have given birth to babies. So my pond is a small ecology system now. I think the water lilies helps the fry to survive.

It is very nice to have a small slice of nature in my home.

Stock Market is Going UP!

The stock markets of the world are going up. This is good news. Market usually go up six months before the real economy go up. I hope the bull ride is sustainable. I believe it is a good time to invest now.

China will continue to grow. The China funds are growing well although they are a little erratic. Citigroup went from US$1 to US$4 today. Very good news indeed. I wish I have bought Citigroup at US$1...

Female Chiropractor

My regular chiropractor is on vacation in Australia. He is there to maintain his licence to practise as well. I am adjusted by a female replacement chiropractor. She is quite gentle and relax my muscle before pushing my bone in place. I actually felt better. I am surprised as I am completely sold by my regular chiropractor on how good he is. Most men are quite egoistic. He has good techniques and good track record. I am glad to try out a different healing hands.

In fact, I actually felt better after the adjustments this time. It is a positive change...

Taiwan

Channel News Asia has a programme on Taiwan. It is on peach farm. The peach are large and lovely in pastel pink colour. There is an aroma according to the host. Farms in Taiwan is interesting.

I am entertaining the romantic notion of being a farm owner. It is hard work and I do not want to be a farmer. It will be great however to grow my own food. A city boy's dream.

A Home Maker

Reading my blog it is easy to tell I love food maybe more than the books I profess to love. I am also family-oriented. In many ways, I am a home maker except I do not really cook or wash clothing. I take care of the kids and make sure the home is in good condition. BBQ and entertained guests. It is good to be a home maker.

Borders has 25% for 4 items or more

Buy four books or dvds and get 25% off. If you are on the mailing list, you will get 30% off for 3 items and additional 10% for members. It is a fantastic deal. I am glad the Borders is getting competitive.

I love it!

Fabulous Durian Puffs

Good Friday! We went to this nonya resturant in Keppel Club. The food was traditional nonya food. The chap chye, the babi ponteh, the chicken curry and curry nanka was sumptious. I would give it 4 and half stars out of a possible 5. We had durian pentak, durian chendol and durian puffs. I must say the desserts are out of this world. Obviously my sweet tooth is tickled and taste buds in heaven. The resturant is in the third floor and open to public.

I would say this is excellent food and reasonable price at S$150 for 5. The name of the resturant is Penamakan.

Home Sweet Home

It is nice to be back home. The nights in hotel are not restful. I am nursing a headache. It may be the aircon or the chemicals. Maybe just a different bed. Am I glad to be back on my own bed.

Like King Coil advertisement, we spend one-third of our lives on the bed and yet we do not pay attention and get the best. Now IKEA has a bed with his and hers section. Seems like woman and man have different taste on the softness of the bed. I need a hard bed and she need a soft. So IKEA come up with a bed with different hardness level. It is a fantastic idea. I saw the advertisement. Must go to IKEA to check it out!

Talk

I conducted the talk. The facilitator told me he rarely see 10 in evaluation. I had 3 attendees giving 10. However, there is a couple who think I repeated my examples. It is hard to please all.

Dinner, The Social Glue

Dinner was at Chilli's, the American joint. Juggling by the crowd, economy in Malaysia has not impacted resturant business. The office team and I had good solid American food that is very rich and unhealthy. We had steak, hamburgers, lamb chop and deep fried chicken filets.

The conversation was relax and about family, part-time school and training. We had a lovely time sharing different experiences especially on family idiosyncasies. The sharing and just having conversations is a good social glue to learn more about each other and share a different face or role we all have. Work is a one of the many roles we each all play daily. In our team, our philosophy is we have a complete person at work not just an unit of labour or the role played.

The highlight of the dinner is a mature female colleague says that I am the most handsome guy in the office. My ego swell so much that I was floating on the ceiling! Actually, I know where I stand. There is a young good looking guy who is very fair and have Korean blood. He is "pretty" she says. Another female colleague totally agrees with "pretty" label.

Sigh! I wish I am really handsome. I have not got any indecent proposal yet...so the truth is out there.

How to Increase Sales

This will the topic of my talk to Small Medium Enterprise bosses group in KL on Wed. I enjoying giving talks, facilitating sharing of experience with managers and business owners. It is a hobby now and I hope I can launch a second career in lecturing or public speaking.

Changes due to Spinal Adjustments

My head feel "funny". It is hard to describe except I can feel some changes. I am having backaches now. This may be due to cycling after my adjustments. Or due to the adjustments themselves. While I loved to get my bones clicked, I am not sure if it is always an improvement. I am getting discomfort. This is like spring cleaning. In spring cleaning, the house get messy as the spring cleaning starts and get worse as the time go by. Midway, I guess the house will be at its messiest(if there is such a word). Slowly, the mess will clear up and at the end, the house will be much cleaner and organised that when we first started.

Right now I feel my body is getting worse as the adjustment go rather than better.

AJC Fund Raising Day

Today is Anderson Junior College fund raising day. The student reports bright and early er... I mean dark and early. B1 has to report to school by 6:30am. By the time we reach the school, groups of students are already out on the road with the AJC flags. The road run must be done early before the sun is out to prevent heatstroke.

I hope the funds are used to do more repair and maintenance. I understand the buildings are "falling apart" by the many blogs that students has written especially during the Joint Admission Exercise.

Chiropractor

I have my chiropractic adjustment today. I have plenty of "clicks" i.e. the vertebra in my spine have been shift by "aggressive" method. My atlas was also adjusted. Atlas is the first vertebrae. I do not understand the spine adjustments intimately but feels good when I get lot of my bone clicked/popped.

After the adjustment, I feel tired. I hope my CNS or central nervous improves with the adjustments. The whole course is quite expensive.

Extreme Toyota

Now I know why books on Toyota are in the shelf of Knowledge Management. The key emphasis of Toyota is not just lifetime employment, quality or cars. It is about training, sharing knowledge, continuous learning and development. This is the same philosophy my team has. We operate in similar mode. This is why I feel we are a Toyota team in an American company. We are a misfit.

Yesterday

I was busy helping B2 i.e. boy number 2 with his school project. We did it in one hour. It was quick job. We have to improvise. Today, he is the only one who managed finished a complete project. Only challenge is his teacher is not satisfied. So it is back to the drawing board.

Extreme Toyota

Extreme Toyota is written by 3 Japanese Professors in English. There are many books on Toyota and usually they are written by American. As I read the book on why and how Toyota is successful, I felt that my tiny team is operating in the same mode. Leader must gather information before deciding. The leader's role is to help the people on the floor to solve their own problems. I do not have the book with me now. I will elaborate more tomorrow...

Reading for Enjoyment and Enjoys Reading

I wonder the difference between enjoying reading and reading for enjoyment. I always enjoys reading. I read a lot related to work, learning and leadership. However, I start to wonder about reading for enjoyment. I have not read for enjoyment for sometime now. The "sometime" is more than twenty years likely thirty even. As a kid and growing up, I enjoys Enid Blyton. I go through 3 per week. Then it was fairy tales and folk tales. I loves stories of scientists so much that one of my dreams is to be a scientist. Tom Edison was my idol then George Washington Carver, a black scientist who invented peanut butter.

Well, maybe I should allocate some time for reading for pleasure, just pure simple enjoyment, with no worry that I am wasting my time or it does not add to my knowledge. Reading just to relax and let the pages unfold and the story flow....

Happy Sons Make a Happy Father

B2 and B3 i.e. 2nd and 3rd boys shop at Tamiya toy store as we need parts for B2's school project. B3 requested for a solar powered dragonfly which I relented. I have a weakness for solar powered anything. Both boys are happy to get their items and happy boys make me a happy camper.

Happiness, that what we live for.

Adventurous Girl is Back

And she is asking me to share my dreams. For those who have read my blog profile before will know that I am a wanna-be entreprenuer.

It is better to be the head of the chicken than the backside of a bull... a Ceylonese proverb, says Sujit my friend from Sri Lanka. Many people dream of being the boss. Your truly, included. However, until now it is still a dream. I am always envious of fellow passengers who are entreprenuers or own their own business through family.

Somehow, I have not taken the plunge. Will I ever regret not building a business for my future generations? Can I be successful? Why am I making lots of money for a faceless corporation? These are questions I have asked before previously. You can search this blog for my previous entries. Just type "entreprenuer" in the box on top left hand corner and click "search blog".

So far, I have lots of questions and no answer...

Backache or Kidney Stones??

My back has shooting pains on the right side. It is uncomfortable. I am wonder if it is the chiropractic adjustments or my other kidney stones in my right kidney dislodge from the kidney. Whatever it is, it is worrying. Good thing I have another adjustment tomorrow and may be able to find out and eliminate the chiropractor. Is it possible I have a gallstone that is 2 cm in size?

As a man ages, his equipment starts to fail and requires periodic maintenance. Pains and aches follows. Cost of medical treatment starts to go up. All the money he earns in his youth is now transfer to the medical profession. Even doctors are human and need medical treatment themselves. Such is the unavoidable facts of life.

Lights Out!

I am glad to see my neighbours put out their lights. It is a good feeling the Earth hour is getting everyone attention and desire to save the earth. The one hour lights out did not save much. It is the concious act. An act to show we care. An act to show that we will be willing to start saving our Earth. I am very happy people is now more engaged in environmental issue.

Maybe we can save the Earth after all...

Feeling Full

I have no idea why I am feeling full the whole day. Maybe it is due to the excessive intake of "Teochew Peanut Candy". This candy is very crunchy and full of hard crystallised sugar. I am nuts about nuts. Once I start, I can't stop. This may be why my stomach feels bloated since lunch after I had the peanut candy for dessert.

I try out the new bike and the handle is too low for me. I did some research in the net and the reason is to keep the body low to reduce resistance for faster speed. New bicycle is alot more stable as the wheels are straight and aligned. I just need to get used to keeping my back bend. With a bad back, this is a challenge.

Ignorant Novice

I looked at my French neighbours' bikes. Both do not have bicycle stand either. So I am the ignorant biker, if I call myself a biker. I have no chance to ride my new bike yet. I find mountain bike force my body to bend and it is uncomfortable for long ride. I may need a new recreation bike:)

Looks like I am becoming a bicycle collector. We now have about 6 bicycles in our garage!

New Bike

I just bought a new bike to replace the bike that I fell down with. After the accident, the old bike cannot ride straight and is wobbly. My new bike is just for pure riding and cannot take passenger. Also it does not have a stand to allow the bike to rest upright by itself. I do not know if it is the right bike. I hope it will workout. I can no longer park in anywhere now if there is no fence to support the bike. This mean the bike is strictly for exercise. Whatever it is, I hope it will work out fine.

Yes, I will not try to learn new tricks. It is not easy for old dog to master new tricks without instruction and coaching...

Hi Tony!

I just want to say "hi" to my good friend from Canada. I am glad he visited me again. He may have been out on a trip which was why he did not visit. He manages a Soccer Club in Canada. His wife run her own consultancy helping companies to run 6 Sigma program to improve quality.

It is spring in Canada now. To learn more about the latest happenings in Toronto, click here.

HUGE Compliment!

A visitor who was refer from son's blog left me a fantastic compliment. At least I am taking as a compliment. I have reproduce the comment below.

Hmm... interesting you write so much about family. Are you a home maker?

Yes, I am a home maker when I am at home. I believe I am a good home maker too. I can cook but don't. The wonderful thing about living in Singapore is we can afford housemaid who take over many functions of homemaker. Eating out is very low cost unlike in Canada. So cooking, washing and laundry are done by my capable maid. This way I can spend quality time with the family.

My new dream is to be a "full-time investor" as my dream as an Entreprenur is fading.

Boring Updates?

My updates are boring. My Canadian friend has stopped visiting. I must figure out what else can I write to make this blog interesting.

Exercise to be Happier

What for me is worth all of the gold in Fort Knox?

First I think it will be nice to own and I shall not be greedy, 5% of the gold in Fort Knox. While the question was to direct me to answer the question what is worth more than money in the world, I would like to own more money. With the money, I can buy freedom. Freedom to travel in style i.e. business class air travel and 5 star hotels. Freedom from worry about job, household expenses, kids' college expenses and many other expenses of daily life.

Now let examine this question in a different perspective. Let's keep my needs simple and less. No travel, no tuition for the kids, no worry about household expenses. What is worth all the gold for me? It is time with the family. Watching the boys grow up and teaching them values. Our family values are honesty, integrity, diligence, love for one another and time together. We eat together alot and spend time in the mall together. Ya, this is the sad part. We mostly spend time in the mall as we do not have a lot of other interests. The boys and I cycle alot together. Sometimes they join me for swimming. I help them out whenever they need help e.g. setup the video recorder or fix the computer for them. My wife will wait for them while they are in tuition class. All these daily activities cannot be bought will all the gold in the world. Helping them to do the best they can. Making sure they learn and do all their homework. Imparting courtesy and respect for adults and relatives. Time together.

I may be able to spend with wanton. But family will be forever. So money or not, I would rank time with my family worth all the GOLD in Fort Knox.

Is Tuition Really Necessary?

It seems like the JC teachers are moonlighting. So they are not so helpful after class as they are in a hurry to earn more side income giving tuition. What I understand is the teachers ridicule or are sacastic to their students during class if they do not know or did not understand the lessons. While learning need to be independent, teachers are suppose to facilitate and support learning and acquisition of knowledge.

The conflict of interest come when teachers can make side income through tuition. The desire to help the student is now focus on "paying" students in the tuition centre. I think JCs should have group mentors system that teachers are assign to during off-lesson time to be available to answer any questions and help students with need more clarification.

What would I do if I am 120 years old?

According to psychologists, we all have an inner sage. We do not need all the self-help books or philosophers or religious leaders or any sages. Our perspective change when we are old and about to die.

The question is what would I be doing if I am at 120 years old and can die any time?
First, I would not worry about making money or saving money.
I would spend more time with my family members and enjoy their company instead of debating or arguing over trivial matters.
I would eat my favorite food and read just for pleasure.
I would love to do scientific experiments and making inquiring into nature.
I will also teach others on what I learned in the life I had lived.
I will pray and thank God for blessing me with a good life.

Looking after the Estate

Living in a condominium or strata title building has plenty of work to do. There are many licences to renew and maintenance work to upkeep the common property. The maintenance fees is all utilised to do just routine and regular jobs like replacing lights, repairing intercom system or the autogate. This is why condo and other strata title estates are much better maintained that non-strata houses.

While it is quite expensive to pay monthly fees, the return is a much better looking home and nicely manicure surrounding. I love my home.

Happier!

This is an interesting book it helps me to understand how to be happier. I enjoys learning that money isn't everything (and who doesn't know this). This book is different with "Time In" instead of time out. Time In is an exercise, mental exercise to relive some of the positive emotions when we perform altruistic acts. Ralph Waldo Emerson puts it "A man cannot help someone without helping himself". I do feel good about helping others. It bring forth nice warm feelings. However, I do get disappointed if I did not get thanks or feel appreciated sometimes. So I feel maybe I am not genuinely altruistic as I get this feeling.

Maybe one day I would attain the highest level by giving and not expecting acknowledgement all the time. Then I would truely be happy!

Recovering

I am amaze that I am on the road to recovery. It is 4 days since I fell on the bike. My wounds are healing. My soft tissues injuries on my shoulders, right arm still hurts like hell. My movement range has increased and the scrabs have thicken. While there is still limited strength, typing is not an issue anymore. It is not so difficult to write on this blog now.

Tomorrow I will visit the chiropractor and hopefully he can improve my condition further.

Money Money Money

Money is a stored value in purchasing power. We acquire as much as we can when we are living. When you do not have enough money, there is a saying "At birth, you come with nothing. At death, you bring nothing."

I was listening to the audio book, Stumbling on Happiness, and according to the author research show that people with more wealth than the poor and destitute is happier than the poor. People with a lot more wealth is not much happier than people with less wealth.

Why are we in fear of the recession or worry about stock market losses? Having less money does not make you less happy unless you are starving and have no roof over your head.

Humpty Dumpty had a Great Fall

Sorry for not writing yesterday. I was cycling with my son on Saturday evening. We are close to reaching home. I tried to cycle with one hand and then was trying to use one finger when I lost control and fell. I had lots of scratches. Plenty of skin gone from my knee, hands and leg. I used my right hand to break my fall and hurt my wrist and elbow. The bone in my right knee has a huge bulge and is very tender. I went to the sinseh on Sunday morning. Did not sleep well for two nights as my body wracks in pain every time I shift my body. This morning my right arm is swollen and increased in size by 30%. Movement is very limited and painful.

Internet is great. I did some research and apply cold compress and it reduces my swelling and with the swelling reduced, my mobility increased. I have no strength in my hand or arms. No more fooling around or trying out new tricks.

Yes, it is hard to teach old dogs new tricks.

It was the Vice Principal!

I made a mistake. It was the Vice Principal 1 in AJC last night. Principal could not make it. The VP I speaks well with clear enunication and diction. Her vocabulary is very strong using many choice words and she has a sense of humor. Presentation skills is good except her pace is fast and with many acronyms that as parent, I am clueless. The school assumes parents would know what the acronyms mean.

Anyway, it was good for parents like me to understand the JC system and university admission requirements.

Junior College

I attended a talk by AJC or Anderson Junior College. The program look intensive and it sounds very heavy. There are too much to do with too little time. I am not sure, maybe it is just selling. The Principal is trumpeting the achievements and how solid their programs were. There are lots of Vision, Strategic Thrusts and People Development. Sound like a lot of management buzzwords. Maybe the Principal has attended a lot of seminars and leadership programs. This is New Age education which sound like a sales pitch by BCG or Boston Consulting Group.

Falling Sick Again

It was great to meet with the whole team. We had two solid days of work and discussions done. Plenty of follow up to do. The challenge is half the office team is sick and may have infected me. My throat is very sore and sinus dry and stuffy. I can feel the heat just behind me nose. The travails of travelling is hitting me again. In American terminology, this comes with the territory.

Vibrant Night Life

There are many owls in KL. Seems like the night is young for KLites. I am sitting at Starbucks to do my internet as the hotel internet is not working well. There is still a crowd sitting around me. They are enjoying themselves talking and socialising. Tomorrow I will be returning home. So I am up late. The other issue with KL is the traffic. It is almost like the famous Bangkok traffic. Bangkok traffic has improving recently and KL is terrible. The road system is not coping with the volume. The government should invest in the infrastructure to improve the traffic. It is a fantastic place with great food and entertainment. With improved traffic flow, it will become a world class city.

One World Hotel

The buffett lunch in One World is very good and the variety is excellent. There are Japanese, Chinese, Indian food fare and the dessert range is excellent. It is temptations everywhere. I regret not trying out all the food but am glad at the same time I am not a glutton. I do not know the price but I know it is good value as the quality and freshness of the food is top notch.

One World Hotel is in One Utama Mall. The Cantonese resturant in my entry before is right in the ground floor of One Utama. KL is a food heaven. Price is quite as the ringitt is weak compared to Singapore dollars. Hawker food prices is RM4 per bowl vs S$3.50 (equivalent to RM8) in Singapore. Best is to earn Singapore dollars and spend Malaysian ringitt.

Starbucks

It is great to be at Starbucks where we can get free and fast surfing. My hotel internet is terrible and intermittent. Starbucks works well and is reliable. Thanks to Starbucks, I can sign in to update my blog.

Today is a long day with my colleagues discussing business and work issues. We now have an updated assessment of the situation and now can work on a plan to diversify and develop new business. We have a strong team and we will be able to pull through this patch. We just need to be resilient and ready to do different things and things differently.

I am very full now with fantastic Cantonese food for dinner. It is just talking and eating. How not to gain weight? I will die happy and fat...

No, I will exercise and keep myself fit once I reach home.

Wild Wild Wet

It is a fun day with the boys. Worker's Unions celebrated their 10th anniversary in Downtown East entrance fees are reduced to $1. Yes, One Singapore Dollar for Wild Wild Wet and Escape Theme Park. What a deal. There are free popcorns, candy floss, peanuts and games. My three boys and I enjoy the activities. My wife was just waiting there for us.

Cure for Insomia

My wife was waiting for me in Bishan 8 while I go to the washroom to relieve myself. She made herself useful by browsing the stalls. I could not find her when I was done and on the way to Popular to check if there is any good bargain. She insisted that I have to look at a gadget that caught her interest. It is an interesting gadget produced by a Japanese dentist. It is called a lip trainer. What this little gadget does is to help you strengthen your lip muscles. Once your lip muscle is strengthen are many benefits. Claims seems a little wild but hey why not try.

So I bought one to see if it works. It cost S$90. You can find out more by clicking here

Bad News Everywhere, Yet...

Exports Dropping, Retrenchment Up, Unemployment Up,Economy Shrinking. My sales dropped by a dramatic 80%. It is an incredible drop. We have to take some drastic action and will recover to 50% in March. My month to month growth will be 100%. We are in a roller coaster ride.

The good news is business is still ongoing. Production slowdown but still producing. The Americans supporting the world economy through debt. They have been spending on credit. Now is a time for adjustment. The good life is spend within your means. Otherwise it will catch up. Americans had a great run and enjoys a high standard for many years. It is payback time. Everyone hope this economic situation will be over by the end of the year. I believe 2nd half of 2009 will be much better than 1st half. We will see the economic crisis stablizing and Asia will pull out of this recession and start to grow again.

Hey Fatty Bum Bum!

Sitting down and talking to my sister, her son came over to join us. Her remark was "Gu Gu(uncle in Fukien) put on weight?" My nephew, Sean did not answer. His body language says "I did notices or care about Gu Gu's weight". I made up my mind there and then to stop eating tomorrow. Can I do it? Will have to see. My weight is way over 88kg now. I am positively FAT. I am now officially a fatty bum bum.

For Food Connoiseurs

I was searching for some information in the internet and stumble into this blog. This blogger loves food and photography. The photos are mouth-watering. With this blog I now can get ideas on where to go for meals. I have put in the link at the side of this blog.

STRESS!!

Whoa la la!! Financial crisis has hit my business. I am now in a crisis mode. Sales and profits have not only drop. They fell off the cliff!!! I am all charged up. It is stressful and strangely I am excited and pumped all ready to deal with the crisis head-on. My mind is very busy figuring out all the information I need to deal with the issues. My brain is spinning out different options and working on ways to reach out and find ways to save or increase our business.

Yes it is the biggest roller coaster ride of all time. Let's all buckle up and have some excitement of a lifetime.

Solar Energy Revival

Solar energy was once the answer to the energy crisis in 1970s. There was an oil embargo by OPEC at that time and interest in solar energy went to an all time high in US. Japan however took a different approach. Japan went on energy conservation. Right now Japan is the lowest per capita consumer of energy in the First World or developed economy. Interest in solar and other alternative energy sources wanes went oil price drop to below US$20 per barrel.

Recently, there is a revival in solar energy again. President Obama has allocated more than $20 billions on developing alternate energy sources such as solar and wind. In Japan, there is a Photovotaic exhibition where many manufacturers of PV system exhibits their wares. There are transparent glass which can be use for office building, flexible solar strip and bubble type. A side exhibition on storage and fuel cells completes the system requirements. Many governments are channelling funds in solar energy projects as the oil price is expected to increase again in the long term. New sources of oil now cost more than $50/barrel to extract.

Interest in solar energy is enjoying a revival and may be the future for a greener Earth.

Stock Market is like a Yo-Yo

Sigh! I thought it was a good time to go into the stock market. I went in and the market is now going lower. It is impossible to invest in anything. Real estate is going down, shares are down, interest is so low that investing in bonds is risky. What is there to do? Warren Buffett says he must keep a good cushion of cash. Maybe I should realise some of my losses and retain cash instead. What will happen if the banks go down? The cash will be gone too. Deposits in Singapore banks are now guaranteed by the Government. It should be ok. Today's paper says whoever still have a job will have a pay increase with the deflation. Based on the examples given, there are many big ticket items costing less. However, everyday food prices is still the same. Nobody is buying big ticket items as the consumer confidence is not there. So the price comparison is irrelevant. What is relevant is the price of rice, vegetables, meat and bowl of noodles or plate of chicken rice. I did not notice my cost reduce in my essential purchase. So deflation may not be real unless you sell your house. It is a great time for people with money to buy houses now.

Onede, Onede

B3 was up extremely early. He is excited and like to wake up early on the weekend. He was up at 3am and woke up our domestic help. She told him to go back to bed. He was up again at half past 5 in the morning. He just enjoys waking up in the dark. We go to Mayflower market in the morning for tea and paper. He tried a nonya dessert, "Onede Onede". Onede onede is a ball made from rice flour with coconut sugar fillings. It is covered with freshly grated coconut shreds. It is too sweet that even B3 who have an extremely sweet tooth could not continue after 4 small pieces.

Nonya food had become more popular since the drama serial "Little Nonya" was screened.

Home is Sweet

After a trip, home is warm and welcoming. It is good to go out for a few days and then back. Routine become a bore. Going to a different country, eating different food, experiencing different culture and enjoying the hospitality of my hosts is a good break.

The biggest challenge is falling sick during and after a trip. I get headaches due to the low pressure in the cabin. Sometimes eating bad food can be painful even traumatic.

I feels so good to be home in my own bed and surrounded by my books. Home is the sweetest place on Earth.

Geishas

I got a little glimpse of the geisha culture in Osaka last night. Dinner was a wonderful set of assorted deep fried items that is served two at a time. It is the best of slow food. Plenty of time for conversation. The oil is "healthy" and easy to digest and will not stay in the body, my host Tanaka san explains. There are 3 sticks of fresh and raw vegetable, carrot, raddish and cucumber. A side dish of wedges of raw cabbage to complement the deep fried. So the two extreme balance the whole meal.

After dinner, we go to a tiny bar for drinks. Along the way, we passed many hostesses greeting and cavassing for business. Many old Japanese women in their kimono finery and heavy make-up. I am a "gaijin" foreigner. So it was difficult for the hostess to talk to me as I know very little Japanese. Ok! I admit it. I know next to nothing except for good morning and thank you in Japanese. It is interesting experience. There are many senior Japanese businessman drunk and send off by the senior hostess. I am amaze and impressed by the fact old women in Japan are gainfully employed and earning good income entertaining old men.

It is interesting to observe that all the hostess do is listen and laugh at the jokes or anything. I also notice the hostess pays attention. I must say Japanese businessmen are lonely. I do not understand why they cannot talk to their wives about business issues or stress at work. Drinking and have a woman to listen is their way of destressing.

This hostesses are not really very pretty although they do dress up and many pass the age that would even get an interview to be a waitress in a bar in Singapore. So I must say Japan is a good place for old folks to keep working.

Buddha Statue in Seoul

There is a big Buddhist temple with a gigantic statue just outside my hotel in Seoul. I will pray there when I have a chance to do so.

Adorable Toddler

This is my colleague's two year old. Is she adorable?

Tonkatsu!

Tomorrow, I get to enjoy home-cooked Tonkatsu by my colleague's wife. She cooks fantastic tonkatsu. I had it a few years ago when he first relocate back to Japan. He has a nice house in Yokohama. It is very comfortable place. I am happy to visit his home again.

Money Will Be Useless

Some psychics are predicting money will be useless. Investment guru in Money Section of Straits Times recommends to buy gold and Singapore stocks. I have been giving money a lot of thoughts. In a crisis and stupendous change, a what-if scenario is "money is useless". Right now it is just a number in a bank account. Say if there is a pole shift. The Earth is upside down. Everything will be in a turmoil. All electric power are gone. No computer can run. Then what?? All paper money will be useless. It will be back to stone age. What can city dwellers like us offer? We have no survival skills outside a man-made world. All trades will be barter. I wonder what would people do. Many will die of starvation as harvest from the farms will have trouble getting to the people who need them.

On the other hand, if the world did not turn upside down, computers are still running and we all still have to earn money, the number in the bank account is very important. It allow us to buy creature comforts i.e. shelter, food and clothing. It is allow us higher standard of living i.e. tours, entertainment, sports and nice cars and fashionable clothing.

Happy!

I am very happy my soccer manager friend in Canada is visiting regularly. I will put in more thoughts on Canada. I will try to log in entries when I am in Japan. The schedule is a little hectic as I have plenty of meetings line up and have to travel to different cities. I also need to update more on the books I am reading. My latest acquition is Psychology of Work by Peter Warr. This is a series of articles on selection tests, team, motivation and other work related topic. I am interested to get a better understanding of organisation and work so that I can be a better leader.

Beautiful Rain

I find the rain shower this afternoon beautiful. This is our first rainshower since beginning of the year. The fields freshen up and the grass that were brown and withered shown some green sprites. I am very happy to get more green. It is worrying to see brown landscape when they should be green. With the rain shower, plants out in the open gets the water they need to quench their thirst. Beautiful indeed!

Crowded in Marina Square

Recently, the news reported slow down in retail sales and it is easy to get car park. Tonight, I just found the report not true maybe just for Marina Square. I have to circulate for more than 15 mins looking for a parking lot and got lucky when a guy told me he is leaving and asked me to reverse so that he can get out. The young adults are spending in the resturants. Maybe F&B is the last place to cut disposable income.

I also wonder if the news is making the situation worse by reporting bad news. I am no optimist. Reading the news makes me spend less and desire to save more. If everyone is reading the papers and reacting like me, I am sure our economy will contract.

Friday Night Observations

I have a late dinner out tonight. The two coffeeshops in Bishan I went to eat have plenty of seats empty. I expect more people eating out on Fridays but seem like it is not the case. Junction 8 however was full of people. Malls still attracts crowds. Maybe the economy is not half as bad. NTUC supermarket is doing roaring business.

I am glad to take time out to destress from work. It has been a hectic week at work. Next week be in Japan and weather is still cold. I should have gone during the sakura week. I have not seen cherry blossoms even though I have been to Japan a number of times. Boh Tong my fellow blogger loves Japan. He thinks the world of Japanese food and hotels. You can find out more by clicking here

Challenging Times Ahead

Bad news every day! Singapore Airlines grounding 14 aircrafts and stops flying to Vancouver. All business class flights to US are reduced. However, Singapore Airlines still manage to confound analysts by turning profits. Many programs by government are implemented to soften the blows of the recessions.
Singapore has many first. First country in Asia to go into recession. First to have export with drastic 35% drop since 1977, First to report jobs loss, First to...
Singapore has open economy and transparent reporting. Many bad news and Government's response. 90% subsidies for training, slight increase in handouts, job matching, workfare.
Seems like after giving goodies, ground is prepared for elections. We may have elections soon.

Two Canadian Friends Renew Relationship

I forward what I thought was important for all my friends in my email address. Two friends from Canada wrote back. I am very happy to stay in touch with them. One was a Malaysian Chinese who was my wife's ex-colleague and the other is a white guy from Macedonia who was my ex-colleague. My wife's ex-colleague is still working even though he is past 60 years. He lost C$142K in Nortel stock. Nortel was once the darling of TSE or Toronto stock exchange.

My ex-colleague is now a Manager for a Soccer Club. He travel to watch soccer matches. His wife is doing her own business consulting in 6-sigma quality process. They have two boys and lives in Burlington, Ontario which is just west of Toronto.

Blazing Sun

The Sun is out at full force. I will not be surprise if temperature reach record level. There is not much cloud cover. I can feel my skin burning under direct sunlight. Global warming is a cliche but the heat is real in the hot afternoon. No wonder we are getting lots of bush fires. Rain at it lowest in more than 20 years. The meterologist caution that one month is not a trend. He is scientifically trained and has to show restraint. I feel it in my bones. There is really nothing more I can worry about. If the sea level rises, millions will be affected and I will be one of millions since Sungei Punggol is steps away from my home.

If the rise in sea level is slow, I can go and live in Canada. Ha! Running away...

Planet Earth - BBC Series

This documentary is simply amazing. No wonder it is winning awards. It is enlightening and enriching to learn about our Earth. I must own this series. It is very entertaining and educational. You can watch for a very small fee of $21 per year with the National Library.

Productive Day

I have a very productive day. I have done plenty of work. Too much work. Value added? I am not so sure. If measure by dollars, it may not make any sense. However I consider all this work future investment. One day I will reap the returns in $$$.

Sunday as Usual

Today is just another regular Sunday. The boys have their extra classes and we ate Adam Road Prawn Mee. Spent time in Bishan library. This library contains good selection of audio books and documentary video. After class, we wander around Junction 8. Go to Popular to get some stationary. Bought and eat snacks. Then back home. At home, it is very warm and humit. So read by the poolside. Then cycle and dinner. Hmm! It is a very regular Sunday. Nothing exciting. Wait! I take that back. Right along Ang Mo Kio Ave 4 near AMK Central, there is a MPV that was smashed in front and turned turtle. It is unusual for a MPV to turn upside down in a busy road that is full of traffic lights. I wonder how this can happen.

Hurray, the Start of Recovery

Sian is listless and tired in Hokkien. Bo pian - no choice. All the bad news and stress at work. More bad news in the papers. The good news is the Rescue Package passed. Obama administration managed to come up with a plan to revive the US economy. I hope the economies of the world turnaround and fast! With so many jobs disappearing and hardships seen by the MPs(members of parliament)publicise by the Straits Times, it is imperative that the jobs come back. Otherwise, the world will suffer. It is bad that people are suffering.

Today is the good news and may be the start for the world's economy to revive and grow again.

STAR Diagnostic for Stroke

My friend, Goh Sze Li sends me via email. I have not verify if the right way. However, it is so simple and easy and it may save your loved ones lives just knowing how to identify and what to do...

Blood Clots/Stroke - They Now Have a Fourth Indicator, the Tongue

STROKE:Remember the 1st Three Letters....S.T.R.


My nurse friend sent this and encouraged me to post it and spread the word.
I agree.

If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks.
Seriously..

Please read:

STROKE IDENTIFICATION:

During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) .she said she had just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes.

They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food. While she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening

Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00 pm Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. they end up in a helpless, hopeless condition instead.

It only takes a minute to read this...

A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough.

RECOGNIZING A STROKE

Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn!

Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke.

Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions:

S *Ask the individual to SMILE.
T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)
(i.e. It is sunny out today)
R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS.

If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency numberimmediatelyand describe the symptoms to the dispatcher.

New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue

NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other,that is also an indication of a stroke.

Sick!

I was quite sick yesterday. I have a wake-up call at 5:50am to check out of the hotel as the airport is far from Seoul. I was all sweaty when I woke up and had a quick shower before dressing up. I had fruit juices and caffe latte for breakfast. In the aircraft, I had red wine with my meal. The red wine must have turn my nagging headache into nauseous, throbbing headache and making my body sweat even when the room temperature is cold.
To say I was feeling bad would be an understatement. I have no idea if it is the food or the exposure to cold together with the stress of travel i.e. low pressure and lack of sufficient sleep causing me to succumb to malaise and discomfort. I had plenty of rest and fluid and now I am feeling better and on the road to recovery for my next trip.

Fellow Passenger Attracted Attention

On the way back home yesterday, a passenger sitting one seat in front of me attracted a lot of attention from senior male passengers on the aisle when she return to her seat after visiting the washroom room. Subsequent times when she return to her seat, I notice other passengers were looking at her. So I decided to go to the washroom have a good look at her on returning to my seat. Unfortunately she wears a facemask. I heard the stewardess calling her Miss Park. She wears a mink and leather coat. I also notice on the fourth finger on her left hand is a huge diamond ring. The diamond is teardrop shaped size of a marble. I wonder if it is fake monster of a diamond. Otherwise she may be a mistress of a filthy rich guy. Or she may be an actress which may be why she is wearing a facemask without any sign of cold or stuffy nose. Whoever she is, it is quite mystery.

What do I want to do before I die?

I just bought a book with a collection of essays by ordinary folks answering this question. I have read a couple of articles and find it interesting enough to buy and own this book. Come to think of it, I have not really thought of this question? I do have many dreams. One of them is to own a business. It is better to be head of a chicken than tail of a bull - Ceylon Proverb. In a big company, my boss had wise saying "Unless you are the head elephant, everyone else view is the same".

Beside, owning my own business, what else do I really want to do before I die? I think hard. I do not have a travel bug or desire to travel around the world or play golf all day long. I am not so altruistic as to volunteer my time to charity. I love to teach and train. I enjoys being a coach. I wanted to learn to fly model plane. I want to want my sons grow up and keep my wife company. I enjoys reading and learning. I am doing many of these activities now.

What is it that I would like to do so that I am fulfilled when I move on to heaven in peace? Maybe have another home so that I have live in two different country. Canada is a good place with four seasons. I understand Northern Thailand is good too. Maybe a home that is self-sufficient in energy with windmill and solar to power all my modern comforts and reduce my imprint on earth and leave the world a better place.

I am rambling here. What would you like to do before you die?

Dinner Special

Chicago Grill was having a special (read: discount!). I am a sucker for value. I had a wonderful but lonely meal by myself...

Simple Dinner

Travelling is fun when you are out for vacation, exploring and experiencing new sights and sensation. I had a simple dinner by myself with a book for company.

Seoul Cold!

I wish I brought warmer clothing instead of just a windbreaker. It is freezing here. The flight was uneventful. No conversation with flight crew or my neighbour. It is nice to stay in the same hotel. Familiarity breeds contempt! Well when it come to hotels, this proverb is totally wrong. Familiarity breeds comfort. I had fish for lunch - Chile Seabass by some famous chef in New York engaged by Singapore Airlines to enhance her service. I left half my fish untouch. I wished I had FHM - no not the men's magazine with scantily dressed voluptuous women. FHM is Fried Hokkien Mee served 35,000 feet up in the air.

Freezing my Butt

Tomorrow, I will be travelling north into deep winter. This is sudden change in weather can be stressful to the body. The fun is snow. Unfortunately, I am going to a city and not up the mountain. :( no snow. Only shopping and Korean food.

What to Invest?

Most investments I know has dropped in value. Equities, real estate, commodities are all much lower now. There is a couple of bright spots. Gold is still strong and bond should be a safe haven. Now it is really tough to invest in anything. Everyone is tightening their belts and saving cash. As for me, I am thinking China's equities and commodities funds may be a good bet. I am a fan of Jim Rogers.

AJC Principal Good, ACJC Principal BAD!

My family had a traumatic week. My son's friend managed to get into ACJC but he did not although he is right at the cutoff points. We went to appeal and try to our best with CCA (co-circular activities) and MP letter. ACJC give us the run around. The Principal of ACJC, Mrs. Chan is high and mighty. She make herself inaccessible and make her staff gives parents and students like us a hard time.
In contrast, AJC Principal called my son's friend to say she is rejected and listen to her plea. She listened to her student and make concession. From this experience and example, AJC Principal displayed listening skills, empathy and reach out to her students. She has displayed true leadership skills and humility. ACJC Principal? in Charles Dicken's word BLAH!

Bitter End?

Up to now, the only news it is not successful. Sigh! Should we still nurse our hope as the deadline is tomorrow? We should give up and move on with life. It is really a tough week Prayers, MP, visiting the school and calling the CCA teacher all are in vain. In vain! This is the end of the world as we know it. Our family world luckily on the Earth. Our dreams broken, hopes dashed. We will move on and make the JC regret not taking my boy. Revenge will be sweet when he outdone the Other JC students.

Going Through Hell

It is a really traumatic process. B1, my wife and I work hard toward the appeal process. The school gives us the run around and we are getting bad vibes. B1 is very disappointed and feeling very down. He is listless and it clear this process is impacting him negatively. There is only a small silver of hope as the Friday is the final deadline. However, hearing that some are already in the school that appealed at the same time as he did.
Sigh! All we can do now is pray and pray hard.

Wee Siew Kim

Mr. Wee Siew Kim is MP for Jalan Kayu. He holds a meet-the-people session in Blk 556 Ang Mo Kio Ave 10 on first and last Tuesday of the month from 8 to 10 pm. We went over to meet him and seek his help. The volunteers and grassroots leaders were very helpful. He is very busy and get lots done in the short time he is there. The volunteers were there to type letters and gather information. There is a number system on a first-come-first serve basis. It is a well-oiled and very slick operation. I am impressed!

Food Lover

Someone commented that I am more a foodlover than a booklover. I want to go on record he is right! Just this week, I gain 2 kgs with all the Chinese New Year food and goodies. It is eating non-stop. Plenty of meals with family and friends over. I must now exercise even more now. Cutting down on food is hard to do....

I know WHY...

I am so hot on exercise. I am reading a new book by John Medina titled Brain Rules. There are 12 Principles for boosting Brain Power. First and foremost, EXERCISE! Medina bring back human before modern civilisation. Human are wandering and walking 12 to 25 miles a day. Our brain used up 20% of the total energy consume by the body. So it need plenty of blood flow into the brain to provide oxygen and remove the waste. Research show that exercise can slow down and even reverse brain disease like Alzheimer. This makes a lot of sense. So I am totally sold by this concept and will exercise and exercise and exercise.

Sustainable Regime

I was feeling I need to do more exercise after getting my medical report. So this morning I cycled twice. After that I feel dead tired for the rest of today. I don't know if I can keep up with my desire to improve my medical result. Right now it is still fresh. I wonder how long it will be before I go back to my bad habits of eating too much and exercising too little.

Bad Cholesterol Higher

I went for my annual checkup a couple of weeks ago and got my report yesterday. My bad cholesterol is at a higher level than last year's results. My "good" cholesterol or HDL is low. I must cut down on red meat or meat in general. It is tough as I do not like fish or seafood. Annual checkup always tell me things that I already know or make me depressed. I have to watch my diet, exercise more, less salt, etc, etc. All the fun of living is kind of take away.
I am exercising more and this is a good start. I will live a long and healthy life. And this is not denial or blind optimism. I am taking concrete steps by cycling more often.

Madness in JCs

It is madness in JCs or junior colleges today. The school posting results are out and appeal application is open for students to appeal to go to the school of their choice. There are plenty of parents and students in all the JCs to queue up to apply for an chance to gain entry. The appeal process will take a week, 7 days of nerve wracking wait. This is stress to the nth degree. Maybe this is a Singapore disease. In Canada, there is no choice for public school. You just go to the designated school in the catchment area of the school. If you are not happy with the school, the other choice is Private School and it is very expensive. Public schools are "free". We do not pay school fees and school bus will come to pick up the kids. The property tax is used to fund the school, textbooks and school bus.
Singapore, there are "branded" school, reputable schools, neighbourhood school or downtrodden junk school where no one want to go.

We will have angst until next Friday. Wish us luck!

Talent is Overrated

Author Geoff Colvin is Senior Editor of Fortune. This book has reach the bestseller list in New York Times. The book explore talent. Talent implies natural ability or capability. The analysis of the smart and successful famous people like Bill Gates, Jeffery Immelt(CEO of GE), Tiger Wood, etc and found that all them put in a lot of work in a special way called deliberate practice. It is hard work of repetition and feedback. Over time and only over lot of time in practice before one can become a master. It usually takes at least 10 years of practice and mostly about 20 years of practice before great performance occurs. Starting young gives you a head start. As I review this book, I realise it is like world class Olympic athletes. The kids are screen and then put on a daily regimes of training for many years before they compete in the games. This is like sitting for exams except it is many years for a few minutes of performance and only one winner.
The key conclusion from the book is anyone can be trained for outstanding performance. It is a lot of hard work and practice. The price for success is indeed high.

What a Surprise!

I usually get regulars coming to visit. I was a little surprised by the nice messages visitors left for me. I check on my "hits" and it went through the roof. I know my friend and fellow blogger must have done something. And indeed, he did. All he does is so simple and my blog becomes hot. He is a popular Story Teller

My Family

Annual Affair! My sisters and their families were over for dinner. My wife prepared lots of food. She personally cooked braised mushrooms, lo han chai and chicken soup. I deboned teochew braised duck, chop the roast pork belly and cut up the cha siew(bbq pork). Everyone loved the her homecooked food. I enjoy watch the food get consumed and it is a very good feeling after all the time I have spent preparing.
It is the end of the New Year holiday. I am tired but satisfied.

First Day of Ox Year

The day come and is now coming to an end. We bring out kids to visit their Grandpa and Grandma. All the relatives were there. It is a good time to catch up and talk of nature, water and the rising sea level. It is a little worrying and good thing is it is on our National Agenda.
In the afternoon, I have a long nap. The preparation for the new year must have exhausted me. It was good to let my body rest and recover. In fact, I do not have a choice. I just fall asleep on the sofa. Refreshed, me and my boys went cycling together. My youngest sister-in-law come and wish us good luck and we host them for dinner. It is a nice and eventful day.

A Detached Perspective

I watched the TCS actors and actresses singing the New Year songs. It must be hard to be in the performing arts. Some sang well and other not so. The main theme of Chinese New Year is Wealth and sub themes supporting the main theme are Health, Prosperity, Good Luck, Career Success and Growth, and Happiness. As I watched the song and dance, I find that I am rather detached from the celebrations. Maybe it is the sombre mood of the economy, or the work stress. I did not find the variety show entertaining. Maybe I am a movie bluff. Action movies and musicals are my favorites. I need a storyline.
The great thing about this crisis is the Government of the world are doing their utmost to contain this monster and prevent an economic crisis. With concerted efforts, I am sure the depression will not occur and economy will turnaround in a much shorter time.
May the new year be Oxpicious for everyone.

All Quiet

The streets are all quiet. The neighbourhood playground is quiet. The foodcourt is bright and is still open. On closer inspection, only the drink counter and the Indian food stall are open. 7-eleven is open and several foreign workers are there to make their purchases. It is an unusual Sunday evening. All quiet and deserted. It is as if there is a curfew.
This is power the New Year's Eve. 99.99% of all hawkers and food stalls are closed. All malls and shops are closed. Everyone is home having dinner with their families.
We had steamboat with home grown vegetables right from our own garden, fresh prawns, fish balls, meat balls, cuttlefish, sukiyaki beef and tofu. It is really good to spend time with family.

Coming, coming, coming...

No, I am not having an orgasm. It is Chinese New Year coming. Tonight is the night. The night where our wet market is open all night long. It will be last opportunity to get new year's goodies at "teow lao" price or "suicide price" in Hokkien. However, grocery items such as vegetables and fruits will be at premium price. Even more premium is roast chicken, roast duck, roast pork, braised duck, nian gow which is sold at twice the usual price in the market. This is the time where the hawker makes 40% to 50% of their annual earnings. Most hawkers will have at least one week break. Who would not? It is a well deserved rest as they work every day the rest of the year, rain or shine, holiday or not they just work and work. It is the only time where the malls are closed for two days. Commence in Singapore virtually shutdown next week.
With all the festivities and preparations, I should be busy. Instead, I am worrying about work. I will have to work on Day 2 as my boss want to speak to me. I will not get to enjoy the new year like usual. My mind and thoughts are occupied by work.
Let's me enjoy the next 3 days to "work" on my CNY preparations. I love Chinese New Year. It is a new beginning and hope. It is time to celebrate and wish everyone good wishes. It is heartening the government of Singapore is doing everything to save jobs and investing in education and training. We should be able to survive in this global crisis as a country and thrive once the economy turns around.
GONG XI FA CAI to all my readers. May the Year of Ox bring Peace, Health and Wealth to all of you.

Wild Foods

Octo has a good show on exotic food. Snakes, centripedes, tarantula, scorpions, all the poisonous and yukky insects and animals. Must be live and poisonous. Usually, the insects are deep fried. People eat them for health benefits or as delicacy. Taiwan is famous for red head centripedes, Cambodia turn tarantula into a delicacy and Vietnameses love scorpions. Looking at the people eating is quite disgusting but they seems to enjoy the food.