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only Air Canada as Canadian Air has been absorbed by AC) are totally uncompetitive with poor service and very outdated aircraft and archaic entertainment system, lobbied the Government to protect the routes.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.