Starting small...

So some of you know that I'm trying out a small experiment to get started thinking about business...

Before that, a little background:
- My mum, J, makes amazing chocolate walnut cakes, but she only ever does it once every Lunar New Year, reason being that it takes too much effort just to bake 1 cake at a time (i.e. take out everything, unwrap all the plastic covering (she's crazy about keeping stuff spotless), bake 1x cake, wash everything, and then rewrap and re-store...

So she only does it the week before CNY, where she bakes up a storm, making at least 10 large cakes to all our relatives and colleagues at 1 go. Ever the dutiful son, I have been assisting her to bake all this while, and of course, learning the various techniques and formulas to make the one great slice.

One of my colleagues actually asked to buy an entire cake last year, and we were so paisehz, coz we didn't know how to sell the cake, how to price the cake (he was a colleague after all), and so just 意识意识 sold him at cost (ingredients only).

This year, at we were ramping up to CNY again, on a whim, I approached said colleague and asked if he was interested to buy again. He immediately responded and added that for the right price, being the foodie among his friends, he could scrounge up enough interest to make it interesting. But before he could 推销 to his kakis, he needed some photographic proof that the cakes were attractive.

Immediately I went back and checked my old photo stash, just in case I had any to show him upfront. No luck! So we had to bake a whole new cake to take photos. I figured, why just email him when I can post it online and show potential clients, accessible by a wordpress blog.

The blog is here: chocolatewalnutcake.wordpress.com

Thereafter, we had to start considering the entire business feasibility (how much to sell), supply constraints (how to get best-source ingredients), marketing strategy (apart from CNY, when would one want to eat super delicious, moist chocolate walnut cake), viral advertising (social media / FB), how to ensure repeat business via word-of-mouth (if someone eats and likes the cake, where can he/she make a quick order), & multiple selections (what if someone wants a smaller sized /heart-shaped cake), even vision (to walk in the footsteps of Awfully Chocolate).

So as it stands, everything is up in the air, and that we are learning as we go along. Definitely we won't make money this year, but that's not the point. What I can say is that it's a small experiment in starting and operating a business, hopefully imbuing me with the right training for when I do a 'proper' start-up.

Plus, it goes a long way to make my mum busy and proud of her baking...

This weekend we'll be extremely busy trying to fill the orders, and if there's anyone who wants to order, please email cakesjoyce@gmail.com or call 9450-4195.

2012

Wow! In a blink of an eye, 2012 is here.

This is hopefully my first (of many) posts in 2012 where I'll try to kickstart my writing process all over again.

Things I will blog about:
- My job in the Venture Capital World
- My readings
- My various dabbles in coding
- My attempts at starting up
- My life goals and how I'm achieving them this year
- My hobbies and interests.

That should keep it interesting...

Anyone out there still reading, perchance?

Whenever I can't sleep...

I blog.

I write to give the many swirling thoughts in my head a physical, logical, permanent location, its own place in the world. When it takes physical shape, meaning, it becomes powerful, autonomous, with a mind of its own.

It's amazing how millions of letters can be crammed in my tiny brain. Without the skill and years of training, I can only get a tiny fraction of it out, and the rest of the 99.99999% of my thoughts fizzle away into emptiness, nothingness...

Like one's existence, what truly happens once he/she stops existing? When you go from a living, breathing human person to becoming a cold,stiff, rotting carcass, where does your eternal soul gets placed? Is it truly that 21grams that constitutes your soul just disappears forever? Then your time on Earth, what is it really? A tiny asterisk pointing to a footnote hidden within an appendix buried in an obscure reference?

But I digress.

My thoughts, myriad in its actualization, probably can fill up the Encyclopaedia Britannica. Heck, it may be enough to deck out Wikipedia. Hah, did you know that there's a Wiki entry about Britannica? Maybe one day, someone will edit the wiki entry to talk about the demise of Britannica. After all, doesn't the victors rewrite history? Sure, the bards will sing the tales of how you valiantly fought with your very last breath, but surely, they won't be saying anything about how the winner double-crossed and stabbed them in the back. At least not while the victors (and their direct descendants) are still alive.

Ok, I think I have done a sufficiently lengthy memory dump. My head feels much lighter, clearer, and ready for bed. My thoughts feel particularly heavy in my head, perhaps they can actually be weighed one day. Has any physicist / biologist considered that before? Then again, if a thought is might up of electrical impulses jumping through the synapses in the brain, having a lot of thoughts = a lot of electrical impulses. Since an electrical impulse is a particle transmitting electromagnetic waves, it's a form of energy. Energy = mass x acceleration, therefore the more thoughts I have, the heavier I become.

Wow.

Is that worthy of a Nobel?

Grand Palace in BKK

Wow I'm old

Wow, it's really been a very long time since I last blogged, back in July 2010. Guess one could say that since then I became very busy at work, at life, everywhere. And suddenly I have hit upon another life milestone, a moment to reflect on the past year.

There has been many changes since my last entry.

1) Changed jobs
I'm now in a new subsidiary that looks into equity investments as well as industry promotion. The learning curve has been fairly steep, and I found myself learning new skills that tested my ability to adapt and grow. The best of this job is that I am now fully based locally and can actively seek out my other interests, see No. 2

2) In a relationship
I'm with BJ, a simply wonderful girl who has shown me the better part of what living can be. Without realizing it, my last 30 years was a scowling nightmare. I avoided pictures, afraid of immortalizing the mirror image I saw but didn't want to. She, with all her cheerfulness and joy, has taught me how to smile and believe.

3) I'm studying
In between juggling 1) and 2), I've embarked on something new. I've started studying for a certification course, designed to help me career-wise post-slavery. This has led to many sleepless nights, blurred mornings, and frenzied studying binges.

What hasn't changed
1) Weight
Since dropping significantly in 2010, my weight has reached a plateau. I still target to lose another 10kg to reach my desired weight, and I will do it by end of this year. This I will have to do with 1), 2), and 3) in perspective.

2) Procrastination / Laziness
That still hasn't changed. As I was clearing out some of the books cluttering my shelf today, I chanced upon "The Procrastinator's Guide to Success" and smiled. If only reading a book can solve a problem, but even so, procrastinators won't ever flip to the last page. This is something that needs to change as well, if I want to achieve further personal growth.

3) Lack of Planning
For too long, I have been counting upon good luck, serendipity to get through life. Somehow, amazingly enough, I have lived well enough. But it's stupid to believe that I can still do this in the next phase in my life. I *need* to be a planner, because if I have goals but not a way to achieve them, then I'm just a dreamer.

Let this blog entry serve as a reminder to myself to change. 31 years late, but it's never to late to start *now*.

Wish me luck!

Why is it always a struggle?

Why is it always so hard?

Do I really not want it?

Why doesn't it get easier after such a long time?

Sigh...

Finding Common Interests Online

Bored, I went online to read some personal finance blogs, and I chanced upon this Get Rich Slowly, about how this guy managed to pay off his credit card debts, and live a frugal existence.  More interestingly, I noted that this chappie was also on a Weight Loss Regime that coincided with his Expense Reduction Regime.  Apparently, these two activities, contrary to what I've always felt, are not mutually exclusive.  In fact, he felt these two activities shared alot of similarities. In fact, you can probably do some word replacements ("budget" for "weight","spend" for "eat", etc) to derive financial wisdom...

Quoting him:

1. Maintaining a healthy weight is more about mind than it is about math. The math is simple — calories in, calories burned. But that’s obviously not enough. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a common trait among people who lose weight and keep it off is that they seek support from family members and friends. When your negative thoughts get in the way of your goal, turn to your support group for encouragement.
2. Goals are important. Be realistic, and think about process goals. For instance, instead of focusing on losing 20 pounds, make it your goal to eat five servings of vegetables and workout for 45 minutes a day.
3. Eat less than you burn. In other words, track what you eat, even if only for a few weeks. You’ll learn about your habits and triggers, which is instrumental for long-term weight maintenance.
4. Eat your proteins and veggies first. Before you reach for the bread basket or down 16 ounces of soda, fill up on something nutritious.
5. Small amounts matter. If you can’t fit in a two-hour run, don’t get frustrated and give up. Do you have 30 minutes? Consistency is what is important. Likewise, swapping a frappucino for a latte might seem insignificant, until you calculate the calorie difference.
6. Large amounts matter, too. It’s just not reasonable to eat a pint of ice cream and expect to make it up at the gym the next day. Learn about portion control.
7. Do what works for you. As with personal finance, there is no one answer. I can tell you my secret was eating kale, but maybe you hate kale. You can tell me that running was the key to your success, and just hearing about it will make my knee hurt. There are a lot of healthy foods and calorie-torching activities out there — experiment until you figure out what you like.
8. Slow and steady wins the race. To quote J.D. when he wrote about this in a personal finance context, “Recognize that you’re in this for the long haul. You’re making a lifestyle change, not looking for a quick fix.”
9. The perfect is the enemy of the good. Don’t bother looking for the “best” weight loss plan — there’s not one. Get started and tweak your plan as you go.
10. Failure is okay. Maintaining your weight is something you’ll do for the rest of your life. There will be vacations, birthdays, and holiday seasons that throw you off track. That’s okay. Get back into your good habits, and make a plan to have healthy foods on hand and fit in some exercise the next time your routine changes.
11. It’s more important to be happy than it is to be skinny. Don’t become obsessed with celebrities diets and models who walk the Victoria’s Secret runway a week after giving birth. As with money, if you’re happy, your weight can be easier to manage, especially if you eat ice cream when you’re sad or reach for potato chips when you’re bored.
12. Do it now. It’s easy to put off weight loss until bikini season hits and you can’t hide under a sweater, but the sooner your start moving toward your goals, the easier they are to reach.

He states that even though he doesn't spend alot, and makes it a point to scrimp and save (coupons, sales, control whims), he splashed out for his Gym membership and his bike.  All these makes me feel a lot better about maintaining my super expensive Fitness First membership, which has definitely paid off.  Since I joined it in May last year, I have lost about 12-13kg, depending on my (unknown) weight right now.

The chappie also bought a bike and works out daily, especially in the morning, so that he doesn't have to wonder and worry about exercising for the rest of the day.  I've been wondering a little lately if I should save up and buy myself a road bike to ride to work, thereby giving the daily commute on the MRT the Kiss of Death.  A lot of accidents occur to riders, and I can see why.  As a driver, I usually get quite annoyed with the road bikers, who either want to throw away their lives, or are complete road hogs.  Frankly, we aren't that near to a riding society as yet, even though we are taking baby steps towards it.  I guess I was spoilt in Boston, where there are dedicated bike lanes, plenty of places to park bikes, and the city actively encourages riding as much as possible.  Plus, it's not so damn hot!

There's also a new possibility that I've discovered.  Before I got shipped off to Manama, I actually managed to run home a couple of times, and it's definitely a fantastic experience, albeit time-consuming (at least 1.5 hours), super exhausting(too tired to do anything else once I'm done), and super tedious (leaving work clothes in office, bringing extra clothes the next day).  Still, I've been psycho-ing myself to attempt this twice a week; will see how.

Conclusion is that I need to wake up early and get my exercise in before work every morning.  It takes 21 days to form a habit right?  Hopefully, Manama will give me the shot in the arm I need to start this.  The chappie on the blog targets to lose 50 lbs this year, and he lost 20 lbs so far, and I'm very encouraged to see people having similar goals and targets and succeeding.  In fact, I'm going to use him as my role model, and like him, have time to work out daily, enjoy doing it, and not spend too much while doing so (i.e. wait till my weight is stabilized before I buy nice clothes to reward myself).

Bahrain!

After 1.5 years of waiting, I've arrived in Bahrain!  The word "Finally" doesn't half describe the agony of waiting and getting disappointed time and again.

We're staying at the Somerset Al Fateh, part of the Ascott Group of Singapore.  The apartment on the 12th floor is really nice, and I'm staying in the Master Bedroom, which has an attached bathroom with a JACUZZI!  Haha, I've been using it every 2 days so far, and it's fun just to lie down and soak in the bubbliness of the waters after an exhausting work-out.  The apartment is kind of out of the way of all the restaurants and malls.  Thankfully we rented a Toyota Camry (TABASCO-coloured) 2008 model, and have drove exploring a couple of evenings after work.

Here are some pictures of the apartment! 

The living room has tv, stereo (never used before), and the ironing board.  We have wireless internet all over the building, but it basically konks out every single day, especially in the mornings when I need to conference call Singapore.  Did I ever mention that I hateeee ironing?  Absolutely the worst activity ever.

The kitchen is very well-equipped, has all the pots, pans, spoons, cups and all.  Shouldn't have wasted my luggage space carrying my cutlery, but at least now I have chopsticks and soup spoon (which I have yet to use, and will probably never ever use in my entire month of stay in Bahrain.

We have a balcony which we hardly step out (the winds are very strong, and blows alot of sand all the time, so we keep all the windows and balcony shut all the time).  Heard there was a sandstorm the week before I arrived, and Bahrain gets the equivalent of haze too, from all the sandstorm and the winds.  It has a good view actually, and we're close to the 'sea', but it feels super duper man-made and artificial, since the land is reclaimed, there's no beach, and no ships or sea life whatsoever.  Wonder if the entire Middle-East is like that as well.

A close-up view of Manama City directly from my balcony.  They have pretty decent architecture here, and land is super plentiful.  Oh, we discovered that the Bahrainis don't really have the concept of addresses.  When asking for directions, they only say it's in so-and-so district, and not provide things like unit number, street number or what-nots!  Even Government agencies and all only utilise a P.O. Box number for their stated addresses.  Damn weird right?

This is my bedroom!  The bed is uber comfortable, can, and have been rolling around when i sleep.  There's also a work table, and even a tv (with cable).  I have been watching Wimbledon on the tv, showing at a much more decent timing than in Singapore.  Same for the World Cup, but it is only available on the ground floor.  That's ok, better to watch with others and cheer/jeer together than to watch by oneself.  Too bad there's no alcohol to drink while cheering on the teams.  Would have generated alot of sales.

My jacuzzzzzi!  I think I want a jacuzzi next time in my place, really removes all the aches and tiredness away chop-chop!  As a service apartment, they come in and replace the towels and stuff daily, EXCEPT fridays, which is their day of rest.  The weekends here are Fridays and Saturdays, so I guess their equivalent of end of workweek night out is Thursday evenings?




The pool!  There's actually two pools here, one on 7th floor, and other on the ground floor, but my colleague tells me the 7th floor one is directly in view of the construction workers in the next building.  The pool looks good, right?  But it's actually super murky, with all the accumulated sand and all.  Can't even see the wall very clearly until I'm almost hitting it.  The palms trees show you how strong the winds here can get.

Our first meal, we ordered in Macs, haha!  I had the McSpicy, and it was quite delicious!  No such thing as an Arabian-y type smell or taste, they are very good at maintaining the quality of fast food here!  Will talk about that next blog.




Oh ya, I've been jetlagging very badly lately, last night slept at 10pm, but woke up at 1am, then 3am, 4am, etc.  Plus, there's construction going on all around us, and they freaking start work at 1+.  I swear I hear them clanking and hammering stuff in the middle of the night, it's super duper annoying! 

Alright, I'm done posting this time round, so will write more later. 

Whenever I'm depressed

I eat.

I am eating now...

Running Home (14 June 2010)

SMART weight goals

Specific - Lose 15 kg by 30 April 2011

Measurable - 5 kg every 4 months:
Time-bound August - 80kg (32")
December - 75kg (31")
April 2011 - 70kg (30")
Strength: - 30lbs -> 35lbs (Jun) -> 40lbs (Oct) -> 45lbs (Feb)
Speed: (8km/hr - 9km/hr (Jun) -> 10km/hr (Oct) -> 11km/hr (Feb)
Stamina: 45min -> 1hr/40 laps (Jun) -> 1hr15min/50 laps (Oct) -> 1hr30min/60 laps (Feb)

Actionable - 1) Wake up at 5.30am 3 mornings a week to jog before work
Realistic 2) Gym (weights*2,yoga*1,cardio*2) 4 times a week
3) Swim 2 times a week
4) Tennis 2 times a week
5) Walk up stairs, walk to/fro MRT
6) No carbs (rich, bread, noodles)
7) No eating after 10pm, no snacking
8) 4 light meals a day (8am, 12pm, 4pm, 8pm)
9) Cut down on oily, fried, unhealthy food: carrot cake, durian, char kway tiao, curry, chicken rice, chocolates, buffets, soft drinks, ice-cream, peanut butter, cookies, prawn crackers, cakes, glutinous rice, fast foods
11) Drink green tea at every meal, eat salmon, salads, yong tau foo, fish soup, fruits especially grapefruits, leafy green vegetables, tofu
12) Cut down on alcohol consumption, at most 1 glass of wine/evening
13) New sport - Pick up rock-climbing
14) Do weights at home while watching shows
15) Increase walking pace
16) Eat until 70% full

Reward - August - 80kg (32") - New iPhone
December - 75kg (31") - New Underwater Camera Set
April 2011 - 70kg (30") - New MacBook Pro / New Wardrobe

A new goal...

Frankly, even though I believe sincerely in letting go of the past in order to achieve breakthroughs, when it comes to physical application, there's still quite a ways for me to go before i truly apply what i believe...

But I have a new goal now, once that supersedes my previous beliefs, targets and achievements. One that frankly I had believed it was impossible because it had never happened before, because it is TOO FAR away from the realm of the "imagined" possibilities.

And that goal is my target desired weight. On hearing the number 70kg, the immediate reaction was,"How is this possible? I was last 70 kg during PRIMARY SCHOOL!!!" The natural resistance just welled up and the brain and the mouth worked in unison to create a plausible set of reasons that it's too far a target to aim for.

Recognise it for what it truly is: Excuses

History is often a poor predictor of the past. If you are held captive by the past, you will never truly believe in, and ultimately create a new future.

Instead, envision the end-state, and work backwards to reach that goal...

Don't start from where you are now, and plot trend lines...

I will be 70kg.

From the movie "Wall Street"

In the immortal words of Gordon Gekko,

The point is, ladies and gentleman, that greed, for lack of a better word, is good. Greed is right, greed works. Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit. Greed, in all of its forms; greed for life, for money, for love, knowledge has marked the upward surge of mankind.

In particular, I like this portion - Greed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.

Truth is, there is so little clarity in the world, so many conflicting goals, lofty aspirations, altruistic targets. Perhaps we should just converge onto ONE single objective, then all the other unknowns will fall into place.

Secret to Weight Loss - Green Tea

My colleague was saying that drinking Green Tea makes her hungry very very fast, so I started reading up on the effects of Green Tea. Apparently it burns up to 80 additional calories per day, raises your metabolic rate and all...

Guess who will be drinking green tea everyday from now on?

Green Tea and Weight Loss
Using Tea to Help Lose Weight
Share Article |

Feb 20, 2009 Julie Ackendorf
Green tea is an excellent beverage to help improve health and wellness. It also has properties that can be beneficial in helping an individual lose weight.

Green tea has gained a reputation of being a wonderful hot beverage that can help improve an individual's health. Green tea also has properties that allow to serve as a weight loss tool as well!
Green Tea Raises Metabolism

The Colon Therapists Network relays the fact that the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has reported that Green Tea can increase an individual's metabolic rate by 4% allowing her to burn calories more efficiently due to the catechin polyphenols it contains. The optimal amount of Green Tea consumption for weight loss is three to five cups per day and simply drinking Green Tea can help an individual lose an extra eighty calories a day.
Green Tea Lowers Blood Sugar

Too much sugar in an individual's bloodstream at one time makes the body convert the sugar into fat. Green tea helps prevent blood sugar levels from spiking, thus preventing unnecessary fat storage. Green tea has also been shown to prevent glucose from moving into fat cells.
Green Tea Helps People Feel Less Hungry and Reduces Cravings

Unstable blood sugar levels can leave people feeling hungry for more food than they need to maintain their health and an appropriate body weight. Unstable blood sugar can also cause individuals to crave unhealthy foods. Due to the fact Green Tea helps prevent blood sugar spikes and keeps blood sugar levels relatively even individuals who want to lose weight will battle less with hunger sensations and cravings.
Green Tea is Filling

Drinking Green Tea before a meal leaves less room for food to fill the stomach. The warmth of the tea satisfies hunger and individuals trying to stick to a lower calorie diet will be less likely to overindulge at meal time. Controlling portion size will be easier if a person comes to the meal table less hungry than if he is ravishing.

Green Tea is Flavorful

Green Tea has a pleasant flavor and is less bitter than coffee. Many coffee drinkers consume more calories than they are aware of by adding cream or sugar to their brew, or by ordering mixed coffee drinks. Green tea saves individuals the additional calories and is enjoyable to drink without sweetening.

Individuals wanting to lose weight need to remember that Green Tea is only a tool. A weight loss program geared specifically toward individual needs. Caloric intake needs to be reduced, exercise increased, and any psychological issues that may lead to emotionally charged excessive eating needs to be dealt with. There is no easy way to lose weight but Green Tea is an easy dietary addition that can be very helpful.

Read more at Suite101: Green Tea and Weight Loss: Using Tea to Help Lose Weight http://weightloss.suite101.com/article.cfm/green_tea_and_weight_loss#ixzz0mvhRCFl9

Joo Chiat Makan Tour

Am organizing a tour around Joo Chiat next Saturday (8 May).  Going to explore the whole area, and look for food and history ;)

Don't know how much it has changed from this original report, but maybe will check it out first before the 8th.

Anyone interested?


Taken from Makansutra:

In our first of a series of jalan-jalan (jalan means walk in Malay) food tours, Makansutra brings you to East Coast.

Click here to load up a map of the area. If you have two to three hours to spare one Saturday morning, why not try out this short tour and discover some interesting gems located in the three parallel roads of Onan-Joo Chiat-Tembeling. Our advice--bring a camera to capture nostalgic scenes that you'll come across. Begin your tour with breakfast at 64 Joo Chiat Place, Xin Hua coffeeshop.Fei Fei Wantan Noodles dishes out small servings of excellent homemade noodles coated with just the right amount of chilli and gravy sauce. Served in traditional rooster bowls, you can finish it in four to five mouthfuls. You can choose to sit in the coffeeshop or go al fresco under the trees and enjoy the morning sun. Tempted as you may be to order another bowl, remember--you're on a food tour now, don't eat too much first, there're lots more to fill your stomach!

Situated next door is the famous Kim Choo Nonya Bak Chang (rice dumplings prepared Nonya style). You can buy some home or alternatively, just order a drink at the coffeeshop and have the bak chang for breakfast too. Across the road is the Changi Junk Store. Here's the place to browse and to see how old furniture can be restored to their former glory,. Continue your walk towards Joo Chiat Road and turn left at the junction of Joo Chiat Place and Lorong 101 Changi. As you stroll along, you'll see a 1970s barber shop sitting right at the corner of Lorong 101 Changi and Joo Chiat Terrace. Grab your camera and strike a pose. In the midst of classy hair salons and dwindling number of customers, such shops are a fast vanishing sight.

Head towards Joo Chiat Road and turn left. Here, watch how popiah skins are made the way they should be--the traditional method and not by some high-tech machinery. The skins are made the old-fashioned way. Four to five busy workers are constantly cooking the thin batter on a small, rounded flat and heated pan. Kway Guan Huat at 95 Joo Chiat Road is popular with East Coast residents as well as popiah sellers because the popiah skins are made thin, soft and fresh, still warm when you buy them. With a shop like this, why bother to get thick, hard and cold popiah skins from supermarkets? Walk along Joo Chiat Road towards East Coast Road. When you see Joo Chiat Lane on the left, turn and you'll be greeted by the aroma of freshly-baked bread. Follow your nose and you'll come to Hup Hin/ Aik Yew Bakery on the right of the road. The friendly baker normally allows you to take a peep and even photograph the baking process. You'll be overwhelmed by the sight of the primitive and gigantic stone ovens which are fuelled by diesel (used to be wood) that has to be pumped constantly. This is a "die, die must take" photo! Sure regret if you don't! If any freshly baked bread or pastries are ready, you can even pick up some and eat them straightaway. A fresh bun is always shiok to the bite!

Go straight towards Tembeling Road and turn right. Just a few metres away away, you'll see an old and quaint provision shop at the corner of Tembeling and Koon Seng roads. Time seems to have stood still in this dimly-lit shop--biscuits are still sold in big containers with red cha-kia (Chinese clogs) hanging on the wall for sale. Nowadays where got shopowners still let you put your hands in the biscuit containers and choose what you like to buy? As for the cha-kia, I can guarantee that it'll definitely be cheaper than those sold at the touristy shops in Chinatown. Just a few steps ahead, you'll see a signboard in blue, red, yellow and white telling you that "The Shophouse" is on the right. Tucked away in a quiet corner at the end of the lane is actually a shop selling Indonesian (especially Javanese) furniture. If you like Indonesian wooden furniture, you'll find some interesting pieces resting in this airy shophouse. Exit via the carpark and walk towards Joo Chiat Road, in the direction of East Coast Road. Turn right when you see Onan Road and turn right again. Move along till you reach near the end of the road, and you'll see Hoon Bee coffeeshop. After all that walking, it's time for Joo Chiat Prawn Mee! A $3 serving will give you three medium-sized prawns with two pieces of tender pork ribs, garnished with a generous sprinkling of fried shallots. If you want big prawns, just pay more lah!

Ready to move on? Back track towards Joo Chiat Road again. Pick up cookies at Kimzara, 452 Joo Chiat Road or durian puffs at Puteri Mas, unit number 475. As you come to the crossroads of Joo Chiat and East Coast roads, turn right. If you're still feeling greedy for more food, the Tau Kwa Pau (beancurd with stuffings) at Hock Ann Eating house is a must-try. A rare find these days, you get a combination of minced meat with cucumber and coriander stuffed in a fried beancurd skin, served with a special sauce. To end the tour, just walk straight ahead and you'll see the famous red house confectionery. Want to experience what high tea was like in the 60s? Just try it out here! Order your coffee/tea, get the sponge cakes or Swiss rolls, soak in the atmosphere and rest your tired legs. Even the people manning the shop look like they've been working here since the sixties. Enjoy this last stop, because once it's closed in the near future (due to the lifting of rent control), you'll regret for life that you had never visited this popular landmark. Pictures by Wesley Loh

YTRIHT YADOT

and so it begins...

Tennis Today

Was playing tennis at SAFRA Tampines today.  When I spotted two guys going into the next court.  They were decked out:  Carrying Babolat Tennis Bags, wearing this crimson red sleeveless shirt with two Adidas wrist bands (so long they reach up to the elbows) and the racquets they had were obviously those 300++ (probably more) Babolat racquets.  Babolat is a very famous non-mainstream tennis brand, like wilson but specific to tennis, used by players like nadal. 

And before they started, they looked like they were warming up, and talking about kicking each other's asses.  All in, they looked like serious tennis pros.  Like they could have kicked me and my tennis buddy's collective asses with one stroke of their racquet.  

And when he serves he bends all the way down, tosses the ball all the way up, and he LEAPS into the air and hits the ball, like how those professional tennis players do it on tv.

However, this served as a reminder that LOOKS ARE DECEIVING!

When he hits the ball, it connected in the same way a baby gal hits the doll with her pillow.  Absolutely no strength whatsoever, no control, and no skill.  He didn't how to serve at all.  When he did connect with the ball, it either hits OUT of the opposing tennis court (NOT just outside the serving box), or hits the net... and his rallies are so long, you can't count to 2 before it's over.  Every 10 mins they stop to take a "well-deserved" break.

Apparently we met one of those "SO LONG AS I DRESS WELL AT MY SPORT, I CAN PLAY WELL" types.  You've seen those:  Wear those headbands, and the compression wear tights and runs with a heart-rate monitor, a GPS watch, a visor, oakley Radar sunglasses, and those bluetooth wireless headphones connected to their iPhone.  and running slower than a grandma walking backwards, on her hands!

(btw, I just described myself, so i'm not like holier-than-thou)

But it's really hilarious to the passer-bys, that one can pretend that money can substitute true skill, ability and talent.  Not at all, it just shows how good Nike or Adidas' advertising dollars are.  And without a mirror, you'll never see the clown those apparel make you look like.

Should have taken a picture!  Rats!

Interesting chat...

Had a chat with an old friend today over msn.  She's one of my old pals from UIUC, and we used to work closely on our ECE projects last time.  She's now working for a big graphics card company (Go figure) in California, and there since graduation in 05.  Wow, that's 5 years already.

Anyway was asking why she was still single and not living up the good life in sunny cali.  Apparently, the people who tried asking her out have not been very "interesting", either very nerdy (Silicon valley, what other types of guys are there), or doesn't seem very reliable.  To top it off, she gets ask out by two methods, both of which I consider quite grotesque: 1) Facebook message, or 2) Email!

I guess the forms of asking a girl out changes with technology.  From writing letters and posting it out via snail mail, to the phone, fax, SMS, email and now FB.  Feels kind of sad, doesn't it.  Whatever happened to the face-to-face, take-it-like-a-man asking a girl out part?  Probably due to the fear of rejection.  Even worse among the nerd herds who may not have a complete social life during their educational years.

But I guess I'm more interested in the "interesting" part.  What makes a guy "interesting" in this era?  Difficult for it to be the job, right? "Hi, I work from 8 am to 8 pm in the backoffice of a major multi-national, and ensure that figures from A tabulate with figures from B."  Not everybody is Tony Stark, you know, donning iron suit and going around killing bad guys AND smoozing with the ladies at night.

Hobbies?  I don't skydive, and I cannot fathom that ever happening to me.  I have NEVER taken a roller-coaster that loops upside down, and the last time I was at six flags, I was quite spooked out on the carousel. The CAROUSEL!

Oh well, I guess I don't have to be "interesting" to everybody.  So long as I'm satisfied with who I am, and what I do, I should be happy.  And that means, NEVER SKY-DIVING, NEVER ROLLER-COASTERING, AND NO TO BUNGEE JUMPING AND THE ILK TOO!  Will stick to watching fish, and playing tennis!  That's me!

My Last Night in Japan

My English teacher always said it was bad to summarise before starting the paper.  This is not a summary, it's more of an overview of my trip.  Not going into the nitty-gritty of all my mis-adventures, but rather the things I've learnt about myself throughout the course of the journey...

It was, and still is, a journey of self-discovery.  The best way to know oneself, is to start with knowing what you are not.  This is done by interacting with others, to learn how others are, and how you respond to others.  It's also to interact with new cultures, new practices, methods, and discover hidden parallels that you never knew existed, latent energies and capabilities that, for lack of an occasion, never manifested.

Some of the things I now realise about myself are trivial, others profound.  However, it forms a complete 360-degree representation of me, at least me in my current state, that will help determine who I am in the future.

1)  A diver
Two aspects of the trip I enjoyed the most:  Osaka Aquarium and the Marine Dive Expo at Sunshine City (Ikebukuro in Tokyo).  I have definitely been a fish out of water since my last dive trip to Sipadan in December, and I was just fascinated and bewildered by the Aquarium.  Granted, I've already seen the Whale Sharks, Mola-molas, and sharks in my previous dive trips, but frankly, the stuff Mother Nature has created is vastly superior to anything man-made.  Not castles, not skyscrapers, not throngs and throngs of people crossing a busy intersection in Shinjuku.  The simple movements and life of marine animals are more pleasing to the eye, are more restful to the mind, and more settling to the heart than thousands of years of cultural growth, at least to me.  The Expo reminded me of an aspect I have neglected, for lack of time and ability to plan ahead, within myself.  I AM the most happy when I am diving; every other time is a surface interval.

2)  Adaptable
When I first arrived, i screwed up on the first major thing I did:  I took the wrong train.  Yes, it was headed to Ueno, yes it was on the same platform as what the train conductor said, but it was the wrong time.  Japan is a country run on its train schedules:  meticulous, unerring, and process-driven.  And I paid for my mistake:  another 1000 yen.  A valuable learning experience, to be sure.  Nothing makes me learn faster than when I make a mistake.  In other words, I learn the fastest when I am the most willing to be wrong.

My Japanese, thrown aside for a decade, came slamming back to me.  Here and there, bits and pieces of Japanese phrases, characters and concepts flowed back into consciousness while adding new ones.  I forced myself to recognise all the Kanji characters so that train maps made sense even without English translations.  After making a few errors in train station exits, I learnt the tough way how to ensure that I was on the right exit before I leave the station.  That probably saved me a ton of time and effort scrambling around the confusing labyrinth passages that surrounded every major station.  At the end, I became fluent with the subways system (with its competing and complementary train services) for Tokyo and Osaka, my two main base of operations, probably better than any of my other friends travelling in Japan.

3)  Financially prudent
It took me interactions with my friend in Tokyo, as well as her friends who came to visit to realise the kind of financial person that I am.  As much of a techie-geek that I am, in the never-ending search to build the best home theater system for my room, I have always balked at spending the insane amount of $ on the state-of-the-art, cutting edge stuff like Bose speakers.  I was blown away by the uber ultimate bachelorette pad she has created for herself, her penchant to spend on such extravagance without fully understanding its capabilities is beyond me.  I'm not judging her at all, rather it serves to reinforce the kind of person that I am, or at least the financial standing.  Another incident was when I met her room-mate's friends.  They were the true-blue tai-tais, and were discussing whether 20,000 was sufficient for the next day of premium outlet shopping.  My friend (and I) automatically assumed it was 20,000 yen (S$300), but they were referring to S$20,000 instead.  Our base point of reference was so completely off it got a little awkward then. 

Even if I had a hundred million dollars, I would think twice about spending such money.  I truly believe in Value-For-Money, and I will always have in mind a set (and modest) budget for discretionary purchases.  I'm so far off the bar from my friend (and the room-mate's tai-tai friends), but I know something.  I want to reach their level of financial standing, but not their level of extravagance. This sight has shown me how big the world is, and how far I am from the top, and it has fueled my passion and hunger to gun for it, a passion that has waned and died in the preceding years being throttled in Singapore's civil service.

4)  Willing to break barriers
Entering a hot spring full of naked men was definitely an, for lack of a better term, eye-popping experience.  I know inherently I will never feel completely relaxed in such an environment, but I have learnt to appreciate it, while minimising the associated awkwardness.  Onsen was an interesting experience, and it helps the body relax while washing in the minerals that the hot spring water provides, almost intoxicating like a drug.  Though I was initially very very reluctant to try it, I'm glad I went ahead with it (with the encouragement of my friends, of course, who incidentally added to the awkwardness of seeing friends naked and chatting nude in the hot spring).

Another aspect that I've learnt was that I am willing to open up myself and show my inadequacies.  In Japan, by myself, I was always lost, always in a foreign area in a foreign language.  I've put down my pride, and basically asked anyone and everyone for directions, for assistance, for guidance.  The best way to learn by yourself is by making mistakes, but the fastest way to learn is by admitting your lack and approaching others.  So what if they only understood Japanese and your only phrase was "eigo ga wakadimasu ka?" (Do you understand Japanese).  It doesn't matter.  Communications is more than just words.  It is action, it is situational, and most of the communication is unspoken.  But it does start with opening the mouth.  I sincerely hope that I will reinforce this trait back in office, and ask when I don't understand, and admit when I'm lost in a discussion.

5)  Independent, and co-dependence
It was an unplanned, un-coordinated, spontaneous trip.  By myself.  I know realise that I can do this easily.  In fact, I almost thrived on traveling by myself.  There's no commitment needed, there's no waiting, there's no disappointment in others, no blame, no consensus building.  It's just me, myself, and moi. I didn't need to do all the major sight-seeing places; sitting at a cafe, or lying on the grass in the meiji-koen, was holiday enough.  Didn't need to make sure my time was out all day and all night to fully utilize my holiday:  It was meant as a trip to find myself, and I didn't need to climb the highest mountain, cross the deepest gorge to do so.  I just needed to get away from the daily grind to see above the fray.  And I did.  Even if that meant that I needed to be on my guard constantly 24/7, with heightened senses and awareness.  It WAS tiring, but I know I can do it.

On the flip side, when I met my friends, I was happy too, coz I could let down my guard and relax and enjoy their company, as much as I enjoy my solitude.  This trip was wonderful as I could perfectly balance my need for company and my need to be solo.

6)  Self-discipline
Finally, the last aspect.  This part of me, I learnt from all my nightly conversations with a dear friend online.  I have set out all the things I want to achieve, but I have been lacking the self-discipline necessary to do so.  Instead procrastination comes so easily and so frequently, as well as the tendency to absolve myself of blame when I fail, citing situations, acts of Gods, etc.  But she showed me that the missing link was from within, and that once I create that self-discipline within myself, I can achieve all that I want, and more.  This is probably the most essential and most important part of me that I treasure from this trip, and I am truly grateful to her for showing me the way.  The fight is mine and mine alone, but you have shown me how to fight.  Thank you.

I'm so glad that I made this trip.  It was truly amazing and awakening.  I am happy.  Now I can go home.

To Japan, to find myself...

I'm going to Japan!  Tonight!  Haha!  Basically I haven't planned this trip, nor really thought about it hard, as I didn't expect this trip to materialize.  But life has an interesting way of making things work out.

So now i'm headed there, from 31 Mar - 12 Apr.  It will be 2 weeks of unplanned, spontaneous fun!  Am going to blog about it as much as I can.  So stay tuned!