Cup of Ice - Shingo T's blog

Tough things first

2011-12-12T09:49:00.000+08:00

When you start with the tougher (and still important) tasks at hand, things become easier. And you are more likely to accomplish them rather than delaying them till forever.

That will be my new guideline for year 2012. Pretty fast how one year flies after another, isn't it?

Having korean BBQ at Seoul Garden with Wifey tonight. Believe it or not, I actually forgot it's my birthday today.

Have a great day ahead, friends! ^_^

Piracy is good

2011-07-20T13:33:00.000+08:00

I'm back from a 3-day seminar in KL, entitled "Creating Multiple Sources of Income". Paid less than RM$199 for the whole course, so it was a great deal. The speaker was a well-known author by the name of Robert G. Allen, who wrote books such as "Multiple Streams of Income", "Creating Wealth", "Nothing Down" and "The One Minute Millionaire".

Also there was Penang's very own millionaire infoprenuer - Patric Chan. Very humble and smart guy.

I have learnt alot from the course. Will not go too much into details, but I was told this very interesting story - about what Bill Gates answered to the media when he was asked about his thoughts on piracy.

His reply? "If they want to pirate the softwares, they better be pirating my software than my competitors."

It then dawned on me that piracy (to a certain degree) is free publicity to people who will not pay more for your products. And that is brand awareness.

Will you have notice Crocs shoes if there wasn't so many people wearing the fake version of it?

The "No Exit" Clause

2011-07-09T09:58:00.002+08:00

I have been doing alot of networking these days, and hence the lack of activity on the Blogosphere. And I met Mrs Singapore 2011, Vanessa Tan during one of the interactions, and had the honour to listen to her talk about loving our bodies.

And yes, I took the chance to take a photo with this gorgeous lady, which is the start of my new hobby - collecting photos of myself with famous people.

And we are friends on Facebook now, though I know "friends" means little on Facebook these days. She really showed how one can juggle a career and a family so well at the same time - I guess partly because she's an entrepenuer, so she have better flexibility in her timing.

I was reading her Facebook profile minutes ago, and she wrote this interesting insight, which I will conveniently copy and paste.

Vanessa: If you happen to chance upon this and want me to take it out, let me know.

--------------
Blair Singer, the world's most powerful trainer in Sales and Leadership has a "No Exit Clause" with his wife. That clause in their marriage's Code of Honour means that whenever they encounter challenges in their relationship, they lock the door and work things out. There is no "OUT" in their relationship.

To many people, this "No Exit Clause" may seem pretty scary. And to some, pretty scary may be an understatement. It simply means that they sealed all their alternative options, i.e. no break-up, no divorce. And to some, this is really a horror movie.

However, this "No Exit Clause" excites me to the max. To me and the Man of my dreams, this clause means that we have sealed the escape hatch of our Aircraft of Love. To us, it means that we have locked the door behind us and thrown the key away. It also means that WE DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO MAKE US WORK.

You see, I am sick and tired of the fickle-mindedness of the men whom I had dated. And to be honest, it was a great learning experience. Every men I had once dated helps me understand what kind of qualities I want the man of my dreams to have. And one of the biggest requirements I want from my Man is the BIG C - commitment. And I declare it to The Universe.

I manifested and attracted this man into my life. In fact, he had been hanging around me for more than a year before it dawned on me that he is the Man of my dreams. To all those who had read The Secret and understood The Law of Attraction will know what I am saying.

Yes, we have this "No Exit Clause" in our relationship and we are not afraid to share it. This clause, among other rules in our Code of Honour made our relationship healthy, intense, exciting, emotionally-fulfilling, supportive and creates abundant room of growth.

-------------------

I always believe that everything in this world, love included, is simple. But being the highly intelligent human beings that we are, we inject too much emotions and complexity to sabotage our own happiness.

In many cases, we are the creator of our own problems.
So let's solve it, and not avoid it.

Have the time of your life, my friends!

Valuing the Customers, Shareholders and Employees

2011-06-15T10:22:00.001+08:00

There are 3 main groups of people associated with any business, namely the customers, shareholders and employees.

However, the order of importance in most companies are
Shareholders > Customers > Employees
And rightfully so.

Shareholders are the owners of the business, and why do they start a business? To make INSANE amount of money, of course. So they naturally want (and need) to take their own interest in the first place.

And what better way to make the shareholders happier by being customer oriented? Companies come up with tailored solutions and products for the customers, regardless of how much effort it takes.

And that's where the problem lies. Employees are treated as the bottom of the company hierachy (never mind how much companies keep emphasizing that employees matter). And they are forced in most cases, to do the stuffs to satisfy the customers' needs, even if they don't sound logical.

Flexibility is offered is keep the customers, but often not offered to employees, despite all the work-life balance that the Human Resource Department will preach.

In contrast, Richard Branson (my idol), owner of the Virgin Group reverses the cycle.
Employees > Customers > Shareholders

Employees's needs are addressed first. After all, these are the guys who are giving up a huge portion of their lives (no doubt in exchange for the company's salary) to help the company grow. Happier employees are more likely to be better workers, stay around longer, and be able to treat the organisation like a family, than just purely a workplace.

As employees are empowered to make decisions, they become smarter and more adaptable with addressing the customer's needs. They don't have to consult their superior for every single thing - they may make mistakes, but they become better with each mistake made.

With happy, empowered and smart employees, the customers are better served. Satisfied customers lead to better sales and thus reaping more value to the company, and thus shareholders, the "least important" people in the company, are laughing all the way to the bank!

About the Author: Shingo T never fails to get amazed at how the Virgin Group pays lesser salary than its competitors, and yet so many people want to work for it.

Bangkok is dangerous?

2011-05-30T23:05:00.003+08:00

Thailand's famous Khao San Road. Picture stolen from here.

Hi Friends, I'm back from a mini vacation from Bangkok, with Wifey and some relatives and friends.

A week ago, I was told that the elections were coming, and to avoid red and yellow colour shirts. One of my relative called and wanted to forgo her plane ticket, because she was afraid that things might go wrong in Bangkok. We had to convince her that should there be a riot, we will just watch TV in the hostel, and I will volunteer to go out "in the danger" buy them meals.

And then there was the airplane. Airasia and Tiger Airways were not offering cheap enough deals, so I booked tickets for Myammar Airways International (MAI). I guess the word "Myammar" doesn't ring a bell here in the aviation industry, so Wifey had to check the Internet, and convince them that MAI is using the same planes as Airasia/Tiger Airways, and have a 100% safety record.

And then there was the insurance. S$30 isn't expensive, but I found absolutely no need to buy them, we are better off taking the "risk" so that I could channel more into Wifey's shopping spree.

And so we flew last Friday night.

(1) There was no signs of riot. It was business as usual. And yes, I saw tourists wearing red and yellow, and they are still alive.

(2) MAI was a CHEAP and SAFE flight, with one of the BEST FOOD I ever ate on an airplane. Cheaper prices than budget airlines with free meals onboard, and plenty of leg space - Where to get such a good deal?

(3) Insurance was unneccessary, Bangkok is one of the safest tourist destination I go to, be it day or night. Just the basic precautions and everything is fine.

I came back a few hours ago, and all my relatives/friends were happy as we ate and shop aplenty. One of the best holidays I had in a while.

As long as you do your homework, don't hesitate to live "dangerously".
Cheers everyone!

P:S. For those of you planning a trip to Bangkok, consider staying in Khao San area instead of the Siam city area. Laidback area with cheap food, beer and massage all day and night!

Bickering is good

2011-05-27T08:31:00.000+08:00

My cleaners are a couple in their 50s.
They are very diligent, and spread their roles well. The lady does all the "lighter" jobs (ironing and wiping), while the man does the "heavier" jobs (wash toilets, vacuuming, dissecting and cleaning aircon).

They may not talk much, but I could feel the bond between the two of them. The guy also rides his wife on a bicycle to my home. Damn sweet, right? I will love to ride Wifey around in a bicycle around the neighbourhood when we hit our 50s too.

I engage the 2 of them in small chit chats now and then. I was telling them minutes ago how much I envy them, to be able to work together daily as a team (and with no conflict of interest that might invite gossips), and spend time together.

Well, she replied me in jest "Where got good? We always end up bickering." And she laughed. I laughed too.

I wanted to say "Wait till he's gone. Then you will miss the bickering", but that doesn't sound appropriate, but you guys get what I mean, right?

Reflecting back, I spend so much less time with Wifey because of my new commitment. Maybe someday, I should just open a sugar cane drink shop, so that I get to be the boss (ok, its actually just self-employed), and Wifey can be the cashier.

We won't earn much, but we definitely have much more time together... and bicker about the small things in life while we still can.

The problem of being indispensible

2011-05-18T10:40:00.001+08:00

One of the enlightenment I got from "The 4 Hours Work-Week" is that it's bad news to be indispensible within a company.

Ok, maybe no one is indispensible, especially when the downturn comes. What I mean is that if you monopolise a particular field within the company, you are considered a "much needed" person and you become the first name that comes to people's mind when they encounter problems in that field.

I must qualify that I do enjoy being the go-to guy in my department, but it is a double edge sword.

Pros:
(1) Job Security.
(2) More visibility and thus better chance for promotion.
(3) More likely to get a better pay increment compared to the average peers.

Cons:
(1) Over-reliance on you, and thus it starts to suck up my time, thus reducing productivity.
(2) Hard to go for long holidays, or even have to OT at home when on medical leave.

My boss once said that managers should train their subordinates to be almost as good as them, to the point that they can do the manager's things.
- When subordinates perform, it reflects nicely on the boss' management skills.
- When suboordinates perform to your level, you have the option of moving up to another level, since you now have a capable replacement.

A few months back, I have gotten a nice capable colleague, whom I have transferred my knowledge to. Now I can look forward to be absent without anything holding me back.

And it feels really good. ^_^

Making life easier

2011-05-08T11:26:00.004+08:00

I blame myself for everything, so that I can have ownership of the problem.
And with ownership, I empower myself to solve it.

Often, I have hear of people saying that they have no time.
They blame it on the work hours, the travel time, the kids, the gf/wife etc... anyone but themselves.

Pushing the blame on others doesn't win you any synpathy points. But by accomplishing more stuffs with less time, you get people's respect.

Let me share a few pointers here. I give credits to The 4-hour Work-week for the concept, but I adjusted it to suit myself.

DEAL - Define, Eliminate, Automate, Liberate

(1) DEFINE - Know what the REAL problem is.
Don't give the right solutions to the wrong problems.

(2) ELIMINATE (aka Simplify) - Kill it before it kills you.
Know what the time-consuming tasks are. Are they REALLY that important? Find ways to eliminate them, or improve the process so that it doesn't take as long.
Don't be shy to say "NO" or ask "WHY THE POOK DO YOU NEED THIS?".
When you ask more, you work less.
Buy 1 to 2-weeks worth grocery at a go, instead.
Do you REALLY need to spend an hour each day reading newspapers, Facebook, watching serial drama etc....?
I used to spend an hour reading newspapers, thinking that "I don't want to be a frog in the well". But the truth is I can't change the world, and actually I read because of my ego to be "smart", and that doesn't make me more money. Now I just read the headlines, except for news that concern me directly. - save 45 minutes a day.

(3) AUTOMATE - Offload your tasks.
I got a iRobot, now I never ever have to sweep my floors again - Save 30 mins a week.
I got a weekly part-time cleaner so that I can save 4 hours a week.
Auto-link most of your payments to Giro (or whatever they call it in your country), so you won't have to waste time compiling your bills.
And if you are a businessman, DON'T do everything yourself. Don't be a salesman + accountant + operations manager + office cleaner. Learn to delegate so you can have time to THINK strategically and get more cash for the company.
And do consider a Virtual Assistant - they can do ANYTHING for you that doesn't require their physical presence. Help you write articles, help you plan for holidays or find a rental flat etc... And they are surprisingly cheap - 3 cheers for India, the Service Centre of the World.

(4) LIBERATE - Get yourself out from the 9-5.
With extra time at hand, you can spend more quality time with your family, or embark on a journey to get new sources of part-time income.

Simple case study.
(1) PROBLEM: The bus always comes late.
Sorry, actually the REAL problem is you wake up late - own up to YOUR own problem.

(2) ELIMINATE: What can you do to wake up earlier, or skip the bus?
Any ways to sleep earlier the day before, like checking Facebook/Youtube/Emails twice a week instead of daily? Can you join a carpool? Or get your boss to let you work at home some of the times? Negotiate for a 7.30am-4.30pm workhour instead of 9am-6pm just so you can avoid the peak hours.

(3) AUTOMATE: Get a BLOODY LOUD alarm clock and place it in the living room. You will be too embarrassed if you don't get off the bed and turn it off, lest the neighbours complain to the local police.

(4) LIBERATE: Once you start killing this problem, get yourself a pat on the back. Now you are one step closer to a better life!

Have a great weekends ahead, my friends! ^_^
Stop being a slave to yourself.
Live life, love life!

About the Author: Shingo T dedicates this post to his 2 weekly cleaners, because they are cleaning away so that he can blog this now.

My passion

2011-04-21T14:38:00.004+08:00

One of my friends just asked me an interesting question.

"Am I right to say that your passion is to earn more money?"

I guess I must have spoke about "money" too many times, and give others the impression that I'm money-minded. =p

So here are my views.

(1) Money is a tool.
It is not a must to have it, but having it makes your life easier. If you don't agree, try begging for food instead of earning for it.

(2) Money and you, who's the master?
If you are not in control of your money, that means your money is controlling you. Don't be a slave to money and work blindly chasing it, instead think of how to abuse your money to make more of it.

(3) No money is no big deal.
Never lose sleep over money issues. Learn to bounce back from financial defeats. Been there, done that, and I'm still an undefeatable cockroach.

(4) Money amplifies your values, and not change them.
If you are a stingy guy, having more money will only make you a scrooge. It won't make you an instant pilantrophist.

(5) Money doesn't make you invincible.
But it pretty much gives you tons of options in life. Sack the boss? Donate as much money as you like? Travel the world?

(6) God is fair? Nah.
Rich people have problems.
Poor people have a different set of problems.
So I rather be rich and problematic, then poor and problematic.
It's the "consolation prize" mentality. If all else fails, at least I'm rich. =(

(7) Entrepenuers, the missing link to make the world better.
Good governments can finance the people, but they are bounded by rules and politics.
Good schools can educate the nation, but they are bounded by their finances.
That's where good social entrepenuers come in. With the money they earn and the lack of politics, entrepenuers can help mould the nation easier.

Start charity foundations like Bill Gates?
Adopt kids and build schools like Madonna?
Why not?

You can have tons of volunteers to build a school in Vietnam, but eventually someone has to give the money to buy the bricks, pay for transportation and stuffs.

-------
So to answer the question. How can earning money be a passion?
Money is useless if you don't have a CLEAR purpose for it.
(And having as much money in the bank is not a "purpose")

My passion is to help people go back from work earlier, so that they can spend more time with their family.

And if I earn a hell lot of money someday while following my passion, wouldn't this be a dream "job"?

Hope that clarifies.
Have a great day ahead, my friends! ^_^

Last Day at Work

2011-04-01T10:09:00.001+08:00

An email that I sent out earlier today to my fellow colleagues.
Company and real name have been substituted to protect my identity.

----------

Dear Friends,
The reason you are receiving this email is because we have had the chance to cross path during my stay here in XXX Company.
And I have really appreciated your help and assistance.

The past 3+ years have been meaningful, and I had a great time working with you.

As some of you may know, today is my last working day here in XXX for the week.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for your support, guidance and encouragement provided to me
during my tenure at XXX.

I like to wish you and your family good health and happiness.
Stay in touch always, my friends.

I can be contacted via my handphone, or at my outside email
shingo@HappyAprilFoolsDay.com

Regards.
Shingo T

The irony of the modern man

2011-03-28T11:28:00.001+08:00

My mum is not a fan of the Dalai Lama, because she's pro-China (she's a Malaysian Chinese). Personally, I don't give a POOK about politics, but I came across this quote from the Dalai Lama, which I find very enlightening.

Will post it below to share with you guys/gals.

-------
The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered:

"Man.. Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.
Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health.
And then, he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived."

-------

My good friend Nino comes to my mind when I read this. While most people that i know (myself included) goes in the endless pursuit of more cash, the Nino that I know travel the world, lives his dream, and flies one half of the world to be with his true love. I envy ya, bro!

The Secret Fountain Of Youth

2011-03-23T11:04:00.001+08:00

Dear Friends,
I have been spending extra time pursuing my dreams these days, and that has taken a toll on my sleep time. As such, I have to seriously cut down on the blogging time, and also my blog reading times.

I really do miss the comments you have posted, and also the regular blogs which I always stalk. I will be back here and there when things start settling down.

On a side note, my hearts goes out to Japan. It's seems like a dream sometimes, how much fun and love I had in Japan one month ago, and how it is now. It's just sad. =( I'm following the Japan news update very closely. It's very much the only thing I read on news these days, as I drastically find ways to find time.

Finally, here's a joke I read and got a chuckle from. Hope it makes your day too.

Never lose touch, my friends.

-----------
A passer-by noticed an old lady sitting on her front step: "I couldn't help noticing how happy you look! What is your secret for such a long, happy life?"

"I smoke 4 packs of cigarettes a day", she said. "Before I go to bed, I smoke a nice big joint. Apart from that, I drink a whole bottle of Jack Daniels every week, and eat only junk food. On weekends I pop a huge number of pills and do no exercise at all."

"This is absolutely amazing at your age!!!!", says the passer-by. "How old are you?"

"Twenty four."

Back from Hokkaido Japan

2011-02-12T19:35:00.000+08:00

Hi friends, how have you guys/babes been?

I have been back from Japan for about a week, but have been caught up with work and other important personal stuffs. Hence the lack of updates on my Hokkaido (Japan) trip, and have yet to visit the regular blogs of my friends.

I will be buying dinner soon, so let me post some random photos of Japan.

Choco the Bear, the bear who accompanies us for every single trip. He helps to entertain the housekeeper when we are out from our hotel room.

Hokkaido is the place for sea-food lovers. Wifey says the crabs are so so so sweet and tasty.

The cakes in Japan are made with heart and soul. Taste great, and looks great!

This is my first winter vacation. A snow covered car. Almost everything is covered in snow here!

Japan is a land of yummy yum yums. But because they are so polite and value privacy, it doesn't seem appropriate for me to take snapshots of them openly.

Fruits in Japan are so so expensive that I always bring vitamin C supplements there. 3990 yen (ie. S$64 or US$50) for a single melon, anyone?

Have you ever taken a train with the vast ocean as the backdrop? It felt so good to be just beside the ocean watching the sea birds and huge waves, alot of people were snapping pictures.

Snow can make anything in Japan. Will show you some awesome snow sculptures pictures another day. And nope, the gal in the photo ain't Wifey.

Take care everyone!

How to be a Kickboxing champ!

2011-01-24T17:11:00.002+08:00

I have finished my Secrets of the Millionaire Mind and is moving on to the next book - The 4-hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris. This book is about someone who simplifies his work and life process, and thus have plenty of time at hand to pursue his activities.

As I read the book, I will come across many tips which I will share some with you here in future blog posts. Particularly very interesting is the story of how most of his cold calls never get to the intended person because of gatekeepers (ie. the clerks and secretaries). So he chose to make his calls at 8-8.30am and 6-6.30pm instead of 9am-5pm (when the secretaries were not in office), and ended up getting twice the results for 1/8 of the time.

Anyway, I will leave you with an extract of his book, on how he became a kickboxing champion by playing smart, and staying within the rules. Whether you like his way or not, I must give him some credits for playing "smart".

Cheers, everyone!

--------
In 1999, sometime after quitting my second unfulfilling job and eating peanut-butter sandwiches for comfort, I won the gold medal at the Chinese Kickboxing National Championships.

It wasn’t because I was good at punching and kicking. God forbid. That seemed a bit dangerous, considering I did it on a dare and had four weeks of preparation. Besides, I have a watermelon head–it’s a big target.

I won by reading the rules and looking for loopholes, of which there were two:

1. Weigh-ins were the day prior to competition: Using dehydration techniques I now teach to elite powerlifters, I lost 28 pounds in 18 hours, weighed in at 165 pounds, and then hyperhydrated back to 193 pounds*. It’s hard to fight someone from three weight classes above you. Poor little guys.

2. There was a technicality in the fine print: If one combatant fell off the elevated platform three times in a single round, his opponent won by default. I decided to use this technicality as my single technique and just push people off. As you might imagine, this did not make the judges the happiest Chinese I’ve ever seen.

The result? I won all my matches by technical knock-out (TKO) and went home national champion, something 99% of those with 5-10 years of experience had been unable to do.

* Most people assume this type of weight manipulation is impossible, so I’ve provided sample photographs at www.fourhourworkweek.com. Do not try this at home. I did it all under medical supervision.

Random Notes 48

2011-01-16T18:11:00.003+08:00

Otaru Canal in Hokkaido: Pic stolen from Ikchin.com

(1) Wifey has been doing tons of research on what to wear for our Hokkaido trip in 2 weeks time. Heard the weather there is freezing cold at this time of the year. Will take lots of pics and share with you guys. ^_^

(2) I have completed the first of my four year 2011 resolutions last Friday. It's something that is way overdue, but then again being late is better than never. And I have went to buy 4D with the numbers "3027" to commemorate the event.

(3) Read somewhere that in the freezing cold, if 2 people kiss mouth lip to lip, their lips will get stuck. Time to debunk the myth.

(4) One of my friends was sharing with me about his life working 3 days a week. It really reminds me of this saying "If you are that damn good at doing something, you should be getting paid for it", as opposed to just getting a fixed meagre salary.

(5) What do you do when you spot a hawker selling great food at low prices? How about helping him become a business owner (instead of being a self-employed), and making yourself his business partner?

(6) Salt water as a natural, cheap and effective cure for people with skin diseases. That's what someone on my regular forum says. He claims it worked for his dad and his dog. All hail Mother Nature!

(7) I have a friend who likes to go Facebook and see how her ex-boyfriend is doing. And each time she does that, she becomes demoralised when she starts envying how well he is doing. And thus I call her the moth, she has to stop flying towards the light.

(8) With the Singapore government's recent tightening to combat increasing property prices, it becomes harder for people to get a piece of the "buy and rent/sell" pie. Time to keep the eyes open for other opportunities out there.

(9) I realised that Wifey enjoys helping me pluck out my white hair. She recently plucked about 30 from my head. White hair is fine, it's at least better than a patch with no hair. *blush*

(10) I'm still on track with regular morning jogs. Gonna keep to my side of the bargain to run 21km at the end of the year, now that I have told all of you about it. =p

The past or the future.

2011-01-10T12:37:00.001+08:00

My colleagues and I went for a one-day Johor Bahru trip close to the end of last year. We were supposed to meet at the Singapore side of the Customs, but two of my friends came one hour early, so we agreed to meet at City Square, the shopping centre right after the Malaysia customs.

However, I was an hour late when I reached City Square. I'm normally quite a punctual guy (when I'm not going wedding dinners), and I take pride in my discipline. But that day I had misjudged the time required.

Naturally my travelling companions asked why I was that late, but I didn't felt like explaining. When you try to justify your actions, like the bus was late, the queue were longer than usual etc.... it normally creates negative energy to yourself and no one loves a whiner.

Moreover, I only have myself to blame for not choosing to come out an hour earlier to cater for such possible situations.

So I told them “I give you 2 choices. Either you hear my lame excuses, or I treat you free drinks to make up for it.” And my companions enthusiastically chose the latter. ^_^

I ended up spending more to treat them bak kuh teh (pork rib soup) to atone for my lateness. I say it's money well spent!

And the rest of the day went on really well, eating + shopping + massaging at cheaper prices than Singapore, what’s there not to love?

2011 will be my year.
Don't lay blame, and don't waste time justifying.

Gotta take responsibility, look forward, and never look back (except for those nostalgic happy memories).

Let year 2011 be your year too, my friends!

Random Notes 47 (and a Happy 2011 everyone!)

2011-01-01T17:31:00.002+08:00

(1) I have only set one resolution in year 2010 - that is to pick up basic Malay. So I have signed up for a weekly class. So far it's ok, everyone keeps telling me that it's so much easier to learn Malay than other languages. But let's face the truth - The basic Malay I learnt so far is still not going to bring me anywhere. I'm still going to rely much on Google Translate, and if you speak Malay too fast, I still won't catch it.

(2) Year 2010 was a breakthrough for me. Stepped out of my comfort zone and greatly widen my social circle. Made so many many friends. And gotten some lobangs in the process. I'm blessed!

(3) Life is full of options. And you always need to have backup plans, alternate plans and risky plans. Life has a funny way of forcing you into a corner and make you execute your other plans.

(4) Nothing gets solved when we complain. And the person who you are sharing your complaints with isn't going to be any happier when hearing it. So always think about the bright side of the situation.

(5) As a result of (4), do yourself a favour and spend more time with happier people. When someone tries to complain to you, hold your hand right in front of him and tell him "It doesn't matter, now shut the hell up". Unless of course, if it's the wife who is complaining, that one you must listen.

(6) I have set up 4 resolutions for the year 2011. I won't list them explicitly here, except for keeping myself in shape for the 21km half-marathon at the end of year 2011.

(7) Don't let your soul be consumed by Facebook and Twitter and Blogger. Is it ironic, coming from a blogger?

(8) Wishing all my friends here a great year 2011. Play hard, but never compromise on a good night sleep.

You are your own brand

2010-12-28T11:43:00.003+08:00

I have never been a charitable guy. It doesn't mean I'm not compassionate, I just rather overpay to good people who make an effort to sell, rather than some slacker who sits there doing nothing expecting cash for sympathy.

So the story goes, I was on my way back home from the MRT station when this girl walks up to me. She wasn't pretty, but she was calm and reassuring. Before I had the chance to give her the "talk to my hand" signal, she reassured me that she wasn't selling anything (ya, right) and started hypnotising me with a genuine smile.

She asked me to give her 5 minutes to let her explain what she does, and I ended up giving her 15 minutes unknowingly. By the end of the talk, I'm now a monthly donor of the Singapore Cancer Society. I must admit I wasn't exactly giving because "I'm feeling charitable", but rather, I donated because I was buying into her story of why the charity needs to be supported.

We are our own brands. If you are pleased with the service that your real estate agent offers you, chances are good that you will still patronise him after he switched to an insurance agent or salesman.

When a salesman approach you with a product, there are 2 things that he is selling - the product, and himself. Don't believe it? Imagine a grumpy old salesman selling you the best stuff ever. Will you buy it? Conversely, imagine a charismatic auntie-killer salesman try to sell you something mediocre, will you buy it? =p

Say you want to start a business, and you are looking for partners with no particular skillset, who do you look for? Yes, people that you trust. So if you have established yourself as a reliable brand, it is more likely you will chance upon better lobangs in life.

For me, I like to associate my brand with my values - the knowledgable and optimistic problem-solver. It doesn't matter what you get me to do, you can ALWAYS expect me to get quality, and save time with what I have to offer.

So when I introduce a friend of mine to join a friend's company recently, they can jolly well trust my recommendation - I'm putting my entire reputation on it. And when you get me to introduce you a housing agent, you know that I'll either recommend you a GREAT agent, or none at all.

Building your brand has the following cause-and-effect. As you build up a stronger brand for yourself, people buy into you and give you more lobangs, and you just have to reciprocate - by working harder to justify it.

Think Tony Fernandes from AirAsia. Or my favourite Richard Branson. These guys have the word "no frills" and "smart businessman" written all over their face.

So what are some of the words that your friends associate you with? That is your brand, my friends.

Christmas card from Little Stefbunny

2010-12-26T13:31:00.001+08:00

Stefanie is one of my earlier blogging friends I got to know on the blogosphere, and she recently sent me and Wifey a Christmas card. ^_^

I just like little Stefbunny to know that this card is sitting on my writing table. Thanks so much!

Retirement plans

2010-12-20T22:56:00.000+08:00

Despite quitting active gaming for almost a year (which was also the best decision I ever made), I must admit every now and then, I do miss it, and still have the urge to reinstall World of Warcraft and start gaming again.

But I keep rationalising and reminding myself of all the harm I have done to myself because of gaming - I don't want to waste another 20 years trying to quit this addiction.

So I have decided. I should wait till I get old and my senses start to fail me, then maybe, just maybe, I might reconsider picking up gaming again. I will be the cool grand-dad who thrashes his young opponents on the gaming world. =p

For now, I should see what the world has to offer, dance and travel while my legs are willing, kiss and hug while my Wifey is still with me, mingle while I am still not grumpy and obnoxious, ogle at sweet young things, write and learn while I am still senile, and so on....

So what are your retirement plans, my dear friends?

1212

2010-12-12T10:35:00.003+08:00

(1) Birthdays don't make you one year older. They are just like any other day, which means you are just one day older. After all, age is a continuous function, not a discrete one.

(2) I don't grow older with age, I grow wiser. I'm a red wine, I get better with age.

(3) I read somewhere that you shouldn't celebrate belated birthdays, is it true?

Anyway, happy birthday to me.

I sent a birthday card to myself last week, I wonder why it hasn't arrive. (kidding)

About the Author: Shingo T got an Ipod Nano as a present from his Wifey, his first ever Apple product. Now he is wondering how much was charged on to his credit card.

17 ways that the Rich think differently

2010-12-08T23:03:00.000+08:00

I am reading this book called Secrets of the Millionaire Mind", by T. Harv Eker. This is supposed to be one of those classic books, very much like "Rich Dad, Poor Dad".

In it is a chapter which states 17 ways that rich people think differently from us. Below are the 17 points, without the elaboration. Go get the book if you are keen to know more.

------------

(1) Rich people believe: “I create my life.” Poor people believe: “Life happens to me.”

(2) Rich people play the money game to win. Poor people play the money game to not lose.

(3) Rich people are committed to being rich. Poor people want to be rich.

(4) Rich people think big. Poor people think small.

(5) Rich people focus on opportunities. Poor people focus on obstacles.

(6) Rich people admire other rich and successful people. Poor people resent rich and successful people.

(7) Rich people associate with positive, successful people. Poor people associate with negative or unsuccessful people.

(8) Rich people are willing to promote themselves and their value. Poor people think negatively about selling and promotion.

(9) Rich people are bigger than their problems. Poor people are smaller than their problems.

(10) Rich people are excellent receivers. Poor people are poor receivers.

(11) Rich people choose to get paid based on results. Poor people choose to get paid based on time.

(12) Rich people think “both”. Poor people think “either/or”.

(13) Rich people focus on their net worth. Poor people focus on their working income.

(14) Rich people manage their money well. Poor people mismanage their money well.

(15) Rich people have their money work hard for them. Poor people work hard for their money.

(16) Rich people act in spite of fear. Poor people let fear stop them.

(17) Rich people constantly learn and grow. Poor people think they already know.

Sleepless at 1am

2010-12-04T21:57:00.001+08:00

I have 3 admin assistants at work, who I nicknamed as "Left hand", "Right Hand" and "Tail", because they are integral parts of me, helping so much to reduce my workload.

Yesterday night, being Friday night, the 3 of them got me out for an early birthday dinner. Wifey took the chance to go out with her group of colleagues - she doesn't like to eat alone.

After an enjoyable night, I got home close to 10pm, and manage to enjoy some of "me time" surfing the usual forums and watching dance videos on Youtube (Quest Crew rockz!).

At 11pm, I called Wifey to check where she is, and she told me she was going to get a cab back.

By 11.30pm, she was not home, so I thought she had hang around a little longer with her friends.

By 12 midnight, there was no sign of her, and I started calling her, and received an instant "Please leave a message".

At 1am, which is far past my sleeping time at 12 midnight, she has still not returned home. And she has almost never returned home past 1am. I was tired after a long night, but still, I was REALLY worried.

So I walked down the steps of my flat, stopping to hear any suspicious shouts or screams in the silence of the night at every storey. I know I was imagining things, but her being uncontactable was freaking me out.

At the ground floor, I started pacing around at the lift lobby, tired but alert to any movements. Gave a few more calls yo her phone, and received the same "Please leave a message" autoreply, which was getting irritating to my ears. I wanted to call her colleagues, but then I don't have their numbers.

I hope I wasn't mistaken for a pervert or anything loitering at the lift lobby. You know, those predators that dash into the lift when yummy yum yums step into the lift. So when ladies approached the lift, I walked away from the lift, didn't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

Coming back to the story, I had pondered about calling her brother and parents, but I didn't, knowing that this will achieve nothing but panic.

For the next 45 minutes, I watched cars and taxis come and go into the carpark, each time with expectation followed by disappointment.

What if something happened to her? Singapore may be low crime, but it isn't no crime. And there are always crazy drunk drivers out there who could .... oh never mind.

My feelings were tinged with both fear and anger. Fear that something bad might happen to her. And anger that I wasn't notified by her regardless of her reason for being this late.

As time went by, I rationalise and bargained, all I want is her to come home safely. If she does comes back safely (please do), I won't raise my voice at her.

And she did, coming out of a taxi closer to 2am. She was surprised to see me, and greeted me with a smile, explaining that she was late because they were too engrossed in their chats, and it's hard to get a cab.

I had to keep my side of the bargain now that she returned safe. But just because I don't scold her doesn't mean I can't tell her how displeased I was.

As a married couple, she is accountable for your own safety to me. This is basic responsibility. I need to be notified should there be any cause for me to worry.

She apologised, saying that she realised much later that her handphone battery went flat, and didn't call me using her friend's handphone because she knows I normally drop dead on the bed at the touch of midnight - the sweet girl doesn't want to wake me up.

Moral of the story - Married lady friends, please know this. If you have to return home late, you HAVE TO inform your significant other, even if that means you have to wake him up from bed. Don't let him worry about you. Thanks!

Law of Precession

2010-12-01T22:05:00.003+08:00

Like my good blogging friend Wenny, I apply alot of the Law of Attraction in my life. Recently, I got to know about the Law of Precession, and realised that it is also something that I apply unknowingly, as it is aligned with my values, though I somehow feel these 2 laws can kind of contradict each other.

Anyway, the Law of Precession was first stated by Buckminster Fuller, and it goes like this.

For every action we take there will be a side effect arising at 90 degree to the line of the our action. And this effect will be equal to or greater than the original attraction.

Wow, sounds a little abstract, isn't it?

There are 2 classic examples used to illustrate this law when you surf the Net about this subject.
(1) When you drop stones in a water, ripples are produced.
(2) When bees collect pollens from flowers, they unknowingly help cross-fertilise flowers.

So how is this law applicable in our lives?

The harder you try something, the harder it is to achieve. When you pursue money, the side effect produced is greed. And you might just end up losing more than you gain.

Instead, try adding value to those people around you. The side effect in this case is that you will gain more, either monetary or in other ways. The more selfless you are in helping others, the more you will gain.

Some of you may find this weird, isn't it? But I know of a few entrepenuers who swear by this law as the secret of their success.

Help others and you end up helping yourself in return.
Sounds good, isn't it?

Cow's milk are for cows.

2010-11-27T16:40:00.004+08:00

As much as I love milk, I have been cutting down on fresh milk consumption for some time, because I want to reduce my protein intake. Trying to do the same for carbohydrates, but I am a carbo junkie - can't live without rice and noodles. =p

Anyway, if you google around for cow's milk, you may come across many articles that downplays the importance of cow's milk.

I will summarise some of the findings here.

(1) Any mucus-forming food, dairy being at the top of his list, is poison.

(2) A newborn's digestive system that is not yet developed is ill-equipped to handle milk protein. That's why many infants display many negative symptoms (eczema for example) after consumption of cow's milk.

(3) Scientists are finding correlations between milk and heart diseases, obesity and breast cancer (and people actually wonder why these diseases are so prevalent).

(4) While advertisements stress on how much more calcium their milk has, what they didn't tell you is the low bioavailability - cow's milk can have tons of calcium but they are in a form that is not easily absorbed by the human's body. So you should get your calcium by consuming leafy vegetables and beans (and supplements, if you are into it) instead.

(5) Cows eat grass. And ever wonder how some cows (and the grass) grow so fast and "healthy"? Steroids, stabilisers, hormones etc... Chemical milk, anyone?

And if you are still not convinced, someone written a book called "Don't drink your Milk! - New Frightening Medical Facts about the World's Most Overrated Nutrient".

All in all...
If you are a cow, then cow's milk are for you!

Else you might want to consider soya bean milk, which has no cholesterol and little saturated fats, contains isoflavones (which are antioxidants) and won't cause any milk allergy/lactose intolerance.

About the Author: Shingo T has nothing against cows, other than the enormous amount of greenhouse gases (methane) that cows produce when they fart.

The loser lose it.

2010-11-25T11:06:00.006+08:00

Hi Friends, let’s play a little game.
I will challenge you to a game that I call
The loser lose it.

The rules are simple.

You lose if
(1) you lose your temper before I do OR
(2) you complain about anything before I do.

I lose if
(1) I lose my temper before you do OR
(2) I complain about anything before you do.

And we both win if
(1) you and I do not lose within the next 48 hours.

The time now on my watch is 11am Thursday Singapore time (GMT +8 hours).

No cheating please – drop a comment here if any of you (or myself included) have lost your temper or complained about ANYTHING these 48 hours.

I dare you to stay cool! =p

About the Author: Shingo T thinks every company and every couple should play this game. If the boss loses, he will be financially penalised. If the wife/hubby loses, he/she will have to do housework or something.

It doesn't matter!

2010-11-20T00:00:00.002+08:00

I always thought teaching was my destiny. It still is, just not at a school. I am constantly amazed at how the Ministry of Education try to brand teaching as a very noble job. Don't get me wrong, moulding the nation is an important role, just that there are too much politicking and admin work among the Singapore school teachers these days, and many are packed to the point that they lose the kind of work-life balance.

There was a teacher in Singapore who devoted 20 years of her life in school trying to mould the nation. Then she discovered she had cancer, but still continued going to go back to school to nurture the next generation. When she died, the school didn't bother to even pay for an orbituary for her. It's not that the school was too poor to do so, they probably see no need to. Money was better spent to paint the walls to maintain the image of the school. So the school staff had to rally and pressure the principal to spare some money for something to remember the teacher's contribution - the school gave in and paid for a small orbituray on the papers.

Anyway, this post isn't about teaching. Rather, it's about the many things in life that doesn't matter.

How often have you wanted to do something, but end up not doing it just so as to please your friends and family? And that lead to some kind of regret in some point your life.

The next video is a hip number called It doesn't matter, and carries a nice message. =p

So you spend 20 years working your a** off for your company?
It doesn't matter! What's your name again? And I don't POOKing care about the contributions you made.

So you are richer than everyone else and just want to flaunt off?
It doesn't matter! It doesn't make us envious, it only make us realise the kind of a** that you are. =p

So you won the beauty pageant 20 years ago?
It doesn't matter! You look nowhere near that now.

So your friends are gossiping behind your back for breaking off with the boyfriend?
It doesn't matter! Their turn will come soon.

So you have has a first class honours/MBA/PhD?
It doesn't matter! You are working for people with half your qualifications but earning a few times your salary.

So you have.....
*puts a hand to your face*
It doesn't matter! Nobody cares! =p

Don't be over-concerned about what people think about you, and end up making decisions just to please them, and screw your own life in the process.

Now repeat this pledge after me, my friends. ^_^

I am a human being, not a donkey.
If you don't respect my values, don't expect me to respect yours.
I am not here to please you, I'm here to RULE.
You can try to piss me, but I ain't give you the sh*t you deserve.
I am SOLELY responsible for leading my own life.

About the Author: Shingo T will like to dedicate this post to people who are too conscious about how they appear in front of others. Seriously, no one cares.

The Versatile Blogger Award

2010-11-18T00:00:00.010+08:00

I am honoured to be tagged by Ricademus for the The Versatile Blogger Award.

Thanks, Ric! ^_^
I will however no longer be posting awards up on my sidebars, but I will always acknowledge them in a post. Means alot to me.

Here's 7 random things about myself, which comes with accepting the award. Not sure which ones I might have written before, I can't recall what I have blogged. =p

(1) I'm allergic to beer. Will go down with fever the next few days. Was lucky no one tried to sabo me with beer during my wedding night.

(2) I love soft toys. That explains why I love buying them for Wifey, so I can hug them too. =p

(3) Despite my practical nature, I have a soft spot for old people. Every old lady out there reminds me of my beloved Grandma. And I hope to visit my Grandma back in Malaysia for as long as I can.

(4) I'm too egoistic to cry. But that doesn't mean I don't. I can still recall that night many years ago when I cried badly and nearly broke down. Yes, I'm human after all.

(5) I am very picky when it comes to food. Consumes all kinds of vegetables, but always very selective when it comes to meat. Thus I become a "liability" when I go out for dinners with friends when it comes to sharing food.

(6) The number of bouquet of flowers I have sent in my life can be counted with one hand. Also given a choice, I rather give fake flowers than real ones - fake flowers represent a boring but ever-lasting relationship while real flowers symbolises an exciting but quick ending relationship. I know, I'm the least romantic guy on Planet Earth.

(7) I think turtlenecks and skirts are one of fashion's best combination. Yummy!

I won't be tagging anyone for the awards. There are plenty of versatile bloggers out there, but I will always miss someone out there when I tag, so I will rather pass.

Have a great day, my friends! ^_^

Who says Wifey isn't thrifty?

2010-11-16T00:00:00.005+08:00

Wifey and I are a couple who believes alot in utilising one's strength to cover the other person's weakness.

That's married life, my friends. Each of us has a part to play!

While I worry about bringing in the moolah ($), she worries about us having excesses. While I'm surfing investment forums, she's surfing the shopping forums. And when I'm out there networking with my newfound friends, you can bet the kind-hearted girl is out there doing charity at retail outlets.

Yes, Singapore has the fastest growth rate in the world for the year 2010. And it's solely thanks to Wifey! She has the potential to single-handedly turn around the US economy and help the Democrats win back some lost seats (email me, Mr Obama!!!).

Anyway, I do a monthly stocktaking of our overall financial health, to ensure we are on target for a decent retirement. And I make it a point to keep my Wifey aware of our financial situation - just to let her know that while we don't have more money than than Mr Lee Kuan Yew (he's 87 and still working), but we can retire earlier than him.

But Wifey's ain't interested in how much we have, she's meant for bigger things in life. Quoting my ever-intelligent Wifey...
"I don't care how much we have so long as I have enough to spend."

My jaws drop. But nonetheless this award-winning quote will come in handy when I tell stories to my future descendents in my open lodging under the bridge. -_-''

And before you think I'm trying to say Wifey's a spendthrift, that is a myth - she is a very thrifty person.

And how do I know that?

Because she saves her money by making purchases with the supplementary credit card I gave her. 0.o

And at the end of every month, after I have finish paying all my credit card bills, she looks at me with that puppy look (again), and just couldn't figure out why I can't save up as much as she could.

-_-''

Sometimes I also wonder where all my money went.
Someone enlighten me?

About the Author: Shingo T will like to clarify that this post is not meant to be sarcastic. ^_^ In reality, though Wifey likes to spend, she does her research beforehand to ensure we get the best bargain for each and every of the many countless, endless, infinite things that she buy (including those bought when my back is turned). Hugs and kisses, Wifey!

The Voice from Above.

2010-11-14T13:55:00.002+08:00

I am a Buddhist by birth (because my parents are), but I always consider myself a free-thinker.

OK, maybe the person I worship is the guy on the dollar note.

Anyway, I was on a networking session recently and there was a talk by Patrick Liew, who is the director of home-grown real estate company called HSR. Patrick is also a philantrophist and does numerous wide-scale charity projects.

Well, Patrick shared his rag to riches story. Won't write much about this, but he has this interesting personal philosophy about about listening to The Man Above.

Knowing that religion is a touchy subject here in Singapore, he first gave a disclaimer that any religions that condemn other religions can't be any way good. He said that regardless of the name that we call our God, he strongly believes that there is an upper authority up there who speaks to us, IF ONLY we allow ourself to hear him speak.

He told us how this voice guided him to be the person that he is now, and how we can get in touch with The Man Above. And we don't neccessary have to get in touch by going to church or temples, but rather, we just have to get ourself away from interruptions. He does so simply by going for a jog with his dog.

I actually have similar rituals too, when I am out cycling in the morning. That is the best time to get away from everything and do a little self-indulgence of being free. I'm not exactly sure if it's the voices from Above, but I hear voices in my heart. It gets me to reflect on what I have been doing, and gain clarity on what I want in life. I take stock of what I have done, and constantly re-align my directions with my goals.

Thus I always feel good after an hour of cycling.

And that is why I don't over-pack my schedule with too much events, I need spare time to reconnect with my inner self.

In this Rat's Race, it's easy to run around the corporate circuit like a headless chicken. So do you set aside a little time to listen to The Man Above, or at least your inner self?

Try?

2010-11-08T15:27:00.002+08:00

I quote this from my sifu (teacher).

In life, there is no trying.
Either you do it, or you don't.

So stop procrastinating, and stop trying.
Do it. Or don't.

Hide N Seek

2010-11-05T12:01:00.000+08:00

My Wifey has a dual personality. At work, she's a no nonsense person. She is a perfectionalist who delivers only quality work and is respected by her peers for her professionalism. Interns and newbies who work with her tend to be a little afraid of her, as she does not see the need to give face to people who are not performing.

We often have discussion about our way of managing people at work - I go for people with the right attitude, while she goes for people who can deliver.

On weekends, back at home, this corporate perfectionalist turns into this devilish naughty girl. Just earlier this morning, I came home after my breakfast at a neighbourhood kopitiam, unable to find her on the bed (she sleeps late on weekends). And she wasn't in the toilet, so I knew she was playing hide and seek with me. -_-''

It's a good thing my flat is small. There are only a few places she can hide, so normally it won't take long for me to find her. But somehow she always hide in the place that I least expected (she knows me so well), so after I found her, she will laugh at how long I took to find her.

And she will often ask if I worry about her "disappearance". Being the egoistic ~~and macho~~ man that I am, err... my answer is no?

Besides playing hide and seek, she sometimes tries to give her hubby a scare by jumping out from dark corners or blind spots in the house. Haha, she just get a kick seeing me get startled. And I will always tell her that she should try harder if she's out to get my insurance money, I don't get heart attack that easily.

And that's why knowing I have a little phobia for roller coaster rides, she brings me to amusement parks, and "forces" me to take those killer rides, using her "If you don't go up, I also don't", and show me that disappointed face of hers.

I am a sucker to my Wifey's puppy looks. I know.

But frankly, she's also a little scary cat when it comes to such rides, she just wants to have my hand to hold, and have a companion who is equally scared sh*tless after the ride.

Seeing her fun side sometimes makes me feel less conscious of how uncle I actually am. Youth is contagious, and I feel younger when I'm with her.

I love you, Sweetie!

A Newbie Guide to Search Engine Optimisation

2010-11-02T12:53:00.000+08:00

Disclaimer: I am not an expert on this topic.

Search Engine Optimisation, or SEO is the process of improving the ranking of your webpage on the Search Engine.

SEO is generally quite intuitive, if what you are writing is relevant to a subject, there is a higher chance that it will be ranked higher on the search engine results of the subject. It's logical, because a search engine that returns the most relevant results is deemed as a "Good search engine", so Google and other search engines will want to tweak their search engine algorithms to find the "best" results.

Having said this, please don't go about extensively spamming the same few words in your blog (you know what I mean if you stumble upon porn sites - they abuse all sorts of variation of the same word). Search engines generally blacklist these sites and prevent them from appearing in search listings.

For casual bloggers like us who wants to increase traffic via search engine, here's a small thing you can begin with.

Your blog has 2 unique IDs, your name and your blog's name. Should past visitors want to visit your site but forget the name, they might type the any of them in the search engine. In my case, typing "Shingo T" and "Cup of Ice" currently brings my webpage as the first entry in Google's search page. If you are using names like "John" and "John's homepage", chances are that it will be tough for people to find your website.

But of course, most people out there do not know who the hell "Shingo T" and "Cup of Ice" is, so they won't even bother searching using these key words. That's why if your blogging revolves around something specific (eg. fashion or dog grooming), have that word used as a title on your blog.

For instance, someone may name her site "Globetrotter - Addiction of a Travelholic". One look at the title and you know what the blog is about. So chances are that this will attract someone looking for travel blogs, rather than someone looking to recover from nicotine addiction.

For those who are more technically savvy on webpages, you can read this free document from Google on SEO - Google's Search Engine Optimization Starter Guide!

And finally, never let traffic take the fun out of your blogging! ^_^

Me in a boxer?

2010-10-31T09:15:00.002+08:00

How many of you remember this photo? Hands up!

This is a picture of me taken off a post one year ago, when I was talking about my company's Dinner and Dance.

If you remembered this photo, that means you have been wasting your time for the past year stalking my blog. How time flies, isn't it?

Well, the annual D&D is here again for the company I slog for, and this year's theme is Pyjamas Party!

So what comes to mind?

Your favourite Bananas in Pyjamas - B1 and B2?

No, this!

I'm looking forward to seeing all my female colleagues in this!
*drools*

But seriously, what do your male friends/hubby/boyfriend wear when they go to sleep? I wear normal home clothes, don't see any purpose of wearing pyjamas.

I asked a few of my other male colleagues, who joked that they sleep naked, and so will be there in their "birthday suit".

I guessed this time, I will just have to be there in normal work clothings, since the event is after work, unless I can think of something better.

Any suggestions?

And no, boxers are out. No one wants to see an old Uncle with a belly in a boxer. =(

You are what your genes are

2010-10-25T23:29:00.002+08:00

I met up with a friend today who introduced me to a very interesting business opportunity.

The concept revolves around this.

Prevention is better than Cure, but Prediction is better than Prevention.

Well, so what happens is that your genes determine the kind of person you are, the kind of health vulnerability you have, and even the likely occupations you will be in based on your innate talents.

Imagine you send your kids to do this genetic profiling, and realise that she has no innate musical talent, then don't waste money sending her for piano lessons.

Or if you know that your liver is genetically weak, then cut down on the booze. Especially in Singapore, where people supposedly "can afford to die but cannot afford to fall sick".

Well, my friend claims that this award winning genetic profiling is 99% accurate, which I kind of have doubts on. Nonetheless, knowing the future sounds like an interesting business. But still, I chose to give the business a pass because I am not willing to spend the time on promoting this.

And in case you are wondering how much a profiling cost, vaguely under the impression it cost around S$2000 (US$1500) for one profiling.

Will you have done a genetic profiling to have a glimpse of your future?

Big is beautiful

2010-10-24T22:26:00.000+08:00

4 words.
I love afro hair!

I told you so

2010-10-22T23:11:00.006+08:00

I have always been proud to be a forward-looking guy. Close colleagues and friends know me as someone who only cares about the future and not the past.

I can't change the past, but I can mould my future.

I make plenty of mistakes in my life, but I don't sulk or get depressed over them. I live with it, and use it as a guiding principle not to repeat the same mistake ever again.

You won't appreciate what is right until you got it wrong.

And in line with this value, there are some words/phrases that I refrain from using (unless I am joking). And one of such phrases is "I told you so", or any variants of this phrase.

In fact if you use this phrase on me, I might just slap you silly (doesn't apply for Wifey though). =p

You see, I find this phrase very finger pointing. It assigns a blame on the recipient for not listening to his advice. You only make him more miserable than he already is for not listening to you.

Remember, everytime you are tempted to say "I told you so", remember there are also cases of "luckily he never follow what I say" in life.

But I have to admit there are times when I am instinctively tempted to say "I told you so", but somehow the words just don't come out from my mouth. I know it won't make the recipient feel any better, and worse case, it might even ignite a quarrel.

If he remembered that I told him before, then so be it. I do not have to remind him.
If he doesn't, then why bring that up?

So I will instead try to create value, like giving him my opinions on how I think he can go about getting out of the sh*t he is in.

And chances are that after the conversation, he will feel better about himself.

And that makes me feel good.

The Kite flies

2010-10-12T21:57:00.002+08:00

I love dining with my friends and colleagues, but sometimes when I think about it, the topic we talk about tends to be more entertaining, rather than informative. Bitching about the boss and colleagues could be fun, but it doesn't change my future for the better, and definitely doesn't value add much.

The past few weeks have been amazing - I got the chance to network with a bunch of enthusiastic entrepenuers, and now my email has been flooded with inspirational info sharing and discussion with my newfound friends. It isn't easy starting a business, so it's always good to be exchanging ideas with like-minded people.

And nope, I have not started any business, I just want to equip myself with the skills early - don't wait till you are thirsty before you start digging a well.

Anyway, I have started meeting some of them over the past 2 weeks to further exchange ideas, and planning to meet a few more people over the next 3 weeks. It's very much like dating, meeting someone you barely know, and get to know a person better over a cup of cuppa. Just that I'm dating guys and married women this time round. =p

I woke up early today at 6am and couldn't get back to sleep. I laid on the bed with my eyes wide open, speculate about my future plans, and it got me really excited. I turned and saw Wifey sleep so soundly, that I have reaffirmed myself on why I cannot rest on my laurels - I want Wifey to sleep for as long as she likes EVERYDAY, and not having to wake up early just to get to office work on time.

Before I left for work, I reassured Wifey that whatever I do, I do it for her in mind. But should I spend too much time pursuing things at the expense of my time with her, I want her to let me know.

Money is a good-to-have, but my Wifey will always be a must-have.

For I am like a kite.
I just want to fly high.
But I know my strings are tied.
To my Wifey who's within sight.
Should there be thunders of light.
She will give me a tug.
That's where I know it's time.
For me to stop the flight.
And come down once again.
Back to the owner of the kite.

An Indian version of MJ's Thriller

2010-10-10T10:21:00.000+08:00

I wake up early on weekend mornings, because I always find this a good time to get some inspiration and find back myself, before workdays start again.

I have spent the last 2 hours seeing dance moves from Youtube, and here's a funny one that I really hope can bring you some laughter.

What happens when the Indians try to do a dance inspired from Michael Jackson's classic Thriller?

See it for yourself. It's hilarious.

Smile! ^_^

Let the experts handle this

2010-10-02T08:55:00.006+08:00

If you have read those Rich Dad, Poor Dad books, you will know the money-making item that we all have is our brain. And well, time is also an essence.

Free your time so you can use your brain to buy yourself more time and value.

Just because you do not know accounting doesn't mean you cannot have a balance sheet for your own company - subcontract the accounting works out.

Just because your English sucks doesn't mean you can't write a book - get a ghostwriter to do it for you. Or even a translator.

And when you have no time to get more sales for yourself, subcontract it to some energetic young people who can do it better, just make sure they are paid in commissions correlating to their efforts.

My point is this.
Every reason that is holding you back can be solved - If you can't solve it, hire someone who can.

Subcontracting can be extremely cheap. Pay US$1 for someone to write a 100 word essay for you, which equates to US$4 for a one-page article. CHEAP.

Don't make your website EVEN if you know how to make it, because someone out there specialise in doing it and can free up time for you. A friend of mine spent S$800 to get someone to make a website for him, complete with shopping cart, a management system for products, and stuffs. CHEAP.

You can be a business owner cum receptionist cum helpdesk, if you have 28 hours a day. So how about getting some help from housewives who are at home the whole day, and just want some small income?

Your PRECIOUS TIME is not meant to be doing TIME-CONSUMING LOW VALUE STUFFS. It is to generate MORE LEADS and MORE SALES.

And for those of you who have a speciality and have no idea where to pick up freelance jobs, try this page - Freelancer.com, there are thousands of freelance jobs waiting for someone to pick up.

Go take a quick look and see if you can find any lobangs.

Any problem that can be settled by a SMALL amount of money (in relative terms) is NOT a problem.

Have a great weekend ahead!

Hot spots for website

2010-09-29T13:33:00.001+08:00

This is specially dedicated to all the website owners and blogger out there. The chart above denotes the hot spots where casual readers normally focus their attention on.

If you are a business owner, know that the top left triangle is where you should place your "must-read" contents.

And nope, don't ask me why I'm not following this, I'm too lazy to be doing this. =p

The art of cold calling

2010-09-28T17:55:00.003+08:00

Maybe I'm not THAT thick-skin after all.

I just did some "crazy" challenges over the weekends with some of my newfound friends.

First, we randomly called people and tried to hold a conversation for 2 minutes. I failed the challenge miserably, the typical Singaporean probably thought I was trying to scam. The longest I can hold? 1 minute. And my friends could stay 3 minutes or more, and was talking to the same sex some more.

After which, we started making calls to "rival" companies, pass off as customers, and tried to fish more information about the company. At least this time round I know I won't get rejected, because those customer service people have to mind their manners. =p

It's crazy embarrassing doing all these. But after the first few times, subsequent tries got much easier.

Have you guys ever tried cold calling? Did you get a better response?

About the Author: Shingo T knows of a guy who cold calls random people and ended up making a girlfriend out of one of them. Kewl!

The Twin Engines to success

2010-09-27T11:27:00.001+08:00

Despite being an egoistic guy, I always believe in the importance of being humble when learning from a teacher. No matter how much you know, you should always learn from zero. Unlearn everything you know, because you may be having beliefs, mindsets and strategies that have been "wrong all these years".

Recently, I have been doing alot of unlearning and re-learning, and even gotten myself a sifu (mentor).

And the key to his success? He calls it the Twin Engines.
(1) generate cash from your business
(2) invest what you get from (1).

This is actually "common sense", but the truth is,
Common sense is never too common.

Close your eyes, open your 3rd eye, and start "seeing" things now.

Too cute to handle

2010-09-21T11:09:00.001+08:00

Do you guys find small injuries in yourself, without knowing how they were inflicted?

My Wifey often found herself with small injuries or bruises that she incurred unknowingly, and will always ask whether I beat her while she was sleeping soundly, to which I will narrow my eyes and give her a "Yeah, sure I did" look.

Well, I had felt a small open injury near my right ankle yesterday, and had no idea where it came from. I was going to get myself a plaster, only to open the First Aid Kit and found plenty of plasters to choose from. Alas, there are no way I can use any of those.

You see, Wifey like cute things ~~, and handsome guys, ahem~~. While the world buys souvenirs when they travel overseas, she buys those cute cute plasters from Pharmacy all over the world.

Think Mickey Mouse plasters, Hello Kitty and the likes of Winnie and the Pooh.

Well, any such accessories that will weaken my macho-ness must not be seen in public. And despite having enough plasters to cover a thousand injuries, I carefully and smartly decided against using any of the plasters.

And thus I'm as MAN as ever.

How do I contact you?

2010-09-16T10:03:00.000+08:00

Just a quick note here. As some of you may have noticed, I hardly comment back on your comments these days. This will save you from checking my site every so often to see if I have commented back.

But I do read EVERY comment that is posted, as they are sent to me via email.

In cases when I have something to reply/add on to what you commented, I will press "Reply" to you via email, but in many cases I can't find your email address.

So if you will like to hear from me, do comment using your email address. Thanks.

Getting too close

2010-09-15T14:10:00.000+08:00

There is a wanton noodle stall near my workplace that sells very good wanton noodles (and curry chicken noodles). For a while, I ate regularly at that stall and started striking up conversation with the stall owner, and been "friends" with them.

As time went by, my taste bud changed, and I started having other favourite stalls. Recently, I went back to this same wanton noodle stall to buy back dinner, and I was asked why I haven't eat their noodles for so long.

I stayed quiet and smile, waiting for the guy to smile back and forget about this conversation. I didn't want to go to lengthy explanations on my change in taste, and that his noodles are perfectly fine. Well, this awkward silence continued. He didn't smile back, so I had to come up with a "My family is cooking now", which is totally a lie, but something needed to break the ice. to which, he smiled and said "Haha, no wonder."

Have you guys ever gotten too close to some shop owners, and felt kind of guilty for not patronising them? Sometimes, I guess it's good to buy from strangers than someone that you got to know. At least there's no obligations.

Young Chap and Red Wine

2010-09-06T09:56:00.001+08:00

My colleagues here call me "Handsome". And even the colleagues from the other departments know my nickname. Well, I can't really recall why I had this nickname, but it could be because of my constant reference (jokingly) on how good-looking I ~~think I~~ am.

It helped that my department was female-dominated, so being a rare male species made us men a well sought after. Coupled with my huge confidence and my thick-skin, I soon indulged in this ego-boosting nickname.

Today, we had a young chap joined our department. Someone who's young, who's ~~more~~ boyish looking. And for a while, I felt embarrassed to have myself referred to as "Handsome".

But I am red wine, I taste better as I get older. Though a little insecured, I shall continue to be thick-skin as I always had been just for the fun of it - I love it when colleagues pretend to puke at my nickname. Haha.

Wahahaha.

On a more serious note, I love it when new people join us. New blood, new ideas. I treat every newcomer like a protégé, and through old birds like us, they get to learn new skills and tricks, and avoid the pitfalls that we have went through.

And through them, I sometimes see myself when I was much younger.

Thanks Luke, call-centre saviour

2010-09-02T14:17:00.002+08:00

I applied my first credit card during the first year of my first job, and I am still holding on to the card, for convenience. The credit card had great promotions, and the call centre provides quite a great service, and it has nothing to them giving me a waiver of a fine (I always forget to pay) whenever I ~~demand~~ ask for it.

But I was quoite pissed with the call centre last night. The story begins like this.

I awoke at 1am+ last night, to the noise of the phone ringing. It was Wifey, who was at the United States on a business trip. She was having problem checking out the hotel because the supplementary card I gave her couldn’t go through the payment.

Stranded on the check out day at a hotel, with no other modes of payment and minimal cash, I dropped her call and urgently called the credit card help centre to ask why the transaction couldn’t go through.

As you might have guessed, I got a reply that “Your card has hit the credit limit, Sir.” This was true, as I had made a substantial purchase with my credit card earlier that night.

However, Wifey had also earlier told me that when she checked in the hotel, they had already swiped her card to “reserve the payment” to the hotel when she checked out. I had earlier called the credit company and got an assurance that since the hotel payment was earmarked, so Wifey would have no problem checking out.

But when I told the help centre guy that, he insisted that “Sorry Sir, your credit card has hit the credit limit”. As I try to paraphrase my point, he will cut me halfway and reiterate that I have hit limit. I acknowledged this but insisted that this was not the problem. This explain and getting interrupted went on for some time. I felt he wasn’t bothered with listening.

Sleep-deprived in the middle of the night, and worried about my Wifey being unable to check out, I got irritated eventually and insisted that I talk to someone else, in fact ANYONE else.

He hesitated but eventually passed my call to his fellow colleague, who LISTENED, and did a check to confirm that the hotel payment was earmarked. And he told me that the REAL reason was that the amount reserved for payment at the hotel did not tally with the amount at checkout. And the solution was simple, the hotel just had to cancel this reservation, thus freeing up my credit, so that he can key in the new bill.

Now that I had gotten a logical solution, I thanked him repeatedly, and got the name of this call-centre saviour, his name was “Luke”.

After I told Wifey the solution, I couldn’t fall asleep (despite being dead beat), anxious if the Luke’s solution will solve the problem. When I finally got her SMS of confirmation, I smiled. And I finally could go to sleep.

The day after, back in office, I told my colleagues the ordeal I had and also the lack of sleep. And I told them never to irritate a sleep deprived man, I will bite.

Thanks again Luke, you are one good reason why I will continue to stick to this credit card company.

Happy National Day, Malaysia!

2010-08-31T20:54:00.003+08:00

As fellow Malaysian bloggers are wishing Malaysia a Happy 53rd birthday, I am here too to contribute to the country where I was born.

Foongpc wrote about the 10 reasons why he love Malaysia, and I thought I will do something similar, though I'm not exactly sure if I can name 10, since most of my life is spent here in Singapore.

But here goes.

(1) Malaysia played a deep part in my childhood, as I will often spend school holidays in my cousin's place in Johor. It's something I look forward to, going to pasar malams, ordering food from the mian4 bao1 che1 (bread van) etc...

(2) Malaysia is a place that keeps my ego and competitive nature in check. Seeing the warmth and generosity of fellow Malaysians really makes my day. You do not need to live in a real kampung to have the kampung spirit. When it rains, we used to shout "Raining lor, bring in your clothes", translated from Mandarin. My mum still do that in Singapore, but neighbours will probably think she's crazy.

(3) The recent bus ride from City Square in JB had me waited 45 minutes on the bus before it finally moves off. Reason being that the bus driver collected part of his revenue from the fares, so it will make sense to wait as long as possible at the busiest stop. But still, inefficiency gives me the chance to slow down my steps, and look at the people walking to and fro from inside the bus. In Singapore, I'm always moving too fast to be smelling flowers.

(4) Genting is a place I visit a few times a year, not just for the casino, but also for the cool weather. And I'm still amazed how the Genting founder turned a barren mountain into a world class resort. Makes me proud everytime I see an angmoh tourist there enjoying themselves.

(5) Lovely beaches and island resorts. I went to Desaru beach when I was young, and the sand was so soft that I thought I was in quicksand. Scary for a little kid like me then! Malaysia boast some really lovely beaches, at least by Asian standards.

(6) Food. Be it Gurney Drive in Penang, Jalan Alor in KL or other inaccessible restaurants along deserted roadsides, I love the taste of our food. Seeing all those food entries from Witchy blog really emphasized the gourmet that runs in every Malaysian's blood.

(7) Air Asia. Homegrown company kicks the butt out of other Asian budget air carriers. But their uniform needs improvement, I like JetStar Asia's uniform better. *blush*

I can't think of anymore at the moment (not that there isn't anymore), and I don't wanna plagurise Foongpc's entry. He put up some other great points, go read yourself lah. =p

Malaysia, Truly Asia.
Woot!

Visit Taipei

2010-08-11T17:03:00.000+08:00

Nino has written an extensive post entitled Visit Taipei.

A VERY extensive post of what to do, where to go, why go there etc...

If you ever want to go backpacking in Taipei, but need a quick website (with pics) to mark out the places to go, this is it.

And nope, I don't get any referral fees. Just thought his extensive effort should be put to good use.

I heart Taiwan! ^_^

The most junior position in a bank

2010-08-04T10:47:00.001+08:00

Do you know that subcontracting the search for manpower to external professional recruitment agencies is an expensive affair for the company? More companies are joining the bandwagon to give small cash rewards to their own employees for successful referrals.

It's a win-win situation. The company gets people they can trust at a fraction of the price they pay external HR companies, and no one in the HR department know our own friends more than us. And we get cash award to supplement our income.

My company sends out a list of job vacancies periodically, and I always make it a point to send it out to my network of friends.

A friend of mine sent me her resume, which I forwarded direct to the hiring manager, as our HR department is too stringent in filtering out resumes that they deem as unsuitable for the role.

The hiring manager, let's call him Mr Charisma, who is also a friendly colleague of mine just skype me a while ago.

Mr Charisma: Thanks for the CV. Her work experience is pretty focused on the finance sector. And she is a marketing manager now
Shingo T: In banks, almost everyone is a manager. =p Because pple will call banks and say "Hey, I wanna talk to your manager!" As time go by, they made the most junior post a manager.
Shingo T: So their manager rank is same as our analyst rank.
Mr Charisma: hahha
Mr Charisma: i was just wondering if she will be interested in the role
Shingo T: no worries, she saw the job description. And she knows what to expect from this analyst role. She's not asking for the moon.
Shingo T: and I didn't force her to send her resume.
Mr Charisma: ok. thanks

Keeping my fingers crossed, I want my referral fees. $_$

About the Author: Shingo T is a part-time employee, and a part-time talent scout for the company.

Why you should not work all your life

2010-08-03T12:04:00.001+08:00

This post is specially dedicated to my friend Wenny, who has recently posted an entry about deciding between retiring early or starting a business with a friend.

Singapore's reowned Lee Kwan Yew recently gave his opinion that there should be no retirement age. There was quite a buzz over the internet forums over this statement. To be fair to Mr Lee, I think his comments had good intentions, given how the old are generally snubbed by most companies in Singapore.

Anyway, this guy called Tan Kok Tim submitted his commentary to Today, Singapore's free newspapers. And he quoted 2 studies that showed that Mr Lee's comments are not advisable for health.

I have (shamelessly) copied an excerpt of the article to save myself from parahrasing them.

------------

Japanese Nobel Laureate Dr Leo Esaki once spoke on the relationship between longevity and retirement age. He revealed that the pension funds in many large companies such as AT&T, Boeing, Lockheed, Lucent, and so on, are overfunded as many who retire at the age of 65, usually die within two years of retirement.

Separately, Dr Ephrem Cheng of the University of Alberta did an actuarial study of lifespan versus age at retirement, based on the number of pension cheques sent to Boeing Aerospace retirees. It found that staff who retire at the age of 50 had an average lifespan of 86. Those who retire at the age of 65 live to an average age of just 66.8.

This study concludes that for every year a person works beyond the age of 55, he lives an average of two years less.

------------

Often, we hear people who want to work as long as possible to stay senile. Well, there are many ways to stay senile, like doing volunteer work, bonding with the family, or picking up new skills that does not cause stress.

If I had a choice, I will retire as early as I can. With the high inflation in Singapore, it's becoming increasingly impossible though. I used to joke that I want to buy a plot of land in Malaysia to grow crops when I get old. Maybe I should seriously consider that proposition!

And to my friend Wenny, I think you made the right choice. Enjoy life to the fullest, don't stress yourself out.

Source: TodayOnline: retire early, live longer

Random Notes 46

2010-08-02T14:40:00.000+08:00

(1) Have you ever liked a song so much that you bought an album just for that track? Only to realise that every other tracks are not to your liking?

(2) I have some juggling balls at home. Bought them a few years back, but they have been collecting dust till now. Gotta find time to start picking up this new hobby - always thought juggling is cool.

(3) Singapore has introduced distance based travel on its transport. Which means I can change buses non-stop without incurring extra cost to reach my destination. Best thing ever.

(4) I was thinking about a vacation to Canada probably close to the end of the year. The air tickets for 1 person cost S$3000+ (US$2200), which is the price of an all-expense paid trip back to Taiwan for 2-3 people. I'm having 2nd thoughts, but Wifey's been giving me that puppy look.

(5) Do white hair grow from the same spot that you pluck them from? It appears so, because Wifey has 2 strains of white hair growing from the same spot of the front of her forehead, no matter how many hundred times I pluck them out.

(6) Studies give you no cash. Work gives you no time. Retirement gives you no strength. We are always in need of something at any stage of our life, but we should always work within the constraint.

Have a great day ahead, friends! ^_^

The Fun Theory

2010-07-29T22:29:00.001+08:00

Anyone read the book called Fish! ?

This fishy book talk about the real-life Pike Place Fish Market in Seattle, made famous for having FUN workers who throw fish around (and even invite the customers into the fun). Because the staff give so much attention to the customers, it was big business for the market and fun for everyone. And also a fictional story about how the Fish! philosophy was applied to a manager's company to improve both productivity and morale.

It is interesting to note that the people working at the Pike Place fish market actually felt disgusted with the book, but hey, it is nonetheless an interesting book.

If only all our companies can be just as fun, we can achieve great results.

To prove my point, take the look at the social experiment below, on how fun can actually make people take the stairs instead of the escalator.

(Please turn on the volume)

Now, how do you convince your boss that having fun is good for the company?

Great customer service starts at the top

2010-07-26T14:42:00.002+08:00

Everybody needs an idol, someone we can look up to, someone who can inspire us to make a move in the correct direction.

And my Idol? Well, I have a few, and Sir Richard Branson, the flamboyant founder of Virgin Group is one of my favourite.

Mr Branson was a self-made millionaire with a chain of mutually exclusive businesses, ranging from airlines, mobile phones, trains to soft drinks and space travel. He was never shy about making a joke out of himself (like being fully naked with a Virgin card placed strategically to protect his modesty), or to put tongue-in-cheek advertisements on national newspapers to challenge rival companies.

Having been through tons of failures in his search for success, he has written books and articles, which I am a great fan of.

Today, I shall copy and paste an extract from one of his article entitled “Great customer service starts at the top”.

--------

Let's look at another story that clearly demonstrates the importance of every link in the service chain - this time involving Virgin Atlantic.

An Upper Class customer's free limo failed to connect with him at his New York City hotel. (It turned out the customer had been waiting at the wrong door.) He jumped into a cab to Newark Liberty International Airport, a fair distance from the city. Rush-hour traffic was bad; by the time he got to the airport he was very angry, running late and panicking that he'd miss his flight.

The first Virgin agent he located immediately seized control of the situation. She calmed the fuming customer, apologising profusely and assuring him that he would not miss his flight. From her own pocket, she refunded the taxi fare he had paid, then she rushed the passenger through a staff lane and got him to the gate with 10 minutes to spare.

Truly a job well done. Like the leather jacket incident, it demonstrates how great customer service can convert a negative into a positive.

WHEN THE CHAIN BREAKS

Now we come to the part of the story where the chain breaks. During the post-flight debriefing, the agent told her supervisor what had happened and asked to be repaid for the US$70 ($96) cab fare. Rather than congratulating the agent on saving the day, the supervisor asked whether she'd gotten a receipt for the fare.

When her answer was, "There was no time for that," he actually chastised her. He said, "No receipt, no reimbursement. You'd better take more care next time."

Clearly, the supervisor was more concerned about rigid adherence to accounting practices than about employee initiative. While fiscal accountability is important, especially when an outlay of cash is involved, there will always be occasions when an asterisk needs to be marked on the balance sheet.

One thing was certain: Any Virgin employees witnessing their supervisor's scornful reaction to their colleague's exemplary deed would be unlikely to display the same resourcefulness. Which means that the customer loses - and so does the entire company.

Happily, the story came to the airport manager's attention and he quickly took steps to redress the imbalance between company procedures and customer service. He advised the finance team that he'd approved the cash shortfall, while the supervisor got a quick refresher on how important we at Virgin think it is to "catch people doing something right".

Eventually I heard this story, and it truly impressed me. The next time I flew through Newark, I made a point of seeking out the agent who had made us proud. I remarked: "I don't have a taxi receipt, so you probably can't help me."

Her astonished smile said it all.

No company can train its front-end people to handle every situation, but you can strive to create an environment in which they feel at ease "doing as they would be done by".

Good customer service on the shop floor begins at the very top. If your senior people don't get it, even the strongest links further down the line can become compromised, as the story shows.

--------

Pardon this copy and paste job, because I will love to have paraphrase this story, but no one tells it better than Sir Richard Branson himself!

To end this post, I will love to hear about who your idol is. It doesn't have to be business or work related, just anyone whose words carry some weight and bring some positivity to your life. Now tell me. ^_^

About the Author: Shingo T once wanted to write a letter to the Virgin Group on why they should hire him.

Drinking problem

2010-07-18T09:27:00.004+08:00

Got this from a friend.
(Left click on picture to magnify it)

The Man Above gave us two ears and one mouth for one simple reason - so that we can listen twice as much compared to what we talk.

The little problem with saving up

2010-07-17T10:55:00.003+08:00

I didn't know the virtues of saving when I was young. During my primary school days, I will spend every single cent I have. If I had some loose coins by the end of school session, I will buy pencils, sweets, snacks, ice cream etc, or treat my friends.

As such, my piggy bank was almost always empty. My sister on the other hand, was thrifty and has lots of coins in her piggy bank. And I helped myself to it when I was short of cash. =p And when I so often got caught red-handed in the act, my sister will beat me. Ouch!

One day, my mum suggested that she help me to save part of my allowances, so that upon accumulation to a bigger amount, I can buy something I liked.

I had my eye on some toy vehicle (Anyone seen the cartoon Mask?), and so I agreed. Day after day, I started to make do with the reduced allowance. We were poor, and I didn't have much toys, so this thought of saving up to buy my toy definitely excited me, as I inch closer and closer towards saving the amount needed.

So the day came when I finally manage to save S$50 (US$20). With the $50 note in my pocket, I happily took a bus by myself down to the toy store. Only to realise that the money has dropped out of my pocket after I reached the store. =(

I didn't cry, but I was hugely disappointed. And nope, mum didn't gave me another $50 to make myself feel better, because she probably wants me to learn a lesson. And $50 was big money for us in those days.

Growing up, I started being more thrifty (Wifey calls it stingy), while my sister became much more generous. My mum will point out the irony of this (how our spending habits become opposite) sometimes, as she's worried my sister will not have enough savings at the rate that she's enjoying herself.

In life, there are times when long term planning is important, and we should bite the bullet in the short-term for the purpose of bigger things to come. Stuffs like staying away from fast food for the sake of long-term health. Or staying away from expensive hobbies so that you can save more for retirement.

But then there are also times when the opposite happens. If you eat the noodles first and leave the fishball (the best part of the meal) to the last, what happens if after eating the noodles, you finally get to eat the fishball, and the fishball slips off your chopsticks onto the dirty table?

Do you guys live for today, knowing that tomorrow is a question mark?

Or live for tomorrow, knowing that there are many more days to come?

Tagged by Foongpc and Nino

2010-07-10T12:06:00.000+08:00

Some time back, Foongpc and Nino have tagged me with some new awards.

So let me do the tags first before it slipped off my mind.

Foongpc (aka the man with the hairy legs) has tagged me with The Versatile Blogger Award.

List 7 things about myself
- I once joked to my colleague that he was being henpecked, because he did the housework for his wife. He told me it's called loving the wife. And now I find myself doing the same thing that he did, for the same reason. I ain't henpecked.
- I believe alot in being punctual. It kind of deteriorated ever since Wifey came into the picture. As with all gals, they wanna look their best before they go out. And I'm still trying to earn back that punctuality credibility.
- I love the rain. Even when I'm outside, but only if I am equipped with an umbrella.
- I feel weird without wearing a watch. It just feel so so not right.
- I'm paranoid about the supposedly radiation that handphone can cause to our health. I try not to put handphone in the pocket unless neccessary, and I don't like it when people point their handphone at me.
- I avoid body contact between me and any other guys on the crowded train and bus. And that includes shoulder to shoulder.
- I like to give praise when it's due. And I appreciate honest feedback.

------------
As for Nino's tag, that is an interesting award called the Super Comments Award.

And accepting the award means answering the question - What are your thoughts on blog commenting? Any funny observations?

I have always enjoyed commenting on people's blog, partly to give my related opinions about the post, and partly to let the blog owner know that "someone is reading your blog, and he wants you to know that you are not writing a diary that no one sees".

Just like how I enjoy reading comments on my blog, I also hope that people enjoy reading my comments, so I refrain from using patronising comments. If it's a post I disagree with, I will not feel shy to post my comments, though I will put it politely as my opinion. After all, who am I to say that I'm always right?

Funny observations about comments? Nope, not really. But my least preferred comments are those advertisement spams. =p

I won't be arrowing the 2 awards to anyone, not because that no one deserves it, but chain tags has to end somewhere, and it ends with me.

The Puppet Master

2010-06-27T22:01:00.006+08:00

I think I make a good baddie in real-life.

Baddies are the master of deceptions. They are smart people, looks good on the outside but are actually rotten to the core.

With my Mr Nice Guy image, I'm the guy that people suspect the least. If I was locked in a home with a few other contestants, and kill someone with a candlestick the bedroom, no one will ever suspect me.

When I purr my innocence, your conscience will haunt you just for suspecting me. And when you have that back turned, I'll be there to stab you with a pair of chopsticks. Ouch!

Face it. I'm just too nice. And that provides a great front for me in my conquest to take over the world.

Ok, or at least hold the world ransom... for one million dollars.
*puts little pinkie by the mouth, aka Dr Evil*

I believe that all babies are born pure and innocent. Jealousy and greed slowly manifest us. For those who are able to resist and put a cap on it, they manage to remain good guys. But for how long?

Just because you WERE good, doesn't mean you WILL be good.

It is said that the evil cannot beat the righteousness. That's a whole load of bullsh*t, actually. Read about the rogue trader who caused the downfall of banks? After he was convicted, he wrote a book and made money for himself. On a similar example, ex-hackers are often employed by computer security companies to combat other unknown hackers.

You don't fight evil with good. You fight evil with evil.

Being evil is something that most single guys out there should consider. After all, those yummy yum yum babes don't like nerds and geeks, they like "guys who are bad". Man who are bad-ass, and punches anyone that dare look at their gal.

Now why does wrong feel so so right?

If I get the chance to be a super villain, I wanna be known as The Puppet Master. When I pull the strings, you my puppets, will have your movements controlled by me.

And I, as the Puppet Master, the most diabolical manipulator on planet Earth will use this world as my playground.

When I pull the strings, all my minions will dance.

Never forget the name of Shingo T - The Puppet Master!
*inserts evil laugh*

As with many organisations, I am on the constant lookout of like-minded competent individuals who seek to make a difference to the world. People with leadership (aka manipulative) skills who are able to perform under tight deadlines. Fear not if you have no powers, because I can instil ANY (evil) power to you, once I become The Puppet Master someday.

Additional prerequisites are as follows.
(1) Minimum 'O' levels
(2) Not afraid to sit down on the train, while some pregnant woman stands in front of you.
(3) Must look presentable in black attire. Gals must look great in mini skirts.
(4) Dogs must bark at you when they see you, and babies must cry.
(5) Be open to mindset changes.

Just leave in the comment box the power you desire, a cool name for yourself, and your earliest date of availability. When I become The Puppet Master someday, I might just let you go under my wing with your bestowed powers.

Application closes on 7 July.
Potential applicants will be notified by this blog.

Splinter in the finger

2010-06-23T11:19:00.005+08:00

A few months back, some wooden splinter got into one of my finger (can't remember why). The pain still lingers now and then when I apply pressure to that finger.

Went to google around to see if it is ok to leave the splinter inside, only to be met with mixed answers ranging from "The body has a natural defensive mechanism to push the splinter out", to "OMG, you may get infected, go see a doctor or you will die" (ok, I exaggerated the latter a little).

I'm a little tempted to ignore the splinter, but at the end of my head, I wonder if my finger might get amputated years down the road. Haha.

Dr Stiletto: Save me, I'm dying! =p

So have you guys ever get splinters in your hand? What's the longest time that such splinters stayed within your finger?

Edit: The picture of the bloody finger is not my fingers. Just some random picture from the Internet.

A gamer's future

2010-06-22T09:56:00.002+08:00

I am very close to a friend, someone in his 50s, who is constantly worried about his children, even though they have all finished schooling and stepping into the workforce.

One of his son was an avid gamer since young, and my friend used to disapprove how much time the son was wasted on gaming. It didn't helped that this kid subsequently picked up a course in gaming progamming in polytechnic, and also dabble with learning magic tricks, and street basking in his free time.

From my friend's point of view, this kid was not picking up USEFUL life skills.

Well, I just received a call from my friend, who told me that this son was just headhunted by an iPhone game applications company, who offered him a pretty good starting pay (S$2500), and he's not even a university graduate.

Nice!

Once again, 80% of worries in life is unfounded. Just because someone appeared to have a so-so past doesn't mean he won't have a bright future!

Shops in shops

2010-06-21T09:47:00.000+08:00

For all budding entrepenuers, here's a small trend I have noticed, shops in shops.

Read this article about Singapore manicure owners renting a small space within saloons to set up their manicure service. It's an interesting idea because with a cheap monthly rental of $200-$500, it is
(1) cheaper than renting a whole shop which sets you back by a few thousand dollars rental.
(2) gives more exposure than online businesses.

People walking into the saloon to "beautify" their hair may be enticed to take the chance to beautify their nails too. This synergy works the other way too, making it a win-win situation for both parties, from both cost and sales perspective.

A few months back, I went to the cafe of one of my friend, which also boast a little "provision shop", selling unique stuffs like biodegradable menstrual pads, toothpaste made from herbs etc... While customers wait for their food to be cooked, they have nothing else to do and tend to see what the shops have to offer. And on top of that, the shop also has a seminar room for rental, which also doubles up as a tuition centre. You heard me, a tuition centre within a café. It’s 3 distinctive businesses, café + provision shop + tuition centre. But the synergy is there, parents waiting for their kids to finish tuition can sip tea or do some shopping at the same premises.

Just like how saloons are helping external shampoo companies to display the products on their shelves, I believe there are many other ways which we can leverage on each other’s business, to defray cost and energise our business.

The world is your playground.
Have fun.

Analysts are overrated

2010-06-15T10:28:00.002+08:00

Meteorologists have the best job in the world - they can predict heavy rains tomorrow, but when tomorrow passes by with nothing but great sunshine, the meteorologist keeps his job and try again.

For those of you who are into the theory of forecasting, Rule #1 of forecasting states this.

Forecast are never accurate.

Nothing is 100%. Predicting weather is based on what is likely to happen. Similarly, choosing a boyfriend that seems nice enough doesn't guarantee that he doesn't stray, he's just less likely to do so.

Analyst predicts the future outcome based on past events (Markov Rule). Methods like moving averages, stochastic processes, regression, extrapolation, neural networks, weird simulation models and all the fancy forecasting methods are used to create a black box model, which the layman doesn't understand.

And presto, an analyst report is produced.

In almost every analyst report released to the market, they are normally accompanied by lots of footnotes stating assumptions. Like for example, an insurance brochure saying how fast you can grow your money in the best likely situation of 15% annual growth (and a year later after you buy the policy, the recession sets in).

Facts do not lie. Biased opinions and the way that selected data is used however do try to skew the reader's judgement towards signing up for a financial plan.

Though analysts are supposedly objective, there is normally a motive for the report. Even a reporter who wants to report objectively may tone down his criticism because of his editor, or intervention from government-related agencies.

My first job upon graduation was an analyst at some government-linked company. I had complex mathematical models to do some forecast, but the numbers that I came up with were often deal with sceptism by the experienced people. Eventually I realised this.

The correct answers are what the client wants to listen.

And also to all aspiring analysts, here's a tip from Uncle Shingo.

It's better to have a simple forecasting model that the client understands, than a more accurate model that acts like an unknown black box.

Moving on, investment reports have always been accompanied with words like caveat emptor, which means buyers beware. Always take an analyst report with a pinch of salt, digest the facts, but don't take their recommendation blindly. No one is responsible for your own losses (and wins) but yourself.

A stock market newbie often make this mistake by following friend's advices or overweight calls from reports. I know, because I have been through that phase, and lost money because of it. And I have got no one to blame but my own laziness to spend time reading up.

Some time back, a research team pit a bunch of experienced traders against a bunch of kids in picking stocks. And as you might have guessed correctly, the noobs won the experienced traders. Sometimes you are better off making a wild guess than to take the advice of an "expert".

On an interesting note, JP Morgan, a leading financial service firm, recently published a paper on the World Cup. It predicted the winners of each round, and interetingly, if you followed them, you would have lost money.

What JP Morgan predicted
Netherland beat Denmark
Cameroon beat Japan
Italy beat Paraguay

And the result were as follows
Netherland beat Denmark (2-0)
Japan beat Cameroon (1-0)
Italy drew Paraguay (1-1)

Any football savvy guy could have easily make bets that will give JP Morgan a run for its money.

To the guys at JP Morgan, just stick to what you do "best".

My kid and me (Part 2)

2010-06-14T17:53:00.001+08:00

The "kid" in question in the post entitled My kid and me (Part 1) refers to my Wifey actually, I have no real children of my own yet. =p

My Wifey has a double personality. Though 5 years my junior, she is pretty matured for someone her age. We have many similar thinkings, but at the time we also complement in whatever each other lack. She is sharp and takes care of matters pertaining to spending, while I am more objective and take care of matters pertaining to earning.

On the other hand, she can turn into this little girl, afraid of dogs and insects, ignorant about why the world is full of conflicts, or asking childish questions, which actually makes her quite cute. Haha.

Her vulnerability reinforces my duty to ensure that she comes to no harm, it also gives me a way to be more MAN (hey I'm ego driven). But sometimes I also wonder who will take care of her if I'm not around any more.

Not that I will be gone anytime soon, just that The Man Above has a way of creating situations when we least expect them.

So does going to bed with a "kid" make me a paedphile?

My kid and me (Part 1)

2010-06-07T11:41:00.001+08:00

We all have our secrets. And today, I shall share mine with all my faithful readers.

But before I move on to it, let me give a little background about myself.

I grew up in a poor family where my parents were busy working to earn a living for the family. I grew up deprived of time with my parents - my mum spends her whole life working in a factory, coming home late and was busy doing all the laundries and wiping the floor and cooking for us. She sleeps for less than 6 hours a day.

But she is also health conscious for us. She will condition us to cut down on food with artificial coloring and flavoring. And she cuts a variety of fruits for us to eat every day, knowing how lazy we children are.

My dad on the other hand, was a quiet guy. He likes to read newspapers, and also those news and history films on TV. He loved us, just chose not to show it. When I was younger, he will tell me to brush my teeth daily, failing which he say “I will regret in future”. And I did.

It’s amazing how history tends to repeat itself.

For those who do not know, I have a kid.

And today, I’m teaching my little kid not to take in junk food. I’m also cutting fruits for her and putting them nicely on a plate before giving it to her. And I also make a fuss my my kid doesn’t brush her teeth, saying that it's something she will regret in future.

Ironic, isn’t it? How we can grow up detesting some stuffs that our parents do, and yet duplicate the same behaviour on our kid?

Cherry on Top Award and Stylish Blogger Award

2010-06-02T14:23:00.004+08:00

Despite being pretty inactive on the blogosphere these days, I have shamelessly continued to accept awards.

And here's a Cherry on Top Award and the Stylish Blogger Award from Lily Chen from Lily murmurs in English.

Thanks Lily. And you should really change your blog name, because I don't think you are murmuring. I know, because we met. ^_^

The Stylish Blogger Award requires me to write 5 random facts about myself and award the tag to 5 others (which I won't tag).

Have done it on a few occassions, and I'm hoping not to repeat the same few facts about myself.

(1) I love myself. And I think that's important, because you can't really take care of others until you have taken care of yourself.

(2) I seldom lose my temper, but there are 2 events when I am more likely to get impatient - when I'm sleepy, and when I'm hungry.

(3) I am very close to my grandma. Being in control of my emotions most of the time, I sometimes wonder if I will sink into depression when the inevitable comes. She's coming to 90 years old soon.

(4) I believe alot that most talent are learned and not inborn. Everyone has a great potential to achieve greatness - me and you included.

(5) Being aware of my own abilities, I frequently find myself feeling arrogant and have to curb my ego and act humble. It's not that I'm better than the rest, it's just that when you have as much confidence as me, even crossing the road successfully without getting knocked down makes me a CHAMPION.

As for the Cherry On Top Award, I'm supposed to thank the person who gave me the reward, then list three things I love about myself and post a picture I love. Then tag 5 people.

Won't tag, but I will do the rest.

Starting with the 3 things I love about myself.

(A) Confidence. It is what makes me so awesome. It makes my colleagues think that I know what I'm doing. And it also gives me an aura so irresistable that I gotta tell those ladies to take their hands off me. hey, I'm married and I love my Wifey.

(B) Objective. Everyone is inncocent unless proven guilty, and not vice vversa. I always try to justify people's action for them, even if it's something I don't agree. Putting yourself in other's people shoes help to make you bond closer to them. It also makes work easier for both myself and the people around me.

(C) Different. I do alot of "What ifs" and "Why not". I'm a change agent, and it makes me dynamic. It is not about how I do things, what matters is that I get the end result. Unorthodox within the limits of the law is good, not bad.

K, will end the post here before I sound more and more egoistic. Thanks again, Lily (Chen)!

Edit: Oops, I'm supposed to also a picture that I like. I was thinking about adding some scantily clad yummy yum yum babe, but maybe I should just add a pic that will bring you a smile.

Right and wrong.

2010-06-01T10:29:00.004+08:00

I have always been a peace-loving guy at work. It doesn't mean I'm conflict-avoidance, just that I seldom lose my cool at conflicts. Colleagues have thus stereotyped me to be a good hubby. The truth is that Wifey and I do quarrel now and then. But we just resolve them more maturely and faster than others ~~by making her kneel on those durian shells~~. The point is not to win a quarrel at the risk of weakening a relationship - conflicts are meant to strengthen bonds.

It takes 2 hands to clap, and 1 hand to slap.

There can never be a party who is wholly correct - both parties have their faults (though they may not acknowledge it for egoistic purpose). When you believe you are right and say the other party is wrong, that's like using your one hand to slap him, and that makes you wrong.

Whenever there are disputes, both parties are both correct in their viewpoint, but also wrong in their accusation.

Life is a balance of black and white. The refusal to undergo abortion may be a right for humanity, but may be a wrong when the kid grows up unhappy under the care of a unprepared mum.

Even for the thriving economy of Singapore, it makes the typical Singaporean richer. But at what price? Rising inflation, a change in social behaviour (people rushing for seats on trains). Is this right or wrong?

Who are we to judge what's right and what's wrong? As that chapter of the bible goes, who are we to throw stones at others when we are sinners ourselves?

At work, perfomance indicators can be pretty contradicting. Today, the boss wants a high output, and the manager does it easily by employing more people. The next day, the boss stresses on cost cutting, people get lay off, and the output drops.

So we concluded that what's right at work is taking care of the bosses's "Flavour of the Day". And at what expense?

Everything is right and wrong.

Learn to be less judgemental, and you will find that your days, and those around you, better!

Schedule of a Singapore Teacher

2010-05-25T14:16:00.001+08:00

The article below is written by a teacher's wife to The Straits Times, Singapore's leading newspapers, to talk about the hectic schedule of her hubby.

As much as everyone know about the importance of work-life balance, it is actually not that easy to achieve, given the super competitive nature of our society.

Among my friends, more and more are shunning the teaching profession (and that includes myself). Parents are demanding more and more, and kids these days know their rights (in a bad way).

With that said, I got to take my hats off to all the teachers here in Singapore. You guys are the unsung heroes that I could never be.

And it's one of the social price that a society pays to be on the top of international academic rankings.

----------
Work-life balance? Here's one day in the life of a teacher

I AM often told how the Ministry of Education is easing teachers' workload, but I see little evidence of it.

My husband has been teaching in a neighbourhood school for several years. Despite the mantra of work-life balance, I see little of it in the lives of teachers. Here is a typical weekday routine for my husband:

* 5am: Wake up and prepare for school.
* 6am: Leave for school.
* 7am: Arrive at school and perform morning duty (in a sense, 'guard duty').
* 7.30am to 1pm: Regular teaching duties (including extra games for students who need more exercise during recess, which is part of the Holistic Health Framework that replaced the Trim and Fit scheme).
* 1 pm to 1.30pm: Prepare for remedial lessons.
* 1.30pm to 3.30pm: Conduct remedial lessons (my husband's school believes that to improve students' results, remedial lessons must be conducted daily).
* 3.30pm to 5.30pm: Be present for the co-curricular activities he is in charge of.
* 5.30pm to 6.30pm: Administrative work like keying in remarks on students for the mid-term report book).
* 6.30pm to 6.45pm: Pack 36 books and piles of worksheets to take home and mark.
* 6.45pm to 7.45pm: Travel home.
* 7.45pm to 8.30pm: Eat dinner and rest.
* 8.30pm to 1am: Continue with administrative work, such as marking books and worksheets, reviewing examination papers, and preparing programmes for the June school camp and Youth Olympic Games activities.

Weekends are hardly restful. I often ask him if the endless work is because he is singled out. That is not so, he tells me. His colleagues face the same punishing workload.

As I am writing this letter at 10am, my husband has developed a fever. But he is unable to seek medical attention as there is an oral examination in the afternoon.

I understand there is a need to be accountable to students' parents. But in this case, who is answerable to a teacher's family if anything happens to the teacher?

Aishah Quek (Ms)

Toddlers are made from the same mould

2010-05-24T13:42:00.003+08:00

Am I the only one in the world who feels that all toddlers look the same?

"Does the toddler look more like the dad or the mum?"
Err.... seriously I could never figure that out. And if I think hard enough to try and establish any comparisons, I might end up asking if they are sure they didn't took the wrong baby home.

Or "Can you figure if the baby is a boy or girl?"
Well, I can't see that from the face. But I know how to reliably check that out, not that I'm going to do it.

On a side note, some years back, I was trying to pick up small talk with a colleague from another department. I looked around his desk, and saw a photo of his 2 kids, and asked him if his kids are sons or daughters. He looked at me, paused, and told me both were daughters, as if it was obvious.

Then, I looked at the photo again. Oh ya, they were wearing skirts, I must have missed that out.

When embarrassed, just smile your way through. *blush*

Meeting the legendary Nino and Lily

2010-05-19T14:46:00.006+08:00

Nino and Lily are 2 bloggers I got to know, from Slovenia and Taiwan respectively. One day, Nino flew from one end of the planet to Taiwan to another to meet Lily, the gal of his dreams.

Anyway, coming back, during my recent Taiwan trip, I had the honour of meeting up with the 2 of them.

And here, I will spill all the beans. Muahahaha.
*chokes on saliva*

5 things you need to know about Nino.

(1) Nino is a walking history textbook, he is VERY well-read.
And he told me about Chiang Kai Shek and Taiwan history. *blush*

(2) Nino looks shy. His default expression looks like he is blushing. =p But he's also every bit of a gentleman.

(3) Nino got a great sense of humour. You can see that in his blog, but you got to meet him to experience it first hand.

(4) Nino is humble, he doesn’t brag. I found it amazing how we actually connected, because I’m a natural egoistic braggart.

(5) Nino looks REALLY cool in his sunglasses. Without those glasses, I swear I saw gals getting electrocuted just by looking straight into his eyes.

And here’s 1 thing you need to know about Lily.

(1) Lily is made of sugar (she's so sweet) and so so polite. Because of her, I have officially stereotype all Taiwan gals as girls who guys will love to bring home to meet their parents.

And that's why together, Nino and Lily make an awesome couple. I didn't say it, my mum-in-law did. And from the 4 of us, we wish that the 2 of ya will go really far in this relationship. ^_^

I also got the pleasure to take photos with the 2 of them. Nino & Lily, if you are reading this, I will send you the pictures once I can.

And to the readers here, do you guys know that Yugolavia was broken into Croatia and Slovenia? And these 2 countries (Croatia and Slovenia) are pretty much like Malaysia and Singapore, the former is bigger in land mass but the latter is small but more developed. And then there's that little rivalry, especially when it comes to sports.

The word "Slovenia" used to mean little to me. But now that I have a friend who hails from there, you can bet that I will pay more attention and interest to this country on the news.

Julian Alps, Slovenia
Picture stolen from Russel Tours

Hopefully, I might get the chance to visit Slovenia someday. And see nature there amid the snow in winter time!

Back from Taiwan

2010-05-18T11:21:00.005+08:00

I'm back.

Ok, I'm back for more than a week actually. But have been held up by work (as always), and thus the lag in updates.

I brought Wifey and my in-laws to Taiwan some time for a 10-day trip to Taiwan. Taiwan is a place that has everything a visitor wants
(1) Good food
(2) Good scenery
(3) Good shopping

I do not have any ready photos with me to accompany this post. For those of you who have not seen pictures of Taiwan, head on to Nino's blog. I'm leaving the expert to show you the pics. =p

I went to both Taichung and Taipei, with an emphasis on showing my in-laws the more talked about tourist places in Taiwan.

I won't go into details, because I know a long post without pictures can get really boring.

So I will do a quick rundown of my favourite places in Taiwan.

(1) Night Markets
Taiwan has tons of good street food. Unlike the pasar malam in Singapore and Malaysia that sells the same old stuffs, Taiwan night markets sell HUGE variety of food.

The night markets that left a stronger impression on me was the
(a) Fengjia night market at Taichung (it's huge!)
(b) the Shilin market (lots of variety, must try the extra large fried chicken chop)
(c) Keelung night market (a huge one famous for seafood).

We went to many smaller night markets in Taipei, including the one at Huaxi Street (snake meat, yucks!)

(2) Sun Moon Lake
Sun Moon Lake is a famous lake that particularly left me a strong impression. I was originally told it's a boring place, but it turned out to be so much more fun. The lake was beautiful, there was nice street food (tofu with pickled vegetables, yummy!). And even a cable car up to a resort that showcase the various aboriginal tribes, plus a really fun amusement park.

(3) Alishan
So the famous sightseeing trains was out of service due to the earthquake. The only thing left to do is to trek. The mountains were at 10 degree celsius, and we were freezing unprepared. But the place is a great work of nature. Forest tracking, anyone?

(4) Jiufen
A very good shopping street on top of the mountain. Smelly tofu lingers the air, but it has some great dessert and food not found elsewhere in Taipei. It's a must go.

(5) Yehliu
A small fishing town. It is famous for the natural rock formation by the sea that resembles various shapes. One of the most scenic places I have ever been in Taiwan, though it's a pity I didn't get a snapshot of the sunset, as suggested by Nino.

(6) Danshui
Taiwan has alot of old streets. And this is one great old street to walk. Street food here is great, it's particularly known for that tall ice-cream.

(7) Wulai
Famous for the hotsprings and the waterfall. I went on a weekday, and it was pretty deserted. They also have a old style train that is so so fun to sit. There's a cable car and resort in Wulai also, but it looks abandoned, so you can probably give it a pass.

(8) Ximending
The shopping place for hip young people (and uncle like me). Tons of movie theatres and karaoke. And also the unforgettable Modern Toilet restaurant. Haha, we ate "toilet food".

On a side note, I also got the chance to meet up with Nino and Lily. They were our tour guides on one of the days. More about this in the next entry. And I will try to find time to get some photos up too.

Thanks for reading.

Flying away in 10 days

2010-04-28T13:10:00.000+08:00

I'm typing here from Changi Airport.
Be on vacation for 10 days with Wifey and my in-laws.

To a place where there's good food, good scenery, and yummy yum yum chicks.

And it's also the first time I'm meeting a blogger friend.

Till then, stay cool, drink lots of water, and be happy, everyone!
Cheers! ^_^

Are you an animal lover?

2010-04-20T10:50:00.002+08:00

Do you love animals?

I do, especially chicken and pork - they taste good!

Ok, jokes aside.

I have a colleague, she's in her 40s, married and have no kids. But she has this doggie which she was strongly attached to. Just like how parents will tend to talk more about their kids, my colleague also give reference to her doggie as if it was her own child.

Lately, she was on urgent leave for a few days. Her doggie died. I presumed it's due to some body malfunction. And now that she's back to work, I think it affected her quite a fair bit. She looked pale, and from her eyes, you can see she cried a great deal recently.

As I was walking by her cubicle just now, I saw her staring blankly at the pic of her beloved doggie. My heart sank. I wished she will recover soon.

For a while, I was reminded why I can never be a owner of pets. I'm way too self-centered and practical to hold an additional responsibility and attachment to a pet of my own. And plus, I never liked clearing up people's sh*t (pun intended).

Do you keep pets of your own, and do you get REALLY emotional over their welfare?

Happy 101 Award

2010-04-19T10:58:00.004+08:00

Wenny dropped me a little surprise 2 weeks. Knowing how inactive I am recently on the blogosphere, she also dropped me a little reminder. =p

I'm now the proud recipient of The Happy 101 award, but I will have to
(A) write a post to thank the person who gave me the award (Thank you much much, Wenny!)
(B) add the award to the sidebar
(C) name 10 things that make me happy
(D) pass this award to other bloggers who make me happy.

As for the 10 things that make me happy.
(1) Wifey. Is that considered a "thing"? She's also my confidante, my mistress and my personal secretary. Yes, I have an affair with my secretary, you can either sue me or envy me.

(2) The moon. I started falling in love with the moon during my undergraduate days, when I used to take a long walk to the bus stop every night after school. It's my alluring secret companion, my personal guardian who doesn't talk, but takes my mind off the lecture notes.

(3) Chocolate and raisins. They are the little rewards that I give myself when I deserve it. And it happens often. I'm so damn grateful to myself.

(4) Seeing people smile. It's damn contagious. And if people don't smile, you infect them!

(5) Blogging. It's an addiction that pays off intellectually, unlike gambling and gaming. A shoutout to my fellow bloggers out there.

(6) Dancing. It makes me feel alive. And I love to perform.

(7) My grandma. She's in her 90s. But always smiling and concerned about the people around her. I'm happy to see her smile, and I LOVE to make her laugh.

(8) Exploring new places for holidays. I like to see people, places and cultures.

(9) Drinking tea and catching up with buddies. It's easy to get lost in your own world when you are married/attached. Some Guy's night out to find back some "ME time" every now and then is always refreshing.

(10) Acts of kindness. I smile when people give up seats on the train and buses. In a practical society like Singapore where people rush in trains just to get seats, acts of kindness cannot be taken for granted. And I smile bigger when I see babes ~~in miniskirts~~ with a heart of gold. Good lookers can be kind-hearted after all ~~,other than myself~~.

I shall not forward this award to anyone, ONLY because it's not my style to do so, though I can easily list a long list of blogs which I follow, that makes me happy when I read. So if I have to nominate to satisfy the last criteria, can I nominate back Wenny?

Shingo T the Poacher

2010-04-07T11:00:00.005+08:00

I interact alot with people, and I'm always constantly on the lookout for good people.

It could be a cleaner, the security guard, the coffee lady, the bus driver, the guy who sold me jewellery or anyone. Whenever I get impressed with a person's work attitude, I will tell myself that "This is the guy I will poach to work for my own company". And in cases when i'm extremely impressed, I get their namecard, just in case I might call them with a little proposition years down the road.

And nope, I have not yet set up any company. I preach alot about why we should step out of the comfort zone, but in the end, I'm this scary cat who talks alot but have no concrete action. I could come up with 101 reasons why I am still stuck helping people make money, but deep down, I know these are not reasons, these are my self-made excuses.

Anyway, pardon the digress.

Richard Branson is one who hires based on a person's aptitude, and I think that's so smart. Paper qualifications are over-rated. Unless you are getting IT guys, laboratory scientists or accountants, where paper qualifications correlates with how often the guy will produce results, it's better to get someone who has that aptitude, the X-factor.

A top-earning salesman related to me his story about a potential customer, a study mama from China, who would not buy a single product from him, not because his products aren't good, but because she's not buying into him. How do you trust the words of a person you only knew for a few minutes? So this top-earning salesman went the extra step out for her, teaching her how to secure her kids into her choice school over the next few days. It's something out of his jobscope, but it got her to buy into him as a friend. Soon, she started becoming his regular customer, and gave lots of referrals. Woot! $_$

Soft skills like charisma, interaction, EQ, mindset and motivation are skills I lookout for in my potential employees. It's important not to produce disgruntled employees, because low morale is infectious, and happy workers produce better results. I need to ensure that my own company doesn't fall apart when I go on a vacation with Wifey to Milan on a shopping spree.

Recently, Wifey got the chance to know most of my colleagues. And I singled out two particular colleagues who have that "it" factor that I'm looking for. Not everyone may agree with my choice, because one of my choice has some "personality problem". But I see why she has that "problem", and I am confident of turning turning it round to make her a great asset.

Be on your best behavior, kids, especially if you are dealing with clients or strangers.

The stranger who you impressed today, might be the guy who will poach you tomorrow.

And I might just be that poacher.
*winks*

And been poached will certainly give you a better deal than aimlessly hunting for your own job.

About the Author: Shingo T gives extra poaching points to people in miniskirts compare to those in business trousers.

Random Notes 45

2010-04-01T12:04:00.001+08:00

(1) Work's getting busy again for me these few weeks. Will be asking my boss to get someone to lighten my load. Hope that help comes soon.

(2) Wifey was reading through Nino's blog, and she said this "he's quite sweet to his girl. any pics of them both?"

Nino, you there? =p

(3) I found this hilarious quote on the Net, and used it as my Skype signature.
Friendship is like peeing on yourself: everyone can see it, but only you get the warm feeling that it brings.

And my colleague who saw it, replied me
Break-up is like shitting in your pants: not everyone knows, but they can smell something is wrong.

(4) Today is April Fool's Day, the day in which I read local newspaper articles with a pinch of salt, as they tend to insert some untrue news in it.

Anyone has any April Fool Day experience to share?

Sometimes you gotta give

2010-03-18T17:36:00.002+08:00

Have you read of couples who divorce or start straying after 20 years of marriage? It's actually quite rampant. Just because you are happy now doesn't mean you will live happily ever after.

Getting attached is the easy part. Maintaining a relationship is definitely harder as we start having higher (and sometimes unrealistic) expectations of each other.

But fret not, marriage is no graveyard. A good marriage can be very rewarding and fulfilling, you just gotta do it right. ^_^

I read the story of this guy who was married for many years. He was also an avid golfer, and spent many hours every week on his golf. His wife however, was not into golf, and will stay at home over the weekends with the kids.

Many years later, the kids grew up and moved away to start their own family. And the wife now had too much time at hand and nothing to do. The guy could have continued his golfing, but he gave it up so that those hours can be channeled into going for walks with his wife. How sweet! ^_^

He loved golf, but he loved his wife more.

Every couple should spend quality time together, while having a little “me” time to find back themselves. But when a partner in a relationship spend too much time pursuing his/her individual hobbies, or spending too much hours working, the couple can start drifting apart. And this could be dangerous, as the married couple start living their own separate lives even when staying together. The spouse should never become a stranger sleeping on the same bed as you.

A buddy of mine was very into dragonboating and phototaking, hobbies which his girlfriend did not engage in. The events took up a huge part of his weekends, and though his girlfriend “didn’t mind”, I thought it was a little self-centered. Good thing they are now married, and planning to move together. Hopefully he will find more time to spend with her. After all, some girls are like plants. They need to be showered with love and be reminded that they are in our priority queue.

The point of this post? Sometimes in life, we got to sacrifice something in order to gain something that matters much more. And years down the road, you will realise that it's all worth it.

Know what or who REALLY matters in your life, and NEVER lose that focus.

Netster's wonderful mum-in-law

2010-03-16T00:01:00.002+08:00

Everytime someone comments at my blog, I receive an email in my non-work email address. It is something that keeps me happy in the midst of work. ^_^

Yesterday, I received a comment from Netster, and it surprised me in 3 ways.

(1) He replied to a post which was written more than 4 months ago. Normally the only comments I receive from such outdated posts are spam comments. You know, those "performance" related drugs, MLM selling etc... I'm surprised Netster actually bothered to read such an old post.

(2) He added a super long comment, something which I seldom do, because of the number of blogs I follow. If I didn't read his comment, it would have been wasted effort for him. Luckily, I read each and every comment (even if I don't reply), so don't worry, k?

(3) Lastly, in his long comment, he shared his personal experience with his wonderful mum-in-law, who unfortunately is no longer with us. The story was so heartfelt and sincere, that I was really touched by it. It made me wonder if there were tears in his eyes as he was writing it. And this is one of the rare time I felt so touched by reading a reader's comment, as a doggie ate my conscience when I was young. Wanted to drop Netster an email to acknowledge it but couldn't find his email address anywhere on his blog.

A story of this length is better off being used as a blog entry, rather than leaving it as a comment in an isolated post. Consider sharing us your experience if you want, Netster, you really wrote it well.

By acknowledging you had a wonderful mother-in-law, that makes you a great son-in-law. And she will rest in peace, knowing that her daughter is in great hands.

Early Birds versus Night Owls

2010-03-15T12:03:00.003+08:00

As much as possible, I sleep by 12 midnight and wake up before 8am, not just for weekdays but also for weekends.

This isn't exactly early compared to the guys who sleep at 10pm and wake up by 6am, but I thought this is considered "early bird" by Singapore standards.

It's pretty amazing how everyone choose to be a night owl, and sleep in the wee hours (2-3am? it's crazy!) when it's well documented how bad for health it can be. From the traditional chinese medicine perspective, different parts of the organs rest at different time. And the all-important liver (one of the main detoxifying organ other than the kidney) needs to rest at 10-11pm.

Refuse to let your liver rest and see how slack it becomes when he needs to clear the sh*t in your body.

When I was young, I used to clubbed till the wee hours, come home and sleep for 8 hours (or more), and still feel lethargic after I get up, even when I consume minimal alcohol (I'm allergic). As some sleep experts argue, it's not how much you sleep, but rather how early you sleep that affects your quality of sleep.

Maybe I'm getting much older, I'm starting to feel half asleep before midnight. Sniff.

There's a big difference between day and night.

Early day is associated with aunties buying stuffs from the wet market. Or old people doing taiji in the park. Or old people taking their caged birds out for Chinese tea. One word to sum it - Slow.

Late Night on the other hand, is summarised using the word "Happening". The most popular primetime dramas are always slotted at night-time. Movie theatres screen midnight movies, in fact there are no movies in the early morning. There are 2 meals at night, namely dinner and supper, even though we know that SUPPER MAKES YOU FAT.

I say it's about time that night owls clean up their act, and look at the "bright side" of life. To be an early bird, you are less likely to snack at night, and more likely to have a better quality of life. There's way too many things to do at night, but most aren't value-adding to your life. TV, surfing ~~porn~~ Net, MSNing your friends, facebooking etc... You are more likely to be a sleep junkie, one who lost out on sleep because you are addicted to modern technology.

Translate your timetable, move everything forward by 1-2 hours. Sleep a little earlier, so you can wake up earlier, fresher and healthier. Record your TV shows if they are shown too late, you can watch them in the morning. The air in the morning is fresher, and with the lack of happenings to do in the morning, you are more likely to do something that has been neglected in the past - Jogging? Read the papers? Clean up your room? Communicate with your parents?

Some Night owls may argue that they sleep late so that they can do more of their own things before they sleep and begin the dreaded work the next day. I say that's myopic because when you wake up the next day, the FIRST few thing you gonna do is to work. And that sucks.

In contrast, an Early Bird wakes up early and do his own things BEFORE he goes to work. So that's an incentive to wake up early. He's less likely to reach work late, and may even avoid the morning traffic jam.

To each his own, but someday I will lead the Early Birds to kick the Night Owl's a** and take over the world. Muahahaha.

But that will mean me against 90% of the world. =(

About the Author: Shingo T will be hosting the Early Morning Show with Shingo T to combat the ratings for Late Night Show with David Letterman.

4718

2010-03-11T13:46:00.000+08:00

I was reading SK's blog, and he shared in a recent post about a recent experience when he bought 4718 as a 4-D lottery, but the winning number that came out was 7841.

I wanted to post a comment, but somehow Blogger kept giving me problems. =(

So SK, this is for you.

"For any 4-digit number with distinct digits, there are 24 permutations to play around the numbers.

7841, 7481, 4718, 4178 etc....

Putting it in another way, you can expect to see about 23 other permutations on average before you actually see your exact number winning!

So close is actually so far. =("

When Life and Death meets

2010-03-10T09:33:00.002+08:00

Is there a shortage of hospital beds in Singapore government hospital?

Lisa died of ovarian cancer some months back.

On the last few days before she died, she was placed in a 6-room ward.

With 5 other much younger mothers who had just given birth.

Lisa was unconscious and had an oxygen mask over her face. There were about 20 of us there who were gathering around Lisa, and some cried.

On the other hand, the other 5 patients laid on the bed and kept to themself, some holding their newborn babies, some chatting with their hubbies.

I found it pretty ironic how we all ended up in the same room. A simple reason was that the gynaecology department deals with both life and death -pregnant women and also patients with reproductive system issues such as ovarian cancer.

I felt sorry for the fellow patients. They seem to be containing their joy for the newborn, because it doesn't seem socially appropriate to be celebrating a new family member when you are beside people who are going to lose one.

Many of the ladies pulled the curtains, so that they can have some privacy, and be less mindful of the existence of the dying. We even volunteered to help the patient next to us to pull her curtains, knowing that she may be too weak to do so.

She was grateful and smiled at us with gratitude. And rightfully so.

Life and death was just a curtain away.

Not long after, Lisa was voluntarily upgraded to a 1-room ward by the hospital. A tad too late, but better late than never.

About the Author: Shingo T wonders if the hospitals that Doctor Stiletto Girl works in is this crowded.

Handstand

2010-03-09T18:17:00.002+08:00

Have you ever done a handstand? ^_^

I used to do them when I was younger. It was one of those acrobatic things I had tried on my own during my younger days just to shake off that nerdiness image that I always had.

And then something happened. During one of my random practise at the void deck of my flat, I lost balance and hit the concrete floor hard with the head. Not sure if there was a concussion, but I sat there stunned for a long while. A while later, I felt huge sharp pain at my head. I didn't cry, but I did have a little naggy feeling that I hurt my brains somehow.

I stopped doing handstands after the incident. And took up hiphop instead of being a breakdancer. I guess it's safer.

Growing up, I was very bad at remembering stuffs. I wasn't sure if it was due to the handstand accident, but I conveniently attributed that as the reason, an explanation to justify my lack of memory. I never told anyone about it, it's a little secret that my parents do not even know. Can't recall if I told Wifey though.

Having a lousier memory and shorter attention span than my peers, I grew up having to work harder than the rest.

During studying, I couldn't memorise alot of things, so had to put extra attention to understanding them, be it Maths formulas or science theories. This meant that I had to spend more time than the rest, but I was a boring guy, so it didn't matter.

At work, I'm often seen with pen and paper during meetings, because taking down follow ups is a must. It also makes me a bad multi-tasker, I tend to only remember the latest task that I was asked to work on, if I never write them down.

When socialising with friends, or talking with Wifey, I always make it a point to be specially attentive during conversations. It's basic courtesy. But there are many cases when I just forgot what I asked minutes ago, and re-ask the question. Sometimes I think this give others the impression that I didn't listen to their answers. It's really not the case. =(

Sometimes I'm not sure whether it's a bad memory, or I have selective memory. Maybe it's just psychological? I don't know. After all, I remember alot about my childhood and my past. But when it comes to smaller things, I tend to have short-term memory loss.

I consider my memory limitation as a handicap. I have the brains, just with limited ability to remember stuffs. But I am determined to minimise the disruption to my life caused by this inconvenience.

And though I have stopped doing handstands for so many many years, deep down inside, I want to do them again someday.

Just not on a concrete floor.

Where do I stock up on brain juice?

2010-03-03T11:21:00.005+08:00

The problem with working as a support role is that everyone becomes my boss. After all, they are the reason why I'm needed. To support them.

Sales and operations are the face to any business. Being a support unit generally means I'm hidden from public view. My role could have been more peace and quiet if I had chose to be passive and do the bare minimum, but it's just not my style.

I make it a point to justify my salary, and my high initiative and enthusiasm brings me alot of popularity among my peers. And that also means that I'm the guy that everyone think of when it comes to getting an extra pair of hands to work on a new invention.

My role is pretty unique because of my unqiue skillset. Because of this, I create a monopoly. On one hand, it means that I'm one of the last people on the company's future retrenchment plans (if any). But it also means if I'm on leave, alot of their requests on their wishlist will be put on hold. After coming back from any vacation, there's always alot of backlog welcoming me back.

And everyone claims that their request is urgent. Well the last time I was "urgent", I just held my own till I had a chance to go pee. =p

Let me clarify that I'm not indispensible, because NO ONE in any organisation is indispensible. But somehow, my easygoing personality attracts people to tap on my brain and time, and there is an over-reliance on my skillset. And that is like feeding them slow poison.

While there is a huge sense of satisfaction when I create something that makes their life easier, I have come to a point when my enthusiasm is waning. And having used up so much brain power at work, I feel like doing brainless stuffs when I get home.

And when my enthusiasm meter runs dangeously low, one of the things normally happens.

(1) Go for a holiday, and hope I get re-energise.
(2) Start life afresh at another company.

I'm not one who just keeps mum and suffer, but it doesn't mean I just whine the whole day about it, because I'm the "2nd kind of person" (I fail, but I change till I succeed).

I'm not a job hopper, having stayed more than 6 years in my first company. But I will do anything it takes to make sure that I do not dread going to work the morning before work.

Because most of us work till we reach the retirement age, you should never lose the enthusiasm about the workplace, because it is where most of us spent most of our lives on.

When I was working at my first company, someone gave me a very good advice.

If work was so easy, then we need you for what?

If the Energizer bunny is arrested, who else can I turn to for help? =p

Want to buy some brain juice, and a hug.

Random Notes 44

2010-03-02T15:39:00.007+08:00

(1) This year's Valentine's Day fall on Chinese New Year. And I forgot to buy Wifey a gift. So I gave her a belated present yesterday. Cup Stackers!

And please don't have any ideas that I'm buying her that because I want to play it myself. It's err... so not true. =p

(2) Earth Hour happens this year from 8.30pm to 9.30pm on Saturday, March 27. Which means we are supposed to turn off all the lights and stuffs. During that day, I am supposed to help to do sales in one of the Exhibition Halls. Are we supposed to do this in the dark? Haha.

(3) If you are devoid of electricity for one hour, it means no lights, no TV, no internet, no radio, is there still meaning to life? Yes, we can take the chance to catch up on face-to-face communication!

(4) I always see alot of retirees at the casino. I hope they aren't trying to carve a living. And I wonder if I will end up being one of those old people frequenting the casino to idle time away?

(5) My favourite care bear is the Good Luck Bear. There's something about four leaves clover that captures my attention.

(6) My next planned long-distance trip will be to sin city - Las Vegas. Never been to the United States for purpose outside of work. Friends have been recommending me the place, and it's now one of those places that I want must go before I get kidnapped by aliens.

(7) I wanna go to the korean break-dancing comedy, Breakout!

Have watched it a year ago, and it's a really funny and enjoyable show. But now the cheap tickets are sold out. Sniff.

(8) I miss Toothfy. Hope she comes back to blog soon.

(9) Lady Gaga is my latest music craze. Been playing the same "The Fame" CD at work over and over again at work. Have you guys seen this modified video on Youtube of Lady Gaga's Poker Face song, sung in Mandarin by a Malaysian using auspicious Chinese New Year theme as the lyrics?. It's kind of weird, but I thought it's funny.

(10) Because I'm a change agent, sometimes I wonder if I should enter politics at some point in my life to contribute my 2 cents worth. But then again, why be a politician when I can aim for bigger things, like world domination? Muahahaha.

Complexifying simple stuffs

2010-03-01T16:03:00.002+08:00

I always believe The Man Above made everything simple. But humans, being brainy creatures, just had to inject information and emotions to make simple things difficult.

Why have war when you can just have peace?
Why lose your temper when you can settle things amicably?
Why commit suicide when you can live?
Why not just move on to the next available girl if your current one rejects you?
Why smoke when if it gives you more harm than good?
Why pick up a fight if it's going to hurt both of you?
Why do you even provoke people in the first place?

The solution to many questions is sometimes so simple, and right before your eyes. If only we learn to be less emotional, and be more rational.

There's a time to think, but there's also a time to stop thinking too much and just take the most obvious "correct" solution.

A little bit about what I do

2010-02-26T10:29:00.007+08:00

There is a group of people who stay in a small town where temperatures can go up to 40 degree celsius.

Because the weather is hot and dry, it is easy for nearby bushes to catch fire. If left uncontrolled, the fire will spread to the small town and consume the houses and lives of everyone.

Everytime there is a bushfire (and it happens quite frequently), the town folks will get a pail, fill it up with water from the nearest well, and run as fast as they can to the bushfire to put it out.

Because there are so many people, putting the fire out isn't too hard even with pails.

But slowly, some of the people started migrating to the city, and there becomes a shortfall of these firefighters. And there was difficulty attracting more people to the town.

I was created as a support unit. My job is to assist the town folks. If the town folks are the brave warriors at the frontline, then I must be the fragile supporting cleric casting healing spells or protective buffs at my teammates. I collect data and analyse why the fire started. And along the way, I come up with various inventions, like the rubber hose and the fire engine, to replace the time-consuming and inefficient task of carrying buckets of water to and fro.

My glorious inventions are useless if nobody uses them. So education is an important task of mine. I gather the town folks and brief them on how to use it. It helps that the town folks are receptive to my ideas (my charisma and good looks play a great part), unlike the previous town where I worked in, where they call my rubber hose invention a silly rubber snake! =(

I may be the brain, but no one understand the bush fires more than the town folks themselves. So they have been instrumental in giving me feedback on my inventions. My creations were made more practical with their inputs.

My invention tools are not built overnight. Take the fire engine for instance. When I first build it, it doesn't have a steering wheel and the engine can only move linearly, forward and reverse. But I can't wait for the invention to be complete before I let them use it, I will lose my job!

So only during the days when the fire engine were not used, I will add in more features. Subsequently added in the steering wheel, the music set (I gave it a cute name called the Hi Fi), the cool air blower (I call it the Aircon).

And I will color the fire engine red because it is the same color as the fire. Smart, right? I know, I'm a genius!

But as with any invention, there are chances of misuse. One disgruntled town folks drove the fire engine, to be precise, my fire engine, to knock down his love rival. Blood was spilled and stained on my fire engine (I was going to color it red anyway). It really isn't really my fault that accidents happen, because I built it for a noble means. Glad the folks were understanding.

But despite the small setbacks, the benefits outweigh the cons. I derive great satisfaction in seeing the town folks spending lesser time putting out fire, and having more time for themselves with the change in process.

Not for long though, because with the folks spending less time fighting fire, the evil town mayor gave the folks an additional task to start growing crops to sustain the population. Which also means, it's time for some more new inventions. I'm now in the process of inventing something to help their crops grow faster.

And I shall give my ground-breaking new invention a long and impressive name. *ponders*

Ah! I shall call it the Fertiliser.

About the Author: Shingo T is upset that other companies are also using names like "Aircon" and "Hi Fi". Talk about originality!

Slackers, all of you!

2010-02-25T10:22:00.001+08:00

Every year, for those working 5-day week,
(1) there are 11 days of national holidays in Singapore.
(2) 52 weeks x 2 = 104 days of Saturday and Sunday.
(3) approximately 14 days of annual leaves.

Add them all up, and most of us are actually not working for 129 days a year.

And that equates to you not working on 129/365 = 35% of the days. It could be even more if you add in MCs, or if your company gives you more annual leaves.

So cheer up, for every 3 days, you get to rest for slightly more than 1 day.

Feel better?

Note: This entry is dedicated to Lily Riani, who is envying her friend for one-day work week. ^_^

Poor Energizer rabbit. =(

2010-02-24T14:53:00.001+08:00

In case you haven't hear this.

The Energizer Rabbit was arrested - charged with battery.

Note: For those who didn't get it, "Battery" means unlawfully attacking someone. And for those who still don't get it, you are supposed to chuckle after reading this!

Brownie points

2010-02-23T17:14:00.003+08:00

There is this "Focus on the family" section that I follow everyday on the Today newspapers. It is written by the Acadaemy of certified Counsellors, and the articles are short and meaningful.

One of the writers, a psychologist by training, related his experience with a waitress, who seeked his advice on handling a quarrel with her 15-year old daughter.

The little girl wanted to have her legs shaved, but the waitress mum was against it. As a result, they frequently quarreled over this.

The psychologist gave the waitress mum a simple solution "Buy her a shaver". His rationale was simple - there are too bigger things in life that we should be concerned about.

How true. In all aspects of life, we can't always expect to take complete control of everything. By letting the daughter have some "wins", parents earn some goodwill. I call them brownie points, and they serve as a bargaining chip to facilitate them to influence a bigger decision of their child's future.

Do you want to influence small things like your daughter shaving the legs, or bigger things like ensuring she does not stay overnight at the place of her new boyfriend?

Same goes for work. A boss who wants to have the final say and micromanages everything will only get resentment for his workers. Maybe he should get feedback from the men and let them have it their way sometimes (even if deep down inside, the boss may not agree with the suggestions).

And if you know of someone who look for you time and time again only when they need your help, how will you react when they need your help once again, and this time to borrow a few thousand dollars? Well, I will say "No" without hesitation, I have already helped you way too much.

Start accumulating some brownie points with your loved ones, your friends and your colleagues.

You will never know when they will come in handy.

Awards and some random notes

2010-02-21T21:37:00.001+08:00

It's been almost 3 weeks since my last post. Still busy busy at work, and seriously, I have got idea how long this hiatus will be.

I always talked about the 3 kinds of people.
(1) People who fail and give up
(2) People who fail, keep trying the SAME method, but continue to fail.
(3) People who fail, embark on a DIFFERENT method, and finally suceed.

When applied to my current situation, (1) will mean quitting the blog. It's the easy way out, because reading people's blogs is always easier. But my blog is a place where I cab be "ME", it's a great avenue to share my self-centered thoughts with the world, and I don't intend to give up any time soon.

(2) means I keep continuing to do the things I do now, and that will mean more postponement, and irregularities to my blog entries.

So I decided to do (3), to change the way I blog. Previously, I always make it a point to reply back on each and every comment on my blog post. And trust me, that can be very time-consuming. So from today, I will continue to read ALL comments, but do selective replying or none at all (instead of replying all). In this case, the time that I saved can be channelled into writing some new posts, or reading your blogs.

I should clarify that I read all your comments, and REALLY appreciate your insight to what I write. Keep the comments coming, so I know that I'm not writing to myself. The least I can do is to drop by your blog to see what you have up your sleeves. ^_^

Wenn and Wenny (sounds like sisters, huh?) recently gave me awards through their blog. To which I humbly thank them and accept. I have put them up at the sidebars.

In my next post, I will write about a story I read from a psychologist, which I thought is quite meaningful. And I will write this soon.

Signing off, gotta spend some time with Wifey watching TV, before another long week ahaead.

Genting and Casinos

2010-02-02T17:50:00.005+08:00

I recently came back from Genting Highlands. The hilltop resort was built many many years by Malaysia's famous Uncle Lim (who has since passed away). The main draw is the casino, and the amusement parks to a lesser extent. Well, who would have imagined that a country populated with Malays will have a casino?

The resort was built at the top of treacherous mountains many years ago, when technology was only so-so. Uncle Lim was said to be close to falling to death on a few occassions when he was overseeing the construction.

Despite Singapore having their dual casinos opening in a few months time, I will still go to Genting casino for two reasons - the cool weather, and because I'm Malaysian. Genting always have a special place in my heart.

Casinos are a dual edge sword - it creates lots of employment, generates revenue and tourist dollars, and possibly reduce the need for illegal gambling dens. But on the other hand, casinos are pretty much responsible for more bankrupts, broken families and other social problems.

If a man dies from smoking, do we blame the cigarette? In my view, I blame the man himself for underestimating the power of the addiction. Similarly for gambling, casinos only provide an alternate but legalised venue to gamble. No one can force you to gambling. It's a man's weak and greedy nature that lures his soul to the place.

You do not need to be a Mathematician to know that the odds in gamblings are stacked against you, from the card games to the jackpot machines. I go to the casino for nothing more than this teeny weeny hope that I might just strike something big at the jackpot. But I know as well as anyone that gambling CANNOT make me rich. That's why I play for fun (2 Malaysia cents per line), and to test a little few theories here and there.

Frankly, gambling is a waste of time, as with playing video games. It's just one of those brainless leisures that I crave especially after an extended peak of work.

Genting is mostly frequented by the Chinese, because the Muslims are banned by religion from gambling. I always see gambling as a very Chinese trait, because we tend to be more money-minded and practical (my opinion). We buy 4Ds and Totos (lottery) in the hope of striking a chance to go the shortcut in life. We get emotional in casinos when money is at stake. Naturally so, though not neccessarily needed.

But at the end of a casino trip, winners and losers are made. More precisely, there are more losers than winners. And winners may find themselves returning back Uncle Lim their previous winnings on their next trip back to the casino.

The Gambler's ruin theory states that as long as the money you have is limited, you will eventually go broke at the gambling table as long as you don't stop playing, it's only a matter of time.

To those who have never picked up gambling, refrain from it.

And for those who do gamble, have fun but play with minimal expectations. And NEVER take your losses out on anyone, because a REAL man take responsibilities for his own actions.

I'm alive, just not back.

2010-01-26T10:12:00.001+08:00

Hi Friends, I am kept busy at work these few weeks, and will probably continue to be so for the next few weeks.

There's so much I want to do online, reading blogs, replying comments and writing articles, but guess I have to set my priorities right.

Will pop by a few of my regular blogs to read each day. As long as you keep on writing, I will read it. It's only a matter of time.

When work gets busy, it’s easy to lose sight of my goals. Have to keep on reminding myself to inch closer to what I really want, and not get lost in the rat’s race.

My only consolation? I work in a company that has perks catered to make every woman happy. And as long Wifey’s happy, I’m happy.

Take care of yourself, my friends.

My blog is made of these

2010-01-18T15:57:00.002+08:00

Every blogger has his/her own style of blogging. Today, I will do a little writeup on what I think this blog is about, and what this blog isn't.

Cup of Ice has always been a very wordy blog. I enjoyed writing about what I know the best - HAPPY, HEALTHY, WEALTHY and SUCCESSFUL. One does not have to be the best as a prerequisite to write about any topic - else, there's only one person in the world qualified to write about anything. Rather, I see myself as being decently knowledgable enough about how the world spins, so I will shamelessly preach about my beliefs.

My blog was created as an avenue to exchange ideas. While I love to write non-stop (and keep repeating the same old points), I really love to read endless comments too. You don't have to agree with what I write, but I will appreciate if you tell me what you agree and disagree with.

There's no right or wrong, everything is subjective.

(1) When it comes to being HAPPY, I have done alot of reading on self-help books on the secrets to be happy. And actually, the concepts are sama sama (similar), just phrased in different ways. It is not hard to be happy, but I hope to be able to give a little timely reminder here and there for those of you who tend to be lost every now and then in their search for happiness.

(2) I have been writing less articles on being HEALTHY nowadays, but I am still very focus on this topic in real-life (Uncle Shingo is getting old), setting dietary targets for myself. I am by no means an expert in this topic, the closest I have done "as an expert" is to give a talk on the benefits and analysis of fish oil. I'm no doctor nor dentist, but I have done a fair bit of readup on nutrition, on magazines and on newspapers.

(3) When it comes to being WEALTHY, I am nowhere near the million dollar club. However, I am a proud member of the rupiah million dollar club. I work for an employer, have housing loans to pay, and a family to feed. But I think it's very important for everyone to have a rich man's mindset (everyone should read Robert Kiyosaki's Rich Dad, Poor Dad). Also, one should be very aware of money-making opportunities. As any insurance agent will tell you, when you put your money to the bank, it is losing to inflation. Despite knowing these theories, I won't be able to afford a big house, but at least I don't want to be washing plates when I retire. I wanna retire with whatever remaining time to pursue my activities, and hopefully see the world with Wifey.

(4) I am a very SUCCESSFUL guy, but ONLY by my own definition. Being successful is not the amount of money you have, but it emcompass many all-rounded factors. I have the mindset and maturity one in handling real-life situations, which unfortunately, is lacking in many people (yes, I'm bragging). And I don't do unneccessary relative comparisons with the "better" people, other than for the purpose of learning. Being contented has nothing to do with resting on my laurels. I am motivated enough to make myself better, and constantly do so.

I am a punching bag that bounces back every single time I'm hit. It's called reflex action.

As for what this blog isn't, first I must say that when it comes to blogging, one must always be mindful not to be a jack of all trade, and master of none. Have confidence in yourself and know where you shine at.

(A) I don't camwhore on my blog, because that is so not me. I do not party and enjoy life the way that interest you, so there's nothing to write or camwhore about. My life mainly revolves mainly about my work and Wifey. I will leave it to the many bloggers out there who are more photogenic to camwhore. (I am still unbelievably handsome nonetheless.)

Did I say that I love looking at blogs of pretty young things? Don't tell Wifey though, she will pull my ear.

(B) My blog is intended to have a fast loading speed, because it has minimal pics. Any pics that you see on my blog are probably stolen. (sorry, I know I'm unethical) If you want to see nice scenery pics, you gotta head to other better blogs.

All in all, just have fun posting what you love doing. As long as you have passion in what you blog, the readers will feel it.

Quoting Avatar, "I see you" when I read your entries. Hopefully, you get to "see me" too when you read mine. I follow quite a few blogs out there, but I may not always comment, unless you want me to put motherhood generic comments like "Yes, I agree totally", or "Great work". Don't wanna comment for the sake of commenting, because reading and blogging should never be a chore.

Ok, that's all. May all of you get the intangible rewards from blogging that you deserve. ^_^

Random Notes 43

2010-01-12T09:10:00.008+08:00

(1) I watched Avatar over the weekends with Wifey. The show was 2 hours 40 minutes, and I had the urge to pee at around the 2 hour mark. But the show kept me on my seats that I forgot I need to pee. That's how good the show was.

(2) I read that Avatar's the 2nd movie that James Cameron (Cameroon?) directed since Titanic, more than 10 years ago. I think he can rest for another 10 years with the proceeds from this box office hit. But then again, maybe he should get us more great shows.

(3) Does anyone agree that Avatar is a great pro-environment conservation show with their anti-deforestation message? We shouldn't be taking airplanes, we should be taming some oversized birds and ride them all over the world. We are one with nature!

(4) I recently stumbled upon a Singapore blog entitled Taxi Driver's Diary. Taxi drivers meet all kinds of people in their day. Maybe I should drive a taxi when I'm sick of corporate life.

(5) One of the best thing about this blogging experience is reading about the lives of different professions. Bunnies, doctor, dentist, entrepenuer, taxi driver, corporate flyers, just to name some.

But one person's profession/area of expertise I am really keen to know is MKL. I could have easily mistaken him for a talent scout for a modelling agency.

(6) For those of you wondering about my real-life job scope, let me just simply summarise it as "I make people's life easier". I thought it sounds better than "I do what my boss ask me to do." What's the layman description of what you do?

(7) Are you doing what you are good at, or what you love best?

(8) I was analysing the Amway compensation plan on my way to work. It's pretty interesting comparing the plans and products of various network marketing companies. Analysis has always been my forte, and more importantly, it's fun! And darn, I missed my MRT stop to alight.

(9) "The key to satisfaction is low expectation", I quote that from Roxy. I couldn't have phrase that better.

(10) Have you heard the story about a mouse who saw the farmer bring in a mousetrap? The mouse warned the chicken, the pig and the cow about it, all of whom totally ignored the mouse because it's none of their business. Eventually, the mouse survived while the other 3 animals died. In every community, everyone is connected.

(11) First the local telco (telephone company) offered caller ID so that we can see which numbers are calling us. And now they just dropped me a message to ask if I want to subscribe to a anonymous number service, so that no one knows what my number is. Somehow I find it a little ironic. But from investor standpoint, it's an INGENIUS money-making idea!

Create something out of nothing and make money out of it.
Then offer to turn it back into nothing and make more money.

(12) Do you know what my Rule #1 is? Never lose track of time.

(13) When looking for a partner, search with both your eyes WIDE OPEN. And after you get married, CLOSE one of the eye. The latter is important because some couples have problem differentating what's REALLY important in married life.

(15) Sometimes, I forget how to count.

Earning a million dollars (Part 2)

2010-01-10T23:57:00.001+08:00

This is a continuation from Part 1.

Part A: How to making millions from $1
Here is a TRUE story of a Singaporean who made more than a million dollar using 1 dollar. The story was shared to me during one of the motivational talks I have attended, and I shall try to recap and post it here.

A Singaporean, let's just call him Alex, wanted to build a shopping mall in Australia, but didn't have much capital. So he came up with a carefully thought plan and executed it as follows.

So Alex approached an Australian local who wanted to sell his plot of land for a certain huge amount. Alex said he is willing to pay double that amount, but the local will first have to sell the land to him for $1. With someone willing to pay twice the amount of money for the land, the local was more than happy to part with it for $1 first.

And so Alex now has the land for $1. The next thing he had to do was to have money to build a shopping mall. There's no way to get this huge amount of money other than to borrow from the bank. But why would any bank be crazy enough to loan Alex, a nobody, a huge amount of money? Alex had no guarantee except his piece of land, and he has no track record to show his shopping mall plans will be a success.

So Alex executed the next part of his plan, to secure an anchor tenant for the shopping mall that has not being built. He approached the founder of Australia's largest (or one of the largest) retailer of electrical, computer and furniture company called Harvey Norman and struck a deal with him.

Alex offered the founder a chance to be the anchor tenant of the not yet built shopping mall for HALF the market rental price. The catch? Harvey Norman has to sign a contract to rent the place for 25 years. With such a great deal, the founder couldn't say no.

With the contract stating that Harvey Norman will be the anchor tenant for the next 25 years, Alex went to the bank to secure the funds needed to build his shopping mall. Alex was a nobody, but Harvey Norman is a BIG somebody in Australia. And the bank agreed.

With the land and the money needed to build his mall, Alex started getting the construction up in the next few years. And after it was done, it's time to reap in the moolah, renting the shops out.

And Alex gave 2 of the stalls to the Australian local who sold the land to him for $1, and that equates to twice the price of the land the local initially asked for.

Everyone's happy. And Alex began to have bigger plans of his own after his first venture.

The end.

But before you get too happy... here is
Part B: Why you (and me) will never get rich this way

(1) If you ever want to try this, our mum/girlfriend/mistress/buddies will say you are crazy. And they will give you all kinds of negative comments to bring you back from lalaland to Earth. They don't want you to fail, that's all. And so you give up.

(2) Alex managed to convince someone to sell his land for $1. And you don't think you can do it. It's a CRAZY idea, and you don't want to appear stupid trying to convince someone to do the same. So you will just conveniently say that you suck at sales.

(3) You don't know how you can get to talk to the boss of a BIG corporation. How do you get his email or contact number? How do you even draft a good letter? You don't think you are a somebody, so there's no way he will talk to you. Even if you can, you just get cold feet at the thought of marketing the idea to the big boss.

(4) You probably don't know how to go about building a shopping mall too. And so you won't give it a try. Never mind that Richard Branson wasn't trained at the technicalities of the companies he built - train, airlines, mobile, space travel. You probably will say Richard is different. Haha.

Simply put, we raise the white flag without trying. We are wimps when it comes to setting our own business. So we just sit on the sidelines and bitch about others (we just love to pick on the rich, don't we?)

Here's something I learnt at a separate class - this time a social entrepenuership talk. If you ever want to build a business, don't worry too much about the "How to". Will write a separate article on this another day.

10 honest facts about me

2010-01-03T22:57:00.002+08:00

I have gotten tagged by MKL to write a similar "10 honest facts about me" post. Not that I bother to comply, but I thought it will be a really good chance for me to show off a little about my achievements, and what makes me unique.

(1) I have a first class honours in Mathematics from a Singapore university. This is something I'm very proud of, but it was achieved at the expense of a social life in university. My 4 years was about studying and gaming. I wished I had played more then.

(2) I used to be very bad at keeping secrets, despite the assurance I give people. I still am, but I'm trying hard to get some credibility.

(3) I laugh alot, but I am no emotional guy. Sometimes I think my self-centered and practical nature has consumed any humanity left in me. There are times when I wished I could cry, but the tears just don't flow out.

(4) Despite being an ~~old man~~ uncle, I love soft toys. Buying soft toys for Wifey kills 2 bird in 1 stones. She like the gift, and I get to hug it too.

(5) I have an elder sister. She used to beat me alot when we were younger. Well, for the sake of "not letting her win", I slowly learnt not to scream and cry when she pinched me painfully. And that explains my strong tolerance for pain. Growing up, she has matured and is now the best elder sister anyone can have. It's funny, isn't it?

(6) I have a memorable childhood, as my parents are out working for survival, and I had the keys to the house. Skipping tuition classes, begging people for money, stealing, fighting, shoplifting, I have done them all. I was once even inches away from pushing someone to death for running away with my specs. Looking back, I was only inches from being permanently astray. Growing up, I learnt my mistakes and became a better man. When you have been through what's bad, you REALLY appreciate what's good.

(7) I hate people who whine, unless if you are my friend. (I forgive friends for everything) Whining is one of the most non-value adding activity, a total time waster. Solve the problem if you have the guts, or just keep your damn mouth shut.
*no offense intended*

(8) I love raisins, they make me REALLY happy. And that's why Wifey likes to bake me cookies with tons of raisins. If you do me any wrong, please offer raisins to me. Cash is also a suggested alternative.

(9) I prefer Pepsi over Coca Cola. But seriously, I am cutting down alot on carbonated drinks (Coke = 8 teaspoons of sugar, or is it 8 TABLEspoons). If you don't exercise, then you had better watch your diet especially if you are a uncle.

(10) I have not consumed a single sweet for close to 15 years. When I was young, I never brush my teeth with toothpaste (no idea why). My dad told me one day I will regret, and I did. I woke up one day, FINALLY realising that my teeth was yellow, and THAT is really ugly. As a self-punishment, and to remind myself that frequent brushing with toothpaste is important, I swear NEVER to consume any sweets again in my life. And I will continue to stand by what I say. After all, most sweets are non-value adding too.

Okie, that's all folks. I won't be tagging anyone, but I'm sure some of you know you wanna share your 10 honest facts with me and your fans.

Leave me a note if you have written anything, so I can be kaypoh (nosey) and read it.

Setting new year resolutions

2010-01-01T12:35:00.002+08:00

Picture stolen from here.

Some time back, there was a survey done on a graduating batch of students from a particular prestigious university (Harvard? Oxford?) In it, the students were asked whether they set goals for themselves. And it was statistically proven that those who set goals for themselves ended up being better achievers in their careers.

Somehow, the Law of Attraction comes to mind. When you remember your goal for the year, your actions will change subconsciously in a way you will move yourself towards it.

No one wants to remain stagnant, and that's why we have new year resolutions. If there's a problem that bothers you 5 years ago, and it still bothers you, then you should jolly well work on it.

Putting it bluntly, should any of us die tomorrow, we die with no regrets.

For those who have a discipline issue working on your resolutions, here's 5 suggestions.

(1) Write it down and paste it in a conspicuous corner of your bedroom, so that you are reminded of your resolution should u happen to see it.

(2) Share your resolution with someone you know. It could be your best friend, your mum or post it on your blog. This way, there's someone who will give you ad hoc reminders when you appear to be on the wrong direction.

(3) Set the last day of every quarter to periodically review your progress. Don't make it an annual appraisal exercise.

(4) Don't over-set the number of targets. It's not the quantity, but the quality. Better to set 2-3 targets and fulfill them, then to set 20 targets and fail them all. Remember, targets are not meant to stress you out, they are to meant to motivate you.

(5) Dangle carrots or give yourself the stick should you fail to hit the target. I made myself abstain from meat for 1 month as a punishment. It might be easy for some, but it ain't easy for me.

Cheers to a great year 2010.
And may we all be better people 1 year from now.

Note: This post is specially dedicated to Roxy. Set goals and upgrade yourself when you are still young. When you reach Uncle Shingo T's age, you will have better memories to look back to. ^_^

About the Author: Shingo T wants to be a Malaysian who knows how to speak basic conversational Malay. And that will happen in end 2010.

Earning a million dollars (Part 1)

2009-12-31T11:25:00.045+08:00

First of all, I do not have a million dollars (at least not now), unless you convert my money to Indonesia rupiah. =p

But still, I have always been inspired by people who have made it big. In particular, I like stories of Internet millionaires. The Internet reaches out to a wide ~~customers~~ audience, and more importantly, it's CHEAP.

Below are 2 popular success stories that some of you may have read of.

Kyle MacDonald started his "business" with a website and a red paper clip. And he asked the world to trade his red paper clip for something. Well, he first traded it with a pencil in the shape of a fish. And then subsequently traded the pencil for a doorknob. And then the trades became more and more valuable (he even exchanged for a BBQ pit at some point). 14 trades later (and 1 year later), he finally traded for a house. Happily ever after.

Link: One red paper clip

And then there's Alex Tew (who's just 21 years old), who has nothing more than a simple webpage, and sells a million pixels (a pixel is just one small dot) from that website online. Well, this guy sold each pixel for US$1 each, so selling all the pixels will give him US$1 million. Because the idea is original, advertisers and bloggers bought the pixels like hotcakes, and soon the man is laughing all the way to the bank.

Even famous Singaporean blogger Xiaxue (I'm not a fan of her actually) has adopted a modified version of the scheme, with decent success.

Link: The Million Dollar homepage

As year 2010 comes your way, have you started to utilise the best weapon in your arsenry - the brain?

Start the new year with a goal in mind.

Sacrifice some of your leisure time, watch less TV, and cut down on non-value adding stuffs like gaming and lazing around.

Try to go home on the dot after work. That's not to say you don't work hard, but you gotta work smart during your official hours and skip the non-essentials. There's plenty of things you can do with your free time at night.

Start dreaming up some crazy ideas. You will be amazed at how the world love those "infeasible" ideas of yours.

Be glad that the world (and your mum) is sceptical about new ideas. That's why new ideas are still new. Don't judge your own ideas and reject them.

Don't fear what people fear. Embrace it.

Note: In Part 2, I shall share the story of how a Singaporean made a million dollars with S$1. And why most people will find it hard to duplicate his success.

About the Author: Shingo T says there's nothing to fear but fear itself ~~and Wifey~~.

Haute Mess Award

2009-12-30T09:06:00.003+08:00

Cup of Ice has been started more than 3 years ago, but despite the wonderful content that I write, I have not been able to win any awards for myself. Thus being the egoistic guy that I am, I have thought of creating fictitious awards for myself. After all, I send Christmas cards to myself every year.

Ok, crap aside. =p

Nina from ballerina's close to obsession has given me my first ever award.

The Haute Mess Award.

Tracing back to the original source of the award, it was created by Niki B, to commemorate her 100th post in her blog.

More details can be found here.

Quoting from Nina's blog on the reason why she's passing the award to me, "even if yours is not a fashion blogsite, you truly make everyone's day with your lovely (and humorous) insights about life"

Thank you, Nina. That was an excellent complement to begin my day. ^_^

The pre-conditions of this award is to list 7 things I'm grateful for, and to pass it to 7 people.

I will list the former, but I'm sorry that I won't be able to pass the awards on due to some beliefs of my own. Pardon me for being unsporting.

7 things I'm grateful for (in no order of importance)

(1) Wifey. For being the great and irreplacable wife that you are, and for tolerating a unromantic hubby who is full of flaws.

(2) Bloggers of blogs that I frequent. I see the world through your eyes. And reading your updated entries make me happy. ^_^

(3) Readers of Cup of Ice. Thanks for commenting, and not being turned off by my ego. The reason why I keep my Inbox open is to read your comments.

(4) The company I work for, because one should always be grateful to the company who feeds you. That being said, I am still one who believes that one should love the job and never the company, because you won't know when the company will stop loving you.

(5) Malaysia and Singapore. Malaysia is my natural mother, while Singapore is my adopted mother. Despite spending 95% of my life in Singapore, I still feel very rooted to Malaysia. I attribute my down-to-earth character to Malaysia, and my practicality to Singapore. And these 2 attributes define what I am today.

(6) My parents and Wifey's parents. Without the former, there's no me. Without the latter, there's no her.

(7) Myself. The toughest babysitting job in my world is to take charge of myself.

Thanks again, Nina! I will put the award in the side panel for some time, partly because I did not fulfill the entire condition of forwarding this award to a few more people, and because website loading time is always my concern.

About the Author: Shingo T will be creating a "Handsome blogger, but with a little tummy and receding hairline" award, and is looking for nominees.

Year 2009 in review

2009-12-28T10:26:00.003+08:00

Alot of bloggers have started rounding off what they have done and not done in year 2009.

Below are some of the main things that happened on my side.

(1) 2009 is the year I gave up my 20-year old gaming addiction, and got to know WrathOfNino, who gave me a great link to a site where fellow recovering gaming addicts shared how their life has been ruined by gaming.

After a few months of hiatus from gaming, I have gone back to do some minor gaming at the encouragement of Wifey, who's still very much a gamer at heart. But this time round, I know I am much better at setting my priorities correct. And spending much much lesser hours at gaming.

I'm a better man.

(2) 2009 marked the year when I first visit Japan. It is the most memorable travel visit I have been to, maybe even more than Europe. The culture there is so different, it really gave me a different insight to human behaviour.

Japn taught me that Man are like monkeys. Have the government set rules, and slowly the rules will inbreed a culture, and slowly their behaviour will change to become a social norm. While Singaporeans may not like the idea of littering being a public offense, but their mindset slowly changed and they got used to it. I don't even litter when I go overseas now, it just feels funny.

(3) 2009 continues to be a mind-opening year for me. In line with my mindset to remain open to ALL kinds of investments and talks, I have attended tons of talks. In the process, I have made new friends, and also rekindled friendships.

Not all talks are meant to cheat your money. I have recently been to a one hour talk where they not just gave me free buffett, but also a S$100 Marina Square voucher with no terms and conditions (other than a 1-year expiry date). And I paid nothing.

Quoting Stuart Chase, an American engineer and economist, this is a VERY true statement.

For those who believe, no proof is necessary.
For those who don't believe, no proof is possible.

(4) 2009 has also been a year which contains the most depressing period of my life. Do me a favour not to ask me what it is, thanks. Even my colleagues were concerned during a period of time when I couldn't smile. I'm glad it's over. But I'm glad it happened too, in a way.

What doesn't kill you should make you stronger.
If it doesn't, you fail at life.

Sorry if it offended anyone, but it's how I was brought up. Nothing will break me.

I make mistakes, I cry, I get over with it.
But I hardly regret, because I can't turn the clock back.

(5) 2009 is the year I started taking those Ba Wang anti-hairfall shampoo. It's pretty embarrassing to admit that my hairline is starting to recede a little. But I'm never one to hide problems, I work on them!

If there's one thing good about being married, it's that I worry less about my outward appearance, and spend more time building on my character.

Alot of people will not agree with my next statement.
Why be single when you can be married?

(6) 2009 is the year when Cup of Ice getting more exposure. Thanks to everyone of you here. Have taken the chance to get to know so many new friends. I shall not give names (for fear of missing anyone important out), but you know who you are.

(7) 2009 is the year I first dreamt about a blogger. In fact, it was just last night. I dreamt that I met with HappySurfer and some other bloggers. And HappySurfer turns out to be a guy (gosh!) in real-life. And she also owns the same cafe where we all met.

Isn't it funny how dreams can be so random?
Gosh, I need to get a life and blog less.

(8) 2009 is the year I started a few health targets for myself. Jan 2009 was the year I had a meat-free month, as a penalty I self-inflict on myself for failing a particular target I set for myself a few years before.

A debt may get mouldy but it never decays.

I have also implemented the "1 good meal a day" target. And also the "no more than 2 sugared drinks a day" target. It's seriously tough to implement such targets for myself in a food paradise country like Singapore, but I'm proud to say they have been STRICTLY followed.

Tough doesn't mean you don't do it.
It just mean you should prove you are tougher than tough.

As Uncle Shingo T grows older, he has to be mindful of his own body. My mouth is willing, but my body is weak. Because of that, my will has to be strong, I can no longer be tempted to consume as and what pleases me.

I need to take care of myself. Failing which, I will be a liability to my Wifey, my family and my finances.

You may not remember what you ate last Friday, but your body remembers them FOREVER.

Looking ahead, I have some rough targets in mind for year 2010. Maybe I will list some of them here. As you know, one way I make sure targets are realised is by telling the WHOLE WORLD about it. Anyway, one lesson I learnt when setting targets, never set too many targets a year. Be focused, set a few but make sure you work on them.

Then you can be tougher than tough, like me.