Is time for the taxi blog again!!! :) Haha...
Truth behold, I think taxi drivers made very good conversationalists. They often make my day. It was a long day for me and I took the cab around 10 pm home.
I started by asking the taxi driver how was business for him ever since the fare increased, only to realize his was from one of the smaller brands that have yet to increase the fare. Then the conversation branched out to him telling me about the different categories of passengers. Wow I did not know that locals is the category of passengers that taxi drivers like to pick rather than tourists etc. Locals out there, you must be happy! :)
There was much laughter when he described the different categories of passengers. Alas, my trip is short and it ended before he can finished. Nevertheless, a light hearted conversation that is good to have at the end of a day.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Monday, December 26, 2011
December
December has been a busy month as I am out by 8 am and often only home around 10.30pm most of the days.
In between I have followed a charity group to Myanmer. We visited some villages as well as do some sightseeings in cities like Bagan and Mandalay. For their richness is historical monuments, there are not many tourists as compared to the neighbouring historical cities like Siem Reap. This is possibly due to the fact that they are just opening up. I will recommend people to go Bagan. Though be beware of stupa fatigue. After maybe 5 stupas/temples for me....
It is quite a different experience travelling in a big group. For the past few years, I have often been travelling independently or with just a very small group of friends overseas even if I am visiting development organizations. There are advantages and disadvantages to both modes of travelling. For me, I still prefer my usual mode as I personally feel I get to experience more and have more communications with the local when I am with just 1 or 2 other travelling companions.
Back to December, I was also busy with
-- buying presents
-- learning magic tricks
-- watching K Drama
-- attending parties
-- searching for winter wear
Wow sounds like a busy month indeed.
Next month is January, what will it behold for me .....
In between I have followed a charity group to Myanmer. We visited some villages as well as do some sightseeings in cities like Bagan and Mandalay. For their richness is historical monuments, there are not many tourists as compared to the neighbouring historical cities like Siem Reap. This is possibly due to the fact that they are just opening up. I will recommend people to go Bagan. Though be beware of stupa fatigue. After maybe 5 stupas/temples for me....
It is quite a different experience travelling in a big group. For the past few years, I have often been travelling independently or with just a very small group of friends overseas even if I am visiting development organizations. There are advantages and disadvantages to both modes of travelling. For me, I still prefer my usual mode as I personally feel I get to experience more and have more communications with the local when I am with just 1 or 2 other travelling companions.
Back to December, I was also busy with
-- buying presents
-- learning magic tricks
-- watching K Drama
-- attending parties
-- searching for winter wear
Wow sounds like a busy month indeed.
Next month is January, what will it behold for me .....
Friday, December 2, 2011
Counting down to Sunday
Just 3 days to the half marathon.
Been sick for 2 - 3 weeks already, seen 3 doctors and still coughing. My friend, J just said the weather forecast is rainy for that day. Wow quite a few odds stacks against. But both J and me have already put in so much training. Hopefully we can still finish! Jiayou!
Been sick for 2 - 3 weeks already, seen 3 doctors and still coughing. My friend, J just said the weather forecast is rainy for that day. Wow quite a few odds stacks against. But both J and me have already put in so much training. Hopefully we can still finish! Jiayou!
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Kusu Trip
For the past month, on my way from work to home, I will inevitably pass by a prominent board that about the Kusu Island pilgramage.
I remembered going to Kusu Island a number of years ago. The impression is an idyllic island. Thus I recommended to my friend to try it yesterday with her date. It will be likely more interesting than always going to watch movies or eat, I reasoned.
In the end, she asked me to go together with her instead.
Wow the ferry terminal is a brand new terminal at Marina South. Ferry ticket is $16 and we managed to catch the last ferry at 5pm. After 25 minutes, we arrived at Kusu island. Is a lovely small island with the coconut trees swaying gently in the breeze.
I remembered going to Kusu Island a number of years ago. The impression is an idyllic island. Thus I recommended to my friend to try it yesterday with her date. It will be likely more interesting than always going to watch movies or eat, I reasoned.
In the end, she asked me to go together with her instead.
Wow the ferry terminal is a brand new terminal at Marina South. Ferry ticket is $16 and we managed to catch the last ferry at 5pm. After 25 minutes, we arrived at Kusu island. Is a lovely small island with the coconut trees swaying gently in the breeze.
For those who view it only as a religious place and dismiss it, I think it is a pity as it is a great place to visit for its natural environment and scenic settings too.
I thought it is really great to see a toaist temple and a mosque there. Speaks volume of religious tolerance.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Sharing Steve Jobs' Commencement Speech
Just wanted to share part of Steve Jobs' Commencement Speech at Stanford in 2005.
The quotes are all copied from the below link. Go to the link for the complete speech if you are interested.
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html
The first story is about connecting the dots.
...
Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
My second story is about love and loss.
.....
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.
My third story is about death.
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
.....
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
The quotes are all copied from the below link. Go to the link for the complete speech if you are interested.
http://news.stanford.edu/news/2005/june15/jobs-061505.html
The first story is about connecting the dots.
...
Again, you can't connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something — your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.
My second story is about love and loss.
.....
I'm pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn't been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don't lose faith. I'm convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don't settle.
My third story is about death.
When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: "If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you'll most certainly be right." It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: "If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?" And whenever the answer has been "No" for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.
Remembering that I'll be dead soon is the most important tool I've ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
.....
Your time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's life. Don't be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people's thinking. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
Herbivore Japanese and Western Restaurant @ Bugis
Passed by this recently opened resturant at Fortune Centre a couple of times. Finally went in today to try the food together with Coolgal and Koala. Apparently I read in other blogs that the owner of this restaurant is the same one behine Zen Vegetarian. No wonder we thought the Japanese menu and the ambience have lots of similarities.
The first thing we noticed was the sign outside - "30% percent discount". I guess must be due to opening special. Checked with the waiter and he mentioned the discount is valid till end October.
The ambience is ok. The Japanese bentos are about the range of $18 to $22.
I had Gyoza Shabu Shabu $15 and olive fried rice $7. I thought the Shabu Shabu was fine and the olive fried rice was a tad too oily for me.
Koala has Curry Katsu (about $16 or $18) and Coolgal has Chicken Teriyaki Bento Set ($22).
(Shabu Shabu; picture courtesy of CoolGal)
The Curry Katsu looked delicious and the Chicken Teriyaki Bento Set also tasted quite ok. The dessert menu looks appetizing but we were too full for that.
(Curry Katsu; picture courtesy of CoolGal)
I will give the food 7 out of 10 but the price may be on the high side. Given that there are a number of other organic and vegetarian eating places in the same building, the prices may not be as attractive. Though with the 30% percent discount at the moment, the discounted prices are decent. Will go again to try the others dishes, especially the western fare.
The first thing we noticed was the sign outside - "30% percent discount". I guess must be due to opening special. Checked with the waiter and he mentioned the discount is valid till end October.
The ambience is ok. The Japanese bentos are about the range of $18 to $22.
I had Gyoza Shabu Shabu $15 and olive fried rice $7. I thought the Shabu Shabu was fine and the olive fried rice was a tad too oily for me.
Koala has Curry Katsu (about $16 or $18) and Coolgal has Chicken Teriyaki Bento Set ($22).
(Shabu Shabu; picture courtesy of CoolGal)
The Curry Katsu looked delicious and the Chicken Teriyaki Bento Set also tasted quite ok. The dessert menu looks appetizing but we were too full for that.
(Curry Katsu; picture courtesy of CoolGal)
I will give the food 7 out of 10 but the price may be on the high side. Given that there are a number of other organic and vegetarian eating places in the same building, the prices may not be as attractive. Though with the 30% percent discount at the moment, the discounted prices are decent. Will go again to try the others dishes, especially the western fare.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
The measure of a person
What is the measure of a person? Job? Net Worth? Or the value of his/her life valued in the intangibles or impact on others?
Come on wake up to the real world!!! Can you survive on air and water only? As espoused by the voices of the world.
Guess only the braves have the courage to take the road less taken. But maybe there is a middle path that can be tread. As the path ahead looks blurry, may the passion continues to burn brightly inside! Thats what keeps people alive! Dreams are made and fulfilled! Saluting the dreamers and daredevils!
Come on wake up to the real world!!! Can you survive on air and water only? As espoused by the voices of the world.
Guess only the braves have the courage to take the road less taken. But maybe there is a middle path that can be tread. As the path ahead looks blurry, may the passion continues to burn brightly inside! Thats what keeps people alive! Dreams are made and fulfilled! Saluting the dreamers and daredevils!
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