Invisible Man

No, this is not about a comic character like Wolverine or Superman!

A real person okay?!?!!

You can pinch him, molest touch him and even hold him!

Courtesy of my friend, Teck Lee, who sent me an email full with pictures of this invisible man, Mr Liu Bolin.

Judge It Yourself!

Fine, he was not really invisible but he managed to blend himself really well with the environment. Was it a special power, or was it photoshopping at the highest level?

NO!

He used paint (yes, my dear readers, normal paint) to integrate himself or others with the surrounding. The following two pictures will show how fantastic he is with this unique skill.

For more information, please use google; the best search engine in the world world!! At least for the moment. 

Tiong Shian Porridge Centre (长城粥) @ Chinatown, Singapore

I have absolutely no idea what the big hoo-ha is all about for this particular porridge place located at New Bridge Road, Chinatown. Hm... Or is it congee? Porridge? Whatever! I will use porridge!

To some of my starhubber colleagues, family members and recently, some of my NUS colleagues, it is just porridge!!

Maybe i am clueless about porridge; to me, plain porridge with pickled chye sim (lettuce) and sunny side up is fabulous, normal sold-in-hawker-centres minced pork porridge with a raw egg is delicious, home-made fish porridge with loads of fried onions is irresistible!! 

Menu for 长城粥! Click for an enlarged view of its prices!

Fine, 长城粥 has a big range of variety (besides fish and pork, there are prawn, cuttlefish and the yucky frog)! Fine, they may taste heavenly to YOU! Fine, they are popular! That's not fine! Popular does not mean the stuff is good!! And their service is really..... to the point; you order (no smile), you pay (no smile) and someone will deliver the porridge to you, full stop.  

Regardless of what i typed above, i have patronised this particular shop for at least 5 times although there are numerous hawker centres around the area with better food and chirpier staff!!!

Contradictory with valid reasons below.

Firstly:

My mom loves porridge, know how to differentiate them and adores this shop. The worse thing, we frequent Chinatown.

Secondly:

We believe porridge is less fattening than other Chinese meals. Especially in times like this, when i need to cut down on fats intake.

Thirdly:

I really like porridge, anyone of them!

Fourthly:

Peer pressure to visit this shop!! Hahaha. I have a choice though.

If you have never tried the porridge here, it's high time you do so. Crowds and unavailable seating will definitely deter me from entering the shop. Got it? Please also note that the second floor is available for dining! Take the lift or staircase next to the drink stall.

The second floor. Don't bother waiting for tables on the first floor!

By the way, anyone remembers a chicken rice stall in Chinatown where the chicken was served ice-cold? Anyone knows where it moves to? Tell me!!!

Boring Sentosa? Sentosa Flowers (春节花会), Luge & Skyride

Another almost-forgotten post; drafted since Chinese New Year (CNY) 2009!!

From my distant memory, Sentosa was always an expensive expedition for my family; it was easily a few hundred dollars for the whole family to spend a day in Sentosa back in the 1980s. For most of us borned in the late 1970s and early 1980s, Sentosa has gone a long way for the past 20 odd years.

An old picture of Fantasy Island; taken from http://travel.webshots.com/photo/1026165643032787112mejTSJsVPM 

Gone was the old ferry terminal, the water fountain, the BOAT that housed A&W (it means Allen & Wright if you wonder what the abbreviation means) and of course, my favourite yet money losing Fantasy Island! Nowadays, you don't need a ferry to bring you to Sentosa. You can walk there, you can drive there, you can even take a light rail (Sentosa Express)! 

This time, i was in Sentosa for the aptly named "Sentosa Flowers" exhibition.

Especially beautiful were the Rainbow made with flowers, the swans made with, what else but, flowers and the flower balls along the walkway from the side of Merlion to the entrance of"Sentosa Flowers".

Personally, i prefer the flowers from Kunming (capital of Yunnan, China); there were tulips and even opium flowers! Not to mention the permanent constant cool temperature of 15-20 degrees celcius. I miss Yunnan!!

Tulips in Kunming, Yunnan

Fine, I digress.

Beside this annual flowers exhibit, we chanced upon the LUGE ride which was heavily promoted as "FUN" by my friend Alex. Unknown to me, there was also a Skyride. Since it was CNY and it was rare to find ourselves in Sentosa (too touristy lah), we thought "why not!!" and paid for a package!

IT WAS SO ENJOYABLE!! SO EXCITING!!!!!

As with most exciting attractions, it ended pretty fast.. =( After this heart thumping activity, it's time to relax on the Skyride! 

On it, I can see the latest development in Sentosa; the towering skytower, the numerous construction (the new resort world!) and a kelong like structure near Siloso beach! And on it, i felt that time really flies. I was a kid then, playing on the structures-free beach with my cousins and eating the beehoon my mum prepared.

How will i feel another 20 years down the road?

Enough being EMO!!

We were so fasinated with the NEW Sentosa, we promise to be back for the Songs of the Sea and the new Resort World!

Shall update again!

The Irreplaceable Void - Worth Sharing

A story worth sharing:

4 years ago, an accident took my beloved away and very often I wonder, how does my wife, who is now in the heavenly realm, feel right now? She must be feeling extremely sad for leaving a husband who is incapable to taking care of the house and the kid. 'cos that is the exact feeling that I have, as I feel that I have failed to provide for the physical and emotional needs of my child, and failed to be the dad and mum for my child.

There was one particular day, when I had an emergency at work. Hence, I had to leave home whilst my child was still sleeping. So thinking that there was still rice leftovers, I hastily cooked an egg and left after informing my sleepy child.

With the double roles, I am often exhausted at work as well as when I am home. So after a long day, I came home, totally drained of all energy. So with just a brief hug and kiss for my child, I went straight into the room, skipping dinner. However, when I jumped into my bed with intention of just having a well-deserved sleep, all i heard and felt was broken porcelain and warm liquid! I flipped open my blanket, and there lies the source of the 'problem'... a broken bowl with instant noodles and a mess on the bedsheet and blanket!

Boy, was I mad! I was so furious that I took a clothes hanger, charged straight at my child who was happily playing with his toy, and give him a good spanking! He merely cried but not asking for mercy, except a short explanation:

"Dad, I was hungry and there wasn't anymore leftover rice. But you were not back yet, hence I wanted to cook some instant noodles. But I remembered you reminding me not to touch or use the gas stove without any adults around, hence I turned on the shower and used the hot water from the bathroom to cook the noodles. One is for you and the other is for me. However, I was afraid that the noodles will turn cold, so I hid it under the blanket to keep it warm till you return. But I forgot to remind you 'cos I was playing with my toys...I am sorry Dad..."

At that moment, tears were starting to run down my cheeks...but I didn't want my son to see his dad crying so I dashed into the bathroom and cried with the shower head on to mask my cries. After that episode, I went towards my son to give him a tight hug and applied medication on him, while coaxing him to sleep. Then, it was time to clear up the mess on the bed. When everything was done and well past midnight, I passed my son's room, and saw that he was still crying, not from the pain on his little buttock, but from looking at the photograph of his beloved mummy.

A year has passed since the episode, I have tried, in this period, to focus on giving him both the love of his dad and mum, and to attend to most of his needs. And soon, he is turning seven, and will be graduating from kindergarten. Fortunately, the incident did not leave a lasting impression on his childhood memories and he is still happily growing up.

However, not so long ago, I hit my boy again, with much regret. This time, his kindergarten teacher called, informing me of my son's absence from school. I took off early from work and went home, expecting him to explain. But he wasn't to be found, so I went around our house, calling out his name and eventually found him outside a stationery shop, happily playing computer games. I was fuming, brought him home and whack the hell out of him. He did not retaliate, except to say, 'I am sorry, Dad'. But after much probing, I realized that it was a 'Talent Show' organized by his school and the invite is for every student's mummy. And that was the reason for his absence as he has no mummy.....

Few days after the caning, my son came home to tell me, the kindergarten has recently taught him how to read and write. Since then, he has kept to himself and stayed in his room to practise his writing, which I am sure, would make my wife proud, if she was still around. 'cos he makes me proud too!

Time passes by very quickly, and soon another year has passed. It's winter, and its Christmas time. Everywhere the christmas spirit is in every passer-by...Christmas carols and frantic shoppers....but alas, my son got into another trouble. When I was about to knock off from the day's work, the post office called. Due to the peak season, the post master was also on an edgy mood. He called to tell me that my son has attempted to post several letters with no addressee. Although I did make a promise never to hit my son again, I couldn't help but to hit him as I feel that this child of mine is really beyond control. Once again, as before, he apologized, ' I'm sorry, Dad' and no additional reason to explain. I pushed him towards a corner, went to the post office to collect the letters with no addressee and came home, and angrily questioned my son on his prank, during this time of the year.

His answer, amidst his sobbing, was : The letters were for Mummy.

My eyes grew teary, but I tried to control my emotions and continued to ask him: " But why did u post so many letters, at one time?" My son's reply was: " I have been writing to mummy for a long time, but each time I reach out for the post box, it was too high for me, hence I was not able to post the letters. But recently, when I went back to the postbox, I could reach it and I sent it all at once..."

After hearing this, I was lost. Lost at not knowing what to do, what to say.....

I told my son, " Son, mummy is in the heavenly kingdom, so in future, if you have anything to tell her, just burn the letter and it will reach mummy. My son, on hearing this, was much pacified and calm, and soon after, he was sleeping soundly. On promising that I will burn the letters on his behalf, I brought the letters outside, but couldnt help opening the letter before they turn to ash.

And one of the letters broke my heart....

Dear Mummy,

I miss you so much!

Today, there was a 'Talent Show' in school, and the school invited all mothers for the show. But you are not around, so I did not want to participate as well. I did not tell Dad about it as I was afraid that Dad would start to cry and miss you all over again. Dad went around looking for me, but in order to hide my sadness, I sat in front of the computer and started playing games at one of the shops. Dad was furious, and he couldnt help it but scolded and hit me, but I did not tell him the real reason.

Mummy, everyday I see Dad missing you and whenever he think of you, he is so sad and often hide and cry in his room. I think we both miss you very very much. Too much for our own good I think.

But Mummy, I am starting to forget your face.

Can you please appear in my dreams so that I can see your face and remember you? I heard that if you fall asleep with the photograph of the person whom you miss, you will see the person in your dreams.

But mummy, why havent you appear?

After reading the letter, I couldn't stop sobbing. 'cos I can never replace the irreplaceable gap left behind

by my wife....

=================

For ALL: Learn to be more forgiving regardless of who make you angry and remember, children are for us to love.

For the females with children: Don't do so much overtime. If you cannot finish the work, it must be some kind of problems within the company, and it is not your sole problem. Feedback to your boss. Endless overtime may not necessary be the answer to the problem. Take care of your health so that you can treasure and take care of your little precious.

For the married men: Drink less, smoke less, cos nothing can replace your good health, not even business nor clients. Try thinking this way, are you able to work till your clients are totally dependent on you? Or your boss is totally dependent on you? In this society, no one is indispensable. Take care of your health, so that you can take care of your little precious and your loved ones.

For those singles out there: Beauty lies in loving yourself first. With confidence and loving yourself, you will see the beauty in other things around you. You will be able to work better and happier. Don't let your health be affected by your work or your boss, so nothing matters more than your well being.

Xiamen Airlines (厦门航空)

I don't profess to be a frequent patron of airlines!

The few airlines i took in the past few years include Jetstar and Tiger Airways, all budget airlines. A non-budget airline i took was China Southern Airlines for my trip to Yunnan last year; a worse-than-budget one. The only consolation, the meal on board was free. The worst thing, it was not palatable.

In view of the above experiences, i was not too hopeful about my recent trip to Hunan since it will be another local China airline; Xiamen Airlines.

I dread to think about the 4 hours flight to Xiamen followed by a 2 hours transit and a 1.5 hours flight to Changsha; my butt is so going to crack by the time i reach! At least that was what i thought before embarking the small plane.

Luckily luckily luckily!

The in-flight meal was one of the better ones and the fruits were really fresh and sweet! Look at the vibrancy of the vegetables! I am hungry just looking at it!!

The stewardesses were really pretty and polite! Their smiles were so charming i wonder why i didn't grab any one of them back to Singapore! Oh, i remember i am a shy guy... definite.

Service was so good they even came out with an exercise video for passengers! Hm... Or was it because the seats were too small resulting in a possible higher risk for Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT)? I wonder.... Disregard the reasons, quite a number of people were actively following the movements! My mum inclusive!

The airline commentary came in English, Mandarin and........ HOKKIEN!! Yes, my dialect! It felt so weird yet so heart-warming!

The only grouch? The toilets were really busy!!! Although i attributed that to a fully-filled plane and to a lesser extent, a lot of people with a limited bladder!

Overall, i was very impressed with this airline and due to its name, i am planning for a trip to Xiamen!! Besides being voted as China's cleanest city, I heard Xiamen is filled with damn fabulous food!!!

Am i getting fat?

Train Woes (with specific reference to SMRT)

Being an average (or even low) income earner, i have to take the public transport every working day; at times, even on weekends.  Not sure about the most of you but it has been getting more and more stressful taking the bus and train nowadays!!

The irritating part; when the whole platform is full with people, there is absolutely no explanation what has happened!

Oh yes, there was!

A male voice advising people to "step behind the yellow line" or when commuters' temper is getting short, "the train will come very soon".

I DON'T NEED THIS KIND OF USELESS INFORMATION!!

I know better than to step beyond the yellow line, within a possible nasty bump with the headstrong train and "come very soon" does not offer a specified WHEN; could be 1 minute or maybe 10 minutes.

Plus!

At Jurong East Mrt station, trains from Woodlands continue to stop and the flow of commuters alighting to take the train to Pasir Ris remains constant, creating a backlog of passengers!!

ARGH!!!!!!

Fine, it's my fault; who ask me to work in Clementi??!!?!?!?!

I should work in Yishun! =(

Public Toilets in China (中国公共厕所)

A typical cubicle in Changi Airport

Like eating, going to the public toilet (for the obvious) has always and will always be part of the basic necessities for a human. "Whatever goes in must come out", as the truthful saying goes.

For many, it is more than just doing "business". It acts as a conversational platform with fellow users, a makeup zone or even, a much-needed smoking area.

Most of my NUS colleagues will know i love the toilet due to, in no small part, my super digestive and hyper sensitive stomach. Either reason, going to toilet few times a day is part and parcel of my daily life.

Therefore, when i told my friends i am going for my FIRST China trip in 2008, the first warning (by a female friend) was the appalling condition of the toilets there. 

It was explained that at times, the toilet will be built over a water area (most likely a stream or river) with holes on the floor for easy yet natural disposal. And the best thing? Either there will be no cubicle or no door for existing cubicles!

Taken from www.shockdc.com

*SHOCKED* was my expression then.

But i am a versatile person! I am not very particular when it comes to small business; an open area with no one around suffices as a release point. And with big business, i believe i can bear with the outgoing sensation until i reach my hotel (which i had been assured to be at least 3 stars).

A toilet in Papua New Guinea

(picture taken from www.flickr.com/photos/robertbyrne/563544741/)

Now that i am back from my second China trip, i think it's the right time for me to share the local public toilets experience.

One very nice public toilet in Stone Forest (石林), Yunnan

One

Although public toilets in China have cubicles (with the exception of one), only a small percentage has no doors (you are likely to find toilets with doors in tourist areas and bigger cities).

Two

Even if doors are provided, locals will not use them.

There was once in Yunnan, at a restaurant toilet where i encountered my first culture shock! I opened the door and right ahead was a man squatting and smoking - with his cubicle door wide-open! I almost slipped, thinking it was a one-man toilet! He looked at me and continued his business.

=_=!!!

Three

Even when cubicles and doors are provided, they are likely to be low-rise; meaning, once you stand up, you are able to tell how "bushy", lengthy (reserved for man only!) your next door neighbour is and whether he or she has a tattoo on his/her butt!

Four

Correct me if i am wrong, but i found the stench from the women's toilets to be super overpowering compared to the men. Ladies in our tour group will bring along an arsenal of items each time they go in.

Five

Most public toilets do not provide the "sitting" type and for lazy people like me who do not use the common "squatting" type, it's a blessing because i will DEFINITELY bear any outgoing sensation till i reached the hotel!

Six

The disposal system is at times, just a narrow, slight sloping drain connecting all the cubicles. Which means; you have to extremely careful for fluid-concentrated output (diarrhea for etc)!!

Seven

The chance of being asked to pay for the use of public toilets stands at around 60-70% (according to my experience), regardless of the conditions. It will cost RMB 1 yuan, more than the Singapore 20 cents we usually pay.

Commonly seen in China. This picture was taken in my recent trip to Hunan.

By the way, for point two, some users (tourists mainly) will use an umbrella to protect their modesty. And we did ask our local tour guide why cubicle doors are not utilised even when they are provided. 

His answer as follows:

Most locals believe that it is unhealthy to constraint oneself with 4 walls while "doing BIG business". In the lines of aromatherapy, what you smell can affect your health and mood. Hence, door remains unclosed at the expense of showing everything.

:) 

Savior in China!

Throughout my recent China trip, it's rare if i managed to find my dinner to be so fabulously good i gobbled everything. Hence, it was with great happiness that i found the above snack in one of the multiple convenience shops located near my hotel in Zhangjiajie!

Not to be confused with the Glico Collon biscuits commonly found in all most supermarkets in Singapore, i know it may look like a cheaper imitation (that China has and always been famous for) with a taste so horribly fakey i would probably just spit them out and crave for the not-so-nice but bearable dinner.

Suprisingly NO!

The biscuit roll encompassing the sweet, creamy white cream was crunchy (truthfully, it tasted exactly like Collon but with an extra crunchiness) and the best thing, i love the individual aluminium-foil pack each biscuit comes in!

Don't you always feel pressurize to eat the Collon biscuits EVERYTIME you open a bag?? I do and it's because of things like this that i never seem to decrease my weight. In addition, i will always feel jelak (a similar English word is surfeited) when i reached the last few pieces.

This product was named my savior because without them (i bought a few boxes), i might have starved to death.

Fine, i will not die but i would probably be angry. Why?

Because a hungry man is an angry man. wahhahahahaa. Okay not funny.

Anyway, here's another good reason why you should always try the local products when you travel overseas!

Office Dares - I DARE YOU!

My brain is really too dead to think about anything constructive! By chance, I saw this email that i am going to regurgitate and share with all of you!

The following test will determine how brave and daring you are! Total points = 105. The nearer you are to 105 points, the more fearless you are deemed to be.

Be unique, be different and break away from your routine work! Try the following dares tomorrow and give yourself a tick (plus a pat on your back) everytime you complete one of the following:

One-Point Dares

1. Ignore the first five persons who say 'good morning' to you.

2. To signal the end of a conversation, clamp your hands over your ears and grimace.

3. Leave your fly open for one hour. If anyone points it out, say, "Sorry, I really prefer it this way".

4. Walk sideways to the photocopier.

5. While riding in an elevator, gasp dramatically every time the doors open.

6. When in elevator with one other person, tap them on the shoulder and pretend it wasn't you.

7. Finish all your sentences with "In accordance with the prophecy..."

8. Interrupt your conversation with someone by giving a huge dejected sigh.

9. Use your highlighter pen on the computer screen.

Three-Points Dares

1. Say to your boss, "I like your style", wink, and shoot him with double-barrelled fingers.

2. Kneel in front of the water cooler and drink directly from the nozzle.

3. Shout random numbers while someone is counting.

4. Every time you get an email, shout ''email''.

5. Put decaf in the coffee maker for 3 weeks. Once everyone has got over his or her caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.

6. Introduce yourself to a new colleague as "the office bicycle". Then wink and pout.

7. Call I.T. helpdesk and tell them that you can't seem to access any p*rnography web sites.

Five-Points Dares

1. At the end of a meeting, suggest that, for once, it would be nice to conclude with the singing of the national anthem (extra 5 points if you actually launch into it yourself).

2. Walk into a very busy person's office and while they watch you with growing irritation, turn the light switch on/off 10 times.

3. For an hour, refer to everyone you speak to as "Dave".

4. Announce to everyone in a meeting that you "really have to go do a number two".

5. When you've picked up a call, before speaking finish off some fake conversation with the words, ''she can abort it for all I care''.

6. After every sentence, say 'Mon' in a really bad Jamaican accent. As in: "The report's on your desk, Mon." Keep this up for one hour.

7. In a meeting or crowded situation, slap your forehead repeatedly and mutter, "Shut up, damn it, all of you just shut up!"

8. At lunchtime, get down on your knees and announce, "As God is my witness, I'll never go hungry again!"

9. Repeat the following conversation 10 times to the same person: "Do you hear that?" "What?" "Never mind, it's gone now."

10. Present meeting attendees with a cup of coffee and biscuit; smash each biscuit with your fist.

11. During the course of a meeting, slowly edge your chair towards the door.

12. As often as possible, skip rather than walk.

13. Ask people what sex they are. Laugh hysterically after they answer.

14. Dry hump the photocopier. When someone spots you, stop and cough embarrassingly, then lean in to the machine and whisper loudly, "I'll see you tonight".

One week to perform the above dares.

Keep a record and add up the points at the end of the 7 days. 

One Very Important Point (OVIP):

Would You Dare?