Dance Away......

I have always been interested in dancing since my younger days. I remembered the good old days when I was still schooling, the four of us (my I-wana-dance girlfriends) used to cheong Mambo nights at Zouk without fail. It would be followed by Mdm Wong/Da Jie at Mohammad Sultan road on Saturdays whereby we will dance to our hearts delight. We didn't seem quite get tired of all this partying, even till now. Although I have mellowed down for the past few years, however, with the spruce of some happening pubs for the past few years (eg. Thumper, MOS etc), it has gotten my feet itchy again.

Of lately, i have been catching the American show 'So you think you can dance' - http://www.fox.com/dance/showinfo/ (this is the search for America's next best undiscovered dancing talent) and I must said, the dancers were absolutely terrific! (and yes, my favourite contestant Benji is the winner!!!). It really makes me wonder what it takes to be a good professional dancer? Besides not having 2 left feet, I would think a good professional dancer got to be versatile in all genres of dance and that half the battle in becoming a professional dancer is also determination and motivation (I have the latter, but not the former though).

Well, I guess once a while, I just like to indulge in my own little dream - strutting my dance movements in front of the mirror. :)

Employees Alert! - A new incentive plan.

Indeed a brillant incentive plan for all employees (at least on the humor side).

Well, a good plan would be to work for yourself (be your own boss lah). In that sense, whether you work or don't work, you won't risk getting fired by someone else. You just fired yourself.

Heard the news?

Bill Gates running for President? Check out this discussion forum - http://www.billgatesforpresident.net/

The part I liked most is the 4 reasons stated by the author why Bill Gates would make a good President - http://www.billgatesforpresident.net/why-bill/

It would be really interesting if Bill Gates were to be the next US President. Just how true is this? If you want to find out more, you can join in the discussion forum to share your thoughts on this.

Ironman Inspiration!

I have been inspired to do an Ironman race ever since I took part in the 10Km Sheares Bridge marathon last year. Interestingly...even though I have been very active in sports since my primary school years. I swam competitively while I was in primary school, played
badminton and volleyball competitively to a pretty high level and also represented my school, college and faculty...Yet I have never thought that running 10km or more was an achievable target...and yet, after having been there and done that last year and reading Sunday's article on 'Ironman Kua Harn Wei', it really inspired me that nothing is impossible and the human body's endurance ability is truly amazing.

What is remarkable is that Kua has put Singapore on the pedestal to become the first Asian to have completed the Deca-Iron Triathlon World Challenge! What is most inspiring thing for such athletes who manage to complete such a feat is not so much the fact that they managed to complete the whole race, rather it is the process that the atheletes went through - the amount of discipline and effort that goes into training for this 'pushing the human body to and beyond event!, sacrificing their recreational/sleeping/meal hours just to train for this gruesome feat (which I believe NOT many of us can do it in our life time).

For that, I salute Kua Harn Wei. He is a great inspiration to all. When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.

Catch Kua here on his final lap to the finishing line - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILr3ieC6jGM&eurl=
Here is Kua's personal profile - http://www.bdg.nus.edu.sg/staff_bdgkuahw.htm


The Straits TimesNov 18, 2006
TRIATHLON Kua completes 10 Ironman races in 10 straight days
By Jeanette Wang


IMAGINE swimming lengthwise across Singapore, then cycling up to Chiang Mai and finally running back south to Bangkok.Impossible?AMAZING FEAT: Kua Harn Wei took a total of 156hr 48min 43sec to complete the Deca-Iron Triathlon World Challenge in Mexico.Singaporean Kua Harn Wei will tell you otherwise.The National University of Singapore lecturer, 35, covered that distance at the Deca-Iron Triathlon World Challenge in Monterrey, Mexico, last week.The event was organised by Multisport Andonie, a Mexican company specialising in ultra-distance events.Starting last Monday, Kua completed one Ironman triathlon - a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and 42.195km run - every day. He did it for 10 straight days.Competitors had to swim 76 laps in an indoor heated pool, cycle 93 laps of a paved circuit, and run 22 laps of that same circuit within 24 hours.Once completed, the remainder of the day was free. But each day at 9am, a new round would be flagged off.Of the 17 athletes who started, only nine - eight men and a woman - managed to finish all 10 races.Kua is the first Asian to complete the challenge.The 2006 Singapore Youth Award winner averaged 15hr 40min 12sec for each Ironman. He won the final leg in 13:16.33.His total time for the 10 races was 156hr 48min 43sec.The overall results were not available at press time.Kua, who took part in his first Olympic distance triathlon (1.5km swim, 40km ride, 10km run) in 1992, has also competed in the Ironman and Double Ironman distances.Last year, he was ninth at the Quintuple Ironman World Championships in Mexico.His latest feat has left Triathlon Association of Singapore president David Hoong in awe.'It's beyond the human body. I can't believe he did it,' he said.Parliamentary Secretary for Community Development, Youth and Sports Teo Ser Luck, a three-time Ironman, added: 'Singaporeans should take this as an example of someone who always sets the bar higher for himself.'Kua could not be contacted.

Finally understood the 'Hallow' in "Halloween"

Since young, I have always thought that Halloween was some pagan American creation meant to amuse the kids. Until recently, I learnt that it is not from a friend.

As explained by my friend while he was attending mass in church, Halloween has the word "hallow" which is old form for "Holy". It is celebrated on 31 Oct for a good reason -- it is the eve of "All Saints' Day" which Catholics celebrate as a Day of Obligation (compulsory to attend mass, in plain speak). And that's how the Halloween's origins came about.

Apparently, the old celebration of All Saints' Day was known as "Holy Martyrs' Day". It attracted believers in the early church to go on a pilgrimage to the tombs and catacombs of the early church martyrs. Arriving early, (31 Oct) they decided to amuse themselves, and hid in the tombs and scare their fellow pilgrims with their disguise and "whoooo!" calls. Since it is the eve of All Saints' Day, the called it "Halloween", meaning "Holy Eve".

Of course now the day is commercialised, much like Christmas without the "Christ". (Incidentally "Christmas means Christ's mass).

It sure took me 29 years to realise the true meaning to Hallow (hope it did not take you that long to realise this)

Take a number - At your own risk!!

Once awhile, everybody loves to complain, make some noise..you know. We complain about our work, lovers, friends, blar blar blar.....

Have you ever wonder what it will feel like to receive mountains and mountains of complaints everyday?

Here's a good solution which a complaint department has came up with. Effective? Well, it's up to you folks to decide.

Complaint Department - Take a number at your own risk!!

Who says meetings cannot be interesting?

Who says that meetings can be boring and unproductive? Not if you interpret it in a different way.

Monday Humor

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QxIJ9swGFUQ

This is indeed funny. Do check it out.

Shanghai Qi Pu Lu - Amazing!

Yours truly was in Shanghai last week. That explains why my blog was literally so quiet while I was gone (not an excuse though). While here I am back to blog about Shanghai's fascinating wholesale market. Qi Pu Lu - a huge wholesale market where lots of SH shops get their stock from and yes, their prices are unbelievable cheap. Clothes can go as low as $8 (RMB40) and bags around $5-10 (RMB50) depending on how you pit your bargaining skills with the vendors.

It's a 10-15 minutes' walk from He Nan Zhong Lu subway station. You know you are there when you see banners of small red flags hanging by the sides of the buildings which are pretty obvious. Thousands of stalls for you to comb through but do start early as they close around 5pm. The stuff are cheap (wholesale market for clothes, shoes and bags) but the environment is not very pleasant. I always feel breathless when I am shopping in the two main buildings there. Pretty packed and the ventilation system needs some serious improvement! However, when I was there during the late Oct period, apparently, the vendors were rapidly trying to reduce stock due to the forthcoming autumn season closure... this could mean deals, deals, deals if one is really willing to bargain!!! (yes, never overlook the art of bargaining as it is a skill!).

A Hazy Haze Day.....

With the haze looming gloomily over our skies, my life seemed to have come to a partial standstill for the past few weeks and yes, I am terribly upset over it.

Nowadays, my life revolves around getting to work, and getting home with minimal contact with the outside air. Thank goodness that my company allows employees to work from home (and if Howard is reading this, he will agree with me too) :)

The PSI has been hitting over the 100 mark constantly for the past few evenings when I knocked off from work, which makes it a challenge for me to do my normal jogging routine. And even as I sneakily tried to put on my jogging shoes, I could hear the rantings from my dearest mummy going 'And where do you think you are going in this haze?' My attempts to sneak out for a quick run in the park has once again been backfired. Sigh.

And just how long is the haze going to be around? As papers reported, the haze will be lingering around till the end of the year with the occassional rain stopping by, easing away the dryness and helping to create that temporary relief for all of us. Where is the so called rain? It rained for less than 15 mins on Sunday (though I was really thinking of doing my dance in the rain to welcome it's arrival) and it's hot and stuffy out there eversince the rain came and went so fast.

In desperate times like this, I need to call for desperate measures. I need to exercise more to release the feel-good endorphins. And please don’t tell me to work out in the gym. I am a person who loves only outdoor exercise. I need to perspire, get all sweaty and sticky. You know what I mean right.

Yes, I think the government can also consider building an indoor swimming pool (it's costly I know, but hey, it's for the benefit of everyone's health). And to all those who are taking part in the Great Eastern marathorn this coming Sunday, enjoy the run and let's pray that the haze will go away soon.

2009 Chevrolet Camaro Concept

This is a real hot 'hunk'. Although it's just a concept car and currently not listed for production yet (arghh....), I must say it has got me drooling over it. The Camaro is a retro-styled (I love Retro), two-door coupe with a 6 litre V-8 engine. Very muscular indeed!!!

Take a drive with this 'hunk' here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z5aZkQrNnx0

ANTM Cycle 6

ANTM Cycle 7 is already showing in the US and here I am catching ANTM Cycle 6 (in case some of you do not know what ANTM stands for, it is America's Next Top Model). Shucks!

Don't meant to be a spoiler for this, but the winner for ANTM Cycle 6 wasn't my favourite, although I have read in the ANTM forum that the winner was very much everybody's choice.

And in all ANTM cycle, there is always the 'most hated' person whereby everybody simply condemns her and wish she should be eliminated from each episode. (I am sure for those who have been catching ANTM Cycle 6, you will know who she is)

Check out ANTM here - http://www.tv.com/americas-next-top-model/show/14888/summary.html?tag=show_table;title;0

Dilbert Joke Part IV: All About Bosses

Dilbert Joke Part III: Dilbert's Dilemma

Hey, that's not nice

Working in the CBD (Central Business District) area does has its woes and I mean lunch woes (at least for me). When it comes to lunchtime here and you try to find a seat in the eateries, very often the chances of securing one is 'mission impossible'. That is not my main point though.

As I spyed an empty table ahead of me, alas as I made my way towards the crowd, heading for the table, to my dismay, packets of tissue were being placed on the seats indicating that 'the table has been reserved'. Sounds familiar?? Yes, if you have noticed, nowadays in foodcourts/hawker centre, packets of tissue have now become the common 'choping' (reserving) techniques used by many office workers. It's too common a sight nowadays to see that people 'chope' seats by placing packets of tissues on the table in a food court or hawker centre.

Honestly, this bad habit (it's a real bad habit) pisses me off. Commonsense will tell you that for safety’s sake, don't leave your belongings unattended at anytime, anywhere. Won't it be just easier if someone just stays behind to reserve – or as we say, 'chope' – the table." Despite these reactions, I find it revolting how so many people just accept this bad habit and let it be.

Last week, my friend and I were at one of the eateries during lunch hours. When we sighted the common tissue packs being left behind on the table, we removed it and sat down on the table with our ordered food. When the 2 ladies approach us and says the table has been reserved with the tissue packs earlier (which we have already removed and was no longer in sight), we faked ignorance, just smiled back and reply 'Sorry, we did not see any tissue packs here when we sat down.' We ignored the both of them and continue to eat our food. Although the 2 ladies were not pleased or totally convinced with what we have said, I must say this is currently the temporary measure to prohibit inconsiderate people from 'choping' seats.

The best and simplest solution would be just to get someone to stay behind to reserve the table instead of using tissue packets. If not, I would gladly suggest that food courts should empower their cleaners to get rid of the packets of tissues. Social tolerance is a virtue in today's society, but not at the expense of other. Let's all be more considerate and this world will be a better place to live in.

Woman as explained by Engineers: Part III

This is my favourite!!!

Woman as explained by Engineers: Part II

Woman as explained by Engineers: Part I

The Lost Dr. Seuss Poem

Dragon Tiger Gate

For fans of Donnie Yen (if you are unfamilar with the name, Donnie is a martial arts expert and also the leading actor in the Dragon Tiger Gate movie) who can't get enough of him, check out his website -http://www.donnieyen.com/

I have watched Donnie Yen's movie since young, but it was only until the recent release of his movie 'Dragon Tiger Gate' that caught my eye. For a man who is in his mid 40s, I must say he sure looks charming for his age and unbelieveable drop dead gorgeous physique. Ladies, keep your cool!

Dilbert Joke Part II: Motivation Gone

Amazing Race Asia - Asia is Waiting!

I bet many of us have watched the American version of Amazing Race on national TV. Well, I am proud to say that the Amazing Race Asia is coming soon on Nov 9 on AXN!!! Yes, Asia's very own version which comprises of 10 competing team coming from Philippines, India, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, HongKong and more, travelling around Asia and beyond and competing for the grand prize of US$100,000. Hosted by local celebrity cum hunkie ABC Allan Wu, this is a must watch - http://amazing-race-asia.axn-asia.com/. Asia is waiting!!!

As quoted by Allan Wu, "Amazing Race Asia is definitely one show to watch for everyone to witness the incredible passion and drive of people in Asia."

Too early to place my bets on the winner now, but for patriotic reason, I am cheering the Singapore team on!!!

Where'd You Go

I have fell in love with this amazing 19 years old, Holly Brook's song 'Where'd you Go.' Just listen to the lyrics and you will fall in love with it too......

Where'd you Go - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HeKSnb7bYG0&mode=related&search=

Meaning of Life

An article in the 'Mind your Body' newspaper today spurred me to jot down some thoughts here. The headline states 'Life before Death' and followed by a short yet inspirational sentence 'Sometimes, knowing you have a terminal illness isn' the end of life. It could be the beginning of living.' This leads me to question "What is the meaning of life?".

I remembered back in my University days when I was studying Philosophy and we touched on this topic which got many of us interested and curious to find out the interpretation in philosophical terms. This has also led me to do a term paper during my Uni first year. (I was proud to say that I got a distinction for this too.) :) Well, so much for digressing.

Before we indulge into knowing "the meaning of Life" we need to understand Life itself. How do we differentiate between a mortal (living being) and an immobile material (having no Life within)? For this we need to start from the beginning of the Cosmos itself... The time of the big bang! (I shall not dive into that as it will be a long story, trust me). Here is an article which has a good philosophical explaination on the meaning of life - http://www.philosophynow.org/archive/articles/24taylor.htm

When we realised that our life journey is coming to an end (due to a terminal illness), in general, most of the time, we tend to give up and leave our hands in the fate of God while for some, we enjoy ourselves till our last breathe, live life as if there shall not be another day. Afterall, I agree that everybody will have to go one day, but coming to terms with it, I find it rather hard to swallow.

I applaud Mr Mohammad Abdooh - the person mentioned in this article. Mr Mohammad Abdooh has advanced lung cancer, but he remains determined to live life fully and fight the disease. He has also done a first of his third 60-second film termed 'Last Days of Mohammad Abdooh' on the website (www.lifebeforedeath.org.sg). In it, he said "I have to continue to live and fight cancer for my lovely wife."

How many of us can actually do that when faced with this death sentence? Sad to said, I honestly can't, maybe not for the time being. Sound passive as I may be, but I have yet to come to grasp with this 'Life before death' matter. And that is why I applaud and salute Mr Mohammad Abdooh for his courage and determination to fight his disease and pray that a miracle will happen.

One day, I hope to wake up to an 'Eureka' and find a cure to all this. Hopefully that day will come soon........

Dilbert Joke Part I: Money Vs Challenges

You have graduated!

Congratulations to my dear Kuzzin's graduation!!! (the one carrying the flowers). Well, hope you get the 'dream job' down under and ain't I happy to hear more about that 'man' in your life. :)

The Lost Son

An avid fan of CSI Miami (and not CSI LA or NY - will elaborate on this preference later), I was very glad when CSI Miami III was shown on TV yesterday night. I loved watching Season I & II and loved even more Season III.

Wow, but what a sad episode it was yesterday and it totally blow me out. The 'Lost Son' episode was an emotional one and the cast did a super job...what an emotional scene when Horatio Caine (played by my favourite David Caruso) held Speedle in his arms before he died. And yes, to some who said that H (Horatio for short) should have cried, he DID shed a tear (if you have been observant). H did cry, just that it was not obvious to many of you. Alexx's emotional performance was great too (fyi, Alexx is the lady who does autopsy for the death in the show).

Speedle's death was a shock, but as read somewhere, his character has to 'die' in this Season as the man (his real name is Rory Cochrane) needs to move on with his career in some upcoming movies. I love Speedle and he has indeed left big shoes for the next guy to fill (which I heard is quite a boyish looking chap).

This episode drives home a good point on why it's so important to have good gun maintenance.

And back to my earlier comment on why I prefer CSI Miami and not LA/NY is because I feel that there is a personal touch, a sense of empathy and compassion in the Miami team as compared to LA/NY which focuses more on the cold hard evidence.

Well, indeed a tear jerking episode and what a way to kick off Season III even though it's a sad one!

Wonderful Tonight

The radio was playing Eric Clapton's wonderful rendition of 'Wonderful Tonight'.

I remember you. The hall was filled with many people and we were coming to the end of your school celebration. There I was sitting there with my friends, waiting for the whole ceremony to end. Then I heard your voice over the speaker, dedicating the song to me. Shocked, embrassed and teased by my friends, I was loss for words. We have met less than 3 times and barely spoke a word except for the last 'Goodbye' I said to you before I board the bus. I did not expect this.

As I waited outside the hall still trying to figure out this, you came and stand before me. Still trying to recover from the aftermath, I was totally loss for words. You just stand there smiling at me. From your eyes, it seemed the words have spoken and nothing else needed to be conveyed. At that moment, it was just you and me, caught up in our own little world.

You sent us to the bus stop and waited for all of us to board the bus before you leave. Coincidentally, I was the last to leave (was this fate playing with us?) As I sat down on the seat at the back of the bus, I stared out of the window and saw you waved your hands at me. I waved back and as the bus moved on, I felt a hot flush on my cheeks. I turned my head and saw your broad shoulders walking away. Your image was slowly fading away and at that split second, it looked sad, very sad.

Everytime I hear this song, I think of you and I hope you will think of me too.