Bring On The New Year

I am sure you have got the drift that I will be talking about the infamous ‘New Year Resolutions’.

My New Year resolution for 2011 is going to be...1024 by 968 pixels!  How's that for a laugh!


Okay, seriously, the last day of the year is naturally a day to reflect and review what I have done in the past 364 days and yes, exactly 12 months ago, I did construct some sort of new year plan (just like any other year I recalled).  I am being really honest to myself - don't we all make them and then break them? 

I did.  

With these 20 lines, I resolved to:

1. Being FAT to FIT (I changed that letter in the middle - that was all I did)
2. Finding a waist line in me (an inch trimmed - that was all)
3. Buying packets of crisps and finishing it all by myself (that was an all-time difficult target and remains to be)
4. Choosing between jogging and swimming in the summer days (headed to the pool for a few times - sunbathed)
5. Growing my hair to chin-length (failed hugely)
6. Flossing regularly (managed just the week before seeing my dentist)
7. Plugging-in on not-so-super-high volume (I was aiming for that but was given a set of SHURE ear plugs, what do you do?)
8. Reducing alcoholic intake (not too sure about the volume in comparison, after resorting to wine and liquour instead of beer)
9. Remembering not to get drunk (I never did, so I don't understand why it was in the list in the first place)
10. Refraining from investing on lottery tickets (failed miserably, but I had a winning ticket, how about counteracting this one?)
11. Rearranging home furniture (furniture's still where they were a year ago, they seem happy where they are, so I didn't bother with them)
12. Giving impulse buying a try (I got the hang of it pretty quickly)
13. Writing off my debts (working on that, will renew this for 2011)
14. Taking up a worthwhile habit (photography, blogging - all going stronger than I expected)
15. Spending less time online (I was doing pretty well until iPhone 4 came intervening into my life)
16. Resorting to some cooking at home (poisoned myself once, so I decided that needs to stop)
17. Donating air miles to charity (with a few clicks, it is actually easier than booking a flight)
18. Completing 1 book each month (spot on target)
    
19. Smile more, frown less (yes, I did - and my wrinkles are living proof)
20. Give praises generously (Have I told you lately that you are loved?)

I can foresee all these fun stuff rolling over to the new year and what I am about to say though, will sound a bit morbid but I am going to say it anyway. 

What will people say about me if I suddenly die?

You and I only get one shot to make a life, therefore, we have to make it count.  

Some said, “Who we are, is God’s gift to us, and who we become is our gift back to God and the world in which we live”.  

The responsibility for managing and developing our lives is totally ours.  We can make endless resolutions and break all we want and we can’t blame anyone else but ourselves for not growing.

How about we all start living a real life and making a difference to the world we are living in. 

I am going to build my life in such a way that I can leave a great legacy for those mattered to me and possibly beyond that. 

That's my new year resolution for 2011 - the most distilled one I've got all my life.  Let's see what I have to say about it in a year's time. 

Heart Felt Thanks To You All

I am not going to let 2010 expire without thanking you - my blog readers, friends and family for the countless encouragements and support to alampy's space throughout the year.

I set sail at the beginning of 2010 with Project 340, making a pledge to virtually everyone I met, had myself committed in writing a piece a day and share it via my blog. 

I might have lagged behind up to a week's posts due to travels and lack of ideas but...I managed to catch up with my appearances, not missing a single day. 

What a ride it has been but the point is - I did it.

I am grateful for all your candid comments - the good, the bad and the ugly that you have expressed via different means. I must also thank the silent readers as well, who I know will forever remain silent. 

There is so much work yet to be done on my blog and it is all of you - who made me realise what I write has to be relevant and of value to the world.  And for that to happen I must first form an opinion of the world.  That I must observe the world closely and steadily as it spins, with a mind open to change.

Having said that though, I must learn to shorten my sentences as it can appear rather clumsy in times.  I know.  I know.


What I really meant in plain English is: we have to live in the world we are living in.  And it is indeed all of you who made my world spin, made me appreciate my life which is so worth living for. 

Much of my joy and satisfaction derived this year has been from the resonance of my own writings.  In 2011, I will let that joy of mine touch more people and my writing make a difference to my readers in a positive way.

Though I may concentrate on quality of the posts rather than regularity of the postings, you haven't gotten rid of me yet.  I shall improve myself and continue writing I must.  Feel free to check in everyday or on occasion.  I will be here.  

You have heard it thousand of times, but allow me to wish you a happy, contented and fruitful year ahead!

Must You Keep Living In The Past?

Imagine this for a second:  You are alone on a dusty stage in a dark theatre.  You are wearing costumes that no longer fit you with the buttons all popped.  The play has been adjourned, all other players have left and you are all by yourself with the curtains' down.

What a sad and derelict scene this is!

Holding on to the past is like trying to breathe life into a play which is closed - struggling to raise the curtain in a dark theatre, on a dusty stage, by ourselves.

It is like a brutal attack on ourselves, because we become, on this stage, both the victim and the attacker.

Most often than not, the past is not holding us but we are the one's holding it.  And why do we do it?

It is because wanted to feel safe, wanted and worthwhile. We are constantly hanging on to that love in that past, a cry that was not answered, a happy childhood perhaps, that lover who has left, that job to validate us.

All we have to do really, is to let go, turn around and walk away.  Something we all must master in order to stride for the better.

How about making it as one of your new year resolutions for 2011?  It is a challenge but it is about time I add this to mine.  

A Scent of A Woman

First day of work after a long Christmas break, unwillingly hopped on a bus, grabbed a seat, looked around, didn't expect that many people had to head to work just like me, felt slightly better that I wasn't alone.

Then came a woman who chose to sit right next to me (out of all those empty seats on the rest of the upper deck).  Fine.

The thing was, that woman was wearing so much perfume, I had to turn away every now and then to take a few deep breaths.  Goodness gracious, I wasn't exaggerating.

I think perfume is a very personal statement and the scent of the perfume we wear should always be subtle and pleasing.

Catching a whiff of a woman's perfume should turn heads and bring smiles to faces and I am sure it is possible to wear perfume and not induce others around to wear gas masks.

Why didn't I swap seat, I hear you ask.

No, because the bus, to my surprise, was quite full.  I suffered some degree of nausea all morning on my first day of work because of that.

Can I be excused for work now?

Beautiful Monsters

Watching some cheetahs sprint on TV just then and scientists have measured these creatures accelerating from 0 to 65 mph in just 3 seconds!

Right in front of me lies this month's Fortune Magazine too - featuring the new super of supercars - Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4 - the most expensive street legal car available on the market today.  

Engine: Quad-turbocharged W16
Power: 1,001 hp at 6,000 rpm
0-62 mph: 2.5 seconds
Max speed: 253 mph
Price: $1.4 million

It is hard to imagine someone would actually spend that much on a car instead of using it for something more productive.  Probably someone like Oracle's CEO, Mr. Larry Ellison - who is filthily wealthy enough to have a few of the world's most expensive cars placed in his garage - would pay for such a bespoke componentry. 

In my opinion though, Cheetah CAN embarrass million dollar supercars.

A Much Contented Boxing Day

In just 6 days it's going to be 2011.  It seems like just a year ago we were making all that New Year resolutions and now it's about time for us to do it all over again.

Every once in a while though, we should just sit back, relax and enjoy what we have and I think today's that day. 

I couldn't be more thankful for today and I thought to myself, it would be great if I can continue that awesome feeling year round and that would really make for a wonderful life.

Anyway, right about now though, I can't quite figure out which is fuller, my belly after all that food or my credit card after this month's shopping!

Christmas Afterthoughts

It's crazy that Christmas has already come and gone as I post this. 

While I was quietly pondering where I have been and what I have done, I felt like I was in a place I didn't belong...like this world was not my home - and I have to stress - I wasn't drunk.

I was consumed with the notion that we were not made for the anxious feelings of having to work on Tuesday.  We live in a free country, right?  What is so freeing about working for money so you can purchase stuff you so want - that you barely get to spend time with? 

We were not made for this. 

For the first time in my sanest self, I knew what Christmas is all about.  I hope you do too. 

Merry Christmas everyone.

What Do You Expect?

Pretty much every month of every year from 2010 on, has been predicted as the release of the iPhone 5!  The discussion of the iPhone 5 out there is very similar to predictions about the end of the world isn't it? 

As much as I want the version 5 to be a revolutionary, here's my wish list to the evolutionary new form factor:

1. A much improved antenna please
2. A shock-proof screen would be nice
3. Bigger screen is debatable but definitely faster processing speed is needed
4. Is it possible to ask for a lighter yet stronger alloy used as building the body?
5. How about water-proof?

Last but not least, drop that ridiculous price tag, Steve would ya?  Or would I be better off asking Santa?

Start Believing Your Mirrors

Lately, I have had Turkey, Ham, Salads, Duck, Chicken, Steak and for desserts I had Pavlova, Caramel Trifle Mousse, Chocolate Truffles and various cakes.

I let myself over-eat occasionally particularly in festive seasons because I believe that indulgence has an important place in life.  Nuts for instance, are a big part of holiday celebrations, whether it’s pecan pie, chestnut stuffing or just a handful of cashews, peanuts grabbed at the parties.

I am nuts - and I can go non-stop when it comes to nuts which means all that calories intake is going to roll over!

Confession time:  I have eaten A LOT ...probably too much.

Ought to start throwing in a few extra walks and also

- start believing the mirrors in front of me before it's too late!

Global Warming, huh?

Some of the worst snowfall in 25 years hit the United Kingdom and London Heathrow Airport - the world's busiest airport has been making headline news as it has been shut down to clear runways.

The snowfall in London in the last 2 days hasn't been as heavy according to friends over there but it breaks my heart to see the mayhem has brought the whole of Britain to a complete stand-still.  

I just find that hard to believe. 

I mean, if a world-class city like London is going to organise the Olympics in 2012, they'd better work on improving their risk management shouldn't they?

Buckle Up Ladies And Gents

I boarded a flight at Beijing International Airport looking forward to a smooth flight home. Half an hour later the pilot's voice came over the PA system, apologising for an "unknown error" which would take at most 30 minutes to repair. Cathay Pacific thanked you for your patience.

An hour later, the pilot finally announced we were ready to take off!  So all strapped into our seats and the plane taxied on the runway.

And we waited.

Ten minutes later, the pilot's voice came on again and told us the same error has mysteriously recurred, and takeoff will be delayed whilst engineers fix the problem. Shouldn't take more than an hour or so, he said.

And we waited.

And we waited some more.

Sounds all too familiar right?  Nothing much you can do when your life has been chucked to those engineers. 

Take the claims about flying being the safest form of transport.  This is what the airline isn't telling you...

• Deaths per 100 million passenger journeys are, on average, 55 for airliners compared with 4.5 for cars, and 2.7 for trains!

• Only motorbikes, at 100 deaths per 100 million passenger journeys, are more risky than aircraft on this basis!

Scary huh? 

I have hence stopped complaining about delays due to technical problems, after reading the above from an excerpt of New Scientist magazine.

Remember to buckle up during take-offs and landings - where 70% of air-traffic accidents took place. 

 

Jamie, Where Are You?

Just been reading the Daily Mail, saying Jamie Oliver's latest cook book "30-Minute Meals", is the fastest-selling non-fiction book ever.

The biggest selling book ever, remains to be the Bible which sells around 100 million copies per year.

Let's hope the lovely jubbly Naked Chef doesn't start mucking around declaring he's "more popular than Jesus"!

And by the way, he has announced wicked plans in summer 2009 to whack his new line of Italian restaurants in Asia - with Hong Kong as his first stop.

I ain't seeing no pots or pans in here yet Jamie, and my excitement has simply gone from over the moon to luke warm now.  

Ahoy, what have you been doin' mate?

The Most Annoying Xmas Song Award Goes To...

Wham!'s 1984 hit single
"Last Christmas".

The song was voted the most annoying Christmas song in a poll in Bulgaria, beating Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas".

Wow.  That poll was mean.

I mean, I enjoy Christmas as much as you do, and in many a ways, I think Christmas songs contribute quite a large chunk in making Christmas joyful.  Having said that though, doesn't mean I love everything about the festive season. 

There are indeed some really annoying songs out there that put me off for sure.  I can easily give you a whole list.  More so, it is often the seasoning in this festive season which makes you search for joy along with your sorrow.

Christmas makes us nostalgic and we think more of those loved ones who are far away and those someone forever dear to us who are no longer with us.  It is also the time when you know that someone is now eternally rejoicing, your home is empty and your heart is still broken. 

We all know Christmas is about the birth of our Saviour, gift giving, Santa Claus, heaps of food, tonnes of drinks.  Let us not forget its true meaning - spending time with our loved ones while we can.  






 

HP7

Have you heard that Daniel Radcliffe has been unveiled as Britain's richest celebrity under the age of 30?  The 19-year-old Harry Potter star has amassed a wealth of almost £46 million and pocketed an estimated £12.8 million ($25 million) last year, according to Forbes' magazine's Rich Teen List.


Having read that bit of news before entering the cinema, I felt I am definitely contributing towards some of his wealth, as like many of you, I have been to watch every single Harry Potter movie released since 2001.  Even I myself can't imagine - catching HP7 was the first thing that came in mind after a long and weary business trip. 

Not sure about you but I found myself laughing at parts of the movie that I wasn’t sure were intended to be humourous!  Most ostensibly, the romantic development scenes with Harry and Ginny, and more conspicuously, with Ron and Hermione - absolutely forced and awkward.

After the 2.5 hours, I emerged from the cinema not only desperate to go to the loo after too much coffee too fast, I was equally confused and ambivalent about the film.   Despite all that lukewarm response to Part I though, watching Part II, series' finale, remains a must in summer next year.  
 

There's A Tree

Except, no one is putting it up this year.  


The Christmas Tree at home has always meant family to me.  Every ornament is a memory and our tree must have been some 20 year old.

In our teens, my sister and I would stand next to the tree each year and mother would take a photo of us and then compared it to the previous year and see how much taller we have grown.  Every year, we would buy something new to add to it and we all have a few pieces from every part of our lives hung there. 

Now that my sister is no longer staying at home with us, the whole idea of putting it up, pulling it down and packing it away seem very much like a chore to the rest of us. 

The tree certainly doesn’t have any religious meaning to us but it serves as a big fat reminder of unity, and that you won't be here cracking open presents with us.   

Each family member plays important roles in the family and my dear sister, we want you to know you are indispensable in our family and I have decided, no tree will be up if you aren't physically here with us this year.    

It's Christmas, let us all cherish the roles we play in our family.  

 

Treadmills

I have disliked them because you literally go nowhere and see nothing, and yeah, you are able to read off how much of your heart rate has been elevated or how many kcal you have burnt running on that revolving belt, but honestly nothing beats heading outdoor if you have a choice.

While doing some brisk walking on one right now, I felt my life has been a bit like a treadmill workout.  Specifically, it feels like the “interval” workout setting where you have those 3 dots of an easy effort followed by 5 dots of a higher intensity effort.

The reason I headed to the gym this morning was because I felt I was going all-out, cranking away, trying to be productive throughout the week.  Only to find myself resembling a lab rat on a treadmill, been extremely busy up on those 5 dots of the high intensity effort, but then, not at all productive.

People...For once, the readings on a treadmill, however, did make me feel good about myself.  I felt relaxed and contented walking at a comfortable pace on the 2 dots of the lower intensity level.

Soon enough though, I am against the 5 dots of a high intensity effort again so, gotta run now!

Who Gets Jet Lag?

Almost everyone, and to some degree.

• Youngsters often seem immuned.

• People who normally stick to a very rigid daily routine are often the worst sufferers.

• People who sleep easily are less disturbed by it.

Basically, Jet Lag is an indication of your body's fitness and has nothing to do with aging.  If you are unfit, rested and healthy, you will probably suffer more jet lag than others.


After traveling across several time zones, you will likely adjust your wrist watch to reflect the local time upon arrival.  While you can easily do this by rotating the hands of your watch, our body will need more time to readjust itself.

What I normally do, is I adjust to local time even before I travel, as that psychologically gives me a bit more airtime to negate the effects and that has worked on me every time.

How about you?  Any tips to share?  

 

Start Getting Used To Location Service Before It Gets To You

Google has launched Google Latitude this week which is essentially the extention of Mobile Google Maps to provide real time location information for friends that you have chosen to follow and in turn, have allowed you to follow them.

Images of friends you are tracking will appear on the Google map so you can see their where-about at any given moment in time. You can also instantly choose to interact with them through GTalk, SMS or Gmail.

That may be a little stalker'ish and a bit too creepy for some, but since it is 100% opt-in (which means the really paranoid can't quite get you if you don't let them), it isn't at all bad.  


On the other hand, you can also manually select the location you are at instead of having it shown automatically - a great option for those weary ones, who somehow need to appear to be somewhere else.


Take a moment and consider just what a company with the reach of Google could do with the data it is collecting right now as we speak. 

Think about all that travel habits that can be revealed by Google Latitude users - it is going to create a huge marketing potential isn't it?




Rather than fight it, I am choosing to be excited about the ground breaking functionality of location services and got the app downloaded straight away.  Simply because - we can't quite get away from it any longer.  I really think it's time we get used to this paradigm and start embracing it wholeheartedly.   





 

Let It Snow

Hey London, give us some snow over here.  No snow is seen in Beijing as we step well into December!  Global warming must really be making its bit felt.

Here's how the weather will look like in the next few days:

Of course, this being Beijing, everyone's mileage will always vary... especially when it gets downright meteorological. 

The Beijingologist is not responsible for a sudden blizzard!

Welcome To The Information Age

As part of my job, it is vitally important that I keep up to date with relevant information as and when it happens. This can be a craze as the amount of information out there is huge and growing, while the channels through which they are delivered are proliferating just as much.

Since getting my iPhone 4, I have noticed that I am using this device to access information at least as much, if not more, than I use my PC at home.  I keep a folder in my bookmarks toolbar on Firefox and over coffee first thing in the morning, I use the ‘Open All in Tabs’ command at the bottom of the folder, I then check out each tab to give me a snapshot of what is going on.

I rely heavily on RSS feeds and personally consider this my best source of information, as I have the habit of categorizing my feeds and I highly recommend Google Reader.  When I find a post that is too long to read right away, or that I want to refer back to in the short term future, I can save it easily read it later.

This is basically how I breathe through the tsunami of information that confronts us in this information age on a daily basis.  And I am finding it is not quite enough. 

What about you?  Do you have tips on how you are coping with the firehose of data that is coming your way?

You May Now LICK The Bride

Including another 2 Weddings happening in the last 2 weeks of 2010, I have in total, attended 6 weddings this year!  Of course I was very happy to attend each and every one of them but honestly, they were all quite identical.

There's one wedding with a difference though.  My friend told me her son (her beloved dog) is getting married next month and she is throwing a festive party with all their dogs friends and parents!!

She is making a list, and checking it twice...

a long guest list - checked
a huge backyard - checked
tonnes of dog food - checked
wedding attire - checked

Don't tell me they have wedding cake for dogs checked too? 

Yup. Don't you know?

What about wedding rings then?  Sure they can't wear rings on their paws, right?

You bet - she has that all sorted too - wedding collars will be ready.

One day, I can imagine if someone love their dog like a lover, I guess one can consider marrying it?

Is this thought even legal?

Mind Boggling No More

Don't we all struggle to find the perfect gift to buy whether it’s for that special someone, colleague, or that annoyingly-has-everything-in-the-world friend?

Still searching for the perfect gift?

Here's Santa's latest piece of advice on gift experiences - worth checking out TaDa! he says.  

Visit http://www.tada.net

 

TT Came Back With a Vengeance

In the early 90s the British boy band Take That played to concerts of screaming young girls and I remember many of us were really sad in 1995 when the band broke up after the bad boy Robbie Williams left.  That was also when I stopped buying "Just Seventeen"!

Who would have thought, 10 years later, the boys, minus Robbie got back together and sold out concert halls even faster than when they were teen idols!  

In the UK, an album is certified platinum after selling 300,000 copies and guess what, Take That's first 2 albums went 7 times platinum in the UK! 

Robbie Williams decided to reunite with his four mates earlier this year and the MTV channel countdown is telling me their latest album “Progress” has topped the UK album charts for the 3rd week in a row now.

Who dare say the music records business is dead?  





 

Help Create Some Sunshine

I was reading some other stuff and came across a mental sickness called S.A.D., short for Seasonal Affective Disorder.  It is a form of depression that occurs only during the cold and gloomy months of the year, when days are inevitably shorter than the nights.


The symptoms of SAD patients being:

• Depressed or irritable mood
• Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in all, or almost all, activities.
• Significant weight loss when not dieting or weight gain or decrease or increase in appetite.
• Insomnia or hypersomnia.
• Agitation or retardation.
• Fatigue or loss of energy.
• Feelings of worthlessness or excessive or inappropriate guilt.
• Diminished ability to think or concentrate, or indecisiveness.
• Recurrent thoughts of death (not just fear of dying).

Don't be sad if some or even all of the above apply as I think the majority of the world's population in the northern hemisphere is prone to SAD right now is it not?

Let's say later on, if you see the waitress wearing a pin that says her name is Kitty, when she approaches you, you can say, "Hello Kitty."  I think she will do nothing but smile and say "Hello" back to you. 

Congratulations.  You have just created sunshine.  

From A Slang To Becoming A Verb

"Let me GOOGLE it."

"You should TWEET that."

"Do you want to SKYPE now?"

"I went and YOUTUBE some old MTVs."

"That has obviously been PHOTOSHOPPED."

"Let me BING you now."

You could have said one or even all of the above today and some of these have gotten the official stamp of approval to enter the English-language dictionaries. 

That also means, one day, down the road, we could end up Googling something on Bing or photoshop something in Paint!


Think about it for a second, when it comes to branding, may be this is when becoming a verb isn't such a good idea afterall.

Made The Same Mistake Thrice?

Been to Butao Ramen in LKF for the 3rd time now yet still haven't tasted their all-so-famous ramen that the critics has been raving about. 

Long queue deterred me on my first visit, then I went home and thought - there must be something worth relishing to justify all that queuing.  So there I went for the second time on a Sunday, only to find it is not opened on Sundays. 

Fair enough.  

With a mind made of steel and a heart of stone, I was so determined to go early this evening to check the place out. 

As I approached, there was no queue in sight.  Lucky day I thought and guess what?  They were closed for a special event!!  

This is pure madness!

Tell me, am I to head to that direction again for the 4th time?  

 

Chess And Life

I still vividly remember learning how to play chess on that eight by eight squares checker board as a teenager and no matter how hard I tried, I was never quite able to beat my mother.

Mom kept telling me then, that life imitates Chess and it's all about making the right moves at the right time.  Won every single time, I believe she has been right all these years - up to a point.

We revisited this topic of discussion today and I told her what she didn't convey then, was that life is never that straight forward.  How I wish things can appear in either black or white; if only matters lie not on the different shades of grey in between.

I learnt that one day you give your opponent a lesson, the next day he gives you one. Did anyone really teach us to be truly appreciative of the fascination of sacrifices at school?  Nope. All that opportunity cost is still rather abstract to me, to be frank.

We are all chess masters to some extent, we will, however, never be master of chess and that is pretty much what life is all about.

Sounding a bit morbid, and I have December to blame.




 

Smiling Conserves Energy

Did you know it takes a greater number of facial muscles to frown than it does to smile?

Some say it takes 50 to make a frown but only 13 to produce a smile.

Don't worry, be happy

Cause when you worry

Your face will frown

And that will bring everybody down!

Just remember,  
a smile is curve that sets everything straight. 

Double it down, it's contagious too. 

And May All Your Christmases Be White...

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....everywhere you go.

Not sure if you'd agree but there's something about marrying Christmas with snow and nothing quite as captivating/magical as seeing snow in a Christmas advertising campaign.

The Tiffany and Co. festive season ad campaign made its debut this week which features a family of four walking down a street with a stunning scenery of swirling flurry snow. 

An absolutely fantastic ad showcasing the celebration of the joy of the season, the warm embrace of true love and the enchanting festivity.

My favourite thus far.  

Michelin Can be Cheap and Cheerful Too!

The renowned Annual Michelin Guide is where anonymous Michelin inspectors award stars (from 3 to 1) to restaurants worldwide based on their food quality, preparation, value for money and the chef's personality.  


A restaurant that receives one or more stars is not only one of the best in its country but also one of the best in the world.



One star: a very good restaurant in its category.
Two stars: excellent cooking, worth a detour.
Three stars: exceptional cuisine, worth a special journey.

The past reviewers have focused on the high-end spectrum and that no time was spent trotting on the streets to find out where the majority of the local foodies eat.

Proud to know in the latest edition of Michelin Guide Hong Kong Macau 2011, released today, a noodles place serving a bowl of wonton noodles for US$2, has become the world's cheapest eat awarded the coveted Michelin star!

This pulled the guide much closer to the more down-to-earth choices and tastes of ours - they finally got it after all these years!  Good for them.  

 

Timepiece Comes In All Shapes and Sizes

You are in Hong Kong, after dark, running late, don't have a watch but need to know the time.  What do you do?

I guess you can always ask somebody on the fly, but you can also cast your gaze upon the spire of the 78-storey Central Plaza for a very neat timepiece up there.


On the roof of Central Plaza, there are 4 neon bands, each representing 15 minutes.  Let's say when all four bands are the same colour, you know you are right on the dot of a fresh hour.

The colours run in the following sequence: 18.00 (red), 19.00 (white), 20.00 (purple), 21.00 (yellow), 22.00 (pink), and 23.00 (green).  At midnight it begins all over again with red, through the 6-colour cycle until 06.00.


Bet many of you didn't know this existed all these years, right?  I love it.





  

Have You Got What It Takes?

Julie and Julia was a lovely movie I caught in cinema in exactly a year ago and, a year later, I watched it again on DVD.

The plot is all about food, cooking and blogging.  It was indeed this movie which prompted me to start my Blogging Project 340.  

A year on, it is still a movie about food, cooking and blogging - which I am doing. 

I got a bit more out of it this time, seeing it as living life in real, about deriving joy and it's all about love.   It finally boils down to sharing love and joy with someone matters to you.

As I watched, I can't stop but wonder, if I don't have someone that truly matters to me to share with me my joy and love, does it mean I am not living a life?

I think it is as simple as that.  

If you are ever in that situation - you are screwed.  

Social Network

Have you ever noticed that not every one of your friends appears regularly in your facebook's Newsfeed?

Have you ever connected with friends who, for whatever reason, never seem to appear at all and yet, if you visit their personal Facebook wall, you noticed that they have in fact, been participating all along.  If they haven't already de-friended you, what happened there?

The truth is, Facebook does not provide you with a true reflection of the online interactions of ALL of your friends at any given moment in time.  Instead, they provide you with the content that they believe is likely to be most engaging.

It makes sense, because should they stuff you with a chain of uninteresting newsfeeds, it will just going to bore you away and you might stop visiting all together - definitely the last thing they want in their revenue generating model.

So, this leads to your next obvious question:  what does Facebook deem interesting and engaging enough content to appear in our newsfeeds then?

From my observation as a user, they place heavy emphasis on photos and on content that receives ‘likes’ and comments.

If you have recently considered viewing any of the Facebook’s “Photo Memories” where random pictures are posted on the top right hand corner of your photos page, the chances are, their freaky database behind their engine has got you - they have successfully dished out things that are of interest to you based on your usage.

They are no charity organisation my friend, they are a billion dollar company who have thousands of mouths to feed and...hopefully in the process, knows what they are doing too.  

Green Green Grass Of Home

With land being so scarce in Hong Kong, there really aren't many lawn that can be found in this congested city, let alone one you can leisurely sit and lie down.

It occurred to me immediately as a sensuous luxury to be able to lie on a grass lawn today...watching the time go away.

You can't become if you only say what you would have done. 
What you would find is that you have already missed a million miles of fun.

Stride For A Cure - walking one step closer to a cancer free future.  

See you there next year!

The Dukan Diet

From the land notorious for its delicacy comes a weight-loss diet plan that is sweeping the globe?

So you are telling me France is no longer famous for its croissants and winery but is fast becoming known for the Dukan Diet?

According to the first few pages of this book, dieters are required to flush 3 litres of water into the body each day.  

If that act didn't mentally freak you out - you could well be Pierre's target market.

Elevated Sneakers

An inch short in height?  Iijin's sneakers with a wicked hidden platform might be the answer for that extra reach that you are looking for.

The Korean designer got the idea to make elevated sneakers because she only wears high heels and has never owned a pair of sneakers - simply find flats too flat to wear.

Been shopping around in town for these. Found 4 places that carry this brand of sneakers and totally spoiled with choices on colours and styles. 

When I have decided on the pair I want, I must also locate the best price to get them because to complicate matters, all of the 4 outlets have different price tags, believe it or not!

Feeling Like A Million

When do you feel like a million?  If the answer is when you win the million-dollar lotto, then it could sadly be a forever wait.

I recently flipped through this book, the author says that if someone is a good listener, he or she stands a higher chance of winning the hearts and minds of others, making others feel pretty much like a million bucks. 

Can you recall the last time you felt something like that?  I do.

You see, listening is not just hearing the words people utter. If that's all there was to it, we probably don't deserve to be human. 


It involves not just accurately "hearing" what people say, but "listening" and getting a sense of who they are, how they view life, what they want to accomplish, what concerns they have, their fears, how they are feeling etc.

It even involves "listening" with respect to what they aren't saying directly to your face.  That's call reading between the lines - something I have yet to master well. 

I will make it one of my new year resolutions for 2011 - making people around me feel like a million starting from today.  It shouldn't be that hard, right?

You Can Do It!

A few things I think you should stop doing at work, let's give it some thoughts:

1. Being too busy for breaks (you’re almost always better at everything when you’re rested).

2. Replying to emails instantly (if they’re really waiting, they’ll call you).

3. Getting caught up in politics (it’s rarely worth it and never fun).

4. Pretending you’re saving lives (if you actually are, no need to pretend).

5. Refusing to give yourself uninterrupted time for work (they don’t need you that much).

6. Complaining about how little money you make (the people you’re complaining to can’t change it).

7. Forgetting to laugh and have fun (this can take work some days but is always worth it).

 

Bonus track thrown in: Stop eating lunch at your desk. You really deserve a walk, conversation with a friend, or a quiet hour away from your desk.

An Intriguing Conversation

Today...in the midst of a busy afternoon and while I was juggling several things at once, my mobile phone rang.  I took a glance and it was from an anonymous caller. Ignored once, ignored twice....I eventually decided to pick up on the third time. 

"Speaking"

"Can I talk to you about that proposal?"

"Sure, anything wrong with it?"

"No, but we were in the middle of discussing that earlier."

"Oh ya. I did ask you to call back later."

"Anyway, is it a good time to continue now?"

"Yup. Fire away."

"You were saying you wish to retire in 20 years' time, right?"

"Wait a minute...I did say that, but I didn't say that to you, I think.  Wait...are you who I think you are?"

"I was the one who called you about an insurance proposal this morning."

"Oh...sorry, I think you've got the wrong number and you are not someone I meant to talk to."

"I am terribly sorry, but can I take this opportunity to introduce you to our various plans so you can retire in 20 years' time as wished?"

"I am rather busy at the moment, and I am going to hang up now."

"When will you not be busy? "

"I don't really know."

"When will you be free then?"

"Can I give you my boss's number, he might have a better idea than me."

A Friend's Worth

You know the people who, for some reason or other, welcome you into their lives?

Treasure them.

Make time to spend with them.

I really think it is those relationships that I will look back on with satisfaction when I get really old, dying perhaps, and begin to wonder what my life was worth.

Many of us spent far too much time thinking about how some material possession will improve our lives.  We forgot we have friends we can rely on.  And we certainly don’t need lots of relationships so driven by drama, that we often forget we have friends we can trust.  

An iPhone 4 would be nice, but try to enjoy things because they are useful, not because they are expensive. Friendships are priceless things - if you think you can buy friends, then you are totally off the point. 

Anyhow, a good friend is worth just about everything.  And you only really need a few good ones, you don't need that many.

When To Go Over To The Dark Side?

As an amateur, I am always interested to know at what point those who use full frame made the switch from crop bodies, APS-C cameras.  As I was told, "Once you change you will never look back."

That definitely sounds like the dark side to me. 

Does one see much difference in quality? Sometimes I think of trying it by maybe buying a used body online, but the added expense of replacing lenses weighs heavily in the balance $$.  Plus - the added physical weight of the body, I really need some serious convincing to go to that route still.  

At the meantime, selling my kit lens for a 24-70mm F/2.8; 50mm F/1.8 upgraded to F/1.4 - should do the trick for now.

Going Back To Our Roots

We had our thanksgiving dinner tonight and not only we were fed a delicious meal, my mother brought to the table some ancient photos she dig out from I don't know where.

The thanksgiving this year reminded us of my family history, our loved ones and kindled a desire in me to learn more about my ancestors.  The trace started logically from our family tree, on to some snippets from relatives who came from Shantou, China. Then my uncle from Chicago filled in the gaps spanning across 4 generations with his own precious 80-year old memories and everyone else kept adding in their own flavours to enrich its prosperity in the past.  

Thanks to all of them, the pre-war journey way back to the 30s was truly nostalgic and I felt like I was reading the most amazing history book I could ever lay my hands on.  

The Hay days: our family mansion in Shantou, China, 1940s.  Part of it still standing today. 

The prosperity at the time affording golf and tennis for my great grandpa. That's my auntie on the right standing in front of that same mansion. 

Their memoirs gave the notions of our tradition and values and I am ever so proud to say I have found my roots.    What about you?  Would you be inclined to find yours?