Deck The Walls With Air-Conditioners

In a tropical country like Singapore where it is generally hot and humid, air-conditioners are ubiquitous and vital.

Take in this back lane view from Boat Quat where there are rows of heritage shophouses running mostly food and beverages businesses. 

Bronze Aviator Is As Good As Gold

When it come to finishing, gold is better than silver and silver than bronze. There is much loss and not much to rave about when it comes to bronze.

However, the rule changes when you have an attitude of celebrating every victory, be it big or small. Be a winner and celebrate your victory with a pair of bronze aviator sunglasses.

Not just any aviator, but the Bronze Aviator by Ray-Ban. 

Sushi for Breakfast, Anyone?

When it comes to breakfast, we all have our favourite such as cereal and milk, porridge, toasts, sandwiches, noodles and dim sum.

Not many I suspect would consider having sushi for breakfast. But, why not include sushi as a breakfast option, too, as food is all about texture, taste and visual, and to some extent, budget and availability, as well. 

The visual of sushi beckons me and when I have a craving for it with a mouth ulcer to boot (and hot stuff is best avoided), choosing sushi when they are already made available as early as 7:45 a.m. is a piece of cake -- make that a piece of salmon, a dollop of wasabi or a sprinkle of chopped red ginger.

Edo Sushi from a Men Men Don Don outlet   (Total price: SGD 5.50)

For more on Men Men Don Don, please click on the following link:-

http://mmdd.com.sg/outlet/

All Work and No Play Makes Jack a Dull Boy

"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" is an adage that still rings true today.

At first sound, it makes no sense that working hard and/or working much would make Jack a boring person. For all Jack cares, he is still the same self; not a tad more or less interesting, regardless of his penchant for hard work.

With some years of work experience, one would appreciate that this common adage is actually alluding to the fact if Jack overworks himself without getting enough rest and recreation, then he will literally be dull -- lacking in ability to think or reason, or lacking in mental alertness, intellectual quickness and accuracy of perception.

Collaboratively, we hear of taking a break to sharpen our axe. To put it bluntly, cutting down trees or chopping wood for the fire would be tough when the axe has been heavily used without getting a good sharpening.

To digress, why not say "... makes Jack a dull man"? If Jack is a student and his studies is deemed as hard work, then "boy" would be fine. 

However, if Jack is a working adult, then "boy" is preferred to "man" simply because the former rhymes better with "play" and one could placate the intellect that there is still a boyish past or nature in every man.

Refresh yourself daily and stay fresh!

Time For More Sardines?

When it comes to canned sardines, Ayam Brand comes to my mind. It is to me the best there is in terms of value (taste and quality) in exchange for the mid-range price that you pay.

As highlighted above, there are certainly valid and compelling reasons to include sardines in our diet. 

But, as we know, moderation in all the things is the key for a balanced life, including diet. I remember a friend telling me that too much of sardines may cause gout. 

You can read more on why food such as sardines and other small oily fish with high concentration of purines may cause gout at http://www.livestrong.com/article/473897-gout-and-sardines/

That said, I would still preserve my enjoyment of Ayam Brand sardines, albeit in moderation, together with home-cooked instant noodles for supper or mixing it with chopped red onions for making sandwiches spread with butter.

When A Prostitute Saved The Day

Boule de Suif (loosely translated as Ball of Fat) is possibly the late 19th century French writer Guy de Maupassant most famous short story. This is one of those stories which I would remember for life.

You can read the full story for free at Project Gutenberg:-

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/3090/3090-h/3090-h.htm#2H_4_0003r

In the story, set during the Franco-Prussian War, a courtesan named Elisabeth Rousset (aka Boule de Suif due to  her horizontally-challenged physique), was fleeing Prussian-occupied Rouen in a coach together with nine other travellers. 

Realising who she was, her companions gave her the cold shoulder. They whispered among themselves and even spoke with audible derogatory terms concerning her.

By the by, when they became hungry and had nothing to eat, Elisabeth offered to share her basket of provisions consisting of two whole chicken, four bottles of clarets, bread rolls, pies, fruit and dainties of all sorts. Then, their attitudes towards her changed somewhat.

Alas, their progress was slow and they stumbled into a Prussian-occupied inn en route to Le Havre. There they were detained by a Prussian officer. Over the next few days, the office asked for Elisabeth repeatedly and she eventually disclosed to her companions that all of them could not leave unless she agrees to sleep with him.

Elisabeth's staunch refusal was initially supported by her companions. Then they turned on her and reasoned with her to acquiesce. She said finally: "I am doing it for your sakes, remember that!"

After her ordeal, she was reportedly unwell and did not join them for dinner. Through a discreet inquiry with the innkeeper, they learnt that: 'It is alright.' Cheered on by their imminent release, they celebrated over dinner. None of them, not even the ladies inquired on Elisabeth's well being.

The very next morning, they were let off. But, instead of gratitude, her travelling companions avoided her and looked at her with disdain. They even gossiped and spoke unkindly of her.

In her haste, Elisabeth forgot to bring provisions and was hoping that her companions would share some with her. Nobody offered her any morsel of food and her sobbing went unheeded. Her heart's cry goes beyond mere physical food.

Food For Thoughts:

When we do the right thing against our will, we sacrifice ourselves for the good of others. Alas, we may end up having to bear the pain by ourselves.

It is always easy to laugh with those who laugh, but would we spare a thought or a cup of kindness towards those who cry?

"Life is a song - sing it. Life is a game - play it. Life is a challenge - meet it. Life is a dream - realize it. Life is a sacrifice - offer it. Life is love - enjoy it." -- Sai Baba

  

  

True Love

"Time is love."

"Only time can reveal the nature of true love."

With such love-and-time inspired taglines from Solvil et Titus (or Solvil & Titus), you may wanna get it as a gift for a loved one or even get one for yourself and be reminded that the passage of time is like a journey of love.  

As gleaned from Wikipedia, the company was founded in 1887 in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Neuchâtel, Switzerland by Paul Ditisheim who created 2 brands of watches: Solvil and Titus.

"...through his studies on the impact of atmospheric pressure and magnetic fields, Ditisheim invented the affix balance. Thanks to his inventions, he was able to make the most precise chronometers ever made. By 1903, his watches were awarded by the Kew and Neuchâtel Observatories contests. In 1912, he won the world's chronometric record of the Royal Kew Observatory."

If you are interested, please click on the following homepage:-

http://www.solvil-et-titus.com/index.html

By the way, you can view Leo Ku's music video at the following link:-

https://youtu.be/lBDdCXKpHHw