How To Have More Money (Part 6)

This particular entry has been on my scrap book, but I have been debating with myself as to whether it is appropriate to fit it into this series on How To Have More Money.

I mean if somebody tells me that to stop drinking coffee so as to save some money, I will probably through up my arms and say, "Not now; not in the next twenty years, God willing."

It is a no-brainer, but if you are hooked on smoking cigarettes where it is not a job requirement and the doctor has not advised that you do so, then I would earnestly recommend that you aim for a smoke-free life, primarily, for health reasons. It would save you money now and also save you lots of money in predictable medical bills by steering clear of smoking-related diseases now.

The Health Promotion Board of Singapore (HPB) is an active proponent for leading a smoke-free life and you may wanna take a look at their "Go One Step Closer to a Smoke-Free Life" programme at the following link:- http://www.hpb.gov.sg/HOPPortal/health-article/11946 

According to research, the chances of being smoke-free improve by 5 times in the first 28 days of kicking the habit and the programme offers the following adapted milestones to guide you towards the goal of smoke-free living:-

Day 1: Nicotine levels in your body drop and you start to feel slightly anxious.

Day 7: Breathing is easier, but cravings come at least 3 times a day.

Day 14: You're free from anxiety and your body is changing into a non-smoker's.

Day 23: Your brain receptors no longer respond to nicotine cravings.

Day 28: Physically and mentally, your body is back to how it was before you started smoking.

Upon your successful completion on Day 28, please feel free to share your story with HPB.

Even if you are not a smoker yourself, you may know someone who can benefit this and forward the following HPB's link on "Smoke Free Living" to him or her.

I am sure you can succeed if you find support and help from loved ones and external sources, have the will to change, are motivated by the benefits of smoke-free living, and/or are deterred by health hazards of smoking.  

With this, we wrap up Part 6 on how to have more money, namely: To Snub the Cigarette Stub for Good

As for my coffee drinking, outside of home a cup of coffee black from McDonald's or Burger King would costs around SGD 2.50. It would costs a lot more when it comes to Starbucks. 

Based on three cups of coffee a day over 23 working days in a month, this would work out to a neat sum of SGD 172.50. Thus, whenever practicable, I would resort to my coffee survival pack consisting of a stack of heat-resilient paper cups, a tin of coffee powder and boiled water from the office pantry. Sugar is optional now at my age, I am happy to report.

That's all for now, till I find the impetus to back off from coffee. Psst, the jury is still out that coffee has loads of health benefits. However, my advice is not to start on coffee, if you could help it.   

Notes:

* Money is not the root of all evil. It is the love of money which is the root of all evil.

* Money is great servant but a terrible master.

* You can give without loving, but you can't love without giving.

* "Don’t wear yourself out trying to get rich; restrain yourself! Riches disappear in the blink of an eye; wealth sprouts wings and flies off into the wild blue yonder." (Proverbs 23:4-5; MSG)

Eat and Travel with Anthony Bourdain

By way of introduction, courtesy of Wikipedia, "Anthony Michael Bourdain (born June 25, 1956) is an American chef, author, and television personality. He is a 1978 graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and a veteran of numerous professional kitchens, including many years as executive chef at Brasserie Les Halles. 

Anthony Bourdain

Though Bourdain is no longer formally employed as a chef, he maintains a relationship with Les Halles in New York. He is widely known for his 2000 book Kitchen Confidential: Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly, and in 2005 he began hosting the Travel Channel's culinary and cultural adventure programs Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations and The Layover. In 2013, he joined CNN to host Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown." 

When you watch Anthony Bourdain's documentary on his travels and food feasts on television, you can't help but think that a dream job has landed on his lap. 

He speaks in a dour manner punctuated with scant positive lilts and may come across as boring to the casual listener. Yet, I find myself drawn again and again to his TV programme whenever I have the luxury of time to indulge. His unique selling proposition (USP) would be that he brings you to places which is off-road from the usual tourist fare and picks the brains of the people he shares his meals with. 

In so doing, you get to travel into the psyche of a nation or culture and gain a deeper appreciation and understanding of the diverse and eclectic world that we call planet Earth. And, I think Bourdain is enjoying the eating and social discourse equally and inseparably. That makes him happy and his happiness is contagious to viewers like me.

Some of his TV episodes have found their ways to YouTube and you may just wanna to catch some episodes such as the following:-

Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown - Season 3 Episode 8 - Brazil

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09w4cvysmug

Discovery Channel | Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown Jerusalem

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FWm7PEAYdik 

Discovery Channel | Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown Lyon

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4WrTIPCKsk

May you find your travel and food fare with Anthony Bourdain to be enriching, too.

Inspiration from Your Bedroom

Inspiration is everywhere. Yes, even in your bedroom! The following is a circulated message, the source of which is as yet unascertained, which I have adapted and expanded.

Read it and be inspired, as well.

"In bed, I was asking myself, "what are some of the secrets to success in life?" 

I found the answer right there in my very room:

The bed said, "Be rejuvenated with a good night's sleep."

The exercise mat said, "Eat healthy and exercise regularly."

The fan said, "Be cool".

The roof said, "Aim high".

The window said, "See the world".

The calendar said, "Be up to date".

The clock said, "Every minute is precious".

The mirror said, "Reflect before you act".

The wash basin said, "Refresh yourself daily."

The comb said, "Groom well."

The glass said, "Drink seven glasses of water a day and stay hydrated."

The toilet said, "Flush the bad habits that will deter you from becoming someone influential in life!" 

The door said, "Push hard for your goals". 

The rug said, "KNEEL DOWN and PRAY". 

The Bible laughed and said, "READ ME FOR THE DIRECTION OF LIFE"."

If you do not have a Bible, fret not and click on the following link https://www.biblegateway.com/

For starters, I would recommend either New King James version or New International version. 

And, if you are new to reading the Bible, I would recommend you start by searching for the following books at www.biblegateway.com: "Proverbs", "Psalms", "Matthew", "Mark", "Luke" and "John".

BERING-Time On Your Wrist !

There are watches and more watches. What sets one brand of watch from others would be attributes such as design, functionality, materials and marketing angle. This distinctive combination would then contribute towards the perceived value and image of a particular brand.

BERING is a relatively newcomer to the watch industry and when I first saw an outlet at Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Centre in  2014, the stand-out for me was that it is quintessentially Danish with a minimalistic design.

Recently, I was passing by a Bering outlet where its solar offering caught my attention and the sales staff (dressed with a grey wool vest; it's cold in the Arctic region) obliged me with a snapshot of the watch. 

Also, I seized the opportunity to get hold of a copy of its marketing pamphlet to initiate me, as it were, into the world of Bering. Dig in with me ...

"When a vision is born from an adventure

When Danish adventurer and businessman Rene Kaerskov jumped out of a helicopter into the ice cold of the Arctic, directly over the North Pole in 2008, he had no idea that he was parachuting into a new era.

Because at that moment in time, landing safely at the most northerly point of the globe, his heart was conquered by the cool, simple beauty and infinite white expanse of the eternal ice. Overwhelmed by these fascinating impressions he also captivated his friends and business partners Michael Witt Johansen and Lars Gram-Skjonnemann with his descriptions of the exquisite splendour of the Arctic landscape. Inspired by these beautiful images the two Danes started to develop the vision of a new watch brand -- a watch brand which would be as pure, clear and breathtakingly beautiful as the Arctic itself.

The idea for Bering was born."

"When one name is responsible for writing history

Exactly 285 years ago, the Danish sailor Vitus Bering braced himself for a daring adventure: in 1728 he set sail for an almost unknown area of the Arctic Ocean. On his journey he crossed the straits which would later be named the Bering Strait in his honour. Vitus Bering was the first European to discover Alaska and it is here that one of the four time zones bears his famous name: Bering-Time!

Treading new ground, venturing into unknown territory: the Danes Vitus Bering and Rene Kaerskov link these ideas with the BERING brand. This is the only way in which a vision can become reality. And so the brand BERING is successfully made up of extraordinarily hard materials and an extremely flat design."

I think a Bering watch would look pristine still notwithstanding the elements and passage of time. Consider the uncompromising high quality materials that are used harmoniously to produce its components:

Glass - sapphire glass (scratch resistant), hardened mineral glass

Bezel (top surface around the glass) - HighTech-ceramic (highly scratch resistant, very light, heat resistant and also anti-allergic)

Dial (surface under the hands) - carbon, mother of pearl, sunray

Case - stainless steel, titanium

Band - stainless steel with ceramic or titanium links, mesh, calfskin leather strap

Blink - Swarovski

Aside from the ceramic bezel and its super sleek appearance, I find that the complementing bands with ceramic or titanium links as well as mesh bands to be a highly compelling selling point for Bering watches. Yup, pay attention to those ceramic links, in particular!

Now, we know that "When the pure, cool beauty of the Arctic and the simple elegance of the Danish design melt into one, a new era dawns: It's BERING-Time!"

If you are interested, please check out www.beringtime.com

Words are very powerful in the first person

Words, spoken or written, are powerful. When such words are employed in the first person, they can be very powerful.

Look no further and just consider the following word signages which seem to have a life of their own and the ability to command our full attention.

Enjoy!

If you have urgent business needs and require fast relief, please look up Middleroad Signcrafts (MRS) at www.mrssign.com/ , the brain behind the above-mentioned signages. 

For your ease of reference, their range of services are shown below:-

"Range of Services

The staple product of MRS, our range of signcraft services includes the fabrication, installation and maintenance of both indoor and outdoor signages, ready-made signs as well as large-format banners, mobiles and point-of-sale collateral.

Displays for events & exhibitions

MRS expertise in signcrafts now extends to include all aspects of events and exhibitions display, from concept to construction and installation of all displays and stnads for a particular event. One of MRS' latest acquisitions is an ultra-new range of attractive modular tentages so far seen only in Europe and North America. Thanks to MRS' continual search for new and innovative ideas, these tentages are now available for rent (at an affordable price) to add prestige and a fresh look to any event or exhibition.

Hi-tech number plates

Another innovation now available exclusively through MRS; is the Ustch Classic Vehicle Number Plate system from Germany. Hi-tech in design and distinctive-looking, each number plate is made of high-density unbreakable aluminium with the vehicle number permanently embossed by precision machine. The process of fabrication is clean and environment friendly. Immediately popular since its introduction the new number plate system is set to replace the old flimsy plastic types.

Instant & express services

Namecards, letterheads, invoices, receipt books, event certificates, greeting cards and rubber stamps made while you wait. The hallmark of MRS' Instant & Express services is speed, and the ability to meet the needs of both individuals and organizations who need things in a hurry. No order is too small; non too big.

Franchises in the pipeline

The popularity of the MRS' number plate and instant & express services has led MRS to study the feasibility of developing a franchise for launch both here and in countries in the region. Such a franchise would serve to fulfill two long term goals of MRS: to make its one-stop-many-services concept more readily available and to offer a unique opportunity for aspiring individuals to own a profitable business that provides a useful service."

FRANZ for Fine Porcelain Art

Mr Francis Chen, artist and entrepreneur, had a vision to revive Chinese porcelain art and founded Franz Collection Inc. in June 2002.

The company designs, creates and markets a variety of functional and home decor accessories such as porcelain tableware, vases and decorative accents, as well as a line of exquisite jewelry. 

Its worldwide clientele includes prestigious department stores as well as specialty gift and decorative and home decor businesses. 

Why Franz?

As gleaned from the company's website (http://www.franzcollection.com), when Mr Chen was attending university with German Literature as his major, his professor called him by the German name "Franz". 

By the by, this moniker was (gleefully, if I may add) adopted by Mr Chen as the emblem of his creative business producing exquisite functional and decorative porcelain masterpieces. 

When looking for fine porcelain to decorate your home, thinking of a gift or servicing your clients' interior design vision, remember --

"When it comes to porcelain, there is no comparison to the artistry of Franz."