Brompton Folding Bike

A folding bicycle makes sense if you are travelling by public transport or you do not have space enough to store a full-length bike.

Photo courtesy of www.brompton.com

And, in terms of compactness and design, the Brompton makes for a compelling buy.

Photo courtesy of www.brompton.com

Click here to read "5 Reasons To Buy A Brompton Folding Bike". 

Click here for adventures with users of Brompton bikes.

The Last 3 Wishes of Alexander the Great

Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great, is regarded as one of history's most successful military commanders. Even though he was undefeated in battles, there was an adversary he could not overcome -- his own terminal illness.

At his deathbed, he apparently summoned his generals to carry out his final 3 wishes without wavering:

1. "My physicians alone must carry my coffin."

2. "When my coffin is being carried to the grave, the path leading to the graveyard be strewn with gold, silver and precious stones which I have collected in my treasury."

3.  "Both my hands be kept dangling out of my coffin."

His generals were stunned by the instructions. By the by, his favourite general plucked up the courage to ask him about the unusual requests.

In reply, Alexander has this to share with us:

1) 'I want my physicians to carry my coffin because people should realize that no doctor on this earth can really cure any body. They are powerless and cannot save a person from the clutches of death. So let not people take life for granted.'

2) "I spent all my life earning riches but cannot take anything with me. Let people realize that it is a sheer waste of time to chase wealth."

3) "I wish people to know that I came empty handed into this world and empty handed I go out of this world."

Now, wouldn't it be great if we could keep in mind our mortality and the purpose we are planted where we are right now so that we can serve others and leave an enduring legacy?

We are responsible for our own health. We need to watch our diet, keep fit, de-stress and sleep adequately so that our body can heal itself (with the help of medical prescriptions from medical doctors, if need be). The biblical perspective for overcoming physical death could be found, inter alia, in John 3:16.

Wealth is good, but it is not the ultimate goal in life. Wealth shared with those who need some help or can't help themselves makes for a better life one person at a time. And, when wealth is used to benefit an entire community and beyond, then it generates the greater good all-round. Then, there is the greatest need for people to have a divine perspective of life with a heart to pursue close fellowship with God Himself. See Matthew 6:19-21 for what Jesus Christ had to say concerning our treasures.  

Death is the great equaliser. What we have done for ourselves would be gone when we are gone. But the good that we do for others would live on. One of the richest man of the East, Job, lost all his children and livestock in one day. His response is as follows:

“Naked I came from my mother’s womb,

And naked shall I return there.

The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away;

Blessed be the name of the Lord.” -- Job 1:21 (NKJV)

Job recognised the Sovereignity of God -- that everything belongs to God. What we have is temporary or, at the most, on a leasehold basis with an expiry date. When we purchase a car, it comes with an instruction manual for us to know how best to upkeep our vehicle in prime condition. Whaddaya know, God has already given us an instruction manual, the Holy Bible, for all mankind to take heed as early and as soon as possible.

Food for thoughts indeed from the Alexander the Great Commander and Jesus Christ the Great Teacher (the Son of God and the Son of Man).

Believe That You Can Achieve Your Dream

Richard M. DeVos is a co-founder Amway Corporation together with Jay Van Andel. Here are some words of inspiration from DeVos, with adaptation, on how you can achieve your dreams.

Believe that you can. "I can." is a powerful statement and gives you the oomph to go for it in direct opposition to the wet blanket of "I can't." You can do whatever you really believe you can do. DeVos' goal was to succeed in business and he believed that he could do it. Business was his thing. 

What's your thing -- the thing that makes you tick with passion? Put it another way, "What's your goal?" "What are you believing for today -- really believing for?"

DeVos' is of the view that the gap between what you think you can achieve and what is actually possible for you is very, very small. Also, he is convinced that almost anyone can do whatever he really believes he can do. You can do it! Start off with this conviction; you owe it to yourself.

Be determined and make the efforts to pursue your dream. It is a combination of "faith and effort" which would produce results in whatever sphere of endeavours. 

DeVos started Amway together with his high school buddy, Jay Van Andel. Before this, they had had many shared experiences of achieving with "I can" in their bones. For example, they actually went into the aviation business with Wolverine Air Service. You will never know what you can achieve until you try! They started with a little Piper Club airplane and employed seasoned pilots to train their customers how to fly. Yes, neither of them knew how to fly an airplane. And, faced with the lack of an available airstrip, they mounted some pontoon floats to their planes and used a river for their runway! Nobody said it was going to be plane sailing, but they had "I can" in them. That's the difference; the big difference; the real difference.

Give your dream a chance. Put your thoughts into actions. How else will you know whether it will work out unless you give it a try and fine-tune things along the way? Don't let the naysayers distract you. You are in it for your your own good with preparedness to pay the price and willingness to take a loss even if things do not turn out well. But, the experience of being true to yourself with the guts to stick out would be priceless. You will gain invaluable experience of the good, bad and ugly, and be a lot wiser down the road to eventual success in your pursuits.

"The only thing that stands between a man and what he wants from life is often merely the will to try it and the faith to believe that it is possible." -- Richard M. DeVos

And, where did DeVos catch his "I can" attitude? He said, "My father was a great believer in the potential of individual effort. Every time he heard me say the word "can't" as a boy, he would say, "There is no such word as "can't", and if you say it one more time I'll knock your block right through that wall!" He never did that, but I never forgot the point he was making. I learned that there really are no good uses of the word "can't."

Rainbows are for real ever since God gave the promise of rainbows after the Great Flood. You can see rainbows, right? How clearly can you see your own rainbow in the eye of your imagination and heart of conviction? Believe that you can and you will see.

See yourself in this: "They can because they think they can." -- Virgil

Click here to view a collection of beautiful rainbows.

Click here to find out more on "You Can If You Think You Can" written by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale.

You Have A New Player In Badminton

Can't find a partner to play badminton with? 

Fret not, this new player is on hand to play with you, untiringly.

Click on the following video to view this new player in action and excuse the double rackets.

How Do You Fulfill Your Dreams?

You got us here Ensure!

How do you fulfill your dreams? Build on your strength. Many thanks, Ensure!

Success is not going to be overnight even though it may seem that way judging by the way we often react when we hear of others who have achieved their dreams. It is going to take a process of learning, growing and sticking to your own game plan to be at the level you are reaching for.

As reminded by Ensure, you gotta build on your strength. This is what will give you a comparative advantage -- a competitive advantage, if you will. Build diligently and persistently with time, efforts and ingenuity; keep exploring and don't give up. 

Your imagined rainbow will become real, if you keep working on your dream because you know that it is going to be worth it. After all, this pursuit is what keeps you happy and alive above the humdrum of normalcy.

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them." -- Walt Disney

"Stay true to yourself, yet always be open to learn. Work hard, and never give up on your dreams, even when nobody else believes they can come true but you. These are not cliches but real tools you need no matter what you do in life to stay focused on your path." -- Phillip Sweet

A Word In Season for a Happy Mother's Day

Backdrop at City Harvest Church for photo taking on Mother's  Day 2017

As adapted from Pastor Aries Zulkarnian's preaching this weekend at City Harvest Church, there are three phrases that you may wanna say to your mother:

1) I Am Sorry

Truth be told, a mother may in her zeal to be the best possible mom over-compensates and appears to be controlling and naggy, especially while you are still young. This gives rise to conflicts and you may have out of sheer exasperation snapped at her for the umpteenth time.

But, if you can put yourself in her shoes, then you would understand and appreciate her concerns and care.

2) I Love You

Even as your grow up and get caught up with the busyness of life, you would begin to realise that your mom is succumbing to the process of aging. This is the season when she needs you care and love, in return.

Your time will come, too, and your children will (hopefully) emulate your behaviour in caring for your mom with actions that speak louder than words (e.g. bringing her for regular medical check-up).

3) Thank You

Shower your love and appreciation to those who make a difference in your life, especially your mom, while she is still around. 

Thank her for her words of wisdom and counsel; for showing you what it means to love sacrificially.

Click here to watch Some people call this 'The Best Mother's Day Ad Ever'. It takes someone strong (your mom) to make someone strong (you). Your mom believes in you and would always see the champion on the inside of you.

"My mother thinks I am the best. And I was raised to always believe what my mother tells me." -- Diego Maradona

"My mother said to me, 'If you are a soldier, you will become a general. If you are a monk, you will become the Pope.' Instead, I was a painter, and became Picasso." -- Pablo Picasso

"My mother had a great deal of trouble with me, but I think she enjoyed it." -- Mark Twain

Beyond Your Wildest Matchbox!

When I received the gift of my very first Matchbox it helped me to think beyond matchboxes. 

Photo by courtesy of www.70er-matchbox.de

For a young lad, the reality of owning and storing a die-cast metallic car in a 'matchbox' was simply fascinating.

There is still room for us to stretch our imagination way way beyond Matchboxes. 

Click here to view The world's largest luxury car "vending machine" in Singapore. 

Click here to view in more details the cars which Autobahn Motors are housing in their "vending machine".

It would only be a matter of time before a Pagani makes it appearance in this tower of 'Matchboxes'.

Click here to hear the sound Pagani Zonda and the Pagani Hyuara.

Society for Responsible Bike Sharing

The e-buzzword is still growing and has now extended to bike-sharing in Singapore and elsewhere. 

This is a boon to those who disdain the bother of owning a two-wheeler but would not mind accessing one occasionally so as to get from point A to B with relatively ease than walking while enjoying the ride. 

The jury is still out as to whether this will become entrenched. For now there are already many reported cases of abuse against this machine gone unpunished.

Another e-bike bites the dust :(

However, it would be a matter of time before public outcry toward such insensitivity to private property of the e-bike companies would build up and we could well have a movement such as Society For Responsible Bike Sharing. The rules of law and order would come to bear.

Meanwhile, our romance with the bicycle would not be stymied. 

These newcomers are in great shape and raring for rides

"Throughout human history, in any great endeavour requiring the common effort of many nations and men and women everywhere, we have learned - it is only through seriousness of purpose and persistence that we ultimately carry the day. We might liken it to riding a bicycle. You stay upright and move forward so long as you keep up the momentum." -- Ban Ki-moon

"Education is a continual process, it's like a bicycle... If you don't pedal you don't go forward." -- George Weah

"Life is like a ten speed bicycle. Most of us have gears we never use." -- Charles M. Schulz  

Now, if someone would care to share Raleigh's Chopper with me I would raise a toast to this era of the sharing community. It would bring me back to my childhood neighbourhood when they were all the rage.

A Cut Above Your Current Self

Money can buy more than happiness. For example, you can get a decent signature haircut and look-and-feel like a superstar at an affordable price. And, go for a different look at the next outing!

Yes, change can be good. It speaks of progress. 

While you are at The Ole Barber you may also wanna contemplate getting a retro haircut a la 'The Greatest' (boxer of all time) -- Muhammad Ali, as per the following poster on their wall. 

You can be sure that the barbers would go on a limb as they share your sentiment to wanna 'Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee'. Way to go!

"He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life. "-- Muhammad Ali

That said, why not take try a new haircut under the sturdy hands of a trusty (seasoned) barber and remake the you in you? The future is in your hands by the choices you make and your responses to what life throws at you.

Just a cautionary note though. As with Reza Parastesh, an Iranian student, who groomed himself to look like Lionel Messi, you need to know what kind of soup you may be getting into.

Click here to read Parastesh's story.

Eat and Drink with Happiness

Ever had those days where happiness just popped up unexpectedly? It doesn't happen to me often enough, but today had been a good one.

While passing a Dunkin' Donuts outlet across the Causeway in Johor Bahru, I wanted to check out their coffee as I recalled having read of their popular brew. Their coffee did me good, and I would say that it is more robust and full-bodied than my regular cuppa of coffee black.

Have you discovered great coffee at Dunkin Donuts yet? 

But, what made my day was their "Happy" donuts. The counter staff said that photography of them is not allowed. So, I just had to buy one and take a shot of it. Yes, you can buy some happiness! 

Back in Singapore, I reached for a glass of calamansi juice so as to gain respite from the sweltering afternoon heat. It was good and refreshing drink. And, when I took a good look at the imprint on the plastic cup, I felt that the food and drinks merchants are in collusion for the good cause of spreading some happiness!

To round up, I have retrieved the following snapshot which was taken some time back to thicken the plot for happiness.

Daily Refreshing blog wishes you lots of surprising happy encounters!

Let Lionel Messi Inspire You

Lionel Messi has been regarded as one of the best soccer player in the world alongside legends such as Pele, Diego Maradona, Johan Cryuff, Michel Platini and Marco van Basten.

"Messi is the best player in the world by some distance. He's like a PlayStation. He can take advantage of every mistake we make." —Arsène Wenger commends Messi for his four–goal display against Arsenal in April 2010.

Click here to read more on his climb and rise to the top of his game.

But for a recent photograph of him with tissue in his mouth to stem the flow of blood from a knocked-out tooth and a bruised left eye from an earlier encounter, I would have given him the miss.

Image by courtesy of www.dreamteamfc.com

Click here to watch Messi in action against Real Madrid.

"The ball stays glued to his foot; I've seen great players in my career, but I've never seen anyone with Messi's ball control." -- Diego Maradona

Messi is an inspiration and the following is but a glimpse of what you can glean from him:

1. Be Focus

Messi is very clear of his focus to score goals, whether directly or assisting. He practices hard out of the limelight and keeps himself fit. He is in it to nail his shots at goal. He is hungry for goals and does whatever it takes: dribbles like crazy, does one-two exchanges with his teammates, makes defense-splitting passes, converts penalty kicks, unleashes free kicks that befuddles the goalies, chips/curls/thunders shots using either of his legs with incredible poise, power and accuracy, and would even lunge his body forward to score with his chest, if that gets the job done.

2. Be Courageous

At 1.70m Messi would be regarded as dimunitive and his opposing defenders would often tower over him. That never seemed to bother him. He just take them on one at a time and weaves his way around and through them to get the ball to where he wants it to go. He would keep plodding and explore all available options, including releasing ball to a teammate. He is not intimidated by the challenges and opposition.

3. Be Prepared

You will be aghast at the kind of tackles that come Messi way. Many a time defenders could be seen sliding full flight with both legs trying to clip Messi's legs. There are times when Messi is caught out, but more often than not Messi has already anticipated their advances and would leap to avoid their crunching tackles. It pays to be wary and prepared. Messi is cognizant of the desperation of his opponents to keep a clean score and seemingly do not allow them to get on his nerves. He would just shrug off the tackles and keep playing his game. He will not allow anything to keep him down; he wants to keep playing; he was born for this. Let the dentist fix that missing tooth later.

4. Be Quick 

It is definitely not an overstatement that Messi is very fast on his feet. He moves with quick reflexes and explores openings. Once an opening is found, he moves in incisively to advance his game and delivers his strike at goal. There is a hunger which translates into a sense of urgency; he is not a pedestrian but an a powerhouse for producing results that matter to his team. He moves quickly and motivates his teammate as a playmaker.

5. Be Thankful

Throughout his professional career to date, Messi has scored 513 goals according to Wikipedia. Nevertheless, he always honour his grandmother by pointing his fingers to the sky. In his own words, "I am doing this because I dedicate my goals to my grandmother. She took to me to football but now she can't see how far I have come. Nevertheless, she continues to help me and my family." You are not alone. Others have helped you along the way. Be thankful and remember them.

Click here to watch Messi at training.