The following turtle in a crack would be an off-the-wall answer to the riddle of:
"How did a turtle find its way to the steps of a swimming complex?"
Saturday, September 30, 2017
Hot Spring
What springs to your mind when you think of hot spring?
Perhaps it would be the geysers at Yellowstone National Park, hot pools at Rotorua, New Zealand, or the onsens of Japan.
Well, the "Hot Spring" by Raymundo Albano can be found at the National Gallery Singapore and it had befuddled me for weeks, and this is my attempt to unravel it.
Albano's over-sized spring is a standout and made all the more so in red. A spring may collapse or dip, but it would invariably spring back to stand tall again.
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| Slinky (Graceful in Swedish) Photo credit: Andy Brown |
When a spring is well made with the best-fit design and materials it would consistently bounce back and stay in its original shape or stance. A spring has its purpose and does well when serving its intended purpose.
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| Photo credit: AliExpress.com |
A spring reminds us that we need to develop our character such as resilience, tenacity and gracefulness so that we remain firmly planted on both our feet like a great boxer who could roll with the punches.
Beetle Bailey may be beaten down again in the the following comic sketch by Mort Walker, but he always bounce back and carry on.
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| Image credit: Mort Walker/King Features Syndicate |
Setbacks or challenges are like free tuition for us to learn new lessons in life so that once learnt, we can avoid future pitfalls and live our life forward with passion, resilience and strength like a hot spring.
Friday, September 29, 2017
Beautiful Sunday by Daniel Boone
Sunday is coming and it's going to be beautiful.
Let "Beautiful Sunday" -- a popular song from the past (1972) which was written by Daniel Boone and Rod McQueen, and sung by Daniel Boone, gives you several good reasons as to why your Sundays are going to be beautiful from its timeless lyrics:-
Sunday morning, up with the lark
I think I'll take a walk in the park
Hey, hey, hey, it's a beautiful day
I've got someone waiting for me
When I see her I know that she'll say
Hey, hey, hey, it's a beautiful day
Ha, ha, ha, beautiful Sunday
This is my, my, my, beautiful day
When you say, say, say, say that you love me
Oh, my, my, my it's a beautiful day
Birds are singing, you by my side
Let's take a car and go for a ride
Hey, hey, hey, it's a beautiful day
We'll drive on and follow the sun
Makin' Sunday go on and on
Hey, hey, hey, it's a beautiful day
Hi, hi, hi, beautiful Sunday
This is my, my, my, beautiful day
When you say, say, say, say that you love me
Oh, my, my, my, it's a beautiful day
Hi, hi, hi, beautiful Sunday
This is my, my, my, beautiful day
When you say, say, say, say that you love me
Oh, my, my, my it's a beautiful day
Click here for Beautiful Sunday - Daniel Boone | Full HD |
For readers who hail from Asia, you may be more familiar with the Frances Yip's cover of Beautiful Sunday.
Click here for Frances Yip - Beautiful Sunday (Original Music Audio)
Thank you, Daniel Boone and Rod McQueen for making a difference with your upbeat and refreshing "Beautiful Sunday".
Chinese Food Adventure with Ching He Huang
Enjoy the following links as Ching He Huang takes you on a culinary adventure to Hong Kong and Macau, and fascinates you with her ease at dishing out tantalising Chinese food without breaking a sweat.
About Ching He Huang
(Source: Wikipedia)
Ching-He Huang, often known in English-language media simply as Ching, is a British Chinese food writer and TV chef who has appeared in a variety of television cooking shows and is the author of six best-selling cookbooks. Ching is recognised as a foodie entrepreneur having created her own food businesses. She has become the face of Chinese cookery internationally through her TV shows, books, tableware range and involvement in many high-profile campaigns and causes.
Wednesday, September 27, 2017
Do You Want This Brick Wall Painted White?
No problem. Considered it done.
It is just another day at the office for this unsung worker notwithstanding that he may have to go out on a limb to get the job done.
It is just another day at the office for this unsung worker notwithstanding that he may have to go out on a limb to get the job done.
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| Add caption |
What is a Baicycle?
In Chinese, "bai" means white and you could jolly well paint your bike white and nickname it as a baicycle.
Look no further -- voilà!
How about operating a Buycycle shop with www.buycycle.com as a homepage?
Sorry, too late. This domain name is already choped (reserved) and it is available for sale.
Sorry, too late. This domain name is already choped (reserved) and it is available for sale.
Be Kind to Grocers
"Be kind to animals". That's passé.
Let's be kind to one another -- starting with our grocers today.
Let's be kind to one another -- starting with our grocers today.
Friday, September 22, 2017
Make My Day - Snail version
This afternoon a tiny snail was spotted along a cement floor and I walked past it. I had seen big ones before but this is the first mini.
Felt a prompting from above and headed back to offer a lift. The snail retracted into its shell upon sensing my intrusion.
To the snail this is like a quantum leap while we might ponder, "What's the big deal?"
"Don't focus on the things that steal your joy. Count the many reasons you have to be happy." -- Anonymous
Click here for a realist take by Sahaj Ramachandran on What is the purpose of Snails on earth? (Thinking of escargot already?)
Felt a prompting from above and headed back to offer a lift. The snail retracted into its shell upon sensing my intrusion.
To the snail this is like a quantum leap while we might ponder, "What's the big deal?"
Yes, it feels like the green, green grass of home for this member of the Gastropoda. Bonne journée!
The snail faces a myriad of problems every day which may seem so trivial to us. While we have problems, they are, by and large, small and non-life threatening in comparison.
Thus, may the snail teach us to put our problems into perspectives and also recount the times when others have given us a helping hand -- and be thankful.
Click here for a realist take by Sahaj Ramachandran on What is the purpose of Snails on earth? (Thinking of escargot already?)
Feel Alive with ZESPRI
Note: Kiwi fruits taste even much better when serve chilled. Enjoy some kiwis today and be refreshed.
The Grip & Flexibility of Feiyue Shoes
Recently, I chanced upon a Caucasian wearing a pair of Feiyue shoes nonchalantly and I must say that they looked retro-chic on him considering that these shoes are old-school, but have now been given a new spin with a different variety of colours and an improved sole.
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| Photo credit: ezbuy.sg |
Feiyue (simplified Chinese: 飞跃; traditional Chinese: 飛躍; pinyin: fēi yuè), means ‘to fly over’ or ‘to traverse’. This meaning is reflected in the slogan of the brand: Flying Forward, and evokes a dual elevation, which can also be translated simply as ‘elevation of body and mind’."
If you are a parkour or wushu fanatic, you would likely have been initiated into wearing Feiyue. But, for the rest of us who have no qualms with canvas for shoes (think: Converse Chuck Taylor All Star canvas sneakers), Feiyue might prove to be a promising alternative or plain rising casual wear with a nondescript past.
Click here to watch In-Depth Feiyue Review by Chad Zwadlo.
The following is an insightful guide on the Chinese and French versions of Feiyue provided by Wikipedia:-
"The original Chinese versions of the Feiyue shoes and the re-designed French versions have a number of differences. The differences include:
1. Sole of the Shoe
The sole of the original Chinese Feiyue shoe contains reduced padding on the bottom of the shoe, which is considered desirable for running and jumping. The sole of the French version has thicker padding on the bottom and is designed for more general purpose use. Also, the seal at the center of the sole is a green triangle on the Chinese Feiyue, while the marking is a red circle on the French version.
2. Canvas Material of the Shoe
The canvas material of Chinese Feiyue shoe is thin, resulting in a large range of ankle flexibility. The martial arts application requires a wide range of foot motion. The canvas material of the French version is much thicker and allows for less flexibility.
3. Color of the Shoe
The original Chinese Feiyues originally came in only two colors, black and white and also come in HI and LO version of each. The shoes were previously only available in a limited range of styles—simple stripes with some different colors. Now Feiyue China has expanded to a wider range of colors and styles.
Overall the Chinese Feiyues are designed as inexpensive Martial Arts shoes and the French Feiyues are meant to be casual shoes."
"The original Chinese versions of the Feiyue shoes and the re-designed French versions have a number of differences. The differences include:
1. Sole of the Shoe
The sole of the original Chinese Feiyue shoe contains reduced padding on the bottom of the shoe, which is considered desirable for running and jumping. The sole of the French version has thicker padding on the bottom and is designed for more general purpose use. Also, the seal at the center of the sole is a green triangle on the Chinese Feiyue, while the marking is a red circle on the French version.
2. Canvas Material of the Shoe
The canvas material of Chinese Feiyue shoe is thin, resulting in a large range of ankle flexibility. The martial arts application requires a wide range of foot motion. The canvas material of the French version is much thicker and allows for less flexibility.
3. Color of the Shoe
The original Chinese Feiyues originally came in only two colors, black and white and also come in HI and LO version of each. The shoes were previously only available in a limited range of styles—simple stripes with some different colors. Now Feiyue China has expanded to a wider range of colors and styles.
Overall the Chinese Feiyues are designed as inexpensive Martial Arts shoes and the French Feiyues are meant to be casual shoes."
Wisdom of Love & Love of Wisdom
In his book "Inspired Destiny", Dr. John F. Demartini recalled two nuggets of wisdom which he had learnt while a teenager from a kind man:
1. Don't judge a book by it's cover. It will fool you.
2. Learn how to read so as to find the wisdom of love and the love of wisdom.
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| Photo credit: drdemartini.com |
The true worth of a book is in its contents and not its trappings. Likewise, we are well able to learn something from everyone else, every circumstances and every situations.
The whole wide world, including the internet, is a university for us to suspend prejudices and assumptions so that we can better informed and enlightened with new understanding, insights, thoughts and appreciation.
Acquired wisdom increases our love quotient. For example, when we show kindness to the elderly, others would observe and learn from us. By the by, when we ourselves become old and frail, we would appreciate even the simple act of someone giving up a seat for us on the train.
The love (philo) of wisdom (sophia) means philosophy. As we fall in love with wisdom, we are better equipped to live life more fully and meaningful. Here are some examples of wisdom for your contemplation:
"If you reason with an arrogant cynic, you’ll get slapped in the face;
confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins.
So don’t waste your time on a scoffer;
all you’ll get for your pains is abuse.
But if you correct those who care about life,
that’s different—they’ll love you for it!
Save your breath for the wise—they’ll be wiser for it;
tell good people what you know—they’ll profit from it.
Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God,
insight into life from knowing a Holy God.
It’s through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens,
and the years of your life ripen.
Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life;
mock life and life will mock you." -- Proverbs 9:10-12 (The Message)
confront bad behavior and get a kick in the shins.
So don’t waste your time on a scoffer;
all you’ll get for your pains is abuse.
But if you correct those who care about life,
that’s different—they’ll love you for it!
Save your breath for the wise—they’ll be wiser for it;
tell good people what you know—they’ll profit from it.
Skilled living gets its start in the Fear-of-God,
insight into life from knowing a Holy God.
It’s through me, Lady Wisdom, that your life deepens,
and the years of your life ripen.
Live wisely and wisdom will permeate your life;
mock life and life will mock you." -- Proverbs 9:10-12 (The Message)
| Image credit: Ray Sinclair |
"What you see for yourself, what you say to yourself, how you feel about yourself, and what actions you do for yourself will determine your destiny." -- Paul Bragg
Saturday, September 16, 2017
Paint The Town Red
There are two occasions where red is in vogue over her in Singapore, namely, Chinese New Year and National Day.
This year there was a notable exception when Yayoi Kusama's "Life Is The Heart of a Rainbow" was exhibited at National Gallery Singapore from 9 June 2017 to 3 September 2017.
As the organisers would have it, a walkway -- all decked out in polka dots of red, was created all the way from the City Hall MRT station to the gallery:
That's a glimpse of how the arts can enrich our experience of life.
Exhale Fans -- The World's first Bladeless Ceiling Fan
You don't have to dream of a bladeless ceiling fan any longer as you can get your hands on a few now from Exhale Fans.
Click here to view the Exhale fans in action.
Do You Need More Comfortable Shoes (think kyBoot)?
Ever dream of walking on air? If you have or you simply need a pair of more comfortable shoes, then you may wanna evaluate kyBoot.
According to its inventor, Karl Muller, "The foot is the key to a healthy body. The kyBoot means you walk and stand actively. The soft, supple materials gives your feet full freedom of movement and strengthens them without tiring them out."
As sourced from their flyer, these are some comments from medical experts:
"kyBoots help you keep balance and activate your muscles, from your toes to your back: they are helpful in the treatment of pain in the heels and forefeet, and are a method of choice to support the treatment of pain in the Achilles tendon and back." -- Dr Markus Muller, specialist in orthopaedic surgery, foot surgery practitioner, Lucerne
"The kyBoot means you can walk actively and healthily even on hard surfaces. The soft, unstable sole is kind on your joints, exercises your muscles and improves your balance. I especially recommend the kyBoot to patients with poor posture or knee problems." -- Prof. Christian Gabler, specialist in trauma surgery following accidents and sports injuries, Vienna
The secret to the walk-on-air sole of kyBoot is the specially developed multi-component polyurethane (PU) which contains many locked-in tiny air bubbles, thereby, forming a soft, supple air pad for optimal cushioning.
Click here to find out more on kyBoots, including the following benefits and effects of wearing their shoes:
"Benefits and effect
• kind to the joints, relaxes the back muscles
• exercises the muscles in your feet, legs and trunk
• burns off more calories
• activates blood flow in your legs
• stimulates receptors in your feet as they feel the floor surface"
Enjoy your new walk with a painless gait as you put your best feet forward, literally.
Saturday, September 9, 2017
Have You Seen This Parrot?
The following parrot has been well circulated through the internet and I received it through a friend.
In case you have not seen in yet, what you are now seeing is only an illusion of a parrot; it is not the real McCoy.
In case you have not seen in yet, what you are now seeing is only an illusion of a parrot; it is not the real McCoy.
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| Photo credit: Johannes Stotter |
With hindsight, you will see that the face of the parrot is actually the face of a woman. The beak of the parrot is her hand with arm arched over her head and its front body is the right arm of the woman. If you look at the wing, you would see the right folded leg of the woman while the tail is her outstretched left leg.
Click here to read more on this body painting and here for more of Mr Johannes Stotter's body paintings.
"Horizontals I" by Choy Weng Yang
The oil painting, "Horizontals I", by Choy Weng Yang left an indelible impression on me only after my first visit to the National Gallery Singapore. I did not take any photograph of it at first sight though as I had thought that it was too simplistic.
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| "Horizontals I" by Choy Weng Yang |
Back at home after the first visit, I kept thinking of this painting and mistook its title as "Rectangles". Great, here is someone who is into rectangles much like others who have their personal fixations such as squares, circles, birds, clouds, rainbows, origami, sunrises, flowers, fish and cars.
The rectangles would connote that we come in different sizes (skills, expertise and spheres of influence), colours (preferences, inclinations and gifting) and texture (character, experiences and background). And, that when placed side by side in an assembly, we would form the painting or jigsaw puzzle which represents our community or society.
Upon my second visit, it was the first painting that I sought after. I noticed that there were definitely some squares in it and justified it with the thought that squares can be reckoned as a subset of rectangles; they just happened to have sides of equal length.
When I saw the name tag with "Horizontals" on it, it stumped me momentarily and I had to erase my inaccurate initial perception that the painting was about rectangles.
What about horizontals? Well, once upon a time, people thought that the earth was flat and we would fall off beyond the horizon. That is to say that our existing knowledge may be inaccurate and we need to explore in order to discover more of the things around us and life itself.
Horizontals could represent one approach or one way of looking at things as a result of our experience, knowledge or personal bias. By keeping an open mind and willingness to assimilate new things, we would then gain a holistic and more complete understanding of things such as history, complex problems, dynamics of interpersonal relationships and politics.
But, horizontals can be good thing. We can rest well lying flat on our bed, sit firmly on a chair and that cup of coffee will stand tall on the table. Horizontals could represent the norm and certainties that help us to relax and enjoy the recreation of life.
And, I think horizontals could speak of organising our priorities and resources so that our life is like a richly coloured tapestry. Extending this further, it could also mean aligning body, soul and spirit to what God our Creator has called us to be and do; our destiny.
Friday, September 8, 2017
Domino Effects of the Literal Kind
If you enjoy playing with rows and rows of dominoes so that you can see how they fall, then the following roller-coaster like setup, which was shared by a friend of mine, might enthuse you.
Click on the following video and enjoy the ride:-
Click on the following video and enjoy the ride:-
What Makes Your Day?
Life is a matter of perspectives. You could well be happy with the simple pleasures of life such as having your morning breakfast at your favourite coffee shop or just taking a stroll along the beach.
Or just by being thankful for what you may be taking for granted such as your good health, the company of a few good friends, the safe shelter of a place you call home, literacy, and access to the internet.
Indeed, if you are mindful and remember to count your blessings, every day would be a great day to live by.
Just some thoughts with the intent of refreshing you to make your day a little lighter and happier.
Tuesday, September 5, 2017
Rope Skipping Can Be Cool and Fun
Rope skipping is a great form of exercise and it could well be as addictive as running or cycling from the looks of it.
Click here to view DDCHK6 - Double Dutch Department - Open - Champion.
Click here to view Jump Rope Team - Hungary's Best Rope Skipping Team.
Friday, September 1, 2017
The Seat of Knowledge
The following art installation exhibited at National Gallery Singapore has intrigued me. So I decided to fathom what the artist is trying to show.
The volumes of The Book of Knowledge (a printed encyclopedia) surrounding the scholar signifies that knowledge is all around us. To gain knowledge, we have to take the time to sit down and learn from what others have already observed, researched, studied and written down.
The huge monkey seated in front of the scholar would seem to represent a humongous distraction. But, the scholar is unfazed.
Moreover, the monkey with a golden crown is apparently extending a handshake even. It would seem to me then that we need to have the outsize curiosity of a monkey to gather knowledge.
And, if you put the knowledge to good use, you will reign as king or leader in your field of expertise.
"Knowledge is having the right answer. Intelligence is asking the right question." -- Anonymous
"Knowledge will give you power, but character respect." -- Bruce Lee
"To acquire knowledge, one must study; but to acquire wisdom, one must observe. " -- Marilyn vos Savant
Commitment : Does Your Name Say It All?
Here is a familiar fable (food for thought besides Norwegian salmon) on commitment:
One morning out in the field a chicken and a pig saw a troop of soldiers approaching and decided to provide them breakfast.
So the chicken said, "I will squeeze out some eggs. What about you?"
After a short pause, the pig said, "It would be bacon by me."
"There's no abiding success without commitment." -- Tony Robbins