Christmas Weekend, 2010 & 2011

This was a nice long weekend. Spent with almost the same bunch of friends. Nice and simple nonetheless. I got a pair of shoes tailor-made!

2010 in Retrospect
Personal life wise, was in a relationship and made more friends!
Work wise, job went pretty well, almost bored now.
Studies wise, good and survived the first semester
Healthwise, could be better, revived bouts of ballet and squash. Languished in running.

2011 Resolutions
Hope to travel to the U.S for A's wedding
Hope to find a new role that I might like and be good at. I hope to do quant and write
Hope to learn/continue an sport that I truly enjoy
Hope to pick up an activity, or a musical instrument
Hope to do some charity work. Might be dog walking, reading to kids, or visitng an old folks home.
Hope to have some stability in religion, maybe weekly to St Johns.
Looking forward to spend time and communicate more with my family
Protect the environment, waste less water, conserve electricity, recycle and reuse!
Walk where possible

The Search for the Ugliest Shoes

It is hard to find a really comfortable pair of shoes that is not ugly. My feet hurt after just half a day of walking. And it doesn't help that I am having leg cramps, and backache, which point to lack of exercise. This I would woefully agree. But no, I did not wear heels, just uncomfortable flats.

So I came home, determined to look up a brand of comfortable black flats on the internet, but so, because I failed, I can only think of Manolo Blahnik or Sergio Rossi. I think they both make good shoes. So, the former is a Spanish designer, who creates excellent collection of shoes for women. I think he shot to fame thanks to Sex and the City's Carrie. According to the designer, feminine footwear really can make a woman irresistible. I think by feminine, he means high heels. Maybe he should try wearing his own creations for a day.

As genetics has it, wearing towering heels is really not a good idea for me, as I do not need the added height, nor do I desire to walk around poorly paved roads with potholes in it and have to yank them out from the ground when they get stuck! So I picked some of the flatter heels I might look out for when I visit the shops. I do hope they are not narrow, as I have wide feet!

And now, from branded to comfortable! Considering Naturalizer, most possibly found in HK's version of OG!



So I think the pictures sum up my point very succinctly. It's not always an easy choice to choose comfort over style, but I am trying. :)

Learn how to Sing?

It says on the below excerpt that singing motivates and engages your mind and soul. It is theraputic. I can understand why KTV is such an enjoyed sport, why people sing in church, why one will hum when you are happy! So ... I might just take up singing classes when my exam is over! I think its the same idea as why I can't dance when I am not happy... so this means I have to be with happy people whom I like when I go party!

"Singing is an act of vibration. It takes music from the realm of the unformed- whether that is in your mind or from that magical space of inspiration- and moves it from within to without. From the first breath singing moves the energy in a circular way inside your body.... The use of the voice can bring about catharsis, a cleansing from the expression of emotion, which is why we feel better after singing certain types of songs. All of this occurs even if we are not conscious of what we are singing, but when we really connect with an intention, the power of the voice and music together are powerful tools in creation.

Whether you sing along to the radio or use vocalization as part of your meditation time, singing and harmonizing are healing activities that bring your body’s vibrations into alignment with the universe."

Taken from "Harmonizing with the Universe" on http://sharelife.wordpress.com/

Sun Yat Sen Medical Sciences Museum

This museum which is usually empty and contains exhibits of medical science experiments on rats is transformed into a fashion gallery tonight. As I walked home from school I heard some music and realised it was the Joyce's Boutique 40th Anniversay. If not for the music, I could also tell from the big cars parked along the normally empty driveway, and their chauffeurs dressed in white or black suits. So I took a picture of the entrance to the party which was lined with people waiting to go into the museum, which promptly opened at 10.30pm. Visitors to the main entrance were greeted with waiters with drinks on trays.

It was a classy setup and I don't think they did disservice to the historic site. HK continually amazes me at how creative they can get with space, and making the most of an idea, to present it in the most innovative ways. It's such an interesting end to be a passer-by to such a happening event, which I wasn't attending even though it is at my backyard. It is not my scene, but more of the rich and the tai-tais. I will definitely check out the event if I can! It's free to the public!

Pictures taken from my camera. :)

Article from SCMP - 8th Dec 2010.
Over the past 40 years, Joyce Boutique has been synonymous with cutting-edge fashion in Asia. Since the early 1970s, when founder Joyce Ma opened a small multi-label boutique at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, the retailer has discovered and championed some of the industry's most innovative designers, including Yohji Yamamoto, Dries Van Noten, Comme des Garcons and Balenciaga. Ma was the first to open monobrand stores for luxury brands in Asia such as Giorgio Armani, Donna Karan and Thierry Mugler, and also pioneered a lifestyle retail concept with Joyce Flowers, Joyce magazine and Joyce Cafe in the 80s and 90s.

With so many achievements it's fitting that the retailer chose to celebrate its 40th anniversary in grand style by launching, "A Journey in Fashion", a large-scale multimedia exhibition that will debut in Hong Kong, before continuing on to Shanghai and Paris, where it will close Fashion Week in March.

The exhibition, which has taken over a year to co-ordinate, will be presented at The Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences, a 100-year-old heritage building in Mid-Levels that is being used for a fashion event for the first time. Covering two floors, visitors will be led through five rooms, each offering an insight into Joyce's history and development, supported by rare archive images, press clippings and installations. One-on-one interviews with designers and fashion visionaries such as Ann Demeulemeester and Dean and Dan Caten from DSquared will be conducted by influential blogger and ex-Joyce magazine editor Diane Pernet.

A Journey in Fashion opens to the public from tomorrow at The Hong Kong Museum of Medical Sciences, Square Street, Mid-Levels. Opening hours: Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 7pm (closed on Mondays); 10am to 5pm on December 24, 25 and 31. Admission is free. For inquiries, please call 2524 7828.

In Shanghai

I am in Shanghai again. I was here previously in Oct, so 1.5 mths ago. Just to meet a newly signed on client. Pretty relaxing, and less hectic as compared to if I did a sales trip.

I think I am happier not doing Sales. Still putting up at my favourite hotel. Shanghai never fails to shock and awe me. So many tall buildings and so modern! And lots more tourists than when I first came here three years ago. So amazing, what the expo can do for a country!

Just now, I had the most amazing Xiao Jian Bao! It is not small at all, and is similar to a Xiao Long Bao, except much bigger and thicker skin that is crispy at the bottom. I ate six and had a bowl of vermicelli for my dinner. Cheap, just cost me RMB20, approx SGD$4.

I just booked tickets for Ho Chi Min for my family. Budget tickets are funny. They charge for ticket+taxes+seat selector+baggage+insurance+credit card fee. But overall the price ticket is a steal still! I might need to check at the travel agencies for cheap packages for my flight out of HK and our hotel! It will be sometime more, in March next year. At least there is something to look forward to!

This Week

Sichuan Food with colleagues. Beat this: 5 People, 9 dishes. It was crazy and hot. Favourite was the Kong Bao Chicken.

My favourite was this duo who was playing the flute and guitar. I was mesmerized as I sat in the coffee shop opposite with my OJ on a Saturday evening!

As it was close to evening, 6pm ish, they sky got darker and made way for Cirque de Solei's performance! Look at that naked buttock!

Great end on Saturday with Kalai and the girls and Maurice at Hyde. :) I am loving HK again! I think I am becoming happier again! Yay!

How am I?

I think things are going well for me in HK. Work is good, health is good (just had my health checkup), studying is good, parents are good. Siblings are good. I cannot be more lucky.

Moved to a product role, and I have to continually remind myself that "Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from their neck saying, 'Make me feel important.' "

I really should never forget this message when working with people. I do, and quite obviously or be pretty curt at some people/clients when they annoy me. This happens to happen when you are in the customer service line and you work with people from all walks of life. I have to suffer fools quietly. So I must run/exercise frequently to vent it or maintain a good balance.

I was with Doris at Cartier recently looking for a watch. She is one classy tai-tai seriously, i go out with her, always feel out-classed! But she is like a breath of fresh air from my daily interactions. Well, not gotten any expensive buys yet, might wait maybe, for what you ask? Wait till I feel like spending!

What does it mean to forgive?

Is it letting go of the hurt in your heart and not let that particular act make you sad?

If then, I have forgiven.

I cannot forget, the happy memories that we shared and how you made me feel. One will not easily forget especially the special moments that come so rarely.

Maybe I need to keep smiling and take the happy moments I had with you as a blessing!

I forgive you and I am moving on.

I am counting down to the day when I can feel liberated and happy to be myself again. I hope I can let go of the hurt soon.

By: Eduardo Saverin ...

Remarkably, none of these companies even existed a mere thirty years ago. These are the types of companies that result in the creation of thousands upon thousands of new jobs. Just as importantly, they affect our lives in a way that enables us all to conduct our daily business in a more efficient and productive manner.

With Facebook, we built a product because we believed in it and its function, and wanted it to exist.

The creation of a business from the embryo of a concept is the genius of the entrepreneur.

Entrepreneurship involves mistakes and failures. But ultimately, if you have that intellectual capital and intimate understanding behind your project, you have a chance to succeed.

While watching the “Hollywood version” of one’s college life is both humbling and entertaining, I hope that this film inspires countless others to create and take that leap to start a new business. With a little luck, you might even change the world.

Don't work. Avoid telling the truth. Be hated. Love someone.

Written by Adrian Tan, author of The Teenage Textbook (1988).

I want to start by giving one piece of advice to the men: when you’ve already won her heart, you don’t need to win every argument.

Life happens, and you have no control over it. Good and bad things happen to you day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. Your degree is a poor armour against fate.

The most important is this: do not work.

Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small remainder sliver of your life in modest comfort. You may never reach that end anyway.

Find something you enjoy doing. Do it. Over and over again. You will become good at it for two reasons: you like it, and you do it often. Soon, that will have value in itself.

The truth has a great capacity to offend and injure, and you will find that the closer you are to someone, the more care you must take to disguise or even conceal the truth. It takes great maturity to appreciate the value of silence.

One does not have to be evil to be hated. In fact, it’s often the case that one is hated precisely because one is trying to do right by one’s own convictions. It is far too easy to be liked, one merely has to be accommodating and hold no strong convictions.

The other side of the coin is this: fall in love. It far easier to find a reason not to love someone, than otherwise. Rejection requires only one reason. Love requires complete acceptance. It is hard work.

In loving someone, we become inspired to better ourselves in every way. We learn the truth worthlessness of material things. We celebrate being human. Loving is good for the soul. It is a mighty tree that weathers every storm.

Coping with Job Jealousy

It is important to understand that normally jealousy stems from feeling inadequate or having low self-esteem. If we do not feel good about ourselves, it is certainly very difficult for us to feel good about other people.

We need to begin to follow a concept known as fake it until you make it. By doing this, we may begin to be happy for other people’s accomplishments. When we learn about a friend that has gotten a much better job, instead of displaying negative attitudes, we can congratulate them on their new job. If someone has purchased a new home that we certainly cannot afford, we can make a simple phone call saying how happy we are for them. Once you begin to do this, you may begin to actually feel happy for those that have success.

In the meantime, you need to begin working on yourself. You may need to begin to take some action in your life to make necessary changes. You may be afraid of looking for a new job or starting a new relationship, and this fear will prevent us from taking action. You can always start with some simple steps. We need to start to behave and act more positively.

This can even be each morning telling ourselves we can have the best day ever. It might mean that we start to eat healthier and exercise daily. Instead of being bitter about other people’s accomplishments, we need to take pride in our own accomplishments.

Once we have begun to make some small changes in our life, we may start to see those feelings of jealousy starting to go way. The key to being filled with peace and serenity is to not look at other people but to look at ourselves.

Life is too short to be unhappy and we have the ability to make changes in our lives every day we wake up.

Lifted from http://howtodealwithjealousy.com/

Doing what I like

I think I realised that I did not want to be part of the rat pack anymore. I did not want to do things just for the sake of money.

Anyway now, I am doing a program with HKU in Statistics, and that should fulfil me enough for now, to learn and to do some Maths.

I agree with Jacob.

Llfe Beautiful Lessons‏

I like this very much, and it was sent by someone whom I liked very much too. Though it might be a bit long, but the advice is worth the read! It reminds me how lucky I am, and to continually appreciate my family and friends who have touched my life in one way or another, how they have made me smile when I really needed it, and those who showed me the brighter side of things when I am down.

We never get what we want, We never want what we get, We never have what we like, We never like what we have. And still we live & love. That's life...

The best kind of friend, Is the kind you can sit on a porch and swing with, Never say a word, And then walk away feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.

It's true that we don't know What we've got until it's gone, But it's also true that we don't know What we've been missing until it arrives.

Giving someone all your love is never an assurance that they'll love you back! Don't expect love in return; Just wait for it to grow in their heart, But if it doesn't, be content it grew in yours.

It takes only a minute to develop a crush on someone, An hour to like someone, And a day to love someone, But it takes a lifetime to forget someone..

Don't go for looks; they can deceive. Don't go for wealth; even that fades away. Go for someone who makes you smile, Because it takes only a smile to Make a dark day seems bright. Find the one that makes your heart smile!

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, Enough trials to make you strong, Enough sorrow to keep you human, And enough hope to make you happy.

Always put yourself in others' shoes. If you feel that it hurts you, It probably hurts the other person, too.

The happiest of people Don't necessarily have the best of everything; They just make the most of everything that comes along their way.

Happiness lies for Those who cry, Those who hurt, Those who have searched, And those who have tried, For only they can appreciate the importance of people Who have touched their lives.

When you were born, you were crying And everyone around you was smiling. Live your life so that when you die, You're the one who is smiling And everyone around you is crying.

Shanghai before 1st Oct

A glimpse below of just some of the tall towers from Grand Hyatt's hotel lobby on 54/F. It is a 180 degree plane of buildings that continue until the horizon. Beyond these completed ones, there are many more sites under construction and land being pounded. It does give you a sense of vibrancy and momentum in the air, which is something my colleague says he does not feel in Hong Kong.

I feel this result is an incredibly fast transformation of what used to be grubby and polluted Shanghai. New coats of paint, more lightings installed and a new fleet 3500+ new Volkswagen taxis ply the city routes. I feel safer and more comfortable travelling in these new cars because of better interior (seemingly) leather fittings instead of the cloth covering, and heavier doors. They have spent a fortune preparing for the Expo (which I did not attend for fear of getting crushed by the crazy crowd).

On Pudong is the glitzy skyscrapers and its continual quest to be the tallest.


On the other side of the harbour sits the charming old guard, Puxi, with its beautifully romantic colonial style buildings, boasts of history and culture.
They have recently restored the Peace Hotel and it reminds me of the Fullerton.
Overall, I am very impressed with how the local government has put this together.

We picked up a dining magazine during coffee, and came across an article which was an interview with a Shanghai gourmet. He likes this restaurant called 福1088, so, not knowing better where to dine, my colleague and I decided to try it out.

When we arrived at the restaurant, we were led through a long alleyway littered with old Shanghai furniture, and a pianist was playing on the first floor. I liked the setting, which had authentic metal levers as window locks, glass window panes, wooden handles and worn-out stairs creaked of nostalgia when I walked up, and old colourful, big square Chinese tiles. It is an old four storey home that was refurbished and now used as a restaurant.

One of the most memorable dish that night was the absolutely delicious 红烧肉. The fatty layer of skin is so tender that it melts in your mouth. We were dining with a Shanghainese client and he says, this dish is very much true to Shanghai style, as it is cooked with a rich, sweet gravy. Being more greedy than hungry, after dinner, I still ordered lamb and pork skewers from a roadside stall just near the resturant. Yummy I love eating meat. Friend later tells me that Beijing skewers are way better...

Roast meats at Nanjing Lu

Shi Yu is supposedly a rare and expensive fish that goes for at least 1000HKD a fish in HK. It's scales contain oil and so it should not be removed and it is edible. When steamed, the oil from the fish trickles down the meal, making it very sweet and flavourful. I liked it, the texture was not so fine, but still nice.

Hairy Carb or 大闸蟹 to be eaten with Vinegar. We had one male and female crab each.

Mom and Dad in HK

Parents were here for a short trip 19th-21st Sept to celebrate my birthday with me. We had roast goose, at Tsuen Wan, which was too oily, and way too far. Oops, meat overload then.

Back at my place, the next morning was porridge at the trusty Law Fu Kee, which parents liked. Then off shopping and sightseeing around Tsim Sa Tsui.

Dad said HK has a poor standard of living, small homes, bad air... arranged a land tour of the New Territories the next day. We saw a temple which housed three major religions: Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism in HK.

Noteable was the Hakka Village out around Fanling. Saw an old woman walking with bound feet through the narrow alleyways, almost making us feel claustrophobic. Our angmoh tour guide said, in the past, the tiles on the top the the houses served as a means of identification to guide the villages to their homes. But right now, most of the houses are left vacant as the owners' children have all moved to U.K to work/live, so no one bothers to look after it. Such a pity.

I like the Tai Mo Shan, which is the tallest mountain in HK. Great breeze. Pity the sky was filled with smog from China of course, so we could not make out the views of the harbour and the distant areas.

We also visited the Bride's Pool (which is said to be very haunted because a bride fell and drowned inside on her rainy wedding day), had a great view of eagrets (the birds that resemble white cranes) at the Plover Cove Reservior (so much algae, yucks, but spot the Eagrets!), and Sam Mun Tsai Fishing Village in Taipo. (See below the below) I think she (old tour guide) said people live on these boats and cast nets for fishing.

After this, we three headed into Shenzhen from Shatin and then, to our horrow, we got booked by the MTR inspector for travelling first class on the train, but not upgrading our MTR cards. He kept pointing to the HKD$500 fine. Well, my defence was that I thought I had to tap after we alighted, just like how airport express works, and it was our first time stepping into first class. In the end, we were let off with a warning letter for our ignorance.

At Queen's Spa, the legendary place to go for massage in Shenzhen, we relaxed. I think dad liked his pedicure & Chinese style body masssage. Below is a picture of his foot, and he managed to fall asleep while he was being cleaned up. Mom did a body scrub & massage.

The last day was pretty simple, had lunch with Shaune at Tsui Hang Chun and boy, I think we ate a lot. BBQ meats + Dim Sum + Dessert. After a quick walk around Causeway Bay, I dropped parents off at the airport before heading to Stats class. I think I missed their presence so much, that I could not stop tearing on the airport express back.

In the end, their flight got delayed by 2 hours (can't imagine as they were on SQ, but parents finally got back home safe and sound. :)

Cee Lo Green's New Song

Some insight into what guys think after a breakup....great song and great MTV. I wonder what is means to really forgive.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pc0mxOXbWIU

Fuck You

(Chorus)
I see you driving 'round town
With the girl i love and i'm like,
Fuck you!
Oo, oo, ooo
I guess the change in my pocket
Wasn't enough i'm like,
Fuck you!
And fuck her too!
I said, if i was richer, i'd still be with ya
Ha, now ain't that some shit? (ain't that some shit?)
And although there's pain in my chest
I still wish you the best with a...
Fuck you!
Oo, oo, ooo

Yeah i'm sorry, i can't afford a ferrari,
But that don't mean i can't get you there.
I guess he's an xbox and i'm more atari,
But the way you play your game ain't fair.

I pity the fool that falls in love with you
(oh shit she's a gold digger)
Well
(just thought you should know nigga)
Ooooooh
I've got some news for you
Yeah go run and tell your little boyfriend

(chorus)

Now i know, that i had to borrow,
Beg and steal and lie and cheat.
Trying to keep ya, trying to please ya.'
Cause being in love with you ass ain't cheap.
I pity the fool that falls in love with you
(oh shit she's a gold digger)
Well
(just thought you should know nigga)
Ooooooh
I've got some news for you
Yeah go run and tell your little boyfriend

(chorus)

Now baby, baby, baby, why d'you wanna wanna hurt me so bad?
(so bad, so bad, so bad)
I tried to tell my mamma but she told me"this is one for your dad"
(your dad, your dad, your dad)
Uh! Whhhy? Uh! Whhhy? Uh!
Whhhy lady? Oh! I love you oh!
I still love you. Oooh!

(chorus)

Empire State of Mind

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=842dSvtqZxU
It reminded me of what big dreams I should be pursuing.

Ooohh New York x2

Grew up in a town that is famous as the place of movie scenes
Noise is always loud, there are sirens all around and the streets are mean
If I can make it here, I can make it anywhere, that's what they say
Seeing my face in lights or my name in marquees found down on Broadway

Even if it ain’t all it seems, I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I'm from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New Yoooork!

On the avenue, there ain't never a curfew, ladies work so hard
Such a melting pot, on the corner selling rock, preachers pray to God
Hail a gypsy cab, takes me down from Harlem to the Brooklyn Bridge
Some will sleep tonight with a hunger for more than an empty fridge

I'm gonna make it by any means, I got a pocketful of dreams
Baby, I'm from New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New Yoooork!

One hand in the air for the big city,
Street lights, big dreams all looking pretty
No place in the world that can compare
Put your lighters in the air, everybody say yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah

In New York
Concrete jungle where dreams are made of
There's nothing you can't do
Now you're in New York
These streets will make you feel brand new
Big lights will inspire you
Let's hear it for New York, New York, New Yoooork!

10 Things that Make Me Happy

1. Relaxing and waking up late on the weekends with NO agenda for the day!
2. Cooking and baking for friends that I love - more so when it is upon request!
3. Discovering hidden boutiques/shops as I walk down the side streets
4. Having an outdoor BBQ with good company, booze and most of all home-marinated meats!
5. Emails, SMSes, MSNs and hand written letters from dear friends from far away and from home
6. When I hear my mommy's and daddy's voice - more so at the end of the day when I am unwinding and thinking of home in SG
7. Being in HK where not fortnight goes by when I look back and appreciate the beauty, bustling activity and , wonderful vibe that is HK
8. Cuddling and watching a home movie with Josh when it is raining outside
9. Leaving my house with a backpack and a train ticket - the feeling of anticipation, discovery of the unknown, cut out from my comfort zone to learn about other cultures and their way of life!
10. Sitting by the beach, hearing the crashing waves, smelling the salty air, with sand in my toes....

Fooled by Randomness

I had just finished this book - Fooled by Randomness after I bought it in late 2008. Took me a year? For those who remember - i always enjoy my reads in bite sized portions.

It is about a trader using stories and his own theories (and others) to explain how people, whether we know it or not, no matter how rational we are, can get fooled by randomness. Why - because we are humans and are flawed where emotions come into play. So luck vs skills and market performance, behavioral science, noise, probability all come into play in the event of an outcome. But what part of luck, what park of skill - it the subject of his treatise. Best summarized using a Greek legislator, Solon's theory of all things being equal in the long run.... and also that it does not matter how freequently something succeeds if failure is too costly to bear.

He got me interested in probability. And it is more a science than an art. He reckons Mathematicians compute but not understand Maths and apply it in the real world. That made me think twice if I should study Maths, afterall, the curx of being a trader is the ability to know what people want, and the ability to take risks. I take small calculated risk, which is something I will strive to change this year. I would like to take greater calculated risks and not be tied to my previous thoughts. It is acceptable to do things contrary to what I have said of done before. Like George Soros. Risk sometimes pays off.

He made me question the fundamentals of "Financial Engineering" and "Markowitz theory" - as what is financial engineering and it's use in the world - apart from complicated formules to calculate future risk - Can anyone compute future risk? Are they all just moralizers? Can we just rely on formulaes to make decisions - but we live in a world ruled by human emotions.

Finance has become a greedy profession. I see button pushers, data monkeys, people driven by the allure of glamour and excessive payouts. Surely, there is another industry requiring similar skill but with better payoffs, will the excessive payouts of the banking still remain glittery in 30 years time? Is there another profession I see myself in with lower barriers of entry?

He brought up the case of O.J Simpson and without being too certain (a skill to give leeway for oneself), the odds of him not being the killer is one in a trillion trillon given of his DNA * husband of the desceased. If lawyers and the jury understood probability....

Over to the next book now!