Carpentry

Just a few updates on my renovation. Carpentry started and here are some of the pictures.

All the materials

Two guys working on my kitchen cabinets

My MBR Wardrobe

My study room bookshelf

Kids these days...

My sister was telling me today that kids nowadays mature too early. She said that coz she learned that my 12 year old niece is reading the book below.


Synopsis : "Growing up, Sophie carried a terrible secret. She was her father's slave, in the most horrific ways imaginable. At just a few months old she was adopted by a couple that seemed comfortably off and perfectly respectable to the outside world. But behind closed doors, Sophie's childhood was a living hell. Her father spent the next decade grooming her for abuse and when Sophie's mother left for good, that very night, he told Sophie that from now on she would sleep in his bed. Unable to cope, Sophie spiraled into suicidal misery. She began to self-harm to try and escape the agony. But one day she went too far and at 16, ended up in a psychiatric unit. It was here that she finally confronted the horrors of home and began the painful journey of rebuilding her life. A phenomenally courageous woman, Sophie now works for the Samaritans and helps other young people in need. Harrowing yet compelling, this is a searing and truly inspirational account of overcoming the worst abuse and self-harm."

I cannot agree more. I mean shouldn't kids my niece's age be reading books like Narnia, The Faraway Tree, Nancy Drew, Alice in Wonderland etc.....Why are they reading books about child abuse, child prostitution etc.... But the book is quite interesting though, there's a whole series and author of each book is actually the victim described in the books. Okay.... off topic.. back to Matured kids.

Look at them, so different from us when we were kids. Is it due to the access to all sorts of technology? The way they are being taught at school? The increased pressure that they are facing in school? Or is it because parents nowadays are more educated and expects alot from their kids? Look at the number of enrichment courses and CCAs they are taking up!?! When my turn comes will I be just like all these parents out there, fearing that my kids will fall behind the increasing competition. How to help SG "grow" its population when the thought of having kids is so scary.

EBOOK READER

Being an avid reader, I was immediately drawn by the idea of owning a cool e-book reader. After some research done on hardwarezone forum, I decided on Barnes and Noble's Nook. I placed an order for one and am now eagerly awaiting its arrival.

I still love the feel and smell of physical books, turning the pages, filling up my bookshelf with books.... so why get a ebook reader then? The article below couldn't have described it better:

eBooks: A Golden Opportunity

by Charlotte-Buecheler

"I recently stumbled upon a Huffington Post piece by bestselling author Jason Pinter. In the post, Pinter argues that publishers are making a huge mistake by marketing eBooks primarily at readers who already love reading. These readers (you and I, I assume) have learned to relish the experience offered by physical books. Yes, they take up a lot of space, are heavy to lug around, require time and dedication. But we don't just put up with it: we love it! We still buy books, often more than we have time to read. We pile them on our shelves, and when the shelves are full, we heap them on the desk. Or pile them on the floor. For us, there's pleasure in this, maybe even a touch of vanity. So what's the point of selling us eBooks? We're already early adopters!

Now, says Mr. Pinter, think of the people who enjoy a bit of reading once in a while, but to whom it's just not worth the commitment to pounds of papers and acres of shelving. Music was like that once: you had a few friends who spent half of their money and most of their free time on records; the rest were fine with the radio and a couple of "can't miss" records every year.

Then electronic formats came along and things changed for everyone. You could now sample music and buy it on the fly: less commitment, less fuss, more fun. A whole new audience flocked to them.

Why aren't publishers following the same model for eBooks: Putting out content directed at infrequent readers? Since current readers are already fierce consumers, why doesn't the industry focus on a new public?

I agree that eBooks provide the opportunity to broaden the appeal of reading but I don't want to be left alone with printed books either. Yes, I'm that reader, the one with piles of unread books who loves the feel of paper. I'm also one who took the plunge with eBooks. The reason that convinced me, beyond a known weakness for all things gadgetry, still holds: More books!

eBooks provide a golden opportunity for readers to access a greater variety of books and they are the perfect vehicle to reach new readers."

Aircon & Gas Pipe

Air-con trunking & gas pipe installation done yesterday. Gas pipe extension took only 15 mins. Air-con took whole day but I would say Gain City did a great job. Everything went smoothly, I just hope the air-con will not start leaking when we officially move in and utilize it.
Reno will resume after CNY.

Quincey Morris is Back!

Finally.... Justin Gustainis is back with Book 2 of the Quincey Morris Series. Actually, I wasn't even looking for this book, just happen to see it at Borders and remembered that I read book 1 not too long ago....

"Supernatural investigator Quincey Morris & his partner, "white witch" Libby Chastain, are each in pursuit of a vicious killer. One is murdering small children for their bodily organs; the other is hunting down white witches - and Libby may be next. Along a trail that leads from Iraq to Turkey, to the US, all clues point to crazed billionaire Walter Grobius, a man obsessed with harnessing the ultimate evil. Morris & Chastain, teamed with the deadly Hannah Widmark, must fight desperately to stop a midnight rendezvous between forces so powerful that the fate of the world may be at stake. And the clock is ticking......."

LOVE NEST in progress

Just some pics to start off this reno blog of mine........

Pinnacles @ Duxton

View 1 from Living rm window

View 2 from Living rm window

Living Room

Walkway to Rooms

Bedroom 3 with Bay window

Common Toilet

Service Yard

BLACK MAGIC WOMAN - JUSTIN GUSTAINIS

I just finished this book yesterday. It is quite an interesting book, definitely a page turner. Here's the synopsis:

"Supernatural investigator Quincey Morris and his partner, white witch Libby Chastain, are called in to help free desperate family from a deadly curse that appears to date back to the Salem Witch Trials. To release the family from danger they must find the root of the curse, a black witch with a terrible grudge that holds the family in her power.

The pursuit takes them to the mysterious underworlds of Boston, San Francisco, New Orleans & New York, stalking a prey that is determined to stay hidden. After surviving a series of terrifying attempts on their lives, the two find themselves drawn inexorably towards Salem itself - and the very heart of darkness..."

I came across this book at Kinokuniya Taka and seems interesting so I bought it. I usually do not buy from Kino as too ex, I have a better much cheaper source for books but somehow just felt like buying a book that day so decided on this one. Glad that its worth it. Later I found out that this author's very new, only 3 books so far and his drafts are being read by Jim Butcher (one of my fav authors) before being published.

Now I'm desperately trying to get my hands on the author's previous book "Hades Project" ..... checked my usual book source, they don't have it. Looks like i gotta head back to Kino.

CRANBERRY CHEESE CAKE

Finally, I got to leave office early today at 5.30pm after 2 weeks of OTing till 10-11pm consecutively. My excuse; I've got a medical appt at 6.30pm. Its true, I did go for my medical check up but that took only about 1hr and i reached home at abt 7.30pm.

Immediately I got my mixing bowl, sift, measuring cup..... flour, sugar. egg etc out and started whisking away, Above is the end product. I actually took the Lavender Teacake recipe and got creative. Instead of Lavender, I added cranberries. I cut down on the butter and added cream cheese and voila!!! Cranberry Cheesecake.

1st guinea pig is my mom. Mom doesn't like cheese so her immediate response was "will taste better w/o the cheese". Sigh, looks like I gotta find another guinea pig.....

NEW MOON - STEPHANIE MEYER

I just finished reading New Moon today. The movie is coming soon. Hmmm.... I think I'm getting quite irritated by the character Isabella. She is too "Damsel" for my liking. However, I still managed to keep me reading right to the end, the storyline is quite interesting. Alot abt Jacob and very little of Edward not that its a bad thing. Makes me look forward to the movie to see what Jacob would be like in it. Quite a no. of new characters makes it more interesting, at least its not all about Bella, Edward, Bella, Edward, Bella, Edward..............

LAVENDER TEACAKE

Suddenly have the urge to bake a cake so decided on this Lavendar teacake. A friend of mine baked it last week and it looks real good so i decided to try. Took me only abt 45mins. Tastes okay, except for the Lavender, I think I added too much and it tasted abit like soap. Other than that the texture and everything else was good. Goes very very well with a cup of tea.... that's why its called tea cake. The next time I bake this cake I'll probably replace lavender with something else like choc chips, coffee, cranberry etc...

Stefanie Sun

Stefanie Sun shines bright againPosted: 05 June 2009 1810 hrs

"SINGAPORE : While taking breaks from work help you to recharge and in turn perform better, few artistes would dream of doing so. But not Stefanie Sun. This Singapore songbird has a knack for taking breaks. In 2003, just three years after launching her self-titled debut album, Sun announced that she would be taking a year off. This is considered career suicide in an industry where publicity and appearances determine your success. Though on a break, Sun did not remain idle. She worked on her new album and started her own company, Make Music, and returned even stronger in late 2004. If her first break can be considered the 'recharging' period, then the second which she took in 2007, would be labelled the 'rediscovery' period. Said Sun, "I was at a loss because I did not know what to do. I was trying to figure ways to continue my career and bring it to greater heights." During this break, the 31-year-old turned down offers from recording companies which were met with disdain by her parents who told her that "no singer would reject such opportunities". But the determined Sun stood by her decision and till today feels that it was the right move. "We all need to pause at some point in life, and allow ourselves the time to look around us and see what is best for us. There is no point in moving forward continuously without understanding what you truly want in life," she said. Fast forward to May 2009, not only has Sun has found the answers, she is ready to share her experiences with her fans, hence her aptly titled concert tour, "The Answer Is... Stefanie Sun World Tour 2009". Returning not only with a fresh outlook and direction, Sun is also sporting a new image. This sunshine girl with a penchant for short bobs, grew her hair out and is looking more ladylike than ever. "It has been something that I've been talking about but only managed to do so during my long break," said Sun. However, one can't help but think that love has something to do with it. In March this year, Sun was spotted cheering on her Dutch boyfriend who was participating in a triathlon in Singapore but the singer remains coy. When asked about her boyfriend during her Taipei show last month, Sun replied cryptically, "Love is very important." She remained tight-lipped about her relationship and thanked everyone for their concern. Sun's fans may be disappointed with the lack of openness but good news awaits them as she disclosed that preparation for her new album is underway. While the release date has yet to be confirmed, Sun revealed that fans can get a 'sneak preview' of her latest songs at her Singapore concert which will be held at the Singapore Indoor Stadium on July 11. - CNA/fa"



Isn't this what Sammi Cheng did too? Took a long break...... comeback with new album & a concert... sharing with the audience at her concert reasons for her long break and what she has done during the break. One of the reasons given was also "We all need to pause at some point in life, and allow ourselves the time to look around us and see what is best for us. There is no point in moving forward continuously without understanding what you truly want in life"

Recently, I saw the Poster for Sun's upcoming concert & at a glance I thought it was Sammi. Its not that they look alike (not at all), its just the colours & the make-up etc.




I can't help but think Sun is just following the footsteps of Sammi Cheng or her record co. is trying to make her the next Sammi Cheng.

Shed the Weight

What is the fastest way to shed the fats?

1. Eat Healthily
2. Exercise

I am going to try this for the next 3 months to see if it works.

NO rice/noodles
Wholemeal Bread, white meat, vegetables, fruits & water only.

High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT)
A HIIT session consists of a warm up period of exercise, followed by six to ten repetitions of high intensity exercise, separated by medium intensity exercise, and ending with a period of cool down exercise. The high intensity exercise should be done at near maximum intensity. The medium exercise should be about half-maximum intensity. The number of repetitions and length of each depends on the exercise. The goal is to do at least six cycles, and to have the entire HIIT session last at least fifteen minutes and not more than twenty.
HIIT is an excellent way to maximize your workout if you are limited on time. (Wikipedia)

I chosen Burpees for my HIIT. If you do not know what's a burpee, see video below.



I think for a start I'll do 1:4 ie. 30sec workout:2mins rest for 6 cycles. Total workout time ...Voila! Only 15mins and no costs involved!

Currently am 1.68m tall & xxkg, will update on how much wt lost in 3mths time.

DoNuts?

Donut Factory-Suntec

Recently there is this donut craze going on. Seems like everybody is queuing up to get the donuts from Donut Factory. The 1st Donut Factory stall is at Raffles City but they recently opened another at Suntec. I was at Suntec for lunch on Friday and decided to check it out. The queue was like neverending and slow moving! Problem was most of the donuts are sold out so they have to wait for the next batch of freshly baked to be ready.

Carrefour's Small Donut stall

Then...... as I walk further down....juz about 5 metres away.... I see this small little stall selling donuts too... Hmmm... looks like Factory Donut is facing TOUGH competition.

Australia-Thought I'll start this blog by posting some pictures i took during my Australia trip in 2005. Just a few pics to get started.

Sydney Fish Market

Clockwise from left we have some fresh scallops, salmon, oysters, lobster, eel, crab in garlic cream sauce & sea urchin. Yummilicious!

Pancakes on the Rocks - Sydney