Fast Run Pandan Reservoir 23rd Dec 2020 7.50 am

 

Wednesday 23rd Dec 2020, I did a run at Pandan Reservoir early morning (for me anyway), and the video above is testimony of an excellent run, averaging 6 minutes 17 seconds. A feat, for me never accomplished in the last 3 years. I am so pleased with this time, I am sharing with all the readers here.

The health supplements have given me a 10 year lease or boost of my life, as far as my running performance is concerned. No doubt, I am already in the young old category, but I believe with the following :

a) eating right

b) sleep enough

c) exercise plenty

d) water aplenty

e) stress under control

f) good relationships with the people that matter.

I am able to delay the effects of aging as much as possible.

In the next post, I will reveal the health supplements on this blog, for the purposes of sharing my program and journey thus far. 

Carpe Diem. 

  

Merry Christmas Family and Friends

 

The Journey is the Reward in Life

 

We do things which impact people either in a good or a bad way. I hope that my life will ultimately impact people in a positive way so that they themselves can be a good influence to the other people around them. Yesterday I received my coaching certificate from Hanshi Chia Kwek Fah, 8th Dan Shitoryu Karate sensei. With this Certificate, and together with the First Aid Certificate, in theory I (together with another karate practioner Jason Chua), can offer our services at Community Centers for the betterment of health, discipline, martial arts, and general well being of everyone young and old.

Karate is a way of life, a philosophy first and foremost, and secondly a means to conduct oneself honorably in everyday life, through respect for seniors, courtesy in executing defence and offensive moves and respect for the human spirit or 'Budo'. 

As each year passes by, I am humbled by the fact that I am so ignorant of so many things in this world. I can only play my small part to enrich the people around me, and I hope to leave a positive impact to the people that matter as my legacy.

The journey for me in life is the experience I gain and through all of life's sorrows, joys, excitement, anger, anguish, nervousness, I know that this life is to be experienced by me alone.  

Let me remember not to fall prey to the 7 deadly sins, rather work towards a goal of a better tomorrow for with hope, I can then face the future confidently. 

To be extremely successful, get out of your comfort zone, NOW

Mum the Girl Guide Leader with K. Byrne

This post is not my own, but I read this blog article which I found to be extremely insightful to me, and  I have implemented some of it currently with my life. I respectfully cite Steve Wohlenhaus, CEO of Weatherology who is both an author, a podcast host, as well as an entrepreneur for the main points, and I will put in my own personal efforts to achieve these ends :

"Do one thing everyday that scares you.These small things that make us uncomfortable help us to build the courage to do the work we need to do" 

Elanor Roosevelt.

Here are 10 things we can practice NOW to push outside of your / my comfort zone :

Rise and Shine (1)

Get up as early as you can (I know the nightbirds will disagree till the end of time), and do the most important thing that needs to be done for the day, week, month or longer. Working out business and life goals, bill payments, cashflow, critical decisions are all best done first thing in the morning. 

I also force myself to change my 'state of mind' especially during those dreary mornings. I will take a cold shower, rain or shine. Luckily Singapore's weather doesn't dip below 23 deg C, but even then I thank all my lucky stars I am alive, cognitively sharp, have my health, family,friends and where I am. Be grateful. Everyday.

Be on Time (2)

Fix appointments with people who mean the most to you at any time of your life.Your doctor, your lawyer, your parents, your spouse, good friends, children, business associates, casual acquaintences,most importantly your customers. Manage the time to be on time. Always say 'No' early if for some reason, you cannot make the appointment, or there are too many already pressing appointments on the day of the meeting. You can always reschedule. 

Walk the Talk (3)

Mean what you say and say what you mean. Be clear and direct in thought, word and deed.

Focus (4)

I have set clear and measurable goals for my business and life. Staying the course, not being distracted by some 'new fads' such as yoyo diets, new 'toys'  (handphones, electronic gadgets etc) takes a lot of self discipline.

Assess and take stock, realistically of life every 6 months. 

Check your physical and mental health. 

Assess your financial status

Go for classes - even after 55 years on ; grow both in mind, spirit as we know the body is slowly declining. 

I plan on learning way till my twilight years. 

Give (5)

I try to help within my means. The bible states 10% of your earned income goes to help the needy. Give in terms of time, talent, and earned income. You will be richer in spirit for it. 

Communicate (6)

Reach out and link up with people. You and I do not know everything there is to know in the world. What is one brain compared to the collective know how of 5 or 10 or more ? 

Everyone contributes and the more you meet, the more you grow from their shared experiences.

Make New Friends.(7)

It tough, but there must be a will to meet and understand more about the world we live in. Through meeting more and more people, we can experience and learn new things. We learn also through the senses of sight, smell, listening and intuition amongst others. If we can use all the 5 senses of our lives, we will find life so much more stimulating !

Listen  (8)

When the eyes grow weary, we listen. Always look first, then listen. Sometimes its best to just shut your eyes and the message is even more clear because the mode of transmission is best received through various means.

No (9)

Say No effectively, and often. At this time and age, we move to the beat of our own rythym, not anybody else's and it feels so empowering.

Act - Tremendous Discipline (10)

There is good reason why many people don't exercise regularly.Why most new businesses fail. Why people struggle to save and gain financial freedom. Its hard and requires tremendous discipline. There are classes which teach people to be at the top 1% in both physical and financial worlds. 

To be extraordinary, we need to ACT decisively on our dreams.

"I like people who shake other people up and make them feel uncomfortable" Jim Morrison.

The late Prime Minister Lee Kwan Yew was one such individual. He had a tremendous vision for Singapore. He shook up the entire system, and put the country on the global map. We need that type of discipline in our lives. 

Being comfortable is not the path toward personal excellence.Being comfortable leads to regret and mediocrity, and ultimately your view of the world will be tainted by realising that you have led a 'blah' life.

Do you really want that ?

Challenge yourself. Rise Up and get Uncomfortable. Set Goals and take them NOW ! 

CARPE DIEM ! 

 

What do you give a person who has nothing, or everything ?

Happy Carefree Days

This is a rhetorical question which some of us, (well me for one). When we have enough, (by very modest standards), what do we want then or strive for ?  Or what do we give to someone who is struggling financially, with massive worries, with day to day issues, health and relationships for example ? 

Say it is Mr. or Ms X's birthday... What do you get for him  or her ? Lets say he is middle aged, relatively well off and although COVID has hit many countries hard, his job is stable, and he is feeling blessed.

Money ? Alcohol ? a good time? Massive parties with cakes and candles ?

A new ring ? Car ? Latest Hermes Bag ? 

The answer is : Peace of Mind.

Jesus of Nazareth some 2020 years ago told his flock : "Peace I give unto you, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand".

Can you have peace of mind while we are in this world ? Yes you can. And you can help yourself achieve it.  

> Set simple goals for yourself ; once there, just maintain them. 

> Monetary

- Never borrow more than you need to finance your lifestyle or your business.Bankers are never your friends from the word go. You have been warned. Aim to be debt free or have at least debt to equity ratio as low as possible

> Health

- Take care of your health, eat wiselt, and less as we grow older (70%), exercise like there is no tomorrow, and sleep a good 8 hours each night. Cut the alcohol, parties only for festive occasions and cut the excessive binge eating. I am doing it. 

> Family

- Most important to have good relations with your nearest and your dearest.

> Relationships with relatives and friends

- Make time for them ; and they should also make time for you. Drop the losers and whiners.

It takes massive discipline, a lot of letting go of the ego (personal identification), taking criticisms and reflecting on them, to make myself a better person.

> Be Humble

- Listen to advice . As I continue on this path, the more I travel, the less I seem to know. 

> Help Others 

- Obvious. But the act of giving patronage to the less lucky is a must do. 

> Ignore what others think (listen to the 'others' that matter).

> Serve a higher purpose ; Religion or do good. 

I had written many posts before whereby the pursuit of material wellbeing only brings temporary happiness but not satisfaction.The desire for higher status and even high posts in life or career will one day all come to an abrupt end. It will come crashing down with the next health crisis and you realise that you only have 6 months to live.

Satisfaction comes when one has balanced his life well. It takes a lot of effort, but it can be achieved.

 

Leveraging on the Business Ecosystem to achieve the results for my business

 

All of us live in an ecosystem, with nature, amongst people in our society and in business. This was so eloquently elaborated by Dr Lim Chor Peng during his lecture on Business Ecosystems and levereging on Platforms to reach out to customers. The key takeaway from this lecture was and is to network aggressively and with a purpose to get to the 'industry captains' or people who will ultimately help me steer my little ship into the right oceans and manage the upcoming storms with confidence.

To not do so, would be to imperil and through sheer ignorance, lead the little ship into seas of unrecoverable and the threat of sinking would be a real risk going forward.

To link up with the ecosystem, I need to make sure that my little business not only thrives in uncertainty, but lets people khow who we are, where we are from, what we stand for and how may we help them in doing their jobs better. That is the very crux of creating a platform to leverage on all of the players knowing and unknowingly thrust in this ecosystem and profit from it, with the profits delivered to all the stakeholders after a certain time. 

So, I have identified the Blue Ocean, have engaged a pathfinder or lead vessel and now I am charting the course ahead for a journey - hopefully a profitable one for me and my crew. 

Hermann's Whole Brain Thinking - Design Thinking

 As my course for Business and Digital Transformation is in full swing, here are some key takeaways from this amazing course with some world renowned lecturers who have been there done that :

There are 4 queadrants or  equal segments of the human brain ; How much of the time my brain is spent at each quadrant, I need to be cognizant, and not be goverened by the circumstances around me, or based on the job function which I perform most of the week or the year. This way, my decisions will be based on whole brained thinking rather than emotional or feelings based which many of us are wont to do. "To go with the flow" is simply a non thinking decision which is to the detriment and will pull down many people's aspirations.

Left Top                            Right Top 

Logical                                Holistic 

Analytical                            Intuitive

Fact Based                         Integrating

Quantitative                        Synthesizing

Left Bottom                        Right Bottom 

Organized                            Interpersonal

Sequential                            Feelings Based

Planned                                Kinasthesic                

Detailed                                Emotional 

As a small business leader, I must perform and do the following :

a) Ask catalytic questions

b) Collect data

c) Experiment

d) Embed innovation skills

e) WALK the TALK

f) Expect others to do the same ; and push them in that direction

To that ends, for Innovative Design Thinking, I need to do the following :

1. Learn from other people's mistakes and successes

2. Find patterns in the events unfolding before me

3. Design principle future proofed products

4. Make tangible these products into sales and revenue

5. Iterate relentlessless.

DEFINE -->    DISCOVER  -->   DEVELOP  -->   DESIGN

ASK BOLD     USER NEEDS    CONCEPT         PROTOTYPE  -->  DELIVER

QS                  & TRENDS         BENEFITS      < SECURE SPONSORS>

                                                                           < LAUNCH PLAN>

                                                                        <COMMERCIALISE> 

My Goal before 2022 ; return to do 1 more marathon below 5 hours !

 

The 2007 SC Marathon was the year I ran the fastest marathon of my life, or 4 hours 48 minutes ot so. 

I have set myself a Big and Audacious Goal (BAG) by aiming to return to that form some 15 years later !

If I succeed, I will have immense satisafaction of attaining the unattainable. If I fail, I will have rotten eggs on my face.

Do take a look at those days of a younger, and slimmer me above. My BIB No. is 4304 and I weighed almost 10 kg less ! 

COVID - 19 ; the great equalizer of our time.

We are into the final stretch of an unprecendented year. The whole world has been caught in the wake of the COVID 19, originating from Wuhan China. As the world enters the winter months, many of us are left without a job, many have lost loved ones, students cannot pursue or continue with their overseas educations, and livlihoods are destroyed all by a microorganism virus. It is a shattering blow and the world has yet to recover from its effects, from the first wave, to the second wave, from lockdowns to partial reopenings to life changes in our daily appearences (all have to wear a mask before going out). From the number of people we meet (5) to the preoccupation with washing our hands ever so often.

The world had only seen something where everyone was so similarly adversely affected was during the World War 2. And many of us have never experienced the horrors or the inconveniences it wrought, me included. 

Many households will be adversely affected and millions will be pushed down the economic stratum brought about by this perfect storm of weak Government will, and strong pushback for individual freedoms. The way to keep things under control is to do the following interchangebly which Singapore had done so (and several other countries such as New Zealand,Taiwan, Vietnam, Hong Kong) are listed below :

a) Test the front line personnel quickly (we use Polymerase Chain Reaction - with results within a day)

b) Test all the high risk people (we had a horrible run from the foreign workers all living closely together in dormitories)

c) Contact trace everyone (we now have the Trace Together App and use QR codes for everyone entering a public building)

d) Quarantine everyone for 14 days coming in from overseas. Test them upon arrival and  after 7 days.

e) Give all retrenched workers work opportunities and grants to stave off the worst of their economic malaise.

f) Keep up the good fight by coaxing the general population to seek help from depression, lost jobs, failed relationships and business failures. There must and will be an end to this. 

g) New Normal expectations for social events, work (work from home) and meetings via Zoom or Whatsapp will be the norm.

h) Finally, reward and acknowledge that the Health Care professionals who once again have saved many people's lives are indeed the true Heros and should be rewarded monetarily (bonuses) as well as given due recognition (such as discounted meals and free travel on MRT)

The death rate stands today at over 2 million, with many more expected to succumb to this horrible pandemic before the vaccine kicks in (expected early next year). Countless people needlessly have to die, so it is my singular wish that the Governments that be stop all that politicking and just work together for the common good of humanity - to save lives and end all the pain and suffering wrought on by this awful pandemic.

Holding countries accountable should not be the priority. There is enough time down the road for that. Opening up economies when there are literally thousands dying daily is the most risky yet painfully necessary thing to do. Either the quick death from the virus or the slow death from the knock on effects caused by the decimation of the  leisure and travel industry.

A Hobson's choice of which is the path to proceed.

There are plentiful opportunities, if one is careful and cognizant, there are plentiful opportunities awaiting enterpreneurs just around the corner. Risks will be high, and stakes will be higher. 

Look out and seize them, for they are aplenty as far as I can see from my little bumboat of a company floating in this small segment of the vast ocean which for many are experiencing vast storms, battering rains and sinking fast.

Courage to stand up and go forth. 

Bring on 2021. 

Marathoners are natural entrepreneurs.

This post is written more than 3 weeks since the last one. The reason for the long lay off is because I have been very busy with other projects at this point in time. But I am a scribe at heart, so here is my thought for the hot and balmy Sunday. 

Marathon runners make natural entrepreneurs. Some are successful ones at that (I am still struggling). Why ?  Here are some reasons which the rite of passage of marathoners (I have 10 under my belt) and entrepreneurs go through which are SO SIMILAR :

1. They set big goals (42.194km or longer) 

2. They have to strategise to break down the goals into smaller goals ; so for the marathoner, he will have to break down the goal into smaller bite size distances starting from 5 km and slowly 'raising the bar' to almost 40 km before he is confident to tackle the distance. It took me a whole of one and a half years (from 2002) for my actual dedication to the sport to feel confident of running the entire 42.194 km distance - that was the Penang Marathon in 2003.

The runs started with 2.4km, gradually I increased the distances (and set aside longer times) to 5km, 8km, 10km, 12km, 15km, 18km, 20km, 25km, 30km and so on. I kept myself motivated by referring to the Runners World (Print Edition) and then trying through this initial period of waking up early in the mornings, at 5 am to clock in 10km for weeks and months on end. Later on, through the guidance of the schedules set out in Runners World (this was in the early 2000s mind you), I managed to review the best kinds of shoes for my foot strike type - I am a natural pronator (meaning I land on the ball on my feet and not flat footed or a supinator where my feet lands and then rolls off to one side). 

There are numerous shoes types for various types of runners, and mine was regular biomechanically efficient - so I chose the Cushioned Shoes. After a few tryouts, I decided the best shoe for me was the ASICs Kayanos.

I have been a fan of this shoe for the last 18 years and have easily over 20 pairs (kept in the basement of my house !).

3.They are patient ; well I took 1 and a half years to get my body (and mind) conditioned to run a full marathon !

4. They are persistent. Who in their right mind would day in day out go and run in the early morning to greet the sun while their other halves (or partners) are still sound asleep ?  

5. They accept a) loneliness b) pain and c) injury (setbacks) as part of the process. This is so crucial to all marathoners and entrepreneurs. 

6. They accept failure as part of the process. This is the most painful part. There will be numerous critics, naysayers, people who talk bad about you behind your back and so called 'friends' who drink with you but add no value to you or your goals. Minimise the time with them. 

7. There is grit in their mental and physical attitude.

8. Loneliness is tough but the focus is on the goal and nothing else. 

9. Entrepreneurs and Marathoners are solitary creatures. Like Eagles. They do things quietly but with razer sharp vision on getting what they want out of that meeting or discussion.

10. Marathoners and Entrepreneurs know their goals are lofty. They share a camaderie of knowing that they are, like Eagles' are born and not made. So they savor every meeting to cast and thrash ideas and running plans to get to their goal in better shape. 

There are no short cuts. 

11. When the Goal is Reached the Satisfaction is Temporary, but Real. Then it is time to Exit Graciously.

CARPE DIEM

  

  

3rd October 2020 ; 8.02 km run at East Coast Parkway. 53 minutes 12 seconds. Average speed : 6 mins 37 secs

 

Today's run was unique for me for several reasons :

I am nearing my 58th birthday and having seen a number of my friends succumb to illness, I am determined to make the most of my life as meaningfully as possible to me. As such, I need to invest in my health, so that I can achieve my Ikigai within the next 5 to 10 years.

6 weeks ago I embarked on a slimming programme, and I am happy to report that the results are starting to show. To date, I have lost and kept it at the new weight level of 3 kg, thus far.

My goal is to lose 5 - 6 kg and keep it there. So my end weight and maintained, will be 70 to 71 kg. At the current level, my weight is hovering around 73 kg nett. 

For my height of 1.71 m, that would translate to a Body Mass Index of 24.2 which is still in the Overweight range but I am happy with that long term weight.

The food and drinks which would have to be taken very sparingly would be 

a) Alcohol (beer in particular)

b) Carbohydrates (bread, rice, all kinds of chips, pasta)

c) Chocolates

d) Ice cream

e) Most delicacies of the respective seasons : (bak kwa, lap cheong, log cakes, rice dumplings, mooncakes, kueh kuehs so on and so forth).

The health supplement program has me feeling more refreshed, much better sleep, good skin tone, good muscle tone, memory alertness and muscle recovery.

It has indeed given me a good 10 years of life rewinding ; I am a sceptic when it comes to supplements but I am the first to say, I was wrong on this one.

Testament to the results of 6 weeks of supplements, my running has taken me to a new level altogether and for the first time in a long while I am logging very fast speeds and longer distances. 

Curious ?

Perhaps in another post.  

What's My Ikigai ? What's your Ikigai ?

Ikigai is the Japanese term referring to the raison d"etre. It is the reason for a person's existence. It is coined from a Japanese term which basically means the reason a person gets up in the morning. "What drives me ?" or "Why am I alive today ?" "Why am I in this world today ? ",

"Is there a reason for my existence ?"

The question of my existence in this earth for all of its complications, challenges, struggles, pain, suffering, happiness, joy, satisfaction, adrenalin rush surge of optimism and ennui (lack of enthusiasm) has always been the most difficult question I have had to answer. It is the same for many people who have the cognizant awakening one day to find out - hey, is that it ? 

Do I make a difference ? If not, then what is my life worth if it does not enrich anybody except myself and my partner ? That would be utterly selfish, though many people either never give it a second thought and pursue self satisfaction in terms of monetary accumulation. There are those who are unfortunate in the hand of life, or have some health affliction and have different paths to go. Logically, people seek to question the unfairness of life. Why is life so unfair ? 

The reality as far as I am concerned, is that it is not fair. So, this means that there is no logic to life some of the time, though we utilise logic and adopt rules in our lives, our society and respect and adhere to these rules.

We attach logical patterns to create formulas to decipher the forces, and directions of the physical. Science has and always will be a self correcting and self improving subject. One day the entire planet will be ruled by logic, artificial intelligence, and it would be a sad day when that comes, for human beings for all their frailities, and failings will be then relegated to mere disposable entities.

Man is never born equal. It is a harsh reality of life, in times past, present and in the future. We have to make the best with whatever shortcomings (its all in our perception) that our life throws at us (yes sometimes shit hits me in the face) and face up to it.

To deny my situation is a choice sometimes I never made. So I cannot change the past but the future whatever is left of it, I need to look at it squarely in the eye and make something good out of it. I may never achieve some of my lofty goals, but I will give it my 110 % and at the end of life, I will say, 

" I did my very best in everything I undertook and I seized the day. "

Regrets ? Probably there will be.

Satisfaction : absolutely as I would make my path to be a life well lived.

Legacy : It is still a work in progress.I am not dead yet. 

"Gather ye rosebuds while ye may.. "  

Robert Herrick 

 

 

   

 

QRA's Installation in University of Canberra's Sports Research Center in 2018 ;

 

This is one of our standout installations which QRA International did for overseas market. This one is the Temperature, Humidity and Altitude Control Room in Canberra, Australia in 2018.

The video shows where the remote controller is placed, and inside the room are the rows of test cycle machines for the athletes as well as at the far end, there is the cooling and humidification unit which dispenses with the heat, humidity to attain temperature ranges from 18 deg C to 50 C, and humidity from 20 to 80%.

Please contact me at mark@qra.com.sg if you have any further questions or interest in procuring an athletic chamber like this one, or want to know more.

Carpe Diem ! 

 

Want to Set up an QRA Laboratory ? We Offer Consultancy and Advice. Send your enquiry to mark@qra.com.sg and we will respond to you promptly !

 

How is This Done in Factories ? What Equipment are Used to Assure Quality Products are made in the Factory ?

 

Product Quality Assurance. What is It ? What is its Definition ?

 

 

Product Quality Assurance 

What is It Exactly ? 

It is the Way of Preventing Defects or Errors In Manufactured Products which calls for several techniques and tests to be conducted satisfactorily before they can be certified to comply to a certain

"Quality" 

Digital Marketing for Beginners ; 7 Strategies that Work

 

Welcome to Wolves ; Marcal

 

Smashing Start to the 2020 - 2021 EPL Season ; Sheffield 0 Wolves 2

 

This is Wolves 3 season in the Premier League. With the departure of Matt Doherty, the big news for Wolves has been the extension of Cocah Nuno Esperito Santo's contract till 2023. This is excellent news ! 

In came in 3 starlets, Fabio Silva for 35 million pounds and 2 others from Porto. The Portuguese contingent has grown to 8 in the Wolves squad boasting of  11   internationals.

Portugal

1. Rui Patricio

2. Reuben Neves

3. Pedro Neto (Under 21)

4. Dioho Jota

5. Joao Moutinho

Spain

1. Jonny Otto

2. Adama Traore

England

1. Conor Coady

Morocco

1. Romain Saiss

Belgium

1. Leander Dendonker

Mexico

1. Raul Jiminez

Another interesting statistic, is that the first game for Wolves the past 2 seasons reulted in a loss to Leicester (away) ) 0 - 2 and a draw to Leicester at home 0 - 0. So this year is the third time lucky against a superb Sheffield side. Wolves emerged winners 2 - 0 at Bramall Lane.

I can't wait for the next 5 - 6 games and see where Nuno's dream will take us.

Price Elasticity and Inelasticity. Total Revenue Test

 

Pardon my basic economics but I am in the "Back to School' mode, so every chance I get to understand economics better will ultimately lead me to understand the world around me, and the reasons for the way things are.

Part of this desire is to understand from the school of Life, why some companies do so well, and what strategies they employ to get there in the first place.

There are essentially 5 'P's of successful marketing, and they are :

a) Price (currency and now Ecurrency)

b) Place (distribution channels)

c) Promotion (now ECommerce)

d) Position (how high up the Value chain your product is)

d) Prodcut (What is the Unique Selling Proposition of your product in the global marketplace).

Having put all these factors into place, the excellent execution of a well thought out business plan followed by Luck, enough cash reserves and the decision to continue after the initial loss or setback determines whether the company and hence its products do actually survive the first years and thrive in ever changing market conditions.

Whoever is well exeprienced with the existing marketplace better be forewarned, the going forward is going to be very very tricky !

 

 

Kara Step

 

One of my favorite K Pop groups which disbanded in 2015, Kara. There was a tragic ending when Goo Hara the lead dancer and singer committed suicide in 1 year ago 2019, all of 27 years of age. Her best friend Sully did the same thing just 6 months before and it just goes to show how merciless the world of top level entertainment it is for the artistes. They can't have a 'normal' life and have very few friends as their performance schedules are punishing and soul destroying.

Behind all the happy smiles were ordinary young women, girls more like who are subjected to military training, regimental schedules, dining and drinking and socialising was practically non existent. A very sad existence, the price of reaching the pinnacle of their glamorous industry.   

Goo Hara, rest in peace. You are missed. 

Your artistry and music will live on for a long long time to come. 

Below is another hit of Kara Mamma Mia 

September Musings - My 2020 Resolutions and How I am Doing so Far ; 3 quarters of the year gone.

The year 2020 is 3 / 4 over. It has been super - extraordinarily overshadowed by the COVID - 19 Pandemic, so much so that most of our lives have been taken over by new ways of doing business, health monitoring, social norms, dining directives, massive travel restrictions and this whole new concept of Contact Tracing which in theory is an affront to citizen's right to privacy of movement and so on. 

I wont dwell on the current elephant in the room, as it is already being discussed on every coffeshop corner, restaurants, Whataspp and whatever social media portals ad nauseum.

This September, I am going to review my own goals which I set at the beginning of 2020 and see whether I am on track or hopelessles way off track. Most of the below resolutions are business related, so it is quite satisfying to see I am hitting most of my resolution goals.

1. Say 'No' more effectively.  

I am 80% there. Yes means yes to an appointment, and it must be worth both my and my agreed other person's time. If I have to cancel an appointment, I do so and explain and apologise for my oversight. 

2. Be on Time 

A big 100% 'Yes'. This goes hand in hand with resolution 1 above. I try not to please too many people because in the end, the situation displeases everyone especially me. So limit my appointments to 2 a day. Estimate the time to travel, and give myself an additional 15 minutes more beforehand. It gives so much more ease to everyone concerned. 

3.Honor what I say

This is being mindful and shutting up ever so often. If I have nothing of value to add to the conversation, I will not say much and only speak when I can back up my committment with action. Else I shut up. 

4. Lose 3 kg and Keep it There

I am happy to say I am on my way there. At the mid point of this year, I was a heavy 75 kg. Now I am easily 73 kg. Must perpetually remind myself that to lose weight is a privilege.

5. Manage Money Better

I am cutting out the excesses (food, clothes, new stuff) in my life. My wallet feels so much less pressure and I am lighter in mind and spirit.

6. Be a Better Swimmer

No. Still stuck at this. I was a school swimmer and participated at the National Championships way back in the 1970s. So I can swim. And well. But I need to persist to get better at swimming and ensuring that my muscles get their full exercise and conditioning. Running only stretches one set of muscles, and cross training with karate another set of muscles. So swimming is the last of the exercise skills I am still stuck at Base 1

7. Be a Better Piano Player

OK. Again. I am still a non starter. Played piano in school, was trained to Grade 8 and passed Grade 7. So again I am not a novice at this. I need to better discipline my time to maintain this passion of mine so that this activity can occupy me in my later years. 

Hoo Hah !  I did my part to raise awareness of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder amongst people (especially Men) and here is my video from June and July 2020. 

Taylor Swift - Delicate

 

Debt to Equity Ratio ; the Higher the D / E, the more leveraged the company is. Ideally lower the number the better

 

Wolves 3 Man City 2 ; Coming Back from 2 Down against the Champions ! What a Memory ! Doherty scores the Winner !

 

                                    Sweet Memories are made of these ! 

What a team, what camaderie, what determination, what skills and the support is second to none.

I can only admire the brilliance of the coach Nuno, his coaching staff, the selection of top top players and the vision of world class strategy that is the Old Gold.

For We are Wolves FWAW ! 

Farewell Matt Doherty ; my favorite player in the Old Gold and Black. Time for a rethink about my support ?

The harsh realities of football is that players play in football teams in the Premier League not only to make a living, but also and heartbreakingly so, to make good money.

So it was a rude surprise that Wolves had decided to sell Matt Doherty, the Republic of Ireland wingback who had so loyally served the Wolves through thick and thin. I wish him all the best in his new club Tottenham Hotspur, but football teams nowadays are managed like horses, sad to say and the owners Fosun and the manager Nuno, saw a good deal to sell him off at 17 Million pounds to Tottenham Hotspur.

Fosun, after all is a business enterprise, so it is no surprise that when they see a deal, they make it.

Matt Doherty is a right wingback who plays with consumate passion. A player's player who gives 110 % on the field. True, he does not defend as well as many would have hoped he could but he served a good 10 years in the outfield for Wolves coming from League 1 (Div 3), then the Championship and now the Premier League. He cost only a bargain 75,000 BP coming from Bohemians in Rep Ireland league. What a tremendous asset and player.

His winner against Champions Manchester City wlllforever be etched in my mind as the most satistyfing of all as a recent Wolves supporter, to be very honest.

After 2 seasons in Premier League, Wolves have established themselves as a top half club and many top teams need to invest in new players and get their mojo going. My worry is that they have plateaued and need that super push in terms of new players to break into Champions League territory. The COVID 19 pandemic has taken a big hit on the fans attendance, and many clubs are reeling for lost ticket sales I am 100 % sure of that. How they will recover in 2020-21 season is on everybody's minds.

2020 is the year I will want to make many things right. I may just rethink my support for my childhood team Wolves for a while, as there are many pressing things I have to pursue for these 2 years. 

25th August 2020 Run at MacRitchie Reservoir Park - Singaporeans, take a bow. You have arrived !

My run yesterday at MacRitchie Reservoir park was the first, I believe, in 2020. So many things have happened in 2020, with the COVID-19 messing up so many people's lives, livelihoods, physical, health and mental well being, not to mention, crippling businesses, ruining decades of long established industries in Food and Beverage, Retail, Transport, Travel, Leisure, Entertainment, Hospitality, the list seems endless.

I put aside all the negative thoughts and went for the run. Starting from the tree near the performance bandstand (now long unused), I ran 5.2 km inside the track under the forest canopy and reached the exercise station deep in the forest beside the SICC Sime golf course and then backtracking my steps.

I encountered many muddy patches along the way, the trail run was muddy in at least 10 places, some spots being reduced to thick dark brown sludge. But I persisted and made my way past perhaps less than 10 people.

3 groups of people whom I passed along my run were very polite. One couple (or was it a father and daughter ?), even stopped, stepped aside and allowed me to continue at my regular pace and run through the side of the muddy pathway. Another elderly Chinese gentleman, stopped his walk to allow me to canter past me down one of the slippery slopes, and gave me a toothy grin when I thanked him profusely.

The last couple, upon hearing my panting and footfalls approaching them from behind, created an 'arch' between them (like those of raised swords during a marriage ceremony) and let me run past them. It is a real treat, not to slow down and stop during my run as it disrupts my pace first and foremost and secondly, the sudden slowing down and rapid acceleration can do damage to my soon to be 58 year old joints.

So, this post is a shoutout to these Singaporeans, who have 'arrived' when it comes to social responsibility and do give some thought to the other path users - at least those 3 groups of people.

May we continue this positive and uplifting mindset for our society going forward !

Here below is a picture of my muddy Kayanos.

May I be able to run at all the lovely parks in Singapore for as long as I can ! 

 

A Greek Tragedy - A modern day lesson from the first developed country and democracy to go bankrupt.

 

A sad and scary reminder of the perils of overspending and not keeping to fiscal prudence in the modern world.

The cradle of democracy which gave the world the Senate and the democratic government of the people by the people and for the people had hit a very bumpy end of the road.

Watch the video and be suitably afraid.

We should never go down this path, now and in the future. 

2011 Marathon ; I have put on weight ; see my 2011 frame versus 2010 frame

 

I had a look at my past marathon photos, and I have decided that enough is enough. My body's metabolism is indeed slowing and unless I do something about it, the weight in kgs will amass and it will not be good for me.

Therefore, I have decided to take on the challenge to lose 5 kg by this year's end. It won't be easy, but I must do this so that my body can feel the effects of a lighter frame, and hence, possibly run faster.

My BMI is in the overweight range, 25.5 so, I need to get this under control once and for all.

If I have succeeded, I will put up my weight strategy for all to see and give their comments on.  

Tackling weight loss is basically done on numerous fronts :

a) lose the hunger urge to snack

b) Count calories for every meal or snack taken. Keep a food log

c) Exercise more and s a result 

d) Eat the right foods. 

I did manage to lose this amount, some 10 odd years ago, but as the body metabolism has slowed, and my eating has not, I have (sadly) gained 1 kg per year on average.

This is not good, as an overweight body will ultimately lead to lifestyle diseases such as 

a) heart disease

b) high blood pressure

c) diabetes

d) cancer (possibly).

Add to that, my family history of cancer, and I am awaiting a not so good end of life, in the years to come, if I don't do anything to my eating habits, my exercise regimen (not enough), and my sleep and stress levels. 

In the following months I will walk through my journey from overweight to somewhat trim and fit.

Care to join me ?? 

8385 Kheong Saik Street Wanton Noodles

 

Good Value for Money Dry Wanton Noodles ; the friend wanton is 'to die for' 

Situated inside a coffeeshop off Kheong Saik Street is this gem of a Wanton Noodle stall. Run by a young man, his wanton noodle stall is called 8385 and his noodles is the best wanton noodle (Mee Kia - or thin yellow noodles) I have tasted in a long while.

$3.50 for a plate of wanton noodle with 2 friend 'sui jiao's (or dumpling). On Saturday I also ordered the 4 piece dumpling (sui jiao) for additional $ 4 ; Yes the price is indeed steep for a side dish, but this is a 'must try'.

First the noodles. They are prepared with just the right amount of chilli oil, and blanched inside with the right amount of al dente or chewiness. They taste great. In addition, there is enough cha siew or roast pork with cha siew sauce to go along with it. 2 fried wantons adorn the dish.

Add some crunchy vegetables I believe, siao bai cai and a lovely soup consisting of 2 wantons, and you have a lovely breakfast for 1.  

The stall is right at the centre of this coffee shop along Kheong Saik Street. 

I was feeling a little greedy, so I decided to add $4 for the crispy wanton and I got $4 for 4 pieces of fried wanton. The wanton is really hot and crispy, being just fried. The minced pork is plentiful and there are some prawn pieces to complete the most tasty wanton I have eaten in a long long while.

I sidestepped the pork lard bits, so all in all my rating of this dish is :

Time of Dining : Saturday Morning 10 am 

Taste     : 4.8 out of 5

Service :  4.5 out of 5

Ambience : 4.0 out of 5

Overall     :  4.43 out of 5    

8385 Cafe ; inside the 2nd coffeeshop along Kheong Saik Street (some Chinese society 

                    clan associations are situated there)

 

Going Hungry in Singapore

 

Friends are the key to a balanced life

 

5th Aug 2020 dinner with Faisal and Albert 

This year marks 33 years since we came out of formal education, the National University of Singapore (NUS for short).I graduated from that University (now there are 6) in 1987 with a Bachelor of Engineering (Mechanical), having studied the first year at the campus, and then the next 3 years at the newly minted Nanyang Technological Institute (NTI) which was then the engineering arm of the NUS, 

Time has surely flown by in a blink of an eye, 33 years have come and gone, we have started out careers, gotten married, have children, bought and sold cars and apartments, started and closed businesses and sadly in the last 10 years, participated and grieved in the passing of our beloved parents, spouses, friends, colleagues and acquaintences.

Throuh it all, friendships with our long time friends are like wine, the relationship is no longer like the sharp fruity aftertaste of the Sauvignon Blancs, Chenin Blancs or Chardonnays. In fact, it is the deep, thoughtful and circumspect Merlots and Shiraz the Reds which seem so much more smooth and satisfying to the tastebuds.

Long may we keep the good ties, bad jokes, horrible one liners and gentle jibes going on for the longest time.