Chinese New Year 2015

 At our Sis in Law's Place on 18th Feb 2015 

Each year we 'celebrate' 2 New Years ; the Western New Year which falls on 1st Jan 2015 and the Chinese New Year which follows the Chinese Lunar Calendar. Last year was the year of the Horse and this Year is the Year of the Sheep or Goat (the Chinese name 'Yang' doesn't distinguish between which animal.

     This year's CNY fell on the 18th and 19th of Feb (Thurs and Friday) and since 20th and 21st are Saturday and  Sunday respectively, most people have a good 4 and a half to 5 days (if companies give out the 1/2 day or even a full day off before the CNY). 

    As I was extremely busy workwise in the leadup to this year's CNY, I am very thankful to my wife May for the hard work she put up in preparing the reunion dinner, which is a standard 'must do' each CNY. Special ingredients and dishes would be whipped up by our maid and the actual cooking for the Reunion Dinner, which is the day just before the 1st day of the New Year is one
of cooking and cleaning up of the house. 

  My role is very minor, cleaning up the house, buying the pussy willow (see bottom picture) symbolising wealth and good fortune, for the flower pot, and transporting the food for the reunion dinner from the Li Bai restaurant to our house on the evening of the Reunion Dinner. 

The night of the Reunion Dinner 

In years' past, my parents would figure in every Reunion Dinner and we would either eat at the famed Li Bai restaurant at Sheraton Towers and indulge in my father's favourite dish, the Peking Duck. The picture below is taken in 2008, during Chinese New Years period, and you can see the change in the boys then till now.

My parents have passed on 4 to 5 years now, but the strong feelings I have for them still resonate with me. They had been great parents and we enjoyed many New Years parties at the house where my mother was a great host in the past. 

Picture taken at Li Bai with my brother John, and the 2 boys. 

The concept of Families meeting once or twice is year us especially good, as we are so involved in other aspects of life, business, raising families, travel and leisure so the Reunion Dinner is a must do in our family. Catching up with our extended family is then carried out onthe 1st (normally we visit my parents, followed by my wife's mother, and then her elder brother).

Our boys friends also drop in for a short tete a tete, so its a good respite from all the work we are so used to day in day out. 

   

The House decked out in it red and gold

                           May this year of the Goat bring us good Health, Fortune, and Luck ! 

Muddy Waters and Rolling Stones 1981 jam session in Chicago - Way Cool ! Watch It and Decide for yourself Blues Fans

A New Concept in Farming

This is the future of  food, with the rising growth of the world's population, we need to maximise the limited land space we have in the highly dense city of Singapore, I envision that in the not too distant future, we will need to grow our food and vegetables in an industrialised setting, to cater for cheaper,better tasting and high quality vegetable greens.

The future is in the industrialization of farming the smart way.  

2014 SC Marathon Video

   
                   This is from the 7th Dec 2014  Marathon.  I'm wearing the orange running vest. Thanks for the memories Standard Chartered Marathon !!

2014 Marathon - No. 9

Not the best of times by my standard, but the heat and humidity was high

This year's 2104 Marathon was in my opinion, my least prepared one. So finishing it in a time of 6 hours and 2 minutes, I could not complain as it was actually better than 2 other runs in previous years. I only started seriously preparing for the race with less than 3 weeks to go. I will not recommend this 'training' to anybody because I have years of experience running, and the body has been conditioned by more than 13 years of active long distance running.

Here is the planned route (in my handphone anyway) which I tried to stick to but of course, the heat and lack of training meant that I finished more than my planned time of 4 hours and 50 minutes.

This Visualisation Technique is very important for anyone who wants to finish a marathon and I would recommend it to whoever who wants to achieve a goal, you need to visualise every step and milestone to achieving those lofty goals.  

5 km - Fullerton Hotel 30 to 35 minutes (about 7 min per km)

6 km - Theatres by the Bay 36 to 42 minutes

7km  - Marina Floating Platform  

9km  - Nicholl Highway Start        54 minutes

10km - Nicholl Highway before Sports Hub ; Pop in 1 Gel, 1 salt Tablet ; 60 to 70 minutes

11 km - Sports Hub, Check and Pace Up

12 - 13 km Singapore Swimming Club Fort Road

15 km   - East Coast Park start ; Get Moving !!

19 km  -  ECP Lagoon start ; Target  below 2 hours ; Pop in 2nd  Power Gel, 2nd Salt Tablet

24km  -  Bedok Jetty ; Top up water bottles, 2 hours 30 ;, Drink Up and Stretch !

29 km -  End of ECP ; 3 hours 10 minutes ; Drink Up ; Pop in 3rd Gel and Ready for Super dry 

               Stretch outside Golf Club ! Parched like Desert after this !! 

33 km -  Golf Club Drink ; Spray legs, Stretch  3 hours 45 minutes

36 km -  Marina Gardens by the Bay ; Drink ; Spray Last 6 km ! 

37 - 39 km - Marina Barrage, Heartbreak Hill (Sheares Bridge) ; Go Go !!!

40 km  km - Last Drink Station (F1 Pit Building) Spray and Pray ! 

41-42km   - God and Mum with me !

                     Final (Targetted) Time : 4 Hours 50 Minutes

                     Actual Race Day Time : 6 Hours 2 Minutes

Conclusion :   I need more Training and I am willing to try some Overseas Marathons. 

Finally crossing the finish line. 

Americans Living on the Edge

Egypt Dec 2009 - Blast from the past

                                                       Coronation of Pharoah Ramses II ;
                                                   on a Relief (carving) in Luxor along the Nile