Ikigai - The Japanese Way

Here are the 5 principles of Ikigai from the book by Michael Moji, a neuroscientist, which I just read. 

1. Start Small
2. Release Yourself
3. Harmony and Sustainability
4. Joy in small things
5. Be in the Here and Now

1. START SMALL - The Japanese are famous for their many intricate products taking great pride in their many craftsmen and shops which have withstood sometimes hundreds of years of hardship, endeavor and sacrifice. They are very good at what they do, no matter whether it makes them just a little bit of income to get by. To strike it rich is not the end goal for many. 

Rather, it is doing the tasks of your job or your business as best as you can do it, if people see the love, devotion and effort they have put into it, then the product is their life's reward.

So start small and be good at doing these simple tasks.

2.RELEASE YOURSELF - I am guilty of an ego trip. I know it fully well and I will try to revert to being in the background letting my creation take shape and do the show. Many chocolate and sweet craftsmen make their creations painstakingly like Jiro Ono and while every creation is a little bit different, it is an oxymoron to say that their creations are uniquely different in each and every way that they are made. The creations give them a certain 'character' that is unique to every item, food or handicraft for example which we buy from them. 

The love that goes into the tasks are seen in the final end product. It is a work of art.

The best shoe there is for me, until the next edition, ASICS Kayano 25 

3. HARMONY AND SUSTAINABILITY - The things that Japanese do so well normally aim to create harmony and sustainability in the world around them. Hence the 'conformist' culture which is so prevalent in Japan in the past. The 'disruptive' technologies,fintech Artificial Intelligence, Blockchain and Bitcoin will come and they will go ; lets see which remains in the next 100 years or so. 

New things are nice, but chairs, tables, pens, cognitive use of one's brain, they will be around for the the longest time and we need to be in harmony and keep sustaining our small sphere of influence with the world around us. 

4. JOY IN SMALL THINGS - No this is not small victory celebrations but doing small tasks well on a daily basis will make us happy subconciously. Even making your own bed (I do mine) is a task I accomplished today. I take joy in doing this seemingly small thing though my wife says I still need some refinement in folding the quilt covers !

5. BE IN THE HERE AND NOW - Mindfulness. Spend your entire focus on doing what I need to get done at this point in time. No need to worry about whether it will rain tomorrow, or if I need to postpone my morning run tomorrow. If I have prepared myself well, in the small things, then preparing for all eventualities such as rain or waking up late I will learn to deal with it when the time comes.

Point 5 sounds rather  fluffy and without much thought, but the very essence of our being is to be without thought.

This "Zen" ness   calms people and with the calmness, the mind is more settled to think and free itself from the daily pressures.

I'm giving Ikigai a try for the coming months     

   

When you Win Yet you Lose

I saw the highlights of the Man City versus Tottenham Champions League and can't help but feel that FIFA football, much like wrestling is somehow stagemanaged. Left at the hands of a few people, it has exacted just the right amount of controversy and angst amongst the fans so that they will come back again the next time, expecting revenge and karma.

More bang for the buck the next time around, Grrr...  

For the record, Man City won 4 - 3 but because Tottenham won the previous bout 1 - 0, they moved on owing to the aways goals rule counting as more important in the event of a tie.

I am a fan of neither Man City and Tottenham, but if there ever was a scriptwriter who wanted to stoke the neutral public's interest and fire up controversy this was it. It could then be precisely why the ref chose to disallow a goal such as Raheem Sterling's in practically the last minutes using VAR (Virtual Assistant Referee). The VAR has real time cameras from up to as many as 20 locations and the Ref needs to see as many as possible in as short a time so as to make an informed decision as to allow or disallow a goal, award or ignore a penalty etc. 







Instead of putting the issue beyond doubt, in fact raises up more controversy. What a grand piece of  controversy guaranteed to pull in more crowds ! 

Technology in a large part is supposed to simplify matters for many people, it has actually made things so much more complicated. The fact is, due to the rise of the so called 'smartphones' millions of walking zombies have surfaced.

The entrepreneurs of today need to be mindful, 90% of people do not have the capability to take the  effort to upgrade their technology skills. In addition they do not allocate proper attention and memory to their daily activities and just coast along. Hence the latest and the greatest with all the 'bells and whistles' will only stymy (confuse) the 90% and results in a 'feel good' factor (I think I fall in the 90% by the way) ie. showing off and not really alleviate the perceived problem of the current times.

Take for example going to the bank or ATM to withdraw or send money. The rise of internet banking has its upsides obviously, but the rise of phishing and money laundering has skyrocketed and has probably led to the many loss of personal data privacy issues.   

The need to face to face social interaction has led in the regression of common courtesy, and a respect for individuals as a result many people hardly bother to go out now that they can be clickbait or troll champions and earn some income from home. 

Sad to see the way the New Geek economy has made us more socially awkward.

   

Shito Ryu Kata Sanchin - Inner Strength

This Kata is about the correct breathing technique, controlled strength, body posture and balance.

I recall about 10 years ago when my elder son Noel was studying at the Independent school at Buona Vista area, my neighbours and I did a car pooling each week, so I would drive 1 week and then the other 2 mothers would alternate the next 2 weeks. It was hard getting up at 6.00 am and sending the boys off I believe at 6.40 but we all did our part and for me, when I woke up at say 5.50 am, I would be really 'stoned' or spaced out ; to get the oxygen into my system, I would practice twice the Kata while Noel was having his breakfast and I would be all fired up, focussed for the drive from our house, via the Bukit Timah, Evans Road, Holland Road, Buona Vista Road East and on to Dover Road. 

The kata enabled me to get up to my mental and spatial alertness very quickly.  

Zeitgeist - Spirit of the Times

Coronation of Ramses II Relief at a Temple in Karnak, Luxor 

I am reading an outstanding book called Ikigai by neuroscientist Ken Mogi. It tells of the respect for small things in the Japanese way of life and it has given me a massive paradigm shift on aspects and focus on life itself. I will analyse and discuss the 5 pillars of Ikigai at another post sometime.

The word zeitgeist was used with such eloquence in the book, literally from the the German phrase Zeit - time and Geist - ghost, it means the ghost with the times. Many of us view the world and history with the lens of the current zeitgeist. But what is the current zeitgeist ?

From what I read, experience and sense, the current zeitgeist is one of cultural decline, the surge of the ego and general unhappiness with one's lot in life unless one is travelling the world taking selfies and showing everyone what he ate of breakfast, lunch or dinner. 

I am partly guilty of that and will need to take a proper countercheck on that. 

In my opinion, the spirit of the current times feels like we are living in times of diverse income inequality and the general sense that only a lucky few who have money,status and connections have it good while the rest of us toil like minions like a cog in a gigantic machine.

Do we as a nation or people have collective vision for the greater good of our country and selves ? 

Carrying the weight of the World

Tiong Bahru Wonton Noodles Lee Hong Ji - My Review

At the far end of the Hawker Center on 2nd Floor to the left of the Lift Access 

This is my regular Wonton Noodles stall at Tiong Bahru. Run by a family of 3 - 4 men, their wanton noodles is actually a combination of dry Mee Kia (thin yellow) noodles which has been quick dipped in a boiler container of stock, and then dished out. There will be several slices of Char Siew (roast pork slices with the yellow Char Siew (sweet roast) sauce for a fantastic sweet and sour flavouring.

Accompanying the meal is the Wonton Dumpling Soup

Accompanying the noodles is some boiled chye sim vegetable, which is crunchy at first bite and a bowl of wonton (3 pieces) which is essentially pork minced with some turnip and water chestnut to give it that crunchy and slighty sweet taste. The noodles are prepared early in the morning to perfection and wrapped with dumpling wrap (rice flour I believe).

For $3.50, I am reminded of home and no place in the world serves the wonton noodles as good as this stall in my opinion. My wife and I normally share 1 plate (we eat less nowadays) and the taste is really out of this world.

My rating :

1. Food : 5.5 / 5  - well its too good, so I am biased ! 

2. Service : 3 / 5   - well hawkers are not Michelin restaurants, so service is more hi and buy

3. Ambience : 3.5/5  - the hawker centre is normally not crowded at the times I frequent.

Total : 4  / 5 

Singapore Tourist Promotion Board wants to induct the Hawker Culture as a National Heritage with the UNESCO approval, hence I would say our hawker foods are on par and sometimes better than the Michelin starred restaurants ( I am biased of course) at food taste and quality.

LEE HONG KEE HAWKER STALL (2ND FLOOR TIONG BAHRU HAWKER CENTRE)
#02 - 60 
30 Seng Poh Road (Tiong Bahru Market)
Singapore 168898 

Shek Kee - Bib Gourmand serving Hearty Cantonese Fare at Decent prices

One of their signature dishes. 

Shek Kee is a rather unobtrusive small eatery in the district of Tin Hao. I went there 2 years ago during the day time and tried one of their signature dishes, braised beef with tomoato puree and rice. It has made the list of Michelin Bib Gourmand but to be honest, its not a place where I would really make my way to eat.  

Tin Hao is the station next to Causeway Bay 

I guess it made the list of Bib Gourmand because in the evening, the place turns into something of a private kitchen and the chef then cooks whatever is in season to the lucky patrons, for a very reasonable price. Unfortunately for me, I came at the 'off peak' time and hence was not too impressed with the food. 

Perhaps if I am next time staying in the vicinity I may be tempted to visit it in the evening and try for myself what is so outstanding about this eatery. 

There are many Jiu Chow (Teochew) restaurants such as Pak Lok, and Lei Garden which will bowl over many a foodie as compared to Shek Kee. The standout dishes there are the cold crab, the oyster porridge (must try) and the braised goose which still leaves me with that warm and fuzzy feeling of an excellent meal. 

Lei Garden is located at Hutchison House on the 2nd Floor as I recall.  

The eatery is quite close to the Metropark Hotel just opposite the Tin Hao station.

Meeting Family in Melbourne April 4th 2019

Doris and Robert Saunders in Melbourne 4th April 2019

During my trip to Canberra Australia earlier this month, I seized upon the chance to do a short domestic trip down to Melbourne where my cousin Doris Abisheganaden and her lovely husband Robert Saunders live.

Doris and Robert have migrated to Melbourne Australia since the 70s and are Australian citizens living in the suburbs of Melbourne. I had a great time catching up with both Doris and Robert who were wonderful dinner hosts to this uptight Singaporean cousin.

My late father Geoffrey and her father Felix were 2nd and 3rd brothers in the family where there were 5 boys and 2 girls growing up. 

Doris gave me a wonderful insight about my Papa before he met my Mum and the things he did with the other Uncles when they were all living under one massive bungalow house off Sophia Road way back in the 50s and early 60s before my brother and I were even born !

The wonder of rekindling blood relationship made my trip Down Under all the more precious.

Thank you Doris and Robert !