Don't Assume

You may hear about the term "Assume" can mean .... making an "ass" out of you and me. What it means is that most of the time when you assume instead of find out about the facts, you will mess out the situation for yourself and the other party involved. But anyway, I'm not here to be so philosophical. My friend sent me this video and I think it's worth sharing. This guy is very very talented ... not only that, he teaches as not to judge before we see the complete picture. I guess life works like that too. :-)

Enjoy.



Just found out in Portuguese, Os Seminovos means "the newbie or semi-newbie". And ao mestre, com Carinho means "to the master with love".

Fax Trial Gone Wrong

My laptop was stolen ... well not exactly mine ... it's my office. But still it's "my" property ... so thanks to my nice boss, we got a new laptop. And as I'm typing, I'm trying to configure things out and preparing all the lost documents again .... Then I discovered a feature that I've never tried before ... (yes, I'm so old-fashioned) ... it's faxing through my laptop. To see whether it works or not, I ask for a help from the cooking pot (my nice nice friend). She asked me to draw something ugly for her (well, she's an artist and I'm not), so I said ... "nay ... no images ... I can't draw."

So, instead, I send her this document ....


I didn't know she enjoys it and she intends to upload it to her blog. :| ....

Erm .... but anyway ... the event in the message did happen in real life. She really forgot to wear shoes to work and instead wear the house slippers ... only to realize it when she's already on board on the bus.

Seriously, without a friend like this, I think my life will be duller. So ... I pray to God to send more "interesting events" through her :p ... such as ... she forgot to eat her Ginko Biloba which was supposed to make her memory better. :p .. Ah .. what a friend.

Feel free to get to know her more through her artistic posts at http://frothecoffee.blogs.friendster.com/hazard/

i carry your heart with me

Hi everyone
Surprise ... surprise ...
Yes, it's been quite sometimes since I let my creative juice flows effortlessly in this platform. I've been "stung" by the lazy-bug which only cure lies within myself ... and I'm still recovering slowly.

First of all ... I would like to thank all of you ... my subscribers and also my readers who've been faithfully checking into my blog regularly though in the end found nothing was updated. I apologize for the trouble you've experienced ...

But to all of you who've been faithfully waiting ... and to especially 2 souls who've been screaming and yelling at regular basis and asked,"why is there no new post on your blog??" ... I dedicate this post to all of you ... I know who you are ... and I may not know a few of you ... but whatever it is ... this poem which was written by legendary (and one of my favourite poet) E.E. Cummings ... I hope you'll enjoy it and I promise ... I'm on the path of recovery to revive this blog.

i carry your heart with me
by E.E. Cummings

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in
my heart) i am never without it (anywhere
i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done
by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear
no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want
no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud
and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows
higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

212 Degree

Whats the difference between 211 degree and 212 degree?

Mathematically it's only 1 degree apart from each other.
Phenomenally that 1 degree separates great from good.

Watch it in action through this short clip

www.212movie.com

And remember in everything that you do, the extra 1 degree of hard work or positive attitude can just make all the difference that you've ever needed.


Image courtesy of www.212movie.com

The World of Limousines

In Singapore when we mention the word "limo", we will picture it as the white Mercedes taxi which represents a type of luxury in the world of transportation. But in US, the choices for luxury transportation come in abundance.

I've just discovered there are three types of basic limousines:

1. Traditional
2. Stage
3. Exotic

What are their differences?

Traditional limousine is an extension of large sedan. I believe this is something like we have generally in Singapore. And I think most of us have had a ride in it more than once in our lives. :p

Stage limousine has its design and application is in between sedan and a bus. As quoted from Wikipedia - "A modern version of the stage is seen in some novelty stretch Hummer or Hummer H2 vehicles. Some funeral homes maintain six-door stages to carry the family of the deceased between the church and the cemetery. These are usually not used for private hire."

Exotic limousine is the typical one we saw on TV where celebrities are being chauffeured around for their special events. And the extra long one will be called "stretch" limousine. It may have some impractical amenities like hot tub. -.-" How about that? Not to mention it may be bulletproof too. WOW. Now I know why the stars need it. :p

The common uses of limos in Singapore that we may encounter are for wedding, airport transfer and special events/functions purposes. But in US, you may find it may be used for wine tours, bachelor/bachelorette party, prom night, and graduation.

And I believe it can be used for other purposes that may just be mind blowing ... or like in the movie Alfie, it can be used as a mobile dating heaven. Haha ... One can just imagine. Mind is limitless anyway.

Sir Ian Mckellen????

Yes. That's my not so glamorous cheek with Sir Ian Mckellen behind it.


For those of you who don't know who he is ... well, here are a few other photos of him which I believe you will be able to recognise who he is:

He's Gandalf in Lord of the Ring Trilogy.


He is Magneto in X-Men


And he is also Sir Leigh Teabing in Da Vinci Code


I can't believe to this moment that I'm in the same room with him. What an honour to be in his presence. Well, he was also enjoying the local production of Happy Endings, well of course he went there with the director, Ivan Heng. Happy Endings is a theatre work based on Singapore first gay novel ever - Peculiar Chris by Johann S. Lee, which was adapted by local playwright, Alfian Sa'at.

How do I rate the show?
9 out of 10.
Why?
For its blatant honesty and like one of my friend put it ... "poignant happy endings".
Eventually, all endings are written by ourselves and we are the decision maker to our happy endings ... no matter how tough the plot may seem like but eventually ... it'll be fine.

Things to Fear

Discovered this beautiful quote while reading Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window ... brilliantly written by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi and applaud is equally given to Dorothy Britton, the translator.

"Having eyes, but not seeing beauty; having ears, but not hearing music; having minds, but not perceiving truth; having hearts that are never moved and therefore never set on fire. These are the things to fear, said the headmaster."

A remarkable book that I hope more people should take on to understand the children which we were once one of them and part of them still remain in our present moment.

What the World Eats?

Ever wonder how other people in other countries are spending when it comes to their food? I got this very interesting forwarded message from my friend and I think it's a great way to be grateful of what we already have. Let's find out how our brothers and sisters eat from around the world. Wanna guess which country spent the most on food? :p


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Chad:
The Aboubakar family of Breidjing Camp
Food expenditure for one week: 685 CFA Francs or $1.23
Favorite foods : soup with fresh sheep meat


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Japan:
The Ukita family of Kodaira City
Food expenditure for one week: 37,699 Yen or $317.25
Favorite foods: sashimi, fruit, cake, potato chips



© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Italy:
The Manzo family of Sicily
Food expenditure for one week: 214.36 Euros or $260.11
Favorite foods: fish, pasta with ragu, hot dogs, frozen fish sticks


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Kuwait:
The Al Haggan family of Kuwait City
Food expenditure for one week: 63.63 dinar or $221.45
Family recipe: Chicken briyani with basmati rice


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
United States:
The Revis family of North Carolina
Food expenditure for one week: $341.98
Favorite foods : spaghetti, potatoes, sesame chicken


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Mexico: The Casales family of Cuernavaca
Food expenditure for one week: 1,862.78 Mexican Pesos or $189.09
Favorite foods: pizza, crab, pasta, chicken


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
China:
The Dong family of Beijing
Food expenditure for one week: 1,233.76 Yuan or $155.06
Favorite foods: fried shredded pork with sweet and sour sauce


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Poland:
The Sobczynscy family of Konstancin-Jeziorna
Food expenditure for one week: 582.48 Zlotys or $151.27
Family recipe : Pig's knuckles with carrots, celery and parsnips


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Egypt: The Ahmed family of Cairo
Food expenditure for one week: 387.85 Egyptian Pounds or $68.53
Family recipe: Okra and mutton


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Ecuador:
The Ayme family of Tingo
Food expenditure for one week: $31.55
Family recipe: Potato soup with cabbage



© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Mongolia:
The Batsuuri family of Ulaanbaatar
Food expenditure for one week: 41,985.85 togrogs or $40.02
Family recipe: Mutton dumplings


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Bhutan:
The Namgay family of Shingkhey Village
Food expenditure for one week: 224.93 ngultrum or $5.03
Family recipe: Mushroom, cheese and pork


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Germany:
The Melander family of Bargteheide
Food expenditure for one week: 375.39 Euros or $500.07
Favorite foods: fried potatoes with onions, bacon and herring, fried noodles with eggs and cheese, pizza, vanilla pudding


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
Great Britain:
The Bainton family of Cllingbourne Ducis
Food expenditure for one week: 155.54 British Pounds or $253.15
Favorite foods: avocado, mayonnaise sandwich, prawn cocktail, chocolate fudge cake with cream


© Peter Menzel www.menzelphoto.com from the book Hungry Planet: What the World Eats
United States:
The Caven family of California
Food expenditure for one week: $159.18
Favorite foods: beef stew, berry yogurt sundae, clam chowder, ice cream