Hold My Hand

A letter from Mom and Dad

My Child,

When I get
old, I hope you understand and have patience with me.

In case I break a plate, or spill soup on the table because I’m losing my eyesight.

I hope you don’t yell at me. Old people are
sensitive. Always have self pity when you yell.

When my hearing gets worse and I can’t hear what you’re saying,

I hope you don’t call me “deaf. Please repeat what you said or write it down

I’m sorry my child. I’m getting older.

When my knees get weaker, I hope you have the patience to help me get up

Like how I used to help you while you were little, learning how to walk

Please bear with me,

When I keep repeating myself like a broken record, I hope you will just keep listening to
me.

Please don’t make fun of me or get sick of listening to me.

Do you remember when you were little and you wanted a balloon?

You repeated over and over again until you get yourself a balloon.

Please also pardon my smell. I smell like an old person

Please don’t force me to shower. My body is weak.

Old people get sick easily when they are cold. I hope I don’t gross you out.

Do you remember when you were little?

I used to chase you around because you didn’t want to shower.

I hope you can be patient with me when I am always cranky.

It is all part of getting old. You will understand when you are older

And if you have time to spare, I hope we can talk. Even for a few minutes.

I am always all by myself all the time and I have no one to talk to.

I know you are busy with work.

Even if you are not interested in my stories, please have time for me.

Do you remember when you were little?

I used to listen to your stories about your teddy bear and your adventures

When the time comes and I get ill and bedridden, I hope you have the patience to take
care of me.

I’m sorry if I accidentally wet the bed or make a mess.

I hope you will have the patience to take care of me during the last few moments of my life

I am not going to last much longer anyway.

When the time of my death comes,

I hope you will hold my hand and give me the strength to face death

And don’t worry.

When I finally meet the creator of us, I will whisper in his ear to bless you

Because you loved your mom and dad.

Thank you so much for your care. We love you

Yours,

Mom & Dad

Ups and Downs

it was a very busy 6mths to such that i do not even have the time to pen down my thoughts in my online diary... well i have changed job, took up studies and also readjust my finance... all these are sort of like draining my energy day by day...

at work.. my stubbornness is getting abit out of hand... it is so hard to readjust my working style to corporate life... any guidance out there?... well i am not complaining .. just need to learn how to grow out of my shell.. and to keep my comment to myself... i think the culture shift and to adjust is tougher than i thought... i need more time i guess... Ben! wake up! 

at school.. things are better... well sorta... results are not too bad.. well i think i can fair better... luckily i have a gang of hardworking course mates... each of us has our own strengths to pull each other thru the tide of juggling of work and study... thanks guys...

at home... well as much as i want to play my part financially... i will try to do so... occasional nagging and quarreling is inevitable.. but i try to contribute if i can.. well having to juggle work and studies is tough enough.. and with the added home pressure.. it is hard to swallow... but in any case.. home is the place where no trouble resides... and it is still the best place to soothe the weary body... warm food and surprises in the fridge...

i think a good pat on my shoulder and words of encouragement do help me to keep this spirit going.. Jia YOU!

Analyze your boss: managing upwards - Adrian Furnham

Most managers want to know how to manage certain of those more problematic staff: the chronic dissenter; the demotivated clock-watcher; Job’s comforter; the neurotically fragile. A great deal of time and effort, energy and worry go into trying to understand and motivate direct reports to be productive.

But the really smart manager spends as much time managing upwards. By definition, your boss has greater power and status than you. Bosses may or may not have broader wisdom and more experience but (nearly) always they have more power and influence and certainly more command of resources. They certainly are likely to have a great influence on you promotability, bonus pay and, indeed, quality of life.

Really shrewd managers learn to handle their bosses. The success of this strategy depends entirely on an understanding of the individual concerned. And this is much trickier than understanding reporting staff because managers mostly have much more data on those below them than those above them. Often, managers chose their direct reports; they have access to their files; they may even have valuable psychometric test information on their personality and motives. They certainly have much more daily contact with them. The quality and quantity of data that managers have is often extensive, while a remote (physically or psychologically) boss may be very difficult to know. Managers probably have up to 50 times more contact with their staff than with the bosses who maybe in a different building, city, even country.

But what are individual bosses really like? What are their ambitions and values? Who do they most admire or loathe in the organization? How do they manage upwards? And what pressures are they under? What rewards do they most value – promotion, bonuses, education, time off? What gives them most stress? Are they themselves high flyers or ceiling reachers? Are they totally trustworthy? And, even, are they sane?

A simple but effective way to begin managing upwards is to understand the abilities and personality of one’s manager.

A. Ability

How bright is your boss? Ignore qualification, rank and reputation: in assessing bosses, the question to ask how quick are they on the uptake? How quickly and accurately can they comprehend a report? How good is their vocabulary, written skills and articulateness? Can they “tumble-numbers”, read a balance sheet? The real test is in the unfamiliar, not the familiar. It’s called fluid intelligence. Experience leads to crystallized knowledge, but is only really useful in a stable world.

Those with bright bosses (that’s IQ not EQ) may find them a little intolerant of those less quick and perhaps poor at explanation. Reminding them of this can be done in a flattering way and may help everybody. These bright sparks tend to be more accepting of change, more interested in data and, of course, more adaptable and flexible.

Below-par bosses may take particularly sensitive handling. They resist new ideas and are frightened of bright young things from university. The really dim ones don’t even know that they are dim. They need a lot of help and support. Give them “suggestions” and show them how to do things. But don’t make them too reliant on you… they may hold on to you too hard and prevent your progress if they need you too much.

B. Personality

There are essentially five personality traits that require close attention. The first is perhaps the most tricky and almost a taboo to talk about. It’s neuroticism or, if you prefer, "negative affectivity". The stable boss copes with stress well, but the neurotic boss can be anxious, moody, thin-skinned, touchy and brittle, always pessimistic and worrying. Neurotic bosses are often unpredictable and need constant help, reassurance and calming down. They can have self-defeating characteristics which need looking out for, lest they defeat you as well. Neurotics are supersensitive: to the environment and others’ feelings. In that sense, they can be very compassionate, but their sensitivity makes them prone to low self-esteem, guilt, hypochondriasis, even obsessiveness.

The best way to manage these bosses for you own mental health is frankly to leave them. The cost of being a part-time therapist may be simply too high a price to pay.

The second important characteristic is extraversion. Extraverts are active, expressive, impulsive and sociable. They can also be risk taking, showing a worrying lack of reflection and responsibility. They are prone to make mistakes; to trade off speed for accuracy; to have too many brainstorming groups and parties; and to search for the elusive break through. Extraverts need not have their enthusiasm dimmed, but they need watching. They need to have their impulsivity tempered by more considerate judgment. But they also need lots of stimulation and variety to keep them comfortable.

Introverts are not shy, inadequate: they just don’t have the need for excitement that extraverts show. They tend to be more difficult to read because they prefer not to go to parties or meetings or give talks. They think first, speak later (unlike extraverts, who do it the other way around), and may seem slow and ponderous. They may seem cold, but that is just their discomfort around others.

Introverts trade off speed for accuracy. They may be helped by having an extroverted spokesperson. They prefer listening to talking and have a preference for “cold” over “hot” media: they prefer letters to meetings; emails to brainstorming sessions. Understand their likes and dislikes and you become more trusted and liked yourself.

We all like our managers to be conscientious: to be efficient, organized, reliable, responsible, dependent, thorough and prudent. Often they make the same demands of us, which can be a little exacting. But they get things done. Conscientiousness is a predictor of business success. It comes from upbringing and values. It is related to the work ethic and one’s conscience.

Conscientious managers can be rather tight-fisted and intolerant and they can be risk-adverse. But beware imprudent managers. They are lax with time, money and their personal responsibilities to others. They don’t follow through. They don’t pay their bills and they can be wildly incautious about all monetary and security issues. They may take time off when it suits them and be both indulgent and impulsive. They may appear as if they feel that 'The problem with instant gratification is that it takes too long.'

An imprudent, unreliable manager needs watching. They need lots of backup… but ultimately they probably need managing out of the organization… for everyone’s benefit.

The fourth personality dimension of salience is agreeableness. Highly agreeable managers are lovely: they are appreciative, forgiving, generous, kind, trusting and sympathetic. Their staff experience them as altruistic, modest and straightforward. Needless to say, they are well liked and have a reputation for being a good manager.

Those low on agreeableness are much less likeable. They may be cynical and sarcastic, argumentative and challenging, inconsiderate, suspicious and unhelpful. They tend to want to be admired and to be “somebody”. Their vanity and habit of putting people down make them unloved, unrespected and quite simply disagreeable. If their disagreeability is matched by great abilities, they may be forgiven their unkindnesses. But it is more likely that disagreeable managers get where they are through lies, nepotism or exploitation. If any of the latter, the best strategy is to leave or get them out of the way.

The fifth personality dimension of importance is one clearly related to creativity and intellect. It’s called openness to experience. Managers who score high on this dimension tend to be artistic and curious, imaginative and insightful, original and creative. Typically, they have a wide range of interests and are quite “intellectual”. Often, they are thought of as unconventional and a bit “arty-farty”. They like variety and novelty, but can scatter resources. For some, they are impractical dreamers: optimistic, energetic but unfocused.

Open managers are not fuddy-duddy. They embrace changes and are sensitive to the teachings and ideas of others. They are also aesthetically sophisticated. Some jobs call for little imagination and in those they are a handicap. But the real pains are managers who score low on this dimension. They tend to express both discomfort and perplexity in reaction to novel experiences. Their rigidity and lack of curiosity can be misunderstood as resistance. To help the less open manager, one needs to provide practical suggestions and new ideas. He or she needs to be helped to be more attentive to what is going on around them. They have an impoverished fantasy life and very conventional ways of thinking and behaving. Those scoring very low on this dimension are very hostile to new ideas, but those mid-way may come really to appreciate the new ways of thinking that you feed them.

If you have a bright, stable, agreeable, conscientious and open boss, celebrate your good fortune. If not, start practising you upward management skills!

Like Father Like Son

dunno when was this taken but... this is so rare!

Research Report: Does Australia need the Civil Liability Statutes?

i dunno... you tell me

sorry for the Hiatus

hey dear frens... sorry for the hiatus.. will come back and blog more... been busy lately with school work and job projects... tough.. hang it there.. some of you still visit here... thanks lots.. give me some time to setttle down and adjust to my new work-life balancing life... :)

Happy Bday to me (",) blue blue - thanks guys - 15 Aug 2010

Joseph Vincent and Jason Chen - Just a Dream (Cover) NaiSE

Account got hacked... and retrieved... stupid Nigerian Hacker!

it was Red Alert last mth when i got a phone call at 7am on 21 Aug, Saturday morning..
i jumped out of bed... and was cursing and swearing at the back of my head cos i was having a very wonderful dream and it was shattered from the ringing of my phone... i F* remembered i shut my phone alarm off the night before....

hello...
it was from KW..
are u in Spain?!
what the hell man.. i am still in my dream land!
gosh.. i think ur email got hacked (such a nice chap aye?) :)
i jumped out of bed, check my Blackberry and .. it was true... my email got hacked... how i know? well.. i got this email asking me to change my password... and then my blackberry cant access my account already.. :(

what the helll.. a way to start my Saturday.. damn it

that explains why it took me a mth to start bloggin again... cos this account is linked to the hacked account... and worst.. linked to my facebook.. and my hotmail... and so the saga begins... all my account got hacked.. and i am offline for almost a month..

here's what happened

From: Ben Lee
Sent: Friday, 20 August 2010 16:45:56
Subject: Sad News Ben Lee

How are you doing ? Hope you slept well last nite ? I'm writing this with
tears in my eyes, my family and I came down here to Madrid Spain for a short vacation unfortunately we were mugged at the park of the hotel where we stayed. all cash, credit card and cell phone were stolen off from us, luckily for us we still have our passports with us. We've been to the Embassy and the Police here in Spain but they're not helping issues at all but we're having problems settling the hotel bills and we are being held to ransom by the hotel management because we cannot settle the hotel bills. It is clear we would not be allowed to leave until we settle the bill. Word cannot explain the anguish in my heart.i was wondering if you can loan me some Money to sort the bills i promise to pay back as soon as i get back home.

Regards,
Ben Lee


On 20/08/2010, Andy Lee wrote:

TT's sad Ben ..
How do i x'fer the money to you ?


From: Ben Lee
To: Andy Lee

Glad you came on line it is me for real all i need is a quick loan of 1850 Euro to sort my bills and get a cab to the airport cos it's been clear that the hotel management won't let me leave until my bills are sorted out You can have it wired to my name through any western union outlet i promise to pay you back as soon as i get back home here is the information you need to send the money


Name..Ben Lee
Location..Calle de Alfredo 28034 Madrid Spain


As soon as you have it done, Kindly get back to me with the western union details. (MTCN) confirmation i owe you alot
Let me know if you are heading to the western union now??


Hanging here to read from you


Andy Lee wrote:

I've not done western union transfer before
Am i able to send via internet banking ?

From: Ben Lee
To: Andy Lee

You can't send it through internet All you need to do is look for any
western union outlet and send the money to my name and present location and get back to me with the mtcn confirmation number please let me know if you are heading to the western union outlet

From: james cashin
To: Andy Lee
Sent: Friday, 20 August 2010 21:30:24
Subject: Re: Sad News Ben Lee

Ok if you want to transfer it to account here is the information you need


BANK NAME BANCAJA
BENEFICAIRL NAME TRACY MBEKI
IBAN ACCOUNT NUMBER ES60-2077-0017-7516-0318-2425
ACCOUNT NUMBER 2077-0017-7516-0318-2425
SWIFT CODE CVALESWXXXC
ADDRESS AVINADA SERAGOSA XIII PT 20 NO 7 MADRID SPAIN.


please after the transaction kindly scan the payment slipt and send it to me here so that i will be able to pick up the money with it here in spain.


bloody... thats all the conversation... my brother managed to get from teh hacker...
what happened next is that i started receiving phone calls and txts from my friends to check if it is genuine and some of them even offered to help... i am so glad these ppl are by my side... thanks so much... Edgar from  msia also called to check if i m ok... how sweet of them.... luckily it is not real... and i would not want to experience the exact thing mentioned in the scam email...

however, i am just afraid of the case on "the boy who cried wolf" why eventually ppl will not even step in to help even if it is a real deal.. i am so glad...

so glad now everything is over... and i am able to retrieve all my accounts back,.... well Microsoft is the fastest to respond to my SOS and then Facebook.... Google took them a month to return my cry for help... is it becos they have too many hacking cases or they are too lazy... hmm i wonder...

well... a note to all.. always update ur password every 2-3mths and also clear ur internet cache and do not share your password... do not access to password accounts on stranger's laptop or system,... not safe at all...

good luck.. :)

STARCRAFT II: Wings of Liberty - OH MY F.GAWD

gonna slim down real soon!

2nd mth @ my new job

things are goin pretty good for me @ my new job... been able to throw in my planning skills and abit of my knowledge from my previous job....

the time is passing slow though.. maybe becos the work is not as hectic as my last job... been able to head home on time and reach work later.. :) 50 pax in the office but only 10 males... managers are also dominated by females...

well, a bulk of the stress level actually come from my studies.. been juggling that for 6 mths alr. now i am so stressed with the exams... argh... wish me good memory!

cool gears for ladies who dive :)

Hmmm...do you know?

Waka Waka your week!

Spaced out party for teh Rude Boy - Frazer :)

It was a great weekend spent 2 weeks back.. celebrated a Fren's bday ... here are the photos

look! who joined the party too!.. Astro is too bored!

Dayang trip revisted - third time - 11 Jun - 13 Jun

this is wat i meant by the short trips i so looked forward to :) here are some photos i took for the gang :)

LobsterS!!

Turtle and more turtles

Miss Fuzzy

Apologise for the Hiatus

it has been a mth plus since i last keyed in my entry... so sorry to all my readers!
i noticed the dropped in readership!! oh my gosh.. terrible !!!

alot of change for that mth... i have changed job... ya no longer the Spermatoza logo... it is time to bid farewell in April to NewUrbanMale.com ... landed myself at Resorts World at Sentosa 24 of May my official start date....

the good thing about this job is, personally... is 5 days work week! so i can go for short weekend tripo!.. in additional ... it is a bigger corporate so i can have a better prospect of career growth.

Moreover, i guess this job will anhance my strength in my Degree course in Hospitality, Tourism and Marketing Management.. so i guess it is a really good platform for me to broaden my knowledge. :)

alright.. i will post more regularly next time ;)

very touching and nice song! (Hokkein)

My results for my 6 Bridging Modules @ Kaplan

After nearly 7 years of hiatus from studies, i finally embarked on an education journey. Graduated from Ngee Ann Poly as an engineer gave me the wonderful skill of an analyst, mindful on small details... but i never wanted to be an engineer... i find that it is a boring career though it pays well..

i moved on... decided to cross train and was given the opportunity to, as a Brand Marketing Strategist at NewUrbanMale.com... 5 years on working...and with the ever demanding need for a qualification in the working world.. i am forced to get that piece of paper... and yeah.. i got my bridging modules results just nice on my last day with NewUrbanMale.com

Dear Ben

Your result for the bridging modules

Please see below for your result:

Principle of Management – A
Business Accounting – B+
Business Statistic – B+
Tourism System – B+
Business Law – B
Marketing Management – C+

well, i realised, recently i am quite proficient with theories and such.. probably with all those on the job trainings...but i am losing to the mulitple choice-typed exam... too much choices also confusing yeah, Marketing Management gave me 40 MCQs and each @ 2marks each.. and 2 theory qns @ 10marks each... well i am pretty sure i scored well on the theory questions... :)

the 'C' is ugly.. but i am determined to erase tat from my future papers.. only As and Bs :) Kambatei neh!

Alice for the Apple iPad

Alright i am totally convince iPad is the next saviour for mankind... this will totally save all the trees and cut down on paper wastage... everything in future will be paperless starting from schools... all people need to do is just download all the document and write/read/edit from their iPad...

well, in the first place, this idea is not new to us. we have all the touch screens order menu in restaurants, desktop touchscreen monitor.. interactive window displays in all our favourite fashion boutiques... all these was around for many years ago... it is a matter of who gets into innovation and create it into a friendly user interface and gadget for the tech savvy lifestyle everyone is living in now...

i totally have to give Apple the thumbs up for integrating all their own user interface and OS into all their devices.. i can say that this really creates less hassle for file transfer and ease the trouble to keep learning how to use a new device interface...

May Day - Beginning of a New Journey

"The secret to a rich life is to have more beginnings than endings." ~Dave Weinbaum

Finally i have made the ultimate decision to leave my current job... well i guess it has been a very fruitful and exciting 5 years with the company.

started young and unknown of the market situation, i am armed with no knowledge or watsoever to work for a fashion brand in the marketing field. being a engineering diploma graduate... i can say i am really proud of myself to come this far...

the journey is really tough and the contributions i have made is commendable (i hope)... people i have met added colours to my life... from being partners, to friends, to BFF... so much has changed for my life thru this stage...

i did gave in very long thought for this decision... i think i need to explore further while i am still young... at 27 this year.. i have only experience from this company and i have yet to see a bigger picture in a corporate world... i do like the casual environment in this small family... but i think, how big a percentage of company lead this kind of casual environment? if i dun get out, i will get too comfy and it will be even harder for me to move on to a bigger company and adapt... i would want to have a mix of experience before i hit 30... at least i can be much more worth in experience and network.

being in this company did gave me a sense of independance and of course i can get to be much more organised and  systematic... but sometimes there are still restrictions to things i can do... the limitation of budget and manpower do sometimes hinder my marketing plans... to the extend that i will have to repeat and modify a certain project template which can be executed within my means... well i have been there and done those... :) but i hope that i can travel fair enough for the exposure...

the next journey, my new beginning, is still uncertain for me... alot of grey areas and alot of trial and error...

sometimes i wonder, if the grass is really greener on the other side...

wish me luck :)

Being Singaporean

somehow or rather, i feel that being a Singaporean gives me a mixed sense of belonging... i do wonder how Unique the country is heading towards being Uniquely Singapore.

Singapore - noted for being a 'Fine' city by many tourist, has indeed placed herself to be more than a red dot on the world map. Signages of fines are seen almost everywhere, from eating place, public areas, public transport and even the toilets. so much so that we are listed as one of the clean and green country cos all the residents are too scared of being fined.

we always pride ourselves for being such a stronghold for a small country... having a strong security (well other than the Mas Selamat case where he escaped from a toilet), financially stable... with money falling from the sky (or rather, money being sucked out from us to the sky, ERP system) we have even added to our portfolio, Universal Studios @ Resort World Sentosa with casino and one more up and coming Marina Bay Sands Integrated Resort... so many things to do and go for, but however, Singaporeans have to pay an entry fee of $100 to enter the casinos whereas Tourist enter for free (where is the privilege of being a Singaporean?) we have to pay pay pay so much for those entertainment, even for Universal Studio, they should have a rate for Singaporeans..! the country really survived from the money of Singaporean. look at Singapore in another perspective... we are like a huge company with the residents as workers and all the money earned are spent back to the company... the country is highly dependent on Singaporeans for survival...

another unique character of Sinagpore is being Kiasu... meaning scared to lose out in anything... recently with the new addition of the Circle line to our already massive public transport, it somehow created alot of buzz too. the young boy who got this interest to 'chase' trains for being the first passenger..., spending our tax money to engage Taiwan female pop group SHE to grace the opening ceremony jus to make it BIG...
i also got the speculated news of the plan for our coloured train lines..

i already think that the messy train lines in Tokyo is already frustrating enough,... tell me about this project they are planning for Singapore by year 2020! good god... i can somehow say, this massive project is a combination of being Kiasu, spending our tax money and drawing money back into their pocket plan...

That Uniqely Sinagpore for you...

Let's KICK some ASS!!! (Spoiler Alert!)

i had a good time watching this movie... and Hell did i not noe this was a M18 film!!!... i tot for the longest time that this is yet another cheesey film for the kids... hahah... and yeah... it is definitely not...

in fact, when my friends wanted to watch this movie... i was a little skeptical... and i hope it is not another superhero movie spoof look-a-like... but yar.. i was hit into suspense towards the mids of the movie.. :)

introducing, Red Mist (the villian), Kick Ass, Hit Girl (love her), and Big Daddy

this movie added a little humour and alot of funny scenes of Kick Ass being Kicked Ass.. and ya also a little bit of how the hero get the maiden and how the hero gets stranded in a situation where he needs the help of other, also getting framed by another 'superhero' (red mist).. and ya.. sometimes being geeky and being small in frame doesnt mean easily bullied...

this is Kick Ass and i'm not gonna be standing around here! Hiyak!

Hit Girl (Mindy)

i totally love her thruout the whole movie!!! she totally turned the whole movie to the suspense!.. she is bloody and eager for more bloodshed.. and ya she is only 11yrs old, she kick ass and she is the ultimate killing machine in the movie..

SO YOU WANNA PLAY?

Totally recommended movie for all :)

So yeah, dint see that dint ya?

alright, we are superheroes, Love Us :)

ps. sometimes i wonder for this movie that is rated M18.. they also have young actress who is belog 18 yrs... i wonder how much she is affected psychologically while filming this film... :p 

Angels Cry

the model from Beluga ad has 'Small Wiener'

saw this on an ad in Men's Folio magazine... haa the photographer made such a mistake... :p

Singular

“I appreciate all of the attention I get in my career. I am a loner and live a rather secluded life so sometimes I do get overwhelmed, but I am always very appreciative of everything, and honored.”

~Kim Elizabeth quotes

spotted this lizard on a school fence while making my way to work... so decided to take a photoshot... i took a while to observe... and i tot it was dead... however in seconds it sprung into action... the long sticky tongue shot out of  what it seems to be a small harmless amphibian mouth and it caught its prey...

it kinda struck me to wonder... being a singular do allow one to achieve great things in life... but or rather... be focus and it will be done likewise...

well this entry is quite random... :)

Moving on...

“We made a lot of progress. But it was time to move on and let someone else pick up where I left off.” ~ John Pavlik quotes


have put in alot of thoughts on this... and yeah... i have decided to move on... where will i land at next is still a mystery for me... just hope that i can find a decent one soon...

it have been a long 5 years journey for me... the commitment i have contributed and the youth i have spent...

i kinda realised that life is too short to settle on one things at a time... to move on to a fresh era.. i decided not to hold on here any longer and i really need to find something else can can interest me and keep me going further... and get out of my comfort zone..

I like taking risks and challenges... there are many times in my life where they are smooth sailing and i can safely say that i am blessed somehow where many decisions and opportunities just came knocking at my door...

alot of ppl asked me why so sudden? why this juncture?... but i know i have this decision sometime back..


i guess it is time to create a turning point in my life...

All's well.. wish me luck in my future endeavor

My Result for Business Law :) yeah!

Dear Ben

Your result for the bridging module – Business Law has been released.

Please see below for your result:

Business Law – B

Mood: Contended

my new HP probook laptop - Got from NUS IT Co-op - very good value

My New HP Probook in MERLOT!!!

Setting up

The Softwares - Adobe CS4, Windows 7, McAfee for 3 users)

The Pro Laptop Carrier...

The Pathetic $10 voucher given for every $1000 spent! so Cheapo

Yeah.. The Computer Is Personal Again :)

HP ProBook 4310s - Discrete Graphics
Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology Core 2 Duo T9600
(2.8GHz, 6MB L2 Cache, 1066MHz FSB);
Mobile Intel PM45 Express Chipset;
4GB DDR3 SDRAM (no slot left);
500 GB SATA Hard disk;
Built-in DVD+/-RW SuperMulti DL LightScribe Drive;
13.3" LED-Backlit HD anti-glare LCD (1366 x 768);
ATI Mobility Radeon HD 4330 discrete graphics with 512MB dedicated video memory;
Integrated 2.0 Mega Pixel Webcam;
Built-in 10/100/1000 Mbps LAN;
VGA port; USB 2.0 x 3; 1 HDMI;
Media Card Reader; ExpressCard/34 slot;
Intel Wireless WiFi Link 5100 (802.11a/g/n);
Built-in BlueTooth 2.1;
Touchpad with scroll zone;
Spill resistant keyboard;
HP Fingerprint Sensor;
High Definition Audio with Built-in stereo speakers;
Integrated Microphone;
Windows Vista Business;
Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Premium;
Microsoft Office 2007 Standard;
McAfee Internet Security 2009;
HP Recovery Manager;
Notebook carrying case;
USB Optical Mouse;
1.97 kg (with battery and integrated optical drive).
[3 years Local on-campus warranty and 3 years international traveller warranty]

Dressing Tips for Men

As, you all know that every single individual is different from the other, so it is obvious that their dressing should be different from each other. Women generally choose dresses according to their body type but men are weak in this field. Most of the men’s selection of dress is driven by their friends and by latest fashion trends but it is not the right way to dress.


You should first know your body type before you go out to buy any clothes. There are some measurements and information which can help you in identifying your body type, once you know your body type you can use the below given tips to find the right clothes for yourself.

V-SHAPED

If your shoulders are broader than your waist by 4 or more inches then you have a V-shaped body. There are some tips for V shaped men so that they look cool and hide their broad shoulders.

Top clothes- All the men who have V-shaped body should wear raglan sleeved t-shirts or dark color top because it will reduce the broad look of shoulders. If you want to wear coat you can wear wide lapel and double breasted coats as this will highlight the waist line and cover broad shoulders.

Pants –If you have a V- shaped body you should wear pleated pants with patched pockets, this will give you some mass on waist and maintain balance with broad shoulders.

AVOID – You should not wear sleeve-less t-shirt and tight pants or jeans because it will highlight the broad shoulders. Olympic gold medalist MICHAEL PHELPS has a V-shaped body and you can notice his style of dressing.


BULKY

If your waist is broader than your chest by 6 or more inches, it means you have a bulky body. Now you should try these dressing tips-

Top clothes- If you have broad waist you should wear vertical lined light color t-shirt with set in sleeves and if you want to wear coats go for more fitted suits.

Pants – You should wear dark colored pleat-less pants with a belt this will tuck in your belly. You can wear same colored top and bottom because it creates slimmer look.

AVOID – You should avoid baggy clothes because they make you look more bulky. The v -shaped neck t shirt highlights your bulky neck region and low waisted jeans and pants highlight your bulk on waist. So do not wear these types of clothes.


THIN

If your chest is broader than your waist by 4 or more inches that means you are thin or skinny. Follow the below given dressing tips to give yourself a cool look.

Top Clothes – If you are slim you should avoid tight fitting tops with vertical lines because it makes you look thinner. You can wear less fitting shirt and double breasted coats to appear heavy.

PANTS – You can wear pleated pants and boot cut jeans because it will hide thinness of your legs.

AVOID -You should not wear tight clothes and skinny jeans.


TALL

Men above the height of 5 feet 6 inches are called tall. Follow the below given dressing tips for tall men –

Tops – You should wear horizontal lined or big printed shirts or t-shirts. You can also choose fitting clothes. Double breasted coats and jackets will suit you more if you are tall.

Pants – You can wear different colored top and pants because it covers height.

AVOID -You should avoid loose fitting clothes and vertical lined tops because both makes you look taller. Ace basket ball player MICHAEK JORDON is one of the best dressed tall men.


SHORT

Men who are below the height of 5 feet 6 inches are referred as short. For them the different dressing tips are as follows –

Tops – If you are shorter in height you should wear vertical lined shirts or t-shirts. You can wear ‘V’ shaped necked t-shirts and slim fitting shirts. In a formal dress you can wear peak lapel and slightly longer coat because it creates taller look.

Pants – For taller look you should wear nicely fitted pant. Another way to look taller is to wear same color top and bottom.

It is also very necessary to know what makes you look shorter like low waisted trousers double breasted coats, too long coats and different colored top and bottom.

On of the well dressed Hollywood star TOM CRUISE is short in height even than he a style icon.

Not every man looks like Brad Pitt or Salman Khan but if you follow the above “Dressing Tips for Men” you’ll look equally handsome. Selecting clothes is not an ordinary work; this is a task of making new identity. These dressing tips will definitely make it easy for you to choose right clothes to match your body type. Follow these tips and discover the new fashion icon in you.

Lady Gaga - Telephone (Official Explicit Version) ft. Beyoncé

Finally it is out!

She & Him - In The Sun (cute :p)

KAIJI the Movie - Must WATCH!!! (SPOILER ALERT!!!)

it has been awhile since a movie got me clinging on to the edge of my seat... and yeah... Kaiji is a recommended show to watch this month...

the story plot revolves around a group of 'losers' which is what they are called in the movie, they have no purpose in life and what they do is go by day to day without any goals... and worse, most of them are in heavy debts... However, the poor lead actor Kaiji Ito -(Tetsuya Fujiwara) is a lonely free guy working at a local convenient store. When loan sharks demand he pay an outrageous sum to make good on a friend’s debt that Kaiji co-signed years before, he is forced onto a cruise ship where people gamble for their lives. After losing, he must toil as a slave laborer in a mine.

                      

the Movie version of the game in the ship

the manga version

                      

this is a simple game of "Scissors, Paper and Stone"

still can't believe the simplest game can also be used fo life gamble

Kaiji risks all to escape by crossing aforementioned beam hundreds of feet up in the air. All this is done for the amusement of a monied elite who are behind the entire operation.

                              

the movie version

 

the manga version

The tension between a downtrodden underclass and a privileged ruling class provides what would otherwise be a ridiculous film some interesting subtext.

                                           

                                        

the final game of The King, The Civilian and the Slave

(the King commands the Civilian, the Civilian bullies the Slave, the Slave backstab the King)

**you can play this game with Poker cards too :), The King, The Numbers and The Joker**

All in all, Kaiji is a thought-provoking work, even if the script is, ironically, totally commercial and alot of tears in the movie :)

Adam Lambert Concert @ Resort World Sentosa :)

Scary but cool shit - MJ Medley

Shortbread Cookies

Shortbreads are traditionally a Christmas cookie made with just four ingredients, butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and flour. They are a rich cookie with a delicate buttery flavor. These cookies freeze very well so they are the perfect cookie to make for the holiday season.

I am a sucker for buttery stuff... had this addiction to Marks and Spencer's Shortbread cookies...thus shortbread is my first attempt to bake after 6 mths long of hiatus... i think it is the simplest project for me to kick start my baking engine again... :) love the smell of the freshly baked cookies...  

Chef at work - Do Not Disturb

the Dough

the Setting

the Stars

the Bake

the Final Product

Hearts :)

Shortbread Cookies:

2 cups (260 grams) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon (2 grams) salt
1 cup (2 sticks) (226 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (60 grams) powdered (confectioners or icing) sugar
1 teaspoon (4 grams) pure vanilla extract