What propel me forward is pain

Today went to Chinatown to visit aunty. Since my mum wake I had not been visiting her for more than a year. Feel so guilty. When I sort out my mum photo album ytd then I realise she is my other mum. Or the closest I can call a mum liao. Therefore, I should really need to take care of her. I will want to put in more effort. So today I went down with Jackie and Clement to visit her for a short while. 

Bring her to Chinatown Point to eat Toast Box and coffee. Order ham cheese set for her and I think she enjoyed the meal. Simple people like her needs very little to be contented I think. Simple food like Toast Box will give a lot of happiness. As we who have work and what not will overtime feel Toast Box is less of a treat. I start to want more and more and we are unable to feel happy for all these small little things. 

What impress me is that she is able to read all the Chinese words on the zodiac board. She hasn’t went school but she self taught Chinese by reading magazine and read subtitle on Channel 8. Some more she is intel challenged. Very impressive how people are picking up knowledge. If you want we can almost achieve anything. 

Lastly I was thinking to get her a phone to play tik Tok. But I scare to get her addicted to all these social media. Maybe by not having all these tech is something of blessing. I think she is kinda boring just to watch TV everyday and all days. I thinking a

Phone with tik tok may benefit her but now I think I shouldn’t introduce all these to her is better. 

Today also met Liting and her sister Limin at Chinatown to eat fish head. Her sister is a warden officer and she is so alike to me. 

-No friends, 

-No empathy to people

-Either right or wrong but no grey area

-Don’t want to have children. 

So on and so no. Very similar to me. I was thinking is it of our defence mechanism that made us become a super “I” person. 

Liting mention a verse that impact me very deeply that what empowers her to overcome obstacles is love. I start to reflect on how this statement can apply to me. I try to think of an event that propel me forward is by way of love. I cannot think of any. 

2 event obstacles comes to my mind, one losing love one and the other one is near death experience in Vietnam. Although both event I can think back and realise that there are people who love me are around to give me support. But this is not what I remember the incident for. What really drive me forward is using pain and suppressions. How I manage obstacles is to bite the pain and pull thru and once I got used to pain then pain is no longer painful. Apparently there are people although not a lot think akin to me. 

Meet up with German and France friend at the guesthouse

 Today was a stay home day for us. We wake up for breakfast and lunch and then many people came. First is a Japanese neighbour came over and gave us orange and he told us that he is a priest from a church. 

Then we had another Germany Marke coming to join Hannah. So picture for the day is with these 2 girls. What is interesting is that Marke told us her encounter when she stayed at host house and it was funny. We spoke the whole night on different topics like housing, religion, politics and culture. Well it was very interesting to meet people and listen to their stories.

Hannah right and Marke in the middle

Later in the evening we are greeted by another 2 France girl whom have lots of stories to tell us. They are Joanna and Julie. A school teacher and a lawyer to be and they are travelling between their job. They shared with us the experience of doing a road trip in Australia where they bought a used Honda CRV with camping tent on the top and there are cooking wares and power in the back of the car.

Julie on the right and Joanna at the centre

The next day we bring the 2 girls to the Lawson and supermarket which is 35mins walks one way. We had a good talk and they detoured to a random temple along the way and they strongly recommended us to watch a Japanese cartoon later in the night. I am so impressed that the Germans are teaching their kids early to be independent. Like they will not help them to do things but will accompany them to let them complete simple task by themselves as young as 3 years old. France on the other hand is very lay back and chill where they are not really care about how people view them. They are more expressive in term of their emotion and opinion. Unlike Asian we are always trying to be nice and polite, many times i felt like we are putting up a fake skin and we care too much about how people view us.

Movie night in the house

At night we planned to watch the Japanese show Howl’s living castle which was recommended by Joanna. But we try connecting the old laptop with the projector and the speaker which we had difficult in sourcing enough electrical outlet from the house.Setting up the laptop was a slow and painful process as all of us watched patiently for Joanna to get the laptop up. Then we faced the wifi connection issue and then the Netflix browser is not supported and also prime video account can’t login so we had a series of issue and end up we still not able to get the video up working.

To every you I’ve loved before

Finally they gave up and I took over the laptop and proposed to watch another anime that is available on YouTube “To every you I’ve loved before”. 一头雾水。It is about parallel world theme suspend movie. End up we would never guess the outcome of the movie as ending we realised that the author broke up 2 separate story half into each movie. So the part we watch explain half of each story and it was super confusing. 

During we finally found out who Fred was. When we came to the house at the bathroom there was sign mentioning that watch out for Fred who will be watching you bathing if you are not careful. We had no idea who Fred was and the host gave us a clue that it has 2 eyes with 4 limbs. End up that night during movie we were greeted by a small little cute frog climbing around the house. And that was super cute.

Our Japan Osaka first week video was up and we started a new series walk the talk which we just speak while walking around Osaka.

And we had a short that I was walking along a stream near our guesthouse

Sandy house to cook a great meal for the ladies

Today highlight is that we was invited to Sandy’s house for the whole day to do women day. The day where Tracy will religiously buy flower from the market and all lady will just come to Sandy house to cook and decorate the vase. Then after all food cooked, they will 摆盘 outside and take a picture. All just for a Instagram-able photo, I do not really understand why need to get approval from the social media lah, but apparently this virus to create stress and anxiety is common in Vietnam youth.

While, myself as a Singaporean, and most people from China and Taiwan are feeling the inflation and market getting very bad. On the other hand, we feel Vietnamese are still spending I guess this is due to the market is emerging and there are still a lot of opportunity in the market, never really see Tracy and Sandy complaining life is difficult. Only me. Sandy secretly took us that her rice cooker from Japan cost her $2,000. 

Sandy just really very independent and trust us with her kids. She requested us to pick them up after school. Moon and Susu school is 15mins away from home if we ride bike. We had to carry 4 pac and children don’t even need to wear helmet. We find it very dangerous but this is common practice in Vietnam. So we took up the challenge and went over to fetch them back on the bike without the head gear. So funny that the teacher will allow us to pick up the children just need Sandy to inform the teacher beforehand. In SG I think sure kanna complain already the school.

Took train to Hai Phong

Today we are on our way to explore Hai Phong. 2 hours by train ride from Hanoi. Train ticket cost us 115k dong / person. Jackie looks for excited like a baby with grapes and green mango on train. Surprisingly that the train is air conditioned with power plug and toilet at each cabin. We are assigned cabin 14 and we had to walk quite a bit to our seat.

What is fun is the climbing up the train like immigrant like this. The train ride was not very fast and I believe is around 50km/hr. That why it will takes us 2 hours to reach Hai Phong which also take 2 hours if you are riding motorbike.

Tracy was kind enough to lend us her bike for free. Due to the bike is without insurance paper and mirror so it was not advisable for us to ride to Hai Phone on motorbike. We will have to temporary park our bike at MaI Bima Leathercraft shop while we are away for these week.

Yesterday night we brought Sandy and her 3 daughter to Hanoi to enjoy chicken feet. Jackie was damn enjoying the chicken wing as she say that the chicken is full of favour as it was breed on the top of the mountain somewhere in the north Vietnam. You can come here as we highly recommend it.

Sandy newly added 3rd baby 

We secretly gave Mai a surprise visit

Hanoi lodging is so high compared to Nha Trang. Usually we pay only 4 star hotel for $18 but in Hanoi central / Tay Ho we are only able to get $30 for 3 star hotel. 

Earlier this morning when I went down to eat and I saw the haze is so bad in Hanoi and I do a quick search on the air quality and realise it was 25x above world recommended level. OMG, extremely unhealthy and I think Hanoi will not be a good place for us to relocate. As this is the 3rd trip this year and I think i will not come back to Hanoi anytime soon. I personally now like Dalit and then follow up Nha Trang now.

From Airbnb at Yen Phu we check out and move to lahomestay hang dau. I see the picture so nice but price at only $15 on agoda. But when we check in then the owner tell us that the hotel is newly added in the agoda and they didn’t prepare the room for us. So our 3 days booking have to cut to 1 and I need to move out again tomorrow.

Today after checking in to hotel we decided to give Mai a surprise at her Bima leather company. She was a new friend we made when we was looking for leather tools during our first visit. We decide to drop by her office and give her a surprise. 

Today big news is that the China bull market suddenly pull back and a lot of 90s and 00s are taking up loans and brought into the market. They were heavily influenced by China influencer. However as these younger generation had not accumulated much assets and those 3rd party non bank lender will see a lot of default from these group of people. 躺平了. Now is really getting harder and harder for younger generation. The economic no longer make sense even for me.  

Got scammed in Vietnam on Hai San

This week second time I dream about Andy Lau. First is about him sponsoring coffee for $8.80 I ask if he is really endorsing on the product. Second time is when. Jackie and me walking in a tourist attraction I suddenly sing the song 我和我追逐的梦。I just fell asleep like a baby on the hotel sofa. We had been enjoying our one month travel in Nha Trang. This is like living the dream of working 4 hours work week on the nice beach sipping mojito. It must be the power of law of attraction. You are what your thoughts are.

Having Oc Zang with uncle and father

Tonight we went to eat hai san (seafood) again. After last night where we paid 460k/kg for the grouper fish which we choose the place as Jackie like to eat there. We felt we were scammed for the tourist price. Tonight we ask the same fish it was selling for 350k/kg. Although we got sold the tourist price. But on a brighter note without knowing the high price we would never to so sure of finding the cheap price. The reason why we will choose to eat at this place firmly is we felt we found the better price. 

I tend to have the ability to find reason to be happy even if I got scammed. Which is a very important attribute as I will be more resistance to adversity. Life is great. 

Speaking of scamming in Vietnam, I want to share that my Uncle got scammed for iphone repair in Vietnam. Uncle's iphone 11 got short circuited after it was splashed with seawater. The phone just kept restarting. He brought the phone to a shop near our hotel and was told that he will open up and help to dry the phone for a small fee of 50k ($3SGD). I was very skeptical why the shop owner was charging so little for the work of opening up the phone. I used to be selling and repair mobile phone back in the days and things like this was worth at least a repair fee of >$10 - $20 in SGD.

He opened up the screen and blow the phone with hair dryer, since I didn't want to sit there to wait so I went to away to buy fruit juice. You know end up the owner took the phone backstage and replaced his original screen with another used screen. I knew it when I ask Uncle to take back the old "spolit screen" which I observed is a China knock off screen. Kanna 狸猫换太子 liao. I saw the china sticker at the screen somemore is partially peeled off, this cannot be the original apple LCD.

Over the phone, Uncle ask if he should proceed with the repair cost of 2.2mil ($120). I didn't tell him about the scam, I just ask him to proceed with the repair since paying the money is the only way to solve the problem of turning on the phone again, the owner will disconnect and reckon the phone useless if Uncle dont' agree to the repair. 

Classic using low bait to entice you in the shop and disable your phone and say its spolit and provide you with "illusion" of choices of screen like grade A / original. Even worst they replaced the screen with an old "grab driver" phone LCD. I can tell cause there is burn mark of map navigation that is barely visible. The owner earned 2.2mil and replaced his fault LCD with Uncle working LCD. The LCD was not the issue to begin with since it was restarting loop showing apple logo all along which suggest that the LCD is not the issue in the short circuit issue.

However, the world is not ready to take the truth. People will do all they can or lie to themselve but to listen to the cold hard truth of the world. I must learn to 看破不说破。

Not suitable in-service line

 

Jacky went to find Andrian to ask about my temperament issue when I am dealing with retail client. I tend to stick to my principle a lot and unable to 扮可怜 or 博同情. 

I would rather jeopardise the whole deal rather than meeting client at the "middle". 

I acknowledge that I am not very end goal driven. I always do thing without an end in mind. Sort of a very process kind of person.

Jacky came to a conclusion I might not be very suitable to be working in the service line. She asks me to do back my leather project and at least start off with a product. She says since I don't work really well with bosses and colleagues, I am not a very people person as I like to exercise my world view on people around. She recommends that I should at least be enforcing my control on a product as a solopreneur. 

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Workplace Banking the short and sweet

WPB047 Alternative Sales Division

I tried many interviews and ended but had 2 offers. The Dbank offers a higher basic Relation Manager, which I applied through job street. The Ubank offers a higher commission by success HR. One job is a new undertaking of new financial products the other the old credit facilities product. 

Sandy and Tracy came from Hanoi to Singapore and its 3 years apart

Its not like 8 years ago that I had time to write blog for my poly friend to read cause now there are seldom people following my blog and no one cares about my writing anymore. So the style of writing will be from a much wordy post to something like more visual.

I am into photography 8 years ago and now I am into videography. Also I am not professional and I don't even think I can pass of as someone worthy as an amateur. I just like what I am doing and it doesn't matter if I am good at it or not cause I just enjoyed.

Now this post is to feature Sandy and Tracy whom came to Singapore after 3 years when I last saw them in Hanoi. They hosted me 6 days last time and now I am here to return them the favour.

Royal 2 on Billy ang wedding briefing

Time flies, already 7 years since ORD. Bobo we and ADF mates had known for 10 years already. Recently so long than got a chance to meet with with the ex HQ drivers because of Billy Ang's wedding. I will be going to be a brother for the second time. Billy brought us to tries out of brother shirts. Saw Andy Lim, Vincent Ang, Billy, Neville, Qing He.

Bring them to Lao Sishuan to try the best China food I ever put into my mouth. Drink like a China man. So many bottles of beer until I was drunk before reaching the next station.

And all the people in the restaurant had not been seeing me for a long time, so all of them came out to welcome us. Even treat us a bottle of harbin.

Vincent ang, neville and andy lim

billy ang, me and qing he

After lao sishuan, we went to royal 2 with qinghe's friends and all of us stood around due to the house is fully packed. A tower after another after another like 10 plus over towers. I can't recall how many people is there. Last part saw two ladies dancing like on drug like that, unknowingly just ask them to join us to supper and realise they were dancer from taiwan. 

3 pots of thai hot pot and all standing around to get a piece of it. I even stand on the road side to eat while standing. Crazy lots of peoples. Some singer and dancer from Thai just followed qinghe to eat, don't where he got to know so many people. 

Game "Werewolf" at Batam Harris

Over the weekend when for a getaway at Batam with Hippocampus. I thought its was going to bore me to hell, turn out it was pretty fun. Probably again, those are all youngster and undergrad, by right should be more happening.

I reached on time while many other was late, there is problem at confirming the ticket as the queue was quite long. End up we missed the 840am ferry and had to take the 1015am one. Hence we lost the whole tour package itinerary. 

 Checked in to Harris and spent the day at Nagoya. Dinner at one of the street store and end up we the 18 pax made a bunch of orders.

Mobile Log March

It has been getting harder and harder to blog regularly, hasn't it. Since work, I have no luxury of time to be by my own, pondering over stuffs. Although not back to back busy, but just something there to distract me enough to neglect my blog. I do not want to end this legacy that I have been holding on for so long.

So I might have to "tweak" around for another solution. Blogging within 160 letters, like how twitter works. But using my Samsung Wave S8500. A wonderful application called Dairy.

New Black Lobster, my aquarium pet

Liu tong farewall at $10 KTV

Project shop bag lost and found

Sembcorp Company Dinner and Dance 2011

See, that's easy. It could be a weekly update so I will not forget great event that happened :)

Golden Mile Complex with Qinghe & Jiayi (E-PL1 sample pic)

Image courtesy by Oly E-PL1 (Night Shoot)

For so long, then have the time to catch up with old buddy. Met Qing He and Jiayi for an impromptu outing. Our style is going to meet without a specific place to go, no plan, no itinerary, only plain fun.

Went to tampines to buy my bio filter for my crayfish. Shop a while and hunt for cafe. Stop for some dessert.

Kewen farewell

We just had Ke Wen farewell lunch this week, and this kind of remind me that I am already 6 months old into the company. Then let's see in the picture, there are 2 new members joining us. For the benefit of someone still in her last semester, I shall introduce them here. They are Ma Yan and Liu Tong both from NUS. So envy all people who are studying in NUS now... Sad

Post AGM 2010

We had a wonderful post AGM gathering. Thanks Valerie for all the picture as well as organizing such a great party for us. Food was nice and people were even nicer. As the milestone for this year AGM, as usual passing baton from old president to new president. Celestine our new president is a capable and well versed lady whom will leader us through many great events near future.

The party was held somewhere in Novena Square I think. They booked the whole game shop down, which made us felt ultra important and VIPness~ We had about 6 game console station to ourselves, Xbox and Wii. Oh btw the badminton was a great game, I battled with Fendy. Hmmm as usual, suck ball at music section. Guitar hero totally got owned. The game ain't much to tell.

Food couldn't have been better. In fact it was the best I had for since so many so many catering from sembcorp. Salad prawn, deep fried salmon, pepper beef, fruits tarts and the best pink pom pom cha cha in town!!

Cynyi, our Hippo head

Love Sembcorp, Love Hippo, Love N8

KuiShin-Bo the place for Alaska Crap

CLP owes us a meal, cause last time YS paid for the Wagyu dinner. We had a hard time deciding whether to go for Wagyu sabu sabu buffet or Kuishin-Bo. Finally we settled in for Kuishin-Bo (Goh She Poh) because of the Alaska Crab.

Nice choice!! We had the fullest meal since forever. Basically we rejected the 60min rush buffet and took the full 4.5 hours buffet, starting from 5:30p0m to 10pm. Some of the offering are too good to be missed. Like the BBQ lobster, which only will be served once in a while. The Alaska Crab is succulent and the desserts are heavenly.

The lobstericous

If you are looking for some quality food and sick of Sakura, then give Kuishin-Bo a shot for the steep price of $47.90++ on weekend at Great World City. Less crowded.

It sort of became a traditional in buffet, I mean please STOP play with your food!!

Lok lok at Taman Sentosa

LOK LOK!!! Weeeee....

After craving it for so long, I finally got the chance to go in and eat again. A very enjoyable trip yesterday night with buddies to Taman Sentonsa, Johor. Really, I think it was the companionship that made the whole experience better. We talk cock again in Qing He's car with Jiayi and Raymond, you know those topic that only certain friends will understand. They know you, and they laughs at your stupid jokes. Genuinely.

My favorite Lok Lok at Taman Sentosa. We were lucky to be early so not much crowd.

I mean its certainly not for hygiene conscious people. The pot of water was shared with other stranger and the indigent although fresh but exposed to the busy streets and stuff. Dust and bacteria all, you know. Its dirty street food, but we don't care. That's the whole reason that made it best. Our body are catered for dirty food :)

Price wise is not considered cheap by local standard. While you indulge one after one and talk with friends at the same time. You easily forgets how many you ate and it could add up to a lot.

Whao, yesterday we ate a total of 60 riggit. Average 15 per pac so roughly convert back to SIN is around 5 plus.

The mushroom simply no joking matter. Its the best of all that night. The uncle deep dried the mushroom and sprinkle pepper on top. Its crispy outside and juicy inside. OMG OMG OMG...

Too bad I don't owe a car, if not I can go in as and when I like :(

Seletar Lvl 30 Buffalo Wings - reverse peristalsis

Before reading this entry, you will want to load the video below. It takes awhile

Time: 5:57

With a lot of anticipation since the Mexican buffalo wing, level 5. We went back again for more punishment. This time, Weiheng joined in our action. The daredevil mission. Level 10!!

This time, we took a cab in.

We reached there at around 5pm on the Friday evening. Well, I should say its very empty. Only us and another table. Unlike last Sunday night. Click here to read our first attempt on level 5.

While waiting for Ethan who's on the way, we ordered some beer and cheezy fries to go along first. A very nice place to chill out and catch up with friends.

Once Ethan reached, we got the challenge started. Ordered level 10!!

Ethan not someone who enjoyed spicy food. His furthest achievement was level 5 and he stopped. He wanted to sit out of the whole performance and be our camera man for the day.

Level 10 was double spicy than level 5. Its very hot but still bearable. We even offered to trade one level 3 with the next table of girls. I made sure they do, cause I want to see them jumping around in pain. However that did not happen.

After finished level 10, we were not convinced. Is that legendary level 30 really that UNBEARABLE?? With much daring action to both of them, they agreed to try LEVEL 30!!!!!!

Level 30 doesn't look edible. Does it even look like wings???

The "Aftermath"

The spiciness of level 30 is beyond words can describe. Tongue numb is common, its burns your mouth and you felt pain in your jaws all the way to your eardrum. Yes. Your ear can literally feel the chilli. I don't know, something definitely is working on our system. I can't really hear properly, like masking sound surrounding me. Cold sweat rolls from the top of my head. Running nose and stuff.

The best thing is, for the first time of my life. I am like going through pain from laboring a baby. My stomach burns so hard and cramped like as though a trunk run over my stomach inside. I could not hold anymore. Only 2 option left:

• Faint on the spot so I don't feel the pain anymore
• Or puke out the chicken

I just went Merlion mode. Puking everything out including my cheezy fries. That's $50 in total. The puke was like cost me $50.

Anyone interested in the price of wings

level 10 = $23

level 30 =$32

Beer jug =$20

Cheezy fries =$8

There is what I vomited.

I wants to be a winner, but well I think I had to really take my hat off Liping. She is the first to finish our challenge. We were awarded certificates of completion level 30 and our name will be up on the challenge board.

I definitely will not go back there, for its Buffalo wing at least.