I was on holiday recently when someone sent me a link via Facebook regarding World Ventures in Malaysia. We had a good laugh at the article in which someone tries to cover his a** by saying they are not a travel company, don’t do anything illegal, and are only trying to sell tshirts.

Seriously?! You need to come up with a better story, mister.

-> Read the article on The Rakyat Post here.

Also, I’ve been receiving a number of comments on my first World Ventures blogpost here, from people sharing about their encounters with WV reps in Singapore (even one local female celebrity). Thankfully, I don’t get anymore requests to meet up from WV reps – I guess they have all read my blogposts, because now they are even telling people not to google about WV.

The latest comment on my first WV blogpost:

“just sharing my recent experience with a celebrity WVer. i’ll begin from how i got to know WV all the way to the end of a sharing session. not gonna jump to conclusions from the onset so you can be the judge.

===

a friend of mine shared with me about WV when we talked about travelling in one of our conversations over lunch. he didnt mention the company’s name or details, just the idea of an exclusive travelling club with good deals. i tried asking for more details but he would avoid answering by saying everything will be explained during a sharing session if im keen. he wasnt pushy though, so we scheduled an appointment for the sharing session.

the sharing session itself was held at a global coffee chain in orchard. i met with my friend, headed over to the location and this was when i was name-dropped that a local female celebrity (her name is mentioned somewhere above on this page) will be presenting to me. got to say this added credibility (or so i thought).

when i got there, she was flanked by 2 other guys who i later found out was part of her team of underlings in WV. so we got through the presentation done by her underling on a laptop (she was busy with someone else at this point) and then came the usual Q&A for them to overcome our objections. she joined back in at this juncture. with my friend on the WV team, i was on a 1 versus 4 situation at our table. i have to say this was one of the most unpleasant Q&A sessions i’ve ever experienced. she was loud and blunt, presumably to portray her status as the leader of the WV team, and was uncouth in her mannerisms throughout. she got downright rude when i mentioned that i needed time to think about it and to do my personal research, since joining them would be a significant time/money commitment. i suppose fearing that i would discover negative things on the web about WV, she started questioning me in very sarcastic ways about my ability to think for myself and needing to follow the things that random haters say on the internet (funny i had no idea these existed till she said it). what she failed to understand though – perhaps blinded by her quest to recruit more unsuspecting underlings or due to her shortcomings in intellectual reasoning – was that i was exercising my ability to think for myself at that very moment, by not blindly following what i was told and feeling the need to verify with more information from other sources. she then put forward with much passive aggression that she wants decisive people in her team, but again, failing to understand the meaning of decisiveness as there is a very thin line separating decisiveness and making uninformed decisions. she reiterated that they represent the truth about WV, which was my cue to end the session, by asserting that i will have to get back to them.

pleasantries were exchanged with her underlings while she sulked like a spoiled child and attempted to take a final jab at me with a no-eye-contact-dragged-out-monotonous ‘byeee…’. upon reflection, her attempts to embarrass me with rhetorical questions so that i would succumb to her pressuring tactics was primitive at best. not exactly the classiest person you will meet. surprising if you consider her local celebrity status (hopefully just that one bad apple).

my friend later told me she immediately spoke to him within their WV team that i was a very negative person and not to listen to my words. i appreciate him revealing to me private information that spoke volumes about the culture within WV, or at least the one under the this particular local female celebrity.”

~

At the end of the day, folks, you decide. Listen to me? I have nothing to gain from you joining or not joining WV. Or listen to the WV folks, who can sometimes go overboard with pressure tactics, and of course, want you to join their downlines.

After all, they are just selling tshirts. ;) #bestjokethisyear

I went to City Square last week to check out the 100 Doraemon Secret Gadgets Expo. I have been to the one in Hong Kong some time back, but I still enjoyed this expo in JB (actually, I enjoyed this one more than the one in HK! LOL!).

Located on level 1 of City Square mall (a favorite of Singaporeans), it is easily accessible via public transport into JB; very near the checkpoint. Or if you’d like to drive there, it’s a bit of a roundabout to get to the carpark but still fairly easy to find.

Tickets are at RM25 for adults and RM15 for kids. Really young children and senior citizens get to enter for free; do check at the ticketing counter. You can buy tickets when you get to the venue. The best part is, there is free re-entry on the same day. You get a stamp on your arm when you leave the exhibition so you can head for some food and come back again! :D

Beyond the exhibits, there is a gift shop, a whole area dedicated to Doraemon merchandise and even a cafe on level 5. Don’t miss the game booths too – they are really difficult but offer loads of fun!

Here’s a sneak peek…

And guess what, I never knew Doraemon was originally yellow in color. I’d thought he was blue all along…

The exhibition offers more than just photo opportunities with the many Doraemon figures on display. There’s also a gift shop and a lot of Doraemon merchandise waiting for you at the end.

You’ll definitely enjoy visiting because there is something for everyone! There are photo opportunities at every corner, and kids and adults alike will be sure to find something they want to get a photo taken with…

*My Fav Pic*

You can also approach the official photographers at these two booths to get a photo within these homes – RM 25 for 1 photo, RM 40 for 2 photos:

And for some Doraemon-themed food, head to the cafe:

Here’s what I purchased that day at the expo:

An eyemask and some postcards which totally made me smile! :D

~

For more information:

FB Page: https://www.facebook.com/DoraemonMY

City Sq: http://www.citysqjb.com/index.php/component/content/article?id=337

This map was exactly what I was looking for online before I headed to Bangkok last week. Unfortunately, I didn’t find a suitable (and updated) one online. So I picked up a map when I was at Chatuchak, and have scanned it for you! :) (Leave me a comment if it’s useful for you)

Map of Chatuchak:

The whole market is kind of like a maze, but if you work your way through it systematically, you’ll be able to cover most (if not all) of the market.

If you are heading there anytime soon, do note that it can get quite hot in the afternoon, PLUS there is always the possibility of sudden rain. So ensure you have water, a handheld fan (if you cannot stand the heat) and a poncho or umbrella just in case it rains.

*I’m sounding like a nag but do carry your backpack in front of you and avoid carrying thin/flimsy totes which pickpockets can easily slash with a penknife.

Happy Shopping! ~

I got inspired by an Adidas campaign on my recent trip to Thailand. So I came back and went for this photoshoot on a whim. The backpack is from Maku Store Singapore. It was what I brought with me to Bangkok for my shopping trip. :)

It’s super roomy, with two side pockets for waterbottles and/or a foldable umbrella. In this next picture, you see my 1-litre Nalgene waterbottle, which doesn’t usually fit into many side pockets of backpacks ‘cos of its size. No trouble here; fits snugly and doesn’t fall out even during a jumpshot:

I’d initially thought the design was rather awkward: what’s that topmost compartment for? Then I realized the sheer genius behind it.

With backpacks, it is usually a hassle to unbuckle it all and release the straps before you can reach your passport, sunglasses, tissues, notebook, etc. But I can put all these into the topmost compartment and get them out any time I want! It’s spacious and just one zip separates me from what I want to get out of my backpack.

Check out Maku Store at #03-20 Bugis Junction for backpacks, wallets, totes, handbags, tees, luggage, and more! *Get 15% discount by showing that you are a fan of my facebook page!

[Lots of thanks to my dear photographer friend, Max Clyne, from Max Clyne At Work Pte Ltd, for braving the rain and lightning for this photoshoot! You're the most professional, talented and obliging photographer I know! I promise not to put your life in similar danger again! :D]

Felt like having banana pancakes for breakfast on Sunday, so I did. My love for banana pancakes goes way back to the time I was in kindergarten.

The kindergarten cook made the most delicious banana pancakes, which I devoured during teatime on those days when it was on the menu.

I have yet to find banana pancakes as good as those she made from anywhere else. :(

Anyhow, those from Real Food are organic on top of being wheat and gluten free (don’t they mean the same thing?)

The pancake is at least 1cm thick and quite fluffy. However, there are only 4 miserable slices of banana on top.

There is just a small amount of jam yet the tartness of the jam is very refreshing and I wished there was more of it!

The small chunk of warm banana in the middle came as a surprise.

Overall, I think it was good enough, as a gluten free pancake. But I won’t order it again, when there are better pancakes elsewhere. :D

*This place is my fav for noodles though. Their fried vermicelli and dumpling noodles (dry) are both very good. Ask for the chilli too. ;)

S$10.80
Original Pancakes: Organic gluten and wheat free fluffy pancakes with banana, organic fruit jam and agave. Waiting time is at least 15 minutes.

{ Real Food at Killiney }

Last weekend, I attended the ‘Top Gemstones for Investment’ workshop, which was held ahead of the Singapore Jewellery & Gem Fair 2014 (happening on 23rd – 26th October at Marina Bay Sands). At this insightful workshop, Ms Hiranya Tangsubkul from Thailand shared with us valuable tips regarding investing in these precious gemstones. Anya (as she is more fondly known) is the Head of Design and Business Development at ABC Jewellery & TREZ Jewellery (Thailand), and author of Diamond & Gemstone and Gemstones Handbook.

I also got to speak with her after the workshop and find out which pieces she holds close to her heart:

One piece of jewellery which never fails to make her smile is her engagement ring:

~

At this workshop, Anya was candid about how gemstone jewellery offers a type of “wearable investment” but has a limited number of trading markets, poor liquidity and also requires a fair amount of experience to trade profitably.

Hence, here is your crash course on investing in gemstones…

~

3 Things To Keep In Mind When Investing In Gemstones:

1) Constantly refresh your gemstone market knowledge, at trade shows for instance.

2) Get a matching pair (e.g. earrings and bracelet) for better resale value. Build value through strategic purchasing and jewellery setting.

3) Know that this is a long-term investment which could span 5 years or more, and sometimes extend to beyond one generation.

~

What Does Gemstone Investment Entail?

1) Investors keep jewellery in case other investments fail. If it is necessary, he will let go of the lower quality piece first.

2) Prize quality over quantity.

3) Be patient. Only buy if you can find top quality gemstones at reasonable prices, e.g. if there is a new mine find.

4) Professional setting of the stones can make it more valuable.

5) Take care not to put pieces next to one another to prevent scratches.

6) Don’t expect to resell at retail price unless you sell to the end consumer or auction houses. Jewellers have to get their cut.

~

Top 3 Gemstones For Serious Investors:
*Tip: Don’t buy colorless diamonds now because prices have been fluctuating and because of the incidence of synthetic diamonds, which can be made in any size and quality!

1) Blue and Pink Diamonds

2) Rubies – If you can get top quality rubies for a good price, go ahead and buy. *Those which are larger in size are usually of lower quality.

3) Emeralds

~

The Top 3 Heirloom Gemstones:

1) Blue Sapphire

2) Colored sapphire: *Pink Sapphire can be purchased at lower prices outside the auction house

3) Garnet

~

General Questions To Ask When Buying Gemstones:
1) Has it been treated? Is the treatment permanent?

2) How do I take care of this piece?

3) Where is it from?

Anya shared with us about her Aquamarine Gemstone purchase story. She bought 30 stones from a person she has been trading with for a very long time – issued him a cheque and all. But she later found out that those were not gemstones; they were made of glass. Moral of her story: Look at the stone, then the certificate, and see if they match. If you have any doubt at all, don’t go for it.

~

Final Tips:

Go for quality, not quantity.

Jewellery with a nice design and a beautiful name tend to get sold faster.

Jewellery setting is important, e.g. the surrounding stones must make the center stone look nicer.

{ 2 Samples From The Workshop }

28.26carat Natural Untreated Blue Sapphire from Sri Lanka

Retail Price: S$560,000 – S$580,000

9.17 carat Fancy Intense Yellow Diamond Ring: S$380,000

Find these pieces and more at the Singapore Jewellery & Gem Fair 2014 (23rd – 26th October at Marina Bay Sands), which will showcase over 2 billion dollars worth of gemstones and jewellery! Fashion jewellery and synthetic diamonds are rejected, so you are ensured of quality here. There is also the GIT on-site laboratory service, to give you peace of mind, and workshops to attend so you can learn more about GIA and GIT certification.

*Tip: Put the gemstones side-by-side under the same lighting when you are making comparisons.

For more information: http://singaporejewellerygemfair.com/

[Dr Julie Goldstein has been featured in an earlier interview here. In this 2nd interview, she shares about the exciting phenomenon of offline crowdfunding!]

1) Tell us more about Media Particle / Mothernist’s role in the CrowdFundHerLive! event and what was most memorable for you as a panelist?

Media Particle is a Singapore based company, that homes in on psychology-driven content media and services for the Web, and Mothernist.com is Media Particle’s first vertical; a video platform that works as a resource for women and men, but mainly mothers aged 25-45 who lead busy lives, and want to feel integrated doing the things they love and being in their different roles with ease.

For CrowdFundHerLive! Integrated, I partnered with Woomentum, that runs an offline crowdfunding program, and suggested a themed session on motherhood and entrepreneurship. Media Particle/Mothernist’s role is always to promote online tools, in this case to facilitate lives of aspiring parents who want to venture into entrepreneurship, and feel more enabled to do so, no matter at what stage in their lives.

Woomentum believes that crowdfunding is a space in which women can play by their own rules; Mothernist feels aligned with this message and wanted to bring as much awareness as possible to different ways in which women can feel a sense of independence, belonging and empowerment, with the use of crowdfunding to promote business being one of them.

The second part of my role was to shed light on women feeling integrated when they are doing what they love, even though taking care of a household and children may feel overwhelming at times. Most importantly, Mothernist’s role entailed adding a psychological angle to the benefits of women in entrepreneurial roles. There has been a radio show on the WOW club with Michelle Martin in which I talk about this more extensively, and I added some insights on this being a panelist on the night itself.

Most memorable as a panelist was to see how different women engage in business, some do not smile and I took a lesson or two away. I also felt that seeing the candidates rise up to the challenges ‘live’, getting brand ambassadors, and raising funds was incredibly inspiring. It was such an honour to be among all the inspiring women that made up the night, including the crowd.

2) How does CrowdFundHerLive! work, and what are the benefits of participating in offline crowdfunding? 

The technicalities of the CrowdFundHerLive are part of Woomentum’s program, which is staged in phases to get a candidate ready to pitch their business. Not all businesses are crowdfundable, and so there’s a vetting process as well as a lead up to the event itself in which candidates receive guidance and input on their preparations. During the evening, candidates get support from the crowd, and there is a lot of interaction among all parties involved. The crowd gets an opportunity to pledge and show allegiance to a business.

Benefits of offline crowdfunding are the community feel, and the way the crowd is harnessed, that is not the same as campaigns which are run online. In addition, one cannot underestimate the more personal guidance candidates receive through the program which is experientially extremely rewarding.

3) What is psychological mediation and why is it important in business?

Psychological mediation simply put means to understand the relations between the variables. So to understand how an entrepreneurial business is run, one might ask several questions such as who are the key partners, what is the value proposition of the business, what are the customer segments, what is the cost structure, etc. The mediation part would be to understand how all these parts hang together, and how they relate to the person managing the business.

A business owner might be very passionate about her business, but have the relationship between customer segments and value proposition not entirely worked out because she is very creative and has not thought about the more practical approach to her products. It’s understanding the challenges and fitting them to the individual/entrepreneur and circumstances that matter in business, which set the stage for further growth.

Moreover, psychological mediation has played an important role in more corporate spaces with small innovative businesses, such as those coming out of the Hub Singapore. We are talking along the lines of having the psychological support to build on skills such as taking perspective, feel integrated and enabled to multi-task and work at various levels. Being an entrepreneur is extremely challenging and often likened to being on a roller coaster ride. As an entrepreneur, one needs to be able to stand strong, and weather the storms and multiple challenges of running one’s own business.

Find out more here: http://www.mothernist.com/therapy/entrepreneurs-consider-psychological-support/

4) There is an increasing number of Mumpreneurs in Singapore – which are the most pressing challenges these women face in their entrepreneurship journey and what are some useful tips you have for them? 

An increasing number but sadly not enough of them yet! A lot of women do not feel enabled to start their own business, either because of funds, comfort, and the feeling of conflict between their multiple roles, when for instance child rearing may be suggested to be the most important task, and all else should be put aside. There needs to be strong push or pull factors involved, and strong emancipation for women to step into entrepreneurship. By push factors I mean being unemployed or unsatisfied with work conditions and by pull factors I mean the desire to be your own boss, financial benefits, or the desire to achieve a better work-life balance. Such factors can be strong influencers.

The challenges that women face are the interrole conflict that Mothernist often talks about, meaning that there are incompatible or conflicting pressures from work and family, such as job-family role strain, work-family interference, and work-non-work role conflict. Second would be the myths that women have to combat, such as that women are still often seen as not wanting to own a high growth businesses, or as not having the right educational backgrounds, not being able to draw up business plans, and their interests not being attractive to venture capitalists. Third is the access to capital to start a new business.

Tips are to take support that’s out there to start a business. Understand your motivations from the start, and then move slowly, become a member of a community of like-minded people, there are plenty of co-working spaces in Singapore that are not costly, and where you get coaching and mentoring included in your package, find organizations and support groups that can help you network, grow your business, and support your womanhood and motherhood all at the same time.

Find a therapist who can help you in the domain of work, I have personally helped women get to where they want to be, and I find its a journey that they have been happy to take, despite the challenges. Work on resilience and integration, and build yourself up (just as you would your business or your family) by taking small steps in the right direction. Last, and particularly for those women who want to be ‘superwomen’ – success is the exception that confirms failure; don’t be scared to fail, you will if you want to be successful.

5) How else is Mothernist enabling women in the working world?

Mothernist is a video platform and resource where women can find short videos and articles, as well as events and workshops on various topics in the domain of work, and work-life integration. [Example of a video on Mothernist: Breathing Technique to Relieve Stress at Work]

Mothernist has also expanded on its services, and is offering online and offline psychology and therapy services at No7 Grange Road (Somerset), working in synergy with Fertility Coaching Asia. Please visit the website www.drjuliegoldstein.com or write in from Mothernist.com for further info.

1) What inspired you to write and compose?

Writing has always been something present in my life, I guess – I was in Yamaha’s eight-year music composition course since I was six, and I’d always been writing – be it songs, poems, stories, or plays. I’ve attended various writing camps and workshops and I went through a playwriting mentorship when I was 14-15 years old, so the idea of combining writing and composing music seemed very natural to me.

Writing has also always remained so intriguing to me because of the wonder of bringing a whole new world previously only existing in your mind, to life. I’ve always thought about the idea of reversal of fates and writing “Firefly in the Light” has gotten me to develop and explore this concept, to a greater extent.

2) When did you write/compose “Firefly in the Light” and what are the messages you want to send out to young adults in Singapore?

I conceptualized my pop musical, “Firefly in the Light” sometime early this year and I’ve been working from March to September on the twelve songs. I did the script sometime in September. The message I want to convey through “Firefly in the Light” would be to always stay true to what you believe in, and to never forget who you are and where you came from.

3) How do you manage your time between school and your passion for music and theatre?

I try my best to manage my time but I’m still trying to figure that out, honestly. I’m in Junior College right now – school is really demanding, and sometimes papers or projects crop up that throw my schedule off, but I try to prioritize and focus on either “Firefly in the Light” or my schoolwork at different times. For example, a few weeks ago during my exam week in school, I focused on my studies, but now I’m back, finishing up the orchestrations and putting everything together.

4) How does your family support you through the challenges you face between school and your passion?

They have been very open about this idea of a musical, which I’m very grateful for, but also they have allowed our house to be turned topsy turvy! We use the house for rehearsals, given that this is an indie production. The dining table has recently been shifted out of the dining hall, which is now used as a rehearsal stage, and there are weird markings and taped arrows on the floor and my parents are okay with that, I think!

5) How do you see yourself contributing to Singapore’s art scene in the future and your hopes for Singapore’s arts community?

What I hope for are new musicals, which are Singapore originals in addition to the international productions that are constantly being brought in. Singapore’s arts community is becoming increasingly vibrant, and I would be honored to help contribute to it!

[Tickets available at Sistic at S$25 - Event date: 15 Nov, 8pm]

~

FIREFLY IN THE LIGHT—A NEW MUSICAL
Book by Shayna Toh. Music and Lyrics by Shayna Toh.
Directed by Tabitha Loh.

Firefly In The Light, a new pop musical, tells the story of Wendy, a beautiful and talented teenage school-girl, who knows she is destined for great things. In her shadow, is her childhood “friend”, Jake, unassuming and insecure – who (finally) finds his strength in Wendy. Beckoned by the brightness of a future in a city thousands of miles away, Wendy leaves her small hometown to follow her dreams.

A protective mother, her elusive husband in the entertainment business, a shrewd artist manager, amidst adoring friends and fans alike – all wittingly or unwittingly direct the destinies of Wendy and Jake as they search for themselves, love and success, finding themselves treading on similar grounds but taking very different paths, not once but twice in their young lives.

With a collection of freshly minted songs ranging from rambunctious up-tempo pieces to soft ballads, this Musical, to be staged in the historic Chamber of The Arts House, promises the audience an intimate experience with the young, budding cast and musicians as they spin this tale of youthful hopes, discoveries and pain into an ending.

Shayna Toh, a seventeen-year old Junior College student, has been studying and composing music since she was six. With a love for theatre as well as pop music, she is also an avid writer, having had several stories published since 2008 and in 2013, a children’s book (on urban nature deficit) published.

Shayna made her first foray into the theatre scene at eleven, in 2008, when her script “Where Your Dream Takes You” directed by Singapore Repertory Theatre’s (SRT) Director, Michael Corbidge, was performed by actors from SRT and MediaCorp at the DBS Arts Centre.
“Firefly in the Light” is Shayna’s debut full-length pop musical.

Tabitha Loh, twenty-two, was first trained at ten, under The London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art Speech and Drama Program. Completing a year under LASALLE’s Performing Arts Foundation Course and a degree in Theatre and Performance, Tabitha has worked on assistant directorships including Peter Handke’s, Kaspar (2011) with director Natalie Hennedige, Fences (2012) an original opera by Dr John Sharpley and Robert Yeo, directed by Chandran K Lingam. She directed M. Lee’s Serangoon Sunset (2012) presented at the APB Drama Schools Festival, Taiwan.

This article from Yahoo! News (here) has been all over my Facebook feed today. So, Pastor Joseph Prince has a reported net worth of S$6.3million?! It definitely raised many eyebrows, including mine. But come to think of it, he heads a mega church, and why shouldn’t his net worth be in the ‘mega’ category as well?

If I run a company with over 30,000 employees, what sort of salary should I reasonably be expected to draw?

And if I run a church with over 30,000 tithing members (and not employees whom I have to pay), what sort of salary should I reasonably be expected to receive?

And ok, the Pastor might have stopped drawing a salary from some time back, but it is of no surprise that his net worth should be at a certain level based on sales of items like books (which made it to the New York Times’ bestseller list), DVDs, CDs, etc.

Is There A Limit As To How Much A Pastor Should Prosper?

In the Bible, it is stated that “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”

So why is it that when a pastor prospers, man makes noise?

I guess that as a nation, we have not only been let down by various charities and “leaders” who have sought to enrich themselves at the expense of their trusting followers, but also become wary of people who earn ‘obscene’ amounts of money.

I’ve read some comments on Facebook, including DJ Rosalyn Lee’s take:

It seems that there is a certain threshold that high income earners should be careful not to cross if they don’t want to get some backlash from the public. In the pastor’s case, it would be S$100,000.

I wonder though – if I have a pastor who earns more than any other pastor in this country (or region), does this not mean that he is truly a man of God and favored more than any other? Hmm… [Just to be clear on this point: I am not a member of his church and have not visited his church before either]

Pastors and Money

I guess we expect A LOT from religious folk. Even in modern society, we expect them to denounce certain things, with materialism and “obscene” amounts of money topping the list.

I guess it is why a book with a title like ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’ would be most intriguing to many. We do not expect religious people to endorse these trappings of wealth.

Is it our own insecurity (tantamount to admittance to failure) about not being able to earn THIS MUCH that makes us want to ‘slam’ those who do? [Nope, don't tell me your answer. Just think about it]

And one other important question we have not asked is what he has done with all that money he has earned?

Has he given a portion away?

Has he reinvested this in the church?

Has he bought a Ferrari? Or two?

What is his lifestyle like?

It would be premature to slam a person based on a media report on how much he earns, or is worth without asking more questions first.

But I guess that if you are worth that much, and earn that much, you wouldn’t give two hoots about what people think either.

All I’m saying is that there’s no point being upset. If you want to be in his position and earn that much too, then go run a mega church and write best-selling books and what not.

Also, I can only imagine how much money it requires to upkeep his image. In photographs, he looks more like a pop idol or superstar than my notion of what a pastor looks like. In his shoes, you and I would probably need some work done to our faces, an expensive hairstylist, and swanky outfits. And all of these cost money. So there. Chill.

Money and the Church

I had a pretty bad experience as a kid in church. I remember vividly a day when a pastor asked for donations (perhaps for a building fund or something, I don’t remember). And when the takings fell short of the amount requested, he asked helpers to shut the doors and not allow people out while the bags were passed round again.

There was a mother who wanted to get out so she could secure some hot water for making milk for her infant. But she was told to stay inside till the collection was done.

As a young kid, I knew there was something not right about this. But I didn’t offer to stand up to the “bouncer” at the door.

Now I know that it is actually illegal to force someone to stay indoors against his/her will.

So, really, I don’t care how much pastors earn. If his books are really helpful to the people who buy them, and therefore make the bestseller lists, and earn him a sh*tload of money, good for him. He deserves every penny of it! If YOU think that you can write an equally good (if not better) book, and make the bestseller list too, then DO IT. I’ll be equally happy for you!

If people buy his CDs and DVDs because they are truly inspiring or motivational, and bring about changes and breakthroughs in their lives, then he deserves every cent he makes too! It cannot be that an ordinary singer can make it big and sell tonnes of CDs, and people still support her as a local songbird, but when a pastor does the same, he is condemned!

As long as the congregation is not forced (or encouraged) to buy a CD just to support a church leader (while not really liking any Cheeena Wine sort of songs*), and all is based on free will, then so be it.

*Disclaimer: No reference to any persons living or dead is intended.

If the pastor does indeed earn S$700,000 a year, or more, it is none of your business nor mine. Whether he earns this much or not has no impact on how much you and I earn. ;) If you’d like to earn a similar figure, you can consider doing what he does, or tell your child to aspire to be a pastor, maybe? After all, children are already being told to study law, medicine or accountancy as these careers pay well, aren’t they? Why not add ‘pastor’ to the list? At least we offer them more choices.

I bought the Lee Kum Kee Menu-Oriented Sauce for teriyaki chicken from NTUC as there’s a promotion going on right now: 3 packets for S$4.95. I also got the sauce for tomato garlic prawns and ma po tofu (will blog about them later).

I added the packet of sauce to about 300g of chicken wings (middle joint), covered the bowl with cling wrap and let it all marinate in the chiller for about 3 hours. [This one packet is actually good for up to 400g of chicken wings]

*Why marinate? Because I don’t eat chicken skin (for health reasons), it is important that the flavors are infused into the meat. If you eat the chicken wings with the skin on, then you can cook the chicken immediately :)

On the pack, it is recommended to “Bring Lee Kum Kee Sauce For Teriyaki Chicken (72g) and 2/3 cup of water to the boil. Add chicken wings, cover and cook for 10 minutes until done”

However, I decided to steam them all on a bed of xiao bai chye for 20 mins. Why put the chicken wings on the veg? To avoid the condensation from ‘soaking’ the chicken in water and causing it to lose its flavor.

*Why choose to steam the chicken? I could leave it to cook with minimal supervision and I could concentrate on the other dishes, and even take a few phone calls. :D

[ The Taste Test ]

The chicken wings were really fragrant and very flavorful. That umami (meaty, savoury) taste is likely due to the Disodium 5′-Inosinate and Disodium 5′-Guanylate. [Yes, I read the ingredients list before purchasing this]

This pack just takes the guesswork out of recipes. I did not have to measure out any soy sauce and what not. I simply emptied the packet of sauce onto the chicken, let it marinate, and then steamed it. Super easy! A kid could do this, really.

As stated on the pack, the sauce can also be used for cooking pork, scallops and carrots.

[NOTE] There is no MSG added, but this sauce not only contains sugar, but also has High Fructose Corn Syrup added.

[ What I Learnt from "Cooking" This ]

I should have used a brush to coat the chicken with the teriyaki sauce before steaming. Perhaps then there’d be a more even coloring of the end product. :D Hehe! There’s always next time!

This is quite possibly my favorite sauce from the Lee Kum Kee Menu-Oriented Sauce range. I selected it mainly because I love eating prawns, but also because it doesn’t come with added MSG.

All you need are prawns and this packet of sauce to create this dish. Easy or what?

*Garlic and tomatoes purely for decorative purposes :D

According to the packet, you simply pan-fry the prawns with 2 tablespoons of oil until the prawns turn “golden yellow”, then lower the heat, add the sauce and stir well. Alternatively, stir-fry the prawns with 1 tablespoon of oil, add the sauce and stir it all up.

This sauce can also be used for cooking squid, beef and bell peppers.

As usual, I picked a healthier method of cooking, and steamed the prawns instead of frying them. Before adding the sauce, I removed the “gravy” that resulted from the steaming of the prawns, and added that yummy ‘prawn broth’ to the soup I was cooking.

After I added the sauce, I gave it all a good mix and then let it steam for another minute or two, and it was ready to be served.

According to the bf, this dish turned out to be “finger licking good!” :D

You should try it too! :D

This is one sauce that I did not like, and this is one dish which did not take well to steaming. LOL.

I found the sauce incredibly salty, and much as I love tofu, I could not bring myself to eat more than one piece. (@_@)

I guess you’ll like this ma po tofu sauce if you like dishes which are very salty and spicy. It was just too much for me.

Ingredients:

90g minced pork

250g soft bean curd

1 packet of Lee Kum Kee Sauce for Ma Po Tofu

Method:

“Stir-fry minced pork in 1-2 tbsp oil until done. Add soft bean curd and Lee Kum Kee Sauce for Ma Po Tofu. Stir well (gently). Cook over low heat until sauce thickens.”

This sauce can also be used for cooking beef, chicken and noodles.

It looked like some weird curry tofu mixture after I’d steamed it. Not too enjoyable. But next up… I’ll be blogging about the soup. :)

I’m a sucker when it comes to picking up new skills. I love all things creative. And if it happens to come free, it’s even better. Heh. Thus, I found myself at Marina Square today, on a lazy Saturday, attending an embroidery workshop (for free) from 2pm to 4pm.

I can’t say it was as useful as I had expected. We were basically given the tools required and left alone to stitch something based on who or what brings out the best in us.

Here’s my creation:

It’s actually not me. It’s supposed to be SuperMom. I’ve always been impressed by women who seem capable of juggling so many things at one time and yet still “have it all together”.

So I stitched a house, milk bottle, fish, laptop, pot and a carrot too.

And oh… the bag is from Maku Store Singapore. It’s the only one in SG. :D Lovely sponsor I have, no? *If you’re a fan of my fb page, just show it on your mobile phone in store and get 15% off! :)

Also, I saw one lady stitch the word ‘hope’ in beautiful calligraphy-style. Thought-provoking. Hope brings out the best in her… what about you?

There are many exhibits to view at the Marina Square Central Atrium this weekend. And today we got to hear from Kumar. Michelle Chong will be sharing tomorrow so make your way down if you want to be inspired and entertained tomorrow! :)

Here’s one particular exhibit which caught my eye:

If I remember correctly, the artist was inspired by the people at home who put heart and soul into each meal.

And don’t you think that meals cooked with love are the best? :)

*The exhibition is brought to us by Julie’s – the biscuit manufacturer. You must have seen at least one of their many ads; at bus stops, mrt stations and in the papers. :D

It’s this blog’s 4th anniversary this month! :D And I thought it should feature presents of some sort. Last year, on the 3rd anniversary, I brought 3 blog readers to Orchard Road for a sponsored shopping trip (out of my own pocket). And this year, I thought I’d go further.

I’ve been doing an international gift exchange, and it’s currently still ongoing. But here are the presents I’ve sent out and received thus far…

[First gift to and from the Philippines]

For this “gift”away, the presents must be made in the gifter’s home country. And only 1 gift is required. So for the very first gift, I sent the limited edition bottle of ‘Splash’ EDT from Singapore Polytechnic to Hoover from the Philippines. :D It was made by SP students to celebrate the school’s anniversary. And what did I get in return? A sling bag and two Philippine jeepney models in a beautifully gift-wrapped box. It was such a delight to unwrap that box, I tell you! :)

And the participants in my gift exchange do not follow the rules, or well, that one rule about just one gift required. So I sent to Hoover another package with Sticky rock candy which come with Uniquely Singaporean words like “Paiseh”, “Jialat”, “Wah Lau”, etc. It felt like I was literally sending a piece of Singaporean culture overseas – and I think he was quite amused by the candy too…

And I think he definitely loved the cologne:

For my second gift to the Philippines, I decided that I’d better add in a little something extra, in case the person is a generous gifter like Hoover. There was a pasar malam near my home at the time so I ordered a personalized key chain for Melanie:

Unfortunately, though, the gift from her end never made it to me. Here’s the explanation she sent over:

I didn’t hear from her regarding the key chain and rock candy I sent over as well. *shrugs*

Another person I sent the rock candy to was Cherry from Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. And she sent me an amazing gift box filled with items like keychains (4 of them!), a purse with pearl accessories, a notebook, and a handmade pouch with 2 similar, smaller pouches inside. She even went so far as to detail each item in her really sweet letter.

I was so touched that I put together another present for her, with items I purchased in Bangkok during my recent holiday trip – with a makeup pouch from Naraya, a drawstring pouch, pretty earrings and a bracelet.

Gifts from and to Cherry (Sabah)

And then for my gift to Kim Tan from Johor Bahru, Malaysia, I decided I had enough of the rock candy. And so I sent her a gift with two items from Ang Ku Kueh Girl, a decidedly local brand. :D Of course, I got her the handmade soap shaped like (what else?) ang ku kueh… and a journal from their online store.

She knew I’m a huge Hello Kitty fan so she sent over some Hello Kitty cookies, wet wipes and a hello kitty x tokidoki accessory.

What I’ve gained from this experiment in the form of an international gift exchange is:

1) The immense joy from opening presents. If you’ve read about the 5 love languages, mine is ‘Gifts’. So receiving presents makes me really, really happy. If someone were to help me carry some groceries, or offer some words of praise, or spend loads of time with me, I probably wouldn’t appreciate it as much as when I was given a meaningful little gift.

2) A better understanding of what a really good gift is. Imagine putting a gift together for someone in another country; someone whom you’ve never met before. If you put that gift together with as much love and heart like Cherry from Sabah did, I can only infer that you must be one generous, big-hearted, and loving person. And the best part is, people tend to respond in kind.

3) Networking with bloggers across our borders. Kim happens to be a fellow blogger and she has invited me to join her for reviews in JB. :)

4) Understanding that not all gifts are suitable gifts. I’d bought some Tiger Brand plasters and AXE brand oil thinking that these made-in-Singapore items would be fantastic as gifts. The fiance stopped me from sending them out, saying that recipients might not be happy about getting them because one uses these things when unwell, right? Uh-oh. Not so good thinking there on my part. OOPS. Thankfully, no harm done.

So yes, some people might wonder why I’m doing this international gift exchange. My answer to them is “why not?”. It’s freaking fabulous! I’ve learnt so much and loved the gifts I’ve received so very much, and I think I’ll keep it going! :D

~ To Participate ~

If you are not a resident of Singapore, you are most welcome to take part. You simply have to send me a gift that is made in your country and I’ll send you one from Singapore.

To get started, drop me a private message on my Facebook page right HERE.

I’m a huge fan of soup cooked Chinese-style and my favorites are what my mom cooks at home, of course. I was a little hesitant at how Lee Kum Kee’s hot pot soup base would turn out as I don’t usually add any such sauces to hot pots. If it’s a steamboat dinner, the flavors from the ingredients such as prawns, chicken, fish, carrots, mushrooms, etc, would be sufficient for the soup.

But Lee Kum Kee’s menu-oriented sauces are for the time-strapped individuals, or maybe even those who need to impress future mother-in-laws. So I tested it out…

Just seconds after adding the sauce to the boiling water, the water became soup instantly. There’s MSG in the sauce so it’s definitely tasty, and there’s a lot of pepper in there, as it really packs a punch. So if you like spicy soups, you’ll take to this one, though you might find yourself drinking a lot of water after as it’s quite thirst-inducing.

To counter this, I’d recommend using either more water than recommended for this soup, or using less of the sauce. (The recommended ratio as stated on the pack is 1.5litres of water to 1 packet of sauce)

~

Soups are usually left to simmer in the slow cooker at home, but this time round, I boiled all the ingredients to ensure they are cooked fast and then added the packet of sauce. Can you make a decent pot of soup in under 30 minutes? Now you definitely can.

For my soup, I added chicken, prawns, shitake mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, baby carrots, broccoli and corn.

I felt the black pepper overpowered the taste of all the ingredients I added. So the next time I’m using this soup base again, I’ll probably just make it bak kut tek-style with lots of pork ribs. :D

~

Check out my earlier blogposts about these Lee Kum Kee Menu-Oriented Sauces:

1) For Teriyaki Chicken Wings

2) For Tomato Garlic Prawns

3) For Ma Po Tofu

I had an underwhelming dinner at Poteato (Tiong Bahru) this evening, so I thought getting cupcakes from Plain Vanilla Bakery would save the day (or night). It was not meant to be.

I loved the decor at Plain Vanilla. It looks like an awesome place to chill with a good book, some tea and a nice cupcake. But it was too late at night for all that. So I bought 4 cupcakes to take home, and another 2 more for my girlfriend to bring back. She chose Earl Grey Lavender and Vanilla Bean, while I took the 4 above – Milk Chocolate Banana, Milk Chocolate Chip, Red Velvet and Dark Chocolate Ganache.

Upon reaching home, I ate the Milk Chocolate Chip and Red Velvet cupcakes. The latter had a frosting/icing/whatever-you-call-it (‘cos I don’t bake) that was grainy. It was not velvety-smooth like I was expecting. So the contrasting texture with the moist muffin below was a tad odd. And that was made worse by the grains of sugar that I could see and most definitely taste.

How often do you bite into a cupcake and see grains of sugar? Hmm…

It was the same with the Milk Chocolate Chip. Darn.

I’m hoping that when I eat the remaining cupcakes tomorrow morning, I will not SEE sugar again. I know it’s a key ingredient, but I’d prefer if the cupcakes have a smoother consistency without awkward grainy bits, thank you very much.

I think I’ll head back again… but not for the cupcakes next time. ;)

~

Pricing: S$3.50 for 1 cupcake, $19 for 6 cupcakes

~

Opening Hours:

Tuesday to Friday 11am to 8pm

Saturday 9am to 8pm

Sunday 9am to 6pm

~
Address: 1D Yong Siak Street [The other outlet is at 34A Lorong Mambong]

I’ve only just watched the 2-minute clip called “THE PURGE PRANK!!!” by MerlionTV and found that it is absolutely distasteful. People who find the video hilarious are quite frankly, sick in the head! And the producers should definitely spend some time behind bars for this stupid prank.

For those who have not watched the video, don’t! Adding to the number of views will simply inflate the egos of the producers, and spawn similar pranks. In essence, a masked person wearing a hoodie and wielding a long knife AT NIGHT scares a couple at a busstop, a worker chatting on the phone at the entrance to a construction site, a woman seated a short distance away from an escalator, and a man seated at a void deck (he runs away upon spotting the masked idiot).

I am upset with this video mainly because of two things:

1) It reminds me of the murders on the Taiwanese subway this year. I could have very nearly been on that same train, and probably ended up dead after that Taiwanese undergraduate went on his slashing spree. I’ve watched the videos regarding that incident and I really DETEST this prank one. Seriously, the people behind MerlionTV should NOT be celebrating how their video went viral; they should be ashamed of the unnecessary fear they have caused to the people they scared in their video.

The producers are crazy – “support” from your fellow Singaporeans?! The video has 395 thumbs up, and 1067 DOWN! The overwhelming majority hate this video. And I hope their “CRAZIER pranks” get them locked up. I, for one, will be happy to throw the key away.

2) Even if it’s Halloween, you don’t have the right to scare people who did not sign up to be scared. If you love scaring people, go work in one of those horror house tourist attractions. Don’t scare that unsuspecting lady – she might already have had a really tough day. Don’t alarm that worker – he’s probably on the phone with a loved one back in India or wherever. Just don’t scare all those innocent folks!

If I’m in that horror house ‘cos I paid to go in, and knew exactly what I was “signing up for”, then yes, you have every reason to try and scare me. And yes, I might (accidentally) punch you in the face because I freak out easily. BUT, I will not sue you. If I was one of the people in that prank video, I’d definitely sue the producers for every cent they have (or don’t have).

Singapore is generally a safe place to live and work in. Singaporeans do have a good sense of humor. There are some pranks which do scare people, but in a good clean fun sort of way. For example, I’ve seen a clip from ‘Just For Laughs’ in which people reach for a doughnut in a shopping mall, thinking they can sample it for free since no one is at the booth, are pranked. A hand pops out from under the table and smacks their fingers just as they are reaching for that doughnut. Scares them, but no one was in any danger of dying from fright. But if a masked man comes towards me at night, and he’s wielding a long knife, that would truly be scary.

And if one day, we do have a knife-wielding murderer, like the guy in Taiwan, and the public here just laughs it off and thinks “Oh it’s the guys from MerlionTV”, then what the hell is going to happen?

MerlionTV, don’t screw with us ok? It really isn’t funny.

~

But you know what really sends a chill down my spine? How most of the people in the video were oblivious to that masked fella’s presence. It’s like he needed a loudhailer to tell them “Hello folks! Masked guy with a knife coming towards you! Helloooooo”. If it wasn’t a prank, those people would have definitely been slashed at. Only the guy in the void deck would have gotten away in time.

It definitely is a reminder to always be aware of our surroundings. Yes, Singapore is safe. But no, it is not 100% safe. We have people who mutilate cats and other animals, murders once in a while, and stress levels in this country are not exactly low (some people snap just like that). So, watch out for yourself and your loved ones. Don’t be so preoccupied with that stupid phone all the time, look out for people behaving strangely and make sure you exercise regularly so you can run whenever you have to.

I think the police really need to take this more seriously. A warning to the producers will not suffice. They have tasted a bit of popularity (I wouldn’t say ‘fame’), they are unrepentant, and I believe they will be back for more. Mark my words.

I had the most amazing gym session today. Before the session started, my trainer asked if I’d like to go for cake first. Because the cakes might be sold out by the time we were done with gym.

Heh! :D Cake? No one needs to ask me twice.

It was my first visit to The Patissier at Mohd Sultan Rd and the meringues are pretty good. Not too sweet, just crumbly and light. :)

Probably the only place in Singapore with cake slices costing eight dollars and THREE cents. Lol.

And here are the opening hours and contact details for anyone who’s keen on visiting them:

These gorgeous tissue sets are from a Watsons – LASALLE College of the Arts collaboration. You can get these limited edition items from Watsons stores for between S$2.00 and S$4.50. They are so pretty! And the best part is that the sale of these items go toward helping Star Shelter’s women and children who are victims of domestic violence and homeless due to family crises.

Funds raised will help further programs such as art therapy and counselling sessions at Star Shelter and enable women and children to rebuild confidence and regain their footing in society.

Watsons will also be opening up job opportunities at their stores for these ladies, and providing service training and grooming sessions that will ready them for a fresh start in the beauty industry.

These tissue sets are based on the theme of ‘Colours of Hope’ and the message of spreading hope through the release of balloons, musical notes and paper cranes in a kaleidoscope of colours.

Spread some cheer to your loved ones with these beautifully-designed tissue sets, and know that you’re making a difference to the lives of the women and children in Star Shelter too. :)

Last Saturday, I found myself on a panel discussion with Bertha Henson and Surender Dhaletta at the Singapore Writers Festival.

The discussion was about blogging – content creation, monetisation, dealing with trolls, etc.

But WOW! Me! At the Singapore Writers Festival!!! *gasp*

Let’s just say it was a pretty surreal 1 hour, being seated in a room full of people and bright lights, at the Glass Hall of the Singapore Art Museum. :D That day is definitely going onto my list of “Best Moments in 2014″ :D

*Group Picture for poly students*

How It Went

[Pre-event] We were told to come by half an hour before the session starts but only Bertha and I were punctual. The organizer was panicking when the moderator, Carolyn Camoens, was nowhere to be found when there were less than 5 minutes to go. And strangely enough, the only one who was apologetic was the organizer. ;)

Surender arrived fashionably late too.

Bertha and I had thought we would be interviewing each other as the moderator and our fellow panelist did not show up on time. LOL.

[During the session] I found myself sandwiched between a panelist who had really strong views against blog monetisation and another who is ok with monetisation but leaves it to his readers to decide if they want to believe everything in the ‘Advertorial’.

I had to put my views across without being snarky, defensive or combative. Not easy for me, but I pulled it off. Anyone who knows me knows I love a good debate. But I was happy to let the other 2 panelists air their concerns. No point making enemies when I’m getting the same fee whether I engage in a debate or not.

~

I was really concerned, though, that there were probably 50 people or so in that room and only 2 had questions for us during Q&A. Seriously?!

I charge people hundreds of dollars for blogging workshops and you get to ask me a question for FREE and you don’t? Wow.

Either that 1 hour was super insightful or Singaporeans are just plain unaccustomed to asking questions.

Still, amazing experience. I can’t believe that just one book got me speaking at the Singapore Writers Festival. When you follow your dreams, the doors and windows of opportunity just open on their own! :D

Happy Happy Monday!