You'll be missed

You'll be missed.

It's an understatement to say I'm sad at your passing. I shed tears for you once when you left the company, and now I'm shedding them for you once more.

Did you not hug me and promised you'll come back stronger? I believed you. You were always a man of action. But what happened? I will never know.

So young, so full of life, yet you just gave up. And to such an end.

We were your family, you said to us on that day when you left, and you disappointed us. Indeed, we tried to help you, but now that you have taken matters into your hands, were we more of a burden than a help?

I may not agree with your ideals but I respected your skills and how you always completed what you promised.

I only pray this is not what you promised.

Sometimes

Sometimes I don't know how to love you.

Do I do it via words or actions?
The former does not hold much weight
irony that most people say talk is cheap
But deeds with accompanying words are mere actions.

Even if I were to send you a bouquet of flowers every day, it wouldn't be enough.

But sometimes, your words cut me deep. Sometimes I don't even know how to tell you it hurts.

Do I love you? Yea, I do. Do I take care of you? Yes, I try to. I do my best to be a supportive fiancée as possible.

Sometimes the frustration gets at me. sometimes I wonder if displaying anger is a good way to relieve it instead of bottling it within. I'm never done it before.

Is there a generation gap? I don't think so. We flow as one. Sure, we have individual flaws, maybe some common differences too like procrastination,
But I think we compLete each other.

I know I'm myself when I'm with you, that's why when our relationship has any issue, I turn back to you.

I'm in this for the long run, and I'm staying. No matter what happens,
I'll absorb and continue our race together.
I love you, and I don't regret if.

Inflatable Concert Hall

Who says performing venues must be cast in stone?

Meet the inflatable Concert Hall.







The Ark Nova is a 7750 square feet space which can hold an audience of 500, and is about 60 ft high. I can just imagine this at Marina Bay. Why stop at just a yellow duck when you can have a concert?

More info here.

Padded Muscle Shirt

I confess I like to be beefed up and buff, but time does not permit. (I know, the excuse isn't very original)

But now, there's a swifter alternative, and this does not involve any slimming diets.
Meet the cool muscle shirt.



Just as some females wear push up bras to accentuate their assets, this shirt will help men to give a curve where it's needed.

The Funkybod muscle top incldues chest plates for a pumped look, shoulder plates for a broader look, bicep plates for bigger biceps, and tricep plates for bigger triceps. It's designed to be worn below your normal top, so you won't look like you are putting on a bodysuit of armor. (Not every one is Iron Man)

Now if only this shirt can help me pass my ippt.

You can get one here.

Life goes on

I know it has been a long time since I last blogged and wrote to Dear Diary about what is going on with my life, but such is life! (hah, irony)

I've gone from single to engaged, gotten a hdb flat (still in construction), witnessed a few colleagues leaving, and will see a few more going off soon.

It's often said a father is the head of the household, and his leadership determines the strength and unity of the family. In work, the manager is the head of the department and his or her mannerisms, habits, procedures, reactions either make or break the department.

In slightly over a year, I'll be in debt. But married and possibly living in a new house already! Then I'll be even more in debt due to a renovation loan. Give and take, I'll say. You can't put a price on happiness just as you can't value good leadership.

From two cats to three cats to three cats and two puppies, from Bukit Merah to Hougang and next time to Queenstown, from a church wedding and wedding dinner on one day to a church wedding on one day and wedding dinner on another, life has been turning around quite swiftly.

So swift life rushes around, so many curve balls thrown at me, that I'm not dodging. Just stopping. Adjusting and throwing it back. If the dough continually escapes being pounded, how can we stretch it further?

Yet despite all this, life is good. At times, a little bit of discontentment or disappointment sneaks in, but then as swiftly as the weather, it dissapates.

Who knows what next few months will bring, but bring it on! Every challenge has been preplanned and will but make me stronger.

25

Twenty five.

That's around eighty percent of my life reading, writing and learning. Crafting words and stringing them together and tearing them apart.

Mountains I've climbed, and towering cliffs that crushed me.

So much life experiences but of what use if it does not make me a better man?

I have traveled but for a while on this long and weary path. At times dusty, at times smooth. At times in a herd, at times with my shadow.

But not for long. Now, I have another beside me. If one day I were to wake up and find all these a dream, a figment of my imagination, I would lose my sanity.

So much to look forward to. Friendship courtship hatred love. A family to build, and lives to inspire. Days to be brightened, and candles to ignite on fire.

The past I will never leave behind. Rather, it serves as a reminder of who I was, what I did and How I became what I am now.

To live each day to the fullest, with no regrets, and revel in the passion of the color of life.

Change

Working in a place that is full of vibrancy and a living kaleidoscope within the arts, it is easy to forget about change within the colleagues one works with.

Every now and then, I jolt awake when someone leaves and new staff joins the family.

But, life is like that. People come and go, and we strive to find balance in life. Sometimes an anchor to weigh us down in the stormy seas, sometimes a star to look up and marvel at.

At the end of the day, it isn't how heavy the anchor is, or how big the star. It is how many storms the anchor has helped us survive through, and how many dark nights the radiance of the star has guided our path.

I wish you all the best in life and will treasure the memories we have, my colleague that I look up to.

Peace

Looking upon thee as thou lie in slumber,
Thy belly cometh a gentle rumble.

Bliss that shimmers,
Peace that gathers,
Warmth that sparked my heart.

Who knows what yonder brings
Who knows what challenges when dawn breaks
What plans may change
Their doom or success to change.

But this I know
That thou rest in sleep
Safe and secure
Thou is refreshed.

I feel bliss with you
A blissful future I will
Create with you.

I'm getting married!

Marriage. A union of Joy. A celebration of two coming together to be as one.
But at what cost?

How does one put a price tag on a celebration? In dollars and cents? In verbal well-wishes? With food and wine? With tears that stream down one's face?

It is a bit discouraging when friends are happy for us, but the reaction from family is a hundred and eighty degrees away. Not that they object, in fact my mum said it's good that I have found the partner to settle down with and says go and get married. But the fact that that is all she said is a bit frustrating. No offer of paying for the church wedding lunch, or saying she'll chip in for this. Just an offer of paying for five tables, and taking back the cost of the five tables plus all red packets from those five tables.

It's a little frustrating when my mum says that this is a modern world now, and not like weddings of last time, where parents decided who came to the wedding banquet, and parents footed the bill. Now, it's modern. We decide who to invite, and we foot the bill.

Can thoust strike the balance between culture and modern?

Is there such a need to draw the line your wedding and my son's wedding? Has the world evolved so much that the groom and the bride are on par, and thus, the bride's family to offer to pay for the wedding since the groom's family isn't rich.

All my life, I have co-existed with my parents. While I have a peaceful relationship with them, I honestly don't feel that they know me at all. Sure, there were times they took care of me, when I was sick, or watched me grow up. But they haven't been growing up with me. I was patient when anger took a hold of her, or when I didn't greet her when I went home and she gave me the cold shoulder. All my life, I grew up with the mantra that parents are always right. Or the mantra that I displayed at home. I never argued back, never really threw a tantrum or a big fuss. I accepted my parents making mistakes because at a young age, I knew they weren't perfect.

It is more disappointing than frustrating that the hand that fed you now pulls your ear.

From you saying that I should stay with her, to saying that cause I'm staying with her that's why you can't sell the house to the first buyer, to saying that it is my wedding so I should pay the bill cause it's a modern world.

Is not a wedding a joyous celebration? Of the growing up of both parties, of the blessed union of both as they come together as one?

Time for me to walk the walk, unlike some who just talk the talk and don't walk the walk.

Guess I'll have to beg, borrow and bury myself in debt because I want to thank my friends for making me who I am and to let them be a part of this celebration.

On bended knee

With a long and deep inhale, I took a breath and went down on one knee.
Okay, it wasn't fully on one bended knee, because she was sitting on the bed, and the bed is low.
It was kind of like a hunched over cramped aching ankle style.
I bet movies and reel life use invisible knee pads for the artistes.

And she said yes!
A new stage begins.
Not a new journey;
but a continuation of the current one just in one new direction.

Doesn't signify that it'll be easier ahead
with mounting financial burdens
and decisions to make
choices to decide
who to invite for what event
or to send an invitation card
and so many more

But I'm happy despite all these
we still have time for each other
or rather, we make time for each other.

To be honest, we haven't really slacked in bed for one day for a long time
Either she's busy with work, or I'm busy with work or both of us are busy with work.
But we still try, and juggle shifts here and there.

Am I sure I want to be married when I'm going to hit 25 soon?
Yes. I don't really see it as being tied down,
though I do acknowledge its commitment.
But it isn't a burden to me, just another step along the path.

A year ago, I would not have imagined that all this will happen.
Getting attached, getting engaged, applying for a house.
Sometimes in life, all one needs to do is to take a step of faith forward
And to be content with what one has in life.

Who knows when we will fade off this earth?
I only know if the world ended today,
I will die in bliss.

I screwed up

That feeling when your heart gets stabbed.

And you pray for time to stop but it speeds up instead.

When by your own selfish actions, you cause frustration and anguish to another. Especially someone you love.

When the future seems bleak
When tears stream down your cheek
When reality is shoved in your face
When your vision gets clouded like a haze
One can only go on knees and grovel.

No doubt just regret
No hesitation just acceptance
Bearing the onus
That thunders from above
Feet trying to balance on shaky ground.

When you just want to fade off the face of this earth.

Or turn back the clock three hours.

Friends Past and Friendships Future

A few days back, I stumbled upon wedding photos of a poly classmate I was close with. Everyday, she would pour out her sorrows to me. We stayed near each other, and would occasionally travel to school together if our timetables were the same. I tolerated her mood swings, and listened to her woes and guy troubles, and she lived life happier, (or so I hope).

But, life does that to you. You get close to people during certain phases of your life, but once someone loses the slack, a friendship can't thrive. Beating eggs alone won't make a cake. You need a slow heat, and other ingredients to add taste and color and variety.

I remember dutifully messaging each of my secondary four classmates for one to two years after graduation from secondary school. Slowly, their replies got shorter. Slowly, I lost the fire.

There are around twenty people I used to faithfully send christmas cards at the end of each year. These are friends whom I've kept their addresses and keep them in a special container in a locker. Last year, I asked myself 'what was the point?'

Indeed, it gets tiring. For the twenty handwritten cards I sent out, only two would respond back with a card. After eight years or so, it just drains out.

Sure, these people mean a lot to me, and I bet if questioned, these people could share a tale or two bout my impact on their life, but life is like that. Over time, we just drift away from each other.

But, there are some that I still keep in contact for these eight or more years. Is there a difference? Is there a secret formula for a lifelong friendship?

I clicked along well with everyone, but I never had my own clique in secondary school, or in polytechnic. From an angle, I was doomed from the start. It then leads me to think, 'do I enter a friendship just for my benefit?'

We've all had (or still have) that one person that we turn to when trouble rears its ugly head, when thunder brews a lightning storm, when our fingers grip the edge of the cliff. Is it for just my benefit or a mutual one?

People form friendships for an assortment of reasons. Work contacts, social status, money, selfish ambition, sense of belonging, self fulfillment. What is your reason?

Cause I believe the reason for the friendship determines its life expectancy.

At the end of the day, I live so that others might live. Through listening, assisting, helping, enriching, emboldening, uplifting. Not by my might but His.

Demolishing Robot

When a building gets demolished, nearby residents or people walking by have to suffer with the noise and the dust. What if we could have robots to demolish buildings and recycle it too?

Meet the ERO Robot.


The ERO Concrete Recycling Robot uses a high-powered water jet to crack open the concrete, before sucking up both concrete and water. Water is then resued for the next demolition, while concrete is sent back for recycling. Imagine a whole fleet of this working together to demolish an entire building.

No dust, less noise, no pollution.

More info here.

Rest or no rest

Sad
That I can't be with you this week
That we can unwind together
Not fully but at least you have
Lesser burdens now.

Away
From you, I feel
Lonely and a piece of me
Missing.

Accustomed
I have grown
To lying beside you
To sleep

To your arms
That cuddle
And warmth
To rest

Distance makes the heart grow fonder
This is true.

Soon we'll be reunited. :)

Six months

In four more days, it'll be half a year that we've been together. Since that night that you said yes, and we both floated on cloud nine, we've come quite a bit.

We've had a few challenges where the future for the both of us seem bleak, we had fun moments where time flew by so quickly. We just evolve with each other.

I'm still fresh in event management, so there're still stuff to learn to help you in your company. This busy period has been quite challenging for the both of us. We only get to spend no more than a hour physically together despite being less than five minutes physically apart.

I can't clean up the house as much as I would like to. I try my best to lessen your load but sometimes, I get tired. I think we've quite stabilized our routines in a way. Though sometimes I still get hurt when you push me away, or ignore me, or don't listen to me. There are times where I don't feel reassured or treasured.

Then, there are times where I watch you lie in bed, sound asleep. That you feel comfortable and safe to sleep, gives me satisfaction. To see you lean against my shoulder and fall asleep is a memory I keep. There are the simple moments where you stretch out for my hand, or when you hug my arm tightly, that make me feel belonged.

That despite all our challenges, we stuck by each other.

And that though I don't say I love you that often, I show it to you through my actions.

Plate-Oh

I came across an interesting product idea called the Plate-Oh!

Think of ten paper plates compressed into one. You just peel off the top layer once you are done with it, and you can use the Plate-Oh! nine more times. Think of it like an onion coupled with a cat's nine lives, only in this case, it doesn't make you teary and you get ten instead of nine.



Designed by Sahar Madanat Haddah, it won't be developed commercially for now.

I sure wouldn't want to buy it though. After all, we know the con of using a paper plate is that it doesnt really absorb grease, oil, sauce and any other liquids that are placed on it. Sometimes, we might even resort to using two paper plates to prevent any spillage on us.

What do you think? Would you purchase it?

More info here.

The 不倒翁 cup

In the cold freezing climate of the office, a cup of steaming coffee is but heaven. Till that clumsy oaf beside you knocks it over, and sends you down to hell.

Stay always in heaven with the Mighty Mug!

BPA-free, dishwasher-safe, microwave-save, it has a very very firm grip on the surface it is placed on. So when you push it, it just leans over but doesn't topple. To activate it, you just flex and flick it with your fingers as you set the cup down, and voila, no more spillages!

You can get it from Thinkgeek at $14.99 USD, more info here.

Always did, always do

The possibility that I'll lose you
Reduces me to tears
Leaves me in rambles.

To plan our future and not that afraid of it
What happened to fighting monsters
In the darkness together?

A curse that falls upon my head
One that brings insecurity to whom
I have chosen to spend my life with.

This stirring within my heart
And sigh of contentment
I know is not due to
Familiarity.

Oh my body,
Art thou my betrayer?
Have thoust grown a shell
So thick that truth
Cannot prevail?

I cry out to the heavens
At this turmoil I'm in
This conflict within me
This beating of my breast.

If only thou can feel
The love emanating
With every beat.

If only thou can read
My mind and its
Complex simplicity.

If only wisdom pours
From above and eyes
Are opened and thou
Can see that I come
Bearing no ill intent.

Body, betray me not.
Be gone from me,
Temptation and this
Sickening within my
Chest.

I love you,
Always did
Always do.

Ecooking

As houses and apartments get smaller, it is important to maximise your limited space. Designed by Massimo facchinetti, the Ecooking is a hub for all cooking appliances.



As you can see, a wall of the module boasts a small vertical garden so you can plant and cook herbs. (Not too sure where the sunlight to feed it will come from.) Water from the sink goes through a filter and then used for the dishwasher. A retractable tap disappears in the sink when you are not using it, and also an air treatment system in the hood to purify ambient air. Not to mention a fridge at the bottom of the structure.

If it comes with an induction cooker or voice-activated commands, I'm sold!

More info here.

Air Shower Concept

So you just had a nice warm soothing bath, but before you can towel yourself dry, the cool air from outside seeps in and you can't help but to go ahh, ahhh, ahhh choo!

Designer Adrien Lefebvre often faced this problem, thus the inspiration for the Air Shower.
Contrary to its name, you do not shower with Air.



It works just like a normal shower cubicle save for a dryer right beside. After you bathe, just turn on the dryer to dry yourself and/or accompanied with a towel, and you're good to go.

Personally, I quite like this idea.

More info here.

I get hurt when I hurt you

I get hurt when you get hurt too.
The times I've disappointed you, the times I let you down,
They will be a part of me.

They are a part of us.
But it doesn't mean I'm gonna give up.

Yes, we are not in the honeymoon period.
We get disappointed with each other.
We cry with each other.
We laugh together.
We hurt each other.

But that doesn't mean we don't love each other.

Many moments I wish I could go back in time
But I can't.
So I lick my wounds in private
and move on.

While I want to make your life easier,
I know there are times where it gets harder instead.
Sometimes, words get miscommunicated,
Sometimes, signals are misread.

To find that balance,
as we walk together towards the future,
and invest in the present,
to learn from the past.

It won't be easy.
There will always be insecurities.
There will always be misunderstandings.
There will always be hurts and hugs
There will always be hits and misses.

What is more important, is will you still stick on?
Cause I will.

I am.

Benefits of Lenticular Printing

This is very cool. As you can deduce from the image above, an adult and a child will see two different images, thanks to lenticular printing. Only children (or vertically-challenged adults) will see the image of bruises on children, and hopefully spur them on to report any cases of child abuse to seek help without fear from their aggressor.

Sleeping on balls

Wouldn't it be fun to sleep on balls? The soft foamy kind.





Comprising of 120 foam balls linked together by elastic strands to ensure you don't get caught between balls, this Feel Seating System Deluxe allows you to structure the balls anyway you like it. This means you can change it from a sofa bed to a couch to a bean bag design. And all in comfort.

More info here.

Thank You

On one of the rare times I get to watch over you as you sleep, I can't help but be grateful.

Thinking back on how we met, the chats we had, and how it escalated to you and me being us, I am blessed.

Sometimes, I hope that you'll wake up, look around for me, smile upon seeing me and fall asleep. That doesn't mean I don't thank God for the times I slept soundly with you by my side. 

You have taught me how a relationship isn't about you or me, but about us. Not me giving and giving like in previous relationships, but in both giving and receiving.

Sure, there are times I feel second place cause work snatches your attention from me. Yet it just makes me treasure the times I do have your attention even more.

Thank You, and I can't wait to spend a lifetime with you.

Beard Advertising

I used to wonder with so much advertising happening in the world, would we ever hit a limit or a threshold where we have ran out of space to advertise. Now, we are one step nearer to that with the introduction of Beard Advertising.





Ads are placed on tiny billboards that are clipped onto beards.

Honestly the first thing that came to my mind was, their model has more beard than hair on his head.
But that's not really the point. This form of advertising is cool, but in a rather weird way. What's next, though? Beards trimmed to form a QR code?

If you think you (or your beard) has what it takes, you can sign up or find more info here.

Seashells meets the iPhone

It's said that the you can hear the song of the sea by putting a seashell to your ear. It's also said that the song of the sea can calm you down and help you to relax.

With this seashell speakers, you just might be able to let the sea sooth your frayed nerves.



Going for $75 USD each, it is a speaker shaped like a seashell.

With so many different designs and types of speakers out there, one can only wonder what other novel designs companies will come up with.

More info here.

Family

Family need not be someone connected to you by blood or race or religion or ethnicity or relation.

Family can be someone with whom you feel a sense of belonging, like a colleague.

Today, a colleague of mine became tomorrow's ex-colleague.
Today, I sobbed in the arms of my girlfriend.

Some may think crying be a sign of weakness. Some may think crying dramatic. But I understood what he felt cause I've been terminated before. The shock, and loss, coupled with immediate regret and an earnest desire to turn back time and un-right the wrong. But, time does not allow us to do that. If Father Time could turn back as frequent as our requests, we will never learn from our mistakes. We will never get stronger.

When I was terminated from a previous job, I sobbed in private. I put on a brave front, even as I faced disappointment on my team mates. Even in front of my then-girlfriend whom was none the wiser as to how I truly felt.

I confess I don't really like his character. I mean, he had told me I should play around for experience' sake. But not liking his character, does not mean I neglect his good points. He never failed to help, to assist when requested to. I may disapprove of his tendency to do everything at the last minute, but that doesn't mean I dismiss him off as a failure. In my eyes, he will always been deemed as a success. And an even greater success, once he perseveres through this ordeal.

Regret

At times, the mouth speaks words that are not strung together nicely. That which is thought in the mind, is not expressed accurately in the mouth.

Honestly, I should have phrased it better.

Times like this, I feel like turning back the clock but what is said cannot be unsaid. What is done cannot be undone.

Yet, I know you are The One for me, and I am not going to leave you. Time and time again, you ask me how sure I am, and why I believe so. Every time, I told you and will tell you, that you didn't come into my life for a reason.

In retrospect, what sparked off our relationship was very unusual. A simple loan of $10 brought us together. At times, it seems so magical, so smooth-sailing. Everything that happens along the way seems to fall into place, like jigsaw pieces fitting each other snugly.

And then, there are trying times, like now. Where there are misunderstandings, and signals being misread, and all contributing to the doubt that we aren't meant for each other. But we are only mere mortals, each different from another. Human error will naturally occur, and as in the case today, my fault.

But, I'm not going to give up. You've made sacrifices for our future, it is only fair that I do my part too. I made the promise that I will never leave you, and I am going to stand by that promise.

I'm not giving up.

Let His will be done.

Watchful

Deep in slumber,
At ease in form.
I watch you rest
Upon thy nest.

Occasionally stirring,
But never waking,
Thy heart beating,
My joy complete.

I promise to work harder
So you can rest more
So you don't need to overwork
So you can pause to smell the roses
And enjoy life better.

Here I am, awake
Peering at you asleep.
What runs through your mind now?
What do you dream of?
I hope I'm there.
I hope it's sweet.

I will take care of you.
I will watch over you.
I will protect you.
For I am yours.
Solely.

Sleep on your keyboard?

At some point in our life in the digital era, we would have reached the highest point of exhausting and promptly fell asleep on our keyboards. Then, we woke up with a 'key' imprinted on our face.

Now, some creative designer has came up with a keyboard that you can sleep on, and comfortably too.

Apparently the keys are adjustable too. Wonder if you can rearrange them to spell out your name.


More info here.

NOTA Coffee Mug

It's early in the morning, and my eyes are barely open. Making myself a cup of coffee, I down it drowsily only to jump when the cold metal spoon lands on my nose.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the only one that suffers that. Lee Hae Seung Scott has designed NOTA Coffee Mug that can succesful eradicate this first world problem, and reduce our nose injuries.

FYI, the designer was inspired by coffee drinkers in local hawker centres.

More info here and here.

Watching Your Back

An incident happened recently, which challenged the definition of colleagues and friends. The question of who I can trust was something I had to answer. A certain incident happened and blame was placed on me. Logic seemed to go against memory. What I remembered doing and checking did not turn out well for me, cause something was misplaced and found at my desk.

My girlfriend advised me to be careful at work and to watch my back. And rightly so, for unlike other new colleagues, I have slightly higher expectations to meet.

Rising up from a casual to a permanent position, there are procedures, protocols and paper work that I need to learn and master. On the other hand, there is a higher expectation to meet since I have been a casual for half a decade, and am expected to know venues and physical amenities like the back of my hand.

At times, it does seem to overwhelm me. A certain stress to hit a certain target aloft, and a certain level of independence required of me. Is it making me stronger or weaker? As time goes by, do I still trust and rely and depend and support my team mates, or are walls and masks and shields surfacing?

I have always believed in the good of people. I still do. Sometimes I think to myself, when did we get so wary of one another. So vicious. So sly. It's so easy to slip off the path of goodwork, and fall prey to a wad of cash in an open hand, or land on your front with a knife in your back.

Sometimes, I can only trust myself. Sometimes I feel lonely at work. Not that I am shunted or an outcast. Those who know me well know I can get along with anyone and everyone. I am friendly, and sociable, and outgoing with a carefree personality. But if I had a piece of paper with three circles on it: Best Friend/s, Close Friend/s, Casual Friend/s, I would need to think long and hard. Other than God and my girlfriend who would be in the first circle, I wouldn't know where to place the rest.

Is there a sense of belonging? Yes. I feel belonged to my work because it is my life. I feel empowered. I feel lively and at peace and at ease within myself. The air in office to me, is like sunlight to green leaves. This is home to me.

Because this is home, I do what I do best. Some people call it hardworking, or going beyond the duty. I just feel it is something I should do so why not do it. If we keep waiting for others to make the first step, no one would step forward.

There are people who are waiting for me to fall, to slip up, to stab in the back. But, if I keep watching the road, or looking behind, I will miss the rainbow on my left, and the dandelions dancing in the wind on my right.

At the end of the day, I know there is someone at home I can go to. Who will not judge me. Nor dictate me. But simply there. for. me.

Thermo-Sensitive Business Cards

Most business cards tend to be simple and copied. It lacks authenticity and uniqueness. Now, what if each business card you have is different from the rest?

What if it was thermo-sensitive? This meant you could put your thumb print on it, or use heat to craft your name etc.

 

Cool eh! Unfortunately, you have to pay quite a fair bit for them. $985 for a thousand cards.

More info here.

T2T

T2T. Nope, not a dual version of TNT. It's something that is more of a uhm tongue-twister.





The Tongue to Teeth toothbrush is targetted towards busy people. By busy, I mean those who don't have three minutes to spare to go to the washroom and brush their teeth. Designed to be disposable, you just slip it on their tongue, and lick your teeth.

I'm not really sure how your tongue can reach the crevices between your teeth. But, I suppose if you compare this to not brushing your teeth at all, this would be a better option. I wonder about the comfort too. And, wouldn't the tongue to teeth toothbrush be a time-killer so one has time to shave?

You can tongue more here.

Comfy Airport Seats

It's often said that one grows old gracefully with time, like wine. The same cannot be said of airport seats. While one would grow old sitting on airport seats, especially if the flight get delayed repeatedly, one wouldn't emerge very gracefully when the boarding gate opens.

Kwon Jin-Seok aims to change that.

These are just a few of the ways that the seats can allow meetings, chats, discussions, doodling and napping.

More info here.

Jetliner Playground Slide

If you have a spare airplane or jetliner sitting around somewhere, you might consider attaching some slides, and turning it into a playground.



This is what happened to one jetliner in the Ukraine. I honestly think it is a terrific idea, though I wonder why only one slide and ladder going up? One should maximise the whole plane. Clear boxes could be built on the wings, and maybe another slide or two towards the front of the plane. I mean, use the whole plane would be more entertaining no?

One thing for sure, I know I won't find this kind of playgrounds in my country. No land, to begin with. I wonder what's the COE for an airplane. 

You can find out more info here.

Claw Machine comes to life

You know those Claw Machines that are all the rage in arcades? You operate a claw and through sheer determination, skill and lots of coins/cash, you maneuver the claw to grab a plush toy that you like and drop it into the exit bin/hole/collection area.

Some seafood places have jumped on the wagon and used that, but to catch your own seafood.



I'm pretty sure entertainment value for the customers will be at a high, and it certainly beats any risk of the chef cheating you since you get to choose which lobster you want to eat. I wonder if lobsters have a fear of heights.

Who knows, maybe next time, there'll be a scoop instead of a claw, and you catch your own prawns instead? Or reel in your own fish?

What say you?

More info here.

Contentment

In a recent conversation with me and The Girlfriend, the topic of contentment came up.

We pondered upon how struggling to live day to day resulted in discontentment. How could we give to others and be selfless, when we could not ensure our own survival?

Contentment is rather subjective in definition. In a general sense, it could be argued that one is content when one is happy in life. But happiness, as we all know, is subjective. To a baby, having milk and sleep is contentment. To a child, toys or love would be contentment.

Yet, it gets more complicated as we grow up. A teen might be content with the latest tablet and smartphone, and a stable posse of friends. Yet, without love from family, he or she might not reach the state of contentment.

Same for adults. We might have a stable job, a loving spouse, but we might still feel discontentment. Are we setting our standards too high? Do we need 5Cs to be content? Is contentment attainable in this current era?

Bombardment of ads of products which promise to make you contented in life, feel completed in life, brings upon satisfaction, or fulfillment which you need. Nitty-gritty details that are integral of the life of an adult like bills and loans and debts don't add on much to contentment.

Do I feel content?

At this point in time, I do.

Sure, I have bills to pay, debts to clear, financial woes. But, I also have a loving girlfriend, loving my work, and able to enjoy simplicities of life.

The generation that is growing up will link wealth with contentment, and this is but no fault of theirs. In time to come, contentment might be achieved when one hits level 100 in Candy Crush.

I grew up being blessed, and with little material possessions. I've always had Him who had my back, and I won't stop believing so. To me, feeling content is being able to count my blessings, and to spread around human goodness.

I'm content with my life. Problems that come my way like financial insecurities or the unknown future, I do what I've always done. I entrust it to God.

Are you content? What's preventing you from being content?

X-Ray Envelope Spray

Sometimes, quirky products get created. Like a spray to see the contents of an envelope without physically damaging it. I can only imagine detectives and those who need to operate below the radar being very excited about this. Now if only one could come up with a letter that is an envelope, that would be more interesting, taking into account the tons of paper wasted, and the sheer number of envelopes we throw away.

It is aptly named X-Ray Envelope Spray, and is rather self-explanatory. It is a bit like spraying an envelope with water, but not getting it wet.



If you are really keen on this kind of PI stuff, you can get a can at $15 USD here.

Be Gone, Taste of Bitterness

Sometimes, our senses work hard to go against us. Like when you need to swallow that medicine pill, but the bitter taste is revolting. Or the nasty cough syrup. Let's face it. The main purpose of medicine isn't to taste good, it's to make us better.

What if one could simply cover the tongue, and skip the whole taste process?



Aptly named the Tongue Cover, it's made of latex and is simply slotted over the tongue. Truth be told, it's just an oral version of the condom.

Honestly, I think it's innovative. Practicality and potential finance-wise, I will just sit on the fence and watch how this will turn out.

If you are unlike me, and are keen to finance its production, head over here.

Life now?

Every now and then, I like to take a step back and observe my life.
Examine what makes me tick, and what makes me sick.
Identify what I revel and to what I rebel.
So, I step back and look.

Bliss, I slowly exhale.
I lie back, close my eyes and let the words unfold.
Like a flower blooming, its petals slowly inching skywards.

A pulsing heart, I swim in.
On the field, I sit, and peer at the stars in the night sky, twinkling away.
Each a memory, of what I had, of whom I was, of who I was with, of why I did not.
Aggressive? No. They stay in their places, a distance away because I have moved on,
but visible to direct my path ahead.
Every once in a while, there will be a shooting star.
Every once in a while, a star will blink its final wink.

Have I lost any meaning in life?
Nay, it has merely grown.
I know who I'm going to marry.
I see ahead a rough sketch of the future I will have.
Above all, I am still charging ahead with zest for life.

Work has grown in responsibilities.
Yet, I don't find it disconcerting.
I lean forward and delight in it with gusto.
Though sometimes, the people that I seek advice from, aren't as forthcoming and helpful.
And that's when I tell myself, not to take it to heart, and not to judge.

Occasionally, what tempts every man comes to tempt me too.
Fame, fortune, pride, status, recognition and more.
I confess I wouldn't mind a fortune.
I can use it to clear bills and debts.

I've grown farther from most friends.
At the same time, I'm learning how to positively affect
within a short frame of time.
Which I feel is necessary, because in the current era
of instant noodles and whatsapp and facebook and whatnot screaming for our attention,
Short and sweet and memorable should do the trick.

If I could go back in time, would those stars be lesser?
I think not. I had good times with no regrets.
People got hurt yes. I did, too.
But it made me stronger. I can only hope it had the same effect on them.

Sometimes, people remark how they would not be like that if they were not hurt
and maybe now in bliss, my eyes are veiled.
Thus, when I look back, I can only see how grateful I am for those hurts
Else I wouldn't be who I am at where I am today.

The road ahead isn't smooth.
But where's the fun in a smooth road anyway?

One can't see the sunrise unless one climbs up
and reaches the summit.

Epiphany OnE Puck

Either the whole world is in dire need of power, or someone Ctrl-C and Ctrl V portable chargers too many times. Every online deal website, every corner of every store, I can find a portable charger for sale. Perhaps it's easier since Android phones use micro-usb and Apple uses their respective pins. It used to take striking 4D to find a portable charger last time, due to the wide spectrum of charging types. I remember the old Nokia small cyclinder-like one, and Panasonic had their own, and Samsung had another one, and the list goes on and on. Gone are the days where phone boxes come with their charger.

At some point in time, one has to ponder, what is all these portable chargers doing for our planet? Isn't there an easier method or Mother-Earth-friendly method to charge our devices on the go? Then someone came up with solar chargers. Which works well if you have strong sunlight, or you work in an office with a window to the outside world. Then, Epiphany Labs come in.

What it promises to achieve is very very easy to understand. Plonk a hot or cold drink on the device, and watch your phone's battery increase. How it works is slightly more complicated. The Epiphany OnE Puck has two sides - one red, one blue. Plonk your hot drink on the red one, and cold drink on the blue side. The difference in temperature between both sides will get transformed into electric energy.

Very interesting product in the making, with lots of promise.

Support them here.

Dyson Airblade Tap

Enter the restroom. Wash hands. Fling fling fling till they are dry. Or, waddle waddle to the nearest hand-dryer with dripping hands and dry your hands. Either way, the floor will still get wet.

Wouldn't it be nice if the hand dryer was just beside the tap? Wouldn't it be even better if the tap and the dryer were together, like the Dyson Airblade Tap?

A 1400W motor that is placed below the sink, will draw in air before blasting it out to dry your hands. Equipped with photo sensors, it will either wash or blow dry your hands depending on where they are placed. All you need is 14 seconds for your hands to be dry.

No need to buy a tap and a dryer. No need to clean up puddles on the floor.


More info here.

Helpless

He watches on helplessly as she walks down the path littered with shards of glass. Her face grimaces in pain, as she shuffles the cross on her back. Both hands gripping it up, she stumbles slightly as tears roll down her cheek.

Her cross to bear, a pain he cannot share.

From behind the metal bars, he pleads and gestures for her to let him help. To sweep away the shards, or carry the cross with her, or to hold her hand, but to no avail. Her eyes are tired and distant, her mind a bombard of past memories, each digging a hole deeper than the previous.

He falls to his knees, and bellows to the heavens. For help. For rain. For divine intervention. Alas, he can only watch. His heart burns with helplessness, as his eyes are overcome by grief. Every tear into her skin pierces him deep within.

A hurt no man can soothe, a wound no mortal can cover, a hole no human can keep.

iPee, iPoop, iPotty

It seems to be a trend for new devices to start with an 'i' for its name. Like the iPotty.

In simply descriptive terms, an ipad situated at the front of a potty. The gist is that the kid/s will have fun while being potty trained. That said, I wonder if it will backfire and everytime the kid plays with an ipad, he or she starts to pee or poop. That would be disastrous indeed.

Good or bad product, you decide. More info here.

hits and misses

A missed chance
blooms into a regret
in that moment of folly
the mind stops listening to the
heart and refuses to ignore reason
and becomes submissive.

In that split second,
information misinterpreted
signals in the wrong places
mental malfunctions
a chance missed.

ah heart, why thou hast failed me
in that solemn hour
the moon looks down with disdain
that thou did not gather up thy strength
and overcometh the mind
and led the victory march
on an impulse
but to success, it would have been.

Pummels of shooting stars
streak across the sky
and glimmer on
the dark canvas
that which we call night.

The voice of one
which howls at the moon
and struggles in anguish
smiles in relief
as the sun shows his
feathers.

Any Battery Light

Lightning crackles and thunder rumbles. Unsurprisingly, your house power gets cut off due to the impending thunderstorm. Panic settles in for a minute, before you calm down at the thought of the flashlight that you have stored in the cupboard for emergencies such as this. Relieved, you rush to the cupboard and take out the flashlight. Darkness reigns. The batteries have died. You scramble around in a frenzied state looking for batteries, but all you can find are those of the wrong type.

Buy 4D lo!

A very unlucky situation, but common. Thanks to Panasonic's 'Any Battery Light', you don't need to worry about scrambling for batteries in the dark.

The BF-BM10 flashlight allows you to insert any sort of 1.5volt batteries, from your puny AAA to the huge-ass D-sized batteries. More info here.

Work and Life and so not boring

A few days ago, during a family gathering, my uncle asked me 'So, how's work? Boring?' I was stumped. If he had stopped at the first question, I would have answered "like that lor". But, he didn't.

It got me thinking what work means to me.

I dare say I had the chance to preview my job for five years before going into it full time. Sure, there are days where I panic a little, there are days where it can be a little dry and my eyes get droopy. Yet, there are other days where I'm just surviving on adrenaline. There are other days where I'm on a roll.

I know boring doesn't describe my job. I work in a place where everything is fluid. My work is my life, and the similarities between both is the constant change. Every two to three months, there is a new visual arts installation. Every performance is different from the other. Every night, there is a different free performance at the Concourse. Every weekend, there are vigorating and fresh free performances at the Outdoor Theatre.

That's the key element of my job, my life. Fluidity. Not all can take it. Some enter, realize this is not what they want, and so they leave. Now, I'm not saying there is instability in my job. To be honest, my occupation is the most stable of other industries, because we will always crave for human interaction and there is always a demand. I am part of that supply.

A fluid work leads to a fluid lifestyle leads to rearing of the ability to handle anything that comes my way. It allows me the opportunity to stand up on a surfboard amidst surging waves. It trains my dexterity and builds me up to be nimble to swerve, bend, leap, duck, and do a handstand. (I'm kidding about the handstand.)

What does work mean to you? If you could sum it up in one word, what would it be?

Finally someone gets the spork right!

2013 is starting out as a very good year indeed! After all, someone got the spork right. What else could possibly go wrong?

I don't think I need to furnish you much details, cause the images are quite self-explanatory. The only thing you need to know is that it is sold for $14 USD here.

More info here.

Nebula 12 Indoor Weather Station Makes Clouds

There are no windows in my office. To get an update on the weather, I either check online, or call someone in the higher levels who have visual access to the outside world. While some might say it is one less distraction at work, I do believe that there are others like me, who have no visual cues on the weather outside.

If only I had the Nebula 12, a concept for a lamp-cum-weather station.

The device connects online for updated weather reports, and visually translates it for you. This means a bright yellow light for sunny days, and an awesome indoor cloud on cloudy days, via a mixture of liquid nitrogen and hot water. The light can change the color and brightness of the cloud. (un)fortunately, you wont see any physical hailstones, lightnings, rain or snow should that weather forecast come about.

If you are living in an always-cloudy area, then suffice to say, you can keep your head in the clouds.

More info here.