OrangeMarcus: Entrepreneurship is pursuit of aspiration fuelled by the lack of viable alternatives

NDP Fireworks 2011

2011-07-23T23:55:00.002+08:00

Taken during NDP Rehearsal on 23rd July 2011

General Elections 2011

2011-05-07T16:57:00.002+08:00

Today I go to the polls as a SINGAPOREAN to give my voice for, hopefully, a more inclusive and equal Singapore.
I know, I know --- the reality is that our world is not perfect BUT idealism convinces me that my inability to change the world should not deter me from correcting individual imperfections.

Behold, Vanilla!

2011-01-12T17:48:00.010+08:00

Finally, I have reached a point where I can no longer remain silent on the issue of Vanilla.

I am exasperated that most people, and in one instance, even a self-proclaimed dessert expert, think that vanilla only exists in essence (clear liquid) form. Expert, yeah right, my foot!
When confronted with real vanilla beans (those black specks in freshly baked cakes and premium ice-creams), these simpletons have claimed the expensive spice to be fungal mold, sand, small stones and everything else negative.

Short of writing a full detailed article on vanilla, of which there are many on the internet, most commercially available vanilla essences (of the cheap variety that cheap dessert stalls favour) are simply imitation vanillas.

Imitation vanillas contain synthetic vanillin.
Most synthetic vanillin is a byproduct of the pulp and paper industry, and is made from waste sulfate, which contains lignin-sulfonic acid.
These are the stuffs that you get for a few cheap bucks from the baking supplies sections of your local supermarket.

In short, you 'expert', have been eating by-products that is produced from the waste of the pulp and paper industry.

Real vanilla is the 2nd most expensive spice in the world, after saffron.
This is what real vanilla bean pods look like.

Real chefs use real vanilla beans.

p/s: Even a dimwit can wisen up if he/she has an open mind. There's nothing more pathetic than a self-centered, self-indulgent ignoramus.

Raspberry-Chocolate Brownie by Villa Halia

2010-07-25T18:45:00.001+08:00

An opportunistic shot of a display item during a wedding roadshow hosted by Villa Halia.

Enjoy~!

黯然消魂饭

2010-07-12T21:01:00.010+08:00

(aka Homemade Char-Siew Rice)

為了表示我犹如滔滔江水连绵不绝的敬仰, 請大家先回味電影《食神》中關於黯然消魂飯的一段經典對白:

評審：叉燒，好吃啊！我從沒吃過這麼好吃的叉燒，
救命啊~~~~叉燒的肉汁鎮在纖維裡面，好似江河匯聚，
而且裡面的肉筋被內力打碎, 入口即之鬆化，
再配合用火雲掌煎成的糖心荷包蛋...
哇！這叉燒太棒了！塵世間沒有形容詞可以形容它了！為什麼？為什麼？為什麼？
為什麼讓我吃到一碗這麼好吃的叉燒，如果我以後吃不到怎麼辦？！（昏倒……）
嗯？這是怎麼了？我怎麼會流淚呢？有一種哀傷感……

食神：是洋蔥，我加了洋蔥。

雖然肉筋不是被內力打碎（在下用的是雙立人刀背）、
糖心荷包蛋也非火雲掌煎成（用的是家中的煤氣爐和平底鍋）、
但，俺的的確確加了洋蔥！
我還故意刺破糖心蛋黃，製造一顆受傷的“心”呢！

希望吃的內人能嘗出我的堅持輿用心...

Enjoy~!

Birthday Wishes from JacJac

2010-05-20T17:51:00.007+08:00

Here is a video of Birthday Wishes from JacJac!

Happy Birthday to me! Yay!

Remembering Ah Wang, One Year On

2010-05-15T17:11:00.000+08:00

It's been one year since Ah Wang's passing.

We held a simple ceremony to remember our beloved canine companion, Ah Wang, who passed away on 15th May 2009, aged 20 (human) years.

Despite the passage of time, Ah Wang is still very much part of the family.

Ah Wang's altar at home is decorated with bright cheerful colours, pictures of Ah Wang, canine "companions" and her favourite foods and drinks which are replaced/replenished regularly.

I know for a fact that Popo (my mother-in-law) still sits with and speaks to her daily...

We also pooled money and bought (a considerable amount of) paper Taoist offerings to be burnt for Ah Wang.

These included a nice two-storey house and numerous other luxuries (can you spot the LV bag and MacBook?) in addition to probably several millions in spending money.

Hopefully, she'd be able to receive them and lead a plentiful afterlife before reincarnation. ;)

Girl-Girl, you'd always be in our hearts. ;)

Home Kitchen - Roast Brined Chicken with Apples and Vegetables

2010-05-09T17:11:00.002+08:00

I have never cooked any proper foods (aside from roast sweet potatoes, that is) using an oven which I have always considered the domain of the missus for her sweets.

That and the fact that our humble oven is exactly that, humble.

Nevertheless, I decided to give it a go at making roast brined chicken on a tray of apples and vegetables with encouragement from my gal.

What do you think of my first attempt at oven-cooking?

Enjoy~!

See.Food.Photography - Xbox Cake

2010-04-30T16:28:00.004+08:00

An Xbox-shaped cake is marjerLynn's response to the request from the family of a teenage boy celebrating the first of his adolescent years.

Guess what? I helped shaping the D-pad and the power button!

Enjoy~!

See.Food.Photograpgy - Banana Muffin with Chocolate Bites

2010-04-23T13:56:00.003+08:00

One of my favourite marjerLynn products.

Baked with real bananas you can literally bite into within the muffin. Soft chocolate bits complements the taste perfectly! 'Nuff said!

Enjoy~!

Home Kitchen - Treasure Island Golden Fried Rice

2010-04-23T13:47:00.004+08:00

金包银炒饭

Enjoy~!

Home Kitchen - Fresh Oysters

2010-04-14T22:01:00.003+08:00

I happened to pass by one of my favourite supermarkets which features wide range of live seafood and decided to treat myself to half a dozen of fresh oysters from USA.

Taken with a quick squeeze of lemon. Slurrrrp!

Enjoy~!

See.Food.Photography - Rainbow Cake

2010-04-06T14:31:00.002+08:00

This Rainbow Cake is marjerLynn's response to a request from a special 20 year old birthday girl.

You can imagine the amount of work that went into baking the layers one by one!
Don't you feel happy by just looking at that? ;)

Enjoy~!

Home Kitchen - Homemade Pancakes

2010-04-04T11:51:00.002+08:00

I love pancakes and Hotcakes from MacDonald's has always held something special for me with its soft, fluffy yet rich taste without stuffing you up.

Over the years, I have tried all kinds of methods, from instant pancake mixes to chef's recipes from cook shows, all without success.

Finally, (I think) I have uncovered the secret to them! The trick lies in mixing melted butter and milk to the batter (which has been left overnight in the fridge to "wake" it up) until it reaches the consistency of fresh cream.

Then, in one smooth swift motion, ladle the batter onto a non-stick pan over low heat. Flip the lovelies over when the pancakes are browned on the heated side (I'd say about 20 seconds each side).

I'm picky about good food. And I'd say these taste grrrreat!

Enjoy~!

p/s: To further test this recipe, I kept some in cold storage and steamed them after a couple of days.
Still as delicious!
Now I can make them hotcakes at home too! Wazzzaah!

See.Food.Photography - Banana Muffins

2010-04-01T14:25:00.000+08:00

Some of my all time favourites -- Banana Muffins!

Topped either with chocolate chips or cranberries. Simply yummy!

Enjoy~!

See.Food.Photography - Green Tea and Pear Roll Cake

2010-03-29T14:20:00.000+08:00

A surprisingly sophisticated and refreshingly combination in this second of marjerLynn's month of going green.

Enjoy~!

Home Kitchen - Chinese Sausage Bun (臘腸包)

2010-03-28T13:06:00.001+08:00

Here's something that I tried to re-create at home after some good friends from Hong Kong first introduced me to the dish during a recent trip to the territory.

It is one of Hong Kong's comfort foods. So simple in concept and preparation and yet so sinful and fulfilling. It's not for the faint-hearted or cholestrol-conscious though.

Enjoy~!

See.Food.Photography - Kiwi Tart

2010-03-26T13:59:00.001+08:00

marjerLynn decided to go green this month with this first of several green colour-themed creations.

Do check out marjerLynn's Facebook page for more! Join as a fan to lend us your support!

Enjoy~!

See.Food.Photography - Vanilla Bean Pods

2010-03-22T23:50:00.006+08:00

It has been 2 months since my last update. I didn't even realise it has been that long. Gosh!

Well, sometimes, you look at something simple and plain and get that inspiration to capture it unto something special.

Here is my take on some of the missus' vanilla bean pods.

Let me know what you think~!

Home Kitchen - 赛螃蟹

2010-03-21T13:13:00.000+08:00

An innovative dish that I have enjoyed since tender ages in a restaurant that my family still patronises.

I'm surprised it took so long for me to attempt it at home.

I did not not include an English moniker for this post for want of suitable, descriptive name.
It is a dish created from scrambled egg whites flavored to taste like crab meat, typically topped with a raw yolk for added texture.

I have been led to believe that at the epitome of culinary skill, one can successfully achieve it without using any real seafood or artificial flavourings. Imagine that!

Enjoy~!

Home Kitchen - Braised Pork Belly (东坡肉)

2010-01-10T22:38:00.003+08:00

I'd honestly never think of making this if not for the request from dear wifey.

The results are pretty good for a first attempt.
To quote the missus, when asked to appraise the dish,
"Like ice-cream".

Melts in your mouth!

Enjoy~!

Home Kitchen - Singapore Laksa

2010-01-03T21:28:00.002+08:00

The familiar thick rice vermicelli in rich coconut broth exploding with rich aroma of dried shrimps and tangy spice of chilli!

Deep-fried fish cake sliced length-wise, fresh cockles, well-soaked tau-pok (i.e. puff toufus) and topped with a sprinkling of chopped laksa leaves.

I can go on about how we know we shouldn't indulge but I caved in to my gastronomic desires.
Gosh, I'm just a man!

Enjoy~!

Home Kitchen - Kimchi Kimchi!

2009-12-23T20:55:00.003+08:00

Ahhhh.... Kimchi goodness! I confess to being a tat ambitious to try making two variants of kimchi -- Spicy Baechu Kimchi and Mul Baechu Kimchi, at the same time, this being my very first attempt at doing so!

The missus commented that the spicy variant that she (and probably everyone else) is more familiar with tasted better than those bought from supermarkets.
Whao! What a compliment from she who never holds back her words!

I shall continue to try and perfect the taste of the Mul Kimchi until it matches my expectations which are not really that far away.

Enjoy~!

See.Food.Photography - Enemy At The Gates, Gingerbread version

2009-12-21T12:12:00.007+08:00

The missus' Gingerbread Homes with Snow People proved a popular item during christmas as evident from the numerous orders we received.

So, out of fun, I decided to do a nano picture story using some of the homes and my toys.
Hope you like it! Hah hah, or rather, ho ho!

It was all peace and joy in Gingerbread Town as folks rise to a new day to meet and exchange pleasantries in the centre of town where they have a newly planted christmas tree from their recent plant-a-tree campaign.

Unbeknownst to the jolly folks, their every action is being watched by the evil forces of Atnas that are opposed to any traces of joy and are intend to impose gloom to all under them...

Darkness falls as Atnas' evil troops rumble into town and hold the townsfolk hostage!
Will Santa return to save Gingerbread Town in time for Christmas?!?!

(maybe) to be continued... ...

Home Kitchen - Teochew-style Bak Kut Teh

2009-12-15T20:36:00.003+08:00

Ahhh... so I am still missing the strong garlic and peppery taste of the Teochew-styled Bak Kut Teh （潮式肉骨茶）that I cooked last weekend.

This variant with light-coloured broth is perhaps less common than the Hokkien-style with its dark, herbal soup.

I had never been a huge fan of the dish but after weeks of cooking Hainanese Chicken Rice for friends and family (which explains the hiatus), I was determined to cook something else.
The result surprised even myself!

It's been a long, long time since we last literally ate till we could eat no more.
And then some more.

Enjoy~!

Home Kitchen - Nourishing Chicken Soup

2009-11-11T16:00:00.003+08:00

There's nothing like a good serving of nourishing chicken soup (aka 老火鸡汤) to warm and soothe the body and soul in these cold and difficult times.

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Kimchi Chigae

2009-11-03T21:28:00.003+08:00

Gripped by a recent Korean-mania (food-wise only, of course), I made a simple meal out of Kimchi Chigae, Beef Bulgogi and good old plain white rice!

Enjoy!

See.Food.Photography - Goodness Grace-cious!

2009-10-28T17:04:00.002+08:00

As soon as the missus heard that I would be meeting Grace, a long-lost schoolmate, for lunch, the hospitality kicked in and she made this charming little box of macarons for her.

Goodness Grace-cious!

Here's hoping Grace enjoys them!

See.Food.Photography - Strawberry Chantilly Cake

2009-10-26T19:29:00.002+08:00

I think that food must be my most frequent subject in photography these days.

The wifey baked a heart-shaped strawberry chantilly cake adorned with orchid petals, more strawberry bites and a paper butterfly for her sister-in-law's upcoming birthday.

I hope it doesn't break her heart cutting up this beauty!

Enjoy!

知我者，吾爱妻也!

2009-10-20T11:38:00.006+08:00

A repost from my wife's blog: 喜宴？嬉宴？

Whoever said that time is a good gauge of the bond in friendships?

Home Kitchen - Tom Yum Talay

2009-10-16T15:24:00.004+08:00

An all-time favourite of mine.

I decided to make this dish -- Tom Yum Talay, a.k.a Tom Yum Seafood, to reminisce all the good times we had in the Land of Smiles.

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Beer-Battered Fish & Chips

2009-10-08T12:21:00.002+08:00

I've never really been a fan of deep-fried dishes but simply had to cave in to the missus' birthday request for her favourite Aussie-style fish & chips.

This recipe is suprisingly enduringly endearing! We only managed to sit down and savour it one hour after it was ready and it was still crispy! Yummy!

Now, all I've got to do is to try out different types of fishes and different beers for the batter. I think I'd start with the latter! Hah!

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Prawn Noodles Soup

2009-09-30T16:47:00.005+08:00

One of my favourite comfort foods, I think I am close to perfection with this dish now.

I will have to make a note to try and concoct a good chilli sauce in order to make the dry variant soon!

Enjoy!

Gone Travelling

2009-09-11T15:36:00.002+08:00

I'd be away on travels, so there'd be no updates for the next 2 weeks or so.

Do check back again after the 22nd September! I promise you a treat!

Home Kitchen - Fried HengHua Beehoon

2009-09-02T11:53:00.008+08:00

I decided to cook this ethnic HengHua dish (香炒兴化米粉) upon request and especially after not doing so for at least 2 years.

This time, I modified and improvised a little with the stock that was critical to the dish. I blended the vegetables to be used in the stock so finely that whilst they are not immediately visible to the eye, their goodness is wholly absorbed by the beehoon (rice vermicelli) and complements the shelfish impeccably.

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Sliced Raw Fish Gingko Nut Congee

2009-08-25T17:23:00.003+08:00

I took up Ade's challenge to cook and shoot sliced raw fish congee, the difiiculty being to shoot an otherwise plain dish.

I decided to add some ground gingko nuts and beancurd skin to the congee to add some character and increase its nutritional values.

To top things off, I created a flower by rolling the sliced raw fish and "float" it on the congee for a look that is decidely different from the traditional and conventional way of presentation.

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Curry Chicken

2009-08-17T19:52:00.002+08:00

I never thought that I'd cook curry until requested by Adeline.
I certainly had to oblige considering that Ade will be travelling all the way from Pasir Ris to my place to dine with us and then going all the way back again! Truly 有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎！

I bought a whole chicken for even though there's only the 3 of us (better to have surplus than shortage), plus some potatoes and a large baguette.

It was truly a great compliment for me as the entire pot disappeared!

Enjoy!

See.Food.Photography - Tiramisu

2009-08-05T14:24:00.004+08:00

I was so busy over last weekend that I hardly have any time to have a good rest, much less cook and shoot something.

However, true to my shutter addiction, I still managed to get a shot along the theme of food being that of Tiramisu served in the lunch reception of a wedding ceremony held in the Waterfal Terrace of Shangri-La Hotel Singapore.

Enjoy!

p/s: I shall be maintaining another blog dedicated to nuptial moments.
Do keep a lookout for OrangeFrame, by yours truly!

Home Kitchen - Hainanese Chicken Rice

2009-07-29T09:53:00.004+08:00

This dish is relatively easy to cook but to do it really well may be another matter altogether.

I think that I may have it figured out but my "solution" calls for cooking an entire chicken instead of parts. Thus, I would need some mouths to feed and stomachs to fill. Do I see any volunteers? Hah hah!

Cutting is up neatly and nicely (just like the pro uncles) would require much more practice, not to mention deboning.

In the meantime...

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Oyster Mee Suah

2009-07-20T14:04:00.004+08:00

Commonly known by its dialect name, O-Arh Mee Suah
(蚝仔面线), I made up my mind to try my hand at this dish made famous by all the Taiwanese food TV programmes after tasting some from a local franchise that tasted flat, sour and powdery.

I had to improvise for the stock but the result is a satisfyingly appetizing sustenance!

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Pan-seared Coloured Abalone with Bonito Vinegarette

2009-07-13T13:37:00.004+08:00

I came across a live seafood market selling these lovely coloured abalones. It is too great a temptation to pass up and even though I have not cooked them before, I promptly bought some and pondered hard over how I shall prepare them.

Here's the result!

Pan-seared Coloured Abalone with Bonito Vinegarette

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Soothing Smoothies and Shakes

2009-07-10T13:09:00.005+08:00

Ever felt the craving for a quick, sweet and fulfilling pick-me-up?

Burmese Mango Banana Smoothie -- Thanks to my friendly neighbour for so kindly sharing some Burmese mangoes that her friend brought her!

Mango Angel

Papaya Milkshake (aka 木瓜鲜乳)

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Mutton Rendang

2009-07-06T12:59:00.003+08:00

What better way to spend the weekend than to fry up some Rendang and stew mutton for 4 hours, then make a meal of it and share it with loved ones?

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Longevity Noodles

2009-07-05T16:30:00.003+08:00

I decided to try my hand making this delectable soup base from 5 different types of mushrooms into which I will add mee suah, a favoured noodle on Chinese birthday celebrations. The result is a clear and light, yet tasty, healthy and nutrious bowl of noodles that befits the name that I gave it -- 养生面线。

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Glutinous Rice Ball In Ginger Tea

2009-07-05T16:09:00.004+08:00

Known in chinese as 姜茶汤圆，this simple yet tasty dessert is ideal for dispelling "wind" and warming the body.

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Glutinous Rice Ball with Black Sesame Paste

2009-06-25T14:22:00.005+08:00

It was not easy to shoot this dessert. Both the glutinous rice ball and black sesame paste are food items that are soft, viscous or, in the case of the glutinous rice ball with peanut filling, a combination of both. Much is needed to produce a photo without undesirable changes to their appearance, e.g., flattened rice ball.

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - Kueh Salat

2009-06-25T14:08:00.005+08:00

Kueh Salat is one of the more commonly found nonya dessert that consists of one layer each of sweet glutinous rice and kaya custard.

P/S: Photograph was taken late at night with warm-white home artificial lighting and no flash, so please bear with me! Heehee

Is Poh Kim A Legal Pirate??

2009-06-17T16:28:00.003+08:00

It is not often that I surf STOMP, much less quote from it.

However, I cannot help feeling so agitated that I felt compelled to share this article.

Apparently this clueless Stomper, Lee, bought what he thought was an original DVD movie from Poh Kim only to discover that:
1. The video quality is poor and grainy
2. Scenes censored
3. Speech mute-censored
4. Wrong or mismatched subtitles

Who will bother buying originals when it does NOT guarantee, most basically, quality?
More importantly, the perpetrator is a licensed (or not??!) household name like Poh Kim??!

Shame on you, Poh Kim!

ORIGINAL article here (pun intended)

Home Kitchen - Cordon Bleu Kueh Lapis

2009-06-04T15:33:00.005+08:00

Decided to give the 100mm Macro another go when the missus baked Kueh Lapis.
This should be as close to having your cake and eating it!

Cordon Bleu Kueh Lapis, anyone?

A closer look at the layers

Goes well with a shot (pun intended), I'd say!

Walkabout in Botanic Gardens

2009-06-01T16:43:00.007+08:00

The Singapore Botanic Gardens is always good for a leisurely outing and new discoveries for photo opportunities. Well, the latter is a little hard to overly indulge in with JacJac around but nothing's impossible.

I cannot decide if this is a flower or fruit but it sure catches the eye!

The tree that is showering its vicinity with cotton wool (actually seeds with large clumps of "wool" attached to help with dispersion)

... and that's got Mr Kaypoh here sniffing around!

An otherwise good shot but for my inexperience behind the 100mm Macro. More practise!

New sheriff with his canine deputy

No hands, less friction!

Then I was shooting some ducks during a routine water break when folks in a nearby pavilion started speaking quickly and softly and pointing excitedly into the bushes.
So, I went over to investigate and found the source of their excitement...
This bugger was easily 1.5 to 2 metres long (not including its tongue, heh) and had apparently just caught a large fish from the lake. It was just retreating into the safety of some bushes to savour its catch, which made it kinda difficult to shoot. I had to creep around slowly to find a good angle with minimum foilage to avoid any unwanted reaction from the lizard (either moving farther away or worse, thinking I am after it's meal and attacking me!).
I have the deepest respect for the folks behind Discovery Channel Wildlife.

Some playtime after the intense action before heading home!
Playtime is always good time!

Grooming JacJac

2009-05-25T14:30:00.006+08:00

Just thought it would be interesting to share the simple tools we use to groom JacJac.

There's the shampoo and conditioner which we use to bathe him once a week after the outing to the beach. Much as he LOVES to swim and play in the water, bathing is another matter altogether. He doesn't resist, in fact, he'd stand still and let me do whatever I do but I cannot help getting the feeling that he wish it'd be over quickly. Heh. Silky smooth!

And then there's the brush. It's not entirely necessary seeing as he's a smooth-coat Parson Russell Terrier and yes, it was one of the things we bought as excited first-time owners.

Last but not least, the Foot Pad & Elbow Cream. Hmmm...

In Loving Memory of Ah Wang

2009-05-15T13:17:00.019+08:00

It is not easy penning this... but I do feel that it is the very least that I owe to Ah Wang.

Try as I might and sissy as it may sound, I am shedding tears at the passing of a companion, friend and at times, even a guardian.

I first met the gal about 9 years ago and got bite marks to show for the brief meeting that was also to be my first dinner at my then-girlfriend's place.

Ah Wang was 11 years old then, abandoned by its owner and taken in by my girlfriend's mother, she was a complete "house-dog" that had never received any training, medical attention nor time outside of the HDB apartment she knows as home.

Sure she did not have any table etiquette, protesting loudly if she did not get to share in anyone's meals. Her scant regard for manners meant poo mines and pee hazards around the house.

The years that we stayed together sowed mutual understanding.

Ah Wang learned enough discipline to confine her bowel antics to the bathroom and wait patiently to be fed (strangely, these only apply when I am around). She taught me care and devotion that transcend language and physical boundaries.

I was initially prohibited from taking the gal out. Unpredictability and tedium (she did not know to climb or descend the stairs so had to be carried, all 25kg of her) were cited as main reasons but I won out over time.

I did not have a driving license nor vehicle so outings were confined to walks around the neighbourhood. Nevertheless, the sight of her leash never failed to excite her into a frenzy. She loved her walks so much that she even made the Herculean effort to master the stairs (there were no lifts then).

When I got my driver's license, the old gal was deemed too frail for long or adventurous trips, so we made do with games of Hide-and-Seek, Catching and Monster Claw around the flat.

Sadly, her only rides consisted of outings to the vet or groomer, both strange new realms.

Despite daily "complaints" from my mother-in-law, deep down, we all know that Ah Wang is every bit part of the family and indelible part of our lives.

Remarkable as Ah Wang's health was, her body was starting to unravel with age. Just last year, we had to admit her for treatment for vomiting and the runs. Her weight plummeted from over 20kg to barely 12kg. The sturdy old gal showed us that she had it in her yet... and pulled through.

However, the weight loss continued surely but slowly. Then last week, she started to lose strength in her limbs and could hardly stand up. Still she battled on... eating slowly, she was soiling and wetting herself but insisted on huffing and puffing to stand (albeit with assistance) and follow us around.

Encouraged, I drew up designs for a D.I.Y. walker to help her exercise and move around.

Alas, it was not to be.

I received a call this morning from my mother-in-law. Ah Wang had been crying the past two nights and started throwing up blood last night.

She has decided, after very heart-wrenching deliberations, for euthanasia.

After making the arrangements with the undertaker, my wife and I visited Ah Wang for the last time earlier today. Her debilitated and feeble body sprawled on a makeshift bedding of towels, I do not know if she understood the choked words of comfort and good-byes that were muttered to her. When I whispered my final farewell, she struggled as if to get up but only managed to cough up more dark, foul (presumably toxin-laden) blood.

We cleaned her up as best as we could and dressed her in her now-oversized favourite Hawaiian outfit. I noticed as I gave her my last kiss that tears, too, are welling up in those doggy eyes.

Name: Ah Wang a.k.a SS Dog

Born: est. 1989

Passed: 15th May 2009

As if on cue, it has started drizzling outside.

Gal, you know that we are hoping that you'd finally be free.

If you get there before I do, don't give up on me. I'd meet you when my chores are through (but) I don't know how long I'd be... ...

Home Kitchen - Marcarons

2009-04-21T18:51:00.006+08:00

Lynn's recently mastered marcarons and what better opportunity for me to practise my food photography?

A collection of flavours

Green Tea marcarons with dark chocolate centres

Mango marcarons

Bake on, girl!

Home Kitchen - Fruit Tarts

2009-04-01T14:23:00.007+08:00

These (i.e., the tarts) are not my creations.

The tarts were actually made by Lynn whereas my contribution lies strictly behind the camera shooting them for her blog.

I felt compelled to show these because I am rather pleased with the shots.

I opted for dark, mysterious look with reflections for a change.

This is a departure from the usual bright, clean crisp looks that most companies use for food advertising.

Also, I was trying to photograph indoors and at night with normal residential artificial lighting instead of always having to rely on natural sunlight (because I lack specialised equipment like light-boxes, backdrops, etc).

The tarts were shot placed on my polished black granite bar counter-top while Lynn helpfully held a piece of black cardboard in the background.

Enjoy!

Home Kitchen - My Culinary Exploits

2009-03-30T21:10:00.008+08:00

Here's an update showing some of my recent culinary experiments at home.

Home-made Beef & Bacon Burger served with honey salad and straight-cut fries topped with shredded cheddar cheese.

Shaped (hard-boiled) Eggs

Pasta weekend @ Home

Spaghetti with home-made meatballs served with mushroom tomato sauce

Seafood Farfalle (i.e. bow-tie pasta)

Tuck in! =)

What would you do if switching off the lights is NOT an option??

2009-03-11T17:15:00.008+08:00

I support energy conservation. I support Earth Hour.

But... what do you do when switching off the lights is NOT an option?

Power consumption of standard 4ft fluorescent tube lamp = 48W

Power consumption of 4ft Save It Easy INSPIRE T5 set = 25W

Every 125 minutes of operation with Save It Easy INSPIRE T5 yields the same savings as switching off standard lamps for 1 hour.

So, what would you do if switching off the lights is NOT an option?

www.saveiteasy.com.sg

JacJac's Rare Weekend Walk at the McRitchie Reservoir

2009-03-10T23:34:00.003+08:00

JacJac and I went for a rare weekend walkabout along Lornie Road and around parts of McRitchie Reservoir accessible to dogs over last weekend in an infrequent departure from his weekly two-hour swim sessions in Sentosa.

Just to add some variety to our exercises and to reinforce his training.

Saw a beautiful sight halfway into our walk and regretted that I was armed with nothing more than my handphone camera.

A landscape shot from further up the road.
And finally, the view of dusk from my study at home.

Of Marley and Me

2009-03-04T12:02:00.003+08:00

Firstly, let me qualify my opinions henceforth as a person who has yet to neither read the book nor watched the movie.

However, I have no doubt that it is a touching movie that only the love for dogs and bonding with them can provide.

And that, I think should be as far as it goes --- a celebration of bond and love.

Nevertheless, we shall be seeing spikes in purchases of Labrador Retrievers and subsequent abandoning. Misguided couples and over-pampering parents do not understand that whatever on-screen antics by dog actors perceived as naughty and cute translates into very tangible behavioural and social issues in real life for themselves and their children.

I can only hope that aspiring owners take heed of the author's warning before taking the plunge into what should be a long-term commitment of care and attention in return for undying devotion, love and loyalty. (See my other post)

There are many more tears for all the abandoned dogs for every one that was shed during and after the movie.

Cooking Class in P-p-p-p-Phuket!

2009-02-16T17:05:00.007+08:00

Our teacher for the cooking class

Busy at work

Seabass in coconut milk

Salmon sashimi with Thai-style sweet and sour dressing

Show-off!

Seared tuna with sour mango salad

Enjoy!

JacJac's Birthday Jump

2009-02-11T18:31:00.005+08:00

Devised a new play-exercise for JacJac doing lateral jumps to improve strength and agility.

Started with half a metre and ended with achievement of 2.2 metres at the end of the first session.

Oh and did I mention that today is JacJac's birthday too? Enjoy the video for now!

JacJac's 2.2 metre Jump from Marcus LEE on Vimeo.

Interesting News

2009-01-08T17:38:00.008+08:00

I came across two pieces of interesting news today.

I wonder what operating system they use on their computers?

Microsoft Windows or Macintosh OSX? But hey! Both operating systems are published by american companies too!

Oh bother!

I guess that it is always better to thrash someone else's properties.

Link to the full article here

Now, I wonder why nobody in our government has thought of that!

Singapore's birth rates has been declining because most Singaporeans are simply too stressed to romp in their sacks!

More should be done to help check the high cost of living instead of just telling people to go "train and update yourselves to stay employable".

Singaporeans are very obedient people, you know?

How will we find time and strength to love when we have expended all our energies training and updating our commercial and industrial capacities for the country's sake?

Then, I realised that we have found an ingenious solution! The US government should take a leaf from ours and simply import selected and desired citizens!

Link to the full article here

JacJac's Tricks Selection 2009-01-07

2009-01-07T17:16:00.002+08:00

A video selection of some of JacJac's tricks as of 2009-Jan-07.

Do check archives for more JacJac action! Or, simply search for "JacJac JRT" on Google, Vimeo or Youtube!

JacJac Attack!

JacJac Tricks Selection 2009-01-07 from Marcus LEE on Vimeo.

JacJac Discerning Toys

2009-01-05T13:34:00.001+08:00

Here's a new video of JacJac practising discerning and fetching certain toys on command

JacJac Discerning Toys from Marcus LEE on Vimeo.

JacJac the Meal Assistant

2009-01-03T18:19:00.004+08:00

Short video of JacJac delivering chopsticks and spoon to me before each meal

JacJac the Meal Assistant from Marcus Lee on Vimeo.

Tuck in!

What is a party...?

2009-01-02T15:14:00.004+08:00

A party is defined as a social gathering of invited guests typically involving eating, drinking and entertainment.

That is as concise as anyone can get. Thus, the 3 basic considerations, in order of importance, for any aspiring hosts would be:

1. Food

2. Beverages

3. Activity

I have been to 2 parties in as many weeks where food and drinks were not easily accessible or even worse, dearth.

Some Party Planning Facts/Tips

1. Be prepared to spend money if you are throwing a party. Do NOT stinge or scrimp on food and drinks. Many people, mindful of possible wastage, tend to cater for less people than was actually invited.

This is practical only is done within reasonable limits, e.g. if you have 100 confirmed guests the bare minimum that you have to prepare to cater for is 70 persons, i.e. 30% less, and no more than that.

Try imagine yourself as one of the invited guests, all dressed up and excited only to arrive and be greeted by empty trays of food gravies entirely devoid of even the tiniest morsel of provender.

You do not have to prepare exotic or pricey food. Simple delicious fare can be equally enjoyable. Your guests have not come to sample food that they can buy just as easily (unless maybe if you are serving up Tianshan Snow Lilies that only blossom once every decade).

They have come for one reason only --- YOU!

Treat your guests with the most basic of courtesies by making sure that no one leaves hungry, thirsty or wanting.

2. Understand what it means to be a host. No hosts should enjoy themselves too much as it would simply translate into neglect for the guests. Walk around and make sure that your guests are well tended to. Keep passing out food and drinks. It is better to offer and be and be gratefully turned downed than to have guests with growling stomachs who are too polite to ask.

You should not have thrown a party if all you were interested in doing was sitting in your small corner chomping from your plate. Your guests have not come to watch you gorge yourself silly while they are expected to "make yourselves at home."

Be careful what you wish for. Do you really like people raiding your fridge and cabinets? Or using your bed for their trysts?

3. Plan for contingencies according to your theme.

If you are planning a dogs' party, expect accidents with pee and poo.

If you are planning a children's party, expect siblings and parents in attendance (and consequently, more attendees and need for more provisions).

If you are planning for a baby shower, have some place with ample natural light so that friends and relatives who are keen to take photographs of your adorable new-born do not inadvertently harm your baby's eyes with their camera flashes.

4. Know your limitations. Hosting a good memorable party takes some money and a lot of effort. The emphasis should be on quality. You do not wish to be remembered for all the wrong reasons. Few guests will be as plain-spoken to air their unhappiness in front of you but your transgressions will not be easily or soon forgotten.

Do NOT try to invite more people than the venue can comfortably accommodate. Aiming BIG unrealistically will only bring on BIGGER disasters.

5. Plan for (the comfort of) your guests. Your guests determine if your party is a success or failure. I have often come across hosts who are so self-centred and blinded by their vanity. Do consider the plight of your guests before planning for that garden party where everyone is expected to dress formally in killer-heat tropical weather.

Refrain from making demands that you are unlikely to be able to keep yourself. It has become rather fashionable of late to insert sentences like "Punctuality is the courtesy of kings" in invitation cards, especially for weddings.

You will only simply be placing yourself in a no-win situation. If you start the party on time, you risk offending the late-comers. If you delay the start, you are being rude to the punctual kings and queens. Besides, you may seriously risk running late yourself if the party is held in a venue other than your home. Bad traffic could also hold up the bride or person who will preside over your wedding.

6. Lose the frills if you have to but never compromise on the basics, i.e. food and drinks. Many hosts yearning for that fairy tale wedding or birthday often make the mistake of cutting back on party basics to spend on venue decorations or wardrobe. No one will appreciate the floral centrepieces, 5-tier cake or your diamond-studded designer outfit if their most basic needs for sustenance have been overlooked. Your narcissism will only amplify your lack of regard, respect and appreciation for your guests.

Avoid what we Chinese describe as smacking one's face swollen to give the impression of a portly person (打肿脸皮充胖子).

All in all, plan your party as an attending guest and consider how you would like to be treated in that capacity and you should be on your way.

Party on!

JacJac's New Videos

2009-01-02T12:02:00.002+08:00

Check out these new videos of JacJac.

This first video is of JacJac the paramedic conducting mouth-to-mouth resuscitation for Daddy.

Following is one of JacJac's training sessions involving some discipline in crawling through low tunnels and jumping over high bars

This other video is JacJac's intermediate jumping tricks involving obstacles formed by the human body

And here's what happens when JacJac has a minor infraction. You've got to turn up the volume to hear his.... umm... remorse

Enjoy!

Recollecting 31st December

2008-12-31T13:34:00.006+08:00

Another year is coming to another end.

Songs of friendship and nostalgia air on the radio non-stop and it is yet another session for recollection of events of the years past and passing.

Today is also the birthday of one very nice girl whom I used to fancy in secondary school which (fortunately for her), did not develop into anything more toxic. Happy birthday, Xueying!

It was also on this date that I was faced with the sad truth about someone whom I had always regarded as a good friend who (unfortunately for me) turned out to be an ingrate who would just as soon sacrifice anyone around him, which included falsifying facts and spreading untruths, to appease a cow.

And now that we're done with NYEs past... 2008 hasn't exactly been a wonderful year, what with all the calamities, natural (Sichuan earthquake) or otherwise (economic crisis, melamine incident, etc).

Things have been very slow and quiet on the bread-winning front. Companies are very cautious about spending. A legal tussle may be looming but thankfully a major pest was eradicated with little time to spare. Still, it's better late than never.

The highlight of the year has to be the adoption of our son, a canine furkid whom we have lovingly named JacJac (see my previous postings!). He is growing into a handsome, strong boy of 10 months and counting.

I'd be sure to raise my champagne to better things in the new year.

The best is yet to come!

JacJac's New "Tiffany" Bed

2008-12-18T12:33:00.002+08:00

JacJac's mommy could never resist buying something new and nice for the little fella!

Service???

2008-11-20T12:43:00.002+08:00

At one time in my life, I thought I had a handle on the meaning of the word "service" ---"The act of doing things for other people."

Then I learned these terms:

Civil Service
Postal Service
Public Service
Customer Service
Service Centres

Facilities Management Services

And I became confused about the word "service." This is not what I thought "service" meant.

Then, the other day, I overheard two breeders talking and one said he had hired a dog to "service" a few of his bitches. BAM! It all came into perspective.

Now I understand what all those "service" agencies are doing to us.

JacJac's Balancing Act

2008-11-17T15:30:00.008+08:00

A short video of JacJac playing a combination of "STAY" and balancing a plush donut on his head.

See how he maintains balance of his donut even when changing positions from sit to prone.

Is homosexuality scarier than HIV/Aids?

2008-11-17T14:43:00.006+08:00

The missus has found something worthy of her time and attention on local TV, a 20-episode drama series titled "By My Side" that is endorsed by the Health Promotion Board which runs public service advisory during almost every commercial break that preaches fidelity.

All is good that TCS is not showing some atrocious period dramas with people in outlandish drag costumes but what got me thinking and blogging on this are the lessons that I have "learnt" from this series:

1. Never tell anyone if you are HIV-positive and/or have Aids;

2. And more importantly, homosexuality, specifically being gay, is a greater evil than Aids and infidelity combined.

Here we have a government agency endorsed TV drama series on prime-time television advocating fidelity, safe sex and education of HIV and Aids (that it cannot be transmitted through food or superficial physical contact) while homosexuality warrants the weight and power of Section 377A's retention to keep in check.

I shall not repeat what has been said pertaining to homosexuality.

You get very good and interesting reads on YawningBread and Mr Wang on this and other issues.

JacJac Swimming and Fetching His New Water Loopies toy

2008-11-06T14:52:00.005+08:00

Here is a recent video taken in Sentosa Tanjong Beach showing JacJac swimming out to sea to fetch his new Water Loopies aqua toy.

I have searched high and low in Singapore for a quality aqua toy for dogs but most were unsatisfactory. The main problem if you are a dog in the water is that your vision will be limited by the fact that your head (and thus eyes) is going to be very low in the water.

It is not good if a toy simply floats on the surface. It makes very little difference as you would hardly be able to see it if it was thrown a long distance. As such, we could throw a floating object/toy no more than 5 metres away for good play-fetch.

In addition to the above, the surface floating toy will cause dogs to ingest a large amount of sea-water in the process. If you do not already know, drinking too much sea-water will cause dogs to have the runs. Think of the potential mess and many people would swear not to let their dogs swim in the sea again.

I'm happy to say all the above problems have been tackled with this Water Loopies aqua toy for dogs (I doubt you will be able to train a cat to fetch anything, much less swim and fetch). No doubt JacJac still drink some sea-water but it's greatly reduced as he is able to hold up his head and hold onto his toy at the same time. The throw distance is also much farther (as far as I can throw it). Almost half the toy "stands up" from the water and is easily visible.

Remember, an exercised and tired dog has a happy owner!

Down but not out

2008-10-31T16:24:00.003+08:00

I'm down with flu for the past few days and am now facing the prospect of a home-bound weekend.

BUT... I am not sad. In fact, far from it, I'm actually pretty happy.

Here's why:

My very own limited edition copy of Gears of War 2 one whole week before it's slated to hit the store shelves! Wooohooooo!

Locusts beware!

JacJac Daycare 2

2008-10-08T23:35:00.003+08:00

We sent JacJac for his first session of daycare this morning. We have been talking about this for some days and had joked that even JacJac has to attend 豆豆班。

All was well and introduction done properly. JacJac was there for approximately 7 hours before I finally picked him up around 1730hrs.

I spoke to the handler and learnt that JacJac had been taking refuge under one of their tables most of the time except for when he wanted a drink or when he was brought out for his walk. This is exactly what we have observed --- that JacJac prefers interaction with humans more than dogs. Some authors on canine behaviour describes this symptom as the dog thinking itself to be human, or at least close to humans and above other dogs.

Hmm... we can only hope that he successfully overcome this with time in case he develops some unsavoury character traits, e.g. aggression or stress around other dogs which may in turn cause some sudden and unexpected behaviour that may give way to grief like his "monster leash" episode.

JacJac Daycare

2008-10-02T17:21:00.008+08:00

We have been scouring Singapore for a reliable and responsible dog-sitter for JacJac for those times when the both of us would be travelling and out of town. He was terribly unhappy the last time we boarded him with the breeder for our recent Bangkok trip. Not that the breeder was irresponsible but they basically caged him up for the whole day which is bad for any dog, more so a high energy breed like JacJac.

There isn't really much available in terms of quality boarding services for dogs in Singapore.

Most of the ones we saw also basically cage their "customers" up for the whole day with short periods of solitary playtime in poorly maintained enclosures devoid of any shade accompanied by staff who are more interested in chatting or SMS on their mobile phones. How is this unlike self-masturbation without the climax? The dogs will simply look at the handler expecting some form of interaction and eventually invariably sit or lie down to wait out their allocated yard-time.

We got to know K9 Kulture from a dog-lover friend of ours and decided to check it out. All appears fine and we have registered the little guy for 6 sessions, possibly more depending on his progress. Currently, JacJac appears to prefer interaction with humans rather than his fellow canines so we can only hope that he learns to socialise and behave well around other dogs.

JacJac In Motion

2008-09-18T16:52:00.010+08:00

Some warm-up exercises playing fetch at home prior to the beach trip.

I managed to capture a shot of JacJac in mid-air as he returned to the sofa with the toy I threw.

JacJac speeding along the waterline
Another fast motion shot

Here's a video of JacJac swimming out to sea to fetch his neoprene aqua toy.

I'd try to get a video of him swimming parallel to the shore with me for more than 30 metres next time!

Neutering JacJac

2008-08-29T15:39:00.012+08:00

JacJac was sent to his vet for an operation this morning to have him sterilised.

The decision was made long before his first day home with us. In fact, it was made many many months ago, at the first instance of intention to have a canine companion at home which was say, approximately 2.5 years ago.

Here are some commonly raised pros and cons with regard to spaying. Here's another informative link on why it's a good idea to neuter dogs. In fact a simple search on Google will turn up many relevant and enlightening links.

We'd like to take this chance to thank all our (and JacJac's) family and friends for their concern with regard to the sterilisation. We believe it is for the best and have done our utmost to mitigate the risks present in all surgeries by choosing one of the most reputable and quality veterinary medical care available in Singapore.

We're sure that JacJac will still be as happy to play with you as soon as he's properly healed!

Picture courtesy of Adrian LIAW from Ave8

Update at 2248hrs of the same day:

Little fella is back from the vet tired and vexed.

The vet has given him the all clear as backed by results of blood tests.

He ate only a little even though he was offered his favourite kibbles mixed with milk and bread crumbs. All he wants is our attention and to be close to us, so only one of us may move away at any time or he will wake and attempt to follow, bringing him pain. Just like a little baby.

Update at 1523hrs of the next day:

JacJac must be feeling much better today after coughing up what appears to be phlegm last night. Speaking of which, it was difficult for me to sleep with him moving around and bumping into his playpen with his "radar".

He is back to his usual self, ringing his bell to wake us up at 8am. We were worried that he'd have trouble moving around the home but apparently he is able to jump up and down his usual spots, e.g. sofa and bed. He is even asking to be brought outside for walks!

I estimate condition at approximately 70 to 75%. Weight is 5.6kg, same as what he weighed before the operation.

Update at 2107hrs, T-Plus 2 Days:

If I didn't know any better, I'd say that JacJac looks and behaves like 100% of his normal active self. There's little evidence of his operation bar the sutures on his genitals and his buster collar, a.k.a. e-collar.

He seems not to mind his e-collar one bit. In fact, he seems to like his e-collar and regards it as his new toy/armour! Perhaps it has to do with the celebratory way we introduced and orientated him to it (as his new hat). The buster collar is only removed for his meals. He'd walk towards the collar and sniff and stand still while we put it back on.

He's managing the collar very well and even learning to use it to his advantage in play-fighting. Here's an embedded video of him playing fetch, buster collar and all.

Update on 8th September 2008; T-Plus 10 Days:

JacJac had his sutures removed by Dr Lucy SHUM today. The wound has closed up and healed nicely. He behaved like an angel at the vet's standing only occasional to stretch and sniff around while we discussed his well-being.

Now we have to wean him off the collar! Hah!

Bangkok Trip 2008-08-22

2008-08-26T12:52:00.011+08:00

The reason why I had to board JacJac was so that I could travel to Bangkok on my annual pilgrimage to pay respects to my

"god-father", quite literally. If anything else, this was worth all the hassle.

What follows would be samplings of my vices.

I am hoping that I won't be needing glasses at eighty years old --- by drinking out of bottles! Hah!

Digital SLR photography --- a relatively new vice to me for the potential hole it could burn in my pocket with all the different models of cameras available, lens and glitzy accessories one could attach to the body to pimp it up. I'm making do with my

entry-level Canon EOS 400D and kit lens. Hoping to eventually add more versatility with an external flash and some new lens that preferably do not cost an arm and a leg. Heh.

A shot of the hotel's pool.

Some pebbles in the water for that hard-vs-soft juxtaposition.

Nocturnal landscape from my hotel room.

Fancy bumping into friends overseas! Group love!

A self-portrait in front of my friends' accommodation.

My greatest vice yet...

Boarding JacJac

2008-08-26T12:39:00.002+08:00

I had to board JacJac with his breeder for 3 days and nights (21~24 August 2008) for my sort-of last minute praying trip to Bangkok even though the trip was a quick 2 days 1 night affair (22~23 August 2008), mainly due to the awkward timing of the flights.

The poor fellow must not have slept knowing how JacJac abhors noise. The breeder said that he refused to eat or drink for the first two days and he lost like 200 grams in the short time we were apart.

The little guy looked very excitedly but tired when we arrived to pick him up and he started sulking as soon as we got home. He's been sleeping for long periods ever since, even failing to wake up at his usual 8am.

Sighz... looks like we'd have to find an alternate solution for JacJac's care to factor in our future plans.

Wedding Solemnisation of Andy & Wui Ting

2008-08-09T17:57:00.020+08:00

Some amateurish photography from the wedding solemnisation of Andy & Wui Ting... ... taken by yours truly

Constructive comments are welcome...!

Photoshoot by Bernard TEO of Ave8

2008-08-05T13:58:00.008+08:00

Trying to create effect of print ads for timepieces... Heh

Couldn't decide to market my watch or my dog!

Female version...

Those lively eyes ... and lazy ear (which was gone the very next day! Arghh!)

Happy family!

Thanks to Mr Bernard TEO from Ave8 for making us look prettier than we really are!

NDP Copycat Blooper

2008-07-15T16:01:00.010+08:00

They say a picture is worth a thousand words but they never said it had to be a thousand kind words.

No one thought that Singaporeans might have seen this very creative Japanese ad in support of their Children's Foundation before they chose to copy it for our National Day Parade 2008's theme video.

Lucky we have eagle-eyed netizens (like STOMPer Daniel) to point this out.

Perhaps now you will have a greater appreciation for our nation building efforts based, unfortunately on plagiarism.

Here's the original Japanese ad

Our defining NDP 2008 video

And you thought that running a campaign to find an alternative name for Marina Bay only to end up retaining the original was a poorly conceived effort. Heh.

JacJac's CALL Rhapsody

2008-07-14T14:36:00.002+08:00

Fundamentals of Canine Companionship

2008-07-11T17:19:00.008+08:00

Perhaps "prerequisites" would have made a better title.

Anyway, following are some basic information that all prospective (and in some cases, even current) dog owners have to bear in mind.

1. Prepare to be bitten -- either accidentally through play or untamed aggression.

2. Prepare to play janitor -- in cleaning up your pet's pee and excrement even after graduation from potty-training. The potty trays do not clean themselves and... SHAME ON YOU if you are the sort who'd bring your dogs out to do their businesses and leave behind faecal booby traps for others, even and especially on grass.

3. Prepare to put up with animal hair -- all dogs shed.

4. Prepare to make time -- it isn't companionship without companion.

5. Prepare to make the commitment -- please don't ever buy a dog and expect other people to take care of it for you.

If you can put ticks to all the above, you are well on your way to enjoy one of the most unwaveringly loyal companionships that you can ever expect.

Mr Some-Dogs-Never-Shed

2008-07-11T16:38:00.004+08:00

I was in Pasir Ris last weekend to catch up with Hwee Hoon, the nice lady who sold us JacJac. In walks a man who looked in his mid-twenties with girlfriend in tow and asked to look at the Corgi on display in the play-pen. After a short pause, he started on his wannabe-styled, spouted in poor slang (as follows).

Wannabe: So, this Corgi, does it drop a lot of hair?

Hwee Hoon: Corgis will have seasonally change of coat in addition to normal shedding.

Wanabe: No no no. I mean do they drop a lot of hair? (Then turns to me and points to JacJac and addressing me) Like I mean your Jack drops a lot of hair, right?

Me: I think it is fair to say that all dogs shed...

Wanabe: No! Not all dogs will shed. Some dogs never shed!

Mr Wannabe then proceeds to try and wow us with his Singlish slang and use of words such as molting.

My eyes rolled so hard I swore I could see my brains.

First of all, Mr Some-Dogs-Never-Shed, all dogs shed.

Even you, yes, your ignoramus self shed skin flakes (which becomes dust) and hair.

Which means that even dogs like the Chinese Crested will shed.

The only reason why people think some dogs never shed is that these dogs (long-coat species) hang onto their dead hair, i.e. the dead hair is entwined in the coat by other hairs. Such dogs require special grooming to have their dead hair removed.

Whereas short/smooth coat species "give up" their hair quite readily all over the place.

As soon as you try to pet an uncombed long-coat, you will be aghast at the amount of hair on your fingers.

And to add insult to Mr Some-Dogs-Never-Shed's foolish assault, he never once inquired about the Corgi's wellness, age, price, diet, etc --- information any prospective buyer would want to know. Suffice to say, all Mr SDND wanted to do was to impress his girlfriend with his Some-Dogs-Never-Shed theories and slang Singlish.

Pathetic.

No Publicity Is Bad Publicity?

2008-07-04T17:27:00.005+08:00

Some publicists will swear with their souls that there is no such thing as bad publicity.

Or is there?

If you tune in to the local radio stations, you'd have been one of the many victims (or perhaps, miraculously fans of) the advertisements by MotorImage to promote their "chao Ah-Beng" Subaru cars.

I mean... what's the rationale behind associating and linking one's company and products with the commonly ill-regarded, lowly neighbourhood lout?

Why continue the services of an uncreative advertising agency hell-bent on milking the Ah Seng character well past its use-by date?

If you factor in the huge costs involved in producing and blasting these ads over the airwaves, you'd really start to wonder if someone in MotorImage ought to lose his/her job.

For goodness' sake, if you have nothing better to do with your advertising budget, please use it to offset the costs of your cars for potential buyers. That may actually help you get more business than to constantly annoy the rest of us. Or better yet, donate it to some orphanages or the Sichuan earthquake relief fund for some good karma. Geeze...

I urge as many of you as possible to write in to protest this noise terrorist. Not that I think they care but if they can choose to ignore and antagonise us, I don't see why we shouldn't return the favour.

Humbled by JacJac

2008-06-27T11:10:00.007+08:00

Something terrible almost happened today and had me humbled.

I was walking JacJac downstairs when he spotted two resident mynas and for some reason decided to give chase. Trouble is that he caught me unawares and the leash was tugged out of my hands.

Upon seeing the handle of the (retractable) leash fall onto the floor, I reckon he got freaked out thinking that the handle is a monster chasing him as he took off as if all hell had broken loose (of course he was actually pulling it along all the time). He dashed about blindly and slipped out of my reach as I tried to pounce on the leash. He then sprinted around as he tried to outrun the leash while yelping in fear, with me chasing him under two blocks of flats, car park driveway and finally onto the multi-storey car park.

He almost got ran over by a car that was just driving in at that time.

Here is a picture of JacJac's "monster" leash and scars it sustained from all the bangs and knocks it received as it was dragged at high speed across grass, drains, ledges, concrete, pavement, etc.

This episode really teaches me to never take things for granted. Despite the fact that JacJac's behaviour in public has been commendable -- no tugging, generally keeping pace by the side, never chasing stray cats nor shown aggression towards other dogs, etc, we can never be sure what situations may arise and sh!t can just hit the fan at the most unexpected moments.

Funny as it may sound, having JacJac is no different from having a real baby. It is good training for what may come in future.

More Self-Defeating Movements

2008-05-19T17:43:00.004+08:00

Need I say more?

Busy month... and more of JacJac

2008-05-13T10:40:00.011+08:00

It's been a busy past few weeks for me, work-wise and JacJac-wise.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Who am I to disagree?

Outing to Toa Payoh Central Park with Vicky and son.

Sunny day at the beach in Sentosa... and a snout full of sand!

JacJac with Mummy...

JacJac with Daddy...

JacJac taking a dip in the cool water

Castaway JacJac making it to shore... heh heh heh

And finally, a short video clip of JacJac's new tricks and antics:

Politicising Hope

2008-04-20T22:10:00.002+08:00

Day after day, we see news of the Olympic torch's relay being disrupted.

The western media continues its "crusade" against China and Chinese.

Chinese citizens and people of Chinese descend retaliates with protests and boycotts.

As I understand it, the Olympics represents hopes and dreams. More importantly, it celebrates differences and endeavour.

Disrupting a peaceful torch relay of a major sports event, even when in the hands of a physically challenged person, aimed at world reconciliation is just plain wrong.

China will just as soon surrender Tibet just as easily as Russia will give up Chechnya. It would be more realistic to expect the United States relinquish Alaska or Hawaii.

So people, do your bit by doing nothing for world peace and understanding.

More of JacJac

2008-04-20T21:43:00.007+08:00

It has been 9 days since our little furry supercharged turbo bundle of joy that is JacJac came home with us.

Here are some photos from the first few days.

JacJac just sitting around

JacJac with 2 of his toys

Are you the paparazzi?

Napping after a day's play

Hey dude, I'm sleeping here!

Self-Defeating Movements

2008-04-07T15:19:00.006+08:00

It's the wee hours of the morning. I cannot sleep and here I am blogging to try and beat insomnia. The more I think and write, the more alert I become. This pretty much sums up my take on recent events that has been making the news lately.

I've been rather perplexed of late by all the media hype and razzmatazz of what can otherwise most aptly be described as self-defeating movements, campaigns and/or exercises.

Take an age-old cliché, dress it up in some loud costume, splash some paint on the garb and suddenly you have a brand new fashionable cause worthy of another crusade.

Search "Earth Hour Images" on the internet and you see cheerful people lighting numerous candles and holding copious quantities of chemical light sticks. I wonder how different is that from killing all the whales to stop whaling.

"Pro-democracy" activists and sports-persons are disrupting the passage of the Olympic torch worldwide and boycotting it in protests.

Firstly, the Olympics was conceived as a platform on which everyone from all corners of our Earth can compete regardless of race, political leanings and even sexual orientation. It should be about who can run faster, jump higher, throw farther and et cetera in celebration of humanity and our differences.

Then, assuming that we disregard history and simply "give" Tibet "back" to Tibetans who reinstate their religious leader in a heartbeat. Now, wouldn't that be Theocracy? How different is that from, say, certain country or organisations that the West label as rogue, sponsor of terrorism and axis of evil?

And here I am compounding my own self-defeating exercise. Heh.

All Things JacJac

2008-04-03T05:55:00.005+08:00

Far fetched as it may sound, we have been preparing for the arrival of JacJac (yes, even the name has been thought out) from more than 2 years back even before we renovated our flat. Provisions were made to dog-proof the apartment as much as possible without compromising our vision for our home. Some examples include the washing bay, play pen areas, concealing wires and et cetera. In fact, most of JacJac's toys and equipment/accessories have been procured over the same time as and when we saw something we fancied from within and beyond the shores of Singapore.

We have done our utmost to prepare for JacJac's arrival and can only hope that we live up to the task at hand. In fact, this is the first time that I have seen the missus put in so much effort in reading up on any subject ever (note the doggy books in the background).

There are some who have commented on the presumed apparent lack of creativity with regard to JacJac's name especially since JacJac will be (in fact, always has been) a Jack Russell Terrier. We settled on the name of the youngest child of the Parr's for ease of pronunciation for the old folks at home, i.e. both sets of parents. And, for those of you who have yet to catch on, yes, it does imply that we are Mr and Mrs Incredible. Heh heh. For that matter, our next dog (if any) will be named Dash (male) or Violet (female).

Still don't like it? Tough luck. Get your own dog.

My JacJac

2008-03-27T17:13:00.006+08:00

I had been apprehensive about making this public due to conventional Chinese superstition with regard to new additions to the family.

However, it seems that many of the people around us already know about this. So here it is, my very own JacJac.

Poor chap is still too young and weak to leave his mother's side and has to stay where he is for another 3 weeks to get his first two vaccinations before he can come home.

Isn't he cute?

My First Blog Post

2008-03-26T00:55:00.002+08:00

My first blog and post.

Strangely long time in coming for someone who makes his living off of the I.T. industry.

But here it is.

I'd update this blog as and when I have something noteworthy to share with you as much as I do myself. I hope this will be more often than not, for what worth is a monotonous life where one is servitude to humdrum singular pursuit of a fat bank account above all else?

So much and so long --- Auf Wiedersehen!