Lunar New Year Shopping In Chinatown

Hi,


Today is the eve of the Lunar New Year and we went down to Chinatown do some last minute shopping.


Here are a few photos taken our our shopping trip, hope you will enjoy viewing them.








God of Wealth overlooking the main road in Chinatown.




























Dragon dance statues on top of a stall selling decorations for the Lunar New Year.

















Mummy buying some candies from Japan while Jason was amazed by the wide choice and colourful packing.

Finally, our own reunion dinner at home with a typical Chinese style steamboat.

Once again, we wish all of you a Healthy and Prosperous Lunar New Year in 2009...!

David

23rd Wedding Anniversary

Hi,

My 23rd wedding anniversary falls on 26 Jan 2009 and it is also going to be the 1st day of the Chinese New Year, the year of Ox.

So I bought a bouquet of 5 pink roses for her today, to surprise her.

Why 5 pink roses?

23 = 2 + 3 = 5 pink roses !

Well, we look forward to sharing our lives together for another 30+ years or more.....

Happy 23rd wedding anniversary to us, Dear...!

I love You...!

Daddy Poh

Chinese New Year - Family Reunion Dinner

Hi,

The year of Ox is just around the corner and the family reunion dinner is typically held on the eve of Chinese New Year which falls on 26 January this year.

We have ours a week earlier so as to accommodate everyone availability as some of us have to work night shift on the eve or other commitments.

We have a pot luck family reunion instead.

I got my Filipino housekeeper to cook 'bee hoon' noodle and chicken chop for our contribution.

I also bought 'Yu Sheng' ( or also known as raw fish ) for 'loh hei' from one of the popular tim sum restaurant.

For my foreign friends, this is a plate of salad with raw fish like salmon to be mixed with oil, peanuts etc......

Family members gather around this plate and using chopsticks mix the ingredients and lift them up in the process and make wishes like promotion, good exam. results, good health, etc.... for the new year.

Then each one of us will take some on a plate and eat it.

This dish was actually invented by a few chefs for commercial purposes but it has become a home tradition too in Malaysia and Singapore, especially for businessmen.

The next gathering will be the 1st day of the Chinese New Year to pay respects to the elders; eg our parents or grandparents and other members of the family.

The important practice is to give money in a red packet, 'Ang Pow' to those who are not married including adult bachelors and spinsters too!

So Happy Family Reunion to all of you involved in this practice.....

David

A Humbling Experience With Monks

Hi,

One recent morning, my wife & I with a friend were having breakfast at Bedok Market and 2 monks were standing outside the coffee shop, with a bald guy in civilian clothes holding on to a few plastic bags.

After encountering a few fake monks and also the reports on them in the papers, I told my friend to watch out for these fake monks. My friend told me that they are not fake as there are standing and waiting with their heads bowed down instead of walking around for money.

I was taken aback as he was right about his observation. He then asked the coffee shop lady and we were told that they came from a nearby temple and does not accept money but food only.

We saw someone buying a few packets of nasi lemak and handed it to them, by placing them into their metallic bowls. The civilian helper who was standing behind the monks, would then helped carried them.

My friend ordered 4 packets of the noodles and I paid for 2 of them. They were handed to the monks. They bowed as they received it.

The whole episode was a very humbling experience as the Thai monks did not ask or have any eye contact with us or the customers and they just stood there and patiently waited for some food.

This is a first for me.

BTW, I learned breathing meditation from my ex-boss, Chit Sieng at that temple. I believe he is still involved in running that temple today.

David

New Year Resolutions

Hi,

So have you listed down your new year resolutions by now?

Well, I thought about it and I said that resolutions are required when you need to improve on something from last year; eg my son's resolution for the past 2 years was to hand in his homework on time so he said.

I decided that I do not need any new year resolutions but goals for the new year instead.

You know, I like it this way as I think I sound positive!

So here are some of my 2009 goals ;

- Take good care of my health as I am in my 50s now

- Continue to spend more time with my family and be there for them

- Bring my Internet Marketing initiatives to the next level; double my income at least

So I hope you will be spending more time meeting your goals too than worry too much about your new year resolutions.

Stay healthy and happy!

David

The Little Nyonya Drama

Hi,

I am sure majority of you living in Singapore must have followed this MediaCorp TC Channel 8 drama series, The Little Nyonya.

As mentioned in the local papers, other than the dramatic plot, we were also enchanted by the Perankan culture so it was educational.

It was also a bonding time for the family as we always watched Channel 8 Chinese drama series together and discussed the plot and the possible outcome of the next show. We do not buy this magazine, 8 Days, so we would ot know what was in stall for us next.

Yes, my wife did not like the ending and we were also puzzled why she married the English man as there was no indication of how their love blossom other than he helped her in her business.

As indicated in the poll, 93% wanted a happy ending and even the scriptwriter expressed that he was wrong and did not anticipate the viewers reaction. I think the executive producer should also admit it so instead of being defensive and indicated that she assumed this and that.... typical of our local management people. Listen to your viewers feedback and then try to do better the next time....lah!

Anyway, I am proud that we have such a high rated or watched drama series and I hope it will do well when screen in other countries. I was thinking of buying the DVD set for my parents in Malaysia but then my dear wife told me that it will be screened there next month.

Other than Jeannette's acting, I thought a few other actors or actresses also gave a very good performance.

Congrats again to The Little Nyonya...!

For my overseas friends, you can get more info at this site http://littlenyonya.mediacorptv.sg/about.htm


David

How Do We Dress ?

Hi,

I was in Orchard Road last weekend with my family and as usual, there was this typical weekend crowd of locals and tourists.

So you may be wondering what I was doing there, myself?

Anyway, as I walked along the sidewalk and tried not to bump into people coming from the opposite direction, I made an observation.

There are 3 categories of dressing :

1. Some dressed to look attractive and pleasant; ie. their dressing complement their physical look and it is a positive type of attraction. The person look pretty or attractive.

2. A few dressed to shock you or to make a statement; stand out from the crowd and also attract your attention but more in a negative manner. Yucks.... why wear like that?

3. Majority dressed normally and just form part of the crowd; not noticable other than another physical body lost in the crowd.

I think this is typical wherever you are and I am in the last category most of the time and on special occassion , I tried to be in the 1st category or look smart for that occassion.

I have not tried to give specific examples and it varies from each individual the definition of the 3 categories but broadly, I think it is like that.

Just food for thought!

Again, wishing you all a Healthy and Happy New Year in 2009!

David