The Best Steak and the Hottest Chilli that left me "speechless"

After a day of shopping at Allen Premium Outlet, me and the guys headed down for early dinner at Texas Land & Cattle Steak House . We figured out that since we came here almost two years ago, we haven't once tried a single fine dining premium steak in USA where the cattle and their meats make great steak especially in Texas. So decided to splurge on the Dinner since we are all going back to Singapore in May.

Gosh....those cow on the menu sure comes at a steep price. For a 10oz steak fillet cost US$29.99 and a 20oz Ribeye steak goes for US$27.99. It may not be the most expensive Angus Steak in USA but its sure the most expensive steak we ate so far. Ah Chan and Ricky ordered the 1883 Steak fillet while I ordered my usual favorite of 1883 Bone-In RibEye medium cooked. Garfield ordered something I have no idea of but we are suppose to call it "lamb chop" for psychological reasons.

Mmmm.... this must be the Best Ribeye I ever had. Not only is it well cooked to exact medium I wanted, brown on the outside, pink on the inside with lots of juice but well served by our waiter who convinced us why those "cow on the menu" cost so much. It got to do with the premium food they eat while been raise at the ranch all the way to the slaughter house. I guess those cattles lead a good life so the restaurant chef honour their passing with exceptional culinary skills and we appreciate it with our fat wallet. Kudos to the service of our waiter who was surely full of enthusism in his work from the way he move around the restaurant and checking back on us for feed back on the food. Did I mention that when the steak are served, he actually ask us to cut the steak and see if its cooked to our liking? Wow... IHOP and Wafflehouse obviously don't do that but we pay for what we get.

After finishing the steak, I notice a lone Jalapenoes lying on the plate. I guess those Jalapenoes from PaPa Johns Pizza and Subway gave me too muct of a confidence cause I took half of it in a bit. Soon it came, the rolling sensation of hotness measured 10,000 on the Scoville heat units, a unit of measurement for hotness of Chilli/Pepper as the American like to call it. Woooooooo....Wooooo....Woooo its steamy hot! and its building up more and more! At first I kept drinking cold Pepsi to relieve the hotness than I stop, took some mash potato which made it worst and back to my Pepsi again. Drink non stop man! The only time when I don't feel the hotness is when my poor tongue is submerge in cold liquid. When expose to air, it feel like a violent chemical reaction of inferno spreading across my tongue. I remember when I was in primary school my mum punish me for truancy with a box of chilli and a cane, that cannot compare to what I went through today.

I was definately speechless. For the whole 10minutes, Ah Chan, Ricky and Garfield were just staring at laughing at me. I must have drank a jug of Pepsi and a jug of Dr Pepper that did not have any medical effect at all. Ricky and Garfield took a small bit of it and they already buey tahan... the conclusion is I am crazy. Don't let me scare you away from the restaurant though, its a GREAT STEAKHOUSE!!! but shy away from the Jalapenoes unless you are in for some burning adventure.

Damn you almost kill me!!!!

Just as a man who survived a shark attack often did research on shark out of respect for the creature, I did the same with Jalapenoes. Jalapenoes and all other Chilli and pepper contain a chemical call Capsaicin, its the chemical that give us all the burning sensation and been tested to reduce or prevent cancer cells. The hotness of Chilli is measured in Scoville heat units (SHU) and although Jalapenoes embarressed me today, it only stand at between 5000 - 10,000 SHU. Refer to the scale in this page http://www.gourmetsleuth.com/chiliscale.htm the real killer here goes to the Thai Chilli rated at 100,000 SHU.

The King of all Chilli, The Thai Chilli. A Million SHU of burning inferno on your tongue.

REMEDY OF THE BURING TONGUE

Cold water, ice, soft drink or any liquid only relieve by cooling down the burning sensation but does not strip those chemical that stick to the rough ridges and valley of your tongue surface. Capsaicin is like a type of oil so liquid can't wash it away. The moment the liquid are gone, the burning comes back again. The best remedy so far is washing those tongue with milk and obviously drinking it. You don't wanna make a scene but puking out the milk infront of your friends or family. Milk contains casein, a lipophilic protein that surrounds and washes away the fatty capsaicin molecules(which cause the 'burn') in much the same way that soap washes away grease. A nice heavy beer will do the trick too, to a lesser extent. Rice and bread is another source of remedy for it sticks those chemical out of the tongue.

Who loves Jalapenoes? Somehow I have this weird interest to eat one again because after the sensation is gone, I felt light hearted and pretty chirpy. Maybe is the endorphin that is massively released when spicy food is taken. Here is a Youtube video of someone taking a Jalapenoes, feel the flame.... exciting...

A Father and Son relationship

For you thought life have dealt you the worst hand on the table. Than there are others who seems to hold on to the most frail and weakest hands of live thats will be with them till death it parts. But how incredible we could be to turn all thats negative, sad, weak and pity into a life of greatness just by looking at the other side of the wall. What this father went through is true love and sacrifice not just for his son but I guess its to show all of us that even the darkest time of our life, if we would just move forward, run, swim, cycle or whatever... theres the light at the end of the tunnel.

So to my dear friend who have been confined to her problem and felt the world is crushing around... If the father and son can remain strong and fulfilling in life with all the odds against them, why not you? Look around... we still got many good things in life than choosing heartache.

3 Dudes In Tokyo

How 3 cool dudes from Singapore unfolds the beauty of Japan on their really really short 5 days tour. Personally think this is a great website to start your trip planning to Tokyo!!! I am heading to Japan for a stop over before coming back to Singapore for good so its nice of Garfield to send me this website of him and his two crazy bros in Japan.

3 REALLY COOL DUDES IN TOKYO

Graveyard of my base.

An old 1800s cemetery neatly tuck in the corner of my Base. Even after all this years, the grass are well trimmed and there are flowers by the tombstones whose letters are almost eroded after more than a century of rain and sunshine.... I don't know who maintained it but I guess its the Janitor of our base. This is one of the very less publicized unique feature of our Base which was formally a Naval Air Station where the F-14 Tomcats took off and land. I bet no visitors ever walk past the abandon ATC Tower to marvel at the incredible peace and quiet of this plot of land characterized. Once a while in the early or late afternoon, I take a short walk around the cemetery just to have a moment of silence within this wild wild world (www)...

Sometimes we just have so much on our mind, its time to learn to let go of it for a minute or an hour and seek emptiness. When is the last time you just stop, sit down and think of nothing of the past and future but to just savor the peace of the moment? Many times we are just too preoccupied with unworthy worries that we forgot to just look at the greenery around, the calm trees and flowers.

Breath in deep and breath out. If there is one thing important to mankind...it got to be oxygen. Without food and water, you can survive a day. Without oxygen? You'll be dead in a few minutes. So whenever you are depressed, stressed or just feeling down in anyway... go to somewhere where there is only you and nature and not a human soul around, maybe the beach, maybe a plot of land with a single tree...sit down, look around and breath...

This embossed text are the only legible literature I found.

"The earliest marked grave of J.H Snow dates to 1864, though unmarked graves may date earlier. Members of the pioneer Grand Prairie families, infant and veterans of the Spanish-American War and WWI are among those interred here. The last burial took place on 1951"

Do you know where is Singapore??

Went to a bank one day to ask about closing my bank account. I told the banker I was going to leave the country soon and like to close off the account and cancel all my credit card. She ask where I am heading back to and I mention Singapore...

Banker: Oh!!! Singapore!!! I always wanted to be there. Let me get away from the hot summer here.

Riccardo: Well Singapore is 24/7 summer missy. Its hot and humid.

Banker: Still a good place for a getaway.

Riccardo: I'm not too sure, people are trying to get out of the country.

Banker: But you country is so big!!! and you guys are going to host the Olympic this year, I'm sure it will be really cool to visit your country.

Riccardo: oh, I see... (sigh)

This customer service officer c.u.m banker really "overserviced". One thing I learn is you must take Ang Mo statement with a grain of salt. Either they are clueless of where I come from or they just make up stuff to patronize me. For the last time! SINGAPORE is at a south tip of South East Asia, surrounded by Indonesia and Malaysia. SINGAPORE is bloody small dot and if she is located in China, it would become a insignificant no man land. And if the Ang Mo is still clueless, I have to remind them about Vietnam War and how many thousand of miles south from the action of the 70s are we away from. And please, doesn't mean I am Chinese means I must be stereotype to be from China ( or my Indian colleague must be from India). Blame it to the tons of MADE IN CHINA product that the world cannot live without.

Another stupid song from me - Hotel California

Monday, 21st April, 3.10am

I CAN'T SLEEP! This is really bad...I have to head out for work at 7 and here I am, still wide awake. Even MSNing with my friend online, reading about bolt preload and doing Amazon shopping did not shag me out a bit. I think I should have drunk some Vodka earlier just to knock me out silly on the bed. What am I going to do now? Going back to Nintendo DS Lite is not an option because I just did that 3 hours ago and is now fighting King Koopa Castle (sigh what am I talking?/???).

Is this call sleeping disorder? Ok, last resort, I gonna count sheep, water melon, monkeys or a million, dollar by dollar... No idea how I am gonna work effectively later on....

Losing my trust and faith in certain people

It seems like a long week for me. Its Friday now and since I am busy been the phase servicing IC, I see a responsibility not to take day off during this period. Come to think of it, I only have 2 day off balance left so better save it up for the raining days.

Today I like to blog about my lose of trust and faith in certain people that I shall not mention names here. One thing I learn about is that it take a long period of time and effort to build trust from people you just know although its easier to do so with close friends and colleague. However all it take is one or two episode to ruin all those building blocks. I felt such a terrible waste to know that for reasons unknown, a guy I thought to be a nice fellow could tell such poor lies in front of me...

I approached him today and ask him who gave the go ahead commitment for "Plan A" (for reasons I shall not reveal whats "Plan A"). He immediately said it was my two Supervisor and another of my close colleague without batting an eyelid. However certain episode in the early part of the day tell me something was fishy with his statement thus I decided to do a mini investigation as simple as questioning my two dear Supervisor and close colleague if such commitment was ever given from them. For a starter my close colleague was on off-day yesterday and only learn about the go ahead for "Plan A" today, totally oblivious to what really going on. So my close colleague did not give the commitment - Strike 1. Next I ask my senior supervisor who I have lots of respect for even though he was really harsh sometime. He again was surprise that I ask him about the commitment for "Plan A" for he obviously did not gave that commitment. Thats Strike 2. Senior supervisor is someone who hate mystery and he called my Deputy supervisor who gave the same answer ; NO. Strike 3.

I wonder if its a lack of communication or lack of ethics with this "nice fellow" but he sure have big balls to implicate 3 person in his lies. I did not confront him at all for he is much senior ranking and I don't wanna make a ding especially when I'm heading back soon. In any case, I lost trust in any words he got from now on.

You know how the higher ranking you are, the more important you decision becomes? Its just the pyramid structure of a military organization where the decision of a few at the top affect the many below in good and bad ways. A leader not only build trust with the man through good decision/ planning but also openly admit fault and bear responsibility for poor decision/planning, bringing himself first into the pit to cushion the impact for his man.

One day I was on night shift work and got instruction that we have to head into base early in the morning the next day for some high ranking officer from HQ is going to have a dialogue session with us. "Dialogue" session is just another fancy name for meet the people session for you to raise concerns. Frankly I am not really keen to attend; I have my aircraft work to do that night, my circadian rhythms is already tune to sleep in the morning and wake up at noon and we only actually complete our work at 1am in the morning. Good soldier we all are, an order is an order so even if I have a hard time falling asleep and a hard time waking up (only slept 4 hours), I and many other still made it to base on time 8 sharp.

Than after the usual "Clean the hanger floor" session commonly done every time a VIP come visit, an annocuncement was made "GOOD NEWS!!! The dialogue session with this high ranking officer is cancelled". WTF!!! I sacrifice for early work stoppage and storing sleep debt just to hear this news? Overheard that he went shopping... I hope he is aware that some of our guys have to do a 360 degree change in rest pattern just to made it in the morning to hear his not coming. I hope he enjoy his shopping in Dallas...

Back to the present... A lower ranking specialist talk to a higher ranking specialist in a tone I find really really offensive and barbaric. High ranking specialist is the soft type even with his big size but he maintain a gentleman poise, cushioning the torrent of words from lower ranking specialist. It was a discussion about 分家产 and it could have been carried out in a much rational and gentleman manner than this. I was taken aback by the way the lower ranking specialist speaks to a higher rank because not only does his message deliver in a disrespectful and unprofessional way but even the guy beside me mention that his tone is really 过分. I swear to God I never speak to a higher ranking guy or even some lower ranking than me in this tone so I am really turn off by this episode. I really lost respect for lower ranking specialist... Sometimes people who talk loud and big are deaf to their own speech, not wonder they have to shout at others to make themselves heard.

"Its a love hate relationship with my work. Some days are good and some days are bad. No amount of salary can turn around a Bad Day"

Top 40 tips for better living in 2008

Tips for Better Life - 2008

1. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile. It is
the ultimate anti-depressant.

2. Sit in silenc e for at least 10 minutes each day. Buy a lock if you haveto.

3. Buy a DVD Recorder and tape your late night shows and get more sleep.

4. When you wake up in the morning complete the following statement, 'My purpose is to __________ today.'

5. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.

6. Play more games and read more books than you did in 2007!

7. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, tai chi, and prayer. They provide us with daily fuel for our busy lives.

8. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.

9. Dream more while you are awake.

10. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.

11. Drink green tea and plenty of water.. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutters from your house, your car, your desk and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, energy vampires, issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out credit charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the energy vampires away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

26. Forgive everyone for everything.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.

28. GOD heals almost everything.

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

35. Do the right thing!

36. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!) Hey I'm thinking of ya!

37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

40. Please Forward this to everyone you care about.

May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your door!*

An 80s SBC Drama of RSAF

I must be Primary 1 or 2 when this Drama was broadcast on the than SBC. Featured in this SBC drama opening video are the Northrop F-5S Tiger Fighter jet (Base in Paya Lebar Air Base), the Lockheed C130 Hercules (Base in Paya Lebar Air Base), SIAI Machetti S211 Jet Trainer ( Base in our jet training detachment in Australia) and finally the Eurocopter AS332 Super Puma (Base in Sembawang Air Base). Back than in the 80s we don't even have the modern F-16 fighter jet and the CH-47 Chinooks but I'm sure we were already a force to be reckon with. This is a very pilot orientated drama, the Singapore version of Top Gun since most of the boys who watch it aspire to be a fighter pilot. Who would even thought of been a Technician or Logistic Officer back in those days when they watch the drama? After all, it was a glamorous look into the life of RSAF.

Been in the Air Force for 5 years now as a Senior Technician, I came to realize that behind every minute of aircraft/helicopter footage in this video are hundreds of maintenance man hours, hundreds of spare parts requirement, thousands of paper work, and tons of Engineering and Technical experience required. Not to forget the pressure to meet the demands of the operation sides. So when you watch a tv footage of any military or commercial aircraft flying with good looking pilots, don't forget that without all the guys in the background, all this fancy military planes will be sitting there without power.

Credit for the above video goes to khlgx from Youtube. You can view her Youtube Channel here. There is numerous SBC drama opening theme in her Channel.

The Wii Internet Channel

I went for an evening jog today taking the longer route that run along the canal that cut across North Irving. Today's run was different, it was a run met with numerous obstruction along the way. Since the path is only 3 man shoulder wide, I have to make several detour through the grass patch because a few trees have fallen and blocked the path during the thunderstorm 2 nights ago. That night, I woke up at 3am to see lightning flashes every few seconds and wind so strong that I thought a Tornado was coming.

Today I check out the Weather forecast for Dallas using the Nintendo Wii's Channel features. This is not just a video game console but also capable to feeding weather forecast and global news right into the living room. Looks like Dallas will be bracing for a cold front later on in the evening with temperature dropping to 15 degree Celsius.

The latest feature of Nintendo Wii is the "Internet Channel". You have to purchase and download it through the "Wii Shop Channel" that comes default on every Wii Console that allow to download old Nintendo Console games and "Wii-Ware" that provide enhancement to the basic Wii Console. The "Internet Channel" is purchase and downloaded from "Wii-Ware" for 500 Wii-points. FYI... Wii-Points is the currency use in "Wii-Shop" with an exchange rate of 1000 Wii-points cost US$10 excluding tax. I brought 1000 Wii-points today at US$10.83 so I could try out the "Internet Channel" feature.

The "Internet Channel" is a web browser powered by the software company Opera. If you are familiar with Opera, you would have know that they are also the company that created web browser for Nintendo DS Lite, Mobile Phones and PDAs. The download took about 4 minutes over broadband DSL and ready to use right away without the need to do installation. You basically surf the net with the Wii-mote which act as a mouse controlling the on screen cursor. The "A" button is your right click while holding down the "B" button allow user to scroll the websites. "+" and "-" button lets user zoom in and zoom out the web page which I think is really important for people using the regular TV sets because the resolution is pretty mediocre for small text reading. Have not test the browser on LCD or Plasma TV but I bet the higher resolution should provide better picture and text quality.

The great thing about having the "Internet Channel" is that you don't have to hook up a desktop or laptop to the TV using separate AV cables. Next buying a wireless keyboard and mouse so you surf the net on your living room couch, the table looks ugly now with all the clutter. Since the Nintendo Wii is primarily a video game console, its always plug to the TV and adding a web browsing feature instantly make the TV a web surfing tool right in the living room.

Watching Youtube video, Online Banking, checking my Yahoo mail, shopping online and the lazing around the net, all the good thing about the Nintendo Wii "Internet Channel". Adding to it are features like Search engine and Favorite features. The bad? For a starter, you have to type web address or anything else using the on screen keyboard, aiming the letters with the Wii-mote , so it feel ridiculous to type "www.ridiculouslylongwebaddrees.com/anotherridiculouslylinetotype.html". Bad number 2 is the lack of MSN Chat features but chatting using the on-screen will make your chat partner impatient.

My blog on the TV.

The Google Search Engine.

Everyone favorite website... Youtube!

Starship stranded

The Starship was just 50m away from docking to the DeathStar when there is a hydraulic failure. So the Captain of the Starship shut it down and float back to the DeathStar leaving the Starship stranded in outer space. Looks like it will be too much a risk to dock the broken down Starship back to DeathStar for fear of jolting the lunch filled stomach of the VIPs to vomitation onboard even if its just a 50m or 30 secs flight away.

Now a Starship stranded in outer space with no Starship pilots willing to call the shot attempt docking it back to the DeathStar for that short of a distance. It was so close yet so far, its a logistic nightmare for the ground crew of DeathStar to figure out how to get it back for they are not authorised to fly it, they can't move it with their hands or pull it with a tractor beam for its too fucking big.

Well the joke of the day is the SOP whenever a Captain abandon his Starship within 100m of the DeathStar Docking system... "First Shut Down, Than Sorry". At the end of the day, senseless fear rules again...

Its a shame, damn big shame. Its telling the manufacturer of the Starship that it will have to land immediately even onto enemy territory and even when a backup system is in place to fly it out safely.

Wii Fighting Dance

Where not to shave

A barber with an interest in traditional silverware shaving blade and a habit of singing and dancing to the tune of revengeful Broadway musical. He is but a one-man operation in a little upstairs shop above a meat pie shop that won't even qualify a D food store license in Singapore. That's all the sign of a shaving barber shop that you should never never step into... especially if you are a judge or an Italian

"For he is so obsessed with his hairstyle and singing, he got distracted and accidentally slit the throat of his lonely customer."

Another great film from the Tim Burton-Johnny Depp collabaration. As usual the style of the film is a typical dark gothic theme typical of most Tim Burton's film. The mood of the whole movie is much darker than Sleepy Hollow. A muscial theme film of a man strong will for revenge and his psychotic rampage in the street of London, gruesomely sliting throats of lonely shaving customer in his grand plan to exert revenge on the man who took deported him and took his wife and daughter away.

If you have a taste for film of blood, music and psycho...this is the film for you. Sweeney Todd.

STROKE!!! Remember the first 3 letter - S.T.R

My friend sent this to me and encouraged me to post it and spread the word. I agree. If everyone can remember something this simple, we could save some folks. Seriously.. Please read: STROKE IDENTIFICATION: During a BBQ, a friend stumbled and took a little fall - she assured everyone that she was fine (they offered to call paramedics) and just tripped over a brick because of her new shoes. They got her cleaned up and got her a new plate of food - while she appeared a bit shaken up, Ingrid went about enjoying herself the rest of the evening. Ingrid's husband called later telling everyone that his wife had been taken to the hospital - (at 6:00pm, Ingrid passed away.) She had suffered a stroke at the BBQ. Had they known how to identify the signs of a stroke, perhaps Ingrid would be with us today. Some don't die. They end up in a helpless, hopeless condition. It only takes a minute to read this... A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick was getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough. RECOGNIZING A STROKE Thank God for the sense to remember the '3' steps, STR . Read and Learn! Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions: S Ask the individual to SMILE. T Ask the person to TALK - SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE R Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS. NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out their tongue... if the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other that is also an indication of a stroke} If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call 9-1-1 immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this e-mail sends it to 10 people; you can bet that at least one life will be saved

We need a shovel!!!

Time to head to Home Depot, get a shovel and start digging the ground. Its the best place to buried everything away from the naked eye. Damn...how can there be improvement or changes at all when the higher beings up there only see everything falling in the right place as far as SOP and organization policy are mandated?Its a struggle to make things fall in place, its a torture to maintain it ontop of all the normal maintenance work we got to go through. We have to question ourselves and challenge some of this policy for rationalization and value. Rationalize if any of this policy can be practice without becoming a paper or process hindrances (most are hindrances). Valuate if any of this policy contribute to our organizational value? Some rules are laid by the old birds of the organization in the older day of history that can only work back than and not longer now... A candle works well in the older days, than a light bulb but now we got fluorescent lamp. Time have change and policy must change.

People are educated differently now. A policy that can't convince is a poor policy. My personnal opinion is this... its up to the people in the ground to voice out objection and the people at the top to handle the issue and not just to toss it aside saying "Hey, this is the established law. If we don't have this in place...what if this happen and what if that happen?".

Sigh... thats how things goes. A small insignificant problem can snow ball into something enormous just by asking the "What if this happen or what if that happen question.

There are many avenue for changes but do people capitalize on it? Rarely, because its a stiff mindset of many that nothing will ever happen even if you voice it out. This is of course not true. Untill we can change the "vote of no confidence" mindset, nothing will change.

Time are different now. Why allow a single or small group up there to make unpopular decision when the collective effort of a many time larger ground can make popular one?


This is my last blog entry on my dark persepctive with audits. The battle start next week....

Sick of workplace audit

Its the time of the year again. The Audit period where everyone is like the ants of a disturbed nest. This is the time where we open up the can of worms to find more worms and to dig it all up and fill up those cans with peach, pineapples and everything sweet. Work is not an unopen can of worms untill each year when the Audit comes.

No wonder we laugh at ourselves when we watch the local Singapore production "Just Follow Law 我在政府部门的日子" for it so well reflect how the Audit each year was carried out... a facade of well painted walls hiding stuff that deems to be unfit for viewing not because its illegal or what, but because it is not listed in our "Holy Bible" that its something that should be use, seen or even exist.

That not to say that there is anything wrong with us to be Audited but I just felt its a waste of taxpayer money to send almost half a platoon size of official just to come here to nick pick problems on us. At the end of the day, I and many others are more concern about meeting safety and operational requirement of our Base rather than trivia things involving paper pushing and endless cover your ass/cover my ass paper work.

Aiyah....what the hell. Call me a renegade if you wanna. Think of it, even if the Audit results are not too promising, the planes still fly, we still have to work, salary still comes on the 10th and I'm not dead, so whats the big issue anyway?

"Sometimes in the search for perfection, there is lots of sacrificial lambs. Sacrifice have to be made in form of late nights, weekend and lots of combined briefing for me to take a nap for I am exhausted from the long day of work."

"Its easy to put on a show , but to be honest to oneself, not lying to oneself , it is hard."

The cure for restless night and insomia

Introducing the Dakimakura 抱き枕! It means "hugging pillow". This pillow are 60inch long, similar in shape with the Body Pillow of the west and larger than a standard bolster we usually use in Singapore. They come in two part...the 60inch pillow called "Dakimakura" which cost 5000 yen and the intriguing pillow case that cost 9400Yen (100 USD)!!! Made in Japan and available in most toy shop and Cosplay store located in Akihabara, Tokyo.

Kudos to the Japanese for reinventing the Body Pillow of the West just by changing the pillow case. Sometimes I think the Japan culture are intriguing, weird but unique. The Dakimakura pillow is almost full adult size in length and the pillow case always feature Anime female character in sexy poses. It felt almost like hugging a full size human except of cause there are not limbs at all. On his recent trip to Japan, a colleague of mine got one Dakimakura pillow case back to United States understanding my taste for out of the ordinary things like the Gothic "Nightmare Before The Christmas" bed sheet I got.

A Dakimakura pillow case package. That expression literally mean "Open Me Up".


I was expecting two standard King size pillow case, instead I got a full size "flat" girl on my bed.


On the flip side of it....

The quality of the material is really good, felt like silk and the colors are seamless from front to back. I am very confident from the quality of the prints on it, its not gonna be easy to wipe those colors out the the material. I mention earlier about having two parts to make up a Dakimakura. I am missing the official hugging pillow which measures 150cm x 52cm. Instead I have to stuff the pillow case with 1 king size pillow and 1 queen size pillow. It starts to take shape...

The two bed time model puts the bolster to shame in size and hug-ability.

This obviously is not something to be use back home in Singapore when staying with your family, will be an invitation for too much question. I wonder whats the neighborhood reaction going to be like when I hang this out at my 11th floor apartment to dry after washing. I probably hang it up on the wall as a Japanese art piece. Nothing beats the feeling of a real women...

Its a pretty interesting and mild-mannered piece of bed accessories. Other similar bedsheet features extreme scantly clad character in more imposing poses (simply said, nudity). Below right here is a website, in Japanese featuring the different Dakimakura pillow case made by Cospa. http://nijigencospa.com/event/id/106

In the meantime, this made a nice pillow for a restless night....