ToastMaster Session on 31/7/2008

Today was my 2nd session with the Tampines Changkat Toastmaster.
Good experience, was still trying to let my backside to be warmer. I was called to do my Project 1 - Ice Breaking...
I used 4min 43 secs. I scored a total of 13 ers, 2 umhs and 1 repeitions...
Although Saddiqi (my evaluator) only mentioned that I only had minor problems such as movements & eye contacts. I know he closed 2 eyes for the evaluation. haha....
Saddiqi, I understand where I stand in public speaking... haha... But really thanks for your feedback.


Take Back or Quotes for the day:
- I hate public speaking, thats why I join Toastmaster Club.
- Present it with impact & confidence.
- While presenting, we should stand with both feet instead of standing with one of them.
- "The job is demanding & rewarding."


Thank You Chee Lee for the opportunity...

Last Day of my Leave...

31st July 2008...
Last day of my Leave...
have been on leave for the past 19 days... A super-free man...
A good rest, but not very fruitful...
haha...
Kind of bored at home...
haha...

Tomorrow will mark my last day as a regular...
Seriously feel uncertain for the future, but just have to move on...

Now I will just hope tomorrow PAC wont screwed up & get a job next week...

Self-Made 最长的电影

Haha...
Too free already, so did this MV for fun... haha...
Realised one thing, it is harder to sing without music. All ur weakness will appear & be heard very clearly...
haha...

Hope it wont hurt ur Ears....

Worrying for Future...

As usual, played Tennis with Xiao Ping & friends on Saturday... This Saturday we had Zhen Pin & Yang Chao...

Everyday we heard from Medias saying that our economy is blooming, but heard another company retrenching again....
The previous time I heard retrenchment was a few weeks back, a friend in Aerospace industry, working in an Engine overhaul business. I stunned... If aerospace engine companies retrenched people, what will be left? I wondered... Can Avionics field stand firm? haha...

Another retrenchment incident that I heard, this time round was Food & Beverage industry. The company has kind of shifted their HQ to China. This is even scarier! China & India... The most population countries in the world.

They are more hardworking, more capable.... Most vital... They are CHEAPER! I believed that this is a threat not just encountered by Singapore. Any other parts of the world encounter the same problem especially those developed & developing countries. Currently, I am still young. Up to capabilities & hardworking, I am quite sure I can compete with them. But how long can I withstand their competition? The worst scenerio is if I am 40 with a family of 2 kids & I were to be retrenched... This is SCARY!

This few weeks I had been thinking... What are the skills or paper qualifications can I have so that I will not have to worry for retrenchment problems... I got some answers... Pilot & Doctor... Kind of far from me... haha... License Aircraft Engineer... Sounds great, a very marketable license. After signing 6 years of bond, I feel that I was not ready for another 8 years of bond. At least not the first 1-2 years... haha... But after this 1-2years, I may not have the opportunity... haha...

Another solution is to be the master of all... haha... Is that possible??? Will have to try to be 1, then I will know! haha...

2nd Week of my leave

haha...
End of second week...
still didnt manage to turn myself into 猛男...
still lack of discipline & determination....

But practices more 太极, feel that I am getting better with it...
but still alittle disappointed that I am unable to go to 武当山 to 修行...
initial plan was 2 weeks at 武当, then 1 week at Shanghai...
haha...

Remembered when I told Ah Poh about the plan, he had a better suggestion to 修行...
He said that he would call 3 babes & I to his house, let them walk around naked in his house.
If I can manage to control myself not to touch them, my 修行 will be completed.
Then I replied, "Does that mean if I fail the 修行 he provided, all of us will come back tomorrow to continue to 修行?"
Ah Poh gave a a kind of expression saying "I shouldn't have suggest that..."
haha...


When starting a new Yahoo Singaopore news, saw these 2 intreseting articles:
1) Briton arrested for sex attacks on sheep

LONDON (Reuters) - A Briton has been arrested on suspicion of carrying out a series of sex attacks on sheep, London police said on Friday.

The 27-year-old man was held at his home in Dulwich, south London, on suspicion of bestiality with sheep. He was also wanted in connection of the possession of drugs with intent to supply.

Detectives said the arrest followed allegations made to them in May and June.

"Two male joggers said they had observed a man molesting the sheep in a field at Botany Bay Lane, Chislehurst," police said in a statement.

"A similar incident was reported to police by a stables employee in the area."

Media reports said the man had been barred from visiting farmland while officers carried out their investigation.

2) Zimbabwe introduces 100-billion-dollar note

HARARE (AFP) - Zimbabwe, grappling with a record 2.2 million percent inflation, has introduced a new 100-billion-dollar bank note in a bid to tackle rampant cash shortages, the central bank said Saturday.

The new note will go into circulation on Monday, the bank said in a statement cited by state media, joining about half a dozen new high denomination notes already issued this year.

In January, a 10-million-dollar note was issued, then a 50-million-dollar note in April. In May, notes for 100 million and 250 million dollars were issued, swiftly followed by those for five billion, 25 billion and 50 billion.

The southern African nation, currently gripped by a post-election crisis, has been ravaged by hyperinflation which shot up from 165,000 percent in February to 2.2 million in June.

Independent economists however believe the official inflation figure is grossly understated, estimating it could be running between 10 million and 15 million percent.

Zimbabwe's chronic economic crisis has left at least 80 percent of the population living below the poverty threshold and mass shortages of basic goods in shops.

Sex abuse on Sheeps? Hardcore? haha...
2.2 million percent inflation?????? Maybe Singapore's economy is still strong, therefore inflation was around 6-7%... Highest I heard was 20-30%, I thought that was already very high... Then it will follow by the crime rate, it will be another next high... Hope that inflation can bring to a stand still, lotz of people are suffering due to the high inflation records.... Should be the rich controlling the market again... haha...

Taipei Free & Easy

Went to Taipei last November, so like to post my sharing as return. Because quite a few blogs actually helped me when touring, so I feel to do the same.

The below map is one of the better map. It shows the various attractions near their train stations (捷运站) (not too sure is my Chinese Characters correct or not...) They are still in the means of expanding their train system. So the below maps maybe outdated in a few years time...

The below map is what I had done in a Powerpoint Slide. But the wordings become very small after pasting into PaintBrush. So feel free to post me and email, so I can send u the original copy.

Suggestions:
1) If you are between 13-30 years old, u can apply for the Youth Pass (青年证). It is FREE & in additionally, at some attractions there will be some discounts on admission tickets if we show the youth pass when we are purchasing the admission tickets. The Youth Pass can apply at any Tourist Information Center.
Reference: http://www.youthtravel.tw/youthtravel/docDetail/doc.jsp?doc=US_0000000447&cate=A000086

2) You can buy tibits or some taipei snacks back for collegues at Dan Shui (淡水). I feel is cheaper about NT50 during Nov 2007) & there are more variety over that area. Since going to Dan Shui (淡水), we should not miss the salted eye york (sunset). It was unique experience seeing the sun so clearly.
3) Taipei 101 Building
The structure is really 雄伟.

4) Shopping. I will suggest Shilin (士林) or Wufenpu (五份铺). Cheaper & more choices...

5) A different Clubbing experinence. Can try Luxy & ... Wednesday is their ladies night. hoho... An eye opener, I was stunned when a babe wearing a bikini top with shorts dancing at the dance floor in front of me... Hope to meet her again.. haha... Besides that, there are great beat boxers and DJs helping to bring the crowd to the next "High" level. haha... From Jay Zhou's Resturant waitress, she also recommended Lan Gui Fang (兰桂纺). She also mentioned that the quality of gals in Lan Gui Fang was better!!! haha... Next time MUST GO! haha... Some pictures attached...

6)　周杰伦 Mr. J Restaurant.
It is a French-Italian Restaurant. I feel it is not too expensive, food still not too bad. Just go there & take pictures... Who knows, u may bump into him... Anyway he has 2 restaurants, the other one in Ximeng Ding (西门町). In his 我不配 MTV, there is a glimpse of the front of the restaurant's entrance...






















7) Yeliu (野柳)
U can take a bus to Yeliu (野柳) at Taipei Main Station. There are a few bus companies interchanges around there... Yeliu (野柳) is famous for the Queen's Head. At Yeliu (野柳), you will be able to see the horizon... The sea side is one of best sea view I ever seen.

























Below is one of the sites that I feel will be useful to anyone travellers who like to go Taiwan Free & Easy
1) http://randomlistofevents.blogspot.com/2007_07_01_archive.html
2) http://www.taiwan.net.tw/


A friend recommended this hotel: 紅菱閣飯店 (Red Cabin Hotel).
This hotel is relatively cheap and near to XimengDing. But after viewing, feel that this hotel is either for family, lovers or people who 偷情... haha...
The website: http://redcabin.mmmtravel.com.tw/?ptype=n1p

Another friend recommended her Tour Guide:
1) Taipei Tour Guide
Name: Meeky Yang
HP: 0921915586
Email: meeky589@yahoo.com.tw
2) Hualien (花莲) Tour Guide
Name: Lu 来福
HP: 0928569081


Hope it is helpful & Enjoy....

** Pardon me if my Chinese Characters are wrong.... haha...

Toastmaster Session on 17/07/2008

haha...
This was the second time I went to Toastmaster Session.
The last time I went for the session was 7-8years ago in Temasek Poly...
haa..
Hope that my third session won't be 7 years later...

This time I went to Tampines Changkat CC for the Session. Surprised with the warm welcome and good food! Since a long time to taste solid nasi lemak rice after shifted to Tampines... Oops... haha...

2 takebacks for the day:
1) Presentation Skill is a vital skill.
2) When young, we use health to trade for wealth.
When old, we use wealth to trade for health.

It was a fruitful session, I believed my third session will not be 7 years later. Seriously, I was very impressed with the presenters! They talked so smooth as if I was listening to a very nice song.

From very very long time ago, I knew that Toastmaster club would be benefitial to me, but dragged until today (after consist nagging by my father & sister). haha....

But I feel that there was justifiable reason for my delay. I was trying to train myself up to speak confidently by reading newspaper loudly at home. This method was taught by my Secondary School English Tutor (Mr.Koh). I found it very effective. But it really needs alot of practicing and determination. Later found out, presentation skill does not plainly depends on language. Gastures, tones, firmness & eye contacts are important too... So I decided to join Toastmasters Club to train up myself.

I am happy if I have 50% of presentation skill to what I encountered today. So got to WORK HARDER! 加油! hehe...

Completion of my First Week

haha...
1 week had passed without work....
haha...

I think the only achievements I got for the week was I tidied up my room...
Imagine 2-3years of rubbish & dust... I feel my room was dirtier than my work place...
haha...

So awarded myself to go KTV on Friday & Saturday...
Rather tiring, but at least now I know what is my singing limits... hoho...

Also watched Hell Boy II. More action but not as crappy as Hell Boy I. In general still not too bad.

Think from this week onwards, I should emphasis on fitness... Hopefully become 猛男 by end of July... wahaha...

Jobs Hunting again...

haha...
End of my official work week, next week will be on leave till I ORD...
Now will be busying to find jobs, or else may really have to join 丐帮.. haha...

But just have a strange feeling on every Saturday Strait Time Recruit section, it is getting THINNER. I remembered in April & May, it was fairly thick. But the section got thinner in june and july... haha... That is not a good sign! Recession may drop by again... I was fortunately enough to miss the economy crsis 5 years ago as I signed on & became a Regular. Think that I will not be that lucky this time round.

See how then...
Let fate decides!