WeeKee Today

I read a writeup on Today Online a yesterday where a reader was commenting that the Bring Your Own Bag campaign wasn't that successful. The suggestion was to make people pay more (20 cents) for each plastic bag. Crazy!

Seriously I don't know what is wrong with our mindset. We just have this pay and pay mentality ingrain into us. We just approach problems by punishing consumers and making them pay more. Instead of punishing me for using plastics bags, why not reward me for not using it? Why not give me a discount every time I use my own bags? Corporation should take the lead and make the investment in educating consumers about the importance of sustainability. Isn't rewarding rather than punishing the consumers a more appropriate approach?

Furthermore I don't get what is wrong with using plastic bags. The problem lies in what you do with it. I am not sure how everyone is doing it but I need plastic bags to throw away the trash. If I recycle the plastic bags that I get in the supermarket, is that a big deal? Shouldn't the focus be on recycling for this case?

I would agree that every little contribution helps to save the environment but comparatively isn't using disposable plates and utensils a greater evil? Sometimes the problem isn't with the problem at hand. It is the mindset and the way to approach it that is screwing everyone else.

It is time people relook at the approaches to solving problems instead of wasting effort of with silly campaigns like return your tray, cannot chope the table, etc.

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It is that dreadful time of the year where mum will nag non-stop about all the junk that i accumulated over the years. For this year she even set a "grounded" day where I am not supposed to be anywhere else except home. She really means business. Excuses about the need to go temple to pray, friends gathering, in-laws lunch, etc all fell onto deaf ears.

                   

Seeing that most of my decade old stuff would definitely not get to live another year in the store room, I decided to take pictures of them for remembrance. Interesting keeps over the years include:

1. Game manuals. I still have the manuals for some really old games. The DOS game Romance of Three Kingdom sure brought up fond memories.
2. Power supply & a telephone answering machine. Cool projects that I did during the days in Ngee Ann polytechnic.
3. Basic. The 2nd programming language that I picked up during my secondary days. Did lots of stupid text based games on that.
4. Handphone. Can't even remember when the hell I got this handphone. In fact, calling it a brick phone would be more appropriate.
5. Tamiya car. Wasted lots of my pocket money on this stuff. It was so crazy that we even spend money on special wires and do the internal coiling of motors ourselves.

I know most of this things are rather useless but they serve as anchor points to remind me about my past. I miss my junks!

How about you? What have you kept over the years?

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I want the American people to be able to say, "Government's not perfect; there are some things Obama does that get on my nerves. But you know what? I feel like the government's working for me. I feel like it's accountable. I feel like it's transparent. I feel that I am well informed about what government actions are being taken. I feel that this is a President and an Administration that admits when it makes mistakes and adapts itself to new information, that believes in making decisions based on facts and on science as opposed to what is politically expedient."

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Gosh time really flies! Before I knew it, Eve and I had been married for 4 years. Thankful for the holiday and the nice weather, we get to spend most of our time lazing around at home just relaxing and catching up on sleep before heading to Pitstop Cafe for some board games.

Dinner was a simple affair. We headed for a steamboat buffet dinner at Bugis area. It wasn't any fine restaurant but rather one of the many shophouses that are selling steamboat around the area. Steamboats are just perfect for a cold weather like tonight. There is just something homely about steamboats. It takes a certain level of familiarity and comfort to be able to share a pot of food together and dipping their chopsticks into the same pot of soup!

   

The numerous plates of food on the tables, the boiling pot stuff with all sort of vegetables and meat, the cramp space, the loud chattering, the forgetful waiter who still had not got my plate of cockles after placing the order thrice, the running nose from the spicy soup, it was simply wonderful.

Such contentment and happiness from the simple pleasures of life are only possible because I am bless with a great companion who has been by my side for the past 8 years.

Happy Anniversary!

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It had been a long time since I did some sports. On a Monday night, I decided to get some action playing basketball. It was fun throwing the balls at the start and before long I thought I was back to the days when I was still 18. Wishful thinking! An off balance layup and I landed horizontally with my palm on the ground trying to support the fall. My right arm did not manage to support my weight and the whole arm went numb from the fall. I suspected my beer tummy could be the main culprit. The next morning, my whole arm could not move more than 15 degrees.

No choice but to make a visit to the poor man clinic Polyclinic...

8.30 am:Left home for the clinic. Thankfully wife was around to clothe me and drive me to the clinic.
8.45 am: Got my queue number for registration.
9.25 am: Manage to register my visit.
10.20 am: Finally get to see the doctor. I pointed to my pain spots and she ordered 2 x-rays to be taken.
10.40 am: Pose my arms for the x-ray machine.
11.20 am: Spoke to the doctor again. Discovered that I had an old fracture which I never knew I had. Other than that, no broken bones. Got prescribed some painkillers and told to go for bandaging.
11.25 am: The nurses took out a piece of flimsy fabric and attempt to do a sling to support my arm. It is worse than what a boy scout would do and I decided to leave without it.
11.50 am: After more waiting, I got the medicine.
12.10 pm: Even pay money also have to wait.

After a wasted morning and a damage of $35, my arm still hurts like crazy. Other than the information that no bones were broken, it was a waste of money and time. Heck, there was not even any images of the x-ray that I could post on Flickr.

When Ang Moh technology can't make it, it is time to get some help from the 中医师 to solve my problem. Off to Ang Mo Kio we went where my wife located the 4th generation disciple of Huang FeiHong. A quick brief about the accident and he knew exactly what was going on. I was told to try and straighten my arm. The pain was unbearable but it was nothing compared to what he did next. With a swift movement, he twisted my arm and I screamed in pain as my arm went lifeless. In less than 10 minutes, he bandaged the swollen area with a mix of herbs and it was all done.

This was followed by an explanation about my injury through the use of some Chinese drawings of the human bone structures and another 30 minutes session about the Chinese martial arts. In less than an hour and for almost the same amount of money, I get much better treatment.

Though my arm still hurts but it definitely feels much better now as the swelling had subside significantly. When it comes to treatment of certain injuries, technology is no match for the real 中医师.

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