Prawns fried with Red Pepper, Yellow Pepper and Celery

Home-made "White" Chicken to be taken with Rice...

I can't believe it! It is my first attempt... And it tastes good!!!

How should we live our lives in this new changed world?

We are living in a world that for centuries, has been talking about peace, signing peace treaties every now and then, and till now, there is still no peace.

Political turmoils and uphievals affecting economies come and go as if it is the norm now. The Red Shirts seemed very determined to bring down the present Thai government. So what when the Red camp comes into power? The Yellow Shirts will be staging their similar protests most likely. When will the Red-Yellow Battle end? Why do they run into such a conflict internally? It is so strange! Isn't it? What gives at the end?

Do people enjoy better lives as a result of these protests? I am not sure how they think. Why don't they just get back to work and work productively, feed their families, build up their incomes and the economy for the country? Obviously, people get carried away doing nonsensical things without pausing to think about the repercussions and consequences of their unproductive actions.

Natural disasters such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, tsunamis are killing hundreds and thousands of innocent lives and much time is spent in rebuilding the infrastructures and homes for the victims in various parts of the world. Financial turmoils and tsunamis are sweeping the world economy and the financial markets like never before. Global warming is the hot topic at the world and regional conference tables. What is happening in this world now? Nothing is permanent and predictable.

Everything has changed including the values of people all over the world. The relationship gap and the digital gap are getting wider by the days. As people become more high-tech, they become less high-touch. While the globe is warming up, people seem to be cooling off in terms of interpersonal relationships.

In this new changed world, how should we live our lives? I think we should just live one day at a time. Live everyday to the fullest. Appreciate what we have and treasure the people around us today! Never leave anything to tomorrow what needs to be done today!

Five QUOTES for the week's ReadFlection...

1. "Unless we keep our ear to the ground, we will never hear the voices of the lowly people." ... Jonathan Ooi
2. "Be practical as well as generous in your ideals. Keep your eyes on the stars and keep your feet on the ground." ... Teddy Roosevelt
3. "I trust that everything happens for a reason, even when we're not wise enough to see it." ... Oprah Winfrey
4. "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." ... Abraham Lincoln
5. "While working hard in life, once in a while, take a look at your life's big picture to make sure you are still in the picture." ... Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote

Maggi Instant Noodles... Looks good and tastes yummy!!!

Fried Mid-joint Chicken Wings

Brinjals with Green Pepper...Yummy!!!

Have we forgotten how to laugh already? Watch this...

When we were young, we used to laugh a lot, ask many questions, experiment with things and so on, but as we grow older, it seems that we don't do many of those things anymore or sometimes, we even stop doing them totally. Why?

QUOTES for ReadFlection....

1. "In a workplace with unfair management practices, good performers are usually given positive job punishment." ... Jonathan Ooi
2. "Being happy or sad is really a personal choice of the day. Why not start your day on a happy note?" ... Jonathan Ooi
3. "Talking without thinking is like walking without looking. It is sure to get into trouble." ... Jonathan Ooi, inspired by Lee Wee Meng
4. "We see with eyes open, but feel with eyes close." ... Jonathan Ooi
5. "I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence, I can reach for; perfection is God's business." ... Michael J. Fox

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote

Broccoli with Honey Cherry Tomatoes

Egg Tofu with Honey-baked Hams

Pumpkin with Bacon

It Doesn't Matter...

"It doesn't matter how expensive your watch is, but it is important to know that time is a limited resource and hence, to make the best use of your time. It doesn't matter how prestigious your car is, but it is important to know how to carry and conduct yourself appropriately and with dignity and self-respect. It doesn't matter how big your house is, but it is important to fill your house with love and warmth and make it a home-sweet-home.

It doesn't matter how highly qualified you are, but, it is important to be humble, respectful and never look down on others. It doesn't matter how lowly you may be, but it is important to remember that there is always a place under the sun for those who are honest and diligent. It doesn't matter how high your social status or position is, but, it is important to remember how you arrived there. It doesn't matter how poor you are, but, it is important to be rich in your values and virtues.

It doesn't matter which side of the bed you get up from, but, it is important to start your day on a happy note. It doesn't matter what happens in your life, but, it is important to understand the purpose, learn the lessons and move on. It doesn't matter how mammoth a task might seem, but, it is important to take the first positive step forward. It doesn't matter how many times you have failed, but, it is important not to give up too soon."

~ Authored by Jonathan Ooi

Fried Shrimp Cake

Latest QUOTES for ReadFlection...

1. "Men often become what they believe themselves to be. If I believe I cannot do something, it makes me incapable of doing it. But when I believe I can, then I acquire the ability to do it even if I didn’t have it in the beginning." ... Mahatma Gandhi
2. "A friend is someone who is there for you when he'd rather be anywhere else." ... Len Wein
3. ''A man makes a name for himself by being either very good or very bad, not being average.'' ... Jonathan Ooi
4. ''Building a relationship is hard, maintainining a relationship is even harder.'' ... Jonathan Ooi
5. ''We clarify our thoughts and enhance our experience through sharing with and listening to others.'' ... Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote

This is a Hydrometric Station installed along the Serangoon River to monitor the water level and it is solar-powered...

Cuttlefish with Broccoli and Tomatoes...

A wonderful riverside track for jogging and cycling ...

A wonderful riverside track for morning jog and cycling with perspiring-hot sunbeams, livened up by the sounds of birds chirping and fish rippling and freshened up by the breeze with seawater odour...

Simply The Best - Tina Turner

What to do when things don't happen as planned?

Life becomes challenging for most of us because things usually don't happen the way we plan and intend it to be, in both our personal and professional lives. In fact, we are often caught by things that happened unplanned and unexpectedly. Well, this is what life is all about!

Examples are numerous. Travel plans are cancelled unexpectedly. Sales targets are not met. Graduates are unemployed and employees are retrenched. Students could not get into the school or course of study of their choice; commuters could not get a taxi when they need it urgently and badly. Speakers and singers come down with sore throat or flu just before their performance.

Can we avoid or prevent them? If we can, by all means; but, if we can't, we have to find alternative ways to do it, get it done and achieve the planned results. To do that, we need to have a strong mental capability and capacity to adjust and adapt to new circumstances, so that we would still achieve our goals and results. We also need to be proactive, anticipate the problems that would likely occur and take preventive actions or formulate contingency plans.

QUOTES for weekend ReadFlection....

1. "By associating with wise people you will become wise yourself." ... Menander
2. "It's more meaningful to tell a person his good when he is alive than to give a long eulogy about him when he is dead." ... Jonathan Ooi
3. "A positive and cheerful outlook in life has positive effects on our health." ... Jonathan Ooi
4. "We tend to allow situations to become more serious and get out of control before we take control of them more seriously." ... Jonathan Ooi
5. "Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless." ... Mother Teresa

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote

Celery with Prawns

The Natural Habitats of Fishes...

When the tide is gone, the river bed is exposed; those cavities are the natural habitats of fishes, in this case, the Tilapias. In each cavity, live a few Tilapias. They usually have a claim on their territory and will fight off any intruders.

Improve our A.S.K. everyday!

"Everyday, do something to increase your useful knowledge, improve your attitudes or acquire new skills so as to enhance your personal growth and worth." ... Jonathan Ooi

We often hear people say, "That's me!", "I am happy with what I am doing!", "That is too difficult for me!", "IT is for the Y-generation!" etc... All these words reflect on the person's negative attitudes towards learning. Naturally, a person with such negative attitudes will never grow personally and his or her personal worth will not be enhanced either.

There are three aspects we should always make conscious efforts to increase, improve, enhance or enrich, they are our Attitudes, Skills and Knowledge (ASK in short).

Attitude is everything and it affects everything that a person is doing. It is the mindset of the person, and because our mind is usually so set in a particular track or way for years, and we are so reluctant to change it. But, once we begin to change our mindset or attitude for the better, everything else will change for the better as well. It is said, "Change our mind, and we will change our destiny." That is absolutely true! So, start changing our attitude in the positive direction. Be positive and stay positive at all times.

Skills are what we employ to do many tasks in life and at work. There are so many skills that we need to learn and use in our daily lives and work. With constant economic and technological development and advancement, we need to learn new skills or upgrade our old skills in order to perform the new tasks and perform them more efficiently. Those who do not do so will find themselves being marginalised or disadvantaged in many ways.

Knowledge is something that is ever expanding and exploding at this IT age and on the internet. We can practically find anything we want on the internet. For example, just type "encyclopedia" into a Google search, we would get 70,300,000 search results. Enormous amounts of information and knowledge at our disposal! We simply can't take all of them due to time constraints. Therefore, we have to learn to acquire the information and knowledge on a very selective and need-to basis. There is simply too much out there for us. Acquire what is relevant and useful to our purpose. Discard the rest.

It would be most useful and helpful if we could do something everyday to to increase our useful knowledge, improve our attitudes or acquire new skills so as to enhance our personal growth and worth.

Elvis Presley - How Great Thou Art

The Lyrics:

O Lord my God, When I'm in awesome wonder, Consider all the works Thy hands hath made; I see the stars, I hear the roaring thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation, And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart. Then I shall bow, in humble adoration, And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!" Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art. Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee, How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

QUOTES for the week...

1. "The next time before we criticise and judge others, be sure we are without flaws first." ... Jonathan Ooi
2. "Mental clarity, emotional stability and mutual respect provide a good platform for conflict resolution." ... Jonathan Ooi
3. "The best way to prepare for life is to begin to live." ... Elbert Hubbard
4. "We can't do wrong to put wrong things right; and we can't go wrong if we do the right things." ... Jonathan Ooi
5. "The best way to waste and ruin our lives is to keep worrying and doing nothing about it." ... Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote

Fruits and Vegetables juices for a change... Rabbit's diet?

Poor Design! The vehicles are blocking the pathway... Nothing has been done for years...

Can you roll your tongue? Try these...

There are some people who can't roll their tongue and the sentences spoken could mean something else. Try these sentences:

• "I want to lent a house near the Punggol Liver",
• "Go and blast your teeth",
• "I want a plate of Flied Lice",
• "My plinter cannot plint documents.",
• "How much is your gloss salaly?",
• "I don't like to dlink loot beer!"
• "I like to eat loti plata!"
• "These jokes are all oliginal, vely cleative, light?"

Just for a laugh...Cheers..:)

To make sure River does not turn into Liver, try this tongue twister everyday, "Round and round the rugged rock, the ragged rascal ran"... Enjoy it..cheers...:)

Improvised Home Urinal for Men using Recycled Bottle

Another Innovation of mine - Improvised Home Urinal for Men using Recycled Bottle - Saves about 90% water every session!!! Woohooooo...

For men, urinating into the home toilet bowl uses 4 litres of water for every flush (even with Half-Flush); while using the improvised Home Urinal uses less than 0.5 litre of water.

Well, it is a very simple idea. The design is a bit crude, though, but, surely very practical. It is now tested and certified to be fit for use.