Senor Pablo

Life is short

2012-01-17T22:30:00.000+08:00

Life is definitely short.

If you have a dream.....fulfill it

If you have an ambition...achieve it

If you have loved ones... care for them.

If you have a blog... pen it.

Hello Again.. 2012

2012-01-16T23:02:00.001+08:00

Has it been that long? Time to clean up the cobwebs off this blog. The guy in my head was telling me that I should have informed the readers of my absence.. but I said to myself...when I started the blog.. I never informed anyone or issued a press release for that matter.. As much as I respected my readers for visiting the blog, I decided to take a break from blogging.. but didn't realise it took me this long to come back..

What have I been doing since I was away? Picked up new skills and running has become a new passion for me.

Motto for 2012 :

Don't sweat over small matters. Live and let live..

Did anyone notice we have the most awesome sunsets? Good to go out once in a while to enjoy nature.. and most important to notice the beauty of nature.

Good to be back! :)

Brunei Pride

2011-02-25T18:47:00.001+08:00

I decided to dedicate my 1,000 post to Brunei 27th National Day Parade. As usual, it is my umpteenth time participating in the Parade and I can never forget the day that we celebrate our first National Day in 1984. The following are my own perspectives on event that happened on that day ( bearing in mind I was in the Parade - so I didn't had much opportunity to take photos apart from where I was standing ).

In a nutshell, I love seeing the high feelings of patriotism and Brunei Pride that were noticeable on that morning.

The Army are coming.

Uniform personnels showing Brunei Pride.

Ladies prefer to walk in trousers rather than baju kurong! Love the colours of their blouses!

march past.

View from the 15th Floor.

Umbrella display!

*****************************

King Prawn Sambal

2011-02-15T22:05:00.003+08:00

Mum had a celebrated life...and I don't blame her for it. Having been a domestic science teacher, own television cooking show for a decade, been in the food business for some 40 years and produced two published recipe books. I've told Mum that I would love to keep her 'heritage' recipes - that she kept over the years. This is one of them. I love this recipe not only because of it's simplicity but the flavours deriving from the sauce - a mix of sour, sweet and salty.

To those of you - health conscious out there- please do not write-off this dish because of it's cholesterol or saturated fat content. If you like me, I just enjoy them once a year. :)

Found them at the market today.. Fresh.

Got this recipe from my mum.. so I won't take credit for it.

Ingredients

1 kg King Prawns ( Use kitchen scissors and cut-off part of the sharp head, feelers, legs, tail and remove any pincers if they have)
10 pieces shallots- peeled skin
5 pieces garlic - peeled skin
2 table spoon blended chili ( boh cili)
1/2 cup Assam juice ( soak tamarind with water and remove the seeds)
1/2 cup coconut milk
20 g fresh tumeric
2 tsp sugar
salt and pepper to taste
Oil for frying.

Method

1. Fill 1/2 wok/frying pan with oil. When oil starts to boil, add prawns. Deepfry for 1 minute to medium cook them. DO Not overcook. Lift with a pair of tongs and and drain off oil with paper towel. Set prawns aside.

2. Put in blender Assam juice, tumeric, shallots and garlic. Blend on high speed for 2 minutes until mixture turn into paste. If stuck, add in little water so that the mixture will continue to blend.

3. Fry the paste with some oil in a wok/frying pan for about 10 minutes or so, or till paste become fragrant.

4. Add salt, pepper, sugar. Then add coconut milk and simmer on low heat for some 15 minutes.

5. Add in the prawns and cook for another 3-5 minutes.

6. Serve with plain rice. Bon Apetit..

Gong Xi Fa Cai

2011-02-03T02:26:00.000+08:00

When comes to ushering New Year, the Chinese community in Kuala Belait knows how to hit it with a bang! This year, they went all out in celebrating the arrival of the year of the Rabbit. A packed programme, big screen, an MC, music to accompany, lion dances and fireworks...definitely the works!

Decided to go down and check it out myself, boy! I was not disappointed. The crowd came packing in from 11 PM and the show started 10 minutes before midnight till 2.30 AM. Well-wishers went to the Temple and pray, while sounds of firecrackers and fireworks lighted up the usually quiet night. It was a spectacular evening with Lion dance performances. No regrets!!

Lanterns

Lighting up

Incense

Fire-crackers - deafening indeed.

Fireworks

Hello to the New Year.

MC doing a good job.

The Lion awakens

Road Stopper

It's Rabbit Season

2011-02-02T21:56:00.001+08:00

Bunny made by Bunny.

Wishing my Chinese friends a Very Happy New Year. A year long of good health and prosperity! Do enjoy bonding time with family and friends. :)

According to the Chinese Zodiac,

"Occupying the 4th position in the Chinese Zodiac, the Rabbit symbolizes such character traits as creativity, compassion, and sensitivity. Rabbits are friendly, outgoing and prefer the company of others. They also prefer to avoid conflict. In confrontational situations, Rabbits approach calmly and with consideration for the other party. Rabbits believe strongly in friends and family and lacking such bonds can lead to emotional issues."

Calling all Aussie Alumni

2011-01-28T06:14:00.000+08:00

So what's happening this Sunday? Calling all Aussie Alumni - those that studied or work in Australia or Australians working in Brunei. The 2011 Annual General Meeting of the Brunei-Australia Alumni Association will take place. Please register your attendance and nomination through the Alumni website.

Why join the Alumni you may ask? It is a great place to meet/network with other fellow graduates from Australian Universities or Higher Learning Institutions and relive the good ole days of your time in Australia.

Date: Sunday, 30 January 2011
Time: 2:30 - 3:30pm
Venue: House 11, Simpang 501, Jalan Kota Batu

Agenda:

1. Welcome and opening comments from the President A
2. Treasurer's Report
3. Election of Executive Committee Members for 2011-2013
4. Other business – Comments and questions from members

Afternoon tea: 3:30-4pm

Hope to see you there. :)

Hadfa @ Rimba

2011-01-27T22:29:00.000+08:00

If you drive through Tungku Link, you can't miss the big advertisement of Hadfa Recreation Park. I never took time to visit till now. I saw the place a large resort area with spa facilities, a fishing ground, a recreation park with karaoke facility and a restaurant - which is under a new management. It's officially opened now, serving local favourite dishes. I do understand from the interview with the owner of the restaurant that a fresh sea food menu is on the works..

The place is an excellent venue for family gatherings.

Some of the items included in the menu are : Mango Chicken

Kway Teow - Fried Rice Noodles.

Nasi Lemak with Beef Rendang. You can tell the Rendang is home cooked from the taste of it.

Buttermilk Chicken.

Butter Prawn

The Art of Batik

2011-01-22T23:56:00.000+08:00

We all love and appreciate batik fabric but have we ever thought of how they are made? yes! I hear you.. saying drawing with wax. But seriously, have you ever attempted batik painting? Well, in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, there lies Karyaneka, at Jalan Conlay that houses Malaysian craft. There is a little hut that provides batik painting workshop to anyone interested for a nominal fee. It is indeed one of my fave address in Kuala Lumpur that made me come back on several occasions for the past 10 years. It is also popular with expats and holiday makers, young and old. In fact, you do not need to have any certificate to try them, just bring along your enthusiasm and passion for learning. :)

Entrance to Karyaneka

The Classroom

There are many choices for you to decide. You can draw you own design, wax it and paint it or there is an option for you to get the resident artist to design and wax it and you just paint it. I took the initial option as I want to feel the WHOLE experience! Not easy...but awesome and rewarding!

After drawing my own heliconia design , then off to wax it using a tjanting. This is a fun part cos you need a steady hand to ensure the wax will flow nicely and covered the paths that you wanted to differentiate the colours. Do it slow..you may end with a brittle line.. so steady hand and soft long strokes will do the works!

After getting the wax lines checked by the resident artist, it's time to colour the painting. This again involves many techniques and brush strokes. Awesome learning experience I must say!! Loved it as it is relaxing. :)

The final product and waiting for it to dry and get the wax out, before the silk work being ironed and frame. This will go into my living room, with three other batik paintings that I did before. A great conversation starter when guests come and visit you.

So, on the next trip to Kuala Lumpur, if you are tired of shopping or looking for an activity to fill your afternoon, do drop by Karyaneka at Jalan Conlay. You get to bring home your own batik painting and tell your friends of your own achievement. : )

I Represent

2011-01-21T22:22:00.000+08:00

A new T shirt being designed by Fakrul Islam captured my attention. Simple but the message is clear.

This is what he shared with me about the design of the T Shirt

"wearing 'I.REPRESENT' is being an advocate for Brunei's local act. Support the Local Entertainment Industry with DANCE, MUSIC, ARTS, PERFORMANCE and even SPORTS.ring the pride of your country everywhere you go and REPRESENT IT!"

Awesome! I sure like the idea and opportune time too. Our National Day is coming up this February. Time to get in gear in showing the country's pride. Interested parties can get in touch with Fakhrul Islam on Facebook or SMS him 88332433.

My driveway got blocked!

2011-01-21T21:52:00.000+08:00

I just wonder if you ever experience such a situation. Come Raya Open House time or wedding/Tahlil Time, when visitors come to your neighbourhood, your driveway got blocked. As much as I have respect for these communal occasions, it does irk you when you stuck in your own garage...unable to move your car, especially if you happen to have an appointment and need to go out.

Do you have to put up a signboard and say "please do not park here" or "I will go out soon". Aiyah! Come on lah!!! The driveway is so obvious wide and there are cars parked in the house garage. So, there is life present there, if they must know! LOL!!

It happened today. Funny thing is that people look at you strangely like you are the problem, not them!! #FAIL!

Camera Phone Outing

2011-01-16T21:39:00.002+08:00

After last night outing with Dave and this morning cool weather, makes me want to just pull my blanket and continue sleeping. LOL!! Since I already made commitment to come to today's first camera phone outing, I pulled my energy and left the house. Silly me I made it to SOAS College instead of the Taman..hahaha but managed to meet up with the Group.

It was a great outing and I'm glad that I went. Thank you to the organisers Lisa and Hanisham. Happy to meet up with new friends and rekindling old acquaintances as well. The thought of taking photos from a phone camera sounds daunting but that is the challenge and task today. Phone mobility has really change the way we share photos. No longer do I need to go home and edit my photos. All done and uploaded instantly during my shoot! :)

Using iphone4 and instagram app, the following are my fave shots:

Love on a Sunday Morning.

Venice of the East - reminded me much of the new Jolie flick- The Tourist.

White!

Ben- Reach out and Touch me!

60th Anniversary Monument

Hong Kong Alley?

My name is not Roberts.

I hate if when people do this to my car- Waste. If you want to advert, use the Internet, not print paper and make others just throw it away!!

Mau beli Ayam?

Photos shared by others during the outing:

AnakBrunei

Geek in White

Photo enthusiasts - do look out for future outing invites on Facebook!!

Meet Another Dave

2011-01-15T23:44:00.000+08:00

I must have a penchant meeting someone named Dave. The last one was a foodie from Singapore. It's a second time for me and this time, is a Los Angeles-based Travel Journalist who came to visit Brunei for a few days.

David trying out some beef lung at the Gadong Night Market.

"I had been wanting to visit Brunei for several months but just bought the plane ticket 5 days before my flight, and started planning the trip about 2 days in advance. Throwing out a note on Twitter that I was coming to Brunei I was contacted by an English teacher who helped me setup a few of my upcoming tours. Talk about last minute planning!"

David Thompson definitely believes being on social media helps connect people and places :) Thank you to @Zulfadly (the English Teacher) for introducing him to me and tonight we took him to the Gadong Night Market to get an introduction of the local food. I know he has been to several eateries but I wanted him to try the local pulut panggang (which he did) and maybe tongkeng (which he didn't). I also wanted to share with him the perspective of how the local palette has changed since last decade with the existence of migrant workers and the introduction of food like Nasi Ayam Penyet. It was then off for some local beef rendang before we end it with coffee.

We had good conversation about travel and culture - how important to understand the story behind the food and appreciating local cuisine in understanding the local culture. From the sound of our conversation, we share the same perspective. I know Dave has been an ardent traveller from our conversation and I wanted to tap his views on what makes Brunei saleable in terms of the tourist market. I do know for the fact that Brunei is not on a popular tourist trail as we differs in many ways from other tourist spots in the region. But the following are the words of Dave, the man himself:

Genuine people
Beautiful Mosques
Safety for Travelers
Peaceful
Virgin Pristine rainforest

I did further asked him if liquor is a problem. He told me it is not him but maybe for others. From the sound of our conversation, he did enjoy his trip. I have never stayed at the Youth Hostel but he told me it is a steal with B$10 or US$7 - you get a bed, free wifi, pool, and hot water. What more can you ask, he added.

I was also fascinated hearing about his travel stories as we exchanged stories on places we have visited. I also posed him a question on which country is a must visit? He quickly replied JORDAN for the Petra World Wonder and Wadi Rum. I'm definitely making a note on that recommendation. :)

You can follow David - twitter @davedtc and his travel blog at davestravelcorner (the site that has been going on for the last 15 years, he claimed). He believes in 'seeing the World one step at a Time'. Do follow Dave at his Travel Corner, you never know- you may get tips on travels and where to visit.

Early Morning jog

2011-01-09T22:34:00.001+08:00

It's not everyday you get opportunity to run at a lovely park like the one they have at KLCC. Below are photos of scenes from an early morning jog. Like the serenity of the place and early morning is a good time for reflection on life! The nice thing is that I am not alone as there are many people that took opportunity of the early morning time. On the way back, saw people coming to work. Nice.. while I head back to the hotel for shower / breakfast and catch the flight home. :)

It's been a long time since I see scenes like this. Street Hawker in front of the construction of Grand Hyatt Hotel.

Bukit Bintang- Little Middle East

2011-01-09T08:16:00.000+08:00

I was rather surprised to see the development of Bukit Bintang to be a lilttle Middle East. It reminded me much of Sukhimvit Soi 3 in Bangkok where you can eat authentic Middle Eastern cuisine, smoke shisha and the ambience reminds you much of areas in cities like Dubai.

I was on a search for good Middle Eastern food. Two initial attempts to patron eateries in Ampang area failed. One was a Moroccan designed restaurant located at a house. Although the decor looks authentic, the moment you step in, you can smell the stuffiness and tables were not properly cleaned even though there was no patron at this place ( I was wondering why no patron). After making our orders, the waiter decided to spring a surprise on us, indicating that there is a surcharge of 30% on our food order since it was a public holiday and they had to worked overtime. It was shock for me since there was no customer at this joint and the cheek of trying to rip-off a tourist. I gladly said good-bye and left the place.

A few doors, we finally settled to another busy Middle Eastern eatery. Situated in a house, the place looked full. I got a feeling this place must be good due to the number of patrons. Decided to order fatoush, lamb kabsah and grilled chicken on skewers. I was disappointed cos the lamb kabsah was not warm enough and it looked like it was cooked in mass, to cater for the many patrons. Didn't enjoy it much either.

Hmmm.. So many places to try but which one. As recommended by fellow blogger Basim, I headed out to Sahara Tent near Bukit Bintang and for once, I finally like the quality of food here.

Lamb Arayes - reminds me of roti martabak minus the oil. Really nice. Makes a great starter. I also ordered the humus which was delightful too.

After disappointed with the previous night Kabsah dish, I ordered a chicken version and I was not disappointed this time. Same taste as the one I tried in Mecca. Chicken and Rice were soft and fluffy. Spices was there but not overbearing.... which I like.. Excellent!!

Thanks Basim for the recommendation.

Another eatery that I patron was Al-Amar Express. You can't missed it if you walk to Lot 10. Although there is a full pledge restaurant at the Pavilion, the artwork, music and ambience here caught my attention.

I tried two items : Spinach Fatayer- chopped spinach with lemon and herbs. Whet my appetite...

... and Lamb Kufta Antabli- simply delish.

I'm happy!! :)

Jalan Jalan Cari Makan : The Loaf @ Pavilion

2011-01-06T19:57:00.000+08:00

Was in Kuala Lumpur for a few days for a bit of R n R and change of scenery... as they say... familiarity breeds boredom. I finally realised it's been 5 years since I last visited Kuala Lumpur for a holiday. It's been that long and I lost track of many places and developments. Pavilion was never there before and Bukit Bintang as mini Dubai? I'm amazed.

I found The Loaf at Pavilion and it has to be my fave bakery for the simple reason I love the products that they baked. It's different from other bakeries and I like the wholesome products that they used in their pastries, bread and cakes. A great place for afternoon tea or if you hungry, there is a bistro above the bakery. I didn't try the Bistro as I was glued to the baked goodies. : )

During my first visit, I was lost for words on what to choose. I decided to try the white tea, caramel banana tartin and chocolate danish. Fabulous!!

On the next day, I opted for the Magazin D'amond ( a chocolate filled crossaint - abit hard on the the outside but soft and lovely on the inside), Galette Choco Coco ( coconut flaked covered chocolate filled pastry) and banana supreme. Love all them!!

I'm definitely sold by the products. I now know where to spend for afternoon tea on my next visit to Kuala Lumpur.

Fitness Goals 2011

2011-01-05T22:42:00.002+08:00

photo: scenes of Kuala Lumpur

For my first post of the new year, I wanted to focus on fitness goals. I know at this time of the year, many have included in their New Year resolution to keep fit. But come February, all the enthusiasm dies down and the goal just remain a goal, nowhere to be seen or remembered. This post is intended to share tips that I have tried and tested. Hope it will give you motivation to continue and achieve your fitness goals.

Some facts for you to know;

In order to lose weight, there is not short-cuts I'm afraid such as machine, pills or diet alone.
The idea is to burn calories through cardio or aerobic activies. Fat will start to burn after the 20th minutes of aerobic exercies ( running, hiking, swimming,walking, cycling). So the more time you spent doing the exercises, the more calories you burn. The concept of input-output applies here. The more you burn, the more you lose weight.
If losing weight is your goal, then you need to ensure that you do not gain the calories you lost.
The idea is to trick your body by ensuring there is steady energy supply. Eat 5 small meals instead of 3- that wil help you have continuous energy that will help you burn calories. Suggestions - meal 1 - oatmeal with banana breakfast, meal 2 - coffee with apple, Meal 3 - smoked chicken salad sandwich, Meal 4 - green tea and a small tub of yogurt, meal 5- pumpkin soup.
Discipline yourself 6 days a week with low calorie meals but reward yourself with something that you crave ( small portion please)- it could be chicken rice or ice cream. By doing so, it will help your mind focus on your goal and not on the food

For those first timers wanting to get back into fitness, it is advisable to check with your own GP Doctor - to assess your own health. Start with walking 40mins 3 x a week to gain some stamina before you embark on more strenous activity.

1. Join a gym/studio and pay upfront at least 6 months to a year. This will motivate you to continue with your fitness routine cos you have paid for it and have to continue in order not to waste what you have paid for.

2. Engage a personal trainer to help you assess your fitness goals, assist you with a programme that you can pursue and give you positive feedback on your achievements.

3. If gym is not your scene but more jog,swim, hike or walk- suggest you get a group of likeminded people, to join. The group will help you motivate but if your friend takes you to eat after the fitness activity, I suggest it is best to find another friend who can help you stick to your fitness goal.

Lastly, clock in enough hours of sleep. Rest is important in ensuring that your recuperate from your healthy activities.

Good luck!

Good Bye 2010, Hello 2011

2010-12-31T23:42:00.001+08:00

I was contemplating what to blog for my year end post. Last year, I posted about planning your way for the New Year and I see it still relevant for those wanting to start their New Year Resolution. I also posted on Life with 3Es - Energy, Enthusiasm and Empathy.

Reading some of my fellow bloggers, I like Turquoise and Roses' approach, looking back into the year. Spiritual Garden did the same. Hmm.. should I do my take for the year? Anakbrunei's post on Terima Kaseh inspired me that I should post on a Thank you Note to you, my readers, who has been with me all this year and since I started the blog. Your continued readership and support made me continue this blog.

It has been an eventful year as far as I'm concerned. Most memorable event has to be working with the local blogging community's in the efforts to raise funds to increase awareness on breast cancer and SMARTER.

I am most humbled by Ranoadidas' kind nomination for Person(s) of the Year 2010. In reality, it is a testimony that goes to the local bloggers that work hand in hand in making these events a reality. It was the likemindedness in us that brought us together and taking blogging to a different plane - supporting local charity organisations. I can never thank enough the media partners- they know who they are - their incessant support to our events and highlighting the work that we do. Equally important is the community spirit in everyone that came forward and support these local causes. A big THANK YOU!

I have no intention to be the Charity King but it was a human instinct that I learned from my father that whenever we see someone seeking help, we must go out and lend a hand in whatever small way we can as it goes a long way in helping them. I also realised that we do face problems, big and small, on a daily basis. But doing volunteer work made me realised that there are bigger problems out there that need our attention. As John Rey put it, charity begins at home.

May the Sky be the limit for your happiness this New Year and Always. Wishing you bigger things in 2011!

"Kindness expands the light within us and reaches out to touch the light in others as well. This can change the world." Daily Om

Do remember this :

Open Your Heart and the World will open back to you!

Seafood Hunt

2010-12-31T00:16:00.000+08:00

We decided to go early for evening dinner, to avoid the crowd and since everyone was hungry from all the swim and activities. During the first night, we decided to try the sea food stall at Taman Awan Miri.

It turned out well beyond our expectations. Good quality sea food, good recipes and taste.

Cockles

Butter Prawn

Asam Fish

Crispy Fried Chicken Wings

....and too many to put here. Overall, the food met our expectations and reasonably price for the 33 of us.

A-MIRI-KA

2010-12-31T00:08:00.001+08:00

I underestimate Miri - one of the border towns which is frequently visited by Bruneians during the weekend for R n R. I don't know how the joke of going to Miri became Amirika.. I guess to make it sound more foreign in view of the short journey/distance.

When Bunny invited me to join her and her siblings and their children, for a few days retreat, I initially turned it down for the simple reason it would be a ladies' retreat among sistas and their children. But Bunny insisted that I should tag along. I was just wondering what would I be doing. Hmm.. I guess sleeping, eating and swimming!!

I finally tag along for security reasons. Many of my nieces and nephews were there including my own kids. So I ended like a Godfather with 33 kids. LOL!! We got some 12 rooms booked along the same corridor and it was like we took over part of the hotel's wing.

It turned out to be a blast for the simple reason - Marriot Resort Hotel and Spa is really a resort which I loved. Good breakfast, gym with ping pong, secure parking, arranged shuttle service into town and great stretch of seaside that you can walk along, jog or even wait for the Sun to set.

Hate the thought of living somewhere above a shopping Mall cos you end up shopping and sitting in coffee shops all the time. But this was different. Agenda in the morning started with a 6.30 AM swim and frisbee. Followed by Breakfast and then got the hotel to organise a shuttle service into town to grab some lunch and let them ladies and kids do abit of shopping. But come 2.00 PM everybody were back at the hotel and again swim...while others took a siesta! Come 4.00 pm the pool was alive again with everyone in the pool and playing water guns, slides and frisbee.

Come evening - it was seafood hunt ( which I will blog seperately) and then off to Starbucks for coffee. The rest of the evening ended with the kids playing board games and even a late swmming session.

Overall, it was a good family retreat whereby family bonding renewed. The kids came home thinking about the good times that they had and planned for something similar in 2011.

A Syrian Dinner

2010-12-29T23:39:00.001+08:00

Been wanting to catch up with fellow blogger Basim Mousilli for the past few months but to no avail. We've been criss-crossing each other since we live at both ends of the country. He has been inviting me to come down to his end, on many occasions to join him for fitness workouts but time didn't permit. I always tease him there are better fitness routines at my end of the country. LOL!!!

But we finally nail down a meet up, to coincide with his birthday and boy! What a treat! Seriously! It's one of the best Middle Eastern Dinners that I ever had and it's been that long since I had authentic Middle Eastern Cuisine. Brace yourself for the gastronomy photo adventure. I wish blogs have 4 D effect so that readers can scratch and at least smell the flavours of the food.

My sincere gratitude to the host and his lovely wife, Noura - who started cooking from 9 AM to prepare this wonderful meal for us.

We started with a starter - Tomato with Mozzarella Cheese.

Lentil Soup with Kibbeh

There is Tabouleh Salad

No Middle Eastern meal will be complete without pickles.

One of the mains - Roast Chicken with Lemon. Simple but tender!

Kabsah Rice I remember buying this in Mecca during my Haj trip. Me and Bunny used to enjoy them eating in our room. Nicely spiced but not overbearing.

Lamb Stew with Chickpeas - served with Couscous. I reserved the best for last as this is my fave dish during the dinner. Noura told me she cooked this for almost 4 hours, giving it full attention and tender loving care. It shows from the taste and final product. I want to learn to make this from her.

We didn't come empty handed. Brought along a flourless Chocolate Cake for dessert and present to the birthday man, which came in handy when served with Turkish Coffee.

What a wonderful evening I must say. Thanks again to our hosts!

Do visit Basim's blog and read about his take on expat's life in Brunei and his travels in the region. :)

Is there such a thing as a Bad Day?

2010-12-29T11:18:00.000+08:00

Having a bad day at work? My take is that there is no such thing as bad day, just bad people around.

Interesting article from the Chief Happiness Officer. Read on!

Bad days happen to the best of us. Days where you just wake up in a really bad mood. Where something (or nothing) has made you angry, sad, frustrated, disappointed, whatever. Days where you know up front that “MAN, this is going to suck”.

You still have to get up and go to work, but before you even get there, you’re already seething inside. You try to do your job but somehow all the angry, dissatisfied clients have conspired to call you and complain on the same day – though you have no idea how they coordinated that little feat.

Everything your co-workers say to you sounds incredibly stupid. Everyone seems out to annoy you. The next person to open his mouth is likely to get his head ripped clean off.

Not much fun, huh? Luckily, you can do something about it. Here are six ways to turn around a bad day.

1: Accept your bad mood
Being in a bad mood is not that hard. Being in a bad mood while trying to force yourself to cheer up really sucks.

Fighting a bad mood only prolongs it, so if you’re mad, be mad. If you’re sad, be sad. This does not give you license to be rude and unpleasant to innocent bystanders, it just means that you need to recognize and accept your bad mood to be able to do something about.

2: Tell others
In one chapter of the Happy At Work Book, I describe how the IT support department at medical company Leo Pharma give employees permission to say when they’re having a bad day. With the result that people have fewer bad days and recover faster from the ones they do have.

You can try to keep you bad mood a secret and put on your happy mask. Guess what, you’re fooling nobody. Your co-workers will notice and they will wonder what they’ve done to piss you off.

The best thing to do, is to tell the people you work closely with. Simply tell them “listen guys, I’m in a really sour mood to today. I’m not sure why, but it’s nothing you have done. If I bite your head off, I apologize in advance”.

3: Look inside first
In the extremely influential book Emotional Intelligence, Daniel Goleman argues that EQ, your emotional quotient, is what makes you successful, not IQ. This means that the truly successful people are not the smart ones but the ones with the best emotional skills.

Goleman defines five emotional competencies that make up EQ, two of which are:

1. The ability to identify and name one’s emotional states and to understand the link between emotions, thought and action.

2. The capacity to manage one’s emotional states — to control emotions or to shift undesirable emotional states to more adequate ones.

In other words, EQ relies on your ability to recognize and deal with your own emotions.

When you’re in a bad mood, it’s extremly tempting to look around you for sources of that mood. “Man I’m annoyed today. Must be Paul talking loudly on the phone. Or Lisa being late with the specs once again. Or…”

We tend to think that a bad mood is always caused by something or someone else. And when we’re in a bad mood, everything suddenly becomes annoying, making it even easier to find justifications for the bad mood.

But not every bad mood has a reason. Maybe you just slept badly. Or you’re coming down with the flu. Or you’re just having a bad day. In these cases, trying to justify a bad mood is a sucker’s bet.

Instead, you must look inside yourself first, to see what might or might not be the cause of your negative emotional state. Here’s one way to do it.

4: Remember the good stuff
When you’re in a foul mood, everything is bad. But the good things you appreciated yesterday, where you weren’t as annoyed, are probably still there – you’re just not seeing them.

Spend a few moments to try think of at least one or two things that aren’t all bad. Something you look forward to. A person you like at work. Something nice that happened recently.

5: This too shall pass
You’ve been in a bad mood before. It passed. So will this one. It’s no big deal.

6: Take some quiet time
And if you’re having a really bad day, it may be a good idea to withdraw a little if you can. Take a walk in your lunch break. Sit and work somewhere quiet. Take a loooooong bathroom break. Consider going home early or taking the day off.

NB

The tips in this post work for the occasional bad day. If you find yourself having one bad day after another, you need to do something more. Your job may be bringing you down, and you may be in danger of contracting stress. You may even be having a depression. If you think this may be happening, do something and talk to someone.

Taken From Alexander Kjerulf

Bruce Lee, My Brother

2010-12-28T00:17:00.001+08:00

I grew up watching the late legend's film such as The Big Boss, Fist of Fury, Enter the Dragon and the Game of Death. Saw all his moves, his signature hair style and how his martial arts brought fame to him. But the new biopic 'Bruce Lee, My brother' as told by his own brother, Robert Lee, is a first part of trilogy looking at the life story of the Kung Fu Legend, which we may not seen much from the movies that he had acted. There are many facts that the viewer will learn from the movie, funnily how his name 'Bruce' originates and how he started acting at the mere age of one and his passion for acting grew as he grow older. Another fact is how his family household is so close-knitted with some 30 people living under one roof. One of his charismatic character is seen from the movie - his selfless act for his friends.

According to Moviesdx, this new film is:

"Created from his family’s wish to bring Bruce Lee‘s true life to screen to squash the many inaccuracies there are in the media about him.....This new movie about Bruce Lee looks like it’s going to give us a real insight into his personal life, from his life when he was young, to his Cha Cha Cha days and his street fighting moments. "

Arif Lee or Rahman played a convincing role as young Lee with his physique and martial arts energy, and definitely a newcomer to watch. I didn't realise the movie is some two hours long. Entertaining if you are a fan of the legend and enjoys watching autobiographies. I'm definitely looking forward to the two sequels as this movie ends up with him leaving for USA.

Holiday

2010-12-23T16:33:00.002+08:00

Been busy with two weddings for the past three weeks, I've decided to go into hibernate mode and recover my energy level. It's been a hectic year for me as far as I remember. Time to put my feet up and just 'santai' till New Year, and hang out with the families. Wishing those celebrating Christmas, Happy Festivity and everyone a very Happy New Year 2011. I found this on BlueZone - on tips for happiness Gift Giving. Interesting indeed- the gift of a life experience is memorable!!

3 Tips for Happiness Gift-Giving

Research shows that the "newness" of a new thing wears off in 9-14 months, but the luster of an experience grows with time. So, when buying gifts this holiday season, consider the following:

1. For your friends
Cooking Classes, Massage, Yoga Lessons — Pursuing a hobby, moving naturally AND sharing it with your friends--that's a huge happiness boost!
2. For your loved ones
A Vacation, a Pride Shrine — Build lasting memories or create a display of favorite memories to give someone special a daily dose of joy.
3. For your children
Art or Music Classes, Rock Climbing Lessons, a Pet! — Developing a long lasting interest in art or a hobby yields long-term well-being benefits. And giving a pet, while creating stress at first, will bring calm and long-term happiness to your home, not to mention the added physical activity you'll enjoy!

Shop@Sarah having a sale

2010-12-23T16:32:00.000+08:00