Unconditional giving in a conditional world

The world is a conditional place to live in. This is especially so in Singapore. You have to put in your fair share of labour to get a fair share of your earnings. You have to work hard in order to play hard. You have to scrimp and save in order to retire early. In short, you have to sacrifice some things in order to gain others.

Maybe that is why the world is such a harsh place to live in. Everyone is trained to look out for what they will get back in return for performing a task or act. Maybe it is such because we start from young; afterall, the children are trained to receive their rewards for attempting to keep quiet or be good.

2 days ago, I went shopping for groceries in preparation for the upcoming CNY. I was loading grocceries into my car when I was approached by a man for assistance. He asked if I could help to start up his car, as his car battery has gone flat. It wasn't a reflex action to help a stranger, more so in an open space carpark in Johor Bahru. Nevertheless, I performed that selfless act - I drove my car over, parked it beside his and opened my bonnet.

It didn't occur to me that I have done a kind deed. Maybe Syl reminded me of my selflessness. Maybe it was the 'Thank You' I heard 4 times during the deed. Maybe it was the 'Sorry' I heard thrice as he was leaving. As I walked back into the shopping mall to continue my shopping, I suddenly realised the power of such a simple act.

Speaking in an unfair world

I took part in the PA Humorous Speech Contest. It was the preliminary round, whereby the top 12 contestants will qualify for the finals. I gave my best shot and delivered a humorous speech. Based on the laughter created and my friends' feedback, I know I would have made it to the top 12. Alas, I was disqualified as I spoke past the maximum  allocated time for 2 seconds.

I took part in the Division S Humorous Speech Contest. It was a contest which pitched the Champion of the Area Speakers amongst each other. I gave my best and delivered a humorous speech. Based on the laughter created and my friends' feedback, I know I would have been the 1st runner-up. Alas, I was disqualified as I spoke past the maximum allocated time for 2 seconds yet again.

I took part in today's chapter meeting. It was yet another humorous speech. This time round, I deliberately deleted a segment of my speech so that I could have sufficient time to tell my jokes. I gave my best and delivered a humorous speech. Based on the laughter and my friends' feedback, I know it was a purposeful effort that lightened the meeting's atmosphere. Alas, I did not win as some other speaker was not disqualified even when he spoke past the maximum allocated time for 6 seconds.

I asked myself -  where is the fairness in this world? I believed in it, yet it didn't prove itself. Though I believe in the system of fairness, I am losing trust in the people that manages it. If the world is unfair, then am I supposed to be unscrupulous just to fight for my rights? If I am unscrupulous so that I can be fair to an unfair world, then all morals been lost in this real world?

When one does not come prepared

Some holiday destinations, like Vietnam, can be done in an unprepared manner, but others, like Beijing, can't. I decided to travel to Beijing in a spontaneous fashion so as to utilise my free air-ticket over the long weekend. Maybe it was that last-minute decision that made me too lazy to plan any of my itinerary. But I did not even shortlist any accommodation for my 2-night stay. This resulted in me:

1. Walking around the city early in the morning to search for my accommodation

I must have walked at least 4km. I must have knocked on the doors of 5 hotels. As I wasn't sure of the market-rate, I had to walk back to an earlier hotel to confirm my accommodation. And only 1 night of accommodation (in Citytel Inn) was available as the rooms were fully booked the next day.

2. Continuing my search for accommodation

As I did not have any accommodation for the next night, I had to keep a look-out for possible cheap-and-good stays whilst on the go. As I walked along the streets of Beijing on my 1st night, I had to detour to nearby inns to ask for room rates. It was a tedious exercise. It's like a Bejing hotel search carried out the manual way, not the Internet way.

3. Paying double the rate

My room rate for the second night was RMB400 (S$83.40). My room rate for the 1st night was RMB200 (S$41.70). The room was more spacious and the amenties were slightly better, but these were good-to-have items as budget was a concern. It exceeded my budget, but it was the cheapest room that I could have find. The motel was along 东单北大街, but the name of this motel chain slipped my mind.

For some places (and issues), one has to come prepared. I just have to know what these places (and issues) are. Otherwise, I have to learn it the hard way - just like how I punished myself during the Beijing trip.

Superior service in Yomi Hotel

We stayed at Yomi Hotel for the last 3 days of our Taiwan holiday. The hotel was booked by me, after some research. I was glad that we decided to book the hotel by ourselves. We did not take the easy way out by applying for extended nights through the travel agency, because (i) these hotels are not conveniently located, and (ii) they are not value-for money.

I know I am in a pleasant hotel when the hotel spring several surprises to delight me, such as:

1. The snacks in the room were complimentary. They included chips, a instant bowl of beef noodles and 2 mini-biscuits.

2. These snacks were replenished everyday.

3. There was a wide range of toiletries, which includes mouthwash and nice-smelling shampoo.

4. There was at least 50 TV channels on our 40-inch LCD television set. How addictive it was as I constantly glued my eyes on the screen.
5. The receptionist was helpful with details on how I can get to the airport.

6. The receptionist was kind to allow us to check-in an hour and a half before the check-in time of 2.00pm.

7. The hotel staff updated the weather forecast every day to inform us how cold it might get, should we decide to step out of the hotel.

8. The manager was friendly to recommend places to visit, such as XinBeiTou hot spring and GongGuan night market.
9. The hotel provided a personalised travel guide that lists down the recommended eateries, shopping outlets and stores within walking distance from the hotel.

What more can I ask for -  when I'm paying less than S$100 per night for a 5-star service?

Martyr's Shrine - History still stands strong

The Martyr's Shrine, resting on the slopes of Chingshan Mountain and overseeing Keelung River, is located right next to the Grand Hotel. It was built in 1969 and covers a large area.

The shrine has a grand and magnificent architectural style, which symbolizes the martyrs' brave spirit. More than 33,000 square meters of grass fields surround the structure. Protected by the neighboring mountains, the shrine breathes a serene atmosphere that emphasizes its solemn and stately character. The Martyr's Shrine is dedicated to approximately 330,000 men. They sacrificed their lives by either overthrowing the Ching Dynasty before the establishment of the Republic of China in 1911, or falling during the Sino-Japanese war (1938-1945) and the Chinese Civil war (1945-1949).

Worth mentioning are the military police officers who guard the main gate, and who have been rigidly trained to stand like expressionless statues and to remain unmoved by the teasing of crowds. Visitors alike are amazed at this display of composure and flock to see the ceremonial changing of the guards. I was one of those visitors who took photos with an expressionless guard. I even had the opportunity to watch the guard-changing ceremony and an additional performance by the senior guards. Each day, the shrine stands strong and the ceremony proceeds without fail.

Taiwan allocates her resources in order to preserve and protect their history. Is history that important to one's existence? Shouldn't we focus on the present and the future? Or is there a need to know our forefather's hardship in order to appreciate today?

The first to see LASIK

In the process of de-cluttering, I found a file containing information & receipts on LASIK. It might be just a file, but it brought back memories of my LASIK experience during my undergraduate days.

Wavefront-guided LASIK (laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis)  is a variation of LASIK surgery in which, rather than applying a simple correction of focusing power to the cornea (as in traditional LASIK), an ophthalmologist applies a spatially varying correction, guiding the computer-controlled excimer laser with measurements from a wavefront sensor. The goal is to achieve a more optically perfect eye, though it was still in its early stages with preliminary findings showing more superior results than the traditional LASIK then.

My experience started with a public forum on 'Wavefront and LASIK' that I attended on 13th April 2002 at Tan Tock Seng Hospital. I remembered paying $5 for the forum which gave me information on the benefits and cost of LASIK done locally. It wasn't easy making a decision at that point in time. In 2002, LASIK hasn't landed in Singapore. It was still in its infant stages - with procedures being strictly controlled by the hospitals. Information wasn't easily available. No friends have done it and I had to rely on the Internet to make a conscious decision to go for it.

I remembered asking my bespectacled doctor during the eye check-up - why he did not go for LASIK himself. His reply was 'LASIK is a lifestyle, just like wearing spectacles is.' He added that his degrees was only about 200 and each of us need to evaluate the benefits versus the cost in going for LASIK.' His answer didn't comfort me; he laid down the bare truth of going for such a cosmetic operation.

I was a student then, and I sacrificed a lot in order to fulfil my dreams of seeing the world clearly without aids.

1st visit, which includes a consultation and a cornea topography = $128.30

2nd visit for a cornea topography = $60.00

Cost of wavefront lasik for left eye = $2,298.00

Left eye check-up = $75.85

Cost of wavefront lasik for right eye = $2,298.00

Re-visit 1 = $30.00

Re-visit 2 = $43.30

Re-visit 3 = $43.30

Total Cost of my LASIK operation in 2002 = $4,976.75

Factoring a yearly inflation of 3.5%, that sum is equivalent to approximately $6,780 in today's terms. Today's LASIK operations are selling for a third of this price and are carried out with a third of this hassle.

But I never regretted my 2002's decision - to be a pioneer in living my own dreams of having perfect vision. It was a well-thought-of decision, for I have considered the benefits of such an operation. Today, I am still enjoying such a benefit. On hind sight, do I regret going for LASIK when the cost was high? No, I do not think so, because (i) there were many achievements I did w/o my specs since 2002, and (ii)I might not have done it when I'm older.

The need for setting resolutions

Many people feel that there is no need for setting resolutions. Afterall, they fail to achieve these dreams that were prescribed by them in the first place. I thought of giving a miss to my annual phase of 'Setting Resolutions', because my life was so busy that this activity has taken a step back.

But I fell into a mini-depression recently, for I felt a meaningless life that seemed to be going nowhere. Today, I decided that I have to give myself some small goals for this year. Add them all up, they might seem daunting but I know that achieving them would give me the sense of achievement that my life has become better.

Today, I set small goals in the areas of:
1. Family/Marriage
2. Finance
3. Toastmasters
4. Fitness
5. Personal Development
6. Work
Today, my life has already become better.

Marrying the Mafia II

Ms Hong, the big boss of a powerful group gives a mission to his three sons to find an elite daughter-in-law for his first son In-Jae. In-Jae finally has a crush on a beautiful lady, Jin-Kyung. However, it is found that Jin-Kyung is a criminal prosecutor for violent crimes, which could end the family in hot soup. 

Eventually, In-Jae and Jin-Kyung got together as a couple, but of course, the couple do not end up happily ever after yet. When a gang that Jin-Kyung is investigating on, steps in to challenge the White Tiger Family, Jin-Kyung  was left with no choice but to handcuff In-Jae personally. It was a saddening point within the movie, because work has presided over love.

But as all movies end on a happy note, true love eventually prevailed when she quitted her job as a prosecutor and became the defence lawyer for him in court. Indeed, it was a romantic slapstick comedy about two people on completely different sides of the law falling for each other, but I believed one can draw certain learning points out of every story.

What's HOT in Taitung

Whilst in Taitung, we went to soak in a hot spring called 盈家溫泉 before heading for Master Bear Resort. It's lucky that we reached there early because by the time we left, it became dark and a queue was formed. I liked the hot spring we had because:

(i) It was in an exotic and non-commercialised place,

(ii) It was probably a natural hot spring because there are many 'live' hot springs in Taitung County,

(iii) We paid only NT100 (S$4.50) each for a personalised hot spring room with shower facilities,

(iv) We managed to watch sunset whilst enjoying the hot spring, as we were there from 5.15 to 6.15pm, and

(iv) It was quality time well spent in an enclosed area that felt close to nature.

Taiwan is famous for hot springs, but I wasn't sure if water from the hot springs were from the ground or from the town. But I guess the further I travel away from the town, there is a stronger likelihood that it was from the ground. Afterall, Taiwan is part of the collision zone between the Yangtze Plate and Philippine Sea Plate. Both eastern and southern Taiwan form the northern end of the Philippine Mobile Belt. As Taiwan is located next to an oceanic trench and volcanic system in a tectonic collision zone, it has evolved an unique environment that produces high-temperature springs with crystal-clear water.

It was widely believed that the overall effect of soaking in a hot spring tends to be a relaxing one. Unnecessary stress and tension can be dissolved, allowing our qi to flow more smoothly through all of the meridians. When qi flows smoothly through the meridians, we connect with our fully-awakened body and mind, at a subtle level at least.

I'm not sure whether I connected with my body and mind, but the hot spring was a refreshing experience. If my qi has flowed more smoothly, maybe that was why I slept so well that night.

Taitung (臺東) - Being there is enough

In Dec, we went for a Taiwan holiday. It was an experimental, educational and entertaining holiday. On day 3, we found ourselves in Taitung. After our dinner at Master Bear Resort, we were gathered around an open-air ampthitheatre. For the first time, I felt that I was in a Taiwan live show. Yes, Taiwanese shows are funny and interesting. And I find myself enjoying the performances of both the emcee and the audience.

We then wrote our wishes on a red huge lantern. They called it the 'Light Heavenly'. These lanterns were made of frames (probably thin steel wires) covered with oiled paper or tissue. Inside the lantern was a paper ball dipped in kerosene. When the paper ball inside the lantern was lit, the hot air gradually filled the lantern, and it was released to rise up into the sky. It was a lovely moment watching our lantern rise up the pitch-black sky. Amongst our lanterns were others, each written with their blessings, in the hope that these wishes would be carried into heaven where the deities will fulfill them. Will the deities fulfill ours?

We also enjoyed spectacular moments, where countless firecrackers were released into the sky. We will never enjoy such experience within close proximity of the fireworks in Singapore. In Taitung, they released the fireworks within 10 metres from where you stand. With fireworks right above my head, I could not only see, but hear, smell and feel their presence. (It reminded me of the fireworks Sy and I viewed during National Day.)

I know that being in Taiwan (and in this case, Taitung) has taught me what books wouldn't have been able to.