EcoSphere – “Sea Monkey” for the Adult!

January 23, 2007 3 Comments

I always wanted a "Sea Monkey" but never have the chance to own one. Mum wasn’t too keen to let me grow these "alien non-appealing" creatures in some creepy acrylic tanks with fish-eye lens. She thought they looked like bacteria. 

 
I also love to own an aquarium. Watching colourful fishes swimming gracefully in a big tropical tank can be so relaxing and mind-levitating. But taking care of one can be a hassle and too time-consuming. My dad gave up on me and flushed my pet guppies down the toilet bowl.
I discovered the "EcoSphere" when I visited the science centre 20 years ago. It was a perfect glass sphere with no openings – just seawater, sand, branches and shrimps. It was meant to be a perfect life-sustaining vessel. The shrimps will give off carbon dioxide (& fertilizer) to sustain the algae which in return provide food and oxygen for the shrimps. All you need is water and light – which maintain enough growth and keeping the water temperature constant thru out the year.

It was a super expensive "toy" back then. You see, it wasn’t the man-made eco-system which amazed me, I was pretty impressed that there are such aquariums designed and produced for lazy people like me.
 
During my trip to Taipei last Dec, I found these "EcoSphere" in SOGO - only this time, it is very affordable. I bought an egg-shaped glassware which contains some sea-branches and 5 tiny Hawaiian shrimps. (Yes, I have to hand-carry this to HK and then to Shanghai).

For the past 6 weeks, I just left them alone. There is no need to feed them or change water – the seawater is still 100% crystal clear! Like a snow-globe, it is fun just watching these tiny creatures swimming around the glass.

Yes, they aren’t as pretty as "Nemo" but they are sure better than those gimmicky sea monkeys. And they can last up to 8 years in that perfect condition.

Filed under Jo's Thoughts

My 22nd Girlfriend

January 22, 2007 Leave a comment

 
Sadly, E6 left me for a nun in Singapore. It was hot and sexy. But I just couldn’t keep her for long.
I am now with my 22nd girlfriend. She was said to be the world 1st 3G Pocket PC. Yes, she is BIG.
Nope, she doesn’t capture my business cards like E6. She is my weather-girl.

Filed under Jo's Thoughts

Meanwhile, on the other side…

January 21, 2007 Leave a comment

 

Envy, envy, envy. Life on the other side (5 hours later) was such a contrast. It was a big warm welcome surprise for Elkan and Felicia. Auntie Amy & friend, my mum, mum-in-law, sister-in-law + Meijie, Joanne, Tracy and Kalinda were all there! They even came with flowers! Man, I never know my son commanded so much presence and importance. Okay, it could be my wife’s charm too. Really, I think it is the former.

Even at the Singapore custom, Elkan managed to walk away with FREE SWEETS! (At Pudong airport, he was offered free calculator!) My boy is getting too much freebies from everyone on the street. At one toy shop in Shanghai, the shop-keeper wanted to give Elkan her pet hamster! Another shop-keeper wanted to give him his toy car! Man, he is like voodoo. Even my colleague who met him at the airport yesterday offered to get my son a PET DOG!! And guess what, he even planned of giving a mini fish tank for Elkan! 

Urghhh… what about the poor old daddy who has nothing? No consolation dinner, no pat-in-the-back calls…Never had a welcome crowd when I went home…No toys, no flower…. Mmm..maybe I should stop planning my own surprise home trip for now on.   

 

Filed under Family

Goodbye My Baby

January 21, 2007 Leave a comment

   

Never really feel the pain of saying bye until I stepped into the house just now. It was different – with and without you. I can still smell your wet diapers and your baby scent. Strangely, the house was also colder now. Guess you added a lot more warmth than my 3 hopeless 2000W heaters.

I don’t know how many times I have to go through this farewell-reunion ceremony with you. It is always so hard and tough to bid farewell – especially when you are getting more and more sensible now. Sorry that I have to reject your hug just now, I guessed you have figured out that it was time to say goodbye. All these while, you never like me to hold your walk whenever we were out shopping. Somehow, when you clinged on to my legs and asking me to hold your hands at the departure gate, I realised you know the reality of things. Yes, it will be at least a few more weeks or months before we meet again.

Sorry, my boy. I have to cook up a thousand lies everytime we part. "Daddy go toilet, will be back later" or "Daddy go buy you a toy car". Cos’ it is so hard to face your angelic teary eyes. I never want to break your heart too. 

Those words you yelled at the gate drove tears to my heart. "Daddy, miss you! Take care! See you!" I do not know if you understand the meanings of such emotional words… but I know you will certainly miss me and my service to you - showering you, changing your clothes, patting you to bed and smacking your butt when you misbehaved. You are just like a small adult, commanding your daddy and mummy around. Honestly, you are a very sensible boy. 

 

You left a lot of things behind. Your toys…your winter clothings and your charm. You can always walk out of a shop getting a freebie. Shopkeepers just can’t resist not to give you a gift. Be it a toy car or even a calculator.

Guess there are a lot of people waiting for your return on the other side. They are all there, planning to give you and Mummy a surprise welcome. 

I think I can sleep better tonight. No more 3am cries, leg on my face or urine on my bed. 

Of course, I have no one to open my door tomorrow morning, waving goodbye to me. Or you stamping your feet so that there will be light outside the house. 

"Daddy, take care, goodbye, see you" – that was what you say to me every morning.

Yes, I will, my son. See you soon.
  

Filed under Family

My 21st Girlfriend

January 13, 2007 Leave a comment


After more than 15 months with my 20th girlfriend (longest till far), I decided to end my relationship with O2 Mini.
For the past 18 months, I thought I had set my heart and love for her, "P990" (see above). I have never waited for so long for someone like her. I turned down many temptations…just to look forward to the day when I could hold her and get her into my pants. Guess there is no fate between us – when she finally arrived in July 2006, I have already left for a place where she doesn’t exist. Even then, I still keep a lookout for her on this foreign soil – cos’ I have a very deep crush on her.

I finally met her today. I spent about 45 minutes with her. She was elegant, classy and very corporate. Her appearance is brillant but overall she looks fatter than her acutal photo. Sadly, we didn’t really connect well. She couldn’t even capture a good impression of me. All these months of waiting have been in vain.

 
Just when I was about to leave with a broken heart, Darkie "E6" greeted me. I have never heard about her. I was told she is very new from Taiwan, arrived mid-December 2006. Jaye Chou even vouched for her recently. Sporting a slim corporate black coat, I am very impressed by her sharp vision, speed and crystal-clear voices. Overall, she is smart, friendly, capable and very sexy. We connect instantly. (Oh yes, she records namecard accurately!)

Torn between these 2 lovers. I called Gareth today and seeked his opinion. He has never heard about "E6". He advised me to pick P990 but my heart was stolen by E6. Guess she is a better novelty than P990. Moreover, there are chemistry between E6 and myself.

So, with this ring, she is mine – I brought her home today! Guess tomorrow will be honeymoon for us. And let’s see how long this one would last.
 

Filed under Jo's Thoughts

Winners at the Last Mile*

January 12, 2007 1 Comment

It has been almost 2 years since I ran our last "Amazing Race (aka SuperRace)". For the past 2 races, I came near to winning but never really had the chance to cross that finishing line. Yesterday, my team finally did that in the 1st OgilvyAction Challenge. Braving through rain, sickness, no toilet break and the cold wind, my team outwit, outplay and outlast the other 15 teams to win the race.

The prize (RMB2000) wasn’t the key driver of the race. It was the stiff competition we had throughout the 7 stops (all over Shanghai city) that made the race so exciting and rewarding. In fact, it almost look like a 100m race – where you have runners crossing the finishing line within spilt-seconds. It was a close fight for us - a mere time-gap of 1-3 minutes!  (Franklin, Ming, Dick, Daisy were really pain-in-the-ass, so close and so tight!)

We cannot choose our team, it was premixed. I had a team of "Yang Warriors" – these girls were tough, hungry to win (an important mentality from the beginning) and a common belief and goal to achieve. We ran hard, we kept telling ourselves we wanted nothing but the 1st spot (cos’ there is only one prize). Being number 2 isn’t good enough for us.

Glad it was a sweet reward for a long hetic week.

* The "last mile" is a term we coined to describe the final touchpoint before a consumer crosses the check-out counter (which is the cashier). It is a critical window where consumer make his/her buying decision / brand-switch – based on the influence of brand experience, product trial, price strategy and other existing promotional attractions that influence the outcome of the "buying decision". 

Filed under Life in Shanghai

Childhood Friends

January 9, 2007 Leave a comment

The theme for our Christmas Card 2006. 


Filed under Wahbiang

The 1st Wedding of 2007

January 7, 2007 Leave a comment

Nadirah’s wedding today (7th Jan 2007). Congrats!

Filed under Wahbiang

The 1st Birthday of 2007

January 7, 2007 1 Comment

Can’t believe how this young girl of mine has just turned 32 today. My impression of her stopped at 18…never feel that she has changed over these years.

Feel bad not able to spend the whole day with her. I had to go back to office this morning at 9am to finish some work. Echo and Francis are such great buddies! Echo has been "pushing" me to plan a celebration for Felicia. She started reminding me a couple of days back, trying to plan a surprise birthday dinner for Felicia. Guess she knew I would be busy, she offered to help me to book a nice dining place and even suggested to babysit Elkan for us for a day.

By the time I knocked off from work, it was already 330pm. Echo and Francis met me near my office and offered to help me to run errands (Buying cake, shopping for gift and getting it wrapped). In fact, I have been cracking my head for 1 week what to get for Feli. (She can be quite practical and picky at times). Thanks to Elkan…he was playing with Felicia’s handphone last night and she commended that our dear little boy has damaged one of her phone pads. I examined her phone…man, it was full of scratches and defects. She has been using that phone for 2 years.. Just the perfect gift for her today!

And boy, she loves it.

Dinner was fantastic and Echo’s birthday cake did surprised her a lot. It wasn’t a quiet day for her too, she received so many sms, MSN and birthday calls since the 1st minute of her birthday (from Tracy, Joanne, Kalinda, Meijie, Juliana etc). Man, I was jealous. I had almost nothing for my birthday. Guess I haven’t been a good boy since last year.

Filed under Wahbiang

Babysitting in Shanghai

January 3, 2007 Leave a comment

   

For the past 2 weeks, I have revivied my status of fatherhood. To be honest, it took me quite a leap to get used to "family life" again. Being "married and single" for the past 6 months has somehow reshaped my lifestyle. I was like living a married bachelor. I guess that is the most blissful and luckiest role a man can have.

Taking care of Elkan can be so challenging and demanding. No wonder Felicia was bedridden for 1 week! Within 10 days of her stay here in Shanghai, Elkan has somehow tortured his mum to pieces. On New Year Eve, Feli couldn’t even get out of her bed. Her old spine injury came back to haunt her. Echo has to stand in for 3 days (while I am working) as babysitter. It was a painful new year for her. For me, it was a real test, juggling work and babysitting. I must say, it is the most difficult job on earth.

Like father, like son. I guess my son is giving me the same problems I gave my poor mum. Elkan is just an active boy yet there are so much "adult-behaviour" in him. He can be authorative, directing us here and there ~ yes like a DIRECTOR. Elkan can’t wait to be independent. He wants to do things like how adults do. He wants to flag the taxi, press the lift door, take photos, play DVD, feed himself, pay for things, run errands etc. He wants to be like adults. Even the stares he gave me when I forgot to switch off the lights at night reminded me of my mum’s. He can be assertive when he means business.

Overnight, my little quiet house has become so noisy and full of life.

Filed under Life in Shanghai

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