Sien's 5

5 Reasons Not to Play Little League Basketball

2012-02-12T02:27:00.000-08:00

1. The try-outs are bogus. Some coaches already have a "winning team" put together, and will not recruit your kiddo unless he knows the game enough to add to the "existing" team. The other kiddos who are already on the team won't appear for try-outs.

2. If your kiddo hasn't played any basketball at all, he will look like a lost sheep during the games. Since the try-outs are bogus, the team your kiddo ends up with, is probably a gathering of kiddos without any basketball skills.

3. If your kid is not with a "winning" team, he may end up with a coach with no coaching skills, but who has sons on the team. So, your son probably ends up not picking up any basketball skills. Didn't people use to sign their kiddos up for Little League to learn to play basketball?

4. If the coach's son plays worse than your son, your son may sit on the bench more than his, just because his dad is the coach.

5. Some of the parents think it's the NBA, and become too verbally excited during the games.

We're Nuts

2012-02-09T11:50:00.000-08:00

Thanks to Roman May

When my company approached me about heading up their new office, I excitedly accepted. However, I may have been a little too excited. You see, I apparently agreed to move from my nice warm state of Georgia to illinois. And if that wasn’t bad enough, I apparently agreed to make that move during the coldest month of the year, February. So yeah, my wife and I are all packed up and ready to go. I can’t tell you how many people have told us that we’re nuts, but we see it more as an adventure. Lucky for me, my wife is super organized and the biggest planner in the world. She’s already done her research on apartments that we need to look at when we get there, possible telephone providers, possible cable providers and on possible internet provider. She’s even gone so far as to print out maps of the area grocery stores, libraries and shopping centers. And what kind of woman would she be if she hadn’t gone and bought us both new winter coats and somehow managed to get herself an entire winter wardrobe. Oh well, she deserves it. So we may be nuts, but thankfully, we’re prepared. Wish us luck.

5 Reasons to Plant Your Own Vegetables

2012-02-01T09:45:00.000-08:00

1. It saves you money.

2. You can be sure the vegetables are not sprayed with insecticides.

3. Your kids may have some fun taking care of the vegetable garden.

4. Picky eaters may try vegetables from their own garden.

5. You can share a bountiful harvest with friends and extended families - spreading goodwill.

New Paint Job

2012-01-07T07:12:00.000-08:00

Guest post from: Constance Rodgers

We recently had our home repainted, and what a project that was! We put it off for years since it would cost us a pretty penny, so our home really needed it. I’m so glad we decided to hire painters, because the results were fabulous. I know that I would never be able to do as great of a job as the professionals did, and I didn’t want to end up with an exterior that looked messy. The painting company we hired was surprisingly professional and prompt. Everything got done right on schedule. That was important to us since we had family coming in for the holidays. One of the painters took note that we didn’t have a home security system and recommended we go to www.homesecurity101.com and check out our options. He said that with a home as nice as ours, it would be worth it for us to get an alarm system hooked up so we could feel safer. It was so nice to have workers in our home who were so respectful and dependable. I would definitely recommend them to friends and family, and will hire them again next time I need my home painted.

5 Reasons to Watch Dr Oz

2012-01-06T11:03:00.000-08:00

1. To be reminded to stay healthy

2. To get tips for treating ailments the natural way

3. To get tips on how to eat healthy

4. To be acquainted with the different ways of exercising

5. To be entertained

5 Reasons to Send Christmas Gifts Early

2012-01-05T16:17:00.000-08:00

1. To make sure gifts do not reach family and friends after Christmas

2. To make sure you won't be standing in long lines at the postal office

3. To cut down the stress

4. To make sure you have time to get really thoughtful gifts

5. Last minute shopping is no fun

kim k

2011-12-06T11:40:00.000-08:00

I appreciate the guest post, Vito Rivers

I have been on satellite internet all day today reading all of the gossip rags. My favorite television personality, Kim Kardashian is getting a divorce from her husband of only seventy two days, Kris Humphries!! I found this out while on the internet actually watching her wedding special on E! I felt like they didn’t have any chemistry but I was really hoping for the best. Kim has been married before and I didn’t think that she would rush into a wedding that she didn’t think that was going to be good for her. I never really liked Kris Humphries, because I thought that he was a baby. Turns out, he really was a baby. I know that I am partial to Kim, but I really think that he acted like a humungous brat on the show. There are lots of theories circling the internet about the divorce. Some people say that the wedding was a sham, but I don’t think that it was. I think that she got into the relationship, realized that she was 31, and was in the wrong relationship. I think it is good for her that she got out! At least she isn’t wasting her time.

Loving Sheldon from The Big Bang Theory

2011-10-04T05:12:00.000-07:00

There's just so much that there is to love about the show The Big Bang Theory. I actually started watching it because every week after it came on and I would be on the phone with my mom she would tell me that I should start watching it. Well, after hearing about that for a whole season, I caught up on the first season and have been watching the show faithfully since then. And when I'm at home visiting my parents, I love to watch episodes from DVR with them.

I love to read all kinds of spoilers about the show too and will pass those along to my mom. She does the same too. When I was looking up some spoilers last week, I ran across the website cleartvbundle.com. I looked through it some and after that I decided to change over the internet and TV service at my apartment to it.

I think that the show just wouldn't be the same if Sheldon wasn't on it or at least wasn't so neurotic. I just love that about him.

Guest post written by Penny Carlson

5 Reasons to Shop Wiki!

2009-08-21T21:39:00.000-07:00

1. Saves time.

Shopping on line saves time. If you are not the leisure shopper who just enjoys looking, and not necessarily buying, then you'll probably enjoy shopping at Wiki. Just let your fingers do the shopping! A few clicks will lead you to your heart's desire. Whatever you are looking for, Wiki helps you find it, at the best price, and the best store. If you have kids getting ready to start school, you'll be looking for great deals - for a lot of stuff! Kids play
baseball ? Football ? Soccer ? Get the sports equipment you need at great prices at Wiki!

2. It is an informative site.

Your kids picking up a sport not familiar to you? If you walk into a store intending to buy sports equipment for a sport you are clueless about, there is a chance the store assistant may be able to help you some. However, that is usually not the case. Even if the store assistant knows a little about the equipment, he is not an expert on the sport, and may not know what equipment suits your kid at the moment. Wiki.com has useful information about specific sports, and the equipment used in a particular sport. If your kid is trying a new sport like volleyball , you may feel like an expert after a few clicks at Wiki.com.

3. The site is simple, very user-friendly, and attractive.

You do not have to be an expert Internet shopper to shop at Wiki.com. There are different categories of products you can see at one glance, with cute pictures accompanying them. Under the broad categories, just one click on your product of interest will lead you to more detailed information about the product like color, size, brand... You can click till you find the product of your choice, in the most desirable state, and at the most desirable price!

4. Wiki.com does the "leg-work" for you!

Instead of spending exhausting hours driving from store to store, and still ending up not getting what you want, why not shop at Wiki.com, in the comfort of your home, at your own leisure? You want to get what you want, and at a the best price possible? Wiki lets you do that without much of an effort! Looking for a good
basketball ? Just click, and click, and then click again, and you'll be able to find the right ball, at the right store, and the right price!

5. It's a smart way to shop!

If shopping at Wiki.com saves you time and money, why not do it? It can be quite frustrating not being able to find the product of your desire at a good price, after spending exhausting hours hunting at different stores! Do it the easy and smart way! Shop at Wiki.com!

5 Reasons to Give a Gift Card

2008-12-26T14:11:00.000-08:00

1. It allows the lucky receiver to get something he or she likes.

Molly's nieces had not always appreciated the Christmas gifts she got them. Molly's taste in clothes was not exactly the same as theirs, whenever they got into the teen years. When Molly came to know her nieces always returned what she got them for Christmas to the stores, she decided not to pick out stuff she thought her nieces should like any more. Instead, she found out where her nieces liked to shop, and got gift cards to those stores! Guess what? Molly is back to being the favorite, cool aunt again! Her shopping became even easier when she discovered a gift card mall on line.

2. You won't go wrong with a gift card.

Molly's nieces love the gift cards she gets them. They get to go to their favorite stores and pick out clothes they like. It's hard to go wrong with gift cards. Even if you don't know the recipient's favorite stores, you can always give them a Visa Prepaid Debit card.

3. It requires no, or minimum wrapping.

Molly now gets her gift cards on line. She saves time shopping, and also wrapping. The gift cards sometimes come in envelopes with festive designs too!

4. You can design your own gift card.

The gift card mall also offers buyers the option of designing their own gift cards. One Christmas, Molly got her nieces gift cards with their baby pictures on them! Her nieces squealed with delight when Molly gave them the specially designed gift cards! Of course, the girls nearly smothered their cool aunt with kisses! The gift cards became keepsakes for the girls too!

5. Everybody loves it! It's almost like cash!

Who doesn't love a gift card? The pleasure of receiving a gift card continues after Christmas! Molly's nieces looked forward to days of shopping after Christmas, when stores were having huge sales! What fun!

5 Reasons to Book A Hotel with Us.

2007-10-25T16:22:00.000-07:00

1. You're dreaming of visiting the Eiffel Tower, a winery, the Louvre, and the Rhone Alps. You have a tight budget, and want to find a hotel to suit your needs. You want the hotel to be near the places of interest you want to visit. Even though you have a tight budget, you still want to be able to choose a hotel you like best, among the many france hotels offered by our online site.

2. You want to visit the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, and go on some interesting river cruises, with your special someone. You don't mind spending a little bit more. The atmosphere is more important to you. Your want a hotel with a wonderful view. You want the trip to be special, and you want to plan everything just perfect. You want to be able to look through pictures of all the paris hotels available, and choose the ideal one for your special escapade with your special someone.

3. You and your family want to plan a trip to a place where you can visit wineries and museums. You want to see what other places you can visit besides wineries and musuems. Visit us and choose a hotel from among the many nice hotels we offer online, and visit the many places of interest close to the hotel.

4. It's a last minute thing. You have a sudden urge to get away for a while. You just want to go to some place quiet, and stay in a pleasant hotel, and wander around a foreign place for a little while. Look us up, and we'll be able to offer you something.

5. Your company needs a place for a conference. You need a hotel - not too expensive, to house all the people attending the conference. Your company doesn't want to spend too much, but wants a place that is pleasant, and preferably, even willing to throw in some meal deals for the group. Visit us, we can help!

My son's 5 Fears

2007-09-26T11:25:00.000-07:00

My 3-year-old has found more things to fear, as he gets older. Sigh! Here are 5 of his fears:

1. Bugs - any bugs, even those that won't bite.

2. The dark - big time! He didn't fear it when he was smaller. However, now he refuses to sleep in his room alone! He won't go pick up a toy that has wandered into a dark part of the house.

3. Being alone. It does not matter if we're in the next room, he does not like to be left alone in another room, even though he can hear us from there.

4. The waves. My husband loves surfing. My son will not step into the water when we go to the beach.

5. Any rides that move. He likes to sit in those rides (as long as they are stationary), but protests when we try to put a coin in to make them move.

Our only hope is he'll outgrow those fears as he gets older.

5 Reasons to Read the Last Harry Potter Book

2007-07-18T18:48:00.000-07:00

1. It's exciting! Of course, every Harry Potter book is exciting, but this last one in the series, is exciting every chapter!

2. It helps you through sleepless nights! It almost makes it worth your while to miss sleep over it! In fact, even if you don't suffer from insomnia, you'll want to stay up to read it!

3. Everybody is doing it! Everybody who knows how to read is reading it!

4. Great topic to discuss with friends! My friends and I race to finished the book. It was so fun teasing some of us who got to read the book later, and giving them false hints about the ending!

5. If you've read the other 6 books, it goes without saying that you must read the 7th book!

5 Favorite Local Festivals

2007-05-20T18:22:00.000-07:00

1. Chinese New Year. It is such a joyous occasion, full of loud Chinese music, good food and tidbits, and gatherings with friends and family... It's a time to return to traditions, wearing the auspicious red, getting "ang pows" (red packets with money), saying nice things, and avoiding quarrels...

2. Dumpling Festival. My mom makes the biggest, and most delicious "zong zi" (rice dumplings). She puts a lot of work into it, and the result is fantastic! I can eat my mom's "zong zi" for breakfast, lunch and dinner!

3. Moon Cake Festival. I don't really like to eat the traditional moon-cakes, but don't mind the ice-cream moon-cakes! However, I like the sight of little kids carrying lanterns of different animal designs, and parading under the full moon. I like other foods we eat during this festival, like the pomegranate, and baby yams.

4. Hari Raya Puasa. This is the Malay New Year. I used to live near some Malay neighbors, and when Hari Raya came around, they would invite us to their home to eat delicious Malay delicacies. The curry, and stuff were good. The cakes were even more delicious!

5. Deepavali - The Festival of Lights. This is a Hindu Festival. Used to live near some Indian neighbors too. Used to get invited to their houses when Deepavali came around too. There was usually a lot of curry, but again, I liked the tidbits the best - those round spiky muruku!

5 Things Not to Like about Summer in Houston

2007-05-10T11:28:00.000-07:00

1. The heat. Compared to some other places, Houston probably isn't that hot, but it's still uncomfortable.

2. The mosquitoes. One is supposed to enjoy outdoors during the summers, but the mosquitoes make it unpleasant to spend long periods outdoors! Not to mention, the threat of West Nile Virus disease!

3. It's a pretty long summer. It takes forever for the weather to turn cool. I remember going out in short sleeves trick-or-treating last year!

4. Summer is also hurricane season! I remember fleeing Rita in 2005, in the summer heat!

5. Fall just seems so much more appealing, after "suffering" the Summer heat for an extended period of time!

5 Reasons Not to Get Pregnant (for some women)

2007-05-05T11:19:00.000-07:00

1. The morning sickness. Wonder why it's named morning sickness? Yours truly have it the whole day!

2. The dizziness. Have you ever felt the world spinning around, and you feel as if you're drowning? That's the kind of dizziness that accompanies some pregnancies!

3. The gas. Do you like feeling bloated everytime you finish a meal?

4. The bulkiness during the late stage of pregnancy. Sometimes, you can get stuck going through a door!

5. The inabilty to sleep well. For one who loves sleeping, I dislike having to get up several times in the night to empty my bladder.

5 Reasons to Get An Ultra Hal Assistant

2007-05-02T13:41:00.000-07:00

1. You get to try it for free for 30 days! It's like getting to hire a secretary on trial, and test his/ her skills for 30 days, and see if you like working with him/ her or not. Imagine that? You don't have to fire him/ her if you don't like him/ her. You won't even hurt your trial assistant's feelings if you don't like working with him/ her at the end of the 30-day period!

2. The Ultra Hal Assistant acts like a robot. How cool is that? Your own personal robot!!! It's a digital secretary that is capable of holding intelligent conversations with you.

3. Just like some of your marriage companions, your digital companion grows to operate like you over time! That means, you'll have to do less prompting, which means, less work for you, as time goes by!

4. It goes with you anywhere on your laptop. A personal secretary who goes with you to the other side of the world? Wow! You don't even have to pay for its airfare! It also doesn't take much to carry it around! You'll have your secretary reminding you of your appointments overseas, as soon as you get off the plane! Hassle-free business trips are awaiting!

5. You get to choose how your digital secretary look like! Your personal assistant can take the form of any 3D artificial human forms you choose that are offered on the site.

5 Who Love Star Wars

2007-04-24T20:08:00.000-07:00

1. Stanley is a Star Wars fan. He loves all the episodes of the Star Wars movies. Needless to say, he used to have all the episodes on video tapes, but has since replaced his collection with DVDs. How old is Stanley? 40! He has been a Star Wars fan since he was a little kid. He has a fair amount of Star Wars collectibles, which he plans to pass on to his two boys. He plans to go as Darth Vader, to a special Star Wars Halloween party his friend hosts annually.

2. Tanner and Trevor are both in the middle school. Their dad is Stanley. They remember lining up with their dad to get tickets to the opening night of "Revenge of the Sith", when they finally convinced their mother they were old enough to do so. They did not mind the long wait because it was a Star Wars event just to be out there standing in line. Daddy dressed up in his Darth Vader costume, and Tanner and Trevor in their Skywalker costumes. Everybody in the line seemed to be Daddy's friends. There were a lot of other people dressed up as the other characters in the Star Wars movies.

3. Heather is Stanley's wife. She likes the Star Wars movies too! However, growing up, she was not as big a fan as her little sister. She remembers the only dolls her little sister would play with were Star Wars figures. She would make Heather play with her, and they made up conversations, and enacted plays. Heather used to put up with her sister. Little did she know she would end up marrying a Star Wars die hard! Her housecleaning includes dusting Stanley's sanctuary (study) of Star Wars collectibles, which include his Darth Vader costume, various Jedi robes, Star Wars game sets, and several display props!

4. Gerald is in his 50s. He has been for many years, and is still a Star Wars fan. He joined the force when he was barely a teenager. He hosts a Star Wars Halloween party every year. He has enough props collected over the years, to transform his house into a scene out of the Star Wars movies. His friends look forward to the event every year. It is a family event. They watch all the episodes of the Star Wars movies on his big screen TV, re-enact scenes from their favorite Star Wars movies, and use language like the characters in the movies. During such a gathering, it is not uncommon to see various Jedis, some princesses Amidala (the little girls love to dress up as her), one or two Chewbaccas, and occasioanlly one or two Jar Jar Binks.

5. Rose is Gerald's wife. She's as crazy a Star Wars fan as Gerald. Gerald proposed to her during the first Star Wars movie. She remembered feeling like Princess Leia when Gerald popped the question! Therefore, she always dresses up as Princess Leia during the annual Star Wars Halloween party she and her husband host. She still sees her husband as Han Solo. She's as crazy about Gerald, as she was when he popped the question in the movie theatre!

5 Reasons to Join in The Fun of Bidding

2007-04-24T14:49:00.000-07:00

1. It's easy to play. Carol's in her fifties. She loves to play games like Bingo, and crossword puzzles. Her son introduced her to this game site recently, and she has been having quite a ball, just bidding for fun! She used to just use the computer for e-mailing. When her son showed her how easy, and user-friendly the bidding game was, she went on board, and has stayed on board!

2. The lowest unique bid wins a prize! Daren does not have much money. He just graduated from college, and also just got married. He and his wife live in an apartment. It's a small apartment, but in the living room is a HDTV! Daren would not have been able to afford one, with him being new at his job. However, he won it at this bidding game site, which rewards a new winner every day! Daren's bid was the lowest, and nobody had the same bid as him, so he walked away with a HDTV!

3. It doesn't take up much of your time. Just type in your bid, and click! How much time does that take? Robin uses his lunch time to place his bids. He has a little fun, using very little time, and stands to win something big!

4. Lots of grand prizes to be won! Prizes include Apple I-phones, cars, HDTVS, designer bags, and cash prizes! Sharon's a housewife. In between e-mailing her friends and family, she shops on-line, and also plays the bidding game. She has won a designer bag with her lowest bid, and made a present out of it to her husband on their wedding anniversary!

5. You don't have to pay anything to bid! Shawn likes to play all kinds of games, but he does not like to lose money. He found this bidding site recently, and has been able to enjoy a game that does not require him to lose any money. The only time he has to pay something is when he wins the prize by paying the lowest price!

5 Reasons to Ride on the Bloggerwave!

2007-04-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

1. To earn some extra cash. If you're blogging anyway, why not get paid for doing it? If you love blogging, then some extra cash won't hurt, even if you're not hard up for it.

2. Bloggerwave seems like a cool site. Love the color combination and the layout - very cool!

3. If you're a blogger, you want to be heard! You want to share your writings with others! Bloggerwave is another platform for your voice!

4. Sometimes you run out of ideas what to blog about. Taking an "opportunity" from this site gives you a purpose to blog!

5. Why not?

5 Guys Go A-dating

2007-04-09T12:43:00.000-07:00

1. Guy number 1 meets gal on the net. They start chatting regularly. He's cautious. He's looking to start a serious relationship. She's gorgeous-looking. They progress from chatting on the net, to chatting on the phone. It comes to an abrupt end when gal tells guy she just wants to "hook-up" - apparently a popular trend among gals in their 20s this generation. Guy decides to try a free dating site, recommended by his friends, who have used it, and like it.

2. Guy number 2 is a computer geek. He spends all his time working. His best friend signs him up to make friends on the net. He starts chatting with gal. He feels comfortable doing that because he's sitting in front of the computer, not unlike working. He does not feel the least bit intimidated. Gal likes messing with computers too! Their first date takes place at a computer fair!

3. Guy number 3 is not looking for a serious relationship. He just wants to widen his circle of friends. He pays to talk to a number of gals on some sites. He decides to minimize his expenses. He tuns to a free site.

4. Guy number 4 is in his late 30s. He's shy and extremely uncomfortable in the presence of gals. He discovers this dating site on the net, which allows him to get to know gals who are as shy as himself. They take it slow, and only agree to meet beyond the net, when they are good and ready.

5. Guy number 5 is a "big bad wolf". He's married, but wants to have some fun outside his marriage. The good gals he meets on the net drop him after a few chatting sessions. He expects to catch some sheep, but the gals prove smarter than him, and call his bluff!

5 Ways to Get around Singapore

2007-04-06T18:26:00.000-07:00

1. Walk - Singaporeans walk a lot. They walk to the train stations, bus stops, the neighborhood stores, schools, and many other places.

2. Take the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) - This is the train system in Singapore. There are shops in every MRT station. Some even have malls connected to the train stations.

3. Take the bus.

4. Ride a bike, or motor-bike. Motor bikes are as common as cars on the road in Singapore.

5. Drive - The most expensive way to get around in Singapore. You can hail a cab (called a taxi there) too! Most taxi-drivers speak English (or Singlish).

5 Reasons to Watch the News (Good and Bad)

2007-04-05T19:52:00.000-07:00

1. Get ready for the weather next day - what to wear, what to bring, or where to go, or not to go...

2. Scare yourselves into thinking everyone is a crook, murderer, or rapist.

3. Become more aware of lurking burglars.

4. Be informed about recalled items for sale, especially food items.

5. Become aware of current world events.

5 Reasons to Take Pictures of Your Baby

2007-04-05T19:39:00.000-07:00

1. Babies don't stay that way for long.

2. Can't help it! They are too cute!

3. To prove to your grand kids, their mothers, and fathers, were babies once!

4. Make good gifts for your kids, when they grow up and fly the nests.

5. Toddlers enjoy looking at their baby pictures, so does Mommy!

5 Advantages of Being Bilingual

2007-04-05T18:57:00.000-07:00

1. You're able to read, and enjoy books of two languages.

2. Similarly, you're able to enjoy movies/ DVDs, in two languages.

3. Language opens the door to a culture. Knowing another language means opening the door to a different culture - thereby enriching one's life.

4. Enhances understanding and tolerance.

5. It's cool!

5 Reasons to Ride A Motor Bike

2007-04-05T18:47:00.000-07:00

1. It's cool!

2. It runs on less gas than cars.

3. It takes up less space in the garage.

4. It doesn't get cluttered up.

5. It requires minimum cleaning.

Top Five Favorite Shakespeare Plays

2007-04-04T15:29:00.000-07:00

Shakespeare lovers, check out this list by hifidel!

5 Guys Go A-Poker-Playing

2007-04-02T19:26:00.000-07:00

1. Guy Number 1 has been studying the whole day in his dorm room. It's getting late. He wants to do something to relieve his stress. He's not the partying sort. He wants to hit the books again pretty soon. He turns on the computer and visits a site, where he's able to have some fun playing poker, in the comfort of his room.

2. Guy Number 2 is having a sleepless night. He has to give a presentation at work the next day. His mind is refusing to quieten down. Figures keep racing in his mind. He keeps going through the whole presentation over, and over again, involuntarily, in his mind. He jumps up from his bed. He has had enough of tossing and turning. He decides to find some sleep-deprived poker buddies online.

3. Guy Number 3 is a fanatic poker player. It's getting harder, and harder to gather a group to play regular poker. He does not get enough of poker these days! He needs a more "regular" group! He finds one online, and is able to play any time, and as much as he wants.

4. Guy Number 4 likes organising - from parties to conferences. He also loves playing poker. He's able to combine his two loves by going online, and setting up his own poker groups.

5. Guy Number 5 is thrifty, but confesses to having a weakness for poker. He finds a site online that allows him to indulge in his passion - for FREE.

5 more quotations

2007-04-02T17:07:00.000-07:00

1. Remember that happiness is a way of travel - not a destination.
-Roy M. Goodman-

2. A man is in bondage to whatever he cannot part with that is less than himself.
- George Macdonald-

3. Talk without action saps the very will. Something you have to do is waiting undone all the time, and getting more and more undone. The only refuge is to do.
-George Macdonald-

4. It is the nature of love to create. It is the nature of hate to destroy.
-Madeleine L'Engle-

5. There are two ways in which one nature may influence another for betterment - the one by strengthening the will, the other by heightening the ideal.
-George Macdonald-

5 Favorite Fruits

2007-03-24T16:55:00.000-07:00

1. Mango - especially when it's ripe (and not too ripe). It's juicy, without any "pulp" - if you cut them up into small pieces, and eat the pieces, without having to bite the flesh off the fruit itself. This way, you won't get "strands" stuck in your teeth.

2. Longan (Dragon-eye)) - This is easily available in Singapore. It has a brown skin that peels off easily. It comes in clusters. The flesh is almost transparent, and is easily bitten off the seed (a round black seed). The fruit without its skin looks like an eye.

3. Durian - The king of fruits (in Asia - or at least in Singapore). It has a green prickly skin, and gives off a strong smell. I've heard a foreigner who likes eating durians describing the experience (of eating durians) as eating ice-cream in a dumpster! It's certainly an acquired taste if you don't grow up eating this fruit.

4. Orange - It tastes so good, especially when your throat feels dry. It's sweet, and very juicy.

5. Mangosteen - It's the queen of fruits (also in Asia - Singapore). It has a thick, smooth, outer skin the color of egg plant. It's seasonal, and not as commonly eaten as apples. The flesh is juicy, and white. You have to be careful when you're peeling the skin, for the juice drips easily, leaving a purple stain on clothings!

5 Reasons to Drink Tea

2007-03-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

1. It tastes better than plain water.

2. It's healthy (according to a 90-year-old friend). She still goes on mission trips as far as (and as diverse) as Belarus, and Shanghai. She says she drinks tea by the pot, every day (any flavor, without adding sugar, or sweetener).

3. It comes in all kinds of flavor. Everyone can find one flavor that suits him/ her.

4. It goes well with chatting sessions. What better way to spend the time than to sit down with a good friend, and sip a cup (or cups) of tea?

5. Hot tea, or iced-tea? Both taste good!

5 Classic Excuses from the Underachieving Athlete

2007-03-14T21:03:00.000-07:00

1. I think I pulled my hamster.

2. I have a growing injury.

3. When I do this it hurts.

4. I can't practice today. I have a hair appointment.

5. I can't play on hot days because of the metal plate in my head!

Top Five Things to Love about Freelance Work

2007-03-10T15:12:00.000-08:00

Check out this list put up by hifidel!

5 Punchlines to Jokes

2007-03-06T17:25:00.000-08:00

1. You said egg? I thought you said leg!

2. Silly Rabbi kicks are for trids.

3. We've got that licked, we'll go at night.

4. What do you mean by thespian?

5. Two dogs, three mice, and a weasel.

5 More Quotations

2007-02-20T18:10:00.000-08:00

1. If you wish to travel far and fast, travel light. Take off all your envies, jealousies, unforgiveness, selfishness, and fears.
- Glenn Clark-

2. When we seek our own pleasure as the ultimate good we place ourselves as the center of the universe.
- Madeleine L'Engle-

3. Annihilation itself is no death to evil. Only good where evil was, is evil dead. An evil thing must live with its evil until it chooses to be good. That alone is the slaying of evil.
- George Macdonald-

4. We may spoil gratitude as we offer it, by insisting on its recognition. To receive honestly is the best thanks for a good thing.
- George Macdonald-

5. It's all right to sit on your pity pot every now and again. Just be sure to flush when you are done.
- LC Chronicle-

5 Things I Like about Chinese New Year

2007-02-17T10:29:00.000-08:00

1. Reunion Dinner - Everyone in the family (including those not living at home - if possible) comes home for a delicious family meal of jumbo shrimp, fish, chicken, "yong dao fu" (my mom's specialty), and many other dishes (usually somebody's favorite) my mom chooses to cook that day.

2. "Bai Nian" - Getting to visit with friends and munch special Chinese New Year tidbits all day long.

3. Angpows - The red packets that contain money.

4. All the superstitions associated with the festive season (don't have to believe in them, but they are so unique to Chinese New Year).

5. The Chinese New Year songs. You can own them on CDs, or listen to them on the radio, and at almost every mall.

Also check out B's latest post

Top 5 Things To Do on Your Birthday

2007-02-10T13:21:00.000-08:00

Check out birthday advice from hifidel!

5 Favorite Singlish Words

2007-02-08T17:30:00.000-08:00

1. Shiok - This is the feeling I have after gobbling down a really delicious and extremely spicy dish, like Laksa (with lots of extra chili sauce added). It is a state of ecstasy which is short-lived.

2. Sien - This expresses a feeling of extreme boredom. The person feeling sien may also feel a lack of energy, and care for everything. Constant yawning may also occur. It may also express disappointment, disgust, and all kinds of bad feeling.

3. Aiyah - An appropriate, and meaningless (but yet full of unspoken meaning), and sympathetic response to some one's griping.

4. Hah... - A word that expresses different feelings, depending on the tone used. May express surprise, disbelief, or just a substitute word for "oh".

5. Aiyoh - This expresses shock, disapproval, fear, or just physical pain.

5 More Quotations

2007-02-05T10:30:00.000-08:00

1. If your strength is only the other's weakness, you live in fear.
- Ursula K. Leguin

2. Some people are born able-bodied but go through life in dark despair, and some people in spite of having no arms and legs, go through life without a care in the world. Disability has nothing to do with it.
-Hirotada Ototake

3. Chance favors only the prepared mind. The more ideas, images, and phrases we have to work with, through our accumulated learning, the more chances we have to combine these mental building blocks in novel ways.
-Louis Pasteur

4. There are some who love the faults of others and use them to feed their own strength. The object of this love is also to be pitied, and they dare not outgrow their weaknesses.
- Geraldine Harris

5. A man who does not love the truth, but disputes for victory, is the swine before whom pearls must not be cast.
- George Macdonald

Baby talk

2007-02-02T14:27:00.000-08:00

5 words from my baby's vocabulary:

1. Calls every vehicle "tuck" (truck).

2. Tells me he "yikes" (likes) Elmo.

3. Likes to sing "London Bridge", and ends with "My fren (fair) lady".

4. Points to the sky and says "airmane" (airplane).

5. Watches "Little Einsteins" and calls them "Little Einmimes".

5 Favorite Quotes

2007-02-01T18:14:00.000-08:00

1. Character has far more to do with determining history than history has to do with determining character.
- George Macdonald

2. It is our choices, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.
- J.K. Rowling

3. It's life that matters, nothing but life - the process of discovering - the everlasting and perpetual process, not the discovery itself at all.
- Virginia Wolf

4. But it is not the rich man only who is under the dominion of things; they too are slaves who, having no money, are unhappy from the lack of it.
- George Macdonald

5. Do you know how it is with love? First comes delight: then pain: then fruit. And then there is joy of the fruit, but that is different again from the first delight. And mortal lovers must not try to remain at the first step: for lasting passion is the dream of a harlot and from it we wake in despair. You must not try to keep the raptures: they have done their work. Manna kept, is worms.
- C.S. Lewis