60th birthday present ideas for Dad

The 60^th birthday has an important significance in many cultures, and it is natural for the filial child to want to get a present for their parent to celebrate this milestone. In Chinese, we call this coming to age 六十大寿 (liu shi da shou), which signifies a great achievement. I have a friend whose Dad is turning 60 next month, and she asked me for gift ideas.

I recall fretting over the same issue a few years ago when my Dad celebrated his 60^th birthday. I am sure some of you are looking for inspiration on what best to give your Dad or loved ones for their 60^th birthday. Well look no further, you would be surprised that the answer actually comes from within you.

Ask yourself

If you stop to think about your previous interactions with your Dad, you might find some clue as to what might be the best present to give him.

Ask yourself what he values:

Is he a person that values quality time? If so, spend a day out with him.
Is he the sentimental type? If so, make him a photo frame with a family picture inside.
Is he the breadwinner who is also doing the household chores? If so, get him a robotic cleaner!

Ask yourself what he likes:

Is he into SPORTS? Golf clubs, tennis rackets, etc
Or is he a fine connoisseur of the ARTS? Music CDs, drama DVDs, etc
What about his favourite food? Everyone definitely has his own personal favourite!  

Ask yourself what you observed:

Is his backpack worn-out and overused? If so, you know what to do.
Did he spend a little bit more time looking at the particular camera at COURTS?
Did he complain of back pain frequently? Even a massage is a sweet enough present of appreciation.

In fact, I think that the gift idea that you manage to come up after reflecting is most likely the best and most sincere option.

10 gift ideas for his 60th birthday

In the event that you are not really close to your Dad and not very sure, or that your Dad is the extremely simple person that is fine with everything (totally possible), or just plain clueless - not to worry! There are always businesses out there with a plethora of products for your leisure selection. I have shortlisted 10 ideas with a good mix of unique and safe choices.

1. Throw him a party
   The very first basic thing you can do for him is to hold an event for him. If he is sociable, invite all his friends. If he prefers quality time, keep it cozy to just a family dinner. Get a nice restaurant, or cook a nice dinner for him.
   
   
2. Shirt
   The good old commodity that everyone needs. Who doesn’t wear a shirt? It might be a common present, but you can make it very unique by choosing something adventurous or make your own.
   
   
3. Parker Pen
   Parker Pens are a symbol of quality. This is especially suitable if your Dad is the type that likes to go around with pen in pocket.
   
   
4. Message Gifts
   You might have seen those souvenirs with words like “World’s greatest Dad” inscribed on them. Choose from either a cup, trophy, t-shirt, etc or even give him the whole set.
   
   
5. Card
   The most traditional yet effective method of conveying your love. Buy or make one.
   
   
6. Take a trip out of town
   Different people travel at different frequencies, but I am sure everyone enjoys seeing a new place with nice scenery. You need not fork out the full amount, but I am sure your Dad will be able to appreciate your effort in organizing and putting a trip together for him and your family.
   
   
7. Photo Scrapbook
   Nothing beats a handmade photo album down memory lane. Great for some family time together reminiscing on the good old days.
   
   
8. Ipad
   You’ll be surprised –the Ipad is so user-friendly and could potentially be used by even the most technological illiterate elderly. My parents are now crawling all over the internet like a teenager, thanks to the Ipad!
   
   
9. Luxury item
   On this special day, buy a luxury item to reward your dad which he would never get during normal days. This can be a bottle of wine, a watch or painting. This is something you’ll expect him to say “Why waste the money??” but you know he feels the sweetness of owning it.
   
   
10. Ang Pao Money  
    The last minute idea is to give cash, of course packaged nicely into a nice red packet. Even if this is not a last minute idea, giving ang pao money is often a good idea. The older generation seems to welcome this; they view it as an encouraging symbol that their children are earning money and are able to provide for them.

Remember, these gifts are commercial, so always think of how to personalize your gift by asking yourself. Even at the course of shortlisting the gift ideas, I have steered to the ones which require some form of personal touch. Ultimately, the best kind of gift in my opinion is an experience that is meaningful and relevant to your Dad’s character. So, put in some effort and start retrospecting!

Hope this tip was useful for you!
EUFASS

Cheap Low-carb food in Singapore and my experience

Food that is both low-carb and cheap in Singapore is hard to find. Fortunately, the affordable hawker food can offer some low carb meal options. But first, what is with a low-carb diet and why go low-carb?

As you age, your metabolism will slow

I think a lot of my friends in their mid to late 20s are looking into the mirror more often and cannot help but notice the growing layers of fat accumulated around the lower belly. I am sure a lot of young adults in their 20s to 30s are beginning to realize that their metabolism has slowed, and they can’t continue to eat as much as they would like to without going out of shape.

It is a subsequently natural for health and figure-conscious people to seek solutions on how to keep in shape. They start to exercise more, eat less and may even turn to slimming treatments.

Don’t eat less, but eat right

Dieting is not advisable, as it might rob you of your energy for your daily work. Slimming treatments might get you there, but it is expensive and unnatural. Exercise more, yes definitely, but I myself am working out on alternate days but yet to see results. The answer, which really helps, is about eating right.

In Singapore, we eat a lot of rice and noodle (high carb) as it is our main staple and we are told that eating lots of rice will give us energy. Indeed, carbohydrates are our body’s main energy source, but it also the main culprit for our weight gain!

The benefits of a low-carb diet by people who have tried such a diet range from weight loss to improvement in cholesterol levels. I believe low-carb diet has worked for me, to a certain extent in weight loss. You can do some research on benefits of low-carb diets and will realize along the way that your usual meals are highly likely the main contributors for your belly fat.

It is important however, to know the risks of a low-carb diet and stop if your body feels unwell.

Low-carb suggestions in Singapore

Now given that most food in Singapore are high-carb, what are some low-carb options in Singapore which we can get conveniently and cheaply?

Look no further than your nearby hawker centres. Just try to avoid rice and noodles.

·         Sliced fish soup (no rice)

This is my personal favourite. The main problem is it is not filling for many. What I do is I’ll get a double portion of fish or buy 2 servings.

[UPDATE 27 April 2014: For fish soup, I actually recommend Wang Yuan Fish Soup at Blk 824 Coffeeshop, Tampines St 81. The vegetables are homegrown, and very tasty and crunchy. Let's support our local hawkers!]

·         Western food

Choose between chicken chop, pork chop, lamb chop  and beef steak. Cut down on the fries/ potato.

·         Yong Tau Foo (no noodles/rice)

YongTau Foo is a very healthy option in my opinion. The ngor hiang, fishballs are good sources of protein. Skip the sweet sauce for maximum effectiveness.

·         Mixed vegetables rice (Less/no rice)

Choose meat and egg dishes for high protein. The variety available makes it less boring. Similar to buying from chicken/roast pork rice stall.

·         Wanton mee/ dumpling soup

Some low-carb food for snacking you can get from NTUC

·         Peanut butter

·         Cheese

·         Edamame (look at the frozen food section)

My experience on low-carb diet and recommendation

·         For beginners, practice low-carb Dinners

When I first become conscious of my increasing waistline, I stepped up the intensity of exercise to alternating between weights and cardio. That had limited success as my appetite increased.

A friend later told me to skip dinner entirely. I tried that and I would say the results from skipping dinner can be seen in just one week. However, beside the hunger to endure, my instinct tells me that skipping dinners is probably bad for health.  

I discovered a better alternative to skipping dinners was to eat less or no rice for dinner. This worked for me, and I did not have to feel hungry for most of the night.

·         Reprogram your definition of food

What you have been eating – chicken rice, char kway teow, bakchor mee is not food. They consist of huge proportion of carbohydrates in the form of rice and noodles, and contribute to your belly fat. Tell yourself that real food is  protein-rich food like white meat, green leafy vegetables,etc. That should help steer you to cut down on most of your carbohydrates intake.

·         Do not cut down on what’s good for you

And by “what’s good for you” I mean food like fruits. There are some sources online which recommend low-carb diets and advise refraining from some types of fruits. Personally, I think taking fruits even at night is ok, fruits are generally good for health and you should not stop taking them. Just refrain from the starchy food like your rice and noodles.

Hope this was useful for you! If you have any medical condition or not sure of anything, please always consult a doctor before attempting to switch your diet.

EUFASS

Random trivia that you must know

1) How did the name "Buddha Jump Over the Wall" came about?

Expensive food usually comes with exquisite name. "Buddha Jump Over the Wall" is a famous and interesting example of such food. So how did this name come about?

Buddha Jump Over the Wall is called as such to illustrate that it's so tempting that even monks would jump over the monastery walls to eat this dish.

2) Why does 7-ELEVEn has everything in caps has all letters in CAPS but a small "n" ?

Have you realized that the eleven from 7-11 is spelled in all caps but with a small "n"? If you did, you really do have acute observation skills!

My tour guide shared with us today that this is due to a belief that the letter N points and directs all the fortune outwards, while the small letter "n" point and directs all fortune inwards! There you have it, and perhaps that's why 7-11 is the world's largest chain of convenience stores!

Is too much yakult bad for health?

Beside coming in small bottles (which means you cant get enough of it), Yakult is known for containing good bacteria that helps with digestion. But hey, before you pick up your 2nd bottle, have you ever wondered whether too much of this tasty drink is bad for health?

The answer, is that too much of Yakult will not be detrimental to health (hooray!). The excess good bacteria if unused will be passed through the bowels.

The source of information, which i found useful, can be found from Yakult's faq and pamphlet. You can also find other related questions such as its sugar content and suitability for young kids in the faq.

PS: Sometimes I have the urge to finish all 5 bottles... but remember, the key to good health is to eat/drink in moderation!

What is my recommended calorie intake?

"Watch my weight, lose my tummy" is my current goal for this period. While snacking on Hershey's dark chocolates pearls today, the tagline of "Only 10 calories per piece" sparked my curiosity. To prevent myself from overeating, how much calories do I need daily? 

I think the Health Promotion Board (government agency promoting good health to Singaporeans) has a number of helpful tools in this area. For example, you can find out your recommended calorie intake from an interactive application here. (No downloads required)

I tried it, and it will base its calculations on your

• gender
• age group
• weight
• type of office job
• intensity of physical activity

The daily recommended intake for me was 2859 kcal.

Also, the HPB also provides the calorie count for some of the typical food we eat here. If you're wondering , that plate of char kway teow you're eating now is 744kcal. 

Finally, is kcal and calories the same thing? Yes.

Hope this post was useful to you
EUFASS

How much red packet money to give for JB wedding

Attending a good friend’s wedding in Johor Bahru? I recently attended my friend’s wedding held at a local restaurant in JB and was wondering how much money to give for his red packet. Looking at the popularity of my post on how much money to give for a Malay Wedding, I decided to post on my current invitation to JB as well.

My friend held his wedding at Pekin restaurant. The restaurant was very well furnished, and the food was decent. I heard from a fellow guest that this restaurant is a popular choice among locals for wedding dinner.

I checked with 2 friends from JB and the first one told me 100 MYR should be enough for a Sunday night dinner. The second one told me that the 4-5 star hotels and the relatively better restaurants costs around 800-1000 MYR per table. I am actually quite surprised by the extent of difference between prices here in Malaysia and Singapore.

Thus for a wedding dinner, I guess a red packet of minimum 100 MYR or 40 SGD (give and take a little) should be good. But of course, always give more in the name of friendship/kinship!

If transport to and from Singapore is also provided

For my dinner, two-way transport was also provided, which costs 300 MYR for a 7-seater. Thus do remember to factor in the cost for your friend to charter transport to pick you up. 

Hope this was useful to you!

Eufass

6 Things you must prepare pre-trip

It’s the happy time of the year to prepare for vacation again.

If you go on a trip not too often like me, you might have some idea on what to prepare but might be wondering if you are missing anything. Here are some of the essential stuff that you cannot miss out:

Pre-trip Must do

• Visa
  
        Your passport can bring you places but don’t assume that you don’t need a visa.
  
  

• Cash
  
        Exchange a comfortable amount to their local currency according to your budget. See my tip on currency exchange.
  
  

• Weather… and thus type of clothes to bring
  
        Because not every country is sunny all year round like Singapore
  
  

•  Mobile
  
        Where to get a sim-card and at what price –Also check that your mobile is usable in your destination country.
  
  

•  How to get to your hotel from the airport
  
        This would include the address, transportation schedules. I know the feeling that after a long flight, the first thing you want to do is crash into your hotel room. At least know how to get to your hotel where you can get your rest and confirm your itinerary.
  
  

• Travel Insurance
  
        Especially to the more uncertain countries
  
  

• Think
  
        You will be overseas for a considerable amount of time. Have you settled your domestic affairs eg.  paid your credit card bills? For SG guys, remember to file notification for your overseas trip.
  
  

On the actual day, make sure

• You brought along your passport, visa, cash, a usable credit card
• Flight status confirmed
• Check-in early

Yes, that’s basically it, don’t worry too much if you have prepared well pre-trip. Anything you have forgotten can be solved by purchasing on the trip, so no worries!

Some tips for packing

• What do you not need?
  
        Keep away cards in your wallet that you do not need overseas eg.Identification card, some credit cards, membership cards.

• Pack your carry-on with the worst-case mentality that for some reason you might not retrieve your luggage. Luggage mix-ups are not uncommon, and in the event that you did not get your luggage at your destination, at least you have your warm clothes and essentials with you.
• Liquid into luggage. Well-travelled you might be, but sometimes it would slip your mind that you can’t bring more than 100ml on board the plane (I lost my cologne that way, sigh). Always remember to pack any gel/perfume/liquid into your luggage if it’s more than 100ml.

Handy Numbers in Singapore to have in your phone

For the Singaporean or the tourist in Singapore (Welcome!), there are some numbers that you should keep in your phonebook for the occasional need or sometimes, the unforeseen situations.

The below list is created with the assumption that you are already aware of the must-know numbers like 999 for the cops and 995 for fire and ambulance. Check out my post on information to have in case of emergency here.

For non emergencies:

Non-emergency ambulance :1777

Police hotline: 1800 225 0000

Traffic police: 6547 0000

Your preferred doctor for health advice

Taxi!!

Comfort and Citycab (Largest operator in SG): 6552 1111

Transcab : 6555 3333

Mobile operator:

Call these self help hotline for a range of services from checking your remaining credits to finding out about latest mobile promotions.

SingTel: Call 1626

M1: Call 1627

StarHub: Call 1633

List of bank hotlines in case of lost Credit Card (Touch wood~)

DBS: 18001111111

Citibank: 6225 5225

OCBC: 18003633333 ( Since i'm here i'll like to commend OCBC exemplary customer service!)

UOB: 1800 222 2121

Standard Chartered : 1800 747 7000

Essential Services

Some numbers that you just won't realise until you really need it...

• Your preferred Locksmith
• Your preferred Tow car company
• Your Car Insurance company
• Water and power contractor
• Pest control
• FOOD Delivery!!
• Macdonalds: 6777 3777

Anything I'm missing? Ping me!

As always, hope this was useful to you!

EUFASS

10 new things you can learn within a day

“I want to learn new things”, “I need to learn new things” are some of the common urges motivated people feel along their life journey.

And then there’s the adventurous type who can’t stop trying new things. They are addicted to the excitement in uncovering something new.

Lastly we have the relaxed where life is starting to get boring, or they just want a change.

That said, the fast pace of the urban lifestyle doesn’t allow many to have the luxury of time to take a long time off to get into really serious topics.  And I always thought to learn new things, you need that significant amount of time… turns out that I was wrong.

There are actually quite a number of things you can learn within a day, and even some within an hour. I have actually found some options where even the normal amateur can easily accomplish. You may not see the need for some of them now, but who knows…

1. Learn how to solve the Rubik’s cube
   
   
   You can easily learn the how by watching youtube videos that teach you the algorithms behind solving the rubik’s cube. It’s pretty cool, not to mention the number of friends you can impress with this.
   
   
2. Learn to code
   
   If you’re versatile with the web you should know there are a lot of websites teaching you how to code on this one. Think code academy.
   
   
3. Learn welding/machining
   
   This is going to be my top recommendation, being an engineer. Did you know you can obtain a certificate endorsing your ability to weld? Well you need to pay a small sum for this one, which is highly subsidized! 1 day courses are available at NTUC learninghub. Machining courses are available too, but they take more than a day.
   
   
4. Learn a musical instrument
   
   Well there’s the piano, guitar, ukulele, etc. My personal take will be the piano, and you just need to memorize the keys for a particular pop song, play it well and you will sound like you DO know how to play the piano.
   
   
5. Learn the military alphabet code
   
   No, f is not for facebook. OK, facebook starts with the letter f, but… Learn the Alpha Beta Charlie of the military alphabet. There’s even a kids friendly version here.
   
   
6. Learn survival phrases in a new language
   
   Can you say the 3 basic sentences “Whats your name”, “How are you”, “nice to meet you” in Japanese? Well, it won’t take much of your time to learn the crucial sentences, especially to interact more with the exchange student you just met.
   
   
7. Learn origami
   
   Fold cranes, roses, and other interesting origami as a gift to appreciate the ones you love. There’s nothing more satisfying then showing your loved ones that you think about themJ
   
   
8. Learn a new board game
   
   Get your friends, go to settlers café or your neighbourhood board games café and learn a new board game. You’ll enjoy the bonding session too. I still remember I learnt how to play settlers of Catan 2 years ago.. It was awesome.
   
   
9. Learn geography
   
   
   No, Singapore is not near China nor part of China. I get surprised when my American friends tell me that. Surf the google maps and know where the countries are. For an even fun experience, try GeoGuessr (probably the best game ever!!)
   
   
10. Learn “useless” talents…
    
    Reddit, the best place of ideas from awesome people. Be amazed… Check out their useless talents thread here 

Remember, in the pursuit of knowledge, acquiring the knowledge is one thing, but the crux is to organize this knowledge, practice over and over again such that you become good at it.

Hope this was useful to you!

EUFASS

SGD to MYR - where to change

Further to my post on the best place to exchange currency, I decided to put my recommendation to test for my trip to Penang, as I need to change my Singapore dollar to Malaysian Ringgit. The penang laksa still lingers in my mind, but thats another story.

Essentially, there are 4 places to change your SGD to MYR

1. Money changers in town/neighbourhood.
2. At the airport 
3. At the destination airport 
4. Credit Card rate

My recommendation

My take is still as previously mentioned, 

If you have a substantial amount: 

Know your target rate and go to your preferred local currency exchange stall.

If you just need a small amount (eg. less than $500): 

Change at the airport. Why? The time you spend making a trip to and finding the best rate at your local currency exchange hotspot will not really justify your savings.

In fact, my experience this time further reinforced my recommendation.

• I went to Mustafa and got a rate of 2.45 MYR to 1 SGD.
• I could get 2.45 MYR from one of the currency exchange shop in my neighbourhood. (Mustafa might not be the best place for MYR it seems...)
• Airport rate was 2.41
• Destination airport rate was 2.40 (worst)
• Yet to receive my credit card bill

I had only $500 to change and I changed at the airport this time. My loss was a total of 0.04 * 500 = 20MYR , in which converted back to SGD, its around S$8, or 1.6% loss.

Personally, the time and convenience i could save with the $8 loss is something i consider not such a bad deal. I would not need to make a trip down to town, save the hassle of running around shops to compare rate and the elk. What about you?

Hope this was useful to you!

EUFASS

Best place to change foreign currency in Singapore:

UPDATE 20 Apr 2016: Changing Large Amount of SGD to JPY? View my experience here
UPDATE 23 Dec 2014: Cash or Credit in Japan? view my recommendation here
UPDATE 12 Nov 2014: SGD to KRW comparison of exchange rate here
UPDATE: view my currency exchange experience on my recent trip to Malaysia here

When travelling to Japan, one of my first questions was - Where is the best place to change Sing dollar to Japanese yen? From SGD to no matter which currency, be it taiwanese dollar, norwegian kroner or the US dollar, that is always the big question in a savvy's traveller mind.

I recently went on a trip to Norway and did a survey of 4 main sources of currency exchange - lucky plaza, at the airport and at the destination airport, just using my credit card.( Note: for my foreign readers, lucky plaza is one of the popular currency exchange hotspot in Singapore. ) I need to change SGD to Norwegian Kroner, and here are my experiences:

The rate from google was 4.65 kroner to 1SGD.

1. Money changers at lucky plaza : some carry the elusive kroner and some don't. For those which did, their range quote span as low as 4 to as high as 4.58.
2. At the airport : Only selected kiosks carry the kroner. Of the one I found which did, it offered a rate of 4.5.
3. At the destination airport (Oslo Gardenmoen) : The good news is all money exchange kiosks carry kroner this time (duh). The bad news is, the demand, or just the rate, for Singapore dollars is quite bad.
4. The rate at which the bank charges on my credit card was slightly better, at 4.52. 

My recommendation

If you have a substantial amount: 

Know your target rate, go to your preferred local currency exchange hotspot, I.e the Arcade, Mustafa, Chinatown, Suntec, Lucky Plaza, etc

If you just need a small amount (eg. less than $500): 

Change at the airport. Why? The time you spend making a trip to and finding the best rate at your local currency exchange hotspot will not really justify your savings.
(Advice from another reader on 27 April 2014: Some currencies like the saudi riyal(SAR) have limited quantities, so it is no guarantee that you can get your currency at the airport) 

For this trip, I only need to change SGD 500, thus it was an interesting experiment for me. Even though I was able to, and really tempted to lock in the 4.58 rate at the money changer, my greed got the better of me thinking I could get a better rate at the airport kiosks.

That said, my loss was a mere 0.07 x 500 = 35 kroner in other words close to S$8 (ok, not that mere after all, but still I spent 2 hours traveling and transport took $4). It is always a good idea to have some destination currency with you, even if you have your credit card.

The loss was minimal this time but I gained good experience on changing currency rates next time! Hope this was useful for you.

EUFASS

In case of Emergency- 3 things you should prepare

Last night, I heard my father groaning loudly in his room. Worried, I went into his room to check. To my relief, it was one of his routine grumbling.

This week, a number of health-related events has sparked me to think about in times of emergency, am I ready? I thought this post will be useful for readers out there – touch wood, in times of emergencies, you should be prepared.

Thus here is a list of things that should be prepared.

·         What is your vital information?

Blood type, Allergies, medication, past medical history and all the basic information about your family members – are they at your finger tips?

·         Which Way to the nearest hospital?

Calling 995 might not be the best idea if you could safely and promptly bring the affected to the hospital. But make sure you know the way to your nearest hospital. I didn’t know, and thus it was quite scary to think about it… getting on the car only to know that you do not know the way to the hospital.

And of course there is the question – “where did you park your car?” – as you won’t want to look up and down in the carpark because you forgot where you last parked it. I don’t even want to go to where did you put your car keys, but these little things might cause you seconds that matter.

·         Always charge your phone

Or have a spare battery around. With the reliance on phone for GPS, information nowadays. Either you remember what you need, or make sure your phone is always operationally ready.

Nimble Quest game tips - without paying a cent

Recently, I am hooked on this app - nimble quest. It is essentially a RPG with the dynamics of the Nokia snake game. It's free to download, go ahead and try it!

Now as many free game apps, there is the option to purchase upgrades with real cash. As a rule of thumb, I never pay for such in game purchases. Some games are impossible to complete without buying anything, but this game is entirely possible to do that, you just need some time and skill. The tips I am going to offer, hope that they will be able to help you clear the game.

**At my current stage, I have 10/15 heroes level 2 upgraded, and fighting to clear the depths 2.

Hero choosing

- level 3 upgrade is close to impossible without purchase, look at level 2 and below upgrades. 

- For the first hero, focus on defense : ultear, the knight (can't rember his name), slash are best choices after their armor upgrades

- Choosing the 2nd hero of the party is also important. It should be a high damage, low range hero to complement your first hero.

- its fun to see how they change costume after each upgrade.

Battle

- walk in a zigzag fashion and stick close to your entire chain. This will allow more attack opportunities and also defend against enemies running into your chain.

- try to kill clerics first as they can heal your enemies substantially

- try to stay in the centre so that any bomb drops is fully utilized

- wait until last minute before u pick up the drops to fully utilize their power

Buffs

- though you can always pick up tokens, you should store up to a good amount and use it together.

- haste buff is good for collecting more gems. Personally I find it less effective in battle as you will have less control of speed

- always use attack and health buffs if you are going for serious stage-clearing

- I don't use the shield buff as you can pick it up quite easily. No need to waste token.

- use the fast forward buff for the hardest stage, very useful.

- add hero is useful as you'll have a stronger force, and also more chance of getting useful drops in battle

- dare to spend tokens on retries, if you started with a good amount of heroes.

Upgrades

- go for chest and magnet upgrades first to increase gem collection. Gems is king in this game. You'll have an easier time buying the other upgrades.

Impromptu speaking Tips

Have you ever wondered why some people always have so much stories to share? On top of that, share these stories with such polished clarity? Don't you wish you could speak like them even in impromptu settings?

The secret lies in a story bank. Start a collection of ready-to-share stories from today, and you can be just one of these eloquent people.

Besides a story bank, you can also have a jokes bank, news bank, quotation bank, etc.

Secondly, consciously follow the framework PREP. 

Point

Reason

Example 

Point

For example:

I love Japanese food. 

That is because Japanese food is aesthetically pleasing.

For example, the bento I had looked like pikachu!

That's why I love Japanese food so much!

Lastly, as I covered in my previous post on presentation tips, if you don't practice it, you'll lose it!

Presentation tips

This week, I attended a presentation course. We reviewed the strategies and theories behind the art of the presentation, watched presentations from bill gates and Steve jobs, and did some practice at the end of the 2-day course. Below is a summary of my key takeaways :

The basic fundamental of a good presentation is to have a sound strategy.

There are 4 components of strategies

1. Value system

2. Attitude

3. Word choices

4. Behaviour

Then recognize that there are 4 facts about communication + presentation

1. It is a Way of life

2. People judge you by the way you communicate

3. If you can communicate, you are closer to your dreams 

4. Practice or lose it

If you don't practice it, you will forget it.

Next, every time you practice, remember the 3Rs of presentation.

Review.. Accept feedback

When people comment that your presentation is good, you have to find out in what way is it good? "Did you like my voice?"

Refine.. Assimilate the feedback and think about how to improve.

Rehearse.. Practice while implementing your improvement

The success of the presentation lies in transmitting information in such a way that people want to hear it.

Presenter vs debater: what is the difference

Debater go by logic, presenting facts and make sure all his points are covered as fast as possible.

Presenter go by emotions, enunciating and emphasizing the points that they want to come across, and make sure that their points are carried across.

Some tips on presentation

• Why should I continue to listen? This is the question which would be in your audience minds. Frequently retrospect what is the worth of your presentation at every moment to give your audience powerful reason to continue to listen to you.

• Was it worth listening to you? At the end of the presentation, your audience will definitely ask themselves this question.

• Some ideas to Conclude your presentation .. 

1.    Wrap up your key emphasis
2.    State your personal intentions
3.    Using quotations - this is most probably the most powerful tool 

• The power of threes: bring your content out in threes 

In conclusion, the most impactful speeches are those that touch people's hearts, change minds of people and their lives forever. 

3 reasons why I enjoy college

This is a post that is relevant to disengaged students as well as professors who could never understand why so many students are sleeping in their class. I had a wonderful year while on exchange and these were the 3 key reasons why I enjoyed my time there.

See Meaning In what you study 

Clearly the most exciting part of classes here is that it is extremely relevant to my work. I could

be learning about product development in class in the morning, then applying the knowledge and
executing the steps of product development working in the office in the afternoon. This has imbued me
with immense motivation during classes.

Interactive Teaching Method

Another wonderful aspect of classes here is the interactive style in which they are conducted. It
is encouraged that students speak up and express their views in a interactive seminar‐like manner. This
gives me ample opportunities to practice my public speaking in class, and at the same time it is always
interesting to hear what my peers think about the same issue. It is important to also pick the correct tutor, which I have shared some tips here previously.

Plethora of After-Class activities

The best part about my college is not the quality of classes. As mentioned previously, there are so
many events and activities happening in the college on a daily basis. Not only it allows a platform to know
more people, these events are very insightful and educational events which range from speeches from
accomplished people and technology seminars. If I am back from work early, I make it a point to
participate actively in such events happening in school instead of being a couch potato no matter how
great the temptation is.

EUFASS

A Life Lesson From My Experience at Tough Mudder Race

I recall a life experience that I partook 2 years ago. The Tough Mudder race!

Being spontaneous and in the mood for something crazy, I signed up with my colleagues from my internship company for this ten‐mile obstacle course. I swear I am the rare few Asians that I saw in the race.

The obstacles were manageable at the start, climbing walls, crawling through narrow tubes paved with sharp gravel, etc. I was confident until a particular obstacle in which we had to jump into an icy cold pond from an elevated platform. This was especially challenging for me as being the shorts-and-sandals boy from sunny-island Singapore, I hated the cold. Jumping into a near-zero pond is something I would never have imagined. When I jumped into the icy cold water, I could feel the blood gushing to my organs as I forgot all my swimming strokes and my instincts managed a dog‐paddle which was good enough to bring me to the shore.

I managed to go on for 5 more miles until my muscles cramped up and I was pulled aside into the medical tent for hypothermia. However, after resting I kept going, determined to at least finish the race. I’m glad I did, as I wore with pride the tough mudder headband, this race made me mentally stronger than yesterday. One of my most feared obstacles was the “electroshock therapy” in which the participant has to run through high voltage wires. I hesitated for 5 minutes, there was an option of skipping the obstacle, but I finally mustered the courage to charge through it.

The feeling of overcoming your own fear is sweet and I can feel myself emerging out of the race as a person who is less bogged by fear, more daring to try.

Attempt the unimaginable.

EUFASS

Dining Etiquette FAQ and tips

Now this is a post that you do not see an immediate need for it, but it is always good to know as you never know when you will be in a situation where you will need it. Today I had a business etiquette course, so thought I'll share what I have learnt! Remember, you can never be too polite, so always err in the side of caution especially when you are with important guests!

Q:Where should napkin be placed when going to the restroom?

Napkin should be placed on the lap. When excusing yourself, leave the napkin on the seat of the chair. 

NOTE: Not the back of your chair, but the seat. 

The waiter will be there to fold your napkin and place it on the table/chair when you are back.

Q:When drinking soup, do you scoop outwards or inwards?

Scooping inwards is Chinese etiquette while scooping outwards is a western etiquette.

Some other things to take note when drinking soup:

• Drink from the side of the spoon. Do not put the whole spoon in the mouth. Also refrain from drinking from the front of the spoon.
• If you are not done with your soup, leave the spoon beside the soup bowl on the further side of the bowl, on the saucer.
• If you are done with the soup, leave the spoon on the right side of the soup bowl, on the saucer. At no time should the spoon be inside the soup bowl.

Q:How should I cut my steak in formal meals?

Start slicing from left into bite size portions. Refrain from making a large, sawing action.

Q: How should I place my utensils when I am done with my meal?

Fork and spoon: 

When finished with the meal, rest fork and knife in a position similar to 10:20 on the face of the clock with scooping side of the spoon facing upwards

If you are just resting, leave fork and spoon in a criss-cross (X) position with the spoon facing upwards and the fork on top of the spoon. 

Fork and Knife: 

When finished, rest fork and knife in a position similar to 10:20 on the face of the clock with cutting edge of knife facing inwards.

Similarly if you are resting, leave fork and knife in a criss-cross position with the fork on top of the knife and cutting edge of knife facing inwards.

Q: How do I hold the different wine glasses?

They are actually not all wine glasses but have different names and purpose for it. In order of size, from biggest to smallest

1) Water goblet: Used for water, hold the body of the glass

2) Red wine glass: Used for red wine, hold it by the stem as you don't want to warm it

Red wine is used for Pork, red meat , veal, mutton and lamb and should be served at 12-14 degrees C

3) White wine glass: Used for white wine, hold it by the stem, served chilled at 8-10 degrees C. Goes with fish, chicken and seafood

4) Champagne flute: Champagne that goes with dessert. Hold by the stem

5) Sherry glass / dessert wine glass.. Goes with Appetizer. Hold by the stem

You might realise the salad is the only course without any wine to go with - This is because the acidity of salad dressing's will conflict with the wine.

Q:In a formal setting, Where do you look when you are drinking?

You look in because it is very awkward to catch the eye contact of someone when you drink

Q:Bones on the table or on the plate?

For Eastern setting, bones and stuff can be placed on the table

For western setting, everything you deal with must be on your plate.

Some other tips:

• As a mark of respect to the chef, taste the food before putting seasoning.
• Pass salt and pepper together as they come as a set

There is a lot to know, and if you really are exposed frequently to formal dinner events, my best advice is really to practice, practice, practice!

EUFASS