Apologies. Yes, I still have Marimo Moss Balls available

I apologise for those who have written to me regarding the availability of Marimo Moss Balls. Yes, they are still available. Most of them are in my airconditioned office.

I’m letting them go at $3 each or $10 for 4. They are great conversational items. The interest I receive from people is amazing. Do not put them in direct sunlight or in a warm area.

Email me if you are interested in getting them. I am currently really busy with my studies, work and home but I will try to revert to you. I can post them to you (with proper packaging and without water. Yes, they can survive the journey) or we can meet up at any station along the NEL.

How to make Notepads out of old table-top calendars and letterheads.

The following are steps on how to recycle table-top calendars and old letterheads into Notepads. I’ve made a number of them and have donated them to charities.

For this project, you will need:

Old Calenders
Old letterheads or paper you would like to use up (don’t use too many or you can’t fit it into the spine)
Needle-nose pliers
Glue
Bull clip / paper clips
Access to a comb binder

1. Get your materials

2. Remove the spine from the calendar. Hold one side of the spine with your finger and thumb and the other with the pliers. Pull spine apart.

3. After spine removal

4. Open up the calendar body and cut it in the middle. Each half is a big piece of calendar with a smaller flap (calendar base) attached to it.

5. Now cut very lightly at the fold of the calendar base. Do not cut through.

6. The back must remain intact. DO NOT CUT THROUGH.

7. Trim the sides of the calendar base. This will allow you to peel the cardboard support away from the cover.

8. Peel cardboard support from cover. Peel carefully.

9. You will end up with this:

10. Cut the corners off. About 0.5 cm in.

11. Apply glue to the cover flap.

12. Fold cover flap over.

13. Use the bull clips to hold it together. You can use long paper clips.

14. Leave to dry. I usually leave them overnight.

15. In the meanwhile, start trimming your letterheads / paper:

16. It should fit the size of the covers.

17. When the glue has dried, you will be ready to go on to the next step.

18. Using the comb binder, punch the holes.

19. Make sure the holes align with those on the covers.

20. Use only enough sheets to fit into the spine.

21. Place the covers back to back (with what will be the inside of the notepad facing out. See step 22. photo for an idea) and thread the spine into the holes of the covers. Start sliding the paper in. Sliding the paper in makes it easier to fill the spine.

22. Here is how it looks when the paper and covers are in. The next step is to close the spine.

23. Place the almost completed notepad into the comb binder as shown. The spine is then closed by pulling the lever. A clamp then closes the teeth of the spine. Do not pull too hard. If the teeth overlaps, you will have a hard time pulling them apart.

24. Properly done, you can easily open the notepad flat out.

25. TA-DA!!! The final product. The black notepad is my favourite as a white spine was paired with a black cover. Look out for different coloured calendars.

This notepad is made 100% from recycled materials.

If you do not want a hardcover for your notepad, you can use cardboard. I use the cardboard salvaged from boxes the letterheads came in.

Please send feedback if the steps are a little difficult to understand.

My Marimo Moss Balls have arrived

They arrived in the office on Monday 2 March 2009. I was at home nursing myself back to health. I digress. I return to the important stuff – Marimos.

About 8 were quite squished and will be placed in an ICU jar. I managed to wash out about 25 marimos on Tuesday and placed them in a very big jar.

I will be looking to sell off about 50 marimos in a couple of weeks’ time. This will give me enough time to continue washing them out to a nice condition (not that they are not already but I am picky about how they look like).

There is one very small one and it is so adorable! Will set a jar aside for different sized one… mummy, daddy… baby…. dreamy sigh..*faraway look*

It is quite late now so I’ll be post later on the reaction I got from my colleagues when they saw the huge jar of fuzzy green balls sitting on my desk.

Survey Results

My thanks to everyone who responded to my request to fill in the survey I set up to get data for my paper “An investigation to the effect of texture on the visual effect of Garden Photographs.”

Below are the results of the survey along with a selected feedback comment received.

Fern (a)

“The spikes appear to be reaching out to touch me, therefore making me want to reach out and touch them. Color; composition were also beautiful.”

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

Trunk (d)

“It looks like moths or butterflies are fossilized into the bark of the tree. very unique and it made me want to touch it.“

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

Leaf (b)

“Strong texture and over-layering make for a strong photo.“

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

Surface (b)

“I like how the picture goes off into unknown space, giving depth and interest to the picture.”

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

Rock/Soil (a)

“I like the different colors, the reds, greys and whites.“

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

Harvest (d)

“There are many things in the photo but none of them competes with the others for the viewers attention; it’s a leisurely travel up the trunk to the fruit, then up to the branches radiating out from the trunk, past the leaves and finally to the sky.”

This picture is also the Most Appealing Photograph of the entire survey.

My marimo balls are on their way

My supplier informed me that the shipment was sent yesterday. Can you imagine the anticipation? I’ve got three jars ready for them but I don’t think it is enough space…

I’m hoping they will arrive at the end of the week. That will give me time to set up the jars and to write more about them during the weekend.

Watch this space.

Help me do a survey

I’ve got to do a survey on the topic: Does the texture in the photographs make them more visually appealing?

Here is the link: link removed

I have to get about 50 responses and I have just 7 so far.

The deadline is Sunday evening 8pm (Singapore time), Sunday 7am (Texas time). Thanks.

Added on Monday 23 February : My thanks to those who responded. I’ve received 61 responses.

I bought more Marimo Moss Balls!

It has been two years since I last got some. Sold some, some died (water too hot) and six I kept in the office. Stay tune for an update.

This is a picture of the six surviving marimos who are currently living in my office.

Here is a close-up of two marimos. They are pearling (having oxygen bubbles)

I may put some of my newest batch for sale. It all depends if I want to keep them. When you see them up close and personal, you will know why I love them so much.

If you are living in Singapore/Malaysia and would like to meet up, let me know. There might be a gardening group gathering next month and we can meet up then.

In the meantime, I am preparing to write another article on them so if you have any questions you would like to ask, please ask them via the comment function.

Updated: For the reader from RI which I take it means Rhode Island, you can get Marimos from Ebay. For those living in Singapore, you can get them from Aquariums at Tiong Bahru, Clementi and Serangoon North. Or you can get them from me. I’ll post when I get delivery of my marimos. I may pop by Serangoon North these couple of days, I’m looking for a 3″-4″ marimo.

Happy New Year

Hey everyone. Just note to wish all readers of my blog a Happy New Year.

This year, I’m going to take a step back and look at how I do my assignments. I have always been trying to get High Distinction and would not be very happy with a Distinction. This meant that my assignments have been very much delayed in being handed in.

From now, I’m just going to enjoy myself and do my best.

Financewise, it’s now really a major saving spree. If I want to buy something expensive, I try to find it on sale. I have recently discovered Moscato D’Asti.

My first purchase was $45 marked down from $55. My second bottle of a different brand cost $37 but because I made use of the offer of “Buy 2 bottles, get 1 free”, it cost me $28. My colleagues and I are going to buy in bulk and that will bring the cost down to $25.35.

Spend but wisely!!

My 2008 Christmas Party Best Dressed Contest outfit

Every year, my office will hold a Best Dressed contest during our Annual Christmas Dinner.  And every year I do my darnest to win that contest.  This year’s theme was 1950’s Sock Hop. I went as a Soda Pop Waitress. Obvious, huh?

I had ordered the outfit from the States on Friday, 14 November and crossed my fingers that it would arrive by 27th November (the day before the dinner). It arrived on Tuesday 18 November!

I spent ages trying to find roller skates to complete the outfit. No dice. Which could be a blessing in disguise as it has been about a good two decades since I last skated. Was contemplating Rollerblades but for the sake of public safety, I decided to wear my heels.

My hair had to be curled to fit the part so I spent a very sleepy 40 minutes at the Salon. It was a little disconcerting when the Stylist started blowing on my curls to cool them when they came off the curler!

We had a real blast. It was one of the best Christmas Dinner I have ever been.

Won First Prize!

Spend, don’t splurge

With the economic situation predicted to go South, many people have tightened their belts.  Some may have already written out all pubbing and clubbing, dining out, those little indulgences they used to do every week.

If you are like them, stop.

Instead of doing it weekly, do it once a month but don’t stop.  If all of us completely tighten our belts, the economic will go further South and faster too.

Save, be frugal but not stingy. Don’t skin a flea for its hide and tallow.  Have that girl’s night out but maybe every two weeks instead of every week.  Cut back not cut out.

I went shopping for shoes today.

The next thing I have to get are more clothes.  Don’t get me wrong.  I’m not buying an entirely new wardrobe.  Just a few more mix and match pieces.  Have dusted out some old classics and my colleagues have complimented me on them.  One of the classic pieces is about 15 years old.  Another is about 14, I think. Still good.

Miss your drinks at the pub? Buy duty-free alcohol at the airport, get together at a friend’s house, learn how to mix drinks.  Put on some good music on the hi-fi and have a good time.  Cheaper too.

Miss going to the movies?  Rent the DVD.

Keep spending but be thrifty not stingy.

Space reserved for next posting

Hey there, I’m saving this date to post a Hospital Happening later in the future.

I’m sorry I haven’t been able to post much but I am trying to finish my assignments by end December 2008.

Do you actually read and understand EVERYTHING in the contract before signing before you sign it?

A couple of years ago, we were organising a flea market and I was asked to look at the contract the Committee had used for the previous flea market.

The contract had been so badly worded that it technically forbade any of the stallholders to display or sell anything at their stalls. It was supposed to be that the stallholders are not to display or sell any pirated goods.

I was aghast to learn that despite the terms and conditions in the contract, people actually signed it.

If anyone wanted to enforce that badly worded signed contracts after rent was collected, it was legal to do so.

So in future, read with your eyes, your mind and be alert.

I bathe my cats

Yesterday, in a fit of cleanliness, I bathed my four cats.

But this time round, I put them straight into the bathtub instead of soaping them up at the sink.  This made for a lot less noise and a bit more backache.

A couple of days before, I bought three new bath towels just for the purpose of bathing the cats.  Beatnik had turned from a black and white to a black and yellowish kitty.

Scrubbed them good.  One important thing is when they put their paws on the edge of the bathtub, put them back on the bottom of the tub.  This prevents them from jumping out.

I had to take a shower after I bathed them to get rid of the fur.  It feels real good.

Had to use St Ives moisturiser (Aloe and Chamomile) for my hands as they got really itchy.

Maybe I’ll be bathing them every other week.  Would love to hug them without me ending up using too many tissues afterwards.

Raw feeding my kitties

I am terribly allergic to my four kitties.

I pick one up. Hug it. Give it a kiss. Put it down. Reach for the tissue (repeat this step five times).

Recently, I found out that one of my friends gives her dogs and cats raw food and her daughter has no allergic reactions to them. But once daughter goes to another place with cats, she gets the classic itchy eyes, running nose and happier Kleenex company shareholders.

Started today with a wee bit of chicken breast and pig liver mixed with two cans of fussy cat. They are not eating much of it. It’ll take time.

It will be worth the trouble if I can hug them without spending the rest of the day with a badly sensitive nose.

Anyone who has experience raw feeding their kitties, please post your comments. I would love to hear from you.

Aichoo!

Another delay

I’m sorry I can’t continue writing my Hospital Happenings today.

I’m been having cramps since yesterday and have been on painkillers the whole day today.

Give me a couple of days.

Thanks.

In the meanwhile…

Thank you for reading “A good reason for not blogging” I posted yesterday.

For a spur of the moment thing, it was quite entertaining.

As I read through it again myself, I thought “3 hours of work for such a short piece?”. I will try to put up the next instalment soon.

In the meanwhile, do read the rest of my blog. I’ve been told it is entertaining…

I have plans to get these done in the next 5 – 10 years.

Help out in these places and be paid in produce:

1. Cheese making factory

2. Tillandsia nursery

3. Sausage / Ham making factory

4. Honey farm

5. Fruit Orchard

6. Salmon smoking factory (oh joy!!)

That’s that for that category. Now next:

Cook / bake

1. a whole salmon (any way… maybe like what they serve at Cafe Carousel)

2. Beef Wellington

3. Sugee cake

4. Fantastic tasting pineapple tarts (the old fashioned way)

5. Kueh Lapis

6. Chilli Crabs

7. Black pepper crabs

8. Garlic Naan

9. Italian Herbed BBQ Pork Ribs

10. Chicken Kaarage

11. Tomato paste using my own home-grown tomatoes

Okay, so much for the food category.

Here is the writing category:

1. Write a cookbook

2. Publish the said cookbook

3. Write a gardening book

4. Publish the said gardening book

5. Write and get published 20 Articles.

6. Learn how to write a script.

Miscellaneous:

1. Bungee jump

2. Go on a balloon-ride

3. Snowboard

4. Gliding

5. Ride a horse. Not sit on a horse which is led around a track. I want to gallop across a nice big field/meadow and not fall off.

That’s all for now.

Got a bit more wisdom today…

I was quite pissed this evening when I found out that I got a Credit for a paper I really toiled hard for. I supposed that I ought to be grateful that I didn’t get a P1 (SHRIEK!!!) for it.

For my next paper, I have to review a Reading and THEN compare it with another Reading and I have to provide examples of texts to support my review. Only 1,500 words total. Simple, huh?

When I first read the instructions for my next paper, my reaction was (sorry, Stuart), “What the heck did I get myself into?”

I am not from the media/advert/PR industry. I am in a different job scope. This is the first time that I have had to look at stuff soooo objectively and scrutinise soooo critically. Did I mention my learning curve is vertical?

I have had to scrap off enough brainrust to fill a 50 gallon dustbin and I am only at my first of six assignments for Term II.

You have no idea how bummed out and inadequate I was feeling. My classmate advised me to jia you for my next assignment. That made me feel better.

Then while watching “L.A. Ink”, a lady came into the shop and asked for a tattoo with these words:

“I am not afraid. I was born to do this.”

Somehow, that really hit home and picked me out of my doldrums.

I have so much more than some people my age. Must not grumble too much and gotta put my faith in the Good Lord to help me out. But must not drag my heels too much or else:

One night I had a wondrous dream,
One set of footprints there was seen,
The footprints of my precious Lord,
But mine were not along the shore.

But then some strange prints appeared,
And I asked the Lord, “What have we here?”
Those prints are large and round and neat,
“But Lord, they are too big for feet.”

“My child,” He said in somber tones,
“For miles I carried you along.
I challenged you to walk in faith,
But you refused and made me wait.”

“You disobeyed, you would not grow,
The walk of faith, you would not know,
So I got tired, I got fed up,
And there I dropped you on your butt.”

“Because in life, there comes a time,
When one must fight, and one must climb,
When one must rise and take a stand,
Or leave their butt prints in the sand.”

– author unknown

I will rise and I will take a stand cos I sure ain’t wanting to leave my butt prints in the sand.

Another lovely poem came to mind on being able to see what I have and being grateful for them. To paraphrase Mr Burns:

Some hae money and canna study,

And some wad study that want it;

But I have money* and I can study,

And sae the Lord be thankit.

Anytime now on that I feel like grumbling my head off about how tough I feel my studies are, that poem is going to remind me to suck it up and keep going.

Going to bed now. Need my rest to be mentally ready for my next (very late) assignment. Nightie night!

*not a lot of it.

Another Singapore F(irst) 1

Singapore has scored another First.

The first country to host the Youth Olympics in 2010.

We are all pumped up and very proud!

Go Singapore!

Singapore F(irst)1

There was the excitement at the announcement that Singapore was going to hold its first Grand Prix and first ever night race(hence the title).

In Today, 18 February 2008, I read that it took 15 years for F1 to arrive in Singapore. Tsk. No matter, good things comes to those who wait.

Let us hope the event will boost the economy and that Singapore does become a Jewel in the F1 crown.