I recently bought a Korean acoustic hand made guitar. This would be my 6th guitar over the last 50 years. Most of my old guitars were cheap ones made in the Philippines. They tend to split after a few years. Since retiring 6 years ago I had not been playing the guitar very often but has been collecting many guitar music clips and MP3s especially on finger style and slack key. I am now making it a point to play for about a hour a day to improve my finger style technique. It all started when I had to lead in the Christmas hymn singing in a gathering at our Cell Group leader's house 2 months ago.
I have over the months been conditioning my fingers to adapt to the guitar strings and starting with 10 gauge for the 1st string and will eventually go to 12 gauge string. I understand that the bridge needs to be changed or adjusted for a heavier gauge.
The guitar comes with an electric pick-up and a built-in digital tuner. When I reduce the tuning by slacking the strings to a lower pitch from concert, I have difficulty getting any accuracy in the digital readout and for the string to stay in tune for long. The higher the tension the easier to ensure the string stays in tune. Therefore it is obvious that when we use a higher gauge, the tuning will tend to stay more accurate for a longer time. That is why most electric guitars with very low gauge strings need to be re-tuned every now and then. Well eventually I will go above 12 gauge and the tone will sound richer and louder. However the fingers hurt - ouch.
Saturday, February 8, 2014
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Year End Shopping
You realise that the year-end school holiday has started when you open the morning newspaper these few days. In the newspapers for the last few days there were countless one pager advertisements from retail shops in Singapore.
Last weekend, a major electrical appliance store at Vivo City collaborated with a bank to offer special discount to the bank card members. The store was opened for 2 nights only for the bank card members starting at 7pm each night. I was near the store entrance on the first night before 7pm and saw a crowd of about 50 people standing around waiting for the door to open. There was a man, probably the Store Manager, standing at the entrance pleading with the crowd. He was shouting at the crowd, not to push or rush and asked everyone to keep calm. He was all the while waving his arms with gestures to prevent the crowd from trying to enter the store, before opening time. The whole episode was even recorded by other staff members in photos and videos, of the so called grand commotion outside the store.
The amusing thing was the only person who was not calm or cool was the Manager. The people in the crowd were actually lingering outside waiting for the door to open. There was no one pushing or fighting to be in front. When the door opened everyone strolled into the store. No rush and no one was hurt.
Someone commented that shopping nowadays is like car racing. You rush for it during the starting of the shopping season to make sure you get what you want before someone else takes it away. In some cases someone may get hurt in the commotion. I see this only in comic books but just actually last year in the US many people were injured in the mad rush when a store was opened during the Annual Sales.
Last weekend, a major electrical appliance store at Vivo City collaborated with a bank to offer special discount to the bank card members. The store was opened for 2 nights only for the bank card members starting at 7pm each night. I was near the store entrance on the first night before 7pm and saw a crowd of about 50 people standing around waiting for the door to open. There was a man, probably the Store Manager, standing at the entrance pleading with the crowd. He was shouting at the crowd, not to push or rush and asked everyone to keep calm. He was all the while waving his arms with gestures to prevent the crowd from trying to enter the store, before opening time. The whole episode was even recorded by other staff members in photos and videos, of the so called grand commotion outside the store.
The amusing thing was the only person who was not calm or cool was the Manager. The people in the crowd were actually lingering outside waiting for the door to open. There was no one pushing or fighting to be in front. When the door opened everyone strolled into the store. No rush and no one was hurt.
My wife and I went in 10 mins later and bought a Netbook and we got a 5% discount with the bank card. Surprisingly we were one of the earliest to pay at the cashier that night. How do I know? There was no one in front of us and when we paid, the cashier tore the first few pages of the lucky draw coupon for us. No one rushed to buy!
The next day we read in the papers and found another store offering about 20% discount for the same Netbook. Well you cannot win all the time.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Filial Daughter
An ex-colleague informed me a few days ago that her father just passed away. The father, bless his sole, was over 90 years old. Many of us will be glad to live up to that age and deep in our hearts we will consider that there is no great loss in the passing of a person of this age. This case is no different; however there is an interesting tale behind the relationship between the father and daughter.
The daughter was devoted to her father to such extend we can never imagine. They were poor in the past and could not afford most luxuries we now take for granted. She told me that they could only afford to eat chicken during the Chinese New Year dinner. There were not even enough meat to be shared by the big family and the father would always give up his share for his children. This daughter in question had all along appreciated what her father did for the family. She in turn took care of her father in his final years, almost all by herself, with the help of 2 maids. No big deal, you may think. Read on.
The father had a massive stroke about 10 years ago and he could not walk or talk. His condition deteriorated year by year. He apparently lost not only the ability to take care of himself he also lost his senses like most stroke victims do. He had to be fed by tube and cleaned every now and then. Being a big size man, it took more than one person to handle him. Hence 2 maids were employed. Apparently he was rejected by Hospices in Singapore due to his condition.
To make matter worse, he had stomach bleeding due to cancer a few years ago. His cancer could not be operated on because of his stroke. There was no choice but to stop the bleeding by other invasive methods, administered with expensive drugs and blood transfusion. He would be rushed to hospital and stayed in the Intensive Care Ward for several days whenever he bled. This would be as frequent as once a month or even more.
I had to travel with this colleague for business trip to the neighbouring countries and many a time the trips were cancelled at the last moment because her father had to be admitted to the hospital. Whenever she was at home, she would bring her father out for car ride almost every night without fail. She had to forsake most of the other night appointments, when in Singapore, just to be with her father. When on business trips she would call back home for constant updating on her father’s condition. She had to live away from her father as the old man would scream and shout at night due to his condition, and she had to report for work the next morning. In spite of this, she would stay to help take care of her father till after midnight before leaving for home. Imagine doing this for 10 years! She not only devoted 10 years of her life taking care of her father, I believe she used up all her life savings.
Now her father has passed away. Initially, she told me that she could not accept the fact that her father was no more around. What I told her was to reflect on what she did for her father throughout his illness. For most of us, even if we have half her devotion, we will consider that we have done way beyond our duties to our parents. I am glad that when I visited her during the wake, she was not in low spirit. I am sure her father is looking down from above and is extremely glad to have such a daughter.
The daughter was devoted to her father to such extend we can never imagine. They were poor in the past and could not afford most luxuries we now take for granted. She told me that they could only afford to eat chicken during the Chinese New Year dinner. There were not even enough meat to be shared by the big family and the father would always give up his share for his children. This daughter in question had all along appreciated what her father did for the family. She in turn took care of her father in his final years, almost all by herself, with the help of 2 maids. No big deal, you may think. Read on.
The father had a massive stroke about 10 years ago and he could not walk or talk. His condition deteriorated year by year. He apparently lost not only the ability to take care of himself he also lost his senses like most stroke victims do. He had to be fed by tube and cleaned every now and then. Being a big size man, it took more than one person to handle him. Hence 2 maids were employed. Apparently he was rejected by Hospices in Singapore due to his condition.
To make matter worse, he had stomach bleeding due to cancer a few years ago. His cancer could not be operated on because of his stroke. There was no choice but to stop the bleeding by other invasive methods, administered with expensive drugs and blood transfusion. He would be rushed to hospital and stayed in the Intensive Care Ward for several days whenever he bled. This would be as frequent as once a month or even more.
I had to travel with this colleague for business trip to the neighbouring countries and many a time the trips were cancelled at the last moment because her father had to be admitted to the hospital. Whenever she was at home, she would bring her father out for car ride almost every night without fail. She had to forsake most of the other night appointments, when in Singapore, just to be with her father. When on business trips she would call back home for constant updating on her father’s condition. She had to live away from her father as the old man would scream and shout at night due to his condition, and she had to report for work the next morning. In spite of this, she would stay to help take care of her father till after midnight before leaving for home. Imagine doing this for 10 years! She not only devoted 10 years of her life taking care of her father, I believe she used up all her life savings.
Now her father has passed away. Initially, she told me that she could not accept the fact that her father was no more around. What I told her was to reflect on what she did for her father throughout his illness. For most of us, even if we have half her devotion, we will consider that we have done way beyond our duties to our parents. I am glad that when I visited her during the wake, she was not in low spirit. I am sure her father is looking down from above and is extremely glad to have such a daughter.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Shopping at your doorstep
Yesterday a few aunties in similar uniform came to knock at every-door selling the probiotic drink Yakult.
The price might not be cheaper than what you find in the shop but it came with a plastic container as a free gift. I believe the free gift would hit the soft spots of most Singaporeans even if you have 20 other unused containers at home. I politely rejected the Yakult and instead I was given a “Yakult Home Delivery Service Order Coupon.” Now why will I need that when I hardly ever consume any probiotic drink? I join the billions of people who do not take probiotic and survive (I hope).
The amusing thing was the ladies in hats and trolley dragging the drinks in the hot sun going from house to house. This is hard selling at your doorstep.
Only a few days ago an elderly man rang my doorbell trying to sell me durian. Yes, we come across such people from time to time driving a Malaysian registered Protong Saga with durians stuffed in the booth. With the Singapore Custom checking every car entering the country, what do they do when they find over a hundred durians in the booth? There may be no duty or restriction to bring in durians, but these people should be charged for air pollution.
Apart from selling fruits and drinks at your doorstep, I encountered recently one more amusing item selling not exactly at my house’s door step but next to my car door. I was at the IMM car park waiting for a parking space when a van pulled up next to my car. The driver stuck out his head and asked me “Would you like to buy a Home Stereo System?”
The price might not be cheaper than what you find in the shop but it came with a plastic container as a free gift. I believe the free gift would hit the soft spots of most Singaporeans even if you have 20 other unused containers at home. I politely rejected the Yakult and instead I was given a “Yakult Home Delivery Service Order Coupon.” Now why will I need that when I hardly ever consume any probiotic drink? I join the billions of people who do not take probiotic and survive (I hope).
The amusing thing was the ladies in hats and trolley dragging the drinks in the hot sun going from house to house. This is hard selling at your doorstep.
Only a few days ago an elderly man rang my doorbell trying to sell me durian. Yes, we come across such people from time to time driving a Malaysian registered Protong Saga with durians stuffed in the booth. With the Singapore Custom checking every car entering the country, what do they do when they find over a hundred durians in the booth? There may be no duty or restriction to bring in durians, but these people should be charged for air pollution.
Apart from selling fruits and drinks at your doorstep, I encountered recently one more amusing item selling not exactly at my house’s door step but next to my car door. I was at the IMM car park waiting for a parking space when a van pulled up next to my car. The driver stuck out his head and asked me “Would you like to buy a Home Stereo System?”
Saturday, October 17, 2009
Do Not Use Our Electricity
Yesterday we went to the large Scandinavian furniture shop at Alexandra Road. The wife went looking for things in the shop and I settled in the cafeteria, next to the wall electrical socket to power my laptop. I was surprised that there was no wifi but it did not bother me as I was working on my report.
The cafeteria at about 3pm was quite empty. After less than 10min on my PC, an elderly lady staff member approached saying, “Sorry Sir, you cannot use our electricity”. Throughout the half an hour I was there, different staff members walked near to me to discreetly check if I was using the electricity. This is the first time I encountered such a situation. Maybe the store wants to discourage people from hogging the place in the cafeteria, as it seems to be very crowded during mealtime. But the place was almost deserted when I was there. Anyway not everyone is a Starbucks.
Talking about Starbucks, a friend of mind produces an electrical system that runs along the entire wall. A plug socket adapter can be inserted into the railing like devise on the wall to draw electricity. You can insert multiple adapters and presto; you are connected to your electricity, anywhere next to the wall. Why Starbucks, you may ask. I understand Starbucks actually fixed this system in an outlet in Singapore. I wonder where it is?
Friday, October 9, 2009
View from National Library Singapore
I am a regular visitor to the Lee Kong Chian Reference Library at the National Library Singapore. All the floors are designed so that when you enter the library room you will see a lot of study benches on your right facing north. After more than a year facing north, I ventured to the other side of the library looking south and see what I found!
Monday, September 21, 2009
You Meet the Nicest People in a Honda
As the famous commercial goes, “You Meet the Nicest People on a Honda”. I have a Honda car for the past 6 years and I suppose yours truly is qualified to be one of the “nicest people”.
Just more than a week ago someone in another Honda banged into my car. Of course the other driver was also supposed to be one of the nicest people around.
Today while driving in the Central Express Way Tunnel my car engine ceased. I was stuck in the tunnel and so I called up the Automobile Association (AA) for help. AA could not tow the car from the tunnel and I had to call the Land Transport Authority. The LTA actually knew that my car broke down in the tunnel from the CCTV and sent a traffic marshal to direct the traffic and a tow-truck to tow my car out of the tunnel. This was all done in about 15min, all for free. Actually not for free, as you can imagine the taxes we pay to buy and maintain a car.
Anyway the AA finally towed my car to the workshop but today the workshop is closed as it is a public holiday. You may meet the nicest people on a Honda, but not for long.
Just more than a week ago someone in another Honda banged into my car. Of course the other driver was also supposed to be one of the nicest people around.
Today while driving in the Central Express Way Tunnel my car engine ceased. I was stuck in the tunnel and so I called up the Automobile Association (AA) for help. AA could not tow the car from the tunnel and I had to call the Land Transport Authority. The LTA actually knew that my car broke down in the tunnel from the CCTV and sent a traffic marshal to direct the traffic and a tow-truck to tow my car out of the tunnel. This was all done in about 15min, all for free. Actually not for free, as you can imagine the taxes we pay to buy and maintain a car.
Anyway the AA finally towed my car to the workshop but today the workshop is closed as it is a public holiday. You may meet the nicest people on a Honda, but not for long.
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