Life's Little Lessons

One could write a paragraph or a page and not able to express what these few words or sentences could. Such is the power of words, of aphorisms. 

Aphorisms reinforce our thoughts, ideas, beliefs and opinions. And it is a nice feeling when we find our thoughts or opinions expressed by someone else more eloquently.

The following words of wisdom are short and easy to remember. Do take a few moments to have a look. Maybe there is something that is useful to you. Or, maybe you know of someone who needs some encouragement. If nothing else, they will add to your chest of knowledge.

The miser is as much in want of that which he has, as of that which he has not. - Publilius Syrus

If I could wish for my life to be perfect, it would be tempting but I would have to decline, for life would no longer teach me anything. - Allyson Jones

Great men tell you how to get where you are going; greater men take you there. - Unknown

The man never feels the want of what it never occurs to him to ask for. - Arthur Schopenhauer

In a controversy the instant we feel anger we have already ceased striving for the truth, and have begun striving for ourselves. - The Buddha

He who has a why to live can bear with almost any how. - Friedrich Nietzsche

The magic of first love is our ignorance that it can ever end. - Benjamin Disraeli

If my doctor told me I had only six minutes to live, I wouldn’t brood. I’d type a little faster. - Isaac Asimov

Happy is the soul that has something to look backward to with pride, and something to look forward to with hope. - Oliver G. Wilson

The most dangerous creation of any society is that man who has nothing to lose. - James Baldwin

It is difficult to say who does you the most mischief: enemies with the worst intentions or friends with the best. - Edward G. E. Bulwer-Lytton

There is only one step from the sublime to the ridiculous. - Napoleon I

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BLOGGER ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thank you for stopping by. Follow me if you like to read about Life, Humour, and Quotes. If you know of someone who might appreciate these posts, do share the link with them. Cheers!

My Walk Route

 A few random shots of my walk route taken on different days. Here in the tropics, most days are cloudy, warm and humid. One can easily work out a sweat. 

When I first started using this route almost twenty years ago, it was just a stones and pebbles path. Some parts of the route, was rugged and you have to slow down and take it easy if you don't want to break an ankle. 

As the area got more populated, development of the place began and part of the development was to link the estate to the other estates and parks via a - what they call 'Park Connector'.  So now we have a nice walk route with plants and flowers on both sides of the route. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BLOGGER ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thank you for stopping by. Follow me if you like to read about Life, Humour, and Quotes. If you know of someone who might appreciate these posts, do share the link with them. Cheers!

Hibiscus Tiliaceus aka Sea Hibiscus

Hibiscus tiliaceus is a species of flowering tree in the mallow family, Malvaceae. Common names include sea hibiscus, beach hibiscus, coastal (or coast) hibiscus, among others …

“Malvaceae, or the mallows, is a family of flowering plants estimated to contain 244 genera with 4225 known species.” - Wikipedia

The flowers of H. tiliaceus are bright yellow with a deep red center upon opening. Over the course of the day, the flowers deepen to orange and finally red before they fall. The branches of the tree often curve over time. 

The leaves are heart shaped. They are very pleasing to the eye – to mine, anyway.

Beds of Sea Hibiscus sitting pretty along a walk path. They are trimmed every couple of months so they look nice and tidy.

These are sea hibiscus in the wild. As you see, they grow to quite big trees. Their leaves are bigger and 'rougher', not as refined as those cultivated.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BLOGGER ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thank you for stopping by. Follow me if you like to read about Life, Humour, and Quotes. If you know of someone who might appreciate these posts, do share the link with them. Cheers!

Saizeriya Restaurant

Saizeriya Restaurant is a Singapore chain of ‘no frills’ Italian restaurants. They are all over the island. They have a decent menu. While their food is, as someone put it – ‘not something to write home about’, they are all right - for the price and portion they are offering. 

Since it is a no frills restaurant, there is no service to speak of. However, they were quick to take your orders and  prompt in serving your food. 

I would say Saizeriya restaurant is a good place for people trying Italian food for the first time. You can order for yourself, or you can order a number of dishes and share it with your friend, or friends, if you are in a group. This way, you get to sample more dishes. The portion sizes, and the prices, are catered for such. You can mix and match to see what food complements each other, or what food is more to your taste.

That is the concept, aim and goal of the restaurant chain – for diners to have a meal at affordable prices, and to introduce Italian cuisine to the public. They market themselves as the ‘Casual Italian Restaurant’ and in this respect, I believe they have achieved what they set out to do.

I was there recently with a friend for dinner. These were what we ordered.

Milano Gratin - Penne in Beef Bolognese Sauce, white sauce and Cheese

Mushroom and Bacon with Gouda & Mozzarella Cheese

Four Cheese Rivoli – Traditional Italian Pasta filled with four cheese

Chicken Wings

Nacho Bacon Potato – Bacon and Nacho Potato topped with Nacho Cheese

Butter Corn- Sweet corn with Garlic Butter

The food were all nice enough. Would I go back? Sure! I am not a big eater. And I prefer a few bites of different dishes instead of one big chunk of meat with loads of fries. So, the restaurant’s concept works very well for me. 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BLOGGER ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thank you for stopping by. Follow me if you like to read about Life, Humour, and Quotes. If you know of someone who might appreciate these posts, do share the link with them. Cheers!

Pitahaya aka Dragon Fruit

A pitaya, or pitahaya is the fruit of several different cactus species.  Pitaya usually refers to fruit of the genus Stenocereus while pitahaya refers to fruit of the genus Hylocereus - both in the family Cactaceae. 

These fruits are commonly known in English as "dragon fruit", a name used since around 1963, apparently resulting from the leather-like skin and prominent scaly spikes on the fruit exterior. In some places, the fruit is also be known as a strawberry pear.

The dragon fruit is cultivated in Southeast Asia, and throughout tropical and subtropical regions in the world. Hylocereus (the plant that bears dragon fruits) has adapted to live in dry tropical climates with a moderate amount of rain. The dragon fruit sets on the cactus-like trees 30–50 days after flowering, and can sometimes have 5-6 cycles of harvests per year.

Overwatering or excessive rainfall can cause the flowers to drop and the fruits to rot.

There are, apparently, three colours of Dragon fruits, but I have only seen two colours – white and red. 

The fruit's texture is sometimes likened to that of the kiwifruit because of its black, crunchy seeds. Dragon fruit is supposedly very nutritious and good for the health. They are used to flavor and colour juices and alcoholic beverages. The red and purple colors of Hylocereus fruits are due to betacyanins, a family of pigments that includes betanin, the same substance that gives beets their red colour. You wouldn’t want to get any of the dyes on your clothes. It would be a pain to get them off. The flowers are said to be edible, or they can be steeped as tea. 

I saw these cacti in one of the community gardens in the park some time ago. I had assumed they were just some cacti plant and didn’t pay much attention to it. 

Later on, I saw their blooms. Upon a closer look, I saw that there were a couple of young dragon fruits. It was then that I realised they were the cacti plants that bear dragon fruits. I hadn't realized that dragon fruits can be grown in Singapore climate.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BLOGGER ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thank you for stopping by. Follow me if you like to read about Life, Humour, and Quotes. If you know of someone who might appreciate these posts, do share the link with them. Cheers!

Humorous Wit

Life can be stressful. Especially during these difficult times. We constantly have to deal with our problems, frustrations, irritations and our fears of what tomorrow might bring, what the future holds for us. That is why we have to, once in a while put aside our worries, and have a laugh – at ourselves, at our troubles, and at Life. Laugh and be happy, come what may!

Below are some humorous quips / witty comments. They are funny but at the same time, there is a lot of truth in some of these quips.

I hope they bring on a chuckle, or put a smile on your face.

Men are like bank accounts. Without a lot of money they don't generate a lot of interest. - Unknown 

If someone says, “You’re gonna regret that in the morning,” I sleep in ‘til noon. Problem solved. - Unknown 

Opera is when a guy gets stabbed in the back and, instead of bleeding, he sings. - Robert Benchley

If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world. - C.S. Lewis

Anyone can be confident with a full head of hair. But a confident bald man - there's your diamond in the rough. - Larry David 

He was not merely a chip off the old block, but the old block itself. - Edmund Burke

The chief reason for drinking is the desire to behave in a certain way, and to be able to blame it on alcohol. - Mignon McLaughlin

Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, and fat. - Unknown

The elevator to success is out of order. You'll have to use the stairs... one step at a time. - Joe Girard

I would give up drinking, but I am not a quitter. - Unknown

Some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them. - Unknown

There are two perfectly good men, one dead and the other unborn. - Chinese Proverb

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BLOGGER ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thank you for stopping by. Follow me if you like to read about Life, Humour, and Quotes. If you know of someone who might appreciate these posts, do share the link with them. Cheers!

Truisms - Words to Live By

The beauty of Aphorisms is that they are usually fairly simple in words and meaning. However, behind the simple words, and sentences are profound truisms. Unfortunately, it is easy to read the words without really understanding the more profound meaning they convey, missing the point of these ageless aphorisms. To read and understand aphorisms is not enough, we must also be able to draw parallels and apply them to our life situations. That’s where the usefulness  of aphorisms lie; that’s where we find the profound lessons of aphorisms.

The little reed, bending to the force of the wind, soon stood upright again when the storm had passed over. - Unknown

There must be a beginning of any great matter, but the continuing unto the end until it be thoroughly finished yields the true glory. - Sir Francis Drake

It is better to light one small candle than to curse the darkness. - Eleanor Roosevelt

If moral behavior were simply following rules, we could program a computer to be moral. - Samuel P. Ginder

Good times become good memories. Bad times become good lessons. - Unknown

They understand but a little who understand only what can be explained. - Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

It is far more impressive when others discover your good qualities without your help. - Judith S. Martin

The height of stupidity is most clearly demonstrated by the individual who ridicules something he knows nothing about. - Albert Einstein

Heat not a furnace for your foe so hot that it do singe yourself. - William Shakespeare

The loss which is unknown is no loss at all. - Publilius Syrus

He that giveth away his treasure wisely, giveth away his plagues: he that retaineth their increase, heapeth up sorrow. - Akhnaton

It is difficult to see the picture when you are inside the frame. - Unknown

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ BLOGGER ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Thank you for stopping by. Follow me if you like to read about Life, Humour, and Quotes. If you know of someone who might appreciate these posts, do share the link with them. Cheers!