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ideas bonanza 010: You May Also Want to Buy...

Sun, 28 Aug 2011 20:58:13 +0100

Lots of people have a list when they do grocery shopping. You follow your list, which comprises of things in random order as you write. You run around aisle from aisle. Alternatively, there’re iPhone apps that sort your items by their locations.

But what role does a supermarket play in reminding or recommending relevant items? Say, you bought some bread, there’s a little card next to loaves of bread that suggest (as a friendly reminder too!) butter, or cheese (who doesn’t love cheese on toast?!).

We already see similar practices on sites like Amazon, when you are prompted suggestions of addition purchases - related based on taste but nonetheless completely independent items. In a supermarket however, suggestions are more to compliment your recipes. So the card next to boxes of breadsticks could be parma ham, in case your usual is dip in olive oil and vinegar. The recommendation changes from time to time, as the objective is to spice up your routines.

biscuits

Thu, 16 Jun 2011 12:47:13 +0100

i’m sad to say i’m no longer a biscuit person.

A fond childhood memory is mom awarding me with bags of yummy M&S cheese triangles when i patiently studied with her. Still love them, but i’m finding the dryness of biscuits too much for my mouth. i guess i’ll have to keep looking for some really good ones.

the mansion that doesn't exist?

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 02:53:07 +0100

Lately my brain has been so active when I sleep I don’t think I’m getting enough quality sleep:(

In one of the episodes, I went to a huge mansion somewhere in the UK to live with a family temporarily. Having my camera with me, even in my dream I worked very hard to frame the person I was shooting before some gorgeous doors. I think I didn’t nail the shot…

I have this feeling that this mansion really exists. I still remember the details of the place, so I’ll know if I ever come across anything similar! As usual, I’m mixing dream & reality together:)

ideas bonanza 009: Elbow Bibs

Thu, 14 Apr 2011 02:45:52 +0100

It feels natural resting our arms on the table, but very often we do so without checking if the table is clean. In many places the tables are almost never cleaned, inevitably we end up embarrassing ourselves with debris stuck on our elbows.

The Elbow Bibs are two patches with elastics to strap onto your elbows. Fold to store when not in use. They’re waterproof & machine-washable.

Today

Sun, 13 Feb 2011 22:46:26 +0000

i have always know my mental health is super high maintenance, but other than discovering my conditions and sometimes over analyzing them, i don’t think i have tried really hard to improve my mental health.

But i’m glad i’m consciously working on it now. That is, i try to keep my negative emotions from lingering too long, and i’m not letting myself to be hurt so easily (be it by my self depreciation or by other people’s un/intentional remarks). etc etc etc.

i am trying, and very hard too.

Just want to put this on record.

1994

Thu, 03 Feb 2011 00:11:00 +0000

Bro said he found a tube of wasabi in a kitchen drawer. It expired in 1994 - 17 long years ago. I couldn’t stop laughing. It’s so ridiculous yet so typical of the Poon’s household.

Then i remembered 1994. Not only Mom would still be around, Grandma would too. In fact it was the year she died, the first death I experienced. Other deaths followed, that of real people I know.

I was suddenly drawn into the family life before and after Grandma’s death. Somehow I think the wasabi tube must belong to the days of before…

母親死忌兩週年

Wed, 02 Feb 2011 23:18:00 +0000

我在想：上年的這一天，沒有人記得，沒有人在乎，我很生氣。

今年，不要緊。自己記得就好。

希望不用再聽到別人說誰和誰更慘，任何人失去的至親都是無可替代的！這個人可是全世界最疼我、我個人宇宙裡最重要的人！

現在只能用一輩子的思念報答她這些年來為我的操心。

（當然亦要好好地活）

這一天留給自己，留給媽。好好把平時埋藏在心底的回憶想一遍。

（果然是 day off 的好藉口!）

早上起床時在床上哭了一遍，還掙扎要不要取消行程躲在家中工作算了。和爸、哥談了一會，大家都比平時多話多笑。用excess的笑去掩飾內心的難過，我想，這是我們僅有的默契。

最終中午出門了（因肚餓但不想做飯）。去了比較喜歡的cafe慢慢地大吃一頓（當然還有甜品!）再慢慢地看了兩個非常出色的攝影展。去唐人街買湯圓沒有買成（可疑的國內品牌！）

打開家門時花香撲鼻！是前天買給母親的紫色hyacinth 開了，也當是年花吧。

今天就這樣，希望新的一年快快樂樂！

ideas bonanza 008: shit alert for smartphones

Mon, 31 Jan 2011 20:19:44 +0000

This one is inspired by my 10min walk to the nearest station from home. It’s a pleasant walk, with very nice marina views. Problem is, not everyone cares to pick up after their dogs and there’re quite a lot of dog shit to watch out for. And at night, there are very few street lights.

This smartphone app tracks your usual routes with this specific purpose. Run it when you leave for work in the morning. As you come across dog shit, press the app button and its location will be flagged. It also has a pedometre to increase the accuracy of the distance between you and the suspect.

On your way home, it automatically reverses your morning route and provides alert such as “Attention! 10 steps ahead on the left!” The flagged objects will displayed as a radar-map:)

Got woken up in time

Sun, 16 Jan 2011 09:37:51 +0000

in my dream, I met up with a close friend & her friends. We were eating pears. Someone asked who bought the pears (my friend did). Someone said my mom did. I was plunged into contemplating how long mom has gone & started feeling miserable.

All of a sudden LC woke me up, as if he knew I would be more & more upset if I continue my dream:)

ideas bonanza 007: Electric Jacket

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:29:00 +0000

There’re electric blankets. Given we spend a lot of time out of bed they don’t help in all coldness.

The Electric Jacket operates on a similar level, plug and heat, unplug when warm and ready to wear. To minimize weight, the heating device isn’t integrated and should not heat above normal body temperature. There could also be electric trousers, mittens, socks etc.

Alternatively, there could be a heating station whereby you put your normal clothes on (like food warmer) and have your clothes warmed before you wear them.

ideas bonanza 006: Pancake Jerky

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:16:00 +0000

There’re food that you can’t eat on the go, and pancake is one of them. For people who loves pancakes for breakfast the Pancake Jerky is good news. It’s mini pancake fried with syrup till they’re hard (sort of like jerky but not as hard). Just grab some in a bag, so not knife & fork needed and no mess from sticky syrup.

ideas bonanza 005: Taste Shop

Wed, 12 Jan 2011 15:09:00 +0000

this one was inspired by the super strict custom rules on what you can bring into Australia:)

If you, like me, love browsing supermarkets when you’re travelling in a foreign land, you’re likely to have experienced this problem. You see food you’d love to try but not necessarily want to buy them in packs, like you see a hugh packet of chocolate and all you want is a small piece just to taste? or a can of pasta sauce in a farmers’ market that needs refrigerating? or a bottle of cider that might easily break in your luggage? or you simply can’t bring them back or have run out of luggage space?

This is a solution to give travellers/tourists a taste of the locale. This is a ‘taste shop’ that serves local produce in small quantity, ideally some unfamiliar to tourists but popular amongst locals. Say, if the shop is in London, everything served will be made in UK. You’ll find on the menu things like hot chocolate made by a local chocolatier, pasta with homemade sauce, bakery & cakes locally made, sandwiches with Yorkshire cheese etc…

2011

Sun, 09 Jan 2011 19:13:00 +0000

goals in 2010:
✓…make a self-portrait that i’m happy with (sort of checked)
✓…get rid of self-pity (success!)
✓…read 24 books (read: 144)
✓…watch 40 films (watched: 72)
…read all works by 金庸 (87% complete)
…and some failed ones…

2011 resolutions:
…finish all works by 金庸 (2 more to go!)
…not to be melancholic in consecutive days
…execute at least 2 projects in mind
…go on 1 road trip within UK
…develop 1 new hobby
…read 1 book that’s +800 pages
…form habits i’ve been meaning to since forever (incl. flossing, stretching etc)
…make 4 photos of London that I’m happy with
…print photos for family & friends by the end of the year

note

Sun, 26 Dec 2010 10:26:51 +0000

lost 7 pounds in 7 days. Despite it being Christmas:(

was emailing a friend, then my eyes became watery from thinking of mom. may seems a distant link but...

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 14:53:14 +0000

was emailing a friend, then my eyes became watery from thinking of mom. may seems a distant link but trust me friends & mom somehow overlap.

things I get mad at LC for

Tue, 16 Nov 2010 09:55:00 +0000

NOT these:

keep me waiting

not spending time with me

always on his computer

being messy

but this:

not sharing with me an interesting website he comes across:)

‘used’ Al as the tripod to take this shot ^^ the crepe was...

Fri, 29 Oct 2010 17:07:23 +0100

‘used’ Al as the tripod to take this shot ^^ the crepe was insanely delicious!

ideas bonanza 004: airlines' A+ loyalty programme

Wed, 27 Oct 2010 01:12:00 +0100

You join the club and get points for the milage you’ve flown. Big deal. A loyal-er programme is one where you commit in advance to buying flights for the future. Say, I hereby buy 10 return flights from this airline to Hong Kong wherever I will be. You pay a deposit but they give you a discount, of course:)

i’ve been playing this iPhone game (it’s also on...

Tue, 26 Oct 2010 12:21:00 +0100

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7 current state

i’ve been playing this iPhone game (it’s also on iPod & iPad) and it’s addictive!

Basically you run your resto and earn coins by keeping customers fed. Not really serving them, just make sure there’re seats and food available. Minimal efforts. I really like planning the interior and moving furnitures around!

You could add neighbours too so you could give each other coins and gifts:)

These are screenshots of my restaurant’s development. The last one is it’s current state:)

blocks

Sun, 24 Oct 2010 01:28:00 +0100

So often road blocks take place late at night so works may not hinder day traffic.

Lately my nose has been blocked every night. I’m taking it as a sign of my body having some emergency fix or necessary upgrade…