Garden update June 07

Early in February this year, I wrote about 'getting the gardening itch'. It's been sometime since then and a few guys have been asking me about my progress.

Well, it's not that bad but could have been better. A serious obstacle has been the slug infestation. I finally went along with my sister's advice (initially recommended by my landlord) - the beer trap. I bought a 4 pack of the cheapest beer in the market, which happens to be Tesco's value bitter. I then put disposable plastic containers in my vegetable patches, with the top level with the surface. These were then filled up with beer in the evening. In the morning, I would find that they were overflowing with dead slugs. I have pictures but they were too disgusting to put up.

Anyway, I now have the following plants growing in my garden:

1. Strawberries
2. Mint
3. Potatoes
4. Tomatoes
5. Lavender
6. Rosemary
7. 1 rose plant (the rest died)
8. a few marigold plants.

I have also planted carrots and chilies but they are yet to germinate.

The lawn is coming up well too. Our landlord gave me two boxes of hard wearing grass seed and I sowed them just before the rains. They are a bit patchy now but I am sure it will slowly grow over the bare patches in the future.

Take a look at how far our garden has come:

When we first moved in

In April 2007

Now

Got the idea for this post from Skeet's blog.

An experiment in blogging for money

Just wanted to create some buzz about Lugnut22.com, blogger Lars Krumme's part-time endeavor. According to Lars, the blog titled "Make Money Online", was started in January this year as "an experiment in blogging for money".

Some of my blogger friends who have been blogging for nearly a year and more, have been complaining that they hardly make any money. I guess, they could learn a thing or two from Lars who earned $153.33 in April followed by a total of $168.04 in May. he actually made about $60 after subtracting the costs. That's quite impressive.

Congratulations Prime Minister

Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi married Datin Seri Jeanne Abdullah at a simple and private ceremony at his official residence, Seri Perdana, in Putrajaya today.

The akad nikah (solemnisation of marriage vows) was solemnised by Putra Mosque acting Imam, Abd Manaf Mat.

Jeanne (pronounced zhahn in the French accent) became the Prime Minister’s wife at around 2.50pm.

Selamat Pengantin Baru


Read the Star report here.

Updated (11 June, 2007): The photographs are finally out. Check them out here.

Control teenage spending

My kids are still small and I am spending a fair amount of money on them. When I told some of our older friends about this, their reply was "wait till they become teenagers" or something to that effect.

It seems that a lot of teenagers have a problem with handling money. In many cases, I can see that the fault lies with their parents. Most people don't spend enough time with their kids and because they feel guilty, think they can make up by giving their kids money. Teaching your kids to be prudent with their money will definitely help them in the future by establishing smart financial habits.

One great way to teach teens how to manage their money is by using Teen Prepaid cards. With these cards, the parent remains in control. The parent can monitor the spending habits of their teen and can even suspend it if needed. It can prove to be useful in emergencies as the card is a convenient way to give teens money electronically.

Some of the cars can actually teach the kids to instill work ethics. For example the cards from PAYjr's Allowance and Chore System can be a way to pay their teens based upon completion of household task or other goals.

Visit to Twycross Zoo

This Tuesday, I accompanied my daughter to the Twycross Zoo trip organised by her playgroup. As I had suspected, I was the only daddy in the entire bus. My wife was at home looking after our son. But it's OK. It was the first time I had ever been to a zoo with my daughter.

It was fun. I have been to bigger zoos but I liked the fact that we could see of the animals up close through their specially designed enclosures. They have a huge collection of primates.

Here are some pics:

Capybara, the biggest rodents in the World.

Elephants patiently waiting for their feeding time.

First time I saw a giraffe so close.

Rahil suddenly met up with her "best friend". They were hugging and jumping up and down. "Girls!" I thought to myself. They couldn't be kept apart after that and I had to follow them.

Rahil, with here best friend. Trying to communicate with a chimp

Now for some information about the zoo. Twycross Zoo opened in 1963 on a site in Leicestershire. right now it occupies over 40 acres and is one of the major British zoos. The address:
Twycross Zoo
Atherstone
Warwickshire
CV9 3PX
Telephone 01827 880250/880440
Fax 01827 880700

Tags: Capybara Giraffe Twycross Zoo

Father's day gift tips

Father's day is on the 17th of this month - this coming Saturday. Have you thought about a gift for your father or your partner, who's a father? I was going through several blogs and can see that a lot of people are scratching their brains for the right gift.

If you haven't thought about a gift for the father in your life (shame on you), well here are some great tips from Belisi.com. Regulars to my blog will have noticed that I carry news about this fashion brand quite often. This is because I believe that this brand will definitely grow in the future.

This brand was started by Peter Belisi (check out his picture), whose lifelong aspirations were to fuse the luxury and prestige of Palm Beach with Italian sophistication. Belisi’s unwavering commitment to creating fashion products is evident by the quality and detail that goes into each product.

The company started out and became famous for their luxurious ties which are made from silk. Their online store also carries handbags, scarves and pocket squares.In case you were wondering about the last product, it refers to silk handkerchief used as an accessory to a suit. Belisi suggests that a luxurious silk pocket square may just be the right Father's day gift - something different.

The company also offer the latest insights, trends and tips from fashion, beauty and lifestyle experts in their fashion blogs, namely, TheDivasDreams.com for women and SharpByDesignblog.com for men. Another blog BeautifulMeblog.com, focuses on beauty—inside and out. Highly recommended for those who are fashion and beauty conscious.

It is interesting to note how Belisi sees itself:

...an online community where customers are “Insiders” instead of order numbers.

Peter Belisi welcomes all comments, suggestions or questions and responds to his clients personally. That's what I call true "customer service". I also like the fact that every time a customer purchases a Belisi product, a portion of that goes to a charity of their choice. They refer to this as the "Luxury with Meaning" program. I wish all companies thought like that.

Following is a press release from Belisi.com
~ * ~ * ~

Finding the Right Gift for Father’s Day May Not Be as Hard as You Think

Give a Gift Dad Will Remember…Luxurious, Stylish, and Thoughtful

PALM BEACH , FLORIDA (MAY 15, 2007) Okay, so Father’s Day is right around the corner. Wondering what to get Dad? Neckties are often times considered the “stand-by” gift for guys but not anymore. More and more Dads are putting their best fashion foot forward with colorful neckties, as they know this simple accessory can make or break an outfit. Whether you are looking for the red power tie or sophisticated yet casual, there is a tie for every occasion. Give Dad a gift he will remember, something he can wear and treasure for years to come. Dad will feel extra special this year with a beautiful Italian necktie or pocket square from Belisi. With each Father’s Day purchase at Belisi, customers will receive free shipping with their orders. To qualify for free shipping, customers should visit Belisi.com.

Belisi ties are made with more silk per inch than the average tie, which creates a fuller necktie knot, the hallmark of true luxury silk neckties. They come in a variety of colors and styles, so it’s easy to select a thoughtful gift that any father would appreciate.

Pocket Squares, which are making a big comeback, also make excellent Father's Day gifts. Belisi pocket squares are oversized, made with a lavish thick silk and hand-rolled on the border. So if you want to give a unique gift for that special guy in your life, a pocket square fits the bill. Another reason ties are still a fresh gift idea is that men can wear ties that accessorize with their partner’s silk scarf, which she can wear tied around her neck or draped around her shoulders as a shawl, tied on her wrist, worn as a belt or handbag accessory or in her hair (a very hot trend right now).

Belisi Fashions remains steadfast in giving back to those less fortunate. Through the “Belisi Luxury with Meaning” program a minimum of 10 percent of the company’s pre-tax profits are donated to those in need. Keeping in-line with Belisi’s mission to create a community within a community, customers decide which charity to make their contribution. Some of the charities include: Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation, American Heart Association, and 1-800-Save-A-Pet.com.

Belisi was built on the philosophy that a tie or a scarf is more than an article of clothing—it completes your look. “There are plenty of Web sites where you can buy accessories but few where you feel like you’re a part of a fashion community,” affirms Peter Belisi of Belisi Fashions.

The Belisi brand is flourishing, and anticipates the release of its new luxury handbag collection in Fall ’07. As with all Belisi products, the handbag collection will feature extraordinary detailing including real gold hardware, soft treated Italian leather and brushed fabrics, plus many other exclusive features only available through www.Belisi.com.

Belisi Press Contact:
Amy Covington
amycovington@belisi.com
800.434.1962

Agency Contact:
Cher Murphy
cm@newsworthystories.com
703.323.5976

Updated: 14 June, 07

Who would you like to have dinner with?

Was going through "The way it is" Steve Lorenz's blog, when I came across this interesting post titled "Four People to eat with". He answers the question:
"If you could sit down and eat dinner with four people, who would they be and why?"

The people he choose and the reasons for choosing them were quite interesting. Then I thought about it myself - "Who would I like to have dinner with?"

Initially all short of famous people came to my head, dead leaders, actors, prophets and so on but in the end, the people I would really like to have at my dinner table are my parents, who are so far away in Malaysia. The two other people would be my 2 old grandfathers (one from my father's side and another from my mother's side), whom I haven't seen in a long, long time. It's my fault and I have no excuses. Would really like to see them before they pass away - they are really really old.

Thanks Steve for that interesting post. BTW, Steve is a history major at the University of Michigan and writes on several blogs.