Friends Club Upcoming Event (Sep 8, 2010)

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Fee or Free?

It used to be said a job is no longer a job if we are doing what we like doing. Hypothetically, this also means when what we like doing becomes a job, it is no longer a pleasure doing what we like doing.

Life as a writer is very much the same. I used to write for leisure on topics of my own interest, and I enjoyed every minute and second while I was doing it. However, when the day came for me to make a living out of what I like best, writing became more of a pressure than pleasure. Deadlines now come as part and parcel of life and rushing is a norm. Inspiration and creative thinking no longer come easy as before, and hard work seems always the order of the day. All these often boil down to one question—am I writing for free or for a fee? When I write for a fee, expectations are always tagged with the price, and this is seldom fun. When I write for free, it is usually done with pleasure and there is no pressure.

Many, like me, enjoy writing for pleasure. Pleasure alone however is not enough to keep me and my family living happily ever after. In the real world, if I hope to survive, I need to be paid for what I write. What I write however is not up to me to decide, and depends on the demand required by the respective publications. If a publication wants me to write on topics such as lifestyle, like what’s hot what’s not, nightlife favorite spots, latest in the fashion and entertainment world, I’ll just have to go along and mix around with the people famed for such lifestyles, whether I like it or not.

Life as a writer is not all a bed of roses. It is also not all just about doing what we like best because every rose has its thorns. In order for me to make a living, it matters whether I am writing for free or for a fee. If I wish to survive, I will have to go with what’s in demand, what make news and what people want to read. I am no saint though I very much want to live my life free from the entanglements of this world. Eventually, however, the question remains the same. In what way can I survive? Should I follow the instructions of my editor and write what’s in demand—which bears consequences of mixing with the wrong crowd—or do I keep myself clean and lost credibility in the industry?

If you are in my position and you are a writer working for a publisher, which path would you take? Would you maintain your dignity to stay clear from mixing around with the wrong company or would you simply do what is demanded of the job and leave the rest to taking a step at a time?

Lunch Today @ Central

Kopi Roti Central
6 Eu Tong Sen Street #B1-26
The Central Mall
Singapore 59817

Prawn Noodles

Laksa

Men's Shoes

Hush Puppies - The Body Shoe

Bought this pair of shoes from Hush Puppies today.

About the Shoe (according to Hush Puppies)
Proven by experts in biomechanics, this unique design enhances natural walking motion, making your stride smoother and more balanced. The BioBevel is perfectly placed in the heel and toe to encourage the foot to follow the most natural and efficient motion. High-tech materials typically found in athetic shoes keep your feet cool, dry and comfortable.

Japanese Buffet Lunch Today

Kuishi Bo Japanese Buffet Restaurant
1 Jurong West Central 2
Jurong Point #B1-47/51

Japanese Food Street
Singapore 648886

New Japanese Restaurant @ IMM

New AOBA / BOTEJYU

Japanese Restaurant @ IMM

Japanese Gourmet Town - BOTEJYU
IMM Building#01-31/32
Singapore 609601

Wanna try it with me?
I'm available on weekdays lunchtime.

TVB Series - Growing Through Life 摘星之旅

Starring: 刘松仁 Damian Lau, 林 峰 Raymond Lam, 黄宗泽 Bosco Wong, 叶 童 Cecilia Yip, 赵子琪 Zhao Ziqi, 梁靖琪 Toby Leung, 林嘉华 Dominic Lam, 吕有慧 Lui Yau Wai

Cuisine Lunch Today

My Mum's Cuisine
238 Thomson Road #02-76/77
Novena Square
Singapore 307683
Seafood Hor Fun with squid, prawns, fish cake and vegetables
Sambal Prawn Omelette

Chendol dessert

Tokyo Bust Express

Unveil your irresistible allure and send hearts a flutter with your confident, youthful female beauty!

For the first time in Singapore, you too can experience Japan's best kept breast enhancement secret.

Check out how ...

Nurse Night @ SupperClub ~ August 7, 2010

Socialdeal Launch Party @ Supperclub - Nurse Night (7 August 2010)

Join us to celebrate our launch in the most elegant club in Singapore. The upscale club is regarded to be the most trendy, offering the glitz of Singapore's night scene. Supperclub, without a doubt, is the unprecedented lifestyle party destination.

Avatar (Special Edition) Returing to Theaters

20th Century Fox has announced that James Cameron's Avatar will be re-released into Digital 3D and IMAX 3D theaters on August 27 with over 8 minutes of never before seen footage!

"Since - and largely as of result of - Avatar's release last December, the number of available digital 3D screens has exploded, and moviegoers who missed experiencing the film in 3D, as well as fans that want to return to Pandora again, will now have that opportunity," the studio said.

The Oscar and Golden Globe winning epic is the highest grossing film of all time, taking in over $2.7 billion in worldwide box office.

The Expendables

Release Date: August 13, 2010
Studio: Lionsgate
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Screenwriter: David Callaham, Sylvester Stallone
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve Austin, David Zayas, Giselle Itie, Charisma Carpenter, Gary Daniels, Terry Crews, Mickey Rourke
Genre: Action, Thriller
MPAA Rating: R (for strong action and bloody violence throughout, and for some language)
Official Website: Expendablesthemovie.com
Review: Not Available
DVD Review: Not Available
DVD: Not Available
Movie Poster: One-Sheet Legends Art Poster Outdoor Art 1 Outdoor Art 2
Production Stills: View here

Plot Summary: Expendable: capable of being sacrificed in order to accomplish a military objective.

"The Expendables" is a hard-hitting action/thriller about a group of mercenaries hired to infiltrate a South American country and overthrow its ruthless dictator. Once the mission begins, the men realize things aren’t quite as they appear, finding themselves caught in a dangerous web of deceit and betrayal. With their mission thwarted and an innocent life in danger, the men struggle with an even tougher challenge – one that threatens to destroy this band of brothers.

Barney Ross (Sylvester Stallone) is a man with nothing to lose. Fearless and void of emotion, he is the leader, the sage and the strategist of this tight-knit band of men who live on the fringe. His only attachment is to his pickup truck, his seaplane and his team of loyal modern-day warriors. His is a true cynic who describes what he does as "removing those hard to get at stains." The team behind him is made up of Lee Christmas (Jason Statham), former SAS and a savant with anything that has a blade; Yin Yang (Jet Li), a master at close-quarter combat; Hale Caesar (Terry Crews), who has known Barney for ten years and is a long-barrel weapons specialist; Toll Road (Randy Couture), a skilled demolitions expert and considered the intellect of the group; and Gunnar Jensen (Dolph Lundgren), a combat veteran and an expert in precision sniping who struggles with his own demons.

When the mysterious Church offers Barney a job no one else would take, Barney and his team embark on what appears to be a routine mission: overthrow General Gaza (David Zayas), the murderous dictator of the small island country of Vilena and end the years of death and destruction inflicted on its people. On a reconnaissance mission to Vilena, Barney and Christmas meet their contact Sandra (Giselle Itie), a local freedom-fighter with a dark secret. They also come to learn who their true enemy is: rogue ex-CIA operative James Monroe (Eric Roberts) and his henchman Paine (Steve Austin). When things go terribly wrong, Barney and Christmas are forced to leave Sandra behind, essentially giving her a death sentence. Haunted by this failure, Barney convinces the team to return to Vilena to rescue the hostage and finish the job he started. And to perhaps save a soul: his own.

Herbal Soup Lunch Today

Stew Soup
Food Court @ TradeHub21

Herbal Chicken Soup with rice

My Travel Collectibles

Check out my Travel Collectibles
Click on image to access photo album