It's All About The Experience
Posts tagged tips
DIY Woodwork Part I
Feb 11th
In support of green architecture, I have decided to make my own furniture by re-using pieces of wood that I managed to salvage. Apparently some people left it lying by the stairs and seeing that no one came to claim them, I loaded as many pieces as I can into my poor little car in the middle of the night when no one was watching and transported back to my apartment. The pieces, weigh more than 5kg a piece, are still in very good condition. There are still more pieces of variety sizes and shapes by the stairs but that’s all I could carry though I have the desire to go back for more. Perhaps some other day. Each of the wood measure 1 inch thick but of different length and width. So this is what I did to them thus far:
- Wiped them clean and stacked according to size
- Took measurement with IKEA measuring tape
- The GOAL: use up all the pieces and make as many furniture as possible. The designing work is actually the hardest process. It had me thinking for quite a while. Below are my engineering-ish drawing sketches:-
- The preview of the end result. There will be three tables and one shelf. Each shape is tagged with alphabet corresponding to size. This is for easy identification and to avoid using the wrong piece during assembly.
- Recently my wooden computer table was covered with mold – same type of wood, only thinner. So I’ve decided to apply wood protection to avoid having the same problem. Went to Ace Hardware to look around and here’s what I came back with:-
- Painting. This is when the actual labour begins. Each surface was coated twice. I had twenty two pieces and the recommended drying time before re-applying is 12 hours. But I waited only about 7 hours because I was impatient. I worked from morning till midnight.
- The second coating made the wood even darker. The surfaces are now not so smooth as I thought they would be.
One litre of wood protection wasn’t enough so I went and bought another two more tins. If I had another chance to do another woodwork I would want to try coloured paint. Now I left the reverse side to coat but I face a problem. The newspapers are now glued to the wood. Anyway I’ll figure out how to solve it after the Chinese New Year break. I can’t wait to get them done. It’s my woodwork since ‘kemahiran hidup’ back in the secondary school days. As for now HAPPY CHINESE NEW YEAR!!!!!
25 Tips to Stay Healthy
Dec 23rd
One of those cute and funny noteworthy messages:-
p/s: Go watch AVATAR. Not only it is visually stunning, watching it actually makes you wanna be a ‘sakai’ and live in the jungle (a luminous one of course). The casts are good too. However, the plot is straight forward and predictable. Despite its oh-so-familiar theme of good vs evil, Avatar is just too beautiful to pass.
This Slipper My Aspiration
Nov 15th
Dear ol’ slipper, it’s your time to rest….
My faithful slipper has thought a thing or two about virtues worthy of cultivation.
- DURABLE = TOUGH. At first look, you might think this slipper must have only been used in the bathroom or toilet. But actually, besides wearing it to the toilet, it has been to many other places – from the hot tar road of UTP to cold misty soil of Cameron highlands; from the streets of Cambodia to salty waters of Ha Long Bay, Vietnam; from Jakarta to many countless of walks in Malaysia itself. If you want to survive in any type of business, you’ve gotta be tough like my slipper. And not only tough on the exterior but also on the inside. Slipper has been subjected to demeaning comments such as it being ugly to be worn in a shopping complex. But to my slipper, as long as it’s doing its job in rain or shine, it’s a good slipper because after all beauty is nothing without the brain. Your essence counts most.
- PORTABLE = FLEXIBLE. Slipper is light weight. You can pack it easily in a small bag. Being light, it is not a burden to carry around. And that means, you can change from your shoe to slipper anytime you wish so. Slipper is always ‘on the go’. The key is to be ready at all times for changes, for travel, for change in plan. Be easy to manage and supervise instead of being a burden. Your service is top notch if it’s affordable, flexible and prompt.
- MULTIPURPOSE = VERSATILITY. Slipper is also a good weapon especially for whacking cockroach. You might not want to use an expensive footwear to do that, isn’t? Unattractive is a form of attraction too. Nobody might want to steal it, and you have no qualms about using it for jobs that might get your footwear dirty, for example. So be adaptable in different kinds of situation. People love someone or something that is multipurpose and able to multitask.
- FEATURES = ADDED VALUE. Slipper has emblazoned beads that massage your foot as you walk. Needless to say, anything comes with something extra for the same price….why not? Added values could be anything – empathy, free gift, follow-up, other technical services, newsletter, add-on packages, and etc.
- RETIRE IN GOOD SHAPE = KNOWING WHEN TO STOP. This picture is taken after slipper retires from everyday use and I’m sure you can tell it’s still usable, which is good. This means slipper can come in handy when it’s needed. No matter what, experiences are valued – good advice and words of wisdom and guidance will help successor in their course. Retire when it’s time and pass on the job to a deserving person. Enjoy the rest of your numbered days while in good health!
