Do it now 馬上開始(马上开始)

Phillip Andrew Hedley Adams, AO (born 12 July 1939) is an Australian broadcaster, film producer, writer, social commentator, satirist and left-wing pundit. He currently hosts a radio program, Late Night Live, four nights a week on the ABC, and he also writes a weekly column for the News Limited-owned newspaper, The Australian. Adams is (or was) on the Advisory Board of Wikileaks. He has written or edited over 20 books.

Here are two quotes from him:

When people say to me: “how do you do so many things?” I often answer them, without meaning to be cruel: “how do you do so little?”

And

It seems to me that people have vast potential. Most people can do extraordinary things if they have the confidence or take the risks. Yet most people don’t. They sit in front of the telly and treat life as if it goes on forever.
Know anyone who should read this? Feel free to pass it on!

Have a fruitful day everyone.

Barcelona

Well, I have been in Barcelona since Monday June 20. Before coming, I was full of trepidation - about the E. coli situation and the pickpockets and thieves who prey on tourists. Both are true. The E. coli situation still rages on but seemingly not in Barcelona. You see lots of people chomping on salads - the vegetarian eatery I walk past every day is doing a roaring trade.

We were so not in the mood to wait 45 minutes for a table at Hard Rock Cafe on Friday night, instead we opted for instant gratififcation at the "all you can eat" Italian buffet nearby. I must admit though, after the first plateful of salad, judgement got the better of me and I decided that we should have no more, so it was pasta and pizza the rest of the meal. It was rather a dampener though, wondering if I had tempted fate and being a bad parent by allowing us to have salads. Never mind, we are all well and healthy. Not even a tummy rumble.

About the pickpockets. Well, I don´t want to jinx it, I have two days yet in Barcelona. But we have been very vigilant and so far so good. Maybe it is pure luck. It is stressful though, having to constantly be on the look out, looking over our shoulders to see if anyone is tailing us, not being able to put my handbag down on the seat when we eat etc. etc. We either walk or take public transport every where - the Metro (underground train), furnicular train, cable car and the ocassional taxi. We are not tour group people. In the Metro, there are constant reminders of pickpockets. There are uniformed Metro staff patrolling the platforms with or without dogs. Yesterday, my son was putting away his wallet and a Metro staff shouted from the opposite platform to watch out for pickpockets. Passengers walk past and tell you to watch out for the pickpocket on the platform you are heading to. When we asked for directions to change train lines, the Metro staff also reminded us to watch out for pickpockets along the 3 minute walk.

Looking forward to another good day in Barcelona. Heading for Parc Guell today.

Hong Kong’s landfill crisis (part 2)

So apart from digging more and bigger holes, what can be done to manage Hong Kong’s waste? What is clear is that the current situation is unsustainable.

Hong Kong generates about 18,000 tonnes of waste a day, half of which will be recycled and another half disposed of in landfills. Another 3,200 tonnes of construction waste also ends up in the landfills every day. The solution probably lies in better waste management and minimizing waste. The first is a government issue and the second is every individual’s responsibility. In fact, it should be everyone’s priority even is garbage disposal facilities are limitless.

The Secretary for the environment Mr Edward Yau pointed out that our current practice of relying on landfills alone in treating waste is not sustainable. “Hong Kong must follow other advanced economies by planning to adopt modern technology such as a waste incineration facility and a food waste processing facility to raise our standards of waste treatment.”

An outlying island, Shek Kwu Chau石鼓洲 (once known as Coffin Island), about six kilometers south of Lantau Island大嶼山, has been selected as the site for a mega waste incinerator. The selection process for the incinerator has been controversial since sites were shortlisted in 2008. In the end, the Shek Kwu chau was selected partly on the basis that it is away from major population centers. However, it will require 16 hectares of land reclamation. In addition, extra power cables will have to be laid in the seabed between the island and Cheung Sha to transmit the electricity generated from the incineration process. In order to mitigate the harm to marine habitats, whose denizens include the protected finless porpoise, the government proposes setting up a 700-hectare marine park between the Soko Islands索罟群島 and Shek Kwu Chau. When completed in 2018, the facility is expected to be able to handle 3,000 tonnes of waste a day.

The practice of waste incineration is not without concerns. Incineration merely reduces the volume of solid waste but it does not dispose of the toxic substances in the waste. Incinerators emit a wide range of pollutants in their stack gases, ashes and other residues. The filters used to clean incinerator stack gases produce solid and liquid toxic wastes, which also need to be disposed of somewhere.

What can we, as individuals do? Simple:

1. Reduce waste by using less
2. Recycle where possible
3. Buy products made from renewable materials

Hong Kong’s landfill crisis (part 1)

On June 7th, I wrote about world hunger and wasted food and alluded to Hong Kong’s landfill problem.

There are 3 strategic landfill sites in Hong Kong – in Ta Kwu Ling, Tuen Mun and Tseung Kwan O. It has cost nearly $6 billion to build our three strategic landfills, and the operating cost of the three landfills is around $400 million per year. Some 4.9 million tonnes of waste were landfilled in 2008. A government study in 2003 forecast that the “existing landfills will be filled up, one by one, in mid to late 2010s if waste levels continue to increase at current levels.” Unless solutions are identified immediately, we will have nowhere to put the thousands of tonnes of waste thrown away each day. So, needless to say, the problem is here and now.

One of the solutions proposed is extending the existing landfill sites. But with the continued population growth and urban development, there is also a resistance amongst the existing and potential residents in the vicinity of these landfill sites. For example, the government’s plan to extend the Tseung Kwan O landfill site into 5 hectares of Clear Water Bay Country Park was scuppered in October 2010 when Tseung Kwan O residents and district councilors protested against the plan. The 5 hectare expansion was part of a proposed 50 hectares expansion encompassing 30 hectares to be piggy-backed over the existing landfill and 15 hectares from the nearby Tseung Kwan O Area 137. The 50 hectare expansion, the area of six Victoria Parks, would have extended its lifespan by another six years to 2019. In fact the residents are lobbying for a permanent closure of the Tseung Kwan O landfill site. They cite persistent bad odor, mosquitoes and flies as justification. Also, residents point out the inconsistency in government policy. When the landfill was first established, Tseung Kwan O was sparsely populated. Now Tseung Kwan O has become a new town with 400,000 residents with 60,000 in the newly established Lohas Park alone. Lohas Park is a mere 800 meters from the landfill site.

"If you want to expand such a large landfill, then don't develop such a large new town," said Andy Ni Bing-wen, Chairman of the Owners Sub-Committee rightly pointed out.

In January this year, the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau announced a "After two months of thorough consideration, the Government has decided to amend the original proposal of expanding Tseung Kwan O landfill by 20.6 hectares. Firstly, the Administration will not seek to utilise the five hectares of land inside Clear Water Bay Country Park for landfill extension. Secondly, the Administration will reduce the area of landfill extension in Tseung Kwan O Area 137 to around 13 hectares. Thirdly, in response to the concern of the Sai Kung District Council, we have decided under the landfill extension project that only odourless waste (such as construction waste) will be sent to the Tseung Kwan O landfill with a view to further relieving the odour problem of Tseung Kwan O landfill," he said.

Smells good!

What about Hong Kong’s garbage disposal problem though?………..more tomorrow.

E. coli update (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli outbreak)

Well, it seems that the German authorities are convinced that the source of the STEC E. coli epidemic is bean sprouts from a farm in northern Germany. However, it is a puzzle to me how they arrived at this conclusion as all reports seem to indicate that they have not been able to find any E coli in samples tested. So they are not sure whether the E coli was in the seeds or were brought in by the workers or any other means. Meanwhile the toll rises. As of Sunday 12th June, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reports that since 2 May 2011, a total of 3,283 STEC E. coli cases (809 cases of HUS and 2 474 non-HUS cases) have been reported from European Union Member States, the majority of which occurred in Germany. Of these, 35 of the patients have died. All deaths occurred in Germany except for one in Sweden. This is an increase of 384 cases (including 8 deaths) since my post on Friday!

I have not come across any reports of any Hong Kong resident afflicted by this disease. Thank goodness. Let's keep it this way. Be vigilant everyone and stay healthy.

Car registration

My car license is due for renewal later this month. Normally, it’s a matter of renewing the car insurance then going to the Hong Kong Licensing Office at 3/F United Centre 95 Queensway (there are several offices) with a cheque book, identity card and proof of address. You are advised to book an appointment either online on the Transport Department website or by calling 37608080. At the Office, the procedure is straightforward, fill in form TD 855 and pay the fee at the counter – easy. If you don’t mind waiting, you could even apply for a vehicle license by post.

My car was manufactured in 2004 which means that that my car is more than 6 year sold when I renew the license. Private cars are required to be examined every year when they are over 6 years old. To get a Certificate of Roadworthiness, I had to bring my car to a Car Testing Centre. Well, actually, my ever so helpful car mechanic did this for me. Mr. Wong picked up my car, serviced it and took it to a Car Testing Centre in Quarry Bay. There is a $530 testing fee.

(One word of caution, the Transport Department website is a maze.)

I spy 4 over-ripe bananas in my fruit bowl. So perhaps today is banana cake day.

Yummy!

The 2011 E. coli outbreak - should we be worried?

Summer holiday is nearly upon us and I am really looking forward to a planned family holiday in Europe. One dark cloud is the E Coli outbreak which started in May. I hope that health authorities find the cause of the problem very soon. At least then the authorities will be better equipped to manage the outbreak and I’ll know how worried to be.

Here’s what I have found out about the current E. Coli situation. Let me caveat this by saying I am not a scientist or a doctor. So this isn’t medical advice.

• The official name of this particular E. coli strain is ‘Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O104:H4 (STEC O104:H4)’.
  


• Hamburg in Germany seems to be the epicenter of the outbreak.
  
  
• The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control says that the disease has caused 27 deaths and sickened at least 2,899 people.
  
  
• Most infections have been reported in people in northern Germany (mainly Bremen, Hamburg, Lower Saxony, and Schleswig-Holstein) or in people who have recently traveled to these areas.
  
  
• Symptoms of STEC infection include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (which is often bloody), and vomiting. If there is fever, it usually is not very high.
  
  
• Most people get better within 5-7 days, but some patients go on to develop hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS)—usually about a week after the diarrhea starts.
  
• Symptoms of HUS include decreased frequency of urination, feeling very tired, and losing pink color to skin and membranes due to anemia.
  
  
• According to European Health Commission 373 people have developed full-blown HUS, a condition associated with bloody diarrhea and kidney failure.
  
  
• No particular food item has been confirmed as the source of the infections. Sprouts, tomatoes, cucumbers and leafy salad vegetables have been under investigation. In any event, it is best to avoid eating raw vegetables.

So, what is E. coli?

E. coli is a bacterium. Most E. coli strains are harmless but some can cause serious food poisoning in humans. E. coli cells are a major component of feces and fecal-oral transmission is the most common route of transmission. Therefore, hygiene is a critical factor in the prevention of the disease. Optimal growth of E. coli occurs at 37°C (96.5°F) hence it is important to store food in cool places. Food poisoning caused by E. coli can result from unwashed vegetables, under cooked meat or unpasteurized juices. Heat can kill E. coli. Therefore, it is recommended that meat is cooked thoroughly. Washing fruits and vegetables thoroughly helps remove surface bacteria but at this time, it is best that vegetables are cooked and not eaten raw. It is also important not to introduce the bacterium to food prior to eating. So, wash your hands thoroughly before cooking or eating a meal.

Whilst there are no reported cases of any Hong Kong residents being affected by this outbreak of O104:H4 E. coli, the infection could easily spread due to the frequent movement of goods and the freedom of travel. Many of you would remember Germany’s announcement at the start of the outbreak that organic cucumbers grown in Spain were the cause of the infection. This has been established as untrue. Cucumbers from the greenhouses did not show E. coli contamination. One possibility is that cross-contamination occurred during transportation to Germany.

Minimum wage

Last night I read an article about parental leave in Australia. In the article, the writer mentions that the stautory minimum wage in Australia is A$570 per week (i.e. approximately $4,500 per week or $18,000 per month). This is rather generous by Hong Kong standards. And so, it got me thinking about Hong Kong’s minimum wage. Foreign domestic helpers have had a statutory minimum wage for a long time. Currently, it is $3,740 per month. For the others, a statutory minimum wage of $28 per working hour came into effect on 1 May 2011.

There’s been a lot of controversy over the setting of a minimum wage for workers in Hong Kong. Critics include the business sectors on the basis that it is too costly and would force smaller businesses to lay off staff. Critics also say that it is a departure from Hong Kong laissez-faire economy. Employers preferred the minimum wage to be set at $24 per hour. Unions had campaigned for a minimum wage of $33 per hour.

After much debate the minimum wage was set at $28 an hour. However the legislation is silent on a number of areas such as whether meal times and holidays are paid work hours. This flexibility has led some employers to re-hire existing employees on new contracts excluding meal times and holidays to avoid paying more. It has been estimated that the legislation will benefit up to 300,000 workers such as street cleaners, security guards and restaurant workers. It would be interesting to see how many would actually ended up better off.

Just so you know, the statutory minimum wage in a few countries most Hong Kong people are familiar with is:

Taiwan – NT$98 per hour ($26.60)
USA – US$7.25 per hour ($56.40)
Japan – varies across prefectures, ¥642-¥821 per hour($62.30 - $176.70)
U.K. - £5.93 per hour ($75.90)
Singapore, Malaysia – no statutory minimum

Sweetcorn potato soup

Pushed for time? Here’s a quick and easy healthy sweetcorn potato soup which is hearty enough for the after school hunger pangs or a light lunch. Serve it with some garlic bread for a real treat.

Sweetcorn Potato Soup
Ingredients
1 tablespoon margarine
1 small onion
3 sticks celery
2 shallots
2 potatoes
440 g can cream corn
600 ml water
Salt
Pepper

Garlic toast
Baguette
Margarine
Minced garlic(or use pre-made garlic bread spread)

Method
Soup

1. Finely chop onion, celery and shallots.
   
   
2. In a saucepan, saute chopped vegetables in margarine until soft. Add water and simmer.
   
   
3. Cut potatoes into small cubes. Add potatoes and cream corn to the saucepan.
   
   
4. Simmer for about 20-30 minutes, until potato is very tender. Season with salt.
   
   
5. Serve soup with some freshly ground black pepper.

Garlic bread

1. Slice baguette diagonally.
   
   
2. Mix margarine with some minced garlic (according to taste). Spread onto sliced baguette.
   
   
3. Toast in a toaster until all the margarine is melted and the toast is crunchy. You could bake sliced baguette in a toaster oven instead.

Serves 5

Wasted food

After writing about spoiled bananas yesterday, I started thinking about food wastage in general. In May, the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation released a study which estimates that a staggering one third of the world’s food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted each year. Roughly 1.3bn tonnes of food is either lost or wasted globally due to inefficiencies throughout the food supply chain, says the report. Industrialised and developing countries waste or lose roughly the same amount of food each year – 670m and 630m tonnes respectively. But while rich countries waste food primarily at the level of the consumer, the main issue for developing countries is food lost due to weak infrastructure – including poor storage, processing and packaging facilities that lack the capacity to keep produce fresh.

For example, in India, 40% of fruits and vegetables rot before reaching the market because of poor roads.

A survey in Hong Kong by environmental group Friends of the Earth found that a wedding banquet that served 27 tables of guests produced 105 kg of food waste, with some left over and some not having been touched at all.

‘‘This food could have fed more than 200 children,’’ said Michelle Au, the group’s environment officer, who campaigned for ordering less food at banquets. ‘‘Cut two dishes, take away the leftovers in doggy bags, or better, bring a reusable container for the leftovers.’‘ But thanks to changing mindsets and rising food prices, some of those who like to throw banquets with ostentatious dishes are starting to think twice, according to restaurateur Simon Wong.

Here’s more food for thought: One billion people (more than the combined population of US, Canada and the EU) around the world are undernourished; hunger is the single gravest threat to health. Hunger kills more people each year than AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis combined. Six million children die of hunger every year - 17,000 every day or one every 5 seconds!(UN World Food Programme statistics).

In Hong Kong, another problem of food wastage is the growing problem of garbage disposal. According to the Environmental Protection Department statistics for 2009, people in Hong Kong generate about 3,280 tonnes of food waste a day which translates to about 0.5 kg each which is more than people in Singapore, Korea and Taiwan. We would all be used to regular reports about the dire state of our landfill sites and the need for waste reduction and additional capacity. More about this later.

In the meantime – do not waste food; buy only what we really need.

Banana courtesy

Have you seen badly bruised bananas at the supermarkets? Perhaps you are like me – I cannot seem to bring myself to pull apart a bunch of bananas to single them out. I think bananas should be treated with respect and should be an all or nothing proposition i.e. buy the whole bunch or leave it alone. Recently, my bananas have been ripening faster than I can eat them because of the hot weather. So today, I decided to make a banana cake with the last two (already spotted) bananas. Over ripe bananas make great cakes as they are sweeter and moist. So here’s my favorite banana cake recipe. It was given to me by a great friend and I should give credit where it’s due so let’s call it Dave’s Scrumptious Banana Cake recipe. It is super easy to follow and definitely fail-proof.

Dave’s Scrumptious Banana Cake 香蕉蛋糕

Ingredients
2 ripe bananas
1 cup self-raising flour
50 gm butter (melted)
1 egg (beaten)
¼ cup vegetable oil
½ castor sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
½ teaspoon cinnamon powder

Preheat oven to 190°C
Line a 20cm by 10 cm (8” by 4”) loaf pan with two layers of baking paper.

Method

1. Mash the ripe bananas on a flat surface (eg chopping board). Make sure the bananas are mashed well to ensure that there will not be lumps in the cake.
   
   
2. Sift the flour and cinnamon powder into a mixing bowl. Add in the castor sugar.
   
   
3. Add the mashed banana, melted butter, beaten egg, vegetable oil and vanilla essence.
   
   
4. Stir gently to combine all the ingredients.
   
   
5. Pour the mixture into the loaf pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.

Note: I melt butter by microwaving it in a cup for about 30 seconds. Stand and stir melting butter to melt completely.

Get up and go

成功需要信心

I have been feeling a little discouraged recently and I have found these words by George Bernard Shaw a timely reminder:

“People are always blaming circumstances for what they are.
I do not believe in circumstances.
The people who get on in this world are the people who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they cannot find them, make them.”

And also these words by Ralph Harris Houston (aka Guru RHH):

“If you don’t follow through on your creative ideas, someone else will pick them up and use them. When you get an idea of this sort, you should jump in with both feet, not just stick your toe in the water…..
Be daring, be fearless and don’t be afraid that somebody is going to criticize you or laugh at you. If your ego is not involved no one can hurt you.”

So, the message is ……. .get on with it, no one is stopping me but myself!

Thank you, I needed that encouragement!

Books about Hong Kong

If you are wondering what you could do on this weekend, perhaps some light reading wouldn’t go astray. Two books that I found both amusing and quite honest about life in Hong Kong are “The Hong Kong Joke Book” by Nury Vittachi and “Maotai, Mooncakes and Monks: Misadventures in Hong Kong and China” by Jessica Bellas. Both authors are non-native Hong Kong residents and both offer insights only an outsider can. Nury Vittachi writes extensively about life in Hong Kong and a weekly column in the Far East Economic Review, covering some of the stranger and funnier happenings in Asia. Nury Vittachi has been introduced simply as Hong Kong’s best selling English language author.

In the foreword to Maotai, Mooncakes and Monks, Nury Vittachi writes “Forget the expert guide. Sometimes the most telling word-painting are those done by new arrivals.”

Enjoy!

Tuen Ng Festival 端午节 (端午節)

Finally, Friday. And better yet, Monday’s a public holiday.

Tuen Ng Festival or Dragon Boat Festival is celebrated on the 5th day of the 5th month of the Lunar calendar. This year, it happens to fall on Monday June 6th. The festival originates from ancient China and there are a few versions of how it began. The most popular of these folklore attributes the festival to the death of a poet and statesman called Qu Yuan 屈原(340-278 BC). Qu Yuan was a descendant of the Chu noble house during the Warring States period of the Zhou dynasty. He opposed the alliance of the state of Chu with the neighboring state of Qin and was thus banished for treason. He is best remembered for the poetry which he wrote during his period of exile. He was in despair when the capital of the state of Chu was conquered by the Qin. Thus, he committed suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River on the 5th day of the 5th month 278 BC. He was admired amongst the local people and folklore has it that the local people threw lumps of rice into the river to feed the fish and discourage them from eating Qu Yuan’s body. They also made a lot of noise at the river by beating drums to scare away the fish.

In Hong Kong, the focus of the celebrations is eating glutinous rice dumplings 粽子 and dragon boat racing 划龙舟. Glutinous rice dumplings can be bought from most bakeries, yum cha restaurants, Chinese restaurants and some chaa chan teng 茶餐厅(廳).

Glutinous rice dumpling

It is also said that the festival predates Qu Yuan and is grounded in superstitions, beliefs and traditions. That is why some Chinese also hang fragrant sachets香包around children’s necks, hang calamus菖蒲 and moxa艾草 above their front doors, display portraits of Zhong Kui or other deities, imbibe in realgar wine 雄黄酒 (a strong yellow wine) as well as try to stand an egg at 12 noon. It is said that you will enjoy good luck during the coming year if you can make an egg stand up on its end during the Horse Hour (between 11 am to 1 pm) on Dragon Boat Day.

Dragon boat racing is very popular in Hong Kong and events will be held at:

5th June 2011 – Chai Wan Cargo Handling Basin

6th June 2011 – Stanley Main Beach, Aberdeen Promenade, Shing Mun River (Sha Tin), Sai Kung Town Waterfront, Castle Peak Bay Typhoon Shelter, Promenade at Tai Po Waterfront Park, Tai Pak Beach (Discovery Bay), Cheung Chau Typhoon Shelter and Tai O Sheltered Boat Anchorage (Lantau Island).

A vote for public transport in Hong Kong

Having used public transport in a number of countries, I can certainly vouch for the fact that Hong Kong’s public transport system stands out as being comprehensive, reliable, clean and affordable. Public transport has been a part of Hong Kong’s history and development for more than 100 years. Annually, public transport accounts for an impressive 90% of all passenger trips, making it the highest in the world.

Established in 1904, the Hong Kong Tramways operates 6 tram routes running east-west along the northern section of Hong Kong Island, between Shau Kei Wan and Kennedy Town. The fare is a flat fee of $2 per trip ($1 seniors and children) and the service runs every day from 6 am to midnight. During peak times a tramcar departs every 1.5 minutes on average. There are 118 tram stops along the 30 km route and the service carries 230,000 passengers every day.

No trip to Hong Kong is complete without a trip up to Victoria Peak and there is no better way to get there than by the Peak Tram 山頂纜車歷. Started in 1888 for the exclusive use of the British Governor and residents at the Peak, it remains to this day the steepest funicular railway in the world. The 8 minute trip connects the Peak with the Lower Peak Tram terminus at Garden Road in Central.

Another public transport service that has become a Hong Kong icon is the Star Ferry 天星小輪 (established 1880) which connects Kowloon with Hong Kong Island. The Tsim Sha Tsui to Central service runs every 6-12 minutes and the 9 minute trip costs $2 (lower deck) on weekdays. Other ferry services run from Central Ferry Pier to the main outlying islands of Peng Chau, Cheung Chau, Lamma and Lantau.

By the 1920s, there were already several bus routes running in Hong Kong and Kowloon. Today, the franchised bus services and mini buses together account for about 50% of passenger trips. Most are air conditioned. There are approximately 18,000 taxis in Hong Kong carrying an average of 1 million passengers each day ie 12%of passenger trips.

Since the merger with KCRC in 2007, the Hong Kong MTR Corporation Limited 香港鐵路有限公司 now runs the entire railway system in Hong Kong. Railway is indeed the backbone of Hong Kong’s public transport system. Carrying about 37% of all public transport passenger trips (an average of 4 million passengers every weekday), it is no wonder that MTR was awarded the “Best Public Transport Advocacy Award” in the Asia Pacific Region by The International Association of Public Transport in April. The importance of railways as a means of transport is set to grow with 5 extension lines in the pipeline – West Island Line, South Island Line, Sha Tin to Central Link, Kwun Tong Line Extension and the Guangzhou-Shenzen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (XLR).

If you are one of those who still travels by private cars, do consider whether you could use the public transport system a little more. Whilst this will not totally solve Hong Kong's air pollution problem, it will at least be one positive step you could take to help.

10 things to do to have a better day

I woke up this morning thinking - how can I add a spring to my step today? I am not thinking sea changes but little things that will make a difference; things that I can do straightaway and with little effort.

Here is my list of top 10 things to do to have a great day:

1. Breathe deeply
   
2. Put a smile on my face and keep it there the rest of the day
   
3. Leave the car at home – walk, take the bus or the MTR and do my bit for the environment
   
4. Greet everyone I meet and pause to expect a response
   
5. Make eye contact
   
6. Call someone I have been meaning to contact– not email or sms
   
7. Meet someone for lunch – don’t eat alone
   
8. Enjoy my meals – live to eat and not eat just to live
   
9. Let loose and laugh, see the brighter side of life
   
10. Pause and consider the other person’s point of view

And tomorrow I will add these to my list ……

1. Wake up 10 minutes earlier and do some stretches in bed whilst listening to my favorite music
   
2. Sit down for some breakfast before I leave home
   
3. Put all my regular bills on autopay – it saves time and hassles
   
4. Attend to that little chore that I have been putting off the last 3 days and get it off my plate

Have a great day everyone!