What Every Body is Saying

This book is about reading the body language. I think sometimes it's useful if we as human are equipped with this knowledge. They are non-verbal communications, such as facial expressions,gestures, physical movements (kinesics), body distance(proxemics), touching (haptics), posture, even clothing—to decipher what people are thinking, how they intend to act, and whether their pronouncements are true or false.

This book is written by an FBI agent, so believe it or not, he has proven this theory to be accurate.

Nonverbal communication, often referred to as nonverbal behavior or body language, is a means of transmitting information—just like the spoken word—except it is achieved through facial expressions, gestures,touching (haptics), physical movements (kinesics), posture, body adornment (clothes, jewelry, hairstyle, tattoos, etc.), and even the tone, timbre,and volume of an individual’s voice (rather than spoken content).
Nonverbal behaviors comprise approximately 60 to 65 percent of all interpersonal communication and, during lovemaking, can constitute 100 percent of communication between partners (Burgoon, 1994,229–285).

Nonverbal communication can also reveal a person’s true thoughts, feelings, and intentions. For this reason, nonverbal behaviors are sometimes referred to as tells (they tell us about the person’s true state of mind). Because people are not always aware they are communicating nonverbally, body language is often more honest than an individual’s verbal pronouncements, which are consciously crafted to accomplish the
speaker’s objectives.

Predictable Irrational by Dan Ariely

I like this book some how because it's applicable in daily life. It's also interesting because all the hypothesis are supported by survey or tested on MIT students.

The first chapter tells you about the truth about relativity. So bad or good, it's really depends on the surrounding. Here's the lesson from this chapter : when a similar but better-looking friend of the same sex asks you to accompany him or her for a night out, you might wonder whether you have been invited along for your company or merely as a decoy...hahaha...just joking :P

The second chapter tells you about the fallacy of supply and demand. That our first decisions resonate over a long sequence of decisions. First impressions are important. it is important to understand the process by which our first decisions translate into long-term habits.

The third chapter tells you about the cost of zero cost. FREE! gives us such an emotional charge that we perceive what is being offered as immensely more valuable than it really is. it's because humans are intrinsically afraid of loss. The real allure of FREE! is tied to this fear. There's no visible possibility of loss when we choose a FREE! item (it's free).

The fourth chapter tells you about the cost of social norms. Just thinking about money makes us behave as most economists believe we behave—and less like the social animals we are in our daily lives.

The fifth chapter tells you about the influence of arousal. Some how I will not elaborate this as I think this is not important. :D

The sixth chapter tells you about the problem of procrastination and self control. The survey results suggest that although almost everyone has problems with procrastination, those who recognize and admit their weakness are in a better position to utilize available tools for pre-commitment and by doing so, help themselves overcome it. We have problems with self-control, related to immediate and delayed gratification—no doubt there.

The seventh chapter tells you about the high price of ownership. OWNERSHIP IS NOT limited to material things. It can also apply to points of view. Once we take ownership of an idea—whether it's about politics or sports—what do we do? We love it perhaps more than we should. We prize it more than it is worth. And most frequently, we have trouble letting go of it because we can't stand the idea of its loss.

Outliers by Malcom Gladwell

This book is really interesting at the beginning, after that it's getting monotonous.

Chapter one explains about Matthew effect. there is a relation between months of the child's birth and the intake of academic year and then further it will influence your child's future.

Chapter two explains about the 10K hour rule. In order to master something, you need to get through this 10K hour practice.

Chapter three explains about trouble with geniuses, part 1. To be successful, you need certain level of IQ. But there's threshold of this IQ system, it will matters only up to a point.

Chapter four explains about trouble with geniuses, part 2. It's a combination between opportunity, being born in wealth family,the effort to get through the 10K hour rule for the geniuses to be successful.

Chapter five explains about lesson from Joe Flom. My personal understanding of this chapter is about you need to be born in the right time (being in the right generation) and to be outliers.

These 5 chapters are talking about opportunity. What I can apply in my life after reading this book are in the family planning (child's birth month in relation to the academic intake), the parent's role to encourage and polish the child's talent and interest, and see the child's IQ which is carried when she/he is born.

I will continue to summarize the part two which talks about legacy after I finish reading.

New Shoes

I bought these pairs of shoes last week. I really like the spiky one.

The red and black is to replace my red and black heels.

Now the things to buy is socks for pumps.

NTU, Jurong

I occasionally follow Niko to NTU. I wait for him to finish his class then after that we go to Vivo City to have lunch. The 4 hours waiting time is not short though, so I bring tablet, books, or doing some research. The absolute thing I do is to have breakfast at Mc Donald with a slightly cheaper price.

At the beginning I waited at Mc D the whole afternoon perspiring. Recent visit, I waited at NTU lounge near Starbucks. It is the opposite, the lounge is too cold but it is still better than hot.

I took some pictures with NEX-5R this weekend. In 6 more months, we will no longer need to visit this place.

Sencha

Sencha is one of the Japanese green tea. Sencha is the first and second flush of green tea made from leaves that are exposed directly to sunlight. This is the most common green tea in Japan. Sencha in Japan is drank hot in the cooler months and usually chilled in the summer months. <- grabbed from Wikipedia :D I have to enjoy drinking tea as much as I can before pregnancy. I don't know what to replace my tea addiction during pregnancy later. :(

Jack Reacher

I didn't know the movie even after I sat on the theater seat. I asked Niko last minute during the commercial. The movie was quite good. At least it was more interesting than HOBBITS... The point of the movie is about solving a murder puzzle which the main suspect didn't do it. He had been trapped by an organization. Reacher came and identified the crime scene. He was very sure that the police got the wrong man. Tom Cruise doesn't age since 10 years ago. OMG!!!

Poulet, Bugis Plus

I finally tried "Poulet" after so many times went to Bugis plus. In front of the restaurant, the Q is always very long during lunch time and dinner time. It makes us not even bother to try. I keep seeing the review which is always telling good things. I finally can convince Niko to just waste his time once so I will not disturb him anymore on this restaurant. We ordered their signature dish, half roast chicken, oxtail in red wine sauce, and saute wild mushroom with pouched egg. The funny thing was the chicken came first, followed by the oxtail. The mushroom came last which it supposed to be the appetizer. The chicken was very tender with creamy sauce. I wasn't really impressed by the chicken, but Niko was. He liked the chicken better than the beef. On the other hand, I think the oxtail was very good. It was very tender, still has ligament. The sauce was good. I tasted the wine was quite strong and tasty. I think I know where to go if I am craving for oxtail. The best was the mushroom. We both agreed that this dish was above average and suited our taste buds. I just didn't think that the egg was cooked based on the menu. The egg came boiled. It supposed to be poached.

Celebrating New Year 2013 by watching HOBBITS

We bought midnight movie tickets to fill in our old and new event which was empty till last minute of end 2012. We went to NEX on 31st Dec 2012 on 11pm. The selected movie was Hobbits. Soon after reaching, I have to wait for somebody going to toilet settling urgent thing. We were second audience in the theater. most of the seats were eventually empty. Few couples left the theater before the movie ended. I think the movie was so boring till they could not take it. I began to feel bored when the drafts' rough journey was always rescued by some one or something. Once it's still ok, twice is getting boring, three times??? It was just simply a boring movie. I will think twice to continue watching their second movie. This prelude was the same as Lord of the ring, there wasn't something new about it. I went out the theater with disappointment till I didn't want to talk about the movie. There's nothing to discuss about this movie. We then went to NTUC 24 hours at the same shopping center buying ingredient for tomorrow's cooking. After that, I have no choice have to go Serangoon Garden to accompany my little boy. He was nagging he was hungry. We end up reach home around 4am or 4.30am.