Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Men 2011

They say guys are easy to get. And even easier to buy presents for.

Well I beg to differ, hear me out.


Just a photo of me, in case you miss me. ^^ :p


Guys, they get what they want. Unlike girls, guys don't want a lot of things; but when they're into something, they get it when they can.

Like for example, almost all guys like gadgets.
But then again gadget is a dangerous ground (as presents).

If he can afford it, he probably had it already; if he doesn't have it, he doesn't want it.
If he wants it and can't afford it, you probably can't either.

It's not the latest, he won't be pleased. It's not what he likes, he'll leave it to collect dust.

And please don't get him some odd sweatshirt you think it'll look nice on him. He'll probably wear it once to show you and then shove it down the deepest darkest corner of the closet till it reaches Narnia. Unless, of course, he loves you enough to endure each and every agony moment of wearing it.
Or, in rare occasion, he trust your taste and let you dress him up however you want. Like Victoria on David Beckham.

You're not Victoria, he's not Beckham. Let's move on shall we?


Cut to the chase. Here's one simple rule when getting a present for a guy.

Get something he wants but doesn't need.

Admit it. Guys love things that are utterly pointless, useless and meaningless; but then fun and great to have. Like a lava lamp (or so a guy once told me). So don't get him what he needs, leave the practical things to himself (to buy), this Christmas, get him a real toy.


Waterproof MP3 player

He loves swimming and he gets bored doing it; never fear, waterproof music player is here. Speedo sells them at RM400-600 plus with the underwater earplugs.

Or get a wireless UBanana ucan waterproof mp3 player.





NU dolphin touch


Home Soda Maker

Now he can create his own soda maker. *pops the champagne*




Honestly, which wine-loving-beer-drinking-soda-addicting guy wouldn't love to add another fluid toy to their list.

Add Ribena and some vodka and voila! You have a fizzy cocktail!
Yea I know you can just buy soda water. But why buy when you can make your own?!
Don't get guys? Yea, me neither.


Wine Instant Chiller

Sophistication is your man's language. Well there's no reason to not let him be instant romantic with an instant chilling machine. Glass for two, pronto!





hand-helf version, perhaps?


Why use instant chiller when you just need to freeze it for 10 mins?
"Because we can" they'll say.

Unnecessary, but fun.


Stainless steel/Stone Whisky Chillers

Some call it stone ice cubes, or cubes drink chillers.







Done with the nuissance of diluting your whisky by adding ice cubes to it. Now you can chill your spirit the 'swag' way.


Whisky/Liquor Flask

Doesn't have to be for drinkers. The great outdoor guys would love to get their hands on one of these to fill in some water from the upstream river to drink (given the fact that these rugged-looking outdoor-loving guys understand the better things in life). Again, unnecessary, but nice to have.




Amazon Kindle

Your man likes to read? Then this would be perfect for him.




If he already has an iPad, forget about this one, unless he always complains about reading on iPads. The electronic ink is a delight to read than staring into the bright screen of smart pads all day long.


Lego set

There's nothing wrong to get a real real toy for a grown man. Let him relive his childhood for his sake.




Yes, there are guys who like building things, even when they're all grown up. What's better? Sit down with him and start assembling the whole city together, like we used to when we were five.

What do you mean you've never played Lego before? Liar.


Cufflinks

For the metrosexual, if he looks good in a suit; by all means, buy him cufflinks.

One of those menswear piece than men usually overlooks and can never have enough.





There you have it. The best Christmas gift ideas for him this year. Now hurry out to finish up your spree before Xmas arrives.

Merry Christmas all!


Also read on Best Christmas Gift Ideas for the Ladies.

Best Christmas Present/Gift Ideas for Her 2011

Inspired by a friend's post so thought I'd do a post of some of what I thought to be the best gift ideas for her this Christmas.

Gifting is a skill. Each year it gets more and more difficult to please woman of our days. So presents got more complicated, difficult and hard to be out of the box. Here are some of the unique presents I'd think she might find interesting and actually like.


Bangles

Charms and bracelets are last season's top gifts, 2011 Xmas, we're bringing bangles in as the new charm (pun intended).




But of course that's rethorical. You can go for bracelets, watches, necklaces, or any form jewellery really. If ring is a taboo to you, there're plenty of other options for you out there. Don't be fend off by the idea of getting something sparkly for that special girl.


Bedding Set




You'll be surprised how amazing clean linen and comforter feel; don't believe me? Wash your beddings the next time you feel down, when it's dried and back on your bed, you'll never want to leave your bed again.

New bedding does the same, only better. It's the same feeling that made you want to leap on a fresh bed everytime your check-in to your 5-star hotel room. The new and foreign but comfortng and extremely calming feel can be unrelenting.

Does she like silk? Muslin? Or Egyptian cotton (meow~) 1500 thread count (double meow~)?

Throw in a whole PJ set, slippers and all, and you would have a very snug girlfriend at night.


Fragrances

This is a bit old fashion but I cannot stress on this type of present enough.

This, more often than not, can go very wrong. I'm a fragrance a.k.a. perfume lover, and I have over 20 (or has it grown to 30 now?) 100ml bottles of fragrances from Marc Jacobs to Juicy Couture at home; most of which I adore, both bottle designs and scents. Few I've grown out of and few... well.. bad presents.

Guys always think it's foolproof to buy a bottle of fragrance as a present. This is true to a certain level i.e. you know the girl well or she's your girlfriend and you know what brand or type of fragrance she'd normally go for; in rare cases, you're an expert and you can score the type of fragrance that'll suit her even when it's not the usual scent she'd go for (but then you're not this type of guy, so deal with it).

Don't let me start with the number of bottles of perfumes I've received as gifts were left untouched from eons ago till this very day. Heck, the bottles weren't even nice to look at!

So yes, if you're keen on buying a perfume/fragrance; at least have the decency to get a pretty bottle to look at, just in case.

Few suggested bottles:


Clockwise from top left: Daisy Eau So Fresh (Marc Jacobs), Purr (Katy Perry), Lovestruck (Vera Wang), Viva La Juicy (Juicy Couture), Curious (Britney Spears)


Gift Cards

Get her a gift card from her favourite store/outlet/brand.




It doesn't have to be a local store. Why not let her go wild online on Victoria Secret with a $150 gift card (yes US dollar). Or if she's a fan of iPhone apps, some apple store gift cards then; she could download all the game apps and music and movies she wants, guilt-free.

Other brands like Bodyshop if she's into bodycare, http://helpfullyproves.blogspot.com for book-lovers, Starbucks if you're cheap (jk!), or if you're feeling generous, a pre-loaded mastercard or visa (oh yes baby).

Warning: Anything below $50 (according to the currency of your country) might piss her off.


Trips

What can be more exciting and romantic to spend the holiday in a foreign/exotic place, just the two of you. The surprise element is more than one can bear.

Depending on how 'far' your wallet can stretch, places of interest ranges from 3d2n in Thailand (if you're from SEA) or Paris (if you're in Europe) to a week long vacation in the alps in Switzerland or Disneyland in Tokyo.


DIY

Fine. So you're really tight on budget end of this year. Don't let that deter you from giving your love one what she deserves this festive season.

Breakfast in bed to start off and hand her a 7-day voucher stating that you would do anything for her, be her house slave for the day, clean up for her, figuratively and literally. You do the imaginating.


Just an idea.


Not that hardcore? Plan a picnic, you can even go as far as faking those take-aways sandwiches as your own, who doesn't like the idea of home-cooked meals?


Also read on Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Him.

Duck or Eagle

Today I received an email with the most phenomenal story. I just had to share it.

I don't normally blog about forwarded email, but something in the story struck me as me and I thought it could change a little in me today, maybe it could change a little to those who I can share it too.

So enjoy.


It was titled:
Make your choice today - Duck or Eagle.......

No one can make you serve customers well.
That's because great service is a choice.

Harvey Mackay, tells a wonderful story about a cab driver that proved this point.

He was waiting in line for a ride at the airport. When a cab pulled up, the first thing Harvey noticed was that the taxi was polished to a bright shine. Smartly dressed in a white shirt, black tie, and freshly pressed black slacks, the cab driver jumped out and rounded the car to open the back passenger door for Harvey .

He handed my friend a laminated card and said: 'I'm Wally, your driver. While I'm loading your bags in the trunk I'd like you to read my mission statement.'

Taken aback, Harvey read the card.

It said: Wally's Mission Statement:
To get my customers to their destination in the quickest, safest and cheapest way possible in a friendly environment.

This blew Harvey away. Especially when he noticed that the inside of the cab matched the outside. Spotlessly clean!

As he slid behind the wheel, Wally said, 'Would you like a cup of coffee? I have a thermos of regular and one of decaf.'

My friend said jokingly, 'No, I'd prefer a soft drink.'

Wally smiled and said, 'No problem. I have a cooler up front with regular and Diet Coke, water and orange juice.'

Almost stuttering, Harvey said, 'I'll take a Diet Coke.'

Handing him his drink, Wally said, 'If you'd like something to read, I have The Wall Street Journal, Time, Sports Illustrated and USA Today.'

As they were pulling away, Wally handed my friend another laminated card, 'These are the stations I get and the music they play, if you'd like to listen to the radio.'

And as if that weren't enough, Wally told Harvey that he had the air conditioning on and asked if the temperature was comfortable for him.

Then he advised Harvey of the best route to his destination for that time of day. He also let him know that he'd be happy to chat and tell him about some of the sights or, if Harvey preferred, to leave him with his own thoughts.

'Tell me, Wally,' my amazed friend asked the driver, 'have you always served customers like this?'

Wally smiled into the rear view mirror. 'No, not always. In fact, it's only been in the last two years. My first five years driving, I spent most of my time complaining like all the rest of the cabbies do. Then I heard the personal growth guru, Wayne Dyer, on the radio one day.

He had just written a book called You'll See It When You Believe It .
Dyer said that if you get up in the morning expecting to have a bad day, you'll rarely disappoint yourself. He said, 'Stop complaining! Differentiate yourself from your competition. Don't be a duck.




Be an eagle. Ducks quack and complain. Eagles soar above the crowd.''




'That hit me right between the eyes,' said Wally.

'Dyer was really talking about me. I was always quacking and complaining, so I decided to change my attitude and become an eagle. I looked around at the other cabs and their drivers. The cabs were dirty, the drivers were unfriendly, and the customers were unhappy. So I decided to make some changes. I put in a few at a time. When my customers responded well, I did more.'

'I take it that has paid off for you,' Harvey said.

'It sure has,' Wally replied. 'My first year as an eagle, I doubled my income from the previous year. This year I'll probably quadruple it.

You were lucky to get me today. I don't sit at cabstands anymore. My customers call me for appointments on my cell phone or leave a message on my answering machine. If I can't pick them up myself, I get a reliable cabbie friend to do it and I take a piece of the action.'

Wally was phenomenal. He was running a limo service out of a Yellow Cab. I've probably told that story to more than fifty cab drivers over the years, and only two took the idea and ran with it. Whenever I go to their cities, I give them a call. The rest of the drivers quacked like ducks and told me all the reasons they couldn't do any of what I
was suggesting.

Wally the Cab Driver made a different choice. He decided to stop quacking like ducks and start soaring like eagles.

I've been feeling like a duck for the longest time, a year? no, maybe more.
The story really changed my view, today and hopefully longer than just 'a while'. I hope it has changed yours too and made your day as it did mine. :)

Let's all be eagles. :)

New Zodiac Sign "Ophiuchus"

So apparently it's big news now that we've RE-discovered that our typical 12 horoscopes has a new zodiac sign left out some 2500 years ago.

According to here.

The new zodiac that's missing is the 10th sign called Ophiuchus - a snake bearer, or "serpent-bearer" to be exact.




I posted this on my FB and received different opinion-ed comments like: it's not real, there's not going to be a new zodiac sign, or astronomy and astrology is different; whereas the adapted ones would find it amusing they're no longer a virgo, or pisces, or libra, etc.


However, I was chatting on MSN with a friend from US who got his PHD in Astrophysics in England (of course, who better to discuss this) and it was just funny how the conversation went.

Especially you see from a point of view one is an expert, the other one's a blogger.

Let's call him GH.

GH: that zodiac thing is bizarre
GH: was on the rachel maddow show last night
GH: hipparchus discovered the precession of the equinoxes in about 150BC
GH: why is it suddenly on tv?

Me: must be some journalists that decided to bring it up so on and so forth
Me: we need some exciting news once in a while

GH: maybe
GH: well, wait another 23500 years and it'll be back to where it started

Me: i supposed. if earth can survive that long

GH: the earth will still be here, whether we are or not

Me: haha.. oh yea... maybe it will literally become just earth.
Me: no water. just dry land. all the way
Me: we'll call it.. the fire age (after ice age)

GH: in a billion years or so, yes, as the sun's temperature increases
GH: not in 20000 years
GH: that's the blink of an eye

Me: or when the next supernova comes.
Me: no wait. then we'll become dust. LOL
Me: or split into two earths. we'll become moons!
Me: or a tiny earth.

GH: don't think there are any stars ready to go supernova near enough to cause a problem
GH: maybe if we're staring down the barrel of a supernova jet
GH: unlikely though

Me: tiny earth is cute.

GH: the pale blue dot

Me: we can walk around in circles.
Me: literally.
Me: bahaha....

Hey, what do you expect? I studied Software Engineering. "p


On a more serious note, if you fancy astronomy... Here's what my friend GH has to say.

GH: hipparchus is the name of an ancient greek astronomer
lived roughly 190-120BC
he discovered the precession of the equinoxes
which is what causes this thing of the signs changing dates
the dates are meant to be when the sun crosses through certain constellations
but the traditional dates used change over a period of about 26000 years because of precession

GH: ophiuchus has always been on the ecliptic
just not considered a sign of the zodiac
basically, the equator is just split into 12 sections
and each was named after a nearby constellation
the ones they chose were arbitrary, and ophiuchus wasn't one of them
why they'd suddenly decide it should be one now i've no idea


Me: I see.......

Final Verdict of Marie France

Weeks ago, the day before I left for Taiwan trip, I went for my final session at Marie France.

12 sessions.

3 months.

Done.


It was such a relief.

It was such a relief because I have never felt BETTER in my life.




I've actually lost quite an amount of weight, even though that was not my initial target when I entered the salon, the sights of cellulite on my thighs have diminise tremendously.

YAY!

It's not obvious on the before and after photo so I shall tell you in my words that I have received lots of remarks everywhere that I have been looking better, and better.


Photos here are not edited, only sharpened because my hands were shaky when I took the photos.





Over the span of three months, not only I have learnt how to:

take care of myself better,
understand how my body works,
become more aware of how my body, and fats, functions;

I've actually have a better diet, and a happier looking skin.

Surprise surprise.




To entertain you with my results, I have lost:

1. 7cm each on my right and left upper thigh
2. 12cm each on my right and left lower thigh
3. 4cm each on my right and left calve.


I had wanted to lose more on my calves because I have really thick calves, thanks to my older backpacking days, and it's really hard to get rid of.

But as the sessions went on week after week, the treatments I received have seemed to shift towards my thighs and hips.

I could have asked them to spread the treatments evenly across my calves and thighs and hips but I was worried spreading the treatment time and cream/serum/solution might also reduce the effectiveness these treatments have on each section of my body.

So I decided to let them focus on my back thighs and hips in the end.

And I'm loving the results.




I'm not saying I'm perfectly pleased with how my body looked yet, but I have never seen a fitter me in a long time and I am definitely feeling supremely confident how the way I look these days.




I've been religiously rubbing lotion after my shower every day now on my thighs and calves, I'm determine to get my calves to shrink now that I am no longer attending treatments at Marie France.

But Marie France has helped me achieve my ultimate goal.

To know that I can still lose, get fit and eliminate those wrinkly skin I thought was forever.

To know that I can get rid of all these, if I work on myself more.




A girl's got to do what a girl's got to do eh?

One day, soon enough, I'm going to achieve my perfect figure.

Maybe one day, I can always return to Marie France for more advanced tech aid.

;)


~*~*~*~*~*~*~


SMS For a free 60min slimming session (worth
RM380)

type MFB NICOLEKISS Name send to
32996

17 Random Things To Do in Cape Town

1. Go Shopping!




Try waterfront. Also known as Victoria Wharf mall.




It's like KLCC to them.


2. Eat!




Really, try anything but Indian food.




No matter how good it looks.





Or how good it taste.




You're in South Africa for god's sake.


lobster.. ermm...


3. Drink!




Ever heard of South African wines?

Welcome to a country that produces its own alcohol.

Two words:

Cheap

and Plentiful.


4. Take photo with a white South African!




just for shits.

or to prove to your friends that South Africans are not (all) black? LOL.


5. Buy Some Useless Things




Preferably something local. (You know, to show that you've been to South Africa)

Like a hand crafted embroidery ostrich egg.

Nothing can be more "South African" than that!

Or you can buy an ostrich lamp with shapes of natives dancers crafted on it.




This particular one looks like he's stroking his....




6. Listen to African Songs




They're actually pretty cool when you're feeling funky.

It's like songs for the funky moods.


7. Buy Some Expensive Useless Things




Decorate your house with it to show that you're sophisticated.

Think a piece of zebra skin on your floor in your wooden looking living room.


8. Go Shark Cage Diving




And get a piece of cheap ink printed cert to prove that you've been brave.




9. Take Silly Photos




We all have to do it at some point.


10. Visit Malay Quarter




Cause it's colorful there.


11. Go Up Table Mountain




Where else you find a flat-top mountain for you to cam-whore.


12. Go On A Road Trip




To anywhere.

Preferably along a coast.

Why not?

Cape Town has really nice mountain view and sea view.




And really narrow cliff roads to add the tinge of excitement.


Try Chapman's Peak. It's said to have killed many (reckless?) drivers.



13. See a Seal




A whole colony of them.


14. See a Penguin




Or two.




Or three.




15. Bring One Home




Kee......yyyuuuuuuuttttttt!!!!!


16. Visit Cape of Good Hope




Because it's iconic.

Just because.





Lastly, and most importantly.

17. Visit Lighthouse near Cape of Good Hope




Several reasons:

The view up there is amazing.

It overlooks Cape of Good Hope.

It's historical as well as iconic.

Last but not least,


you have noooooooooo idea how great it would do to your hair.








Good hair day if you ask me.