Category: Uncategorized

  • The “Life Philosophy Store”

    Spending time ruminating about life goals and objectives is common in one’s thirties. Naturally, this extends to going to the “life philosophy store” and identifying a label that resonates strongly with you, picking it up, and poring over said lore. I’m Not the First to Take a Stab at Stoicism Years ago, my friend Leoson…

  • Rituals and Relationships

    During my travels, I tend to encounter more than my fair share of stories. Perhaps this has to do with the choices of some of the locations I visit. While in Bengaluru, I was awestruck at the level of devotion many here have with respect to rituals. Rituals clearly are related to a certain set…

  • To Go Fast, Go Solo, But to Go Far, Go as a Duo

    It is true I have not been as active on social media. Fewer articles, fewer pings and quite likely, fewer motivations to find musings. It is true that I have got busier, and it is probably my recent hospitalisation (as of time of writing I’m out) that triggered me to consolidate my thoughts on a…

  • Will Singapore Survive?

    Three years ago, I tried to pen a reflection post on National Day, but eventually ditched it; writers’ block happens, and that National Day was one such occasion. I haven’t written much about National Day in 2021 and 2022, but I figured I should get back to writing that I have got yet another cybersecurity…

  • Post-COVID Flying — There are Differences

    As someone who hasn’t flown in three years since the onset of COVID-19, I haven’t flown for a while. I would not have seen through the most abrupt of COVID-19 changes. But there are, and thankfully SQ tries their level best through their crew to make it, still, a great way to fly. P.S. this…

  • More than a Fair(mont) Stay

    (I have not intended to write reviews in some time, but this is quite the exception(al) stay! Because this was not intended, pardon the dearth of photographs.) Fairmont has been a household name in the luxury hotel scene alongside competing brands such as Hilton and Marriott. The first time I stayed in an entry-level Fairmont…

  • Capital Reflections

    2021 was hectic. How hectic? About an hour ago, I was still drafting Very Clear Cut’s special newsletter. I finished the last gathering for 2021 in the evening. And… to top it all up, half my January calendar is full of meet-ups I could not fit in 2021. I should not repeat this next year.…

  • Part 1: Are We Barking Up the Right Tree with CECA?

    Recently, Parliament convened on Tuesday to address concerns about the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Agreement (CECA) that was brought up by the Progress Singapore Party (PSP) on numerous occasions. The term “CECA” refers to a free trade agreement between India and Singapore in August 2005. However, this term was then used recently as a racial…

  • Taking Umbrage at the Writing on the Wall

    The real estate business was always going to be more profitable than the media business. But people have already taken umbrage to this notion years ago by calling SPH “Singapore Property Holdings”. In this Linkedin article in 2019, Derrick opined that a break-up between the underperforming core media business and profitable property business inevitable. His…

  • A Tale of Two Sofitels

    (Hint: They are not equal.) How Did I Even End Up in Sofitel?I never planned for a staycation, or a “work from hotel” day. But this happened: In true Singapore kiasu spirit, I accepted the offer. After all I could always work from the hotel (always remember to use a VPN!) Work From Hotel @…