Can’t wait till we’re done with our move so I can unpack the bike and ride again. Give me mud, dirt, blood and sweat. I need my fix.

Random

The Shell Eco-marathon challenges high school and college student teams from around the world to design, build and test energy efficient vehicles. With annual events in the Americas, Europe and Asia, the winner is the team that goes the furthest distance using the least amount of energy. This year, the Shell Eco-marathon Asia was held at Sepang, Malaysia.

One of the supporting events was the Shell FuelSave 1L Challenge. A contest which requires you to try to drive the furthest with 1L of fuel.

Our very own Eunice Olsen represented Singapore a couple of years back for the global event in Germany and came in 2nd. This time, Shell organised the challenge for ordinary drivers like you and me.

I was fortunate enough to be selected to represent Singapore together with DK to test our FuelSave knowledge. Both DK and I were part of the FuelSave Challege in Singapore last year. You can read about that HERE.

We got to meet John and Helen Taylor who hold more than 85 World Records, mostly in national fuel economy driving records.

Results at the end of the day? We didn’t win, but that’s ok. We walked away with an experience and knowledge that we can share with family and friends.

Here’s a short video of some footage from the 2 day workshop and driving challenge.

Read more…

Random, Travel

Everything you own in a box to the left.

Sorry for the long hiatus. Boxing 28yrs worth of stuff takes awhile, and un-boxing them again takes even longer.

For those who have contacted me on email on blog engagements and ads, give me a bit of time. This move is becoming quite chaotic, even finding a place to sit down with a laptop is a bit of a challenge with boxes everywhere and dropping wireless signals.

Random

Friends & Family, Random

You Have To Pay Before You Play!

Such an app phrase for this morning Thanks for that HS! Time to plough through the day.

Random

Last week while clearing my office drawer, realised I had 3 shawls. Deciding to take two home, I took a sniff so I could keep the freshest one.

Hmmm strange, I took second sniff… and a third. It smelt like a natural scent, and it could only possibly be MY natural scent. But why am I able to smell it now and never in the past 27 years?

I’ve always known you can smell someone else’s but not your own.

Curious as I was, I then decided to google and read up about natural scents and the human sense of smell. Here’s some interesting facts!

Read more…

Random Natural Scent, Smell, Smellmate, Smellprint

Second baby snake we found in the house in the past 2 weeks. Apologies for the shaky and out of focus video, was quite squirmish at the sight of that thing.

Dad thinks it might be black cobra because we get quite a few of those around our area. I shudder to think where Mummy cobra is…

What worries me is the fact that we found these 2 UPSTAIRS! Where could she have laid them babies?!

I think it’s also an old Malay folklore that if you find the nest and don’t kill the mother, she comes back with a vengeance and attacks! Whole villages have said to been evacuated until the mother is hunted and killed.

What can we do to drive them out of the house? Suggestions?

Random Babt Snake, Cobra, House, Singapore

Forgive me if the tweets or blog gets quieter the next week or so. I’m on a mission…… Who am I kidding, I’m such an easy target! I’d probably get killed tomorrow! I paid S$50 to live in fear.

StreetWars is a 3 week long, 24/7, watergun assassination tournament that has already taken place in New York City, Vancouver, Vienna, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Chicago, and Paris.

At the start of the game you will receive a manila envelope containing the following:
* A picture of your intended target(s)
* The home address of your intended target(s)
* The work address of your intended target(s)
* The name of your intended target(s)
* Contact information of your intended target(s)

Upon receipt of these items, your (or your team’s) mission is to find and kill (by way of water gun, water balloon or super soaker) your target(s).

You can hunt your target down any way you see fit; you can pose as a delivery person and jack them when they open the door, disguise yourself and take them out on the street, etc.

If you are successful in your assassination attempt, the person you killed will give you their envelope and the person they were supposed to kill becomes your new target. This continues until you work yourself through all the players and retrieve the envelope with your (or your team’s) picture(s) and name(s). Then you win. Cash…but first live in fear.

Safe Zones:
* The square city block where you work.
* Buses, trains, train stations, and bus stops (any public transportation)
* Inside bars (not restaurants with bars, ONLY bars)
* No parking lot ANYWHERE is safe, unless you work at a parking lot (ex: you are a parking lot attendant). The parking lot on the block of your office is not safe.

Team Play
* You may sign up as a lone assassin, or as a team.
* No limits on number of team mates
* TEAM PROS: There is a challenging kill quota per week, having more team members will make it a LOT easier to meet your quota, and it’s more fun to split up the work. Our winners, and sudden death contestants in the past have been overwhelmingly dominated by members of teams.
* TEAM CONS: Any member dies, the whole team dies. So pick your team mates wisely.
* Yes, teams may sometimes go up against solo assassins.

Weapons:
* Brightly colored water guns.
* Water balloons
* Super Soakers
* Any Other Water-Based Weapon that is conceptually similar to the above.
* Nothing that remotely resembles a real firearm. Obviously.

Kills:
* 1 hit kills.

Geek & Gadgets, Random Singapore, Street Wars, StreetWars, StreetWars Singapore

Two days ago I blogged a football story for a Sony Ericsson contest just for kicks! And I received an email this afternoon that my story has been short listed in the Top 20.

Please help to win me those tickets to South Africa.

Please go HERE and look for my story: “Watching Football live at 11yrs Old” and click the “thumbs up” once a day everyday until the 15th April 2010!

Now initially I thought I should also ask people to “unlike” the person other than me with the most votes, but I think I will just leave it up to your discretion whether or not you want to do that.

Please spread the word and help me win! Here’s the permalink to this post: http://blog.angelaleowgray.com/2010/04/01/send-me-to-the-fifa-world-cup-2010/

Friends with blogs, appreciate you helping repost this as well!

Now here’s the fun part, what’s the point in voting if there isn’t an incentive. I’m trying to think of something which will make you vote for me. Example, if I win, I will watch the match in a chicken suit or in a wonder woman outfit? So…while you give me a day to think about that, please feel free to send in your suggestion! I will post up the final decision this weekend

In the meantime, please start voting!

Random Blog, Blogging, Contest, FIFA World Cup 2010, Sony Ericsson

Sony Ericsson is holding a contest where you blog about your football story, and stand a chance to win tickets to watch the FIFA World Cup 2010.

Contest ends today 31 March 2010, so I doubt I’ll stand a chance but I’d like to share a short story on my love of football anyway.
Read more…

Random Contest, Extra Time, Football, Sony Ericsson

I stood there guffawing at the guffaw.

Fremantle, Perth.

Random, Snaps & Clips Australia, Guffaw, Perth

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No, but I know Daddy chose my name.
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Watching ‘Constant Gardener’ on DVD
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No, it looks childish.
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? What is a lunch meat? Hmmm if it’s just meat you’re asking about,Turkey?
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? No
Read more…

Random Meme

I am in love with the idea of being in love. And I also have a ridiculous expectation on my marriage proposal. It’s not how much money you spend on a ring, or how elaborate the proposal. For me it has to be unique, creative, romantic and personal.

All together now…. Awwwwwwww…..

I actually found the above proposal romantic! My inner geek is showing!

Geek & Gadgets, Random Geek, Love

Clearing the back log… here we go!

1. My ex is: an ex for a reason

2. Maybe I should: move to the UK/NY/HK/Australia for awhile

3. I love: too easily

4. I don’t understand: Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics

5. I lose: focus easily

6. People say I: should drink more water!

7. Love is: not just passion and compatibility, but also respect and admiration.

8. Somewhere, someone is: dragging a Christmas tree along their snow covered lawn into the house, about to decorate it with tinsel, lights, baubles and ornaments.

9. I will always: turn the chair away from me before I sleep.

10. Forever is: never forever. I don’t believe in forevers anymore.

11. I never want to: settle for something less than what I deserve.

12. I think the current US President: is a refreshing change.

13. When I wake up in the morning: I wipe the drool away, turn off the aircon and jump straight into the shower, no dilly-dally! Get UP and Get Going!

14. My past was: messy with sparks of awesomeness!

15. I get annoyed when: SICC keeps sending me rubbish by post! Save the planet people, stop printing useless minutes and notices and stick them online instead. At least have an opt out function in place.

16. Parties are for: all

17. My dog is: across the rainbow bridge.

18. My cat is: non-existent.

19. Kisses are the best when: you least expect them. Like when you’re walking on the busy side walks of Hong Kong and he stops you in your steps and turns to give you smooch. Hot!

20. Tomorrow: I’m going to spend quality time with the family! Auntie Wendy is in town

21. I really want: to see snow again…

22. I have low tolerance for people who: don’t have a good head on their shoulders.

23. I am tagging: everyone

Random Meme, Random

I had the pleasure of being invited to a bloggers event organized by Shell Co. last week. They were launching a new breakthrough petrol called “Shell FuelSave” which helps drivers save up to one litre with every full tank. I was afraid it was going to be boring, but this was actually something I wanted to learn more about.

How to get the most out of every drop of petrol.

Ok, before you click that red cross on the top right of the browser window, hear me out.

What is one litre of fuel going to get me right? Well, you’d be surprised. For this event, we were all involved in a little challenge to see who could drive the furthest with 1litre of Shell FuelSave.

Each participant was allocated a car and co-driver. In every car, Shell installed a computer on the dashboard to monitor fuel usage and distance.

The objective was to see how far 1 litre of fuel can take you.

When we got to your cars, we had to unload unnecessary weight such as golf bags, baby seats etc. Now comes the driving. With 1 litre of fuel, I was able to drive all the way from Suntec to Siglap and half-way back to Suntec. That’s approximately 17km thereabouts?

At the end of the drive, all of us returned to the room to compare distances and share our learnings. I came in third, Joe Augustin and DK tied at first place, thus being “crowned” the most fuel efficient drivers of the night.

Shell aims to help customers save 10% or more fuel while driving, making sure we get the most out of every drop.But it’s not just about using FuelSave, you need to try to change your driving habits too. Did you know that 90% of ya’all said you’d welcome more information on how to be more fuel-efficient?

Well… here’s a few tips Shell FuelSave Ambassador Eunice Olsen shared with us:

Preparation: 4 Things to look out for
1. Make sure car is serviced regularly
2. Fuel cap closed properly
3. Check tyre pressure – if you’re under inflated by 1psi, it can reduce your fuel efficient by up to 3%
4. Remove excess weight (every 45kg of excess weight reduces fuel efficiency up to 2%)

While you’re driving: 1 Drive, 2 Uses, 2 Keeps, 5 Avoids
1. DRIVE smoothly
2. USE higher gears
3. USE air-conditioning sparingly
4. USE cruise control (if applicable)
5. KEEP windows closed
6. KEEP constant speed
7. AVOID over revving
8. AVOID high speeds
9. AVOID excess idling
10. AVOID rush hour
11. AVOID braking too hard

The new Shell FuelSave is now available at ALL Shell stations island-wide! And get this, they replaced their previous Formula 95 and 98 at no additional cost.

I wonder how they managed to empty all the fuel storages and filled it with this new fuel at 12 midnight.

Click Here to try the interactive website on FuelTips.

Click Here to read more about Shell FuelSave

Thanks Amanda, Julia and Mark from Edelman

Random Shell FuelSave, Shell Singapore

…a company would name their product collon (colon), especially when it looks like a cross section of a small intestine too?

Food & Travel, Random Random

lRULES:
1. Put your iTunes, Windows Media Player, etc. on shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. YOU MUST WRITE THAT SONG NAME DOWN NO MATTER HOW SILLY IT SOUNDS.

Please ignore this if you hate these things, but I thought this one was fun…interesting to see what kind of music everyone has on their iPod!
Read more…

Random Meme

Just had to. Heh heh heh

Random

I don’t know why, but I’m not at all enticed into patronising this restaurant which recently opened at China Square.

It’s just the phrasing on the signboard… hmmmmm…

Random Copywriters, Random

He’s always chillin at the park next door, and walks over to you when you stand at the top of the stairs. He responds to any name you call him.

I call him Tabby.

Random, Snaps & Clips Cat, Neighbourhood, Tabby