After nearly six months of waiting, my Slingbox is back up and running. All it took was my visit to Portland, a quick run to Fred Meyer for a splitter and cables, and a hosting location (thanks, Derek). I’m so excited to stream cable TV from the US, real time in Asia.
Essentially, a Slingbox connects a TV source to an existing internet connection. The video source can originate from the regular coaxial cable, or for a more sophisticated installation it can connect to a DVR or cable/satellite set top box. With either source, there is a customized remote control to operate the respective device. I really appreciate that the virtual remote control looks exactly like the actual one… no need to learn a new device.
Plus, I’m impressed with the new SlingPlayer 2.0 software. The programming guide represents a big improvement over the last version where all the channels needed to be inserted manually. And there just was not an actual guide available. Also, the video buffering capabilities drastically improved with the ability to pause, rewind and fast-forward up to 60 minutes of video.
Screen capture while streaming Slingbox video
For several weeks leading up to Chinese New Year, Singapore’s Chinatown bustles with festive activity. Colorful decorations, crowded streets and multitudes of shopkeepers selling holiday related goods embrace the celebratory atmosphere. Visitors buy everything from traditional Mandarin orange gifts to New Year charms to ornamental lanterns. It’s all really fun and interesting to see.
While visiting, one street vendor caught my eye… this temporary tattoo artist offered several CNY inspired designs. And at only five dollars I couldn’t resist asking him for the dragon tattoo. The application was simple: it involved a latex template and an airbrush to spray the temporary ink onto my skin. Much less painful than getting a real tattoo, I expect!
CNY Dragon Tattoo
Just Outside Chinatown
Wow, this was something new for me… a fish spa. Through the storefront window, pedestrians could view people getting a treatment that involved hundreds of small ‘doctor fish’ nibbling dead skin from feet. Apparently, the fish only eat the bad skin and they ignore the healthy skin. Interesting.
I’m thinking about trying it. Seriously.
Nibble, nibble
Fish Spa @ Singapore
Corny demonstration
Before moving to Singapore, the tallest building I’d ever lived in was three stories high. So, being up on the 24th floor introduced a few changes. Notably trash duty. That weekly ritual of packing-up the garbage and hauling it out to the curb is long gone.
No more just remembering tomorrow is garbage day while crawling into bed the night before. No more racing to move the trash can to the curb because the garbage truck woke you while picking up the neighbor’s refuse. No more pesky notes posted on your door from the HOA reminding you that empty trash cans blown into your the lawn look unsightly. No more guessing when trash day is when the regular day landed on a public holiday. No more grumbling under your breath because your neighbor continually places his trash can on your curb and not his own. No more picking up trash strewn halfway down the block because the neighborhood kids who, for whatever reason always decide to congregate in front of your house, knocked the can over on a windy day. And, most importantly, no more making up elaborate excuses documenting why you can’t take the trash out that week. And I conjured up some good ones, trust me.
Now, everything has changed. The convenient trash chute right off the kitchen works on an as-needed basis. Just open the door and bombs away. There’s absolutely no need for a trash can in the kitchen.
When I moved here, the trash chute served somewhat as a novelty item. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing how much noise I could make while deposing items down the concrete cylinder. For example, I found if I spun two liter soda bottles while dropping them in, they would hit one side of the chute for each floor. But, by far the best is glass… that initial ‘pop’ as it breaks and then hundreds of smaller pieces falling and falling and falling. That still hasn’t gotten old.
At the Bali Bird Park, there’s a designated area for visitors to interact with the resident birds on a more personal level. The routine goes something like this: the park handler puts a bird on the visitor’s arm. A photo is snapped. Everyone moves on. Please drive thru. But, it’s amazing how far a five dollar tip goes at this park…
They allowed me to hold several varieties of birds, and at one point, six large birds were perched on me. Thankfully, none of them had any business to take care of. Especially the parrot seated on top of my head.
They also provided me the opportunity to feed a few birds. One particular bird felt especially friendly and decided to take a peanut right from between my front teeth! That was a first for me.
Gimme that peanut, chump
That's a big beak
Finally, outside the confines of the visitor experiential area, something interesting happened. As I walked down one of the walking paths a mischievous, white bird just above me caught my eye. We had a quick ‘moment’ and he looked at me as if saying “put your hand out… I’ll hop on it. Let’s be friends”. Given the size of his beak coupled with the location in the park, I felt somewhat apprehensive. But I stretched my arm out anyway.
A few minutes later we were best of friends. But he almost seemed more interested in my shiny watch and glasses. I was used!
Tug of war
