Category: Lifestyle

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Lifestyle

I switched to Ubox 9 and never looked back

Ubox 9

I switched to Ubox 9 from Unbloc Tech and never looked back.

I signed-up for Singtel’s mioTV during an IT show a few years ago. It was a good deal because the first few months were free. My plan has long expired but I didn’t want to recontract because it’s so expensive! I was paying S$37.20 per month which amounts to S$466.40 per year!

That was when a girlfriend told me about a television box that she was using. She said it allowed her to watch all the channels without having to pay for a monthly subscription.

It sounded really good but I didn’t act on it. Maybe it was procrastination, or maybe it was because my aunt in China got me a television box before and it didn’t work so I wasn’t really convinced.

In the meantime, I continued using mioTV for many more months, paying a hefty monthly fee.

I went to that girlfriend’s house one day for her birthday and she showed me the new Ubox 9 from Unbloc Tech. It had a few hundred channels, she could even watch the latest movies.

Unbloc Tech TV Box - Micox

She told me that she bought it from a shop in Sim Lim Square but she couldn’t remember the shop name or which floor it was on. I ended up going to every level and finally found it on the first floor.

The shop is called Micox and they are the legit distributor for Unbloc Tech television box. The retail price is S$288 before GST which totals to S$308.16 after GST.

Unbloc Tech TV Box - Setup

Once you have made payment, they will install the apps for you on the spot. All you need to do when you get home is connect the HDMI cable to your television and you can start watching.

Ubox 9

Ubox 9 is the newest version of Unbloc Tech television box. It comes with Android 10.0 operating system, 4GB Ram, 64GB of storage, supports WiFi 2.4G and 5G and supports 6K videos. You can read all about it on the Unbloc Tech website.

There are over 100 channels from Singapore/Malaysia, UK, US, Canada, Japan, Korea, Taiwan and China.

My father is so happy that he can watch live-stream of sports tournaments from China and around the world. Finally we won’t have to struggle to watch the Spring Festival Gala concert during Chinese New Year the coming year. There is even an app where I can watch all the latest movies and drama series.

The shop gives you 1 month hardware and 3 months software warranty but I had no problems with it at all.

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Lifestyle

5个方法减轻慢性背痛

慢性背痛

我虽然看起来很健康，但其实我已经有慢性背痛10多年了。

那时候我在政府医院工作，那天需要移一个100多公斤的病人。由于姿势不对，我听到后背传来“嗑”的一声，后背也有阵阵刺痛。但过了那一会儿，忙着忙着就忘了。过了一两个月，背痛又回来了，一直疼到现在。

这种慢性背痛最讨厌了，它时时刻刻都在折磨你，让你玩也玩的不开心，睡也睡的不安稳。

慢性背痛

我总结了我10多年的慢性背痛，总结出这5个方法减轻慢性背痛。

1. 7-8小时的睡眠

我把睡眠放在第一位，是因为睡眠对人体是至关重要的。

当你在睡觉时，你的身体会修复和补充一天中受损的肌肉和细胞。睡觉还可以放松肌肉，让劳损一天的肌肉得到充分的休息。

我们每个人都需要7-8小时的优质睡眠。你可能觉得3-4个小时的睡眠就够了，那是因为你还年轻。这样做会损害你的身体，日积月累你就会有各种疼痛。 

如果你跟我一样，经常容易睡不着，这里有几个小方法让你更容易入睡：

  • 调暗光线：电子屏幕和阳光里有较多的蓝光，蓝光会抑制人体分泌褪黑激素（也就是睡眠激素），这种充满活力的光线使你保持清醒和警觉。把房间里的光线调暗不会抑制褪黑激素，你会更容易入眠。
  • 降低体温：用风扇或者空调，可以更容易入眠。

2. 减糖/戒糖

我这里说的糖是指白糖，糖果、蛋糕和白面包里都含有白糖。

已经有很多医学报告证明白糖会使身体发炎，背痛也是一种炎症。

我还没有做到戒糖的地步，有时口馋的时候还是会吃点蛋糕和巧克力。自从我减糖以后，我明显感觉背痛减了至少一半，这就是减糖的功效。

减糖/戒糖不止能减少身体里的人炎症，还能促进新城代谢，使你变得更有活力变得更美丽。

3. 坐姿/站姿

坐有坐相，站有站相，走有走相，不止在与人交往中给人留下好印象，对我们的身体也是很重要的。

我从小就有一个特别不好的习惯，驼背。可能是因为我长得比较高不想太引人注意，走路和坐着时老是喜欢窝着。

不对的坐姿和站姿对背痛是非常不好的。当你的坐姿和站姿不对的时候，你的背部肌肉是处于紧绷的状态。长久下来，就会变成慢性背痛。

4. 拉伸运动

有的时候，可能是因为荷尔蒙的分泌或没睡好，你可能觉得那天的背特别痛。这时，你可以做些拉伸运动，帮忙缓解背痛。我试过很多不同的拉伸运动，这两种我觉得特别有效：

  1. 站立前屈式：你只需双脚张开到肩膀的宽度，上半身向地弯下，头也要垂下。你的膝盖后面会感到紧绷，背部也会有些酸疼。你可以慢慢的，脊椎一节一节的回复成站姿。做到背部不再酸疼，一般3-5次。
  2. 脊柱扭转：平躺在地上，双腿弯曲，双脚在地面上，胳膊向双侧伸直，呈现十字架形状。双膝盖并拢，向一侧倒下。默数1-10，双膝盖回到中间默数1-5，然后双膝并拢，向另一侧倒下。做到背部不再酸疼，一般3-5次。

5. 不要想它了

如果你已经尽量做到以上的几点，那就不要一直想着你的背痛了。根据吸引力法则，如果你一直想什么，你会“吸引”那样东西。如果你一直想着背痛，你不是在“吸引”背痛吗？

做些让自己开心的事，当你聚精会神的做一件事时，你就不会感到背痛了。

我把这些资讯做成了一个视频，放在 Youtube 上跟大家分享。如果你不喜欢看文字，可以看看这个视频：

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Lifestyle

Games @ PI – Cheap Place to Play Boardgames in Singapore

Games @ PI - Shop Front

I recently joined a boardgame meetup session at Games @ PI. It is such a great place for playing boardgames that I really want to share it with you.

Games @ PI - Tables

The main draw of Games @ PI is its cheap game table rental for boardgames. The game tables are rented in 3-hour blocks at 2-5pm and 5-8pm at just S$10 per session. The game tables are available for rent on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays.

Unlike boardgame cafes such as Mosanco Settlers Cafe, Games @ PI does not rent boardgames. You will have to bring your own boardgames to play here. Games @ PI also does not allow consumption of food and drinks in the premises. 

Games @ PI - Coloring
Most people rent the game tables for wargames such as Warhammer and Age of Sigmar. The shop also sells painting supplies of wargames pieces. 

Games @ PI - Boardgames

You can also buy new boardgames in the shop. You will be able to find new boardgame releases.

Games @ PI 

Address: 220 Orchard Road, Midpoint Orchard #03-01, Singapore 238852

Telephone: 67343858

Opening Hours: Daily 12pm-9pm

Website: https://www.pi.com.sg

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Lifestyle

3 Threading Parlors in Singapore That I Have Personally Tried

Rupini's - Interior

According to Wikipedia, “threading is a method of hair removal originating from Iran, India, Central Asia and China”. Threading has become more popular in recent years.

I prefer threading over other forms of hair removal for a few reasons:

  • cheap price: as compared with waxing which can easily cost S$50 or more, threading is so much more affordable. 
  • quick: most threading sessions take just 5-10 minutes, it’s quick and hassle-free. 
  • relatively painless: as long as the threading artist is skillful, threading is relatively painless.

I love threading so much that I have taken it upon myself to scout out threading parlors that are cheap and good. I have personally tried the 3 shops listed below, you can be assured that the threading will be quick, relatively painless and cheap. 

Bonita 

Bonita - Shop Front

Bonita - Threading Price List

Bonita means “beautiful” in Spanish. You can’t beat Bonita in terms of location. There are two outlets, one in One Raffles Place (Raffles Place MRT) and Orchid Hotel (Tanjong Pagar MRT). The prices are very reasonable considering both outlets are in the Central Business District. The threading artists are very quick and professional, you will be done before you know it. 

Let them know if you are new to threading so that they can tell you how to pull the skin taut. If there is a certain look you are going after, let them know too.

I usually go for eyebrow + upper lip which costs $14.

 

Bonita (Raffles Place/Tanjong Pagar) 

Price: S$6 – S$30 depending on the area(s) for threading 

Website: https://www.bonita.com.sg

Prisha’s Boutique 

Prisha's Boutique - Shop Front

Prisha's Boutique - Price List

I was looking for a threading salon in Orchard Road and my colleague introduced me to Prisha’s Boutique. Located on the second floor of Midpoint Orchard, this small shop doesn’t look like much but it is hugely popular.

The threading artists are swift and experienced, you will be out of there before you know it.

My usual combination of eyebrows + upper lip costs S$10, the cheapest among the three shops. 

 

Prisha’s Boutique (Midpoint Orchard) 

Price: S$4 – S$27 for Ladies, S$4 – S$35 for Gents depending on the area(s) to be threaded

Rupini’s

Rupini's - Shop Front

Rupini's - Interior

Rupini's Services

Rupini’s is the most established among the three with three outlets in Little India, Yishun Central and Midpoint Orchard.

My usual routine of eyebrow + upper lip costs S$15 here. It is slightly more expensive than the other two but still acceptable.

 

Rupini’s (Little India/Yishun Central/Midpoint Orchard) 

Price: S$6 – S$27 depending on the area(s) 

Website: http://www.rupinis.com

There are many other threading parlors in Singapore but these are the three that I have personally tried before. I can vouch for the skillfulness and affordable prices at these three shops. 

If you are new to threading, visiting any of three parlors will ensure that your virgin threading experience will be less traumatizing.