Sandslob's Twitters

Friday, April 18, 2008

Singapore

nakakalungkot ang balitang ito...kailangan pang idaan sa isang nationwide search ang pinakamasayang tao sa Singapore. sa Pinas, tumingin-tingin ka lang sa paligid mo at makikita mo na ang happiest person- kasambahay, kapitbahay, tricycle driver, tindera sa sari-sari store, o di kaya'y manood ka ng TV para makita mo ang mga contestants sa Wowowee at Eat Bulaga. - from Aldwin
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Stressed-out Singapore set to welcome its ‘happiest person’
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 07:58:00 04/18/2008

SINGAPORE—Stressed-out Singapore prepared to welcome its “happiest person” on Thursday at a conference that aims to make people feel better.

The aptly named Philip Merry, chief executive of consulting firm Global Leadership Academy, began his search for the most cheery resident last month.

The winner—dubbed “Singapore’s Happiest Person”—was to be announced at the end of the two-day New Science of Happiness and Well-Being Conference, organized by Merry and his wife.

It seemed like a grim task after a poll by advertising firm Grey Group found that nine in 10 people living in the city-state, Southeast Asia’s wealthiest economy, said they were stressed.

The contest called for written nominations, between 300 and 1,000 words, explaining why the candidate is a “model of happiness,” Merry said. Nominees had to be 18 years or older.

A surprising 207 entries were received, Merry said.

“I literally thought when we launched ... ‘are we going to get anybody?’ Not only did we get 207 stories but we’ve got such fantastic stories,” he said. “There is a lot of happy people that we just don’t talk about or recognize.”

Nominees were whittled down to four finalists including Stella Fernandez, 43, a porter at a local women’s and children’s hospital; Ng Chai Lee, 61, a record-keeper at a government polyclinic; and Andy Goh, 35, a manager.

All the finalists had a “common denominator” in that they were comfortable with themselves, said John Bittleston, one of the judges.

The fourth nominee was Zaibun Siraj, 61, a training consultant at a local polytechnic who recently published her own book, “Zany, Zeal, Zest and Zing: The Z way to happiness.”
Her secret?

“It’s the little things in life, such as taking a walk, giving a gift and being with friends, that bring happiness,” Zaibun told reporters.

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Yeah sometimes the society's being so stressed-out is so contagious. Like, if you're not stressed, you're not doing something worthwhile - so you have to be or at least pretend to be. But it's the same thing I guess for every cosmopolitan city.

I still go with my belief though that for somebody who thrives on the excitement and fast-paced living of a big-city life, Singapore is the best place to be in. It's very clean, no pollution, no traffic (their jams here are nothing compared it to the ones Manila or Indonesia, for example), low crime plus with all the conveniences and pulsating dynamism of other big cities.

After 5 years here though, I realized that I am not one for the big-city lifestyle. That's why I can't live in Manila too, or New York, and yeah...I know I'm not settling in Singapore.

But thank you Singapore, for letting me live what had been my dreams back then. These words are written with genuine gratitude.



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