Fishy Business SG Review

What a waste of time.  And I had to witness an old uncle kissing the right cheek of a 28~9ish, thick make-up foreign prostitute at a bus-stop after that (*shivers* I grimaced & looked away while sitting in  bus 100). The location of this aquarium shop is after all near Geylang area. (What a bad location).

After going to a few other aquarium shops so far, this is one stop that I left out. I had initially wanted to go there at the start of my shop hunt 2 weeks ago after checking their website, but it somehow fell off my list, and I have been going to other shops instead. Somehow, I didn't think it was worth the trip. Turned out I was right.

2.5 hrs gone. In the hot sun.  Returned empty-handed (left the house at around 2.10pm, returned 5pm, there goes my entire afternoon).  Was prepared to spend but there's nothing to spend on. I brought 2 banks with me. My bank card & my bro's.

Spent about 15 mins in the small shop & the moment the guy started coughing, I immediately walked out.  I was done browsing anyway.  I had picked up a packet of soil & was looking at it when he coughed at his counter behind me.  (The guy is the 2nd from the left in their Facebook photo.).

The problem with all these small, "boutique" shops, is that they are small, sell very few things & you always get asked what you're looking for. (I like big shops with the more things the better).

The moment I opened the door & stepped in, the 2nd guy on the left of their Facebook photo said "Hi". Plus point. I said "Hi" back.

After some quiet browsing starting from the left side to the back, the first guy on the left of their Facebook photo asked in Chinese if I was looking for anything.   He looked like an Ah Beng, looked & sounded uneducated. (I overheard that he has a girlfriend who wants him to eat Hokkien Mee with her. I bet she looks like an "Ah Lian" to have chosen him.).

I replied in Chinese that I was "just looking" (even though I came for their aquatic plants & Italian bloodworms that I saw on their website).  It was uncomfortable to look at his face so I flicked my glance aside as I spoke. His face is what is called in Hokkien "Bo Lang Yan".  (literal meaning, no people fate. An unappealing face.).

If you're staying in that area, it's probably the only convenient shop there. But if you're from somewhere far away & thinking of going there, forget it.

If you're looking for rocks, they have quite plenty compared to other shops. Koke, Okio, Brown river & whatever rocks. Plenty of clean, light brown twigs (Green Chapter has plenty of rocks & twigs too but dirtier & dustier.).  For a piece of Koke rock that I put on their weighing scale, less than 250g, about $5. Reasonable price for the size.

If you're looking for aquatic plants like I was, forget it.  Very few varieties & expensive.  Presumably imported $14/$20. The local plants are $4 but small & poor. Get better, cheaper & more at Clementi Florist  Blk 328 (C328).  [beware of rootless ones that won't grow & will die.]

When the 2nd guy (the 2nd one on the left of their Facebook photo who had greeted me when I first came in) saw me lowering to look at some moss in the tanks in front of the counter & asked if I was looking for something,  I said I came looking for aquatic plants but theirs are few (I think I might have offended him by saying they have few plants). He said they have more in the fridge. 

In their fridge, they have cups of jelly substrate-grown ($14) & Anubias brand of plants ($15). Those jelly substrate plants can also be found at Clementi Florist shop (also $14).  When I asked if those jelly substrate types die more easily than the normal plants, he made odd looks & said the jelly types are hardier.

Hardier?  Plants grown in man-made substrate under controlled conditions may be disease & pest-free but they cannot possibly be hardier than natural & normal plants.  If they are so hardy, why are they kept in the fridge?  At Clementi Florist shop,  the exact same cups of such plants left outside, have turned yellow & died. These jelly-substrate lab-grown plants are weaker, not hardier.

I didn't mention what I was thinking.

Perhaps I offended him again when I returned to reading a brochure after concluding our talk.  Seeing that I was back to the brochure, he went to sit at his counter.  I went to the fridge,  looked at the plants through the door, noticed the jelly substrate plants were $14 & asked if the plants from Anubias were also $14 & he replied in a rather hard tone with a hand over his mouth, "Fifteen". 

All the while looking through the fridge door, trying to see the types of plants in their cups, I was thinking he should say it's Ok to open the door for a better look.  But he never said a word. Minus point for that.   An uncle would straightaway tell me to go ahead & open the door for a better look. It's impossible to look properly at the individual plants without opening the fridge door.

Uncles are better at doing business. They are more natural, jovial & practical when interacting with customers.  Young people lack experience & exposure to do a business well when it comes to people. There may be exceptions, but not here.

If you're looking for ADA materials, Green Chapter has more.

As for shrimps... their shrimps are few, small & not well. I saw a red one just laying slumped on the soil. I think it's dead.

As for fishes... the prices are low, around same price as other shops, but few variety & few in number in each tank. Chocolate gourami, Tetras & one or two others. 

It seems the shop is not doing well. One guy told the other guy not to order a certain item until "better times".  Well, with the competition around, it's not surprising.

I think the aquarium business is difficult for young people to do in SG without the experience & knowledge.  It's not for young punks to play.

It would seem that it's the father who has given his son/s this shop to play. These 2 guys don't look or behave like owners. One guy asked the other guy, "Ask your father about" a particular type of wood. "He'll know what I mean.". 

Clementi Florist has been around for so long & has many customers because 1) cheap 2) variety 3) nice aunty (if she's there) 4) give discount.

The Clementi Florist shop is so small that customers have to squeeze past each other, but that's just part of the charm. The low lighting with all the jam-packed stuff is the ambience. Go on a hot Monday afternoon & the place suddenly becomes spacious without most customers around.  Bro gets a headache & must keep himself outside the shop & hence has stopped following me there.

Ah! Fishy Business has Bettas (Fighting Fish) that they show on their website. Beautiful but very expensive in the actual shop.  $90. $100. Who the heck wants to buy?

Just 1 shrimp, the other day I was at Polyart Clementi, one male customer told his friend before walking off, "So small $6.".

The key to success is to follow Clementi Florist. Sell plenty & cheap. Nobody is going to buy a $90 fighting fish/Betta.  (What's the likelihood that some rich person will buy? Mascot Crowntail Betta. $100).

Clementi Florist (I'm guessing it used to sell terrestrial plants) sells common & cheap fishes that everyone goes fishing for when it's crowded. I saw a guy standing in a half bend with his butt sticking partly out along the main narrow aisle fishing on one crowded afternoon. How he is able to even fish in such crowded condition, I have no idea.

As for the Italian bloodworms that I was hoping to buy after seeing the Fishy Business Facebook that they had imported this Italian range of food... well, those are not bloodworms. The ingredients description on the container says it's 100% insect. For fishes that like to eat insects. I really don't know how the Italians can label it as "Bloodworms" when it's 100% insect.  You know what are bloodworms, Italians?

I'm not saying don't go to Fishy Business.  I'm just saying that if you live far away from that area, it's not worth the trip.  I'd rather drop by Green Chapter which isn't perfect but at least has more things to browse & more tanks to admire & better shrimps that can be bought (even if rather poor variety of plants).

Usually, when I enter a shop for the 1st time, I am quiet. At most, if the person greets me, I will return that greeting, but other than that, I remain quiet. I observe rather than speak. If I need to ask about something, I will.  But not after some thought first.  So, if you're in the shop, you'll see me slowly looking around, very quietly as if I am not there.  If however, you're talking to someone, I will be listening without looking. My bro however, if he's around, he will look as well as listen. And he is better than me at listening & observing.
----

Update 7 Oct 11.08am: The shop specializes in ADA products. Expensive brand. Seems that they are the only ones stocking ADA tanks.  As a guy from Green Chapter told me a few days ago, not many shops stock ADA products because such shops have to be able to take the lack of sales. Due to the high(er) price of the brand, only those who have tried & know the brand will be more willing to buy (fans of the brand).

So now I know why Fishy Business isn't doing as well as expected (from what the guy said about "until better times". That guy, I think is the young boss from what I've been picking up online.).  And that's why I haven't been able to find any shops, except for this one, that sells ADA tanks.
 

Kodoku no Gurume Season 4 Ep 9

What does Goro-san wear inside his white shirt? White sleeveless V-neck singlet.

At a baseball game in the hot summer heat, he decides to copy that plump man in front who takes off his T-shirt. This is what Goro-san looks like after eating all that food every week...

Did he work out before this shoot?

 

 

 Ta da... Are you sure you're not going to get heat stroke?

Bear in mind he is 51 years old. Doesn't look it.  Pretty good skin tone. Damn strong voice too as he shouts his cheers for his favourite team.

Who finds this sexy? 

And seeing Goro-san, the other guys start taking off their shirts to cheer too.

They even start doing a special cheer together, led by Goro-san... Wait a sec... Did they shave their armpits?

I think this is really The best thing Goro-san has ever tasted. It's not acting. It's real. He can hardly say how good it is. "Hon...Hwahhhh....".  Crispy spare ribs. (earlier, he ate a chicken and was surprised the bones could be eaten!).

For the first time, I see his face is red from chewing this. And he really doesn't care how he looks with his mouth stuffed up. As if the camera isn't even there. In fact, he looks like he's gonna choke on it coz he can't wait to stuff it all in.

Kodoku no gurume Season 4 Ep 8

Just out!

Asagaya Station. 

Goro-san sees a boy playing this interesting retro curiosity & decides to play also.  Nostalgic, he says. First time, loses. He unzips his purse & the unzipping sound is so funny ^_^ So auntie & frugal.

 

 

 

Eh? Nande? Unable to beat the machine, he wonders why.

Decides to go in...  & comes out with...

Decides he's gonna beat this thing... Dumps the load of coins on top of the machine & start!! Goro-san fast beat music starts into the opening song!  

 

He goes to a client's billiard place & tells the client to take his time looking at the designs on his laptop.  Goro-san then watches someone play. And while watching... he suddenly gets...

He goes back to his client who is still undecided,  quickly takes over the laptop by turning it to his view, hurries over the item choices without even giving the client a chance to think... Then abruptly wraps it up, shuts his laptop, eagerly puts it back into his briefcase, all smiles saying "no, thanks" to another drink & off he goes with the client unable to stop him.

(Ohh... what a handsome, sexy billiard man profile in the 3rd pic, although he actually isn't handsome. Front view looks lecherous & untrustworthy when he rubs his jaw. He is however quite cute at the end when he pouts & mumbles at Goro-san having left.).

 

 

I'll tell you which site to watch online Kodoku no Gurume Season 4 Special/ Ep 7/8 for $8. No download required. Paypal accepted. Local ATM transfer accepted.

Kodoku no gurume Season 4 Ep 7

Just out!

Goro-san is very funny when he's about to pray when interrupted by a man who calls him. He looks to the man & quickly looks back to the "god" as if the "god" is a person he was about to talk to & he's being rude.

Then he has this funny expression when he claps his hands. It's funny they actually filmed him like this so playfully in front of a "god"?

 

 

HAAHHAHAHAHAHA!!! The customer says in English, "Go to hell. Make my day.". And Goro-san with that "Gee..." look, decides to play along with a serious face & says in English, "Oh..shit.".  HAHAHAHAHAHA!!

While talking to the man, Goro-san is all smiles, he's hardly recognizable. The moment the man walks away, Goro-san's smile disappears so fast.  This is not the first time he smiles for appearance's sake (he can be such a faker). ^_^

 

Hahaha... He eats pasta like eating ramen. He's giggling with the sauce on his mouth. Strangely, it looks very delicious the way he eats with chopsticks. The slurping sounds... MMmmmm...

 

Howl's Moving Castle & Google Doodle

For lack of good anime to watch (= Bishounen), I  am now re-watching Howl's Moving Castle since triggered by Google's interactive doodle.  Fabulously clear view of the movie at the site that I'm watching from!

I didn't know the author passed away in 2011. Bro told me when I mentioned about the Google doodle.

When I read what she died of, it wasn't surprising (even though the article didn't state if smoking was the cause). Authors are usually chain smokers. From her photo, she looked like she smoked a lot. 

I find it's a knowing waste. Knowing because she must have known what smoking would do. It's a myth that smoking enables people to think better. Research shows there is no enhanced thinking ability difference between people who smoke & those who don't.

In fact,  smoking destroys DNA.  Together with the lack of enhanced thinking ability & increased risk of the disease, smoking is useless.  Not only does it not help,  it shortens lifespan which could have been further used for writing more of her books that she was planning on doing.

It is an addiction that cannot be easily stopped. But between being able to live on to write more & being dead before she could complete, which would she have chosen? Unfortunately, I think she might say that without her smoke, she wouldn't be able to come up with the books. In which case, it might be said that stopping smoking isn't any better than being dead before she can complete. This is the myth that smoking helps people think better.

It's a brilliant idea that turning the dial by the door will change the location outside. Absolutely brilliant. I don't know if it's truly original or someone out there has something like that before hers. I would never have thought of it. Very beautiful & fun idea.

The first time I saw Howl's Moving Castle anime, the name Diana Wynne Jones didn't ring any bells. It was as if it was the first time I came across the name.

But actually, when I read about the book titles that she was famous for writing, I realized that I had actually read her before, when I was in my teens.  In fact, I have the hardcover book that I love in my old study cupboard: Charmed Life.

At that time, Charmed Life really blew my mind. I fell in love with the man, can't remember his name. It was very sexy, suggestive, even though nothing sexual happened (not even a kiss, of course since it's a book for young persons).  I really liked the story (though I can't remember now).  Something about a cat? Magic.

Hmm... I usually take note of the author's name. I don't know why I didn't for this Charmed Life. I think I only started to take note of authors' names when I was in my 20s. 

[Update 17 Aug Sun:  I think the author's name didn't impress upon me because it wasn't a book I chose. It was a book that I won in a story-telling competition, I think. In those days, I used to participate in such competitions. Also, the author's name was too long to remember.  Even recently, when I read her name, I always think it's "Diane" in my mind. ]

The book is in my cupboard that's currently unreachable due to Bro's stuff in front blocking the glass doors. But I remember it's there together with my other books. Blue cover. Maybe I should get it out? Bro is going to be very difficult ... I think, to convince him to move his stuff... He's going to make a lot of noise.

Anyway, here's Google Doodle sequence of the 4 door sceneries every time the dials turns by itself. That fire is Calcifer. Brilliant idea for Calcifer as well! I don't know how she thought of it!  A difference however, is that the dial is square in the doodle, whereas it's a disc in the Howl's Moving Castle anime.

 

 

Howl's Disc:

Hmm... from reading about the Google doodle, I clicked on Miyazaki's photo at the side & read that his latest movie The Wind Rises didn't do well.

I saw the trailer. Well, it's no wonder.  He is showcasing his love for the power of flight that he loves so much.  But why can't he draw more attractive characters? Bishounen? Bishoujo? Howl is at least passable. He could have been handsomer.

[I didn't even know he had a new anime out. After Howl's Moving Castle & the awful Ponya ("Ponyo" after Googling)... I stopped watching out for his anime. Till now, I still don't know what Ponyo is. Bro keeps saying it's a girl goldfish. ]

Miyazaki's anime always has that classic Miyazaki look. Only his Studio Ghibli can do it. It's hard to describe. Everything is rounded, classic, beautiful with very soft, natural realism of nature vistas that grabs me,  the amazing details & play of light & color (in Spirited Away), the softness in the realism of the movements.  I feel embraced the moment his anime opens to my view.  It draws in the heart & soul.  His love for the beauty of the European countryside mixed with Japan in his mind, is very unique.

I think for The Wind Rises, he might have cut corners with the details (fewer details) since from what the article said, his movies cost a lot to make but don't make profit. (I haven't watched The Wind Rises).

His Spirited Away was his best. After that, downhill.

"But the studio has the same style that Miyazaki is known for. Is it boiling down to people balking at watching Studio Ghibli films because Miyazaki’s name isn’t attached anymore?"

That's not true. The technology of Studio Ghibli is the same but the stories & drawings are poorer.  Nothing to do with his name.

The fact that Howl's Moving Castle was not his own original story, already disappointed me. But I like the rather (passable) handsome & sexy Howl & the music.  I have the CD, by the way.

Kodoku no gurume Season 4 Ep 6

This time, Goro-san meets up with a customer who wants to organize a single mother event. Quite a pretty woman, but not young. Around 30~40, I would say. Still, quite pretty. She's the shop owner selling flowers.

I'm surprised it's drizzling (supposed to be hot summer?) & this is a very nice western-looking bridge with him walking with his transparent umbrella (which is surprisingly big).

 

 

After that... it's Indian food! As usual, he's over-thinking the menu... But his total selection is really, very yummy-looking! Good choices! I quite like Indian food as well... if they are hygienically prepared.  A pity they've also got foreigners in Japan... but this cook can speak Japanese. This is the actual cook in the shop, not actor (3rd pic). Smart to have a Japanese waiter.

 

 

 

Mango Punch first. Then Cheeze Pizza:

 

 

I love the way Goro-san tries to approach the pizza with his open mouth. He goes in, hesitates, goes in again, hesitates... then bite! MMmmmmm!!!

 

Other yummies...

 

Mutton Curry with Mint Leaves:

 

And once more....  that "I'm in Heaven" look: