5 Cool Things by Keng Keolakena

via CAAI

Wednesday, 29 December 2010 15:00 Keng Keolakena

Boading Balls

Like a baby’s giggle, the sound that emanates from these Chinese souvenirs symbolise harmony, fun, peace and joy. OK, so they don’t sound quite the same, but they both make you happy, and that’s the point. The point is that Baoding balls, or chime balls, are like a massage for your ears, and living in Phnom Penh, where sounds are usually more like a boxing match in your head, carrying a pair of chime balls with you is a particularly good idea. If you can’t be bothered to make the chime balls ring yourself, you can hang them in a doorway and let the breeze blowing through the room do the work for you. Do what works for you; just trust me and find a way to get chiming.

Lucky Burger
Quick greasy snacks from places like Lucky Burger might be the most popular thing to hit Cambodia since we were kids. It seems like there are always more fast-food places, and what a great thing! With fairly inexpensive and tasty food as well as amenities like WiFi and an attractive interior, it’s no wonder that many young people seem to have made their home inside of their favourite fast-food joint. Just writing about this right now makes me think of the undeniable pleasure of crispy fried chicken washed down with an ice cold cola. It really is like the Khmer phrase; delicious food when you are hungry is like a beautiful girl when you are looking for love. I’ll take the food. You can make your own decision.

Home gardening
Cultivating spices and other plants at home is only a small investment of your time, but it will bring major improvements in the food you eat. Planting a few spices doesn’t require hectares of land or a shed full of tools,  all you need is a pot or a small piece of unused land, some work gloves, a few gardening tools and you’re ready to rock!  After an hour or so of tending to your green patch you will feel a connection to the earth that most people have forgotten. Sure, it takes some of your time every day to prepare the soil, water the plants and keep them fertilised, but surely you have a few minutes to spare. I’m not forcing your hand here, I’m just giving you a push in the right direction: toward the earth.

Shorts & t-shirt

Simple is special. Perhaps this isn’t always true, but I am a firm believer that the tried and true combination of shorts and a t-shirt has maintained its popularity over the decades for a reason; there is no other outfit that combines comfort with attractiveness as well this classic combo. I realise that both items have appeared on this page before, but what previous writers failed to realise is that celebrating one or the other is failing to recognise their unparalleled camaraderie as a clothing couplet. My personal preference is for a v-neck shirt and knee- length shorts, but that is your call. If you aren’t already donning t-shirt and shorts  regularly, I beg you to start taking an interest in life and slip into some variation on the coolest outfit out there.

businessdictionary.com
Have you ever been in a meeting with other English speakers and you reach a point where you just don’t know the word for what you want to say? If so, this site is for you, since it is suited for people who are both serious about learning English and serious about business. There is no translation or anything to help you understand, but they do offer understandable definitions for technical terms that you may have never heard in your life. Regardless of what sector or field you want to work in, they have searchable vocabulary that will give you confidence next time you are in the spotlight at work or in life.