Guys, you know what this means? You can go out and buy that boat or racehorse and she'll laugh her head off (rather than hit you on the head with the oar).
Market research has the figures to show that Singapore girls are optimistic. Little things make them cheerful, while the boys are more focused.
According to a survey of 750people, women had a 'happiness index' of 6.8 while men scored only 6.6.
This was revealed at a recent product launch, which, these days, is never just a product launch.
For example, perfume people outdo themselves with each new scent introduced. Guests got a round trip on the Singapore Flyer for a Davidoff launch and seats at the Gwen Stefani concert for her L.
So what's a humble nutrition bar to do to claim space in your kitchen?
First the name, Soyjoy.
A Soy Story?
Hire a nutritionist to extol the values of soy-based eating. Some of the facts and percentages thrown up - about unhealthy eating - were unjoyful indeed. Cardiovascular, breast cancer, osteoporosis. Can we get to the joyful part?
'HAPPY' INDEX
The 'joy' half of Soyjoy presented itself through the index on How Happy Are Singaporeans Today?
Soyjoy's makers, Otsuka - there's a happy name; 'suka' in Malay means 'like, love' - a Japanese company specialising in nutraceutical foods, commissioned BDM Intelligence to poll, islandwide, those of all ages, incomes, occupations and education on the overall level of happiness.
The respondents rated themselves in four categories - joy, stress, health, satisfaction.
Drum roll - make that drumstick roll - eating makes us most happy, with just over 20 per cent rating it over family, friends, and playing. (All relative of course. In parts of Africa, finding food to put on the table, if they have a table, is happiness itself.)
Other happy highlights in the Singapore psyche include fitness and health, being the boss, and personal achievement.
Women are more joyful, believe they are healthier, less stressed, and more satisfied with life than the men.
Or, as my man with the high blood pressure will say, 'Of course lah, you daily chikek my darah what!' (You make my blood boil.)
At the product launch, our blood was made to circulate by Laughter Yoga's founder Dr Kajal Pandit.
He made what sounded like anti-social sounds, but were specific breathing exercises, and then floored 24members of the media with a 'Please sit on the mat'.
Luckily, the drapes in the conference room in Hort Park, the gardening hub, were drawn, or the schoolchildren on excursion would have taken fright at the sight of grown men and women breathing aloud ho-ho-ha-ha-ha and hee-hee-ha-ha-ha.
Dr KP said: 'Breathing is the key. Breathing stop, life stop.'
I sat up and ate a Soyjoy (four flavours).
This article was first published in The New Paper on Jun 12, 2008.
