Singapore is building an airport where indoor trees, waterfalls and a 'rain vortex' sit alongside check-in queues, waiting rooms and baggage carousels(传送带).

    Where once sat a car park, there will soon be thousands of trees and plants across 22,000 square metres of landscaped indoor parklands. This will be joined by a 40m-high indoor waterfall, expected to be the world's tallest. These are the plans for the new 3.5 hectare 'Jewel' development at Singapore's Changi Airport, scheduled to open in 2018; a five-story, 134,000 square metre complex, mixing natural outdoor plants with modern airport facilities.

    “The aim behind the introduction of such lush(茂盛的) landscaping is purely to provide all visitors with a memorable experience, one where they are surrounded by nature and greenery,”says Philip Yim, Chief Executive Officer of Jewel Changi Airport Development.

    Promised sustainability（持续性） measures include “extensive usage of photovoltaic panels（光电板）”to produce renewable energy, as well as encouraging the use of natural lighting and a “high efficiency” air-conditioning system.

    The indoor waterfall, named the “Rain Vortex”, will make use of special lighting effects to change at night into what is promised to be a dramatic light and sound show. “The Rain Vortex is one example of how sustainable design plays an important role in the planning of the attraction,” says Yim. 'In the event of a rain storm, the power of the rain water will flow naturally through the oculus. The excess rain water collected will be used for irrigation of the landscaping at Jewel.'

    Yim quotes the popular reputation Singapore enjoys as “the garden city”, where greenery is recognised as an essential part of the urban landscape, an attractive image which clearly inspires Jewel's design.

    However, it remains to be seen whether, beyond the aesthetic (审美的) appeal, Jewel can add genuine environmental things to something as un-environmental as an international airport.

    Tea，the most typical English drink，became established in Britain because of the influence of a foreign princess，Catherine of Braganza，the queen of Charles II．As a lover of tea since her childhood in Portugal，she brought tea-drinking to the English royal court and set a trend for the beverage in the 17th century．The fashion soon spread beyond the circle of the nobility to the middle classes，and tea became a popular drink at the London coffee houses where people met to do business and discuss events of the day．Many employers served a cup of tea to their workers in the middle of the morning，thus inventing a lasting British institution，the“tea break”. However，drinking tea in social settings outside the workplace was beyond the means of the majority of British people．It came with a high price tag and tea was taxed as well．

    Around 1 800，the seventh Duchess of Bedford，Anne Maria，began the popular practice of“afternoon tea，”a ceremony taking place at about four o'clock．Until then，people did not usually eat or drink anything between lunch and dinner．At approximately the same time，the Earl of Sandwich popularized a new way of eating bread—in thin slices，with something like jam or cucumbers between them．Before long，a small meal at the end of the afternoon，involving tea and sandwiches，had become part of the British way of life．

    As tea became much cheaper during the 19th century，its popularity spread right through all corners of the British society．Thus，tea became Britain's favorite drink．In working-class households，it was served with the main meal of the day，eaten when workers returned home after a day's labor．This meal has become known as“high tea”．Today，tea can be drunk at any time of the day，and accounts for over two-fifths of all drinks consumed in Britain-with the exception of water．

    For years I wanted a flower garden. But then we had Matthew. And Marvin. And the twins, Alisa and Alan. And then Helen. I was too busy raising them to grow a garden.

Money was limited, as well as time. Often when my children were little, one of them would want something that cost too much, and I'd have to say, “Do you see a money tree outside? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know.”

Finally, all five got through high school and college and were off on their own. I started thinking again about having a garden. I wasn't sure, though, I mean, gardens do cost money.

Then, one spring morning, on Mother's Day, I was working in my kitchen. Suddenly, I realized that cars were tooting their horns as they drove by. I looked out of the window and there was a new tree, planted right in my yard. I thought it must be a weeping willow, because I saw things blowing around on all its branches.

    There was a money tree in my yard !It was true! There were dollar bills, one hundred of them, taped all over that tree. There was also a note attached: “IOU eight hours of digging time. Love. Marvin.”

    Marvin kept his promise, too. He dug up a nice ten-by-fifteen foot bed for me. And my other children bought me tools, ornaments, a trellis, a sunflower stepping stone and gardening books.

That was three years ago. My garden's now very pretty, just like I wanted. When I go out and weed or tend my flowers, I don't seem to miss my children as much as I once did. It feels like they are right there with me. I think about what my children did for me, and I get tears in my eyes every time.

I'm still not sure that money grows on trees. But I know love does!

Dear Alcohol,

    You've been around forever. I can remember all the pain you've caused for me.

    Do you remember the night you almost took my father's life? I do. He loves you. Sometimes I think he loves you more than he loves me. He's addicted to you, to the way you promise to rid him of his problems only to cause more of them. You just sat back and laughed as his car went spinning through the street, crashing into two other cars. He wasn't the only one hurt by you that night.

    Do you remember the night of my first high school party? You were there. My friends were intrigued by you. They treated you as if they were never going to see you again, drinking all of you that they could. I spent two hours that night helping my friends who had fallen completely. "I'm so embarrassed," they said as I held their hair back so that they could vomit. "I'm sorry," they said when I called taxies for them, walking them out and paying the driver in advance. "This won't happen again," they said as they were sent to the hospital to have their stomachs pumped. Two 15-year-old girls slept in hospital beds that night thanks to you.

    Do you remember the night when you took advantage of my 17-year-old neighbor who had to drive to pick up his sister from her dance lessons? Do you know how we all felt when he hit another car and killed the two people in the other car? He died the next morning too. His sister walked home from her dance lesson, and passed police cars and a crowd of people gathering on the sidewalk just two blocks away from the dance studio. She didn't realize her brother was in the midst of it all. She never saw him again. And it's all your fault.

    I wish you'd walk out of my life forever. I don't want anything to do with you. Look at all the pain you've caused. Sure, you've made people happy too from time to time. But the damage you've caused in the lives of millions is inexcusable. Stop luring (引诱) in the people I love. Stop hurting me, please.

Sincerely,

Me

    When I first married my wife, I lived and worked in Ontario, moving from small town to big city as I pursued my career as a radio broadcaster. We have two sons, both of whom were born in Toronto and moved with us to Ottawa. They went to school, grew up there, and then pursuing their own careers, they also moved. One went to Canada's east coast near a city called Halifax and the other headed to the west coast Vancouver. We had a dilemma; we were left in the middle.

    The problem wasn't pressing at the time because I was still working and my job was in Ottawa. However, as we began to considering retirement we wondered where we should spend our final years. We couldn't be close to both of our children and there was no telling when they might again relocate. For several reasons, we settled on a small town on Vancouver Island. At least we were close to one of them. However, he had his sights set on Hollywood and, when an opportunity presented itself, he left Canada and headed south. So, there we were, and still are, in our little west coast town. We love our little corner of paradise (乐园）but we paid a price. We have not been there for some important events such as the births of two of our grandchildren. We have missed watching them grow up, backyard barbecues, and the normal, noisy households. Our home, while comfortable, is also very quiet.

    Every fall we travel to see the children and try to spend a week or more with them and we make the even longer trip to see our grandchildren, who are now teenagers, actually into their twenties. They seldom come to visit us. The distances are just too great and it is costly.

    Fortunately, both our boys are doing well and our grandchildren are growing straight and tall. We love all of them and they love us but the reality is that they don't need us. We have done our jobs and at least in theory，we can sit back, relax and enjoy the time remaining to us. In fact, we're happy but there were times I think about the things we didn't see. They have also missed having a set of parents and grandparents around.

    Life has been good for our family but we have paid a price.

How do you kill your time on your way to work? Most of us stare at our cell phones, and refuse to make eye contact with others. We just read, chat with others online or play games online. Or maybe we're using the time between stops to do our makeup, catch up on emails, or read a few chapters of a book. However, Dina Alfasi takes a very different approach.

Each day she has to travel hours on buses and trains to get to her engineering job at a hospital in Israel. Rather than look at her cell phone in silence, she uses one very special way to have connection with strangers. It is portraits of the people she meets on public transport every day that she is taking. The paintings catch those quiet and personal moments of people readying themselves for the day ahead. Some people lean their head against the window and go to sleep, some stare into space and have a daydream, and others sit quietly to read their documents or books. Each picture catches one tiny moment in people's lives, ripe with potential for your imagination. It is wonderful for her to look at someone's commute (上下班) and make up an entire story about the rest of their daily existence, from the father travelling with a baby to the woman welcoming a change.

"What inspires me very much are the little moments that happen every day," Dina told My Modern Met. "My work is to tell stories through a single portrait, and it proves that all you need is just to look around and find those magic moments."