Perfection...Not

I was watching Bleach and found this surprising piece of gem in one of the dialogues -from one of the characters I dislike, no less...a weirdo in fact...but I liked this particular segment:

"There is no such thing as perfect in the world.

That may sound cliche but it's the truth.

The average person admires perfection and seeks to obtain it.

But, what's the point of achieving perfection?

There is none. Nothing. Not a single thing.

I loathe perfection!

If something is perfect, then there is nothing left.

There is no room for imagination,

No place left for a person to gain additional knowledge or abilities

Do you know what that means?

For scientists such as ourselves, perfection only brings despair.

It is our job to create things more wonderful than anything before them,

But never to obtain perfection."

I liked it because it presented a different view on perfection, one that is not unique to scientists but to all human beings in general. We spend so much time of pursuing perfection that sometimes it makes one wonder if it's really necessary?

A friend of mine once said that he doesn't want to have all his wishes fulfilled as it would mean the time for death. He wants to achieve all but one wish. Then, there would be motivation for living. When that final wish has been completed, then it would be time to go. Kinda like the perfection theory above isn't it?

Yet Another Milestone

15 Dec 2009 marks another milestone towards the dream.

It's a great feeling to know that when you do something you love, the universe will move things for you. Being voted by peers means even more.

May the next milestone by Jun 2009 be of finding a successful agent.

Thank you God, thank you universe...feel very loved!

Wow

She doesn't have an arm, he doesn't have a leg...but they are doing a ballet together...amazing

The Heart of Giving

This thought occurred to me recently. So often, we think of the people who give as generous. I realized recently that the heart to give is not so much an act of generosity, but more an act of the acknowledgement of abundance.

Let's not talk about people who give for recognition. Let's talk about the people who give because they feel they have enough and so they want to share their happiness with other people. Hence, if the desire to give rises, I think it's a good sign for the giver. It means the giver feels that he or she has enough to spread some around. To me, it's a sign that the giver's life is in good hands, good shape.

Therefore, the act of giving is not only an act of kindness, but also validation to oneself that "Hey I have a good life!"

Now, wouldn't that be nice to know?

The Road to Happiness Rockefeller Style

The road to happiness lies in two simple principles: find what it is that interests you and that you can do well, and when you find it put your whole soul into it - every bit of energy and ambition and natural ability you have.

- John D. Rockefeller

Child Warrior

Every so often, we complain about the things we don't have and how tough life is. We complain about our families and feel defeated when life doesn't go our way. Yet, there are also people who can look at life in such wonderful light and face lack with such strength.

This is one of the most moving stories I have come across this year. Hearing her broke my heart, warmed it and encouraged my soul all at the same time. God bless the child for maturity beyond her years, her strength and ability to find happiness even in a situation where many would find despair.

Please listen to what Esther Kim has to say about her family in this video.

She comes on at about 09:00:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cgigkOv9g6Y&feature=related&fmt=18

Her story continues here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EpGUZMNmp4U&feature=related&fmt=18


May she always stay strong and happy!

Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Today has got to be one of the happiest days of my life. I would even cry out of happiness but I am not for now. I would save it for another day. Trust me, the person inside is crying.

Today, I felt what it was like to be really happy, to feel like the world is a wonderful place. Never mind the people who may irritate, today I felt happy enough to feel that it doesn't matter at all.

Discovering writing is one of the most important developments in my life so far and taking real steps to make it a reality has been of tantamount importance to me.

Today, I got a much needed vote of confidence for my prologue from someone whom I respect- an ex-literary agent and published author. She said she loved it, writing was good, she expected the rest to be good and wanted me to show her more.

Never mind that the story hasn't been fully edited or that it's not reached publishing stage yet. The vote of confidence from a professional was enough to brighten my day. It feels like I am taking real steps into making my dreams a reality.

For that, I would like to shout thank you to God, the universe and all the people who have helped me so far. Thank you universe, for being so kind to me. I feel truly blessed and very loved.

Thank you so so much!

Slow Dancing In A Burning Room

I accidentally came across this song when I was watching the fantastic lyrical performance by Katee and Joshua on SYTYCD. It's really beautiful when you can dance your heart out like that. Check out the dance here:




Which then led me to the song used...a touching song by John Mayer. Love it when music speaks to you.



Slow Dancing In A Burning Room
by John Mayer

It's not a silly little moment,
It's not the storm before the calm.
This is the deep and dying breath of
This love that we've been working on.

Can't seem to hold you like I want to
So I can feel you in my arms.
Nobody's gonna come and save you,
We pulled too many false alarms.

We're going down,
And you can see it too.
We're going down,
And you know that we're doomed.
My dear,
We're slow dancing in a burning room.

I was the one you always dreamed of,
You were the one I tried to draw.
How dare you say it's nothing to me?
Baby, you're the only light I ever saw.

I'll make the most of all the sadness,
You'll be a bitch because you can.
You try to hit me just to hurt me
So you leave me feeling dirty
Because you can't understand.

We're going down,
And you can see it too.
We're going down,
And you know that we're doomed.
My dear,
We're slow dancing in a burning room.

Go cry about it - why don't you?
Go cry about it - why don't you?
Go cry about it - why don't you?
My dear, we're slow dancing in a burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room,
Burning room.

Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we oughta know by now?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?
Don't you think we shoulda learned somehow?

The Design of Your Life

A few observations have occurred to me recently. While my mind is in a jumble, here's an attempt to make some sense out of it.

I have always been taught that self awareness is an important element of life. It opens doors to greater understanding and happiness. It had always been at the back of my mind but like I mentioned before- learning, understanding and integrating are completely different matters. You can know one thing and think you know it until you finally understand it years later and then realise what it really means to you yet again, years later.

It is during your challenges that you discover who you are. In the wake of the terrible mess on the markets and the fiasco with the Lehman issue, disheartenment has weighed heavily on many advisors' heart, including my own. It is at this point that I realise, that perhaps this business does not suit me. I am not mercenary enough for my own good, especially my wallet's. I've even questioned if I actually suit the modern world. A friend of mine commented that she felt I should be somewhere that allows me to help people more and in a more direct manner.

It is also at this point that I realise the little changes that have grown into huge differences in me over the last few years. While the sense of materialism still exists, it has become more and more apparent to me that I am now valuing other things with far greater significance. It isn't that money isn't important. It's just that the realisation of what money means is greater. Gone are the days where I would want to have millions but not be able to answer how many. I can answer now but the truth is, the importance of it is no longer as gripping. Have I settled? Actually no. I don't necessarily feel compromised. Instead, I feel a greater sense of awareness of who I might have been born to truly become. I have learnt to let go of things more and in return, find greater peace.

It is this sense of awareness that led me to appreciate the significance of self-awareness. The other day, a thought occurred to me suddenly. It has never crossed my mind but somehow it did that day. I realised the number one thing I would like to be in my life and also the number two thing that I would like to do alongside number one. When I thought about it, I realised they fitted me more in terms of love, passion, personality, beliefs and direction. It was like I finally had an idea of how the ideal design of my life would be. The discovery of this design has brought a new sense of calm and purpose amidst the current storms brewing around me.

Any self respecting believer of self-improvement would have probably been asked to draw up a picture or design of one's ideal life at some point. It has occurred to me that when most people were asked to do it, they were frankly clueless. I was clueless. Hence, we often took the easy way out and almost haphazardly wrote whatever came to mind in the form of what we felt and thought we wanted.

Most of the time, there is some truth to the things that we write because it is a reflection of one's desires in life after all. However, it is now years later that I began to truly appreciate the meaning behind the effort that the self-improvement gurus have gone into asking one to consider one's belief and value system before writing that down. I can say with some degree of confidence that most people did not really think it over as much as they thought they did.

I say so because I am looking at the design in my head now and comparing it to the design I had then. I can happily say that I am far more pleased and aligned with this design that the one I had then. The difference is that this is the one that I drew up, according to my beliefs, what I want to do, can do and feel that I was meant to do. It has far more significance and meaning that what others have influenced me to believe that I need. For that, I feel a lot happier, at ease and most importantly, aligned with myself.

If you had a free hand, what would the design of your ideal life be like?

If

I got this from...surprise surprise....the guy who sends me market updates everyday. No doubt a response to the current turmoil in the markets.


If
by Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

Always In The Right Place

A phrase has been coming into my mind these few days...

"You are always in the right place at the right time."


I first came across a phrase like that in the song "Welcome To Wherever You Are" by Bon Jovi.


Maybe we're different, but we're still the same
We all got the blood of Eden, running through our veins
I know sometimes it's hard for you to see
You come between just who you are and who you wanna be

If you feel alone, and lost and need a friend
Remember every new beginning, is some beginning's end

[Chorus]
Welcome to wherever you are
This is your life, you made it this far
Welcome, you gotta believe
That right here right now, you're exactly where you're supposed to be
Welcome, to wherever you are

When everybody's in, and you're left out
And you feel your drowning, in a shadow of a doubt
Everyones a miracle in their own way
Just listen to yourself, not what other people say
When it seems you're lost, alone and feeling down
Remember everybody's different
Just take a look around

[Chorus]
Be who you want to, be who you are
Everyones a hero, everyone's a star
When you wanna give up, and your hearts about to break
Remember that you're perfect, God makes no mistakes


I then came across the same phrase in a reading I had which told me that I must always believe that I was right where I was supposed to be.

I don't know why this came to my mind again recently but I do realise that more often than not, we wish we were somewhere else, doing something else, being someone else other than where, what and who we are now. Sometimes we look back and cringe at things we have done, said or places we have showed up in.

I know because I cringe too. However, whenever someone asked me if I would change anything if I had a chance to relive everything again, my answer was surprisingly no. Well, as embarrassing as some things may be and as much as I wished I did certain things better, I realise that without them, I wouldn't have learnt things that I am now grateful for. So I think I would have probably lived through most of it again.

Sometimes, it isn't even the big things. You may think that it's useless now but it could come back to you in a big way and make a difference to your life somewhere down the road. I still remember a speech given by Steve Jobs a few years ago. One of the things he talked about was the calligraphy classes he took back in university which seemed utterly useless on the practical scale then. Ten years later, it is the reason behind why Mac became the first computer with beautiful typography.

I have always loved dance and my foray into dance was really rather accidental, borne out of curiousity than passion. The passion only came later. The move into salsa was also the same, a seemingly small unpractical hobby that has now turned into a teaching vocation; a vocation that has offered some monetary assistance in times when my main business is taking a hit from the markets.

My interest in all things Korean also came out of an accident. I happened to watch excerpts of a serial at a foodcourt in Tampines. For some reason, I picked up the drama which I usually hated and watched it. That started my interest in Rain and Kpop. Now you may wonder what's the relevance and significance. It was my eventual discovery of DBSK and fanfics that sparked my interest to write fiction. That happens to be a huge love in my life now. Discovery of a lifetime, you may say.

All from seemingly small, useless, unpractical loves, habits and quirks.

Maybe there are days where we dread to be where we are at but maybe within the wheels of fate, there is a reason why one is there which will unfold in many days to come.

So next time you think that you are not in the right place, think again. It may seem the case but in the grand scale of things and days to come, it may just be the right place for you to be in, at the right time.

Look Forward

Got this through email but it's really good :)

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DO NOT LOOK BACK AND ASK WHY, LOOK FORWARD AND ASK WHY NOT

A very valuable lesson to learn ...


Interesting quote from the movie 'Why did I get married?' In most cases, especially in relationships, you will only get 80% of what you NEED and you will hardly get the other 20% that you WANT in your relationship.

There is always another person (man or women) that you will meet and that will offer you the other 20% which is lacking in your relationship that you WANT And believe me, 20% looks really good when you are not getting it at all in your current relationship.

But the problem is that you will always be tempted to leave that good 80% that you know you have, thinking that you will get something better with the other 20% that you WANT But as reality has proven, in most cases, you will always end up with having the 20% that you WANT and loosing the 80% that you really NEED and that you already had. Be careful in deciding between what you WANT and NEED in your life.

Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have. 'Wow, this girl in my office is a real looker. But it's not her Wynona Rider features that got me. I'm crazy about her because she's also understanding, intelligent, tender - so many things that my spouse is not'

Somewhere along the way, you'll find a woman or a man who will be more charming or sensitive. More alluring. More thoughtful. Richer. Have greater sex appeal. And you will find a woman or man who will need you and pursue you and go loco over you more than your spouse ever did. Because no wife or husband is perfect. Because a spouse will only have 80% of what you're looking for. So adultery takes place when a husband or wife looks for the missing 20%.

Let's say your wife is melancholic by nature. You may find yourself drawn to the pretty clerk who has a cherry laugh no matter what she says: 'I broke my arm yesterday, Hahahaha . . ..' Or because your wife is a homebody in slippers and pajamas, smelling of garlic and fish oil, you may fall for a fresh-smelling young sales representative that visits your office in a sharp black blazer, high heels, and a red pencil-cut skirt Or because your husband is the quiettype, your heart may skip a beat when you meet an old college flame who has the makings of a talk show host. But wait! That's only 20% of what you don't have. Don't throw away the 80% that you already have!

That's not all. Add to your spouse's 80% the 100% that represents all the years that you have been with each other. The storms you have weathered together. The unforgettable moments of sadness and joy as a couple. The many adjustments you have made to love the other. The wealth of memories that you've accumulated as lovers. Adultery happens when you start looking for what you don't have. But faithfulness happens when you start thanking God for what you already have.

But I'm not just talking about marriage. I'm talking about life! About your jobs. About your friends. About your children. About your lifestyles. Are you like the economy airline passenger that perennially peeks through the door of the first class cabin, obsessed with what he's missing? 'They have got more leg room! Oh my, their food is served in porcelain! Wow, their seats recline at an 80% angle and they've got personal videos!'I guarantee you'll be miserable for the entire trip!

Don't live your life like that. Forget about what the world says is first class. Do you know that there are many first class passengers who are miserable in first class -- because they are not riding in a private Lear Jet?

The main message???If you start appreciating what you have right now, wherever you are, you are first class!

LV

I must say in terms of some areas of my life, the pressure has been a lot better than what it used to be even as new pressures come in.

I always believe the most important duty a child has to his or her parents is to first and foremost, live well. I believe so because I believe that is the wish that all parents have for their children.

Still, I would like to be able to walk into Louis Vuitton one day and tell Mum "just choose anything you want and I will buy it for you." I am not a LV fan but Mum is.

And because positive thinking is more important than anything else, it will not be "would like to..someday" but I will walk into LV and do that one day.

My Idea of Beautiful

This is my idea of real beauty:


Beauty that does not need the most exotic of features, make-up or fashion. Beauty that is adorned with the brightness of a full and true smile. Beauty that is natural and humane.

I believe such beauty comes from inside.

Someday, I hope to achieve the peace of mind and such beauty.

Life Movie

A friend used a nice line as her MSN nick today and it went like:

"One day your life will flash before your eyes, make sure it is worth watching." -Anon

I thought about my movie if it were to flash before my eyes. Frankly, I think there would be many parts I would cringe at and perhaps even close my eyes. However, at least I think I wouldn't fall asleep and after all, the best is to come isn't it? :)

Life & How To Survive It

One of the most meaningful stuff I have read in a while....and don't we love how witty litigators can get haha

------------------------------------

Adrian Tan, a litigator from Drew & Napier and author of the teenage textbook."Life and How to Survive It"

I must say thank you to the faculty and staff of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information for inviting me to give your convocation address.

It's a wonderful honour and a privilege for me to speak here for ten minutes without fear of contradiction, defamation or retaliation. I say this as a Singaporean and more so as a husband.

My wife is a wonderful person and perfect in every way except one. She is the editor of a magazine. She corrects people for a living. She has honed her expert skills over a quarter of a century, mostly by practising at home during conversations between her and me.

On the other hand, I am a litigator. Essentially, I spend my day telling people how wrong they are. I make my living being disagreeable.

Nevertheless, there is perfect harmony in our matrimonial home. That is because when an editor and a litigator have an argument, the one who triumphs is always the wife.

And so I want to start by giving one piece of advice to the men: when you've already won her heart, you don't need to win every argument.

Marriage is considered one milestone of life. Some of you may already be married. Some of you may never be married. Some of you will be married. Some of you will enjoy the experience so much, you will be married many, many times.

Good for you.

The next big milestone in your life is today: your graduation. The end of education. You're done learning.You've probably been told the big lie that "Learning is a lifelong process" and that therefore you will continue studying and taking masters' degrees and doctorates and professorships and so on. You know the sort of people who tell you that? Teachers. Don't you think there is some measure of conflict of interest? They are in the business of learning, after all. Where would they be without you? They need you to be repeat customers.

The good news is that they're wrong.

The bad news is that you don't need further education because your entire life is over. It is gone. That may come as a shock to some of you. You're in your teens or early twenties. People may tell you that you will live to be 70, 80, 90 years old. That is your life expectancy.I love that term: life expectancy. We all understand the term to mean the average life span of a group of people. But I'm here to talk about a bigger idea, which is what you expect from your life.

You may be very happy to know that Singapore is currently ranked as the country with the third highest life expectancy. We are behind Andorra and Japan, and tied with San Marino. It seems quite clear why people in those countries, and ours, live so long. We share one thing in common: our football teams are all hopeless. There's very little danger of any of our citizens having their pulses raised by watching us play in the World Cup. Spectators are more likely to be lulled into a gentle and restful nap.Singaporeans have a life expectancy of 81.8 years. Singapore men live to an average of 79.21 years, while Singapore women live more than five years longer, probably to take into account the additional time they need to spend in the bathroom.

So here you are, in your twenties, thinking that you'll have another 40 years to go. Four decades in which to live long and prosper.

Bad news. Read the papers. There are people dropping dead when they're 50, 40, 30 years old. Or quite possibly just after finishing their convocation. They would be very disappointed that they didn't meet their life expectancy.

I'm here to tell you this. Forget about your life expectancy.

After all, it's calculated based on an average. And you never, ever want to expect being average.

Revisit those expectations. You might be looking forward to working, falling in love, marrying, raising a family. You are told that, as graduates, you should expect to find a job paying so much, where your hours are so much, where your responsibilities are so much.

That is what is expected of you. And if you live up to it, it will be an awful waste.

If you expect that, you will be limiting yourself. You will be living your life according to boundaries set by average people. I have nothing against average people. But no one should aspire to be them. And you don't need years of education by the best minds in Singapore to prepare you to be average.

What you should prepare for is mess. Life's a mess. You are not entitled to expect anything from it. Life is not fair. Everything does not balance out in the end. Life happens, and you have no control over it. Good and bad things happen to you day by day, hour by hour, moment by moment. Your degree is a poor armour against fate.

Don't expect anything. Erase all life expectancies. Just live. Your life is over as of today. At this point in time, you have grown as tall as you will ever be, you are physically the fittest you will ever be in your entire life and you are probably looking the best that you will ever look. This is as good as it gets. It is all downhill from here. Or up. No one knows.

What does this mean for you? It is good that your life is over.

Since your life is over, you are free. Let me tell you the many wonderful things that you can do when you are free.

The most important is this: do not work.

Work is anything that you are compelled to do. By its very nature, it is undesirable.Work kills. The Japanese have a term "Karoshi", which means death from overwork. That's the most dramatic form of how work can kill. But it can also kill you in more subtle ways. If you work, then day by day, bit by bit, your soul is chipped away, disintegrating until there's nothing left. A rock has been ground into sand and dust.

There's a common misconception that work is necessary. You will meet people working at miserable jobs. They tell you they are "making a living". No, they're not. They're dying, frittering away their fast-extinguishing lives doing things which are, at best, meaningless and, at worst, harmful.

People will tell you that work ennobles you, that work lends you a certain dignity. Work makes you free. The slogan "Arbeit macht frei" was placed at the entrances to a number of Nazi concentration camps. Utter nonsense.

Do not waste the vast majority of your life doing something you hate so that you can spend the small remainder sliver of your life in modest comfort. You may never reach that end anyway.

Resist the temptation to get a job. Instead, play. Find something you enjoy doing. Do it. Over and over again. You will become good at it for two reasons:you like it, and you do it often. Soon, that will have value in itself.

I like arguing, and I love language. So, I became a litigator. I enjoy it and I would do it for free. If I didn't do that, I would've been in some other type of work that still involved writing fiction – probably a sports journalist.

So what should you do? You will find your own niche. I don't imagine you will need to look very hard. By this time in your life, you will have a very good idea of what you will want to do. In fact, I'll go further and say the ideal situation would be that you will not be able to stop yourself pursuing your passions. By this time you should know what your obsessions are. If you enjoy showing off your knowledge and feeling superior, you might become a teacher.

Find that pursuit that will energise you, consume you, become an obsession.

Each day, you must rise with a restless enthusiasm. If you don't, you are working.

Most of you will end up in activities which involve communication. To those of you I have a second message: be wary of the truth. I'm not asking you to speak it, or write it, for there are times when it is dangerous or impossible to do those things. The truth has a great capacity to offend and injure, and you will find that the closer you are to someone, the more care you must take to disguise or even conceal the truth. Often, there is great virtue in being evasive, or equivocating. There is also great skill. Any child can blurt out the truth, without thought to the consequences. It takes great maturity to appreciate the value of silence.

In order to be wary of the truth, you must first know it. That requires great frankness to yourself. Never fool the person in the mirror.

I have told you that your life is over, that you should not work, and that you should avoid telling the truth. I now say this to you: be hated.It's not as easy as it sounds. Do you know anyone who hates you? Yet every great figure who has contributed to the human race has been hated, not just by one person, but often by a great many. That hatred is so strong it has caused those great figures to be shunned, abused, murdered and in one famous instance, nailed to a cross.One does not have to be evil to be hated. In fact, it's often the case that one is hated precisely because one is trying to do right by one's own convictions.

It is far too easy to be liked, one merely has to be accommodating and hold no strong convictions. Then one will gravitate towards the centre and settle into the average. That cannot be your role. There are a great many bad people in the world, and if you are not offending them, you must be bad yourself. Popularity is a sure sign that you are doing something wrong.

The other side of the coin is this: fall in love.I didn't say "be loved". That requires too much compromise. If one changes one's looks, personality and values, one can be loved by anyone.

Rather, I exhort you to love another human being. It may seem odd for me to tell you this. You may expect it to happen naturally, without deliberation.That is false. Modern society is anti-love. We've taken a microscope to everyone to bring out their flaws and shortcomings. It far easier to find a reason not to love someone, than otherwise. Rejection requires only one reason.

Love requires complete acceptance. It is hard work – the only kind of work that I find palatable.

Loving someone has great benefits. There is admiration, learning, attraction and something which, for the want of a better word, we call happiness. In loving someone, we become inspired to better ourselves in every way. We learn the truth worthlessness of material things. We celebrate being human. Loving is good for the soul.

Loving someone is therefore very important, and it is also important to choose the right person. Despite popular culture, love doesn't happen by chance, at first sight, across a crowded dance floor. It grows slowly, sinking roots first before branching and blossoming. It is not a silly weed, but a mighty tree that weathers every storm.

You will find, that when you have someone to love, that the face is less important than the brain, and the body is less important than the heart.You will also find that it is no great tragedy if your love is not reciprocated. You are not doing it to be loved back. Its value is to inspire you.

Finally, you will find that there is no half-measure when it comes to loving someone. You either don't, or you do with every cell in your body, completely and utterly, without reservation or apology. It consumes you, and you are reborn, all the better for it.


Don't work. Avoid telling the truth. Be hated. Love someone.

You're going to have a busy life. Thank goodness there's no life expectancy.

Meaningful Words

I saw this on a friend's blog and really liked it so I am pasting it here to share it with you :) The original was written by Dr Bob Moorehead.


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The Paradox of Our Age


The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings but shorter tempers, wider Freeways ,but narrower viewpoints.

We spend more, but have less, we buy more, but enjoy less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families, more conveniences, but less time.

We have more degrees but less sense, more knowledge, but less judgment, more experts, yet more problems, more medicine, but less wellness.

We drink too much, smoke too much, spend too recklessly, laugh too little, drive too fast, get too angry, stay up too late, get up too tired, read too little, watch TV too much, and pray too seldom.

We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.

We've learned how to make a living, but not a life.

We've added years to life not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet a new neighbor.

We conquered outer space but not inner space.

We've done larger things, but not better things.

We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul.

We've conquered the atom, but not our prejudice.

We write more, but learn less.

We plan more, but accomplish less.

We've learned to rush, but not to wait.

We build more computers to hold more information, to produce more copies than ever, but we communicate less and less.

These are the times of fast foods and slow digestion, big men and small character, steep profits and shallow relationships.

These are the days of two incomes but more divorce, fancier houses, but broken homes.

These are days of quick trips, disposable diapers, throwaway morality, one night stands, overweight bodies, and pills that do everything from cheer, to quiet, to kill.

It is a time when there is much in the showroom window and nothing in the stockroom. A time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to share this insight, or to just hit delete...

Remember; spend some time with your loved ones, because they are not going to be around forever.

Remember, say a kind word to someone who looks up to you in awe, because that little person soon will grow up and leave your side.

Remember, to give a warm hug to the one next to you, because that is the only treasure you can give with your heart and it doesn't cost a cent.

Remember, to say, 'I love you' to your partner and your loved ones, but most of all mean it. A kiss and an embrace will mend hurt when it comes from deep inside of you.

Remember to hold hands and cherish the moment for someday that person will not be there again.Give time to love, give time to speak! And give time to share the precious thoughts in your mind.

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

If you don't send this to at least 8 people....Who cares?

Never Good Enough

I always thought that if others have expectations of you, it's a good thing. It means people expect to see great things out of you. It's a good thing.

I just wonder if sometimes people come to know that the person is already his or her greatest critique? I know it's critique that creates improvement but why do people expect things out of certain people that they don't expect from others? Do people ever realise that perhaps alongside critique, encouragement is also necessary? Do people ever realise that the never ending road of being something better and more can sometimes hurt? It's almost like the person without all that improvement does not deserve goodness, is not lovable.

After you get better at something, there's just something more. Everyone wants improvement, but at what price?

Never being good enough hurts. It really does.

Three

This is my latest video. I didn't film it..only edited ready footage into a mtv or short film of sorts. I tried something different this time!




WARNING: VIDEO CONTAINS MATURE CONTENT.
Please do not watch if you are not of proper age or if you feel very uncomfortable with same-sex footage.

I heard this song again recently and really liked it. I found that I had footage that was suitable for it so I decided to make a MV. In the end, I added a slight story element to it so it's like a mv + short film.

The title is "Three" as the storyline revolves around 3 relationships - The man who cannot get out of a forbidden relationship, a woman who cannot accept her lover's betrayal and a man who is unable to resist another man's temptation.

All a little extreme and decadent hahahaha

A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

Really love the choreography on this one...paso doble with touches of jazz. Love her dresses!

A Morning

I had quite a morning.

The first thing that happened really shook me a little. I was taking a nap as I had woken up really early. Just before I woke up, I was in a dream where I seemed to be sleeping just like I was real life. I wonder if I was really dreaming when I think about it now.

I felt like someone was pressing on me on the side. I don't know why but I thought maybe it was a child playing with me, pressing my comforter on the side of my face. For some reason, I thought I heard people playing mahjong so I thought maybe my mum was playing. It was strange I thought of it because it wasn't possible.

The strange thing was I tried to talk, to get the feeling off my face but no sound emerged from my throat. I tried again and failed. I couldn't open my fingers either. I felt awake and yet not. After what seemed like a long time but probably half a minute, I opened my eyes and woke up to my actual life.

It was really bizarre.

The second incident is a far more positive one. I watched the 100m men backstroke as I walked to the kitchen. When I saw the atheletes getting ready, I could feel the tension written all over their faces. It was like their whole lives hung on that one swim.

I also saw the prize award ceremony for the 100m breaststroke. A Japanese swimmer Kosuke Hitajima (I think?) had beaten a Norwegian and a French to clinch the Gold. He was a smaller guy compared to the other two and he only came to the same height when he stood on the winner's elevated platform, but that did not stop him from winning the gold. As an Asian, I felt proud and moved even if it was not the Singaporean flag they were flying or our National Anthem that was echoing off the walls. For a moment, I understood what atheletes meant when they say they are proud to represent the country.

It must be quite an irony that the Japanese flag and anthem should fly high in Beijing, given the history of the Japanese and Chinese.

Nonetheless, good luck to all the atheletes and to all the Asian athelete, thank you for making us proud.

Because People Want Something To Believe In

A guy friend of mine showed me this video and honestly I didn't expect this video to come from him.

It's a story of a father's love and a relationship between father and son. It's really moving and prepare tissues when you see this.

We see things that make our hearts go cold everyday in the papers. Yet, people would still look out for things like that and hope to share with other people. I think at the end of the day, no matter man or woman, we want to believe that there is pure love and some warmth in this world.

20.07.2008 (Ok a few days late)

Dear me,

I am a little late in writing my annual birthday entry this year but it was because I didn't know what I wanted to write about. I finally got the idea today.

Today, I was talking to a friend who's going through an unlucky patch. I remember a patch of my life where it was similar. Thus, I am thankful for the improvements that I have seen since then. Instead of writing about what I would like to wish for, I would just like to be thankful for the wonderful things that have happened in my life.


The People....


My brothers whom may not have been openly affectionate but have been the reason why I made it through school and several low patches in my life. More than siblings, they have played the role of my parents whenever it came to an area my parents could not help in. I have come to recognise my brothers' way of loving and indeed I am lucky to have them.

My parents who are the reason why I even am here.

Sex & The City bunch who move me everytime they make the special effort to celebrate my birthday with me. The girls who have watched and stayed with me throughout all this time.

Sotong Clan who's been people more than just friends to spazz with but also friends with whom I can share my life with.

Folks at En Motion who have given me a home in salsa.

My readers who have kept me company in my journey of writing, for which the journey would have been terribly lonely.

My Soompi friends who have showed me that distance and nationality does not matter in friendship.

My clients without whom life would be tough and because this business is more than just money.

DBSK who is very much the spark behind the beginning of my writing and the reason why I have a piggy bank. Whenever I feel like giving up, I look at them and I feel motivated to continue.

and of course...God whom I do not need words for. Thank God for everything.



The Things and Happenings...


For discovering writing because I continue to feel fortunate in discovering this love and continue to hope to take this further.

For better health because this is something that is so important and can be so expensive if something does go wrong!

For improvements in business for obvious reasons!! LOL

For savings and my piggy bank because this has been one area that I have been wanting to improve. This is the first time my piggy bank is actually getting stuff inside no matter how small it is LOL

For all the good things that have come my way because it is important to be thankful!


Happy Birthday to me, try to worry less and try not to think too much about the impending big 3.

With love,
Me

The Person...

"Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be"
-DBSK

Wow that I have to agree. Maybe that's why they are this successful. Now my boys have given me something to write about. It's not the first time I have talked about this. Sometime back, I have talked about this topic with a couple of friends.

I came to realise that amongst most people I know, there seems to be a differentiation between who we want to be, meant to be and can be. For example, I wanted to be a dancer but this doesn't mean that I was meant to be and can be. I am okay with it because maybe I was meant to be someone else. It is when the three are aligned that a person will feel fulfilled, happy and achieve the extraordinary.

Subconsciously, I realise people spend their lives trying to find the person they were meant to be and in the process come to see what they want and can be. The issue is that the answer doesn't come easily and even when it does, people don't necessarily take the steps to become what they were meant to be. It's like seeing the destination but taking a different road.

I like to think that if a person was meant to be something, he or she would be blessed with certain qualities to realise it. Even perseverence is a talent. It's a matter of realising it and wanting it. Someone may have be meant to be an award winning musician and have talent in it but stops himself from wanting it because it is not practical. The three are not aligned and thats when you see doctors and lawyers turn musicians at night or on weekends. Sure they would and can be very successful in the paths they choose but that missing bit would always be there. I had a friend who gave up his profitable medical practice to study music because he finally decided this was who he really wanted to be.

Have you found the person you were truly meant to be, want to be and can be?

Haunted

Honestly, I have been contemplating shutting this blog down because there are people reading this whom I really rather they not be reading. I don't understand why they do too.

If anyone knows how I can friend lock my blog, please do let me know.

Thanks...

The Search

Recently, a friend of mine had been contemplating career choices and one of the topics we talked about was happiness.

She said that for the past 12 years of her life, she had been living under the fear of not having enough, not earning enough. Hence, she always chose a job that gave her that. There's nothing wrong with it but now after 12 years, she says she realised that she has not been and is not happy. I wonder if it is the fear of not having enough or the pain of not doing what she liked that was talking. She isn't the only one who has told me the same thing over the last few years.

Happiness is something people often search their whole lives for. People feel happy for different reasons. Some people feel that happiness comes with a price. Some people feel that happiness comes for free. I like to think of it as a little of both.

To me, happiness is like air. It's always around and you don't have to pay for it most of the time. Happiness arises even in the smallest of things- a good day with clear blue sky, a good meal, a good chat with a dear friend. There are many opportunities for happiness. If that is the case, why do so many people feel unhappy? I am inclined to think that we like unhappiness more than happiness because we seem very happy to live with it.

There are times you can buy happiness. I sure feel very happy when I buy something I like or know that I have the ability to buy something I like. Yet, there are times you can't have it even if you paid for it.

There are times when happiness comes with a price - when it requires much sacrifice, whether from oneself or from another. The thing is, most people tend to focus on and require this area of happiness more than what little everyday joys can give. Most of the time, it requires a choice, a sacrifice of time, effort or money. What I do see more often is that even when a choice of happiness was available, people would walk away from it. That friend of mine said that another friend of hers had encouraged her to set up her own business because it was rewarding. I say, if you like it, anything is rewarding.

I think happiness is a combination of many things - expectations, desires and choices. Just do what you like, find joy in little things, take contentment in achievements even as you look to the horizon and make wise choices. Awfully simple and even more awfully cliche but it's amazing how we so often not do it, isn't it?

Ahhh So Romannnttiiccc

Gosh this is beautiful...I actually like this version more than the originals...You won't even be able to tell that it was sung by a Korean..she's got such a voice!

El Dia Que Me Quieras
Lee Yin Young
A Moment To Remember OST




Spanish:

caricia mi ensueñoel suave murmullode tu suspirar.
Cómo ríe la vidasi tus ojos negrosme quieren mirar.
Y si es mío el amparode tu risa leveque es como un cantar,ella aquieta mi herida,todo todo se olvida.

El día que me quierasla rosa que engalanase vestirá de fiestacon su mejor color.
Y al viento las campanasdirán que ya eres mía,y locas las fontanasse contarán su amor.
La noche que me quierasdesde el azul del cielo,las estrellas celosasnos mirarán pasar.
Y un rayo misteriosohará nido en tu pelo,luciérnaga curiosa que verásque eres mi consuelo.

English:

It caresses my dream the smooth murmur of your sighing.
How life laughs if your black eyes want to look at me.
And if it is mine the shelter of your slight laughter that is like singing,
it calms my wound, everything is forgotten.

The day that you love me
The rose that adorns, will dress in celebration with its best color
And to the wind the church bells will say that already you are mine, and the crazy fountains will tell about their love.

The night that you love me from the blue of the sky the jealous stars will watch us go by.
And a mysterious ray will nest in your hair, inquisitive glow-worm that'll see that you are my consolation.

The day that you love me there'll be nothing but harmony.
The dawn will be clear and the water spring will be happy.
The breeze will quietly bring a rumor of melody.
And the fountains will give us their crystal song.
The day that you love me the singing bird will sweeten its cords.
Life will bloom pain will no exist.

The night that you love me from the blue of the sky the jealous stars will watch us go by.
And a mysterious ray will nest in your hair, inquisitive glow-worm that'll see that you are my consolation.

credits: www.planet-tango.com

Goodbye Jimmy

For the man who always asked me to put on more make-up...

He always scolded me for not having enough make up on even though I had put on more black eye shadow that I ever used.

For the man who always insisted on lashes for his shows...

I remember the time I tried to avoid seeing when I forgot to bring lashes. Big mistake.

For the man who always had the glitziest and shiniest costumes...

Who can possibly forget the sequins?

For the man who spoke to me more than a choreographer...

I remember the time when he was worrying if I got enough and the time he spoke about his personal life backstage.

For the man whom I didn't get to know better...

I never got to know him enough. It was always rehearsals, show and home. In my memory, he was always lively and bubbly, always full of energy and running around getting dancers ready, costumes sorted out, show organised, putting on impeccable make-up, with lashes that would beat all the other female dancers.

Perhaps that's why my tears felt like falling when I saw his cold body lying in a coffin wearing a make-up of another kind. That's not the Jimmy I remembered. Even if I didn't know him that well, it still shocked me and made me sad to hear of the news. It was so sudden...I was just thinking of calling him up recently...

I would like to say goodbye and rest in peace...

Goodbye Jimmy.

Jimmy Newton Lim

(February 13, 1969 - June 7, 2008)

IceBox

I have been into this song recently and I found it's got really moving lyrics actually...

IceBox
Omarion

Fussin' and fightin', we back at it again
I know that, its my fault, but you don't understand (no)
I got memories, this is crazy
You ain't nothing like the girl I used to know

Good with ma, good with pa, cool with all my niggas
I should try to decide, wanna let u in, but no
That means memories, and its crazy
You ain't nothing like the girl I used to know

Girl I really wanna work this out, cause I'm tired of fightin'
And I really hope you still want me the way I want you
I said I really wanna work this out, damn girl I'm tryin'
Its no excuse, no excuse
But I got this

I got this icebox where my heart used to be (but I got this)
I got this icebox where my heart used to be (said I got this)
I'm so cold, I'm so cold, I'm so cold, I'm so cold
I'm so cold, I'm so cold, I'm so cold

Why cant I get it right, just cant let it go
I opened up, she let me down, I wont feel that no more
I got memories, this is crazy
She ain't nothing like the girl I used to know
I don't mean to take it out on you baby but I cant help
my heart is in the same ol' condition that baby left it
And I, I apologize, for makin' you cry
Look me in my eye and promise you won't do me the same


WATCH THE VIDEO at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ItbFzQ-L45c


AND the lyrics for the remix by Usher is nice too..


IceBox Remix
Omarion & Usher

[Omarion]
I don't know
Should I stay
Should I go
Yeah, I knowIt's the remix, remix

Yeah
See I'm in this situation
Think I need a little help
Let's go

When this began, we were friends
She knew all my business (business)
All my good, all my bad
Said that she was with it (now)
I got memories, this is crazy
She ain't nothing like that girl I used to know

Didn't believe she would creep
Thought we was forever (oh)
She broke out, I broke down
& that's just all that left of us (oh)
Now these memories, they be haunting me
You ain't feeling me
My girl's about to go

I really wanna work this out
Cause I'm tired of fighting (if that don't work) &
I really hope she still want me the way I want her (you'll get your feelings hurt)
I said I really wanna work this out
Damn girl I'm trying
Here's the remix (remix)

I got this ice box where my heart used to be [2x]
but (said)I'm so cold, I'm so cold, I'm so cold, I'm so cold (ohh)
I'm so cold, I'm so cold, I'm so cold

[Usher]
Ha pimping listen
Hold up now
Take your time
Let me get this right (huh)
You tripping on what's in front of you
Cause you're looking behind you (yeah but I mean)
You got memories (but)
Take it from me (cause)
ain't nothing like oh girl you used to know

If shawty's doing right by you
Maybe you should let it go
At the end of the day,
It ain't worth it
Wanna know how I know (how you know)
Remember confessions
So you already know that it's gonna hurt
Shawty, learn your lesson
You don't really wanna feel the burn
No, listen

If you really wanna work it out
Then stop denying (denying)
Quit living in the past of time
You face the truth (truth)
If it's ever gonna work out
You gotta stop lying
Stop blaming her when it's you, that's

Got the ice box where your heart used to be
Got a ice box where your heart used to be

[Omarion]
I'm so cold I'm so cold I'm so cold I'm so cold (ohh)
I'm so cold I'm so cold I'm so cold

[Usher]
Boy you gotta ice box

[Omarion]
I don't wanna be stuck off in this cold cold world
Don't wanna mess this up
Better keep your eye on me, girl

[Usher]
Leave the past in the past
Gotta let it go
You gotta know when to move on
You gotta know when to let go (yes sir)
Don't lose ya lady

This is the remix
This is the remix
Go ahead replay it
This is the remix

[Omarion]
Girl, I really wanna work this out
Cause I'm tired of fighting

LISTEN TO IT at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U4eztX0uNYw&feature=related

Free Rice

This is a fun way to do charity. Every word you get right helps donate 20g of rice to the poor. Improve your English and do charity in a fun way...why not? :)

www.freerice.com

I am trying to target 1-2kg a day hahaha

S'poreans Materially Rich, But Spiritually Poor?

I came across this acrticle through my email at work. The guy who sends me market updates every day sent this artilcle which I can't help but agree on some parts.

-------------------------------------------------------------

18 Apr 2008 10:56 CST DJ
Singapore Materially Rich, Spiritually Poor: Author -AFP SINGAPORE (AFP)

Singapore is materially rich but spiritually poor -- and the government is partly to blame, one of the city-state's most prominent authors says.

Catherine Lim, also a political commentator, is one of a very few to publicly criticize the government in Southeast Asia's most economically advanced society.

Lim said that while Singapore is consistently ranked high in various surveys on material measures, such as business friendliness and economic achievement, the standings are reversed when other factors are considered.

"Press freedom, happiness and even love life and romance and so on, Singapore is ranked very low," Lim said in an interview with AFP.

"Maybe it leads to some questions. Are we achieving all this material prosperity at the cost of something? Soul, spirit, heart, senses, whatever you want to call it?" She said the government's tight political control is partly to blame for a lack of happiness among the city-state's 4.6 million people.

"If there were less of a climate of fear... we would be a happier society," she said.

Singapore is one of the most politically stable countries in the region and has become the base for thousands of foreign firms.

The country's leaders say its tough laws against dissent and other political activity are necessary to ensure such stability which has helped it achieve economic success.

It is illegal, for example, to hold a public gathering of five or more people in Singapore without a permit, meaning demonstrations seldom occur.

Singapore's leaders maintain that Western-style liberal democracy is not suitable for the tiny, multi-racial nation which has been ruled by the People's Action Party since 1959.

Lim said the government is doing much better than others in helping to deal with "material issues", including rising global food prices.

"This is a very pro-active government... a very pragmatic, problem-solving leadership," the Malaysian-born Lim, 66, said.

"The problem is in the other areas, political and social liberties that we don't hear much of here in Singapore." Lim, who has lived in the city-state since 1967, spoke to AFP on the sidelines of a conference on The New Science of Happiness and Well-being, where she was invited to speak, and which ended Thursday.

Paris based media watchdog Reporters Without Borders ranked the city-state at 146 out of 168 nations, lower than Zimbabwe at 140, on a global index of press freedom released last year.

Singapore has also placed at the lower end in global surveys of sex frequency and satisfaction. A recent poll by advertising firm Grey Group found that nine in 10 people living in Singapore said they were stressed.

Singaporeans are not "unhappy in the real sense of the word as in poverty-stricken countries", Lim said, but they seem to feel something is missing to complete their happiness.

"We need more time to relax. Singaporeans are always talking about pressure. We make money, but hey, we don't have the leisure to spend our money." Lim has written more than nine collections of short stories, five novels and a book on poems. Her works have been published internationally.

Last year she also turned to the Internet, after the pro-government Straits Times refused to publish one of her commentaries, her website says.

The newspaper had, for 13 years, published her commentaries even though they were critical of the government, she wrote on the website.

But in September it rejected one on "the need for a political opening up", the website says. The Today daily also refused to publish it, forcing her to go online, she says on the website.

Direct criticism of the government is rare in Singapore's mainstream media, forcing dissatisfied Singaporeans to resort to the web to express their views.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

Dance Class Again!

Take It To The Floor
B2K

Another Dance Class

Another one of my recent dance classes :)

Purple Line
Tohoshinki

The New and Not-So-New Dating Game

I met up with my Sex and The City bunch the other day and I tell you, our conversations resemble episodes out of the series more and more. We talk about work, men or the lack of it, marriage and gasp, kids. Is it us growing old or what? Coming from the one who always touches the new age band first amongst us, I can tell you: Yes we are growing older.

Having stayed out of the dating game, I got my feeds of the modern dating game from a girlfriend who has had other friends that have been most enthusiastic about setting her up. "Apparently I give people the vibe that I want a boyfriend. People are just setting me up!" She exclaims.

Well, I wonder why when it's really not hard to forget the "I want a boyfriend" statement made about five minutes before that comment *LAUGHS*

We all know that after the first date, one should always make the follow up call a little later. The key is to appear interested, but not overly-interested. Read: interested, not desperate.

Apparently, now there is a socially acceptable timeframe to call someone. It's always been there but this has taken on a new level of scientific refinement. I always just thought it was a rule of thumb but now it has come down to:

Calling immediately: DESPERATE

Calling 3 days after: OK, QUITE INTERESTED. IDEAL.

Calling 1 week after: HMM MAY BE INTERESTED

Calling 2 weeks after or not calling: HE THINKS YOU ARE A COW.

Fill in the in betweens yourself according to the gauge of interest as marked by the milestones. Er, to the person who made this comment, please correct me if I am wrong. We call this THE SOCIAL WINDOW.

My goodness. And you ask me why I can't really be bothered with dating.

The truth is, I would like to meet someone nice but I can't seem to find the energy for the dating game. I can't enjoy it like my girlfriend does. Besides, I am actually pretty grateful for the opportunity to focus on the loves that I have finally found in my life. I guess God also knows I don't really want to date now so he's keeping the right person at bay. Not too bad an idea actually. Just like the 14-year-old violinist who aced 13 subjects AND violin, she wants to focus on her violin which makes her happy. I would like to do the same as I already have a lot of loves that need me.

That being said, I would still like to meet someone nice when the time is right.

I was recently watching an anime and drama and it made me understand a little about why women go for successful men. Material comforts aside, there is something inherently sexy about a man who is capable and focused on his betterment. That gives the woman a man to look up to and trust.

There's a popular saying that behind every successful man is a woman. I think of it as a woman wants a man whose success she can be a part of. She wants to be the one to share his dream and work with him to lift him to achieve those dreams. A man who has those dreams gives the woman a chance to be part of that exciting venture even as she is chasing her own. Like what a girlfriend of mine says, "No matter how strong I am, I want a man I can lean on and be a xiao nu ren at times."

The story in the drama was a about a musical genius whose dream was to be a successful conductor. He meets this girl who is a piano prodigy whose talent has yet to be developed. As I watched her admire him (literally from behind his back) while he was conducting, I felt the moment where a woman can claim her pride of her man.

I am sure the feminists will hang me for this but trust me: Even for someone like myself who believes in being your own woman, there is something about the feeling of "Ah this is my man, not yours." Man have their feeling of conquest for women, so do women. Women are proud of being with a successful man just as men are proud of bagging a beautiful woman.

Of course, the measures of success aren't always material. Like the character in the story, it was the man's talent and passion for what he loves that instills pride within her. Whilst material success is often used as a benchmark for success, gentlemen should always look at your women carefully and see what really moves her. You might be surprised.

There's something else I notice about the dating game as you get older. When you are young, you fall down and you get up easily. Yes, you may wail and all but it just seems so much easier to get up and not to mention that your wounds heal a lot faster. However, as time passes, wounds take longer to heal. I don't mean just the physical ones. Even the emotional ones take a longer time. It almost seems like the rate of recovery for emotional wounds parallel that of the physical ones.

I remember when we were younger, people got together and broke more often and more eaily than they do now. As age grew, we began to think more, consider more and fear more. A child may not be afraid of jumping into a puddle but the adult will think "Ah I will get wet." We grow more wary of putting ourselves where we could be hurt, be it physically or emotionally. When the inevitable of pain arises, we take that much longer to walk out of it. What used to take months now take years. Sometimes, they never quite go away because they take residence as scars that add more to the consideration process for the next one to come. Maybe this is why we grow more picky as we get older. It's not only about knowing more clearly what you want but also what you don't want. As a result, things get "complicated".

Sometimes, it is that little spirit of fearlessness and adventure that I miss. It was just much simpler and easier.