Lots of people want to ride with you in the limo, but what you want is someone who will take the bus with you when the limo breaks down.
- Oprah Winfrey
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sunday, December 28, 2008
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:
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?
"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?
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
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!
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!
Tuesday, December 02, 2008
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?
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?
Monday, December 01, 2008
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
Sunday, November 30, 2008
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!
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!
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
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!
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!
Monday, November 24, 2008
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?
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?
Saturday, November 01, 2008
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?
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!
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!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
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.
"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.
Wednesday, October 08, 2008
Look Forward
Got this through email but it's really good :)
---------------------------------------------
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!
---------------------------------------------
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!
Sunday, September 28, 2008
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.
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.
Friday, September 19, 2008
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.
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? :)
"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? :)
Friday, September 05, 2008
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.
------------------------------------
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.
Sunday, August 31, 2008
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.
------------------------------------
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?
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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?
Sunday, August 24, 2008
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.
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.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
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
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
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