Life in the National Service

A witty columnist said his formula during his National Service was this:

Whatever moves, you salute;
whatever that does not move, throw it into the dustbin.
And if it cannot be moved, paint it.

That sums up the guiding principles for living in the armed forces.

Are you Pro or Anti?

According to "The Secrets - The Law of Attraction", what you oppose it resists. In my personal experience, the more I fight against something, the more it drains my energy. The LOA proposes that instead of anti-war, be pro-peace.

Instead of thinking about getting out of debt, think about abundance. Think about what you want rather than what you don't want.

Is this the reason why lawyers get burn-out? Most lawyers quit their job. Few last more than 5 years. They are facing adversaries everyday - their opponent lawyer, their miserable customers and the stern judge. They face miserable, unhappy and hostile people everyday. One lawyer quit and open a shop. He said he prefer to see happy customers who are filled with good food and walk out of his restaurant with a smile. He prefer to make people happy rather than make people less miserable. He said that justice is only for the rich. If you are rich, you can afford to be heard. Justice is a misnomer.

A recent news on the Straits Times on the trial of Durai revealed the high cost of legal fees. The service of a senior counsel and Queen's Counsel cost half a million dollars. Another one cost $200,000.

One can rant and complaint about many things in life and people will turn a deaf ear to you. Why complain about the darkness?

Do something.

Light a candle.

The Obsession with Hairs and Beauty

In Iran, women must cover their head with a headscarf. In some Middle East countries, women must cover themselves from head to toe. The reason is that they will not pose a temptation to the men. I think that men who cannot resist the temptation should cover their eyes or go back to their caves. Why suffer the women because of men's inability to resist temptation?

An Iranian artists said: "Women's hair is like uranium in this country. It's so radioactive, it can kill men if you don't cover up."

Recently in another neighbouring Muslim country, morality squads busted hotel rooms to catch unmarried Muslim couples in the act and catch those who display affection in public. Critics say hat they have more things to worry about, like fighting crimes.

In different societies, the definition of beauty and what is socially acceptable differs. In one extreme, women must cover up from head to toe. In another, people walk about naked and nobody blink an eye. When a person cross over from one society to another, he faces rejection because they judge a person according to their own culture. It's not how a person dress, it's how a person think.

In a mental institution, all the mad people are sane while a person of sound mind is insane cos he is the odd one.

In Burma, women with long neck are considered a beauty. In old China, women with small feet are considered beautiful. To achieve that, they have to crush their feet and bind them. In the modern world, women inject themselves with botox, reshape their body with the surgical knife. The pain that they go through to achieve beauty.

Someday we will look back at history and laugh at their sillyness while we are blind to our own sillyness.

It's heartening that there are people who believe that "ugly is the new beautiful". Models are so skinny that my grandma would think they are starved. They display clothes that are so outlandish that you won't wear in the office. The model, the clothes - it's unreal.

By the way, Elwood, a two-year-old Chinese crested and Chihuahua mix was crowned the world's ugliest dog. And the owner is proud of it. The dog resembles Yoda and the ugly Gremlin. Because it was so ugly, the breeder was going to euthanise him because she thought he was too guly to sell. Ms Quigley escued Elwood two years ago.

But does the new owner think of her ugly dog? "I think he's the cutest thing that ever lived.". Every parent think their children are the most gorgeous babes in the world, although outsiders beg to differs.

Where there is love, there is beauty. Love is blind to ugliness. Ugly is the new beautiful.

A model writer

I like Danny Bloom - his style of writing, his wits, the way he promotes his books, his lifestyle. He's just like me. He's what I want to be.

Danny Bloom is the first author to try selling his books in an night market in Taiwan. He sold only 3 books on the first night. Then 25 books every night.
Soon newspapers feature such a refreshing story. More media exposure. More popular. And soon more books. He tells you why bookstores are not a good place to sell your books.

Read his story at http://www.taiwanho.com/people/dan/

He wrote an article about why he thinks the world is coming to an end cos of climatic changes. His pen name is "Charles C. Commons". I love his style of writing. You can read it at http://openthefuture.com/2006/12/an_eschatological_taxonomy.html

He lives in a countryside as a freelance writer for the newspaper. He was happy to live in a laid-back, stress free environment even though he was paid much less than his previous job in the city.

He shows that you don't have to be rich to be happy.

If you can write well, you'll not starve cos newspapers need fresh content every day. Think about it.

Living Your Dream

What would you do everyday of your life, for the rest of your life, that will make you alive, excited and enriched?

If you making a living and yet you don't a life...then it's time to pause and think about where your life is heading.

What's your dream? Are you living your dreams?

Message from Spider Man

There are profound truth in Spiderman the movie.

In the Spiderman 2, one of the messages is that there is a hero in all of us. Everyone needs a hero.

Another message is that in doing the right things we have to give up our dreams. Dr Octopus sacrificed his life and his dreams to save a city. In real life, a filial man gave up his marriage to care for his elderly mother. In the Shogan era of Japan, warrior go to war and prepared to laid their lives for the emperor even though they know it's a lost cause.

I gave up the pursuit of my dreams and became a corporate slave because it was the right time to ensure the needs of the family is provided for. I wanted to sell my house and invest all my life saving to pursue an education that will ensure a secure job that will last me till I die. Can I afford to take the risk? What a dilemma?

At a time of depression and persecution, I gave up all my pursuit to preserve my sanity and strength. No more toastmasters. No more writers group. The old me died. No more updating of blogs.

Spiderman's message in Spiderman 3 is that the greatest enemy lies within us.
Somehow deep inside, I know we are more than we can be. Everyone has greatness within that has yet to be unleashed. I know we have yet to unleash our true potential. To live in mediocrity is to devalue our worth and what we can become.

I tried to do the best I can each day. I sacrifice the present for the better good of my family. But deep down, the dream never die. Someday the truth will prevail. Someday the greatness will manifest. God forbid that I live in vain and bury the songs with me in my grave.

I surrender all

"Lord, make me what you will. I put myself fully into your hands: put me to doing, put me to suffering, let me be employed for you, or laid aside for you, let me be full, let me be empty, let me have all things, let me have nothing. I freely and with a willing heart give it all to your pleasure and disposal. Amen." ~John Wesley’s Covenant Service

It takes a broken spirit to surrender all. A crisis test man's faith and God's faithfulness.

Death is good

Death is good.
It frees you from a life of suffering.
It is the end of the road of pain.
Go and die.

Be kind to Animals. Go Vegetarian

Saw the tagline on a van.
Went back to my vegetarian ways again after much difficulties.
I hope I can stick to vegetarian diet for the rest of my life.

Happiness is a Choice, Not a Feeling

Happiness is a Choice, Not a feeling

A man of 92 years,short, very well presented, who
takes great care in his appearance, is moving
into an old people's home today.

His wife of 70 has recently died, and he is obliged to leave his home.

After waiting severfal hours in the retirement home lobby, he gently smiles
as he is told that his room is ready

As he slowly walks to the elevato, using his cane, I describe his small room to him,
including the sheet hung at the window which serves as a curtain.

"I like it very much", he says, wit the enthusiasm of an 8 year old boy who has just
been given a new puppy.

"M. Gagne, you haven't even seen the room yet, hang on a moment, we are almost there."

"That has nothing to do with it", he replies

"Happiness is something I choose in advance. Whether or not I like the room does not depend
on the furniture, or the decor - rather it depends on how I decide to see it."

"It is already decided in my mind that I like my room. It is a decision I take every morning
when I wake up."

"I can choose. I can spend my day in bed enumerating all the difficulties that I have with
the parts of my body that no longer work very well, or I can get up and give thanks to heavens
for those poarts that are still in working order."

"Every day is a gift, and as long as I can open my eyes, I will focus on the new day,
and all the happy memories that I have built during my life."

"Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw in later life what you have deposited along the way."

"So, my advice is to you is to deposit all the happiness you can in your bank account of memories"

Remember these simple guidelines for happiness:
1. Free your heart from hate
2. Free your mind from worry
3. Live simply
4. Give more
5. Expect less

Manna from Heaven

I watched each day for manna from heaven.

Lady Vaz was overloaded with works and offload one work to me - that is to search for pictures. That was fun and earn half a day's pay.

Calvin's friend has a promotional material which is so boring and dry. Guaranteed to put one to sleep. He's sending the copy to me for a makeover. Glad he thinks of me.

Rita sold a domain name for good money and she is giving me some for helping her to effect the transfer.

Today I did a makeover on one of my websites to ensure it hits the first page in the search. The mastermind session gives me valuable feedback to improve my website.

Two of my friends have websites but did not know how to update them. I quote them a good price for yearly maintenance and update. They don't have a budget.

Tomorrow another day. Let's see where the manna will come from.
The Bible saith that if God feeds the birds, how much more he care for His children.

Laughter is the cure for depression

When hope was dashed and the soul descended to the depth of despair, I cried to Him. Let me curse you so that I will die. Because this is not the kind of life that I want. Neither is this the abundant life that You promise.

He said unto me, "Laugh".

Words of Wisdom from Rick Warren

Happy moments, PRAISE GOD.
Difficult moments, SEEK GOD.
Quiet moments, WORSHIP GOD.
Painful moments, TRUST GOD.
Every moment, THANK GOD.

God speak to me again?

This morning, I had breakfast with my friend Steve.
Steve is a freelance tutor. He is a family man. Lately he has been through difficult times. Literally living on the edge. Hes shared with me that one thing that keeps him going.

He said he was inspired by Dr William. He is on wheelchair but it did not stop him from getting this doctorate, being a motivational speaker, breaking records in sports, raising fund for charity and achieving much more than most able bodied people.

Steven keep this quotation. Every morning when he wakes up, he will read this quotation. It says, "Focus on what you have, not on what you don't have"

This quotation was so apt and so timely. Lately I felt so lousy. I felt that I have failed as a son, as a husband, as a father. Just crying inside. What's there to live for when nothing good comes out of this life. If this life is not worth living, if nothing good comes out of this life, I tell God, take it away from me. I don't want to live another day of misery and pain. That's not the abundant life.

Is God talking to me? "Focus on what you have, not on what you don't have".

I went back to my computer. Check the forum. Someone post a link. Click on that website. Suddenly I saw a treasure house of knowledge. Normally one would need to pay hundreds of dollars for that knowledge. It must be worth thousands of dollars. That guy is crazy. He bought those stuff and give it away free.

Everything I need to know, it was there. It was free to me. Just learn it. It was too much. Information overload.

There are abundance in the world. But we are living in scarcity. What an irony.

God, what do I have that is of value? What can you make out this life? I am a clay..and you are the potter.

Did God Speak to Me? Part I

Yesterday was such a strange day. Never got this before in my life. In the morning at 7am, Hazel sms me a text message. Why me? Why this message? Why at this hour when I am still in dreamland? Absolute no idea. Here was the message:

"Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, BELIEVE that you RECEIVE them, and you WILL have them." Mark 11:24

So fine, God ask me to ask, right? I went ahead and ask. "God," I said. "I want to provide for my family. God. Give me a job."

I have been sending resumes after resumes. No response. It's like crafting your masterpiece and they throw it in the trashcan. I love what I am doing as a freelancer. But the life of a freelancer is like a wave of feast and famine. Very unpredictable. That's not healthy when you have a family to support.

A few minutes passed. My mobile phone rang. Guess who? My ex-colleague,Goh called. He invited me to attend the farewell meal for my ex-manager. I'm touch. He still remembers me and treat me like a family.

Suddenly the idea came to me to ask him what happen to my post. I called him. He said my post was still vacant for 7 months. All these while he was doing the work of two persons. Poor him. I hear the voice of my ex-manager Jeff echoing in the background. "Come back. Don't be shy".

Is God speaking to me and opening a door of opportunity? I think so.

A thing of beauty is a joy forever