a year in... the animal farm...

Three days from now, it will be back to the normal toll of life.

However, I had nearly a month of being away from Malaysia. It was good!

Once upon a time, travelling and holidays were just to be able to list down places I have been and things I have done.  Now I just want to treasure, enjoy and gaze in amazement on nature's beauty!

I did manage to re-read Animal Farm by George Orwell.   It was an intention 're-read' as I need to be reminded!


Politics are rampant - even in a learning environment.  Perhaps one can't run away from the 'ambitions and envy' of the young;  trying to establish themselves or hang on to what one thinks one has or is entitled to!  Does not one realise that tides, will rise up and/or ebb away too?    Well,  I saw quite a few in the last year and definitely at the numerous sea side towns visited.


Love the love reciprocrated from the children!  So satisfactory when one sees the response and hunger from children who wants to know more!   So touching when a child loan me a DVD, that his parent bought, out of the child's interest in the subject.  Such an honour when one was given a book on what was taught!  Was at a loss of words when a child had tears in her eyes when she said - ' I studied so hard, and yet did not get an A'! End of the day -  I had a lot of closure!  That was good! 

The new school year will bring a lot more surprises!  More things for me to learn!

I trust my Lord will walk before me and guid me! Amen!

Here we go again!

11th day of the eleventh month of 2011 or 11-11-11!  So it's a thousand year cycle and why so auspicious?

Got my first sms to p____h at equine! Then another half an hour later - upon which I said to myself, if I don't  call back, there will be a third!  True enough there was a third!  So I called back! Can't do the third as it is in July 2012. Why? Want to keep July and August free as I am feeling really caustrophobic!  Have not been up in the sky, flying somewhere for a while now!

Well, I didn't say no to the first! It was 'cancelled' by man and for a rather suspicious reason!  So now we will see .....

My God is full of humour and irony.....

what I really would have liked to be physically, mentally and whole-heart-edly is ......!!!!!! ....  where???

Instead of being there, I am now into my second week of teaching British history ... right from the Romans in Britain to the Victorians....

So do I need to spell it out where my heart is ???

ps.  I don't like this new 'blog' format, as I have to learn all over again!  Too much learning....  one would think that I am back-doing-some-masters degree again!

Incidentally, I am now living a really monastic life!  I sleep between 7-9pm and sets alarm to get up at 3-4am; check my mail, and then get ready and leave for work by 5.30am!

My working hours?  7am to 4pm!  What have I got myself into...

back to the grind....

Just checked that it is nearly a year since I updated this block! Better late than never!

Yes, it took a while! I have retired; decided not to do MDiv; bought another house, which means working for the bank again; and now going through the grind again! What is it for? All in the hope of storing up on earth, this world!

 Still I had a year to reflect, went through some things.... walked away from the past... almost literally when I lost my phone. What's the big deal? Phone numbers ie contacts of the last 10years are gone!

Upon reflection it has always been like this. Every decade, I embark on something new and made the best of it! Hence my favourite song "My way...".

 Also my conclusion if not version of .... we are all ships in the ocean, we meet, make friends as we journey together; then when the time arrives, we go our seperate ways..." All is temporarily cause I know I can't run away from HIM for too long!

 Then again, He has placed me still, among his people!

learning to be an educator.....

Yes, I am now embarked on a new and probably my last career.... ie. learning to be an educator! Well, that was six months ago! Just got my sixth month and is confirmed as a staff of an international school! All I could say is .... yesssss...... I survived! Loved the bit of 'imparting knowledge to my kids... six years old ones! Like every thing else in life, one doesn't know if what one does is appreciated. However, when you have six year old kids standing up for you, it is so, so rewarding! Haven't updated this for a long time! Should use this space again to record if not check the progress of my kids!

no mega tower

Well, I have not done any post for a long while now. Have been using Facebook as it is more interactive; not forgetting the games that are available.

Guess it is about time - if not for record if nothing else.

Well about two weeks ago, we have the 2011 budget announcement. Of course there is this ridiculous announcement to try to 're-activate' the economy - by building a 100 storey tower! Boringgg...!!! Sarcastic and cynical, and having learnt some literature in school, really, it is just another phallic symbol of yet another prime minister. That of course, is a much better point of view instead of insinuating the corruption, under-table monies and enriching a few etc. etc.

However, what is of interest, and some thing that will not ever go away for a while. is this new way for us ordinary citizens to express our opinions! Almost overnight, we have this 1M Malaysians Reject 100 storey Mega Tower. [check out http://www.facebook.com/NoMegaTower; http://on.fb.me/baV6US ]

So we protest. Not sure when it started, but it has already over a hundred thousand who have logged in. Today, Sunday, is the day, we change the profile in our Facebook. It is definitely a peaceful protest, no doubt and Ghandi would have been really proud.

So below are some of the pictures we could use for this silent and non-violence protest!




And these are alternatives suggested for the ruling party on how best we could spend RM5billion...

try a little kindess..

I couldn't sleep at all.

It was rough at work. What else but negotiations of course! My boss said - business and things would have been smoother, with every one making monies, if we all are kinder to one another!

"Kindness" seems not to be the fashion nowadays; especially dealing with the Y generation! May be it is a result of the smaller family syndrome ie only one other sibling in a family unit. So there is no need or experience of having to share. It is always a case of 'one getting exactly what one wants'.

A small, probably silly association or excuse for our generation - I mean we grew up singing the song "Try a little kindness" by Glen Campbell. But I don't think there are any songs of this postmodern generation with that word "kindness" in it.

So it is with great enlightenment that I read in the wake service bulletin of
Mr Poh Sin Bin, of his favourite passage.

"I expect to pass through this world once
If therefore there be any kindness I can show
Or any good things I can do to any fellow being
Let me do it now, and not defer or neglect it
For I shall not pass this way again..."

I am not sure where this passage is taken from.
It is a true reflection of Mr Poh's actions and principles in life.

Rest in peace Mr Poh, for you have
"fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith"
(2 Timothy:5-7 (NIV])
and have been kind to everyone you touched...
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my current other interest...

It is now at least a full month when I do not have to worry about homework or studies! Though I do have a CH assignment outstanding. Well.. not quite... too long away from studies make me lazy and now thinking of not handing it in.

Now what decadence have I been up to then??? Virtual farming of course!

Take for example in this pics - what has a leaning tower, cacti and a circus elephant have in common? Answer - an addicted farmer!

Then we have the latest collection - hardly two days old! A Groovy Cow - which hops and delivers loads of 'hearts' when we pet it. Yes, there was a survey by Farmville to ask what we would like to plant and make the produce into ie a baker, a wine-maker or a spa-owner! As you could see - I choose to be a master baker! Well, I know my friends bake wonderful cakes - so I dream I could be like them - a virtual master baker!

Last but not least, here is my virtual place of solace - after a rough day at work!

All for a good course! Pure indulgence of time and brain cells totally at rest!
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the yang and the youngest..

First we have five .... little brats of nephews and niece who will follow us where ever we go. Now we are down to the two youngest - Eric aka Yang in red and Christopher in white. In form four this year, they are still 'obedient' enough to follow their elders.


In a table of 10 with only two teenager, it is great to see their love for food. I mean they are still growing kids! The rest of us have to watch our cholestrol, hp, sugar level etc. etc..

So it is with great delight to see their antics!

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eighty three years of life...

Today a very good and dear friend, Mr Poh Sin Bin, passed on at the age of 88years old. For the first time, I cried at a wake service. We never knew how much a person touched us till it is too late. Hence, though I have been procrastinating, it is about time, that I record life as well.

We celebrated our Mum's 83rd birthday on June 03, 2010. It is an amazing feat considering that she had cancer at 60 ie twenty three years ago. The Lord has been really kind to us.


My Mum and Dad just before a charity dinner. This year we also witness a couple who are married for 55years! Being thrifty, Mum went and bought herself a RM180.00 dress; which she said was about her salary that many years ago, as a school teacher, just about 60years ago.


At the charity dinner by Nam Kueng school; organised by the ex-students Association. It is to raise monies for a part of the school roof.


These students also celebrated Mum's birthday. I never counted, but apparently, she was a teacher for 27years!
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bored...

Yup I am so bored...
There is so much to do...
work ... I mean..
yet I am so bored!

So I play my FV games! But the FV server is having a 'small problem'. Small you said? 15 hours down the road, and it is not fixed yet.

Well, it is affecting millions of people! So what do we do?
We do silly things.
See this cute little black foal...
Look properly, it has bling bling round its tail - to be polite...
What people do for originality! Or to keep their millions occupied!



Going around criticising doesn't help! I am still bored!
OKay, let me go and read a book!
Do have loads of reading to do...

Oh, incidentally I saw the movie Robin Hood - two and a half hour. Nice! I like such movies anyway - more on the line of Lord of the Rings! Director approached it from another angle, with movie starting with the Crusades. Far cry from the romantic character of one helping the poor!
BBC had a documentary on the Character, too. Apparently, there is no concrete evidence that Robin Hood existed! However, the impressions seems to be some inference to a 'Robin Hode', who was caught as a thief.

Right - let me now get back to reading - on the Crusades and Early Church history!
boriiiiiiiiiiingggg........
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baked beans....

Ok, we all know that beans result in flatulence. I was too lazy to cook, so I had a can of baked beans and bread! Boy oh boy, did I or did I not have a bad case of flatulence! Worse thing is - the air is not coming out! My mid-torso is bloated and tight. It is so uncomfortable that I could not even concentrate on studying for Heberew test on Wednesday, D-day! Anyway, I took excuse and did not go to work.

So what did I do? Watched Ghost Rider; a bit of a let down compared to the comic books!

Then I managed to catch a documentary on Machu Pichu, on the Discovery Channel. I mean it has been and now looks possible to fulfil my intention and ambition to go to the Andes and Machu Pichu. The scenery is breathtaking - being so high up the mountains and so near the sky (or heaven)? But after watching the documentary, I am not sure if it is a good idea now though. Why? Brings back memories of the agony climbing the hills of Sappa! There are terraced fields and terraces to climb - but no kind, money-grabbing Hmong women to hold my hand!!! This time if I ever get to go, I better spend months training for it!

Oh since I am 'house-bound' I have also took the opportunity to clean up my FB. Removed most games from the current FB account and migrated it to another. My excuse is that the FB emails are clogging my inbox. Actually it is part of the winding-down if not melt-down(?)process! Scary if one dwells on it; and definitely dreary and a drag! Should have done what my friend did - just walk off and start anew!

Then of course, these two days are most dramatic. So the Euro has been steadily dropping. Yesterday, the first Euro economy, Greece, crumbled. Is this the second dip projected by economic experts? Quite possible. Euro cannot be unaffected by the rest of the world.

So I was asked if I have been through such economic melt-down before. Yes, of course. It happens every ten years, always starting in the xxx8-11, just before the end of a decade and beginning of another. Much like and as if the world needs to right itself before it begins another spat of ten years.

In the 1970's, I was too young to know. Didn't understand why my parents were never home till late. They took on two jobs to supplement their teacher's income to support four kids and two elderly parents! In the 1980's, as a young executive, I see how my senior managers walked out of the conference room with a really black face; and the company had to bear about RM600k in bad-debts from the closing down of just one chain store; never knew the final amount. In the 1990's, the melt-down was only in Asia. The multi-national company I was working for have had head-quarters financial support; so it does not matter. Now in this decade's melt-down, it does not matter how big or small a company is, it will be the survival of the thrifty and the shrewed.

Today also I watched our local news. Suddenly I noticed our young PM's hair is totally silver. These two years of being in power sure seem to have aged him. Don't envy him! Definitely a difficult job in very difficult times! But then to each it's own! Poor man is trying to launch another 1Malaysia scheme. Actually it is just another name for another Government bond. We better pray for our country! All these religious Allah and racial issues are a cover up. Do the people know that our country's economy is in deep-shit?

In all bad situation, there is always a silver-lining at the end.
But this time, I will not be walking alone; for HE is with me!
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festering .....

I think I have come to realize (if you have not yet) that there would usually be a sort of long silence. Then I go into a spurt of writings!

Actually every time sometime happens or saw something, I will think 'oh, I got to record that in my blog'. But I never got to do it. Never got to write I mean.

Excuses are plenty. We brood about it. We get bogged down, literally and figuratively. We even get weighted down. Well, one thing for sure, we let it fester inside for a while.

This festering comes about because we or I want things to happen the way I want it. I think that this is the right way to do it. It is especially so when we have had spent years doing it; and it has always proven to be successful many times over!
But most of all, I want it to happen now! So the festering consumes us!

However, with time and age, I have learnt that this period of 'brooding', anxiety, festering and being weighted down is good; so long as we do not let it depress us or express it out aggressively at friends or family.

Why? because I now acquaint this 'period' to the biblical phrase 'wait upon the Lord'. Really it is a period for things to fall into place. Depending on who is looking at it - there are always two sides to the coin; which is another story - of the young and energetic or the mature and mellow!

So today, the festering is over!
Yes we have a GM!
Yes, I even got a missed call, which probably means a trip to Italy!
Yes, it has hit me that migrating to Sydney is happening to some people!

Nothing concrete yet! But it is happening! It is the beginning of a new decade! We still have to hold our horses as the picture unfolds....
Meanwhile it is good 'wait upon HIM for HIS timing upon HIS will'!
Amen!

what a week.....

what a week it has been....

Got this picture from the mail entitled
"it's okay, sometimes, to say the 'f' word".
Not sure who the photographer is; but sure is at the right place at the right time and with a camera.

This picture is rather appropriate. Don't we all feel like the lorry sometimes. Describes me for the moment. The physical exhaustion is bearable; we could always pop Vitamins or sleep it off. Mental exhaustion is another kettle of fish - I am totally drained! Emotionally I am a robot! What about Spiritually? I am totally dry - now which desert should I equate it to?



However, I have to admit that it has been fruitful. Accomplished quite a lot of stuff. There are opportunity costs though; I have not touched any aleph, ... eh ... what is 'b'... don't know..! Exams in two weeks! For once, I do have a happy and good conscience about failing!

Sure am looking forward to the weekend. But weekend starts only in another 24hours! I have lectures; and will most likely fall asleep again!

I like the photograph. Whatever the burden, we remain standing. Rest we have to look towards and leave it to HIM!
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..... a moment in time

Whilst we sympathise with mankinds' suffering, nature's disasters can and must be admired for its beauty!

While many are facing hardship, we must admit that a photograph captures a moment in time.



Ash rising above the clouds in the recent Icelandic volcanic eruption!

Photograph taken by Ap
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_pictures/8622055.stm
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requiem for a python family...?

Okay the bigger picture finally emerged!

Remember I mentioned that my friend had an encounter with a python at 4am. She was woken by her dogs barking at a python. But that python escaped and disappeared. We didn't quite believe her either as there is no proof.

Well the same python appeared and this time was not so fortunate. The fire department was alerted and below picture is proof that there is a real python around. Let us call this the neighbour 1.

But why a title like a 'requiem'? Well, we then found out that another neighbour 2, actually killed one. As he is a man, he sort of quietly killed and disposed of it and did not want to frighten the neighbours!

Oh well, that is just the death of two big snakes! Big deal? Yes! Then neighbour 3, came out and said that they killed two baby pythons of about a feet each!

Sigh! sigh! sigh! Lets have a minute of silence please! Let us mark the end of a python family!

The fear, of us, urban middle class families are the bane of our society! I remind them that the python actually helps to rid the area of feral cats and rats. Guess what the answer is? Yah, hardly a week have passed, I am starting to see rats running into the house again!

But ...
maybe... there is just a glimmer of hope!
Pythons, when they are successful in 'breeding', would generally have more than two eggs! Please keep your fingers crossed and then pray that there are still at least two to three baby pythons running around! May the Lord, bless and keep them!



Question: Would I personally let a python run around wild? Yes, if I have such a big garden!
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hours of the morning...

It is a few days now that I have been up and around like 6-9 in the morning! I am amazed at myself. Not sure how long this will last.

I mean - being up and about in the wee hours of the morning is usual. Temperature is cool. The silence of the night is so peaceful. Actions and thoughts of the day comes and one reflects on the 'good' and 'bad' things we have done. It is generally in front of the computer and a cup of aik-cheong coffee beside me; whilst the 'yohurt chicken', the rare-bits, and/or the rock buns that is baking in the oven.

But now things are different! Seven to nine in the mornings brings forth very different 'noise'. There are the school buses charging up the road; screeching to a stop as they pick up the kids for the morning session. The mothers screaming at their children who forget their water-bottle or lunch pack. Then we have the doors of cars and electric gates opening, as office workers leave for the office. Do you know that each electric gate have its own sound?

Yup! I heard all that! All these cacophony of sounds are like phonetic groan of people starting yet another 'busy' day. Not necessarily pleasant if one dwells into it. The toils and sweat of humanity begins and one habituate to it; forgetting their soul and objective of life.

It is a total contrast to the best sound of the morning; which comes just before that! The first chirp of the bulbuls and cuckoo brings forth a new morning! It always sound so cheerful. It is as if they are greeting one another constantly. It is as if they were singing:
'This is the day! This is the day! This is the day that the Lord has made!

And so I will now go to work, with a little skip in my steps and hum a little tune! I will choose to remember that this is the day that the Lord has made! Amen!

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go against the grain ...... and k.i.s.s.

Since my heart and my head is not at work, I checked out the Rabbi's blog. (http://oldtestamentpassion.blogspot.com/2010/04/life-wisdom-in-visual-form.html)
To quote his wise advice:
"here is an interesting site - life wisdom in visual form. great idea for those intending to take wisdom literature class in TEE or 2nd semester in-campus course this year. how to re-brand OT wisdom e.g. proverbs into a format that acceptable and easily understood in a 21st century world?"

So I followed the site (http://pictomins.wordpress.com/). The first thing which pops up was this (below). I have taken the liberty to copy it.

First I love the visual ie the full-lips. Wish it was real. Alas, we have always been looking for a real live one to bring out the shades of our lipsticks. Love the red vibrant shade which one only find being used by mature, yet confident ladies!

Then I really love the message.
"Go against the grain and keep it simple stupid". A contradiction in itself. But it is true.

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Title: People Complicate Life Too Much – Go Against The Grain And Keep Things Simple Stupid

Life doesn’t need to be as complicated as so many make it. Jobs, family life, ownership, plans and creativity is always overcomplicated without good reason. This complexity caps your time, energy and money and almost always gives you a far less superior outcome. Take a moment to reflect on the things in your life that might be overcomplicated and try to focus on cutting back and streamlining them, you will be amazed at the difference this can make in your life.
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How can we go against the grain of society and yet be simple about it. Imagine the uproar if we go against the rules of society or a religion. But I love it; makes life interesting and appeals so much to my nature. Modern terms like lateral thinking, advices us to go against the grain; don't be a follower or a dead-wood. Empowerment of employees allows them to be 'movers and shakers' of the company and the world. Even God shakes us out of our complacency, occasionally, to go out and expand His kingdom!

Statement is appropriate, too, in light of a recent incident (a couple of hours old really) over some books. Like the author said ... why? why? why turn a couple of persons generosity into such complicity. May be we should truly go against the grain. It is as simple as - ask the owner of the books to withdraw them for a short period so we can access outside the boundaries.
Hee! Hee! hee! evil laughter! But no, we have matured. We don't do such things any more. Just the thought of it is satisfactory!

So let us enjoy the wise statement and truly reflect on our issues!

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countdown calendar .....

Spent a couple of hours with a couple of good friends yesterday.....
They remind me that I should have a countdown calendar.

So as of this minute of writing this, there is this much time to
FREEDOM.

Time until Friday, 31 December 2010 (Kuala Lumpur time)
268 days
6437 hours
386232 minutes

Then again, FREEDOM is how one perceives it.....
for there is 'a time for every thing....'
(ecclesiates chapter something verse something..)
too lazy to check it out and feeling very flippant about things..

lack of sleep, doing my homework last night.
ah.. no it was the weehours of the morning.
correction again, didn't sleep but came straight to work..
therefore the reason for
the feeling flippant and very light in the head attitude
doing many things if not 'rubbish'..
for which one am paid very highly for...
sigh!
must not bite the hand that feeds one..
you ungrateful soul..

had a nap for a couple of hours
with a proper airpillow round the neck
and feet on the drawers,
in a leather bound, high back executive chair...

this would be the style of things
hopefully, only for a couple of months..
so don't you agree
that the thought of Freedom tastes very good

ps. just heard the great news that Michu Pichu is open to the public again!

pss. also heard, over the weekend, that we have a relative - from one of the in-laws, who have had actually just visited the place. Was a back-packing trip too at that! across Bolivia, Argentina etc...

So it is not that impossible nor a dream...
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of fairy godmothers

Old ladies tales has this saying for bringing up kids "at 3-4 yrs of age, one could scold till our mouth is tired". Why? This is the age that the child is so full of curiosity discovering the world around them. No amount of explanation would deter them from wanting to try it for themselves. It is not as if this curiosity ends after that age.

Which brings me to another Chinese adage, that elders love to say to us, but we never listen nor understand - 'I eat more Salt than you have eaten Rice'. Here our ego rather than our curiosity never stops us from doing things that elders will advise against. We think we are better - we have computers and they don't.

So invariably we throw out the babies with the bath water; a thought I heard being voiced re our new form of worship. It is also related to our dropping our affirmation of faith. Coincidentally, I am also reading and eventually supposed to be reflecting on the Nicene Creed.

So what has all these to do with the picture below.

It is so sweet to have young nephews and nieces. Yes, when they are pre-teens and below, they love their Aunties. A friend even asked me once - why does my son likes you so much and is more than a friend to my son compared to me? Don't worry mummies, you will always be the mummy!

Simple! We do not discipline them. Neither do we have to worry if the kids are having fever, not eaten their dinner or done their homework. Aunties are Fairy God Mothers especially Aunties who brings them gifts; hugs them; and are even their playmates. I know because I have been there. I think the only love one could associate such love of a child is one of Jesus's. Jesus loves us inspite and despite of our blemishes and faults. A child doesn't know any better.

So the moral of the story is:-
Love them when they are young. Love them when they don't know any better. Spend as much them with them before they realise that they rather choose to be with friends instead of being seen with their aunties and parents!



My good friend basking in the love of a young and innocent child. A fairy godmother, as represented by the cake, is what she is in this period of the child's life.

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