Almost 15!

Has it almost been 15 years? Memories of an infant cradled in my arms remain fresh as ever. She remains as I had named her. That is all that is the same.

Algebra for Everyday Life

After applying some simple algebra to some trite phrases and clichés , a new understanding can be reached of the secret to wealth and success. Here it goes:

Knowledge is Power. Time is Money and as every engineer knows, Power is Work over Time. So, substituting algebraic equations for these time worn bits of wisdom, we get:

K = P (1)

T = M (2)

P = W/T (3)

Now, do a few simple substitutions: Put W/T in for P in equation (1), which yields: K = W/T (4).

Put M in for T into equation (4), which yields: K = W/M (5). Now we’ve got something. Expanding back into English, we get: Knowledge equals Work over Money. What this MEANS is that:

1. The More You Know, the More Work You Do, and

2. The More You Know, the Less Money You Make.

Solving for Money, we get: M = W/K (6) Money equals Work Over Knowledge.

From equation (6) we see that Money approaches infinity as Knowledge approaches zero, regardless of the Work done. What THIS MEANS is: The More you Make, the Less you Know.

Solving for Work, we get W = M x K (7) Work equals Money times Knowledge.

From equation (7) we see that Work approaches zero as Knowledge approaches zero.

What THIS MEANS is: The stupid rich do little or no work. Working out the socioeconomic implications of this breakthrough is left as an exercise for the reader.

The Feb14 Message

Always Together, Never Apart

We are always together
Even though we are apart
Though distance may be between
We are never separate in heart

For when we are together
We make beautiful memories
So we are always close
Even through mountains, vales, or seas

Through the gentle whisper of breeze
Or stars on a moonlit night
Our love talks to our hearts
With words made just right

Our hearts are always one
Though they may be two
You are always here with me
As I am always there with you

- Ethel GG Kent -



Soul Mates

Man does not measure the stars.
It is a gift he cannot count.
So it is with my love for you.
How can I tell you of my love?
Strong as the eagle, soft as the dove,
patient as the pine tree
that stands in the sun
and whispers to the wind...
'You are the one!'

Invention or Innovation?

"If you can't convince them with facts, dazzle them with bullshit!"

I love that quote and whoever said it must be a master bullshitter.

I said something today on-the-fly that would have made sense or at least made me sound like some expert.. haha. If only they knew better. I asked some vendors if they knew the difference between Invention and Innovation. Invention is driven by need said I. Innovation creates the need. Now is that great taurus feces or what?!

One of those feelings

I yearn to hear your thoughts
My heart aches for it
I try to ignore but the silence is too loud
How much more must I endure?
My strength is finite
What must I do?
What have I not done?
Suffer as Wednesday's child I do

Weekends pass too fast

Wait for 5 days only to see the weekend whizz by.
We should collectively do something about this.

Pitiful attempt at poetry

Seeds

Within us all lies a garden
Beginning barren and bare
With work and toil
It flourishes with care

Soon the garden takes shape
Life that springs forth and grows
Shapes and colours of delight
Beauty and peace it shows

What this?
Something else stirs within
It does not belong
Destruction it bring

Quickly must it be removed
Least the garden pales in shades of grey
Weapons of love and care
All thrown into the fray

With ever watchful eyes and hands
Never allowing weeds to prevail
Nor any agents of destruction
Lest the Garden fail

Frustration!

Bureaucrats are stupid!
Authorities are corrupt!
Bankers are robbers! - With stupid workers.

That's what one has to go through after forced to get a car engine changed. Instead of easing the hardship, these ppl cause more aggravasion to one's blood pressure by strangling you with red tape just because you wanted to comply with the regulations.

May they rot in the documents asked.

A Teenager Now

Has it been another year already? She's turns 13 today, officially a teenager now. She got a watch for a birthday present, which was what she wanted. Actually she had asked for; Laptop Computer? {"No"}; New Phone? {"No"}; PDA? {"No"}; Watch? .... well, ok.

Installing Love

Tech Support: Yes, how can I help you?

Customer: Well, after much consideration, I've decided to install Love. Can you guide me through the process?

Tech Support: Yes. I can help you. Are you ready to proceed?

Customer: Well, I'm not very technical, but I think I'm ready. What do I do first?

Tech Support: The first step is to open your Heart. Have you located your Heart?

Customer: Yes, but there are several other programs running now. Is it okay to install Love while they are running?

Tech Support: What programs are running ?

Customer: Let's see, I have Past Hurt, Low Self-Esteem, Grudge and Resentment running right now.

Tech Support: No problem, Love will gradually erase Past Hurt from your current operating system. It may remain in your permanent memory but it will no longer disrupt other programs. Love will eventually override Low Self-Esteem with a module of its own called High Self-Esteem. However, you have to completely turn off Grudge and Resentment. Those programs prevent Love from being properly installed. Can you turn those off ?

Customer: I don't know how to turn them off. Can you tell me how?

Tech Support: With pleasure. Go to your start menu and invoke Forgiveness. Do this as many times as necessary until Grudge and Resentment have been completely erased.

Customer: Okay, done! Love has started installing itself. Is that normal?

Tech Support: Yes, but remember that you have only the base program. You need to begin connecting to other Hearts in order to get the upgrades.

Customer: Oops! I have an error message already. It says, "Error - Program not run on external components." What should I do?

Tech Support: Don't worry. It means that the Love program is set up to run on Internal Hearts, but has not yet been run on your Heart. In non-technical terms, it simply means you have to Love yourself before you can Love others.

Customer: So, what should I do?

Tech Support: Pull down Self-Acceptance; then click on the following files: Forgive-Self; Realize Your Worth; and Acknowledge your Limitations.

Customer: Okay, done.

Tech Support: Now, copy them to the "My Heart" directory. The system will override conflicting files and begin patching faulty programming. Also, you need to delete Verbose Self-Criticism from all directories and empty your Recycle Bin to make sure it is completely gone and never comes back.

Customer: Got it. Hey! My heart is filling up with new files. Smile is playing on my monitor and Peace and Contentment are copying themselves all over My Heart. Is this normal?

Tech Support: Sometimes. For others it takes awhile, but eventually everything gets it at the proper time. So Love is installed and running. One more thing before we hang up. Love is Freeware. Be sure to give it and its various modules to everyone you meet. They will in turn share it with others and return some cool modules back to you.

Customer: Thank you, God.

God/Tech Support: You're welcome, I'm here anytime.

Paulians of '81

Has it been 25 years? Yes, it has been that many years since form 5 in SMK St. Paul's (Secondary) Institution. Suddenly names and faces started resurfacing from the depths of memory so long left uncalled but not forgotten.

It started a few weeks ago when a collegue asked if I was a student of St. Paul's in Seremban. During one of the projects that I had worked with her, we had exchange some personal background and found that we were of the same acedemic years and from the same town. Although she did most of her studies in SMK Convent, her form 6 studies were in St. Paul's. My schoolmates who called the group Paulians 81-83 were looking for those whom had finished form 5 in 1981 or studied form 6 in 1982-1983. Reason being the OPA (Old Paulians Association) annual dinner was coming up and the association was looking for students who had left 25 and 50 years ago. Emails and phone calls were exchanged to round up the group. One of them took charge to head the roundup and consolidated all the contacts, even creating a blog for us to post up school-day photos.

The days passed with frequent updates and some jokes via emails. I had some apprehension about meeting up as I was not one of the 'elite' group of students who excelled in studies nor was I active in school societies. Most of those that kept in touch throughout the years had been from the 'higher' classes. I figured that to be noticed in school, one has to belong either of the two extremes.

Walking into the hotel lobby where the dinner was hosted, I passed a group that was quite jovial and a bit noisy. Not recognising any faces, I passed them thinking they were attending a wedding dinner and headed to the ballroom where I hoped to see some familiar faces. There I saw someone whom I presumed to be the organiser lead for Paulians 81/82-83 and I was right. It was Ravindran and sad to say, I am unable to recall his face nor name from the school days. I was brought to the group that I has passed earlier and Jacob Matthews, whom I could recognise easily. He has not changed much and glad to say, many could recognise yours truly as well. The Eng Hocks' were present, looking much more matured and well-taken-care-of.

It turned out to be a memorable evening, knowing either name or face and matching them up to current appearance. The class of '81 took honours of taking up 9 of the 105 tables that night. That in the history of OPA dinners, was a record for any single group thus far. We were later called to the stage for being the silver anniversary batch, joined by 5 (I think) from the golden anniversary group. We were represented by Father Julian, who recited a poem dedicated to the teachers of St. Paul's Institution.

While the appearances may have changed, the Paulian spirit remains. The bond of brotherhood for those who once studied and played together now stand by each other. The journey continues....

Bite your tongue...

Let them have the last word. For no matter how hard it may seem, it is not worth the effort to argue. Henceforth the saying, "Argue not with fools, for then it will be hard to distinguish the difference".

Not that Siti

The photo in the front page should be associated with Open UniverSITY, not Siti Nurhaliza :P

Manage time or managed by time?

Me to collegue: "Good morning."
Collegue to me (a few secs later) : "Mmm.. {pause} ... mm tuck hun."

That switch me to thinking mode. No time to return a greeting but able to explain why? Is it due to the reason that they are so focused that they are oblivious to everything else? I have many encounters where lengthy explainations take up the time that would have been used to achieved the desired result.

Oft do I wonder what kind of individuals we have around. There are some that are just mundane workers. They are good, very good at what they do but unable to fit into anything else. Then there is another I have identified... the "lazy jacks". These are not really lazy but would think their way around to get the work done with the least possible efforts. In other words, effectiveness is the objective. That'll be me.

Bad at Mathematics

I've never taken to Mathematics subject in school but now I can see some of its benefits... like making one laugh. That is provided you did pay attention in school.

Why I failed the maths subject:



I did what it asked me to do didn't I?


Simple deduction.


Ahh, logic rules.

Sometimes..

I hereby exercise my right to remain silent.

10 Steps You Can Take To Guarantee Failure

In the hustle and bustle of this technologically packed world you may decide you really don't want to achieve any lasting success in your lifetime. Sure, you can find a lot of strategies and tips here that can help you increase your success rate. But what about the people who are perfectly happy not achieving anything? Is it fair that I keep pushing and prodding if someone is content leaving behind a legacy of debt and mediocrity? hmmm...maybe not. So this is for all the people who want to have goals but not achieve them.

1. Make your goals vague - When setting your goals, use adjectives such as "more" and "some." Goals like "I want to make more money" or "I want to lose some weight" virtually guarantee your progress will be minimal. Be as wishy-washy as possible. And while you're at it, you might want to set a goal of getting a job doing something.
   
2. Make your goals difficult to visualize - A good way to do this is to keep changing your mind on the details of your goal. If you are thinking a goal such as: "I want to own a red, blue or yellow Corvette or just a Mustang", then you are definately on the right track. If you kept that goal planted firmly in your mind, you are virtually guaranteed you'll never go above a used Hyundai.
   
3. Think and speak negatively about your goals - Try using words like "I can't" and "It's too hard". Goals such as "I can't get a promotion, It's too hard to take on more responsibility" will certainly keep you at the bottom of the food chain. If you can put it in writing or work up enough courage to tell your boss directly, he or she will almost definately avoid promoting you from that point on. Who knows, you might get lucky and get fired! It's worth a shot anyway.
   
4. Avoid planning incremental steps - It's likely that if you have made it this far you are already following this rule already! Take a goal - even a specific goal like "I will double my income by this time next year". Then simply leave it as-is. Don't write down any tasks or steps you'll need to complete in order to achieve it. Just consider the goal a wish and nothing more. Creating a step-by-step plan will only confuse matters because it's all too easy to take action on simple steps. Action in the direction of your goal would lead to success and you definately don't want that.
   
5. Don't Do - Talk - Because talk is easier than action, this step one of the easiest steps for you to take. Try to fill up as much of your day with socializing as possible. Talk about all the things you will do someday or that you were gonna do. Just make sure you don't mess it up by doing anything productive. Action is your enemy. Embrace your excuses!
   
6. Wait until you are motivated - Let's face it, it's much too difficult to go jogging or open a mutual fund account when you simply don't feel like it. So just wait. Waiting gives you the peace of mind that someday, you might do something. But not yet, the timing isn't right and you aren't motivated anyway.
   
7. Don't set a date - Setting a date when you expect to achieve your goal is too much pressure. Who needs it? Definately not you if you want to avoid progress. You know that goals with dates get done, so by not setting a date you avoid making a commitment. You can keep putting off stuff. Even though people may ask "When are you ever going to get around to reaching your target?", you have a wild card. By not having a date, you can put off actually doing anything.
   
8. List why it's impossible - Now we are getting into the mental game of failing. This is quite possibly your greatest weapon against achievement because it destroys hope and optimism. So as soon as possible, set aside some time to create a long list of how impossible your goal really is. No matter what your target is, I am sure you can come up with plenty of reasons why it's impossible. Be creative, make up some if you have to (i.e. "It's impossible for me to lose weight because I was kidnapped by space aliens and injected with a fat-serum.") Bonus: You get extra points if you can come up with an excuse using UFOs, ghosts or the Bermuda Triangle.
   
9. Don't research your goal - You're the kind of guy or gal who likes to "wing it." Reading about how others have succeeded achieving a goal similar to you is just a waste of time. Instead of standing on their shoulders, they should be standing on yours! Sure, they might have overcome unbelievable odds to get from homelessness to CEO or 450lbs to a 180lbs - but they were probably just "lucky" anyway. Don't read anything that promises to help you get to your destination.
   
10. Think of anything except your goal - Here's another mental strategy that will put you on the fast track to failure. Think of anything except for your goal. Why visualize success when there's plenty of clouds, teddy bears, and TV reruns to think about? And while you're at it, take action on these flights of fancy instead of your goal. I know what you're thinking...you're thinking "I wonder if there are any green teddy bears out there?" Now you're getting it! Focusing on your goal for long periods of time can be difficult and challenging. Thinking about unicorns is easy and fun. Take the easy path, that's the only way you can fail in record time.
    

To conclude, I know you might be a bit overwhelmed with all the work you have to do to avoid reaching your goal. You might even think it's even more work. Never fear! You can do it. Print out a copy and hang it on your bathroom mirror. Post it in your office. Read it every day. Internalize these principals and you can reach depths of failure you have possibly never imagined!

Addendum: So if you succeed in failing, does this mean you have failed?

Nothing like the Real thing.

I'm not referring to Coca-cola ;-)

Highway Flybys

A raptor perched on a lampost. Now that's something you don't see everyday.

George Carlin's View on Aging

Do you realize that the only time in our lives when we like to get old is when we're kids? If you're less than 10 years old, you're so excited about aging that you think in fractions.

"How old are you?" "I'm four and a half!" You're never thirty-six and a half. You're four and a half, going on five! That's the key.

You get into your teens, now they can't hold you back. You jump to the next number, or even a few ahead.

"How old are you?" "I'm gonna be 16!" You could be 13, but hey, you're gonna be 16! And then the greatest day of your life . . . You become 21. Even the words sound like a ceremony . . YOU BECOME 21. YESSSS!!!

But then you turn 30. Oooohh, what happened there? Makes you sound like bad milk! He TURNED; we had to throw him out. There's no fun now, you're Just a sour-dumpling. What's wrong? What's changed?

You BECOME 21, you TURN 30, then you're PUSHING 40. Whoa! Put on the brakes, it's all slipping away. Before you know it, you REACH 50

And your dreams are gone.

But wait!!! You MAKE it to 60. You didn't think you would!

So you BECOME 21, TURN 30, PUSH 40, REACH 50 and MAKE it to 60.

You've built up so much speed that you HIT 70! After that it's a day-by-day thing; you HIT Wednesday!

You get into your 80's and every day is a complete cycle; you HIT lunch; you TURN 4:30 ; you REACH bedtime. And it doesn't end there. Into the 90's, you start going backwards; "I Was JUST 92."

Then a strange thing happens. If you make it over 100, you become a little kid again. "I'm 100 and a half!"

May you all make it to a healthy 100 and a half!!

HOW TO STAY YOUNG

1. Throw out nonessential numbers. This includes age, weight and height. Let the doctors worry about them. That is why you pay "them!"
2. Keep only cheerful friends. The grouches pull you down.
3. Keep learning. Learn more about the computer, crafts, gardening, whatever. Never let the brain idle. "An idle mind is the devil's workshop." And the devil's name is Alzheimer's
4. Enjoy the simple things.
5. Laugh often, long and loud. Laugh until you gasp for breath.
6. The tears happen. Endure, grieve, and move on. The only person, who is with us our entire life, is ourselves. Be ALIVE while you are alive.
7. Surround yourself with what you love, whether it's family, pets, keepsakes, music, plants, hobbies, whatever. Your home is your refuge.
8. Cherish your health: If it is good, preserve it. If it is unstable, improve it. If it is beyond what you can improve, get help.
9. Don't take guilt trips. Take a trip to the mall, even to the next county; to a foreign country but NOT to where the guilt is.
10. Tell the people you love that you love them, at every opportunity.
    

AND ALWAYS REMEMBER:

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

And if you don't send this to at least 8 people - who cares?

But do share this with someone.

We all need to live life to its fullest each day!!

Have a wonderful day!!!!!!!