Regrets

When I was younger, I was advised not to do things I might regret later.
There are more regrets of "I should have..." then "I should not have...".

LOTR: Arwen's Song (Song of Healing)

A beautiful, haunting song. It never made it as the scene depicted in the video below but post-battle Pelennor in the Houses of Healing scene in the ROTK Extended Edition.

Arwen's Song was originally intended for her vision of Eldarion with Aragorn but was replaced with The Evening Star by Renee Fleming.



With a sigh
You turn away
With a deepening heart
No words to say
You will find
That the world has changed
Forever

And the trees are now
Turning from green to gold
And the sun is now fading
I wish I could hold you closer

Dreamcatcher for a friend

Whether your dreams were a manifestation from the strain of the physical world, or be it spoken as a metaphor, I send thee a dreamcatcher...



In Ojibwa (Chippewa) culture, a dreamcatcher (Ojibwe asabikeshiinh, the inanimate form of the word for "spider") is a handmade object based on a willow hoop, on which is woven a loose net or web. The dreamcatcher is then decorated with personal and sacred items such as feathers and beads.

The dreamcatcher, hung above the bed, is then used as a charm to protect sleeping children from nightmares. The Ojibwa believe that a dreamcatcher filters a person's dreams. Only good dreams would be allowed to filter through. Bad dreams would stay in the net, disappearing with the light of day.

Nature Strikes Back!

People just don't listen or perhaps, I should say people listen to the wrong things. We have all heard from years ago warnings on deforestation, global warming etc. Those in power listened, and heeded a different sound.. the sound of money. Who but our children that will suffer the consequences of greed. Lest we forget;
"We do not inherit the earth, but borrow it from our children."

The weather has gone bonkers. During this time of the year, it would be the dry-spell but now we get frequent thunderstorms and when the rain comes down hard and long, flash-floods hit the city. Yesterday, the Gombak river burst its banks.



Last night I heard it was traffic jams of nightmare proportions. The aftermath, parts of the city this morning was a mess with flood-hit roads chocked in mud. My sympathies for the shops affected. Its hard enough to run a business without having to endure calamities.

So what's with the SMART project? More like smarty-pants idea to spend taxpayer's hard-earned money building something for flood mitigation. Wouldn't it have been more prudent to curb destructive development that would have averted these situations altogether. You can't say this was "an act of God". God has nothing to do with wanton development.

No Fairy Dust Required

The dream I had last night was so clear and vivid. The dream was again along the lines of a personal desire, although impossible (for now at least). It was the ability fly with nothing more than just by thinking about it. In my dream, I could fly like how some super-heroes do, or Peter Pan (minus the fairy-dust) but perhaps, closer to Neo in Matrix. You fly, simply because you believe you can.

Back to the dream.

It was surreal.
"I believe I can fly, I believe I can touch the sky"... and that's what I was doing!
I was in some highlands and there was a valley. In the valley were some ruins but more like junked items that had been discarded. They can junk entire buildings now?!? I was exploring the place and I recognized those items! Actually in reality I have never seen those things before but in this dream, it was something from my past. Photo frames with pictures that had been taken (from another dream?) Two of my ex-colleagues were suddenly there too, looking through the items, reminiscing the good old days. It occurred then that the whole place was one of my former workplace. We were rummaging through for sentimental items;

EG: I don't like the pictures in the photo-frame.

Moi: Then take the frame and leave the photos lah.
(Saying that while pulling the photos out of the frame. Then did the same to two other frames, keeping one for myself, one for EG and the other for PL)

There were wine bottles there as well. That's when Kali & Rama showed up. What the heck were they doing there? (in my dream that is) They wanted to take back a lot of stuff but can't carry all. I offered to deliver it personally to their homes (cuz I can fly remember?).

Rummage, rummage...

Next I was in my car, but it is more than that. I can WILL my car to fly... now that is something right? Fly, fly, high into the sky...

Scene shifts. Now we are flying over water and there some scuba diving activity going on. I think I was going diving but don't really recall now. From this point, recalling the dream becomes fuzzy as an incessant alarm becomes louder. I was back on my bed waking up to the physical-bound world.

Word Arrangement

Live and learn,
Learn, and live.

Just a matter of rearranging the words but what a difference in the message conveyed.

Stirred Memories

Was talking to a friend and suddenly the name Agnes Chan popped into my head. The song The Circle Game started playing and I just had to google her name and find out what had happened to her since then. What I found really took me by surprise. Its way too long for me to put here so:

http://www.agneschan.org/aghk/eng/agnes_main.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_Chan

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0150781/bio


Another memory popped in and this was a sad one. I don't think there was a dry eye in the theater at the end of the show: 'Haathi Mere Saathi' or Elephant My Friend.

While I was browsing for 'Haathi Mere Saathi', something caught my attention. The lyrics to one of the songs of the show went something like 'chel, chel, chel mere saathi...' but someone in a forum got it mixed up with 'chan mali chan'.

That's when another goldie oldie came up...
Dimana dia anak kambing saya,
Anak kambing saya yang makan daun....
Dimana dia buah hati saya
Buah hati saya yang pakai baju ...
chan mali chan oi oi
chan mali chan oi oi,
chan mali chan ketipong payung

Pinging for reponse

In IT, "ping" is a command that functions like a sonar. An echo response is expected from the target computer. When there's no echo, usually means something is wrong...

But WHAT!?!

*Frustration*

Patellar Subluxation = RM584.01

Not including transport, parking and other trivial expenses incurred. Part of the cost are for a pair of aluminum crutches which will probably sit and gather dust, while one hopes that it will continue sitting to gather more dust. After all, who really wants to depends on them.

Things like these happen, and one can be thankful it is nothing more serious.

More info: Orthopedics - Patellar Subluxation or Kneecap Dislocation

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....