Remains - It's already the end of February 2009 and i still have another 4 days of leave brought forward from last year that needs to be cleared by March. Now that both 2008 year end reporting and Jan 2009 month end reporting are over, i will have to try clear them mid March lest they are forfeited. But it still remains to be seen if my leave application will be successful or not for the dates i'm trying for.
Revisits - This must be the 5th or 6th time i read Incarnations of Immortality and it is still so refreshing. Within these 7 books, Piers Anthony created a world where science and magic were at their peak with Death (Thanatos), Time (Chronos), Fate (Clotho, Lachesis, Atropos), War (Mars), Nature (Gaea), Evil (Satan) and Good (God) being offices of immortals that are being held by different people from time to time. A highly recommended read for fantansy fans.
Recalls - Reading the series where Immortals (yes even God and Satan) are offices that changed hands every few decades or centuries, i recall the wise teachings of Buddha on impermanence. No matter how a phenomena seems permanent, it is still an illusion since all phenomenon are in a state of constant flux even if they are not evident to us, to the naked eye. Like mother Earth where the land was whole billions of years ago and yet now, it is separated into several major continents. There is no mistake here what we believe is so ever unchanging in nature, is in truth so ever impermanent, no matter how slow and invisible the change is.
Saturday, 28 February 2009
Friday, 13 February 2009
Paticcasamuppāda - Dependent Origination
Paticcasamuppāda - Dependent Origination
When this is, that is.
From the arising of this comes the arising of that.
When this isn't, that isn't.
From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that.
Every phenomena has 3 parts, the beginning, the middle and the ending. The ending of this phenomena is in turn the beginning of another. Every phenomena has a cause which progressed into an effect and that effect in turn becomes a cause of another phenomena.
Every single phenomena can only exist the way it is now because all other phenomena exist the way exactly the way they were, are and will be. Such is the interdependency nature of all, for one cannot truly exist the way they simply are without the rest doing so.
Contemplate about how we exist in this very moment, can we exist in this manner if all events did not occur the way they are? How did we come into being? We cannot exist without our parents meeting each other and our parents in turn cannot exist without their parents meeting and this cannot be made possible if Earth is not suitable for life.
Imagine Edison did not invent light bulb. Imagine Wright Brothers did not invent the first airplane. Imagine if televisions were not invented. Imagine languages and literacy did not evolve they way they did till they are today. What will the world be like? Will we still be the very same person we are here and now? That is interdependency, we cannot exist the way we know we are without the rest of the phenomena existing the way they are in the past, present and future.
When this is, that is.
From the arising of this comes the arising of that.
When this isn't, that isn't.
From the cessation of this comes the cessation of that.
Every phenomena has 3 parts, the beginning, the middle and the ending. The ending of this phenomena is in turn the beginning of another. Every phenomena has a cause which progressed into an effect and that effect in turn becomes a cause of another phenomena.
Every single phenomena can only exist the way it is now because all other phenomena exist the way exactly the way they were, are and will be. Such is the interdependency nature of all, for one cannot truly exist the way they simply are without the rest doing so.
Contemplate about how we exist in this very moment, can we exist in this manner if all events did not occur the way they are? How did we come into being? We cannot exist without our parents meeting each other and our parents in turn cannot exist without their parents meeting and this cannot be made possible if Earth is not suitable for life.
Imagine Edison did not invent light bulb. Imagine Wright Brothers did not invent the first airplane. Imagine if televisions were not invented. Imagine languages and literacy did not evolve they way they did till they are today. What will the world be like? Will we still be the very same person we are here and now? That is interdependency, we cannot exist the way we know we are without the rest of the phenomena existing the way they are in the past, present and future.
Tuesday, 3 February 2009
Precious Moments
Just collected my fourth Precious Moments membership card on the last Sat nite. Its been four years running that i'm a member. I don't collect the figurines but i like giving them to friends for special times like their weddings, birthdays and christmas as each figurine has a unique quote that i find appropriate for the occasion. Here are some of those that i remembered, do you happened to recognise some of those? =)
Always Reach For The Stars
Always Reach For The Stars
August Poppy Peaceful
Count Each Birthday With A Joyful Smile
Filled With Wonder And Joy On This Special Night
Friendship Is A Sweet Journey
God Bless This Baby Girl
Happily Ever After
It Only Takes A Moment To Show You Care
January Snowdrop Pure And Gentle
Let's Always Preserve Our Friendship
Love One Another
March Violet Modest
May Your Birthday Be A Blessing Figurine
May Your Every Wish Come True
May Your Holidays Be Warm and Fuzzy
November Crysanthemum Sassy Cheerful
Ringing In The Season
Say I Do
Sow Much To Do
The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Love, Joy, and Peace
The Path Of Friendship Is Not Measured In Miles But Moments Shared
The 'Purr-fect' Christmas Morning
Together Is The Nicest Place To Be
Wishing You The Sweetest Birthday
You Crafted A Place In My Heart
You Have A Certain Glow About You
You Have Touched So Many Hearts
Friday, 30 January 2009
十心语
时时要观心 事事才顺心
逆境要忍心 烦恼要清心
修学要恒心 帮人要耐心
说话要细心 做事要专心
做人要爱心 对人要宽心
Tuesday, 20 January 2009
Back to NYK Shift
It's back to NYK Shift today and it will be so for the next 2 months. Sort of looking forward to it after working in Pacific hours where i usually worked about 12 to 15 hrs a day most of the time. Somehow in NYK shift, the hours are shorter and i get to wear causually to office. Meantime, i'm still trying to recover from my bad dose of sniffles.
Started on Amber and Blood (Volume 3 of The Dark Disicple) by Margaret Weis. Just a little background, she and Tracy Hickman started the all time bestselling series DragonLance Chroniclces which is one of my favourite reads.
Just before the story starts, there is usually a few pages for acknowledgements and dedications. To my pleasant surprise, there was a page dedicated to The Five Remembrances of Buddha:
1) I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
2) I am of nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape ill health.
3) I am of nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
4) All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
5) My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.
Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu. =)
Started on Amber and Blood (Volume 3 of The Dark Disicple) by Margaret Weis. Just a little background, she and Tracy Hickman started the all time bestselling series DragonLance Chroniclces which is one of my favourite reads.
Just before the story starts, there is usually a few pages for acknowledgements and dedications. To my pleasant surprise, there was a page dedicated to The Five Remembrances of Buddha:
1) I am of the nature to grow old. There is no way to escape growing old.
2) I am of nature to have ill health. There is no way to escape ill health.
3) I am of nature to die. There is no way to escape death.
4) All that is dear to me and everyone I love are of nature to change. There is no way to escape being separated from them.
5) My actions are my only true belongings. I cannot escape the consequences of my actions. My actions are the ground upon which I stand.
Sadhu, sadhu, sadhu. =)
Monday, 5 January 2009
Rolling Once Again
Its good to be skating once again, to feel the wheels rolling beneath me and a little breeze in my face. Skating demands focus, both mentally and physically but it provides enjoyment in its own way.
Skated only 24km on Fri nite by myself and realised that i was pretty much out of shape. Used to do 48km with no problem at all but now at only half that distance, i'm already pretty drained. Well, i did stop for several months, so i guess its gonna take me awhile to get toned up.
Earlier today, i met up with Mark, Tracy, David and Pearlyn for a leisure evening skate at East Coast. We did about 20km at a fairly leisure pace. Its been quite a while since i last seen these 2 couples and it felt good to be able to catch up with these good friends of mine.
Even while i was skating, my thoughts drifted to her every now and then, wishing her day was just as good as mine, if not better. Of course, not forgetting all of you guys out there who visits my blog site, i hope your day ended just as well as mine.
Skated only 24km on Fri nite by myself and realised that i was pretty much out of shape. Used to do 48km with no problem at all but now at only half that distance, i'm already pretty drained. Well, i did stop for several months, so i guess its gonna take me awhile to get toned up.
Earlier today, i met up with Mark, Tracy, David and Pearlyn for a leisure evening skate at East Coast. We did about 20km at a fairly leisure pace. Its been quite a while since i last seen these 2 couples and it felt good to be able to catch up with these good friends of mine.
Even while i was skating, my thoughts drifted to her every now and then, wishing her day was just as good as mine, if not better. Of course, not forgetting all of you guys out there who visits my blog site, i hope your day ended just as well as mine.
Sunday, 4 January 2009
3rd Jan 2009 - 216 Pages
If there's a way that i can describe my feelings for the day, i can only say i'm all mixed up. In any case, it will pass eventually like all phenomena. Just gotta type it out, let it go and move for the next day.
Got messages from Qin last nite about 2 plus in the morning and from the tone of them, i didn't really feel comfortable esp when the last bit just broke off suddenly. I changed and took a cab down, i just had to be sure she wasn't wandering about in the middle of the nite. Walked around the neighbourhood, no sign of her. Tried calling, nobody answered. Told myself she's probably back at home and resting already. Nothing much i could do so i hung around for a while till about 4, left a message and prayed for her well being and i went home.
She replied today about 3 in the afternoon, i'm glad to get that sms but again it just stopped, no further replies from her. Tried a few more times in the evening until it was around 7 plus when i tried with a phone call. It just rang and rang and rang, nobody answered. The silence was stifling, i had to do something. No point in dwelling on negative thoughts and fretting about. I got out of the flat and took a bus to Junction 8. Had Mos Burger for my dinner and while i was at it, i started on The Redemption of Althalus. Another quality novel by David Eddings, this is probably the 4th or 5th time reading this. Oh ya, a good book is one excellent way to focus the mind instead of having it jumping around like a monkey. Did about 60plus pages of it while i was there.
Next stop, Dobhy Ghaut. Popped into Gramophone, and i purchased some CDs. Didn't really have any idea what else to do, i walked over to the National Museum to admire the structure. Admired it for abit before crossing SMU to reach the other side and settled down at Coffee Bean (btw, the full name is Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf if you haven't noticed) for a cup of coffee and a slice of Apple Tart. Do give the Apple Tart a try the next time you are in Coffee Bean, its pretty decent (in my opinion). Read some more and its nearly 11pm. The cafe's closing and its time for me to go. Strolled down to Suntec and took Bus 70 home but i didn't go home immediately. Instead, i went to Macs that was about 5 mins walk away from home. Had some of those Twister fries and a cup of orange juice. Sat there for about 1 hr and read some more. Its nearly 1am, time to go home and already at page 216.
So, here i am, all logged on to my MSN, Yahoo Mail, Facebook and Blogger.
Saw some updates about her, Word Challenge shows she's the leader at 4 plus in the morning last nite and she also uploaded some fotos earlier about 7 plus this evening. Now, at the very least i know she's generally fine and i can at set my mind to ease.
Got messages from Qin last nite about 2 plus in the morning and from the tone of them, i didn't really feel comfortable esp when the last bit just broke off suddenly. I changed and took a cab down, i just had to be sure she wasn't wandering about in the middle of the nite. Walked around the neighbourhood, no sign of her. Tried calling, nobody answered. Told myself she's probably back at home and resting already. Nothing much i could do so i hung around for a while till about 4, left a message and prayed for her well being and i went home.
She replied today about 3 in the afternoon, i'm glad to get that sms but again it just stopped, no further replies from her. Tried a few more times in the evening until it was around 7 plus when i tried with a phone call. It just rang and rang and rang, nobody answered. The silence was stifling, i had to do something. No point in dwelling on negative thoughts and fretting about. I got out of the flat and took a bus to Junction 8. Had Mos Burger for my dinner and while i was at it, i started on The Redemption of Althalus. Another quality novel by David Eddings, this is probably the 4th or 5th time reading this. Oh ya, a good book is one excellent way to focus the mind instead of having it jumping around like a monkey. Did about 60plus pages of it while i was there.
Next stop, Dobhy Ghaut. Popped into Gramophone, and i purchased some CDs. Didn't really have any idea what else to do, i walked over to the National Museum to admire the structure. Admired it for abit before crossing SMU to reach the other side and settled down at Coffee Bean (btw, the full name is Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf if you haven't noticed) for a cup of coffee and a slice of Apple Tart. Do give the Apple Tart a try the next time you are in Coffee Bean, its pretty decent (in my opinion). Read some more and its nearly 11pm. The cafe's closing and its time for me to go. Strolled down to Suntec and took Bus 70 home but i didn't go home immediately. Instead, i went to Macs that was about 5 mins walk away from home. Had some of those Twister fries and a cup of orange juice. Sat there for about 1 hr and read some more. Its nearly 1am, time to go home and already at page 216.
So, here i am, all logged on to my MSN, Yahoo Mail, Facebook and Blogger.
Saw some updates about her, Word Challenge shows she's the leader at 4 plus in the morning last nite and she also uploaded some fotos earlier about 7 plus this evening. Now, at the very least i know she's generally fine and i can at set my mind to ease.
Friday, 2 January 2009
First Fri Nite of 2009
Qin mentioned yesterday that a fren is bringing her out this evening for dinner, hope she will have an enjoyable dinner tonight. Its been really a long time since i last went for a couple hours of skate in the nite alone with a little sea breeze to my face and music in my ears. Maybe, i should head to East Coast tonight. The sky is looking a little dark and i just hope the weather will hold. Another thing, i gotta remember to charge my headphones, the batts are flat.
Thursday, 1 January 2009
Keep Walking
That's how i spent most of my free time these days including today 1st Jan 2009. I go out for walks for up to 4 or 5 hours at a stretch with no particular destination in mind. Its just sort of wandering around type of walk.
It's good, helps to keep clear my mind from a lot of cluttering thoughts. In between the walk, i will take small break, have some coffee and read my novel for a little while. Once i'm rested, up and walking again till its time to go home.
Maybe just a quick update of my last few days in 2008, though not particularly interesting i must say:
24/12 & 25/12 - stayed home as my allergies acted up real bad, had a swollen face and rashes all over. To make matter worse, i had my first hyper ventilation experience on eve of Christmas. Had to trouble Pops to bring all the presents to the little ones. Was real glad when Pops told me Shana was delighted. Hope Shawn is just as delighted too.
26/12 - was a good day despite having to work for more than 12 hours. Met Qin for dinner and show. It was one of those rare days that we managed to meet up as arranged. Sometimes conditions does not present itself in such a manner that makes it easy for us to meet. Just have to keep trying. We caught Ip Man, a good flick with lots of actions and appropriate attempts at humour. Loved the part when the kiddo cycled out and said, "Pa, Ma said that you better start hitting back or else all the furniture will be broken."
27/12 - rested for most part of the day. Chatted with Qin online for awhile in the nite before going down to Win's place to pass Erinne her overdue Christmas present. Haha, as usual she likes to sulk when buddy makes her do her homework. But hey, i'm the funny guy and i got the little gal giggling soon. Later in the nite, buddy and me had a good catch up coffee session.
28/12 - wanted to catch Bolt but didn't manage to get a confirmation sms in time, so just left home around 6 in the evening for a stroll around town area. Took a train down to Orchard and went to Kino. Didn't' waste the trip, new graphic novels for Dragonlance and Demon Wars were out. Then i popped over to Gramophone at Cathay, finally decided to pick up the Band of Brothers DVDs. One of the best war series ever made. After that, i just kept walking, accompanied with the music that streamed steadily from my headset. Walked the length of Orchard till i reached Marina and over to Esplanade. Turned around and went back to Plaza Sing, then turn around again back to Suntec and took a bus home.
29/12 - was on leave for the day. Not much going on, wanted to meet up with Qin after work but it didn't work out again. Just strolled around City area again in the evening, waiting to see if there's a chance to meet up while searching for a present. Found a PM figurine at Plaza Sing. Always had a soft spot for these figurines, they have such nice qoutes. Esp their slogan, "Where memories are sweeter." Settled down at Gelare, had a slice of apple crumble and a nice cup of warm coffee while continuing my read of Tamuli by David Eddings. Can't remember how many times i have read this series, must be at least half a dozen times by now. By the time it was 9 plus, i just decided to pack it up and go home, figuratively speaking of course.
30/12 - back to work and after i knocked off ard 8, i popped over to Qin's place to pass her the gift to mark the passing of a year. Even though it was for only an hour or so, i was glad to be able to see her. Later back home, Hong got me online and asked me if i wanted to join him and the rest to catch fireworks at Marina area the next day. I declined, i had other ideas.
31/12 - wasn't so good a day but like all other days, it still passes on. Intitially, i planned to visit ACM (Asian Civilisation Museum) in the nite, have dinner and followed by a nite tour of the place. For that day, it was opened till 1 am and they had some sort of countdown event going about. Thought it would be a interesing way to move into a new year. For sure, it didn't go as i wish it would. Qin sms me in the morn that she wasn't feeling good and won't be able to meet up. To make matters worse, there was an issue at work that kept me working till 11.30pm without even time for dinner. Haha luckily, Ivy's husband, Ping (a good fren of mine from Poly days) came to pick her up abt midnite and we managed to grab some Macs at Queensway to fill our stomachs. Oh, he brought his new pair of pets along, nice enough puppies and i think Toufu got beautiful eyes.
01/01 - wished to catch Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea today but didn't manage to. Instead, took a train ride to Clarke Quay in the evening and i just wandered there to Boat Quay and Raffles Place around the old shophouses and museums. I like colonial buildings, they have a certain charm about them. Then stopped by City Hall around 8 plus and had dinner at Pastamania. There, i rested and continued my read for a while before strolling back to Dohby Ghaut to take a train ride home. And the rest of the day, typing this log.
Btw, Happy New Year to all of you out there. May you always be well and happy. May the year ahead be filled with love, peace and joy for you and your loved ones.
It's good, helps to keep clear my mind from a lot of cluttering thoughts. In between the walk, i will take small break, have some coffee and read my novel for a little while. Once i'm rested, up and walking again till its time to go home.
Maybe just a quick update of my last few days in 2008, though not particularly interesting i must say:
24/12 & 25/12 - stayed home as my allergies acted up real bad, had a swollen face and rashes all over. To make matter worse, i had my first hyper ventilation experience on eve of Christmas. Had to trouble Pops to bring all the presents to the little ones. Was real glad when Pops told me Shana was delighted. Hope Shawn is just as delighted too.
26/12 - was a good day despite having to work for more than 12 hours. Met Qin for dinner and show. It was one of those rare days that we managed to meet up as arranged. Sometimes conditions does not present itself in such a manner that makes it easy for us to meet. Just have to keep trying. We caught Ip Man, a good flick with lots of actions and appropriate attempts at humour. Loved the part when the kiddo cycled out and said, "Pa, Ma said that you better start hitting back or else all the furniture will be broken."
27/12 - rested for most part of the day. Chatted with Qin online for awhile in the nite before going down to Win's place to pass Erinne her overdue Christmas present. Haha, as usual she likes to sulk when buddy makes her do her homework. But hey, i'm the funny guy and i got the little gal giggling soon. Later in the nite, buddy and me had a good catch up coffee session.
28/12 - wanted to catch Bolt but didn't manage to get a confirmation sms in time, so just left home around 6 in the evening for a stroll around town area. Took a train down to Orchard and went to Kino. Didn't' waste the trip, new graphic novels for Dragonlance and Demon Wars were out. Then i popped over to Gramophone at Cathay, finally decided to pick up the Band of Brothers DVDs. One of the best war series ever made. After that, i just kept walking, accompanied with the music that streamed steadily from my headset. Walked the length of Orchard till i reached Marina and over to Esplanade. Turned around and went back to Plaza Sing, then turn around again back to Suntec and took a bus home.
29/12 - was on leave for the day. Not much going on, wanted to meet up with Qin after work but it didn't work out again. Just strolled around City area again in the evening, waiting to see if there's a chance to meet up while searching for a present. Found a PM figurine at Plaza Sing. Always had a soft spot for these figurines, they have such nice qoutes. Esp their slogan, "Where memories are sweeter." Settled down at Gelare, had a slice of apple crumble and a nice cup of warm coffee while continuing my read of Tamuli by David Eddings. Can't remember how many times i have read this series, must be at least half a dozen times by now. By the time it was 9 plus, i just decided to pack it up and go home, figuratively speaking of course.
30/12 - back to work and after i knocked off ard 8, i popped over to Qin's place to pass her the gift to mark the passing of a year. Even though it was for only an hour or so, i was glad to be able to see her. Later back home, Hong got me online and asked me if i wanted to join him and the rest to catch fireworks at Marina area the next day. I declined, i had other ideas.
31/12 - wasn't so good a day but like all other days, it still passes on. Intitially, i planned to visit ACM (Asian Civilisation Museum) in the nite, have dinner and followed by a nite tour of the place. For that day, it was opened till 1 am and they had some sort of countdown event going about. Thought it would be a interesing way to move into a new year. For sure, it didn't go as i wish it would. Qin sms me in the morn that she wasn't feeling good and won't be able to meet up. To make matters worse, there was an issue at work that kept me working till 11.30pm without even time for dinner. Haha luckily, Ivy's husband, Ping (a good fren of mine from Poly days) came to pick her up abt midnite and we managed to grab some Macs at Queensway to fill our stomachs. Oh, he brought his new pair of pets along, nice enough puppies and i think Toufu got beautiful eyes.
01/01 - wished to catch Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea today but didn't manage to. Instead, took a train ride to Clarke Quay in the evening and i just wandered there to Boat Quay and Raffles Place around the old shophouses and museums. I like colonial buildings, they have a certain charm about them. Then stopped by City Hall around 8 plus and had dinner at Pastamania. There, i rested and continued my read for a while before strolling back to Dohby Ghaut to take a train ride home. And the rest of the day, typing this log.
Btw, Happy New Year to all of you out there. May you always be well and happy. May the year ahead be filled with love, peace and joy for you and your loved ones.
Saturday, 27 December 2008
Of Oceans and Waves
When we think of ourselves, do we think individually or do we think collectively? Although not all the time but most of the time, the answer is individually. "I" comes up more often than "We" during our thought proccesses.
Why is that so? It is simply how we are being conditioned over the years and generations. From a very young age, our education has included "I", "You", "He", "She", "We" and "They". Taught in such a way to differentiate individuals but the truth is, the effects are more than just differentiation. To a certain degree, it conditions our mind to separates ourselves from others. Is this good or bad?
When we look deeper, we cannot say if such a thought process is truly good or bad. We can see that it is like a double edged sword, it can be used both ways. It depends on how we used it. We can used it to stop ourselves from destructive actions such as using "I" to separate ourselves from the rest who are dwelling in ways and dealings that do not better our lives or the lives of our loved ones. But when it comes to dwelling on our own misfortunes, the word "I" may not be as useful as it has a tendency to exaggerate the situation. Sometimes bad enough to start a whole chain of reactions that worsen the situation further. This is when the word "We" comes in very useful. It can help us to regain better clarity of the situation, to look beyond "I" and see the full picture with objectivity.
Just as the Buddha has taught, we can be liken to waves and oceans. A wave in its rise and fall is like us individually, the birth (rise) and death (fall) of a person. Some waves are big and strong while some are small and weak. While most of us will be the little waves, leading a most ordinary life but there are some who rises above the rest, seemingly a life that is not so ordinary, be it full of glitter or be it full of turbulence. But we need to look beyond the waves, not to lose sight of the ocean itself.
A wave is ocean. Although a wave itself is a distinct phenomenon it cannot be separated from ocean. When the conditions ripens enough to cause a wave, nothing is added to ocean. When the activity of wave ceases, nothing has been taken away from ocean as well. The ocean is still the ocean.
Maybe that is one of the reasons why people feel calmer when watching the sea. It tends to gives one a sense of belonging to something bigger than self. Oh, if you are the sort that gets sea sick easily, you look at a patch of grassland or a range of moutains or the clouds in the sky, it should work just as well. Sorry if it sounds a little cold.. my sense of warped humour tends to get the better of me =P
Why is that so? It is simply how we are being conditioned over the years and generations. From a very young age, our education has included "I", "You", "He", "She", "We" and "They". Taught in such a way to differentiate individuals but the truth is, the effects are more than just differentiation. To a certain degree, it conditions our mind to separates ourselves from others. Is this good or bad?
When we look deeper, we cannot say if such a thought process is truly good or bad. We can see that it is like a double edged sword, it can be used both ways. It depends on how we used it. We can used it to stop ourselves from destructive actions such as using "I" to separate ourselves from the rest who are dwelling in ways and dealings that do not better our lives or the lives of our loved ones. But when it comes to dwelling on our own misfortunes, the word "I" may not be as useful as it has a tendency to exaggerate the situation. Sometimes bad enough to start a whole chain of reactions that worsen the situation further. This is when the word "We" comes in very useful. It can help us to regain better clarity of the situation, to look beyond "I" and see the full picture with objectivity.
Just as the Buddha has taught, we can be liken to waves and oceans. A wave in its rise and fall is like us individually, the birth (rise) and death (fall) of a person. Some waves are big and strong while some are small and weak. While most of us will be the little waves, leading a most ordinary life but there are some who rises above the rest, seemingly a life that is not so ordinary, be it full of glitter or be it full of turbulence. But we need to look beyond the waves, not to lose sight of the ocean itself.
A wave is ocean. Although a wave itself is a distinct phenomenon it cannot be separated from ocean. When the conditions ripens enough to cause a wave, nothing is added to ocean. When the activity of wave ceases, nothing has been taken away from ocean as well. The ocean is still the ocean.
Maybe that is one of the reasons why people feel calmer when watching the sea. It tends to gives one a sense of belonging to something bigger than self. Oh, if you are the sort that gets sea sick easily, you look at a patch of grassland or a range of moutains or the clouds in the sky, it should work just as well. Sorry if it sounds a little cold.. my sense of warped humour tends to get the better of me =P
Wednesday, 24 December 2008
Friday, 12 December 2008
Today's Epilogue
11 Dec 2008 - a day where the atmosphere in the office was far from usual.
Eyes darted towards each slightly exaggerated movement in our visual corners. Ears perked up each time the doors opened and closed slightly louder than normal. You can almost literally feel your hair standing in the air and your nerves tingling beneath the skin.
Words and information exchanged quickly between men and women alike; something is not right. Everyone is wondering - Where is he? Why does he not return to his work station? Yes, the people involved in the exercise were notified today. Spirits were further dampened with the rain beating upon the window panes. Hmmph, as if it was not melodramatic enough. Attention turned inwards, almost everyone had the same thought, "Will i be next?" So immersed in their thoughts, some jumped even at the sound of their phones ringing.
Emotions were clearly etched on everyone's face. There's no hiding it, each one wearing a different facial expression. Seeing a familiar go, tears were threatening to flow for some while others simply relieved that they were not part of the exercise. For the rest, Resentment? Surprise? Shock? I cannot tell for sure but the feelings are definitely not positive. So were mine, it doesn't feel good to see someone leave without a closure. Especially when he has been one of the better new found friends since i joined.
Eyes darted towards each slightly exaggerated movement in our visual corners. Ears perked up each time the doors opened and closed slightly louder than normal. You can almost literally feel your hair standing in the air and your nerves tingling beneath the skin.
Words and information exchanged quickly between men and women alike; something is not right. Everyone is wondering - Where is he? Why does he not return to his work station? Yes, the people involved in the exercise were notified today. Spirits were further dampened with the rain beating upon the window panes. Hmmph, as if it was not melodramatic enough. Attention turned inwards, almost everyone had the same thought, "Will i be next?" So immersed in their thoughts, some jumped even at the sound of their phones ringing.
Emotions were clearly etched on everyone's face. There's no hiding it, each one wearing a different facial expression. Seeing a familiar go, tears were threatening to flow for some while others simply relieved that they were not part of the exercise. For the rest, Resentment? Surprise? Shock? I cannot tell for sure but the feelings are definitely not positive. So were mine, it doesn't feel good to see someone leave without a closure. Especially when he has been one of the better new found friends since i joined.
Thursday, 11 December 2008
Job Cuts..
As announced to the media, there's going to be a job reduction exercise in the firm due to Strategic Change.
A total of more than 5,300 jobs will be made redundant and that is more than 10% of our total workforce. From what is known, it appears that we in the Asia Pacific region will be hit hardest.
The namelist will be announced soon in the month itself and i believe it will be these couple of days. So, who is affected? Maybe me? Who knows? Let's wait for the announcement then.
A total of more than 5,300 jobs will be made redundant and that is more than 10% of our total workforce. From what is known, it appears that we in the Asia Pacific region will be hit hardest.
The namelist will be announced soon in the month itself and i believe it will be these couple of days. So, who is affected? Maybe me? Who knows? Let's wait for the announcement then.
Sweet Camomile
Since her first concert here in Singapore 4 years ago, Emi Fujita will be holding her second concert this Sat 13 Dec 2008 in Esplanade. Because of my indecisiveness, I missed the first concert. I was left with choices of the most expensive seats by the time i made up my mind. It was too late. Back then, i simply do not have the budget to get a pair of tickets at 100 plus each.
Now, i'm 4 years older and with a little more spending power. So, i'm not going to miss it if i can possibly help it. Yup, i holding a pair of the Cat B passes. =)
I can still recall the time when i first heard her voice in Music Junction at Plaza Singapura 5 years back. They were playing the song "What a Wonderful World" from her second Camomile album, Camomile Blend.
It touched and i was so absolutely captivated by it. From that moment, i knew i was going to walk out from that music store with a copy of the album in my hands. The album surpassed my expectations and i keep recommending it to my colleagues. For those who heard her, they may not become a overnight fan like me but they definitely did agree that she was gifted with a most soothing voice. As for me since then, i've been looking out for her new works each time i pop into a music store.
Yes, i am so looking forward to this Sat! =)
Friday, 28 November 2008
Happiness of A Car Salesman
Just to share a little short story that was told by Venerable Mahinda during a Dhamma talk, a story about a car salesman and his index of happiness.
"There was a car salesman who measured his happiness in life each month using a very simple formula - no. of cars that was actually sold / no. of cars he expects to sell. So during months when car sales were good, the salesman was filled with happiness but when times were bad, so was his mood."
"Take for example, he expects to sell 100 cars each month. In one of the months, he sold 75 cars - based on the formula, he would be 75% happy. A good percentage since he was happy most of the time. But what if he sold a single car during the month, then he would only be 1% happy - isn't that sad?"
"So the salesman tries extremely hard each month to sell as many cars as he could. But little did he realise, there is a much easier way to happiness - to lower his expectations."
"Remember the earlier formlua? If the denominator is 1 and not 100, he will be a very happy man, at least 100% happy if he managed to sell just 1 car alone. But what if we learn not to have Zero expectations? Anything divided by zero is always infinite in a maths formula, then our happiness will be infinite."
In just a simple short story, Bhante has provided a quick insight how much unhappiness can be caused when one has too much expectations in life, no matter whether the expectations are for ourselves or others.
However, we must not confuse expectations with goals, we still need to have goals in life so that we have something to work for so that we do not become complacent or lazy. With goals in life, we can make plans and place our efforts in the right direction and not let our thoughts or actions wander about mindlessly.
We may think of a goal as a destination, a snow-capped mountain that is a thousand miles away. From far, we already have the mountain in sight. If we expect to reach mountain in the next 2 hours, we are likely to be disappointed since it is very unlikely we can do so. But if we forget about pushing time to reach the mountain and just simply walk towards it with no expectation on the time required to get there, we may even find ourselves enjoying the walk itself.
Isn't that a lot nicer? =)
"There was a car salesman who measured his happiness in life each month using a very simple formula - no. of cars that was actually sold / no. of cars he expects to sell. So during months when car sales were good, the salesman was filled with happiness but when times were bad, so was his mood."
"Take for example, he expects to sell 100 cars each month. In one of the months, he sold 75 cars - based on the formula, he would be 75% happy. A good percentage since he was happy most of the time. But what if he sold a single car during the month, then he would only be 1% happy - isn't that sad?"
"So the salesman tries extremely hard each month to sell as many cars as he could. But little did he realise, there is a much easier way to happiness - to lower his expectations."
"Remember the earlier formlua? If the denominator is 1 and not 100, he will be a very happy man, at least 100% happy if he managed to sell just 1 car alone. But what if we learn not to have Zero expectations? Anything divided by zero is always infinite in a maths formula, then our happiness will be infinite."
In just a simple short story, Bhante has provided a quick insight how much unhappiness can be caused when one has too much expectations in life, no matter whether the expectations are for ourselves or others.
However, we must not confuse expectations with goals, we still need to have goals in life so that we have something to work for so that we do not become complacent or lazy. With goals in life, we can make plans and place our efforts in the right direction and not let our thoughts or actions wander about mindlessly.
We may think of a goal as a destination, a snow-capped mountain that is a thousand miles away. From far, we already have the mountain in sight. If we expect to reach mountain in the next 2 hours, we are likely to be disappointed since it is very unlikely we can do so. But if we forget about pushing time to reach the mountain and just simply walk towards it with no expectation on the time required to get there, we may even find ourselves enjoying the walk itself.
Isn't that a lot nicer? =)
Saturday, 15 November 2008
Breathing Mindfully
Watching your breath? Have you ever done so? Is it fast and hard or is it slow and steady?Breath mindfulness is a technique that has been taught for thousand of years. You may wonder, don't we all know how to breathe? Yes, we all know how to but over the years as we grow, we forget, we forget how to breathe without a care.
Remember when we are all still a child, all of us knew how to breathe, how to do so without a care, to breathe each breath and marvel in each and every moment as we fill our lungs with air. Why not take this moment, slow down, put away whatever you are doing and just watch your breathe for a few minutes or so?
It is a marvellous feeling when we settle into it, our breath becomes lighter and so does our heart and mind. Our mind may be filled with activities at first but as we practice it over time, it becomes easier to be more mindful of our breaths. Most of us as we start off, our breaths are hard and fast because of the tension that has been built up in our mind and body over the years. But just let our body and mind settle and our breaths will follow suit. It will start to slow down and we will find that each intake of breath becoming smoother.
Our breaths can be reflected to be a mirror of our lives. Like each moment in life, each breath is unique in its own rights, some long, some short, some hard, some smooth, reflecting impermanence. Our bodies rise and fall as we breathe in and out, just like our lives, birth (rise) and death (fall) with some days of our lives somewhat harder than the rest while some days are more pleasant. As we reflect on this while we watch our breaths, we will understand life a little better and with that understanding, we naturally become more lighthearted and just simply marvel in the simplictity of it all.
Now that we realise breathing is such a big event, will you spend a few minutes of your time with it everyday? =)
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
My Workstation @ ORL
It's been over 3 months since we moved from ORQ to ORL. Here's a little peek to how my corner looks like.. its a pity those partitions are metal, so not much space for me to pin up fotos. Other than that, its still pretty much cosy like my previous workstations. =)
Thursday, 16 October 2008
Shingles Part 2
According to Wikipedia, the occurence of Shingles is 1.2 to 3.4 cases per 1,000 healthy individuals. That works out to be about 0.12% to 0.34% chances of contracting Shingles.
Sometimes when events like this happens to ourselves, we tend to ask the question, "Why me of all people?" and start lamenting about our situation. Doing so serves no wholesome purpose and will only worsen our mentality and slow down the recovery of our body since a body cannot be well without a healthy mind.
In turn, why not ask ourselves the question the other way round, "Why not?" What makes us so special that we are spared instead and not others? This will help us to take stock of the entire situation in a more holistic manner.
After all, we are all sentient beings subjected to the 4 conditions, Birth, Old Age, Sickness and Death and no one is spared from such.
Sometimes when events like this happens to ourselves, we tend to ask the question, "Why me of all people?" and start lamenting about our situation. Doing so serves no wholesome purpose and will only worsen our mentality and slow down the recovery of our body since a body cannot be well without a healthy mind.
In turn, why not ask ourselves the question the other way round, "Why not?" What makes us so special that we are spared instead and not others? This will help us to take stock of the entire situation in a more holistic manner.
After all, we are all sentient beings subjected to the 4 conditions, Birth, Old Age, Sickness and Death and no one is spared from such.
Wednesday, 15 October 2008
Shingles
Think i got the shingles, in Chinese it is know as 生蛇..
The symptons started on saturday nite, its getting progressively worse. It starts from my chest area and it stretches all the way to my back spinal area.
It causing me no small amount of pain and discomfort.. not only that it is causing my social life too and i missed a very impt message on monday nite..
More information abt it can be found in the below link..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingles
The symptons started on saturday nite, its getting progressively worse. It starts from my chest area and it stretches all the way to my back spinal area.
It causing me no small amount of pain and discomfort.. not only that it is causing my social life too and i missed a very impt message on monday nite..
More information abt it can be found in the below link..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shingles
Friday, 10 October 2008
Unthoughtfulness
I was pretty unthoughtful and i did not realise it till Qin hinted to me today, my bad.. it was something that i should have taken note of.. heehee, to make it worse, it was a lesson that i could learn from my 2 very good friends. so here i am, making this entry so that whenever i happen to revisit my blog, i can reflect again on how to be a little more thoughtful to those people whom i hold close to my mind =)
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