During lunch earlier today, the uncle who took my order put an ash tray in front of me on my table. These were my thoughts that follow:
1) Do I have a smoker face painted on me? (being defensive)
2) Maybe he assumes people who enjoy black coffee also enjoy smoking. (intellectualizing)
3) Perhaps it's just good customer service just in case I smoke. (positive thinking)
4) Most likely he just did it on a whim.
5) Later in the evening, I definitely think too much.
On a separate note, this is a video on TED by Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability to share. I enjoy this video and find the word 'vulnerability' fascinating. To me, vulnerability has a negative connotation and implies helplessness. I would prefer the word 'surrender', borrowed from The Steps of Surrendering by bestselling writer Deepak Chopra. If I understand Brene correctly, to be vulnerable is to surrender. However, to surrender, we need not be vulnerable.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Jacky Cheung - 只想一生跟你走 Everlasting Love
While rummaging for songs in You Tube, I came across the songs by my favourite Hong Kong singer-songwriter and actor Jacky Cheung. His voice and songs are timeless classics.
Like the title of his hit song below, Jacky Cheung is indeed everlasting.
Like the title of his hit song below, Jacky Cheung is indeed everlasting.
Jacky Cheung - 只想一生跟你走 Everlasting Love
For a cocoa pod like myself; yellow on the outside but brown on the inside (I am a Malaysian Chinese who cannot read Chinese), I am thankful for the lyrics and translation found in this blog.
Monday, October 08, 2012
Kuala Lumpur City Gallery
Was early to the library today and ended up being a tourist in the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery instead.
The gallery does not have much yet but the souvenir shop there called ARCH was an intriguing one. ARCH creates unique gifts and collectibles based on the theme of "One City, One Heritage" and the art pieces are made from wood veneer acquired from sustainable sources. Being someone who prefer products made from wood and glass to the other materials, I find the shop such a fascinating discovery. More info about ARCH can be found on ARCH Collection.
The gallery does not have much yet but the souvenir shop there called ARCH was an intriguing one. ARCH creates unique gifts and collectibles based on the theme of "One City, One Heritage" and the art pieces are made from wood veneer acquired from sustainable sources. Being someone who prefer products made from wood and glass to the other materials, I find the shop such a fascinating discovery. More info about ARCH can be found on ARCH Collection.
Monday, October 01, 2012
Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership
Read something really interesting from John C. Maxwell's book, Becoming A Person of Influence. Its something called "Paradoxical Commandments of Leadership" and here is what it says:
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered - love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives - do good anyway.
If you're successful, you'll win false friends and true enemies - succeed anyway.
The good you do today will perhaps be forgotten tomorrow - do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable - be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest man with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest man with the smallest mind - think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only hot dogs - fight for the few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight - build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you help them - help them anyway.
Give the world the best that you have and you will get kicked in the teeth - give the world the best that you have anyway.
If better is possible, then good is not enough.
On a separate note, I managed to add another run medal to my collection. It was from the 10km Xtrail Run held last Sun, 30 Sept 2012. Thought the 10km would be a piece of cake after running a half marathon but I took an hour and 20 minutes to complete the run. On top of that, I almost fell sick later yesterday out of fatigue and the heat. Fortunately, all is cool. The run was also quite a different experience; running in the mud with country side scenery and smells like grass and cow dung.
People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered - love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives - do good anyway.
If you're successful, you'll win false friends and true enemies - succeed anyway.
The good you do today will perhaps be forgotten tomorrow - do good anyway.
Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable - be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest man with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest man with the smallest mind - think big anyway.
People favor underdogs but follow only hot dogs - fight for the few underdogs anyway.
What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight - build anyway.
People really need help but may attack you if you help them - help them anyway.
Give the world the best that you have and you will get kicked in the teeth - give the world the best that you have anyway.
If better is possible, then good is not enough.
On a separate note, I managed to add another run medal to my collection. It was from the 10km Xtrail Run held last Sun, 30 Sept 2012. Thought the 10km would be a piece of cake after running a half marathon but I took an hour and 20 minutes to complete the run. On top of that, I almost fell sick later yesterday out of fatigue and the heat. Fortunately, all is cool. The run was also quite a different experience; running in the mud with country side scenery and smells like grass and cow dung.
Monday, September 24, 2012
My Hat's Off to Jon Meade Huntsman
I learned about Jon M. Huntsman from the book I picked up by chance from the National Library. It is the book written by the billionaire himself, Winners Never Cheat: Everyday Values We Learned as Children (But May Have Forgotten).
In my opinion, some of the points illustrated regarding honesty and playing by the rules are on the extreme ends but as an individual, he is truly remarkable. Not only the sum of his donation was humongous (more than $1.2 billion), he had taken out bank loans to meet his philanthropic pledges in bad economic times. I can comprehend if a man dies broke by giving his money away to various charities but cannot help wondering what went through his mind to borrow money from someone just to give away to others. Simply amazing.
A brief info about Jon Huntsman can be found on Wikipedia. It is inspiring to learn that such a man exist in the world.
In my opinion, some of the points illustrated regarding honesty and playing by the rules are on the extreme ends but as an individual, he is truly remarkable. Not only the sum of his donation was humongous (more than $1.2 billion), he had taken out bank loans to meet his philanthropic pledges in bad economic times. I can comprehend if a man dies broke by giving his money away to various charities but cannot help wondering what went through his mind to borrow money from someone just to give away to others. Simply amazing.
A brief info about Jon Huntsman can be found on Wikipedia. It is inspiring to learn that such a man exist in the world.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
The Courage to Make Mistakes
Courage was never a value I learn from young. The same goes for making mistakes. In school, I was taught to get the right answers and score in exams. Making mistakes was not valued.
Ironically, to get the right answers, sometimes we need to know the wrong ones. How do we know what is right and what is wrong? As they say, good judgments come from experience and experience comes from bad judgments. We can always learn from other people's experience but its never the same experiencing ourselves. Just because everybody says something is not right doesn't mean it is definitely not right. For example, back in those days, people used to think that Earth is the center of the universe. Today, we know that our Mother Earth revolves round the sun.
Curiosity is alluring and I want to remain a curious cat who keep questioning. Of course, there's also a saying that goes, "Curiosity kills the cat". So, I pray for courage. I pray for courage so that I shall walk a path less traveled by. In other words, dare to be different and do what others are not willing to do. I also pray for courage to speak my mind and do what I believe is right. The latter has proven to be much more challenging.
Well, what that's worth doing is worth doing after all. If I make mistakes, I wish for people around me to open my eyes and the wisdom to learn from the mistakes. So, I hope not to be perfect but for courage to make mistakes and learn from them.
Ironically, to get the right answers, sometimes we need to know the wrong ones. How do we know what is right and what is wrong? As they say, good judgments come from experience and experience comes from bad judgments. We can always learn from other people's experience but its never the same experiencing ourselves. Just because everybody says something is not right doesn't mean it is definitely not right. For example, back in those days, people used to think that Earth is the center of the universe. Today, we know that our Mother Earth revolves round the sun.
Curiosity is alluring and I want to remain a curious cat who keep questioning. Of course, there's also a saying that goes, "Curiosity kills the cat". So, I pray for courage. I pray for courage so that I shall walk a path less traveled by. In other words, dare to be different and do what others are not willing to do. I also pray for courage to speak my mind and do what I believe is right. The latter has proven to be much more challenging.
Well, what that's worth doing is worth doing after all. If I make mistakes, I wish for people around me to open my eyes and the wisdom to learn from the mistakes. So, I hope not to be perfect but for courage to make mistakes and learn from them.
Sunday, September 16, 2012
Taiping International Marathon
Sept 16 2012 was the second time they organized the Taiping International Marathon. I used to cycle around town and the outskirts back in high school but would not have run in my beloved home town had it not for the marathon this morning.
It was my first half marathon. Could not run any more for the last 5 kilometres but I am proud to complete the run within 2 hours and 42 minutes. Not too shabby eh? :)
It was my first half marathon. Could not run any more for the last 5 kilometres but I am proud to complete the run within 2 hours and 42 minutes. Not too shabby eh? :)
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