I'm Impressed. Very Impressed!!

I went to our national inland revenue board to check my pin number and I must admit: THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I'M REALLY IMPRESSED BY THE SERVICE OF OUR GOVERNMENT SERVANT!!!!

No joke, all other departments of government sectors in Malaysia is well-known with their below par service - insufficient smile, bad manners, bad efficiency etc. But this one, this one really open my eyes.

I was greeted with a very friendly smile by a very polite young man at the entrance giving assistance to people coming for their income tax matter and when I reach the relevant floor to require for my pin number the lady talked to me with very kind manners (and with smile) and asked if I'd like to do the tax submission there. The place was totally crowded but the attitude is well-maintained! I replied that I'd like to have the pin number and do the submission elsewhere and so she asked for my ID card for verification and printed me the required number. She's even kind enough to show me how I should do the online tax submission. I thanked her and left after that very short conversation.

Honestly speaking I was feeling very pleased and the first thing I told Joie when I got into his car is about all these good treatment that I just received and he replied, "Yes they have the best manners amongst all government sectors, very well-known already."

Bravo to Lembaga Hasil Dalam Negeri!!!

Headache

I think I have all of these:


I don't know what's the reason but I've always had headache that irritates me, like everyday. I went to see the doctor and was told I would probably have migraine and some friends say it could be due to the coffee habit (whereby skipping coffee will cause headache). My dad says, "because you sleep late; because you're hungry and the gas generated by your stomach is giving your head a pain."

Well, all sorts of reasons but I can have no cure. At least not really helping me to cut down the number of occurrence. The weather gives me headache, gastric gives me headache, coffee (I really find this funny because the coffee that I'm drinking is as dilute as plain water) gives me headache. Recently I have another good reason to give me headache too - pillow.

Yep, I've tried different types of pillow - hard, soft, contour etc but still can't wake up to feeling real fresh because so far none have given me a good night sleep.

Sigh...

Bring it On!!!!!

Sometimes it is just inevitable - to bump into jerk(s) in our life.

What's worse is: they're so used to appear in images that is superior than us, either older or having higher post. What are they good at? Nothing more than making people's life difficult.

It is somehow like their common quality. You just can't even have that tiny little hope in having a small space to breath. They'll choke you whenever their wind comes.

I listened to someone's grumble yesterday and the incidents recalled the days I once had in years - where the pressure was breathing right at my neck.

The common outcome is QUIT. Not right away because that'd mean I'm too lame to even try to show I am capable of coping. But in time after I have learned how to master the skills.
Just like Friedrich Nietzsche said, "What Doesn't Destroy Me Makes Me Stronger!"

I said to her, "thanks to the "trainer" who'd pushed you to the limit and brought out the best in you. Because only then you can soar when you meet with the one who see your real potentials are."

We do not deserve to be treated badly forever. Spread the wings and show our true capability especially to people who appreciate our qualities.

HOPE on May 2nd & 3rd

Before I get into the discussion of MARRIAGE, allow me to make this short announcement - a performance that is coming your way.

This lady, Joyce (as shown in the picture), is choreographing a piece called HOPE and she's putting up a work-in-progress showcase this early May. The real thing should be ready in 2010 so this showcase shall present to you only the making of it.

She's always been stationing in the States and comes back approximately once a year to make her contribution to art by bringing forward her thoughts and ideas in putting movements together to present an expression.

This piece is presented by a group of performers of different age - a 9-year-old, some teenagers, and adults. The place where this showcase will hold is Boddhiheart Sanctuary in Mount Erskine.

Give yourself a chance to see how HOPES can be seen and realized from a series of happenings around us.

It is important to be able to see positives through the negatives.

Limited addmission only.

Missmatch

Missmatch, 2003

(from left: Lake Bell, Ryan O'Neal, James Roday, Alicia Silverstone, David Conrad, Jodi Long)

After months of writing rather serious and sound more like lecture's blogs, I think it is time to change.

Ok my intention was good and I am not doubting myself. But admit it, who like to be nagged and told what to and not to do? Moreover I realize some hint here and there taking real short and straight to the point scenario into picture is more fun. It is more interesting to DISCOVER things by ourselves than being lead.

So what about missmatch? Alicia Silverstone. Oh it is a tv series back in 2003 and I just started watching it.

I've got to admit the key leads me here landing on missmatch is David Conrad.

He's in this one too. Anyone into Ghost Whisperer? He's that handsome, charming, loving and understanding husband who'd decided not going into the light and stay behind to live in another person's body just to be with Melinda Gordon (Jennifer Love Hewitt), a gifted psychic antiqueshop owner.

Come back to Kate (Alicia), she's a divorce attorney but she's actually more popular in matchmaking. Yes she is working on settling people's failed marriages on one hand while helping more bachelors to meet up with someone. One is her job, the other ism let's say, her belief.

I'll start writing a series of blog about this very interesting idea. Come share with me if you have anything to say. Let's make this topic of life - "MARRIAGE" to become a shared exploration.

Ya I am into marching on that path soon...

Show Love the Way We Mean It

We say "I love you" to people we love (please exclude yourself if you are not into this kind of direct expression). I think love is very mysterious. I mean how can you define the love you have towards the person you are referring to? You can't right? So how did you show your love, besides saying "I love you"? You care (and you show it), you pay attention (and you show it), you listen, you accept the person the way he/she is. Do you do harm or hurt the person you love? Yes, but not intentionally I believe. So what did you usually do when you realized you have done something bad to the person you love? Do you apologize and remind yourself not to repeat the same mistake again?

That's what I am saying - let's put the picture we see from the above paragraph onto EARTH instead of a person.

It got me thinking: how many of us really cherish the bond between human beings and mother earth? And how many of us really show gratitude for the unselfishly given resources that mother earth has given us and concern about the damage we are creating onto her everyday?

It is a habit, I believe, just like how we build we way of showing our love towards our kids, parents, friends, neighbors, and even people cried for help from the poverty places. We first have our purest compassion in our heart then bring it forward and give it out to others.

We can do it for people and animal so why can't we do it for earth?

How can we show love to earth? Do less harm (as much as you can) is the very only thing. Of course you can do more constructive things such as planting more trees but creating less sabotage is good enough - less power wastage (remember EARTH HOUR?) and less contamination (water, air, solid waste).

Just remember: what you are enjoying today isn't fully your own earning. They come from the utilization of resources (from this planet called earth, of course). You are just paying for the creation made out of these resources. So be thankful for the abundance of resources and show your appreciation by working together with the source.

Never underestimate your influence, because a little goes a long way..........

Happy Birthday, Earth, on your 4.54billion(source: wikipedia) one's and many more greener, cleaner and more beautiful years to come...

The True Warrior In Each and Everyone of Us

How many of us have never failed or felt defeated? Joie found this very renown motivational speaker - Nick Vujicic. He mentioned about "falling down and getting up" and it got me stop and think for quite a while: how many of us have really embraced the spirit inside our chest in confronting our life?

We all want to have fun, and don't want trouble in things we do so that we can be happy. But the truth is we've got to earn what we want by showing our determination and dedication in things we do. We ought to face ourselves and our life head up and keep trying until we get there.

I went on to look for Nick's other speaches, where he talks about "a life without limbs to a life without limits".








Remember,

PERSPECTIVE

VISION

CHOICES

What Trully Inspirational Is

How often we're blinded by our judgment? How often did we miss a really good thing simply because we set a limit like the road-black we see on the road trying to stop thing from "trespassing"? We have always have so many (good) "reasons" and (perfect) "gut feeling" about saying "this not good" and "that not right" and end up shaking head or waving hand.

Worst still, we even have this very good capability/power to making things look a hell lot uglier in our head than itself could (or not) possibly be.

Oh yes, we think we know a lot. We can't be too far from being right either even if we don't know something. Just like the elderly likes to say to people, "I eat salt more than you eat rice" or "I walk bridge more than you walk road". (Whoa!) What is that they are trying to show? Well on one hand, yes, they are trying to give experienced advice - I've lived longer and seen more than you my experience could serve as a good lesson for you not to repeat the stupid mistake; but on the other, their head is filled with a stiff mind - listen, believe and follow what I say and you shall not be wrong.

Watch this first...


(or visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luRmM1J1sfg)

We can see a hall filled with people and faces that show a big scorn look to this 47-year old lady - she is here to make fool of herself as well as the audience and judges.

What is the damage can make to us if we simply refuse to allow ourselves to receive things without prejudice?

Look closely (the video) and think very carefully...

And another thing: Does age matter? If you have a heart, you're never too old to do anything!

Seeing Through the Glass of Life

Sometimes we find life difficult, especially when we're asked to face more and more defeat before we manage to catch a deep breath and get ourselves ready for them.

A junior who used to be very dear had a chat with me this afternoon. I haven't seen her in person for years and I thought we could use some chat so I call her on MSN. We started with casual talk and slowly move into some issues in life. Throughout the conversation that we had I realize it is almost a must for every individual to go through the very similar life events (beside the common life cycle). What vary is the timing and the degree of it.

One thing that she really got me thinking is when she say: few years back if you tell me all these, I won't be able to understand but now I REALLY feel it.

Everyone has their own path to take and journey to walk. What matter is not to push to hard.

So I told her,
"I wouldn't say much for the time being"
"you need time to see your life"
"and believe me, things change"
"people too"
"live your life and listen to your heart"
"sometimes it pays to break through obstacles"
"and these challenges are meant for one thing and one thing only: to equip yourself to become better in time"

I was pretty surprise myself because the way I talk has become different. I would be very analytical and my words would filled with sense in the past. But now I would advice her to follow her heart instead.

Time and experience make our eyes different so that we appreciate the scenes along the way.

And one thing very funny is out of nowhere I said this line to her:

Understand the nature, learn the detail, feel the motion.

Hrm... what do you think?

Collapse!

It's this morning, both me and Joie woke up from sleep and he sat up like usual. Suddenly a big "Whamp" sound and the bed snapped - the mattress support of the bed PATAH (broken)! The bed sank one side and we both were like "what happen?" then Joie got totally awake from his sleepy eyes and I laughed. I jumped off the bed and went to the washroom while keep on laughing thinking of his look (*lol).

Anyway, this bed of mine has been around for 30 years (although the early years were mostly left unoccupied because I was too chicken to sleep alone in my room). Guess it has worked enough.

So now my bed is Japanese style - mattress on the floor.

Honestly, it's kinda cool for me and I kinda like it. ^_^

Admitting is the First Step to Improvement

I often try talking to people's heart and find shut-doors and tall-walls preventing me to enter. They portray a very opposite image trying to convince people how strong and well they are.

We all know everyone has their own ego. But what I don't know is whether due to our culture or we're actually borne with such a quality in valuing ego so high until DENIAL is the first respond although deep down inside our heart knows: We've got to admit it is true.

We hide our real feelings, often giving good reasons (excuses) for denying our resistance to accept them especially the negative ones such as fear and worry. Sometimes the conservative type even refuse to admit their love and care.

Why is that?

Because we're not taught to be expressive? Because we're not brave enough to face even ourselves? Because nodding to our feelings means showing others we are weak?

We're built and equipped with many different feelings and admitting their existence does not mean concluding who we are. So everyone is so used to a positive, strong, happy, healthy, optimistic, energetic image; then? So what?

Building a habit to be (become) positive is different from denying the true feelings inside.

We are not perfect and being able to acknowledge that allows us to accept our true self. Don't crash the real feelings for they are the key to become a better person.

A Reflection of the Inner State

I was wandering in words and pictures and I realized they both carry some very different power and capability in reflecting the inner state. Words are rather precise and obvious in putting forward the very true feelings; whereas pictures speak without asking you to listen.

We read the lines and feel the emotion that reflected on our feelings; but we feel the feelings run through our veins when we look at a picture without knowing it is talking to us.

I asked Joie what have he see in my photos that I took last week and he calmly replied "peace".

I smiled.

I am glad to hear I am at peace.

Seeing Her, Loving Her

The last time I walk around the city and take photographs was when I was going through the turmoil of my head and heart. My captures during then were filled with puzzle and emptiness.

Last Friday, myself and my recently in love with photography's youngest brother took the initiative to take a good look at our beloved island and so we went out and act like tourist snapping pictures.

We did not go many places though because it was a last minute decision and the weather's really killing.

What have we got? It depends on what we intend to tell. Either way, it is still we say "I love you" to this lovely place of our home - Penang.