明の笔记 @rM3nG's Scrapbook

2nd Anniversary… of Work…

2011-11-15T23:19:00.000+08:00

It’s been 2 years and 3 months since I’ve been in KL, or more precise to say to have been working here. Rat race here – spinning in circles some a sum of money, not to say little, but strictly not much too. Surely I’ve changed, more or less? Well, it depends…

One thing I realized today is that I’ve changed from a funny person to a serious guy, maybe not totally serious, but definitely less funny. Perhaps this is what I want earlier not long after graduation – I don’t want to be a clown among my friends anymore. And maybe, that’s the only specialty I’ve in making friends – being funny – and since then I couldn’t remember having many friends.

I remember myself a person who likes to share his feelings and thoughts anyhow, facebook, blogspot, chatting, blah… ~ when I recall all these, I felt myself being childish, regardless time of happy or pessimistic, no matter when I share some funny videos or else. I felt that all I did was to catch the attention of others, wanting the whole world to know my feelings.

Pointless – the word I use to describe whenever thinking whatever I did. Along the way, somehow I prefer to keep things to myself and be it that way. A good way to regard myself is that I’ve become more mature and stronger.

A Chinese saying that goes as: “When people comment on you, regardless praise or critics, never show your reaction in your face, but keep it deep in your heart. For critic, do a self-check and repent if it’s true. For praise, keep it as a compliment and nothing to be proud of. (人们评论之，无论赞或辱，勿露于脸色，应深藏心底。辱，则检讨己过；赞；则当以加冕。)“

I think this is the saying that fits into a life of an adult. I’m no more a kid, but a man with certain burden to carry for his loved ones. Perhaps this is all a meaningless rat race. But before encountering the joy I used to own in great moments of life, I must continue to move on even I’m weary.

I know that for my joy to complete, my life need to be joint with The Way. I do not know when but I know that it will be complete with The Word. May it not be too late…

First time I share my feelings after all this while and somehow it makes me feel better…

Forget-Ful and Forget-Not…

2011-09-25T01:29:00.000+08:00

Human brain is more sophisticated than anyone could ever imagine. I believe we have what-so-called selective memory with a mixture of a cognitive one where we remember incidents and are triggered to recall them based on some relevant subjects and objects. What's more is that the key to this memory selection is the heart. I deeply regard that the heart shall decide what will be in the brain or otherwise.

This is true when we speak of the people or matters we care more or show better interest, we tend to remember them, even up to a level of the details and traits, depending on the intensity of interest and concern an individual portray. Sadly enough, because of the flaw of human nature, we also tend to bear in mind the people or matters we dislike or I’d say hate, which also vary according to the severity of the hatred feelings we hold against them.

It is of course beautiful to see people who hold on to their memories of great time, boast about them and I see the flowers of life blossom from within them. No doubt there are painful or loathing memories that some that withered such flowers. Not wanting to let go what’s passed is past, they hold grudge as if it still means something when they reside in their grave. The worst it can be is perhaps having a mixture of good and yet bad memories on the same person.

Subjective – this is the keyword we should uphold in our life. We should have a view of more angles before coming to a conclusion on people and matters. As much as stereotype most of us we can be, let’s change so life shall bloom and not fade. Let us forget not what is beautiful and forget ful of what is not. Rest assured when you find the way to change your heart as such, it is that time you find you really rejuvenate and live.

Peace shall be with you when that time comes; and the true peace, my friend, maybe simple to be comprehend but never easy to be retain.

Ask to Check Your Sanity…

2011-09-25T00:27:00.001+08:00

1. Are you happy?

2. Are you lonely?

3. Do you have a balance in life?

4. Do you have a friend to listen to you / talk to?

5. Do you have good problem solving skills?

6. Are you happy with your job?

7. Do you have a good sense of humor?

8. Do problems bring you up or down? OR do you see problem as a problem or a challenge?

Mistakes…

2011-09-05T10:52:00.003+08:00

There are things I wish I won’t have done them, as if there are stains I regret on tainting them on my piece of life. Looking back on my life, from the time I know things till today, there are things I’m not proud of, as a matter of fact, ashamed of, either as infant, as a child, as a teenager or even as an adult. Whether it’s because of incidents of self-inflicted or by others, I realize I’m deeply psychological affected and formed the person I’m today.

It is at these times I hope I can wash those tainted stains off my life and live a new one. What’s funny and contradict is that I stereotype people from my past still due to the incidents they have done before as if time hasn’t change them or as if I’d not put down the burden and forgive.

It is at these times I recall the story of Judah and Peter. Both of them betray Jesus but they ended up differently.

Judah felt real guilty for giving in his best friend and teacher to the Pharisees and couldn’t live on with his life. He chose to hang himself because the guilt is too much for him to bear. The time of him with the Lord has gone in vain despite receiving abundantly from Jesus.

Whilst Peter denied Jesus 3 times before the rooster crows as prophesized by Jesus, he felt guilty and sad just as much as Judah did. But what’s different was that he wanted to find Jesus after the crucifixion of Jesus and He appeal to him. Jesus didn’t clear his guilty memory but take the guilt from his heart. Peter became a great leader in Christ to spread to the good news.

The story of these 2 people always ponder to my heart – ‘do you wanted to end up like Judah or Peter?’ and it is always so that I realize I should not hold on to the past any longer but live forward a good life out of it.

‘Experience is simply the name we give our mistakes’ – Oscar Wilde

Mistakes is something we need to learn from and live over with it instead of living in it. You may repeat the same one but for sure, every time the same mistake is done, the higher price you will pay for it. That’s why experience is not free and gained from our mistakes provided we realized and learned from them.

So, Judah or Peter?

A Testimonial…

2011-08-23T00:06:00.000+08:00

Tonight many listened to Michael’s testimonial and many (I presumed) realize that perhaps all man and woman face the same problem (which is in fact a trap setup by Satan). The story maybe simple but the experience is real.

Many started by being touched the Word of God. We started to feel good and realize that His love is unique. We love it so much that we are embraced in the joy doing things He likes to see us doing – praying, reading Bible, preach, share, etc. Somehow in the middle of the journey, we felt bored and tied up. For we started to put the love into the brain instead of heart, things doesn’t work out and it become a burden to do things He loves us to.

We broke free; we thought we felt relieved, but the fact is we don’t really know what we want. We are arrogant, we wanted pride – fame, power and money became the cause of our blindness. We keep going on the wrong path and the deeper we go, more wounds we got. Eventually, we don’t have the strength to continue our own.

There He is, right beside us all the time but we’re blinded. He doesn’t want to force us and He waits for the right time – the time we needed Him. He heals us, bringing us back to the right path so we finished at the good end. How long we stay on this path before going astray once more? How many times or what does it take before we realize the love He spared for us despite we are nothing but dust?

Blessed are the ones that listen; Blessed are the ones who feel; Blessed are the ones who see; Blessed are the one who understand; Blessed are the ones who persevere. Blessed we are for we are loved.

Pray for the deaf to hear; Pray for the crippled to sense; Pray for the blind to witness; Pray for the others to value; Pray for all to return to our Father. Pray we shall beyond time.

In Jesus’ name, Amen~

The Fish Selling Story…

2011-08-07T01:27:00.001+08:00

Many years ago my teacher a.k.a my mentor played a riddle on the students – “who is the most selfish person in the world?” The answer is “fishmonger” because he sells fish. Now this a lame joke to get the topic started.

Is there no one who is not selfish in this world? I barely believe there’s any who’s totally selfless if you ask me. There are many who deny they are not so and even if they were, they have their good reasons. Excuse~!! I would say… Why can’t a person just admit honestly but instead cover up the selfish with lots of rubbish excuse.

Everything started with own personal interest, from the very simple excuse to survive to the worst one – greed. Man always love to put themselves in the center regardless the severity of ego. When they have problem, they tend to think theirs is the worst that there can be; When they have needs and wants, they regard theirs is the ultimate as compared to others; When they have greed, they feel it’s alright because it’s human nature.

Eventually we see people throw away their conscience and fill it up with bunch of rubbish excuses that they make themselves right once more. We see people argue with people, hurting one another, blaming each other, and nevertheless, they are always on the right side. Despite guilt they felt, they ignore it by going louder and angrier. Children against parents, siblings against siblings, friends against friends and sadly, all turn enemies where cronyism, defaming, blaming, etc. grow sounder and ended with war.

So, how many would say they are selfless to anyone in their life? If I ask this to the public, I believe I will see people keeping their heads low or look around for others to raise their hands, or… maybe start questioning me back emotionally who am I to ask this question. Well, that’s solely my imagination and let it be so. So, never sound like you’re just and mocking others when you feel others being selfish BUT reflect yourself and ask “have you done any better?”

Despite these, there’s always hope and the cure to selfish is love, something God implanted in every man but giving us the freedom to activate or deactivate it. With love, conscience can never be thrown away, greed can never live, selfish can never exists, and peace shall be surrounding. But this probably won’t happen on earth. So, “repent, repent, why perish?” as mentioned by a pastor.

Disclaimer: the columnist included himself when he mentioned everyone is selfish.

The Common Life…

2011-07-22T12:32:00.002+08:00

There were times things used to be simple

There were times we laugh and cry easily

There were times we do not have to worry

There were times we do not care anything but dream

There were times we thought life could go like this forever

But see how things has changed with time as we grow up

We start worrying about career

We start worrying about living

We start worrying about luxury

We start worrying about everything

We want to be rich

We want to live in comfort

We want to feel successful

We want to feel peace

That’s where and when evil start growing in us even if we don’t want it

Slowly we care nothing but our own problems

Slowly we got envy of what others have

Slowly we do not share with others what we have

Slowly we store more emotional feelings within

Slowly we forgot our dreams being hooked by reality

Slowly we become selfish and ignorant

Slowly we become the slaves of this world

Slowly we head to the path of destruction

But… hope is always around to salvage us

We have the urge to be good

We have the urge to repent

We have the urge to sympathize and care

We have the urge to go back to who we once were

God gives us hope

God gives us blessings

God gives us chance to return home

God gives us light in our journey

Peace and Order…

2011-07-04T09:49:00.001+08:00

Ideally, everyone wishes for peace and order. With that, comes wealth and prosperity, as Chinese sayings “和气生财 (peace brings wealth)”. But, things couldn’t be as simple as we hope it to be.

In this world, there will always be people with bad intention (evil) and as always, the root of this evil started from the word SELFISH. These people hope to have everything remaining their way meanwhile enjoying the benefits from it, and in the meantime, grabbing other’s privilege from it.

Now you may think I’m talking about politics, but the fact is, this happens almost everywhere. See it for yourself – your country? your company? your society? or maybe your house? Nation leaders enjoy wealth and prosperity of the public while not giving back them what they deserve; Superior being white elephant while enjoying high salary; Society grabbing other’s belongings either via crime or loophole of law; children sucking parents’ money without knowing the hardship of earning it.

There were times people fight for the better good of all; leaders doing all they can to serve the purpose; people are recognized for their capability; society were simpler and thus, less crime; children respect, care and understand their parents’ hardship. Has these gone forever or perhaps they may come again?

Things have changed and probably won’t go back as it used to be. Now, those who proclaim peace and order but in fact lead a crooked world, are actually building their happiness on other people’s suffering.

These crooked people are good – they oppress you enough at a balance level, a level that you can feel suppressed but yet not enough for you to give up everything and fight for your own rights. How many people are willing to risk their jobs to do the right thing? How many people are willing to lose their lives to stand on the right side?

I’m yet to be brave enough. How about you?

Letter to GCEO...

2011-04-26T09:03:00.002+08:00

This was a letter I wanted to send to GCEO but eventually I didn’t have the guts to send as I now think honesty is not the best policy after all… (just for my own record - it's long and foolish)

Dearest GCEO,

I wonder how to start this email regarding my perspective on our beloved company. I would rather go anonymous but it seems impossible. Sometimes I wonder if “honesty is the best policy” is really applicable but I choose to stand firm with my principle – being honest with myself and others.

I had been working with TM for 1 year already and for sure my experience is far shallow as compared with your good self. As an amateur, I truly believe the essence of the company is the product and the service. When we talk about product, we stress on the quality; when we mention about the service, we talk about the people who deliver it, our TM staff.

TM Personnel

KPI vs Passion

It has become common that KPI has been a ‘thing’ every employee wishes to achieve in order to have a luxurious bonus by the end of the year and everyone seems to have achieved them pretty well. In the end, it would be at the GM’s hand/favor that an employee would prosper or perish. The so-called “Key Performance Indicator” has been a lie to cover eyes.

Needless say, ‘passion’ is the key which determine the success of the company. One passionate staff is 10 times better than ten employees who stress on pursuing their KPI in order to achieve high performance level. What even worse is that people fake their passion towards company just to please the higher management.

No doubt KPI is important to manage a large corporate but what use are KPIs when they turn to lies? 1 problem resolved is definitely better than 10 problems hidden under table pretending nothing happen as the saying goes by, ‘paper could never wrap the fire’.

So why people lose their passion to TM?

Training

A proper training to kick-start a passionate employee is very essential. I’ve seen many lose interest working for TM for not being able to apply their education on what they’re working, e.g. a fresh graduate accountant sent to direct sales team. These accountants have no idea what to do and they have limited live example to learn from and eventually they lost their way and fade up with their work. This is how and why the sales from our own sales team seems weaker from reseller.

There are many other examples but the main point is they do not know what they are doing, leading them to despair and fade up. That is why professional and specific training should be given to enhance their skills and passion.

Workload

Workload has always been an issue in many corporate whereby some department seems to be relaxing while some stress themselves and sacrifice their time dedicating themselves to the company. It is no doubt that TM is too large to enable/ensure the balance in workload for every single employee. It really depends on the initiative driven by each leader in the department and surely every leader has different expectation and this create a substandard in judging the performance of the employees.

It has always been true that it is essential to find the right people to guard at the right post with no bias in order to ensure the legacy of the company.

Discipline

Discipline has always been an issue regardless time and location. It has been too many cases whereby employee(s) has not been performing but achieve a mismatch performance level given by superior. ‘Lie to cover the eyes’, people has been reluctantly to defy such incidents regarding it would be effortless and harmful to own career. It is such people who drag the company from moving further while enjoying the benefits of company – parasites.

How better company would be if such people are identified and be removed or reassure their passion towards the prosper of company.

Customer Service vs Incentive

The quality of customer service has been the greatest challenge and most essential to retain more customers on this 21^st century. We are losing far behind if we are to compare ourselves with other TelCo (Celcom, Maxis, and Digi). Nevertheless, their customer service is not perfect but far advance than ours. We mostly fail in getting the sincere feedback from customers and then improve our customer service.

“Lies to cover eyes” once more, I knew this when I was training at TM Point seeing the staff hiding the feedback forms and box from customers to prevent customer awareness in giving feedback. Eventually, the feedback might be filled by staff in order to please statistics. Probably the incentives for the front liners may not be well enough to cultivate their passion towards their work. I said this because I’ve seen front liners abandon their post asking customer to wait while filling the forms to claim OT. This shows their desperation for extra income and forgot their passion in customer service.

Furthermore, our call center (100) seems unprofessional for being unable to answer the customer’s enquiries with precision and confidence; what worse is customer has been given wrong information and this cause frustration. This links back to professional training to enrich our customer service.

We should learn from others on how to improve customer service and it is alright to copy their ideas if they are good ones. As Sun Tze’s Art of War says: “We shall win the war every time if we distinguish both ourselves and the enemies well.”

Internal Fraud

No doubt internal fraud has been the key challenge to resolve and further help the company save a lot of money than expected. Internal fraud has been happening almost in every big corporate contributing 60% of total fraud as stated in the KPWG report.

Many know that major internal fraud in TM has been happening in procurement matters for vendors as well as service provisioning / sales for customers. It has been well known that at least 3 quotations are required to enable purchasing of services/system and due to the loopholes, our company has been paying unnecessary/extra money to vendors for the price quoted may not be the best price. Delay in service provisioning by processors on sales by our own team, giving privilege to resellers (such that processors are able to earn commission) damage our customer service quality.

I may not have the proof but just as the KPWG report, they obtain feedback from staffs anonymously to enable such statistics being produced – the real facts.

Many Say... But Who knows...?

2011-04-20T12:35:00.000+08:00

1. Many say the Sarawak Bumi still support BN, but who knows they are given money to vote and hidden from the truth that Taib is corrupted?

2. Many say the Chinese want to be in power, but who really understand it's a good leader we want?

3. Many say Chinese is racist, who dare to claim the other races isn't, even a little?

4. Many say Chinese are foreigners that inhabit this land, but who knows whether anybody originate from this land?

5. Many say the Malays still support BN very much, but who knows they are afraid of losing the wheel chair they sit and start learning to walk n then run?

6. Many say they are innocent and dedicated to the nation, but who knows what their real intention is?

7. Many say you ought to be rich before you join politics, but who knows in this land you got rich by being politician?

8. Many say Chinese are rich, especially from Sarawak, but who knows they are those who dying to survive and earn barely enough?

9. Many say Sarawakians live on trees and wooden house, but who knows their leader Taib live in a palace bigger than any leaders in this land?

10. Many say they live to uphold their religion, embrace it and live within it, but who knows how peaceful the world will be if many act instead of only talk?

Many say... who knows? And who will make the change tomorrow with truth in his hand? I believe, only God knows...

Quote of Life (6)

2011-03-08T23:24:00.003+08:00

“Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But, today is a gift. That is why it is called present.”

by Alice Morse Earle

revised by Master Wugui [Kung Fu Panda (2008)]

Quote of Life (5)

2011-03-05T18:59:00.003+08:00

“When you fail, you don’t fail forever; When you stop trying, you fail forever.”

@rM3nG

When you fail, you don’t fail forever…

2011-03-05T18:56:00.000+08:00

Has this situation been on you? Yeah, it’s like you fail something and the people around you always pin you to that failure or mistake… forever~? Oh well, if it’s not forever, or at least till the time you got things right – so called success. Many people are behaving so, or is it more obvious among Asians?

When you didn’t get things right at the first time, it doesn’t mean you can’t get it right next time. Most importantly, you shouldn’t stop trying even no people are convinced with your ability.

This was what happened when Thomas Edison failed for more than 1000 times when he was trying to create the first light bulb. People laughed him he did something impossible; alright, obviously he’s an idiot, why? It’s because he didn’t figure out to replace oxygen (which burn the filament whenever it’s heated) with some other stable gases. But, everybody remember this ‘idiot’ forever, for making it possible of all the bulbs we have these days.

It’s a good lesson to remind us don’t let the what-other-people-think element beats you down. Adapting from what my friend, Juliana said “when you care about what people think of you, you become their slave”, how true of this when you let other people stopping you from getting things right. The success and failure belong to you, not others and you should give birth to success from your failure.

“My father was like that. He never trusted any of my siblings in driving when we just got our license (in different times) as in his mindset, new drivers are sure to cause accident. My brother took initiative and learned to enhance driving via his friend’s car while my elder sister bought a car and learn by herself and my eldest sister instead, just leave things so. In the end, my eldest sister can’t drive totally, as opposite from my brother and elder sister.”

Honestly, I don’t blame people like my father for being conservative because I know everybody has their concerns and mostly, it relates back to financial or safety issues. What I’m trying to say is – when you fail once, it doesn’t have to be forever, the choice is yours to create success.

When you stop trying, you fail forever.

Quote of Life (4)

2011-02-21T09:38:00.001+08:00

“Always learn from your pasts, but never ever try to look back on them”

@rM3nG

The 4 Principle of Time Management

2011-02-17T08:52:00.002+08:00

List – Write down every task needed to be completed in a paper.
15 minutes (Not more than that) to complete tasks that can be completed swiftly, e.g. reply email, swift phone calls. You may try to use timer to focus.
Total isolation – Silent the phone and email alert, spend a total focus of 35 minutes to complete complicated tasks.
Take a break and repeat – rest for 10 minutes and restart again. The list shall then be getting shorter and restore serenity for you.

The New Diet Rules…

2011-02-13T22:32:00.003+08:00

If no one sees you eat, it has no calories.

If you drink a diet soda with candy, they cancel each other out.

If you eat the food off someone else’s plate, it doesn’t count.

From a friend – Mel Mel

A Story of the ‘Body’ Family…

2011-02-13T22:26:00.002+08:00

This is a little story about four people named Everybody, Somebody, Anybody, and Nobody.

There was an important job to be done and Everybody was sure that Somebody would do it.

Anybody could have done it, but Nobody did it.

Somebody got angry about that because it was Everybody's job.

Everybody thought that Anybody could do it, but Nobody realized that Everybody wouldn't do it.

It ended up that Everybody blamed Somebody when Nobody did what Anybody could have done.

From a friend – Mel Mel

10 Most Worthwhile Things I Discovered…

2011-02-09T13:52:00.003+08:00

1. Never (or at least try your best) not to make mistakes in your life, for people gonna relate you to every similar mistakes in the past to you, even though you might not be the perpetrator.

2. Fairness doesn’t govern life and death. If it did, no good person would ever die young. So, there’s no need to argue with people about what’s really fair and what isn’t.

3. All dreams require money to realize, but the important thing is the will to realize it, not the money.

4. Basically, and I mean down to basic, male and female the same way in many things, and one of them is relationship. (A guy may cheat his girlfriend, just as a girl may cheat her boyfriend. A guy may stay loyal in relationship, just as a girl is loyal to one boyfriend forever.)

5. Luck is really one thing we need in life. Knowledge and skills alone can bring you up to an average level while luck can make your life superb and extraordinary.

6. All in all, people like to live in fantasy and different people have different ones, just as different people have different ways to realize them, and just as different people have different chances to realize them.

7. As time goes by, the topic for old friends’ reunion changes, from talking about the past, to talking about the present, and then talking about the future. In general, the topic become lesser and we become stranger more.

8. We gain something or someone, and at the same time, we will lose something or someone too. That’s the veracity of life; no one can ever have everything or everyone in their life.

9. It’s really important to be affirmative of direction in life at every interchange cycle of life, just pray when you’re in doubt. To me, the first interchange is age 15, then 18, then 24 and yet to be discovered.

10. It’s very important to stay calm and peaceful all the time, or at least train our best to be. The wisest move is always made from that situation while the most foolish one is generated from the contrary.

The Naive Bad Guy…

2011-01-28T12:38:00.002+08:00

Lately I watched ‘Greed of Man’, an old Hong Kong drama from the 90s probably. There’s an antagonist character inside who seems to be evil but yet innocent. In what way? He seems to be hurting people around him all the time but yet he doesn’t notice about that. He felt he’s doing the best for the other party but the other party thinks the different way.

Initially, I still pity about him, thinking that he’s naïve, causing him to do the wrong things and neglect other people’s feelings. As story goes by, it appears that he’s been ignorant to all his deeds – a man finding excuses for all his wrong doings and always says he’s right. Eventually, he starts to feel that it’s the world which is being mean to him.

Now how many of us behave like this naïve bad guy? I myself for one dare to admit I’m one of them. Most of the time, we did not realize the consequences of our action and when something’s wrong, we tend to find excuse to pamper ourselves, whether blaming it on the luck or destiny. Till to a stage where we still don’t repent, we end up in tragedy, ruining everything. Even worse, we may lie too much to ourselves till that we really believe we’re right all the time.

It’s really pity and despicable to watch such person – pity because he doesn’t realize his wrong doings, despicable because his actions causes miser to others. No wonder Bible claims that all are sinners – some are blindfolded, some aren’t but can’t do anything to change. But I believe no man can be totally evil, just like no man can be totally good and the key to remain harmony with balance is love. And the greatest love is definitely God’s, from the time He created man till the He sent Jesus for all mankind and so forth.

Anyway, the naïve bad guy realized in the end all his wrong doings, repent and changed totally, turning over a new leaf. We should be learn to be so – walk out from our ignorance and realize the fact that we’re sinners and then repent to God. Amen.

Paper Plane, Paper Plane...

2011-01-28T10:57:00.001+08:00

Paper plane, paper plane

How soft and light you are

Hope to ride you in the air

Up to the high clouds fair

And reach abode of heavenly realm

Paper plan, paper plane

How soft and light you are

Gracefully flying your wings’ pair

Look as if to a land rare

Yet, you are always there

Mission is what this plane bears

So let this paper plane

Lightly tapping one’s sorrowed heart

Carrying away all despairs

Author Unknown

The Further… The Better…

2011-01-12T23:17:00.001+08:00

Have you ever notice? That whenever we wanted to organize a program, regardless picnic, meeting, shopping, etc. we always wanted to do it somewhere far? Or is it only me who think so? E.g. If you want to go shopping, you probably wanted to go to a mall far from your premise; or when you organized a meeting/workshop/lab, you hope to do it somewhere far from your office.

I started noticing this in my company, whereby most of the so-called meeting is organized far from office. Well, one of the reasons might be the stress – where the further you are from your office, the less stress you have while in the meeting. Others might be due to comfort – other places rather than your office to meeting is definitely better and of course, mostly people do it at luxurious places, mainly 3-star hotel at least.

I myself having the same psychology as well – if the mall is next to my house, probably it’s not good enough. But anyway, mall isn’t my place to hang out. OK, let’s talk about others, e.g. Starbucks – probably I prefer to go a few miles further from my home rather than one near it. Now this reason, I think it’s because people wanted to make the travel feel worthy, i.e. if it’s nearby, it’s just not good enough.

Maybe that’s the metropolitan concept – it’s either you go far to enjoy, or you just don’t go… Frankly speaking, sometimes this will just waste resources, time and energy mainly but people just like doing so, aren’t they? Probably if it’s at town or village, then the thinking will be different. That’s why I prefer a town or a village for my lifestyle rather than metropolitan.

It’s Called Mindset…

2011-01-10T21:44:00.000+08:00

This is a message from a mail:

“As my friend was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were held by only a rope tied to their legs. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from the ropes they were tied to but for some reason, they did not. My friend saw a trainer nearby and asked why these beautiful, magnificent animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away.

‘Well’, he said, ‘when they are young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and at that age, it’s enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free.’ My friend was amazed. These animals could at anytime break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn’t, they were stuck right where they were. The powerful and gigantic creature has limited its present abilities by the limitations of its past.

Like the elephants, how many of us go through life holding onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before? How many of us refuse to attempt something new and challenging because of our so called MINDSET?

Your attempt may fail, but never fail to make an attempt.

CHOOSE not to accept the false boundaries and limitations created by the past. “

Source: Unknown

How many of us are bounded from the past? I’d say I’m one of them and I believe there are more out there than we know. Sometimes we may laugh on people for their unrealistic dream but who can really say they can’t make it? One in a million chances to succeed is more than what we need. No matter, we ought to define our own meaningful attempt. The ultimate goal of life is definitely not money.

I’m writing this down because one day when I fail, I’d want to remind myself of this – “Never stop trying because the moment I stop trying, I would never find out my success anymore.”

Fraud… What Is It? What about it?

2010-12-30T23:21:00.001+08:00

I wonder how many would know about this word (as in truly know what’s happening in the fraud world), but for sure more than 1 year ago I’d no idea what will I be doing about this. Well, up to this moment, I would say I at least have 20% of what fraud world operates.

Why 20%? I won’t dare to think easy in the fraud world. Probably when every time there’s a fraud (referring to tele fraud) occurred, the first thing I’d ask myself: “how in the world they make money out of such business model?” and most of the time, we never figure out that part, which means we could not resolve the matter to the root level.

In fraud world, for defense, four elements are required to form a never ending cycle: Prevention → Detection → Response → Correction (leading back to better Prevention). Perhaps the starting point could be at any point of the cycle. The main issue is that: “how to response accurately?” and “what corrective measures are the best?” All the answers lie beneath the modus operandi and business model of the fraud (which basically is rather difficult to figure that out because we’re not fraudsters~!!).

It is always said that the best measures to tackle fraud is to have fraudsters as your friend. Ha Ha… I actually hold the same opinion and hope to implant some undercover in the fraud world to understand the rules in the fraud world. Sometimes it might have come across some people’s mind: “if you know a way to learn fast cash, would you go for it?” Well, just remember there’s no such thing as free meals in this world when you think of earning fast cash.

So, all in all, as an advice to all people – be more aware of fraud out there especially on identity/information theft which could cost you your fortune. Be more cautious whenever some people try to extract your personal information. As in Chinese saying: ‘we shall not have the intention to harm others, but we shall have a cautious mind to prevent harm’.

Thank you... Arigatou...

2010-12-17T00:22:00.014+08:00

Daremo ga kizukanu uchi ni
Nanika wo ushinatte iru
Futto kizukeba anata wa inai
Omoide dake wo nokoshite
Shiawase toki no naka kotoba wo ushinatta
Ningyoutachi no you ni
Machikado ni afureta noraneko no you ni
Koe ni naranai sakebi ga kikoete kuru

Moshimo mou ichido anata ni aeru nara
Tatta hitokoto tsutaetai arigatou
Arigatou...

Toki ni wa kizu tsukeattemo
Anata wo kanjite itai
Omoide wa semete mono nagusame
Itsumade mo anata wa koko ni iru

Moshimo mou ichido anata ni aeru nara
Tatta hitokoto tsutaetai arigatou
Arigatou...

Moshimo mou ichido anata ni aeru nara
Tatta hitokoto tsutaetai
Moshimo mou ichido anata ni aeru nara
Tatta hitokoto tsutaetai arigatou
Arigatou...

Toki ni wa kizu tsukeattemo anata wo kanjite itai...

Everyone loses something
Before they even realise it
I suddenly realise that you’ve gone
Leaving behind only memories
Amid the happiness, we lost our words
Like dolls
Like all those lost cats on the street corner
I hear a silent scream

If I could see you one more time
I just want to say one word: thank you, thank you

Even if I get hurt sometimes
I want to keep feeling you
At least I have my memories to comfort me
I’ll always have you here

If I could see you one more time
I just want to say one word: thank you, thank you

If I could see you one more time
I just want to say one word

If I could see you one more time
I just want to say one word: thank you, thank you

Even if I get hurt sometimes, I want to keep feeling you...

Adapted from the song [Arigatou] by Kokia

Dream...

2010-12-08T22:17:00.001+08:00

The dream started with a nun (probably a Buddhist nun), teaching us some dance and the kids (or teenagers) imitated her all along. Now I’m among the kids, but I recognized none of them but they’re suppose to be my close buddies, especially a young girl who seems to be my best friend in the dream.

The kids had a rest after the lessons; we’re all sitting by a pond (or lake) with the teacher (the nun). All I recall or feel was we had a great time. The girl and I though the teacher fall asleep while she was resting and so we go and try to woke her up. In our surprise, we found her passed away, but in a very peaceful way~

The girl found a parcel inside placed her will, leaving her testament for each and every one of us. Was it every one? I’m not sure… I was quite sad; in fact, we all were. All I can feel the message is that, the teacher asked us to live happily even without her, saying that her dance was the last thing she wanted us to inherit and she will be with us always.

The next scene I remember was that the girl, showing some attitude to me, as if she’s not pleased with me…

And all sudden, I was awaken from the dream… ~

Quote of Life (3)

2010-11-23T14:51:00.001+08:00

"you either die as a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain"

Harvey Dent/Two Face (Batman - The Dark Knight)

Quote of Life (2)

2010-11-08T09:58:00.001+08:00

"Life is like music - wonderful music is formed by complex musical notations so as interesting life is formed by obstacles and rivals"

@rM3nG

Story of Life (2)

2010-11-01T14:30:00.000+08:00

The brain asked the left hand and the right hand both to carry a file and so they did. While carrying it, the left hand lost focus and wanted to do something else and so he passed the file to the right hand.

Left hand said: “Hey, help me to carry this file, I need to do something else, don’t alert the brain…”

Right hand: “…”

Quite after sometimes, the right hand started to felt sore and eventually couldn’t bear with the heavy files anymore. And so it threw away the files and pretended doing something else.

The brain lost control of the right hand as the right hand itself had worn out.

The moral of the story:

The brain is the most essential part of the body to coordinate the functions of other body parts. Despite this, other body parts play important role as well and has their limits. The brain should be aware of their limits and coordinate accordingly to avoid any malfunction.

Story of Life (1)

2010-11-01T14:28:00.001+08:00

A child saw a glass of water and a cup of milk tea on the table. With a curious mind, he intended to make the milk tea to become crystal clear as the water. And so he poured the glass of water into the cup of tea. Keep pouring, eventually the cup was overflowed and yet the tea did not change its state – still hazy.

The father came later, asking: “son, what are you doing?”

The child replied: “father, I want to make the tea just like the water; I tried adding water, but…”

The father then look at his son, smiling and said: “my son, sometimes what have been done couldn’t be undone, I’ve made the milk tea and it is hard to turn it back to water.”

“The best way would be…” saying this, the father poured the milk tea into the basin and filled it with water again.

“It is easier to do so than rather adding more water to the tea hoping it would turn clear”, the father ended.

The moral of the story:

Sometimes in order to solve a problem, we have to see a bigger picture and obtain the appropriate solution. Adding water into the tea is a method which did not solve the problem, but making it worse instead and cause the cup of tea to overflow.

Quote of Life (1)

2010-10-31T22:08:00.003+08:00

"~when you feel hating your life, please recall the sweet moments you had with your family and friends; it would be like licking lollipop after drinking bitter medicine~"

@rM3nG