Quoted from a forwarded email ...
The 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o'clock, with her hair fashionably coifed and makeup perfectly applied, even though she is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary.
After many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready. As she maneuvered her walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of her tiny room,including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on her window. "I love it," she stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
"Mrs. Jones, you haven't seen the room ..... just wait."
"That doesn't have anything to do with it," she replied.
"Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't dep end on how the
furniture is arranged... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it ... "It's a decision I make
every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have
with the parts of my body that no longer work,or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away .... just for this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account ... you withdraw from what you've put in ....... So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory bank. I am still depositing.
Remember the five simple rules to be happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less.
FAMILY
Are you aware that if we died tomorrow, the company that we are working for could easily replace us in a matter of days. But the family we left behind will feel the loss for the rest of their lives.
And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into work than into our own family, an unwise investment indeed, don't you think?
So what is behind the story? Do you know what the word FAMILY means?
FAMILY = (F)ATHER (A)ND (M)OTHER (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU
Thursday, July 17, 2003
Wednesday, July 16, 2003
MSN Search Rules!
I have been a die-hard Google fan all this while since its inception in 1998. I use Google and only Google for all my web searches. But it seems that Google may be selective about what it includes in its database. A search on MSN for "chnrxn" turned out far more accurate results than Google. Cool! Never put all your eggs in one basket!
Monday, July 07, 2003
Minor Scare
My hard disk was acting up over the weekend. My PC would sometimes not boot, or it would hang occasionally. Then WinXP refuses to boot up properly.
Turned out to be a loose power connecter. I pushed it in, wiggled it a bit and things seemed to be okay. But first I had to boot into Win2K, my alternative OS and let it correct errors on my WinXP partition before I could get into WinXP again.
The Big Event
Getting a new apartment, worrying about renovation, buying new stuff for the house, dealing with contractors and designers, the works. Sidney is busy running around for all these things. We were at IKEA on Saturday morning to buy lights and bulbs. He bought a sheepskin rug, to the protests of everyone else except me (I always support you buddy!). My sister was kind enough to drop by and sign for the purchases to get a discount. "It pays to know people", so said his future mum-in-law. :-)
Tired but Happy
Never enjoyed myself so much on a weekend for a very long time. Even though I slept at 5am (I really was not watching the clock, and it just felt like only a minute has passed since I started at 1am) and woke up at 8am, the whole day was really fruitful. Saw Sid's new place in the afternoon at Seng Kang. The theme of the estate is very nice, but too bad it is not very populated yet. We deposited the purchases at Sherri's place (where I saw her cats) and then went to Pasir Ris for dinner. Thought of catching a sneak for T3, but we were too bushed and there were no sneaks for T3 at that time. So we all made our way back home. It was truly a memorable evening.
Woke up at 11am on Sunday feeling slightly hung over. The headache lasted the whole day. But I still went over to Sim Lim Square to check out the latest product offerings and prices. Was dozing off on the bus journey back home, woke up just in time to get off the bus, otherwise I would have ended up at Harbour Front (good I could have visited the NEL station there).
Friday, July 04, 2003
Positive Thinking Visited
The warning signs are all there. I really have to do some serious self-reflection. They say a leopard never changes its spots, but try I will, and succeed will I. I really need to be more positive about life. This previous statement is already a good start by not mentioning the negative.
Too much complaining and looking at things from a negative standpoint has already gotten me into trouble many times. It is really bad PR to be doing such things. I am lucky to have many concerned people who remind me that positivity wins at the end of the day. Thank you very much, you know who you are! Well, if you read my site that is ...
Will people start seeing and hearing a better me? I definitely wish it to be so. However I still need guidance from many people. Tough as it might seem, I really have to get it right!
I just came across this site about positive thinking
"Always look on the bright side of life ... " by Monty Python.
Tuesday, July 01, 2003
Special Day
Today has been a rather nice day for me. Had some interesting and funny conversations with friends and colleagues, and that is very nice. Today is also my father's lunar birthday, so we went to have dinner at ABC market hawker center along Jalan Bukit Merah. Simple pleasures can be so fun! This really lightens up an otherwise dull working life!
I have removed a portion from this entry, which basically is an unjustified complaint. I shall not find excuses for myself - I have already done someone a disservice - and I sincerely apologise.
The Unfilial Singaporean Daughter Revisited
I cannot get to sleep ... something is bothering me ...the feeling of scrunity and evaluation is strong ... something, someone I just cannot figure out. Sounds like a song? Nah ... no chance! Anyway, let's cut to the chase.
"With great power, comes great responsibility". These are the last words that Peter Parker heard from his beloved Uncle Ben before Uncle Ben was killed by a snatch thief whom Peter didn't bother to stop when he had the chance.
The same concept applies to freedom. Many of us yearn for freedom, but at the same time, we also have to enjoy our freedom responsibily. We are still responsible to our parents and people who care about us.
I believe in finding a balance. The girl in the article and people taking her father's side have their own valid views. The girl should not have just run away from home just like that. It is not fair to her parents. She is also allowing herself to be bought, but she chose to see it as an affirmation of the man's love for her. That's cheap, I could have bought her out if I had the money (yeah, if I had the money).
But on the other hand, she could have been given more freedom by her parents to choose the courses that she wanted to pursue. As long as she knows what she is getting into and is willing to bear the consequences, her parents should have let her be.
To love her is to set her free. Be not afraid that she get hurt, be afraid that she doesn't know how to recover. If she wants to blade, cycle, ride a bike, let her learn. Trust her to be responsible with her skills; for otherwise, how else is she going to look after her own children, if she never learns?
Root Searching
Read about my trip to Hong Kong and Guangdong during the summer of 1999. Now if I can only have more space to put my pictures ...
Sunday, June 29, 2003
Xinyao Festival 2003 Finals
It was a spectacular display of local singing, song-writing and composing talent at the Kallang Theater last night 28-Jun-2003 as 12 finalists of the Xinyao Festival 2003 strutted their stuff on stange in front of a 700-strong audience.
All the participating entries are very mature, very professional, very well-done. Themes also varied from the usual love songs to hopes and dreams, world and social issues, and the feelings of a cat!
Among the guest stars were Joi Tsai (Cai Chunjia), Tanya Chua, Cai Lilian, Seven, and big brother Jiang Hu, belting the best of new songs and old favourites, while the judges battled it out in recess deciding which prizes should be awarded to which song.
It also helps a great deal to have appreciative company around!
The judges include Liang Wenfu, Li Weisong, Feng Huishi, Wu Qingkang; all familiar names in the local chinese music scene.
To be continued ...
Saturday, June 28, 2003
Friday, June 27, 2003
Who were you in your last life?
This is mine:
Your past life diagnosis:
I don't know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.
You were born somewhere in the territory of modern USA South-West around the year 1700.
Your profession was that of a map maker, astrologer, astronomer.
Your brief psychological profile in your past life:
Timid, constrained, quiet person. You had creative talents, which waited until this life to be liberated. Sometimes your environment considered you strange.
The lesson that your last past life brought to your present incarnation:
Your main task is to make the world more beautiful. Physical and spiritual deserts are just waiting for your touch. Keep smiling!
Do you remember now?
Thursday, June 26, 2003
The Unfilial Singaporean Daughter
Got this from an email by an unknown person this morning. It is in response to an article/letter that appeared in The New paper Sunday Edition on June 15, 2003.
See the entire text of the response.
Wednesday, June 25, 2003
90 min delay
400 ferried by bus between Punggol and Sengkang stations on NEL
By Goh Chin Lian
THE North-East Line (NEL) ran into its longest delay yet early yesterday, when services between Punggol and Sengkang were disrupted for about 90 minutes.
The glitch, which happened shortly after 6am, meant 400 commuters had to take buses instead.
Rating for NEL: 8/10
THAT'S the score that Acting Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan gave the NEL despite the delay yesterday, saying that compared to the North-South line when it first opened in 1987, 'we've done much better'.
Despite the morning hold-up and another 10 delays of five to eight minutes since the line opened five days ago, Acting Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan yesterday gave the line a rating of eight out of 10.
Mr Khaw, who took an official ride at about 10am, said that the rash of short delays had been caused by commuters accidently activating an emergency call button near the train door.
As for yesterday's technical fault, he said: 'There will be these little glitches here and there. The important thing is to find out what the reason is.'
The operations control centre at Sengkang depot was alerted to a fault at Punggol station at 6.09am.
The system automatically shut down the tracks there, so trains could not move out.
Engineers rushed to Punggol station to change a faulty modem card in a computer that communicates with the train control system.
NEL operator SBS Transit also mobilised 35 buses to ferry passengers to Sengkang station, until train services between the two stations resumed at 7.35am.
Except for a 15-minute hold-up at Sengkang station at 6.24am, the rest of the line was not delayed.
Despite the line's teething problems, Mr Khaw's overall assessment was upbeat.
Compared to the first five days of the North-South Line when it opened in 1987, 'I think we've done much better', he said.
He was confident that SBS Transit would iron out NEL's glitches faster than the two years it had taken SMRT for the North-South Line.
But, he said, SBS Transit would have to address commuters' feedback to earn a higher performance rating from him. One area it should address, he said, was the lack of signs in Chinese at Chinatown station.
He also felt that announcements in the train were too jarring, and that the announcements which were made in different languages at Little India station should be more concise.
Mr Khaw defended the Government's decision to build the fully-automated line, despite public grumbles about having to pay high- er fares for the system while being told to expect glitches.
He said Singaporeans should not shy away from automation.
'If you are not prepared to break new ground and try out new technology, there will be no progress,' he said.
Other commuters have asked why the NEL fares cannot be the same as those on the North-South and East-West lines, instead of being between five and 25 cents higher.
Mr Khaw said that if the fares were the same for the entire MRT system, all train commuters would end up paying more to subsidise the new $5-billion line, instead of just its users.
So can NEL fares be lowered given that the Public Transport Council (PTC) approved them without knowing Buangkok station would not open for now?
Not likely, said Mr Khaw.
That is because the PTC had turned down SBS Transit's original bid for a higher fare structure, so any money saved on not opening Buangkok would help to offset this projected shortfall.
Never a dull moment on my first NEL ride
I TOOK my first ride on the North-East Line (NEL) at 9 pm on Saturday. After a somewhat-confusing walk from the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station, involving several escalators, some going up, and some down, I made it to the new station.
I boarded the spanking-new train with several middle-aged women and a family of three. After one stop, we were treated to a spectacular display of how well the doors had been made. The train stopped for 10 minutes at Farrer Park Station, seemingly for no other reason than to show us the doors' ability to open and close 10 times rapidly. This was followed by an announcement for passengers to alight and board the next train.
We all alighted and the train started to move off, prompting one of the women to comment, 'Now no people in the train, that's why can move.'
The next train was rather packed. I managed to find space to step in, not a moment too soon. The doors closed barely four seconds after they opened, separating the family of three.
The train must have been on a very strict and precise timetable because the couple outside banging on it were ignored and left behind as we sped away with their child.
The other passengers in the train must have sensed the operator's unyielding schedule and jostled to get ready at the doors even before we reached the next station. Imagine their horror when the train pulled into the station and they were greeted by a sign stuck on the station door saying, 'Door Faulty. Please use next door'. There was a small stampede to get to the next door before the four seconds were up.
The rest of my trip was spent eyeing the doors, trying to guess which might correspond to a faulty door at my destination. All in all, it was a very interesting ride.
CHIANG SEOK PHENG (MADAM)
If you are using an Aztech DSL305E/EU, you can access your modem configuration page here.
I also wanna watch The Hulk!
I put so much information about myself online, am I not afraid of being stalked, or having my identity hijacked? Yes, admittedly, I have thought as much, but what would people want to do with my information?
Tuesday, June 24, 2003
New Page Added
I've added a new page to my personal website. It is on the music that I have done. Actually, I' not not really musically inclined at all. I just like to sing, and used to write some songs and poetry in the past. All this is history now, but it is nice to relive some of the memories.
Take a look at my MUSIC page.
Sunday, June 22, 2003
Thursday, June 19, 2003
Busy Week Ahead
This is a busy week for all of us at the RC. We have yet to finish distributing the invitations for the Upgrading Completion Ceremony on Sunday. We are walking door to door distributing the invites. This is a really tough chore, given that only a a few of us are doing it.
Two of us just finished the distributing the invites to a 140 residents in a block< tonight. At the end of it we are pretty much wet with perspiration. Another group took care of distributing the bread for the Food from the Heart program.
Then I have to attend this PA pre-conference on Saturday. Luckily there is nothing to prepare on Saturday except at night when we need to take delivery of some items. They have already put up the scaffolding and tentage.
Hope to heave a sigh of relief, after we are done with the ceremony, and the SARS kit distribution at the end of the month!
Wednesday, June 18, 2003
Thursday, June 12, 2003
Problem with BLOG
Hmm ... somehow my blogs seem to remain stagnant at this post. You have to add a ?noCache modifier to the end of the URL to load the most recent page. Get the most recent page.
Compromise Thou Relationship
"A relationship based on compromise is meaningless"
Heard this phrase on TV - it made me think hard. Would you make compromise yourself to stay in a relationship with your partner?
For the things that matter, most of us believe that we are open-minded enough to tolerate doing more of what our partner wants and less of what we want. In the long run, would we be able to take the resentment, pressure, and regret? How many compromises can we make?
What we want, is freedom from the expectations of our partners - their respect for our freedom to our beliefs. Yet we must still stay together at the end of the day.
It is very important to find someone with whom you can 'click'. Choose wisely. If you keep finding yourself in the same rut in a relationship, get out of it, amiciably.
I should have realised this long ago ... sigh!
Wednesday, June 11, 2003
Which OS are You?
I took this OS personality test on the web ... found out that I am Palm OS compatible ... wonder what that means?
border="0" alt="You are Palm OS. Punctual, straightforward and very useful. Your mother wants you to do more with your life like your cousin Wince, but you're happy with who you are.">
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