Can a disabled attain financial independency?

It's interesting how i came out with 29,400,000 results when i searched for successful disabled people.

There are many examples of successful disabled people such as the link i posted below.
http://www.usaid.gov/stories/vietnam/fp_vn_tranhoangyen.html

An example of a successful person would be stevie wonders/kelvin tan(superstar) even though he's not an entrepreneur he's successful so there should be nothing stopping you from achieving anything you need to achieve there are plenty of examples out there.

I personally don't find a disable person less capable than a fully abled one in fact it should be a greater cause of motivation to perform better as the rest of the successful disabled ones have. And with all disabilities comes gifts as with all autistic people(geniuses).

So the only thing that's stopping them is desire and fear.


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Living in a fast-paced and materalistic society like Singapore, is there hope for the disabled?
Yes there is. If you disregard the disability and overcome it or even better still am able to view the world in a different perspective other than the commonly viewed one there will be tons of opportunities that the common eye cannot see that you'll be exposed off if you think of the possibilities instead of the impossibilities.

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What biz can a disabled start to attain financial independancy? With no rights for the disabled and discrimination, what can we do to break out of this trap?
I wouldn't say there aren't rights for the disabled, in fact there are probably more rights/privileges than there are for a fully abled person.

The first thing to break out of the trap of incapabilities is START thinking of possibilities rather than impossibilities, afterwhich the world would be your oyster.


What business would represent everything minus what the disabily shortcomings. So if you're dumb it would be difficult to open a language school as you wouldn't know anything regarding speech but than again there are a million things you can do like a handicraft business etc..
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I have tried telemarketing, pushcarts and foodcourt biz. None have brought me any income but debts. How to get out of this debts. About 50k and multiplying everyday....


Employers in Singapore are bias against disabled people. If you manage to find one good boss, he will pay you so low you would not even have enough for your daily lunch.

Anyone here can come out with any ideas to help us? We maybe poor, lowly educated and physically disabled but we refused to give up. We are still fighter not quiters, we need opportunities.
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I'm glad to see the fighting spirit amongst your members. What you need to do now is to start empowering yourselves with what you CAN do. A few steps would be :-

-Searching for past examples who have succeeded(in the library, references, internet etc..)
-Look into your talents and research the field arround the possibilties that surround it.
-Networking with other disabled organizations not only from Singapore but around the world to learn from their experiences perhaps there could be an opportunity shared.

Continue with the never say die attitude and persevere. Nothing is impossible. With that i have hope that one day you guys would represent a banner of hope for the rest of the disabled.

P.s
This was a reply i gave on a forum, i tend to reflect back from time to time to see my growth or agonize over the stagnation.

Business vs Self-Employment

This is a reply i gave to an aspiring entrepreneur on a forum in Sg. I was browsing through and found that maybe someone would find this useful. =)
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There are pros and cons when it comes to working first Vs Starting a Business first.

Pros and Cons for starting your own business first.

Initiative -You take initiative, sooner or later you'll make a habit out of it and being proactive is one of the most sought after tools in the market if you're looking for employment and especially if you're setting a business. 90% of employees these days need to be told what to do and they do everything just as they are told, or worse less than expected.

If you start taking initiatives you will lose the fear of failing. It's not whether you fail or not, it's how many steps left before you succeed.

I remember a quote by Thomas Alva Edison when asked after making his 10,000th failed attempt when he was inventing the light bulb, said

Results? Why, man, I have gotten lots of results! If I find 10,000 ways something won't work, I haven't failed. I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is often a step forward....



Influencer- When you start your own business there's no who one pushes you forward, you push yourself. When your staff gets demotivated you don't get demotivated with them you problem solve and motivate them back. 90+ % of people get influenced rather than assert influence, perhaps humans are just passive creatures. It takes a lot of character to be a leader, leaders lead by example. They have no time to lick their wounds when they fall.

Starting your own business first helps you to break the code, break the code of "herd-like mentality" where you follow everyone else instead of having independent thought.

Great Learning Exposure- One of the most saddening expects when it comes to working is that everyone cares only about their own work and yet expect a promotion a raise and a big fat bonus to come to them.

When you start your own business, you break this cycle. You will have to expose yourself to a torrential amount of information and push yourself to learn things you wouldn't even have bothered to in the past. Learning about everything and anything is crucial because you may never know when opportunity might strike next and even in an un-seeming circumstance you might get rewarded.

The founder of Fortune 500 companies don't get to where they are without spending 100 times the effort of the average employee to learn daily. They do it at a different level.

From accounting and stock keeping, A&P and Sales, learning how a business runs will help you even if you change goals and stop being an entrepreneur in the future.

Build good habits- I can't state how much starting a business helps build good habits, of course you do build bad habits too, but the pros usually tend to outweigh the cons. You pick up a lot of crappy habits when working for others and with others getting influenced an employee like mentality. Every 15minute smoking breaks, dilly dallying and the list goes on. Of course this is a part of influencing.

Etc- I could go on but this few itself should give you a thing or two, always remember it's the little things that make or break businesses.

The art of the start by Guy Kawasaki is great for startups. You can download his 30minute talk at his website, just google it.

Cons

Arrogance/Pride - I don't know about others but i find that this one of top 5 reasons partnerships and businesses fail. Ego and pride is worthless when you're not making money or worse in the red. Throw it in the dumpsters, pride and arrogance is worthless even if you have the talent to back it up, if you don't even have the talent to back it up you're just thrash talking thrash and thinking you're right.

Humble yourself nobody is always right and nobody may truly be totally right always, there's always something to learn from someone, from the toilet cleaner to Bill Gates never look down on others or too highly of others. Always stay focused to the task at hand, even if you have to step down as Ceo like what Bill Gates did, if it's for the good of the company why not? If you maintain a humble but confident yet focused spirit you will go far in whatever you do.

People Management- One of the cons when you lack working experience is that you will often fall short in people management skills as most managers might concede, managing people is one of the most difficult and sought after tools in today's market. When you work for others you will understand people better, understand how they feel and know what makes them tick thus enabling you to motivate them to perform better.

One of the biggest mistakes managers and Ceo's make is that they disregard the opinions and feelings of their staffs. It's not Ceos who make millions for the company it's the ground staff that gives the superb service or delivers the superb product, understand that and keep that in mind, without staff you are a manager of nothing.

So being on the ground and working for others will enable you to become a better employer. Employee morale is often a key indicator of a company's performance.

You're right Mentality, sums up most of the cons that you will get when you lack working experience and start being a boss first.

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Ultimately initiative plays a huge role, so don't think too much, instead try your ideas even if what you experiment with seems doomed to fail you never know the gems of experience and wisdom you might gain from it.

Of course experiment with that which you have in abundance, time and energy. You should withhold bigger investments till you have enough experience and skills to handle it.

I recommend doing both, working for others and at the same time looking for opportunities to work for yourself. Even a stint at Mcdonalds can give you a wealth of knowledge and experience.

People fail to see the reason why Mcdonald is so successful when they view working there as just a job, perhaps you could learn a thing or two from working there which would prove valuable when you're out there on your own one day.

Be passionate about something and ignore the $ signs, the floodgates will open when work becomes play.

Do it the Nike way.

Flashback - October 02, 2007 - Bored?

October 02, 2007

Bored?

Does being bored mean you're boring or is it something else? We have come a long way since prehistoric days where men had to live on the edge of their seat.

Would Adam be bored? I wouldn't be bored if i had tigers breathing down my neck and monkeys trying to steal my bananas. Well i'd suspect that the animals weren't half as wild as they were those days, nevertheless boredom seems to be a disease inflicted by mankind's need for comfort and time.

We invent tools and technologies that help reduce effort and time spent to invent more tools and technologies to spend the saved time and effort. Ironic isn't it?

So is boredom a good thing or a bad thing? In face of our superficial society it gives an impression that busy is good, Busy=Useful, Bored/Free time= Loafer. What utter rubbish. The whole problem with society these days isn't due in part to their boredom but rather their association with busyness.

Boredom is a state where one has free time but nothing to fill it with. The question here is, is it void that must be filled or should it be filled so it doesn't become a void. Is it a gift or is it a curse? Both are conditioning's of the mind, an example of the half full and the half empty glass scenario.

It's blank moment of time where we are able to consciously fill with whichever purpose we desire or deem necessary. So why does it seem like a curse instead of a blessing? Is it the indoctrination of uselessness than we run to fill our voids with emptiness? Is that the reason why we feel we never have enough time because we often run off doing things that we do not desire but are compelled in view of society's image?

I consider boredom a blessing. It's like a wild card in UNO, you choose any colour you like. Be it to help someone, bless someone, rest, talk to someone, read a book, etc. The freedom of flexibility it offers is limitless. It's often during periods of boredom where i find true inspiration, i notice someone in need, i pray for someone and do something especially gratifying.

So the next time you feel bored, don't rush to fill your time up with useless garbage. Instead enjoy the freedom and flexibility offered. Here are somethings you can do when you are bored :-

Stuff

Read a book- I can't state how much a book enriches you over a t.v programme, you could try reading LOTR instead of watching it on t.v . One hour of reading beats 10hours of t.v time as reading engages the mind, fuels your imagination and takes you on a journey, i could state numerous benefits reading as a habit would bring but i'll let you have that pleasure. So next time you are bored read a book.

Learn Something New- Remember how you were so excited to get the new ball or bicycle as a child? Renew the kid in you, learn new stuff be it skills or an experience. It's enriching and gratifying.

Observe/Appreciate your surroundings- We often take for granted the many things in life, it's like we fast forward ourselves each time to the next event or item. One of the things i treasure in life is the ability to appreciate the beauty around me. Ever stopped in your garden and pause to listen, breathe, sense and just gaze at the amazing things you never noticed? Crickets chirping, little caterpillars crawling, fresh morning dew from leaves, a spider's web. The creativity of sign boards, from the enormous buildings to tiny ones, the old to brand new ones. Best of all people, people around you, how they interact, how they react, the little gestures they make, the emotions they feel the buzz all around. It's amazing how much you notice if you just stop and pause appreciate your surroundings.

Help Someone- Volunteer for charity work, visit orphanages, be involve in church activities, etc. It's gratifying, it's an experience you'll just have to try to find out!

Talk to Someone- Ever felt lonely or bored? Well don't wait for someone to call you, call someone instead! That way you can enrich someones life and enrich your own life!

Sports/Exercise- Being a sports junkie, i could eat, sleep and breathe sports so don't listen to me try it yourself. Be active in a sports you like, you will find yourself amazed with the extra energy levels you will gain in return. Plus the feel good feeling you get, cut the excuses and "Just Do It"!

Think of Something to Do- This is a free slate, it amazes me sometimes when i see how little we use that brain of ours. I mean come on people, who invented football? Who invented t.v programmes, radio and internet? Aliens? Think of something, express your creativity!

There are so many things to do now, there's no excuse to sit and mope around! Be proactive, "Just Do it"! =P

Flashback - May 22, 2007 - Life's Anecdotes

May 22, 2007

Life's Anecdotes

Life's Anecdotes

a) You can feel good one minute and feel horrible the next minute.
b) Friendster always seems to delete your blogs before you're able to post them making you seethe through your teeth after spending 20-30minutes writting nonsense that no one bothers looking at except yourself.
c) People are weird and in a good way. Just like how "looking like a seel" can be, in a good way.
d) Most people respond based on the circumstance. The few, choose their response.
e) People are emotional based.
f) I wrote 20 over of this thingy, which i totally forgot and am re-writting it so that no one else will see it.
g) Facades, facades, facades.
i) Short term answers/solutions are the opposite of long term answers/solutions... Duh?
j) We do everything but the obvious, being unique ought to be a crime.
k) We never have enough time. (Yeah, right)
l) We never have enough problems. (lol?)
m) Appreciate your health, once you lose it, EVERYTHING goes.
n) We never appreciate anything until we LOSE it.
o) People in different worlds, speak different languages.
p) What you feel/like is most likely bad for you.
q) Everything has a beginning and an end.
r) The same phrase can mean different things to different people.
s) Everything seems important till you've 2days left.
t) Each has their own opinion on Wisdom & Knowledge. To each their own "holy grails"
u) We want everything our way.
v) Fear, Shame and Guilt can be one of the most destructively binding and dominant emotions in today's society, perhaps it already is.
w) God's the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.
x) People who are old want to be young and people who are young wanna be old.
y) We often run all the wrong races to finally seek to end at where we started.
z) I just wasted 26minutes writting 26 sentences which will not help you in anyway, Really or bluffly. But
Hopefully i would have helped you waste 10minutes of your time knowing next to nothing about something which will thus enable you to hopefully do something about nothing.

1) Everybody knows a lot but no one ever does anything.
2) What we know and do are often two different things.
3) We like to give excuses, if it were up to me i'd affix people with excuses and buts in their names. (My name's Joseph But, nice to meet you too.)
4) Everybody talks a lot about every thing and they usually feel mightily productive after all that talking.
5) Same applies to meetings.
6) Nobody ever understands, everybody's too busy listening to himself.
7) Talking a revered art, Listening a lost art. (Wonder why you always get your orders wrong? =D )
8) There aren't any algorithm/algorithms to life's myriad problems.
9) Ever wondered how a man can ignore a dollar on the ground but jump into the river over the 50cents he dropped?
10) Common sense, is uncommon.
11) If humans were without brains but only emotions, we would be no different from animals.
12) People get excited over mentos and coke but feel nothing when WFP cranks up emergency relief for Afghan flood victims, delivering enough to feed 60,000 people.
13) People tend to treat those closer to them with more contempt than they do towards strangers.
14) Most people look down on others very few look up to others. (look up = think highly of others)
15) To reprimand or criticise is easier than to encourage and complement. How sad that i myself am prone to such disdainful behaviour. =(
16) We often like to give advice but dislike receiving advice.
17) Etc...

Sidenote: The above lists is a list of what i've seen, experienced, done or understood as such. I often review thoughts and experiences and attempt to be different in making that difference. The journey is not in the destination but the process.

Flashback - 14/04/08 - 1st day in Hk

-Arrived at Airport
-Ate Wantan Mee (The wantans are the size of rambutans! Actually they're more like prawntans, each wantan filled with a few juicy prawns) $14 for a regular bowl, $19 for a large bowl, talk about daylight robbery.
-Water costs $4hk, coke $6, beer $8, talk about promoting alcoholism.
-Cooling weather, it's spring currently and the weather ranges from 19-27. It's like evening throughout the day with cool breeze, "Hey, i wouldn't mind migrating here" =p
-Anti smoking policy, you see $5000 fine signs littered everywhere. Cool. =p
-It's CLEAN!
-The trains are all connected to one another, did i mention it costs a whopping $60hk dollars for a train ticket from the airport to the next public train stop.
-You can buy practically everything with an Octopus card excluding octopuses.
-They have David Letterman in Hk.
-A 500ml bottle of water costs $10 hk dollars in the hotel. I'm not even going to asks the prices for the cute little bottles they place in the basket to tempt us.
-Hongkees are vertically challenged. It's clearview uphere!
-Nasi lemak costs $60Hk Dollars, now why would i eat that? Hmm..
-They use "consummated" in a relationship. (advert from greg's anatomy)
- 7 to 10 people believe positive thinking can extend life the other 3 people are dead.
-If the earth would to be put on a scale..... Scientist would be puzzled by the existance of that scale.

Ok i've nothing left to say, lol. To be con't later peeps. =)

(Disclaimer: Some comments above are meant as a joke! Pls don't get offended, geez =p)

Nostalgia - 23/03/2007 - Past, Present & Future

Past, Present and Future

Past
Past actions have resulted in your present circumstance. We are what we sow, you don't plant an orange tree and expect a durian tree. So a reflection at your past actions would lead to answers in your present circumstance.

I remember when i was young and carefree, i had no baggage around, i started with no past or at least no memories from the past. That was when i smiled, played and lived life to the fullest.

But as your past grew the baggage compiles and seeps in to mold you into something other than the real you. Am i who i wanna be? Or am i lost in the baggage that i've compiled after years of living? Are you who you really are? Am i?

Our past teaches us that mistakes made should never be forgotten but instead learned. To forget a mistake is to repeat the past and to pay a price for something you've bought.

The reason i've repeated most mistakes was because i chose to forget the pain that was induced by those mistakes, that inadvertently causes a repetition of past mistakes as my body tries to forget the pain and together with it the lesson of the mistake.

Has our lives been a cycle of our past, have we remained the same? Are we running the "hamster's threadmill".

Present
Present, represents a fresh clean slate. A new piece of paper to write on. By learning from our past through our experiences and mistakes we learn what to draw and what not to draw on that piece of paper.

What we choose right now will inadvertently or advertently affect our future. What you choose to draw on that paper will have consequences and affects. Whether you choose to be conscious of those affects or runaway from that responsibility, the choices made will affect your future.

Our present state is the result of our past actions and our present actions is what our futures are made of.

Every single thing we choose to do, every single thought and influence we choose to subject our lifes to, will have a cause and an effect. We are what we make ourselves to be.

We own the choices to our actions irregardless of the influences, circumstances and actions of others. Whether you choose to give that right up or not remains that you first made the choice to take action in giving up responsibility. That choice was yours alone.

Dreams, Ideals and Goals are all built upon our present actions. Whether we strive in pursued of them through our actions or claim ignorance of such due to our fears and weak-mindedness is our very own choice.

Future
Are you satisfied with what you've been writting on the paper today? Does your writting represent the book you wannabe in the future? Your actions are your future and the choice to change your life starts with changes in your actions today.

May you live an overcoming life. God bless all of you. =)

Nostalgia - 16/03/2007 - Intricate Designs

Intricate Designs
From the time you were born to the time that's standing still now as the seconds pass by, tick, tock, "freeze".

Were you ever living life by choice or manipulated by circumstances. The highest level of manipulation is when manipulative desires obscure our every thought's and action's and makes believe a world that is everything but life.

In Matrix
In the near future, a computer hacker named Neo (Keanu Reeves) discovers that all life on Earth may be nothing more than an elaborate facade created by a malevolent cyber-intelligence, for the purpose of placating us while our life essence is "farmed" to fuel the Matrix's campaign of domination in the "real" world.

Are we placated in this world to fuel and fulfill hidden design's that's detrimental and disparative to our existance.

To look at existance in itself and find something purposeful would be utterly degrading. In a higher scheme of events we are seemingly placated and manipulated to prevent us from reaching the higher beyond our true purpose and destinies.

Lesson (1) in manipulating Humans:-

a) Appeal to their senses.
b) Create rich almost unatainable lustful desires.
c) Watch the whole pack rush to attain the prize.
d) As the Winners strive to win the losers strive to decieve, watch the never-ending conflict ensued thereafter.

Senses
Sense and desires to be entertained, to be pleasured, to be lifted high and exalted, to be at the centre of attention, to be on top, to be wanted and loved by everyone, etc.

Manipulate senses and desires and you'll gain control of most humans in the world.

Scary isn't it? Why am i revealing this? To teach the whole world on the art of manipulation? Contrary to that, to awaken the drunken state of affairs of the human conditioning.

Are you a slave to your desires, are you a slave to your senses, are you a slave to your emotions, are you a slave to the pre-existing conditioning patterns of the world?

Is your world build upon facades that withold you from reaching the bluish horizons?

I am. See those chains? It took an eternity to open this "eyes". Strength that comes from within is needed to break the remaining ones. But i've found the one weapon that the "unseen one" fears, unity.

In every scheme of things the goal has been to separate, isolate, complicate, break- apart and ensue conflict, distress, divorces, compete, fight, agitate to cause humans to go against one another.

Unity is the cause it fears, "united we stand, isolated we fall."

So brother's and sister's the next time, you react, who are you helping? Our enemy or your brother/sister/yourself?

Love strengthen's unity and builds the bond. In unity we overcome all circumstances.

Love thy neighbour as thyself, that's not a commandment, it's life's essential tool to surviving, just as air is by the blood to vitalize the body's cells, so is love essential to vitalize the existence of the human race.

The stench of death is near, would you take up arms in unity? Would you grab the hand next to you to revitalize your existence? Or are you going to fall just like the rest, captivated by the placated stench that nauseates, obscene implications.

Dear Lord, would you take my hand,
To stand against, The unseen hand,
That destroy's and incapacitates everything at hand,
The strength from within, to overcome the wiles of the deciever.

Dear brother, Dear Sister,
United we stand,
Apart we crumble,
Won't you run with me hand in hand.

Across unseen skies,
In bright joy and light,
To achieve our destined purposes,
In the love that transcends the heavens.

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Summary
Step one - Eye's opened
Step two - Tear down the false foundations and facades
Step three - United We Stand
Step four - True Destinies

Dictionary
Incapacitates - Injure permanently, Make unable to perform a certain action
Nauseates - Upset and make nauseated, Cause aversion in; offend the moral sense of
Ensue - Result in.
Placating - Tending or intended to pacify by acceding to demands or granting concessions
Detrimental- (sometimes followed by 'to') causing harm or injury.
Facade- A showy misrepresentation intended to conceal something unpleasant

Nostalgia - 2005 - Poems Etc

Ah, if there is one thing i love, it's reminiscing past work...

So here's my treat hehe... I just dug this up from somewhere and gosh, it's unimaginable what flows out of your mind when it's no holds barred.. Of course now, i'm mellowed down alot so i tend to be careful with what comes forth. ;p

This was a blog written in 2004 entitled

Poems

2005-04-24 12:41

White, black yellow and green,
why does it matter on what has been,
when the insides are red,white and flesh alike,
whats up,down inside and out,
its unlikely to matter when its inside out,
but what flows from the inward-out shall matter when your time is up.

Post Comment

2004-04-23 15:30

Steering clear of the storm,
as the shroud clears up,
2 ways down the temperamental ocean ,
one less travelled,
the other calm and peaceful ,
rocky coastlines and torrents overcharged,
intimidating as it might seem,
two paths to choose and i know that ill end up choosing the path less travelled.

Comments (2) :

1. Danceal Never e road tt go in circle, choose now e road straight no curl (2004-04-23 18:20)
2. poison chuan dao qiao tuo zhi ran zhi (2004-08-23 15:11)
   
   
   

2004-03-23 22:42

Dark myriad sky words emblazened on them ,
the truth has come,
at the price of sacrifice .

2004-02-20 01:29

Life is a journey the passages long and windy,
from morning to night night to midnight,
affinity with day,
passion in the night,
two passages in front,
to the left and to the right,
which to choose,
which is the correct path,
which one should be chosen,
Days of our lifes never ending....


2004-02-18 23:42

I can feel the sun shining,
even though its dark right now,
reflecting through the darkness as i see light,
perplexing it may seems as how problems are seen,
but twisted in creeks are the solution to it,
different perspectives to the contrasting views,
but in hope lies the perseverance to it all

Post Comment

2004-02-17 20:27

Lost in the world of darkness ,
learnt it all and found that i learnt nothing,
darkness creeping in and wiping out the light ,
cant come to terms with with what i have experience,
the pain misery,
darkness emptiness,
lost cant fight it,
dont know how long i can keep up till i give in...

Comments (1) :

1. -ßyë b¥e cänd¥* Y? y suddenly say tat.. ? (2004-02-17 23:38)

2004-02-17 20:23

I cant give the world to you,
cant give you riches ,
nor fame,
dont have expensive cars nor houses,
but what i can give you is that i ll love you forever and will cherish every second with you till we grow old together.

Post Comment

2004-02-17 16:44

Save me from the emptiness inside me, save me from the anguish of pain, love and death, save me from this world of misery pain and sorrow...Save me from myself , save me from the nothing i ve become...

Post Comment

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There.. Haha, i can't believe i wrote those! Well at least some of those! And there is no way i'll tell you the reasons as to why i wrote those too, haha. Nooo way =P

And i deleted some haha, there's a whole lot more actually you won't believe how much i wrote in the past! But since i'm too lazy to finish my draft i though i'd share a little of my past.

Nostalgia - 10/02/2007 - Feb 14th....

What a day, what a day. It's the only time or season that changes the atmosphere with a need of love out of the surroundings that decept. It's around these moments where singles all around the world would feel the need to be attached, wanted and needed. It creates an unwanted hastiness towards building relationships.

Being with someone on Valentine's day would be pleansant depending on the circumstances, it would also have a similiar effect on singles all around. It's the only period or time of the year where couples just seems so much more obvious than the usual. They seem to stand out with the decor and mood of the entire event.

With all the love themes all around it amplifies the need for a companion, a need for a partner, a need to be needed, cared for and loved. The best part about this whole event is that it searches to partner two different people who know next to nothing about each to walk this life and this journey unknowing of the shrouded future that has mystified the entire season. It creates a need to be with someone, anyone, just to fulfill the need within. How disdainfully corrupt and commercialized has this beautifully emotion become? How much more would they taint this occasion to make a few extra dollars out of this and commercialize something so sacred and tarnish it with dollars and cents.

The commercials, events, shows and programs appeals to people, it appeals to desperate people on the verge of desperation. Desperation of something so sacred, forcing them to make choices they have yet to come to terms with.

I would suspect that celebrations like these might possibly be the leading cause of break-ups and divorces. It mystifies people to seem altogether perfect for a short period of time but totally mismatched for the long term.

I have nothing against spending a extra special day with your loved ones. I have nothing against spending a special evening getting to know someone. But why does it have to be mystified beyond reasoning? Why does it have to be ONE particular day of the year. Why can't those occasions happen frequently without requiring a SPECIAL day to celebrate events like these? Even better, why can't these days be all the time? Why does it have to be Valentine's day that you treat your partner better? WHy must there be a created need to treat someone better, find a partner, match make someone and cause the rest of the singles in the world to feel miserable on this occasion?

Beyond Valentine's facade

Saint Valentine's Day or Valentine's Day is on February 14. It is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other; sending Valentine's cards, candy, or donations to charities, often anonymously. It is very common to present flowers on Valentine's Day. The holiday is named after two men, both Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines". Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.

It is probable that the various legends about St. Valentine were invented during this period. Among these legends:

• On the evening before Valentine was to be martyred for being a Christian, he passed a love note to his jailer's daughter that read, "From your Valentine."

• During a ban on marriages of Roman soldiers by the Emperor Claudius II, St. Valentine secretly helped arrange marriages.[11]

Valentine's Day is mentioned by the character Ophelia in Hamlet: "Tomorrow is Saint Valentine's Day."

In 1836, relics of St. Valentine of Rome were donated by Pope Gregory XVI to the Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church in Dublin, Ireland. In the 1960s, the church was renovated and relics restored to prominence.[12]

In 1969, as part of a larger effort to pare down the number of saint days of purely legendary origin, the Church removed St. Valentine's Day as an official holiday from its calendar. February 14 is now dedicated only to Saint Cyril and Saint Methodius.

Valentine's Day was probably imported into North America in the 19th century by British settlers. In the United States, the first mass-produced valentines of embossed paper lace were produced and sold shortly after 1847 by Esther Howland (1828-1904) of Worcester, Massachusetts. Her father operated a large book and stationery store, and she took her inspiration from an English valentine she had received. Since 2001, the Greeting Card Association has been giving an annual "Esther Howland Award for a Greeting Card Visionary".

In the second half of the 20th century, the practice of exchanging cards was extended to all manners of gifts in the United States, usually from a man to a woman. Such gifts typically include roses and chocolates. In the 1980s, the diamond industry began to promote Valentine's Day as an occasion for giving jewelry.

Heart Talk

I'll share something very personal now...

For someone who new not,
recieved little and understood not,
someone who knew the the outcome when two hearts break apart.

Someone who felt the pain and anguish that grew from a beautiful start but a disdainful ending.

Someone who knew the outcome when the facades fade and reality turns surreal.

There was this little boy,
Who knew the pain like no other,
He felt the effects of two broken hearts,
When shattered dreams come to past,
And life turns all into dust,
How you wish,
You could turn back,
The hands that disdained,
The hands of time,
Which illusioned in vain.

The life that grew,
From the love first felt,
The life that grew,
From two hearts in sync,
to form not 2 but 1,
In union and unison,
Imperfect yet perfect,
Incomplete yet fulfilling.

That life was innocent, that life didn't asked to be born into a world of strife and misery, born of false union and incomplete love. So how could they commercialize such a beautiful emotion, such a beautiful union that could only be ordained by God. How could they prey on the longing hearts to effectively destroy the lives of the next generation...

Those that were completely innocent...

The pain that i've felt, i would never wish it on another. How could they destroy the lifehoods of such pure and innocent beings.

Love at it's purest form is beautiful beyond comprehension. It's not about the facades that last just to hype out the imperfect personas of others.

Love is when you can look at the same person you looked at, 30 years from now, look into his/her eyes with the same longing and love and repeat those very words you said when you were first mesmerized by him/her.

Love is tolerance and patient beyond all understanding, beyond comprehension, to lose all selfish desires and become one.

Love is part of all the little things you did for him/her when you first started dating, to continue doing those little things 30 years into the relationship.

Love is not the over hyped romance of the first few months... It's the under hyped romantic getaways that you'll continue to take 20 years into the marriage. The hand that you would proudly hold when he/she's wrinkly and overweight.

Love is not taking for granted the little things that he/she's done after 5, 10, 20 years. To continue looking at her in the same light when you first started out. Love is not grandiose, it's the oh so serenely beautiful destinies that you will continue living.

Where you wake up 20 years later, not in shock of the person that lay next to you, but with love and longing in your eyes. To caress the hair, to kiss that forehead and wish him/her good morning.

It's the little things of love that encompasses a lifetime of companionship, not the rare acts of grandeur which are totally over hyped. Not that booking an entire restaurant to propose to her is bad, but anyone who has been in a relationship knows how much a grandiose act like that can mislead people into the wrong relationship.

Below is by far the best definition of love i have ever found.

-Love is patient
-Love is kind
-It does not envy
-It does not boast
-it is not proud.
-It is not rude,
-it is not self-seeking,
-it is not easily angered,
-it keeps no record of wrongs.
-Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
-It always protects
-always trusts
-always hopes
-always perseveres
----------------------------------------------

Nostalgia - 04/02/2007 - Pequeño muchacho (parte una)

MARK!!, where have you been? Didn't you know that you had to be back before 5p.m? Screams a women in a loud voice...

As the little boy recalled his past, he's overcomed by a flow of emotions running through him...

Down by the creek, as he's sitting by the tree, lying on the green grass, with his mind at peace... A sudden rush of thoughts overflow, as the vivid reflections burn through emotions..

Droplets fall down,
on his face and cheek now,
as he comes to the terms,
With his life in his hands,
O' where is his home,
And where should he go,
Where is this place,
he calls home.

As the light turned to darkness, in a matter of moments, the sky poured down fiercely, he ran helter-skelter to the nearest cover and protection he could find.

He ran as fast as he could,
He ran as hard as he could,
and out of that running,
he tingled with a sense of freedom.

Freedom from the burdens that lay within,
freedom from the essence of strife and pain,
freedom from the past that disowned him,
freedom from the world which he grew to disdain.

As this boy ran, he found a hut half abandoned. As he crawled up the hut, he was drenched in exhaustion. As the water trickled of his chin, he pondered and felt the loneliness within. His only 2 possesions he had, which he loved and yet disdained. His body and his memory the only two connectors connecting between existance and time. He wanted nothing, but yet everything.

He searched and wondered, what it would be like to feel. The emotions within, that he was built to feel. As he searched his mind for happier times, moments of which he had to appreciate, those moments in which he was acquainted with the emotion, that was so lacking in his life. Moments that would turn the sorrow into joy... As he dwelt on those precious moments, the sun started to shine.

With his clothes all drenched, he squeezed and he dried for time to take, away the pain. That very day, he swore to himself, never would he allow that same emotion to be felt by another. He was empty inside, but of out of the giving grew something, something he grew to cherish, and look forward to. As his clothes dried, he put them on and raced towards that elated emotion, as much as he lacked as much he would give, which he innocently envisioned. He had nothing in life, nothing whatsoever, which was why he appreciated every little thing in life just a little bit more, just a little more....

As the sun turned brighter he paced faster, to the future he saw in that elated emotion. Perhaps, perhaps, he thought to himself... Perhaps... (to be continued)

Nostalgia - 01/02/2007 - A lot About Nothing..~~

2weeks
2weeks plus back i recall catching up with a mate whom i enjoy mixing with. He is funny, intelligent what more could you expect from a guy. The difference only difference this time round was the company i was expecting. Over the phone he briefly hyped that it would be an interesting encounter between great minds who thought alike, so i was expecting someone brilliant, someone who could see beyond the 4 walls and facades of life. Not exactly a philosopher but even a creative opportunist would be an excellent change of environment.

So after work, i rushed off to meet this guy. I was sceptical, not a lot of people enter my good books based on a first acquaintance or first appearance and i was pretty sure that unless i liked this guy i would probably never enjoy his company the second time around. So i walked there and we had dinner and after the introductions we got started with business.

I've met my fair share of people in life not to judge anyone based on their first appearance or impression, not that his first appearance appeared anything close to shabby. Come to think of it, I would most probably have a terrible first impression of myself heh.

So, here's this spunky young guy, with a lot of energy, aiming to conquer the world and be the next Bill Gates, does he have it? Or is he another William Hung wannabe? Haha, i'm clueless as to whether i'm bothered about his achievements in life. What i'm interested in would be the character that emerges out of it, something money can't buy. If he succeeds would he change for the better or for the worse?

I forgot the exact sequence of the conversation but i knew that this guy was proactive, a go-getter and full of himself at times not that i'm against that you do need to believe your own bull to be able get somewhere in life. If Einstein and Galileo didn't believe in their own bull it wouldn't be recorded in history! It's just how the world runs, you need to be extremely confident in this cut-throat world to survive and achieve in life.

So i learnrf about his job, his ambitions, his desires all in a scope of an hour plus and i'm not a psychic but i've read enough about this guy to be able to path out his future and yes from my observations he does have enough solid principles, to succeed in life temporarily, to taste the first few fruits of success if he doesn't give up before that. Beyond that would depend on a whole lot of different skills and experience required to succeed, those mostly bought by the failures in life.

So as he went on, i shot him down, as he went on i shot him down again, i debated and stretched his imagination and perceptions to show him reality beyond his ideals. I didn't do it just for fun mind you, i wanted to bring this guy down to earth, to shake him now so that he doesn't lose his way in the future. So i tactfully tore down what i could and opened his eyes a little to the possibilities that lie ahead. Before i start sounding like a bad guy, i did not insult him, merely constructively criticise the foundations revolving around him.

Part of the debate ensued due to him soliciting me a product from a company (a renowned mnc company) he was employed too and i tore down most of the company's products and structure to see where it would bring him. I considered it part of the debate and i wasn't offended by the opportunity he saw in that incident, no i was more amused than anything else.

Now i'm nothing, i honestly am, i have achieved NOTHING in life, i don't know whether it's something to be proud of, or ashamed of. You could say that 95% of this world have thus achieved nothing in life and 95% of people in life are losers but that would be based on YOUR definition of a loser and by my definiton i am definitely not a loser.

I enjoy debates like this because it appeals to my intellectual side, i feel that i'm able to impart something to others and i enjoy doing so. And i'm glad he was someone who was humble enough to accept opinions maybe, because he was fresh, but i still respect anyone who is humble enough to listen to the opinion of others. So here's a guy who could possibly make it in life. Do i care? I don't know if he stays grounded i'd enjoy his company and possibly count him as a close friend in future more for what he is rather than who he is. As it is, i enjoy talking to people who are humble enough to accept others opinions and base their arguments based on fact rather than hypothetical bull.

The development of the mind is not the consequence of a single relative action that mines out a non-changing amount of experience over a period of time to effectively conclude that years multiplied by the white hairs over your head would make you smarter and wiser than the next upstart.

I don't enjoy talking/debating with elderly people or overtly conceited people because they think that the world revolves around them and if ever you would point that the world revolves around the earth, behold the earth would shake and the skies erupt. I am not against elderly people, mind you, i do respect that there are elders who have wisdom and experience far beyond my years, it's just that they often let their ego's cloud their mind which turns the wisdom into dust...

Like this particular statement "I have eaten more rice than you have eaten salt in your life." What does that have to do with anything? The statement just tells me that you've been feeding that body of yours a little longer than i have and that you've been eating enough rice to feed a third world country!

I have nothing against any particular group or category of society be it black or white, be it young or old, i just prefer to keep a little distance from conceited people as i just don't enjoy their company. Some of you might even think of me as conceited, well opinions, opinions...

Before i end, i wish to first apologize for any who has been offended but what i wrote, i wrote it with no ill-intentions whatsoever and if ever appears that i myself am conceited, well, i apologize for that too. I let my thoughts flow sometimes and i really don't review what i've writen until it's done...

Back to the point...

At the end of the day, it's all huge ado about nothing. I don't pride myself on anything that i've been given. I'm not even using my talents to the fullest and that's what i'm particularly ashamed off.

I'm nothing, i've achieved nothing, i don't even have enough faith to trusts that everything would be perfect in His time. Like the conversation i had, it was alot about nothing.

But i do know one thing, that i've been redeemed for a greater purpose and my life is for His purpose not mine anymore.

I've lost pride, i've regained confidence albeit slowly. At the end of the day i don't want to waste another day. Wanna know my dreams? The oh so beautiful dreams that i'm dreaming off? I'll leave those for another day...

Have a great day, believe in your Maker, who's made you for the better days ahead. In Him we'll have the victory. God bless all of you. =)

Nostalgia - 27/01/2007 - Oh Dear!

Oh, dear where has my silly self gone too,
i remember posting in a blog not so far away,
about me being silly and liking it thus far,
but where has that silly gone to dally?

Oh silly, oh silly would you come and make me silly,
For i long to be silly, in this complicated world,
If i could bring a smile to people around,
So silly oh billy, I'd love to turn a little silly...

Oh you dear people, must think i'm drunk huh? But you don't know what fun, it is to be silly, so won't you help me in turning silly or better still join me and act all silly.

To be silly is fun,
Say's Billie the bun,
Oh, what fun it would be if a bun could talk, and we could all act silly, Oh what? no? You want to miss on the fun? Oh Dear, Oh Dear, How terribly unfun of you to miss out on this silly little fun.

So won't you come along and be silly with me,
And forget about all your little worries,
To be silly is fun,
To worry no fun,
So why worry so much,
When you can be fun acting silly. =p

So all of you join me, oh yes sir do join me,
In this act of being silly,
Oh dear it's late so i'll wave good night.

WIsh me good luck in my bid, to act all silly.

Good night all. =P :D ;P

Nostalgia - Truly, truly a Wonderful Journey

Life is simple

I've just realised, that life is simple! It is, it might sound pretty odd coming from me, but if you release yourself from your burdens everything else tends to fall into place, easily.

It all depends on how you view life. I've changed my outlooks of life so many times it could make a sailor spin from nausea. But i've anchored my character on unchanging virtues, no matter how far i stray, i know, that as long as i know where my anchor is placed, i'll be in the right place.

Life tends to look differently each time you face situations that differ from your outlook.

Most people define their life's differently as they priorities different aspects differently. The common defacto prioritisation would consists of these 4 factors.

Relationships- Family, friends, colleagues not forgetting the ONE relationship that makes men & women alike, go crazy.

Financial State- Well by definition most people define their happiness if they were above debt and poverty.

Expectations- Well we all have certain expectations in life, or expectations that we expect out of life. The higher they are, they less contented and happy we'll be.

Health- If you were unhealthy, you might find misery in surviving.

Expectations
Expectations determine your state or condition. If you've been well to do all your life but have been discontented due to higher expectations. You would still be unhappy if you had :-

-Love(Eg: A great relationship)
-Wealth
-Passion
-Health

Fame & Power are illusions, they tap upon temporal highs and are akin to drugs. Once it's all over you'd be left with the addiction and side effects.

So by definition if you had wealth, it would equate to comfort. And love by your Partner/Spouse, Family, Friends & possibly everyone around you, any reasonable human being would be delighted and contented.

But expectations, O expectations, things are never the way WE want ito be.

By comparisons we expect the best out of every best situation before we feel contented.

Discontentment
-We will never feel wealthy unless we're the richest so the definition of wealth is being Bill Gates.

-We will never be contented with our relationships unless we're the best couple for miles all around, we have the perfect family and by perfect i mean better than everyone else.

-We want to be the best at what we do or we'll forever be in discontentment.

So by definition the average human will never find contentment, because the average human is filled with ingratitude.

We always want a better relationship, A better car, A bigger house, A better job, A better everything and even when we have the things we seek we're impatient over those. We're by nature ungrateful people.

From the top of the scale till the end of the scale, none are satisfied, none are contented. I may be making a sweeping statement, but it's a statement that i would have no worries, apologising over.

-------------------------------------------

A Beautiful World
Now, how does this turn out to be a truly, wonderful, journey?

What is so great about life?

Well for starters i'd like to thank God for a few things.

-A good job
-Good friends and a great fellowship of believers to congregate with.
-I'm financially sound.
-I'm running the race.
-I have 2 hands, 2 feet, all fingers intact and all the toes wiggly.
-I'm learning & appreciating life.
-I'm in good health.
-Life's just great in general.
-And i've got a few special moments to look back and to look forward too.

So what do i have to complain about? I'll be honest, nothing. What do i want to complain about? Oh, plenty. But why should i? I've just stated 9 things that i'm extremely grateful for and probably or should i say definitely a few more to add to the list in the coming weeks or months.

By definition i have a great life! I love my life right now and i'm loving it more and more each day.

The little things you have to give thanks for, be grateful. The people around you who extend support to you be grateful. The things you have be grateful. In everything you do be grateful.

I'm just so blessed Father,
I'm just so blessed Lord,
I want to give You thanks,
I want to give You praise.

For you are give me joy like no other,
You fill me with peace that transcends understanding.

Blessed be the name of the Lord, for He is worthy of all praise!

Nostalgia - Zzzz

I have to write,
Cause i've got no choice,
The irony & pain,
Was like no other gain.

The choice was mine,
The folly mine too,
Just knowing the outcome,
Has torn me apart,
I wanted to discover,
The pain that's uncovered,
Maybe i'm silly,
Maybe i'm foolish,
But i'm happy being foolish,
And delighted in my anguish,
Perhaps i needed to know,
The pain that's tearing me,
I don't want to think,
To think would be foolish,
To feel would be anguish,
Like two centre's torn,
From two halves centred.

To gain what you lost,
To rediscover the pain,
To feel alive like i've never felt,
The irony, The irony,
Thus this twist of agony,
In this maze of irony,
Oh "irony", Oh "irony",
Where art thou lost in this rhythmic symphony.

I pray today,
Each day i pray,
To fulfill his will,
To surrender my will.

I don't know my future,
I can't recognize my past,
To look ahead now,
Would be destiny's design,
That i look above,
And never look back.

I've lost all thought,
As to what rhymes not,
As the intentions lose,
All emotions in a knot.

Thank You Father,
Than You Lord,
Thank You Jesus,
Good Night All.

Nostalgia - Stressed...

Stressed

I'm stressed, there are always a million things to do and i never finish my work. It's not over the top stressed but compounded stress that i've been subjected to.

Morning

I took a cab this morning, i would have been late if i didn't so i took a cab. I woke up at 7.20a.m mind you but i was exhausted, so exhausted that i did everything in slow motion till it hit 8.30a.m when i would usually leave the house at 8.00 a.m .

*Waves Cab*, two cabs whizzed right pass me and another two cabs arrive. *Waves* first one whizzes by pointing me to the one behind, yup, the one loaded with asap which had been dormant for like 5minutes.

I was like um.. no, i don't want that other taxi, but oh well...

So the other taxi started to start it's engine and move nearer towards me, well i won't begin judging here noooooo, not on an open blog, so here comes the aplomb!

This guy looked every inch a ? Gangster? i don't know what you'd call him. When i entered the taxi it was like it was on fire, absolutely smoky.

As i entered i gave him the directions,
to my office he shooted,
off with one hand,
on the steering the other
and the the third playing fiddle with his diddly glove?
The ones that bikers use?
To show of their little fingers,
So that when it fiddles,
You'll know they have fingers

As soon as shifted the pedal, i felt like the driver was playing Daytona or the Taxi game which you ferried passengers before the time runs out.

He would swerve to the left,
and swerve to the right,
and curse to the left,
With his head to the right,
Whosoever brave,
To impede on his path,
He's show his moves off,
With a twist of his tounge,
He'll Show you whose boss,

While he swerved like a bomb,
The clock tickled,
As the metre ran,
With my mouth agape,
for the flies to go ape,
My heart bobbed out,
As it throbbed on my tongue,
I could taste emotions,
Like i could feel two notions,
One 2 kneel,
And the other 2 pray,
O Lord i thank,
This day today,
For i've appreciated life,
Like never before.

You couldn't believe how thankful i was when i reached my stop, half the time i was thought he would pull me over and rob me. How was i suppose to react if he did that? Fight back? Well it's not that i'm not afraid to fight back, but am i suppose to pray or to fight back?

Rely on my strength or rely on God's strength, but i am... or rather was trained in self-defence arts. What am i supposed to do should i come across situations as this?

Those were the thoughts that crossed my mind and i found my pride in crossroads once again. To fight and to give up would be a sissy thing to do, moreover i was once working as someone who was trained in the art of self defence! That would be humiliating wouldn't it?

Well, as i fought myself early in the day i prayed for strength once again.

Work

As the day piled up,
My head bobbed up,
To see the pile up,
would need two diagonal stairs.

As my head spinned like stars,
Across the milky way,
My head turned knots,
As i lost direction's count.

As i swam in my work,
Like a fish out of water,
My world started to falter,
Like two ends apart,
It justs has to rhyme,

I ot filled with more and more work, each side demanded or rather require something to be done at that moment, i felt swamped with work to add to the mountain of work that was already up to my neck. Everything was urgent.. As i started to destress myself and yes pray. What else can i do?

So i begin to piece up the pieces i could piece up and started working on the things that i could, i'm just praying for strength, stamina and wisdom to guide me through because God knows and i know that without Him i'm nothing.

So yeah, here i am, buried in work.

I'm not burdened, well that might be a lie, but i try not to be. I really do. And i do n'tfeel the weight, just the exhaustion.

Just the things unseen that troubles me,
over the faith i have that i've not foreseen,
lies the path in which i tread that i see not yet,
but in the hope of things to come and the everlasting king,
In Him i put my trust & faith,
That my life might be in line with His,
And His path the trail that i'll trod.

I pray for faith, I pray for hope,
At a costs i pray at a costs i must face,
I pray for grace to abound in me,
That the trials i face would be His grace to me.

I thank You, Father for this day and this journey. I thank You for everything you've given unto me. Thank You, Lord.

Repost - Gratitude

Gratitude

The state of being grateful, being thankful. An attitude or emotion that we see so little in the world today. Everywhere around we're thought to take, grab and wrest over. The notion that "nothing is free in the world" adds up to the strife and conflict that already rages within society this days.


We live in a society that indoctrinates selfishness as a virtue. We are taught that selfishness bring riches, glory, fame & power. All the allures that entraps a man.

Strife
In school you strive to achieve success, the best pupils more often than not, garner the affection of teachers, parents and pupils alike. The're loved by everyone and seem to be at the centre of attention. It appeals to our desires to be loved, liked, cared for and acknowledged.

Now every human in the world has a need or desire to be liked, loved, cared for and acknowledged. Some go even further with the need to be glorified with fame & power. I'd leave that emotion for another day.

So the indoctrination begins, the winners get it all and the losers get picked on by teachers, pupils and everyone else. We're taught to despise losing in society, that builds towards a despise for losers in society. Losers reminds us of everything that we loate to be, to imagine being the other end would be unimaginably imaginable.

By the time these kids hit their teens, they have come to terms that success is no longer compromisable. They are no longer able to cope with the void that's been growing throughout their childhood.

The poor, less intelligent, weird, outcast and ugly teenagers start revolting. They start striving towards recognition through all forms of means possible. Day by day they begin to use all means to feed the growing void that's been left unattended to fester for years.

And we wonder why kids turn out the way they do as they grow older...

Moral values dissipates in the face of competition, competition to fill the void, a void that was created out of man's selfish desires to extend and pride itself in it's invention, technology & knowledge.

I've often assumed that television and the internet were or was the leading cause in the deterioration of moral values in the world but i realised that it was not even close to the root of life's complex but yet simple predicament.

In my assumptions i've assumed that life was never the way our Creator intended. That assumption has proven to be a fact on more than one occasion and a reality in recent discoveries.

Now that i have found the cause of one of life's most complexly difficult problems what am i going to do about it?

To be honest i don't consider myself smart nor wise, the gifts that i have, has been from my Creator up above.

And the answer i've been so graciously given to effectively rid the world of it's immorality and make the world a better place is gratitude.

A World without Immorality

-No Violence
-Almost Non-Existant Crime Rates
-Less Diseases
-No greed, strife, conflict, wars or any of the rubbish you see in the papers these days.

I'll loathe writting out every single issue, sin, crime and immoral attitudes that derives itself from ungratitude. So i'll just state the benefits of gratitude. First and foremost we'll begin with the explanation of this wholesome and beautiful word.

gratitude

One entry found for gratitude.

Main Entry: grat·i·tude
Pronunciation: 'gra-t&-"tüd, -"tyüd
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French or Medieval Latin; Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin gratitudo, from Latin gratus grateful
: the state of being grateful : THANKFULNESS

grateful

One entry found for grateful.

Main Entry: grate·ful
Pronunciation: 'grAt-f&l
Etymology: obsolete grate pleasing, thankful, from Latin gratus -- more at GRACE
1 a : appreciative of benefits received b : expressing gratitude <grateful thanks>
2 a : affording pleasure or contentment : PLEASING b : pleasing by reason of comfort supplied or discomfort alleviated

-----------------------------------------------------

Now, honestly if we were all please and contented with what we have, who we are and the conditions/situations we were in, the world would be by a far, a better place.

I'll not expound on the benefits of gratitude as i'm just too tired from the editing that friendster made me re-do like 7 times... And yeah i'm thankful for it =P

And yet some people might even derive discontentment from reading this..

TO BE CONTINUED- Now i don't like to post incomplete work but who cares it's not as if i'm a renowned writer am i? and besides even if i'm renowned it's free you should be gracious. Just kidding ;P

I'm honestly too tired to re-write what friendster helped me lose so i'll continue tomorrow. Good night =)

Never have i been so enlightened,
Never have i been filled with such sorrow,

I'm grateful for the gratitude i have but yet in agony over the fate of the world.

I pray dear Lord,
You guide my path,
That i find renewed hope,
That's enough for the pope,

Yet i want not mine but Yours.

So teach me that i may bring this hope to a world without hope, That we may one day be in the unity that we were destined for.

Repost - C-Major

On A Positive Note~

C Major, one of the most widely used chords in a song. Major Chords by definition tend to sound on a happier tone, wherelse Minor Chords are used to create a sadder tone. Like Happy Birthday you play it with C Major, G7 and i forgot? =p Haven't played the piano in ages....

But if you play it with Minor Chords it'll sound really twisted, so most happy songs are played on major chords and most sad songs on minor chords.

Back to the point, when it comes to illustrations, the half-glass full scenario comes to mind.

The positive guy- This glass is half full.
The negative guy- This glass is half empty!
The businessman- How do i maximise profit by utilising the 50% extra capacity.
Thirsty Guy- Wow a glass of water. Thank God.
The Mum- Who left the glass around without washing it!

We view our world based on the situation and perspective at that present moment, There are times when we look at the glass and say it's half-full, other times half-empty. It depends on our physical state, emotional state & for me my spiritual state.

When a person is able to overcome circumstances that he faces he triumps even in the defeat of the circumstance to achieve victory, what i personally define as losing the battle but winning the war.

I'll give you an example,

Late for work
You're late for work, you're rushing to take the cab and after you've waited for 20minutes the cab arrives. You wave your hands and flag the cab, just as you're about to enter the cab somebody rushes in and enters in, shoots of with the cab.

1st choice of reaction
Flashes of anger boils over, emotions start erupting and you lose your mild and calm composure. By definition it's your fault, you were late, but the guilt of being late turns to anger and now it becomes that persons fault you're late! You go to office and blame somebody else as the reason you're late. Anger subsides to guilt & relief, you reassure yourself that it's that person's fault you're late. You gain sympathy.
(Running away from your problems)

2nd choice of reaction
You calm down. You reasoned out it's your fault you're late, if you prepared earlier before hand and woke up earlier you wouldn't be facing this problem in the first place. So you smile at the person who took your cab, assuming he/she will even notice you as they take the cab and thank God for teaching you to be wiser in your preparation & planning. At the office you tell the boss it's your fault you're late, you assure him that you will plan & prepare for work better in future and that you'll minimise such occurences in the future. You end up resoluting to plan and prepare better.
(Facing your problem and solving it.)

Now a lot of people would smile and say it's easier said than done, they already know, yada-yada bla bla ect.

I know and understand that It takes effort, painful effort to overcome problems, but it takes recognition first to solve it. When man triumphs over circumstance inspite and despite of circumstance it's than where true victory is achieved.

And i've strayed far away from what my intended topic...

I intend to live life looking at the things above rather than the things below and to give thanks to the things i have, rather than the things i've not.

I want to breathe each breath with thanksgiving rather than griping, it's not easy, but i believe, with all my heart, that it's definately achievable.

When you overcome obstables, trials, tribulations, situations, circumstance, despite ups an downs, thrills and disasters, you remain unfazed an unchanged, you overcome life itself and the world around you.

Everything else becomes pleasant, everything else becomes good, you look at the world not through the tinted lens you view it, but through the eyes of love and compassion.

I want to view everything with positive outlook rather than looking back with a heavy heart. I want to look to the future rather than to the past. That is my prayer.

I pray each day,
My heart grows softer,
My love grows bigger,
That my compassion for Your creation,
Engulfs my soul,
That my love for people,
And my love for You,
Will surpass all comprehension,
And i will look to each day,
With a Joy in My Heart,
That can only come from You.

Thank You Father.

I live each day,
with a glint in my eye,
I live each breath,
with a joy in my toe,
And i'll give thanks to my Maker,
For His Love Endures Forever.

Repost (Part 14)

Ideally, humiliating.

I've gone on for days about humiliation haven't i? It's because it's the most painful emotion known to man. It tears you to shreds from the inside out.

Have you been thoroughly & painfully humiliated to the point where you just go blank and start feeling your whole world crashing before your eyes? I have..

When you begin with ideals that seem ideally perfect with noble intentions but the effects turn out... somewhat disastrous you start to question the intended purpose and the purposeful actions that contradicts the cause.

Now i would begin to question my motives but to know the outcome and to proceed with the action would in many a case reek of pure stupidity.

Now I know myself pretty well and i abhor change like i abhor humiliation, it doesn't take a mathematician to add up the equation.

So i acted in faith, faith that my judgement would serve me for the worse. But yeah the experience turned out for the worse, too bad.

Live goes on... I suppose. Trying is suppose to be rewarding isn't it? I'm actually wondering if any of the things i blog about will come back to haunt me one day, where the problems i face would be merely pebbles in the face of larger boulders or that i surpass problems and struggles in life.

I'm indignant at the circumstances and situations i face, but i'll not let a few pebbles obstruct my path. No, i'll take pleasure in savouring the defeat of my enemy in the midst of my defeat.

It's great to know that you can lose a battle and yet win a war. What i've lost will be a small price to pay for the treasures i'll gain in the coming days.

I'll take courage in my redemption,
I'll take hope in my destiny,
I'm built for the eternal purposes of heaven,
No longer to be torn by conflicts of despair,
I'll no longer trudge the pathways of life,
But walk bravely towards my goal,
That i may one day be rewarded,
With these sweet & beautiful words,
"Well done, good and faithful servant!"

Repost (Part 13)

Speak English

How many times have we experienced boredom in a conversation because the other party had been talking gibberish? Yeah you can equate out e=mc2, but who cares?

I know i speak for myself a lot when i blog about this because i've this tendency to go on an overdrive to explain things a little too much. Who cares? Me?

(Taken from http://blog.guykawasaki.com/)
Question: Your principles sound pretty basic. If these six principles were all it took to make a sticky idea, why aren’t there more brilliant ideas in the world?

Answer: Basic, yes, but not natural. That’s an important distinction. People tend to think that having a great idea is enough, and they think the communication part will come naturally. We are in deep denial about the difficulty of getting a thought out of our own heads and into the heads of others. It’s just not true that, “If you think it, it will stick.”

And that brings us to the villain of our book: The Curse of Knowledge. Lots of research in economics and psychology shows that when we know something, it becomes hard for us to imagine not knowing it. As a result, we become lousy communicators. Think of a lawyer who can’t give you a straight, comprehensible answer to a legal question. His vast knowledge and experience renders him unable to fathom how little you know. So when he talks to you, he talks in abstractions that you can’t follow. And we’re all like the lawyer in our own domain of expertise.

Here’s the great cruelty of the Curse of Knowledge: The better we get at generating great ideas—new insights and novel solutions—in our field of expertise, the more unnatural it becomes for us to communicate those ideas clearly. That’s why knowledge is a curse. But notice we said “unnatural,” not “impossible.” Experts just need to devote a little time to applying the basic principles of stickiness.

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Overvaluing your wisdom. Just because you understand the intricacies of the global currency market doesn't mean you should share them. Unless there's a point to your pontification—you're a doctor, someone has symptoms—give it a rest.

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This disease is most often most often genetically linked with the male gender because some if not most have an inferiority complex and the need to show their "bigger clubs" as a sign of superiority to extend territory, attract the opposite sex, ect.. Yeah we live in the InfoTech age so.....

http://www.picoodle.com/view.php?srv=img02&img=/7/1/14/f_imagesi_83c9m_59e321ec.jpg

I too have this inferiority complex and am compelled by some unknown force to insinuatingly speak gibberish.

And yeah by worldly definition the aura of each man is reflected through his ability in carrying around his super-sized Confidence/Ego.

And i've lost it, does that make me any lesser of man than i already am? I don't think so!

My confidence is placed in God and it doesn't effect my ability to carry myself or tasks in any less of a manner.To be honest when you think dirt of yourself the only things you can't do right are the things you place your confidence in.

So that makes me a nitwit when it comes to doing things out of my own will(selfish desires). Hilarious... A thoroughly humiliating, fulfilling process.

And so i deviated from the topic and spoke more about myself. =p

So i've added 2 more words for the new year! Care & Concern.

Au revoir Et Dieu Bénissez-Vous.

The little things you do each day,
I take to heart, recall & pray,
That i may one day live a life,
That's made of the little things i've done each day.

Blowing myself away from my past,
Looking back not forgetting what,
I lose myself to fulfill His will,
And die today so that i might live tomorrow.

Repost (Part 12)

....... Life in Progress .......

Please wait for the updates. (Updates in progress)

For the answer to life's errors please refer to the "life manual"

5 % Life in progress....
9% Life in progres....

Sorry, your Life is currently facing a critical error, please re-boot your Life now, Click the restart button.

(How many of us actually wish we could do that? =P)

*tiiit* , *tiiit* , *tiiit*

LIfe *re-booting*,
Loading Brain.... (Memory Check)
Loading Heart.... (Processor Check)
Loading Operating System (Dos Check)
Loading Other Organs (Organs Check)

Oh shoot... forgot to switch it to manual... Argh!!

How many of us forgot to switch on our brains today. =X

Lost

How many of us are living on auto daily? Do we respond based on how we're programmed, or because we have chosen our response?

How often do we face situations in life and we asks, "why" ? How often we face problems in life and we asks, "why me" ?

Do we eat, walk, go somewhere, respond, because we have to, or because we want to? Do we show kindness, courtesy, patience, love, emotions because we have to, or because we want to?

Have we become automated beings? Is that the reason we find existance dull & that everyone else is a replica of everyone else?

Are there other reasons for existance other than fame & glory, power & wealth?

Are we living the REAL us or are we living the real US?

Are we living on auto? Have we lost our emotions, responsive independency & thought?

Are we living out different templates of life?

Are we running for the sake of running? Are we living for the sake of living?

Do we disdain people because we are disdainful? Are we rubbed by proud people because they rub our prideful egos?

Are we put off by hypocrites because they show us the depth of our hearts? Do we like those that like/love us more than those that are indifferent?

Are we mixing with intellectual people because we don't think un-intellectual people are worth mixing with? Are we mixing with cuter, beautiful, pleasant, kind & sweet, appealing people because we can't stand others? Can we withstand ourselves?

Are we trying to hard on the things we want and trying to little on the things He wants?

Are we living the words uttered from our lips.

Are we striving for all the wrong reasons to all the wrong destinations?

Are we living the opposite of what we want to?

Do we know what we really want? Do we know who we really are?

Are we living a total lie....

-----------------------------------

Found

Lost? Don't be.. I was lost too. But now i'm found.

Until we face the reality of God, until we're transformed by his grace & mercy, we'll remain the same.

Is it about face(pride)? Is it about reality of life? I, reply, in self reprimand, many a times too...

This isn't the life i want to live. I want to live my life right. I've only got one mortal life to glorify him before i spend eternity with him.

It's no longer about myself. I'm weak, i admit, i have selfish desires... But i'm putting him first, with that all desires to conform to the world's pattern of life dies.

How is life without the world?
How is life with God?
Once i die to self, i die to the tribulations which exists and the constant struggles that ensues with it.

I'm free to live my life to glorify him no longer bound by the chains of the world. Do you see those chains? I wish you freedom too. =)

God bless you & Good Night

Repost (Part 11)

Friday, July 20, 2007

Sky

Within every goal lies impossible limits the we can only dream about, it's only when we touch the ground that those dreams turn to dust. Oh what irony that the distance of what we thought possible remains impossible unless we think otherwise.

Have i lost myself this far and stood on lower grounds, as though bowing in the luxury of the dust covered surface.

Oh how lost have i become and to what extend. Never have i stood on firmer ground, never a conviction so clear it pierces my soul, oh that i should look back and fall below, oh what agony, oh what destiny, so thus i laugh with pride's gleeful plee.

As i stand in linger, oh what my fate laid. Oh, how long will i lay my head in this mire. Will i allow my body to stop time and convict me of my fate within. As i laugh mockingly at the disparity that circumstance seems to offer. No i will not bow down, not now or ever. Even as my heart skips a beat and my world shatters to pieces, i will not let myself be shaken to the core. Trembling i lay to awaken my desires, trembling i lay to seek green pastures, oh that i would entangle in earth's deep labyrinths.

Forsaking my pride, i leave my head behind,
Forsaking my will, i leave my dust my behind,
Forsaking myself, i plunge forward towards the finish line.
Oh before i fall to the ground and mingle with the dust, will i leave an imprint behind that time will not fade.

"A man can run from all the thing in life, be it people, work, play or responsibilities but a man may never be able to run away from himself."

With this i place my head towards the sky, let my dust fall to the ground but let not my face, it's surface.

Posted by Takeshi Takuhiro at 6:26 AM 0 comments

Repost (Part 10)

Wednesday, June 28, 2006

It's a brand new day,
It's time to start,
A brand new day in my life,
At this i'll make.

From here forth,
I know not off,
Where direction will lead me,
Where God Will lead me,
But i will start,
This day anew,
Like the very first time,
And the very first breath,
I will begin my life,
With a thirst for life,
In whatever i do,
I bring the glory unto the Lord.

For this is my life upon this journey,
That i may look,
And not see,
That i may hear,
And not listen,
But from this day,
My strength, emotions, desires, thoughts and weaknesses,
I give them all to the glory of my destiny in him.

Too long have i fallen,
Like the leaves that had withered,
But everything old gives way to the new,
And it's the hope of life that's our greatest gift,
For at the end a storm lies a rainbow.

So when hope is lost,
When your strength withered,
Your emotions shattered,
And your thoughts in shambles,
Cry out and pray,
For the One who loves you will never abandon you.

Never give up,
No never give up,
For the blessings of the journey has just begun.

El dios bendice su puede paz y alegría para estar con usted. Tenga un día agradable =)

Repost (Part 9)

uesday, October 04, 2005

Why why why?

I apologize for the leave of absence? Wait? To whom am i apologizing to...? Hm... That's it myself.. Only i would think that i'm important enough.. Only i would think that i'm so important that others would take precious time of leisure, family and friends to read my blog! Well maybe it's a form of entertainment..

Maybe they're just laughing at me..! Sigh.. there is this saying laugh and the world laughs at you. I suppose i'll laugh that they're laughing at me, at least i'm providing some form of entertainment (@_@")

Back to the point. I was wondering why we do the things we do. What things?

Well for instance gossiping about our neighbours/friends/somebody? And the list goes on:-

-Watching television(Come on how many of us derive or gain any positives out of it? More importantly how many of us actually get to see the benefits?)

-Talking nonsense.(Gossiping etc..) Come on don't you people have better things to do? What do you gain out of talking bad/good/whatever about others? Talking nonsense is one of the most unproductive things we spend on in our lifetime. Companies lose millions of unproductive hours when we gossip on the new secretary or our latest conquest(for guys!), the latest gadgets etc.. Why don't you do something more productive or enriching for yourself like reading or going to the gym?

-Staring in to space(Come on admit it! I know er.. and others know to it's just that we pretend noone else knows or wants to know about it!)

-Ogling!(apllies to both races..) Well since it's inherently built-in to us we give excuses like it's the hormones.. Well, hello?!! Wake-up call we're humans not animals! We have a brain and are/am capable on conscious thought and actions.

-Dreaming... Wake-up call stop staring into space and project yourself into space.. Via Space Invaders.(Wait that doesn't make sense.. Well it's my blog, shoo!)

(Anybody else notice my extensive use of brackets and dots? Well if you do ignore it! What? I'm ignoring it too. If it doesn't matter to me it shouldn't matter to you unless you're weird ass monkey who loves making others go bananas!)

-Playing arcade games, pc games, whatever games etc.. Note: I play them too, it doesn't mean that i've to preach the wonders it does in improving my hand-eye co-ordination!

-Lazying around.

-Smoking. =X

-Shopping(when you have no need of the item or service but do so just because you feel like it.)/Window shopping. (Note to all females: Please don't kill me. I'll shop for you so it turns out productive? Happy? No? Fine at least i'll be happy :P)

-Clubbing. (Yeah right sleeping around and drinking booze sure is productive! Cheers to you mate.)

-Most Parties.

-Anything done excessively.

And the list goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on until i stop repeating myself like a broken down machine. (Now, honestly how many of you kept reading and on and on and on and on?)

Actually, a lot of things are unproductive like the travelling time we spend to work etc.. But those are beyond our control(To a certain extent. ) I'm talking about things we do out of our own free will because we want to.

Rememeber most of those stuff listed on top may not be bad but it would be if it's excessive and we all know what a great liar you are ! hah ;P.

Now, now, now, alot of you might be cursing and swearing at me going as far as to suggest that me blogging now is also unproductive and a waste of time!

Well behold news at 7.00p.m the author of this blog, ahem, Mr.Takeshi(yeah right) has become the next most important person after bush!(Bush, bush,shrub,bramble,jungle etc.. I'm astounded at my command of synonyms! Actually you're! =P ) He talks like a a thicket and looks like a chimpanzee but hey at least he doesn't go around "purifying" other countries. Besides he sees a greater need in enlightening the world with his astounding uncommon sense and the "word" yes the "word". Now what "word"? No, no, it's not the "word" it's that "WORD" What? Ward? No, "WORD!!!" Oh, i see at last.. THAT WORT!!!

(You people are just senile to have read that nonsense it's 0410 not 0104 you donkeys Καλή νύχτα :P)

IF you're too lazy to find out what the small letters are, it's actually thank you for your time and have a nice day. =P