The Creator Has A Master Plan

Test

2009-03-28T15:01:00.004+08:00

One Update

2008-04-29T22:17:00.003+08:00

Fatty Bom-Bom says:

I can't ever get sick of posting up the Marevellous photos. Exams herald in another cycle, another epoch of eating to your heart's content till it becomes painful. Oh well, get gym membership loh.

Leaving Paradise... Thankfully

2008-01-16T14:54:00.000+08:00

Arriving home from Bintan, it did not dawn upon me yet that I had left a beauitful little island that had been the playground of my closest mates and I. The food was cheap and in copious quantities, the nights cold with the incoming breeze from the sea and the company warmer still.

But what was also a getaway with comrades became also a precious life lesson - that I cannot ever retire like how the West or the media often envision it. Doing nothing but sleep and eat made me a restless soul wanting to get back to the fast paced battlefield called home. People who yearn for a slower pace of life might then get a shock when they actually get the slower pace they had been pining for. There is simply no fufilment.

Instead I suppose that there lies a truth that seeks to reconcile the relaxation of a slower pace of life and yet also the purpose and satisfaction behind work well done. The Christian and Jewish God gave Man the instruction to keep the Sabbath free, which begins to make great sense to me. While there should be purposeful work, there should also be a day or short interlude of rest before we go on working again.

And our trip was exactly just that.

A Year To Love

2008-01-01T13:02:00.000+08:00

Life Revisited

2007-12-03T00:50:00.000+08:00

Exams are finally done but the nice happy feelings associated with it has not sunk in yet. The brain is still having an exam hangover as the body tries to cope with new found freedom.
Yet certain things are already looking a certain way for the month of December. More gigs combined with more church activites seems to be for certain this month. Also there are many things I would love to do like brush up on my personal development, build up my endurance and body in preparation for IPPT as well as a life-time committment of physical balance and maintenance. When the people compete for your attention, the harsh law of economics kicks in - Scarcity.
Scarcity of time is a problem we all face. And decide we must. To give one person your time is to deprive another person of it. But here the bias falls in the direction of quality of time; we forget that time also has a qualitative aspect to it. The amount of engagement, interest, passion, contemplation and love we put into the time spent with people is much more important than the actual amount of time we put into it. Yes yes, some people and activities require more time than others; but how they feel after spending concentrated and undiluted time with them is simply beyond one's control. Therefore the most one can do is to simply go to sleep at night with a peaceful heart and mind, free from any guilt that one has not been fair or generous with time with others. To give a minute of the utmost love, attention and presence to people around you is the best gift one can give to friends everyday. I believe that is what one ought to do with friends.
Family and loved ones however deserve more since their destinies, no matter how seemingly remote and independent they are, are intertwined with ours. If we do not devote selflessly to them, we then do not do justice to the role they play in our lives and hence we obstruct the unfolding of our life's Tale and the necessary events that make it up.
There is a modern axiom that 'time is money'. After obtaining money, they become generous with it but how about time? They become miserly with time and hoard it to themselves, unwilling to be an active agent in the spending of time. Like money circulating in a economy, time too has multiplier effects. The time you spend now with your child might be the crucial foundation by which in later life he leads the world. Time is a gift from God and so let us share and be generous for it is in giving that we receive. And this will never change.

Creatures Of The Night

2007-09-26T21:11:00.000+08:00

"If an elephant can hide behind the bushes...who knows what else might be lurking around your feet..."
45 mins of skin-crawling as Mare and I looked left, then right. Right, then left. As we sat on the tram that took us around the whole Night Safari, the sound of a nail scratching against a blackboard would have been tons more pleasing than our tram-guide's voice. And script. Mare and I were giggling to ourselves, and the 'ang mohs' behind us were puzzled as to why Singaporeans were speaking like that. Smelly bearded-pigs, giant rats and beautiful cows. Tapirs and ant-eaters that were stripped brown and cream, looked so delicious and rich. Animal show where otters could put recycleable litter into the respective bins. Harems of cut-throat restaurants serving $15 laksa with a few tourist customers price-oblivious. Thank You Night Safari. (Thank you STB -wink wink-)

Mastery Of The Breath

2007-09-03T21:48:00.000+08:00

I have recently been dabbling in some abstract, exotic, Indian arts. The Art of Breathing or Pranayama as called by the Indians. Breathing is something we do all the time and more frequently (or less frequently) than we think; so that means it applies to all of us mere mortals and not just the 500-year old Himalayan hermits.

First if you have ever observed a child or a person sleep, you will observe his abdomen rising and falling. Now compare it with most waking adults and you will notice that their shoulders rise when they inhale or they breathe in a shallow manner whereby the area above the solar plexus fills with air only. When we sleep we breath in a deep manner, meaning that the area around the belly button and lower back is filled with air. This area is larger than the upper or "shallow" area and has a larger capacity for air. Learning to breathe deeply and filling up that area allows a greater oxygenation of the blood and hence more oxygen flowing to the brain which uses alot of oxygen.

Now filling the lower abdomen with air is one thing, but the way one sucks in the air is another.

Rule 1: Don't ever use your mouth. Using the mouth invites pathogens into the body, together with dust and even insects. The nose also warms the air before it hits your lungs- this is due to the fact that warm air is best for the body. Extremely hot or cold air is bad for the lungs. Another factor that the yogis' take into consideration is the belief that "prana/qi/bio-energy" is absorbed into the body from the surroundings only through the nose. Hence tapping into the unlimited and free source of energy is via the nose.

Rule 2: Don't use your nostrils too. The nostrils should not be tensed as much as possible and should remain inactive during inhalation. Instead the cavity at the back of the mouth should be used as a suction pump to pull in the air through the nostrils. This methold also allows one to fill up with air more quickly.

Aside from this basic primer of beginning Pranayama, there are other more abstract or advanced forms ranging from "Skull Polishing" technique to "Alternate Nostril" technique and the benefits from what I understand are numerous. It is said different forms of Pranayama can increase awareness, lead to greater relaxation, increased creativity, lessen pain and the massaging of cells at the micro level.

So with the hope that when I meet my friends, one or two of them might be "inspired" (witty pun right? its deliberate) to be a Himalayan hermit and outlive the planet, I shall sign off now and get back to getting me some skull polishing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9onI92OxBHY

School's In

2007-08-27T21:40:00.000+08:00

A world of a difference.

And that is an understatement of the changes taking place in my life. While gradual and insidious, the sum of the subtle changes are profound and earth-shattering so to speak. Time is no longer in abundant supply and lucky is the person who has some left-over at sunset.

The readings are making incessant pleas from the desks to be read and appreciated; the quivering shelves grit their shapeless teeth on their non-existent faces as new 300 page textbooks encumber them and push the limits of their functions to new thresholds; my mechanical pencil is not spared the task of excreting carbon at a painful pace.

But school is not all about studying hard to get by- its about failing sometimes so you can go watch that performance in the University Cultural Centre. Then regret and gnash one's teeth bitterly- or feel really good about standing up for one's right to fail occasionally.

WOMAD was great and I especially liked the Iranian father and son duo who played music that appealed to the spirit. Or at least mine. Saw Becks and her friends and it was really nice seeing her appreciate the magic of diversity and culture.

Well off to learning Vietnamese now... I have yet to speak it without sounding like I am belching on every sentence.

Laptop!

2007-07-20T00:07:00.000+08:00

It was a day like any other, and hence deserved to be spent like any other. Warm, meaningful, inspiring. Hardly anything out of the ordinary. However as much as I envision my philosophy of effortless mastery carrying me through the day without fail, the Mind-Body connection often seeks to undermine the foundations constructed by the Mind-Spirit.

As i banged out the tasks that had to be done on my new laptop, my mind sought reasons to panic upon seeing the absurd number of To-Do's I had. The body hence became lethargic as a response to what is often infinite expectations and worrying outcomes, disappointments etc. That is why dear friends, take careful note of what you tell yourself, or write down. Whilst it is practical to make a note or list of things to do ahead, keep it out of sight and just focus on 1 task if you do not want to end up procrastinating.

The day was spent at Marianne's house lazing around and admiring my new lappy.
What a day...

Happy Oh Happy Days...

2007-05-27T19:29:00.000+08:00

Heaven. Not a place up there as many people believe but literally, "with God".

Somehow I get a glimpse of that sometimes. A taste of heaven played on my lips as they smacked noisily. With 3 curry puffs in a bag in one hand, and a bag of potent black coffee in the other (whose earthy, bean-bodied warm aroma wafted past my nose and straight into my brain), my soul ascended into Heaven.

The curry puffs were filled with so many gravy-dolloped potato chunks that they almost burst at their edges. They were hot and strong on the tongue, and so to cool my tongue off, I turned to my even hotter bag of kopi-o-less-sugar.

Truly it is the simple things in life that potentially give us the most satisfaction. I felt a surge of joy pulsating through my body and soul, and I knew then that having something nice to eat and drink , and since I was on my way to give catechism classes, doing something that one believes in, gives one immediate and unobstructed access to Happiness. From Happiness, one is then more able to catch a glimpse of Heaven.

With someone by my side, my eyes were almost radiated to a pulp as I scanned the sky. Against the vast blue sailed giant impassive ships of white. Closing those poor eyes, the sound of Latin background muzak, rabid children and over-protective parents filled my mind. Sentosa has really changed a lot and like East Coast when it was done up, I was totally lost for a moment when I got there. Frolicking in the sea and feeling scared of the hairy seaweed on the seabed together, chatting aimlessly and taking a nap under the sun (a series of nuclear explosions, except very far away). The children were not only determined to dig up the whole of Palawan beach with their little spades, but were also hell-bent on eradicating lovers who were frolicking in the sea. The disgusted little toddlers took up their plastic arms and started firing impotent squirts of water in our direction. As we retreated to another corner of the beach, they followed us, called for reinforcements and started firing again. They were not going to give up till they made martyrs out of us.

Heaven. Not a place up there as many people believe but literally, "with God".

200 Pound Beauty

2007-04-29T13:32:00.000+08:00

The Children of St John, Mare and I headed over to Cathay to catch 200 Pound Beauty. Its not really a superb show. Unlike Hanna, I did not go for plastic surgery. Instead I enlisted to defend my country, and my country shows its overwhelming gratitude by shaving kilometers off my waist.

Water, water, water. Thats a vital component of body maintenance as well as weight loss. A bit of exercise won't hurt either. Between exercise and a good diet, I will put my bets on a good diet leading to a healthy and slim body. Too much exercise is as destructive as a bad diet, wearing out your joints and muscles unnecessarily.

YIA's birthday is tomorrow. I will wish him a belated birthday on Tuesday.

Old Videos

2007-04-21T03:34:00.001+08:00

Sony Phones

2007-04-21T02:52:00.000+08:00

I think Sony phones are crap. Especially my W710i. But heck at least sending it to the service center at Wisma Atria is a good excuse to spend time with Mare after work.

So far I have been studying running methods and I guess I am more inclined to follow the POSE method of running. According to the study and practice of POSE, in a few months time I should expect to run like a cheetah.

A Extraordinarily Mundane Life

2007-04-12T18:21:00.000+08:00

Hello folks! I have been living my life to what i would like to call the fullest. Elusion has been gearing up for its recording and practising as much as it reasonably can. We have recorded the final song and all thats left is mixing and mastering. Well thanks to all who have been our supporters and ardent fans who come by every week that we play. Much love goes out to 2 very mature and special fans and their families who come by every gig:

Met Marianne for lunch today after giving a lesson, and the really wet weather made for a great appetiser. Well yea thats about it for today. Gonna read too...

Well these days it might seem that I am posting about very mundane things. And indeed they are very ordinary things. But the day that we recognise and give glory to the small little happenings in life is the day we will truly be happy. There has been a glut of media that promulgate the so called "emo" advent. Rebellion against the mundane and ordinary? However giving so much hype and attention to negative feelings, no matter how fictitious or imagined vis-a-vis real, poisons the next generation with negative pools of thoughts and imprinted unhealthy urges that eventually might cause them to "want to die", and have utter disdain for life. This not only goes against life-affirming cosmic truths about the power of dreams, aspirations and the materializing of hopeful desires. It might be also due to the emergence of the cotton-candy generation of pampered youths who ironically become ill-equipped to take Life's hard knocks in an even more competitive environment.

I dare say this is a pretty astute observation in light of an increasingly intergrated world-economy, labour market due to the inevitable and inexorable march of globalisation which levels the playing field abit more. A poor but resourceful IT specialist from India is now able to work in Singapore, able to force a less resourceful Singaporean counterpart out of his job. By no means am I mooting a protectionistic stance, but this scenario is now a reality. Obviously zero-sum in nature and in the short-term, the Singaporean IT worker has now greater reason to fret over job security.

Well hopefully Emo is just a phase in the next generation's life. I definitely hope I dont have an Emo PM leading Emo citizens who hang themselves over a 1 percent GST increment.

"Nuff Said

2007-04-05T02:35:00.000+08:00

20th Anniversary @ Carriage Bar

2007-04-02T10:37:00.000+08:00

Yesterday, with Marianne on my left and Mummy on my right, Elusion and I went to celebrate the Thunderbirds' 20th Anniversary from playing at the Carriage Bar at York Hotel. Lithe, swaying and grooving old bodies were just "doing their thang" on the dancefloor as the electrifying yet homely atmosphere for most inspired shameless and care-less romping. Mare and Mummy enjoyed eating the otah, while I enjoyed eating the curry puffs and watching Ralph enjoy himself. Everyone was dressed as if they just walked out of set of The 70's Show. Knee high boots, fluffy wigs and diamond encrusted belts were the fashion for the night and some folks like Singapore's Most Famous PI wore a shimmering gold suit.

The night was about taking us down memory lane, and indeed for people like my Mummy it was one. She saw the Whos Who from her era like Paul Cheong, Larry Lai, Derrick Fitzgerald etc. To me these were more of celebrities i heard of. After Elusion performed, the Thunderbirds took the stage! And as usual in their proffesional manner, they played songs seamlessly one after another.

Mare, Mummy and I really had a ball of a time.

daily word: Persimonious- extremely unwilling to spend money

Recording

2007-03-22T11:28:00.000+08:00

HEHE Sean you complain so much... Well its my pleasure to 'blog for you' anyway right? hehee

These past week has been a pretty tight and busy one. Have had to spend some time in the recording studio putting down my bass track and watch my other members lay down their own respective tracks. So far so good and our first song sounds pretty polished even without mastering. The staff at Focal Point Audio are real nice, considerate, and worked with us late into the night.

And I bought a 139 dollar pen. I love it.

Mare and I went over as usual to Raffles City our secondary love nest and we tried the UK shop's Cheesy Curry Chicken. For $3.45, you get around 14 little diced pieces of chicken drowning in cheese. Tasted really good! YIA and SEAN being the food and buffet watchdogs in Singapore should try it out.

In the studio

Daily Word: Obfuscation: 1 a : DARKEN b : to make obscure 2 : CONFUSE

Vitamin C: MR BEAN! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTzXJMU1sLc

A Very Happy Birthday

2007-03-12T12:28:00.000+08:00

Starting from the 10th of march, midnight, my birthday was heralded by a small, brown, unassuming Sara Lee cake brought by Mare and lots of kisses heh. And during the day as I woke up, I received a card from Rachael, drawn tastefully and lovingly in her usual humour. As I went into the church classroom, a loose sheet of artwork had fallen to my feet, and The Lord's mighty booming voice said, "Happy Birthday!" in the colorful crayon-colored artwork that spelt out Happy Birthday on that sheet of loose paper. At night, performing at Ben and Jerry's Cathay was also an unforgettable birthday experience as i witnessed the love of my life get saboh'ed and brought on stage to dance a Cha Cha. Elusion made me a pretty strawberry cheesecake, and lots of children sang along to Mustang Sally! The following day was just as spectacular in the more conventional sense, with the family, my aunts and Mare having a buffet lunch at Pariss. I am touched to have had calls and messages from all over the world, and theres nothing more that I could want on my 21st birthday.

Mare bought me a book, and it was a priceless book. It has made comment and referred to my often mentioned Effortless Mastery principle. I quote,

"The fact of the matter is that we grow into our most powerful selves (or at least start the process) the moment we let go of all the control we fearfully cling to, and open ourselves up to all possibilities that this glorious universe of ours presents. This is a freat act of humilty because it requires us to let go of the belief that we know whats best for us. It requires us to realize that what we think is needed in our lives to make us happy might now be what we need at all. And I say that this release of control is a great act of humility because it really does insist that we surrender ourselves to the much more powerful intelligence of the world we live in. I know its scary stuff at first, but I've found that on the other side of our biggest fears resides our greatest fortune."

At Last...

2007-03-08T13:03:00.000+08:00

At last...

www.mtlutherie.com - If you want to fix up your guitar, this is the guy. Hes trained in the US and made guitars in China for a while but now hes back to stay in Singapore and hes the very best. Not cheap, but hey he repairs Emil Chau's guitars.

Oh Happy Days

2007-03-01T12:59:00.000+08:00

I am so excited!! Out of the corner of my eye, as I strolled into a sleepy little music shop with my brother, a dirty, grimy American Fender J Bass caught my glance. It enthralled me, tantalized me and made sure that I caressed its slender neck, and almost squealed with musical delight when I turned its knobs. Its sound was deep, assuring and lasted a record-breaking 13.8 seconds when i held down an A-note. Somehow it knew that I would be back to buy it its freedom, and somehow I knew I had to have it.

With the desire in my being, I worked towards getting it by rolling out a series of systematic steps. As perfect my scheme seemed, it still needed THE vital ingredient for it to work. And that ingredient is Faith. I expected it to be in my hands.Today I have more than raised the funds neccessary to purchase the bass. But I have gained more than just a 1960's vintage work of art. I have gained an assurance, a validation of my method. And I know it works. As Bob Marley says, "everything will be alright."

Of course I have worked for less tangible things, but much more important and lasting things using this method. This is something of less importance and more material, but nevertheless the lesson is still the same. I encapsulate another philosophy in my life, which on the surface seems to be the polar opposite of this one. But at the heart of it lies the selfsame value. This method is called Effortless Mastery, and the value is Faith. The subject of Effortless Mastery will be a tale for another day...

Oldies.. The Goodies..

2007-02-22T15:11:00.000+08:00

Today I dedicate with pride a post to a very special bunch of people in my life.

Yes you, my SJAB squadmates (c!), are the subject of today's aggrandizement.

For some strange reason, which people might believe to be friendship or as the group concerned proclaims "agabas", this bunch of folks have been meeting up certainly every week and almost everyday ever since the whole lot of us ragtag first-aiders/templar knight descendants graduated from our school and service. The dedication is defintely worthy of commendment, and the bond even surpasses that of one between mother and child.

In this group there is:

YIA- A codename he developed for himself, heavily encrypted and borne out of much complex permutation amongst the English alphabet. His real name is Yeo Ing Ann and plays many computer games. He also likes to gamble and force people to surrender their winnings to pay for dinner. Taller than most. These are his greatest gifts.

Sean Loke- The toughest of the lot due to his IPPT gold award, which is a much coveted prize by anyone in green. An exemplary soldier previously in service, having slain many enemies in the hottest and darkest of lands. Loves good music and groups like The Chieftains, Elusion etc... Currently puts his leadership and networking skills developed from the Service into practice by peddling Chinese New Year foodstuffs.

Sean Ng- A staunch petitioner for the rights of Young Males Christian Association. Has extensive knowledge of Demonology, Christianity, Metaphysics and Cosplay. He loves Japan and will soon satiate his wanderlust, as he attempts to get lost in Japan and its revellry. Collects obscenely large angpows.

Keith Tan: The highly educated one in Aussie currently learning about computers, the next big thing. Extremely lovable, huggable, affable and whatever-able. Quiet but wise. His wisdom was revealed to the group when he defeated many many computer opponents in Starcraft, single-handedly. Puts even Bamboo Marine to shame. Extremely talented in the arts, music and games. Dabbles in the dark arts as well, but refuses to call it as such but insists that its called Deathmetal instead.

Gerard Yip: A great chap who has recently gone missing. Authorities suspect that he has been lost in a dungeon, somewhere in the frigid polar plains of Greenland, or Azeroth. Might have also been turned into Gryphon-feed.

If i have left out any names I apologise, but the core of the group has defintely been documented. The author was also part of this beautiful alliance once, but due to his lack of Lan-skills and Dota-smarts, he has since been exiled to a far off land, away from Agabas's sinister grasp, and have found solace in the arms of a beautiful barmaid.

Daily Word- Perfecta: a bet in which the bettor picks the first and second place finishers in order

Singapore... so... romantic?

2007-02-16T12:13:00.000+08:00

The esplanade was clearly the wrong choice of venue for somewhere romantic and serene. Teenagers would come up to lovers lost in their own world (or hoping to), and stuff roses into their noses, peddling their romantic wares. Plus it was crawling with lovers. Well but since Mare cooked a fantastic dinner, the night was saved!

Daily Word: Repartee- 1 a : a quick and witty reply b : a succession or interchange of clever retorts : amusing and usually light sparring with words2 : adroitness and cleverness in reply : skill in repartee

Vitamin C! Family Guy - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4d7PUsFr2M

Another Week To Witness Love

2007-02-10T13:19:00.000+08:00

From Napolean Hill,

" The Fear Of Loss Of Love

The original source of this inherent fear needs little description. It obviously grew out of ancient man's polygamous habit of stealing his fellow man's mate and taking liberties with her whenever he could.

The fear of the loss of love of someone is the most painful of all the six basic fears. It probably plays more havoc with the body and mind than any of the others.

One of the distinguishing symptoms of this fear is jealosy: being suspicious of friends and loved ones without any reasonable evidence. Another is the habit of accusing one's partner of infidelity without grounds. Further symptoms are a general suspicion of everyone, absolute faith in no one, and finding fault with friends, relatives, business associates and loved ones upon the slightest provocation, or without any cause whatsoever."

Lovers, pay attention! This Valentine's Day give your lover not diamonds the size of disco balls but trust instead.

Anyway eternal bliss to ShaoJun and Jeslin, and all the best for the company who had us play for them that night :)

Showtime

2007-02-02T09:38:00.000+08:00

Today will be a rushing day. First to Chijmes for a soundcheck for the upcoming cocktail party, and then straight to Fort Canning Country Club for another soundcheck for tonight's party gig. Rehearsals take up much of my time now, but I know that it will all be worth it. Sunday has in store another rehearsal for next week's wedding gig. My hands are pleasantly occupied with work and I can feel my spirit connecting more and more with the bass, my chosen and admired instrument.

Stealing precious minutes with one's lover from Life's insistent schedule, is pretty much obviously a double-edged sword. The short-lived happiness is cut short very quickly, yet one is filled with more purpose to execute the day's demands.

Shake those hips, you old boys and girls! Elusion will make you twist again!

Vitamin Groove: http://www.freemyheart.com/we_funk.html

Beauty

2007-01-30T12:55:00.000+08:00

What a real chiobu should look like man..

A Long Week

2007-01-30T11:18:00.000+08:00

So many things have happened in the week. It now seems as if a short week in an adult's life would seem a long year to a toddler's.

Again the mysteries of the universe combined with a small country has left me smiling to myself. My church mates Andrew and Molly are also related to Mare. And so is another person from my old childhood haven, Antioch. Karma has hit me at full speed, and I am blessed. I have begun to believe that the end of the world is not a chapter in time, or an event of chronology. Somewhat hard to believe, but i think I might know now after all the sweet dues I have paid in life.

Things are looking up for me financially. Hard work is paying off, literally, for my day-to-day expenses and not forgetting another important part of the equation, charity. Charity to others begets charity to yourself. All those reading, etch these words under your eyelids. Remember, charity does not always have to mean money, but it means giving whats important to you to others. Like Time or Comfort.

Getting calls to do more and more performances a month which is great. Music can also pay off for some things now.

Ideally I should be creating industries, exercising multiplier effects and other economic spells, opening up jobs and increasing the nation's coffers. Letting money bring money in for me. Creating a disturbing amount of channels of passive cash flow.

Because I really, really want to buy a new bike. The ones which you pedal and squeal with delight simultaneously that is.

Many thanks and hugs to jO for coming down to watch on saturday, and for the bloody cool wristband. I love it because its plain man

Mare: Thanks for all the long and lovely poems that you give me. Money can't buy those words and so Nick and the moth is right. You are priceless.

Daily Word: Behoof-Etymology: Middle English behof, from Old English behOf profit, need; akin to Old English hebban to raise -- more at HEAVE: ADVANTAGE, PROFIT

Vitamin C! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRnAJD8Wow0

Pearls of Wisdom Pt I

2007-01-23T17:23:00.000+08:00

From Napolean Hill's pen flow ink of gold that deserves to be written on jade.

On the subconcious-

" If you are an observant person, you must have noticed that most people resort to prayer only after everything else has failed! Or else they pray by a ritual of meaningless words. And, because it is a fact that most people who pray do so only after everything else has failed, they go to prayer with their minds filled with fear and doubt, which are the emotions the subconcious mind acts upon and passes on to Infinite Intelligence. Likewise, that is the emotion Infinite Intelligence receives and acts upon."

"If you pray for a thing, but have fear as you pray that you may not receive it, or that your prayer will not be acted upon by Infinite Intelligence, your prayer will have been in vain."

"... we will have attained our true status as children of Infinite Intelligence. A few have already attained this blessing."

A Sizable Week

2007-01-22T01:35:00.000+08:00

Hmmm.. to put it clinically:

1- IVANS: I went over to Ivan's and Juni's place with Mare, and ate a sinfully large portion of cheese that I thought I would never eat in my life. I have cheeseophobia you see. A little sliver of cheese in my mouth and I would choke on the cheesy fumes immediately. My little tongue can only take so much richness. However the cheese was cut and quite unfortunately for the the cheeseophobiac in me, already in my mouth. The urge to puke was thankfully repressed with the aid of more drink, and the mere thought of looking the idiot after retching in front of Mare's friends. The drink was simply excellent, and Ivan was a surprisingly easy chap to converse with. After all Mare vaguely told me he was the minister of home affairs, and fearing for the safety of my family and myself, immediately decided to more than watch my tongue, but it was really unnecessary. Besides a busy liver, I also took home with me the intriguing discovery of a ecologically self-sufficient ecosystem aka Ivan's pond.

2- THE FOLLOWING DAY: Mare came over to my place, and was warmly and electrifyingly received by my Rachael who for some reason, greeted her as she would a close a relative. Walked around Ghim Moh's pasar malam. You just earned yourself 1000 Ghim Moh points Mare, and you are 99,99999999999999999999999 points short of becoming a honorary Ghim Moh Green Resident.

The Looniest Girl In The World

3- TODAY: Rachael was finally confirmed, and received another grace. YAY! Another princess sent into the world to serve its people. And....

The Loveliest Girl In The World

Brian May: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0bM_gyWbPZs

Blessings, Near and Far..

2007-01-16T11:42:00.000+08:00

How strangely disturbing it is to note that we are just 1 causeway away from a natural disaster. While Johor residents are paddling around frantically for their roofs, Singaporeans are all glued to the tellys waiting to watch "Dancefloor", and poking around in usual kaypoh fashion in courtrooms hoping to get a piece of the NKF saga.

Singapore might actually be the Israel of Southeast Asia no? Economically robust, religiously harmonious, a strong and updated army. This inevitably would shake up and cause shivers down neighbouring countries historically established spines, and while Singapore is small, it has the bite due in part to its cerebral, meritocratic and far-sighted leaders. While economics has taken the biggest bite of the pie in terms of priority since Singapore's founding, other less tangible but no less important national priorites have also sprung up, in part due to Singapore's citizendry noticing their jarring absence and neglect from the sometimes blinkered pursuit of macroeconomic goals. Social graciousness (towards its own kinsmen as well as migrant guests), censorship, art and economic viability of art, family and time etc.

Daily word: Enigma -1 : an obscure speech or writing2 : something hard to understand or explain3 : an inscrutable or mysterious person

A Special Sunday

2007-01-15T01:26:00.000+08:00

Happy Birthday Sidney

2007-01-13T10:09:00.000+08:00

Aranda Country Club should have been proud to host the birthday celebrations of one of the nation's highly trained soliders. With big dark eyes and a proud jaw, Sidney scampered back and forth between his army mates, family and sajc schoolmates, not unlike a happy puppy. It is always great to see an old merry-or-not bunch of revellers from my past convene again, because everyone is still the same. The only changes are skin-deep, but the characters have not changed.. they have only become tougher.

Mare was kind enough to accompany me, and somehow i suspect my classmates like her more than they like me now. Mare you can be the next xiao-bao.

Such gatherings prepare us for the pain that Future and Time will inexorably deliver, and we, A11, all need each other.

Daily Word- Convene: To cause to assemble.

Vitamin C- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjjvUO4xxlQ

Lean On Me

2007-01-09T12:51:00.000+08:00

STEAMY BABY!

2007-01-09T12:32:00.001+08:00

I cant force myself to eat like a pig anymore... YAY!!!!!!!!!

Getting to Marina Bay felt like a Tom Cruise movie man. Getting shoved into the back of a dark, air-conditioned van with a driver who has steroids pumping in his veins and techno blasting past his temples.

Daily Word: Prerogative- a special right or privellege according to my mare :-)

James Brown

2007-01-04T22:18:00.000+08:00

The "Godfather of Soul", and the "hardest working man in the industry"...

James atwork: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZQzRdT7LLE

Daily Word: Pompadour - 1 a : a man's style of hairdressing in which the hair is combed into a high mound in front b : a woman's style of hairdressing in which the hair is brushed into a loose full roll around the face2 : hair dressed in a pompadour

Pisces

2007-01-02T17:04:00.000+08:00

Pisces

Pisces is having a once in a lifetime opportunity for great changes this year. You will be having the time of your life, expressing your loving and compassion to the world and fulfilling your boldest dreams. There won't be a dull moment and you will intuitively know exactly what path to follow and what feels right in your heart.

You will feel compelled to grasp new opportunities that manifest self-transformation in your career. You're stepping into your power easily, especially around April when you are urged to express your visionary mentality. You might rediscover your musical abilities and express yourself in creative ways. You have the power and inspiration to bring mystical sensitivity to what's around you. It's time to bring out the dreamy, loving and compassionate side of yourself and let it shine.

You may want to get involved in writing, be it lyrics, poetry or just self reflection. Your idealistic nature is inspired from a strong connection to your surroundings, and you easily express yourself from a place of inner awareness. Your natural ability to communicate ideas to others is keenly perceptive now. Focus on trusting your intuition and you will get through nearly any circumstance. You need to lighten up about difficulties in life. Don't be so critical and overly concerned about details. Because you're so sensitive to others' moods, you may feel like you're not coming across in a very positive way. Take time out and have fun this year. Embrace that intimate love relationship you have!

Daily Word: MACABRE 1 : having death as a subject : comprising or including a personalized representation of death2 : dwelling on the gruesome3 : tending to produce horror in a beholder

A New Year, An Old Fear

2007-01-01T20:13:00.000+08:00

MY first picnic took place on the 31st of December 2006, and from 2pm onwards to be exact.

It is really mind opening to see a new whole new Botanical Garden replace the one that existed in my memory. Its all so people/ tourist friendly now with food courts, buildings, large signs, art pieces dotting the lush green landscape. Nothing beats having quality time that heals, relieves and peels away layers of unnecessary restlessness and inner fatigue. I am glad to have been bestowed this gift.

Energy is precious, and a nagging fear parks itself and stalks my every ambition. The fear of a lack of energy. Hopefully embarking on the Master Cleanse will give me a headstart for 2007.

For those who watched Borat: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20061117050927AAcpQmw

The Five People You Meet In Heaven

2006-12-30T14:48:00.000+08:00

Its not THAT good. Its defintely not a page-turner like say, The Alchemist. But still it makes for good "chicken soup".

Hokkien Lord Of The Rings- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ht1pVA92N-M

Daily Word: Impassive- giving no sign of feeling or emotion

CHRISTmas!

2006-12-26T00:14:00.000+08:00

Merry Christmas!

All you folks now should be up to your knees in guilt over the festive bingeing, (which is perfectly excusable), but have no fear. The recurring resolution of losing weight will again find its way into your New Year Resolution 2007 List.

I find this year's Xmas extra surreal, extra special..I have been bestowed an excellent gift this year, together with many other special special surprises. But I shall exercise restraint and seal my lips. The magic of Xmas 2006 might lose its powerful hold with each telling... ;)

JamesBond: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl8t5nJp2AQ

Governments

2006-12-21T22:15:00.000+08:00

Governments

Anarchy - a condition of lawlessness or political disorder brought about by the absence of governmental authority.

Commonwealth - a nation, state, or other political entity founded on law and united by a compact of the people for the common good.

Communism - a system of government in which the state plans and controls the economy and a single - often authoritarian - party holds power; state controls are imposed with the elimination of private ownership of property or capital while claiming to make progress toward a higher social order in which all goods are equally shared by the people (i.e., a classless society).

Confederacy (Confederation) - a union by compact or treaty between states, provinces, or territories, that creates a central government with limited powers; the constituent entities retain supreme authority over all matters except those delegated to the central government.

Constitutional - a government by or operating under an authoritative document (constitution) that sets forth the system of fundamental laws and principles that determines the nature, functions, and limits of that government.

Constitutional democracy - a form of government in which the sovereign power of the people is spelled out in a governing constitution.

Constitutional monarchy - a system of government in which a monarch is guided by a constitution whereby his/her rights, duties, and responsibilities are spelled out in written law or by custom.

Democracy - a form of government in which the supreme power is retained by the people, but which is usually exercised indirectly through a system of representation and delegated authority periodically renewed.

Democratic republic - a state in which the supreme power rests in the body of citizens entitled to vote for officers and representatives responsible to them.

Dictatorship - a form of government in which a ruler or small clique wield absolute power (not restricted by a constitution or laws).

Ecclesiastical - a government administrated by a church.

Emirate - similar to a monarchy or sultanate, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of an emir (the ruler of a Muslim state); the emir may be an absolute overlord or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority.

Federal (Federative) - a form of government in which sovereign power is formally divided - usually by means of a constitution - between a central authority and a number of constituent regions (states, colonies, or provinces) so that each region retains some management of its internal affairs; differs from a confederacy in that the central government exerts influence directly upon both individuals as well as upon the regional units.

Federal republic - a state in which the powers of the central government are restricted and in which the component parts (states, colonies, or provinces) retain a degree of self-government; ultimate sovereign power rests with the voters who chose their governmental representatives.

Islamic republic - a particular form of government adoped by some Muslim states; although such a state is, in theory, a theocracy, it remains a republic, but its laws are required to be compatible with the laws of Islam.

Maoism - the theory and practice of Marxism-Leninism developed in China by Mao Zedong (Mao Tse-tung), which states that a continuous revolution is necessary if the leaders of a communist state are to keep in touch with the people.

Marxism - the political, economic, and social principles espoused by 19th century economist Karl Marx; he viewed the struggle of workers as a progression of historical forces that would proceed from a class struggle of the proletariat (workers) exploited by capitalists (business owners), to a socialist "dictatorship of the proletariat," to, finally, a classless society -Communism

Marxism-Leninism - an expanded form of communism developed by Lenin from doctrines of Karl Marx; Lenin saw imperialism as the final stage of capitalism and shifted the focus of workers' struggle from developed to underdeveloped countries.

Monarchy - a government in which the supreme power is lodged in the hands of a monarch who reigns over a state or territory, usually for life and by hereditary right; the monarch may be either a sole absolute ruler or a sovereign - such as a king, queen, or prince - with constitutionally limited authority.

Oligarchy - a government in which control is exercised by a small group of individuals whose authority generally is based on wealth or power. Parliamentary democracy - a political system in which the legislature (parliament) selects the government - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor along with the cabinet ministers - according to party strength as expressed in elections; by this system, the government acquires a dual responsibility: to the people as well as to the parliament.

Parliamentary government (Cabinet-Parliamentary government) - a government in which members of an executive branch (the cabinet and its leader - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor) are nominated to their positions by a legislature or parliament, and are directly responsible to it; this type of government can be dissolved at will by the parliament (legislature) by means of a no confidence vote or the leader of the cabinet may dissolve the parliament if it can no longer function.

Parliamentary monarchy - a state headed by a monarch who is not actively involved in policy formation or implementation (i.e., the exercise of sovereign powers by a monarch in a ceremonial capacity); true governmental leadership is carried out by a cabinet and its head - a prime minister, premier, or chancellor - who are drawn from a legislature (parliament).

Republic - a representative democracy in which the people's elected deputies (representatives), not the people themselves, vote on legislation. Socialism - a government in which the means of planning, producing, and distributing goods is controlled by a central government that theoretically seeks a more just and equitable distribution of property and labor; in actuality, most socialist governments have ended up being no more than dictatorships over workers by a ruling elite.

Sultanate - similar to a monarchy, but a government in which the supreme power is in the hands of a sultan (the head of a Muslim state); the sultan may be an absolute ruler or a sovereign with constitutionally limited authority.

Theocracy - a form of government in which a Deity is recognized as the supreme civil ruler, but the Deity's laws are interpreted by ecclesiastical authorities (bishops, mullahs, etc.); a government subject to religious authority.

Totalitarian - a government that seeks to subordinate the individual to the state by controlling not only all political and economic matters, but also the attitudes, values, and beliefs of its population.

GotBass?- http://www.bassplayer.tv/

Jazz & Spirit

2006-12-19T23:57:00.000+08:00

Again i come for a jazz jam with the good boys, George (sax), Ray (drums), Chris (keys), and my belief in jazz and its spiritual requirements to play it is strengthend. Mare, please forgive me as i quote Charlie Haden, "To be a great jazz musician, one has to be a great person. He has to... have.. humility"

Whether one believes it anot is inconsequential. One has to live it, feel it to believe it. Like religion.

In every moment of the creation of a jazz piece, or at least any musical piece with as high enough ambition, the qualities of each participating musician is being tried and tested. Every contribution counts towards a larger entity, and it is the closest one can get to the ideal of Democracy. Jazz... America... Democracy.

Drunk your fluids? - www.freemyheart.com

Me-Time

2006-12-18T23:25:00.000+08:00

Cycling down the canal near my home, I don't pause (doing so is not cycling), but I reflect on how fortunate I really am. While I carelessly pedal away on my rickety 2nd-hand bike, children younger than I am are being rigorously schooled in the arts of war and death; and their older siblings and parents sleep silent & still in unexpected battlefields and unintended graves. I look around me and see assiduously landscaped parks tranquil, overburdened branches sag gracefully and yellowed leaves dance in mid-fall. Fortunate is perhaps an understatement underpondered.

I just get this feeling that underneath all this luck, lies a duty and mission that can be as potentially intense, dramatic and blood curdling as a toddler totting a gun stained with his sweat.

And his father's blood.

Oh well for now i'll just complete that last 1km and burn that extra calorie.

Peter Jackson/Aslan's morning exercise: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFw4cmk1EmA

Sundays

2006-12-18T01:03:00.000+08:00

Sundays are perhaps the shortest of all the days (in terms of free time), and the longest (in terms of doing-something-time).

This year's Christmas dictates a high quality, not to mention high-effort, attempt at sounding our voices for Xmas mass. The "Chari Makan" brand of Santa Maria's Choir is at stake and some musicians will put their lives on the line to uphold this brand. Its really a wonderful thing for me since I joined SMC. I've undertaken a serious tour-of-duty, taking up the various instruments since I joined; and actually without joining this bunch of merry revellers, I guess I would still be playing guitar though I might actually have become some sort of virtuoso. But that possibility and experience I gladly give up in exchange for the warm, homely company of Santa Maria's choir members.

As usual Victor and I rehearsed the now common formula of Rain+ Taxi= Wet Empty Wallets.

Vitamin of the Day:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8vdJvHE8qxA

I Must Thank The Weather

2006-12-15T18:44:00.000+08:00

I must thank the weather.

The december routine of wet wet rain from noon onwards has forced a restless soul to stay indoors, and im glad i have this privellege. Taking up more responsibilities and grappling with the many horns of life that you never knew were there when you were young, realistically speaking, means spending time outside the home more often. Then again you can be in your house more often, but yet at home less. Conflicts and paradoxes are all natural phenomena in one's life, and i'm starting to realise that reconciling these involves acceptance and insight.

My best buddy from the good old days of St Joseph's came over and we spent a good 4 hours composing our St John's Soundtrack (of Pain and Agony), with a music notation program he thoughtfully brought over.

Vitamin of the Day- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEb6hjq9Pco

Whats This For?

2006-12-15T13:48:00.000+08:00

Good question! Questions will inevitably lead to the search for answers though not neccesarily the answers themselves (or the way we expect the answers to be.)

I want to try my best to remember the life i've been leading, for the memories of life from the past and present is vital to the memories created in the future.

"In the drowsy dark cave of the mind

Dreams build their nest with fragments

Dropped from the day's caravan"

-Rabindranath Tagore 1928

Perhaps the bric-a-brac from my day's caravan can be caught in midfall before they reach their inexorable destination of sleep and displayed thoughtfully here.