Stooooooooooooooooooopid!

OK, I'm angry.

All the stupid people just go around having babies whenever they want, or when they don't want, or whatever, because they're too stupid to think that maybe they should use birth control, or a condom, or wait to have sex. Some of these stupid people then go on to kill the baby, also known as "terminating" or "aborting" the "unwanted pregnancy". Nice clinical words there. Also nice that the baby doesn't get a say. That the baby, who has been conceived and is alive and would have grown into a person--was already a person--has his or her life snuffed out without ever even getting a chance to live. All because the stupid parents found it "inconvenient". "Yeah, sorry, you being alive really cramps my style, so I'm gonna have to kill you. No hard feelings?"

Then there are the stupid parents who decide "Gee, having a baby is neat! It's just like having a doggie!" But after the reality sets in, instead of doing the responsible thing and letting someone else take the children, they keep them. "They're my children! Just like my TV and my stereo! You can't take my stuff!" And so these stupid parents just "try to live with those annoying brats," neglecting, abusing, and toying with their children as though they were pets or playthings. Yeah, that's fantastic. Good job, assholes.

ATTENTION STUPID PEOPLE: A CHILD IS NOT A TOY. A CHILD IS A PERSON. IF YOU CAN'T DEAL WITH THAT, THEN DON'T HAVE ONE. IF YOU ARE STUPID ENOUGH TO GET PREGNANT, DON'T TRY TO AVOID YOUR RESPONSIBILITY BY KILLING THE EVIDENCE OF YOUR STUPIDITY. GIVE THE CHILD TO SOMEONE WHO ISN'T STUPID. K? K.

Getting What You Want Vs Wanting What You Get

We are always aiming to achieve more. We believe that once we have reached a certain quota, we would have established the amount that would make us happy enough.

The truth is, if you cannot appreciate what you have in this moment, you won’t be able to appreciate anything else, because even if you have one million in your account, you will need two million to be happy. And on and on and on. Having a sense of direction is really having a goal. The difference is, our actions are more geared towards self expression as opposed to personal acquisition.

As for me - I really, really want what I am getting.

I'm alive!

Today, I'm in the midst my fifth decade and I have all my teeth except one. When I laugh, the lines on my face add character and that character is not Richard Gere’s. I have an ass that gravity has not pulled below the back of my knees. Half a breath is all it takes to hold in my stomach. And though my hair is slowly eroding, I can still use my muscular chest as a distraction.

Today, I have a job that I do well and I don't hate. Sometimes, there are people who make it unpleasant, but by and large, that is infrequent and quickly over. When I get home from work, I can forget totally about it.

Today I still have my mother, a grandfather and two grandmothers who are elderly but young enough to fret about being called "seniors." When I visit them, they are healthy enough to complain of their various little ailments, which I commiserate with them about. They have not resigned themselves to the inevitable decline, but still harbour hope.

Today I am in love. I am in love with my wife, my life and my family around me.

Today, I am writing this post, which my friends around the world will be reading.

Today I am alive, right now, key by key, letter by letter. These are my marks in the world. This is my pee in the alley behind the dumpster, my scrawl in a toilet wall: FOR A GOOD TIME CALL ME AT 773-555-1212.

You, who are me tomorrow, a week or twenty years from now--I don't know where you are, whether you're lonely, unemployed or sick in bed, or whatever--there were days when you were happy, this being one of them.

Remember that there was a day like today.

Dynamic Equilibrium

In chemistry, there is a concept known as dynamic equilibrium. Dynamic equilibrium is a state where a chemical reaction looks like it is not changing, but really the chemicals are coming together and breaking apart at such a close rate that it looks like nothing changes. Personality is this way. Temperament is a form of personality that is dynamic, meaning that it changes as events and situations change. These shifts are often in opposition to one another, so it appears static or at equilibrium.

In chemistry, the theory of dynamic equilibrium was defined with Le Chatelier’s principle which stated that if a dynamic equilibrium is disturbed by changing the conditions, the position of equilibrium moves to counteract the change. No overall change is observed. The temperament of character follows the same principle. By nature, our personality finds a comfortable zone, and is vibrantly habitual from that point forward. The realization of this leaves us opened to embracing both the positive and the negative; and gives us a tool for change.

Basically, there are just some things about our personalities which we cannot change. We are who we are. But if we understand that most of our lives we react in opposition and that we have a choice to use that to our advantage- use our natural reaction to find stability in our lives- then we gain control.

Boasters

“Children are great boasters, because they feel tiny and insecure, because the great world towers above them; and anyone who grows up so completely that he grows out of boasting will have a lot of adjustments to make before he is fit for the Kingdom of Heaven."

Those words were written by John D. Sheridan more than fifty years ago. And I don't know about you, but I could do with taking another look at them. Because my attitude to those who boast is one of intolerance; intolerance without giving a thought to the fact that my prejudice might be contributing to the collapse of the only world that person has. By living around of those modest self effacing people who don't boast, I'm only taking the easy option. I am rejecting those who lack confidence and/or self esteem and who need that little ego boost which boasting obviously gives them. Maybe I can excuse myself somewhat on the rounds that I grew up in an era when the majority agreed that "People ought to be modester".

I'm not suggesting that those few words are going to change your attitude to boasters, but they might do something for me. So the next time someone says to me "My son the engineer is coming home." or "I had terrible trouble parking my new four wheel drive outside the Yawata", even if I am still intolerant of them, wouldn't it be nice if I could give them an ear?

Its so freakin hot and humid here....

There's a front coming in here today. No wonder I still feel groggy after a red bull. I may need to pop a decongestant though. My ears are bugging the heck out of me today.

Can’t help myself rewriting California Dreaming.

_____________________________________________

::Coolermania dreaming::

california dreamin...

all the leaves are brown and the ground is grey
i've been for a walk on a blisters day

I'd be save and cool if I was in CA

Coolermania dreaming on such a blisters day

stepped into a crush I passed along the way

well, I got down on my knees and I pretended to pray

you know the keeper likes the heat

he knows I'm gonna stay
Coolermania dreaming on such a blisters day

flute…..

all the leaves are brown and the ground is grey
i've been for a walk on a blisters day

if I didn't tell her I could leave today
Coolermania dreaming on such a blisters day

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

My Answers

going somewhere?

Two parts of your heritage:

Melayu
And... erm... Malay

Two things that scare you:

George Bush

And George Bush

Two everyday essentials:

PM (green)

Nescafe 3 in 1 Regular

Two things you are wearing right now:

My reading glasses
My boxers

Two of your favorite current bands/artists

Anything aired on Virgin Radio
Keane

Two things you want in a relationship (other than love):

Large bank account *
Big house with fancy roadster *

Two things you have to do this week:

Work!
Mow my lawn

Two stores you shop at:

RMTeam
eBay

Two shows you like to watch:

Ed (love it!)
2.5 Men

Two things you'd buy if money were no object:

A private jet so I could go anywhere I wanted
A house in Notting Hill

Two wishes for 2007:

A smooth pilgrimage to Mecca
Some success in writing

*Kidding

They say....

loaded

They say that for a new beginning, an end must come. They say that people fear what they do not understand. They say that character is built through making difficult decisions. Something that I have yet to understand, however, is why people judge before becoming fully informed. I understand that fear, jealousy, and envy may play a part in that thinking process. But, in the times we live in, you would think that the "judging a book by the cover" era was near an abrupt end. With information at our fingertips, what does one use as an excuse for being misinformed or not informed altogether? The answer, everyone, is ignorance.

I am embarking on a new adventure in my life. A change was made. And I have openly accepted it. I have embarked upon the adventure as if it were what was in my hand the entire time. So far, the experience has been a welcome change for yours truly. And, I quite frankly can't remember a time when I've been happier and more self-content with my life. But, with the good, you must accept the bad. For every positive there must be a negative. A healthy balance of positives and negatives must exist to provide your life with a healthy dose of variety.

This is why, when realizing one of the few negatives that has came to fruition in my new adventure, I did not fret for long. As I realized that wherever one may go there will always be something you don't agree with, a food you dislike, a person who you do not see eye-to-eye with, and things you'll just never understand. It's not a matter of opinion. It's fact. The best thing to do is to accept it and move on as quick as possible. For me, a dose of negative publicity has been thrown my way. However, not directly, and very much indirectly. It's purpose is to paint a nasty portrait of the individual and to spread lies.

I have learned, however, in the past several years that truth conquers all. And where lies darken, truth enlightens; where lies hurt, truth heals; where lies trap, the truth sets one free. So, the mature and most effective way of handling a situation where another is spreading lies about you, I encourage you to not retaliate with anger, hatred and lies, but with joy, love and truth. For it is the one who says nothing but the truth who wins the war. Regardless of right or wrong…the truth is always the best tool to win a war of words, personality clashes, and ego conflicts.

The next time you hear something untrue about yourself, don't give it the time of day. You have better things to do! Go re-arrange your sock drawer, watch paint dry, or stare at a blank wall…and I promise that's time better well spent than on worrying about an untrue, harmful, negative statement. Don't let the actions of others dictate who you go through life being. If you stop to think about what others think about you, you won't have enough time in the day to think about anything else.

Trees and Sinners

I know it’s a sin but I’ve killed many houseplants in my life. I guess its payback time for me. This month alone I’ve planted 10 mangosteens, 10 kelat paya (Eugenia Oleina) a dozen of alamandas and more than 20 izoras around my house (the last two are just plants but hey!!!....).

Today’s elderly, born at the beginning of this century, started life in the world with about 50% of its ancient forests still standing. Our grandchildren will inherit a planet with less than 20% of its original forest intact, with most of the readily available freshwater already spoken for, with most of the wetlands and reef systems destroyed or degraded, and much of the arable land under plough. They will inherit a stressed atmosphere and an unwanted legacy of toxic waste in the soil and water. Missing from the list will be countless species, most wiped out before even being catalogued by scientist.

The accelerating destruction of the world's forests threatens the planet's ecological and economic health. Flooding and drought become more extreme. Trees are ‘carbon sinks,’ absorbing carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases behind global warming.
I’ve read about the ideas of planting trees as gifts for special occasion. Tree-planting gift is probably one of the most eco-friendly and unique presents you can buy! It's a gift that doesn't 'cost the earth' and it's suitable for all occasions, a very special way of giving something back to the planet. It truly is the gift of a lifetime!

Let us plant a tree on our personal dedication, as a special gift for someone close to you, or to honor an important event like the one listed below:

To celebrate a birth, or a birthday, To celebrate weddings and annivessaries, As a unique business gift, To reward your customers, Just for yourself, To celebrate recovery from illness, To honor someone you love, To say congratulations on a new job, As a lasting memorial for a loved one, For a special event, Simply to help restore the wild forest!, In memory of a special pet.

It truly, truly is the gift of a lifetime!

Are we independent?

It happens every year around this time, but I’m never quite prepared, my annual bout of 31st August dilemma. See, through no fault of my own I wasn’t born in KL, Malacca or Johor.
I'm in Kodiang. Born, raised and resides here.

Malaysia is made of its people. Whether Malaysia is independent or not should be judged by the perception of its people of being independent. Pak Lah is PM of Malaysia. Dr M is being called super PM. Datuk K calls himself queen maker… lol, just kidding here. Are they independent? Only such a person is independent who has a positive attitude towards life and other people. If a country has a majority of such people then it is independent. Malaysia is not yet independent. It’s not just about flying the flags.

p/s: I fly the flag all year round.

Quote

"Some would hope that the world would be what it's not -- a peaceful place..."
-- George W. Bush, June 13, 2006

Hero

The nature of the hero is so often shrouded in pomp and circumstance. They ride the white charger while adorned in gleaming plate mail. They rush onto the scene to save the day, to save the world, to save a soul. Some might assert that the nature of the hero is not far removed from the nature of the fool, and those some may well be right. Yet, at the same time, there is an odd mixture with the hero ... varying degrees of messiah, of madman, and of martyr. How many aspire to the mantle, and how few ac reach it.

I may suffer my delusions of a messianic complex, but I am no hero. It is difficult to be as right as I am as often as I am, it breeds a degree of arrogance that most find distasteful. Is not this arrogance earned, however? Have I not done all that I have set out to do? Have I not laid my enemies to rest on the battlefield? Have I not risen above the feeble squalor of my origins? The hero exists without arrogance, they exist selflessly. I am selfish, my arrogance along with my rage is what defines me is what drives me. I walk to the mountaintop and bring back the clay tablets of a better place, a greater vision. Many deign not to hear my words, and that is their loss. I will not spoon-feed them, I will let them rot in their own waste.

I may struggle with my madness, but I am no hero. Can I play with madness? Certainly I can and indeed I do. The intellectual mind is one that looks inward onto itself, a minds-eye which is ever observing itself. The pain it causes, and the strife I feel simply force me to look further inward, deeper into my own chasms of self-doubt, of self-loathing. How can one so arrogant dislike oneself so? That is the nature of the madness, is it not? Contradictions in terms, contradictions of the self ... the equation a state of mind full of bright fire which burns with little control. Others maybe burned by the flame, but I cannot heal them. They must mend their own wounds.

I may find myself hurtling towards martyrdom, but I am no hero. I am not a martyr in the truest sense of the word. A martyr dies for a noble cause, a noble need ... I die in pursuit of some unassailable goal which I place before myself. Others may view my chase as justifiable, chivalrous, dignified ... but I know the truth. I know my motive and I know my penchant for the shadows. Yet the time will come when those who should know better will hoist me onto the proverbial cross and nail me to it. Voice cry out of justice done, others still will whisper of injustices served. Fact of the matter is that both will be right and both will be wrong, as I am both and neither. No one can damn me or save me, other than myself. Nail pierced hands prove nothing more than the reality of rhetoric gone wild.

I do find myself riding a white charger, adorned in gleaming plate mail. I rush to the scene to save a day, to save a world, to save a soul. Perhaps I am the wrong man for the right reasons and perhaps I am the right man for the wrong reasons. Maybe I am completely wrong, but onward I charge ... my helm visor down and my lance ready. Is there a day in peril? Is there a world ravaged? Is there a soul in need of saving? Yes. There are all these things, and they are mine. She is the one that holds the key to her I charge. See me for what I am, and not as others would. Give me touch of the divine. Give the madman his taste of sanity. I ask much, but then I said I was selfish; and yet I feel that she knows these concepts all too well herself. It is that familiarity which binds us.

"Could you be there? 'Cause I'm the one who waits for you ... or are you unforgiven, too?"
- Metallica, Unforgiven .

Is Life Fair?

Is Life Fair?

Here are some true statements:

All men are not created equal. And because of that....

We can't all play soccer like Ronaldinho. We can't all be as smart as Einstein. We can't all be a member of the lucky sperm club and have rich parents.

It also sucks that you ladies have to put up with menstruation and menopause.

Men can pee anywhere they want.

Isn't it amazing that you have to have a license to get married, but you don't have to have a license to have children? And who suffers when people have children they cannot afford? Ultimately it's the child, who is born with two strikes against him right off the bat.

So ladies, are you happy? I agree with you. It takes two to tango. Males should take an equal responsibility. If your partner refuses, what are you gonna do? Are you gonna take an aspirin, the most effective birth control pill known to man?

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

John Lennon Wrote This…

Working Class Hero

As soon as you’re born they make you feel small
By giving you no time instead of it all
Till the pain is so big you feel nothing at all
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

They hurt you at home and they hit you at school
They hate you if you’re clever and they despise a fool
Till you’re so fucking crazy you can’t follow their rules
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

When they’ve tortured and scared you for twenty odd years
Then they expect you to pick a career
When you can’t really function you’re so full of fear
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

Keep you doped with religion and sex and tv
And you think you’re so clever and classless and free
But you’re still fucking peasants as far as I can see
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

There’s room at the top they are telling you still
But first you must learn how to smile as you kill
If you want to be like the folks on the hill
A working class hero is something to be
A working class hero is something to be

If you want to be a hero well just follow me
If you want to be a hero well just follow me

I am Cranky Tired

I am Cranky Tired!! I am so cranky today, even I can't stand myself!I know it's because I am extremely tired...just plain exhausted.

Megalomaniac

A "megalomaniac" is a person who wants to run the whole world. "Megalomania" is a kind of mental illness that makes people want power over everyone else and the right to tell everyone what to do. Sometimes megalomaniacs actually do get a lot of power, but other times they only think they have power. The ones that really do get power make lousy bosses and bad leaders, but the ones who only think they should run things are usually harmless unless they get their own radio shows.
There are so many of this “breed” around us and Incubus might be right to write a song about them.

-----------------megalomaniac--------------------

I hear you on the radio
You permeate my screen, its' unkind but
If I met you in a scissor fight
I'd cut off both your wings on principle alone
On principle alone

Hey megalomaniac
You're no Jesus
Yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
Wash your hands clean of yourself
Baby just step down, step down, step down

If I were your appendages
I'd hold open your eyes
So you would see
That all of us are heaven sent
And there was never meant to be only one
To be only one

Hey megalomaniac
You're no Jesus
Yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
Wash your hands clean of yourself
Baby just step down, step down, step down

Step down
Step down
Oh step down

Yeah
You're no Jesus
You're no Elvis
You're no Jesus
You're no Jesus
You're no Elvis
You're no answer

Step down, step down, step down
Step down

Hey megalomaniac
You're no Jesus
Yeah, you're no fucking Elvis
Wash your hands clean of yourself
Baby just step down, step down, step down

::Judgemental... Heck_No1234::

Its hard to completely stop being judgemental…my mind actually won’t let me! I obviously take notice of what a person is wearing, how they present themselves, etc. but the purpose of this goal is to stop assuming so much about the person. Lately, when I catch myself judging, I just remind myself i don’t actually know anything about who this person truly is.

Messy Desk Is The Sign Of Genius

I'm not a slob or anything, but I tend to have a pretty cluttered or messy desk at work. For that matter, my desktops on my computers are equally messy. Why is this you ask? Well, I tend to think that I have a lot of stuff on my desk, because frankly, I do a lot of stuff and have a lot of things to keep track of. I find it's very easy to not be organized like I should. The problem is when you get overwhelmed with stuff it's easy to set it aside for the moment. What happens then is the dreaded piles dilemma. Normally this isn't a big deal at work. We all have desk full of paper because we deal with lots of printed work. I also have a lot of other stuff, usually computer related (software, hardware, etc...) as well.

"If a cluttered desk says the owner has a cluttered mind, what does an empty desk say?"

~Pay Day~

I got my backdated-check today
I think I'll spend it like a crazy fool
Or I'll give it all away
Something like the golden rule
And my paycheck ain't hay
But somehow I just don't seem to care
Ever since my baby came to stay
And let my little house so warm and glare
And I won't tell 'em at the bank
What I'm gonna do with all my dough
I'll just smile and tell `em thanx
For it's better than they shouldn't know
Then "we'll" go and have a swing
At a little place where we can sit and think
Cause my baby came to stay
And with me here on my payday............ :-)

I hate meetings

Meetings – in the corporate world – are inefficient, intrusive, ego-tripping power grabs. Politicians love meetings. Lonely people love meetings. Get-a-Life types love meetings. Corporate brownnosers love meetings. I qualify as neither of the above. For every ten meetings I get sucked into, one is necessary. Meetings in the workplace are usually initiated by people who have nothing better to do with their time – people who demand to be the bull’s-eye of attention.

My schedule in life is packed, every day, and always, some yahoo with too much time on his hands sends me persistent meeting invitations. That gets me in hot water. Oh how I hate meetings.

At work, I wish I can duck all the meetings I can, for this reason: I am anal about getting work done, and for each minute or each hour I spend in a useless meeting, that's one minute or one hour where my very necessary work doesn't get done. I attend meetings – all the time – wherein people gab for the sake of gabbing, and demand center stage for the sake of attention and ego trippin'. I scorn such things. If, on a scale of 1 to 10, a situation rating an 8 or more requires a meeting, the meeting lovers are demanding a meeting in a situation 2. They brag about how many meetings they have per day. They measure their performance quantitatively, in terms of meetings minutes. They call all this meeting stuff "having a seat at the table." Indeed, I was already sitting at my own table, and I was doing just fine, thank you.

Reality check

Reality check thought....

You know something...I thought I was the whacky one ... wanting... needing... overly emotional... but I see you are the same as me.... Hmmm... I've got to be more generous. Show you that I can fulfill your needs as much as I would like mine, need mine fulfilled. Assurance. We both need that assurance that our relationship is real. Real is not the right word at this point... More like hmmmm.... assurance that our relationship will last.

:: rain - reproduction - flip of a coin - spin the wheel ::

It's been raining for the whole month here and the surroundings seemed serene and calm. My cat Dipsey (her tail is like a dipstick) who has been living with me for eight years now given birth to two new kittens. Life goes on and taking twists and turns. Thinking about life: things happened like a flip of a coin or maybe if the choice is more - like a spin of a wheel - round and round it goes, where its going to stop, nobody knows. If it is so then there is LITTLE Justice in life.

Does it seem to you at times this world has got everything all screwed up? Does it seem to you the balance between the way things should be and the way things are is so far out of whack that your moral compass is stuck on its side with the needle knocked off the centering pin? Does it seem no matter how hard you work and struggle and remain a person of integrity you can't seem to get ahead while all around you folks are swimming in money or success or fame? Go ahead, scream it out! "THERE IS NO JUSTICE!"

Consider the following real life headlines:

The student that gets a perfect 4.0 in college is paraded before 23-thousand parents and students at graduation as a prime example of the academic excellence to which we should all aspire. We all know in this society that the only reason everyone else didn't earn a 4.0 is because they didn't work hard enough, they weren't dedicated enough, and they didn't have enough heart. The hundreds of others who fell short of that mark but managed to graduate working 25 hours a week, volunteering on the side, swamped in debt because their parents aren't rich, content with utilizing what talents they have to the best of their ability, are dismissed as a blip on the academic screen. There is no justice!

Lawyers who are able to walk away with millions of dollars in settlement money from accidents or mishaps that claim the lives of innocent victims, having done nothing more than argued their case before a judge or jury. Twelve tobacco lawsuit attorneys will each take home 258-million dollars for their part in the billion-dollar litigation. Hundreds and thousands who smoked and died got nothing. The defenders of the law designed to guarantee that we are all treated equally masterfully manipulate that same law to their financial benefit and society's collective financial loss. There is no justice!

Television news anchors who are selected and paid enormous salaries because of the way their hair falls, the color of their eyes, their raw sex appeal, the color of their skin, their minority status, their age, their being in the right place at the right time with the right agent. The veteran journalists who are ushered out the door on Friday afternoons, forced out by lower salaries, replaced by bubble headed 20 to 30-somethings that don't know the difference between an allegation and a fact, nor understand the impact of the stories they are reporting. There is no justice.

Perks and privileges and pandering and parading and praising those individuals in our society that "someone" declares as sleek, trim, muscular and beautiful. The rest of society is driven to psychosis by those image-makers that demand we shelve our own identities in favor of the mass marketed dribble of the "in" crowd. There is no justice.

The pressure to succeed and gather more and more things and more and more money is viewed as fulfillment of the Malaysian Dream. Hard work and making it to the top and crushing the competition and being number one have become Gods in themselves. Wanting more family time, more time off, more time to enjoy ourselves, more time to absorb the beauty of everything around us is considered as laziness. There is no justice.

OMG - there is no justice....

Why Work Sucks?

I know, I know. You have it absolutely rough at work. You're underpaid, completely unappreciated, and haven't seen your spouse since the Tunku administration because you're always at work doing silly business things like benchmarking and paradigm shifting, whatever the heck that means.

And I won't even get you started on your boss — the useless twit who has roughly the same level of intelligence you would expect from an individual-sized tub of extra-curdled "lite" generic brand cottage cheese.

I know. I understand. You're not alone. You're completely normal even. In fact, in a recent survey of 100 employees at major corporations, 98 used words ranging from "moron" to "brutal" when describing their bosses. The other two were out sick the day the survey taker called.

Why is work like that?

ROAD HOGS!

All over the world one can find hogs of many breed. The particular breed we are interested in is the Road Hog (Scientific Name "block that freaking road using my fat ass' o' saurus").
While the road hog is a global breed, as luck has it, a specifically virulent manifestation exists here in Kodiang – Jitra road. These hogs probably don't want to offend the local snail population by going a bit faster..
Road Hogs - a prime cause for driver frustration.
Here are some exclusive examples of our local hogs driving our local motorists crazy along Kodiang Jitra road.

1. Talk about a double whammy! Sometimes there were two lorries clogging both lanes on the Jitra - Kodiang road carrying god knows what. The best part was that both of them (loaded over capacity) were trying to out race each other at a screaming 10 KMPH and taking their own good time to do it. These sheer speeds really made us dizzy.

2. There is always a monster carring combine harvester rumbling along at a leisurely pace. It was so large (occupying the lane and a sizable chunk of the opposite lane) and so slow that motorists were scrambling on the pavement to undertake it!

3. Jeez! what century are we in? True, all of us who don't have cars need to get along with our business. But are we going to hog roads at the expense of inconveniencing thousands of the general public? What more, on several occasions Kodiang Jitra Road has witnessed tractors doing complete U turns on major roads at the height of traffic, unfailingly causing a huge stir each time!

4. What the...?! Yes, It's a forklift! Believe it or Not! The wheels of these things especially designed with a low radius to maximize hogging efficiency. Having probably had the pleasure of studying physics at high school, you may be aware that hogging efficiency is inversely proportional to the wheel radius of a vehicle. Thanks to the genius who gave permission to put this contraption on the road. Hold it! Or was it a thief using this as a getaway car? Kodiang Jitra Road didn't stop to ask - quite content that, whatever the reason, this was another job well done in the annals of hogging.

Make Giving Part of Your Everyday

The spirit of giving. How often have we heard this around the special months. Plenty often. Yet giving is not something we can do only around the special days. The act of giving can be performed on any given day of our lives.

Giving is a natural state of the soul. The soul gives just for the pleasure of giving. It does not expect anything in return nor does it need to receive anything in order to get a feeling that an equal exchange in energy has taken place. It is the ego/personality that relies and wants an "equal exchange". When the personality gives, it often needs something back in return. This may be something of monetary value or it can be a need for acceptance, recognition and often love. The genuine act of giving can not exist where there is a need to receive something in return. Genuine giving is an act of the soul and the soul is content in simply giving.

I have often heard people ask, "How can I give when I have nothing myself?" To this I say, if you have a soul (which we all do) then you are capable of giving. One does not need to give by giving only money. You can give by donating your time to a worthy cause. Volunteering is an excellent form of giving, one that has rewarding benefits for those on the receiving end. For example, look at the smiling face of a dying child in the hospital after a loving volunteer spent time with him or her. The elderly shine when volunteers spend time in nursing homes. Any way that you can use your life to touch another is giving at its finest, and this is something you can do everyday, not just on special days.

Many people give on a daily basis. A warm smile, a loving gesture, a compliment. These are all forms of giving. You do not only have to give these things to people you know. A warm smile goes a long way for a frustrated sales clerk who's had a long, hectic day. Often ones demeanor immediatly changes and brightens for the better when we give warmly of ourselves. Try giving a compliment to the stranger that is occupying the bus shelter with you. Watch and see how their energy suddenly lifts. You won't have been a witness to their day but I assure you you will have made their day brighter with one simple compliment.

Giving is an essential part of self-discovery. I say this because a part of self-discovery is about learning to give to yourself unconditionally. When you give to yourself unconditionally, you are able to give to others unconditionally, meaning without conditions and expectations, hence the natural state of the soul. Is it any wonder that the process of self-discovery revolves around the intricate understanding and experiential knowing of the soul in its state of wholeness. Giving is part of that wholeness.

I encourage you to give. Not just on special days but always and in all ways from your heart center and your soul. The world becomes a better place when we all reach out to our fellow brothers and sisters and give without conditions. In closing, I give to you all a hearty cyber hug and the warmest of wishes for days filled with love, joy, abundance, peace and harmony. May you be blessed at this time and ALWAYS and please feel free to share your stories of giving on the Net.

Attitude is Key

Attitude is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, education, money, circumstances, failure, successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company, an organization, a home. The remarkable thing is that we have a choice every day regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We are in charge of our attitudes.

wake me up when september ends...

Solat in September

Kawasan Kangar - Latitud : 6.466666667 - Longitud : 100.1666667 Bagi Bulan September - Tahun 2005
Arah Kiblat dari Utara Hakiki ialah: -68.9677161962521 darjah ke Barat

Tarikh	Hari	Subuh	Syuruk	Zohor	Asar	Maghrib	Isyak
1-9-2005	Khamis	5:54	7:12	13:21	16:25	19:27	20:37
2-9-2005	Jumaat	5:54	7:12	13:21	16:24	19:27	20:37
3-9-2005	Sabtu	5:54	7:11	13:20	16:23	19:26	20:36
4-9-2005	Ahad	5:54	7:11	13:20	16:22	19:26	20:35
5-9-2005	Isnin	5:54	7:11	13:20	16:20	19:25	20:35
6-9-2005	Selasa	5:54	7:11	13:19	16:20	19:25	20:34
7-9-2005	Rabu	5:54	7:11	13:19	16:20	19:24	20:34
8-9-2005	Khamis	5:54	7:11	13:19	16:20	19:23	20:33
9-9-2005	Jumaat	5:54	7:10	13:18	16:20	19:23	20:33
10-9-2005	Sabtu	5:54	7:10	13:18	16:21	19:22	20:32
11-9-2005	Ahad	5:54	7:10	13:18	16:21	19:22	20:31
12-9-2005	Isnin	5:53	7:10	13:17	16:21	19:21	20:31
13-9-2005	Selasa	5:53	7:10	13:17	16:22	19:21	20:30
14-9-2005	Rabu	5:53	7:10	13:16	16:22	19:20	20:30
15-9-2005	Khamis	5:53	7:09	13:16	16:22	19:20	20:29
16-9-2005	Jumaat	5:53	7:09	13:16	16:22	19:19	20:29
17-9-2005	Sabtu	5:53	7:09	13:15	16:22	19:19	20:28
18-9-2005	Ahad	5:53	7:09	13:15	16:23	19:18	20:27
19-9-2005	Isnin	5:52	7:09	13:15	16:23	19:18	20:27
20-9-2005	Selasa	5:52	7:08	13:14	16:23	19:17	20:26
21-9-2005	Rabu	5:52	7:08	13:14	16:23	19:17	20:26
22-9-2005	Khamis	5:52	7:08	13:14	16:23	19:16	20:25
23-9-2005	Jumaat	5:52	7:08	13:13	16:23	19:16	20:25
24-9-2005	Sabtu	5:52	7:08	13:13	16:23	19:15	20:24
25-9-2005	Ahad	5:51	7:08	13:13	16:24	19:14	20:24
26-9-2005	Isnin	5:51	7:07	13:12	16:24	19:14	20:23
27-9-2005	Selasa	5:51	7:07	13:12	16:24	19:13	20:23
28-9-2005	Rabu	5:51	7:07	13:12	16:24	19:13	20:22
29-9-2005	Khamis	5:51	7:07	13:11	16:24	19:12	20:22
30-9-2005	Jumaat	5:51	7:07	13:11	16:24	19:12	20:21

I am sorry

Too often we don't realize
what we have until its gone.
Too often we wait, to late to say
"I'm sorry I was wrong"

Sometimes it seems we hurt the ones
we hold dearest to our hearts
and we allow little stupid things
to tear our lives apart.

Far too many times in life
we let unimportant things get on our minds
and by then its usually much too late
to see what made us blind.

So be sure you let people know
how much they mean to you
take the time to say the words
before your time is through.

Be sure you appreciate
everything little thing they do
and be thankful for your truest friends
cause they'll always be there for you!

The Tripod of Time

The future
was open
so we
thought

The present
closed
so we thought

The past
done
so we thought

The future
is nothing

Only thought
applied
in the open
present

While the past
thinks itself
for us

Hand in My Pocket

I'm broke but I'm happy
I'm poor but I'm kind
I'm short but I'm healthy, yeah
I'm high but I'm grounded
I'm sane but I'm overwhelmed
I'm lost but I'm hopeful baby
What it all comes down to
Is that everything's gonna be fine fine fine
I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving a high five
I feel drunk but I'm sober
I'm young and I'm underpaid
I'm tired but I'm working, yeah
I care but I'm restless
I'm here but I'm really gone
I'm wrong and I'm sorry baby
What it all comes down to
Is that everything's gonna be quite alright
I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is flicking a cigarette
What it all comes down to
Is that I haven't got it all figured out just yet
I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving the peace sign
I'm free but I'm focused
I'm green but I'm wise
I'm hard but I'm friendly baby
I'm sad but I'm laughing
I'm brave but I'm chicken shit
I'm sick but I'm pretty baby
What it all boils down to
Is that no one's really got it figured out just yet
I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is playing the piano
What it all comes down to my friends
Is that everything's just fine fine fine
I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is hailing a taxi cab...

Teachers (and Other Mortals') Personalities:Are you a one, a two or a three?

---

I have always thought there are two types of people. Those who are part of the problem and those who are part of the solution. Recently while driving home from work (passing by Kodiang Hill) and reflecting on a rather interesting exchange with my students, it dawned on me that I had it all wrong. I realized that in fact there are three types of people: those that make things happen, those that let things happen and those that keep things from happening.
Before I continue, it must be made clear that these ideas are purely my own and are not supported by any research studies or analysis of any type. I'm too busy trying to keep up with my grading, comments, meetings and curriculum planning to have anytime to read more than the side of the cereal box. No, these ideas are based purely on my brief 45 years, 19 of which I have been teaching.
From the time a person begins to recognize people they also classify them. It makes things easier. The first classifications are based on those that provide food, warmth and love and those that do not. As people become older and more selective, they add to their classifications friend and foe. These classifications will serve them until they are 'out in the real world' or 'independent'. It is at this point the three classifications come into play.
Classification 1: Those that make things happen. These are people who act as human catalysts. They are not satisfied with the status quo and will either start something or contribute to something already underway. As teachers, they are the colleagues always looking for a better way, a different way or something new. As students, they are the organizers. These are not just the students with great ideas but also those who are first to arrive at a dance to set up and the last to leave to clean up.
Classification 2: Those that let things happen. These are the 'lurkers' of life. These people are content with the status quo and happy to 'go with the flow'. As teachers, they are the colleagues that just get on with it. They do their jobs, meet their deadlines, attend the meetings and try not to make waves. As students, these are the quiet ones who are reluctant to raise their hands but always seem to get their work done on time. They are happy to attend the dances and even have fun but would not wish to set up before or clean up after.
Classification 3: Those that keep things from happening. These are the people who may or may not be content with the status quo but are reluctant to try and change it. As teachers, they are the colleagues that can always be counted on to always play the 'Devil's Advocate'. As students, they can be counted on to sabatage initiative, whine and complain. These are the students who would openly boycot a dance rather than be seen supporting a school function.
I believe that every person maintains all three of these characteristics. It is only when faced with external stimuli that the stronger of them is displayed. It may well be that different situations bring forth different responses. However, if we look around us, whether it be in the a staff meeting, a student assembly or a traffic jam, these three pretty much sum things up.
Although I have presented these in positive, neutral and negative tones, it is possible that there are times that people with classification 3 personalities affect more positive outcomes than classification 1. I have asked my students to look at themselves and determine what they are. I have also invited them to determine what they think I am. Finally, I have asked that we meet again in 10-15 years and see if we were right.