Tuesday, December 31, 2013

This is the end of 2013

Yes, this is the last day of 2013 and there were many memories for the past one year.  Many good returns and bad incidents but it does not matter, it all become memories now. Yesterday and today make me realized many things that have happen.

Yesterday,  I had a dinner with the old boys of  my compnay  and it helps me to see my future.  Retired, old and sickly.  I was among my peers who have attained the age of 70 and above.  Some of them was alright but some look sickly and week and one was the wife of my colleague who have passed away. There was a minute of silence for my dead colleague and there was a tear in the eyes of those who were present.

Today, it was my boss birthday and in his birthday  speech , he talked about his sickly mother and the gathering of the old boys and how his friends and aquaintances  drop dead like flies. He told me that all of us have to be prepared for the final day and how prepared we are , there is still a lot of uncertainties when the time comes which could make us cling on to life because life is more certain.  We cannot let go because we do not know where we are going to.  Period and no religion can help us unless we make ourself ot believe it.

Another thing is that we act as if we cannot die or we will be alive forever and we do not want to talk about death or face the reality of death and we want to live on with the hope that we live forever.  This is not real but for the moment, it help us to be happy and make us strong.  But life is so unpredictible and anything can happen.

Only the present and death is uncertain while all other things are uncertain and predictible.  So, live and live with the fullest.

Namaste.

Monday, December 30, 2013

Dinner at Ocean Green ,Penang.

Dinner at Ocean Green Penang

I lost my appetite for two days since coming back from Taiwan. I felt kind of sick in my stomach having eat the Taiwanese food for almost a week. At last, my appetite recovers in the evening for the dinner to night.

It was a dinner for the old boys of my company including one of its famous old boy MD from Japan. Looking at them at their seventies and talking about the past brings back old memories. All of us have a good laugh. Maybe, it will be the last time for some of them to meet again in Penang. Everything hard to predict.

The food was excellent . We had a set for the dinner comprising of lobster. prawns, spring chicken, satay, crab ,vegetable and tapioca soaked in coconut milk. It cost about RM890 including a private room in the old Paramount Hotel.

It was indeed a lovely feeling . Relax and warm. In the end, it is only memories.

Namaste.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Coming back journey.

Coming back journey

We have to wake up at 4.45 to take the 9am flight back to KL from Taipei. It was raining and wet and the wind was cold. It is a very uncomfortable experience but we have to manage.

Arriving at Taipei International Airport, we were surprise to see so much activities and there were long queues of passengers waiting to check in. If in KLIA, there will only a few people just wake up to arrange their stalls. So much difference and you can make your own decision on the economic developments of these two countries.

The airport was big and there were equality in the sexes. There was a girl managing the box warping station and she can carry the heavy stuff like a male. She was only a petite girl. This is equality.

The check in was smooth and the return light was smooth and easy. In KLIA, we could not locate one of our big box and we have to wait until all the bags have been cleared to notice the missing baggage. We search high and low and finally, we check with one airport staff and we were told that the big box is coming out from another baggage carrier. Why do we need to ask and this is some thing we don't understand? This is the difference In the standard of handling baggages.

It took 4 hrs and 15 minutes for the flight and 45 minutes by van to reach our destination in KL.

It was a safe trip except an almost head on incident in one of the mountain resorts.

Namaste.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

End of a journey

End of a journey

My trip to Taiwan is coming to an end and I will flying back to Malaysia tomorrow. There was a lot of traveling and walking for the past six days and I realized that age is catching up. My legs was over stretched and I know that was an injury which is start troubling my left leg.

From the moment  I touched down, I told myself that I am going to relax and enjoy the trip.  I have been to their night markets , their 101 building, the hill resorts , their lake resorts, the boat rides , their temples , their winery, their wood curving village, the home stay under 10 deg C and local eateries and food outlets. Each happening is an experience for me and I just love it.

Nearing the end of the trip really make me have mixed feelings. Just like what  Ajahn Brahm say  " life is like a concert " and when you are in the stadium, it is like a life itself . Enjoy the start , during and have no regrets in the end.

I taking his advise and going back to Malaysia will be a start of another chapter in my life. A fresh look at life and will learn to appreciate it.

Namaste.

Friday, December 27, 2013

The Hindu Buddhist Temple at Tai Chung

The Hindu Buddhist Temple at Taichung Taiwan.

It was a magnificent temple located on a hill top which house The Lord Buddha. The design was according to the Hindu Buddhist  concept but fused with local Taoism.

There was four big statute of the gods of fire , wind . thunder and lightning  holding up the roof of the temple painted in gold and the front door was greet by a laughing Buddha and there are statute of the 18 Lohan guiding the Buddha.

The statute of the Buddha was beautifully designed and your heart will melt after seeing it . Tears almost fill my eyes after seeing this magnificent statute.

The temple also house a school to further the teachings of Buddha and the view from the main door looking out was a big open space overseeing the hills and the fields. An Incredible achievement indeed.

I would like to salute the commitment of these Buddhist gurus  who can devote their lives to serve one purpose and that is to spread the teaching of Buddha.

Namaste.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

I am in North Pole.

I am in "north pole"

Yeah , the timing coincide with Christmas , the white Christmas. I am now in bed with a below 10 degree C and with the heater on. The cold is shivering out from my heart. Everything I touch is so cold. Now I know the feeling of my Aunt who have migrated to the US.

 My Aunt, MC have been delay her migration for many years despite the appeal from her daughter who is married to an American. Finally. She sold her house and decide to migrate so that she can be with her. Initially, she told us that she has to wear 8 layers of clothing to keep warm. I laugh at her when I hear it but now at this scenic spot in Taiwan where I have stay a night on a hill top, I know the feeling of coldness. I have been traveling to several cold countries and I have been very comfortable staying in good hotels but at this down to earth home stay hotel which is housed among the greens, the temperature varies as the cold and mist sets it.

The hotel which I am staying is the Das Yue Shan hotel.  It is located on top of a hill and build among the tress and the mist is thick and the room is build of glass and surrounded by. Bamboos. The surrounding is extremely beautiful.

I think it must be my age as the cold catch up with me. Very often, it is a happening which wake up our senses and make us feel life again.  I will need to travel more in the future just to reborn and live again


Namaste.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Is it fair? - wisdom joke

Fair and Square

Taking his seat in chambers, the judge faced the opposing lawyers.
"I have been presented by both of you with a bribe," the judge began.
 Both lawyers squirmed uncomfortably.

     "You, Attorney Leoni, gave me $15,000. And you, Attorney
Campos, gave me $10,000."

  The judge reached in his pocket a pulled out a check, which he
handed to Leoni.

"Now, then, I'm returning $5,000, and we are going to decide this case solely on its merits."

A holiday break - observe more

A holiday break

I really need a break and to slow down my activities to find my bearings. I have not been able to prioritize my matters as I was caught up in my job and my yoga sessions. I must slow down to think what is important to me in my life. Also I have not been thinking lately.

I remembered an analogy when a Professor told a class to fill up an empty vase with pebbles and sand. Which one you should fill up the case first ie pebbles or sand? If you fill up the vase with sand , there is no place for the pebbles but you fill up with pebbles   There is still rooms for the sand。In life , the pebbles are big matters or our life priorities. If we concentrate on our small matters , we will die as a unfulfilled person. We will not achieved our purpose in life.

If we slow down and do not rush through life  we can see life more clearly. We can take time to look at things for a longer while and if we do it , we can see more details in theses things which usually pass us by when we rush through life. A colorful scenery became a shade of black and blur shade. Everything become uninteresting.

I promised myself that I will do things slowly and patiently during this festive breaks and will absorbed more details in my journey through life. Walk slowly, eat and chew slowly , talk less and observe more. I will do nothing but just to observe and see.

Namaste.

Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Love is blind...

Love is blind..

When we fall in love, most of the time we become blind all together or our focus suddenly become narrow.  In simple words, we see want to see what we want see or know.  If other people were to say something which is different from your vision, you will fight to defend your position or ignore the things you don't want to hear. In a crude Chinese saying, the shit have blind the eyes. I am not saying that there is no such thing as love at first sight' and it can last happily ever after but these cases are slim. Why then love is blind?

It comes from self ego and greed ie the urge to possess. Human being is the only intelligent creature who can think and through this thinking ability , there comes the urge to process. This is mine , that is yours and this is mine. The world is divided into what is yours and what is mine.

The self ego is that by possessing a thing, we own it and control it and we are proud of it. We become more important and we feel wonderful that the love belongs to you and only you. Our image in the eyes of others will be enhance if we possess more and more thing or wealth. The self importance and the need to feel important in the eyes of others is fake and an illusion. We live within the confinement of society. What nonsense is that.

The second factor is greed. The craving factor which is taught in the Buddhist teaching. This 'want' factor is like a demon which grow us. The more we have the more satisfied or happy we are. We want a house , then a bigger house and we want a bungalow and then a palace. Our 'want' goes bigger and bigger and it is endless.  This greed if converted to love. We want to totally process another and solely belong to us and we are absolutely in control and the other half have to be in total possession and compliance. If the other half fall out of line or waiver I their allegiance and love, we become unhappy.

If we are aware if these two factors, we can break out of this mould and the confinement of society. This break through  will give freedom and the world will belong to you instead of one person.

Namaste.

The wonders of a hot water bath

The wonders of a hot bath in a tub.

When we are very tired but yet cannot rest well , we should try to submerge ourselves in a tub of hot water.
The hot water will relax the body and make  the mind calm. However, we should remained aware of the sensation on our body and open up our pores in our skin to breath.

By being aware of the relaxed body and its sensation is like focusing our thoughts to be in a meditative thought. A focused mind on the feelings and sensation will cut away unnecessary thoughts and will also rest the mind.

This is the body-mind conditioning and harmony.  A relax mind brings us a relaxed body and vice versa. It is like feeling good on the outside give positive vibes to the inside and it also apply the same if we feel good inside , it projects a good outside. So, the body  mind combination and inside and outside connection makes our body relax and our mind calm.

We should do these exercise frequently but be cautious not to make the water too hot and for high blood pressured  patients, we need to avoid such treatment unless the water is only at a warm level.

It will be a good experience .

Namaste.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Gift of imperfections

This is a book for pychology students but it can also be for general reading for those people who wants to know about psychology.  We are always looking for perfections and we get frustrated many times as there is no absolute perfections . That is when there is perfections , the should be imperfections ie like happiness and sadness between each points. So, perfection is have the same intervals of imperfections.

Nobody likes imperfections.  For example , a beautiful face but with a cut mark on the fact or a model with a hunch back and this is comparable to a valuable painting with a dot of pain on it which cuts it value sharply.  This book tells us that imperfections can also be a gift .  For example , a blind man who can developed his sense of hearing . People like Steve Wonders or the blind swords man who can sense the movement of his opponents movements or the noise of his foot steps.  We have also people without hands and who can play the piano wonderfully and excellently with his toes or a handless artist who can paint extremely well with his mouth using a brush.

There is also good and back for an item or an event.  When you have the head of a coin , there is also the tail part of it.  In life , there is a curse as well as blessings and there is an alternate of perfection and imperfections.

Superhuman food -----

MSN Malaysia Locker Room - click here

View to see how to become super human after consuming super food... good insight.
Namaste.

Sunday, December 15, 2013

Ten symptoms that you cannot overlook ....( extracts)

Subject: symptoms we should never ignore ...... but the 10th.
that's you need to adopt .....
>
> 9 SYMPTOMS WE SHOULD NEVER IGNORE
> Posted: 07 Jun 2013 12:33 PDT

> As we age, we can expect some changes in our physical and mental
condition. Many of these changes are part and parcel of the ageing process,
and shouldn't cause any alarm. However, there may be some changes that are
warning signs of something more serious.

> We should never dismiss any persistent or sudden symptoms that are
causing us pain or discomfort as it could mean some underlying health
problems. If you have a high fever that won't go away, or a recurring
stomach pain, go see a doctor immediately. A thorough medical examination
may reveal nothing serious, or if there is something to be concerned about
, you would have nipped it in the bud at an early stage. I am speaking from
my own personal experience, as I have gone under the knife - twice. I used
to be an exercise addict. Doing three hours straight on a treadmill
followed by an hour of high impact aerobics was the norm to me at my gym
back in the 1980s. I was also a regular at road races.
>
> That's me giving a thumbs-up sign before being wheeled to the
> operation room on 26 June 2008, two days before my 60th birthday.
> I thought I was doing pretty well at keeping
fit until I began to experience stabbing pains in my abdomen every now and then. I dismissed the pains as the usual 'stitch in the tummy' after a run. Nothing to be overlyalarmed about , I thought. Then one evening after a strenuous workout at
the gym, I literally collapsed in the locker room. I couldn't get up as I
had the most excruciating pain in my stomach that left me drenched in cold
sweat. To cut the story short, I ended up minus a gall bladder two weeks
later. I have friends who have , like me, paid dearly for ignoring early
warning signs of something wrong with their body. These symptoms later
resulted in breast cancer, stroke and heart attacks.

> I recently came across this excellent article by Beth Howard in the AARP
magazine . It highlights nine symptoms that we should never ignore. I have
taken the liberty of re-posting extracts below for educational purposes. To
read the original article with more details, please click here.

> 1. Sudden Intense Headache

> If you experience severe head pain unlike any you've had before ,
especially if it peaks in seconds to minutes in any part of the head , it
could signal a ruptured aneurysm, a blood vessel in your brain that
suddenly bursts , requiring immediate attention.
> It could also be shingles which can cause pain in the forehead days
before the skin reaction erupts. Shingles is a painful flare-up of the
herpes zoster virus that lies dormant in anyone who's had chicken pox.
Contrary to common belief , sudden severe headaches are unlikely to be a
sign of a brain tumour
.
> 2. Chest Pain
> Any intense discomfort , heaviness or pressure — like an elephant sitting
on your chest — could spell heart attack. It may be combined with pain
radiating down an arm , nausea and vomiting , sweating , and shortness of
breath. Women can experience more subtle
symptoms , like fatigue , a
burning sensation or upper abdominal pain. If these symptoms occur only
during exertion , it could also be angina , which happens when the heart
muscle temporarily doesn't get enough blood.

> 3. Unexplained Weight Loss
> Losing more than 5 percent of your body weight — without trying — over a
period of six months could mean cancer : Weight loss is a symptom in up to
36 percent of cancers in older people. It could mean endocrine disorders
e.g. hyperthyroidism , an overactive thyroid. The condition also triggers
restlessness , sweating , increased appetite and difficulty concentrating.
> If your weight loss is accompanied by extreme thirst or hunger , fatigue
and frequent urination , it could be a sign of diabetes.

> 4. Unusual Bleeding
> Ulcers and colon cancer can cause rectal bleeding or black or tarry
stools. If you haven't had a colonoscopy recently , talk to
your physician.
Vaginal bleeding can be linked to gynaecologic cancers. Bloody vomit can
result from stomach or oesophageal cancer , and people with lung cancer can
cough up blood.
> Blood in the stool may be due to haemorrhoids , while blood in the urine
may be the result of a bladder or kidney infection. Vaginal bleeding long
after menopause may be due to the growth of benign polyps or fibroids.
Vomiting blood can result from a tear in the blood vessels or an ulcer in
the stomach or oesophagus. And coughing up blood can happen with
non-cancerous conditions, like bronchitis , pneumonia or tuberculosis.

> 5. High or Persistent Fever
> Fever is your body's way of fighting infection. But fever of 103 degrees
and higher warrants a trip to the doctor. It may indicate a urinary tract
infection , pneumonia , endocarditic (inflammation of the lining of the
heart chambers and valves) or meningitis, which may
require antibiotics to
clear up. A persistent low-grade fever — for several weeks — with no
obvious cause is characteristic of some infections , including a sinus
infection , and some cancers , like lymphoma and leukaemia.

> 6. Shortness of Breath
> When organs aren't getting enough oxygen , breathlessness can result.
Sudden shortness of breath can indicate a pulmonary embolism — when a blood
clot forms in the body's deep veins (usually in the legs), travels to the
lungs and gets lodged in the lung's blood vessels. If you find yourself
gasping after climbing two or three stairs or getting tired sooner than you
used to , doctors will want to rule out chronic obstructive pulmonary
disease (COPD) , especially if it's accompanied by a cough and fatigue and
you have a history of smoking. Irregular heart rhythm , congestive heart
failure and other types of heart disease are additional possibilities.
>

7. Sudden Confusion
> If you're experiencing sudden confusion , personality changes ,
aggression or an inability to concentrate , it's important to see a doctor
right away. In the worst case , a brain tumour or bleeding in the brain
could be behind the delirium. If you're also experiencing slurred speech ,
difficulty finding the right words , or numbness or weakness in the face ,
hand or leg , stroke is a strong possibility. Get to the doctor
immediately. Any delay beyond two to three hours may result in irreversible
brain loss.

> 8. Swelling in the Legs
> An accumulation of fluid (called enema) in the extremities can be caused
by a number of conditions , but the one that most concerns doctors is heart
failure , when the heart cannot pump as much blood as the body needs. When
that happens , blood backs up in the veins , causing fluid to accumulate in
the body's tissues. Heart failure is suspected when
both legs are affected
and the patient also has shortness of breath , fatigue and chest tightness.

> 9. Sudden or severe abdominal pain
> Sudden abdominal pain could signal that an aortic aneurysm has ruptured.
Alternatively , sudden pain can indicate a perforated viscous (a hole in
the stomach , intestine or other hollow organ) , often due to an ulcer.
Intestinal ischemia , which happens when blood flow to the intestines slows
or stops , starving tissues of oxygen , can be a culprit , too. Each of
these conditions is life threatening , requiring emergency surgery.
> Abdominal pain is frequently due to gallstones , which are hard , pebble
like deposits that get lodged in a gallbladder duct , resulting in sharp
pain as well as nausea and vomiting. Although irritable bowel syndrome can
trigger painful spasms in the colon , the pain tends to come and go over
time and may also cause constipation , diarrheal or
alternating bouts of
both.
>
> The 10th. Symptom :
> When adversity hits you , take a BIG BREATH ....... and say "Get Lost
...... 2morow I have another GREAT DAY"..........
> Take care ...... have trust in God  (or whoever you believe if you are an
atheist) ........ live clean .... eat clean ....... be happy & jolly even
in the midst of any adversity ...... love alot & be loved ..... smile &
laugh at yourself when you are lonely ...... it's your choice ( I know it's
some times a fallacy to be able to overcome all the miseries ) ......
>
> Smile for me everytime you see my name.
> Be Happy !! Tomorrow is a bonus.
> Life is precious , enjoy every minute.
> A Happy-go-lucky man is a wealthy man .....

Deep sleep experiences

Have you ever experience 'deep sleep'?

Recently, I have experience three deep sleeping experience. The level of sleep was so deep that you are totally unconscious of any senses. It is beyond the normal sleep level. Maybe , the right description is like totally dead.

If someone wants to wake you, it was like coming out from a long sleep and you just refuse to be awake as if the sleep still captures you and in control of you. If you are awake, the sense is still in a dream stage and awareness is vague and blur.

Maybe , it is the body telling the mind to go into this deep sleep pattern as a means to rest and recuperate.the feeling after experiencing this incidents is uncomfortable.
It is like touching base with eternity.

I do not know whether under these experience , I have said or make notice in my sleep which have make any sense to the listeners. I hope some one will tell me if I have said something or not.

This is a normal phenomena and it happens to many people. I believe it is a body mind experience with the body or the mind telling the other that they are stress out and needs to recuperate and return to normal level.

Namaste.

Buffet lunch at Tao, Time square, Penang

Buffet lunch at Tao, Penang.

I took my family and my sister to a fusion restaurant called TAO at the Penang Time square. I have been to Tao at the E-gate a few times and Tao at auto- city but the one at Time Square was the first time.

The restaurant offers a fixed price for their fusion  buffet which is inclusive of many Japanese dishes。The taste was okay in the past but the taste today was just average but the fresh oysters were big and good. The ice cream was good as well.

I still think that it is still value for money at RM65 per person. I would recommend my readers to try. The negative point is the Time Square itself . The occupancy of the retail lots have been low and there was no crowd making the place almost deserted. I deemed the Time Square as a failure as it has failed to attract crowd。

As a comment , the Tao is occupying too big a place and the buffet today only occupies a small section of the restaurant. This happening can be a negative image on the food outlet.

Namaste

Friday, December 13, 2013

If you feel good, you look good. ....

Towards a Happy and Healthy body
We all want to look good, but it’s also important to feel good in our minds and souls, writes Meaghan Seymour.

I like to think that I don’t have any self-confidence issues when it comes to my body image. However, my eagerness to defensively refute the depictions of women I see in advertisements or on movie screens tells me that being constantly bombarded with picture-perfect women really does pinch my nerves. It’s hard for most women to escape this.
In my early 20s, I spent a few years working as a fitness trainer. The most difficult aspect of that job (besides finding the energy to choreograph 6.30 am aerobics sessions) was supporting the many women who were struggling with notions of what they thought they should look like. I was saddened to see beautiful, smart and accomplished women harbouring obsessions with getting “skinny”, holding up magazine clippings of fitness models as their motivation.
Many Muslims stress the importance of inner beauty and may make sweeping claims that hijab and modest dress codes protect and exempt us from developing unhealthy body images. Yet Muslim women are no strangers to this pressure to look good either.
A quick look at some of the postings on Muslim-focused websites, with titles like “Why every Muslim woman should own a pair of skinny jeans”, or “Thin thighs in 30 days”, makes it evident that Muslims are also perpetuating low self-esteem and reinforcing the idea that there is one desirable way to look. While we claim that the counter-culture of Islamic fashion aims to relieve us from the global media’s perceptions of beauty, some feel that we have joined forces with it, rather than combating it.
I won’t go into the well-known, numerous reasons why we should eat healthily and be moderately active, or the long-term health benefits that will indefinitely outlast physical appeal. I definitely do condone the idea that health, strength and overall wellbeing ought to be the primary goals of starting a healthy eating or fitness regime, which will benefit not only our physical body but our state of mind, too.
But while I, like most women, am tired of being reminded of the many ways that I’m apparently failing to adhere to these constructed standards of attractiveness, I’m more fearful of the damaging impacts this attitude can have on one’s spiritual wellbeing – especially when it’s presented through “Islamic” sources.
I’ve heard it repeated all too often in lectures or print advice columns on marital responsibilities: men (our husbands) are “visual creatures” and thus require us to take extra care in order to satisfy their visual needs through our appearances. But I wonder about the effect of acknowledging this claim – are we just reinforcing beliefs that men are entitled to wives who look like the women they see on television screens and in magazines?
The Muslim community is not immune to marital problems caused by partners who turn to porn, infidelity or other outlets with the justification that their spouse’s appearances just “[do] not fit the bill”.[i] How do we even begin to confront issues like these that have the potential to cause much distress to the ones having their self-confidence torn apart?
One of the articles I mentioned above suggests that Muslim women (wives, in particular) have a responsibility to compete with the enticingly dressed non-Muslim women they see in the streets, by modelling tight-fitting skinny jeans at home for our husbands. This sort of mundane competition and narrowly defined ideals of beauty don’t seem to reflect the dignity that we claim Islam affords women.
Our Prophet (peace be upon him) reportedly loved beauty in all things, including having been known to appreciate a woman’s beauty.[ii] However, I’d like to assume that the women of his time, who managed to sufficiently beautify themselves without fancy gym equipment, oodles of beauty products or dietary supplements, and without being held to unrealistic standards, were fancied for being natural beauties.
It is also worth noting that women in his time were reportedly advised to stay away from drastically changing their natural appearances[iii] as well – much unlike today.
And let’s not forget that the Prophet (pbuh) reportedly said that religious character is given credence over good looks, especially when it comes to choosing a spouse.[iv]
While it is important to aim to maintain an appropriate body fat percentage for good overall health, our appearances shouldn’t necessarily be our sole motivation. Nor is it beneficial to focus on sculpting ourselves to preconceived ideas of perfection over being healthy.
I’m not saying it’s a bad thing to want to look good. What I am saying is that I think it’s even more important for us to strive, with the best of our individual abilities, to feel good in our bodies. It doesn’t – and shouldn’t – matter whether the beautiful shapes, sizes, curves and proportions that we have been individually created in are being represented in the media.

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

A simple twist of fate,life will change....

A twist of fate ,life will change...

I received a call that my staff was involved in an accident。wow! What happen ? How serious is she ?
I started a frantic search for people who are closed to her.
For 30 minutes, I only know that she is in a emergency ward. My staff who was there asked me to wait for more news.

It was a tension wait. I called a few more people and they have only very limited information. I was told she is conscious but her legs was injured. How serious ? Don't know , please wait. Then a message came in her injury is not life threatening. She is okay but  a bit shaken.

She was supposed to take a ride in our factory bus to head home but the bus broke down and she thumb a lift home from friends in a car and then the accident happen.

If the bus is okay then she would have been alright . So, some times fate worked in a mysterious ways. A simple twist of fate , life will change or could end.

Namaste.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

It was a tired day...

It was a tired day

My banker's staff visited me at 5.30pm and we were engaged in a business talk until 7.30pm. Wow! Why are they so hardworking. Seldom see these people so motivated to work at such odd hours. Not in this Gen Y generations.

I am not a racist but I want to give a frank and honest opinion. There are two groups of bankers , the Malay and the Chinese. I have been working with the Chinese bankers  for so many years until lately , the Malay bankers become more involved in this trade. Frankly speaking , there still a gap between the two working cultures. The  Chinese are the better bankers and they are very thorough and careful.

I would to say that teaching a person how to fish rather giving the person the fish is a two very different thing. The merits and power given to a person without a struggle could ruin the person's fighting ability or survival ability.
This is like giving fishes to the person and this can take care of their food for one day.

I think this is the difference  here. Power corrupts , absolute power corrupts absolutely. This is a  very worrying factor and this could in the long run ruin the entitle race.

This fact have been aware by the leaders but they choose behave like ostriches, hiding their head in the sand. Who is going to help anyway and who cares. Now you are born  as a Chinese and in next life it could be vice versa.

There is a saying race is only skin deep.

Namaste.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Sawada ,fish head steam boat, Pulau Tikus , penamg

Dinner at Sawada, Pulau Tikus, Penang

On Saturday, I was in Gurney Plaza with my wife. We had lunch at Sevenson food outlet. Both of us order pasta and a salad. My wife told me that Sevenson was only good for ice cream but surprisingly, the pasta was good. I encourage all of you to try and the price is reasonable.

After that we shopped for 5 hours continuously but after 3 hours , I took a rest and at a fruit Juice at one of stall near Sushi Teh. My wife really have very good stamina and patience.  Yeah, she has strong passion for shopping especially shoes and bags. However, she ended the trip with only light winter wears.

We have worked up our appetite during the long walk and she asked me where to eat our dinner. I remembered a place in Pulau Tikus where I saw huge crowds eating fish head steamboats. Previously , it was a Japanese restaurant and it was very quiet until recently. I suggested to eat there and so we went for dinner at a place called Sawada.

It was crowded and we have to share a table with another couple . Yes, a loving  couple which shared their food. They must be in their honeymoon.

The restaurant serves fish head steamboat and the offer fresh veggie and special fish balls to a complained the fish head including Tofu and meat balls. The soup was very sweet and it was tasty. For two of us , for a big bowl, it cost us RM51 and it was extremely reasonable.however, right in the middle of the night, my mouth was glued shut by the dryness in my mouth. It must be the work of too much ajinomoto.  I suspected but cannot confirm.

For some people. It maybe  acceptable but for me, it maybe a bit too much.

Namaste.




Sunday, December 8, 2013

We should be thankful ...

We have to be thankful

Why am I saying this words? I have been thinking for a long time now even more as I get older. We cannot things for granted and assume that things should always been available or given to us. Even to the seconds ticking by, we should be thankful for it.

As days dragged into years, we will realize how blessed we are as we get older. We should be thankful for every breath, for each step, each mouthful of food, for your loved ones , the happy moments and countless things that we receive or have in every moment.

Taking for granted is our egoistic expectation. We will wake up tomorrow and everything will be the same. We will definitely go on with our routines, eat our normal meal and the show will go on as usual. What can be wrong ?
We are emerged in our own priorities and will not give a second to appreciate what we have and be thankful for them.

It is just like driving to work with your mind fix on what needs to be done to further our wealth and our worth without been aware of the tress and happening around us when to drive to work. This is only one example and we are unaware of the wonders and the beauty around us until a dramatic event knock us off our chair.

When things are plentiful ,we become wasteful but if we get less of each then we will realize what we have missing. Wake up and look far and wide both externally and internally. Things are getting lesser everyday so don't take for granted.

Namaste.

Saturday, December 7, 2013

One night in BP, Johore, Malaysia.

One night in Batu Pahat, Johore

It is my first trip to Johore despite many transits or fly overs. I have to fly to Senai airport and then take a taxi for one hour thirty minutes before reaching Batu Pahat town.

The population in Batu Pahat is about 500,000 and was spread over a very big area but mostly low lying houses but there is a few condo projects in progress.

By the time , I reach BP it was already 9pm after. a 30 minutes delay by MAS . My customer was waiting for us that their Seaview restaurant . It is the best restaurant in town. The food was very tasty and reasonable in price.

I reach my hotel T 10.15pm. The Katherina Hotel is the best hotel in town. I was tired and have no time to look around and I went straight to bed. Next morning my customer  came to fetch me at 9.30am and we went to a local Bak Kut Teh shop. It was one of the best BKT which I have tasted. The bones were clear cut and the meat was well cooked. I had a wonderful breakfast.

After the breakfast, my customer took me to his office and on the way he showed me the town and some if its famous buildings.

We skip lunch and about 12 noon , I took a taxi back to Senai airport and took Air Asia home to Penang.

Although it is a brief romance with the town, it will be a good memory for me. My recommendation is that if you happen to drive by , it is a place you should take time to drop by and enjoy the good food an hospitality.

Namaste.

Tuesday, December 3, 2013

Greed leads to craving - waste woods

In Buddha's teaching, he says that greed leads to craving which leads to suffering and unhappiness. Contentment is happiness.  There is a chinese saying " if we are contended , we will happy even if we are poor ". So , what is the measurement of  contentment ? What is the basic criteria ?

The measurement of contentment is different for different people.  Some people is happy if we have a room to stay and food to eat but some people is contented if we have RM1 million in our account and someone else maybe  contented with RM3 million or so on.  There  is so much variations and personal judgement.

Today, my friend told me that her sister's new year resolution is become a " waste wood" and in chinese, it means a useless bum and another friend of her resolved that " she wants to be a worst waste wood than her sister". She asked me what is happening ?  I told her that they are smart and wise people who have " see through " what is life.  Life is a joke.  Mind you, they  are not stupid people and they hold doctorate degrees.

So, how can we be a waste wood without working ? Only people who have earned enough or have enough means can resolved to be a "waste wood" . Such wise people knows what Buddha's meaning of impermanence or nothingness. If we gathered more than we need , we cannot take it away and can only leave for the next generation but if we do not have dependents, what is the meaning to have more than what we need.  We cannot bring it along and leaving too much for our next generation can only weaken them and deprive them the strength to earn for themselves.

It is not easily to be a waste wood or a bum because it is self depreciating and a slap to our ego. Everyone of us have big egos unless we can see through life and opted to be a waste wood.

To all the waste wood or bigger waste wood in the world, yes, life is a joke , a bigger joke , so enjoy your freedom and carefree journey through this fake and illusive world.

Namaste.

Be Smart to avoid trouble

Some time common sense is not common but cow sense becomes the norm. It all depends on the upbring of each person. Some people have inborn logic while some people need to learn the hardway.

I have experience some " cow sense " today and it is not wiithin my understanding . 

I had sent out a mail today and there was a typo error in it and one of the reader alert me of the mistake.  But , one of my staff just took on himself to reply the mail and acknowledge the mistake on my behalf without consulting me.  I was caught totally off guard and the reply was really very embarrssing for me.

It is a very illogical move by my staff and I do not understand why he has taken upon himself to reply and it is out of protocol and a very silly move.  What is he thinking about ?  What makes him tbink that he is qualify to reply on my behalf. It was all very buffering .

I was very upset and I have all the reasons to be upset because he has acted very stupidly.

When I calm down , I realized that everyone have their strong point and weakness.  The sense of logic varies from one another and the staff may have a different thinking.  The logic of yesterday and the logic today is different and it really have no fixed logic.

I had a serious debate with my wife on my daughter . She told me that my daugther M has been very rebellious and not obedient like we use to be. I told her the behaviour of Gen Y is different and they do not take verbal discipline and they want to know why we scold them. The new generation have been social network and the internet and they are more informative and they want us to talk properly and respect their opnion.  The good old days of scolding , punishment  and canning is all gone.

We have to change  and fast . Otherwise, we will be in contrasting with the changing world.

Nasmaste.

Sunday, December 1, 2013

Birthday dinner at Midland's court , Penang

Birthday dinner at midland's court, Penang.

Today is an auspicious day and there  was a lot of wedding dinners in Penang and almost all the Chinese restaurants are full. But ,my brother in law was able to locate one restaurant to celebrate his birthday.

The midland's court restaurant have been operation for many years and most their waitress and waiters is old and I believe it has been I operation for more than thirty years.

I remembered of playing in a band at the weddings parties  in the restaurant about 15 or 20 years ago and I have also attended many dinners at the place. But it certainly gone out of my favorable. I can see remember the restaurant but do not have the urge to go there anymore until tonight.

My BIL ordered a soup. a fish. A Peking duck. a vegetable dish and end with.a fried wantan mee and end with a birthday cake. The food was okay but a bit pricey.

The only drawback is the passage to the restaurant . The upkeep is abit dirty because of the Karaoke bar on the 4th floor and when we were leaving we encountered with a few "Chinese dragon ladies" on their way to work. The place is abit dangerous because of the massage and girlie  jpints..

So much for the food amidst a mixed neigbourhood.

Namaste.