What would you do if you have 24 hours to live?

In the book "Tuesday with Morrie" by Mitch Albom, Morrie was asked what if he has one day perfectly healthy?. Morrie is dying from an incurable disease. Morrie thought about a little and answered.

"Let's see... I'd get up in the morning, do my exercises, have lovely breakfast of sweet rolls and tea, go for a swim, then have my friends come over for a nice lunch. I'd have them come one or two at a time so we could talked about their families, their issues, talked about how much we mean to each other.

"Then I'd like to go for a walk, in the garden with some trees, watch their colors, watch the birds, take in the nature that I'd not seen in so long now.

"In the evening, we'd all go for dinner in some restaurant, with some great pasta, maybe with some duck - I loved duck and we dance for the rest of the night. I'll dance with all the wonderful partners out there, until I was exhausted. And then I'll go home and have a deep wonderful sleep.

"That simple, that average?" Mitch thought and he realized that Morrie could find perfection in such an average day.

So what will I do if I have only 24 hours left to live?
24 hours, such a short time?
What else have I long to do before my life end?
Something like I never done before? Get to the moon and back?
Go on spending spree and make my day happy?
Sigh... Probably not.

What will I do to make my life really feel complete?
Probably much the same way as what Morrie did.
He summarizes his life, the things he love to do, the experiences that has a major impact in his life - His family, his sports, his favorite food, his walk... that simple.
And amazingly, that is just everything he'd done before in his whole life.

That's 24 hours. What if I got 48 hours instead?
Will I still get to the moon? Probably still not.
I will have an extended version of the things I do in my 24 hours.
What if I got 1 week instead? Hmmm... a tougher question.
Maybe, I will need to start planning but I believed at the end, I will probably do the same thing that I did in my 24.

What if, what if I got a year instead, maybe longer 5 years, 10 years, 30 years?

Hmmm... get a job? Most people, and me myself will do just that

However, what happened to the things you will want to do if you got 24 hours to live?
Most people would have probably forgotten about it.
If the time to live increases, those important things in that short 24 hours that matters to you get postponed and postponed further and further away.
Still I can hear people, even myself saying I simply couldn't find the time.

Life is short and things can get unexpected.
So keep that 24 hours in mind.
Insert it into your weekly itinerary or aleast your monthly itinerary.
So that when things unexpected happened to you, at least you can leave feeling the 24 hours happens just yesterday.

"When you learn how to die, you learn how to live."- Morrie
When you learn what you will do in your last 24 hours, you will learn how to live your life. That is what I think Morrie is telling me.

Happy New Year!!!

The Universe

From "Secrets" by Rhoda Byrne, I was taught of this word "The Universe" which connects everyone and everything together. Whatever you want, whatever you wished for, you can just ask the Universe and somehow along your time, you will received. In Soka, they too believed in this when they chant 'Nam Myoho Range Kyo' which somewhat I perceived that the chanting is the way to connect to the Universe.

So here's my pictorial view of the whole concept. Professor Charles Francis Xavier. He is the Professor in X-men who can connect his mind to the Universe and control every single X-men that the Universe found. The Universe knows everything. Picture the Universe as a huge computer database system. Picture that every night when you go to sleep, the time when you knock yourself out, your soul will travel all the way to this database, upload and update all the experience for the day to the Universe. What you see, what you hear, what you feel etc will be uploaded to this database. And at the same time, what you want to know gets download back to your soul and be brought back to your body via dreams or through a sudden flow of knowledge. Or if you want to search a question from this database without the need to knock yourself out, one has to be calm enough in the mind and let the soul telepath itself to the Universe and retrieved the answer from the database. To reach to that state of mind is not easy but it is possible. Buddha can see who he was in his past lives when he reached to that stage of mind. Neale, in Conversations with God, is able to know where the mom of the dead son is when he wants an answer for the traumatized woman who lost her adopted son. Hence, there are no such thing as impossibility. Knowing everything is possible only if one can access everything in that database.

The Truth is in this database. Hence, the term only God knows came from one's God reaching into this database to retrieve the answer. However, whether the Truth will be revealed by the God receiving it is another question. Simply because everything is connected. The Cause and The Effect.

Ask and You'll Received

In the concluding part of "Conversations with God", a woman came to Neale when he was in the bookstore speaking to his reader. She was traumatized by the changes in her son and she asked for the author's explanation. Her son was adopted and by 14, she told him that. Her son changes immediately from a loving son to someone who does not want to acknowledge her as his mother. So she promised her adopted son that when he turns 18, she will bring him to meet his real mother. When he turns 18, he was killed by a drunk driver. She asked the author what has the author's God got to say about this? The author paused, close his eyes, drop a tear and walk towards the woman and say, "Your son died so that you can keep your promise to. His mother died a few years ago. His passing was the only way to be with her."

My view is that the son wants to be with his real mother. He has ask his God (the son's God) and God granted his wish. Having said that, I was wondering since heaven is a virtual place, how can he be with his mom after his passing. However, if I recollect that his Soul will be moved into another body, the body that give birth to his new body could be the soul that once occupied his mom's body or his new body could be near a body which his mom's soul now occupies i.e. his new sister, brother, father etc.

It is just unfortunate that he got no idea where her mom is else he may have changed his mind, accept that and move on without having that thought drawn so forcefully into himself.

What about the promise that the foster mom made? Is it also that strong that she wants her adopted son to meet his real mom? Most likely that with both foster mom and adopted son strong asking, both Gods gave what she and he wants. She kept her promise and he believed her. Again it is unfortunate that she did not go and find out where the real mom is.

One may argue that what if she did not want her adopted son to meet his real mom? Yes, only God will know i.e. her God will know. However, among the two, there is someone who will have the stronger will and the stronger one will succeed in getting the wish.

What if his mom is alive and not dead? That will definitely defunct my view.

Anyway, when you so wanted something, check out where the something is before you wish really hard on it.

Finally, the closing words from God: -
"I will not leave you, I cannot leave you, for you are My creation and My product, My daughter and My son, My purpose and My... Self. Call on Me, therefore, wherever and whenever you are separate from the peace that I am. I will be there. With Truth. And Light. And Love."

Your Soul will not leave you. Your soul create your existence. If you are not finding peace in yourself, you can always reached out to your soul who will always be with you whenever you want him or her. Your soul will always guide you to what you want if you believed in it.
Every word from God is express from Self - Who Am I. God is One.

Conversations With God

Stumbled upon this DVD at library@esplanade.
The story told about Neale, the author whose world crumbles, leaving him no job, no home and a broken neck. He climbs back with the help of his God who had conversations with him during his distress stage. He took down what God told him and it became a best seller.

There are few quotes that is worth a thought and I found a good lot in this link
http://www.iloveulove.com/spirituality/cwg/cwgquotes.htm

I was asking who is his God. My view is his God is his God.
His God will always be there for him even if he gave up his God.
Likewise, my God is my Soul and will always be there to listen and give me advice when I calmly reached out for HIM.
Hence, His God is his Soul and all the while, he is speaking to his Soul.
At a very distress stage in life, he may have reached a certain kind of calmness where God cames in and talked to him.
So if you give up in your God, you are actually giving up in yourself.
Everyone has a God and this God will always support one, no matter how one treats God.

Because God is One.

Quality of Husband

The quality of husband is directly proportion to the amount he brings into the family. The amount of love.


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Your Eyes are Not Listening

I have 2 little daughters and when I heard this from Mitch, it gave me something to smile at.

From a Sermon by the Reb, 1958

“A little girl came home from school with a drawing she‟d made in class.
She danced into the kitchen, where her mother was preparing dinner.
“„Mom, guess what?‟ she squealed, waving the drawing.
“Her mother never looked up.
“„What? she said, tending to the pots.
“„Guess what?‟ the child repeated, waving the drawing.
“„What?‟ the mother said, tending to the plates.
“„Mom, you‟re not listening.‟
“„Sweetie, yes I am.‟
“„Mom,‟ the child said, „you‟re not listening with your eyes.‟”

I let my wife listened to the above and she brought back the book that I once read and recommended to her 5 to 6 years ago - The 5 Love Language by Gary Chapman.
The 5 Language of Love (http://www.5lovelanguages.com/learn-the-languages/the-five-love-languages/) are as follows :-

• Words of Affirmation

  Actions don’t always speak louder than words. If this is your love language, unsolicited compliments mean the world to you. Hearing the words, “I love you,” are important—hearing the reasons behind that love sends your spirits skyward. Insults can leave you shattered and are not easily forgotten.

• Quality Time

  In the vernacular of Quality Time, nothing says, “I love you,” like full, undivided attention. Being there for this type of person is critical, but really being there—with the TV off, fork and knife down, and all chores and tasks on standby—makes your significant other feel truly special and loved. Distractions, postponed dates, or the failure to listen can be especially hurtful.

• Receiving Gifts

  Don’t mistake this love language for materialism; the receiver of gifts thrives on the love, thoughtfulness, and effort behind the gift. If you speak this language, the perfect gift or gesture shows that you are known, you are cared for, and you are prized above whatever was sacrificed to bring the gift to you. A missed birthday, anniversary, or a hasty, thoughtless gift would be disastrous—so would the absence of everyday gestures.

• Acts of Service

  Can vacuuming the floors really be an expression of love? Absolutely! Anything you do to ease the burden of responsibilities weighing on an “Acts of Service” person will speak volumes. The words he or she most want to hear: “Let me do that for you.” Laziness, broken commitments, and making more work for them tell speakers of this language their feelings don’t matter.

• Physical Touch

  This language isn’t all about the bedroom. A person whose primary language is Physical Touch is, not surprisingly, very touchy. Hugs, pats on the back, holding hands, and thoughtful touches on the arm, shoulder, or face—they can all be ways to show excitement, concern, care, and love. Physical presence and accessibility are crucial, while neglect or abuse can be unforgivable and destructive.

She asked me which is the predominant language of my eldest daughter. I contemplated between Quality Time and Words of Affirmation and ended up choosing the later. She told me that it was Quality Time. How? She actually asked her, my 4 year old.

Mum: Do you love me?
Daughter: I loved you mummy.
Mum: Why do you love me?
Daughter: I just love you.
Mum: But you must have a reason why you love me.
Daughter: Ahhhh.... because you spend time watching movie with me. You read bedtime story book with me.

Just as simple as that.

Detachment

This is a great story that teaches detachment.

There is a story of a farmer whose horse ran away. That evening the neighbors gathered to commiserate with him since this was such bad luck. He said, "May be."

The next day the horse returned, but brought with it six wild horses, and the neighbors came exclaiming at his good fortune. He said, "May be."

And then, the following day, his son tried to saddle and ride one of the wild horses, was thrown, and broke his leg. Again the neighbors came to offer their sympathy for the misfortune. He said, "May be."

The day after that, conscription officers came to the village to seize young men for the army, but because of the broken leg the farmer's son was rejected. When the neighbors came to say how fortunately everything had turned out, he said, "May be."

Like what Mitch says, such a simple story that is so attached can be so detached.
It teaches me to let go and not to attach to any physical things or emotions. For every gain, there will be some loss and for every loss, there will be some gain.

From the book 'Have a Little Faith' by Mitch Albom, a chapter talks about Adam who lived 930 years instead of a full 1000. The story claims that he agreed with His Creator to shorten his life in order to give life to another. This story was outlined by the rabbi to explain his acceptance to the death of his 4 year old born daughter. He ended saying that "Is it not better to have known my daughter for four years, than not to have known her at all?" In other words, for every loss, there will be some gain. My view is that his 4 year old has enriched his life in her 4 years and has now move on to enrich other lives.

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Still Voice Within

"The only tyrant that I accept in the world is the still small voice within me" - Mahatma Gandhi

I have difficulty in understand the quote above. After googling for a while and reading the different perspective that was put forward, I took that little voice is either the mind or the soul that guides oneself on decision making. The mind has two advisers - the devil and the guardian. So which spirit should I trust? Well.... trust neither. Trust the soul. The soul is the purest since the body is born to the body dies.

Quoting again from 'Have A Little Faith' by Mitch Albom, he highlighted the story of Henry Covington who did many bad things in his youth like, robbing, drugs, etc. Each time he got into trouble, he begged for Jesus for help. And each time he managed to get away, he goes back to his old ways. There was this last time where he got himself in trouble again and he pleaded to Jesus that he will give his life to Jesus if he could get out from his bad situation again. Same as the last time, he did but after that, he turned over a new leaf. I was thinking, did Jesus really help him?

My view. The decision to turn over a new leaf was a decision make by himself, his soul in particularly. At that point in time, his soul took over his mind and guided him out. Whether he got out from his bad situation considered a miracle or not is not the point. The fact that he turn over a new leaf is the strength that his soul possess at that moment and continue to strengthen, took over his whole body including his mind and guided him out of his bad habits and keep him away from turning back.

My point is everyone has a Jesus, an Allah, a Buddha etc... in him or her. At times of trouble, it is the touch of this soul in the body that is so pure that guide oneself out from his/her sins. So stop thinking and get connected to this soul in within and let it guide your body towards your task in the universe.

So is Jesus involved?
Here's a nice incident in the book again where the rabbi narrated an incident which he had with his doctor. His doctor is not a believer of any faith. So every time the rabbi visited him, the doctor will criticize the rabbi's faith. One day, the doctor's brother died and the rabbi decided to send his condolences to the doctor. When he met the doctor, the doctor told him "I envied you!. If your loved one died, atleast you have someone to blame. You can blame on God but for me, I have only myself to blame for I can't saved my brother."

This episode tells me that if your own soul is not strong enough, having Jesus, Allah, Buddha etc around is good. Not to blame them but having a strong pillar to lean on in times of trouble to help managed one's emotions. At the same time, through these Great Ones' teachings, one can enhanced one own spirit, making one stronger so as to be able to face and handle other situations, one own as well as others.

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Better than Tomorrow

In the book 'Have A Little Faith' by Mitch Albom, he asked Albert Lewis who is lying on his bed whether he is feeling alright. Albert says "Let me put it this way. I am not better then yesterday BUT!!!! I am better than tomorrow."

I chuckled alittle and felt 'What a great way to put.' I remember someone once told me what Jackie Chan had said - Expect the worst but Hope for the best. I had difficulty comprehend that but it seems like Albert has just sum it all. He expect tomorrow will not be better than today but if he is wrong, he win both ways. He just created a win-win attitude for himself. And to further support his phrase, in 'The Power of Now' by Eckhart Tolle, he emphasized the important of cherishing what you have NOW as the future is unknown and the past is olden.

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Heaven and Hell

I met up with Tom Yuen, a Soka district leader and during our conversation, he commented on the subject what is heaven and hell. Heaven and hell are not physical places but are found within oneself. That is so true. What he says make me recollect a story that I came across and understand better the essence the story is highlighting. There are many versions of the story, all leading to the same outcome but here's mine.

A shogun heard of this famous Zen Master and so he decided to visit the master, hoping to be his student. He asked:

"Master, perhaps you could tell me about heaven and hell?"

The old master looked at the shogun, shake his head and turn his back away, ignoring the shogun. The shogun felt insulted and seized with rage, he drew his sword to strike the man down.

The master raise his finger and pointed to the shogun's head and says "That is hell!"

Realizing he had been given a great lesson, the shogun sheathed his sword and bowed deeply in gratitude

"And that is heaven!", said the master pointing to the naval.

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Restrain

Proper restrain helps to calm a person down. I did that to my younger daughter when she threw her baby tantrum. Restraining her is to hold her hand and legs snuggly tight, not enough to cause any hurt. Holding her for awhile until her assurance that she had calm down tends to subside her tantrum faster than to try reasoning out with her when she is gesturing wildly. Of course the other way is to give in to her demands but that will spoilt her.

I was watching a series show and this teenager was showing restrain anger. The expert tempted him to burst that out by taunting and shoving him. Atlas he burst and retaliate, in which the expert held him down in a bear hugged snuggly, however strong enough not to let him break free. The guy burst into tears and after that all was calm.

Restrain is a great technique but if it fails, the result can be quite oppositely bad. So when one wants to try restrain, make sure that one has the strength to execute it completely else do not attempt.


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What is happiness

Happiness is the ability to overcome sadness.

This is what I extracted after reading 'A Piece of Mirror' by Daisaku Ikeda.

To overcome sadness, one has to overcome happiness.
Because without happiness, there will be no sadness.
And without sadness, there will be no happiness.
Sadness and happiness are created by Man.
Hence by detaching oneself from Man's creation,
one can then live one's life truly within.


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Cry

The ability to cry is a God's gift to living beings. It is just a storm, where anger and hysterical crying sets the scene of a dramatic scene and then after that, the storm subside followed by the beautiful serene drizzles which signifies the beauty of crying to reach the ultimate calmness of the mind where everything begins to be clearer compare to the storm.

Many perceived crying as a weakness. Many are not willing to shed tears infront of the public because of not wanting to embarrass oneself. Usually it is unusual to see a person crying and when one sees someone crying, it tends to lead one to think that that someone is having a hard time and needs help. Crying helps to soften one's heart and subtle crying helps to calm one's mind. If one can appreciate this gift and perceived it as a tool to manage one's mind, one can feel the amazing power crying can provide.

There are many types of tears from tears of sadness to tears of joy. Both are equally good if done subtlely. A person who finds it hard to reveal his/her feelings will find the solution through a good cry privately. Crying relieved the stress build up in the body and a good cry will relieved that stress, same as a good laugh or a good scream on top of a roof. However, I chose to cry as it is easier. So give a good cry every morning to freshen up your day.


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Calm

The calmer you are the less bias your mind is and the clearer the picture it will become.

So if one is agitated, frustrated, scared, angry, hysterical etc anything that does not lead to the mind being calm, the mind has a strong bias towards that emotion exhibited and hence the decision outcome will be not neutral and usually the decision is not the best.

The best solution always come from a calm mind.


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If Tomorrow Never Come

This is a beautiful song where the writer wrote on the perspective of what if he left the world prematurely without having to tell his love ones how much he loves them. What if tomorrow never comes, did you leave enough love for them to get around?

In complement to my previous entry where I viewed from the perspective of the surviving person, this writer provides the other part of the picture to complete the circle.

http://sveston.blogspot.com/2010/08/before-u-get-angry-with-your-love-one.html,

However, in the second versus, the writer also touches on my previous entry where he express regrets for not saying how he feel after his love ones have move on. So the song actually complete the whole picture.

Overall, both entries cover love and regrets. The previous entry highlight the regrets the surviving partner have after his/her love one move on, highlighting the love that s/he still had within for his/her partner. The second highlighted the regrets the person who left has, not having to do the most important things in his/her live which is to tell his/her love ones the true feelings internally that s/he has not being able to express externally to them.


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Risk

Risk is inversely proportional to Knowledge. The less knowledge about something you want to do, the higher the risk. Similarly, the more knowledge, the lesser the risk. So to reduce risk, knowledge is needed.


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We are all the same

Every odd days when I crosses Raffles MRT Station underground to SGX, I saw a wheel bound man selling tissue papers. I asked myself whether am I different from him. No. I am no different. The only thing that I got is a body that have more features than what he was given. If he got what I got, he just got the same gadgets that I have but still we are the same. As such, I am no different from any living things on earth. We are just different by what we have after we acknowledge ourselves. Hence I am no better than you or you are no better than me without what we received. So when what we received are taken away from us i.e. detaching from the physical body like detaching from a physical items, we are all the same, naked, nameless, shapeless. So why compare? Ultimately you and me will reached the same level we started with.

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Soul vs Mind

Mind over Matter? Mind over Body? I have this term being introduce to me many years back, I can't remember during my Army Days to get over obstacles mentally. I have to say it does work but it also does kill if not used properly. I remembered a number of great healthy athletes reported in the news where they pushes the limits their bodies can take and eventually killing themselves. Their mind refusal to stop forces the other parts of the body to exert further until they either able to cope or broke down beyond recovery. Hence, it is vital to know your limits and conditioning is a must when taking a task that requires extended physical endurance one never attempted before.

That is when the soul has to come in. The soul has to control the mind from over stretching the capability limits of the body. The mind is also a body part but it is a part that needs more control then the other parts as it attempts to take control from the soul. So instead of Mind Over Body or Mind over Matter, focus on Soul over Body or Soul over Matter because deep in the soul, knows the capability limit of the body.


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The Market

I posted an entry about the market comparing her to my virtual mistress @ http://sveston.blogspot.com/2010/09/I-was-wrong.html and I was wrong to say that she was a mistress that is spending my account like a free flow credit card.

Just yesterday, I thought she was behaving erratically. She rose to levels that I have not seen before but I have only been trading for 2 months and of course how much would I have seen actually. Anyway still believing that she is erratic on that day, I woke up the next morning and did my preparation for the day trading session. What I saw gave me a very different perspective.

Out of the chaos and disbelieved that I thought that the market is erratic, I was so hallucinated negatively not to see the pattern that she has form for me to see. In my mind, all I care was to get out of position whenever I can. Not at 40t away but somewhere in the vicinity of 10 to 15t. However, clearly she showed me a pattern that I can bet on by adding on another position and get out faster and even with a profit. I am just too distracted to get out via a retracement that I missed it entirely.

She just showed that she is not a mistress that spend my account like her credit card but someone who actually left cues to guide me how to place my entry. Not all that glitters are gold. Good things are not always good and bad things are not always bad. For example, bitter medicines taste terrible but is good for the body.

She (the market) has all along being guiding me by giving me cues in advance what she is going to do next. It is just that I have been fearful by believing that she is there to trap me. By changing the believed that she is there to guide me, I am now less fearful to follow her.



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Staring at The Abyss

"Man stares into the abyss, and there's nothing staring back at him. That's when man finds his character. And that's what keeps him out of the abyss." - Wall Street

Just finished Wall Street, not Wall Street 2 and found the phrase rather catchy. Google and want to find out the actual meaning of this phrase. Not too sure I got it right but from the sum of what I collected, here's my shot that make sense to me.

When man looked into an abyss which is usually deep dark, there are either 3 reactions :-
1) fearful which mean evil has scared the he'll out of you
2) attracted which mean evil has tempted you and you accepted it
3) nothing which mean you seen it so many times that you find nothing special or have no feelings about it

If I apply to trading, if I am fearful to trading, it could mean that I have heard stories about people losing money and hence would rather avoid trading in the whole place. However, if instead I find it attractive because of the money, then I may be lured into it and may eventually get destroyed through trading. But if I see nothing in trading just like a Professional Trader sees it as a way that his/her skills can be use to make things work for him/her, then most likely s/he may find it just a common thing to do that he may not even develop any feelings about trading.

Overall, I think the phrase touches on emotions. When you trade, no emotions should be involves. All entries and exits have to be objectives with no emotions attached. Achieving that is like looking into the abyss not feeling fearful or excited.

Blog?

Why am I writing all these blogs?

Am I penning them down for others to read? Wasn't in my mind before but yes and I hope they make sense out of it. Actually, I told my wife that I wrote this so that my daughters will get to read them and show it to their children what I am like if this body pass on.

However I asked myself... Am I what I wrote? Hahaha... I begin to wonder. I wrote these blogs to remind myself what I would like to be. I would love to be what I have written and for sure I have not reached that stage yet. Of course I hope what I wrote is good for the well beings. So what you are reading is what I want to be and hopefully be able to be one of this day. Hence once awhile, reading them again helps me to remember what I stand to be. Disclaimer, I hold the right to edit myself and hence the blog. :)

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I was wrong

Why is it so difficult for me to say that? I thought about it and realized that I have been condition to do that since I was younger. I have my pride and like what the road safety department says "Speeding Kills" and I will say "Pride Kills" too. Imagine driving along your usual way and suddenly a car from behind horn you and later drove by your side and show you the middle finger. If that hurts your pride really badly, I hope that pride of yours don't get stuck in your mind and let it get to you and eventually kill you. So I think LTA should not just put Speeding Kills. They should instead put "Priding Kills" :)

Anyway back to the topic. I recall everytime I had an argument with my wife, usually I will argue until I win. I can smoke a wrong to a right, deflect the original argument to something totally different and that she is guilty of to totally just being a total jerk ass. What else could have cause this to happen? My pride... Totally chaunavistic to the fullest. Never admit wrong.

And now it is hurting me. Where? In my trading. In trading, there's this word of advise "when you wrong, CUT!!!".
How can that be? How can I be wrong? Yes I am sure wrong when I start seeing her (the market) using my account like her free flow credit card. If I don't stop her, my wife is going to suspect that I am having a mistress. :P

There was this Raffles Teacher who once commented "The biggest mistake one can make is not to admit, not to apologize and most importantly, not to learn from it." S/he was referring to our government. Anyway, I don't have that habit of admitting wrong. So to get better especially in my trading, I will need to develop that habit else my virtual mistress is going to go on a spending spree. Also I'm sure my wife don't mind winning a few quarrels... okay maybe more than a few... :P

The Promise

I remember last year, after leaving the labour market for a while, I felt a little unproductive not bringing the bread to the family. Each day, I have to struggle hard to make meaning in my new found existence. For 10 years, I used to having a work to go every morning and a salary to look forward to at the end of each month. Breaking away from these norm seems to be so difficult. My life has been distracted by work for the past 10 years. And now? I reflected and realized that there are more than one role I have worn even when I am working I have put them in second spot. Now, since I am no longer an employee, there are now room for my other roles to reveal so clearly to me.

So what are these other roles? Being an employee paid well but being a good husband and the best dad paid even better. I can also choose to be a good son. Anyway, the day that my daughters were born, I have made a vow to be the best dad they ever had. Of course I am the only dad to them and already I believed I qualified as their best.

What about this unique vow that I have made not to myself but to someone and also in public.

"Will you, Roy take this woman Shirley to be your wedded wife, to live together in the legal estate of matrimony? Will you love her, comfort her, honour and keep her in sickness and in health and forsaking all others, be faithful to her, so long as you both shall live? I will."

All these criteria are within my own control and I doesn't need to learn how to do that.

So what I'm trying to say is even if I failed to do well in many roles, careers, friends, etc that I had in this life, I can still choose and be remembered by my wife as a good husband, my daugthers as a good father, parents as a good son.



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In The Zone

What is 'In The Zone'? My trading mentor did an explanation of trading in the zone that all professional traders are in at there peak performance. Obviously, I have not reach their level yet but I asked 'Have I ever being in the zone before and how does it feels like to be in the zone?

I reflected what I have done well in the past... My studies? swimming front crawl for 30 laps non stop? Yes, I am able to do them pretty effortlessly. What about driving my car from home to school? Yes, that too can be done effortlessly. Than doesn't that means I am in the Zone almost every day.

So effortlessly is what I feel when I am In the Zone. So what are the characteristics of being In The Zone? The first thing that comes to my mind is lots of practices. However, I recall at times when I prepared and practices very throughly, I may not be in the zone when the day the skill is required. Take for example driving test. My mind just goes blank everytime the examiner sits next to me.

So besides lots of practice, the other thing that I think I have when I am in the zone is Confident, not over confident. When one is confident, one is not fearful. Fearful and confident has a inversely proportional relationship. Over confident is extrapolating the confident into unknown areas. In trading, there are 2 words that can kill the account. Being fearful and greedy. A fearful person can enter a trade and got stop out quickly many times and when a winning trade comes in, fearful of being stop out, exited with a small profit. Or s/he may simply be so fearful that s/he did not enter at all. At the end, either s/he has many stop out and little winning trades that will negate his or her account or many small winning trades that could have resulted in costly commissions. On the other extreme, the greedy one, the overly confident person will ride both ways to the extreme. Riding a winning position is good but s/he may also be riding a losing position hoping for a return that never come.

Similarly, driving a car has two extremes. Fearful after an accident or go on aggression after an incident. Both can kill. In exams, one can become so fearful that resulted in a mental block or overly confident to beat the time and finished the papers without doing double checking but with the aim of wanting to show everyone s/he is the first to walk out the room.

Hence some sort of moderation is needed to be In The Zone, not too much and not too little. However, just confident is still not enough. One has to be subconscious about being confident and that is vital to achieving effortless. Imagine ending a trading day and surprised to see the profits and not knowing how it got there. In the Zone put one in some sort of trance, flowing with the task just like an orchestra conductor. Imagine finishing your 6 hours exam papers in 2 hours without even realizing it. Imagine getting to your destination in your car without even realizing how you are driving and what route you have took. That is the power of subconscious confident. And the good thing about subconscious confident is, it can be learned and transferred. Hence, to reach my next level of trading, the first thing I must not do is losing confident in the face of consecutive days of loss. Trade your rules, refine it until you run like a machine when you see a signal.

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Insanity

Albert Einstein once said "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".

My thoughts are that one's character plays a very important part in one's destiny. If One is timid, and never seek to change, the events that one will engage will likely to be more towards the safe side. To engage in risky task, timid person will feel very stressed. On the other hand, if one's character is towards the bold type, one will tend to engage in more risky things. To engage in safer task, a bold person will feel bored. Hence to be able to fully engage in one task or the other, one's character has to change. Anything outside of you can be change and when I say you, it means the soul. Hence your body obviously can be changed and everything that comes along with your body - emotions, character, thoughts, destiny etc.

Going back to what Einstein has to say, doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result is total insanity. Hence if one character does not break one to do different things, one's outcome i.e. Health, family, career etc will not change. So how can one change one's character?

An aggressive driver who kills a pedestrian and found out that the later is his beloved son, will that changed his character from being bold to timid next time he drive his car? The impact has to be severed in order to change one's character. Obviously, we would not want such things to happen. What about if a timid person who don't usually put a lot of money on stocks suddenly placed a big bet on a stock as recommended by a reliable friend and the stock quadruple in 6 months. Will she become bold in the next event. When accumulating events of engaging in risky task by a timid person, the later character will changed eventually. And of course if that event did not work out well and she got a big bite off, she will revert to her character back again.

So if you are not a sociable person and wants to be one, looked for a task that requires you to stand in front of a crowd and speak. Get out of your comfort zone, bring the treasure that is hidden inside you shines.


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Why Not Me

Just attended David Chiem's (MindChamps), and he talks about how he has become the first Asian to star in a lead role in an Australian movie, Butterfly Island. When he was 13.5 years old, he overheard a radio seeking for a 13-14 years old Asian boy who is able to swim. His sister commented why not him. He went to bed thinking why not him.

So why not me? If he is to go back and think why it cannot be him, he will probably just leave that thought there and forget about the whole idea. If every time a challenge comes to him and he come up with ways why it cannot be him, he would bot move forward. However, if he start asking the right questions such as 'Why not me?', he will probably reached nearer to the challenge then if he asked the wrong questions like 'Why it wouldn't be him'.

So he took the challenge and he got the role.

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Before u get angry with your love one

Think about what happened if s/he is no longer there to answer you. Will you still get angry?


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Conflict Intention

Conflict Intention, in my own words, to do something with an intention to gain oneself an advantage but in fact the very thought of that action disadvantage ownself and hence neutralized the position overall. Very Cheem? Yes, I'm also amazed myself for coming out with something like that. Have you ever wanted to get even or take advantage on someone. What if this is somebody you got no idea who s/he is. That can happened like a friend telling you that s/he met some unreasonable person who spitted on his/her shoe and did not apologize. You may feel angry and decided to get even for your friend but when you hit the person from the back, you realized it is your father?

There's a theory on Oneness, one of my dear friend brought out during a chat. She told me that this person by the name of Steve says that every living being came from a single mother and hence every being share the same source. If you see an enemy on the street and wanted to get even with, oneness teaches us that that enemy share the same mother as you and if you hit him/her, you are hurting his/her mother which is also yours. That means, s/he is actually a brother or sister to you, the same blood metaphorically. So think about this before getting even with someone you don't like.

Having said that, I was wondering how the Soul theory fit in? I can explain the Conflict Intention part but what about Oneness. Are they in line?

Let me run through the Soul theory viewpoint on Conflict Intention. Since soul move from one body to another body, there will be a time in space where two souls will meet each other in some sort of relationship. Let say you meet someone you want to get even on the street. However, that someone soul may be your mother's soul in your previous body. So what if s/he is? Will you get even now? Just like oneness, the soul's theory will make you rethink of getting even with another person by thinking more intimately that that someone could be once your benefactor which oneness let your reflect that that someone is actually sharing the same flesh and blood like you.

So how can I explain the origin of souls when long long long ago, there is only one living cell. That cell couldn't possibly contain all the souls in the universe. So how does soul originated?

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Feng Shui and Soul

Is there any relationship between Feng Shui and Soul? Feng shui state that on the year, month, day and time you born based on the Chinese calendar, your destiny, your character are already predetermined.

Does that mean the soul or you that have life to your body are chosen based on feng shui. Does that mean when my current body pass on, I will occupy another body having the same destiny and character? Could that mean that each body I occupy is just a subset of the entire destiny that has been pre determine?


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Confidence

Although this topic is about confidence, there are also many things I like to touch that I viewed it as equally important.

In around the 4th quarter of 2008, the company that I work has decided to sold off the division that I have work in for almost 8 to 9 years. Since 6 years, I have found myself not progressing much and wanted to leave. However, not comfortable to leave my comfort without a head start, I prayed to get myself retrench which never happened during the 6 years. Because of the financial crisis in 2008, the company announced a voluntarily resignation package. I was particularly interested in it but because I am in the negotiation stage of being sold off, I am not qualified for the package unless.... I stumbled upon a book called 'The Secret' by Rhonda Shepherd and boy, I begin to experience the magic. Everybody do not believed that I can get the package but I practices what was preached - The Law of Attraction and the first thing to do is Believed in it, feel it and felt that you have it in hand. I tell myself everyday and when the day comes to meet the VP of the purchasing company, he told me he will help me to get it and guess what, I got it. Long story but this is the intro to my next part where I want to highlight the magic works again.

A few months back, I was reading a book on EQ by Daniel Goleman and I took the theory that a successful person depends 80% on EQ and only 20% on IQ. And as such, I was kind of thinking of enrolling my daughter in a school that focus on EQ at early age. I don't find that the current school is doing much on EQ. However, because of my comfort zone and switching cost, I have not been looking for that school but thoughts still linger. Then the school announced a 10% hike in fees which they have just done one last year. I wasn't pleased with that and hence I went around looking for a new school. And guess what, I came across this school where the presenter introduced their method. What strike me are the following :-

1. They touches on EQ - Interpersonal Skills. That is what I have been looking for. Besides that, it also touches me that my EQ wasn't that high either. Opportunity strikes one more if one has a higher EQ such as being very approachable, very charismatic etc and they are traits of people who has awesome EQ. I'm a pretty shy person and when it comes to crowd, I tend to make myself less conspicuous. I lack confidence in this area and that is something that I have to improve. Anyway, not too much about me.

2. They touches on assessment not based on regurgitating every single word what was taught but rather a student own views on the subject. This way, they can assess the value perceived by the student. A student will not perceived any value by regurgitating what was taught. In my past year, I remember history lessons. My teacher will asked me to memorize a paragraph and do self dictation. I don't find any value of memorizing paragraph. She should instead asked me to read the paragraph and write the events on my own word and provide my view of what the paragraph means to me. That is alot more precious as it cultivate real meaning in learning.

3. They touches of self confidence and this is a lesson that came to me not just today, but also on Friday when I was doing trading. My mentor mentioned that the worst thing that can happened to a trader is not losing money. It is losing CONFIDENCE. I remember my days when I was in my secondary school. I was in Whampoa Secondary School, now extinct. Sec 1, I was in Position 16. Sec 2, I came in 8. Sec 3, I came in 4 and guess what I came in in Sec 4. I topped the school. Following that, I got 4A's in JC and a First Class Honors in NUS. I reflected why was I pretty good in my studies. I got a method of studying and that is to understand what I'm doing but most important of all is, I am confidence that I can passed exams and I love seeing the outcome. With confidence, I also feel the flow of achieving my optimal performance. Till date, I still have the confidence though I must admit that it was alittle shaken by the next point.

4. They touches on speed reading. I don't really considered that as a must value as I think one still can do well in society if one is slow in reading. However, this is a bonus. I am lacking in this as when I was attending a lesson, a part of the lesson was doing questions. Every time I was reading a question and before I could finished, someone already gave the answer. Wasn't that sickening? Hahaha... Then the lecturer goes on and say that the exam also test on how fast you answer your questions. Oh boy that almost kills my confidence in passing exams... hahahaha....
Nevertheless, I have done a 250 multiple choice paper in 6 hours and passed. So screw that thought :).

The last few other decision is of course, cost and proximity and both is better than the current one. So I asked, why not give it a go. The last question I asked myself is - the teachers. Are they able to deliver what they preached? That is where I need to find out by getting my daughter into the school. I learned also that never seek an opinion from someone who never done that thing before. I heard parents claiming that this school and that school is good and when I asked whether they have enrolled their child in it, they says no. So no point going forward to believe in what they say.

Anyway, the whole long blog is about CONFIDENCE which I find this very important. Don't lose your self-confidence. Never let anyone pull you down because you are the one that can only pull yourself down. Self confidence leads to optimal flow where the things that you do begin to feel so effortlessly. ~ for my daughters

Affinity

Why some babies are afraid of crockcoaches and some are not. Why some people has a nice feeling about some stranger on first impression while some simply has none. Could there be some sort of memory that the soul has?

Soul move from body to another and the body can be any living things besides human being, it can occupy a tiger, a crockcoache or even a stalk of grass. Could it be that one soul has experience being a crockcoache while another soul has yet to experience and hence the soul that has been a crockcoache would not be afraid of one while the other is? Similarly, could one soul has shared a long beautiful moment with another soul in their past bodies and hence felt an affinity to the other soul presence even if it is in a stranger body who s/he have never met?

My wife stated that what is good if one is immortal when one love ones are not. This is a weakness on many mortals on the issue of attachment. If one rid oneself from attachment, one will have no issue of living without their love ones. Besides, everyone has a soul that cannot be destroy since existence. Hence, even when one's love ones pass away, they may meet one again via means of other bodies and one may automatically sense that feeling when s/he or it is near. She commented that Tyona, my eldest daughter could be the reincarnation of Vena, her late Chihuahua.

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Is there a Heaven

I'm never been there so I can't comment. Neither have I met someone who claims that s/he is from there. If every good souls go to Heaven, then there will be lesser and lesser soul on earth presumably that soul cannot be created.

We can see or feel that the human population is always increasing. Does that mean that more souls are created. Could this be an expense to the decreasing populations of other species? Note that all species have a life force in them and hence each has a soul. We note that there are lesser greens on earth to make way for concrete buildings. There are animal species that are declining in population and even extinct. Could these species being replaced by the human? There is always a balance and the number of souls available are always a constant. So when earth reboots, I will presumed that the greenery population will grow again.


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Immortality

Can a soul be created? Can it be be destroy? Knowing the answer to one will lead to the answer of another. If I will to assume that a soul could neither be create or destroy then the soul is the link to immortality.

First one has to understand the 'Who Am I'. I am the life-force that run this body. The body I occupied can be created and hence be destroyed. However, I will not be destroyed or created with the body. Simply I exist. So if that mindset is in one, how will one feel about life. There will be no fear of death simply because one is immortal. Hence, feeling immortal, one first have time in hand to do as many things one desire. Without any attachment to anything, time and the physical space, one can take things less seriously and pursue on things that are self enriching. Why do angels fly? Because they take themselves lightly.


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Caveman anyone?

If earth reboots and all species restarted and evolution begins, many of us will be living in the prehistoric ages or even backwards. Will you want that to happen? To hunt like cavemen, run like cavemen? If one could choose, one will probably prefer to live in the modern age where one is already so well adapt to. However, note that we are souls. We may not be cavemen. We may be birds, plants, reptiles etc. What if you are a bird. Will it matter if you live in the prehistoric age or the modern age?


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Afraid of Death?

If you remember you are just a shapeless mass with no attachment to anything i.e. no physical resemblance, no emotional residue then you will not die as it is not possible to die. What died is your body and not you. You will just occupy another body when your current body expires be it a human, animal or even plants, anything that lives. So if one says that s/he is afraid of dying, one actually is afraid of losing the attachment feeling to that body. Suiciders usually do not want to have anymore attachment to their body and hence are not afraid to die. So what about pain? Dying is not physical painful. Usually it is more mentally painful if one has attachment to the body. Mental pain is usually much more painful and harmful.

Circle of life

What happens to you after you die? You will moved to another body and your body that died will be recycle to give birth to other bodies where others like your will give life to them. That is the Circle of Life. If you don't die and if everyone else also don't die, there will be lesser and lesser bodies to be created for other to give life to. When I say everyone, I mean all life forms. Hence we can see one species population grows at the expense of another species population. There is always a balance. If all human, animal, insect species dies, trees and grasses will blossom and we will occupy those bodies. Hence you will never die. You just move from one body to another when the current body expires. So why are we afraid to die? See my blog on Are you afraid of death.


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The Best High School Valedictorian Speech

http://www.bspcn.com/2010/08/01/the-best-high-school-valedictorian-speech/

There is a story of a young, but earnest Zen student who approached his teacher, and asked the Master, “If I work very hard and diligently, how long will it take for me to find Zen? The Master thought about this, then replied, “Ten years . .” ?The student then said, “But what if I work very, very hard and really apply myself to learn fast — How long then?” Replied the Master, “Well, twenty years.” “But, if I really, really work at it, how long then?” asked the student. “Thirty years,” replied the Master. “But, I do not understand,” said the disappointed student. “At each time that I say I will work harder, you say it will take me longer. Why do you say that?” ?Replied the Master, “When you have one eye on the goal, you only have one eye on the path.”
This is the dilemma I’ve faced within the American education system. We are so focused on a goal, whether it be passing a test, or graduating as first in the class. However, in this way, we do not really learn. We do whatever it takes to achieve our original objective.
Some of you may be thinking, “Well, if you pass a test, or become valedictorian, didn’t you learn something? Well, yes, you learned something, but not all that you could have. Perhaps, you only learned how to memorize names, places, and dates to later on forget in order to clear your mind for the next test. School is not all that it can be. Right now, it is a place for most people to determine that their goal is to get out as soon as possible.
I am now accomplishing that goal. I am graduating. I should look at this as a positive experience, especially being at the top of my class. However, in retrospect, I cannot say that I am any more intelligent than my peers. I can attest that I am only the best at doing what I am told and working the system. Yet, here I stand, and I am supposed to be proud that I have completed this period of indoctrination. I will leave in the fall to go on to the next phase expected of me, in order to receive a paper document that certifies that I am capable of work. But I contest that I am a human being, a thinker, an adventurer – not a worker. A worker is someone who is trapped within repetition – a slave of the system set up before him. But now, I have successfully shown that I was the best slave. I did what I was told to the extreme. While others sat in class and doodled to later become great artists, I sat in class to take notes and become a great test-taker. While others would come to class without their homework done because they were reading about an interest of theirs, I never missed an assignment. While others were creating music and writing lyrics, I decided to do extra credit, even though I never needed it. So, I wonder, why did I even want this position? Sure, I earned it, but what will come of it? When I leave educational institutionalism, will I be successful or forever lost? I have no clue about what I want to do with my life; I have no interests because I saw every subject of study as work, and I excelled at every subject just for the purpose of excelling, not learning. And quite frankly, now I’m scared.
John Taylor Gatto, a retired school teacher and activist critical of compulsory schooling, asserts, “We could encourage the best qualities of youthfulness – curiosity, adventure, resilience, the capacity for surprising insight simply by being more flexible about time, texts, and tests, by introducing kids into truly competent adults, and by giving each student what autonomy he or she needs in order to take a risk every now and then. But we don’t do that.” Between these cinderblock walls, we are all expected to be the same. We are trained to ace every standardized test, and those who deviate and see light through a different lens are worthless to the scheme of public education, and therefore viewed with contempt.
H. L. Mencken wrote in The American Mercury for April 1924 that the aim of public education is not “to fill the young of the species with knowledge and awaken their intelligence. … Nothing could be further from the truth. The aim … is simply to reduce as many individuals as possible to the same safe level, to breed and train a standardized citizenry, to put down dissent and originality. That is its aim in the United States.”

My views:
I would want my children to focus on the basic subjects, main languages and maths that are sufficient to build the fundamental building blocks to learn academically so that they can have more time to focus on their interests. They should not have too many subjects that only filled up their time and have no contribution to their interest but merely to scoring well academically. On the other hand, once they learn the ability to learn on their own, there is no need to send them to schools, colleges or university. They can just take the subjects via self learning courses, releasing time for more constructive activities towards their interest.


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Virtues

This is a classic example of detachment, focus - doing one thing at a time and minimum distraction.

http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/08/the-taming-of-floods/

Extraction :-
The Legend

Five thousand years ago, the flooding by the Yellow River was so bad that the confederation of chieftains under the leadership of Yao （尧）decided to appoint Gun （鲧） to take charge of the fight against the flood.

When Yao abdicated out of old age to Shun （舜）, his successor continued to attach great importance to flood control. For nine years, Gun and his men built dams, dykes and barrages to try and stop the flow of the rivers, but these efforts only resulted in more disastrous floods and more destruction of lives and properties.

For his failure and the increased loss of lives, Gun suffered detention without trial on Plume Hill and he was incarcerated there until his death.

Shun then ordered Yü （禹）, who was Gun’s son, to carry on his father’s work of fighting the flood.

The Toil and Sacrifice

After a careful study of his father’s failures, Yü decided to abandon his father’s method of building dams and barrages to stop the flow of water. Instead, he attempted to divert water into the sea by digging ditches and canals and dredging the rivers. He even cut a canal into the Mount Long Men and other mountain ridges to achieve this.

For thirteen years, rain or shine, Yü and his men dug and carried away the soil. He suffered sunburn and poor nutrition. His muscles wasted and hair dropped off from his legs. But he continued to toil and persevere.

“Passing his own door three times and refusing to go in” (三过家门不入) is a popular Chinese saying and the story behind it is a tale of Yü ‘s dedication. When he was given the job, he had been married for only five days. During his thirteen years of fighting the flood, he passed by his home three times but refused to go in as he felt it would affect him in dealing with a public crisis. The first time he passed by, his wife was in labour and he heard the baby cried. The second time he passed by, the son was learning to walk and on the third time, his son was old enough to wave to him. Yet each time, Yü walked on, saying that as the flood was rendering countless people homeless, he could not rest in his own.

After thirteen years of engineering feat and exemplary determination and perseverance, he finally brought the floods under control.

Because of his achievement and selflessness, when Emperor Shun finally retired, he decided to pass the throne to Yü instead of his own son.

In the Book of History (书经) he said：

“Come, Yü. The inundating waters filled me with dread, when you realized all that you represented and accomplished your task, thus showing your superiority to other men. Full of toilsome earnestness in the service of the State, and sparing in your expenditure on your family, and this without being full of yourself or elated; you again show your superiority to other men. Without any prideful assumption, there is no one in the empire to contest with you the palm of ability; without any boasting, there is no one in the empire to contest with you the claim of merit. I see how great is your virtue, how admirable your vast achievements. The determinate appointment of Heaven rests on your person; you must eventually ascend the throne of the great sovereign.” (James Legge’s translation)

帝曰：「來！禹！降水儆予，成允成功，惟汝賢。克勤于邦，克儉于家，不自滿假，惟汝賢。汝惟不矜，天下莫與汝爭能；汝惟不伐，天下莫與汝爭功。予懋乃德，嘉乃丕績，天之歷數在汝躬，汝終陟元后。

My View
Yu is someone who has only one focus, to get rid of the flood. He detached himself from any emotions which led to no distraction that can slow down his task. He knows the outcome of his task and work tirelessly to achieve it. Hence to be successful, once a goal has been determined and felt, one must minimized distractions, detached from any distractions that can slow down one's progress.

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911

I remember the day on Sep 9 not because of the World Trade Center but because of the day when my girlfriend, now my wife had a little secret rendezvous. I believed it was 2 days before that actual date where I discovered accidentally via her phone on those messages. We had a talked and I remember saying those words.

We know each other for almost 6 years. Not married but have been cohabiting. So in other words, we probably know each other inside out to a certain large degrees. In fact, if a normal couple has been together very close for 6 months, I believed the couple should more or less know what life s/he is getting into with the other. Within this period, a couple must choose whether to continue with each other or call it quit and look for someone else. This is my first point.

In the beginning, both of us are excited about the relationship. There are so many things to find out from each other and things like hobby, experiences, sports to share with each other. After 6 months whatever that is a mystery should probably be no more a mystery and the fire in one will not be as strong as in the beginning. One has find more things to do together that both are interested like new hobby, new friends, new experiences in order to prolong the flame and that is not an easy task. Besides, tolerance come into play as the relationship gets deeper and deeper. There will be a point where both parties has set an unconscious tolerance limit in the relationship. This limit is set by the worst incident that the couple has gone through. This limit will always be tested by more difficult incident and if the couple ride through, the limit extends. This limit cannot contract by normal events unless one party has some psychological changes by another event. So it is either a break or moving on.

So if the limit is broken and the couple decides to go separate ways, the cycle ends and each will go back to when s/he is single. If s/he falls in love again, though experience, s/he goes through the same cycle. S/he will not know the outcome but for sure limits will be created and will be tested again and again.

So my point is why go through the whole cycle again especially after 6 long years. One will not know whether after another 6 years, one will reach to the same stage, better or worst. So it is always better to sort out, find solutions over solution first before going through another cycle. If one can't solved the present problem, what makes one think that s/he can solved the same next issue. Unless of course if s/he choose to be single. So if you want to break because you found someone better, please take time and really think twice about it.

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Who Am I

View yourself lying on your bed. The viewer is you and the body that you are viewing is the body you are currently using.


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Earth needs a Reboot again

When God told Noah to build an Ark, He is going to reboot the earth via a big flood that will wash away all living beings except every one pair (a male and a female) of a unique species that will board together with Noah on the Ark. If He again wants to reboot the earth, will He do the same, i.e. another Noah Ark with another Noah and a single pair of species?

I don't think so because the last Noah Ark project did not work else why does He need to reboot earth again. My guess is that this time, similarly Noah will build the Ark and gather every pair of single species to board the Ark. However, this time He will not let Noah or any human board the Ark.

Without the human species that are equipped with a powerful brain to alter nature, earth will be left in peace for many many centuries unless there's another powerful species take control and the cycle repeats.

Then why did He wipe out the Dinosaurs?

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Is humane being human?

Humane looks like a word that came out from the word human and from a layman term it could have meant 'being human', somewhat related to the good side of human characteristics. Hence, one will associate the phrase 'being human' as something good as opposed to being called 'an animal' which is something bad. If someone called someone an animal, one will no doubt think that that someone is behaving like an animal, a characteristic of a beast that is not good term to be associated to.

So does being a human really humane? Seriously, what did the animals did to be labelled that their term being an animal is something bad. Animals really did nothing. They just behave what nature creates them to be. Like any other species, they kill to survive, they kill to defend themselves or their offsprings. Has anyone witness they killed for other evil motives besides the above stated? Hence an animal being an animal is what nature creates that ultimately leads to the term, the circle of life. A balanced and an efficient system that leads to no waste.

On the other hand, being a human is not beneficial to nature. A human is once an animal and still it is an animal but an animal with a destructive mind engineered against nature. Humans engineered things to make their life better and most of their inventions or rather all their inventions have something in them that will destroy nature. Nature does not need anymore human invention to be better. Her default nature is already perfect on the day that she was born.

Hence being called human is actually a even worse then being called an animal.
Anyway, here is what the definition of humane in Wikipedia :-

Humane in early use meant civil, courteous or obliging towards humans and animals. In modern times it is characterized by sympathy with or consideration, compassion and benevolence for others, especially for the suffering or distressed.

Animals do have such characteristics too. Dogs, dolphins etc shows such characteristics without being taught by human. They are naturally born with that. So being human is an overrated word. So when someone called you an animal, be proud of it.

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Formula of Success

From Outliers by Malcolm Galdwell :

Success = Preparation + Opportunity


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Help the Animals, please!

Apart from the Human species, animals are the most innocent victims that suffer from the fate of greedy human beings. When the flood came, Noah was told to save the animals instead of any human beings. If flood occurs again in this life, no human being should get onto the ark for the next earth.

Here's XiXi under human's brutality.
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/07/30/are-singaporeans-any-better-off-than-xi-xi/

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Happiness - Goal Setting

Recently I have been feeling a sense of happiness and sense of satisfaction. Partly because during the past few weeks, I have been learning alot of things. Reflecting back that bring me to now, I begin with a sense of lost after I left the workforce. I got some ideas what I would like to do but with an mindset of earning what is lost during employment, it seems futile. I should concentrate what I had to gain from what I lost during employment.

Instead of making back that income, I set my mind to learn and objectively make what I learn work. If I got things working, i would already achieve my accomplishment and what good things that come after that is a bonus. I decided to do myself a big favor, to be financially literate. Everything I do had to align with that.

Finally my goal and my believe that I am on the path to my destiny is set. That is the first step of satisfaction which I have been struggling for a year having uncertain objectives in mind. This is one thing that is a must to be done else I will be wondering the world of uncertainty and frustration.

To be continued....

Production and Destruction Cycles of Elements

This is pretty good picture of the Feng Shui Elements showing the Productive and Destructive nature of the 5 elements.

The main (day) element of your life can be obtain from your BaZi. So if you are 'Jin' which is Metal, it will be good to have 'Tu' or Earth people around that produces your element. However if you are too strong or you have too many of your own element around that is hindering your progress, you will need destructive element like 'Mu' or Wood to simmer your element down. Simple analogy but there is definitely more then what I have to said.

The rich don't complain?

I saw this post in a facebook group I joined. A member commented about finding ways to solve the flood. And one member make this comment :-

"Just a humble opinion of mine...We can rant and wail about the government..But then things don't move because we create a din as to who is unfair and who is fair in society....Things move when we become an example and a beacon of hope for others to follow....Used to complain about the government...but ROI very low...We don't hear the rich complain ... See Moredo we? I am not saying that it should not be our concern...but then we should not wallow in the ineffectiveness of others. Instead use it as an opportunity to learn and progress.....and one day you will be in a position to not only point out what is wrong but also be the one calling the shots...."

At such situation, I do believed the rich will complain only if it hit their pocket. If their houses are in Bukit Timah, they will complain and moved out. They probably won't write to the press. They go with their connection all the way up to the government. What will they be thinking if they do not have houses in Bukit Timah and are not affected by the flood. They will think of whether they can make money out from it. They will think of a win win situation. They make money, they help the government, they help the people, they get good reputation. However, if they don't make money out from it, most likely, they will keep very quiet.

Again, just my view, putting myself in some rich people shoe which mean I am not one in the first place.

Odds

If the odds are against you, you probably are learning something good - Vince Tan


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Before u get angry with your spouse

Think about what happened if s/he is no longer there to answer you. How will you feel then? Will you forgive her or him?


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Overvalued and then Undervalued it!!!

After watching The Aggressive Selling by Robert Kiyosaki and Whitney partnership in Youtube video, my first funny feeling is, wasn't that familiar. I have been in many of such presentations. That what most of them do.... overvalue their stuff and then hyped you up by undervalue the price of what they are selling. And when you really purchase it, it's like way overvalue at the price you perceived as undervalue. Isn't that a shrewd technique?
Not only that they lead you to perceive they are selling it at undervalue, they don't give you time to think by telling you that you have to make decision within the next few minutes or the offer is gone. In order for all this to be effective, here is what the seller must do: -
1. Making sure that the buyer have purchasing power - meaning they must have a credit card
2. The buyer must be physically there else it is alot more difficult to tell them they have only a few minutes before the offer is over.

Marina Barrage causes the Flood?

After reading a few articles like this
http://www.temasekreview.com/2010/07/17/flash-floods-did-the-marina-barrage-help/
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2010/06/floods-monitor-or-dont-monitor-also-flood/ and one article that compares barrage and dams of other countries and flood, logically one can't help but feeling that the barrage may be an issue. Simply, if the inflow from the in-land drains dump more water per seconds into the barrage as compared to the outflow of the barrage into the sea, the drains will soon overflow which could have cause the flood. If this is really through, the barrage may need to be rid off. However, this will not be good for Singaporean as the main objectives is to have enough water for our population when our water contract with our neighbor ends. I remember 7 gates are open instead of the 9 gates, if that is so will building more gates increases the outflow? Or maybe not all drains should flow into the barrage, many of them may need to flow direct into the sea. Or special door be design on the drain that can tunnel the running water direct to the sea or barrage depending on how heavy the rain is.

I do really wished that it is a barrage issue cause if it is not, Singapore is really in big trouble - Global Warming, which is a more difficult issue to face. However, looking at what the government is currently doing and what MM Lee says, you can see what the government is throwing the problem at...

I wished I got Nokia Support

Here's 3 examples of support I considered sub standard.
All communication is via email and I extract them fully into dialogue for easy reading...
VTS = Vince Tan Support

Real Scenario 1:

Roy: What are the Spinner softwares do you have?

VTS: Seriously, I would suggest that if you can, take the articles and rewrite them in your own words. It shouldn't be too much of a trouble, as the ideas are all there pre-written for you. From my experience, spinner softwares don't work well. It sounds weird... like someone having constipation with the English language!

Roy: I was reviewing The Best Spinner and thought it was a pretty cool tool to produce article faster. Still a good tool to have around. I do noticed that the site has this Article Content Spinner. I downloaded it and tried it but, the executable file just extract and does nothing about it. Any idea? Or should I just don't bother and generate my own words.

VTS: Best is still human written. That's why good "ghostwriters" and "ghostbloggers" will always have a job despite technology. This is an example of a "spinned" article, taken off the website of a friend, who paid thousands to "professionals" to have his website set up for him. So, What is Foreign Currency Trading Scientific Method ?
Scientific method represents system of strategies with regard to investigating phenomena, obtaining as well as creating fresh new knowledge, or simply improving and synthesizing present knowledge.For an investigative try to be classified scientific, the task have to be based on an approach to inquiry including the collecting of observable, empirical as well as measurable facts and proof subject to particular rules associated with logical thinking. Essentially, a scientific method consists the strategy of data collection by means of observation and trials and also the formulation and testing of hypotheses. In most cases experimental results would not conform to the hypothesis, you are to think again about plus re-examine your earlier theory so to develop an alternative one for further trials and testing.

Roy: Woah! that's was pretty bad...But what if I want to just have a try to find it out myself to see if it really didn't work. Have you checkout http://thebestspinner.com/?iI gud=uniquexv ? I thought it is pretty cool. Besides, I will do a proof read before publishing anything. Do I really have to beg? :P

VTS: haha... sorry, that one is not included in Vince's package. I guess you can take advantage of the 30-day money back guarantee... and lemme know what you think. No harm trying. After all, there's the guarantee there.

Here's my feel about the support - I begin by asking for a Spinner software to try and they tell me it is a bad idea. I asked again if they have a software which I later found and they again tell me the bad things about spinners. Finally they begin to see what I am asking from them. My verdict is that they have poor understanding of what I am asking in the first place. Have you ever asked someone for something and felt that that someone has issue hearing what you want and instead give you an answer that you actually did not ask in the first place? If you can see, I actually asked quite a few time until I have to use the word 'beg' to get their attention.

______________________________________________

Example 2

Roy: Is there a way to test the autoresponder subscription email to check that the format is right? Currently, I don't have subscription page but I import my listing to test it. However, after importing, it take almost a day for me to get the subscription email.
Can I hasten this?

VTS: Just set the Messages settings to Immediate, or 1 hour.

Roy: I'm not sure where to set. Are you referring to here?
http://autoresponsebot.com/x/members/autoresponders.messages.php?id=69
From the looked of it, I believed they are messages after the subscriber subscribe.
I am asking the import subscribers. http://autoresponsebot.com/x/members/subscribers.import.php. After I import, I have to wait for a pretty long while before my subscriber get an email. I would hope you could give a step by step answer and not give me an answer inside a stack of hay.

VTS: The subscription email settings from import list is automatic. What you can schedule is the messages that you send out.

Here's my feel about the reply - I import my list to this software so that I can used it to mass send to everyone in the list. But I found that it takes a day to finish the task and hence testing takes a day to know. I asked if it can be faster. They gave me an answer that is related to another part. I pointed to them that I am not asking that part and they finally understand what I am asking and tell me there's no solution. Again, they waste time by not understanding clearly what I am asking.

______________________________________________________

Example 3

Roy: I added the HTML custom header and footer. This also doesn't work. I didn't get the image on the subscription email. Any advise?

VTS: We have never used the headers and footers. For Vince's own launches and promotions, we just send it in plain text emails, as graphics may get lost in the mail client transfers.

Roy: Thanks Dawn. Is there a autoresponsebot second tier support or direct support that is not in Vince Tan support team that I can get?

VTS: In the Message Format part, click on T, H, or M. T = Text H = HTML M = Multipart
If you hover your mouse over those, it will give you a clear explanation. If you click H or M, your html headers should appear now.

Roy: Where can I find Message format T, H, or M in the autoresponder properties?
Do you understand where I'm referring at?

VTS: Change the Message Format (see the screenshot picture attached) to Multipart (M), tick the custom header and custom footer, and custom header and footer will appear (as you have set it earlier in the Autoresponder Properties).

Roy: Tell me how by doing the below, my Subscription email that is generated in the Autoresponder Properties will actually send out with the Custom Header and Footer.
Sorry, I just still don't get. I am asking about the Subscription email and not any other message that I have yet to generated.

VTS: The subscription email is sent out as it is. It is just an invitation for them to click on the link. (sorry if we misunderstood you earlier to mean about the messages. That's where the focus should be.) Try sending out messages to your list, in the Multipart format, and you will see that your custom header and footer will appear as you have set it.

Here's my feel about the support - I tested a feature in their software and found that it did not work. So I asked for advise. The first advise they give me is not to use it because Vince Tan don't use it. I asked for 2nd tier support and they replied me with an answer which I found not a possible solution as it is not the same page I am referring. I point out their mistake and they tell me to send it via Message which is not a solution of what I am asking. Again, there's no solution.

_______________________________________________________

So I wrote an email to their boss Vince Tan to complain about their support. And guess what is his reply. Here's my email :-

Dear Vince,

I believed your support staff has told you about my the problems I amd facing using the autoresponsebot. I have been struggling for almost 2 weeks just trying to import my mailing lists and until now it is still not working for me.

Also your support staff are not knowledgeable enough and to add more frustrations, I felt that they don't take the time to understand my questions based on the so call "answers" they provided.

Honestly, I am beginning to regret purchasing your package and here's why :-

1. Although you got a good brief and easy to understand intro on the concept of internet marketing, I am surprised to find out that the next thing I got from you are thousands of stuffs to read and figure out. Wow... it just kill my interest. Look, I paid 3.5k to accelerate my internet marketing skills and seriously, now I felt I have to first figure out which 1% of them are essential to read. I could have just google all the relevant articles or borrow from the library which would not have cost me anything. What I hope to pay for is good guidance and not a few statements and then point me to the mass that you collected. There's simply no personal touch.

2. I have a friend who is doing another package and they have follow up webinars, updates etc to see how their customers are going. Yours is really really quiet.

3. Your autoresponsebot is full of bug.

4. Your support team is not knowledgeable about the product. I asked about Spinner and the type of reply is "Vince don't use it" and "why should you". I have to beg just to get them to answer me about the Spinner software you got in your website. If it is not good, why would you have a Spinner software? There are more examples that show that your support team really need support training. If you are interested on them, I can send you all the support emails and highlight what I think is done wrong.

Overall, I am truly disappointed and is looking towards a refund.

Roy

Here is his reply -

Hi Roy,

The autoresponder, I believe that my staff had gotten back to you about it?
The double http:// had been rectified. You can use it as normal now.


With the head of support giving this type of answer, what can you expect the rest of the body in his support organization be....

Unfortunate Fortunes

[Collected on the Internet, 2003]

A lesson from history

The question:

Over a generation ago, in 1923, who was:
1. President of the largest steel company?
2. President of the largest gas company?
3. President of the New York Stock Exchange?
4. Greatest wheat speculator?
5. President of the Bank of International Settlement?
6. Wheat Bear of Wall Street?

These men were considered some of the world's most successful of their day. Now, 80 years later, the history book asks us, if we know what ultimately became of them. The answer:

1. The president of the largest steel company, Charles Schwab, died a pauper.
2. The president of the largest gas company, Edward Hopson, went insane.
3. The president of the NYSE, Richard Whitney, was released from prison to die at home.
4. The greatest wheat speculator, Arthur Cooger, died abroad, penniless.
5. The president of the Bank of International Settlement, shot himself.
6. The Great Bear of Wall Street, Cosabee Livermore, also committed suicide.

However, in that same year, 1923, the PGA Champion and the winner of the most important golf tournament, the US Open, was Gene Sarazen. What became of him? He played golf until he was 92, died in 1999 at the age of 95. He was financially secure at the time of his death. The moral: Screw work. Play golf. You'll live longer and be better off in the end.


[Presbyterian sermon, 2003]

In 1923 at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago, Illinois, eight of the most powerful and wealthy men in the world gathered together for a meeting. These eight, if they combined their resources and assets, controlled more money than the U.S. Treasury. In that group we find such men as Charles Schwab, the president of a steel company. Richard Whitney was the president of the New York Stock Exchange. Arthur Cutton was a wheat speculator. Albert Fall was a presidential cabinet member, personally a very wealthy man. Jesse Livermore was the greatest bear on Wall Street in his generation. Leon Fraser was the president of the International Bank of Settlements. And Ivan Krueger headed the largest monopoly in the world. Quite an impressive and ambitious group of people!

Let's look at the same group of men later in life. Charles Schwab died penniless. Richard Whitney spent the rest of his life serving a sentence in Sing Sing Prison. Arthur Cutton became insolvent. Albert Fall was pardoned from a federal prison so he might die at home. Leon Fraser committed suicide. Jesse Livermore committed suicide. Ivan Krueger also committed suicide. Seven of these eight ambitious money-magnates lived lives that ended in disaster before they passed on from this life. Again I ask, are you chasing the wrong dream, my friend?


[Ann Landers, 1989]

Dear Ann: This is for those folks who believe that money and power open a magic door to happiness. Look what happened to:

1. A man who was head of one of the world's greatest monopolies.
2. A man who was one of the most successful speculators on Wall Street.
3. The former president of the largest independent steel company in America.
4. A past chairman of one of the country's largest utility companies.
5. A former president of the largest gas company in the United States.
6. A man who was once the president of the New York Stock Exchange.
7. A former president of the Bank of International Settlements.
8. A man who was a member of President Harding's Cabinet.

Here are the names that go with the "happenings."

Ivar Krueger, head of International Match Corp. (known as the "match king"), died a suicide - or was murdered. The truth was never established.
Jesse Livermore, the "most wondrous of the 'boy wonders' " of Wall Street, died a suicide.
Charles M. Schwab, chairman of Bethlehem Steel, died broke.
Samuel Insull, chairman of Commonwealth Edison Company and other utility corporations, was acquitted on embezzlement and mail-fraud charges. He died in Paris in modest surroundings.
Howard Hopson, president of the Associated Gas and Electric Utility empire, had been in prison for mail-fraud charges and died in a sanitarium.
Richard Whitney, president of the New York Stock Exchange, served time in Sing Sing for grand larceny.
Leon Fraser, president of the World Bank for International Settlements, died a suicide.
Albert Fall, secretary of the interior in Harding's Cabinet, served a prison term for accepting a bribe.



[Restaurant menu, 1950s]

Just what is success?

In 1923, a group of the world's most successful financiers met at the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago. These tycoons were extremely rich & altogether they controlled more wealth than there was in the US Treasury. Their success stories were published everywhere inspiring many to follow their fine examples. Just look at who they were:

1. Arthur Cutten - The greatest wheat speculator.
2. Albert Fall - The Secretary of Interior in President Harding's cabinet.
3. Leon Fraser - The president of the Bank of International Settlements.
4. Howard Hopson - The president of the largest gas company.
5. Ivar Kreuger - Head of the world's greatest monopoly.
6. Jesse Livermore - The greatest bear in Wall Street.
7. Charles Schwan - The president of the largest independent steel company.
8. Richard Whitney - The president of the New York Stock Exchange.

But 27 years later in 1948, this was what happened to them:

1. Arthur Cutten died abroad insolvent.
2. The penniless Albert Fall was pardoned from prison so that he could die at home.
3. Leon Fraser commited suicide.
4. Howard Hopson was insane.
5. Ivar Kreuger commited suicide.
6. Jesse Livermore commited suicide.
7. Charles Schwan was bankrupt & had to live on borrowed money the last 5 years of his life before his death.
8. Richard Whitney was recently released from Sing Sing Prison.

Taken from
http://www.snopes.com/glurge/fortune.asp

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Speculation

“ The game of speculation is the most uniformly fascinating game in the world. But it is not a game for the stupid, the mentally lazy, the person of inferior emotional balance, or the get-rich-quick adventurer. They will die poor. ”
—Jesse Livermore, How To Trade In Stocks


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Confucius

When Confucius was traveling in the State of Kuang, he was surrounded by the troops of Sung. Nevertheless, he continued singing and playing his lute, totally unfazed. Zi Lu, his disciple, asked, “Master, why are you enjoying yourself?”
Confucius said, “For a long time, I’ve tried to stay out of hardship but failed. This is due to fate. I’ve tried to succeed but failed. This is due to the times.
“During the times of Yao or Shun, there was no hardship. This had nothing to do with a person’s wisdom. During the reign of King Jie and King Zhou, people did not achieve success but this was not due to lack of wisdom. It was due to time and circumstance.
“To travel across the water and not shrink from the sea serpent or the dragon is to have the courage of a fisherman. To travel on land and not be afraid of the rhinoceros or tiger is to have the courage of a hunter. To meet clashing blades and face death unflinchingly is to have the courage of martyr.
“To understand that hardship is a matter of fate and success is a matter of the times; and to able to face enormous difficulties without fear or terror is to have the courage of a sage.”
知穷之有命，知通之有时，临大难而不惧者，圣人之勇也.


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Investors vs Traders

The first rule of investors is always Buy Low Sell High.

The rule of traders is Buy High Sell Higher or Sell Low Buy Lower.


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What my child should learn when young

1. Detachment

All things is impermanent. Everything will come to an end. So one must not have attachment to all things or all events.

Manage extremes emotion. Do not be too happy as one will be disappointed if it isn't that worth being too happy. Do not be too sad as one will hurt oneself very badly. Just take things moderately, not too happy, not too sad. Managed expectation moderately and everything will seems expected or better.

With the same package, one will never experience the same level or better when one has experience that package before. You can't felt the same level of happiness going back to the same birthday party you'd been before because you have experienced it already and know what is going to happen. So detach yourself from that event and enjoy yourself in every party.

2. Failure

I got this from "The Happiest Toddler on the Block" by Harvey Karp. He was asked, what is the first thing you will teach your child, he says teach them learn how to fail. Not his exact word but this is what I perceive. If one never learn to fail, a simple failure can easily killed a person's will of living. So learn how to fail before learning how to succeed. Thomas Edison remarked "I have not failed, I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work."

3. Compassion

4. Willingness

This quote will sum up this lesson "Where the heart is willing, it will find a thousand ways. Where it is unwilling, it will find a thousand excuses." ~ Arlen Price

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