The 'Never Say Die' Attitude

i simply love reading The Sunday Times.. somehow it's less stressful, more entertaining and at times, learned a couple of new things! ;-) Today, under the CATS Recruit section, the 'Pick yourself up' article is fantastic! especially the example on Abraham Lincoln.. Let me note down his 8 major setbacks before he became the US president!

1. In 1832, defeated for state legislature. Elected in 1834.
2. In 1838, defeated for speaker of the state house.
3. In 1840, defeated for elector.
4. In 1843, defeated for Congress. Elected in 1846.
   
5. In 1849, lost in re-election.
6. In 1855, defeated United States Senate.
7. In 1856, defeated for Vice-President.
8. In 1858, run for US Senate & lost again.
9. In 1860, elected president for US!
   

Lesson learned - STAY RESILIENT!!

One technique: When faced with a problem, give yourself 30 seconds to think of any 5 answers! Be creative.. include crazy ideas! The concept is to challenge yourself on problems the hands-on way, with can-do attitude, rather than running away from it..

Article from Dr Tony Alessandra, president of Online Assessments and co-founder of Mentor.com, an online e-learning company. For more info, visit www.alessandra.com.

I Like It (music video)

It’s a warm Sunday afternoon
A lazy day
Took my guitar Grab a drink
Lay me down on my sofa
I dream on

Watch my love beside me
She’s working on
A little gift made of paper (origami)
And if you think
it’s kind of silly
To waste a good day doing nothing at all

Chorus:
I like it x 4

Got a friend who always ask me
Why don’t i
Buy Apple (Mac) Not Orange Not Pear
I guess it doesn’t matter
So long I get my job done ya..

So if he ever asks me
Ever again
What should I tell him
To get him off my back
Guess I’ll speak the truth
And how I feel about it ya..

[repeat Chorus] x2

Note: This song is meant to be naughty, crappy with an attitude, and it’s inspired by Koh Beng Liang who always asked us to buy an Apple MacBook. The song was written on 17 Feb 2007 but it took almost a year later before i found time to record & video it.. ;-)

How did it happen?
The inspiration began when Beng Liang keeps asking questions why i do this & why i do tat.. so i told him tat in most cases i've a reason for doing things.. in other cases, i just like it lor.. no particular reason. Then as we were walking he suddenly swing his file hitting my back! i asked him why he do tat for? He said "I like it!" Ha ha.. tat's how the song came to be.. ;P

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dependent-arising

this is probably the most profound wisdom i've learned this year.. though the year just begun.. ;-)

While reading 'How to see yourself as you really are' by His Holiness the Dalai Lama, i discovered the dependent-arising concept - chapter 4.

i never knew i could find a way to better understand & determine realism, the true and the untrue. Simply apply dependent-arising concept in your meditative reflection practises. In dependent-arising, you will consider all aspects of causes that brings to live the object of your focus. This method helps you to realise or reflect the level of realism or truth. For example, looking at a plate of vegetables, you see the causes involved in cooking up a plate of vegetables.. u see the farmer who planted the vegetables, the wet market vege seller who buys from farmer and sells the vegetables to the food stall, and finally the cook who cooks it..

Armed with these understanding, you will appreciate this plate of vegetables better. Stretching this example, it means you will understand life, truth better.. all things in this universe! ;-)

note: the above words & understanding is my own and not from the book. So, as a junior lay buddhist, dont believe what i write but to reflect and consider it carefully before applying it in your daily life.

the beginning..

this is my first blog of the year. but didnt begin well coz my new car's backside got banged! ;-(
Fortunately, no one was hurted.. except for my car's dent.. However, i was surprised that i didnt get very upset or angry.. Mmm.. instead i spoke to the other car driver in a cool manner.. ;-)
Thanks to Buddhist teachings.. i've managed to keep calm and detached..

Anther incident,.. was at a coffee shop.. my wife bought beef noodle for lunch. the beef was like chewing gum.. 'un-eatable'! when she went back to the stall for a replacement, the China women manning the stall said loudly that it's like that and once cooked NO REPLACEMENT. That really drive my wife to the roof.. when she walked back to our table with the 'un-eatable' noodle, i purposely took out my mobile phone-camera and aimed at the stall to take some pictures! i make sure she noticed me taking pictures... true enough, a few moments later she came to our table to explain rather loudly that the beef noodle is like that and they have been selling it for 8 years! i let her speak as much as she liked.. i didnt say much.. in the end she repay us the noodle's cost.

well,.. not all things are bad for the past few days though.. ;-)
I've happy moments too! got to meet a couple of interesting people.. met Yuliana and cant wait to meet her again in Feb 2008! Lawrence who also have great dreams which i wish him all the best! Daphane who's working on the designs..

So 2008 will be a balanced year! just like walking the middle path! cheers! ;-)