Annual Dinner - Retro Nite!

last nite was my first annual dinner with the new organisation.

it was quite fun especially when i won the 8th prize - a DVD Recordable!! ;-)
Now i can program to record programmes i would have missed!!

Oh.. i like the MC too.. think his name is Jeffrey. A fast witted and humorous guy!

And not forgetting our pretty ladies.. ;-)

Life is so fragile..

Lately i was so busy that i hardly had time to reflect.. i believe it's important to reflect upon life and the things i've done & learned.

somehow,.. this morning i remembered a childhood friend. It was my primary school days.. he's my classmate. I clearly recall that whenever i was so called bullied, he will come to help me out.. sometimes even fight with those boys just to protect me.. u see, i was a small skinny boy then..

as we grew up, we went to different schools.. somehow we lost contact.. but on and off, over the many years into our 20's i still met him near the bridge near our homes.. It also feels good seeing him again.

then, somehow i never see him again. and i thought maybe he has moved. One day, i met an old classmate in the mrt. She told me that he had met a car accident in JB and died instantly. i was sad.. even till now. It becomes a constant reminder that life is fragile.

It balanced my thoughts not to be so materialistic and overly ambitious in career. Life is more than just work and career. It's about love and compassion. It's about living a happy life with friends and fun!

I certainly dont wish to look back when i'm old and regret. Let this memory of a good old friend be a constant reminder for me to live well. As painful as it can be to remember my dear friend, i shall not live in vain! ;-)

Real World - Voicegraffiti

A Buddhist hymn composed by the lead singer which was being played during Vesak Day. This band performed @ Ark Cafe in Singapore in 2005. Actually I found this video on YouTube!

There are many great groups performing in Dharma Resonance, which is a platform for people to share and inspire each other through Buddhist hymns.

For more info, videos and audio files, do look up at the website below:

http://www.dharmaresonance.com/index.htm

May all sentient beings be well and happy!

New York Cheese Cake

My wife did it again! This time is a delicious New York Cheese cake.

pasa malam - innovative magnetic bookmark

visited a Pasa Malam just outside Yishun mrt and found a stall selling magnetic bookmarks. i found it very innovative though my wife said that she has seen such products sometime back aledi..

Anyway, i started thinking of using it as a corporate gift aways.. The bookmark can have our company's product, service & website printed on it and it's functional too.. Also, it can double as a measuring instrument as well.. see the pictures to know wat i mean.. ;-)


i just find them cool, innovative and functional..

Criss Angel - Secrets Revealed

Criss Angel - Walking on water

11 years old amazing singer - Bianca Ryan

Britain Got Talent - Connie 6

how to be an effective thinker

Inspired by & extraction from June 2007 publication of Harvard Business Review article 'How successful leaders think' by Roger Martin.

Effective leaders can hold two opposing ideas in his head and still function optimally while rationalizing them creating an even better idea than the sum of earlier two.

Conventional thinkers:
1. Determining Salience. Focus only on obviously relevant features.

2. Analyzing Causality. Consider one-way, linear relationships between variables, in which more of A produces more of B.

3. Envisioning the Decision Architecture. Break problems into pieces and work on them separately or sequentially.

4. Achieving Resolution. Make either-or choices; settle for best available options.

Integrative/Effective thinkers:
1. Determining Salience. Seek less obvious but potential relevant factors.

2. Analyzing Causality. Consider multi-directional and non-linear relationships among variables.

3. Envisioning the Decision Architecture. See problems as a whole, examining how the parts fit together and how decisions affect one another.

4. Achieving Resolution. Creatively resolve tensions among opposing ideas; generate innovative outcomes.

i do agree with the above after observing my own thinking process and others.. and is it born or bred? i believe IQ is mostly born but the process of effective thinking is bred.

And if you understand the power and workings of the unconscious mind, it will be even better!!

how to become smarter

a few years ago i attended a Buddhist talk by two Thai monks. One of them shared that one becomes smarter practicing Buddhism. Well,.. i was puzzled that time. How can one be actually smarter practicing Buddhism? Is this just another talk on blind faith?! Or is this a joke?

a few years on, i think i got it! ;-)

true increase of intelligence is not. but cultivating a calm and clear mind for optimal thinking it is! we all know our intelligence or IQ is more or less fixed by the time we go to school.. so how can we improve or increase our so-called intelligence further? Effective thinking is the answer!

And how do we develop effective thinking? One method is thru Buddhist practice. First, understand the 4 noble truths and emptiness, followed by practicing meditation - mindful & subject focused. By understanding the 4 noble truths and emptiness, you would have understood life. Therefore, you become less attached to things surrounding you. And if you practice meditation, you would develop a calm and clear mind for effective thinking that's objective and rationale without distraction and bias.

Poor thinkers are usually distracted by personal desire, fear and greed. When one is rid of all those things, one becomes just and objective in thinking.. and thus, seemed smarter.. when he or she is just becoming a more effective thinker in reality. ;P

American Carrot Cake

Shini did it again! Delicious American Carrot Cake!! ;-)

Changing mindset on retirement age

it's interesting today's Straits Times titled an article on 'Time to put the idea of retirement age to rest?'. Coz actually i never thinks abt retirement. But i believe most people do.

However, this article is abt retirement age (under Singapore law). The article suggests tat perhaps retirement age should be removed. I agree entirely! I believe as long as the person is still fit and healthy, and more importantly, perform the tasks given and continue to add value to the company, he should be allow to work perpetually.

And if retirement age is the milestone when people can redraw their CPF money, perhaps rename it to 'Withdrawal Age'. So, retirement age is no more!

i guess changing name is just a small part of a big National issue. Changing mindset is more important. Changing the mindset of employers and employees is a key task! We're still a long way to go..

focus & passion

more than 10 years ago i figure that focus & passion are the two most important elements in whatever i gonna do.. it's easy to remember too.. But i had to test them.

So, 10 years on, and on many occasions, forgotten abt it.. quite ashamedly.. i realised it had stand the test of time! ;-)

And of late, even my new big big boss emphasized on the word Focus! That's definitely reassuring.

I am fortunate, looking back my life, i've been able to do the things i like and learned alot of my various jobs.. though i've not gotten the status i had liked.. but i believe it's a blessing in disguise. Had i climbed fast too high.. i will never be able to appreciate life, people and understand humility and most importantly, Buddhism.

So, focus & passion will be my companion for another ten years! ;-)

food in Hokkaido

even more pictures from Hokkaido! ;P

more pictures from Hokkaido

Hokkaido 9 - 16 May 2007

Yup,.. i've been away for over a week holidaying in Japan Hokkaido catching Cherry Blossom!! ;-)

It's the best holiday i ever had.. of course, my beloved wife Shini is with me and also the self-drive tour arrangement is just great!! Really must give thumbs up to Prime Travel.. The food is fantastic! i love Japs food even more now! The people are polite and the toilet is clean.. The street is safe.. The hotspring is really hot and err.. interestingly naked.. ;P

Wish we can go again in a few years time.. after saving enough $$ tat is.. ;-)

Here's some pictures to share..

Meditation - how to meditate?

i believe that there are many methods to meditation. The two i know and have been practicing were (i) object and (ii) non-conceptual meditation.

(i) Object meditation requires concentration on an object. An object can be a flower, a feeling, an idea, a representation of the Buddha or anything you wish to focus on.

(ii) Non-conceptual meditation focus directly on consciousness itself. It is pure awareness of things happening at the most present moment without passing any judgment. Just observing the very nature of thoughts that cross our mind.

The meaning of the word Meditation is familarisation with a new way of being.

Thru meditation we can develop calmness, patience, tolerance, understanding, kindness,.. many good virtues.. But meditation must be followed by actions.. applying newly acquired Buddha's knowledge & wisdom in our everyday life.. If great sessions of meditation doesnt translate into improvement of our whole being, then we need to re-examine our practice. Successful meditation brings us all the goodness as mentioned earlier eg. love, compassion, calmness, patience,.. Only after we are 'matured' and ready, can we then be ready to help others achieve likewise..

note: (a) above info is inspired & extracted from the book Happiness by Matthieu Ricard pg 260. (b) u need to clam your mind first for meditation. And to achieve that, breath in and exhale slowly with yr eyes lightly closed. Focus on yr breathing & nothing else. Return to yr centre. Back to your being. Be present. After a few more breathing or when you feel ready, proceed with the meditation proper..

What's franchising and licensing?

as part of my job i need to know about franchising and licensing.. in order to play the advisory role to my clients.. well, it's also good knowledge if i ever wanna run my own business..

what's franchising?
Today any business wanted to be called a franchise must comprises these 3 key elements:
(i) business/operation system (manual, guide, procedures,..),
(ii) brand (trademark, copyright, design,..),
(iii) royalty fee (upfront, annual, % of revenue,..)
otherwise also known as business format franchising.
example: MacDonald

what's licensing?
same as franchising except minus the business/operating system.
in the past (early days), it was known as product distribution franchising.
example: Coca-Cola bottling licensing

what's the difference between franchising and licensing?
as mentioned above, franchising includes imparting entire business model to the franchisee.
In addition, franchiser takes a more proactive role than licensing which is more passive. Being proactive means that the franchiser will be working much closely with the franchisee to ensure his success and making sure he is operating according to the operating manual. Licensor usually leaves the licensee alone as long as it doesnt breach any contract agreement.

What are the key items in a franchise?
There are 23 key items in a franchise that needs to be addressed or mentioned - with reference to the UFOC (Uniform Franchise Offering Circular).
1. Franchisor
2. Business experience
3. Litigation history
4. Bankruptcy
5. Initial franchise fee
6. Other fees
7. Initial investment
8. Business restrictions
9. Franchisee's obligations
10. Financing
11. Franchisor's obligations
12. Territory
13. Trademarks
14. Patents, copyrights & proprietary information
15. Participation
16. Product or service restrictions
17. Renewal, termination, transfers & dispute resolution
18. Celebrities
19. Earnings claims
20. Other units in the system
21. Financial statements
22. Agreements
23. Confirmation


visit http://www.flasingapore.org/ for more info..