Donation to Red Cross

The most successful lawyer in town had never made a contribution to the Red Cross. The chairman of the Red Cross, Mr. Wilson, called on the lawyer, hoping to convince him to make a donation.

"You made over $600,000 last year but you haven't given anything back to the community. How do you reconcile that?"

The lawyer sighed, leaned forward & said, "If you only knew... My mother is terminally ill; her medical bills far exceed her income. My brother is a disabled veteran, blind & in a wheelchair. My sister is raising three children alone since her husband died in an auto accident."

Mr. Wilson offered his sympathy, admitting he had no idea there were so many demands on the lawyer's profits.

The lawyer nodded & said, "Exactly...Why should I give to the Red Cross when I don't even give to my own family!"

Focus on BEING.

When I ask people what they want to be & do in their lives, a lot of them respond with what they want to have. May I suggest not to focus on having but to focus on being & doing, as the poem below suggests:

BE in love every day, with what you do;
BE in love everyday, with someone;
BE in love every day, with servicing people;
BE in love with learning, growing and sharing. (Author Unknown)

Any successful person will attest to the importance of placing your focus on being and doing; to love to be at your best is to see with an inner vision & exceed expectations.

Job Opening: Historian. Anyone?

After many years of trying to find steady work I finally got a job as a historian....but...

... I realized there was no future in it...

Ah Beng Did it Again

After completing a jigsaw puzzle he'd been working on for quite some time, Ah Beng proudly shows off the finished puzzle to a friend.

"It took me ONLY 5 MONTHS TO DO IT", Ah Beng brags.

"FIVE MONTHS ? THAT'S TOO LONG", the friend exclaims.

"YOU ARE A FOOL." Ah Beng replies, "SEE THIS BOX, IT IS WRITTEN FOR 4-7 YRS".

Some Say Start Young...

... I call it a head start!

Thirsty? Ge'me some of that, mommy!

Our Greatness...

"As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world ... as in being able to remake ourselves."
- Mahatma Gandhi

Totally agree. My world changed when I changed. I sometimes tend to think that everywhere I go (be it workplace, church, or social gatherings), the problems seems to be the same, because the person (me) is the same. I think I need to put aside my criticism & judgement & be a little open-minded.

I think I need to reprogram my mind (Mental Renewal as in Rom 12:2a) & take steps to challenge old habits of framing my situations & circumstances.

"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is..."
Romans 12:2a

My world should change for the better, very soon :)

伤心地铁 - 光良

曲名：伤心地铁
歌手：光良

抛开那盟约
和你四目相接
想必你的眼里
应该隐瞒着
更多的细节
他想必狂野
让你对我坚心拒绝
他会陪你过今夜
他也许就在
这列车的某一节

凭一种 男人的直觉
去承受这份残缺
当缘起和缘灭
我们的过去
已不能重写
我失去了全部的世界
在这伤心的地铁
这麽伤心欲绝
当列车停止在第五街

冬天的纽约
冷的这样直接
像是你的拒绝
它千真万确
让人心淌血
他令你狂野
你们爱得轰轰烈烈
他在等你过今夜
我知道他在
这列车的某一节

凭一种 ah 男人的直觉
去承受这份残缺
当缘起和缘灭
所有(我们)的过去
要如何重写
我独自在陌生的世界
在这伤心的地铁
这麽伤心欲绝
当列车停止在第五街

那一夜
那心里深深的雪 wohhooo..
那男人的直觉
那伤心的地铁

Our Greatest Fear

"Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our greatest fear is that we are powerful beyond belief. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. Your playing small doesn’t serve the world. We were born to manifest the glory – put on display, to show – the glory of God that is within us....you may be a dirt clod, but there is greatness & power & glory that resides in every singe human being.”
- Nelson Mandela

My take on this "There is greatness in mankind" thingy: Be careful, though, & watchful. I mean it. I am referring to the gradual but certain elevation of the love of self, within & without the church. In the truest state of fallen humanity, we can still witness the man-centered myth in the adulation of man from varous cultural icon. Within this emerging cult of the new liberal theology springs forth new ideals which can be poisonous to the individual as well as to the body of Christ.

Yes, there is certainly a place for glory & honor where God our Father intends to exult through His Son. However, to me this “glory and honor” that resides in every single human being is questionable. Admittedly, we are fragile but yet filled with the potential for glory & honor. A lot of balance thinking is required here, and I don't think I am qualified to exposit any further, except by closing with this scripture quotation:

"But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self."
(2 Timothy 3:2, NASB)

Any comment?

The Silicon Valley of India: Bangalore

Honestly, I have never been to any part of India before, beside our Little India in Singapore. But I have plans to visit India one day, not just for the romantic & famous Taj Mahal, but because the country is fast becoming an economic juggernaut. Consider:

1. India's GDP has been expanding at more than 8% annually for the last three years;
2. The country is now the fifth-largest economy in the world, ranking above France, Italy, the United Kingdom, & Russia;
3. It has the third-largest GDP in all of Asia.

There are a lot of reasons for India's rise to prominence. For starters, the country has a highly educated & productive workforce. That is helping per-capita income rise rapidly, creating a new & large middle class with money to spend. India also has a strong judicial system & vibrant capital markets. The National Stock Exchange & the Bombay Stock Exchange are the third & fifth largest markets, respectively, in Asia.

But here's why I think India's best days are still ahead: It has the second-largest English-speaking population in the world. China, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, & Russia are producing herds of science and engineering graduates every year. Yet none have the English skills that Indians do.

This is why India is rapidly becoming a global technology powerhouse. It is also why U.S. companies are moving many of their support services to India. In fact, once you understand this single critical advantage, you can't help but get excited about the potential of India. Truth is, most of Asia IT support has also been outsourced largely to Chennai & Bangalore.

Today, Bangalore has 6.1 million residents. She is the third-largest city in the country, & is touted as the Silicon Valley of India. And for one thing, the hotel prices there are not cheap. Such high hotel prices are not from a shortage of rooms. It is because of the steady stream of U.S. & European companies visiting the area to tap into its low-cost, high-output scientific workforce. So naturally, my future trip to India will not be cheap, if I want to bunk into a 5-star facility.

On the other hand, with regards to their stock market, I expect them to be relatively cheap still. Why? Because despite last year's correction & then all the gangbuster growth, attention & expansion, the average Indian stock is selling for only 15 times earnings! Hence, I think India offers more bang for your investment buck than most other places in the world. In fact, I am more sanguine in this part of Asia than in China now, given their current madness in punting the stock market. In short, there is still juice to be squeeze!

But, as always, stay safe & don't rush in too soon. Market has a way of correcting itself without warning & mercy. Wait for the hot & spicy curry to cool a bit lah, Ah-deh! Don't burn your tongue & wallet this way. And don't say I never say, okay Thumby!