A Complaint Free World

Yeah right!!!
Just when I'm sitting down here struggling with my own complaining kingdom, here I am discovering there's such campaign featured in Oprah show and ... yes, it does exist.

What is A Complaint Free World?

It all started in a small church in Kansas, USA. Aih ... I'll just cut and paste what the website says :p ... it's much faster and more detailed than me blabbering :p

Rev. Will Bowen of Christ Church Unity in Kansas City, MO was teaching a series on Prosperity. Part of this series was helping the congregation to form a habit of gratitude by going 21-days without complaining. In an effort to make the lesson practical, the church purchased purple bracelets and gave them away encouraging them to move the bracelet to the other arm if they caught themselves complaining.

How Do I Know If I'm Complaining?

To "Complain" is defined as "to express pain, grief, or discontent." Surely, it makes sense to express pain, grief or discontent occasionally but most people do so constantly. In so doing, they are talking and thinking about what they do not want in their life and, thereby, attracting more pain, grief and discontent. Instead, think and talk about what you are grateful for. Talk about what you DO want and not what you DON'T want.

How Does it Work?

Scientists believe it takes 21 days to form a new habit and complaining is habitual for most of us. As Twain said, we must coax our old behavior down the stairs. The bracelet(s) you receive are a powerful tool(s) to remind you of how well you are creating your life with positive intention. Here are the suggested rules:

1. Begin to wear the bracelet, on either wrist
   
   
2. When you catch yourself complaining, gossiping or criticizing (it’s ok, everyone does) move the bracelet to the other arm and begin again.
   
   
3. If you hear someone else who is wearing a bracelet complain, you may point out their need to switch the bracelet to the other arm; BUT if you’re going to do this, you must move your bracelet first!
   
   
4. Stay with it. It may take many months but when you reach 21 days you will find that your entire life is happier, more loving, more positive and more abundant.
   

For more information, you can check out their website at www.acomplaintfreeworld.org

I just think it's such a beautiful concept and I've ordered 6 of the bracelets to give to my friends. I wonder who's up for this kinda challenge here in Singapore when we are kinda well known for being the kingdom of complain kings and queens. :p ... And that will change soon.

Hey ... they even have songs? :o :-) Let me try whether I can get what she's trying to say. EH! She mentioned Singapore!! Yippeee hehe ... Anyway, if you are able to fill in the blanks, please let me know. Can't find the lyrics anywhere. May just message the singer for it too ... trying huhu.



Complaint Free World
By Stefana SD

Mmmmmm....
My alarm clocks rings and I open up my eyes
_____________________ rolls my day's first cry
Complaining that I'm tired to this to that
A complaint free _____ is
where I wanna be at
Yeah ...

Well then one day I saw it on the news
When I read this story about a purple wrist band
A small reminder to whine no more
Is where we gotta be
Acomplaintfreeworld.org

Chorus:
And we say
No more no more
complaining people that are
are changing
we're flying high
creating
a complaint free world

No more no more
complaining people that are
are changing
we're flying high
creating
a complaint free world

Now "21 days" is the goal we are trying to meet
While it's hard to not complain
It's an attitude to beat
So many men and women younger boys and girls
We all wanna live a complaint free life and world

Yeah....

From US to Canada Germany Japan
There is mass complaint in there
in Singapore and Ireland
Billions people from all over the globe just call this ______________
Acomplaintfreeworld.org

And we say
No more no more
complaining people that are
are changing
we're flying high
creating
a complaint free world

No more no more
complaining people that are
are changing
we're flying high
creating
a complaint free world

------------------------------------------------------------
Isn't she great? Her name is Stefana who calls herself a positive music artist and songwriter. It's so cool. You can check out her website at www.stefanasd.com. To hear her full song, check out her myspace at http://www.myspace.com/complaintfreeworldsong

Moon River

Huhu .... D.D. is in a very sentimental mode right now ... May be because I was updating my Ipod (which I called .... "pod pod") looking for nice songs to put and one of them is Moon River by Andy Williams.

It's one of the very first song I sang for Karaoke at home with my parents! HAHA. Though at that time I remembered, whenever they started to Karaoke ... I wanted to faint (hideous, I thought) and I tried to hide too but I secretly love it and sang along with them at my "hiding place". :p ....

Then there's one incident when none of them was around (I thought I was safe) ... I sang like nobody's business with the microphone. When I'm done, I kept everything neatly. Then they were back. I thought .. phew .. what a timing.

TO MY SURPRISE!!!!
My maid told me the next day that throughout all the time, they were watching me singing from the TV in the dining room -.- ..... -.- ..... ARGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Enough of my embarrassing moment, let Andy does his job for now. :-) He's brilliant ... the song was even used in the movie Kate & Leopold and it's absolutely romantic. :-) Enjoy. (Oh ya ... I also pasted a few other versions ... every compilation shows different emotion. Audrey Hepburn is always stunning and can't imagine Korean actress sang this song too ... wow)


Andy Williams


Audrey Hepburnin Breakfast At Tiffany's



Katie Melua


Diana Ross with Placido Domingo and Jose Carreras


Caitlin Smith


Lee Young Ae (Isn't see from that famous Korean drama - Jewel in the Palace???)

Artist: Andy Williams Lyrics
Song: Moon River Lyrics
Moon river, wider than a mile
I'm crossing you in style some day
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way

Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after the same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me

(moon river, wider than a mile)
(I'm crossin' you in style some day)
Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker
Wherever you're goin', I'm goin' your way

Two drifters, off to see the world
There's such a lot of world to see
We're after that same rainbow's end, waitin' 'round the bend
My huckleberry friend, moon river, and me

The Most Beautiful Memory

That's the title of this song.

Even though for those of you who are Indonesians and may be familiar with this song, it's not new, I know. But its melody and lyrics will just stick to me throughout all my life. This is the song about the lost love which was engraved as the most beautiful ... greatest memory ever by the author. I just love the chorus when it said:

If what's written for me
Is the best for you
I'll made you
The most beautiful memory
In my life

But it'll not be easy for me
To leave the trails of my life
Which has already been engraved eternally
As the greatest memory ever

Is Your Password Safe?

I found a great site where the author is sharing how we should protect ourselves from hackers when it comes to password. This article may just be one of the most important piece you've ever read. You can read it more here.

But if you don't really have the time to read, please make sure your password strength is at its best by using Microsoft Password Checker. I believe, that's really the least we can do if we are lazy.

Scars and Wounds

Some great quotes from my FAVOURITE TV Show at the moment - Grey's Anatomy. When I saw it, I can't help but to share it here.

"People have scars. In all sorts of unexpected places. Like secret roadmaps of their personal histories. Diagrams of all their old wounds. Most of our wounds heal, leaving nothing behind but a scar. But some of them don't. Some wounds we carry with us everywhere and though the cut's long gone, the pain still lingers." - Meredith, Grey's Anatomy

Video of the quote ... please don't watch if you have not not and don't want any spoilers. Don't say I didn't warn you:



"What's worse, new wounds which are so horribly painful or old wounds that should've healed years ago and never did? Maybe our old wounds teach us something. They remind us where we've been and what we've overcome. They teach us lessons about what to avoid in the future. That's what we like to think. But that's not the way it is, is it? Some things we just have to learn over and over and over again."- Meredith, Grey's Anatomy

The Line Game

Didn't I warn you that I may have more than one post on Freedom Writers? :p

Anyway, I think what I'm going to share below is more suitable to teachers or anyone who's handling a group of diverse people and trying hard to unite them together.

The Line Game was initiated by Erin Gruwell when was cracking her head to bring the multi-racial class together. It's to find a common ground over the diversities among all the races. This is what she did.

She drew a line (using masking tape) to divide the class into two. Then she asked half of the students to stand on the left and other half on the right. (Like the picture below)


Image source - www.spiritualityandpractice.com

Then she asked series of questions, whenever the answer is yes, the students from both sides must step on to the line.

At first the questions are fun based ... like who owns the latest album of Snoop Dog. And then the questions got personal ... like who stays with mom and dad. And then it got serious, and this is the turning point for the students ... question such as:
- who lost someone on gang fight?
- who lost more than 1 person?
- who lost more than 3 ppl?

And when they see so many of them actually experiencing the same pains, regardless of their races, they understood there and then that they are all the same. They felt the same pain. They had the same hardships.

This technique plus others are mapped out clearly in Erin Gruwell's book - The Freedom Writers' Diary Teachers' Guide.



And I managed to take a sneak peek from the website I found. :p Inside they shared 11 pages of details of how The Line Game works and another technique for creative teaching called - Toast for Change (Pic below).


Image source - www.spiritualityandpractice.com

You can check it out too at this link. Hope it'll be useful for you.

A Dream (Soundtrack to Freedom Writers)

It's the first time that I blog about a movie that I just watched into 2 posts (and possibly more) ... Freedom Writers Rocks!

I just watched the MTV to the soundtrack and it's a piece of art. Where else can you find Dr. Martin Luther King Jr's I Have A Dream speech + Holocaust events in an MTV? This is the first. I'm glad I watched it. Hope you'll enjoy the song and the lyrics.



Title: A Dream
By: Common

featuring Will.i.am

I am happy
I am I am happy

[Soundclip: I have a dream]
I got a dream
[One day]
We gonna work it out oh oh
We gonna work it out oh oh
We gonna work it out

[Soundclip: I have a dream]
I got a dream
We gonna work it out oh oh
we gonna work it out oh oh
we gonna work it out

[Soundclip: I have a dream]
I got a dream
[that one day]
that one day
all of the people and myself
are gonna find a better way
My dream is to be free
my dream is to be
my dream my dream is to be
my dream is to be
my dream is to be free

A search for brighter days
I ride through the maze of the madness
struggle is my address
where pain and crack lives
gunshots coming from sounds of blackness
given this game with no time to practice
born on the blacklist
told I'm a little average
A life with no cabbage
that's no money if you're from where I'm from
funny,
I just want some of yours son
dark clouds seem to follow me
alcohol that my pops swallowed bottle me
no apology
I walk with a boulder on my shoulder
it's a cold war
I'm a colder shoulder
I fight the same fight that made Martin Luther the king
I ain't usin' it for the right thing
in-Between lean and the fiends
hustle and the schemes
I put together pieces of a dream
I still have one

I am happy
I am I am happy
[Soundclip: I have a dream]
I got a dream
[One day]
We gonna work it out oh oh
We gonna work it out oh oh
We gonna work it out
[Soundclip: I have a dream]
I got a dream
[ these lyrics found on http://www.completealbumlyrics.com ]
We gonna work it out oh oh
we gonna work it out oh oh
we gonna work it out
[Soundclip: I have a dream]
I got a dream
[that one day]
that one day
I'ma look deeper than myself
are gonna find a better way
My dream is to be free
my dream is to be
my dream my dream is to be
my dream is to be
my dream is to be free

The world see me lookin' in the mirror
images of me gettin' much clearer
dear self,
I wrote a letter just to better my soul
if I don't express it,
then forever I hold inside
I'm from a side where we outta control
rap music and the hood play a fatherly role
my story like yours, yo, gotta be told
tryin' to make it from a gangsta to a Godlier role
and Jewish people in cold caves
hate has no color or age
flip the page
now my rage became freedom right
write dreams in the dark
they far, but I can see em
I believe in heaven more than hell
blessings more than jail
In the ghetto, let love prevail
with a story to tell
my eyes see the glory of, well,
the world waitin' for me to yell
I have a dream

I am happy
I am I am happy
[Soundclip: I have a dream]
I got a dream
[One day]
We gonna work it out oh oh
We gonna work it out oh oh
We gonna work it out
[Soundclip: I have a dream]
I got a dream
We gonna work it out oh oh
we gonna work it out oh oh
we gonna work it out
[Soundclip: I have a dream]
I got a dream
[that one day]
that one day
all of the people and myself
are gonna find a better way
My dream is to be free
my dream is to be
my dream my dream is to be
my dream is to be
my dream is to be free

----------------------------------

Another video on how the real Freedom Writer felt when he met Common & Will.I.Am for the song production.

Freedom Writers

A lot of people drew similarity between Dangerous Minds and Freedom Writers because of the lives portrayed between gangsta' students and their white heroic teacher. But hell, they are wrong.

Although both are true stores but both teachers (heroines) took different approach in reaching out to the students. I'm not saying which one is better than which but since I'm writing about Freedom Writers, and I'll focus on its lessons and make my $ paid for the movie worthwhile.

What I know after watching the movie, my movie partner - the cooking pot and I actually ran to the bookshop and grabbed The Freedom Writers Diary straightaway. Yep. We both have our own copies even though we stayed under one roof. To us, it's that good. They have definitely reached us. And guess what, I've finished the Diary in 1 day. :-). now I got those panda eyes -.- ... bleh. But it's worth it.

Synopsis

Erin Gruwell (Ms. G) was a new teacher in Woodrow Wilson High School who didn't expect to have gangster's members in her class 203. To be exact there are 3 tribes ... the Latinos, the Asians and the African American. Some even brought guns inside the classroom. Amazing. -.- She has planned her lesson before hand but all those didn't work out that well. In fact her lesson plan was folded into an airplane and flew back to her.

Constant fighting and demeaning about the other tribes were the daily attraction in her class but the turning point was when one of the student (African American) was mocked by the entire class over a hand-drawn image of him having a big lips. He didn't retaliate (surprisingly) he just sat there and felt really sad.

Ms G managed to get the drawing and actually put it in the book and she shared about she saw a similar drawing in the museum before. It's when the Nazis were trying to demean the Jewish and created very ugly portrayals of the Jewish and in the end killed millions in Holocaust. When asked whether any of the students know what Holocaust is ... none of them know except the one and only white boy in the class. She knew then that she has to totally changed her curriculum and made history came to life through the lives of the students.

What went from there was Ms G constant effort and sacrifices in bringing the students what the school system couldn't provide, such as opportunity for field trip and even books. When Ms G suggested to let them read The Diary of Anne Frank to the department head, she was quickly shunned down by comments like ... the students didn't deserve it, they'll tear the book anyway, the books are too difficult for them since they even have reading disabilities. Ms G didn't give up. She took up 2 more part-time jobs (selling bra + concierge for Marriott) in order to buy new books for the students. It did make a difference. When the student had those new books on their hands ... they felt noticed, acknowledged and most importantly cared. Since then, books have been their best friends, especially those who were written by teens and survived the ordeal like Zlata Filipović (who survived Bosnian war and being called Anne Frank of Sarajevo) and even progressed to books by Shakespeare like Romeo and Juliet which the stupid gang fights the student can relate and also found it really stupid.

When you think that the journey ended for the students who finally made reading is their number one hobby, you were wrong. They (with Ms G efforts of course) took one step further and actually inviting people such as Zlata herself and Miep Gies (the lady who hid Anne Frank and preserved Anne Frank's diary for publishing) to come to the school and talked to them. Those moments were just priceless.

D.D.'s A-HA Moments

Actually the turning point of the students was not only while reading, it's actually by writing - and hence they are called the Freedom Writers. Ms G gave each one of them a notebook. She asked them to write an entry every day, be it only one paragraph or one sentence, they have to make a commitment to write everyday. If they wanted it to be read by Ms G, they were allowed to put it in a locked shelf where only Ms G had access. To her surprise, majority put it there. And that's when Ms G knew all their stories, hardships, shame, feelings, families, drugs, killings, etc. And the act of writing itself has freed the students from the tyranny of being caged inside their own tragedy. Once they let out ... things have never been the same again.

And to my surprise, the diary does exist. They compiled it ... and it has become a book and it's on my hand. Inside I can find the entries from various souls, who have voices to be heard and I just want to tell that ... hey, I'm from Singapore and I heard ya.

Another touching moments to me and to the students was when Ms G brought them to the Museum of Tolerance. As Wikipidea puts it, The Museum of Tolerance is a multimedia museum in Los Angeles, California, with an associated museum in New York City, designed to examine racism and prejudice in the United States and the world with a strong focus on the history of the Holocaust. When they entered the Holocaust section, each of them will get a card of about a kid that's related to Holocaust. By the end of the trip, they can scan it to a computer and find out whether the kid they got is alive or dead. If they are dead, they can find out how they are dead. You can even print out the results. (So cool ....) Even though I'm not there to take the card personally, I can just feel how horrifying when you got a 5 yr old girl's photo and by the end of the trip you realized, the girl was put to death in the gas chamber. it's horrifying. Though you may not know the kid but you could just feel a wave of sadness swayed through your heart.

Guess my entire lesson from this movie is the word - Tolerance. Ms G has definitely taken the class to a bigger plane where the students of different races are finally come to terms and helping each other. What amazed me is that in my own small little life ... in the same races that I am ... I still see people can't tolerate each other due to even more stupid reasons. I'm ashamed as I may be part of that too. Do I really need the "near-the-bullet-shot" experience that what I think matters now actually will not matters in years to come? Do I really need to experience how it is like to live thinking that you may just die tomorrow due to some gang fights and stray bullets and then I'll realize that what I have right now is actually one of the best experience on earth?

Tell me about it.

Hall of Fame


The Freedom Writers - Image source www.gruwellproject.org


Zlata Filipović - Image source http://shreveport.blogspot.com


Miss Erin Gruwell - Image source www.freedomwritersfoundation.org

Miep Gies - Image source www.miepgies.dk


Hillary Swank and Erin Gruwell - Image source www.washingtonpost.com

Videos

Trailer


Be Heard: Erin Gruwell on Her First Year of Teaching


Be Heard: Erin on Bonding with Her Students


Be Heard: Erin on the Freedom Writers' Journals


Be Heard: Erin on Her Students' Perspective

When Bento Met Creative Mom ...

You must have heard about Bento whenever you eat at Japanese restaurants or food kiosk, but what happen when a creative soul gave a little bit of creative touch to those average looking lunch boxes? The following will be created ...





Image source: www.e-obento.com

I don't feel like eating anymore. I'm already full. They are so gorgeous, aren't they?
Human minds are just so limitless! Can't wait to see more interesting stuff.

Be Smelly & Get US$2500

Just when you think this world can't get any weirder, there's another way to be US$2500 richer in quite a grotesque way. :p But hey ... it's cold hard cash ... why not right?

So, that's what Katherine Tuck did by joining the annual National Odor-Eaters Rotten Sneaker Contest in Montpelier, Vt., Tuesday, March 20, 2007. She beats 6 other contestants from all over the country. Check out the full news here.

So, yeap ... she has the smelliest shoe ever and she got the $2500 prize. HAHA. Isn't this world just interesting? Who said money doesn't fall from tree? Even better ... Money grows from smelly shoes! :-)


Image source: www.localtechwire.com

The Best Exercise

What's the best form of exercise in the world?
Is it push-up?
Sit-up?
Weights?
Machines?
Treadmill?
Running?
Walking?
Cycling?
Sex?

HAHA -.- ...

I found a great quote today ... and it says ...
"The best exercise in the world is to reach down and lift someone up" - John Di Lemme
author of "Find Your Why"

Image by Julie Elliott from www.sxc.hu

How true :-)

Hope you'll have a great time "exercising"!


Image by Nara Vieira da Silva Osga from www.sxc.hu

Do You LOOK?

Did any of you watch COLD CASE? It's another wonderful production by Jerry Bruckheimer, who's the same genius that brought you CSI Series, Black Hawk Down, De Javu, Pearl Harbor, etc.

Image source: www.cbs.com

Cold Case focuses on unsolved crime cases which happened really long time ago. The main character, Lily Rush, found her calling in this department and she'll go through old evidences and painstaking interviews and totally rethink the crime in order to crack the mystery.

Guess what's the wonderful tag lines ... Hope lives...because the evidence never dies.

As usual, this episode that got me jotted down the nice simple script is when this old granny came in with a piece of newspaper. She told Lily and her boss that she would like to re-investigate the death of her daughter after what she's read on the newspaper.

In 2006, Travis, who was supposed to be her late daughter dance partner, was being suspected of murdering his wife by pushing her down the stairs. The granny realized it resembled her own daughter's death. She fell down a fleet of stairs and no one knows why. Hence the case's cold. The granny pleaded and begged for the police to take a look at it again as in year 1968 no one bothers to look closer.

That's when Lily said,"It's 2006 now and we like to look."

I ponder for a moment and find it quite true ... well I'm not sure what life is in 1968 but people nowadays are more aware and look deeper than before. They don't simply being spoon fed by what others have told them. They find their own truth. They question about life and what's the purpose of their existence. Is it simply to hang out and bitch around. Is it to experience , learn and grow? Is it to be sad and happy? What is it? Well, different people may have different answer. But the key is ... do you look at your own life? Do you take charge? Do you give your own meaning to it? Do you bother to solve your own "cold cases"? Or do you go through life ignoring the evidences that are trying to speak to you? Go figure.

Red Sotong

Whoever that said life is boring, they just haven’t met Spongebob in their life. :p Life can be fun in anyway you want it as long as you have …. “IMAGINATION” …. ;-)

Well, there’s this episode of Spongebob that I watched where Spongebob ordered a TV and when it came, he threw the TV -.- and only played with the box. The neighbour, Squidward, seriously thought Spongebob has gone mad! But to cut the story short, he’s so creative and had so much fun that even Squidward couldn’t believe what he’s hearing. When asked what kinda sound effect was he using to create those war zone effects, Spongebob said … you just need IMAGINATION! :p

So, there I was with my friends on a nice bistro in Orchard :p … We’ve planned to rot there doing our own stuff. :-) My friend, Broom, has just bought a unique little mouse and she called it “Therapeutic Red Sotong”. Why? Because this little fella always managed to sprinkle some smiles when her colleagues and she are having some boring moments.

As usual, I was attracted to this Red Sotong too so I thought why not let him be a model for a while and captured a few shots … but who knows ... a few shots ended up to a story. :p So here it goes …

Once upon a time, there was a Red Sotong who’s red in colour. Look at the picture lor .. really red in colour one. :p … His favourite place is underneath the red blanket which keeps him warm and safe from any attacks.

When he’s hungry, he’ll eat any cake. This time, it’s Broom’s Orange Pecan cake :p … Red Sotong is not picky anyway, so he doesn’t mind orange cake too.

One day as he was swimming to the shore, he passed through a bunch of sleeping Gummy Bears.

Since then, he’s never lived in peace. He’s always followed from back. No sexual harassment so far, only being followed. And he didn’t understand why. He's scared as he's so far away from his red blanket.

He’s so fearful that he would be attacked so he decided to attack first before it’s too late. (Watch how Red Sotong Attacked from the video below)

The Gummy Bears were so shocked. They were plotting for a comeback. They all got together and whispered to one another. (Video below ... watch watch)

After long discussion, the Gummy Bears finally took up the courage and approached the Red Sotong.

Red Sotong was sweating as he didn't know what to expect from this bunch of transparent lunatics. But, The Gummy Bears did what all beauty pageants did best … wanna know what it is … check out the video.

Since then, The Red Sotong has never been the same. He’s learnt that just because he was followed, didn’t mean that others have any ill feelings towards him. And he swore he’ll spread love and peace towards anybody he has ever encountered. From that day onwards, he’s known as “Therapeutic Red Sotong”.

THE END

PS. Thank you, Broom for bringing your Red Sotong and enlighten all of us. :-)

Updates - 20/03/2007

Panci a.k.a the Cooking Pot kept insisting me to put this picture up as she said (in the comments she posted) it looks so much like Red Sotong and may be they were husband and wife or something -.-. Do you see the resemblance?

Change ANY Relationship right NOW!

You can completely transform any relationship,
no matter what it's like right now.

Every single relationship you have is a reflection of how you feel inside about you. You are a magnet attracting to you all things, via the signal you are emitting through your thoughts and feelings. Every relationship you have and every interaction with every person, is a reflection of your own thoughts and feelings in that very moment.

To transform every single relationship you have in your life:

• Fall in love with YOU!
  (you must love yourself deeply).
• Make lists of hundreds and hundreds of wonderful things about you. Keep adding to it every day.
• Know that you are perfect.
  (do not think any negative thoughts about you).
• Know that you are worthy and deserving of anything and everything you could possibly want in your life.
• Focus on the wonderful things in every person. Look for only those things.
• Do not blame or criticize anybody, ever.
• Set an intention that you are going to see the best in everything and everyone.
• Make your happiness the number one thing in your life.
  (Happiness is an inside job.)
• Free yourself of the responsibility of trying to make other people happy
  (respect and love them enough to allow them to take care of their own happiness).
• Get your attention off those things in others that don't make you feel good.
• Appreciate and love yourself in every moment you can.
• Do not expect others to behave in a way you want, so you will be happy. Release yourself forevermore and know that you alone control your happiness and it is a choice, no matter what anyone else is doing.
• Love and respect yourself completely.
• Know that you are PERFECT right now.

Source: Message from the LOA mailing list.

When The Yin Meets The Yang

HAHA!
I can't ignore this comic when I first saw it.
I've been in love with "Rose is Rose" since high school.
I still remembered there was once I love it so much that I try to re-draw it to post at my notice board which I was in charge in high school.

But I couldn't draw s#@# .... (oppps ... :p) hence I traced it hahaha! Even tracing it, it still looked so rough. But heck, I'm proud of it hehe ... (Secretly I do wish I could draw cartoon and brighten the world with smiles)

Anyway, I love this one because it just shows how the Yin and the Yang work. The male and the female ... the left brain and the right brain ... It is indeed a pretty brain, don't you think so? ;-)

Do click on the image if you want to see it bigger. (You have to see it bigger anyway :p, if not you'll not understand what the baby is trying to say ... she's so cute)


Image source: www.comics.com

And another battle of the Yin and Yang from Adam @ Home. A comic that's inspired and dedicated to Stay-At-Home Dad. It's scary what kids may pick up from the parents and say it in sucha innocent way. :-)



Image source: www.ucomics.com

Mom's Gift vs Mom's Advice

Click on the image for the bigger version.



Image source: www.ucomics.com

Where is Happiness?

Since Miss Elly was busy jotting down this quote while I was sharing it with her (I got it from some mailing list)... I decided to jot it down also here too. :p

True happiness resides within me.

Most people are searching for happiness outside of themselves.

That's a fundamental mistake.

Happiness is something that you ARE and it comes from the way that you THINK.

"I'm So Poor" - Are You?

I was on a taxi this morning and the Chinese radio 95.8FM was having a very interesting dialogue. I may not have captured the whole thing and I may paraphrase it :p so anyway here it goes:

My imagination ... I think Man B must have complained about how poor he is and complaining a lot about his life. He's a representative of average middle income earner and comparing himself to those who are ultra rich.

Man A: So, if you are given $100 to cut off one of your finger, will you do that?

Man B: NO.

Man A: What if I give you $1000 to cut off your hand, will you do that?

Man B: NO.

Man A: What if I give you $10,000 and make you blind, will you accept that?

Man B: NO. Are you nuts?

Man A: What if I give you $100,000 and turn you to an 80-yr-old man, will you agree?

Man B: NO. NO. NO.

Man A: How about $1,000,000 and I'll end your misery and you'll just die now?

Man B: NO. What's the use of the $1,000,000 by then?

Man A: Ah ... so now you see you have something that's worth more than money and yet you keep saying you are poor? What are you trying to say here?

Man B: (Speechless)

The Secret

Have you heard of "The Secret"?

The key of getting anything you ever want in life. Anything. Yupe.

I've been anticipating to write this post for months and now finally I have the kick for it. I'm not sure why. Call it divine timing or simply procrastination. :p Bleh ....

"The Secret" has taken the world by storm, if you are not aware of it yet, now you definitely are. ;-) It's such a hit in Australia, US, and many more countries. I first heard of it and watched it in December 2006 and few months later (in February, to be exact) "The Secret" was so HOT that it's being featured in so many interviews such as Ellen Degeneres Show, Larry King and even my greatest "god-mom" OPRAH!!

As you know, anything that's being featured in Oprah, will definitely take the next hike upwards be it in terms of business, influence or simply awareness of it. So, since Oprah has featured it, it's my turn now to compile what I've found and learned and share it with you here.

What is "The Secret"?

Actually there's nothing so secretive about it. Everyone has been subconsciously using it and just not aware of it. Yes, you too know "The Secret" but you are just not aware of it. Because our whole lives have been based on it. It's just like playing any game ... whether you are still at level 1 or level 10 ... that's the difference. But everyone is already playing it.

"The Secret" that was being shared is actually "Law of Attraction". What does it mean? You must have heard a few quotes from famous people such as:

• Napoleon Hill: Whatever the mind of man can conceive and believe, it can achieve.
• Henry Ford: If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right.
• Winston Churchill: You create your own universe as you go along
• Jesus Christ: Ask, and it will be given you; Seek, and you will find; Knock, and it will be opened to you.
• Buddha: All that we are is a result of what we have thought
• Albert Einstein: Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.

Enough quotes from the wise people and now let's get back to our own lives. So what does Law of Attraction really means? It is very very simple indeed. Whatever your thought is, good or bad, you will eventually get what you think.

E.g.
When you think - "She's such a bitch"
You will get - she's forever a bitch to you

When you think - "I want to be out of debt"
You will get - more debts

When you think - "My job sucks"
You will get - more sucky job every day

But when you think - "I am a problem solver"
You will get - more solutions to any challenges that may come

When you think - "Money comes to me easily"
You will get - a penny on the floor (still money and it's easy)

The bottom line is, you get what you are thinking of. Just imagine the whole universe is a genie, whatever you put in your mind, coupled with your emotional level .. you'll attract it.

What do I mean by the emotional level?

There are GOOD and BAD feelings. The good ones are:
- Love
- Gratitude
- Joy
- Passion
- Happiness / Excitement
- Joyful Expectation
- Hope
- Satisfaction

The bad ones are:
- Boredom
- Annoyance
- Worry
- Criticism / Blame
- Anger
- Revenge
- Hate
- Resentment
- Guilt
- Depression
- Fear

So, even though your mind keeps saying "I am a problem solver" but by actual fact your feeling is at the level of "fear", your wish will not be fulfilled by the "genie" of the universe.

Your mind (thoughts) and your heart (feelings) must match in order to receive the abundance from the universe. Trust me, it works. I've been there and done that.

After watching "The Secret", I was pretty hyped up (as usual :p how long does the steam last ... that I'll need to do self-check). And I completely was at the state of Happiness & Excitement all the time. Then a few mini miracles started to flow in to my life that made me at awe:

1. One of the recommended activity in "The Secret" is to keep a vision board. For me I created a vision folder where I put anything that I am attracted to. Including a photo of the newest plane from SIA (I think it's the Boeing). When I cut that picture out, my friend was laughing at me and said,"that also you want???". I said why not, it looks so good. And guess what, the next day when I was coming back to Singapore from Hong Kong. I was on that new plane. Don't believe me? Here are the pictures. I was so excited like someone just came out from the village that I took photo even the screen & remote control of it -.-.

   
   
   
2. Few months before I watched "The Secret", when I was so active in gym-ing (till my elbow gets cranky) I told my friend that if I am able to choose one item to bring home from the gym, I'll buy a gym bench as that's where I spend most of my time when I'm in the gym. 3-4 months later, guess what, my friend (who's an active body sculptor :p ... he's pretty hunky, you know. Fine ass too :p ... Oopps .. hope he's not reading this) was trying to discard his gym bench. He said he has no room to put it anymore and asked me whether I'm interested. I just need to settle for the transport. What do you think my answer was? The rest is history
   
   
3. My last sharing is related to money ... I don't want to brag too much about it. Basically, I have a few surprises here and there. Really surprising ones ler ... -.- no kidding.
   
   
4. Lastly, I keep telling myself I'm surrounded by positive people and would like to know and be part of positive people. And if you've read a few of my previous posts, I'm just grateful that I not only found 1 or 2 great people but more than 5 all at once. Happy to the core.

So, that's my story. I really hope it will inspire you to take charge for your life and start creating what you want. And do you think I'm going to leave you hanging like this without showing you some videos related to "The Secret"? Hell no! ;-) Check out some links that I've found and I hope you enjoy it.

Videos

The Original Version of "The Secret"



Visualization Tool





"The Secret" Interview in Larry King

Too many videos so if you are interested just go to this link directly. There are more than 10 videos there.

"The Secret" Interview in Ellen Degeneres Show

Part 1:


Part 2:


And lastly, my favourite of all - "The Secret" Interview in Oprah Winfrey Show (Apparently I can't really embed it in my blog, so go to the links to watch them)

• 09 Feb 2007 - The Secret on Oprah
  
  
• 16 Feb 2007 - One Week Later, The Reaction to The Secret
  
  
• 17 Feb 2007 - After the Show
  

What Are The 7 Tips to Your Happiness?

I was asked from my very loving friend from New York on what's my 7 Tips to Happiness ... at first I was stunned but then it flows pretty great and I've got a few of my great friends to give me their answers too ... so here they are:

My first "victim" - Phenny from Indonesia (you can check out her blog by clicking on her name). I call her, the always grateful one, cause that's how she is ;-)

1. Meeting God, especially at unexpected time and place
2. Give my best effort in doing thing I love
3. Talk deep an big things with my friends, learn from their point of view
4. Give something special to people unexpectedly and unknown (like secret surprise)
   
5. Be grateful for everything I encounter; especially trying to see God's perspective of everything bad to worst
6. Love to the fullest, being able to give without expecting return/result
7. Lose myself in some form of 'escapism', like reading, thinking, watching, listening

My second victim, my beloved big online bro haha - TAT TAT, he's very systematic. I can just copy and paste it here.

1)Be yourself
2)Follow your dream
3)Enjoy the moment
4)Experience different things
5)Be healthy, body and mind
6)Be witty
7)Dun dwell in the past

My third victim, also from Indonesia whose mouth just can't stop rattling (said contestant #4 :p). Let's welcome ... ELLY. (Pssst ... do you know hers has undergone serious "surgery" as she really rattles LOTS!). Check it out:

1. See my parents & family happy coz if they happy, I feel happy too
2. Have a beautiful marriage of course that includes money n love. Don't just love but have no money. Or have money but no love. And if possible, good looks is part of the package (ELLY!!!!! -.- .... Faint .... You are really cracking me up)
3. Doing something I love such as opening up a pet salon or simply to have a dog
   
4. Traveling. If possible twice a year with my loved ones and friends and of course parents
5. Spiritual life, of course. And then she said ... OMG, how can I put this at number 5??? I'm so bad (TOO LATE ELLY. TOO LATE! HAHA ... Evil laughter follows)
6. Helping people that need help. Be it in terms of general support, money (if I'm bloody rich) and prayers
7. Live happily ever after. No sickness. Only healthy body. Especially if it's cancer, please stay away from me or I'll KILL YOU! (Violent Miss Elly ....)

Fourth candidate, the quieter among the bunch, but actually she's quite crappy and loud if she wants too ... she just pretends to be shy. Miss Julie from Singapore (clap clap clap) .... oh ya ... do you know she loves ballet and throwing herself in the air...?

1. Laugh a lot which means think of funny things often
   
2. Be contented - don't keep complaining
3. Just be happy
4. Socialize
5. Be true to yourself
   
6. Refer to #3
7. Refer to #3 la ...
   

(Man ..... -.- Julie!!! -.-) .... But I totally get your point ... happiness is just BEING HAPPY! ;-) So, I shall refer to your #3 often.

My fifth candidate is another quiet shy guy ... he's younger than me but heck I call him my older brother. :-) He's very supportive and have been by my side (online-ly) all these while. Husin, you are next!

1. Having balance in life
2. Having good relationships with parents, loved ones, friends and everyone
3. Laugh (It's recommended by Patch Adams)
4. Having enough sleep
5. Do something new and challenging every day
6. Love yourself and love others
7. Stay healthy (more exercises and more greens)

This 6th special guest has been missing from my sight for 3 years! -.- .... She's pretty, smart and kind. Have you enrolled yourself to be the next Tyra Bank or not ah...! If not please do quickly. Don't waste your beauty bah. Anyway, this is JOAN's tips:

1. Be determined
2. Work hard and play hard
3. Treasure people that treat you right and forget about those who don't
4. Life is tough, so what? take every opportunity that comes cross your path and make the most out of it
5. Chocolate., cake, and ice cream. dessert is a heavenly indulgence. So enjoy every bite of it! Yummieee....
6. One good Sunday morning
7. Live as if it were the last day of your life
   

And last but not least, yours truly ... :-) ... Proudly being the #7 :p

1. Being able to enjoy my own company
2. Laughing and talking to myself often (I know it's kinda nuts but I love it :p)
3. Playing with dogs (especially my Kiky who passed away on 17 April 2005)
4. Making others laugh
5. Giving gifts to people that really need them unexpectedly
6. Getting to know and being a part of positive people
7. Learning the lessons in life through unexpected ways (movies, songs, events, bugs, etc)

I seriously want to thank everyone for the time and braincells in coming up with so many great tips in happiness :-).

You have made me HAPPPYYYYYYY!!!!

And you won't know how many people may be touched by your simple comments. Thank you again and love ya all!

They Are My Sisters

Remember my post about the African Girls whom Oprah discovered? Their stories have moved me and I've decided to bring them around wherever I go, in my wallet. I'm proud to have sisters who are upbeat, positive, intelligent and most importantly always grateful with whatever they have in life. So introducing my sisters in my wallet:


Image source: www.oprah.com

1. Thando: She recites poetry very well and her dream is to be an actress.
2. Lesego: Her mom left her when she was very young and hence the very tough personality's running all over her. She did say something profound to her class which was - Don't blend in. Blend out. I wonder how many people at such age even understand what that means when they only focus on being accepted among their peers.
3. Zodwa: Her passion for school and the love of learning are so strong that she woke up every morning at 4AM, walked through the dangerous path of the city just to get to the bus stop that will eventually bring her to school. My goodness .... When I was 3 - 14 yrs old, my school was just 3 houses apart and I was so reluctant to go every morning. -.-
   
4. Megan & Sade: Ultimate forgiving souls who only remember the good things and not the bad!
   
5. Mahlatse: She wears specs. Me too. Since 3 yrs old. :-) Though she's ultra shy and quiet, she tops the class easily every time though she studies only with one candle light.

They are my sisters, my friends and inspiration. One day, hope to meet them personally and give them a very big hug for their courage and humility.

Oh Oh ... How Can She Know This?

A friend of mine from New York has asked her friend in Israel to do some reading on my birth chart and this is what she found out:

she is special, is gifted with people
she has charm and power together
she worked with large groups of people, in her past life.
very creative and has inner beauty.

has no earth in her chart, so its very important for her to take the ideas
and to make them happen
that will connect her to her goal in this life.
she has magnetic personality and has the ability to read people as if they were open books.

The part when she mentioned "no earth" -.- ... TRUE TRUE! ARGH! okie .... wake up call! Earth ... where are you!

COME COME COME!

The rest of the comments just make my day! :-) La la la la la ....