What is Your "Religion"?

I don't give a damn 'bout my reputation
You're living in the past it's a new generation
A girl can do what she wants to do and that's
What I'm gonna do
An' I don't give a damn ' bout my bad reputation
Oh no not me
- Joan Jett, Bad Reputation

Joan Jett, one of the prominent lady in the rock music world. If you haven't heard of her, you have at least heard or chanted one of her famous song - "I Love Rock 'n Roll". She's a legend and even being coined as Queen of Rock.

I have heard of her songs on MTV Classic when I was really little. (I'm still little now, don't remind me!) but I didn't know she is really so COOL until I saw her on Oprah. She's 52 now and still rocking like crazy. Not to mention her physique looks like she's still in her 20s! Face may show "a little" and covered by make-up but the energy that she exudes definitely has the 20s vibe! Even Miley Cyrus is not as cool as her (yet?), though she's still carving her real path besides the Hannah Montana thing. Give her time.

Check out the video below where they both performed in The Oprah Winfrey Show.

Oprah: I know you said that you don't just love rock 'n roll but it's your religion.

Joan Jett: Yes, I take it very seriously and I think that it's important to do what you love and rock 'n roll, when I grew up really had sort of a context and a meaning and so, I felt it's like a religion to me.

I guess that's what being authentic is all about. Being true to yourself. Follow your passion. Loving and living your passion and spread it to the people who appreciate it. It will eventually show in your charisma, your physique, your energy and your being. The next thing you know, it is so contagious that it will breed the next generation of passionate people.

Why I chose the quote from her song - Bad Reputation as the opening line? Because the music video was really her journey to be who she is today. As cheesy as it looked like (well it's the 80s, baby), that was her true story. Being rejected in the beginning by so many music labels, she set up her own label and the rest is history.



You may like or dislike rock 'n roll. You may care a lot of your reputation or not but the lesson to be learned is just make sure you find your "religion"; something you really care and live for. It may not be the traditional ones. Who cares? I am still not sure what is my "religion" as I still can't find things that I take SO SERIOUSLY till it consumes me (bummer!) but I will find one, I'm feeling it (delusionally psyching myself up :p). Just remember, one can do what one wants to do and just do it.

Disclaimer:
Make sure what you want to do don't harm people lah ....

Got Tax?

The tax season is here again. Have you prepared yourself for it? In Singapore the cut-off date for filing it online will be on the 18th of April 2011. Normally, people will wait until the last minute to make sure they are all done properly. I can be considered one of those because I just filed it yesterday! Hey, it’s not my fault. The government sent me a letter and said I don’t need to file tax but alas … as there’s an income limit being set for that, I decided that I’d better file it. You wouldn’t want to mess with Mr. Tax Man (wherever you are). Evasion is a very serious business. You can get to know all about it here.

Punishments aside, there are a few reliefs and rebates for law abiding citizens who are diligently filing their tax on time. I just found out that there is such thing called “Life Insurance Relief”. All these while since 2004, I didn’t know hence I didn’t report it. URGH! Knowledge has its power only when you are able to apply it. Now I know and I am so going to remember this! Imagine the savings I would have got to buy more books I don’t read! That’s so heavenly :p

I am just a small fish with simple income and expense structure. And yet I missed out on the relief that I was legally entitled to due to my not knowing. Now I know why companies or high net worth individuals need a professional or even a team of professional to handle their tax. For the lazy few, there’s always tax software to assist in filing your tax or even filing tax extension (if you are so busy). Alas, they are only applicable for US tax. May be one day Singapore will have one too.

Update: I am not eligible for the life insurance relief as my CPF contribution has exceeded. Aaaa...aaaa... So I don't really lose out much then ... *sob sob still*