Movie-of-the-Day

Watched MJ's "This Is It" with HY today! Yep, he's one great entertainer!

Hmm.. Halloween has its roots with All Saints Day. I wanna go trick or treating one day!

Sleep-of-the-Day

Slept another 3 hours today, that totals to 4 hours in 2 days! Gosh. I feel really SLOW, too tired man.

Anyway, attended a PINK party today. LOL. Had to borrow a shirt for that.

In the evening, met Ruiz and Poh for dinner at Old Airport Road.

Special thanks for the day goes out to:
Sandra for lending me her laptop so I could run my presentation!

I think I should start searching for a laptop. I think my motherboard's gonna burn up soon., better back uo my data again. The lappie's heating up faster and faster and the AV connection to the projector is faulty as well, so is the touchpad. Time to scout. Three choices, feel free t0 drop me your reviews: APPLE; non-APPLE with Windows 7 vs Netbook. Hmm... when's the next PC fair?!

Sleep-of-the-Day

Only slept about an hour today but was still functioning quite well at work! Definitely not peak performance though!

Story-of-the-Day

The Elephant and the Rope

Your attempt may fail, but never fail to make an attempt.
As my friend was passing the elephants, he suddenly stopped, confused by the fact that these huge creatures were being held by only a small rope tied to their front leg. No chains, no cages. It was obvious that the elephants could, at anytime, break away from the ropes they were tied to but for some reason, they did not. My friend saw a trainer nearby and asked why these beautiful, magnificent animals just stood there and made no attempt to get away.

"Well," he said, "when they are very young and much smaller we use the same size rope to tie them and, at that age, it's enough to hold them. As they grow up, they are conditioned to believe they cannot break away. They believe the rope can still hold them, so they never try to break free." My friend was amazed. These animals could at any time break free from their bonds but because they believed they couldn't, they were stuck right where they were.

Like the elephants, how many of us go through life hanging onto a belief that we cannot do something, simply because we failed at it once before?

How many of us are being held back by old, outdated beliefs that no longer serve us? How many of us have avoided trying something new because of a limiting belief? Worse, how many of us are being held back by someone else's limiting beliefs?

Lyrics-of-the-Day

Extracted from Swallowed in the Sea by Coldplay:

Oh what good is it to live
With nothing left to give
Forget but not forgive
Not loving all you see

Recollection-of-the-Day

It was one of those days. I was in an exceptionally bad mood (I don't recall why) and was heading to the washroom in AMK Jubilee. Saw a girl in Popular Staff tee, a total stranger and she smiled at me and the world seemed all better again. She wasn't a chiobu or anything, just a regular kid.

I think it had such a strange impact on me as it's not in our culture to make eye contact and smile to a total stranger. I think most of us hate making eye contact with strangers. The world might become a happier place if everyone smiled just a little more!

Breakfast-of-the-Day

Ate McDonald's breakfast again! This time with HY. Hotcakes and monopoly!

Awards-of-the-Day

Started the day with McDonald's breakfast. 95% recovered from the LS days. Ate hotcakes with Jan & Pat and started with the monopoly thingy!

Attended teamNUS Sports Awards this afternoon. This year's programme was quite good actually! Ate Sakae for dinner. Hehe.

Story-of-the-Day

The Seed

In the Far East the emperor was growing old and knew it was time to choose his successor. Instead of choosing one of his assistants or his children, he decided to do something different. He called young people in the kingdom together one day. He said, ""It is time for me to step down and choose the next emperor. I have decided to choose one of you." The children were shocked, but the emperor continued. "I am going to give each one of you a seed today--one very special seed. I want you to plant the seed, water it, and come back here one year from today with what you have grown from this one seed. I will then judge the plants that you bring, and the one I choose will be the next emperor."

One boy, named Ling, was there that day and he, like the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly, told his mother the story. She helped him get a pot and planting soil, and he planted the seed and watered it, carefully. Everyday, he would water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three weeks, some of the other youths began to talk about their seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow. Ling kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Three weeks, four weeks, five weeks went by, still nothing. By now, others were talking about their plants, but Ling didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure. Six months went by--still nothing in Ling's pot.

He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees and tall plants, but he had nothing. Ling didn't say anything to his friends, however. He just kept waiting for his seed to grow. A year finally went by and all the youths of the kingdom brought their plants to the emperor for inspection. Ling told his mother that he wasn't going to take an empty pot. But his mother asked him to be honest about what happened.

Ling felt sick at his stomach, but he knew his mother was right. He took his empty pot to the palace. When Ling arrived, he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other youths. They were beautiful--in all shapes and sizes. Ling put his empty pot on the floor and many of the other children laughed at him. A few felt sorry for him and just said, "Hey, nice try."

When the emperor arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted the young people. Ling just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants, trees, and flowers you have grown," said the emperor. "Today one of you will be appointed the next emperor!"

All of a sudden, the emperor spotted Ling at the back of the room with his empty pot. He ordered his guards to bring him to the front. Ling was terrified. He thought, "The emperor knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me killed!"

When Ling got to the front, the Emperor asked his name. "My name is Ling," he replied. All the kids were laughing and making fun of him. The emperor asked everyone to quiet down. He looked at Ling, and then announced to the crowd, "Behold your new emperor! His name is Ling!"

Ling couldn't believe it. Ling couldn't even grow his seed. How could he be the new emperor?

Then the emperor said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone here a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all boiled seeds that would not grow. All of you, except Ling, have brought me trees and plants and flowers. When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another seed for the one I gave you. Ling was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new emperor!"

MC-of-the-Day

Was on MC today. Diarrhoea and fever since yesterday evening. Gosh. Almost died. Haven't been so sick in such a long time. It's been a while since I visited a doctor outside my home!

Photo-of-the-Day

Looks like a nice garden, I want the swing!

Story-of-the-Day

Language of the Heart
By Maureen Fredrickson

Soapy Smith is a twenty-four-pound calico rex rabbit. A rex rabbit's coat lacks the stiff guard hairs of other breeds, resulting in a fur texture that is as soft as a cloud. People look startled when they first touch him and remark how soft he is. I've noticed he seems to make everyone who meets him a little softer, too.

One day, Soapy Smith and I visited a shelter for battered women located in a bedraggled section of the city. The women in the shelter looked at me through downcast eyes. No one smiled a greeting, and they appeared uninterested in Soapy's carrier. Everyone seemed tense and ready to flee. One little girl in particular moved like a wisp in the background. Never raising her eyes, never reaching out, she drifted in and out of the gathered group. The staff informed me that she had been there for over a month and had not spoken the entire time. Nothing they tried had any effect. Her mother said she had talked at one time but not in recent memory. I didn't want to imagine what could have happened to rob this little girl of the natural curiosity and enthusiasm so natural to childhood.

Spreading a blanket on the floor, I sat down and opened Soapy's carrier. As the silent child circled past me, I told the group that Soapy would come to talk to them if they sat on his blanket. Several children did this, including the silent girl. In a short time, Soapy emerged from his carrier and slowly hopped from one child to another. Unlike visits at schools where the first touches produced squeals of delight, this visit was unusually quiet. After touching Soapy, these children looked down and sighed softly or smiled into their hands. Soapy continued his rounds, and the children and their mothers gradually began to talk about Soapy and ask questions.

I chatted with the women and children as I kept one eye on the little girl. She sat rigidly at the edge of the blanket, legs held stiffly out straight in front of her. She was staring hard at Soapy. It appeared that he kept making eye contact with her. He would hop from child to child, each visit taking him a little closer to the girl. I began to wonder if he was pausing to give her time to watch him. During all other visits we had given together in schools, his usual behavior was to hop around the circle letting each person pet him. When he got back to me he would wash his face and then start the circle again.

That day, I watched as Soapy finally worked his way toward the girl. She didn't reach out to him or encourage him in any way. Rather she sat tensely, just staring.

Finally Soapy came to a stop about two inches from her thigh. He quietly reached out and laid his chin on her knee. I was astonished. While a common behavior for dogs, this is not a behavior exhibited by rabbits, especially not by this rabbit.

The child did not reach out to pet Soapy. Instead, she slowly leaned toward him. When her face was within inches of his, she carefully reached out and circled him with her arms. So softly that no one in the room could hear, she began to talk. Folded around the rabbit, she pillowed her head on his back and whispered to him. Soapy remained motionless.

I looked up and noticed that the shelter workers had stopped talking. Every adult in the room froze in place. Time seemed suspended. Then quietly the child unfolded and sat back up. Soapy sat up too, reached forward and briskly licked her knee. She did not smile. She did not reach out to him, but the rigidity of her back relaxed, and her shoulders rounded into a comfortable slope. The little girl stood up and walked over to her mother and began to suck her thumb.

The little girl reappeared when I was preparing to leave. She reached her hands out and looked me directly in the eye. I held Soapy out to her. She wrapped him in a big hug and pressed her face against him. Suspended from my hands as he was, I was concerned that he would begin to struggle. Instead he reached out his head again and laid it on the child's shoulder. His breathing slowed and he closed his eyes. As quickly as it happened, the little girl released her hug and stepped back. As she turned away, I thought I saw the beginnings of a faint smile.

The rabbit in his cloud of soft, warm fur had touched something deep in the child – something that had died from too much hard experience. Soapy's innocence and trust appeared to kindle those very same qualities in the little girl.

Numerous times, I've seen how the loving presence of an animal can heal where words have no effect. It seems the language of the heart is simple after all.

Story-of-the-Day

Three Red Marbles
By W. E. Petersen

One day Mr. Miller was bagging some early potatoes for me. I noticed a small boy, delicate of bone and feature, ragged but clean, hungrily apprising a basket of freshly picked green peas.

I paid for my potatoes but was also drawn to the display of fresh green peas. I am a pushover for creamed peas and new potatoes.

Pondering the peas, I couldn't help overhearing the conversation between Mr. Miller and the ragged boy next to me.

"Hello Barry, how are you today?"

"H'lo, Mr. Miller. Fine, thank ya. Jus' admirin' them peas ... sure look good."

"They are good, Barry. How's your Ma?"

"Fine. Gittin' stronger alla' time."

"Good. Anything I can help you with?"

"No, Sir. Jus' admirin' them peas."

"Would you like to take some home?"

"No, Sir. Got nuthin' to pay for 'em with."

"Well, what have you to trade me for some of those peas?"

"All I got's my prize marble here."

"Is that right? Let me see it."

"Here 'tis. She's a dandy."

"I can see that. Hmmmmm, only thing is this one is blue and I sort of go for red. Do you have a red one like this at home?"

"Not zackley ... but almost."

"Tell you what. Take this sack of peas home with you and next trip this way let me look at that red marble."

"Sure will. Thanks Mr. Miller."

Mrs. Miller, who had been standing nearby, came over to help me. With a smile she said, "There are two other boys like him in our community, all three are in very poor circumstances. Jim just loves to bargain with them for peas, apples, tomatoes, or whatever. When they come back with their red marbles, and they always do, he decides he doesn't like red after all and he sends them home with a bag of produce for a green marble or an orange one, perhaps."

I left the stand smiling to myself, impressed with this man. A short time later I moved to Colorado but I never forgot the story of this man, the boys, and their bartering.

Several years went by, each more rapid that the previous one. Just recently I had occasion to visit some old friends in that Idaho community and while I was there learned that Mr. Miller had died. They were having his viewing that evening and knowing my friends wanted to go, I agreed to accompany them.

Upon arrival at the mortuary we fell into line to meet the relatives of the deceased and to offer whatever words of comfort we could. Ahead of us in line were three young men. One was in an army uniform and the other two wore nice haircuts, dark suits and white shirts ... all very professional looking.

They approached Mrs. Miller, standing composed and smiling by her husband's casket. Each of the young men hugged her, kissed her on the cheek, spoke briefly with her and moved on to the casket. Her misty light blue eyes followed them as, one by one, each young man stopped briefly and placed his own warm hand over the cold pale hand in the casket. Each left the mortuary awkwardly, wiping his eyes.

Our turn came to meet Mrs. Miller. I told her who I was and mentioned the story she had told me about the marbles. With her eyes glistening, she took my hand and led me to the casket. "Those three young men who just left were the boys I told you about. They just told me how they appreciated the things Jim 'traded' them. Now, at last, when Jim could not change his mind about color or size ... they came to pay their debt."

"We've never had a great deal of the wealth of this world," she confided, "but right now, Jim would consider himself the richest man in Idaho."

With loving gentleness she lifted the lifeless fingers of her deceased husband.

Resting underneath were three exquisitely shined red marbles.

Dinner-of-the-Day

Ate with my family (to celebrate Julius' birthday) at Brazil Churrasco. Nice place with good meat and excellent pisang goreng! Similar concept to Carnivore.

Movie-of-the-Day

Watched Julie & Julia with HY today! It's a great movie! Something that's not so cliche!

Photo-of-the-Day

I like these dustbins.

Photo-of-the-Day

MacRitchie (The New)

Photo-of-the-Day

Fried Rice by Pat! Garnishing by me!

Video-of-the-Day

Book-of-the-Day

The Last Lecture

Boys and girls, this is a good read. You could watch the lecture online as well. Might be the most important lecture you've ever listened to. Watched it HERE.

Farewell-of-the-Day

Jaime@5.28pm:
I managed to finish two documents which are 3000+ words long each within 2 days. WOW. Super chiong. pQ, if you can read this, you better thank me. Ok, time to go buy some stuff for YOU.

Bon Voyage Fiend!
(Yes, FIEND.)

Food-of-the-Day

Cooked dinner with HY this evening. Me cooked drunken prawns while he cooked the vegetables and chicken stew.

Movie-of-the-Day

Watched Cloudy With A Chance Of Meatballs in 3D with HY. So fun. My first 3D movie. Heehee.

Bikes-of-the-Day

In Batam last year!

Pocketbikes are so cute! Gosh. They're tiny (see photo)! Cheapest is around $300. Guess what, people race with these on Sat nights at a National Stadium carpark. Gosh.

Dear Friends, everyone buy one then we play ok? No need licence one. Hehe.

Game-of-the-Day

This is so old-skool.

Snake - the age of Nokia. Yep, that’s the game! Once you've click on the link below, click on the Snake logo to start playing.

(http://www.neave.com/games/snake/)

Game-of-the-Day

Tried my hand at a brainy game today. Sudoku! Inspired from the amazing race we played recently.

Dinner-of-the-Day

Homed cooked food by Pat this evening. I reached home at the perfect time for dinner!

Jog-of-the-Day

Met Sandra for what seemed like a drug drop-off. LOL. Her glucosamine tablets are these white tablets!

Met rZ in the evening for a jog. Went to MacRitchie. The place has CHANGED. Totally different at the car park area but it's change and improvement I embrace. You've got to see it. I wanna have a picnic there!

Movie-of-the-Day

Watched 9 at Lido today. Humans, machines and voodoo-like dolls. A movie with a substantial amount of Christian connotation. Quite nice but a really short show (just bout an hour long)!

Awards-of-the-Day

Attended the Sports Club Appreciation Night this evening. The standard awards and appreciation tokens given out were of no surprise. However, NUS Air Weapons clinched the BEST LAND MEMBER CLUB for the first time in history! I was still talking and eating when they made the announcement so had to dump everything to run and get it. Now, that was unexpected. Well, that's a fine conclusion to my stint with NUS Air Weapons!!!

TCM-of-the-Day

Stepped into a TCM clinic for treatment for the first time in my life! I didn't know they had Eu Yan Sang at Rivervale! LOL. Well, let's see how this goes! Just drinking the bitter medicine makes me feel better. Hehe. Don't care and doesn't matter if it's a placebo or not. All that matters is that the effects are positive (not on my wallet though)!

HEAL DAMMIT! I'm gonna be a little more disciplined. Angree alledy.

On a separate note,
HAPPY KIDDO DAY!