Snowed Under By One's Words

I don't know why I waste my time

Getting hung up about the things you say

When I open my eyes and its a lovely day

~ Keane, Snowed Under

Words are only words, are they?

When words insult or hurt us, how do we react to them? Do we tolerate them? Ignore them? Understand them? Be taken aback?

What of the person who said such words? Do we continue to be friends with them? Or do we silently exclude them from our Friends list?

Do we waste our time thinking of repartees to their words? Or should we just let them slide?

In all manners, it's up to us to decide.

Cheers, one and all.

What one thing are you exceptionally bad at?

Remembering stuff. XP

Life, the Universe, people, behavior, opinions - just ask me XD

What did you eat for breakfast today?

Some cereal. A biscuit. And Milo.

Life, the Universe, people, behavior, opinions - just ask me XD

What was your favorite TV show as a child?

Well, there were loads. So I don't really know.

Life, the Universe, people, behavior, opinions - just ask me XD

If you could be on the cover of any magazine, which would you choose?

Time, if possible! XD

Life, the Universe, people, behavior, opinions - just ask me XD

Updates

At last, the holidays are here. CNY dawns, and 'angpau' await to be collected!

I have to say it's been quite a hectic time we have had so far, in spite of the fact it's just January. Things tend to happen when it's least expected. I guess it's just part and parcel of Life.

I can easily say I've had a heck of a time. Ups and downs, ups and downs, north and south. Going uphill and downhill. Can't really say I enjoyed much of it, but still Life goes on. Anything goes, I say.

I also realized something: how I interact with people is mostly based on how I can relate myself to them. Sometimes, people who others deem irrational may just seem fine with me. Others who people connect with without much difficulty may just seem to be the total opposite with me.

It's all in the Lens Principle. Who we are determines what we see.

I've only recently put a stop to hostilities I had with a friend. I have to admit both sides are in the blame to it's cause, but I guess in the end I decided to be the bigger person and end the misunderstanding. I believe that wasting energy and effort getting angry over it is not going to get me anywhere. Live and let live.

And speaking of the Lens Principle (which I will post sometime later in future) I wonder what kind of impression I have with most people. With the fact I found out rumors of me have been circulating much more widely (perhaps as much as that of RJ) it kinda makes me wonder what people actually see in me.

Do I portray the qualities of a jerk? A genius? A thinker? A nitwit? A fool? A friend? An ass? What then?

Sigh.

A True Story

Here's something from John C. Maxwell's "Winning With People":

'Author and speaker Dan Clark recalls that when he was a teenager, he and his father once stood in line to buy tickets for the circus. As they waited, they noticed the family immediately in front of them. The parents were holding hands, and they had eight children in tow, all well behaved and all probably under the age of twelve. Based on their clean but simple clothing, he suspected that they didn't have a lot of money. The kids jabbered about the exciting things they expected to see, and he could tell that the circus was going to be a new adventure for them.

'As the couple approached the counter, the attendant asked how many tickets they wanted. The man proudly responded, "Please let me buy eight children's tickets and two adult's tickets so I can take my family to the circus."

'When the attendant quoted the price, the man's wife let go of his hand, and her head drooped. The man leaned a little closer and asked, "How much did you say?" The attendant again quoted the price. The man obviously didn't have enough money. He looked crushed.

'Clark said that his father watched all of this, piut his hand in his pocket, pulled out a twenty-dollar bill, and dropped it on the ground. His father then reached down, pickd up the bill, tapped the man on the shoulder, and said, "Excuse me, sir, this fell out of your pocket."

'The man knew exactly what was going on. He looked straight into Clark's father's eyes, took his hand, shook it, and with a tear streaming down his cheek, replied, "Thank you, thank you, sir. This really means a lot to me and my family."

'Clark and his father went back to their car and drove home. They didn't have enough money to go to the circus that night, but it didn't matter. Because they had put themselves in the place of others, they had done something more important.'

Would you do the same if you were in Clark's father's shoes? If it really did happen in a different situation, would you extend such courtesy?

Think about it.

Touching Lives

An anonymous poet had the time to write this very moving poem:

My life shall touch a dozen lives before this day is done,

Leave countless marks for good or ill ere sets the evening sun,

This is the wish I always wish, the prayer I always pray;

Lord, may my life help other lives it touches by the way.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to positively influence one's life for the better? Have you ever wondered how you'd feel when you see the one whose life you have touched change and grow in positivity? Wouldn't it be great if we all spent some time doing noble deeds such as this?

Touching lives is no easy task. But you'll never know how a simple gesture of friendship can mean so much to one who has always lived in seclusion. Think about it.

Cheers!

Who You Are Makes A Difference - The Campaign

I am pleased to announce that this affirmation campaign is about to be initiated very soon!

Essentially, this campaign is all about affirming the people who have made a difference in your Life. A person will be given four ribbons with the phrase "Who You Are Makes A Difference." All he/she has to do is to pin one to the person they want to affirm, and pass the remaining three to that person so that he/she may do the same. So then, the recipient will have three ribbons. He/she will pin one to another friend and have that person carry the remaining two. So then it will go on until all the ribbons have been given out.

I won't reveal too much about the campaign, but it's purpose is simple: appreciation. Many are there times we are helped by others out of sincerity but we never do get a chance to affirm them for their helping hand. Sometimes we forget. Sometimes we are lazy to do it. But we need to remember that we are all human. And we depend on each other to move forward. Forward in faith, zeal, friendship and perseverance.

So who has made a difference in your Life? Consider this question thoroughly.

Cheers for now!

Updates

Bam!

CNY is a-coming, and I can't wait!

Festivities, festivities, angpau, and food! Oh yes, it's gonna be great!

The Lifelong Process

The Law of Process focuses on only one thing: continual efforts to build leadership. As was mentioned before: Rome wasn't built in a day. To become someone better, you need to make a point to work on your weaknesses and turn them into strengths. And even when you feel you've reached a point where you say: "I've reached my potential", then you are dead wrong. Learning is a lifelong process (hence the title of the post) and goes on for a lifetime.

We need to spend our entire life building our worth and go for the long haul, not the short-term goal. If you plan to make a fortune in a day, you are going to be disappointed. "The secret of our success is found in our daily agenda," as Tag Short says. So long as you keep up with your investments into building your leadership, allowing your "assets" to compound, you'll see how much you'll gain in time.

Don't be let down by the fact there's a leader born every minute. Sure, although many of them truly live up to what is expected from them, it doesn't happen overnight. You need to be master of many factors like experience and influence before you can call yourself a leader. To really rise up you need to work your way to the top. You need to learn continuously.

When you start off, you won't really see the need for leadership - and this means you might have missed countless opportunities! But once you do get into a leadership position, then you'll see how you need to learn to lead. British Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli once said, "To be conscious that you are ignorant of the facts is a great step to knowledge." Also remember what Margaret Thatcher said: "Being in power is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren't".

Once you see your lack of skill and work on improving yourself and build your leadership, lots of things will happen. You change in many ways, and then you will notice how you're going on the right track. John C. Maxwell spotted a budding leader in one of his seminars, and gave him good advice on how to become a successful leader: keep learning. Once you do sufficient research and practise, it becomes second nature.

But always bear in mind: you can only go so far when you tell yourself to keep going. President Theodore Roosevelt is a great example of one who uses the Law to great effect. Born to a wealthy family in Manhattan, he was very sickly when he was a boy. But it was his father who encouraged him to be more than that. And over the years, TR (as he was fondly known) honed himself to be the fit man he was known to be. And he continued to distinguish himself: becoming a police commissioner; helped campaign for President McKinley, even though he was almost assassinated; built the United States into a world power; oversaw the construction of the Panama Canal; won the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering peace between Russia and Japan; and even went on expeditions after serving his term. Historian Hugh Brogan described him as "the ablest man to sit in the White House since Lincoln; the most vigorous since Jackson; the most bookish since John Quincy Adams."

When Roosevelt passed away on January 6th, 1919, they found a book underneath his pillow. It goes to show how he lived by the Law of Process; he never stopped learning. And you shouldn't either. Emulate Roosevelt's spirit; build your potential and, most of all, persevere through it all.

Cheers!

Who's The Boss?

Ever had a time when you lead a group of people, only to find someone else is leading them?

No, I don't mean that as in a coup d'etat. I mean, you are the appointed leader, but in the end when you bring it down to the people in your committee someone else is doing the delegating - NOT you. YOU may be the appointed leader, but in the end that someone holds the power. Strange, but true. This is known as the Law of E.F. Hutton. (As preached in John C. Maxwell's marvelous work "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership")

Who's this E.F. Hutton, you ask? Well, E.F. Hutton is actually the name of a financial service company in America. They used to have ads on TV, where in a busy and crowded public place two friends would be talking about financial matters. After the first person spoke of what his broker advised him to do, the second person then says: "Well, my broker is E.F. Hutton, and E.F. Hutton says..." At that point everyone around the two would stop in their trackd, turn, and listen to what the man was about to say. Funny as it sounds, it's in the case of the Law: when the REAL leader speaks, everyone listens.

John faced this problem as a pastor of a church in Indiana after he graduated, and he learned well from it. It was at his first board meeting that he noticed the Law in action. He had come to the meeting ready to lead, with no set agenda and the assumption everyone would listen to him since he was the leader. He was proven wrong thanks to one of the senior members by the name of Claude. When Claude spoke, everyone listened.

And John learned of how powerful the Law can be. So instead of forcing Claude down, he used Claude's influence among the church members to accomplish anything that needs attention. In his own words, "I could always count on him to bring those things before the people, and whenever Claude spoke, people listened." Once you understand the concept behind the Law, you can easily see how everyone reacts to the REAL leader.

Take Tihn Chern as an example. When he speaks everyone listens. It's plain to see he's the real leader, not just because of his title as Head Prefect, but by his influence among the Prefects and the students. In all situations, when a question is asked the people always look to the real leader.

Real leaders aren't hard to spot. They are the ones who speak later, unlike positional leaders who speak first. Just like John and Claude, Claude was the real leader because he became the voice of the church once John had spoken. Real leaders need only their own influence to get things done, while positional leaders need the real leader to get things moving. Also, real leaders influence everyone in the room while positional leaders influence other positional leaders. In essence, those who lead the people are the real leaders, not the ones who lead the meeting.

People always claim they are born leaders. But how do you lead when no one listens to you? The best way to see who's the real leader is to see how the people react to him/her. Real leaders need to possess seven traits, which will come to them in time:

CHARACTER: Who they are makes a difference in the lives of others, no matter how small.
RELATIONSHIPS: Who they know can change everything. The deeper their relationships with others, the stronger their potential for leadership. And with the right people they can achieve much more.
KNOWLEDGE: Knowledge is power, for without it they can't be leaders. They need to know their facts, the factors involved, and have a vision before they can lead.
INTUITION: What they feel can mean the difference between success and failure. Their instincts may just give them the edge against all others.
EXPERIENCE: All that they have gone through in the past will help them gain more followers, for it encourages them to prove the leader's worth.
PAST SUCCESS: What they've done speaks volumes  - and grants the people a good reason to be led by them.
ABILITY: What they can do will decide if their followers stay or leave them.

This Law shows that leadership isnt just about credentials and fame. It also requires the respect of the people. Take Mother Teresa, for example. She may seem like any ordinary person, but she was truly a real leader. She succeeded in building up her organization, the Missionaries of Charity, till it numbered more than four thousand members during her lifetime. And that's not including the total number of volunteers!

Even when she spoke about certain sensitive topics, no one rallied against her. No one booed, or jeered, or showed their defiance, nor did any of them act in violence. Everyone shut up and listened, even if they were strongly against what she said. She was the most respected person in the entire world. And when she spoke, EVERYONE in the WHOLE WORLD listened to her. It's just like how people rallied to the cause of leaders like Martin Luther King, Jr and Mahatma Gandhi. They spoke, and they were heard.

If you thought you were really the leader, then maybe it's time you reexamine your priorities and your approach, as well as how your people listen to you. Use the Law of E.F. Hutton to great effect. Be the one people listen to.

Cheers!

Updates

Installation Day came and went pretty fast.

Yeah. Pretty fast. But everyone's legs still hurt. Haha, oh well. That's just how it is.

On a random note, it seems the stuff about the new horoscope - with the introduction of the horoscope Ophiuchus - are not accurate. So much for all the fuss. You can read more here.

Cheers for now.

Who Are You?

A random quote:

You may be famous, but you may not be known;

You may be known, but you may not be famous.

So, what's it mean?

Even though the entire community, company or organization knows your name, your talents and your actions, it doesn't necessarily mean that they know the real you. They do not know your essence that makes you you. In the end, what others say and think will influence them to think or say it that way too. So if they see you as a miscreant, a felon, then you'd be seen like that by everyone. Your infamy knows no bounds at that time.

On the other hand, you may be known by a lot of people. In hindsight, it means you've a lot of friends. But does that make you popular? Do people listen to you when you speak? Though they know you from the inside and outside, do they bother to follow your lead? Will you be able to make them follow your march? How long will the momentum last, in that case?

Think about that.

New Reads

Finally found my brother's copy of John C. Maxwell's "The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership" after digging around for ages on Sunday. I'm like "YES!" when I found it, because it's a good book.

Leadership is indeed an important asset. And this book is an essential guide to it.

Will be adding stuff from the book pretty soon. Keep your fingers crossed!

Updates

Back from FT Weekend. Had a good time there, and it also signaled the beginning of new things to come.

Hopefully the next Regional Convention would be sometime in March; at least I can have some good fun while learning about the LaSallian mission and passing the time doing something that is eye-opening.

Hopes and fears. Lots of that, eh?

Who Do We Run To?

A random quote got me to thinking:

Sometimes, it kinda sucks to be the one everyone runs to with their problems.

And mind you, I was talking to a friend about how a classmate always gets approached by others who need help with Maths T. Me included.

Still, thinking it through, it does mean a lot.

Many are there times we run to someone to complain and gripe and just pour out our stress building inside us and to that someone so he/she can dispense some advice. Well, it's good to have a friend like that around.

But there can be times when more friends come to you and just dump all their emotional baggage, hoping you'd be the one to sort it out. Not them, YOU. And they do it over and over again. An endless cycle.

And then how are you going to sort your own problems?

Sometimes, you need to consider the other party before you start dumping your emo problems. You'll never know when the other party actually has it far worse than you do.

I remember in the LTC, one of the facilitators had gone through something like that. She poured her problems out, hoping there would be a solution. But it turned out that her friend had a whole lot of problems too.

Be careful. As much as you can count of friends, they're still human.

Cheers.

FT Weekend

Here I come! Finally! Wheee!!!

Updates

Oh boy, can't wait for tomorrow!

Wonder what to expect. I know there's bound to be loads of fun in the two days. So I'm gonna enjoy myself to the max!

Cheers for now.

Sigh

It's amazing how people act.

You try to be nice to them, but no matter what they do they can never prevent themselves from sticking their heads up their asses.

And still, they can even put their foot in their mouth.

Please! C'mon! It's not like I want to wage a war of words with you in the first place! What's going on?

Haiz. Maybe it's just you. Maybe I should know better.

Sometimes, you can't please everyone. Which is sad, because if we could I'd say we'd be having happy times now in the world.

Oh well. Live and let live.

Wonder how much of patience I have left in me. Sigh.

Updates

Sigh. Now that my computer is on the fritz, blogging is a little harder now.

Normally I schedule my posts to be displayed. But now I gotta do them ASAP and on the spot in school.

Oh well. More time to study! XD

A blessing in disguise. =)

A Vision

There is a need for vision. In these times, especially. Everyone seems to be going on with Life without a vision. A man without purpose is as useless as a computer without a processor. (Pardon the expression)

Our reach should exceed our grasp. We can dream, but does that mean a dream should stay a dream? Dreams eventually become realities, even if people say it is impossible. Who knew we could do all that? Who knew Thomas Edison could invent the light bulb after a thousand failures? Who knew Einstein would write the Law of Relativity even when people criticized him and looked down on him? Who'd have realized the Wright brothers would succeed in becoming the pioneers of flight?

VISION is important. The people above had a clear vision of what they wanted. You should too.

Solomon quoted (Prov. 29: 18KJv) "When there is no vision, the people perish." Take it from him: leaders can never move forward if they don't have the guts to dream. And to do that they need a vision to inspire others to commit themselves to their cause. Are you like that? If not it's time you changed and put a vision in your head.

Set your goals and do whatever you can to accomplish them. Remember what Helen Keller said: "[It is] better to be blind but with vision than with eyesight but no vision."

Cheers!

Surprises Await

Do you ever laugh at the small things in Life sometimes? Things that don't even seem to matter in the slightest?

Well think twice - Life is now full of surprises, what with hiding big things in small ones. Because Life is as unpredictable as it gets, and you can never tell what is gonna come at you later on.

It's like getting ambushed by someone who's right in front of you, but you didn't realize he was right there.

Watch yourself. You'll never know what you'll find in Life.

Profound Meaning

Here's a Chinese proverb I found, which I think would be very enlightening for you all to know. Cheers!

If there is righteousness in the heart,
    there will be duty in the character.
If there is duty in the character,
    there will be harmony in the home.
If there is harmony in the home,
    there will be order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation,
    there will be peace in the world.

Doing It Right

This quote really gets me to thinking: "Those who have the right to boast don't have to."

I find it to be very true. Why? Well, it DOES mean something, right? The obvious fact is that people who have what it takes don't need to waste their time talking about it and bragging about how well they can do. They just prove it.

Someone once said there is a difference between a big shot and a little shot. It's that the big shot is the little shot that kept on shooting. Always make it a point to keep on going even after the first shot. Just like that famous line from Disney's "The Rescuers": If at first you don't succeed, try try again.

Learning from your mistakes is what ensures the little shot gets bigger. The misses serve as a reminder for us to do better, and eventually you will! Be persistent in your efforts and constantly enthusiastic about what's to come.  Remember that the only time you must not fail is the last time you try.

Think about it.

Of Timing and Preparation

"There is an advantage in every disadvantage and a gift in every problem."
~ John Johnson

1. Have you ever had times when you say to yourself: "If I had acted sooner, I'd have gotten what I wanted"? I'm sure you've had quite a number.

We usually blame it on the timing of the situation. When we least expect it, something is bound to happen to us in some effort of ours. Or worse, we know it will happen, but we didn't take the necessary action till it's too late. And then we regret and complain and gripe and so on.

The key is: don't wait for the "right time". There really is no such thing as the RIGHT TIME. Because if you keep waiting for it to come before you take action, you may already have missed it. Instead, make it happen. Don't let wasted days and wasted nights go by.

2. To develop endurance you must go uphill. It's quite a challenge to do so, isn't it? But that's why they say that. It's because the uphill journey flexes your muscular strength down in the legs, as well as keep you fit when it comes to going up.

Sure, it's difficult. But who said the climb up is easy? Every mountaineer will have something to say about their ascents; narrow escapes from death being the most common topic. There are always bound to be difficulties, but do remember this: when you climb the "mountains" in Life, it helps us climb the next ones higher and faster. They prepare you for what's to come.

Don't walk away from it. Instead, embrace it!

A Quickie

Classses and classes and more classes.

Work, work, work.

The world spins. My head too.

God, things are so complicated.

But I gotta get through this. =)

formspring.me

Life, the Universe, people, behavior, opinions - just ask me XD http://formspring.me/hxazgalor

What's your favorite school subject, and why's it your favorite?

My school has the Computing subject, so I kinda am biased to that. It's my fave cos I learned ICT in Form 4 and 5 XD so it kinda seems pretty easy. And I do wana learn abit here and there about the IT world and stuff. So yeah.

Life, the Universe, people, behavior, opinions

Be Spontaneous

"With a fine disregard for the rules, he picked up the ball and ran"

These words were inscribed at the base of a monument in England that pays tribute to a special occasion: the birth of rugby.

Back in the old days, two schools were engaged in a soccer competition, and both schools were playing very well against each other. At one point in the game one boy - who had more enthusiasm and school spirit than experience in the game - was sent in to substitute one of his team mates. He knew very well that, for his team to win, the ball had to be in the opposing team's goal. And so he did the unthinkable.

He picked up the ball and ran.

After all, there weren't ANY rules that didn't say he couldn't do that. And so he did it, to the shock and awe of everyone there - the players, the announcers, the spectators, the whole lot of them.

But it was his enthusiasm that had everyone. And from there, rugby was born.

Moral of the story: it pays to be spontaneous - for you'll never know  when you might just create some incredible results out of thin air. And always be enthusiastic, too, for it's an asset that will grant us much success and joy in Life.

Failing Forward

We all fear failing. Whether it's failing the exams, your driving license exam, an important project, or whatever, we just don't like failing. The dissatisfaction, the guilt, the agony - it does much to drive us up the wall. And then some.

But bear in mind, FAILURE is actually CRITICAL to success. RJ once quoted, "I make as many mistakes as possible so I can learn the right answer." It's not necessary for you to follow in his footsteps, but it's important we remember that failure can actually help us achieve the goals we have set. How?

Easy, really. You learn from your mistakes. It's somewhat like RJ's words above, that he makes many mistakes to learn the right way. Like I said you don't have to keep getting it wrong so you know what's right. As long as you gain something valuable from the mistake made, then that counts. And yes, sometimes there will be times we repeat the mistake, but I believe it's less frequent compared to before you started learning from your mistakes.

If you fall off the beaten path, you always pick yourself up to move on. It's easy as counting from 1 to 10. In a baseball analogy, you must always step back up to the plate even after you strike out. You need to tell yourself that you can do it, rather than convince yourself that when it's over, it's over. The more you're inclined to say "I give up", the higher your chances of failing even more than usual.

And don't think you can cover up for your wrongdoings. Too often we hit a 'bad shot' - that is, we make a mistake. So instead of admitting to it, we try and beat around the bush, and that's only a load of bullshit. What you're going to get in the end is trouble. So be a wise person and admit your mistake. Then once you've acknowledged it, you can start working through it and make things better. The question is: will you make your mistakes work FOR you or AGAINST you?

Tread lightly when it comes to this. People have fallen prey to pride and only end up suffering more than they should (like mentioned above), and I can tell you that it's not nice at all. Making your mistakes work FOR you is not easy, but making them work AGAINST you can happen in almost a split second. Follow through on your efforts and make sure what you're doing is indeed for the better and not otherwise. It's not always that you can get second chances. So when there is no room for error do your best!

Cheers for now.

Definition of a Zombie

 ZOM-BIE: (Zom¢be)n.also ZOM-BIES pl.1. An animated corpse that feeds on living human flesh. 2. A voodoo spell that raises the dead. 3. A Voodoo snake god. 4. One who moves or acts in a daze“like a zombie.”[a word of West African origin]

What is a zombie? How are they created? What are their strengths and weaknesses? What are their needs, their desires? Why are they hostile to humanity? Before discussing any survival techniques, you must first learn what you are trying to survive.

 We must begin by separating fact from fiction. The walking dead are neither a work of “black magic” nor any other supernatural force. Their origin stems from a virus known asSolanum, a Latin word used by Jan Vanderhaven, who first “discovered” the disease.

This is an excerpt from the Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks. And I tell you people that it's a really great read! In fact, it's worthy to be THE most important tool in the case of a real Zombie Apocalypse!

You gotta check it out. XD

Forgiveness

I have said before that 'too many enemies is too much trouble'. And indeed, it's true. If you have foes all over the place, you're not going to get away from any of them so easily. Besides, 'the enemy of my enemy is my friend' and that would spell trouble. So when we see all these people bickering and arguing and fighting and gossiping, it just seems so disappointing. And every one of our gods didn't say anything about the good there is in fighting.

So why do we still do it?

Do we feel justified by getting even with others? Is there some kind of sadistic need to make the other person feel inferior? Does it serve any beneficial purpose at all? Just because of one mistake no one can be trusted? Why do we make a mountain out of a molehill? We're only wasting time and energy, both of which are more well spent on more important things like studying or completing important projects.

Seriously. We can easily spend so much time ranting and raving over some person who showed disrespect rather than take time to find out why he's like that. Obviously it's because no one has the patience to stop and think anymore. Every one is running around with their own errands to do. And no one likes to be bothered so much over these things. The only solution is to vent anger continuously and unendingly, because for us humans we can easily find a thousand and one faults in someone, whereas a few strengths are easily missed out and left unsaid.

Truth be told, every god frowns on such actions or behavior. It's pretty obvious why: you're not really following your god's plans. Each of Them wants their flock to live happy and harmoniously. If there isn't any harmony, how are they supposed to rely on each other to help one another? How can there be world peace? The words of man can easily be twisted against him if he is not careful. The inherent mistrust we carry easily burdens us in our hearts and minds, and that only drives us to turn against all that is good in life.

Sure, you can rave all you want about the pal who you have a face problem with; sure, you can keep on screaming obscenities at the person who broke your heart; sure, you can just complain about that son-of-a-gun tutor who makes your studying life hell. By all means, you can just keep it going. But ask yourself: am I really gaining something good out of this?

Your prejudice, pride and ego may be keeping you away from the guy you have issues with. He might actually be a gentle person you can easily talk to. Your bitterness and resentment over the actions of the past lead you further away from your ex, in spite of the fact he now just wants to be friends. Your unwillingness to listen, together with your lack of enthusiasm, fear and detestment, only drives you closer and closer to the fate of being pounded to dust by your teacher's words.

Wake up, people. You're only wasting time and energy, plus you're doing more bad to yourself than you think.

So make it a point to get to know your 'problematic friend' much better and do what you can to help. (Only if you're the Bob/Bobette, after all!) Forgive your ex and let the past stay buried deep; focus on the future instead. Accept the fact that's your teacher's methodology or whatever, and just start making extra efforts to go the extra mile. Soon enough, you'll be over them so much faster than you think.

So please, take this time to think all this through. Your anger is only going to make you suffer continually. The pain may not be now, but in future it will be all you feel. Always bear in mind: "To err is human; to forgive is divine." Do yourself a good favor.

Cheers.

Michael Buble's "Hollywood"

Could you be a teenage idol
Could you be a movie star
When l turn on my TV
Will you smile and wave at me telling Oprah who you are.
So you want to be a rock star
With blue eyed bunny's in your bed
Well remember when you're rich that you sold yourself for this, you'll be famous cuz you're dead.

Chorus
So don't go higher for desire
Put it in your head
Baby Hollywood is dead you can find it in yourself.

I don't want to take you dancing
When you're dancing with the world
Well You can flash your caviar and your million dollar car
I don't need that kind of girl
But you could be that next sensation or will you set the latest style
You don't need a catchy song
Cuz the kids will sing along
When you shoot it with a smile

Chorus
So don't go higher for desire
Put it in your head
Baby Hollywood is dead you can find it in yourself.

So don't fly higher for your fire
Put it in your head
Baby Hollywood is dead you can find it in yourself.
Keep it on your head Hollywood is dead.

Well you can do the mighty tango
You can start your little thing
You can swing from vine to vine
While the kiddies wait in line
With the money in their hands
But if you get to California
Save a piece of gold for me
If it's the only thing you save
Then I'll bet you'll never wave when I watch you on TV

Chorus
So don't go higher for desire
Put it in your head
Baby Hollywood is dead you can find it in yourself.

So don't fly higher for your fire
Put it in your head
Baby Hollywood is dead you can find it in yourself.

Keep on loving what is true and the world will come to you, you can find it in yourself

Love what is true and the world will come to you, you can find it in yourself
No no no no no
Keep it in your head Hollywood is dead
Come come Hollywood is dead babe woo hoo
Oh Hollywood is dead yeah yeah
Keep on loving what is true and the world will come to you, you can find it in yourself
Get it in your head Hollywood is dead

What am I to do to keep you happy, huh?

It only seems like I can never seem to get on your good side. What gives?

Don't go on like this. I don't really care about it, but in the end you're going to feel the heat. Not me.

Think before you act.

Cheers.

A Good Quote

Here's something I found in Zig Ziglar's book:

Leadership is lifting a person's vision to higher sights, raising a person's performance to a higher standard, [and] building a personality beyond its normal limitations.

~ Peter Drucker

A very inspirational quote, I'd say. When you are a leader, it is imperative that you always do your best to lift the people under you to a higher level, so that they can do more and achieve their highest potential. After all, we want everyone to be winners right?

Think about it. Cheers!

Updates

A New Year!

Here we go... Sigh.