Tuesday, May 28, 2013

How can I escape Your love?

In the space 4 days I have been to the hospital twice - to visit 2 of my friends' mothers who were warded for different reasons. Life is fragile - that is definite. Life is unpredictable - that is definite. Life is beyond our control - sometimes. Life is in His hands - always.

On the drive home from the hospital just now, an *old song (Your Love) keeps playing in my head:
Where can I go from Your Spirit? How can I escape in Your love?
Your love for me is deeper than the sea and higher than the heavens above

Where can I flee from Your presence, Now that You abide in my heart
My heart is Your home, Your temple, Your throne so what could ever keep us apart

Your love is higher than the heavens. Your love is deeper than the ocean
Nothing in creation can take me away from Your love
Your love, there is nothing greater. Your love there is nothing stronger
You came to me, gave Your life
So I could be free

*It's probably not that old but I first heard it almost 10 odd years ago, perhaps it is more recent, my memory fails me a fair bit these days.

Ending with an edited photo of today's morning sky

Even in the midst of life's fragility and unexpected turn of events (for better or worse in our eyes) - let us not forget who is truly in control. HOPE is alive. And every day, EVERYDAY there is a reason why we live - there is a reason why we can still face today, tomorrow...

Monday, May 27, 2013

Feel the heat!


Not sure what happened but for the past 1 week the air conditioning in the office kept malfunctioning - today it's really bad. So stuffy with dead air, I couldn't really pay attention to what I am working on.

Thank God I have a mini USB fan to keep me cool from fainting...

What would I do without you?

Monday, May 20, 2013

Me workaholic?

No longer am so, and I am so glad!

Workaholic defined:
work·a·hol·ic
/ˌwərkəˈhôlik/
Noun
A person who compulsively works hard and long hours.


If you are wondering whether you are one, check these 10 signs and mark your ticks:


I still remember those days when I get out of the house early morning and don't get home till 10-11 at night, which translates to 12 solid hours of work work work (plus an hour or less of lunch break). Crazy times when I did not get to spend time to have a proper meal - breakfasts at the work desk (still do!), rushed/quickie lunches and missed/late dinners.


I am just glad those days are over (I hope). Well, the reason I worked so long hours those days was partly I was a fresh graduate back then - being wet behind the ears - I strived and gave it my best that I may learn as fast as I can, especially when I had more experienced peers reporting to me. The other reason was because I had a demanding superior - who was an utmost perfectionist yet who seem to leave everything to the last minute. Enough said.

I am still learning, but as I age, I have garnered more experience and also am able to dictate my own working pace. I still work hard but I have also learned to work smarter.

The recent news of a Chinese man who died due to overwork is not new....it had happened before, and I don't wish it to happen to me. As much as I want to have a more comfortable life (who doesn't?), I have also learned that contentment is bliss and work-life balance is really, really important. Important not just to keep our sanity and not just preventing one from turning into a zombie - important to our health and affect other areas in our lives (eg: relationships) too.

So to my friends who are still trapped in their work - I hope you will find liberty real soon. Remember, working long hours does not translate to working hard.

Ending with this infographic:
Source: Daily Infographic

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Calm

calm
/kä(l)m/
Adjective
(of a person, action, or manner) Not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other emotions.
Noun
The absence of violent or confrontational activity within a place or group.
Verb
Make (someone) tranquil and quiet; soothe: "he lit a cigarette to calm his nerves".
Synonyms
adjective.   quiet - tranquil - still - placid - serene - peaceful
noun.   quiet - calmness - quietness - tranquillity - serenity
verb.   pacify - quiet - appease - soothe - lull - quieten



Last week, I distributed a few of these in the office, to cheer up the stressful souls of fellow colleagues due to either work and/or life.
Keep Calm & Eat Chocolate

It is contagious! Found this on my table calendar today:
Stay Calm, Have a Snoopy Hug!
Some other stay-calmers around:





What is your way to stay calm?

Sunday, May 12, 2013

Happy Mothers' Day to all!

Celebrated early with Mom a day earlier, took her out... nowadays, as we do not live in the same house, it's weekend that I am better able to spend more quality time. I try to spend at least 1 or 2 weekends with her a month. It's also through these 2-3 years that I get to know this woman I have been calling 'Mother' for over 30 years now.

Also sharing some snippets of a slide presentation I did 4 years ago...
Give her credit for all she does. She deserves the respect of everyone.

Please don't rush them...because as you slowly grow up, they slowly grow old.
In one of our recent conversations, she said sorry for not having done much for me and my siblings, she claimed she really wasn't a good mother. Well, she may not be the best in town, but she's the only mother I have got, and to me, she had done the best she could have at that point in time, based on her own upbringing & circumstances of the time.

Again, I admit I am not the perfect daughter, not the best one either... I fail at times (and expect will continue to be so) but I do try to be the best I could be for her. Because she believed in me. Because my dad is no longer with us (he passed away 11 years ago) - I am loving my mom doubly!

Full slideshow here.

Friday, May 10, 2013

Dawn of a new era

Last weekend saw the nation entering into a new era. On 5 May 2013, Sunday, Malaysia held her 13th General Elections.

I shall not detail on things that happen but all I can say is that I have never realised how much I love the country until that moment last Sunday.

It was 5pm - the gates to the polling station was closed. Supporters from both coalitions gathered near the main entrance and sang the national anthem. It had been some time I had sung the 'Negaraku' with so many fellow Malaysians - I did not see people of different backgrounds, races, religions, cultures - I only saw Malaysians.
I love you, Malaysia, tanah tumpahnya darahku
The results of the 13th GE did not leave many people too happy. Since the results were announced, most (I'd say) friends' FB profile picture had turned black...



Meanwhile I had this up as my cover photo to encourage fellow Malaysians not to lose hope.


I have just changed it to a sunrise shot I took this morning. It is always darkest before dawn. Morning is here.


Wednesday, May 1, 2013

(A)musing Finds - Maeklong Railway Market

Amusing - where traders do their business by the railway track. Just before the train passes by, they will start to keep their stuffs and business resumes as usual once the train has gone by. The train passes the market 8 times daily. 


Other than that, nothing much to explore here...if only the market is on a longer stretch or a more scenic one.


Train's coming...coming... gone!

Some of the stuffs you can get from the market
To get there:
From Bangkok the train departs from Wong Wian Yai station. The nearest BTS Station is Wangwan Yai (20 minutes walk). From here you get the train to the end of the line at Mahachai.

This train takes about an hour. At Mahachai, exit left of the train, then turn right into the market street. It’s a fishing port so you will see seafood everywhere. Walk to the end of the street and on your left you will see the river and the ferry terminal.

You now catch the ferry across the river to Ban Laem. At Ban Laem walk through the market and at the street entrance, turn right. Keeping walking down this street for about 10 minutes and you will get to the station where you can take a train to go straight to Maeklong (1-hour long journey).
Source: PassportChop


We didn't want to go through all the hassle, so we hired a van for THB2000 (flat rate/car) + THB1000 (for petrol/gas) for the 3 of us. The half-day trip covers Amphawa Floating Market and a boat ride there.


Earlier (A)musing Finds:
Water-powered clock
Butter knife
Optical illusion
Women