Tree Cutter

Moving

Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:01:14 GMT

I am moving.

Watch me build my new home.

My Latest Catch

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 01:52:25 GMT

SGH-P310

It's not the newest kid on the block.

But the sleek and light-weight factor attracted me the moment I set eyes on her.

No Government

Fri, 13 Apr 2007 06:03:07 GMT

All bosses would be out of town next week.

It's going to be like a country before the elections.

No Government

Setting Priorities Right

Thu, 12 Apr 2007 01:37:48 GMT

SO LITTLE TIME AND YET SO MUCH TO DO. Such is a very common situation our modern society is offering to us. Work, Family, Friends, Fitness regimes, ... Work-Life Balance seems like such a hard-to-attain ideal. I was inspired by Leo's write-up on setting priorities at the beginning of the year/month/week/day.

So many times, we find ourselves struggling to juggle the issues that we have on hand. And very often, we attend to things that are calling out to us more loudly or frequently, instead of the really more important issues, ... unfortunately.

I recall reading First Things First by Stephen Covey some years ago. He basically categorized issues facing us as Important or Unimportant and Urgent or Non-Urgent.

At times, it is worth the while to stop for a moment and reflect ... it is of no point climbing the ladder so hard when you do not know if it is leaning on the correct side.

Guess this weekend would be a quiet, contemplative one for me.

Sugar Craving

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 08:42:56 GMT

I Need a piece of Choaolate!!

Distance = (Stress Level x Work Load)/Effort

Wed, 11 Apr 2007 01:16:03 GMT

BUSINESS IS PICKING UP. Everyone at work is busy. Furious and at times futile attempts to clear work on time. The sharing of gossips in the company transport that used to be part and parcel of every working day ... is now replaced by silence. Each in their own thoughts. Many in the same direction. How to try to finish work as quickly as possible to avoid staying late working or bring work home.

Alas! Every relationship takes effort to maintain. Social topics of conversation are rarely heard these days. Replaced by discussions, conference calls, emails. All about work.

Yes. BUSINESS IS PICKING UP. Along with that, Stress Level and Work Load increase proportionately as well.

Get Real about Enlightenment

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 09:01:31 GMT

I STUDIED BUDDHISM FOR TWO YEARS IN SECONDARY SCHOOL. It was then that I learnt about the life and transformation of the Buddha. From a prince with luxuries, fame and status in life, he chose the path of an ascetic and later attained Enlightenment under the Bodhi Tree.

I remembered asking my brother if there were a Bodhi Tree in Singapore. In my simple (or naive!) mind then, I thought that the wonder and mystic powers leading to Enlightenment came from the tree. My brother gave me no answer and I asked no more.

I grew up. Graduated. Started working. Faced all realities in life. FORGOT ALL ABOUT THE NEED FOR ENLIGHTENMENT.

As realities seem to defy the feasibility of all spiritual doctrines, I began to doubt if Enlightenment is even possible in the age today. I seriously believe that I would get more bored or frustrated than enlightened if I try to meditate under any holy tree in my current mental state. I seek desperately for peace. INNER PEACE.

The more I seek. The more it seems to delude me.

A thought fleed past my mind yesterday evening. Leading me to think deeply before I slept. There was once a spiritual leader who chose the path of living with bandits for 15 years. During this period of time, no Bodhi Tree was in his vicinity. He had to practise spirituality in this somewhat harsh condition in the midst of barbaric beings. In this state of injustice, he stayed for 15 years!!!

But during this period of time, his pure heart was not stained by the harsh realities of outside world. In fact, the harsh realities served to help him in attaining his realization then to deter him.

Strange is it not? So Enlightenment is independent of Bodhi Tree. Even a condusive, peaceful environment is not a must.

I realise that it is seeing things as they really are. To exist in the present. Experience NOW.

Ideal vs Reality

Tue, 03 Apr 2007 01:29:12 GMT

I was chatting with XBB on my way home yesterday after my two-hour exercise routine at Amore. As we discussed and shared the frustrations we faced at work, she told me about a book that she is currently reading that is made up of short insightful essays. In one of the essays, the writer wrote about the difference between Ideal & Reality.

Ideal is what we hope to have. Reality is what we actually face everyday.

Stress, Anger, Dissatisfaction and a host of other negative feelings basically arise when the Reality we face is far from our Ideal.

So what's the catch?

We can't change Reality.

But we can make adjustments to Our Ideal so that it is not so far from Reality. No matter what, Happiness is inversely proportional to the gap between the two.

We have many ideals in our heads ... A caring, rich and romantic boyfriend. A good paying job with understanding boss that is stressfree. A circle of supportive and understanding friends which is gossip and slander free ... the list never ends.

But hey, anyone who studied physics would know that Ideals rarely .. (or never) exists!

So kill those Ideals floating in your heads. Get Real. The Reality that you face is the Life Now!

Simply embrace it instead of wasting energies comparing it against your Ideals.

Life is Happy. Life would be Happier.

1330 Recharge!!!

Wed, 28 Mar 2007 05:38:09 GMT

Everday at 130pm, our mainframe system sets down for some servicing or techno stuff that beats my feeble grey cells.

Hence 1330 is my happy moment everyday ... at work I mean.

A moment to force me to take a break from the blue screen of numbers. An appropriate time for toilet break and have a cup of coffee.

To catch my breath.

Well this is office life. I am sure everyone feels the same.

Murder Boredom

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 07:51:25 GMT

What to do if you are bored ... in the office. And have to stay trapped in the office.

Install Stumble! and keep clicking on it. It never fail to amaze me what interesting website it will bring me;
Take a formal, document-like piece of paper and go chat with some buddy colleagues of yours. (Only if their boredom level is as high as yours and work urgency is equally not as high).

Hide in the toilet and play whatever games there are in your cell phone.
Make yourself a nice cup of hot coffee and pray that time would go faster.
Send some flowers to your loved ones.
Boggle your mind with Sudoku or Tangram.

If all else fails then take time off. For me, I am hanging on. Only about one and a half hours to knock-off!

Talk about Thinking out of the Box

Tue, 20 Mar 2007 05:00:05 GMT

Good Shoes

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 02:41:09 GMT

Tired of nice shoes that come with complimentary blisters. This Timberland Sandal that I bought last Saturday is not only comfort for your heels but also appealing to the eyes.

Not Being #1

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 01:50:49 GMT

CALL ME UNPATRIOTIC. But I don't see what the fuss is all about that our Changi Airport is not as near to the top as desired.

Life doesn't always demand one to be constantly at the top. We are no KiaSus. It is the up and down and turning around that makes the roller-coaster ride exciting. We should look at how others manage to beat us this round and see how we could excel. Anyway, I happened to check up the web and found that we have been voted the Golden Pillow Award for the past ten years.

Lunch Break

Wed, 14 Mar 2007 07:55:13 GMT

Have been lunching in for the past few weeks. Work volume demands me to work through the day in order to leave the office on time.

I did, however, stole some moments from work during lunch today.

It's been quite some time since I do any craft work. Glad that I succeeded in less than ten minutes! Here is "Fröbelstern".

Lesson from the Spartans

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 01:42:33 GMT

Watched the movie, 300 last weekend. This is not the typical genre of movie that I usually go for. Surprising, it entertained me more than I expected. So here's what I learn from the Spartans:

Life is a survival of the fittest. Spartans were taught to fight since very young. They were brought up knowing they should not take survival for granted.
Never look down on small numbers. Xerxes' army outnumbered that of Leonidas so much. In terms of casualty, the Persians should be deemed as defeated.
True Leaders lead by Example. Leonidas had a beautiful wife and a six-year-old son when he made the painful decision to lead the army to fight to death. It was a heroic exhibit of leading by example.
Sheer Brute Force might not win the battle. In the Battle of Thermopylae, there was not much of tactical planning on the part of the spartans. They fought purely with brute force till the very end. Ready to sacrifice.
During one's last breath, it is our loved ones that flash in our minds. Just before Leonidas collapsed under the thousands of arrows aimed at him, he shouted not for his country or kingship. But for his beloved wife.

An interesting movie worth watching. I doubt if Xerxes of Persia were really so big compared to Leonidas. I also doubted if such gory creatures existed in Persia (now Iran), then.

Feel Good Monday

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 01:30:12 GMT

There is a Chinese Saying, The Plan for a Year should be in Spring, The Plan for a Day should be in the Morning. I wish to extend that the anchor for the week should be planned on Mondays.

Most people come to office on Mondays with heavy steps and grumpy minds. Reluctant to face the stress and common demands at work. You would observe that it is not uncommon for many to dorn attire in black to reflect their Blue Monday Mood. How many times have you heard a fellow worker commenting that he simply dreads coming back to office on Mondays?

My sister works in Canon and a rule that has been running for nearly two years is that every employee must wear red on Mondays. Her boss calls Mondays, Passion Mondays. To use the fervent colour of red to chase the blues away. There are also many articles and tips one could read to chase the blues away.

The first step to start with, is to have the desire to make Monday a Good One. The wish to defy the common drag that pulls us down. To take charge of the paradigm that we are in.

Let's make all Mondays a Feel Good Monday. To get back to work. Where our potential is stretched and tested.

Fight

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 09:32:44 GMT

Witness two managers fighting in the office right in front of everyone today. It really amused me. They were literally yelling at each other.

The accused claimed that the defendant dirtied her working desk when she was not in the office in the morning.

The defendant fought back saying that she is making a mountain out of a mole hill.

Watching "Live" drama like this really amuses me. It also makes me wonder if age is a realistic gauge of a person maturity in life.

4 Don'ts for a Healthy Mind

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 03:04:38 GMT

1) Don't Hold Grudge. Remembering how unjust the past people and circumstances have done to us do us no ounce of good

but to haunt us incessantly. The more grudges you hold, the more tainted the glasses you wear through which you look to your

future.

Hence it is not uncommon for us to notice that the older a person is, the more negative and doubtful of people and circumstances

one tends to be.

Such is a classic example of how one does not learn from experiences. But let experiences in life haunt her ... darkening the future.

Eradicating hopes and optimism.

2) Don't Compare. In the world today, media constantly force us to compare ourselves against entities that we fail to live up to.

We fall into the trick of their attempt to make us spend in an illusive hope to want to match what the society "demands" us to be.

But do we really need to have the LV bag, wear that Dior perfume, achieve that ideal-yet-impossible-to-attain figure, bring home that

X-figure income .... to be just HAPPY?

Be yourself. No matter what shape, size, income you fetch or how good (or simply mediocre) you look.

There is just no end to comparison. And changing ourselves to match that of what others demand of us is plain stressful

and somewhat a total waste of energy.

3) Don't Procrastinate. "Oh, I will do that ... tomorrow."

Be it to start an exercise regime. To take charge of your own health or mental state.

To clear that cluttered drawer of your work desk.

To book that two-weeks trip to Europe that you have talked about for years.

Do it. Do it now.

4) Don't Lose Focus. How many times have I put down list of items to do in the morning and at the end of the day, nothing was done?

You can't blame people from distracting you. But you stay focused despite all distractions. Prioritize and identify the most

important tasks on hand instead of reacting to the constant phone calls or emails flooding in.

Aristotle - "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit."

In Buddhist philosophy, the Mind is symbolic to that of a racing horse.

The untamed mind races incessantly.

Using up energy nontheless.

Take the first step towards a cultured mind.

I strongly feel that a healthy body starts from a healthy mind.

Hence taming this inner racing horse might surpass the effects of vitamins or trips to the doctors.

Accidental Victim

Fri, 09 Mar 2007 01:41:03 GMT

Frustration at work reached critical point recently. Trapped between unsupportive staff and demanding boss reduced me to a manager of pure incompetence. Such a circumstance has affected my appetite, state of mind and sleep for quite some time. Often waking up in the middle of the night in anticipation of a nasty day I will wake up to. Such a state was really unpleasant to be in.

Enlightenment some called it. Others brand it as turning point. I came to realise yesterday that such a state ain't adding an ounce of happiness to my life. Frequent bouts of exercise did not help to reduce the stress level. To make things worse, I took it out on my boy. The nice accommodating girl he used to have was suddently transformed to a nasty monster constantly picking on him.

To the Love of my Life. I apologise.

To the dear friends who walked by me during this low point of my life. I thank you.

To my family who believe in me and stand by me. I appreciate.

It's time I walk out of this dirt pit of depression.

I can always find another job.

But friends. love and family must not be sacrificed at all costs.

As If I Care?

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 09:00:20 GMT

For one who has >20years of experience more than me. Constantly boasting of his abilities by talking loudly punctuated with four letter words.

Thinking that by putting people down, he would be moving himself up.

In face of such aggression.

Ungentleman in every possible way.

Say however loudly you desire.

If such naive a behaviour can make you feel more important.

AS IF I CARE!

Photo Album: Maeree's Birthday

Wed, 04 Apr 2007 09:04:26 GMT

Maeree's Birthday

11052006221

11052006222

ItsNotFunny

MaryBDay

Marybday1

MaryBDayCake

MaryReads

MaryWCake

MaryWCake1

Ready2cut

More Photos...

Photo Album: Taiwan Pics Mar 2005

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 00:30:20 GMT

Taiwan Pics Mar 2005

Untitled Photo

More Photos...

Photo Album: Qing Ming Festival 2006

Sat, 31 Mar 2007 00:18:44 GMT

Qing Ming Festival 2006

1st Stop 4th uncle prays & tossed coins

Sis&bruce @1st stop

Money to be transferred

1st Stop Party for grannies &their frens

1st Stop - Ah Girl & Ah Qian. Do nothing but gossiped & posed.

Bruce helps w cash - These Yellow Cash are for Angels that help my grannies

Gd sandels r essential

From 1st Stop to 2nd Stop - Ben is in a Bad Mood ... As usual

With Bruce on the Way to Stop#1 Ah Mah House

Bro family offers flowers

More Photos...

Photo Album: My NUS Buddies

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 21:39:04 GMT

My NUS Buddies


Ying & Ling	Pat always Nice & Cheery	All satisfied after Veg SteamBoat	Believe it or not ... we've know for nearly 15yrs!
10022006082		10022006084	10022006085
10022006086	10022006087

More Photos...

Photo Album: My Buddies @Anixter

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 16:06:18 GMT

My Buddies @Anixter

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Photo Album: Banyan Tree @Bintan Getaway

Fri, 30 Mar 2007 06:06:24 GMT

Banyan Tree @Bintan Getaway

Aung @Beach Pool

Aung @Stairs to Beach Pool

Aung at Bay Window

Aung calling for Buggy

Aung can't resist Butter

Aung Cutting Green Apples

Aung with PSP

Aung Checking Itinery for Day Two

Aung Choosing DVD from the Gallery

Auren

More Photos...

Photo Album: Gossip Inc. Members

Thu, 15 Mar 2007 09:41:44 GMT

Gossip Inc. Members

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Photo Album: Marisa In Singapore

Thu, 02 Feb 2006 01:02:27 GMT

Marisa In Singapore

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Book List: Mood Indicator

Wed, 18 Apr 2007 09:17:17 GMT

Mood Indicator

18April - My Birthday Wish: May I thrive to be pretty on inside more than outside
*Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle * Eat & Sleep Better * Judge Less * Proscrastinate Less * Accept Myself for who I am *

Custom List: Cool Sites

Tue, 13 Mar 2007 08:35:55 GMT

Cool Sites

Technorati
Useful Site to help develop your Blog Space
Hack MSN Space
One of the coolest site teaching you how to modify and personalize your MSN Space
Zen Habits
You can find nice cool articles to bring up your spirits and nourish your soul.
Get Rich Slowly
You can find some great and easy to implement tips on managing your finances here.
Spiritual Nirvana
If you are interested in Buddhism, then this site is for you.

Custom List: Life's Anchor

Thu, 25 Jan 2007 03:55:48 GMT

Life's Anchor

My 43 Things

Custom List: Buddy Connections

Mon, 19 Jun 2006 02:20:19 GMT

Buddy Connections

Bao Bao & Boon ***Wedding Bells***
To wed on 28Jun06 ... Finally!
Faith & SeaGull**Wedding Bells**
They got married last Saturday, 17Jun06 after two years of courtship. May their Love last a hundred years!

Book List: By My Bedside

Sun, 28 May 2006 05:19:14 GMT

By My Bedside

Steven D Levitt & Stephen J. Dubner: Freakonomics
A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything

Custom List: Useful Tools

Fri, 26 May 2006 03:50:51 GMT

Useful Tools

Colour Scheme Code
Gives you the codes of colours to change the appearance of your site.

Book List: BuddyQuotes

Tue, 09 May 2006 02:00:54 GMT

BuddyQuotes

Bao Bao
"Man ... You just can't understand them can you?"
Karen Ng
"If I am not happy about anything, I would only allow myself to talk and complain to two people about it. After which I would put the whole matter behind me and move on."
Smalla aka Wendy
"You just have to learn to snap out of it ..."

Custom List: Food for Soul

Tue, 09 May 2006 01:18:53 GMT

Food for Soul

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
One ought, everyday, to hear a song, read a fine poem, and, if possible, to speak a few reasonable words
Charles Darwin
It is not the strongest who survive; Nor the most intelligent. But the one most responsive to Change
Abraham Lincoln
Character is like a tree and reputation like its shadow. The shadow is what we think of it; the tree is the real thing.
Mark Twain
The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.
Peace Pilgrim
You cannot change anyone except yourself. After you have become an example, you can inspire others to change themselves.

Blog list: Fellow Bloggers

Mon, 08 May 2006 01:23:28 GMT

Fellow Bloggers

Vic Vic
My Cheery Colleague from GuangZhou based in Sydney.
Ah Girl
My Cousin working as DT in NanYang Polytechnic
Andrea
Bubbly and straight-foward GF of Ian
Ee & Vern
It's more about this easy-going couple than their darling Muffin
Freakonomics
The Hidden Side of Everything
Sharma Robin
Writer of the Monk who Sold His Ferrari

Custom List: YourMessages4Me

Sun, 07 May 2006 04:50:01 GMT

YourMessages4Me

PomPiPi Letter Box
Pour Your Soul 2 Me

Custom List: Virtual Destinations

Fri, 05 May 2006 09:29:43 GMT

Virtual Destinations

The Science of Happiness
I always believe that we alone are responsible for our own Happiness.
Laughter The Best Medicine
What better way to start any day with a good dose of Comic Relief?
Slashdot
Whacky Ideas of today's World
Daily Enlightenments
What better way for mental peace to inject our minds with a dose of Buddha's Insights per day?
Dharmapada
Sayings of the Lord Buddha to serve as Light at Times of Darkness