Portrayal of human sufferings....Award-winning photo

Grand Prize
Title: Malnutrition in the Congo (DRC) Girl Is Taking Care of Orphan
Name: Vincent Maure
Country: Norway

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Winner's comment
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Location: Mutabi, a village near Lake Moero in Katanga.
Every day a young girl carrying an orphaned and malnourished baby came to get food. The look in the girl’s eyes and the way she’s holding the crying baby tells how early children are obliged to step into the adults’ world. Everybody needs to take care of each other, regardless of age or relationship. I hope this photo is able to portray the difficult situation in the Congo and other countries, without actually showing the horror and the dying people.
Like elsewhere in the third world, the young are among those who suffer most. African countries like Angola and the Congo are rich in natural resources, but still people are suffering from famine and poverty.


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Judge's comment
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This photo shows us that the poverty of developing countries is also a serious problem for rich countries. Looking at the eyes of this girl, and also from the way she’s holding the baby, we can see the severity of reality and the heavy responsibility that she faces. This is a very strong image that also displays the emotions of the photographer.
Today, many images are created through digital processing. However, the style of this high-quality photograph is both orthodox and classic. With this work, we can recognize the appeal and power of an analog photograph.

Beautiful Postcards

I received an email of postcards from all over the world. Though I could not upload all the beautiful postcards, these photos are sufficient enough to blaze my imagination that one day I wish to produce award-winning photo of mine...

Daily Planning ...Habit 3 Put First Things First - From 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

After the course 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, I have already drafted the Personal Mission Statement and my vision of what I want to be in future. I have already laid a foundation to prepare daily schedule to keep track of daily activities and decide what the "BIG ROCKS" are and plan out on how to plan evenly without compromising your personal time allocated for your preparation for your dreams, spiritual healing, catching up with friends and families and so on. Though I do not have any complicated or electronic mechanism to keep track easily, I could easily prepare hard copy of excel which serves me good purpose and of course along the way, I would modify it to fine-tune its effectiveness that it serves me.

The lesson I learn from 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is to Plan Weekly

Three Steps to Plan Weekly

1) Review Mission and Roles
2) Choose "Big Rocks"
3) Schedule the week

When we talk about the reviewing the missions and roles, identify what the roles you are playing as for example, sportsman, friend to someone, executive in my workplace, foreign deaf correspondent for Deaf Times, etc, you would be able to identify what are the critical tasks associated with the tasks that you have designed for yourself. It could be putting aside a time to spend time with your friend since you have assumed the role as a friend for someone A. It could be a task to write an article for Deaf Time, going for weekly dragon boat training, etc.

Choosing big rocks is essentially what the most important I can do in this role for this week. Big rocks come from:

1) Conscience
2) Mission
3) Goals
4) Key Projects
5) Tasks
6) Appointments
7) Area of focus.

As the saying goes "The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression - Sir John Harvey-Jones"

Then based on these Big Rocks that you identify, you could be able to schedule week to plan evenly where you want to put the Big Rocks and then the remaining time you can utilise for a little pebbles of distraction say reading on spirituality, indulging in idle chat for a while, etc...

"Organizing your life around the many roles you play will help you maintain balance and focus on your key relationships rather than focussing on tasks and things. - Stephen R. Covey"

More and more siong week for me arghhh!!

This week will be more siong as my workload has increased exponentially! Argh..anyway, i am learning to take things in my stride managing my time well, without compromising my time for personal activities....

Siong Weekend

Last weekend I had a busy weekend. Last Sat I had a long MYMCA meeting discussing on many issues that were needed to be settled. Initially, I intended to ask MYMCA for more information on PM Lee Dialogue that would be held in September this year but given too many items for discussion, I decided against to bring it up. We also brought up on whether we want to invite Nick Vicinic, a disabled motivator speaker with no limbs as he is planning to come to Singapore as part of the world tour to give his insight on his faith in Christanity and his personal experience on how he overcame his obstacles. So, it was agreed that I would send an email to Nick to find out when he would be coming to Singapore and MYMCA would support it. It is a good thing to invite him to share his personal experiences with Singaporeans as many of us do not know how fortunate we are as compared with Nick.

Last Sunday, I had to wake up at wee hours and had to rush down to Kovan to participate in 10km Mizuno Run. I did not take any breakfast and wore a red cap cos I did not want people to see my messy hair. So as I was running after 5km, I suddenly had a dizzy spell and felt like I was going to faint any time. I think I should grab some food to nourish my body with necessary energy and should not make my cap too tight. So, I slowed down and walked for a certain distance before I picked up my speed to complete running.

Then I went home to shower before rushing off to Kallang River for my dragon boat training. I was there early around 1:30pm and I saw a group of 4 blind rowers who would be joining us for training. As usual, I would go and say hi to them without expecting them to be introduced to us. I asked their names and how long they had been training with the dragon boat. Amazingly, they were very friendly and had no airs with them. They all were working as masseurs for 2 years and it is good thing that they had stable jobs to earn their living. Being blind in this society is no real easy feat but we should learn to empathize with them. All along, I thought that as they are blind, it would mean that they would not see anything at all. I was proven wrong that not all blinds are totally blind. They may have residual vision that would enable them to see certain things. So, majority of them are not totally blind and they would be able to walk around with their residual vision. As everyone had arrived including few new comers, we got on into the boat first while each of the blind rowers would get onto the boat by himself. Amazing! It is so difficult for him to get onto the boat since the boat could be very rocky and he could lose balance. Finally all the 4 blind rowers settled down in front and we started our training. Throughtout the training, we had no problems in coordinating with them. Amazing! It definitely serves as a good level of understanding for all of us; no one is perfect and yet one could find the way to get around his handicaps rather than lamenting over handicap or self-blaming himself.

New Vision

After I have drafted a new Personal Mission Statement, I begin to ponder about what kind of vision that I would want to set out in Life like a guiding lighthouse beacon. Yesterday I was reading a book on "Horoscope 2006" and I was piqued with curiosity about my birthday. I wished to know what the characteristics of a person whose birthday falls on 9th November and maybe, it could shed some light on my future like a magic crystal ball or "third eye".

Finally I found the page and I gave a little summary of this description of that person. It is said that "I am a dreamer who dreams many dreams that I want to achieve in Life cos I know I have only one Life. Because of my idealistic vision, I am a "go-getter" to get what I want to achieve in Life, never giving up until I would receive the rewards of effort. In other words, my vision to achieve in Life has never wavered."

Perhaps I would try to get the accurate excerpt as this summary from my memory could serve me with limited information. Coming to reflect on my life, it could be quite true as I have so many dreams and yet I may achieve more than I have thought.

My Vision for Life

1) To achieve linguist dimension so that I would be conversant and literate in different languages.

2) To achieve a big recognition for my own works through appreciation of Nature and People.

3) To be an active voice for the Deaf Community, advocating the basic rights accorded to the deaf people.

4) To pursue moments of joy and passion, living each day fully and freely, always seeking exciting new experiences and conquering my fears through adventure.

Interesting fact about Native American - Dream Catcher

In Native American culture, a dreamcatcher is a handmade object based on a hoop (traditionally of willow), incorporating a loose net, and decorated with items unique to the particular dreamcatcher. There is a traditional belief that a dreamcatcher filters a person's dreams, trapping the bad ones and letting only the good ones through.

Dreamcatchers are an authentic Native American tradition from the Ojibwa (Chippewa) tribe. The Ojibwa would tie sinew strands in a web around a small round or tear-shaped frame (in a way roughly similar to their method for making snowshoe webbing) and hang the resulting "dream-catcher" as a charm to protect sleeping children from nightmares.

Legend of the Dream Catcher

From the Wounded Knee School, Manderson, South Dakota

Long ago when the world was young, an old Lakot spiritual leader was on a high mountain and

had a vision. In his vision, Iktomi, the great trickster and teacher of wisdom,

appeared in the form of a spider. Iktomi spoke to him in a sacred language that only the spiritual leaders of the Lakota could understand. As he spoke Iktomi, the spider, took the elder's willow hoop which had feathers, horse hair, beads and offerings on it and began to spin a web.

He spoke to the elder about the cycles of life . . . and how we begin our lives as infants and we move on to childhood, and then to adulthood. Finally, we go to old age where we must be taken care of as infants, completing the cycle. "But," Iktomi said as he continued to spin his web, "in each time of life there are many forces -- some good and some bad. If you listen to the good forces, they will steer you in the right direction. But if you listen to the bad forces, they will hurt you and steer you in the wrong direction." He continued, "There are many forces and different directions that can help or interfere with the harmony of nature, and also with the Great Spirit and all of his wonderful teachings."

All the while the spider spoke, he continued to weave his web starting from the outside and working towards the center. When Iktomi finished speaking, he gave the Lakota elder the web and said . . . "See, the web is a perfect circle but there is a hole in the center of the circle. Use the web to help yourself and your people to reach your goals and make good use of your people's ideas, dreams and visions. If you believe in the Great Spirit, the web will catch your good ideas -- and the bad ones will go through the hole."

The Lakota elder passed on his vision to his people and now the Sioux Indians use the dream catcher as the web of their life. It is hung above their beds or in their home to sift their dreams and visions. The good in their dreams is captured in the web of life and carried with them . . . but the evil in their dreams escapes through the hole in the center of the web and is no longer a part of them. They believe that the dream catcher holds the destiny of their future.

Talking Stick in Native American Culture

Talking Stick - Native American Culture

In the course of "7 Habits of Highly Effective People", we were given a free handicrafted totem pole which you could see standing beside my Personal Statement Mission being proudly framed. This totem pole is actually used as a Talking Stick. This Talking Stick evokes a powerful symbol in Native Amercian culture where one, who holds the Talking Stick, has his authority to speak his point while others are refrained from disagreeing, agreeing or giving any comments. This purpose of this Talking Stick is to seek first to understand the speaker making his points and then when the speaker has fully articulated his point, he will pass his walking stick to other speaker. It would definitely create a chance for everyone to speak their point until everyone's own unique point has been clearly articulated to everyone. Personally, in our everyday life, we tend to interrupt other people's conversation without giving him or her to articulate points fully and very often, we tend to make personal verbal attacks on them without according them respect for sharing their viewpoints. Many of us tend to disparage or to discount or to shrug it off as a mere and trivial point that lends little weight to the listeners. In this global economy, it is ultra inportant to articulate our points very clearly of what we want to convey the points to other parties who may not be familiar with our cultures or customs. It definitely creates a platform for better understanding and cross-fertilization of ideas and ultimately it could lead to a higher level where creative and new ideas could be possibly bred from there.

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Background of Talking Stick in Native American Culture


The Talking Stick is a tool used in many Native American Traditions when a council is called. It allows all council members to present their Sacred Point of View. The Talking Stick is passed from person to person as they speak and only the person holding the stick is allowed to talk during that time period. The Answering Feather is also held by the person speaking unless the speaker address a question to another council member. At that time, the Answering Feather is passed to the person asked to answer the query. Every member of the meeting must listen closely to the words being spoken, so when their turn comes, they do not repeat unneeded information or ask impertinent questions. Indian children are taught to listen from age three forward; they are also taught to respect another's viewpoint. This is not to say that they may not disagree, but rather they are bound by their personal honor to allow everyone their Sacred Point of View.

People responsible for holding any type council meeting are required to make their own Talking Stick. The Talking Stick may be used when they teach children, hold council, make decisions regarding disputes, hold Pow-Wow gatherings, have storytelling circles, or conduct a ceremony where more then one person will speak.

Since each piece of material used in the Talking Stick speaks of the personal Medicine of the stick owner, each Talking Stick will be different. The Qualities of each type of Standing Person (Tree) brings specific Medicine. White Pine is the Peace Tree, Birch symbolizes truth, Evergreens represent the continued growth of all things. Cedar symbolizes cleansing. Aspen is the symbol for seeing clearly since there are many eye shapes on the truth. Maple represents gentleness. Elm is used for wisdom; Mountain Ash for protection; Oak for strength; Cherry for expression, high emotion, or love. Fruit woods are for abundance and walnut or pecan for gathering of energy or beginning new projects. Each person making a Talking Stick must decide which type of Standing Person (Tree) will assist their needs and add needed medicine to the Councils held.

The ornamentation of each stick all have meaning. In the Lakotah Tradition, red is for life, yellow is for knowledge, blue is for prayer and wisdom, white is for spirit, purple is for healing, orange is for feeling kinship with all living things, black is for clarity and focus.

The type of feathers and hide used on a Talking Stick are very important as well. The Answering Feather is usually an Eagle Feather, which represents high ideals, truth as viewed from the expansive eye of the eagle, and the freedom that comes from speaking total truth to the best of one's ability. The Answering Feather can also be the feather of a Turkey, the Peace Eagle of the south, which brings peaceful attitudes as well as the give and take necessary in successful completion of disputes. In the Tribe that see Owl as good Medicine, the Owl feather may also be used to stop deception from entering the Sacred Space of the Council.

The skins, hair or hides used in making a Talking Stick brings the abilities, talents, gifts and medicine of those creatures-beings to council in a variety of ways. Buffalo brings abundance; Elk brings physical fitness and stamina; deer brings gentleness; rabbit brings the ability to listen with big ears; the hair from a horse's tail or mane brings perseverance and adds connection to the earth and to the spirits of the wind. If an illness of heart, mind, spirit, or body has affected the group gathering, snake skin may be wrapped around the Talking Stick so that healing and transmuting of those poisons can occur. The Talking Stick is the tool that teaches each of us to honor the Sacred Point of View of every living creature.

Personal Mission Statement

A Personal Mission Statement is like a constituion by which you make all decisions for your life. Highly effective people shape their own future instead of letting other people, their culture or their circumstances determine it.

Benefits of a Personal Mission Statement

• Clarifies what is important to you
• Provides focus
• Helps you to design your life instead of having it designed for you
• Guides your day-to-day decisions
• Gives you a greater sense of meaning and purpose.

Key Characteristics of an effective Personal Mission Statement:

• Expresses principles of effectiveness that produce quality of life results
• Provides direction and purpose
• Challenges and inspires you.
• Communicates your vision and values.
• Addresses your most important roles and responsibilities.
• Addresses all four human needs (physical, social/emotional, mental and spiritual)
• Represents the best within you.

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Here is my personal statement mission which I love it for a long time.

Moment in time

There are moments in life when you miss someone
so
much that you just want to pick them from
your dreams and hug them for real.

When the door of happiness closes, another opens;
but often times we
look so long at the
closed door that we don't see the one,
which has
been opened for us.

Don't go for looks; they can deceive.
Don't go
for wealth; even that fades away.
Go for someone who makes you smile,
because it takes only a smile to
make a dark day seem bright.
Find
the one that makes your heart smile.

Dream what you want to dream;
go where you want to go;
be what you want to be,
because you have
only one life
and one chance to do all the things
you want to do.

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet,
enough trials to
make you strong,
enough sorrow to keep you human and
enough hope to make
you happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily
have the best of
everything;
they just make the most of
everything that comes along their
way.

The brightest future will always
be based on a forgotten past;
you can't go forward in life until
you let go of your past failures and
heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying
and everyone around
you was smiling.
Live your life so at the end,
you're the one who is
smiling and everyone
around you is crying.

Don't count the years -
count the memories...

Wild Photography....

How I wish to be a wildlife photographer cum nomad/wanderer, being armed with camera and be gone into nowhere where there is a very little trace of humanity...Look at these beautiful photographs taken from the website http://www.wildthingsphotography.com/. I love the photos of whales with the sunset as the magnificient golden backdrop. Nature is a beauty of its work...Why why why art thou so beautiful???



Yesterday I was chatting with Raymond about his job as a cameraman. He used to work as a graphic designer for a few years before he gave up his cushy job to be a professional photographer. Gradually, he went into line to produce films for documentary companies like NGC and Discovery Channel. I was very curious about his work so I asked him alot about his work. He shared that the NGC sent him to film on the Great White Shark in South Africa where he has to be enclosed in the cage while the bait had been thrown in the sea water to lure the shark. Within few minutes, the shark appeared from nowwhere and swam towards the cage. It could be a very scary moment to have a legendary JAW coming at you! I was simply blown away by his experience though he did not elaborate further. Perhaps Raymond is quite reticient and more introspective than me. Unlike me, I am more extrovert, chirpy and tend to give VERY full detailed account of my story.

Furthermore he shared that he was sent to Africa to film on lions and lionesses for 15 days with no shower and no jeep. He has to carry heavy camera equipment by himself! Amazing amazing..I have never had a closest encounter with any wild animals in my life and imagine yourself with a group with no proection against the wild animals. What if the lions caught the whiff of human scent and would chase you! I could imagine all kinds of possibilities but it is amazing to know Raymond is definitely intrepid to film lions and great white shark. Awesome!!!! Awesome!!!!

Then I shared my personal experience of solo expedition to Nepal and Mongolia. Raymond told me that he had always wanted to visit Nepal but he rather waited for his children to grow up first and then he would make a plan to visit Nepal. So, I shared with him that I had suffered AMS there and how I endured the freezing temperature in the inn where there was no heater at all. "Oh my god" look was registered on Raymond's face and he asked me why I wanted to go there alone. I told him that i enjoyed travelling alone, savouring the quiet moments! I had to endure 2 snowstorms and when I was resting in the inn, the snow accumulated so fast that it virtually covered up the window! I could read his mind that why I must punish myself to go to these tough places. Perhaps I enjoy pain or suffering...I could be mad!

Then I shared my experience of my journey to Mongolia in classic Trans-Siberian Railway. I quickly brought Raymond into his studio to demonstrate how big the ger camp was. If you were there, you could see me that I was very chirpy and animated cos I was so excited to share with my friends about my journeys. I dun mind of repeating them countless times. I made an imaginery circle on the floor and I pointed to a chair. It represnted a low door which you have to cower to get inside the tents. Then when I stepped into the imaginery ger while Raymond was standing outside the imaginery ger tent, I pointed at the water basin for washing your hands on one side. I pointed to the wall and told him that there were 2 beds on the opposite side. Then I pointed to my back and it would be an altar or sofa for the visitors. I pointed to the centre part and it would be a furnace on which the family would prepare the Mongolian dish. I pointed to the top where the beams would be conjoined on top of the tent with the chimney bellowing the smoke out of the tent. I could see Raymond's face being lit up with wonder and amazement. Raymond asked me what about the floor. Oh..it wouldbe covered with carpet! Then I got out of the imaginary tent and I tagged him along to show him my handphone photo of myself standing outside ger camp. Wow wow wow were these words I heard from his mouth. Amazing Mongolia, isn't it? Then I shared with him about horse racing, Mongol's traditional sports and it was simply magnificient to ride on a horse, soaking yourself in wide expanse of land which is devoid of trees and is covered with snow!

Raymond, being married with 1 son and 1 daughter and I could hit it off so well cos we love the outdoor so much that we are simply crazy and we tend to forget about the safety! We just feel the pulses of our love for outdoor to savour once-in-the-lifetime moment!

When I left his office, I kept thinking about Raymon on how he had mustered so much courage to follow his dream to take off-beaten road. He told me that even if he felt his age was catching up with him, he wants to be in this line. No wonder he is so fit that he has taken part in many adventure races. I met him at the adventure workshop organised by renowned adventurer Ian Anderson. He will be my team member for NUS Adventura Race this Sunday with other ang-mo partner, Frank. And Raymond and Frank will be participating in Action Asia this coming September. Oh oh oh I was so crazy about adventure race or to travel to many places like Easter Island, Galapagos, visiting Maya Civilisation, trekking across Antartica, and so many places..Oh...dear I simply can't wait to relish the feeling of lone ranger, wander, wander wander into unknown places! Once again, I am simply crazy, lunatic and mad for adventure! A big and insatiable thirst for adventure!

Deep Water - A Sailor's Passage

As I was reading a gay novel "Deep Water - A Sailor's Passage" by E.M. Kahn, I realised that there are many technical sailing terms being employed in this novel. I find that I have a little difficulty understanding on how the two young sailors maneurved their boats by letting down the jibs, mainstay or to shout a command "Ready About". Perhaps the other readers who have no sailing experience may find it tough to understand this novel when they were participating in the races or leisure sail. A lot of times, they would use sailing terms to describe on how their boat would sail in the wind.

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Deep Water: A Sailor's Passage, by E.M. Kahn, is a memoir of sailing adventures with a loved one, now deceased. After a less than hoped for career in journalism, New Yorker Gene Kahn became a successful ships' carpenter. He caught the sailing bug after he and a friend took sailing lessons at City Island (Bronx, NY) during the summer of 1978. Kahn tells his story in a series of logically unfolding remembrances, which eventually form a cohesive story, full of love that leaves the reader wishing for the story to continue...as does the brokenhearted author.

The story, while well written, nonetheless got off to a rather slow start. At first, I didn't know what course the author was taking, no pun intended. I continued to read Deep Water, at first because of its setting, the familiar (to me) navigable waters surrounding Long Island. Before I realized it, I couldn't put the book down. I was totally taken in by the strong bond of love that existed between Gene Kahn and his late lover, Kevin.

Kahn began his story with the start of his sailing adventures, learning the ropes in a 14 foot Blue Jay. Over the course of years, Kahn stepped up to larger boats, while at the same time expanding his sailing explorations of all the harbors in and around Long Island Sound, Block Island Sound, Nantucket Island, as well as vacation trips to the beautiful Caribbean islands. Always by Gene's side, at home, at work, and for all the sailing adventures, was Kevin.

Kevin first rode, literally, into Gene's life looking for employment at his downtown Manhattan carpentry shop. Kevin and his dog, Kasha, had been living in a crime ridden neighborhood some distance from the shop. Preferring not to have to worry about the very real possibility of Kevin getting mugged, or something untoward happening to Kasha, Gene suggested the two move into his not much larger but, better situated apartment. Needless to say, the arrangement worked out.

While Deep Water: A Sailor's Passage, is a story of many exciting sailing adventures, it is far more than just that: It is a deeply felt love story. Deep Water is E. M. Kahn's tribute to Kevin, who at first was his employee and friend, then later became his lover and partner in life. Kevin is sorely missed and his loss is deeply felt.

Kahn's Deep Water: A Sailor's Passage is a solid read, and especially enjoyable if you're fond of sailing adventures.

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So, i decided to look up for my training manual which was given to all crew members regardless of our background in sailing.

Here are the basic structure of the clippers/yachts.

Patience Patience~

Patience, a Secret to Success
by Charles C. Manz, Ph.D.
Dr. Manz is the Nirenberg Professor of Business Leadership, University of Massachusetts. He is author of The Power of Failure: 27 Ways to Turn Life’s Setbacks into Success (Berrett-Koehler, San Francisco, 2002).


There is a powerful but challenging secret about the relationship of short-term failures to long-term successes. This secret is very difficult for many to accept and incorporate into their work and life, but it is an essential part of learning how to use the power of failure. The secret is patience.

In a recent interview for Fast Company magazine, Steve Ballmer, CEO of Microsoft, emphasized the importance of patience for succeeding in business. He explained that products and businesses go through three phases: vision, patience, and execution. And he said the patience stage is the toughest and most uncomfortable.

The vision stage generates a great deal of excitement and energy and the future looks promising. Eventually the final execution stage is a time of fine-tuning and figuring out how to be even more successful. Both the vision and execution stages can be very satisfying and comfortable. It’s the middle “patience” stage that can be very difficult. Ballmer explains, “You have to cut out parts…react to what the market is telling you. You get into trouble if you assume that you’re going to reach critical mass too quickly—because it’s most likely that you won’t. Through all these trials you can’t lose patience.”

Ballmer goes on to explain that the recent setbacks in the Internet economy reflect a transition from the vision stage to the patience stage. He also points out that many entrepreneurs cannot handle the patience stage. Many seemed to believe the vision stage would never end or that execution would immediately follow without a need for patience. He cited small Internet companies doing Superbowl ads as an example of this misguided viewpoint. In the end he suggests that employees and investors alike need to either be patient or get out of the business.

Not the Way to Tai Chi

I suspect it is fairly easy for most to identify with Ballmer’s sage advice. Anytime we set out to learn or accomplish something new and significant we likely face the same three stages and especially the challenge of the need for patience. Personally, patience is a tough challenge for me as I find myself failing on my way to what I hope will be ultimate success in a variety of activities.

One of my recent efforts has been to learn tai chi. I had a vision of the strength, flexibility, calmness, and other health benefits I would soon be deriving and how I would master the technique through the help of a professional instructor and the use of videotapes. I really wanted to go from vision to execution and had little desire to endure the patience stage. Consequently, despite my instructor’s advice that I take it slow and start by learning just one or two poses of the dozens that make up a single form (a series of moves that completes one exercise sequence), I proceeded to try to learn a whole form, which should normally take up to a year or more, in about a month.

In retrospect I have to laugh at myself for trying to learn too quickly and lacking the patience to learn at an effective pace. My teacher pointed out it would take a great deal of work to relearn the poses in a technically correct way.

He ended by citing an ancient wisdom story, whose essence went something like this. A martial arts student was studying a new set of movements under a master and asked how long it would take to learn the new skills. The master responded that it would take perhaps two years. Being a bit discouraged and impatient with this answer, the student asked how long it would take if he would study and work very hard. To this the master responded that then it would take him about four years.

The implication is clear—if we want to ultimately succeed in a significant way, we need to accept and be patient with the learning and development that go along with facing challenges. The bridge between short-term failures and ultimate success is a challenging one, but it may well be the essential secret to success—it is patience.

I am a dirty Golliwog! And cute Daruma!

I got a nickname "Dirty Golliwog". Hee..u are welcome to call me this nickname. I love this nickname hee.

A little background of Golliwog

The Golliwogg (later golliwog) is a rag doll-like, children's literary character created by Florence Kate Upton in the late 19th century. The Golliwogg was inspired by a blackface minstrel doll Upton had as a child in America. Historically very popular in Europe, the doll has become the subject of a great deal of controversy — particularly with ever-increasing ethnic diversity of the resident European population — over whether it should be preserved and passed on as a cherished cultural artifact and childhood tradition, or retired as a relic of an earlier time when anti-black racism was as casual as it was blatant.

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I also love Daruma, the Japanese doll which u can see at the Japanese shop. Daruma (達磨 or だるま) also refers to a hollow and round Japanese wish doll with no arms and legs, modelled after Bodhidharma. Typical colors are red (most common), yellow, green, and white. The doll has a face with a moustache and beard, but its eyes only contain the color white. Some dolls have written characters on the cheeks explaining the kind of wish or desire the owner has in mind, such as protection of loved ones. The surname of the owner may be written on the chin.

Troll DOLL!!!

When I was chatting with Noah online, I suddenly thought about a toy with its hair blown upwards. It got the funny facial expression as I always saw then when I was young. But the problem is that I dunno what is the toy called. So i tried to surf the internet to look for the images but i cannout find it. The toy with very colourful hairs can be found in Toy 'R' Us but i am not sure u can find them again. So, finally Noah replied to me "is it a Troll toy?". So I copied and pasted on the Google Search and found that image that I was looking for YEARS! That is the TROLL DOLL which I really dunno the name for years!!!! Alamak!

Jamie Andrew - Amazing and strong disabled mountaineer!

I have also heard of Jamie Andrew whose limbs were lost during his climbing in Alps. He is really an incredible idol for me to set an example that he follows his dream despite his handicaps.

Jamie Andrew, the incredible mountaineer who lost his hands and feet in a horrific accident in the French Alps. Miraculously, despite his handicap, Jamie has carried on with his mountaineering career and has made some amazing ascents all over the world, raising many thousands of pounds for charity along the way.

A little story of Jamie Andrews

My great passion in life has always been mountaineering. At the height of my climbing career, tragedy struck unexpectedly when my climbing partner and myself where caught for five days in a terrible storm after completing the North Face of Les Droites in the French Alps. The ensuing helicopter rescue was one of the most spectacular in the history of the Alps and made news headlines around the world. Unfortunately the rescue came too late for my partner Jamie Fisher but I survived despite severe frostbite and hypothermia. Later in hospital, all of my hands and feet had to be amputated.

After my accident I made a surprisingly swift recovery, the story of which has been described by many as inspirational. Within three and a half months I had learnt to walk on prosthetic legs and had sufficiently re-learnt everday tasks such as washing, dressing and feeding to be able to leave hospital. Immediately I returned to full time work as a manager for the same rope access company I had worked for before and was soon considered a valuable and fully productive member of the management team. In June 2000 my long term partner, Anna Wyatt and I were married.

Jamie's Story

My great passion in life has always been mountaineering. At the height of my climbing career, tragedy struck unexpectedly when my climbing partner and myself where caught for five days in a terrible storm after completing the North Face of Les Droites in the French Alps. The ensuing helicopter rescue was one of the most spectacular in the history of the Alps and made news headlines around the world. Unfortunately the rescue came too late for my partner Jamie Fisher but I survived despite severe frostbite and hypothermia. Later in hospital, all of my hands and feet had to be amputated.

Sporting Achievements

Since the accident I have participated in many sporting activities including swimming, running, skiing, snow-boarding, paragliding, caving, orienteering and sailing. But it was returning to mountaineering that was to provide the greatest goal and the biggest challenge.

In June 2000 I climbed Ben Nevis, Britain’s highest mountain, raising over £15,000 for charity in the process. A 30 minute documentary, called Climb Back, was made of this ascent, screened on BBC Scotland and featured at the Kendal Mountaineering Film Festival.

I've also returned to active rock climbing and ice climbing. In May 2001 he returned to Chamonix, and with one of his doctors and his rescuers, he climbed the Cosmiques Arete on L’Aiguille du Midi, subject of a 50 minute documentary for French television called Le Defi de Jamie, broadcast on France 3 and winner of several film festival awards.

In April 2002 I ran the London Marathon, raising over £22,000 for charity on the way. I've returned to the Alps several times in 2002 and climbed several mountains including Mont Blanc du Tacul (4200m) and The Monch (4099m). I also made an attempt on Mont Blanc (4800m), Western Europe’s highest mountain, but was forced to turn back just 300m below the summit due to closing bad weather.

In January 2004, with three other disabled mountaineers made an all-disabled ascent of Kilimajaro (5895m), the highest mountain in Africa. The ascent raised over £5,000 for a Tanzanian leprosy centre situated on the slopes of the mountain.

Erik Weiyenmayer - My IDOL !!!

I am not sure whether the name "Erik Weiyenmayer" has struck you a familiar feeling. Anyway I have a book "Touch the Top of the World" which gathered thin layer of dust and I bought this book 3 years ago from the Times bookshop. Yeah, I am guilty for not giving this legendary blind climber a good face as I have not finished reading this inspiring book. To give a little introduction of Erik Weiyenmayer, he is the first blind climber who completed the summit of Mount Everest and his biggest quest to conquer Seven Summit (highest summit in each continent).

On May 25, 2001, Erik Weihenmayer became the first blind man in history to reach the summit of the world's highest peak - Mount Everest. And on September 5, 2002, when he stood on top of Mt. Kosciusko in Australia, Weihenmayer completed his 7-year quest to climb the Seven Summits - the highest mountains on each of the seven continents, joining only 100 mountaineers who have accomplished that feat. At age 33, he was also one of the youngest. Additionally, he has scaled El Capitan, a 3300-foot overhanging rock wall in Yosemite; and Polar Circus, a 3000-foot ice waterfall in The Canadian Rockies.

In September, 2003, Erik joined 320 stellar athletes from 17 countries to compete in the Primal Quest, the richest and toughest multi-sport adventure race in the world: 457 miles through the Sierra Nevadas, nine days, and no time-outs. Averaging only two hours of sleep a night, Erik and his team, No Boundaries, surged past the finish line on Lake Tahoe, becoming one of the 42 teams to cross the finish line out of the 80 teams that began. The following January, Erik's team was featured on an ABC two-hour Primal Quest special.

After Erik's Mt. Everest ascent, a school for the blind in Tibet invited him to teach its students mountaineering and rock climbing. His many climbs gave the teenagers the courage to excel in a culture which affords few opportunities for the blind. Erik and six Everest team members went to Tibet in May 2004 to train the students, then in October led them on a climb to the Rombuk Glacier on the north side of Mt. Everest. Ultimately, the teenagers stood together at 21,000 ft., higher than any blind person has ever stood, except Erik. Steven Haft, producer of such blockbusters as Dead Poets' Society, is making a documentary on the ascent to be released theatrically in Spring 2006. This climb will go a long way toward changing the mindset regarding disabled people throughout the Third World and beyond.

A former middle school teacher and wrestling coach, Erik is one of the most exciting and well-known athletes in the world. Despite losing his vision at the age of 13, Erik has become an accomplished mountain climber, paraglider, and skier, who has never let his blindness interfere with his passion for an exhilarating and fulfilling life. Erik's feats have earned him an ESPY award, recognition by Time Magazine for one of the greatest sporting achievements of 2001, induction into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, an ARETE Award for the superlative athletic performance of the year, the Helen Keller Lifetime Achievement award, and the Freedom Foundation's Free Spirit Award. He has also carried the Olympic Torch for both the Summer and Winter Games.

In addition to being a world-class athlete, Erik is also the author of the book, Touch the Top of the World. In this memoir, Erik recalls his struggle to push past the limits of vision loss. According to Publisher's Weekly, Erik's memoir is "moving and adventure packed, Weihenmayer tells his extraordinary story with humor, honesty and vivid detail, and his fortitude and enthusiasm are deeply inspiring.". Erik has also been published in Time, Forbes, Reader's Digest, Outside, Climbing Magazine, and Chicken Soup.

Erik's extraordinary accomplishments have gained him abundant press coverage including repeated visits to NBC's Today Show and Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, Oprah, Good Morning America, and the Tonight Show to name a few. He has also been featured on the cover of Time magazine and in Sports Illustrated, People, and Men's Journal. A movie on his life is now underway.

Erik's award winning film, Farther Than the Eye Can See, shot in the same stunning quality HDTV format as the 'Star Wars' prequels, is an intimate look inside one of the most successful Mount Everest expeditions ever. Bringing home first prize at 17 film festivals and nominated for two Emmy's, the film beautifully captures the emotion, humor and drama of Erik Weihenmayer's historic ascent as well as his team's four other remarkable 'firsts': the first American father/son team to summit, the oldest man to summit, the first High Definition film footage shot on the summit of Everest, and the most people from one team to reach the top of Everest in a single day. Farther Than the Eye Can See is currently being screened by film festivals, schools, colleges, corporations and special fundraising events for nonprofit organizations. To date, the film has raised approximately $600,000 for charitable organizations.

Erik speaks to audiences around the world on overcoming life's challenges, the importance of teamwork, and the daily struggle to pursue your dreams. Clearly, Erik's accomplishments show that one does not have to have perfect eyesight to have extraordinary vision. A partial list of his corporate clients includes Google, Bank of America, General Mills, Proctor and Gamble, Walmart, Cisco Systems, Computer Associates, IBM, AT&T, General Electric, America On-line, Microsoft, Morgan Stanley and Paine Webber. Erik has shared the speaking platform with notables like President George Bush, Mayor Rudy Guiliani, General Norman Schwarzkopf, and authors Tom Peters and Stephen Covey.

A little dream may come true....

When we talk about what our dreams are, we will probably ponder how the dreams would be like in 5 to 10 years' time down the road or whether we are able to fulfil the wildest dreams that we have dreamt during our salad days. It was an act of pure innocence that we used to say...hey, i wanna be a pilot to fly with "the wings beneath my wings"...I wanna gonna a dreamer forever...the dream list goes on indefinitely when we used to be young. We did not think too much about whether we had money or any difficulties to be overcome. We just left our mind to its own freedom to imagine as much as it wanted without no mental barriers.

As the years go by, our mind's mortal enemy, Realistism, stood in its path of Dreamers. Everything you need to consider - family, lovers, mortgage, work, cancer, money and so many things that seem to stand in our ways to accomplish our dreams. I remember a little story about 2 brothers climbing the stairway many years ago. See this touching story....

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80 Floors

There were once 2 brothers who lived on the 80th level. On coming home one day, they realized to their dismay that the lifts were not working and that they had to climb the stairs home. After struggling to the 20th level, panting and tired, they decided to abandon their bags and come back for them. They left their bags there and climbed on. When they struggled to the 40th level, the younger brother started to grumble and both of them began to quarrel. They continued to climb the flights of steps, quarrelling all the way to the 60th floor. They then realized that they had only 20 levels more to climb and decided to stop quarrelling and continue climbing in peace. They silently climbed on and reached their home at long last. Each stood calmly before the door and waited for the other to open the door. And they realized that the
key was in their bags which were left on the 20th floor ......

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This story is a reflection on our lives... many of
us live for the expectations of our parents,
teachers and friends when we were young. We seldom
get to do the things that we really like or love. It
is under so much pressure and stress that by our
early 20s, we get tired and decide to dump this
load.... and enjoy life. Being free of the stress
and pressure, we work enthusiastically and dream ambitious
dreams.

But by the time we reach our 40s, we start to lose
our vision and along with that, our dreams and goal
in life. We began to feel unsatisfied and start to
complain and criticize. We live life in misery as we
are never satisfied.

Reaching 60, we realize that we have little time
left for complaining and we began to walk the final
episode in peace and calmness. We think that there
is nothing left that could disappoint us, only to
realize that we cannot rest in peace because we have
an unfulfilled dream.....a dream we abandoned about
60 plus years ago......

So what is your dream? ......Keep them
alive....Follow your dreams so
that you will not live with regrets ......and you
will have stories to share with your loved ones.

It is like holding some amount of sand and no matter how hard you try to grip your fist as tight as possible, the sand will still drip out eventually, probably leaving behind a little amount of sand that u have left with. It is the same thing as how we live our lives everyday. Time is like a sand and no matter we try to make use of every moment, smiling, thinking that things are gonna be fine or nothing will happen to us...But alas, we did not realise that certain things which are beyond our control may happen to us. Like you could be told outrightfully that you will have 2 more months to live and you will think about what you should do with the death sentence being issued to you. Are you going to let yourself rot away with the time passing by like the life slipping out of your body slowly until the Death of Door beckons you nearer. Even if you lead a perfect life until the old age, you suddenly feel that hey..there is really a big void which could be as big as a Blackhole that I could not fanthom out. What is wrong with my life? I have money, I have a boyfriend who would be at my deathbed, I have a big house so that i could retire comfortably, I have no financial worries, I have almost everything..but I dun understand why I still feel so empty....When you probably are at the verge of the death, you have almost everything being physically with you but you could not bring everything with you to your final journey to death. But it could be perhaps little "sand" of regret that you may bring to your death....Who knows? You could be right or wrong. Only you yourself know the answer best.

A little excerpt from "When You Wish Upon A Star - Ashley Gearing"

When you wish upon a star
Makes no difference who you are
Anything your heart desires
Will come to you

If your heart is in your dream
No request is too extreme
When you wish upon a star
Like dreamers do

Fate is kind
She brings to those who love
The sweet fulfillment of
Their secret longing

Like a bolt out of the blue
Fate steps in and sees you through
When you wish upon a star
Your dreams come true

You Light Up My Life

I remembered that time when I was in military band in my secondary school, I was given a musical score with a beautiful title "You Light Up My Life." I was asked to played the xylophone and chime together. It was really slow and tinkering music where u can feel the soft comfort of this song. Though I have not heard the lyrics before, I still vaguely remember the tune of this song.

You Light Up My Life -- Debbie Boone

So many nights I sit by my window
Waiting for someone to sing me his song
So many dreams I kept deep inside me
Alone in the dark but now
You've come along

You light up my life
You give me hope
To carry on
You light up my days
and fill my nights with song

Rollin' at sea, adrift on the water
Could it be finally I'm turning for home?
Finally, a chance to say hey,
I love You
Never again to be all alone

You light up my life
You give me hope
To carry on
You light up my days
and fill my nights with song

You light up my life
You give me hope
To carry on
You light up my days
and fill my nights with song

It can't be wrong
When it feels so right
'Cause You
You light up my life

Yesterday when I was young

Just now I stubbled across Gil's blog "Yesterday when I was young." Though I have not heard of this song before, the lyrics really touches my heart to the extent that I could feel the actual sense of strong feeling of lost youth from this lyric. Thank you Gilbert. Hee..

Here is the French and English lyrics. U can see 2 movies here and i hope that those people who read my blog will heed their wakeup calls that Life is too short to mull over unnecessary sorrow and do what they ought to do with their lives! Follow Your Dream! Set your heart free and let your heart guide you to where you want to go!


This song "Yesterday When I was Young" was actually translated from French song "Hier Encore" which was sung by famous singer Charles Aznavour

-------French Lyrcis - Hier Encore----------

Hier encore, j'avais vingt ans
Je caressais le temps et jouais de la vie
Comme on joue de l'amour
Et je vivais la nuit
Sans compter sur mes jours qui fuyaient dans le temps
J'ai fait tant de projet qui sont rests en l'air
J'ai fond tant d'espoirs qui se sont envols
Que je reste perdu ne sachant ou aller
Les yeux cherchant le ciel mais le coeur mis en terre

Hier encore j'avais vingt ans
Je gaspillais le temps en croyant l'arreter
et pour le retenir, mme le devancer
Je n'ai fait que courir et me suis essouffler
Ignorant le pass, conjuguant au futur
Je precedais de moi toute conversation
et donnais mon avis que je pensais le bon
Pour critiquer le monde avec dsinvolture

Hier encore j'avais vingt ans
Mais j'ai perdu mon temps a faire des folies
Qui ne me laissent au fond rien de vraiment precis
Que quelques rides au front et la peur de l'ennui
Car mes amours sont mortes avant que d'exister
Mes amis sont partis et ne reviendront pas
Par ma faute j'ai fait le vide autour de moi
Et j'ai gach ma vie et mes jeunes annes
Du meilleur et du pire en jettant le meilleur
J'ai fig mes sourirs et j'ai glac mes peurs
Ou sont-ils a present, a present mes vingts ans?

-----English Lyrics - Yesterday When I was Young -----

Yesterday when I was young
The taste of life was sweet as rain upon my tongue
I teased at life as if it were a foolish game
The way the evening breeze may tease a candle flame
The thousand dreams I dreamed, the splendid things I planned
I always built, alas, on weak and shifting sand
I lived by night and shunned the naked light of day
And only now I see how the years ran away


Yesterday when I was young
So many drinking songs were waiting to be sung
So many wayward pleasures lay in store for me
And so much pain my dazzled eyes refused to see
I ran so fast that time and youth at last ran out
I never stopped to think what life was all about
And every conversation I can now recall
Concerned itself with me, and nothing else at all


Yesterday the moon was blue
And every crazy day brought something new to do
I used my magic age as if it were a wand
And never saw the waste and emptiness beyond
The game of love I played with arrogance and pride
And every flame I lit too quickly, quickly died
The friends I made all seemed somehow to drift away
And only I am left on stage to end the play
There are so many songs in me that won't be sung
I feel the bitter taste of tears upon my tongue
The time has come for me to pay for yesterday when I was young

For the next few weeks ...

I will be more busy for the next few weeks to meet up with more people to discuss on careers. Hopefully, it will be fruitful and many a time, I would remind myself to be patient for the sake. Patience definitely goes the long way. My friends keep on telling me to be patient as the organisations may not always get back to us quickly. Anyway, I continue to manage my mind though it can be quite tough and frustrating especially with no reply from any organisations. How I wish that there is a law mandating that every company should reply to the candidates with positive or negative reply to all those applicants!

This week, I will meet up with my friend who is a boss of the video company. He told me that he has to work closely with NGC or Discovery Channel and this job requires him to fly frequently. It looks interesting though. I need to explore more on that!


Yesterday night, earlier than usual, I went home and wanted to rest earlier cos for the past few weeks, I was quite exhausted running here and there and participating in many races. I went to bed around 9pm! So early hee and now I feel much fresh and mentally alert. I am able to plan out better. Another friend has given me the contact of head-recruitment company and I am going to give it a try with that company.

Today I saw a promising article from ChannelNewsAsia website. It is quite a good news for the disabled that the new Women MPs would focus on employment of those Singaporeans with special needs. How I and other representatives from other disabled groups, wish to sit in the committee with those Women MPs to share my insight with them rather than letting them implement their policies based on their feedback from the general public. It could be more effective platform for them to work out closely with these disabled groups.

I have spoken to one of the NTU students who explore with me on media discrimination. I have met up with her last week to discuss on video-making which focuses on media discrimination. I provided her with relevant background about how the deaf is being disadvantaged from this media.

See the excerpt from the website

GROUP 6: OneforAll

OneforAll will tackle the issue of discrimination against the physically handicapped in the media. A critique of conventional media programming that caters only to a mainstream audience, their video will offer an alternative way of presenting television content that will be mindful of the needs of blind and deaf audiences.

I have explained to her that in USA, or other developed countries, every program or channel comes with closed-captioning which definitely allows the deaf to understand all the program with little glitches. Over here, it is so difficult for the deaf or hard-of-hearing to understand what the English program is all about. She will explore with her team members on this media discrimination and I hope that this video would send a strong signal to the community that disabled community cannot be ignored at the expense of the majority!

Here is the excerpt of the article from ChannelNewsAsia.

---------------------------------------------------------
Helping more Singaporeans stay employable and those with special needs.

These are just two of key issues three new women Members of Parliament want to focus on.

There are 17 women MPs in the new Parliament, including the seven new additions from the recent General Election.

Although there are more of them in Parliament, do not expect them to just harp on issues concerning women.

From employment to educating the young, these are issues that cut across the whole population.

And because women make up slightly more than half the population in Singapore, they will stand to benefit as well with any improvement in policies.

So issues like helping Singaporeans update their skills to stay employable are important.

Jessica Tan, MP for East Coast GRC, said that employability is the 'key' because 'it allows individuals to stay financially independent as well as be connected to society'.

Another issue is how to help mothers get back into the workforce.

One MP says that a housewife would not want to work from morning till night because she will have no time to care for her family.

But if companies can hire two women to perform shift work, they will be attracting more workers and help solve manpower needs.

"For this to happen, we need to understand that from the employer's, the shopkeepers' point of view, it's not just a question of paying two salaries," said Josephine Teo, MP for Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC.

"He would also have to contribute to two sets of CPF. He may likely have to extend two sets of benefits to the two women," she said.

"But from a cost point of view, he'll have to find a way to manage it and I think going forward, we have to find ways to keep the cost affordable for him so that it's possible for him to hire the two women instead of one," added the MP.

For MP Denise Phua, she wants to do more for those with special needs and look at enhanced financial assistance such as foreign worker levy reductions and better tax relief for families with elderly parents.

The MP for Jalan Besar GRC said: "We have to specifically analyse to see if these amounts are sufficient, to look at how much does it cost to support an elderly person at home, especially if the elderly are ill, especially if they're immobile and especially if they don't fit within the current means-testing group that avails them subsidies.

"What will be the reasonable amounts so that it (Singapore) wouldn't be a welfare state but a state that pays attention to those who need a leg up to help them in their lives."

The new Parliament will open in November. - CNA/ir

JMA Cultural Exchange Program

On 9th July 2006, I participated in the JMA Cultural Exchange Program with the Japanese employees for 1 day. It was really an enriching program for me and it really showed that I had learnt a lot from this program.



I woke up at 7am as usual in the morning and cabbed down to Conrad International Hotel. I reached there around 8:45am at the lobby and saw a group of japanese people lounging at second floor. I went to the reception counter to register my name and I looked around the Japanese people chatting happily among themselves. I think there were around a hundred of JMA (Japanese Management Association) employees there and I was ushered by a Japanese person-in-charge to meet my group of 8 Japanese people. They were really warm and personable. I introduced myself to them "私はエイドリアンと申します。” I also informed them about my hearing impairment. "私は耳を聞こえなかった。ゆくっり話してください。”All of them understood what I was saying and we discussed on where we wanted to visit. They wanted to cover Little India, Arab Steet and Chinatown before we headed back to the hotel.

I led them to these places and many of them marvelled at the greenliness and fusion of Asian cultures. They had visited Indian temple in Little India and Sultan Mosque at Arab Street. I also took them to Bugis Junction Food court to let them sample Singapore food e.g. roti prata, fishball mee, ice kachang, bo bo cha cha and popiah. One japanese woman asked me what is that kind of fruit in bo bo cha cha. However, i did not know how to describe "carrot" to her in Japanese. I explained to her "兔の食べ物” which means rabbit's food. All of them laughed at my creative of using this word. Then she ate it and said "間違い。ポタトですうよ！”. She said that it is not a carrot but it is a potato! I was taken aback that I thought that it was a carrot cos it looked like carrot. But it actually turned out to be sweet potato used in Bo bo cha cha. All of them laughed!

Then when we were on the way to City Hall, another Japanese woman asked me "いつ勉強してる？”I thought that she asked me how long i have been studying Japanese. I replied "４年”.That woman was surprised as if she could not believe me. She repeated "何歳ですか” and repeated her question "How old am I?" Alamak. I replied quickly "２７歳です。” She and the other Japanes guy laughed! And I joked with them that "私は赤ちゃんです。” meaning that I am a baby.

We really had a lot of fun hanging with one another. And finally we headed back to the hotel. At 4pm. the Japanese MC announced that every group should share the learning points about Singapore. And also the Singaporean leader should share how he or she felt about mingling with the Japanese. I was shocked cos I did not prepare myself to speak Japanese in front of hundred of Japanese. My heart was beating very fast and my Japanese team members tried to calm me down. It was really an unnerving for me cos I had never given a speech in front of Japanese, speaking Japanese. I sms-ed Gilbert about it cos I know that he would be there to comfort me. He said that it is a really good accomplishment to show that I have accomplished Japanese and relaxed. I tried to relax myself. Other friend sms-ed me that I could say "行こう。” in my speech. It means that the couple attained near-climax orgasm. Naughty BOY! hee..

So, our turn came, and after my Japanese leader shared his learning points, my turn came. I had tried to calm myself down and smiled at the Japanese audience.

私の日本語があまりよくない。私の心が心配。(Laugh) 後で、シンガポールは食べ物、買い物、いろいろな文化が楽しい。私はこのメンバーとうれしく会いました。気持ちが良かった。(Laugh) 楽しかったどうもありがとう。(A round of applause.) We bowed to one another.

I said that my japanese is not very good and that is why, i was very nervous. (Laugh) Singapore has a lot of interesting cultures, shopping and foods. We enjoyed them a lot. I was happy to meet my team members. My feeling was good. (Laugh) Thank you for making my day enjoyable. (A round of applause).

After the speech, a Japanese team member came to me and said that I spoke Japanese very well. A sense of pride permeated throughout me! I always wanted to speak to the public or audience in more than 5 languages. Imagine myself standing on the stage, speaking to one group of people in Japanese, other in German, other in French, other in Chinese, other in Korean, other in Spanish and so on. Helen Keller, a famed blind and deaf American activisit had proven to herself that she could master 5 languages - German, French, Latin, Greek and English.

After that, we left the ballroom and took a group photo. We also exchanged name cards as part of Japanese business etiquettes.

I left the hotel feeling good to meet Noah at Paragon. It was a fantastic dinner at Japanese restaurant and we shared a lot of things. Then we walked over to TCC to have drink and this corner near the bar was terribly COLD. Poor Noah kept on shivering and we drank up quickly. I wrote on the feedback that "This place is like an igloo in North Pole and we are like snowman. Hello Kitty we are human beings." Noah laughed at the sarcastic remarks and we went home in MRT.

What a day for me!

Planning to go to Tibet and Ancient Silk Route

It was really a BIG and HISTORIC celebration for China once again on the 1st July 2006 where China unleashed the first train from Beijing to Lhasa, Tibet. It was definitely a heart-warming moment for Chinese and overseas Chinese to achieve such a big engineering feat to build the railway more than 5,000 metres above the sea level where the air level is really thin. I reminsced my time when I was in Nepal, I was trekking all the way to the near summit where it was already more than 5,000 metres above the sea level. At there, I suffered severe AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) which I suffered spitting headache, felt an urge to vomit and absolutely had no appetite to eat anything. My mind was such in a whirl and it was really really freezing in the middle of the winter. I was there alone with my mountain guide and most of the time, i was "bed-ridden", shivering in 2 thick sleeping bags as my inn did not have any HEATERS! Imagine yourself sleeping in the freezer which had plunging low temperature below zero degree celsius! No heater no heater no heater NO HEATER! Imagine IT!


Coming back to the Tibet issue, Tibet is always an alluring destination for me as it is replete with mystical charm. It is a main vicissitude of Tibetan Buddhism - Potala Palace- and understanding of Tibetan Buddhism which i am trying to immerse myself. I recalled of seeing lama monks chatting their prayers, "Ohm Mani Perme Om" with their prayer wheels being whirled in the clockwise direction. Whenever I saw them, i always felt my heart at ease and I remember I bought a book "Who will cry when you die?" in Pokhara, Nepal.

So, I decided to do a little research on how I am going to travel from Beijing to Lhasa, Tibet. Perhaps I will go there in the middle of winter again. I don't know why I always visit such an exotic places in the middle of winter. Perhaps I want to test my stamina and limit to see whether I could withstand the harsh wintry climate. I know many friends would deride me as a lunatic to go there in the middle of winter. Last February 2006, i visited Mongolia and over there, it was around -30 degree celsius. It was so freezing that I kept on shivering despite thick layers of clothes I had donned. And my feet suffered from onslaught near-frostbite. But in fact, I, indeed, enjoyed experiencing the tough weather climate that presented to me.

I also wanted to try one of the world's hottest place on planet where I want to try to walk across Sahara Desert. It is really exciting to imagine yourself to don free flowing arab robe and walking across the miles of dunes under relentless and sorching sun.

---

It's expected to cost less than US$50 to travel from Beijing to Lhasa on the new Qinghai-Tibet railway - a journey of more than 4,000 kilometers, said sources in Beijing on Monday.

In China, three types of train tickets are available at differing prices. The basic coach ticket, called a hard seat will sell for 389 yuan (US$48.6) from Beijing to Lhasa, while the price for hard sleeper or bunk will cost 813 yuan (US$101.6), and the price for a shared compartment or soft sleeper is 1,262 yuan (US$157.75).

For the 3,360-kilometer trip between Chengdu, provincial capital of southwest China's Chengdu province, and Lhasa, the hard seat price is 331 yuan (US$41.38), the hard sleeper price is 712 yuan (US$89), and the cost of a soft sleeper is 1,104 yuan (US$138).

For the trip between the southwest-located Chongqing, one of China's four municipalities, and Lhasa, a hard seat ticket for the 3,654-kilometer journey is 355 yuan (US$44.38), while the price for hard sleeper is 754 yuan (US$94.25), while a soft sleeper will cost 1,168 yuan (US$146).

Ticket prices from Lanzhou in northwest China to Lhasa, a trip of 2,188-kilometers, are: hard seat 242 yuan (US$30.25), hard sleeper 552 yuan (US$69), and soft sleeper price 854 yuan (US$106.25).

From Qinghai's provincial capital Xi'ning to Lhasa, which is 1,972 kilometers, the hard seat price is 226 yuan (US$28.25), the hard sleeper price is 523 yuan (US$65.38), and the soft sleeper price is 810 yuan (US$101.25).

The Qinghai-Tibet railway is due to begin trial operations on July 1.

The world's highest railway, extends 1,956 kilometers from Xining to Lhasa. Some 960 kilometers of its tracks are located 4,000 meters above sea level and the highest point is 5,072 meters, at least 200 meters higher than the Peruvian railway in the Andes, which was formerly the world's highest altitude railway.

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Perhaps I should start saving my money to fly to Qinghai where I could take the world's highest railway from Xining to Lhasa to test myself that I could withstand thin atmospheric pressure above 5000 metres. Previously, I could not withstand in Nepal because I did not give myself enough time to acclimatize to thin atmospheric pressure. ACM is potentially a fatal symptom and it could kill you instantly if you fail to acclimatize!

Then arriving in Lhasa, i would probably continue to the world's famous ancient Silk Route which is on the border between India and China. According to the news, China govt is planning to extend the railway to Yadong and other important towns in Tibet. Yadong is one of the important town on the border between India and China where it lies on the ancient silk route. It is kinda exciting to walk the path that is used to be walked by Marco Polo from Europe to China.
And then would have to continue to move westwards to India to the end point, Kolkata, Indian city before taking budget airline back to Singapore.

Will you still love me tomorrow - Shirelles

From young, I don't know why I have a strong affinity for this golden oldies - Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow? I always tuned to this song whenever I felt down or bored. Hee...
Here is the lyric.

Tonight you're mine completely
You give you love so sweetly
Tonight the light of love is in your eyes
But will you love me tomorrow?

Is this a lasting treasure
Or just a moment's pleasure?
Can I believe the magic of your sighs?
Will you still love me tomorrow?

Tonight with words unspoken
You say that I'm the only one
But will my heart be broken
When the night meets the morning sun?

I'd like to know that your love
Is love I can be sure of
So tell me now, and I won't ask again
Will you still love me tomorrow?

(INSTRUMENTAL)

So tell me now, and I won't ask again
Will you still love me tomorrow?
Will you still love me tomorrow?
Will you still love me tomorrow?

Over the weekend

Last Saturday, around 8am, I had to rush down to the Bedok Reservoir to participate in Singapore Dragon boat Festival. Not so many people were there but the number accumulated as time went by. I was the first one to arrive at the Bedok Reservoir and went to scout for a suitable place for my team to gather. Victor and Cher arrived second after and then by an hour, our team members arrived. By 9:30pm, we had to get ready and board the boat. By 10:10am, the race started. Initially, the start was very good and we raced alongside the other boats and eventually, we lost out. Anyway, it was a good start for us as most of us will be fully committed to the dragon boat training wth our new coach Junhong.

Then, on Sunday, I had to wake up at 6am to borrow Wai Kit's bike from his house. Then I cycled all the way from Kim Leat to East Coast Park. I finally arrived around 10am and everyone was brimming iwth a mixture of confidence and nervousness. I quicky registered and got my stuff ready in the transition area. At 11:50am, my turn came and I quickly ran towards the sea as if duck to the water and swam against the current. The sea currents were exceptionally strong and I had to use ounces of strength to swim against the current. After 1 round, my leg suddenly exprienced multiple cramps and I had to continue swimming until I moved on to cycling. and then running. Finally, I was so dead beat that I just simply collapsed on the field...waiting for my heart to beat at the normal pace. It was so hot....