Do it Anyway !

No matter what you do in life...You will always face this.....regardless of what you face....Do it anyway !....I wish you a good life !!

13th Tues with Morrie - 9/12/08 ~ We Talk About The Perfect Day

We are so afraid of the sight of death..People act as if death is contagious. Death is just as natural as life. It's part of the deal we made. Its natural to die...

The fact that we make such a big hullabaloo over it is because we don't see ourselves as part of nature. We think because we are human and we're something above nature. Everything that gets born, dies.

" As long as we can love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are still there.

You live on - in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here.

Deathe ends a life , not a relationship.

Mum, you left a good name behind...for me and everyone who remembered you as the Hougang Ave 3, Dian Mo Jie...

Put A Smile On A Kid's Face This Season !

This post is dedicated to Nicole Lai who has passed on due to illness. She has left behind a beautiful daughter Carmen. Sharlyn was her and my good friend and we thought maybe we could do a special customise gift for Carmen and this customised cashcard was born.

Carmen,

I hope you like this gift from your Jie Jie who dotes you so much.

Take care. Your mum will always be watching over you.

Year 2008 Reflections

Today is 12th Dec 2008. Time really flies...another 19 days and its the new year....Year 2009...It was like last year when I talked about what a great year 2008 would be but unfortunately things din turn out as well as it should be but nevertheless..let's recapture what I have done for the past 1 year and hope to do better for things that I have yet to do for Year 2009.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Feb 08 - 38K investment blunder....

Mar 08 -
Bought my iMac,
My Niece 1 yr old Birthday,
Patricia's invitation for reunion dinner at her place. Thank You Pat

Apr 08 - Sponsored Hewlett Packard Company Chalet as they are just freaking stingy to come out any funds.

May 08 - Runway Cycling

Jun 08 -
Granny admitted to Hospital. Thank God she is okay.
Started Singapore T202 Meetup.com PPC Mastermind Group

Jul 08 - Government offered to help Singaporeans and then....
Help the poor ?
Raise GST !

Help traffic flow ?
Up ERP !

Help passenger service ?
Up Bus | Mrt fare !

Help us get taxi ?
Raise Taxi Fare!

Aug 08 - End of Contract with Hewlett Packard and they booted me out. Thank You HP :)

Sep 08 - My best friend Sharlyn's best friend Nicole Lai's Demise...

Oct 08 - Hit with Chicken Pox

Nov 08 - Sold off Mum's Malaysia Condo

Dec 08 - Peaceful Month
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

What's in store for Year 2009 ?
Be a Hedgehog !

I am passionate about Affiliate Marketing.
I am good at PPC strategies.

These two will drive my economic engines.

Action Plan !
Full Gear into Affiliate Marketing. Targetting new niche.

Personal Development
Be a better person...
Be a patient person...
Be a good listener...
Be anyone's best friend...
Be a down to earth guy...
Be a good boyfriend...
Be a good husband...
Be a good father...
Be a good son...
Be a......

Nuffnang Co-Founder - Young Entrepreneur

I finally met up with Nuffnang Co-Founder Ming. I was there early and suddenly spotted a group of nuffies with a guy that wore shorts walking back to Nuffnang office..I thought wow...what an environment to be in....casual and fun and doing the work that you enjoy doing...Had a great chat with Ming and mutually understand each other's direction and needs. While on the train back, I decided not to take up the media sales post as PPC marketing is still my forte, would have to inform Ming next week about my decision. Thank you for the offer Ming and hope Nuffnang would be the best Blogvertising Company in Singapore and Asia !!

Are you a hedgehog or a fox ?

One of my good friend shared this concept with me and I was stumped at the simplicity of it. Its called the Hedgehog Theory by Jim Collins - Good To Great

~~ “The fox knows many things, but the hedgehog knows one big thing ~~

What are you deeply passionate about ?


What you can be the best in the world at..?


What drives your economic engine ?

I am passionate about affiliate marketing, web 2.0, social marketing, ppc marketing. I can and will be the best in my area of expertise..By combining what I enjoyed doing and be the best at what I am doing, that will serve as my economic engine...Simple concept? Yes it is but takes a lot of hard work...

~~ Many people know what they want, but few do what they know ~~

Nuffnang !

Since my contract non renewal with HP, I have been working hard on my internet related activities and also not forgetting to apply for jobs position in companies that provides that platform to fuel my interest and passion. Nuffnang is one of the blogvertising company that I have applied for and hopefully hopefully hopefully I will be able to get into it.

When you find a job that you love, you never have to work a single day in your life !

12th Tues with Morrie - 2/12/08 ~ We Talk About Forgiveness

Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others....Its not just other people that we need to forgive. We also need to forgive ourselves for things we didnt do and all the things that we should have done..

During those ICU times with my Mum, I had to made a hard decision to pull the plug and let her go. I lived with that decision for 3 years and hated myself for pulling the plug.

Moving on, I have learned to let go of her and let go of the guilt that I was holding on...

In this book, Morrie talked about forgiveness...and how we should forgive ourselves and forgive others...When HP decided not to renew my existing contract because of some inconsiderate ex colleague, I took it upon myself that I can move on, I can forgive her for indirectly causing me for my contract non renewal, I was dead wrong about that...

I did moved on but I was lying to myself when I said that I could forgive her...I dun think any human beings with feelings can forgive...When I looked 3 months back, I can only say that I did let go of the event..but forgiveness ? Its too big a word for me to use...I leave it to God to pass that statement...

An Early & Thoughtful Xmas Gift from Sharlyn

Mum, today I went dinner with one of my good friend Sharlyn whom I got to know from Internet Marketing. A sweet and pretty girl...

The Jap food was really good...Sharlyn gave me a Nike sports wrist watch..in 3 different colours too..!!

I did a customise nets cash card for her as well as her good friend Nicole Lai who passed away recently due to an illness..

~~Hardest Job in the World....

The hardest job in the world is to ~ Think ~ especially when you are Meow Vin ~~

Arrgghh.....Think Think Think.....

Can you lend a helping hand? ~~~~~~~~~ :)

Can You Read With Your Head Tilt The Other Way ?

¡ ǝɹɐ noʎ oɥʍ ʍouʞ noʎ ɟı noʎ ǝʞıl ʎllɐǝɹ ı
˙˙ɹǝɥʇǝƃoʇ ǝǝɟɟoɔ ʞuıɹp ʇuǝʍ ǝʍ : ʇuıɥ ʇuıɥ

(: ¿ ǝʇoɹʍ ı ʇɐɥʍ ǝɯ llǝʇ noʎ uɐɔ ˙ʇɥƃısǝʎǝ ɹnoʎ ʇsǝʇ oʇ sıɥʇ ǝʇoɹʍ ʎllɐnʇɔɐ ı

Thanks Giving - I Am ThankFul For --- >

Its Thanks Giving Moment..Its a holiday in the US where they traditionally meet with family and have a turkey dinner, though we seldom have that form of celebration here in Singapore, I think the lesson learned for thanks giving is important. Its a time to give thanks and gratitude for all the blessings in my life.

Thankful to have Very Good Friends
Lavie for eveything and anything....
Patricia and Phyllis for the 10 years of friendship and boiling herbal soup for me..
Mum Josephine Wells all these years encouragement since M1 times..
Yvonne Goh, Joanne, Mable just for being there as friends...
Zac the Wise Guy for stirring up my entrepreneur streak during the run-errands biz idea
Sanny for being my sunday swim buddy these past year and friendship..
My M1 friends....Casline, Jennifer, Adrian, Serene, Michelle, Nazlan, Shirley..and many others.
Francesco...My Ang Mo friend from Switzerland...
Amanda and Mr Low...for giving me that opportunity to earn property rental income from Canada...
Brother Larry...for life's lesson and those aha moments...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thankful to have Buddies
Rani and Jennifer who constantly worried about my job hunting and my pursuing of my dreams...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thankful to have Classmates
Andrew, Gilbert and May, Song Nian, Ah Boos, Raymond, Johnny, P.Yong, Hock, Vincent and others. 35 Years of friendship till todate and many more years to go..Thanks !!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thankful to have Mentors
"Life's Lesson" ~ Brother Larry who often shared the intricacies of life and the aha moments.
A. Marketing - Steven, Wes and Satyajit, Ryan, Foong, Lo who often guide me in my quest for knowledge.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thankful to have New Friends
Benjamin, Harold, Eusof, Gary and many of my T202 members who shares my dream of pursuing financial freedom through Affiliate Marketing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thankful to have support from my aunt and uncle..relatives...
Thank you Ah Yi, Uncle, Cousin Tina and Wei Ming for the past 3 years support, care and concern when my mum passed away...
Thank you for Nieces like Hui Xin, Hui Xian, their mum Choo Jie for the constant care and concern..
Thank you for cousins like Janivfer for sending God's messages every morning..
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I am also thankful to myself..
~ for being myself..
~ for being abled and healthy..
~ for having a roof over my head..
~ for being down to earth
~ for being contented..
~ for being able to eat, drink, talk, walk, see, touch, feel..

and just for being ALIVE AND KICKING !

Blogger AYB said...

Hi Melvin!

Everytime i come to your blog, i always feel a strong sense of deep emotions.

Well i guess you are a person of a great heart.

I also want to thank you for spending the time and effort in sharing with me great strategies of PPC.

More importantly, i think you are a great friend indeed. I want to thank you for that. A gem is really hard to find. I'm glad i've found you. =)

May this friendship last till the day we die.

eusof.
www.eusof.com

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Blogger Melvin Tan said...

Thank You Eusof.

Pleasure is mine to have cross path with you and started this wonderful friendship sharing our
common goal and dreams.

May we achieve our goals soon. Together !

November 30, 2008 3:51 AM

My Wedding Package with Yvonne Goh!

Mum,

I supposed you did not know that in 1998 which is 10 years back, I bought a wedding package together with Bei Bei. We have been together for quite a number of years but eventually it din turn out. We kind of drifted apart and parted as friends. She was my colleague in Singapore Press and the one that I love most even till todate.

Fast forward today, she is now an accountancy lecturer in Kaplan and married with 2 kids. We still have our bi annual makan sessions with our old colleagues and glad to keep each other updated with our lives.

Having been going out for makan sessions for quite a number of years but it keep slipping my mind to take some group pictures. I will grab those and show you. Love you Mum..

I dunno if the wedding package is still valid but I am going to call the company and see if I could convert that to glamour shots and take some group photos with 2 of my best friends, Patricia and Phyllis.

They were the very first that knows about this wedding package that I bought many years back.

11th Tues with Morrie - 25/11/08 ~ We Talk About Culture

People are inherently good. " People are only mean when they are threatened. Even people who have jobs in our economy are threatened, because they worry about losing them. When one gets threatened, one start looking out only for themselves. They start making MONEY a god. it is part of this culture.

The problem is we dont believe we are as much alike as we are. If we saw each other as more alike, we might be very eager to join in one big family in this world, and to care about that family the way we care about our own.

When one is dying, you see it is true. We all have the same beginning, birth and we all have the same end ~ death. How different can we be ?

Invest in the human family. Invest in people. Build a little community of those you love and who love you. In the beginning of life, when we are infants, we need others to survive. At the end of life, when you are dying, you need others to survive.

Dying Boy Brendan Foster Last Wish - Must Watch !

Instant Noodle+Sardines=Yucky Taste !

Mum,

Today I went to Little India and bought some groceries for next week. Been trying out canned food tuna and instant noodles and taste not too bad so today I decided to go experimental and mixed sardines into my instant noodles and the taste is yucky!!...maybe its because its not ayam brand. I think it still taste better with plain rice then mixed it with soup noodles...

I cooked an extra portion for the australian guy who rented the other room. He will be shifting out soon and another mauritius guy will be shifting in for a month. Both of them also looking for jobs.

As my property friend Sharlyn said, another tenant from another country, I can add it to my collection...haha...Come to think of it, I do have many tenants who stayed over from a few countries.

Philippines
Switzerland
France
Australia
Mauritius
Indonesia

In time to come, I may have the opportunity to visit them in their country and maybe rent their place for my holidays ? ;)

My Fair Share Of Crisis - 1991 - 2008

Mum,

I have my fair share of crisis for the past 17 years and I must say that this year is the year that I am feeling the heat of the recession.

Year 1991 - When I was still with the Navy, US launched the war against Iraq for invading Kuwait, the economy was hit and everyone was fearful of losing their job. As I was contracted with the Navy, I still went partying with friends and did not at all feel that I was in one way or another affected. I guess age plays a part then. Still ignorant.

Year 1997 - Financial Crisis, I left the navy in 1995 and went job hopping , I was working with a software firm but then again, I still do not feel the heat of the crisis. 1998, I kind of stable down in Mobileone for a few years before I left for Compaq.Image via Wikipedia

Year 2001 - Sars - I was already working in Compaq Computers, had a nice salary and colleagues. Stayed for 3 years before HP acquired Compaq and I left to venture out on my own. During those period, I already have 3 hair salons but eventually sold it off due to partners problems and also partly due to Sars that affected the Singapore economy.

Year 2008 - World Crisis - This year is the worst reason being that HP decided not to renew my contract with them.

Thank You HP.

I guess when you are older, the harder it is to get a "job". With more commitments, comes more responsibility.

Let's see how things goes...hopefully next year is a better year...

10th Tues with Morrie - 18/11/08 ~ We Talk About Marriage

There are a few rules that I learned from my mum about love and marriage.

If you don't respect the other person, you're gonna have a lot of trouble.

If you dont how to compromise, you're gonna have a lot of trouble.

If you can't talk openly about what goes on between you and your loved one, you're gonna have a lot of trouble.

If you dont have a common set of values in life, you're gonna have a lot of trouble.

What's YOUR value in your marriage life ?

Spring Cleaning - Shoo Away The Bad Luck !

Mum,

Today I spend the whole afternoon spring cleaning the kitchen. Another reason to shoo away the bad luck that has been following me the whole year round. I never believe in such things but sometimes it so difficult not to associate what happened to me with luck. Now the kitchen is spanking clean from top to bottom, left to right. I totally strip it naked and cleaned it up side down. Tomorrow I will work on the curtains and the flooring. 2 more months before Chinese New Year, might as well do it now since I am not working.

Will take some pictures to show you. Proud of it ..lol

Macau Venetia 2008 with Lab - Re-Upload as I missed these pictures

My Ex Team in SGX

Happened to find this picture from a friend's profile in facebook. Thanks Kumaran. The best team to work with in HP.

I enjoyed my stay and time with you all. I took a page out of this friendship after 2 years with all of you.

Thank you for crossing path with me.

9th Tues with Morrie - 04/11/08 ~ We Talk About How Love Goes On

~ Love ~

A 4 letter word that could touch lives or destroy lives...

How love goes on....

What's your definition of love ?

Share with me here.....Melvin :)

Mum, I Finally Sold Our Malacca Condo...

Mum, I finally sold the malacca condo that you bought 15 years back for your retirement. Its been vacant for a long time and as its a 99 years old condo, the value will depreciate further. Aunt has discussed this with me and we have decided to sell it at quite a substantial loss. We have never stayed there before and I felt a bit upset that you din even get a chance to stay there before you left me. I hope that in the near future, I will get to buy another one and house your belongings and remains.

Love you Mum....

8th Tues with Morrie - 28/10/08 ~ We Talk About Money

" I Dont Want My Tombstone To Read"

"I Never Owned A Network"

Ted Turner lamenting his ability to snatch CBS Network !

Money is not a substitute for tenderness, and power is not a substitute for tenderness. Neither money nor power will give you the feeling you're looking for , no matter how much of them you have.

Do the kind of things that come from the heart.

~ What do you want your tombstone to read ~ ?

~I want mine to read as " Melvin left a legacy just like what my beloved mum left behind ~

What about you?

Share your thoughts here.

~ Excerpts from Tuesday with Morrie ~

Happy Birthday Mum ! Love you tons

Happy Birthday Mum ! Today is your big day. I visited you at the temple. Its been 3 years. I love you very much and misses you tons. Its always a joy to be celebrating my birthday on the 20th and knowing that another 6 more days it will be yours and I always look forward to that moment when I share my life story with you.

Your adopted grandson just finished his primary 1 exams and he keeps me updated on his progress and he misses you a lot. I will bring him to visit you soon.

I just went for a job interview and the prospect seems good though the news is that we are in a recession right now and next year is gonna be worse ! So hopefully I will get into this job soon.

I havent done much jogging after the chicken pox saga :P but I will pick up soon..a bit lethargic after staying home for too long.

I will be going in to Malaysia with Uncle to sell away our condo which you bought years back. It has been vacant for a long time and the value has dropped significantly. Better to sell then to hold it.

That's it for now.

Mum, watch over my shoulders, protect me and keeps those hypocrites away from me. I love you mum and I misses you alot...

7th Tues with Morrie - 21/10/08 ~ We Talk About Fear Of Aging

3 days back was my 39th Birthday. Coincidentally, Tuesday with Morrie talks about Fear Of Aging.

Weren't you ever afraid to grow old ? Mitch asked"

"Mitch, I embrace aging"

As you grow, you learn more. If you stayed at 22, you'd always be as ignorant as you were at 22. Aging is not just decay. Its growth. Why do people always say, "Oh, if I were young again ?

That reflects unsatisfied lives, Unfulfilled lives. Lives that havent found meaning.

Age is not a competitive issue. Part of me is every age. I am 3 yrs old, I am 5 yrs old, I am 39 yrs old. I delight in being a child when its appropriate to be a child. I delight in being a wise old man when its appropriate to be a wise old man.

~ Happy 39th Birthday Melvin ! and Morrie hit it right ! I enjoy my new found Age...~

What about you? Do you fear aging ?

Share your thoughts here..

~Excerpts from Tuesday with Morrie ~

Thank You Sharlyn for the Birthday Gift and Your Company !

Thank You Sharlyn for your company tonite and I hope you enjoyed the Sushi Dinner! and your thoughtful birthday gift ! I wish you well and also hope that your business endeavour will kick off in flying colours !!

Happy Birthday !! To Myself ! :)

Happy Birthday to Me..
Happy Birthday to Me..
Happy Birthday to Melvin...
Happy Birth....day to Me...











Mum,

Today is my Big Day. I wish you were around to celebrate with me but nonetheless, I just want to say a word of thanks wherever you are. You are my greatest Mum and I love you and misses you tons even though its been 3 years that you have left me. I visited you in the temple and hope this time when you see me, I have put on some weight huh ? I have tons of good things to share with you. On this special day, I asked for blessings and wisdom from you. Guide me and watch my shoulders in whatever things that I do.

I would like to say thanks to the following friends who remembered my birthday and their sms messages and blessings.

Lavie - Thank You Lab for being there for me all these years !
Rani - You have always been the FIRST one to send. Thank you for that all these years.
Helen Jie - Thank you Sister Helen.
Sharlyn - Thank you my friend.
Stephanie - Thank you my friend.
Peer - Thank you my friend.
Michelle - Thank you my friend.
And all those friends from Facebook. Thank You.

What's my birthday present? I was wondering what I should buy for myself :) and you guess it. I got myself a Mac wireless speakers..hehe...I took a video of my room and where I place my newly bought speakers. Now my room is complete....haha...

The Richest Man In Babylon - Timeless Classic

Yeah ! I finished this book in one seating. It's a fantastic book. The kind that you find it hard to put down once you started. If you are like me and enjoy a good read, go for this one. Like what the foreword says - this timeless classic holds the key to all you desire and everything you wish to accomplish. This IS the book that reveals the secret to personal wealth, just like the book Think and Grow Rich..

Go and nourish your mind ! Read this book, strongly recommended. Next book for a challenge > Feel The Fear and Do it Anyway by Susan Jeffers...

20th Oct | 2 More Days To My Birthday !

2 weeks of chicken farm quarantine and I am finally free !! As a birthday treat, I signed up for a social event today and glad to know a few new friends.

Mabel - A diving enthusiast ~ Time to try diving? :)

Belinda - Pianist Teacher who shared cooking recipes with me ! and also introduced me to Blackmore Cream to rid Mr Pox Scars :)

Christina - Potential Travel Kaki ;)

Derrick - A lawyer who says he is a jack of all trades ! nice guy

After the whole event, I went "window shopping" and end up buying a couple of books as a birthday present for myself. I am an avid reader of self improvement books and strongly believe that we need nourishment for our soul then our stomach. If you wanna buy me a birthday gift..Get me a book :P

Dude, You Are My Beloved Friend ! Haha..Love you man !

I often talked about my Swiss Ang Mo Friend and here you go..The Dude from Switzerland !

I know Francesco from an internet relay chat years back and that friendship blossom till todate..its amazing the way how we cross path all these years...He is an awesome dude that loves Singapore and neighbouring countries. In fact, he already picked up half the dictionary of Singapore singlish and more familiar with Singapore than me ! Irony...!!! He loves Ah Mei ( Zhang Hui Mei )...he speaks malay language better than local malays...He also speaks spanish, french and some unbearable dialects....haha and btw, he is a vegan ! Wheat grass fanatic ! Love you Dude..glad to have you as my friend all these years !

6th Tues with Morrie - 14/10/08 ~ We Talk About Emotions

"Learn to Detach". Don't cling to things, because everything is impermanent.

But wait, aren't you always talking about experiencing life? All the good emotions, all the bad ones?

How can you do that if you're detached?

"Ah. You're thinking, Mitch. But detachment doesn't mean you dont let the experience penetrate you. On the contrary, you let it penetrate you fully. That's how you are able to leave it. "

Grief for loved ones, if you hold back on the emotions-if you dont allow yourself to go all the way through them-you can never get to being detached, you're too busy being afraid, you're afraid of the pain, you're afraid of the grief, you're afraid of the vulnerability that loving entails.

But by throwing yourself into these emotions, by allowing yourself to dive in, all the way, over your head even, you experience them fully and completely. You know what pain is, You know what love is. You know what grief is. Only then can you say, I have experienced that emotion, I recognise that emotion. Now I can detach myself from it.

~ Did you lose your loved ones ? I have experienced the loss of my beloved mum and clinging on to the love and memories pains me more than learning how to experience , embracing it totally and detaching from it. Morrie hit it right !

~Did you lose your loved ones? Are you still in pain? Learn how to embrace Pain and Detach from it ~

~ Excepts from Tuesday with Morrie ~

For my Ang Mo Friend Francesco from Switzerland !

Dude Francesco ,

I must have been too pox hole in my room that I missed your message that you send ! This post is specially for you. You definitely put a smile on my face with your corny messages all the time.

For the benefit of all my friends who reads my blog, this message you send is hilarious! Must share !

From Francesco

chicken pox? Haven't I told ya that ya should go vegan? keke...dude, have had that too once. hope ya are not too nervous in ta caranteen..(watever that means)..sick myself now..slept all weekend...mel, wish ya a superfast recovery..and that ya still see tat sparkle in the tunnel...just need to open at least one eyelid ;o)

6.54pm 5/10/08

Thank you my dear friend for sending this message all the way from Swiss...

Edited France to Swiss cos the ang mo complained that I dunno the difference between France and Swiss.. !!! lol...

cucumberMonster said...

Another correction from the swiss ang mo (kio): it was not a complaint but a shock to me to realize that I did not tell more about my country switzerland! And just coz of that lack of info I put mel in a situation of not knowing the difference between another country and mine!! soooo sorry, mister A*Mei Lover! I will do my best to keep you more informed about french croissants and swiss cheese next time I am in singapore! .okelah? till then, happy SBS travelling!!

5th Tues with Morrie - 07/10/08 ~ We Talk About Family

Love each other or perish. Without love, we are birds with broken wings. There is no foundation, no secure ground which people may stand if it isnt the family. If you dont have the support and love and caring and concern that you get from a family, you dont have much at all. Love is so supremely important.

"Love each other or perish"

~ Do you REALLY love your family ? ~

~ Excerpts from Tuesday with Morrie ~

Who are your friends?

Ever since my departure from HP, when I was going to start looking for new employment, walls start sprucing up around my life. Mr Piles visited me and left and now Mr Chicken Pox feels that its time to give me an early birthday present. The turn of events really dampens my spirit !

This whole pox event has also revealed who my friends really are in times of adversity though that may be a harsh word to use.

Here's a load of thanks to the following buddy friends and relatives.

Cousin Janivfer and Mum - For boiling a big bottle of chestnut drink for me.

Cousin Tina and Ah Yi - For your loads of advice on dos and donts of chicken pox.

Lavie - For asking if I need you to fly down from HK to take care of me.

Patricia - For asking if I have food at home, that meant a lot to me because you know there's no one to cook at home and I have to be isolated at home due to the infectious nature of chicken pox.

Casline, Jennifer - For your care messages

Joyce, Rani, Jennifer - For your care and concern.

I am also disgusted by friends who asked if I have unknowingly passed the virus to them before I was diagnosed with it. Go get a life..you know who you are !!

26th Sep 2008 - M1 Friends Steamboat Gathering

Mobileone - From trainees to colleagues to friends to best friends. Casline, Jennifer, Patricia. It has been years since we last have an impromptu steamboat gathering together besides the festive seasons. Since all of us lived nearby around Sengkang, Buangkok and Punggol, we planned to have it on an alternate month basis. Next one in Nov08...Casline, here we come to your place for barbecue ! Get ready !

Down with Chicken Pox !

I am down with Chicken Pox !!

Another tunnel before I see the light ?

4th Tues with Morrie - 30/09/08 ~ We Talk About Death

"Everyone knows they're going to die," but nobody believes it. If we did, we would do things differently." So we kid ourselves about death. "Yes, But there's a better approach. To know you're going to die, and to be prepared for it at any time. That's better. That way you can actually be more involved in your life while you're living."

How can you ever be prepared to die?

"Do what the Buddhists do. Everyday, have a little bird on your shoulder that asks, " Is today the day? Am I ready? Am I doing all I need to do? Am I being the person I want to be?

~ Learn How To Die and You Learn How To Live ~ Is today your Day ? Are you doing something different everyday ?

~ Excerpts from Tuesday with Morrie

Mama Mia - The Movie Best Collections of Songs

MamaMia is a fantastic movie...Why ?

Because....Mamma Mia! is a celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends and new family found.

Meryl Streep leads an all-star cast in the feature-film adaptation of the beloved musical that has been seen by more than 30 million people in 170 cities and eight languages around the world. Bringing the timeless lyrics and melodies of iconic super group ABBA to movie audiences, summer 2008 is the season for Mamma Mia! The star-studded soundtrack is the ultimate souvenir to the movie, set for release on Decca July 8.

The feature film adaptation of the global stage hit production brings the magic of ABBA’s music to the silver screen. With rising star Amanda Seyfried and Dominic Cooper, alongside Hollywood heavy-hitters Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth Stellan Skasgârd, Julie Walters and Christine Baranski, the film features the stars’ versions of 17 ABBA classics in this celebration of a mother, a daughter and three possible dads.

Mixed, mastered and produced by ABBA’s musical geniuses Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, the soundtrack is a must-have collection of these pop gems. Andersson and Ulvaeus reunited in Stockholm with the musicians who played on the original ABBA songs to record the disc in February 2007. It was the first time the musicians had played the songs together since ABBA toured more than 25 years ago. Along with producing the recording, Andersson also played keyboards. He commented, “We didn’t have to think about it - it was in the fingers.”

The actors joined together for the first time to record their vocals in London in April, 2007, prior to the commencement of principal photography, and continued recording later that summer on location while filming on the beautiful Greek islands. Whether it’s Streep, Walters and Baranski making their mark on “Dancing Queen,” Brosnan and Streep’s upbeat rendition of “SOS,” or the energetic song-and-dance numbers such as “Voulez-Vous,” the Mamma Mia! soundtrack captures the essence of the originals, while still giving them new and dazzling treatments.

Inspired by the storytelling arcs of ABBA’s songs from “Dancing Queen” to “Money, Money, Money” and “Take a Chance on Me,” Mamma Mia! is a celebration of mothers and daughters, old friends and new family found.

Light at the End of the Tunnel.........

Sometimes I wonder...

                                    wonder...

                                                    wonder...

Is there light at the end of the tunnel??

13th Tues with Morrie - 9/12/08 ~ We Talk About The Perfect Day

We are so afraid of the sight of death..People act as if death is contagious. Death is just as natural as life. It's part of the deal we made. Its natural to die...

The fact that we make such a big hullabaloo over it is because we don't see ourselves as part of nature. We think because we are human and we're something above nature.Everything that gets born, dies. " As long as we can love each other, and remember the feeling of love we had, we can die without ever really going away. All the love you created is still there. All the memories are still there. You live on - in the hearts of everyone you have touched and nurtured while you were here.

Deathe ends a life , not a relationship.

Mum, you left a good name behind...for me and everyone who remembered you as the Hougang Ave 3, Dian Mo Jie...

11th Tues with Morrie - 25/11/08 ~ We Talk About Culture

People are inherently good. " People are only mean when they are threatened. Even people who have jobs in our economy are threatened, because they worry about losing them. When one gets threatened, one start looking out only for themselves. They start making MONEY a god. it is part of this culture.

The problem is we dont believe we are as much alike as we are. If we saw each other as more alike, we might be very eager to join in one big family in this world, and to care about that family the way we care about our own.

When one is dying, you see it is true. We all have the same beginning, birth and we all have the same end ~ death. How different can we be ?

Invest in the human family. Invest in people. Build a little community of those you love and who love you. In the beginning of life, when we are infants, we need others to survive. At the end of life, when you are dying, you need others to survive.

3rd Tues with Morrie - 23/09/08 ~ We Talk About Regrets

The first time I saw Morrie on "Nightline," I wondered what regrets he had once he knew his death was imminent. Did he lament lost friends? Would he have done much differently? Selfishly, I wondered if I were in his shoes, Would I be consumed with sad thoughts of all that I had missed? Would I regret the secrets I had kept hidden?

"Mitch," he said," the culture doesn't encourage you to think about such things until you're about to die. We're so wrapped up with egotistical things, career, family, having enough money, meeting the mortgage, getting a new car, fixing the radiator when it breaks- we're involved in trillions of little acts just to keep it going. So we don't get into the habit of standing back and looking at our lives and saying, Is this all? Is this all I want? Is something missing? He paused.

"You need someone to probe you into that direction. It wont just happen automatically.

~ Regrets? I have a few....
Not telling my mum I love her enough..
Not spending enough time with her...
Taking her for granted..

Do I want to go on regretting for the rest of my life? The answer is No. I would like to live my life for the living and not for the beloved that is gone...

What regrets do you have in your lives?

~ Excerpts from Tuesday with Morrie ~