wahoo.com

Here’s something that is taking the world by storm. What’s rare is that it’s still in it’s infant stage and you see it happening right in front of your eyes.

Just like when Google starts to gain market share in the search engine war over Yahoo and MSN by utilizing a unique search algorithm that seems to bring more relevant results to the screen of millions of internet users like you and me. Just like when blogs started to take over the mainstream media as the main source of news bypassing the bureaucratic grip of governments.

This is web 2.0 at it’s best. Go and have a look, it might get you hooked. Hey, it rhymes!  ;P

www.squidoo.com

Don’t you wonder sometimes how you can have a long conversation with someone about something you have totally different opinion about? Just today I was talking to a close friend and she keeps yakking and yakking about a buddhist meeting and something about an indian elephant god (and the two is supposed to interlink) and in one of her dream, she has a premonition that if she pay homage to/worships (or whatever) the elephant god, she’d have monetary gain in a short span of time, and then she told me how amazing it was that she hit her sales target after a very long time and…….etc etc. Long story short, it was a very long story.

Now before I continue, I have to tell you that I’m not a religious person. Spiritual maybe (at least I’m trying to be), but not religious. So all this talk about gods, ghosts, spirits and stuffs do not register in the ‘logically accepted’ part of my brain. But I can have long conversation with you about this topic, that do not necessarily  be in the form of an argument. I have my own view of things (and I doubt that you can make me change my mind in the near future) but it does not mean I can’t accept your take on the topic and where you’re coming from. Know what I mean?

It’s not always easy to state your view to someone you know who has a completely different opinion on the same issue. I still can’t do it with everyone I know, simply because I’m too lazy. I don’t want to be dragged into an argument where someone just won’t leave you alone trying to convince you that you should accept their view. Been there before, haven’t you?

I’m glad I’ve friends that understand this as much as I do. Just like this friend that I mention in the story above, she knows that I’m currently an atheist, and she respect that, but it did not stop her from sharing her experience and views concerning religion to me; and just as she had shown, she’s comfortable talking to me about it.

I have nice friends. Don’t be jealous.

Pop Quiz:

Are you currently thinking:

1) Free Burma? What happened in Burma? Who imprisoned them?’

or

2) Er, where’s Burma? Is it near Hawaii?

If you choose:
1) Slap yourself 3 times on the face, then read on.
2) Don’t move, stay right there, I’m coming over to strangle you myself. You’re way waaay beyond help.

I’m not a political activist of any sort. At least I don’t consider myself to be, but the current state of affairs in Burma scared the shit out of me. It showed me what can happen when the government has too much power. Take a good look at Burma, Malaysia is on the way there, if things don’t change.

I’m didn’t realize I can be that effected by things happening that far away from me. I’m very sad reading the news and articles about Burma. Really really sad. It is then that I realize that I love them, I mean the people of Burma, as a human being loving another. Even though I don’t know any of them personally. I love them and don’t want anything to happen to them. I want them to have the opportunity to live the life as any other normal human being, free from repression. And I know most of you reading this feels the same way.

From TIME magazine: "While ordinary Burmese get ever poorer because of the junta’s economic mismanagement, the generals live in swanky mansions and drive fancy cars". Malaysia’s not too far from there, are we?

More: "The steep fuel hikes in August only heightened the economic disparity, as some formerly white-collar workers could no longer afford to take the bus to the office".

The least I can do is to create awareness about this. These people are fighting for their freedom without weapons. I encourage you to spread the word about Burma too. Write a post in your blog about Burma. Visit the Free Burma website by clicking the banner above and include the Free Burma petition widget into your Friendster/Myspace/Facebook profile.   

Burma, we’re watching, and this time, we’re not keeping quiet.

This is going to be another one of my more serious post. I like goofing around and saying ridiculous things to make people laugh when I blog. I believe you should never feel too old or too mature to be making fun of life’ circumstances and having a good laugh. Maturity has nothing to do with becoming serious and not having a sense of humor about life. Life’s too short to be taken too seriously, cause when you do, you’re doing just that: taking life TOO seriously.

But once in a while there’s a more ‘weighty issue’ I’d like to share with you. So go grab a cup of coffee (some chips if you’re not afraid of getting fat, or if you’re already beyond help), sit back (in good posture, or whatever), relax and enjoy. Hopefully, with a topic as serious as this one, I’d still be able to get a chuckle out of you.

I’m going to talk about politics.

Now election should be just around the corner and for those of you who are eligible to cast your vote, I’m here to tell you you should. No, you must.

You know why? Because there’s too much stupidity in the ‘people in charge’ currently. Now, I’m not saying we’ll be very much better off if the ‘people opposing the current people in charge’ wins and become our ‘new people in charge’. They might just be as corrupt and thereby inadvertently slip into stupidity as far as the current ‘people in charge’. Power, most of the time, seduces you to the dark side. I remember reading somewhere: ‘Power corrupts; absolute power corrupts absolutely’.

What I’m saying is we need to have an opposing force as strong as (or strong enough to threaten) the ‘people in charge’ to balance up and keep the ‘people in charge’ in check; to let them know that we see their stupidity and they can’t just keep throwing stupidity at us and get away with it ALL THE TIME, which is what’s happening now. We have to show them WE CAN do something about it, because up to this very moment, they still don’t believe we have the power (or willpower, for that matter) to vote them out of their office.

Why? Because most of us have chosen to be INDIFFERENT. We think it does not affect us that much. We think it won’t make that big a difference.

I was asked these questions once: ‘You’re not interested in politics? You think it doesn’t concern you? What if one day, the ‘people in charge’ decided to impose a new tax on the road right in front of your house?  Does that concern you?’

So why do we see the kind of stupidity in the ‘people in charge’ everyday? Because their stupidity is different, or should I say, special. it is the kind of stupidity that can only be shown when it walks hand in hand with another virtue of the corrupts: Arrogance. The ‘people in charge’ are practically taunting us. They are practically saying: ‘I KNOW YOU KNOW HOW STUPID WE ARE. BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT YOU’RE NOT WILLING TO DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT BECAUSE IT’S TOO MUCH OF A HASSLE, SO WE’LL KEEP DOING STUPID THINGS, BECAUSE IT MAKES US BLOODY RICH, AND FAT. DID I MENTION FAT?’

It is so easy to get rid of this stupidity, but I would need the help of all you guys, to do just one thing different this election. Try to cross the box for the ‘people who oppose the people in charge’ for once, and if we get enough people to do that, we might just scare them a little. That’s all we need to do: scare them a little. We don’t even have to totally vote them out, we just have to make them realize that they CAN lose, to let them know we’re watching, and we can’t tolerate too much stupidity. We’re ok with a little stupidity, cause after so many years, we’re used to seeing you say and do stupid things. You make us laugh, which keep us living longer, but NOW, as in CURRENTLY, YOU’RE PUSHING IT.

In the words of Dr Wayne Dyer: ‘The thing with these people who call themselves the government is that they are like the servants that we have hired to take care of our house and then come to tell us that they are the masters of the house’. What an apt description. Lastly, I’d like to leave you with a quote from ‘V for Vendetta’: People should not be afraid of their governments, the governments should be afraid of their people’.

What? You’re not old enough to vote yet? Hey, I’ve just wasted 15 minutes of your life. Now say thank you.

You’re welcome.

The pain I have to go through. It’s like getting hit by a train and then asked to walk to the hospital. I cannot describe it better. Your muscles feel like it’s tearing itself apart, your joints feel like you’re hitting it with a hammer every step you take. The only thing that can keep you going is your own mental tenacity. Some of my colleagues have to give up 10km short of the target of 60km, after walking for 50km! Some finished short of a few km as time ran out, 24 hours have passed, spending the last few hours limping and dragging their feet to try to finish ahead of time.
After 70 laps, I rested for a while and woke up with difficulty of standing up. It’s the same for a lot of participants around me, most of us walk more like a penguin  than a man. As I went back on the track, I glanced at the clock tower, it was around 12+am. I’ve got 26 more laps to walk, around 16km. With this kind of pain, I’ve got to walk 16km more! It wasn’t until 5 hours later that I finished walking the 26 laps, making frequent pit stop at the medical booth for analgesic cream and spray. Which by this time has already been used up, leaving only ice packs to relieve pain. It does numb the pain for 1 to 2 laps, but then the pain will be back. I went on to walk 8km more than the minimum requirement of 60km to qualify for the medal. Just to push myself until the clock stops running at 8am.
In this 24 hours, I’ve only had the maximum sleep and rest of 4-5 hours. The rest of the time, I’m out there walking. I’ve seen a young lady and an old Indian man faint in front of me. See others crowding the medical booth with so much blisters on their feet they can’t wear their shoes anymore. The thought of giving up did cross my mind twice. But I pressed on, "not until the last minute" I told myself. I did doubt myself whether I will make it on time.
That’s how I’ve spent my Birthday. Btw, I also had 400+ people sang me a birthday song before we were flagged off. It’s a rewarding experience I can’t really describe in words.

Those are my colleagues, out of 39 staffs, 15 made it for the medal.

For more pictures, visit these 2 blogs:

http://xperienceoflife.blogspot.com/2007/08/sports-24-hour-international-walk.html

and

http://runwitme.blogspot.com/

Came back from the 4th Malaysia International 24 Hours walk. Completed the minimum of 60km to qualify for the medal. Now my legs doesn’t feel like mine anymore. The painkillers are working their magic to let me have my rest in bed.

Btw, my face is posted on the newspaper (Sin Chew Daily, KL version), I was told. Will get my hands on it soon from my KL colleagues. Hell of a way to spend my birthday. More later…

On 1st August 2007, in News Straight Times, 2 particular piece of news caught my eyes:

Raja Nazrin: Allow only honest officials to serve nation.
The Raja Muda of Perak has always been vocal in his opinions  on public governance. Some things mentioned on this particular article:

1) A social order that led to cohesion within and among communities and called for horizontal equity whereby all Malaysians in equal circumstances were treated in exactly the same way.
2) Malaysian of all races and religions engaging one another with absolute civility and respect.
2) Only Malaysian who were capable, hard working, bold and unscrupulously honest being allowed to serve in positions of responsibility.

We’re talking about equal rights for all Malaysians. Well, maybe not to that degree yet, but advocating equal treatments to all regardless of race and religion(this is not the first time he has given a speech on this). All this from someone who is in a position of power and advantage because of him being born of a certain race and background. Isn’t that what democracy is all about? Isn’t that the level of civility we’re aiming for as we develop into a  so called, developed nation?

I know that if I’m present at that lecture, I’ll be clapping my hands so hard it would hurt for 2 weeks or so.

Also remember he once refused state government sponsors for the cost of his wedding. He calls for the fund to be spent on the public. I know what you’re saying, he’s so damn rich he can afford to do that. Yes, he can, but past experience has shown us that just because someone can does not mean that he/she WILL. Look at all politicians who’ve already stuffed their bank account fat but is still misusing public money to make themselves even richer. There is no end to the greed of men when it comes to money made off that easy.

The truth is, I want to be proud to be a Malaysian. I once bought the idea that Malaysia is for one race alone, Malaysian, but along the way I got disappointed. You can’t be proud of your country if you’re treated as 2nd class citizens, marginalized and stripped of opportunities that should be the rights of everyone. Malaysia for Malaysians. I long for a day we are no longer differentiated by our race and religion, when we are treated as equals, because above all else, we’re all Malaysians.

I respect and solute our Raja Muda. He made me proud as a Perakian and Malaysian.

Source

And the 2nd piece of news:

Day of champions: Footballers can learn from Nicol
Once again, Nicol David made us proud by winning the Malaysian open and thereby regaining her world no.1 title for a third straight year.

She proved that to be world class, we do not need to build the tallest building, the longest bridge, the  most expensive toilet…etc,etc. Having the highest spirit and doing your best will do.

Source

I’m proud of you, Nicol. Proud that you’re Malaysian.

Happy Merdeka Day, Malaysia.

News flash: Friendster has officially gone haywire. I’m sure you’ll notice it in your profile too.

Haa… I’m stumped. I look at the date, and it’s not 4th of April.

Some of us has been on Friendster for more than 30 years. It’s that popular?!!!

Seriously, funny shit, this is.

Nothing in life happens by coincidence.

Warning: I’m going to sound very philosophical from here on.

Warning 2: this post is very very long, and filled with words. ‘Duh!’ You say.
I mean, ONLY words.

When you look back at your life, every single event contributes to you being who you are today. Sometimes things just feel so absurdly connected that you feel compelled to label it as miracle.  It’s like these events you go through and people you meet are intricately planned to get you in the exact position you’re in now. Deepak Chopra calls it syncrodestiny, and states that understanding the
mechanics of it allows spontaneous fulfillment of any desires or wants. 

The truth is, there is a fundamental force in the universe that we have very little understanding of which presents us with all the resources (either people or events) to help us move towards a direction we choose. Hence the importance of goal setting and visualization, because without it, we’d be swept by the current of fulfilling other people’s wants and needs and be a pawn in achieving other’s dreams and goals instead. As clearly mentioned in the book ‘Rich Dad, Poor Dad’: If you don’t plan to make yourself rich, you’re in someone else’s plan to make them rich. The same law applies in all other areas of our lives.

Even the great human potential development guru, Anthony Robbins noted that there is a force which we’re still not capable of understanding when you set a goal. Just by focusing our attention on something attracts resources to manifest that goal into the physical realm. All great thinkers, psychologists, human development experts, hypnotherapists or even spiritual thinkers have point to the unconscious part of the mind as bridge or communication portal to this powerful force of the universe. Some have called it the universal mind that is omnipotent. You can call it God, the higher consciousness (which I prefer cause I’m currently an atheist, until further notice) or whatever.

Methods like affirmation, goal setting, hypnosis, mind control (read the Silva Mind Control Method. interesting), and meditation are strictly means to communicate with the unconscious (or subconscious) part of the mind. The fact that our unconscious mind is much more powerful than our conscious mind is no secret, and may be linked to the fact that it is able to access (how deep or in what way, we do not know) and dip into the higher consciousness/universal mind. Think about it, even the Bible states that God is in everyone of us (for believers) and everyone is God, or is bits or pieces of God. We’re constantly in communication with and connects with a universal consciousness (God?) that makes me you and you me. Dizzy yet?

The greatest and most lasting change in our habits and behavior needs the approval and acceptance of the unconscious mind, and whatever is accepted in the subconscious mind manifest itself in the real world. The recent book that’s on the bestseller lists around the world: ‘The Secret’ speaks the same story. In the book and documentary, this phenomenon is known as ‘The Law of Attraction’, and the book reveals that this phenomenon has been witnessed even hundreds of years ago. Flip through any self help book you can find on the shelf of a bookstore and you will not find one author who do not believe in the ‘Law of Attraction’.

I’m sure that when you look at your life retrospectively, you’ll also be able to weed out evidence of the law of attraction that had taken place. When you set your mind on something, miracles appears on a daily basis. we just don’t notice it because we’re not tuned in. If you focus on it, you’ll start to notice how amazing it is. I had the same experience.

Just a few months ago, I mentioned to a friend about what I dream of doing for a living: to be able to contribute and influence to the life of others, and one way I’ve thought of doing that is to become a public speaker. And in the span of the next few months, I’ve been miraculously given the chance to give a motivational talk to the whole company with a few other colleagues. The thing is I’ve been rehearsing for something like this in my mind for a very very long time, without knowing I’d have a chance like this so fast. I’d see it in my mind like a movie where I’m standing in front of a big crowd, speaking to them, sharing what I know (however little I know at this moment).

By the end of my little talk, everyone in my company told me I’ve got a natural talent as a motivational speaker. All the managers come to me and tell me I’m talented in this area. One even mentioned that I should develop my career in this area if I don’t work for this company in the future, and I’m still thinking whether she’s trying to hint something :(  The big boss were so impressed he wanted a special slot for me on the next meeting to speak on another topic. Natural talent? Who the hell gave me genes of a motivational speaker?

Then there is the incident in NAC which I talked about  in my last post. Coincidences or syncrodestiny? You decide.

In the past three months, some things happened in my life that let me had a glimpse of the life ahead of me. It’s like I had a sneak peek at some future attractions of my life that’s becoming. Some goals I’ve always had at the back of my mind and, in a playful fashion, the ultimate power of the universe decided to let me in on what’s possible in my life if I keep concerting my move in this direction.

And it occured to me: I’m closer than I think. A lot closer, in fact.

Just last weekend, I’ve attended the National Achiever’s Congress in KL courtesy of my company, and it was really eye opening. At one point, a speaker challenged all attendees who inspire to become public speakers to go up on stage, and of course, I couldn’t let this chance go and jump up on stage in an instance. Around 20 of us went up on stage. I tried my hardest to savor the moment. As I looked around at the crowd, feeling somewhat like the world is revolving around me, it became clear to me that this is not just a dream anymore but a clear possibility of the choices I’ve made and will be making.

(To be continued….)

(I’ve started writing this post some time ago and could’nt find the time to finish it yet, so bear with me while I indulge myself in procrastination. Everytime I log on and think of writing, I’ll think of something else more important to do. Anyway, just thought of posting the first part to let you guys know I’m still alive!)