Chinese New Year 2009

Chinese New Year 2009

A special year as my 11-month old niece join us for the first time. =)

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Chinese New Year has always been my favourite festival.

When I was a kid, I liked it because I could eat lotsa sweets.

When I was a teenager, I liked it because I could get lotsa Ang Baos. $$

When I was in my early twenties, I found it boring and meaningless.. doing the same thing year after year, asking the same question year after year.

Now in my late twenties, I love it.

Simply because I am enjoying the quality time with my family and my extended family.

Learning not to take things for granted.
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Now I am looking forward to the next few days spending time with friends.

Book - "The Last Time I saw Tibet" by Bimal Dey

"The Last Time I saw Tibet"

by Bimal Dey

http://www.indiaclub.com/shop/SearchResults.asp?ProdStock=22061

This Author has a very interesting life

http://bimaldey.com/philosophy.htm

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A 16 years old teenager from Calcutta with nothing, and by sheer luck and good fortune, joined a group of Lamas for a pilgrimage to Tibet. It was in 1956, when Sikkim was still not part of India, when Dalai Lama was still living in Potala Palace, when Tibet was still closed to the rest of the world. It was an amazing journey that bring him to Lhasa and eventually to Mt Kailash & Mansarovar. He was able to meet Dalai Lama (Living Buddha & King) in Tibet. This had shown that he was quite blessed.

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After many years, he went back to Tibet with apprehension.

In fact, I enjoyed the last chapter, where I see a struggle within himself. He could not forgot the mystical and beauty of the untainted Tibet, however on his recent trip, what he saw was the onslaught of the Chinese way of modernity. This strike accord with me, as I have similar experience.

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If you ever think of visiting Tibet, I truly recommend you to read this book.

This book would give you another perspective of Tibet that is beyond the beauty of its Mountains, Lakes and Monsteries.

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There are alot of debates on the independence of Tibet.

I felt that the below extract tells alot:

Context: During the author's recent trip to Tibet, meeting with a head lama of a monastery.

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The head lama asked me directly 'Have you brought any pictures of His Holiness the Dalai Lama as a gift for me?'

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'No,' I answered, 'I have been forbidden to carry pictures of the Dalai Lama.'

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'Oh, yes! That's right.' he laughed, 'those who give such pictures and those who receive them are both criminals...'

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Freedom in Tibet???

One Last Good Deed

http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking%2BNews/Singapore/Story/STIStory_324798.html?vgnmr=1

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HE took a life in cold blood but in his final moments, former triad leader Tan Chor Jin wanted to help save lives.

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A few days prior to his execution at dawn last Friday, he had requested that his kidneys, liver and cornea be donated, his elder brother Tan Chor Juay told The Sunday Times on Saturday.

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'He said that since he could not take these organs with him when he died, it would be better to use them to help others than let them go to waste,' Chor Juay, 48, said at the wake for his brother in Hougang Avenue 3.

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The 42-year-old, notoriously known as the 'One-Eyed Dragon' because he was blind in his right eye, faced the gallows for murdering nightclub owner and former friend Lim Hock Soon.

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On Feb 15, 2006, Tan tied up Mr Lim's wife, teenage daughter and maid in their Serangoon Avenue 4 flat. He then fired six bullets at Mr Lim, 40, in an adjacent room, allegedly over a money dispute.

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Tan fled to Malaysia and was caught in a hotel room in Kuala Lumpur 10 days after the killing. He was extradited to Singapore in March and was sentenced in May 2007 to hang for the murder. Appeals fell through and his application for clemency from the President in August last year was turned down last week. .

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Together with Tan's wife, mistress and the other siblings, the family sat together as Tan ate his last home-cooked meal.

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When asked what his brother's final words to him were, Chor Juay (Tan's Brother) kept quiet for a long time. Then, wiping away a tear, he said: 'He knows I like to drink so he told me not to drink so much beer and to drink more tea.'

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Chor Juay also noted that his brother's final three hours before his execution were spent with a Buddhist monk.

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'He became much more religious the past few months. He used to have a really quick temper but, since going to jail, he had toned down a lot. The monk told us that he walked away peacefully.'

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I was moved when I read this news.

There is always goodness in everybody.

It is never too late to repent.

It is never too late to forgive

and to be forgiven.

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I hope the family of the murdered victim would forgive him.

CAN - Team Hoyt

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Team_Hoyt

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“Dad, when I’m running, it feels like I’m not handicapped.”

"I might be disabled, but I live a fulfilling life."

"I have shown to disable people that they don't have to sit back and watch the world go by. They too can go to school, get a job and be included in everyday's life."

- Rick Hoyt

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Amazing Feats!!! Total Respect!!!

Good Blog on Traveling in Myanmar

http://jalanjalan.travellerspoint.com/co/144/

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Just wanna share this traveling blog written by a Muslim Singapore lady.

I enjoyed reading her travelblog and could relate so much with it.

More importantly, probably due to her journalist background,

she was able to vividly document her encounters with the local Burmese people.

In fact, talking to the locals is the best way to understand the country.

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Taken from her blog: Conversation with a local guide

"i asked him how many tourists from my country visit myanmar. he said a lot, but are old people on package tours. he said "those are tourists, they come here snap a few shots, eat a lot, stay at nice places and say they have been to myanmar. you are different, i think. you're here not only to see myanmar, but to feel myanmar. "

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After traveling to some countries,

some of my most memorable moments are the interactions with the local people, when friendships are forged, and when I start to see things from their perspectives.

I would try hard to feel the countries that I travel in the future.

=)

A series of good gatherings

This afternoon,

a colleague who came back from holiday asked me how was my X'mas & New Year?

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I told him I had a great time,

but I did not go for any big feast or party.

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I had a series of good gatherings.

I met up with my primary, secondary, jc, university & army friends.

Feeling comfortable among your old friends is a great feeling.

I do not need nice food, posh restaurant, great outfit etc...

I just need good company.

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May be this is a sign that I am getting older.

Sunday Night CCK Super Supper

Meeting at Kopitiam

Wearing Slipper

Sharing $3 Chai-Tow-Kuay
Drinking $1.10 Teh-Peng

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Enjoyment: priceless!!! =)

My first THIRTEEN WONDERS!!!

Date: 28th December 2008

Time: 2:38am

Thanks to Eugene for the "huat"!!!

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Learning Mahjong since the age of twelve and 16 years later, I finally 胡 with 十三么 (Shi San Yao)!!!

Be'cos of 2 animals & 1 flower, the total 番 is 13 + 3 = 16 番s.

Shiok Ah.

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We played mahjong since 3pm (took an hour break for dinner), and almost 12 hours & 4 rounds later, I won the last game with "13 wonders". There is an urban myth that people who win "13 wonders" will have really bad luck the following day (e.g friend's friend got into accident, another friend lost all his earnings.)

Fortunately, nothing happens to me.

Heng Ah!!!