Confused?

The main character in the novel that I am reading, alternately with another book, has this part where the main character was faced with the formerly-hateful dorm-mate. The dorm mate is feeling down as he is just being dumped by his girlfriend because of political reason. Silly... but whatever it is, that's not my point...

The part that caught me is that the main character was said quite relief as the dorm-mate seemed to be finished with the actual sobbing.

The book mentioned that we all used to our own crying, but anyone else's made us uncomfortable. it's so true! It's already so hard to deal with our own, do not mention others. Phew~ You will never know what to do, or what they want you to do. Some people want hugging, and some people wish you would just leave them to it. It was all too confusing.

Most of the time, I will not ask too much when someone is not feeling well. I either will just stay quite, comfort a bit or sometime I will scold them, mind you though... if you are not too closed and that person does not feel loved enough to take your scolding, you better stay quite... I am not a pro in comforting others, and another consideration is that try to put yourself in their shoes. For me, it would be much easier to calm down when I am left alone.

Anyway, I have my own believe that living in this world is not easy, but it's not difficult as well, most of the time, when people need help, especially to people we are closed with, we will ask, or at least I will...

So, it might be confusing what one should do when they are faced with moody or emotionally unstable people, but just bear in mind, most people will tell you what to do... Some will start to share with you their issues, it means they need your pair of ears. Some will start asking you questions, it means they need your opinon. Some others would just stay quite, it means they would like you to do the same.

The reason that it's all very complicated, becuase you are dealing with human!

Someone...

Someone have dreamt of something, achieved it and now thinking whether the sacrifices made are worth what achieved.

Someone has been sitting on the car for 2 hours. Reason: Overwork! Business has been going so well, that he is trying so hard to cope, and now... tired. Instead of going back home, he chose to stay in his car, enjoying his own companion.

Someone is living in abundance, but has never stopped complaining. No time, No money, Have nothing. In fact, he has almost everything! A lot of people would love to be him, or rather to have whatever he has and live with gratitude.

Someone have chosen the path of life she will be living. She is now living it, not the perfect desired fairy tale, but she hangs on! Cried a bit, get herself up and seeing things clearer and happier now...

Someone... think differently

Someone... live different life story

Someone... hang on

Someone... continue to live on~

WWF Campaign: Sustainable Seafood

On my way to work, I passed by a few bus stops with the advertisment board displaying a plate of very delicious looking raw salmon/tuna (I was guessing). I, personally, am not a fan of raw food, but even so, I still think it looks so good that it will make salmon/tuna eaters' mouths water.

The advertisment attracted me, not only because of the picture of the tuna (which I later found out when my bus stopped right in front of the board, thus I can read a few lines of the ads copy), but I saw a logo of World Wild Life (WWF) on it. Yes, on my mission to care a bit for wild life, I signed up for WWF's newsletter a few years ago, but has stopped reading it now.

Anyway, the point is... Yes, the ads with the very well-taken picture of tuna is not the advertisments put up by any Japanese restaurants. It's the campaign by World Wild Life (WWF) to encourage Singaporeans to consume sustainable seafood and also as part of its marine conservation efforts. Read the details of the campaign which is conceptualized by the creative agency, Ogilvy and Mather.

It's actually a creative idea, the ads copy is Great! It makes you ashamed of yourself for eating the seafood. Read for yourself here.

However, I personally think the ads creates the opposite effect when I first look at it. My first impression is definitely not what WWF would love to hear. What do you think of the following?

Looking at the poster above, what's crossed your mind? I guess More of "Wow... It looks delicious", "Gourmet", "Haven't had raw salmon/tuna for a while..." and Less of "It's awful", "I am not going to have tuna or salmon anymore..."

P.S. I have no intention to offend the creative team. Just my personal opinion. I am fully supportive with the effort they put in promoting this campaign!

Ordinary Family Dinner

I have only one wish tonight, when I was passing by our neighbour's house. The family was having dinner together, an ordinary and Real family dinner.

I wish that when I am home, there will be mom in the kitchen, dad in the living room. Then after I finish bathing, I will help mom preparing our dinner.

*Slap*

I need to wake up! I am in a foreign land, all alone! No matter how ordinary my wish is, I can forsee that for the next few years, this "ordinary-family-dinner-routine" won't happen too often. It will be too sad for me to count, as it will be only a handful of days I have spend at home in a year. Believe it or not, for the past few years, I have only maximum of 7 days at home annually. ="(

I agree that I see more things here, I experience more, I learn more, I have become more open-minded. I am grateful for that. However, if I am allowed to be greedy, I will ask for one more thing: While I can still see, experience and learn more here, I also wish that I can be with my family more often. People I love and love me back without asking nothing in return~

Almost ended~

Time flies~ In few more days, it's DECEMBER, the last month of the year!

Was checking my resolutions for 2010, and I might not be too proud of myself. =(

What have I achieved? Where have I been? Have I improved?

Whatever it is, one thing for sure, I do not wish to go back. I just want to go forward and do my best again... At least, I still have a month time to do something that can add some values to Chapter 23 of my life.

Anyway, I might be afraid that this year ends with nothing significant, but for a few days already, I have been logging in to this blog, thinking to write a wrap up post for the year of 2010. I saw some valueable things in life, experienced it, one of my dream is realized. This part of me thinks this year is not completely a bad one. However, another part of me had made me to logout, to ensure that I make a good use of the month of December, so the posting, the year end wrap-up will not be too ugly, too disapointing.

Fighting~ (I intended to write "Good Luck", but it seems that luck is not what I need)

Say the right thing!

There are a few words that we should get ourselves used to them. It's "Please", "Thank You" and "Sorry"

On my way, home tonight, a guy's bag (I guess it was 3 kg at least) hit my head, and he only said "Oops"

OOPS! O-O-P-S!!! Can you imagine?

I was so angry not only because my head is hurting now, but because, he doesn't seem to care.

Gosh! God Bless Him!

Hope!

We, human, should keep on trying, and need to know the time to let go!

But...

The only thing that you should not let go is HOPE!

It's my pleasure~

Today is an unplanned day! I did plan... I want to wake up early, read my book, go to temple (hmmm...), go to bookstore, shop for a bit, then... am going for swimming. At the end, only the first one was realized.

I woke up early (consider early for a holiday), then... I just finished bathing, and I got an sms which at the end, I found myself at work. There go my temple visit, bookstore and shopping plan.

Then, when I was about to leave, I received a phone call. Tadaaaaa... another unplanned, my childhood friend is in town. I know that she is, but I do not know when she is going to contact me, and it's today! There go my swimming. BUT I am happy that she called. =D

Tonight was well-spent. She is my neighbor's grand grand daughter (her grand grandma loved me so much, I was closer to her than to my own grandma). We were a very good friend before. I can't remember when she started visiting her family (grandma, grandpa, uncle, aunties who are all my neighbor) less often OR it's me who visit her family less often? Most likely, it's the latter. I guessed it's after her grand grandma passed away.

And last year during Chinese New Year, we met again! (I always visit her grandma and grandpa and of course to pay my respect to her grand grandma, every year when I am back home for CNY) That's how she got my name card and Facebook connects us =D

Anyway, tonight we talked about our childhood time: how her grand grandma loved both of us, how her grand grandma would come to my school and scolded my classmate who made me cried, how we were the queens of all kids in her grandpa's house (in that little town, their house was known as Rumah Gedong, meaning: Big House. Last time, at least when all her family were gathered together there are at least 7 kiddos running around, and you would still feel, you can actually throw in another 7 kiddos and there are still space for you to 'dance'!), how we sang on the stage at her uncle's wedding dinner (song title: Abang Tukang Bakso) and we did not finish the song, as we couldn't remember the lyrics but we still got a lot of red packets from the guests.

It was 15 years ago, at least!

My friend's mom has always been good to me as well. I remember she bought me a very cute pencil case that my mom will not be buying that kind of thing for me before. haha... It was during my primary school time. I remembered I still had it with me when I was in my senior high school. Then I misplaced it... Or it's because I was starting to earn my own money, then I appreciated things lesser at that time. My bad~ =(

When I sent them off, they were saying thank you. I do not know how to translate it to Hokkien, but I just want to let them know: "It's my pleasure"

Looking back~

Here I am, my body is aching, my head is aching, but I just need to jot this down!

There were a few kids (ehm kids... I mean those are not grown-ups yet... ) in our neighborhood who were playing and screaming... happily, I believe. AND somehow I got irritated by them!

Then the thought of being irritated by those loud and happily screaming kids shocked me! I AM OLD! Gosh~

My mind was rushing for memories! I need to find it back; the memories, the feeling. I assure myself that I am not too old YET... I am trying to relate with my childhood time where I was as naughty as them, as loud as them, as free as them, as happy as them.

I found it back!!! I still can easily recall those memories, and I reassure myself, the memories are still CRYSTAL clear. Old people can't do this.

*Relieve*

P.S. Sometime, we need to look back. Give yourself a pat on the back for those good achievements! Give yourself a pat on the back for had conquered the bad times with flying colors!

Eat, Pray, Love

I fall in love with "Eat Pray Love". The book!!! I watched the movie, but I have no comment about it, except a big THANK YOU for giving our beautiful Bali a very good exposure. "Terima Kasih."

Anyway, back to the book... I have not finished it yet (now am at 'Indonesia' chapters), and I basically have been glued to it, except when I am at work.

The book bored me a little during the first 36 chapters, where it was in Italy, good food, beautiful city and language, but I am just a bit bored. Then... it started to get me addicted when her story in India begin.

I envy the main character, which is also the writer of the book, for having the opportunity, the courage, the financial support to have the taste of 3 different countries for that year round. That was kind of life that I am dreaming for (although I know one day, apparently, people need to settle down). But for once being A Citizen of the World, it's just my dream!

I will not be summarzing the book, but I know if I own the book, there will be a lot, a lot, a lot of bookmarks that I will have pasted to it =D

The Ketut Liyer with his style of meditation (how can you meditate, keeping all smiley face, and LIVER? =D), the poet friend, the Richard from Texas, the idea of serving God by serving people who you love and care for, are things that get me all excited about this book.

P.S. Those who love beauty and gourmet will definitely love Italy, Those who are seekers will love India, Those who are Indonesian will Love Indonesia, Those who have sensitive heart will love this book :)

Backpack and Guilt

My mind was wondering around this early morning. I was thinking about those backpackers, then I started to have this little conversation in my head.

Linda: Don't you feel heavy?

Backpackers: No, you just need a good backpack...

Then I was arguing, hmm... imagine and compare: you WITH your backpack and you WITHOUT your backpack... you will definitely feel the difference.

Then I suddenly start to relate it to 'guilt'. people who walk around with guilt all this while, have never realized how heavy it is for their mind, their heart, until one day they choose and they have been freed from the guilty feeling, then they realize that they can walk around (live) much ligther.

The moral of the story is that "Do not be too comfortable when you carry around a good backpack! It might be filled with those unnecessary things that you should unload to lighten your every step"

What a morning~