Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
December 25th
This photo, taken by Aunty Michelle is a favourite of mine.
And within the week, I had printed and stuck this on the fridge with a magnet :
CATRIONA CHONG XIN YUN
MISSION STATEMENT :
EAT. SLEEP. SHIT.
REPEAT.
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
On Top Of The World
Monday, December 22, 2008
High Praise COOL Youth Camp 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Guy's getting a Divorce
When I first heard her album she was just beginning to create a small buzz - nowhere near famous. I still remember that her Lucky Star LP was among the first 3 vinyl LPs that I bought - with the others being
* The Smiths' "The Smiths" and
* Depeche Mode's "Some Great Reward"
I guess I should start getting used to noticing signs of time passing by but ...
It won't be through music as my musical boundaries have expanded way beyond those early years. I guess it's a little difficult to realize the passage of time when one is listening to The Beatles or Ella Fitzgerald amongst others.
And with the advent of Youtube, I find that there's really a lot on interesting stuff out there, like this one : http://www.tuesdayweld.com/
Sunday, December 14, 2008
B.O.O.K.S.
* Her first favourite book - a dictionary which she repeatedly flipped at 16 months of age
* Doing the adult thing
* at Borders book store
I must confess that encouraging her to read is also aimed at discouraging an interest in video games or television. It's also my belief that she'll be more likely to learn proper English from books than she will from Malaysian schools. Besides, it gives her parents an excuse to frequent book stores on their trips to the shopping mall.
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Potrait of an Artist at Work
Forward Planning for Productivity Improvement
Fewer days of annual leave for new civil servants
By SIM LEOI LEOI
PUTRAJAYA: Come Jan 1, those joining the civil services will only be entitled to 25 instead of 30 days of annual leave regardless of their tenure of service, says Public Service Director Tan Sri Ismail Adam.
Those who are already civil servants will have a choice of reducing their annual leave by five days or not in a move by the Government to promote efficiency and productivity.
Currently, civil servants who have served more than 10 years are entitled to 30 days of leave.
Ismail said civil servants did not need to get “unduly upset” by the option as they could still choose to remain under the old scheme.
“The option is given to see if civil servants are willing to sacrifice five days of leave for their service,” he said in an interview here yesterday.
I would like to commend Tan Sri Ismail Adam for his efforts to improve productivity in the civil service. While the suggestion for civil servants to sacrifice five days leave is admirable, I have my doubts about the number of civil servants who would take up this suggestion without any compensation whatsoever. Come to think of it, I doubt that there would be many in the private sector who would take up a similiar suggestion as well.
This being the case, that would leave us with only the new civil servants. And since the additional five days leave entitlement only applies to those who have served more than ten years, we should be able to see this improvement in productivity in about ............ oh, ten years time.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Cupcakes
Monday, December 8, 2008
献给所有为爱而生的人
你是为爱而生的人
在你的生命中正享用着那份爱
你是为爱而生的人
在你的生命中正享用着那份爱
自从太初以来亘古不变神的爱
借着我们的相遇结出果子
因你在这个世界之中真实的存在
我们因此而喜悦无比
你是为爱而生的人
在你的生命中正享用着那份爱
你是为爱而生的人
在你的生命中正享用着那份爱
在你的生命中正享用着那份爱
당신은 사랑 받기 위해 태어난 사람
당신의 삶 속에서 그 사랑 받고 있지요
당신은 사랑 받기 위해 태어난 사람
당신은 삶 속에서 그 사랑 받고 있지요
태초부터 시작된 하나님의 사랑은
우리의 만남을 통해 열매를 맺고
당신이 이 세상에 존재함으로 인해
우리에겐 얼마나 큰 기쁨이 되는지
당신은 사랑 받기 위해 태어난 사람
지금도 그 사랑 받고 있지요
당신은 사랑 받기 위해 태어난 사람
지금도 그 사랑 받고 있지요
지금도 그 사랑 받고 있지요
You were born to be loved
And you are receiving that love through your life.
You were born to be loved
And you are receiving that love through your life.
The love from God that started since the beginning of your birth
Becomes connected with us meeting each other.
You were born to be loved
And you are receiving that love through your life.
きみは愛されるため生まれた
きみの生涯は愛で満ちている
きみは愛されるため生まれた
きみの生涯は愛で満ちている
永遠の神の愛は われらの出会いの中で実を結ぶ
きみの存在が 私にはどれほど大きな喜びでしょう
きみは愛されるため生まれた 今もその愛受けている
きみは愛されるため生まれた 今もその愛受けている
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Five-day weeks are the way to go
Friday, December 5, 2008
Negotiation Genius
on negotiation and strategies on influence. The dude's an Associate Professor of Business Administration at Harvard Business School.
He's also got a book out : http://www.negotiationgenius.com/
Since the session lasted only some 7 hours, he obviously wouldn't have time to distill an entire book / lifetime of research into the session. But from what I've seen of him, the dude's good.
You'll want to check out what he has to say 'cos, let's face it, everybody has to negotiate - even if it's a question of who's supposed to bring out the garbage.
Friday, November 28, 2008
It's Thanksgiving today
Thursday, November 27, 2008
We Don't Need No Education..
It was only last week when Michelle's sister mentioned that her 6-year old son was going to tuition. And Michelle was saying "Isn't he a bit young ?" Truth be told, at 6 years, I think some restraint has been shown by the parents as I've heard of kids who started much earlier. It's not something that I would impose on Catriona, if possible - although I understand where they're coming from.
Of course, now that Michelle had asked that question, it had to turn around and bite her on the butt. Which is how Catriona ended up going to school at all of 2 years and 5 months. Mind you, it was only a one-time class and for only a few hours. And we didn't push her into it as it was the baby sitter who had suggested it. Still.....
At least Catriona was excited about going to school.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
A Milestone
pants... so.... tight
* and co-authored a major production :
Time flies. I still remember the 1st show I watched on television on my wedding day right before the wedding dinner. It was England vs Australia in the 2003 Rugby World Cup Final and I delayed the dinner a little bit more to watch Jonny Wilkinson kick the winning drop goal with 20 seconds to the end of extra time :
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Thursday, November 20, 2008
A Question of Time
I guess now that Catriona is here, time has become a more precious commodity because she wants to play with me. And sometimes it's difficult because I would rather be off doing my own stuff. But at the back of my mind is the thought "She's only going to be this age once, and the time will come when she would rather play with others".
It's a sobering thought. And one that helps me to focus on what I want to do.
Friday, November 14, 2008
How Great Thou Art
All I have to do is keep a keen eye out for it as I never know where I may find it. Being observant also prevents unwanted falls or breaking said pieces of art. In a way, it’s exciting because I never know what objects are going to be used in any piece of art. Building bricks, books, kitchen utensils, stickers, clothes and even onions have all been used by the resident artist in my house. They are pieced together in common groups or combined creatively just about here, there and anywhere. Sometimes, when I walk into a room, I see it. It’s just there - Art.
It’s a bit like how an archeologist is excited by the sight of some prehistoric bones from some long forgotten animal.
Now unlike archeology, these pieces of art don’t last as long. Some last for hours and others last for weeks. It really depends on whether the artist goes back to the scene of the art and decides to express herself again. If she does, then something new will be created. And if she doesn’t, then that’s eye candy for me.
Some particularly favourite pieces are recorded.
As always, beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I find that some of this art makes for unique wallpapers.