Dec 9, 2010

Getting It Done

Do you ever feel as if you just aren't getting anything done? "The hurrieder I go, the behinder I get." Here are three simple steps I try to use to guide my work. 


1. Just DO it. 


Sometimes we just have to decide to go for it. 


A "road warrior" stopped at a small town motel in the American Midwest. "How's business?" he asked the owner. 


"Not very good," the tired looking man answered. 


The customer nodded sympathetically. "Well, what's your next step? Do you think you'll look for ways to get your name out there to build up business? Or are you thinking you may have to close?" 


"Well," said the owner dryly, "I've never made enough in this motel to stick with it, but I've never lost enough to get out of it. I'm hoping to do one or the other this year."


All he has needed these years was to make a decision – one way or the other. Sometimes we just have to decide to do it. 


2. Do it NOW. 


One farmer decided to raise a few sheep. He bought a fine ewe which soon gave birth to two lambs. However, he had no pen in which to keep his sheep and a wolf ate one of the lambs. The farmer remarked, "Well, I guess I'd rather have one fat lamb than two skinny ones" and decided to accept his fate and not build a fence this year. 


A few days later the wolf killed and ate the second lamb. This time the farmer reflected, "I supposed it's all for the best. Now the ewe won't be bothered with them." With no lambs left, he again chose to wait on building the fence.


A couple weeks later the ewe was eaten up and the farmer became more pensive. "I know it's all for the best, but I'll be darned if I can figure out how."


I find peace in learning to accept what cannot be changed. But there is also wisdom in doing what needs to be done WHEN it needs to be done.


3. But do it RIGHT.


One poet put it like this:


"If a task is once begun, never leave until it's done.
Be the labor great or small, do it well or not at all."


I think a case can be made that not everything has to be done well all of the time. But more often I have to ask myself, "If I don't have time to do it right, when I will find time to do it over?" 


I have a friend who likes to say, "Slow is fast." What she means is that if I will slow down and do the thing right, I won't have to redo it later. Slow is fast.


For me, it helps to just do it, do it now and try to do it right. And then maybe celebrate when it's done.


-- Steve Goodier

Dec 7, 2010

Dec 6, 2010

Money No Enough 2

Money No Enough 2 ~ The sequel ... 10 years later


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Dec 5, 2010

Money No Enough

Money No Enough ~ The whole movie on YouTube ... Enjoy!!


An apt reminder for us as we are getting our keys to the new flat next week ... Renovation works, furniture, appliances, etc, etc ....the list goes on and on ...


Wa lao eh ... Really it is MONEY NO ENOUGH AHHH !!!!!


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Nov 11, 2010

The Mayonnaise Jar

When things in your life seem, almost too much to handle,
When 24 Hours in a day is not enough, 
Remember the mayonnaise jar and 2 cups of coffee.


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A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front of him. When the class began, he wordlessly picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. 


The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the golf balls. He then asked the students again if the jar was full. They agreed that it was. 


The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up everything else. He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with a unanimous “yes.” 


The professor then produced two cups of coffee from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar effectively filling the empty space between the sand. The students laughed. 


“Now,” said the professor as the laughter subsided, “I want you to recognize that this jar represents your life. The golf balls are the important things - God, your family, your children, your health, your friends and your favorite passions - and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your life would still be full. The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and your car. The sand is everything else - the small stuff.” 


“If you put the sand into the jar first,” he continued, “there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff you will never have room for the things that are important to you. 


“Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get medical checkups. Take your spouse out to dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and fix the disposal. Take care of the golf balls first - the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just sand.” 


One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the coffee represented. The professor smiled. ”I’m glad you asked. It just goes to show you that no matter how full your life may seem, there’s always room for a couple of cups of coffee with a friend.”

Oct 31, 2010

Battle of the Wantan Mee

This weekend, we tried 2 types of Wantan (Wonton) Mee ... Same yet different
Which one do you like (looking at the photos)?


Each has their own distinct flavours ... We like both!! :D


Hong Chang in Ang Mo Kio Central Food Centre


Ho Seng Kee in JB (near Holiday Plaza)




One word of caution:
Don't tell the JB one you want chilli, if you never try before.... I can eat hot stuff, but i still need to tell them put less chilli... Otherwise, siao liao...

Oct 27, 2010

Dad's For Life

Being a first-time Dad, I was excited, overjoyed and at the same time, felt uncertain and afraid.

Alas, it was not as tough as I had imagined it would be. But it's not an easy journey either.




Our baby girl, Eunice, will be 14 months old in a couple of weeks ... Oh, how she has grown up ... from a little baby to a toddler just learning to take her first steps on her own and speaking more than just baby language ... The way she hugs me. When she wants me to "Pao Pao" her once I reached home ... Oh, hmmm ... The sweet memories make our efforts and sleepless nights all worthwhile.


To share with you, the first few months are the most difficult, especially for first-time parents ... Once you get used to the routine of feeding milk, burping after feeds, changing diapers, etc, it soon become second nature ... As the saying goes "Practice makes perfect", so practice more ... LOL


And pretty soon, we will be going through the same thing all over again ... for our second "xiao bu dian" (little one) :)


And this time, I will be waiting ... with more anticipation than apprehension.






While we try to teach our children about life, 
our children teach us what life is all about.

Oct 22, 2010

Do You Want to Be Right?

I heard a funny story about a cowboy who ambled into the local blacksmith shop and picked up a horseshoe, not realizing it had just come from the forge. He immediately dropped the hot shoe, shoved his seared hand into his pocket and tried to act nonchalant.


The blacksmith half smiled and asked, "Kinda hot, wasn't it?"


"Nope," replied the cowboy, "just don't take me long to look at a horseshoe, that's all."


I chuckle because I don't enjoy admitting mistakes, either. Nope, I'm fine.I meant to do that.


Furthermore, when I think I'm right, I usually want people to know it. And when I'm IN THE RIGHT, it's hard to hold me back. "Hey, I'm the injured party here. I didn't do anything wrong. I can prove it!" I don't suffer righteous indignation quietly.


I learned of a minister who left his pulpit to go to medical school and become a doctor. An old friend saw him several years later and expressed surprise at his career change, but said he assumed it had been because he could care for people in a more physical way now that he was practicing medicine.


"Not at all," the doctor responded honestly, "the reasons were purely economic. I discovered that people will pay more money to care for their bodies than for their souls."


Several years lapsed before the friend saw him again and discovered that he had left medicine for law. "What was your reason this time?" the friend asked.


"Simple economics again," replied the ex-minister, ex-doctor attorney. "I learned that people will pay more to prove they are right than to care for either body or soul."


I suppose I'm not the only person who enjoys being right. Is that part of our human nature? In conflict, it seems most folks want to come out on top. When they are wronged, they want justice. If no justice is forthcoming, they lament about the unfairness of it all and indignantly brood in self pity. Many people will go to great lengths to prove they are right - and at tremendous cost, not only financially, but in other ways.


Do you know how difficult it is to insist on being right? And how high the cost?


Being the injured party is costly to physical and emotional health. Some people stew about the injustice of it all while their stomachs are eaten away by ulcers. While they wait for an apology or a court case to vindicate them, they grow resentful and bitter. They obsess on the cause of their pain and allow it to rob them of one of their most valuable assets - their happiness. In the end, many of them discover they paid far too high a price to be right.


An important question for me is this: Do I want to be right, or do I want to be well? And a related question is this: Do I want to be right, or do I want to be happy? Because usually I have to choose.


But it's a choice I really ought to make.


-- Steve Goodier

Oct 9, 2010

Quotes by Dalai Lama

You have to start giving first and expect absolutely nothing. — Dalai Lama

With realization of one's own potential & self confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world. — Dalai Lama

When you practice contentment you can say to yourself, 'Oh yes I already have everything that I really need'. — Dalai Lama

What unites all beings is their desire for happiness. — Dalai Lama

We must all live harmoniously with our neighbors. Your happiness depends on it. — Dalai Lama

We have to make a sustained effort, again and again, to cultivate the positive aspects within us. — Dalai Lama

We can never obtain peace in the outer world until we make peace with ourselves. — Dalai Lama

True compassion is not just an emotional response but a firm commitment founded on reason. — Dalai Lama

Through money or power you cannot solve all problems. The problem in the human heart must be solved first. — Dalai Lama

The ultimate source of happiness is our mental attitude. — Dalai Lama

The purpose of our lives is to be happy. — Dalai Lama

The more you nurture a feeling of loving kindness, the happier and calmer you will be. — Dalai Lama

Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk. — Dalai Lama

Spend some time alone every day. — Dalai Lama

Smile if you want a smile from another face. — Dalai Lama

See the positive side, the potential, and make an effort. — Dalai Lama

Remember that sometimes not getting what you want is a wonderful stroke of luck. — Dalai Lama

Peace does not come through prayer, we human beings must create peace. — Dalai Lama

Our purpose in life is to be happy. From the very core of our being, we simply desire contentment. — Dalai Lama

Once a year, go someplace you've never been before. — Dalai Lama

Nothing is permanent. — Dalai Lama

Love and compassion are the pillars of world peace. — Dalai Lama

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. — Dalai Lama

Sep 13, 2010

Aug 14, 2010

Happy Belated Birthday, Singapore!!

National Day long weekend over liao ... But no time to post ...

Have some laughs ... Wahahaha =)



Jul 3, 2010

Give Me A Road

Project 路 (ROAD)

生命中有多少次我们能帮助另一条生命




The idea behind these project I do is not about photography but rather in helping the people. Knowing that we don't just take photos of the poor but to provide help to the needy. I don't do this for myself but for them and to think on behalf of them. Photography is my daily work and I hope to use some of my time in helping people and doing something meaningful.

Guys I would appreciate if we know the purpose and keep our focus. We don't just show the pictures we bring back but to go back to continue the work we have just started. I give you (my friends) my support and may we continue to contribute back to humanity.

Recently a photographer friend took a picture of a poor boy sitting by the roadside that looks sad and lost, I saw the photo and send him a massage saying "did you give something for him to eat after you have took that photo?" His reply was sorry he didn't have the chance to do it due to some situation. I guess he know what I am saying and will know what to do in the future. At the end of the day... what's more important is not about the photo... it's what we do with that image.

I will keep everyone posted for the up coming events of project ROAD. And also to inform you to see how you could play a part in this meaningful project. Updates at www.alexsohphotography.wordpress.com, on my facebook and on project road facebook. Looking forward to your support.

Cheers
Alex


For friends who would like to support and help the people in Cham Resh, please leave your contact with us at chuamel@gmail.com / one@alexsohphotography.com

Jul 2, 2010

Playing It Safe

A young reporter wanted to get a feel for agriculture, so he called upon a farmer and said, "How's your wheat coming along?"

The farmer replied, "I didn't plant any."

"Really?" asked the reporter. "I thought this was supposed to be wheat country."

"Some say it is," came the reply. "But I was afraid we might not see enough rain this year."

"Well, what about your corn. How is it doing?" the young man inquired.

"Didn't plant corn this year. I was afraid of corn blight."

"Alfalfa?"

"Nope. Afraid the price might drop."

"Well, then," asked the reporter, "what did you plant?"

"Nothin'," the farmer said. "I just played it safe."

Here is a couple who REALLY played it safe:

The bride, white of hair, is stooped over her cane,
Her footsteps - uncertain - need guiding,
While down the opposite church aisle
With a wan, toothless smile
The bridegroom in wheelchair comes riding.

Now who is this elderly couple, thus wed?
Well, you'll find when you've closely explored it
That here is that rare,
Most conservative pair
Who waited 'til they could afford it!

Do you like playing it safe? If so, I found a Web site you just might love: Dull Men's Club. No excitement there. You'll never have to leave your comfort zone. The Dull Men's Club, found at http://www.dullmensclub.com, is a place in cyberspace for guys who feel "born to be mild" and enjoy adventure of such activities as watching grass grow and paint dry. I think dull women will like it, too.

But, as most of you know, some of best things in life can only be found after we cast aside a bit of caution. I learned that lesson playing baseball as a child. Ninety feet never seems so long as when you're trying to steal second base. And more than once I was thrown out trying to steal, but what a feeling those times I slid in safely. Joy. Exhilaration. The downside was worth it.

There is a life lesson here: you can't steal second base unless you run away from first. In some things, it is all or nothing. Run flat out or stay back, for there is no changing your mind.

Sometimes it takes courage to do what you've never done and go where you've never been. It's like stealing second base - whatever huge decision looms before you, your best solution will likely be made from the side of courage, rather than fear.

If you have any regrets 20 or 30 years from now, what will they be about? I don't think mine will be about the things I did. I think they will be more about the things I could have done, but was afraid to try. Those times I was afraid to take a chance because I might be rejected or thought to be silly. Those times I was afraid to do something new - make a change - because I was afraid I might fail.

Canadian Claude Thomas Bissell is credited with saying something profound about living life fully. He said,

"Risk more than others think is safe.
Care more than others think is wise.
Dream more than others think is practical.
Expect more than others think is possible."

You can't always play it safe if you want to LIVE.

-- Steve Goodier

Jun 10, 2010

Ten sentences that took me ten minutes to read

Pardon me, this is in Chinese ....
----------------------------------------------------



只有十句话,我却看了十分钟 ...


第一句

如果我们之间有1000步的距离
你只要跨出第1步
我就会朝你的方向走其余的999步


第二句

通常愿意留下来跟你争吵的人
才是真正爱你的人


第三句

付出真心 才会得到真心
却也可能伤得彻底
保持距离 就能保护自己
却也注定永远寂寞


第四句

有时候 不是对方不在乎你
而是你把对方看得太重


第五句

朋友就是把你看透了 还能喜欢你的人


第六句

就算是believe 中间也藏了一个lie


第七句

真正的好朋友  
并不是在一起就有聊不完的话题
而是在一起 就算不说话
也不会感到尴尬


第八句

没有一百分的另一半
只有五十分的两个人


第九句

为你的难过而快乐的 是敌人
为你的快乐而快乐的 是朋友
为你的难过而难过的
就是那些 该放进心里的人


第十句

冷漠 有时候并不是无情
只是一种避免被伤害的工具

May 14, 2010

Universal Studios Singapore, Resorts World Sentosa

It has been ages since we went pak-toring (other than shopping for baby stuff and occassional dining out) ... Chanced upon this promo when surfing net last night ... Hmmm, set me thinking "Why not ...."

So, decided to plan a surprise for my wife ... this morning, told her that tonight will bring her to some new place but didn't say where ... keeps the suspense ... heehee

Guess the place?? ... Universal Studios Singapore !! at Resorts World Sentosa ... finally we are going there after it opened its doors couple of months back

The drive there was uneventful ... heavy traffic as usual on CTE towards AYE, near PIE exit ... upon entering the bridge to Sentosa, keep left and enter the RWS carpark, else have to pay admission fee to Sentosa lor

Looking for a place to park was harder than i thought ... many many cars ... haiz ... eventually parked and had to walk some distance back to get to the escalator up to Universal Studios


Bought the tickets @ $2 each


and we went to check out the Hershey's store, near the entrance ... You won't miss it ... and next to that is a small store selling popcorn ... wow, long Q (must be good lor, typical Singaporean style, see got Q, must join in ... lol)

Tasted the different flavours first (can try one, good ah) and then decided to get a small pack of cashew caramel crisp popcorn ... guess the price!! woo hoo ....


Alright! Time to go in ....


This is the start of Hollywood street




A few of the shops selling stuff and makan ...


even got a cinema "Pantages" which was screening "Shrek 2" tonight ... tickets are only $3 each


and we met Shrek and Fiona "LIVE" !! Wow ...



Here they are walking past Eunice :)


My wife and daughter ... They are the best and greatest!!


Took a photo of my new ride :P ... lol


And rested our tired legs, to wait for the fireworks show to start ....


But then, 8pm came and went, still no fireworks?!?
Asked around and the staff says there isn't any fireworks show at all leh ...

Hmmm, sure bo? We tot everyday got fireworks (machiam Disneyland), both of us also blur blur ... lol

Took some more photos (till camera bo battery liao, oops, forgot to charge full) and then, time to go back home!!


A long walk back to the car .....

Till then, next time perhaps .....

Apr 25, 2010

Tweaks and Themes

One of the things i like to do every now and then is to play around with tweaks and themes, be it OS desktop or mobile phone.

But somehow never got around to designing and coding one of my own .... hmmm .... maybe next time will do one ... heehee

Here's my current desktop, which i am quite happy with at the moment ... it is using Rainmeter as the customization engine.

Credit goes to Lightning at Sunset and Customize Your Own Killer "Enigma" Desktop