Statue of Hercules

Statue of Hercules situated in 5th avenue, NYC, across the street from St. Patrick's Cathedral. Remembering the days when I strolled on the streets of Manhattan alone.

Alone -- yes I was so alone this week. Mr Gui is serving his second week of reservist national service. I started a new routine this week. Slept before 11pm, woke up before 7am, and started work before 8am. I also treated myself to Aroma's and Starbucks coffee to kick-start my hectic work days. Basically it has been a 8am - 8pm work week, with some days starting at 7:30am in fact... and the amazing thing is I don't feel tired! When I used to sleep at midnight, I can sometimes still feel tired the next morning despite clocking eight hours. I guess before 11pm might be the magic hour for me to have a good re-charge. Music has also been one of my key friends this week. I listen to my itunes while showering and till I go to bed (otherwise it is too quiet!!).

Because I work harder now, I think it has also become more important for me to take care of my health. This morning I woke up at 8am and went for a swim (whooo hoo). A pity there was no sun this morning, but I still enjoyed my reading. "Thought, not money, is the real business capital," said Harvey S. Forestone, "and if you know absolutely that what you are doing is right, then you are bound to accomplish in due season."

Thinking about a personal situation I am facing... how would you know for sure if something is clearly right or wrong? Am I dwelling in a state of confusion? Am I at fault? Did I initiate any negative action? Is it desire and ignorance? Am I creating negative actions even if I don't initiate but respond?

Return of Bobby Heng - the VIP at the Tibetan Ceremony

Back track, this was in March 20 2008 - a religious blessing ceremony for Mr Gui & myself.



We are not quite sure who is the VIP. Bobby was just everywhere. Or perhaps the photographers chose him to be the star of the event instead.

Yes thats him, right in the centre.

Us saying thanks at the end of the ceremony.

I think he looks very Tibetan!

He definitely looks "in"!

This week was hectic at work as usual - hence the non-blogging. I however did manage to steal some time this weekend to try to rejuvenate myself. Did brunch with sister, went for yoga alone, foot massage alone and facial with mum. Mr Gui and I managed a Yakiniku dinner and Sunday morning McDonald's breakfast together... okay I have to give him some credit for squeezing time out since he is managing both his workload and a three weeks reservist training with the army.

I read a poem of interest which I shared with my sister and Mr Gui over the weekends ... reproduced here:

There are two kinds of people on earth today,

Just two kinds of people, no more, I say.

Not the good and the bad, for it's well understood

The good are half bad, and the bad are half good.

Not the rich and the poor, for to count a man's wealth

You must first know the state of his conscience and health.

Not the humble and proud, for in life's busy span

Who puts on vain airs, is not counted a man.

No, the two kinds of people on earth I mean

Are the people who LIFT, and the people who LEAN!

Wherever you go, you will find the earth's masses

Are always divided in just these two classes.

And strangely enough, you will find too, I ween,

There's only one LIFTER to twenty who LEAN.

In which class are you? Are you easing the load

Of overtaxed LIFTERS, who toil down the road?

Or are you a LEANER, who lets others bear

Your portion of labor, and worry and care?

- ELLA WHEELER WILCOX

Beauty of Nature

Of course of course, you can't find it in this country.

Thats the beauty of photography - it lets you recall the wonderful memories you once had. These were taken in Karuizawa in Japan.

This week at work had its ups and downs. Up - I had a good half an hour coffee session with a senior management. I was hesitant at first, but I realized the opportunity to hear the wise words from someone who has made it - its priceless. Another up - one of my team-mates is a buddhist. One evening when we were working late till 9pm - I was really miserable. She turned to me and said "Nothing is permanent, not even pain"... I burst out with relief... "You are cool, you are so right"... and quickly I gained back my smile...

Down ... hey actually apart from having to work hard, there wasn't too much of a down to pen down...phew... (maybe my team-mate's advice helped).


I just came back from a Mother's Day celebration with my family. Stepped into the house.. Irwin and I exchanged some quick hugs and pecks, and apologetically he had to leave the house at 930pm on a Sunday evening for work. He would be home by 12am, but it would be another all-night work for him.

This morning, we met shifu today and he gave us a small speech on wisdom. He stresses that in our daily life, if we do not use our wisdom, we cannot differentiate between right and wrong, good and bad. Ultimately, wisdom is the pratice that brings us to full realization. Actions carried out with wisdom, or with a correct understanding of emptiness, will generate extraordinary merits.

Talking about Temptations: Yes it is always around


Here we go again - whether single, attached, engaged or married. How exciting.

A weird topic maybe, but a situation not unexpected. Why would I write about this? Funny enough, today I was chatting with a colleague today and we started talking about temptations. He kinda confessed that he is married but was faced with temptation when he had to travel overseas for work - but anyhow he didn't do anything. He thinks that a situation can become a temptation only in the prescence of alcohol - I beg to differ... more potent is probably the type which does not require the alcohol to spark anything off.

Of course I wasn't going to escape his questioning since he "confessed". I said yes there are temptations but I just have to use my head. I didn't see it coming - but hey temptations around don't stop just because you wear a band on your fourth finger.

J also told me today that her colleague is seeing a married woman. I asked "is he attached?" J: "Yes - to that married woman!"

It is so easy to arrange for the marriage certificate to be signed. At that second when you pen down your signatures, everyone around you claps in joy. A divorce on the other hand is far more complicated. Under section 94 of the Women’s Charter, you cannot apply for a divorce if you have been married for less than three years unless you have the Court’s permission to do so. There are more legal requirements..blah blah - but I won't spend my Tuesday evening writing about such depressing stuff.

Some.. on the other hand... are single.. likes someone else who is also single but doesn't have the guts to pursue it.. Are you kidding me? Please, if you like someone - drop hints, hang out more with the other party - you know things are sure to happen... if not at least you gain a friend or get to know someone better....

On my way out to work today, I prayed at the altar table. If it is a meaningless meet-up, please don't let it happen... Indeed it had to be cancelled at the very last second. phew....