tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-236526882024-03-07T19:46:01.412+10:00~ My Galaxy of Scorpio ~THIS IS THE JOURNEY OF A GUY WHO AT THE AGE OF 24 IS STILL UNCERTAIN WITH WHAT HE REALLY WANTS IN LIFE. HE IS A TEACHER IN SK BUKIT ARIP, MAKING A LITTLE DIFFERENCE IN EVERY CHILD. HE BELIEVES HE IS BLESSED WITH THE ABILITY TO LEAD PEOPLE ONE DAY. YET, THE JOURNEY TO COME OUT GREAT IS NEVER EASY. THIS IS HIS JOURNEY...Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.comBlogger136125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-56363359545953020242010-11-16T18:32:00.002+10:002010-11-16T18:45:13.403+10:00Cactus and Caterpillar<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Once there was a man who asked God for a flower and a butterfly.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">But instead God gave him a cactus and a caterpillar.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">The man was sad. He didn't understand why his request was mistaken.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Then he thought: Oh well, God has too many people to care for......... And decided not to question.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">After some time, the man went to check to check up on his request that he had left forgotten.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">To his surprise, from the thorny and ugly cactus a beautiful flower had grown.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">And the unsightly caterpillar had been transformed into the most beautiful butterfly.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">-------------------------------------------------</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">GOD does things right!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">His way is ALWAYS the best way, even if to us it seems all wrong.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">If you asked for one thing & received another, TRUST.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">You can be sure that HE will always give you what you need at the appropriate time.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">What you want..... is not always what you need!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">God never fails to grant our petitions, so keep on going for HIM without doubting or murmuring.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">Today's <span style="font-weight: bold;">THORN</span> is tomorrow's <span style="font-weight: bold;">FLOWER</span>!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: trebuchet ms;">God gives the very best to those who leave the choices up to Him!</span><br /></div>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-32861779977778633602010-08-15T22:23:00.002+10:002010-08-15T22:48:18.988+10:00Leaders - be a shepherdLast week, I had a very interesting talk with my friend. He is a great friend of mine, and we love to talk about life. He loves to share the experience of his life and philosophy and I always find his sharing interesting - though I might not agree totally to everything he says.<br /><br />There is this one thing he shared which I think holds some truth in it. We were sharing about how important it is that in an organization, leaders ought to take full responsibilities in ensuring the welfare of its workers are well taken care of, besides focusing on performance and scores.<br /><br />We see that in many organizations, leaders who have failed to show good examples in what they do has led the subordinates to lose trust and faith in him. We who are at the lower or less important ranks would like to see our leaders to be considerate and listen to our plead - understand our needs.<br /><br />Just as we work our ass off to help you- get you what you want, we too have desires on what we think you can help us in the same way. Please don't come to us when you need help and deny us upon your self interest. Show us that you care too.<br /><br />Like what my friend said, be a shepherd that looks after his flocks, don't be an eagle that wait to prey on the flocks (when opportunities come).Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-46974477056152348742009-09-02T19:40:00.005+10:002009-09-02T21:31:50.351+10:00How I Wish......<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">When it comes the end of each week, I will be very troubled. I will worry a lot. On my appearance, I will appear very normal but deep down, I am troubled. I know I have the issue to resolve. And this issue will always be there every end of the week until I-don't-know-when.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It is the issue of transportation.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Last year, my few colleagues and I had been taking turn car-pooling to school. It was the best times of the year. But, happy moment will not always be there.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Early this year, 1 of my colleagues had transferred to somewhere far far away. So, she is out. Left the 3 of us car-pooling. The issue began when I no longer have my car to fetch my fellow colleagues. The car I have been using is my dad's, and now he needs it. And, I am left to think of what to do next.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">There are few things I can do. One is I can pay others to drive me which cost me RM80 per month. Two is I can take a bus up which cost me RM13 up and RM10 down.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Problem arise when I felt very ashamed (not feeling so nice) when it comes to asking my colleagues whose car i can use and pay. They were sometimes reluctant to drive their cars as i know they </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" >sayang</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"> their car very much (considering the journey to my school is not really that smooth sailing due to many potholes, and other factors like tyres and engine maintenance). But I remained thick-faced to pluck up my courage to ask them. And each time i asked, they did agree to drive though I could see in their eyes that they had a pinch of reluctance <span style="font-style: italic;">sometimes</span>. But i knew i could do nothing. I had nothing to offer. I feel bad.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Then, things got a little more complicated this semester after the leaving of another colleague. This time, there are only 3 of us (me n 2 colleagues) sharing the car pool, with me having no car to offer. I am once again very troubled. Actually, i got more worried and troubled than before everytime Friday and Sunday is approaching.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I know I can afford to get a car. Having a car will be blissful. It will solve all my problems besides getting anywhere i want with my new car. But deep down inside, I know the time to buy is not right yet due to several reasons.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So, what is happening now is, I am either following my colleague up on Friday and Sunday or I am taking a bus up. With another 2 months to go (half of Sept, Oct and half of Nov), I think I will continue to be troubled and worried every Friday and Sunday. By the end of the year, i am thinking my face skin will grow 5 inches thicker.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So far, I am glad that my colleagues are willing to drive me back. I don't have to hitch a bus to go home. They are such a nice and helpful bunch of people. I just thought perhaps, i should add more values to their service like stopping me at the nearest place near their home, so that they won't have feel the reluctance to send me. Or was it just me being over sensitive thinking they would be unhappy to send me, or thinking I am a burden to them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In fact, I am learning more to do good deeds and learn to 'mengampu' at the same time, in hope that they would send me home. OMG right?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">How I wish I have the car like everybody else? How I wish these 2 months would quickly come to an end? How I wish I don't have to worry anymore about who I follow back with for the weekend? How I wish...</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Perhaps, I am learning to accept the fact that I can't have everything I want, and to embrace anything that I'd been given.</span><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><br /><a style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjersxEC1E7cnEQtskXeylmzA9ZSJO-0GeeBUZMDTxEODHA11i5aATomrmwLTJiOkyz1p64J-fDRXrsatz1j3vH-HJUltJA7MaAb_cBOC3SItpc-LNqIOMB6PDB8cedpbF6vsW/s1600-h/ang0147l.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 312px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjersxEC1E7cnEQtskXeylmzA9ZSJO-0GeeBUZMDTxEODHA11i5aATomrmwLTJiOkyz1p64J-fDRXrsatz1j3vH-HJUltJA7MaAb_cBOC3SItpc-LNqIOMB6PDB8cedpbF6vsW/s400/ang0147l.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5376828619377630722" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: center;font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;">(photo taken from <a href="http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/ang0147l.jpg">Cartoonstock</a>)</span><br /></div>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-18796927855673608292009-08-14T17:33:00.003+10:002009-08-14T19:47:31.634+10:00tomorrowIt's Friday. I am supposed to return this Broadband stick but I haven't - I didn't. *winks* <span style="font-style: italic;">ini ambil kesempatan to go online nih...<br /><br /></span>Tomorrow, I have this LDK ceramah i have to present, entitled 'Instructional Leadership'. I have absolutely no idea what it is in the beginning. But after reading the presentation slides by Pahang State Education Office (<span style="font-style: italic;">Jabatan Pelajaran Negeri</span>), I briefly have some ideas on what it is about.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11fZG2vZGlAgK43E-BuU_AlowOGtCbKlUKVbp6UUbVOkRyDwtsIzjvvb0Jrt6V_zYvHhvPz7arPbbLqn386zjratuAhnOGmDnw2AfqhfTC9lbYwIwxYD6c0c4h1gPWHF_5OQI/s1600-h/Konsep+Kepimpinan+Instruksional+Overview.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg11fZG2vZGlAgK43E-BuU_AlowOGtCbKlUKVbp6UUbVOkRyDwtsIzjvvb0Jrt6V_zYvHhvPz7arPbbLqn386zjratuAhnOGmDnw2AfqhfTC9lbYwIwxYD6c0c4h1gPWHF_5OQI/s320/Konsep+Kepimpinan+Instruksional+Overview.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5369753258240801570" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(in one of the slides)</span><br /></div><br />Something about being a teacher is that you never know what you will get/do (Some of you teachers out there will definitely agree with me). Your work is never just about teaching. But very often, you will be involved with various administrative tasks and responsibilities which are not related to teaching - at all.<br /><br />For example, this early morning, I was busy doing administrative work for almost 2 hours before I could sat down on my own working table relaxing my mind and body. The 2 hours were spent on writing reports for water shortage in school (<span style="font-style: italic;">Laporan Kekurangan Air di Sekolah</span>), and report on Post Mortem Pre-UPSR Trial Examination. After completing those reports, i had to do the letterhead for those reports to be submitted which was supposed to be done by my absent-clerk.<br /><br />There are some things i don't understand about our country's education system. It seems over a quarter or half of our business hour in school has been spent on doing administrative work, i.e. key in marks, doing questions analyses for each question, counting <span style="font-style: italic;">alat alih</span> (Portable Equipment), designing drawing plans for new proposed building, synchronising system files, programmes after programmes, reports after reports, meetings after meetings, and paperwork after paperwork. A lot of work, right?<br /><br />But i am glad i love doing most of them. Doing all these work, in many ways, offers opportunities to learn new things about the system - what it is, why doing it, how it works and its efficiency towards improving our education system.<br /><br />This year for example, i have involved in some of my school's most busy tasks, being the Setiausaha Peperiksaan, Guru EMIS Data/Media and Guru ICT. These positions offer great chances for me to network with teachers in other schools as much as my own school, carrying out tasks handed by district level and state level, doing 'donkey-job' of keying in marks for every student in the school and invigilating examinations in an interior school.<br /><br />And tomorrow, i have this presentation i haven't prepared yet. Once again, it was given to me a few days earlier. Oh~~ i love this job. it is not evaluated of course. Yet, i think i am just going to try my best to entertain them.Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-78075287670664425652009-08-13T22:23:00.002+10:002009-08-13T22:37:29.755+10:00Great!<div style="text-align: center; font-family: trebuchet ms;">It feels so great to be back. Couldn't be better.<br /><br />I borrow this Bluecube Broadband from my GB (headmaster) with the intention of looking for resources for this Saturday's lecture. But I simply browsed through some of my friends' blogs after ages not reading them. And the feeling of reading their post is so great. Everyone is doing so great in their own lives. I am feeling so happy for them all.<br /><br />Hopefully after this, I will begin to drop by and leave some web logs every once a while.<br /></div>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-9063833201983993062008-11-29T17:45:00.004+10:002008-11-29T18:44:04.907+10:00I need a mentor(s)<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Somehow, along the journey of my life, I need to have a mentor(s) who can help me and give me good advice in making informed judgment and decision.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I think the need for a good mentor is important in one's life as the old saying goes, 'no man is an island'. I'd like to think of this as the need of human to have some forms of healthy dependence on others, not on their material possessions, but on their useful helpful words/lessons which inspire us to grow in greater knowledge and wisdom.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I know having a good mentor is necessary because I used to have one before, and it was a great one.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">She was my coordinator back in my university. She knew my English was extremely weak but she never discouraged me from improving. She used to tell me once that I was the only guy that handed in not one but two drafts. *and she smiled* That got me more enthusiastic about learning the language. As years gone by, she helped me through my low moment when I failed my Children Literature. She was there in her office whenever I dropped by her office.<br /><br />When I was out of ideas, she showed me new directions. She has an open mind and ears which listen to my whinge and worries. When I was not confident with my own abilities, she always said, 'You can do it, Nicky.' 'Just do it.' (like what Nike says) And that brings the best out of me when the best is still far from over.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">She is more than a mentor and a coordinator to me. She's a great person. And her name is Jo Carr.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">This is why I said I need a mentor. I am not sure if the word advisor can be a substitute for mentor, considering its jargon like financial advisor, political economic advisor, and perhaps teaching advisor? education advisor?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sometimes (if not most), even the world greatest people have mentors from whom they learn to develop their potentials, like Warren Buffet (Benjamin Graham), Tiong Hiew King (a timber tycoon working for his uncle until 41yo), and Donald Trump (his father, Fred Trump).</span>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-39573582809474748982008-11-27T15:48:00.003+10:002008-11-27T16:46:48.505+10:00growing up<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8T9Lo1dkF7pVAJtGJsq43Ux4LW3lrSukXfInG1WysMb6-zmQvkKinaBbyTAy_SmzOzzLGZ7UnnVONnpVdZuLuY0rj_Svyh4dnuFzCqku5gM_bAgR2lCzJO_lxs8HqP4YOPqpM/s1600-h/leaving.png"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8T9Lo1dkF7pVAJtGJsq43Ux4LW3lrSukXfInG1WysMb6-zmQvkKinaBbyTAy_SmzOzzLGZ7UnnVONnpVdZuLuY0rj_Svyh4dnuFzCqku5gM_bAgR2lCzJO_lxs8HqP4YOPqpM/s320/leaving.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5273224846408382802" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(photo taken from <a href="http://stephen60.files.wordpress.com/2007/04/leaving.png">stephen60</a>)</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I don't know why November is always a month every teacher has been waiting for until I step into their shoes.<br /><br />One thing that always tops the busy-November agenda list is Permohonan Perpindahan dalam/antara bahagian atau negeri (Transfer Application for Inter/Intra division/states).<br /><br />I could reminisce the faces of those teachers when they knew they are leaving for good. They looked as if they had hit a jackpot. Their looks were filled with excitement, amazement, and some of them were speechless.<br /><br />However, not all of them shared the same exciting feeling. Some of them felt sceptical about leaving. They thought like leaving would mean a new beginning for them, a point where they have to start everything all over again. Some had carried emotional baggage with them that would be hard to let go.<br /><br />As for me, I felt happy for them. Indeed, my transfer application was denied even before November came. Nonetheless, I am very pleased that I am staying. In fact, it took me a lot of courage to think positive that perhaps this is the best option for me now.<br /><br />The teachers that are leaving are all experienced teachers who have served for a long time. Their achievements are great and uncounted. I said this before this is the first year I am teaching, and the first year my school is born where all teachers came from different schools to share their expertise in making this school the 2nd best school in Selangau, with an achievement of 77% UPSR passing rate.<br /><br />These teachers had taught me countless lessons, some of which unpleasant yet truthful. Though we only had one year to know each other that much, I believe God has a plan of his own to bring all of us together and bid each other goodbye the next year.<br /><br />After this year, we won't be seeing each other that often. If not for any special occasion or kursus somewhere, I don't think we will ever meet each other. Unless someone makes the effort in calling each other up for catch up, there is no need for us to meet up.<br /><br />As life goes on, as we grow up, our priorities constantly change to make ways for the need of more important agenda. We leave the not-so-important-catch-up agenda for another day. One day when we bump into each other, we smile to each other and say 'why not we have a catch up?' but it never <span style="font-style: italic;">jadi</span> (happen).<br /><br />I am not trying to be pessimistic or negative about growing up life, but this is what normal people would do. 24 hours isn't that long or much for us after all.<br /><br />Now, i understand why old people like to thank us when we go and spend some time with them. Because when time passes, it'll never return.<br /><br />And to these 4 soon-leaving teachers, thanks a lot! We shall meet one day! =)<br /><br /></span>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-84052926128688502682008-09-21T11:34:00.006+10:002008-09-21T12:09:18.823+10:00AIG falling apart?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Lately, we see how stock market in U.S. fell miserably, with some big companies like Lehman Bros., AIG (American International Group) and some other major companies facing liquidity crunch. Curious me went in to the web and found out why. But this certainly is not one-reason-fits-all why they fell. Many factors contribute to it all at the same time. The <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSMAR85972720080918?pageNumber=1&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true">article</a> below is quoted from Reuters 2008 as written by Adam Davidson.</span> <span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:trebuchet ms;" ><br /><br />Why AIG fell apart?<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8g9p4bafv4mMPfSLK9yeFv77aIZwTbWAr5F0mxyN6TR_3Oyq43Typ_ivG2ggbgGA4vWh0L1IeVDo9FE1Mb25ZkqT90rTplzd5NRUrhnQ2Al5AnDrR-8jyC7AqerK2P1sMmDfu/s1600-h/AIG_logo.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8g9p4bafv4mMPfSLK9yeFv77aIZwTbWAr5F0mxyN6TR_3Oyq43Typ_ivG2ggbgGA4vWh0L1IeVDo9FE1Mb25ZkqT90rTplzd5NRUrhnQ2Al5AnDrR-8jyC7AqerK2P1sMmDfu/s320/AIG_logo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5248284782622334690" border="0" /></a></span></span>(The Big Money) When you hear that the collapse of AIG or Lehman Bros. or Bear Stearns might lead to a systemic collapse of the global financial system, the feared culprit is, largely, that once-obscure (OK, still obscure) instrument known as a credit default swap. <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">So, what is a CDS, and why is it so dangerous?</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_2" ></span> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">At first glance, a credit default swap seems like a perfectly sensible financial tool. It is, basically, insurance on bonds. Imagine a large bank buys some bonds issued by General Electric. The bank expects to receive a steady stream of payments from GE over the years. That's how bonds work: The issuer pays the bondholder some money every six months. But the bank figures there's a chance that GE might go bankrupt. It's a small chance, but not zero, and if it happens, the bank doesn't get any more of those payments.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_3" ></span> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">The bank might decide to buy a CDS, a sort of insurance policy. If GE never goes bankrupt, the bank is out whatever premium it paid for the CDS. If GE goes bankrupt and stops paying its bondholders, the bank gets money from whoever sold the CDS.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_4" ></span> <p style="font-style: italic; font-family: trebuchet ms;">Who sells these CDSs? Banks, hedge funds, and AIG.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_5" ></span> <p style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;">It's easy to see the attraction. Historically, bond issuers almost never go bankrupt. So, many banks and hedge funds figured they could make a fortune by selling CDSs, keeping the premium, and almost never having to pay out anything.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_6" ></span> <p face="trebuchet ms" style="font-style: italic;">In fact, beginning in the late '90s, CDSs became a great way to make a lot more money than was possible through traditional investment methods. Let's say you think GE is rock solid, that it will never default on a bond, since it hasn't in recent memory. You could buy a GE bond and make, say, a meager 6 percent interest. Or you could just sell GE credit default swaps. You get money from other banks, and all you have to give is the promise to pay if something bad happens. That's zero money down and a profit limited only by how many you can sell.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_7" ></span> <p face="trebuchet ms" style="font-style: italic;">Over the past few years, CDSs helped transform bond trading into a highly leveraged, high-velocity business. Banks and hedge funds found that it was much easier and quicker to just buy and sell CDS contracts rather than buy and sell actual bonds. As of the end of 2007, they had grown to roughly $60 trillion in global business.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_8" ></span> <p face="trebuchet ms" style="font-style: italic;">So, what went wrong? Many CDSs were sold as insurance to cover those exotic financial instruments that created and spread the subprime housing crisis, details of which are covered here 1. As those mortgage-backed securities and collateralized debt obligations became nearly worthless, suddenly that seemingly low-risk event-an actual bond default-was happening daily. The banks and hedge funds selling CDSs were no longer taking in free cash; they were having to pay out big money.<span id="midArticle_byline"></span></p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_0" ></span> <p face="trebuchet ms" style="font-style: italic;">Most banks, though, were not all that bad off, because they were simultaneously on both sides of the CDS trade. Most banks and hedge funds would buy CDS protection on the one hand and then sell CDS protection to someone else at the same time. When a bond defaulted, the banks might have to pay some money out, but they'd also be getting money back in. They netted out.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_1" ></span> <p face="trebuchet ms" style="font-style: italic;">Everyone, that is, except for AIG. AIG was on one side of these trades only: They sold CDS. They never bought. Once bonds started defaulting, they had to pay out and nobody was paying them. AIG seems to have thought CDS were just an extension of the insurance business. But they're not. When you insure homes or cars or lives, you can expect steady, actuarially predictable trends. If you sell enough and price things right, you know that you'll always have more premiums coming in than payments going out. That's because there is low correlation between insurance triggering events. My death doesn't, generally, hasten your death. My house burning down doesn't increase the likelihood of your house burning down.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_2" ></span> <p face="trebuchet ms" style="font-style: italic;">Not so with bonds. Once some bonds start defaulting, other bonds are more likely to default. The risk increases exponentially.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_3" ></span> <p face="trebuchet ms" style="font-style: italic;">Credit default swaps written by AIG cover more than $440 billion in bonds 2. We learned this week that AIG has nowhere near enough money to cover all of those. Their customers-those banks and hedge funds buying CDSs-started getting nervous. So did government regulators. They started to wonder if AIG has enough money to pay out all the CDS claims it will likely owe.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_4" ></span> <p face="trebuchet ms" style="font-style: italic;">This week, Moody's Investors Service, the credit-rating agency, announced that it was less confident in AIG's ability to pay all its debts and would lower its credit rating. That has formal implications: It means AIG has to put up more collateral to guarantee its ability to pay.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_5" ></span> <p face="trebuchet ms" style="font-style: italic;">Just when AIG is in trouble for being on the hook for all those CDS debts, along comes this credit-rating problem that will force it to pay even more money. AIG didn't have more money. The company started selling things it owned-like its aircraft-leasing division 3. All of this has pushed AIG's stock price down dramatically. That makes it even harder for AIG to convince companies to give it money to pitch in. So, it's asking the government to help out.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_6" ></span> <p face="trebuchet ms" style="font-style: italic;">AIG might be in trouble. But what do I care? Because the global economy could, possibly, come to a halt.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_7" ></span> <p face="trebuchet ms" style="font-style: italic;">Banks all over the world bought CDS protection from AIG. If AIG is not able to make good on that promise of payment, then every one of those banks has lost that protection. Overnight, the banks have to buy replacement coverage at much higher rates, because the risks now are much worse than they were when AIG sold most of these CDS contracts.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_8" ></span> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: italic;">In short, banks all over the world are instantly worth less money. The numbers seem to be quite huge-possibly in the hundreds of billions. To cover that instantaneous loss, banks will lend out less money. That means other banks can't borrow to pay this new cost, and weaker banks might not have enough; they'll collapse. That will further shrink the global pool of money.<span id="midArticle_byline"></span></p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_0" ></span> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: italic;">This will likely spur a whole new round of CDS payouts-all those collapsed banks issue bonds that someone, somewhere sold CDS protection for. That new round of CDS payouts could cause another round of bank failures.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_1" ></span> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: italic;">Generally, with enough time, financial markets can adjust to just about anything. This, though, would be an instantaneous transformation of the global financial system. Surely, the worst part will be the confusion. CDS are largely over-the-counter instruments. That means they're not traded on an exchange. One bank just agrees with another bank to do a CDS deal. There's no reliable central repository of information. There's no way to know how exposed a bank is. Banks would have no way of knowing how badly other banks have been affected. Without any clarity, banks will likely simply stop lending to each other.</p><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:trebuchet ms;" id="midArticle_2" ></span> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms; font-style: italic;">Since we're only just now getting a handle on how widespread and intertwined they have become, it seems possible that AIG, alone, could bring the global economy to something of a standstill. It's also possible that it wouldn't.</p><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">For nothing is certain in investments, here's another article on how this insurance company fell into the pool of debt - <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSN1837154020080918?sp=true">Buffett's time bomb goes off on Wall Street</a><br /></p>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-39586860933239684472008-09-14T14:47:00.003+10:002008-09-14T15:22:13.394+10:00'right' and un'right'This will be a quick post before leaving to school.<br /><br />I found that there is no such thing as 'right'. Other than placing a clear distinction between right and wrong in mathematical equations, scientific curiosity and religious beliefs, everything else in the world is subject to change.<br /><br />For example, questioning the ethics of one's action/decision is very much a debated issue with no shades of grey. The 'hot' issue surrounding our country regarding the remark by Ahmad Ismail and the subsequent consequences involving medias and politicians had me thinking if their actions are right, ethical and justified. What's worse is that both contrasting sides prove themselves to be doing the right thing. I am not sure which side is right now, not to mention the trust I put in them when I cast my vote last March, believing that they will do the right thing for the nation.<br /><br />So, you see, there is no such thing as 'right'. The word 'right' is too much a responsiblity to bear and its consequences which might involve others. When people say they are doing the right thing, what they really mean is that they are doing the acceptable thing within the context of the situation and its culture and norm.<br /><br />It's about doing the thing/decision/action acceptable by many and majority - not necessary the right thing.<br /><br />To conclude, there is no such thing as wrong answer now. Even scientific justification has its fault in it, and scientists are constantly questioning it. Galileo's idea that the Earth moves around the Sun which was first banned and rejected by many and also the Church, was proven to be right later.Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-52390229913135367472008-09-12T17:40:00.002+10:002008-09-12T17:45:32.637+10:00Who doesn’t want to be great?<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In the heart of every human being, there is a deep longing to be great at something we are doing. Whether it’s being great in achievement or fame, we yearn for it, believing that that greatness or success will in some ways signify the meanings of our lives.</span><o:p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;"></o:p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing">Living in the world where money is one of the hottest-topics for conversation among working-class people, we often perceive being great as to be successful and prestigious. Money is used to measure one’s success and publicity reflects how well one is respected and looked highly upon. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing">There are so many people who have made themselves to the world-greatest-people-list like Bill Gates, the late Pope John Paul II, Donald Trump, Obama, Tyra Banks, Nelson Mandela, David Beckham, and even Jerry Springer to list a few. Some did it to gain the attention of the world to see how well-off or ‘wonderful’ they are, while some did it for the good of others – they are those who self-sacrifice for the good of mankind and for peace of the world.<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing">Having said that, who doesn’t want to be great?<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing">I am one of those who want to be great one day. In fact, I want to be rich one day if I can. I have a draft plan of what I will become when I am 30 years old. I want to earn big bucks and achieve big dreams which can satisfy all my needs and wants. When I was in the final year in QUT, I came to realize that I am capable of achieving anything I want in life. I want to stand out from the rest.<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing">However, there’s always something holding me back. I realize that things I want in life may not be the things that really matter. Often, I had to stop walking, and reevaluating my purpose in life. In other words, I am constantly reminded to reevaluate where I am now and what I am doing now. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing">Some parts of me are afraid that I will one day regret doing what I have been doing, having to make the wrong choices, and neglecting the things that really matter to me. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing">And thank God, today I came across a verse in WYD article which I have found an answer to believe in. Our Lord Jesus says, “For the one who is least among you is the one who is the greatest” (Luke 9:48). <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing">The verse is described as,<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><i style="">“The least are the humble and pure of heart, those – who far from weak and timid – are strong enough in spirit not to have to big note themselves or be the centre of attention or success. They are the ones who realize their greatness does not depend upon success in what they have or how they are regarded. Their measure is the greatness of the cause they serve, the horizon to which their life points. The least are those cooperate daily with God’s grace, recognizing their strength is little and the Lord is the one who makes it fruitful.” (Bishop Anthony Fisher OP, <a href="http://www.wyd2008.org/index.php/en/content/download/99523/944025/file/ePILGRIMAGE_Oct2007_ENGLISH_web.pdf">WYD2008</a>)<o:p></o:p></i></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing">Therefore, it is my will to truly put my trust and faith in Him – to be alert of his knocking. However, I found this to be particularly difficult because there are many distractions and temptations around me everyday. It is difficult to recognize the good from bad, or the best from the second best. Sometimes, the good thing is so tempting that it draws me away from what matters most. Very difficult indeed. It is even more difficult to not know when I am no longer staying on-course.<o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing">It is good also to remind myself of the verse, ‘Seek ye first the <st1:place st="on"><st1:placetype st="on">kingdom</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename st="on">God</st1:placename></st1:place>, and then all the rest of these good things will be given to you’. Perhaps, my focus should be on Him first then I will be clearer. <o:p></o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing"><o:p> </o:p></p> <p style="font-family: trebuchet ms;" class="NoSpacing">It’s pleasing to know that I am not be alone in this journey, and I never will. <o:p></o:p></p>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-39143951021476957632008-09-05T19:45:00.000+10:002008-09-05T19:51:50.019+10:00let it goI once read, when you are down to nothing, God is up to something. How do we know when God is up to something? How do we know if it’s God’s work?<br /><br />Last Monday, I received a bad news from PPDK Selangau. My application for transfer was rejected. I got utterly frustrated. The only reason given was ‘Belum cukup tempoh’. To me, this excuse was rubbish. It simply showed how unwilling they are in dealing with transfer matter. Completely unprofessional. That day and the following days turned out to be horrible for me.<br /><br />Friends and colleagues suggested me to go face-to-face with the PPDK’s boss. I saw that as a reasonable thing to do, so I took their advice and called him up the next morning, but was not successful. He was not in until Wednesday.<br /><br />Not wanting to give up hopes and chances, I told myself to try again tomorrow. In my mind, I was determined to negotiate my issues and get my appeal approved. All I ever wanted was to win this and get out from here. <br /><br />Somehow that evening, as I sat down feeling still a little depressed with the rejection, something unexpected happened. While many things and grudge were still running in my mind, something else tried to knock softly. This something was trying to ask me to sit still and calm down. I did exactly so.<br /><br />When I was finally calm, I started to say a little prayer. Then I began to reevaluate the whole thing about getting transfer and the intention behind transferring.<br /><br />New light started to shine upon me as I tore down my wall of stubbornness to see what’s really good for me. It brought me back to my first intention of leaving which is to leave as every one else is planning on moving. Has it not because of them leaving, I won’t even be thinking of getting transfer. To leave based on that is not right because I am only running away from my problem.<br /><br />Every once in a while, new people come and go, and there’s good in everyone who has come and go. If I can change my mind to think like that, I can go anywhere and live comfortably with everyone and do good to them. It’s part of life that we meet new people and network with the olds.<br /><br />Hence, I have decided to stay. Yet, there are other reasons why I am staying put which I am not going to pen here.<br /><br />Though I stopped thinking of going for an appeal, I don’t like to think of myself giving up or not wanting to take chances. I think it goes beyond all those. This time I let it go.<br /><br />I think sometimes, behind all my struggles and determined spirits to get everything I want, there is something more important God wants me to have. I might not have everything I want, I have everything I need. Though I may not have seen its full goodness yet, hopefully one day I will.<br /><br />He is always knocking on the door of my heart, but many times, I am too stubborn and lazy to listen to him. This time I have made my decision. And I hope I did the right thing, and shall have no regret looking back on it next time.Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-37440797490845536342008-08-30T02:41:00.006+10:002008-08-30T14:14:25.240+10:00losers - jealousy<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I don't know why, but I think this world is so full of losers who like to mess with people, especially with people who are more successful than them and those who have something they don't have, i.e. money, carrier, reputation, beauty, love, intelligence etc. I loathe this kind of people. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Perhaps, jealousy is the word to describe this kind of people. It often happens when others have something the losers want. Instead of doing good or going for what they want in fair manners, they try to take it away and bring them down by evil means. Bad-mouthing and back-stabbing are just what losers commonly do to get other people believe. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I am saying this because I realize that as life goes on, when you are successful, not many people will like you - not even when you are doing the right thing. In reality, some 'friends' want to screw you real hard until you lose your determination and patience. They are there to steal everything from you. And very often, they do it for the love of it. In fact, it costs them nothing to go around screwing people up. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yet I think sometimes humans think in such a way that they don't like to see others winning. It's okay if they are doing nothing when they are jealous of other people's success. It's okay also to be jealous of others and at the same time do something positive about it for personal self-improvement. But it is never okay to bad-mouth them directly or indirectly when they in fact have nothing good against them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">On my part, I think I have more to learn on transforming my jealousy of others into positive endeavour for self-development. I also need ways to deal with real losers. I love to punch them if I can, but I don't think it would be enough. There is a popular saying my close juniors in <span style="font-style: italic;">maktab</span> used to imitate, 'If you hit me, I hit you back HARDER'.</span>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-2093086253850837642008-08-18T01:51:00.008+10:002008-08-20T01:03:23.944+10:00a life meaningful to live in<div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoD9-AB399BoCioirXTfNKUepdCFi6Chnj8h2YDKWJECiDIsYiE2QiyXLjGgrzcG_Sejy97_B9nG6e67WyLE9TxpcGJI8raDgibm7XdReUeJonl9hpS6Di179idSz8kLdlwhN/s1600-h/tiller_meaning_of_life-f07_sm.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235876670777189218" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVoD9-AB399BoCioirXTfNKUepdCFi6Chnj8h2YDKWJECiDIsYiE2QiyXLjGgrzcG_Sejy97_B9nG6e67WyLE9TxpcGJI8raDgibm7XdReUeJonl9hpS6Di179idSz8kLdlwhN/s200/tiller_meaning_of_life-f07_sm.jpg" border="0" /></span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">(picture courtesy of </span><a href="http://falcon.tamucc.edu/~philosophy/graphics/tiller/tiller_meaning_of_life-f07_sm.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">tamucc.edu</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;">)</span><br /></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have a friend who told me, 'My life is meaningful. I am happy with my life. I don't need a girlfriend." Yet, when I really thought about his life, I doubted it. This is a respond from a man who is 30 years old, and he is still single. When asked why he doesn't want to look for a girlfriend, he gave me ten 'good' excuses which eventually shut me up.<br /><br />Come to think of it, I don't think my thought really matters. Who am I to judge his life is not happy? It's his life anyway.<br /><br />On the other hand, I like to think about what it means to live a meaningful life.<br /><br />You see, nothing in this world has meaning in itself unless we individuals give it a meaning. For example, the word 'dog' has no meaning until people give it a meaning of a common four-legged animal, and kept as a pet. My kids would not know what 'dog' is unless I explain to them. Imagine if I were to tell them it is a flying creature, they will associate it with a bird.<br /><br />I like to think our lives behaves the same way too. Our life is basically meaningless unless we give it a meaning. And until we give our life a purpose to live, our life is hopeless.<br /><br />I think this is utterly important as I realize that children at a very young age do not what they want from life. It's absolutely normal and OK of them not to realize now. But we as teachers need to impart on every child the very reason why they are coming to school.<br /><br />I used to lecture a group of kids preparing for UPSR this year. When asked the reason they come to school, they said they were there to study and to get many A's. When asked of the meaning of learning English, Science or even Bahasa Melayu, they had no reply.<br /><br />Hence, the conventional thinking used by many parents to force their children to think coming to school is to get good grades can no longer be used in today's world. Children need better reasons than this.<br /><br />They need to know they are there not just to learn some boring grammar, but also to learn some useful skills which are essential for them to work in the workforce next time as much as to communicate effectively with others in a manner which is ethically desirable.<br /><br /></div></span><p align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">What about when when we are adults now? How do we know if we are living a meaningful life?</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span></p><p align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I don't know myself too well. But I do know if I am living a life with purpose, knowing what i am doing, what I want to achieve, knowing the significance of the things I want, learning new things from each failure or mistakes, I am living a life which is meaningful.</span></p><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yet, it's always a struggle and not easy to know if what I do is correct or is leading me to a meaningful outcome. New things I learn and take in may not always be the right thing to do. Sometimes I am caught in a moral dilemma of which decision to make. This requires a lot of deep thinking and practical logical alternatives, in addition to listening to what other people think.<br /><br />It turns out that people who acclaim themselves living a meaningful life have every reason for their actions. Every decision they make has its own justification. Whether it's right or wrong, that's another matter. That's their own business.<br /><br />After all that is said and done, it's never been easy to live a meaningful life. Frequent evalution and reflection of oneself may help in the process.</span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Is this what gives life a meaningful one to live in?</span></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4c0oPQDHPTuI3LMbiiFOf2McJ1-9YRbWmGwMrFc6HlahqHyLvfCfv4ZHJkKtInUsP5ThJfoMMcXq4B0f0A1FvwA4PbnJpIe5C9cpVj6P9xjxWcHjoeZOqcnG0CqgIB0LlRVL/s1600-h/6a00c2252010838e1d00cd9719274c4cd5-500pi.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5235876840155106946" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH4c0oPQDHPTuI3LMbiiFOf2McJ1-9YRbWmGwMrFc6HlahqHyLvfCfv4ZHJkKtInUsP5ThJfoMMcXq4B0f0A1FvwA4PbnJpIe5C9cpVj6P9xjxWcHjoeZOqcnG0CqgIB0LlRVL/s400/6a00c2252010838e1d00cd9719274c4cd5-500pi.jpg" border="0" /></span> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">(picture courtesy of </span><a href="http://a4.vox.com/6a00c2252010838e1d00cd9719274c4cd5-500pi"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:85%;">whatidiscover</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><span style="font-size:85%;">)</span><br /></p><p></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span> </p><p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Perhaps, I should play the song 'When I grow up' by Pussycats Dolls. It will be great, won't it?</span></p>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-75810751559492757722008-08-16T15:32:00.006+10:002008-08-17T10:40:20.223+10:00I love my kids - 2008<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I love my kids in school. Let me tell you why.<br /><br /><u>Year 1</u><br />Before this, you didn't know how to sit still; now, you can sit down quietly for an hour.<br />Before this, you only knew ABC; now, you know how to read sentences.<br />Before this, you only kneww 1 2 3; now, you can count to hundred.<br />Before this, you were naughty and uncontrollable; now, you are still naughty, but you behave at least when i raise my rotan.<br />Before this, you knew nothing about English song; now, you know Do-Re-Mi and many more.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Before this, I only knew one word of Iban; now, i know more than 20 words of Iban.<br />Before this, I raised my voice when you were noisy; now, i know it is your nature to be noisy.<br />Before this, I insisted a lot on you writing; now, i want you to learn to enjoy reading and hands-free writing.<br />Before this, I thought that all humans are born equal; now, i know some of you are smarter than another, while some need more repetition and encoragement than others.<br />Before this, I got disappointed easily when you failed to learn what i teach; now, i am trying new different ways for you to learn.<br /></em><br /><u>Year 3 & 4</u><br />Before this, so many of you were still illiterate; now, some of you have improved.<br />Before this, a handful of you didn't even know ABC; now, you know ABC and phonetic.<br />Before this, so many of you hated English; now, i think you still hate it, but you have to love it because i say so.<br />Before this, none of you was brave to speak up in English; now, a handful of you are speaking to me in broken English of which i am glad.<br />Before this, you never had the motivation to learn English; now, you are slowly making the initiatives to learn a word or two of English a day.<br />Before this, you didn't know how to read; now, you can read two paragraphs.<br /><br /></span><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Before this, I didn't know what heck you were talking about; now, i know when you kutuk behind my back.<br />Before this, I said i'll can you if you fail English; now, i say you are responsible for your own learning.<br />Before this, I was quick to give punishment; now, i think thrice of the consequences of punishment i give.</span></em><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Should I leave next year, i shall thank these kids for bringing changes to my life.</span>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-83758278830817704352008-08-10T23:17:00.000+10:002008-08-17T00:29:12.967+10:00To go or not to go?It’s that time of the year now that teacher around the nation who wishes to transfer can submit their transfer application. The first semester has seen one teacher submitting his form but was being rejected. Now I see more of that coming. And I wonder should I do the same?<br /><br />One thing that has been bothering me so far is that people do not seem to be emotional when thinking of getting transferred after having to spend a year of building a carefree community. When I looked at them and their facial expressions, I see that their anxiety to leave the school is higher than together building a community of togetherness.<br /><br />When asked for their opinions and also of others outside the community, I realized that these experienced people are used to this trend of asking for transferred, and that this is part of life. Is it?<br /><br />I, being a beginning teacher of almost a year experience here am expecting the worst, which is seeing almost everybody leaving and disappearing by early next year. It would be pretty traumatic of me seeing this and being the one still standing there.<br /><br />So, I am thinking of whether I should do what they do? It was not my intention at first to leave the school until I get my pengesahan “confirmed” in my post. However, looking at this situation today, I can’t think of not leaving due to some of the similar factors my colleagues are leaving. *these factors are private and confidential and hence will not be shared and discussed here*<br /><br />Yet, leaving would mean a totally different new environment for me if it is granted. It would mean me adapting to new environment, new administration, new management, new colleagues, new community, new students, new expectation, new tasks, and new challenges. Am I ready to take up all these?<br /><br />You know, sometimes I am amazed by these foreign people coming from all over the world. Their willingness and love to venture out and seeking new horizons have made some of them really successful. Educational professors for example, do not stick to one university for long. After a few years, you see them working with a new university or better in another country. How do they cope with changes?<br /><br />Not leaving, on the other hand would mean I will stick to the same environment and everything. Everyday will be another day passing by, experiencing the same difficulties which has contributed to the factors why some people are leaving.<br /><br />At the end of the day, I think I need a good reason and purpose which are greater than reality to leave. I want to get as close to home as I possibly can. I don’t mind about the new workloads from the new administration, but I do mind them taking some care of my welfare. I want to see new places and meet new people, rather than staying put while meeting new people. I am ready for new challenges. I want to be one leaving rather than the one left behind. Somehow, I prefer saying goodbye of leaving than goodbye to people who are leaving.<br /><br />I think I have made up my mind – ask to LEAVE.<br /><br />*FYI, not all applications for transfer are granted. Yet, at least I have made an attempt to try. So, even if I fail, I will have no regrets right?*Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-49371882715402217262008-08-07T07:16:00.000+10:002008-08-10T07:22:18.791+10:00Being Curious<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwglJL5FCFcIBuTYKQcbm_KR2l40BshvtITbujYEUty3ZWDxbqD9XlXy9RR8NuSyEm3ZB_JKwEk8nsSWcw5IyFw_Tia-mb_YzUgh7lnEpLwWnO6L-FGtT8LVz36705X16HFVN/s1600-h/j0431025.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5232631355291202498" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdwglJL5FCFcIBuTYKQcbm_KR2l40BshvtITbujYEUty3ZWDxbqD9XlXy9RR8NuSyEm3ZB_JKwEk8nsSWcw5IyFw_Tia-mb_YzUgh7lnEpLwWnO6L-FGtT8LVz36705X16HFVN/s320/j0431025.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Is curiosity a good thing? If it’s good, why we have the old saying that goes, curiosity killed the cat? How much curiosity is too much? How should I manage my level of curiosity?<br /><br />I am a curious person. In fact, everyone is. All humans are born curious. If not, we won’t be thinking for and seeking new ideas and having new inventions every day. Great people are curious people for example.<br /><br />However, I found that curiosity may not always be a good thing lately. Asking too many questions may not be the right thing to do. And sometimes I realized that my questions have caused the person to get so annoyed, that the responses in replied were more likely to be ‘I don’t know… don’t ask me’.<br /><br />And sometimes, some people don’t like to share their personal life or are not comfortable to share their experience. Being curious in this situation can turn out to be pretty daunting and risking his chances of getting negative responses.<br /><br />Also, being curious about something for self-gain or self-advantage may not always be good. The negative intention underlying the many questionings may in fact cause the person to be extra cautious of what he is up to, and inevitably leads the person to have negative impression on him.<br /><br />Being overly curious about what people are doing is not good as well. As much as I am interested in what people are thinking and how they are thinking, sometimes I think I am too curious about what they are doing. Thinking of this, I don’t think it is a wise idea to be curious about what others are doing. It’s not my matter or problem anyway. Why should I care? I must always remind myself of the phrase, ‘Mind your own business’.<br /><br />Moreover, being overly curious about what people are thinking of you is never a good idea. Though it is good to think what people think generally about what you did and how you’d done. It is not wise to over indulge in their opinions, as you do what you think it’s best and right. Trust yourself. As I’d heard from one TVB drama, it said ‘Stand firm. If you think you do the right thing, you shall not be afraid of what’s coming on you.’ But very often, the struggle is the question of when do we know we are doing the right thing? I believe that having clear clarification and feedback from appropriate people can help justify our mind and thinking.<br /><br />So now, the questions remain, when is it appropriate to draw the line? When do we know when we are being healthily curious and over curious? When should ask questions and when not?<br /><br />I don’t know. But I know it’s important to ask the right question at the right time and maybe at the right place. And it’s something I should evaluate myself everyday.</span></div>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-55869032403061258242008-07-17T02:24:00.000+10:002008-07-19T00:27:14.688+10:00Consistency<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The word consistency often implies one of behaving and performing in a certain and similar specific way continually. And it is something that I suck at doing ever since I was a little boy.<br /><br />One good example dates back to my childhood when I once loved playing piano. One day my mum brought me for piano lessons. After a year or so, for whatever reason, I stopped loving piano as I used to. I told my mum I wanted to stop after Grade 3 but she said, ‘Since it was you who first said you wanted to learn piano, so you gotta finish at Grade 5 at the very least’. I did it at last.<br /><br />Now that I am much older, I can recall many things in lives which I lost out many things due to the lack of consistency in me. I am not sure if this is what becomes of me today. But I definitely hear my parents said something like this to me, ‘got head but no tail’ (meaning getting in of doing something, but dropping halfway through it).<br /><br />I realized that many times, I wanted to change for the better. I have all the good fabulous plans in my head of how things will go about with this new change. But after few weeks or months, this plan of change slowly slackens. And slowly, with new agendas coming in, and old habits – complacency etc – kicking in, I unconsciously return to my own self. That’s why I hate consistency, or the idea of being consistent.<br /><br />In school, one struggle of being a beginning teacher is to be consistent in what I am doing. We know all the good values a teacher should have, but I don’t think I have it all. One of the values, for example is to be firm with the kids. Firm does not mean strict like teacher never smiles in class, but rather be definite in his decision-making and flexible in seeking and accepting alternatives, underpinned by his fundamental principle of what is right and wrong.<br /><br />The beginning few months were a struggle for me. As much as I wanted to be a boss in class, I also wanted to be a teacher who enjoys talking to the kids, connecting with the kids, learning new language and culture from them and even making crazy jokes with them. At first, things sometimes could get pretty out of control with kids laughing and starting to get impolite. But slowly, I learnt to take charge and was firm with my intervention. They too start to know what is to expect of them with their behaviour and when I am making jokes with them.<br /><br />This is just one example of me being consistent in class. Despite having to take charge, I am still struggling with the consistency in punishment and dynamism to teach on day when I have 9 periods.<br /><br />Also, there are many things in my lives that I am not having the consistency of doing. I think I am just lazy. Yes, lazy. I’m very lazy indeed. Nothing can beat my laziness when I am truly lazy.<br /><br />Yet, I cannot allow this to get control of me. I know I will have more to lose if I continue to be one. And being losers many times, I must look for solution now – how not to be lazy but to be consistent instead.<br /><br />Been there, done that. There is only one solution. Yes, only one. And it’s none other than my one and only redeemer and shepherd, Jesus Christ. Believe me when I said, all that I become today is because of Him. And all that I will become tomorrow is because of Him too. And today, I pray for Holy Spirit, for His strength, grace and perseverance to make myself new again on the inside and transform my heart (see Ezekiel 36:25-27).<br /><br />A verse to reflect today: “Not by power and might, but by your spirit Lord” (Zechariah 4:6)</span>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-82591535237116966902008-07-14T00:19:00.004+10:002008-07-19T00:38:33.241+10:00The Beauty in Mind of Learning<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-pI0tGbbOwrhENsuUmcwWYiIkxQtbtyioiosa_VNZkgmyWT_uacjFvFbOOSkAlvIgE7-EjAbXa8I9EiCLfxUaN_gcQb9eXpq2nJu06hZUxTuJlBdaMPjQHGWOhDSZpEj5Mb9/s1600-h/j0426641.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5224361838314508866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb-pI0tGbbOwrhENsuUmcwWYiIkxQtbtyioiosa_VNZkgmyWT_uacjFvFbOOSkAlvIgE7-EjAbXa8I9EiCLfxUaN_gcQb9eXpq2nJu06hZUxTuJlBdaMPjQHGWOhDSZpEj5Mb9/s320/j0426641.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Have you ever wanted to stop learning? Or have you ever learned something from something? Or have you ever thought of the purpose of you learning something?<br /><br />I think learning is very much a self-fulfillment endeavour. Learning is a self-discipline and self-discovery voyage that opens one's mind to different and perhaps greater ideology, beliefs, knowledge and reasoning. In many occasions, learning itself is self-fulfilment as I achieve what I am passionate of knowing. Learning can also be a ‘self-inflicted’ experience which brings both pains and joys to one. Why do I say that?<br /><br />When I was in university (QUT), I never thought of learning. Believe me, but it’s true. Learning can refer to getting knowledge or skill in a new subject, and to start to understand that you must change the way you think. In my context, it refers to the latter. Back then, learning is more of studying and acquiring certain knowledge in a particular field required in order to get good grades. In simpler words, it’s like doing assignments for the sake of getting good grades. I never understood why I did what I was doing.<br /><br />It was until when I had finished my first year in QUT with 2 High Distinctions and 1 Distinction that I realized that this is not what learning is all about. Life after all is not just about getting good grades or determined by the total of A’s you get. I started changing my perspective towards Education as something that I want to use to teach my kids and make changes in their language proficiency. My beloved lecturer and mentor, Dr Jo Carr once told me that grade doesn’t reflect how well one teaches. How true. And this learning has definitely proven more meaningful to my life and my teaching carrier.<br /><br />Yet, now that I am stepping into this carrier of teaching, I cannot imagine myself being a teacher in the next 30 or so years – 56 years old or 2040. It’s not that I don’t enjoy myself teaching, but I think there are more that I am to become than being a teacher. To see that my Year 3 and 4 children growing up one day and becoming doctors or engineers or even teachers makes me think I might one day be left behind too if I am only thinking of being in this carrier.<br /><br />I think I have more to contribute than just being who I am today. Sometimes, I get pretty bored with things going on in schools because everyday is just another day passing by. That’s bad to think so isn’t it? It is bad cos I can feel my brain slowly stops thinking. And when my brain stops thinking, I eventually stop learning.<br /><br />But there’s something inside which always nudges me whenever I am over lazy. Lazy here doesn’t refer to being lazy physically but rather mentally. And sometimes when I watched Astro and came across shows like Inventors, Megastructures, Great Minds and The Apprentice, I would think to myself why I can’t be like them. Or perhaps one day I will be like them too?<br /><br />The world today has so many influential people. And each of them has his/her own very story to tell and inspire the world. People that I like to watch and listen to are like Donald Trump, Robert Kiyosaki, Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, Steve Forbes, Tony Fernandes, Lim Goh Tong, Steve Jobs or even players like Christiano Ronaldo, Messi and Cesc Fabregas. All of them make wonders, inventions multi-billions deals and business. And some of them contribute so much to the world and become great philanthropists of the needy.<br /><br />What about me here? Am I going to be here living my life forever as a teacher? Is this sufficient for me? Oh nooooo. I am not going to stick to this teaching carrier forever, though I do have passion for teaching. I need to get out from here. Perhaps, it’s time to change my mindset now. For all you know, I am greater than life – to think great things, to do great things, and to start learning NOW.<br /><br />Learning is after all a self-interested act which never stops one from thinking. And that’s the beauty of mind of learning. </span></div>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-33477278405988060182008-07-06T13:18:00.005+10:002008-07-06T14:27:40.489+10:00Rotan or Verbal Reprimands?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHNAbuFA0D1tKkmNUUa36MKNoJF56crg6Lsy3wTr0qUtwJa08evKsPWoBaj2ynOZWQbc2nHKkPd9799TRxRE-DGTAPCuszrBGVgLXxo0GRA8wE8_1YKptsAAnrYBVgLxWRzjC/s1600-h/hariguru.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219752228176182306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhHNAbuFA0D1tKkmNUUa36MKNoJF56crg6Lsy3wTr0qUtwJa08evKsPWoBaj2ynOZWQbc2nHKkPd9799TRxRE-DGTAPCuszrBGVgLXxo0GRA8wE8_1YKptsAAnrYBVgLxWRzjC/s320/hariguru.jpg" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span><div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Recently, I have stopped using cans '<em>rotan</em>' or doing any form of physical punishments on my Year 3 and 4's kids.<br /><br />I am one teacher who uses can a lot, especially back in the first semester. I would bring a can everywhere I go. And wherever I walked, Ss walking in my direction from miles far would turn around and used another path. I was more like a discipline teacher than an English teacher. And kids' parents there often give us free <em>rotan</em>s, ranging from small to huge <em>rotan</em> of half an inche thick diametrically.<br /><br />But in class, I often resorted to <em>rotan</em> whenever Ss had behaved wrongly, lazy to complete homework, and failed in spelling test. And each time before I canned them, I got so het up and felt my nerve boiling up. Yet, I didn't feel better after that. I felt more guilty canning them. After all, I don't think canning helps solved the situation. Neither did it help improved the Ss' spelling competency.<br /><br />So, beginning June this year, I decided to stop canning my kids. Simply because I don't want to get too angry with them, or in fact i should get angry with them, but I should manage my anger by using another method. I decided to use verbal reprimands.<br /><br />And it's time for verbal-reprimand experiment (real case, real experiment)!<br /><br />Each time I found Ss not paying attention or talking, I would either stop and stare at him, or I would call out his name. This has proved effective so far. And if he is still talking, I asked him to leave the class now if he decides not wanting to learn (Yes, i did that!). This has proved to be very effective too.<br /><br />If Ss are not having enough interest or engagement in learning, I would tell them stories of the importance of English, and their responsibilies to learning. So, I am integrating motivational elements into the teaching of English language. And so far, this has proven to be effective (at least for few days, before I started nagging again).<br /><br />Basically, I don't know of which theory I derive this classroom management. But I clearly know I am imparting a sense of responsibility in each of them so that they will always be reminded to be responsible for their own learning and actions (discipline). If they persist to act, think and behave in their old ways, I have no idea. I have yet to think of what to change them.<br /><br />But i have to say that some Ss are genetically low in IQ or mental maturity. You might mean well, they understand you, but they are still the same. They don't have enough courage and willingness to change. Simply because this is their nature - they are children. So the nagging goes on......<br /><br />So you see, there is no use to engage <em>rotan </em>here. Because children are still children. They still play, jump, run, crawl and do funny things after you <em>rotan</em> them. So, what's the use of canning them? If it's not too serious, there is no need to <em>rotan</em> them. Save your energy, save your mind for doing better things.<br /><br />Last week, I have one boy in Year 4 who poured water on electric switch, and forced his friends to touch it. Luckily, nothing bad happened. Yet, me as the class teacher had to punish him. He knew what he did was wrong, yet he did it. When asked why he did it, he said he just wanted to play. I would have easily taken out my half-an-inch <em>rotan</em>, but i didn't. As this is a serious case, the punishment for him would be to do community service. So he is sentenced to clean teacher quarters' compound. I am sure this will be a good lesson for him.<br /><br />To what extent is verbal reprimands effective in classroom management and behaviour management, I have yet to find out. Probably I can give a better answer at the end of this year when I have enough cases and experiences and real stories to back up its effectiveness.<br /><br />As for rotan, I am still using it for my Year 1's kids. Without seeing a rotan raised high on air, they will always be little monsters running and jumping in the class. But I am learning to use less of it each time I go in. So, rotan's still effective ey?</span></div><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dVnjOj9zV68xLYYKzcYZMjGvri6HuF8ynAFXvzUPEXlLYqZLwDhbIQV425NmfH5kantVFGlJg0na_AYalb6lF4MZA7X3K_UuRKVI4i4PO3gd0LfAE5hw4cxFm9pigjueD07l/s1600-h/RRATUS_rotan.gif"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219752440592467042" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9dVnjOj9zV68xLYYKzcYZMjGvri6HuF8ynAFXvzUPEXlLYqZLwDhbIQV425NmfH5kantVFGlJg0na_AYalb6lF4MZA7X3K_UuRKVI4i4PO3gd0LfAE5hw4cxFm9pigjueD07l/s400/RRATUS_rotan.gif" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /></span>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-81146333076796144682008-07-05T21:37:00.009+10:002008-07-06T11:47:06.609+10:00cross-cultural marriages?<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMHbUcMKEcICWxYVDxUyF8idacK1tG0oh4H4HcJoyuEPU72xRp0gjqV_G-kN-utRSoUmiGIXZBUnCcAAJFsWCaSP7y2E1kjdfPV-pUss27vnci_jbW3dRcgVtDJZ4pvJ0iPXr/s1600-h/2.png"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5219549949965718098" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSMHbUcMKEcICWxYVDxUyF8idacK1tG0oh4H4HcJoyuEPU72xRp0gjqV_G-kN-utRSoUmiGIXZBUnCcAAJFsWCaSP7y2E1kjdfPV-pUss27vnci_jbW3dRcgVtDJZ4pvJ0iPXr/s320/2.png" border="0" /></span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;">(picture courtesy of mayakarin-fc.blogspot.com)</span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Reading today's headlines on NST "</span><a href="http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Saturday/National/2285936/Article/index_html"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Actress Maya Karin to wed British teacher</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">" makes me wanna write something on cross-cultural marriage.<br /><br />To date, cross-cultural marriages are seen as a common trait. It is no longer seen as a shocking news when people were sceptical of couples of different cultures or races getting married. In Malaysia alone, we have three main ethnics group: Malays, Chinese and Indian. And it would be difficult for one to deny that any of these unique ethics groups isn't attracted to the other groups. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">In Peninsular, we have Chindian (a mix of Chinese and Indians), Chinmays or Chilayu (a mix of Chinese and Malays), Mamak (an unpleasant label for a mix of Indian and Malays). And in Sabah and Sarawak, I am proud that we have more: Ciban (a mix of Chinese and Iban), Sinokadazan (a mix of Chinese and Kadazan), Eurasian (a mix of ang-mo and Malaysians), and many more <em>kacukan</em> that we haven't given them a label. All of these give to the beauty of cross-cultural marriage.<br /><br />However, for these minority couples who had gone through cross-cultural marriages, they will tell you it is not easy or it has never been easy. It takes up a lot of one's energy, concentration, understanding of the other's beliefs, patience, tolerance, time, trusts and most importantly love to keep him going and the relationship working.<br /><br />One thing that has always been such a headache and sometimes a cause for the break-up is blessing from each other's family. Many times, cross-cultural marriage will not be so complicated and difficult if families from both parties can agree or have no negative perception to this notion. This however has not been the case, marriage involving other cultures may ignite fear and insecurities among some families, particularly if they are the conservative ones. They fear badly for their son that he will stop practising his own cultures and way of lives, and start practising his partner's cultures and lifestyles. The lost of one's heritage, cultures, language and more importantly beliefs in religion are some reasons why some families are so sceptical of cross-cultural marriage.<br /><br />Yet, we can't deny what beauty cross-cultural marriage can bring to us if we can deal with them nicely. There will be sharing of both unique cultures, understanding of each culture, further appreciation of celebration celebrated together and additional language learnt and shared between both. I personally have friends whose parents are of different ethnics and cultures who are beautiful physically and emotionally. They know more than just one mother tongue and they are better off understand another culture. And they have more celebrations than us who only have one.<br /><br />As bystanders, we often think it is easier looked than done. We thought of how great and beautiful these couples' lives are. What we don't know is the hardship they have gone through and the many obstacles they had dealt with. And as I said again, a lot of selfless sacrifices, mutual understanding, listening, negotiation, give and take, trust and love will be needed to keep this relationship and marriage going. It is one huge decision one has to make once in a lifetime. And the saying that goes 'they live happily ever after' heard in fairy tales is just some plain crap.<br /><br />And to Maya Karin and Muhammad Ali 'Steven' Muhammad, Congratulations on your upcoming wedding! i wish mine's in Milan too...</span>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-7045045582672662982008-06-15T17:53:00.003+10:002008-06-15T18:03:12.232+10:00Robert Kiyosaki's inspirational quotes<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Those of you who knows Robert Kiyosaki know he is one of the world's most prominent investors as well as educators. He produced books on financial education which has opened eyes of many on how money flows and how one can build their own financial independence.<br /><br />I found this video on YouTube which has quoted his words, and would love to share with you.<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><p align="center"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/hEDfaPqbFd0&hl=" width="425" height="344" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></p><br /><br />Cheers </span><br /></span>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-62930846556490594312008-06-15T01:27:00.003+10:002008-06-15T01:55:46.204+10:00Happy Father's Day, dad<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It's Father's Day today, and I would like to dedicate this special day to all the daddies out there, and most importantly to my own dad, Ling Teck Lo.<br /><br />He is a man with few words, but with many actions. Over the years, I found that he is not the type of man who would verbally utter how much his love is for me and my brother, but rather in all his doings, he has already shown me he is a genuine father: someone who protects, guides, cares, sacrifices and loves me unconditionally. His actions speak beyond his words.<br /><br />I learned a lot from my father: his determination, patience and open-mindedness. Probably the most prominent observation is his patience and calmness in dealing with difficult situations. He ain't got no formulas for it. But clearly, he does have his conscious mind to reason things rationally, and not jump straight into conclusion. Simple and easy.<br /><br />I know I am not as patient as he is now. And certainly, I'm learning to be like him one day.<br /><br />Happy Father's Day.</span>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-87469680740553812622008-06-08T16:19:00.004+10:002008-06-08T16:45:06.135+10:00An Open Mind - Give your mind space to sort itself<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">On each Sunday's Borneo Post, there is a small article speaking on self-help and self-empowerment. It's written by a lady named Bridget Menezes. I particularly like this week's edition, hence, decided to copy and paste it down for your reading. It goes like:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:Trebuchet MS;"><strong>Giving your mind space to sort itself</strong></span><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">The power to pack up is the ability to stop wasteful thinking. </span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It is simply to control our mind which is the thinking faculty, our intellect the judging faculty and our memory the recording faculty. These are our three servants. There should not be a battle, for battles are with enemies. This is the time to make friends and uplift our servants to be more like our ministers, our inner cabinet.</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">We should encourage our mind to take a break. Shut down the production line for a while, and make quietness a luxury.</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">When our intellect, our ever-enquiring faculty asks us why it should also be quiet, still and patient, tell the intellect that the understanding it seeks only comes when it listens and observes, not when it questions and searches. Invite it to relax and just watch and observe what is going on.</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Regarding the memory, when our old negative tendencies trigger fear, hatred, or other negative emotions, we can lovingly change them to be positive. The effect of these positive vibrations not only goes to the world outside but makes an impact on each and every cell in the body. There will be a positive response.</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I have to help myself giving some time to myself to remain silent. If there is physical illness, everyone will fuss around me, sympathise with me and take me to the doctors, but with mental illness, no one comes to my aid.</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">So meditation here becomes essential because doing it on regular basis, I develop a calm natur. A mind which is congested with impressions is given space to sort itself out.</span></em><br /><br /><em><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><strong>Thought for reflection:</strong> In silence, there is stability and the impact of that will influence people to think positively.</span></em><br /><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00HYGKrH3KBjb8A3PMEnhAWe3raEiBoRaClefGl_ahlU8EDVvNdNnuxjIdSc0-_jriKPUrct2Hu2ZpOgx1aKOlYDYKsfokkJcu6Hm3GI0jVQ2dABmtVaFDqBbRGt8AKyysKf9/s1600-h/LakeMeditationB.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5209397538330869106" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00HYGKrH3KBjb8A3PMEnhAWe3raEiBoRaClefGl_ahlU8EDVvNdNnuxjIdSc0-_jriKPUrct2Hu2ZpOgx1aKOlYDYKsfokkJcu6Hm3GI0jVQ2dABmtVaFDqBbRGt8AKyysKf9/s200/LakeMeditationB.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-size:78%;">(photo courtesy of </span><a href="http://www.lifedynamix.com/articles/files/LakeMeditationB.jpg"><span style="font-size:78%;">lifedynamix</span></a><span style="font-size:78%;">)</span></p>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-51679893531698999682008-06-04T23:47:00.007+10:002008-06-05T12:56:40.849+10:00listen to us, and be heard<div align="left"></div><div align="left"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPmS1_chSp-Ime7O0zak8zEklWYUNLwHslDfco2lKUrcvfNXOpXP4OQgWSUZasiTiriUktV4MG8XVabNxBxaarS5Gp_Ih6Hx3o82L1zqro8b03X3ms2wFWWyXkNL8ifSqS0wi/s1600-h/listening.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208223503745561154" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXPmS1_chSp-Ime7O0zak8zEklWYUNLwHslDfco2lKUrcvfNXOpXP4OQgWSUZasiTiriUktV4MG8XVabNxBxaarS5Gp_Ih6Hx3o82L1zqro8b03X3ms2wFWWyXkNL8ifSqS0wi/s200/listening.jpg" border="0" /></span></a></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;">(picture courtesy of </span><a href="http://customersrock.files.wordpress.com/2007/03/listening.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;">customersrock</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;">)</span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">It is always interesting to listen to what elders have to say. They are the ones who had walked through all sorts of life. I for one like to listen to what they have to say; however that doesn't mean I am taking in what they say. What they said are truthful, honest, and most of the time substantiated with substance. And when they do tell stories to us the young ones, you will see that their words or advices are of certain confidence in them.<br /><br />However, be it words or advices or simply everyday sharing, I found out that this form of sharing has another effect on the speaker, as well as the listener. It goes more than just sharing information or emotions. Whether you realise it or not, the speaker does impart certain influences on the listener. In other words, besides simply sharing tiny bits of events happening in one's life, there is a tendency that these "experienced" ones are trying to influence you of their ideology, beliefs, and values. Slowly, you will find that these ones will inform or convince you of whether what you did is either 'right' or 'wrong', and sometimes there is no two ways to it.<br /><br />In the end, you will find that sharing is no longer just having someone listening to you - to simply listen, but there are certain levels of reasoning going on in the conversation, which sometimes may end up with 'right' and 'wrong' of the things you did. And this is exactly why I hate at times.<br /><br /></div></span><p align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Have you ever met this kind of people? </em></span></p><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Sometimes, all we ask is to be heard and to be listened. We ask you because we think you are the 'experienced' ones who somehow can be our good ears, good listeners. But all you are telling us is that what we think is 'right' or 'wrong'. </span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Somehow, it is interesting to note that things will not get as complicated if what we and the 'experienced' ones think is of the same bandwidth. But things do tend to get a little out of hand sometimes when people are not thinking of the same bandwidth.</span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I would believe that it is still OKAY even when people do not think at the same bandwidth, considering both parties at least make an attempt to listen and understand each other's situation. Listen. Listen - to not interrupt in the middle of conversation or have mentally put a judgment on something without even trying to understand. But, that wasn't the case for many 'experienced' ones. </span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Yet, we need to understand that somehow these 'experienced' ones should be given the credit to judge things or decisions as 'right' or 'wrong' as firstly, they meant well - their willingness to help in the matter, secondly, they have walked through many obstacles - in other words, they eat more salts than us eating rice. And thirdly, these obstacles make them who and how they are today, shaping their view of what life really is as well as the philosophy of life. </span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">If you do look carefully, I have not mentioned the word 'wisdom'. This word is often too big a word, or too big its meaning, that sometimes, the 'experienced' ones always think of themselves being the 'wise' ones. I do believe that even one has walked through all sorts of obstacles or challenges, they have become wiser, one common misunderstanding made by the 'experienced' ones. Many beggars or retirees do have walked through many troubles in life before they can still stand firm or sit where they are today in dark alley or coffee shops. <em>But have they got any wiser?</em></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">These are just some extreme examples used to demonstrate the case. But the question remains, should the 'experienced' ones decide for us what's 'right' or 'wrong' of what we have done or will do in the future.</span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">One thing the 'experienced' ones need to understand about us is that though they meant well, they have to admit that our lives is not their lives. Or, this is not their lives. Or, you are not helping me live the way you want it. We are the ones who are living these lives of ours. And most importantly, we come from different social and cultural backgrounds as compared to where you came from last times. The time today is much more challenging than 50 years ago. And we have this globalization that brings in it different vast values, cultures, and beliefs which shapes our views to what life really is. </span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And what we need is guidance on how to make the right decision, not you attempting to convince us to practise your so-called 'wise' philosophy or beliefs. We look more on alternatives and reasonings and mature discussions than just decisions and 'right' or 'wrong'. We can't learn if you keep telling us what to do, and all you say is 'what you think is actually wrong'.</span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><em>Who are you to say what I think is 'wrong'? Have you in the first place tried to understand my situation and what I've been through? </em></span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">I guess in the end, the 'experienced' ones may not be really experienced. They still bring with them a sense of selfishness of what they think or believe is correct, and that's childish. </span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><div align="left"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">Wisdom grows with experience and reflection, but experience alone does not grow with wisdom.</span></div><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><div align="left"><br /></div></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA7Fqz4bdxmrymuh9lhs9dBiAd6MEoLNOSx6UGjHTRmhjGb9FFvxIVx7c8DyjeCVSfG2AUQd4IKJm7tiWQfRxHasI45vrbV9fEqByKqybc8Au4V2XExQKbyiNF0MtxFMfjOiY/s1600-h/j0427673.jpg"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5208224387848726306" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJA7Fqz4bdxmrymuh9lhs9dBiAd6MEoLNOSx6UGjHTRmhjGb9FFvxIVx7c8DyjeCVSfG2AUQd4IKJm7tiWQfRxHasI45vrbV9fEqByKqybc8Au4V2XExQKbyiNF0MtxFMfjOiY/s200/j0427673.jpg" border="0" /></span> <p align="center"></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;">(picture courtesy of </span><a href="http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/clipart/FX101321031033.aspx?pid=CL100570201033"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;">Microsoft</span></a><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:78%;">)<br /></span></p><p align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">And I pray, Lord, please grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, COURAGE to change the things I can, and the WISDOM to know the difference. </span></p><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">ps: would like to thank my parents all these while for being so understanding and open-minded. And I think being able to engage in a non-judgmental discussion will always be a win-win situation.</span>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23652688.post-64616361298105945752008-05-29T09:20:00.002+10:002008-05-29T09:24:52.301+10:00away<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzoMyg7EWGXHFXEsBsk1zYxobX8G3Y61WSMYslhs4Mh2e0h09BMXgO7x-mZfHhNJ4Co6g2dnjQXn1WfrSUah_kfEhZh2EsE77S8YydlU5S7ZUhqYaBzw-Y5i-MECGTlY-7VkV/s1600-h/IMG_3958.JPG"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5205573650302909410" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjzoMyg7EWGXHFXEsBsk1zYxobX8G3Y61WSMYslhs4Mh2e0h09BMXgO7x-mZfHhNJ4Co6g2dnjQXn1WfrSUah_kfEhZh2EsE77S8YydlU5S7ZUhqYaBzw-Y5i-MECGTlY-7VkV/s400/IMG_3958.JPG" border="0" /></a><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">am away to KL today for this Sat's Commencement</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">&</span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;"></span></div><br /><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">an International Conference on Developments in the Pedagogy of International Languages: A Gateway for Practitioners </span></div><div align="center"><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;">02-04 June 2008</span></div>Nickyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10344507118089235921noreply@blogger.com1