The long and bumpy road of journalism

Journalists are reported to be people who lead exciting lives, or so it seems. I have been one for almost three decades. The answer is therefor yes and no.
Yes, there have been times when it was exciting because interesting information or news comes almost non-stop for days in our direction. Those are the times when events that shook the world are at our finger-tips.
No, there were lapses which stretches for years when the profession was just another job. Lots of boring periods when nothing happens except the part when you don't get the yearly increments you think you deserve.
A seasoned journalist told me once: "Look, there are many times when nothing great ever happens and there are times when they do happen. So when good times take place, we savour every second of it!"
Journalism is the stuff that Hollywood scripts are made of. Ordinary people have a tendency to think that since we are such nosey people, we must be the recipients of great nuggets of gossip.
Only one thing: we don't indulge in gossip. Ours is the profession that thrives on facts. Facts are what made the newspapers and truth is what put us in the black, financially.
No newspaper or magazine in its right mind wants to be caught disseminating untruths. If a publishing firm is caught printing lies, it is done for. People want facts, no matter how gory or painful they are.
Journalists are just people who make the news items interesting or exciting. There's nothing special about good stories. Good stories are simply reports well written with all the facts and a bit of good story-telling thrown in.
Newspapers make sure they are above board all the time. Media moguls dislike greatly to be told by shareholders or the people that they are clearly talking nonsense.
Lies do not lead journalists down the road to fame and fortune. In fact, lies can land a journalist in trouble faster than he can spit on to the floor.
But as in any profession, the art of writing can be abused. For example, there were some journalists in the past who created stories straight out of their own imagination for the simple motive of winning awards.
All of us journalists, who feel we belong to a noble profession, like to believe that we can transcend the ordinary level of honestry when it comes to the crunch. We do try, that is, at least many of us.
But journalism has been known to be the source of problems for the general public in the past decades. The lure of wealth and recognition is very strong. There have been journalists in the past who partook in projects that enriched themselves. They spunned tales that made exciting reading by little substance.
Truth is strongest when it is told simply, without embellishments and without the excitement of breaking news. Ordinary citizens can judge for themselves from various information sources across the world, especially now on the Internet.
Those who wish to be journalists must first be good in the language they are going to write in. Second, they must hold some principles dear to themselves, and not compromise so that they can write another day.
Journalism is not a profession for the cowardly. Newsmen have been known to be killed and ostracised. Nobody likes the truth about their corrupted selves be made known to half the world. Thus, there were times in the past when journalists are quietly removed from the face of the earth.
We put the interest of society and the world before our own. We try as much as we can NOT to crave for the attention accorded to film stars and other great men. We seek only to let the world know that the truth can sometimes set them free.
There's no hidden treasure or road map to prosperity in journalism. It is a profession of long hours and sometimes meagre pay. It is not the kind of work, you would want to encourage your children to take up, unless they think they have a calling in that direction.
Every year, a number of journalists are killed out there in the field. Nobody really remembers them for long, especially after they perished out there in the open. We the ones who survived or too cowardly to go straight to the front line entertain the idea that journalism is pleasant as long as we have enough food on our dining tables.
Journalists are the chroniclers of man's deeds since time immemorial. We would like to believe we contribute significantly to the changing face of mankind. We all hope it is true, so that our very existence will not be in vain.
Some of us long for the day when we would end up publishing a book or several books - that would be the highlight of our careers. That privilege is not accorded to every single member of the profession.
If we are very lucky, we will end up with a tidy sum of gratuity to last us through the twilight years. Other than that, our only consolation is that we have some exciting stories to tell our grandchildren.
Publish and be damned, they say. Damn if we do, and damn if we don't, is more accurate. Brickbats are more common than bouquets. We all learn and live. It's a cliche but it is also the truth.
In the end, we write because the urge is too strong, the calling too true and all of us have to earn a living anyway.

What is this web blogging?

It seems that these days, more and more people are keeping journals on line. For those who wish others to take a peek at their writings, it is presumably called web blogging.
Blogging has been around for some years now, maybe even longer. The activity seems to fulfil some need in humans, at least the literate ones. Blogging can be a healing process.
It gives solace to those who wish to express their inner selves and not care whether strangers like their views or not, that is, the blog articles are read at all. It has been alleged that many web bloggers are journalists.
I suppose it is some kind of "experimental station" for them. Perhaps it is an exercise to hone their writing skills.
Some web bloggers whose opinions are highly valued for their incisive and indepth analysis, there is some financial rewards. The successful ones have advertisers jumping onto their blog sites to advertise their products or services. Thus, the blog site does earn some income for the writer.
Web blogging unfortunately has its dark side. Some writers with anarchic leanings are known to spread lies and misinformation to suit their own agenda. Even though most of us are aware that blogging is a privilege which should not be abused, it happens nevertheless.
The good thing is we as Internet surfers do not have to read what we don't agree with. Hence, we can just skip the rotten ones and move on to the next site that we can derive some benefit from. That's the wonder of choice and the world wide field of dreams that's called the Internet.
It is presumed that web blogging has generated more positive results than bad. For that we should be thankful.
Why bother to blog? The answer is why bother to be curious. It is in man's nature to leave some part of himself somewhere, whether be it be in writing or contribution in the form of art or financial empire, or even in the form of children. The list is endless.
Web blogging has recently changed the face of human activities. Its possibilities are infinite. For writers, it is the mother lode. We can say what we want, do what we want and as long as we want.
What if nobody notices what we do? Will that be an ego-bashing exercise? No. Simply because the writer who is not noticed benefits because the exercise of engaging in blogging activity is therapeutic.
There's nothing so healthy like shouting in the wind - not spitting at the wind though because the sputum may just fly back into your own face.
Therefore, we can safely conclude that web bloggin is here to stay. Stick to it. There's no need for any agenda. You don't need guidelines. You don't need an audience.
You may not get anything from anybody but you have the opportunity of listening to your own voice. Every individual is unique. Web blogging opens the window to your creative self which may have laid dormant for decades. It is waiting to emerge to see the light in your soul.
Who knows your writing may alter the course of someone's life - for good!

American Idol - The Dream Merchants

The American Idol 2005 contest has just ended with Carrie Underwood from Checotah, Oklahoma emerging as the winner. For about 40 million TV viewers across America, it has been a fun-filled and at times emotional time in front of the telly.
What drives about 70,000 people to audition for this contest for the fourth year running? The answer is simple: everyone wants to make their own dream come true. Singing seems to be the cheapest and the fastest route to fame and fortune.
Of course, only a handful get into the final 12. The rest will have to rethink their lives' options. American Idol is currently one of the most popular ways for young people to leap into the limelight.
For most of us, 15 minutes of fame can last a lifetime.
What is it that compells a person to seek a life of glory, wealth, prosperity and power? It can only be explained by the innate desire to gain recognition, any kind of attention. For the deviant, it could mean a life of crime.
For others, it may mean performing outrageous acts. Those who stand to profit most from this almost insatiable desire in most people are also labelled as the dream merchants.
Selling dreams is an art that has been exploited to the fullest by professionals, confidence tricksters, and members of the entertainment industry. All of us can dream but we simply don't know how to market them or turn them into realities.
Thus, the dream merchants of modern times are specifically talent scouts, TV networks, rich corporations and sadly conmen.
Some enterprising individuals fulfil their dreams in their own way - they work for it! When you imagine yourself having a home in Barbados or Hawaii, you can "see" it in your mind.
It all begins with a dream - your own. Then, you hold on to that dream. You find ways or routes leading in that direction. Experts call this process, creative visualisation. It is a proven formula, guaranteed to work if you are determined enough.
Be a dream merchant yourself. When you have achieved your own dreams, help others to realise theirs. That is your duty. In helping others, you help yourself. The source of all this is inexhaustible.
The path to being a dream merchant is to fulfil your own first, then lead others towards that direction. This is one of the most noble of human objectives. It is a lofty ideal held dear by the wise ones among us.

What ails you, my friend?

If you are one of the six billion people on this planet then you would be suffering from at least one or several of the many problems that plaguing humans.
That is, you could be worrying about your health, you are frustrated over a stagnating career, marital woes, blues over your teenage children, the politics in your own country or a God who you think doesn't seem to be bothered with you.
First, you are normal. Two, easy it may seem, you should not worry too much because a lot of it are mirages and only about one per cent of the problems cannot be solved by you alone, and if you can't control the circumstances, why worry about it?
Ask yourself, what's the worse thing that can happen to you today, or tomorrow. Okay, you can drop dead. Well, if you are dead, then earthly problems should come to an abrupt halt for you.
If you are worried about the grieving people you left behind, don't. They will soon get over it. It's human nature. Human beings have a built-in mechanism for self-survival. After a while, they just lose any attachment to things or people who they love. Life, whether you want to believe it or not, does carry on, regardless.
If you are rich, you have no material worries, only those in your imagination or things you created for yourself. If you are poor, then you can help yourself by improving your financial situation.
There are many ways of doing it. One, you take on another job. Two, you work that much harder. Three, find people who can help you. If you desperate enough to want to improve your income, there are always ways to do it.
On health, nobody or very few people are born to be sick. It is one area that you can actually control. Unless you are hit by a flower pot while walking underneath an apartment building, then you will probably live out your long natural life.
If you follow a sensible path, you will live to a ripe old age. Happiness is part of the human package. Joy is inherent in every single person who walks on earth. Sorrow and misery are usually self-inflicted. If you do not allow yourself to be sad, nobody can make you miserable.
Tell yourself every morning when you wake up that today is another chance for you to do better. Tell yourself you are the captain of your own fate; that you steer your own ship; that you will henceforth make use of the winds to adjust your sails to go the direction you want.
Remember, your time on earth is limited. Go for the jugular as far as life is concerned. Aim for the skies, reach for the stars, dare to dream the impossible dream. I know these are all cliches but cliches are apt if they are applicable in life's situations.
You may, if you wish, chuckle at adversity and laugh in the face of sorrow. It is your right. Be crazy a little at times. It helps to alleviate whatever mental burdens that may be weighing you down.
Don't be intimidated by problems, Take them on. Heck, take them all on - just for the fun of it. Why go through life doing all the little things? Where's the challenge in that?
Aim high, think big and go for the No. 1 position - all the time. That's fulfilling your life's mission.
So what's ailing you? Think you are unlucky or being cheated of what's due to you? Blame God? Blame your parents? Blame your family? Take a trip to the nearest hospital and visit the very sick or terminally ill. You may change your mind after such a visit.
Yes, do count your blessings. Every single one of them. None is given to you without a reason. All that you have, you need. All that you were meant to solve, were there for a reason which you may later comprehend. You are to play your part in life and play it to the hilt.
Walk through the heart of fear, and feel the shadows slip behind you.

Living the life you want

Imagine a life that success is very much part of your persona. You are not only materialistically rich, good health is taken for granted and you are never short of friends and they all love you.
Sounds fantastic, doesn't it? All these are possible, if you dare to dream and dare to pursue your dreams. In this life, everything and anything is possible. But are you up to it?
Are you a dreamer or a doer? Perhaps a bit of both. There's really nothing wrong with being a dreamer, except don't be entraped by it your entire life. Dare to dream and dream big and then build on those dreams.
George Lucas was a dreamer of outer limits proportions. Look where he is today. Steven Spielberg was and still is a dreamer. If Spielberg had not dared to dream, you and I wouldn't be enjoying ET, Indiana Jones and Schindler's List in the cinemas.
Bill Gates and Steven Jobs are still dreamers. If they are not, you wouldn't be enjoying personal computers the way you are using them right now. This world needs dreamers because they are the stuff that realities are made of.
Take a long, hard look at your life as it is today. Are you satisfied? Do you think you can do better? Do you think you deserve better? Well, do something about it.
Nobody is asking you to act outside the law or something illegal. Do something that is well within your capability. Your capability is only limited by your imagination and your desire.
Leonardo da Vinci was a man of extraordinary talents. Yes, he was also a genius, you might say. But then, all of us are capable of achieving success similar to da Vinci.
We are our own greatest obstacles. There's no such thing as failure. Replace "failure" with "challenge". It is a challenge, nothing more, nothing less.
You are capable of doing much more, fantastically more. You want to be a millionaire? Who wouldn't? Set yourself a financial target and work towards it.
Hardwork?! That's just a word. Just do it, or rather begin making plans towards achieving such a target. Don't think that it's too far down the road. Don't bother yourself with the destination. Enjoy the journey.
That's the whole plan. Enjoy the journey. Take the road less travelled and you will find out more, learn more and feel more. Isn't that the nectar of life?
This life, depends on how you view it, is rather short. Some people live up till 100 and learn little. Some live just 30 years and have lived a lifetime. So Albert Einstein is right - it's really relative.
Consider yourself one of the luckiest persons in the world. You are here, reading this. There are others on earth who cannot read. There are those who have not even seen a computer, let alone use one.
Yes, you are lucky. If you think you are not, then let this be your first lesson. Do not let your fears be the walls that lock you in. Be the bridge that links happiness to peace of mind. Be like the eagle which soars high above the earth and sees the "bigger picture".
Everyday can or may be your last. If you have just 24 hours to live, how will you live that day, that 24 hours? Yes, write it all down. All the things you want to do, all the people you want to love, all the food you want to eat. You probably don't have time to sleep or rest.
You don't want to anyway. When your 24 hours are over, you will have eternal rest. Live your life that way and you will understand the meaning of the universe. You will "see" the purpose of life as it is divinely designed to be so.
All of us are meant for great things, do great deeds, or do small deeds in a remarkable way.
Yours is the heaven and the earth, and all in-between. God does not want anything less from you and you should not expect anything less from yourself.

Battle for Jerusalem

FOR two thousand years, Jerusalem has been the focal point for some of the world's most historic moments. It saw the emergence of a carpentar who Christians call the Messiah.
It is the holy place for Muslims. It is the sacred ground for Jews. And it is also the battle ground throughout the ages, and continues to be so today.
Geologically, Jerusalem is nothing but a piece of land no different from any other plot of land anywhere around the globe. However, it held and still holds some of the most poignant and momentous memories for the three great religions - Judaism, Islam and Christianty.
Today, millions of lives hang in the balance over this ancient city. It is described as the place where Armaggedon will take place. Why is there so much attention focused on this city? The answer seems obvious to the communities I have just mentioned. But to the rest of the world, it seems to be the silliest reason to be enemies over.
Will there be a world war over this place? Who knows. The solution lies in sharing the city with all concerned. Easy to say but darn difficult to carry out.
Politicians have sat down down the eons to iron out their differences. They have only arrived at temporary solutions. Warriors fought bloody battles over this piece of dirt, as they say, and after their passing, the city lives on amid rubble and ruins.
Prayers, devotions, sacrifices abound in and over this city of Jerusalem. How ironic that the peace that people crave for in this place cannot be found there. How ridiculous is the fact that the so-called holiest place on earth also turns out to be a place where hostility and hatred breed.
Is man to place? Probably. Where is the answer? In man, of course because the acrimonious bickering began in the hearts of men, and in their hearts lies the answer.
Until and unless man decides to share or give up what they love so that other lives may be made happier, their own existence will not be harmonious. Until and unless, man realises that his neighbour is also his brother or his sister, his life will not be prosperous as it should be.
And so the world continues to spin on the spindle that is planted in the city of Jerusalem. What do you think God has to say about all this? I bet you he thinks that Jerusalem is the place where man will finally learn the lesson that he has taught them through his son but the lesson had been forgotten over the millennia.
Perhaps it is time to remind the children of man again. That love is when you intentionally surrender what is yours so that others can have more of it. In return, you will find out that you have never really given it away. It was received, cherished and returned to you with interest and in abundance.
Jerusalem is the city of God. It was born in hope and built on the foundation of love. The synagogues, mosques, churches that were built there on top of each other through the ages are merely creations of men.
God founded the city on love and with love and that can't be destroyed or forgotten.
The battle for Jerusalem is not what it is defined to be by man, it is a battle to regain what was originally in the mind of God and in the hearts of man. It is the love that knows no time, sees no distance and unites all mankind.
This is the real battle for Jerusalem. It is a fight to return to the kingdom of heaven. It is the place that all men sought throughout history and found nothing or lost his way in the quest for it.
Well, heaven comes through another route, and Jerusalem holds the key. Amen.

Television - a modern scourge or succour?

NOT to own a TV set in modern times is to say you don't own a car. But television has been around for more than 70 years, or slightly more. It has become a source of entertainment and relaxation for hundreds of millions of people across the globe.
TV, claim the couch potatoes, is as necessary as the air we breathe. However, a lot of the air we breathe in is polluted. So it is the same for television.
Quite a number of TV programmes are not good for us but we still watch them. A bit like smoking. However, you want to look at it, the freedom to switch channels is always there.
Many years ago, I found myself in a situation where it was difficult to watch TV at the apartment I stayed in. So those who stayed in the same apartment agreed not to have any TV.
I went without any serious TV viewing for three and a half years. Now on looking back, I actually found the period of absence rather fruitful and beneficial in other ways.
I read books to pass time and I went out more with friends. I learnt to scrutinise other facets of life, whether professional or personal.
No doubt, TV has tremendous advantages, too. For example, breaking news reaches our homes about one minute after it breaks out. Nothing is concealed for long. Not when CNN is on 24 hours.
Then there are the educational and informative programmes. Children learn from watching these programmes like Discovery and National Geographic.
The bottom line is there are the good shows and the bad shows. It is just a matter of choice. If you want, you can watch wrestling mania, the nastiest accidents and the most gruesome murders re-enacted. Or, if you want you can watch travel, space or culinary shows.
Life is one big decision on making the right one, for yourself and your family.
But seriously though, if television would suddenly disappear from my life tomorrow, it won't be such a big deal. I will miss it, of course but I will survive.
I have come to the conclusion that books can more than make up for its absence. An overdose of TV watching can numb the mind. Watching TV is a passive activity. It does nothing for your mind and causes eye-strain.
Little children these days are beginning to wear spectacles at an early age. I attribute this phenomenon to too many hours in front of the family TV.
Will we ever turn the TV to our own advantage? I believe we can but first we must police ourselves. TV is an info, entertainment, educational tool. It's up to you how you want to use it.
If you use it wisely, your life will change for the better. If you engage in indiscriminate viewing or spend too many meaningless hours in front of it, it will only make you visually addicted to it.
Your life will then play out to the scripts on the TV shows. Too much TV viewing will distort your sense of reality.
Television should be used mainly for relaxation and entertainment. Don't make too big a deal out of television. It is an invention to amuse humans.
Like fire, it can either help you or hurt you. The choice is ultimately yours.

The Art of Writing a Best Seller

First of all, do you have the language that goes along with such a deal. Second, are you mentally disciplined to see it through? Third, can you tell a story with heart and a whole lot of continuity?
The art of writing best sellers normally does not begin with the notion of making money. It germinates with a seed of a thought that you have a story to tell and your strongest weapon in your armoury is your imagination.
To tell a story well, you must begin with an outline of the story. It must have a beginning, a middle and an end. There must be a clear thread that links all the chapters.
When you elaborate on a subject, make sure you have most of the facts. You can tell a tall tale but if it doesn't convince the reader, you as the author are clearly in trouble at the end of the sentence.
What readers love most of all is a story written with a heart that is pulsating with life. It must draw the tears, evoke passionate feelings and bring on the laughter. Can you do all that and still be convincing?
Almost everybody has a story to tell but to hold the reader spellbound is an art. Not everybody is cut out to be a first rate writer. Sure, all of us have tales to tell. To be successful at story telling, you must first have all the right ingredients.
Then you have to mix it up in their right proportions and cook at at different temperatures at different times. The climax would be a book that the reader can't put down. Now, that will be a best seller.
Even the thought of writing a book is rather daunting to 99 out of 100 aspiring writers. So to "dilute" the fear of embarking on such a gigantuan project (it's all in your mind), you should tackle one page at a time. Then, progress to one chapter at a time.
But you should have in time how many chapters you think your book should have. Of course, if you are in the company of Tolstoy, you can go on and on until you are totally exhausted and can continue no more. Otherwise, it would be prudent to set a cut-off point.
We don't want to ramble on and on until you bore the reader to death. There's nothing so ego-busting than to hear a comment like, "that guy has written rubbish".
Some of the little details that you should remember are the text size of the book. Don't let the printer print too small a body text otherwise, all those above the age of 40 will avoid reading your magnus opus.
Make sure you have a fairly attractive cover.
All best sellers do not have an insipid flavour. They have the bite of a really powerful tom yam soup. It tends to give you a kick after the first three pages and then it proceeds to throttle you until you desperate fight for air.
Put yourself in a good mood when you are penning your thoughts. Find an inspiring workplace. Work yourself up. Get into the zone, so to speak. And don't forget to have a couple of good dictionaries around the table. We don't want you to make any silly spelling errors.
There's nothing so irritating as wrong spellings. when you have finished writing the last chapter. Go and see a movie and the next day, read the whole darn thing. Better still, make members of your family read it. Be ready to accept brickbats. That's part of the game.
Some best sellers show their true colours after the sixth revision.
Make the book so exciting that even your grandmother wants to read it. If your book elicits no reaction, that means it has failed to lock in on your reader's feelings.
One last bit of advice, be prepared to accept the fact that your maiden effort could turn out to be a turkey. Don't be disheartened. Continue writing. Very, very few writers have successful first novels. Sometimes a bit of humiliation is great for character-building - yours!

So, here are some of the tips:

1. Do you research and do it well
2. Use the right words in all the right places
3. Let the characters in your novel tell the story. It is their show (actually it's yours but don't hog the limelight)
4. Flesh out the characters. Make them believable. Give them some flaws, too. If they are too good to be true, then they are unbelievable.
5. Make the reader see all the details in their minds. Thus, the necessity of details in the most imaginative scenario possible.
6. Touch the heart of the reader and you will fire his imagination.
7. Be ready to rewrite entire chapters. Look, even Picasso threw away some of his own paintings.
8. Don't give up. Tell the story well and then go to sleep.
9. Is there a moral to the story? Readers like to know where you are leading them.
10. Conclude the novel with a feeling of satisfaction on the part of the reader. Otherwise, you would have failed. Nobody likes to finish reading with an empty feeling.

Remember, write from your heart and you will touch the heart. Read as much as possible yourself. All those bits of information will act as fodder for future novels. Be interested in mankind, in individuals and children. These are the people with the most interesting backgrounds.
Most of all, be yourself. When you write a good book, it is as much a reflection of your own personality as it is a reflection of your writing skills.
Do not let your ego overshadow the mission of your novel. Be prepared to get criticisms. That's how you learn.

Much Ado About Nothing

THE state of emptiness is more profound than what ordinary mortals actually know.
It gives credence to the line: "Be Still, and know that I am God." It adds dimensions of meaning to the phrase (as uttered by someone who knows): "The Universe surrenders to the Mind that is Silent."
What do the Masters mean when they say, "in nothingness, thy shalt find yourself." It is the "soul" that we speak of. The ethereal link that hooks us up with your higher self.
It is the part that yogi masters at their highest level thrive on. It is what Zen masters try their entire lives to find, and sometimes they do. Only a few can or have achieved that level.
And yet it is within reach of the most ordinary among us. It is the jewel of our core. Once you have reached the core of nothingness, you find your pristine self and the window into the kingdom of heaven.
It is our true self. Our physical form denies vehemently its existence because it doesn't jell with everything we have learnt or have been told. For those who have glimpsed its perimeters, it is joy everlasting. It alters your perception of all that you have seen or can imagine.
It is the playground of eternity. The Zen masters call it satori. The Buddhists call it Nirvana. The Indian gurus call it Kundalini. It completes your understanding of all there is.
It is the eternally open door to the realm of love. It can and will alter the vibrations of your being. It is a dominion without words. It operates under no human laws or subjected to the principles of sciences as we know it.
It is called Tao long before the word became fashionable. It is a formless form. It is an echo not of sound. There is no time nor space in the nothingness that we speak of here.
If you can sustain its so-called energy, the universe and all there is is yours. Molecular structure, the world of atoms, the synergy that scientists discuss are all within your control.
It is beyond understanding, and yet you know. It is beyond experience of human passions and yet you "feel".
It is being in God's presence. It is being part of Being. It is being there and not going anywhere.
Your purpose on earth is to go as far as you can on this spiritual quest. Be the greatest that you can be, and in doing so touch the hem of the heavens and feel its Force, for want of a better term.
It is a journey without distance. A love without limits. An experience far beyond description. Go on, my friend, you are sent forth.

The Importance of Simplifying your Life

STRANGE as it may seem but you and I were probably happiest when we hadn't had a care in the world. It was a time that all responsibilities of life were left to mum and dad.
All our clothes, food and other needs were attended to by someone else. Our only "job" everyday was to amuse ourselves. We didn't care about what was happening on the far side of the street because mum said we couldn't venture that far.
We didn't really care how we look but almos everybody else thought we were cute in some way.
We were little toddlers then. Remember how simple life was then? And so it seems that the simpler one's life is, the easier it can be managed.
But as we grew up, something happened. We begin to put more importance on our appearance. We begin to think of a nice car, not just any old and second-hand jalopey but a real powerful "monster." It is as if we can't wait to have that extra attention.
By our very own supreme efforts, we have become vain. And if we earn more than our fathers, we may not even want to listen to him anymore. Sometimes in our "spoilt brat" mood, we may even come to the conclusion that mum is just too old-fashioned to keep up with us anymore.
Suddenly one day, we wake up and find that life is beginning to be quite a chore. We have to maintain certain "standards"; keep up appearances at social gatherings and parties; have a sizeable bank account so that others won't think too poorly of us, and think the word God is only reserved for those silly priests who have nothing better to do.
Son, at this juncture, I have something importance to impart to you. If the above description fits you, you are clearly in trouble. If you continue along this path, you will end up being very unhappy no matter how much money you have in your bank or how many exclusive clubs you are a member of.
When an individual loses sight of the finer qualities in life, he loses sight of what it's like to be a real human being. Meaning his purpose in this life has suddenly taken a deep detour and he's, simply lost!
The answer to your daily troubles, your lack of peace of mind and your life of quiet desperation is to simplify your life.
Here's how to do it:

** Try not to own a fancy car. Any car that can take you from point A to point B is deemed adequate.
** Don't keep up with the Joneses otherwise you are going to share their woes as well.
** Keep in mind you are a mortal and the frailty of your life is a daily and stark reality.
** Pray a lot and pray for others. Don't think that God is a stranger and that he's only communicating with saints in heaven. He's waiting for you to talk to him, even when you don't need him.
** Your personal appearance should not be an obsession.
** Give little credence to other people's opinions about you. For example, don't worry if you don't know about many issues of the day.
** Cut down on your plans to go on overseas holidays at least twice a year.
** Don't worry about what you have to eat tomorrow or next week.
** Don't be too caught up with other people's lives. Help them if they seek help but don't be a busy-body.
** Tell everyone you are not particular about food, where you dine and the condition of your sleeping quarters.
** Look upon the elderly as people who have more experience than you, simply because they have the advantage of being on earth longer than you. So maybe you can learn from their experience.
** Don't fish for compliments.
** Don't entertain thoughts of being nominated for some important post so that your name would be up in lights.
** Be kind to everybody, regardless of their social station in life.
** Never allow anyone to fuss over you.
** Don't be sad if nobody remembers your birthday. It's more important if you remember theirs.
** Volunteer to help others for no reason at all other than your sense of priority.
** Love the little children, for they have much to teach you, to remind you and to make you see that the greatest joy is to be an innocent, for such people will enter the kingdom of heaven.

The love of life, the joy of living, the pleasure of simplicity - all these are the natural results of profound thought. And when you have seen the light, gone there, seen it and decided to stay, come back to help the others who have lost their way. For in helping others, you help yourself. In spreading love, you gain it for yourself. In praying for others, grace naturally gravitates to your soul.
Be at peace, my son, for God is looking over your shoulder even now as I speak.

The 10 commandments of Mathematics

I lay no claim to this piece of infographics but it was so cute, I decided to borrow it from another website.



For those who wish to seek further information, I have provided the URL of the graphics which lends a clue or two.

http://www.mathteacherstore.com/middle/midlpost/5-8/titles/ctcm

What Money Can't Buy......................

IT WOULD BE WISE TO MEMORISE THE ABOVE TO ENSURE MANY NIGHTS OF PEACEFUL SLEEP.


After talking so much about becoming rich or how to, I talk I enlighten you a little on what money can't buy. Actually, these are not my thoughts. I saw them somewhere a long time ago.
It was something that got stuck in my head. Here they are:

Money can buy a bed but not SLEEP

Money can buy medicine but not HEALTH

Money can buy books but not WISDOM

Money can buy houses but not a HOME

Money can buy positions but not ABILITIES

Money can buy club membership but not FRIENDSHIP

Money can buy beautiful partners but not LOVE

Money can buy food but not an APPETITE

Money can buy rosaries but not SALVATION

Money can buy titles but not INTEGRITY

The 10 Commandments of Becoming a Millionaire

1. Be disciplined in everything you do.
2. Be frugal and thrifty.
3. Learn to save at least 30-40 per cent of your earnings.
4. Read a lot, especially books written by millionaires
5. Be an optimist. See the good side of everything.
6. Be determined, and unreasonably persistent.
7. Help others to succeed with no conditions
8. Fill a need - something nobody has tried before.
9. Remember to pray everyday for others as well as your family.
10. Money isn't everything but keep a sharp eye on your financial target nevertheless

The 10 Commandments of Happiness

1. Never hold a grudge
2. Learn to forgive, no matter what
3. Laugh often, and make others laugh, too
4. Think of God everyday. Talk to him. He won't bite you.
5. Love yourself first, then spread the love around. It won't run out.
6. Do random acts of kindness
7. Share what you have: knowledge, your time, money (not all of it), experience.
8. Surprise your parents by calling or visiting them, remembering their birthdays.
9. Learn not to worry. Better still, never at all
10. Live everyday as if it is your last.

In memory of my mother

MOST of us take our mothers for granted, until they are gone. Then, we start to think of them in a very nice way. We tell ourselves we should have done this for her, and that for her.
For those of us whose mothers are no longer with us, such thoughts are merely unfulfilled intentions. I happen to be one of these people. But I do have fond memories of my mum.
I remember the times when I was a little boy when she used to pat my back rhythmically until I fell asleep. She usually did that when I am restless or sick or had nightmares. Most mothers would do that same. I remember those times.
There were times when I was already an adult when I actually felt the tapping of her hand on my back as I skirted the fringes of deep sleep. Apparently, the memories of long ago had lodged in my mind and resurfaced at appropriate times.
Most children because of their zero experience in life and innocence actually knew how much grief we gave our mothers with our long absences and mischevious ways.
My mother was no different. When she couldn't take it anymore, I would feel the cane. Now decades later, the stings from the cane had long receded into the recesses of the mind, there are only left the dear remembered face of the woman who rocked my cradle, but in my case it was the sarong and the coils of spring.
The days and nights which I recalled seeing my mother cleaning up the house and washing the dirty laundry with her bare hands have stayed with me. I took very much for granted all the chores which a mother did.
On looking back, I feel a very heavy touch from the hand of long forgotten memory that her daily labour through the decades was very much taken for granted. We never said "thank you". That's the way, children are. I was no exception.
The times she worried about my performance in school. The day I finished my A levels and didn't know what to do next. Her advice was to proceed a little further - all the way to university and told me not to worry about the finances.
For all that, I am grateful. I recall she dipping into her own savings to buy me a motorcycle because she heard that I had to walk to campus and take the varsity bus and hitched rides from colleagues.
And even after I had graduated and didn't have a job, she took out from her meagre savings just enough pocket money to see me through the months when I was job hunting in another State.
My mum passed away about nine years old. About eight years before her death, she suffered a massive stroke and became a semi-invalid. Overnight, she was a shadow of her old self. She could hardly recognised any of her children. She could no longer talk and could almost never walk on her own.
It was a trying time for us the children. At first, I wasn't used to seeing her in that condition. My mother was always one of the most robust and cantankerous women in the neighbourhood. Just seeing her like that broke my heart.
I got used to it and the years passed swiftly. Fortunately, my dad was in fairly good health and my youngest sister was around to take good care of her. For my sister, it became a tremendous strain after a while.
On her death bed, my mother knew her time was near. We called upon our family friend, a priest, to perform the last sacrement. Then she slipped away but not before she left a beautiful smile on her face.
When I saw that, I knew all was well. Finally, her physical discomfort and pains were all over. On the other end of the rainbow, God and his angels were waiting for her. It had been a long ride for her on earth.
Mother's Day is on May 8. My thoughts are about her and the years of joy mixed with years of sorrow that she experienced surged to the fore as my mind is covered with flashbacks of my early years when she was around.
She had done a lot for all of us. It had been good for us all round. I like to believe it had been one good journey for her as well - with five of us siblings as her children. I believe she is smiling at all of us from the other side. We haven't done too badly ourselves - thanks in a large part to her gentle and kind guiding hand.
I remember my mum fondly when Mother's Day arrives, as I shall have wonderful thoughts of her for the rest of my life.