Shania Twain: Beauty with a voice

Before Shania, the only female country singers I know of were Loretta Lynn, Dolly Parton, Barbara Mandrell and Patsy Cline. I wasn't really into country music via women country singers.
However, a few years back, Shania popped into the country music scene. It helps if you have a pretty face, and Shania's fans know she's different from the others. Her voice has a distinct tonal quality that separates her from her peers and her predecessors.
There are some songs which are Shania's own and nobody can take that away from her. I am talking about "You're Still The One" and "Man, I Feel Like A Woman".
It is not a secret that Shania has experienced some bad times in her teenage years. She has made no secret of it.
Those were the days when she woke up hungry in the morning and hungry when she went to bed. The things she didn't mention were those days when she cried over how she was going to feed her brothers and sister.
Shania was born Eilleen Regina Edwards in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Her parents were Sharon and Clarence Edwards. Her parents went separate ways when she was still a toddler at two. Her mother remarried and her second husband was Jerry Twain.
So Shania grew up as Eilleen Twain in Timmins, Ontario. As Eilleen, she got her first taste of the pop world when she appeared on CBC TV show Tommy Hunter. She was 13 at that time.
In school, Eilleen sang for a local group called "Longshot". It was certainly a long shot from what was to be her future. Before all that glamour fell on her lap, Eilleen took a double blow when her mother and her step-father died tragically in a road accident on Nov 1, 1987.
Things just went downhill pretty fast for her and her two brothers, Mark and Daryl, and her sister Carrie-Ann. Overnight, she became the sole breadwinner of the shrunken household. It must have been a terrifying time for her. No mum, no dad and alone with three young mouths to feed.
Eilleen soon found herself singing at local tourist spot called Deerhurst Resort. For four years, Eilleen struggled. The winters which came and went seemed desperately long and cold. Money was scarce, and good food, if any, were even rarer. Then in 1991, fortune began to smile on her. An entertainment lawyer from Nashville, Tennessee, took a liking to her voice and requested a demo tape. That same year, she secured a recording contract with Richard Frank of Mercury Nashville Records.
As it was, and still is, with the entertainment industry, a person's birth name is almost never good enough for the masses. So Eilleen became Shania (shu-nye-uh). It has been said that Shania's adopted father was a full-fledged Ojibwa, and Shania simply means "I am on my way." I guess Shania thought that suited her circumstances quite well.
There have been reports that Shania is part Ojibwa. Not really true. It was her step-dad's heritage which she adopted to indicate her resilience in the face of overwhelming odds.
Initially, Shania's debut album didn't go down well with the country folks. Nashville music scene can be quite unforgiving. Shania was basically a nobody and she had to play second fiddle to others and other unknown song writers.
The sunshine peeked over the mountain top for her when a song producer Robert "Mutt" Lange heard her voice and offered to write songs for her. And so it came to past in June 1993, Shania and Lange met at the Nashville's Fan Fair. It was one of those inescape destiny's moments when two souls meet.
Before the year is over, Shania and Lange were married. It quickly proved to be a fruitful relationship. Shania began to sing songs written by herself and her husband.
Her second album entitled The Woman In Me was produced in 1995.
It quickly became a hit with songs like "Whose Bed Your Boots Have Been Under" and "Any Man Of Mine". For months thereafter, The Woman In Me stayed on top of the country charts. Then it crossed over to the main charts. It hit a high of No. 5 and garnered 12 million sales before the dust settled.
It was indeed a turning point for Shania Twain. Poverty which had a vise-like hold on her for so long has finally began to loosen its grip. Grammy Award for the Best Country Album went to The Woman In Me.
The Academy of Country Music for Album of the Year also went to Shania. To top it all off, Shania was selected as Best New Female Vocalist by the Academy. It was as if all those years of plodding in darkness to find the next meal had suddenly become surreal and a distant memory.
Shania came out with her third album Come on, Over in 1997. The album never made it to the No. 1 spot but it climbed to No. 2. But the single "You're Still The One" rocked the country world. Other songs like "Don't Be Stupid, Honey, I'm Home" and "From This Moment On" kept the album in the charts for the next 48 months.
It was indeed a heady time for Shania Twain, the former struggling resort singer of no particular importance. In time, Come On, Over sold an impressive 20 million copies in the United States and 39 million around the world.
"You're Still The One" chalked up its run as the Best Country Song. Shania also took home the title of Best Female Country Performer.
In 1998, her appearance in the VH1 Divas Concert, details of Shania's early years were released. These were about her hardcore poverty background and the initial rejection by the Nashville music industry. Coupled with her appealingly fresh and attractive looks, the entire country began to fell in love with her.
In 1999, Shania Twain was voted Entertainer of the year by the Academy of Country Music and the Country Music Association. It was a double firsts for Shania who had indeed come a very long way from Timmins, Ontario, Canada to Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
Today, Shania enjoys her hard earned success with her husband and son Eja in Switzerland which has become her home. Her second home is that much publicised Motutapu Station (farmland) in Wanaka, New Zealand. It's a 17-hectare sheep land where she and her hubby hope to build their second home.
A TV biographical account of Shania Twain will be aired in about a week's time over CBC on Nov 7, 2005. It's called Shania: A Life in Eight Albums. Meredith Henderson will star as Shania Twain.
I have a soft spot for Shania. She's a great beauty and an excellent singer. Sometimes, in life, people like Shania gets their lucky breaks. Not many do. Shania's idol is Dolly Parton. That's my next topic when I find the time.
Meanwhile, we the fans are praying for Shania's continued good fortune. It gives up hope to see that life is fair at times even if most of us don't think so.

Country songs & music

OK, I confess. I am one of those who love country music and songs to bits. What's there NOT to love. Country music & songs are basically about those intangible things which all of us normal people hold dear and near to our hearts.
Man loses his dog, wife loses her man to the bottle or to his poker game, man down to his last nicket or dime. These are some of life's gripping moments. When you are rich and famous, you probably have your own problems but if you are a normal Joe like me, you would, somewhere along the line, experience some of the subjects which I mentioned earlier.
Ordinary people with very ordinary salaries love country songs. That's because country music tugs at the heart strings. Love, affection, childhood memories, mum's cooking, dad's old guitar, brother's hand-me-down clothes, sister's boyfriends - these are great subjects for country songs.
Who wouldn't want to reflect on these things? They make you think of home. They make your eyes misty over the girl-next-door you love but who wouldn't return your affection. She went on to marry someone who's better looking than you, and maybe even richer.
Yes, it hurts like hell but it makes a great song. You can cry in the solitude of your own room as you listen to those emotional words. Now that you have money, they girl of your dreams is no longer around. That's makes it even more heart-breaking.
So life's like that. You think of all those nice cookies your aunt used to make. You recall all those childhood pranks you pulled on your neighbours or your neighbour's kids. They were harmless little tricks, of course. You were just a kid, for heaven's sake. How were you to know that that boy you tricked got caned by his dad. It was all your fault but you didn't feel guilty for long. That's life, I guess.
Now that you are a city slicker, you think you sometimes know it all....that is, until you hear that familiar country tune that takes you down memory lane.
Aaaah... that old, familiar feeling. Funny how people seem to like to think back of the old days. Actually, sometimes it's not that long, say maybe 10 years ago. But you have lived so much in a decade that it might as well be 30 years.
Even at 35 years old, you feel as if you have lived half a century. Country songs have a way to worming their way into your heart and soul. That's why country music will never die.
I yearn for those carefree days. It's the same for many others my age (that's a secret). However, we are mindful that we can't rebuild yesterdays but we sure have today and tomorrow will take care of itself. Hey, this line makes a good song. Maybe I should try my hand at song-writing. That's another subject for country music.
Meanwhile, take me home country road...............

Working for a living, or working for the fun of it?

RIGHT now, to be honest, I am doing a bit of both. However, there were times about 20 years ago when I wasn't that sure. I was at the threshold of my career then. It wasn't really getting up every morning and smelling the roses, if you know what I mean.
The years stretched into decades and before I knew it, they called me "one of the veterans" in the office. It is not as if I have taken part in the Vietnam War or anything like that.
But the younger set are always like that. They seem to think that anyone pass the age of 40 is sliding downhill - fast! It has been my favourite habit to tell anyone who want to listen that some of the greatest works were done by people in their 60s and beyond. There you go!
In fact, it's 5.31pm on my side of the world right now. I have officially finished work about two hours ago. But I linger around to "tie up the loose ends". Work also entails other duties.
Anyway, when life is good, one shouldn't pass a careless remark that "it's boring." Next thing you know, you will be snowed under a mountain of paper work.
Work has become a bit of a passion for me. It's meeting friends, exchanging ideas of how to "make big bucks". I know it's rather presumptious of us but no harm in dreaming big. Frankly, I think we can make it.
If Bill Gates had not entertained his early ambitions of wiring up the world, he could be working at McDonald's right now. Perhaps he would even be a manager of a McDonald's outlet.
See, what happens when you let your mind roam the "outer limits".
I urge myself on a daily basis not to be confined by the limitations imposed by my own imagined inadequacies. The skies the limit. We won't even want to think of the bottom. Nothing is the bottom. We are shooting for the sky. Hell, we are shooting for the heavens.
It used to be "oh dear, I'm working tomorrow. Boo. Boo."
Nowadays, it's "what's work? I am having a great time. It's not work anymore. It's a hobby and a passion." That's when the fun begins.
When you mix enthusiasm with practicality, and spice it up with ambitious plans and a whole lot of unbridled diligence, magic can take place. I have seen it happen to others. I told my close friend that if we can dream it, we can achieve it.
When I have done it, you who are reading this, will be the first to know.

Not one day at a time but living the Moment

IT TOOK me a better part of 30 years that real living is not on a day-to-day basis but actually LIVING the moment. Now what does that mean?
Living the moment means feeling the exhiliration and jubilation of a event at a subliminal level. Let me see if I have described it correctly. For example, if you are traipsing in a quaint neighbourhood which you have just discovered.
You "soak" in the details visually, inhale the unique scent of the place and feel the structures with your fingers and hands. That's "living the moment". In other words, you are practically imprinting the memory of the place and the moment through perception of your five human senses.
One day at a time translates into taking in 24 hours at a time. That means you live on a 24-hourly basis. You don't want to know too much about tomorrow because you live mainly for today.
One day at a time is not a bad self-imposed schedule. It applies to a lot of people who have simply made up their minds not to worry about somethings which they cannot change. It also means you know tomorrow will take care of itself, if you do the right things today.
But living the moment is the ultimate in high living. Each moment in time is precious to you. If you happen to catch the beautiful vista of a double rainbow in all its splendour after a shower, and you pause and enjoy the moment, you are living the moment.
Living the moment is the pastime of genuises like Leonardo da Vinci, Michaelangelo, Gaugin, Vincent Van Gogh. All these past masters had expressed their "living-the-moment" experiences in paintings, drawings, sculptures and other works of art. Da Vinci left evidence of his genuius in writings, theses and beautiful paintings.
If you dare to live as many moments in your life, every hour of every day for the rest of your life, then you have truly lived. As God has intended for you to live, in every way, in every special day, as it was intended since the dawn of time.
Living the moment points to an individual decision to taste the nectar of life. It is a commitment to sink your teeth into the cake of existence; to drink from the fountain of eternal joy.
Many men of letters have talked about this kind of moment. Most of them don't really know what they are talking about. Those who know about it actually are living the moments. They are in "it".
You too should live the moment. Make up your mind now to do it. Don't tally anymore.
Time is short. In every life, whether it be 50 years of existence of 90 years of work, each person's life is a mere half a heartbeat in eternity. For in the term forever, the years do not count. What matters are the moments!
Those moments like when you first fell in love. All your senses shooting through the roof. The very fibre of your being is in tune with all there is. You "see" colours brighter, the music louder and clearer. Each word so crisp and every touch so gentle.
When you hear your favourite song and you slip into the river of gentle repose, every muscle and nerve in your body are at total rest. In that time when time does not rule, you live the moment.
You should strive for these moments. It is an art that has been mastered by the teachers with no titles, nevertheless they are your masters. When time no longer has a hold on you, and love occupies the core of your being, you are deemed to have arrived. That is your moment.
All these moments make up a very complete lifetime. If you can sustain those moments, you will transcend your earthly purpose. You become the beacon that lights other people's paths. It is then, and only then, the worlds become your playground, for then, you not only live the moment, you are the moment.

The sun will still shine tomorrow.............

PEOPLE who are perpectual optimists always come up with lines that are permanently stuck in their minds. Phrases and remarks like "it's darkest before dawn; even the darkest cloud has a silver lining; everything comes to those who wait; perseverance pays handsome dividends; even the longest hour has only 60 minutes."
I am one of these irritating optimists. People who can unconsciously get on the nerves of the gloom seekers or pessimists. What's there to brood over? If you believe you are going to be one of those sorry victims of Hurricane Wilma, are you going to wait for her to clobber you?
Surely not. You will probably run like hell away from her path. Being an eternal sunshine guy is an acquired art. If you can acquire the habit or smoking and drinking, it shouldn't be that difficult to adopt a good habit like looking on the bright side of things.
I used to have a boss who could be quite irritating because he tended to come up with the most inane lines whenever we went up to him for complaints. Once I expressed my displeasure over some minor office matter. His reply was, "count your blessings." Actually, I would rather have the problem settled ASAP.
I found out through encounters and association with the less-than-cheerful people in decades past that enthusiasm and cheerfulness are infectious after a while. I mean you really can't keep a happy guy down. After a while, the gloomy chap will just be swept away by the tide of good cheer.
However, there are some people who simply love to share their misery. They don't want to hear about the good news just around the corner. They just want to wallow in the "feel-bad" ambience. It may sound a bit strange to you but there are some people, fortunately a minority, who indulge in self-persecution.
Why!? I am still trying to fathom the reason. What's so great about feeling sorry for yourself? Eventually, you will just earn the title of being the Incredible Sulk or Sourpuss Extraordinaire.
I have witnessed small groups of individuals indulging in their favourite pastime - comparing woes of a common kind. For example, married women will talk about their "useless" husbands, unfaithful spouses, and uncaring children.
It's quite sad to be a witness of this kind of phenomenon. What a terrible way to spend the precious hours in a day. I mean comparing the magnitude of your sorrow to your friend's. Isn't enough, you are not the most beautiful person in the neighbourhood or the richest guy in the office?
Begone such thoughts, I say. A long time ago, I decided it's shameful to allow my goodself to be part of this gloomy syndrome. We can be cheerful. We should be happy. It's part of our persona.
If you are happy no matter what circumstances you are living in, you will always be welcomed wherever you go. I used to have an office colleague who goes around saying "happy, happy" to anyone he met. I thought that was pretty original.
That happy guy has since died but the memory of his legendary words fills me with a warmth that has lingered for so long. And so I want to pass on this good feeling. This little formula that will make you a happy person too.
Your family will rest easy too when you return from office and not throw things aroound or put on a sourpuss look. Try it some time soon.

Remembering the victims of Wilma in our prayers

Hurricane Wilma is now in the Atlantic but not before pulverising the Carribean and Cuba and Florida in its wake. At last count, the death toll in Florida is six. In the other countries, the toll is much higher.
It is a tragedy that ordinary people all over the world are now victims of nature's fury. Hurricanes trigger off tornadoes in several parts of America. When a wind blows in at 150mph, there will bound to be victims.
Every life is precious. Every person is remembered as someone who has left behind families and loved ones behind. Every death that comes suddenly should be mourned. We are all important in the whole scheme of life. Every single spark of life is part of the whole.
Just like every joint of our body completes the whole, each digit of each finger is important, just like every child born, regardless of circumstances and environment is important.
It is times like these, we the unhurt and uninjured should pray for those who have come into harm's way. We pray for them not because we know who they are, we pray for them because they are just like us, human beings with memories, with families, with needs and who have loved ones.
Before the year is over, there will probably be a few more natural calamities coming our way, no matter where we are located geographically. This year has been one of the most trying years since the dawning of the new century.
Prayers is one of the few gifts that we have that will hold us in good stead no matter what happens to the world. It is caring for others that we save ourselves. We must learn to pray for others so that the circle of life will encompass us too in its mysterious spark of everlasting joy.
Why do nuns, monks, priests, popes, and others in holy orders in faraway lands pray and meditate? Praying is just another form of meditation. The secret of visualising an image or faces of remembered ones in our silent communion with the celestial entity is to be "one" with all there is.
I know that sounds cryptic but those are the only words I know that describes it. In essence, when you are praying for others, you are actually praying for yourself. In the laws of eternity, the only way you get good things is when you give it away, or when you wish sincerely that others receive them. That is one of the greatest mysteries of the universe.
In faraway Florida, Cuba, Mexico, Cancun and elsewhere that CNN cannot reach, there are people who are suffering without others knowing about them. These individuals too are included in my prayers and in the prayers of others who pray across the world.
Prayers are like little candles in the dark. Together they make one big bonfire. They shine like beacons on a troubled night. They cannot be snuffed out by the wind. They cannot be ignored, nor can they fizzle out or be forgotten. It is God's promise that all prayers are heard and answered.
How the response will be does not fall into the perimeters of human understanding. The good news is every prayer gets an answer. For it is said, you will be heard in more ways than one.
That is why we shall remember all those who have fallen in harm's way, whether the calamity is man-made or nature's own.

Christmas just about 8 weeks from now

I HAVE mixed feelings about Christmas because for many years, it was just another day for me. Before, a long time ago, when I was living essentially only for myself, Christmas was just another excuse to go out and have a good time.
These days, my children have grown up and they celebrate it, a large part for me. It has become an inescapable fact that Christmas is an occasion to learn to share, or just to share whatever you have. If you have money, of course, that will be fun. If you don't have that much, you share yourself and all the thoughtfulness you can muster. The second part is very much more meaningful.
For example, an unexpected visit to someone you have not seen for years. Maybe you would like to call someone who you know is always talking or enquiring about your welfare.
These are the little acts on your part that brings joy into our other people's lives. It causes you almost nothing but only a willingness on your part to do it out of sincerity. Such intangible gifts from the heart reach the heart of the recipient and the warm feelings almost never go away.
Your kind deed will be kept and be taken out of memory banks now and then, fresh as the day it was given, and all the fragrance of that kind act will rejuvenate the mind and gladden the heart of the one who receives it.
Christmas makes me think of things like that. It makes me think of my sister who left home for about 37 years now. She writes back now and then. She left when she was 18, now she's 55. As she grows older, those who stayed back in the home country become more precious to her.
I guess age has taught her what life had a hard time doing. But she has learnt her lessons well and all of us benefited. Christmas time also makes me wonder about the welfare of my uncles and aunties. They are into their 70s now.
I still remember those years when they were in the prime of their lives. They were so robust, so full of life. Now Father Time is knocking at their doors. They tire easily but the zest of life has not completely deserted them yet.
Yes, I think of them now. I remember the nice gifts they gave me. The fun and laughter we shared. How life has given them so much and taught me so well. Christmas is a good time to remember everybody.
It is not a time to recall old hurts. I make it a point to forget all that. It is like trying to put vinegar into one's own mouth. What's the point? If remembering ancient unpleasant moments is good, then Christmas is as good a time as any to wash them all away.
I think of all those young people who are forced by circumstances to leave their homes, parents and loved ones to earn a living. I think of those painful times when they couldn't return home to spend time with their families. I think of those lonely days they have to endure, and I pray for them.
Yes, Christmas is also a time for reflection, especially reflection in the right spirit. We should take an accounting of our own lives up till Dec 25 and think of all those missed opportunities to bring joy into other people's lives and our own.
What a waste of good chances. But then, there's Christmas again - another chance to say sorry if we have done wrong, another chance to reclaim our own kind self, another chance to bring tears of joy to the eyes of those we care for, and another chance to help others to be good.
Isn't that what Christmas is all about?

The Misunderstood America

LET'S BE frank, outside America there are not many admirers of this great continent. People who have never been to USA, or studied there perceived that Americans are cocky, arrogant and pushy.
However, most of them do like American TV shows, its songs, its fashion and the hotdogs. I have some American friends but that doesn't make me an authority on things America.
I have the fortunate experience of meeting some great Americans who have taught me valuable lessons. From my encounters with those Americans I have been met and befriended, I find Americans are generally very nice people.
Yes, they do talk with a certain twang. If they are from New York, the accent is more pronounced. Americans have a great sense of humour. They love life like everybody else around the world. They care for their parents and those things which they value in life, like freedom, liberty, financial security and their traditions.
Heck, we are the same across the other side of the world. People in Asia, not everybody, have the notion that Americans are always trying to get the upper hand in every deal they make.
I think America is neither as sneaky or as honest as everyone else. The bottom line is America is very much misunderstood. Its trouble hinges on its public relations. Americans don't try very hard to please people because it is interpreted that they are too big a nation to go around trying to make itself understood.
Frankly, it can be a bit tiring trying to please everybody. But there is a growing respect these days among certain nations who used to think that America is that uncaring big, giant of a nation that only cares about itself.
This change of mind came in recent months when Americans were seen to be first on the scene of several disaster scenes in Asia, and particularly in South Asia. I guess Asians in general are thinking right now that perhaps they have been wrong about USA and its people all along.
I am glad in a way that America has been there when it counted. Asians are not a funny lot but if they ever find out that a certain people can be trusted, you will have a friend for life.
It is my personal belief that America was conceived by the Almighty to be great because it has a role to play in the destiny of the world. One day and it will come, America will be there, shoulder-to-shoulder, with the rest of the world, fighting poverty, disasters, Avian Flu, AIDS, quakes, hurricanes, etc.
We who are on the other side of the world won't forget such deeds because we are not that kind of people. America has been misunderstood for a long time. I think these days, people are changing their minds pretty fast.
Keep up the good work, America!

Walking the talk on a broken down bike

OK, I admit it I am learning patience right now. I have just lost the entire post which I painstaking typed about 15 minutes ago. There was this "time-out" problem at this blogsite. So in a way, nothing was lost.
As I was saying when I was rudely interrupted, yesterday after dropping off my son for work, I headed for the neigbourhood's newsstand when a familiar, ominous sound screeched from my motorcycle.
I have heard this sound before - about five or six years ago. It meant that my gearbox had gone into an inretrievable engine loss mode. Sure enough, an hour later at the mechanic shop, I was told one of the parts had broken and the bill would be hefty if I opted for an original part.
Since, my bike is close to 10 years old, I wasn't that keen on anything original. I decided to go for a re-conditioned spare part. In my part of the world, mechanics are quite resourceful.
Three hours later, my bike was back to its spiffy self. It purred like a kitchen and swung down the road with a bit of confidence, giving me the rider a bit of cheap thrill.
The story here is not about the bike but about what happened after I was forced to "abandon" the bike at the shop. I had to walk home and walked back to the shop to retrieve the bike.
It was during my walk that I discovered that the little details that had escaped my attention while I was on my bike. I must have taken the same route on hundreds of occasions. Since I had to keep an eye on the road, I normally don't cast my eyes around like a tourist.
If I were to do so, I might just end up in a ditch, which I actually did one evening not so long ago (but that's another story).
Anyway, while I was travelling along on my God-given two legs, I began to notice the houseowners' gardens and the way they have done it all up. Some of the homes were not exactly mansions but they did have pride in their own surroundings. I also stole a glance at people's backyards and front gardens.
Many of them were simple because the folks who live there were from the lower income group. They were generally not as well off as those chaps in the more swanky part of the neighbourhood.
I took pleasure at Nature's offerings in the form of tall, old trees and beautiful bushes that lined the roads where I walked. Suddenly, it dawned on me that for most of us, life was constantly on the "fast forward" button. We seldom push the "play" mode and watch everything slow down for our own sake.
We tend to be in a hurry. In fact, we are in a hurry all the time. By the time, we realise that we are moving too fast for our own good, we are at the tail end of our existence.
So in a way, my bike breaking down was good for me. I made friends with the mechanic. He was a young man who was obviously good at this profession. It may not have been the kind of work he really liked but he was good at it, and there's no denying that.
I also learnt from this young gentleman which bike was the most reliable bike on the road. My model wasn't in his "must-have" category. So the next time, I am in the market for a new motorcycle, I know what to look for. And this knowledge came from sharing a few moments in life with a stranger whom I only got to know when my bike broke down.
I am in a way glad my bike broke down yesterday because I discovered so many things but then I don't want it to break down again anytime soon. But if it does sometime in the future, I won't be tearing my hair out because it's Fate's way of telling me that it's time for another valuable lesson in life.

Why your tyre goes flat in your life

Hey guys! I didn't lose this post after all. Have to count those small blessings in life. Since I have recovered something I thought I lost I shall not delete it because it shows the different paths my mind took when there was a temporary "blackout".

Yesterday morning after I dropped my son off for work, I turned my bike towards the neighbourhood newsstand. On the way, I heard a sound kicked in inside the gearbox.
It was a noise that I have heard before - about five or six years ago. It forbode that something is seriously wrong with the internal mechanism. The bike could hardly moved but nevertheless I managed to coax it back to my house at snail's pace.
I soon discovered that the gearbox has suffered a terminal attack of some kind. So I pushed it to the nearest motorshop. Upon closer examination, the mechanic told me that one of the gearbox's part had broken.
I left it at the shop and went home. A couple of hours later, I walked back to the shop in the afternoon sun. This story is not about my bike but what happens when a person has to "leave" his normal mode of transport and rely on the only kind of built-in transport he was born with - his legs.
Anyway, a few hours later, I was walking back to the shop after finding out all the repairs have been done. While I was travelling along on my two legs, I began to notice things I barely cast a glance on the hundreds of occasions when I rode through the same route.
I "see" people's gardens and how neatly they kept them. I gazed with amazement how magnificent the trees that lined the road leading to my destination. I also noticed the chickens and little animals that ran, crawled or scurried across the different pathways.
I would have continued to miss all these very ordinary things in my neighbourhood if I had not been forced to walk. This time at a very much slower pace.
This is the thing about life. Most of the time, we live on the "fast forward" mode, just like our TV remote. We tend to punch the "FF" button. Hence, we miss the "little bits" that can make our life more meaningful.
Perhaps it's time, we slow down a little and frequently hit the "play" mode. This way, we will not miss the other "parts" which are equally important. I found out on many occasions that if I take a leisurely stroll through any spot, I tend to see more.
Thus, yesterday I learnt that sometimes it takes a "breakdown" of sorts to compel me to re-align my priorities. Isn't that a bit silly? Why should we wait for frustrating events to take place in our lives before we slow down. We ought to go slow most of the time. That doesn't mean we have to cause a "traffic jam", but to take a breather now and then.
If we have all the time to stand and stare, we will learn some important things like my idle conversations with the youthful mechanic taught me more about bikes of other makes in one single afternoon, than all the browsing of literature on bikes in the library. Nothing like learning first hand on the most reliable bike on the road.
Just ask the mechanic, and he will tell you which model of what make gives the most problems for bikers. Not forgetting how to save costs on repairs, too.
No, I don't wish my bike breaks down often but when it does, I take the opportunity to learn as much as possible from the people I am "forced" to encounter.
P.S. Walking builds up stamina, too and it's good for the heart, I was told. So it's a win-win situation.

The weather is fine this morning

When dawn broke several hours ago, I took a peek out of my window and saw the beautiful sky. Normally, I don't make a fuss over the weather but yesterday evening I got caught in a heavy drizzle on the way home from office.
Actually, I don't mind the rain but it's the dirt and the occasional spray of road water that splashed on my face when a speeding car moved past me. So good weather must be appreciated.
However, so many people don't really appreciate the weather. If it's sunny, they say it's too hot and not good for their rosy complexion. If it's too cold, they say it's bad for their bones, asthma or arthritis.
If it's windy, they comment it's blowing their hair all over the place. If it's too quiet, they say something is amiss. There's really no pleasing everybody.
Weather has been a subject of conversation as long as man has been around on this planet. Notice how the English always greeting others, "Fine weather, old chap!" That's because, the English weather is almost unpredictable across the cliffs of Dover. One minute, it's sunny and the next minute, it is raining. Then it turns cold and windy. That's why most English people carry brollies around and wear a wear because they will never know when the temperature is going to drop or the wind is going to blow.
Here in the tropics, we almost never talk about the weather because it is always hot. Who is going to discuss the sun everyday when it beating mercilessly on your entire body? Strangely, the middle-aged foreigners love the tropics.
A number of them have obtained permanent residence in the tropics because the sun is good for them. If it gets too hot and humid, they can always retreat under the shade, sip water melon juice or into the air-conditioned premises of their bungalows. On all counts, it works to their favour.
Over in the temperate countries, the cold weather has been reported to have killed a number of old folks because they cannot afford to pay their electricity bills or have radiators installed in their homes.
Looks like the weather has been the subject of a lot of inane conversations in the past. These days when people talk about the weather, they are more liable to say, "Hurricane Wilma is coming in at Category Five. Looks like Mexico is going to be floored and Florida is going to be beaten silly."
See what I mean about the weather? You just can't please anybody!

Who took some of my marbles?

EVER LOST your marbles? Not literally, but figuratively. Yes, there are some times in every one of our lives when we did lose our marbles.
"Oh, he's losing it, or you're losing it, man!" You hear these phrases some of the time. Frankly, I don't know why people think that it's such a big deal to lose your marbles.
I mean it in the sanity sense. We all lose our cool occasionally. Our composure is not iron-clad. As individuals, we can be a little "hot under the collar" about certain things which are personal in nature.
One of my "back-to-sanity" techniques is to readily admit that I have indeed lost some of my marbles but I will eventually retrieve them. I told people losing marbles is not a bad thing because sometimes an individual need to lose himself before he can find his bearings again.
Life is about finding something precious. Very often, we are surrounded by precious, valuable people but we don't realise it or don't give it a second thought until we have lost it or are going to lose it.
So in a way, losing something is a lesson in life. How sad it is to witness an individual who never "loses his marbles". A person like that is almost Vulcanic. Can you imagine how irritating a person like Spock is?
Almost all of us are not perfect. That's why we are on earth to straighten "matters out". Human existence points to one long session of coming to terms with what are limitations are and how we can forge ahead despite all these limitations.
Different things happen to different folks so that each experience is built according to his or her needs. If you need to learn that money isn't the be-all of all human existence, you may have lots of money initially but later you will lost it all, so that you can see life beyond money. It could be a lesson to teach you to appreciate the other finer, intangible things in life.
So don't panic should you "lose your marbles". It is but a phase in this lifelong journey. Revel in it. Have a good laugh. Sleep over it but don't lose sleep over it.
Now that I am in my more mature years, I am not afraid of being accused of losing my marbles. I laugh at such a description should it come my way. I have lost my marbles in more ways and days than I can count, and I am still around. I still get a big kick out of life.
The ride is always great if you don't have unexpectedly, ridiculously grand expectations. Life is not only about making money. It is also about losing your marbles.
Lose some, win some.

The Wind and the rain on my face

THIS morning when I was on my way to office, it rained rather heavily. I wore my raincoat and my crash helmet has a visor.
Still, the rain drops came crashing into my face and hands. The wind was thrilling and cold at the same time. Nature wasn't being mean. It was just doing its thing.
Strange as it may sound, but I really enjoy riding in the rain with the cool, rushing wind as its companion. Ask any biker who has experienced this and they will tell you that there are certain things in life that defy explanation. And riding in the rain is one of them.
I have ridden my bike for about 30 years, I still haven't got tired of it yet. On the bike when the going is smooth, there are Zen-like moments when it's just you, the purring of the bike's engine and your thoughts.
Time slows to a crawl even as the wheels glide across the highways and byways. Your thoughts travel at the speed of light. Your mind goes on auto and the bike has a life of its own. Even when the traffic is heavy, your consciousness goes into auto mode. There is never ever any real danger of getting into trouble.
I love riding my bike. It helps me to relax. I get to catch scenes that motorists in their vehicles are blind to. I see little children holding on to their mothers' hands and it makes me think of my own who has died a long time ago.
I catch glimpses of people's behaviour while they are driving and it gives me an indication of what kind of person they are, or how they may view life.
If you don't enjoy riding motorcycles then you are missing a lot. If you are like me, then you will understand what I am trying to say.
Life is too short to be chauffeured around. Of course, being driven around in a fancy car is thrilling but communicating with nature via the rain, sunshine and wind is an experience that is privileged for the chosen few.
It is not given to all that this experience be thrust on them. Bikers know what it is like. When they are older or retired, the memories of riding fast, riding smooth and lost in one's own thoughts are like jewels glittering in the twilight.
Magnificent, joyous, transcendental - all these moments caught along the highway of life.

Five Most Memorable Sci-Fi Movies

There must be thousands of sci-fi movies made over the past 30 years. I have seen a number of good ones. Not all of them, of course because my wallet won't allow it.
The ones I remember with some fair degree of clarity are Blade Runner, Matrix series, Superman series, Alien series, and Star Wars episodes.
I suspect Hollywood only echoes what is already being experimented upon or received through the grapevine that certain scientific possibilities are skirting on the edge of reality.
For example, about 30 years ago, the Star Trek series showed Capt Kirk communicating with his starship crew using a small hand-held communicator device. Today we have cellphones of similar sizes, perhaps even smaller.
About 40 years ago, Dick Tracy of the comic strips was shown talking to his assistants via watch TV screens. Today, this has become a reality with 3G handphones.
That's what I like about the really good sci-fi movies. They provoke sensible and intelligent thinking. Anything that can be conceived in the mind of man, can be translated into reality. Almost nothing is impossible.
Star Trek has its famous "beam me up, Scotty!" line. Recently, scientists have achieved a similar albeit on a very much smaller scale, the transfer of gases across the room. So the possibility is there. In future, the deatomisation of any solid state will be rendered possible and absolutely safe.
However, we are not there yet. Futurogists are already talking of living on other planets. The fact that our space exploratory craft has reached Mars is already an indicator of possible happenings in the next 50 years or less.
Sci-fi movies experiments with our mind. Scientists take the sensible approach but in the imagination of man, there are no limits or ceilings.
There will come a time when anything which are considered impossible right now are accepted facts in the future. Take for example, the case of hovering vehicles. Right now, man has not yet conquered gravity so vehicles on the roads still need wheels.
In future, there will be vehicles which will hover silently on solid surfaces and leave no residue of any matter which will pollute the earth.
We are now living in the realm of infinite possibilities. With our imagination and a little entertaining help from Hollywood studios, we are going to achieve the impossible dreams. And we will have fun doing it. That's the way, life should be!!

A whole lot of shaking going on..............

THERE'S something amiss with this beloved planet of ours. It is certainly not natural for hurricanes, typhoons and earthquakes to take place with such alarming regularity in recent days.
Good heavens, what is this world heading to? Scientists seem strangely quiet about this series of natural disasters. Yes, they do comment now and then but very few are brave enough to broadcast any predictions which might turn out to be hogwash or be as accurate as tomorrow's weather report.
Somewhere in this world, I am sure there are some researchers who know the consequences of what are going on with the planetary system. This is no time to be shy or be guarded about professional views. If the views could help the world, then we must hear these people out.
For too long now, nations and people in general have taken the world for granted. Fire spots are spotted by the hundreds daily by orbiting satellites. CFCs, the ozone layer, melting polar caps are given cursory coverage by many TV networks.
Unless the flood waters come right up to our doorsteps, most of us are not bothered or worried. Hurricane Katrina swept over several US Gulf states and put thousands in their graves.
If the world as a whole views this unnatural phenomenon lightly, we will be in trouble sooner than we think. It is my belief that we are already in trouble.
Earthquakes are occurring in places where they don't normally happen. Take for example, the Kashmir region saddling India and Pakistan. This mountainous region has been shaken up so badly in the recent quake that many areas have been rendered unreachable because of landslides and rockfall.
Villagers in remote areas are existing under dire circumstances. It is a similar situation to parts of New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
From official reports, the melting polar caps are pouring additional volume of water into the oceans. This means the water level will rise significantly over the years. In the event of a typhoon or hurricane sweeping in from the sea, the surge of water will be higher and low-lying areas will be flooded faster and damage will be much greater.
Frankly, many coastal regions around the world are fighting a losing battle against the raging global weather. The point being made here is what are we going to do about it?
The next front mankind has to watch out for is not war, bird flu or AIDS but uncontrollable and unpredictable violent weather conditions that can wipe out communities and infrastructure in the blink of an eye.
The world has not seen such phenomena in a very long time. Some scientists said these things come in circles but the last time this kind of weather took place, these experts were not even born. So their opinions are just conjecture.
The answer to all these dangerous occurrences is not found anywhere yet. We can make weather forecasts, and call for human evacuation on a massive scale but we cannot stop hurricanes, typhoons and earthquakes.
That is the dilemma facing mankind in the 21st century.

Life's like a pot of gold

AND so where are the gold coins? as anyone would ask. This statement must not be taken in its literal sense. A pot of gold simply means that it is the crucible of much goodness, happiness and sense of well-being.
Many people are in a constant quest for their own pot of gold. They eventually end in the grave with nothing but memories of their fruitless quest. That's because they have searching for the wrong things.
What in heaven's name is a "pot of gold"? We ARE that "pot", except that very few of us realise that. We are a fountain of goodness and all that's quintessentially marvellous. All of us have abilities and qualities that will guarantee us a wonderful life; an exciting existence and good health till we are ready to check out of Hotel Earth.
While, we were out hunting for that real pot of gold (it's an illusion), the real pot of gold (us) is neglected. We "shine" all the time. We have the "goods" but if you were to ask anybody that all of us have got special abilities, we will get the answer, "you are insane and moronic".
Pot of Gold relates to the fact that unlike creatures in the wild, we as individuals can continue as long as we can breathe to succeed in any field we choose. We can live up to 150 years old, if we select to. We can be nice people if we want to. It all boils down to choice.
It is rather sad that the thing we want most has always been inside us. Like all misguided fools, we are always wandering around, looking that "ticket out". We crave to be noticed; we seek fame and fortune without the sweat; we wait for promotions and good things to drop on our lap.
We actually don't need these things. We have more than enough. We have everything we ever need. Seek and you shall find. Easy to remember, almost never implemented by those who have heard those words.
If we seek within what we have been searching without, we will find that the things we want most are not the things the soul needs. Yes, it's true our human heart tells us we want this and that, but the soul knows its needs.
One day when man ventures forth into the real final frontier, all doubts will be cleared up. Hallelujah to that day!

Tears for South Asia quake victims

These recent months have been heart-rending because disaster after disaster has struck different parts of the world. Without going into the apocalyptic predictions which is the sole territory of soosayers, most of us can't help but be concerned over the fate of so many victims.
The latest natural disaster has already claimed more than 30,000 victims. Perhaps the final figure may reach 40,000 or more. But what is undeniable is that many people have been left without fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters and neighbours. There are also those who have nobody to mourn for them because all have perished.
In Pakistan, the wails are echoing across the mountains. Pakistan's neighbours, India and Afghanistan, are also affected. It is times like this that we realise that Mother Nature does not play favourite with any nation, people or territory.
South Asia has millions of people living in cramped spaces, so when a disaster like an earthquake hits an urban area, the casualties will be many, not how few.
It is heart-warming to learn that many foreign countries have rallied to help the affected nations. The aid has been quick and meaningful.
Britain has sent its Rapid rescue teams. Japan has transported in its quake experts and America has made her presence felt with its Chinook helicopters. Around the world, nations friendly or otherwise have volunteered help.
Sometimes, we wonder if these natural disasters were meant to take place because only in catastrophic situations that the human spirit of compassion and generosity surge forth.
We all hope that such disasters will be far and few between but the signs of earthly upheavels are too frequent and too violent to be ignored. It is most certain that in the near future, there will be other natural calamities. We all hope we will be spared but Mother Nature is now wreaking havoc in the most unexpected areas.
The victims of the South Asia quake who tend to break most of our hearts are the helpless young children and their mothers. Everyone of us has a mum and we know how close the truth is when TV networks like CNN shows pictures of these people grasping at straws for help.
Before the disaster is forgotten, there will be many, many more graves. In the recent history of mankind, the pages are beginning to be coloured by blood. Civilisation is no stranger to deaths but for these tragedies to play out with such rapidity is alarming and worrisome.
We all can only render whatever assistance we can muster, and in those helpless moments in front of the TV, we pray for better days and stronger hearts so that we can all greet tomorrow with hope and optimism in our hearts.

Fighting terrorism on all fronts in every land at all times

WE all know what terrorism is all about. We have seen it on TV. We have read about it. Some of us may even have felt it personally.
Now's the time to actively take part in shutting down the juggernaut called Terrorism.
First, we must know where it has sunk its roots. Second, we must let all the people across all regions where man has made home that there's a better alternative to terror.
We must convince people that NOT supporting terror is not good enough. They must actively participate in bringing down the House of Terror. If a man stands on a soapbox and advocates terror as an answer to some of the ills that exist, then somebody better call the cops.
Terrorists are able to survive for so long because good people continue to keep to themselves. They mind their own business. Minding your own business simply means you are turning your face away in plain sight of a crime being committed in your presence.
What does that tell the criminal? It sends a message to him that he can mug, rob and beat up anybody in the street because he knows nobody has the guts to stop him.
That is basically what is happening around the world. The silent majority is unconsciously aiding the cause of terrorism.
We simply must not remain quiet. Terrorists kill people in large numbers. That is their aim. They want as much chaos as they can muster. They want to eliminate as many innocent people as they can. They want to rob everybody of their peace of mind.
Now, why do the world allow these evil people from acting with impunity? It puzzles me all the time.
If people decide today that they have had enough, no terrorist will find sanctuary anywhere on earth. Simply because there's no place to hide. How do you hide in a neighbourhood of good people.
Good folks know every inch of their own backyard. If a stranger intrudes, even a child knows he's not your usual Joe.
The crime committed by so-called intelligent, hardworking masses is to let the authorities take care of the problem. If we don't actively help the authorities, we are just as guilty as the guilty ones because we refuse to lift a finger to help mankind.
Before the Second World War, the world was in such a stage. People the world over clamour for peace. They march for peace, they cry for peace and they compromise with Hitler. And the price Hitler exacted on these peace-loving people was about 40 million lives. A high price indeed.
Today, at this very hour, if you know you can help to keep terrorism at bay and you do not because you feel it's "not your business", then mankind is in trouble. If the situation is allowed to continue, soon you too will be in trouble.
Terrorism is like a forest fire that threatens all the homes in its path. If you don't help the firemen and your neighbours to put out the fire, soon the flames will spread to your house and engulf it. It is really that simple.
Help yourself, help your neighbour, help your children to see a better tomorrow.
Terrorism finds hope in people who have a habit of "looking the other way". Give these rascals no hope, no shelter, no sanctuary.
Give the rest of the world hope, Instill in them that a peaceful world means food on the tables, safety in cafes, joy in homes, and smiles on human faces.
Why do we allow ourselves to be bullied incessantly and relentlessly by people who harbour suicidal tendencies? Why do we allow our children to be robbed of their future? Why do we allow our parents to grieve unnecessarily for us, should anything happen to us unexpectedly?
Of course, we can do something about it. We should act as one, we should behave as one, and we should tell terrorists and all those who use other people to kill themselves for their own selfish ends to go away and atone for their sins.
If enough people stand up and be counted, the House of Terror will fall tomorrow, and the march of peace will surge to the fore, bringing hope, peace and joy to every home across the globe. This is our right. Let's do it!!

Whither journalism?

FOR A better part of 100 years, journalism was the profession that made nice Hollywood stories. Everybody outside the field of journalism thinks this profession is glamorous, exciting and adventurous.
The fact that they thought so was understand. Many of those aspiring to be journalists found out to their horror about a year or two after joining a newspaper or magazine that it wasn't what they had made it out to be.
Journalism is actually zilch on the excitement level three-quarters of the time. One veteran journalist told me once: Savour this moment, my friend. We spent years walking in darkness and in obscurity. Occasionally, something really exciting happens and we are right in the forefront, so enjoy the moment."
How right he was, too.
Journalists are just working class people who seek to tell an ordinary story in the most intelligible and exciting manner as possible. Many of us us actually can't write to save our own lives. "Save me, Save me!" doesn't count.
The really good journalists go on to become authors. Some of them turn out to be good book writers. But that's just about it. Journalists are a dime a dozen these days. There are so many of the. They have become just like ants. You squash one, and there are 10,000 more under the woodwork.
Most of us wish we can right but we are just too lazy to. Anybody with a pre-school education can write a few simple lines. To really write, you need to be a good story teller. Otherwise, you will be just spitting in the wind.
On the bright side, journalists have been known to cause changes in a country or corporation that have affected thousands - for the better.
Today, we read newspapers for information, written by people who sell news as a commodity. Journalism is therefore a much needed profession. People want to know if their lives are the same as others living 1,000 miles away.
We read about individuals striking a multi-million dollar lottery and all of us wish we were in that person's shoes. Then we read about a double-murder near our neighbourhood and become totally grateful that it wasn't our turn to go.
These days, I am slightly worried about journalism. I read foreign newspapers and asked myself: "Is this journalism?" Or, sometimes I say to myself, "these writers are half-insane. They are actually shaming their country in front of strangers."
Very often, journalists write on the side of caution. There are laws against libel and slander. Most journalists who intend to hang around longer than five years tend to refer to their superiors with regard to the laws that govern journalism.
Journalists have been known to be jailed, killed and deported out of unfriendly countries.
Very few journalists write exciting memoirs after they have retired. Simply because their lives were one big boring session. Journalism is not exactly living the life of Indiana Jones.
Journalists are messenger of news. It is an honourble profession with some excitement in store. Nobody knows when will this quality showed up but many people have been known to wait till they are actually given the walking certificate.
One of the good attributes of journalism is the freedom to act as a catalyst to change things for the better. Many a corrupt government has been asked to leave because journalists have been doing their jobs.
However, in recent years, I notice some journalists have great liberties with this freedom of expression clause. They cast aspersions on the characters of dead celebrities and other personalities of national importance. Their only defence is that they say they found this "fact", that "fact" or have interviewed several people.
It is rather sad when I come across stories like this in reputed dailies.
Hey, journalism is an honourable profession. Let's not sully it with innuendoes and libellous stuff that put dead people in bad light and good people who are still alive in trouble.
Journalism is not a licence to smear. I guess most hardworking, intelligent journalists know that. But this rule has been broken more than once.
I believe as far as possible journalists should strive to pursue the line of justice, truth and fair-play. We are not here on Earth to play God, even though some members of our profession mistakenly think they are on the right side of heaven.
We could be construed as the conscience of the nation and we must abide by this principle as far as possible and as long as possible, so help us, God!
Therefore, in the light of my personal revelations, let it not be said that journalists are mostly hacks who can't think straight without a beer on one hand and a handphone on the other.
Fortunately for the profession, more good has been done than bad but as usual we must not rest on our laurels. Otherwise, we will be spiked with our own pens!

Bad luck - what's that? Knock on wood!

I AM putting the final touches to my latest personal philosophy on the notion of bad luck. First and foremost, I wish to declare that there's no such thing as bad luck.
Bad luck does not fall on anybody...things do happen to individuals. Nothing personal, you know.
There are some people who are always cursing their fate or putting bad careers and unhappy personal experiences on bad luck. I subscribe to the belief that all things happen for a reason.
It is not my wish or inclination or in my limited wisdom to expound on those "reasons". Suffice to say, those events that take place in all our lives have a reason for happening.
Have you ever come across a person who gets into an accident, breaks his leg and says "Oh, broke my leg! Must be for a good reason!" Or, another guy saying, "my house was burnt down last night. I think that's a good reason as any to move away from the present neighbourhood."
Few people actually say things like that. And if they do, they will be candidates for a swift visit to the doctor for psychiatric evaluation.
Wouldn't it be wonderful if most of us take all those unpleasant things that happen to you in our stride. There's something to be said about not getting too worked up over them.
There have been occasions when I tell colleagues, "bad luck - there's no such thing!" I almost never fail to come up with my famous, and sometimes irritating line, "one door closes, two more open."
There were a few instances when I was almost on the receiving end of a tight slap. If you have lived as long as I have, you tend to look at life and all its related activities as things that happen for your own sake.
The thing is to look at it from a positive manner. Now you are asking, how do you interpret a personal tragedy? What if a really unhappy incident takes place?
Well, the pain will go away in time. Grief is part of our lives but you are not supposed to hold on to it like a nice, comfy pillow. It will suck the life out of you.
Pain is a way of reminding us that we need to get over it and overcome some aspects of our lives that need correcting.
So next time, if a flower pot falls from the window latch and falls on your toes. Ouch if you must but first clean up the wound, apply the correct medicine, take a day off and watch TV. I think life could be telling you to take a rest. You have been too hard on yourself.

Sleep - life's most pleasurable final frontier

I THINK sleep is under-rated. Some people actually think sleeping is a waste of time. By the time we die, experts say, we would have slept away one-third of our lives.
To these people I say, "so what?! I get a lot of rest out of this "senseless" one-third. Personally, sleep has been a most productive arena for me. From my thousands of hours of sleep, I have gained so much.
For those who understand the active playground of the human subconscious, sleep can be the solver of all human problems. There have been times in my life when I couldn't find a solution to certain personal problems. Out of desperation and probably tiredness as well, I go to sleep.
More often than not, I woke up later on with a solution that came from the most unexpected sources. I attributed a lot of these "breakthroughs" to these unconscious moments when I was gallivanting in the playfields of my mind.
Notice how long babies sleep? Notice that babies are always happy. Anyway, I guess I am lucky I always come across happy, laughing babies. I believe sleep is a great de-stressor. When the mind is troubled, followed by a tired body, the chief physical symptom is a craving to hit the sack.
Sleep is one of life's safety valves. It puts a person on a recovery mode, much like a computer when it goes into a loop. As unconsciousness seeps in, the body and mind go into reverse gear and finds a solution to life's troubling situations.
Of course, answers and solutions are not found all the time but they do come occasionally. Scientists are only beginning to find out recently that if a person sends a mental command to himself to find a solution to what seems like an intractable problem, the mind activates its own built-in mechanism to seek out the best possible answer.
I believe this technique is called image streaming. Genuises are known to use this method, even though most of them don't have a label on it. Albert Einstein says the human imagination is much more superior to the brain. I believe that was how he came up with the theory of relativity, and this theory revolutionised the world for the next 100 years.
Sleep is the best antidote for every life-form found on earth. Insects and animals sleep. If sleep has got no advantages then it wouldn't be created in all our bodies, whether human or animal.
It serves a purpose but more than what we think it is for. One day in the future, hopefully not too far in the future, man will discover the real purpose of sleep. And it's not just rest for these tired, old bones of ours.
Sleep on this one and tell me what you think.

What to do with the rest of your life - starting today!

If you are 20 years old, then you read someone else's blog, but if you are middle-aged then perhaps you can spare five minutes.
Listen, I am not a guru of some obscure semi-religious movements who has practically all the answers to human woes. I am just like you, middle-aged, slightly unsure what the future holds and are a bit hopeful that life will be better for me from today on.
Middle-aged people (middle-income wage earners) usually have a house, a car, maybe two kids and a little nest-egg (savings) by now. You are not the millionaire-next-door yet but you think you can make it to that category in about 7 to 10 years.
If you believe life can only get better from now on, then you have come to the right place. No, I have no money to give you but I have some nuggets of advice. How useful they are, is really up to you. Some people hear opportunity knocking at their door and think that it's the branches outside hitting the wooden panelling. Others hear the same noise, get up without hesitation and open the door. Which type are you?
Life is one long or short process of learning experiences. Most of them are actually opportunities for you to better yourself and in the process help improve other people's lives.
Even so-called enemies fall into this category. For example, sometimes someone you dislike intensely bugs you for no reason. It spurs you on to do something different from the way you normally do things. Suddenly, that "thing" changes your life and you find yourself on a winning streak.
You may not realise it but that "enemy" actually helped you to find the right path. Of course, you won't be in a hurry to thank him. Most probably, you don't even know it was him who prompted you to move in that direction.
The point is to recognise a good thing when it comes your way.
One of the ways of recognising a "good thing" is to ask yourself, how will I benefit if I make use of this or that? Will it harm me in any way? What does it cost me in terms of time? Since, you are already middle-age, you have plenty of time.
Reduce some of the time you spend losing all those balls at the golf course.
One of the best kept secrets in this universe is this: If you want something for yourself, make sure someone else gets it first. In other words, you help others to succeed. Wow! You must be thinking, what kind of insane theory is this?
Not insane but logical. Logical because a person who becomes successful because of your help will in turn try to help you. If you have helped enough people in the long run, there will be a sufficient number among them who will return to lend you a helping hand.
Be determined in doing all the right things. A lot of people don't succeed, not because they are stupid or not intelligent or not street-savvy enough. It is simply because they are not persistent, not determined and don't have faith in their own abilities.
Afraid of failure? Who isn't? It is a normal feeling. It is so normal that practically nine out of 10 people stop themselves from improving because they are being labelled as a "loser". You know that big alphabet "L".
Uncaring people are usually the ones who pull others down with them. Don't let these people discourage you. There are plenty of people like that out there. No need to be angry with them, that's life. Just be determined and focused on your own goals.
If I may, will you spare some time on a spiritual quest. This is the line of most resistance. Most people when they hear the word "God", they feel as if someone has put a red-hot poker on their arm.
Why in heaven's name should anyone be afraid of being spiritual, religious or in touch with divinity. We are all spiritual beings in human form anyway. If you don't look beyond this world for some of your answers, you won't find much on the earthly plane.
Be aware of what's intangible. It's like faith. Sometimes you have to move from here to there beyond. It's not something shameful. It's not something "duh" (as the young people would call it). It's something quintessential to the core of our being.
OK, let me stop leaning too heavily on this subject before you lodge a complaint with the council of churches. Just a reminder, think of the kind things in life always, and you are not far from the right path.
Don't be obsessed with wealth. It will come soon enough once you are doing the right thing.
The rest of your life can be one long trip or a very short walk, depending on your life-line. Just joking. Don't think too much about how long more you got to live. Think about maximising the rest of the time you have in your hands.
Remember to have fun. Fun is so important that I can't overstate it. People achieve wonderful and marvellous things when they are happy. It's true. When was the last time, you were really happy?
Happiness is a decision. If you decide right now that you are going to be happy, nothing in the world can stop you. Even if you are in solitary confinement in some so-called remote region in Outer Mongolia, you still can be fantastically happy. It's very easy. Just tell yourself, "I am one big, fat happy dude and I know it now!"
Believe it, act on it and smile, Brother, God is on your side. Whoever heard of a sad God. If anybody tell you that God is always sad, give him a swift kick to the butt because he's obviously talking about some Hollywood comedian.
If you want to be happy, then make others happy. That's the whole wonderful silly formula. Don't believe me, try it yourself.

Bringing hope to the bone-weary

THESE days I find myself almost unconsciously always cheering those downtrodden, depressed, utterly frustrated people whom I know. I don't know why but I feel this irresistible urge to give them some kind of hope when all they do see is a long, dark tunnel with no light either coming in or at the end of it.
I guess I remember vaguely that when I was in that state of mind many moons ago, there was nobody I really remember giving me hope and optimism. How I survived those times is really hard to tell. All I do remember is that I was always praying for help.
You can't imagine how good a guy can get at this praying thing until he seems always in the thick of trouble. I pray just before I sleep. I prayed at the school chapel. I prayed in church every Sunday. I pray so much I thought I might as well become a priest. No, just joking.
Anyway, the praying part was real. I learnt from that experience that many people suffer from a lack of hope in their lives. They are always moving from depression to depression. Nothing in their lives seems to give them any reason to carry on.
Perhaps that is why the suicide rate keeps on going up. People just find it too hard to continue living the kind of life they have leading. The easiest way to cheer a depressed guy is to giving him or her a free meal.
One must be careful not to make it look like charity. The last thing a depressed person wants is pity but they do appreciate an attentive audience. So they are not perfect but I don't care.
One of the techniques I used is to employ encouraging words. Everybody, regardless of his background, should be supported by kind words or gestures. It gives them hope to carry on. Of course, there will those who look upon words of encouragement as some kind of HIV virus. They feel they don't need it, they don't want it and they absolutely can't stand others having pity for them.
It is so easy to light up a person's day. When you next see a guy whose head is hanging down, don't ask him what's troubling him, instead say, "I am feeling generous today, drinks on me!"
Or, "don't look so down. It could be worse. You could be born on the wrong side of New Orleans!" There is a dearth of messages of good hope in today's world. A lot of people walk around thinking that life has been very unfair to them.
They complain incessantly that life has dealt them a raw deal. They never thought of the times when they had a meal to eat at least twice a day. They forgotten the fact that there's a roof over their heads and colour TV is at their disposal next or day.
It is our duty as a fellow human being to prop up our struggling brother. One day, it may be our turn. Who knows how well we can cope the situation. Everyone sometime in his life will have to undergo sufferings of the human kind. We can't avoid it but we can certainly not make a big deal about it.
One of the things this world needs less of are whiners. People who feel sorry for themselves are suckers for punishment. Why punish yourself in such an obvious way.
We the so-called knowing kind must help all those who need it, to stand up, walk a bit straighter and speak softly and gently to our neighbours.
Loneliness is not the monopoly of anyone. All of us are entitled to it. There are cases of individuals who wallow in so much pity that they go to their graves withe the look of enormous stress.
We must put the smiles back on our brethren (men or women).When we have done the needful, the smiles will trigger an effect that will reverbrate around the world. Whenever I hear laughter in the distance, I always tell myself: How lucky these people are. They are laughing all the time. Surely, their lives must be rather cheerful.
Those who have benefited from Cheers from the Heart should in time help others so that they can in turn help others when the time comes.
The magic of bringing hope to others needs no capital. It cannot be taken for granted because the guy is next to you may be on his last leg. Sometimes you could very well be his last hope. If you don't say the right thing, that's just like pushing him over the cliff.
One day when we have cheered enough people in this world, our lives will suddenly veer around and thank us for a job well done. The words, Faith, Hope and Charity, were created so that one day, we will remind ourselves and others that we can help ourselves by helping others.
The opportunities will always present themselves. We must be prepared. Even if for the rest of our lives, we don't achieve anything outstanding, we can take consolation in the fact that our kind words have turned many an individual around. God bless us all.

Climb every mountain, cross every stream, walk every byway, till you find your dream!

That line comes from a song sang by the Mother Superior in the movie Sound of Music. I have lost track of that song for decades until recently when I heard strains of it again from a staged play.
Now that I am in phase three of my life, this song has a much deeper meaning for me than when I first heard it in my teens.
Of course, I did not literally climbed every mountain, or cross every stream. What I did during those growing-up years was to take some risks here and there. And when I get all fired up, I moved a little faster and pounded the pavement a little harder than usual.
All in all, life had been a blast so far. Yes, I admit sometimes it has been a bit of a whimper than an explosion. That's what's called vicissitudes of life.
Still, I am pursuing my dream. A dream of having the freedom to do anything I want on a daily basis. I dream of a time in the not-too-distant future when I don't have to adhere to office regulations because I can set my own rules.
I desire to get up anytime I want to; I seek to buy anything I want but not too excessive; I look forward to a time when I can share my wealth with those who deserve a helping hand, or who really need a helping hand, and I hold on to my dream of being one with the universe. The last one can be a bit dicey because I am not "really operating on that level yet".
I know it begins with a dream. The idea is to hold on to it and don't give up. That sounds simple enough but the majority of us tend to give up even before we can begin.
The masters have advised those who seek to fulfil their dreams to keep working at it, even if the journey seems long and tiresome. Focus on the destination and don't lose sight of the scenery. I have been told this more than once.
Yes, it's true, the scenery along the journey has been proven to be as beautiful as it can get. We should enjoy our trip, because once you have arrived at your destination, you will have to make new plans. Otherwise, it can get a bit boring.
I am surprised that sometimes the wisest answers come not from a bare-chested old chap sitting on a boulder on top of a mountain but from some familiar songs which I have heard many times before, except that this time, I paid attention to its lyrics.
The message has always been there, except I have not heard it. I guess I was too busy walking up the wrong avenue.

Is Intelligence over-rated?

The emphasis from the day you were born to the day you expire is how intelligent you were while you were alive.
Parents are always making a big fuss over the big preschool for their children, then it is the best high school and if at all possible, best college or university as well.
All this points to one thing - how intelligent you are and how proud they are of you. Most of the time, bragging about your scholastic achievements. Some of us know that while intelligence can determine to some extent your chances of success in many fields, it is not the overriding factor in the final outcome of an individual's life.
The original question: Is intelligence then over-rated. Yes in many instances and no in some. If a particular profession requires that a person be intelligent in an obvious manner, then it is probably a prerequisite. Some companies do conduct preliminary IQ tests for potential candidates for a particular post.
However, intelligence does not factor in if a person is determined to succeed despite the lack of education. In many cases, success is dependent on a person's desire to succeed inspite of the odds.
Intelligence is also not a determinant of future personal happiness. Some of the most successful people on earth are very unhappy. There are so many reasons. Chief among which is the mistaken notion that money can buy happiness.
People like to say "I have been unhappy and poor, and I have happy and rich. I prefer to be rich and unhappy." That's a conversation classic. It can be argued to its unsuccessful conclusion every time till it's time to leave the guest's house.
Women are particularly impressed by men who are intelligent. Somehow, nature's instinct kicks in and women unconsciously believe that intelligent men will produce better offsprings whose chances of survival or being successful would be much higher. This is a throwback to the theory of the fittest and the most intelligent survives.
Men, however, may not want their women to be too intelligent. Something to do with ego, although at present I do not have statistics to support my case. But I think I am right to a large degree.
Thus, we can safely conclude that intelligence is not over-rated if a particular profession demands it. For example, space aeronautics. You obviously need to have at least a PhD in nuclear physics or pure mathematics or theoretical physics to qualify for a senior position in Nasa. A high school qualification simply won't wash in this instance.
Now, if you just want to be like Donald Trump, Steve Jobs or Bill Gates, then it's fairly easy. Gates is a drop-out. I think Jobs too. All you need is an obsessive compulsion to succeed in a field you love. In Jobs and Gates' case, they were and still are about computers. Because they developed a lifelong interest in the field of their personal desire, they succeed beyond their families' expectations.
We all wish we were as smart as Albert Einstein but we are not. Hence, we have to leave it to the chosen few to have fame thrust on them. For the rest of the ordinary mortals, we must abide by Mother Teresa's advice - "don't small things with great love."
It is my personal opinion then that intelligence is a nice human trait but I wouldn't want to rest all my hopes and dreams on it. In many instances, it is overrated.
I prefer the most human qualities like compassion, kindness, forgiveness and most of all love. These qualities are more enduring and they transcend time and distance. Clearly they are the winners.