So far so good...

What I've done so far...
1. Kept my exercise regime up...
2. Starting keeping in touch with some of my long lost friends...
3. Attempting to learn Japanese...

Haven't gotten to learning something new... or have I? :)

Here's to keeping this up!

Self Improvement 2016

I know its abit late to create a new year's resolution list but I guess its better late than never right? So this year in 2016, I will attempt to:

1. keep in touch with an old friend each week on FB, one that I've rarely keep in touch with and one I can meaningfully reconnect.
2. For 1 hour per night, learn a new skill (idea courtesy of Jack Ma), can be ongoing or one new skill per night... any skill.
3. Learn, and maybe master, a new language (thinking about starting with Japanese)
4. Reduce my weight 1 kg at a time (4 down, hopefully 5 more to go, at least!).

Gambatei, Danny Chen, you can do it!   

Literally or Contextually?

Today I read some articles that pointed out that a lot of Christians have used bible verses too literally and that those verses often quoted are taken in the wrong context.   For example, Jeremiah 29:11 that says “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”  

Now, there is reason in the article's argument that the verse had to be read in the context of where the Israelites was at the point of time: in exile, in Babylon, in despair.   I can understand that.  However, it also argues that it should not be used for when we are having a bad day or when things don't go our way.  In a way that is also true but I believe that by saying we need to look at ONLY the situational context then we are limiting what is the WORD of GOD.  

Yes, God's Word should be read in context and should not be used in vain or for our own selfish gain but God's Word being GOD'S WORD should also be powerful enough for use to meditate on and used in more ways than one, right?  

So what if Jer 29:11 is used as a source of comfort, strength, peace and assurance?  Not only for the big things or "Godly things" but also to help us overcome the little struggles that we face in our daily lives.  I'd rather that God's Word be used to help and encourage Christians, especially those young in faith, to keep their eyes on Jesus, even if it means sometimes taking the verses literally.  

God works in all sorts of ways and in all sorts of manner... what is more important is that we keep clinging on God's Word and allow God's Spirit to work in and through us so that eventually we can truly get what God wants to say to us, in whatever context he wants us to understand it in.  Only then can the very Word of God be fully realized in our lives... don't you think so?

Club Bashing

I just don't understand why some people have to bash other person's club up for some reason or another.  It is understandable to not like another club because of rivalry but to go to the extend of publicly bashing another club when the opportunity arises is just not on.  It seems to me like their hatred for another club supersedes their love of their own club.   That is just strange to me.


Oh well. 

Awesome

I actually wanted to comment on this topic of awesomeness on Facebook but felt that it was not the right forum to address this issue.  So I turn to my good ol' trusty blog to give the world my 2 cents, partly because there is less traffic passing through my blog nowadays and partly, that's the purpose of a blog anyway: to voice my own personal opinion.  So here goes...

I noticed lately that a lot of people like to throw the word "AWESOME" around freely and on anything interesting that they see/heard/felt, e.g.

• This Tomyam noodles is awesome.
• You can come for my birthday? Awesome.
• Your guitar skills is really awesome.
• Wow, the new clothes from H&M looks awesome.

Well, NO. the noodles may be DELICIOUS, you may be HAPPY that someone is attending your birthday, your friend's guitar skills may be WICKED and the new clothes from H&M looks really COOL but those things are by definition NOT awesome.

Someone told me that awesomeness should be one of those few words that we should reserve for GOD because nothing and no one deserves it more that He does.  I wholeheartedly agree with him/her and since then I have not used the word awesome for anything except for God.  Look at the synonyms associated with the word awesome: breathtaking, awe-inspiring, magnificent, wonderful, amazing, stunning, staggering, imposing, stirring.  Does anything else deserve such accolades.  Even the things/beings he created: Grand Canyon, the Milky Way, my wife and my child... they may be beautiful and lovely to behold but when I use the word awesome with them, its more about me being in awe with who God is and what He has done.  I feel using it in any other context would just cheapen the word.

In fact, the Bible also says the word awesome belongs to God and God alone: “Dominion and awe belong to God; He establishes order in the heights of heaven." - Job 25:2.

So if you would, use the word sparingly... please, because only God is AWESOME.   

V for... ?

Wow... I just realized that this blog is almost 10 years old... its a sign of how technology has moved on that I hard blog anymore.

Oh btw, don't let the money-men fool you into spending loads on Valentine's day.  Valentine's day was a day to remember love's sacrifice.  So the best Valentine's day gift your can give is to give YOURSELF 100% to your loved ones every day of yours and their lives. 

So here's wishing you a great Valentine's day and more importantly a great beginning to a great weekend! ;)

Reboot

I need to return to my roots and use this blog more frequently as a place to reflect, review, recharge, renew and sometimes, react (though I actually have another place to just for that purpose!).


The only problem is I am not much of a writer.  Yes, I mused about stuff all the time but I am usually too lazy to put them down into words.  Oh well... lets see how long this latest effort will last, shall we? :)

Drinking water.

Don't know if this is true...

Drinking water at a certain time maximizes its effectiveness on the body:
2 glasses of water after waking up - helps activate internal organs.
1 glass of water 30 minutes before a meal - helps digestion.
1 glass of water before taking a bath - helps lower blood pressure.
1 glass of water before going to bed - avoids stroke or heart attack.

If its true, great! If not, well... at least I'm hydrated! :)

There's been some discussion on the Net about putting together a team that would defeat Barcelona. Here's my contribution to the cause:

Forwards:
Rooney Ronaldo Aguero
Midfield:
Modric Wilshere
De Jong
Defenders:
Coentrao Jones Silva Maicon
Goalkeeper:
Neuer

What if I have 161 million pounds in the bank?

What will you do if you have 161 million pounds? I really dunno man...

Barcelona 2011 = Football Masters

Its been 2 weeks since Man Utd lost to Barca in the CL finals. It still hurts but I have to admit, Josep Guardiola did an amazing job putting together a squad like that.

Some of the interesting things he did...

1. using a withdrawn striker like Messi pull midfielders and leaving central defenders with nothing to mark.
2. using 2 strikers (Villa and Pedro) as wide men to receive Messi's passes. Confusing both opposing full backs and central defenders and allowing its own full backs space to run up and down the sidelines.
3. finally, and this is a genius... using a defensive midfielder (Mascherano) as a defender. Having Pique as a lone central defender is no problem as Man Utd had deployed a lone striker and having 2 defensive midfielders (Busquets and Mascherano) in front of and beside the main defender allows maximum protection to the keeper.

Brilliant! Now if we can find a way to negate all that...

Missing dog

Lately I've seen so many Lost Pet posters springing up near my neighborhood and all over Penang. This got me thinking and I've come to a conclusion that the only way people can stop losing their dogs is to choose the right breed to keep as a pet. If you choose a poodle or a schnauzer or any other pure bred small dog, its gonna go missing if left unattended. "So what is your solution then?", I hear you ask... and here is my answer:

GET A MONGREL, and a FEMALE one at that.


If you treat them with the same kinda love and care (and yes, spaying them is part of caring for them) as you would a pure bred, you will have a loving dog who not only is loyal but have had all the bad genes bred out of it already. Try the yellow fur variety. They are so ubiquitous yet so cute and loving, and no one wants too kidnap them. They have absolutely no financial value to others. Give them a try... adopt a mongrel instead.

Really...

Getting there

2 more matches, 1 more final... you think we can do it?

Cross our fingers... hope the players are not complacent!

EDC

EDC stands for "Every-Day Carry. generally referring to small items or gadgets worn, carried, or made available in pockets, holsters, or bags on a daily basis to manage common tasks or for use in unexpected situations or emergencies. "

This is my ideal EDC in bag:

1. Benchmade Mini-Griptilian 556 folding knife
2. Leatherman Charge TTi multifunction tool with Bit-Kit (with sheaths)
   
3. Gerber pocket sharpener
   
4. Fenix PD31 flashlight
   
5. First aid kit
6. Emergency Space Blanket
   
7. 60m dental floss
8. Wet-wipes
9. Energy bar
   
10. USB card reader
    
11. Peanut stainless-steel lighter
12. iPod Nano 16gb MP3 player
    
13. Pentax W90 rugged camera
14. Zebra Sharbo X multi-pen
15. Moleskine XS notebook
    

This is my ideal EDC in pockets:

1. Casio PRG-130T multifunction watch/Seiko SKZ249K1 200m diver's watch
   
2. Samsung Galaxy S2 16gb smartphone
3. S-Biner #3 and keychain with house-keys, eGear Pico LED mini-flashlight, Sandisk 16gb flash drive & Gerber Shard tool
   
4. S-Biner #3 and car keys with ResQMe emergency tool
5. Fenix LD10 flashlight
6. Victorinox Moneyclip
7. Wallet
8. Coin pouch
   
9. Victorinox Climber or Huntsman SAK
10. Lamy 4pen multi-pen
    
11. Clorets mint tablets