That Day, What a Mess, Absolutely Perfect

We thought of having a picnic on the first day of Chinese NewYear -- apparently a quarter of the island population had the same freakin' idea. In all my life I've never seen so many tents pitched on a strip of beach, it was ridiculous!

And to think we went to East Coast Park to just kick it, relax and have a picnic by the beach -- how wrong we were. M and I had to walk quite a bit just to find an acceptable spot.

But as soon as we got there, the rest of the day simply melt into one blurry, blissful daze. Funny how chemicals & neurons in your body and brain conjure the right mix to make you feel that way. Any imbalance and I'd be a raving lunatic.

Ah well... the weeks' wretchedness gone deep into the warm beach sands -- you know you'd never get to experience these moments ever again.

Can't Sleep

And so I'm reading my Power of Intention Cards. Here's one --

In an attitude of allowing, all resistance in the form of thoughts of negativity or doubt are replaced with simply knowing that you and your Source are one and the same.

Sheesh... This is nothing new -- idea of the willingness of the innerself to submit to Him.

Then again this hit me hard as I'm always drawn to cards and sleek packaging.

Hectic Can Wait

Work at the office has been hectic -- sometimes I think I got my plates full. I keep telling myselft to be mindful on this and if I don't stick to my plan much will be in disarray. Challenges of tasks ahead excite me and I'd be raring to go sit and design and conceptualise things off my head, but despite all that energy somehow, I always manage be fall one or two steps behind. I blame two things -- distractions in the office, mostly unrelated to the task itself and poor execution.

I've not been anywhere lately. Not even to Causeway Point -- that insipid place where lately, I have my dinner. What to do -- the folks went to HKG to stay with my sister for more than a month now. A guy's got to feed himself and my limited cooking abilities is not helping matters. Tonight's dinner was a take-away order no.2 from LJS.

PSB Corporation really took their time with this one. Last Tuesday I got the results of my ISO 9001:2000 Lead Auditor exams. Heck, as long as I passed, it didn't matter that we took the exams in Dec 19th, last year -- the wait was worth it! My happiness however was shortlived as I'm reminded of the ISO task ahead next month. Oh well...

Oh mannn.... the holidays, the freakin' holidays, are finally here... Have a great & prosperous Lunar New Year!

It's The Same Every Year

Each Haj season awaits somekind of death news, regardless of the scale of tragedy. You're here in Singapore and all you can do is read the papers or see the news and react in your most personal capacity.

More than 345 people, were dead Thursday in a stampede during Haj on the last day of the symbolic stoning of the devil ritual in Mecca. The casualties are said to be mainly Egyptian and Indonesian pilgrims.

Reports are saying the pilgrims tripped over luggage.

Some are blaming the pilgrims for not following the schedules fixed by the Saudi authorities. In some papers the word "ill-disciplined" was used to describe pilgrims who disobey certain rules and procedures instituted to ensure safe pilgrimage for all. I just think these people are deeply passionate in the Holy land. Who isn't?

Apparently many of these pilgrims insisted on doing the stoning rite in the afternoon despite previous fatwa [religious ruling] that said timing shall not be a factor. Still people went ahead. Why?

May He bless and grant them peace. Amin.

Service to Others

"If you want to find your true purpose in life, know this for certain -- Your purpose will only be found in service to others, and in being connected to something far greater than your body, mind, and ego."
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You know I really like that quote, but I'm finding it hard to bring it close to me.

Verdict: I'm still looking for this.

Didn't write much after the new year -- I wanted to know how it feels like not to blog for a few weeks, but it turned out that abstinence wasn't even necessary as I'm not addicted to this in the first place.

Worked up early today and did the Eid ul-Adha prayers at Ba'alwi Mosque. I can't explain it but this mosque has such a powerful attraction to me that everytime I go there my mind is crystal clear and focus and I just feel calm. It's uncanny.

My father used to take me there when I was just a toddler. Could it be due to that earlier affinity? Or am I just doing another silly reminisce here?

"I'm leaving you for good," whispers 2006.

"I know. And don't look back," says 2005 as it gives away its last moments. For last year's words belong to last year's language. And next year's words await another voice. And to make an end is to make a beginning -- so that the future may be certain.

"Remember me time to time, though..."

"I will."