Meaningful contribution

I love this anonymous quote:

"With money, you can't win. If you focus on making it, you're materialistic. If you try to make it but don't, you're a loser. If you make a lot and keep it, you're a miser. If you make it and spend it, you're a spendthrift. If you don't care about making any, you're not ambitious. If you make a lot and still have it when you die, you're a fool."

Instead of focusing on accumulating wealth, let's focus on making a meaningful contribution.

After all, wealth is largely a reflection of how much value we're adding to the world.

Let's complain less and, instead, contribute more.

Let's pity ourselves less and, instead, prepare ourselves better to make the most of the opportunities we're presented with.

Let's compare ourselves with others less and, instead, commit ourselves to being the best that we can be—not better than other people.

Let's do it together.

I'm now in..

Its been half a year since I blogged. No I've not forgotten about this blog but yea I didn't check this often, probably from time to time.

It seems that I have to upgrade to the new template else there was that line of "unregistered domain" stuff clogging up my blog. Oh well, not used to this new stuff. The reason I was hesitant to upgrade to the new template was because I didn't take the time to learn how to insert most of the stuff like the chat box importantly, music player perhaps..

If you like perhaps you can leave comments instead below? If not, maybe I'll get a tag box up if it seems necessary.

Okay so just some reflections..

In the past half year life has changed very much because I'm entering a new phase of life.
From rushing projects to exams to the feeling of graduation where I'm glad 2 good friends of mine came and celebrated it with me. The holidays had me first helping my dad in work, went for a nice holiday in China in Guilin and the nearby areas.

Spent about a month following the different pastors around as I wanted a view of life in ministry. Something that definitely has a strong sense of calling for me. But I'll give it 2 years of NS for time to tell.

Here are 2 links you might be interested in (they are essentially the same though):

http://www.adventistreview.org/article/5499/archives/issue-2012-1519/19-cn-church-in-singapore-focuespm-leadership-recruitment

http://news.adventist.org/archive/articles/2012/06/08/now-self-sustaining-conference-church-in-singapore-focuses-on-recruiting

Currently, I'm a recruit in SCDF in Charlie company. Yes, I'm proud to be in this company where they treat people as human beings and not as dogs. Literally. Well training has been tough but getting used to it. It's been 5 weeks, 3 more weeks to go before the PTP phase is over and then time for some vocational training to determine where I'll be posted. I've prayed and know that God will guide me wherever according to His will (:

A verse that has encouraged me as I looked at it in camp~
Lamentations 3:22-23

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,
Because His compassions fail not.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.

Crunch time

Lets just get back to earth and talk about projects! Yes, boring..

Well it all started on Mon when I was doing FYP report from 12pm-5pm+ and went home to do PMP report. Tues we met to do PMP report from 2 plus - 5 plus. Rain affected us halfway and we had to change location.

Still have a host of projects more to go. Like FYP report tonight, SPSD report tmr, FCBE biomass report on Thurs. There is also FCBE PBL which we have to do. Powerpoint for PMP report, WES 2 individual report, FYP powerpoint.

Its like 9 projects in 2 weeks! Ahhhh.

Not to mention some tests before the final exams.

Well its one more month to go so I know its crunch time.

Gotta work hard and the holidays will be sweeter :)

Well lets just say its good to learn from others

Well lets just say its good to learn from others' experience and I just like to post what I find noteworthy :)

"I think one of the worst feelings in the world,
right behind heart break, is that disgustingly
empty feeling you get, right after you spill your
heart out and lay all your cards on the table.
right after you get the courage to say everything
you have been feeling and be completely and
recklessly honest. it's that feeling you get right
after you risk everything, and he just walks away.
because then you realize that you just lost.
you lost everything you didn't even know you
had when you said "what do i have to lose?''

One day when it's way too late you're going
to say, "I love you." Then when I don't reply
you're going to muster up everything you have
and ask, "Do you love me?" and you know
what i'm going to say, "I used to love you, I
wish I still did, but you were with all those other
girls, and you were way too blind to see what
was rignt in front of you the whole time. I've
dropped you hints, and I've tried to make it clear,
but you never caught on. So right now I'm going
to have to say, we're just friends, like you did to
me all those times."

Life is about..

I just found this online and felt it meaningful personally so just like to share it with u all :)

" Life isn't about how many people call you and it's not about who you've dated, are dating, or haven't dated at all.

It's not about grades, money, clothes, or colleges that accept you or not. Life isn't about if you have lots of friends, or if you are alone, and it's not about how accepted or unaccepted you are.

Life just isn't about that.

Life is about who you love and who you hurt. It's about how you feel about yourself.

It's about trust, happiness, and compassion.

It's about sticking up for your friends and replacing inner hate with love.

Life is about avoiding jealousy, overcoming ignorance, and building confidence.

It's about what you say and what you mean.

It's about seeing people for who they are and not for what they have.

Most of all, it is about living your life to touch someone else's."

Smoothies in school

It was interesting to see Frank in school today. I mean, he doesn't even look like he's working there but rather studying or just on a visit :P

I guess he really does fit in, especially when there are a sizeable number of students his age.

It was fun meeting up, even if it was not even half an hour (:

Thinking that he can be like some superhero who jumps from building to building just like how he does his jobs from rooftop to rooftop XD

Anyway, today after class my friend asked all of us to help him and his friend to be lab rats as he called it to try some smoothies that they had made. We proceeded to a preparation lab to sample them. Kinda surprising since we thought it would be like at an exhibition but since we were early they were still preparing more in terms of quantity.

Tried mango-orange, green tea and banana mocha smoothies which we obviously had to do a feedback form to help them. I think it was not bad after all the pre-hype joke of getting stomachache and not able to sit for lab test tmr.

Fruit smoothies are nice in my opinion and this did live up to it at least by my standards. Most of us agreed the green tea 1 tasted strange but the mocha 1 was abit thin though.

Overall, interesting and worthwhile experience. No regrets unless I fall seriously ill ;)

So long~

If I truly loved music

I was looking at my piano slightly covered with dust today and had some thoughts and reflections..

If I truly loved music..

I would clean and polish the piano at least once a week

I would practice piano for at least 3 hours a day even if it meant less time for play or sleep

I would do better for my piano exams

I would pick up pieces of interest and learn them

Well I realised that although I might have some musical sense, however, if doing what you like and what you do well at should be your career then I believe that's why I'm probably not doing it as a main yet.

Thinking about doing it just for fun or as a side job sure sounds fun but it all depends really. U never know unless u try right?

I'll consider doing something about it in the future. Be it learning or teaching.

The plus point is at least I'm playing for church just as my mum intention was when she signed me up for music lessons.

Still I believe its a blessing to utilise one's talents for God.

Bury it and it will be gone, but use it for God and it will grow :)