Wednesday, August 27, 2008

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee...

Source: Email


You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up, She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs,
and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl.

Turning to her daughter, she asked, ' Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied.

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in Strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their wors t, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

May you have enough happiness to make you sweet, enough trials to make you strong, enough sorrow to keep you human and enough hope to make you happy.

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything that comes along their way. The brightest future will always be based on a forgotten past; you can't go forward in life until you let go of your past failures and heartaches.

When you were born, you were crying and everyone around you was smiling.

Live your life so at the end, you're the one who is smiling and everyone around you is crying.

Friday, August 15, 2008

Family gathering

Never have this kind of family gathering for a long time.
Today is a "ghost" day in Chinese lunar calender.
Good to have to kind of gathering, at least there will be lot of family members appeared on this house.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

人生的秘訣只有6個字

Source: Email

30年前,一個年輕人離開故鄉,開始創造自己的前途。他動身的第一站,是去拜訪本族的族長,請求指點。

老族長正在練字,他聽說本族有位後輩開始踏上人生的旅途,就寫了3個字「不要怕」。然後抬起頭來,望著年輕人說:"孩子,人生的秘訣只有6個字,今天先告訴你3
個,供你半生受用。

30年後,這個從前的年輕人已是人到中年,有了一些成就,也添了很多傷心事。

歸程漫漫,到了家鄉,他又去拜訪那位族長。

他到了族長家裡,才知道老人家幾年前已經去世,家人取出一個密封的信封對他說:「這是族長生前留給你的,他說有一天你會再來。」

還鄉的遊子這才想起來,30年前他在這裡聽到人生的一半秘訣,拆開信封,裡面赫然又是3個大字「不要悔」。

人生的秘訣:中年以前不要怕,中年以後不要悔。

送給退休朋友的六項建議

1.退出股票市場

股票上漲,血壓上升,想買買不到。

股票下跌,心裡慌慌,想賣賣不掉。

鈔票是賺不完的,把機會讓給年輕人吧!

玩票或血壓不會上升或心裡不會慌慌者不在此限。


2.及時行樂

只要體力允許,想去的地方就立刻去吧!

莫等走不動時後悔、遺憾,

只要有機會,多與老同學、老同事、老朋友聚聚!

聚不在吃,怕的是時間不多。

存在銀行的錢不一定是你的,該用的時候要用,臨老要善待自己。


3.想吃什麼,就吃什麼,快樂最重要

想吃的、愛吃的食物分為兩種:

對自己健康有益的,要常吃、多吃、但不是全部。

對自己健康無益的,要少量、偶吃、但不是不吃。

不想吃的、不愛吃的食物偶而也要吃一點點,平衡營養。


4.樂觀看待生病、往生

有錢、沒錢、有權、沒權都要經歷生、老、病、死的過程,無一倖免。

有病時不必害怕、不用擔心,把後事交待好,隨時可走,了無遺憾。

把身體交給醫生,把生命交給上帝,把心情交給自己。

如果擔心能醫好疾病,那就擔心吧!

如果擔心能延長壽命,那就擔心吧!

如果擔心能換得快樂,那就擔心吧!


5.兒孫自有兒孫福

對於兒孫的事,耳朵可以廳,眼睛可以看,但嘴巴不要說。

原則是:說了無效的事不說,

做不了的事情不做,

被動的事要看情形,

兒孫獨立是你福氣。


6.顧好四老

老身:多注意健康資訊,保養全靠自己。

老本:自己賺來的鈔票,要自己保管好。

老伴:另一半要多珍惜,有一個會先走。

老友:見面機會要把握,只會愈來愈少。

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Olympic broadcast online

Read the newspaper, got this web site, hope it will doing well anyway. It is not official web site and the web site it in Chinese.

Olympic broadcast online

Monday, July 28, 2008

吃维他命C过量致肾衰竭

日前香港一名69歲男子服用过量维他命C导致肾衰竭、必须入院洗肾。香港卫生署发言表示、這名男子从2OO6年起、一直服用维他命C以舒缓流鼻水情况、 近年初、他因为心神不安到医院求诊、檢验显示出現肾衰竭、约一个月后這名男子出院、需要长期接收血液透柝。

根据了解、专家建议维他命C毎天服量為o.5克、但这名病人却服用4克、足足有8倍之多。发言人说、若长期服用过量维他命C、身体会把維他命C分解成為"草酸盐結石"、引发对肾脏的破坏和腎衰竭。

香港医學会会长说、服用过量维他命C、会导致泌尿系统出現結石、阻塞尿管及肾脏、导致发炎或肾竭。

他強调、沒有医学证据显示、服用维他命C有助于預防感冒、而且日常食物里、例如鲜橙及绿叶蔬菜也都有维他命C、因此如果不是必要、不需要另外服用补充剤,就算真的要吃,也千萬別过量。

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Do not bring in dry ice in car

Source: Email

---
Just got a very good article sharing from my friend

My friend bought four pack of ice cream and to prevent it from melting, the seller put the dry ice
amongst the ice cream. My friend put it at the back seat and he started to drive with the windows closed and the aircon on.

Soon after that, he had difficulty to breath and it was getting worser by minutes. Luckily, he was in a traffic jam and when he almost fainted, beside him was an ambulance. He dragged himself to the ambulance and got the oxygen treatment. He was getting better on the way to the hospital.

The ambulance office drove his car to the hospital and he had the same experience. However, before his condition worsen, he opened up the window and he can breathe easily. Only later, when my friend has returned to office and told his colleagues about his story, they pointed to him that the dry ice was the problem. WHY?

Dry ice was made of CO2 and when it 'melts', it becomes CO2 gas straight away without leaving any wet mark (that is why it is called dry ice). CO2 is easier to be tied up in our blood and thus, when the dry ice sublimes into CO2 gas, it fills the car room with it along with the air con circulation and caused CO2 poisoning. So, dont put the dry ice inside your car if you are using aircon with fully closed windows. You must leave the windows open for such situation.

Hope this will help to prevent any fatality just from a small negligence like this. Imagine if you
have your children inside, they might be the first victim as they are smaller than you.

Monday, July 21, 2008

Crocodile at Kuala Belait Lagoon

Crocodile at Kuala Belait Lagoon near the mosque area.
Photos taken by Ken. Photos taken at 17th July 2008 around 1:45pm.

I uploaded the photos to photobucket.com which servers was down at the moment.

Will post the link here when the server is up.

Crocodile at lagoon

Friday, July 18, 2008

Homepage on homestead

I created a homepage on homestead, just a 30 days test only. I don't think I will subscribed for this services as there is lot of free web space out there, like freewebs.com.
Some of their features I like;the various web templates. Some I don't like. The edit mode of web page builder cannot accept copy and paste function which made me quite annoying. As I have lot of information which can copy and paste to this new home page.

Some of information on this homepage is only for testing, like the street map. I will keep on testing to explore more good features.
1WU:5:19 2WU:6:23

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Create pdf file free

Want to create PDF files? You also use out the 5 pages free on Adobe web page , try to use this novapdf.com, it's free to use, but sure it will show their web link on the pdf file.
1WU:6:19

Wednesday, July 16, 2008

明天會更老

Source: Email

應邀去北加州台灣大學校友會杜鵑花之夜演講,主題是人到中年後的困境,全場七百人笑聲不斷,表示有共鳴,能開開自己年紀的玩笑,也算是一種成長後的開朗豁達。

有首歌唱的是明天會更好,為了是給人信心與鼓勵,其實現實生活裡明天會不會更好不知道,但明天會更老是確定的。歲月要走過,才知道它的凌厲,到了某個年紀不得不承認地心引力的厲害,器官樣樣俱在,只是都下垂,所謂的:「萬般皆下垂,唯有血壓高。」有人因此特別忌諱說老,連「我先走一步」也不能說。

中年後的身體起了很大的變化,蘋果變成梨子型,「坐著打瞌睡,躺著睡不著。想記的記不起來,想忘的忘不掉。」更糟的是哭的時候沒眼淚,笑的時候一直擦淚。頭上是「白髮拔不盡,春風吹又生」,男士們的髮型也個個如小說家莫言所說的「地方支持中央」──兩邊往中央梳,遮住稀疏的部分。皮膚不長Pimple開始Wrinkle,酒窩變皺紋,皺紋變酒窩,無意中發現本來以為額頭上的幾條紋路只是抬頭紋,現在卻是不抬頭也有,還好這個時候有老花眼白內障,也不怎麼看得清楚。

記憶力明顯衰退,從一個房間走到另一個房間,就是想不起到這兒來要做什麼?忘了剛剛說過的話,變得一再重複碎碎唸。一位老先生甚至說他有一次竟然笑到一半忘記為何而笑。

聽力也不行了,一位做了二十幾年百貨公司銷售員的女士,因為耳朵背,被換到抱怨部門去,反正聽不到,隨您抱怨。另一位女士說她坐公車,站在她前面的一個男孩一直跟她講話,她因為聽不到就提醒對方不必講了,那男孩竟然說他只是在嚼口香糖,沒有和她說話啊。

高科技不來電也是年歲漸長的特徵,家裡一停電,所有的鐘都閃在十二點;有一位朋友要去歐洲玩,女兒說:「媽,現在沒有人用傳統相機,這個數位相機您帶著,只要按一按就可以了。」媽媽沿途拍了五百張,回來往電腦裡一放,怎麼五百張都是鼻子?原來媽把相機拿反了。

少年夫妻老來伴,中年夫妻怎麼辦?有人形容食之無味,棄之可惜,彼此的壞習慣改不了,有的夫妻是什麼項目都可以吵,從來沒有妥協過,想想婚前是好有話說,婚後變成有話好說。

每個來到世間的生命,像整存零付一樣,一點一滴地離去,剛剛才是意氣風發的少年,一轉眼變成哀樂中年,還有人要譏笑說這些人是:「知識退化,器官老化,思想僵化,等待火化。」所以心裡建設靠自己,要人老心不老,皺紋長在臉上,不長在心上。

再想想許多人沒有老的權利,年紀輕輕的就歸道山,生活態度也要調整,以前用健康換金錢,現在要用金錢換健康,有所謂的人生三歷:少年爭取的是好學歷,中年成功與否看經歷,年紀越來越大就要看病歷。有好的健康才能說人生: 如倒吃甘蔗,好日子還在後頭。

不可思議的生命價值 - 鄭秀文的見証

Source: Email

不可思議的生命價值 鄭秀文的見証
我只想和您分享一些不可思議的事情!真不可思議?
一張一百元正的鈔票在教會奉獻時是多麼大的面額,但在行街購物時卻是如此的細小?真不可思議?

兩小時在教會過就好長,但看一套好戲就好短?真不可思議?
當禱告時要找一個字都好難,但與朋友傾談時卻口若懸河?真不可思議?

有人覺得讀一章聖經又難又悶,卻很容易地就看完百多頁的小說?真不可思議?
人人都想在演唱會或在遊戲時坐在前排,但在教會他們無論如何都會坐後排?真不可思議?
我們要教會預先兩三個星期通知活動,才能安放在自己的時間表裡,但我們只需用兩三分鐘就安排好參加其他的活動?真不可思議?

我們很困難才能從神學到真理與人分享,卻好容易就學到講閒話,甚至謠言滿天飛?真不可思議?
我們相信在報紙雜誌中講的每件事,卻懷疑聖經裡所記載的事蹟?真不可思議?
人人都想上天堂,卻不願去了解和探索任何東西?真不可思議?

我們常常將笑話從電郵傳來傳去,但!當我們要將神的信息傳給別人時,卻一再考慮?真不可思議?

你現在竟然能看到這信息,卻又願意傳給你所認識的每位朋友。可能在你朋友的生命中,正需要認識那位不可思議的神?真不可思議!!!

最不可思議的是, 這不可思議的神,從未放棄過我們這些心硬得不可思議的人。
我們都習慣迎合這個世界的價值觀,大部份人都欠缺活出自己的勇氣。

包括我,我叫鄭秀文,一位歌手及演員,今年三十五歲。我略有小成就,但我從來沒有活出真正的自己。我習慣活在一堆價值觀中。以為成就越大,自我存在的價值就越高。

當我擁有很多人人渴求的東西,我卻發現我內心一無所有.”心”,是空空的。我嘗試用更大的成就來補充,但招徠的空蕩感更大,更恐怖。

於是,我決定暫停這場永無止境的追求,我放下一手建立十多年的事業,我毅然放下成功,我要看看我的生命還剩下什麼?

上帝用了接近一千天的時間,讓我徹底反省過去的生命。我看清了成功和金錢的真相,這些或許可以建築我的生活,但卻一點不能滿足我的'生命'。

生命應該有更高尚的價值,在上帝的話裡,我找到了明確的方向和定位。

“人子來,本是要服待人,不是要人來服待的”。在我未來的人生的道路上,我已有更重要的使命。我並不知道上帝會如何安排我生命的劇本,但我知道祂會帶領我的腳步。

這種內心的平安,是再多的金錢也買不到的。
回顧過去一千多天,上帝確實狼狼地修理了我,祂給予我這場放逐,無非要我找回自己的心。
心跟上帝早已緊扣,我再也不害怕,再也不膽怯,我要活出真正的自己。
活出生命更高的價值,不要扭曲自己奉迎這個世界。這是我對上帝的承諾。

Have a good sleep

What a good sleep last night until 6:23am.
Today feeling free although get some not so good news.

Not a good experience

What a good sleep last night until 6:23am.
Today feeling free although get some not so good news.

Send back the authority email to directwithhotel which made my credit card been block by my banker. Wrote all my complains to them when I booked with this Bintang Warisan hotel.

Their reservation system was not perfect and with hidden"10% Non Refundable Guarantee Deposit for your reservation" charge. Their web page did not mention anything regarding this charge. I do not like this kind of feeling and services.

Firstly I booked the rooms and the web page showed me the room was been charged. Then I found the hotel did not charged anything then they have to pay the hotel while arrival. I really didn't know this 10% charged so when I saw one strange transaction on my credit card statement: directwithotel from GB to MYR. I went to my banker and asked them to check. The bank blocked my credit card and mention will send me a new one. So this payment was disputed.

This made me quite inconvenient as I use the credit card quite frequently. So I have to wait one week for me to collect the card.

The hotel is using a Philippines company to managed their paying system. I don't know whose right and whose wrong when this kind of situation happen, but bearing in mind, be aware while you do the reservation online with Kuala Lumpur or Malaysia hotels.

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Sungalian park walking

It's raining day when our QiGong team starting to walk on this small hill. So the photo causing big blur while taken.


















We practice a lite version og QiGong while we are waiting the rest of QiGong friend came.

This morning walking was arranged by our QiGong team several days ago. Good suggestion good exercise. It took about one hour for us to finished the big round walking. Rain start and stop while we are walking.

The rest of the photos I will upload to photobucket.com

We will have another walking on coming Saturday. Good! I like that!

Sunday, July 13, 2008

Shanghai acrobat show

1WU:6:16

Went to Chung Hua Middle school watching Shanghai acrobat show, took some photo, as I use the zoom, most of the photos quite blur. Just sharing with you all the photos I have taken: Shanghai Acrobat Show

The beauty of Dawn


1WU:4:25 2WU:5:54

Friday, July 11, 2008

Weekend feeling good

1WU:5:45 2WU:7:05

Always feeling good during weekend. especially have a good sleep.
Having a good sleep really too important in our life. No good sleep mean we will have lot of trouble and will have all kind of sickness.