Life

Such is life.


We prayed for Angela Lee, colleagues' bible study leader, whilst she waits in hospital, battling the cancer that is ravaging her body. Angela, all of 37 years, went to glory with her Lord Jesus that night.


Then I heard that my cousin's wife has 3rd stage cancer - I was stunned beyond belief.
Well, my wife and I have grown quite close to my cousin and his wife in the recent year, they've had a tough past year or two, and now their greatest challenge.

Cancer isn't something that happens to young folks in my age! Death is something faced by the generation above me, my aunties/uncles and up.

Yet in all this, God is still sovereign, and in my naive take, I do think that God is drawing them both to Him. Yes, unfortunately, sometimes God uses life's trials and tribulations to bring us to our knees, forcing us to admit that we are not gods, not in control of the world, not even in control of our own bodies and circumstances - pretending that God doesn't exist or just plain ignoring him is completely futile.

But I plead for God's grace,
- that in his mercy that it is in His will to heal my cousin's wife.
- And more importantly, He will lift the veil of darkness that is separating them from Him, and they will come to acknowledgement Jesus is our Lord and Savior.

My prayer is that they will know the true LIE that is found in Jesus - now that's Life!

Philippians 4:4-7
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Japan!

This is a week of many firsts.

I got to spend a week here in Tokyo, my very first trip to the land of the rising sun.
Well, after 15+ years of recession, the sun is starting to shine again, until the stock market /subprime collapse that is....

The shopping malls are quite something. Went to a newish one called "Midtown" - it is nothing like any of the malls in Singapore. They use this really nice timber decking inside, corridors are really wide, furniture carved from a big block of wood - very nicely done and stylish; even the the smoking room had a row of plasma screen showing stuff. very upmarket, very plush.

Well, I generally love whales, and on Monday night, my first Japanese meal in a Japanese restaurant, I missed the opportunity to try some. It was only after reading the greenpeace clash and Jap whaling ship on Tuesday, did I ask my colleague where I could try some "scientifically researched" whale meat - and she said that it was on the menu Monday nite (the menu was completely Japanese), but she didn't think of ordering (what?!!!! drats... sigh).

On Tuedays afternoon, we had a simple meal at joint, tempura with rice. Amazing, it costs like S$20 - I was quite blown away.

On Tuesday nite, good friend of mine Laurence too me to this this lovely "pub", which looks like an old chinese inn - half expected lady from Kill Bill to burst through and start slashing everyone! (apparently, Quentin T got inspiration for Kill Bill Jap scene from this restaurant).

Food was lovely, he calls it Izakaya (or something), but is like the decent yakitori grills back home. My favorite was grilled black cod - the Japanese really know their fish, and how to cook em. (see pic of chef with their wonderful well exhausted grills)
I saw this "Squid with fermented fish guts" and of course I had to order it! Unfortunately, it turned out fairly tame - mostly raw squid, with bits of stuff in it.

On Wednesday morning, when I woke up, I saw snow flakes floating outside the window, in all directions - my first snowfall! witnessed 37 stories up in my hotel - really beautiful (see pic left... but not so clear)

I was quite miffed coz when I was in Korea last week, it snowed the week before, and the week after (this week). so I missed it even though it was like -10 degrees.
It was supposed to snow in Tokyo Monday/Tuesday, and it didn't... but quite thrilled it did on Wednesday. Moreover, it was Tokyo's first snow in many winters! amazing. well, it wasn't really heavy snow, not quite cold enough (it was abt 1-2 degrees), so it was half snow/drizzle when it fell. if u squin your eyes enough, u can see the bits of snowfall in the 2nd pics above.

Ok, more food thots (do I ever think of anything else?)
Then on Wednesday afternoon, had a nice lunch with bankers, top floor of the building, with this guy cooking right in front of you with the freshest foods (had fillet mignon). the entire meal was like $40, with starters, cooking on the spot, pretty much the works.
A lot of the nicer meals are like $50, which is really reasonable considering that the cheap meals are already nearly $20.
The cheap food is expensive, and the expensive food is cheap - if that makes sense.

Oh toilets! The toilets in Japan is super shiok. In winter, the seat is heated, even the "public" toilets.

Next to the toilet bowl is this row of gadgets, with 2 bidet sprays (one for the bum, the other for the... erh.... nevermind); plus if u see the pics on the left, there's one with the musical notes? music for the ears? yes, but not yours - for others.

Erm, if u press it, u get not music, but a toilet flushing sound - so that any undesirable noises can be masked. funny... certainly a first for me - not the noise lah... the flushing sound.

All in all, it was certainly quite an interesting visit.

It would be a lovely place to come with my wife (only... haha no kids).
And I sure missed her - now, that's not the first.

work

My boss leaving, gave me lots to think about.
She was the big reason for me to join current company, but with her leaving, suddenly... I felt loss.

I've been thinking over the last 6-7 weeks, been thinking of a new job, been thinking of what I want to do. Quite unfortunately, the thinking came to why I came here in the first place, and why we work.

Do we work for men (or woman?)
What exactly do I want, from a job - title? salary? good environment? a Christian boss with chemistry?
Well, I tell myself that good working environement, plus something with not consistently long hours is probably the most important. Christian bosses - nice to have, not a necessity.
It seems that I do have a good working environment & stable hours currently.
And what exactly have I done here in the past 10 months?

Nothing, zip.
make friends, have a good time & work - but nothing of any meaningful eternal consequence.
So what did I leave my previous company & a good ministry for? Happiness?

Sigh... so I got off my A*S, and decided that it was time to do something.
There are other Christians around, instead of waiting for a non-Christian to read the bible with (which was my modus operandi previously), I could do something with the Christians, to encourage one another.

So getting a few people, to pray each week - we don't do that enough, do we, for each other.
So Monday morning 8Oct07, we will start - now, that's a good reason to work.


HEBREWS 10:23-25 Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Happy 70th Birthday Mom

It just hit me, as we were planning my mom's birthday... that she is 70!

Strange... suddenly it hit me that my mom was "old".
Up to the 60s (my mom's age that is), she's always been mom... nagging, bothered abt status and bothering me abt my lack there of, throwing money at my kids... mom.

But 70 is suddenly different.
My aunt just passed away a coupla months ago, and she was 73.
Now that my mom is about to be 70... she's catapulted into a different category - the "old, may not be with you too long, let her indulge in her geriatric dilusions old".

She tries to be nice, although she does it in way that "irritates" me... like throwing money at my kids (how am i going to teach them the value of $, if they get it so easily), like asking me quite a few times- so u dun even get to fly business class ah... (when my bro flies 1st class now), like berating me in front of the relatives.

Somehow, it is always easier to put up with it, when they are old folks not your mom - u give allowance, and nod patiently.

I need to learn to be patient.
Instead of ignoring her questions (I rather just keep quiet, then answer an irritating question), I will try very hard to accomodate her.
I will learn to be grateful and thankful for her generosity (it's her way of showing her love).
I will pray for her, and offer to pray with her.

That's gonna be my birthday present... Happy Birthday Mom.

Stock Market

I have learnt that

1. Invest only with with money which you are prepared to loose
thinking about what u will make, only clouds the issue, and may lead to severe losses

2. Holding power, is the only weapon we have, in a market controlled by Big Players
as my market timing is bad - at least with holding power, u sell when it has reached your selling price, and not because you are forced to
the loss is only realized, when u sell

3. Making money
strangely enough, it is much easier to loose money, than make

4. Speculating vs Investing
there is a bit difference between speculating and investing, one based on rumors/gut feeling, the other based on fundamentals
it is easy to start off "investing", but too hard not to cross over to "speculating"

5. Which share to buy
whilst easier said then done, invest only in companies you understand, and industries you know

6. The analysts don't know it all
Whilst research reports are helpful, they are only opinions. I love how Citibank put a sell call on Cosco, with target price of $2+, only to reverse to a buy call with target price of $5+ only 1 month later

7. The market is not really rationale
I don't know why SingTel shares went up from $2 to $3.70 within a few months, even though I was an insider...

1 Timothy 6:10
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

The Guard

Received a call oh my HP on 27 July 4.30 pm

Caller: Hello this is the guard.

ss: Guard? who?

Caller: The guard at the main gate.

ss: What main gate?

Caller: The GUARD at the MAIN GATE!

ss: Erh, which main gate? at [my office name]?

Caller: No, I am the GUARD at the MAIN GATE!!!!

ss [grit teeth]: But there's quite a few main gates in Singapore. Which main gate?

Caller [speaking to another party]: you better talk with him

Caller 2: Hello, this is tow truck here at Ardmore Park.

ss [light goes on, suddenly it makes sense now]: Hello fren, I am at (office address), you already pick up my car at 2pm, I think kah (call) salah (wrongly) leh.

Caller 2: Oh sorry....

END OF CALL

Bug Tales 2

Last Sunday (22 July)
I found out, that when the fuel gauge needle points to the left most bar, the fuel tank is really empty - unlike other cars when there's still some reserve.

Couldn't believe, my beloved bug just glided to a stop, just in front of a car illegally parked, on a main road. I stuck a note on my screen, and hiked to the nearest petrol station.
Doh! they ran out of tin cans to carry petrol.
Took a bus to the next nearest one, got my can with 5L of petrol, borrowed a funnel, and hiked back. Gosh, I never would have imagined myself running out of petrol in the middle of busy Singapore. And never would have imagined having to manually fill my tank.

Ok, petrol filled - but car won't start!
On advice of my mechanic Thomas, had to crank it numerous times.
After 10 min, it finally roared to life.

whew.

Following Friday (27 July)
Just back from lunch with ex-colleague in town.
As I was just nearing my car park, the car engine suddenly dies! Petrol again? no... there's still plenty. Fortunately, am on downhill slope, and I glide it into a car park space next block to my office.

Good grief. Got it towed back to Thomas.
Ever since my no petrol advanture, I noticed one of the lights with "G" on when I drove - but ignored it. Well, it appears that it is a warning light, that something is wrong is my "generator".
Found out generator/dynamo is kapoots, and as result battery kapoots too!
So "upgraded" the generator to an "Alternator", or whatever.

I got it back today quite happy.
Although still sore from the hole in my pocket.