LUNAR NEW YEAR GREETINGS....

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR 2011
GREETINGS
TO ALL
MY READERS.....

Bye 2010...Hello 2011

The Year 2010 is coming to an end with just a few more hours to go. It is an eventful year for the World as well as for myself. I count my blessing, and take all the good, bad and ugly with a pinch of salt. Life is not a bed of roses but again it is thankful to be alive and be useful to family and the soceity. Always remember the worst cannot stay worst forever, neither can good time last forever. Live the moment and tomorrow to take care of herself. Always remember to be kind towards people you love, people you have no patient with, people you think is not up to your standard and more. Do not take lives for fun...not killing for one's own hobby.

For 2011, whatever is going happened is already set. Live it as it comes...so HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011 to my blog followers as well as those visiting here. My greeting this year will be Banners so painstaking done by GOOGLE... thank you and cheers!

A sexy joke...

My computer is lagging, so much so that it took ages for me to load something up here. So to give my brain a break, today I am posting a joke just for laugh. Something a friend made me guess ??? and not till the end that I realized it is a sexy and not so sexes.s.s.s. type of joke.

Thanksgiving is around the corner. Buddhist do not pick a special day to celebrate thanksgiving as we should live our days with gratitude. We are grateful that we wake up in the morning and see the sun shining, feel the breeze on our face, hear voices of people talking, cars zooming by, see flowers blooming, hear music, feel the joy, the pain, the tears, the happiness, sorrow...it is a reminder that we are alive. Many have problems, some struggle to find a living...our lives whether good or bad is something we Buddhist says as 'The Cause and Effect'. Unfortunately not many see it as such as we are so wrapped up in our problem..Yes, OUR problem and it seems bigger than any other people. It is so because we say we are suffering and our suffering meant a lot to us. We forget about others who are suffering worst.

There was once I was on an operating bed queuing to be pushed in to Theatre for a DNC. It is nothing major but the continuous bleeding nearly cost me my life. While lying there, I saw patients being pushed in and pushed out. It is not a nice feeling. Thoughts flipped over my mind and I was wondering how if I do not come out alive? What have I done with my life, my parents and siblings, my friends. What good have I done so that I bring it with me like a protection charm that guarantee me a better next life? At this point, I prayed and wished..."Let me take all the pains and sufferings of all these people with me. When the doctor cut me, may I bear and take all these pain so that all these suffering patients come out alive and live healthily. I prayed that all these beings be well and happy. I went in and came out alive, till today. My faith did not waned instead it has grown. However I respect others choices too and will not belittle other religions . To Each His/Her Own...

OK, here is the fun and have a great weekend!

I will seek and find you ...
I shall take you to bed and have my way with you

I will make you ache, shake & sweat
until you moan & groan..

I will make you beg for mercy, beg for me to stop
I will exhaust you to the point
that you will be relieved when I'm finished with you

And, when I am finished, you will be weak for days, my Love...
THE FLU ....

Now, get your mind out of the gutter and go get your flu shot!! ha.a.a.a.

Triads and the Young

The two recent gang fights in two different locations one after another leaving one dead and many injured was a shocking jolt to many parents, society and the law enforcers of Singapore.

What is becoming of the youth in our society? Actually there are signs of such troubles brewing. Is it blind to the law enforcers/ parents/ teachers that these youth are gathering in groups in HDB’s void decks, shopping centers and places of entertainment i.e disco, bars, etc? You can tell that they are young and most of them are teens to the early twenties.

These youth, do they know what they have signed themselves in when they joined a triad? What is the future? Do they know they will be in trouble with the law? What sufferings they are getting themselves into and what heartache to parents and siblings?

Are parents blind to the fact that their child joined a triad? Does school allowed school children showing off their tattoo body, arms and legs? Where are the disciplinarians? I am sure there are school bullies and many are forced into joining a group or a gang. There are boys and I am sure there are girls as well. Do we have to wait for them to kill someone openly to know that we are in trouble?

The gang fight that lead to one death and it is for a very trivial reason. Just because someone looked at you and it is called staring? I would also stare and take a second look if someone have tattoo over their arms and legs? What are these youth trying to show off? That they are into brotherhood, that they have backing, that they can talk loudly and shamelessly opened their mouth to vulgarities? They have the 'I dare you attitude' and of course oblivious to people around. People shun them BUT they mistook people are afraid of them. So it makes them even more fearless and in their eyes, they see no one but themselves. It is a false sense security because what do they know about the world? They ignore the law and when they get into trouble with it, I am sure they shake in their pants! To chop someone up and showed a V sign is COOL? The best part, they shouted the Triads Number 369. Who is 369? They are GOD? NO! because the law do not fear them. It is live and lets live and you don't give me trouble, I close one eye to all the bad things you are doing. From loan sharks, brothels, gambling dents, drugs, gang fights and all these cannot come into the surface. Anything that cannot come into surface is against the law.

So now they are really brothers in brotherhood because once they are found guilty, they will die by the gallow. They are so young. Youth and it is be beginning of life. So with stupidity, they have no tomorrow. I cannot understand why triads need to recruit such young people. Why must such activities starts in school? I am sure triads should be more sophisticated because I am sure there are better educated ones but can they lead to a better course instead of all these killings and chopping? Singapore is against the citizen owning fire arms so these youth used chopper, long knives, baseball bats which should be used for better things.

Looking at these youth, who is at fault? The parents, the teacher, the society and complacent law enforcer. I am really sorry for the boy who died and his parents too. I will not say forgive because to err is human and therefore the lessons must be learnt the hard way. To those who were so high, so garang and happily chopping people - you started the cause and now the effect. To live in constant fear of death is a cruel punishment because they are so young. I have no words for their parents and they know what they have breed. To the law enforcers, please protect the future of Singapore. Their protection got to start when they are in school, not until they became wayward and chopped people to run after them. The one being chopped and the choppers are both pathetic. Will this lesson be learned?

Out for a ride...

Transport to developed countries are taken for granted. Many owned branded cars and they are no longer a needed transport but to shout about one's status. In this little island, some of the beautiful flashy sport cars are for show. The roads are too short for its speed capacity.

These are pictures sent to me. It is fun to ride...which we will never see anymore. It is transport but to develop countries, it is dangerous. It is also not hygienic to transport food around...nor is it safe to send animals around. Sometime simplicity is blessing...we are too contaminated with luxury. Simple thing no longer make us happy and all the the good things we had also no longer make us happy. SO...where is happiness?

Enjoy the sight!

Where should I place my COMPASSION...

Recently I am becoming more and more aware of the sufferings beings are facing. With so many calamities around the world, the pain face by human alone is already unspeakable. Although it is believe to be group karma, but one cannot think that way or else we will become inhumane.

In fact, it is difficult for one to feel the pain and suffering of another If one does not see, does not hear, does not feel, does not fear….one will think that the life one leads is similar with all others. This is not true and one’s sufferings are different from another. One’s enjoyment of peace and prosperity is not equal to the person standing next to you. Therefore you should count yourself lucky. Do not wish more or wish less of one self, just be happy with what you are now and what you have now, where you stay now and the safety and environment you are immerse in. We are always complaining that grass is greener on the other side, is that so?

Singapore is a very small island. You hardly see it on the map. Many know who we are but there are many more who do not know us. we are a safe little island and away from the typhoon that wrack havoc around our neighbors. We are away from heavy rainfall that flood a country causing landslides and burying everything as it goes. We experienced tsunami, a very minor one causing minor damages as compared to other neighbors around us, and we have a big heart to always donate as much as we can…after all we are only a small island.

I saw the sufferings and it pains my heart. The 911 bombing in USA, the 512 earthquake in Sizhuan, the flood in Myanmar, the tsunami hitting so many countries around South East Asia and Asia Pacific and now Typhoon Magi killing so many in Philippines, Vietnam, Taiwan – can I ignore these? I cannot because I watched news and the reports and pictures are enough to bring tears to my eyes.

Animals have their fair share of woes. The earth is no longer a safe place for them. Humans need more and more places to put up homes and for agriculture and these animals are force out of their natural habitats. On top of that, they are food for our survival. As if these are not enough, we killed them for their fur. If you see how brutally they are killed for ‘’good to have” items and not “must have” items, you probably will be indifferent about it because it does not involve you. WRONG! It will because once these animals go into extinction, the future generation will not know what they are. There are people who buy all these so called exotic goods…expensive and they pay through their nose for it. Of course, because it caused other people’s life to get the goods on their body as accessories or food.

Now Singapore is facing their yearly HAZE, so bad that buildings around are visually covered in mist. These are burning of lands or plantations in neighboring Indonesia. Again animals are roasted alive, whether on the ground or below the ground with extensive heat, and neighbors are inhaling all these polluted smoke. Talking about being environmental... it is about survival for Indonesia.

I am no kinder because I am not a vegetarian nor a vegan. I am aware and I eat only what I need. There are many food on the table and many ways to cook them, I do not need exotic animals meats. I do not need shark fins, I do not need to eat a fish fried alive, I do not need to eat a fetus with its placenta attached to prove that I am virile, I do not need to eat dog meat to keep me warm, I do not need to eat crocodile head boiled with all kind of herbs to help me perform on bed… I just eat simple food and it is bad enough because there are chicken, pork, mutton and beef. I have stopped all seafood except for fish. I am not preaching that anyone or everyone must be a vegetarian BUT at least do support unnecessary killing.

Recently again it came to my email on the killing of dolphins on an island off Denmark. Friend told me that it is not dolphins, it is whales and again this island is not part of Denmark and neither is it under UN…It actually does not matters to me who and what they are. Will people have no feeling when they see this sea of blood? The people who kill, did they feel it when the animal struggle to live?

A friend said that people who kill chicken and pigs, sheep and cows for our consumptions are just as bad, so I should not discriminate. To be frank, from the bottom of my heart…I have no right to discriminate as I eat these meats too. IT IS COMPASSION…and I am wondering whether I have no right to being COMPASSIONATE because I eat meat? So where should I placed my COMPASSION.

I felt disgusted when I see the sea of blood. If I do not feel …COMPASSION…I have lost the ground to practice Buddhism.

That is why I pray before consuming my food – I thank the animals for being food for me. They have provided me with the energy to survive so that I have wisdom to practice. When I attained my wishes the merits goes to them and may they be liberated from sufferings too. For all those who make it possible for the food to be on my table, I wish them same. For all those who cook and make it consumables, I pray same. May I eat with awareness, with gratitude, with wisdom and fulfilled my ultimate goal to benefit beings.

In the name of the merciful Amitofo….

HALLOWEEN DAY…

Halloween 2010 falls on 31 October. This event is not a popular celebration in Singapore but there are events organized for those that are interested to participate in theme parks etc.

The word ‘hallow’ to me means Death and Halloween to me means a day for the dead to come into the world to haunt it. It is a night where people will come out at night, dressed in all kinds of frightening costumes to try and frighten the frightening or vice verse. I love the pumpkin most. With the cut round eyes and a tooth, it looks adorable and yet a bit spooky. To think pumpkins are used in fairy tales and an important decoration for Halloween.

All Halloween goodies are out by now and parents surely have a hole in their pockets. Kids probably are the happiest. They are all ready with their scary make up, pumpkin lanterns and waiting to join their friends on this night to walk around neighborhood. It is a good community event and for networking.

So what comes into your mind for Halloween? He is Count Dracula of course. The story of the blood sucking count is a character we are familiar with, on the movie set as well as novels. He sleeps in a coffin, wore cloak, had a pale face, frighteningly handsome and he had ‘fangs’ for easy access to the blood vessels on your neck. It is funny that he sucked blood from females, maybe because they are the weaker sex. It is full moon night, when he flew around and comes into the balcony of the heroine. Those bitten became Dracula as well and life goes on in bloody account.

The next favorite is a visit to haunted houses. I suppose on this night the spooky will come out and party in full force. Do not try anything even if you think you are a hero. An eerie thought strikes me – what if one walks around in a frightening dressed up and come face to face with a real one? For me I probably will not be frightened because I will take it that it is another human dressed up as a spooky…ha.a.a.a. This is the best time to make friends with the spooky because there is no lines drawn. So much for my crazy, wild imaginations!

Halloween is said to be a Celtic Festival. It is actually to celebrate the end of Autumn or harvest. The good part of the year to plant, sow and harvest are over and now getting ready for winter. It is time to take stocks of food and all necessities for Winter. The crossing over to cold period ends in 31`October and according to folklore, the energy is weakest between the human world and spirit world. To ward off these spirits, one dresses up as one of these spirits so that one will not be harmed.

There is a certain similarity between Halloween and the Chinese Lunar Seventh Month when we celebrate the Chinese All Souls Day. According to believe, the Hell Gate was opened for 15 days to allow the dead to come back to human world. To appease and to entertain them, we did streets wayang and temples organized prayers sessions to elevate those that are still suffering in the lower realms. To the businessmen, such events generate income.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN DAY to all visiting friends to my Blog.

(Attached is a picture of my Farm at Farmville. I got myself a haunted house, pumpkin house and all the goodies to be a part in this celebration.)