2 x Happy News!!

Here's some quick happy news to update everyone. :D

Firstly, as of yesterday, I got my confirmation in my job! *yayyyyy!!* :D After three months of grueling work involving programming exploration and intense effects research, not to mention several extreme deadlines, I'm glad I've proven myself worthy to stay in Tequila! :D

Just something I would like to share. :) For the time that I've worked till now, I've realised that it's important not to perceive work as mundane chores, which if you allow, will steal away your very passion itself. Though in the event of tight deadlines some stuff have to be given up, always find time to play with your work, and be yourself.

In this way, work becomes playtime and your job evolves to become your playground. ;) (what an idealist? :P Nahh.. you can make it if you so chooses. :))

Secondly, which I consider to be my next huge step in my spiritual journey with God, is that I've gotten confirmation in my Praislight ministry! :D

Strange that the timing is around the same with my job confirmation, but my six months worth of probation apparently ended today when sister Girlie called me up to inform that I will start serving from next Saturday at the Miracle Service onwards! *whoohoo!*

Excitement as it is, I'm kind of feeling jittery about it. The turnout every Saturday for Miracle Service, if I'm not wrong, can go up to a few hundred!! The entire sanctuary will be flooded with people every single time! To be one of those performing on stage is like.... is like... wobbly? :S

I will trust God though, for He is my provider of strength and talent. Since He arranged for me to be in this ministry, and with sister Girlie's patient guidance over the last six months, I believe I can make it one. *wosh!*

My 29th Of February, 2008

This past week had been awfully hectic. Deadlines were lined up one after another, and I had to OT every day just to meet up with the expectations from clients. Two of the days even saw me working past midnight, with one till 3am. :S

I feel so terribly drained. "Drained" is just one word though. Put exhausted, fatigued, weary, tired and worn out together, and they probably paint a better picture (although they actually have the same meaning! :P).

It's the first crazy period in my new job and it certainly won't be the last. Nonetheless, the results and feedback that I got really encourages me to push forward, and I'm in fact, very happy with what I've learnt throughout this experience. :)

With today being a Friday, and since I committed to serve God in the choir, I rushed to church after work for my weekly practice for the upcoming Good Friday performance. It was as if God took away the fatigue that was plaguing my body and burdening my spirit. :D The practice was extremely rejuvenating, nearly a blast if I may say, and I felt so blessed to be singing and grooving along with all the Praislighters. Seeing how God work really amazes me every single time. :)

The icing to top off the day however, was the fellowship that I had with Harry and Clara post practice. Dinner at Admiralty's McDonald's was the main plan, but it soon evolved to a 2 hours talk-cock session. :P

It had been eons since I last chatted with friends at any McDonald's joint, so this time it brings back some good ol' reminiscences as well. The topics we touched on were so widely diversified, that all of us had our own fair share of extreme, uncontrollable laughter. :D (You know, those type when you lean back and forth while laughing? :P) We had so much fun talking, to the point that we nearly forgot that it was nearly midnight!

Since I'm going to start serving in the Saturday's Miracle Service in March, I believe such conversations can only happen more often. ;)

Well, my 29th February 2008 was being marked from tiredness, to rejuvenation, and ended with laughter. How's yours? :D

梦在哪儿？

不知为何，当今天的《简单就是美2》一播出时，心里突然有些许的失落感。“第六回”里的“六”字突然感觉好大似的。或许在我及繁忙又杂乱无章的生活中，这个节目所带给我的平静与调谐，已悄悄地给于我心灵更大的呼吸空间，开阔我狭小的视野，以至身心获得舒缓减压之妙效吧。再多两集一切便要告一段落，失落感难免油然而生。

很明显的，第二系列的《简单就是美》把节目中心专注在简单的生活中。直到目前，已经有好几集是在谈人们放弃自己的忙碌城市生活，抛开世俗的枷锁，而改变自己的人生方向，朝梦想前进。今天这一集也不例外。虽然与第一系列DIY的题材有差异，但对于此时此刻的我而言，简单的生活似乎是我梦寐以求的完美终点。

今天节目中，佩芬到了日本千叶县一个叫Wwoof的有机农场。那里环境清幽，远离都市的繁华嘈杂，是个修心仙境。在郊外那儿空气新鲜，每天都要以自己的劳力下田耕耘，才能换取每餐的温饱。坦白说，我有一种茅塞顿开之感。难道那种生活，便是我所梦寐以求的完美终点吗？

再给自己多一点时间，来了解自己的需要，理想，想到达的目的地，还有内心所渴望的究竟是什么。从前我所努力追逐的科技知识与高薪安稳的工作，现在似乎些许模糊了起来。如同节目中的人物，我是否有可能圆自己如今所狂想的梦呢？

Optimus Maximus Revisited

Roughly about a month ago I first blogged about this Optimus Maximus keyboard, and raved on its customisability, and the keys that look so nice and sleek, and it being so expensive and stuff.

Well here's the latest update from engadget. It showcases how to set it up, configure it for different applications that you want to run, and also how to use it.



After having a serious look at it this time, and thinking it through, I feel that this keyboard quite possibly serves no additional purpose for me than what a regular keyboard will offer. :D Here's why.

Firstly, I type without looking at the keyboard. In all its glory of customisability, I most likely won't be able to enjoy it.

Secondly, I feel that too much time can be wasted to customise the different layouts. I guess for me, a simple QWERTY keyboard with all the keys properly laid out is so much easier to use. Making the alphabets quirky with strange fOntS, sizes and colours are totally beyond me. :P

Lastly, judging from the looks of it, it looks both expensive and uses more electricity than conventional keyboards. Why would I want that either? :/

Other than being a nice piece of eye candy (seriously nice one at that!) that you can put around the house, which might probably earn you the bragging rights of having one of the coolest keyboards around town, I seriously find no practical use of it.

Not too sure if everyone feels the same way as I do. But well, these are just my thoughts. ;)

我的黑色牛奶 (BM)

“发生什么事？”

我关切地问道在电话另一方的妈妈。从她那搀杂着不安与伤感的口吻中，我察觉到有事情发生。

“。。。BM。。。死了。”

***

回想起初次见它的那一天，大约已是三年半前的事了。二〇〇四年八月八日，在国庆日的前一天晚上，我在蔡厝港那条熟悉的路听到了不熟悉的声音。

“铛铛铛，铛铛铛。”

铃儿的声响响彻那鸦雀无声的夜晚。我朝着声音的来源望去，只见到了一幅茫然的它。似乎有点不知所措，好像根本搞不清楚所在地，到处胡乱穿梭，希望能找到自己熟悉的环境。从它不整洁的毛发，再加上身体所散发的臭味儿，我打从心底地认为它是被人忍心的遗弃了。我决定把它带回家。

一直以来，我都是家里所领养的狗的命名之父，它也不例外。一身黑白混杂的毛发，我头头为它启了“B&W”，也就是“Black & White”的简称。哪儿知才过了不久，便觉得叫起来一点也不顺口。不知为何第一个念头就是用牛奶自然的米白色代替它身上的白。取而代之的就是“Black Milk”，或“BM”为简称。

它就是我的黑色牛奶。

***

BM虽是家中老二，但最温顺最听话的就属它。大概是不太习惯自己的新名字吧，叫“BM”时它一点反应也没有。但如果叫一声“come!”，它便会飞奔地跑到你身旁，立即坐下。它那矫健的反应看起来还真是滑稽逗趣。在家中三只，也唯独它懂得和人握手。平时不叫也不闹，是个不可多得的宝，非常惹人喜欢。

在我们数月的细心爱护及照料下，原本瘦削的它也渐渐恢复正常的体重。瞧它一天天强壮起来，我深信当初将它接回家是正确之选。它的存在也明显的带给一家人一种莫名的喜悦。

***

大约三个月前的凌晨时分，妈妈忐忑不安地进了我的房间，把在熟睡的我摇醒，要我替她从网络上察看哪里有动物医院。听到房门外BM上接不接下气的呻吟，时不时又在猛咳嗽，我不敢怠慢。

隔天晴晨，就当我准备上班时，妈妈说院方刚打了一通电话来。BM的咳嗽已受到了妥当的药物控制，情况也稳定了下来。不过院方接着说，造成BM呼吸困难的缘故是因为年纪已高，心脏已大不如前。他要我们有心里准备，就算BM这一次能救的回，寿命也最多只剩一年。

我试着以平常心来面对，毕竟它真的是老了吧。

***

“。。。BM。。。死了。”

过往的思绪不断地泳上心头。

“我要以平常心来面对它的死亡”的这片薄薄的谎言，被我所听见的事实给狠狠地撕列。

就在八时三刻左右，BM，我的黑色牛奶，带着我心坎里的一块，悄悄的走了。

Oh??!!

修心

在台湾新店的小周是个种茶专家。令我感触良多的并非他的茶艺，而是他随意所说的一句话：

“种茶其实是在修心，不是在做茶。做茶只是一个过程。”

我愣了一会儿。想一想，在这金钱挂帅的新加坡，每一位成年人都是朝九晚五地忙于事业的打拼。究竟有多少人能够追寻简单的梦想，改做一些既平凡又接近大自然的事，修自己的心，自己的本，修自己的根？

“修心”这个词带着好深奥的意义朝着我的内心逼近。

看完每一集的《简单就是美２》，真让我向往出国体验人生百态，寻找自己的梦想。或许回到根本，人就是需要大自然，才能平静的去享受每一刻。生活在这繁华喧闹的都市中，老实说，好难啊。

“心灵上的获得，更胜于一切。”－佩芬