~An old Oriental tale ~
There were two brothers in an rural coastal village in a faraway land! One is an ambitious man and the other a simple one, but their mother loves them both the same. The simple one decides to stay back in the village to be near her mother so becoming a fisherman! The other couldn’t stand being a manual labourer and aim for the sky, so left the village to search for his fortune. The fisherman brother worked hard and toiled the sea so the mother could have her daily meal. The ambitious brother was never too be seen!
The ambitious brother have travel far and wide and out of sight. But as he was ambitious, he got it right! He found his aim and gave it a fight. The reward is he gained, gave him great might. With riches in tow he never fulfil his pride and want more than what he has already in his grip. So, he set his aim as the next emperor in line by wooing and courting the emperor’s sole heir. Because of his ambition and his charming ability, he got what he wants and is set for life. A poor village boy by birth with exceptional ambition and drive has become a potential Emperor to be.
His first role was coincidentally to govern the small coastal village of his birth, where his mother and brother still lives. He travel in style that is announced at every turn. Dressed to the hilt in gold and silver, he thought he never looks a bit like his past. But mother being a mother, saw through all the glitter and recognised her son. She called out his name and was ignored in shame, for the ambitious son cannot be seen to have a poor uneducated mom. The mother was barred from his court to kept the lid on his past and this has made a very sad and disappointing mom. But the mother understands and kept her distance as she love him no less.
Then the fateful day came, wind from the sea drive waves higher than trees, hit the village with force unseen. The fisherman at sea felt the heaviest brunt. They ship twist and bend, with most breaking up in the heavy sea. Amongst those men was the ambitious man’s brother. When the waves subside, the mother was fearful as she fear that she may lost one son! So she went to the ambitious man to seek help to search for her missing son. He tossed his head and in his pride refused to recognise his mother or his brother’s existence and would not offer any help.
The mother heart broken, when to the sea cliff and wailed to the sea! She cried with tears flowing uninhibitedly. Her cry was eerie and gruelling and never stop for three days, until it woke up the God of the sea! The God of Sea learnt of her story, and clapped his hand to raise a gigantic wave. It spat out the lost son and at the same time washed down the governor’s palace with the ambitious son in it! THE END!
The moral of the story is: do not build your palace next to the sea if you want to piss off your mother.
That is what is left behind after the God of Sea swept the palace into the sea! 
***
10 more days! That’s it, half a year, six months, 26 weeks or 182.5 days will have past us! Yes, that is how fast time passes us! In a blink of an eye, that is what they would say, your life is gone and you wonder where?
At this moment, you would ask, what have I done? What have I achieved? Have I moved ahead or retract atail? Worse! Have my life got stuck in a twilight tale of groundhog day!
This is the time, where you would pull out your top ten resolutions without the Ryan Secrest howling down the mike announcing where it is now after six months of the charts.
No.1 ~ Keep fit & healthy
So far so good! Weighing in at 89kg or 196lbs! I have lost 7kg (15lbs) in six months! Am I fit though? Noooooo….. after losing 7kg, I am a weak, wreck. Time to get back with those dumbbells and I don’t mean that clown with the name starting with “Mc”.
No.2 ~ Be happy & contend with whatever material wealth I have
What else could I do? Sulk and hope that double “B” be put on trial at the Geneva war tribunals. The world is already sucked into one crisis after another as the legacy of the double “B”! Me, if I am not contend, I would have made an appointment with Dr J. Kevorkian! And as long as I haven’t made that appointment yet, I can assumed that my second resolution is on track! HAH!
No.3 ~ Have a full life… Make friends!
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA…
Have the cow landed on the moon yet? No! An introvert with a penchant for rudeness can never find the pot at the end of the rainbow, unless it is a fairy tale… get it! To be honest, I can’t even get friends on Facebook and I don’t even have to show my face to them. This blog may be read by only 3 people and that is after tricking my grandmother, who is computer illiterate, to click on my blog page. The other two would be me, secretly clicking to generate two hits.
No.4 ~ Read a novel each month.
Ok! This is easy! No friends, no social life, no money, the book is my friend….. wait, did I say no money!? So how the heck do I dish out 30bucks each month to buy a novel. I got those three in one cheap sale thingy of those out of fashion writer such as Robert Ludlum! I read “The Scarlatti Inheritance”, “The Matlock paper” & “The Osterman Weekend”. Blerrgghh… So they say, if you find on the supermarket shelves tomato soup half price! There surely must be something wrong! Expired! Heavily discounted goods are not heavily discounted for fun! They are heavily discounted because they are simply Blerrgggh…. My mind went numb reading that three junk and couldn’t continue. Did I fail or did Robert Ludlum fail?
No.5 ~ Marry my sweetheart
This is a one year long action resolution. So! I have six more months to be a MAN! AND GET HER THE RING… a 0.2carat one
Hey! Don’t laugh, the salesman at the diamond shop says, the budget is three months salary! I am unemployed! So! That means that I shouldn’t be getting a ring at all in the first place. Am I that cheapo? Ok NOT!
I admit, I did sell some of my stock photographs at my micro-stock agency, Dreamstime & Shutterstock, total earnings for the month of June USD2.15 & USD1.75. That is a grand total of USD3.90. Hmmm… let’s see what I can get with USD11.70! Diamond dusted aluminium ring… HAHAHAHAHAHA! It shines. (I secretly hope my sweetheart don’t read this blog ~ No worries, she won’t! Only three would read it…. refer to resolution no.3).
No.6 ~ Find work on the things I love.
Oooh! Ohohoho! Passed with flying colours! Unfortunately, it is my underpants that is flying the colourful flag. I am now a proud starving artist photographer. I am contributing to five micro stock agencies Dreamstime, Shutterstock, Fotolia, BigStock & Alamy! Very soon I will be a janitor waiting for my big hit to be discovered by a Art promoter! Woohoo! I am so proud to be a temporary starving janitor, dreaming of becoming a Magnum certified photographer! Woohoo! Let’s hope I don’t starve to death before I achieve my dream.
WAIT A MINUTE!!! IS THIS THE REASON WHY I AM ACHIEVING MY RESOLUTION NO.1!!
No.7 ~ Travel to one destination each month.
At the initial preparation of the resolutions, I have specifically worded “one destination”. I have legal counsel to determine that “one destination” means exactly that! And by the English interpretation of the resolutions prepared, destination may be anywhere as long as it is somewhere one is going towards!
I have been to my kitchen in the month of January! The toilet in February, my study room in March. For the month of April I travel a bit further, to the apartment’s mail room. In the month of May, its the second toilet! June…. hey! I still have 10 more day… don’t pressure me.
No.8 ~ Cure my OCD.
Cured! Just do not come into my house. Do not touch my belongings. Do not even come near me. Stay away! Shoo… Stay away from me, my OCD is cured, I don’t need to aggravate it.
No.9 ~ Get a cert for my skill.
I bullshit, talk cock & behave like a bigot. I am a highly skilled in tongue twisting double faced promise. Now! I must find an institution that issue a certificate for “politician”!
No.10~ To be more caring to the things around me.
Yada, yada, yada! Yes! I am off with my gab again. I care for my books, my computer, my PC, my house, my car, everything my… which so happens to be the only things that is around me. Please let this count as a pass. My score so far is already a dead 2/9! if this is a fail, it is a 2 out of 10 mark and that is a serious –F score.
So as mentioned, it is a 2 out of 10 score. A bad failure! The silver lining is that I have 10 more days to make it good for my half yearly result. Anyone out there willing to help?
“Give me money or give me death!” a desperate man cry!
***
Rachel Corrie the second line of aid ship that tried to break the Israeli blockade to Gaza! This was after an earlier convoy of flotilla with the infamous Mavi Mara was boarded by Israeli army? navy? police? which resulted in 9 activist’s death.
The high-handed Israeli actions needs to be condemned in the name of being politically correct! Any act of violence for whatever reasons (even in self-defence) cannot be politically justify lest one be branded an evil maniac with a psychotic tendency. And then face being international ostracised as a mad man! Tell that to Mahathir Mohammad, the ex-PM of Malaysia who wanted to get attention when he mentioned that the 9-11 incident is staged by America using “Avatar – 3D movie” technology! HAHAHAHAHAHA.
After the incident, nine Turkish are labelled as dead Hero and were given state burial. And for what? Causing international tension and worsening the conditions in Gaza.
Do any of this so called “humanitarian” group or association ever consider that Israel will never back down for whatever reason… Even if the Americans withdraw their support! Why? Because just as the Palestinian is fighting for their homeland, the Jews also strongly belief that Israel is their homeland too! So both are immovable object acting as unstoppable force, resulting in a long drawn-out disastrous war of attrition.
Now, though the Israelis are condemnable, so are the activist! Why o’ why are some group of people that have no link at all to the country, people or even distinctly related to the area, barring religion (mind you, some are not even Muslim) partake in an act that is so obvious a political international attention grabbing stunt?
Why are there still this group of so called activist willing to throw their life away as pawn to some unknown forces? Do they think they can shame Israel and the Jews? This is a nation that have been shamed even by GOD Himself since time immemorial & they are still at it…. shameless.
Is the so-called activists exercising some narcissistic human egoistic needs? Or do they have nothing else to do (unemployed in their own country and so decide to create a name for themselves in another?)?
MAYBE they are so fervently belief in freedom, justice, human rights, rule of law, that they are willing to sacrifice limbs & life to practice what they belief? Or try to change the world for better regardless of how it is done!
So I say, life is never fair! If you participate, you risk life and be labelled a pawn. If you abstain, you are labelled a selfish coward and have no belief in freedom. If you fight for the rights of others, you may be labelled a hypocrite as most activists do not practise what they fight for anyway! If you criticise their actions, you may be branded a bigot. Even if you shy away from the activities, some would say you are ignorant. What to do? It is not noble to be noble after all!
And to Mairead McGuire, A Nobel Peace Prize laureate. Do you think that by breaking the blockade would get you on the wall of fame? Do you think you bring peace by confrontation? Do you think that the situation in Gaza will improve by antagonising the aggressor that will not budge? Do you not think that you are one of the many pawns in an International game of political chess!? I wish the best for all, may more fights and challenges are thrown either ways so that CNN, BBC or Al-Jazeera will brings plenty of actions and hence revenue into their coffers.
No Peace on this wall after all for any Noble Nobel laureate!?
***
When I was younger, I used to wonder why, when I read the newspaper reports on “happenings”, the journalists/reporters would almost always indicate “businessman” as the profession of whomever that they are reporting or interviewing.
So! Back then, I was utmost impressed at the entrepreneurial spirit demonstrated by Malaysian as I had the impression that Malaysia is the home to a super large community of entrepreneur (or businessman). From the newspaper reporting, it seems that every other Ah Kow, Ali or Muthu is a businessman!
It wasn’t long before my friend who works in a Chinese Daily enlightened me with some facts. I found out that journalists/reporters are a “polite” lot. In line with the Malaysian Government approach of not sowing negative image of the country and to protect the pride of the people they are reporting about, they would used “businessman” as the choice profession for those that are unemployed. It definitely made them look better, at least it did manage to fool me into thinking that Malaysia is the home of commerce!
My friend then highlight to me that if I am observant enough, I would also notice that it is also the normal practice of newspaper’s journalists/reporters to coach any interviewee to described the subject of their report, example the victim of a car accident, the victim of a fire, the victim of a murderous killer or whatever…, as a good son, that have numerous A in their academic foray and have just been engaged with his/her fiancée and was planning their marriage.
This extra piece of information, then got me thinking! Now I get it! I used to think that the reason why there are so many stupid people in Malaysia is because most of the good people that are A student have either perished in a fire, killed in an accident or murdered by some nefarious villain. Now I know that Malaysian are stupid, just because most of them are actually stupid and some choose to be so as it is easier to live in their crazy, crazy world.
As for me! I am a modernistic XYZ generation! (Whatever that is?) So I am not a “businessman” but an “artist”! And since I hardly drive, no money to pay for gas & to poor to be a victim of any criminal, so there is little chance of me being a 9A student, that is a good son & about to get married. How about that, you newspaper reporter!!!
“I’m a lover not a fighter!”. I remember when I was much younger, this phrase used to be used in jest at every little thing that was remotely related to emotions. Back then we know for sure that Michael Jackson was a poofter and when he sang and said that phrase, in a vocal duel against that Beetle singer, whose first wife was a donkey that eat carrot only and the second a dig gold with her wooden peg, John Lennon? Oops! No, his wife is a circus freak… Paul McCartney. Yeah! When MJ was having his vocal duel with PM, I really thought I saw MJ eyeing PM’s crotch. Hmmm…..
Those days were gone! I have mellowed (But I am not a poofter!!) and I see the world in a very different perspective. In fact I have given up on common thuggery, intimidation tactics & violent behaviour for a more mid-level approach to circumstances around me. This have gone on for some while now. And I am much happier.
I do not look at circumstances with a paranoid vision and have affirmed my stance that all people have good intention until proven otherwise. Though this type of stance may not augurs well for me in my line of work, but I rather live a peaceful existence than be in a constant state of "fear".
I endeavour to be logical and practice what I preached and preach what I practice…. AND I do preach a lot…
My disappointment basically rest on the fact that human being are such a pain, possessing very little common sense and have no idea at all what they are doing in this world. They would indulge in all activities that would eventually inflict tremendous self-injury (both physically & emotionally).
I would therefore urge human being to practice my 5 basic mantra to achieve self actualization & peace :
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Be logical…. do not do unto others what you do not want others do onto you! What slug in a toilet sever would not understand this simple mantra… the worst kind, I presumed.
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Help yourself and let others help themselves and the world will be in balance! We lived in a biological system that is self-correcting. If you or others cannot help yourself or themselves, then you and they do not deserve to live as you or them are excess to this world. So! Get up from your Bum and get a life.
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Do not assume others are more well off than you in any way, just because your eyes tell you so…. pain, despair & suffering is not registered with the eye but with the heart… and no one have the pleasure to tell you their suffering. Do not practice envy at others well-being, you have no idea what is going on behind close doors.
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Do not compete for suffering! Instead attempt to achieve contentment. Better still do not compete at all in the emotional department, listen to others and try to bring comfort (there are reasons why people talk to you… and it is definitely NOT to compare their suffering or despair).
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Do not impose your will on others. That is tyranny! And one of the reason that donkey Blair gave to the Chilchot Inquiry for attacking Saddam is just that…. Saddam is a tyranny. So being a tyranny open yourself to be attacked justifiably or not!
There are of-course many, many other Mantras but the five above shall suffice at the moment for beginners that seek inner peace.
I have one thoughts that require deep thinking, I hope to see what all of you have to say!
The movie ~ "Primary Colours", starring John Travolta as a Democratic member vying for the right to represent the Democratic party in the election for the US Presidency ~ based loosely on Bill Clinton. As it goes, the movie ran over 100min with the battle of wits between all the respective Democratic candidates, the back-stabbing, the resolute attitude of the hero, etc, etc… and of course the Hero won. The movie ended with this sentence…. in a quite back room… the Hero said to his advisor, "We’ve won! So! What do we do next?". This makes me think.
MORAL of the story : It is obviously noble and demonstration of filial and maybe love that we may or could fight for peace, kill, maimed & destroy. We may sacrifice our career, family & even life. So then, we won! We got the “peace”! So! What do we do next? Tony Blair obviously did not think about that when he attack Iraq.
Everything will be back to Normal……. As if nothing have happened? Nothing will be learned from the battle and war. Human will be just as segregated, dispersed and isolated as ever!??!!??!?!??!
On a divine perspective : Why do you think GOD sent us through this wild goose chase? Giving us famine, war & disaster. The almighty obviously have a reason! And the reason is simple…. HE knows from the beginning that we are a "Crisis" family ~ Only to get together when there is a crisis. So! For HIS love of Man i.e. us, HE gave us a crisis to learn and repent. Unfortunately, I see not.
There would be people that could sit down and think deeply at what I have wrote… while there would be myopic short-sighted people that will be offended. There are even some that could brush me off as an irritating impossible bum that talk nonsense and waste people time. Which one are you?
Oh! I just hope that life is as easy as Ctrl+Alt+Del, the 3 finger salute, to reset!!! I would definitely have done things differently.
Making mistake is normal, everybody is fallible. Making mistake, acknowledge & learn from the experience, is intelligent and makes it acceptable! But to deny and to continue in the same direction, makes it intolerable & if it is with perfect knowledge that one have err but still refuse to change…. that is simply EVIL.
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