Promise... Promises... Promised

everything is promising until delivered...

When I started working 30 years ago, my senior officer told me that everything is promising until delivered
I understand what he meant although I was a rookie then and everyone around me told me 'you are a promising youth'; then, I had only started work following my "O" Level
Further studies was out of question because my family was poor, very poor indeed
I knew that if I acquired a skill or a special knowledge, I will be of value to my employer & prospects
The world is, and shall be, mine to conquer

But, the reality is different; reality is always cruel
I wonder what our Ministers are barking at with :  'that ITEs, POLYs - without a degree, you can still succeed', 'that even with degrees you may not be able to put meals on the tables', 'there is no need for degrees'...
Since time memorial, the educated rules the less & un- educated
Since Confucius time, the poor scholars ace the Imperial Exams and return to shine
Our Civil Service, Military and related machineries are filled with scholars
Do you still NOT need a degree? Omigosh, tell that to your children

If you can study and you don't make good use of your mental capacity, it's your fault
If you are good in certain skills or areas, be the best - baker, chefs, actor, craftsmen
If you can't study but have acute business acumen, go start a business & prosper
Whatever it is, be the BEST

My billionaire business contact told me once "I am not educated but I employed all types; degrees, MBAs, PHds, alas...

In a Capitalist-Democratic society, the politician rules with the help of businessmen who grease the economy
One creates the rules while the other plays within the rules;  the workers provide the effort (work in exchange for income)

The businessmen lobby for favourable terms while the workers lobby for equitable compensation; the Politician is the arbiter

The politician promises that everyone will be equitably rewarded & cared for
The businessmen promised to share his fruits
The workers ...is still waiting for the promises.

Guess, everything is promising until delivered...

Can You Challenge Destiny?

time changes everything...

After writing for so many years, this the first time that I did not pen anything in a month (July)
Murphy's Laws were on assault over this period of time; things go wrong, went wrong or were simply not right

My aged mum fell and injured again. Omigosh! simply 'cos her right leg didn't agree with her left leg
Rushed her to hospital, made necessary arrangements for her to be warded; when she's down, we get busy

I am the invincible but, at times, I was near breathless; willing but unable
The internet was down, the stockmarket was dead and the 'Buys' were down while the 'Sells' were up
My laptop hanged and I did (whatever) something and lost all my information and data

Some days ago MH17 was shot down over Ukraine and when I landed in Shanghai, another airplane drop in Taiwan in bad weather while yet another crash in Mali
How uncertain death called unannounced

I have matched businesses which were, and will be, consummated at the click of a finger
NO, it didn't happen this way; it was utter failure
Failures, failures and more failure

Am I in a hurry to succeed and to get things right? Maybe ...
I have worked hard, harder than anyone
Or, perhaps, I have been working hard but wasn't smart
Or, Lady Luck is deserting me, has deserted me ...or, ??? whatever


Is GOD testing me; if so, I would have failed...failed badly indeed
As my spirit is willing but my body is weak - defeat are real while victory are a 'feel'
This reminds me:
In my younger days, I was so, so, so very confident when I went for my driving test
Failed the first time...failed again the second time
By the third time, I was floored, unsure and no more confident but I PASSED

Can I challenge destiny? Or should I bid my time

Yes, anyone can challenge Providence but you must be prepared for defeats, defeats & more defeats when your time is not due
Like the butterfly; unless and until the wings are dry, you simply cannot fly

I wish I know; I guess I know

Live Your Life Simple

from simple to complex to ...simplex

Every thing starts simple
A meal a day; air, water and sunlight
Physiological needs & safety needs are the basis of pure existence
Then, comes a convoluted environment that blurs the needs

We arrived naked and shall return hands-free
Being born and dying is not a choice but a Destiny
Between life and death, we can do whatever we want & be the best you/we can
There is a choice

In the world of the blind, the one-eyed Jack is the King
In an elitist world, the elites ringfenced and make mobility for all outside their spheres impossible
Within the poor and oppressed, a leader will surface someday to lead his hordes to higher grounds
The rich cannot live in a sea of poor

My heart is the "Dao"
My brain is the "De"
If my heart don't desire, my brain cannot conspires
Man proposes, GOD disposes

We are so caught up in this world for 'success'
Where the fishermen long for a house in the city and the wealthy tycoons long to stay by the ship to enjoy the seas
Where the grass is greener on the other side of the fence and the moon is bigger over the horizon
It's a make believe world

I live but once
I will do all that I wanted to do, if not most
Bricks and stones break bones; Words do not kill
I do not live in other's shadow

I will make my life & living worthwhile

If everything is equal, I want the upper half & to live healthily & happily forever...my simple wish

The Greatest Defeat In My Life

I am lost
I am completely lost in my own plot
The last few years were wasted times & unnecessary tears
Money were lost, compassion were traded, trust were shattered & I was left to walk alone

This time it's not alone but loneliness in defeat
My strategies were 'a flops' & my commitment has gone to the winds
False hopes, fake starts
There is no mercy in defeats

I have lost opportunities by trusting the wrong people
The untested, the inflated, the disinterested & the 'plain talkers'
Whatever, today I was hit really, really hard; a simple deal went to someone's else pocket
I have been silly, dreaming & in denials

Will the world waits for me? No
Will anyone show me mercy? No
Will I stand tall with the same attitude & beliefs? No
Will I be able to rise above this shattering defeat? YES, but I must leave this environment

I'm late. I'm very late
How stupid I was & how complacent I have been? The distractions, the make-beliefs, the hollow promises & my blind confidence
I am defeated in my own hands & by myself

It's been a long time
Today, I nearly, nearly cried; it's not dissimilar to my exams failure in Secondary Two
I promised myself now; it will never happen again
I will go out to conquer the World singlehandedly

I needed a good rest
When I awake again
My footsteps shall shake Earth again
I believe in MySelf

It's me FIRST.
If I can't swim, how will I ever saves a drowning man
If I'm scraping the bottom of the bowl, how will I ever have enough to spare
A new chapter starts on my next awakening

I Can & I Will


SUCCEED

Stress Or Discontented

Life is a bottled-up roller-coaster...

What's so stressful about daily living? It's almost mundane and routine
Day in, day out; eat sleep, shit ...die someday
The stress comes from providing the possibilities, that is Eat, Sleep, Shit...
The idiot who created the 'medium of exchange' started stress

If everyone lives a simple life; a meal a day, basic housing, affordable transportation and recreation

Life's gonna be a breeze

The stress begins when the 'Haves' becomes the 'Elites' to rule the 'Have-Nots', writes self-serving  and restrictive rules so that the ground is ringfenced for their own benefits
Many aspiring 'Haves but still living as Have-Nots' are given minimum advantages to say "YES" & to support whatever shit the 'Haves' drop
It's simply 'Divide & Rule'
Morals, accountability and responsibility is flush down the manhole

It's good to have aspiration and to be inspired to climb greater heights
But, when meritocracy becomes disguised-restraints, discontent, resentment and sufferings evolved
The donkey will never be able to eat his pie that hangs ahead of him
Similarly, the rich cannot live in a sea of poor

A spark, however minor, will result in revolution, changes or destruction
Nobody wants instability but if the 'Haves' lived in their ivory tower and the 'Have-Nots' struggle, implosion is inevitable
Give and take, Care & share...no man's an island
Passing the blames to the 'Have-Nots' will only cause more frustration and resentment

Give back what is fair and due to the 'Have-Nots'; they form the backbone and stability of Society
Greed will maim
Self-denials will destroy
Explosion is manageable but an implosion will shred the Societal's fibres into stoneage

Release and relieve STRESS
Give back the dignity, care and self-esteem to the 'Have-Nots'
The true leader eats, sleeps and shares the same aspirations, fears and dreams of everyone
Before the next teardrop falls

Everyone can live with minimum & no one can live with none

May @Labour Day

If I'm in labour, I'm struggling to pop out the baby
I can only feel pain, distress & more pain
Sweat & blood flows...

May Day, May Day is an "SOS" call
It's a distress call, not any ordinary phone call
It's an emergency

Why is Labour day also called May day?
Labourers, workers, wage-seekers & salaried-men struggle throughout to earn sweat money
Every penny counts

Workers have minimum to nil bargaining power if their Union speaks the same lingo as employers
It worsen when the Authority sides with employers
Tripartite will always disadvantage the workers; deliberately or otherwise

It may create industrial peace falsely by suppressing workers rights, again deliberately or biasness

Whether it's Labour Day or May Day, it's sweat & blood money
Workers have to work hard to earn their keep; real hard
Local wages are suppressed with the free-flow & import of foreign workers

If foreigners are allowed to work unrestrictedly in any jobs at lower costs; perhaps, if we employ foreign politicians likewise, our costs will be much lower. You can't say M/s Henry Kissingger, Magdeline Albright, Hilary Clinton, Zhu RongJi, Wen JiaBoa aren't talents! Can you?

Whatever! What's good for the goose is good for the gander

Let there be peace, prosperity & harmony
Protect, care & share the dreams, fears & aspirations of all Singaporeans
No local citizens can nor should be deprived of their rights & freedom

We must not be a minority in our own homeland

May the real, sincere & committed leader surface to lead his/flock to higher grounds
Words are cheap; walk your talks
For Singaporeans, by Singaporeans, with Singaporeans

The Second Wind

I grow up seeing calamity, sufferings, pains & HOPEs
I was inspired instead as I grew up in the pediatrics department because my younger brother was regularly ill, very ill indeed
Getting in & out of hospital is a norm
Coming from a very poor family, we were at the mercy of the hospital; by extension their doctors
Well, he lasted almost 20 years

I admire the doctors, their determination and their commitment
Being poor was never a problem with all these God-sent angels around
But, the pains suffered by all the kids in the pediatric department tell me 'I must live the best today & everyday where many struggle to be alive & I only needed to be the best I can'; I was only about 9 years old then
Hope was my only asset

I visited my younger brother, feed him, then took a bus to school daily as my mum struggles to eke out a living
I wanted to be a doctor though I was never one
I never at any time feel inferior nor poor; I felt blessed compared to the rest of the kids
I went on to conquer & push new frontiers with grit, determination, plans & foresight & with basic minimum

You may be born poor but do not live poor; worse if you die a pauper

To supplement my family income, I started to work after my "O" level
Along the way, I collected two diplomas & a degree through hard work as I worked, studied & had a family of my own
Live was a breeze - stormy, tornado, hurricane at times
I never felt disadvantaged as I overcame challenges along the way with commonsense

I have my fair share of successes with sprinkles of defeats

In a God I trust; man proposes, God disposes

At past 50s, I am rediscovering my drive, my prowess, my future
If I have my way, the next 5 years will outshine & outperform my past half decade
It's "The Return Of The Prodigy"

Stock market - 4 April & forward

How far will the stock market rise?

Stic     3220
Klci.   1855
Hsi.     22565
N225  15071
S&P    1886
DJIA.   16552

Dow Jones & S&P 500 have gallop ahead despite pundits betting against them. There are two broad markets : the developed market & the emerging market within which you find blue chips & 2nd/3rd liners.

Looking at the crystal ball now, it seems that correction is imminent. The recent run-up, an overbought position, lack of new impetus coupled with April/quarterly low ring alarm of an impending correction albeit major.

What's holding up the market is a courageous contrarian plot; where everyone is expecting a drop, it is seldom delivered.

Drop, it will. The next two weeks can be telling!

Will the bear swing send the bull to the abattoir ? No.

Market psychology has swing from momentum trading (hot money) to contrarian trading (follow the money). The range & depth will be wider & deeper & the swings more volatile.

For the moment, catch (buy) the drop & sell in May & go away.

October will always be the most rewarding month. For those caught on the opposite fence, it's also most damaging.

This year rewards will go to contrarian players. Watch M&A.

Happy trading & trade with extreme care.

Staying Alive

I'm aging, aging fast
I'm stressed, stressed up by others' problems; a little here, a little there & I'm almost drowned
My attempts to overcome challenges by keeping fit is also draining me
I struggle to keep alive, sparkling bright, positive ...inching forward tirelessly

Some days the biorhythm is simply low
There's no perking up; it's like a liter of petrol left to cover the next 50 km
The body aches, the skeletons do not move in sync & the eyes could hardly open
The brain isn't working & the heart pumps weakly

I can't think straight & I rely on instincts to make decisions
Never have I been in this dilemma - guess, life's lessons are continued education
I go with the flow, with enforced & deliberate patience
I do not get agitated & avoid being drawn into any fray

My smiles never fade
My built, my physique & my thoughts are, but, bold representation
My Soul is flying below radar & above 'my need to stay alive' - surfing
Like Ultraman, I'm waiting to recharge when the sun rises

Is it difficult? No
Is it easy? Not really
There are times I'd like to cry loudly under the rushing tap or under a waterfall
Where every bad feelings & tough challenges are washed away; returning refreshed

Whatever, I'm like the lighthouse - brightly lit, come rain, sunshine or snow

The world is mine to conquer...but, in the meanwhile, I need to remain well & alive
To see the tides rise, to enjoy sunrise & to breathe
I must be ALIVE, well & kicking
Tomorrow is mine & the world is my playground

When My Plane Goes Missing

Sometimes, there are no answers to some questions...


When the plane goes missing, don't panic because at some point in time it will resurface
You can try finding & keep finding but if AlMighty wants to keep us longer as guests, you will have to wait
We may be guests at another dimension too

While you are anxious, we, upon disappearance, are held powerlessly
We can see you, hear you but we can't respond because we are invincible & bodiless
Our Souls are out of our bodies; broken, twisted, convoluted & some parts are smashed

The Angels are busy repairing & restoring some bodies & body parts
Some of us are not due to return while most have expired
There is also an interesting episode; the wrong passports holders were not suppose to return yet have done so
Returning them to Earth is not an issue but they beg to stay instead of going back to spend the rest of their lives in the dungeon; Heaven is Utopia

We came, we saw & we seen our past fleetingly replayed
Many did what they were supposed to do but some...are filled with regrets
Going back to be Earthlings will mean retribution


From this experience, it's clear humans are good at guessing....guess where we are, guess we are dead, uummm, maybe alive somewhere but don't know where
Because of being born, we need to die
Between life & death, you can do all you wanna want


Oops, with all the advance technology & sharmen
You can't & will not see us ...but soon, soon we will be back
A few will be alive to tell a tale or two but most would have expired

We are back with our Creator

And, with closure, we will be forgotten in due course


Live healthily, happily & enjoy every moments (of your life); it's a completely different world here

What Is Luck?

luck is random, at best...

How patient and tolerant can a person be and for how long can he ignore the environment bashing negatively against him? It's not measurable at all; most give up long before the tides change

Often many said you must be 'focus' but what's there to focus if you have been hitting the wall. Maybe, its about punching through the wall

The tough luck syndrome is more common than the lady luck; where one fights every inch to survive while the other lives on a silver bowl alternating with a midas touch

Many successful persons have facades; they amplify their strength and manage their weaknesses

The world loves a winner as lady luck only woos winner, i guess

The saint, the priest, the monk, the preacher and all holy man says don't worry, be happy, look on the bright side of life, count your blessings, God is with you...frankly, these are soothing phrases which if repeated long enough means nothing to a defeated person

If destiny is carved on stone, then why work? The rewards or non-rewards will be the ultimate prize

I am looking for the meaning of positive living as I have been living positively as always and yet I have the occasional down time where days are long and minutes stretched...

Whatever is luck is no more important to me. I just want to be a winner as the world loves a winner and lady luck crowds around a winner

The world is mine to conquer