My Winning Combinations

picking up again...


Rest if you must but never quit
Quitters are losers
Persevere ; you will make it
Have faith; GOD willing, you will succeed
When to going is tough, the tough keeps going
Lovely phrases but the person going through it is showing signs of 'drowning' & hopelessness


Nobody wants to give up if he can sustain
Everyone is waiting for that nice break ~ sometimes, that looks like a distant possibility
Unfortunately, what breaks you is not the toughest but 'the last straw' is the lighetest ~ the lightness You can defeat the biggest bully, return from the worse setback but if your spirit is down, it's the end 
No amount of tough talks nor motivation can save a drowning Soul
Try as you may, sometimes it is flogging a dead horse

If GOD helps those who help themselves
Does it mean GOD is redundant? Perhaps...
If we have full faith with GOD yet when failures knock, many say 'everything happens for a reason'
The only reason is "there is no GOD"
GOD is only an invincible hope & comfort for the failures
Try talking to the successful ones; like you, he has never seen GOD

To rebuild or to build our future according to our goals is to plough on 'blindly but steadfastly'
Getting your intended target is 'success' & missing is a norm
There are no permanent doomsday nor victory parade; pass this moment, life is back to normal
Frustration, disappointment and disillusionment are due to expectations
Move ahead; just do it ... expects little and all shall be sugar, spice and everything nice
Victory or defeat is just that moment ~ & all shalt pass

Successful people also face defeats
Steve Jobs, Guo WenGui, Wang JianLin, George Yeo, Anwar Ibrahim, Jerry Yang...
The larger the gamemanship, the higher the stakes, the greater the defeat: No "IFs", No "BUTs"
Rebuilding is tougher than building as the sweetness of yesteryears turned bitter
When Man is non-emotional yet steadfast, he conquers all
No fear is greater than fearless 心有多大 舞台就多大

I fear nothing for I came naked and shalt return naked
Though, I must say I do have some emotional baggage
Above all, I know I am finite
I pass through this way but once
I shall live to the fullest and I'm aware no two moments are the same
I live NOW & I live well ~ some sugar, spice and most things nice

Defeats, disappointments, frustrations come & go 没有做不到的事 只是还没想到

I was down... I maybe down ~ but I shall return

Win ~ I Shall

Hello October, Goodbye September

the October feeling of reeling into wintry weather...

Life is full of surprises but winners may not necessarily be the best person
The fakes, the schemers, the conmen...
Any man can make mistakes but only an idiot persists in his error
Yet, the idiot wins
Almost everyone is born a genius but dies an idiot
The smartness somehow eludes the smartie and he dies a pauper

There is nothing more dangerous than a resourceful idiot
It's worse if he is a politician
He will cut corners, divide and rule, speak the untruths without blinking an eye
History has many ...alas!

Talent is a flame
Genius is the fire
A spark to glory manifest into sustainable victory
There is no genius without some touch of madness
Dare to be different & leaves the groupthink
No two ideas are similar and the first mover has advantage


If you choose bad companions, no one will believe that you are anything but bad yourself
- Aesop, Aesop's Fables 
Do not succumb to pressure to act and be 'one of the Jones'
Cut the coat according to your cloth
Time is the best friend and your achievements come over time
You cant have sex with 9 women & have a baby in 1 day ~ Law of Nature
 

A bad friend is is worse than an enemy, an enemy you can see and avoid, but to detect an insincere friend is hard - Bangambiki Habyarimana, The Great Pearl of Wisdom 

Acquaintances are not friends; they merely pass by
When you are down, the real friends surface but they are far and few
A bad friend secretly plots your downfall - Bangambiki Habyarimana, Book of Wisdom 
However close to you, where money comes between friends, money dictates the outcome
Trust is delicate 
Be yourself

Strangely, friends almost always leave you at your most critical moments
Hearts are broken, relationship stops
You are on your own in this world when all leaves and the wintry chills blow
You arrive alone and naked & this is the paradox of life; you are always on your own
Your friends are here to share your glory, fame and monies

Fake friends are like shadows: always near you at your brightest moments, but nowhere to be seen at your darkest hour True friends are like stars, you don't always see them but they are always there.

Habeeb Akande

Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/idiot.html

Any man can make mistakes, but only an idiot persists in his error.
Read more at: https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/keywords/idiot.html

Fear

loneliness, losing and dying are the biggest fear...

Nothing lasts forever & everything shall comes to an end
If not now, sometime soon
But, why is losing something dear terribly scaring? It's the bondage
We grew use to it and become unduly comfortable
Taking away the norm, the usual, the comfort is fear in itself

When you are poor and hungry, you can hunt and find food
When you have a roof over your head and a family to care for, your stakes increase
When you are rich, famous, powerful & had achieved success, dying becomes a challenge
You are bonded by your desires and earthly needs, the thought of losing all is life threatening

Strangely, when you are alone, you are not lonely
When you bathe in good company & enjoy companionship, life becomes lonely when one departs
The belongings, the longings, the togetherness breed contempt
Bonds and bondages make human/men dependent
If you can give up your earthly wants, you would have achieved half-enlightenment

Fear incapacitates

Empty is not void
Alone is not loneliness

Fear not
Everything is finite
Some day, some time; everything ends
Most importantly, live life to the fullest

Being Useful & Being Used

being useful and being used ...

In this worldly mix of people, being useful is value-add and being used is an abuse
I’m not a backup plan, and definitely not a second choice.
People make use of you, not unlike a photocopy machine
When your value disappears & usefulness evaporates, you're discarded
There is no sympathy

What's worse than being used? Being lied to...
The worst feeling in the world is to know you were used and lied to by someone you trusted
Men are sacrificed like lambs when selfish agendas rise
The smiley tiger eats everyone alive when need be
Retribution is a word just to console

Money is a dirty word but necessity 有钱不是万能 没钱万万不能
A ugly man with money often has his arm a beautiful lady who is willing to spend it
Money certainly do wonders
Men slogged for rewards however scarce to put three square meals on the table
There are no fools but stupidity has no cures

When you help someone and were being used, it's a lesson
When you repeatedly help in the hope that the situation will change, you're an idiot
Fooling yourself that you can change him &/or the world is the biggest absurdity
A fool is born everyday
Mutual use equals mutual abuse

However, a knowledgeable, enthusiastic and industrious person is useful
His usefulness sharpens when he helps the less privilege, needy and the weaker lots
He is a doer and a leader; a man with a cause
He does not deprive the weak and less able but manifest a union of positives
The world shalt be turned into winnings and savings, not exploitations

The marriage of convenience of 'fakes' with 'charlatans' ensnare long term destruction

No country survives long enough with fakes and propagandas
As the moon, the sun and the truths shalt ultimately surface
Worshiping 'the Cons, the false leaders & prophets' for short term gain is common
The selfish and greedy shall pay for it dearly, including destruction of their land of births
Some day, some how; all sufferings stop

Infamy is not fame   

Cowards, cronies & proxies are being used in the blind hope of a better tomorrow
You only 'live once'; remember, live well and fully
Do not plant the roots of destruction for your offsprings to suffer
Today's faults is tomorrow sufferings
Do it right, do it good & do it without having to worry about tomorrow's ill-effects 

You arrived crying & naked & you shalt return clothed whilst others cry
Death the leveller

Anger & Danger

anger is bad for health...

Anger hurts the liver & causes troubles; some are irreparable
Anger destroys and is a moment of folly
Holding on to anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die ~ Buddha
Sometimes, we do not know why we get work-up but the truth is 'the powder keg' bursts
When you tolerate too long, stomach the punches & nuisances... alas, it cracks
It is best to speak out in a cool, calm manner than to swallow the sorrows

My vision of good health is to clear everyday's problem
If you can resolve it, resolves it
If and when you can solve it, you have a choice to pursue the perpetrator or forget it thereafter
There is no need to bottle up
Some day, some how... when you look back, it's such a relieve

The bitterness of revenge will leave sour taste in your mouth
The sweetest revenge is victory over your adversaries
The slippery vengeance is clouding your mind and bars you from any positive outcome
Let go and lightens the heart
There is no victory in destruction

Walking away from anger is like walking away from Hell
You either hurt another or be hurt
Both end up losers, no smarter nor wiser
If pain and suffering is the reward, anger is the cause
Get up, get going...loosen up and everything gets better

I have deliberately move away from unfriendly, aggressive provocateurs  
They are sure and sore losers; bringing you down is their satisfaction
I may loss a little, suffer some dents but anything that doesn't kills lead to progress
Clear the mind of sorrows, anger and live in peace & progress
The next time, you are about to burst out with a ... punch, curse, profanities

Take a deep breathe, count to 10, then speak

 There is no reward for anger

Help...Help Others

a little help goes a long way...

A drop of water saves the life of a dehydrated man
A timely infusion of blood saves a near dying man whose blood's oozing
You cannot save the drowning man if you cannot swim
You can barely do charity to benefit others if you cannot even fill in 3-square meals for yourself

I was at a hospital canteen ordering food and a young doctor was trying to pay with her prepaid card but she had insufficient funds
I paid for mine and as well as hers, simply because I thought her time will be better spent saving lives than to worry or wait for her colleagues to bring money; just a thought
I have seen elderly and able-bodied persons begging for a couple of dollars at food centres
Typically, I don't give money but offer to buy them food and/or drinks there & then
However tough life is, a satisficing meal goes a long way

Being able to help others is a blessing

If and when you need help, sometimes it could be very trying
Worse if you cannot share nor seek help
That's when the world closes its doors
Painting oneself to a corner ~ desperate times require desperate measures
If all else fails, reboot, restart and remain calm 走回上记

So long as you are alive and breathing, there is always a chance to turn around
Keep going
Take baby steps
You goal may be far but soon, soon enough, you shall arrive
When the chips are down, lie low ...

Winning is everything 胜者为王
But, not all winners are the best
Perseverance and fluidity win ~ use your brain
The world loves a winner

Help if you can
But, if you cant or refuse to, please do not make it any worse

Surviving The Tough Times

work a little, work to survive...

Time is bad but like day and night, it shall pass
Tough time dont last, tough people do
I ran cross country in my school days and I knew I just need to pace the front runners
I need to keep up and slow down if I must but never quit
In my second run, we came in Champion; not because we can but because we paced each other
That's "Motivation & teamwork"; I suddenly discover I need the same in my (current) life

I am struggling and many of my days were darker than I can handle
Everything seems an obstacle; it simply fails
The zest, perseverance, the positives...were all maxed out
Either you give up or you sink further and deeper
I did neither; I just stare into time ~ stagnating time
Not doing anything is also a solution

As time passes, dawn breaks, day brighten
Tough, rough but it shall
Sometimes, the sky opens up & pours
I take that as showers of blessings
The wetness cools the Soul
I know I shall return to glory...sometime soon

Those who made it will always encourage you to continue and be patient; your day shall come
Asked Bill Gates, Jack Ma, your Ministers, the multimillionaires ...your day shall come said they
I believe too
It will be lighter if I can say the same ~ isn't that an irony of life
The "HAVEs" advise the "HAVE NOTs" ~ the Champion encourages his competitors
Keep going and do not listen to doomsayers

Whatever don't kill you, makes you better

More importantly, stay alive and keep going
Dead man tells no tales
When you are not around, you cannot savor the best meals nor breathe the freshest air
Do not wait for sympathy as our crowded 7billion +planet has more evils than you can think of
Go with the flow
Some day, some where, some how ...you will arrive

GOD willing, I will succeed

The Days We Were

the dignity of living is affected by ...

When the country was founded and growing up, the educated plot the strategy, the master builders build, the white-collars administer and the ladies 'man' the house
There were pains, sufferings, difficulties but all were overcame with sweat and smiles
Rewards were equitably distributed and the lame, less-abled & less fortunate were taken cared of
Many moved ahead, prospered and ploughed back
Backbreaking jobs were carried out where machines were scarce
Jobs were aplenty and income disparity were present but the gini-coefficient was narrow

Care and share were bathe with sweat and smile
'Nobody will be left behind' was a working motto and the system cared for the economically disabled
Housing was built for all as the promise of 'a roof over your head' was sowed and reaped
The Executive, the Mid-Class, the Working Class and the peasants were in the same boat
Regardless of race, language or religion
Base on justice and equality ~ meritocracy even out the social ladder

When politicians fight for a cause, the Nation prosper

Those were the days...

Rewards for efforts flourished and academic excellence smoothened the climb out of social poverty

Comradeship was built through societal care

Everyone and every efforts are recognized, however small

Leaders lead by examples and commoners took sacrifices and gave way the greater good

The future was planned; from labor intensive to capital intensive to value-add

High technology and high finance flamed the growth as pools of local were trained to fill the jobs

The citizens were uniformly identified as Singaporean ~ Chinese, Malay, Indian, Eurasian, others...

Motivation - Reward - https://youtu.be/6eoBqiJPb1o 

When you pay enough, they work
When you pay enough plus incentives rewards, they work better and use initiatives
When you pay luxuriously, they ringfenced their positions, delegate responsibilities and needn't work

Nobody will rock their own boat and be replaced
Every other races and nationalities will bring in those of their own types and hides and replace locals
For each his own ~ the economic refugees will empty the coffers, burn the Cos and leave the country
Few will take residence
Few to nil invaders live to build your country ~ economic locusts and termites simply destroy

Unless Singaporeans revert back to protecting Singaporeans' interests and livelihoods, displacement, enforced retirement and unemployment will be the norm

Those were the days

Do, Don't Do Or "Wait For The Appropriate Moment"

getting into the act of actioning ...

Many times, we procrastinate and time flies
Then, we bemoan the waste of time listlessly
But, if we had rushed to action it, that could be the least appropriate or uneventful time
Doing for the sake of doing is a waste of resources
No attention should be expended on wasteful commitments

There is a time for everything, including idle time

Baby is 'demanding' time; cry and your milk shall arrives
Growing up is 'freedom' time; free from economics obligations
Graduation is 'working' time; finding income through acquired skills
Family is 'commitment' time; commit every resources ~ the hunter got to hunt to place 3 square meals
Twilight is 'retirement' time; looking back and count your blessings or grumble about wastefulness

Time is toughest when ~
Where the heart is ready but the physique is weak
Where working to feed oneself is a necessity & not a choice
Where falling sick and feeling tired is no more a choice
When dying is not a given 活生生的 不是生活

Time is sweetest when ~
You are in love or think you in love
Where everything you want materializes
Where finance, health and wishes flow
The ocean is green, the sky is full and the bank account is filled
Birds sing and everywhere is clean, green and nice

But, everyone passes daily with norm and much ease
However much, the pains remain, the happiness enjoyed, the laughters shared ...but mundaneness rule
This is our routine
Nobody rocks the boat even when costs of living overwhelms and breathing is living
How easily it is to satisfy mankind? The elites lord over the commoners
Guess, you take a spark to start a fire

Many struggle under pressure; the need to live in dignity
There is no fairness in the Land with one Law book but Dual practices
Discrimination and persecution underlies the 'rule of Law' where privilege recuse one from the Book
The social ladder is encrypted where only the chosen ones can climb
Such are the dose of anarchy waiting to implode
A society without pressure-release valve is the ideal 'ground zero'  

Nobody wants nor plans for anarchy
 
The briefest ideal is constant, uninterrupted, simple living ~ food, water & roof over the head
Humankind must not be deprived of the basics ~ the right to live with dignity
The chance to succeed in their dreams are additional bonuses
Some day, some where ...a King is born
This is the silver lining in every clouds

Do, Don't Do Or "Wait For The Appropriate Moment"
If it is true that there is time for everything, then let the next time be sugar, spice and everything nice
When forced to the wall, many/all will fight back
Live and let live ~ spare the little such that harmony can be prolonged
No rich man can live in a sea of poor

Similarly, everyone is seeking a humble, dignified life

The world has no fools, stupid perhaps
Someday, some how; all truths surface
Do ~ the right things, not necessarily the best
Don't do ~ do not push everyone to the wall : an action will cause a reaction
Wait For The Appropriate Moment ~ alas! who determines this blissful moment? God knows

So long as we breathe, there is a true moment

Change 改变

change is the only constant...

How do you change after 30 years, 50 years, 60 years? Typically, its circumstances
Forced changes are circumstantial, seldom volunteered
Forced changes maybe due to bankruptcy, broken relationships, business disagreements, family frictions..
It is always more painful when forced upon
Needless to say, volunteered changes are sweet, spice and everything nice

Many smoke and drink until health forbids
Some party like there are no tomorrows until their wallet breaks
Habits are second nature
To change is almost impossible
But, when threats & death come a-calling, change is a definite

Whoever says change is impossible

Change yourself, your attitude & the world changes with you
You cannot change others, not even your dearest
Also, sacrifice nought in attempting to change others ~ it is an illusion
Never, never try changing the world

When I was young, I was righteous, helped the weak, defended 'turfs' and fought for rights but, alas, swimming against the tides is impossible
Nobody, will lift a hand to evoke change

Everyone has a weakness; drinks, friends, food, games
When you are deeply entrenched, it is almost impossible to extricate yourself out of it
It is called "habit"
When money is scarce (parts), habits change too
No money, no honey

We all endeavor for a better tomorrow, be distinguished and polished yet 'wealthy' enough to afford the basics plus the classics

Nobody changes for the worse, I opined
But, if that's true, we will all be living in Utopia
If everyone pollutes the Earth (the oceans are filled with plastic bags & such)
Someday, the whole ecosystem collapses and we will bear our own witness
How can we ever change others to make the world, Mother Earth, better? Impossible
It is always 'his problem'

Someday, Earth will be so badly damaged that you will have to change to survive

Will you do it now? YES... it's no more a choice
Let us make the world a better place to live
For a start, let us make Singapore a better place with the restoration of our "Pledge"
The rich cannot not live in a sea of poor; change or be changed? The choice is obvious

Waiting 等

time and tides wait for no man...

Wait, waiting ... 等
The game of waiting is not just patience but stressful
Waiting for exams results, waiting for approval, waiting for recovery.. waiting simply kills
Why wait when you can force the issue? The fact is, many issues cannot be forced; fight or flight
A simple act like 'waiting for the phone to ring' is painfully stressful

Why wait when a simple dial can cease the 'sufferings'? Ego, pride, challenge...alas! who blinks first
Being the initiator portray weaknesses, show submission or simply 'give up' but life can be smoother
Human chooses to cringe, siege and challenge non-event ; the display of intimate illusive prowess
Instead of going with the flow, many choose to 'pick bones 鸡蛋里挑石头'
Living is suffering, so they say! But, I am sure sufferings are self-inflicted

Hold on 等 ~ patience
It is good to be patient as a moment of rush could result in the collapse of ideals built over time
But, waiting can be frustrating albeit necessary
When the butterfly crawls out of the pupa, it takes a while for its wings to dry before it flies
If you attempt to assist to break open the pupa, the butterfly's wings will be damaged and its condemned - unable to fly and disabled for life 

Acting on frustration is a moment of folly
Getting even is better than getting mad
Patience is the 'art of being able and willing to wait blankly'
Waiting is the 'art of exercising patience aimlessly'
While the world moves on, we make an informed choice

I dont believe in waiting; I keep on exploring, ploughing, experimenting, trying ...
It can be frustrating and stressful though
But, if I do nothing, the impending result may also be nothing
That is why I admire those who can sit there ...waiting 发呆
Life is filled with choices: "Do, Don't Do, Do Nothing"

Time is finite
Life is impermanent
Whatever fits