Perserverance.

"When nothing seems to help, I go and look at a stonecutter hammering away at his rock perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred and first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not that blow that did it - but all that had gone before."
- Jacob Riis, Photographer and Journalist


Try, and Try, and Try...and Try....and Try again...and again...and again...
You just know it will happen.

The Way of the BUSH.

Here, we look at a handful of quotes from the former President, that perhaps, may teach us a thing or two on how he manaaged to remain in office for 2 terms...

What is BUSH teaching us?

(Image from neilbeynon.wordpress.com/2007/12/19/)

He teaches us Confidence...

"I know what I believe. I will continue to articulate what I believe and what I believe -- I believe what I believe is right." --Rome, Italy, July 22, 2001


...and Courage...

"Can we win? I don't think you can win it." --after being asked whether the war on terror was winnable, "Today" show interview, Aug. 30, 2004


...and Hard Work.

"You work three jobs? ... Uniquely American, isn't it? I mean, that is fantastic that you're doing that." --to a divorced mother of three, Omaha, Nebraska, Feb. 4, 2005


He teaches us to set Priorities....

"The most important thing is for us to find Osama bin Laden. It is our number one priority and we will not rest until we find him." --Washington, D.C., Sept. 13, 2001


...and much about Perseverance...

"I don't know where bin Laden is. I have no idea and really don't care. It's not that important. It's not our priority." --Washington, D.C., March 13, 2002


...and sometimes...even a little English.

"They misunderestimated me." --Bentonville, Ark., Nov. 6, 2000

Mis-Underestimated??!!?


He teaches us to Face up to Challenges...

"You know, one of the hardest parts of my job is to connect Iraq to the war on terror." --interview with CBS News' Katie Couric, Sept. 6, 2006


...to Listen...

"I promise you I will listen to what has been said here, even though I wasn't here." --at the President's Economic Forum in Waco, Texas, Aug. 13, 2002


...have Humility...

"Goodbye from the world's biggest polluter." --in parting words to world leaders at his final G-8 Summit, punching the air and grinning widely as those present looked on in shock, Rusutsu, Japan, July 10, 2008


...and of course...be Persistent...

"See, in my line of work you got to keep repeating things over and over and over again for the truth to sink in, to kind of catapult the propaganda." --Greece, N.Y., May 24, 2005

(Image from www.ratemyeverything.net)

Ahh Yes... So many lessons.... Like what his home town board says..."We Apologize".
:)

Remembering 2008!

2008 was really memorable. A good stir of laughter, joy, sorrow, and dissapointment...

There were many, many memories I wished were recorded and captured... or at the very least, I wished I was able to put all these moments in pictures to show you...

There are only so many I can showcase...so here's a snapshot of 2008... the tip of a very beautiful year...

Not in Chronological order:

Ben's 21st Birthday! With the Sunday Sunset Choir of St. Mary's! Of cause not the entire choir is here... but It was a great time! Dinner at Marina Square...then we went to the Swensen's to have birtday ice-cream...

Rites of Acceptance @ Trinity Church. Aston (below: in blue) and Stacey (below: 2nd from left) is set to become Catholics in 2009! My future God-Brother and God-Sister-in-law.

My Old Fridge!!! Miss her so much...but I sold her on e-bay.
My first sale online, and quite a good one! :)

Christmas at Bukit Batok Home for the Aged.
A Prayer after the singing... I think we may have been praying that the folks forget our voices and just remember our presence... It was a great time though!!!

Jo and Karen came over for lunch after the Carolling at the Old Folk's Home...
So I wipped up whatever I could find in the fridge...not too bad I must say...

The Beach Boys...Sentosa...Think it is fast becoming one of our favourite morning chill outs...
Below: Todd (my dog)

Nike 10km...My running buddy, Justin!

CYAA chill out...at Dempsey. We seem to like dempsey alot...

And yet another CYAA chill out... We have "guests" once in a while...

This was just one of the countless CYAA outings... S0 happened I brought my camera.
Anyway, I think the girls drugged us. Can't remember anything...

The choir for Jessie's Wedding. The pianist was amazing...So was the singing!
(I can say whatever I like now...)

"Bleed Blood for You" Brothers. Inseparable. Our Motto is " Our Woman before selves". At least that's what's been happening...hahaha...

My New Collegues... These were taken during the early days when I joined Saatchi.

Ah Yes...one of the Many Potter & Scribe meetings. But this meeting in April was special...They celebrated by Birtday!

BEST BOOTH. Potter & Scribe booth for Youth Day Exhibition at St. Mary's.

Potter & Scribe Retreat! It was a great time of reflection and learning...

Was at the air show in Feb. This is my "bleed for you" brother, Boon (the act cool guy) with me. Behind is the unmanned aircraft.

This was the Rock On Myanmar concert back in May.
Funds were raised for the people of Myanmar after the country's debacle then (if memory serves me right, it was the march of the monks on the streets that resulted in some people higher up there not being happy).

Loved My 2008!

2009's Just begun! Brand new goals and brand new beginnings! Let's go!!!...CHIONG AH!!!...

Como se dice "Ingles" en Japones?

Ok, I caught this accidentally on some feedback site for a company selling maple syrup products.

This just gave me a laugh so I thought I'd put it up to share.

Dear Sir,

I got your (100% Pure Maple Butter) as a souvenir through my friend who visited your fine country this summer. It is such a sophisticated, beautifully sweet taste, never to be got here in Japan, that I am desperate to get them and put them on the table in my home.

I would be very much obliged to you if you could give me your instruction as to the way I am able to get your fine product, mentioned above, here in Japan, or else, the way I can order them from your place.

I am a teacher of English here in Osaka and making P.R. of your product among my fellow teachers and students as well as in my communities.

I am looking forward to getting your kind instruction sooner, since my 100% Pure Maple Butter on the table in my home is getting less and less everyday, which makes me a bit scary.

Respectfully yours,

Kazo Iwasaki

At some point...it sounded like he was asking for a drug.

Don't get me wrong...I think he's absolutely wonderful... I get what he's driving at, perhaps it's the fact that he's an English teacher!

Just becareful when you go Japan ok? Because there is a lack of Pure Maple Butter there that makes people scary.





Sorry Kazo, all in good fun, don't take it to heart ya?... You can write to me, perhaps we can be friends!

The Shepherd, The Wolf or The Sheep?

"The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep's throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act, as the destroyer of liberty. Plainly the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of the word liberty; and precisely the same difference prevails today among human creatures." - Abraham Lincoln.

I really like this story.

Everyone has their views on politics, and every politician have their views of the world.
Everyone has a different take on life, and every life a different path.
So, Are we Wolves? Sheeps? or Sheperds?

We definitely don't agree with each other on many things, not just in politics, but in work, amongst friends, within the family, with the salesman...what have you? Even your dog may not agree with you sometimes.


What can we do?
From my limited experience...we should...
1) Stay positive. Optimism can be learned, and it keeps your energy level higher.

2) Be Objective. It keeps your mind clear.

3) Don't take the disagreements/indifferences personally. Everyone has a right to their views, including your own.

4) Always keep an open mind. But it doesn't mean accepting everything that people say.



On a side note, Are the Americans (more specifically, the Bush administration) truly the Shepherd of world peace and human rights? or are they just Wolves going around, telling people that they should be liberalised? Will Obama make any difference?


"I just want you to know that, when we talk about war, we're really talking about peace." -George W. Bush, Washington, D.C. June 18, 2002

Obama had his own views...

"I don't oppose all wars. What I am opposed to is a dumb war. What I am opposed to is a rash war." - Barack Obama, In 2002, speech against Iraq War.

So will we see a difference? Time will tell, though, statistically, Democrats are less likely to go to war...

Like what John F. Kennedy said, "The wave of the future is not the conquest of the world by a single dogmatic creed but the liberation of the diverse energies of free nations and free men."

Bush obviously took it to a personal level...

"I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully." - in Saginaw, Mich., Sept. 29, 2000

But I think what he's really trying to say here is - Fish are good at heart too...there are many fishes that we need to liberate...But we will liberate only those fishes we think need liberating; like if they have oil for us to liberate...We'll bring peace to these fishes!... of coz we can coexist peacefully!... As long as they let us eat them.


There are many Bushes out there...
:)