now i know why i have work stress

I counted, and find that I am involved in 106 companies’ taxation matters.

Every Season

I was playing the intro of this song in conference room before the start of a meeting on 1 Jan, the only thing i know how to play on the piano, trying to remember the lyrics, telling titus how sad that i've lost this song. He searched his laptop for what i've sent him yrs ago, found it, and emailed it to me =)

Every season by Nicole Nordeman, one of my utmost favourite christian poetic song.

and so, for 2009, i've decided that this will be a year that i will focus on investing in people and my own studies. It's gonna be very difficult if i don't depend on Him, which will be good. hehe.
Let's find Him in every season..



Every evening sky, an invitation
To trace the patterned stars
And early in July, a celebration
For freedom that is ours
And I notice You
In children's games
In those who watch them from the shade
Every drop of sun is full of fun and wonder
You are summer

And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and what's to come
You are autumn

And everything in time and under heaven
Finally falls asleep
Wrapped in blankets white, all creation
Shivers underneath
And still I notice you
When branches crack
And in my breath on frosted glass
Even now in death, You open doors for life to enter
You are winter

And everything that's new has bravely surfaced
Teaching us to breathe
What was frozen through is newly purposed
Turning all things green
So it is with You
And how You make me new
With every season's change
And so it will be
As You are re-creating me
Summer, autumn, winter, spring

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)

Told Boon Fei & Angela that it was a year 1950 movie, wrong fact, it's 1961, hehe. Breakfast at Tiffany's is one of those movies that you should watch before you die, lol. You can check out the wiki link for the plot & Audrey Hepburn. There's something about this movie that leaves me reeling for more, the light twist at the end of the movie makes a happy ending, though not entirely satisfying, as if the movie doesn't really end. A socialite, her fashion / lifestyle and choice of men, and the lonely nights with a love-struck stranger waiting at the door.


and the famous song that won an Oscar for itself..

"Moon River" music by Henry Mancini, lyrics by Johnny Mercer
	Moon River, wider than a mile, I'm crossing you in style some day. Oh, dream maker, you heart breaker, wherever you're going I'm going your way. Two drifters off to see the world. There's such a lot of world to see. We're after the same rainbow's end-- waiting 'round the bend, my huckleberry friend, Moon River and me. © 1961 Paramount Music Corporation, ASCAP

I would love to write something like this one day, the shortest simplest lyrics yet with the deepest meaning... .. ...

sigh.. sigh...

..

ok, it's 5am now, gotha go to work. bye everybody, have a nice friday. =)

Moon River - Andrea Ross

Moon River - Joey McIntyre

The awakening

It was definitely a wonderful Christmas. There are BBQs to savour, hanging out and chatting with many close friends and family, served in Krismas Kita, relax and enjoyed the memorable performance during the 25^th morning, bringing my non-christian primary school friend to some occasions. Glad to see her more receptive towards Christians, and one of her brother’s friend received Christ on one of the nights =) I received many simple but beautiful and useful gifts from my colleague and church buddies. I see relationships being restored / strengthened. I was sooo happy.

But until last night probably I was a little too overbearing, the 5-6 dinners to attend really tire me out and I was going back to s’pore feeling sad cos i don’t have time for myself. It’s actually my own fault for thinking I can go for all and expect to have time for myself too.. until.. My m'sia room & desk is messy for weeks and I don’t have time to clear it up.. not healthy… I must do some spring cleaning by 1 Jan.

So, last night was one of the Sunday nights where I find myself wondering why I have served God the whole weekend and still travel back to s’pore ‘jadedly’ with some water welled up in some sad eye. Though I have so much to be thankful, really, so so much.

Went back.. bathed and prepare to sleep, and asked that I may dream of God spending some time talking to me.

He did, but at a different timing. He woke me at 6.30am and told me to sit up and pray. I pleaded if He could let me lie down and pray cos I’m so sleepy… but no. =(

Too bad lo, sit n pray lo. And the moment I close my eyes, I saw a beautiful vision, of something which I won’t tell a soul… =P a big assurance, and His last parting words are: My grace is sufficient for you…

You can’t imagine how free & peaceful the rest that descends upon me.. =)

And so off to work I go, and now I gotha go liao, lunch time’s almost over.

...so challenged by this quote..

You might as well try to hear without ears or breathe without lungs, as to try to live a Christian life without the Spirit of God in your heart.
--D.L. Moody

Shadblow

Because the shad
are swimming
in our waters now,

breaching the skin
of the river with their
tarnished silvery fins,

heading upstream
straight for our tables
where already

knives and forks gleam
in anticipation, these trees
in the woods break

into flower - small, white
flags surrendering
to the season.


Linda Pastan
The Georgia Review, vol. LV, no. 2, Summer 2001

--------------------------------------------------



I am waiting for winter
and it's imaginary warm glow
in snow,

you know,
like little angels falling white as you take a glance
to a dancer spinning across a faraway lake
looking sky.

so,
make me a wish and I would secretly smile in my mind delight,
because you didn't know our hands are made to be together,
I will take it like a glove towards its master,
and make heaven dwell in our snowman.

we would run wild through any cold and summer,
warm a moody cloud and touch its cry,
laugh a hearty and sing in silver thunders.

so don't leave me, not at 10pm
when my eyes closed its deepest longing
t'wards the fading dove that fanned a sacred desire
in you.


~
i gotha go, there's work to do,
lots.


Victor Tan
The Bored review, vol. RIP, no. 1, fading Summer 2008


"sing in silver thunders", lol: silver - old, thunder - argument.

So much work

I have 6 piles of work, on my desk, under my desk, beside my desk… My uncompleted workload has occupied two long desks.

it's like u have to help the auditor to find any notices already issued from the IRAS since 1 Jan 08, then download & attach to him, and check if another company whether has ceased to elect us as tax agent, then go back to your own tax computation, get the draft P&L from another auditor by today because tomorrow the documents had to be sent back to America due to shutdown, and have to go two floors up to get the P&L and a whole bag of journal entries and audit working files, while coming back to the desk and continue doing work halfway, manager calls n go over she brief me about a dormant company to do, can refer to another company's case file. go back do work, halfway senior came over tells u to monitor the last two day's 7 client that i have done up the estimated chargeable income and another Notice advice to get it amended n send out before friday. go back to original work, client called for another team of auditors which is now in China, have to email them to liaise. go back to original work.. manager came again pass IRAS query to check past work for tax matters and do up an explanation to the government. still have 30+ other clients to file their work and do tabs. email inbox with 20-30 emails to organise in respective folders b4 another batch sends in again. go back to original work... client had email back more info on another client on its original dividend breakdown remitted from China (receipts in Chinese).

If in school, it's like you're taking english essay writing, chinese reading sessions, P.E , math lecture and tutorials all at the same time, and you're expected do take note of everything and NOT miss out on anything (if not you're considered inefficient, never learn and even need other people to make effort to remind you what you should remember), make minimal mistakes, organise all your work nicely and hand to teacher, and also monitor what u hand to teacher so that in two day's time u know what your teacher has/hasn't marked, amend ALL mistakes, learn, and pass it on to be published to the government. And while doing all these, help your friends in their homework.

I miss school/college. Work is challenging and when you've done all the work, the satisfaction can be.. great?

For now, HELP.

Merry Christmas.

Midnight ramblings

Moonlight reverie

September the 14th at 11, perfect timing
as I slid out of bed out of cool's window,
tugging sleepy warm pajamas in can't-wait's grip,
and lay there, just over the obscure red roof
under the misunderstood moonshine.

first the ceremonial solo huge gasp of night scent
and then watch nothingness reveal its being.

------------------------------------------

Goodbye means never having to leave

.

Gratitude of a sick boy

Hi, just wanna thank the numerous people who showed their concern. I'm fine, Sunday morning's blood test showed that it's not dengue, only any other viral infection. My temperature's not so high now, tomorrow will be my last exam paper & the following day will resume working.

I guess life will resume its busyness & blog entries will reduce again. hope that i'm gonna recover fully and be able to come to church on the coming weekend.

it's nice to have ppl sms/calling, even my cell member who (i think) likes to avoid me called me to ask how am i. hehe. of course my dad & sis cared me a lot, kudos for dad for taking care of me though he himself is sick too.

how foolish am i to live for dunno how many months without feeling any 'love'. Like Koon said, "love sick?", no, probably not feeling the love until now. lol.

傍晚的le4伤悲

*chinese star programme much better now, though still got problem with some words, good enough though, yay..


一个星期的“考试假”过得又快又漫长，开心带伤感。开心能暂时脱离工作，回家，吹海feng，看日落，读shu，听听歌，写一点诗；犹如已往的自由，过去留下的字迹。伤感的呢，应该是时间吧，怎me4 ye3 不能再倒退，弥补失望；好深隐，对不起自己在学业上的失望。

现在正开着周董，Mr J，義法廚房，北醫店的网zhan4.. 只为了听它的音yue4，想想少些梦想。

能像方文山写歌词，冰心写shu1，周董写曲，Emily Dickinson 写诗，著名gu3手玩音yue4的工作，试试一下。 或像哥哥能弹奏动听的音旋，John Williams 写感人的经典，或着做个 free-spirited 的 ang mo nang，在个个国家“游手好闲”， 哈哈。

tu1 然好想去台湾和ao4/欧洲，绕圈子，live a life. 知道很欠打，仿佛自己不属于现况，只待明天。


唉.. 醒醒吧... 。学xi2感恩，让昨天的wu1云成就今天的彩虹和明天的晴天梦想。



*刚刚发现有位美国女士八月时在我的英诗部落格留下 comment , 说写得很好。好开心唷 =P 是否考试后继续认真写诗呢？

Most - the bridge + writings

http://www.mostthemovie.com/


Having a week's exam leave, a good break from work to study, just want to write something before i resume studying again.. *light sigh*... Nice rite, the above video, quite the super. =)



Sky sigh

Once upon a time
In a faraway land where mystical creatures
talking trees and hidden treasures are not unheard of
There was a mind

.

Cut and jam and bring it back
to the lines in your eyes, of a certain set of thinking
about skyscrapers and running numbers.

.

Once chanced upon time
There was a soul pitted against itself in constraint conscience
Wrestle onto the floor to pronounce its winner.
No find.

.

So let the book breeze its blues and pencil rule,
Order order in your mesh messy heart or mind,
Conform to snake and ladder for life,
And at every turn,
Try to remember what is laughter and colour,
and how its sky sighs.


-------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chicken toufu to the West

Baby turns boy turns trying-to-be-man turns chicken toufu.

Seeing the straight pathway across anything back to destiny,
he chose not even to walk the sand.

But turns and run, like anything, for anything goes
to the sea.

Legacy

An old MTV, but the msg's still fresh.. :)



I don't mind if you've got something nice to say about me
And I enjoy an accolade like the rest
You could take my picture and hang it in a gallery
Of all the who's who and so-n-so's that used to be the best
At such 'n such...it wouldn't matter much

I won't lie, it feels alright to see your name in lights
We all need an "Atta boy" or "Atta girl"
But in the end I'd like to hang my hat on more besides
the temporary trappings of this world

Chorus:
I want to leave a legacy
How will they remember me?
Did I choose to love?
Did I point to you enough to make a mark on things?
I want to leave an offering
A child of mercy and grace who blessed Your name unapologetically
And leave that kind of legacy

I don't have to look too far or too long awhile
To make a lengthy list of all that I enjoy
It's an accumulating trinket and a treasure pile
Where moth and rust, thieves and such will soon destroy

Chorus

Not well traveled, not well read, not well-to-do or well bred
Just want to hear instead, "Well done" good and faithful one

海角七號 - 國境之南

國境之南

詞：嚴云農　曲：曾志豪
　

如果海會說話　如果風愛上砂

如果　有些想念遺忘在漫長的長假

我會聆聽浪花　讓風吹過頭髮

任記憶裡的愛情在時間潮汐裡喧嘩

非得等春天遠了夏天才近了

我是在回首時終於懂得（也許天氣永遠會那麼熱）

Tagged

I am tagged, thought that at my age won't be tagged, lol, wait, let me get my walking stick and reading glasses..
ehrrm, sorry Caleb, late response, i hope this tag is not more than a month ago.


1. Person who tagged you is?
Caleb Chandra Mohan bu zhi dao

2. Your relationship with him?
My friend, he laughs at my lousy jokes, makes me feel good abt myself. ......... lol.

3. Five impressions of him?
Good-lookin', smiles quite a lot, good in IT & rapping (also very knowledgeable in trendy music), nice guy, more than meets the eye. transformer!

4. The most memorable thing he has done for you?
Nothing le, hmm, the many times he laughs at my jokes ba.

5. Most memorable thing he has said to you?
no, i only remember the many times he smile.

6. If he becomes your lover, you will?
Yucks, i'm a guy.

7. If he becomes your lover, thing he has to improve on would be?
Be a girl.

8. If they become your enemy, you will?
i will do nothing.

9. What is it you want to tell him now?
That his future's gonna be stormy and bright?

10. Your overall impression on him is?
Nice guy, great taste in music & arts, loves the important ppl ard him, appreciates the current phase of life.

11. How do you think people around you will feel?
Eh, suddenly ask abt myself pulak, hey hey.

12. What do you love about yourself?
That i am different, and gone through many phases/circumstances that usual ppl don't.

13. What do you hate about yourself?
That i am different, and gone through many phases/circumstances that usual ppl don't.

14. The most ideal person you want to be.
Shrek, Obama, Titus. kidding.. I want to be stronger in character to pull thru overwhelming circumstances.

15. For people who love and care for you, say something to them.
Blah blah blah..

16. Tag ten people:
stella, yan, ye chow, thisisachainmailturnintoablog, reuben, vincent, xizhe. i think i have ten ppl alredy right, didn't hav my calculator with me..

17. Who is 6 having a relationship with?
Didn't have my clculator with me...

18. Is 9 a male or female?
no calculator no talk..

19. If 8 and 10 are together, would it be a good thing?
shit.

20. What is 2 studying about?
one..two... she's finished her studies already, she studies the bible.

21. When was the last time you had a chat with 3?
last sunday, i guess.

22. What kind of music band does 8 like?
no 8.

23. Does 1 have any siblings?
yes. fun dudes.

24. Will you woo 3?
no. but she's a nice & fun girl =)

25. How about 7?
boy.

26. Is 4 single?
besides titus, fu yao & jiuan, ya the rest is.

27. What is the surname of 5?
Tan, i think, dunno.

28. What is a hobby of 10?
no 10

29. Does 5 and 9 get along well?
no 9, i dunno whether reuben gets along well with himself, ask him lo.

30. Where is 2 studying at?
the bible.

31. Talk about something for 1?
she is the greatest older sister on this earth, not literally.

32. Have you tried developing feelings for 8?
yes, but there is no 8 right, how shad.

33. Where does 9 live?
in your mind.

34. What colour does 4 like?
dunno!

35. Are 1 and 5 best friends?
no

36. Does 6 have any pets?
dunno, guitar ba.

37. Is 7 the sexiest person in the world?
yes, go interview him.

38. What is 10 doing now?
psychic hotline? wrong number

Merry Christmas, ha.

Latest Christmas carol for 2008,

You'd better watch out
You'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I'm telling you why:
Recession is coming to town.

It's hitting you once,
It's hitting you twice
It doesn't care if you've been careful and wise
Recession is coming to town

It's worthless if you've got shares
It's worthless if you've got bonds
It's safe when you've got cash in hand
So keep cash for goodness sake, HEY

You'd better watch out
You'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I'm telling you why:
Recession is coming to town!

Finance products are confusing
Finance products are so vague
The banks make you bear the cost of risk
So keep out for goodness sake, OH

You'd better watch out
You'd better not cry
You'd better keep cash
I'm telling you why:
Recession is coming to town.

하나님은 너를 지키시는 자

God is our protector.

DHL is fast

I dunno abt the other courier companies, but DHL can send an office package from Shanghai to Singapore within 24 hours.

Naïve me: *clap clap*

serve or die

Very inspired by this story, indeed I have to always serve.. J

 

Dr. Paul Brand told me of a memorable Frenchman named Pierre, who had served in Parliament until he became disillusioned with the slow pace of political change. During a harsh winter, many Parisian beggars froze to death. In desperation, Pierre became a friar to work among them and organize the beggars themselves.

They divided into teams to scour the city for bottles. Next, he led them to build a warehouse out of discarded bricks and start a business processing the bottles. Finally, he gave each beggar responsibility to help another poorer than himself. The project caught on. In a few years he founded the charitable organization Emmaus.

Eventually, there were few beggars to be found in Paris. So Pierre went to India. “If I don’t find people worse off than my beggars,” he said, “this movement could turn inward. They’ll become a powerful, rich organization, and the whole spiritual impact will be lost. They’ll have no one to serve.”

At a leprosy colony in India, Pierre met patients worse off than his former beggars. Returning to France, he mobilized the beggars to build a leprosy ward at a hospital in India.

“It is you who have saved us,” he told the grateful patients. “We must serve or we die.”  — Philip Yancey

THINKING IT THROUGH
In Mark 10:35-37, what did James and John seek?
What did Jesus say about the world’s authority? (v.42).
How are followers of Christ to be different? (vv.43-45).

If you want a field of service, look around you.

 

說好的幸福呢

got to know abt this song's MV from esther's blog, nice.. there's one special thing abt jay chou's songs, that i will never tell you. ha.






作詞：方文山 作曲：周杰倫

妳的回話凌亂著 在這個時刻
我想起噴泉旁的白鴿 甜蜜散落了

情緒莫名的拉扯 我還愛妳呢
而妳斷斷續續唱著歌 假裝沒事了

時間過了 走了 愛情面臨選擇 妳冷了 倦了 我哭了
離開時的不快樂 妳用卡片手寫著 有些愛只給到這 真的痛了

怎麼了 妳累了 說好的 幸福呢
我懂了 不說了 愛淡了 夢遠了
開心與不開心一一細數著 妳再不捨
那些愛過的感覺都太深刻 我都還記得

妳不等了 說好的 幸福呢
我錯了 淚乾了 放手了 後悔了
只是回憶的音樂盒還旋轉著 要怎麼停呢

妳的回話凌亂著 在這個時刻
我想起噴泉旁的白鴿 甜蜜散落了

情緒莫名的拉扯 我還愛妳呢
而妳斷斷續續唱著歌 假裝沒事了

時間過了 走了 愛情面臨選擇 妳冷了 倦了 我哭了
離開時的不快樂 妳用卡片手寫著 有些愛只給到這 真的痛了

怎麼了 妳累了 說好的 幸福呢
我懂了 不說了 愛淡了 夢遠了
開心與不開心一一細數著 妳再不捨
那些愛過的感覺都太深刻 我都還記得

妳不等了 說好的 幸福呢
我錯了 淚乾了 放手了 後悔了
只是回憶的音樂盒還旋轉著 要怎麼停呢

怎麼了 妳累了 說好的 幸福呢
我懂了 不說了 愛淡了 夢遠了我都還記得

妳不等了 說好的 幸福呢
我錯了 淚乾了 放手了 後悔了
只是回憶的音樂盒還旋轉著 要怎麼停呢

Gimme it!

From RBC – Our daily bread

 

James 3:13-18 

Two Kinds of Wisdom

Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such "wisdom" does not come down from heaven but is earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.

But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.

------------------------

I heard the screams long before I could see him, but as I wheeled my grocery cart around to the next aisle of the store, there he was!

With angry tears streaming out of squinty eyes, the little boy was shouting, “Gimme it!” His mom glanced at me for a moment. I won’t debate the merits of her actions, but, embarrassed and worn down, she grabbed the cheap trinket and tossed it into her cart.

I think I recognized that kid. He looked a lot like me. Yes, I’ve often been the willful child. And sometimes I’ve even pleaded with God, “Why not? Why can’t I have it?” On occasion, God’s given me what I wanted, but not because I wore Him down. No, I think He wanted me to see what happens when I put myself in charge.

What we think is best is not necessarily the best that God desires for us. In Isaiah 55:8, the Lord said, “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways.”

In his book Days of Grace, tennis champion Arthur Ashe paraphrased James 1:5 when he wrote this advice to his young daughter: “Ask God for the wisdom to know what is right, what God wants done, and the will to do it.”

That’s just the kind of sincere prayer that God wants to hear from His children.  — Cindy Hess Kasper

We can’t presume to know what’s best
When we begin to pray;
So we must ask, “What honors God?”
Then seek His will and way. —Sper

If God doesn’t give us what we ask for, we can be sure that He has something far better.

 

 

 

 

I realised

I realised that God likes to put me in situations where I couldn’t possibly live life without Him. Now I know in these situations that His mercy and grace will be able will shine through and lift me up to soar above every thingys.

 

So it’s all good. =)

 

Well, this past weekend is so packed with things to do that i don’t even have time to watch last week’s episode of Chuck. Haiz.. never mind, this coming Saturday must watch! =P