Advice to a 21 year old

This is great for those just starting out in life.

Excerpts from advice given by Cary Tennis:




You've been through a lot. Progress may feel slow. So how do you cope? You cope by sticking to a long-term plan. It takes time. It takes a lot of time. I don't know why we can't magically transform ourselves into happy, functioning people. It seems like they promise that in TV and movies and books but in real life it takes time.

But it happens. We find ways to sustain ourselves as we proceed. We have big goals and small goals. Our small goal is to get through the day. Some days we just concentrate on that. But as we're getting through the day, we're also trying to apply what we know, avoiding thoughts and behaviors that we know for sure will send us into a tailspin, and looking, where we can, for uplifting and helpful images that will sustain us.



You are building a life. Each piece of your life that works for you is crucial. Pay attention to the parts of your life that are working for you, and build on them.



Building a life is like putting a puzzle together. Each piece that fits adds to the sense of a whole picture. It might seem that you don't have anything close to a picture yet. That's OK. Visualize the puzzle of the life you want. There is indeed an outline to it. There may be only one or two pieces in it right now. But you have some pretty great pieces.
There is the high-intelligence piece. There is your verbal facility piece, your ability to write persuasively and with force. There is the kindness piece, your dedication not to harm others as you have been harmed, which is a wonderful piece.
And there is the piece that is your home. Look for a place of safety there.

Make some tea and sit and look out the window. Find moments of peace and hang on to them. Build on the good things and expand them outward so that they begin to take over and engulf the other things. This is how you heal. It's like watching a wound heal. You see how the good tissue comes in and slowly takes over. While a wound is healing you protect it. So that's what you do in your life. You are wounded in certain areas, so you protect those areas while they heal.

Choose one friend to talk to. Choose carefully. You are wounded in social areas, so you protect those places while they heal.
Because progress can be slow, in order to keep going you need some believable hypothesis that says this is going to get better. And you need some regular, pragmatic proof of that. In addiction recovery, we use the experiences of those around us as evidence of what may happen in our own lives if we do what they are doing.
 
It takes time. But it works.




You concentrate on the basics and you live one day at a time. You get up. You eat, you take a walk, you make it to your appointment.



That's how we do it. One day at a time. And why do we bother? Because we know that with a little bit of work, life can be pretty good. We also know there's no time to waste. You're 21. Pay attention. Stick around for the miracle.

Why Pakatan Rakyat deserves a term in government

I received this list in my mail.
On first look, it looks great.
Of course, BN has been quick to detract that these measures are "impractical", "impossible", "will bankrupt our country" etc.
Really, BN?
So what the hell is your alternative, BN?
If you're not part of the solution, then BN, you are the PROBLEM!
A problem we must eliminate.
My option is to vote a new government in and see what they can do.
Can they really screw things up in 5 years? Compared to BN which has been messing up for the past 30 years?
If PR messes up, it's SO SIMPLE.
VOTE BN BACK IN.
Is it all that hard?
I will put in the possible benefits of the measures in red.

1. A restructure of institutions including the Elections Commission (EC), the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC), the Attorney-General’s Chambers and the Royal Malaysian Police. During a debate on the policy framework, DAP’s Anthony Loke said PR will bring the MACC under the purview of Parliament.


Reports are that we have a corruption problem costing US, the rakyat, RM TWENTY EIGHT BILLION!
If we can reduce this, say by 10% a year, for the term that PR is in power, we will have an additional RM14 billion of funds to be utilised.

2. A repeal of the Internal Security Act (ISA)

Not really in favor of this until I see the appropriate persons in Kamunting, yeah, all you racially-provocative politicians out there!
Put them in for a year, then PR should repeal the ISA and then we'll see how proper freedom works.
3. Instruct Khazanah Berhad, Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) and other government bodies to take over highway assets from the concessionaires in order to abolish the toll system.

This is easy.
As a resident of Puchong, I pay RM SIX THOUSAND in toll A YEAR!
I could use that money to give to charity, build a mosque etc.
Let's say the average Malaysian pays about RM1000 a year in toll. That's about RM10 billion worth of the RAKYAT's money saved!
I rest my case.

4. A restructure of the country’s subsidies, to lessen subsidies given to the private sector (such as the RM19 billion in gas subsidies given to independent power producers) and transferring these to subsidies for the man on the street.

A better way to put this would be indirectly bringing down the cost of TNB, hence, with a better margin, I AM SURE we could have LOWER BILLS.

5. Acknowledging the role and sacrifices of civil servants by studying the current pay schemes and increasing the incentives for teachers by RM500 a month

Both my parents were teachers for 30 years. Their role in forming the future of tomorrow's leaders cannot be undermined with low income and incentives.

6. Transferring private water concessions to the government

This is similar to cutting down our electrical bills. If not for the Selangor government's exemption of 20 cubic litres, my bill would jump to more than RM100 a month!

7. Offering free wireless Internet access to those in urban and semi-urban areas

This is so important for our young, the access to info will broaden their minds.

8. Cancelling Felda Plantations and opening up its farms to second- and third generation Felda settlers.

When I did the audit for Felda, I was appalled with the conditions Felda settlers had to contend with.
It's time that Felda lives up to it's promises of upgrading the living standards and earning capabilities.

9. Increasing oil royalty payments to Sabah, Sarawak, Terengganu and Kelantan to 20 per cent from 5 per cent currently.

It's ironic how the most resource-rich states in our country have the poorest citizens in terms of per capita.
This will change when PR keeps it's word.
10. Formation of a Royal Commission to solve the problem of illegal immigrants and citizenship issues in Sabah and Sarawak.

It's not enough that we have an influx of immigrants for labor, we have to give them ICs?
What does that do for the citizens of Sabah and Sarawak?

Are these good enough? Give them a chance?
 
YES WE WILL!

What are you doing with your life?

Here’s a question that was posed to the Dalai Lama:




“What thing about humanity surprises you the most?”



His answer was as follows:



“Man”



Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money.

Then he sacrifices his money to recuperate his health!



And then he is so anxious about the future that he doesn’t enjoy the present,

And as a result he doesn’t live in the present or the future!



And he lives as if he’s never going to die, and then he dies having never really lived!

Thought for the day

As I face up to every day's schedule of balancing 3 companies, 3 kids and god knows what else might happen that day, it's a herculean effort just to stay on top of things.
Then I remember this quote from Freud:


One day in retrospect the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.


Sigmund Freud

Quote for the Day

Seems there's a lot of hatred being spewed out there in the country.
Most important is to keep in mind this quote from Gandhi,

"First, they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you,

THEN YOU WIN!"

Have a good think about it

Think it over....




1. When the snake is alive, it eats ants.
When the snake is injured or dead, ants eat snake.


Time changes, therefore situations can turn upside down at any time.


Don't neglect anyone in your life............unless they neglect you in the first place.


2. Never make the same mistake twice.

There are so many new ones.

Try something a little different each day.

Hopefully, not all your endeavors turn out to be too many mistakes.

3. A good way to change someone's attitude is to change your own,
because,
the same sun that melts butter, also hardens clay!



4. Life is just like a sea, we are moving without an end.

Nothing stays with us.

What remains is just the memories of some people who touched us as waves.



5. Whenever you want to know how rich you are never count your currency.

Just try to Drop a Tear and count how many hands reach out to WIPE that--



Now THAT IS TRUE RICHNESS.



6. Heart said to the eyes, "See less, because you see and I suffer a lot."

Eyes replied, "Feel less because you feel and I cry a lot."



7. Never change your originality for the sake of others, because no one can play your role better than you.

So be yourself, because whatever you are,
 
YOU ARE THE BEST.