Seek freedom, Find future

Chatted with taxi driver en route back from Epcot center. Turns out he's 64yo, looking forward to retirement. Lived 32 years in US, was born in Haiti. Used to be a truck driver. Has 2 sons & 3 daughters, of which 2 serve in the military. Only 1 son lives with him, the others are all over America.

What impressed me was when he blurted, I got saved since 1971. Then I told me about my Ah Kong, 92yo, saved for 20years now?

Cultural differences aside, both stories are similar. Came from foreign land, seeking a better life. Went through hardship to bring up his children.

Gotta take my hat off to them!

you the potter

The precious sons of Zion, Valuable as fine gold, How they are regarded as clay pots, The work of the hands of the potter! ~Lamentations 4:2

A Nice Bet?

How can one determine the next step to take? Fretting, hand- and mind-wringing comes to no avail. Guess it boils down to p-r-a-y-i-n-g...

*wring*

Dealing with uncertainty, lowered expectations and faith that tends to fray...

Meanwhile, check this out - A Nice Set is a touring exhibition of sets of slip mats by 33 1/3 artists & a book. Click here to see more.

Going, Growing, Groaning

It's all in a day's work, paper-writing and all its accompanying hand- and mind-wringing.

One can only try and do one's best, prepare for the worst, and let God bring the victory :)

Then heart vacillates from faith to uncertainty and back to hope.

To a boy bent on escapade, the world reveals itself one patch at a time.

Keep going, and growing, and quit groaning!

See more recent Botanic pics here

Freeze Frame

Courtesy of Tan Ngiap Heng.

Role reversal, perhaps? This be a poignant capture, to me.

Love Story

A SHORT LOVE STORY IN STOP MOTION from Carlos Lascano on Vimeo.

Save The Earth

8.30pm on Saturday March 28 marks EARTH HOUR - "People around the world will turn their lights off for one hour... We’re aiming to reach one billion people, more than 1000 cities, all joining together in a global effort to show that its possible to take action on global warming...

"In Singapore it is hoped that one million people will participate in effecting a ‘partial blackout’ as lights are turned off in homes, communities and businesses for one hour on Saturday March 28th 2009 at 8:30 PM.

"Sign up, Switch off, Make a difference!"

Bop Bop

Child-like Faith

A friend commented that the older generation easily possesses child-like faith, unlike the later ones. And i can't help but feel it's true.

But sure, I have faith for greater things to happen to me. Now onto faith with works...

Mapping World Health

HealthMap brings together disparate data sources to achieve a unified and comprehensive view of the current global state of infectious diseases and their effect on human and animal health. This freely available Web site integrates outbreak data of varying reliability, ranging from news sources (such as Google News) to curated personal accounts (such as ProMED) to validated official alerts (such as World Health Organization).



WHO on Geographic Information Systems (GIS) - "GIS provide ideal platforms for the convergence of disease-specific information and their analyses in relation to population settlements, surrounding social and health services and the natural environment. They are highly suitable for analysing epidemiological data, revealing trends and interrelationships that would be more difficult to discover in tabular format."

Shoes Save Lives?

Researchers recently investigated factors that affected evacuation from the WTC during 911:

...The PAR teams identified key risk factors associated with three major outcomes: length of time to initiate evacuation, length of time to complete evacuation, and incidence of injury. WTC evaluation initiation was delayed by lack of awareness and experience in evacuation procedures; making phone calls; seeking out co-workers; and personal concerns about one's own ability (e.g. health and stamina) to descend multiple flights of stairs. Workers also delayed their evacuation because they were waiting for their supervisor's permission to leave. The length of time for the entire evacuation process was lengthened by inappropriate footwear; confusion about where the staircases were located and where they terminated; and periodic congestion on stairs. Injuries were associated most often with physical disabilities (i.e., those with physical disabilities were more likely to be injured during the evacuation process).

The researchers make recommendations that focus on the need for a greater emphasis on emergency preparedness for high-rise workers. Specific measures recommended by PAR team members include mandatory training and drills, such as full-building evacuation drills. PAR team members also suggested that employees keep comfortable footwear and emergency supplies at their desks.

Taken from article on Continuity Central.

The "Ghost" Within

Caught Ghost In The Shell 2: Innocence on VCD. Featuring robots imbued with human-like consciousness but without a soul, it makes one ponder about existential questions:

What it means to be alive and human?

If human consciousness can be dubbed onto a computer, then what is death?

Can the soul be disembodied and exist virtually, just as how Socrates believed the soul is immortal?

If life is a stream of consciousness, then what does it mean to dream?

Ok, enough with the transhuman pondering already... there's still robotics, ethics and gender...

Ed's Leadership Files... Take Charge

#1 Take Charge – Be Fruitful And Multiply

Read Genesis 1:26-31

In Gen 1:28 (NKJV), God told Adam & Eve "Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion… over every living thing that moves on the earth."

If you read The Message Bible, it says, "Prosper! Reproduce! Fill Earth! Take charge! Be responsible..."

• To Prosper means to progress, to become strong and flourishing, and to succeed in what we plan to achieve.


• To Reproduce and Fill the Earth means to reproduce of your own kind, to make disciples, to train and shape.


• To Take Charge means to lead and to invest effort – planning, strategizing and executing


• To Be Responsible means to be accountable, to have initiative

Remember in Gen 1:26, God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion…" In other words, it is His nature to take charge. So should we.

The problem is we often belittle what we have – ourselves, our ideas, our abilities – that we aren’t creative, we aren’t trained, or we aren’t good enough. Or that our people aren’t committed, aren’t bold, aren’t good enough. Maybe we even doubt our leaders' abilities.

But God tells us in Gen 1:29-31 that He has given Man of every herb and tree which yield fruit and seeds, and of every beast and bird and creeping thing. We have already been given of every resource we need – people, brains, the Holy Spirit. And to God, everything is good.

Everything we have is good – that is, ourselves, our creative minds, our time and energy, our people etc. It’s up to us now to hone, master and harness of whatever we have within reach.

Ed sees falling leaves on a windy day

A Train of Thoughts

KL trip - 1 to 3 Jan - took train to & fro

A buzzer sounds dimly without. And with a lurch, our train moves off! Excitement at the novel holds us out through the ensuing 8 hour ride.

Scenes of tropical trees roll by - cloud-draped mountains, knolls, plains, plantations... civilisation in the form of lone houses or small villages pops up sporadically. I see little kids jump and wave us by.

Station by station, the train presses on, occasionally halting to let travellers alight or board. The relentless rhythm of rocking over tracks lulls one to sleep. I must say, after KL, I'm glad to trade the city bustle for the sprawling greenery.

Camera in hand, I being to terrorize my sleeping subjects before I go on admire the passing trees, cows and old-looking houses zipping by.

All in all, adyllic and idling are two words that I would describe the experience.

En route, I tell myself, the year is 3 days upon us. A feeling of ennui within, I worry about plans, projects and purpose. Divine or not, is life all about the pursuit of happiness?

At least, one good thing I know - Fellowship which consists of good friends, good food and good fun.

Blind yet seeing

Eight more days to go.
Hand aches from scribbling.

NYTimes reports research on how the brain seems to have the ability to physically "see" - a man, blinded by stroke, navigates an obstacle course successfully. Amazing.

Details in the fabric

By Jason Mraz

Calm down
Deep breaths
And get yourself dressed instead
Of running around
And pulling all your threads and
Breaking yourself up

If it's a broken part, replace it
But, if it's a broken arm then brace it
If it's a broken heart then face it

And hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
Hold your own
Know your own name
And go your own way

And everything will be fine

Hang on
Help is on the way
Stay strong
I'm doing everything

Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way
Hold your own
Know your name
And go your own way

And everything, everything will be fine
Everything

Are the details in the fabric
Are the things that make you panic
Are your thoughts results of static cling?

Are the things that make you blow
Hell, no reason, go on and scream
If you're shocked it's just the fault
Of faulty manufacturing

Everything will be fine
Everything in no time at all
Everything

click

The year ends
The new beckons

Faith and fear
Fresh and familar

What gives?
What's next?

Bankruptcy is the father of confession

Library II by Hong Kyoung Tack

Faith, Circumstances.
Fears, Character.
Frustrations, Confession.
Forgiveness, Communication.
Father, Confide.
Foolishness, Courage.
Face, Covering.

spotting

Brush (2008) by Lee Jung Woong - a painting within a painting?


Fly Away Home No. 6 by Yim Tae Kyu - what see you?

Chanced upon the Korean Art exhibition at SAM, was a welcome end to a Friday. The exhibition theme? Modern transcendence qua east meets west. Thought one of Lee's painting (not shown here) was a rather powerful capture of motion - of a still brush over spreading ink. Was struck by how Park Seo Bo so intricately created parallel lines of paper onto the canvas - he aims for the ultimate emptying out of himself. Very zen huh?

Strangers spotted along the streets:
- European man, angry, shouting and flinging his textbook onto the ground while walking off SMU campus. He must have failed his exams.
- 2 Malaysian Chinese girls, chatting excitedly about hair care and hair salons
- Singaporean Chinese guy, scolding someone over the phone, probably did something wrong though clear instructions were given

Someone spilled his marriage story and his past party lifestyle to me over lunch today. How to relate and how to encourage, one wonders.

Finally, a thought that occurred to me while swimming laps: What measure gives the strength of a man? Oh yes, size matters- the size of his shoulders, for his ability to carry others through life. And with responsibilities and social/emotional dependents, this man can't be in perpetual solitude. But befriend, understand and strengthen, he ought to.

Yowser!