More on Lunar New Year

Chinese New Year: Origins & Celebration

Weekend = music

Kelly Clarkson latest album : Breakaway has loads of good songs!

Some of the song that I love: Breakaway, Since you've been gone, Behind these hazel eyes ...

Lyrics: Behind these hazel eyes

Seems just like yesterday, you were a part of me
I used to stand so tall, I used to be so strong
Your arms around me tight, everything it felt so right
Unbreakable, like nothing could go wrong

Now I can't breathe, no I can't sleep
I’m barely hanging on

Here I am, once again
I’m torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend
Just thought you were the one
Broken up, deep inside
But you won't get to see the tears I cry
Behind these hazel eyes

I told you everything, opened up and let you in
You made me feel alright, for once in my life
Now all that’s left of me is what I pretend to be
So together, but so broken up inside

Cause I can’t breathe, no I can’t sleep
I’m barely hanging on

Here I am, once again
I’m torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend
Just thought you were the one
Broken up, deep inside
But you won't get to see the tears I cry
Behind these hazel eyes

Swallow me, then spit me out
For hating you, I blame myself
Seeing you, it kills me now
No, I don’t cry on the outside anymore
Anymore

Here I am, once again
I’m torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend
Just thought you were the one
Broken up, deep inside
But you won't get to see the tears I cry
Behind these hazel eyes

Here I am, once again
I’m torn into pieces, can't deny it, can't pretend
Just thought you were the one
Broken up, deep inside
But you won't get to see the tears I cry
Behind these hazel eyes

Lunar New Year

Big FEAST on 8th Feb 2005 welcoming the Year of Rooster


My lovely nephew, Okta - who was not in the family picture above...


1st Nephew, Dodo, singing his "wiggly-thumb" song...


This is my brother, Norman, with the cool Indonesian singer, Marcel and famous phsycic, Permadi :) Photo taken once we landed in Jakarta on Sunday 13/2/05.

updates 2004!

Finally dowloaded all photos from 2004.

My mocca Birthday cake on 21st Dec 2004 from the girls :)


This is my office, in the corner, quiet, with a view to die for!


The best part of X'mas celebration in office, everyone got a present! This is what i've got = a DVD player! Yippie....

Thank you ...

The Word of the Day **** Thank you very much ****

Afrikaans: Baie dankie
Albanian: Faleminderit shume"
Amharic: Betam amessagganalehugn
Arabic: shokran Gazillan
Armenian: Shad Shenorhagal em
Asturian: munches gracies
Azerbaijani: - C,ox sag^v olun.
Basque: Eskerrik asko
Bengali: Ozasro Dhanyabad
Bosnian: Puno hvala
Breton: Trugarez Vras
Bulgarian: Blagodarya vi mnogo
Cantonese: m goi saai; fei seung chi do jeh
Catalan: Moltes gra`cies / Molti'ssimes gra`cies
Chipewyan: Deygghar-ey marsi naynesthen
Cornish: Meur ras
Creole: Me`si plen
Croatian: Hvala lijepa
Czech: De^kuji va'm mnohokra't
Dagaare: Ba'rka' ya'ga
Danish: Mange tak
Dutch: Dank u wel
English: Thank you very much
Esperanto: Dankegon
Estonian: Ta"nan va"ga
Eurish: Grato mula
Farsi: Khay'ly Mo'teh'shaker'am
Finnish: Kiitoksia oikein paljon
French: Merci beaucoup
Frisian: Tige tank!
Galician: Gracinhas - Graciñas
Georgian: didi madloba
German: Vielen Dank
Greek: Efharisto' poli'
Gujarati: khoob aabhaar
Hawaiian: Mahalo nui
Hebrew: toda raba
Hindi: aapakaa bahut bahut dhanyavaad
Holooe: Chin To-sia"
Hungarian: Ko"szo"no"m sze'pen
Icelandic: Takk fyrir
Ido: Multa danki, dankego
Indonesian: Terima kasih banyak
Interlingua: Multe Gratias
Irish: Go raibh mi'le maith agat
Italian: Grazie Mille
Japanese: Arigato gozaimasu
Korean: Te-dan-hi Kam-sa-ham-ni-da
Latin: Gratias multas
Latvian: Liels paldies
Lithuanian: Labai ac^iu~
Luganda: [thank you very much]
Malaysian: terima kasih banyak-banyak
Mandarin: fei<sup>-</sup> cha'ng ga`n xi`e / hen<sup>v</sup> ga`n x&i
Marshallese: Kommol tata
Mazahua: me'ri po'kh
Norwegian: Tusen takk
Occitan: Merce' plan
Polish: Serdecznie dzie,kuje,
Portuguese: Muito obrigado(a)
Brazilian Portuguese: Muito obrigado(a)
Quechua: Yusulpayki askha
Romanian: Mult'umesc foarte mult,
Russian: Bolshoe spasibo
Serbian: Hvala lepo
Sesotho: Ke a leboha haholo
Sinhala: Bohoma. Sthuthiyi
Slovak: D^akujem vel^mi pekne
Slovenian: Hvala lepa
Spanish: Muchas gracias
Swahili: Asante Sana
Swedish: Tack sa* mycket
Tagalog: Maraming salamat
Thai: kob-khun-mark
Tswana: Ke leboga fela thata. Ke itumetse fela thata.
Turkish: c,ok te,seku"r ederim
Ukrainian: duzhe dyakuyu
Vietnamese: , Ca'm o*n nhie^`u
Welsh: Diolch yn fawr
Wolof: [Thank you very much]
Xhosa: Enkosi kakhulu
Yiddish: ich dank aych zeyer
Zulu: ngiyabonga kakhulu

Accents are represented by ' (acute) ` (grave) " (umlaut), ^ (circumflex), and * (ring)

Perfect....

The Perfect Couple

Once upon a time, a perfect man and a perfect woman met. After a perfect courtship, they had a perfect wedding. Their life together was, of course, perfect.
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One snowy, stormy Christmas Eve, this perfect couple was driving their perfect car along a winding road, when they noticed someone at the side of the road in distress. Being the perfect couple, they stopped to help.
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There stood Santa Claus with a huge bundle of toys. Not wanting to disappoint any children on the eve of Christmas, the perfect couple loaded Santa and his toys into their vehicle.
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Soon they were driving along delivering the toys. Unfortunately, the driving conditions deteriorated and the perfect couple and Santa Claus had an accident. Only one of them survived the accident.
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Question: Who was the survivor?
Scroll down for the answer. Trust me, it's worth it.
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Answer:
The perfect woman survived. She's the only one who really existed in the first place. Everyone knows there is no Santa Claus and there is no such thing as a perfect man.
**** Women you can stop reading here, that is the end of the joke.
**** Men keep scrolling.
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So, if there is no perfect man and no Santa Claus, the woman must have been driving. This explains why there was a car accident.
**** Women, if you have read this too... stop reading here, this is REALLY the end of the joke.
*** Men Keep scrolling
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By the way, if you're a woman and you're still reading, this illustrates another point: WOMEN NEVER LISTEN!!!

game link!

cool game link!

What Happens after you Find your Soulmate?

By Susie and Otto Collins

What's your perception of life with your perfect soulmate?

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Joy, bliss, happiness--a life with no conflict and no major issues to work through?
Ward and June or Ozzy and Harriet with passion?

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In our opinion, that just isn't the way it works. In our relationship, we are best friends--we have passion--we have joy--we are totally comfortable with each other and enjoy being together. Even with all this, we still have issues that challenge us and that "rock the boat."

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We hate to burst your bubble, but we believe that soulmates come together to help each other to heal, learn and grow. It's what we and others, such as Gary Zukav, call Spiritual Partnership. Some people, such as Gay and Kathlyn Hendricks and Kenny and Julia Loggins, refer to it as "Conscious Relationship."

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We also believe that you can find several "soulmates" in your lifetime. Wayne Dyer said that your soulmate can be the person who you can't stand but are in your life to teach you a powerful lesson.

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Carolyn Myss says in "Spiritual Madness" that we are here to heal the parts of ourselves that don't know God yet. We believe that Soulmates help us to heal those parts if we are willing to do the work and look at ourselves openly and honestly. Soulmates can trigger certain reactions in you that point the direction to what needs to be healed.

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So what happens after you find your soulmate?

Remember the Zen proverb that poses the question of--What happens before enlightenment? Chop wood, carry water. What happens after enlightenment? Chop wood, carry water. We feel this is a good analogy of what happens in relationships. You still must face your personal challenges but if you're conscious and awake, you can realize that you have a powerful ally to walk beside you on your path to enlightenment.

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Many of us are finding that perfect "Soulmate" and many are searching for one. We suggest that you look at the people in your life--the ones who challenge you, the ones who love you. Say of prayer of gratitude for these "teachers." When someone close to you "presses your buttons," look at what you can learn from the situation. What parts of yourself need to be healed? What feelings come up for you?

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Marriane Williamson has said that every thing we do is either an act of love or a cry for help. That's what a soulmate does for you--they are there to love you AND to help you when you cry for help. They also have the ability to "press your buttons" and this is for your highest good.

Tsunami...

Mengapa Lempeng Bumi Bertumbukan?

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INDONESIA memang area gempa. Hal itu karena nun jauh di dasar samudera kepulauan di negeri ini, terdapat tiga lempeng, yakni Eurasia, Indo-Australia, dan Pasifik, yang bila bertumbukan akan menghasilkan gempa tektonik.

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Itu baru gempa tektonik, Indonesia pun kaya akan gunung berapi yang tercatat aktif dan yang belum ketahuan aktif tidaknya. Aktivitas gunung-gunung itu pun berpotensi menimbulkan gempa yang disebut sebagai gempa vulkanik.

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Bisakah kita yang tinggal di Indonesia ini terhindar dari gempa? Secara ilmiah, fenomena alam tersebut tidak bisa dihindari. Sebab, lempeng-lempeng bumi yang ada di negara kita itu merupakan bagian dari kerak bumi yang bergerak aktif. Pergerakan itu dipicu antara lain oleh air laut dan samudera. Perlu diketahui, 71 persen wilayah bumi kita ini terdiri atas laut dan samudera, atau dengan kata lain berupa air.

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Pergerakan lempeng-lempeng itu antara lain menimbulkan gempa bumi. Mengapa lempeng-lempeng itu bergerak dan bahkan bertumbukan? Lempeng-lempeng itu sebetulnya bagian dari kerak bumi yang terdiri atas berbagai jenis bebatuan. Pergerakan itu berlangsung terus selama berjuta-juta tahun usia bumi. Bentuk gerakan berupa lipatan, pergeseran, dan patahan. Setiap gerakan, menghasilkan antara lain benua, pegunungan, pulau-pulau kecil.

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Tentang pergeseran lempeng, pergeseran memang tidak bisa dihindari sebagai bagian dari evolusi bumi. Efek dari pergeseran itu adalah berupa getaran yang disebut gempa. Gempa terjadi karena ada perpindahan massa dalam lapisan batuan bumi. Kekuatan suatu gempa bergantung pada jumlah energi yang terlepas, saat terjadi pergeseran dan tumbukan.

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Pergeseran tersebut memang memungkinkan terjadinya tumbukan. Ada kalanya pergeseran itu menyebabkan perubahan bentuk yang tiba-tiba, sehingga terjadi ledakan dan patahan yang menimbulkan gempa hebat yang disebut sebagai gempa tektonik. Keadaan itu tidak bisa kita hindari karena memang bagian dari evolusi bumi.

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Hasil dari gempa dimaksud antara lain menghasilkan lipatan bumi. Bentuk dari lipatan bumi itu tidak serta-merta terlihat secara fisik. Sebab, untuk membentuk satu kali lipatan dibutuhkan ratusan juta tahun Tentang lipatan itu, sepanjang sejarahnya, bumi telah mengalami empat kali periode lipatan.
Itulah yang pada akhirnya menghasilkan pulau-pulau baru dan menghilangkan pulau-pulau yang pernah ada.

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Karenanya, tak mengherankan, apabila diukur setiap tahun, suatu wilayah daratan ada yang berkurang dan ada yang bertambah.

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Tentang posisi Indonesia, ada yang menyebutnya sebagai efek dari lipatan Alpin. Lipatan itu merupakan periode lipatan bumi yang keempat yang sampai sekarang terus bergerak aktif. Secara geografis, lipatan Alpin membentang dari Eropa, Asia hingga Indonesia. Lipatan Alpin sudah dikenal sebagai kawasan yang tidak tenang secara geologi, karena pada proses pergerakannya selalu memunculkan gempa bumi dan gunung berapi.

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Tentang gempa yang terjadi di barat Aceh dan menimbulkan gelombang dahsyat tsunami, hal itu merupakan akibat dari tumbukan lempeng-lempeng bumi yang menimbulkan gempa tektonik di dasar laut. Bisa dipastikan, menurut NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), setiap gempa tektonik yang terjadi di dasar laut, akan menghasilkan gelombang Tsunami. Beberapa wilayah di dunia yang rawan Tsunami, biasanya dilengkapi dengan pos atau kantor yang dilengkapi pencatat getaran/gempa, seismograf.

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Selamat dari Tsunami
Bagaimana menyelamatkan diri dari Tsunami? Bagi masyarakat pesisir, atau yang tinggal di wilayah pantai, sebaiknya memang memperlengkapi diri dengan pengetahuan tentang gelombang dahsyat yang tingginya bisa mencapai 30 meter itu. Sebetulnya, Tsunami bisa diprediksikan. Ingat, sekali lagi, setiap gempa di laut, berpeluang menghasilkan Tsunami. Patut diwaspadai, bahaya dari Tsunami bisa berlangsung berjam-jam setelah hempasan gelombang dahsyatnya yang pertama terjadi. Itu karena sifat gelombang yang datangnya bergulung, tidak serentak satu kali hempas.

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Bagi Anda yang tinggal di pesisir dan yang menyukai wilayah pantai sebagai tempat berlibur, waspadai gejala Tsunami. Bila tanah tempat Anda berpijak bergetar, segera lari ke tempat yang lebih tinggi. Hal itu karena kita tidak bisa memprediksikan berapa menit yang dibutuhkan gelombang laut menjadi bergulung tinggi membentuk Tsunami.

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Kemungkinan Tsunami datang minimal dalam waktu lima menit setelah getaran yang dirasakan. Tetapi di kawasan Kepulauan Hawaii yang juga sering dilanda gempa vulkanik, karena banyak terdapat gunung berapi di dasar laut, Tsunami muncul sekitar beberapa jam kemudian. Kekuatan gempa di dasar laut yang besarannya lebih dari 6 Skala Richter, biasanya berpeluang menimbulkan Tsunami.

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Bagaimana apabila saat terjadi Tsunami Anda tengah berada di laut, di atas kapal? Getaran gempa barangkali tidak terasa karena kapal yang bergoyang-goyang, tetapi biasanya kapal-kapal pesiar dan kapal-kapal yang dilengkapi peralatan yang modern, tentunya dilengkapi alat komunikasi. Petugas pelabuhan biasanya akan mengumumkan bila telah terjadi gempa di dasar laut.

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Untuk mengantisipasi Tsunami pada saat sedang naik kapal di tengah laut, Anda diminta segera mengenakan pelampung, terjun ke laut lepas, dan membiarkan diri Anda mengapung di atas air, pasrah mengikuti datangnya gulungan ombak. Jangan melawannya, ikuti saja arus ombak! Hal itulah justru yang memungkinkan Anda selamat.(Berbagai sumber/N-5)

You CAN take it with you

This very interesting article is taken from Newsweek issue: December 27 / January 7: Periscope by Sonia Kolesnikov-Jessop

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I dream of owning it all. A big condo. A silver Mercedes. All the latest gadgets. And I've just found out how to do it. The catch? I have to be dead.

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My fater has always nagged me to sort out my affairs and prepare a will. Tend to my afterlife, he says. But i've put it off. Too creepy. Now another birthday has rolled by, and at long last I've decided he is right. It's time.

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So it was that i delicately raised the subject with a few Singaporean friends. A revelation! Rather than morbidly worrying how to divide my meager possessions among my nearest and dearest, I can do what they do - revel in dreaming about what goodies I should take with me into the Great Beyond. You can't take it with you, as the old saying goes? nonsense. Taoists send off their dead with anything (and sometimes everything) they could conceivably require. yes, the Mercedes. And the color TVs with karoke, too.

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Not really, of course. These are paper facsimiles of things - houses, cars, what have you - that mourners burn to send as smoke (along with you, the dearly departed) into the afterlife. I'd oftern seen them hanin in shops and assumed they were just toys, not paying much attention. Now I pass Mr. Nam's religious-paraphernalia shop with more care, realizing that I could be window-shopping for eternity.

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Alas, Mr. Nam is something of a relic. Taoist (here) tradition is fast disappearing in Singapore. Blame it on the economy, perhaps, but only one in 10 funerals theres days is conducted along Taoist lines.

Most locals opt for the simpler Buddhist version: a few monks' chants with fruit and vegetable offerings. "I know people who have switched from Taoist to buddhist because they don't want to spend the money", another shopkeeper tells me.

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Even in the afterlife, it seems, condos don't come cheap. The deluxe version (four meters long) can cost $800. (Two maids are "thrown in" to keep the ash and soot out.) It's also very clear that ancestors know their Nikes from no-name flip-flops. "People are quite specific about their choice of brand," says Mr. Nam, adding that Mercedes outsells BMW when it comes to the dead and that Nokia phones are preferable to Samsung.

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As for myself, I plan to go out with a bang, or at lease lots of smoke. I'll reserve the gaudiest offerings - full-size planes, yachts and cars with "chauffeurs." Already I'm advising friends on which little extras will keep me happy and entertained. Want my spirit protection - or, better yet, my gravelike silence on certain indiscretions? Put a little treat in the fire for me. From fine cognac to sexy red lingerie (you never know whom you'll meet) to Game Boys for those lonely nights, Nam's has it all - including such mundane items as cigarettes, cans of beer and spare dentures.

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On the day I visited, he was jovially packing four large chests with $65 worth of gold and silver paper money. All of which would soon go up in smoke. He proudly pointed to the "customs" declaration banner, presumably to be collected by the proverbial bargeman over the River Styx, ensuring that the package gets to the right ancestors. "Bank of Hell" money had also been thrown in to distract evil spritis, who reputedly have a penchant for the finer things in life. It seems that even in death you must beware of thieves. The only problem: you have to pay for all this phony loot with real money, hard earned in the here and now.

rain rain

Photos were taken few weeks ago, raining - Sunday afternoon.


Playing in the rain - fun, fun!


children are posing to the camera - action!

Apologize?

Things a woman should never apologize for :

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1. Never apologize for pursuing what makes you happy. Even if you need to quit your job, transfer schools, or move across country, always do what you really want.

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2. Never apologize for using proper English. Keeping it real doesn't mean speaking Ebonics.

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3. Never apologize for giving your best in a relationship that just didn't work out.

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4. Never apologize for being successful. Only haters want to keep you at their level.

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5. Never apologize for crying. Wear waterproof mascara and express yourself.

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6. Never apologize for ten pounds you need to lose. People who truly care about you will accept you as you are.

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7. Never apologize for being frugal. Just because you save your money instead of blowing it on the latest fashion emergency doesn't mean you're cheap.

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8. Don't apologize for being a single mom. Babies are a blessing.

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9. Never apologize for treating yourself to something special. Sometimes you have to show yourself some appreciation.

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10. Never apologize for leaving an abusive relationship. Your safety should always be a priority.

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11. Never apologize for keeping the ring even if wedding bells won't chime.

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12. Never apologize for setting high standards in a relationship. You know what you can tolerate and what simply gets on your nerves.

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13. Never apologize for saying NO.

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14. Never apologize for asking for what you want in bed. If you don't, then who will?

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15. Never apologize for wearing a weave. You bought it so it's yours.

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16. Never apologize to your new friends about old friends. There's a reason she's been your girl from day one.

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17. Never apologize for ordering dessert. Or more than one dessert.

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18. Never apologize for dating outside your race. Just because you found Mr. Right across the color line doesn't mean you don't love your brothas.

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19. Never apologize for not knowing how to cook. Even if you can't burn like Grandma you know how to order good take out.

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20. Never apologize for your taste in clothes. It's your style.

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21. Never apologize for changing your mind.

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22. Never apologize for exercising your right to choose. It's your body and your right.

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23. Never apologize for making more money than your man, you work hard and you deserve to get paid.

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24. Never apologize for being you!

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"KEEP YOUR HEAD UP AND KEEP MOVING FORWARD"

health: sleep, bold

My brother told me that our sleeping position should follow the earth magnetic axis : from North to South - this supposedly will improve body's circulation & health in general. However, this link says that the magnetic field is from South to North. ???

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I am trying to find any info on the connection between coffee and baldness - still unsuccessful. It is said that applying coffee in your scalp will make hair healthy. In the meantime, you can read this very useful site about HAIR HEALTH.

AR 6

Happy that I finally have time to update my blog. Super busy lately.

This favorite show on TV, Amazing Race 6, keeps me going on Sunday morning....

Have not decided what is the best team - but i do like the sisters, however they were eliminated on the 'hay fever' road block :(

My brother is staying with me while waiting for a job offer to show up. Hope good things will happen SOON!!

To grow old together

On my wedding day, I carried my wife in my arms. The bridal car stopped in front of our one-room flat. My buddies insisted that I carry her out of the car in my arms. So I carried her into our home. She was then plump and shy. I was a strong and happy bridegroom. This was the scene of ten years ago.

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The following days were as simple as a cup of pure water: we had a kid, I went into business and tried to make more money. When the assets were steadily increasing, the affections between usseemed to ebb. She was a civil servant. Every morning we left home together and got home almost at the same time. Our kid was studying in a boarding school.

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Our marriage life seemed to be enviably happy. But the calm life was more likely to be affected by unpredictable changes.

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Dew came into my life. It was a sunny day. I stood on a spacious balcony. Dew hugged me from behind. My heart once again was immersed in her stream of love. This was the apartment I bought for her. Dew said, "You are the kind of man who best draws girls' eyeballs. Her words suddenly reminded me of my wife. When we just married, my wife said, "Men like you, once successful, will be very attractive to girls."Thinking of this, I became somewhat hesitant. I knew I had betrayed mywife. But I couldn't help doing so. I moved Dew's hands aside and said, "You go to select some furniture,O.K.? I've got something to do in the company." Obviously she was unhappy, because I had promised her to go and see with her.

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At the moment, the idea of divorce became clearer in my mind although it used to be something impossible to me. However, I found it rather difficult to tell my wife about it. No matter how mildly I mentioned it to her, she would be deeply hurt. Honestly, she was a good wife. Every evening she was busy preparing dinner. I was sitting in front of the TV. The dinner was ready soon. Then we watched TV together. Or, I was lounging before the computer, visualizing Dew's body. This was the means of my entertainment.

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One day I said to her in a slight joking way, "Suppose we divorce, what will you do?" She stared at me for a few seconds without a word. Apparently she believed that 'divorce' was something too far away from her. I couldn't imagine how she would react once she got to know I was serious.

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When my wife went to my office, Dew had just stepped out. Almost all the staff looked at my wife with a sympathetic eye and tried to hide something while talking with her. She seemed to have got some hint. She gently smiled at my subordinates. But I read some hurt in her eyes. Once again, Dew said to me, "He-Ning, divorce her, O.K.? Then we live together." I nodded. I knew I could not hesitate any more.

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When my wife served the last dish, I held her hand. "I've got somethingto tell you," I said. She sat down and ate quietly. Again I observed the hurt in her eyes. Suddenly I didn't know how to open my mouth. But I had to let her know what I was thinking. "I want to divorce." I raised a serioustopic calmly. She didn't seem to be much annoyed by my words, instead she asked me softly, "why?". "I'm serious." I avoided her question. This so-called answer turned her angry. She threw away the chopsticks and shouted at me, "you are not a man!"

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At that night, we didn't talk to each other. She was weeping. I knew she wanted to find out what had happened to our marriage. But I could hardly give her a satisfactory answer, because my hearthad gone to Dew. With a deep sense of guilt, I drafted a divorce agreement which stated that she could own our house, our car, and 30% stake of my company. She glanced at it and then tore it into pieces. I felt a pain in my heart. The woman who had been living ten years with me would become a stranger one day. But I could not take back what I had said. Finally she cried loudly in front of me, which was what I had expected to see. To me her cry was actually a kind of release. The idea of divorce which had obsessed me for several weeks seemed to be firmer and clearer.

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A late night, I came back home after entertaining my clients. I saw her writing something at the table. I fell asleep fast. When I woke up, I found she was still there. I turned over and was asleep again. She brought up her divorce conditions: she didn't want anything from me, but I was supposed to give her one month's time before divorce, and in the month's time we must live as normal life as possible. Her reasonwas simple: our son would finish his summer vacation a month later and she didn't want him to see our marriage was broken. She passed me the agreement she drafted, and then asked me, "He-Ning, do you still remember how I entered our bridal room on the wedding day?" This question suddenly brought back all those wonderful memories to me.I nodded and said,

"I remember".

"You carried me in your arms", shecontinued,

"so, I have a requirement, that is, you carry me out in yourarms on the day when we divorce. From now to the end of this month, you must carry me out from the bedroom to the door everymorning."

I accepted with a smile. I knew she missed those sweet daysand wished to end her marriage with a romantic form.

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I told Dew about my wife's divorce conditions. She laughed loudly and thought it was absurd. "No matter what tricks she does, she has to face the result of divorce," she said scornfully. Her words more or less made me feel uncomfortable. My wife and I hadn't had any body contact since my divorce intention was explicitly expressed. We even treated each other as a stranger.

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So when I carried her out for the first day, we both appeared clumsy. Our son clapped behind us, "daddy is holding mummy in his arms." His words brought me a sense of pain. From the bedroom to the sittingroom, then to the door, I walked over ten meters with her in my arms. She closed her eyes and said softly, "Let us start from today, don't tell our son." I nodded, feeling somewhat upset. I put her down outside the door. She went to wait for bus, I drove to office.

m

On the second day, both of us acted much more easily. She leaned on my chest. We were so close that I could smell the fragrance of her blouse. I realized that I hadn't looked at this intimate woman carefully for along time. I found she was not young any more. There were some fine wrinkles on her face.

m

On the third day, she whispered to me, "The outside garden is being demolished. Be careful when you pass there."

m

On the fourth day, when I lifted her up, I seemed to feel that we were still an intimate couple and I was holding my sweetheart in my arms.The visualization of Dew became vaguer.

m

On the fifth and sixth day, she kept reminding me something, such as,where she put the ironed shirts, I should be careful while cooking, etc.I nodded.

m

The sense of intimacy was even stronger. I didn't tell Dew about this. I felt it was easier to carry her. Perhaps the everyday workout made me stronger. I said to her, "It seems not difficult to carry you now."

m

She was picking her dresses. I was waiting to carry her out. She tried quite a few but could not find a suitable one. Then she sighed, "All my dresses have grown fatter." I smiled. But I suddenly realized that it was because she was thinner that I could carry her more easily, not because I was stronger. I knew she had buried all the bitterness in her heart. Again, I felt a sense of pain. Subconsciously I reached out a hand to touch her head. Our son came in at the moment. "Dad, it's time to carry mum out." He said. To him, seeing his father carrying his mother out had been an essential part of his life. She gestured our son to come closer and hugged him tightly. I turned my face because I was afraid I would change my mind at the last minute. I held her in my arms, walking from thebedroom, through the sitting room, to the hallway. Her hand surrounded my neck softly and naturally. I held her body tightly, as if we cameback to our wedding day. But her much lighter weight made me sad.

m

On the last day, when I held her in my arms I could hardly move a step. Our son had gone to school. She said, "Actually I hope you will hold mein your arms until we are old." I held her tightly and said, " Both you and I didn't notice that our life was lack of such intimacy."

m

I jumped out of the car swiftly without locking the door. I was afraid any delay would make me change my decision. I walked upstairs. Dew opened the door. I said to her, "Sorry, Dew, I won't divorce. I'm serious."

She looked at me, astonished. The she touched my forehead.

"You got no fever." She said.

I moved her hand off my head. "Sorry, Dew," I said,"I can only say sorry to you, I won't divorce. My marriage life was boring probably because she and I didn't value the details of life, not because we didn't love each other any more. Now I understand that since I carried her into the home, she gave birth to our child, I am supposed to hold her until I am old. So I have to say sorry to you."

Dew seemed to suddenly wake up. She gave me a loud slap and then slammed the door and burst into cry.

m

I walked downstairs and drove to the office. When I passed the floral shop on the way, I ordered a bouquet for my wife which was her favorite. The salesgirl asked me to write the greeting words on the card. I smiled and wrote, "I'll carry you out every morning until we are old."

"True" side of Horoscope

"TRUE" SIDE OF HOROSCOPE

Capricorn (Dec 22 - Jan 19)
You are rather materialistic and it is fueled by your fears of financial disaster. This makes you complain about monetary woes, irritating many with your obnoxious attitude. You can also be a social climber, manipulating your way up the ladder; name- dropping all the way to the top. Once in a while, you'll have morbid thoughts about Death, something that scares you because you have no control over it. You tend to be obsessive about your mortality sometimes.
Advice:
Stop worrying about losing money, and you'd rid yourself of unfounded nightmares. Stop manipulating others and you'll be free to concentrate on attaining your goals. Get rid of your phobias and you'll be able to relax more and enjoy yourself.

Aquarius (Jan 20 - Feb 18)
You tend to be too idealistic and naive sometimes. Practicality gets thrown out of the window by you many times. Cool and aloof, you rarely want to deal with deep emotions. You like to give advice but don't like to receive it. And ideas and inspirations that you sometimes neglect or follow through with them are constantly bombarding you. Or else you are constantly shifting focus, giving people the idea with no staying power.
Advice:
Take time to explore your private feelings. Not all people see things your way. And just because you come up with ideas, don't expect other people to do all the work for you. Learn to trust people and accept advice.

Pisces (Feb 19 - Mar 20)
You are an escapist - you have this knack of avoiding issues if they seem unpleasant. You delve into past memories to escape your present woes. There is also a tendency towards alcoholism and even drug abuse - you are on a search for some kind of 'high'. You also love to flirt and too much of it may send the wrong, dangerous signals out to other people. Once in a while, a dark mood will descend on you and you become rather unsociable and withdrawn.
Advice:
Trust your instincts, but also be in control of your perceptions. Whenever the escapist tendency hits you, join a seminar or get a pep talk from a friend to get your perspective right.

Aries (Mar 21 - Apr 20)
A warrior at heart, you thrive on challenges and any strife and dramas, you are tempted to stir things up, just to keep yourself happy. You are also rather intolerant of mistakes and don't have patience for weakness or failings in others. And sometimes, you can be quite a snob as well you like to be seen at the right places or wear the right clothes. And you're also prone to bossiness. Your restless nature may make you quit a project suddenly if you can't sustain the interest.
Advice:
Get off your high horse and pay your dues before people will accept you. Learn to be more tolerant of others and try to see the other person's side of the story. If you believe in what you do, you can move mountains.

Taurus (Apr 21 - May 20)
You are stubborn and like to hold onto things, not wanting to let go of anything or anyone. You are slow to anger, but when you do get worked up to a rage - everyone step aside! You also have a selfish streak and can be quite sneaky as well. And although people may see you as helpful and agreeable, you sometimes have an inner struggle wanting the approval of opinions. You also tend to be suspicious of others and question their motives.
Advice:
Stop being mean and try to be nice. Learn to forgive and let go of your past disappointments. Learn from your mistakes and have faith in yourself and others as well.

Gemini (May 21 - Jun 21)
Your devil-may-care attitude sometimes could bring harm to yourself - you tend to live on the edge sometimes. Many of you believe that you don't deserve success, somehow feeling guilty for it. You may give others too much of yourself sometimes that you lose yourself. ! You may be prone to suppressing emotions as well. And at times that makes it difficult for you to accept affection and love.
Advice:
Work at listening to others and don't be tempted to try dare devil stunts all the time. And try doing something for yourself and once in a while, in between, doing favors for others. You're human, after all.

Cancer (Jun 22 - Jul 22)
You can get carried away with emotions - your anger is overwhelming and your sadness can depress all those around you. You're also ultra-sensitive to other people's emotions and are affected by these as well. You tend to react before you think and then brood about what you may have done or said wrong. You are also prone to periods of morbidity,thinking dark thoughts. Feelings of insecurity creep in now and then,making you snappish or else you try to win the approval of everyone at your expense.
Advice:
Accept that you are hypersensitive to emotions and work with yours. Go with the flow and by doing the right thing, you set an example for others. Work with others and this will help build your confidence and open you up.

Leo (Jul 23 - Aug 22)
On the rare occasion you lose your temper, you can turn into a savage beast. You seem to need an audience as well, to help boost your confidence and ego, sometimes. Other times, you get caught up in the outward dramas of your life that you neglect what you're feeling inside.This results in a delayed reaction when emotions sneak up on you and you get hit with a whammy. You also tend to be proud and aggressive, cloaking these with your charm. When things don't go your way, you get impatient and may even throw a tantrum.
Advice:
Learn to spend some time alone with yourself and get to know yourself better. And learn to experience your emotions at the moment, don't store them up for another time. And know that not all means justify the ends.

Virgo (Aug 23 - Sep 22)
You have a martyr complex, feeling that you were put on this earth to do good work and not receive any credit for it. You tend to be ultracritical of yourself and others and you also worry about things that are beyond your control. A little pessimistic sometimes, you tend to be an intellectual snob. You bottle up all your insecurities and fears, and
hesitate to reach out for help. And once in a while, you become a busybody - that's when you also feel responsible for other people's problems.
Advice:
Modesty has its own limits - take credit for your efforts. Give yourself a break and know that you do not have to be successful in everything you do. Keep focused and don't get tangled in other people's affairs too often.

Libra (Sep 23 - Oct 23)
Your inability to reach a decision in matters of personal action are legendary. You like to weigh all the alternatives and hear every side of an argument - but this may take time and opportunities may pass you by because of it. You also like to expand energy on people who may not deserve it - You want to help the underdog. You are also sensitive to criticism and may take mild statements of fact very personally.
Advice:
Follow your instincts and act on them - stop sitting on fences. Don't blindly trust people, learn to be a little more discriminating in your offers of help.Learn to think for yourself and don't be swayed by persuasive tongues

Scorpio (Oct 24 - Nov 21)
You have a revengeful streak and a long memory for past hurts. Sometimes you're downright spiteful. When you suffer, you make sure others suffer along with you. Sometimes, you may even use deception to get what you want and to influence others to stay out of your way. You may even believe these untruths and unrealistic fears will grow on you. Once in a while, you may come across someone that just rubs you on the wrong side for no apparent reason and you make it your mission to bury him or her.
Advice:
Flight the negative emotions that arise in you, and resentment will not sour your life. Don't' give into temptation to tell lies, learn to conquer your strong tendency towards revenge and things will fall into place for you.

Sagittarius (Nov 22 - Dec 21)
You've got a big mouth and unwittingly hurt an insult people with it. You can even go to utter strangers and give unsolicited advice and comments. You also seem to enjoy verbal duels with others whenever you can. And you sure can make sore losers, even suspecting foul play if things don't go your way. You have a knack for confrontation and you can't resist being sarcastic. You also don't think too much of many people, because you have a mild superiority complex. Vanity is also a trait in many of you.
Advice:
Learn with whom you can be frank otherwise keep your comments to yourself.Discretion is the better part of valour. Curb your cockiness,and you can combine it with your concern for serious issues, aiding in your search for truth.

Holiday mode

Today is the 3rd day in office after 10 days public holiday and I'm so in holiday mode...

Check this "Losari Coffee Plantation" -- would be great to go there! Anyone?

Mamma Mia!

This is the musical show that I REALLY REALLY want to see but I can't :( as must take days off + fly to Singapore... - wish it was in Jakarta!

STORY
A mother. A daughter. 3 possible dads.
And a trip down the aisle you'll never forget!

Over 18 million people all around the world have fallen in love with the characters, the story and the music that make

MAMMA MIA! the ultimate feel-good show!

Writer Catherine Johnson's sunny, funny tale unfolds on a tiny Greek island. On the eve of her wedding, a daughter's quest to discover the identity of her father brings 3 men from her mother's past back to the island they last visited 20 years ago.

The story-telling magic of ABBA's timeless songs propels this enchanting tale of love, laughter and friendship, and every night everyone's having the time of their lives!

With more productions playing internationally than any other musical, MAMMA MIA! is the world’s No.1 show !

DANCING QUEEN
THE WINNER TAKES IT ALL
SOS
KNOWING ME, KNOWING YOU
TAKE A CHANCE ON ME
I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO, I DO
THE NAME OF THE GAME
MONEY, MONEY, MONEY
SUPER TROUPER
GIMME! GIMME! GIMME!
MAMMA MIA

Eye cream

Do it now!

Too many people put off something that brings them joy just because they haven’t thought about it, don’t have it on their schedule, didn’t know it was coming or are too rigid to depart from their routine.

I got to thinking one day about all those women on the Titanic who passed up dessert at dinner that fateful night in an effort to cut back. From then on, I’ve tried to be a little more flexible.

How many women out there will eat at home because their husband didn’t suggest going out to dinner until after something had been thawed? Does the word "refrigeration" mean nothing to you?

How often have your kids dropped in to talk and sat in silence while you watched something on television?

I cannot count the times I called my sister and said, "How about going to lunch in a half hour?" She would gasp and stammer, "I can’t. I have clothes on the line. My hair is dirty. I wish I had known yesterday; I had a late breakfast. It looks like rain." And my personal favorite: "It’s Monday."

She died a few years ago. We never did have lunch together.

Because people cram so much into their lives, we tend to schedule our headaches. We live on a sparse diet of promises we make to ourselves when all the conditions are perfect!

We’ll go back and visit the grandparents when we get Stevie toilet-trained. We’ll entertain when we replace the living-room carpet. We’ll go on a second honeymoon when we get two more kids out of college.

Life has a way of accelerating as we get older. The days get shorter, and the list of promises to ourselves gets longer. One morning, we awaken, and all we have to show for! Our lives is a litany of "I’m going to," "I plan on" and "Someday, when things are settled down a bit."

When anyone calls my "seize the moment" friend, she is open to adventure and available for trips. She keeps an open mind on new ideas. Her enthusiasm for life is contagious. You talk with her for five minutes and you’re ready to trade your bad feet for a pair of Rollerblades and skip an elevator for a bungee cord.

My lips have not touched ice cream in 10 years. I love ice cream. It’s just that I might as well apply it directly to my stomach with a spatula and eliminate the digestive process. The other day, I stopped the car and bought a triple-decker. If my car had hit an iceberg on the way home, I would have died happy.

Now...go on and have a nice day. Do something you "want to," not something on your "should do" list.

If you were going to die soon and had only one phone call you could make, who would you call and what would you say? And why are you waiting?

Have you ever watched kids playing on a merry-go-round or listened to the rain lapping on the ground? Ever followed a butterfly’s erratic flight or gazed at the sun into the fading night? Do you run through each day on the fly? When you ask, "How are you?," do you hear the reply?

When the day is done, do you lie on your bed with the next hundred chores running through your head?

Ever told your child, "We’ll do it tomorrow." And in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch? Let a good friendship die?

Just call to say, "Hi!"?

When you worry and hurry through your day, it is like an unopened gift...thrown away. Life is not a race.

Take it slower! Hear the music before the song is over.