Rootaatee

Interview done.

Success.

New Year.

New Scope.

The First Commandment

The First Commandment

"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind."

"To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick, to sing for joy when we are dying of thirst, to run when our legs are broken. But this is the first and great commandment nonetheless. Even in the wilderness -- especially in the wilderness -- you shall love him."

-- Frederick Buechner

Assumption : Life Should Be Fair

"And most heroes of the Old Testament (Abraham, Joseph, David, Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel) went through trials much like Job's. For each of them, at times, the physical reality surely seemed to present God as the enemy. But each managed to hold on to a trust in him despite the hardships. In doing so, their faith moved from a 'contract faith' -- I'll follow God if he treats me well -- to a relationship that could transcend any hardship."

"I challenge you to go home and read again the story of Jesus. Was life 'fair' to him? For me, the cross demolished for all time the basic assumption that life will be fair."

-- Excerpts from "Disappointment With God" by Philip Yancey

Job Rotation

Applied for a job rotation last week which I am eligible for every two years according to my contract. Feel that I am ready for a change.

Should be able to handle something even more challenging and probably operational.

Interview scheduled next week.........

The Main Point Of Job

"We tend to think 'Life should be fair because God is fair.' But God is not life. And if I confuse God with the physical reality of life -- by expecting constant good health, for example -- then I set myself up for a crashing disappointment."

"God's existence, even his love for me, does not depend on my good health."

"If we develop a relationship with God apart from our life circumstances, then we may be able to hang on when the physical reality breaks down. We can learn to trust God despite all the unfairness of life. Isn't that really the main point of Job?"

-- Excerpts from "Disappointment With God" by Philip Yancey

The Big 3

Just returned from father's birthday dinner. Had so much that I thought even a buffet cannot fight.

Reminds me too....

My own big 3 is coming......

Use Your Heart, Not Your Brain

So it sinks in today. A habit probably developed into a character by now, but it does not give me any excuse not to try and change.

"You just talk too much fact and practical things instead of listening and giving more compassionate replies."

"You used your brain more than your heart."

Brief & Accurate

一言一重﹐千言無用

Chilli At The Side

Finally went to check out Grape Vine near my place with Angela. New place, new friend, good combo. At least can talk about the deco if I run out of topics! Ha...Anyway, communicating was pretty easy. But I was surprised at the unique serving style.

I ordered baked rice. Angela ordered Salmon with Chilli Soy Sauce. After 10 minutes, the waitress came out.

Waitress:

Do you want the salmon cooked with the chilli soy sauce or at the side?

Prawnkid (motioning to Angela):

(Thinking that they probably ask because chilli might be too hot for some)

Your dish, your choice.

Angela (to waiter):

What did you ask?

Waitress (repeating in super polite manner):

Do you want the salmon cooked with the chilli soy sauce or at the side?

Angela:

Oh, cooked with the chilli soy sauce is fine.

Waitress:

I don't think they can do that.

Prawnkid:

Huh? Then what are you trying to ask?

Angela:

Huh? Errrmmm...then at the side is ok.

After another 10 minutes, both our orders are served. Looks good and exactly like the pictures in the menu. I am impressed.

Angela (moving the salmon left and right):

Hmmm...where is the chilli?

Prawnkid (pointing at brownish sauce below fish):

I guess that's it. Says chilli soy sauce on menu.

Angela:

Oh.....soy sauce ah? Ok....

Finishing our meals.

Angela:

Hmmm...not very spicy mah. So funny, they ask whether cook with it or at the side, then say cannot cook with it. Hahaha...

THEN, we noticed a bottle of Tabasco sauce beside the plate.

Prawnkid:

Right. I think that is your chilli at the side actually. She literally put at the side of the plate.

Angela:

Huh? Chilli is use tabasco ah? Really at the side....hahaha....

That sums up my first time going out with Angela. Really sound like a twin sister of Yiling.......

Grape Vine

Good food (barring chilli at the side definition), good drinks, good chill out place, fantastic polite service. My kind of cafe concept :o)

Martial Arts Material

This week is an aching week, all because of that 18-hour sleep! Argh, I better stop taking those. Ache so badly that I decided to go along with my friend's recommended massage at People's Park. Took what seemed like a million years looking for the shop that his friend recommended, and got hogged by those bust popping ladies trying to lure us into their shops. I bet guys get raped in there. But anyway, could not find the exact shop and ended up at a traditional one that practices acupressure massage.

My friend went into his own room and I went into mine. We could hear what happened in each other's room. My friend was happily chatting with his masseur (lady that he cannot reject), while my masseur was determined to prove his knowledge of every acupoint and maybe his internal strength. I could hear and feel him breathing on my body as he press on the acupoints with EVERY SINGLE OUNCE OF STRENGTH in him. Right, I could barely move, not to mention talk. Deep down I thought, if he can't soothe the ache, he was probably just trying to break my entire body, joints and all.

He finished by cracking both my full arms, THEN a conversation started.

Masseur:

Hmmm, do you practise boxing?

Prawnkid:

No.

Masseur:

Taekwondo? Karate?

Prawnkid:

No.

Masseur:

Martial arts from young perhaps?

Prawnkid:

NO. (I think he's been brainwashed learning acupoints really.)

Masseur:

Oh well, it's a pity. Your body is flexible (he twists my arms full 180 degrees for both) and would be very suitable to do it well. Too bad.

Prawnkid:

...

*thinking of smashing his head with a single stroke of Xiang Long Shi Ba Zhang*

I told my friend about it and he was laughing his head off at my encounter. I figured if I really knew martial arts, I would have used Quan Kun Da Nuo Yi and get out of there.

My friend had the cheek to ask if I wanna go back there again???!!!

Hear What We Wanna Hear

Suddenly remember a TV commercial on a father hearing comments about his son, who really really cannot make it playing tennis. But he automatically filters out the "not so nice" words and end up hearing that his son can be a future Andre Agassi. (An advert for a radio station.)

Well, sometimes people are like that. Sometimes I am like that. If we do not hear the things we want to hear, we reject it as wrong and we switch off listening.

Is that always right? Are we always right?

I don't think so. That is being stubborn. Will need tons of time to learn this lesson......

Sleeping Therapy

Was told that sleeping is good therapy. Think I overdid it. Slept 18hrs on Sunday!!! Now my neck, shoulders and back are aching.

Whoever tells me sleeping is good therapy......where did that come from???

Which?

Honda 8 Civic?

Mazda 3? 6?

Honda Integra?

Mark X?

Suzuki Swift?

3-door Rav 4?

Mini Cooper?

Evo IX?

Bus???

Offensive Angel

On the same day, I have two different people describing me.

One said I was offensive, and the other said I was an angel.

Right... Offensive Angel...

NEVER Beyond The Reach or Beyond The Need

"Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the need of God's grace."

-- Jerry Bridges

Your grace is sufficient for me.

Home Alone

Need to remind myself of the stuff to do for staying alone!!!

Gotta feed the dog and the fishes

Feed the dog and fish

Dog and fish

Dog fish

Done.

Sleeping Holiday

Didn't work from Friday to today (Tuesday). A break that I slept and slept and SLEPT. Literally more than the total I slept in a week.

Needed a break to rest the body and that was what I gave it. Headache and sore throat from the haze, that was irritating.

Had backache today and need to massage it while lying on bed. Hope it does not stay. That is just as irritating.

Still feel zombie like...

Back to work tomorrow. Hope I remember my login password :op

Current Favourites

Not too bothered by what others think. My two current favourites...

Lee Hom Concert

Back from watching Lee Hom concert with Irene.

He is THAT good.

Thought it was interesting to see him play from one drum and progressing as the other pieces are added in by the stage crew.

One night demonstrated his talent to play guitar, keyboard, drums, piano, violin and erhu.

Next up.......Parachute Band.........

Believe In The Father COMPLETELY

"Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

-- Matthew 7 : 9 - 11

If I believe that my Father will provide for me, then the belief should be COMPLETE. It is inevitable to hear pangs of doubts or unbelief ringing in the head, but it is with the faith and strength through the Holy Spirit in me that I know and can assert my victory.

All was conquered on that cross. Now's the time to claim that victory.