Do I sound like I don't know what I want?
Actually...
I know exactly what I want to do/have in life.
But somehow, others always think that I don't... I seem to be bumming around and not doing much. But in actual fact, I am too busy... most of the time, I've too much at hand for me to handle... Too busy trying to earn a living, while trying to balance the desire of doing things that are meaningful and beneficial to my future and the people that came brushing through my brief life...
I believe that there's 2 ganeral path that people tend to take in Singapore - the sure and safe route and the other is the uneven and challenging route.
Right from the start, I have never thought that I will be walking in the easier route. I know what is to come and am somewhat prepared for the hard road ahead. I know that I will be poor all my life but I'll be richer in another sense... For I can never imagine myself doing some monotonus activity over and over again just to satisfy the sole motivation of having more money. I can't.
And I really can't bring myself to ignore the insanity of mankind and treatment that we're giving to the very planet that marks our own exsistance. How can I remain calm and ignorantly believe that nothing's wrong when thousands of people have died due to our selfishness and frivolity to the obvious signs and callings from Her...
However, I'm blessed and happy to know that along this treacherous and triesome road, I have met alot more people that are like me. People that are facing the exact same problems as I am for not taking the "good route to stablity". Along the way, lots of people whom I've worked with even extended their offer to have me working for them. And that gave me the confidence as well as a form of assurance that I've been doing a good job.
Again it is all about what I want in life.. What do I want to be known as - a trainer, facilitator, diver, guide, artist, etc? Everyone needs an identity, or an entity to have that sense of belong. Perhaps even a sense of being.
Some friends of mine are even thinking about starting businesses... G. , LC, Moo. , GL, Hj and they have all asked me if I would like to be part of them... Be it social enterprises, outdoor education, marine, teaching... I'm truly hornoured! However, no matter how much my heart desires to take up them all, I have to let go of some, so as not to compromise my person rule of living - to live life colourfully meaningful... To enjoy and be happy with the work that I do... Understand what I mean? ...
Working towards my dream...
The dream of realising my desires...
Real enough to touch and to hold...
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An Idealist
Hmmm... Alot of people have been asking me what do I want to do in life. Well, if I were to talk like an idealist.. then this would most probably be my answer -I hope to lead a simple life. To paint and draw things that are close to my heartstrings, maybe to make art with a conscience twist of wit? Meanwhile, I'll work on getting an art space...
I would hope to educate the future genarations to be more aware of their surroundings and not fall into the common practises of 'ignorance', 'subjective-blindness' and 'self-centered-ness'. To practise the virtues of creativity, patience, togetherness and decisiveness through playing and drawing.
Or to provide the world with a ray of hope and work towards making a better future. To be amongst people that makes a difference, bringing people together to share ideas and interact with each other. To be amongst God's creations and people who treasures and adores God's creations. And allow people to see that Life can be lived more simply, and that it is not always about winning, about gaining more or about being first that you will find happiness...
God has cared for these trees, saved them from drought, disease, avalanches, and a thousand tempests and floods. But he cannot save them from fools. - John Muir
Could that ever be possible? Why not? I believe I can reach there...
Whether or not that these are what I was made to be, it'll be revealed in due time...
If there's no dreams in this world, then there will never be fairy tales...
If there're no dreamers, then the world is without colours...
Believe and act as if it were impossible to fail. - Charles Kettering
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Wet wet wet... Had just merely 2-3hours of sleep and we're out of MS's place and on our way to meet the eager participants who are already there at 4AM.
Cold and rainy was how the day started, but the rain managed to hold long enough for us to walk about freely... My group was small and out of 6, 4 of them are either divers, bio students or guides-to-be, so the walk was rather simple. Though, I notice that they seem to be rather quiet... Hmmm...
Sargassum seaweed were in abundance, covering all the corals and other invertabrates. To make things worse, the rain have chased away most of the animals... Where have all the crabs, sand dollars, moonsnails and nudibraches gone to?!?!??! ...
But alas, we managed to find some beautiful whelk snails (Nassariidae) I still don't know how to pronounce "whelk" properly, narites (Narita Lineata), lots of clown anemone shrimps or also known as glass anemone shrimps (Periclimenes Brevicarpalis ), nobbly seastar, common seastarssss, a Stonefish and a dieing octopus. No crabs, just lots of molted ghost shells.
Though I have been guiding for quite some time now, I still feel that the knowledge that I know is inadequate, adding to that, I kept forgetting the facts. So, I've decided to have an animal a day... to help remember and revise before I forget all of them by the next reefwalk!
A love affair with knowledge will never end in heartbreak - Micheal Garrett Marino
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Hollow Cheek Stonefish - Pulau Hantu
Synanceja horrida (Linnaeus)
Scorpaenidae
Scorpionfishes (family Scorpaenidae) have a row of venomous spines on the dorsal fin.
Among them, the stonefish (Synanceja horrida) is probably the most feared, for its sting has been known to cause human deaths. The dorsal spines along its back are linked to glands packed with lethal venom, and even a slight brush with them can result in excruciating pain for the victim.
That is precisely the reason, why it is so important that while walking on reef flats, we must put on protective footwear and more importantly watch where you step. Avoid stepping on rocks, other then the fact that they are super slippery, you might accidentally step on the stonefish which bears a strong resemblance to algae-encrusted coral rocks.
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The last reefwalk of the year!
The Moonsnail (Polinices sp.)
Moon Snails move through wet sand with their oversized foot and mantle.They eat other snails and clams. The Moon Shell uses its foot to enclose its prey, secretes an acid to weaken the shell of the victim, then uses its radula (a rough tongue-like organ) to rasp a hole through the shell of its victim...
Photo courtesy of Greengardn of Reefwalk blog
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how to use this blog?
Whenever you move your mouse over the highlighted words within the blog entry and it expands like this ... it's a link ...
Click on either on the time of blog or comments to view and leave comments
To go back.... Blog titles (after the blog dates) will bring you back to the previous page viewed
Tuesday, August 17, 2005
how to use this blog?
To go back to home - Just click on *droplets of moments* found in the small left hand column
There you have it! So clever!!! Hahahaha... Happy browsing... :-)
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It WAS my break day... Was suppose to have a day break from all the camps that I've been doing... but ended up running around still... sigh... So much for taking a break... So anyway...
Just saw this online and think that it's a very good effort made to promot awarness for CANCER... called: Blog for Hope in yahoo...
Anyone could be become a cancer victim... and I know my chances of getting it is pretty high... I have a whole family line of relatives having it... So have you found out enough to understand how you can detect it and what's it about?
... Prevent . Detect . Share ....
Learn to let go of your anger before sunset. And be thankful for each and every sunrise. For it is a new begining!
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The final blast Was at Carnival at Marina with my Youths with Cameras mentee - a 3months mentoring programme initiated by The Choice Initiative
Went there to practice capturing some beautiful fireworks, and today is the grand finale!
Met them 6pm and it's already super crowded!
Good thing I was foresighted enough to ask them to meet earlier... heh
By the time we reach the breakwaters, there's already a wide array of tripods big and small everywhere.
Left: The early birds, Right: YT adjusting her camera
All set and we finally found time to sit down and settled two more of our next appointments together...
8pm and the fireworks are late, but everyone was already on standby.
Even the bum boats and ferries seemed to be drifting nearer and nearer...
Boom! went the first firework! wow! it was amazing...But just after a couple of seconds, both my mentees have to reload film!! AUGH...
Panic mode for awhile when YT can't seem to get it loaded... wasted a roll.. Nevermind...
Boom Boom BOOM!!! The fireworks seemed to had went on and on for about 20min!
Owwww... Waaahhhh... oohhhhhh!! went the enormous crowd that had set themselves in front of all the tripods.
neverending fireworks
About the Carnival...
The Carnival was the largest event this year - being Singapore's 40th birthday and so the event was to be held for 9days. But it was so poorly advertised and organised that all the vendors signed a petition to demand that the organisers be sued! (oh my... read here)
Yes, there're alot of stalls but they are all littered sparsely by the sides the main stage.
What made it worse, I think, is that there's no proper signages indicating where are the stalls, the paths sucks and though the flyers that they gave out cames with the map, it only indicated the staged performances but nothing on the other activites available at all. So much for the flyers, hmmm... Not only that but most of the stalls are close even before the operating hours are over! Looonnnngggg Qs at the toilets and the smell - peee yeuuuu. The bus conductors did a good job in shafting people in and out of the buses but still tranportation is a huge hassel. No cabs in sight at all. Where did they go?
Anyway, glad that it's all over now and hopefully my mentees photos turn out good. *fingers crossed*
Map of Carnival@Marina
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Social Entrepreneurship Forum 2005
SE Forum 2005 "A Social Enterprise is a business with primarily social objectives whose surpluses are principally reinvested for that purpose in the business or in the community, rather than being driven by the need to maximise profit for shareholders and owners."
Cambodia Children
So is this the way to go in the humanitarian world? Is this a viable alternative to provide a brighter future to the people who needs assistance? Maybe... Or at least I hope that it is. Not only will it provide more jobs but it will allow them to become skilled individuals whereby they may be able to earn themselves a decent living without dependance on donations or public funds... Sure sounds good to me.
But in order to support such causes, meant paying what the people deserves, therefore, consumers will have to pay a cup of good coffee at a higher price. Now, how many are willing to take that? Sadly, not many in Asia. And it's a tough battle winning people over and changing the mindsets about certain consumer habits and preferances.
Like bringing along your own carrier when you go shopping, buying products that are biodegradable, CFC safe, plastic that bears the recycle signs... Supporting Companies that practises Fair Trade. And that prices are not always directly affected by quality...
Providing skilled services like what MINDS and Highpoint are doing seem to be more well received. It definatley had helped those people that are in the programme.
However, it still does not change the fact that half the globe of people are still affected by poverty due to consumers demand for cheaper prices... Take Mercy Exchange for another instance - seem to me handicrafts are a dieing trade. People rather buy factory-made products than to pay more for one that is authentically, and painstakingly made-by-hand.
As what Mr Thomas Thomas said during the forum: "it's either fast, good, or cheap." So you can have it fast and cheap, but it can't be good. Good and cheap, it won't be fast. Fast and good, well... it'll never come cheap...
Nonetheless, let us be hopeful. May more good come from this new form of trade than bad...
Drumming on for the future... MINDS performance at SE Forum
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Busy weekend Busy busy busy...
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Trrreeeee Tooopppp... Finally managed to drag my dear sis to the Treetop Walk. My fourth this year alone...
Started out really well... And when we got to the Ranger Station, we met afew of the NParks people.
And they had gladly showed us the Elegant Bronzeback (Dendrelaphis formosus) that they caught earlier. Very beautiful. If only I've got a camera with me... **
Bummed into NParks, Benjamin who happened to know almost eveyone that I mentioned... yes, it's proven that the world is indeed small. Singapore even smaller.
Saw Adam and Vincent (I call him the bird man) again... yeah, and they both recongised me who had been there before too... Very nice people. Okie, so I promised that I'll bring snacks for them next time when I come by... :D
The walk was alright, at a pretty good and relax pace. I only hope that Eli took it well and her body will not complain to her for the next few days. Afterall, we've walked for almost 10km (in + out), and for her who had not been excersing... hmmm... it must be abit tough... I suppose people who want to attempt doing the walk should be more mentally prepared and it was a good thing that I had some sweets, biscuits and lots of water with me to spur us on along the way...
Here's an article written by Sarah Ng,
The Straits Times, 30 Jan 05 - TreeTop Walk too tough?
Had a fantastic Japanese dinner at Toa Payoh to end of the day with a good *burp* note... Yummmm
Sigh... camping again tomoro... Time to pack my bags...
Map of MacRitchie - Central Catchment Nature Reserve
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Nation's Day
To think that I still have to work on a public holiday... But I had so much fun!Was privileged to receive my very first lesson and get to try out riding on my friend's bike - Mojojojo. So Fun! But of course I did not go very far ...
Shortly after, we went down to Jurong to look for HS who's on duty as First Aid-er and complaining that he's bored... There's really alot of people there, wearing all RED - Happy Singapore's Birthday to all!!! Remembering the day when we became a nation!
Went home to change after that and met up with GL, Yong and friends as promised for wine tasting, but alas, Union's close on National Day. And so we ended up at crowded Riverside, Brewreks for food, drinks, then pool and mindnight movie - Seven Swords... (Pretty disappointing) .
Would have elaborated more, but I'm just too tired... ZzzzZzZzZZZzzZZzZzZzZz
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Leadership camps... Just finished two fantastic leadership camps... (Osec., StNg)
Wonderful people... Fun and funny bunch...
I felt bad that I have to leave camp half way due to lack of trainers to go to the next one in Pulai, Malaysia.
And so I went home after the campfire to grab my passport and travel wallet, I found SIN$50 inside!!! I'm soooo happy man! Thank God for His kindness! whahaha.... went back to campsite and stayed up till 4am to write a personal note to each one of them. I hope that they have all gained something from the camp and that they had enjoyed it as much as I did... They all really made my day!
I was dead tired... But the following camp was great as the girls were super enthusiastic and coorporative. Though it was a mix group; Sec. + Pri. , they did very well together with the seniors taking good care of the younger ones... And it helps when the young ones are all so cute and adorable... :P
But the bugging question persist in me, how long will I last in doing this...
Days of my life...
-- Clouds --
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Days of pennilessness Just my luck! Both my payrolls are being delayed... sigh...
Now I'm dead broke but I'm really glad to have wonderful friends around that helped me tide over the dry spells... It's really amazing how I went from place to place thanks to all these dearest people around me...
I went from the Treetop walk with Andrew, Yok and friends... to Golden Mile Complex to buy ingredients, to MS's place at Holland Village to cook up a yummy Thai feast... then took a bus down to meet up at GL's place to watch late late night movies, special thanks goes to GL who had kindly funded and even house me the stray kitten for the last 2-3days. Then we all went to the new National Library... Then down to a nice pub to chill. Due to our enthusiasim, we stayed till pass 12midnight, so I bunked in at GL's place again for another round of late late night movies, then finally went home the next day after we had brunch together...
I am ever grateful... and will always remember their kindness to me...
Have you recognized any of these friends around you too?
I get by with a little help from my friends. - John Lennon
Affection (Sabah 2004)
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