Sunday, September 05, 2010
Been in the army for more than a year but up till now I still haven't decide on what Im gonna do once I've completed my National Service in June 2011. Before I entered the army, the plan was to explore my options within the 2 years period. It's not as easy as I thought it would be as I still can't decide whether to study, work or both. Tried seeking opinion from friends & It made me even more confused haha. Majority agreed on at least getting a degree as apparantely they say that Diploma is not enough in Singapore. Some also recommended to work & study part time. Well everyone has different opinion so I guess it looks like I have to decide & make my own decision.
Firstly the main reason I haven't thought of studying is because I do not know on what course to take. I do not wish to carry on with engineering as It doesn't interest me and I kinda suck at it haha. Info Tech has been the course that I wanna give a shot at but If i were to take that as my degree course well let's just say that It's gnna be suffering for me as I don't have any background in it or it's basic foundation. Degree ain't cheap either too so I really have to choose the right course. And to be honest, ever since Im in the army I kinda lost the interest to study as my mind is in Army mode & not to study for exams mode haha. Been away from the study world for quite a while now so to adjust back to that might take a while for me.
My main plan was to just work but as usual Im not sure on what I wanna work as. Air steward has been something that I wanna try but Im not sure whether I qualify as I don't have any experience and they normally go for good looking people right? If it does than looks like I already fail. I wanna try applying for those airlines that doesn't serve alcohol beverages but it's not that easy. Well will see how it goes. Worst come to worst I will just grab what ever airlines that is willing to hire me & that will be a miracle haha. I enjoy working in the sales line too though so I would try for that as well If not than I will grab what ever is available on the newspaper job offer section. Worst case senarion I will make use of my engineering diploma & try being an engineer. If all else fails than I will go for my last desperate plan which is to sign on in the Army & hopefully that will never ever happen please. Maybe I should just do what I always do which is let time tell & see how it goes. I will let fate decide for me. But i will still continue to look around & decide slowly.
For now Im looking forward to my home leave this coming 17th. I have so many things that I wanna do or should I say eat haha. Im missing our local dishes like Indian Rojak, Hokkien mee & Mee Rebus especially the fast food that isn't availabe in Brunei. Subway will definetly be my first target! I also got my mum to cook for me the Hari raya dishes which she normally prepares. So thankfully I won't be missing my favourite festive dishes & not to forget the goodies as well:). Not to forget my beloved family & close friends in Singapore. I can't wait to meet them all. 12 more days to go and hopefully I won't overspent.
A little update about myself. Life here is still the same. As usual there are days where It's good and some days it can get bad but overall It's cool. Fasting over here this year well let's just say Im pretty much mess up haha & I shall not elaborate any further. Well Im gonna eny here for now. Cya folks!
Saturday, September 04, 2010
Michael is the kind of guy you love to hate. He is always in a good mood and always has something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!"
He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Michael was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.
Seeing this style really made me curious, so one day I went up to Michael and asked him, "I don't get it! You can't be a positive person all of the time. How do you do it?"
Michael replied, "Each morning I wake up and say to myself, you have two choices today. You can choose to be in a good mood or ... you can choose to be in a bad mood. I choose to be in a good mood."
Each time something bad happens, I can choose to be a victim or... I can choose to learn from it. I choose to learn from it.
Every time someone comes to me complaining, I can choose to accept their complaining or... I can point out the positive side of life. I choose the positive side of life.
"Yeah, right, it's not that easy," I protested.
"Yes, it is," Michael said.
"Life is all about choices. When you cut away all the junk, every situation is a choice. You choose how you react to situations. You choose how people affect your mood. You choose to be in a good mood or bad mood. The bottom line: It's your choice how you live your life."
I reflected on what Michael said. Soon hereafter, I left the Tower Industry to start my own business. We lost touch, but I often thought about him when I made a choice about life instead of reacting to it.
Several years later, I heard that Michael was involved in a serious accident, falling some 60 feet from a communications tower. After 18 hours of surgery and weeks of intensive care, Michael was released from the hospital with rods placed in his back. I saw Michael about six months after the accident.
When I asked him how he was, he replied, "If I were any better, I'd be twins. Wanna see my scars?"
I declined to see his wounds, but I did ask him what had gone through his mind as the accident took place.
"The first thing that went through my mind was the well-being of my soon-to-be born daughter," Michael replied.
"Then, as I lay on the ground, I remembered that I had two choices: I could choose to live or... I could choose to die. I chose to live."
"Weren't you scared? Did you lose consciousness?" I asked.
Michael continued, "... the paramedics were great. They kept telling me I was going to be fine. But when they wheeled me into the ER and I saw the expressions on the faces of the doctors and nurses, I got really scared. In their eyes, I read 'he's a dead man'. I knew I needed to take action."
"What did you do?" I asked.
"Well, there was a big burly nurse shouting questions at me," said Michael.
"She asked if I was allergic to anything.
'Yes, I replied.'
The doctors and nurses stopped working as they waited for my reply. I took a deep breath and yelled, 'Gravity'."
Over their laughter, I told them, "I am choosing to live. Operate on me as if I am alive, not dead!"
MORAL OF THE STORY:
Michael lived, thanks to the skill of his doctors, but also because of his amazing attitude. I learned from him that every day we have the choice to live fully. Attitude, after all, is everything. After all, today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday.
LIFE IS ABOUT THE LITTLE CHOICES WE MAKE EVERY DAY !
