New Year Resolution - How about new hope?

I believe, in fact I’m guilty of taking somewhat a sedate approach to life and as a result don’t quite realise my full potential. Hence, this very beginning of the New Year I’m really committed to my passion and pursuing to the max. I’m going to the extreme.

After all, it’s necessary for us to push ourselves and take the challenging road and the greater the challenge the more gratifying it will be. I hope the penchant I’ve for adventure in my travel for the past few years will extend to other aspects of my life. I’ll finish writing my book, 108 places to see before nirvana, promoting my book, publish my travelogue, setting up a tea house business, and take my freelance design business into greater heights, creating Buddhist lifestyle merchandise and perhaps many more in this very New Year. Unlike before, I don't want to feel so much and do so little!!!!

My plates are full, but my stomach is still hungry. Presently I’m satisfied but also anticipating a lot of opportunities coming my way. Seriously, so much I can do with my humble potential brimming with hope. I want to go as far as I can see and when I get there I can see further...

So, when do I start?

2010
2009

Birthday state of mind

As you get older, you tend to look back upon your life and recall what could be my proudest or happiest moment? I couldn’t care much of what I’ve achieved so not particularly proud of anything I’ve done however I can recall some of my happiest moment. The joy you experience commonly is either with your love ones or getting that short instant material gratifications but all these are determine by the external factors and I’m pretty sure the happiest moment I’m looking for is the inner peace I’ve experienced within.

So when is that particular moment I keep longing? It’s actually not that long ago, it’s a trip I made to Pai after knowing I can’t continue staying in Myanmar till to the political inhabitation so I made a detour, and amend my trip to northern Thailand.

Read why I left Mymmar

The days I’ve spent in Pai, passed with sweet idleness – indulging in cycling around the town; practising yoga; chilling in the Jazz café near my guesthouse and chatting up with friends I’ve just met. But the sweetest hours of all were those I spent alone, on a bicycle, pedalling out of the town to the Japanese bridge.

Of my time cycling my bicycle, I put on my mp3 player with music soothing my soul, I still remember the song, Dog days are over perform by Florence and the machine, turning my eyes directly to the open road, somehow I feel myself floating and drifting to another dimension. In those 2 hours, I lost myself in the beautiful countryside, plunged in a host of delightful reveries.

I couldn’t recall what it is in details that make me so happy. I know the sun was setting, trees stretching out on the side of the roads and majestic mountains as the backdrop, I think it’s the care free feelings and undisturbed thoughts or perhaps in large part, the “timelessness” of the experience. A place where my mind did not venture to the past or anticipate the future, where present runs on indeterminately as we all have known everything is in constant flux, nothing remains the same.
Subsequently, pangs of nostalgia propel me to revisit the same town on my birthday. Sadly, till to the severe flood situation in Thailand, it’s not possible to be there in time.

I do know even if I’m back in the same old place I might be not be able to recapture that sublime state of mind I once reminiscence but I do know as long as my heart is calm and untroubled, with conducive surroundings, stay focus in the present. I inadvertently may be able to revisit that state of mind once again.

Happy Birthday to the state of mind that I long for…

Brown Bird Flys

Brown bird crashing happily into the window panes
Nearly drop dead with a pinch of air
As deadly as it is
Brown bird take the broken wings and try to fly
Knowing the pain is only momentarily

Brown bird fly, Brown bird fly
Into the light of the jet black night

Brown bird singing in the dead of night,
From his sunken eyes, he learn to see clearly through his life
There is always light in the jet black night

Brown bird fly, Brown bird fly
Into the light of the jet black night

knowing there is always light in the jet black night

An escape

Every human being whom is really alive is constantly broadcasting his thoughts, feelings and emotions and all these can be transmitted through vibrations, even if one sits in silence.

The very presence of a person is communicative and radiates a certain vibrations to whomever around him. He carries his ambiences wherever and whenever he goes and does. When you sit, observe or talk in his presence, you are likely to absorb every emotive expression he transmitted. Happy or sad, regardless, you either feel the positive energy or feel like energy has been sucked out. At times, you may also feel nothing at all, just deadness, like a log of wood. I call them boring personality.

Therefore, I took myself very seriously; by making sure that anyone whom gets in contact with me will receive my positive vibes and if they have any problems, I’ll advise or offer something for them to consider, at times just listen, attentively. To certain extent, I absorb their negative energy and feel obligated to resolve their worries.

However this time, I need to release my own negative energy. So with my coming trip to India that coincidentally planned one year ago. I escape. (First time, I take traveling as an exit plan. Usually, it’s more of a liberation)

I decided to venture to the Himalayan Snow Mountains for an in depth up close and personal self to self-retreat with maybe a few tranquil sceneries to rejunvenate me, like Goa to cleanse and wipe away my sorrow just like the shore.

So this time, I escape knowing I can recover and return to exudes positive vibes to others...

Love means nothing, nothing equals nothing

I gotta take a little time
A little time to think things over
I better read between the lines
In case if I’m mislead

In my life there has been heartache and pain
can't compare with what others have faced
but I've to stop this now as it's getting too far
To go back to my solitary life

I don't wanna know what love is
cause no one can show me
I don't wanna know how love feels like
as no one can show me

I'm gonna take a little time
A little time to look around me
I've got nowhere left to hide
Looks like solitude has finally convince me

In my life there has been heartache and pain
can't compare with what others have faced
but I've to stop this now as it's getting much too far
To go back to my solitary life...

I don't wanna know what love is
cause no one can show me
I don't wanna know how love feels like
as no one can show me

I'm going back to my solitary life...

Go forward with Courage

"Go Forward with Courage," an archival print by Jen Ray of Corduroy, one of my favorite Etsy shops these days. ($30)

State of emergency

All these accidents,
That happen,
Follow for a reason,
Coincidence,
Makes sense,
Only with you,
You don't have to speak,
I feel.

Emotional landscapes,
They puzzle me,
Then the riddle gets solved,
And you push me up to this

State of emergency,
How beautiful to be,
State of emergency,
Is where I want to be.

All that no-one sees,
You see,
What's inside of me,
Every nerve that hurts,
You heal,
Deep inside of me,
You don't have to speak,
I feel.

Emotional landscapes,
They puzzle me - confuse,
Then the riddle gets solved,
And you push me up to this

State of emergency,
How beautiful to be,
State of emergency,
Is where I want to be.

State of emergency,
How beautiful to be,

Emotional landscapes,
They puzzle me,
Then the riddle gets solved,
And you push me up to this

State of emergency,
How beautiful to be,
State of emergency,
Is where I want to be.

State of emergency,
How beautiful to be.

Be here now!

"Be Here Now," from Sarah Gardner's Lettering set.

Do what you can with what you have!

I'm not the kind of person whom is vastly interested in politics. I can't even recall the name of the last president in Singapore; I can't even put the name together with the face of the ministers. The main reason I personally think is because politic is never fair. Everyone has their own set of perceptions. Promises by the politician are only words, it's the intention and the post-election I'm looking into. However, when life interferes, the welfare of the nation is compromise, and maybe we only hold that tiny piece of paper to vote. We do what we can with what we have.

Quote of the day!

Somewhere I've read

Changes Everywhere
Change - Positive or Negative - always create new things
So I look at "change" in a positive light.

Change for me is staying dynamic, staying ahead of the norm, Stepping out of your comfort zone and doing things that are a bit risky, a bit fun. As long as you keep moving, then things around the world will change for you.


MAKE CHANGE NOW!

A single running man

Every evening or almost, unless I’m travelling, you’ll see me jogging around my neighborhood wearing my white Tee and shorts with a white “chanel” inspired watch to keep track of the time. Most of the time, I forgot how many rounds I’ve jogged so with the watch I can tell how much time I’ve spent on each round without over running.

Come to think about it, it’s been 8 years since I started jogging, initially, it’s about losing weight, but as time goes by, I eat as much as I jog and I run for other reasons. One of the main reasons, perhaps I know is whenever I feel down, I run. Focusing only breathing in and out, not allowing my mind to think about my emotions. Losing breathe seems to be meditative, jogging seems to empty my head which is a relief as my mind always bubbling with thoughts incessantly.

After every run, there is this inexplicable liberating feeling, for some is adrenaline pumping, for me it’s clear headed, my observation and awareness to simple things seems to heighten me. That simple bliss, that clear mind, the unwanted emotions, I know I’m not running away, I’m running inside myself, getting to know me and handle my thoughts a little better…