Cross Training Program

It was indeed a refreshing weekend at the SDA Retreat Centre, Kundasang for the Cross Training (CT) program with the theme “Wake the Faith” (Feb 17-19, 2012). Cross Training is a program that is precisely designed to train the youth to bear the cross and share its weight unto others.

All planned items had been organized in such a way that the youth exhibited a strong participation. I admire their unceasing spirit, energy and kind cooperation. Though, the weather was cool at the top of the hill but our minds had surely been reawakened.

Here is a display of a few photos taken during the CTP. 

Trust building activity

A talk of faith

Adoring the green view from top of the hill

talking politic

This is solely my own opinion.

I do not discuss politic openly neither do I fancy politic. But I think I need to say something about TV3 (a Malaysian private local tv channel). I have been religiously following the local news by watching TV3 news - Bulletin Utama. In my opinion when it comes to politic, TV3 news is extremely bias. The reason I say it so is because there are tons of news shown by TV3 about the opposition parties whether there are important leaders or small groups backsliding from their own parties, but nothing mentioned about the weaknesses of the mainstream party - Barisan Nasional (BN). They (BN) equally have the same amount of deficiencies. 

When there are news about the flaws of the oppositions leaders, TV3 is like a lightning bolt that makes them fast public on the screen. This pattern appears to be regular and I got the impression that TV3 is doing the favor of pleasing the mainstream party/leaders by giving it the worst of the oppositions. Does it really mean that nothing good comes out of the oppositions? The mainstream party has its flaws but why is it that those flaws are not aired? Did I hear, 'it is time to have an oppositions' tv channel'? 

I am certain that you get my point.

It is done!

Finally…..it is done! 

The past two weeks have been so hectically crazy. Constructing five exam papers and meeting its submission dateline were just full of strain. 

I was able to meet the dateline but working under pressure such as this is extremely unhealthy. My deep sleep that I normally experience was hacked by REM sleep. And that is why I just HATE working under pressure. If the stress does not affect my slumber world I will not be so groggy in the daytime. 

I feel 90 percent relieved now. Stress is getting lesser. My life is almost normal. My slumber realm is pleasant. I got back my deep sleep. Hopefully, I will be fully recovered in this coming week. 

Gone too soon: In Memory of Whitney Houston

We all have been stunned by the sudden death of the legendary singer Whitney Houston at the young age, 48.  Personally, it is hard for me to describe how bitter I felt when I first read/heard the news yesterday. She had tremendously difficult years all throughout her life after sometime being marrying with her husband. Not to mention her ins and outs of the rehab just to aid gain her strength and faith back altogether. The last I heard about her rehab entry was when her daughter was also admitted with her. A bad sign, I thought!

Her music has influenced my musical interest throughout my schooling years in high school. I fancied to sing along with her songs as well as imitate her unique voice range. That is among my fond sweet memory of the late Whitney Houston.

Last year, when I heard this song "I Look to You" that was part of the Glee rendition, I had no slight idea that it was actually sung by her until I youtubed it and found that it was truly her song.

This amazing talent has gone too soon. But she will always be remembered heart and mind forever. She is the one and only Whitney Houston (August 9, 1963 - February 11, 2012). Rest in peace.

I leave this song "I Look to You" for you to ponder and I hope that it will embed a great impact in your soul as it does to me.

 

pushing myself an extra effort

I have been busy setting up five exam papers for my students and I am still doing it at the moment. Just for your knowledge, I am intensely exhausted. The submission dateline for all the papers is Monday next week but I must get them done by this coming Friday. The reason is that I will be out of town for a youth training at the SDA Retreat Centre, Kundasang from Friday afternoon till Sunday. To have a stress-free mind while being at the foot of mount Kinabalu it is best to have all the work done before Friday or before leaving the town. Thus, I am pushing myself an extra effort in order to reach that state of stress-free mind over this coming weekend.

Chinese new year 2012

Happy Chinese New Year!

It is the year of dragon again. The Chinese believe that the year of dragon is always an auspicious year that will bring wealth and prosperity. So I can be proud to be born on the same year several years ago.

Firecrackers, oranges, ang pows, Chinese cookies, and the lion dance all commemorate the Chinese New Year celebration. Without all these items celebrating it would be imperfect.

I did not visit a lot of open houses but the one that I visited offered more than what I expected. I got to taste Chinese food, ate oranges and received ang pows. My experience of receiving ang pows was like a little kid receiving ang pows, I was sooo superrrr excited!

The lion dance troops with their drums could be seen everywhere during this time. Below here is a picture of a lion with greens on martial arts poles. He was able to grab the greens and tossed them in the air and everybody gave a big round of applause. What a show off indeed! Happy Chinese New Year once again.

My new year 2012's resolutions

What’s your new year’s resolution?

It is funny because my number one last year’s resolution was failed. My main resolution is to save a lot of money. Sad to say that it was just helplessly failed. So, this year I will bring that forward because apparently, I did not become rich…LOL…I also have a few more important resolutions that I target should be successful. Here they are....

Save tons of money in the bank. I put it as my number 1 priority resolution. Saving money is a good thing, don’t you think so? We need money in times of emergency, for family, for education, for travelling, for pleasure, for business, the list is long. So, I need this for all the above reasons.

Exercise regularly.  Naturally, I am an active person. But last year was a disappointment to me because I consistently lacked of discipline to exercise.  So this year I need to be more strict to be active again.

Read a lot of good books. My aim is to read at least 40 good books. I used to be able to read more than 50 books when I was in high school. Well, it would be a laughable task to do that nowadays. Nevertheless, I will try my level best to achieve it this year. I bought good books from the Floating Book Fair, Logos Hope last December. So I must pursue my mission to digest them.

Practice my knitting skill. This is a skill that I learned when I was studying at Spicer College. A classmate taught me to knit in our informal education class. Unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to practise it ever since.  So, this year I have decided that I should continue practicing my knitting skill.   

Improve/learn one ICT subject.  Since we live in an IT world where there are always new and/or updated computer installations/software I consider this as an obligation to learn. And I must excel in that.

Spend less time on facebook. Last year there were things I was able to do less like spending less time on facebook. Because of doing this, I was able to read lots of books but still not to the extent that I aimed to. This year it will stay the same. Facebook is sweet but it will be the last thing I would check at the end of the day.

Those are the main resolutions that I would like to see successful in my life this year. They need lots of commitments and they are here on my blog. I will refer to these again at the end of 2012 to see whether I have accomplished all those or not. And if you don’t mind, please pray for me so that I will be able to achieve all that I have planned for this year. 

Until next year!  

new year 2012

2012 is here. Happy new year everyone!

This year I had the privilege to spend my new year at Tip of Borneo with kind friends from the church. Being there for the third time after such a long time not only gave me a good feeling, a new year feeling to be specific but I was also in a fresh spirit. Seeing the high waves, the brownish sands, the blue sky, the blue sea, and the tall trees had definitely created a solemn feeling in me to welcome a new year.

We spent the night there in a Rungus longhouse with a reasonable rent. This was my first stay in a Rungus longhouse. The experience does not come often so I treasure it so much. We returned to KK the next day and brought with me an unforgettable memory created on the very new year 2012.

Looking way to the sea with a strong breeze
hitting my hair at Tip of Borneo, Kudat 

I hope this year will bring more success, more prosperity, good health and good life to you and me. Happy new year to you all!