Cruise Trip

i was invited to join some friends for a one day cruise away fr the hectic life in singapore out there in the sea!! it was my inaugural cruise trip and i was really really excited about it. i think overall the experience was really cool and plus it was plain dirt cheap.... =X i was so excited to go explore the entire ship after alighting on it some a boat. rushed down fr JW service just in time to take the boat to leave Singapore. it was a fun time spent with some friends and its been fun knowing some of ya in depth. lets do this about every 1-2mths for a short getaway from boring boring Singapore!! :D

Gambling King 赌神风 "Leonard" - 有钱不赌,对不起父母!!!! :p

Lucky Boy "Me" =X

i love the deck where i enjoy the breeze and look wide into the open sea and begin to experience unexpressable feelings that i simply cant put it in words. its really so relaxing where you can literally feel your body elevated. its really a "wow" experience (call me noob).... anyway, i hope to do this every 1-2mths just for the sake to getaway. this getaway allowed me to cool my mind from all that hectic schedules and commitments i had. simply allow your body and heart to take control rather than your head. :)

Impromptu Manpuku

Mango Strawberry Tart
met up my friend for dinner last wk. we decided to head to Manpuku since its one of my goals to "conquer" all its lovely tarts! like again, i was not going to have the mains here anyway and the main aim is the Tarts!!! i was browsing and admiring the tarts whilst making my mind on which 1 to go with :p

my friend had ramen. i was like again, busy snapping away with my worthy cam phone. iphone is really not for photo takings apart fr some impromptu pics with good lightings. otherwise, the photo quality is really ermm.... =_='''

lol~ the mango and strawberry was my pick! bundled with a camomile clear tea which wasn't my cup of tea afterall =X but the tart was as usual good with the wholesome-ness of its fruits! :) love the entire tart to its last, chatted with auntie who was cutting the tarts and preparing the "garnishes" of the plate with all that nice artistic finishes. oooolala~ the whole feel will probably drive the girls crazy! lol~

my friend had the orange and grapefruit which i didnt snap since i had an earlier entry on it already. thats still on my favourite tart list! pls go thru my earlier entry for a detailed review! :)

*i'm thinking of migrating my foodie entries to a dedicated foodie blog, do not know if i should.... do leave me some comments if you think my foodie trysts deserves a new blog or be left here on this blog itself! i'm not wimpy... =X

feeling unwell since last night after i reached home... :(
think it really turns me off to fall sick on such an untimely period. although i'm going through my school holidays but man, i still need to work and fulfill my appts. been praying for 3 items thats been on my mind and doing some preparation for something thats coming up in a couple of weeks already.... really not the time for me to be unwell.... Argh~

will be heading down to get mooncakes later on during lunch. i wont say much but will still do a brief review on these lovely mooncakes since they're simply too good to be missed. that aside, there's this verse that keeps revolving in my head," what profits a man if he gains the whole world but loses his soul."

i do not know how come this verse keeps appearing in my head but I believe there's a reason behind it. mayb i'll do simple evaluation on my take on this verse.

so many times or too often, we see ourselves chasing after things that we deem it good or best for ourselves, our family, our careers etc. be it what ever reasons it maybe. i read this book "Driven by eternity" by John Bevere where i vet through it since my friends wanted to borrow it. it brings to my remembrance how we all work so hard to build towers and treasures of wealth, status, fame etc or even in search for that someone. at the end of the day, do we truly find fulfillment, take joy, pleasures in attaining or achieving these? yes, no doubt we need to have excellence and diligence in the things we do but yet, is this truly what we seek?

i shared a story with one of my friend about the vision i'm going after for 2009, and in return, i asked about what her vision/dream is be it short or long term. Then she said her's is not as exciting as mine but i said that it doesn't really matter if its exciting or not. We got to be people that's creating a legacy for people and our descendants to remember! when we're at our deathbed reminicsing about our life, will we regret if we missed out on certain things, what things we should have done or be doing at a certain point of time whatsoever.

in life, there're simply too many regrets and things we want to do and achieve and yet, will we truly achieve those things and if they really worthwhile or not? the answers lies in you and varies from indivdual to individual as well. My point here is, if one really wants to run after a dream, a vision, let it drive him/her and be cause-worthy. Like John Bevere, Driven by eternity.

some foodie entries coming up in a couple of days time! :)

Marketplace Convention Part 2-Leadership

In my earlier post, its important to understand the importance of a person's character and the need for building relationships as an ongoing basis. we understand that it takes character to sustain the level of influence and power in our lifes. knowing this as the fundamentals, we move on to Leadership. we're created to take dominion. in the beginnings, Adam was told to take dominion over the land God created and every living creature on earth. it still bewilders me that Adam was able to name and stand before every living creature and name them.

many speakers this days talk about the power of the mind. indeed the mind is a powerful tool and thus, we need to be able to utilize it properly in order to bring about the influence we want. Our Thought-life that determines our success. it is what determines our thinking; likewise to one's home, and it will determine the environment we will grow and live in.

determining the foundations, we got to be spontaneous about it. the only way we can be spontaneous is when you're prepared for it. Preparation comes when there's order. Therefore its important to be organized so that you can respond quickly and spontaneously. this is an area many leaders and managers lack. its crucial as order brings consistency -> security -> stability.

*Side note: every compromise we make is due to lack of trust in god. the basis of every idolatry; be it money, sex, fame and real idols, are because people find comfort and some forms of answer from these for temporal solutions. we got to move from short term to long term and it takes a high level of faith to trust God because majority of the time, its against Norms. my opinion, Who Cares!

Therefore, if you're already in a position of influence/power, you're a role model whether you like it or not. And thus a high level of self-control is expected of you. A constant test of leadership is on your ability to keep your cool especially under pressures. An important thing is NEVER get your ego involved which even myself fail on several occasions. A renown figure, Moses, failed in this area because he was frustrated with the Israelites (if you read in Numbers 20). He failed to obey due to his frustrations and thus brought God to his level infront of the Israelites because of unbelief, pride and anger. as you read on, Moses didnt manage to enter the promise land. therefore, if you cant have the character, consistency and spiritual discipline, do not be a leader.

Many people chooses to grow on a pace where after a period of time, they take a break or rest. later the simply go back to the starting point and start climbing again like a triangle. This is a vicious cycle because this thing becomes a comfort zone. if you plot it on a graph, it will look exactly like a person's heartbeat or a normal economic cycle of ups and downs. is this the way you may ask? definitely not! Growth should move a way that there're no plateaus, learn to pace yourself and never rest for too long, keep on moving, like a staircase where u move slowly on the horizontal line and rise again when you're ready to move on the vertical line. We live life on levels and experience life in stages

take extra care when entering any business dealings even with the closest people you may have. ensure that there's a contract, rather than a relational or mutual agreement because the contract protects the relationship. If there's a monetary change of hands based on Trust (w/o contracts), be sure that you're ready to lose it. Remember to have the level of wisdom and shrewdness as a serpent BUT not its values and character.

Earlier, we discussed about the importance influence and the need to influence others and build relationships with opposing values. although we seek the above but yet, we should never, i emphasize, never impose your values, personal consecration on others. the essence here is never stumble others. this is the difference between having standards and being legalistic where the former speaks about being not rigid and is flexible. Rigidness breaks. allow your personal consecration to shine!

We should rest but not allow it to become a period of inactivity.
**EBB & FLOW - A recurring & rythemic pattern of coming and going; declining and growth.**
(Life and Business is about Ebbing and flowing, an upward movement of growth despite times of decline)
We all go through various Seasons in life and this is a constant cycle we all have to experience:
-Summer (Productivity) : our gifts/talents/abilites flourish - "Fruitfulness"
-Fall (Transition) : Change from a state/condition to another - "A time of struggle"
->Gifts/Talents/Abilities are hidden and underestimated
->Allows us to re-examine/re-evaluate our true motives/motivation UNDISTRACTED
->Why? our gifts/talents/abilities can blind us and become something we go after instead
->It allows us to focus on our character, deepening of character.
-Winter (Rest) : Purifying of faith, strengthening of character, conserving of energy, preparation fo future; not a place of inactivity but helps us look forward to the future.
-Spring : Time of New beginning, New growth, New Birth

therefore barrenness does not equate death, as long there's life, it will become fruitful again!
Wilderness is your friend because its a place of solitude, refuge, reflection and rest. its a place of Fall and Winter season. Ebb & Flow. the Flow prepares us for a time to Ebb. Life is not simply about Spring time but the four seasons where one goes from Summer->Fall->Winter->Spring.

Its always Ebb & Flow...

Lastly, a small note is that, leaders will and need to understand the Power of Goal-setting. i won't elaborate on this part, no reasons given :p but remember that movement does not equate progress where most people makes this simple mistake. this matrix where the environment and programs/activities both envelop people as the heart of all plans, goals.

Remember, the choices we make in life is going to cost something and mean something.

*i hope this series on Character and Leadership will assist you in life and help you progress in your ministry and career. ultimately, i believe one should create a legacy for himself/herself because we want to leave behind something people will remember us for. People will only remember 2 things, the good and the bad you've done. Life progress in levels and arrive in stages. Your Attitude will determine your Altitude. Many thanks to Dr A.R. Bernard and Dr Kong for your constant new revelations and words of wisdom that have brought me to where i am today. i'm still constantly learning and indeed information/knowledge is power. Character and Wisdom is indeed the key of balance.

Marketplace Convention Part 1-Character

Marketplace = Family, Government, Spirituality, Education, Arts, Media, Mass Communications

This term above defines how the world functions or orbits around where business is being done. No one individual is spared from engaging the marketplace unless he/she chooses to isolate in seclusion whatsoever. This is where people will look for a Standardization of a particular language. The term "Kosmos" is defined as culture. Before we proceed, we need to understand the term Marketplace in more detailed form.

Marketplace is
1) the Interpreter of supply and demand (it defines what's hot and what's not)
2) the Sphere of Intangible values that competes for acceptance.
the latter, where relatively crucial, is where youngsters (mainly) live out these values. And influence shapes values.

why study all these? because its important to understand these and deal with/build relationships with people that have opposing values to you. many a times, we want to convert people; whatever reasons it may be, to our thinkings, habits, preferences and it only backfires. its not just about conversion but influencing. We got to use our belief/faith, live it out and influence.

Influence = the ability not just to affect, but have an effect on 3 areas.
*a) Character (an individual or situation) - it takes character to influence character*
b) Development (of someone, something, ideas, directions)
c) Behaviour (of people and/or organization)

therefore, one may ask, how do we go from here? The answer is to move forward without compromising mercy and justice. its important for both mercy and justice to go together. Mercy + Justice = Restorative justice, leading to restoration and redemption. (an important aspect because graciousness is what it takes to be a great person especially leaders)

Honor those you want to influence. A saying goes like this that " A man's gift will make room for him". i love to give gifts to people reason being, gifts open hearts. Most people only want to keep and reward themselves and miss out great things in life. some people managed to move a little bit out from that space by honoring those on top but it is important to know that you also need to honor those around him/her. sometimes, we can so coped up with our managers, CEOs, COOs etc that we forget those who are close to him/her. in Management theories, we learnt that those around are closest to the Power core of the management ladder and he/she may have influence over that manager's decision indirectly. therefore, if you aspire to mount the corporate level, remember that you don't just need your managers' support, you need comrades, friends that can rally or give you support. you also never know if one day, you may need someone elsewhere's help.

there're 2 types of power of influence; the invisible and the visible. Influence is 10% visible and 90% invisible. especially if you're in a place of influence, always take extra care in everything you do. we influence people around us unknowingly and subconsciously on a Daily Basis. its a hard truth and even myself need to repent and change in this area constantly.

therefore having said so much, how can we attain a certain level of influence in our lifes? 2 ways.
i) walking in shadows - unintentional benefits of relationships (experience benefits but if the person leaves, no more benefits)
ii) walking in footsteps - by way of life, conduct or action (a person's consecration), leaders are here.
-never live in a person's shadows. -> this happens so often...
We need to know the importance of growing our influence though following th footsteps of others. Don't ride on others' success, create your own! There'll always be tension between those in shadows and those in footsteps. True success comes and resides in a person's Character.

Several important points to take note.
-Relationship precedes ministry and/or business.
-Success comes through Service + Integrity.
-Promotion comes from Service and Integirty.
why are we studying all these? because integrity is the core of character. Honesty is core of Integrity and integrity begets Trust. and its important to know all these because all of us will face constant attacks and tests of our integrity. There's a price to pay to walk in integrity and Values is about what Price we're willing to pay for integrity. Honesty is not the best policy but the ONLY policy.

when we go through false accusations, the way we handle it brings out our character and purges your relationships. it will help you discover who your true friends are. therefore, its important to choose the right relationships and friends. when the wrong people comes into your life, it makes your life sad. but even so, we will never stop building relationships inlife because its like staple food for our lifes. the need to build relationships and through them, influence.

a side note: Christianity is about 2 things - Theology of Person (Change people), Theology of Place (Change place and society). its been long that many churches isolate/alienate themselves and its people from the rest of the world. they preach separation but practise isolation and it has created such a barrier that people fear to engage christians and christians dislike engaging the people. as such, how do we fulfill the Great Commission.

Relationships is how the marketplace or world functions. the differences between seasons of life is a person/people. the differences between success and failure is a person/people. People is both answer and problem. this is something important that we all got to embrace whether you like it or not. Relationship precedes ministry and businesses. and also the right and wrong relationships can come at the same time. when a wrong relationship occurs, the person will never leave voluntarily. humans have this uncanning ability to adapt and if you're not careful, you can adapt to that person's presence and it can affect your life, future, destiny. therefore you got to make a choice to remove him/her/them or remove yourself.

all successes comes through a process of purification/purgification and it comes with a price. Nelson Mandala, from prisoner to president and it is the first ever. we got to adjust the way we think. when people do wrong things, we need to understand the motivation behind it. this is where it matters the most. In US, courts determines the sentencing of a criminal based on his/her motivation behind the act. Most of the time, none of us struggle with the black and white region in life but rather its the grey area.

i learnt a hard truth and really brought about a paradigm shift in my thinking. i'm a workaholic in nature so i can work for hours without stopping. actually i took up 2 jobs and had to study in the evening during a span of 3-4months period couple of years back. i wanted to earn more money and i thought it was good. some close friends who knew about it said i'm crazy coz i had to juggle 2 jobs and my studies in the evening. it didnt matter much but the matter of fact is, we're actually paid not by/for our time, but rather for our value. taking on extra jobs only diminishes our value by compromising our health.

as we move on in life, most of us will definitely come to a certain level of influence and power. it takes character to balance that power. it is believed that currently, its not an economic crisis but rather a crisis of power without character where we see great managers and leaders fall. Franklin Roosevelt,"To mentor a person in mind and not in moral is creating a menace in society". it is easy to go to a position of power/influence but it takes character to sustain. Character brings about order and stability. the world is in a chaotic situation and really, how much order and stability is being searched and look for. people want to know when the economy will be back and runnning, when stocks will recover and bounce back, when retrenchment will cease, when employment will boom again, when business will prosper once more. there're so many chaos and questions and yet, what we get are simply, improved forecasts after forecasts.

Order and Discipline -> Consistency -> creates Security -> creates Stability -> strengthens relationships.

a common complaint amongst women is that men are inconsistent beings. women looks if men consistently fulfills his word in the relationship because inconsistency breeds insecurity and instability. we need to urgent in bringing a whole new standard of character.

Million-Dollar View

met up some friends after bible study at Riverwalk. this is my first time up here. its like a haven!! lol~ i'm gonna keep you guys in suspense by not revealing anymore info. been a very blessed week so far coz amazing things is beginning to take place and i see great things are gonna come really soon. simply thankful to all those who are with me or have rallied and helped me so much. really thanks thanks thanks.

anyway, i have a long overdue post which i promised last week so it will be coming up by sunday coz i've pushed all appts anyway except for one VVIP appt in the evening for a short while. lol~ =X another week coming to an end so fast!! my holidays are approaching its demise!!! Argh~

Lazy Sunday chillout Part 2

We headed over to Clarke Quay for some desserts. today's itinerary is wholly planned by Tricia btw! credits to her some all this nice nice places. we headed to Nectarie. its a nice place to sit down on a lazy sunday with some friends, enjoying the companionship and the scenary of a laid back Clarke Quay. Clarke Quay in my opinion is a "happening" place where many party-goers go to hit the pubs and clubs like Zirca, Lunar, Harry's, Arena etc. Clarke Quay in such a laid back manner feels so nostagic actually! lol~ even on every wed when i past by here, its still a whole lot contrary to what's on a sunday afternoon!

what we had!

tarts

personally, i'm a very pastry person so therefore am rather selective and particular in this area of tasting. anyway, that aside, i feel the cake is not bad, its rich in valrhona chocolate and cut in a way that its just nice for one portion. there's a tint of gold on the raspberry which undoubtingly enhances the entire cake since its in a dark tone and brings out an aura of excellence. still, i think canele will win in taste and texture. =x

the tarts are nice! i thumbs it up for them here! both tarts are nice and are able to hold its own grounds with their individualistic specialness. i like the tarts over the cakes. they do not serve water so we shared a bottle of Fuji water and a pot of refreshing tea.

i simply love the ambience there. this is the most memorable part for me apart from all the good food. the entire experience set me back to apply total "braking" for my life and i hope i could make time come to a stand-still. Additionally, it made me forget my tiredness i was feeling throughout from the start till the very end. i feel that my life is entering a whole new phase where i experience life's pleasures amidst all the hectic schdules and commitments. it seems that truly,

"Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers"

3 Jn 2

*their macaroons are having discount for a period of them for all you macaroon-lovers out there! :)