Quote : Win with Grace, Lose with Dignity

Background:


Well, as everyone might have heard, Singapore had their Presidential Election on Saturday. The quote is spurred by the reactions of the people I know on all sides of the election. I find it disturbingly similar to my childhood, not the fun part of me running around trees back in my grandfather's farm, but that of the later years of my elementary school. I came to knew first of malice at around 10-12, thankfully for my parents to protect me all the years before.


There is this group of kids, very smart and very athletic, growing up alongside me. Yet, despite my innocence, they disliked me, and I can't remember what I ever did to deserve that. What they relate to the quote though is that they ganged up on me. When they won, they sneered, without grace, without humility. When they lost, they cried, without dignity, without repentance. They seldom lost, but they did often change the rules to win.


Now, I grew up, much in sync with life. My family is still blessedly moving along well. I thank everyone for that. And through the years, I learnt to seek things with my heart. And it is more often right and good for me than not. That is where I learnt to share, even when I win. That is where I learnt to grow, even when I lost. That is why, I feel I outgrew what is expected of me. And I still want to grow. I still want to share. And I hope the same too for the people around me.


To be fair, I will condone a bit of partying, but I do need people to be aware that since I'm not a party animal, I am not going to join the festivities and I will always maintain a clear mind of what I need to do. And because of that, I do encourage everyone to live responsibly.

Motto : Live Like You Are Going To Die Tomorrow, Plan Like You Are Going To Live Forever

Background:

It comes after some deliberating how to write this motto. Steve Job's speech at Stanford, the other so common sayings. I chose to use Jobs'speech at the center piece of this motto instead of the standard planner's motto "Hope for the Best, Plan for the Worst".

The real reason in my posting this is that I was talking to my boss today and he was telling me about my performance dipping. Perhaps he read my last motto and aimed to put my bar back up at the high level it should be. Either way, I'm thankful. The only problem now is to get my lazy butt off the bed in time. And as much as I have bad sleep hygiene, I can get around it by planning and executing correctly. And I seldom make the same mistake again.

Quote : Wastage is in the Mind

Background:

I was reading my friend Roger (Siow) talking about wasting time in a view of having fun and enjoying it.


That reminded me of many experiences where people tell me that I am wasting time.

I sincerely beg to differ and agree with Roger.

Perhaps I'm silly, perhaps I need to learn, perhaps I'm arrogant, perhaps its not my time yet. Either way, I believe in individuality and making things happen when I want to, not just because someone told me to. 


I do not have time to make money like some other when I was 12 because I like to enjoy the flowers of youth. I was unable to be productive in SAF or NUS because I wasn't given the opportunity. I didn't finish my PhD for the same reasons. 


Either way, I learnt something and I'm using that experience now to help others. Most evidently, I advised my cousin on her PhD program and she thanked me for talking her into it.

So, all in all, we cannot deem that someone is wasting time. If you think someone can do something better, tell them the better way. Show them the better way. Or, just let them be, because for all you know, they saw through things you missed. I definitely believed in that. I believe my childhood running around trees and sand was wonderful and had wished that if only my sister and brother went through the same amount of fun before elementary school.

Quote : Common Sense Is So Uncommon

Background:


I had this quote for years.
It came from a friend when I was working in Reuters (Sorry I forgot your name!).


I was telling him/her that a Top 50 Index cannot have anything more or less than 50 companies.
We went on for why for a few minutes because I thought it was straightforward and I think he/she did not look at the name and was focusing on the process.


My friend burped out the comment when I said "You need 50 companies for an Index of 50 companies".
He/She probably wasn't looking at the name so its not that he/she didn't do the right things.


From what I hear a lot of times, people just do things.
No right or wrong, just do it.
While I believe in what my brother said when he said "Just Dive In, Don't Think", I always believed my brother thought things through, however little he thinks about it.
Yet, many times, people, include myself and my brother, make silly mistakes that can be avoided if we just decided to take a step back and look.


That included the now "fairly funny" incident where I lost a friend of 15 years over some nonsense.

Quote : Prophetic <> Bombastic

Background:


<> means "not equal" in SQL, a programming language.


I have a bad habit of quoting sayings and then trying to invent prophecy like sayings.
Hence, I notice it when people do it also.


I do things with my heart.
So, even with bombastic words, I want people to feel what I say without trying to.


However, when I read what my friends, or even others, say, sometimes "I can't feel it". 
I need to adjust my train thoughts to feel it.


Yet, prophetic things that hit peoples right away are often KISS things.
Keep It Short and Simple.


Please, my brain not that powerful, please use as few bombastic words as possible.
That includes one from my "People to Respect" list, Mr LKY.

Quote : Immortality Exist. Stupidity Mostly, Sometimes Ingenuity.

Background:

Singapore National Day Parade organizers planned to play a edited version of "Bad Romance" from Lady Gaga.
They had paid the royalties to play it but did not include the right to edit it with usage.
On top of the miscalculation, it was heavily criticized online for its poor taste after being leaked.
It is currently known that it will not be used at NDP.


My friend, Chor Yean, and myself were commenting on how it will remain on the cyberspace "forever" when I made this quote.
I thought it was fairly witty and decided to share it with the world under my new section "Quotes"!
Enjoy!