nuffnang

Friday, November 4, 2011

The reality of current pleasures

Malcom Muggeridge writes "A Twentieth-Century Testimony":
When I look back on my life nowadays, which I sometimes do, what strikes me most forcibly about it is that what seemed at the time most significant and seductive, seems now most futile and absurd. For instance, success in all of its various guises; being known and being praised; ostensible pleasures, like acquiring money or seducing women, or traveling, going to and fro in the world and up and down in it like Satan, explaining and experiencing whatever Vanity Fair has to offer.
In retrospect, all these exercises in self-gratification seem pure fantasy, what Pascal called, "licking the earth."

We live in a world where instant gratification is available and encouraged. Television and movies are major influences in increasing people's expectations. They graphically portray what other people have and can do in living the life of ease and "fun."


from the book 'the 7 habits of highly effective people;

A note

Sarcasm, cutting humor, criticism in deep relationships are an attempt to protect hurt, tenderness and vulnerability within.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Drummaaaaa!!

Only recently I have looked properly into this drummer with a funny name ‘cobus potgieter’. He has only been drumming for 8 years till date but his style and skill are exceptionally good, no great, NO AWESOME. . . . like a drum sex!! His backgrounds were humble enough that he was in a christian convention where they got young people to try things, such as the drums for cobus. That kick started a desire in him to play the drums, and play it with passion indeed. His beginnings can be found here http://www.cobusmethod.com/about-cobus/.
 This drummer has come out from nothing, no drum lessons from anyone but became a youtube pop star. He acquired 20 million view on youtube and millions of likes on facebook. Tonnes of people follow his twitter too. Why? How?
The amazing thing about this guy is that he learnt everything by ear. Who’s to know that he never once took lessons before. Yet his skills and energy that he shows off are just infectious. I like his quote, which is ‘Laos De Semper’ meaning glory to God. And indeed, he is quite a testimony. Every songs that he plays has a wide range of beats and fill ins. Its never the same for every 4 bars. But whats even better is that he’s mastered all of them. I wanna be like him. But he’s a drum genius.
  He has done many drum covers. His most recent one is kings and queens by 30 seconds to mars. Anyone like it? At http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BIm0kOa65Do
  Just looking at him play, I’m inspired to just have fun on the drums more. Learn a new thing, practice it and execute it during a song. That’s where the fun, challenge and adrenaline comes from. Rock on cobus! 

Marketing

  Recently, a friend of mine got me introduced to this marketing plan by a corporation called ‘kenshido’. They were selling this online primary and secondary learning program called ‘ Score A’. He first got me introduced to his boss who told me all about the program, the product, and the business networking side of it.
  The product or the program was an interactive online service which kenshido had spent millions into development and later research into whether the program could work on students. The end result was that it could perform, getting better grades for students. With input from phychologist, successful teaching methods and further endorsement by the government, Score A proved to be a great teaching method for kids who wanted to excel. It was a great product.
  So this is the interesting part where this great product would have business partners setting up a multi level marketing(MLM) network among the people. These included friends, family or relatives to join in being business partners. By buying their package to sell, which were classified as e-partner (5 account portals) or e-entrepreneur(15 account portals), they become business partners under you. Basically, each person would try to get 4 people under them. Step 1 involved you getting 2 people under you. Once you got these two people to buy into being partner, kenshido would give you money based on whether the people under you bought e-partner or e-entrepreneur. You would get more money if they bought an e-entrepreneur. In step 2, a person needs to get 2 more people, or have 4 people under you. Then, your initial 2 people would need to get 2 more others under them. This would grant you a lot more money. However, you get less after each generation. And after that, you just teach your people to do step 1 and 2 and duplicate the whole process. The incentive for this is that the money earned is high, if you can achieve it.
   Kenshido has made 28 millionaires by this program. The youngest being a girl who joined and became a millionaire at the age of 19!! In fact, on the day that I met my friends boss, a millionaire called Tines came to give a motivational talk. Of course, all these people are kenshido workers who follow their given rules obediently and are rewarded for it. The humbler you are to learn, the more chance you can be like the 19 year old millionaire. The more you work for them to build the marketing network, the more money you earn. The millionaires all give talks on how everyone else can become millionaires just like them.
  So working under them and getting a good pay seems like a very good incentive. During testimonies, the people there have gotten good pay, even better than their previous jobs, which enticed me. I had a deal, to buy their e-partner and build their network for the next 3 months. It wasn’t bad. If I reached up to step 2, I would have made enough money to pay back the rm2.4 k that I spent to buy. But that just sounds easy when put so in those terms.

  I told pop and mom about this but they had their own opinions on it. One would have to be quite ruthless in marketing this. They would have to get more people to come in, become partners who would later have to go on and make more partners. The big sum of money would be the drive. However, pop knew me more than I knew myself.. We are not the type of people to go around convincing or begging others to be part in this marketing scheme. Yes though the return is great, but I am about to be a doctor, which I already have steak on the plate. This money is meant for people who do not have other alternatives to rise higher and make good income. We work for our keep, follow the old rules of money, work hard as a doctor in Australia where the pay rocks, save money and invest in real estate. The best part is that it is a safe job and it is even test proven by my wise pop and mom. The job security I have is more than enough.
  Me being in Miri, I do not mix around with that many people. All those I know are from church. My connection here is really small and I do not think that I would be able to even get 2 people. One person sounds hard enough. Who could I ask? Those people who have made it have a wide circle of local miri friends. My bunch of friends are overseas, or too young to even consider this.  This is the church people who I mix with and it feels wrong to involve them in this. I do not have any working friends who are struggling at the moment, or at least seem to be in a financial difficulty. I guess this is what they mean by honor of having our own profession where we do not rely on anyone else for money.
  So I guess I’ll just have to pass this opportunity up. I couldn’t get the money from pop and mom since I do not have my own money and suitable connections. So for now, I’ll go back and try to get a stable job for the next few months.  

Sunday, August 21, 2011

Tearing apart


Difficult, grief, remorse, anguish, sadness, loneliness, pain, hurt and loss.
 I do not agree by my actions and guilt is upon me. I do regret of the loss because it was fine and happy, but sometimes, breaking up just happens because it’s complicated.
  Where we go through on this miserable road, I hope we emerge knowing that whatever we go through holds significant power in shaping us, for better or for worse. Experience is personal and I will review it as much as I can to learn most out of it.

do not fear mistakes, rather fear the absence of learning from it’

 I commend on the strength that she showed during this time. sorry it had to be that way.