*(edits made to post) Starting with myself, just as I am, here and now. Featuring article:Turn Your Thinking Upside Down

Pema Chödrön - Turn Your Thinking Upside Down

Starting with myself, just as I am, here and now.
From my personal experience reading this self-discovery blog, it has helped me to understand myself better, why I did certain things and how I can help myself overcome my tendencies.

edit*I'm still learning about people around me, I make mistakes. With each learning experience I get to understand myself and others better, and hopefully understanding the world better as well. =)

I would like to share this article for a start on how a person can start practicing his or her mind. There are many more articles across various disciplines from there to choose from.

edit*Please know that Integral Options blog doesn't contain or provide all the answers or instant solutions, but it can help provide a way or knowledge for those who are searching for some answers, or simply ways to live better.

Quoting the subheading:
"Integral Options Cafe offers a place to discuss all things related to a Buddhist, integral worldview. While theory is important (Buddhism, Ken Wilber, Spiral Dynamics, psychology, and Integral Theory), so is politics, art & poetry, human values, popular culture, and humor. I invite comments, different points of view, and anything that can add to a civil discussion of living in an integral world."

This blog has been helpful to me and it seems it will continue to be,
I hope you'd find it interesting too. =)

Blog added to sidebar.

Listen to a song: Here & There

Here & There 恰克与飞鸟[chage & aska] http://www.haoting.com/htmusic/138094ht.htm

Quotes on a Friday - Don't give up on your dreams!

Experience is not what happens to you; it is what you do with what happens to you.
--
When you come to the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on.
--
It doesn't matter how many say it cannot be done or how many people have tried it before; it's important to realize that whatever you're doing, it's your first attempt at it.
--
What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly.
--
When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all up hill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.
Life is queer with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out;
Don't give up though the pace seems slow--
You may succeed with another blow,
Success is failure turned inside out--
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far;
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit--
It's when things seem worst that you must not quit.
--
If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again.
--

In the making

Making it easy to be myself.

树木结疤的地方，也是树干最坚强的地方。

德国人有一句谚语：“树木结疤的地方，也是树干最坚强的地方。”在大自然中，树木会受风吹雨打，树干、树枝会倾倒、折断，但同样有机会愈合，会有机会生长下去。而曾折断的地方，虽然会长得比其他的树难看，但这些部分亦同时会是这棵树最坚硬、最有力的地方，支撑着整棵树向高空发展继续成长。每个人都有他自己的、饱受风吹雨打的故事，在万物之灵主宰这地球前，大自然早就已经赋予我们一种生存的本领，而这种本领会帮助我们成长，就算在挫折之后同样可以迎风而立－－就好比谚语所说的老树干一样。

Taken from.

Germans have a saying "The toughest area on a tree is where the scars are." In nature, trees often bear the brunt of weather.
The trunks, the branches will fall and break, but at the same time it will have the opportunity to heal and grow.
The scars will be ugly, but they are the toughest spots,
supporting the development of the entire tree.
Everyone has a story; nature has given us a survival skill,
it will help us grow in the face of setbacks to get back on our feet--
like the old tree in the saying.

=X I need to work on my English.

The Lighthouse Keeper

THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER from THE LIGHTHOUSE KEEPER team on Vimeo.

Pi ta pa pi ta bipa ta ti ta pa pi

Does everyone have a nature phenomenon they like?

From my window

A beautiful Monday morning. My colour sense is not sharp enough.
15 min.

Paul

* I'm going to try. I may get it wrong; I might have got it wrong already! But at the end of the day, even if I choose to give up, I know I have tried.

So maybe I'll try again next time. Darn!

Or maybe not. (=

A useful tool

Sometimes I need to find pictures online which are available
for modification & republication.
I think this is a useful tool. (:


http://search.creativecommons.org/

Taken from the website:
Please note that search.creativecommons.org is not a search engine, but rather offers convenient access to search services provided by other independent organizations. CC has no control over the results that are returned.

Do not assume that the results displayed in this search portal are under a CC license. You should always verify that the work is actually under a CC license by following the link. Since there is no registration to use a CC license, CC has no way to determine what has and hasn't been placed under the terms of a CC license.

If you are in doubt you should contact the copyright holder directly, or try to contact the site where you found the content.


Link added to side bar.

Songs on a Tuesday

Stay Gold(花王「アジエンス」新CMソング) 宇多田光
http://www.haoting.com/htmusic/215103ht.htm

Prisoner Of Love 宇多田光
http://www.haoting.com/htmusic/221895ht.htm

Beautiful World 宇多田光
http://www.haoting.com/htmusic/221889ht.htm

A pity I couldn't embed the songs.

Quotes on Tuesday

So you think that money is the root of all evil.
Have you ever asked what is the root of all money?
---

To say "I love you" one must first be able to say the "I."
---

An idea that is developed and put into action is more important
than an idea that exists only as an idea.
---

An insincere and evil friend is more to be feared than a wild beast;
a wild beast may wound your body, but an evil friend will wound your mind.
---

Believe nothing, no matter where you read it, or who said it, no matter if I have said it, unless it agrees with your own reason and your own common sense.
---

He who loves 50 people has 50 woes; he who loves no one has no woes.
---


Health is the greatest gift, contentment the greatest wealth, faithfulness the best relationship.
---

Holding on to anger is like grasping a hot coal with the intent of throwing it at someone else; you are the one who gets burned.
---

However many holy words you read, however many you speak, what good will they do you if you do not act on upon them?
---

It is better to conquer yourself than to win a thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you, not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell.
---

Just as treasures are uncovered from the earth, so virtue appears from good deeds, and wisdom appears from a pure and peaceful mind. To walk safely through the maze of human life, one needs the light of wisdom and the guidance of virtue.
---

No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path.
---

On life's journey faith is nourishment, virtuous deeds are a shelter, wisdom is the light by day and right mindfulness is the protection by night. If a man lives a pure life, nothing can destroy him.
---

Teach this triple truth to all: A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion are the things which renew humanity.
---

The foot feels the foot when it feels the ground.
---

The mind is everything. What you think you become.
---

The only real failure in life is not to be true to the best one knows.
---

There are only two mistakes one can make along the road to truth; not going all the way, and not starting.
---

There has to be evil so that good can prove its purity above it.
---

Life Without Limbs

Nick is born without arms or legs with no medical reason
for this condition. But he is an inspiration; do watch this video
to find out why.

This is his website.

Link added to sidebar.

A quote on Thursday

Teach this triple truth to all:
A generous heart, kind speech, and a life of service and compassion
are the things which renew humanity.

Changi Beach & Chicken Feet

Thanks Ronald for your suggestion. =D
When I tried it, I realized the prints they made were too big
and the dents were too shallow!
Should've tried on drier & finer sand though.


I used a seashell instead; worked rather well. =P

Fear is a damned thing

Fear restricts me. It makes me go into overdrive.
It's a damned thing, in other words.
I do funny things with it.

Story of Stuff

What is the Story of Stuff?

Quoting:

"From its extraction through sale, use and disposal, all the stuff
in our lives affects communities at home and abroad, yet most of this
is hidden from view.

The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute, fast-paced, fact-filled look
at the underside of our production and consumption patterns.

The Story of Stuff exposes the connections between a huge number
of environmental and social issues, and calls us together to create
a more sustainable and just world. It'll teach you something, it'll make you laugh, and it just may change the way you look at all the stuff
in your life forever."

What do you guys think about this video?

P/S: Site link added to sidebar.

Movie Review: (500) Days of Summer & (non-related) A Personal Excellence Blog

Went to watch this movie with HY yesterday. I didn't expect the movie to be selling so fast! I wanted to watch The City of Life and Death initially~ The Message seems promising too~ And Inglorious Basterds. Woohoo!

Overall, the movie was better than my expectation. The sarcastic Disclaimer at the beginning was a promise of what's coming after. The witty jokes, the double meanings, and in my opinion, great acting that fits with the kind of mood that the story wants to portray, and the interesting sequence jumping to and fro within the 500 days. Judging by the laughter I think almost everyone in the cinema enjoyed the show!

(500) and Signs seem to share the same female lead; don't they look like the same person?

Oh, and IMO, the narration has the old school Disney charm. Haha! ;P

P/S: I added a link to Celestine Chua. She writes a personal excellence blog that I find helpful and insightful. Quoting from her site & blog:

"Hey there - My name is Celestine Chua. In 2008, I left my Fortune 100 career to pursue my passion to help others grow. Today, I'm a life coach to help others achieve personal excellence and achieve their goals and dreams. I have been covered multiple times in media such as My Paper and Asia One."

Do pay her site & blog a visit to find out more. =)

龙鳞

From haoting.com

龙鳞

词：方文山

演唱：张杰

一处竹林 一口幽
井 乱世中的宁静

一场皮影 一种声音 故事缘尽

举杯敬虚名 我摇晃
命运 一如灯前的烛影

策马往那寻 我沙场
狂饮 醉卧有妳的风景

一生一命 了断爱情
我很宿命 的伤心

花落情未定 向谁
要公平 而妳拒绝听

一生一命 了断爱情
我很清醒 的相信

受伤的龙鳞 骄傲
被入侵 破碎的像冰

一把古琴 一阵回
音 在弹谁的曾经

一枚铜镜 一道冷清 妳的眼睛

世事如浮云 我浪迹
边境 一如悬崖上的鹰

我挥剑入林 斩不断
驼铃 风沙中喊妳的名

一生一命 了断爱情
我很宿命 的伤心

花落情未定 向谁
要公平 而妳拒绝听

一生一命 了断爱情
我很清醒 的相信

受伤的龙鳞 骄傲
被入侵 破碎的像冰

Welcome & Thank You

Welcome and thank you for visiting my new blog. I will be using this blog to document my growth as a person and as a communication designer, so I won't feel like I'm doing this alone. =D

I intend to make certain changes to this blog as I go, so give me some time to make this thing look more pleasing to the eye. Hahaha. Meanwhile, I will also be putting up/post links that I find interesting or useful. So I hope you'll enjoy your time here.

Ierafione