Today is a gift

I was watching Kungfu Panda when the turtle master said something profound. "Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift. That is why it is called present". I looked it up on the internet and the best I could find was this:

TODAY IS A GIFT
by Laszlo Kotro-Kosztandi

Many people will walk in and out of your life,
But only true friends will leave footprints in your heart
To handle yourself, use your head;
To handle others, use your heart.
Anger is only one letter short of danger.
If someone betrays you twice, it is your fault
Great minds discuss events;
Small minds discuss people.
He who loses money, loses much;
He who loses a friend, loses much more;
He who loses faith, loses all.
Beautiful old people are works of art.
Learn from the mistakes of others
You can't live long enough to make them all yourself.
Friends, you and me ... You brought another friend ... and we started our
group ... our circle of friends ... and like a circle ... there is no
beginning or end ... Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is mystery. Today is a gift.



Ah, wise master turtle. Reminds me of David Carradine's blind master Po in the TV series Kung-Fu

Apartment

Hello my old friend. I felt guilty not writing for so long so I decided to write again today.

One of the other things that has been keeping me busy is my apartment committee I volunteered to join. They have meetings once a month but the meetings are in the evenings and usually end almost at midnight. In fact, I just came back from one earlier. Bloody long meetings. So many things to discuss sometimes I wonder why on earth did I volunteer for this and then I remembered... its my moral compass. It always points north and says volunteerism is good. Damn, I wish it pointed to Kiasu south more often sometimes. No time for myself!

I'm a little psyched up about moving into my new place. I've been shopping around for things to fill up my little nest with the wife. Want to put many things in but have to be trifty with the money.

I have over 300 photos to go through for the wedding that I have to compile into a photo album. This isn't including the video footage I have to edit also. Daunting task editing your own wedding photos and videos!

I already have things to do at work, come home also have to think about editing my own personal photos. Thats the point where I start to procrastinate and think maybe I should start blogging again instead. I blame you my old friend. You the reason I can't edit any of my photos and videos. Yes, you're the excuse I'm going to use the next time my relatives ask where are the photos. I'll say I was busy.

Life happened

Hello my old friend. Its been awhile since I written anything. No excuse there. Life gets in the way. I got married you see... its one of those things that happen in life you know.

Anyway, besides the wedding, the apartment blah blah blah... I've been thinking somethings been missing. That something was inspiration. All I do now is play World In Conflict and read other people's blog. I needed something a little more different. I was thinking about it one night over Hari Raya when they showed the Emmy Awards on TV. One of the show that got the most nomination was Mad Men. It's a show set in the early 60's about one of the senior advertising executive at a fictional advertising firm in Manhattan.



When I heard the concept while watching the Emmy's it immediately pique my interest. I when out to buy the DVD for season 1. I've seen 4 episodes so far and I absolutely love it. They have one heck of a damn good script and concept. It's like a window to the 1960's. Everyone smokes like crazy. I love seeing what the social mores were like then. I remember one scene where two housewives were gossiping over the kitchen counter and it was a tight shot of both of them smoking and talking. In the next shot, a kid runs in with a dry cleaning clear bag over her. Both ladies turn to look at her with disapproval. The mother was more worried about her dry cleaning then the safety of the child. The most shocking thing was that one of the housewife was pregnant and she was smoking away. Today, I think it would have been very different. I would be worried if a kid had a plastic bag over her head and no pregnant mother would smoke if they could help it.

Its the unsaid things in the show that I love. The story just flows, there are no climax or resolution to the stories presented. There's underlying frustration for what seems to be golden age of America. I love seeing how their frustration with daily life is what this generation is going through too. There's infidelity, fears of being a social outcasts, etc.

Watching this show makes me thing... ah, I don't feel so bad now. I know, its wierd but thats how I feel. Sort of the inspiration I needed after all the stress over the past few weeks.

Life goes on!