adventures of jus
- and we are called human
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sumijelly- May 22nd, 21:25
the human is capable of emotions, feelings that leads into actions. We fear, worry, get jealous, intimidated and lose our cool when the situation overcomes the norm that we are used to. That is normal. Perhaps, that gives us the much needed experience to meet greater challenges that may come our way. Without it, we will never grow. Yes, no? But what does it mean if we never get over those feelings and stay there all the while? There will be baggages, moving forward with fear, guilt, hate, intimidation. It shall not be a simple journey and when its not simple, can we enjoy the journey?
And to put things simply, the end is something that is confirmed for everyone of us. At deathbeds, in the deep end of our resting place alone, the squabble perhaps may not seem that significant as it is now.
And that i have to remind myself time and again about this in order to stay grounded and to just enjoy the present.
- Anggun - crazy
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- sumijelly
- May 4th, 13:47
- hello cambodia
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- sumijelly
- April 23rd, 23:56
hello cambodia
- 20 Things You Didn't Know About ... Death - FROM MSN ENCARTA
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- sumijelly
- April 23rd, 23:49
20 Things You Didn't Know About ... DeathSoapy corpses, ecological burials, dead relatives on parade and more
By LeeAundra Temescu
Provided by Discover magazine
1. The practice of burying the dead may date back 350,000 years, as evidenced by a 45-foot-deep pit in Atapuerca, Spain, filled with the fossils of 27 hominids of the species Homo heidelbergensis, a possible ancestor of Neanderthals and modern humans.
2. There are at least 200 euphemisms for death, including "to be in Abraham's bosom," "just add maggots" and "sleep with the Tribbles" (a "Star Trek" favorite).
3. No American has died of old age since 1951.
4. That was the year the government eliminated that classification on death certificates.
5. The trigger of death, in all cases, is lack of oxygen. Its decline may prompt muscle spasms, or the "agonal phase," from the Greek word "agon," meaning "contest."6. Within three days of death, the enzymes that once digested your dinner begin to eat you. Ruptured cells become food for living bacteria in the gut, which release enough noxious gas to bloat the body and force the eyes to bulge outward.
7. So much for recycling: Burials in America deposit 827,060 gallons of embalming fluid -- formaldehyde, methanol and ethanol -- into the soil each year. Cremation pumps dioxins, hydrochloric acid, sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide into the air.
8. Alternatively, a Swedish company, Promessa, will freeze-dry your body in liquid nitrogen, pulverize it with high-frequency vibrations and seal the resulting powder in a cornstarch coffin. They claim this "ecological burial" will decompose in six to 12 months.
9. Zoroastrians in India leave out the bodies of the dead to be consumed by vultures.
10. The vultures are now dying off after eating cattle carcasses dosed with diclofenac, an anti-inflammatory used to relieve fever in livestock.11. Queen Victoria insisted on being buried with the bathrobe of her long-dead husband, Prince Albert, and a plaster cast of his hand.
12. If this doesn't work, we're trying in vitro! In Madagascar, families dig up the bones of dead relatives and parade them around the village in a ceremony called "famadihana." The remains are then wrapped in a new shroud and reburied. The old shroud is given to a newly married, childless couple to cover the connubial bed.
13. Sometimes, under the right conditions of temperature and humidity, fatty tissue of a buried body will turn to a soap-like substance called adipocere, or grave wax. Adipocere formation relies on a cold, damp environment and an absence of oxygen; once begun, this saponification can continue for centuries.
14. Well, yeah, there's a slight chance this could backfire: English philosopher Francis Bacon, a founder of the scientific method, died in 1626 of pneumonia after stuffing a chicken with snow to see if cold would preserve it.
15. For organs to form during embryonic development, some cells must commit suicide. Without such programmed cell death, we would all be born with webbed feet, like ducks.16. In 1907, a Massachusetts doctor conducted an experiment with a specially designed deathbed and reported that the human body lost 21 grams upon dying. This has been widely held as fact ever since. It's not.
17. Buried alive: In 19th-century Europe there was so much anecdotal evidence that living people were mistakenly declared dead that cadavers were laid out in "hospitals for the dead" while attendants awaited signs of putrefaction.
18. Eighty percent of people in the United States die in a hospital.
19. More people commit suicide in New York City than are murdered.
20. It is estimated that 100 billion people have died since humans began
- Are you skimping too much? From MSN MONEY
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- sumijelly
- April 23rd, 23:40
Are you skimping too much?Don't let worries about the economy take the fun out of life or keep you from the occasional splurge. But make sure you get the most bang for your buck.
By Liz Pulliam WestonMSN MoneyStacey e-mailed me because she and her husband had just canceled her family's planned trip to Hawaii -- and she felt terrible about it.
The couple and their preteen son had been looking forward to relaxing on the beach, swimming in warm ocean water and spending quality time together.
But with the economy in a tailspin, their investment portfolio in tatters and her husband's job prospects uncertain, an expensive trip to Hawaii just seemed too big a splurge.
And yet . . .
Stacey knew they only had a few years to enjoy real family vacations before their son left home. They even had money in the bank to pay for the trip. It just seemed scary to spend it right now.
What to do? My answer might surprise you.
Now and later
Smart money management isn't about saving every dollar possible and deferring all gratification, even in a recession. It's about striking a balance between today and tomorrow.That means saving for an emergency fund and investing for retirement. But it also means spending money on the stuff that's really important to you.
- Talk back: Do you think money can buy happiness?
So even when cash is tight, you need an escape valve or two to make sure you're living life now and not just deferring it until later. A vacation, let alone a trip to Hawaii, may not be in the cards, but you still need events to look forward to and experiences that give you joy if you want a well-lived life.
More from MSN Money
"You definitely want to have pleasure in your life," said clinical psychologist Sally Palaian, the author of an upcoming book, "Spent: Break the Buying Obsession and Discover Your True Worth." "The problem is that people don't take any time to think about what they really want. . . . They spend a lot of money on things that don't satisfy them."
Either that, or they panic and squirrel away cash at furious pace, refusing to spend on anything they deem nonessential. Gloomy financial news can send some folks into overdrive, as I wrote in "Is your money making you crazy?"
- Facebook users: Become a fan of Liz Pulliam Weston
You don't want to squander hard-earned money on purchases you'll later regret, but you also don't want to look back at your life and mourn missed opportunities. But how can you strike a better balance? Some thoughts:
Think about what's really important to you. Palaian has her clients develop a life vision that clarifies their most important values, goals and passions. She asks them to spend some time alone thinking in detail about their ideal life. If money weren't an issue:
- Where would you live, exactly? In what kind of home and in what kind of surroundings?
- What would you do in a day, from the time you get up until the time you go to sleep? Account for every hour.
- Whom would you spend time with?
- What interests or passions would you explore?
(If you need more help with this exercise, you can use "20 tough questions for an easier future" to get you started.)
From those fantasies, Palaian helps them cull achievable goals, both short-term and long-term.
- Video: When you shouldn't skimp
Someone who dreams of quitting work to spend more time with his children, for example, may set an immediate goal of arranging weekly outings with his kids and a longer-term goal of taking a sabbatical. Someone who longs to live in Paris might begin by learning French and by saving up for an extended visit. Someone who wants to live by the water might start with camping trips at a nearby lake, then save for a cruise.
Continued: Prioritize experiences over stuff
Continued from page 1
Prioritize experiences over stuff. There are some people who, by temperament, get great and lasting pleasure from things -- an expensive handbag or a new car, for example, Palaian said.
But for most of us, the joy of acquisition quickly fades. What lasts: memories of fun experiences and making connections with other people, said financial planner Brent Kessel, the author of "It's Not About the Money." Time spent with friends, a special trip or a family reunion is much more likely to create lasting pleasure than anything purchased in a mall.
"Focus on purchases or experiences that are going to bring fulfillment that lasts for several days, at least," Kessel recommended. When the buzz lasts a shorter period, he said, "those purchases are much more likely to bring on buyer's remorse."
Although she's on a tight budget, MSN Money's Living With Less columnist, Donna Freedman, prioritizes trips to visit family. She splurged on a plane ticket to New Jersey to see her dad and her aunts, and doesn't regret it.
"Sure, it would be nice if I could spend a week in sunny Mexico -- with frequent flier miles, it could happen," Freedman wrote. "But not this year, for two reasons. First, I used up my miles to visit my niece and great-nephews in Alaska earlier this summer. More importantly, my dad is in his early 70s, and my mom's sisters are in their late 70s and mid-80s -- and I'd rather go for a visit than a funeral."
More from MSN Money
Figure out ways to get experiences for less. If you have a significant other, you want to spend quality time with him or her. But for many couples, dinner out can turn into a $100 to $200 affair, once baby sitters, bar tabs and restaurant expenses are factored in.
To reduce costs, Kessel and his wife, Brita, have started "sitter-pooling" -- hiring a sitter with another family. The kids go to one house while the adults go to the other for dinner and a Netflix movie. It's a social event for all concerned.
Similarly, if you get pleasure from spa treatments, get massages at a local training school or from a friend and indulge in long baths at will. If you love to travel, you can find ways to do so for less. Camp, explore destinations closer to home, or go the backpack-and-hostel route.
Stacey, for example, could cut the cost of her family's vacation by skipping the airfare and renting a beach house within a couple hours' drive of their Los Angeles home. A friend of mine snaps up group campground sites whenever she comes across them on park reservation sites and splits the cost with her buddies. Food preparation and child care are shared, making for relaxing retreats on the cheap.
If you need more ideas, check with the folks posting on the Your Money message board.
Schedule your splurges. You should be doing something fun at least once a week. If money's tight, these splurges can be free: a picnic in the park, a potluck with friends, a long walk in nature, a movie or other event at your local library. What's important is that you enjoy yourself and that the pleasure lasts longer than the event or activity itself.
If your desired splurge is more expensive, you can schedule it by setting up a budget. Knowing where your money's going can help you identify areas where you can cut back and redirect cash into more satisfying pursuits. For help, check out MSN Money's Learn to Budget Decision Center.
- Video: When you shouldn't skimp
Don't spend it until you have it. Nothing in this column gives you permission to rack up credit card debt or otherwise finance your splurges. Pleasure should be paid for with cash.
That means financing it out of your current income or saving up if the expense is a big one. Kessel points out that many banks, especially the online variety, allow you to set up as many savings accounts as you want and let you name them so you know what the money is growing for. Set up automatic transfers so money is swept regularly (and painlessly) into the account.
"Every time you check that account, the name will remind you what you're saving for," Kessel said, and the growing balance "will give you motivation to keep going."
Liz Pulliam Weston is the Web's most-read personal-finance writer. She is the author of several books, most recently "Your Credit Score: Your Money & What's at Stake." Weston's award-winning columns appear every Monday and Thursday, exclusively on MSN Money. She also answers reader questions on the Your Money message board.Published April 6, 2009
- updated 5 weeks ago
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- sumijelly
- April 23rd, 23:39
oh my..so long hiatus.
- Law of Giving - Give & you will Receive..courtesy http://www.adventurerali.com
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- sumijelly
- March 17th, 7:39
Law of Giving - Give & you will Receive..If we wish to receive, we must first give to others.
The more we give, the more we will receive.
We must plant the seeds before we reap the harvest.
The more we sow, the more we reap.
And in giving to others, we find ourselves blessed.Don’t believe me?
Try emptying out your closet.
It won’t be long before all of the clothes you gave away are replaced with new clothes you will enjoy & use for a long time.Still not convinced?
If you give pain to others, then you will receive pain from others.
If you give misfortune to others, then you will receive misfortune from others.
If you scold at others, then you will be scolded by others.
Therefore,
If you give joy to others, you give joy to yourself; for what you give you receive.
If you cherish others, then others will cherish you; for your love brightens yourself & others.
If you help others, then others will help you; for favours are returned.“It’s ALLAH’s law- we have to give before we get”.
Giving doesn’t require you to shower everyone you meet with material gifts;
it just requires that you give from your heart with sincerityIn order to reap the benefits of giving and receiving, you must enjoy the act of giving.
If you give for the sake of receiving, that’s no good.
You must take pleasure in the act of giving itself.
Sincerity is the key catalyst in this dynamic exchange.And we are to give, not with the purpose of eagerly and intentionally expecting return,
but not even thinking of it & receiving will be like a pleasant surprise.
It is the bane of living that selfishness has to prevail.Start Right Away
Make a conscious effort to give something to everyone & anyone you meet.
It’s not what you give, but how you give it.
You can give the person a flower, a compliment, or a blessing.
These things don’t cost money, but they are significant as long as they are given from the heart. Remember, giving should always be an enjoyable experience.
If you feel as though you’ve lost something in the process, then it’s not true giving.When we do something for others, not only do we feel a sense of satisfaction, we also contribute to the flow – of love, giving, joy, abundance, prosperity.
Everybody has something to give.
True success is helping others help themselves
And the more you help others, the more you thrive.Include the welfare of others in your plans for success, & you will never go wrong.
There are laws: law of attraction, law of cause and effect, law of sowing and reaping.
There is also the law of giving.
It is love in action.
If it is so good, what are the ways in which you can give?
Let us count…It has been said there are four types of giving
• 1. Things
• 2. Blood
• 3. Money
• 4. Yourself
What else can we give? Actually, sky is the limit.“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever you can.”
(Anonymous)Take care & GOD Bless
Just me,
aLi
http://www.adventurerali.com
- Buat renungan Bersama - courtesy of http://www.adventurerali.com
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- sumijelly
- March 14th, 9:52
Buat Renungan bersama….Seorang ahli ibadah bernama Isam Bin Yusuf, sangat warak dan khusyuk solatnya.
Namun, dia selalu khuatir kalau-kalau ibadahnya kurang khusyuk dan selalu bertanya kepada orang yang dianggapnya lebih ibadahnya, demi untuk memperbaiki dirinya yang selalu dirasainya kurang khusyuk.Pada suatu hari, Isam menghadiri majlis seorang abid bernama Hatim Al-Assam dan bertanya,
“Wahai Aba Abdurrahman, bagaimanakah caranya tuan solat?”Hatim berkata, “Apabila masuk waktu solat, aku berwudhu’ zahir dan batin.”
Isam bertanya, “Bagaimana wudhu’ zahir dan batin itu?”
Hatim berkata, “Wudhu’ zahir sebagaimana biasa iaitu membasuh semua anggota wudhu’ dengan air”.
Sementara wudhu’ batin ialah membasuh anggota dengan tujuh perkara :-
* Bertaubat
* Menyesali dosa yang telah dilakukan
* Tidak tergila-gilakan dunia
* Tidak mencari/mengharap pujian orang (riya’)
* Tinggalkan sifat berbangga
* Tinggalkan sifat khianat dan menipu
* Meninggalkan sifat dengki.Seterusnya Hatim berkata, “Kemudian aku pergi ke masjid, aku kemaskan semua anggotaku dan menghadap kiblat.
Aku berdiri dengan penuh kewaspadaan dan aku rasakan:
1.aku sedang berhadapan dengan Allah,
2.Syurga di sebelah kananku,
3.Neraka di sebelah kiriku,
4.Malaikat Maut berada di belakangku, dan
5.aku bayangkan pula aku seolah-olah berdiri di atas titian ‘Siratal mustaqim’ dan menganggap bahawa solatku kali ini adalah solat terakhir bagiku, kemudian aku berniat dan bertakbir dengan baik.”“Setiap bacaan dan doa didalam solat, aku faham maknanya kemudian aku rukuk dan sujud dengan tawadhuk, aku bertasyahud dengan penuh pengharapan dan aku memberi salam dengan ikhlas. Beginilah aku bersolat selama 30 tahun.”
Apabila Isam mendengar, menangislah dia kerana membayangkan ibadahnya yang kurang baik bila dibandingkan dengan Hatim.
Wallahualam Bissawab
Just me,
Bro aLi
http://www.adventurerali.com
- American idol - adam lambert
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- sumijelly
- March 12th, 15:53
sick
hey hey powerful performance dahh..can't help to watch it many times. Sleek, powerful, stylish. Expecting more from this guy.
- Paulo discussed abt reinventing yourself
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- sumijelly
- March 5th, 10:21
this one resonates well with me..
127 Responses to “Your opinion on : Re-inventing yourself by Paulo Coelho”1
Oooh… so often!
I think it is every time when there is a major change in the “love-area”. Meaning; when I leave somebody, when somebody leaves me, when a loved one dies.
When all emotions are turned upside down because of this, when people with love you thought were always going to be there are not there anymore in a visible way, that is for me the time to re-invent myself and find new ways and new meaning for life.One hás to re-invent themselve in order to keep living, if one stays stuck in the same behaviour as before the change, one will not grow and will freeze up in coldness.
Love!
- redcon 2A baby
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- sumijelly
- February 28th, 18:21
oh, the hardwork we put in has shown some good results. The ATEC produced a 2A results for us, we made some records etc. One medic got a commendation award for his dedication. Anyway I was expecting better for our medical team. A tad disappointed but gotta move on.
I'm still adjusting to the correct sleeping pattern...b'cos I now feel awake in the early wee morning & feel sleepy in the afternoon due to the mission exercise this week and I dun feel hungry at all...eating snacks are enough to make me full, also a result of the mission this week.
Now, now, I really gotta unpack. I wish there's more time. Tomorrow is a work day already.
PS: Now that im back in the civilian work, turn the pages of the papers and you see depressive news. You don't get that in camp. Hence the civillian world is pretty much depressive these days. Retrenchments, losses, helps for displaced families..when can we see happier news?
- Katie Perry - thinking of you
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- sumijelly
- February 28th, 18:18
This tune has been in my head since before reservist and only now I realised who sang it. This lady has quite a nice expressive voice. With a catchy tune and sorts..
- 3 bags to unpack
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- sumijelly
- February 27th, 22:13
Back from reservist. Oh yea baby the walk this time was the 2nd most siong (tough) in my life. Walked with that freaking load on my back from almost 9pm till 6am the next day. Walked through dirt tracks, cemetery of various races, drains, literally walk into a drain & then form up at the drain.
The impact from the walk physically was the lack of sleep, lots of bruises, mosquito bites, losing my voice and also a suspected thumb fracture. Will see the outcome from the physical appointment this Monday.
Psychologically, i feel fresher at home because it seems to be such a refreshing change. Then i thought about life after death - this was after the walk at the cemetery at night. I mean, after life ends, we are gonna be housed in the small plot of land with all those creepy sounds and creepy looking trees and the sky never seems darker. How lonely will it be..is that the end or is that the start of something? Is there something happening beneath the cemetery where it all seems so quiet on the ground. Well based on my beliefs, there will be life after death so....
anyway another thought was, all the quarrels, infighting now may not matter because we will go to that one resting place in the end, so...does that little ego trip matter that much? Will that bad remarks affect me?
Just ranting. I'm sleepy.
I'm pretty pleased. My medics did good. They played ball for ATEC but will they do so again after this? I hope so. That'll make life all so easy for all during reservist. Cooperation is the key for a fast & minimum fuss ICT.
zzz
- goodnight & goodbye
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- sumijelly
- February 22nd, 16:59
yet again, another goodbye. When i got in my uniform, when i put on my boots, when the past glimpse of BMT book in lurks in, when i say goodbye to mum, when i just say i hate this part, when i hail the cab to camp, when camp comes into sight.
Goodbye civilisation yet again. Till the day i rest snugly in my bed again.
- Nice songs so far - those that can be embedded
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- sumijelly
- February 1st, 11:01
- Sumiko's article
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- sumijelly
- January 25th, 12:12
I chanced upon Sumiko Tan's article in Sunday Times today. As usual she lamented about her single life. But today's article made me think about the reason of our existence.
She talked about being less of a woman because she has not married, given birth or go through the usual social cycle of a woman. She also commented what it is like not being loved madly by someone or anyone at all, after her friend told her a story of the son whom cleared all obstacles in the forest during a nature walk. I bet such love by a child to a mum will touch anyone.
What i'm trying to figure out is, if such is the case, for those whom adopts (although they are single), do so because in the end, they want to get such unconditional love from the child? Bcos they are unsuccessful to get the ultimate love from a partner? So basically humans are always looking to be loved, so they try all means (like adopting, changing partners etc) to get them, although the reason for their various actions (to get love) may not be clearly dictated.
I'm thinking too much. I think, like Sumiko put it in the end, these feelings will come and go, as and when. In times of bad economy, there are more things to look out for these days.
- Changeling
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- sumijelly
- January 24th, 23:30
"So why did you decide to come back?
Because.....I miss my parents."
And my eyes begins to tear at that scene. I bet most of the audience too as the theatre suddenly becomes very quiet. I guess everyone can emphatise with the plight of mums with missing children, because there is no closure to such and it is very difficult to move on.
Angelina Jolie played the role well, from an apologetic lady who then became strong after her devastating experience. She regained her Lara Croft bravery as she faced the murderer and demanded him to say the truth.
Lots of tensions in the movie too, the courtroom case as well as the hanging of the murderer. It is so so so drama seconds before the hanging takes place. Its like death staring at you and you wonder about yours.
Overall this is a gripping movie, which is quite long but it does not feel draggy. Everyone played their role well. I love it.
- 23 days
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- sumijelly
- January 23rd, 21:16
indifferent
23 days since the new year. Another new year is coming. And that's gonna be Chinese New Year.
23 days ~ a new phone, a new office layout. Went through another reservist (another one coming) and probably that's that (can't think of anything significant other than those)
23 days ~ If only the heart can be visible, so that it can reflect the true colours of people. So that not the physical appearance counts, but only the true sincere heart.
If only there is sincerity in our dealings, always and forever. But that's what you call, idealism.
- happy new yeahh
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- sumijelly
- January 1st, 10:40
its 2009 today. Woke up late after staying at my event till around 2am. Basically the job at every countdown event is almost the same each year. Thank god cos its something expected but its getting kinda boring. But a little difference was witnessing a crime scene and escorting the wrong doer to the confession table and see him confess.
2008 has been quite a memorable year where it stretched my mind to see something that i've not seen previously. But that has given me higher expectation towards things and realising that it gets kind of stifling with the kind of environment i'm in sometimes. But sometimes that's the price to pay for stability especially in these recession times.
Wishing everyone for good health, good money, good relationships, blessed life & do good to others always in 2009 and beyond. May you be strong, confident but still humble in facing the challenges in life. Spread the luv.
