My colleague sent me a link to a clip from Oprah on Randy Pausch's last lecture.
I like it.
I guess what really strikes a chord with me are all the positive vibes from a dying man. Btw he is still alive as of today.
What would you do if you know you have only a few months to live?
Some may see me as a positive person now. But I did - still do - have negative and even morbid moments, especially when I was a kid. I remember trying to suffocate myself in a pillow when I was a kid cos I felt so abandoned when upon coming home from a cousin's place, I heard that my father had brought my siblings to the pool. Yes I couldn't swim at all and to this day still cannot claim that I can swim but I loved going to the pool!
Other instances, I just wasn't happy about my family, my friends in secondary school, the way I looked, the behaviour of some people, repetitive homework, the weather, the smell of the air etc... And because of these, I was grouchy a lot of the time. Although, to the credit of my genes or a forgetful mind, I cheered up pretty easily too.
Over the years, especially the last ten years or so, I have let go a great deal. I realise how there is no point being bothered by all these trivialities, especially when these are things I have no control over; what I can control is how I react. If I can better things, I will try, otherwise, I live with it or walk away for more able people to deal with it. There is really no point dwelling on unhappiness if that makes me even more unhappy.
Back to the question, if my body gives up on me, I wish my spirit doesn't so that I could still have a positive impact on my loved ones. I mean, I don't need to change the world, make it a better place. If I can effect something positive on people around me, I think that is enough.
Thinking about the lecture, I think we should live life such that we can answer to ourselves and not shortchange ourselves - that sounds weird in English.. 做人要对得起自己! 前阵子听到一句 “活在当下”，意思应该是不要活在不愉快－ 甚至是愉快－ 的过去，也不要太幻想着未来而疏忽了现在、错过了眼前的一切。但我想加一句 “明天会更好”，因为没理由活在不愉快的当下啊！应该开朗一些，带着过去的人生经历、抱着积极的态度展望未来，不是吗？
Sure, cynics roll their eyes but well, it doesn't matter cos I'm happy the way I am! :)
So, am I Tigger or Eeyore? :) I prefer to be a cheerful Tigger but who sometimes likes to curl up - and not necessarily in a corner - to play with her (this one's a she!) tail and reflect on things..
But I think I am actually more of a Pooh.. You know, all the digging into honey and stuff :p
Links to the lecture:
1) Full version - in six parts including an introduction and ending speeches but you can just watch parts 1-4 (90min or so)
2) Single version of the lecture sans intro and ending (76min)
3) Condensed version on Oprah (11min) - this is what led me to google for the original lecture
Happy holiday :)
Two Saturdays ago, we took off to KL on Aeroline - quite a comfortable ride. They had movies - watched Transformers and a bit of Tokyo Drift - and served food and hot drinks. Took us just under five hours to get to KL via Tuas. But we almost lost our bags cos we didn't realise we were supposed to take them with us at the customs!!
Anyway, we found our way to Shangri-La, checked in and went to the ballroom to check out the floor. It was big! But we didn't practise until we got ourselves some food at TGIF across the road and even then, we practised in street shoes, just walking through our routine really.
Had a grand eight-hour sleep before we went down for a quick breakfast at a cafe. When we tried to get our number, we realised that we were supposed to get that at 8am - it was past 9am already!! But luckily, Aleena got it for us already.. We were quite blur :p
Did more routine in the room and changed for some real practice in our shoes. My hair took 25 minutes to set! But it was good; not a strand came off for either tango or quickstep :p
The morning segment just ended and the floor was free. We did a few rounds to try the floor for all four dances. Spent some time swirling outside until it was time for the afternoon segment - our segment..
OUR SECOND COMPETITION!!! :p
Nerves.. The chill.. Even hunger started to creep in..
Then it was our turn.. Waltz, quickstep, tango and foxtrot, with some rest in between.. We didn't do great for any of them =( Especially tango =(
Prepared for the worst, we were surprised to see we were brought back for finals for the first three dances! Must give our best shot! Foxtrot was apparently a direct finals though there were quite a number of couples, which meant we might not be placed..
Finals for waltz and quickstep went better than the heats, but not tango, unfortunately.. And not lest cos it was right after the quickstep, which left us out of breath - I blamed the music cos I could not "feel the tango".. But anyway, we tried :) We were placed 4th for waltz, 5th for quickstep and foxtrot, and 6th for tango eventually. A fellow dancer told us that he had seen us do way better in the studio, sighs.. And of course, Shifu was like, "It could have been better!"
Anyway, time to relax! I like this picture :)
We bought standing tickets for the evening events cos the sit-down was really expensive.. Went to TGIF (again!) for a quick dinner before returning to the ballroom - in casual clothes and nice hair :p
As the evening passes, my nose turned from bad to worse and we returned to the room to rest a couple of times while the judges were tabulating scores.. But it was fun and very motivating to see the professionals dance! So beautiful - we must work harder! :)
Woke really late the next day. Nose was still bad, and I'd developed a sore throat as well..
Sito was very hardworking ok.. He was working his brain cells..
.. While I slept :p
Then I got hungry..
So we went to Shang Palace for some dim sum. That helped my throat a bit but the soreness returned to haunt me for the rest of the day whenever I had no food going down *.*
Spent a lazy afternoon just reading his Jap text while he carried on working... Still not feeling well and so cancelled dinner with Jo in case I passed the germs to little Lucian.. But we decided we should go out and headed off to this Restoran Oversea - yes, not Overseas - for what was supposedly the world's best char siew. And it was indeed good! And that coming from someone who doesn't really eat char siew, I suppose it's really good? :p
Wandered off a bit and found a shopping mall next to a monorail station. It was somewhat surreal.. And we found a couple of those old weighing machines that used to dot the old Emporium!
I got tired very soon and we went back to watch TV. Rather, I watched TV while Sito continued to work! I refused to think about my work. In fact, my head was too full with mucous to think *.*
*repeat the hotel photos here*
And the very next morning, we left. Not quite sure what to make of this trip. The competition results were a bit disappointing no doubt but it was a good experience, which I think we need. The rest of the holiday... Well, I was ill and Sito was working. A pseudo holiday then, like he said.. Time to plan for the next one! :)
There's no doubt about this - by the time I'm 50, I'm going to be flatter than pancake *.*
Read this article for why..
Separately, hope to put up some pictures later - from our weekend trip to KL..
Just finished the last one - yummy :)
I always like tu tu kueh. Sometimes I think I like the flour more than the filling - I asked for one without filling! Looks like I won't survive on any carbs-free diet...
Haven't had it for years.. Good feelings came back while eating it.. Not about anything or anyone in particular; just the simple pleasure of having a simple snack :)
Moving on to Yakult, another childhood delight :)
