Life's Little Lessons

There will always be days when we feel out of sorts – days when our biorhythms are a bit on the low side. During such times, all we need is a little lift – a kind word, or a word of encouragement.

I have found that reading quotes during such moments helped. It gave me an emotional, and ‘spiritual high’, lifting my spirits immediately. The next time you are feeling down, or depressed, give it a try. Go to any quotes site and spend a few minutes going through the motivational and inspirational quotes. You will find your spirits uplifted immediately.

Meanwhile, here are some quotes to give your spirits a lift – if you are in need of one now.

A man is not necessarily intelligent because he has plenty of ideas any more than he is a good general because he has plenty of soldiers. - Nicolas Chamfort

The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential... these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence. - Confucius

By asking for the impossible, we obtain the best possible. - Unknown

The way a young man spends his evenings is a part of that thin area between success and failure. - Robert R. Young

Everything profound is also simple and can be reproduced simply as long as its reference to the whole truth is maintained. - Albert Schweitzer

Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair, but manifestations of strength and resolutions. - Kahlil Gibran

A man with one watch knows what time it is; a man with two watches is never quite sure. - Lee Segall

Being nice to someone you dislike doesn’t mean you’re a fake. It means you are mature enough to tolerate your dislike towards them. - Unknown

The universal order and the personal order are nothing but different expressions and manifestations of a common underlying principle. - Marcus Aurelius

You can’t study the darkness by flooding it with light. - Edward Abbey

Take everything you like seriously, except yourselves. - Rudyard Kipling

Your body is the baggage you must carry through life. The more excess baggage, the shorter the trip. - Arnold Glasgow

Motivate, and Inspire Yourself

When the going gets tough, sometimes, all we need is a little boost to our confidence. However, we cannot always count on our friends and family, or other people to give us that much need boost. They too have their own problems to deal with. Besides, not everyone will understand what we are going through. So, the much needed boost of confidence from our dearest friends and family, may not be forthcoming.

Under such circumstances, we have to look to ourselves for help. We have to learn to have faith in ourselves, believe in ourselves. We need that fire in us to keep burning, the enthusiasm to keep us going.

The following are some self-motivational, and self-inspirational quotes. You might like to remember some of them so that the next time, when things do not go as planned, you can motivate and inspire yourself.

Some battles have to be fought alone, some paths have to be crossed alone, so never be emotionally attached with anyone. You never know when you have to walk alone. - Unknown

If you do not go after what you want, you’ll never have it. If you do not ask, the answer will always be no. If you do not step forward, you’ll always be in the same place. - Unknown

When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond to what’s happening. That’s where your power is. - Unknown

Remember, for everything you have lost, you have gained something else. Without the dark, you would never see the stars. - Unknown

Don’t wait for things in your life to change before you feel better. Feel better now and watch the things in your life change. - Unknown

You are not the only one that makes mistakes or say things that you regret. No matter what people tell you, we’re all just figuring out this life together. - Anthony Gucciardi

It’s better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than at the top of the one you don’t. - Stephen Kellogg

Don’t close the book when bad things happen in your life. Just turn the page and begin a new chapter. - Unknown

When you let go, you create space for something better. - Unknown

Some days you will be the light for others, and some days you will need some light from them. As long as there is light, there is hope, and there is a way. - Unknown

No one can build you the bridge on which you, and only you, must cross the river of life. - Friedrich Nietzsche

Don't worry, and don't kick yourself forever. Just take the opportunities when they come. - Bob Diamond

Murals

While having a walk in Chinatown recently, I came across these murals. I believe murals in Singapore are quite a recent thing. I don’t remember seeing them so often before. They are a good idea because murals brighten up the place making the place more interesting. Sometimes, where space is possible, the authorities installed sculptures too. Apart from that they also install signboards telling the history and/or story of the murals and the place.

Here are some murals which caught my attention.

Shophouses in Chinatown. The ground floor is the shop and the storey above is the residence. Sometimes, hawkers set up stalls outside the shophouses. In the mural, you see a woman lowering a basket. Sometimes, when they do not bother to come down from their residence, they would just shout out to the hawker, and they use the basket to deliver the goods and payment.

A hawker hawking his wares of toy swords, and masks on his tricycle.

A street opera. During festivals, there is usually a stage set up for opera performances. As kids, this is what we look forward to. Although we don't really understand what was going on on the stage, we still get the gist of the story from the acting and actions. Unfortunately, this is a dying art. There are very few opera troops left now.

People watching the street opera, also known as Chinese Wayang. When and where there is street opera performances, there are hawkers selling sweets. And there is always the ice-cream man.

Two samsui women waiting for their transport to pick them up for work. Samsui woman are woman from China who came to Singapore to work at the construction sites. There are no more samsui women now.

This is a present scene. A mural on the side street showing people queuing up to buy drinks from a coffee shop.

This looks like an unfinished piece of mural.

This is in the train station. The scene shows Singapore during the pre-colonial times to the colonial times.

Worrying

We worry too much. Actually, if we were to think about it, worrying is a waste of time. If we worry about what may happen tomorrow and it doesn’t happen, we have worried in vain. Even if it does happen, we would have also worried in vain. Our worrying did not stop whatever it was from not happening. So, it is better to enjoy, and make the most of today, rather than wasting it on worrying about tomorrow, or future events.

If something is wrong, fix it if you can. If you can fix it, there is no need to worry about it. If you can’t fix it, you don’t have to worry about it either. Worry never fixes anything. It is a fact that a day of worry is more exhausting than a week of work.

What worries us, masters us. Worrying does not take away tomorrow’s troubles, it takes away today’s Peace. Worrying is very draining. It drained us both mentally and physically. It is stressful and harmful to the body. Life can’t be good, if we are constantly worrying about this or that. So, we should train ourselves not to worry.

Don’t worry. Just breathe. Whatever is meant to be, it will find its way.

Happy is the man who has broken the chains which hurt the mind, and has given up worrying once and for all. - Ovid

It is not work that kills men; it is worry. Worry is rust upon the blade. - Henry Ward Beecher

Overcoming fear and worry can be accomplished by living a day at a time or even a moment at a time. Your worries will be cut down to nothing. - Dr. Robert Anthony

Worry is a thin stream of fear trickling through the mind. If encouraged, it cuts a channel into which all other thoughts are drained. - Arthur Somers Roche

As a rule, men worry more about what they can’t see than about what they can. - Julius Caesar

Worry is like a rocking chair – it gives you something to do but it doesn’t get you anywhere. - Dorothy Galyean

You can always be master of the situation – it is only worry and anxiety that make it seem beyond your control. - Unknown

Worry is interest paid on trouble before it falls due. - William Inge

I’ve had a lot of worries in my life, most of which have never happened. - Mark Twain

Worry amplifies a whisper into a shout. - Unknown

Quips & Quirks

After a weekend of rest and fun, it is back to the grind. No wonder people suffer from ‘Monday Blues’? However, try looking at it as a new week full of potential and possibilities ahead waiting for you, a week full of exciting and interesting things to come. See if that helps make you feel better. And if that still doesn’t help, maybe the following Quips will help you get over your Monday Blues. Have a laugh! I am sure you will feel better after that.

These memes/pictures are not mine. There are from Facebook Pages I am following, from friends’ messages, from all over the internet. I collect them as I collect my quotes.

The Chinese Zodiac

The Chinese Zodiac is based on a twelve year cycle, with each animal representing a lunar year. The order in which the animals appear are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. It is believed that people born in a given year have the personality of that year’s animal.

2020 is the Year of the Rat!

Curious to know what is your Zodiac animal and what it represents? Have a look at the chart below.

Rat
1924, 1936, 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, 2020
Quick-witted, resourceful, versatile, kind

Ox
1925, 1937, 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, 2021
Diligent, dependable, strong, determined

Tiger
1926, 1938, 1950, 1962, 1974, 1986, 1998, 2010, 2022
Brave, confident, competitive

Rabbit
1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023
Quiet, elegant, kind, responsible

Dragon
1928, 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, 2012, 2024
Confident, intelligent, enthusiastic

Snake
1929, 1941, 1953, 1965, 1977, 1989, 2001, 2013, 2025
Enigmatic, intelligent, wise

Horse
1930, 1942, 1954, 1966, 1978, 1990, 2002, 2014, 2026
Animated, active, energetic

Goat
1931, 1943, 1955, 1967, 1979, 1991, 2003, 2015, 2027
Calm, gentle, sympathetic

Monkey
1932, 1944, 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, 2016, 2028
Sharp, smart, curiosity

Rooster
1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029
Observant, hardworking, courageous

Dog
1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006, 2018, 2030
Lovely, honest, prudent

Pig
1935, 1947, 1959, 1971, 1983, 1995, 2007, 2019, 2031
Compassionate, generous, diligent

Myths and legends abound as to how these animals were decided. However, one website states that the twelve animals were chosen deliberately, after many revisions. The zodiac animals are either closely related to ancient Chinese people’s daily lives, or have lucky meanings.

Here are the twelve animals, displayed in the Flower dome of the Gardens by the Bay.

Since it is the Year of the Rat, the rat gets a little more attention. This three-metre-tall rat made from exquisite floral arrangements of plants with yellow and golden hue welcomes spring, and wishes one and all, best wishes for the new year!

The Ox is next in line. Next year will be the year of the Ox

The Tiger

The Rabbit

The Dragon

The Snake

The Horse

The Goat

The Monkey

The Rooster

The Dog

The Pig

Happy Lunar New Year

Today is the first day of the Lunar New Year. Lunar New Year is a major holiday in China and Taiwan, and also in countries that have a big Chinese community. It falls on the second new moon after the winter solstice.

The Lunar New Year is also called the Spring Festival. This is because, in China this marks the beginning of Spring, and a new year! This is the most important celebration for families.

Before the new year, households will usually have a Spring Cleaning, where every corner of the household is given a sweep or wipe. It signifies ridding the house of old useless stuff, and negative energies, so that there can be new, better things and positive energies. Baking of cookies and preparing of food is another activity to prepare for the new year. During this period, families, and relatives exchange gifts – good neighbours too. Households will also put up decorations, usually red in colour. Red symbolises prosperity and good luck. And we all would love some of both, won’t we?

Something simple like this.

The highlight of the New Year is the reunion dinner. Chinese from all corners of the world will make their way home to be reunited with the family, and to celebrate the welcoming of the new year. The dinner will be elaborate and sumptuous. Many families have ‘steamboat’ or ‘hot pot’ dinner. This is where you add broth into a hot pot, and you cook your food at the table. A very practical thing. Families can exchange stories and catch up with each other while their food is being cooked, and it also keeps the room and everyone warm. You can spend hours dining and the food will still be warm. And if it isn’t just dip them into the hot pot again and they will be warm in no time.

A steamboat, or hot pot dinner.

On the day itself, children will pay respects to their elders, and the elders will give the children red packets The red packets signify prosperity and good luck for the new year. There will be some cash in red packets. How much is in there is up to the giver.

On this day gambling is allowed. People with play cards, mahjong, or whatever they can think of.

Once upon a time, one hears a lot of firecrackers during the Chinese New Year. Children, especially looked forward to playing with fire crackers. But, firecrackers now are impractical, because people now live in high rise buildings. It is dangerous to be throwing crackers from high buildings, plus which it is not environmentally friendly.

The Chinese New Year officially last for 15 days. However, only the first two days are public holidays – first three in some countries. During this period, relatives will visit, and catch up with each other. There will be plenty of eating, drinking and merry-making.

That is basically all the activities on and before the Lunar New Year. Of course, there are slight variations of them - depending which country you are from.

Each Lunar year is represented by an animal in a twelve years’ cycle. The twelve Chinese Zodiac animals, in order are: Rat, Ox, Tiger, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Goat, Monkey, Rooster, Dog, Pig. Last year, was the Year of the Pig, this year is the Year of the Rat. It is believed that people born in a given year have the personality of that year’s animal.

Here wishing all celebrating the Lunar New Year a happy, healthy and great year in the Year of the Rat!

All Puns Intended

What is a Pun?

A pun, or paronomasia, is a form of word play that deliberately exploits an ambiguity between similar-sounding words for humorous or rhetorical effect. Such ambiguity may arise from the intentional misuse of homophonical, homographical, homonymic, polysemic, metonymic, or metaphorical language.

A pun is a joke or type of wordplay in which similar senses or sounds of two words or phrases, or different senses of the same word, are deliberately confused.

Have a look at the following puns. If there is any one that you do not understand at first read, read through it again and again until you see the humour behind it. When you understood it, congratulate yourself that your sense of humour has risen a notch.

If you cut too many corners, you’ll be going in circles. - Todd Reader

A girl with a good figure can often shape her own destiny. - Evan Esar

I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes. - Unknown

If there were an international butt competition, Eric would win, hands down – or cheeks up. - Charlaine Harris

A dentist and a manicurist married. They fought tooth and nail. - Unknown

A boiled egg is hard to beat. - Unknown

Don’t join dangerous cults: practice safe sects. - Unknown

I used to be afraid of purchasing residential property for the purpose of renting, but now I have an apartment complex. - Unknown

The batteries were given out free of charge. - Unknown

If you don’t pay your exorcist, you can get repossessed. - Unknown

A dyslexic man walks into a bra. - Unknown

Don’t let people drive you crazy when you know it’s in walking distance. - Unknown

Life's Little Lessons

Welcome to the world of quotes. Quotes – the words of wisdom from the sages, the philosophers, the poets, and all the wise men of old, (and recent), who had been through life’s hardships, adversities and indignities.

The beauty of quotes is that they are ageless. They are also usually fairly simple in words and meaning. However, behind the simple words, and sentences are profound truisms. Unfortunately, it is easy to read the words without really understanding the more profound meaning they convey, missing the point the of the quotes.

Still, don’t underestimate the power of what a few simple words of encouragement can do for a person. It can make all the difference in the world to him. A few simple words at the right time can inspire or motivate. It can change a person’s point of view, and how one looks at life. Sometimes, it can also change a person’s life. That is the power of quotes.

We ourselves feel that what we are doing is just a drop in the ocean. But the ocean would be less because of that missing drop. - Mother Teresa

A man is not learned because he talks much; He who is patient, free from hatred and fear, he is called learned. - Unknown

If you want to walk fast, walk alone. But if you want to walk far, walk together. - Ratan Tata

When people cut you down, or talk behind your back remember they took timeout of their pathetic lives, to think about you. - Unknown

The wise are instructed by reason, average minds by experience, the stupid by necessity and the brute by instinct. - Marcus Tullius Cicero

There are hurts so deep that one cannot reach them or heal them with words. - Kate Seredy

When a sinister person means to be your enemy, they always start by trying to become your friend. - William Blake

We protest against unjust criticism, but we accept unearned applause. - Jose Narosky

A likely impossibility is always preferable to an unconvincing possibility. - Aristotle

Every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries with it the seed on an equal or greater benefit. - Napoleon Hill

There’s many a good tune played on an old fiddle. - Samuel Butler

A life of ease is a difficult pursuit. - Unknown

A Walk in Chinatown

The Chinese New Year is a couple of days away. In Chinatown, the month before the Chinese New Year is the busiest. The whole of Chinatown came alive buzzling with cultural activities and events, as people prepare for the biggest event in the Chinese Calendar.

Besides the shops, there are many festive bazaars set up to cash in on the occasion. The biggest bazaar being in the heart of Chinatown itself.

The makeshift stores will operate between 10am and 10pm. Towards the last few days of the New Year, some will extend operating hours to 11pm. On the Eve itself, they will operate until the early morning hours or until they have cleared their stocks.

Many people go shopping on the Eve of Chinese New Year, after their reunion dinner, to look for bargains – and very good bargains too, as well as to soak in the atmosphere, watch performances and to usher in the New Year.

I was down there last night with some friends to have a wander around. It was very busy, as expected. Throngs of people ambling along, stopping at almost every store to have a look, or to sample the goodies on sale.

This year, the economy hasn’t been in the best of shape, and store holders are saying that there are more window shoppers than buyers. The other reason business is lacklastrue is that this year, the Chinese New Year is in January, whereas it is usually in February. And with Christmas, and the New Year, and school has just reopened, these events has taken a toil on people's pockets. So, most people have spent a fair bit of money.

Some pictures from my adventures last night.

This is coming out from the train Station. The Singapore Police Force wishing all a Happy New Year and to advise people to be careful and vigilant, less they fall prey to pickpockets.

Stores selling all sorts of Chinese New Year decorative items. These shops are not too busy because most would have bought the decorations. You would also noticed that they are selling more or less the same things.

Stores selling sweets and goodies. Good bargains on the eve of Chinese New Year as the stores try to clear stock.

Exiting Chinatown after the walk.

It was nice to have a wander amongst the crowd, to feel the excitement and atmosphere, but it was good to get out of the crowd too.