Age and Gender Do NOT Define Your Chance at Success!!!

Saw this inspiring article tt i wanna share with u =)
(http://sgentrepreneurs.com/retail/2011/08/08/age-and-gender-do-not-define-your-chance-at-success/)

Random thought from Eric: "Even God cannot pleases everyone. One prays for rain and the other prays for sun. What should God do? Or say soccer. Both teams pray to God that they win. Who is God going to answer? So if even God cannot pleases everyone, why should we try to please everyone? Lesson: The fear of man brings a snare! Good night everyone. :)"
N i spent a major part of my leechie life trying to please my leechie mum although i can never get any affirmation from her no matter how well i did...

"StreetSmart "When you keep going and doing ,Opportunities will open up for you... When you start complaining , Doors of oppotunities will start closing " It's our Choice !" ~ Elim Chew

"For those who had big losses from last year until now, let me share some solace with u so u feel less sad. Money is not everything. When u are down and out, look who is there for u and look at who avoid u or throw rocks into u when u fell into the well." ~ CNBC

"You are not a failure or crazy if you feel suicidal. It only means your pain is more than your resources for coping with pain."

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"The player
Why is he so irresistible? This seemingly charismatic guy makes you laugh with his sense of humor and has this uncanny ability to keep you hooked by just shooting the breeze. The smooth-talkers shower you with flattery and statements of love but they might have an agenda behind your back. He's probably using the same playbook to score other girls too."

Damn good advice from Nic (btw ladies, Nic is a hot hunk who happens to be a surgeon ;p btw, when i say tt a guy is hot...he's really HOT!!! ;p but too bad tt he's not here in sg...which is y i always ask...where did all the cutie guys go??? =.="):
"sms... is considered kind of online stuffs ... this is all about "social network" when come to human interaction they are failed!! NEVER EVER ask a man or someone you love "where is he?" "Who is he with?" "what is he doing?" one thing is you show no trust..another thing is showing you are airhead! why?! the person can always lie and you may not know the truth!"
"he is not low EQ if he doesnt know that you are fuming, but he chose IGNORANCE... chose not to know...couldnt be bothered"
"becoz he's chatting with all of you gals on the same topic. get it?! thats how men who FLIRT online"

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"Age and gender do not define your chance at success
August 8, 2011 by Terence LEE

At 23 years old, Elfaine Tan has accomplished multiple feats. As winner of Shell’s LiveWIRE “Most Promising Enterprise Award” in 2009 and having been named one of Her World Magazine’s 50 “Most Inspiring Women Under 40″, Elfaine is the proud founder of The Sample Store (formerly known as Fr3b.com), an on-line store that distributes and sells samples.

Elfaine believes that there are many roads to education and achieving success. After graduating with a Diploma in Biomedical Informatics & Engineering in 2008, she took an office job but left a few months later because she had a business idea and wanted to validate it.

Despite initial protests from her parents and the lack of a formal business education, Elfaine was determined to prove that her business model works. She cold-called marketers at their offices throughout the day and got rejected by them over and over again. But she never gave up. Her hard work paid off eventually, when she managed to arrange for meetings with her clients and convinced them to use the platform.

To date, The Sample Store has garnered a substantial pool of members and customers, worked with many established brands and has also distributed and sold countless samples.

No excuses to achieving success

For the tenacious entrepreneur who started her business early in life, there are no excuses to achieving success. “I don’t think age or gender would affect one’s success. What matters most is the right attitude and mindset,” she observed.

In fact, that there are some advantages to being a woman. Elfaine points out that, as “most marketers in my industry are women, this gives me an advantage as I can communicate with them better and even share some very personal thoughts with them.”

She noted that there may be certain drawbacks for a young female entrepreneur. She added, “Sometimes people get the wrong impression the first time they meet you. They usually think that we are either not experienced enough or doubt our credibility.”

On dealing with gender

There are challenges to working with both men and women. For example, Elfaine observed that women in leadership positions tend to be more demanding, straightforward and set higher expectations. But the jovial entrepreneur offers a tip, “ I find joy in befriending my clients, and this makes the communication process smoother when it comes setting goals and expectations with them.”

As for the men, she quipped that they “can be a little forgetful and tend to forget about some deadlines. So we need to be constantly remind them about deadlines, submission and meeting dates.”

Women like Tyra Banks, Oprah Winfrey, local entrepreneurs Nanz Chong Komo and Ms Elim Chew have inspired the young entrepreneur to be strong, determined and to develop a never-surrender-to-failure spirit.

“Like what Steve Jobs said, anyone can give up, it’s the easiest thing in the world to do. But to hold it together when everyone else would understand if you fell apart, that’s true strength,” she said.

At 23 years old, Elfaine has proved that success is not defined by age and gender, but by the right spirit and mindset.

You can check out The Sample Store or find out more about Elfaine through her blog."

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"Remind me I AM GOOD

I was recently told of an African tribe that does the most beautiful thing.

When someone does something hurtful and wrong, they take the person to the center of town, and the entire tribe comes and surrounds him. For two days they’ll tell the man every good thing he has ever done.

The tribe believes that every human being comes into the world as Good, each of us desiring safety, love, peace, happiness.

But sometimes in the pursuit of those things people make mistakes. The community sees misdeeds as a cry for help.

They band together for the sake of their fellow man to hold him up, to reconnect him with his true Nature, to remind him who he really is, until he fully remembers the truth from which he'd temporarily been disconnected: "I AM GOOD"."

Posted at Dharma Comics by Leah Pearlman, founder of The Happiness Institute.

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"Recently some emails popped in asking me why is life such a struggle.

Well, nothing is perfect in this world so are your luck cycle and events that take place. No one is perfect too.

Sometimes the downs are so distressing that its make you see and feel nothing else. Even good times can be marred by some minor incident. However, there are always little deeds you can do for yourself to make things br...ighter. The simplest you can do is choosing to focus your energy on things that make you happy and feel good. This not only applies to event happening to you but to the people you meet and see too. After all what are the things that does not involve people. You can focus to see the better side of a person. This does not necessary mean you're hereby blinded by the person fault and short coming. Being aware and on the other hand putting all your energy into a bad situation or the person imperfection will make you become critical and start the blame game. Be aware but see the good in others. See the good things around you!

There is no one's life that is without a struggle. But there will be happy times too. It is the circle of life.

What I do during bad time? I'm not magician nor a witch that can make bad thing go away. I just buy my favorite chocolate ice-cream to eat when I feel sad." ~ BaziChic

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Interesting Quotes:

“I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails to always reach my destination.” ~ Jimmy Dean

"Start today with a clean slate. Almost all your unhappiness in life comes from your tendency to blame someone else for something." ~ Brian Tracy

"Life is a movie n u're the director. Change the script, location or actors if nd be. Coz if it turns out bad, u only hav yrself to blame."

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become." ~ Buddha

"Trust is never a given nor a gift. Earn it or lose it."

“Success is a state of mind. If you want success, start thinking of yourself as a success.” ~ Dr. Joyce Brothers

“Success is how high you bounce when you hit the bottom.” ~ General George S. Patton

“To believe in yourself and to follow your dreams, to have goals in life and a drive to succeed, and to surround yourself with the things and the people that make you happy - this is success!” ~ Sasha Azevedo

"Find your way out of whatever fear, worry, sadness, guilt, anger or anxiety you may be carrying. It's a heavy load you're lugging around & making you unhappy, uncomfortable & far less powerful than you really are. Give it up, let it go, release it, surrender it simply through the power of intention alone. Do it daily till you feel at EASE with yourself & FREE!" ~ Helen Lee

"Power of Passion drives a person to achieve results for what they love to Do and Believe in! Creating the biggest change!" ~ Elim Chew

"I've failed over and over and over again in my life and that is why I succeed." ~ Michael Jordan

"My mind tells me to give up but my heart won't let me."

"Giving up doesn't mean you're a quitter, it just means whatever you're fighting for is no longer worth the fight."

"The moment u think of giving up, think of a reason why u held so long.. Do or die is an old saying; do it before you die is the new one."

Recent Skincare & Cosmetics Hauls From Kanebo Sale, Hong Kong, Japan & USA ;p

Spent a bomb at the recent Kanebo sales...my leechie mum n Audrey were shocked when i told them tt i actually spent >$1k there...they were like -> what did u buy??? @.@" btw, all the cutie guys here...i gotta re-iterate tt leechie is definitely NOT high maintenance ya...i would need to fork out much more $$$ if i were to get these stuff at the usual cosmetics counters! gotta thank the lovely Kanebo ladies for their help during the sale =) someone commented tt leechie seems to know almost everyone there...i dont know everyone there at Kanebo...but i do know quite a few Kanebo ladies =) Received several requests to post pics of my recent hauls...here they r...so check them out ya ;p

Many ppl thought tt i wear fako eyelashes...but leechie dunno how to put on fako eyelashes...so my eyelashes r real eyelashes although they may look long n curly n fako...but lemme assure u tt they r perfectly real...juz like the famous line: "she's born with it" ;p

Btw, I still havent sorted out the rest of my HK n Macau pics yet...thousands of pics to be sorted out...stay tuned ya ;p

"Never waste time on a person who can't accept u as who u r. The relationship will never run smooth even if there is an opportunity."

Lunasol cosmetics from Kanebo sales =)


Lunasol skincare from Kanebo sales...i actually bot 12 Lunasol facial cleansers! lol ;p


Coffret D'or cosmetics from Kanebo sales =)


Check out all the cutie Hello Kitty cosmetics n stuff tt i bought during my recent HK trip! bought Jill Stuart, Max Factor n H&M stuff as well...btw, i juz discovered this brand Media by Kanebo in HK...bought a few of their blushers n eyeshadow palettes...keke ;p


From DFS Changi Airport...was trying to decide between Dior n Chanel travel palettes...picked up the Chanel one =)


Check out what Audrey helped me buy from her recent Japan trip...she went to several places n managed to hunt down the limited edition Visee eyeshadow palettes!!! really appreciate her! i ♥ the pretty Visee palettes! soooooo pretty ♥♥


Stuff tt Gigi helped me order from US webby...finally picked them up...lol ;p


Elf palette from US webby...pretty good value for money if u r not into branded cosmetics =)


Elf palette: pretty neutrals suitable for daily wear =)


Btw, juz went for haircolor n haircut...my stylist dyed violet as the base hair color and added some red highlights on my crown area as part of creative highlights...i'm happy with the lovely wine color achieved...frenz told me tt the color looks v.nice n natural =) btw, my stylist passed me his namecard, saying tt he would trim my fringe for free in future! tt's a v.nice gesture cos i always have prob with fringe trim as i have v.strong natural curls! o.O

Btw, this was the first time that i tried semi-permanent hair color at a salon...n i nearly freaked out when my face towel was stained with pink streaks when i wiped my face...n there was "pink ink" dripping from my hair whenever i washed my hair! >.<" i called my stylist n he said the "pink ink" syndrome could last for abt 2 weeks...so my leechie mum has placed a towel over my pillows n i'm wearing dark color clothes these days to avoid pink stains on my clothes n pillows =.=" honestly, this "pink ink" side effect could be rather inconvenient manz...so do consider twice before trying out semi-permanent colors ya...o.O"

Leechie before the haircut n haircolor o.O


Having my leechie hair colored at the salon o.O


Done! standing outside the salon o.O


Leechie after the haircut n haircolor...check out my violet hair color with red highlights! i'm happy with the wine color achieved...frenz commented tt the color looks v.nice n natural =)

How the 'Popiah King' Became a Billionaire

Came across the following inspiring article tt i wanna share with u...

Also saw the Yahoo article on Irene Ang n sometimes i think i'm also fragile like a wine glass...life is what we make outta it...what we make the most outta the packs of cards tt we were dealt with at birth...sometimes i feel tt i have to fight for so many things in my life...i juz have to be thankful tt all these have added strength to my character n made me the person tt i am today...i guess u wouldnt use the word boring to describe me...leechie muz jia you!

""I've willed myself to be strong. I'm not who I am today by birth," Irene Ang says. "I was very quiet at home growing up; I always felt that I had not earned my rights to speak up."

"I knew then that life was what I made out of it, and from a young age many incidents taught me that I have to fight for what I want," Irene Ang adds. "That made me who I am today -- going through a tough childhood -- so I am very touched, and always grateful.""





‎"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are!"
N what gives u the right to judge n stereotype me when ur character is like ...??? =.="

"Never waste time on a person who can't accept u as who u r. The relationship will never run smooth even if there is an opportunity." ~ Jason
I'm only a leechie...too bad if u cant even accept tt...it's not my prob ;p

"Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves."

"Life is not about achievement, it's about learning and growth, and developing qualities like compassion, patience, perseverance, love, and joy, and so forth. And so if that is the case, then I think our goals should include something which stretches us." ~ Jack Canfield

"Life is like a piano, the white keys represent happiness & black keys show sadness. BUT as you go through life’s journey, remember that the black keys too make music !"

"Justifying a fault doubles it"

"Financial success doesn’t equal life success. Success and happiness is a culmination of many things. If one is off big time, you’re not going to feel like a success, or maybe even happy. That’s why it’s so important to pay attention to everything that matters to you now, and not just what money can do for you later." ~ Harv

"I don't care what you earn, where you live, what you drive, whether you're gay or straight, fat or thin, tall or short, beautiful or average, rich or poor, smart or not. If you're my friend, you're my friend. I accept you for who you are, and that's ALL that matters. If you feel the same.. steal this status from me, your friend, like I just did from another friend ....Keep it movin"

Saw thess jokes ;p
"My hairdresser (cute gay guy) used to bitch: "Wonderbra is biggest culprit for False Advertisement ever. After you seduce her, and take off her bra .. and you "wonder" where her boobs go to!".
I told him: "Well, its exactly just like men talking "big" and boasting about themselves to impress women. Real life disappoints!""

"Written on pub men's room wall: "Dont look up here for a joke, its in YOUR HANDS""

"Religion is like a penis. It's fine to have one. It's fine to be proud of it. But please don't whip it out in public and start waving it around, And PLEASE don't try to shove it down children's throats."

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"How the 'Popiah King' became a billionaire

Friday, Jul 29, 2011
AsiaOne

It was a gesture of goodwill that led 62-year-old billionaire Sam Goi to his #12 spot in Forbes Asia's Singapore's 40 richest list this year, but his entrepreneurial streak was what carried him through.

Despite being known as the 'Popiah King', food was not what Mr Goi set out to do when he first ventured into business.

Born to a farmer from China's Fujian province, Sam Goi migrated with his family to Singapore when he was six. They lived in Geylang, where they lived in a one-room tenement and where his father opened a small grocery store.

After dropping out of high school, he did odd jobs at a mechanical repair shop while also helping his father at the store. It was here at this repair shop that he found out that he had a knack for fixing machines.

His first business venture was, fittingly enough, his own repair shop, which he financed through a loan from his father. However, it closed in less than a year.

He did not give up. He was able to raise enough money through the informal Chinese community lending network to start the same business, now called Sing Siah. In four years, his revenues had grown to half a million dollars, and he started a new business to repair ships at the Jurong Shipyard. These two businesses kept flourishing, with multi-million dollar revenues that enabled him to employ 400 people.

It was his third business, however, that made him a billionaire.

When he moved to an industrial zone, he stumbled upon a factory which had a unit that was struggling, with feuding partners. The product: popiah skins. He bought a controlling stake from the owners, who he had earlier befriended. He later bought out his partner, who had started a similar business in Malaysia. By 1980, he had full control of Tee Yih Jia.

From a small operation employing 23 people who could produce 3,200 wraps a day, it is now a frozen foods empire with estimated revenues of US$1.3 billion (S$1.6 billion) that produces 35 million pieces of popiah skins daily in factories in Singapore, China, Malaysia, and the US.

These are sold under the company's Spring Home Brand, and are distributed internationally, together with other products like roti paratha, Indian samosas, glutinous rice balls, and prawn balls.

In 2006, he handed over operations to his US-educated children, and is now going into property in China.

He told Forbes Asia: "I'm a simple man who started in a small way with the humble popiah, but now we've gone far beyond that."

Source: Forbes Asia"

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Simply ♥ this song ;p

$$ Wealth & Destiny With Joey Yap $$

Thx Yoke Wah for helping leechie to reserve a front row seat for this seminar...Joey had alrdy started speaking when i walked into the seminar room...v.interesting talk by Joey today =)

Joey covered various aspects of bazi, face-reading, fengshui n date-selection in this 1 day seminar...he talked abt our destiny being made up of 50% internal factors (character, personality traits, behaviors, attitudes and beliefs) and 50% external factors (events, ppl such as family, frenz&colleagues, opportunities and economy). Awareness, realization n change! ur experiences will bring out the good in u or set u back...n every 10 yrs tt u go through will add on to ur experiences...n why u keep going through the same stuff over n over again...he said our willpower n techniques r v.impt in determining our destiny...n tt nobody can predict ur free will!!!

N i agree with Joey tt our ultimate purpose is to be happy! money is not everything...discretionary time is impt too...but how many ppl actually understand a leechie n understand tt underneath the glamorous facade lies a lonely soul who is slogging like hell?! i admit tt i'm a free-spirit n i hate to be controlled...but honestly, i dont even know how to be happy! haiz >.<"
opportunity + preparation = good fortune

He talked abt anything n everything tt u want in life come from other ppl...so it would help if we can understand others better ya =) he mentioned abt spending time vs investing time with the right ppl...according to Joey, ur pedigree is determined by who u know...he also talked abt the law of selecting frenz based on face reading...was quite amused by his description of some of the facial features (he has a Cantonese description for each type which i couldnt really understand)...lol ;p

Joey covered the main characteristics, strengths n weaknesses of each of the 5 structure types...pretty interesting ;p

Managers (wealth structure) like to b in control n r responsible, extremely bossy n perfectionist...does tt sound familiar? ;p btw, Joey has this wealth structure...n Yoke Wah really seems to idolize Joey v.muchie...but she was saying tt it's hard to live with ppl with wealth structure type...i guess it's hard to live up to their expectations eh? o.O"

He suggested tt ppl with supporter (influence structure) shldnt start from scratch, shld juz takeover a failed company n restructure n make things better...they shld look for those organizations in trouble or r broken in some way...n then go in n follow the rules n fix everything! btw, Bill Gates, Michael Bloomberg n Steven Spielberg all hav supporter structure B-)

Thinkers (resource structure) r v.analytical n suspicious ppl....they r v.happy cruching the facts n figures...the type who can analyze-until-paralyzed type ;p but they can become easily depressed...his suggested remedy for this case would be to stop thinking...lol ;p btw, he suggested tt we let them be unhappy cos they r actually quite happy being unhappy...lol ;p well, tt kinda reminds me of someone eh? ;p btw, Warren Buffet n Steve Jobs have resource structure o.O

Connectors (companion structure) tend to be the deal-makers...they find resources n connect them...n ppl r the resources...their wealth is linked to who they know...n connectors r amongst the most wealthy ppl in society! n they seem to do nothing but talk...Joey gave the analogy of lalangs...they can become the person tt they r talking to for a while...n can be likeable if they want...they r good at blending in n getting along with others...n some connectors can appear to be rather aimless, they dunno what they want in life n dunno what they r doing...n they juz drift along in life...so the goal for them is to meet as many ppl as possible...cos the more ppl they meet, the more resources they'll have...does this description sound like someone? ;p

Creators (output structure) r creative n r suitable to be in mkting...the fun ppl tt u would wanna have at ur party! ;p

Btw, can u guess what's leechie main n sub structure types? ;p i guess mine is more of a mixture of the various structure types but a few tend to be more predominant...but might not be tt obvious? ;p

N if u have any of the elements missing, Joey recommended tt u forget abt what's missing n work on ur strengths instead! i realized tt ppl tend to b drawn towards what's lacking in their bazi...i guess humans always want what they do not have ya...n take alot of stuff for granted eh...i know i'm always drawn to what's more challenging n difficult to achieve...i'm only human >.<"

"One of the greatest things in life is that no one has the authority to tell you what you want to be. You're the one who'll decide what you want to be." ~ Jaime Escalante (1930-2010)
so when i grow up, i wanna be a leech! ;p

Joey mentioned abt how the one tt we like dont seem to fancy us but y those tt we dont fancy r interested in us...haiz...life's so complicated...something tt i'm currently facing...haiz >.<" n he also mentioned tt he has not seen any ladies with low nose bridge who marry well...talking abt ladies with low nose bridge n the image of pretty Fann Wong comes to mind...she's much more wealthy than the guy she chose to marry despite having tons of wealthy suitors o.O"

Well, a leechie happened to be at the right place at the right time again n i won a copy of Joey's latest book at their Q&A session (in fact, i gave 2 correct answers n the MC had to think of another question to ask for the next person...lol ;p) v.interesting talk by Joey today n i bot tix to Joey's next seminar in Jan 2012...looking forward to it =)

Btw, my silly Samsung camera is acting silly these days again...n many pics turned out v.blur -.-" Yoke Wah took many pics before capturing the above main pic...not sure if Joey might feel abit sianz with my silly camera esp with the loooooooooong q building up! o.O" but thought tt he looks good in earth tones n i like his cute dimples! ;p

Interesting Quotes from Joey Yap:

"Almost everything we want in life comes from the help of other people. If we can connect better with people, we will have higher chances for success.

There are three types of people we should strive to have in our close personal network.

1. People who have the answers and solutions you need. Or at least can help you connect to those w...ho do. (Meaning - find someone who can teach you what you need to know to be better or solve your problems.)

2. People who can do what you can't. People with special skills, skills you don't have. (It takes longer time to learn something you are not talented in. Better to seek help from those who are already good.)

3. People who already have the resources you need." ~ Joey Yap

"What if you are suddenly given a huge business opportunity and you knew for a fact that it's a chance of a lifetime and you want to pursue it?? ..... but you can't do it alone and you need to pull a group of people to help you.

Would you ...put an ad on the paper advertising for a business partner? enlist the aid of people who give yo...u the most trouble? Would you work with someone whom you don't like?

Most likely not. You'd probably be looking amongst your close pool of friends. If you all of you share the same level of competence and skills, you'd most likely go for the one that you LIKE most to partner with.

Given a choice, people always work with people they LIKE.

So my recommendation to a client today was - always try your best to be LIKABLE. Do your best to connect better with people. " ~ Joey Yap

Looks like Yoke Wah was greatly amused with what Joey said...leechie is the one with her head bowed n busy taking notes...see how hardworking i am ya? ;p



Interesting Quotes:

“It is the confidence in our bodies, minds and spirits that allows us to keep looking for new adventures, new directions to grow in and new lessons to learn — which is what life is all about.” ~ Oprah

"What separates the winner and the losers?
Winner are different in the way they think, the habits they consistently exhibit and the strategies they leverage on....."

"Most people never run far enough on their first wind to find out if they've got a second. Give your dreams all you've got and you'll be amazed at the energy that comes out of you." ~ William James

"Life has no smooth road for any of us; and in the bracing atmosphere of a high aim the very roughness stimulates the climber to steadier steps, till the legend, over steep ways to the stars, fulfills itself." ~ W. C. Doane

"We must go beyond textbooks, go out into the bypaths and untrodden depths of the wilderness and travel and explore and tell the world the glories of our journey"

"A man is like a fraction whose numerator is what he is and whose denominator is what he thinks of himself. The larger the denominator, the smaller the fraction." ~ Leo Tolstoy

"One of the reasons people aren't rich is because almost everyone has more excuses than money." ~ Robert Kiyosaki

"Your programming leads to your thoughts; your thoughts lead to your feelings; your feelings lead to your actions; your actions leads to your results. Therefore, just as is done with a personal computer, by changing your programming, you take the first essential step to changing your results." ~ Harv

“We can always choose to perceive things differently. You can focus on what's wrong in your life, or you can focus on what's right.” ~ Marianne Williamson

"It’s pointless to run around trying to heal all of our friends. We cannot force others to change. Each person is here to work out his or her own lessons, and if we fix it for them, then they will just go and do it again, because they have not worked out what they needed to do for themselves. All we can do is love them and allow them to be who they are." ~ Louise L. Hay

"We have to make intentional choices in order to grow. There is no growth without change, there is no change without loss, and there is no loss without pain. If you are going to grow, you will have to change, and change means you let go of some old things in order to grab hold of some new things." ~ Rick Warren

"Don't judge those who fail, judge those who fail to try"

"Be prepared to ride the cycles and trends of life; success is never permanent and failure is never final." ~ Brian Tracy

"Words do two major things: They provide food for the mind and create light for understanding and awareness." ~ Jim Rohn

"Fear less, hope more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all the good things will be yours"

"On the road to success, there's a curve called failure, a loop called confusion, speed bumps called friends & red lights called enemies."

"Words have power. They are declarations to the universe. What you complain about becomes your focus and your intention, and it expands for you just like it’s suppose to. So go ahead and complain … or maybe not. You’ve got to catch yourself because no one’s going to do it for you, probably because they’re doing it, too." ~ Harv

"One of the primary reasons why people struggle financially is because they cannot control their emotion of fear." ~ Robert Kiyosaki

"If you believe what analyst says and follow their advice to invest, you will be picking up cardboards for your retirement!" ~ Digital

"Common sense is being able to know how to use what you have to get what you want."

"If u can win in one area of your life - you can win in all of them - you only need apply the same mindset - winners are winners. Period."

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”

"We choose our thoughts not based on true or false. We choose them based on whether they support us or not. The mind is limited in its conscious attention. You can only entertain one thought at a time. Make sure it’s got a positive focus." ~ Harv

‎"Everything you want is out there waiting for you to ask. Everything you want also wants you. But you have to take action to get it." ~ Jack Canfield

“A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for.” ~ William Shedd

‎"Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are!"

"One of the reasons many people are not rich is because they are greedy." ~ Robert Kiyosaki

“Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” ~ Thomas Edison

"A strong man, who has known power all his life, will lose respect for that power. But a weak man knows the value of strength. And knows ......compassion." ~ Dr. Abraham Erskine (Captain America)

"When I was a kid, I didn't have a laptop, iPod, Blackberry , PS3, Wifi or iPads. I played outside with friends, bruised my knees, made up stories and played hide and seek. I ate what my mom made. I would think twice before I said "no" to my parents. Life wasn't hard, it was good & I survived. Kids these days are spoiled. Re-post this if you appreciate the way you were raised."

"Why does one keep returning to the same spot? That; one person has left, that ;plane long gone, that; nobody is the same."

"The best way to predict the future is to create it"

"Somewhere in the COURSE of life, you’ll learn about yourself and realize that there should never be regrets but a lifelong appreciation of the CHOICES you made! Be Happy Always!"

"~It is better to stay silent and be thought as a fool, than to open’s mouth and remove all doubt. 寧願保持沉默，讓人以為你是個傻子，也好過你一開口就給人證明了​自己確實是如此。"

"~No matter how tough things get, as long as you focus and stand firm, you can break through the barriers that keep you back. 不管情況有多糟，有多麼的困難，只要你排除雜念，堅定意念，就可​以突破心慌，穫得成功。"

"~It takes a life time to find someone, but only a moment to fall in love. 找對的人也許要花一生的時間，但愛上一個人卻往往在一瞬間。"

"时间会告诉你一切真相。有些事情，要等到你渐渐清醒了，才明白它​是一个错误；有些东西，要等到你真正放下了，才知道它的沉重。"

"只想好好的捉住你不放，可是我真的可以這樣做嗎？你會给我捉住不​放嗎？"

"没有人是永生的，没有事是永久的，最终我们都会归于尘土，赤身而​来空手而归。所以，我们都没有权利去审判他人，我们都不该干涉别​人做的选择，任何人都有权利去选择他或她要的生活，那个会让自己​过得自在、快乐、满足的生活...."

"柏拉圖式愛情……人生短短幾十年，不要給自己留下什麼遺憾，
想笑就笑，想哭就哭，該愛就愛；走在一起是緣分，一直在走是幸福​，有些愛情注定會失去的，有些緣分注定沒有結果的，愛一個人不一​定要擁有，若是擁有了一個人，就一定要好好的愛她….."

"機會就像一扇迅速旋轉的門，當那個空當轉到你面前時，你必須迅​速地挤進去。只要你明确 了自己的方向，世界也會為你讓路。"

"世界那麼大，愛上一個人不容易，被愛也不容易，要互相相愛，就​更加難囉。但是當自己最愛的人和最愛自己的人是同一個人的時候，​那麼你就是世界上最幸福的人啦，所以愛要把握時機，愛情不是等你​有空才來珍惜的。"

~*~ Hennessy Artistry at St James Powerhouse ~*~

Thanks Edison for the invites to this event...n i was pleasantly surprised when the marketing staff from Hennessy called to tell me tt i've won the second prize for this Hennessy Artistry party! the second prize include invites to this party n 1 year of membership to St James Powerstation =) so went down to check out this event with a few bros n lp...Marcus was quite surprised to learn tt i won the prize through a facebook contest cos he was rather sceptical tt anyone could win anything on fb prior to this...Brian was surprised to learn tt leechie is a blogger o.O" n the guys were joking tt brian had gone to ask for phone nos each time he disappeared...lol ;p learnt tt this was a once-in-a-year event...cool ya B-)

Leechie posing with the Hennessy bottle =)


We were rather amused with the giant chillers tt they placed outside Powerhouse...well, one juz need to order hennessy together with one's choice of mixer (either orange juice, cranberry or gingerale) n the models would pour ur drink into this chiller from the top while one could place the shotglass at the bottom to collect the chilled drink...thought tt it was rather weird tt brian actually asked me which drink was more kinky o.O" well, saw many guys ogling at the models o.O

Leechie against the backdrop of model pouring drink into the giant chiller o.O


Model pouring drink into the giant chiller...Marcus was saying tt he wanna b a model if he were female...lol ;p


The giant chiller outside Powerhouse...apologies for the blur pic...blame my silly Samsung camera


Was cool to hang out with my bros...n marcus actually rem tt the v.last time tt he came to st james was abt 2yrs ago when he bumped into a leechie at Dragonfly...how time really flies manz @.@" i seldom pop by st james...think the v.last time tt i actually stepped into Powerhouse was 1 or 2 yrs ago? but i rem tt i was being checked for my ID card at the door here a couple yrs back...btw, marcus alerted me to the bday promo for members, we were discussing abt the possibility of celebrating our bday together here later this year to enjoy the perks of the complimentary membership tt i won...let's see...o.O

Marcus was saying tt leechie seems to be "here, there n everywhere" n involved in so many stuff! esp with my hectic schedule n all the rushing around...i'm juz tired...really tired...think many ppl would be dead by now if they were in my shoes!!! ya, i admit tt i'm damn scared of loneliness n i wanna be meaningfully occupied...perhaps at the expense of sufficient rest n sleep >.<" sometimes i get so tired of stuff tt i wonder if i shld juz settle for second best maybe? cos sometimes there would be this fear in me...a deep worry if there would be ppl looking after a leechie in old age??? >.<" i was asking marcus if he would feel sad for me if i were to juz settle for second best maybe? he asked if i could live with tt decision for the rest of my life...n perhaps tt might be the reason y divorce rate is so high these days?! he was saying tt if i cant live with it...then i should juz continue looking...but i'm tired...really tired of alot of stuff n crap...i don't even know how to be happy...he was giving me advice n his guy's take on stuff...abt how i'm being taken for granted by unappreciative ppl...but his parting shot was...never take advice from a guy who's alrdy 80% drunk! lol ;p but i still appreciate his sharing... i'm being reminded of this quote from Jason: "一个人一生中最大的幸福在于做对两件事：一是找对单位、找对上司​；二是找对妻子或丈夫。"

We then proceeded to the nearby Beer Garden at St James for supper...this was the first time tt i ate there...we had yummy fried oyster omelette, hokkien mee n ba chor mee with the live band singing some chinese ballads...it seemed like a 7th month gei-tai concept thingy so i was thankful for the fine weather...but brian described it as an overpriced food court...lol ;p but the prob was tt all these yummy food seemed abit too oily for my tummy. i have a weak stomach these days n cant take too muchie oily or sweet stuff >.<" i have been having probs with oily n sweet food lately n cant seem to digest them =.=" my doc fren suspected tt it could be food reflux n asked me to go see doc...but i still havent found time to go down to the doc yet...frenz were asking me why didnt i go see tt doc fren then...the reason is rather simple...he's not a gp who attends to minor illnesses...lol ;p

"Yes, im a girl and most of my friends are guys. No, that doesnt make me a slut."
N enough of all the silly stereotyping!!!

Ok, some advantages of having guy buddies:
1. they wont b jealous tt u look prettier than them ;p
2. most of them (the straight ones) wont b jealous tt other guys r paying more attention to u ;p
3. they'll take care of u juz like how they take care of their little sis =)
4. they put up with ur whining n crapz ;p
5. they give u their guys' take on stuff
6. they can hang out n drink n watch soccer with u, without judging u =)
7. they'll chat with u abt the mkts, soccer n most stuff under the sun
8. they'll still chat with u, even when they r married or in a relationship =)

Thx Hennessy and their marketing team once again for this lovely evening out with the guys =) saw a few familiar faces there too...but apologies tt i cant quite rem names...oops @.@"

Check out the red Hennessy wristband...


Look at this...blur leechie actually used the chopsticks upside down manz =.=" but Ken insisted tt he handed the chopsticks to me in the correct orientation...n i didnt even bother to check...perhaps i was too hungry? >.<"


Appreciate all my leechie frenz out there...this quote is dedicated to each n everyone of u!
"A friend is never a coincidence in your life, they are strangers meant to come into your life to bring you priceless lessons and funny memories :)"

"Friendship is the only cement that will hold the world together."

Savor the Coffee...

Saw this meaningful post tt i wanna share with all of u...btw, this article is abt coffee but leechie doesnt really drink coffee o.O"

"When you're important to another person, that person will always find a way to make time for u. No excuses, no lies, no broken promises."

"2. He won’t plan ahead.
You invite him to a hot party next month, and he hesitates before giving you his answer. Maybe he’s waiting to see if something better comes up—a sign he’s not ecstatic about going. If his final answer is “yes”, then rejoice: all may not be lost. But if it’s “no”, and it’s his second refusal, cut back on the invitations and rethink the relationship.

4. He’s vague about getting together again.
At the end of your date, he suggests keeping in touch—and nothing more specific. It may not be the end of the world, but if he really wants to see you again, he’ll make the time. Maybe you’ve just started dating and he fears putting too much pressure on you; or it could be he’s not so sure he wants to see you again next week. You’ll have the answer soon enough if he doesn’t call in the days to come, or if he turns you down the next time you call to ask him out."

I also dont like ppl who leave me hanging in the air! y cant som ppl be straightforward like me? -.- n i dont like to be PLAN B...i'll never ever accept being PLAN B! to me, i muz be PLAN A or nothing!

Kylie wanna peel the stamps off my eyes n summed it up best:
"Stop all this n wake up to ur cheerful life again .. He's juz a useless toilet paper n dump in the bowl n flush it away。man doesn't respect u , it's not worth it. I'm sure there's better shark fin out there for u.. Dump ur ikan bilies ba^^"

It's quite obvious tt some guys r players...considering their age...guess they would have had many opportunities to settle down since donkey years ago...instead of dating n playing around with sooooooooo many ladies...thinking tt they r god's gift to women -.-
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"Savor the Coffee...

A group of alumni, highly established in their careers, were talking at a reunion and decided to go visit their old university professor, now retired. During their visit the conversation soon turned into complaints about stress in their work and lives. Offering his guests coffee, the professor went to the kitchen and returned with a large pot of coffee and an assortment of cups- porcelain, plastic, glass, crystal, some plain looking, some expensive, some exquisite, telling them to help themselves to the coffee.

When all the alumni had a cup of coffee in hand, the professor said: "Notice that all of the nice looking, expensive cups were taken up, leaving behind the plain and cheap ones. While it's normal for you to want only the best for yourselves; that is the source of your problems and stress. Be assured that the cup itself adds no quality to the coffee. In most cases it is just more expensive and in some cases even hides what we drink.
What all of you really wanted was coffee, not the cup, but you consciously went for the best cups…and then you began eyeing each other's cups.

Now consider this:
• Life is the coffee; your job, money, and position in society are the cups. They are just tools to hold and contain Life.
• The type of cup one has does not define, nor change the quality of Life a person lives. Sometimes, by concentrating only on the cup, we fail to enjoy the coffee God has provided us."

God makes the coffee, man chooses the cups.
The happiest people don't have the best of everything.
They just make the best of everything.
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Enjoy your coffee!
~ Author Unknown "



I'm trying to clear my emails...getting cluttered n mailbox is full...here's what i saw in an old email tt a fren sent donkey moons ago...enjoy...lol ;p

"DORMITORY:
When you rearrange the letters:
DIRTY ROOM

ASTRONOMER:
When you rearrange the letters:
MOON STARER

DESPERATION:
When you rearrange the letters:
A ROPE ENDS IT

THE EYES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THEY SEE

GEORGE BUSH:
When you rearrange the letters :
HE BUGS GORE

THE MORSE CODE :
When you rearrange the letters:
HERE COME DOTS

SLOT MACHINES:
When you rearrange the letters:
CASH LOST IN ME

ANIMOSITY:
When you rearrange the letters:
IS NO AMITY

ELECTION RESULTS:
When you rearrange the letters:
LIES - LET'S RECOUNT

SNOOZE ALARMS:
When you rearrange the letters:
ALAS! NO MORE Z 'S

A DECIMAL POINT:
When you rearrange the letters:
IM A DOT IN PLACE

THE EARTHQUAKES:
When you rearrange the letters:
THAT QUEER SHAKE

ELEVEN PLUS TWO:
When you rearrange the letters:
TWELVE PLUS ONE

AND FOR THE GRAND FINALE:

MOTHER-IN-LAW:
When you rearrange the letters:
WOMAN HITLER "

Got this joke via a FB fren: - A dying granny was talking to her granddaughter. "I may die any minute so
I want you to inherit my farm including the villa, tractor, the farmhouse
and all the livestock and $22,389,630.00 cash".
"WoW!!" said the granddaughter 'Thanks granny, I didn't know you even had a farm & all this wealth! Where is it??
Grandma : "Facebook"


Interesting Quotes:

"When you're important to another person, that person will always find a way to make time for u. No excuses, no lies, no broken promises."

"People will always talk about you; both good and bad. Put on a show, give them something to talk about. Because sometimes that's all they have in their life. "

"Immature love says: 'I love you because I need you.' Mature love says 'I need you because I love you.'"

“Let fear be a counselor and not a jailer” ~ Anthony Robbins

"In business, the competition will bite you if you keep running; if you stand still, they will swallow you.If you stand straight, do not fear a crooked shadow."

"The single most motivating thing at work is making progress. It does not matter if is a small progress. When we make progress, we feel good and more motivated. If we feel more motivated, we are more likely to make progress the next day."

"If you want to understand how a lion hunts don't go to the zoo. Go to the jungle." ~ Jim Stengel CMO of P&G

"A friend is never a coincidence in your life, they are strangers meant to come into your life to bring you priceless lessons and funny memories:)"

"The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

"You can't be fun if you are not having fun." ~ Mama Gena

"Life is short...LIVE IT, Love is rare...GRAB IT, Anger is bad...DUMP IT, Fear is awful... FACE IT, Memories are sweet...CHERISH IT...I am cute...ACCEPT IT"

"One of the big frustrations we have in life is when we waste so much time on low probability prospects who turn us off, turn us down, reject us, and we start to think we’re no good, or the product is no good, or life sucks, when that’s not the case, yes? We’re just talking to the wrong people. And much of the time, we’re talking to the wrong people because we haven’t really focused in on what we have to offer." ~ Harv

"Unsuccessful people try to do all kinds of things, but that’s like trying to ride three bicycles at once. Successful people pick a single focus, and they concentrate on that." ~ Harv

"Take good care of your body. It's the only place you have to live." ~ Jim Rohn

"Don't worry about the whole world: if you do it will overwhelm you. Worry about one wave at a time. Please yourself. Do something for you, and the rest will fall in line." ~ David Seabury

"Single means you're only taking your time deciding how you want your life to be and who you want to spend it with."

"Many of us crucify ourselves between two thieves - regret for the past and fear of the future."

"You can't go through life quitting everything. If you're going to achieve anything, you've got to stick with something"

"Everybody out there is your friends except that you have not met most of them."

"Life is like a coin. You can spend it any way you wish, but you only spend it once." ~ Lillian Dickson

"Love is like earthquake.unpredictable,a little scary,but when the hard part is over u realize how lucky u truly are. A rainbow after the storm."

"Everyone wants to be your sun, but not me. I want to be your moon so I can light up your darkest moments and nights when your sun isn't around."

"The best way to succeed in life is to act on the advice we give to others."

"People who tell you to follow your heart, usually don't do that for themselves."

"Truth and lies are like water and oil - they just do not mix."

"Remember there are three poisons: greed, anger and ignorance."

"Street Smart "Astuteness " is also learn thru years of experience Discern on what is right or wrong , good or bad" ~ Elim Chew

"Goals are the fuel in the furnace of achievement. Think on paper and write them down!" ~ Brian Tracy

"What’s the difference between caring and sharing?
Caring means seeing the needs of the other person so you can truly help.
Sharing is secondary; it’s the manifestation of the insight that comes from caring.
Time to tell whether or not you care before you share. When you’re wrapped up in yourself, it’s difficult to see the needs of others, and your sharing may have the opposite effect of what you intended."

"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself." ~ Josh Billings

"raindrops falling from heaven
could never wash away my misery.."

"Love me without fear; Trust me without questioning;
Need me without demanding; Want me without restrictions;
Accept me without change; Desire me without inhibitions." ~ Dick Sutphen

"I'm diagnosed as being in love. The medicine is you. The addiction is awesome. The withdrawal is hell."

"Giving someone all ur love is not an assurance tt he will love u back. Dont expect love in return, wait for it to grow in the heart, if it doesnt, be contented tt it grows in U."

"機會難得!!百年只有一次!!放棄了，還要再等一百年才有喔"

"两個人吵架，先說對不起的人 並不是認输了，並不是原諒了。他只是比對方 更珍惜這份感情。"

"知恩圖報, 施恩莫望報。
Essence of Giving and Receiving; Give and FORGET. Receive and NEVER FORGET." ~ Jeff

"‎~如果你懂得珍惜，你會發現你獲得的越來越多，如果你一昧追求​，你會發現你失去的越來越快。"

"人生没有永远的伤痛..再深的痛..伤口总会痊愈.."

"一个人一生中最大的幸福在于做对两件事：一是找对单位、找对上司​；二是找对妻子或丈夫。"

"~愛情多數是盲目的，但婚姻能恢復了它的視力。"

"~每一段感情就像風一樣...輕輕的吹過來...吹了一陣..​.又輕輕的走了...沒有人可以強留下風...也沒有人可以強求​感情..."

人生..没有过不去的坎..
你不可坐在坎边等它消失..
你只能想办法穿过它..
...
人生没有永远的爱情..
总要结束..不能拥有的爱情.
适当的放弃..这也许人生的转泪点"

"不敢太爱你 怕忘了自己 不敢太爱你 怕迷失了自己 不敢太爱你 怕找不回自己"

"‎` 爱一个不爱自己的人~"

"~I believe if a man wants you, nothing can keep him away. If he doesn't, nothing can make him stay. 我相信如果一個男人要定妳，沒人能防碍他靠近你；但如果他不要你​，也沒人能强迫他留下或阻止他離去。"

"~A man who truly loves you will be angry at you for many things, but will stick around. 如果一個男人眞的愛你，他會應為很多事情對 你不滿意，對你發脾氣，但卻始終堅持守在你身邊。"

Social Mobility o.O

Was reading an article in our Silly Straits Times abt upward mobility in sg n some countries...there was this part abt how having low income parents might affect one's chances of moving up a rack or more financially or academically in society...well, i actually thought tt coming from a less privileged background would make a person more hungry for success!!! i'm sure u would have read abt the leads of many rags-to-riches stories citing this as one of the main reasons for their success!!!

No offence to anyone...but "hunger" is somthing which appears to be lacking in many youngsters these days...n anything they want, they juz need to open their mouths to ask n their parents would happily give it to them cos the parents didnt have those stuff themselves n want their kids to have it so tt the kids would not feel inferior to their peers!tt's what i have noticed abt the general parenting trends these days...but excuse me, r the parents going to be there for the rest of their kids' lives to give them every single thing tt they desire?what's gonna happen after the parents pass away?would these pampered kids be able to work for what they want based on their own merits? o.O btw, y shld i feel inferior cos others have some latest gadgets or stuff tt i dont have? i guess i'm one of those silly ppl who r contented to b an i-noob ;p well, having the latest gadgets doesnt make one cool if tt person is less than cool...if u get my drift ;p

"When I was a kid, I didn't have a laptop, iPod, Blackberry , PS3, Wifi or iPads. I played outside with friends, bruised my knees, made up stories and played hide and seek. I ate what my mom made. I would think twice before I said "no" to my parents. Life wasn't hard, it was good & I survived. Kids these days are spoiled. Re-post this if you appreciate the way you were raised."

Well, i always thought tt one's hunger n desire for success is one of the most important factors for success! i mean, if one is damn determined to achieve one's goals, n make these goals a "die-die must achieve" kinda thing...then wouldn't this be far more important than one's parents' level of income or education???n to say tt lowly educated parents dont place much importance on education would be nothing but a pathetic sweeping statement =.="

Btw, i have met some ppl who came from middle-class families n have a "i'm much better than u" thinking cos their parents could afford to pay for their overseas education in some prestigious universities...their attitudes seem to suggest tt they r v.happy n contented living in their comfort zones...doing what they deemed to be above-average jobs (but which can seem rather boring to some ppl if u were to look at their job scopes o.O") n they seem to look down on others from less privileged backgrounds, thinking tt they r part of the comfortable middle-class families in sg, with no strong desire to move up the social rack...well, to each his/her own...there is nothing wrong with wanting to be average n mediocre...it's a lifestyle choice ya ;p n since they came from prestigious universities, they look down on less educated ppl too n wont mix with others from diff backgrounds...btw, a lowly-educated hawker juz commented the other day tt he makes far more money than some highly educated ppl! well, i bet tt particular group of ppl tt i was referring to would still look down on mr. hawker...but he can always laugh at how silly they r while enjoying the perks tt his far higher income can give him ;p

Btw, how much exactly does one need to earn to qualify for the top tier n exactly how little does one need to make to qualify for the bottom tier???it's not exactly clear from this article...so pls enlighten a leechie if u know @.@"





Update:

Here's Mari's comments:
"good on you leechie - the fact remains- for a man to actually have the audacity to invite u out? and yet make you pay? UNLESS its u who asked him out and suggest that u treat......is he on your facebook? i will say one thing- SHAME ON YOU"

Btw, here's what Emily was saying earlier on in the week:
"I am feaking surprise that even earning money, a guy still go on Dutch with a gf. I always salute to my friends who can take this rubbish. Has the society become so bad that man forget it's basic as a gentleman? Ladies!!! Like this status if u agree man shouldn't go on dutch for every single thing. This is irritating lor!!!"

Guys, if u r reading this...here's a v.gd example of what NOT to do...of course we can afford to pay for meals n stuff...n there is nothing wrong for a lady to foot the bill at times...however, we ladies always appreciate chivalry n gentlemanly behavior...pls dont misunderstand me...i have never asked any guys to treat me anything...but as a form of chivalry, it will be gentlemanly if a man offers to pay...from there, the decision will lie with the lady if she pays or not...we humans always like to have choices ;p N again, my fb posting on this guy's less than gentlemanly behavior has triggered tons of responses n comments n some heated debate between the 2 genders while i was out the entire day...more than 140 comments n still counting...this hot debate has been running on for a couple of days now...think my fb wall has turned into a battlefield now...n my leechie mum was greatly amused when i told her abt it...chill guys n ladies...not all guys r cheapos...there r still v.nice gentlemen here in sg...btw, i still owe bro Justin a treat for the bag...

Another interesting observation at Kinokuniya today...the guy in front of me in the queue asked me to lend him my kinokuniya card so tt he can get discount off his purchases (i noticed tt he has a big basket of comics n stuff n i guess i was approached cos i was at the wrong place at the wrong time n i look like a nice schoolgirl who seems easily bullied) so i asked him what's the perk for lending him my card?he wanted to offer me a cigarette but i told him tt i dont smoke...n asked if he's going to share his discount with me since i had to pay for the membership fee...he said no n walked away...lol ;p

Interesting Quotes:

"Almost everything we want in life comes from the help of other people. If we can connect better with people, we will have higher chances for success.

There are three types of people we should strive to have in our close personal network.

1. People who have the answers and solutions you need. Or at least can help you connect to those w...ho do. (Meaning - find someone who can teach you what you need to know to be better or solve your problems.)

2. People who can do what you can't. People with special skills, skills you don't have. (It takes longer time to learn something you are not talented in. Better to seek help from those who are already good.)

3. People who already have the resources you need." ~ Joey Yap

"What if you are suddenly given a huge business opportunity and you knew for a fact that it's a chance of a lifetime and you want to pursue it?? ..... but you can't do it alone and you need to pull a group of people to help you.

Would you ...put an ad on the paper advertising for a business partner? enlist the aid of people who give yo...u the most trouble? Would you work with someone whom you don't like?

Most likely not. You'd probably be looking amongst your close pool of friends. If you all of you share the same level of competence and skills, you'd most likely go for the one that you LIKE most to partner with.

Given a choice, people always work with people they LIKE.

So my recommendation to a client today was - always try your best to be LIKABLE. Do your best to connect better with people. " ~ Joey Yap

"You have become the meaning of my life."

"The truth is you don't know what is going to happen tomorrow. Life is a crazy ride, & nothing is guaranteed" ~ Eminem

"Let us endeavor to live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry." ~ Mark Twain

"Happiness is the resultant of the relative strengths of positive and negative feelings rather than an absolute amount of one or the other." ~ Norman Bradburn

“My will shall shape the future. Whether I fail or succeed shall be no one’s doing but my own. I am the force. I can clear any obstacle before me or I can be lost in the maze. My choice. My responsibility. Win or lose; only I hold the key to my destiny.” ~ Elaine Maxwell, Author

"I've learned that people will forget what u said, people will forget what u did, but people will never forget how u made them feel...." ~ Maya Angelou

"~完整的女人，是由男人完成的。"

10 Common Money Wasters >.<"

Talking abt $money$, i came across this interesting article here (http://blogs.forbes.com/financialfinesse/2011/07/14/10-common-money-wasters-2/)...do scroll through the list n see if there r any items tt u r guilty of...i guess i'm v.guilty of the bargain shopping thingy...esp for clothes n cosmetics >.<" leechie muz jia you!
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"10 Common Money Wasters
Jul. 14 2011 - 10:44 am
By LIZ DAVIDSON

10 Common Money Wasters
You can’t go back. Time travel is simply science fiction, of course, but many people would love to go back in time and capture some of the money they have wasted over the years on stuff they didn’t need, products that broke, and services they never used. Money spent on things that didn’t bring real value or happiness to life could bring significant future happiness by being used to allow you to retire a few years earlier or have more money to enjoy retirement. When you think about the amount of money that flows through our hands over the years, it is truly amazing. Today, the average worker will make over $1.5 million during their working career, and higher income employees literally have millions of dollars that flow through their households. When you think about how much of that is wasted, it will take your breath away, or make you seriously depressed for what might have been.

The good news is many employees are investing some of those funds into their 401(k) plans at work or in IRAs for their future. Sadly, many of those dollars that aren’t funneled into automatic savings plans hit the household checking account never to be seen again. With less than 20% of Americans confident they are on track to retire, curbing the waste and capturing the savings is vital. Consider evaluating where you waste money and instead funnel that money into investments to make a significant contribution toward your future personal happiness. Here are some big money wasters we hear about from the employees we work with:

Speeding tickets: The problem with speeding tickets is there is a double whammy. Not only do you have to pay the fine, but if you get a few of them it also raises the cost of your auto insurance. The average fine for a speeding ticket is $150.00 and the average increase in insurance cost is $900 (over a three year period). The money wasted for a serial speeder over 20 years could total $9,000. If that money could be invested at 7% instead for retirement in 20 years, it could have grown to $19,700 instead of going to the municipality or your favorite insurance company.

Unused gym memberships: Once March rolls around and the thoughts of resolutions are over, reality hits that you aren’t a morning person and you’re too busy or too tired to stop by the gym on the way home. The truth is you don’t even know where your gym bag is but you still haven’t cancelled the membership because you actually really should go. Does this sound familiar? Your gym membership of $39.95 a month doesn’t seem so bad except that it adds up to almost $500 per year. If you go, fine. If you don’t, you could have invested that money at 7% and had $21,000 in 20 years instead.

Buying pet supplies at the pet store: That sweet little face and those cute little eyes from your dog or cat will get you every time, but according to Consumer Reports, when you buy their food and treats at the pet store you end up paying anywhere from 15% – 25% more. They sell dog and cat food as well as treats at discount retailers. Considering this is a recurring expense – it can be a huge money waster. For an average size dog, you can save $9 per visit, which can save over $200/year just on pet food and treats alone – not to mention the squeaky toy and the little pet stuffed animals. It doesn’t seem like much on a day-to-day basis, but over the course of 20 years that could save over $4,000 for retirement. If you are like me and have not one, but five cute little dogs, you can save about $1,000 a year which, of course, adds up to $20,000 over 20 years.

The luxury SUV: It seems like an oxymoron, the “luxury” SUV, and that is because it is. These two words do not go together. A sports utility vehicle by definition is for sports and utility – this is the kind of vehicle that you’d expect to get muddy and dented up a bit because it is going four wheeling or on the beach. A Lexus GX SUV starts at $53,000, but a Ford Explorer XLT starts at $31,500. Your taxes and license are higher with the luxury SUV as well as your ongoing insurance premiums. If you are really taking your SUV to the mountains or the beach, consider the Ford and take your $21,500 (minimum difference) and invest it at 7% so you’ll have an extra $83,000 to spend in retirement.

Cable and digital TV: When I was a kid, we didn’t have to pay for TV – advertisers paid for TV and we had to watch the commercials. That was how the game worked. Now we pay for TV and we still have to watch (or fast forward) the commercials. Granted, we didn’t have great shows like Boardwalk Empire or 24, but we did have some good ones. Today, the average household spends about $75 per month on TV, and that does not include renting movies from Blockbuster, Netflix, or Redbox. We take it for granted that we’ll have a “cable bill.” If we didn’t and could invest the difference, our lack of TV watching would net us about $40,000 over 20 years. That is one expensive hobby we take for granted.

High tech gadgets: Technology makes our lives easier. In fact, I use my iPad instead of a laptop and other than the annoying feature of completing my words, which causes typos and strange configurations, I love it. It is so much easier to carry and I can do everything I need to run my business when I am traveling as well as when I am simply commuting to and from the office. There are, however, hundreds of high tech gadgets that end up being expensive door stops and simply discarded. One of these items is the digital notepad and digital pen – for $180 you can write with the digital pen on a regular yellow pad and it takes your notes and turns them into text in Word when you transfer it to the computer. Except no matter what you do, it won’t read your handwriting and you end up spending as much time correcting the notes as you would have simply typing them. Being an early adapter in technology is one thing but sometimes technology is simply a waste of money. Skipping the high tech gadgets every year could turn into $8,000 in retirement.

Bargain clothes shopping: People who pride themselves on being frugal often are “penny wise, pound foolish” in that they focus on the “bargain” aspect of a purchase rather than the “use” aspect of a purchase. An item is not a bargain even if it is advertised at “50% off” if it is never used. Many people who “go shopping” just to shop end up with clothes that are rarely (if ever) worn and that money is completely wasted. A better way to shop for clothes is to analyze your wardrobe first, decide what you need and bargain shop for the staples such as khaki pants or dress shirts and splurge on special items that are either seasonal but you’ll get a ton of use from or are tried and true classic items. According to the Department of Labor, the average consumer spent $690 on apparel and services in 2009. If half of that was wasted on useless bargains, it could be invested instead and grow to $15,000 for retirement.

Sports equipment: After watching the Tour de France, many people are inspired to jump on their bike for a ride. In the U.S. about 10% of bike riders use them to commute to work while others ride after work for exercise. Many bikes however sit in the garage hooked up to the side of the wall on a bike rack only to be taken down immediately after a televised bike race that got them inspired! A decent entry level bike costs about $700 and a touring bike much more than that. Those who find this exercise more of a fantasy than a reality can either borrow a bike or buy an inexpensive used one and save that $700 so it can grow to almost $3,000 in retirement.

Rebates: It sounds great when you are at the store. The refrigerator is on sale and has a $150 manufacturer’s rebate so you buy that one instead of the one you were considering. Research shows that up to 60% of mail-in rebates are never collected. I predict the ones that are turned in are cashed in and spent rather than invested back into the household budget. For most people, rebates are a total waste of money and a well thought out appliance purchase would be a better value than chasing a rebate. If you do use a rebate, send it in and when the check comes in, invest it! If you have $150 in rebates a year, that could mean $6,500 to spend in retirement.

Fishing boat: Drive by a storage lot and you’ll see boats, RVs, ATVs and all kinds of motorized vehicles that are rarely if ever used. How many motorcycles are sitting in the garage collecting dust? The thought of taking the boat out on the river every Saturday morning when the sun comes up and throwing your line in is much more of a dream than a reality for many. It would be much more cost effective to rent a boat a few times a year and still enjoy the day but save the money spent on your own boat (as well as the repairs and upkeep) to put towards retirement when you actually can take the boat out every single day if you want. You can pick up a quality used fishing boat with a trailer for $4,800 on EBay, or at your local dealer, or you can save that money in order to have $18,500 more for retirement.

These examples of money wasters come from the many employees we talk with who want to prepare for retirement. Let’s add up what these wasted funds are robbing from their retirement if invested at 7% for 20 years:

Speeding tickets: $19,700
Unused gym memberships: $21,000
Buying pet supplies at the pet store: $4,000
The luxury SUV: $83,000
Cable and digital TV: $40,000
High tech gadgets: $8,000
Bargain clothes shopping: $15,000
Sports equipment: $3,000
Rebates: $6,500
Fishing boat: $18,500
Total: $218,700

What 5 – 10 things do you waste money on that don’t bring real value to your life now but could significantly impact your happiness later? Add up your savings using the Daily Savings Calculator. There is nothing we can do about what we wasted yesterday, but what we do today will have an impact on tomorrow."

Interesting Quotes:

"Money is something you have to make in case you don't die."

"Money can't buy you happiness but it does bring you a more pleasant form of misery."

"I am no longer cursed by poverty because I took possession of my own mind, and that mind has yielded me every material thing I want, and much more than I need. But this power of mind is a universal one, available to the humblest person as it is to the greatest." ~ Andrew Carnegie

"People who say it cannot be done, should not interrupt those who are doing it."

"You may succeed if nobody else believes in you... but you will never succeed if you do not believe in yourself!"

"A report says that a growing number of Americans are worth $1 million. The bad news: last year they were worth $5 million." ~ Jay Leno

"Commitment is the equivalent of freedom because it bestows authentic happiness that cannot be taken away. When we make an unconditional commitment to something, the energy response from the universe matches us at the point of our commitment. Commit to love today, to peace, joy, and well-being - and grace will be at your service." ~ Michael Bernard Beckwith

"On a PIANO, the white keys represent happiness, while the black keys represent sadness. But as you go through life’s journey, remember that the black keys make music too." ~ Jason

‎"Hope works in these ways: it looks for the good in people instead of harping on the worst; it discovers what can be done instead of grumbling about what cannot; it regards problems, large or small, as opportunities; it pushes ahead when it would be easy to quit; it "lights the candle" instead of "cursing the darkness."" ~ Anonymous

"Every time you think you can’t do something… someone else thinks they can." ~ Robert Kiyosaki

"你會不斷的遇見一些人，也會不停的和一些人說再見，從陌生到熟悉​，從熟悉再回陌生，從臭味相投到分道揚镳，從相見恨晚到不如不見​…"

"女人永远觉得自己不够瘦，正如男人觉得自己钱包永远不够厚。。。​。。。 :)"

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Guess what? i juz bot this Prada Saffiano Porta iPhone Pouch!!! it was completely sold out in hk! haha...now this gives me more incentive to buy an i-phone so tt leechie wont b an i-noob...lol ;p c'mon, cut me some slack...even the devil wears Prada...


Ahem...special announcement: lol...Audrey is going to Japan v.soon...keke ;p n leechie is preparing her shopping list for Audrey...lol ;p dreaming of all the Visee stuff now...lol ;p dont call me a shopaholic...i can be shopaholic in constant denial >.<" but i do exercise self-restraint when it comes to shopping ok...only pretty, cute or elegant stuff make the cut ;p