Got Mandy to accompany me to attend this fengshui n bazi seminar by Joey Yap on Sun...although Joey repeated some of the basic bazi stuff...he covered some new stuff...i always find bazi study v. intriguing...esp when it comes to reading my own bazi chart o.O
Joey covered interesting concepts abt change...nothing changes unless something new comes into ur life or goes out of ur life! U either do something different or change ur environment to bring abt a change! So don't wait n see! U can do something different or have something different come to u! N it's ur bad karma if u dont change it!
N Michael Mike says: "The opportunist would drink it all!"
Btw, i happened to see that there were ppl searching for gossips on Joey Yap's gf n they landed on this leechie blog...sorry to disappoint u...no such gossip here...lol...
Btw, leechie will be in Malacca this weekend...who's up for watching Euro final there? ;p
Before i go, check out the lovely nite scenery from One Altitude! Juz found out that i could actually see where i stay from One Altitude!
This was my first visit to One Altitude...gotta thx DJ Modium for his kind invitation =)
With Siobhan n Sherman at One Altitude...u muz b wondering why this pic is so blur...well, the photographer was Terence who happened to walk past n he explained the blur shot by saying that all nite shots r all like this! =.="
Our Adrian was busy posting updates on a certain Con Hee case until he said ship captain said "cool it"...Juz a short insiders' joke before sharing a touching story from Henry Ling...Humanity is a quality which isn't found in many urbanites today...haiz =.="
My fb postings:
"Som ppl like to preach, thinking that they understand me n
know my situation v. Well. If u wanna preach, pls don't come to me. Go n b a
pastor instead. Much more lucrative too ;p"
"Mayb I shld consider
dating a pastor who can fulfill my Hollywood dreams? Anyone wanna intro any rich
pastor to a Leechie? ;p"
"Kong Hee Fatt Choy! Huat arh!"
Frenz' responses:
"Take note that beside looking for those
guys who found career in religion, you can also consider those in charity,
politics, banking lines. Haha ... Good night LC"
"Politics is a no-no for the time
being... Those political high-rankers are under evaluation & monitoring at
the moment. At any moment, their secrets would be exposed and you'll have to
attend court sessions for no reasons. I suggest you cast your eyes over the
river and look for those datuks and tuns."
"One young academically excellent person went to apply for a managerial position
in a big company.
He passed the first interview, the director did the
last interview, made the last decision.
The director discovered from the
CV that the youth's academic achievements were excellent all the way, from the
secondary school until the postgraduate research, never had a year when he did
not score.
The director asked, "Did you obtain any scholarships in
school?" the youth answered "none".
The director asked, " Was it your
father who paid for your school fees?" The youth answered, "My father passed
away when I was one year old, it was my mother who paid for my school
fees.
The director asked, " Where did your mother work?" The youth
answered, "My mother worked as clothes cleaner. The director requested the youth
to show his hands. The youth showed a pair of hands that were smooth and
perfect.
The director asked, " Have you ever helped your mother wash the
clothes before?" The youth answered, "Never, my mother always wanted me to study
and read more books. Furthermore, my mother can wash clothes faster than
me.
The director said, "I have a request. When you go back today, go and
clean your mother's hands, and then see me tomorrow morning."
The youth
felt that his chance of landing the job was high. When he went back, he happily
requested his mother to let him clean her hands. His mother felt strange, happy
but with mixed feelings, she showed her hands to the kid.
The youth
cleaned his mother's hands slowly. His tear fell as he did that. It was the
first time he noticed that his mother's hands were so wrinkled, and there were
so many bruises in her hands. Some bruises were so painful that his mother
shivered when they were cleaned with water.
This was the first time the
youth realized that it was this pair of hands that washed the clothes everyday
to enable him to pay the school fee. The bruises in the mother's hands were the
price that the mother had to pay for his graduation, academic excellence and his
future.
After finishing the cleaning of his mother hands, the youth
quietly washed all the remaining clothes for his mother.
That night,
mother and son talked for a very long time.
Next morning, the youth went
to the director's office.
The Director noticed the tears in the youth's
eyes, asked: " Can you tell me what have you done and learned yesterday in your
house?"
The youth answered, " I cleaned my mother's hand, and also
finished cleaning all the remaining clothes'
The Director asked, " please
tell me your feelings."
The youth said, Number 1, I know now what is
appreciation. Without my mother, there would not the successful me today. Number
2, by working together and helping my mother, only I now realize how difficult
and tough it is to get something done. Number 3, I have come to appreciate the
importance and value of family relationship.
The director said, " This is
what I am looking for to be my manager. I want to recruit a person who can
appreciate the help of others, a person who knows the sufferings of others to
get things done, and a person who would not put money as his only goal in life.
You are hired."
Later on, this young person worked very hard, and received
the respect of his subordinates. Every employee worked diligently and as a team.
The company's performance improved tremendously.
A child, who has been
protected and habitually given whatever he wanted, would develop "entitlement
mentality" and would always put himself first. He would be ignorant of his
parent's efforts. When he starts work, he assumes that every person must listen
to him, and when he becomes a manager, he would never know the sufferings of his
employees and would always blame others. For this kind of people, who may be
good academically, may be successful for a while, but eventually would not feel
sense of achievement. He will grumble and be full of hatred and fight for more.
If we are this kind of protective parents, are we really showing love or are we
destroying the kid instead?
You can let your kid live in a big house,
eat a good meal, learn piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting
grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates
and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not
have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them in a right
way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day
their hair will grow gray, same as the mother of that young person. The most
important thing is your kid learns how to appreciate the effort and experience
the difficulty and learns the ability to work with others to get things done."
"This is AWESOME ... something we should all remember.
A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each
morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved
perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.
His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After
many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled
sweetly when told his room was ready.
As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a
visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been
hung on his window. I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an
eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. Mr. Jones, you
haven't seen the room; just wait.' 'That doesn't have anything to do with it,'
he replied. Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like
my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I
arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. 'It's a decision I make every
morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting
the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out
of bed and be thankful for the ones that do.
Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll
focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for
this time in my life.
Old age is like a bank account. You
withdraw from what you've put in.
So, my advice to you would be to deposit a
lot of happiness in the bank account of memories! Thank you for your part in
filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing.
'Remember the five simple rules to be
happy:
1. Free your heart from hatred.
2. Free your mind from worries.
3. Live simply.
4. Give more.
5. Expect less." As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I
provided a visual description of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets
that had been hung on his window. I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of
an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy. Mr. Jones, you
haven't seen the room; just wait.' 'That doesn't have anything to do with it,'
he replied. Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time. Whether I like
my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is arranged ... it's how I
arrange my mind. I already decided to love it. 'It's a decision I make every
morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I can spend the day in bed recounting
the difficulty I have with the parts of my body that no longer work, or get out
of bed and be thankful for the ones that do. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open,
I'll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just
for this time in my life. the nursing home, he smiled sweetly when told his room was ready. As he maneuvered
his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description of his tiny room,
including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window. I love it,' he
stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just been presented with
a new puppy. Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.' 'That doesn't
have anything to do with it,' he replied. Happiness is something you decide on
ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the
furniture is arranged ... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love
it. 'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice; I
can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the parts of my
body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful for the ones that
do. Each day is a
gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day and all the happy
memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life. Old age is like a
bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in. So, my advice to
you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories!
Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank. I am still depositing. 'Remember the
five simple rules to be happy: 1. Free your
heart from hatred. 2. Free your mind
from worries. 3. Live simply. 4. Give more. 5. Exp
V.powderful from nmk: "Steven Covey's famous 7 habits for successful people are nothing more than a free adaptation of very common Hokkien phrases (surprised ?) So why pay thousands of dollars to attend talks when your ...grand-parents, parents, spouses and even the auntie who sweeps the floor. can give you the same kind of advice FOC, everyday? Habit No 1: ... Be Pro-Active Kin Ka Kin Chiew ( Fast leg, fast hand ) Habit No 2: Sharpen the Saw Toh Bua Lai Lai ( Make the knife sharp ) Habit No 3: Begin with the End In Mind Ooh Tao Ooh Buay ( Have head, have tail ) Habit No 4: First Things First Chik Hung Chik Hung Lai - Ban Ban Lai ( One thing at a time, slow and steady ); or Cho Tow Seng ( Do first ; talk later ) Habit No 5: Think Win-Win Long Chong Ai Yarh ( Must win everything ) This is definitely not thinking win-win. This is a zero sum game. Win everything! Habit No 6: Seek To Understand Rather Than To Be Understood Cho Lang Ai Eh Beng Pek ( You must be understanding ) Habit No 7: Synergize Tai Kay Ai Hup Chop ( All must cooperate )"
N the 8th Habit
from Kit:
LOOK BEFORE YOU LEAP
NMK's Hokkien translation: "kwa zhun zhun seng ka
tiao" [this is kaisu version] or can be "seng kwa liao ka tiao"
[this is bochup su or yang]
From Kevin: "don't be optimistic, don't be
pessimistic, be opportunistic" ~ A Timid Trader
Btw, leechie will b in KL...so pls dont miss my musings...lol...doubt i'll get to watch any of the euro matches there o.O there r lotsa stuff that i wanna blog abt...but i'm always on the move...trying to find time to blog...
Many thots ran thru my leechie mind as i read the following article o.O i guess we r competitive beings living in a very practical society where peer comparison is considered a societal norm...i muz admit that i do get the same feelings whenever i read abt some peers' achievements in the press...n i always wonder abt the "what if" scenarios...until a fren was telling me that some ppl get so absorbed in the "what if"s n nvr really live their lives! @.@" if u r juz like me...who occasionally indulged in the "what if"s...rem that life is short n we only live once! since we only live once...we might as well make the best outta it...n not hav any regrets ya! ppl always say that most ppl hav lesser regrets doing the things that they shouldnt do than not doing the things that they thot of doing n nvr did!
In pursuit of success
By Sumiko Tan
Do you feel a twinge whenever you discover that someone you went to school with has become very successful or is, at least, more successful than you are?
A twitch of envy perhaps?
A tug of regret that life hasn't dealt you an equally good hand?
An irritation, almost, with the person's good fortune?
Then a ruefulness because you know in your heart that it's probably not fate that brought him his success but hard work, and you realise you've got only yourself to blame for not being as successful?
Which brings on something akin to self-reproach?
And then embarrassment for allowing yourself to think such petty thoughts?
I felt a bit of all that last week when I flipped open The Straits Times and found myself staring at someone whose face and name rang a bell.
The person had made headlines for an achievement in the corporate world.
It took me a while but I finally figured out that I was in school with him.
Wow, I thought, he sure has gone far in life. I was impressed.
I wondered what he had done all these years to get to that stratified position.
I also wondered - rather churlishly, I must admit - what qualities he has that I don't.
Was he smarter than me? More eloquent? Possessed more street smarts? More diligence? Had more perseverance? Blessed with good timing? Had a mentor?
Maybe it was all of the above.
It wasn't the first time this had happened.
Over the years, I've read newspaper reports of former school mates who are topping, or have topped, the various professional fields they have chosen in life.
(There have also been those who made the news for the wrong reasons - like getting on the wrong side of the law - but it's human nature, isn't it, for us to compare ourselves with those who are better off than those who are worse?)
Some have done very well in the arts. Others have made waves in the worlds of finance, business, academia, the military and other branches of the civil service.
Unless the person had been especially obnoxious to me in the past, I'll feel happy for him. He must be pleased to have got so far and I'm glad he's happy.
There's a bit of pride too, though it is pride-by-association, which is misplaced and pathetic, I know.
You feel proud to have known this now-successful person - however vaguely or fleetingly - and this endows you with bragging rights.
You tell anyone who is interested (usually no one is) that you had gone to school with that person. You act as if just knowing him makes his awesome achievements somehow a reflection on you - which they aren't, of course.
But then, you start comparing yourself with him, and that's when it becomes disquieting.
You think of the classes and teachers you shared and you wonder how he ended up at the top of the heap and you, if not quite at the bottom, in the middle somewhere.
Education-wise (and education does count for a lot in how you end up in life), you both had the same start. Yet he must have been so much cleverer than you to have gone so far.
It makes you ponder your lot and question your abilities, priorities and self-worth. His success makes you re-evaluate your life. Yup, it sure brings on the angst, even though your rational mind tells you that it's pointless to compare.
There will always be somebody smarter and better in some way than yourself and, if you start comparing with the best and getting upset by it, you may as well not bother getting up in the morning.
Of course, how much another person's success affects you depends on what and how you define the term 'success'.
Because I place so much weight on my professional life, news about the former school mate's success in the corporate world made me re-examine my own career.
'Success' for me equals job success so, yes, his gain felt a bit like my loss. I felt inadequate in contrast, at least for an hour or so before I snapped out of it.
But if that school mate had made the news for acing areas I have no interest or inclination in, I'd just be happy for him and leave it at that.
If he had broken the record for an Ironman triathlon, for example, I'd merely salute him.
If he had written a best-selling song or directed an acclaimed play or excelled in the field of physics - areas I am not interested in - it'll be just another interesting story of someone I once knew.
If it had been a woman and she was being feted by the media for being the world's most dedicated stay-at-home mum and for baking the prettiest cupcakes, I'd say congratulations and good luck. These are not things I spend time thinking about.
But one's concept of success is not cast in stone. It changes as you age.
When I entered journalism after school, 'success' for me meant getting as many bylines as I could into the newspaper, better still if it was a byline on the front page.
'Success' meant being chosen to cover overseas ministerial trips, and it meant winning writing awards.
All these 'achievements' might seem trivial to others, not worth losing sleep over, but it meant everything to me then.
In my 30s, my definition expanded. I was still hungry to do well at work, and 'success' now also meant being able to acquire material things with the money I made.
But I started to hanker for 'success' in the personal realm too. I wanted to ace it when it came to relationships. I wanted to be part of a 'successful' couple.
Alas, I didn't come up tops in the love stakes. In fact, compared to people around me who went on to get married and start happy families, I failed utterly, miserably. I got an F9. But it was okay, I didn't really mind.
Now that I'm in my 40s, I'm beginning to frame 'success' in life in other terms.
No, I haven't quite lost my professional ambitions, not yet. Witnessing the corporate achievements of my peers still clearly brings on a competitive twitch in me.
But I'm more determined to balance that with doing well on the home front too.
And in my book - for we all have different definitions - success in my personal life now means peace of mind, a constant state of low-grade contentment rather than periodic episodes of extreme happiness, and a sense of settledness.
Will I ever attain it?
One can only hope, and time will tell.
sumiko@sph.com.sg
This article was first published in The Straits Times. (http://news.asiaone.com/News/Education/Story/A1Story20100531-219369.html)
Update: I was really v.touched when i read abt how Sumiko has found her soulmate n is settling down v.soon! Congrats!!! Singapore's most famous bachelorette has finally found her true love! =)
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"There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living." - Nelson Mandela
“A man is not old until regrets take the place of dreams.” - John Barrymore
"You have to be yourself. Be very honest about who and what you are.
And if people still like you, that's great. If they don't, that's their
problem." - Sting (b. 1951)
"You must do the thing you think you cannot do." -Eleanor Roosevelt
"Only that which cannot be taken away by death is real. Everything else is unreal, it is made of the same stuff dreams are made of." -Osho
"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that
you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines.
Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover" - Mark Twain, author
"Vision without action is merely a dream. Action without vision just passes the time. Vision with action can change the world"
"The wealthiest people in the world didn’t get to where they are by doing what everybody else does."
"Time is like a river. u cannot touch the same water twice, bcos the flow tt has passed will never pass again. Enjoy every moment of life."
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Interesting comment tt i saw on a blog:
"Wealth Journey said...
Most degree holders will be able to earn a million dollars within their lifetime with many earning more. Anyway, the new benchmark for being considered rich is >USD$10mil. $1mil just don't cut it anymore (in Singapore at least).
The more relevant question would be what is your networth and how much income can you generate from your networth to sustain your living. No point having $1mil and putting it into a sgd deposit and you keep drawing down from it."
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Update: Gosh...with sooooooooo many sales going on...leechie is super undecided abt what i wanna get manz @.@" somhow i feel tt the items on sale in the boutiques dont look tt nice as compared to the new arrivals/classic ones...i'm so in love with the new arrivals at prada...the pink bags r sooooooooo pretty! <3 ---="" assistant="" at="" bling="" boutique="" boyish="" btw="" but="" caught="" checking="" couple="" cutie="" earring="" him="" himself="" in="" looks="" mirror="" of="" out="" p="" prada="" really="" sales="" the="" times="" with=""> vainpot -.-" my fren was telling me tt most of those cutie prada sales assistants r mostly gays! -.-"
there were such long q-s outside the boutiques manz...havent even managed to get into miu miu before closing -.-" but the Gucci security was better...leechie managed to get in there, after i talked to him abit n he actually chased some others before me away ;p
watched "SATC2" with a group of frenz tonite =) leechie feels honored to hav fren flying in from HK to grace my event! =D this movie's good...there were 2 touching scenes whereby my tears juz rolled down automatically...good thing tt i was sitting at the back n nobody saw tt o.O"
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Cool Billionaire song B-) c'mon...admit it... "I wanna be a billionaire so Fu***ing bad...Buy all of the things I never had." ;p
The Power of Decisions!!! o.O
Jack Ma of Alibaba on failures o.O
Jack Ma of Alibaba Part 1 =)
Jia You!!! Don't give up!!!
Sometimes shit happens -.-" but dont give up...i'll survive!!!
Hi, i regret to inform that leechie will b in China n thus will b facebookless...haiz >.<"
"Often the difference between a successful person and a
failure is not one has better abilities or ideas, but the courage that one has
to bet on one's ideas, to take a calculated risk - and to act." ~ Maxwell
Maltz (1899-1975)
Sg is the most unique place whereby they interview the losers first before the winners n give more tv time to the losers!!! Nvm, hammers rock!!! HUAT arh!!!
Robert and Kim Kiyosaki were scheduled to speak at this year's National Achievers' Congress. Robert appeared alone on stage on the second day cos Kim slipped and hurt herself and was in the hospital. He spoke abt the ES/BI quadrants and how we shld focus on our assets instead of expenses. What struck me most was what he said abt the importance of staying hungry for success (pretty congruent with some other rich ppl). His reply when his frenz asked him why he wont stop working was he loves winning n beating them!
Learnt this: "Stop trying to fit in when u were born to stand out!"
Some pointers to keep in mind when building a brand:
What do u stand for?
What must u keep from the existing brand?
Who exactly r u talking to?
How must ppl feel abt it?
N in human stoopidity, we can see
opportunity!!!
N when one of the NAC presenters
mentioned abt making $$$ in ur pyjamas...the image of our dear Jonathan in his YouTube clips immediately came to my mind...lol...
N this was the first time that i didnt buy anything from the seminar...lol...in fact, i bought quite a few pairs of Pedro n Charles&Keith shoes from the expo sale n lotsa clothes from the flea mkt instead...i was surprised to learn that the Charles&Keith shoes from its signature range r made of leather...i have v.sensitive n thin skin on my feet so my badly-bruised feet need leather shoes...o.O
Something really funny from our dear Adrian:
"Tomorrow if you happen to be at the
PC show...
(1) and you suddenly hear the announcement "Paging for ship captain.. ship captain please come to the customer service counter"... you
know that's me. But of course you would be too busy trying to get the
best deals, get the free gifts and fight the noise.
(2) Alternatively if
you see the lady carrying the most amount of bags in her hands.. that would be
Tono Leechie. lol
(3) If you hear someone respond to the page above
saying "I am here to collect the free Mc Donalds Ice cream voucher", you can be
sure that is Jonathan Tan Boon Shiong. lol
(4) When you hear someone
comment "Each time I buy something, I will end up with blue-black goods". That
would be A Kay Sin.
lol !"
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(http://sg.finance.yahoo.com/news/being-kiasu-singapore-strong-suit-035654477.html)
Being ‘kiasu’ is Singapore’s strong suit: Kiyosaki
Robert Kiyosaki, author of the best-selling financial self-help book "Rich Dad Poor Dad", said that being "kiasu" might be the reason why Singapore is so successful
today.
In an interview with Yahoo! Singapore on Saturday, he contrasted this "scared
to lose" mentality in Singapore with the mentality of other countries.
"That's really what Singapore's strong suit is — kiasu. It's in your blood.
You know in Mexico, they don't have kiasu, they have Mañana, which is 'Do it tomorrow' and in Hawaii, they have
'Ain't no big thing' and they don't get anything done," he said.
Speaking at the National
Achievers' Congress 2012 at the Singapore Expo, Kiyosak however, warned
against complacency.
"Singapore is rich and happy at the moment and that's not good. America was
like that at one point in time," he said.
When asked how to avoid getting complacent, the financial guru said, "That's
why I think of myself as poor and I keep working. That's why I never think of
myself as rich. I'm always in the process of getting richer."
Kiyosaki then went on to talk about how many people need a change of mindset
from simply earning money to pay their bills to increasing their assets and
cashflow.
"Focus on what you want to expand. If you focus on assets, your assets will
expand. What people do, is they focus on expenses so expenses expand. It's like
the law of psychology, you've got to change what you focus on."
At his two-hour seminar, where spoke before a thousand people, Kiyosaki also
talked about the difficulty in getting really rich in Singapore as compared to
America.
"The trouble with Singapore is it's a small country, limited land, five
million people, smart and rich. That's a bad combination. That means in
Singapore, you've gotta be really smart and really ambitious," he said.
The bright side, according to him, is that Singapore is great for business
because of its "secure environment" and "secure infrastructure".
"If I were in Singapore, I would be in business, not real estate," he said.
"Safety is a very important factor in money production. If you don't feel safe,
you can't produce."
Commenting on the world's current economic situation, he concluded, "We have
never been in this situation before. The world has never been in such a
precarious situation. Anybody who says they know what's gonna happen is crazy
cause at any moment, something can happen."
"In the 1980s, when her children were young, Diane Piper kept a diary of their
progress. They were an ordinary family. The Pipers lived in a sleepy Hampshire
village, where Diane was an infant-school teacher. Her husband, David, was a
barber, and their children, Paul, Katie and Suzy, proceeded happily through
karate and ballet lessons, kite flying and beach excursions. Katie was, by some
measure, the loudest. "She was quite wilful, headstrong, very independent and
made friends wherever she went," says Diane.
"No U-Turn Syndrome (NUTS)
Chaotic Thoughts from the Old Millenium
by Sim Wong Hoo
Introduction:
Whats is NUTS? NUTS is when you want to do something and you seek approval of a higher authority. When there is no rule saying that you can do such a thing, then the standard answer is NO …
In the US, when there is no sign on the road, it means that you can make a U-turn. When the authority do not want people to make U-turns, they will put up signs to tell you not to make U-turns.
In Singapore, it is the reverse. When there is no sign on the road, you are not allowed to make U-turns. When the authority allow you to make U-turns, then they will put up signs to give you that right. The two different systems serve the same purpose – to better manage the traffic. They may look quite similar, just coming from different direction, but the social repercussion is significant.
In Singapore, the no U-turn without sign culture has permeated every level of our thinking and every segment of our life. This no U-turn has created a way of life that is based on rules. When there is a U-turn sign or when there is a rule, we can U-turn. When there is no sign, we cannot U-turn. When there is no rule, we cannot do anything. We become paralyzed. I call this “no-rule=no-do” phenomenon – the “No U-Turn Syndrome” or NUTS.
Singapore has prospered under a rule-based system for many years. When we were at a lower level of development, we needed many multi-national companies to come to Singapore to invest. What these MNCs needed were a very reliable group of managers and workers who could follow exactly the rules set by corporate headquarters overseas. Since they did not want their overseas subsidiaries to innovate anything, they wanted us to stick closely to the rules, no funny deals, no crazy ideas. They were here to teach us, not to listen to ideas from us.
The efficiency and no-nonsense style of the Singapore government is well-known. It has brought us prosperity and a good life. A rule-based system is essential here too to get everybody to toe the line.
But the world has changed. And it is changing faster and faster. So fast that the rules that were set yesterday are no longer valid and cannot serve our new needs. It is not a matter of setting new rules to meet the new situation because by the time new rules are formulated, they would already be out of date. It is a matter of how to survive and prosper in environments where they are no rules.It is a matter of how to live with ambiguity. Things are no more black or white, things are in shades of gray. How do we deal with them?
What is NUTS? NUTS is when you want to do something and you seek the approval of a higher authority. When there is no rule saying that you can do such a thing, then the standard answer is NO. What is wrong with this? There is nothing wrong if we choose to be stuck in the old world of our own where nothing changes. To meet the challenge of the new world, to meet the challenge of rising to a knowledge-based economy, we have to innovate like mad. How can we innovate when we need to obey rules to innovate? Innovate means to create things out of nothing, it means moving into uncharted territories where there are no rules. How can you innovate when you have to get approval of somebody who looks at a rule-book first?
Such is the syndrome of NUTS. NUTS is everywhere in the society including schools, offices, hospitals, parks, factories and even in our homes. Yes, in Creative (Singapore) too. Here are some hilarious examples, they make you want to laugh and cry at the same time. I am sure you can tell me more.
NUTS #2-”Creative Resource”-needed approval?
When our corporate headquarters were completed in 1997, we needed to give it a name. The placeholder name was Creative Technology Centre. Made sense, but it was a boring name that everybody had. I wanted a special name, because we are “creative”. So the usual names like, “Creative Building, Plaza, Complex, House…” were suggested on the name list. I rejected all of them. Finally we came out with a very good name, “Creative Resource” – the source of all creativity – and everybody loved it.
But wait, before we could go ahead, we had to submit the building name for approval. What! I was shocked. I needed somebody else’s approval for the name of my own building. By some faceless committee that I did not even know existed. Imagine having the name of your baby being approved by somebody you do not know.
Hey, that is the regulation. OK, we submitted and no prize for guessing the right answer. The answer was NO. The reason given was that the name was not “Centre, Plaza, Building, Complex, House etc…” There was actually a list of approved names in the rulebook and we were only given the impression that we could name our own building. I nearly jumped through the roof when I heard the answer. It was a very typical case of NUTS. “Resource” was not in their rule book, hence the standard answer was NO. I was not going to give up on this right. So we fought back and wrote letters to appeal. Finally, after a long process, our name was approved. Whew!
NUTS #3 – Cannot sing Singapore songs!!
While we were preparing for the opening ceremony of Creative Resource, we wanted to have a lot of creative fun. We prepared a lot of performances by our own staff. We were very fortunate to have invited the Prime Minister, Mr Goh Chok Tong to grace the event. We wanted to show him the best creativity in us.
The opening fanfare idea was to have a big group of kids running into the building, singing a medley of Patriotic Singapore Songs. It was going to be very delightful. After the songs were arranged and recorded, at the last moment, someone in the team decided that we actually needed to seek approval from the authority because of copyright issues. The answer came back was of course a NO.
There was no rule to say that you could do a medley of Singapore songs. There was a rule that said we could sing the Singapore song in special celebratory occasions like ours, so this was allowed.
Our people started to panic, because there was no time to change the recordings. They sought my advice. They were thinking of canceling this delightful fanfare and disappointing the kids, from our Creative O child-care centre, who had practiced so hard for this event.
I asked them why they had thought of seeking approval for a private function especially when the answer could be a No. they were afraid that the TV stations were there filming and it might have constituted copyright infringement!
There were a few NUTS at work here. First it is my own staff who were NUTS, they were toeing the line so tightly that they felt the need to seek approval for a private function that was not controversial at all. I was sure that the PM would give his 100% endorsement. Then we had the NUTS at the approval side who looked at the rule book and said No.
I asked them to go ahead and just do it, even violating the rejection letter. Some of my NUTS staff must have freaked out. I told them I would bear the full responsibility. If I had to pay a $2000 fine, I would pay it. In the worst, worst case I might go to jail for it – that would be interesting too.
In fact, the PM in his impromptu part of his speech also said, to move forward, we would have to “just do it”. It was a timely message."
Happiness...i'm still looking for happiness...is happiness so elusive? o.O
More $Money$...i would need more $money$ first before i can help more ppl...if u get my drift...being poor aint gonna help anyone...
My True Soul Mate...is the notion of a soulmate nothing but an urban fallacy? o.O pls prove me wrong...or am i such a hopeless romantic? =.=
I'm a simple person...I only want Someone Who Truly Loves Me For The Person That I Am
Whatever My Heart Desires...
How i wish more could be done towards helping the needy in our damn practical n apathetic society! n where is thy EMPATHY?!
Someone who can deal with my emotions! i know i can be emo...but i'm working on it...pls help me to be a better me! thx!
Someone Who Is Sweet Like Kim Hyun Joong In "Boys Over Flowers" & Charming Like Joey Yap n Suave like Jang Dong Gun in "A Gentleman's Dignity" ;p or am i asking for too much? o.O
To see sunset with someone special...sunrise is abit too early for me...lol
Highly Ambitious and Successful Guys Are V.Sexy ;p
Someone Sincere Who Dotes On Leechie
Sincerity from others...no more con-man or scams pls! n i'm allergic to HYPOCREEPS! =.=
The more i edit this list, i find more material stuff disappearing...but i still like nice watches n all the bling bling...i juz like classy stuff
Great Hairstylist Who Can Handle Leechie Natural Curls (I'm really v.tired of crappy stylists...i'm still looking for a good one)
Someone who will massage my legs when i get leg cramps in the middle of the nite!
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Leechie Idols
Coco Chanel
Liew Mun Leong
Joe DiNapoli
T. Harv Eker
Peter Lim
Jay Abraham
Keith Cunningham
Olivia Lum
Elim Chew
Adam Khoo
Testimonials From Event Participants
"I must say the ppl in your event are of better quality than other singles events" - R. K., Business Owner
"Please keep up your excellence in maintaining members' interest and support in your dynamic range of singles' social dating activities." - K. C., Associate Manager
"Thanks for arranging such a great evening yesterday, beautiful night with lots of great new friends :) " - L. S., Technical Director
"Leechie, we would continue our firm support by getting fresher faces to your singles dating scene. You have displayed initiative, intuition, persistence, care, concern, creativity and passion in facilitating and enhancing instant rapport, personality development and healthy communication among local and foreign qualified singles in your centre of influence." K. C., Associate Manager
"Awesome Party!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2012! ❤‿❤" - W. A., Remisier
"Hooray, we are glad to have you indeed as an efficient, effective, meticulous, detailed, expressive and communicative singles social event organiser who got along well with most of us new kids on the block." - K.C., Senior Associate Director
"Thanks for arranging for networking event. I have enjoyed myself last evening. You are definitely a good organizer for such events." - B.K., Agency Manager
“Thanks for the awesome event.” – G., Banking Executive
"Thanks for organising this wonderful networking event for the singles. I really enjoyed..." - F.S., Account Executive
"Leechie, thanks for the great networking event that day." - K.C., Consultant
"Thanks for organizing the great event!" - H. H., Marketing Executive
"You have done a good job and I know it's tough to organize such a big group. Keep it up" - L.L., Pilates Teacher
"Thanks for last night's fun outing..." - R.C., Senior Associate Manager
"Wa really nice place. Hmm...u are really good at finding this kind of nice cozy environment... =P" - S.P., Makeup Artist
Thanks Tono Leechie for the book you gave me years back. It really taught me a lot. Provided me with so much insights and exposed me to things I never knew of. It really is an awesome awesome book! :D
Hi there , u are a legend :)
U r a spontaneous n interesting person. I wouldn't think u r single. Guess the guys r intimidated by ur brains n looks.
Share with you an interesting BLOGGER…Stuff to read on this Hottie Girl with lots of explosive pack. A piece of conversation with GUTS & Courage and dosage of widom to gather and SUM ## @ up her thoughts & feelings to issues which matters to her. Let’s applaud her for asserting her provocative stand !!##@@@
wow leechie, i take my hats off you.. you got good english and good collections of quotable quotes :) :) will mark your blog as my fav :P
Well leechie, I'm ur greatest fan that like u alot. To say anything less is unacceptable b'cos u r so perfect now, all fb like u the way u r & nothing less. Like it or not. U r like a celebrity to us so u belong to the fans...............just like in hollywood or boliwood. Hey, when r we going to hv chiniwood? p...
U indeed exhibit unequal wisdom,hpoe u are working in a radio/Tv firm?
U never run out of "words of wisdom". I like it.
Must catch up with u sometime. U sound a very interesting person ..... deep ...... maybe radical?
Nice pic. Very sweet and attractive.. I didn't know u did modelling too.
Leechie..you are the best...do not bcs of another person's remark n screw yourself up....
Love your blog ~~ !! so real so sweet so leechie ♥
Ppl like you for what you are- a leechie
Leechie is posh and leechilic! She is Unique
You have blossomed into a beautiful girl beyond comparison
Hi Leechie, I like your star quote and like how you write your basic information. Pls keep in touch.
I like yr philosophy n yr comments n would like to befriend you if that's ok with you. Pls read more about me on my Profile page. I look forward to speaking with you soon! :-)
Hello Leechie! Interesting blog post! We're glad that you enjoyed yourself at the party! Be sure to stay tuned to the page to win future hot ticket invites! ;)
nice quote n cute comment from u. lol
I read some of your blog during the weekend. It's cool ya =)
Wow! Didnt know that u r such a hip person! ;) Muz be the loud music n poor lightings yesterday haha. Cool! I like yr blog :) Yup, keep in touch gal!
Ohayo! I chanced upon your profile on Facebook and see we have a common interest in personal development. Plus, I like your favorite quote..."If you are a STAR, you'll shine everywhere and anywhere!" Needless to say that is why I am reaching out to connect with you. Lets get connected here and lets get to know each other a little better. Btw, cool job with your blog...I'm sure gonna miss the KTM...especially having supper there!
Haha, flattered to be called 美女 by another 美女 ;) Stay pretty forever!
Leechie, Thanks for adding. I like your writing on your updates...you're funny! I must say I literally laugh when I read it each time. Keep them coming.
Hi Tono, I love reading your messages and your blog. You are funny and have a great personality - No one should be lonely- Especially at this time of year. It's really up to all of us not to let that happen to anyone.
But we all adore you anyway, Princess Leechie!
I love your blogs...
I like your blog because it is inline with what I wrote in my blog
Thanks! great blog by the way.
Nice blogsite and I like the name. One day, I would like to attend your networking event.
Dun worry babe, no matter how u change ur hair style still look great and pretty.cause u can't change ur pretty face. :p
WOW girl!!! really envy you...I'm a great fan of Kevin Lao Shi...all the makeup in your blog except the powder, I had them too, but I've to go Taiwan myself...to buy... they r really gd & useful... =( And when Kevin Lao shi was here, my grandma was hospitalised, couldn't make it there 2 c him too =_= Do share ur review of the powder when u start using kkk? Thks!
ya, i was really too tired and restless to do anything.. thank god for your post that i actually laugh out loud... very entertaining and funny . . ..
my friend dun be dampered by such comments or requests. U r a Princess with better stands views tastes wishes mindset.
I just love your wall post and profile....
hi ! nice to be ur fans ^^
Tono, quite a bio you have " I believe in creating my own destiny in life and making the most out of what i have! When I grow up, I wanna be a LEECH! " .. i must say again your profile pic is really delightful , the color tone used in the photo is soothing..
just follow ur blog...add oil!
Thanks leechie! write more blog posts!!
I like u bcos u know how to choose this type of funny video. Pls share more............wow
Leechie Fav Fragrances
Chanel Allure ~ My first fragrance that leechie wore to uni
J'adore Dior ~ J'adore leechie...nobody loves me so i gotta love her more! :'(
Boss Intense ~ Feel like a boss whenever i wear this fragrance! ;p
Euphoria By Calvin Klein ~ So sweet & captivating ;p
Vera Wang Night Princess ~ the sweeter version
Lanvin Couture ~ Sweet
Anna Sui Secret Wish ~ Leechie has both the pink & green versions but prefers the sweeter pink version
Leechie Bucket List
My Very Own Leechie Legacy
My Very Own Leechie Autobiography "Confessions of a Leechie" ;p
