Diving Similan - A blast from the past ...

My last holiday of the year was a blast! The dive adventures with Similan Diving Safaris (SDS), a 4 day/4 night liveaboard on the M/V Dolphin Queen have far exceeded my expectations. It is, to date, the most professionally conducted trip I've been on. Sprinkled with surprises (God, I love surprises!), fun, laughter (loads of these from Samy Vellu & Angkasawan jokes to silly underwater antics), and easygoing folks from Italy, the Netherlands, Germany, Hong Kong and the six of us from Malaysia. Not to mention the ever courteous Thai captain, his family and at-your-service boat crew.

The dive trip included 11 day dives and three night dives to some of the world's best diving sites found in the Andaman Sea - Similan Islands, Koh Bon, Koh Tachai, and world famous Richelieu Rock.

The most coveted sight which the divers all saw at Koh Bon at different times and dives were the leopard sharks. While I didn't get to say "Hi! Merry Christmas!" to the whale shark, it was very good indeed that we sighted the leopard shark, not once, but thrice. That was a real treat!

Leopard Shark, Koh Bon, Andaman Sea (Dive # 91)

Video courtesy of Peter Seow

The Malaysian team was fortunate to be the only group on SDS 15 to see the gentle giant - the Manta Ray. I've seen a few of these while I dove Manta Point, Bali in August, but one never tires of experiencing the awe of swimming in the same ocean with a glorious and majestic creation.

Manta Ray, Koh Bon, Andaman Sea (Dive #92)

Video courtesy of Peter Seow

On our way back to Khao Lak on 26 December, we had a final dive at Boonsung Wreck - what I consider as the "richest in marine life" of the trip. There were so many moray eels inhabiting the wreck - from baby ones to adult ones - the white-eyed and the honeycomb morays. There were also the rare sighting of the frogfish at the bottom of the buoy line, the ghost pipefish, the scorpion fish, lobsters, boxer and dancing shrimps, a cuttlefish couple, schools of baraccudas, trevally, and finally, the large Catostylus stingless jellyfish as we did our safety stop while hanging on to the buoy line at 5 meters.

The trip about sums up the "adventures" of 2007 for me. There were many key highlights that alluded to the ups and downs of 2007, although I am only now mentally processing these experiences in dribs and drabs. The revelations are trickling in, as are the underwater photos, I imagine!

Perhaps, the best way to share highlights of the trip are through pictures that paint a thousand words, although these are the first batch of on-the-boat and land pictures courtesy of my dive buddy Lorraine - check out http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=23618&l=5fe0d&id=655406221

A few underwater pictures courtesy of fellow diver Vincent at http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=23691&l=c5262&id=655406221

Changing tides in Similan - A renewed hope for 2008!

Sunset on board M/V Dolphin Queen

Photo courtesy of Vincent Ong

What a year 2007 has been. Looking back at my journal, I was reminded of the words and mental pictures that came to mind during New Year prayer week.

Stories of Bible characters such as Jesus' disciple Peter being "sifted", Daniel in the fiery furnace and Job losing everything except his own life. Back then, I remembered thinking, things are going good ... could these possibly be a picture of what 2007 could be like for me, and for many others as well?

And now, a year later, as I reflect on 2007, I accept that this past year has been a challenging year of sorts. A year that can be likened to the pendulum swinging from one joyful extreme of new adventures and achievements, to the other painful extreme of disappointments, disillusionment, and depression (as you could probably tell from the last many posts on my blog!).

And as the Chinese saying goes, "Feng Shui takes turns in spinning" which means to some, our wheel of fortune/luck turns (good times will not last forever, neither will bad times) and for others, the seasons of life that changes from Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.

As I bid 2007 farewell, I recall the recent dive trip to Similan islands - the sunsets in the far horizons putting to bed the uneasy seasons of the past, the rise and fall of the waves (and of life's circumstances) of the Andaman Sea. I remember marvelling at the beauty of the full moon against a clear backdrop of starlit skies, and being fearful of the increasing strength of the ocean currents down below.

And perhaps, beyond the physical, the tides are changing; life's seasons are also changing; and yet some others like the superstitious Chinese will say, the wheel of fortune/luck is spinning and the good times will come again.

I came home last Thursday, 27th of December. I surfed the Astro TV channels and settled on the movie "Just My Luck" starring Lindsay Lohan and Chris Pine.

From the director of "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days," comes a "funny, twist-of-fate comedy"!Lindsay Lohan lights up the screen as Ashley, the luckiest girl in Manhattan. But little does she know, her good fortune is about to change. When Ashley shares a kiss at a party with Jake, a bad luck magnet, they miraculously switch paths. Suddenly Ashley is plagued by one hilarious disaster after another, and Jake is headed for fame instead of failure. As she desperately races to find Jake and reverse her misfortune, Ashley discovers that her terrible twist-of-fate is the luckiest thing that ever happened to her.

A nice movie to wrap up the year as well. Seemingly bad things may not be all that bad after all. Here's to the changing tides, the dawn of a new season of hope, more adventures, and the fulfilment of our deepest desires!

Here's wishing you a happy new year. May we all learn to ride the waves and flow with the currents ... and most of all, live life to the fullest!

Hallelujah ... the natural breath!

I heard the song "Hallelujah" recently at the Starbucks next to Starhill Shopping center. It brought up feelings of the richness of life, of love, and ultimately of God, the awesome One whom I have entrusted my life, my dreams, my destiny ... and in spite of the imperfections that I have come to recognize ... yet He loves, loves, and loves. I am humbled by the past and overwhelmed by the future ... and I will breathe the natural breath "Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah."



Copyright © 1985 Leonard Cohen and Sony/ATV Music Publishing Canada Company.
I've heard there was a secret chord
That David played, and it pleased the Lord
But you don't really care for music, do you?
It goes like this
The fourth, the fifth
The minor fall, the major lift
The baffled king composing Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Your faith was strong but you needed proof
You saw her bathing on the roof
Her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you
She tied you to a kitchen chair
She broke your throne, she cut your hair
And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Maybe I've been here before
I know this room, I've walked this floor
I used to live alone before I knew you
I've seen your flag on the marble arch
love is not a victory march
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

There was a time you'd let me know
What's real and going on below
But now you never show it to me do you?
Remember when I moved in you?
The holy dark was moving too
And every breath we drew was hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Maybe there's a God above
And all I ever learned from love
Was how to shoot at someone who outdrew you
It's not a cry you can hear at night
It's not somebody who's seen the light
It's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah
Hallelujah, Hallelujah

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BLESSED CHRISTMAS & A HAPPY NEW YEAR!

May the LORD bless you and protect you.
May the LORD smile on you and be gracious to you.
May the LORD show you his favor and give you his peace.

I'll dance again

Have you ever read a lovely post and thought, "wow, that could be me?" then turn away and completely forget about it. And after going through a bit more of the ups and mostly downs in life, you re-visit that post or re-read it only to realize a greater sense of conviction and truth in the words and say, "that's me alright!"

What was different from the first time I read the post?

Sunday comes. Woke up just in time to get dressed and head for church. A foreigner named John was leading worship. Mike P and team was in town. I wasn't sure what God was going to say through this funny Greek but it sure was good seeing a slimmer, healthier, and younger looking Mike! There is certainly a new lease of life when one hits half time!

Mike talked about the idols in today's church - good looking people, the gifted/talented, and the ones with big personalities that make us laugh - we crave for these, and we subconsciously promote these while overlooking the less attractive, less gifted and boring folks in the pew.

How easy it is for us to be distracted by the ideals of the world and lose sight of the very things that matter the most in life. In the midst of worship, God calls us to build relationships with people; to be humble, give glory and perform to the audience of One - God; and uphold the people whom we love and who have the vision for God's mission, regardless of whether we think it's wise or not ... (it's probably better if you took time to personally listen to Mike P)

There is certainly so much more to life than the good looking, gifted and good laughs ... the altar call came for those who were desperate for more of God ... I found the peaceful presence of God a safe place. Tears streamed down my cheeks. I poured my heart out to the One who really knew how I felt, what I was going through, and knew what would be coming my way. And I knew in my heart that what he said was true, that a new day was coming ... and I will dance again ....

I re-read a friend's post that I had read a couple of months ago and thought ... I may have identified a little with this back then, but tonight, I can say, "That's me alright!"



I hope you dance by Lee Ann Womack
I hope you never lose your sense of wonder

You get your fill to eat but always keep that hunger

May you never take one single breath for granted

God forbid love ever leave you empty handed

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens

Promise me that you'll give faith the fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance

I hope you never fear those mountains in the distance

Never settle for the path of least resistance

Living might mean taking chances but they're worth taking

Lovin' might be a mistake but it's worth making

Don't let some hell bent heart leave you bitter

When you come close to selling out reconsider

Give the heavens above more than just a passing glance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

I hope you dance (Time is a wheel in constant motion always)

I hope you dance (Rolling us along)

I hope you dance (Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)

I hope you dance (Where those years have gone)

I hope you still feel small when you stand beside the ocean

Whenever one door closes I hope one more opens

Promise me that you'll give faith the fighting chance

And when you get the choice to sit it out or dance

Dance

I hope you dance

I hope you dance (Time is a wheel in constant motion always)

I hope you dance (Rolling us along)

I hope you dance (Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)

I hope you dance (Where those years have gone)

(Tell me who wants to look back on their years and wonder)

I hope you dance (Where those years have gone)

Disappointments - Why me?

I came across this topic from the daily dose of spiritual insights by Os Hillman titled TGIF -Today God Is First. The topic on "Disappointments" immediately caught my eye given the recent circumstances I have had to face. I continue to feel a certain unrest in my soul, and I continue to seek that place of rest ...

Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. - Proverbs 13:12

Life is filled with disappointments. Many of God's greatest servants experienced deep disappointment in their journeys of faithfulness to God.

Joseph, after spending years as a slave and in jail for crimes that he did not commit, revealed deep disappointment when he was forgotten another two years in prison. John the Baptist, when awaiting execution, doubted whether Jesus was, in fact, the Christ because he was sitting there awaiting his death. Elijah, losing all hope and despondent to the point of death, asked God to take his life in the desert; and Peter, who left his fishing business and invested three years of his life only to watch his Savior crucified, wondered whether the purpose of those three years could be justified.

When life doesn't add up, it leaves the heart sick. When we have done all we know to do and the formula has not worked, it leaves us questioning. These are times that try the very souls of men. There is no human sense to be made of it. We are left with a choice: to cling or not to cling.

There are times when holding on to our Master's robe is all that we can do.
It is all that He wants us to do.
The heights by great men reached and kept
Were not obtained by sudden flight;
But they, while their companions slept,
Were toiling upward in the night.
Standing on what too long we bore,
With shoulders bent and downcast eyes,
We may discern-unseen before-A path to higher destinies!

~Longfellow

There is only one answer to life's disappointments. Like the psalmist, we must "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him. He alone is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken" (Ps. 62:5-6).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I was comforted by the post, although I sense there's more to come ...

May that place of rest be just around the corner - not in physical comforts but truly, the resting place for my restless soul.

May I encounter more of the living God I worship before I expire heavenward!

In search of significance ... continued ...

Last night, I asked these questions after a series of disappointments in life:

Why does one even bother to get up each day and continue with life? Where does one muster the energy to wake up every morning and live on when the people around all seem to only be interested in getting their own agendas accomplished?

I come back from the usual Sunday outing and was pleasantly surprised to receive an email from fellow sojourners whom I met at a leadership training in Hawaii almost two years ago. During our convocation in early 2005 among an international audience, we all sang this song "Find us faithful" while I danced ... it was a very meaningful and powerful call upon our lives ... today, I recognize it as the impartation of a calling for each of us to live a life of significance.

May you also find this empowering as we journey towards becoming good stewards of all that we have been entrusted with in life ...

Artist: Steve Green on "Find us faithful"

FIND US FAITHFUL

We’re pilgrims on the journey of a narrow road
And those who’ve gone before us light the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament
To God’s sustaining grace

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race, not only for the prize
But as those who’ve gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through Godly lives

Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we’ve left behind
May the clues that they discover
And the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find

Oh, may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave, lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful.

In search of significance ...

Source: Legacy of Ice Images

Oftentimes, a period of dullness and bitterness is required in order for one to appreciate the nice suprises in life. We recognize and appreciate the goodness and perhaps, the purposes of God, when we have experienced the dull and dreary bits of life, of disappointments, and more disappointments.

The truth is, life hasn't been great ... or has it been that my wild heart cries out for more than the current life has to offer? ... "there's got to be more to life than this!"

It began with a whirlwind of activities and success ... and then, the downward spiral ... fighting against current and seeing nothing while diving in Bali, doing much (and tiring myself in the process) with seemingly few results ... seeking to go for the dream dive of the year only to have to pull out because of work ... seeking to be friends with people who couldn't care less whether you were there or not ...

So, after much disappointment and rejection, why does one even bother to get up each day and continue with life? Where does one muster the energy to wake up every morning and live on when the people around all seem to only be interested in getting their own agendas accomplished?

Silence ...

If life was about the tangible things we acquire or the success we achieve, then why does life seem so empty after all the hustle and bustle? Some may argue that perhaps, much remains to be achieved ...

Well, I have observed the cycles in life ... with each heart break comes greater success than before but at the end of the day, the heart cries ... "there's got to be more to life than this!"

Perhaps, I continue to wake up each morning simply because God loves me and has a plan for my life ... because He loves me for who I am and not what I do or don't do ...

I think he has been trying to get my attention all this while ...

Quoting from Larry Julian's God is my CEO, "When we feel stuck or slowed down by pain, obstacles, or circumstances, we can remember that God has a bigger plan than what we are seeing in front of us. We can take a step back and sense the bigger picture and the whole of life. Then we can see our situation from a different perspective."

"How we define success is important in shaping our lives. So, how do we define success? Success is generally defined in terms of achievement, fame, recognition, material possession, and wealth. In a word: outcome.

"Significance is importance, meaning, essence, relevance, and value. Sucess drives us by a desire for tangible things; significance guides us by a desire for something greater than just what is tangible."

The search for significance is like ... "The way of the righteous is like the first gleam of dawn, which shines ever brighter until the full light of day ... " Proverbs 4:18

Life is short and precious, and I should prioritize what is important ... people and relationships are important.

May I live life driven by a calling to be significant by making a difference in other people's lives. Now, that's a tall order ...

Climbing ROCKS!

Bouldering

Source: Camp5

In the moments of seeming nothingness, I have developed an insatiable appetite to conquer new heights of sorts. Another sport that seems to have captured my attention is indoor climbing. Not only is this a new experience for me, but it also allows me to literally scale new heights.

There were a few reasons for my visiting Camp5 recently:

1. Mar-xha told me about it last year and I said I would go ... unfortunately, it took me so long to step foot in Asia's largest indoor climbing venue

... but in the quest of being authentic and practising integrity, one ultimately does need to do what they said they would do!

2. Scuba diving is not a sport that I can do every week! Knowingly suffering deprivation of the sport you enjoy most just cannot be tolerated. There's nothing heroic about abstaining from activities that help one de-stress unless if does harm to oneself or others.

3. Richard recently embarked on rock climbing to develop a new skill while staying fit ... he told Ling Ling about it; I tagged along for a trial session.

Before I knew it, my friend and I were scheduled to take our Basic Wall Course (BWC) two weeks later. We arrived about 20 minutes before the class was to begin. We inquired about gym membership and was pleasantly surprised that there was a promotion provided us with free BWC, a RM100 Proshop voucher for equipment purchase, and a one-year membership ... all for RM998. The promotion would help us save from paying the extra RM100 for the BWC. And as all typical modern Malaysian would, we went for the "freebie" in the promotion.

No regrets though ...

I signed up because I really need to keep active. One of the things I realize was that work these days can be extremely all-consuming and if one didn't find other outlets for releasing pent-up stress or physical energy, one just might start having undesirable physical symptoms from lethargy to moodiness to unwanted lumps and bumps!

Well, it was early for a Saturday morning to be going a four-hour course. Instructor Jeremy spent the first two hours giving us some background about rock climbing, the equipment. Soon enough we were putting on the harnesses, tying figure eight knots on dynamic ropes and learning to belay.

The second part of the course involved the practical sessions of actual climbing with your partner belaying or vice versa (left - climbing & belaying. Source: Camp5). I am thankful Richard invited me the first time, as I was a little less fearful of climbing almost vertical walls spanning 8 meters in height.

There was also the experience of bouldering - climbing a boulder without any ropes whatsoever. Well, I had taken quite a fall the first time I was at Camp5 so it was not as intimidating this time round and surprisingly, I didn't fall!

With all learning experiences, I found this one rather lighthearted ... I was nearly reaching the top of the eight-meter wall. I decided that it was time to descend, so I called out to the petite belayer Ling Ling, "Tighten ... (rope)". And within seconds she calls back, "Tight."

In order to get back down to the bottom, a climber needs to completely trust his/her belayer and the ropes by letting go off the wall and leaning back with legs stretched perpendicularly against the wall. When I did that, Ling Ling apparently lurged slightly forward ... surprised by the weight that the rope had to take!

I couldn't help but laugh when she later relayed the incident to me ... and as I read a facebook note that Richard had written about settling down in Melbourne, he mentions a book that he was reading - The Best Life ... and that having the best life meant eating healthily but not being obsessed with the scales.

Cartoon from http://www.camp5.com/newsletter.html and
http://www.climbing.com/print/techtips/ttsport227/

Needless to say, I was reminded of my indoor climbing incident and the fact that I must have been having the best life ever and not weighed myself in ages ... enough to cause my buddy belayer to almost get smacked on the wall like in this cartoon!

I can't wait to go back and continue on this journey of discovery ... and eventually do rock climbing at an outdoor venue.

Facebook-ed!

I was introduced to Facebook back in May. I didn't think my participation in this latest social network craze would last since I had in mind to focus on keeping the momentum going with this blog.

Six months later, I realized I had religiously checked Facebook and interacted with friends from various parts of my life experiences (regardless of which country they now live in) whenever I was able to get online. I have sensed a certain contentment in being able to stay "connected" with my friends, even if that meant sending a message, posting a note on The Wall, Super Poke stay top-of-mind, challenging yet another to a game of Scrabulous, or solving PuzzleBee.

Today, I asked myself the same question I had months ago - Why am I on Facebook? Why do I seem addicted to Facebook? After all, it is a virtual platform and impersonal when compared to catching up with a friend over coffee.

I remembered this video on my SuperWall. Remembered what and why it is that many are addicted to Facebook. I laughed and couldn't agree more with the quirkiness of human beings in this day an age ...

Have you been Hairspray-ed?

My friend asked the girls, "Hey, would you all like to see Hairspray next week?"

I asked, "Who's starring in it?"

She said, "John Travolta."

"Oh, I don't like watching John Travolta!" I sighed ... chatter, chatter, chatter ...

I ended up going with the flow and there I was at the Golden Screen Cinemas (GSC) in One Utama the week after. I wondered what the movie was about but didn't have time to find out.

The lead character Tracy Turnblad (played by newcomer Nikki Blonsky), a "plesantly plump" teenager comes on. She reminded me of the character from Ugly Betty - not as ugly but not the typical Hollywood beauty on the silverscreens either; although her bubbly personality and powerful voice made the movie come alive!

They used a lot of hairspray to create big hair and add extra inches to their height ... I guess that's why the movie was called Hairspray!

The 60s set reminded me of the musical film Grease, starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton John, and Grease 2, starring Maxwell Caufield and Michelle Pfeiffer. Both Travolta and Pfeiffer starred in the musical film Hairspray. They were young adults back in the Grease old days, and now they played parental roles in Hairspray ... I was a teenager back then, and now ...!

Some five minutes into the show, I was trying to recall if I had had any conversation with my friends with regards to the movie, what it's about and who's starring in it. I remembered John Travolta and began looking out for him. I didn't seem to spot him all that easily.

A ginormous woman comes on the screen. Super-sized knockers ... did they say it was 45 DD or 54 EEE? I don't remember, but whatever that number was, I don't remember selling any of those bra sizes while I worked part-time at Victoria's Secret during my dancing days back in the early 90s.

As you probably already guessed, this plus-sized woman named Edna Turnblad (Tracy Turnblad's mother) was played by John Travolta. A surprisingly interesting choice of character for Travolta ... he was awesome in this role - so big, so sweet, so cute, and so obesely graceful!

In the midst of the movie, I also had one of those revelations; I suddenly understood why it had to be a guy like Travolta playing an oversized woman in this movie. I don't think the producers would have been able to cast a more talented actor/actress with such great height, width and depth for a musical role such as Edna Turnblad. I loved it!

Hairspray is without doubt one of the corniest movies I have seen. But I thoroughly enjoyed it and it certainly has topped my list of favorite movies. There's even a local TV show in the movie called "The CORNY Collins Show." You've just got to see this movie to believe how corny but tasteful a movie can get!

On a more serious note, the movie addressed racial segregation and how it takes a few gutsy folks like the Turnblads to make a difference. The other reason I enjoyed the movie was because I believe in a colorful world made up of different peoples and nations, each bringing to bear the talents that God has given them and using such gifts to bless all those around them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Have you ever experienced a situation where you were looking so intently for "something," and you immediately zoomed into the smaller details in search of that "something," when all this while it's been starring right in your face.

It happened to me when I dove Manado last year. We went muck diving in Lembeh and suddenly, everyone dove towards this huge, yellow blob that looked like a sponge. My dive instructor seemed to wave his pointer around the area of a black spot within the yellow blob. I went closer towards the black dot and wondered what I was supposed to be looking at. Thank God I didn't go too close or dive into the yellow sponge-looking thing ... it turned out that the "something" we were supposed to be looking at was a giant yellow frog fish (very poisonous) and the black spot was its eye.

The moral of the story is for us to know what the big picture is before zooming into the details. Otherwise, you would completely miss the point in life and end up wondering why the day-to-day details are the way they are in the first place.

I was reminded of this experience while seeing Hairspray. Tracy Turnblad discovers her purpose by being who she naturally was - someone who embraced being different and seeking to do the right thing despite the difficulties that come along with being different. Her purpose - to be a catalyst to disintegrating segregation and integrating the different people groups. The bigger picture was about the need to recognize and respect the many peoples who exist, all of whom had unique things to offer.

If only we can accept people for who they are, respect and embrace them for all they are meant to be, the world would be a much nicer and peaceful place to live.

I must learn to be less judgmental and give others the benefit of doubt more often than not because ...

"People who are different, their time is coming ... to shake things up!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Have you been Hairspray-ed?

If not, I highly recommend you go see it soon.

Winter Time Tests

Myers-Briggs Personality Types (Free Test)
Multiple Intelligences (Free Test)

In such wintery times, where life outside seems all cold and grey, introspective exercises can contribute to one's understanding of oneself, lead one towards new challenges, experiences and discoveries in life.

I, honestly, don't think anybody would be interested to read details about the personality type that I possess, but you just might if your Myers-Briggs personality is an ENTP - Extroverted iNtuitive Thinking Perceiving.

In a nutshell, I am an ENTP - The "Originator"
ENTPs are logical, innovative, curious and downright inventive. They see possibilities for improvement everywhere and possess the ability to understand complex concepts. ENTPs are introspective and carefree nonconformists. They often neglect the more common areas of life while pursuing new solutions. ENTPs can be good conversationalists and exciting company.

A comprehensive description of such a personality type can be found at this ENTP site ... so much details that it's rather boring. However, there was this blurb that I thought was quite good:

At midlife ENTP's can allow their tendency to experiment recklessly to get out of hand and may destroy or discard the work of half a lifetime, both in personal relationships and in careers. Energy spent in sorting out priorities and values may be a good investment at this time. Developing an increased awareness of emotional reactions and expanding the intensity and range of these through self-development work may be something ENTP's might want to consider at midlife. An increased repertoire of introverted-type activities; for example, gardening, painting, or reading may be a source of pleasure to ENTP's.

Ah ... perhaps this explains the internal turmoils that I have been experiencing ... and the increased appetite for chick lits - well, I don't quite understand how that contributes to self-development but it sure makes for good laughs.

And then, there was the multiple intelligences test that provides an indication of your learning style. This is what came out for me:

Bodily/Kinesthetic Intelligence
People with Kinesthetic intelligence love movement. They enjoy sports and/or dance. They are good at building things and like to stay active. They have good motor skills and are very aware of their bodies. They learn best through movement and experimentation.

Yes, perhaps I should seriously consider coming out of dance retirement and learn to move, experiment, and create once again ... I can already foresee my body retaliating, screaming in pain!

Intrapersonal Intelligence
People with intrapersonal intelligence are adept at looking inward and figuring out their own feelings, motivations and goals. They are introspective and seek understanding. They are intuitive and typically introverted. They learn best independently.

Oh no, that sounds like winter time for eternity :-P. Seriously, such quiet times are absolutely necessary to consider one's ways, see the vision, chart the course, before realizing the dream!

And of all self-evaluating instruments I have experienced today, I found this from facebook the most interesting. Why? Because it elicited an "uh huh" from me: I am a METAL PIG!

In your amorous quest, don't dash into the dark; let your tender feelings work on your beloved one--for when the fruit's ripe, it'll fall by itself! Don't disdain the small profits that pass within your reach--the one who doesn't bend down to pick-up a penny doesn't deserve to find a pound. Learn how to save. Dermatological care will be favored--avoid over-smoking or drinking too much alcohol, definitely go without delicatessen and canned foods.

General description of all pigs
"Its better to give than to receive" would probably be the Pig's motto. Pigs are more comfortable giving of their own time or attention than they are to ask others for it. They do not find asking for help an easy task and would rather carry the burden themselves. Pigs will do anything they can to maintain a sense of peace amongst family or friends. This can lead to a tendency to be taken advantage of, but Pigs basically forgive and forget everything. They are compassionate souls who simply want to keep the peace.

I beg to differ on the "forgive and forget everything" part. It's more likely they have too many things happening and too much of thinking going on that they forget easily. I've been known to be forgetful and absentminded ... and perhaps it really is age that is catching up!

Detailed description of the metal pig
Outspoken and confident, Metal Pigs give 110% for everything they do. They throw themselves into relationships with others completely, sometimes to a fault. These Pigs are headstrong and diligent in the workplace, honest and caring in a relationship and trustworthy with everyone he meets unless given reason not to be. Metal Pigs usually give people more credit than they deserve but when challenged can be a hard nut to crack.

Fellow wintertimer writes ...

Read your winter blog, and have written a little poem from a fellow wintertimer to remind us that spring inevitably follows winter, as He has promised in Gen 8:22 While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease. Hallelujah!

In the cold midwinter
Our soul frozen lies
Reflecting back the gloom
Of the never lightening skies

The heart seems trapped
In this season’s icy grip
The rhythms of life wind down
Like the final funereal trip

Yet hope springs eternal
As the Son bids us awake
Arise from our morbid slumber
Burdens from us He shakes

Little did we understand
That beneath the engulfing snow
His faithfulness was preparing
Abundant fruit to grow

As we recall winter’s chill
The brokenness of our lot
Now fully overwhelmed by
The bounty He has bought

So stoop we on bended knee
To lift others trodden down
And bid them rise to share
The Saviour’s golden crown!

Seasons of Life

Up you wake for your winter sleep,
As from under the snow spring flowers peep!

While colorful butterflies flit and fly,
The sun glows brightly in the summer sky.

The days grow shorter as the leaves turn to gold,
Oh, the splendor of autumn is a sight to behold!

Now back to restful sleep you must go,
To slumber and dream 'neath winter's blanket of snow.

Cycles and spirals, around they spin,
The seasons of life ever renew and begin...

An original poem by Vicki C. Schofield.
(c) 2002 Vicki C. Schofield

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I have always enjoyed a good discussion with the girls. Last Thursday was no different and yet very different in every way. We worshipped with songs that were too difficult to sing. We laughed but not heartily. We discussed but not about anything really. We took turns answering the question, "What do you do when you receive bad news and very bad news ... about yourself and about those around you?"

Most said they would cry.

Another said she would assess whether it's something she can say or do to help the victim feel better. If not, she would just pray for that person.

Yet another said she once had a boyfriend who cheated on her. Needless to say, she cried when she found out the bad news. And then, she would get angry (at herself) for crying and not being be strong. She questioned God as to why this had to happen. When the initial shock passed, she found herself quiet before God. She sought for insight and what she could learn from the suffering, the betrayal, the rejection.

Most alluded to the importance of knowing "why" we go through difficult times or receive bad news about our families and friends whom we care about.

We all seemed to recognize the importance of trusting God even in bad times, knowing that at the end of the day, our lives are in God Almighty's hands.

Even Job (a man who was devoted to God) went through the most difficult times of losing everything that belonged to him, except his wife and his own life. He lost all earthly riches, possessions and his children. In his physical suffering, his "holier than thou" friends tried to help him identify his sin so as to repent and be restored to God. Back then, they believed that such calamity could not befall a righteous person.

Job could not think of anything that he should repent of. And when the bad times didn't go away, Job began to question God. Why this and why that, assuming that he had every right as a human being to question God's motives and judge the actions of God. After all, he had not done anything wrong that could be considered as "sin" before the eyes of man.

As we read on, Job was eventually silenced by God:
Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorant words?
Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.

Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth
Tell me, if you know so much.
Who determined its dimensions and stretched out the surveying line?
What supports its foundations, and who laid its cornerstone
as the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?
Who kept the sea inside its boundaries as it burst from the womb,
and as I clothed it with clouds and wrapped it in thick darkness?
For I locked it behind the barred gates, limiting its shores.

I said, "This far and no farther will you come. Here your proud waves must stop."
...

After the long challenging discourse, Job surrenders:
I know that you (God) can do anything, and no one can stop you.
You asked, "Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?

It is I - and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.

You said, "Listen and I will speak! I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them."

I had only heard about you before, but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
I take back everything I said, and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance."

The beauty of the "ashes" in our lives is our ability to seek out God and know the God whom we had only heard (or read) about before. Through the tough times, when we are silenced and brought to humility, when we find ourselves hopeless, betrayed, and rejected, we are quieted and ready to hear God out.

In humility, we are suddenly able to hear God's voice clearly. We experience God and can then truly say we have seen God with our own eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Vicky Schoefield writes,

Now back to restful sleep you must go,
To slumber and dream 'neath winter's blanket of snow.

It feels like winter eventhough I reside in hot, sunny Malaysia. In stressful times (for no particular reason), I find myself sleepy at early hours of the evening. Is it really a time to slumber, to hibernate and to be left alone?

Shall I put a sign on my door that wards off bystanders who are curious of my apparent lack of enthusiasm?

DO NOT DISTURB!

Winter in session

Hibernation in action

- Words of wisdom from the angry bear inside room

I laughed at the thought of having to put up a sign. We all laughed. Laughter is indeed a good medicine for the soul and for all seasons.

Sometimes communicating one's period of unsettledness helps lessen the misunderstanding when one unintentionally snubs others. Well, not on purpose anyway but as a result of being preoccupied!

The thought of winter overwhelms me. It's a time when there's no growth. And everything seems doom and gloom. A time when there's no apparent progress. A season of plateau-ing ... now that's unsettling ... yet, I know is necessary to usher in spring and be able to once again see new life, growth, and beauty!

Regardless of how I felt, it was certainly good getting together with the girls!

Christians@Work, 24-7

Glorious Sunday. The singing of a prayerful song that being a Christian is not only about attending Sunday worship celebrations or prayer meetings or baby dedications or funerals or Easter and Christmas, but being a Christian is about being a follower of Christ. It is allowing God to be apart of every aspect of our lives, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Here's the song that was so beautifully sung by Huey and team today:

GOD IN MY LIVING
There in my breathing
God in my waking
God in my sleeping
God in my resting
There in my working
God in my thinking
God in my speaking

Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything

God in my hoping
There in my dreaming
God in my watching
God in my waiting
God in my laughing
There in my weeping
God in my hurting
God in my healing

Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything
Be my everything

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory
You are everything

Christ in me
Christ in me
Christ in me the hope of glory

Be my everything

Tim Hughes Copyright © 2005 Thankyou Music

Somewhere over the rainbow ...

Life continues to be full of challenges. Despite having come back from a dive trip at Bali over Merdeka holidays, I continue to feel a heavy burden in life. I am the sort of person who normally thoroughly enjoys holidays, new adventures, and living life to the fullest. But somehow, I must admit, life has been tough ... including my holiday in Bali.

For the first time in a long time, I actually didn't achieve what I set out to do. The Bali dive trip happened because I wanted to see the ocean sunfish Mola Mola. The fish, about 3-4 meters tall, are usually spotted at the Crystal Bay dive site. We braved the huge swells of ice cold waters (16 to 24 degrees celcius), strong currents with upward and downward drifts, and depths beyond 30 meters hoping for a glimpse of this rare fish that only comes around to Bali in August. Instead, the few memorable dive moments were the graceful manta rays gliding at the choppy surface, blue spotted rays and stingrays at sandy bottoms of the Manta Point dive site.

Sunset at Lembongan island, Bali

I left Bali, though happy to have met great people and eaten the best Balinese foods (Babi Guling & Bebek Dengil), with a tinge of disappointment ... of dreams unfulfilled! Now, I would have to go back to Bali, brave the huge swells and icy cold waters for another opportunity to meet with Mola Mola.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tonight, I had the privilege of enjoying the Latin Jazz music of dramatic conductor Jacomo Bairus and Latin grammy award winning flautist Nestor Torres at the Dewan Philharmonic Petronas at the Petronas Twin Towers. I fell in love with the rich Latin Jazz rhythms with differentiated renditions of Besame Mucho and Over the Rainbow. Music from the flute awakened my imagination and evoked emotions deep within.

The final Nestor Torres rendition of Over the Rainbow was breathtaking. As an introduction to the song, Torres talked about the significance of Malaysia due to the difficult times the nation has been through and how thr growth and maturity of the nation was dependent on the "stormy" decades and refreshing light rains. Coupled with the sun rays, Malaysia is today like a rainbow of hope to others.

I recognized the stormy season and burdensome journey I am undergoing, when everything seems to be doom and gloom. It is a time of growing pains. A time of new challenges. I was reminded of how absolutely necessary it is for me to cling on to God in whom I trust and embrace everything that he is doing, and allow him to carry me through this time so that I may one day see that rainbow of hope and acknowledge how great God is and how far he has brought me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Wikipedia gives further insight into the classic Over the Rainbow, popularized by Judy Garland:

"Over the Rainbow" is a popular song with music by Harold Arlen and lyrics by E.Y. Harburg). It was written to showcase Judy Garland's talents in the star vehicle movie The Wizard of Oz, and it became her signature song. She would forever be called upon to sing it in all her public appearances.

The song's plaintive melody and simple lyrics depict a pre-adolescent girl's desire to escape from the "hopeless jumble" of this world, from the sadness of raindrops to the bright new world "over the rainbow." It expresses the childlike faith that a door will magically be opened to a place where "troubles melt like lemon-drops".



Many years have gone by since Judy Garland sang Over the Rainbow. The song continues to be a favorite that evokes a sense of hope that there is indeed something great at the end of a difficult journey.

Here's another voice as if angels were singing a song of hope to the downtrodden ...

Of integrity and burps ...

It all started with integrity and ended up with a burp!

The past few weeks seemed to have gone by so slowly. It must have been the hardest weeks of my life and truth be told ... I am not sure when this difficult season is going to be over. I have never felt so stressed, mentally drained and physically exhausted.

I taught a class on Christians@Work and how having integrity is so important for Christians. By "integrity" I mean knowing who we are in God (our identity) and living out a life that is reflective of who we say we are and what we say we will do.

And so the test began ...

I found myself suddenly overloaded with work. I blew most of my deadlines. Everyone was edgy. And to top it all, Murphy's Law was at work. Whatever that could possibly go wrong, went wrong. Everything was urgent, and things just didn't go as planned. From having your company's speaker arriving at the wrong hotel to having your company name spelt "ASS ...." on the meeting room door and many more! The most frustrating thing was, it was all completely out of my control.

Time out came this weekend. I went for a four-hour massage spa and cremebath. It was heavenly beginning with a sauna then a body scrub followed by a 90-minute body massage and ending with a cremebath for my hair. But I must say, it was one of the most noisy massages I have ever been through. The Indonesian masseuse kept burping throughout the massage from the time she started massaging my feet all the way through to my shoulders and arms when I was given the cremebath.

I was later told that I was the reason for all that noise (burp!) from the masseuse. Apparently this is a common occurance when Malay or Indonesian massuese massages her customers. If the "wind" that's accumulated in your body does not come out from the customers via burps or farts then it gets passed on to the masseuse and she would have no choice but to release the "wind" by burping. Well, I must say it was my first time experiencing a burping masseuse.

Well ... it is also the most stressful time I have ever been in!

Given all the misfortunes in my life of late, frankly, I am just thankful that it wasn't me burping or farting away. It would have been an extremely embarrassing moment considering my colleague was just next door!

Anyway, moral of the story is life sucks from time to time. Sometimes, having done all, things can still go very wrong. There's no right or wrong nor should one be pointing the finger at someone else or oneself.

I still haven't got it all figured out. It there was one thing I learnt through this time so far, it's to have a clear conscience that I have done my best and it's now time to trust God to do the rest. The burps, tears and laughter in the low seasons help release tension and provide a good night's sleep.

I highly recommend massages to get through tough times. The next time you go through one, remember "Burp!"

WANTED: The Alternative Male

I had an out-of-this-world conversation with a friend today. I didn't expect the surprising twists and turns in the conversation; nevertheless, I found the entire exchange rather amusing.

The conversation with a friend went like this ...

I said: I am headed to Bangkok this weekend. Apart from work, perhaps, I may get some sightseeing done. But I really don't know what I should be doing as a single gal - should I roam the streets of Bangkok or just head straight for the shopping complex? Or God forbid, hide in my hotel room and work throughout every single waking hour of my weekend?

She said: Hey, I know a friend, who may be willing to show you around. He is a really nice guy and enjoys meeting people and showing them around. He could also take you to a really good tailor and you could get a few suits made.

I said (thinking that she was trying to set me up): Really? He wouldn't mind showing a complete stranger around?

She said: Don't worry, he's a really nice guy. Dresses really well. He's really good in terms of giving advice on which tie patterns are in and which one's out. He's also enjoys cooking and getting everyone together for a meal. ... He also would be the one to do up the interiors of the home ...

I said: Wow! Sounds like a really cool guy ...

I am thinking: WOW! He doesn't mind cooking ... and cleaning, perhaps! He also likes decorating the house. He also sounds like the perfect host! Hummmm ....

She said: Oh but I've got to warn you ... he's gay!

(Surprised and at a lost for words) I said: Gay!!!!! Does he look gay?

She said: No he doesn't. He looks Thai!

I said (somewhat laughing, amazed that I am having this conversation): Oh! No kidding! Really? He sounds like a really, really nice guy. Perhaps, a good catch for me ... he can do all the cooking, cleaning, and decorations for the home ... all the things that I don't do well or if at all ...

She said (trying to conceal her shock): And he also is a really good listener and likes to get into all the details!

I said (smiling contentedly): Cool! Happy to meet with him this weekend if he doesn't mind showing a complete stranger around. I think he will be a good match for me (wink!)

She said (trying to keep a straight face): I am sure he wouldn't mind meeting you for lunch at the very least.

I said: Yes, if he doesn't mind, I would be happy to meet with him. He doesn't need to be there the whole afternoon. If he could just point out the places to visit, things to see, and how to get there ... I am sure I would be able to fill my weekend nicely. (Grin)

Facebook Question: What is the one thing I learnt today?

Answer: My best bet for a life partner could very well be an alternative guy, who enjoys cooking, cleaning, enjoys interior decorations, fashion consultation, and enjoy the details ... generally things that I don't have time to do or don't like to do! Hahahaha!

The afterthought: Mind you, the alternative male could be someone who naturally enjoys the "finer" or "fairer" things in life - an absolutely acceptable modern male attribute. They may not be the typical macho Marlboro men as society has portrayed the "real" men to be, but that does not necessarily mean they are gay. I prefer to call them the alternative (modern) male, who are not afraid to get in touch with their emotions or seek to express himself in creative ways that used to be stereotypical attributes for females.

As for those who thrive in the corporate rat race, let us not forget that at the end of the race, we will still be rats! As "ratty" as we may be in the corporate world, we all (or at least I) desire to return to a place that exuberates peace, comfort, and love. It may not be a place where I spend all my energies trying to pull together ... that's where I think the alternative male partner would complement me and be brilliant in being who he naturally is!

A Time to Pause

Life has been hectic of late. While I absolutely loved the travelling adventures in June, I did come home to a very busy life. I struggled with a sense of disorientation and perhaps, discontentment. And before I know it, July is almost gone!

I continue to remind myself that life is filled with ups and downs; otherwise, we would not be able to fully enjoy the ups and grow up during the downs!

This weekend has been a time of literally doing nothing - it was as a result of reading a blog entry by the senior pastor of Christian Life Gospel Center about taking time out to "pause."

Does this necessarily mean that we need to change whatever we are doing? Possibly, but I think God actually wants to go deep and look into our hearts. It is not so much what we are doing but why and how we are living. I believe God is taking us to a place where He wants to work on our "being" first so that our "doing" comes out of who we are i.e. our being. I feel as if God is doing a work of re alignment in our lives and that involves coming back to our first love as many have shared. But I think more than that, He is re-creating us and teaching us new ways of living and being. It's a deep work and we must make the time and space for God to dig deep and work in us.

In my moments of "pause," I was reminded of the movie "One Night with the King" which I recently saw with a group of friends. The story was about the bible character Esther, a peasant girl who became queen for such a time in history when her obedience to do what is right in God's eyes, despite the danger of losing her own life, saved a nation. The secular story of Esther is void of Christianese, yet it speaks volumes about God's sovereign move towards directing man's and the king's hearts toward fulfilling God's plan for his people.

In today's context, this was (once upon a time) my story within the corporate jungle filled with infamous characters surrounding money, sex, and power! It's a difficult story to tell and lest I cause you to hold your breath too long to the point of suffocation, let me assure you that I came out of this slightly scathed but definitely victorious. I survived to someday tell of God's sovereignty and faithfulness to his people ...

But today is not the day to tell this story! My story will have to wait for another time. Rather, the nuggets of truth that comes out of moments of "pause" was beautifully expressed by another this past Sunday. It was not a story of Esther, rather a story about the modern-day dealings with once-upon-a-time passions destroyed and made alive once again.

Take a moment to "pause" in life. Take time to listen to this! (Sunday Celebration Service, 22 July 2007)

Lil' Can Can Dancer ...

During one of my travels down south to Singapore for a wedding dinner, as well as for the Great Singapore Sale, I had the privilege of meeting the three-year-old daughter of my childhood ballet friend, Hsuan.

Back in the 1980s, we used to spend our weekends playing and dancing at the ballet studios, while our mothers taught ballet classes. We trained in classical ballet, modern and tap every weekend for what must have been 10 years ... did our homework, gallavanted around the SS2 Square throughout our Saturdays and Sundays. The ballet studios was our weekend home.

More than 15 years later ...

Hsuan is now happily married to a Frenchman and residing in France. She's been there many years but I have yet to visit her. I must save up to go visit her and experience the major tourist activity of lining up for hours to purchase Louis Vuitton bags at THE LV Champs Elysees, where international peoples (majority women, I am certain!) line up to purchase the object(s) of their deepest desire! I was told some tourist even pay others to stand in line and buy LV bags on their behalf, as each customer is allowed to purchase a maximum of two bags at a time?

Actually, I am not altogether certain I like carrying LV bags, especially when everyone seems to have or carry one ... I guess I don't like to be like everyone else! I am inclined to carry bags that not many people have - not that they are overly expensive or ugly bags, rather the limited editions or beautiful (sometimes quirky) bags that perhaps, didn't quite make the A-list of socialites' must have!

I digress from the little girl I meant to write about. Helene, is absolutely the most beautiful little girl, exuberating with life and mischief, whom I met at the wedding dinner several weekends ago. She wore a "pretty in pink" type of frilly dress and had matching shoes to fit the occasion.

Coming from a family of dancers, Helene was unabashed about her natural ability to move ... yes, she was quite happy to climb up the stairs and onto the stage to share the limelight with the wedding cake, bride and groom at anytime!

At times when everyone was busy eating the Four Season's Hotel's famous Chinese dishes, Helene would be on stage flapping her dress skirt, cleverly fanning her skirt up and down to reveal her matching pink panties and proportionately long legs. She reminded me of the lil' can can dancer ...

When I "grow up," I would like to have a baby girl just like Helene, and perhaps the girls will grow up to dance together, just like their mothers did once upon a time.

Almost got inked in Miami ...

Tattoos, are today, considered a form of art and self expression. To others it may still be considered a mark of slavery or a form of idolatry as in the Old Testament times of the Bible.

With cultures having evolved tremendously through the hundreds of years that have gone by, I guess it all boils down to one's motivation for getting a tattoo these days.

For me, tattoos are fascinating. It serves as a symbol of something meaningful or beautiful and perhaps, a reminder of what one aspires to be when they grow older. If done well, it can look very artistic and uniquely appreciated ... hopefully it would last through the years.

I had caught an episode of Miami Ink, a reality TV program that showcases the artistic talents of Ami James and Chris Nunez, while exercising on a treadmill some months back. Of course, since I only caught the program that one time, I naturally recalled only the most outstanding guy from the show. He was none other than the well built and heavily tattooed Ami James - the tattoo artist and owner of Miami Ink! I thought he was pretty good looking, too ... there's a certain sex appeal or attractiveness that society has accorded men who are bald, muscular and tattooed!!!

And so my chance to visit Miami Ink - THE tattoo parlor of the world(?) - came a couple of weeks ago while I was in Miami Beach. My colleague and I were walking along Washington Avenue, looking for a nice dinner place when we chanced upon Miami Ink. There were a whole lot of other tattoo parlors along that street but only one that probably accepted customers by-appointment only!

We walked in, taking our baby steps into the tattoo world, expecting to be greeted and treated to a marketing schpeal on why we should get a tattoo ... the benefits of having one in this contemporary society ... and how safe it would to get a tattoo at the celebrated Miami Ink ... blah, blah, blah!

Well, we didn't get any of that. Not even a margarita to calm a tattoo virgin's fears of being pricked and marked permanently. So much for visiting a celebrated tattoo parlor!

Instead, we walked in and witnessed customers sitting on one side waiting for their appointments. On the other side of the room were those being worked on ... each stared blankly at us.

Three tattoo artists with full concentration on three guys getting tattooed. The scene reminded me of a barber's shop. With stone-cold looks and not even the slightest hint of pain from needles drilling into raw skin. It was definitely not their first time.

We hung around the reception desk. A bald and heavily tattooed guy stood behind the desk. No, it wasn't Ami James. But he certainly had an attitude. An arrogant one that turned me off!

I asked whether they helped design tattoos. He said, yes, if we gave him the description of what we wanted.

I asked him if there were existing designs to choose from. He said yes and pointed to a stack of black files. There were too many to go through in a short time and with no assistance whatsoever. Completely unnerving.

I saw a sign on the reception desk that indicated the minimum price of US$200 per tattoo. Photography was allowed as long as tattoo artists were not distracted.

So, we took some pictures and walked out of Miami Ink forever. I made up my mind not to get my tattoo there.

The tattoo conversations continue in my mind. Perhaps I would seek out a tattoo artist, who would take the time to help me design something I was comfortable with, counsel me on the whole process, and would be willing to provide me with post-tattoo consultation. I think that's a reasonable request given the expectations of customers today whose minimal requirement is to be attended to from cradle to grave!

Life's "Firsts" in Miami

After my recent trip to Miami Beach, USA, I am convinced that life is too short to not experience as many "firsts" in life as possible! I realized that new adventures and experiences are what keep me feeling young, vibrant and alive.

First stop. Everglades Safari - what most tourists say is a "must see" when you visit Miami. The highlights ... and many "firsts" for me were:

One-of-its-kind airboat ride. Cruising through the swampy area of Miami - THE SOURCE of water for the whole of Florida! (So, did that deter me from drinking the treated tap water at the Loews Miami Beach hotel? NOT!)

Held a baby gator, a very "eeewwwww ..." experience. Gator was quite heavy for a babe.

Someone commented that baby gator looked as uncomfortable as I felt ... perhaps it was thinking about the possibility of ending up as my next handbag!!!! LOL!

Shared a gator sandwich for lunch, but not the one pictured ... that would be too gross! The meat was as tough as stale bread! Yuck!

Next stop was the place I willingly visited due to my interest in marine life - the Miami Seaquarium.

While it may have been very much like SeaWorld, frankly, I don't remember if I have ever been to SeaWorld. I must have ... since I vaguely remember the pool splashes and dolphin performances ... but where, when and with whom? I really can't recall.

Visiting Miami Seaquarium is highly recommended if you are even the slightest bit interested in marine life. You get to observe marine life from a distance before jumping in wetsuit and all.

Apart from the stellar dolphin performances, Lolita the killer whale caused quite a SPLASH that left me drenched on the second row of the arena! Literally dripping wet.

Ah, but getting wet from top to toe was all part of the fun and experience.

Other great performers throughout the three-hour visit were the spinner and flipper dolphins, and the sea lions.

What can I say, they were great ... and very fast, too! So fast that I could not capture it on camera

... except for some short videos:

On Lolita's whale-ing ...

On dolphin spinning ...

Since getting on facebook, it has taken me awhile to post this blog. If you are interested to view the other Miami Beach photos, visit my facebok albums on the Everglades Safari and Miami Seaquarium.

More thoughts on Miami ... later, alligator!