Beginning of the end?

Are we witnessing the beginning of the end for two most vocal, golden haired, self-centred egoistic politicians? i kinda miss the days when politics used to be very noble, somewhat altruistic, and politicians were charming, charismatic and influential.

Die! Die! Die!

I drove pass Mangala Vihara - a Buddhist temple, recently and saw a banner hung around the shrine. I couldn't make out what the banner was but kept wondering why it said "DIE, DIE, DIE" repeatedly. It was when I looked at it closer before I realised it was actually the Buddhist flag...

LOL... and with no disrespect, I wondered why I saw it as "DIE". Anyway, I came home and reflected and it struck me that I didn't know what the colours on the flag meant and I googled it. Here's the explanation behind it and here's a summary of it:

• Blue: The Spirit of Universal Compassion

• Yellow: The Middle Path

• Red: The Blessings of Practice

• White: The Purity of the Dhamma 

• Orange: The Wisdom of Buddha's teachings

• Sixth vertical band: Truth of Buddha's teachings

Interesting right?

Yes (wo)man

How do you manage a boss who’s a yes-person and will say yes to everything that the boss wants? And to make things worst, this boss is quite a hands off person and can only say yes yes yes. And then turn around and tasks the additional tasks to you...

For me, I am at a point where I have to draw a line and firmly say I cannot do and cannot deliver. No resources. Period. And I am also starting to say things like - if this goes on, I’m gonna to tender. Call it a threat I don’t care. But I have to draw a line. The bad habit of tasking everything to someone who can deliver and reports to a yes-person boss has to stop. 

And I think my boss got my message... but I’m sure the yes-man nature will continue...

Sighs!

What a week!

Just completed a super major event this week that involved ministers, senior officials from the union and many strategic partners of the company.

The events this week was a culmination of many months of planning. The many rehearsals, briefing decks for leaders, meetings with the different stakeholders, etc and the final execution of event went like clockwork.

Usually, when such events end, fhere'll be a sense of emptiness. But for me, there's no time to do so. We are now gearing up and counting down to an extended period of 2 months of non-stop events. Hopefully, my team don't get burned out...

:-)

Suka Tua (Like Mature/ Old)

These days I get “Hi”s and “Hello”s and taps from a lot of profiles with names such as “Suka Tua”, “Ilikemature”, “ilikesnr”, and with descriptors such as “I like daddies, white hair, big belly, old man, grandfathers, etc”. Wtf, I seriously don’t think I fit into some of the categories they mentioned. But what the heck... 

#agingisabitch 

Lol!

Hong Kong - sighs

Hong Kong is a place that I enjoy going cos it's orderly, the transport system is easy to navigate, the people are easy to get along with, and most important, it is a relatively safe place for asians. Not anymore. I have been following the developments rather closely when the protests first started, but I have stopped doing so cos I do not agree with them. 

And today, I read this headline - "Trump, make Hong Kong great again". I couldn't help but roll my eyes. I mean, seriously? Trump, to me, is only concerned about himself. His presidency has thus far been about his own ego and his own re-election. HK means nothing to him but a pawn to be used to co-erce China as part of his game to seek re-election. Whatever HK's fate is, Trump will spin the outcome to his favour. Liberate HK? Make HK great again? what nonsense!

Over the last couple of weeks, I texted a couple of HK friends and all of them expressed their disagreement about the protests and felt the protesters had gone a tat too far. But at the same time, they could empathise with them as many felt helpless by the soaring land prices, etc. So, what started off as an anti-extradition bill protest had morphed to one where people are using the protests to vent their anger at the local government and their failure to look after the good livelihood of the populace.

Anyway, this post is not meant to generate a political discussion and I will certainly not respond to anyone who tries to get me to do so. It is a post for me to capture my thoughts. Here're some of them:

• The 21st century belongs to China. This is a fact and everything I know in all the different spaces, point to this fact unfolding. So, if I were a Hongkie, I will happily embrace this fact and embrace myself as a Chinese HK. I might even ask why I have to wait for 2047... fact is - HK has a natural hinterland and wants to deny it. Singapore, in 1965, wants a hinterland, but was denied one... what irony.

• Democracy - do we even have an alignment in our thoughts about what democracy is? Looking at the protesters, many of them are in their late teens and early-20s and come across as pure naive (case in point is their cry for Trump to make HK great again, what rubbish). Many have not even seen the world nor understand the dynamics between countries. As such, much as I admire their idealism, I seriously think they fell short of understanding what's real. 

• Personally, I am all for rights and freedom of (anything), but I also believe strongly in being responsible. I will willingly forgo my rights if there is a larger good for the society, for the community, for the country. And in the context of China, I seriously do not think the country is ready for democracy as the US knows it. China has never in it's 5000-year history been governed in this manner and I do not see it change overnight. This brings me to the next point...

• Engage the political leadership and change the politics over time. Hong Kong already has so much freedom that the mainlanders do not enjoy, enjoy this freedom and navigate the space, instead of pushing for more too suddenly. Best case if you do so is to incur the wrath of China and China will simply let you run out of steam and sideline you into oblivion. Worst case is that China will roll their military and force things down.

I can only say this - people needs to cool down, and agree to talk. If they don't, and keep pushing, things will never end. And at this rate the so-called leaderless protesters are going, the only ones to suffer will be the Hongkies themselves.

Ok, just ranting to fill my weekend boredom. Gonna be a stressful week ahead. 

:-)

Of Chickens, Rabbits & Dragons

I was in Penang over the last weekend and came across this dim sum place that was decorated with lots of lanterns. I was simply wowed by them. 

When I was a kid, it was customary for my mum to buy mooncakes for my godmother, who, in return, would buy such lanterns for me. I particularly looked forward to such cellophane lanterns and I recalled vividly that I had different animals for different years. 

My favourite lanterns include those shaped and painted to look like chickens, rabbits or dragons. And guess what - much fun as I had walking around with candle-lit lanterns, the real fun actually lie in the fact that I get the chance to play with fire! And all the time, my fun will end when my lantern got burned.

Those were the good old days.