As the bus meandered along Serangoon Road, it dawned upon me that today was the Thaipusam Festival. I was inspired by the Thaipusam warriors carrying the kavadi. Thus was worn this poem ‘The Thaipusam Warriors’.

“Ignoring the sheer weight of the kavadi on my head
and the pain emitting from the sharp skewers pierced into my bare body,
I take yet another step forward. 
Slowly but surely…
stopping sometimes to
receive a food offering from some devotees
stopping sometimes to
dance and twirl around in circles.
With the peacock feathers on my kadavi fluttering majestically in the wind,
I undertake this arduous journey
as a mark of my faith,
as a language of my belief,
as proof of my dedication,
as return of my earlier vow
For if I am pure in both my thoughts and feelings,
may I not be hurt throughout it all.
May I wear a cloak of invincibility to
wade through the slings and arrows that may come my way.
May I be strong and not quiver
when facing my deepest fears.
May I summon my inner courage to
makr good my promise to God.
May I rise above all challenges and
be the greatest warrior of them all.”

Lionel Lim

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Ignoring all other forms of distraction,
I will stand at attention…
ready for your inspection.
For this is my sole proposition -
to make you happy within my jurisdiction,
to make you high with my seduction,
to let you enjoy this moment with no trepidation.

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如果我要爱
就要爱得轻松自如
但偏偏我就是天生爱吃醋
因为你是我生命的全部

我不必问什么
你知道我要问什么
我不必说什么
你知道我要说什么

我讨厌看到他自信的模样
我嫉妒你和他的欢乐时光
我不敢想象你们的暧昧情况
因为我相信我是太爱你了

我们之间的问题
在他还没出现之前
已经存在了
是我们选择把一切掩饰
以为这样做彼此会快乐

我们之间的问题
在他还没出现之前
已经存在了
是我们选择逃避现实
以为这样做彼此能圆满

原来他才是我们生命里的放大镜
是他把残酷的事实放大了

闹了以后我们感情是否依旧
能不能永远天长地久
我不知道未来会如何
但我答应我会一直在你身边守候

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After a round of ding-donging with ICA after they rejected my first photo submission, I went to collect my new passport this afternoon.

I must have learnt a very important lesson when it comes to photo selection. The photo must always have a super super white background and the facial features must be so clear and frontal. 

After hearing tales on how bad the lunch crowd at ICA was, I avoided collecting it during that hour and chose to go after 3pm. But guess what? The queue was just as long. My queue ticket bearing number 7900 had 42 people in front of me. A good thing I brought a book along to read…

After waiting close to an hour, my number was called. I was really in for a big surprise as the counter staff started to chat with me. I’m not sure if she does this to all customers but it totally took me by surprise.

She started telling me how people would go to extent to choose their nicest photo for the passport as it is valid for 5 years. Then she even let loose the worst kept secret that some people, both ladies and men included go for makeovers before having their photos taken.

I politely nodded my head and smiled. I’ll skip the makeovers please…as confidence and a smile matters more

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I broke a new record…one which I wasn’t extremely pleased with. I slept late, very late to be precise…at about 4plus in the morning…

And now I’m up at 8am because of a morning meeting. When I am sleep deprived, my language tends to be acerbic, my attention span scattered, my reflexes retarded, my eyes bloodshot and my mood greatly affected.

Aargh!!!!

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A distant uncle whom I was seated with at the wedding banquet chatted with me for probably the very first time. When he learned that I was in the fitness industry, he penned this for me in less than 5 minutes flat. I am so impressed.

Beauty

Vanity a necessity
Beauty, to animals
is the vigour, strength,
that won the fight
and gain the access
to the female and
the best offsprings are produced.

This beauty
is without words
without scale
and yet it ensures
the animal would prosper
without drugs, without discipline

The immense forces
of vast nature
enforce this wisdom
to animals
wiser than human
clearer than words

Human
with drugs and needles
can make many things happen
with scale and number
can make happening precise
However, human, the insatiable
nature of human
never satisfy with what they have
and jealous of what others have
so they try to change what it is
even without reason they can
find one
even without logic they can
invent one
and do so more fervently on
others, those who are
who are better already in many other ways

So human keep busy at scale
at number
and forgotten what is the purpose

As a trainer, you cannot easily change the desire
but as a wise trainer,
once you device something measureable
on scale progressively achievable
then man return to optimal instinct and wiser they become

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There was a time when others came aknocking but I said no as my heart was reserved for that special someone. That was when the sacred space in my heart was filled only with images of the special someone. But as time went by, I realised I never really understood the true character of the supposed special someone.

In fact, there were many times when I asked myself whether I should still continue deluding myself into believing that the makeshift world that was presented before my eyes or should I begin to trust my inner self.

My inner self told me to tear away the facade and seek the truth. Though the truth hurts, it is still better to learn and accept it now than pay a higher price for it by getting tangled in a web of deceit.

Saddened by the lies, hurt and incongruence, I finally decided to let go. Life is about letting go and getting rid of the cancer that toxifies our system. Life is not about holding onto the unhappiness, pain and disappointment. Only when I let go can new entrants enter my life. And I start my life on a new slate of white paper in 2010, ready to receive all the colours of the world.

This time when someone suitable comes aknocking, I’ll say yes.

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TV Mobile is officially a thing of the past now as 31 Dec 2009 marked its last day of service.

When it was first installed in the buses in 2001, I lamented its introduction as it was seen as an intrusion. Overnight, my otherwise quiet and peaceful bus ride was interrupted constantly by the jarring noises from that black box they call the television. I really asked myself then why bother installing another television in a public vehicle? Was it to boost revenue?

The reason why I choose to take the bus, or christened the scenic route, is so that I can soak in the sights during the meandering ride while occasionally enjoying precious moments of sleep time with my head nodding away in tandem. Life was a sea of peace and quiet. I really liked that.

Then my life changed as TV Mobile made its debut. Besides the usual chatter on the bus, there was an incessant stream of voices coming from that black TV Mobile box that never seemed to just shut up. I can’t blame it too as it was broadcasting daily from 6am to 12 midnight.

Commuters now had to contend with the existence of the supposed first channel in the world to pioneer the use of Digital Video Broadcast (DVB) technology to deliver high quality programmes to viewers on the move.

But as the years went by and the routes got longer (aargh…), TV Mobile slowly but surely became my companion on those long lonely rides that never seemed to reach the destination. My favourite programme was ‘Just For Laughs’. I remember laughing myself silly on the bus and marvelling at the various antics that never failed to perk me up on a lousy day.

Yet as they say, all things must come to an end, both good things and bad things. With the demise of TV Mobile, it is goodbye to all the latest infotainment, entertainment programmes and real-time news on the move.

Goodbye TV Mobile

What can I say but things have now come full circle once more…Sigh!

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