Saturday, February 26, 2005

2005 Horoscope

Aries in 2005 - Flexibility

If you want a motto for 2005, the best one to adopt would be "go with the flow." 2005 will be a year of ups and downs, and only the flexible will be able to keep from going crazy! All Aries natives may have to tighten their belts and curb their
desire for constant expansion. You may need to play it cool and curb your spending.You'll be among the first to seize upon new societal trends to create new opportunities for yourself, as your creativity will be at an all-time high. You will be more eloquent and persuasive than usual, and others will identify enthusiastically with your vision. If you want to start a new creative project or business venture,your imagination will be working overtime. 2005 could find you
doing well career-wise - and aspiring to climb even higher.

Taurus in 2005 - Tenacity

"Diligence" is the key word for you, Taurus. With hard work and focus, you will
attain at least one important aspiration that has been on your agenda for a long
time. This is the year you'll want to take stock of your career and ask yourself
if you're doing the work you want to do for the rest of your life. As the year
progresses, the more impressive your ideas and works become. As a result, your
finances improve - and your newfound confidence could attract new love into your
life. By the end of the year, you will have a whole new network of friends and group
activity, stimulating new ideas and taking up your social life a notch or two.

Gemini in 2005 - Success

Your cycle of learning through the school of hard knocks has come to an end, Gemini,
and now you're going to start reaping the rewards these "lessons" have left in their
wake. As 2005 progresses, the road ahead will become clearer. You now have
it in you to create the kind of life for yourself that you want. These leaps and
bounds forward include love and creativity. Your learning of concepts of all kinds
combines with extensive group activity,bringing your mind into a whole new space this
year.By the end of 2005 you'll have a whole new start with regard to your career and
your earning potential - and a possible new partnership to top it off!

Cancer in 2005 - Balance

Finding a balance between your personal and professional lives may be one of the
year's strongest challenges. For the most part, your outward life this year will go
in fits and starts -alternating periods of intense activity with times of welcome
rest. Enjoy the restful periods when you can. The active ones will be
hectic! You'll be making radical changes in your work habits, but you'll be a lot
happier for it, and in the end you'll know it was worth it. Your love life is full,
and any dissatisfaction with career and money matters fades into the background.
By the end of 2005, you'll feel more confident, more determined,and far more capable
of making the mountains come to you!

Leo in 2005 - Abundance

Pursuing a successful career, along with the usual social and financial advantages,
will be easier thisyear than it has in a long time for you, Leo! The most difficult
thing might be deciding which path means the most to you, and where to put your
focus. You'll be able to create opportunities for advancement almost out of thin air.
Romance in 2005 will make it a year to remember - and you'll be the envy of all your
friends. Love comes willingly and easily. Money may suddenly become tight at
a very inconvenient time. Yet, this is no comparison to the advancements you'll make
overall, and by the end of 2005, you'll look back in sheer wonder and happiness.

Virgo in 2005 - Perseverance

Your working life might not go so smoothly this year, Virgo. For much of 2005,
you'll be putting your nose to the grindstone. On the bright side, your finances
will be pretty stable. Just don't take it for granted - you still need to be
cautious this year. Your love life will thrive for most of the year, and any
relationship begun or reaffirmed in 2005 is very likely to be a lasting one.
And, you're going to develop a hopeless romantic streak. In spite of a lot of worry
over your career, by the year's end, you'll see that 2005 has filled your life with
prosperity and accomplishments.

Libra in 2005 - Expansion

Flex your muscles, friend Libra, and prepare for a relatively easy ride.With
beneficent Jupiter in your sign, this is definitely your year, especially where your
social life is concerned. Happiness and enjoyment lie ahead. If you're not presently
married, and want to be, you just might wed by the end of the year. This is the year
you're going to be doing a lot of travel and learning about your world,as expansion
is the theme. The one department of life that may not quite be as hopeful as you'd
like could be your career, where advancement may be slow and satisfaction rare.
By year's end, you may find yourself seriously considering a major change - all for
the best.

Scorpio in 2005 - Transmutation

Scorpio, you can still expect changes - perhaps major ones - in your life this year,
almost to the point of total transformation. While this is most
apparent in the area of your career, you'll see it showing up in other important
aspects of your life.Your life might take on an entirely new direction you've never
dreamed of. You may also change your residence during the year. Whether you start
the year as a single person looking for a partner, or you've been married for many
years, happiness inlove does lie ahead. Be prepared for new horizons.They may not be
familiar, but they will be fascinating. Don't cling to the banks; instead, flow with
the tide in 2005.

Sagittarius in 2005 - Empowerment

Are you prepared to handle absolute power? If not,you will be soon! Your ruling
planet, Jupiter, will be in a special relationship with Pluto - called "mutual
reception" - in 2005. There's so much punch packed into this combination that it's
almost scary.You'll find the ultimate power is the ability to choose your own
destiny. You'll find practical ways of increasing your effectiveness in the world by
gaining new skills that allow you to live more abundantly. By the second half of the
year, you will finally feel welcome relief from the tight financial binds that have
hindered you over the past two years. And, a relationship you begin now will last a
very long time - like, for the rest of your life.Overall, 2005 is sure to be a year
you won't forget.

Capricorn in 2005 - Resolution

You've got plenty of lucky breaks headed your way in 2005, friend Capricorn.
The long awaited relief you've needed in your love life is around the corner,
and by the end of the year you will feel much clearer about your partnerships
in general.Financially, it could be a lean year, although some advance planning
can help you weather the storm.Your career opportunities will expand
exponentially,and you're likely to change jobs or positions this year. At times,
the pressure on your job and home life may seem unbearable, but rest assured you
will come through this stronger - and wiser - than ever,as more is revealed
and resolved in 2005.

Aquarius in 2005 - Magic

2005 sees you expanding your intuitive and psychic skills even more,
Aquarius. The mysteries of the universe continue to attract and intrigue
you, as you apply your mystical awareness to the important decisions
upcoming in your life, especially concerning partnerships of all kinds.
2005 is bound to bring at least one major success in the love department,
and your career will be brimming with new enthusiasm and innovation. Not
only that, but travel, adventure, and personal expansion infuse fresh
energy into all areas of your life. By year's end, your creative
decision-making will have carried you to whole new peaks - and a whole
new view from above.

Pisces in 2005 - Self-confidence

It's a big year for you, friend Pisces. No doubt, in 2005 you'll find
yourself pushed more and more out into the world. You'll experience a
new sense of purpose and make plenty of new friends. Expect lots of
surprises and lucky breaks this year, with Uranus bringing the unexpected
in your career, your love life, and the world in general. At some point
during the year, you could pick up a financial windfall,hear of a great
career opportunity, or unexpectedly meet the love of your life. It's
important that you take retreats and plenty of time for yourself to
regenerate, as the rate of change in your personal and professional life
will be fast and unpredictable. Remain calm and confident, and love
is very likely to flourish in 2005. "Expect the unexpected," and enjoy the ride!

Thursday, February 24, 2005

Googlism for: Ching

ching is the place to find freebies
ching is the chinese harmonic sequence
ching is a hyperlinked
ching is one of the world's
ching is shown performing
ching is utterly reliable
ching is a practical guide through the perplexities and insecurities of daily life
ching is made
ching is a philosophy dating back to the origins of chinese civilization which evolved along with chinese writing and culture
ching is a hyperlinked chinese book whose hexagrams can be used for both fortune
ching is one of the world's oldest systems ofgiving advice about the present and looking into thefuture
ching is a self
ching is a creative method for using the ancient archetypes that underlie wên's illustrations to explore the way our minds work
ching is in its elegance
ching is the world's most translated book
ching is a result of 4000 years of observation
ching is available in an electronic multimedia edition from princeton university press which should appeal to a new generation of students and
ching is a fucking chink
ching is a very ancient art oracle that has survived thousands of years
ching is perhaps the oldest extant oracle or text of divination known to man
ching is the book of historical records; it describes events dating back to the third millenium bc
ching is one of them
ching is a most ancient chinese fortune
ching is based on the
ching is very
ching is the most widely translated book in world literature
ching is chinese
ching is also known as "the book of changes" and is vaguely dated to being 5000 years old
ching is a book of divination
ching is the star
ching is an intelligent and intuitive observation of how the dynamic of change unfolds in the events that surround the individual
ching is the most translated book of in the world
ching is a classic of chinese literature
ching is much simplified
ching is chinese for ''the book of changes
ching is not about fortune telling
ching is made of 64 hexagrams
ching is more than a book to be understood
ching is the greatest foundation of chinese philosophy
ching is unlike any other in gorland
ching is often regarded as a system of divination or fortune
ching is consulted in several ways
ching is based on generating a six
ching is similar in some respects to the tarot
ching is key to reaping the benefits of this age
ching is a compact guide to the fascinating history and development of this text known as the "classic of changes"
ching is questioned that its ancient
ching is a profound introduction to the chinese world
ching is a poem
ching is made up of 64 hexagrams
ching is in
ching is both of those things
ching is a fairly simple process of finding an answer that is applicable to a particular personal problem
ching is an ancient chinese oracle that provides an oriental philosophical perspective to give insight on situations and problems
ching is the only complete oracle system coming down to us
ching is a wise ancient method used to reveal the hidden world that underlies your existence
ching is the world's oldest known book
ching is both a divination oracle that illuminates the opportunities of the present time
ching is the most famous and translated work from the taoist inheritance
ching is an ancient system of philosophy dating back to the origins of chinese civilization
ching is built on the premise that there exist opposing force in the universe
ching is yet unknown
ching is one of the eldest systems which has been kept undamaged over the centuries since more then 3000 years
ching is a book of truths
ching is the central character in many of the works stout has created
ching is a lot more than just a book
ching is probably the most influential chinese book of all times
ching is interested in your motives and inner concerns
ching is attributed to the indian priest
ching is one of the oldest and continuously read philosophical texts on the planet
ching is a world
ching is only a couple hundred years old green snake
ching is divination
ching is primal
ching is anything more
ching is considered the oldest scripture in chinese culture and respected as the progenitor of all writings
ching is one of the 5 main books of ancient and time
ching is a 3000 year old chinese oracle
ching is the first new translation of this ancient art

Man?Woman?





Your Brain is 46.67% Female, 53.33% Male



Your brain is a healthy mix of male and female

You are both sensitive and savvy

Rational and reasonable, you tend to keep level headed

But you also tend to wear your heart on your sleeve


What age do I act?





You Are 21 Years Old



21





Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe.

13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world.

20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences.

30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more!

40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.


I am Malaysian





You Know You're Malaysian When....


You complain about the quality of the pirated DVD you just purchased. "What, RM10 for DVD5?! Aiyah, boss ... sound no good, cheaperlah ..."

You're willing to consume sambal petai and durian and gladly suffer the bloating and wind-breaking incidents.

You're exceedingly polite to the Mat Sallehs but you slag your own kind. "Hello, sir. Why don't you sit here, it’s got the best view of the city skyline." But, "Aunty-ah, your table is over there next to the kitchen."

You order Maggi goreng and fried chicken, complain about how oily the food is, and then proceed to finish it anyway.

You love to talk about food. You're already thinking about what to have for dinner while eating lunch. "I'm stuffed. What shall we have for dinner?"

You dive into a communal-style meal the moment the dish lands on the table only to hesitate at the last morsel of food on the serving dish. There are two possible explanations for this: the first is the pai seh (embarrassed) factor, while the other is the myth that the person who eats the last piece will be a spinster.

You hit the accelerator the moment the first drop of rain hits your windshield. "Alamak, it's going to rain. Sure traffic jam one. I'd better drive faster."

You seize the opportunity to make a U-turn anywhere ... especially where there is a sign telling you not to. Well, so long as the cops aren't in sight.

You feel a burning desire to send text messages and even have the gall to give your friend a blow-by-blow account of the movie to your friend on the handphone — during the screening of the movie. "Okay, now that girl Lizzie is impersonating an Italian singer; she so doesn’t look Italian ..."

You forsake your loved ones for the all-important four letter-word: S-A-L-E. "Sorry, mum, I can't take you to Aunt Mary’s because I have to go to MidValley before the crowd." You’re also more than happy to be part of the insane traffic jam that forms around malls during weekends and sale periods.

11. Reality shows Akademi Fantasia and Malaysian Idol dictate your social life. "What, no TV at the mamak? Count me out — I'm staying home. Rinie needs my support."

You pepper every sentence with lah. "No-lah, I can't see you today-lah. I have to study-lah. You know-lah, the prison warden aka mak is watching me like a hawk"

You fail to function normally without your daily dose of teh tarik and nasi lemak.

You have owned at least one Proton in your lifetime. Cheap, cheap. That is until you start to make enough dough to buy that Honda you've been salivating over.

You slow down at an accident site to take down the car number plate, but won't step out of your car to help — the victim could be a robber!

You'd rather park your car along the main road outside the mall, where there's a yellow line, rather than pay RM1 to park inside where there are adequate bays.

You plead, bat your eyelids and relate a sob story to the officer at the town council office to let you off the hook (or reduce the amount considerably) for the fine you incurred when you parked your car on the double line.

You make an appointment for 10am and conveniently show up a half hour late — Malaysian time, what ...

You pop open the wet tissue packet at the Chinese restaurant by squeezing the trapped air to the top of the packet before proceeding to smash your fist into it. The louder the pop the better.

You greet your friend / neighbor / acquaintance on the street with "How are things?" or "Have you eaten?" or better yet, by stating the obvious: "Went to market ah?"

Ramlee burger is the "piece de resistance" of your growing-up-years cuisine.

You catch all major televised events at the mamak.

You have roughly six meals a day (breakfast, mid-morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and supper). Then there's the snacking — keropok ikan, pisang goreng, muruku, jam tarts and the like.

You get the whole family dressed to the nines, jump into the car and head for the minister's open house — and ask for styrofoam boxes and plastic bags to tar pau food.

Your accent and language style vary according to the race of the person you are conversing with.

You've got a friendly disposition. Smiles are abundant and your "Apa khabar?" is warm and sincere.

You exclaim loudly how expensive everything is, even though the items may in fact be going for a steal. "Wah! So expensive, ah? Hak sei ngor (Scare me to death)!"

You dig deep into your pockets to contribute to the latest appeal for donations in the newspapers.

You "dis" our country all the time, but as soon as something good happens (like winning the Thomas Cup), you morph into a proud Malaysian.

You never travel abroad without a bottle of chilli sauce, or sachets which you can sneak into restaurants.

You're proud to be Malaysian - and you pass these jokes on to all your Malaysian friends!



Get Your Own "You Know You're" Meme Here

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-- My Personality --





You Have A Type B+ Personality



B+





You're a pro at going with the flow
You love to kick back and take in everything life has to offer
A total joy to be around, people crave your stability.

While you're totally laid back, you can have bouts of hyperactivity.
Get into a project you love, and you won't stop until it's done
You're passionate - just selective about your passions


~ My Attitude ~





How Your Attitude Ranks


Your Attitude is Better than 80% of the Population


If you scored...

80-100: You've got a winner attitude. You're always optimistic and cheery. Your personality will get you far in life.

60-79: You have a good attitude. While a realist, you do see the positive side of most things. People love to be around you.

40 - 59: You have a positive attitude... somtimes. You prefer to see the world through clear glasses, not rose colored ones.

20 - 39: You have an average attitude. You take the good and bad in life as they come. Though sometimes you could use a little more good.

0-19: You have a negative attitude. You tend to see the dark side of every situation. Free ice cream? No thanks, it will just make you fat!



Friday, February 18, 2005

The Other side of easy

Initial Responses To Difficult Days

NO WARNING SIGNS AHEAD...

They often come unannounced.

No warning.

No time to prepare.

Our normal, everyday world is invaded by an intruder we

didn't seek, don't want to know, and will soon wish we had

never met.

These unwelcome "guests" break into our lives in a variety

of ways. One may choose to enter through the door of our

family physician's office with an unanticipated diagnosis.

Another intruder may trespass our personal space by means

of a phone call about a family member or close friend.

While these "guests" may introduce themselves to us in any

number of ways, what they lead us to is always the same.

They lead us to *difficult times.* Times I have come to

label as...

"The other side of easy."

I'm no expert in dealing with tragedy -- believe me.

I have, however, made some observations about how myself and

others have tried to cope in the early days when tragedy

strikes.

I will list a few of these observations for you below. I

wrote them down within a few weeks after my wife received

a phone from our daughter while we were driving home from a

short trip we had taken for the day. Her call began with:

"Mom, are you driving? If you are, maybe you had better

pull over."

Our own "special guest" had come to pay us a visit.

My observations are...

WE DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO FIRST

*Immediate needs take front row seats in our world.

*Needs of all kinds can -- and should -- dictate what

what we do. People needs receive the highest priority.

"Is everyone okay?"

"What can I do to help?"

"Do you need anything?"

*Schedules are readjusted. Day by day phone calls

may not be made. Trips may need to be planned.

WE LOOK FOR WHATEVER IS GOOD, POSITIVE AND

VALUABLE IN THE WORLD

Tragedy is ugly. People are hurting. Physical and

emotional "staying powers" are stretched to the limits.

But in the midst of it all, it is good to realize that...

*There are good people in the world

*There is "good" in the world

It is helpful to acknowledge and appreciate both: good

people and "the good." My tragedy doesn't negate what is

true. Rather, it seems to be helpful to affirm these truths.

WE EXPECT NOTHING LESS THAN REALITY FROM OURSELVES

We expect the high moments. Moments when we are functioning

pretty well. We are coping.

But then again, we also expect low moments. Moments of

discouragement, perplexity or fear.

And we also expect a wide range of both: high and low

moments in what could be considered rapid succession.

We call this..."dealing with reality." It's okay.

WE MAKE ADJUSTMENTS AS NEEDED AND KEEP GOING FORWARD

Activity is good: the more normal, the better.

I don't expect to produce at my "top level."

However, neither do I presume that I will work at my lowest

possible level.

I need to adjust. To flex. And keep going forward.

I need to do the best I can within the confines of my

physical and emotional state -- but keep doing what needs to

be done on a daily basis.

There is a good measure of truth in the old statement: "Life

must go on."

WE LAUGH

Laughter and good humor -- each has its place during the sad

times we face. They help us gain a sense of balance.

Light moments tend to assist us in dealing with the pain.

And, those lighter moments are "okay."

WE SEE HOPE

Because there are good people in the world, we see hope in

them. They help, pitch in, care, and pray.

Because of our own experiences that we have had to walk

through in life, we can see hope in ourselves and our

ability to deal with bad things that happen to us.

Because of who God is and how He has worked in our lives,

we have hope. Hope in His strength, guidance and goodness.

IF I WERE TO TURN THESE OBSERVATIONS AROUND...

And make them into a set of personal suggestions to help

in the initial moments of difficult times, they would be:

*Do what you need to do first. Do whatever it takes.

*Look for good in people and in the world.

*Have realistic expectations about yourself and

others during those times.

*Make whatever adjustments you need to make and

strive to keep moving forward as much as

possible.

*Allow humor and laughter into your world. It's

okay to laugh.

*Don't lose hope. See hope in others, in yourself

and in God.

© Lee Wise 2003 All rights reserved

Wherever You Are, Be There

Wherever You Are, Be There

One of the major reasons why we fail to find
happiness or to create a unique lifestyle is because
we have not yet mastered the art of being.

While we are home our thoughts are still absorbed
with solving the challenges we face at the office.
And when we are at the office we find ourselves
worrying about problems at home.

We go through the day without really listening to
what others are saying to us. We may be hearing
the words, but we aren't absorbing the message.

As we go through the day we find ourselves
focusing on past experiences or future possibilities.
We are so involved in yesterday and tomorrow that
we never even notice that today is slipping by.

We go through the day rather than getting
something from the day. We are everywhere at any
given moment in time except living in that moment
in time.

Lifestyle is learning to be wherever you are.

It is developing a unique focus on the current
moment, and drawing from it all of the substance
and wealth of experience and emotions that it has
to offer.

Lifestyle is taking time to watch a sunset.

Lifestyle is listening to silence.

Lifestyle is capturing each moment so that it
becomes a new part of what we are and of what
we are in the process of becoming.

Lifestyle is not something we do; it is something we
experience. And until we learn to be there, we will
never master the art of living well.

To Your Success,

Jim Rohn

How to Let Go

When you have to get over it, a lot of times it feels impossible. You go to google, you search for broken heart quotes, hoping that will make it better. Most of them only increase your emotional suffering. I had to write my own in order to claw my way out of the pain. I'll put my heartbreak quotes in bold so they'll stand out. You try this approach on. You'll see, the following suggestions, when taken, work within two weeks to greatly reduce your suffering:

Realize that part of what hurts is not reality. It's the pain of losing the picture you've kept creating in your own mind of how wonderful things would be if he/she'd just get over that other woman/man, be ready for commitment, get a job, quit the bottle, or whatever.

CHOOSE to create different pictures.

All of us find certain types of people, certain behaviors, and certain looks repulsive. Each of us has our own, personal list. Put yours down on paper. Then, every time you miss him/her, and every time you go to the bathroom... picture the one you miss so terribly and whom you've already figured out isn't coming back with a row of festering zits all around their __________ (insert their feature you love best here). Picture them with a greasy, sleazy personality, hawking lugies at your mother's church. Picture it in full color, include sound, odors, details. You own your brain. It believes whatever pictures you create regularly. Create pictures that help you get over rather than pictures that prevent getting over.

And, by all means... stop listening to tearjerking, obsessive songs. You know the ones... "I can't live without you, breathe without you, dance without you. I can't get over you, stop loving you, etc." That's bull! That's the way the songwriter felt the day he wrote that song. For all you know, he got over it the next day, and here you are, clinging to the words like they're going to help! Maybe you feel like your love wasn't real if you don't hurt really, really bad for a long, long time. Or, just possibly, all those obsessive songs have convinced you that unrequited love is romantic. BULL!

Cuddling up with someone is romantic. Hurting for months or years after someone is long gone is just foolish. Listen to Mariah Carey's A Hero, Destiny's Child I'm a Survivor, Gloria Gaynor's I will survive, Enrique Iglesias' I Will Survive, Alabama's You Can't Keep a Good Man Down, Ronnie Milsap's Like a Button off of my Shirt, Desirree's You Gotta Be every day, all day long. Make those "getting over" pictures in your head every time you think of him/her, and then just see if you don't feel less obsessed two weeks from now. In the meantime, check out these emotional pain-killers.

Always remember that pain is necessary and suffering is optional. It's always YOUR choice.

Sunday, February 06, 2005

"14 WAYS TO BE HAPPY"


"14 WAYS TO BE HAPPY"


ACCEPT THE PAINS

You must get in touch with your situation.
Sometimes people deny their hardship,
thinking that if they don't face them, they will be happier.
But it's the other way around.
Allow yourself to go through the pains.

...



CHOOSE NOT TO STAY IN PAIN

They say this is "self-empowerment".
You can either be bitter about the pains and feel very powerless.
Or you can do something and feel powerful enough to handle them.
It's a choice to live with or without pain.
...



FORGIVE YOURSELF, OTHER PEOPLE

But before forgiveness comes in,
think about how other people hurt.
Then realize that you can see yourself
For what you actually are and not how they want you to be.
So finding happiness is no longer rooted outside, but it's inside you -
what you see, how you view things, what you want.
Then it leads to your choice: to live your life with yourself.
...



TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR LIFE

We sometimes allow ourselves
to let other people, circumstances, or pains
in the past to rule out lives.
So we become very unhappy and very bitter
because we live blaming others on
who we are, where we're at, or how we should be.
It's an exhausting process
because you'll forever be blaming other people.
Don't be bothered
by what others think who you are
or the standards they set.
Take responsibility for your life.
...



LEARN TO LET GO AND TRUST YOURSELF

To be happy means learning to let go of expectations
from yourself or from other people.
You can't always have your way.
At work, you can't always be sure
your strategies will work of your plans will happen.
But before you let go, have a deeper trust in yourself
...



LEARN TO RECEIVE BLESSINGS

Think of the little things that make you happy
or the people that give you assurance where you're good at.
This is called receiving.
Most of us have reasons to be happy,
only that we don't see them or we take them for granted.
We need to have little eyes and little hearts too,
and realize that all things
that make us happy have been there all along.
...



HAVE SOMEBODY TO TURN TO

Even if you're in turmoil,
there are people who will support you.
But often we stick with people who make us unhappy.
If you're unhappy, seek people who will nurture you
or look for a partner
who will serve as a well-spring of inspiration.
...



BE HOPEFUL

Hoping is better than being optimistic since it's whole and real.
Because sometimes, one optimism can be a denial of hardship.
It's easy to be optimistic about things,
but inside you, you're anxious about him.
Hoping is deeper.
It's something you look forward to
even when you recognize the difficulties and pains.
The more hopeful a person is, the more he recognizes
how bad the situation is, and lets himself to bear it.
In the end, he knows it will bear good results.
You don't deny difficulties.
You're touching ground instead.
...



KEEP THE FAITH ALIVE

There'll be points in your life
when you can't handle problems alone.
Think about SOMEONE who's more powerful,
and who loves you dearly to take care of you.
Having faith in GOD will give you hope.
...



SHARE YOURSELF

You can actually give intangible gifts
even without your conscious effort.
People will tell you later that you've helped them,
and gradually, you will feel you're making
a difference in their lives.
That's a deeper gift, when you help others,
they affirm you by saying, " You're good."
Then you realize that you're good person
and your goodness is not merely based
on meeting deadlines or getting a raise.
It's more of proving your self-worth based
on being loved for who you really are
and not simply for the result you can deliver of the money
you can contribute towards difficulties in life.
...



BE GRATEFUL

You have to develop in yourself the sense of gratitude.
You should be thankful for what you have.
But you should recognize that
there are things you can do to improve your life.
...



IT'S ALL IN THE MIND

We are unhappy because we think we are.
Unhappy people are attached to their unhappiness.
They refuse to change.
When one thinks negatively, then he attracts negative thoughts.
If you think that a tragedy will fall on you, somehow you fulfil it.
Unconsciously, you make it happen.
...



MONEY ISN'T EVERYTHING

People accumulate more and more money,
but the amount of happiness they can "buy"
gets smaller and smaller.
Although more money may bring greater feeling of empowerment.
Studies show that personal relationships, spirituality
and feelings about oneself
most directly influence well-being.
...



DISCOVER THE BEST FRIEND IN YOU

We can all change for the better.
You can be happy even with yourself by
discovering the best friend in you.
Get real.
Don't be hard on yourself with those
high, unattainable goals.
It's time you don't look for happiness outside you.
...






Saturday, February 05, 2005

12 Ways To Be Happy

12 Ways To Be Happy:

1. Make up your mind to be happy. Learn to find pleasure in simple things.

2. Make the best of your circumstances. No one has everything, and everyone has
something
of sorrow intermingled with gladness of life. The trick is to make the
laughter outweigh the tears.


3. Don't take yourself too seriously. Don't think that somehow you should be
protected
from misfortune that befalls other people.

4. You can't please everybody. Don't let criticism worry you.

5. Don't let your neighbor set your standards. Be yourself.

6. Do the things you enjoy doing but stay out of debt.

7. Never borrow trouble. Imaginary things are harder to bear than real ones.

8. Since hate poisons the soul, do not cherish jealousy, Avoid people who make you
unhappy.


9. Have many interests. If you can't travel, read about new places.

10.Don't hold postmortems. Don't spend your time brooding over sorrows or
mistakes. Don't be one who never gets over things.


11. Do what you can for those less fortunate than yourself.

12. Keep busy at something. A busy person never has time to be unhappy.




Friday, February 04, 2005

'Discounting' made simple

Back by popular demand, Mike Howson hires Holmes and Watson to investigate the topic of discounting, relevant for ACCA paper 3.6

'I say, Holmes,’ said Watson at breakfast one morning, ‘how is it that accountants can foretell the future, whereas the rest of us can’t?’

‘What the deuce are you talking about, Watson?’ said Holmes, taking the new hookah pipe out of his mouth. ‘You must give me more to work on.’

‘Well, an old friend of mine, Bungee Jumper, dropped in at the club yesterday and showed me the accounts for one of his investments. They showed much lower profits than he had expected and, consequently, a lower dividend. It appeared that an important asset had been written down - I think the expression he used was ‘impaired’. He showed me the relevant note to the accounts and it said that the future cashflows to be generated by this asset had been discounted and compared with its book value; as the book value was greater, the asset had to be written down. But it’s dashed confusing how these chaps can work out what cashflows an asset can generate in the future.’

‘Watson, there are four separate issues here,’ said Holmes, taking a puff on his hookah. ‘The first is the estimation of the future cashflows generated by an activity. Accountants have extensive experience of business activities and think that reasonable estimates can be made.’

‘But surely, Holmes, there are too many examples of where the estimates have proved to be hopelessly wrong? The Channel tunnel, the Humber Bridge and the Scottish Parliament are just a few. The latter reputedly came in at ten times over budget.’

‘That is true, Watson, but those figures were not for the published financial statements. They were used as the basis for extracting money from lenders such as banks. The accounting profession now seems to think that such estimates can be shown on the Balance Sheet as the basis of valuations and that the auditor will accept them as true and fair. Various recent accounting standards require accountants to be reasonably certain as to the measurement of such figures. But, can an investment analyst rely on such figures when calculating accounting ratios? The advice that he will give must be flawed and will inevitably lead to financial problems.’

‘That seems only natural, Holmes.’

After another puff, Holmes continued.

‘The second issue concerns the interest rate to be used to discount the future cashflows. The principle is elementary and in some cases is a perfectly valid way of dealing with items in the accounts of a business. A good example is a lease to acquire a new machine. The total payments are known and so is the price that would have been charged if the item had been bought for cash. The difference is the total interest charge. And, because the period of the lease and all of the cashflows are known, it is possible to calculate the rate of interest that has been used in the lease contract. Is that clear so far, Watson?’

‘Yes, but I don’t see how it relates to Bungee’s situation.’

‘With the liability under a lease, the payments are known and so is the rate of interest. However, with any other future liability, assuming that the funds set aside to pay it off will be invested, what is the rate of interest that the investments will earn? Of course, if the rate of interest is known, it is possible to work backwards to find out what amount must be set aside. This amount is known as the present value of the future liability. The process is known as discounting and can also be applied to future cashflows generated by an asset to arrive at a valuation of that asset, as has been done in Bungee’s case.’
‘But, Holmes, how does one know what the interest rate will be in future years?’

‘Exactly, Watson. It has to be estimated. And, furthermore, it is unlikely to remain constant. The UK accounting standard on the subject of impairment, which you mentioned earlier on, says that “the discount rate should be an estimate of the rate that the market would expect on an equally risky investment and should be a pre-tax rate’. The international standard says that ‘the discount rate shall be a pre-tax rate that reflects current market assessments of the time value of money and the risks specific to the asset”. This is a highly subjective matter as it difficult to assess the level of risk. And, incidentally, not all economists agree that it should be a pre-tax rate.’

Holmes paused, took a puff and sat back, waiting for the feeling of elation to subside before he continued.

’The third issue concerns present values. No project is undertaken in isolation and there are also likely to be surplus funds which should be invested. The proportions of all of these are constantly changing and therefore the overall interest rate used, averaged or whatever, will vary from year to year as well as from month to month. Accountants should at least consider the use of net terminal values. The final issue concerns what accountants are making the Balance Sheet into. While historical cost accounting shows the unexpired costs of a business’s assets, it never tries to show the value of the business, as this is such a subjective area that it is not possible to do so to everyone’s satisfaction. The value of a business can never be determined from an examination of its Balance Sheet, whatever convention is applied, and it is a waste of time to try. Furthermore, any attempt at valuation will involve a cost that businesses should be allowed to avoid. Admittedly, some estimations are made, such as for provisions for depreciation and liabilities, but these should be as prudent as possible.’

‘Holmes, it seems to me that there are too many estimates being made here. If these are the basis for the figures in the Balance Sheet, how can a shareholder possibly use the published financial statements as a basis for deciding whether he should hold on to his shares or sell them, let alone for an investment analyst to do more complex calculations?’

‘That is correct, Watson. There is so much subjectivity with estimates that there should be a health warning on the financial statements, although it must be said that some estimates are unavoidable, such as of the lives of the fixed assets. The real mystery is why the accounting profession relies so heavily on present values. It seems to me that this will end up rather like the Hans Christian Andersen story of the Emperor’s new clothes. That reminds me, we are meeting Lord Gulliball at noon. He has been rather led astray by an old adversary of ours…’


Is bigger really better in practice?

There’s no doubt that the extra compliance work brought on by Sarbanes Oxley, by the advent of International Financial Reporting Standards and by the general climate of anxiety created by high profile corporate collapses has translated into more work all round. Liz Loxton reports

More work and more jobs. The employment market for accountants at all levels and from all disciplines has been revitalised. And the gentle upturn in the UK economy has contributed to a growing sense that trainee accountants are no longer a ‘nice to have’ but essential to the growth of a firm.

With past cut backs in the number of training contracts being offered well and truly over, competition for partly qualified and qualified accountants is steep. PQs should in theory be in a strong position to negotiate better terms.

So if you are working in the world of practice, how does life compare between the small, medium and large firms? Pass asked the biggest - PricewaterhouseCoopers - and mid-tier firm Kingston Smith what they had to offer in terms of benefits, experience, exposure to senior clients and career development (see panel). We also talked to training partner Alan Knapp at Docklands-based small firm Littlejohn Frazer about the small firm experience.

On pay, there were some interesting differentiators. At PwC an ACA trainee would join (in London) on £23,500, while Kingston Smith offers £20,000 to £22,000. At PwC, that trainee will find their salary rise to £25,000 after 15 months. On qualification they would get a healthy hike in salary, up to £30,500. At Kingston Smith, a third-year trainee might already reach £29,000 during their third year.

In terms of training support, PwC like other big firms has a dedicated professional qualifications group, there to coach trainees through their first years, along with assistance from line managers and coaches. Kingston Smith offers a buddy systems as well as deploying senior staff as trainers and mentors. Both firms say they are committed to giving trainees a healthy level of responsibility throughout their three year contract.

And the bigger firms and the mid-tier are not the only ones offering well-rounded training contracts with good exposure to household name clients at senior level.

Alan Knapp says corporate governance measures like Sarbanes Oxley have in some cases conflicted the Big Four out of work, resulting in complex and varied work filtering down to smaller firms like Littlejohn Frazer. He says financial services in particular offers quite high levels of responsibility and varied experience, with taxation and accounting staff working closely together. This is good news, he says, as it gives trainees early exposure to the ways in which corporate governance issues can resonate throughout a client’s business.

He cites IFRS as an example. The massive amount of work involved will hone analytical skills and will also see accountants interpreting information and communicating the changes to clients at board level.

Even where trainees are working on apparently more day to day issues - helping clients with management accounting issues or payroll, for instance - means that they can gain a real breadth of experience and interact with senior clients. This kind of work also has the benefit of providing a career path for the trainees post qualification. The firm doesn’t keep all its trainees on once they have qualified and a number find their way to posts at client companies.

‘If you have someone who is a year three assignment leader - they are in the face of the client, demonstrating strong technical skills and team leadership skills. It’s quite a testament to their development when they move on,’ he says.

When it comes to recruitment, the bigger firms clearly benefit from their superior profile and hitting power when it comes to salary and benefits. But Knapp firmly believes that the smaller firms have a great deal to offer in terms of experience, levels of responsibility and recognition. ‘The firm is small enough that their work is recognised and acknowledged and that acknowledgement is a very positive aspect of working life.’

‘By the third year, you could be an assignment leader, dealing with the client, the managing partner and your team. That’s quite a tough role,’ he says, adding that the firm’s trainees seem to relish the challenge.

Wednesday, February 02, 2005

~~~~~"You are not alone"~~~~~

Another day has gone
I 'm still all alone
How could this be
You're not here with me
You never said goodbye
Someone tell me why
Did you have to go
And leave my world so cold
Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
But you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
But you are not alone
'Lone, 'lone
Why, 'lone
Just the other night
I thought I heard you cry
Asking me to come
And hold you in my arms
I can hear your prayers
Your burdens I will bear
But first I need your hand
Then forever can begin
Everyday I sit and ask myself
How did love slip away
Something whispers in my ear and says
That you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
For you are not alone
Whisper three words and I'll come runnin'
And girl you know that I'll be there
I'll be there
You are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though you're far away
I am here to stay
For you are not alone
For I am here with you
Though we're far apart
You're always in my heart
For you are not alone...
Yan Er :Remember no matter what happen,you are not alone,we will always there for you.