Amazing Grace ... It is truly amazing!

Lyrics as it is sung:

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost but now am found, Was blind, but now I see. When we've been there ten thousand years Bright shining as the sun. We've no less days to sing God's praise Than when we've first begun.

QUOTES for the Week...

1. "Positively speaking, fear is the factor that initialises and ignites faith." ... Jonathan Ooi
2. "Working longer hours does not mean getting more done, it simply encourages taking more time to do the things which could have been done in a shorter time." ... Jonathan Ooi
3. "Literary education is of no value, if it is not able to build up a sound character." ... Mahatma Gandhi
4. "The stupid neither forgive nor forget; the naive forgive and forget; the wise forgive but do not forget." ... Thomas Szasz
5. "A simple man believes anything, but a prudent man gives thought to his steps. A wise man fears the LORD and shuns evil, but a fool is hotheaded and reckless." ... Proverbs 14:15-16, New International Version of The Bible

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote

Soupy Mee Sua with Chye Sim, Meat, Prawns, Squid Balls and Chilli Padi.. Yummy yummy!

Popiah as a side dish... A healthy dish!

If Popiah is new to you, please check it out HERE....

Against the social norm...

I am totally impressed with an SMRT-189 Bus Captain who greets every boarding passenger loud and clear, and with a smile. He really takes pride in his work.

This is really something extraordinary. It is rather common that bus captains smile at boarding passengers, but to smile at the passengers and greet them one by one, "Good Afternoon, Sir!", "Da Jie, xia wu hao!" etc is at least something I have never come across.

I am sure, there will be people who would think and say that he is hypocritical or what he does is "lame" or "extra". But, say what you like, this is the problem with the society now! When someone does something that is out of the norm, he will be perceived as being funny or hypocritical as I mentioned earlier. The same applies to the speaking of English. When one speaks good English with correct pronunciation, he would be critically perceived as "showing-off".

There is much we have to learn to stand up tall when we are doing the right thing, and not being pushed down by the social norm and social pressure.

Latest QUOTES for ReadFlection...

1. "Falling Apart and Imbuing with Lethargic, Unmotivated and Regressive Emotions spells FAILURE." ... Jonathan Ooi
2. "Serious Undertaking with Complete Commitment, Enthusiasm and Smart Strategies spells SUCCESS." ... Jonathan Ooi
3. "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." ... Mahatma Gandhi (born: 1869-10-02 died: 1948-01-30 at age: 78)
4. "Turn negative thoughts into positive energy and do meaningful things, we will surely feel healthier and happier." ... Jonathan Ooi
5. "Communications can never be open and smooth when they become defensive and offensive." ... Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote

Leather Jacket Fish Steak in Oyster Sauce fried with Garlic...

A change of mindset ... go for all A1s

With some encouragement and motivation, a Sec-4 girl has decided to go for all A1s in her O-level examinations this year. She has already obtained an A2 for her Chinese Language. Her mother was so delighted and spontaneously promised her a special gift that the girl longs to have. I wish her success...

What has gone wrong with our children?

Observations:

• Students are seen smoking outside shopping malls, some even smoke in school toilets as I was told by one of the secondary school students.
• I have heard students exchanging vulgarities in buses and public places, in one instance, three girls were using vulgar words in almost every sentence they uttered in the bus.
• Some boys have conducted themselves in a certain manner, in one instance, carrying some metal bars walking in a group of 12, behaving like gangsters.
• Girls were seen sitting very indecently on the concrete parapet walls outside shopping malls.
• Media have reported that a great percentage of upper secondary students is engaging in sexual misconduct.
• I have been told by some parents that they were assaulted by their teenaged children at home.
• Many children are known to be disrespectful towards their parents, raising their voice when talking to them...
• and a host of many other undesirable behaviours.

Questions:

• What has gone wrong with our children and youth?
• Is there anything wrong with home parenting and school education?
• Whose responsibilities is it to put all these things right?

National Flower of Singapore - Vanda Miss Joaquim

For more information on Vanda Miss Joaquim, click HERE.

Real Time Bus Arrival Information system...

This Real Time Bus Arrival Information system is installed at some of the bus stops. It is useful to the commuters but sometimes, the information is not very accurate!

Some QUOTES for weekend ReadFlections...

1. "Parents, teachers and the community should work together to write and right the future of the children by educating them with the right values." ... Jonathan Ooi, inspired by Kuna Kali
2. "There is no end to material pursuits and peer comparisons, learn to be contented with what we are and what we have." ... Jonathan Ooi
3. "Our greatest glory consists not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall." ... Oliver Goldsmith
4. "Experience is not what happens to a man: it is what a man does with what happens to him." ... Aldous Huxley
5. "Take time to deliberate, but when the time for action has arrived, stop thinking and go in." ... Napoleon Bonaparte

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote

Lose Weight by Drinking Alkaline Water...

For more information, please visit this website.

If you want to read 66 good books, buy a Bible!

Adapted from http://www.fasterpastor.com

My LATEST QUOTES for ReadFlection...

1. "Take personal responsibility for the consequences of our own actions and decisions. Do not blame others." ... Jonathan Ooi
2. "You can only feel the love when your mind is open and your heart is ready." ... Jonathan Ooi
3. "It is hard to have peace with others if we don't even have peace with ourselves." ... Jonathan Ooi
4. "When your heart is open and your mind is ready, you will begin to share your love with others." .... Jonathan Ooi inspired by Ps Albert Kang
5. "Any uncontrolled emotion fuelled with anger could burn down the character of a person." ... Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote

Words of Mother Theresa (born: 1910-08-26 died: 1997-09-05 at age: 87)

• People are often unreasonable, illogical, and self-centered … Forgive them anyway.
• If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives; … Be kind anyway.
• If you are successful, you will win some false friends and some true enemies; … Succeed anyway.
• If you are honest and frank, people may cheat you; … Be honest and frank anyway.
• What you spend years building, someone could destroy overnight; … Build anyway.
• If you find serenity and happiness, they may be jealous; … Be happy anyway.
• The good you do today, people will often forget tomorrow; … Do good anyway.
• Give the world the best you have, and it may never be enough; … Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.

You see, in the final analysis, it is between you and God; It was never between you and them anyway.

Fish Soup with Rice for Dinner !!! Yummy!!!

Some QUOTES for the weekend...

1. "Life is simple by creation, but we make it hard and complicated by our creativity." ... Jonathan Ooi
2. "I'd rather be ignorant than to be arrogant as a result of more knowledge." ... Jonathan Ooi
3. "The most honourable and respected leadership is demonstrated when the leader is willing to serve selflessly at the lowliest level." ... Jonathan Ooi
4. "Third party endorsement is impartial and independent, hence more credible." ... Jonathan Ooi
5. "Never lose a chance of saying a kind word." ... William Thackeray

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote

Mixed Porridge - Vegetables, Fish Cakes, Squid Balls, Meat, Salted Eggs and Prawns.

About Men and Women...

I received these jokes in my mail box but am not sure who the author was. If anyone knows the author, please let me know. I have taken the liberty to reproduce them here with appreciation to the author.

Who Does What
A man and his wife were having an argument about who should brew the coffee each morning. The wife said, 'You should do it, because you get up first, and then we don't have to wait as long to get our coffee.' The husband said, ' You are in charge of cooking around here and you should do it, because that is your job, and I can just wait for my coffee.' Wife replies, 'No, you should do it, and besides, it is in the Bible that the man should do the coffee.' Husband replies, 'I can't believe that, show me.' So she fetched the Bible, and opened the New Testament and showed him at the top of several pages, that it indeed says........ ..'HEBREWS'

The Silent Treatment
A man and his wife were having some problems at home and were giving each other the silent treatment. Suddenly, the man realized that the next day, he would need his wife to wake him at 5:00 AM for an early morning business flight. Not wanting to be the first to break the silence (and LOSE), he wrote on a piece of paper, 'Please wake me at 5:00 AM.' He left it where he knew she would find it. The next morning, the man woke up, only to discover it was 9:00 AM and he had missed his flight. Furious, he was about to go and see why his wife hadn't wakened him, when he noticed a piece of paper by the bed. The paper said, 'It is 5:00 AM. Wake up.' Men are not equipped for these kinds of contests.

Home-cooked 4-Course Dinner...

Do bosses really understand the Principle of Productivity?

"Working longer hours does not mean getting more done, it simply encourages taking more time to do the things which could have been done in a shorter time." ... Jonathan Ooi

There are many types of bosses and managers, but they could generally be grouped into two categories: the activity-oriented or the result-oriented.

The first category of bosses or managers would feel good and happy when their employees are at their desk 8.8 hours a day. This kind of management style would encourage employees to learn to make themselves always look busy at their desks. But, the management does not really care about the results and the productivity level by which the results are attained. It is as if the employees are paid by the hours and not by the results they produce. This is certainly operating against the Principle of Productivity.

The work could have been done in a much shorter time, but because employees are measured by the hours at work, so they simply stretch the time taken to complete the jobs. In this kind of environment, the employees are unmotivated, unproductive and not result-oriented. But, bosses are happy! This is the funny thing.

The second category of bosses or managers are usually more "educated" in management concepts and practices. They would manage their employees by objectives or results. Hence, they are more result-oriented, thus giving rise to terms like Management by Objectives (MBO) or management by results. This is very pro-productivity because the employees are usually motivated to get things done in the shortest possible time. They are measured by the results, not so much by the hours they work.

I have frequently used this principle and it worked well. I told my staff to give me a list of their objectives for the day and the time they need to get them done. But, if they could finish those things or met those objectives earlier than expected, the remaining time of the day is theirs, they can leave the office earlier if they want. I can assure you the employees would work at video-fast-forward speed. This is the true speed of work they are capable of achieving. In this environment with this kind of leadership, employees are surely motivated, productive and result-oriented.

This is the kind of management and leadership style that should be practised more in Singapore, especially when the government is focussing more on productivity growth now.

QUOTES of the day!

1. "The human mind tends to maximise the wrong and bad, but minimise the right and good. We should reverse it." ... Jonathan Ooi
2. "The mind that is anxious about future events is miserable." ... Seneca
3. "The true meaning of life is realised when your happiness and love are felt by others." ... Jonathan Ooi
4. "Smiling from day to day keeps the sadness away." ... Jonathan Ooi
5. "The level of achievement is proportional to the level of commitment." ... Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote

With such a hot weather, a cold juicy watermelon like this is naturally cooling and refreshing...

Home-cooked Set Dinner for less than S$2... Cheap and Good!

My Innovations - The ONLY TWO UNIQUE shoe racks in the world!

Changing watch battery - DIY...

This is how I managed to change the watch battery with an improvised tool when I have not been able to find the proper tool in the market for quite a long time. The battery costs me only $1.50. Changing it at the watch shop costs $5.00. DIY usually saves money!

Latest QUOTES for inspiration and reflection...

1. "Humility, Empathy, Assurance, Respect and Trust are the keys that could open a closed H.E.A.R.T." ... Jonathan Ooi
2. "To be happy, we must not be too concerned with others." ... Albert Camus
3. "You're happiest while you're making the greatest contribution." ... Robert F. Kennedy
4. "In the year of the T.I.G.E.R, be Totally Inspired to Get Excellent Results." ... Jonathan Ooi
5. "Learning from the experience of others shortens our learning time and quickens our success." ... Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote.

Fried Rice and Fried Hokkien Prawn Noodles - Dinner...

"If Tomorrow Never Comes" - by Lulu & Ronan Keating

What if tomorrow never comes? Think about it.

Some QUOTES for your ReadFlection...

1. ''In communications, the true meaning of words is usually unspoken and hidden between the lines.'' ... Jonathan Ooi
2. "Looking at a situation from different possible angles helps us understand it much better." ... Jonathan Ooi
3. "There is nothing noble about being superior to some other man. The true nobility is in being superior to your previous self." ... Hindu Proverb
4. "People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care." ... Theodore Roosevelt
5. ''When the mind is open, an old idea could open up new possibilities of new idea.'' ... Jonathan Ooi

Note: These quotes are original and copyrighted. However, do feel free to use them as long as credit is given to the author at the end of every quote.

Jiu Kan Thang Buey Boh! with the original MTV, sung by Su Rui

This is a very popular Chinese oldie.

The song was written about a single, mute and deaf man who made a living by collecting beer bottles and selling them. One day, he found an abandoned one-week-old baby and brought her home and raised her single-handedly with his meagre earnings. The man aged and the girl later became a very accomplished singer, but was not allowed by her manager, to go back to her father.

An amateur song composer, who grew up with her, was inspired to write this song for her and at the same time told her about her old and ailing father who was lying in the hospital. The singer learnt the song and sang it at the end of a concert and was so touched by it that immediately after the concert, she rushed to the hospital to visit his ailing father and was calling out "papa.... " at her dad's hospital bed.

A very meaningful and touching song sung by Su Rui. Hope you enjoy the song. If you can read Chinese, you may read the story in Fei Fei's blog.