Thought I share this article - just find it interesting.
Life Lesson:
01. How we take things for granted
02. Never too old to learn a new trick
Was
this something we were supposed to learn from our Mom's?????
I can't believe it's been there all this time.
Yesterday I went to throw out an empty Reynolds foil box and for some reason I turned it, and looked at the end of the box. And written on the end it said, "Press here to lock end". Right there on the end of the box is a tab to lock the roll in place. How long has this little locking tab been there? I then looked at a generic brand of aluminum foil and it had one, too. I then looked at a box of Saran wrap and it had one too! I can't count the number of times the Saran wrap roll has jumped out, when I was trying to cover something up.
I'm sharing this with my friends. I hope I'm not the only person that didn't know about this.
DIY a PC has always been a joy. I always enjoy everything about it - from picking up the price lists from the shops [in Sim Lim Square] to tweaking the operating system. Ah, but not with my latest hoot. Somehow, there are just unexpected problems right after the hardware were installed. I spent, and kinda wasted, days troubleshooting the whole system. Both the hardware and software are *argh!* giving me headache. Though the system seems to be running now, I still *see stars* figuring out the actual problem.
Geez, and I am telling myself to be happy! That, at last, I have a wide screen 23" HD LCD and a higher and, supposedly, faster quad intel chipset.
The Journey
It starts with just a casual remark to upgrade our laptop. I have never favoured a notebook. Don't know why but I just find it cumbersome - feeling kinda awkward with the size, the mouse pad and the small screen. Perhaps, as I spend a lot of time sitting infront of a computer everyday, I just prefer a desktop with a larger LCD screen.
There are always something to venture with a desktop and, particularly, overclocking the system. My last DIY - overclocked Intel Core2Quad Q6600 on Asus P5K Deluxe motherboard, still serves me well. We just want to replace our four years old laptop. And, it is all because we have started to play online mahjong! The laptop screen is a little small to see all the thrown tiles. What a way to come up with a better excuse for a PC upgrade!
Thanks, and with deepest gratitude, to two friends who helped transporting the things back to Reiki Sanctuary, I got my things last Tuesday.
Day One
I suspected the motherboard 'shorted' with too many fitted screws to make it sit inside the chasis. The graphic card just refused to load. Swapped with an old existing graphic card and still faced with the same problem. Gave up the task for the day.
The good thing - no beeping sound from BIOS. Motherboard can power up.
Day Two
Re-installed all the gadgets and the setup was ready for OS installation. However, format failed. Found out the windows CD got some scratches resulting in a failed read of some files. Installation terminated.
The diehard me tried to install with a friendly version just to satisfy the frustration. And, it loaded well!
Day Three
Decided to get a new windows xp OEM installation CD. Format went well. Activated windows.
Itchy-backside-me decided to install additional motherboard drivers [not important] and windows prompted to re-activate. Called M$ Help Desk and problem solved.
Noticed lag on every boot-up. Found out that the Windows prefetch folders and files were missing and causing the system to lag. Real strange problem! Later, found out it has to do with Service Pack 3 - some hardware drivers are still incompatible. I suspected it is the graphic card driver.
Day Four
Decided to re-format. The lag problem re-surfaced. But this time, another problem - system BSOD four times whenever there are intensive memory run! S**T!, and not when the system is yet to overclock.
Day Five
Spent the day cleaning-up and running maintenance programs. Problems could not resolve. M$ program's WhoCrashed didn't help either.
23 February
Braved myself back to Sim Lim Square to get a new kit of RAM. Suspected it could be the problem.
Ram prices are cheaper now and that make the decision easier. This time, I chose a higher FSB. I should have listened to my heart the first time and could have avoided the hardware problem.
The system runs faster with Kingston Hyper-X DDR2 8500. So far, *touch wood*, it has not BSOD. Am so tempted to flash to the latest BIOS .. hmm *still deciding*
Well, for now, I am just going to enjoy the new PC.
Viwawa now, anyone? Hehe.
WARNING:
It will be good if you are to continue reading this looooooonnnnnngggggg write-up. At the end of this entry, you will learn [I hope] a great value, not only about yourself but the life that you [and I] have taken for granted.
A Friend [AF] : Do you know that you are just like Adrian Monk?
Me : Huh? Siang Adrian Monk? No, I have never thought of becoming a monk. Not that it is a bad thing but I must acknowledge of my earthly needs which can be overwhelming at times. Ok ok, most of the times. I admire the discipline. I envy the spiritual sedentary routine. I believe there is so much peace within them as compared to many of us.
AF : Monk is a TV series about a detective. He is brilliant but it is his OCD that reminds me alot about you.
Me : Ah, and so it is about my blog. I want to admit there's OCD in me. Acknowledging it is to give rise to awareness. Knocking my senses and then to ask myself whether it is a behaviour that I can live with. About how much I should and want to control myself. About how much it will affect the people around me.
When it first came to me, I mean the awareness, that I have some form of OCD, it reminded me of an old friend. How she was always late for everything. How, at last minute, there must always be something for her to clean before she could leave the house. Either for work or appointment. Even at the office, before she leaves, she could spend up to an hour just wiping and cleaning up her desk and then reaching home late, as usual.
AF : Doesn't that bother you? Especially when you are always so strict with punctuality?
Me : Hehe, that is to say that my OCD is not that serious lah. I believe when we keep our awareness intact, we will be able to strike a balance. Knowing your priority - the 'What' that needs to be accomplished and then the 'why' it should be done. Life should not be mechanical but there must be a system in check. There must be discipline and why there should be one.
AF : Why is cleanliness so important to you?
Me : Say, when we are finding for a table at the Food Court, don't we look for a clean one? And when there are two seats available next to each other, we tend to go for the cleaner one. For that matter, we always choose to go for something clean first. And neat. It is an intuitive reaction. Guess, clean-neat-tidy is an unsaid beauty. These are qualities that make us feel comfortable. They have charm. And we are attracted to them automatically and immediately.
I believe there is more to it. A clean thing, and it can be anything and everything around us, reflects a sense of purity. Of greater comfort. Of white innocence. Of deep qualitative virtue. And our soul, whether we know it or not, needs all of these.
AF : How often do you clean your house?
Me : Err, if possible, every hour! Haha, ok, that is too much OCD. Back at Hertford, it used to be 1-3-5 and saturdays and sundays to relax. The weekends are just to slack around. To forget about the vacuum, the mop. To spend quality time.
But here in Reiki Sanctuary is kinda different. All the windows are always open and I choose to open them.
AF : Wait, how come the windows in Hertford are closed? Or always closed?
Me : Err, cos I love to walk around naked? Cos we stayed ground floor lah. Plus mosquitoes alot leh when the windows are left opened. I had dengue hemorrhagic fever there. Almost died, you know.
AF : Ok ok, so how often you clean Reiki Sanctuary? And cleaning, by your standard, should include what?
Me : Still 1-3-5. Still slack on weekends. But 2 and 4, I got my maid iRoomba. Haha. The most I would just mop after that. While she sings around the house, I go about wiping the cabinets, wash the toilets or download prawns. Haha.
Oh, the beds must be done every day. It is a must. You know, our dead skin can stick to the bedsheet or our hair drops. It is good to brush it away. Geez, now this is OCD!
Change bedsheet weekly. Dusting and wiping, haha, even the walls, once a week. Hmm, but here in Reiki Sanctuary, it is like every hour. Ok, that is exaggerating.
See, if you are to notice, the glass windows are not even glittering.
AF : The way you clean your house is more than just sweeping and mopping. Do you notice that everything here needs to be proper?
Me : Haha, just the other day, a friend was here and he opened the shoe cabinet. He passed a similar remark.
To me, everything inside this house has to have a place. It is about recognition and honouring these shared things in our life here. We have brought them in and it is only right that we give them a proper place. Making it tidy, placing them in order are just acts of gratitude. Hehe, unless what we bring into the house is a junk and deserves a junk place. Then again, even a junk needs a place. Need our respect and gratitude.
It is just my style, OCD or not, since there is already a place for everything, these items should be placed back to where they belong after we use them. Since people feel comfortable in their zone, these items should be treated that way too. It only takes a second to do such thing. Why do we need to empower laziness?
It is also about convenience. Afterall, here in Reiki Sanctuary, we have a lot of storage space. We wanted it that way since we hacked away the storeroom. What is pleasing to the eyes, when you see them stacked nicely, would bring comfort for the soul too. And then, the continuity or flow of good things just follow. Alamak, you got read my blog and understand it anot?
AF : What does clean or tidy is to you? Maybe you can start showing off by showing me around .. Hahaha.
Me : It is about comfort. It could be about organised comfort. When things are organised, it will be a reflection of the soul. Of the mind. Reiki Sanctuary is a home with soul. I am a soul. Therefore, it is about complimenting each other.
As we always want to take care of our appearance, and how it is important for whatever reasons we may give to it, a clean and tidy home should be treated that way too. Err, for goodness sake, it is A HOME and not a hotel where you use the bed and out the next day.
How important we take to shower everyday or to brush our teeth or to drink from a clean cup, everything in a house - the bed, the drawers, the cabinets, the computer should be treated with respect too. They are part of us. Part of the house. We just cannot neglect that responsibility.
Time to show off:
AF : I am sure you would be cleaning and tidying things up after I leave here?
Me : It shall be for my comfort. Yours had been served. Respect is to be given to anybody and everybody here in Reiki Sanctuary.
All things good must always be maintained. It is like breathing clean air. Constantly, it provides the basic essence to life. Why do we need to suffocate when there's abundance everywhere. One should never, and purposely, end the beauty of life.
AF : Are you not tired doing these chores over and over again?
Me : It is the comfort that I seek. When there is love, nothing else matters. Don't take it personal here - For me, it is about respect. The respect that I want to provide for all the people that come here - their souls. And the respect that I want to give myself too.
I guess, when we focus at the end result, what's in between does not matter. Infact, it just gives you the impetus for all things well. And, that is what I seek in life. Never to complain when the end result makes me feel good.
Yes, it can be tiring but I always take this chore as a form of exercise. Well, the word 'chore' is not even right to use here. It is a necessity. That when it is being done, all the muscles are engaged.
It is also a good meditative exercise. As I clean and tidy things up, it is also cleaning and tidying my thinking process. My emotional stability. My spiritual cleansing.
At the end of the day, it is a win-win situation. The house provides a comfortable ambience and my soul is happy. And all my guests can relax, and enjoy, within it, I hope.
|
An excellent
article to read and enjoy (may be action as
well!!).
It
stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more
productive work place where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to
do. |
I was asked, "Between cooking and cleaning house, which one is favoured most?" My choice has always been obvious. I would rather go hungry but will not be comfortable to live in a messy and cluttered home.
I just love tidy place and everything neat and organised. It is the same when I go for holidays, for example. The neatness of the hotel room is important. It gives a deep sense for a relaxed holiday. More so when the hotel is 'foreign' to my soul. How hectic the itinerary can be, with little sleep in between, but I can wake up fully refreshed and rested. The neatness of the room is symbolic of a soul presence. That the place is cared with love. It makes one to feel safe and a soul restored with vigor and revived hope.
The same feeling that I want to have when I come back home. It is always good to come home and greeted with a revitalised energy, a soul of an enlightened home, after a long day. A neat and clean home provides dynamic to keep us to feel positive. A recharged feeling. It leads to a greater flow of love.
People just love clean things. A tidy and clean house offers a life of transformation and renewal in many more ways than just having a healthier body. The energy works deeply for the body, mind and spirit. Our own energy is greatly enhanced, and it will expand outward and upward from there.
Our sixth sense is keenly aware of when we are in balance with our surroundings. We will know, deep down inside us, what feels right and true. When the vibrations are true, it is most likely that our soul is in harmony and balance.
I believe there is soul in every house. And how we take care of this soul will reflect in the way we live. It has a relationship with our thoughts, attitude, personality and health. Our intuition knows the presence of a highly vibrant essence. Everyday will be a new discovery. One thing is for sure - when the soul of the house is vitalised - in a tidy, clean and organised ways, it keeps us in harmony with Mother Earth. It honours us as human beings living on a beautiful planet.
In all things clean - clean air, clean water, clean heat, clean earth, it embodies recovery, renewal and transformation. Not to mention, Huat Ah! in Law of Vacuum filling us up with abundance.
A cluttered, and unkept, home often gives rise to the absence of mental clarity. Emotionally too. Bit by bit, the energy adds up, leaving a polluted and corrupted state of being. The ways in which it affects our daily lives are endless as well. Relationships affected. Emotions muddled. Mental exhaustion. Physical fatigue.
Reiki Sanctuary today:
We want Reiki Sanctuary to be the center of love and harmony. A place where we and those we love can flourish and be truly nourished and healthy. Where our relationship can grow. Where our hearts can be open wide to acceptance, forgiveness and unconditional love.
oh, and H U A T A H !!!!!
The Living Room
The MBR Master Toilet
The acrylics (covering the lights) are finally up but it is not the final product.
Since my last entry, "Connect To The White Light", I have been receiving some queries. Questions were raised. Some wondered if I did the right thing. Some felt that since the dying event unto death is pre-determined, what was the purpose for my actions.
Here, I have gathered those questions into these few categories:
And so, what and who are you?
I grew up normal- ok, not so normal to some. Went to school, worked and lived my life the way I had wanted it to be. Followed my dreams, some were unachievable while others remained so much to be cherished. Met my twin soul, and along the way, interacted with many more soul mates. Life, with all the ups and downs, had been good.
My life journey took a change in February 9th, 1995. Though I didn't fully comprehend 'the Gift', it had started its work thereon. It was the day my mum passed on. That afternoon, on the way back home from her place after taken my shift to care for her, I felt very lethargic. I felt very sleepy. How hard I tried to stay awake throughout the route inside the cab, I could not open my eyes. It was such a soporific state. I just needed to sleep. I remembered the white lie that I told to the cab driver, "Wake me up when we reach the destination" after telling him that I worked night shift the day before and have not been sleeping.
In the comfort of my bed, I woke up, after two hours or so, just knowing something had happened. Though I could not establish the actual occurence clearly, perhaps it was intentional from The Higher Source, there was a sense of white light - and spaced out feeling, all around me. There was just peace. There was deep tranquility within. Somehow, the condition of my mum didn't bring a feeling of despair despite the sadness I was experiencing before that. I also received a call, to ask me to come over immediately, that my mum was at her deathbed.
After her burial, I found a piece of white cloth which was not readily noticeable to others. The people around me felt surprised at something unanticipated of what I just found. At the advise of a spiritual lady, I was to believe that my late mum had left something for me.
My life took a turn after that. It didn't happen immediately. It took years before I fully realised what I had become. Slowly, I often felt that I could 'see' things and 'hear' voices. It was only after my 'third eye' was opened, with the guidance of a spiritual master, that my path of awakening was realised.
Isn't death pre-determined?
From the day we are born, death is inevitable. We cannot alter nor fix our date of death. Death is a biological process while dying is psychological. One is the function of the body and the other is the function of the mind.
In most cases, when a person's time is up, he/she will go through the deathbed vision. There are always deceased close relatives, friends or spiritual guides around him/her. He/She would see them. They are inconspicuous and will not draw fears. Their presence actually reassures the deathbed person.
When a person dies, wouldn't his/her soul leave the body?
Let understand a little bit about the death process. In a normal death situation, the person's life force is filled with death hormone that loosen the electro-magnetic hold of atoms in the body. Slowly, it just disintegrates. It could be the result from illnesses and/or aging.
Just as the life force leaves the body, there is the silver cord that connects the soul and the etheric world. Some people say it takes from few minutes to half an hour before the silver cord is finally broken. And, the death of the organs takes between one to fifteen hours. There are tales to say that when a person is dying, or about to die, we should not be crying out loud and calling his/her name to 'come' back. It is believed, though the body is clinically dead, his/her heart atom has not yet moved out of the physical body. The silver cord is still intact.
The final death takes place when the silver cord is totally severed. This is when the spiritual soul has moved on. It is often not surprised to notice, after the death, that the face of the dead is often younger and serene.
When a person's body is 'dead', his/her soul can be lost. Why?
Death is pre-determined. However, there are instances when the time is not up yet especially when death is caused by war casualties, violent accidents or suicides. In this instance, the soul is forced out of the body but there is no silver cord. There is no presence of death hormone.
In the swiftness of death, where one moment they are alive and in another they are dead, they are not prepared for this suddenness. Tragedy has taken place so fast that their soul could not recognise the body which was, in split second earlier, perfect. Usually they will become violently angry, and probably filled with fear. They do not know that they are already dead due to the violent and suddenness of the incidents.
As it is not the pre-determined time, they do not know how to go to the white light. They also cannot see nor feel the presence of any deceased relatives, friends or guides.
If he/she is physically dead, what is the meaning of the write-up?
The write-up is a prayer. In the world wide web [wwww], I have always taken the net to cover a much bigger connection. A bridge between us and the Universe. It is exemplary of the silver cord. It serves as a medium to be heard, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. To reach out. It is a voice affirming out loud. An endless prayer that stays alive.
There are always earth-bound spirits around. All of them do not know that they are dead. They can be victims of suicide and murder, war casualties and violent accidental deaths. Or recently deceased spirits closely attached to the living loved ones. Or who have unfinished business on earth.
As for Sze Ern, I came into contact with him when I tapped his energy. His situation is common with those that departed suddenly and violently.
Will the departed soul read the notice?
We are just a small part of the spirit world. We are only the pencil for the Highest Source to write, say and do. There is no space and time between us.
