Two men, both seriously ill, occupied the same hospital room. One man was allowed to sit up in his bed for an hour each afternoon to help drain the fluid from his lungs. His bed was next to the room's only window. The other man had to spend all his time flat on his back.
The men talked for hours on end. They spoke of their wives and families, their homes, their jobs, their involvement in the military service, where they had been on vacation.
Every afternoon when the man in the bed by the window could sit up, he would pass the time by describing to his roommate all the things he could see outside the window. The man in the other bed began to live for those one hour periods where his world would be broadened and enlivened by all the activity and color of the world outside.
The window overlooked a park with a lovely lake. Ducks and swans played on the water while children sailed their model boats. Young lovers walked arm in arm amidst flowers of every color and a fine view of the city skyline could be seen in the distance.
As the man by the window described all this in exquisite detail, the man on the other side of the room would close his eyes and imagi ne the picturesque scene. One warm afternoon the man by the window described a parade passing by.
Although the other man couldn't hear the band - he could see it. In his mind's eye as the gentleman by the window portrayed it with descriptive words. Days and weeks passed.
One morning, the day nurse arrived to bring water for their baths only to find the lifeless body of the man by the window, who had died peacefully in his sleep. She was saddened and called the hospital attendants to take the body away.
As soon as it seemed appropriate, the other man asked if he could be moved next to the window. The nurse was happy to make the switch, and after making sure he was comfortable, she left him alone.
Slowly, painfully, he propped himself up on one elbow to take his first look at the real world outside. He strained to slowly turn to look out the window beside the bed. It faced a blank wall. The man asked the nurse what could have compelled his deceased roommate who had described such wonderful things outside this window.
The nurse responded that the man was blind and could not even see the wall. She said, 'Perhaps he just wanted to encourage you.'
Epilogue: There is tremendous happiness in making others happy, despite our own situations. Shared grief is half the sorrow, but happiness when shared, is doubled. If you want to feel rich, just count all the things you have that money can' t buy.
Wednesday, December 26
Tuesday, December 18
Drop in call bookings as higher taxi fares kick in
By Wong Mun Wai, Channel NewsAsia
Singapore's largest taxi operator, ComfortDelGro, has seen a drop in call bookings during the morning peak hours, largely due to the higher taxi fares which kicked in on Monday. However, the company has described this as an expected knee-jerk reaction.
The higher fares hit commuters the hardest during the peak hours. Commuters like Benson An, who takes the taxi almost four times a week from home to work said that the higher fares will add another 10 per cent to his transport expenses. Thus, he said that he would try to reduce his cab trips by at least 50 per cent and turn to buses or the MRT when he travels.
With more commuters opting for an alternative mode of transport, ComfortDelgro revealed that a decrease of 20 per cent in call bookings was recorded on Monday morning, compared to last Monday. The higher fees have also affected other taxi operators. Singapore's second-largest taxi operator, SMRT, which has yet to increase its fares, has also reported a drop in call bookings. It received 200 fewer calls between 7am and 9am, compared to last Monday.
Among the changes announced by ComfortDelgro was the reduction of peak hour booking fees from S$4 to S$3.50 in order to encourage more call bookings. During off-peak hours, flagging down a Comfort taxi will now cost commuters some 10 per cent more. Meanwhile, those travelling during peak hours will now pay between 18 and 49 per cent higher. Also, instead of a S$2 flat rate for the morning and evening peak hour surcharge, it has been revised to 35 per cent of the metered fare.
While some taxi drivers wonder if passengers will still take cabs like before, one cabbie predicted that he could possibly earn S$50 more a day. Meanwhile, others said it was too early to expect a rise in earnings and will only be able to tell if they are making profits or losses after three days to a week. Other taxi companies that will be raising their fares by Christmas are SMRT, Trans-cab, Premier and SMART Cab. - CNA/vm
It was raining cats and dogs yesterday so I had to take a cab from Phillip Street to Woodslands Drive 60. Started waiting for a at 4.30 pm cos I had to be in Woodlands by 5.15 pm. By 4.50 pm, no cabs came so I started calling. All lines were engaged and as for the only one I could get through (SMART cab), no cabs responded.
At that time, a Comfort cab came so I boarded. By the time I got to Woodlands, my cab fare was $28.40!!!! ^%$^$^#%$
I never thought I had to pay so much was cab! I have never in my life paid so much!
Break down of the cab fare:
Fare Charge: $18.80
CBD Charge: $3
Peak Hour: $6.60 (that's the 35%)
Verdict: I am so not going to take a cab during peak hours unless my life depends on it! @^%@^%$#
Singapore's largest taxi operator, ComfortDelGro, has seen a drop in call bookings during the morning peak hours, largely due to the higher taxi fares which kicked in on Monday. However, the company has described this as an expected knee-jerk reaction.
The higher fares hit commuters the hardest during the peak hours. Commuters like Benson An, who takes the taxi almost four times a week from home to work said that the higher fares will add another 10 per cent to his transport expenses. Thus, he said that he would try to reduce his cab trips by at least 50 per cent and turn to buses or the MRT when he travels.
With more commuters opting for an alternative mode of transport, ComfortDelgro revealed that a decrease of 20 per cent in call bookings was recorded on Monday morning, compared to last Monday. The higher fees have also affected other taxi operators. Singapore's second-largest taxi operator, SMRT, which has yet to increase its fares, has also reported a drop in call bookings. It received 200 fewer calls between 7am and 9am, compared to last Monday.
Among the changes announced by ComfortDelgro was the reduction of peak hour booking fees from S$4 to S$3.50 in order to encourage more call bookings. During off-peak hours, flagging down a Comfort taxi will now cost commuters some 10 per cent more. Meanwhile, those travelling during peak hours will now pay between 18 and 49 per cent higher. Also, instead of a S$2 flat rate for the morning and evening peak hour surcharge, it has been revised to 35 per cent of the metered fare.
While some taxi drivers wonder if passengers will still take cabs like before, one cabbie predicted that he could possibly earn S$50 more a day. Meanwhile, others said it was too early to expect a rise in earnings and will only be able to tell if they are making profits or losses after three days to a week. Other taxi companies that will be raising their fares by Christmas are SMRT, Trans-cab, Premier and SMART Cab. - CNA/vm
It was raining cats and dogs yesterday so I had to take a cab from Phillip Street to Woodslands Drive 60. Started waiting for a at 4.30 pm cos I had to be in Woodlands by 5.15 pm. By 4.50 pm, no cabs came so I started calling. All lines were engaged and as for the only one I could get through (SMART cab), no cabs responded.
At that time, a Comfort cab came so I boarded. By the time I got to Woodlands, my cab fare was $28.40!!!! ^%$^$^#%$
I never thought I had to pay so much was cab! I have never in my life paid so much!
Break down of the cab fare:
Fare Charge: $18.80
CBD Charge: $3
Peak Hour: $6.60 (that's the 35%)
Verdict: I am so not going to take a cab during peak hours unless my life depends on it! @^%@^%$#
Lessons in Logic
If your father is a poor man, it is your fate
But, if your father-in-law is a poor man, it's your stupidity.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
I was born intelligent - education ruined me.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Practice makes perfect..... But nobody's perfect.....
So why practice?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
If it's true that we are here to help others,
then what exactly are the others here for?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Since light travels faster than sound,
people appear bright until you hear them speak.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
How come 'abbreviated' is such a long word?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Money is not everything.
There's Mastercard & Visa.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
One should love animals. They are so tasty.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Behind every successful man, there is a woman
And behind every unsuccessful man, there are two.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Every man should marry.
After all, happiness is not the only thing in life.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
The wise never marry.
And when they marry they become otherwise.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Success is a relative term.
It brings so many relatives.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Never put off the work till tomorrow what you can put off today.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
'Your future depends on your dreams'
So go to sleep!
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
There should be a better way to start a day
Than waking up every morning
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
'Hard work never killed anybody'
But why take the risk?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
'Work fascinates me'
I can look at it for hours
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
God made relatives;
Thank God we can choose our friends.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
The more you learn, the more you know.
The more you know, the more you forget.
The more you forget, the less you know.
So... why learn?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
A bus station is where a bus stops.
A train station is where a train stops.
On my desk, I have a work station....
what more can I say........
But, if your father-in-law is a poor man, it's your stupidity.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
I was born intelligent - education ruined me.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Practice makes perfect..... But nobody's perfect.....
So why practice?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
If it's true that we are here to help others,
then what exactly are the others here for?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Since light travels faster than sound,
people appear bright until you hear them speak.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
How come 'abbreviated' is such a long word?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Money is not everything.
There's Mastercard & Visa.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
One should love animals. They are so tasty.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Behind every successful man, there is a woman
And behind every unsuccessful man, there are two.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Every man should marry.
After all, happiness is not the only thing in life.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
The wise never marry.
And when they marry they become otherwise.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Success is a relative term.
It brings so many relatives.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
Never put off the work till tomorrow what you can put off today.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
'Your future depends on your dreams'
So go to sleep!
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
There should be a better way to start a day
Than waking up every morning
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
'Hard work never killed anybody'
But why take the risk?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
'Work fascinates me'
I can look at it for hours
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
God made relatives;
Thank God we can choose our friends.
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
The more you learn, the more you know.
The more you know, the more you forget.
The more you forget, the less you know.
So... why learn?
............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... .....
A bus station is where a bus stops.
A train station is where a train stops.
On my desk, I have a work station....
what more can I say........
Thursday, December 13
7 year itch?
I've heard of 7 year itch in marriages but 7 year itch in teaching?
I'm experiencing that right now where after 7 years, I kinda dunno what I want out of my career. I've tried the leadership track where I've covered HOD duties for the last 2 years. Frankly, I gotta admit I like the challenge of the work... appeals to the control freak in me. But it's very tiring and sometimes, I'm not too sure if it's all worth it. My health has also suffered as a result of the stress and I've been advised by my doctors (note the plural use!) to watch it and take it easy. They have been nagging at me for the last 2 years!
Lately, seeing my friend and mentor end up in hospital due to a recurring tumour has really put a wake-up call to the advice I've previously taken for granted. I'm really thinking about this very carefully as I really dun hope to have the stress act up strangely in my body, causing cancers or heart diseases.
Maybe it's time to really think about my Plan B in teaching aka teaching English overseas. I've dreamt of it for 7 years and maybe it's time to consider it as a real option?
I've been searching and it seems like Korea comes highly recommended. Maybe it great for the Korean Drama freak in me! Haha....
Must mull and stew over this carefully with much prayers! Plus, I have to clear my exams this time round so I can graduate first... otherwise, it's still poofs of dreams...
I'm experiencing that right now where after 7 years, I kinda dunno what I want out of my career. I've tried the leadership track where I've covered HOD duties for the last 2 years. Frankly, I gotta admit I like the challenge of the work... appeals to the control freak in me. But it's very tiring and sometimes, I'm not too sure if it's all worth it. My health has also suffered as a result of the stress and I've been advised by my doctors (note the plural use!) to watch it and take it easy. They have been nagging at me for the last 2 years!
Lately, seeing my friend and mentor end up in hospital due to a recurring tumour has really put a wake-up call to the advice I've previously taken for granted. I'm really thinking about this very carefully as I really dun hope to have the stress act up strangely in my body, causing cancers or heart diseases.
Maybe it's time to really think about my Plan B in teaching aka teaching English overseas. I've dreamt of it for 7 years and maybe it's time to consider it as a real option?
I've been searching and it seems like Korea comes highly recommended. Maybe it great for the Korean Drama freak in me! Haha....
Must mull and stew over this carefully with much prayers! Plus, I have to clear my exams this time round so I can graduate first... otherwise, it's still poofs of dreams...
Saturday, December 8
Interesting words of wisdom! For the men out there... enjoy!
When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her.
David Bissonette
After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin; they just can't face each other, but still they stay together.
Sacha Guitry
By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
Socrates
Woman inspires us to great things, and prevents us from achieving them.
Anonymous (must be from a man! kekee...)
The great question... which I have not been able to answer... is, "What does a woman want?
Dumas
I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me.
Sigmund Freud
Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays.
Anonymous
There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage.
Sam Kinison
I've had bad luck with both my wives. The first one left me, and the second one didn't.
James Holt McGavran
Two secrets to keep your marriage brimming:
1. Whenever you're wrong, admit it.
2. Whenever you're right, shut up.
Patrick Murray
The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once...
Nash
You know what I did before I married? Anything I wanted to.
Anonymous
My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.
Henny Youngman
A good wife always forgives her husband when she's wrong.
Rodney Dangerfield
A man inserted an ad in the classifieds: "Wife wanted".
Next day, he received a hundred letters.
They all said the same thing: "You can have mine."
First Guy (proudly): "My wife's an angel!"
Second Guy: "You're lucky, mine's still alive."
David Bissonette
After marriage, husband and wife become two sides of a coin; they just can't face each other, but still they stay together.
Sacha Guitry
By all means, marry. If you get a good wife, you'll be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher.
Socrates
Woman inspires us to great things, and prevents us from achieving them.
Anonymous (must be from a man! kekee...)
The great question... which I have not been able to answer... is, "What does a woman want?
Dumas
I had some words with my wife, and she had some paragraphs with me.
Sigmund Freud
Some people ask the secret of our long marriage. We take time to go to a restaurant two times a week. A little candlelight, dinner, soft music and dancing. She goes Tuesdays, I go Fridays.
Anonymous
There's a way of transferring funds that is even faster than electronic banking. It's called marriage.
Sam Kinison
I've had bad luck with both my wives. The first one left me, and the second one didn't.
James Holt McGavran
Two secrets to keep your marriage brimming:
1. Whenever you're wrong, admit it.
2. Whenever you're right, shut up.
Patrick Murray
The most effective way to remember your wife's birthday is to forget it once...
Nash
You know what I did before I married? Anything I wanted to.
Anonymous
My wife and I were happy for twenty years. Then we met.
Henny Youngman
A good wife always forgives her husband when she's wrong.
Rodney Dangerfield
A man inserted an ad in the classifieds: "Wife wanted".
Next day, he received a hundred letters.
They all said the same thing: "You can have mine."
First Guy (proudly): "My wife's an angel!"
Second Guy: "You're lucky, mine's still alive."
Thursday, December 6
I just realised the depth of my OCD (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder)! I just survive 24 hours without sleep just to complete my Korean Drama, Seo Dong Yo or Ballad of Seo Dong. I'm a real sucker for romantic drama... especially the epic ones.
The lead characters!
Synopsis of the story! Compliments of http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ballad_Of_Suh_Dong
The SBS drama "Sodongyo", translated as "Sodong's Song", has much in common with "Jewel in the Palace". Both deal with similar themes: a success story of a lower class person rising to the top, a love that transcends social position, a secret of birth and a rivalry between main characters.
However, whereas "Jewel" is set in the Choson Kingdom (1392-1910), "Sodongyo" takes place in the Paekche Kingdom (18 B.C. - A.D 660), a first for a TV drama. Aside from the romance between a princess and a commoner, an interesting part of the drama is that it focuses on a fierce technology war almost 1,500 years ago.
The protagonist is Sodong, a commoner who strives to become a top technician. Sodong later became King Mu, the 30th king of Paekche as he was finally recognized as of royal birth.
The main background of the drama is Taehaksa, Paekche's prestigious institute of science technology. As it possessed and developed the most up-to-date technology at that time, the institute was always in danger of industrial espionage from other countries like the Koguryo Kingdom and the Silla Kingdom.
"The 21st century is an era of information technology. The viewers will be able to see not only the splendidly rich culture of the Paekche Kingdom but also their ancestors' passion for information technology, which is in line with today's trend", said the drama's writer Kim.
The drama also reveals the role of monks as industrial spies at that time, an aspect of monks in the past that is rarely focused 0n.
"Monks were the advance guards of intelligence war at that time. The leaders of the three countries made the best use of the monks' mobility as they were allowed to move freely from country to country on sacred missions", said Kim.
The drama also features a character who was originally from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C. - A.D 935) but went over to Paekche as a child and smuggled himself into Taehaksa, concentrating on secretly getting out high-quality information over a long time.
Various agricultural technologies considered the most up-to-date at that time also appear in the drama.
In some episodes, to solve the problems of excessive dryness of the land, they released earthworms, and used ondol (hot floor) for the first time to decrease the humidity of homes.
"Sodongyo" is said to be one of Korea's oldest folk songs. According to Samgukyusa (The Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) from the Silla Kingdom, the song was written by Sodong, a commoner from the Paekche Kingdom. Hearing that Princess Sonhwa, a daughter of King Chinpyong of the Silla Kingdom was beautiful, he writes a song saying that the princess visits Sodong's room every night and spreads the song around. When her father hears the song, he condemns the princess to exile. Sodong picks her up and takes her to Paekche, and they become the royal couple of the country.
The lead characters!Synopsis of the story! Compliments of http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Ballad_Of_Suh_Dong
The SBS drama "Sodongyo", translated as "Sodong's Song", has much in common with "Jewel in the Palace". Both deal with similar themes: a success story of a lower class person rising to the top, a love that transcends social position, a secret of birth and a rivalry between main characters.
However, whereas "Jewel" is set in the Choson Kingdom (1392-1910), "Sodongyo" takes place in the Paekche Kingdom (18 B.C. - A.D 660), a first for a TV drama. Aside from the romance between a princess and a commoner, an interesting part of the drama is that it focuses on a fierce technology war almost 1,500 years ago.
The protagonist is Sodong, a commoner who strives to become a top technician. Sodong later became King Mu, the 30th king of Paekche as he was finally recognized as of royal birth.
The main background of the drama is Taehaksa, Paekche's prestigious institute of science technology. As it possessed and developed the most up-to-date technology at that time, the institute was always in danger of industrial espionage from other countries like the Koguryo Kingdom and the Silla Kingdom.
"The 21st century is an era of information technology. The viewers will be able to see not only the splendidly rich culture of the Paekche Kingdom but also their ancestors' passion for information technology, which is in line with today's trend", said the drama's writer Kim.
The drama also reveals the role of monks as industrial spies at that time, an aspect of monks in the past that is rarely focused 0n.
"Monks were the advance guards of intelligence war at that time. The leaders of the three countries made the best use of the monks' mobility as they were allowed to move freely from country to country on sacred missions", said Kim.
The drama also features a character who was originally from the Silla Kingdom (57 B.C. - A.D 935) but went over to Paekche as a child and smuggled himself into Taehaksa, concentrating on secretly getting out high-quality information over a long time.
Various agricultural technologies considered the most up-to-date at that time also appear in the drama.
In some episodes, to solve the problems of excessive dryness of the land, they released earthworms, and used ondol (hot floor) for the first time to decrease the humidity of homes.
"Sodongyo" is said to be one of Korea's oldest folk songs. According to Samgukyusa (The Memorabilia of the Three Kingdoms) from the Silla Kingdom, the song was written by Sodong, a commoner from the Paekche Kingdom. Hearing that Princess Sonhwa, a daughter of King Chinpyong of the Silla Kingdom was beautiful, he writes a song saying that the princess visits Sodong's room every night and spreads the song around. When her father hears the song, he condemns the princess to exile. Sodong picks her up and takes her to Paekche, and they become the royal couple of the country.
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