Had a conversation with some friends about numbers the other night. It seems that for some people, the term ‘numbers’ is automatically linked with accounting, business, commerce, bottom-lines, and so on. I wonder if this is the ‘norm’? If it is, then I suppose I am one of the abnormal people.
Travels sub-Blog
Linked up the Travels sub-blog with the main weblog. This will have more extensive descriptions (well, as much as I can remember, seeing most of them took place a few years ago) of the trips, and my impressions at the time.
Kindness
As we go through life, I feel this point gets less and less appreciated:
“Kindness is based on the loving heart of the giver, not the loving heart of the recipient.”
Accounting
Hope that no accountants are reading this?? 🙂
After having studied the ACCA materials for the Financial Management course for the past few months, seems accounting is one industry where there is one group inventing a method for presenting financial quantities in a concise manner; at the same time, there is another group busily reversing the entire process, i.e to ‘reconcile’ the same figures to so-and-so format…
True?
Roads
Just read this quote. Reflecting on the paths I have taken so far, and with many more roads to come, I can certainly relate to it.
“Once you realize that the road is the goal and that you are always on the road, not to reach a goal, but to enjoy its beauty and its wisdom, life ceases to be a task and becomes natural and simple, in itself an ecstasy.”Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj
Ideas
While waiting for the transferring (to enhancedhost) process to complete, had a few ideas while browsing the internet in search of inspirations. In fact, seeing Andrew’s weblog gave me the idea of having a family blog? At least a collaborative project for friends since I have family and many friends in different parts of the world? Can post photos, etc.
Impermanence
Good news and bad news can occur at any time. Every day, even without stepping out of the house, many things can still happen to you. You get struck down with some terrible illness; you get lucky and win the lottery; you get an overseas call from a long-lost friend… They just happen: no prior warning, and usually no explanations.
Christians would have us believe that everything in life occurs for a reason. Everything is pre-ordained, or is it? However, call it the scientist in me?? I have always been a little skeptical. If everything has been mapped out, what joy is there to look forward to?
Then the concepts of “free will” and “choice” conveniently appear on the scene. No, it is not true that everything in life is fixed, we all have “free will”, so people say. But, if the choice is between Heaven and Hell, is the “choice” presented a real option? Or is everything in relative terms? That is, once you have accepted a particular way of life, then whatever that comes your way is by definition Good, and whoever does not live according to your adopted philosophy will not be able to receive it? In other words, one person’s Hell may be someone else’s Heaven and vice versa.
Very confusing, isn’t it?
One of the noble truths in Buddhism is that life is suffering. Some people will read this statement literally and come to the conclusion that Buddhism has a pessimistic outlook on life. However, why not turn it into a positive driving force? To face uncertainties bravely knowing ‘the Truth’, and to continually strive for (internal) improvement? If things material objects (including life itself) are by nature impermanent, why not accept it as such and get on with making the best use of the impermanence?
Perhaps this is a good attitude in the midst of all these uncertainties around us!?
Counting down
Counting down to exam for my ACCA course Dip Financial Management:
- Exam (2 June): 21 days;
- Project (21 May): 9 days.
Viruses
During the past week, have been plagued by the dreaded computer virus at work. Normally a very careful person with such things, I can not explain away this lack of discretion, of inadvertently executing an unknown executable file. Granted it was on one of our network drives (hence assumed to be ‘clean’), and I was just killing sometime before getting off work, and expecting to see some cute Windows screen saver or such things… Well, suffice it to say, a few minutes’ handiwork can sometimes lead to hours of additional labour. In the end, reinstall – as is typical for Windows users!
For those not in Singapore. The SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) is causing havoc in Asia, and some other parts of the world. It seems this virus will be here to stay. The only safe method of prevention at this stage is to stay healthy (good diet and healthy living) and maintain good personal hygiene.
Seems we just can’t escape from these viruses, one way or another.
PHP changes
The :myphotos: is currently down. This is due to some changes in the configuration of PHP on my server overnight. Hopefully, this will be rectified as soon as possible.
Fixed!