hi all. once again, the photos are ready.
message around for the url.
2 versions available.
resized version (~50mb)
full-res originals version (~635mb)
cheers.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Hi Guys!
Featured below is the present we bought for Uncle Danny & Aunty Elaine.
Its a pair of "Couple" Manchester United Jersey.
Red's for Aunty Elaine & Black's for Uncle Danny.
I have to apologise for not seeking everyone's opinion before purchasing the present.
We had roamed around for a few options, but decided on the jerseys.
*Special thanks to the team who took time off to look for the presents.
A gentle reminder: Event starts at 7pm this Saturday, 26/01/08.
*And Oh! I'll be consolidating the money for the present at the chalet. So pls bring enough money!
Cya!
-vEn
Featured below is the present we bought for Uncle Danny & Aunty Elaine.
Its a pair of "Couple" Manchester United Jersey.
Red's for Aunty Elaine & Black's for Uncle Danny.
I have to apologise for not seeking everyone's opinion before purchasing the present.
We had roamed around for a few options, but decided on the jerseys.
*Special thanks to the team who took time off to look for the presents.
A gentle reminder: Event starts at 7pm this Saturday, 26/01/08.
*And Oh! I'll be consolidating the money for the present at the chalet. So pls bring enough money!
Cya!
-vEn
Friday, January 18, 2008
Monday, January 14, 2008
Hi people, the budget has been set at $20 for uncle danny and aunty elaine's wedding anniversary gift. Planning to buy a couple tee, preferrably a pair of Nike Golf Polo Tee. The budget is advisable at $20, which includes the buffet dinner on the 26th, additional drink+chips for those stayin over, soccer at NSRCC and BBQ dinner on the 27th. if you're not utilising the mentioned programs, you can opt to pay an amount you're comfortable with. Pls note, paying is strictly voluntarily and any amount will be undisclosed.
I'm be in charge of collecting the gift budget.
Thks
-vEn
*Pls feel free to forward feedback (If any) to me before 19th Jan 2008 as we'll be getting the gift on that day.
*Any slurpus amount left in the budget will be discussed again.
I'm be in charge of collecting the gift budget.
Thks
-vEn
*Pls feel free to forward feedback (If any) to me before 19th Jan 2008 as we'll be getting the gift on that day.
*Any slurpus amount left in the budget will be discussed again.
Sunday, January 13, 2008
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Buddhism: attaining enlightenment/nirvana
A common misconception among non-Buddhists is that the Buddha is the Buddhist counterpart to “God”. Buddhism however, is non-theistic; in general it does not teach the existence of a supreme creator god (see God in Buddhism) or depend on any supreme being for enlightenment. The Buddha is a guide and teacher who points the way to enlightenment, however the struggle for enlightenment is one's own. The commonly accepted definition of the term "God" is of a being who rules and created the universe (see origin belief). In Buddhism, the supreme origin and creator of the universe is not a god, but rather causes and conditions obscured by time.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha
Wants/desire is maya/illusion. In fact everything in life is transient and non permanent thus is just illusion. Have u had a feeling like u wanted something so badly and when u finally get it , u become happy but after a while u don't feel much anymore. And instead u want other things? Nothing is permanent and as long as we haven't understood that and reached enlightenment, we're just in a continuous cycle of life/birth which is suffering, acc to Buddha. Being dead itself is just a transitory to next realm according to the teaching, so that in itself does not solve the problem.
When we talk about 'wants' here... it is referring to MATERIAL/SELFISH WANTS.... not SELFLESS WANTS that gain TRUE HAPPINESS (i.e. ENLIGHTMENT) for all beings around him/her.
*SIDETRACK* Buddha's mum passed away 7 days later after giving birth to him....yet upon his enlightenment in his mid-30s.... Buddha went to reciprocate his mum (who reborn in another heavenly but still materialistic plain after her death) with his teachings. She not long later also enlightened & detached herself from all sufferings. His son & wife also entered monastery hood together with his vast followers & followed his teachings & gained enlightenment. Buddha deared his father, mother, wife, son & relatives. He also deared his followers & all non-followers alike. AND he did not deared his followers & non-followers ANY LESS THAN he deared his father, mother, wife, son & relatives & with ABSOLUTE EQUALITY.
The same concept applies to human emotions. You have to sever craving/want , when you love, you love undiscriminately and without hidden agenda. Like when you love your gf, you are ready to let her go . And you love ur parents, you are ready to let them go when they pass away and not cling on, that is samsara/suffering. Ultimately you realise nothing is permanent. Emotions change, feelings change, people change, things change, universe is changing, nothing is forever there.
Someone said: Loving indiscriminately means treating all human beings, or living beings for that matter, with respect, empathy and compassion. It's not parent-child love, nor is it the boy-girl love. It's empathy. When our love ones die, we cry. But do we cry because we love them, or because we pity ourselves. Think about why do we feel sad? Because we miss them, and we will not be able to see them or feel them again. Sometimes, there is a sense of regret that we did not say or do what we should have said or done while they were alive. But is this sadness or regret for the deceased? We are not sure about them but No, it is yours. The dead do not feel the sadness nor regret, it is you. And u are crying for yourself, for u pity yourself for the lost. This love is selfish love, not indiscriminate love. To love indiscriminately, every life and death is of equal significance to you. But again it also doesnt mean the people at funerals whom bawl their eyes out love the deceased any less than those who do not.
To go further, it doesnt mean that we have to cry for every death and cheer for every birth. When a life can be saved within ur means, u save it. If a relative passes away, u will feel the loss as much as the malnourished kid who starved to death in africa. Every life lost, is a lost to humanity since everyone has the potential to contribute to it one way or another. It is all about your emotional attachment to that person. Why do u cry for him and not for the starving kid? Because that relative has spent time with you, his memory is within you. But as for that kid, you don't even know him. He may very well have the potential to be the next mother theresa or einstein, but because he is born in that environment, he's unable to live up to that potential. Your relative may just be a normal joe, but you'll cry for him, and not for the kid. So the deciding factor here is you, not the relative nor the kid. You decide who u want to cry for. I do not deny that this is what we call love. But this is selfish love.
The same someone said this too: Example, u love a gal and she loves u back and both of you feel that that is all that matters. But of course that's not true. It involves the ppl around the both of u too. Because for every selfish action, you are giving someone something and taking away something from another. What if her mother opposes to ur union for some reason or another. Her daughter leave home for you and the mother disowns the daugther for forsaking the 20 odd years she spent to bring her up. Now the mother is seething inside. The contempt for you has turned to hatred. And because the mother is unable to vent her frustration, she suffers in silence, leading to illness maybe. The daughter your love becomes sad, but you are unable to talk her around. she goes into depression and marriage goes onto the rocks. Every mistake you make will make her feel her decision to forsake her mother was wrong. And if ur child is born, he/she may grow up learning that grandma hates papa, mama hates papa. so much hate in the family... it may leave an inprint in him/her and affect her future... and this is just one scenario...
And there you go guys.. Buddhism. Guess it must have side-tracked a fair bit but still, a good read.
Cheers cha cha cha!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddha
Wants/desire is maya/illusion. In fact everything in life is transient and non permanent thus is just illusion. Have u had a feeling like u wanted something so badly and when u finally get it , u become happy but after a while u don't feel much anymore. And instead u want other things? Nothing is permanent and as long as we haven't understood that and reached enlightenment, we're just in a continuous cycle of life/birth which is suffering, acc to Buddha. Being dead itself is just a transitory to next realm according to the teaching, so that in itself does not solve the problem.
When we talk about 'wants' here... it is referring to MATERIAL/SELFISH WANTS.... not SELFLESS WANTS that gain TRUE HAPPINESS (i.e. ENLIGHTMENT) for all beings around him/her.
*SIDETRACK* Buddha's mum passed away 7 days later after giving birth to him....yet upon his enlightenment in his mid-30s.... Buddha went to reciprocate his mum (who reborn in another heavenly but still materialistic plain after her death) with his teachings. She not long later also enlightened & detached herself from all sufferings. His son & wife also entered monastery hood together with his vast followers & followed his teachings & gained enlightenment. Buddha deared his father, mother, wife, son & relatives. He also deared his followers & all non-followers alike. AND he did not deared his followers & non-followers ANY LESS THAN he deared his father, mother, wife, son & relatives & with ABSOLUTE EQUALITY.
The same concept applies to human emotions. You have to sever craving/want , when you love, you love undiscriminately and without hidden agenda. Like when you love your gf, you are ready to let her go . And you love ur parents, you are ready to let them go when they pass away and not cling on, that is samsara/suffering. Ultimately you realise nothing is permanent. Emotions change, feelings change, people change, things change, universe is changing, nothing is forever there.
Someone said: Loving indiscriminately means treating all human beings, or living beings for that matter, with respect, empathy and compassion. It's not parent-child love, nor is it the boy-girl love. It's empathy. When our love ones die, we cry. But do we cry because we love them, or because we pity ourselves. Think about why do we feel sad? Because we miss them, and we will not be able to see them or feel them again. Sometimes, there is a sense of regret that we did not say or do what we should have said or done while they were alive. But is this sadness or regret for the deceased? We are not sure about them but No, it is yours. The dead do not feel the sadness nor regret, it is you. And u are crying for yourself, for u pity yourself for the lost. This love is selfish love, not indiscriminate love. To love indiscriminately, every life and death is of equal significance to you. But again it also doesnt mean the people at funerals whom bawl their eyes out love the deceased any less than those who do not.
To go further, it doesnt mean that we have to cry for every death and cheer for every birth. When a life can be saved within ur means, u save it. If a relative passes away, u will feel the loss as much as the malnourished kid who starved to death in africa. Every life lost, is a lost to humanity since everyone has the potential to contribute to it one way or another. It is all about your emotional attachment to that person. Why do u cry for him and not for the starving kid? Because that relative has spent time with you, his memory is within you. But as for that kid, you don't even know him. He may very well have the potential to be the next mother theresa or einstein, but because he is born in that environment, he's unable to live up to that potential. Your relative may just be a normal joe, but you'll cry for him, and not for the kid. So the deciding factor here is you, not the relative nor the kid. You decide who u want to cry for. I do not deny that this is what we call love. But this is selfish love.
The same someone said this too: Example, u love a gal and she loves u back and both of you feel that that is all that matters. But of course that's not true. It involves the ppl around the both of u too. Because for every selfish action, you are giving someone something and taking away something from another. What if her mother opposes to ur union for some reason or another. Her daughter leave home for you and the mother disowns the daugther for forsaking the 20 odd years she spent to bring her up. Now the mother is seething inside. The contempt for you has turned to hatred. And because the mother is unable to vent her frustration, she suffers in silence, leading to illness maybe. The daughter your love becomes sad, but you are unable to talk her around. she goes into depression and marriage goes onto the rocks. Every mistake you make will make her feel her decision to forsake her mother was wrong. And if ur child is born, he/she may grow up learning that grandma hates papa, mama hates papa. so much hate in the family... it may leave an inprint in him/her and affect her future... and this is just one scenario...
And there you go guys.. Buddhism. Guess it must have side-tracked a fair bit but still, a good read.
Cheers cha cha cha!
A Chestnut of Possibilites.
Would anyone too be interested in this Singapore's only live parody show?
Welcoming the lunar new year with lots of shameless movie spoofs, madcap parodies of your TV favorites.
Preview - 23 Jan 8pm
Shows - 24 Jan to 3 Feb, 8pm nightly (except Sun and Mon), 3pm matinees on Sat & Sun
Chestnuts 2008
"I'm interested" below..
- weicheng
- yongjie
- zh
- peow
- xiaojun
- xianmin
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Grace this on the 26th
On behalf of Mr and Mrs Neo,
you're exclusively invited to witness the joyous occasion of the couple's 20th wedding anniversary.
Details as listed above.
*Couples are encouraged to attend as Mr and Mrs Neo will be sharing some ^secret^ advices to a happy marriage. =)
So are you attending?
- Madeline
- Angeline
- Seng
- Pak
- Rachel
- vEn
- Yogi
- Zheng Hui (Pending - Studies) *Official Photographer
- Xuan You
- Tom
- John
- Xiao Jun
- Peow
- Xian Min
- Xuan Wei
- Qiao Hui
- Hechi
- Magdaline
- Boon (Pending - Studies)
- Wee Siang
- Zhi Shen (Coming After-work)
- Kah Yong (Kailing may be coming also)
*Interested personal can also book your seat via vEn's mobile.
Thank You
And
Have a Great Year Ahead
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Beauty World.
anyone interested in watching this local production @ the esplanade?
Date: 8th Jan, 8pm.
Beauty World's Official site.
people who have expressed interest:
1. huijun
2. zh
3. xiaojun
4. xianmin
5. boon
6. weicheng
7. yongjie
8.
9.
add on your names respectively. cheers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
