creativity...

A-ha! Finally someone who wrote this down in a simple, but brilliant way:) Saw this first on digg.com by a dude called Hugh MacLeod - here's the link:

http://www.gapingvoid.com/Moveable_Type/archives/000932.html

But I will post the short, customized version:P

1. ignore everybody
2. the idea doesn't have to be big. it just has to change the world.
3. put the hours in
5. you are responsible for your own experience
6. everyone is born creative; everyone is given a box of crayons in kindergarten
13. never compare your inside with somebody else's outside
17. merit can be bought. passion can't
19. sing in your own voice
25. you have to find your own schtick
26. write from the heart

a comedy of errors...

Haha...was up at Cypress tonight...3rd time snowboarding this year...once more and I will have made my season pass worth it:P...ok, ok, so I am cheap, what can I say???...guilty as charged:)

Well, the day started out normally enough...with the exception of my gf driving her family's SUV up the mountain...nothing exciting about this, in and of itself...however...it was her first attempt at driving up there...so aside from hair-raising turns on the curves and driving on two lanes on highway 1...she is a typical female driver...enough said...again, my life expectancy may have decreased a few years with that statement, but it is the truth...and nothing but the truth!!!

3rd time down the first run we did...my gf decided to give a kid a lot more room coming off the chairlift...her skis (she likes skiing, I like boarding...among our many differences:P)...they slid under my board...she wipes out, taking me with her and to top it all off, the chair slides around and smacks me right in the head...I will sue, if this affects my intelligence...oh wait, forgot, my IQ can't get any lower!:(...never mind...

Then we decided to try to longer run...actually it was much longer...more on that later...she was a bit apprehensive on the way up...the chairlifts were running faster...the fog was coming in...the mountain looked much steeper...and the ride up was quite long...me...I was quite excited... So, wiped out spectacularly coming off the chairlift...didn't get hit in the ol' coconut this time, thank goodness. We took off down the hill...quite fun...still not quite stable on my board yet, but coming along...as I go down the hill...I see my gf fall and was slow getting up...so stop next to her and thought she was injured...so naturally I unbuckle my board...lo and behold, lost the grip on the board...and then proceeded to watch it fly down the slope, until it disappeared from sight...shiite!!! And I hadn't even gone a quarter of the way down! Well, from then on, it was a rather brisk walk down the mountain...the air was crisp...the scenery was nice...what more could a guy ask for?...how about my D#*(%&^ board?

Finally got to the bottom of the hill...took me about 20 - 30 mins...talked to the dude checking passes...I couldn't help but laugh when he told me he had NEVER heard of this happening before...sigh...my 15 seconds of fame! Ski patrol couldn't find my board...so trudged back to the rental office...my gf couldn't believe that I still had my sense of humour intact:P...I told her we would have lots of good stories to tell one day ;-) Guess what?...someone turned in the board...saved the day...a stroke of good fortune, in the face of bad luck...maybe the gods smiled down on me...since I was trying to do a good thing:) Actually am glad the board didn't hit anyone.

Ah, before I forget, as I had my nature walk down the mountain, was talking to one of the snowboarders coming down, apparently my board zoomed by him while he was on his way down ...with a couple of kids in pursuit...sigh...let me reiterate...my 15 secs of fame:P

Such is another day in the life of my mundane existence...:P

a few thoughts and some questions...

Received a call from the past this morning...surprised me...made me do some thinking...

If we open the doors to our hearts, even the slightest bit, to another human being...is it truly possible to ever close that door? If we have loved, even the smallest amount...is it possible to forget that love?...am not sure... Is it unfair when we choose to open our hearts to someone else?...if we cannot close the door entirely on the love we once shared with another...do we somehow love that new person less?...or have less of a capacity for them?

Have been in a strange mood much of the day...but like all things that no longer "exist"...this too will pass...

interesting IM session...

Was chatting with a friend on GoogleTalk this morning...when I had a brief reprieve from all the usual business at work. It was interesting on a number of different levels...prior to this year, I had never really considered her a friend...she was one of my sister's best friends...so I knew she existed, but never really talked to her that much. This year, after having known her for 12 or 13 years now (I think)...I met up with her while attending a conference in San Jose...we did the tourist thing and hung out with my sis as well...turns out she is a pretty cool person.

So, after I got back, we kept in touch once in awhile via one IM client or another. Today she was telling me about her current relationship...won't discuss too much...have to respect her privacy...but I also didn't get all the juicy details:P...sigh, I lead such a mundane existence that I must live vicariously through the lives of others:( Anyway, she was asking about how my gf and I were doing...and she was lamenting the fact that she couldn't find what I have had and what I have now. All her relationships had gone nowhere...so she had decided that it was better to live for the moment...since life is short. In reply, I said that for myself...I don't bother with that...that's why I choose not to date people casually...some people can date 3 different people in a month...boring old me...only dated 3 girls in my life. On one hand, this must be testament to my charming personality (or lack thereof) and my redeeming qualities (seemingly nonexistent); on the other hand, I made a conscious choice...because life is too short...I think it is better to be alone than to be just with someone, anyone...I think some people abhor the thought of being lonely...

For me, in some of my relationships...now that I look back...sometimes it was simply a case of the right person, but wrong time...hopefully, I have learned from my mistakes. And who knows, maybe when it is all said and done, I too will be alone...

(am aware that this post meanders nowhere in a rather lazy fashion:P...but I prefer it that way...warts and all!)

first snowboarding experience...

Survived my first snowboarding experience at Cypress:P My knees are bruised...my wrists are sore...have a slight hyperextension of my right elbow...my butt hurts...and my pride is a little bit bruised too...but it was a blast! Once I heal a bit...off to the slopes I go again:)

Actually it was a fun experience...was exhausted by the end of the day though, partly because I was brilliant enough to go work out on Friday and Saturday...on Sunday, took a beginner's lesson with my gf...the small practice hill was ok...not too many spectacular spills, but I did have a penchant for drifting towards the fence...as I do not really know how to control my direction all that well:) Then the instructors decided it was good to go up the chairlift and do a run...well, my two runs consisted of wiping out as soon as I got off the chairlift and then falling rather ungracefully every 5-10 metres...needless to say, I was the last person down...my butt was so sore that I ended up walking the last part of the hill...am quite ashamed to admit this...sigh:(

Oh well, next weekend, will brave the hills again...am determined to learn this!!!:)

happy new year...

Well...that time of year again...time to recover from a hangover (didn't go out this year and hangovers aren't my cup of tea)...time to lament over the size of one's credit card bill (will do that tomorrow - I am still officially on vacation:P)...and time to make those New Year's resolutions - a concept that seems to pervade, not only many people's thoughts, but popular media as well.

I am not a huge fan of the New Year's resolution...I find it funny that people will let themselves and their inhibitions go on the eve, only to resolve to be better on the day:) Not much sense in that, methinks...also, maybe because I am my own worst critic, I try to adjust myself accordingly, once I am aware of a weakness...hopefully this is a dynamic enough process whereby I actually become better...but who knows?...maybe I'm heading the opposite way as I get older:P...more stubborn, strong-minded...and worst of all, more and more stupid. Most people evolve; some days, I seem to "de-volve"...I know...not a word, but you get the point. But once again, there is some good out of all this...it makes me somewhat unique...haha:P

So, for amusement's sake, I will write down my areas to improve in...maybe if I am still posting my silly thoughts on the web in 1 years time, I will be able to see how far I have come and where I still need to go... So here goes nothing:)

1. learn to be less stubborn and more flexible: this can be a strength, but like most things, too much can turn into a weakness. As my friends (and I) grow older, it seems people become more and more entrenched in their ideas and ways. But I want to be different...I think resolve and flexibility can work hand-in-hand...consider a child...where the world holds no limits...creativity and imagination have no bounds either:)

2. focus on what I want to do when I grow up: often, my attention span is limited...I tend to want to do many things, and finish few. I tend to be able to do many things...but none of them well...the proverbial jack of all trades, but master of none. So, time to work on my website...get Oracle certified...focus on going to law school...finish writing my lab notebook:)...this is a start...

3. use my energy more efficiently: I, like everyone else, only have a certain reserve...in the past, especially with my family, I tried to do everything...in turn, I think I came across as overbearing, "preachy,"...controlling...many adjectives that could be used. Maybe, my biggest flaw in all this was not my intentions (which, in my humble opinion, I think were good), but in my execution. I think I must learn that others have equally valid points, regardless of whether those ideas agree or not with my own intentions and thoughts. And at the end of the day, good intentions can be construed as interference in certain situations...so note to self...learn to be more "gentle.":P

So I resolve to spend my energy more efficiently...place it in areas where the most benefit can be derived...that is not to say that in certain areas, I will stop investing time, just less of it and only where it is needed. Others can live their lives however they may...I will simply be there when needed. See how that goes...can't please everyone all the time...not efficient:)

4. spend less time playing nhl2006 on my computer! (self-explanatory:P...related to items 2, 3 and 5...haha)

5. be a better friend: It's funny sometimes to me...I am one of those people who, in the past, had a hard time finding a balance...and at one time or the other, neglected the really important people around me...and they stood by, when they should have run at first opportunity:P But I appreciate that...don't have that many friends...but those I do have...it is my honour:)