Of Babblings and Musings

THIS IS WHAT YOU HAVE IN SINGAPORE AIRLINES SILVER KRIS LOUNGE (MANILA)

But i think it'd be the same here in Singapore! *Drooling*

Labels: information

I see you
I see you
Walking through a dream
I see you
My light in darkness breathing hope of new life
Now I live through you and you through me
Enchanting
I pray in my heart that this dream never ends
I see me through your eyes

Living through life flying high
Your life shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life as a sacrifice
I live through your love
You teach me how to see

All that’s beautiful
My senses touch your word I never pictured
Now I give my hope to you
I surrender
I pray in my heart that this world never ends
I see me through your eyes

Living through life flying high

Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life
I offer my love, for you
When my heart was never open
(and my spirit never free)
To the world that you have shown me
But my eyes could not division
All the colours of love and of life ever more

Evermore
(I see me through your eyes)
I see me through your eyes
(Living through life flying high)
Flying high

Your love shines the way into paradise
So I offer my life as a sacrifice
And live through your love
And live through your life
I see you
I see you

Labels: music

How do you perceive your experiences?

I did up my resume and visited the NUS career centre for the critique session. I remember the first time when I did it, my resume was horrendously long (i thought the longer, the better. even after having already attended the workshop beforehand haha!)

Anyway. I have never felt confident about my aspiration to enter the marketing/advertising industry with my degree course and results. I knew my chance was by citing relevant experiences. I mean it's either you study the subject or you have hands on experience right? So for me, education's kind of out.
But what experiences do I have that I can bring out? That time, I felt there was none. Seriously.

So i asked her whether I stand a chance. I wanted an honest and truthful opinion from someone reliable.

She replied me as though it wasn't an issue worth talking about. To my greatest surprise, she told me I am far better off than most people whom she knew wanted to enter the marketing industry but has no real relevant experience or education. In fact, I stood a good chance. I was like eyes open wide and smiling gleefully on the inside. Haha.

My point is, the way I viewed my experiences, I felt that they were too insignificant. 3 months temp job as customer svc officer in Aviva? 2 months temp job as the same job title in Singtel? And they were like done so long before NUS!

But the way the resume consultant viewed my experiences is that they are actually not just relevant, but VALUABLE. and I have every reason to trust her for the career centre's knowledge and sensitivity towards the job industry of today.

This made me think about how sometimes we are in a situation/experience - good or bad - and we may have belittled it far too much. Maybe it's time to trust the opinion of others and see what can we get out of our experiences through THEIR eyes. I believe self-pity, bitterness, anger and the likes of them are always because we refuse to change to a different perception and see our experience from a different point of view. Is the glass half empty, or is it half full? =)

Labels: contemplative

How do you perceive yourself?

I had a brief, unimportant conversation with my close pal a week ago. i was telling her i wish i know how others view the way i look with certain accessories, clothing style or shoes. and if its the same way as how i viewed myself. there r certain looks i am just avoiding or not willing to try coz of that. she replied that its always different and we can never have the same perception or the full picture. which i agreed tremendously to...

anyway, this led me to the fact that (this is very honest) when i see myself in a reflection surface - think mrt glass doors, shop entrances with mirror walls and the likes of em - i see a person that has a great destiny. and i think thats a great feeling and thought to have. but most importantly, i do actually believe in that. That i have a great destiny. i dont know how or why or when or where...neither do i know how far away i am right now from "there". But to be so assured of that great destiny everytime i take glances of myself is very encouraging. It makes me think everything is worth it. My belief and faith in this God that i serve, who has plenty of hope and aspirations to give to those who believe.

I would not have perceived myself as such if not for God. He is the source of my confidence and dreams...

Labels: contemplative

Shifting Paradigm - Employment and job industry today

I went for a career talk named "Building your Career Roadmap" in NUS. The guest speaker is Mr Mark Sparrow, Senior director of Kelly Services (Singapore).

I went in expecting to know more about the potential of different industries and how it might orientate me further towards what I want in my future career. However, it was not so. The focus instead was on the globalization of work today, and it was only towards the back bit that Mr Mark talked about the different potential industries in the different countries.

Although what I received from the talk wasn't what I initially expected, it was not time wasted. In fact, I was glad I turned up because it has reaffirmed all the sayings flying around that it is important to have a global outlook. Employers are crossing countries AND industries...they are seeking to expand globally AND across different industries. I believe no companies want to stay small. Candidates that can add value to these 2 overarching goals are therefore in demand. They don't need more coffee and photocopy girl or boy in the company. They need people who has the breadth (knowledge/expertise crossing industries) AND the depth (specialized experience) in a particular field. Such people will be valued today by large companies.

It is important to me to know what companies today value. I want a position in the company that nobody or only a few worthy ones can replace me. And that definitely isn't some job that an average person can be up to easily. I'm not being cocky here...I just believe very strongly that everyone of us have a unique combination of talent, abilities and knowledge that can make us a niche in our industry and company. That way, we actually become more and more indispensible. That is not difficult in today's context, and even more so in future. It is just like everyone of us have a unique mix of personality traits that makes you who you are. Yes, there may be categorizing of personalities into D.I.S.C and the likes of it when we do psychology tests...but that isn't going to give you a full picture of who you REALLY are exactly.

I believe that when everyone of us functions at our optimum (being in a job that maximizes our capabilities), nobody will HATE their job & are just in it because they need to bring home money.

I'm glad I learnt alot from the talk. I don't want to be an average worker in the old work paradigm - a job that is simply a job...like, you're in it because of the money, or you are not really enjoying what you're doing because it doesn't give you the chance to put your talent and abilities to good use. In other words, a mismatch. Or the mentality that "it's better to have a job than to have no job". Which is true in the current job market, I must say. But that's still within the "mediocare mentality", isn't it? This is mere survival mode, a mid-range level of expertise that anyone, given a meritocratic society in most nations today, can do. What's going to happen when the job market picks up? Are you going to remain in your job and being unhappy for the rest of your life? Or are you going to begin by planning towards getting "there"?

The old paradigm emerged from a social background of people that wants to make alot of money because we want to upgrade from a 3rd world to a 1st world nation to being a TOP 1st world nation. And everything that we do, we align it to whatever can make the most money. In terms of jobs, it will be the classic ones - lawyers, doctors, bankers, IT, etc. These jobs that your mum or your dad have been trying to persuade you to do at some point in your life. Right? Mine did lar. Which I personally do not think is healthy if they are egging you to these classic jobs for the sake of mere prestige, reputation and money.

So what do I mean by a shifting paradigm? It means finding a job that suits ME. Not the other way round. For too long, people are trying to fit themselves into a job. That's the conventional mindset. But that's going to change as job scopes now are more overlapped...there are more grey areas between what used to be 2 distinct jobs. For example, you could be a lawyer specializing in the area of Construction industry's contractual dispute. Very niche, but very valuable to the company.

I believe the marketplace today is evolving. And I believe it to be VERY divine. You don't have to agree with me on this, but I believe this to be a prophetic change since the formation of the Bible, which mentions about the "New Jerusalem" during End Times. I'm not at all trying to be a doomsday Christian, but Christians do believe that Christ will return and reign for 1000 years in this same earth, but with everything and everyone in its original order and intention. It will be a new yet old world order. Old as in the original way...which isn't right now. What we have today is still a perversion of the original. Think 9-11, financial crisis due to greed, etc. But, new as in an even better version of the old.

In that New Jerusalem, everyone is going to work just like how we are used to now....but we will be functioning at our optimum which leads to maximum productivity from every person on Earth. Not grudgingly, but passionately working. And I wonder how that can actually happen if you don't LOVE your job. Agree?

The moral of the story is: Plan your career path. If you need training or education to get yourself "there", go for that training or education. If you need experience, go for internships and expose yourself to that kind of job scope first. Gain experience and build up your value for your future position. Do anything except to sit on your current situation. You may start small, but remember you're doing so for your greater future. Do what you love and it's going to be all play and no work. I believe in this and I am envisioning myself in a position like that.

Labels: career, contemplative, revelation

Communication is the key to life. (Smth unrelated to my blog entry below again, hehe)

Nothing is too difficult for Him

FIRST THING

Just wanna thank God for proving to me that indeed, there is nothing too difficult for Him especially if you are doing His work! What do I mean? =)

I was supposed to meet my friend for breakfast before service, and we agreed to have morning call at 7am. To my surprise, I couldn't get thru her mobile when I called her. I suspected that she might have switched off her mobile while sleeping, or she finished using her Hi! Card value. I was troubled because we were supposed to meet at 8.45am at Tanah Merah Mrt station, but I was running VERY late.

I set off for church at 8am, and would reach Tanah Merah Mrt station at around 9.30am. If she decided to turn up on time at 8.45am, I would feel so sorry because if she decides to wait for me, it would be a 45minutes wait! O.O

At that moment, how I wish that she either overslept and did not turn up, or that she would be smart enough to travel to church on her own. Anyway, God is good and He did not allow any of the above possible situations to happen...haha...

When I alighted at Tanah Merah at 9.30am and walking down the flight of stairs, I saw someone who looked like my friend in front of me! It was indeed my friend. Not 'like', but actually IS!

I mean, how could this be just a coincidence? Of all trains, we took the same train, and we were around the same cabin area near enough to be going down the same staircase, and at the same time? Haha. I believe in divine intervention even in little things like this. =) Totally.

SECOND THING
A friend from cell group came to church by himself for the very first time today. Usually, he sits his parents' car to church cos the whole family attend church together. However, this weekend the parents are abroad. Although he was half an hour late for service, I was honestly very touched by the fact that he made the effort to come. I talked to him after service and found out that he did not have much sleep the night before and was looking very sleep deprived. Really thankful to God for the process of His molding that I am seeing in him. =)

I believe that all these are happening for a good reason. I am really thankful for having such a loving Father who wants the best for His children.

Service today rocked. Personally, it spoke. Will remember what God said and His assurance that came with it. "This is for you".

Labels: revelation, testimony

Recap of Ingredients:
1) Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2) Honey
3) Sugar

Brilliant!!! Want to try it out someday.

Labels: Makeup

I'm not stoic. (This is a random comment from something else unrelated to the content below)

Closing the WRONG doors

I was having lunch with Weiling last week when a revelation struck me. "You should pray that God open the right doors and close all the wrong doors."

I always asked God to open the right doorways, but it has never struck me that I should pray that He CLOSE the WRONG doors!

I suspect the reason I am sometimes indecisive, unfocused and even distracted from my goal is because I didn't ask God to close all the wrong doors. Because of that, I spend excessive time dwelling on decision making, deliberating whether this is God's will for me or not because I don't want to deviate from the destiny He has for me. And it is often this process that frustrates me.

The Bible tells us to make SPECIFIC our prayers. It means prayers that are too general are not good enough. God may not answer your prayers simply because it's too general. If you only cite "world peace" for a beauty pageant question thrown at you, you are most probably not going to win it. Isn't that the reason why people use this "world peace" joke to make a mockery out of beauty pageants? Not that I am one of them. All due respect to beauty pageants this is just an example to illustrate my point. Haha.

Anyway. As simple as it sounds, I have started applying it in my prayer. It actually works! Immediate effect: Increased confidence while walking forward, greater focus on the goal, a more carefree spirit, and taking yourself less seriously - much fewer frustrations. :)

You should try it out if you encounter the same problem with indecision as me. Heh. Stop wasting time on what God can make clear to you if you just ASK. Specifically. Apparently, I have lots to catch up before I get to the level of Solomon's wisdom!

Labels: revelation

Over at Twitter

RT @JeffreyRachmat: There is a cost to respect someone. That's why they say: "U need to PAY respect." The cost is your EGO.

RT @jaesonma: God can do more in one moment then we can in our entire lifetime. When we are weakest He is strongest. Yield to God daily & expect miracles!

RT @stefenus @veroy: Strength is not being gang-ho. Strength is the ability to bounce back. Are you bouncy? :)

RT @johncmaxwell Never ignore a gut feeling, but never believe that it's enough. -Robert Heller

Labels: contemplative, inspiration