tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62066035714155166072011-11-02T15:42:48.917+08:00WanderingsDamien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.comBlogger601100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-32197249681046423072009-08-21T17:06:00.006+08:002009-08-21T17:25:57.188+08:00

Yay, its ghost month again!!! Chinese Halloween, except there's no trick or treat in this one. No this is deadly serious business if you believe in the woo-woo part of Taoism (not to be confused with Buddhism). Its that time of year when the gates of hell supposedly fling open and the dead visit the living unlike Qingming when the living visit the dead. Its when the living organize pantomimes,

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-68973993314485917662009-08-18T09:22:00.006+08:002009-08-18T09:40:27.467+08:00

Its been a while since I updated this blog. Too many things going on all at once. One of the things that's chewing me up big time is the plan for my possible relocation to Europe in the next 6-10 months, for business reasons that's getting harder and harder to turn down.Anyway, back to boring spiritual topics. There is a question that hit me a few years ago when was I reading up on Abrahamic

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-60875585123239761572009-07-17T16:53:00.005+08:002009-07-17T17:07:57.580+08:00

Finally, someone who speaks my language!Someone who attempts to bridge the very big (relativity) to the very small (quantum physics).Well actually, a few people already described the same a few thousand years ago. Lao Tze, Siddharta, a few Greeks. I just couldn't understand the gobbledigook.But its gonna be fun seeing the woo woo stuff through the eyes of physics and neurology so I'm going to be

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-38641933686173776182009-07-12T12:50:00.008+08:002009-07-13T13:47:59.678+08:00

I had the biggest scare of my life a few days ago when I spotted what I thought was a dead body lying under a tree near my condo. No joke. It was 7am in the morning. The body lay motionless and looked pale, as if all the blood had drained from it. And it was partially covered with dried leaves.I went over, heart thumping. I prodded the body, hoping its not dead. After about a minute, the eyes

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-83960305990380483532009-07-09T11:01:00.014+08:002009-07-09T12:00:59.447+08:00

I dislike politics because after following the last US elections closely, I've come to generalize politics (maybe unfairly) into one sentence.May the best liar win.What I read from Iran and Italy recently merely strengthened this.But to those who want change and didn't get it through the voting process, let me ask you one question. Who do you think is the problem - the politician or the people

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-63900957258943802212009-07-04T17:43:00.005+08:002009-07-04T21:46:10.547+08:00

Would you consider yourself to be a normal (= average) person?Normal as in you'd melt into the crowd because you dress like everyone, talk like everyone, harbor the same hopes and dreams as everyone?Boys want the 6 C's. Girls... I dunno what they want. Nice clothes? Everyone's so predictable you could take any random person, write a description about him or her and find that most of what you

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-1856666381117381252009-06-25T17:49:00.002+08:002009-06-25T17:58:34.993+08:00

So... people say we shouldn't dwell on the negative. Life is too short. Live it up. Don't worry be happy. Lets treat life as one big happy hour.It looks to me like if you have an opinion about something that isn't amusing or mindless or if you go near anything thought-provoking, then there's something wrong with you. At least that's what I gather from comments in other people's blogs.I think

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-39128644136660938412009-06-12T11:10:00.006+08:002009-06-12T11:36:01.563+08:00

I don't read newspapers because I feel that papers focus too much on bad news. Murders, snatch thefts, politics, that kind of thing. Like most people, I prefer to keep my mind positive and happy. I believe your state of mind determines who you are.So like most people, I've adopted the strategy of avoiding bad news. Yeah, avoiding. Pretending not to see. Looking the other way while whistling

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-19089610336832663932009-06-02T21:20:00.006+08:002009-06-02T22:02:02.480+08:00

What does this guy mean to you?Let me guess. An idol worshipped by godless and probably misguided people, right?Let me tell you what it means to me.What I see is the image of a person who is humble (modest clothing), generous (the sack filled with goodies to be given away), sturdy and patient (swallows the problems the world throws at him, hence the big tummy), and does it all with a big smile.

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-54093845054477729632009-06-01T20:39:00.007+08:002009-06-02T08:10:56.287+08:00

I was at a tech seminar downtown this afternoon and it bored the hell out of me so I decided to leave early. Not wanting to be stuck in the traffic that was building up, I decided to wait it out at Borders the bookstore.Usually the first place I would head for is the business section which was what I did. I wanted to see what the famous Wall Street gurus are saying now that they'd all been taken

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-82683432253659185752009-05-23T11:15:00.006+08:002009-05-29T08:15:43.250+08:00

A friend of mine once said she finds it hard to reconcile between Damien the guy who has an opinion on spiritual matters (*woooooo... makes the sound of a ghost*) and the 20-something year old entreprenuer wannabe who loves a prank or two.Damn, she must still remember that last trick I pulled on her back in college which I won't get into to save someone some embarrassment. :)Actually I think my

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-72783647328042650542009-05-22T16:34:00.006+08:002009-05-27T11:52:32.277+08:00

I've written about this some time ago so this will be an updated take on the topic.It hit my mind again during my recent trip to Seoul as I looked at the amazing reach of large Korean conglomerates. On the surface, a company may seem like its producing LCD TVs but if you take a closer look, you begin to notice how they've got their fingers into everything. The same company that made your LCD TV

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-78793600851376302112009-05-20T08:30:00.005+08:002009-05-20T08:36:02.855+08:00

I’m leaving for Seoul South Korea today for some work and a quick vacation that will keep me out and about till Sunday. There won’t be any updates on this blog until I come back Monday. Meanwhile, dig this vacation tune and have a good one folks. ..

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-68030909440602461982009-05-17T14:37:00.004+08:002009-05-17T14:53:45.046+08:00

"If only I had a million dollars. I'd be the happiest person on earth!""If only everyone would adore me, I would be the happiest person on earth!""If only this problem would go away, I'd be the happiest person on earth!"You know, you pick up a lot of definitions of happiness just by scouting the blogs.People write about things that excite them (=happiness?) So that means gadgets and what they had

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-66810340297276745302009-05-08T10:51:00.007+08:002009-05-08T11:51:52.448+08:00

I can see a lot of these flags sprouting up on my drive to work. I've always wondered if there was any meaning behind the flag, other than to make the surroundings look colorful and cheery.Thanks to Wiki, now I know.Of course, a flag is just a picture and a picture is just that - colored ink on material. Not much different than the shirt I wear.So its not the flag. Its the meaning we associate

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-44141730056440245272009-05-07T13:37:00.003+08:002009-05-07T14:00:26.276+08:00

There is something about this year's Wesak that's different than the past ones I've observed. Not that I've seen many. In the US, Buddhism is not mainstream. Well, everyone seems to know the Dalai Lama but mention Siddhartha Gautama and you'll probably get a blank stare. "Sid who?" Haha.Why is this year's Wesak Day different? Because in no other year has Siddhartha's musings struck a chord in me

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-64917660752449430132009-05-01T14:52:00.003+08:002009-05-01T15:42:32.323+08:00

Okay so the title's corny but I don't know how else to describe me - a square person trying to fit into a round hole. A spiritual person trying to fit into a place that's anything but.Everyone's content with living on the surface. Everyone goes ooh! I saw this great racer at the showroom! I had the best chicken kiev ever! She's the most gorgeous girl I ever laid me eyes on!And what do I do? I

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-49325212709914941912009-04-22T22:16:00.004+08:002009-04-22T22:28:32.548+08:00

I've been noticing something for a while now. People who don't believe in rebirth seem to be terrified of death (= want to live forever?) whereas those who believe in rebirth seem to have a more casual attitude towards it. If they check out tomorrow, no big deal. They will come back in some shape or form, or so they believe.I admit I belong to the latter category. Yes it could be a completely

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-33699294075485652692009-04-14T13:40:00.013+08:002009-04-14T15:35:59.993+08:00

Some time ago I had a chance to hang out with some guys and we somehow got down to talking about magic spells.Now just because I grew up in the west, it doesn't mean I can't sit down and have a listen to this fascinating world of voodoo. I mean, how many times have we heard Harry Potter say Expecto Patronum.But over here, unlike Harry Potter, for the right amount of money you can have all kinds

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-49686453822758827362009-04-10T21:37:00.004+08:002009-04-11T10:40:58.428+08:00

Recently, I had a chat with my brother who's now settled in Boston. He's planning to get married end of this year. Not exactly a springtime wedding but there were just too many logistics complications, his fiancee's job and my dad's activity schedule being a couple.Anyway, we got to talking about his plan for a family and that's when I learnt that he and his fiancee aren't sure if they want to

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-34800476302201118782009-03-17T09:44:00.007+08:002009-03-17T09:54:09.117+08:00

If you'd like to read Part 1, go here. Part 1 is for those who prefer to keep life "positive." Part 2 deals with the darker side of the topic.As I said in Part 1, if you are a talkative dude or dudette, you'll naturally gravitate towards a companion who's a listener, or someone who you think can be persuaded to become a listener. Similarly, if you can't speak to save your life, you'll find

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-58128488010502991272009-03-11T23:28:00.019+08:002009-03-12T11:17:46.529+08:00

50 years - The passing of 1st generation supporters, assuming present ideals are enforced by core supporters aged 30 years or more. This represents the group upholding the status quo who, minds already set, will not give up their ideals under any circumstances, but may sell out their principles for enough money.60 years - The passing of supporters of the previous generation's ideals. These are

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-86824672684543308722009-03-08T17:58:00.014+08:002009-03-09T08:23:17.232+08:00

Last weekend when I was in Singapore, a friend of mine remarked,"There's lots of political news going on in Malaysia. You spend a lot of time there. How come I don't see you talking politics on your blog?"My friend was pulling my leg. He knew what my answer would be but I had to say it anyway. There are two things I don't write about. People's private lives and Asian politics. Okay, on private

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-77264912651192535062009-03-02T22:28:00.008+08:002009-03-03T08:35:39.614+08:00

Likely worse than the Great Depression according to this opinion piece from Salon.com.In a nutshell, here's what it forecasts.Skyrocketing hydrocarbon pricesSkyrocketing food pricesStillborn newly industrialized economiesMassive unemploymentMassive poverty and starvationMassive civil unrestRegime threatening instabilityAdd global climate gone haywire, something the Great Depression didn't suffer

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-43779027678165815052009-03-02T15:13:00.004+08:002009-03-02T16:29:21.226+08:00

"More than 90 percent of major armed conflicts — those resulting in more than 1,000 deaths — occurred in countries that contain one of the 34 biodiversity hotspots, while 81 percent took place within specific hotspots. A total of 23 hotspots experienced warfare over the half-century studied.""...the hotspots are home to a majority of the world's 1.2 billion poorest people who rely on the

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-42561745766706239612009-03-01T19:13:00.002+08:002009-03-01T19:29:35.696+08:00

In the 80's, the sudden death syndrome killed more than 200 people in Singapore. That's according to National Geographic.The electronics that drove their hearts simply shut down, leaving healthy young people suddenly lifeless.It happens every day. Checking out unplanned, I mean. Ironic that the greatest certainty of life is also its greatest mystery. In spite of all our technology, death remains

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-5649101029942317382009-02-21T19:20:00.007+08:002009-02-21T20:16:26.447+08:00

No, I'm not talking about the appearance of the antiChrist or anything like that. I'm talking about a feeling that people must have felt just before Genghiz Khan's or Alexander's army rode into town on their horses and burned everything to the ground.This time instead of swords and arrows, a lot of people are about to be put down by a weapon many times worse.That weapon is called greed.Why do I

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-3932053480651383522009-02-18T10:41:00.007+08:002009-02-18T11:14:11.405+08:00

Another TV program I watched last night, courtesy of a lousy social life, is one by National Geographic about the continental drift.Geologists forecast that eventually, because of tectonic movements, all the land masses on the planet will converge into a single humongous land mass characterized by extreme weather. Super hot and dry in certain parts, very wet and stormy in others, and cold and icy

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-58476153765416551752009-02-05T21:59:00.016+08:002009-02-06T11:52:11.913+08:00

I can't remember the article but recently, it was reported that a scientist found that its possible to separate the brain from the human body and keep it alive.Not only that. He also suggested that the isolated brain could, for all intents and purposes, experience sight, sound, smell, taste and touch if suitably wired.Logically I guess its doable, albeit it being frankensteinish. After all our

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-89071087003348542812009-01-27T21:17:00.015+08:002009-01-28T10:02:43.194+08:00

Woo hoo, its Chinese New Year, a time when people can't seem to stop talking about fortune and luck. What's CNY without a personalized reading of the Chinese zodiac anyway.But its fun. Feng shui is a fantastic business. Nobody will begrudge you if none of your predictions came true, thanks to the caveat of "heaven luck" or so I'm told. Yes I've learnt a few things these past few days. ^_^You see,

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-32503063896077925682009-01-09T11:15:00.002+08:002009-01-09T11:23:27.703+08:00

Ever since the Gaza skirmish broke out just before Christmas day, its been rather unsettling for me because I have a friend, a college-mate who joined the IDF (Israel Defense Force) right after graduation. His family's now in New York. They have dual citizenship. My friend Mark was a reservist and I'm told he is involved in the ongoing operations.I hate war. What wars affirm to me is that

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-40218355764411150052009-01-05T12:45:00.006+08:002009-01-05T13:11:04.335+08:00

A viral email has offered the most plausible answer yet to one of my old questions about why people seemed happier in younger countries (less than 400 years old) and miserable in countries where civilization and the idea of goodness and universal harmony first started - read China, India, etc.The viral email was in Powerpoint form but here it is in text form:"The difference between the poor

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-23252120646588473312009-01-05T10:14:00.002+08:002009-01-05T10:16:09.564+08:00

Rested.Relieved.Thrilled.Hungry for local food.More later.

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-79894193905332296782008-12-19T14:13:00.004+08:002008-12-19T14:34:31.281+08:00

I'm heading out to California this Sunday to spend some quality time at my favorite hideout at the foot of the Sierra Nevadas. That's in northern Cal.This is a picture of a place near Bear Creek, where I had my first "awakening". A place where I was asked to go in my late teens to face my fears. Alone. Its a place I went back to in subsequent years to unplug form The Matrix and practice my

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-70195341489151489512008-12-16T22:36:00.006+08:002008-12-16T23:06:44.034+08:00

I grew up a very "socially engaged" kid. That means I was always in the company of people. I partied seriously in school. I hung out with two very different crowds in college. One as a normal frat-boy and the other as something probably shaped me into what I am today - a hybrid of Eastern and Western personalities. I learned to feel equally at home in the suburbs of New York as I do in the

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-9650229322764326942008-12-15T14:49:00.002+08:002008-12-15T14:52:47.139+08:00

The opening routine with the "mook yan" or wooden man.... it brings back so many memories.

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-24550718247540603292008-12-13T19:37:00.003+08:002008-12-13T19:41:28.302+08:00

Something I found on the internet....After a forest fire in Yellowstone National Park , forest rangers began their trek up a mountain to assess the inferno's damage.One ranger found a bird literally petrified in ashes, perched statuesquely on the ground at the base of a tree. Somewhat sickened by the eerie sight, he knocked over the bird with a stick. When he gently struck it, three tiny chicks

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-13437882385552744902008-12-12T15:39:00.006+08:002008-12-12T16:00:55.070+08:00

Beliefs are like brands. Brands are carriers of identity, the thing that makes Toyota different than Honda even though both are essentially a box on four wheels. People assign feelings to beliefs. They like it, hate it or are indifferent to it. Our minds cannot resist it apparently, because it needs road signs to operate. Identities are mental objects we create in our minds that serve as those

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-58858894612564881032008-12-04T12:14:00.005+08:002008-12-04T12:22:20.849+08:00

1 Do not be idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology, even Buddhist ones. Buddhist systems of thought are guiding means; they are not absolute truth.2Do not think the knowledge you presently possess is changeless, absolute truth. Avoid being narrow minded and bound to present views. Learn and practice nonattachment from views in order to be open to

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-8635842638295460192008-12-02T08:48:00.003+08:002008-12-02T08:52:38.504+08:00

As more and more speech migrates online, to blogs and social-networking sites and the like, the ultimate power to decide who has an opportunity to be heard, and what we may say, lies increasingly with Internet service providers, search engines and other Internet companies like Google, Yahoo, AOL, Facebook and even eBay.SourceSo who will be in charge when the dust settles?Scary.

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-1649048588172149042008-11-28T12:21:00.004+08:002008-11-28T12:42:16.658+08:00

(This post might be depressing for you. Open your mind's windows if you must read it.)"in the eight years that the Han Dynasty was being replaced by the Qin Dynasty 221-207B.C., the population of China decreased from 20 million to 10 million.. . . .In the Dong (Eastern) Han Dynasty 206B.C.-220A.D., the population of China was 50 million. After the transition of power to the Three Kingdom period

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-18302533288356136612008-11-23T09:57:00.003+08:002008-11-23T10:21:58.365+08:00

Remember the story about about the turning point of Siddhartha Gautama's life? He saw four things that troubled him - an old, sick man, a corpse, a beggar and an ascetic. Deeply depressed by these sights, he sought to overcome old age, sickness and death by living the life of an ascetic. And so he abandoned his former life, forgot about his wife and his parents and went forth to seek the truth

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-46230122449238641932008-11-20T11:16:00.003+08:002008-11-20T11:20:37.353+08:00

Monks at Thailand's Sisaket province have taken "no discrimination" to a new level.They took a million empty beer bottles and built the Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple.Awesome. ^_^

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-1451117058911290212008-11-18T20:36:00.002+08:002008-11-18T20:43:59.335+08:00

For some odd reason the comment link on my latest post turned off by itself. I didn't realize it until a few hours after I had posted the entry and had to manually set it back on.And feisty spammers have been keeping me busy on my other blog.Do bear with me as I iron these kinks out. ^_^

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-40223126918383680992008-11-18T14:55:00.009+08:002008-11-18T20:35:51.631+08:00

Lots of people tell me they are driven by dreams. Desires. Hopes. Or just the love of something.Its interesting to pay attention to their answers because sometimes (not all the time) you will find something entirely different underneath. Like this conversation I had with my friend Tom who graduated from UC Berkeley.Me: "So, what's next for you?"Tom: "I'm looking to do my postgraduate at Caltech,

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-21569633060721996152008-11-15T11:38:00.008+08:002008-11-15T12:27:41.879+08:00

A person is fascinated by the things he sees. Seeing how pleasant they are to the eyes and touch, he yearns to possess them."That's so nice! I like! I want!"A friend reminds him, "Do you really need that?""Aw c'mon, you're thinking too much," he says. "We must learn to enjoy life. Live it to the fullest!"And so he packs it up and brings it home. And in this way he goes through life, picking up

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-40103730700600580062008-11-14T10:45:00.007+08:002008-11-14T11:11:49.527+08:00

As I look back at my old posts, it just occured to me that many of them would appear to be... almost bleak or negative in my interpretation of the world. I seem to be presenting the side that is ambivalent towards positiveness.My posts on hope, for example, might have given the impression that I view hope as a bad thing. Although thats not what I meant, that what I was trying to say was that even

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-15982972608213701802008-11-09T11:13:00.007+08:002008-11-09T13:29:26.478+08:00

"When you feel hopeful, your body's relaxed. You feel generous and open, not only with others, but with yourself too. Your world expands with ideas for how the hope could gather even more momentum. You feel motivated forward.If fear takes too much hold of a personality, rigidity of thought and paranoia enter. When this happens on a national level the same trend is seen. You end up with things

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-33487971325932226722008-11-07T11:50:00.001+08:002008-11-07T12:05:33.845+08:00

The cruelty of ancient emperors knows no bounds.Qin Shih Huang is said to have sent countless innocent people to their deaths building his monuments and the great wall. He castrated people, buried hundreds of scholars alive, ordered intellectual works burnt, killed anyone he thinks stood in his way. In a last "heavenly" act he buried hundreds (thousands?) alive in his tomb at Xi'An.Said to be

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-90635860631221901852008-10-31T09:42:00.011+08:002008-10-31T10:09:37.311+08:00

Hope = Dreams = Aspirations = AmbitionsBeing more than what you areI had a long night last night, preparing for a client presentation for this afternoon and doing social work again. This time by phone, to my friend's father in Singapore.I've blogged about it before, about a family deep in trouble over debts with the father valiantly but hopelessly trying to raise money via bookies. When you owe

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-23677415759130933852008-10-28T11:07:00.005+08:002008-10-28T13:08:42.084+08:00

A fruit seller decides to stop at a highway layby for a rest.A stranger comes along and offers to buy a dozen fruits.As he drives to the next city, he finds one overripe fruit and tosses it into the dustbin.The garbageman takes the garbage to a landfill.A bird comes along and pecks on the fruit.It flies over a field the next day and passes out the indigestable fruit seeds.A fruit seed germinates

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-24580186356490725132008-10-26T21:28:00.003+08:002008-10-26T21:48:24.993+08:00

So why don't people listen to advice?Let me ask you, was there a time in your life when you believed that advice was for sods who couldn't think for themselves?We've all had our moments when we're convinced we have all the answers. Mine started when I believed I was Superman. I must've been 5 or 6 years old. I leapt off a swing and fell flat on my chest. Caused a mild panic at the playground.My

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-88067515619086883242008-10-24T07:46:00.003+08:002008-10-24T10:53:52.606+08:00

Someone takes your property right from under your nose and later denies it. Cuts queue and makes like he or she has done nothing wrong. Puts melamine in baby food knowing full well it destroys kidneys. We ask why.Remember the movie Alien (1979)? You might recall this conversation:Ripley: How do we kill it Ash? There's gotta be a way of killing it, how, *how* do we do it?Ash: You can't.Parker:

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-39383658719709675062008-10-22T09:15:00.004+08:002008-10-22T09:35:04.487+08:00

The Pillars of Creation NebulaThe Eye of God NebulaNo I've not gone evangelical.If it was up to me I'd name Pillars of Creation "Badly-made Yau Char Kwai (Chinese doughnuts)" and the Eye of God "Stove Flame with Faulty Vent".I'm just fascinated at how we like to use divine-sounding names to label wonderous phenomena. I'm not sure if anyone has ever seen god to know what his eye looks like.Btw a

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-5622612640496369242008-10-19T23:31:00.005+08:002008-10-20T08:45:52.060+08:00

My trip back to Sg felt a little different this time. What can you say when your friends start saying:"If I sold my shares today, I'll lose 40% of the money I invested.""I'm not buying any more gadgets.'"I don't know how long my job will last.""I can survive until next month. After that I just don't know...""I am stuck."Seems that happiness and money go hand in hand and few people are more aware

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-45436462943695541672008-10-17T21:58:00.003+08:002008-10-17T22:24:11.586+08:00

My mind groans as America gets caught in yet another stupid spin cycle, this time entitled "Joe the Plumber," recently created by John McCain.It does not matter that the guy's first name is Sam, not Joe. It does not matter that he's not a real plumber. It does not matter that by now, everybody in America knows that none of this "Joe the Plumber" business is actually real.But why let reality get

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-56673350794384997062008-10-17T11:40:00.002+08:002008-10-17T12:07:46.149+08:00

Robert Mager: Life is like a pinball machine. It throws events at us and flips us in one direction or the other.Forrest Gump: Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get.Damien Tan: Life is like a Chinese finger trap. Sometimes the only way to break free is to let go.What is your favorite Life is Like?Last post of the week before I disappear back to Sg for the weekend.

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-74119409205348824382008-10-16T15:53:00.000+08:002008-10-16T16:04:19.386+08:00

You are having a meal at a restaurant when a phone salesman stops at your table and starts promoting his product. He's a young man, well-dressed, looks fresh out of college, looking like he's just trying out his luck. You have no intention of buying his product. What would you do?1. Ignore him as he talks2. Cut him off and forcefully tell him to go away3. Let him finish what he wants to say and

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-39453551963924692982008-10-15T13:35:00.001+08:002008-10-15T13:38:53.051+08:00

Must be nice to swim all day.Pic source: www.whale-images.com

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6206603571415516607.post-34679815306514266752008-10-15T11:48:00.001+08:002008-10-15T13:01:50.846+08:00

I hate to do this but I'm left with little choice but to migrate my blog out of Multiply after losing a bunch of draft entries there. The latest incident happened this morning. A casualty of their recent back-end applications upgrade I suspect.That reminds me of an old IT programmer joke. Pay us or we'll upgrade your content management software. Hehe. :DI'm going to miss Multiply's network and

Damien Tanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04999595284406943886noreply@blogger.com5