Adam’s posterous

Its really peaceful and quiet in the school tonight.

Had a 4 patty mega Big Mac. Between that and the upsized coke, I'll probably die in the next 20 minutes or so. O.o

Don't overwork yourself.

Rest when you are tired.

Even God rested on the seventh day after creating the world.

I usually enjoy travelling overseas on holiday. Its enriching to be immersed in another culture and refreshing to be in a completely different environment. But travelling for work - well that's a completely different thing.
I had a 28 day holiday last year to australia - the longest I have ever been overseas. Unfortunately it was for reservist training and I spent most of that time in the desert communing with spiders. So that pretty much sucked.
Then there's travelling with students. Its enjoyable to travel with them learning more about them and their personalities. If you think travelling with kids is stressful, try travelling with forty. I'm responsible for them and ultimately I feel like a tour guide. Could never fully relax on a school tour. So that pretty much sucks too.
Then there's traveling for business. Travelling as a buyer has its perks. Since I source for suppliers, vendors usually meet me in big luxury cars and wine and dine me at expensive restaurants. Best treatment I have ever gotten was from this agency in Brussels where they put me in a presidential suite. Dinner ranged from caviar to lobster and wagyu beef. But its stressful when you have to make a decision who to give the $1.5 million to and whose services are best value for money. So that pretty much is a great experience until the last 2 days. So that half sucks.
Will have to travel tomorrow to Stockhölm for business. Well, i'll enjoy myself while i can. After I return, its back to work again.

This is my old piano. It has been with me for as long as I can remember. It accompanied me from grade one. I practiced scales on it.
Through it I have explored music by Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms and others. This was the piano that I broke a finger when I was attempting to play Rachmaninov at twice the recommended speed limit. This was the piano that I composed my wedding march on. This is the piano that has taken my frustrations and anger. It has endured Proviofiev played on it at twice the recommended volume. It has taken a beating and several broken strings when I crashed Beethoven through it.
This piano has been banged on and repeatedly abused by me.
Still it remains, faithful to the last, still producing music for me. Cheers my old friend. Heres to many more
musical years to come.

Business trip coming

In the US, bank owners beg the government for help to get through one of the worst financial crisis ever. Yet they can afford to fly their private jets to the capitol to beg for money. Am I missing something here?

In Singapore, consumers complain about rising prices and the lack of government handouts as they brace themselves to ride out a looming recession. Yet, people are out in droves doing their Christmas shopping. Number of cars sold have tripled this month. Am I missing something here?

At work, we grapple with manpower shortage every year as we struggle to deploy teachers to cover all classes and subjects. Yet, through the year, we volunteer and participate in one ministry initiative after another with wild abandon. Am I missing something here?

It is quite disturbing to see how commercialism and retail interests have completely removed the meaning of Christmas. Everywhere I look, christmas has now been changed into a shopping season, not unlike the Great Singapore Sale. It has become an eating season. Everywhere we see images of talking reindeer, fat old men dressed in fur, moving snowmen and other freakish talking animals.
To me, Christmas has always been the rememberance of the birth of Jesus, the day hope was given to the world. As fortold in Genesis, "Man was given mortal pain, but the blessed God came down, teaching that his death will bring to man, comfort." Christmas is joy tinged with sadness, knowing that it took the death of an innocent man to save us from our sin, that the omnipotent God would choose to die for an ungrateful race, that we are given a gift so precious that none of us deserve it. That is theChristmas present that was given on Cristmas day. That is the gift we have to give to others on this day.
Yet, we are told by retail outlets that Christmas presents are material possessions. That happiness is a big lcd television set. That happiness is the newest electronic gizmo. That happiness is having a lavish meal of overpriced beef. That is the biggest deception of the world, that possessions bring happiness.
So at Christmas, I don't usually buy gifts. People may say that I am stingy. But why perpetuate a lie?
Rather I try to present the gift that is much more important, especially to those who have yet to receive this gift. The gift of life, and a life living with a closeness to a loving God. What else could possibly bring greater happiness?

Its back to work soon for me. 2 weeks of napping, training, eating, napping, jumping into rivers, napping, playing in the rain, napping, dodging lightning and napping has come to a close. Now its back to real work. Time to check on my new posting and meet up with my new boss. Then its back to planning for the new year. Well, i'll look forward to the next round of reservist training. It has been refreshing.

The rain is incessant. If i was at home dry and in bed now, i would be pretty happy with the cool weather. But i'm cold and wet without any proper shelter now, so the rain is just shitty now. Well, at least there's no lightning now.