I want to live longer

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My 2009 new year’s resolution (RESOLUTIONS) was about making changes. And so I changed, to a healthier lifestyle. I did that because I love life and I want to live longer. So for my 2010 new year’s resolution (and future resolutions to come), I resolve to continue living a more healthy life, for as long as possible.

Everyone wants to live longer. Like most people, I want to see my children grow up, have grand children or even great grand children. And that is just one part of it. There are also many other things I hope I will live long enough to see and experience … I mean realistically. I think there are many great things and events that are going to unfold. They are definitely NOT worth dying for (you know what I mean).

Wouldn't it be great to witness human set foot on the moon again? Maybe even a human journey to Mars. It will be great to see this tremendous achievement of mankind’s exploration into space. You will never know, we may find proofs of extra-terrestrial life for I believe we are not alone in this vast universe.

I would love to see the “string theory” being proven by brilliant mathematicians and physicists to explain the complex universe we are in and maybe see the discovery of a new force ... anti-gravity maybe? It will be a great breakthrough for the medical world when scientists find a cure for cancer, AIDS as well as other deadly diseases and use all these advancements of medical science to reduce the suffering of the unfortunates. I hope all these will happen before my time is up.

I hope that during my lifetime, archaeologists and scientists will open the tomb of Shi Huang Ti (China’s First Emperor) and I also hope they will discover the tombs of Cleopatra & Mark Anthony, Genghis Khan, and that of Alexander The Great. That will give us invaluable historical insight of the various great ancient civilisations.

Soon some athletes will set a record of 100 meters sprint below 9.5 seconds (or even lower). And with dedication and hard work, our very own badminton players may even get an Olympic gold medal (and we will get a public holiday). Isn’t all that great to live for? There are just so many great things to look forward to and I really don’t want to miss them.

I am sure, like me, you too have many things and events you would love to see before your time is up. Who knows, maybe a Malaysian Chinese as Prime Minister of Malaysia … possible?

To that, I wish you a Happy New Year and a healthy and long life.

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A house or a home?

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When my old man was still alive, I asked him to come to stay with me every now and then. Most of the time he declines the offer and even when he agrees to come to stay with me, it will only be for a day or so and then he wants to go home. Not that he don’t like me, it just that he is most happy to be at his small little flat which he called home. Even though my siblings and I can afford better houses and wanted him to come stay with us, he said to us … “This is your house but it is not my home”. And he will quote a popular Cantonese saying “loong chorng putt kup kau tau”. It basically means that you can give him the dragon’s (emperor’s) bed but it is no match to his dog's kennel. To my old man, it is not about the house, it is all about the home.

Those who are old enough will probably remember “SINGER”, a very popular household brand many years ago. If you do, I am sure you will also remember its tagline and its advertising jingle. I can still sing out loud the popular jingle …“SINGER, has a way to make your house a home”. It is a simple phrase but have a very strong meaning about house and home. And this is what I want to talk about here …what is a house and what is a home?

A house is bought, a home is made. A house is built by the hands, a home is built by the heart. A house is made of walls and beams, a home is made with love and dreams. A house is where you stay, a home is where you live. A house is your body, a home is your soul. And strangely, we leave our house to look for our needs, only to return home to find it.

I have a house. You can say I have a very nice house. But that is exactly what it is … a house. It is a home? Yes, it is my home and after so many years, it is still in the making. You know what? It will take my lifetime to do it. By the words of SINGER’s popular tagline, I am always making my house a home. I am doing it bit by bit, day by day because like my old man, I love to go home. I feel most happy to be at my home.

For the rich it can be a multi-storeyed bungalow or a luxury condominium. For others, it may be a cheap low-cost apartment. The question is …“Is it an expensive house you bought to show off or is it a home that you have made for you and your loved ones?

So whatever it is, a big luxurious bungalow or a small low-cost apartment, ask yourself this, when you step into your house, do you find a home?

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It takes more than good looks to look good

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Many years ago, when I was studying Advertising in college, I helped a good friend start a modelling and grooming agency. He asked me to suggest a tagline for his agency that emphasize the services he offered. The agency's business is all about making people look good. So, I cracked my head for a few days and came up with the line …“It takes more than good looks to look good”. I was quite pleased with this line and thought I will probably go on to become a great copywriter. Well, it didn’t happen. Anyway, I am sure I was not the first one who thought of this line.

So, “good look” and “look good” … these two phrases, simple as they are but unfortunately many people are mistaken. Some people are naturally blessed with good look but they don’t automatically look good. Then there are others who tend to “accessorise” themselves and think it will make them look good. Very often we hear them say: “I will look good in this” or “That will makes me look good”. And usually they spend a lot of money on things they think will make them look good.

Let me say this, whether they have an expensive makeover, dress in designers’ clothes, wear a Rolex or drive a Mercedes, maybe it will just give them the good look. To look good, it takes more, a lot more beyond the expensive accessories.

I used to attend many so called “glamour” events and have personally organised quite a number of them during my years in the corporate world. Many local celebrities, popular personalities and well to do socialites were always invited for public relations purposes. In almost every event, you will find a few, who, as good as they look in the glittering designers’ clothes and expensive accessories, the way they behave were utterly disappointing. I am not going to talk about how these people behaved but what I can say is that they personify the words “It takes more than good look to look good”.

So, if you asked me what is “good look” and what is “look good”, I will put it this way … “good look” is what you see and “look good” is what other people see.
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