Lessons From My Laptop

My laptop seemed to be 'dying' soon as it turned blue (literally) suddenly on many occasions. On Sunday, I decided to backup everything so I could do a system recovery to restore everything to "factory state".

All things seemed well till I made a mistake on Monday when I pressed the wrong button. I wrote over my Incredimail backup file stored in my external drive with an empty one. Gosh! All my emails were gone! I was quite upset with my own careless mistake which could cost me much of my time to re-download all my emails. I wondered what lesson God wanted me to learn from that. "Perhaps I should start my life anew on a clean slate?", a thought ran through my mind. Hmmn.....

To my surprise, I discovered that my D drive partition with all my backup files remained even when I did that system recovery, which I thought should be gone. There I found my Incredimail backup file! Praise God! Hmmn... so what lesson was I suppose to learn then? There is hope?

Well, it wasn't as simple to import the backup data as I thought. Each time I tried to do that it failed, showing an error message saying that my backup files were too big (716Mb + 104 Mb). It could only accept up to 700Mb. After spending much time figuring out what to do, finally I decided to import the smaller file first. I got back my emails but my address book was missing... it was found in the bigger file which I couldn't import. So how?

As always, I will never say die till I try, try, try! Yes, that's me.... very persevering. I made it work finally using a different method from what the instruction said (which couldn't work in the first place when I follow it).

Moral of the story: Never give up easily and commit what you do to God.

Mothers

Two days ago (Friday), there was a bad news that the Taiwanese fighter jet crashes; 2 pilots, 2 Singapore soldiers , and six other Singaporean soldiers were injured, with two in critical condition. Thank God that many of the Singaporean soldiers were not in the military base at the time of crash, otherwise, there will be even more casualties.

This news moved me deeply as someone I know well was also there for the training. Suddenly, I could feel the anxieties of the family members, especially the mothers, when they were waiting for the news to know who were the casualties, and wondered if their sons were one of them. Imagine the relief the mothers felt when they knew that their sons were safe. On the other hand, the anguish of the mothers of the dead and injured personnel is indescribable.

Today is Mother's Day. I wish all who still have your own mothers around to have a wonderful celebration with them, thanking them for all the good things they have done for you, some of which may be done in silence.

To the mothers, I wish you a...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY.

25Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son," 27and to the disciple, "Here is your mother." From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.
- John 19:25-27

A Sad Day

What someone I respected said to me and what someone I cared about did to me today made me feeling so....

My Blog Migration

My second blog, http://iranaway.blog-city.com, at blog-city will no longer be free come 31 Dec 07... so sad. I have already lost all my posts in my first blog, http://yourfriendbee.blog-city.com. I am not going to lose my second blog as well. Therefore, I have to migrate all my posts there to this blog. There are too many fond memories which I would like to keep and read them when I am old.

I hope Blogger will not follow the footsteps of blog-city.com to charge bloggers.

Work & Health Update

I have finally handed in my resignation letter on Monday....

I was not feeling well since the CNY. During those days at home, I dragged the thought of having to go back to work after the holidays. Actually, I already thought of leaving the company in January as I felt too much office politics at my working place. My one month notice to my company was waived and I got paid for a month w/o having to work. :)

I am now back to my headhunting career... feeling free and easy again. I will use this one month to seek God for His direction for my life. I know there is something God wants me to do.... but I am not sure what it is yet.

For the last few days I have been feeling very dizzy, with or w/o medication. The back of my head felt tight at times. At first I thought it was the effect of the cough mixture and the antibiotic. But now that I completed the medication and not taking them for more than a day, the dizziness still stays. Hmmn... sometimes I wonder if I am having a head tumor or something.

My Worst CNY

This year is my worst CNY as I have been down with full blown flu since the eve. I have been experiencing all the symptoms of flu:

fever (between 37.1 and 38.8 deg C)
muscle aches and pains (whole body)
weakness and tiredness
headache
dry and wet cough (on different days)
sore throat (can't even swallow my on saliva)
stuffy or runny nose
nausea, and diarrhea (went to the toilet a few times at night)
feeling very cold

The clinics are all closed during this festive period. I can only go and see the doctor tomorrow. I have never experienced such terrible flu before... this is my first time. I guess my body is breaking down. :(

My Rantings for the Day

Blogger troubles...
For the last few days, I have been having problems posting at bloggers. I always get an error message each time I tried to post. I have to post many times at different time of the day to finally get them posted. *sigh* Not sure if I am the only one having this problem.

Me workaholic...
I am a confirmed workaholic! Sad.. sad. :( My work never seems to end and I still have a long minutes of meeting (6 hours) which I need to listen and type but just couldn't find the time to do so. I am hoping to download free voice-to-text converter so it could ease my typing. Does anyone know where to find that software?

My sanity...
I guess God knows I am such a sensitive and sentimental person that if I am not kept occupied at all times, I may die of a broken heart sooner or later. Busyness keeps me from emotional 'disaster'. :P

My devotion...
One thing I am thankful to God for is the devotional times I kept daily since last Oct. They are life to my spirit and water to soul, always bringing me back to sanity whenever my mind is crowded with stressful events or thoughts. Just like in today's devotion, I learned about Sowing and Reaping. I need to reorder my life to reap the right stuff I want.

That's all for today... Thank you for 'listening'.

Work and Me

I am very accident prone to accident, said my best friend. True, I just got my finger cut by my office toilet roll holder last night. This is the 3rd time accident happened to me while at my new job. :(

Anyway, my job is quite challenging... keeping my mind busy, always thinking of creative and non-traditional ways to solve problems at work. At times, I felt frustrated by office politics, but I am learning how to get things done in spite of that. Thank God for giving me the strength to persevere on. I like the passage for tonight's devotion found in Isaiah 40:28-31:

28 Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The LORD is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.

29 He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

30 Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;

31 but those who hope in the LORD
will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Btw, you may visit cssmania to spot the work of my best friend, and vote for him if you like. If you can spot his work, I shall give you a prize. :D

Haze Makes Me Hazy

The haze situation got worse today. According to Channel NewsAsia, "Singapore issues health advisory over thick haze":

Singapore's environment agency has issued a health advisory as a thick haze from illegal fires in Indonesia choked the city-state and surrounding region.

Singapore's pollution index at 0800 GMT Saturday was 128, compared with 80 on Friday. A reading above 101 is considered unhealthy.

"Persons with existing heart or respiratory ailments should reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity. The general population should reduce vigorous outdoor activity," the National Environment Agency advised.



Yes, the haze makes me hazy too like the picture above...

I left my hp in my office toilet this afternoon, only to realize it when I was waiting for the bus at the bus-stop. Thank God that I was prompted to search for it before I board the bus and quickly rushed back to my office toilet to look for it when I couldn't find it.

Oh no... it wasn't in the toilet anymore! :(

Nevertheless, I went to ask around and a kind soul actually brought it to our counter staff. Thank God I got back my hp. :)

Haze Report by Buzy Bee

According to the ABS-CBN news today, Haze-covered Singapore sets new pollution record,

SINGAPORE - Singapore's pollution index reached its highest level this year Friday as a thick haze enveloped the city-state.

The National Environment Agency reported a pollution index reading of 80, in the moderate range but higher than the previous record of 73 set Monday when a grey haze from land and forest fires in Indonesia moved over the city.

More news can be found at Channel NewsAsia.


Yes, the haze is terrible here now. My eyes and throat are feeling a little soar now with slight cough. I hope the rain will fall tonight.

I Fell Again

Ouch!!

I had a fall this afternoon while visiting a school. My high heel got trapped and stuck to the groove between the rough tiles and down I went. Sooooooo embarrassing. :(

See the result....

Data Lost

I have been very busy the last 2 weeks because my two laptops were corrupted by viruses. I failed to recover my data and had to use the recovery CD to reformat them. All the photos I had taken since 2004 and those given by my friends were all gone. Even the links of all my friends' blogs are gone now. :(

The moral of the story?

Backup all my photos as well?

Or maybe another lesson for me to learn is to let go of the past? I still hold on to the past sometimes, even though I know it is 'history' and things are not the same anymore. Am I being stubborn or is my memory 'too good'? Sometimes I wish I am striked by dementia and forget everything.

I sounded very negative isn't it?

Maybe... I need God to purify my mind and fill it with "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable" (Philippians 4:8).

Proverbs 23:7 says, “As [a person] thinks in his heart, so is he.”

Feelings

Is it good or bad to be able to feel? Most would say it's good. Yet it brings along pains too.

Waves of memories came upon me but I tried to block them mentally and emotionally. I tried not to feel anything but stayed as a 'plant'. Yet I gave in a little. That's wasn't good... I was in 'trouble' again... it ruined my night. I got to go black to being a 'plant'... that's a better option I guess.

Am I a Plant?

Tomorrow is my Country's Birthday and I shall have a day off from work. That's something I needed the most for now. Oh yes, it's also somebody's birthday too.

As I was walking home alone, suddenly a question came into my mind, "Am I happy?" Ermmm.... I have not felt sad for quite some time, but neither do I feel happy. Hmmn.. I don't feel particularly happy or sad, that is. Have I lose my feeling? I really have no time to feel much accept to feel hungry, thirsty, sleepy and sometimes frustrated at work.

Am I living like a plant? Maybe....

Take A Rest

Sometimes, like now, I just feel like 'running' again. I just want to take a break from my blog friends. Perhaps it's because I am feeling very tired physically, which spilled over to the emotional side of me.

After going through years of emotional poverty, I have come to a point that I try not to feel anymore for anyone romantically. I put aside my emotion even if at times it comes back. I am well 'protected' emotionally and no one can penetrate this 'wall' anymore, I guess.

Well..good for now, as I don't have the time and energy to deal with any possible emotional blue. I will stay put here and take a rest, and focus my life on what is of eternal values.

Relaxation Today

Had a good night rest last night... slept for about 9 hour.

During the Church Service this morning, I received some refreshing quotations from the speaker:

"He is no fool, to give up what he cannot keep, to gain what he cannot lose."
- Jim Elliot

"God wants you to do the unusual, then He will do the extraordinary."
- Tommy Barnett

"If you are willing to do the ridiculous... I will do the impossible."
- God

*The secret of a successful and happy life is giving yourself totally to God."
- Tommy Barnett

Spent some time shopping in the afternoon after Church Service. Bought 2 pairs of shoes, then went to cut my hair. Hmn... it's shorter now, feeling cooler and lighter too.

That was my first relaxation treat for myself after a long while. :)

Exhausted

I am feeling very tired and exhausted. I woke up a few times last night in my sleep due to tummy aches... now body is aching.

One thing I am still trying to do to no avail is leaving my office by 7 p.m. *sigh* It seems I need a personal time keeper to chase me out of my office each day. If I continue to work till past 9 p.m. I might be burnt out just like Elvina. :(

Shall sleep early tonight. Good night.

I Slipped

I slipped on a wet floor and fell down flat at my office today while approaching the wash room. Good thing no one was around or I would be very embarrassed. Now I have a slightly sprained right arm with a blue-black palm. :(

The moral of the story? I must be very careful! ...in all I do and say.

Sandwiched

It's been 3 weeks into my new work by now. I hope my enthusiasm won't die off as I encountered many man-made obstacles. I have been sandwiched between 2 'political parties' (my bosses). Each party tries to tell me their side of the story to win my 'vote'. That's how I felt. In so doing, my work got stuck. *sigh*

Anyway, I still like my job because I know I have contributed something in bringing my colleagues (not my bosses) together to work as a team and they feel more united now than before.

I attended a training workshop last night and the whole of today. It's a workshop on how to share Bible stories to children in creative ways. The lessons were very interesting, but the session today was too long for most participants. We reached our absorption limit after lunch. *yawning*


I have to disappoint someone close this weekend. I feel really sorry but I can't held it. "I'm SORRY". :(

Work Place Challenges

My new job is getting more and more challenging. By now, I am a week old with my present company. I have been leaving my office at about 8 or 9 p.m. nightly without dinner. I am beginning to feel the strain physically, but I know I will not give up that easily. There are many things waiting for me to do. I will do them with God's grace and strength. I want to touch lives...