Madonna's Tribute to Michael Jackson

MTV Shows

I watched this again and again...
What a touching & well-said tribute! So resonating!

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in setting of silver"
- Pro 25:11

When you understand a person's past, you will appreciate his/her present better.
Appreciate individuals.

HSK... HSK...

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I had a super CHINESE-INFUSED Saturday last week!
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It is a result of taking HSK (Hanyu Shuiping Kaoshi)- a Chinese Proficiency Test. Call it Chinese TOEFL/ IELTS if you like...
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HSK is 4-hour long. It consists of Reading, Writing, Listening and Speaking, designed to assess the Chinese standard of non-native speakers.
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I received a last-minute notice to take the test on the NEXT DAY.
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What is the level?
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ADVANCED!!! *faint*
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Language cannot be easily learnt within a day...
With NO TIME for a good preparation, I said a little prayer and went ahead to give my best shot!
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Both the listening and speaking parts were manageable.
The challenge came from the reading and writing part.
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READING
It is like a comprehension.
The candidate is greeted with a densely-populated ("Mi Mi Ma Ma") Chinese passage and is expected to answer various questions.
No time to read + understand the WHOLE passage from TOP to BOTTOM.
3-Step Tip from Examiner! Scan the questions. Pluck out relevant answers. Move off quickly to the next question!
This part is TOUGH; SUCKED a lot of ENERGY from me!
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WRITING
To be honest, I have not written a Chinese essay since secondary school days (which is 10+ years ago).
On that day, I just threw ("Hump Tump") what crossed my mind.
I do not even bother to amend my strokes cos I am afraid, in the process, will distort my original memory of how the Chinese character looks like.
By God's grace, I managed to pen something decent in the 500-word essay.
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Never had I a day "bombarded" with Chinese for so long!
I must admit, HSK is mentally-straining.
And I thank God for bringing me TO and THRU!
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Come to think of it, my past effort to WATCH Chinese news, READ Chinese papers, SPEAK Mandarin & practise WRITING the characters unknowingly reaped some rewards!!!
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How would I know this day will arrive?
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"Preparation is the KEY to your destiny"
When THE day comes, it just comes... ... No time to prepare.

9Cs in 2009

Goal setting is part of my habit at the start of each year.

I like to do things with VISION & PURPOSE.
"Floating aimlessly" can really GET ON MY NERVES!
During times like this, I will self-correct... stop and think, work out different issues and quickly get back on track again!

Earlier this year, as I was praying for a fresh vision for 2009... a few items came into my mind.
Amusingly, it all started with the letter 'C'!
As I continued praying, more 'C' words kept on pouring like a flood!

It came to a point that I asked God to STOP!
Upon resisting Him, I can sense that He was unhappy.
LO and BEHOLD... He threw another C... CAPACITY!
Okok... I know what You mean God. -_-"

All in all, there are 9Cs that I am focusing on in 2009.
Let me share with you a couple of them...



1. CREATIVITY

I am a STEP-BY-STEP person.

I like order and enjoy working things from A - Z rather than T,P,Z,B,S.
Messisness frustrates me! When dat happens, my C can make me D!
(I know what you are thinking but I am not kidding...)

Creativity is the opposite of routine.
In making a conscious effort to achieve this, I have to keep on forcing + training myself to think of FRESH ideas, NEW solutions and BETTER ways to do the same thing!

2. COMMUNICATION

I don't think I am a person who talks a lot.

Guess the only time you hear me "speak endlessly" is during PREACHING!

About two years ago, I started blogging. Afterwhich, I joined Facebook and Twitter. These are alternative tools of communication which allow me to conveniently share snippets of my life with people and at the same time, stay connected with the rest.

Apart from that, I am constantly working on the verbal aspect too.

Moderately speaking, I have achieved 5/9 Cs.

4 more Cs before the year ends in 4 months time!
Realistically speaking, I am not confident to attain 100% fulfillment of my goals.
But nevertheless, I will give my best shot and not limit my ALMIGHTY God!

"Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ASK or THINK, according to the power that works in us"
- Eph 3:20

Jia You... Jia You!!!

Creative Commercials

Running out of shampoo one day, I decided to replenish my stock at a nearby NTUC.

I picked up Herbal Essences shampoo due to its sweet-smelling scent!

At home, after slapping a pool of it on my head, I regretted my choice.

I suddenly remembered what I see on TV a few months ago...




Unsure whether the result is true...

Not wanting to risk my recently-permed hair to become straight prematurely, I bought a specially-formulated shampoo for permed hair at "Pink Beauty" the next day! Haha...

I think the Heineken commercial is pretty creative as well!

Check this out! :)

A Touching Song!

I worshipped God for nearly an hour by singing the same song repeatedly last Sat night...
The atmosphere broke thru another level as I fell postrated b4 Him, crying in His presence. God... I Need You!

奇迹必会降临 MUJIZAT ITU NYATA
(found in Track 12, "Fly High" CD- Great songs inside!!! Go get it!!!)

全能的神你能力无限
(Almighty God With Unlimited Power)

有了你万事都有可能
(With You All Things Are Possible)

从使大山在眼前
(Every Mountain Before Our Eyes)

你也能够挪去
(You Can Cast It Away)

在你绝对没有难成事
(Nothing Is Too Hard For You)

主每当我软弱无力
(Whenever I Am Weak & Broken)

你的恩典够我用
(Your Grace is More Than Enough To Sustain Me)

只要我能够相信
(As Long As I Believe)

奇迹必会降临
(Miracles Will Definitely Come)

不靠才能不靠实力
(Not by Power Not By Might)

依靠圣灵的能力
(But By The Spirit)

只要我全心呼求
(As I Continue To Ask)

奇迹必会降临
(Miracles Will Definitely Come)

只要坚定来宣告就有奇迹
(Steadfastness Will Produce Miracles)

坚定相信就必会成就
(Steadfastness Will Produce Results)

My personal experiences taught me... when I dun bow down to unusual adversities, miracles/ breakthroughs will usually follow!

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Put it simply in Chinese..."大难不死, 必有后福!"

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