Why you so like that ah? Make me wonder #36

On a lazy Sunday afternoon, a week since we ditch 2011 – Here I am blogging from a saloon – A Saloon. No it is no typo error. This place is really just simply called the A Saloon. I don’t know if the founder of this place was just simply lazy to think of a creative name to compete with the many mushrooming saloons around, or was his place always just refered to as - a saloon therefore it just got stucked…. or maybe… ok I’m going way off the topic here… so yea, the point that I needed to make here is – gone are the days where we pay a hefty price of vanity – not just money, but heaps of our precious TIME! Spending easily 4 – 5 hours in a hair saloon is something every girl experience about once a year at least. The process of cutting, blowing, shampooing, colouring, perming, treatment.. etc. Here I guess A Saloon found a way to ease their customers boredom. Instead of sitting here sifting through tons of magazines we are not interested in, now we have a personal computer in front of us, with a wireless keyboard and mouse, and here I am typing away gleefully finally finding time (and spirit) to blog!

On with the show!

It is 2012. The Mayans believed the world is ending in Dec, so what is one to do with that sort of information? Crawl into a hole and hide till then? Start building your basement fortress? Or maybe do what I pledge to do – make everyday count.

8 days into 2012, it sure feels like 2011 to me. Speaking of which, looking back at 2011 I realised something, I’ve never done much pondering, not as much as I used to do every year. I’m finally growing up??? More future centric than past centric. Yay!!!

Ok let’s just pick One thing to talk about from the yesteryear.

Let this be my first ‘Make me wonder’ of 2012!

I chose this particular ONE topic pulled from 2011 to talk about because I felt it impacted me in so many ways, and most of all, its benefit was haloed into 2012 and I have a strong feeling in many years to come.

Ever shout out in exasperation?

“Why you so like that ahhhhhh?????”

They even have a song – a long time ago I think with that title…. Hilarious comical song really…. remember my mom frowning when I sing(yell) out the lyrics of this silly song.

I questioned that ALL the time! Ever since I was a child. I was tired of wondering why are people so different. I constantly question - why can’t they be more like me, why do they think how they and why can’t they just  choose to do it my way, if it is not my way it is not the right way why can’t they see that…… Why are they so like that ah???

So a dear gal pal hooked me up with a company that happened to be conducting a workshop to address just this very burning question that I have been carrying within me for years.

Direct Results – Daniel Liew and team, an expert on the Myers Briggs model (a series of psychometric questionnaire to measure how us human perceive the world and make the decisions we make), conducted a small workshop session couple of months back. Twas held at this interesting coffee place called Espresso Lab @ Publika. The cafe smells just heavenly, too bad I dont drink coffee. But I stuffed myself with yummy hot chocolate and milk anyway. It was an ideal place or a day of self understanding. It was cozy, a short walk away from yummy food, but most of all, we had the whole place to ourselves and even the waiters participated. I pig out of the free flow of snacks that was passed around throughout the day too.

But my tummy wasn’t the only thing fed that was day, amazingly it fed my curiosity and I dare say my soul as well. In that 8 hours span I’ve learnt quite a few tips of understanding and accepting myself, my quirks and a fine comprehension of those quirks.

It’s rather complicated and I am in no position to preach about this model but feel free to Google it. But I am happy to say that now I am able to identify my ‘type’, understand myself better, accept my strengths and witnesses and hopefully am able to use this to my benefit.

So the wonderment today is to the question “Why is it that we are all so different in our line of thought, the way we perceive a situation, and the way we decide?” My simplified answer to myself is that Lady Gaga this so right. We are born this way.

I care not to go into how many categories there are and how we fit into those types, but here’s a scenario that happened in class.

We broke into our respective groups and is asked to draw a map from point A to point B. It is so interesting to note that one group will conjure up a simple map with major landmarks and happily call it a wrap and chatted away amongst ourselves while waiting. The other group interestingly drew a comprehensive map with traffic lights, buildings along the way, and there were even some hush debates on should they have an alternative route just in case and see which one seems faster.

There were also some other games/activities of similar note, to help us understand our own type – though in the midst of that intention I started to question more about those who are not my types and why are they like that. However at the end of the day, the magic dust settled and I stopped questioning. Through the series of exercises it dawned upon me that while I thought my way was always the ‘best’, but it is not the only way to approach a certain situation. I understand the annoying people who takes more time to digest something comparing to others. I understand why at meetings some people just decide to be quiet yet holds the answer to our problem in his mind and only to email it over later. I understand why some ‘tin kosongs’ will just yelp endlessly when they have nothing good to say. I understand why I think some people are just plan weird and some in return thinks I am beyond quirky. I accepted, that everyone is just different, and instead of getting all worked out wondering why are they not like me, I can now accept what they are way easier. (though I still have to take several deep breaths, recite to myself that everyone is different and bite my tongue).

Thank you to those that helped me through this journey.

Here’s to an awesome 2012 ahead!

Mind over matters? Make me wonder #35

Btw… I love how my blog looks on an iPad!

They kept saying this …. Mind over matter. Is that really achievable? At the moment am waiting for an important reply via SMS that somewhat determines how my Nov will turn out…. And it’s such a torture… Been waiting for almost 2 hours. And pals say… Mind over matters babe. Stop thinking…. Stop worrying.

How is that event possible? Sigh

SO this is my make me wonder number 34. When it comes to sayings like this… Are they even achievable? It’s like telling a new dad to be to chill as his wife suffers through a complicated labour. Or it’s like telling a kid not to worry when his transport is late for an hour, so really…. Is it mind over matter for situations like this?

Ok granted…. To motivate one self to make the jump for a new job, to run the extra km or to do a public speech in front of a thousand ppl… Yes…. It is mind over matter… But now…. No matter what I try to distract myself with, can’t help but pray silently – can u freaking SMS me back with your decision already…..sigh…. Such is life. The irony.

Next make me wonder is so gonna be – be careful what you wish for!

Life is like a pencil – Make me wonder #34

Reading the book – Like The Flowing River by Paulo Coelho. A superb read. Its his compilation of short stories/notes throughout the years - mostly life lessons. Most of all, mostly inspirational, and when reflected upon our own lives, works wonders.

One of the most memorable story so far is the Story of the Pencil. Read his full story here.

http://paulocoelhoblog.com/2009/12/19/the-story-of-the-pencil/

source: “Like the Flowing River” by Paulo Coelho

A boy was watching his grandmother write a letter. At one point he asked:

‘Are you writing a story about what we’ve done? Is it a story about me?’
His grandmother stopped writing her letter and said to her grandson:
I am writing about you, actually, but more important than the words is the pencil I’m using. I hope you will be like this pencil when you grow up.’

Intrigued, the boy looked at the pencil. It didn’t seem very special.
‘But it’s just like any other pencil I’ve ever seen!’

‘That depends on how you look at things. It has five qualities which, if you manage to hang on them, will make you a person who is always at peace with the world.’

‘First quality: you are capable of great things, but you must never forget that there is a hand guiding your steps. We call that hand God, and He always guides us according to His will.’
‘Second quality: now and then, I have to stop writing and use a sharpner. That makes the pencil suffer a little, but afterwards, he’s much sharper. So you, too, must learn to bear certain pains and sorrows, because they will make you a better person.
‘Third quality: the pencil always allows us to use an eraser to rub out any mistakes. This means that correcting something we did is not necessarily a bad thing; it helps to keep us on the road to justice.’
‘Fourth quality: what really matters in a pencil is not its wooden exterior, but the graphite inside. So always pay attention to what is happening inside you.’
‘Finally, the pencil’s fifth quality: it always leaves a mark. in just the same way, you should know that everything you do in life will leave a mark, so try to be conscious of that in your every action’

I tweeted about it right after reading. But here I am again giving it the credit it deserves by writing a post about it. Why? Selfish reasons mainly – the more I repeat it, the more I will remember it.

Apart from the 5 awesome metaphorically put qualities of a pencil, I would like to add a 6th quality of my own.

There are times, when a nicely sharpened tip breaks, may be caused by extreme pressure, may be from dropping to the ground…… but know that all it needs is more sharpening and it can be as good as new. 

Starting the new book Aleph soon… Let’s hope it is as good as the other books!