How to LIve in the Moment

Just take time out each day, see what really pisses you off.  But when you get home, it all seems to disappear cos there is always something at home that makes you find your inner peace.  :)

How to Live in the Moment

http://www.wisebread.com/kurt-vonnegut-zenpencils

Waiting game

Its torturous that there is nothing to do whilst waiting for something. 

Dropped my car off for service at 9.30am, was earlier told it'd be finish by 12pm the latest.  Wasting 2.5hrs is gonna be a drag, but now I'm told it won't be ready until 1.10pm at least.....this just makes it more annoying. 

I was going to wait for my car at the place, bum out and watch their boring tv, but decided to take their courtesy drop off at Garden City instead.

Whilst waiting for the pickup, bumped into the guy who I brought my car off.  He remembers my name too, thought guys got bad memory with girl's names?!? Once again he's trying to flirt with me. He brought up the whole karate thing again. I already told him no, not interested in going to his co-owned karate business to learn how to kick people or whatever. Luckily I was saved by the guy driving me to Garden City, otherwise he would be talking/flirting with me for the next 2hrs.

Usually shopping for majority of girls would be heaven or paradise, but for me with nothing in mind to buy, it has become more of a drag of time.

I have taken a tour of the whole shopping centre twice, all this by 11am. I've even tried to go and watch a movie but there is nothing good on that I want to watch. *sigh*

Now I'm just sitting in a coffee shop typing up this blog with a large cappucino.  The workers have already come around to see if I have finished my coffee, trying to take my cup away.  Dude, I only had like 7 sips of my large coffee.  Bugger off, I need to waste time by slowly sipping on my coffee.

Now I'm just wondering if it'd be too rude if I bring out my tablet and start watching tv series.  I guess it might not be.  

A lady opposite me is apparently wasting time too by making a big mess.  Scratch-its, she have a big pile of them.  And it seems like she have packed a picnic and is slowly sneaking it out from her bag and eating it.

Now its only 11.24am, what the hell am I gonna do until 1pm????

----

Update: 12.48pm

Waiting to be picked up from Garden City to pick up my car. Have in the meantime typed up another blog (not published yet), look through my whole twitter feed, scroll through my facebook posts, get updates on the Ashes Perth Test match, swore at the dropping AUD and looked for more funny GIFs. Another 20mins wait. What a boring start to the day. And now I'm close to bouncing off the wall from my large coffee.  YEH~~~

13/12/13 - GIF of the Day

GIF of the Day

Man, if I hafta stop for this.....

11/12/13 - Thought of the Day

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

10/12/13 - Thought of the Day

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Mewwwy Christmas

Merry Christmas

Christmas time I'm in Japan.  But hey, gotta have some Xmas spirit.

09/12/13 - GIF of the Day

GIF of the Day

Can't stop laughing at this one.  Miley Cyrus, your song came into good use

Xmas sales is on NOW

You know its the time when the sales are on when you start seeing discounts. 

Like I brought a jacket today for $149.99.  The original recommended retail price was $499.98 (!!!), then it reduced to $249.99, and again down to $229.99 before finally hitting the price of $149.99. 

You have sometimes gotta really wonder if it really does cost that much to begin with.  I reckon with $149.99 sale price, they are still making a profit.  Sometimes you just feel bad for those factory workers who are paid minimal wage for companies to make huge profits.

But hey, I'm happy with my jacket and I love it. 

45 Life Lessons, written by a 90 year old

I read the article below, found some of them already being put into life quotes with pretty pictures circling around on the internet.

45 Life Lessons, written by a 90 year old

1. Life isn’t fair, but it’s still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short not to enjoy it.
4. Your job won’t take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will.
5. Don’t buy stuff you don’t need.
6. You don’t have to win every argument. Stay true to yourself.
7. Cry with someone. It’s more healing than crying alone.
8. It’s OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for things that matter.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won’t screw up the present.
12. It’s OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don’t compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn’t be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye… But don’t worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn’t useful.  Clutter weighs you down in many ways.
18. Whatever doesn’t kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It’s never too late to be happy.  But it’s all up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don’t take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don’t save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over-prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don’t wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words, ‘In five years, will this matter?’
27. Always choose Life.
28. Forgive but don’t forget.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give Time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don’t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn’t do.
35. Don’t audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative — dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else’s, we’d
grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. Accept what you already have, not what you think you need.
42. The best is yet to come…
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn’t tied with a bow, but it’s still a gift.

Link to Original article on Stumbleupon

06/12/13 - Thought(s) of the Day

THOUGHT(s) OF THE DAY

It's only fitting that today's quotes are from Nelson Mandela.  

A true icon for freedom in our era.  

RIP Nelson Mandela 1918 - 2013

05/12/13 - Thought of the Day

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Today is International Volunteers Day.  Think this quote fits today perfectly.

Learn from these

“Be brave. Even if you’re not, pretend to be. No one can tell the difference. 

Don’t allow the phone to interrupt important moments. It’s there for your convenience, not the callers.

Don’t be afraid to go out on a limb. That’s where the fruit is. 

Don’t burn bridges. You’ll be surprised how many times you have to cross the same river. 

Don’t forget, a person’s greatest emotional need is to feel appreciated. 

Don’t major in minor things. 

Don’t say you don’t have enough time. You have exactly the same number of hours per day that were given to Pasteur, Michaelangelo, Mother Teresa, Helen Keller, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Einstein. 

Don’t spread yourself too thin. Learn to say no politely and quickly. 

Don’t use time or words carelessly. Neither can be retrieved. 

Don’t waste time grieving over past mistakes Learn from them and move on. Every person needs to have their moment in the sun, when they raise their arms in victory, knowing that on this day, at his hour, they were at their very best. 

Get your priorities straight. No one ever said on his death bed, ‘Gee, if I’d only spent more time at the office’. 

Give people a second chance, but not a third. 

Judge your success by the degree that you’re enjoying peace, health and love. 

Learn to listen. Opportunity sometimes knocks very softly. 

Leave everything a little better than you found it. 

Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation. 

Loosen up. Relax. Except for rare life and death matters, nothing is as important as it first seems. 

Never cut what can be untied. 

Never overestimate your power to change others. 

Never underestimate your power to change yourself. 

Remember that overnight success usually takes about fifteen years. 

Remember that winners do what losers don’t want to do. 

Seek opportunity, not security. 

A boat in harbor is safe, but in time its bottom will rot out. 

Spend less time worrying who’s right, more time deciding what’s right. 

Stop blaming others. Take responsibility for every area of your life. 

Success is getting what you want. Happiness is liking what you get. 

The importance of winning is not what we get from it, but what we become because of it. 

When facing a difficult task, act as though it’s impossible to fail.”

— Jackson Brown Jr.

03/12/13 - Thought of the Day

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

02/12/13 - THOUGHT OF THE DAY

THOUGHT OF THE DAY

Running update of Tattoo

 

01/12/13 - Gonna do a running update of my new Tattoo.  (Well, it's 3 days already, so not new anymore I guess.)  I am still awaiting for the colouring from the stencil to come off.  I can see bits & pieces of the white ink.  I have gotta say, he really did a good job on the word "love"

02/12/13 - Still waiting for the stencil ink to come off.  

03/12/13 - Slowly peeling

04/12/13 - Quite itchy today.  Maybe it's the cream I'm putting on and the fact it's wanting to peel

07/12/13 - As each day goes by, I can see it's starting to look better & better.  Can't wait until all the peeling is over

 

Day 1 - Fresh from getting it done

Day 2 - Removed the bandage

Day 3 - Letting it breath

Day 4 - Still waiting...

 

Day 5 - Peeling a little bit

Day 6 - Itchy & peeling

Day 7 - peeling big time

Day 8 - Looking good

Xmas family holiday 2013 - Okinawa, Japan

December 1st already, that means there is only 22 more days until family holiday to Naha - Okinawa, Japan.  To be honest, it is said to be a family holiday, but I'm not really sure the exact numbers going as of yet.  I know mum, dad, eldest sister & her daughter and then there is me.  Not quite sure about my younger sister & her son yet.

So, when I was first told Naha is the place we're going to....I was like....where the heck is that?!?!
Did some research online.

 Naha Attractions

• 1.       Shuri Castle – Reconstructed former Ryukyu Royal Palace
• 2.       Shikinaen Garden – 2^nd residence of the former Ryukyu kings
• 3.       Prefectural Museum – history & art
• 4.       Tsuboya District – district with pottery shops
• 5.       Kokusaidori – Main shopping & entertainment street (2kms)
• 6.       Tamaudun – Mausoleum for the former Ryukyu Royal Family

Northern Honto

• 1.       Churamui Aquarium – Japan’s best aquarium
• 2.       Hiji Waterfall – Hiking trail through the forest to a waterfall
• 3.       Ocean Expo Park – Amusement park with various attractions
• 4.       Hedo Misaki – Cape at the Northern tip of Okinawa Honto
• 5.       Nakijin Castle – Ruins of another former Ryukyu castle
• 6.       Nago Pineapple Park – Pineapple theme park

Central Honto

• 1.       Ryukyu Mura – Theme park about Okinawa culture
• 2.       Nakagusuku Castle – Ruins of a former Ryukyu castle
• 3.       Nakamura Residence – Traditional Okinawan style residence
• 4.       Katsuren Castle - Ruins of another former Ryukyu castle.
• 5.       Zakimi Castle - Ruins of another former Ryukyu castle.
• 6.       American Village – Shopping center near American military bases

Southern Honto

• 1.       War Memorials – Peace park
• 2.       Sefa Utaki – One of the most sacred sites on Okinawa
• 3.       Okinawa World – Featuring a cave and folk craft village

Loisir Hotel, East Naha

Loisir Hotel, East Naha

Loisir Hotel, East Naha

Shureimon Gate, Shuri Castle

The Throne of the Ryukyu King inside the Seiden, Shuri Castle

The Seiden (Main Hall), Nanden Hall
(South Hall)
and Una Plaze, Shuri Castle

Shuri Castle

Tamaudun Mausoleum

Tamaudun Mausoleum

Tamaudun Mausoleum

Hiji Waterfall

Hiji Waterfall

Ocean Expo Park Plaza

Churaumi Aquarium

Ryukya Mura

Ryukyu Mura

I definitely want to see the Shuri Castle for sure.  I love looking at history and castles. 
Okinawa is a place with heaps of castle ruins.  Japan have a great history, so has Okinawa

Think I might want to visit the American Village too.  Where East meets West

Japan Guide

30 Things to Stop Doing to Yourself

When you stop chasing the wrong things you give
the right things a chance to catch you.

As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.”  Nothing could be closer to the truth.  But before you can begin this process of transformation you have to stop doing the things that have been holding you back.
Here are some ideas to get you started:

1. Stop spending time with the wrong people. – Life is too short to spend time with people who suck the happiness out of you.  If someone wants you in their life, they’ll make room for you.  You shouldn’t have to fight for a spot.  Never, ever insist yourself to someone who continuously overlooks your worth.  And remember, it’s not the people that stand by your side when you’re at your best, but the ones who stand beside you when you’re at your worst that are your true friends.
2. Stop running from your problems. – Face them head on.  No, it won’t be easy.  There is no person in the world capable of flawlessly handling every punch thrown at them.  We aren’t supposed to be able to instantly solve problems.  That’s not how we’re made.  In fact, we’re made to get upset, sad, hurt, stumble and fall.  Because that’s the whole purpose of living – to face problems, learn, adapt, and solve them over the course of time.  This is what ultimately molds us into the person we become.
3. Stop lying to yourself. – You can lie to anyone else in the world, but you can’t lie to yourself.  Our lives improve only when we take chances, and the first and most difficult chance we can take is to be honest with ourselves.  Read The Road Less Traveled.
4. Stop putting your own needs on the back burner. – The most painful thing is losing yourself in the process of loving someone too much, and forgetting that you are special too.  Yes, help others; but help yourself too.  If there was ever a moment to follow your passion and do something that matters to you, that moment is now.
5. Stop trying to be someone you’re not. – One of the greatest challenges in life is being yourself in a world that’s trying to make you like everyone else.  Someone will always be prettier, someone will always be smarter, someone will always be younger, but they will never be you.  Don’t change so people will like you.  Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.
6. Stop trying to hold onto the past. – You can’t start the next chapter of your life if you keep re-reading your last one.
7. Stop being scared to make a mistake. – Doing something and getting it wrong is at least ten times more productive than doing nothing.  Every success has a trail of failures behind it, and every failure is leading towards success.  You end up regretting the things you did NOT do far more than the things you did.
8. Stop berating yourself for old mistakes. – We may love the wrong person and cry about the wrong things, but no matter how things go wrong, one thing is for sure, mistakes help us find the person and things that are right for us.  We all make mistakes, have struggles, and even regret things in our past.  But you are not your mistakes, you are not your struggles, and you are here NOW with the power to shape your day and your future.  Every single thing that has ever happened in your life is preparing you for a moment that is yet to come.
9. Stop trying to buy happiness. – Many of the things we desire are expensive.  But the truth is, the things that really satisfy us are totally free – love, laughter and working on our passions.
10. Stop exclusively looking to others for happiness. – If you’re not happy with who you are on the inside, you won’t be happy in a long-term relationship with anyone else either.  You have to create stability in your own life first before you can share it with someone else.  Read Stumbling on Happiness.
11. Stop being idle. – Don’t think too much or you’ll create a problem that wasn’t even there in the first place.  Evaluate situations and take decisive action.  You cannot change what you refuse to confront.  Making progress involves risk.  Period!  You can’t make it to second base with your foot on first.
12. Stop thinking you’re not ready. – Nobody ever feels 100% ready when an opportunity arises.  Because most great opportunities in life force us to grow beyond our comfort zones, which means we won’t feel totally comfortable at first.
13. Stop getting involved in relationships for the wrong reasons. – Relationships must be chosen wisely.  It’s better to be alone than to be in bad company.  There’s no need to rush.  If something is meant to be, it will happen – in the right time, with the right person, and for the best reason. Fall in love when you’re ready, not when you’re lonely.
14. Stop rejecting new relationships just because old ones didn’t work. – In life you’ll realize that there is a purpose for everyone you meet.  Some will test you, some will use you and some will teach you.  But most importantly, some will bring out the best in you.
15. Stop trying to compete against everyone else. – Don’t worry about what others are doing better than you.  Concentrate on beating your own records every day.  Success is a battle between YOU and YOURSELF only.
16. Stop being jealous of others. – Jealousy is the art of counting someone else’s blessings instead of your own.  Ask yourself this:  “What’s something I have that everyone wants?”
17. Stop complaining and feeling sorry for yourself. – Life’s curveballs are thrown for a reason – to shift your path in a direction that is meant for you.  You may not see or understand everything the moment it happens, and it may be tough.  But reflect back on those negative curveballs thrown at you in the past.  You’ll often see that eventually they led you to a better place, person, state of mind, or situation.  So smile!  Let everyone know that today you are a lot stronger than you were yesterday, and you will be.
18. Stop holding grudges. – Don’t live your life with hate in your heart.  You will end up hurting yourself more than the people you hate.  Forgiveness is not saying, “What you did to me is okay.”  It is saying, “I’m not going to let what you did to me ruin my happiness forever.”  Forgiveness is the answer… let go, find peace, liberate yourself!  And remember, forgiveness is not just for other people, it’s for you too.  If you must, forgive yourself, move on and try to do better next time.
19. Stop letting others bring you down to their level. – Refuse to lower your standards to accommodate those who refuse to raise theirs.
20. Stop wasting time explaining yourself to others. – Your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe it anyway.  Just do what you know in your heart is right.
21. Stop doing the same things over and over without taking a break. – The time to take a deep breath is when you don’t have time for it.  If you keep doing what you’re doing, you’ll keep getting what you’re getting.  Sometimes you need to distance yourself to see things clearly.
22. Stop overlooking the beauty of small moments. – Enjoy the little things, because one day you may look back and discover they were the big things.  The best portion of your life will be the small, nameless moments you spend smiling with someone who matters to you.
23. Stop trying to make things perfect. – The real world doesn’t reward perfectionists, it rewards people who get things done.  Read Getting Things Done.
24. Stop following the path of least resistance. – Life is not easy, especially when you plan on achieving something worthwhile.  Don’t take the easy way out.  Do something extraordinary.
25. Stop acting like everything is fine if it isn’t. – It’s okay to fall apart for a little while.  You don’t always have to pretend to be strong, and there is no need to constantly prove that everything is going well.  You shouldn’t be concerned with what other people are thinking either – cry if you need to – it’s healthy to shed your tears.  The sooner you do, the sooner you will be able to smile again.
26. Stop blaming others for your troubles. – The extent to which you can achieve your dreams depends on the extent to which you take responsibility for your life.  When you blame others for what you’re going through, you deny responsibility – you give others power over that part of your life.
27. Stop trying to be everything to everyone. – Doing so is impossible, and trying will only burn you out.  But making one person smile CAN change the world.  Maybe not the whole world, but their world.  So narrow your focus.
28. Stop worrying so much. – Worry will not strip tomorrow of its burdens, it will strip today of its joy.  One way to check if something is worth mulling over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time?  Three years?  Five years?”  If not, then it’s not worth worrying about.
29. Stop focusing on what you don’t want to happen. – Focus on what you do want to happen.  Positive thinking is at the forefront of every great success story.  If you awake every morning with the thought that something wonderful will happen in your life today, and you pay close attention, you’ll often find that you’re right.
30. Stop being ungrateful. – No matter how good or bad you have it, wake up each day thankful for your life.  Someone somewhere else is desperately fighting for theirs.  Instead of thinking about what you’re missing, try thinking about what you have that everyone else is missing.

Link to original article