Tuesday, July 7, 2009

The Genius - Leonardo Da Vinci



Went for the Leonardo Da Vinci exhibition at Science Center today. The organizer has really done a wonderful job. I was standing in awe of the presence of Leonardo's magnificent creations which lead me to contemplate on the capability of human's mind. It is fascinating that our brain has the ability to display such creativity. Walking around, looking at the arts and inventions which transcends time, filled my heart with gratitude for being given the chance to witness their beauty. He was truly a Genius.




Here are some of the lessons which I had learn from the Genius.


  1. One can start from nothing to become a genius. Obstacles will form the greatest strength of a person. Leonardo was born an illegitimate. Being born as a bastard, he was not given any formal education at all. However, it was because of this deficiency, he studied English instead of Greek and French which were popular at that time. This was which started his interest to question conformities. It was also believe that it was the main reason why he wrote in opposite direction as he was not corrected by any educators.

  2. Trust your judgement rather than following traditions or what others said. If Leonardo had followed the traditions of using egg yolk (a tradition for painting at that time) and not risked using oil paint, his angel in Baptism of Christ would not have surpassed his teacher nor left such a legacy.

  3. You can still create great value to people no matter how messed up you may be. Like everyone else, Leonardo had his own fair share of contradicting values. He hated killing but created plans for war machines of mass destruction. He was also human. You need not be perfect to be genius.

  4. Great work take time to complete. His greatest arts all took time to create. If he had rushed, I am sure that it would not have been such beauty. Details are all that matters.

  5. There is no such things as learning too much things. Jack of all trades is a myth. I believe that Leonardo's involvement in several fields was what constituted hugely to his intelligence and creativity. He was able to see connections and stuffs where others weren't able to see.

  6. Just being creative is not good enough. Delivery is just as important. I realized that even though he was great in creating value, his delivery really sucked. He served a lord whom did not appreciate his talents nor did he know how to bring his creations to serve the masses. As a result, he lived most of his life fairly broke and his creations were only treasured few hundred years later (most creations were lost in between). One has to know how to deliver the values he/she create to the masses. Or else, it will be useless.

  7. Only actions can bring result. If he had procrastinated to do any of his work, we will not see any of them today. As he commented in his notebook “I have been impressed with the urgency of doing. Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do”.


Thank you Leonardo

Monday, July 6, 2009

Top 30 benefits for becoming a Baldy

  1. Discourage gambling in your presence (Chinese belief of 输光光)

  2. Brings laughter to your close one and yourself. Always great to have more laugther.

  3. Always a place ready for you in monastery if you ever need a place to sleep.

  4. Promote intimacy as many will love to touch your head (Niki can't get her hands off it)

  5. Reduce shyness for people with cancer and hair loss as you show them that there is nothing to be embarrassed about.

  6. Save money on cutting hair regularly

  7. Reduce time preparing hair (no hair to begin with)

  8. Your head becomes infinitely grateful to you as you save it from all the detergents which you wash your hair with.

  9. Save the electricity needed to blow dry your hair

  10. Non-stop interviews on why you shaved your head

  11. Increase self esteem as you did it for a cause

  12. People think that you are courageous even if you have not done anything which you thought was courageous before

  13. You become a good scratch reliever with your head for your close ones

  14. You gain a weapon to ward off enemies by intimating them with your pointy shaved head.

  15. Possibility of getting donations from people on the street for mistaken identity. (I promise I will donate it out if I get any)

  16. Becomes too cute to handle

  17. Invite opportunity to pass your smile around from occasional stares. Makes the world a better place

  18. You gain new experience and sensation from your head that you never had

  19. You feels good for looking so good

  20. You acquire a Zen look

  21. You lose weight from the loss of hair

  22. Get free food in Thailand? (Not sure about this... haven't tried)

  23. You gain immediate membership to the League of Bald-headed people which its members include Steve Ballmer, Michael Jordan, Randy Gange, Jean Luc Picard (Star Trek), Bruce Willis, Olympic swimmer Michael Klim and many other similar ones who have styles

  24. You obtains a new identity - Bald Man!

  25. You look smarter since your forehead looks wider

  26. You gain new perspective on baldness (never try never know)

  27. You gain empathy and respect for bald people

  28. You gain exclusive privilege to spend the awareness around

  29. You are granted exemption from bad hair day

  30. Troublemakers want to avoid you as they wonder whether you are from Shaolin Temple.


So are you excited to become a baldy now? It will be fun.

Watch The Meatrix

An award-winning flash animation and a real eye opener. Please watch it.
It is cute and informative.

http://www.themeatrix1.com/

Sunday, July 5, 2009

Get discount for bringing your own bags!

Went to Serangoon NTUC with Niki to buy groceries today. When we were making our payment, we were given a discount of $0.10 for bringing our own bags! (Niki has a habit of bring one reusable bag everywhere she goes) I couldn't tell you how delighted we were.

I remembered just a few days ago Niki told me that supermarkets in USA actually give discount if you bring your own bags. At that time I commented that Singapore should adopt the same thing. I believe it could have promoted bag using. And now, we have it!

Bring you own bags! Not only you do something for Earth and you get discount for it! Getting $0.10 for not using a few pieces of plastic bags is definitely good deal for me.