The Kramperor's Decrees

Kramperor says, "You either kram or splash. No two ways about it. Kram and you live. Splash and you get the sack."

I say, "Any dog that wants to make a splash in life, exorcise the devil in your master first."

Kramperor says, "Get a sideline, and you get sidelined."

I say, "What better way to give the devil a slap and sack. Good riddance!"

You wanna play Kram?

This world fascinates me. Not the logic, but the audacity that is so human, so weak.

Player sacks referee

Just that day, I hear that my dear friend -- let's just call him krammon -- with whom I have a friendly game of Kram complete with mutually agreed and documented rules and referee -- we take our Kram seriously -- declared that the referee should step down from the role. Why? Won't it be kram-o-tic without a neutral? Well, perhaps a referee who does not award free kicks and penalty kicks to my krammite friend is no good referee? Perhaps he thinks that refereeing can be done anyway so long as it is done his way? And if not, refereeing is better off done away with?

Kram charming

So there you have it -- a player blowing the whistle on another player, and if the referee does not concur, then to blow the whistle on the latter too.

That's just how charming krammon, the epitome of kram world, is. Not sure if he invented kram, but it seems he is no less of a master now. You may even say he IS kram now.

Don't want to play with you anymore

Perhaps I should not have played the game of Kram in the first place, no matter how friendly it seemed at first. But since I am already here, I suppose it should just try to make peace, or if I must, just to take the kram by its horns and to the ground once and for all?

Krammit!....Decisions, decisions, decisions.

BTW, you wanna play Kram? (Think he is looking for "kakees").

Pray take stock

I prayed
For the will to take stock
The courage to accept what God will
The faith to carry on

God is great
Working in amazing ways
Answering my prayers
Giving me grace

To face the thorns
And hold the rose

The life of forgiveness
The story of love

The love of God

Let the wind be. Stay. Don't stray.  

What if a bridge catches fire on both ends?

Ever been on a bridge that catches fire on both ends?

Behind you is a raging cauldron of kramfire -- representing overweening pride, prideful fear and fearful greed -- which threatens to burn fiercer and make you fall to your deaths unless you return to the side of krambyss (kram's hell), which temptingly is but a few small steps of retreat.

Ahead of you is the freshly lit torch of called Splash, also on fire -- representing passion and urgency -- that being left in the windy and icy conditions of the world as we know it, risks being extinguished the longer you take to get to the side of self determination. Getting there takes several unprecedented heart-stopping leaps that will fumble as soon as you look back. Fumbling means falling to your physical and spiritual deaths, of course.

Will you try to sprint to your torch, hold it high, brave the challenges faithfully in unison with your comrades, and turn adversity into opportunities?

Or will you turn back, since the kram side is but a few steps away?

"Stay. Don't stray". My comrade muttered plainly. And on we leaped -- all five of us --towards the torch.

Who's afraid of Kram Prix?

Does anyone know what is Kram Prix (KP)? It seems to be the talk of the town these days. Over dinner, I must have heard it mentioned more than 500 times, leaving "cheap, cheap, cheap" a distant second at (only) 233 mentions.

What exactly is this KP phenomenon? It seems to have captured everyone's "infrustuation" (frustation to the power of infatuation) by storm. Strange to see people talking animatedly about it and laughly aloud uncontrollably. At such intensity, it is almost impossible to tell if the afflicted interlocutors are grimacing from some undefined jaw pain, or relishing in every moment of such a catharsis. Maybe both?

Even more bizarre is that I find my dinner kakee, clearly not known for public display of emotion much less laughter, suppressing with little success a roaring belly laugh. I hope he does not sustain internal injuries from the feat.

Now, if the KP syndrome is going to seize us, I better not be the last to know, ok? In case -- we never know -- KP is pernicious as the aedes mozzie, and deadly like the unprecedented flu bug tipped to turn the world upside down.

So, what's next? Well, knowing some basic vocabulary may help:

-- Kram-pai (the way to toast when you have the world on your side or at your feet)
-- Kramming (the new name to intense intellectual exchange, otherwise known clinically as IIE?)
-- Krammy's (the ultimate creative industry awards. Very few qualify. Dogs may apply; they stand to enjoy certain privileges in some cases. Or could this be the name of the exclusive kitchen serving certified kramlets, that famed dish that Krammers feed on 24/7, BLD?)
-- Krammer (follower of "The Kram Way"?)
-- s-Kram (what obese rugby players do when they desparately need a break during a match that seems to last forever?)

-- Kram Prix Index (the revolutionary KPI that measures a person's worth past, present and in the future. The key factors are rate of music downloads, speed on online games, audibility of an afternoon snore, and depth of silence when relied upon to speak up...the list goes on as everyday brings new surprises)
-- Krammit! (a hollow expletive central to the art of saying seemingly something and meaning absolutely nothing. This expression is ironcially used most often when a Krammer misses its KPI miserably, or scores amazingly)

Anything else....?

While I am not about to yell "Long live Kram Prix" just yet -- if I ever fathom a reason to, that is -- may I just ask the more informed among us if "Kram Prix" does sound somewhat, er, crude?

(Nevermind, it could just be the influence of the half-past-six level of local dialects I have tried to acquire in my slightly more nimble days).

Think positive

Overheard...

On balding: "Don't think of it as receding hairline. Think of it as gaining face."

On obesity: "I am not overweight. I am just underheight."

Boy Boy

Gazed at a pix of my boy yesterday. Felt so guilty for missing out on some of his best years in life. Felt even worse that I caused him to missed out on some of my best years as well.

It is that kind of sour feeling that wrenches one's heart.

::Pain::

Growing

When we love and are loved, we grow
When we hurt and are hurt, we grow
Growth marks us and we cannot look back on growth
As the deep calls for the deep within the waterfall of our souls

Sleepless on a Thursday morning

No, I am not worrying about my receding hairline. If I am, I just need to remember to

“not see it as losing hair; see it as gaining face.”

Alas, this thing called face, also known as ego to some – isn’t it all that sustains 90kg grown-ups?

I pray that I would never be thus inflated.

It takes guts

...to leave the comfort zone, to take stock, to take a stand.
...to know unity while others see mutiny.
...to advise clients honestly, even if it means saying no.
...to be meaningfully different, even if it means sticking out like a sore thumb.
...to come together, work together, stick together.

Ultimately, it takes guts to pray for all these, and accept God's presence in everything imaginable and unimaginable.

“No Reserve”, “No Retreat”, “No Regrets”

Christian missionary William Borden's initial response to God's call was: “No Reserve”. He went on to act out his commitment:“No Retreat”. The day before he died, William inscribed “No Regrets” on his bible. He served God with apostolic passion; he led a life with “no reserve”, “no retreat”, and “no regrets”.

Human beings are indeed blessed. Despite the fallibility of our physical being, we are endowed with the faculty of thought and emotions. Thus, we can harness independent thinking; we can connect with God and build a relationship with Him.

“No Reserve”, “No Retreat”, “No Regrets” -- this is more than a powerful and touching testimony. It tells me how simply and plainly we can lead a pious spiritual life, responsible family and communal life, and meaningful professional life. Past years of unrelenting pursuit of worldly matters for their worldly pleasure have left me thirsting for God's help to take stock of my life. The day 12 Sep 05, followed by 15 Sep 05, was a watershed.

不保留; 不后退; 不后悔. Here on, I navigate with “No Reserve”, “No Retreat”, “No Regrets”. Thank you, gracious Lord.

Carpe diem...living and loving a terminal illness called Life

I find myself in a contemplative mood today, especially when a friend I speak with rarely but respect abundantly shared this quotation with me:

“Think of life as a terminal illness. If you do, you will live it with joy and passion as it ought to be lived. Well, you can learn all those things out there if you get a real life -- a full life, a professional life. But (pay heed to) another life too -- life of love and laughs. And a connection to other human beings.

Just keep your eyes and ears open...(Welcome to life)...The classroom is everywhere. The exam comes at the very end. No man ever said on his deathbed I wish I had spent more time at the office.”

To this I say, "Well said". To this I add, "Every man will sooner or later (better sooner than later) wish he has lived and loved more. Everyone will yearn to know God, and having known God, love Him. Not just because He loves us first; He IS Love.”

We are a disease; we are how we live. God cures us. For this, I am deeply humbled and thankful.

Good morning...This is the start

Praise the Lord. The total silence about me this very moment is intensely absorbing. It feels the same on such days being the only one in the office at 7.29am.

I feel like a blank sheet of white paper, relishing the suspense of pregnant thoughts about to splash forth with abandon. I feel like a cool dry canvass, welcoming the warm caress of the morning sun as it rises from deep slumber.

Catharsis. Pure ecstacy, if you will. I feel God's creation and love.