Blob blob?

After the umpteenth time I listen to that song while passing across the a mechanic’s shop, that truly sets it, the Numa Numa craze is here to stay here for a while. It has already been a couple of months since the debut of the Crazy Frog Original Dance Mix album into Malaysia and the craze shows no signs of dwindling. Unlike the way popularity of the song swept through the internet via Gary’s version of song dubbed as the “Numa Numa” song, the song’s popularity was actually through the Crazy Frog CD. However, the Numa Numa craze actually outlasted the Crazy Frog song although the song actually “piggybacked” Crazy Frog into the ears of our discerning Penangnites. This may be due to the release of Chicken Little with its “infectiously cute chicken dancing to that song” clip that really nailed it deep. You can hear the song everywhere, at computer shops, at supermarkets, at small boutiques, on the radio, at the mechanic’s and even on your friend’s handphones!!! Yup, this song is running through Penang like a brush fire and it’s not long before you find yourself humming to “mai ya hee…” (^0^)

Note: For those uninitiated, the song is called Dragostea Din Tea (Love at the Linden Trees) and it is a Romanian pop song by O-zone, there also one by Haducii.

Links:
The Original Numa Numa
The quite popular Japanese version (real funny!)
Gary Brolsma’s page
For more info, check out Wikipedia here.

About two months ago, I was lucky enough to visit Adelaide, Australia with my family. The flight from Penang to there took approximately 8 hours.

Digging a bit deeper into Adelaide’s history, it is nice to know that Adelaide is actually a sister city of our very own Georgetown. It has in fact three sister city; Christchurch in New Zealand, Georgetown in Penang, Austin in Texas and Himeji in Japan. Just around the vicinity of KOMTAR, we have a signboard stating our “sisterhood” with Adelaide that is worth taking a look. The significance of this brings about the annual celebrations of “Penang Week” in Adelaide. “Penang Week” is about the same as those cultural fair here in Malaysia with the addition of Penang food of course. I mean, what is Penang without its food, eh? =) Though I didn’t get to see the actual event itself, the banners and all really make Penang feel like such a grand place. You can just imagine it now, exotic food, men and women of Penang dressed in their cultural attire, the rustic and historical feel of the place…heck, at that point I really felt like wanting to visit my own state in my own country!!! =P

After visiting Adelaide, I now finally know the real reasons why Adelaide is such a great place to study! (After being told so many dozen times by at education fairs) First, the shops close at about 5pm. So, if you’re not into pub (like most students), there will be nothing much for you to do but head home. Well, normally at home you would probably kick back and enjoy some telly like any ordinary person would do. Well, Adelaide is one step ahead of your there, by broadcasting unwatchable shows after 5pm (primetime)! So, without any activities outside and with nothing watchable on TV, I guess that the best entertainment you can actually provide yourself now is in fact STUDYING. Add 2 and 2 together and you’ll get a place so conducive of too study up as though as the whole city was tailored to this purpose. Ha ha! But seriously, Adelaide is a really conducive place to study, the place is a wonderful place to stay and its no wonder that a good number of overseas students don’t come back to their respective countries after they graduate but stay there instead. The place is beautiful and there is a rustic feel to it, like most Western cities, enriched with culture and history. People there are friendly folks and are always willing to help tourists that are in need of direction, namely me. =)

Oh, almost forgot! Did I mention that the universities located within Adelaide are uniquely situated? The universites there are not confined within campuses but instead the universities are in fact intergrated into the city. For example, falcuties of the University of South Australia are scattered all over the city and this also shows that the city itself is in fact the campus! As a student myself, I think that this setting is great a students does not feel confined to the university, metaphoricly speaking, feeling as though as caged in a prison!

The people of Adelaide sure know how to enjoy life, some of the ways are like having the annual “Royal Adelaide Fair“. This here is one of the biggest events in Adelaide! Every year, millions of people from all over the country flock here to have a grand time with their friends and family. I can safely say this, no matter who you are or what your interest is, chances are that there will be something in it for you at the fair. Why so? This is simply because; the fair exhibits almost everything and anything Australian. From wine tasting, sheep sheering and cow milking right down to the hamster exhibitions, carnival fun and even precision stunt-driving, all of this happening at the same place at the same time!!! Wow!!!

Anyone visiting Adelaide should not miss going to the Central Market (Gouger St.) during their trip. This place here is the main place where all grocery shopping is done. The place is a packed with a vast variety of different shops, from fruits, vegetables and bread to kangaroo meat, yogurt and premium coffee, all found here! =)

Basically, apart from those warehouse tool superstores, Adelaide is a small city with its own quiet lifestyle to boast. Nothing much happens around here compared to Sydney and this is uncannily similar with Penang compared to KL. (Family resemblance perhaps?) There is apparently no doubt that Adelaide is a great place for students as it is truly a unique and conducive place to study. If you’re planning to go to Adelaide, try to time it along with the Royal Adelaide Show. Missng that show would spell missing a big chunk of Adelaide. In short, the Royal Adelaide Fair is a must go! =)

Pic above: Pig racing - one of the many anomalies of competitive sports at The Royal Adelaide Show!

1st pic: “The Adelaide Central Market, look at my photo album for more pictures!”

2nd pic: “Say hello to that little dog…a 6 month old enormous bulldog participation in the dog show at the Royal Adelaide Fair.”

3rd pic: “Atten..hut!!! Sheeps reporting for inspection, again at The Royal Adelaide Fair”

4th pic: “The ongoing procession at the Royal Adelaide Fair, a fitting end to this article!”

Today, I was on the road when it stared to drizzle. A couple of minute later along the road I notice a woman in her mid 50’s riding alongside with me on the road. Now, the funny thing is that she was riding her motorbike with one hand behind her back! Yup, her right hand was neatly tucked behind her, as though she was a stunt biker or something. It was really a queer sight! Only at a second glance I noticed that she was in fact wearing a watch on her right wrist! My guess is that she’s probably protecting it from the rain. Tell me, doesn’t it make more sense just to REMOVE the watch and shove it into a pocket than riding a motorbike with one hand? Well, perhaps her watch is more important than her safety and she’s just prioritizing that’s all! Ha ha, I guess people do less sensible things when their minds are not at it! =)

Ha, ha! Today, I’m celebrating the 30th post here and the end of my exams today! I have been busy a couple of days with the finals and as a result I didn’t update my blog during these couple of days.

So, what is this quote that is so powerful, so influential that this very quote could change your life? What are those words that could be arranged in such a way that it could create an effect so immense that it could change the lives of people, and perhaps converting them into new persons all together? The way I see it, this quote I am about to show you is the basic of all those different motivation courses around the world; courses from great motivators from our time like Anthony Robbins, Napoleon Hill and Steven Covey. Though deceptively simple, yet this quote is profound if given enough thought.

And that quote is…..

“Our Life Is What Our Thoughts Make It” - Roman philosopher Marcus Aurelius

Yes, our life is what our thoughts make it. It is all so simple and straight forward and yet many fail to see the impact it can make if this quote is applied in our lives. Almost every motivation method invented is in fact derived from this little quote of 8 words. The famous 90/10 principle (10% of life is made up of what happens to you. 90% of life is decided by how you react), Covey’s 7th Habits (and the 8th Habit), Anthony Robbins’s Awaken The Giant Within and Napoleon Hill’s concept of autosuggestion, all this are direct application of this quote; the solution to all of life’s problems. Whether it be changing your perception of life or suggesting thought into your subconscious mind or thinking win-win, it all comes down to one thing; changing your thoughts and consequently….your life!

Before you can change your life with this amazing quote, you must understand how the mind, the centre of all production of thoughts, works first. According to Tony Buzan (The Ultimate Book Of Mind Maps), the mind works synergetically. This basically means that the combining of two thoughts does not equal two thoughts but instead more that two. Basically, your mind works like a mind map, from a single thought branches out many other similar sub-thoughts and so on and so forth. Thought generation is in fact limitless as the mind builds on the initial thoughts you have. So, if you think positive thoughts about yourself, the mind will build similar thoughts based on that thought. For example, getting praised by your boss for being a hardworking employee will not only make you feel good there and then, but instead have a lasting effect even when you are at home although “home” life has nothing to do with your work life. The boss in fact placed a thought of “self-worth in your work” into your mind. This single thought generates more thoughts similar and you end up feeling good about yourself. So, if you were to put positive thoughts in your head, it would grow and multiply, eventually changing your life for the better. However, the opposite is also true, deal in negative thoughts (though however small it may be) long enough and not long you will see your life spiralling down to an abyss! (I recommend reading this book as Tony Buzan’s insights into how the mind works are really practical and not some mumbo-jumbo inapplicable concepts!) =P

So in retrospect, motivation courses are in fact nothing but “tools” to change your thoughts and as a result, your life! I have no doubt that all those methods that are used by those famous motivational speakers works as they have literally change millions of lives around the world, but what I challenge you to do is to that this quote I offer to you today as a core concept and from there figure out yourself how to change your own life. I am actually asking you to make your own “tools” from this hunk of “metal” I gave you and not using those premade “tools” instead. Though those “tools” may be functional, I am actually asking you to either reinvent the “tools” or to tweak the “tools” to suit your better. Perhaps, your will discover better “tools” than those currently available and in turn benefit the world with this knowledge and perhaps change the lives of others along the process. You don’t have to be somebody to try, Anthony Robbins, a man without academic credentials, was once a janitor before he rose to become one of America’s most famous self-help gurus! (extracted from Awaken The Giant Within by Anthony Robbins) The brain, is most powerful indeed; more powerful than any computer in the world, thus you are more than capable to do it! In fact, anyone can forge those “tools”, and with it become great in life…

I challenge you to change your life!

Learn how to change you life by learning how to control your thoughts!

Grab your anvil and start pounding on that hunk of metal (core concept) with your powerful mallet (your brain) and start today to produce your “tools”, the very “tools” that will uplift your life to greatness!

I challenge you to try!
(^_^)

“Our Life Is What Our Thoughts Make It” - control your thoughts, control your life!