Six Senses Resorts & Spas | Samui

slurpsss.....

hopefully, igniting my six senses this coming Thursday!

wee....

The Big Four | 7 August 2010

Steve Jobs, Apple, Mac and iphones

I am honored to be with you today at your commencement from one of the finest universities in the world. I never graduated from college. Truth be told, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation. Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.

The first story is about connecting the dots.

I dropped out of Reed College after the first six months, but then stayed around as a drop-in for another 18 months or so before I really quit. So why did I drop out?

It started before I was born. My biological mother was a young, unwed college graduate student, and she decided to put me up for adoption. She felt very strongly that I should be adopted by college graduates, so everything was all set for me to be adopted at birth by a lawyer and his wife. Except that when I popped out they decided at the last minute that they really wanted a girl. So my parents, who were on a waiting list, got a call in the middle of the night asking: “We have an unexpected baby boy; do you want him?” They said: “Of course.” My biological mother later found out that my mother had never graduated from college and that my father had never graduated from high school. She refused to sign the final adoption papers. She only relented a few months later when my parents promised that I would someday go to college.

And 17 years later I did go to college. But I naively chose a college that was almost as expensive as Stanford, and all of my working-class parents’ savings were being spent on my college tuition. After six months, I couldn’t see the value in it. I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life and no idea how college was going to help me figure it out. And here I was spending all of the money my parents had saved their entire life. So I decided to drop out and trust that it would all work out okay. It was pretty scary at the time, but looking back it was one of the best decisions I ever made. The minute I dropped out I could stop taking the required classes that didn’t interest me, and begin dropping in on the ones that looked interesting.
It wasn’t all romantic. I didn’t have a dorm room, so I slept on the floor in friends’ rooms, I returned Coke bottles for the 5-cent deposits to buy food with, and I would walk the seven miles across town every Sunday night to get one good meal a week at the Hare Krishna temple. I loved it. And much of what I stumbled into by following my curiosity and intuition turned out to be priceless later on. Let me give you one example:
Reed College at that time offered perhaps the best calligraphy instruction in the country. Throughout the campus every poster, every label on every drawer, was beautifully hand calligraphed. Because I had dropped out and didn’t have to take the normal classes, I decided to take a calligraphy class to learn how to do this. I learned about serif and san serif typefaces, about varying the amount of space between different letter combinations, about what makes great typography great. It was beautiful, historical, artistically subtle in a way that science can’t capture, and I found it fascinating.

None of this had even a hope of any practical application in my life. But 10 years later, when we were designing the first Macintosh computer, it all came back to me. And we designed it all into the Mac. It was the first computer with beautiful typography. If I had never dropped in on that single course in college, the Mac would have never had multiple typefaces or proportionally spaced fonts. And since Windows just copied the Mac, its likely that no personal computer would have them. If I had never dropped out, I would have never dropped in on this calligraphy class, and personal computers might not have the wonderful typography that they do. Of course it was impossible to connect the dots looking forward when I was in college. But it was very, very clear looking backwards 10 years later.

Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something–your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life.

My second story is about love and loss.

I was lucky–I found what I loved to do early in life. Woz and I started Apple in my parents garage when I was 20. We worked hard, and in 10 years Apple had grown from just the two of us in a garage into a $2 billion company with over 4000 employees. We had just released our finest creation–the Macintosh–a year earlier, and I had just turned 30. And then I got fired. How can you get fired from a company you started? Well, as Apple grew we hired someone who I thought was very talented to run the company with me, and for the first year or so things went well. But then our visions of the future began to diverge and eventually we had a falling out. When we did, our Board of Directors sided with him. So at 30, I was out. And very publicly out. What had been the focus of my entire adult life was gone, and it was devastating.

I really didn’t know what to do for a few months. I felt that I had let the previous generation of entrepreneurs down–that I had dropped the baton as it was being passed to me. I met with David Packard and Bob Noyce and tried to apologize for screwing up so badly. I was a very public failure, and I even thought about running away from the Valley. But something slowly began to dawn on me–I still loved what I did. The turn of events at Apple had not changed that one bit. I had been rejected, but I was still in love. And so I decided to start over.

I didn’t see it then, but it turned out that getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.
During the next five years, I started a company named NeXT, another company named Pixar, and fell in love with an amazing woman who would become my wife. Pixar went on to create the worlds first computer animated feature film, “Toy Story,” and is now the most successful animation studio in the world. In a remarkable turn of events, Apple bought NeXT, I returned to Apple, and the technology we developed at NeXT is at the heart of Apple’s current renaissance. And Laurene and I have a wonderful family together.
I’m pretty sure none of this would have happened if I hadn’t been fired from Apple. It was awful tasting medicine, but I guess the patient needed it. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it. And, like any great relationship, it just gets better and better as the years roll on. So keep looking until you find it. Don’t settle.

My third story is about death.

When I was 17, I read a quote that went something like: “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on me, and since then, for the past 33 years, I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.

Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything–all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure–these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.

About a year ago I was diagnosed with cancer. I had a scan at 7:30 in the morning, and it clearly showed a tumor on my pancreas. I didn’t even know what a pancreas was. The doctors told me this was almost certainly a type of cancer that is incurable, and that I should expect to live no longer than three to six months. My doctor advised me to go home and get my affairs in order, which is doctor’s code for prepare to die. It means to try to tell your kids everything you thought you’d have the next 10 years to tell them in just a few months. It means to make sure everything is buttoned up, so that it will be as easy as possible for your family. It means to say your goodbyes.

I lived with that diagnosis all day. Later that evening I had a biopsy, where they stuck an endoscope down my throat, through my stomach and into my intestines, put a needle into my pancreas and got a few cells from the tumor. I was sedated, but my wife, who was there, told me that when they viewed the cells under a microscope the doctors started crying, because it turned out to be a very rare form of pancreatic cancer that is curable with surgery. I had the surgery and I’m fine now.

This was the closest I’ve been to facing death, and I hope its the closest I get for a few more decades. Having lived through it, I can now say this to you with a bit more certainty than when death was a useful but purely intellectual concept:

No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of Life. It is life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now, you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it is quite true.

Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma–which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.

When I was young, there was an amazing publication called “The Whole Earth Catalog,” which was one of the bibles of my generation. It was created by a fellow named Stewart Brand not far from here in Menlo Park, and he brought it to life with his poetic touch. This was in the late 1960’s, before personal computers and desktop publishing, so it was all made with typewriters, scissors, and polaroid cameras. It was sort of like Google in paperback form, 35 years before Google came along: It was idealistic, and overflowing with neat tools and great notions.

Stewart and his team put out several issues of “The Whole Earth Catalog,” and then when it had run its course, they put out a final issue. It was the mid-1970s, and I was your age. On the back cover of their final issue was a photograph of an early morning country road, the kind you might find yourself hitchhiking on if you were so adventurous. Beneath it were the words: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” It was their farewell message as they signed off. Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish. And I have always wished that for myself. And now, as you graduate to begin anew, I wish that for you.

Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.

Thank you all very much.

And iphone today.

MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia

MTV has very limited Meet 'n' Greet passes and express passes to the event to giveaway. If you want to meet Tokio Hotel or Katy Perry up-close and personal, this is your chance!

You'll stand to win

• A pair of Meet 'n' Greet passes to meet either Tokio Hotel OR Katy Perry
• A pair of express passes to MTV World Stage Live In Malaysia 2010

To stand a chance to win, simply:

1. Key in your personal particulars and select the artist that you most want to meet from the drop-down menu
2. Answer 10 random multiple choice questions
3. Submit your entry!

Closing date: July 25, 2010.
Contest is open to residents of Malaysia only.
Terms and conditions apply.


TO ENTER THE CONTEST, CLICK

I wanna be a billionaire, so freaking bad

Billionaire lyrics

I wanna be a billionaire
So freakin Bad
Buy all the things I never had
I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine
Smiling next to Oprah and the queen
Ohh everytime I close my eyes.
I see my name in shinning lights
A different city every night
Oh I, I swear the world better prepare
For when im a billionaire

I would have a show like oprah
I would be the host of
everyday christmas
Give travvie ya wish list
I probably pull a angelina and brad pitt
adopt a bunch of babies that ain’t never had shit
give away a few mercedes like
here lady have this
and last but not least
grant somebody they last wish
its been a couple months that i been single so
you can call me travvie claus minus the ho ho
get it i probably visit where katrina hit
and damn sure do a lot more than FEMA did
yeah and cant forgot about me stupid
everywhere i go ima have my own theme music

Ohh everytime I close my eyes.
(whatcha see whatcha see?)
I see my name in shinning lights
(A huh A huh)
A different city every night
Oh I, I swear the world better prepare
For when im a billionaire

I’d be playin basketball with the president
dunkin on his delegates
then I’d compliment him on his
political etiquite (good job)
toss a couple milli in the air just for the heck of it
and keep the 5 20’s 10’s and bens completely separate
yeah id be in a whole new tax bracket
we in recession but let me take a crack at it
id prob take whatever’s left and just split it up
so everybody that i love can have a couple bucks
and not a single tummy around me
would know what hungry was
eatin good sleepin soundly
i know we all have a similar dream
go in ya pocket pull out ya wallet
put it in the air and sing

I wana be a billionaire
So freakin Bad
Buy all the things I never had
(Buy everything)
I wanna be on the cover of Forbes magazine
Smiling next to Oprah and the queen
(Whaddup Oprah)
Ohh everytime I close my eyes.
(Watcha see? Watcha see?)
I see my name in shinning lights
A different city every night
Oh I, I swear the world better prepare
For when im a billionaire

I wanna be a billionaire
So freakin bad 

Another Day

Try to avoid stress, especially if you lead a very active life or assume important professional or family responsibilities. Relaxation will provide you with the greatest well-being. Life was given you as a capital; make maximum returns on this capital by enjoying the most pleasures of life; all legitimate, reasonable pleasures which you'll have tasted during your existence on earth will constitute your interests.

Business and commerce will have the benediction of the stars. By dint of overdoing things and going too fast, you'll risk tiring your organism; don't spend your time running back and forth. Heartwise, not everyone is as clever as you to get out of situations which may go wrong. Beware of absent-mindedness! You'll be right to believe in miracles; your prayers might very well be heard this time!

Your professional activities will completely monopolize your efforts; in any case, you'll be very much appreciated and your popularity will shoot up; it will be the ideal time to negotiate. This planetary environment will incite you to quibble on any and all subjects; try not to overdo things with your friends; silence will really be gold this time. In your family, take it easy and everything will go well. If your religion brings you peace and serenity, then it can be good for you; on the contrary, if it's a permanent cause of your anguishes and fears, then reject it without hesitation.

New relationships will make you to get out of your habitual circle and enlarge your horizons. An uncertain week on the professional plane: no excess of optimism or of self-confidence; please! A week placed under the sign of luck with money. Your affective life will be very much protected; you'll give much love, tenderness. The natural anxiety of certain natives will increase; it would be opportune to begin right now a cure of magnesium for one to three months; talk about this with your doctor.

Life In The City

She's Getting Married!

Yesterday afternoon, Pixie messaged me;

Pixie: Babe, can you lend me a pair of ears tonite?

Me: Just a pair of ears? Can I send over?

Pixie: Niasing!

After work I called her;

Me: Can we go to MCDs instead of KimGary?

Pixie: Can can..

Me: What's the news? Getting married ah?

Pixie: No LAR! Tell you later.

Me: Whoa, so secretive. Ok see you later.

I called her again at 9.30pm which was the agreed meeting time, as usual she was just coming out from her house. Hence she told me to leave the house 10 minutes later.

When I arrived at MCDs, there was no Pixie to be found. I thought I went to the wrong outlet. There are two MCDs in SS15. But usually we always always go to the drive-thru outlet. Turned out, she and JC were in the kids area.

JC: MMC! So long never see. The last time I saw you was at Bil's birthday.

Me: Wat so long, two weeks ago only whut.

JC: But it feels like forever.

Me: So what does our Lil Pixie want to announce? Are you pregnant? Getting married?

Pixie: No lar... *smiles* Let's wait for Yvonne.

Then SW walked in. I wondered to myself, what is happening? How come she called everyone?

JC: Hi, LSW. You always look glowing these days. So in love hor?

SW all in smiles....

Me: JC, you're also glowing whut. All those in love are glowing.

SW: So whats the news?

Pixie: Wait for Yvonne.

Me: Omgosh..what is it...tell...

Pixie: Errrr......I saw something I shouldn't see.

SW: Saw what?

Pixie: Saw something in text messages. When we were in Bali, someone texted him few times "I miss you" and "What are you doing?". And he deleted all sent messages and there was no name saved in his mobile.

The story became more alive and more input came in with the help of JC.

I believed every word in her story, not once I doubted her.

But she seemed very calm althou its unlike her, but then again there are many times when she is calm and mature.

We asked, so you didn't ask him about it until now?
Some said, "I can't believe you can "tahan" so long. If it was me, I would drive him up the wall and down."

Pixie: Why is it that when all of you girls are dating, I will be the odd one out.

JC: Please lar, when all of you girls are in love, I was also single for so long.

SW: Men, really aih.

Me: Aih. Anything can happen and everything happens for a reason. If he is yours, he is yours. Do you think he is a good man? If you think he is then you must talk to him. Maybe it's not to the extent to what you think.

Then I started to think about my past.
My mind brought me back to the days when I was so low and Pixie told me "Don't worry, you are one step to recovery."
Just ONE step.
Every step was so slow so long. It felt like forever. Nights on the single bed alone with my pillow and the worn t-shirt that I took home to keep to sleep to. Does she have to go through all that?
Another cycle?

I really believed her, and I empathized with her, of course with my own added thoughts.

Then I JC and SW started talking about other things, JC seemed very relaxed and not bothered at all.

I looked at Pixie, seemed like she is trying not to show her emotions.

I believed her again.

Yvonne arrived and asked what's the big news? I rushed all the way here from Pavilion!

Then JC started to tell the story.
I thought to myself, howcome JC is telling the sad news?

Suddenly, Pixie showed something on one of her fingers.
I saw something *sparkle*

It was a ring....

A ring so special, it had a knot and a big diamond in the middle of the knot.
It is said that its a knot to tie two lovers together.

This is the wedding ring that Ryan held in his trembling hands, shyly knelt down and proposed to her last week in Bali.

Apparently she was so shocked that her first reaction was that she knelt down together with him.

She asked "What are you doing baby?"

The thought of her being so blur is so cute!

He planned that from the very beginning.

You always asked him when he is gonna propose.

How can he not make it more surprising?

BUT..........

This is supposed to be a happy good news!

I don't understand why they made up such a bad story over a real proposal story.

And I believed everything she said then!

Indeed, I was shocked and feelings were mixed up in that whole 30 minutes. 

I didn't know how to react.

Anyway I am so very happy for you.

Truly am.

This is the lil pixie that we all know

Always jumping around

Dancing

Buy her some sweets

And she will be giggling like a lil girl

This lil girl is no longer a lil girl

She's getting married!

Finally....

After whispering to Ryan over 21 x ("Are you going to marry me?")

Ryan said how not to marry her :)

Another best friend getting married!

2006

Is this how you will look like on your wedding day?

Just like an angel

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

Your birthday @ Velvet

2009

My Birthday @ Velvet

2010

Pixie in a cupcake that I made

I am so looking forward to the preparation for your wedding and we're gonna have lots and lots of fun!

Congratulations Sweetie
You will have a beautiful life
Remember what we talked about before?
If we have happy thoughts and believe that we will have a happy life, we will.
Your time has come.
And that discussion was just a little while ago.

XOXO