On Leave But Working..... Oh no,... again !

Oh no, again, I am on leave but working just as in 2008 and in 2007. :(

Hope this is the last year having to do this. :(

Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.

"Give me the Love that leads the way
The Faith that nothing can dismay
The Hope no disappointments tire
The Passion that'll burn like fire
Let me not sink to be a clod
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God"
— Amy Carmichael

If I Can Dream

Hi everyone, it has been a long time this blog has been hibernating (nope, it is not dead) because I have been real busy the last few months.

Well, just as in my previous two blog entries, i just want to share a video which I really enjoy...here it goes:

Celine Dion and Elvis Duet on American Idol 2007:


I have not been watching American Idol for long long time, I actually missed this back in 2007!!

This song was recorded by Presley in June 1968, two months after Martin Luther King Jr.'s assassination, this song is based on the famous King's "I Have a Dream" speech

Elvis's original performance:


or (I can't seems to find a clearer version of this video):




There must be lights burning brighter somewhere
Got to be birds flying higher in a sky more blue
If I can dream of a better land
Where all my brothers walk hand in hand
Tell me why, oh why, oh why cant my dream come true

There must be peace and understanding sometime
Strong winds of promise that will blow away
All the doubt and fear
If I can dream of a warmer sun
Where hope keeps shining on everyone
Tell me why, oh why, oh why wont that sun appear

Were lost in a cloud
With too much rain
Were trapped in a world
Thats troubled with pain
But as long as a man
Has the strength to dream
He can redeem his soul and fly

Deep in my heart theres a trembling question
Still I am sure that the answer gonna come somehow
Out there in the dark, theres a beckoning candle
And while I can think, while I can talk
While I can stand, while I can walk
While I can dream, please let my dream
Come true, right now
Let it come true right now

明天会更好

Whatever difficulties of life that we may be facing, we can always rest assured that 明天会更好 (It will be better tomorrow) !



This is indeed one of the most wonderful song of yesteryear!

蔡琴：轻轻敲醒沉睡的心灵 慢慢张开你的眼睛
余天：看看忙碌的世界是否依然孤独的转个不停
苏芮：春风不解风情 吹动少年的心
潘越云：让昨日脸上的泪痕 随记忆风干了
甄妮：抬头寻找天空的翅膀 候鸟出现它的影迹
李建复：带来远处的饥荒无情的战火依然存在的消息
林慧萍：玉山白雪飘零 燃烧少年的心
王芷蕾：使真情溶化成音符 倾诉遥远的祝福
黄莺莺：唱出你的热情 伸出你的双手
让我拥抱着你的梦 让我拥有你真心的面孔

洪荣宏：让我们的笑容 充满着青春的骄傲
为明天献出虔诚的祈祷
陈淑桦：谁能不顾自己的家园 抛开记忆中的童年
娃娃：谁能忍心看那昨日的忧愁 带走我们的笑容
王梦麟：青春不解红尘 胭脂沾染了灰
李佩菁：让久违不见的泪水 滋润了你的面容
费玉清：唱出你的热情 伸出你的双手
让我拥抱着你的梦 让我拥有你真心的面孔
让我们的笑容 充满着青春的骄傲
为明天献出虔诚的祈祷

齐豫：轻轻敲醒沉睡的心灵 慢慢张开你的眼睛
郑怡：看看忙碌的世界是否依然孤独的转个不停
江慧：日出唤醒清晨 大地光彩重生
杨林：让和风拂出的音响 谱成生命的乐章
合唱：唱出你的热情 伸出你的双手
苏芮：让我拥抱着你的梦 让我拥有你真心的面孔
齐秦：让我们的笑容 充满着青春的骄傲
余天：让我们期待着明天会更好

The Prayer

This is a nice song and a good prayer to start the year 2009.



I pray you'll be our eyes
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don't know

Let this be our prayer
As we go our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe

I pray we'll find your light
And hold it in our hearts
When stars go out each night
Remind us where you are

Let this be our prayer
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe

We ask that life be kind
And watch us from above
We hope each soul will find
Another soul to love

Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Needs to find a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe

Need to find a place
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we'll be safe

2008: A Year of Change It Was!

Indeed 2008 has been a Year of Change as I stated in my blog entry "2008 : The Year of Change !" in the beginning of the year. For one, my university has a new President, US is getting a black President into the White House for the first time in history, Malaysian on the other hand has reduced the 2/3 majority of the ruling party in the parliament and there were surprisingly and unexpected change of state governments in 5 premier states, though the much anticipated change of federal government never materialized and rather disappointing.

Now that changes have occurred, will they last? Will they turn out to be good changes?

Change is only the beginning, change will not occur if everyone still expects to work the old ways. Real change is not just at the leadership level, it is in the hands of everyone, as Barack Obama said:

“Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

Real positive change requires actions; it is obvious the whole world is in uncertain times. There is the economy crisis, the leadership crisis in the world, in the country and in our society. Wars and turmoils are everywhere, there are people with too much to eat, and yet people are dying from hunger everywhere. People busy making a living and yet too busy to live. Homo sapiens are destroying the only habitat they share with other species and it is almost too late.

The first black president will take office soon in the White House next year, Malaysia is expected to have a new Prime Minister, Cyberia will hopefully get a new property management.

At a personal level, I will have to get my PhD somehow by this next year, but not by hook or by crook for sure. Getting PhD is not the end, just the opposite as there are lots to be done in research. Completing PhD will mean moving on different and tougher challenges in my life that has been pending for too long. My university is going through a whole face lift and many changes have taken place, it is still uncertain if those changes are sufficient to effect real changes when many people still work the old ways and having the old work cultures and mentality. Everyone of us will have to play our share of responsibilities to effect real changes, and that is like swimming against the stream and when many people are swimming merely following the stream down to the ocean of obscurity.

In all these tough time and uncertainties ahead, hope is all we have, hope is what we need. Other than doing the little thing we should and could be doing to effect positive changes, all we could do is to hope for the best and to believe real changes will come.

Indeed 2008 has been a year of change, what 2009 will be? What do you think?

Happy New Year 2009 to everyone !

On Leave But Working ... Again !!

On Leave But Working ... Again !!

Just like last year ( see HERE ) , I am officially on leave from Dec 12, 2008 to the end of 2008. However, classes need to be conducted, research needs to be done and Ph.D needs to be completed, so I am still working... :(

Let's hope this is not going to be an annual feature.