A Challenge To Life

I first heard this when playing CDs of Napoleon Hill Science of Success and have been repeating this section again and again. Googled it and found, would like to share.

Life, you can’t subdue me because I refuse to take your discipline too seriously. When you try to hurt me, I laugh-and the laughter knows no pain. I appreciate your joys wherever I find them; your sorrows neither frighten nor discourage me, for there is laughter in my soul.

Temporary defeat does not make me sad. I simply set music to the words of defeat and turn it into a song. Your tears are not for me, for I like laughter much better, and because I like it, I use it as a substitute for grief and sorrow and pain and disappointment.

Life, you are a fickle trickster-don’t deny it. You slipped the emotion of love into my heart so that you might use it as a thorn with which to prick my soul-but I learned to dodge your trap with laughter. You tried to lure me with the desire for gold, but I have fooled you by following the trail which leads to knowledge instead. You induced me to build beautiful friendships-then converted my friends to enemies so you may harden my heart, but I sidestepped your figure on this by laughing off your attempts and selecting new friends in my own way.

You caused men to cheat me at trade so I will become distrustful, but I won again because I possess one precious asset which no man can steal-it is the power to think my own thoughts and to be myself. You threaten me with death, but to me death is nothing worse than a long peaceful sleep, and sleep is the sweetest of human experiences-excepting laughter. You build a fire of hope in my heart, then sprinkle water on the flames, but I can go you one better by rekindling the fire-and I laugh at you once more.

You have nothing that can lure me away from laughter, and you are powerless to scare me into submission. To a life of laughter, then, I raise my cup of cheer!

by the king maker of millionaires, Napoleon Hill

Talk to Hoong Ling series: Part 1

Talk to Hoong Ling series: Part 1

Let's hear from Hoong Ling personally, her story, aspiration and her wishes! Let's help her make it!

I am just walking the talk

I have been promoting organ donation and spread awareness in this topic since school days. As I signed the organ pledge form at age 13, it came across my mind to do it (donate organs) even when I am alive. Look, I have been talking for years now so I am just walking the talk! For me, I have touched only one life by saving one person's life but for many people, they think I have touched more lives by having an inspiring story to tell.

read more.... here

I joked why didn't Mercedes give me a real Mercedes car so I can be its permanent marketer - it's tatooed on my abdomen! I did expect a C-class scar but as nurses opened the wounds, alas, I found a S-class! WOW!

I wish to talk to you and your friends so everyone could pledge their organs. I am willing to go around to speak on my story if it inspires people to pledge their organs. I hope to just quit my job and go around for one full year speaking to as many groups as possible to encourage more people to pledge their organs.

Look, we can't just see people die everyday because of our selfishness and ego. Can these attitudes be brought to the coffin? Come on, pledging means you donate organs after death. What else are there left on earth, your selfishness and ego?

I am not Buddha. I still want to be a multi millionaire and my goal is RM16 million cash, I want a big house and of course a Mercedes, too (why not?).

Yet, contrary to many beliefs that you can only do good or contribute to community when you are truly rich, I do it now while I have yet to reach riches in material wealth. But I am rich - I have a rich life, a rich story to tell and a heart filled with gold.

Continue reading here

The jamban "wound"

I still remember when I was very small. My parents divorced and I was brought to my hometown, Teluk Intan, purportedly for a "holiday". That holiday lasted about 15 years.

When I was small, I was the naughtiest girl in the village, Pasir Berdamar (a place where you mention it, everyone in Teluk Intan knew how naughty the children were brought up) and growing up with cousin brothers can't help much, too. When bitten on the right palm by a neighbour's dog due to my mischievous, my paternal grandmother quickly summoned that I will be treated with an injection. Fearing injection, being so kiasi (afraid to die), I cried so loud and refuse to go to the clinic until my aunt was asked to follow along. Along with a human being, there also came the accompaniment of a thin, long stick, something call "cane"! Somehow, the sight of a cane was enough to shut my mouth and I readily allowed the doctor to treat and injected on me the necessary treatments. The kiasi me. The small scar still remains till today.

I still remember that a few years before staying in Teluk Intan, I was all about with my aunts, my maternal grandmother and everywhere in Sungai Petani, sometimes Kuala Lumpur and Teluk Intan. Partly due to both parents working and could not take care of me much, I had to follow whoever who could help.

Remembering the times in Sungai Petani where the village shared a common toilet right in the middle of the kampung. Those which you call the jamban, wooden-made cubic, where you go right in, lock yourself and all you can see is a large hole in between your legs. If you look closely, there is nothing more than a bucket at the bottom of the hole. I thought someone will collect the bucket each time it was full.

Since I was so young, I think I was only 3 years old, my aunt reminded me that I should not lock myself. "Just go in and shit/urine." But being so afraid of exposing myself, again the kiasi, I locked myself one day. And lol and behold, my leg just step right into the hole due to darkness and immediately, I slipped and fell into the jamban hole! Shouting "HELP!" was all I can do. The whole village came to rescue by forcefully opening the jamban door.

I was carried to my home and looking at the "wound", although not even bleeding, I cried so loud. The ankle was with a small little piece of skin tangling. My aunt wanted to peel it off which I shouted and cried louder. Even with much reassurance that there will be no pain, I still hesitated. The kiasi me... Auntie has to convince me by saying if the skin was to accidentally peeled off, then could be much more in pain. Insisting that it should be removed but the kiasi me still could not believe her.

She then covered that piece of skin with a piece of tissue paper and I cried, too. Auntie said, "I am just covering it... don't worry!" and as she removed the tissue paper from my ankle, the piece of skin was GONE!!! Although I did not feel anything at all, but the dismiss of the piece of skin made me cried even louder... kiasi. My grandma always use the trick - tucking a spoon to the "Milo" tin and then tucked it right to my mouth to pacify me. Somehow, Milo powder was my favourite since young and that was the best thing to stop me from crying. And grandma knows best!

And did I went in the jamban to do big or small business? I have forgotten...

This morning, I went to Teluk Intan McDonald's to sahur. When I stepped across the step, I accidentally stepped into a hole, making the same injury I had at the jamban - a small piece of skin at the very same ankle! So, I covered it with a tissue paper and removed it. No, there was no pain at all, although the whole day I felt some tingling pain on that jamban "wound".

Today, I have a much much larger wound on my abdomen which I will never forget. A wound that will remind me of the dying and how I have saved someone's life. Being such a kiasi and still dared myself to cut a 14-inch "mercedes" logo on my abdomen. Just how things can change when we grow up.

Gulai Tempoyak for CNY reunion dinner

How many Chinese family will have Gulai Tempoyak on the dining table for Chinese New Year reunion dinner? We have it every year except for the past 3 years. My family enjoys gulai tempoyak very much and we could take the gravy as if we're drinking soup. If you only have that dish and nothing else, we can eat that with rice for 3 days 3 nights, for all 3 meals!

Everytime we cook for Chinese New Year, we will cook a whole bigggggggg pot and then keep having it for 3 days. The rest of it will be kept in containers in freezer. Relatives from Australia and US will bring back the frozen gulai tempoyak. They will just melt it, boil it, add prawns to it and enjoy!

What the heck is gulai tempoyak? Tempoyak is fermented durians. We will take the flesh of durians and mix it with a little sugar and some salt, leave it overnight to allow it to ferment. Then the whole bottle can be kept in the refridgerator for... hmm... a year! Don't think "yucks!", think yogurt! Durian yogurt, anyone?

For the past 3 years (3 seems to be the lucky number in this post, hmmm), however, that dish vanishes from our reunion dinner table. Somehow, it was said to be tedious to prepare and difficult to get nice tempoyak.

Imagine torturing the taste buds for whole 3 years. It then prompted me to learn cooking it. FIRST I am super lucky to have my aunt kept a whole recipe book - recipes from my Amah (my uncle's mother whom I grew up along with) and the treasure was kept. I copied the recipe and tried about a year ago and SUCCEEDED! Since then, I have cooked 3 times. (3 seems to be just the number!)

Last week, my cousin, Colin, came. Amah was his grandmother. I grew up with 2 cousins - Colin and Kok Wai. Kok Wai stays about 5km away from my house now so we are closer to each other. Colin will stay at Wai's house so since the childhood siblings are having a get-together, I decided to dirty my hands in the kitchen again.

2 Timun (Cucumber)

About 17 dried chillies, 3 fresh red chilli, 3 serai

half a rice bowl of shallots

Prawns - udang sebanyak-banyaknyerrr - my favourite. Have to cut down though as the cholesterol level increased.

Everything prepared..... wait for me after work ya...

The results - gulai tempoyak udang! This time too watery - sigh... next month will cook again. Practise makes perfect!

反正不会死 but this time I may die...

Never Try, Never Know
I saw my friend's (Axiao's) blog and strike on to me was her motto in life "Never Try, Never Know". Came to think about it, I spent my life with the motto "反正不会死" (As long as you will never die).

Means I will do whatever and try new things if it will never bring death. I tried new businesses, direct sales and learnt a lot of things. In fact a lot of things beyond elaboration here. I must admit I may not be the FIRST to do it nor will I be daring enough to try new things. I always have my fears and very often, I need examples of people showing it or demonstrate it before I do it.

Say, for example, I was at a seminar doing arrow breaking with our necks. At first I wanted to be the first to try but our group leader said he will go first so I let it. Then I tried to be the second, but as I positioned myself and I was all ready to break it - I stopped and asked that someone else do it first. The reason was simple: I have not seen a lady doing that YET. Once a lady tried and I seen it with my own eyes only did I dare to do it and of course, I DID IT!

That act of breaking arrow may have the risks of death but I did it anyway. The session actually enlightened myself to know myself better. In short, I need examples but being a fast learner, once you teach a dog to sit, the dog sits quietly. That's HoongLing!

A Giant Leap Forward
This time I am a huge, giant step ahead from "Never Try, Never Know". I am far ahead of 反正不会死! I am risking my live to donate part of my liver to a friend. This will be a major operation to remove my right lobe of the liver (about 60%) to Lee An Qi, a family friend who is now having cancer. Only 13-years old and already under chemotheraphy is really something very dreading.

Although my motto was to try things 反正不会死, but this time is a major operation which the risk of death will be 0.5%, risk of infections 15% and no one knows the long-term future for a living donor yet because the technology for living liver donation is pretty less than 2 decades now. Yet, something in me has the urge to JUST DO IT!

At first, I was in a complicated relationship which forced me to do something out of my mind. Then, doubts started to pour in and I wanted to review the decision. However, it wasn't much of a crossroad at all. I made up my mind pretty soon and really stick by it to JUST DO IT! Now, when people ask me "Why are you doing this?" I simply answer, "Why not?"

I thought this is just a normal act of kindness and never thought this is such a great thing to do until everyone whom I have spoken to said that this is a great sacrifice. Ain't human's life is to help each other? I really do not know but really, is this act so great?

I have been through thorough tests to ensure I am fit enough to donate my liver. The tests include blood test, urine test, abdominal ultrasound, ECG, CT Scan, X-Ray and 24-hour urine collection! Operation will be done in Gleneagles Hospital, Singapore.

Singapore - Gleneagles Hospital looks really much like a 5-star hotel so rest assure that once I wake up I will have time to relax and rejuvenate.

Millionaire Mind Intensive

3-full days 9am to 11pm.... who will be the nuts to attend such seminar!?
Chew Hoong Ling lor.... It wasn't expected that the seminar could last so long for a day. No wonder it is named Millionaire Mind INTENSIVE! Anyway, I was all excited and the seminar turned out to be one of the best seminars I have ever been.

T. Harv Eker came all the way to Malaysia to share on how to change your mindset and having a total paradigm shift - to think like a MILIONAIRE! 4,800 people were there and the crowd was superb!

The seminar does not only teach about money and how simple it is to change the state of your financial. Speaking about money, one can hardly forget the simple to follow rule.... prepare 6 jars! Put 10% of your income to Financial Freedom Account (FFA) jar, 10% to the Play jar, 10% to Long Term Savings jar, 55% for your Neccesity jar, 5% to the Give jar and 10% to the Education jar.

Most importantly in the seminar, Harv teaches how to change our mindset to think like a millionaire. One of my faves - THINK BOTH - Poor people think either/or... "I can be happy or rich" is a tagline but rich people think BOTH "I can be both happy and rich".

We do not only learn the theory but Harv made us take the inside out - pouring over all anger, hatred, sadness and emotions planted in our lives and start anew. Because whatever the fruits we have now is the results of the ROOTS. Therefore, we were taught to have love, care, blessings and thinking that we deserve to be rich and then our fruits in the future will totally be changed.

We even did great stunts in the Millionaire Mind Intensive. We were taught how to counter our fears and break it, right there in the seminar.

Interested to know more? Attend it yourself at Millionaire Mind Intensive.

Ulu Sepri..... keindahan tak terhingga

Kehadiran saya sebagai jurulatih di Kem Bina Negara, Ulu Sepri menjadi satu penghormatan untuk diri saya. Tidak diduga saya dipilih menjadi jurulatih dalam Kem Personaliti Menjulang TNB atas jemputan Biro Tatanegara Jabatan Perdana Menteri. Inilah julung-julung kali saya menyertai kursus yang disediakan untuk para eksekutif dan tenaga sokongan TNB.

Penglibatan saya dengan BTN bermula awal sejak dijemput sebagai ahli panel Bicara Siswa. Bicara Siswa merupakan satu rancangan TV mahasiswa, yang diudarakan melalui TV1 secara langsung dari Angkasapuri. Dipengerusikan oleh bekas Ketua Pengarah BTN, Datuk Nordin Kardi, Bicara Siswa menjadi pentas perdebatan topik-topik yang menarik dan memperlihatkan pandangan mahasiswa dalam isu-isu negara yang dibincangkan. Saya cukup bangga diundang untuk memberikan pendapat saya sebanyak dua kali untuk mengupas topik "Demokrasi: ala Malaysia atau ala Amerika" dan "Pembahagian Sama Rasa atau Mengikut Kesesuaian".

Setiap kali menyertai program-program BTN, darah Bangsa Malaysia dalam diri saya mengalir deras. Bersama BTN sahajalah, isu-isu kenegaraan dibincangkan, sejarah negara diperkaya dan isu semasa diperkemaskinikan dalam diri saya. Barangkali perbincangan tentang negara sukar dibawa ke kedai kopi, apatah lagi bersama rakan-rakan dalam umur 20-an yang jarang menyentuh isu-isu sebegini. Kali ini kem dilaksanakan di Kem Bina Negara, Ulu Sepri, Rembau, Negeri Sembilan. Pagar biru yang menyambut kedatangan saya akhirnya membuka tirai yang mengunci alam semulajadi yang begitu luas dan saat itulah saya tinggalkan segala apa dalam minda saya. Satu jejak kaki sahaja di bumi seluas 64 ekar ini, hati saya sudah terpikat nan keindahan dan kehijauan kem ini.

Saya terus disajikan masakan kampung Negeri Sembilan. Rasa bersalah kalau makan banyak dan soal menjaga badan, segera saya ketepikan. Penyakit gastrik dan ulcer yang menjauhkan sambal pedas dan kari dari meja makan saya sekian lama, kini dilupakan sementara.

Keselesaan kem ini membuat saya terlupa sejenak saya sebenarnya jurulatih dalam kem ini. Menulis pantun, tiba-tiba ilham tercetus. Biar pantun ini menjadi penutup coretan saya hari ini.

Sunyi sepi menyelubungi malam,
Semut, serangga merayap pulang,
Ulu Sepri indah tergamam,
Menjulang personaliti TNB gemilang.

Pagi menyinsing jadi pengganti,
Kicau burung, merdu sentiasa,
Cabaran mesti terus dihadapi,
Bersama penggerak tenaga Malaysia.

More than RM150 spent on Anson Chee Cheung Fun alone!

This year Chinese New Year celebration was a bit different without Tempoyak Curry and Stuffed Crabs. In fact, a reporter wanted to cover the special dishes on my family reunion table but too bad, the 'cooks' didn't want the special hassle this year. My aunt is getting old and always having backache.

If you are wondering what is Tempoyak - it's fermented durians! I don't think we can find Tempoyak Curry common on Chinese dining table. Yuks, you say.... Tempoyak? Even yuks rhymes with tempoyak.... Some people don't even like durians and how can people even put fermented durians in their mouths!!!????

However, what couldn't run away from our mouths every year for Chinese New Year is the famous Anson Chee Cheung Fun! This will never be missed.

Liew Kee Chee Cheung Fun from Teluk Intan normally opens as early as 8pm to produce Chee Cheung Fun all the way till the next morning. Operations often only stops at 8 or 10am during peak periods like Chinese New Year. See how the queue lined up nicely till the road side of the 'factory'!

This time I found a sign saying 'Please Queue Up'. Normally there is no queues, only people crowding around the entrance to shout their orders. The manufacturer finally get things organised by encouraging patrons to queue up.

One roll of Chee Cheung Fun normally costs RM1.10 at normal days but raised to RM1.50 per roll during Chinese New Year. One packet will have 2 rolls, making it RM3 per packet, which many people think is still cheap.

Well, if you total up my family spending on this specialty alone, we spent more than RM150 for this within 3 days in Teluk Intan. If you are wondering, people normally buy from 20-100 packets each. My cousin even ordered 20 rolls in a pack to bring home to Batu Pahat. I took my grab of 10 rolls to Ipoh when visiting my aunt.

If you have special eyes, you can see the picture on the left, the guy in white is holding RM100 waiting patiently to buy Chee Chueng Fun. I also bought 20 packets home this time (at time of taking this photo), RM60 worth. Chee Cheung Fun is so fun!

Anson Chee Chueng Fun differs from other Chee Cheung Fun as the fillings are made of dried prawns and other ingredients pre-fried to cook. Is black in colour and wrapped in thin, soft sheets of cooked rice water. So the finished roll normally comes out white with black spots.

Too bad, this photographer (that is me!) forgot to take a picture of how it looks like when finished. This picture on the right is the 'factory'! The 'boss' in orange shirt will pour rice water on the tray and spread the cooked ingredients on it. Then push the tray on the conveyer belt steamer. As the tray moves to the other end, the Chee Cheung Fun is done!

Another worker on the other end will roll the Chee Cheung Fun, and another will collect the trays, wipe the trays and push it back to the boss. The ready Chee Chueng will be packed by another person on the table at the left side. If you see properly you can see there is a red plastic bag to put the packed Chee Cheung Fun.

See.... Chee Cheung Fun right at the door step of the factory, fresh from the steamer!