Funky Phone Photos

Well, I wanted to blog about something and I had no clue whatsoever as usual. So, I  just started to browse through some old pictures hoping to glean some inspiration and I came across a series of photos that I had taken with my old phone and I thought, hey, these would make an interesting post. You know, snapshots of my life here and there kinda thing. Well, I was the photographer and that’s why you don’t see me in it. These are pictures that were taken a a few years back and I was using a Blackberry back then so the pictures are not the best quality but its all I have now. Check it out!

This little sign was part of a large defunct disco club that I used to frequent way before Kechara. They closed down many years back and this sign is all that’s left of it and I managed to capture this. It’s sort of the only living memory left of my disco raving days of my youth. You know, I used to feel so empty and unfulfilled if I didn’t go every weekend night. The thumping beats, the bright dazzling disco lights and of course the beautiful creatures of the night. But now, this is all that’s left… Check the last line at the bottom, “No sandals/slippers allowed even if it’s Gucci or Prada!!!” Haha!

Over the years working in Kechara Media and Publications, I did have to handle a lot of roadshows and hauling books and creating book displays were part of my repertoire although I was not the most artistically-inclined. This was one display that I did for a Kechara Wesak Roadshow at Sunway Pyramid 3-4 years ago. They had a garden theme and I somehow managed to whip this out and it turned out not too bad. I am glad I did take this picture because this is the only picture left of what was arranged at that time. I arranged everything you see here except the Rinpoche backdrop, which was done by someone else and it kinda complemented the whole setup.

I have no idea why I took this but I did and then, it was not surprising because I would sometimes snap random street pictures for fun. When I examined it closer, it is actually of the strange looking building in the background, that was part of StarHill, Bukit Bintang. It’s actually part of a high-end mall that looked rather funky and a new addition to the drab KL architecture. Real cool blue ambient light streams out from some of the facets of the polygonal structure. Funky town!

WTF! – I know. I saw this advert in the lift of Bangsar Village and I was shocked and I couldn’t stop giggling. I had to take the picture. In case you can’t make out what these women are smelling,  they are men’s armpits. Yup, they are smelling men’s armpits. Its actually an advert for one of those luxury perfumer’s that they had in Bangsar Village.

This is actually a high-end boutique and they don’t carry just any ordinary luxury item. The wooden panels you see on the walls are actually samples of coffins. That’s right! Its a high-end coffin boutique. You get personalized service while you decide how you want you loved one to be sent off into the next world. Not seen on the other wall is a wall full of dresses and suits, special clothes you can purchase to dress the deceased so they look their best when they meet the Lord of the afterlife.

This actually a greeting card that I found in the flea market that I used to organize. It’s so cute and funny that I had to take a picture of it. Everybody who saw it would laugh. It’s just too endearing and funny. I guess the caption and words are quite self-explanatory.

These are my wonderful colleagues of Kechara Media and Publications having lunch and chilling out. (From left to right) There’s Jamie Khoo – the pink writer, Sharon Saw – the cool motherly writer, Lance – bespectacled, Pastor and (wo)man of few words, Abby – the baby translator (she’s only 21 or 22 years old!) and Fang – the talented designer who has moved on to ‘somewhat’ greener pastures. Love you guys!

When Kechara Oasis restaurant first opened in Viva Mall, we had our first ever giant Kechara billboard and it was huge and facing the highway. I climbed up some steel steps just to take a picture of the billboard at this angle to give it a feeling of perspective and it turned out quite nice although it was taken from my small little phone.

Mathhew with the guitar, Jean Ai and Sean in the back, chilling out on one of our many weekend Amcorp Mall flea markets. Some days, we made a lot and some days, it was pitiful but it was good fun and a good way to give back.

Wonder Woman in 3D came to life in Midvalley and being one of Tsem Rinpoche’s childhood comic heroines, I just had to snap this picture. It was so camp and she kinda reminds me of a Vajrayogini minus the garland skulls, knife and skull cup. Well, its actually a MAC makeup roadshow campaign. Love it! It’s sooooo camp!

This is Penang as seen from a high-rise hotel right in the heart of the old part of town. I love the sweeping view of the old Penang townhouses. I just wished I had a better camera at that time but this is still not too bad right. I love pictures like this.

I still have a lot more but I will share it another time. That’s all for now folks!

Time flies – It’s already 2013

2012 came by just like that and I have been totally neglecting my little blog here. I am not sure if I still have an audience out there in cyberspace. Perhaps just a few clicks from Facebook and that’s it. Last year saw the publications of 2 books, Tales My Lama Told Me, which I had been working on forever!) and Conversations in Love. But I guess, the most memorable experience was to take my dad on a pilgrimage to India to 3 of the holiest sites in the Buddhist world in December 2013.

1. Bodhgaya – Where Buddha sat under a Bodhi Tree and gained full enlightenment.

2. Sarnath, Varanasi – Where Buddha first taught the Dharma on the 4 Noble Truths

3. Kushinagar – The site of where the Buddha entered Mahaparinirvana, which means the Buddha’s great passing from this world.

Here are some pictures that I managed to take during the pilgrimage:-

This is my dad and I at the Mahabodhi Stupa with the tree on my left (not seen). The original tree was long uprooted. This is actually grown from a sapling of the descendent of the original tree that the Buddha sat under to conquer himself. Neat huh! I love the Manjushri sculpture seen just above my dad’s head.

The golden face of Lord Manjushri. Its incredible to see him featured so prominently in India

Incredible experience of walking up to Vulture’s Peak to re-enact the scene in the Heart Sutra. Felt airy-fairy, light and holy.

My dad, a mendicant with his walking stick gleaning some blessings from Shariputra’s meditational cave.

The ruins of the incredible Nalanda monastery. I imagine walking through the stone paths that was once where the great Pandits like Nagarjuna, Atisha, Chandrakirti, the mahasiddhas and many others shuffled along.

The sombre Mahaparinirvana Temple in Kushinagar houses a very old statue of the reclining Buddha. This temple marks the spot where the Buddha is believed to be where he passed away.

Mammoth Dhamekh Stupa marks the spot in Sarnath park where the Buddha taught the 4 Noble Truths to his ascetic companions. It is also one of the most iconic Buddhist monuments in the world.

The beautiful Buddha statue in Bodhgaya that is believed to be the oldest in the world and this was commissioned by a woman who literally had seen Lord Buddha. Originally in black stone, the entire statue was layered in gold by the Dalai Lama.

Beautiful and plentiful members of the Sangha at Bodhgaya

More inspirational Sangha member and many of them are prostrating towards the Mahabodhi temple.

Our wonderful companions during this pilgrimage. And everything was made smooth, comfortable and pleasant by Paul Yap, the tallest amongst us here.

Rinpoche’s Take On Liz Taylor

Two evenings ago, I rendezvoused with Tsem Rinpoche at a neighbourhood Italian restaurant for dinner with Seng Piow, Bryan and Ethan. I just had Minestrone soup (because I already had dinner) while the rest had pasta or salads. Then, we adjourned to Wendy’s next door for dessert – French fries and baked potatoes (not exactly the healthiest choice of foods). Midway, Rinpoche was fiddling with his new Samsung Tab and was sort of showing it off to me. This is nothing new and was just the sort of thing Rinpoche would often do to ‘highlight’ my attachment to gadgets or what not. Amidst the blaring cartoon on a nearby TV screen, he started playing the BBC Tribute to Liz Taylor on his Tab.

We saw pretty images of Liz Taylor splashed on his Tab while Rinpoche started talking about her. He said that he was in the midst of reading a biography of hers and was quite inspired by her story. Then, he started asking the boys what they thought about Liz Taylor and what they thought that he liked about Liz Taylor. Everyone started to cringe their foreheads and stared at invisible midair objects in deep thought. I thought about it and broke the profound silence by saying, “I think Rinpoche resonated with Elizabeth Taylor because she had great on-screen presence and charisma. I noticed Rinpoche tend to like stars with such powerful presence on camera…”  Suddenly, there was a cacophony of agreement and variations of what I said. Well, it wasn’t exactly what Rinpoche was thinking but he liked what I said. Then, he went on tell us the 3 reasons why he loved Liz Taylor…

1. He could have been a star just like Liz Taylor

 

                                       Rinpoche when he was in Hollywood

Rinpoche had always wanted to be a movie star since his teenage days living in Hollywood, Los Angeles. He always felt he could make it because he was determined and would not let anything stop him. Humbly, he felt he might or might not be as huge as Liz Taylor but he knew that would be something big if he pursued it. Naturally, all that was given up because he promised his Guru, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche to become a monk. There was no hint of regret in his voice but he seemed sure that if he was a big star and the money came rolling in, he would sponsor Gaden Monastery. He asked me a pick game choice, “To be gorgeous and sexy with no money and no future or be a rich, fat, lonely and unhappy person?” Naturally, I chose to be gorgeous and Rinpoche chose to be fat and unhappy because that would mean that he could sponsor Gaden Monastery and he didn’t mind the misery.

Rinpoche is also amazed and inspired by people who have something in them that could be so sought after. Liz Taylor obviously had a powerful presence and a great actor, which she used to make millions. In her iconic film Cleopatra, she asked for a million dollars and this was when the top Hollywood stars were paid a 100 to 150 thousand dollars. Even when her stardom waned in her later years, she was still able to make 45 million for a line of perfume!

2. Liz Taylor was insecure and unhappy despite public appearance. 

Rinpoche could relate to her insecurity and constant weight issues. Who would have thought that Liz Taylor with all the men and diamonds in the world could be so insecure and unhappy. Her unhappiness is clearly seen with her constant battle with her weight but she still had to still keep up with appearances. The pressure of public expectation can be overwhelming and for Rinpoche, it is a daily struggle with doubts, problems, difficult students, broken promises and still teach and guide others. Rinpoche didn’t elaborate on his unhappiness but I knew what he was talking about. Some people may even be shocked that a High Lama like Rinpoche could be unhappy. Well, if you ask me, I would say that there’s a big difference between our unhappiness and Rinpoche’s. Ours is all about ourselves, our problems, our expectations and our failures while Rinpoche’s is all about others and helping others. That’s not a textbook statement but an observation through the years of hanging out with Rinpoche.

3. Liz Taylor is fiercely loyal to her friends and was very kind.  

Rinpoche obviously loved this part of Liz Taylor and he went on and on about how loyal and kind she was. Loyalty is a virtue that Rinpoche truly cherishes in others. He loved the fact that when she made a friend, she remained a friend throughout her life. It was also something that was repeatedly mentioned by many of her friends throughout the BBC tribute. Throughout her life, she forged many friendships with some of the most popular actors of her time (many of whom were gay). She was deeply disturbed by the death of her dear friend, Rock Hudson (who died of AIDS) and that spurred her to initiate AIDS research at a time when such an act was career suicide. She just didn’t care and at that time, she realized her immense popularity could be useful for this. Today, millions of AIDS patients receive treatment that was the result of the years of campaigning and fundraising that she did.

Unfortunately, I don’t recall every single detail of what was said but this is far as my memory permits. I was certainly enraptured by his explanation of Liz Taylor. To me, what Rinpoche said told me more about Rinpoche than Liz Taylor. Anyway, I found the BBC Tribute to Liz Taylor for your viewing pleasure.

Fang’s Birthday Liberation

Birthday celebrations for most people are usually celebrated with a birthday cake, colourful balloons, shiny bright presents and a huge banquet just for the birthday boy/girl. Well, its Fang’s birthday and I was little late in blogging about this but anyway, here it is. Well, it began with a nice idea from Fang to have an animal liberation on her birthday last December. She wanted it to be special and I believe she took a cue from Rinpoche’s teaching to do something Dharmic or something dedicated towards others instead of just focussing on ourselves.

Hence, she came upon this idea to have an animal liberation. Traditionally, it is done by liberating fishes, birds and so forth meant for the kitchen knife or a lifetime of captivity. This is of course done with the recitation of Medicine Buddha mantras and blown on them to plant seeds of blessings within their little minds and dedicating the whole liberation towards the long life of a specific person. This works because the direct karmic cause of saving lives of animals would be towards extension of one’s current life. The dedication prayer was of course the beautiful and sacred Shantideva’s Dedication Verses. I love this prayer! It is such a beautiful and heartfelt prayer that anybody or any religion can relate to.

So, Fang (in a maroon shirt), myself (I can’t remember what I wore and I am not in the picture), Lance (in a grey shirt) and Abby (in a light blue T) set off to purchase some birds. We decided to get birds instead of fishes because the public ponds where we stay are dirty and was filled with fishes already.  So, we got little grey Finches that were packed into brown paper bags with holes in them so they could breathe. They were very cute but crammed and sad for them. We got to a nearby park with a large pool and recited lots of Medicine Buddha mantras that seemed to have a calming effect on the birds. Then, we blew on them and released the birds into the lush green trees. Finally, we dedicated with Shantideva’s dedication verses and left the park with smiles and cheers.

A Memorial To Justin Ripley

Justin Ripley from New Zealand, a dear friend passed away last week, just barely a day before his mother and brother came to visit him for Christmas. It was so sudden that it caught everyone by surprise. I was shocked when I found out. The first thing I heard was that he was brought to the hospital. I was on my way there when a message beeped on my phone announcing his untimely demise. I was told there were a lot of friends around him and so I detoured to join a funerary puja instead.

I am rather fortunate to have most of my friends healthy, young and alive. So I don’t get the chance to experience death much. But this is a death that came too sudden and he was just too young to die. He passed away a 37 year old bloke. I am just 6 years younger than him! It turn out that he had a heart condition that was hereditary and fatal.  His dad passed away a couple of years back and his dad was damn fit – he was surfing when he got a heart attack and drowned.

My last contact with Justin was just the night before he passed away. I ‘Whatsapp’ him to look for my missing passport in the Haven, the residence of H. E. Tsem Tulku Rinpoche and also his office he spent most of his time at. Justin looks intimidating at times with his cool demeanour but he is really a gentle giant. I have never seen him loose his cool. He is also fiercely loyal to Rinpoche. I met him many years ago and his devotion to Rinpoche has grown tremendously since. I guess it was because Rinpoche had taken really good care of Joy – his wife and the person who introduced him to the Rinpoche.

“Me with Rinpoche what merits did I have to have my path cross with Rinpoche. That I can do dharma work and share modern day dharma to the world. Rinpoche has said many times, through a keyboard and a computer we can change soo many peoples lives. Thank you Rinpoche for a precious opportunity. Wat Muang, Ang Thong, Thailand 23, August 2011”- Justin wrote on his Facebook.

Just the last two weeks, I was a part of many conversations Rinpoche had with him – discussing and plotting how to help Joy. He is not normally vocal but on these occasions, he would talk and explain quite a bit. I usually spend a lot of late nights with Rinpoche talking and there was one night or rather morning in the Haven. I didn’t have the car with me and he was downstairs sleeping. I woke him up apologetically and asked him to drive me back home. It was a struggle for him but he did it without complain. While driving, I asked how was he and he said that he was never better. He smiled and that smile said a lot of how contented he was with his life. I had a few printed pictures of Protector Buddhas that I got from Rinpoche and I gave it to him. He took it happily and weeks later, I saw that he had placed it on the altar when a group of us came to perform a consecration ritual. He must have wanted to pass it to his brother.

I heard that he was absolutely excited that his brother was coming to Malaysia. He had wanted his brother very much to be a part of Kechara for a longest time and had probably made a lot of plans. He was very close to his brother and is often in contact with him via the Internet. Although he didn’t get to say any last words, his last dying wish would have been for his brother to join Kechara and with him in spirit. A Samoan (Yes, Samoan and not Maori as I thought he would have been) bloke like him who has so much faith in Buddhism is amazing. Yes, and what an amazing quiet presence he had been. Everybody would miss him dearly.

I went to see Rinpoche that night he passed away. We were all grieving, talking and sharing about Justin. Rinpoche just remarked that he is glad that Justin spent the last 5 years of his life doing a lot of Dharma via the computer. He had no doubt that Justin would take a good rebirth and probably around Kechara as well. I was so relieved and happy for him. Rinpoche performed last special rite on him by placing a sacred Protector knot on him just as he passed away. We had a very special for him at Kechara House along with his dear family, friends and colleagues. What a way to die! I missed him but I also selfishly thought that I would like to die the same way, doing Dharma work for others right under the same roof as his Lama. That’s the best death anybody can have.

Justin, RIP. Have a safe passage till we meet again!

(Pictures taken from Facebook)

Postcards from Kathmandu…

My flight was canceled and so I took the next flight to Kathmandu. Fortunately, the second flight was pretty smooth without much hiccups. After a few hours of sleep, I slide the cabin windows open as the captain announced that we will be reaching Kathmandu soon and we could see the snow-capped Mount Everest and several of its sister mountains in the horizon. Unfortunately, you can only see a white patch in this photo but you can imagine the majesty of the white mountains. Not a bad start of a working/leisure trip to Nepal.

Kathmandu during this time of the year is dusty and dry with extremely hot sun in the day and freezing temperatures at night. The narrow dirt paths and bumpy roads are exactly as one my previous trips. I just notice a slight improvement on certain roads and the increasing amount of cars on the roads. The crazy array of buildings remain pretty much the same as how I remembered it.

Kathmandu Guest House has undergone some light renovations and it is in the midst of building a new wing to accomodate the increasing amount of tourists. I rendezvous-ed with Li Kim on this trip and we were followed Su Ming and her KC pilgrimage team. Meanwhile, there were book readings at Pilgrims’ Bookstore and some work to change the window display at the same bookstore.

The entrance of Kathmandu Guest House opens up to an oasis of calm amidst the Thamel hustle and bustle. This is where I first arrived in Nepal 6 years ago and it brings back many fond memories of being on pilgrimage with Rinpoche on two occasions over the years. During that time, faces come and faces go leaving a warm longing feeling. For some reason, I always seem to be coming back to Nepal for work just like how Rinpoche once told me to imagine. So, I relish these trips although they are short and almost devoid of any time to shop.

Thamel is busy with hiking tourists and peddlers alike. It never loses its charm although the streets are narrow, busy and quite literally a pedestrian nightmare. My favourite shopping in Thamel has always been the books at Pilgrims Bookstore, Tibet Book House and Vajra Books. On this trip, I only managed to make it to Pilgrims’, for obvious reasons.

I stayed in a nice quaint double bed room overlooking the inner courtyard that have a garden with a beautiful Buddha and some garden tables. Its so nice that when the sun comes out, you will see some caucasians will rush to place their mat and bathe in the sun.

We are heading to Vijashwari Vajrayogini (Nepalese pronunciation replace anything with a V with a B so it sounds like Bijashwari Bajrayogini) temple, which is the red temple sitting on this little hill.

A little 4-armed Chenrezig/Kuan Yin shrine heralds the Buddhist nature of this temple. The man in blue check is circumambulating the shrine while reciting Om Mani Padme Hum. The style of shrine is indigenous Newari and not Tibetan although this deity is extremely popular in Tibet. The Newaris, are a indigenous ethnic group of Nepalese who are traditionally Buddhists but did not retain a tradition of monastics. Hence, they have lay Tantric priests that serve the community with mainly rituals and religious discourse.

The temple is constructed in a typical Nepalese way. The building encloses a courtyard of various stupas and shrines and the main shrine is crowned with ornate eaves and tapered roof. The shrine within contains the various forms of Vajrayogini, of which photography is forbidden. However, we did manage to get nice photos for our Vajrayogini and other Power Places in Nepal book. This sounds like a major advert but you can check it out by clicking the other books menu button on the top part of this blog. The photos are rare and the first of its kind. We had a wonderful puja within the shrine and dedicating it towards everything virtuous.

Our pasted-on halo from Vijashwari temple fell off when we arrive at the Pashupati temple. We were there to pay homage to the Naropa and Tilopa caves. However, the strewn rubbish all over the field along with some cow droppings made for a rather unpleasant experience. Doing our best to be true blue pilgrims, we visualized everything clean and pure so that we focus on our prayers and this pilgrimage and not the strewn rubbish.

Here are the Tilopa and Naropa caves. Someone painted it red recently and as we prepared offerings. I prepped myself to give an account of Naropa’s life and his extraordinary devotion to the yogi Tilopa. I did it and told everyone to place their foreheads on the walls of the cave and pray to have courage and perseverance in their spiritual practice and devotion to their Guru just like Naropa’s. I restored my tattered halo for a moment. Jokes aside, it felt good to inspire people.

I ended my 3-day trip to Nepal with a rushed visit to Bouddhanath Stupa. Su Ming and her friends had returned and I had just had a little bit of time to run around the stupa pretending to be holy while I kept an eye out for nice statues. I wished I had more time (and money) to hang around Bouddha and various other places in Nepal. Even if it was not for religious purpose, it would be great to go on a really short hike like everyone else is doing.

Next stop – India.

Walking the streets…

Look! I brought 3 new friends of mine to Kechara Soup Kitchen last Saturday.

Huai Bin, Audrey and Timothy for a KSK run downtown last week. Yes, they are popular bloggers and I brought them because they wanted very much to experience the gritty experience of feeding the homeless and the destitute. As newbies, they filled up forms and got the usual briefing from Kwok Wai, our regular guy at KSK. Their maiden route was the Chow Kit area. I have been but I found out later, it was a different part of Chow Kit. Nevertheless, it was not too dodgy and the area was populated by mostly friendly clients (KSK-speak for the homeless we serve). I was feeling lethargic from lack of sleep but I did my best to be helpful and be good company. Anyway, as expected, we met some interesting street folks and one even had a caved-in skull resulting in a head that looks like it has a huge crater.

At the end, they enjoyed themselves and even said they would definitely come back for more. There are like around 10 routes that KSK manage and each have a different set of clients and experiences. I guess it is adventure to check them out and at the same time benefit them with food and care. It was definitely an experience of a lifetime and not to be missed. Check out Timothy’s experience:- http://timothytiah.com/2011/11/13/feeding-the-homeless-on-a-saturday-night/

On Sunday, I met up with Fang to have brunch at Fat Allan’s hawker stall in OUG. That’s us posing like has-been celebrities in front of his stall. He sells yummy Foochow noodles and such along with Paos.

He sure works hard for the money.

Apparently, he starts his day at 4 am and on a good day, he will sell everything by midday. Business is booming especially after he overcame some black magic spell that was alleged cast by another hawker at the restaurant. He had a strange mark around the time when business was bad like he was marked by the unseen. It was so bad that some people who came to the restaurant just didn’t notice his stall was open.

Out of desperation, he invited a Tibetan Ruel (protection talisman made by elder monks) and business picked up. He noticed when the spell was in full effect, the business of one of the hawker stalls went up and when he held onto the talisman, the business nose-dived. He suspects that is the perpetrator of the spell. Anyway, whatever it is, he is doing well and protected. Tibetan Talismans are very efficacious.

Buddha’s little helpers…

It’s the time of the year again. It’s Rinpoche’s 46th birthday bash and in whole of Kecharadom, there’s no celebration bigger than this.

Ok, this is very insider talk going on. But I am sure you know what I mean.

Usually, Rinpoche would make his annual appearance at Kechara House Gompa to give an extensive, exciting, delicious, action-packed and awe-inspiring talk. It’s a good time for all Kecharians to listen and get recharged with Rinpoche’s rousing discourse and then there’s a short little puja right after to seal the deal. (>.<) I mean seal the blessings. Then, there’s the lil mountain of gifts right in front that Rinpoche receives yearly from all friends, students and well-wishers.

However, this is extra special. First of all, there’s the release of Rinpoche’s first picture-packed coffee table book. It brings to life Rinpoche’s epic story, from his painful and difficult childhood to adolescent in Hollywood and then becoming a monk, flying to India and somehow arriving in Malaysia. It is an extraordinary book and its truly amazing that all these amazing photos still exists illustrating and giving us a peek into what’s it like to grow up as a selfless and immensely beneficial being. Check out the promo video of this amazing book! 

The purchase this book online, go to http://vajrasecrets.com/the-promise-a-tsem-tulku-biography.html?SID=qb3rtk3adjcfl97qjuij8rqs15

The other thing is the ordination of the 1st ever Buddhist pastors in the world. Pastors are basically lay priests found in Christianity. Due to years giving talks, advice and teachings, Rinpoche has formulated this pastorship based on Buddhist vows. He envision it to be a bridge between the Buddhist monasticism and the common man on the street. It is a brilliant vision for the future especially in secular society where monks are usually relegated to those who have retired or who have failed in all worldly endeavors. Hence, Rinpoche has handpicked 4 Pastors, each with their own unique personality and contribution towards the Dharma. Check out the special video of these pastors below:-

This photo show Rinpoche with (L to R) Pastor Susan, Pastor Yek Yee, Pastor Ngeow and Pastor Chia. 

Mirror, mirror on the Wall… Who is the Ugliest of Them All?

There is a certain stark reality of staring at myself in a clear mirror. The beauty of my self-image fades with the imperfections of reality. I go on looking and looking at what I once thought of as beautiful but now, it looks absolutely repulsive. The more I look, the more nauseated I am with myself. 

Deep down, this is perhaps how I really see myself and I am totally embarrassed that everyone sees me this way and perhaps there is tingle of familiarity and comfort in confirming how I feel about myself from deep within. Feeling self-defeated in a perpetual cycle of liking and hating myself makes for a tiresome roller-coaster-ride of emotions that goes no where and I end up no where. Sigh! Sorry just some emotional gibberish. Will snap out of it and look outwards instead of inwards by the next post. 

Are you a nerd or a geek?

Ethan here is the best Nerd of Kechara Care! Happy Belated birthday

if you see this…

I recently read this humourous article on CNN's website on the difference between geeks and nerds and I though I share it here. Apparently, the word 'geek' and 'nerd' are etymologically different in its meaning and usage. However, most people use them interchangeably these days anyway.

In the article, the origin of the word 'Geek' is really quite funny. 

The word "geek" started out meaning almost the exact opposite of the word "nerd." "It was used in the early 20th century as a term for a carnie who was so unskilled at doing tricks or entertaining people that the only thing he could do at the carnival to get an audience was to bite the heads off of live animals. What it denoted was a real loser who was really unskilled," Nugent said.

On the other hand, the word 'Nerd' actually came from a book by Dr Seuss…

"Nerd," Nugent said, was first printed in the 1950 Dr. Seuss book, "If I ran the zoo." One of the creatures in the zoo — an angry looking old man — is called a nerd, but bears little resemblance to what people generally think of as a nerd today.

In the middle of the article, it only came clear to me how to distinguish a nerd from a geek. Otherwise, it almost sounded like another one of those geek/nerd attempt on writing about something insignificant again. 

'Nerd' is an intellectual designation. 'Geek' is a social designation. You can be both and you can be one and not the other. 

Ok, it is insignificant but kinda fun. Don't you think? 

I think I am a nerd and a geek (Sad!). I think Kecharians are mostly nerds with a sprinkling of nerd geeks in its midst and a tiny dash of weirdo geeks. Hehe! 

Here is the original article….

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/12/02/nerd.or.geek/

Jean Ai and Jean Mei here are trying very hard to bridge the gab between nerd and geek! 

Photos of the Geeks, nerds and in-betweens are taken from Kechara's facebook page.