What is Happiness
January 30, 2010 0
What is the purpose of life? It is to become happy. Whatever country or society people live in, they all have the same deep desire: to become happy.
Many of us are in constant search for that perfect love, perfect watch, perfect relation and perfect everything. But is there such a thing call perfect?
Running away ain't a solution. People come into your life and tell you things you want or might not want to listen. Take all advice with a pinch of salt.
Learning to smile and take everything bad and good that comes into your life as a learning experience. Embrace it and learn to love each moment.
Tell the person next to you how much they mean to you. Never carry on walking each day without stopping to say hi and how are you.
Running away from fear and heart is a bad thing, learning how to address and deal with it is important.
Rediscovering the joy of teaching
January 25, 2010 0
With the recent needs of me being back into water teaching Open Water Diver course, I started thinking of why I got burned out and did not really got into the hang of teaching Open Water Divers.
I spent 6 hours in the pool last Sunday, conducting the course… … and whilst I was doing the course, Terrence and Jean showed me something. A feeling that was long gone, a feeling that I could not remember and the very reason why I became an Instructor and generated a pool of Instructors.
Teaching diving requires alot of patience. And I do mean alot of it. Non-divers converting and doing the course are overwhelmed with a lot of activities in their mind. Doning the gear, remembering the regulators need to be on the right side, remembering which is inflate and deflate buttons, when they use them, when to breath… … man… … the list goes on and on and on.
As dive professionals, we took this for granted, and sometimes, past remarks like "how come so simple thing they also dun know how to do it?" We are often pre-occupied with the mind set of "we need to complete confined water module 1 to 5 within 6 hours"
What happened to the word "student centric"? Yes, we have our obligations to teach and complete modules 1 to 5 within 6 hours. What each instructor should focus on is how to streamline their teaching to ensure we have enough time without forgoing the very basic rule of teaching… … that is to ensure students learn well. The skills taught in confined water builds the fundamentals of how good they are gonna become divers and how much they are gonna enjoy diving.
PADI courses are very well structured, however, the delivery method is slightly different. Some of us have choose to be patient, motherly, military or like me, comical! But nonetheless, we all have to remember this, we were once open water divers, learning how to dive. Do not forget that feeling. As an Open Water Confined Water Diver, we do not know any better. Instructors asked us to breath, we breath. Ask us to move, we move….. …
I saw Terrence and Jean, from non divers, slowly moving in water gracefully, trying to follow what I was doing and mimicked me how I fin, and really wanting to learn diving, brought joy to me once again.
I hope this article on how I rediscover the joy of diving will help instructors rediscover their joy.
Mini Me
January 20, 2010 0
Saturday night, preparing myself for pool and a great day with students. I was as usual hanging out in FB looking at some old photos of me and some of my closest friends and realize at one point of time, there is someone who is the mirror reflection of me.
Walking like me, talking like me, wearing the same shit with me.
Well, life has a strange way of making people learn from their lessons and sometimes it is too late, sometime, never too late, sometime doesn't matter if you learn it or not.
How strange life really is. Alone, staring at old memories, bringing a smile back to your face.
I thank you lord for the great things you have given me or beautiful memories. I could not have live my life any better and if given a chance, I will walk with you again. One thing I know, you never left me and I still feel you everytime I close my eyes and remember the day you came into my life.
Thank You
A wild weekend at Dayang
January 8, 2010 0
1st April to 4th April - dates that will be with me for a long long time.
I met a girl, a very sweet innocent girl. Probably the first girl I have met in a long time without any ulterior motives at all. Her big shinny eyes with long lashes, her mesmerizing smile and the little words she said… … Allegra.
Her innocence has shown me what is really missing in my life right now. A family to support me, a family that I can go home to at the end of a long day and share my joy and worries with.
Nah, not what u dirty minded old man is thinking. Allegra is two years old, daughter of Jessica, one of my combo students.
Where the heart ends
January 28, 2009 1
They do not need riches, a big yard to run around, a big house, a maid, luxurious car, branded goods. Give them your heart and they will give their heart to you.
I watch you the day at the shop staring through the windows, sitting there pondering who is going to pick you up, send you home and give you undivided love.
Many people walked past, tapping on the window you were behind, making faces at you. You looked at a pair of warm hands picking you up, putting you in a car and bringing you to your home for the next 14 years of your life.
Placing you down in your new bed, placing you in a basin for your first bath, brought you your first toy, taking your first stroll.
"This is my friend, my master, my love. I will give you all my heart as long as you you give your heart to me. I want to grow old with you, lie beside you, be there for you, licking the sadness of your face, staring at you while you sleep. Be patient with me, for you are my only friend. I might make you angry from time to time to get your attention, or even chew your favorite sunglasses, it is all because I am trying to tell you to give me more love. Never put me away in a corner, never stop loving me for I will be your friend. I do not live long and for the next 14 years, I will be sitting beside your bed, waiting for your return each sunset. This is my promise to you"
I stood beside you while you had your first birth, I watched your first breast fed, I was there when you had your first operation. I will never leave you for long, wait for my return, I will never leave you. When you have your final days, I will be lying there beside you, accompanying you, holding you in my arms. This is my return promise to you.
"You and me will have many happy years, You wouldn't want me to suffer so. When the time comes, please, let me go. Take me to where to my needs they'll tend, Only, stay with me till the end you will promise, and hold me firm and speak to me for the last time. Until my eyes no longer see. I know in time you will agree it is a kindness you do to me. Although my tail its last has waved, From pain and suffering I have been saved. Don't grieve that it must be you who has to decide this thing to do. We've been so close — we three — these years, Don't let your heart hold any tears."
My friend, my love, my life. Never will I abandon the both of you. Through the years we laugh, the walks we shared, the journey of my life, will be memories that we forever share. I pray to God each night, that your final days will never come. But for the days we are going to share, we will learn, play, rest and be with each other.
– Your Loving Master –
Updates
January 27, 2009 1
Moving on in life
Life has since moved on from June 2008. Putting things right after mistakes and mistakes is a pain in the ass. 2008 was a rock and roll year. After living life on a fast lane as a poor instructor, the sudden expansion of the old Orpheus Dive was overwhelming. Overnight, success, money, being the most talked about dive centre swallowed me and sent me straight to hell.
Devil by day, angel by night. Life was about getting drunk, high on drugs (just kidding) and hunger for success grew by the day.
It was only in June, that after an accident, brought me back to earth slowly. Then the economic went for a down turn.
Reflection by Silence
Light was reintroduce and now is all about a quiet reflection. Reflection followed by reinvention gave birth to a new me.
Passion Scuba Dive
January 25, 2009 0
Now that the old Orpheus Dive is finally sold and gone. I have been tasked to take over the New Passion Scuba Dive (www.passionscubadive.com), The Scuba Boutique (www.thescubaboutique.com) and the new Gopro Malaysia (www.gopromalaysia.com)