Steve Jobs (1955-2011)

The recent departure of Steve Jobs, co-founder and CEO has shocked the world.

At age 56, Steve Jobs lost his battle to pancreatic cancer. The same man who revolutionized our way of life with cutting edge technology that took the world by storm. The Macintosh, Iphone, Itunes, Ipad.. leaves us to wonder where Apple can go from here without its visionary leader, one of the world greatest innovator.

Steve Jobs changed our lives and our perceptions. In the past, when we see the word apple, we think of the fruit. Now, we think computers, notebooks, smartphones and the most valuable company in the world.

My facebook is flooded with tweets of friends mourning the loss of Steve Jobs. RIP they say, thank you Steve Jobs - the others ranted.

Is it only when we passed on that people realised our contributions, impact, goodness or in some cases, our mere existence?

Some of my favourite golden lessons from Steve Jobs:

"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.”

“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 other’s 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.”

“We don’t get a chance to do that many things, and every one should be really excellent. Because this is our life. Life is brief, and then you die, you know? And we’ve all chosen to do this with our lives. So it better be damn good. It better be worth it.”

"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."

Goodbye Steve Jobs.

Prayers to God

Dear God, do u hear me when i pray to you every night? Just asking for some blessings as a miracle seems too far to come.

Wealth. Success. Fame. I do not desire. Just the basics to keep me from worrying every min of the day. U know what it is and I ain't asking for too much..

Pls hear my prayers. Pls grant this one and only wish and I will not ask anything of you ever.

Money, Money, Money! It's so funny! It's a rich man's world

Was thinking of slacking in July but surprisingly it has bought me many monetary rewards..

I didn't even go for the 1st viewing but the buyer bought the unit on 2nd viewing with me! (PS: It was my 1st time entering the unit and i was wondering where the study was which the seller had initially told me. Anyway, there's no study! I found out there haha.. and my seller made a mistake). 1 million for this 20 yr old 99 yrs leasehold property.

And my Caribbean is finally sold! Previously price was too steep.. 100k reduction and sold @ 1.5mil! I will miss this unit.. i had rented it out too previously. If i had the money, i would have gotten it. SEA view u know? *heart aches* I LOVE Caribbean @ Keppel Bay :~(

And a room rental for my friend.. earning $700+!

Five figure salary! Enough to pay for my accident repairs! Ya, damn that accident which took place 2 yrs ago. I lost the case.. had to fork out 4.7k! Hard earned money gone to waste..

Life skills my Real Estate career taught me

Previously I had an extraordinary job with the civil service. I had learned about giving solutions and developing my listening skills when all my life, it was usually about me, myself and I. However, the morbid thing i've learnt were the various ways of dying.

Ways of dying. Literally.

Jumping off a building. Drowning. Death from home accidents. Road Traffic Accidents. Decomposed bodies. I never knew death smells of Salted Fish. U never knew, right?!?

Glad to have moved on to greener pastures: meeting foreign dignataries that had previously seemed out of reach - they are actually very down-to-earth people.

My new career with the Real Estate brought me to 'greater heights' recently. Fun it always it, and refreshing to meet new faces all the time and being able to make friends and interact with people from all over the world. Particularly the Rich & Famous. Or the start-from-scratch who became successful.

Recently, my tolerance level reached a new high. I learnt how to change a bulb. I repaired a stove. Had to remove the oven just to change a battery for the stove. I learnt about hardware shops selling door knobs. I drove all the way to AMK to buy door knobs to replace the broken door handles of the wardrobe. In the past, i would have frowned at all those requests but now I am simply amused.

Valerie is now officially a handy-man!

45 lessons life taught me

Written by Regina Brett, 90 years old, of the Plain Dealer, Cleveland , Ohio .

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most requested column I've ever written. My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

PS: Valerie likes the ones in BOLD!

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.


22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

MSN's down!

My MSN is down for the past few weeks!

Tried to download but somehow it failed although i had already removed the previous MSN.

Thankfully i have Facebook and Twitter to connect with the rest of the world.

Sorry folks! Guess u won't be seeing me online till further notice..

@ Holland V with the girls from school..

The marks the first time we are out as a group haha..

As I was the first to arrive, ordered a meaty sandwich known as Double Deck, chilling and eating while waiting for them to arrive. Yes, i was the only one who'd not eaten as Dad & Mum are in Taiwan for a holiday. (Poor me gonna lose some weight till next Sun)

It's Jasmine birthday, incidentally today- i'd just massed sms them to come out lol. I remember in 2007 when Jasmine was working @ TTSH and I was working in Police Headquarters, we met up @ Starbucks TTSH ; )

Happy Birthday Jasmine! (Big 3-0!)

May you find your dream guy soon!

Mummy says i shouldn't talk to strangers..

Walking towards the underpass after parking the car. Was about to reach the stairs @ the underpass when this guy walked beside me and said "Hi".

I'm not much of a morning person. Body is awake but the mind is still in hibernation mode. He looked @ me so i said "Mm.. hi" not knowing who he was.

He walked down the stairs first so i really took my time to walk slowly so he could go first but he walked just as slow.

"You from Propnex right?"
"ya.."
"R u staying around here"
"no.."
"Oh, cos i saw u walking from there"
*me silent*
*follows my pace for another few metres*
*Bye..*
*half smile*

Didn't wanna tell him that i had parked there as i had enough of people stalking me from office when i became a real estate agent and back in thoese days, and at my block when i was still schooling.

Sometimes i wonder if i'm anti-social. Our office is mainly open concept and in partitions. Many times i find myself moving to another obscure seat only to be discovered by some of the guys who try to be friendly.

Perhaps they are just trying to be nice. But when they come over too many times, i just feel that my work's interrupted.

I rather lunch alone as didn't wanna risk having the guy appear @ my desk 3 times a day and flooding my inbox. That was really scary.

Call me a loner.

"Piece of Chalk"

Am @ Chalk for dinner!

Wish i hadn't eaten 2 bowls of curry just before dinner time so i could eat more!I love bread with Olive Oil/Vinegar. The serving is small but u can ask for more.. Pork Belly: 10/10

Melts in your mouth!!! Greatest creation ever, in Chalk..

Duck Confit.. the skin is just as wondrous! But not so into duck so this is a

7.5/10 haha..

Cabonara: 3/10

Too buttery and no hint of fragrance from bacon so it seems oily..

Will be back again to try the other stuff! Hope i get a treat again whoo hoo~

"A new year is unfolding – like a blossom with petals curled tightly concealing the beauty within."

Happy New Year, world!