How Apple Computer got its Name

                               

        Currently I am reading this firework of a book, based on the late Steve Jobs' life. He was an adopted child of hard working American German migrants who lived in Pittsburgh. His father was Palestinian and mother Irish American, but their family objected vehemently to the union.

        I was amused and fascinated how he decided on the name Apple Computer, it is an Oxymoron type of name as apple is related obliquely to rural country America (American Apple Pie) and Computer (in the 70s) is related to high technology.

        It stemmed from the fact that Steve in his late teens was fascinated with Eastern (Zen Buddhism) religiousity and was making trips to India to seek his meaning in life, as well as find a guru. After a 9 month soul seeking trip, he came back, dressed in saffron clothes, like an Indian holy man, as well as did not bathe often, and had straggly unkempt hair, just like a hippe child from the 70s.

      He was perpetually trying out vegan diets and the one which stuck on him was a fruitarian diet consisting mainly of apples. So when the time came for him and his partner Steve Wozniack to choose a name, he decided on Apple Computer.

      Funny how things turned out so fabulously for the company.   

Be Prepared

                                                 

         We all have expectations about when we will 'get there' or 'arrive'. To many people, who work in normal jobs, they may not want to think about the inevitable or when the time comes to retire and take things easy, it may be rudely thrust in their faces.

         So, I would advocate this, from the scouting philosophy of Lord Baden Powell. The founder of the Scout Movement  ;  " Be Prepared".

         For any contingency good or bad, one must have a game plan for moving Up and On. 

Running below 5 hours is my target !! 42.195km

This is me ar the finish line of the Standard Chartered Marathon 2012 ; tired legs, a half smile and weather beaten body. With minimal training (about 2 months) I managed to finish it in 6 hours and 6 minutes. Something I am not pleased with, the time.

    This time will be different. I will train every week running on average 40 - 50 km ; I will condition my body ; at the same time I will eat healthy and not squander time and money on meaningless pursuits like long business lunches. I have 3 months to finish my goal. I will achieve it.

     Business wise, I am awaiting several big orders any time now. They will come. Just be patient.

The Secret

May with our  friends from Hungary Tibor and Tsunde Csombordi

       The Secret is a best selling book turned documovie by Rhoda Byrne about the Law of Attraction. People who want something will attract similar minded and focussed people to the same goals, dreams and lifestyles. I  am a little skeptical of this, but tried it with the choice of finding a car park space, as suggested by my friend who has watched the movie over 20 times. So far it has yielded  100 percent success  but that has been only on 2 instances where I wished for something  small and it happened by chance. Purely coincidental, one will conclude.

       At this point in time, my business is at the cusp of some big deals and I really want to achieve them as a means to benchmark myself at this stage  life. We have put in 2 years of our lives, with a great deal of focus, effort and money on my part. Once we receive these deals, I want to step out and really pursue the purposeful life.

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      I am really set to do it. 

A Good Horse never goes back to eat at the same Grassland

       We all have a limited time on Earth.We have our hopes and dreams and want to raise families with the correct values of honesty, thrift, courage, modesty and selflessness. Unfortunately we are thrust into this world where bigger is better, more is celebrated and beauty is aspired. Money or the love of it is the root of all evil. I couldn't agree to that more. 

      When opportunities come our way, be it in work, business or life. We look at it and apply both our intuitive and logical minds to it. After assessment, a decision is made.Once the opportunity is taken or not, its time to move on. It is the same in the Chinese phrase A Good Horse never goes back to eat at the Same Grassland.

       There are plentiful other opportunities out there but time like a river is ever flowing.

       Seize the Day. 

Tiong Bahru Market

Resilience is key to success

50 years in this world ; a celebration no less

oub 

         Last year 2012, we celebrated out 50 years alive. This was the St. Andrew's old boys all of whom  started Primary 1 in 1968 or 1969. Yes, I feel older, in the joints and bones department. However, some wisdom has been bestowed upon me through life expe    riences and we are indeed blessed to be living in Asian region which is wealthy and full of expectations.    

         I have had  several setbacks these few years, one being a business principal pulling out of our partnership. I am not bitter about the event as every cloud has a silver lining. The point is that I must show that you cannot keep a good man down for long, he will always come back and the return is doubly satisfying.