The Path of Time

"Are you crazy?!???!?" was one of the first remarks Jimmy was treated to during Thanksgiving dinner went he broke the news to his relatives about resigning after about two years working for a well established law firm. Jimmy was going to become an insurance agent. Other comments Jimmy got thrown at with: "Why are you taking so much risk coming out?" "Changing career when times are so bad? What's wrong with you?" "What were you thinking when you handed in your resignation letter?" "Did the stress at work get to your head?" With the credit crunch lingering, the global market conditions are deemed unsound and many world economies are facing slowing GDP growth. Three quarters of the world are cutting back on spending and taking more steps to save money. Clearly, Jimmy's relatives did not share Jimmy's viewpoint. Ironically when most of us would have thought your relatives should be the ones supporting you and giving you some fo...

I had to work fairly late last night and ended up leaving office late and in a dire need for food to get into my stomach. As I was driving back about 9.30 at night and of all things to happen, I had to get stuck in a traffic jam. It was bad enough I had a tough day at work, being stuck in a traffic jam with a hungry, growling stomach really does not make matters any better. Without giving it much thought I took a quick turn into Jaya One , a commercial zone with heaps of eateries.  Quickly searching for a decent parking lot, I went to look at the eatery directory and I found myself in a state of bounded rationality. Choices, choices, choices, choices...... just too much choices of eateries! Just check out the list below. Al-Esfan Banana Leaf Blk D, Unit 23-G Palm Square 03-22834336 Al-Esfan Indian (Mamak) Blk D, Unit 63-LG2 Wai Sek Kai 03-22834336 03-79579786 BBQ Chicken Fast Food Blk M, Unit 12-G Palm Square 03-79548722 Brisik Indonesian Blk M, Unit 10-1 Palm Square 03-79586681 Brusse...

One evening in 1927 an 11 year old young boy born a violin prodigy was going to perform the great Beethoven violin concerto in D major. That violin concerto is touted as one of the most demanding concertos emotionally and technically. At 11 years old, the slowly filling up crowd at the New York's Carnegie Hall, majority being highly regarded music critics were expecting the performance to be below standards considering the masterpiece to be too technically demanding for the hands of a young boy to handle. It all started when this young boy received an invitation from the New York Symphony to perform with them earlier in the year. The invitation was to perform a different concerto - Mozart's violin concerto in A major. Being excited about the invitation, the young boy wanted something and pestered his father to talk the New York Symphony into letting him perform the Beethoven violin concerto. His father reassuringly told the little boy he'll see what he can do to talk to the...

When you take a step back and think about it, I am sure you will realise the first step in everything always seems to be most difficult. For many of us, approaching the opposite sex you have a crush on is likely to be THE toughest moment in your life (makes you feel seeing your boss isn't so bad right?). I too find it difficult to take the first step at times. I found myself in a predicament when I was trying to decide on my career path. Just two days ago, I tendered my resignation to the HR department of my firm of chartered accountants. Upon tendering my resignation, I felt a sense of excitement. Excitement pointing me at the direction where a new experience awaits me. At this juncture, I am going to hop on a train to a different career path. A brand new journey of which the destination is unknown to me right now. Now that I look back at the path leading to my decision, I've come to realised it took me close to a year to make the decision to switch - that first step. Too many...