tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-93261632011-12-04T11:15:12.963+08:00David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.comBlogger821100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-8187588063303287842011-11-27T16:28:00.002+08:002011-12-04T11:15:12.975+08:00

I must confess that I didn't have high expectations of the movie "3 Idiots" and resigned myself to being bored for 164 minutes watching the show with my colleagues in our monthly get-together. The title was idiotic, the length sounds like eternity and the genre invoked images of lame dancing around trees and it didn't help that the show is in Hindi and I had to read the subtitles. But at the

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-65474165689021679102011-07-09T18:52:00.001+08:002011-07-09T18:53:44.096+08:00

I was thrust into a management role with many challenges which I am quite sure, can't be met by my engineering and data mining skills. I need an MBA. But like all MBA wannabes, I need to overcome the 3 "No's": No time, No money, No GMAT. My solution: The Personal MBA book by Josh Kaufman. I bought it at the local bookshop at S$30.77 only! My plan: Finish one chapter per week- so in 12 weeks, I

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-3297355829178562672011-04-22T16:54:00.000+08:002011-04-22T16:54:36.107+08:00

I felt a nagging heaviness in my head for the past few weeks. Even though I was relaxing or enjoying activities with my family, it just refused to go away. Initially I thought I was not getting enough sleep but I can't get rid of it even after a 8-hour rest! Then I slowed down and took time to reflect on what I was thinking all this while. I realised to my surprise that I was worried about an

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-8838358684515120102011-03-11T10:53:00.002+08:002011-04-22T16:53:48.905+08:00

During Chinese New Year, I drove my family and a friend's family out in my new Touran for a fun time at eXplorerkid followed by a sumptuous dinner at JustAcia. At the end of the outing, during the car journey back home, my friend's young daughter candidly said that it was the happiest day of her life! I was deeply touched and for a moment, was at a loss of words - I just turned back and gave her

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-4309928160937817202010-01-03T00:01:00.014+08:002010-01-10T16:31:15.385+08:00

Today is the 100th-day death anniversary of my Dad, Vincent Woon.I'm close to my Dad. In fact, among my siblings (2 brothers and 1 sister), I believe I'm the closest to him, being the youngest as well as having the same Catholic faith with him.I miss him... but the busyness of life (yes even during my 2-week-long holiday!) doesn't give me the luxury of time to reminisce our wonderful times

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-28110805881597847482009-06-25T14:15:00.003+08:002009-06-25T14:27:14.658+08:00

I doodled. I wrote. I typed. I emailed. I ICQed. I MSNed. I SMSed. I blogged. I facebooked. Now I tweet..."It's never too soon to do the right thing but it can be too late."David Woon, Tweeter (http://twitter.com/davidwoon)

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-47380488172494434492009-04-04T16:47:00.005+08:002010-04-11T15:28:06.434+08:00

Sex, violence, special effects and Hollywood stars: these are key ingredients for a blockbusting movie. Well, the movie that I'm recommending here has none of the above but it reaches the heart, embraces it and transforms it. It is a movie about marriage - the bedrock of every society; a timely relief for our modern society where up to 54.9% of new marriages end in divorce! And though it's a

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-3822493711221059202009-04-01T09:38:00.003+08:002009-04-01T09:57:06.424+08:00

I realised I've been too serious lately... blogging about big heavy topics - that's not really my style and now with the recession, I think we all need to ease up a little, it's not the end of the world you know... unless my boss walks in now and catches me blogging (but that's not gonna happen since he's on vacation;-)I just had to write something after being inspired by Robin Chan's witty

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-7680974998529659862009-03-07T08:48:00.008+08:002009-03-07T17:07:21.459+08:00

According to the Guttmacher Institute in Oct 2008, about 1 in 5 pregnancies end in abortion...Not to worry, I am not going to start yet another futile debate on the abortion controversy - I believe we should all focus on the common ground of both pro-life and pro-choice camps: abortion reduction.Due to the complex circumstances surrounding a mother's decision to go for an abortion, I don't think

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-27161327003890564602008-11-15T16:17:00.009+08:002008-11-18T08:14:20.941+08:00

I am sure you were inspired by President-elect Obama's historic victory and started to wonder if you could also be President one day in your country - well, at least I did:)But if we are honest, we know deep in our hearts that such an ambition is way too farfetched to be of any use in motivating ourselves to be the best we can be.We need something more realistic and pragmatic yet equally

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-23446135310291351792008-07-28T19:57:00.008+08:002008-07-30T20:44:59.854+08:00

I recently discovered a quantum mechanical characteristic of Friendship which I hereby term ABC - Apart But Connected; like two particles in quantum entanglement, two friends can be apart but connected in a mysterious way by heartstrings.When I met up with my ex-classmate from my secondary school recently, we both exclaimed at the same time, "You haven't changed much after 18 years!"It was a

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-53031908851519115742008-05-31T23:35:00.004+08:002008-06-01T01:20:47.820+08:00

I like to eat meat... after being a Flexitarian for almost 3 years, I must admit that I still prefer meat to veggies!But that doesn't mean I am "backsliding" - my dietary preferences were never the reasons for my conversion in the first place - the key reason was, is and always will be the welfare of innocent animals. Today, the situation isn't getting better for our fellow earth-dwellers: read

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-90182081105180473482008-05-09T07:01:00.003+08:002008-05-09T13:49:04.700+08:00

With more than 1 million homeless and about 100,000 dead, we must act fast to prevent more deaths due to lack of food and water as well as spread of diseases. Check out WorldVision's response and the latest news here.Let's all pray, donate and do what we can to help the victims of Cyclone Nargis - perhaps the solidarity and compassion of the international community would also help to bring

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-86370701660579871952008-04-21T08:36:00.007+08:002010-04-11T16:08:21.034+08:00

I have not read any books on love and marriage since Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus (1992) because I thought I had read most of the important books on the topic and besides, I had a great 7-year marriage so far... Then I chanced upon Gary Chapman's Five Love Languages (1995) - the concepts are not new to me but they are well-explained, practical and most importantly, impactful! Through

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-17524218130440339322008-04-12T14:59:00.005+08:002008-04-12T16:28:01.822+08:00

There're countless tips on how to save petrol on the Web but I would like to share just one tip - because it really works and helps me to improve my Vios 1.5 E (Auto) mileage from an average of 11 km/l to 14 km/l!I've tried many tips but this is THE ONE TIP that gives significant petrol savings! And it's very simple to apply and it's even good for health!Here it is: Switch off the

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-32175325195805164752008-03-21T23:21:00.006+08:002010-04-11T16:40:24.590+08:00

The past 3 months had been an emotionally and physically trying period for me. Death, suffering, despair, betrayal, stress, fatigue – I’ve experienced these extreme states of life in parallel through my loved ones and close friends; a close relative had to make a decision to amputate a leg or die within a week; another had to face up to the inevitability of losing a second leg; a close friend

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-3252109685426144162007-11-17T15:28:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:21:00.860+08:00

As World AIDS Day is just round the corner (1 Dec), it is timely for us to reflect on the AIDS pandemic that has claimed more than 25 million lives since it was first recognized in 1981. Currently, about 38.6 million people are living with AIDS worldwide.No cure has been found to date. Despite global preventive campaigns with budgets in the range of billions of dollars, the number of infections

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1117980961314950132007-09-30T02:44:00.001+08:002008-05-10T13:30:31.553+08:00

Heard of Quantum Mechanics? You might have heard it but think little of it because it sounds terribly complicated and unrelated to daily life. And you are right: it's so mind-boggling that even Albert Einstein (named as the greatest physicist of all time) had problems with it, and of course, life goes on even if you can't understand its equations.But I think everyone should know a bit more about

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-8817492571684812412007-09-04T00:10:00.000+08:002008-01-12T16:15:55.225+08:00

Till today, my parents have been telling me to save money for a rainy day - and I have been obedient:-)But in our modern globalised society, we need better financial strategies to sustain and grow the economy, bridge the income gap between the richest and poorest, help the underprivileged and of course, make ourselves happy.There are many interesting online discussions on how best to spend money

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-56925543701207029962007-07-29T08:41:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:13:48.136+08:00

I was at the final phase of Operation Romantic Birthday Surprise after accomplishing the virtually impossible objective of obtaining the McDonald's Shrek figurine (not even eBay had it!).It was time to pull in a highly unlikely accomplice for the climactic ending: my then 20-month-old son Xavier. I wasn't even sure if he could cooperate but I had to try. I told him as simply as possible the

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-82339857132904327692007-07-10T07:32:00.000+08:002008-05-10T13:32:06.580+08:00

On 7 June 2007, Nature, the world's foremost scientific journal, reported the possibility of extracting embryonic stem cells from adult skill cells according to experiments involving mouse cells.This made me sit up and think about the intense Stem Cells Debate that has been going on for a while... Why are there so many arguments on controversial morality issues but so little on practical issues?

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-26444934774196430322007-06-22T09:45:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.209+08:00

In all my years of negotiations with parties from large MNCs, government agencies, and universities to negotiations with my 20-month-old son, I've learnt one thing: for any negotiation to have a high chance of success, the following assumption, which I call "The Golden Assumption" must be made: Everyone is reasonable.This may seem like a trivial point but it opens the door to real communication,

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-24874912528098614912007-05-31T15:55:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:07:36.230+08:00

On 1 April 2007, I had the worst "April Fool's joke" of my life: my computer hung and I realised my last backup was more than 6 months ago!This was specially embarrassing for me because as a computer engineer, I constantly remind people of the need to back up data regularly!Though I eventually recovered all data and fixed up my computer, this incident led me to an acutely sobering thought: what

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-17093039899956450882007-03-18T17:22:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:16:38.490+08:00

Mr Mooney had a vision: if he could earn enough money to retire before 50, he would have plenty of time for his family, friends and social/religious work - Life would then be fulfilling and joyful. And so, he worked and worked... with absolutely no time for his family, friends and social/religious work.One day, Mr Mooney earned enough money to last him many lifetimes and decided to retire. He

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-49986048929261231782007-02-22T01:47:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.209+08:00

We all want to become a better person and where possible, help others to become better persons - there is no better way to change the world for the better.But how do we know if we are growing in character? How can we assess a person's character? How can we be objective?I propose two measures to gauge one's character:1. Nobody-CentricDon't be overly impressed by spectacular displays of courage,

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-90601828440745694552007-01-20T01:14:00.001+08:002008-05-10T13:33:50.938+08:00

Can't understand why it's always so difficult to see the block numbers of HDB flats? Can't figure out why ancient parking coupons are still used in the digital age?My fellow Singaporeans, here is your chance to speak up and make a difference in 2007!Simply check out 10TouchPoints, a nation-wide initiative to redesign everyday stuff to make our lives better! You can propose new ideas or vote for

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-8841836284259491652006-12-22T23:33:00.001+08:002008-05-10T13:36:42.440+08:00

I've always thought that the only green way to drive is to drive a hybrid car... until I experienced a new way of driving: Carsharing.I just obtained my driving license in November and was very eager to drive. But buying a new car is just too costly; renting a car costs a lot too; all my friends advised me against getting a used car; that leaves me with one choice: Carsharing.So I signed up a

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-86273758936009875132006-11-17T07:00:00.001+08:002008-05-10T13:38:47.652+08:00

I was shocked to discover that my beautiful island country Singapore was ranked 131 (out of 178) in a study called The Happy Planet Index to compare how efficient countries are in making their citizens happy.To understand this study better, let us compare Singapore and Costa Rica:SingaporeCosta Rica Ranking1313 Life Satisfaction6.97.5 Life Expectancy78.778.2 Ecological Footprint6.22.1Ecological

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1160795973724241072006-10-14T11:18:00.001+08:002008-05-10T13:42:35.164+08:00

If you find yourself doing many things at one go, e.g. munching food, talking to your spouse, checking your emails on your Blackberry, planning next week's work schedule, thinking about yesterday's soccer game and watching TV, all at the same time, then may I propose to you more fruitful way of life: Now-Oriented Living (NOL).I define NOL as living at the moment for the moment, i.e., if you are

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1158327555018164212006-09-15T21:22:00.001+08:002008-08-26T14:21:48.055+08:00

You're invited to participate in the most ambitious Love-Sharing Scheme in Blogosphere: To post one million love messages in a single blog here:Share love with the world with a message from your heart to your loved ones now! Love begets love - so let us make this world a more loving place for everyone:)

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1157826100336448222006-09-10T01:50:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.210+08:00

Yesterday, I was pondering about why I couldn't save much money every month even though I had not been making big purchases lately... After analysing my credit card bills and bank accounts, I found the answer: it was in the little thoughtless purchases which I had totally disregarded because of the little money involved!Indeed, very often, it is the little things that resulted in BIG EFFECTS

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1155599938284313692006-08-15T06:57:00.002+08:002010-04-11T16:55:36.584+08:00

The Near-Death Experience (NDE) has been extensively studied since 1975 after Dr Raymond Moody coined NDE. More recent studies like those by Dr Melvin Morse and Dr Kenneth Ring showed conclusively with scientific proof that there is indeed a spiritual dimension beyond what our physical eyes can see... Here, I would not talk more about NDE since you can easily google NDE. Instead, I would like to

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1154482490456468702006-08-02T08:06:00.001+08:002008-08-26T15:03:49.153+08:00

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality."Albert Einstein (1879-1955) PhysicistWe are asking questions every moment of our lives - whether consciously or unconsciously. The moment we wake up, we consciously ask ourselves

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1152924568874633482006-07-15T08:46:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:15:14.390+08:00

Many think twice about parenthood because of the general perception that parenthood:zaps energy;banishes romance;restricts freedom; and drains finances. I once thought so too until I became a father last year and discovered life-changing parenthood revelations! The above perception is common mainly because many couples nowadays hold stressful jobs and strive for luxuries like posh cars,

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1151815685990458442006-07-02T11:55:00.001+08:002010-04-11T16:59:49.779+08:00

When "Superman Returns" to the big silver screen in June 2006, I am sure many, including myself, felt our hearts soaring to welcome the superhero, and to once again be inspired and mesmerised by his super powers! But let us never forget that we too possess gifts and talents to be "Superman" in our own little ways and like Superman, we must use our "powers" for the good of others: to the hungry

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1150331960525288522006-06-15T07:48:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.210+08:00

Who will win the World Cup 2006? Dr Andrew Jacobs, an experienced sports psychologist, believes that mental strength would play an important role in World Cup 2006 in an interview with Active.com - "The Mental Side of the World Cup". So the champion team would probably have not only the best skill but also the best mental prowess... We often underestimate the power of our thoughts and its immense

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1148319745854936182006-05-23T01:01:00.000+08:002008-01-12T16:08:32.677+08:00

Psychologists have discovered that thankfulness has positive effects on our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. A two-day gathering of 13 scholars in Dallas in 2001 explored systematic scientific approaches to better understand the nature and effects of gratitude. Here're two key exciting findings (extracted from the news article "Making a Science of Virtue"):1. Those who kept gratitude

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1147563011156771742006-05-14T06:12:00.000+08:002008-01-12T16:13:35.918+08:00

I know I could never fully comprehend the depth of my mother's love for me... but I got a better idea of it when I witness the unconditional, selfless, sacrificial, attentive and tender love given to my 7-month-old son by my wife. I am deeply humbled by such noble love.On this special day, let us take a moment to reminisce the love showered upon us by our mothers and to let them know how much we

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1146886013604887622006-05-06T11:07:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.211+08:00

Uncertainty is the only certainty in life - we may try to eliminate, minimise or disregard uncertainty but it prevails; resistance is futile in this case.My alternate proposition: embrace uncertainty.As an ally, uncertainty helps to rein in our tendency to take things for granted, e.g.:if we know we could die or get cancer any moment, we would make better use of our timeif we know we could lose

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1144754057900570952006-04-11T18:53:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.211+08:00

I have always believed that one should remain cool at all times because getting angry doesn't solve problems and may even strain relationships. I was wrong.During the past 3 months, I flared up more times than I ever did for my entire life. And it actually helped me!My anger was directed at the staff of a public hospital; I was angry at the inefficiency of the Accident & Emergency department; I

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1142804355474036542006-03-20T05:03:00.000+08:002008-01-12T16:13:35.918+08:00

How often have you set a goal and not reach it? For me, this is quite often - but I have found a way around this. I would go on quests instead...The word "Quest" is connotated with Heroism, Nobility and Justice; when we think of quests, we naturally think of knights braving dragons and evil wizards to rescue damsels in distress - and these knights succeed ALL the time! Perhaps this occurs only in

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1140711427596419082006-02-23T23:52:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:16:38.490+08:00

I am really tired lately and hope to take a good break - however, it is not possible for me to go on a tour now when I need to take care of my 4-month-old baby boy as well as my father who's still slowly recovering from his stroke in the hospital.Fortunately, I thought of a solution: I would go on a free-and-easy reminiscent tour - a tour into the past beautiful memories of my life. I have since

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1139843808929988242006-02-13T22:59:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:07:01.092+08:00

We all know that Life is full of ups and downs. And I am quite sure most people don't like downs. Nevertheless, somehow, Life deals to everyone a fair share of ups and downs... which leaves us with Hobson's choice: we gotta learn how to weather the downs of Life if we want to be happy for the most part of our lives.In the 32 years of my life, I've realised a strange phenomenon: Life tends to deal

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1138636813846888832006-01-30T22:51:00.000+08:002008-01-12T16:13:35.918+08:00

My father suffered a sudden and massive stroke on the morning of 28 Jan 2006. That day was Chinese New Year's Eve - a day when everyone in the family was looking forward to a sumptuous reunion dinner as well as a joyous and warm family gathering.We were all shocked. There were no symptoms nor warning signs. His left side was paralyzed and he could not speak. He was also very thirsty as he could

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1137232632329545442006-01-14T17:45:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:15:14.390+08:00

For the past 3 months, I have the privilege of experiencing one of the priceless wonders of the human experience alongside yucky diapers, irrepressible shrieks, sleep loss, milk-stained clothings & freedom restriction: Parenthood.No matter how bad my day is or how tiring and sleepy I am, I never failed to be rejuvenated when my little baby Xavier smiles jubilantly at me. And I am also blessed

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1135592094800853112005-12-26T16:18:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:03:36.099+08:00

Here's what I think would be the typical answers given by the man-in-the-street about the meaning of Christmas: It is a time of giving - to charities, families & friends. It is a time of feasting, holidaying & partying. It is a time to celebrate the traditions of Santa Claus, exchanging gifts, kissing under mistletoes, eating log cakes and carolling. It is a time to commemorate the birth

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1134272992272697892005-12-11T08:58:00.000+08:002008-01-05T18:57:57.612+08:00

We all know that we have a role to play in saving our environment - yet we also know we could never achieve anything as significant as the Kyoto Protocol or stopping the destruction of our rainforests. Here're my suggestions on practical ways of saving our environment, especially in affluent developed countries like Singapore:1. Eat less meat: Many people are unaware that meat-eating causes much

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1132891844007091372005-11-25T11:33:00.002+08:002010-04-11T17:02:05.055+08:00

When I first heard that we all have a 6-in-1 personality, I thought it was a crazy theory because my first impulse was to relate such a trait to a Multiple Personality Disorder (now formally known Dissociative Identity Disorder). But after attending a 2-day course on Transactional Analysis, I gained invaluable insights into effective communication. I was very privileged and delighted to have Mr

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1130574725476650252005-10-29T14:03:00.000+08:002008-01-12T16:13:35.918+08:00

12 Oct 2005 is like any other ordinary day - but to me and my family, it was a most memorable and extraordinary day because a little angel, clothed in 3.24kg of human flesh, descended from Heaven to Singapore (Lat/Lon: 1.283/103.85), touched and entered our lives at 1029hrs (GMT+08:00).Click on for photos of my firstborn Xavier.Xavier's first cry upon touchdown on earth was the most beautiful

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1127663347139352762005-09-25T23:50:00.001+08:002010-04-11T17:03:18.501+08:00

Mattie Stepanek touched the hearts of thousands with a little 48-page poetry book called Heartsongs. His motto: "Think gently, speak gently, live gently." His optimism and hope shone through 13 years of great suffering and brought hope and inspiration to many in similar situations. He put to shame many people like me who lead far comfortable and easy lives yet still complain and groan

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1126824231250259862005-09-18T19:23:00.001+08:002010-04-11T17:04:58.152+08:00

"Friendship improves happiness and abates misery, by the doubling of our joy and the dividing of our grief." Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 B.C.) Orator, statesman, philosopher Many people think that we are somehow born with the ability to establish friendships since friendships are an integral part of a person's life. I feel that this is not true as I've witnessed many struggling with friendship

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1126328937664777892005-09-10T13:28:00.001+08:002008-04-12T16:35:07.069+08:00

I was a die-hard meat-eater, specifically a chicken-eater. Hence, it was beyond my wildest dreams that after more than 30 years of eating meat, I would become a Flexitarian.I have known vegetarianism for a long time, from 3 main perspectives: environment, religion & health. But it never crossed my mind to become vegetarian because I just couldn't forgo my favourite deep-fried, curried, BBQ,

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1123477657421766562005-08-08T12:19:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.212+08:00

We all have various sources of strength: religion, family, marriage, friendship, career etc. But as for the source of tiredness, I believe there is fundamentally just one: a lack of true meaning in life. Unless your sources of strength are infinite, you would eventually be drained by the source of tiredness. What I mean by true meaning here is the knowledge of a purpose that transcends mundane

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1119069171315394822005-06-18T11:40:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:21:00.861+08:00

It's unbelievable but unfortunately true: Over 800 million people in the world go to bed hungry every night. This is one sobering fact for all of us to think about... especially for Singaporeans like me who feast or waste food without batting an eyelid. Today, hunger affects 1 in nearly 7 people. Can we now sleep soundly every night knowing that someone somewhere is

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1117339686542587492005-05-29T11:48:00.003+08:002010-04-11T17:10:55.273+08:00

"Train yourself to let go of anything you fear to lose." - Yoda, Jedi Master (Star Wars, Episode 3) Unfortunately, Anakin Skywalker didn't heed Yoda's advice and allowed his fear to lead him towards the Dark side of the Force. Eventually, not only did he not save his wife's life, he unwittingly became the cause of it and in the process, killed innocents and destroyed democracy. In stark contrast

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1116838741658327252005-05-23T15:48:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.213+08:00

Arguments are unavoidable where human relationships are concerned. This is because everyone views and understands things from his/her unique perspective, which is formed by a complex combination of experience, knowledge, preference, maturity, personality, religious orientation and even genetics! Hence, resolving arguments involves 4 key steps:1. Address the argument only after both parties have

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1115608277204376582005-05-09T10:58:00.001+08:002010-04-11T17:11:58.940+08:00

What is Love? Its definition may vary according to one's perspective, eg. that of a lover, parent, sibling, friend. But there's one version which I feel is most universal, complete and grandiose - the one found in the Bible: Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1115428628214603462005-05-08T08:34:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:16:38.491+08:00

I learnt an important lesson about looking beyond outward appearances in 1992. At that time, I was undergoing an industrial attachment program at AT&T Microelectronics as a chip testing operator. At one of the early morning shifts, I was working alongside Mary, a short middle-aged-like lady with a weird cup-like hairstyle. I thought to myself that I was quite unlucky considering that there were

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1115246085453695152005-05-07T08:49:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:03:36.100+08:00

Everyone wants to live forever, or at least remembered forever. This is evidenced since the beginning of known human history - from the Egyptian Pharaohs, to the Roman Emperors, to the present day scientists researching in cryogenic freezing, cloning and stem cells, and of course, to bloggers like me.Why do we still harbour "Immortal Thoughts" when after thousands of years, we have not come

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1115130764450432132005-05-03T21:57:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.213+08:00

To me, there's nothing more frustrating than solving computer problems, especially removing firmly entrenched spyware or viruses. After several failed attempts, I would become frustrated and would pounce at anyone who's unfortunate enough to cross my path. It's just so easy to let frustration take over and dictate our actions!From my experience, one of the best ways of dealing with frustration is

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1109541754026686742005-04-03T21:30:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:16:38.491+08:00

Note: Please maintain a smile as you read this:o) A smile is like a little flame from a candle - it can brighten the darkest of times and melt the wax of anger, stress, despair and anxiety, and bring warmth to its surroundings. Somehow, Nature seems to favour people with smiles and confers a profound sense of peace and joy to both the "smilers" and the "smilees".My work has been getting

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1111728042094193742005-03-25T12:39:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:03:36.100+08:00

We know of good people, good books, good movies and of course, good food - but a good Friday?!?Today is the day when Christians all over the world commemorate the cruel torture and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. How can this be so good that warrants the marking of a Friday as Good? Logically speaking, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ spelt His ultimate failure - not only did He not fulfill His

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1109541186612049602005-03-21T20:50:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.214+08:00

It's inevitable that we make at least one enemy in our lives, given the multitude of situations where misunderstanding, miscommunication, ambition, deception, envy or inconsideration may arise. And the most natural thing to do is to concoct sinister plans to make our enemies pay, curse them with misfortune or simply decide not to have anything to do with them. I would suggest a more revolutionary

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1109541245811830332005-03-13T16:10:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.214+08:00

"With great power comes great responsibility." Ben Parker (Spider-Man's Uncle).Most people would think that power means political power, immense wealth, wide influence or extraordinary intelligence; the truth can't be further. I prefer to define power as the ability to do good.And all of us possess such power given our vast repertoire of abilities and talents. We can motivate with our rousing

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1110698600367059562005-03-13T14:31:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.214+08:00

Harbouring Anger is like holding a knife by its blade; Anger inflicts injury and pain even before it is used against its intended target. And when it is unleashed, it is like hitting the target with the wooden handle of the knife; it hurts the wielder much more than the target.I was once very angry with a friend who lied to me, used me and exploited my kindness for him. I felt an intense heat

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1109541786946499872005-02-28T06:02:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.215+08:00

Allow me to try to make a case for optimism. I am a diehard optimist and I hope to share with you the wonders of optimism and more importantly, how it would transform your life for the better.Optimism is defined as "A general disposition to expect the best in all things." I would define it as a positive way of thinking that brings joys and invigorates the human spirit.While it's true that there's

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1109200323653908932005-02-24T06:56:00.001+08:002008-04-22T02:36:22.051+08:00

The answer, I'm afraid, is NO.Well, anyone who asks the above question regarding one's experience of love is clearly not experiencing true love - simply because true love is not an experience of lovey-dovey feelings but a conscious, logical and committed decision to love; you can fall in love but you cannot fall into "true love".A person who truly loves is 100% sure it's true love because it's a

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1109023698533575422005-02-22T05:57:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.215+08:00

A habit is a powerful means of changing one's life - for better or for worse. It is behaviour exhibited without full awareness and acquired by repetition. Once acquired, it would be very difficult to remove because it has entered one's subconscious. One good strategy to break a bad habit is to fight fire with fire: cultivate a good habit that prevents the bad one from being carried out.For

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1108508806810270722005-02-16T06:22:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.215+08:00

Do you drag yourself out of bed everyday and wish that you needn't work? Understand the secret of self-motivation and you'll find yourself jumping out of bed everyday!Let's begin with a story: Once upon a time, in a small recycling firm, there were 2 receptionists called Martha and Mary. Martha hated her job because of the low pay, boring work and lack of prospects. Mary, on the other hand,

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1108345177618632652005-02-14T09:04:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:13:48.137+08:00

I experienced the miracle of romantic love more than 10 years ago when I met my wife, Lynn Tessa. It's a miracle because suddenly, the world becomes more beautiful; I notice the melody of the birds, the sculpture of the clouds, the fragrance of greenery, the caresses of the wind.And life takes on meaning: I am loved and my destiny is to love. How miraculous it is when two ordinary individuals

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1108342674328577412005-02-14T08:12:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:03:36.101+08:00

I have neither seen God with my eyes nor heard Him with my ears in all my 31 years of being a Catholic and being active in church ministries. But I have sure experienced Him:o)Well, to be frank, it's not always a feel-great kind of experience. It started with fear (of hell), then reverence (of His Power), gratitude (for His Sacrifice), love (of His unconditional Love), doubt (of His existence),

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1108199234723642132005-02-12T16:20:00.001+08:002010-04-11T17:13:39.843+08:00

As a Christian, I am supposed to be battling Sin with utmost vigilance. However, as time goes by and especially after several spectacular victories, I began to slacken and laid down the heavy weaponry of prayer and fasting, thinking that the Enemy is defeated and my spiritual fort impregnable. I was wrong. But God was merciful and led me to read Archbishop Fulton Sheen's penetrating book Victory

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1108195836067917652005-02-12T15:41:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:16:38.491+08:00

Given that the life expectancy of a Singaporean male is 77 years and that I sleep an average of 8 hours daily, I have only (77-31) x (24-8) x 365 = 268,640 hours of active non-sleeping time before my last breath. 268,640 may seem like a huge number but it's still a finite number - it will eventually count down to ZERO - by then, would I have discovered and accomplished the mission of my earthly

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1107731031258060742005-02-07T06:34:00.000+08:002008-01-12T16:15:55.226+08:00

Suppose someone approaches you to buy one of your fingers, how much would you ask for? Are you willing to cut off one finger for $10,000? Think about it and add that amount to your total assets. Now, consider how much you want for the rest of your fingers and your hands. Add the amount too. Do the same for every single part of your body (both internal and external organs). Repeat also for all

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1104284895225052102004-12-31T09:41:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:21:00.861+08:00

The death toll from the Asia tidal wave disaster exceeded 125,000 on 31 Dec 2004. "The cost of the devastation will be in the billions of dollars. It would probably be many billions of dollars... There are thousands of dead people, and there are tens of thousands of dead animals. The people should be buried and the animals should be destroyed and disposed of before they infect the drinking water

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1104208051084229752004-12-28T13:06:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.215+08:00

When we do a thing A, person X may love it, person Y may hate it and person Z may hate persons X and Y as a result!For me, I feel that as long as our actions are based on principles that we think are the best (be it religious, philosophical or just plain common sense), we can act without guilt trips. We cannot control how others perceive us but we sure can control how we perceive ourselves; our

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1104122498017222202004-12-27T13:28:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.216+08:00

"I am Spider-Man." This was Peter Parker's answer when he asked himself the above question at the end of the 1st Spider-Man movie.It was a monumental moment in his life - for the 1st time in his life, he knew exactly who he was and who he wanted to be for the rest of his life. Every thought and every action would henceforth be a reflection of his identity as Spider-Man, a super-hero who shoulders

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1103250927398453272004-12-17T10:13:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.216+08:00

I am dying... Do not be unduly alarmed. In fact, all of us are dying the moment we are conceived. Death follows Life - we can't change Mother Nature's mind about this. We all shun the thought of Death but we can never truly live unless we come to terms with our mortality; it is Death that gives meaning to Life.Spend some time to think about it - and you will figure out what I meant. Who follows

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1103013493656480372004-12-14T13:47:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:03:36.101+08:00

I'm afraid I cannot produce definitive evidence to prove the existence of God but I can certainly produce definitive evidence on the positive life-changing effects of believing in the existence of God: Simply read about the extraordinary and fulfilling lives of Mother Teresa, Gandhi, C. S. Lewis, Albert Einstein and Anne Frank.Believe in God and experience God - I assure you that the answer will

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1102546042751365322004-12-09T06:35:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:10:17.216+08:00

One of the greatest secrets of love is that you gotta first and foremost love yourself; if you can't even love yourself, how can you extend love to others? In fact, the more you love and accept yourself, the more you can love and accept others.But what if there're many things which you hate about yourself? What if you don't find yourself lovable? Then it's time to learn to accept and love

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1102460418380201672004-12-08T06:51:00.000+08:002008-01-17T08:13:48.137+08:00

Most people associate Romance with candle-light dinners, flowers and mushy words and hence, most men end up being complained about being predictable and extravagant! That's because Romance means different things to different people!Being romantic simply means being thoughtful of the needs of your beloved. Period. There's no fixed formula/equation - and that's precisely why romance is so romantic:

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9326163.post-1101421781986472402004-11-26T06:24:00.000+08:002006-11-12T07:28:00.436+08:00

I'm excited about blogging! Not sure how much I will write but at least now, there'll be a place where I can simply say whatever comes to mind and share my life with the world! So you are most welcome to come here and read, comment and share your life too so that together, we will make this world a warmer and better place for all!

David Woonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14470932939686721633noreply@blogger.com4