Get that little involved.

Pancakes went to a seminar a few days ago. Although it was mainly a financial stuff, there are a few take-aways from it.

1. Be a little involved. No matter how bad you think things may be. Do not totally stay out of it. Maintain that little stake in it. That will force you to keep looking at it and updating yourself so that you won't be caught outdated. I guess this caught my eye as it is quite applicable to me!

I love my friends. And it is always sad to move on from one phase of your life to start another. It's sad, but it's necessary. You know deep down, some of the people that you are super close with, will slowly drift apart as you see each other less and less. (I am not referring to those special friends that you always feel close to. Those are a special breed. Treasure them.) I keep myself in touch with people that I seldom see by dropping a birthday note. This is no easy task, but I like to do it as it gives me a chance to exchange a few messages with them! (and thus catch up).

So keep that little stake in your friends. Be it a festive greeting or a happy birthday. It goes a long way.

2. The art of communication. Well, you can be full of substance and your content is rich and totally make sense, BUT if you do not know how to deliver it, that's the end of the story. This is in comparison with someone who has average content and is one helluva of a presenter. Guess who will catch attention and be remembered better? Well, life's not fair. :)

3. A simple life? You need to be rich to lead a simple life? To be able to do whatever you want and not worry about making a living. And still being able to give back to society, be filial to your parents and make plans for your children. That takes a lot. Interesting concept to ponder about.

So what is it that you really want?

"Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get."

My first post... This Is It!

Finally found time to go to a movie with Mr Pancakes on Saturday. Been so busy and caught up with work these couple of weeks. Not a fan of MJ myself, but grew up listening to his songs, witnessed his rise and his fall. Fond memories of performing one of his songs with my class back in the secondary school days. We even won the competition! :)

The show basically was a compilation of interviews, rehearsals and backstage footage of MJ as he prepared for his show in London. I remember expecting the show to just be a 112-minute concert, but as the show went on, I realised that it was a learning experience for me and it got me to do some self reflection. At the end of the show, I was convinced that MJ is deserving of his title as The King of Pop.

Definitely, the music was an important part of the show, as expected, there were his greatest hits and famous dance moves, but what made an impression was that throughout the show, when MJ was involved in the making of his concert, there was not a single sign of a man who was sick or dying. MJ was in top form. His passion for his music, his involvement in every detail of the production, high expectations of his band, his dancers and especially of himself. He is really a perfectionist. The special effects, the choreography, the sets, the dancers, he only expected the best and I must say, he did have the best. Despite this, he was a still a very humble man, never for once did he seem to lose his temper when things did not go the way he expected.

What amazed me was that even during rehearsals, once the music came on, he seemed to take on a totally different personality. He was electrifying on stage just as he was 20 years ago. There were no signs of exhaustion, illness, whatsoever. I was trying hard to find signs of his illness throughout the entire show, but saw none. Maybe its just very good editing, but if it were real, it was truly amazing. It then dawned on me that maybe, MJ's passion for performing and music had, for that period of time when he was totally immersed in his performance, transform him into a different person, such that he was so filled with energy, even in his 50s and going to die. A person's mind can sometimes be so powerful. You must really see it to believe it. The power we have when we love what we do, can change our entire being.

That got me thinking. Its about time that I give serious thought to what I want in life and where my passion lies. I want experience what MJ feels when he is on stage - that passion, that drive, that love for what he does.