What's a Key Lime Butter Cake got to do with Finding One's Passion?

You hear it perpetually on a daily basis. 'Passion' must be the most overly used word in the English language since the launch of reality show programs. If only we were paid a Ringgit for every person chasing their dreams. Or, in my case, for every person I help coax or empower towards chasing their dreams. I'm a publicist, you see. My job is to guide them towards 'the telling' of their dreams. Building stories, sharing tales, how a person follows his/her heart towards perfection.

I suspect, though, that life may take a turn.



My passion lies in empowering others. But sometimes, I suffer from what the salesmen of the 80s call, 'CALL RELUCTANCE'. So in preparation for a new client, I often PUSH myself and GOGOGO until I create enough inertia with ideas and messaging that I propel myself ahead with words, yet without making the slightest physical move. It's what I call INERTIA PR; where one is propelled speedily forward, when the vehicle abruptly halts.

Picture the Volvo crash test advert - you know, the one where the stick figures propel and crash out of the car as the car suddenly brakes. Well, I've come to a realisation that PR builds towards that moment of inertia. That's the power of PR. We build and build and one day, the mass of body weight (or our subject matter) will be compelled forward, therefore making a SPLASH in the news. Corny, I'm sorry, I know but yeah, just some random thoughts. Just like baking butter cake at midnight, which incidentally, if you've stumbled onto this post, I'm having these thoughts while baking a Key Lime Butter Cake with my nephew for his school passion project and I've never ever baked a cake! It was our first cake baked. It was delicioso! And it spurred this post.

You see, that's passion. Doing something for fun, and not for our career. Just baking a cake for fun!

What's not passion, is when you take your passion in a hobby or creative pursuit and turn that into a job, making you spend eight hours or more on it, turning it into a mundane day-in, day-out chore. It no longer becomes passion. Or, when you fail to separate the hobbyist in you, with the career path you were supposed to take, in order to earn the funds so you can spend more time on your hobby projects.

Queen for a day

I finally got the chance to watch the award-wining movie, Bohemian Rhapsody and got to know and fell in love with this song and the story of a man called Freddie Mercury. Sometimes we live among giants and unaware of heroes who may be right beside us. Then they are no longer around and someone writes about their greatness. I've made it a point to be that hero once in my life, and to allow someone to be my hero too once in my life. To live is to give and to receive but too often when we receive, we may think we're giving and vice versa. Who you are today, you needn't be for the rest of your life. We always have time. We have all the time in the world.

Not lost, never found by Nolan Omura

Only 25, Nolan Omura has captured some amazing moments of life on the ground and undersea. Eyes on youth give us older ones hope. Eyes on the senior community give us ground. Eyes on our feet give us presence.

The Prohibition Times and Speakeasies

S.O.F.A. launches its new season since a long hiatus this February. A series of events held throughout the year at secret locations in major capital cities. At each S.O.F.A. event, we feature women in various fields dabbling in things they're passionate about, have fun, have a dance, meet and mingle and network in the safety and comfort of other women. We welcome men who arrive in the company of their female friends.

S.O.F.A. Speakeasy

Date: 11 Feb 2017

Venue: A secret location in the heart of Kuala Lumpur

Featuring DJs and Guest Mixologist

The theme for this upcoming event is inspired by the 'prohibition' times in the United States of America, circa 1920s-1930s where the manufacture, sale and distribution of alcohol was banned, resulting in the opening of many many tiny bars and drinking 'holes' throughout the US.

I recently met a young lady from the UK, whose grandmother was an original suffragette. Her name was Elsa, and so was her grandma. She shared with me a fast tale about how Elsa was fighting for women to have the right to vote, and was a fiercely independent woman who stood for what she believed, at the turn of the century. We're a hundred years in, yet sometimes I hear sad tales from women still living as if they are not equal to the other sex. As if it's not a right. As if we are born to serve, to be filial and to be that other rib, derived from the other sex.

It appears the institution of patriarchy, embedded by religion, economy and politics is so deeply rooted in society that it's formed a norm and women. So what do you think? How do you feel?

I've overheard a GLBTQ freedom fighter says all we do are social events, as if to pooh-pooh social events as trivial and non-committal. But hey, it's at social events like Speakeasy Bars during the prohibition times, that ideas are discussed, disagreements are had and beer is drunk. For each its own. For disco we live on. For disco was once prohibited too. But not on 11 Feb 2017.

I'll be seeing you... for my beautiful friend, Marleene

Alfatihah and may she rest in peace. Marleene was an amazing friend. Steadfast strong, a nurturer, caring and thoughtful, graceful and such a gentle soul. And boy oh boy was she witty and sharp! Goodbye, M. You'll always be in my heart. Thank you for being my silent pillar of support all through the years. To her family that she's left behind, my condolences to each of you on your loss. I'm just so sorry she had to leave the building so soon while we're all still here looking out from behind glassed panes. She's likely looking at us, sending us a fly-kiss asking us to... just smile.

Marleene and son, Rizal

Smile though your heart is aching

Smile even though it’s breaking

When there are clouds in the sky, you’ll get by

If you smile through your fear and sorrow

You’ll see the sun come shining through for you

Smile and maybe tomorrow

Light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness

Although a tear may be ever so near

That’s the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what’s the use of crying?

You’ll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile

That’s the time you must keep on trying

Smile, what’s the use of crying?

You’ll find that life is still worthwhile

If you just smile

For friends, for our loss, I dedicate Charlie Chaplin's Smile sung by Nat King Cole. 

But that said, M would probably have preferred we listen to the Lily Allen version!!

For Marleene, my dear friend, this song is for you.

Rest peacefully, dear M.

No.5

Blue Light Over the Horizon

For Sarina

Swirls of blue meander across the Pacific

Kissing the horizon at the South China Sea

Where I await

A wave dances slowly towards the shore

So slowly as if time stood still

And whispers of your name as it arrives at shore oh so gently

And when it arrives, it gently caresses my face

As though it’s travelled from the breath you breathe

And it crystallises as speckles of salt just below my eyelashes

And I close my eyes

And I feel a tear drop

And I taste you

Like how I imagine you

And I open my eyes

And see a blue light over the horizon

And I have arrived

Home

.....

Failure, and my part in teaching about it

I've felt like a failure many times. More times than when I feel like a winner. You see, it started when I was in school and one of the teachers, mrs. Fernandes, told me that my dance move was stupid. Well, that's how I remember it anyway. I insisted it wasn't and included it in the choreography anyway. She was the first bully I ever encountered. And I went home and cried secretly. Nobody had ever told me that i was stupid before, but this teacher did. 

The dance was done to hit song, 'Walk like an Egyptian' by Bananarama. It was infectious and I wore my mum's v-striped black and silver disco number, had a tennis sweatband over my brow, and was ready to dance my way to stardom in that hall full of sweaty teenagers for our annual school concert. I felt like I pwned her that night, dancing to my own steps, the very steps she had commented as stupid. 

I was born 7-days late, with too much hair on my head to the horror of the nurses! So, as a result, the Aquarian was subdued while the Piscean let loose. I've felt all my life that I was a winner. Only now, I fear that I've just been chasing an elusive dream. 

I'm a winner when it comes to understanding relationships. But a failure when it comes to sustaining one. So that has inevitably pushed me towards doing more research into failings. 

 

My journey begins...

Of offerings and tithes

I'm usually not preachy, am I? 

As a child, I attended the Wesley Methodist Church located on top of the hill at Methodist Boys School in Kuala Lumpur. I would hop into the grey Opel that belonged to my best friend and neighbour, Carol's father. At 7am on Sunday, we would drive from our link-house to the heart of KL. We'd first drop her mum, Aunty Patsy to the Catholic Church opposite Tong Shin hospital, then drive along Pudu bus station and make two lefts towards the national stadium area on top of the hill. I attended Sunday School and service, and later found my belonging in a band as one of the three "shoo-be-do-bah" back-up girls. My parents were not the church-going type (they now are!) and since completing Form 5, I've not returned to church. 

Only recently, I'm reminded of my foundations in Christ. I failed to give the Christ credit for being a strong part of my life during those early days. I also give thanks to Reverend Dutton and my neighbours, the Duttons in Bangsar. We had a great time growing up in Bangsar in the 1980s. You could say it was rather grand! We would play badminton in lane ways, I would ride my Shimano racer bike to piano lessons and back, and I'd walk swiftly (as we were afraid of hantu Kum Kum, an urban legend about a vampire lady who would seek out vestal virgins and sick the blood from their necks, leaving to bleed to death at bus stops) with my best friend and neighbour, Carol to the night markets every Saturday. It was a 20-minute walk that seemed like forever. Perhaps our legs were shorter then. We would go and be social at the night market, "bumping" of so serendipitously into school teachers and friends from school. 

"Oh ... Hello! You also here ah? 

I see... We just arrived. See you on Monday!"

Cakes, buns, a bag of Assam Boi and a drink in hand, we would gayly traipse back home with our treasures. I remember one time, we walked and walked and it seemed like forever. We walked past the Mobil petrol station. Then suddenly, we thought we saw the branches of the tree above us moving. It was KumKum! She was out to get us this time! And so Carol and I ran as fast as we could. We ran past one street sign, and ran across another street sign so fast it disappeared, then finally arrived at our street. The other end of a horseshoe road. Then we ran up the street! No. 197, no. 185, no. 173, no. 161, no. 159 and finally to no. 145 at Carol's house, then no.139 at my house. We were spared this time. How lucky! I swore I had never run so fast before. Oh except possibly during sports day when I ran against the seniors in the 200m sprint.

Our childhood was full of adventure and obedience... to some degree.

On this note, I shall leave you with this article I found on the Internet. I don't know the author, neither do I dare say it's 100% correct. But reading it reminds me of Sunday School and its one of those days today. Reminiscent of my church Sundays, I'm happy to share this piece on "Breaking the curse of Poverty". Please copy and paste the following address into yr address bar:

http://www.destinedtowin.org/pdf/BREAKING%2520THE

%2520CURSE%2520OF%2520POVERTY.pdf

Thanks.

Tash Aw and his Five Star Billionaires

https://www.timeout.com/kuala-lumpur/things-to-do/101-things-to-do-in-kl

I attended the 5th year anniversary of Time Out Kuala Lumpur recently, held at one of the swishest roof top bars in the city. We were entertained by comedian Dr. Jason Leong of the Condom song fame, quirky newcomer Dzamira Dzafri and jazz/soul/reggae award-winning songstress Bihzhu. I left the evening slightly intoxicated thanks to beer blanc sponsors, Kronenberg and happy with myself. Plus, clutching my door gifts - the latest copy of Time Out KL and a strip of TOKL chocolates! Sweet!

Bedtime reading that night was its cover story on 101 things to do in KL and the inescapable Interview with Tash Aw by Emma Chong (at last check in 2020, this link is no longer available), award-winning author of 'The Harmony Silk Factory', 'Map of the Invisible World' and his third novel, 'Five Star Billionaire'. Read another interview on Tash Aw in NPR here.

In the interview, I'm struck by this one paragraph:

Do you think having chosen not to live in Malaysia has any impact on your identity as a Malaysian? There are a lot of Malaysians who would question your right to criticise, having made your home elsewhere.
 
Of course, and I can understand their frustration but I don’t see how not being here takes away the right. I don’t have to experience unfairness on a day to day basis in order to see the way it works. You can witness unfairness from a long way away. And I have all my family here, so I can feel it secondhand, which is often more powerful.

Sometimes I’m here for a couple of months at a time, and then stuff that is, to be frank, quite fucked up begins to seem normal. Because you have to function on a day to day level, and the only way to function is not to take on board the kind of stuff that is really, really just not normal. It’s only when you go away that you think: Actually, my country is just not normal. There’s stuff that’s really weird and should be fixed. And so that vantage point allows me to see things more clearly, and in many ways validates more strongly the need to have those things said. I don’t really understand why I shouldn’t have the right to say those things. Having said that, I do understand the frustration because the counter argument would be that I’m not here to suffer those things so why do I need to say these things?

I tossed and turned all night that night and woke the next morning, jaw clenched, still thinking of what Tash had said. We sometimes are so much shit and live with so much shit around us that it just becomes normal. It's only when you go away and view things from a distance that you can feel unfairness even stronger.

I feel so strongly about this unfairness. But I feel I can make that difference. At the time when I made a conscious choice to return to Malaysia after living in Sydney for a decade, I believed I could make a difference. I was one of the early kickstarters of a new wave of open mic and spoken word gigs, allowing freedom of expression at 'underground' events. For years this activity was just an activity that was passion-fueled with hardly any contribution to the bottom line except for a couple of Martinis for a night's work. In fact, we paid for a lot of the costs with our own time and money. And so did the musicians. Today, the entertainment scene in KL city is so vibrant. Almost every food and beverage outlet now seeks entertainers. Pub musicians, singer songwriters, original bands, cover bands, even beatboxers, stand-up comedians and spoken word performers are all in demand!

The result of a very weird, unfair country that needs fixing. A lot of fixing.

Meanwhile, I'll just get a little more tipsy and dream big dreams of hope, truth and change.

And leave you with this song, Atom Bomb by Dzamira Dzafri:

Deaths and holidays

There have been two deaths this holiday season. One, a good friend who's just turned 42 while the other is the mother of my cousin's husband. Both deaths were caused by cancer. Swiftly, the disease took hold of its host and they departed this earth way before their time. I feel sad, utterly sad that there was nothing else their loved ones could do but wait. I feel sad for the men they left behind. One, a father whilst the other, a husband of 60 years. It's hard to let go. But for the deceased to achieve peace of mind, we must let them go peacefully.

The Emotion Code unravelled in Gopeng, Perak

Earth friendly toilets and showers

Hand made mud house

I spent a weekend at the scenic and tranquil Gopeng Earth Camp! 

More details to come..

Yuen Li has been slowly developing EARTH CAMP in Gopeng, Perak in Malaysia for 9 years now. Sungai Kampar has 22 rapids ranging from Grade 2 to 3+. This makes it a perfect trip for beginner to intermediate paddlers. Nomad Adventure's rafting trips are 6 km long. The landscape is stunning. The journey starts with an exciting series of “drop and pool” cascades that are surrounded by rain forest. On the lower section of the river, the view opens up with vistas of Perak’s unique countryside featuring magnificent limestone outcrops and rustic villages.

the world is my oyster

said the Pearl.

Opportunist.
Capitalist.
Consumer.
Entrepreneur.
Pearl speak.
Pearls broken.
Pearly whites.
Tomorrow is another new oyster.

Thanks to a friend, Zalila. She shared a link tracing the origins to Shakespeare's The Merry Wives Of Windsor Act 2, scene 2, 2–5

Falstaff:
I will not lend thee a penny.
Pistol:
Why then the world's mine oyster,
Which I with sword will open.
Falstaff:
Not a penny.

 

Liquid days

I met an old friend recently. He ran a very memorable and successful club called Liquid in Central Market KL. They released several mix tapes during their heydays. And I just found these mixes online by DJ Jazziejay. Good ole' tunes for good memories! Enjoy!

bigotry

Malaysian free newspaper [The Sun, 26-06-12] reported, "There is no place in the country for those with 'deviant' thoughts including those who encompass alternative lifestyles, liberalism and pluralism, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak said yesterday. "We will ensure that any practice of deviant thoughts like lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT), liberalism and pluralism will not get a place in this country," he said at the launch of the book Islamic Agenda in the Country's Transformation at Putra World Trade Centre.

Deviant
- A person who is different from the norm, e.g. deviance in sexual, religious or criminal behaviour.
 
I am still free
Die is human of thoughts free
Damage caused by double standards
Die is freedom of humans shackled
Free in mind, spirit, soul but not
Living a life of bigotry
I choose to not
Embark on this
Battle to be right
For I am already free

- Jasmine Low, SS2 Petaling Jaya, June 2012 -

BANNED substance in apricot kernels could kill cancer cells?

It's not conventional? It's not mainstream? It's rocking the boat? Ban it! That seems like the order of the world lately. Personally, I find it abusive, a form of exercising power to control humanity and its community. A ban put onto a society not only cripples it. It forces people to rethink the powers bequeathed onto lawmakers. The very people voted in by a society. The very same ones who owe a duty of care to its community. It's time for us to think, and rethink the powers we offer others. Sometimes, we fail to think. We're worried about mortgages, car loans and the day to day affairs. And it is those times when we are most vulnerable.

I spent the afternoon with a friend who shared that the past 6 months had been most harrowing. It started when she decided on her birthday, she would go for a full medic check. Stunned she was, that afternoon when the clinic told her point blank that she had stage 3 breast cancer and it was best for her to return in two days and she was lucky because there was an available slot for immediate surgery. Now, I'm not a medical expert, nor am I a skeptic. I am, however, a believer of healing through eating the right foods and feeling the right energies.

And today, I learn about the wonders of a simple simple thing - B-17. I'm writing this today to share what I know on this apparent cancer cure. However, some reports are showing that it leads to cyanide poisoning. I realise that a lot of research needs to be done on this, so this does not serve as an advice. It's ONLY information for sharing and learning. 

• http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread201313/pg1
• http://www.alignlife.com/articles/cancer/Apricot_Seed_Kernels_Cure_Cancer.html
• http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/raw-apricot-kernels-being-sold-as-cancer-cure-despite-cyanide-warnings-20111119-1noju.html?gclid=CNXD19LJ6KwCFciBpAod2Sjanw
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1fumAO0t0k&feature=related
• http://www.smh.com.au/national/health/apricot-kernels-for-sale-but-beware-seed-limit-20111119-1noc1.html

Please share what you know about this so we can all unravel the mysteries of B17.

Seks Merdeka? Seks almari!

Hard hats, helmets, put it all on your head and stride forth with pride this November 2011 as we celebrate Seksualiti Merdeka - the now banned human rights festival http://www.seksualitimerdeka.org/. During my university days in Sydney, I volunteered as a safe sex advocate, manning booths, handing out safe sex kits to the public. My personal emancipation seemed so long ago and this week's events has jolted me to a abrupt halt. Freedom to be oneself is so very important.

Last night, I was at a Burmese Refugee fundraiser and film screening. That same night, it poured and rained, leaving KL musty, dank with an occasional cool breeze sweeping in from the riverside. At around 7.30pm, my friend Pang runs down and asks for a hug. I randomly introduce him to Jan Drew and Asha Gill - both preparing for the kick start of the fundraiser. Pang tells me the festival he co-founded has been banned, and that they have to disrupt their workshop upstairs. I gave him a tight hug. Minutes later, dozens of policemen in their navy blue uniforms suddenly flooded CM Annexe unbeknownst to many of our guests at the cafe who were absorbed watching the screening of documentary - HOME by Desiree Lim. HOME is about a Burmese refugee's search for a little piece of freedom while in Malaysia. How ironic!

Freedom. Let's hear it from George Michael.



Freedom '90
George Michael

I won't let you down
I will not give you up
Gotta have some faith in the sound
It's the one good thing that I've got
I won't let you down
So please don't give me up
Because I would really, really love to stick around

Heaven knows I was just a young boy
Didn't know what I wanted to be
I was every little hungry schoolgirl's pride and joy
And I guess it was enough for me
To win the race? A prettier face!
Brand new clothes and a big fat place
On your rock and roll TV
But today the way I play the game is not the same
No way
Think I'm gonna get me some happy

I think there's something you should know
I think it's time I told you so
There's something deep inside of me
There's someone else I've got to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Take back your singing in the rain
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man

All we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don't belong to you
And you don't belong to me
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take

Heaven knows we sure had some fun boy
What a kick just a buddy and me
We had every big shot good-time band on the run boy
We were living in a fantasy
We won the race
Got out of the place
I went back home got a brand new face
For the boys on MTV
But today the way I play the game has got to change
Oh yeah
Now I'm gonna get myself happy

I think there's something you should know
I think it's time I stopped the show
There's something deep inside of me
There's someone I forgot to be
Take back your picture in a frame
Don't think that I'll be back again
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes do not make the man

All we have to do now
Is take these lies and make them true somehow
All we have to see
Is that I don't belong to you
And you don't belong to me
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take
Freedom
You've gotta give for what you take

Well it looks like the road to heaven
But it feels like the road to hell
When I knew which side my bread was buttered
I took the knife as well
Posing for another picture
Everybody's got to sell
But when you shake your ass
They notice fast
And some mistakes were built to last

That's what you get

I say that's what you get

That's what you get for changing your mind

And after all this time
I just hope you understand
Sometimes the clothes
Do not make the man

I'll hold on to my freedom
May not be what you want from me
Just the way it's got to be
Lose the face now
I've got to live 

Stopping MIND MOVEMENT

My Dad sat me down and told me a tale about this one particular family.

Father, Mother, Son & Daughter lived in a remote village and worked the paddy fields for a living. They would wake and leave their humble house before the crack of dawn and make their way to the fields. One day, Mother asked Father if he could pluck 2 mangoes for her as she'd like to eat it after lunch that day. So Father and Son hunted for a long stick, then Son climbed on Father's back and together, spent some time to try to knock the mango off the tree. Soon, they went along their path again. This repeated thrice as Father and Son stopped to catch a plump farm chicken and river frogs for the next day's dinner.

It was already hot midday by the time they arrived at the fields. Many other families were already there working since dawn and there was hardly any more rice to be harvested. They worked under the hot sun and missed their lunch break. While the other families were eating under the shady trees, Father, Mother, Son and Daughter worked the fields - hungry, tired and regretting their earlier morning romp.

I often chide my Dad and tell him that this story is actually about our family. Why do we have so many gazillion ideas between father and daughter? Why is it that our minds just cannot STOP. We are constantly thinking and hatching up ideas. It's like breathing air. Except these days, today in particular, the haze is rather unpleasant. So no ideas today!

Today, I consciously stop my mind from moving and thinking too much. I will just be. In future, it doesn't need the haze to remind me to stop. In future, I will make it a point to STOP before I GO at least once a week. Unnecessary mind movement can be distracting and is motivated usually by survival. The need to survive, to make money, to bide time, to leave a legacy. So stop. It's alright to do so once in awhile.

Intention does NOT equate Execution - whomever said 'It's the thought that counts', you're wrong...

Last night, it hit me. I'm so full of intention. So much desire. So many ideas. All of that outweigh the amount of things I'm able to execute in one day. So I need some trimming here... please help! I need to trim my thoughts, my waist line, my hair! Trim trim trim!

"Dream"

This is Chinese for 'DREAM'. It's good to dream. For when we dream, we free our thoughts from shackles of reality. But at the same time, when we're too full of intention without action, the thought alone cannot free us. I drew a little diagram today and shared it with two persons. They agreed with me. Each day these days, we prepare proposals (intention) and send it via email to prospects. That alone, is insufficient action to warrant positive feedback. So what do we do? We follow up with some phone calls, meetings, research, discussions (action).

I've been thinking and wanting to run a cafe since I graduated from Uni. I can't explain why I have this desire. But for the longest time, I've thought about it. Yet, I haven't done anything towards this dream except dream. I'm the type of person who would ponder on something for a long long time before taking action. And I will take action once I'm certain that it is what I want.

Persistence of Memory by Salvador Dali

It's the thought that counts. 
Is that thought so wrong? 

Last week when I visited my business coach, he ticked me off (finally!!) for being late. I was 10 minutes late! Last month, I would show up 30 minutes late, month before 45 minutes late. He had every right. And I hated the feeling of being late. I vowed never to be late again for him. Or for anyone else. It's hard though, to keep that commitment. The intention was there. I even woke up an hour earlier to ensure I'd get there on time. How come then, was I late? I'm baffled too.


I will not be late. I will see through my intentions.

If I think of someone I care for, and think of buying them a gift. Is that sufficient? I love gifts. Thinking about buying someone a gift and actually doing it, are two different things. Once the thought is acted on, the intention becomes real. And the receiving party is aware of the initial thought.


So give a gift. Call that person you thought of in the morning. Say sorry for being late. Go for that sabbatical you so need. Do things but weigh it out first. Trim your life. Focus. Let's live the best we can!

Visualising data

Picture this. #66000 or #131313. I learnt about these colour codes for html programming in 2000. We live within so MUCH data... Gigas, Terras and now sometimes i wonder how many packets of data lie between me and the front door. Did you know... 1 terabyte (TB) equals 1000,000,000,000bytes. Here's a video to share on how one man has visualised data. Too cool for school!

Sanctum: a holy place within

I watched Sanctum last night, a James Cameron and Andrew Wight collaboration and absolutely loved it. It was a very painful movie to watch. Dramatic. Heroic. Values. That was what came out for me. Values.

Just like Titanic or any other disaster movie, it's when the human being is desperate and has nothing left but just life before him that his values take centrestage. It's the fight or flight theory. When in times of trouble, do you take flight or do you fight for your life? In Titanic, do you remember the scene where women and children were given first priority aboard the life rafts? Then there were a few men who had crept on board, fearful for their lives. Fear cripples us. It turns us into monsters.

Learnings from Sanctum the movie? Never let fear take over. Never give up. Be level headed in whatever situation and know that you'll get through it. Once we fear doom, we ARE doomed. And I'm able to share this because I've gone through it and still climbing out of that doom hole. It's easier to just let go and let that black hole suck you in. It's harder to fight. But when you fight and WIN, every single moment becomes real and that, if LIVING. So this post is dedicated to those of you fighting yourselves. We're our own worst enemies. Get over that moment and fight. And that's when you start living life. Hugs!

Here are some of my favourite and most inspirational movies about living LIFE. Enjoy...

LE GRAND BLEU 1988 by Luc Besson: A movie about a free diver who followed his instincts and his heart. Inspired by true life stories of free divers in the world - French Jacques Mayol and Italian Enzo.


SANCTUM 2011: To me, this movie is about being true to yourself. And nothing's more beautiful than father son communication and love. View Trailer: