You can do it!!!

There it is.....just before you know it....the day before New Year....the last day of the year. For many people it is the day in which they put away all the bad things of the previous year; end the chapter of bad memories and habits and celebrate to welcome the beginning of a new year with new playing cards and new chances.


Just like many other people, we had always celebrated the 31st of December at home with the family. For us it had become a tradition of some kind...an obligation....
One of the reasons why we had this obligation was because it is my fathers birthday on New Years day. Often I doubted the use of this family-day since we have been doing it for the last 28 years. I wanted to go out.....I wanted to see what it is like on the other side of the world when the New year starts.

Finally...now I know that there's nothing I want more than to have my family all together at home to witness the beginning of a new year; to watch the beautiful fireworks, to eat my father's birthday cake at midnight and to toast on one and all health.

This year would be the first time that we won't be together as my father fights hard in the ICU to survive; as my grandmother now stays in an Nursery for elder people.
As my father's situation is getting worse every time I see him. I can see he is having a tough time. Just lying there. Not being able to speak and move must be terrible. It breaks my heart again and again when I see him like that. I feel so useless, so helpless.... Then sometimes I think I haven't been such a good son. Maybe I should have listened a bit more....spend a little more time with him and told him that how much I care about him..... Now I might never have the chance anymore.....

Occasions like New Year and Christmas aren't just about the birth of some saint and leaving bad things behind. It's also about being together.
No matter how beautiful the Christmas trees are; No matter how bright the New Year fireworks are, it wont mean anything if you cannot share these moments with you the ones you love most.

Dad...be strong...we will always be at your side and waiting for you to come home....Dad .... YOU CAN DO IT!!!

Nancy's Birthday

July 12th 1980, Hong Kong. The day Nancy was born. The day my mother in law gave birth to my wife.Thanks Halleluja for doing that!! ;)
You must be thinking that I am giving away Nancy's age while that is such a sensitive issue for women. Well there are things in live you just have learn to cope with....aging is of those things. Same as the fact that she has to get additional driving license to drive motorcycles and moppets because she was born on the 12th of July. If she was born before July 1st 1980 she could have just gone to the town hall to get it without having to do the exams.

This year was also the first time that we have celebrated Nancy's birthday with such a large number of people. It was actually an excuse to take my parents and Nancy's Godparents (Arena's parents) out for dinner. In the end it turned out a very pleasant dinner in which we've enjoyed to the company of some of our best friends, Nancy's godparents and my parents. I hope there will many more of these occasions in which we can all gather like this.

In the video you can see pictures of the dinner and some of the presents that Nancy got for her birthday. I was the one who bought her that ring. Quite a disgrace actually because it's the first diamond ring I bought for her after 4 years of marriage.........

Holiday in Sweden

Ryan's Birthday

Today it's Ryan's second birthday. Nancy and I wishes him a lot of joy and happines.




To be continued..........

Sporting Memories

This is a video of my last Karate tournament. Everytime I watch this video...I realise that I miss Karate a lot. I hope to continue training in the near future

Succes and Failure

Some people have it all and some just have nothing at all. Is it that the ones who succeed, are more clever and capable. And the ones who have nothing, are just stupid and incompetent? Or are they just lucky??

I agree if you say that some people have more luck than others but if it comes to capability I think we are all the same. Comparing people's capability and saying he/she had luck is mere a denial of reality.

I remember when I still participated in Karate competitions. I had one friend and "rival" who was always better than I was. Seldom I was able to defeat him. (maybe he's just lucky ;P)
At first I was quite sad when he defeated me. I always thought: "Why did he beat again?" Thousands of questions had crossed my mind....some even without an answer...
But is it really necesary to know the answers??
I once read a book called "Wisdom Energy." It's a Buddhist book with a lot of "bla bla" but it also made me realise that winning or losing isn't important at all.

A true winner is someone who worked hard for what he/she believes in, looks back and says to himself, with honest heart: "I did my best."
Results doesn't matter, but the path you walk to achieve your goal does.
Winning....losing....Succeeding.....failing.....It might matter for the time being.
When you win or succeed, you might feel extremely happy, confident, proud. Other people will appreciate you, will want to know you, RESPECT you.
When you lose or fail, you might sad, insecure, useless. Others might be disapointed in you, might revolt or reject you.
But is it really that important what others think and do?? It's just for the moment.
Time can whipe away all good and bad and even our achievements and our failures. After 20 years nobody will remember what you've achieved or not achieved today......... That's because we are human.

So in the end I think it's best to unconditionally working to achieve our own goals and don't let succes of failure stand in our way. This is how you gain respect by others and YOURSELF. And it's how you really will be a Winner........

Ryan's first words

These are some of Ryan's first words.......