Anger Management

April 10th, 2009 by kgim
Recently, it seems that I have scared a friend twice by directly confronting her and openly expressing my unhappiness. To the friend that was scared (you should know who you are. :p), I’m really sorry. Anyway, this made me wonder if my temper is getting worse. So, just out of curiousity, I tried to search and understand about anger management. Interestingly, I found that I wasn’t really know much about this topic. I guess it should be useful to share something I learned here.

Everyone have a button to push that will set him/her off. To know the vulnerable spots is a natural part of interpersonal dynamics. For me, I know clearly that I will get really angry when someone is trying to blame me for some wrong-doing or bad situation, when I feel that he/she is in fact the one who should be responsible, especially when I am trying to help to rectify the situation. I will confront the person directly instead of suppressing my anger in such a case. This usually will scare the person off out of sudden as I believe I’m always being perceived as “nice and well-tempred” (hope my friends agree with it?). I wonder if expressing anger in such a way is wrong?

Below is a brief summary that I extracted from an Anger Management FAQ:

Many of us were taught that it’s ‘bad’ to feel angry and that being angry is always wrong. Some people are uncomfortable with the expression of anger and can feel intimated by anger, even if it’s expressed in an appropriate manner. Some may think “nice” people won’t get angry, which of course, is not true. 

Being angry isn’t a bad or negative thing. It motivates people to listen to your concerns and prevent others from walking all over you. Expressing yourself in an assertive (not an aggressive) manner is the healthiest way to handling anger. Suppressing is a passive approach that isn’t really healthy. The danger is that you may not protect yourself when the need arises. Excessive suppression may lead to health problems such as headaches, stress, depression and high blood pressure.

From this, I think it is crucial for us to understand how to express our anger and to be more open to others for expressing his/her anger. Maybe the western culture have an upperhand compare to us here. I have always heard that “ang moh”s can argue like no tomorrow in the morning but yet sit together for teabreak again in the late afternoon. Maybe they are more acceptable to the concept that expression of anger is a normal and positive behaviour?

P/S: Hope I’m not stereotyping here.

A Lucky Coincidence

March 12th, 2009 by kgim

It has been quite sometimes that I stopped blogging.  So, this time round, I would like to write about a weird incident that happened around me just yesterday.  It made me really feel that, sometime, life is full of coincidence, just like what a recent movie, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button trying to tell us.  Maybe there is really something known as fate.

I nearly lost a pair of new shoes that I bought during CNY yesterday.  For unknown reason, it was taken away during my working hour but was later found in front of the house a floor below mine.  I have no ideas why it ended at there.  A logical guess might be that a naughty kid took it away but his/her parent put it back but at the wrong floor?  Or was it someone (e.g. my admirer? :p) from that house trying to steal it?  Whatever… It is not important, but what was full of coincidence was how I found out my shoes was there.

My housemates returned home in the evening before me.  As usual, they would like to take lift up as our house is at 6th floor.  But somehow, yesterday, someone peed in the lift and it was smelly.  The other lift on the right was not coming down (this is how the lift system was programed here).  So, they decided not to enter the lift and use the staircase.  And, guess what?  Along the way, they saw a familiar shoes in the 5th floor.  After reaching our house, they checked and found that my shoes was missing.  But, still, they couldn’t confirm that was my shoes.  So, when I back, they asked me to go identify my shoes and… it was in fact mine…

If the someone hadn’t peed in the left lift; if the right lift was the one that reach the ground floor; if my housemates choose to bear the smell or if they were chatting without looking around, I guess I wouldn’t have found out that my shoes was missing until I need to wear again and it might have lost forever.

Thank you my housemates and also… the one who peed in the lift.  :p

半空中徘徊

October 12th, 2008 by kgim

在半空中徘徊很累,因为要一直摇动翅膀,却不知应不应该向上飞。

懦弱的我,感情用事的作了飞翔的决定,却发现自己不敢向上飞… 可能是因为还没忘却以前从高处跌下来的阴影,亦或是还不了解自己应该飞向那一朵云,亦或是身上还有一些还没放得下的重担。

最后,谢谢你帮我决定了停止飞翔。既然回到了地面,我想我应该趁这机会多休息一阵子吧。

谢谢你们

September 5th, 2008 by kgim

心灵上的感冒似乎已经完全痊愈了。你们的鼓励与支持,真的让我非常感动。很想和你们说声谢谢,但又觉得当面说,不知会不会造成大家非常尴尬,所以就决定用写的。不知你们是否介意,所以也不把你们的名字列出来了,你知道,我知道就好啦!;-)

谢谢很快就来安慰我的你们,我会相信下一个会更好,自己也会更好。
谢谢给我很多宝贵意见的你,在我动摇时,给了我很理性的分析。
谢谢平时爱吹水的你,放班后约我去喝杯“西洋凉茶”,反而静静的听我讲了数小时。
谢谢帮我搬家的你们,很不好意思突然要你们抽空来流满身汗。
谢谢百忙中抽空的你,打了几封超长的message来和我分享一些人生哲学。
谢谢很巧妙下认识的你,请我吃了一顿日本餐,还让我更了解整个事情的来龙去脉。
谢谢在我的部落格里留下鼓励讯息的你们,希望我的华文水准不会让你们头痛。
谢谢整天陪我吃饭,喝茶吹水的你们,你们的笑声很具感染性,虽然有些笑话不好笑。
谢谢每星期陪我打球,游泳的你们,没有了你们,突然变单身的生活不知要如何适应。
谢谢在旅途巴士上,把女友冷落一旁,陪我谈心事的你,我会记住你的话,决定了就要往前看。
谢谢要介绍好女生给我认识的你们,其实你们不必征求我的同意,多交几个朋友我当然愿意。
谢谢陪我在MSN聊了蛮多个晚上的你,虽然你说谢谢我晚上陪你解闷,其实我可能比你更需要人陪我解闷。
谢谢认识不久的“猪妹”,陪我在MSN上“浪费”了几个早上,和你聊天其实真的很投缘,很开心,你坏坏地,都几识搞笑o既。
谢谢哥哥,弟弟,妹妹,当我在家时,不提我的伤心事,默默的支持我。
谢谢老爸和前屋主,和我分享你们的人生经验,你们的宝贵意见和经验之谈,真的让我大开耳界。

Oops… 不知不觉打太长了,不懂我有没有遗漏了你,如果我忘了谢谢你,希望你不会介意。

最后,不知你还会不会关注我的境况,但还是要谢谢你,陪我度过了一段快乐的时光。

缠绵的感冒

August 20th, 2008 by kgim

感冒,虽然不是严重性疾病,但却是顽固性的家常病。很多年已没用生病的我,自从几个月前得了一场感冒后,到现在好像一直都没有完全痊愈过。不知不觉自己也不懂喝了几瓶枇杷膏,几包洋参须,几打使力消,几杯罗汉果凉茶等等。偶尔,感觉上已经痊愈了,但只要稍微吃一些煎炸或热性食物,那感冒的症状就会从新出现。是因为我饮食不健康?还是我喝水太少?还是我吹冷气太多?还是我睡眠不足?

可能都不是。我想,会不会是因为我的心灵也感冒了。在长途巴士上的夜晚,没有朋友和我吹水谈笑,没有小提琴让我消磨时光,没有电脑让我假扮忙碌时,孤单让我想起了和她在一起四年的甜蜜时光,情不自禁的,泪水就不受控制的滑落。此时此刻,我才发现原来我一直都误以为已痊愈的心灵,其实还有轻微的感冒。可能当它完全好起来时,我的感冒也自然会痊愈。

说话原则

August 18th, 2008 by kgim

在吉兰丹某观音庙看到这个很有意思的帖子,把它记了下来。

《说话原则》,原著:不详

紧急的事,慢慢的说
重大的事,清楚的说
没把握事,谨慎的说
没发生事,不要胡说
做不到事,不要乱说
伤害人事,不随意说
讨厌的事,不对人说
开心的事,看场合说
伤心的事,不逢人说
别人的事,小心的说
自己的事,凭良心说
现在的事,做了再说

内在美固然重要,那外在美呢?

August 9th, 2008 by kgim

前些日子,在一个朋友的blog里看到了一道问题“女生应该化妆吗?”,让我心里产生了一道比较全体性的问题“外在美重要吗?”。当然,这里我所指的“外在美”,不是先天性的自然美,而是后天性的,打扮后的美。

打扮(包括发型,衣着,首饰,化妆等等),可以让一个普通的女人,变成一个美女,可以让一个普通的男人,变成一个帅哥。当然,打扮也可以有弄巧反拙的时候,这次先别谈这。

以前的我,不打扮。更正确地说,我根本不顾我的外观形象。我可以身穿不合身的衣服与短裤,脚穿那蛮难看的拖鞋,脸带几星期不剃的胡子,披头散发的就出门。这包括去上课,去逛街等等。因为我曾经觉得外在美并不重要。我想,内在美与个人本事代表一切,因为我认为人不可貌相。

现在的我,有打扮(会不会打扮是另外一回事)。我不再允许自己穿上不合身的衣服,穿上那蛮难看的拖鞋出门。每天上班前,我都会剃胡子,然后弄一弄自己的发型。因为我开始了解一件事-以貌取人是人的本性。虽然我们都知道“人不可貌相”,但有多少人可以真正做到?俗语说:“先敬外衣后敬人”,是有理由的,因为纵使你有多大的本事,在一个不认识你的人的面前,你也只不过是一个路人甲。除非你是Warren Buffett,那你可以穿背心,短裤加拖鞋去谈生意。如此平凡,无名的我,只能以穿着打扮让别人留下第一个深刻的好印象。

熟悉的陌生人

August 9th, 2008 by kgim

爱情,非常奇妙。它可以让曾经陌生的我们,变得如此的熟悉,最后却也可以让曾经熟悉的我们,变得如此的陌生。

曾经,我们对彼此是多么的陌生,谈话是多么的客气。是爱情把我们撮合在一起,让我们变得无所不谈,与彼此说话时,是多么的自在,多么的舒服。

现在,虽然你我可能是最了解彼此的“朋友”,谈话时,却是比一般的朋友还客气,那么的不自在,那么的像两个陌生人。我们虽异口同声的说彼此还是朋友,但爱情,却只允许我们成为一对熟悉的陌生人。

又一年了

July 25th, 2008 by kgim

昨晚,我又再次参加了我的学院的毕业晚会(英文:EEE Graduates’ Evening)。这是我第四次参加这个晚会了。那为什么这么多次呢?第一和第二次是以学院学生委员会的身份出席。第三次?那是去年,当然是我毕业啦。第四次?就是昨晚,老了,是被邀请为校友而出席。看着毕业的学弟学妹们,看着忙碌的晚会筹委会们,想起去年的我们,想起曾经也是晚会筹委会的我们,我的第一感触就是–“又一年了”。

时间不留人,看来我们只能尽力与充实的活着。最后我想借用电影里的一个对白,来提醒自己要活得精彩,不要浪费光阴:
Every man dies, but not every man really lives

Take for Granted

July 8th, 2008 by kgim

It was heavily raining this morning.  As a result, I was not able to go for regular morning exercise and decided to end up here to write something.  After all, rainy morning (wasn’t this supposed to be stormy night? Don’t care la. :p) usually makes us feel more emotional and sentimental.  So, I guess it is a good timing for me to share something sentimental.

Here, I would like to share about my thought about my 4 years relationship that was finally turned into an invalueable lesson for me.  You might find me strange as not much people are willing to share something like this.  But in my opinion, this might be something very helpful to many who are still maintaining a love marathon - whether you might or might not be having the same "hidden" problem. Afterall, sharing makes us grow.

Recently, I chatted with a few other friends who also, were once failed to complete a love marathon and ended up the relationship as an invalueable lessons.  They were not any regular pairs, they were pairs that had been together for 4 yrs, 5 yrs, 7 yrs or even more.  They were pairs that seen by others as sure-engaged-and-married couples.  They were pairs that were very close up to the family and relatives level (i.e. each other parents are like friends already).  These, of course, include me & my ex.  I was always confidently told my friends that I would married my ex in 3 years when we chat about marriage.  When I told them I had broke with my ex, they were all showing an unbelievable expression.  All people who heard the news - my parents, my siblings, her parents, her siblings, my friends, her friends were all shocked and disappointed.

So, what are all these about?  性格不合?  That’s the standard answer that we usually get, but how true is it?  I really don’t know.  It might be partially true, but how can we be together for years bearing each other "unmatched personality"?  Maybe we had been together for so long due to responsibility and habit?  Or we have no other choice?

Well, there is no single reason for all these to happen.  But interestingly (or rather, uninterestingly), I recently found a common one out of so many factors - we took love and relationship for granted.  I guess I must repeat this, "we took love and relationship for granted".  We all shared this common problem, at least partially if not entirely.  For me, this was my major factor.  So, what exactly do I mean by saying this?  I will start explaining this by writing about take "things" for granted before explaining take "love" for granted.

We all learned that it is bad and dangerous to take things for granted.  We all would like to say, don’t take this for granted, don’t take that for granted.  Unfortunately, this is easier to say than do.  Take things for granted is a natural human behaviour, which always happen subconsciously.  As somethings good happen to us regularly, we ought to think that it naturally should be that way without questioning.  Sometimes, we take our family for granted.  We thought that busy at work is a reasonable excuse to not taking care of our parents and not visiting them for months until we regret when they are not there.  Sometimes, we take close friends relationship for granted.  We thought that we are so close that we won’t care for anything we speak until we hurt them.  Sometimes, we take our colleagues for granted.  We cursed them when they refused to help us.  And finally the worst, I take love for granted.

A love marathon will turn into a timed bomb when one side is starting to take the relationship for granted.  When we take love for granted, we will start to put less attention and become less caring.  We take for granted that our love one will understand what we think.  We became less communicate.  We thought that our love one will feel secured for such kind of relationship, but in fact, they might not be.  And external factor (so called "3rd party"?) will easily trigger the bomb.

Sometimes, it takes a very simple action in communication to maintain the relationship, but we failed to do so.  It really make a different to speak something out rather than taking for granted that your love one would understand you.  Lets put yourself in a scenario - assume now that you fully understand that your love one is very busy that he/she temporary don’t have time for you.  You would be OK even if he/she didn’t contact you for the whole week.  Although this is the case, what if you received a message from him/her saying something like: "Dear, I’m quite busy for this week.  Sorry for not having my time with you this week.  Call you when I’m free", or something like: "I miss you my dear.  Good nigh and have a sweet dream."  Will you feel totally different compare to no single message from him/her?  Do you understand what I mean by simple communication?  This is what I failed to do in the past, and I really hope you won’t repeat my mistake.  I will always remember now that simple action can make a big difference.

Ok, that’s all that I’m going to share for this time.  For those who are still in love marathon (or those who are planning to join the marathon), remember that we need boosters from time to time.  The 100 Plus stations are not setup along the route for no reason.  Hope you all will remember what I shared above - don’t take love and relationship for granted. ;)

P/S:

Although, you heard this for many times already.  I guess I would still like to repeat it, for you, and for myself - "Don’t take things for granted".  Lol.

Oh, a last very important thing… Don’t take your health for granted, remember to do some regular exercise and have a good breakfast everyday. ;)