Here we go again!

Seasons come and go - before you know it, the (Lunar) Mooncake Festival will be here again. Festivals and occasions are traditional and cultural symbols. They anchor us to our roots and identity. They help us to mark time. Festival after festival; year after year.

The relentless tide of annual events carry us along our existence, silently and surreptiously. Soon, we stop counting for every 15th day on the lunar calendar, the moon fills the whole circle, only to be "crescentised" - then the rigmarole repeats itself. Time and tide indeed wait for no man.

Though this regularity, we can just go through the motions. Money flows in, the bills get paid, tuitions and enrichment courses get paid for, with the bonuses paying for big and small overseas family trips and nice things which we want as toys. And so it keeps us reporting for work and at the end of every work day, say "OK, another day, another dollar!"

I have enough of this.

I want to get unfamiliar with this mind-dumbing stuff. I want to do what i think is meaningful for my existence and at the same time, fulfil my role as a parent; and enable the less fortunate to have more opportunities. I believe balance can be achieved. I choose to believe that the social business pie is somewhat different from the dog-eat-dog, zero-sum-game-pie. I choose to believe that the idea of a social enterprise can work. I believe my idea can work. Which of course led to www.peakparadigm.com.sg
My business plan is also affirmed by the professionals at Mckinsey Consulting, the Rolls-Royce of Consulting, who are so kind enough to listen to my plan for 30 minutes. The meeting, organised by the SES, turned out very encouraging for me.

Thank God for gainful employment, four months into my 'declaration of independence.' Opportunities and assignments are coming in. I am enjoying my time engaging students. But I hope the trickle of opportunities provided by the SES will turn into an outpouring. And that i don;t have to wait for another full moon to see things happening.

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Picture - Mooncakes. Medium - a brand of Korean Clay. The colour stays vibrant and unlike the real mooncakes, this won't flake. There are many uses for these authentic-looking mooncakes. If you are keen to have a lesson or two, email me: leonardkok@yahoo.com.
I do corporate teambuilding using air-dry clay as well. Enquiries are welcome.
For more information, check out www.peakparadigm.com.sg
Check out my FB page as well:https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/peakparadigm

New Pathways, Business Aspirations & Ideas

I am sitting here in a car machine shop at Sin Ming Drive, Singapore, getting my engine oil changed. My last post was in April, before Mother's Day 2011. As the old, sticky oil is being dripped, and new golden synthetic oil poured in, i am writing and updating everyone who has been tuning in to my posts an update of new pathways in my life and my business aspirations. Since April 2011, I have been on my own, with my training company PEAK PARADIGM.Check out my FB page here: https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/peakparadigm. I am also lecturing in a good local polytechnic, and i am enjoying much of my time there. One particular class an IT class, has been a great source of happiness for me.

My public talk at Tampines Regional Library (TRL) last Saturday finally went 'on air' smoothly after some hiccups. The sign ups were not up to my expectations, very possibly due to the little publicity given; but the generally young participants enjoyed themselves. I didn't need to prepare much as i used leaves that were hand-made many months back as starting points for the participants.

The theme was hatched on Friday itself. Why not make it a red and white affair? Our National Day is just round the corner. Of course it made sense. TRL also made the event smooth by kindly providing 3 helpful student helpers who also would like some CIP (Community Involvement Prog) hours pumped into their student records. Nice touch!

A supportive student from SP came to support me and it added to the success of the talk. The pictures once again tell the sense of satisfaction of a well-spent hour and half. Thanks to Su San who coordinated this public talk. I am looking forward to more talks and public demos ;-)

I'll just sign out here and give more personal updates tomorrow and onwards. Cheers!