The Precious Things I Threw Away as a Young Man

By J. Fairbank

Happy New Year, dear faithful readers of the Fairbank Report.  This year, 2015, marks the 10th anniversary of this blog.  Where did the time go?

Of late, I've been reflecting on life, work, and happiness.  One constant theme in my life is my nonchalant abandonment of things (and perhaps a few people too?) that made me happy.  Of course, I did not know it then when I threw them away.  I was throwing them away to advance my career or fortune.  Career and fortune don't necessarily bring happiness.  They sometimes do, but many times bring on the opposite.

Was it Descartes who advised us to "know thyself?"  How many of us really do until it's too late?

Oftentimes, I envy the clerical or even janitorial staff who worked in the many companies that I was a part of.  They were happy with their carefree, stress-free lives.  They brown-bagged their lunches and jovially cracked jokes on the smallest things.  In short, they were contented, which is the essence of life.

On the other hand, those of us who are "degreed" have been leading a lie:  Graduate in the top 5% of your university, pursue a career track, and CLAW your way to the top. When you do, you will be happy.  What they (the mass media, the school system, mainstream society in general) did not tell us are the many sleepless nights, upset stomachs, psychological torments, and even psychosomatic blotches on our skin that come with the rat race.  In the end, what's there?  Maybe a respectable title?  Maybe some money, a maybe at that?  But not necessarily happiness.

Know Thyself...Know Thyself early on in life.

Chronicle of a Death Foretold: Andrea De Cruz

Pierre Png and Andrea De Cruz, the Singaporean celebrity couple, who are best known for Pierre's donation of a portion of his liver to save her life in 2002, are now bravely facing the prospect of Andrea's dying in less than a decade.

From the New Paper

Monday, Apr 28, 2014
The New Paper
By Jocelyn Lee, Judith Tan

SINGAPORE - Even at 39 years old, local personality Andrea De Cruz has not stopped thinking about being a mother - and the fact that she may have only eight years left to live.

De Cruz, who has been married to local actor Pierre Png, 40, for 11 years, is unable to have her own children as she is on anti-rejection medication after a liver transplant in 2002.

The couple made headlines back then, when De Cruz suffered liver failure after taking slimming pills Slim 10 and Png, her then-fiancé, donated part of his liver to her.

The celebrity couple were guests at a Lux event to unveil its new collection earlier this month, where they talked about what keeps their relationship alive and renewing their wedding vows in church last year.

Speaking to The New Paper at an interview afterwards, the lovebirds appeared at ease and were candid about their marriage and even about a topic as morbid as her life expectancy.

De Cruz said: "Statistics show that my body might reject the liver after 20 years. It's been 12 years now, so we have eight more years to go. What if the statistics are true? What if I lose my liver eight years later? Do I want to have a kid and let Pierre raise him or her on his own after that?

"That's a big concern for us."

The couple have thought about adopting since 2010, but have shelved their plans due to time commitment and health reasons.

"We are very realistic and practical about it. We won't say, 'Let's not think about this issue' because there is a possibility that something might happen eight years later. So for now, our fur kids will do," said Png, referring to their three dogs.

- See more at: http://yourhealth.asiaone.com/content/andrea-de-cruz-maybe-only-having-8-years-left-live#sthash.GiIXulKc.dpuf

so sad...

"i am afraid the happiest days of my life were in the past."  bian-lian huang

HAPPY SIXTH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BEIJING OLYMPICS

SIX YEARS AGO TODAY, MY LIFE WAS SO FUCKING AWESOME!!!!!!!

hm...so true