Close your eyes and imagine.

I see myself gazing upon a dark sky lit by a million stars. 

The milk way stretching across the sky.
The night sky silent in peace. 

The answer to the mystery is right above us.
Glistening majestically in time. 

Suddenly warmth surrounds you.

You feel the soft warm sand beneath your toes. 

You take a moment to lie down in the warm white sand. 

You hear the soft turquoise blue waves lap against the shore. 

You are alone on the soft white beach.

You feel your body softly sinking into the warm sand.
This is heaven.

Your eyes close again and you drift off.
Don't you find it a beautiful clean thought, 

a world empty of people, 

just interrupted grass and a hare sitting up
A beautiful clean thought in time. 

A beautiful hue of red, yellow, orange and blue stretches across the sky.

Everything is silent around you apart from the changes in the sky's colour.

In the distance, an orange tip peeps across the waters edge.
It slowly rises behind the silhouette of a tree. 

A new day has just begun.

Many things will be accomplished. 

Life for many begins soon.
A renewal of time.

You close your eyes again.
This time you feel a bustling presence.
You feel the cool air breeze.
You see colours glisten along the water. 

Red, blue, white, yellow, purple.
You walk slowly along the rivers edge.
The sunlight is dimming behind the mountains.
The lights of the city reflect over the rivers water.

You feel so small yet part of something big.



You're sitting beside a window high on top of a building.

The towering-white-glowing skyscrapers draws you to their majestic presence.

The beats of progressive and deep lounge music plays softly in the background. 

Glowing lanterns float gently across the crystal still pool next to you. 

Feelings of success overcome you. 

Nothing feels better than being on top of the world.

You are going somewhere in life. 

And you are here to enjoy it. 

The city stretches across the horizon.
You never felt more at home.
Higher than ever before.
Sophistication is minimalism.
Clean, organized and efficient.

Beauty is within the simplicity.

Knowledge and wisdom is locked within,
Only you and your thoughts can see.

The real question is whether one can see,
Are your thoughts blinding you?
Within every one, is a new story.
Written for you to immerse yourself.
A journey to be set,

For you to learn and grow.
And get lost in thought.



You are the young, sophisticated movers and shakers.
Office suits, ties and leather shoes. 

This is where like-minded people like you relax and chat.
Never missing a beat.
Time is the very essence.

Business and luxury are on your minds. 

This the new generation. 

Progressing towards success.
Each and every day. 

Moments like these are never forgotten.
Across a golden grass field during one spring afternoon.
A dad and his son playing together. 

Smiles are exchanged. 

You will never forget moments like these. 

For they will always stay within your heart. 

Welcome to my thoughts.

The Reason for God by Timothy Keller

I've been struggling for faith in Christianity these past few years. It's been a rocky road. I wouldn't label myself as a Christian nor an atheist. As I read more into philosophy I've been sitting more in the middle ground as an agnostic. My beliefs are still being shaped by the books I read, experiences I encounter and the wisdom I've gained in life. 

It's strange, as deep down I know there's only one person in the whole world that can make me believe, one that I remember talking to one quiet winter night just outside their house on a park bench underneath the stars. I still remember that moment being extremely magical, something quite unique and quite possibly, in all honesty and respect, I felt God's presence was there. There was  something just about that presence which really touches your soul. I can't really explain it, but one day I might able to, if I were to believe again. 

Religion and truth is quite important to me, I still remember when I was in early high school I wrote pages of my beliefs of the Universe, Christianity and God. I've always been fascinated by such beliefs, the mysterious and the unknown. During my University years I set on a journey and pathway to seek the truth, knowing that it may never come during my lifetime, but it would be an honorable journey. 

I know if I were to become a Christian, I'd be a Christian apologetic rather than your everyday 'good person' Christian who follows the teachings of Jesus Christ and lives the rather passive Christian life. I would immerse myself in Christian theology just as I'm doing now, finding my path towards the truth. I've been looking for a Church who can answer my questions, a church where I can feel God's presence, a church where it's more than just attendance and listening to God's word. If you know one recommend me!  

After seeking recommendations for interesting, rational and intellectually-stimulating books about Christianity, I bought my first Christian apologetic book 'The reason for God' by Timothy Keller. This is a book dedicated to the serious spiritual seekers or skeptics. As a spiritual seeker myself, I thought this would be an excellent book to begin my journey into Christianity. Going to Church and listening to God's teachings wasn't achieving any miraculous feats of belief and faith for me. Reading more into the works of Christian apologetic's I often find my thinking quite similar to theirs. and it offers me comfort that there are Christian's who are actually 'doctrine-friendly' in their opposition to homosexuality and abortion. Tim Keller believes that "Homosexuality, prostitution, sex outside of marriage and adultery all fall outside of what God says he has designed sex for". He considers his opposition to abortion as a matter of human rights, but is not opposed to contraception. Christian apologetics offers and presents a rational basis for the Christian faith, and is a field in Christian theology.

Why does God allow suffering in the world? How could a loving God send people to hell? Why isn't Christianity more inclusive? How can one religion be "right" and another "wrong"? Why have so many wars been fought in the name of God? These are just some of the many questions which have contributed to my struggle in the faith of God. Keller uses literature, philosophy, real-life conversations, and reasoning how faith in a Christian God is a soundly rational belief, held by thoughtful people of intellectual integrity, with a deep compassion for those who truly want to know the truth. 

My review for this book will be coming soon as I discuss and highlight relevant passages in a future blog post. 

My Bucket List (June 2012)

“Every man dies – Not every man really lives.” ~ William Ross

“The only people who fear death are those with regrets.” ~ Author Unknown

If you don’t live your days by personal goals and plans, chances are you spend most of your time caught up in a flurry of day-to-day activities. Ever feel your days are passing you by without any tangible output to speak of? What did you accomplish in the past 3 months? What are your upcoming goals for the next 3 months? Look at the things you did and the things you're planning to do next – Do they mean anything to you if you are to die today? Having a bucket list reminds you of what’s really important so you can act on them.

The objective of creating this list isn't to instill some kind of a race against time or to create aversion toward death. I don't see our existence to be limited to just our physical years on earth –  our physical life span is but a short speck of our existence in the universe.

The whole point of creating your list is to maximize every moment of our existence and live our life to the fullest. It’s a reminder of all the things we want to achieve in our time here, so that instead of pandering our time in pointless activities, we are directing it fully toward what matters to us.

I've always viewed bucket list items as the most far-fetched, outrageous things one could possibly do, so I figure… why limit myself to only those things I can imagine? A bucket list allows me to celebrate the things you would never conjure up in this life. It will allow you to experience things that you would never ever do in your life.

I’ll have to keep it very vague because my imagination can’t compete with the wonderful surprises this world has to offer. I've adjusted my bucket list to include something more meaningful than your everyday bucket list of travelling to places and doing things.

1. Pursue my passion and turn it into a career (June 2013)
2. Live my life with true meaning
3. Be internationally recognized for my work
4. Be invited to speak overseas
5. Become a vegetarian (May 2013)
6. See fireflies
7. Lived overseas for an extended period of time
8. Travel around Europe
9. Visit the Eiffel Tower at night
10. Visit London / UK
11. Visit New York (February 2012)

12. Visit the famous Wall Street (Feb 2012)
13. See the Statue of Liberty (Feb 2012)

14. Check the Empire State Building
15. Jog in the serenity and quiet shroud of the night
16. Astral Project (2007)
17. Achieve the highest level of consciousness (Enlightenment?)
18. See snow (June 2000)
19. Stay awake for 48 hours straight (June 2012)
20. Visit South America
21. Fly a private jet
22. Find and marry my soul mate
23. Climb Mt. Everest
24. Visit Stonehenge
25. See the Northern lights
26. Travel to Antarctica
27. Ski at Whistler (British Columbia)
28. Make love somewhere you're not supposed to
29. Go on a Safari in South Africa
30. Visit the Ruins on Easter Island
31. Travel on the Virgin Atlantic into Space
32. Go Skydiving
33. Set foot in every continent
34. Climb Kilimanjaro
35. Traipse through the Amazon
36. Road trip across USA
37. Find and marry my soul mate
38. Visit Italy, Sistine Chape and Pompeii
39. Start my own company
40. Swim with Dolphins
41. Have my own apartment
42. Have my dream home
43. Speak to over 1,000 people
44. Speak to over 3,000 people
45. Speak to over 5,000 people
46. Speak to over 10,000 people
47. Create my passive income business
48. Achieve six-figure annual revenue for my business
49. Speak to an international audience of thousands of people
50. Appear on TV as a guest speaker
51. Pat a Tiger

52. Visit an Ice Hotel (February 2012 - Really cool, literally)

53. See the Savannah and the wildlife in South Africa 

54. Create a room I love (April 2013)

55. Write a book 

56. Publish a physical book

57. Hit best sellers list 

58. Earn one million dollars

59. Earn three million dollars

60. Earn ten million dollars

61. Go horseback riding (I love horses!)

62. Fly first class (1999)

63. Fly first class again 

64. Visit the ancient ruins of Rome

65. Travel around San Francisco on the cable car 

66. Visit the pyramids of Egypt (April 2013)

67. Ride a camel (April 2013)

68. Walk across a desert (A whole desert) 

69. Fly in a hot air balloon 

70. Walk on water

71. Visit Disneyland in America 

72. Go stargazing (2006 - an awe-inspiring moment in my life gazing upon the mesmerizing, star lit sky)



73. Witness a meteor shower (November 2012 - One of the best experiences in my life)

74. Dress up in a costume party

75. Attend a cosplay event

76. Help someone in need

77. Soak in the beauty of a sunset overseas 

78. Go trekking in a rainforest (Febrary 2013 - Borneo Rainforest in Malaysia)

79. See a grizzly bear in person 

80. Lucid dream (2005)

81. Throw a big party inviting everyone I know and everyone they know

82. Experience cherry blossoms in Japan 

83. Explore Louvre in Paris 

84. Explore a castle 

85. Hug a mascot 

86. Fall sleep in a hammock 

87. Go camping in the woods

88. Sail out in the sea for a week

89. Have a dinner in a location that overlooks the entire city

90. Fly a helicopter

91. Bury a time capsule with key memoirs in a secret location 

92. Open the time capsule after 5 years 

93. Understand the truth behind time-space continuum

94. Finish reading Plato's Complete Works and understand it 

95. Learn ice skating (March 2011)

96. Visit the leaning tower of pisa 

97. Thank my parents for everything they have done for me  

98. Take my parents to their favourite place in the world 

99. Go snorkeling and experience marine life up close and personal

100. Go Dog Sledding

101. Go skinny dipping in public (December 2012)

102. Join a singing competition 

103. Sleep under the stars on a beach

104. Pebble bounce off the surface of water more than 5 times (2003)

105. Go paragliding (January 2010)

106. See penguins in the wild 

107. Go canoeing (2005)

108. Build a snowman 

109. Ride a motorbike (February 2010 - When I was in Vietnam, was a really unique experience)

110. Visit the cemetery at night 

111. Fire a machine gun 

112. Climbed a mountain - Mt. Beerburrum, one of the steepest climbs I have ever encountered 113. Bungee jump 

114. Watched a lightning storm out in the sea 

115. Get drivers licence (2008)

116. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise (2009)

117. Gone to a huge sports game (2010)  

118. Climb the stairs of the tallest building in Brisbane 

119. Grow and eaten your own vegetables

120. Touched an iceberg 

121. Slept under the stars (March 2013 - One of my life's best experiences)

122. Get arrested (I'll find a legal way) 

123. Smoke a cigarette (2011 - Something I'll never do again in my life)

124. Visit every building in your university 

125. Change a baby’s diaper 

126. Work at a large music festival (2011)

127. Sing karaoke (2010 - Introduced by my Taiwanese friends)

128. Gotten drunk on champagne - one of the worst experiences in my life
129. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope - one of the best things I've done in my life 
130. Had a food fight
131. Ask out a stranger 

132. Date that stranger
133. Gone white water rafting 
134. Had a snowball fight 
135. Drive faster than 180km/h
136. Witnessed a total solar eclipse

137. Ridden a roller coaster 
138. Hit a home run 
139. Gone skiing
140. Danced like a fool and didn't care who was looking 

141. Dance again like a fool

142. Apologize to people I was mean to school 

143. Taken care of someone who was drunk
144. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country
145. Go whale watching
146. Stolen a sign
147. Gone rock climbing
148. Taken a midnight walk on the beach
149. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them
150. Milk a cow 

151. Pretended to be a superhero 

152. Gone scuba diving
153. Gone to a drive-in theatre 

154. Visited the Great Wall of China
155. Taken a martial arts class
156. Ace a uni assignment
157. Crashed a party
158. Bake something from scratch 

159. Gotten flowers for no reason
160. Buy a lottery ticket
161. Recorded music 

162. Eaten shark 

163. Spoken more than one language fluently 

164. Passed out cold
165. Sang loudly in the car, and didn't stop when you knew someone was looking with the windows open 
166. Broken a bone
167. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol  (2010)

168. Visit the home of one of the richest people in the country (February 2013)

169. Visit the slums 

170. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days 

171. Publish an article in the newspaper 

172. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about 

173. Gone back to school 

174. Communicate with someone without sharing a common spoken language

175. Built your own PC from parts

176. Dyed your hair

177. Been a DJ

178. Shave your head

179. Shave my head again

180. Caused a car accident 
181. Saved someone’s life
182. Solve a Rubik’s cube
183. Build a campfire
184. Finish a jigsaw puzzle
185. SAW Marathon
186. Learn to Sail
187. Start a lifelong collection.
188. Drive a 40 feet yacht (2008) 

189. Travel overseas for my work

190. Actively protest against hunting groups

191. Go white water canoeing 

192. Race on a racetrack 

193. Participate in the running of the bulls

194. Actively protest for human rights 

195. Volunteer at the RSPCA 

196. Meet Barack Obama 

197. Meet Oprah Winfrey 

198. Seek a meaningful ending about my past complications 

199. Become an expert in a field 

200. Adopt an accent for an entire day
201. Go a week without technology
202. Try pasta in Italy
203. Spend an entire day cuddling
204. Kiss under the northern lights
205. Visit the heaven's trail in Ireland
206. Treat a homeless guy for a day
207. Give a stranger a $100 bill
208. Go to a Russel Brand show
209. Get a PhD or Masters
210. Meet Richard Branson
211. Meet Prince William
212. Donate a million dollars to a charity
213. Drive a Lamborghini or Ferrari
214. Make a documentary film
215. Start a blog (2013)
216. Create a financial strategy
217. Invest in the stock market (2011)
218. Create a corporation to protect my assets
219. Have a child
220. Raise a happy and healthy child
221. Have a pet (2011)
222. Create a family coat of arms
223. Join "People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals" (PETA)
224. Own a penthouse
225. Have a zen garden
226. Go to the Olympic games
227. Create an autobiography
228. Run a complete marathon
239. Be a guest speaker at a U.N convention.

.... more to add!

Close your eyes and imagine.

I see myself gazing upon a dark sky lit by a million stars. 

The milky way stretching across the sky.
The night sky silent in peace. 

The answer to the mystery lies right above us.
Glistening majestically through time. 

Suddenly warmth surrounds you.

You feel the soft warm sand beneath your toes. 

You take a moment to lie down in the white warm sand. 

You hear the soft turquoise blue waves lap against the shore. 

You are alone on the soft white beach.

You feel your body softly sinking into the warm sand.
Heaven. 

Your eyes close again and you drift off.
Don't you find it a beautiful clean thought, 

a world empty of people, 

just interrupted grass and a hare sitting up.
A beautiful moment in time. 

A beautiful hue of red, yellow, orange and blue stretches across the sky.

Silence surrounds you as the sky slowly changes colour.
In the distance a tip of orange peeps across the waters edge.

It slowly rises behind the silhouette of a tree. 

A new day has just begun.

Many things will be accomplished.
Life for many begins soon.

A renewal of time.

You close your eyes again.
This time you feel the bustling presence.
You feel the cool air breeze.
The colours glisten along the water. 

Red, blue, white, yellow, purple.
You walk slowly along the rivers edge.
The sunlight is dimming behind the mountains.
The lights of the city reflect over the rivers water.

You feel so small yet part of something big.
This is our city.



You're sitting beside a window high on top of a building.
The soft velvet cloth brushes against your skin. 

The towering-glowing-white skyscrapers draws you to their majestic presence.

The beats of progressive and deep lounge music plays softly in the background. 

Glowing lanterns float gently across the crystal still pool next to you. 

Feelings of success overcome you. 

Nothing feels better than being on top of the world.

You are going somewhere in life. 

And you are here to enjoy it. 

The city stretches across the horizon.
You never felt more at home.
Higher than ever before.
Sophistication is minimalism.
Clean, organised and efficient.

Beauty is in the simplicity.

Knowledge and wisdom is locked within,
Only you and your thoughts can see.

The real question is whether one can see,
Are your thoughts blinding you?
Within every one, is a new story.
Written for you to immerse yourself.

For you to learn and grow.
And get lost in thought.



You are the young, sophisticated movers and shakers.
Office suits, ties and leather shoes. 

This is where like-minded people like you relax and chat.
Never missing a beat.
Time is the very essence.

Business and luxury is on your mind.
Building a castle in the sky.

This the new generation. 

Progressing towards success.
Each and every day. 

Moments like these are never forgotten.
Across a golden grass field during one spring afternoon.
A dad and his son playing together. 

Smiles are exchanged. 

You will never forget moments like these. 

For they will always stay within your heart. 

Welcome to my thoughts.

Wisdom tree - Manish Mamatani Photography 

The story of Ponyo

Who would have known raising a dog is much tougher than you expected. I'm writing this blog as my little Ponyo, a beautiful two-year old Golden retriever lies comfortably in front my fireplace heater during the cool winter.

I wrote this listening to the amazing symphony orchestra music for Ponyo the movie.
To get a true sense and feeling of this blog please listen to the music here. 

Where do I begin? 

The first day I met Ponyo. 

I received a call from my friend who told me about an owner who was giving away golden retriever puppies. I've always wanted a dog but my parents were strongly against it. After trying to convince my parents, I went to check out the puppies, and the next thing I saw was the cutest thing in the whole world. A whole litter of puppies, 6 of them, each of them waddled out into the living room. It was absolutely the cutest thing I've seen in my life. They look like they just woke up. They were small, tiny, fluffy and unbearably cute. Here's a picture of them, I can instantly tell the one in the middle is my little Ponyo. Ponyo still has the same little cute thing where he looks to the side. 

They walked around peeing here and there. Then the next thing they did might make you squeal. They waddled over and put their heads on your lap! 

All of them waddled over and started sleeping next to you. OMG puppies are one of my most favourite things in the world!

Their mum and dad were both outside. The dog on the right was Ponyo's dad. A beautifully majestic creamy-white Golden retriever. Ponyo looks just like his dad!



After much convincing, my parents came to visit the dogs and we ended up bringing one of the puppies home. Here we have a picture of Ponyo with his brothers and sisters. I was extremely excited. The night before I had extensively researched how to look after a dog, everything from the type of food, medicine, healthcare, things he needed and how to train him. 

The first night I put him in a large box where he continuously cried. It was one of the saddest things ever. But this was natural thing as he was experiencing separation anxiety after leaving his mum and dad. The next few days he was extremely sad. I tried my best to comfort him. Eventually he got used to the separation and started to act normal again. He was a sleepy little guy, which is  common for puppies as they sleep 14 hours each day. He was also the almighty pooping machine.

Finding a name

Now I had to name him. It was one of the hardest decisions in my life. I couldn't come up with a name. My family friend suggested 'Wilson', a combination of my name and my brothers. I disagreed. I wanted a name that was meaningful. Something that described him perfectly, his traits and his personality. Something that was cute yet not cheesy.

That's when it hit me. PONYO!  

Ponyo in Japanese is an onomatopoeia describing the words "soft", "cute", "squishy", "chubby" and "jiggly".  In English it would similar to the word "boing". The word is based on Miyazaki's idea of what a "soft, squishy, softness" sounds like when touched. In the movie, the character 'Sosuke' rescues Ponyo and looks after her. Much like how I rescued Ponyo : )

There is a hidden meaning behind the movie which I thought was excellent. The subject was love, though not romantic love and certainly not sexual love. The movie highlights the missing link of devotional love, represented between parents and their children, the old widows at home, their families, Ponyo and her parents. Sosuke is the only character that breaks through boundaries that adults have set up and his need to connect is the same need that connects him to Ponyo. When Ponyo and Sosuke set off in a toy boat, it is significant that they are the first in the film to encounter a complete family. It is the only time we see a man, woman and a child together. Sosuke's acceptance of Ponyo regardless of whether she is a fish or a girl saves the world because it acknowledges no boundaries. The devotional love between them has no limit. The boundaries people have erected -- between nature and humans; between the past, present and future; between water and air -- are dissolved by Sosuke's declaration.

Ponyo is an argument for us to reconnect with each other more strongly in order to bring the world back into balance. 

This is why I named him Ponyo. There's is strong symbolism within the name representing something cute, bouncy and playful while there are also strong references to devotional love and connection regardless of boundaries we have created. In my case, it's the boundaries between human and animal.

That's why I love Studio Ghibli films so much. They are extremely meaningful. They all have hidden messages and symbols encrypted deep within the plot of the movie. These are messages you don't get when you're young but subconsciously teaches you a moralistic lesson, it's more of a movie directed towards both adults and children. Something we can both can love and share. 

Ponyo has his own theme song which can be listened to here.

Raising a puppy

Raising a dog is much like raising a child. There are similarities within the interaction and the relationship. I'm glad I waited until later in life to commit to one. Raising a puppy involves an incredible amount of responsibility. They both need time, patience, money, love, commitment, tough love, sanity... the list goes on.

Did I mention money? I've spent a fortune on Ponyo's food and healthcare, I could have bought a car!

But it's all worth it in the end :)

Fortunately, a puppy is easier in the sense that the stages don't last as long, so it's more accelerated.  Ponyo had no control over his bowel, and pretty much urinated everywhere when I first got him.
It was one of most difficult times in my life.

 I spent so much time cleaning his pee and poo everyday. 

I also had to feed him at the exact time every single day so I could monitor his bowel movements. 

My most memorable moments were potty training him. 

I fed him three times a day.
9am. 12pm. 6pm. Exact. I waited for the exact second.
After feeding him he usually pees straight away and poops an hour later. 

After feeding him I took him outside onto the balcony and waited for him to do his business.
Imagine this during the middle of winter.
I waited outside in the freezing cold next to him, sometimes for hours.

Establishing a routine is extremely important when raising a puppy.
After some dedication he knew to go outside to pee on the training mat.
He slowly got the hint and it was an amazing moment when he could it himself!

The next step was teaching him bite inhibition. He had the naughty habit of biting and chewing objects. This can be simply taught by pretending to be in excruciating pain when he bit you. He needed to learn to control his bite. He was in his 'teething' stage and was learning more about the world through his bite. After a while his bite became much more gentle.







Raising a dog requires much patience, consistency, positive reinforcement and understanding of basic learning theory and budgeting.

The next stage was teaching him basic commands such as sit, lay down and stay. These are the most important commands and once taught can reinforce obedience. The important factor to consider is remaining consistent and being patient. Every few hours I'd teach him to sit and stay, then reward him with treats after doing so. Rinse and repeat.

He was quite a quick learner and picked it up in an instant.



Ponyo and his older brother "Bagel" sleeping together 

He also loves sunrises.



Soft and fluffy Ponyo : )



Ponyo just turned two years old a few days ago. He's officially an adult now. He's much more mature and respectable around people. Happy birthday Ponyo!

Ponyo after a good run; the most recent picture of him. 

Looking after a dog requires lots responsibility. There are many irresponsible owners out there who neglect their dogs, they punish them and mistreat them. Dogs can't understand us, we can only show them the right ways through love and positive communication.

Dog's are the only creatures evolved enough to convey pure love. Questers of truth, that's who dogs are, seekers after the invisible scent of another being's the authentic core. If having a soul means being able to feel love, loyalty and gratitude, then animals are better off than a lot of humans. They're happy everyday you see them. Every time you come home, they're always the first one waiting happily at the door. To them you are their world, we are the center of their universe.  We are the focus of their love, faith and trust. The dog is the only animal to have seen and met God.

Dogs are amazing creatures.

Best of all, he always has a smile on his face.

Greece