Law of the Garbage Truck

Beware of Garbage Trucks by David J. Pollay

How often do you let other people's nonsense change your mood? Do you let a bad driver, rude waiter, curt boss, or an insensitive employee ruin your day? Unless you're the Terminator, for an instant you're probably set back on your heels. However, the mark of a successful person is how quickly he/she can get back her focus on what's important.

Sixteen years ago I learned this lesson in the back of a NYC taxi cab. We were driving in the right lane when all of a sudden, a black car jumped out of a parking space right in front of us. My taxi driver slammed on his breaks, skidded, and missed the other car's back end by just inches! The driver of the car who almost caused a big accident, whipped his head around and yelling bad words at us. My taxi driver just smiled and waved at the guy. I mean, he was friendly. So, I said, "Why did you just do that? This guy almost ruined your car and sent us to the hospital!"

And this is when my taxi driver told me what I now call 'The Law of the Garbage Truck'. Many people are like garbage trucks. They run around full of garbage, full of frustration, full of anger, and full of disappointment. As their garbage piles up, they need a place to dump it. And if you let them, they'll dump it on you. When someone wants to dump on you, don't take it personally. You just smile, wave, wish them well, and move on. You'll be happy you did.

So this was it: The 'Law of the Garbage Truck.' I started thinking, how often do I let Garbage Trucks run right over me? And how often do I take their garbage and spread it to other people: at work, at home, on the streets? It was that day I said, "I'm not going to do it anymore". I began to see garbage trucks. I see the load they're carrying. I see them coming to drop it off. And like my Taxi Driver, I don't make it a personal thing; I just smile, wave, wish them well, and I move on.

What about you? What would happen in your life, starting today, if you let more garbage trucks pass you by? Here's my bet. You'll be happier. So, love the people who treat you right. Forget about the ones who don't. Believe that everything happens for a reason. If you get a chance, TAKE IT! If it changes your life , LET IT! Nobody said it would be easy... They just promised, it would be worth it!

Instructions for life

1. Great love and great achievements involve great risk.

2. When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

3. Follow the three R's:
* Respect for self * Respect for others * Responsibility for your actions.

4. Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5. Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.

6. Don't let a little dispute injure a great friendship.

7. When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.

8. Spend some time alone every day.

9. Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

10. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

11. Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

12. A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

13. In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the current situation. Don't bring up the past.

14. Share your knowledge. It's a way to achieve immortality.

15. Be gentle with the earth.

16. Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

17. Remember that the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.

18. Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

19. Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.

One year old

Yesterday was Adrianna's first birthday - 18th November 2007. We had a birthday party.

Open House 2007

Our Aidilfitri Open House and House Warming was owesome. It's fun to have guests coming to our house - our family members, relatives, colleagues, friends and neighbours. I was so busy on that day until I didn't realised that these are the only pics that I snapped. Sikitnye!

Kak Sheral and eEy, thanks for coming.

Adrianna with Ikhwan.

Shomeynya Ikhwan! Hafidz and Rozi were the first to come - 1st representative from Dagang Net.

Azura... In-person after 11 years. Last we met, 1996 - I was in form 3. So happy she could come - with her fiancee.

Last but not least, thanks to all of our invitees for spending your little precious time with us. My husband and I really appreciate it. Hope to see u guys again next year, InsyaAllah - if we had been given a chance once again to organize such majlis. Tengok budget jugak la...hehe

Dagang Net @KL Tower

Last 27th October, Dagang Net organized an open house for our staff, biz partner, and vendors. This year, we chose Garden Terrace, KL Tower. Sounds nice hah... but fuhhh... it's really hot. They should provide more and more fans - the best is the fan with the water sprays - like the one we usually saw at mamak stall. I could say that 'garden' concept turned to 'hot sandy desert - grilled on the fire' concept... huhu!

Guys with baju melayu & sampin & gals with attractive traditional dresses eating in sweat & melted make-up. Just imagine how we managed to finish our meal comfortably. Lucky there's ice-kacang stall there. So, we got some cool freshing throat with it.

A pic on that day - Adrianna and Yunus. Both were born in November 2006. Yunus on 3rd while Adrianna on 18th. Both wearing the traditional malay costumes. So cute little babies!

On the next day, my husband, me and Adrianna fulfilled Masri's invitation to his open house at Bukit Subang. I love the lontong lah! Superb delicious. Pandai wife hang buat! Terghuih aku tukaq menu open house aku... hehe... Nak kena bergurukan Wawa nih!

Masri's daughter is sooo friendly. She likes little baby dearly. So, looks like Masri and Wawa need to struggle to get a sister for Yaya lah! See what happenned when two friendly babies met...

Aidilfitri 1428H

First day of Hari Raya Aidilfitri - 13th October 2007 at Seri Manjung.

Give More, Expect Less

Remember these five simple rules to be happy:
(i) Free your heart from hatred.
(ii) Free your mind from worries.
(iii) Live simply.
(iv) Give more.
(v) Expect less.

Take the forth and fifth one. Give more, expect less. What do u think about that?

People are complex. We've got a lot of stuff both past and present, as well as dreams for our future. Usually, we want to share everything with our spouse. But he can't possibly understand all of our complexities. After all, we are a woman, and all that that implies. And he's a manly man!

And sometimes, this can drive us insane. We love giving more and at the same time, expecting more... but that seldom possibly happen. What we should do? That's why it's important to T.H.I.N.K positive. At this point, it leads to trust, sincere, patience, appreciation and infact - love more! So, let's us give more and expect less!