Work Block

It's off hours at work. I'm here because I haven't got anywhere else to go but home. And home is not where I want to be at right now. You see, it can get a little crowded in The Menagerie.

So the question for today is: Is there such a thing as fate or destiny? And if there is, is there a way to change it?

Have you heard of the story of... uhm... er... whathisname... *sighs*... okay let's call him Bob? It's a very generic name. Like LiquidPaper. Anyways.
Bob was a scholar back in the old China days. So long ago even before the Great Wall was up the Chinese arse. When he was a young man, he worked on the farm with his family. His dad was a chief executive farmer. His mom was the deputee chair-farmee, his elder brother was the assistant farmee manager. And Bob was just another chink working his way up the farming ladder.

On the way home after a day of hard sweaty labour, he met a long white bearded crooked bent old man. And for some strange freaky reason, all long white bearded crooked bent old men in China in that century were occult and astrology masters. This long white bearded crooked bent old man told him that one day, despite his poor farmee status, he would one day be a great scholar of China. So great that the prime minister would kow tow to him. So great that the Emperor would seek his advice in good gold digging days. But despite his greatness and his fortune, he will die of an early age (say around 40?) without an heir.

And I ask this of you: What good is all greatness and fortune without family and love?

Nothing.

Bob thought to himself: It's almost fortunate and unfortunate hearing the prophecy. But the long white bearded crooked bent old man was just being a good kepoh nose digger. He thanked the long white bearded crooked bent old man and went on his way. And indeed, Bob went on his way to become a great scholar. He took that year's government examination like all good Chinese boys did at his age and he passed with amazing colours! As splendid as it is on a rainbow. And every year from then on, he received much fortune and respect of China.

Up till his 30th birthday he had been everything the long white bearded crooked bent old man had predicted him to be. As a thin line of HuangHe (Yellow) river trickled down his pants he realised that he had only 10 more good years of life to go. So he decided to visit another long white bearded crooked bent old man to see if he had any advice on how he can counter his fate. His destiny. This long white bearded crooked bent old man was also an occult and astrology specialist but unlike the other, he knew as much as there is little you can possibly do to change the lines on your palms, you can do something with your karma (def.: cause and effect. Universal power balance-o-meter of Good & Evil).

So he advised Bob to do more charity. Sincere welfare projects. Heartfelt goodness to fill the void of this sad little selfish planet. And the more Bob delivered, the less he thought about himself and the more he wanted to touch lives no matter how long he lived. Yes, Bob became the first Chinese Santa's helper (Go Bob!). As years passed, he met the love of his life, had a child and lived till 100 and died with a full and satisfied well-spent heart.

The moral of the story is: Don't trust every long white bearded crooked bent old man you meet on the road. Mom's word: Don't talk to strangers.

That's not all: Life is not destined or written in the stars. It's not written in some book of Fate in the high heavens. What you do with your life, is your choice. Good befalls those who do good. Bad befalls those who smell like rotten eggs. Cliche on the way: 'Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.'