Crossing the Finish

This is the question I posted on the Facebook, Twitter, and some other social websites when I was doing the fund raising for the Aboriginal Children’s Advancement Society last week.

The fund raising was done in conjunction with a 10km running event, the “Run4Fun” organized by the Sun-Herald, a leading newspaper in Sydney.  All donations had to be made via the direct link provided by the organizer online.  It was a perfect way of using the internet to address the appeal to many within the shortest possible time, so I thought.

Whilst we started late in the fundraising, I was hopeful that the power of the internet would make a difference.  After all, we only targeted $1 each from 10,000 people.

As it turned out, we didn’t even receive one single dollar from anyone via this channel.  All the donations were from people we know personally.  Quite frankly, I was a little bit disappointed because it was such a good cause and there shouldn’t be any resistance not to do so.

Perhaps I could only attribute the following as reasons for the outcome.
a/ not enough time?  (the fundraising page was up just three days before the event)
b/ people were not familiar with the charity organization, and were too busy to follow through.
c/ people were skeptical about paying by credit card or paypal.

As for the run, it was fantastic, more so because it was my first time.  Having a chance to run into the ANZ Stadium for the last 100 metres with the audience on-looking was awesome.  It is like putting myself in the shoes of the Olympians running into the Stadium at the Year 2000 Sydney Olympic.

We ended up raising $710 for the Society. Thanks again to all those who had made this possible.

Live Life,
Junius
P.S.  the picture on the left was taken when I and my friend had crossed the finishing line.

A friend recently asked me a question.  He was curious why suddenly I became so much into traveling and photography.  Quite frankly, these are the things I like to do for a long time, only that I can afford to do it more often now.  It is one of the reasons why I am so passionately promoting passive income streams.

I have just uploaded a video to YouTube on our recent visit to the Sleepy Bay in the Freycinet National Park of Tasmania.  I video-taped it because it was so scenic.  I had of course done some photos as well which I hope I would be sharing with you some other time.

The beauty of the Freycinet region on the East coast of Tasmania is a common knowledge for people traveling in this part of the world.  However, when people come, they seem to set their eyes on places like the Wineglass Bay, Coles Bay, and perhaps even the Hazards Beach.  The Sleepy Bay, somehow, has not received as much attention as it should rightly deserve.  In my opinion, it is still a hidden gem.

So, please check out the video and perhaps you would tell me what you think about the scenery there.

Live Life,  Junius.

This is arguably one of the big things happening in the internet world this year.  Google Wave is Google’s new creation and will be officially released in a matter of months from now.

It is a real-time communication platform that virtually embraces all forms of internet communication today, whether it be email, web chat, instant messaging, social networking, or project management etc.  It is a convergence spot.  It is mind-blowing.  I am sure a lot of the internet elites out there are already working on how to monetize this new medium.

I have done some research on the subject.  In case you want to do something similar, a good starting point would be this video I have here for you.  You wouldn’t like to miss out anything in this 1 hour 20 min presentation.

Further research?  Check out:
The official Google Blog — http://googleblog.blogspot.com; and
The website Mashable by Ben Parr: http://mashable.com/2009/05/28/google-wave-guide/

Love Life,
Junius
p.s. Like many things, the internet is never an equal playing field.  Knowledge and wisdom will always have an unfair advantage.

For those of you who like watching waterfalls, I have a great place to recommend: the Russell Falls in Tasmania.  It is part of the Mount Field National Park and is located less than two hours northwest of Hobart, the capital city of Tasmania.

The video that you see here was taken last week when my wife and I were traveling in that part of the country.  We drove around and in the last days of our holiday, we took a diversion to see the Falls on the way back from Queenstown to Hobart.

The day started with a moderate chill, an overcast weather, and an occasional drizzle.  By the time we got to the National Park, it was around 4pm in the afternoon.  We quickly found our way into the rainforest.  It was a walk of about ten to fifteen minutes to the Falls.  This rainforest is very special.  It has very tall and BIG trees — something that we noticed almost immediately when we started the walk.  The trunks of some of the big ones could easily require four or five people to cover the full circumference.  The air was remarkably pure and fresh.  At times, we could see wallabies moving about in a close distance. These gentle creatures didn’t seem to be bothered by our presence.

As we walked further, the sound of waterfalls was becoming louder.  And, almost suddenly, the beautiful Russell Falls was right before our eyes!  The Falls is beautiful because everything looks so symmetrical and in the right places. It has three levels allowing the water cascading down.  With so much water thundering down the path that day, the sound, the wind, and the mist it so created in that space were remarkable.  For a moment, we couldn’t help feeling small and at the mercy of nature.

There is a strong sense of serenity in the surround, but everything seemed more coming to life. Even the fern trees nearby were waving and dancing so happily.  It was a blessing to be there sharing the serenity and the simple happiness of being so close to nature.

Live Life,
Junius.

P.S. If you happen to be in that National Park, don’t forget to visit two other falls as well.  I was told that at least one of them is equally spectacular.

This week is Australia’s NSW Seniors Week.  Now into its 50th year, it celebrates the valuable contribution seniors make to the community. The motto this year is “Live Life.”  What a co-incidence.

I have taken a lazy approach this time to browse the net and collect quotes from wherever on the subject of “live life”. I hope it could add some extra spices into someone’s definition about life.

There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as though everything is a miracle.  – Albert Einstein.

To live life well is to take positive steps to maximize your chances of living an illness free life.  – www.livelifewell.nsw.gov.au

Live life fully while you’re here.  Experience everything.  Take care of yourself and your friends.  Have fun, be crazy, be weird.  Go out and screw up!  You’re going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process.  Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it.  Don’t try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.  – Anthony Robbins

Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.  – Buddha

Nobody gets to live life backward.  Look ahead, that is where your future lies.  – Ann Landers

Live as if you were to die tomorrow.  Learn as if you were to live forever. – Gandhiji

We make a living by what we get, we make a life by what we give.  – Winston Churchill.

And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count.  It’s the life in your years.  – Abraham Lincoln.

Live Life, Junius.
p.s. further information, visit www.nswseniorsweek.com.au