[V]olodymyr [Z]elensky's New Year's Joke

Ukrainian President [V]olodymyr [Z]elensky (left), in his New Year’s address cracked the mother of all jokes! He declared that Ukraine has become stronger as the war moves toward its second year!

 

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂

 

He's a comedian after all!

 

I may have given up on New Year's resolutions – but that doesn't mean The Hulk should do likewise!

 

 

Here Comes 2014!

And here’s a good song to usher in the New Year!

Dina Carroll recorded her version of "The Perfect Year" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's "Sunset Boulevard" in 1993. I believe it is the perfect song for the perfect year, i.e. 2014! That's what I am hoping for anyway! 

More importantly, “Faith is about doing. You are how you act, not just how you believe.” 

In respect to my 2013 resolutions, again, I fell short. I could only achieve two out of six. Oh well, I will just have to try, try and try again! I really do want to stay positive about this business of New Year resolutions. 

My 2014 wish list: 

1.   Work hard to be happy. 

2.   Start my PhD 

3.   Self-publish an anthology of short stories 

4. Make it to the District-level (i.e. National-level) Toastmasters Contests 

5. Complete the eighteenth round of the Toastmasters’ Competent Communication manual 

Terry Tempest Williams said it very well: “This is my living faith, an active faith, a faith of verbs: to question, explore, experiment, experience, walk, run, dance, play, eat, love, learn, dare, taste, touch, smell, listen, speak, write, read, draw, provoke, emote, scream, sin, repent, cry, kneel, pray, bow, rise, stand, look, laugh, cajole, create, confront, confound, walk back, walk forward, circle, hide, and seek.” 

And Scotland beckons. 

Heralding in 2013

Image credit: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-20874913

Photo by PA

Photo by Reuters.

Photos by Andrew Jack

Photo by PA

Edinburgh's Hogmanay (New Year) celebrations began on Sunday, December 30. Check out the photos above.

My end-year report on my 2012 resolutions showed a wee improvement from my earlier progress report. I suppose I should be happy with small successes.

Year 2012 Resolution List: Outcomes 

1. Work hard to be happy – Still “happiness”-hunting!
2. Achieve Distinguished Toastmasters recognition – Done; doing the documentation (90%).
3. Charter Sunway University Toastmasters Club – Achieved target.
4. Self-publish an anthology of short stories – I don’t think I am able to do anything this year.
5. Publish three academic/conference papers – Completed one paper and already submitted; waiting for feedbeck from the editors.
6. Yield 204,000 pageviews for my blog – Achieved target, i.e. 240,290 pageviews.

Achieving close to 50% of my resolutions is an okay achievement, I suppose.

I have been thinking for quite awhile whether I should continue to keep to this New Year tradition of making resolutions. I did think of abandoning the idea of having them but Eric Zorn made a lot of sense when he said: “Making resolutions is a cleansing ritual of self assessment and repentance that demands personal honesty and, ultimately, reinforces humility. Breaking them is part of the cycle”.

Here’s my 2013 list – this year, again, I am focusing on self:

1. Work hard to be happy.
2. Successfully complete my M Sc in Marketing
3. Successfully complete my Graduate Certificate in Higher Education
4. Publish three academic/conference papers
5. Get the DTM award
6. Complete the twelvth round of the Toastmasters’ Competent Communication manual

I must stay focused. I must believe in myself. I am going to succeed.

Disappointment in Malacca

I was in Malacca for the joint meeting between Malacca Toastmasters Club and KL’s Premier Advanced Toastmasters Club last Saturday. To be honest, I was ennuied with the meeting and I went away dissatisfied. Copies of the Agenda were not enough to go around to begin with. We had an arresting Table Topics session but it was very strange that we dispensed with the feedback. As far as I was concerned, this could not be considered a Toastmasters meeting if there was no evaluation! The project speeches were tolerable but I was very much relieved that the evaluations were pretty good – in particular, two evaluators stood out (i.e. Benny Chia and Eu Choi San). Overall, I would rate this meeting a 2.5 out of a 10. Quite frankly, it was disappointing.

         

         

 

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I am submitting my progress report on my 2012 resolutions which didn’t look too good either in terms of the todate accomplishments. I am again disappointed with myself. If there is any consolation at all, I suppose there were small successes.

Year 2012 Resolution List

1. Work hard to be happy – Still “happiness”-hunting!
2. Achieve Distinguished Toastmasters recognition – Done but just waiting to submit.
3. Charter Sunway University Toastmasters Club – Already accomplished.
4. Self-publish an anthology of short stories – I don’t think I am able to do anything this year.
5. Publish three academic/conference papers – None so far although I attended one Conference.
6. Yield 204,000 pageviews for my blog – Achieved 98.1% of the target, i.e. 200,200 pageviews.

Quiet Weekend in Sabah

Maybe because it is Raya Aildilfitri, but Sabah has been pretty quiet. Maybe the frogs are taking a breather before they make their next move. Maybe the RCI has stopped the migration in its tracks.
.
Certainly Papar MP and Federal-level UMNO Puteri chief Rosnah Haji Abdul Rashid Shirlin (left) sounded extremely confident when she proclaimed “BN is still the choice of Sabahans and Malaysians”. She even suggested that the latest ground reports favor Sabah BN (Webpage http://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/nation/2012/08/17/latest-ground-reports-favour-sabah-bn/, published August 17, 2012).

Still, PR is keenly eyeing Sabah with its 25 parliamentary seats. Together with Sarawak, the two states are extremely crucial to BN’s goal of retaining Putrajaya in GE13, given the uncertainties in Peninsular Malaysia. The question on everyone's lips is, are Sabahans ready to swing?

Palaniappa Subramaniam, an engineering manager from Air Itam, Penang, has emerged runner-up in the 2012 World Championship of Public Speaking organized by Toastmasters International in Orlando, Florida over the weekend. He is only the second Malaysian to earn this accolade. He did well.

Vince Tay shared the above on Facebook. Perhaps, I should give it a shot! Didnt I say I want to be happy?

Mahathir Warns Marina

Mahathir Mohamed (left) has warned his daughter to be wary of her outspokenness as well as her support for groups like Bersih and sexuality rights movements, saying these may affect her family members who are still active in politics (read, Mukhriz who has the big ambition to be the next Kedah Menteri Besar). Some may look upon this to be merely cautionary advice but for the former prime minister to do so in public – it would possibly suggest that Mahathir is getting fed up of being embarrassed by daughter Marina.

Yet Marina has shown that she possesses better common sense than Mahathir. She does not have a poltical agenda. She does not hide behind racist rhetoric. She is not a fake. What she thinks and says are in common with middle Malaysia. She should be acknowledged for being true to herself rather than be like her father who spins and lies. If only her brothers could be like her, instead of getting their hands dirty by being involved in UMNO get-rich-quick schemes. But wealth has a way of corrupting even bright minds – assuming, of course, that they are reasonably intelligent in the first place.

Six months have lapsed, so let’s see how I have fared with my resolutions:

Year 2012 Resolution List

1. Work hard to be happy – Still looking for that elusive ‘happiness’!
2. Achieve Distinguished Toastmasters recognition – In the works; should materialize by September 30, 2012.
3. Charter Sunway University Toastmasters Club – Done. Chartered May 17, 2012, finally.
4. Self-publish an anthology of short stories – Now suffering from writer’s block. Aaarghhh!
5. Publish three academic/conference papers – Working on them
6. Yield 204,000 pageviews for my blog – Achieved 79.6% of the target, i.e. 162,433 pageviews.

I suppose I am moving forward, even if I am seen to be plodding along.

Am I Happy?

North Korea fired a long-range rocket this morning. The Japanese defense minister, Naoki Tanaka had revealed intelligence reports that indicated the missile was airborne for just one minute but did not leave the atmosphere. Osamu Fujimura, the chief cabinet secretary, said the rocket had no impact on Japanese territory.

Oh well, the Japan Self-Defense Forces can perhaps organize a military parade now that they have brought out their military hardware for the world to see.

And according to UK’s The Telegraph, it had viewed restricted documents that showed that the North Korea rocket is costing the country $850 million (£533 million).

Okay, we can now get back to our daily grind.

I am not checking my progress with regard to my 2012 resolutions. It has always been disappointing and I don’t want to be disappointed. Moreover, one of the six resolutions stated that I must “work hard to be happy”. Tell me, how do I measure “being happy”? Anyway, this was shared on Facebook by friend and fellow Toastmaster, Jean-Yves Gicquel and I thought it can help me point the way! At least, I hope so.

Keeping Faith with Resolutions

I am happy that Manchester City lost 0-1 to Sunderland on Sunday.

However, this and the other teams’ defeats have not materially affected Liverpool’s position on the EPL table. The Reds are still languishing in sixth place.

I love it when UK’s The Sun featured a host of animals to welcome 2012 with a big smile and putting the ‘happy’ in Happy New Year – three of which are shown here:

I am optimistic that 2012 will be a great year for many people, including yours truly. Undaunted, I am again bravely listing down my New Year resolutions as follows:

Year 2012 Resolution List

1. Work hard to be happy.
2. Achieve the Distinguished Toastmaster recognition
3. Charter Sunway University Toastmasters Club
4. Self-publish an anthology of short stories
5. Publish three academic/conference papers
6. Yield 204,000 pageviews for my blog

Gone Awry in My 2011 Resolutions

Craig Bellamy scored twice for Liverpool and substitute Steven Gerrard netted another to cap a 3-1 comeback victory over Newcastle in the EPL on Friday.

But it was Newcastle who took the lead with a very lucky goal in the 25th, as Ryan Taylor's cross was headed toward goal by Yohan Cabaye and then deflected off Liverpool defender Daniel Agger to wrong-foot goalkeeper Pepe Reina. Still, Bellamy equalized five minutes later with a low shot into the bottom left corner after a poor clearance fell right at his feet, and added the second with a free kick in the 67th. And finally, Gerrard who came on as a substitute (replacing Charlie Adam) yielded the third goal after running onto a ball from Jordan Henderson and slotting it underneath Toon goalkeeper Tim Krul from a tight angle.

Since I will not be making any more postings until tomorrow, here’s my round-up of my 2011 achievements:

Year 2011 Resolution List

1. Write my Ph D proposal and submit for admission into the program – On hold.
2. Publish three academic/conference papers – Working on two papers but they’re still very much work in progress..
3. Achieve Toastmasters’ recognitions: ALB and ALS – I am already working on my ALS; should complete hopefully in calendar year 2012.
4. Charter Sunway University Toastmasters Club – On hold.
5. Start my second Masters – I finally enrolled with Heriot-Watt University on November 08.
6. Write two short stories and get them published – Work in progress but…
7. Yield 39,000 pageviews for my blog – My pageviews have hit 91,304. Dare I say that my blog is getting popular? I have reason to believe so because if I examine the pageviews I recorded in the last 4 months (September-December 2011), the average is a commendable 7,717.

Again, progress has been dreadfully slow. Perhaps, I have been too ambitious? I reckon that "achievements" are one thing but these resolutions also provide me with a necessary sense of purpose and direction. So although I may have not done that well, I did try and I am still hell-bent on achieving the above!

Lack of Urgency

With the third quarter just ended, my progress can be documented as follows:

Year 2011 Resolution List

1. Write my Ph D proposal and submit for admission into the program – Not yet.
2. Publish three academic papers – Working on at least one of them. Yup, I am not focusing enough on this.
3. Achieve Toastmasters’ recognitions: ALB and ALS – I am now working on my ALS.
4. Charter Sunway University Toastmasters Club – Hopefully before the end of this year
5. Start my second Masters – Will now enroll with Heriot-Watt University.
6. Write two short stories and get them published – Work in progress.
7. Yield 39,000 pageviews for my blog – I have more than surpassed my target, having reached 66,517 pageviews todate.

I have been taking things too easy - it's time to now put my foot on the accelerator and propel forward. I must show more urgency!

Mid-year Review

Here's my so-called mid-year achievements. They are nothing to shout about but at least, I am making some progress.

Year 2011 Resolution List

1. Write my Ph D proposal and submit for admission into the program - Sigh, not yet!
2. Publish three academic papers - I am determined to start July.
3. Achieve Toastmasters' recognitions ALB & ALS - Achieved ALB in April 2011; 50% achieved.
4. Charter Sunway University Toastmasters Club - On hold.
5. Start my second Masters - Decided on Northumbria University but checking on fees, etc.
6. Write two short stories and get them published - Work in progress.
7. Yield 39,000 pageviews for my blog - I have already surpassed the target; as at June 30, 2011, I have 46,380 pageviews, having achieved a commendable 118.9%.

The next six months are important.

1Q 2011 Progress Report

The end of the first semester is here and it’s time to review how I fare with regard to my 2011 resolutions. I know it is early days but I must be seen to be making progress. So far, the results show that my progress has been slow.

Year 2011 Resolution List

1. Write my Ph D proposal and submit for admission into the program – Not yet.

2. Publish three academic papers – Working on one paper.

3. Achieve Toastmasters’ recognitions: ALB and ALS – About to submit my ALB qualification.

4. Charter Sunway University Toastmasters Club – Not yet.

5. Start my second Masters – Not yet.

6. Write two short stories and get them published – Not yet.

7. Yield 39,000 pageviews for my blog – So far, I have obtained 31,555 pageviews (Achieved 80.9%)

2011 Resolutions

On the matter of resolutions, I have learned that I shouldn’t be biting off more than I can chew. Or have I? Anyway, 2011 will focus on three key areas: career (#1 & 2), Toastmastering (#3 & 4) and my own personal wish list (#5, 6 & 7). I don’t intend to give up. As Oprah Winfrey said: “Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right”.

Year 2011 Resolution List

1. Write my Ph D proposal and submit for admission into the program
2. Publish three academic papers
3. Achieve Toastmasters’ recognitions: ALB and ALS
4. Charter Sunway University Toastmasters Club
5. Start my second Masters
6. Write two short stories and get them published
7. Show 39,000 pageviews on my blog

2010 Surrender

Okay, I am raising my hands in surrender. I did not achieve a single 2010 resolution. Well, I did achieve partial results for two resolutions – but that’s about it. I present my year-end report:

Year 2010 Resolution List – Year End Report

• Start writing my Marketing textbook – Zilch progress. I am going to defer this project by at least two years – let me focus on my Ph D and Masters first.
• Start my second Masters – Zero.
• Write my Ph D proposal and submit for approval – Still nothing on the plate but now that I am with Sunway University, I will commence next year.
• Write two short stories and get them published – Still-born.
• Achieve Toastmasters’ recognitions: ACG and ALB – Started April 13, 2010; completed April 22, 2010 and so completed 50%. Need to work on Leadership track.
• Teach 1000 hours for period October 2009-September 2010 – I am not tracking this anymore because at Sunway University, this is not my only one activity.
• Direct 45,000 visits to my blog – My total hits todate is 38820, which represents 86.3% of target.

A lesser mortal would have just given up this idea of having resolutions. However, I am reminded of what Brooks Atkinson said: “Drop the last year into the silent limbo of the past. Let it go, for it was imperfect, and thank God that it can go”. Yep, I agree – I must move on.

Under-fire Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson has said sorry to fans for any offence caused by his comments after the home defeat by Wolves and vowed he will not quit.

The club's eighth league loss of the season to the relegation scrappers on Wednesday was greeted by boos and catcalls and whoops of censure and in the closing stages of the defeat by Wolves – who had not previously won away all season – fans sarcastically chanted "Hodgson for England". Following the match, Hodgson appeared to suggest their energy would be better directed to getting behind the team. "I have to hope the fans will become supporters because we need support. We are not deliberately losing games," he had said.

Today, Hodgson changed his mind and said: "Fans always have the right to show their anger and disapproval – we’ve got fantastic fans but you have to give them something to be passionate about and we didn't do that on Wednesday". He’s damn right! And I still say that the time to dump him is now! Enough is enough!

The 18-time league champions are 12th in the table with 22 points from 18 games, their lowest total going into the new year since the 1953-54 season, which ended in relegation.

My Next Life

On Tuesday, a friend sent to me this brilliant Woody Allen piece titled “My Next Life”:


3Q 2010 Progress Report: 2010 Resolution List

1. Start writing my Marketing textbook – Zilch progress
2. Start my second Masters – Zilch progress
3. Write my Ph D proposal and submit for approval – Still nothing on the plate
4. Write two short stories and get them published – Stillborn
5. Achieve Toastmasters’ recognitions: ACG and ALB (Started speeches on April 13, 2010; completed April 22, 2010 – Completed 50%)
6. Teach 1000 hours for period October 2009-September 2010 (As my job has changed, I don’t wish to keep track of the crazy teaching hours as they have become irrelevant)
7. Direct 45,000 visits to my blog.(As at end of 3Q, I had 35,399 hits, which is 78.7%)

I have to get serious...

2Q 2010 Progress Report

Like in the previous year, my 2Q results are being scrutinized, and at the halfway stage, all I can say is that it is very much a mixed bag of positive and negative outcomes. I realize that I must really press on the accelerator pedal if I wish to reach my destination as planned.

2Q 2010 Progress Report: 2010 Resolution List

1. Start writing my Marketing textbook (Still to get started)

2. Start my second Masters (Still to get started)

3. Write my Ph D proposal and submit for approval (Still to get started although the University has been identified)

4. Write two short stories and get them published (Struggling to continue after two paragraphs – writer’s block?)

5. Complete 10 ACG-qualifying speeches and achieve Toastmasters’ ACG and ALB recognitions (Achieved ACG title, i.e. 50%)

6. Teach 1000 hours for period October 2009-September 2010 (As at June 30, I have completed 628 hrs of teaching, i.e. 62.8%)

7. Direct 45,000 visits to my blog (As at June 30, my blog "As I See It" scored 29,191 hits, i.e. 64.9%)

Liverpool signed Roy Hodgson Thursday as its new manager on a three-year contract as the Premier League club attempts to return to the Champions League. But let's be honest - this might be a tall order for him! Still like it or not, Liverpool fans must learn to accept the inevitable decision of his appointment, and pray that he can swing the luckless fortunes of Liverpool FC. Let us pray...

Miaow-miaow

I may not be ready to admit this but my resolutions are a mixed bag of hope and determination that are likely to yield mixed results. 

1Q 2010 Progress Report: 2010 Resolution List

1. Start writing my Marketing textbook (Still to get started) 

2. Start my second Masters (Still to get started) 

3. Write my Ph D proposal and submit for approval (Still to get started although the University has been identified) 

4. Write two short stories and get them published (To begin in May) 

5. Complete 10 ACG-qualifying speeches and achieve Toastmasters’ ACG and ALB recognitions (To begin in April) 

6. Teach 1000 hours for period October 2009-September 2010 (As at March 31, I have completed 355 hrs of teaching, i.e. 35.5%) 

7. Direct 45,000 visits to my blog (As at March 31, As I See It recorded 24,880 hits, i.e. 55.3%)

The British government announced Monday that party drug mephedrone will be banned in the UK within a month, after a spate of deaths were linked to “miaow-miaow” (as it is popularly known here). 

Home Secretary Alan Johnson said mephedrone – currently freely available to buy on the Internet and in shops selling legal highs – would join amphetamines and cannabis as an outlawed class B drug, the second most dangerous kind.

This is not to be confused with the local version of Miaow-miaow, which are legally sold in Malaysia and do not contain banned substances! What's more, they are safe to eat even if they may be addictive! 

I am referring to Miaow Miaow Food Products Sdn Bhd, a Malaysian company that produce leisure food for snack lovers under the Miaow Miaow brand name. I sure hope this company don't plan to export their products to the UK anytime soon – unless they opt for another brand name that will not make them come under instant suspicion!

This evening, I braved the unbroken traffic to attend the Advanced Communicators Meeting (or ACM # 45, for short). This is my first time here. I have been told that this meeting is open only to Toastmasters who have completed at least 10 speeches. 

What is different is that each speaker will face a panel of three Toastmasters to evaluate him or her, in addition to the Open Evaluation session. Moreover, members of the audience could seek further clarification from this panel and the speaker could also present his or her rebuttal. 

Overall, I found this an interesting meeting. As I have said, I had mixed feelings – on the one hand, I had enjoyed the meeting, but on the other hand, I had to get used to a barrage of questions coming from the floor on my "evaluation", and this can be a needling experience.

My 2010 New Year Resolutions

I am not one to give up on my resolutions so easily. I am aware that each new year presents new challenges. Therefore, at a personal level, I have morphed these challenges into resolutions. I am determined to work hard at them. An Oprah Winfrey quote comes to mind: “Cheers to a New Year and another chance for us to get it right”. Yes, I have got another year, right?

2010 Resolution List

1. Start writing my Marketing textbook
2. Start my second Masters
3. Write my Ph D proposal and submit for approval
4. Write two short stories and get them published
5. Complete ten ACG-qualifying speeches and achieve Toastmasters' ACG and ALB recognitions
6. Teach 1000 hours for period October 2009-September 2010
7. Direct 45,000 visits to my blog.

After all, resolutions require us to make changes to accommodate the challenges that are before us. As Barack Obama said: “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek”. I also remembered a December 24, 2009, 2:32 PM text message from Dr. Paul Chan: "Look forward and be successful".

Resolutions

And now, my 2009 resolutions’ year-end report:

I have failed to even start writing the first page of my Marketing textbook (0% Effort, 0% Achievement)

I have identified the M Sc in Marketing program and the University, but I have yet to enroll. The reason is financial (0% Finances, 0% Achievement)

I have not started to pen my short story and then get it published (0% Ideas, 0% Achievement). I have given more than the targeted 20 Toastmasters speeches – 23 speeches to be exact (100% Achievement). I planned to complete 900 teaching hours at HICT by end September 2009 – My teaching hours totaled 1112.5 hours (100% Achievement). I was confident to bring up my ADP numbers, but alas, there are only 270 active students (54% Achievement). I had wanted to receive 15,000 hits to my blog – I secured 18,702 hits (100% Achievement). So what does the above mean? I have achieved only 50% of my resolutions. Good or bad, I have to live with this non-success. Yes, I am not going to crucify myself for these non-achievements. It illustrates that I am imperfect too – like everybody else. The important thing is to look ahead and move on. Here's to a brand new year! On another note, I found this finding by a Merdeka Center survey (conducted between November 04-11, 2009) of 358 UMNO delegates (coverage of the survey included at least one individual from each party division) from the most recent party assembly to be very illuminating: 52 per cent agreed that there was “corruption in government” (Webpage

http://themalaysianinsider.com/index.php/malaysia/47988-poll-shows-strong-umno-backing-for-najib, accessed December 31, 2009).

.

I am curious to know if this is a perception or if it is based on first-hand knowledge of the goings-on in the government – since UMNO is the government?

Nizar vs Zambry on NOV 05

The Internet connection is so slow, even my pet tortoise crawls faster than the Web unfolding before me! It can be really frustrating to wait like for eternity… Really frus!

The Nizar versus Zambry battle to establish who is the rightful Perak menteri besar is set to be heard in the Federal Court on November 05, 2009, as reported in The Sun today (p 4). The former is appealing a Court of Appeal decision declaring the latter the rightful menteri besar, after the Federal Court granted Nizar leave to appeal on July 09. And if we recall the chronology of events in Perak, this battle royal began when 3 assemblymen deserted the DAP-PKR-PAS alliance and threw their support behind Barisan Nasional in February of this year. This resulted in the Perak Sultan dismissing Nizar from office and appointing Zambrey as menteri besar. Nizar then filed for judicial review seeking the issuance of a writ of quo warranto to Zambry requiring him to show on what basis or authority he exercised his powers as menteri besar. On May 11, the Kuala Lumpur High Court declared Nizar the legitimate Perak menteri besar, a ruling which was however, overturned by the Court of Appeal on May 22. We only desire for judicial impartiality and fairness in this political contest.

A progress report of my 2009 resolutions (amended) todate (January-September):

Start writing my Marketing textbook - Haha, still zero effort (0% Achievement).
Start my second Masters – Already identified but yet to register. Hopefully in October/November 2009? (0% Achievement)
Write a short story and get it published – Zooey Deschanel said: “For me, writing is 75 percent procrastinating and 25 percent actually sitting down and working” (75% Achievement?).
Complete 20 Toastmasters speeches – So far, 11 speeches (55% Achievement).
Complete 900 teaching hours at HICT by end September 2009 – My teaching hours totaled 1092.5 hours (100% Achievement).
Bring up the ADP student population at HICT to 500 – There are 270 active students in total (54% Achievement).
Direct 15,000 visits to my blog – I scored 12,939 hits to my blog (86% Achievement).

It’s time I get serious about executing my resolutions. I have 3 months to do this. Sigh! I have to wake up from my slumber… and quickly!