Friday 13th. July, 2001

            TAKING NOTES..

                 Have you met a person who religously writes notes in his diary EVERYDAY?

                 I am indeed very lucky to have met the acquintance of such a man,however he
                 passed away two weeks ago at the age of 80. In fact, he managed to write a
                 book about his life entitled "Life Lived Twice: A Memoir." I suggest
                 everyone should read his book ; a very interesting biography of a son of a
                 tailor from Sarawak  who got his law degree in London before Merdeka and his
                 last government post was a cabinet minister of Malaysia . He was no
                 other than Tan Sri Datuk Amar Stephen Yong.

                 Every time we had our company Board of Directors meeting, he will always
                 record what transpired during the discussion. This good habit of him came
                 handy one day when the company had to sue another company for
                 some business dealings. His records  were of immense value to our lawyers.

                 Personally, I do not write in my diary everyday . But I do take notes of my
                 observations,discussions and ideas and write them in my pocket notebook. On
                 top of it, I also write important business and family matters in a
                 bigger notebook which I keep in the house.  From this year, I also keep
                 online diary  as and when I am online and hopefully my sons and wife will
                 read it when I am not around anymore.

                 About three years ago, I started using electronic organiser called Palm 111.
                 It is quite powerful electronic organiser with appointment,address,todo list
                 and memo. To-day,  I don't leave home without it. To learn how to
                 use it , I started a mailinglist called palmx at yahoogroup. Currently it
                 has more than 100 subscribers and  we help each other how to make full use
                 of
                 the features there. You can visit the mailinglist website at:

                 http://groups.yahoo.com/group/palmx.

                 At the website, you can also read my story with my palm;-)

                 IMHO, taking notes is a good personal habit.  We tend to forget a lot of
                 important
                 things if we do not put them on record. Taking notes should be a way of
                 life.
                 One good example is our PM.  One of the most important thing that I wish
                 to share with my fellow friends is the TODO list.

                 Everyone can afford to have a TODO list. It won't cost more than RM 5 to
                 have it. All we need is a ball pen and a notebook.  It is a very powerful
                 tool to manage one's life-for business,family and personal life.  You can
                 learn more about TODO List by reading a book by Tom Peters entitled
                 Project 50.

                 My TODO List is divided into three major sublists:

                 1. My family-parents, wife and children and relatives
                 2. My work-business and staff
                 3. Myself-personal matters

                 Most people's diary contains all about their work or business and very
                 little about their family and worse still about themselves. By writing down
                 what we wish to do,then only we may have the time to do what *really
                 matters* to us.  This list is a check list/reminder list  to keep us focused
                 on WHAT REALLY WE WANT TO DO  WITH OUR LIFE RATHER
                 THAN WHAT WE HAVE TO DO  to keep living!

                 Btw, do you have a TO DO List?