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Friday, a big upset happened at the Australian Open - the Grand Slam of Asia/Pacific - the World’s No.1 tennis player Roger Federer has lost to Serbian Novak Djokovic yesterday, 7-5, 6-3, 7-6 (7-5), keeping him short of his bid for 11th consecutive Grand Slam final. Yes, Federer was tamed Downunder.

Roger Federer and Novak Djokovic (Source: www.boston.com)

For sure, lots of Federer fans are disappointed (me, too!) but definitely I will still watch the finals between Djokovic (currently ranked No.3) and Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga (ranked 38th) who earlier beat Rafael Nadal (currently ranked no.2).

Here’s another reason why Serbians are now rejoicing! Serbian’s No.4 seed Ana Ivanovic will clash today (Saturday) with Russian Maria Sharapova (No.5) for the Women’s Finals. Wow, such two gorgeous women! For sure lots of blokes would watch these match! LOLS

Maria Sharapova and Ana Ivanovic (Source:www.australianopen.com)

HEATH LEDGER DIES.

I was shocked with this breaking news on tv this morning while I was preparing the kids for school. So after my two kids left, I immediately checked Yahoo if it’s really true. Yes, Heath Ledger is dead and he was only 28 years old. He was found dead at his New York apartment and possibly due to pill overdose. Then after, I went to theage.com.au, webpage of Australia’s prime newspaper, and the news about Ledger’s death is on the headline.

Heath is not one of my favorite Hollywood actors but I like him because of his manly charisma and intelligent choice of roles, and because of the fact that he was an Australian. I have a soft spot for Australia since I stayed there for 2 1/2 years, my youngest Carl was born there, and my hubby is still there right now. So this news is a bit sad (I know every death is), like when Steve Irwin died in 2006, plus he left behind a 2-year old daughter Matilda.

The only Heath Ledger movies I have watched are 10 Things I Hate About You with Julia Stiles, and A Knight’s Tale with Shannyn Sossamon. But I saw trailers of Casanova and Brothers Grimm, he was a very good actor. I bought the Brokeback Mountain dvd while I was still in Oz but I wasn’t able to watch it until now. So after writing this, I would definitely get that dvd off the cabinet and watch it. He was the new Joker and seeing from photos, he fitted the role. I wonder if he finished filming Batman?

HEATH LEDGER may you rest in peace.

As a tribute, I wish to post this Youtube video from 10 Things I Hate About You. Who would forget how Heath Ledger serenaded Julia Stiles with the song Can’t Take My Eyes Off You, and those funny dance and his running around to scape the school guards? That was the sweetest version I’ve seen, and definitely one of the highlights of the movie! So here it is:

“If only I did the right thing….
If only I had known….
If only I could start over….
If only I loved her more….
If only I chose the other road….
If only I got back…..
If only I said the last goodbye…..
If only I didn’t make those crazy things…
If only I didn’t overspend….
If only I listened to my mother….
If only I had been wiser….
If only I was not selfish….
If only….”

IF ONLY - These are the words we always say whenever we regret a decision we made. Of course everybody regrets, who doesn’t? However, if we repeatedly say IF ONLY, we keep on dwelling on the past and we’re not moving on. Check on the phrases, all the verbs used are on the past tense. WE CAN’T UNDO THE PAST, right? NEVER. But we can always correct it.

Life is not like clicking the undo button on our keyboards, and with just a hit of our fingers all our mistakes are erased (hehe, but sometimes I can’t help having this wishful thinking). Anyway, as I have mentioned, life is not like that. So we should not dwell on the past too much - there is no CONTROL Z in real life. We can’t undo what has been done. Yet, we have CONTROL C and Control V (copy and paste - remember the adage, history repeats itself?). But definitely no CONTROL Z. Zilch.  Like the old cliche’, Past is Past.  BUT, definitely there is NEXT TIME.

If our plans didn’t work out because we made the wrong decisions, what we should do NEXT TIME is to learn from our mistakes and experiences. For example, if we hurt our loved one, we regret by saying, “if only I didn’t say those harsh words.” Rather that regretting, I think we should say, “Next time I see her, I will tell her sorry and I love you.” Or, when we say, “If only I didn’t make that bad mistake…”, why don’t we say to ourselves, “Ok, NEXT TIME, I will not repeat it and will do the right thing!”

See, if we take out the words IF ONLY and change them to NEXT TIME, there is this notion that we are stopping all our regrets - we are moving forward, taking action on all the things and consequences that can still be corrected and changed. Hence we should not continuously live our lives with regrets.

NEXT TIME we you say if only, say instead NEXT TIME!
Act on it NOW and DON’T WAIT til it’s too late!!!

Many people are lured to go to casinos? Like me, I signed up for the Crown Casino Club membership when I was still in Melbourne so I’d get the free red membership card (with free playing credits for my birthday - cool). But why I was drawn to visiting the Crown Casino? Was it the bright neon lights? The rolling of the dice and spinning of roulettes, or the excitement on blackjack and baccarat games? I don’t really know these games - but I went there coz I loved playing the slot machines, called pokies Downunder (and having to pay only AU$2 for fish and chips! ). (more…)