Happy New Year 2025

 

Kuching Waterfront area was jammed on New year's Eve

Happy New Year to all. It has been a great 2024 for me. I did not feel it pass by me, that's why. Every minute of the day was filled with non stop activities that I just lose count. I forsee that this New Year 2025 will be the same too and by this year's end I would be wondering what has actually happened. 

Yes the time we have now is actually very different from 40 years ago. Things now are at your grasp and opportunities present itself when you least expect it. Right from the moment you say "wait a minute" or "maybe I will do it tomorrow", chances are, you will have missed some life changing moments. These thoughts came as I was browsing through the family album at our Sibu home during the holidays. I came across one with me at the Durin Ferry point waiting for it to carry me across the river. I was still in my younger 20-yish that time. Looking at that photo I realised how often I have used this ferry to get across and the time it took. 20 minutes on a good day, that is, if you happen to reach there at the right time (loading already takes 10 minutes). Sometimes it will be in the hours if there is a long queue during the holidays amd festive season.

New year pick up ~ My younger version

Fast forward to today, one will find the long Durin Bridge across the river now. To cross it will take you less than a minute. Thats when I had my Eureka moment, and realised that, to catch up, one actually has to take advantage of technology. This is especially true for those in my generation as we have so much to lose if we do not attempt to, as we have lost so much in terms accumulated opportunity cost back then.  

Instead of wallowing in sorrow, we need to forge ahead to keep up. The evolution of new technologies gives people the convenience to achieve more for less the time. Artificial Intelligence (AI) now is used to generate the possibilities and options for you to pick from. Its like using Waze or Google map to get to some destination while avoiding the traffic jams or roadblock. There lies the challenge, as to whether we want to embrace it. With AI, the playing field is more open, spread out and it actually is suppose to provide guided solutions to anyone who asks or uses it. But then again, if Google Map or Waze presents to you a through road and you see with your own eyes that it's a dead end bridge just ahead, try not to drive through it. The judgement, intuition and wisdom is something that's superior to AI and built into older generations like us.

I hope 2025 will be gentle with me.