“For every complex problem there is a solution that is simple, straightforward, and wrong.”
- H.L. MENCKEN

While out cycling on Sunday evening, I decided to drop by an old classmate’s house for no apparent reason other than to gossip catch up on things as we have not met in quite a while. We were very close in lower secondary school but we’ve sort of ‘drifted apart’ over the years on account that he is a super-religious super boring Christian and I am not! It’s a complicated story and I sort of like to do short posts. Fortunately we’ve not allowed religion to get in the way and we have remained friends and have kept in touch over the years; although the ‘keeping in touch’ bit is mostly one way; from my way. Then again this is complicated and lengthy to elaborate …

He was surprised and delighted to see me and we decided to take a walk at a nearby park and we chatted as we strolled. He told me that he would be retiring in 3 years time and has plans in mind to start a new business then although he really would love to resign now from the civil service but things are seldom simple and like most of us; is unsure about the future. As we walked I noticed the dramatic evening skies and took snaps as we talked. Looking at how complicated the clouds formations are, it dawned on me that it’s natural that things are ‘complicated’ and are not as simple as we wished or hoped them to be.

Like my on-going ‘battle’ with our IT people, problems at work or in other areas of our lives requires a shifting of our focus from the big picture to the details and back again without fixating at just one level of the problem. In other words our IT people are so going to get it from me from so many angles! We need to balance between gathering more information with the need to get something done urgently; as I urged my friend to get started as soon as possible on his future plans as 3 years somehow goes by rather quickly once you’re past 50. Such is the complications of life. However it is not that complicating to enjoy the simple things in life such as watching complicated clouds drift past you … Enjoy.

Kuching Sunday Skies, 11th May 2008