Why This Site is Titled "Jia You--->Ga Yau!"

Originally Posted HERE Three Years Ago on May 13, 2008. This is why I titled this website after this topic.

Jia You! (Author's note: "Ga Yau" is the Cantonese Term for the Mandarin "Jia You")

My Singapore Sis often reads this blog. Actually at times, it seems like she's the ONLY reader of this blog. She and I aren't brother and sister per se by birth. It was an evolving friendship over time that consisted of many theological debates and name calling cheap shots. (mainly due to my carelessness) But in the end, the person who sees me off at the Changi Airport is her.

There are several times when I read the comments from her and say to myself, "WTF??? What the hell is she talking about?" I know Singapore is an English speaking country, but the frustration is that the cultural differences between here and there affects the terminology, and I have no clue what she's saying, or she has no clue what I'm saying. Actually, that also helped develop the "character" of our friendship or siblinghood over the years. So not too long ago, I read a comment from her that kept repeating, Jia You! Jia You! Jia You! Jia You! Jia You! I'm like "what the fuck is she talking about???" Finally a short time ago, I received this message from her:

Jia You means "don't stop," or "keep going!" Literally, it translate to "keep it oiled."

A few entries back I mentioned that I spent the last year on personal growth especially after briefly dating a psycho chick from hell. I took a closer look at the situation and noticed that there was a pattern worth NOT repeating, so I contacted an old mentor from years past. Marc Accetta was an "upline" from an MLM company I once worked for. His mentor Bill Gouldd was the main trainer of that company and through his trainings, I learned way much more than sales. I contacted Marc about a year ago thinking that Mr. Gouldd no longer conducted training on personal growth to help me take my life to the next level as an actor, writer, and in my relationships or lack of. I would've continued to take courses through either of them, but when they got involved over a litigation battle involving the training materials, I felt it was time to move onto another source.

So when my friend Mandy was visiting me from Denver a short time after my weekend spent w/Marc a year ago, she picqued my curiousity of her visit. She was going to a personal growth training on a ranch up in Northern California for an entire week. I thought the concept of her growth class was weird to me in the respect that 1) she was to be picked up directly from the SFO at 6am to be driven to the ranch and 2) she was not allowed to discuss any of her training to me afterwards, but she was "enlightened." I'm like what the fuck kinda post-hippie new age crap group has she gotten herself involved with? THEN, she told me that the name of the organization was called PSI Seminars. I couldn't help but think, 'yup, she definitely got mixed up with the WRONG group here.' So throughout the rest of the year, we'd often compare notes and what sort of "results" occured in the aftermath of our trainings. My result was passing a very unusual audition process to be invited to work and study with a professional actors training company in Singapore, but after several futile applications with the Singapore government, and several enrollment delays with the training centre, I decided that at that point the best avenue for me was to remain in the States. I took a "final" trip to Singapore this past January to say my "goodbyes" to my friends there, and if you recall a past entry about the "HERE AND NOW," I came to the realization that I could find what I'm looking for anywhere because what I was looking for came from within. Well I never finished the entire story...

However, please read "HERE AND NOW" before proceeding further.

So after eating my dinner at the Kopitiam following the show where I took over an hour and 3 modes of transportation to find the theater, my Singapore Sis text messaged me something that caused me to reflect back on the previous two years. I returned to my hotel room, contacted Mandy in Denver, and attempted to enroll into the course she took when she went to California. Problem was, PSI has a structure such that there are prereqs to complete in order to take certain courses with them. So I enrolled in their "Basics" during the month of March in anticipation to eventually enroll in the course Mandy took.

I recently completed the course Mandy took, and I now fully understand why all the secrecy and why the isolation on the ranch to conduct the course. The bottom line was that my experience and what I learned was unbelievable and beyond words to describe. In the end, I was able to look at the things I done this past week and say to myself, "I did awesome!" and mean it. More importantly, I was able to look at myself and say to myself, "I AM awesome!" and mean it from the bottom of my heart. A very priceless experience I must say.

So if you noticed, I too like Mandy did not discuss what occured during my week at the High Valley Ranch. I look at it this way: I get a dream job for the company I been wanting to work for since childhood. I know the application and interviewing and job screening procedures. You also are interested in working for the same company and ask for the list of questions they're most likely to ask during the screening. Would it be fair if I disclosed that information? Of course not. But let's say that I did disclose the information. Did you get the job on your own merit? So why would I provide answers to a test? I say this with conviction because I know how much anyone could benefit from taking any of the courses with PSI. If you were to take any of the courses, you would not maximize your benefit if I were to "give the answers in advanced" to you. Had Mandy "warned" me about any of the contents prior to my attendance last week, I know the accomplishments I made there wouldn't have felt as fulfilling. Likewise, I will do my best to answer questions to any of you without talking about the actual courses. Yes, it's going to be a challenge, but I feel that the maximum effectiveness of the courses is predicated on the confidentiality of the class.

This past week totally blew me away. As I stated earlier, this was the first time ever that I was able to look at myself and say to myself, "I'm awesome!" It's a priceless feeling to experience and I'm very confident that any of you would have the same reaction. Personal growth isn't about getting wealthy although one of the aspect is about building economic equity to your name. It isn't about becoming famous as an actor, though it is about commitment to always work to improve your craft. It isn't about getting the right relationship but it's about being the best person you could be and to avail yourself to others. It isn't about tapping a personal spiritual genie, but it's about improving your relationship with God. It's about a balanced growth in all areas of your life, and we never stop working on that til the day I die.

...jia you! jia you! jia you!