Blogging from my School's Library (huge and comfy). Its lunch time but we somehow, got released early today. Lunch was settled half an hour ago so yea, we're just hanging around in the library, waiting for time to pass (next class at 2pm).
Everyone seems really light hearted today, probably because its a public holiday tomorrow. Even the lecturers seem to be relaxed today. Some of the peeps around me are planning for a movie while others just say they wanna "chill out".
So we're just talking about random topics in the Library. An assortment of genres really (family, music, and some weird mentos theory, oh well).
A noisy group of people just moved into the "study room", shattering the serene silence that once engulfed this section of the library. My phone rings; its a friend asking about plans for the evening.
Some of my friends are going to sleep now. A "power-nap" I guess. Guess I'll stop here, will update with articles and certain updates when I get the time
Cya'll Later.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Saturday, April 26, 2008
I Spy... (Part 2)
Just moved from one Starbucks to another. And no, I did NOT use the inter-Starbucks transportation system. Its time for "I Spy... (Part 2)"
Starbucks.
Hang Ten.
Cups.
Cars.
Road.
Curtains.
Chairs.
Office Buildings.
Water Features.
Ps. Hopefully you guys won't find it hard to read my post since I'm using a bigger front size. lol. My articles however, will still be written in the old front size (due to length reasons).
To MS0801 Peeps: sorry about not attending the BBQ. Have something on and wasn't feeling 100% recovered from the flu. =/
Starbucks.
Hang Ten.
Cups.
Cars.
Road.
Curtains.
Chairs.
Office Buildings.
Water Features.
Ps. Hopefully you guys won't find it hard to read my post since I'm using a bigger front size. lol. My articles however, will still be written in the old front size (due to length reasons).
To MS0801 Peeps: sorry about not attending the BBQ. Have something on and wasn't feeling 100% recovered from the flu. =/
I Spy...
Blogging from Starbucks once again. Laptop for the win. Currently taking a break from the monotony of studying so I decided to take a look at my surroundings.
I spy with my little eyes...
Tall Buildings.
Jagged Structure.
Blue Blue Sky.
Starbucks.
Iced Caffe Latte.
Metal Rubbish Bin.
Green Trees.
Someone In Blue.
Little Kids.
Okay look, I'm bored. Oh well. Back to my books and notes.
Cya'll later.
I spy with my little eyes...
Tall Buildings.
Jagged Structure.
Blue Blue Sky.
Starbucks.
Iced Caffe Latte.
Metal Rubbish Bin.
Green Trees.
Someone In Blue.
Little Kids.
Okay look, I'm bored. Oh well. Back to my books and notes.
Cya'll later.
Time Management; The Essence Of Life?
My polytechnic life when into full fledge a couple of days ago when things got considerable hectic in terms of lessons and schedule. Tutorials and lectures filled my daily routine back to back; it was really busy for me.
I must say however, that poly-life has given me a whole new experience. Different learning styles, different form of education and a much different environment.
Having maturity and professionalism towards your course of work is one of the many aspects that is actually needed here in polytechnics, which is much different as compared to secondary school level.
One evident aspect that contributes to one’s success, especially in their tertiary education, is time management.
Time management is somewhat, an essential part of our lives as without it, there will be no organization or order in our daily events or programmes.
We are exposed to time management from a very young age via the means of a time table. I’m sure many individuals have forgone the stage in preschool where they have “play times” at 2pm and “nap times” at 3pm; an excellent example of time management being exposed at an early age.
Time tables get more intense primary and secondary school levels as students are strictly expected to follow what’s on it. In a sense, this teaches them a certain degree of discipline and trains them up from young.
However, I feel that time management is critically tested at the tertiary level of education, university and polytechnic level.
This is largely due to the fact that at the tertiary level, students are given more freedom as they’re generally expected to be more mature thus also expected to have better time management skills.
In a demanding society such as the one we live in today, many professionals and top level personal rely on skills like good communication skills and good leadership qualities, just to name a few. However, few may know that good time management is actually what helps these guys climb to the top.
It is through their skill of planning their lives that enable them to ascend quickly in terms of society standing.
I’m pretty sure that a life in a state of mess and confusion will not achieve success as quickly as a life of proper time management, no matter how much substance or content the latter has. It is only through constant planning and organization that one is able to succeed in what they do and in this sense, I feel that time management is the true essence of life.
So, what can we do to improve our time management skills? Personally, I was a really unorganized person in the past and I’ve often have to cope with tight deadlines and last minute rushes in work. What I did was to keep a personal organizer with me at all times and record details and meetings I had for the week or even the plans I had for a particular date.
Evidently, there has been a change in my lifestyle as I feel more “in control’ of my life and I’m sure what I’m supposed to be doing during a particular time in any particular day. Though it may be a small step in improving my personal time management, I’m sure that in the long run, I’ll develop a stronger sense of time management.
Time management can either make or break a person, depending if one is able to use his or her time to the fullest extend.
So lets work towards having better time management in our lives as only then will we be able to live our lives to the fullest and benefit the most from it all.
I must say however, that poly-life has given me a whole new experience. Different learning styles, different form of education and a much different environment.
Having maturity and professionalism towards your course of work is one of the many aspects that is actually needed here in polytechnics, which is much different as compared to secondary school level.
One evident aspect that contributes to one’s success, especially in their tertiary education, is time management.
Time management is somewhat, an essential part of our lives as without it, there will be no organization or order in our daily events or programmes.
We are exposed to time management from a very young age via the means of a time table. I’m sure many individuals have forgone the stage in preschool where they have “play times” at 2pm and “nap times” at 3pm; an excellent example of time management being exposed at an early age.
Time tables get more intense primary and secondary school levels as students are strictly expected to follow what’s on it. In a sense, this teaches them a certain degree of discipline and trains them up from young.
However, I feel that time management is critically tested at the tertiary level of education, university and polytechnic level.
This is largely due to the fact that at the tertiary level, students are given more freedom as they’re generally expected to be more mature thus also expected to have better time management skills.
In a demanding society such as the one we live in today, many professionals and top level personal rely on skills like good communication skills and good leadership qualities, just to name a few. However, few may know that good time management is actually what helps these guys climb to the top.
It is through their skill of planning their lives that enable them to ascend quickly in terms of society standing.
I’m pretty sure that a life in a state of mess and confusion will not achieve success as quickly as a life of proper time management, no matter how much substance or content the latter has. It is only through constant planning and organization that one is able to succeed in what they do and in this sense, I feel that time management is the true essence of life.
So, what can we do to improve our time management skills? Personally, I was a really unorganized person in the past and I’ve often have to cope with tight deadlines and last minute rushes in work. What I did was to keep a personal organizer with me at all times and record details and meetings I had for the week or even the plans I had for a particular date.
Evidently, there has been a change in my lifestyle as I feel more “in control’ of my life and I’m sure what I’m supposed to be doing during a particular time in any particular day. Though it may be a small step in improving my personal time management, I’m sure that in the long run, I’ll develop a stronger sense of time management.
Time management can either make or break a person, depending if one is able to use his or her time to the fullest extend.
So lets work towards having better time management in our lives as only then will we be able to live our lives to the fullest and benefit the most from it all.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Emotions; A Flaw in the Human Design?
I've been pretty occupied these few days and thus explains my inconsistent blog articles. I'll try my best to produce consistent articles over a set duration, for those of you who are interested in the content posted on this blog.
I was somehow or another, subjected to a huge (understatement) myriad of different feelings and emotions over the past week and thus decided to dedicate an article entirely to the topic of human Emotions.
The change in learning environment, the new people, the change in style of learning, the freedom and of course, the 18th; varying events that chronicles my own emotions for the past week or so.
I won't elaborate further about the events that took place as certain details are highly personal, emotionally speaking.
I'll tackle the subject of human emotion as a whole and from my viewpoint and perception, establish a stand on the subject.
What is Emotion? Can it be defined as, "A mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes"(As cited from dictionary.com)? The word Emotion, I feel, is vague and somehow or rather, suggestible; it has no fix definition.
Through my careful observation, the most common "definition" people often use to describe emotion is the word "feeling".
Why is this so?
Are they trying to say that your emotion is what you feel?
There is a certain extend of logic to that claim. But let us take a step back and think about the word feelings. Unlike emotions, the word points to a much more subdue and more rather, physical sense. Probably because feelings are somehow or rather, more sensory as it plays on the five senses.
Emotions however, are much more psychological in a sense. Mainly due to the fact that, from what I see, emotions are fabricated from events and happenings that affect the person.
That being said and established, we now move on to the main gist of the topic; are emotions flaws in the human design.
Emotions as mentioned earlier, is a vague term. When one is happy, is that an emotion? I believe so. Emotions are what you think or how you feel about something that's affected you in some way or another. Like for instance when one watches a touching scene in a particular movie, I'm pretty sure emotions come into play for that person will have a certain degree of subconscious attachment (or detachment, depending) to that particular scene for its content, speech or other factors.
There's a figure of speech, "Emotions got the better of me". It is true that quite often in life, we'll find ourselves in a difficult position, a position where having emotions will mess things up instead of helping. It is in this sense that emotions are classified as a supplement for disaster, something that will affect your chances of survival and success, depending on which.
A common example I observed is when one is forced to talk or face a large audience; nervy emotions are bound to pile up, especially if you're introverted by nature or have no prior experience.
I admit that I'm guilty to such a condition and often I'd blame emotions on certain incidents like that of mentioned. But is that really a bad thing?
I'd like to think otherwise.
To me, the emotions that are within us is actually something that keeps us sane and keeps us human. It may sound illogical but lets imagine ourselves without emotions in our lives. Can we still call ourselves living beings if without emotions? I like to think not.
Every living being, even plants and trees which we take for granted, has emotions by far for it is part of the universal logic of how life works.
Emotions, I feel, constitutes to part of one's soul. There has been a interesting and rather spiritual quest to find out or define the soul of a person. I'd like to think that emotion is the closest subject in relation to the soul of the person.
Yes, emotions can go out of control at times, for when people lose control of their emotions, they lose control of their lives in a way. And I'm sure that's not what most people will want to achieve.
Emotion is a powerful thing, it can either make you, or break you and its always up to the individual to control it, rather then vice-versa, from what I believe. Therefore, I feel that it isn't a flaw, but more rather, a "feature" in the design, a feature that can be mastered and used in advantage rather then to harm.
So let us gain control of this "feature" in our designs and master it. Only then, will we develop a much more enriching and wholesome experience while we're still in existence.
I was somehow or another, subjected to a huge (understatement) myriad of different feelings and emotions over the past week and thus decided to dedicate an article entirely to the topic of human Emotions.
The change in learning environment, the new people, the change in style of learning, the freedom and of course, the 18th; varying events that chronicles my own emotions for the past week or so.
I won't elaborate further about the events that took place as certain details are highly personal, emotionally speaking.
I'll tackle the subject of human emotion as a whole and from my viewpoint and perception, establish a stand on the subject.
What is Emotion? Can it be defined as, "A mental state that arises spontaneously rather than through conscious effort and is often accompanied by physiological changes"(As cited from dictionary.com)? The word Emotion, I feel, is vague and somehow or rather, suggestible; it has no fix definition.
Through my careful observation, the most common "definition" people often use to describe emotion is the word "feeling".
Why is this so?
Are they trying to say that your emotion is what you feel?
There is a certain extend of logic to that claim. But let us take a step back and think about the word feelings. Unlike emotions, the word points to a much more subdue and more rather, physical sense. Probably because feelings are somehow or rather, more sensory as it plays on the five senses.
Emotions however, are much more psychological in a sense. Mainly due to the fact that, from what I see, emotions are fabricated from events and happenings that affect the person.
That being said and established, we now move on to the main gist of the topic; are emotions flaws in the human design.
Emotions as mentioned earlier, is a vague term. When one is happy, is that an emotion? I believe so. Emotions are what you think or how you feel about something that's affected you in some way or another. Like for instance when one watches a touching scene in a particular movie, I'm pretty sure emotions come into play for that person will have a certain degree of subconscious attachment (or detachment, depending) to that particular scene for its content, speech or other factors.
There's a figure of speech, "Emotions got the better of me". It is true that quite often in life, we'll find ourselves in a difficult position, a position where having emotions will mess things up instead of helping. It is in this sense that emotions are classified as a supplement for disaster, something that will affect your chances of survival and success, depending on which.
A common example I observed is when one is forced to talk or face a large audience; nervy emotions are bound to pile up, especially if you're introverted by nature or have no prior experience.
I admit that I'm guilty to such a condition and often I'd blame emotions on certain incidents like that of mentioned. But is that really a bad thing?
I'd like to think otherwise.
To me, the emotions that are within us is actually something that keeps us sane and keeps us human. It may sound illogical but lets imagine ourselves without emotions in our lives. Can we still call ourselves living beings if without emotions? I like to think not.
Every living being, even plants and trees which we take for granted, has emotions by far for it is part of the universal logic of how life works.
Emotions, I feel, constitutes to part of one's soul. There has been a interesting and rather spiritual quest to find out or define the soul of a person. I'd like to think that emotion is the closest subject in relation to the soul of the person.
Yes, emotions can go out of control at times, for when people lose control of their emotions, they lose control of their lives in a way. And I'm sure that's not what most people will want to achieve.
Emotion is a powerful thing, it can either make you, or break you and its always up to the individual to control it, rather then vice-versa, from what I believe. Therefore, I feel that it isn't a flaw, but more rather, a "feature" in the design, a feature that can be mastered and used in advantage rather then to harm.
So let us gain control of this "feature" in our designs and master it. Only then, will we develop a much more enriching and wholesome experience while we're still in existence.
Friday, April 18, 2008
The Beauty Of Having a Laptop
Awesome-ness. Blogging from Starbucks at United Square, using WirelessSG. You can't say thats not awesome.
Oh well, basically I'm 17 on the 18. Didn't really have anything to do so I decided to hang around solitary. I'll try to post an article asap but currently right now, my notes and revision are of piority; it has been a busy but informative week.
Stomach's grumbling and that means time for some Subway.
Cheers to United Square for having all round internet coverage.
Oh well, basically I'm 17 on the 18. Didn't really have anything to do so I decided to hang around solitary. I'll try to post an article asap but currently right now, my notes and revision are of piority; it has been a busy but informative week.
Stomach's grumbling and that means time for some Subway.
Cheers to United Square for having all round internet coverage.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Guess where I'm at now.
Blogging this entry from my school's Koufu.
Awesome. Wireless. Internet. For. The. Win.
I'll start posting my usual entries/articles this weekend (or when I have the time to). Its been all out Poly life so far; Classes starting at 9-ish, ending at 5-ish (the latest) and you can't say that's not awesome.
The freedom we get here is by far similar to that of university.
Lots of new people, lots of new classmates, lots of interesting modules; its a whole new experience.
So here I am, sitting in Koufu. Talking to my new classmates while they lunch. Oh look, the cleaning lady just cleared my plates. Ha-ha. Oh well, time to prepare for classes, time to read my notes, time to learn. lol.
Cya'll in abit.
Awesome. Wireless. Internet. For. The. Win.
I'll start posting my usual entries/articles this weekend (or when I have the time to). Its been all out Poly life so far; Classes starting at 9-ish, ending at 5-ish (the latest) and you can't say that's not awesome.
The freedom we get here is by far similar to that of university.
Lots of new people, lots of new classmates, lots of interesting modules; its a whole new experience.
So here I am, sitting in Koufu. Talking to my new classmates while they lunch. Oh look, the cleaning lady just cleared my plates. Ha-ha. Oh well, time to prepare for classes, time to read my notes, time to learn. lol.
Cya'll in abit.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Commercialism; The Bane Of Art?
I would like to start this post off with a re-cap and update on the latest that's been going on in my life.
*scroll down right to the article if you're uninterested. (I would if i were you. lol.)
Firstly, i spend the last couple of days at my school's orientation; the School Of Business Management (aka. SBM) at Nanyang Polytechnic (aka. NYP) where I enrolled in Diploma for Media Studies and Management.
The past two days were memorable. My social circle expanded as I met new people and naturally, made new friends in the process. With that, through various games, cheers, tours around the school and the time spent together, my class and I bonded well.
MS0801, you guys are great!
We're easily the best OG!
The grand finale was simply epic; everyone was freaking high and dancing around. Evidently, everyone had their fair share of fun. Now let us work hard together and strive for the best academically! And once again, cheers to the new friends I made during the past 2 days or so. You guys are simply awesome.
That's that.
Well, as you're able to tell, I've been pretty busy for the past couple of days socialising amongst my new mates. Though this is no excuse, I didn't really think of topics to write about during the duration of the orientation.
However, at the band meeting held today, I chanced upon an interesting piece of argumentative topic that our Bassist had to complete for his GP (General Paper).
"Commercialism distorts the value of art" Discuss
The title caught my eye like a light in the dark and obviously, I wanted to give it a shot. He (the Bassist) was more than happy to let me help him complete his piece of homework. But seriously dude, you owe me lunch or something lol.
In the case of an argumentative topic such as this, I feel that the topic itself has to be carefully and extensively scrutinized, word for word for one small misconception or misinterpretation will mean that the article will render utterly useless.
In this case, the word "Commercialism" would be properly defined as an adjective which means something that is "organized principally for financial gain" (as cited from dictionary.com). The keyword here is "financial gain", take note of it.
The word "distorts" means to ruin, destroy, defame or strip of the true meaning and beauty in this case or art; general degradation in this case.
However, there is a choke hold in this notion in the phrase "value of art" partly because the phrase is vague and that there are many degrees of definition to it. It also largely depends one's point of view on the phrase. To some the "value" of art might be its material price, the person who draws it or how old it is for example and to others, this "value" might refer to the quality or the technique used in the art.
We stand before another grey-area for the definition of the word "art" is vague. A sane and logical definition in this context would probably be "The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the sense of beauty, specifically the production of the beautiful in a medium" (as cited from dictionary.com again). The definition itself is vague as there are many grey-areas in between however, in this case, it isn't needed to fully define the term "art" or segregate it for we are able to treat it as a generalisation.
The next step is probably to piece the pieces together and formulate a simple yet effective definition of the entire notion. From my perspective, all it means is that the title is asking if one agrees or disagrees that the act of Commercialism of Art is only in the interest of financial gain and in doing so, defeating the true purpose of Art, thus degrading it to a level.
Commercialism of Art is something that has been done for quite a period of time in our modern society. This is evident on three fronts of art, which I will be focusing on in this article; Audio, Visual and Physical.
*scroll down right to the article if you're uninterested. (I would if i were you. lol.)
Firstly, i spend the last couple of days at my school's orientation; the School Of Business Management (aka. SBM) at Nanyang Polytechnic (aka. NYP) where I enrolled in Diploma for Media Studies and Management.
The past two days were memorable. My social circle expanded as I met new people and naturally, made new friends in the process. With that, through various games, cheers, tours around the school and the time spent together, my class and I bonded well.
MS0801, you guys are great!
We're easily the best OG!
The grand finale was simply epic; everyone was freaking high and dancing around. Evidently, everyone had their fair share of fun. Now let us work hard together and strive for the best academically! And once again, cheers to the new friends I made during the past 2 days or so. You guys are simply awesome.
That's that.
Well, as you're able to tell, I've been pretty busy for the past couple of days socialising amongst my new mates. Though this is no excuse, I didn't really think of topics to write about during the duration of the orientation.
However, at the band meeting held today, I chanced upon an interesting piece of argumentative topic that our Bassist had to complete for his GP (General Paper).
"Commercialism distorts the value of art" Discuss
The title caught my eye like a light in the dark and obviously, I wanted to give it a shot. He (the Bassist) was more than happy to let me help him complete his piece of homework. But seriously dude, you owe me lunch or something lol.
In the case of an argumentative topic such as this, I feel that the topic itself has to be carefully and extensively scrutinized, word for word for one small misconception or misinterpretation will mean that the article will render utterly useless.
In this case, the word "Commercialism" would be properly defined as an adjective which means something that is "organized principally for financial gain" (as cited from dictionary.com). The keyword here is "financial gain", take note of it.
The word "distorts" means to ruin, destroy, defame or strip of the true meaning and beauty in this case or art; general degradation in this case.
However, there is a choke hold in this notion in the phrase "value of art" partly because the phrase is vague and that there are many degrees of definition to it. It also largely depends one's point of view on the phrase. To some the "value" of art might be its material price, the person who draws it or how old it is for example and to others, this "value" might refer to the quality or the technique used in the art.
We stand before another grey-area for the definition of the word "art" is vague. A sane and logical definition in this context would probably be "The conscious production or arrangement of sounds, colors, forms, movements, or other elements in a manner that affects the sense of beauty, specifically the production of the beautiful in a medium" (as cited from dictionary.com again). The definition itself is vague as there are many grey-areas in between however, in this case, it isn't needed to fully define the term "art" or segregate it for we are able to treat it as a generalisation.
The next step is probably to piece the pieces together and formulate a simple yet effective definition of the entire notion. From my perspective, all it means is that the title is asking if one agrees or disagrees that the act of Commercialism of Art is only in the interest of financial gain and in doing so, defeating the true purpose of Art, thus degrading it to a level.
Commercialism of Art is something that has been done for quite a period of time in our modern society. This is evident on three fronts of art, which I will be focusing on in this article; Audio, Visual and Physical.
Audio art basically refers to Music, songs and various auditory related mediums. Commercialism is especially evident in this aspect largely due to the fact that there are many different genres and classifications for audio art. Music, itself has different genres. From Rock to Blues, R&B to Jazz; the list goes on.
Commercialism has indeed affected music in a way as there are certain segregation from the genres. The Rock genre, for instance, has a sub genre classified as "indie rock". No, Indie Rock has nothing to do with Bollywood or Indian films; its defined as an artist or a band that is unaffiliated with a larger or more commercial organization. It basically means that its a certain type of music that is uncommercialised.
In comparison, many die hard Rock fans will tell you that they prefer Indie Rock to their mainstream counter parts.
Why is this so?
Content. The content of mainstream music as compared to indie music is largely different probably due to the fact that mainstream music is controlled by a certain authority in terms of content. Instrumental-wise, the unique sound of the indie music scene is the missing ingredient that fans are looking for. Many feel that by commercialising, the true essence of music is lost as is it replaced by the need for more money.
But is this true?
I personally feel that obviously, there's a difference between commercialised and uncommercialised music, but not all artists or bands lose the "essence" of music as they make the transition from indie to mainstream. Only a number of them will suffer a distortion in terms of their artistic value and in fact to some, mainstream music would appear more appealing as indie music doesn't cover a wide spectrum of thought in their content; it caters to only a limited capacity.
Let us move on to the aspect of Visual art-form. When we say visual art, things like paintings and drawings and sketches comes to mind. Commercialism is actually the key in marketing and that is especially prominent in the field of visual art.
Not alot of people enjoy works of visual art as it is often concluded that it takes a certain degree of understanding and appreciation to fully immerse oneself in visual art. And it is due to that fact which makes commercialism an advantage in this aspect.
Through commercialism, the masses will be able to be exposed to various works of art and henceforth, develop and cultivate an interest and appreciation for it. They will begin to understand the true meaning of a particular piece of work and the complexity behind it.
But how about the quality? Will it be compromised in anyway?
No. In this case commercialism, as mentioned, is an advantage. We see examples like Leonardo da Vinci's "Mona Lisa" and controversial piece "The Last Supper", or Vincent Van Gogh's beautiful piece "Starry Night" or even Michelangelo's "The Creation Of Adam", all of them awesome and intricate pieces of art that have undergone commercialism to a certain extent; they are now world famous pieces of art.
The point here is that the beauty of visual art pieces such those mentioned above isn't in anyway compromised as these works of art are not fabricated solely for the purpose of commercialism and therefore in this case, commercialism is considered an advantage.
Physical art basically refers to various landscapes, structures and revolves around the beauty of the natural environment. Places like Mount Everest, The Great Pyramid Of Giza, The Great Wall of China, Easter Island Statues, Aztec Ruins, The Stonehenge and The Col0sseum are just some of the beautiful examples of physical art we have on Earth.
The effect of commercialism on physical art pieces such as those mentioned however, isn't that beautiful. Commercialism means promotion and financial gain (as mention earlier) and in this case, tourism comes into play due to the fact that it is a major source of income to many countries and businesses.
Having tourists in the area would mean destruction or degeneration in the quality of these physical art pieces. Pollution will soon follow due to the fact that with the arrival of tourist; relevant infrastructure would have to be built to accommodate.
Clearly, physical art will not benefit much from commercialism as it will lead to distortion and over time, complete destruction. The value will drop and eventually perish. This is a case whereby commercialism will not benefit the value of art as only financial gains are thought of and as a result, the quality will deteriorate.
Like a coin with two different sides, an advantage and a disadvantage is obvious in the topic of Commercialism and the effects it has on the value of art.
However, I personally feel that Commercialism doesn't distort the value of art and thus disagree with the notion. Yes, the fact that Commercialism might bring harm and pollution to various art forms (like physical art), Commercialism is also a boon in certain aspects. Commercialism doesn't defeat the whole purpose of art but more rather, refines it into a modern context; to increase exposure and audience.
Thus i conclude that Commercialism is not the bane of Art.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Opportunity Strikes; Why Do We Hesitate?
I spent the past two day of my life over at one of my friend's place. Basic activities included the Xbox 360, the Internet, Youtube and a couple of guitars.
Amongst the many videos we browsed, we were particularly addicted to this one:
"hey hey! yea, yat's rught, ya bat'er run."
We were so addicted to this particular clip that we tried mimicking the clip, especially the voice of the turret, which had like an Irish accent. I must say, we were quite fascinated (and even up till now we're still trying our best in perfecting the accent, lol).
The rest of the stay pretty much revolved around GH3 (guitar hero 3) and an assortment of other Xbox games (yea i know, pretty boring if you ask me) and oh yea, not sleeping much.
The video gave me a good laugh.
However, as i looked back and reflected, the video does contain a certain degree of truth that applies to our daily lives.
You see, i feel like many people nowadays are afraid. Afraid to take opportunities, afraid to venture out of their safety zones and more importantly, afraid to fail. Very few people are like the blue character in the clip and are afraid to "venture out into the unknown" and that's probably going to contribute to their stagnant position in the society.
The presence of the turrets surrounding the perimeter is what contributes to the fear in the characters in the video. They know that they'll be shot down and are afraid to venture out, even though they're curious to know what's out there.
This often happens in life.
Very often in life, when opportunity strikes, one is often reluctant in making use of the opportunity and giving it a go. That reluctance is understandable as not all opportunities are worth taking; it largely depends on the situation, outcome and risks involved. However, the common mistake is that people hesitate acting on good opportunities, thinking that it might not be such a good idea or that they're insecure and unsure.
Another point i would like to bring up tackles the links and perspective that people draw when i say the word "opportunity". Many often imply that when i say opportunity, it refers to business deals and money making. That is a strong misconception.
Yes, though opportunities are evidently used in the business world, but I personally feel that life itself is full of opportunities; there is no such limitation.
The only limitation, I feel, is oneself. Yes, very often or so, you find that the only thing stopping you from attempting or going for an opportunity is yourself. It is all in the mind, and as mentioned, insecurity is the main cause of it all.
They say that "opportunity knocks only once and after, its gone". I beg to differ from this claim. I feel like in certain situations, its ourselves that make and create opportunities. Opportunities will not just come by or drop from the sky for every cause there is an effect.
I think what we should all do is basically banish all our insecurities and not be afraid to venture out of your safety zone. As the saying goes, "Its better to have tried and fail than to not try at all". It is only then that we'll be able to succeed and learn a little something extra.
Thus, let us eradicate our insecurities and find out what's really "out there"!
Amongst the many videos we browsed, we were particularly addicted to this one:
"hey hey! yea, yat's rught, ya bat'er run."
We were so addicted to this particular clip that we tried mimicking the clip, especially the voice of the turret, which had like an Irish accent. I must say, we were quite fascinated (and even up till now we're still trying our best in perfecting the accent, lol).
The rest of the stay pretty much revolved around GH3 (guitar hero 3) and an assortment of other Xbox games (yea i know, pretty boring if you ask me) and oh yea, not sleeping much.
The video gave me a good laugh.
However, as i looked back and reflected, the video does contain a certain degree of truth that applies to our daily lives.
You see, i feel like many people nowadays are afraid. Afraid to take opportunities, afraid to venture out of their safety zones and more importantly, afraid to fail. Very few people are like the blue character in the clip and are afraid to "venture out into the unknown" and that's probably going to contribute to their stagnant position in the society.
The presence of the turrets surrounding the perimeter is what contributes to the fear in the characters in the video. They know that they'll be shot down and are afraid to venture out, even though they're curious to know what's out there.
This often happens in life.
Very often in life, when opportunity strikes, one is often reluctant in making use of the opportunity and giving it a go. That reluctance is understandable as not all opportunities are worth taking; it largely depends on the situation, outcome and risks involved. However, the common mistake is that people hesitate acting on good opportunities, thinking that it might not be such a good idea or that they're insecure and unsure.
Another point i would like to bring up tackles the links and perspective that people draw when i say the word "opportunity". Many often imply that when i say opportunity, it refers to business deals and money making. That is a strong misconception.
Yes, though opportunities are evidently used in the business world, but I personally feel that life itself is full of opportunities; there is no such limitation.
The only limitation, I feel, is oneself. Yes, very often or so, you find that the only thing stopping you from attempting or going for an opportunity is yourself. It is all in the mind, and as mentioned, insecurity is the main cause of it all.
They say that "opportunity knocks only once and after, its gone". I beg to differ from this claim. I feel like in certain situations, its ourselves that make and create opportunities. Opportunities will not just come by or drop from the sky for every cause there is an effect.
I think what we should all do is basically banish all our insecurities and not be afraid to venture out of your safety zone. As the saying goes, "Its better to have tried and fail than to not try at all". It is only then that we'll be able to succeed and learn a little something extra.
Thus, let us eradicate our insecurities and find out what's really "out there"!
Sunday, April 6, 2008
Tales Of The Past III; What Is Destiny?
I recently discovered an awesome series entitled "Tales of the past" over the Internet. Its based on the World of Warcraft lore and the animation in the movie itself is that of the actual game. Which means the creator of the story uses the actual models from the game and animates them.
Sounds complicated? Wait till you watch the movie itself; its awesome.
There are 3 parts to the series but i highly recommend anyone, or more rather, everyone to watch "Tales of the past III"; the highly anticipated climax to the series.
The video's around 89minutes long, and if you have totally idea whats World of Warcraft, I highly urge that you take a crash course before watching the movie.
For hardcore Warcraft fanatics (such as myself) this video is sure to blow your mind. Not only are the graphics like that of the game play (which has a considerable standard), the storyline, plot and sound actors fit perfectly; its truly a work of brilliance. And if you have no idea whatsoever about the story or characters, be sure to watch part I and II of Tales of the past first, trust me, it'll be worth the time.
The link to the movie and direct download can be found here: http://www.warcraftmovies.com/movieview.php?id=53953
Or alternatively, you can search Youtube (which is a faster way).
*The following contains spoilers (to a certain degree). You might want to watch the video first before reading on.*
From the movie as mentioned above, one is able to derive certain concepts of life aside from marvelling at the awesome cinematic-like graphics or the suiting soundtracks.
I find one aspect of the movie particularly interesting; the issue of Destiny that basically revolves around the entire storyline and plot.
What is Destiny? Can it be classified as "a predetermined course of events considered as something beyond human power or control"? (as cited from dictionary.com) Or is Destiny just God's way of ensuring order in events that takes place in someone's life?
I'm sure that there are many variations of the definition but let us take a step back and think about the possibility of an existence of such a force.
There is no science or logic to Destiny. Its connected to the spirit and the mind rather than solid facts.
We see in the story mentioned above that it is in the "Destiny" of Blazer to be the "Ashbringer" even though the latter opposed the idea of existence to such a thing called Destiny. He believed that he wasn't destined for such a title more rather, he was chanced and forced upon it. Blazer had hope in him and that's why he doubted Destiny.
Destiny, in the modern world, is often used in cases such as love. For instance, people living in totally different worlds with totally different backgrounds may end up together even though it may seem impossible to others. In such cases, I'm pretty sure you've heard of things like "maybe they're destined for one another" or "its destiny that they're together" being said about such scenarios.
Maybe its Destiny, maybe its fate or maybe its just the work of sheer luck; no one really knows.
From a sceptical point of view, it may seem that Destiny doesn't exist and that the events that happen are probably due to chance.
However, just like the existence of ghosts, spirits or the supernatural, there isn't a definite answer. We cannot say for a hundred percent that there's such a thing called Destiny and that we're already predetermined by someone up there that we're meant to be a certain someone or to fit in a certain role (like that in the story).
I personally feel that Destiny doesn't exist. I feel like it isn't predetermined by anyone but yourself. Yes, I believe strongly that you yourself is what controls your life; You forge your own Destiny.
I mean lets look at it this way, if you're "destined" for some reason, that you're to be the next billionaire of your country but you don't do anything at all to achieve that target, will it happen?
I highly doubt so.
A man will be successful in his life, only if he has a driving force or a certain degree of motivation that pushes and spurs him on. Without certain elements, I'm sure that no matter how much "Destiny" one has, he is bound to fail and perhaps that is his Destiny.
So let us work to find our driving force, our hope and faith, and just like Blazer in the movie, we'll be able to overcome all odds and return triumphant at the end of the day.
Sounds complicated? Wait till you watch the movie itself; its awesome.
There are 3 parts to the series but i highly recommend anyone, or more rather, everyone to watch "Tales of the past III"; the highly anticipated climax to the series.
The video's around 89minutes long, and if you have totally idea whats World of Warcraft, I highly urge that you take a crash course before watching the movie.
For hardcore Warcraft fanatics (such as myself) this video is sure to blow your mind. Not only are the graphics like that of the game play (which has a considerable standard), the storyline, plot and sound actors fit perfectly; its truly a work of brilliance. And if you have no idea whatsoever about the story or characters, be sure to watch part I and II of Tales of the past first, trust me, it'll be worth the time.
The link to the movie and direct download can be found here: http://www.warcraftmovies.com/movieview.php?id=53953
Or alternatively, you can search Youtube (which is a faster way).
*The following contains spoilers (to a certain degree). You might want to watch the video first before reading on.*
From the movie as mentioned above, one is able to derive certain concepts of life aside from marvelling at the awesome cinematic-like graphics or the suiting soundtracks.
I find one aspect of the movie particularly interesting; the issue of Destiny that basically revolves around the entire storyline and plot.
What is Destiny? Can it be classified as "a predetermined course of events considered as something beyond human power or control"? (as cited from dictionary.com) Or is Destiny just God's way of ensuring order in events that takes place in someone's life?
I'm sure that there are many variations of the definition but let us take a step back and think about the possibility of an existence of such a force.
There is no science or logic to Destiny. Its connected to the spirit and the mind rather than solid facts.
We see in the story mentioned above that it is in the "Destiny" of Blazer to be the "Ashbringer" even though the latter opposed the idea of existence to such a thing called Destiny. He believed that he wasn't destined for such a title more rather, he was chanced and forced upon it. Blazer had hope in him and that's why he doubted Destiny.
Destiny, in the modern world, is often used in cases such as love. For instance, people living in totally different worlds with totally different backgrounds may end up together even though it may seem impossible to others. In such cases, I'm pretty sure you've heard of things like "maybe they're destined for one another" or "its destiny that they're together" being said about such scenarios.
Maybe its Destiny, maybe its fate or maybe its just the work of sheer luck; no one really knows.
From a sceptical point of view, it may seem that Destiny doesn't exist and that the events that happen are probably due to chance.
However, just like the existence of ghosts, spirits or the supernatural, there isn't a definite answer. We cannot say for a hundred percent that there's such a thing called Destiny and that we're already predetermined by someone up there that we're meant to be a certain someone or to fit in a certain role (like that in the story).
I personally feel that Destiny doesn't exist. I feel like it isn't predetermined by anyone but yourself. Yes, I believe strongly that you yourself is what controls your life; You forge your own Destiny.
I mean lets look at it this way, if you're "destined" for some reason, that you're to be the next billionaire of your country but you don't do anything at all to achieve that target, will it happen?
I highly doubt so.
A man will be successful in his life, only if he has a driving force or a certain degree of motivation that pushes and spurs him on. Without certain elements, I'm sure that no matter how much "Destiny" one has, he is bound to fail and perhaps that is his Destiny.
So let us work to find our driving force, our hope and faith, and just like Blazer in the movie, we'll be able to overcome all odds and return triumphant at the end of the day.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Sympathy Or Tissue Packets; What Are You Selling?
Woke up slightly earlier today as parents wanted to have lunch out. We decided to go all the way to Tiong Bahru Market to have our lunch, largely due to the fact that both of them craved for the famous vegetarian store there - a personal family favorite.
We arrived just in time for lunch and soon placed our orders. We had identical servings of vegetarian food; a combination of bee hoon, noodles and an assortment of vegetarian products.
Now, I've heard from my Father that the place is not only famous for its food but also for its abundance of "street sellers" going from table to table, selling packet tissues. Personally I've seen people like that going around in various places and often, they're either disabled or have a certain degree of impairment.
True enough, throughout our lunch there, we encountered not one but two separate groups of these "sellers". One of which consisted of a blind man and a lady, both elderly and frail looking.
I look at them and it baffles me greatly. Are they here to do a simple business of selling tissue packets or are they indirectly begging?
I feel and strongly believe that every human is kind by nature. The human mind thus works in a way that when we see someone that's either less fortunate or in a dire state of life, emotions stir. Emotions such as pity and compassion comes into play and the next natural reaction is that subconsciously, we will find ourselves wanting to help and give assistance to these poor folk.
So what we have here on our hands must surely be a masterstroke in business, an awesome way to earn money, a marketing marvel; to tap into the human mind's weakness. Or is it?
I've seen many advertisements or campaigns that use this "flaw" in the human mind as a catalyst to fuel and elaborate certain points. But let us take a small step back; are these "street sellers" really sinister business men that are out there just for your money?
No.
In the past, the people I see out there on the streets selling tissue packets have often reminded me of the beggars on the television and in a sense yes, they share a similarity as both parties are ultimately trying to meet end's meet.
In our society of controversy, we have been "brain-washed" to see these people in a different light. Nowadays, people see beggars and no, the first thing they do isn't to search for spare change but to doubt their authenticity. So what happens is that people dismiss the compassion and pity they have in their minds and dismiss the idea of helping a person in need.
Yes, there have been various scams from sly businessmen to use the weakness of humans to their advantage but let us not forget that there are still less fortunate people out there in our society.
So as I look at these people going from table to table selling tissue packets (largely to no avail), I begin to search and look for the compassion and pity that our society filtered away in me. No, though not all of them are like that, these people are in genuine need of help and assistance. They hobble round just to make end's meets, selling simple tissue packets.
To me, they're just doing an honest business to cope with the demands of life. I'm sure that they harbour no malicious intent. I'd like to think of it in such a way that they're trying their best to give back and not ask from society.
I feel that the higher authorities should do something and give these genuine cases their due amount of assistance. Its no doubt that we live in a demanding society, but what about people less fortunate? Life must be really hard for them.
Be it Sympathy or Tissue Packets, I'm sure by the end of the day it all depends mainly on the perspective of how you view the matter.
So let us open up these "filters" and see the world with an open mind. Only then, will we find the true meaning in our lives.
We arrived just in time for lunch and soon placed our orders. We had identical servings of vegetarian food; a combination of bee hoon, noodles and an assortment of vegetarian products.
Now, I've heard from my Father that the place is not only famous for its food but also for its abundance of "street sellers" going from table to table, selling packet tissues. Personally I've seen people like that going around in various places and often, they're either disabled or have a certain degree of impairment.
True enough, throughout our lunch there, we encountered not one but two separate groups of these "sellers". One of which consisted of a blind man and a lady, both elderly and frail looking.
I look at them and it baffles me greatly. Are they here to do a simple business of selling tissue packets or are they indirectly begging?
I feel and strongly believe that every human is kind by nature. The human mind thus works in a way that when we see someone that's either less fortunate or in a dire state of life, emotions stir. Emotions such as pity and compassion comes into play and the next natural reaction is that subconsciously, we will find ourselves wanting to help and give assistance to these poor folk.
So what we have here on our hands must surely be a masterstroke in business, an awesome way to earn money, a marketing marvel; to tap into the human mind's weakness. Or is it?
I've seen many advertisements or campaigns that use this "flaw" in the human mind as a catalyst to fuel and elaborate certain points. But let us take a small step back; are these "street sellers" really sinister business men that are out there just for your money?
No.
In the past, the people I see out there on the streets selling tissue packets have often reminded me of the beggars on the television and in a sense yes, they share a similarity as both parties are ultimately trying to meet end's meet.
In our society of controversy, we have been "brain-washed" to see these people in a different light. Nowadays, people see beggars and no, the first thing they do isn't to search for spare change but to doubt their authenticity. So what happens is that people dismiss the compassion and pity they have in their minds and dismiss the idea of helping a person in need.
Yes, there have been various scams from sly businessmen to use the weakness of humans to their advantage but let us not forget that there are still less fortunate people out there in our society.
So as I look at these people going from table to table selling tissue packets (largely to no avail), I begin to search and look for the compassion and pity that our society filtered away in me. No, though not all of them are like that, these people are in genuine need of help and assistance. They hobble round just to make end's meets, selling simple tissue packets.
To me, they're just doing an honest business to cope with the demands of life. I'm sure that they harbour no malicious intent. I'd like to think of it in such a way that they're trying their best to give back and not ask from society.
I feel that the higher authorities should do something and give these genuine cases their due amount of assistance. Its no doubt that we live in a demanding society, but what about people less fortunate? Life must be really hard for them.
Be it Sympathy or Tissue Packets, I'm sure by the end of the day it all depends mainly on the perspective of how you view the matter.
So let us open up these "filters" and see the world with an open mind. Only then, will we find the true meaning in our lives.
Friday, April 4, 2008
The Younger Generation; reluctant to abide traditional values?
Woke up pretty early today, around 6.35am.
Today was the actual day for Qing Ming which means "Clear and Bright Festival" in the Chinese language (as cited by Wikipedia), a day where people honoured and commemorated their ancestors often via expression of prayer and offerings.
And that meant that I had to head down to Mandai Columbarium along with my family, to pay respects and pray for my late Grandma.
We arrived late. Amidst all the ashes, smoke and the smell of joss sticks in addition with the lack of sleep, we finally found the rest of our family members. Greetings were brief as we were already running late and some of them had to rush to work after that; we moved quickly.
The place wasn't really a place you would want to be at early in the morning (nor at night) and since it was, as I've mentioned, the actual day of the festival, a considerable amount of people massed there, offering prayers to their ancestors.
However, I couldn't help but notice a certain degree of reluctance on many of the faces that were gathered there amongst the crowd.
This was especially evident on the younger people that were present there. Many of them had that "lets get it over and done with" look on their faces. There were even some of them that were playing with their gaming consoles while they held their joss sticks in the other hand and prayed.
I question their believe and their understanding of such a festival and the significance to them. Surely this isn't just another family outing but something more.
I confess that I'm one of those "younger people" there and I've had various doubts about the festival at one point as I wasn't really too keen on waking up early; I thought that it was just a big waste of time going there.
But over time, understanding and inquiry, I've realised that this festival not only bonds the living with the dead (in a way), but also the living with the living.
I've heard of long lost family members reconciling through their ancestral links and the festival also draws different people from different walks of life together.
It not a question of "time-wasting" but more rather, a question of morals and traditional values.
One may suggest that its things like filial piety and respect that galvanizes the devotion and faith that these people have towards their ancestors. In a sense yes. However, as I glance around, something peculiar struck me.
The older generation amongst the crowd have a much different look on their faces. Much more like the look of nostalgia and eagerness. I've seen old folks, in their 80s, slowly limping their way through the Columbarium, in search of their friends or families.
Never mind the smoke in the air nor the ashes all around them, they have only one goal while they're there- to "visit" someone that was once significant in their lives. I'm very sure that the significance is immense to them, much more compared to filial piety and respect.
I thus draw comparison from the two different groups of people. Are the younger generations really reluctant to abide traditional values?
One of the main reasons, I think, is that the younger generations don't know and haven't experience the significance and the true meaning of traditional values.
They think its a waste of time, and I, being a part of this "younger generation", understand how they feel.
However, I feel that as long as they are able to grasp and understand the importance and significance of the festival and the reason they're there, they too will realise that it isn't a chore but a question of moral reckoning, a question that only they themselves can answer.
That being said, I feel that parents and elders should inculcate these traditional values in the younger ones and explain the significance to them. Only then will they know about that little special something that will probably stick with them for a long time to come and hopefully, they too will pass this "knowledge" on.
In the fast paced society of the world today, such values are often forgotten as the big M(oney) word often overwrites everything.
I thus hope the people of today will not produce the "monsters" of tomorrow.
As for my Grandma, I'm pretty sure she's in a better place now. Disease might have defeated her in this world, but I'm really sure that she lives on in all of our hearts and memories.
Today was the actual day for Qing Ming which means "Clear and Bright Festival" in the Chinese language (as cited by Wikipedia), a day where people honoured and commemorated their ancestors often via expression of prayer and offerings.
And that meant that I had to head down to Mandai Columbarium along with my family, to pay respects and pray for my late Grandma.
We arrived late. Amidst all the ashes, smoke and the smell of joss sticks in addition with the lack of sleep, we finally found the rest of our family members. Greetings were brief as we were already running late and some of them had to rush to work after that; we moved quickly.
The place wasn't really a place you would want to be at early in the morning (nor at night) and since it was, as I've mentioned, the actual day of the festival, a considerable amount of people massed there, offering prayers to their ancestors.
However, I couldn't help but notice a certain degree of reluctance on many of the faces that were gathered there amongst the crowd.
This was especially evident on the younger people that were present there. Many of them had that "lets get it over and done with" look on their faces. There were even some of them that were playing with their gaming consoles while they held their joss sticks in the other hand and prayed.
I question their believe and their understanding of such a festival and the significance to them. Surely this isn't just another family outing but something more.
I confess that I'm one of those "younger people" there and I've had various doubts about the festival at one point as I wasn't really too keen on waking up early; I thought that it was just a big waste of time going there.
But over time, understanding and inquiry, I've realised that this festival not only bonds the living with the dead (in a way), but also the living with the living.
I've heard of long lost family members reconciling through their ancestral links and the festival also draws different people from different walks of life together.
It not a question of "time-wasting" but more rather, a question of morals and traditional values.
One may suggest that its things like filial piety and respect that galvanizes the devotion and faith that these people have towards their ancestors. In a sense yes. However, as I glance around, something peculiar struck me.
The older generation amongst the crowd have a much different look on their faces. Much more like the look of nostalgia and eagerness. I've seen old folks, in their 80s, slowly limping their way through the Columbarium, in search of their friends or families.
Never mind the smoke in the air nor the ashes all around them, they have only one goal while they're there- to "visit" someone that was once significant in their lives. I'm very sure that the significance is immense to them, much more compared to filial piety and respect.
I thus draw comparison from the two different groups of people. Are the younger generations really reluctant to abide traditional values?
One of the main reasons, I think, is that the younger generations don't know and haven't experience the significance and the true meaning of traditional values.
They think its a waste of time, and I, being a part of this "younger generation", understand how they feel.
However, I feel that as long as they are able to grasp and understand the importance and significance of the festival and the reason they're there, they too will realise that it isn't a chore but a question of moral reckoning, a question that only they themselves can answer.
That being said, I feel that parents and elders should inculcate these traditional values in the younger ones and explain the significance to them. Only then will they know about that little special something that will probably stick with them for a long time to come and hopefully, they too will pass this "knowledge" on.
In the fast paced society of the world today, such values are often forgotten as the big M(oney) word often overwrites everything.
I thus hope the people of today will not produce the "monsters" of tomorrow.
As for my Grandma, I'm pretty sure she's in a better place now. Disease might have defeated her in this world, but I'm really sure that she lives on in all of our hearts and memories.
Official 1st post
Hey there,
First of all, welcome to the blog. This may sound alien or almost insane to many, but yes, its my first time blogging. I used to hate blogging, and bloggers (no offence) as I didn't really fancy the idea of sharing your life and intimate thoughts with the world. Ironically, I'm one of them now! But looking back, I guess i was just bought over by the prospect of generating article after article at one's free will and being able to share these articles with the world.
I, though, have a different approach for my blog.
The main intention for the blog is actually to host my "bucket-list". What's gonna happen is that I'll blog everytime i manage to do something that's on my bucket-list.
However, don't fret.
Aside from that, I'll be including perceptions of life and multiple entries of daily occurrences. So be sure to watch this space for more updates.
Stay Golden.
First of all, welcome to the blog. This may sound alien or almost insane to many, but yes, its my first time blogging. I used to hate blogging, and bloggers (no offence) as I didn't really fancy the idea of sharing your life and intimate thoughts with the world. Ironically, I'm one of them now! But looking back, I guess i was just bought over by the prospect of generating article after article at one's free will and being able to share these articles with the world.
I, though, have a different approach for my blog.
The main intention for the blog is actually to host my "bucket-list". What's gonna happen is that I'll blog everytime i manage to do something that's on my bucket-list.
However, don't fret.
Aside from that, I'll be including perceptions of life and multiple entries of daily occurrences. So be sure to watch this space for more updates.
Stay Golden.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
A (weird) new goal in life, i guess.
A Hundred (Weird) Things To Do Before I Die
*IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER WHATSOEVER*
1. Smash and totally ruin a guitar
2. Balance a book on my head and take a sip of (really hard) liquor
3. Drink coffee (preferably from Starbucks) through my nostrils
4. Bite staples
5. Use drumsticks and make holes in drumheads
6. Wear jeans inside out for a date
7. Order a Subway club, foot-long, sandwich at Starbucks
8. Order a Coffee Frap, Venti-sized, at Subway
9. Cut my pinkie on purpose just to see it bleed and collect my blood in a pill bottle
10. Be a Chink for a week
11. Drink from my (huge) cup without using my hands
12. Sit on my head and complete a miserably hard Sudoku puzzle
13. Tell everyone I know that Black isn’t really my favorite colour
14. Try wearing makeup (eyeliner, mascara etc) (√)
15. Eat a whole tube of toothpaste and live to tell the tale
16. Tell someone on the streets that he/she has BO (even if its not true)
17. Be an Emo kid for a year (that means all black, LONG fringe and angst)
18. Not talking for a month
19. Being trapped on an island alone
20. Wedgie a friend
21. Spit at someone without getting into trouble
22. Tell everyone and everything that the world’s gonna end
23. Force myself to scream (very very loudly) when I stub my toe
24. Go without sleep for around 3 days
25. Go without laughter for 2 weeks or more
26. Eat out of a straw
27. Confuse the person who makes the drinks at Starbucks
28. Go and actually stay overnight at a 24 hour MacDonald’s outlet
29. Help every person I see for a day (even if they don’t need or want it)
30. Drink a cup of water out of Dad’s fish tank
31. Kick a moving car
32. Smash and totally ruin a useable cell phone
33. Stand in front of an audience (more than 20 people) and say something weird
34. Use hairspray as an air-freshener for my room
35. Break one of those fire alarm things
36. Go into a car showroom and yell “(brand name) sucks!”
37. Dial 999 just to hear what actually goes on
38. Drink Coke and eat Mentos just to see what happens (√)
39. Taste Ink
40. Sleep for more then 20 hours
41. Pay a hundred dollar (or more) bill entirely with coins only
42. Eat Subway at least once a day for a week
43. Speak only Chinese for a week
44. Order chicken rice without chicken
45. Clean the windows of a Starbucks outlet using a window wiper
46. Unscrew a lighted light bulb
47. Travel in someone’s car boot
48. Try to break a thermometer using heat
49. Sit in every chair in a particular Starbucks outlet
50. Do a pushup in a crowded area
51. Do the weather forecast once
52. Sleep through a really really really boring movie
53. Learn to rap (properly) in a foreign language
54. Get shot by a stun-gun (just for kicks)
55. Convince someone to do something on this list
56. Try and convince a female friend that her boyfriend/soul-mate/husband is gay
57. Praise everyone you know for one day (even if its not really complimentary)
58. Learn to speak Jamaican and/or African
59. Tell only lies for a week
60. Tell only the truth for a week
61. Take a bath sitting down
62. Take a particular bus from the interchange to the next interchange and then back again
63. Learn to sing an entire song backwards but in melody
64. Eat something exotic (like a live animal)
65. Say something mean to a famous person
66. Taste (or smell, rather) pure Oxygen
67. Strike a casual conversation with a stranger on a public transport
68. Throw something at a television set and break it
69. Lie to someone that you have a terminal disease
70. Take “Neo-prints” with only guys
71. Give a ten dollar bill to a street entertainer
72. Do a “power slide” in front of parents
73. Walk into the toy’s section and look at every Barbie doll on sale
74. Taste pet food
75. Act as if you’re 5 years of age for a day
76. Shower with the door open for once
77. Try and pay for something using monopoly cash
78. Tell a lecturer/teacher that he/she is beautiful (√)
79. Swim in a public water feature (eg. Fountain)
80. Take a bath in the rain
81. Use the laptop while on a tree
82. Break a PSP
83. Buy a Blendtec (or any other high powered) blender
84. Sit in a public shelter until it rains
85. Fall asleep while walking
86. Go up and down the escalator for one entire hour
87. Tune all the clocks and time devices in the hours 3 hours faster for a day
88. Learn and try to perfect the ability to fart on demand
89. Sing (horribly) in front of a (huge) crowd
90. Have a dog or a cat eat up a piece of my work
91. Taste waste (ie. human waste, animal waste, you know the lot)
92. Take a swag of Wasabi powder via the nostrils (Jackass Style)
93. Sky dive without a parachute (Jackass Style)
94. Watch Television programs for 24 hours non-stop
95. Start a mosh-pit in a crowded area
96. Walk to school or work place (from home) to and fro for a week
97. Convince a smoker to quit smoking
98. Swim or get wet in an artificial water feature
99. Use the wrong side of chopsticks for a week
100. Do a particular task on this list again
Those tasks that have a tick beside, (√), signifies its completion.
[/EDIT 10 October 2008] I've managed to update the list and fill up all 100 spots. I will be, however, revising some of the tasks on the list due to feasibility and interest so check back soon for updates and details.
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