Discretion or Inspiration?

Was down at the Cathay an hour or so back for a little R&R and guess what I saw.

A beauty isn't it?

Well, say "aye" if you're a car fanatic as you'll probably know where I'm coming from. But that wasn't all...

Oh. My. God.

An ENTIRE row of Astons. Right in front of me. I swear, the radius of a hundred meters around me was probably worth well over millions.

Though Astons aren't exactly my personal favorites, this spectacle would probably wow typical car junkies.

I soon found out the reason for such a gathering.

Apparently, Cathay was gearing up (pun intended) for the premier launch of the latest Bond Movie, Quantum of Solace (out in theaters in a couple of days).

And thus explaining the reason behind all the Astons parked there. Talk about a publicity stunt.

Alright, time for a little update.

I've noticed a trend in my post frequencies as of recent durations. No, blogging hasn't converted itself into a weekly affair; I'm just too caught up with school work and the such. The added disadvantage of not having stable access to the internet during weekdays further amplifies this issue.

But fret not readers, articles and updates will be posted soon and in fact, I'm actually considering registering metallic-stains as an independent domain by itself.

This is very subjective though, due to various factors (ie. costs) and simply due to the fact that the idea came along as a random thought.

Week 4 marks the start of various ICAs and for my readers who require clarification about the abbreviation, its simply your average graded assignment (ie. project presentations, written tests).

I realized that creativity is the essence of success as seen in multiple cases (like Apple Corporation for example). Sure, there's a certain degree of difficulty in being creativity, but I believe that everyone is creative to a large extent thus there is no excuse for success.

On a side note, I never thought that time would fly so (freaking) fast. Barely a year ago, I would be cooped up in my house, viciously mugging and remembering as much detail as I possibly can in preparation of the O level examinations.

There are certain events in life that can literally break or make a person and I guess that this crude and somewhat critical education system that we're currently in does have its positive outcomes as well.

At this point in time, I would like to share a little narrative that I thought about while in the shower a couple of days back (told you guys that one of my main periods of thought occurs during showers didn't I?) and here goes;

"

A cold winter morning blew a bitter chill over the flat country lands. Everyone left in search of new hope when the immerse colds struck. While only a few others decided to pursue seemingly broken dreams in the harsh waste land.

The farmer was one of them.

This plot of land was the only thing he had owned in his entire life and not even the harshest of winds would have deterred his will to stay rooted there. In a way, it was more than just a home to him.

Yes, winter had come early this year in this region but as usual during this period, everyone in the country left towards warmer urban areas, in hopes of new opportunities. Only the old or sickly was left behind, largely reluctant to leave due to emotional bonds similar to that of the farmer.

But the farmer was only 18 of age.

There was something different about him for sure. While others of his age had snubbed the idea of staying in the country, he saw what he needed to do here and has thus decided on his decision to stay.

As the farmer sat down in his small shack shared with his elderly parents, massive sacks of seeds surrounded him. He knew that winter would soon end and it would be time. Time to make a change and time to move on.

The farmer wasn't without ambition; he had big plans for this land he had valued so much over development. One day, he told himself, people will see the value of country lands.

Indeed, he has studied the lands in the country for one too many years and had thought that he knew everything there is to know. But what he didn't learn was that every winter was different from the previous, a crucial detail that he ignorantly overlooked which he'll soon pay a deep price for.

Soft cracks presumed as the farmer diligently separated and sorted out the seeds.

-

Too many bone biting winter chills had passed since the farmer sat in his shack, sorting the seeds out. He knew that winter was about to end, and before he slept that night, he prayed to whichever god he knew, asking for the dawn of a new hope and chapter in his life.

The grim overcast skies of dawn showed no improvement. A crack, however, soon printed itself in the center of the vast greyness. Slowly but surely, it widen and a golden ray of warmth and hope pieced the dull monotony of the country side.

The farmer felt warmth on his face as he stirred in bed. He smiled with his eyes still closed for he knew that the time was here.

-

The seeds were all planted in the vast area of land that the farmer owned and valued more than anything else. And with a satisfied look from his face as he viewed his pass week's effort to plant the seeds, he felt confident about his progress. His aged parents too, felt his confidence and they too, basked in it.

The coming of spring saw the return of the those who left and new faces in the country.

The farmer knew that they wouldn't last the winter as they would probably be too impatient and thus made no efforts to befriend them.

-

A festive-like atmosphere soon filled the country side. The farmer visited the country's market square only to find tents and bonfires being erected and smiling faces filled the streets.

It was a common sight in the non-winter seasons as considerable numbers flocked to the market square to gather supplies, interact as well as soak in the various festivals that spurred the people in the region of the country side.

After a quick visit to the local blacksmith (he needed a new pitch fork), the farmer decided to stop by the animal vendors to check out the livestock, vital to any farm though he never had money to afford a proper investment as such.

As soon as he turned the corner, his eyes met with another; dark brown pupils with beautifully framed eye lashes. Shifting out of focus, he saw the face which the eyes belonged.

The girl was beautiful, easily the most appealing ones he's seen in his entire life. A confused look framed her face as she held an arm to her hips while the other griped a belled staff tightly, as if anticipating an attack.

A shepherd! The farmer had never expected one of her kind in these regions for the lack of need for wool; there was simply no economy here for such a trade to exist as people only came to the country side during the warmer seasons of the year.

The shepherd looked away as the farmer muttered his apologies for bumping in like that.

"Oh, its alright. Can I interest you in some sheep for your farm?"

The farmer wasn't looking for sheep to even start with, probably a chicken or a pig but a sheep had never crossed his mind, and thus decided to dismiss that offer.

The shepherd looked dejected and turned the other way as she slowly walked back to her herd of sheep in the distance.

"But wai..."

She never looked back.

-

Day after day, the farmer headed back to that very same spot in hopes of "bumping" into the shepherd again, largely to no avail. Traders never stayed in one place for too long and he knew of that only too well.

But since that fateful meeting, he felt a strong connection with the shepherd. As if someone had sent her there, only to make him suffer day and night as thoughts of her filled his mind.

On his usual round one day, he decided that he wasn't going to come back tomorrow, or the day after, or even the month after that. In essence, he had given up, physically, though his mind betrayed that emotion.

He look out a piece of paper, wrote a note and hammered it onto a nearby wooden lamp post.

The farmer didn't come back the next day, nor did he the day after or the week after. But in his mind the prospect of the shepherd remained vivid, as if hinting that there was a possibility of hope.

-

As the months passed, the farmer's crops grew but harvest was poor as compared to previous years. Evidently, the farmer was disappointed; it would be a really tough winter this time, to tide through, if they were able to even make it at all.

The autumn months brought about rains to the country side, and by now, people were already evacuating, with rumors spreading of a horrible winter ahead; the worse in the country's recorded history.

Floods were on the feared tongues of land owners and the farmer too, had to be on the alert.

The morning will bring new hope, the farmer thought to himself as he climbed onto his bed as fell asleep. A soft rumble, barely audible, vocalized in a distance just as the farmer fell asleep...

(END OF PART 1)

"

Okay I'll stop here. Hopefully there's a hook factor in this narrative. I'll continue and conclude the story soon. Feel free to share your thoughts about the narrative above. I'm as always, open to feedback.

On a random note, I think people misjudge and misunderstand the term "emo" namely, emo music. I've developed a recent liking for emotional songs, probably due to occurrences as well as being able to relate to a distinct few.

Call me weird.

Alright, its late and time for bed. More content coming soon on metallic-stains so please check back often.

Cya'll later.

"This Heart, it Beats"
----------------
Now playing: Paramore - My Heart
via FoxyTunes

Entrusting Responsibilities

Look who's here.

Its been a hectic week on the books as the term starts (it actually started last week, but I guess it kicked into a higher gear this week).

Day by day, work is evident in the lives of students and I guess we're by far, no exception as media students. But since its the end of the week, I've decided to do a little update. I apologize for the inactivity in terms of updates and articles due to obvious reasons as such.

For some reason, this week seemed to creep pass noticeably slower as compared to previous weeks, though it may not necessarily be a bad thing. I can confidently say that I've acquired new information and knowledge about the media industry as well as management, throughout the week and in substantial amounts too.

Really awesome stuff, I must say.

Management might come as instinctive to some but in actual fact, there are logical explanations to different levels, roles and methods of management. I shan't drone on about the details about the topic (largely due to the specific but lengthy specifics) but I'm really sure that the knowledge and skills acquired will be useful for a media practitioner.

Life is about improvement and changes. And this is something that I adhere and believe with details that will only make sense to me.

My recent Wednesdays and Thursdays afternoons were spent in the library, partly to pass time (before procceding for my tuition classes) and my casual browsing drew my attention to another book by Paulo Coelho.

Well as I've mentioned in my previous entries, articles with reference and responses, Paulo Coelho was the author behind the magic of the inspirational novel, "The Alchemist". Its a book that I highly suggest and recommend reading.

The new entity that I found was entitled "The Fifth Mountain".

Details are sparse for now (as I've borrowed the book for about 3 days and have not completed it as yet) but "The Fifth Mountain" has relations and links drawn with key concepts mentioned in "The Alchemist", which revolved around the concept of achieving one's personal legend.

So far, it has been a promising read and I'll try to talk about the aspects and my personal insights in entries to come so check back for more detail on that.

I've been also thinking about ways to amplify my teaching and communication methods towards the two students which I'm currently tutoring, in various subjects. Though people would typically subject younger kids to be "easier to teach" I feel the contrary to an extent.

In tutoring children, especially younger ones, I personally feel that communication is vital for comprehension as well as conversation. Talking to the kid may well be more effective then doing boring worksheets on the black and white simply due to the short attention span of such individuals, but again, this is viewed with much subjectivity.

Roughly 4 weeks ago, I decided to test out a technique in hopes of rectifying and improvement of communication between my student and I. And also in doing so, fully maximizing the time spend during class and discussions.

Due to his active persona and mischievous outlook, I made a deal with him; behave well during class as well as doing his homework properly and he'll be rewarded at the end of 3 weeks.

Though control in him was rather excruciating at times (getting him to stop jumping all around the place and such), I managed to induce an improvement in terms of homework submission and in-class behavior.

Thus, giving credit to the statement that "Humans are motivated through rewards".

This week, I rewarded him for his efforts. There weren't any sweet or chocolate wrappers in my bag that day as I lugged my way to my destination. I had bought something so simple yet powerful and was really eager to give it to him.

"What do you think I got for you?"

"I don't know? *inserts random naughty laughter here*"

A ruffle of shopping bags later, a pen lay neatly on the table. I decided to reward him with the powerful gift of responsibility.

Many people are afraid to entrust their children with responsibilities at an early age, and understandably so due to the immaturity of such individuals. But I feel that this should be reconsidered and reaccessed. We shouldn't let the fear elude our purposes.

"By giving you this pen, I want you to use it to do your assignments, neatly."

From a human behavioral perspective, we are weird creatures as we'll always be responsible for things people trust us with. Which was substantiated by my student's handwriting at the end of the lesson; he made it an effort to write neatly with his new "responsibility".

Personally, I was really satisfied by my student's reaction and performance. But more importantly, I would like to hear from you guys, my readers and thus I post this question to all of you;

"Do you think it is appropriate to entrust responsibilities in order for change and improvement to eventuate?"

Really looking forward to all of your responses and comments. I could use a couple of suggestions on handling and teaching young kids too so keep those comments coming.

Be sure to check back for updates and article posts though the frequency may come a wee bit slower; I apologize for that.

Alright but before I go, I'd like to share a song with all of you, my valued readers:

"Dear God- Avenged Sevenfold"

Yea, I don't really do this often but in light of the band, Avenged Sevenfold's local gig here in Singapore, I thought it would be nice to feature this personal favorite of mine. The lyrical content was one of the highlights of the song that really drew me in. (You might have to click on the picture to view it in a higher resolution, I apologize about the size and all)

Alright, I'll end here for, its late and time for a little snooze. Hope you guys enjoyed this little update and till then.

Cya'll later.

----------------
Now playing: Avenged Sevenfold - Dear God
via FoxyTunes

i(am)Here

A little something happened on a certain weekend, during a certain time, at a certain place...

Its like telling the world that you've just bought an Apple product and you're loving it (which is largely true).

This is it.

I totally dig the packaging; its really attractive. Two separate boxes overlapping one another, in sleek black finishing, of course.

The iPhone 3G. And its finally within my possession. *inserts evil laughter here*

*

Well yea, a couple of days back, I took action and purchased the new Apple iPhone 3G. Loads of consideration were put into this consumer purchase process before I made my decision; some of you guys might recall my dilemma which I brought up, a couple a posts back.

Trust me, it was a largely intensive and volatile process as I had to carefully weigh the pros and cons of the purchase as compared to other products of either the same function and use.

It wasn't easy.

But in the end, I decided to pursue the trends of tomorrow and also due to the added fact of the new semester's workload, I'm sure the iPhone will fulfill whatever tasks its entrusted with and in doing so, maximizing its potential for use and improvement of efficiency.

Ta-dah!

My purpose of this post is mainly to help potential iPhone users, or rather, to warn them of the limitations as well as the (huge) benefits of the iPhone. Though I've been doing a little product research about the iPhone for about 3 months prior to my purchase, I was in for big "surprises" (good and bad) upon my first use of the beautifully crafted device.

Here's why;

Awesome-ness

Need I say more? I'm sure you've been hearing a steady flow of praises about this new product from Apple. From a marketing perspective, Apple has always been at the forefront of branding and positioning, whats more, with their avid use of awareness creation in their promotional tactics, Apple has established itself on a steady foothold in today's technology market.

And the iPhone 3G, doesn't by any means, undermine that fact. But in actual reality, has further consolidated Apple's world dominance on the technological market.

With its sleek appearance, sensitive (but durable) touch screen feature, this device will win tech geeks, as well as babes alike, over in a jiffy.

It isn't all looks though; the iPhone function as well as it looks. With awesome built in features, like the conventional iPod, the ever helpful Google maps, Photo viewer as well as the ever helpful Notepad, it pretty much speaks out for itself.

Its simply:
- an iPod (awesome music player)
- a Street directory
- a photo album
- an organizer
- a mobile device
- a web browser
- a mini computer
- a very sophisticated device

And I've not even started on apps yet.

The presence of the app store is what makes your iPhone different from your Uncle's business mobile device. Apps can do ANYTHING (okay almost anything, think logically). From being a lightsaber (from the app "Lightsaber Unleashed", Star War fans will understand what I'm ranting on about), to having a mobile online chat with your contacts, apps top this crown of gold with beautiful gems.

The iPhone is after all, a mobile device, and does not disappoint. I particularly enjoy the text message interface, which is in the form of a continuous chat orientation, which I'm sure, will be a huge hit to the next generation who are more obsessed in texting on their mobile devices rather than actually talking.

The iPhone is also very interactive. So interactive that I'm surprised that it actually can't talk. Every flick of the finger, tap of the thumb or swipe across the screen results in instant reaction from the iPhone. The brightness of the iPhone is also determined by the light intensity of your surroundings and you can't say that's not awesome.

It makes us wonder if technology can someday, take over the role of humans.

Why it blows (skip this part if you're a delusional Apple fan).

My first problem when I got my iPhone really got me on the nerves. Sure the package and everything else were perfect BUT the instruction manual, if it can be considered one, was really just a piece of "something that told me nothing useful".

For instance (and this was my second problem), I discovered that all my SIM contacts weren't in my iPhone. I looked through the product package and "instruction manual" in hopes of finding possible solutions but were largely in vain. The internet wasn't too helpful.

After a couple of taps and flicks on the iPhone, I finally found out why my SIM contacts weren't in the phone; they weren't imported from my SIM card, yet. Note that the manual or troubleshooting guides weren't able to offer me the solution.

Then comes the issue of the much talked about Battery life of the iPhone. Though this isn't a major issue for me as yet (probably due to my new battery), I foresee the limitations of the iPhone's battery, accredited due to its numerous functions.

Typing has also been a hassle for me though I'm slowly getting the hang of typing via tapping. For conventional cellphone users, it may take awhile to get used to tapping on the iPhone's screen for both speed and precision.

Don't have a stable internet connection? Well that will reduce your iPhone to a simple, "not-so-cool" device. Simply because a load of the iPhone's functions (ie. Maps, App store, Youtube, Safari and more) are internet intensive.

Think of an iPhone without the internet as say, Slash without his guitar or Ronaldo without his soccer boots.

Probably one of the most taxing problems (to me at least), is the absence of the Apple itunes store in the country that I'm living in; Singapore. This means that one of the most important feature of the iPhone, the itunes feature, is rendered totally obsolete until Apple decides to open a store locally.

For now, the app store is the only salvation to this problem.

Technology has its improvements, and thus humans must do the same.

All in all, I feel that the pros outweigh the cons, which is why I decided to purchase the iPhone as compared to the iPod touch or another Sony Phone.

Alright, that's all for this post I guess. Time to go get my accessories now the iPhone feels naked and unprotected. Remember to check back for updates, as well as articles and stay golden, my readers.

Cya'll later.

*Disclaimer. The owner of this blog and its management team holds no relation to the Apple corporation and does not get paid for promoting or analyzing its product(s). All Apple brand names and products belongs solely to the manufacturer and producers.*

People Love seeing other People in Pain

WARNING:
This post contains material and images not suitable for the young or those who have just consumed food. The stuns as described in this post are possible only at the discretion of the person attempting it and all related references made to the show/movie "Jackass" solely belongs to the creator and founder of the production. No person, animal or prominent business enterprise were harmed during the production for the content in this post.

(Insert Theme Music Here)

Title Screen and disclaimer of the show/movie "Jackass". I totally dig their symbol.

A total turnoff huh?

A couple of days ago, a bunch of crazy close buds and I decided, "hey, instead of hanging around aimlessly, lets go eat as much food as our stomachs can hold." (Well, it was actually my persistent request).

We headed to Sakae Sushi for a little afternoon buffet which proved worth both the time and money; a rough estimate of $17 for the quantity equivalent to two meals or so.

That, however, wasn't the bottom line.

About three quarters into our meal, we decided to "spice" things up and the kid within us took over. A couple of my friends decided to "dare" the rest of us to undertake and consume a vile concoction of Japanese spices (namely Wasabi and Ginger slices, due to the fact that we were in a Japanese Restaurant at that time).

"Eat this and drinks will be on me."

Awesome. Free drinks. Though consuming the concoction was pointless and somewhat treacherous, I decided to give it a go. The picture above is the result of my 3rd concoction.

Looks horrible doesn't it?

Quite awhile back, I stumbled (or was introduced, more rather) to a series entitled "Jackass" which was broadcast on MTV. It featured a group of daring (and often regarded as "crazy") people who performed crazy and often obscene stunts.

They would do things like riding bicycles up stairways, wear funny costumes down streets and during this particular episode, one of the members of the "crazy family", Steve-O, attempted to swallow a live goldfish down into his stomach which he then proceeded to vomit out, with the fish still alive and swimming. (For those interested, do a search on Youtube for little clips and snippets of various stunts)

From a media business's point of view, Jackass is a genius masterstroke. Mainly due to the fact that it operates on a very simple theory in business; Low costs, High profits.

Why is this so?

A lecturer of mine managed to shed some light on the reason as to why the show was able to do so well;

People Love seeing other People in Pain.

And in retrospect to what he told us, I found truth in that statement which I subject to the human nature. I guess in a way, the human behavior yields humor in seeing other people getting hurt, a satisfaction of sorts.

Yea. As compared to the stuff on Jackass, I'm sure what I pulled off back at the Japanese restaurant is insignificant. But there was one other major difference too.

The people who star in Jackass actually enjoy being there. They enjoy getting hurt, they enjoy doing stuff people would consider stupid and most importantly, they enjoy whatever they're doing.

To them, the greatest reward isn't money, fame or anything physical. It is the satisfaction of being able to complete a stunt and laugh their butts off while doing so.

To the normal majority, it may seem like stupidity but I feel that its something deeper. Its about enjoying something you do and getting a huge laugh out of it. This also constitutes to being different, stepping and standing out and making a point. And for this fact, I admire the guys from Jackass.

Sure life isn't by any means, a joke. But it isn't an emotional void either.

The greatest reward isn't physical and as in my case, I'm sure that without the reward of drinks on the house, I wouldn't even want to consider sampling the concoction. In a way, this is something that the seemingly "crazy" guys from Jackass understand, giving reason to whatever they're doing.

To me, the only thing that replicates such an attitude is the sole reason to the fabrication of my bucketlist, which by the way, is recently updated and can be viewed here, http://metallic-stains.blogspot.com/2008/04/its-like-well-new-goal-in-life.html

The society has a perception that "doing something different and stupid is totally pointless and outcast".

I feel that we should develop our own perceptions and look beyond the surface and be less superficial. Release our filters and stereotypical perceptions as the world should be embraced with its full purpose.

Alright, I'll stop here for now; plenty to digest I'm sure (no pun intended).

Remember to check back soon for updates not forgetting articles. The new semester is about the unfold and personally, there's no better time for it.

Cya'll later.

Pop Culture, Stereotypes and Californication

This picture doesn't belong to me but I thought it would be really interesting to include in today's post due to its relevance.

I came across this picture you see above while surfing for images about stereotypes and pop culture.

I've been thinking about the media's influence on society, both on a negative and positive foundation. Indeed, it is very interesting to fashion and chart societal trends based on the media's influences.

Has our society deteriorated to such a state where trends and routes are charted based on whatever that's coming out of the television channels or radio stations?

To some extent, I believe that the media can be considered a tool to lead as well as to assert certain ideologies into the typical society. The evident presence of "pop culture" is an obvious symptom that the society is very much influenced by the media.

Pop culture is actually, Popular culture in short and simply put, it refers "contemporary lifestyle and items that are well known and generally accepted" (as cited from dictionary.com). And by the term "generally accepted", I can safely assume that it means "generally accepted" by the society.

An intervention?

Certainly so as the media is the one which defines and tells the society of what's "generally accepted". Things like profanities are often shun upon in society as with certain issues like homosexuality, freedom of speech and even parenting issues.

We see pop cultures everyday, right from the minute you wake up as the radio blares from the kitchen while your mother makes you breakfast till the time comes for bed in the evening, with the late night news flashing images of destruction, chaos and poverty around the world.

We then come to the issue of stereotypes.

This, I feel, is a largely interesting topic to talk about. Especially since there are such a big myriad of different societal stereotypes that at some point their lives, everyone will be classified as a certain stereotype.

Again, we see stereotypes everyday and largely deduced from the way a person carries himself/herself and the general physical appearance as perceived by the general society.

Lets look at a couple of examples to start with;


Case 1: A teenager with streaks of red in his hair standing outside a train station smoking.

Case 2: A blonde having trouble at the counter with her payment causing a huge delay at the lines of a supermarket.

Case 3: A street performer playing the guitar along the underground subway.


I'm sure that most if not all of you have, in some form or another, came across such scenarios.

From the society's viewpoint, the teenager in case 1 would be commonly themed as a "gangster" or an individual with little or no education, someone's who's destined for failure in life. But what if I told you that the person in case 1 was an aspiring and rising young acting talent on the streets of Hollywood?

As with case 2, there is this common stereotype that "all blondes are dumb". But what if I told you that the reason of the delay was due to the lady not being able to find her credit card instead of her wits?

Case 3 is a common scenario. We see someone basking in the underground passageways with his guitar case opened in front of him and we automatically deduce that he's begging for alms. What if that street performer was a rich retiree with nothing more then a deep love for music running in his veins?

We see here that stereotypes are scary as it transforms people into something that they ain't suppose to be.

Personally, I have been the subject of stereotypes, as with my friends and the people around me. I'm sure everyone has been, at some point in their lives.

And I guess that was why the Red Hot Chili Peppers wrote the song "Californication" (as seen/heard here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tn28aGYytxs).

This song tells of the media's negative impact on society, which I feel, demonstrates and illustrates the situation perfectly.

Below is one of my favorite lyrical verses of the song;

It's the edge of the world
And all of western civilization
The sun may rise in the East
At least it settles in the final location
It's understood that Hollywood
sells Californication

Pay your surgeon very well
To break the spell of aging
Celebrity skin is this your chin
Or is that war your waging

[Chorus:]
First born unicorn
Hard core soft porn
Dream of Californication
Dream of Californication

There are various issues being talked (or sung, rather) about here. Things like Plastic Surgery, Hollywood and Pornography. The rest of the song talks about other social issues like natural disasters, the credibility of space travel and even teenage pregnancies.

The term Californication derives from California, the State (or was it county, I'll need verification on that) which Hollywood is located at.

I appreciate songs like these with deep meaning embedded in their lyrics though it must be noted that one a musical front, the Red Hot Chili Peppers is an awesome band in itself.

Moving slightly away from that, the new school semester is approaching and it spells a new chapter with newer challenges in the field of media.

I hope to revolutionize the media and its function for the better good. The media is a powerful thing in itself and when harnessed correctly, the possibilities are endless.

I foresee the new semester to be tougher than the previous and with good reason too; life is of course, based off improvements. And only then will we be able to develop further and better.

This will also see a personal challenge for me to juggle both my personal and professional mindset together in a delicate pendulum.

I hope you guys have enjoyed this post as much as I did though I have to admit that its a wee bit wordy for an "update" (but too informal for an article post).

But before I end this post, let me post a question back to you guys;

"Do you think that there should be Stereotypes in Society?"

So yea, just a little something for all of you to chew on and think about. I appreciate feedback so I'd love to hear from all of you!

Remember to check back for updates and article posts as I await the coming of the new semester.

Also, my best of wishes for all those who're en route to taking their major exams (ie. O levels, A levels, PSLE etc).

Cya'll later.

*All references made in this insight post is purely made up and fictional. Resemblances are strictly by coincidence. The owner and its management team does not, in any way, support smoking prior to the references made and hopes that all readers to lead a smoke-free, healthy lifestyle.*

Choice Number 1

"You scratch my back, I'll scratch yours."

The pass couple of days were somewhat inward as well as solitary for me as I dug deep into the uncharted regions of my mind, reflecting on everything that's been going on, everything that has happened, and everything that I foresee happening. To put it simply, I've been doing a thorough overhaul mentally.

I've thought about various issues, not only those related to me personally but also to the society as a whole. I've also come to realize that things aren't always what it turns out to be and that the society has a much stronger foothold on us than we had envisioned it.

A couple of weeks back, I received a call inquiring about my services as a tutor. In a way, I was really excited about taking in another student.

A few days back saw the first lesson with my new student (so now I have 2 students, for those of you keeping track at home) and it was, if I may comment, a new experience with regard to my previous student.

Not drawing any comparisons here but I'm really thankful, both from a professional and personal perspective for this new business opportunity. Again, having a new client means, naturally, newer challenges but I'm ready to face them head on.

During the lesson however, came a particular challenge that caught me off guard.

We chanced upon this "multiple choice" vocabulary question, one of those where you have to pick an answer out of the 4 given and write its corresponding number. It went like this;

Question: On Sunday, we went to the library to ____ books

1) Buy
2) Borrow
3) Lend
4) Draw

Well, I'm pretty sure you're sitting there in your chair going "that's easy, the answer's 2".

Yes, that was my presumption too. But sometimes like they say "ignorance is bliss".

"I think the answer is number 1!"

She (my student) then happily scribbled down her answer on the book and gave me a satisfied expression upon doing so.

"that's because sometimes libraries sell books too!"

Buy. Borrow. Yes common sense tells you that you "borrow" books from the library but is "buy" really deemed incorrect?

That was when I started thinking of the article which I posted recently; "Eating at Disambiguation; Agreeing is not Disagreeing". Why can't the answer be choice number 1?

"What if" the library decided to organize a book fare to sell its old books on that particular Sunday which the question was referring to?

I guess in reality, the "politically correct" answer would be option 2 as people NORMALLY borrow and not buy books at the library.

The presence of ambiguity (with huge reference to my article), has indeed elevated this question into a philosophical issue rather than a primary one (first grade) question.

Indeed, I was dumbfounded by the question as well as my student's response. In fact, there was a minute's grace before I gathered my assessment of her answer.

Life catches you unawares on more than one occasion and I guess, this is one such example. Here we see the clash between innocence and ambiguity in society. People automatically assume the norm.

Its like saying,

"Stop ___ on your computer, you've been at it all day!"

The "correct" answer being "playing" but can you entirely say that "working" is "politically incorrect"?

A child's innocence is the result of an unfiltered mind. The child may know of both sides as they're not subjected to typicality as yet.

Oh well.

On to lighter issues.

Sigh.

I have this strange urge to go and adopt a cat (thus the reason for the pictures in this post). I've been a fan of cats (as compared to dogs) for quite sometime now but only recently has this idea resurfaced (yes, I've considered the idea of adoption only to be rejected by my folks).

If only Life was like this.

I would take pictures of stray cats I see on the streets and along with a bunch of friends whom share the similar interest and fondness for cats, talk about them every time the thought pops up.

I sense a trip down to the local pet shelter sometime soon.

I've also decided (more or less) to purchase an iPhone, which will happen sometime soon during the week.

Figured that purchasing an iPhone will speed up my efficiency, both on a professional front as well as on a personal basis. Of course, I took into consideration a load of other factors.

Alright, I'd best get to bed; expected to be up early tomorrow prior to a significant event (which I may or may not update on).

Remember to check back for updates and articles.

Cya'll later.

*All Photos/Pictures used in this post belongs to their respective owners and photographers*

Eating at Disambiguation; Agreeing is not Disagreeing

Had this sudden urge to talk about a little something that I've been thinking about for the past couple of hours or so.

Disambiguation.

And after much thought and deliberation, I've decided to elaborate my train of thought into a full grown standalone article.

Many a time, life throws riddles and problems straight into your face, be it in terms of work or your personal life. And many a time, such problems and adversities aren't as clear cut; if you mix white and black together, you'll get a color called gray, not "black-white".

Ambiguity exists in our daily lives though as we get used to such confusions of the mind, we ignore them and treat them as something of the norm, something that is "just like that" or is "made this way".

On a daily basis, us human beings are subject of ambiguity as much as being the source of it, such is a context of irony.

Obvious sources of this interesting aspect range from speech to daily occurrences.

Remember the time back in preschool, when your teacher would ask the class of cute and chubby 5 year old kids questions like "what is your favorite color?" Well, I remembered my time during preschool less then distinctively but viewing it in retrospect, disambiguation has already been put into play.

Pertaining to that particular question, the chubby 5 year old in me at that time (as I faintly recall) saw friends and classmates around me raising up their hands in excitement, some even shouting our their answers to the teacher's inquiry.

"Red! Blue! Yellow! Green! Black!"

And soon, it was my turn to answer that question as my teacher (and the rest of the class for that matter) waited intently for my answer.

Indeed I was young at that time and I too, was subjected to giving the "right answer", thus choosing to "play it safe" with a normal answer ("my favorite color is red"). My answer was acknowledged as a result.

But thinking back, had I answered something along the lines of "my favorite color isn't blue" (for example), would the entire experience be the same as the one that happened?

Here we see an example of disambiguation at play. It is fact that the color red, isn't blue and in actual truth, it is common sense so that means that red isn't blue.

We say that there is ambiguity in the answer for there are in truth, 2 correct answers to the question ("what is your favorite color") but in actual fact, only one is deemed "correct" for the other answer would be labeled as "missing the point" and going "out of topic".

What happens here is that we are able to see a clash between truth and societal expectations, between the orthodox and the unorthodox. This is what ambiguity brings to the world.

The term ambiguity can be defined as "Doubtfulness or uncertainty as regards interpretation" (as cited from dictionary.com). But to me simply put, it means a subject matter having different interpretations, resulting in different answers and opinions.

Ambiguity is in contradiction to social expectations in most cases, simply because the society as a whole dictates the pace, lifestyle and thinking of its members.

I'm sure many of you have heard of the term "pack instinct" though normally evident for canines like dogs or wolves which hunt in packs, thus giving credibility to this term.

What this "pack instinct" does is that it ensures that everyone in the "pack" follows and thinks similarly so as to work as an effective, compact unit.

I draw relevance with this to a typical human society. It is often said that humans are social creatures and that (most, if not all of them) will not be able to work as effectively in solitary settings as compared to working in a group.

What the society does is to instill this "pack instinct" within its members. Which means this "instinct" sets the right from wrong, black from white, truth to false.

Ambiguity "disrupts" the order of the pack instinct by proving that there is often more than one answer to a question. Ambiguity proves that there is an "in between" for everything and it supports the use of the word "maybe" in any question.

True, ambiguity often encompasses confusion but I like to view it as a variable alternative. It provides a new perspective, one that is not necessarily incorrect or false.

So which path should we take? The mainstream thinking of "going with the flow" of others or the unconventional route?

It is human nature to want to be different and to stand out in the crowd. However, I find it really ironic that though we're wanting to be different subconsciously, much of the population is still under the influence of conventional thinking.

Much of this is credited to the fact that people prefer to agree to something that is already suggested (or disagree) then to suggest an entirely new idea.

In the rite of life, we are often faced with obstacles and detours and are also, in varied frequency, fazed with the prospect of a tough decision. And sometimes, these are the type of decisions that will affect the script of the next chapter of your life.

In that sense, ambiguity is your enemy as it aggravates the situation and puts the "what ifs" back into the equation.

In a way, people in general do not like to think about the "what ifs" as fear takes over the control of possibility and dismisses existence.

A good example is the presence of life in space. For centuries, humans have dismissed the possibility of other life forms in space, more specifically termed "aliens".

The conventional theory goes that all living things need basis requirements to survive and that space conditions does not fulfill the criteria for life to flourish. But is that the case?

Here we see a typical case of ambiguity in play.

The "right" answer to the existence of life in space was originally "no, its not possible for life to exist outside earth as the conditions aren't ideal for survival of life form". But recently, the advancement of men has decreed that there is a possibility of life outside earth.

To put illustrate this point, let us look at this simple interpretation;

Question: Is there Life in space?

Option 1: Yes. (Conventionally "wrong" answer)
Option 2: No. (Conventionally "right" answer)
Option 3: Maybe. (The ambiguous answer)

With this example, we see the society moving together as a unit to accept ambiguity. The public perception has changed from option 2 to 3 thus giving truth to the fact that ambiguity exists and the "right" answer is not always right.

There are many aspects of ambiguity in life, another prominent one being religion. Thus being the case that its a sensitive topic, we cannot deny the fact that there is ambiguity in religion; different religions emphasizes on different values.

To me personally, ambiguity is a "yes and no" answer, factoring in both the proposition as well as the opposition points of view.

Sure, we're bound to be involved in ambiguity at some point of our lives but I guess there's always an unknown boundary in every question, argument, definition or statement.

Working towards solving ambiguity will in turn, result in improvement and development (as with the case of life in space) and in the long run, a better understanding.

Life is full of ambiguity. Look at them not as confusion but as points of clarification and improvement.

Formula Unique

The Marina Bay Circuit, its a beauty isn't it?

[EDIT] I've managed to upload a couple of pictures to the post, as promised. Additional images will be added in due time (when I'm able to get a better connection). [EDIT]

Firstly, I would like to apologize for the lack of images and pictures in this post. This is largely due to my technical restrictions pertaining to the speed of my internet.

Well I feel that talking about an event is largely compromised in terms of richness and depth with the lack of images to describe and relate to. They say that "a picture says a thousand words" so I'll try to update this particular post with pictures as soon as I'm able to do so.

Let us dive straight into the action without delay then.

And yes, that's a Ferrari around the corner.

This weekend saw the Formula One contingent storm into sunny Singapore for the inaugural Singapore Grand Prix.

A piece of history carved in stone for both the sport as well as the country for it was the first night race ever to be held for the sport of Formula One.

World class racers arrived days prior to the start of the race and took time off to familiarize themselves to the climate and also, to the track in which they'll be putting their lives on the line to travel at speeds of up to 300 km/h.

There was an evident buzz descending upon the city of Singapore too, as race day inched closer and closer; a moment in history about the unfold.

The "tunnel of light" which thousands of people gathered around in hopes of sneaking a glimpse of their favorite drivers.

I was there, at ground zero where it was all happening, the Marina Bay Circuit, for the qualifying session on Saturday, a couple of days back.

A festive atmosphere greeted me as I got the all clear from the tight security officials stationed at selected areas around the track, each making sure that conditions were optimum for the race to commence without unnecessary inconveniences.

Booths and huge tents were set up around various locations in the area. Many of which catered to the various needs and wants of the race day spectators. The amenities were simply top-notched.

Porsches speeding by the Fulleton Hotel.

Other races filled up the program sheet for the day. Some of which included Aston Martins, BMWs and Porsches revving their engines up, igniting the already lively atmosphere with grunts and roars which echoed off the tall neighboring buildings of the Central Business District of Singapore.

Dusk soon settled which threw long shadows upon the track as the sun slowly dissipated on the horizon. The atmosphere however, didn't falter.

High pitched grunts from the distance saw the start of the main event; Formula One cars in action. Everyone gathered up their cameras, plugged in their ear plugs and tilted their heads in anticipation, excitement clearly streaming in their minds.

*

The sights and the amazing buzz of activity around the Marina Bay Area.

A couple of hours ago saw the Singapore Grand Prix swing into full throttle (pun intended) as the Marina Bay Circuit rang into life as the the last of the three red lights went off.

Well I personally, was really excited and proud at that very moment though it may sound and appear really odd.

Nope, I wasn't at "ground zero" this time (I was only there for the Qualifying rounds) but witnessed the event via the television, which I might add, provided a substantial amount of coverage for the entire event. Kudos for that.

The race itself had its fair share of ups and downs and to me personally it was a roller coaster of emotions and certainly, one of the more dramatic races that I've ever seen. I will not go into detail lest the presence of spoilers (for more information about the various events that happened, be sure to catch repeat telecasts as well as race reports), but I can assure that its something people will talk about for a long time to come.

It was really amusing yet assuring to see my family clinging onto their seats as we huddled over the television set, watching the race. The fact that they weren't exactly racing fanatics emphasized the point stronger.

History was made. The first ever night race in Formula One history and I guess that explained my sense of pride for our little island we call Singapore.

Hosting the first night race has certainly put Singapore on a whole new level in terms of their global image and also on the world map.

I hope we'll no longer be referred to as the "tiny red dot" but more rather, "the country that hosted the first ever night Formula One Race".

Sure, I'm a racing fan, but with reference to the rest of my family, whom to much concern, regard the term "Iceman" as a superhero and "Understeer" as an object under the steering wheel.

I guess the Formula for Singaporeans to feel proud of their country lies in being unique. Well, at least in my case. As long as a prominent event pulls at the Singaporean heartstrings, I'm sure that sense of pride will ensure.

People nowadays are deteriorating their sense of pride towards their countries, and with much reason to feel so, lest may I add. Living standards are sky rocketing and the world is a much competitive place to live in, in recent decades and I guess that is the core reason why people neglect issues as such.

So I think an event like this, can effectively spur and hopefully, change the mindsets of people towards their countries in due time.

As with reference to the previous post,

"I find it (F1 coming to Singapore) very cool."

And yes, I dare say that proudly and loudly though some may reply "big deal?"

So whether you're a racing fanatic or just a typical citizen with normal pleasures in life, I hope you've found as much joy and prominence in the event as I did. I can't wait for next year's race.

So yea, I hope you liked my little input on the Singapore Formula 1 GP. Again, I apologize for the lack of images, which I'll try to post once I'm at liberty to do so.

Be sure to check back for updates and articles coming right up and I apologize in advance for the lack of activity, due to my commitments.

Cya'll later.

Hard Day's Night

The past few days have been really exhausting for me physically as well as mentally.

Bringing back the bacon is never easy and what better to emphasize that fact then to take up a part time job? Yes, indeed. The recent inactivity is largely due to my adoption of a part time endeavor that I decided to take on, not only for the money but also the experience.

Well, I guess my leg muscles speak for themselves when they scream in aching pain. Imagine walking up and down seemingly endless housing flats distributing similar pieces of advertising material, non stop for the past couple of days. Welcome to my life.

I'd like to think that there's more to a part time job then a simple financial boost. I'd like to think that each and every event or activity has its different aspects, factors and lessons in which the individual will be able to gain from.

(inserts a long drawn out yawn here)

There we go, a well deserved piece of reaction from the body after a hard day at work. Rest is of priority.

Zooming on to a little more excitement (pun intended).

A couple of hours ago saw the dawn of the first ever Singapore Grand Prix as the Formula One test runs ensured.

This may sound uncommon; as the largely audible cars zipped down the tight circuits of the Marina Bay Track, I felt a swell of pride within me. Perhaps this is due to the fact that I've been an avid Formula One Fan for a couple of years now.

But I guess there's a little something more to this little "swell" I experienced though when asked about the Formula One coming into the tiny island we call home, I've always answered with a general simple response:

"I find it really cool."

Tomorrow (or rather today, since I'm posting this entry on Saturday technically) will be an exciting day for sure; I'll be attending the event itself. Really awesome stuff.

I'll try my best amongst my busy schedule nowadays to complete my article as soon as possible so yea, be sure to check back for updates.

Again, I apologize for the inactivity on this page for the said duration (a week to be exact) largely due to my daily commitments.

Till the next update, stay sharpened and precise.

Cya'll later.

'twas the Work of the Source.

That is the moon, in case you're wondering.

Time for a little update.

The past couple of days were really interesting largely due to a couple of significant happenings, thus explaining the reduce in update frequencies.

Results were released earlier this week. I'm sure it was a brief reminiscence of sorts for everyone. (remember the days back in secondary/primary education where you patiently awaited for your test grades?)

Congratulations to everyone who did well!

Due to certain reasons, I will not explicitly post/announce my very own results here, but all I can say's that I'm pleased that all those late nights, eye bags and long meetings paid off. Not to mention, hard work.

The new semester will certainly bring new challenges as well as tougher ones so I guess its time to ruffle up those feathers and work even harder to achieve something more.

Well, as I patiently anticipate the new term, I also thought about things in retrospect.

A year ago, I would be sprawled out upon the study desk, (yes, at this hour too) with a mug of coffee rested neatly upon its warm coaster (you know, the thing that you put mugs on) as my only companion as I faced the non-existent (metaphorically speaking) world of the textbook and the ten year series.

Yes, I had an aim, but I also had something else which I regret having, the ignorance of failure.

What was I to do, lest I failed?

I dared not think about that prospect, for I had really high hopes for myself, and so did my folks. I gave it my all, and deeply believed that I did.

They say that when you're at the bottom, the only way is up.

And that's what I had on my mind, when I got the "fruits" of my labor. I guess the only thing to do was to dust myself up and keep going.

This was probably why I started metallic-stains in the first space, though my bucket-list (which I have yet to complete, BUT I will) first came as in idea for novelty. But it manifested into something more.

It left me thinking that there is more to life then just finishing a bucket-list, though I already had this in mind while I dished up the list; there was a greater, deeper purpose for it.

The idea of a bucket-list, itself, is morbid. But I toyed with the aspect of death while hope was seemingly lost and all was nothing to live for, and yet again, I guess this is why life never fails to amaze you.

Life turns things around. Life induces hope for it corresponds to the same subject matter. And with metallic-stains, to me personally, it symbolizes hope, hope that there's a better tomorrow, and hope that there's improvement and achievement.

So yea, for all those out there who has given up on hope, as I've always encouraged, don't.

Life has a way of throwing bends and loops at you, but straightening these "bends" and "loops" will still end in a straight path at the end of the day.

On a lighter note, the pass couple of days were spent on two entirely different forefronts; formality and leisure.

Yea, this may sound confusing but I assure you that it'll all fall into place with my next article publishing, so yea, hang in there.

Its not entirely common that I'll decide to talk about my past (like in this entry for instance) but yea, thought it would be a good topic to share with you guys, the valued readers.

The past is probably a fragment of my personal history, something which will make me develop further as an individual, so I hoped that you guys appreciated that short little summary.

Remember to check back for updates and articles (really interesting stuff coming up by the way) right here on metallic-stains and for those who are currently engulfed amongst the sea of stress secreted by the ominous presence of pending major exams (such as the O/A' Levels and Promos), you have my sincerest of wishes for success.

Till then.

Cya'll later.

Hysteria's Revisit

Alright valued readers, as promised here's a little revisit on Hysteria's Call.

Again, I'm really really grateful for the comments and feedback received for the narrative so thank you (I'm really grateful thus explaining the repetitive thank yous)

For this post however, I'll be talk about the various themes and aspects in which I considered to be included in Hysteria's Call. I admit that given a little bit more time (as well as resources for that matter) I would have been able to further refine the narrative both in terms of story content as well as theme specification.

If you're feeling a little lost ("What the hell is Hysteria's Call anyway?") be sure to revisit the links on the navigation bar to your right for all installments of Hysteria's Call, 1 to 3.

And with that, lets get things started.

General Commentary

With Hysteria's Call, I thought it would be really interesting to incorporate a mixture of the elements such as nature (represented as the torrential rain) as well as industry and society (the setting of the office building, the man having a high business position etc).

That obviously created a stark contrast for the story plot's development as well as room for the development of certain themes which I'll touch on later on.

I also thought that it would be a good idea to point out the vulnerabilities of even the highest of figures in society (ie. the man) that even they, being human beings, have their breaking point as well as their weaknesses as well. Certainly, no one in the world is absolutely perfect.

The reason why I chose to segment the entire narrative into 3 parts is simply indicating a transition between different settings and scenes. Part 1 sees the man's journey to the cafe, part 2 sees the events unfolding in the cafe itself while part 3 climaxes and concludes the story.

Throughout these 3 parts, we are also able to see and foretell the man's slow degeneration in terms of his mental health, the process of how from having absolute power to even losing control of himself.

Indeed, the irony is evident; a man of great status and power, with control over others, not even able to control himself in the end.

Theme of Hysterics, lack of Self Restrain

Certainly the theme of self restrain, or the lost of self restrain, more rather, is the main underlying aspect of Hysteria's Call. It is the basis of the plot's development as well the main gist of the entire concept, thus giving meaning to the title in itself.

The lack of restrain and mental disorientation causes the man dear as the plot reveals bit by bit, the process of mental corrosion that ultimately leads to his demise.

Here, we are also able to observe the adverse but powerful effects of the human mind. So destructive that it can destroy everything with just a tinge of doubt or uneasiness. This theme clearly portrays what will happen when one loses control and grip over his mind.

And when it is unable to take it all, it self destructs.

We see a transformation. As mention, the man degenerates himself from one of power to a being of lesser status and all that solely with the effect of his mind.

Paranoia is the first tinge the man gets (as seen in part 1) and it eventually evolves into something greater when a heighten sense of stress is achieved (as seen in part 2) where it led to excessive behavior as well as actions (of which he'll soon regret). This evolves into something even greater (as seen in part 3) and as if backfiring, the entire effect falls on the reckoning of the man, of which he deals with harshly.

This is also another fine theme of what power can do to a human being. The excess of power, more rather, draws to the man and makes him vulnerable to a huge blow for he was always obtaining everything that he demanded, worked for or wanted at any all.

And when he doesn't get the due results, a chain reaction starts that leads to the development of the story's plot.

Theme of Love

Love is an energy that exists in no fixed orientation but is evident in all things living, especially in that of human beings.

Though the theme of love in Hysteria's Call is not as obvious as other narratives, there is still a slight interpretation for the simple fact that this energy exists throughout the process of life itself; certainly no exception here.

I've tried to visualize love of the most common and simplest (yet troubling in a sense, as some would comply) form; of that towards the relationship type of love. And thus, I've decided that a simple date between this high and mighty executive and his girlfriend (supposedly) would articulate the point substantially.

With this theme, the power of love is expressed in its own unique fashion especially since it sources from the hard and cold mind of the man. It also shows that he has a softer side and that he is just human.

It is also this power of love that serves as a catalyst for the man's insanity, thus substantiating the grip and attachment within the man himself. It can be considered as the tipping force that pivots the man's mental state of health, from being sane to the opposite.

It was also his addiction and obsession to love that contributed to his ultimate downfall in the end.

Theme of Signs

The existence and presence of signs are largely ignored in our modern society mainly because many people not only do not believe in them. Most regard them as skeptical religious material but with Hysteria's Call, I thought it would have been really good to bring out this aspect and to create awareness.

Signs are tell tale signals, which usually presents itself in the form of events. With Hysteria's Call, I thought it would be a really good idea to start off with a very subtle sign, namely the rain, and slowly progress to the encounter with the taxi driver.

The man's recollection of his day (while he was in the room of the cafe, seemingly waiting for his date), tells readers of the man's entire day's events, of which seem to be trying to tell him something.

Again, I've tried to be as subtle as I can to simulate conditions in reality; signs are often concealed amongst daily events and happenings that we take a natural or "coincidence".

I did that through the rain to not only create an atmosphere for the plot of the story but also to visualize a barrier in the said circumstances, a barrier preventing the man from meeting the fate that unfolded in the story.

The epitome of this theme comes through the encounter between the cab driver and the man, where, by some strange twist of fate, the cab gets stuck and is unable to bring the man to the cafe.

A major hint is dropped in that encounter, where the cabby tries to shout and warn the man but trails off (as seen in part 1). But the mention of signs is also seen in part 2 though sparsely which the man in the story treated with "a pinch of salt".

Conclusion and Parting Commentary

Overall, I'm personally satisfied with the development of Hysteria's Call, and I really hoped that you guys enjoyed it as much as I did. Sure there are alot of other themes to explore in this short narrative alone but due to length constrains, I guess this is enough food for thought for the time being.

I would (as expressed earlier) have wished for more time to develop the ending as well as certain segments of the story but the themes came out ideally in my view.

The reason why I chose not to disclose the man's identity (ie. his name) till the very end was down to a couple of reasons. One being that I wanted to keep the formality and i didn't really see the need to disclose his actual name and the other reason was that I valued the suspense till the end.

Feel free to share your comments about Hysteria's Call as well as its various themes via comments (located just right below this post, click on the (number) comments link).

I appreciate feedback from my readers so don't be shy!

Till then, remember to check back for updates and articles. Cause here at metallic-stains, we deliver (ripoff much?).

Cya'll later.

iDifferent

Time for a quick update (and yes, in case you were curious about the picture, I'll touch on that as well later on).

Subway dinners are awesome especially this particular outlet I went to a couple of hours ago (I'm not trying to plug for them but those who love Subway sandwiches will get the deal). To top it off, they had this awesome promotion; buy ANY Subs and get a large meal totally FREE.

So yea, I ended up with one of my favorites, Cold Cut Trio, foot long, no pickles and green chili, sweet onion sauce WITH a large meal (3 chocolate chip cookies, 1 huge cup of coke) entirely on the house.

You can't say that isn't awesome.

Ended up feeling really (really) full and as often when you're feeling full, sleepy (pig much?).

The pass couple of days for me were somewhat enriching to a certain extend.

I've been doing an extensive research about Apple and Apple products. Partly because I'm really impressed with their range of products (with form as well as function) like the newly released iPhone 3G, iPod Nano Chrome and partly because Apple has a really unique marketing system, both in terms of sales as well as conceptualization. Allow me to elaborate.

Apple's sales and production ideas function on the basis of

If I have a phone as well as an MP3 player, why not merge them together?

as well as

I (the company) think the product is cool, you (the consumer) should too.

correct me if I'm wrong about the above observations but as a common consumer in the modern market, that is what Apple is trying to say to its customers.

This is however, not necessarily a bad thing.

In a recent conversation with my folks, we've talked about a myriad of issues, one of which revolving around the idea that teenagers (young adults) yearn to be different in whichever way they can.

Be it in terms of their dressing, hairstyles or even their attitudes, young people nowadays are really being over of the box huh?

as commented from one of my folks.

Yet I can't agree more. Being a member of the "young people" classification myself, I can't help but agree to that observation that the "people of tomorrow and the future" want to and more often, strive to be different.

I guess we prize individuality as an asset and rightly so, in my opinion. I've always believe that being a unique individual is something that no one, will and can ever take away.

And that recollection kinda linked me back to Apple.

The reason why they're doing so well in terms of worldwide sales (for their iPods, Macs, as well as the iPhones) would probably reason down to the simple fact; they approach their businesses differently.

Companies nowadays adopt the marketing concept as it is largely considered "safest" and that's what the consumers generally want, as claimed by marketers. Customizing products to suit its customers' needs and wants may sound really vital and smart in the modern competitive market. But is it what it seems?

With Apple, it is largely believed that they adopt a product concept, generally going along the lines of "Hey, if I think my product is good, it IS good". Simply put, the producers believe in their product.

These guys do not take the consumers' needs and wants into top priority but instead ask themselves stuff like "It would be pretty cool to have a device which you can communicate, listen to music, watch videos as well as surf the internet altogether in one wouldn't it?" and in doing so, conjuring up with fantastic and innovative products.

In a way, Apple is lucky to have received such a response, for it is a huge risk; what if the general consumer base rejects the way the company thinks?

Yet millions of people own Apple products worldwide and I'm pretty sure that a large number comes from the young adults and their ideas of "being different".

Sure, Apple is different from other companies, but it works for them and up till now, I'm trying to figure out why.

This coming from the fact that I have a Safari browser (an Apple program) running looking up facts of the iPhone and just a couple of hours ago, downloaded iTunes (another Apple program) to sought out my music.

And in case you're wondering, yes, I'm seriously contemplating a purchase for the newly released iPhone.

Why the appeal?

I'm afraid its a mixture of the right marketing tools as well as an excellent production process. Both the marketing process, the hype generated thrown into the blender with an already excellent technological marvel results in an exclusive result, something that will attract consumers en masses.

Being different isn't a bad thing and for that, I applaud you Mr Steve Jobs (CEO of Apple) for bringing the such innovative and revolutionary gadgets into the world of not only young adults, but also the world of human beings as a whole.

I know that the people of tomorrow, will carry not only the knowledge but also the gadgets of tomorrow.

And I, being one of them, have some serious considerations to make before my final decision.

This isn't just a trend, but also a statement. Not a fashion equivalent but a statement to being different and a statement of revolution.

Should I or shouldn't I? That is the question.

Alright, as I ponder over that little question, remember to check back for updates as well as the upcoming review and revisit on Hysteria's Call right here on metallic-stains.

As mentioned previously, articles might flow in slower during this period of time and thus I express my sincere apologies. But be sure to check back for updates and remember to share your thought via the comment option you see right after this post.

Cya'll later.

Love will make you Beautiful

Just finished reading another one of Paulo's Coelho masterpieces a week or so ago and this time, as seen above, its a little book entitled "The Zahir".

Its really interesting, in typical Paulo Coelho fashion of course.

Needless to say, the book transformed my ideas about certain themes (which I'll be talking about in this post) as well as galvanized my perceptions on certain issues mentioned.

And in this case, it revolved around the often mysterious yet vital components of life itself; Love and Obsession.

Of course, these weren't the only prominent themes mentioned in the book. Quite a number of other themes and aspects were put into play in the giant blender that resulted in the entire plot of the story.


Well, as typical to my "reviews", I won't regurgitate every single detail and plot of the book (for I strongly believe that everyone has his or her own interpretations to the contents) but will instead, shred some light as well as my personal feelings and comments.


With that, lets start off with the obvious:

The Theme Of Obsession

The plot of the entire book basically revolves around the author's (not too sure if its an actual narrative) wife mysteriously disappearing after mutual disagreements through the rite of their marriage. The author's wife is a war journalist and after her disappearance, many allegations about her pop up; has she decided to cheat on her husband, has she been kidnapped, is she dead, and many other suggestions.

This theme kicks in just as his wife suddenly disappears.

Though they had their disagreements, the author loved his wife deeply and vice versa, though their love is not of conventional fashion probably due to the fact that both of them hold high positions in society (one a journalist, the other a world famous writer).

The reason why I suggested that the theme of obsession revolved throughout the book was that the plot and the entire storyline in itself, talks about how the protagonist struggles to deal with his obsession for the "Zahir".

The "Zahir", derived from an Arabic term, simply put means being visible and evident, or "(beings or things) that have the power to be unforgettable" (as cited from http://www.amorphy.org/Zahir.html)

I guess the author's relation is valid and it hints at the depth and seriousness of his love and passion for his wife.

The obsession however, changes him and in doing so, revolutionizes his way of thinking about the power of love, and evidently, "forgetting your personal history".

The power of love is strong, but the power of obsession? It is unquestionable as the protagonist relates in the book that the obsession led to seeing "Zahirs" (which was a certain something that he saw in his wife) in multiple women after her disappearance.

Though this obsession may be superficially interpreted as; man loses wife, man craves for wife, man gets carried away taking other women for wife, man finds for wife. There is alot in question to this obsession.

I feel that this theme of obsession is very much evident in our modern society, just that its not that obvious as well as the varying degree of such "obsessions".

I can cite examples like young boys having crushes on girls (or vice versa) but we have to look at the varying degree of the entire aspect, are we talking about the same levels of obsession here?

This theme endorses both maturity as well as a certain degree of love which thus makes it prominent in the plot of the story.

I guess its a question of "how much are you willing to give up or how far are you willing to go to satisfy the obsession and love?" though whether the obsession will be satisfied encompasses a totally different thing.

Note that the "Zahir" as mentioned by the author in an extensive interview (as seen here http://www.harpercollins.com/author/microsite/readingguide.aspx?authorID=1858&isbn13=9780060825218&displayType=bookinterview), derails the individual from achieving one's personal legend (with relation to The Alchemist).

That I feel, holds a certain degree of truth, but lets ask ourselves what if we are able to harness and control the Zahir and the obsession to work towards to things or outcomes we yearn?

It is often said and noted that love and obsession comes in hand in hand, which is evident on certain levels but not quite as the book puts out, bringing us to the next theme.

The Theme of Love

"Do not underestimate the power of love"

I guess that's what the theme centers around. Only in this context, the "power of love" is a a new interpretation and meaning altogether.

Though I understand that Love in itself, holds no fixed definition. Ask even the most brilliant of professors and they will still stumble to give you an answer.

The book however, considers Love a "divine power" as illustrated by the experiences amongst the people in the Armenian restaurant as well as through a certain special individual called Mikhail, who links the protagonist up with his wife ultimately.

The protagonist, though skeptical of the existence of this "divine power", upon increasing interactions with the "tribe" and Mikhail, soon realizes its existence and prominence in the world, though it is claimed that this "power" diminishes in the modern society.

I guess Love can be considered something above logic to say the least, but to me, Love is basically part of the human soul.

The pinnacle of emotions, I guess would be a apt comparison; nothing can top an individual's true feelings for another individual.

The society of today has however, corroded the use of "true love" and I find many don't understand or fully grasp the true concept of love. Yes, Love defines itself in many forms but in our society, this is often confused with lust or even sexual connotations.

Again, I find this disturbing as it manifests the true meaning of love, which results in it being used casually.

The theme of Love mentioned here is a strong force though I dare not put a definition to it.


Other Themes and the Lot

One particular other theme struck me hard; the Acomodador.

To put it simply, it refers to the "breaking point" or the point where one totally gives up on a course of action due to a reason or another.

To me personally, I've had numerous encounters with the Acomodador in the past, just that it goes unnoticed. I guess life has its ways to throw someone off the course and when pushed to the extreme end, that individual confronts the Acomodador.

I feel that there's nothing wrong with giving up, as long as you when you're SUPPOSED to give up.

"When there's a will there's a way" may seem optimistic to some, but the fact that when there's a "will" in a particular feat, there WILL be a way (pun intended).

I feel that as long as one puts in his or her best on a particular endeavor, the outcome isn't at all important; its the process that makes the purpose.

Life is a journey and whatever happens in the end (the inevitable truth of death) does not matter but what happens in between will impact oneself. If we were to harp on the end, shouldn't we just sit down and wait for our time to come?

I guess what this aspect in "The Zahir" is trying to put forward could have been illustrated like this:

- Strong motivation to satisfy obsession-> no Acomodador-> Success
- Weak motivation-> Acomodador-> Gives up

The "Zahir" in this plot may refer to someone but naturally, the Zahir can be anything at all so long as it warrants itself as an obsession.

In a way, the Zahir can be treated as a distraction (as mentioned earlier) for one en route to achieving his or her personal legend and as portrayed in the plot, the author's Zahir derails him from his work or his lifestyle.

In my own interpretation of Love (with reference to the book), the Zahir is the ideal partner. It is not metaphorical and it exists but unlike anything physical, it transcribes from person to person until that special one is found.

It takes maturity to be obsessed, of course given then right factors, in the right way, though Love does not naturally constitute to obsession.

Use the power of Love to harness and refine your soul and though it may sound really cliche, Love really is the most powerful emotion. This Love that I'm talking about isn't restricted to passionate love but also family love.

In a way, I guess its up to the individual as to how can he or she use this aspect of the human emotion to strengthen his or her life.


With that, I end my "review" and response to the book. I apologize for the length of the post but I guess I got a little too insightful at certain points; the themes have alot of potential for discussion.

Remember to check back soon for I'll be doing a analysis on the themes used in Hysteria's Call. I also apologise for my lack of recent articles, due to my schedule but rest assured for I'm in the midst of working on an article to post.

But before I end, let me post a question to you guys, my valued readers:

"What Is Love To You?"

Looking forward to all of your comments and feedback!

Cya'll later.