Observations from the deck: self indulgence

A recent newspaper article read out to us in the morning assembly stated that people indulging more in themselves.

I do believe that it is quite true, given that I myself do indulge on myself.

However, I do not believe in using this blog as a track for my daily life. I never found it interesting enough or rather, how it would come out would be like this

0535h: Alarm woke me up
0545h: Get out of bed and eat breakfast before going to use the toilet
0605h: Get off potty
0613h: Finish showering
0628h: I left the house

Yes it would be that drab if I were to document my daily life. Yes I leave the house precisely at 0628h. Yes I run on military time. As previously stated, I only got a blog because a friend prodded me to do so. The pokes hurt (meep T.T)

Hmm there I go indulging on myself again, ah well, when one is on the topic, one can't help it. After all we are on course.

Perhaps there is a want for people to go "ooooooo ahhhhhh" over someone's life that makes people blog online, given that diary's were once personal things which only a selected few could read. Now the whole world can come knocking at your door. Well thats fine for everyone if they wanted to get noticed in this little world which is growing smaller each day.

Although I could never understand why other people would want to read about the personal lives of other people. Is it because they want to know whats going on in the other person's life? Or what the others think of them? Maybe its both or other reasons. The only blogs I bother to read are those which talk on topics, and not document a person's life. Everyone goes through ups and downs in life honey, get over it.

I had a rather harsh wake up call coming from my dad, he asked me "Who do you think you are to the world? You are no one."

I could be getting harsh on this but yes it really ticks me off that people nowadays enjoy sticking their noses into places. It ticks me even more that people put their personal lives online for all to read. And then complain about the lack of privacy.

But maybe its a way for friends who hardly keep in contact to know whats happening in their friend's lives. But then what are you folks going to talk about to "catch up" when you all know all? Where's the fun in that?

Everybody wants to be a someone. They do fail to notice that it is the no ones behind the backstage that do most of the work to keep the place running. The invisible caste system in society will hold. There will be the somebodies, the has beens, the would bes, the nobodies, and the never will.

There will always be more nobodies than somebodies. Personally as long as I can have a decent living, I'm contented to being a nobody. Someone's gotta catch those somebodies when they become has beens. Because some somebodies got there because of the nobodies and forgot about the little people.

I envision a day when everyone would help each other in need, where descrimination does not exist, when unconditional love is really everywhere. Where I becomes we, where team really means team, where you're there cause you're part of the team, not because you're useful to the team.

Well if that day is here already, convince me. Until then I am convinced that human kind is dooming itself even more despite waking up due to the pace of the world, where you can earn a living but not a life.

Reminds me of something I carry around in my wallet:

The paradox of our time in history is that we have taller buildings, but shorter tempers;
wider freeways, but narrower viewpoints;
we spend more, but have less;
we buy more, but enjoy it less.

We have bigger houses and smaller families;
more conveniences, but less time;
we have more degrees, but less sense;
more knowledge, but less judgment;
more experts, but more problems;
more medicine, but less wellness.
We have multiplied our possessions, but reduced our values.
We talk too much, love too seldom, and hate too often.
We've learned how to make a living, but not a life;
We've added years to life, not life to years.

We've been all the way to the moon and back, but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor.
We've conquered outer space, but not inner space;
We've cleaned up the air, but polluted the soul; We've split the atom, but not our prejudice;
We have higher incomes, but lower morals;
We've become long on quantity, but short on quality.

These are the times of tall men, and short character;
steep profits, and shallow relationships.
These are the times of world peace, but domestic warfare;
more leisure, but less fun;
more kinds of food, but less nutrition.
These are days of two incomes, but more divorce;
of fancier houses, but broken homes.

It is a time when there is much in the show window and nothing in the stockroom;
a time when technology can bring this letter to you, and a time when you can choose either to make a difference, or to just hit delete.

Unknown



Why not let people differ about their answers to the great mysteries of the Universe? Let each seek one's own way to the highest, to one's own sense of supreme loyalty in life, one's ideal of life. Let each philosophy, each world-view bring forth its truth and beauty to a larger perspective, that people may grow in vision, stature and dedication.
~~~ Algernon Black


And here's a picture of a spoon bathing in a cup of tea:

Observations from the deck: The world works like a clock (Celestine prophecy spoiler)

Long ago during a KI lesson, we were given a statement, "The world is a clock and god is the clockmaker." It was only recently that I understood what it ment.
Recently I've borrowed a book from our school's library, The Celestine Prophecy. In the story, the first insight stated is "Becoming aware of the "coincidences" in one's life." That got me thinking.

The coincidences work like clockwork once you become aware of them. Something happens, the motion is set, everything around it influenced by it works like clockwork. Everything clicks into place nicely.

My project work group and I were going to the National Library at Bugis, so I messaged a friend of mine, who I normally go with to Bugis cause there's a nice comic store there and we both are comic freaks, that I would be going to Bugis and if there was any chance I'll see him. He rang me up right a way and told me he was already at Bugis for a project. Well I didn't see him until I was going home as he went to Arab street to do his project and stuff. So after my team left, I stayed back to wait for him since he was coming back.

We chatted for quite a while then I left.

I was going home, taking the MRT (Mass Rapid Transit, similiar to what people call the subway). I called my mum and asked if she would rather pick me up from Fernvale or Ang Mo Kio (station names). She said Fernvale.

Now normally I would transit the usual route from Bugis to City Hall to Doghby Gaut, but for some reason I decided to transit at Outram Park instead, maybe it was cause I wouldn't have to change so many trains, but it was my first time using my route anyway.

The first train came along, it was so packed that everyone else around me could get on but I couldn't given that I know my bag takes up the space of another person (One cannot deny that I'm a pack pangolin). So I took the second train.

I got down at Outram Park, where along the way to change lines, I saw a blind man, tapping his stick, having gone out of the lines placed for the blind to walk along. I took his hand and he told me he wanted to go to Chinatown and I lead him to the platform. Then he asked me if his wife was behind him.

Hoo boy I didnt see his wife for sure so I searched both platforms for her.
She later found him though.

Was it coincidence that my friend was there as well so I had to wait for him?
Was it coincidence that made me choose to go through a different route?
Was it coincidence that I took the second train instead?

If I had not been delayed by my friend, my indecisiveness/laziness or the train, I would not have been there to meet the blind fellow. Or maybe because the fellow was going to Outram Park that set the entire clockwork mechanism happening?

Strangely while eating shrimp dumplings at Crystal Jade with my team, before all this started, I understood what it ment by the world is a clock... while eating shrimp dumplings.

^^ For shrimp dumpling lovers, go to Crystal Jade, trust me its goooooood *purrs contentedly* Or for friends who want to treat me, just get me shrimp dumplings.

HINT HINT

As for such I recommand that one read The Celestine Prophecy, it really opens your mind.

Interestingly, there is a concept between The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho and The Celestine Prophecy that is identical. "Coincidences" happen for a reason.
On an unrelated note, here's a picture of my hippo ^^
This is Captain Codfish signing off with a second hand to seven and the hour hand to nine.

To share a quote: Trouble

NOW IS THE TIME

Trouble. ... Why do we fear it?
Why do we dread ordeal?
Every good thing the human race has experienced was trouble for somebody. ... Then why do we not value trouble as the catalytic agent it is?
Because we do not want to change.
Change shoves us into the new; it makes us hew out a path through an unknown future; it drives us to learn, compels us to stretch our imagination; it whispers, "Let go that old defense; it is no more useful to you now than are bows and arrows to a modern army.
Find a new defense -- one that fits the age you live in, one that will help you without destroying you."
Stretching hurts; learning hurts; hewing out a new path makes minds and bodies sore.
There is never a convenient time to change, to seek the hidden potentialities we possess.
And yet, change is necessary.
--LILLIAN SMITH


Change is inevitable except from a vending machine

Observations from the deck : Immortal ideas

I look on the brighter side of life, its much better there honestly, though pessimists may disagree. Because I am in the dark, I look for the light, like a moth in the night. We will always be in the dark, no matter how much light we find or light up, because to see light, we need darkness.

Unfortnately, while looking for the light, like a moth, we can fly smack into a bug zapper as well and perish before our search is over. But there will always be others following the trail we've blazed.

I feel that we must and we should at least leave out a sign
"Danger, Detour this way --->"
Even when we cannot finish what we started, we must ensure that others would carry it on. Only then can an idea be immortal, and the light shines bright in the end, though we may not live to see it.

However, as the idea lives on, the progress on it continues, and the load that one carries of the idea, grows heavier and heavier by each generation. Eventually, several generations down the road, the idea becomes too heavy for one to fathom and one decides "Enough is enough, this is a pain to do" and leaves the idea.

The idea then goes into darkness, hiding and waiting for someone else to chance upon it and the cycle to begin once more.

Indeed people will come and go, but ideas are forever. Like a ripple in a pool which will never end until there is a barrier. Ideas are immortal.

But people are not. One cannot be forced to carry the idea but must take it willingly, no matter how hard it may be, unless it can be simplified.

Such the ideas that came from darkness into light, buring bright, when they remain simple, everyone can understand them, but those who clearly see the source of the light and not the light itself, understands them thoroughly and surely, will understand their meaning and worth and hold them close.

Such is the gift of wisdom and knowledge

Explaination for absence

There comes a time in everyone's life, when one must make a choice...

To blog or to work.

Reason chooses the latter.

Heart chooses the former.

Despite the wizard rules that Passion rules reason.......

work first ^^;