House of many colours

Truth is all about perspective. Everyone comes to their own conclusions based on the knowledge and experience accrued through the living of their lives, and there is no opinion that is without value.

There was a quiet boy, surely one of many, who rested comfortably within a house built with walls of ambiguity. The walls were painted with a myriad of shimmering colours, making it a most pleasing house to behold. This house stood on a land where the weather alternated between heavy torrential rains and unbearable droughts caused by the heat of the sun. As a result many strangers came to his house seeking shelter. The boy welcomed them in and often would make banter with these people. He listened attentively to them as they spoke, made scarce judgement on the quality of their speech. However, the strangers left as soon as the natural conditions became better, some on their way to important business, some unable to bear their host's uncomfortable silence.

We are often told not to be haughty and judge others. There is however, a difference between hiding behind ideals and embracing them. We are to judge, not in pride but in humility, and we are never to make the assumption that our judgements can be final and unerring. The boy knew these words, but understood them little, choosing instead to forgo judgement as well as the opposition and antagonism that came with it. Perhaps he should have realized that without making judgements and being proud of your opinion, he was also without anything to believe in or any ideals to stand for. He recalls with a bittersweet feeling, the time when he was called 'spineless' by a good friend, and thinks that he might be a bit slow to realize things.

Even when he did feel something was wrong, he often found himself lacking in courage to express what he thought or fight against it. He often spoke words in great volumes but they lacked meaning. Maybe he had his reasons. Maybe the circumstances were not good. Perhaps it might've been better if he'd been given a second chance. But second chances come few and far between, we should rejoice to God when they do. Perhaps and maybe are the last words in the dictionary that lead to a success.

In difficult issues that are at times ambiguities that we cannot discern for our lack of perspicacity and wisdom. More often than not though, there are rights and wrongs in the matter that we can see, and no amount of debating will change this. Each time you forego a judgement, what you believe in takes a blow, and when it has taken enough blows, that belief will die. When something you believe in dies, a part of you turns to nothingness, and if you make no judgements, you will eventually become nothing. What is a human being without nothing to believe in? An ornament of nature that exists without change, a shadowy figure that cannot stand the light of day, a vine that must climb up the strong back of trees to reach the light of day, because it has no strength to stand up on its own and fears to fall to the darkness of the forest floor...

The walls of that house, those multi-coloured walls of ambiguity are peeling and crumbling to the unbearably bright sunlight and the tragic, brutal force of the monsoons. The boy knows this. He's felt the warmth that comes with speaking out loud to strangers and sharing the way he thinks, and hopes to build a new house with sturdier walls, lest he be drowned and his old house swept away by the next rains.

Everyone has a different perspective on life and its multitude of problems. Anyone who believes in something will see are rights and wrongs to these issues, regardless of how many 'maybes' or alternative perspectives he is able to see. They'll fight for the things that they believe in, and the fight for these things is the same thing as a fight between life and death itself.

Kader was explaining the idea of deconstructionism to me at the Esplanade, and we both felt that there was a certain beauty to the elements of freedom and ambiguity within it. It provokes me to think that as a race, we have always found ambiguity beautiful and artistic. It is because artists use ambiguity to hide deep and meaningful things. Ambiguity as a means to an end is admirable. Ambiguity as a way of life and as creed in interpreting books and issues in our lives only destroys the real life within us and in our world, which I think has less to do with respiring and moving, and more to do with believing and the feelings associated with those beliefs.

I remember the time when Dom was pushing for changes to debate society to make it more happening, more sociable and in sync with the flow of the school's community. I remember thinking that this was not a bad idea though I did not agree with it, and I opposed it then with a minimum of force, not able to articulate to myself why I felt it was wrong. The answer was quite simple really. A CCA does not become outstanding among its peers by ingratiating itself with the other CCAs and spending its efforts on socializing, despite the school support it could eventually garner. It becomes truly outstanding by working towards and ultimately becoming good at what it is supposed to be about, and when its members become proud of it and are not afraid to speak up for it and themselves.

House of many colours

Truth is all about perspective. Everyone comes to their own conclusions based on the knowledge and experience accrued through the living of their lives, and there is no opinion that is without value.

There was a quiet boy, surely one of many, who rested comfortably within a house built with walls of ambiguity. The walls were painted with a myriad of shimmering colours, making it a most pleasing house to behold. This house stood on a land where the weather alternated between heavy torrential rains and unbearable droughts caused by the heat of the sun. As a result many strangers came to his house seeking shelter. The boy welcomed them in and often would make banter with these people. He listened attentively to them as they spoke, made scarce judgement on the quality of their speech. However, the strangers left as soon as the natural conditions became better, some on their way to important business, some unable to bear their host's uncomfortable silence.

We are often told not to be haughty and judge others. There is however, a difference between hiding behind ideals and embracing them. We are to judge, not in pride but in humility, and we are never to make the assumption that our judgements can be final and unerring. The boy knew these words, but understood them little, choosing instead to forgo judgement as well as the opposition and antagonism that came with it. Perhaps he should have realized that without making judgements and being proud of your opinion, he was also without anything to believe in or any ideals to stand for. He recalls with a bittersweet feeling, the time when he was called 'spineless' by a good friend, and thinks that he might be a bit slow to realize things.

Even when he did feel something was wrong, he often found himself lacking in courage to express what he thought or fight against it. He often spoke words in great volumes but they lacked meaning. Maybe he had his reasons. Maybe the circumstances were not good. Perhaps it might've been better if he'd been given a second chance. But second chances come few and far between, we should rejoice to God when they do. Perhaps and maybe are the last words in the dictionary that lead to a success.

In difficult issues that are at times ambiguities that we cannot discern for our lack of perspicacity and wisdom. More often than not though, there are rights and wrongs in the matter that we can see, and no amount of debating will change this. Each time you forego a judgement, what you believe in takes a blow, and when it has taken enough blows, that belief will die. When something you believe in dies, a part of you turns to nothingness, and if you make no judgements, you will eventually become nothing. What is a human being without nothing to believe in? An ornament of nature that exists without change, a shadowy figure that cannot stand the light of day, a vine that must climb up the strong back of trees to reach the light of day, because it has no strength to stand up on its own and fears to fall to the darkness of the forest floor...

The walls of that house, those multi-coloured walls of ambiguity are peeling and crumbling to the unbearably bright sunlight and the tragic, brutal force of the monsoons. The boy knows this. He's felt the warmth that comes with speaking out loud to strangers and sharing the way he thinks, and hopes to build a new house with sturdier walls, lest he be drowned and his old house swept away by the next rains.

Everyone has a different perspective on life and its multitude of problems. Anyone who believes in something will see are rights and wrongs to these issues, regardless of how many 'maybes' or alternative perspectives he is able to see. They'll fight for the things that they believe in, and the fight for these things is the same thing as a fight between life and death itself.

Kader was explaining the idea of deconstructionism to me at the Esplanade, and we both felt that there was a certain beauty to the elements of freedom and ambiguity within it. It provokes me to think that as a race, we have always found ambiguity beautiful and artistic. It is because artists use ambiguity to hide deep and meaningful things. Ambiguity as a means to an end is admirable. Ambiguity as a way of life and as creed in interpreting books and issues in our lives only destroys the real life within us and in our world, which I think has less to do with respiring and moving, and more to do with believing and the feelings associated with those beliefs.

I remember the time when Dom was pushing for changes to debate society to make it more happening, more sociable and in sync with the flow of the school's community. I remember thinking that this was not a bad idea though I did not agree with it, and I opposed it then with a minimum of force, not able to articulate to myself why I felt it was wrong. The answer was quite simple really. A CCA does not become outstanding among its peers by ingratiating itself with the other CCAs and spending its efforts on socializing, despite the school support it could eventually garner. It becomes truly outstanding by working towards and ultimately becoming good at what it is supposed to be about, and when its members become proud of it and are not afraid to speak up for it and themselves.

I'm still breathing. Delightful

'Admiration is the furthest thing from understanding.'

This is about the most, and perhaps only meaningful line that Bleach Anime has produced.

After recent encounters, I am more willing to accept the idea that the romantic like/love can soften the lines of a person's face, make them seemingly weigh less, and remove all blemishes from the skin.

The answer to this inevitable stumbling block: Get hitched with a really, really hot girl so the fallout has less of an impact.

Yeah I didn't just mean that last sentence, I just think its funny to say callous and unthoughtful things at times. I'm rather sure that the sarcasm should be reasonably apparent. Just in case though..

On a side note, I do think that the classification of romantic feeling into like and love is one of the bettter cultural evolutions of language. Before now, I'm sure that the word must have been abused incessantly by both swindlers and muddled people alike.


Movies to collect: V for Vendetta (tick) Thank You For Smoking, Click, Pleasantville, ESofSM, maybe Scrubs

Vests would vests work?

Jericho

Jericho- K.D.Lang, composed by (Paul Cohen?)

I'll try to keep myself open up to you,
It's a promise that I made to love,
When it was new, Just like Jericho I said,
When the walls come tumbling down
Said it like I finally found the way,
to keep the good feelings alive
Said it like it was something to strive for...

I'll try to keep myself open up to you,
Improve your self expression, cuz I need that from you too
I need your confidence, baby,and the gift of your extra time
In turn I'll give you mine, sweet darling
It's a rich exchange, seems to me
It's a warm arrangement

Anyone will tell you, just how,
hard it is to make and keep a friend
And maybe they'll shortsell you,
Or maybe it's you, Judas in the end
When you just can no longer pretend,
that you're getting what you need,
or you've given off everything for them
to get them to feel warm

I'll try to keep myself open up to you
It's easier and easier to do
Just like Jericho,
the walls come tumbling down, falling on the ground,
and all the dogs, go running free,
while the gentle dogs, get on... get on...

Happy International Friendship Day to friends close and far...

The next two years

Is RP going to be a blessing or a curse? Jeez. This is irony at its best when you consider all the self-made cracks about being a guard duty commander. But its the MPs who are the guard duty commanders... Mmm. Guess there's nothing left to do but be the best guard I can. Maybe the training will be interesting.

Monsieur, monsieur, you have the finest of friends. They are willing to take you seriously, so be a little more serious.

Duty, Honour, Country

Those 3 months passed by quickly enough. I'd initially planned to write down a week-by-week follow-up of all the things I'd done and experienced in Ninja Company, but the events themselves don't seem to me to be noteworthy. Field camp and bowing and getting guard duty in the first week are all worth remembering for a good laugh, but it just feels pointless to recount them again considering the number of field camp reflections and articles I've already written.

I think that the main experience worth writing about is the people and the culture that I've been privileged enough to meet and be immersed in. I got to meet so many old friends and acquaintances in Platoon 4 (Shawn, Karnjote, Yang Shen, Chris..), as well as a lot of other fun-loving and decent people. I think each and every one of us were blessed to have commanders like Lft Low, PS Shawn, Sgt Nasir, and Sgt Arwin, who really cared about our development as soldiers and treated us with respect individually, making our BMT life both meaningful and fun at the same time. The same can be said for all the other Ninja commanders and our OC.

I was kind of happy when I'd heard which unit I'd been posted to. Ninja. Sounded cool. Then I got a little scared when I started hearing all the stories about how tough Ninja was going to be from the people around me. Now, I'm just proud to have completed training in the best BMTC 2 company. Ninja is serious about what it does, and it pushes its recruits to always be better than they were yesterday.

Good luck to platoon 4, especially the guys in Section 1... I hope we'll meet again regardless of whatever units we're posted to or what we do in the future... Blessed are the soldiers...

Here's me looking at you looking at me

Those 3 months passed by quickly enough. I'd initially planned to write down a week-by-week follow-up of all the things I'd done and experienced in Ninja Company, but the events themselves don't seem to me to be noteworthy. Field camp and bowing and getting guard duty in the first week are all worth remembering for a good laugh, but it just feels pointless to recount them again considering the number of field camp reflections and articles I've already written.

I think that the main experience worth writing about is the people and the culture that I've been privileged enough to meet and be immersed in. I got to meet so many old friends and acquaintances in Platoon 4 (Shawn, Karnjote, Yang Shen, Chris..), as well as a lot of other fun-loving and decent people. I think each and every one of us were blessed to have commanders like Lft Low, PS Shawn, Sgt Nasir, and Sgt Arwin, who really cared about our development as soldiers and treated us with respect individually, making our BMT life both meaningful and fun at the same time. The same can be said for all the other Ninja commanders and our OC.

I was kind of happy when I'd heard which unit I'd been posted to. Ninja. Sounded cool. Then I got a little scared when I started hearing all the stories about how tough Ninja was going to be from the people around me. Now, I'm just proud to have completed training in the best BMTC 2 company. Ninja is serious about what it does, and it pushes its recruits to always be better than they were yesterday.

Good luck to platoon 4, especially the guys in Section 1... I hope we'll meet again regardless of whatever units we're posted to or what we do in the future... Blessed are the soldiers...

Hair, hair, wherefore art thou, keratin fibres?

Inside man had a good plot. Yuki-yaki had good meat, although there was a lot of work involved. Refreshing downpour in the evening. Good food, good show, good weather, good day.

There's this line in a book I bought recently: 'A boy who cannot stand up for himself becomes a man who cannot stand up for anything.' .. Apt words for a time like this. Considering all the important decisions I've made for myself these past 6 years, I'd have to say that I don't think that the bulk of them were made well. I hope that by going into and out of army, I'll pick up a pinch more perception, a pound more of perseverance, and a lot more of a sense of responsibility. If I don't get these things, I at least hope to leave with an intact and untwisted/unfractured bone structure.

I'm left with only a couple of important matters to settle, but there's not much to be done on my part at this point of time. I don't do a lot of concrete things with my time but I think that has to change just a little at least. And I want to try to keep in contact with a few more people than I do now. I hope University application will turn out well somehow, but if it doesn't, I hope that I'll be able to find some advice, and that the year after will be better in spite of the yearly rise of muggers.

I wish I'd done a lot of things right and a lot less wrong, especially when it comes to people problems. Will work at it as much as I can.

Farewell, sweet world. Do not cry for me, too much! I'll be fine, really...really.

V is for vendetta

Remember remember the 5th of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot.
I know of no reason why Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot.

I just tried to download a V for vendetta wallpaper by right clicking on the words 1024x768 and saving it as a background. Yea.

Kinda couldn't stop going wowowowowow after the movie ended. This show has everything. Action, mind-bending plot twists, strong characterization, and deep storyline. The scene when the cop is having his feeling of foresight and pictures of the end start flashing was a neat touch. The entire ending fight scene rocked. The whole cinema was still, everybody was just glued to every second of the show.

It's great that they gave V so much character depth, and that Hugo Weaving was the guy given the part..Sinister and self-righteous sounding... And i figure it's good that Natalie Portman was cast as Evy.. We wouldn't want good acting to steal the show away from the main character and the movie's message... Not the she could have anyway..

I guess I only have one complaint, and that's the public and evy's relatively easy acceptance of V's open acts of terrorism/freedom fighting and playing god with people's lives. He might be the voice of the country's repression, but I'm not sure I'd sing to the tune of a guy wearing a smiley mask who blows stuff up and kills people so efficiently, and it'd take more than a day for me to stop being angry at a person who shaves me bald and tortures me... Guess I'll have some problems in NS...

I'm gonna get the comic, and the dvd, and maybe the script or a book adaptation if possible... vicissitudes, voracious vermin villify vanguard veiled vvvvvvvvv....

On a side note...

I thought a bit about whether playing countless hours of warcraft and dota has changed my life for the better in any way, and if i can take one thing away.. then it's the value of retreating, and waiting... And that playing countless hours of warcraft is detrimental to many facets of one's overall state of heatlh.

Next stop, smoking and heroine addiction!