Pro-crastinate

I remember a scene vividly when I was P4.

I was staring out my bedroom window and thinking to myself, I'm such a lazy person.

Suddenly I thought, but what if I'm not?
It's a curious thing about the malleability of a child's mind. From then on, I pretty much did all my work soundlessly and my parents bothered me the least from there (also I had a younger brother and middle child syndrome :<).

Now every time I think about applying for scholarships I get this mental block. I've tried to think about it and as I get over it, I learned the nature of it could perhaps be from:

1. You keep thinking you'll fail -> so you'll never do it out of fear.

2. You keep thinking you have time -> so you'll never do it out of lack of fear.

Jeez, what a contradiction. I'll always do it in the end. O how I dislike uni/scholarship applications. 

50 years a city-state

10 minutes to the new year, an otherwise meaningless day beside the calender change. (I mean, at least CNY marks the start of Spring, no?) The last year... well if it weren't for the TV running at full volume and my parents watching the SG50 concert, I'd probably be more sentimental I can tell you that. I've ORD-ed, I'm going to study, and there's so much more I have to do now.

Just finished Dune, a book my officer friend Joshua lent me and then left for Japan/HK for a good few months. Epic stuff, a lord of the rings in space and in the desert.

#90 Last Airbender, Legend of Korra series
I just finished watching the finale recently. Probably my favourite cartoon/anime/something-in-between of all time. (Samurai Jack might have been first if they bothered to end...) Really sad it's ended and it doesn't look like another one's coming any time soon (if ever). Just realized that out of most audiences, I'd say Chinese Singaporeans would be the most appreciative of the series, being english-speaking yet able to understand all the eastern influences in the show (example being the two waterbending fish spirits Tui and La, which by the way means push and pull in Chinese). People like Aang a lot and seem to think Korra is good but a little worse. For me, both are really awesome to a point that I wouldn't compare them anyway. The characters, bending, maturity of both series are great, especially if you treat each series as uniquely targeting separate audiences (the latter for those more in their teen years, as are the characters. Reminds you of Harry Potter, no?).

Reminisce

#91 Primary School Friends
The simplest, and rawest. They never truly left. A sober optimism, we all lead our own lives but come back anyway, for a couple of drinks or lunch. No drama. It's pure, lovely nostalgia.

There are geniuses

Like Hawkins and Fitzgerald.

A tumblr seems to suit me more having these ephemeral thoughts, but the inertia of leaving. (As if anyone realllyyy reads [and if they do, they would find the new link here would they not?])

I saw a pretty girl and wasn't sure
Left in a rush but wasn't sure
Knew it wasn't my head talking
But I wasn't sure

What if? I wasn't sure.

God damned hormones.

#92 Photography

Proverbs

If you want to go fast, go alone.
If you want to go far, go together.
~African Proverbs

Die Stimme der Vernunft ist leise. ~Sigmund Freud
But it is persistent ~Addition by Christopher Hitchens

a feeling of listlessness and dissatisfaction arising from a lack of occupation or excitement.
~The meaning of the word 'ennui'

n. the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own—populated with their own ambitions, friends, routines, worries and inherited craziness—an epic story that continues invisibly around you like an anthill sprawling deep underground, with elaborate passageways to thousands of other lives that you’ll never know existed, in which you might appear only once, as an extra sipping coffee in the background, as a blur of traffic passing on the highway, as a lighted window at dusk.
~the word 'sonder' from the dictionary of obscure sorrows

I'm back from ***. And feeling listless. I miss her and I didn't expect that.

Naurto ended and slowly, the erosion of my childhood sinks in. 

Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist when he grows up.
~Pablo Picasso

I maintain strongly never to let go of my imagination and impulse.

Should write again.

A good disclaimer!

This was on my friend's blog. Really illustrates what I mentioned in the previous post (completed a few minutes ago). Really respect him as a devout Muslim who is well-read but continues to think and re-think everything he knows.

His blog: eupho-stick.blogspot.com

Disclaimer

With regards to several images and videos, unless mentioned otherwise, they are not my creations and I do not claim to own them. Come on, this blog is maintained gratis! So, I will try to credit the respective sources where possible.

Every reference to sources beyond this blog and hyperlink does not denote my endorsement of views found there.

Readers and myself are expected to uphold professionalism in discussing issues, regardless triviality or touchiness. Let's learn to respect each other's point of view, as long as they are backed by sound reason. If readers are too overwhelmed, press the "Alt" and "F4" keys simulatenously. (Unfortunately, I do not have the privilege of doing so!)

Zaki today may be totally different from Zaki two years back, why even yesterday. The Uranium you bought may not have the same purity as it had a week ago. Chocolate may be tasty then, but your taste may change, or the chocolate may decay, or the circuity between your tongue and brain altered. You can never step on the same river twice.

Random analogies aside, be aware that I am a dynamic individual like everyone else, so, bear in mind that my opinions may change and old posts may be obsolete over time. Readers are reminded to bear some sense of sensibility.

God knows best.

Don't Fear Questioning

God is not Great

I'm currently reading Hitchen's anti-religious book, which has awakened once again my thoughts on the subject.

About a couple of years ago I decided to sweep away the topic, disillusioned by the church but also finding the opposite end to be somewhat arrogant. I decided that I was in no position to think for myself such a difficult question and contented to remain agnostic. However, there are things that I do have a clear stand on and which irks me.

1. Claims without being well-read
I am truly uncomfortable when I meet either a religious or non-religious man who claims, or takes a stand on the issue without being well-read in the subject. The underlying cause is that such a subject is meant to breed loudmouths. The religious (at least for the more evangelical sorts) are encouraged to proclaim, shout out, exalt their faith. Meanwhile, the non-religious (especially those who de-converted after being disillusioned) get very emotional and hardy with their beliefs as they feel betrayed. Both are natural of course, it is the nature of the subject.

However, just as I would find it uncomfortable having a conversation on foreign policy with someone who doesn't know the capital of China, I find it equally discomfiting to talk to an evangelizing Christian who doesn't know about the Thirty Years War, or worse, the crusades. It is not that I take such evidence to be definitive - that it surely means religion is wrong - it is just that I believe that to make such sweeping claims on an important subject, one must take the time to absorb the context of it all. Plainly speaking, I believe one must endeavor to research, to learn before concluding. Not necessarily be an expert, but at least know the fundamentals. To be fair, I am equally irked by self-proclaimed atheists who think religion is wrong based on their own experience in say, city harvest church because it shows that they did not stop to think that maybe a religion cannot be exemplified on one church and there are better examples.

2. Usage of extremes without disclaiming
Many anti-religious folk like to point to terrorism and crusades at the mention of the topic. While I have no issue with using the example per se (because one can reasonably argue that religion in some way has played a part in their cause), I believe the arguer should make an effort to temper his statements. A nuanced speaker would use the example but also concede that terrorism for example, is a result of fringe versions of the various religions (yes, all religions have gave birth to such organizations). I would go as far as to say groups such as Al-Qaeda were born in some political context (they were funded by the U.S against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan) and as such, are not entirely religious. On the flip side are the religious folk who would perhaps use the godless, genocidal communists as an example of atheist brutality. Eesh. Where do I begin on how retarded that argument is without context.

3. Disrespect for people who don't agree
I am very glad to be born in Singapore, where I was brought up to be tolerant, and in fact harmonious with the numerous races that live together on an island so small it would be accurately represented in Civ 5 as one hex on a huge map. As a result of this luck of birth, I have both religious and non-religious friends who are probably smarter and more hardworking than me. I give them all due respect because a person should not be characterized by his one belief in one subject. To each his own. I am reminded of the Peace of Westphalia here, where culturally different European states settled on a balance of power that established peace after the Thirty Years War. What was special was that the peace did not determine whose state was better run or which was the correct religion, etc. but understood that the common quest for peace outweighed their differences. Non-interference in each other's affairs was borne out of respect of rivals.

Reza Aslan, Hitchens, C.S Lewis, I have respect for all these writers because they are more well-read, nuanced and respectful than most and which is why I read each of their works with gusto. It is perfectly natural to disagree even if given the same source material. Respect the peace!