The Course of Nature

Rain streams down the windowpane in front of me as I stand alone.
In the distance, the trees sway in synchrony to the wind that ruthlessly sweeps over the countryside.
Raindrops pour down the glass, washing away all impurities.

Way off, lightning illuminates the grey, cloudy, misty sky.
Thunder crashes, as if not wanting to be left out of the majestic orchestra.
The rain cascades even more rapidly, trying to take control…trying and failing but refusing to give up.
There is no sign that the storm will let up anytime soon.

Leaves are swept off their trees and blown away in the blustery weather.
Lightning zigzags towards the earth in a menacing manner.
Small raindrops fall from the heavens in torrents, as I stand gazing into the distance.

A shiver runs down my spine as a loud crack rips a branch off a tree nearby.
The flow of water running down the pane looks daunting.
I stand, drenched from head to toe, shivering, through and through.
Yet, I continue gazing out the window in a trance, as if waiting for something.

The sky above is grey and cloudy.
The earth below is drenched.
All too suddenly, the rain stops.
Just like that…
The sun begins to show its shy face from behind the enormous grey clouds.

The thought of a warm hand on my bare shoulder reminds me of the person I am fondly thinking of. Somewhere out there, he is missing me more than I can imagine.
The storm is over.
The sun is out again.


Note: Jogging in the rain is more relaxing than I imagined it to be.

Da Vinci Code: The Book

I just finished the book over lunch today. Dan Brown did an amazing job with the plot and the whole write up process. He is no doubt a good writer.

Nonetheless, as we all know, this book of his is very controversial and has sparked debates among many scholars. Subsequently, quite a few books have been published in response to Dan Brown's novel, such as 'Breaking the Da Vinci Code'.

I was talking to some friends and someone pointed out that not all his 'facts' are really 'facts'. This got me wondering how much of the book is fiction and how much of it is fact.

Anyway, I was hoping that I could get various opinions and thoughts from those who have read this book. Personally, this book has caused me to think a lot more. I would say that it hasn't affected my basic faith at all, but it has brought about some questions. Well, do let me know how you feel about the book, whether it has had any impact on you, and basically just how you feel after reading this best selling book of his.

Feel free to share...I'm all ears...

The Many Different 7 Wonders

Can you name the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World?

Don't be too surprised if you can't. With modern monuments, the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages, and the world's Seven Natural Wonders in the mix, very few people can sort out these astounding ancient architectural feats. What makes it even harder is that only one still exists. I didn't even know that there were so many categories of seven wonders until I started reading articles related to this topic.

"Inspired by mythology, religion and art, ancient civilizations undertook these seven imposing projects from about 2700 B.C. to about 270 B.C. Only one, the Egyptian Pyramids at Giza, has survived. Fires, earthquakes, conquests and the ravages of time have led to the others' demise.

The ancient Greeks and Romans are said to have initiated the original "Seven Wonders" list, perhaps as an early travel guide of sorts.

Over time, the inventory was added to and culled, then finally "completed" during the Middle Ages. Classical writers later disagreed on the final list, but the following seven works of art and architecture were among those most commonly included. Unfortunately, relatively few drawings or sketches exist of the wonders that vanished, so archaeologists have relied on ancient tales and literary works to get an idea of their appearance and history."

Anyway, these are the seven wonders of the ANCIENT WORLD:
1. The Great Pyramid of Giza (26th century BC)
2. The Hanging Gardens of Babylon (6th century BC)
3. The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus(6th century BC)
4. The Statue of Zeus at Olympia (5th century BC)
5. The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (4the century BC)
6. The Collosus of Rhodes (3rd century BC)
7. The Lighthouse of Alexandria (3rd century BC)


Interesting tidbits about the ancient Seven Wonders of the World:

No one knows today what six of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World actually looked like. All the paintings and drawings we see today stem from the imaginations of artists who lived long after those six wonders perished.

No one knows for certain who created the ancient Seven Wonders of the World list that we accept to today as the "official" version. Various scholars have nominated different creators.

The oldest known reference to a Seven Wonder list was written in the 5th century BC by Herodotus, the famous Greek historian. This was two centuries before the Colossus of Rhodes and the Lighthouse of Alexandria were built.

Likely some Seven Wonders lists were kept in the Library of Alexandria, the world's greatest repository of important ancient manuscripts. Sadly, in 48 BC, a devastating fire in Alexandria caused by Julius Caesar inadvertently spread to the library, and destroyed it. The library's nearly half million irreplaceable scrolls documenting ancient history were lost to mankind forever.

Two of the ancient Seven Wonders are royal tombs (Pyramid of Giza and Mausoleum at Halicarnassus). Two involve Greek temples (Temple of Artemis and the Statue of Zeus, which was the focal point of the Temple of Zeus). Two relate to Mediterranean harbors (Colossus of Rhodes and Lighthouse of Alexandria). The Hanging Gardens of Babylon stand alone. Only the Lighthouse of Alexandria served a practical public function. It guided mariners safely into the harbor. The Pyramid of Giza has lasted nearly 100 times as long as did the Colossus of Rhodes. And, it has survived almost as many centuries (46) as the other six combined (52).

Below are the longevity rankings:
1. Pyramids of Giza (46 centuries and counting)
2. Mausoleum at Halicarnassus (17 centuries)
3. Lighthouse of Alexandria (16 centuries)
4. Statue of Zeus (9 centuries)
5. Temple of Artemis (8 centuries)
6. Hanging Gardens of Babylon (1 century)
7. Colossus of Rhodes (½ century)

Earthquakes helped destroy the majority of the ancient Seven Wonders of the World. The four victims are the Colossus of Rhodes, Lighthouse of Alexandria, Mausoleum at Halicarnassus and Temple of Artemis. The three exceptions are the Statue of Zeus (by fire), Hanging Gardens of Babylon (by water damage and brick deterioration) and Pyramid of Khufu (still going strong).


Now here's a different list. The seven wonders of the MIDDLE AGES:
1. The Colosseum of Rome
2. The Catacombs of Alexandria
3. The Great Wall of China
4. Hagia Sophia of Constantinople
5. Stonehenge
6. The Leaning Tower of Pisa
7. The Porcelain Pagoda of Nanjing

The PRESENT seven wonders of the world today by National Geographic (compiled in 1931 after the completion of the Empire State Building):
1. The Great Pyramids (Egypt)
2. Hagia Sophia (Turkey)
3. Leaning Tower of Pisa (Italy)
4. Washington Monument (U.S.)
5. Eiffel Tower (France)
6. Taj Mahal (India)
7. Empire State Building (U.S.)

The seven NATURAL WONDERS of the world: (varies slightly from source to source)
1. Mount Everest (Nepal)
2. The Great Barrier Reef (Australia)
3. The Grand Canyon (U.S.)
4. Victoria Falls (Zambia/Zimbabwe)
5. The Harbor of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil)
6. Paricutin Volcano (Mexico)
7. The Northern Lights

This is much more complicated than I expected. There are a whole bunch of other lists of seven wonders but I won't even go there. It would get way too complicated. Well, these are the most common lists of seven wonders.

I'm stepping outta here now...

McDonalds Across Borders

"Mc Donald's is the world's largest global food-service retailer, with more than 25,000 restaurants serving over 40 million people each day in 118 countries."

A classmate of mine in college is from Kenya and while i was talking to her about her country and how her culture is different from Malaysian culture, we came across the topic of McDonalds.

Apparently McDonalds in Kenya is quite different from what we would expect it to be. In order to eat at the restaurant, you must first make reservations. There is no such thing as walking into the shop and ordering take-away. So, it's basically considered a treat to dine there. Cool huh?

I was hoping to find more information about this online, but i can't seem to find anything. I thought that knowing what McDonald's is like across borders would be really interesting. So, if you know of where i can find more information on how McDonald's varies across cultures and it's differences across countries, do let me know.


Note: I just got the 'Super Size Me' documentary by Morgan Spurlock. Will be watching it later...

Irony At It's Peak

While my best friend and I went shopping today, we came across a shop selling DVD's. We walked in, looked around and finally picked out a few.

Now comes the ironic part.

The DVD's I purchased were not original's but when I payed the guy at the counter, he held the money up to the light to make sure it wasn't counterfeit.

My best friend and I cracked up the moment we stepped outside the shop.

Ultimate Confusion

**Confusion confuses and creates confusion to further the confusion**
... read conversation between Mr. Watt and William Knott...

"Who's calling?" was the answer to the telephone.
"Watt."
"What is your name, please?"
"Watt's my name."
"That's what I asked you. What's your name?"
"That's what I told you. Watt's my name."

A long pause, and then from Watt, "Is this James Brown?"

"No, this is Knott."
"Please tell me your name."
"Will Knott."

YOU LEFT THE TALKERS AT A POINT WHERE THEY WERE TOTALLY CONFUSED.
READ THE REST OF WHAT HAPPENED...

"Why not?"
"Huh? What do you mean why not?"
"Yeah! Why won't you tell me your name?"
"But I told you my name!"
"Didn't you say you will not?"
"Not not, knott, Will Knott!"
"That's what I mean."
"So you know my name."
"Of course not!"
"Good. So now, what is yours?"
"Watt. Yours?"
"Your name!"
"Watt's my name."
"How the hell do I know? I am asking you!"
"Look I have been very patient and I have told you my name and you have
not even told me yours yet."
"You have been patient, what about me?"
"I have told you my name so many times and it is you who have not told
me yours yet."
"Of course not!"
"See, you even know my name!"
"Of course not!"
"Then why do you keep saying of course Knott?"
"Because I don't."

[Pause]

"What is your name?"
"See, you know my name!"
"Of course not!"
"Then why do you keep asking, Watt, is your name?"
"To find out your name!"
"But you already know it!"
"What?"
"See, but you know mine!"
"Of course not!"
"Exactly!"

NOW THEY ARE AT A POINT WHERE BOTH THINK THE OTHER KNOWS THEIR NAME, BUT
THEY THEMSELVES DON'T KNOW THE OTHER'S NAME.

"Listen, listen, wait; if I asked you what your name is, what will be
your answer?"
"Watt's my name."
"No, no, give me only one word."
"Watt"
"Your name!"
"Right!"

[Pause before it hits him]

"Oh, Wright!"
"Yeah!"
"So why didn't you say it before?"
"I told you so many times!"
"You never said Wright before"
"Of course I did."
"Ok I won't argue any more. Do you know my name?"
"I do not."
"Well, there you go, now we know each other's name."
"I do not!"
"Good!"

[Pause before it hits him]

"Oh, Guud!"
"Good."
"No wonder, it took me so long, is that Dutch?"
"No, it's Knott!"
"Oh, okay. At least the names are clear now Guud."
"Yes Wright."

NOW THEY BOTH THINK THEY KNOW EACH OTHER'S NAME AS WELL !!!

From Pompeii to the Bay of Naples (Part 3)

For some reason, I have been distracted from writing this third part. It’s been a few months already and well, it’s due time I completed this. Think about it...it’s almost been a year since I actually went to Rome. I dare say though, that the memories are still fresh in my mind. I will attempt to recall them as accurately as possible…and well, I do have my journal to assist me in this recovery process. Well, sit back and enjoy; here’s Part 3 – The conclusion.

If you remember, Part 2 ended on my second day in Rome (From Downtown Rome to the Via Appia Antica –Archives: September). My first two days were spent in Rome but the third day promised to be something different.

Once again I woke up to a dark room, but a beautiful sunny day outside – surprisingly pleasant weather. I must have brought the sun from Malaysia with me because it was winter in Italy and the weather had been cloudy and rainy the last few days before I had arrived. Datuk Lily woke me up at 6.30 because we had to leave by 7.45 as we were going to meet up with this team from Malaysia – basically a bunch of people from the defense ministry – and then we were going to drive down to Naples and the bay, overlooking the island of Capri. Along the way, we were going to stop at the city of Pompeii.

Anyway, after bidding farewell to dad (he was going to Marseilles), Daniello (Daniel) drove Datuk Lily and I over to a hotel in Rome where we would be meeting the rest of the team, which consisted of around 10 really nice people. Four of the men were dad’s friends, including the VIP guy. There were about 12 of us all together, including the tour guide, a very knowledgeable lady who was very friendly and Vinchesca (Vincent) who was the representative from the Italian side. This whole trip was organized because of some work that Malaysia and Italy were doing together (I won’t go into detail). We also had two bodyguards along with us as due to the presence of the government officials. It was rather amusing thinking that I was with a bunch of important people, being escorted around Italy...it was almost like royal treatment.

The two bodygurads were actually plainclothes policemen – they looked more like bouncers though. Well, let’s just call them agent J and agent K since they were all dressed up in black suits with white shirts and black ties, leather dress shoes and black shades. *Cute!* We got onto the bus (a really nice tour bus) which was just big enough for the 12 of us and then we left; escorted from behind by agent J and K in their bright red Alpha Romeo. And so the fun begins...

We drove through Rome to get to the highway, and our tour guide gave us outstanding information on anything and everything that we could possibly want to know about Italy. She pointed out the Parliament building, and told us how the hospital is conveniently placed next to the graveyard. We got onto the highway and began our two hour journey. Our guide started explaining the history of Pompeii, as that was where we were headed. We were off to see the ruins of the city of Pompeii. Basically, Mount Vesuvius, a volcano (still active) had erupted in 79 AD and covered the whole of Pompeii with ash. Thousands of people died and the whole city was gone – covered by lava and ash. The 79 A.D. eruption of Vesuvius was the first volcanic eruption ever to be described in detail. From 18 miles (30 km) west of the volcano, Pliny the Younger, witnessed the eruption and later recorded his observations in two letters. He described the earthquakes before the eruption, the eruption column, air fall, the effects of the eruption on people, pyroclastic flows, and even tsunami. Volcanologists now use the term "plinian" to refer to sustained explosive eruptions which generate high-altitude eruption columns and blanket large areas with ash. It is estimated that at times during the eruption the column of ash was 20 miles (32 km) tall. About 1 cubic mile (4 cubic kilometers) of ash was erupted in about 19 hours.About 10 feet (3 m) of tephra fell on Pompeii, burying everything except the roofs of some buildings. The city was abandoned and its location forgotten. Pompeii was lost and at times when people attempted to go there to do research, they died because of the poisenous gases and fumes released when they dug. This too took many lives. Over the years, people gradually started coming back and the city of Pompeii was discovered...well, actually, it was recovered. Now, much of Pompeii has been excavated and it has revealed much about how people lived during that time (and died during the eruption). There are numerous molds of people in their final moments. That is the significance behind the city of Pompeii. The lava and ash had preserved many parts of the city over the years.

The drive was otherwise uneventful and it was kind of like a drive through the countryside...reminded me of the U.S. with the exception that the terrain was much hillier. We passed through the final toll and suddenly I heard a siren. A carabinieri (1 of the 4 defense sections in Italy – marines, air force, army and the carabinieris) pulled out in front of the bus and guess what...yeap, we had another escort. These newcomers were our front escorts and behind us were agent J and K. Really interesting. Now keep in mind, we’re getting royal treatement, which means that we can’t afford to be stuck in a traffic jam, even if we happen to be on the road during lunch hour. Although it was Sunday, the jam was quite bad because everyone was going to Naples for the weekend – the first sunny, warm weekend since winter. So you can imagine the traffic condition. Roads in Rome are generally very narrow (worse than in Malaysia!) and most are two lane roads with buildings on the sides that come right up to the road. In addition to that, it is very normal to find cars parked on the shoulder of the road which means half of one lane is blocked. Anyway, imagine a traffic jam on our side of the road and cars coming relatively fast on the other side of the road. Our dear carabinieri pulls out onto the other lane – switches on it’s siren, puts out THE 'lollypop' and motiones for the cars to move over and yield. He was really fierce about it and i gotta say it was so weird having everyone glare at us and then quickly pull off to the side. I’m sure they were cursing us. I felt bad. The road was already so narrow without 3 lanes of cars. Now, I’ve been through a lot of Malaysian driving and so I thought that I would be able to handle almost anything. But this was beyond me.

Anyway, it was like an adrenaline rush, very entertaining...like a video game. Well, we arrived outside Pompeii in style. I was astonished at the size of the site. It was seriously big. I was so interested in intently studying this ancient Roman city that is surprisingly in quite good condition. The Romans were brilliant and I simply admire their intelligence.

Each house had a pool type structure which would collect rainwater. They even had a way to heat and cool water so they had access to both hot and cold water. For the poorer ones who didn’t have these pools, there was a town pump where they could get their water. While walking around, I noticed these strange big stones that are placed in the middle of the roads. I enquired with the tour guide as to what these things were and she began to explain how when it rains there, it floods. So those stone things actually functioned as stepping stones to cross the road from one sidewalk to the other. When it flooded, the roads served as ‘drains’ and there was a way to cross these ‘drains’. At the same time, the stepping stones were placed so that carriages drawn by horses could still pass in between them. It really was quite brilliant!

I went inside some of the houses that were still standing and it was remarkable how each one had walls covered with paintings and floors with mosaic patterns, the complexity of it depending on the wealth of the owner. After walking around here for a while, we went out into the sun. I had a pleasant time observing agent J and K as they didn’t talk to anyone but maintained their straight faces and were constantly within a fixed distance of the VIP. It was totally cool observing bodyguards in action.

We exited these antediluvian remains and just across the road was a drink stall. There, in front of my eyes were the biggest lemons I had ever seen. The oranges were unusually humongous too. We got a cold, fresh lemon orange juice drink there and my mouth still waters just thinking about it. It was so delicious and refreshing after a long, hot walk in the sun. It was pure, fresh orange and lemon juice – no water or sugar added. After fully enjoyed drinking the pulpy, thirst-quencher, we boarded the bus again and prepared to make our way down to the Bay of Naples.

Once again, the carabinieri went back to their job, which they did superbly. Like two positive poles of magnets put together, the cars simply avoided us. It was amazing! The lollypop was so effective. Talk about culture shock...hehe. I think the carabinieri’s with their lollypop’s were one of the highlights of my trip to Italy. Anyway, we continued on to Naples.

The road there was quite like the road to Cameron Highlands, except instead of having rainforest trees on both sides, there are houses and orchards on one side and a steep drop to the sparkling blue sea on the other side. Now imagine that and a bus speeding down between two lanes of cars, going about 50 or 60 kmph with this great drop on one side and rock on the other. Yikes, but fun at the same time as I do like speed. When the other drivers heard the siren, they must have thought it was an ambulance coming through...then suddenly they see this tourist bus with all these people rushing for LUNCH!!! Sheesh...the important things in life huh... Fortunately it didn’t have anything to do with the fact that we were Malaysians – that would have been hilarious. Oh, and along the way, there were 3 long tunnels – easily half a km long, but would that stop us? Nope. The lollypop guy continued. Some of the people on the bus with me were already freaking out but I found it all amusing. I should point out now that I am not able to fully capture this whole experience in words, because it’s simply beyond that. I don’t think it can really be described.

Although we were speeding away, I managed to drink in the the view which was simply spectacular – just like something out of an Enid Blyton book...sparkling blue sea, bright hot sun, white fluffy clouds, pure white sand, and it goes on. Simply breathtaking and dazzling. I can see why people have to book a hotel room in Capri one year before hand. This had to be one of the most beautiful places on the face of the earth. We finally reached the restaurant and as if the view wasn’t beautiful enough, the restaurant was more like a paradise garden. Lemon trees, orange trees, flowers of all sorts, vines and rich, brown soil.

Okay, I have to admit that the food I had at this restaurant was probably the most exotic food I have ever dealt with in my life. Well first of all, since the restaurant was beside the sea, the menu was mainly seafood. First, they served a few different types of bread, like all Italian restaurants. Then our first course came. It was seafood. Now, I’m not big into seafood so this was kind of a bummer for me because I was famished. There were three huge shells, lined with lemon leaf on my plate and in each shell there was a different type of seafood. The first was cuttlefish, the second was some sort of fish I couldn't recognize and the third was baby eels. They were white, long, slightly slimy things with eyes...yes...with eyes! My appetite diminished at an amazing rate. But then, mind over matter, and I was like ok, whatever, let’s do this! I saw my fork spear some of the white slimy eyes and shove them down my throat. I almost gagged...but then I couldn’t let that happen because I was seated at a table with a whole bunch of VIP’s. *Chew, chew, chew...swallow* Hmmm…well, it was ok...if you ignore the eyes. Then Datuk Lily casually mentioned that the eels were raw. Double yikes! Raw??? I returned to the comfort of the cuttlefish, but finally challenged myself to finish the eels and well, I did. Yay for me.

The second course was much less eventful and instead, it brought hope. Spaghetti with clams. That was actually the first time I had clams...yeah, yeah, I know. The third course was a gorgeous garden salad with olive oil on it. Finally, my type of food. Fourth course, some type of fish and finally dessert was something like sponge cake, covered with white lemon sauce. That was scrumptious and a very pleasant way to end my spectacular lunch. In the weirdest way, I was proud of myself for finishing lunch.

After that, we went up to the ‘Garden of Eden’ and enjoyed the beauty of the place. Oh, keep in mind, the whole time we were having lunch, I was sitting with a whole bunch of important people from the Malaysian government. Although they were respectable individuals, they were really cool people and we had a fun time talking about everything under the sun. It’s interesting how being in a foreign country brings people together.

After lunch, we gathered our stuffed selves together and decided to walk around for a bit. We were once again graced by agent K’s presence, but agent J was nowhere in sight. As we came to the main road, I saw the carabinieri’s with their car and decided to ask them if I could take a picture with them. I wanted a picture with the lollypop guy. (Note: I have the picture in case you want to see it). These guys were brilliant drivers and lollypop men. Well, after that we walked through a few more beautiful gardens and came to a balcony, which was the property of a hotel. From there, the view was magnificent! I stood at the railing and looked down about 100 meters at the shore and the blue sky. In the distance to my left, I could see the island of Capri and directly opposite that, to my right, was Mount Vesuvius.

All too soon, it was time to go because Vinchesca had to catch a flight back to Florence. We got into the bus and prepared to depart. The rest of my bus mates were saying that they hoped we didn’t have to go through anymore kamikaze driving because we had just had lunch. Fortunately, our escorts guided us on a very gentle trip back. We were all really tired but managed to stay awake till we got to the airport to drop Vinchesca off. Unfortunately, this is where we parted with my faithful lollypop men too...but I did get to say ‘grazcia’ and shake their hands before we parted. The rest of the trip back to Roma was uneventful. Most of the people were sleeping in the bus, but I stayed awake and tried to learn some Italian from Datuk Lily, who was also awake.

As we drove into Rome, the city was really quiet as there was a game going on between Juventus and AC Milan...thus the silence. Italians are generally very into soccer, so when there’s a game; everything else is put on pause. We drove straight to the Captain’s house (he’s Malaysian) for dinner. I have to say I felt like a walking zombie. Jet lag was finally getting the better of me.

Everyone was so exhausted after the long day; but we were instantly more alert the moment we were welcomed at the door of the captain's house, with so many beaming faces. It was very nice to see a whole bunch of Malaysians again. In a way, it felt like home. I really felt blessed. After some small talk, we sat down for dinner – Malaysian food. I can’t say that I was overly excited about this as I was looking forward to Italian cuisine, but the atmosphere was so nice that it really didn’t matter. I ate just a bit because I was still really full from lunch.

Almost everyone left by 9.15 pm. Just Datuk Lily and I were left, so we talked with the Captain and his family a while longer and you know, I really didn’t want to leave there. It was probably because I knew that this meant the end of Roma for me as I would be leaving the country. I didn't like the thought of that. I wanted to stay!!!

I was almost falling asleep on the way back to Datuk Lily's place. I was as exhausted as one could possibly be. I went back bathed, packed and crashed. The next morning, I was up early as it was time to leave. The hour had finally come. There was a great mix of emotions within me the whole way to the airport. On one hand, I was happy to be going home, but on the other, I already missed Rome so much. I loved the city! I really missed mom, dad and the boys but I felt that it was really too soon to be going back home. I wanted more time there. Just a little more time. It was then that I realized that I had truly fallen in love with Italy.

Da Vinci Code: The Movie

One of my friends got me this book for Christmas. It's a top selling book that is also very controversial. I am just starting it now as i have just finished Hemmingway's 'For whom the bell tolls'.

This book is currently one of the top selling books world over, so apparently Dan Brown has done quite a good job. Nonetheless, i won't say much more till i have read the Da Vinci Code. I also have this book called Breaking the Da Vinci Code, so that's gonna be interesting.

I just found out that a movie is being made based on the book. The director is Ron Howard and the movie version of Dan Brown's thriller will feature Tom Hanks as Professor Robert Langdon and is scheduled to start shooting in May.

The Invisible Blade

Last night, as i slept, i was pierced by a sharp blade. The moment i felt it, i wanted to wake up; but for some reason something was stopping me. I could not wake up.

It was so painful!!!

In the morning, there was a dull ache. Not sharp like when i was pierced, but it was more of a distant throbbing. I looked for the wound, but there was nothing. Absolutely no sign that i had been pierced. Nothing...except for the memory and the pain that i felt.

I don't know where the blade came from, who it belonged to, why i was pierced or whether it was intentional. All i knew for sure was that i had been hurt.

Hey Sunshine

These last few days, the weather has been gorgeous. Blue sky, bright hot sun, gentle breeze. Really, really nice. I was walking to work just now and although it was rather hot, i really just want to swim in the blue, blue sky.

Saturday night, i was up with some friends till about 1 am and we were admiring the stars and the moon. The sky was just lovely...and there was even a gentle breeze that whispered through the pine trees.

Thanks you guys. I had a wonderful time. Let's do it again some time.

The 20th

I'm old.

Well, relatively...


Goodbye to my teens. It's weird how time flies.

I think that birthday's are weird. It's not like you're a year older on that day but for some reason it feels like that. We forget that it's actually a progressing thing and the change in our age between yesterday and today is the same as that of yesterday and the day before that. It's climbing a mountain, not teleporting from the foot to the peak.

I've been getting older all the time. It's just that i don't stop to realize it..and then it hits me on my birthday.


A few days ago, I celebrated my birthday and this last birthday has been my best ever. The night before, two of my friends took me out to watch Bridget Jones’ Diary and then we went for a midnight dinner at a wan tan mee shop which serves the best wan tan mee I have ever tasted...really good stuff.

Around 11.45, I got my first call from a friend who wanted to be the first to help me step into my 20’s. At the precise moment: 12:00:01, I was wished. That was really awesome.
From then on, the calls, messages and hugs just started streaming in. I got calls from all over and it was really amazing that so many people remembered my natal day. I’ve never felt so loved! The emotions were quite overwhelming. Too much attention; I almost didn’t know how to handle it. It was amazing receiving birthday greetings from friends who I haven’t heard from in ages. Gosh! Well, you guys know who you are. It was brilliant of you all...

That night, I went back to my best friends’ house and we had a 'slumber party'. We crept in quietly as it was quite late when we got back and everyone else was asleep. She gave me my birthday present, which I love, and then we talked and talked till we fell asleep. More messages on my phone.

I was woken around 7am by the tone of my phone. Guess what? A “Happy Birthday” greeting all the way from Ireland. My closest friends never forget, even if they are in another part of the world. I felt special.

The day went on really well and when I got home, I was flooded with hugs from my parents and brothers. Wow! I went to my room and there was this gorgeous bouquet of pink and purple flowers waiting for me. Double WOW!...and just the right colors too.

The surprises have continued and I’m quite overwhelmed. Really, this has been my best birthday ever and I will always treasure this 20th birthday of mine. I’m so thankful for all my friends who have done an outstanding job to make me feel so special. I thank God for my 20 years of wonderful life and for all the people with whom my path has crossed. Thank you again.

Note: A friend pointed out the truly golden moment: 20 years old at 20:20:20 on the 20th of January. Awesome huh? I was having dinner with my family at this moment. I suppose it’s one of the best ways to celebrate the historical moment.

Note 2: A special thank you to all those who gave me presents, cards, hugs, kisses and greetings. I appreciate them all...

We Can End Poverty But Do We WANT To?

"UNITED NATIONS - Global poverty can be cut in half by 2015 and eliminated by 2025 if the world’s richest countries including the United States, Japan and Germany more than double aid to the poorest countries, hundreds of development experts concluded in a report Monday.At stake is life or death for tens of millions of impoverished people, it said.

The report spells out the investments needed to meet the U.N. goals adopted by world leaders at the Millennium Summit in 2000 to tackle poverty, hunger and disease and promote education and development, mainly in African and Asian countries.

“What we’re proposing is a strategy of investment to help empower the lives of very poor people that lack the tools and sometimes even the basic means to stay alive, much less be productive members of a fast-paced world economy,” said Professor Jeffrey Sachs, head of the U.N. anti-poverty effort and lead author of the report.

The investments range from schools, clinics, safe water and sanitation to fertilizer, roads, electricity and transport to get goods to market.

‘Tremendous imbalance’
“The system is not working right now — let’s be clear,” he said. “There’s a tremendous imbalance of focus on the issues of war and peace, and less on the dying and suffering of the poor who have no voice.”

According to the report, 1 billion people live on a dollar a day or less, many of them going to bed hungry every night; life expectancy in the poorest countries is half that of people in high-income countries. And every month, for example, 150,000 African children die of malaria because they don’t have bed nets to keep out mosquitoes, a tragedy Sachs called the “silent tsunami.”

In 1970, the world’s nations agreed to provide 0.7 percent of their gross national income for development assistance, and that figure was reaffirmed by the U.N. conference on financing development in Monterey, Mexico, in 2002.

So far, only five countries have met or surpassed the target: Denmark, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden. Six others have made commitments to reach the target by 2015: Belgium, Finland, France, Ireland, Spain and Britain.

Nations including U.S. far from target
But 11 of the 22 richest donors according to the Paris-based Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development are far from the target and have not set timetables to reach it — including the United States, Japan and Germany.

If all 22 rich countries come up with the money, more than 500 million people can escape poverty and tens of millions can avoid certain death in the next decade, the report said.

If the countries kept up the 0.7 percent level of aid-giving for another decade, it said, “by 2025 extreme poverty can be substantially eliminated” for the remaining 500 million people surviving on a dollar a day.

“Our generation for the first time in human history really could see to it that extreme poverty on the planet is ended, not just by half but ended by the year 2025,” Sachs said.

“We are not asking for one new promise from any country in the world, only the follow-through on what has already been committed,” he stressed.

But trying to get the United States and the other rich nations to double or triple the amount of development assistance they give is expected to be an uphill struggle — and the target of a major lobbying effort."

Source: MSNBC News


The world been like this for quite a while. It's not that we can't feed all the hungry mouths, it's that we choose not to. The conflict theory explains how the bourgeoisie are constantly suppressing the proletariats and because of this, there will never be equality. It's true that by assisting weaker nations, we would be making them stronger. I suppose many of the strongest nations feel that their position would be threatened by this.

Thus, we shall live in comfort at the expense of others. This is very sad as we are dealing with people's lives and not just our own egos or whatever it may be. I'm sure the top nations addressed have reasons to justify their actions...or lack of actions for that matter; but are these reasons good enough?

I suppose it all comes down to whether we really want to put and end to poverty or not. If we do want to, we can. If we don't want to, let's not even pretend that we want to.

Help Please?

I really want to get my name written in the Elvish script (tengwar annatar). Does anyone have any idea where or how i can get that done?

My Elvish name is Lessien of Dorthonion and my hobbit name is Camellia Brandybuck of Buckland.

Your Elvish name:
http://www.chriswetherell.com/elf/

Your Hobbit name:
http://www.chriswetherell.com/hobbit/

The Unique Man

I have always enjoyed meeting people from various backgrounds. I like talking and getting to know people because i find them interesting. There is so much that can be learned from other humans. Yesterday for instance, i made friends with a taxi driver (he wasn't a dodgy one) and we actually had quite an interesting conversation covering a variety of topics.

Talking to people, even those who have their own peculiarities or are in some way eccentric is something that i enjoy doing. Contrary to popular belief, these people are not irritating or annoying but instead need to be accepted and respected for who they are. Perhaps it might take a bit more time to understand them, but i believe that it is worth it simply because they are human. Besides that, it gives you a wider and more colourful perspective on life as you become open to more thoughts and opinions.

I suppose all in all, this would sort of explain why my major is sociology.

Mind Over Matter?

I have previously written a blog on things that cheer me up when i'm down (archives: Out of the Dumps), but i was wondering what is the actual significance of these activities or actions? Does it really help cheer me up or do i just think that it helps cheer me up? There is a significant difference between the two.

I had a lot of issues on my mind yesterday. There were some things that were seriously bothering me. I was even telling my best friend that so far this hasn't been too good a year for me as so many things seem to be going wrong. As we got finished lunch in mid valley, i told her that i needed to go shopping. Fortunately, she understood me-i needed something to cheer myself up. You can't imagine how much it helped. A few garments later, everything was starting to look beautiful again and already i felt much better. It wasn't a momentary thing either because i went home feeling better. I hadn't dismissed the other issues from my mind, but i was able to manage them and not let them overwhelm me.

But then i was thinking...i doubt that it's really purchasing something that cheers me up. It's more like i'm cheered up because i tell myself i will be after some shopping. If this is so, then that means that whenever i'm down, i can just tell myself to cheer up and that should work; the shopping put aside. Of course this isn't easy, but still, it should work, right? Mind over matter.

For You If You're Bored

Here's a riddle:

You are in a room with three light switches on the wall. In another room (which you can't see) there are three light bulbs.

Your job is to match the switches in the your room to the light bulbs in the other room. The catch is, you can only switch on two switches and when you finally walk over to the other room, you have to be able to match all three switches to their respective light bulbs.

Have fun thinking...



Google has been mirrored! Check it out
www.alltooflat.com/geeky/elgoog/

Departure

Another friend leaves...

I'm still here.

Silence

I've heard that while you are asleep, your brain goes on working overtime, trying to solve unresolved issues and unsolved problems. Thus, sleeping on a problem might actually help you come up with a solution to solve it.

This is one of those bad days. So many things are going wrong. It makes me wonder why. It's almost like i'm not meant to do certain things...not meant to go certain places. I'm discouraged. But there's a reason for it. I believe that nothing happens without a reason. I just wish that i knew the reason.

I know it's a wave and it will pass. But until then, i'm silent.

I'm gonna sleep now. Good night!

"Quote of the Day"

"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
- Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Note: I'm listening to this cd from Stanford Univeristy's Talisman A Cappella Group. I gotta say, they are GOOD!!!

There and Back Again

I don't usually name my friends in my blogs but i'm gonna make an exception this time because what i have to say is directed to certain people. These last few weeks i have spent some time catching up with friends of mine who are finally back in this part of the world again. They have traversed over countries and oceans in search of knowledge, wisdom and truth. Have they found it? Ask them.

It's been wonderful having you guys back again. It's especially fun hearing about all your foreign escapades and unexpected adventures. I'm really glad that we have managed to keep in touch and i really wish to see that continue even though i might complicate things by going off to the States later this year...but of course that gives you a wonderful reason to visit the U.S. Nonetheless, we have done a good job so far keeping in touch. Here's a bit to each of you:

Johann-I'll try to drop by in California. I'm happy you could come home...even if only for a while. See you in a few months. Lots of love.
Hanna-Been missing you cuz! Life has been different without you.
Mark-You definately surprised us. Wish you were back for longer though. Looks like our road trip's gotta wait.
Adlina-You're off again already. It's been loads of fun catching up with you and remembering the old days.
Kasturi-I really appreciate how you always call me as soon as you get back. Had fun seeing your pictures. Too bad we didn't have more time.
Boon Pin-You've got a heart of gold. I miss having you around. God bless you...
Krystin-Good thing blogs exist, huh?
Miriam-I'm coming soon...see you when i get there.
Sabeer-You know, it would have been easier if you had just said it was you. Anyway, it's great to have you back...though i'm sure you already know that.
Su Yuen and Je Yon-It's wonderful to have you guys back in church again.
Liz Lau-Nice to see you back at camp and as sweet as ever...
Sarah-It was great to see you in 1U...even if only for a moment.
Marilyn-I'm pleased to hear that you're enjoying yourself there. It was a surprise to bump into you.
Sian Mei-Have you found my cousin there?
Pei Ru-Too bad you couldn't come back this time. I really look forward to seeing you when you do get back. You gotta cook for me.
Jesselyn-Haven't seen you in ages. If i come to Texas, we'll meet up.
Shashi-Give Italy a kiss for me! When i finally get there, we have some catching up to do.

It's really too soon for me, but to those who will be leaving...

Sue Mei-Distance can't separate us.
Su-Hsien-Fortunately there's only gonna be one camp without you. Then i'm off too...
Shin Yee-You're one of the only people i know who places more importance on helping others than helping yourself. Thanks for being a true friend. Your a precious gem and a rare sight.
Sara-My crazy cuz...well, i'll be seeing you around once we both get there. We can write more songs.
Carmen-Stay the gentle soul that you are. It's been a blessing having you around and working with you.
Anwar-Have a great time in the U.S. If i'm ever really stressed up, i'll give you a call. Peace man!
Jessy-Have fun in the U.S. Maybe we can meet up once i'm there.
Arvind-It's just one year, right?

All of you have had a significant impact on my life in way or another. To those who are not away and not yet leaving, well it's a good thing cuz otherwise i would miss you all terribly. Nonetheless, you are not forgotten...

Keep in touch ppl...the way we always have.

Food fo Avoid on Your First Date

Oscar Wilde once said, “It is a very poor consolation to be told that the man who has given one a bad dinner or poor wine is irreproachable in private life. Even cardinal virtues cannot atone for half-cold entrees.”

But riddle me this, Oscar: Can cardinal virtues atone for, say, garlic dragon breath on a first date?


With Valentine's day just around the corner, i thought this advice i found on a website might actually prove to be useful:

You don’t have to be a Wilde-esque literary genius to recognize that it’s a turn-off to watch (or smell) your date getting weird with food (or drink) during your initial get-together. Nobody likes to see their guy digging into his mouth with a toothpick, or their girl begging, pleading, screaming for a curiously strong mint; it just ain’t dignified. If you want to maintain your dignity – or, at the very least, exponentially increase your chances for a good-night kiss – here are a few foodstuffs to avoid during an early-in-the-relationship date:

Spinach
The king of all stick-in-your-teeth veggies. I defy you to eat it without getting a hunk wedged in your molars. The bummer is that spinach totally yummy. Sigh...

Lobster
Do you really want to wear a bib on your first date?

Anything loaded with Thai chili peppers
This one requires an anecdote: Many years ago, I went to a bachelor party where the first stop was a local Thai joint. One of the groom’s hammer-headed co-workers insisted on eating a chili pepper from his spicy chicken. He plucked the pepper up with his hands, shoved it into his mouth, and took a big ol’ chomp. Three seconds later, his head imploded. So why take a chance? After all, it’s virtually impossible to kiss with an imploded head.

Beans
After all, they are the musical fruit.

Ribs
Let’s face it, no matter how awesome your outfit may be, or how excellent your hair looks, you can’t come off as cool or suave with a face covered in barbecue sauce and a row of teeth filled with bits of “the other white meat.”

Crab
Same basic principle as ribs, except sans BBQ sauce.

Schnapps
Comedian/actor Denis Leary once called schnapps “the crack of alcohol” and then added that a few shots will turn you into the Tasmanian Devil. Last time I looked, the Tasmanian Devil didn’t have a girlfriend.

Onion soup
A few spoonfuls of this stuff, and your sweat will smell like Georgia Vidalias.

An “up all night”
A frightening concoction comprised of a can of certain energy drink, and a shot of a certain green, medicine-tasting alcohol treat. Tastes bad, smells bad, and makes you act bad.

Corn on the cob
Like spinach, this stuff gets lodged in your teeth; like crab and ribs, you can’t help but look semi-dorkish when you eat it. This, my friends, is what we call the worst of both worlds. (Note: Corn on the cob is often found on the menu at a rib joint. I hope this doesn’t raise the dander of the National Pork Board, but you probably shouldn’t eat ribs and their accoutrements until at least date number five.)

It Is Finished

A momentary pause.
A sense of satisfaction.
A sigh of relief.

The burden, laid down.
The problem, solved.
The mission, accomplished.
The future, in His hands.
The end to these worries,
The beginning of a smile.
The university applications, COMPLETE!

2000

Just a thank you note to all my readers. I have passed the 2000 visits mark. The 2000th person has this IP address: 219.95.19. Well, i just wanted to say congradulations!!!

Do keep coming back to visit and don't forget to drop comments and tell me what you think. Thanks people...

The New Year

I had a great new year this year. In the past, my new year's day hasn't really been anything particularly special. Every other year when i'm in the U.S., i usually spend my new year's alone; the reason being, we're always at my grandparents place and my grandparents stay way out in the country. Thus, i spend the turn of the new year in front of the crackling warm fireplace in the basement of my grandparents house with a good book, some Saltine crackers and mozarella cheese. It's my very own Turtle Lake New Year's tradition.

I really didn't feel like celebrating new year's this year...not after so many people have died. It just didn't really feel right for me. So, although i was at a house party, i didn't celebrate. Instead, i spent time talking to people there and appreciating life. I even made some new friends. This has been one of my best new year's ever and it has been an overwhelming new year as there was much to reflect on.

Welcome 2005!

I don't know whether i'm ready for this year or not, but it has come, as time and tide awaits no man. I presume i will take each day a step at a time and try to stomach what comes my way. This is going to be a year of change, it's gonna be tough and i have no idea what will happen. My future is really vague at this point in time. Nonetheless, this is going to be an exciting year as i'm gonna be off into the world.