Intell-actually

Saturday, October 31, 2009 at 3:10 PM | Posted by Juwen
Day 12:
I thank God for giving intellect, that we may understand the things that you have placed in this world but more importantly to also understand your salvation plan through the Bible.

And so for the other extreme. I also like to indulge in most and all things intellectually stimulating. Anything and almost everything under the sun. Topics ranging from the hardcore theoretical physics and maths and to history and to apologetics. Artistic interpretations, psychological impacts on various areas are among some of my weaker subjects but still something I like talking or at the very least, listening.

It's quite funny that sometimes with certain people, they don't take me seriously when I'm in the intellectual mode. Also sometimes I feel unsatisfied that I'm not challenged intellectually. I guess that was one of the primary reasons that I stopped my PhD topic. It has stagnated to the point where I don't learn anything anymore. Having to come back to study something else, it a breath of fresh intellectual air. With a twist of mindless coding.

With a liking towards intellectual talk, there is a price for me to pay. There are things where I feel intellectual, having contributed to the conversation, and yet I feel like I don't know what I'm talking about. Like I don't know the deeper truths of the topic. Those times its when I feel, ironically, stupid. It's a slow learning process for me, trying to pick myself up every time I think I have made a fool of myself. But I guess with things like these, I don't have the necessary experience to talk about such things. Perhaps I should learn to shut up more and listen while mentally taking notes.

On a different note, the drums on the Wicked soundtrack is epic.

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Extremities

Friday, October 30, 2009 at 4:23 PM | Posted by Juwen
I should post something before I go out later and somehow painting the town red.

Day 11:
I thank God for laughter. Best way to feel like there isn't a worry in the world.

2 weeks to go. Not easy this 25 day challenge.

I'm a man with two extremes. Or I'd like to think of myself that way. On one hand, I like to dwell in all things nonsensical. To those who know me for awhile know this pretty much the hard way. Cartoons like Spongebob, Dexter's Lab, Fairly Odd Parents, Rocko's Modern Life and more form the basis of my nonsense. Lemme break it down for you starting with Spongebob. This is almost literally the epitome of randomness. It's so random that it's funny. Who knew that yellow sponge would be such a great hit? Randomness is the answer. I mean you have to be pretty random to envision a sea creature living in a pineapple. And Mr Krabbs has a whale for a daughter. Patrick who's not the sharpest tool in the shed. And a squirrel who lives in a tree under water with a Texan upbringing. Actually come to think of it, sounds like this whole cartoon has somewhat Southern influences. If there is an epitome of randomness, there must be a pioneer. That would be Rocko's Modern Life. This is sort of like Ren and Stimpy grossness mixed with shear randomness. Everything is so exaggerated about everyday living that it just becomes random. A lone wallaby with a bull named Heffer (funny that name was chosen) and a obsessive compulsive nerdy turtle Filbert having annoying neighbours of frogs. Oh, and the ever adorable yet kinda gross dog Spunky.

Dexter's Lab. Which kid who doesn't want to be an evil genius equipped with a lab and coat? Ok, Dexter's not evil but you get the idea. More mellowed nonsense with a touch of evil-genius type humour. Maybe that's why my social skills aren't exactly top notch. And now my favourite, Fairly Odd Parents. Not only is it random but it has some of the best execution of recurring jokes/nonsense in an episode. At some stage I would be in stitches laughing my head off thanks to the brilliance of the recurring jokes. I'd sometimes laugh to myself just even remembering the scene but of course try to suppress that in public. Again, my social skills needs more work.

Bottom line is there is an art to randomness and recurring jokes in stir up humour and/or nonsense. Some of the best comedians know this art and even then few know how to execute it well. I heart randomness.

Tune it tomorrow for the other extreme...

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The sound of complaining

at 12:37 AM | Posted by Juwen
Yes another late one.

Day 10:
I thank God for music and for me to have a part in making music. Somewhat.

So I went to the exam with about 2 hours of sleep thinking that there is just so much to remember. So trammed to the MSAC and busy studying and remember the important points. The moment I entered the building, there was this peaceful feeling that just rushed through my body. No idea how that happened. Anyway, time to head to the exam hall and threw my handwritten notes in the recycling bin and braved the exam. Took my seat and was confronted with a 20 page exam booklet. Since this was a 3 hour exam I was expecting that it is going to be very involved. Ok, 15 minutes of reading time started and flipped through the 20 page monstrosity. 3 pages into it, I blinked my eyes, pinched myself and engulfed with a feeling that is quite strange. I wanted to laugh. All the questions (and I mean ALL) were itty bitty derivatives of questions from the tutorials. Scrap that, they didn't even bother changing the way the question was phrased. All were really short calculation questions. So when the exam started, I got straight into it and 45 minutes later I finished the paper. It was that easy. I've had easy papers in the past but not this easy. Or at least not one that you can complete in a third of the time allocated to you. I double, triple, quadruple and quintuple checked my answers to make sure there is no hanky-panky that I've missed. The stupid thing was that people were not allowed to leave the exam hall until one hour had elapsed. So yes, even after I finished the paper, I still had to wait. This exam was a joke. After leaving the hall really prematurely, I went back home. I've used up my last tram ticket and I had no cash to my name. So I walked back. From MSAC. And even after I got back, the exam was still going on. Seriously.

Stumbled across this video on Facebook and although they are obviously not professionals and a music can be a bit monotonous at times, I've never heard complaining ever sound good. The choir still needs a lot of polishing up but still quite entertaining. And this is not the only one of its kind. There have been many more of such complaint choirs all over the world but the Singaporean complaint choir was the country that would make the most sense. It's almost like it's one of their many national identities, whether they are good or bad. One thing I would really like to see integrated with this choir is a full blown band. I can immediately imagine having a nice groove from a bassist and drummer with a horn section if done right. Somehow reminds me of Hillsong in the "old" days. Ironically, the choir performance was banned from public display by Singapore officials. Great way to curb the national identity of complaining. By the way, also check out Helsinki's choir. Way more polished and tight and pay attention for what makes this nation so famous.

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Storks out of business

Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 1:25 AM | Posted by Juwen
Aiyah, late again.

Day 9:
I thank God for giving us creativity to not make our lives so monotonous and dull. Vibrant indeed.

I'm sure quite a few of you have read about a baby born on the flight from Penang to Kuching on Air Asia. I'm quite puzzled as to why was she flying so close to the labour period. But no matter, the baby was born and both of them are doing good. Then, news came up on what she named the child. Asia Liew Ya Hang. Asia for very obvious reasons and apparently Ya Hang for very obvious reasons. A bit extra, don't you think? But who cares when you have lifetime flights? Unless they go bust. That will be awkward.

First paper in under 8 hours. Still vomiting blood and shivering from a friend's Facebook status. Not helping me sleep. Not cool.

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Lather Late

Wednesday, October 28, 2009 at 2:38 AM | Posted by Juwen
Tad bit late but here it is anyway...

Day 8:
I thank God for the simple pleasures (aka. food) to be enjoyed with friends

I'm being pressed for time as the first exam in nearly 2 years is about to start on Thursday. I felt like I've not done enough especially that this being a very study intensive subject. Call me irresponsible. Most of the lost time that will never be recovered are spent hanging out. With awesome food. And good wine. And, for some odd reason, recurring statements about soap.

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Alone in the Movies

Monday, October 26, 2009 at 6:45 PM | Posted by Juwen
Due to the absence of yesterday's post on my thanksgiving roll, there shall be two now.

Day 6:
I thank God that I can learn from my mistakes that I've made, some of which I am still paying dearly for it, and to come to Him for forgiveness.

Day 7:
I thank God for the hard lessons in life that makes me learn endurance, humility and wisdom

I wonder if there is a male version of the emotional side of a PMS.

Just came back from watching 500 Days of Summer. This is the first movie in years that I have decided to watch alone and definitely I have not regretted doing so. The other movies that I have ended up watching alone I've regretted to some degree. This movie is different. It gave me a lot to think about myself. I went in having some expectation that I will be able to identify with the characters in the movie, having read the background and synopsis. That expectation was fulfilled but not in the way that I was expecting (kinda contradictory, I know). Anyway, I enjoyed the movie very much. The visuals in the movie were very striking, some with hand-drawn graphics and others with the interplay between neutral and dull-ish colours with the cast's expressions. But the thing that really got me was that I "get" the characters. I understood so much of what is going on with them that it feels like I know them. Strange feeling at first but somewhat comforting. Like I said, it gave me so much to think about myself which is part of the reason why I would like to watch it alone. It's almost like a safety blanket of sorts. If you haven't watch it, please do. What you make of it is up to you but the very least I can say is that it's not some cheesy happy ending romantic movie you see most of the time.

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Burn, baby Burn

Saturday, October 24, 2009 at 5:00 PM | Posted by Juwen
Day 5:
I thank God for students that I learn to be humble and patient while imparting knowledge and be an influence to them.

There is a certain Baptist church in North Carolina that is going to have a book burning on October 31. What's strange about this book burning? They are burning various versions of the Bible that are considered by this church perversions of the "God ordained" Bible, the King James Version (KJV). Some of these "heretical" Bible versions are like the NIV, NKJV, Good News etc. On top of that they are burning books by contemporary Christian authors such as John Piper, James Dobson, Billy Graham etc. As well as "ungodly" music like rock, rap and pop, which is probably understandable, but also country, gospel, jazz and so on.

The funny thing is that open burning is prohibited by state laws but they are still going ahead with it. The church may be fined up to $25,000 for the apparently 40-strong congregation.

I don't know whether to label this as ironic or cannot see the wood for the trees.

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