tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41361945951245156792024-03-05T05:10:32.330-08:00Falling Droplets<i>where trickles of ideas reach puddles of knowledge</i>yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-72843363451608381242013-04-10T00:03:00.000-07:002013-04-10T00:03:01.246-07:00Thoughts: Bioshock Infinite<br />
<i>Will the circle be unbroken, by and by,</i><br />
<i>Is a better home awaiting in the sky, in the sky?</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
An apt song to a brilliant narrative.<br />
<br />
A narrative that is on the surface and on all accounts in the beginning seems ordinary. A city in the sky, an ostensibly peaceful religion and a plot to rescue a damsel in distress are all your typical parts and parcel of an overused story line in contemporary media. On the onset, racism and religion, class warfare and nationalism were themes that were also thrown into the overarching tale for good measure. It seemed straight-forward enough, rescue the girl and fight the bad guy and bring her to Paris.<br />
<br />
As you experience the story first-hand, as you grow to know and care for the damsel whom you've rescued from the clich<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: 宋体; mso-fareast-language: ZH-CN; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">éd</span> tower, and as you grow comfortable in the city, the world seems to realize your growing disinterest and quickly changes the pace for the strange and unexplained. The year was 1912, yet somehow music from different eras start to appear. You have never been to the city, yet there are posters everywhere brandishing you as a "False Shepard" for having a tattoo that matches the posters. What are these tears? Who are the two folks that keep showing up to help you at opportune moments? How can you shoot crows from your palms? There was no time for questions though as men and machines from both sides of the class warfare took the liberty of trying to rid you from this world and you have no choice but to keep fighting and keep the questions for later.<br />
<br />
And when it was time to bring up the questions, the narrative had already ended. Yes. This is one story which will leave burning questions in one's mind after the credits rolled. A thousand external questions could all be answered if the clues were paid more attention when given. The problem lies with the less literal, the philosophical questions that need answering. Everything is open to interpretation - lives, lived and will live; dies, died and will die. These words will heretofore mean more to you than ever before. Aside from all the extra themes as well as the core subject of the entire experience, the story still manages to pull at the heartstrings.<br />
<br />
When you think of choice and the meaning of choice, infinite does seem to be the answer.<br />
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Bioshock Infinite is a work of art and a work of philosophy with a thousand different strokes of brilliance. An experience that is not to be missed by anyone who has the slightest inclinations for the entertainment form that is video games. I haven't been writing for awhile however, because of this piece of art, I have to record my thoughts lest it be lost through time.<br />
<br />
Video 9/10 - Colorful artistic designs representing the early 1900s with a slight twist to accentuate the self-style of this fictional world.<br />
Audio 10/10 - Songs and music are perfect for this world. One particular scene of singing and jamming with an instrument pulls at the heartstrings. Will the Circle be Unbroken is definitely the right song for this epic.<br />
Gameplay 8/10 - Standard first person shooter affair with a touch of innovation - the skyline combats. Less points on the one hand weapon, one hand "spell" combat that has been explored before in the previous Bioshocks.<br />
Story 10/10 - Brilliant, exceptionally brilliant story writing and imagination. Possibly the best I have ever seen on a video game.<br />
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<b><u><i>OVERALL SCORE 10/10</i></u></b><br />
<br />yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-21741218902567827972009-12-07T21:50:00.000-08:002009-12-07T22:04:09.311-08:00gloomtwilight has descended upon the soul<br />the touch of it is ice cold<br />stuck in this mire<br />stuck to this desire<br /><br />torrential rain came down<br />the lips turned into a frown<br />forget the days of light<br />should have taken flight<br /><br />autumn, falling leaf<br />the past a myth<br />the present a pain<br />the future in vainyunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-87071901708580183502009-06-29T18:09:00.000-07:002009-06-29T18:40:14.880-07:00on the way to perfection (a preface)first and foremost, i would like to express my deepest gratitude to everyone who have set aside some of their precious time to read my callow short fiction. especially on top of this list of gratitude are the people who have spent even more time to point out the careless and awkward sentence constructions that i have incurred. constructive criticisms and comments are always appreciated and i thank you for helping me grow as a writer.<br /><br />moving forward, i would like to explain the popular comment of the use of verbose (bombastic) words in my little essay. the obvious reason to this is because i am currently preparing for an absurd yet intense graduate school entrance examination, the infamous GRE. this exam tests the brightest of minds on the depths of their vocabulary as well as their mathematical skills. in the event that one of these sharp minds manages to achieve a perfect score, answering all questions correctly, he/she would still be able to obtain only a score of 96% to balance the general test-taker's bell curve. THAT, in my opinion, is why the examination is absurd. in addition to the exam, i found that i have a profound fascination to deepen the depths of my vocublary (as deep as the marinara trench i hope!). thus, i actually find all this learning and improving enjoyable. also, on the issue of writing without caps, of course i know sentences start with capital letters but this is my writing space, my respite from work, i wish to keep it the way i like it. maybe, maybe in the future, if/when i write for a publication, i would conform to this rule of writing.<br /><br />in writing Perfection, i began the first sentence without any idea of how it would end. the main theme of the story, however, had always been there from the start and then skulking like a shadowy figure throughout the story until the very end. this theme, is of course as many of you have picked up from reading, of shallowness and greed. i feel that these elements have plagued humanity since the dawn of time. from the display of brute strength (shallowness) to win potential mates to digging for precious metals as a symbol of power and status (greed) eventually leading to countries warring with one another for even more metals and other precious commodities such as spices/land space/oil. shallowness leads to greed which is so prevalent in everyone of us. each of us are greedy to varying degrees and all of us strive for perfection, always never satisfied, be it the student who wants to score a perfect A, the mother who struggles to provide the perfect life for her child or the monk who strives for perfection through nirvana.<br /><br />the second point that i wanted to put across is affluence and wealth. despite the billions of people living in extreme poverty, a quarter of the world is living the wonderful comfortable life people a hundred years ago could never have imagined. they are so comfortable that the slightest degree change in the temperatures of their homes or the minute presence of minerals in their drinking water elicits a spiteful response (often leading to serious lawsuits) toward the people/companies in charge of providing them their comfort. although the average person in the 21st century is wealthier by more than 10 folds of the average person in the 20th century, human greed can never be assuaged. take for example the need for gas and oil in the 20th century that has raised the status of these fuels as "black gold". rising affluence around the globe improves human lives but it has also degraded the other life forms sharing the planet with us; which brings us to the third theme of my story.<br /><br />expanding on the previous issue, i moved on to briefly mention the issues afflicting the natural world. being the topic that i myself am most passionate, i felt that i did not address it as much as i would like to. but evidently, the story is itself is not about global warming or loss of habitat, so being able to sneak these into a concise story less than a few pages long is good enough for me. i still cringe when i think about the visually gory footage of the chinese literally skinning their domisticated animals alive, dumping these naked, still breathing creatures onto the back of a truck while keeping the blood-drenched skin and fur aside as if the animal's hides are more precious than the animal itself. i wonder how humans can be so shallow and cruel, torturing and tormenting these creatures for the sake of keeping their precious product pels intact without a single thought for the pain that the animals go through before they die. pelts, that are to be used in the fashion industry, are the heart and soul of this story.<br /><br />drawing from the responses and support, i will definitely write more stories in an effort to improve. i have already taken in all of your praises and criticisms to start on a journey towards writing better. in both the literal and figurative senses, this story is me on my way to writing perfection.yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-72912105152096740082009-06-19T23:53:00.000-07:002009-06-23T23:53:40.778-07:00perfectionshe clicked the "checkout" button on the screen of her computer without any hint of hesitance. this time, 3 days from now, the screen on the monitor states that the moleskin gucci purse would arrive at the harrington place. ms. kimberly was ecstatic. the prospect of a new item of beauty arriving to add to her splendor is euphoria. such fervid emotions quickly caused her to be predictably restive. anticipation coupled with anxiety and impatience for the object to arrive, she strolled back and forth her room staring all the time at the mirror on the wall where a reflection of her haughty face consisting of a pair of blue exotic almond-shaped eyes and a sharp hooked nose stares back into the room nonchalantly. her lucious lips is perfect, never without the addition of an exceptionally glossy pink lipstick. even her cephalid features are flawless as blond streaks of hair flow towards the pair of well-groomed sharp elfin ears. although she portrays a supercilious demeanor it is often a facade of her naturally sanguine face.<br /><br />this time though, neither arrogance nor cheerfulness is apparent on her face. she simply could not wait for the purse to arrive. pirouetting from the mirror on the wall, she walked towards a sophisticated 3-level closet that contains hundred of clothing articles. on one side of the closet is a small panel that gives you the feeling that you are operating an airplane with its many buttons. one of these, when pressed, causes the closet to rotate revealing a different side of the closet that contains even more of her superfluous designer collections. she decided to put on her favorite halter top as she grabs the keys to her car in one of the nooks of the closet.<br /><br />arriving at her favorite mall barely three miles away, she quickly walked through the arched entrances to the commercial and fashion heaven of the 21st century. The 8th Wonder of the World was not only a heaven for shoppers around the globe, it was a giant. standing as the largest man-made building in the short history of humanity, its total volume spans well over a million square feet. the sheer size of this building dwarfs even the largest aircraft hangar. it is the epitome, the culmination of the insatiable human hunger for material wealth. every year, millions all around the globe visit its famous silver archetypal buttresses which lined the entire building from the outside propping up the dome-shaped structure. its raised vestibule along with a giant plasma screen in between the arched doorway of the main entrance is a sure sign of the rising affluence of all the people around the globe.<br /><br />it is only natural for ms. kimberly to be living at the heart of the fashion center of the world. as the only daughter of a billionaire and an aspiring fashion designer, she requested, no, insisted that her father buys her a penthouse at the very top of the posh harrington place positioned just next to the 8th wonder. ever since moving in last january, she has been on a shopping spree, obtaining new garments. her sedulity of the constantly changing fashion never falters. she would often shop with her wealthy friends but even these affluent companions find it hard to keep up with her insatiable hunger for fashion. it has become an obsession.<br /><br />as she enters the mall, a looped recording of the mall announcement for donation to the charity of eliminating global warming elicited a smug smile from ms. kimberly. she knows that her father, an oil-tycoon frequently donates to the cause of reducing global warming but yet ironically, he is the one who caused the problem in the first place. to her though, she could not care less. to her, trees and plants are for cotton and linen while animals are for wool and pelts.<br /><br />with haunting elegance and grace, she took the escalator up and walked to her favorite department store. an overly convivial store assistant greeted her as she entered the store but she nonchalantly yet at the same time maintaining an air of pride waved him away. he scurried away like a sewer rat scuttling from the blinding light. in his place, the store manager arrived promptly.<br /><br />"what would you like to have on your lovely self, today ms. kimberly?" he had said. he knew her. of course, who wouldn't know ms. kimberly? the obnoxious, the rude, the arrogant daughter of an american billionaire oil tycoon.<br /><br />"ask that once more and i will have you joining the increasing number of the jobless. i have told you before and i will tell you one last time. my body only deserves the best, so bring out the most expensive and newest article that you have in your joke of a shop," she castigated in reply with malice dripping on each of her word.<br /><br />the manager took flight and within a minute returned with a ten-thousand dollar dress made by hand from a famous designer. she lambasted the quality of the design and her querulous tirade went on for a good couple of minutes before she finally bought the dress. she bought it not because she liked it but because she wishes to own the most expensive fashion and her selfish self would not allow anyone else to compete with her for this.<br /><br />store managers know about this particular obsession. they each know that if they can survive her diatribe long enough, they would be able to make sales worth a month's fortune. all except for one store manager who has a deep resentment for the pampered child. and it was on one fateful day that ms. kimberly decided to visit this manager's store for her shopping indulgence. the encounter started off with her customary derisive remarks but as soon as the manager told her that he has what it takes to make her the most beautiful person in the world, she was immediately enthralled. he had promised to make her perfect. what's more, he even promised that he can help her overcome aging altogether, that she would never have wrinkles and her face would remain as it is 100 years from now! all she had to do was to follow him to the back of the shop where there is a modern factory that makes the clothings and other oddities.<br /><br />with utmost obedience characteristic of a child promised an ice cream treat, ms. kimberly walked apace, all thoughts of pride thrown aside, into the back of the shop. it was fairly dark but quite visible with the light shining through the door from the front of the shop. inside, a myriad of half-complete dresses hung on the shelves. several half manequin heads were laid out next to some of the dresses. above it all a word carved in gold and red at the far end of the wall spelled "Perfection", the name of the shop she was in. as she was looking from side to side, settling down on her initial excitement of the promised flawlesness, she began to open her mouth to demand for her promise but it was too late.<br /><br />she was being pushed towards the human-shaped cast she saw earlier. she struggled and pushed with all her might but it served no purpose. her frail slim body could not defy the stalwart arms of the store manager. as she approached the cast, she realized that it was not a cast at all, but a half-open manequin and she was being forced into the manequin. in the split second she was struggling, she also saw that the word Perfection was not really coated in gold and red paint but rather, red bloodstains. at last, she was forced within the confines of the manequin and the manager promptly brought the other side of the manequin to close.<br /><br />the last ms. kimberly heard of the outside world was a lock clicking as the manager secured the manequin.<br /><br />the last the world heard of ms. kimberly was her muffled screams from within the manequin.<br /><br />the promise that the manager initially made to ms. kimberly was upheld. she was indeed perfect and would not age a single day.yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-52444348794502604162009-06-12T17:59:00.000-07:002009-06-12T18:42:34.452-07:00life in a nutshellan article that i recently came across pointed out something really obvious. here's a single line from the article that was as obvious as an elephant found in the middle of downton los angeles yet i could not have figured it out on my own if not for this article; "the average person, if he /she travels once a year for vacation, would only go to 50 places at most in their lifetime". this fact smacked right across my face and questions flared at every corner of my brain. <span style="font-weight: bold;">would i want to be that person who gets to visit only 50 places (most probably less) throughout his entire life? </span>continue being the average californian and after 5 years, return to become the average malaysian?<br /><br />the answer is, no. i want to see the world through the lens of my eyes, not the lens of a camera. i want to see, hear, smell, feel the animals and plants, not just watch them on a flat digital screen. i want to use the fifth sensory organ to taste the different cultures of the world through the food that they routinely eat. that is what the heart truly wants. but does the heart always get what it wants?<br /><br />the brain on the other hand has issues of its own that require answers. <span style="font-weight: bold;">what of my family?</span> my parents that have spent a fortune just so that they can grow old to see their second son grow up into living a comfortable life <span style="font-style: italic;">just like everyone else</span>. just like everyone else. the typical malaysian chinese mentality is to work hard and do well in school ( didn't do well), earn full scholarship (didn't earn one), go to college work hard and do well (didn't do so well), get out of college and work really really REALLY hard (not working really really REALLY hard, the fact supported as i'm writing this in my bleak little cubicle instead of validating) and finally when you have worked so hard all your life, with "tons of money" you can now settle down and start a family, living a supposed prosperous life. the problem is, after you've "settled down", you have to work even harder just to be able to feed the extra mouths that suddenly appear in your life.<br /><br />prosperous? maybe. but isn't life all about living it to the fullest? in my remaining years here on the planet, i want to experience and absorb all there is to absorb. immersing myself in the endless sea of wonders and discovering new and fascinating facts about the world around us is definitely a fulfilling life. one might argue that life with a family is eniching and fulfilling. in many ways, i concur but is that all there is to life? with so much the world has to offer, most of us still succumb to the trappings of the corporate life. spending, no wasting away 40 precious hours of each week in a dreary building just to earn material wealth.<br /><br />prosperous? no. preposterous more like it. to me, life is definitely more than carving a name for yourself in the modern jungle. it is, i opine with conviction, more than gaining riches to live a "comfortable" life because you will never be comfortable if you have to keep climbing the corporate ladder 8 hours a day and never being able to see more than 50 places in your lifetime. it is even more than just having a family to go home to. sure, family life is another one of those must-have life experiences but how about bringing the family along for the adventure? of course, it would not be fair to the little one, deciding for him / her to a life of travel instead of the city lifestyle we are all stuck in.<br /><br />another concern that my trusty old brain decided to ponder upon is this; <span style="font-weight: bold;">what happens when you are old and you are not able physically to travel to see the world anymore and you do not even have the material wealth to live out the rest of your life comfortably because you decided to leave the hectic lackluster working life about 40 years ago?</span> maybe the sons and the daughters will take care of you. but if you bring them along for the adventure, they are definitely not going to be able to do so much less take care of themselves. maybe you will be like ol' Carl Fredricksen , the old chap from the brilliantly crafted cartoon that is UP, strong at heart is all you need to be strong physically. nonetheless, the bare truth is that it does not matter for when i look back i would have seen that i have led a fulfilling life. at least i have been to more than 50 places. at least i have tasted so many culinary wonders even the most opportunistic raccoon pales in comparison in a competition based on gourmet explorations. at least i have experienced the world. that in itself is more than enough reason for me to let go of life itself in the end because isn't that what life is all about? living life to the fullest, experiencing as much as possible before your time is up. our lives here in this world are certainly timed, as if someone up there is playing a cruel joke on each and everyone of us by starting and stopping the stopwatch whenever they feel like it or when the timer is up.<br /><br />there you have it, life in a nutshell.<br /><br />oh and i have to add, nutshell in life, on the other hand, means to live in a nutshell, to be shielded by the nut (city / corporate boring life) from all that the world has to offer.<br /><br />should i live in the nutshell and conform to society? or should i crack it open, leave it and partake on an adventure that will fatten up my passport with countless stamps and stapled visas?yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-80692807173169937912009-03-23T18:32:00.000-07:002009-03-23T21:44:19.234-07:00m&m's + 551 + paper + paper + paper + paper = monday - fridayostensibly, the above equation might appear to boggle the average mind but the truth is that it is very simple indeed. let me try to explain it in the simplest term so that the simplest of minds can understand such a simple non-mathematical equation.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">m&m's</span> refers to the small peanut-coated chocolate wonders that i, the technician drops three exact quarters of an american dollar into an automated vending machine to obtain on a daily basis. cavities may form on the calcium deposits of my gaping mouth for all i care, these tiny pieces of endorphin stimulants keep my stomach somehow satiated as i await patiently for the very much anticipated mid day meal. these are almost as addictive as coffee!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">551</span> refers to the dreaded windowless dull working space of the validations department. my department. what is validations? validations is the practice of cutting down rainforests in brazil and indonesia. it is also the practice of making up excuses for the company to the FDA just because some harmless abundant-in-the-air microscopic life decided to proliferate on their precious medications. apparently, the ability to say that you are <span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">correct</span> </span>even when you are <span style="font-style: italic; color: rgb(255, 0, 0);">wrong</span> is an ability that is much sought-after in the industry. FDA loves to hear these sugar-coated stories (much like the m&m's) so much so that they seem more like a child craving bedtime stories before they go to bed / approve a drug.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">paper</span> paper paper paper = tree. validations validations validations validations = chopped tree<br /><br />all the above adds up to the following:<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">monday - friday,</span> 7am-3.30pm (most of the time 9am-5.30pm because this pig can never seem to drag his ass of the bed at 6 in the morning).<br /><br />there you have it.<br /><br />that is what i do for 43 hours out of the 168 hours in a week.<br /><br />my job.yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-2221678520136608632009-03-16T19:49:00.000-07:002009-03-24T01:02:09.334-07:00the great ice mountainsmore than a moon past, in the second month of 2009, on an auspiciously friday the 13th, a group of four excited hearts decided to dare the perilous trek to the north, for a few nights of cold and fun at the peak of the world.<br /><br />the treacherous journey to the great ice mountains of tahoe began at a humble town near an expense of abodes aptly named "the village". the ride was powerful but the seatings were as tight as an uncomfortable spandex swimming trunk. that was the least of the problems for the brave adventurers that night for it took them no less than 8 hours to get to their desired snow-capped destination. on their way to the north, they encountered a myriad of other riders of the night who were either drunk, sleepy or reckless. despite the dangers of the road, they managed through the cold and the dark to reach their destination safely.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QPbyg9l7SbCn0tbvAtS7orvssKdFIcIrVkmioMNWCkaWgmjzGSTPTlwTdwAYHT34jKYf00hQxN02sARBQaly8YuRJ9xX43Hvl4u30mfoM8vcEJ5cMQ9Khyphenhyphen_nNBI9-ldFMsU5Ngfn2NnM/s1600-h/n15104651_32391606_5801.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_QPbyg9l7SbCn0tbvAtS7orvssKdFIcIrVkmioMNWCkaWgmjzGSTPTlwTdwAYHT34jKYf00hQxN02sARBQaly8YuRJ9xX43Hvl4u30mfoM8vcEJ5cMQ9Khyphenhyphen_nNBI9-ldFMsU5Ngfn2NnM/s400/n15104651_32391606_5801.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316651599756406274" border="0" /></a>the destination, it seems was not the mountains yet for the rider had arranged before beginning the journey to sojourn at an acquaintance's cozy quarters. a pair of overly affable canines welcomed the travelers with open arms (or paws) as they arrived late past midnight. their owner was no less friendly as she stayed up awaiting our arrival. the homely abode was decorated with hunter trophies and weapons of hunting and comfortable warm beds for the night.<br /><br />as dawn approached, the exhausted travelers made an effort to awaken after which they got into their transport for another half hour of ride to the rich town of heavenly. rumor has it that this locality is one of the best spot for the hazardous sport of snowboarding in all of the western continent. with a quick visit to the local board-smith, the party of four manage to obtain / rent the required equipment for the anticipated game at the top of the mountain.<br /><br />trudging along the snow with heavy boarding gear and even heavier clothing as protection from the elements, the adventurers took the mechanical gondolas up to the ice peaks. in the hanging gondolas, they managed to capture the moment with the tahoe lake as the gorgeous background scenery. such was the reward for braving the arduous 8-hour journey.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nIhwMiNpbh0NAFFeZKTK-1esXa89DV4yLs2BPUaGgwBQSN4-F13wwwtp4OSanuXGqosdmSQ0_qOjIamXrsTL35BZVa7fCGlqJ1AfrN4Dryhs_N0TzNqG2EB0BO_uOM3q5KbQSq2X6d6h/s1600-h/n15104651_32391533_1207.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9nIhwMiNpbh0NAFFeZKTK-1esXa89DV4yLs2BPUaGgwBQSN4-F13wwwtp4OSanuXGqosdmSQ0_qOjIamXrsTL35BZVa7fCGlqJ1AfrN4Dryhs_N0TzNqG2EB0BO_uOM3q5KbQSq2X6d6h/s400/n15104651_32391533_1207.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316652091278083986" border="0" /></a>as they reached the top of the mountains, they began to strap the boards to their little unaccustomed legs and walked awkwardly to the edge of the slope. three out of the four in the party had never before flung themselves literally down the hill while being strapped to a board the length almost as tall as they were. terror and panic risen up at that very moment but quickly overwhelmed by prudence and frugality as each of them has paid at least a hundred in monetary credits to obtain this experience. wasting no time, they hastily pushed their boards (along with their legs) down the declivity. as a virgin experience, the snowboarders fell several times (sometimes head over heels) as they swoop down on the slope with the wind fast blowing across their faces. an experience to savor indeed.<br /><br />with three more trips up and down, the final one up the steeper more advanced slope, the travelers finally decided they were too tired (and too sore) to do anymore snowboarding. walking back to the mechanical gondola, the cold slowly crept in and reached each of their spines as the excitement and warmth of driving the body to strenuous snowboarding fades away. the shivers were never-ending so they settled on getting a cup of hot coffee at the local tavern called "starbucks". night arrived and one of them suggested that they should visit the town theater for entertainment. as it turned out, the show was played out by famous beautiful (and wealthy) people and it was played out surprisingly well too. entertained but starved, the travelers rode down the road for a quick dinner at a chicken roastery called KFC before returning to their night sanctuary.<br /><br />at the stroke of 9am the following morning, the sleepers awaken to the drooling dribble of the hosts' pets. after washing up, they rode up the mountain again to the lake they saw the day before on the mechanical gondola. taking a walk down the pier while braving the harsh cold they managed to capture pictures of the sceneries around them. satisfied with the memories they have captured, they strolled down the beach to a spot where other great adventurers with their families took to the other icy sport of sledding. a bumpy but nevertheless a fun game, the travelers were soon racing each other down the beach with the sleds. when midday approached, they were in for another experience of a lifetime as down the road was where they had the best mexican lunch their naive tongues have ever tasted. satisfying to the tummy, the taste buds and the wallet, one of the travelers pledged to return if he ever comes back to this icy wonderland.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTuYAs5k94wMABm5YDrmlD6_OceJF4x8IvT5813IQRyhJXWWJkAUcZ9iktSjmavrGarviqSvXmyZzcILFAohtOVAQg2OVcgkcBkerZMnuIhV0Kpx-gUIJU9Inxtt_nVGShaY6cDV5cUad/s1600-h/n15104651_32391603_5001.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyTuYAs5k94wMABm5YDrmlD6_OceJF4x8IvT5813IQRyhJXWWJkAUcZ9iktSjmavrGarviqSvXmyZzcILFAohtOVAQg2OVcgkcBkerZMnuIhV0Kpx-gUIJU9Inxtt_nVGShaY6cDV5cUad/s400/n15104651_32391603_5001.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316652527462870098" border="0" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH_zpTd4pFafV_bTnjcYt9At2Vbkaj_xp0RvkK5GxmUsXoDQS-O2mwNsUT1iVQQ_xdxfSVpTxFGjfi1W70SKK093_q0PBuEJqBvT_3qLl_A6L1csAawKKfsF-AAzZw-W3hCOJDTHa9ew1/s1600-h/n15104651_32391599_3983.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCH_zpTd4pFafV_bTnjcYt9At2Vbkaj_xp0RvkK5GxmUsXoDQS-O2mwNsUT1iVQQ_xdxfSVpTxFGjfi1W70SKK093_q0PBuEJqBvT_3qLl_A6L1csAawKKfsF-AAzZw-W3hCOJDTHa9ew1/s400/n15104651_32391599_3983.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316652692962862226" border="0" /></a>with bloated stomachs, they decided to again undertake the long journey home. on the way however, the rider spotted a stream along the icy roads and suggested to the passengers that they should stop to taste the freshness of the waters and to capture more pictures for the last time before leaving. they agreed and took off towards the river. cupping their frozen hands, they scooped up the water and slowly tilted it towards their open mouths.<br /><br />the water from the stream was a gift from heaven.<br /><br />the water from the stream was as fresh as the freshest of the green days of spring after a heavy shower of rain.<br /><br />the water from the stream was as sweet as the sweetest orange juice.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsdZTcKIBjqamVIIGW_3SuZbUdKCh3JO7in0CXEXfP0FuWPrWY2tVq7D7Oh7PTq5V-FxtPTuh-cLakMCEH26UuV9ReTlFRYUJkyPOjgjj64UEDy0RrDKU6jlBS2qHMTAH_j3zBIJ9QF32/s1600-h/n15104651_32391609_2898.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 303px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDsdZTcKIBjqamVIIGW_3SuZbUdKCh3JO7in0CXEXfP0FuWPrWY2tVq7D7Oh7PTq5V-FxtPTuh-cLakMCEH26UuV9ReTlFRYUJkyPOjgjj64UEDy0RrDKU6jlBS2qHMTAH_j3zBIJ9QF32/s400/n15104651_32391609_2898.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316654289413676946" border="0" /></a>it was cold and refreshing. one of the travelers suggested that bear poop might have caused such sweetness in the water and the freshness may have come from the bear's urine. before returning to their ride, they stopped for a short snowball fight. it was fought with such ferocity and intensity as if their lives depended on it but it was quickly ended with the cold reaching deep within their double, triple-layered clothing.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAw97vQt23hutfA4F8Fl0rJx6GyR-M_bPuDvT3otMqDMrHl-m2MwQGXB3A3JPivfHyeITgdOK8TOIdokVN1hAYtxIq4mXuEQ1uByV0C5Xr8MqtSLLPPR-ShVSe03_DyIrs2hc9lUEp8bOq/s1600-h/bear-poop.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAw97vQt23hutfA4F8Fl0rJx6GyR-M_bPuDvT3otMqDMrHl-m2MwQGXB3A3JPivfHyeITgdOK8TOIdokVN1hAYtxIq4mXuEQ1uByV0C5Xr8MqtSLLPPR-ShVSe03_DyIrs2hc9lUEp8bOq/s400/bear-poop.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5316655596363789378" border="0" /></a>the adventure ended as rapidly as the snowball fight had begun and ended. it was the perfect experience and one of the best journeys the travelers had ever taken.yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-85374391222241361022009-02-03T23:13:00.001-08:002009-02-04T00:15:51.823-08:00routineas the alarm rang right at 7am in the cold morning, he stirred and cuddled even deeper into the comforting comforters. 10 minutes passed by before he mentally forced himself to crawl out of the bed. fatigue coupled with lack of sleep caused him to sway sideways as he walked out of the room into the bathroom. grouchily, he tried to turn the shower tap towards the hot water direction.<br /><br />cold.<br /><br />ice cold.<br /><br />cursing, he took the quickest shower. shivering, he jumped out of the bath. acquiescent, he grabbed the towel and dried up. in an automobile, he is transported to a place where he would earn green-colored notes so that he can obtain food with it. for without sustenance, he would not be able to continue waking up at 7am the next morning.<br /><br />at this place he calls office, he inadvertently causes the death of 3.141592 trees on average every day. a lumber mill would be a more appropriate term for this "office". throughout the day, he would be thinking about the end of the day and what he would do at night. throughout the week, he would be thinking about the weekend and what he would do on saturday. the most interesting time of the day is at mid day where the mere thought of lunch and food causes endorphins to be excreted in his dulled brain at a phenomenal rate. as he gorged on his lunch, he realizes how satisfied he becomes, the most satisfied in the entire day. a hungry man is an angry man while a sated stomach is a happy stomach (and bloated, of course) after all.<br /><br />after 9 hours of sitting and rotting in a room filled with controlled air and temperature and the occasional coughs or sneezes, the man gets into his ride to return home. unlike lunch, dinner is a headache because he does not know how to cook nor does he want to cook because it wastes what precious time he has left before he goes to slumber land. on the other hand, to dine outside costs him the precious green-colored notes and time, both of which he cannot afford. he would then read a little and surf the internet as if the internet has waves to be surfed upon. at the end of the day, he closes both his eyes and goes off to deep deep slumber only to be waken up again by the dreaded piercing alarm from his mobile phone.<br /><br />he is a mindless drone.<br /><br />he is me.yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-38835041053232322832009-01-20T22:39:00.000-08:002009-02-05T22:54:41.052-08:00susurrations of changetoday, history has been <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjnygQ02aW4">written</a>. today, humankind takes one step towards maturity. today, president barrack hussein obama becomes the 44th president of the united states.<br /><br />through years of rallying, through speeches of countless victories, obama has emerged in a time of crises and in a world in rapture. with the economy on the brink of a declivity so steep, thousands will suffer. with the war and suicidal maniacs threatening the peace of the world. with the environment declining and global warming fast becoming a reality, this newly inaugarated president has a lot on his hands (and head too for if he does not live up to the high expectations looming on him, his head would definitely be chopped on the board of management) indeed.<br /><br />and being the first african american president does not make things easier on his head either. the world would scrutinize him, monitor his every move and the slightest mistake that he makes would be reason enough for the axe. on the other hand, the fact that he is of a different race and religion inspires thoughts of changes and with the added assurances and promises that he delivered, the ebullience of the people will only be matched by the actual implementations of these plans, promises delivered.<br /><br />i, for one hope that changes do arrive with this man. for if he were to fail, future confidence in a leader of a different race, sex, religion, or creed would certainly falter and then it would defeat the purpose of this historic moment, moving humankind backwards. as a species we have taken thousands of years to mature, to emerge from that state of darkness. by winning the elections, barrack obama has stamped a time capsule as evidence for our society that we have matured again as a species on the whole. we have come to accept the ostensible physical differences and embrace what is essentially the same in all of us, a person. barrack obama has become more than a president; he has become a symbol, a symbol of change and hope for our generation.<br /><br />for that, he must not fail.<br /><br />good luck, mr. president.yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-31832911403967957842009-01-05T21:53:00.000-08:002009-02-05T22:55:01.186-08:00books, dear books =)one of the fondest memories in my life is going to the local bookstore with my family. the smell of hot-brewed coffee wafting throughout the entire store enticing the hopeless coffee addict. the various colorful books line the small shelves arranged in such a way that one can never seem to resist to stop and browse. and when you do stop and open up a book, an indescribable yet familiar scent quickly overcomes all senses. books back home are expensive and reading can quickly turn into an expensive hobby if one is a voracious reader. it's no wonder why the average malaysian reads no more than 2 novels throughout his entire glorified life. to me, and thankfully to my dad as well (else he wouldn't be so willing to spend hundreds on buying books for us), books are gateways to happiness and sadness, to love and nightmares, to the impossible and to laughter. books are knowledge. books are entertainment. to some degree, i would claim my books as my lifetime companions. these tomes of papers are always there when you need solace and they can always somehow magically transport you to a sanctuary where no one else can find and intrude. it's surprising however that for the two years i have been here (and despite how cheap books are here in the states), i have barely bought any books, if any at all. only recently, after turning into a mindless working drone and earning my own due have i rediscovered this beautiful passion. in 5 months, i went on a book shopping spree as if my 2-year book hunger was suppressed for too long and as a form of release, i bought about 70 books in total. going into bookstores always make me happy. heck, even browsing on amazon.com makes me totally gleeful. which brings us to the question: do i even read the books i bought? the answer is i want to read all of them and am in the process of doing so. *insert new year's resolution here* i will read <span style="font-weight: bold;">at least</span> 5 books a month. *insert long term goal here* i will fill my 5-shelf bookrack with books that i <span style="font-weight: bold;">have read</span>.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">top 5 must-read books (<span style="font-weight: bold;">that i've read in the past year anyway :P ) for all you bookworms out there:<br /></span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />5. </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">tales of beadle the bard </span></span>by j.k. rowling<span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span></span><br />i was torn between the five people you meet in heaven by mitch albom and this book for fifth spot. both books rank no. 5 in my list, has 5 separate stories in one and both are meaningful, not to mention artful stories that everyone can relate to in their lives. i contemplated, i weighed and i judged but in the end i decided to choose this over the other simply because i'm a hopeless porter fan. as far as fairy tales are concerned, the moral of the story is always interwoven into the fabric of the story. the same can be said of these meaningful tales as can be seen in one of the stories "the wizard's hairy heart" which is the most brutal yet at the same time the most delightful of the five.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />4. </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">a million little pieces </span>by james frey<br />despite being raved as one of the best recounting of a drug addict ever put into words, into english literature and shattered and called a cheat a few months later, this book has to be read regardless of whether it is fiction or non-fiction. the descriptions and accounts of living through addiction, the friendship gained and the power of love is so moving it takes you into the addict's body and soul. when he finally overcame his addiction, you can feel the sheer joy that he feels as if the drugs had an effect on you yourself in the first place. immerse yourself in this book to feel what it means to be human.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />3. </span></span><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">the color of magic</span></span> by terry pratchett<br />anyone up for some modern satire and parodies? dive into the flat disc-shaped world created by the ingenious terry pratchett and you find yourself laughing at every turn of the page. seriously, who could have thought of the "eighth color" or "inn-sewer-ants" and demean Death as a bumbling fool who speaks only in capital letters at the same time? 200+ pages of laughter guaranteed!<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />2. kiss kiss </span></span>by roald dahl<br />a collection of dark macabre short stories by the master storyteller. who would have thought the guy who wrote james and the giant peach is the same guy who wrote "georgy porgy" and "parson's pleasure"? roald dahl writes in such a way that if an alien who have never heard of humans were to read his stories, they would instantly learn of the dark corners, the dark crooks of the human psychology. combining humor and the human nature, roald dahl managed to spin it into something wonderful, almost magical. twists are part and parcel of this book, expect it at every turn of the page.<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />1. life of pi </span></span>by yann martel<br />the life of pi is a pie well baked. religious, adventurous, metaphorically-rich, this book instantly became one my favorite books of all time. a gripping tale of an indian boy's ordeal through an unfortunate shipwreck, this book cost me many hours of sleep simply because i couldn't put it down late at night! i don't intend to give much of the book away but this is definitely that kind of book that makes you think and think and think and THINK hours and hours after you've read it. a jewel in a sea of metaphors, everyone has to read this one.yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-85709630018905205722008-12-02T23:28:00.000-08:002008-12-21T03:04:00.815-08:00endeavors with the wicked<span style="font-weight: bold;">friend - </span> a person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.<br />true but what if that "friend" does not feel the same? what if all that you have done is merely just "appreciated" and your gestures are meaningless in that person's viewpoint? being nice is apparently insufficient in gaining a truly deep meaningful relationship with the people you care for.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">friend - </span>a person who gives assistance; patron; supporter: <span class="ital-inline">friends of the Boston Symphony.<br />if this is true, why does it seem that every time you helped out a "friend", you get the feeling that the person is only nice to you because you've helped them? why is it that certain "friends" only contact you when you are needed? why can't these "friends" call for a cup of coffee? or if they are busy shouldn't they make time?<br /><br /></span><span style="font-weight: bold;">friend</span> - a person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile: <span class="ital-inline">Who goes there? Friend or foe?<br /></span><span class="ital-inline"></span><span class="ital-inline">how are lies being "good terms with another"? you can't deny that lying is part and parcel of a friendship. if lying and keeping secrets are what make good friends, then i'd have lots of good friends indeed.<br /><br />sigh. what is a "friend" anyway? the definitions above from dictionary.com is definitely insufficient in describing the word. i used to be able to feel happy when i think about this word. lately though, i am slowly learning to take up on my words about being fireproof, to close out the vulnerable part of myself so that none can lay emotional control over it. sad. but this is growing up i guess.<br /></span>yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-35851357907524658082008-11-30T01:16:00.000-08:002008-11-30T02:53:55.564-08:00urban stampedenothing could be more contrary than the holiday that is thanksgiving. how does one justify eating turkey (not to mention the fact that at least 50 million turkeys are slaughtered during thanksgiving each year) as giving thanks and being grateful for the year that has passed? how is thanksgiving a religious holiday when it was actually celebrated by a bunch of settlers from europe 400 years ago? most importantly, how do you give thanks and count your blessings and be happy with what you have when a few hours later, almost every american family goes off on a spending spree as if they are not happy with what they presently have and must have even more after devouring their turkeys. it's as if a hunger of a different sort has awaken within them when they feast on the poor birds.<br /><br />this hunger shows us how ugly the human species can become when they turn selfish and greedy. it is sad to see that <a href="http://www.freep.com/article/20081129/NEWS07/811290333">thousands of people trampled a walmart employee to death</a> out of the need to save a couple of hundred of dollars. it is even sadder to see that, out of that thousand of people, not one stopped to help the worker or to seek medical attention for him. instead, all of them rushed in and stepped on even more employees who had tried to help their colleague.<br /><br />while americans feasted on stuffed birds and celebrated a holiday, <a href="http://www.star-telegram.com/279/story/1065637.html">hundreds of people were killed in the streets of mumbai</a>. i wonder how many americans were actually aware of this unfortunate event and actually stopped to mourn for the dead and counting their blessings instead of rushing off to the nearest electronic store.<br /><br />the dark nature in us is always there, hidden sometimes by a facade of kindness towards the people we care. but the truth is, the dark nature is always there. while we deny it, we know that we are nice to the people we love because these people are somewhat "our own". we hardly care what happens to the people over in iraq or the girl who was raped or the store that closed down because of the economy. no, we do not care much for these at all because we are all selfish in nature. i do not deny that there are selfless individuals who make the world a better place but in reality, all of us are only human and no matter what, everyone is greedy, snobbish and self-centered to a certain degree. i only hope that the people who were in the walmart store, who had caused the death of another are human enough to feel miserable and sorry for what they have done.yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-24147557881780612722008-11-18T22:05:00.000-08:002008-11-22T21:54:27.669-08:00the facts are these:the most <span style="font-weight: bold;">creative</span>, the most <span style="font-weight: bold;">witty</span>, the most <span style="font-weight: bold;">inspiring</span> television show is dying a premature death.<br /><br />this show has been created to not only entertain bored souls at 8pm every wednesday but it has also been created to inspire and to instigate the most simple of minds to be picassos on their own terms. the idea of a person able to bring undeath to the dead is fresh. the idea of that person being a reclusive pie-maker is even fresher. and perhaps the freshest idea for this show is that this person is in love with a girl that he cannot touch, literally.<br /><br />what do you get when you mix hearty homemade pies, buzzing bees, bright daisies, and curious dead people in a cauldron and start boiling it like soup? the lovable show called<span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;"> Pushing Daisies</span> of course. an already appealing gourmet soup, this show is also often peppered with good old morbid humor and garnished with the ocassional irony.<br /><br />shows like these are amusing. they are different from the boring hospital dramas, ridiculous tales of super-powered people or the pointless reality shows that seem to congest the electronic tube these days. its storybookesque narration keeps you fascinated, glued to the sit. the clever conversations and witty remarks you thought you would never find on a television show never fails to captivate whoever that listens.<br /><br />sadly, shows like these are rare. in fact, i have a feeling i will be having a hard time looking for another show with this level of masterful execution of storytelling. it appears that people of this day and age prefer crude humor. people like these are the people who are in charge of deciding on whether to let the show die prematurely or to give it a touch of undeath and bring it back to life. given the fact that these people in power love dramas concerning a group of spinsters vying for an ugly-tistical man with a huge clock strapped on his ugly-tistical neck, the verdict is probably the former.<br /><br />however, i will hope against hope that it is the latter. after all, this show has taught me to believe in the magical. let's hope against hope that the coeur d'coeurs within the directors at ABC is made out of daisies. =)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">update:</span> looks like there's no pie-maker around to save the show. =( it's confirmed. it's cancelled. it's dead. a beautiful piece of contemporary "art" taken off the face of the world. read about its demise <a href="http://www.tv.com/story/11933.html?tag=headlines;title;4&om_act=convert&om_clk=news">here</a>. now, help me look for another piece of "art", please.yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-32034989344651807122008-11-15T21:46:00.000-08:002008-11-15T22:35:18.083-08:00fire fire your pants on firewind-whipped flames rolled through <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brea,_California">brea</a> this sunny afternoon. clouds of smoke dominated the sky as i drove down the 57. they were grayish white in color and blended extremely well with the sunny sky i thought they were clouds. it wasn't until i got to the cal poly field (for footie =) ) that i found out homes in brea and yorba linda were ablaze. i thought about the traffic due to freeways being closed. i thought about the envirornment due to the smoke. i thought of the poor now-homeless victims of the fire. what started as an innocent brush fire quickly spread to communities due to the eager strong winds coming in from the south. an innocent fire, causing heartaches, lives, property losses and environmental damages. an innocent fire appearing to be totally harmless can easily devastate thousands of lives.<br /><br />it seems that such a fire exists too in the social web that is our relationship to the people who matters the most to us. like the brush fire, small at first, harmless at first but there, ready to set everything in its path aflame with the right push. this fire, this tendency to hurt is there. sometimes even without the strong winds, this fire can spread without reason and explanation. being burned hurts especially if the burning is done by someone you thought close to you. yet, like the fire in brea, the fires of the heart can be doused with a simple spray of water. forgivance is always within me that i can always look past what has been done. distrustfulness is a trait i find hard to obtain. yet, to be fire-proof, a sense of distance should be instilled. perhaps, i should learn a lesson in cynicism. maybe there is a "cynicism for dummies" book out there that i could pick up...yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4136194595124515679.post-39453913290388460522008-11-06T18:26:00.000-08:002008-11-19T00:44:49.644-08:00wordplay and rainas i sat at my desk by the window watching, the rain poured, slow and gentle at first, violent and brutal a few minutes later. trickles of water streaming down my windowpane. i stared at the forlorn water-drenched garden outside and as always, a sudden influx of insights, like the sudden waves on a beach, entered my already-filled thoughts. always, i've let ideas and plans of grandeur, pass by as fleeting thoughts. always, i've disregarded these as nothing more than hopeful thinking. always, i thought but never acted. but on this rainy morning, a desire, almost an itch that i cannot shake off - like the ones you'd get from huge jungle mosquitoes - to jot down everything i was thinking of at that moment began from somewhere deep within. i don't know why but days like these have always affected me in a way that i could never explain enough.<br /><br />rain, i've always liked rain. the crisp smell of water in the air, a fresh relief from the stale suffocating hot sunny days.<br /><br />rain, it has always managed to put a smile on my face. no matter what i will always find solace in dark cloudy days. like a small bubble, like a sanctuary of sorts, rainy days are my days.<br /><br />rain, like the delivery boy next door, brings bundles of goods, only that the goods come in the form of inspirations and the desire to do more with life.<br /><br />rain, a synonym for emotional respite. the rain, the dark clouds, the occasional howling winds, and the inseparable couple of lighning and thunder all create a perfect atmosphere where i would feel cozy and comfortable just lying next to the fireplace reading a book while drinking a cuppa coffee.<br /><br />rain, the Sirens from within. it would call to you, lure you deeper into your dreams if you are asleep. never would you ever want to climb out of the bed when it rains.<br /><br />hence, rain and falling droplets are always welcomed and welcome to Falling Droplets.yunghttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04937235628315456730noreply@blogger.com0