This is the extract from the movie "Funny Girl" released in 1968. Babara was just astounding as an actress and also as a singer! This I believe is one of her best performances ever.
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Christianity and Culture
Humans are by nature social beings. Therefore how we think and how we view the world are more or less dictated by the current paradigms existing within the society. These paradigms are closely related to culture, as culture by nature is a particular social stage or civilization within a society. Like anything that is related to human beings and his or her belief, religion is inexorably related to the culture in which humans live in. Therefore it is obvious that culture would have a huge influence in the growth and evolution of religion throughout the ages. However the reverse is also true as religion, being one of the most influential entity in human society, would also influence the growth of culture within our society.
Since the early 16th century, the human civilization has entered a new phase which we all now know as modernization. This revolution in human culture history is still going on today, with new scientific breakthroughs and most importantly the re-evaluation of previously founded values that are happening every day. This re-evaluation of previously founded values is also happening in the areas of religion, ad Christianity as one of the world’s dominant religion is no exception. For centuries, this revolution in the Christian values has been the root cause of the separation of Christianity into the many different branches that it has today. The most obvious example of the effect of the modernization of human culture to Christianity is the emergence of liberal Christianity.
Modernity embraces the values of change and dynamism. It always tries to re-evaluate traditions and continually challenges itself to redefine everything that is around us. This is why science has always been the front runner in defining what modernism really is. Science daily creates new discoveries about the world around us, and seeks to explain everything from an objective and unbiased lens. It dares itself to create experimentation which pushes the boundaries of our technology and sometimes even our moral values. Furthermore it rejects any kind of supernatural explanations believing that reason and logic will always be able to explain everything.
Liberal Christianity embraces these ideals and puts it into effect especially in the study of Biblical scriptures. Broadly speaking liberal Christianity is an undogmatic method of trying to understand God through the use of scripture by applying the same modern hermeneutics used to understand any other ancient writing. This means that liberal Christianity, unlike conservative Christianity, does not treat the Bible as a collection of factual statements but rather as an anthology that documents the author’s feelings and perception towards God and their relationship with God. Liberal Christianity sees the Bible as a collection of writings that explain, or symbolize the essence and significance of Christian understanding. This is why liberal Christianity to put less emphasis or miracle stories done by Jesus within the Bible than on His teachings, as true to the spirit of science of modernization they do not put emphasis on the supernatural but rather on the explanations to why those things happened, what does it mean, and what are we suppose to learn from the event described by creating links to contextually relevant set of data or references. However this does not mean that liberal Christianity rejects the possibility of those miracles actually happening it’s just that they put less emphasis on it and most of the time treat is as a form of metaphor or symbolism used to showcase the power of God itself or as teachings on how we should view God as an almighty being for whom all things are possible.
We have seen how the emergence of modernism in human global culture have also had a direct influence on the growth of Christianity as a religion resulting in the emergence of Liberal Christianity. However we must also realize that there are still conservative branches of Christianity, as well as the church of the Holy Roman Catholic, whose values and traditions have withstood the passage of time as well as the revolution of the human thought processes brought about by modernism.
Religion in itself is a very influential and strong social entity and can also affect the growth of culture in certain ways. The most obvious way in which Christianity has affected the growth of the modern culture is within the field of science. Religion such as Christianity continually keeps in check the morality of experimentations that are being done in scientific research facilities all over the world. They continually challenge the scientific community on the moral implications of their experiments, which helped the scientific community to grow without losing track of morality and fundamental values, such as the value of the human life, in the process. In this way, religion have also helped to control the growth of modernism and help to propagate traditional moral values which prevents the human society from accepting immoral behaviours and falling into anarchy.
Therefore Christianity as a form of religion is inexorably related to human culture, as the human culture controls the paradigms existing as well as the lens through which we view the world around us. This inexorable linked is evident through the example of the rise of Liberal Christianity which is caused by the rise of modernism in human global culture. However, religion such as Christianity are in itself a very influential entity which have helped to shape the growth of the human culture, as we have seen in the example within the field of science, especially in the areas of experimentations and scientific breakthroughs. In conclusion the relationship between Christianity and culture is an interlinked one whereby one undeniably will affect the other.
Since the early 16th century, the human civilization has entered a new phase which we all now know as modernization. This revolution in human culture history is still going on today, with new scientific breakthroughs and most importantly the re-evaluation of previously founded values that are happening every day. This re-evaluation of previously founded values is also happening in the areas of religion, ad Christianity as one of the world’s dominant religion is no exception. For centuries, this revolution in the Christian values has been the root cause of the separation of Christianity into the many different branches that it has today. The most obvious example of the effect of the modernization of human culture to Christianity is the emergence of liberal Christianity.
Modernity embraces the values of change and dynamism. It always tries to re-evaluate traditions and continually challenges itself to redefine everything that is around us. This is why science has always been the front runner in defining what modernism really is. Science daily creates new discoveries about the world around us, and seeks to explain everything from an objective and unbiased lens. It dares itself to create experimentation which pushes the boundaries of our technology and sometimes even our moral values. Furthermore it rejects any kind of supernatural explanations believing that reason and logic will always be able to explain everything.
Liberal Christianity embraces these ideals and puts it into effect especially in the study of Biblical scriptures. Broadly speaking liberal Christianity is an undogmatic method of trying to understand God through the use of scripture by applying the same modern hermeneutics used to understand any other ancient writing. This means that liberal Christianity, unlike conservative Christianity, does not treat the Bible as a collection of factual statements but rather as an anthology that documents the author’s feelings and perception towards God and their relationship with God. Liberal Christianity sees the Bible as a collection of writings that explain, or symbolize the essence and significance of Christian understanding. This is why liberal Christianity to put less emphasis or miracle stories done by Jesus within the Bible than on His teachings, as true to the spirit of science of modernization they do not put emphasis on the supernatural but rather on the explanations to why those things happened, what does it mean, and what are we suppose to learn from the event described by creating links to contextually relevant set of data or references. However this does not mean that liberal Christianity rejects the possibility of those miracles actually happening it’s just that they put less emphasis on it and most of the time treat is as a form of metaphor or symbolism used to showcase the power of God itself or as teachings on how we should view God as an almighty being for whom all things are possible.
We have seen how the emergence of modernism in human global culture have also had a direct influence on the growth of Christianity as a religion resulting in the emergence of Liberal Christianity. However we must also realize that there are still conservative branches of Christianity, as well as the church of the Holy Roman Catholic, whose values and traditions have withstood the passage of time as well as the revolution of the human thought processes brought about by modernism.
Religion in itself is a very influential and strong social entity and can also affect the growth of culture in certain ways. The most obvious way in which Christianity has affected the growth of the modern culture is within the field of science. Religion such as Christianity continually keeps in check the morality of experimentations that are being done in scientific research facilities all over the world. They continually challenge the scientific community on the moral implications of their experiments, which helped the scientific community to grow without losing track of morality and fundamental values, such as the value of the human life, in the process. In this way, religion have also helped to control the growth of modernism and help to propagate traditional moral values which prevents the human society from accepting immoral behaviours and falling into anarchy.
Therefore Christianity as a form of religion is inexorably related to human culture, as the human culture controls the paradigms existing as well as the lens through which we view the world around us. This inexorable linked is evident through the example of the rise of Liberal Christianity which is caused by the rise of modernism in human global culture. However, religion such as Christianity are in itself a very influential entity which have helped to shape the growth of the human culture, as we have seen in the example within the field of science, especially in the areas of experimentations and scientific breakthroughs. In conclusion the relationship between Christianity and culture is an interlinked one whereby one undeniably will affect the other.
Monday, May 16, 2011
Snapshotland - Sylvia Kantaris
In Snapshotland everyone is happy all the time.
It is the promised land where people sit with flasks of tea
On smooth sand by a flat sea and smile and smile and smile.
The sun shines all day long and every day in Kodachrome
Or sepia on sandboys and sandgirls who never
Stop smiling from the time they first appear, with buckets,
In crisp, gingham pinfores and nonnets on the sea-shore.
Lovers stay in love forever, married couples never
Grow tired of each other; everything is always just right.
The dolphins know exactly when to leap into the air
And stay there for the permanent delight of passengers
Aboard the pleasure-boat which never passes out of sight.
Nobody in Snapshotland grows old unless they want to,
Juding by the way they go on smiling so, in deck-chairs,
On the beach, or in old-fashioned gardens with lavender
And grandchildren here and there - and no one dies, ever.
Even if they don't appear later, the people are still
Always there, smiling through the lavender and dolphins
And the buckets full of pebbles on the same sea-shore.
It is the promised land where people sit with flasks of tea
On smooth sand by a flat sea and smile and smile and smile.
The sun shines all day long and every day in Kodachrome
Or sepia on sandboys and sandgirls who never
Stop smiling from the time they first appear, with buckets,
In crisp, gingham pinfores and nonnets on the sea-shore.
Lovers stay in love forever, married couples never
Grow tired of each other; everything is always just right.
The dolphins know exactly when to leap into the air
And stay there for the permanent delight of passengers
Aboard the pleasure-boat which never passes out of sight.
Nobody in Snapshotland grows old unless they want to,
Juding by the way they go on smiling so, in deck-chairs,
On the beach, or in old-fashioned gardens with lavender
And grandchildren here and there - and no one dies, ever.
Even if they don't appear later, the people are still
Always there, smiling through the lavender and dolphins
And the buckets full of pebbles on the same sea-shore.
Saturday, May 14, 2011
[Close] Friend
Friend
/frɛnd/ –noun
1.A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
2.A person who gives assistance; patron; supporter: friends ofthe Boston Symphony.
3.A person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile: Who goes there? Friend or foe?
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.”
C.S. Lewis
I was inspired to write this post due to some certain happenings and realizations that had occurred to me during the past 2 weeks. Basically it revolves around the problems that I am having with one my group of friends, my so called “clique”. The group consists of 5 of us and we have been a clique for almost 2 years now.
We were 5 different people going to 4 different Junior Colleges in Singapore, but somehow or the other we ended up going out together, all 5 of us, and found that we make a pretty good group together. During those early times when we first became a clique, every minute that we spent together as a group was pure unadulterated fun and joy. Conversations flowed so easily between us, there’s no need to think up of a topic, everything just flowed naturally. And every time we had an opinion about something or someone, we are free to express it within the group as knowing that we will not be judged by others within that group.
Here’s a bit of how we described ourselves at that point in time.
“A constellation of far-from-ordinary beings,
whose responsiveness is unmatched by any thermocouple,
whose craziness is unrivalled by any mental patient,
whose originality is unparalleled by any PW group,
with a never-ending passion to live life to the fullest.”
But now, sadly to say, things are quite different. We all grew apart over the past 2 years and now, conversations no longer flows so easily between us, and the veil of awkward silence is appearing more and more often every time we got together as a group. There are a lot of unspoken things going on between the five of us and what makes it so difficult is that, we are not completely transparent towards each other regarding how we feel about each other and as a group. I am still very good friends with some others in the group and chatted with them on a daily basis, and I feel that all of them are always completely honest with me. It’s just that they are not completely honest with each other and this is why it’s very difficult for us to connect as a group right now.
The questions that I kept asking myself and also others within the group are, what happened to us as a group of close friends? How could we drift apart over the 2 years?
This whole thing with my clique finally got me asking a very important question to myself.
What in actual fact are close friends?
To me close friends are those people who you know are always there for you. Who will stick with together with you through all your ups and downs. Your sanctuary, where silence is just as comfortable as any other conversation, where you can be yourself without being judged, where you can express your feelings, opinions, worries, regrets, hopes and dreams without any form of censorship. Who you know will always be honest with you and will tell you the things that are the most difficult to tell. Who will never think of the possibility of not being friends with you . Who can grow separately from you without growing apart. The ones whom you’ll keep close throughout the years of your life.
Seeing what I’ve just written I do realize that it’s a really tall order for someone in order to be considered as one of my close friends, but I believe that’s actually the beauty of it. They are those very rare and difficult to find gems, but whose value will outshine any other and make you richer beyond your imagination. I myself have had the fortune of stumbling upon some of those gems. Friends whom after years of separation I can still connect with and accept me for who I’ve become after the years of separation.
This made me realised that my clique was never really a group of close friends at all. I mean I am close friends with some members within the clique itself, but as a group we are never really that close, we were just ‘compatible’ with each other at that point in time.
It was circumstances and similar thought processes that brought us together. Not the fact that we are close to each other. Conversations flowed so easily back then because we still think the same way, having the same opinions about things and therefore are free to express it without being judged as the rest would certainly feel the same way towards whatever that you are talking about. But as time goes by, we all change, albeit a little. Bit by bit we all grew a part, our opinions start to differ, our character starts to mould itself into different shapes from what it was when it all began. This difference was the thing that finally caused us to not be able to maintain that “closeness” that we had at the beginning.
Well right now, the group is still a pretty fun group to hang out with. I still look forward towards meeting them all together as a group, as whatever it is, we still make a pretty good group albeit not having that closeness that we use to have. I mean we all can still talk and joke together and at times I do get to see glimpses of the times before we grew apart.
This whole experience made me realize a thing or two about the nature of close friends, and how I shouldn’t mistake close friends with compatible friends, where the closeness and comfort we feel are all in a very superficial basis menial conversations we had and the fun of hanging out together.
In life we meet different kinds of people, some will stay by our side and be our friends some will just be another person in our life, never leaving a deep imprint in the sands of our life. I do agree with C.S. Lewis that friends are the ones who help us give meaning in our lives. Sure some are close friends and some are not, but I feel that we should treasure each and every one of them no matter what. Like my friends in my clique, even though as a group we were never that close, but they have given me so many fun and memorable memories that I continue to treasure until now. Seeing how things have become, I never regretted ever meeting them and forming a clique with them, it’s just that life meant for us to go on our separate ways. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t still have fun together and that they have made me richer in a way that they have never imagined.
/frɛnd/ –noun
1.A person attached to another by feelings of affection or personal regard.
2.A person who gives assistance; patron; supporter: friends ofthe Boston Symphony.
3.A person who is on good terms with another; a person who is not hostile: Who goes there? Friend or foe?
“Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art.... It has no survival value; rather it is one of those things that give value to survival.”
C.S. Lewis
I was inspired to write this post due to some certain happenings and realizations that had occurred to me during the past 2 weeks. Basically it revolves around the problems that I am having with one my group of friends, my so called “clique”. The group consists of 5 of us and we have been a clique for almost 2 years now.
We were 5 different people going to 4 different Junior Colleges in Singapore, but somehow or the other we ended up going out together, all 5 of us, and found that we make a pretty good group together. During those early times when we first became a clique, every minute that we spent together as a group was pure unadulterated fun and joy. Conversations flowed so easily between us, there’s no need to think up of a topic, everything just flowed naturally. And every time we had an opinion about something or someone, we are free to express it within the group as knowing that we will not be judged by others within that group.
Here’s a bit of how we described ourselves at that point in time.
“A constellation of far-from-ordinary beings,
whose responsiveness is unmatched by any thermocouple,
whose craziness is unrivalled by any mental patient,
whose originality is unparalleled by any PW group,
with a never-ending passion to live life to the fullest.”
But now, sadly to say, things are quite different. We all grew apart over the past 2 years and now, conversations no longer flows so easily between us, and the veil of awkward silence is appearing more and more often every time we got together as a group. There are a lot of unspoken things going on between the five of us and what makes it so difficult is that, we are not completely transparent towards each other regarding how we feel about each other and as a group. I am still very good friends with some others in the group and chatted with them on a daily basis, and I feel that all of them are always completely honest with me. It’s just that they are not completely honest with each other and this is why it’s very difficult for us to connect as a group right now.
The questions that I kept asking myself and also others within the group are, what happened to us as a group of close friends? How could we drift apart over the 2 years?
This whole thing with my clique finally got me asking a very important question to myself.
What in actual fact are close friends?
To me close friends are those people who you know are always there for you. Who will stick with together with you through all your ups and downs. Your sanctuary, where silence is just as comfortable as any other conversation, where you can be yourself without being judged, where you can express your feelings, opinions, worries, regrets, hopes and dreams without any form of censorship. Who you know will always be honest with you and will tell you the things that are the most difficult to tell. Who will never think of the possibility of not being friends with you . Who can grow separately from you without growing apart. The ones whom you’ll keep close throughout the years of your life.
Seeing what I’ve just written I do realize that it’s a really tall order for someone in order to be considered as one of my close friends, but I believe that’s actually the beauty of it. They are those very rare and difficult to find gems, but whose value will outshine any other and make you richer beyond your imagination. I myself have had the fortune of stumbling upon some of those gems. Friends whom after years of separation I can still connect with and accept me for who I’ve become after the years of separation.
This made me realised that my clique was never really a group of close friends at all. I mean I am close friends with some members within the clique itself, but as a group we are never really that close, we were just ‘compatible’ with each other at that point in time.
It was circumstances and similar thought processes that brought us together. Not the fact that we are close to each other. Conversations flowed so easily back then because we still think the same way, having the same opinions about things and therefore are free to express it without being judged as the rest would certainly feel the same way towards whatever that you are talking about. But as time goes by, we all change, albeit a little. Bit by bit we all grew a part, our opinions start to differ, our character starts to mould itself into different shapes from what it was when it all began. This difference was the thing that finally caused us to not be able to maintain that “closeness” that we had at the beginning.
Well right now, the group is still a pretty fun group to hang out with. I still look forward towards meeting them all together as a group, as whatever it is, we still make a pretty good group albeit not having that closeness that we use to have. I mean we all can still talk and joke together and at times I do get to see glimpses of the times before we grew apart.
This whole experience made me realize a thing or two about the nature of close friends, and how I shouldn’t mistake close friends with compatible friends, where the closeness and comfort we feel are all in a very superficial basis menial conversations we had and the fun of hanging out together.
In life we meet different kinds of people, some will stay by our side and be our friends some will just be another person in our life, never leaving a deep imprint in the sands of our life. I do agree with C.S. Lewis that friends are the ones who help us give meaning in our lives. Sure some are close friends and some are not, but I feel that we should treasure each and every one of them no matter what. Like my friends in my clique, even though as a group we were never that close, but they have given me so many fun and memorable memories that I continue to treasure until now. Seeing how things have become, I never regretted ever meeting them and forming a clique with them, it’s just that life meant for us to go on our separate ways. But that doesn’t mean that we can’t still have fun together and that they have made me richer in a way that they have never imagined.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
Just For Now - Imogen Heap
It is never in my intention to spam youtube videos on my blog, but I really feel that I have to share this video.
Imogen Heap is just breathtaking in this video. Genius.
Imogen Heap is just breathtaking in this video. Genius.
Hyperballad - Robyn (Bjork Cover)
Been a while since I posted anything. Have yet to find any inspiration and mood to write, ideas are being strewn about inside my head and yet none of them seemed to want to be poured through my fingers into this empty blank page in front of me.
Today I stumbled upon this version of Hyperballad, a song originally sung by Bjork and I feel that this version is amazing, the use of the violins at the beginning, the chords swelling up to the dramatic chorus. I have always loved Hyperballad from the first moment I have heard it, and this version is really one of the best version I've heard so far!
"Hyper Ballad"
we live on a mountain
right at the top
there's a beautiful view
from the top of the mountain
every morning i walk towards the edge
and throw little things off
like:
car-parts, bottles and cutlery
or whatever i find lying around
it's become a habit
a way
to start the day
i go through this
before you wake up
so i can feel happier
to be safe up here with you
it's real early morning
no-one is awake
i'm back at my cliff
still throwing things off
i listen to the sounds they make
on their way down
i follow with my eyes 'til they crash
imagine what my body would sound like
slamming against those rocks
and when it lands
will my eyes
be closed or open?
i'll go through all this
before you wake up
so i can feel happier
to be safe up here with you
Today I stumbled upon this version of Hyperballad, a song originally sung by Bjork and I feel that this version is amazing, the use of the violins at the beginning, the chords swelling up to the dramatic chorus. I have always loved Hyperballad from the first moment I have heard it, and this version is really one of the best version I've heard so far!
"Hyper Ballad"
we live on a mountain
right at the top
there's a beautiful view
from the top of the mountain
every morning i walk towards the edge
and throw little things off
like:
car-parts, bottles and cutlery
or whatever i find lying around
it's become a habit
a way
to start the day
i go through this
before you wake up
so i can feel happier
to be safe up here with you
it's real early morning
no-one is awake
i'm back at my cliff
still throwing things off
i listen to the sounds they make
on their way down
i follow with my eyes 'til they crash
imagine what my body would sound like
slamming against those rocks
and when it lands
will my eyes
be closed or open?
i'll go through all this
before you wake up
so i can feel happier
to be safe up here with you
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
The Road Not Taken - Robert Frost
TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.
I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Outcast
out•cast
/ˈaʊtˌkæst, -ˌkɑst/ –noun
1.A person who is rejected or cast out, as from home orsociety: In the beginning the area was settled by outcasts,adventurers, and felons.
2.A homeless wanderer; vagabond.
3.Rejected matter; refuse.
Around a month or so ago, I was chatting to my friend and somehow or the other (it always starts like this), the topic turned to our old days in Junior High School, the things that we did together, the things we experienced, teachers we like, teachers we hate and the likes. Thinking about my Junior High School experience I can’t help but remember a few of those ‘misfits’ in our batch. There was this girl in our batch, whom everyone tried to avoid at all cost. There were nasty rumours about her temper and also about her personality. No one would befriend her, there were mean jokes made about her, and even exaggeration of things that she did to further tarnish her image. I was never close to her and never had any class with her, so I never really knew whether or not all those nasty things that I hear about her were even true at all.
Remembering this, I asked my friend, whether or not she can imagine if she were to be in the position of that particular girl. I always find it kind of interesting, trying to put on other people’s shoes and try to see from their point of view. Even if we have different mindsets and different thought processes, but at least you can try to imagine the experiences that the other person went through. To be honest, I can’t really imagine myself in that girl’s position. No friends, disliked by the whole batch, having people concocting lies about you to further destroy your chances of connecting with other people, it’s just too much.
In every school, or any community even, there are always some people who are deemed as the outcasts. They are what most call as the misfits, those who can’t or won’t fit in with the rest of the community. I guess one of the reasons for this is the fact that everybody’s different and of course within a community there are certain people who can connect with a lot of other people and there are those whose personality or character had a smaller acceptance group within the community. The outcasts are the extreme of the latter group, they are sometimes just so different that very few people can connect with them.
The question that I’ve been asking is whose fault is it? Is it the society’s fault for not being accepting enough to other people who are just born different? Or is it the person’s fault for not trying hard enough to fit in? I feel that outcasts are social conundrums. At times you really want to help them and reach out to them, but sometimes you yourself just can’t “click” with them or understand them at all. And if we try to ask them to change, to be able to accepted, is it wrong? Are we asking them to change who they are? Are we not respecting them as individuals, as a unique person?
It is wrong for the society to completely reject a few people and deem them as outcast just because they are different than the majority. However this does not mean that everyone can just do as they like within society, demanding the society to accept them as who they are, no matter how they are in terms character and personality. The key thing to achieve this ideal of concept of acceptance for everyone is tolerance.
These days, sometimes the society is a bit too prejudiced and filled with judgements based on inaccurate observations and assumptions. These prejudices and judgements are sometimes so strong that the society would refuse to look beyond that of the prejudice to see who the person really is. As a society we all should try and practice tolerance, be less judging and more accepting towards other people. Try to understand where they came from, and try to accept them as unique individuals.
However we can’t put the entire burden on the society as tolerance must also be practiced by the individual. Just asking other people to accept who you are without making any effort means you are just being selfish and not being tolerant towards other people around you. When we live in a society we are bound by certain rules and certain norms which are accepted within that society. Therefore we all must adjust ourselves to fit into that particular society. Just an example, maybe your favourite thing to talk about is dirt (not mocking any dirt-loving people here just giving an example), but not everyone can understand it, so make the effort to find something else to talk about, rather than expecting everyone to understand that you love dirt, and therefore must always talk about dirt with you. Tolerance goes both ways, if everyone were to be so selfish and didn’t try to fit in anarchy and chaos would ensue, and the concept of society would just be a thing of the past.
This just goes to show that being an outcast is not a permanent state, that we all have the power to change it. The general population can help by trying to be more accepting and understanding towards the different people, but the individuals must also try and help themselves to change a bit and fit in with the general population. Trying to fit in does not mean changing who you are, your personality or your character. It's being tolerant with the rest of the community, it’s controlling yourself in order to be able to connect with larger groups of people, and try to accept that the there are certain norms within the society that should be followed to be able to connect with the general population. It is perfectly possible trying to fit in while at the same time keeping true to the essence of who you are as a person.
/ˈaʊtˌkæst, -ˌkɑst/ –noun
1.A person who is rejected or cast out, as from home orsociety: In the beginning the area was settled by outcasts,adventurers, and felons.
2.A homeless wanderer; vagabond.
3.Rejected matter; refuse.
Around a month or so ago, I was chatting to my friend and somehow or the other (it always starts like this), the topic turned to our old days in Junior High School, the things that we did together, the things we experienced, teachers we like, teachers we hate and the likes. Thinking about my Junior High School experience I can’t help but remember a few of those ‘misfits’ in our batch. There was this girl in our batch, whom everyone tried to avoid at all cost. There were nasty rumours about her temper and also about her personality. No one would befriend her, there were mean jokes made about her, and even exaggeration of things that she did to further tarnish her image. I was never close to her and never had any class with her, so I never really knew whether or not all those nasty things that I hear about her were even true at all.
Remembering this, I asked my friend, whether or not she can imagine if she were to be in the position of that particular girl. I always find it kind of interesting, trying to put on other people’s shoes and try to see from their point of view. Even if we have different mindsets and different thought processes, but at least you can try to imagine the experiences that the other person went through. To be honest, I can’t really imagine myself in that girl’s position. No friends, disliked by the whole batch, having people concocting lies about you to further destroy your chances of connecting with other people, it’s just too much.
In every school, or any community even, there are always some people who are deemed as the outcasts. They are what most call as the misfits, those who can’t or won’t fit in with the rest of the community. I guess one of the reasons for this is the fact that everybody’s different and of course within a community there are certain people who can connect with a lot of other people and there are those whose personality or character had a smaller acceptance group within the community. The outcasts are the extreme of the latter group, they are sometimes just so different that very few people can connect with them.
The question that I’ve been asking is whose fault is it? Is it the society’s fault for not being accepting enough to other people who are just born different? Or is it the person’s fault for not trying hard enough to fit in? I feel that outcasts are social conundrums. At times you really want to help them and reach out to them, but sometimes you yourself just can’t “click” with them or understand them at all. And if we try to ask them to change, to be able to accepted, is it wrong? Are we asking them to change who they are? Are we not respecting them as individuals, as a unique person?
It is wrong for the society to completely reject a few people and deem them as outcast just because they are different than the majority. However this does not mean that everyone can just do as they like within society, demanding the society to accept them as who they are, no matter how they are in terms character and personality. The key thing to achieve this ideal of concept of acceptance for everyone is tolerance.
These days, sometimes the society is a bit too prejudiced and filled with judgements based on inaccurate observations and assumptions. These prejudices and judgements are sometimes so strong that the society would refuse to look beyond that of the prejudice to see who the person really is. As a society we all should try and practice tolerance, be less judging and more accepting towards other people. Try to understand where they came from, and try to accept them as unique individuals.
However we can’t put the entire burden on the society as tolerance must also be practiced by the individual. Just asking other people to accept who you are without making any effort means you are just being selfish and not being tolerant towards other people around you. When we live in a society we are bound by certain rules and certain norms which are accepted within that society. Therefore we all must adjust ourselves to fit into that particular society. Just an example, maybe your favourite thing to talk about is dirt (not mocking any dirt-loving people here just giving an example), but not everyone can understand it, so make the effort to find something else to talk about, rather than expecting everyone to understand that you love dirt, and therefore must always talk about dirt with you. Tolerance goes both ways, if everyone were to be so selfish and didn’t try to fit in anarchy and chaos would ensue, and the concept of society would just be a thing of the past.
This just goes to show that being an outcast is not a permanent state, that we all have the power to change it. The general population can help by trying to be more accepting and understanding towards the different people, but the individuals must also try and help themselves to change a bit and fit in with the general population. Trying to fit in does not mean changing who you are, your personality or your character. It's being tolerant with the rest of the community, it’s controlling yourself in order to be able to connect with larger groups of people, and try to accept that the there are certain norms within the society that should be followed to be able to connect with the general population. It is perfectly possible trying to fit in while at the same time keeping true to the essence of who you are as a person.
An Ode to ACJC Choir!
I just heard that the Anglo Chinese Junior College (ACJC) Choir (my college choir whom I sang with during my 2 years in Junior College)just won another Gold With Honours in the 2011 Singapore Youth Festival! Being an alumni of the choir, I was ecstatic when I heard the news, and all the excitement has reminded me of all the wonderful things that I've done and experienced with the choir for the 2 years that I was there.
This post is an ode to them, and am going to post two videos of the choir singing, even though the people singing might be different with all the different batch of students, but I believe the spirit of the ACJC choir lives on, and that spirit is captured in every single song that we sing as members of the ACJC choir.
I sang this song with the choir last year for a competition in St.Petersburg. It's originally an Indonesian Folk song called "Soleram", but a very dramatic and mellow take on the original song which was supposed to be lively. It is an amazing rendition and I have to say one of the most memorable pieces that I have sang with the choir.It never fails to send shivers down my spine.
This is "Hymn To The Creator Of Light" by John Rutter. An amazing performance I must say.
Both songs conducted by our very own Mrs. Valerie Wilson!
Once again congratulations and may the spirit of the ACJC choir lives on!
This post is an ode to them, and am going to post two videos of the choir singing, even though the people singing might be different with all the different batch of students, but I believe the spirit of the ACJC choir lives on, and that spirit is captured in every single song that we sing as members of the ACJC choir.
I sang this song with the choir last year for a competition in St.Petersburg. It's originally an Indonesian Folk song called "Soleram", but a very dramatic and mellow take on the original song which was supposed to be lively. It is an amazing rendition and I have to say one of the most memorable pieces that I have sang with the choir.It never fails to send shivers down my spine.
This is "Hymn To The Creator Of Light" by John Rutter. An amazing performance I must say.
Both songs conducted by our very own Mrs. Valerie Wilson!
Once again congratulations and may the spirit of the ACJC choir lives on!
Monday, May 2, 2011
The Last Of My Old Sketches
I believe that these are the last of my old sketches that are scattered around my books. These were actually one of the first sketches that I've done.
These were sketches of the Singapore National Library Facade. The first one was done in some used cardboard using a mechanical pencil, while the second one was a remake of the first sketch using charcoal, pencil, and coloured pencil on sketch paper.
While this one was a gift to a friend. The insides were handwritten by me, and contains the lyrics from 5 different love songs. Yes, I was a hopeless romantic back then, and maybe still am.
These were sketches of the Singapore National Library Facade. The first one was done in some used cardboard using a mechanical pencil, while the second one was a remake of the first sketch using charcoal, pencil, and coloured pencil on sketch paper.
While this one was a gift to a friend. The insides were handwritten by me, and contains the lyrics from 5 different love songs. Yes, I was a hopeless romantic back then, and maybe still am.
More Watercolour - Field and Mountain
Did another watercolour today based on a picturesque scene I found using Google Image.
The photo is actually not a very good one as somehow the colour looks dead-er in this picture compared to the real painting.
Staying true to what I have said on the last Watercolour post, I tried to do a scene with simpler elements than the city of Hong Kong, which is why I choose this picture. I like how things turned out in this picture, especially the cluster of leaves on the right hand top corner of the painting. Discovered a new way to paint leaves today!
The photo is actually not a very good one as somehow the colour looks dead-er in this picture compared to the real painting.
Staying true to what I have said on the last Watercolour post, I tried to do a scene with simpler elements than the city of Hong Kong, which is why I choose this picture. I like how things turned out in this picture, especially the cluster of leaves on the right hand top corner of the painting. Discovered a new way to paint leaves today!
Saturday, April 30, 2011
In A Beautiful Country - Kevin Prufer
A good way to fall in love
is to turn off the headlights
and drive very fast down dark roads.
Another way to fall in love
is to say they are only mints
and swallow them with a strong drink.
Then it is autumn in the body.
Your hands are cold.
Then it is winter and we are still at war.
The gold-haired girl is singing into your ear
about how we live in a beautiful country.
Snow sifts from the clouds
into your drink. It doesn't matter about the war.
A good way to fall in love
is to close up the garage and turn the engine on,
then down you'll fall through lovely mists
as a body might fall early one morning
from a high window into love. Love,
the broken glass. Love, the scissors
and the water basin. A good way to fall
is with a rope to catch you.
A good way is with something to drink
to help you march forward.
The gold-haired girl says, Don't worry
about the armies, says, We live in a time
full of love. You're thinking about this too much.
Slow down. Nothing bad will happen.
is to turn off the headlights
and drive very fast down dark roads.
Another way to fall in love
is to say they are only mints
and swallow them with a strong drink.
Then it is autumn in the body.
Your hands are cold.
Then it is winter and we are still at war.
The gold-haired girl is singing into your ear
about how we live in a beautiful country.
Snow sifts from the clouds
into your drink. It doesn't matter about the war.
A good way to fall in love
is to close up the garage and turn the engine on,
then down you'll fall through lovely mists
as a body might fall early one morning
from a high window into love. Love,
the broken glass. Love, the scissors
and the water basin. A good way to fall
is with a rope to catch you.
A good way is with something to drink
to help you march forward.
The gold-haired girl says, Don't worry
about the armies, says, We live in a time
full of love. You're thinking about this too much.
Slow down. Nothing bad will happen.
West Side Story
Stay Back! (Asks for the gun)
How do fire this gun Chino? Just by pulling this little trigger?
How many bullets are left Chino? Enough for You? and You? All of you!
You All killed him! And my Brother and Riff. Not with bullets and guns, with hate!
Well I can kill too! Because now I have hate!
How many I can kill Chino? How many?
I still have one bullet left for me. (Falls to the floor and cries)
Maria - West Side Story (1961)
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Scaffolding - Seamus Heaney
Masons, when they start upon a building,
Are careful to test out the scaffolding;
Make sure that planks won’t slip at busy points,
Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints.
And yet all this comes down when the job’s done
Showing off walls of sure and solid stone.
So if, my dear, there sometimes seem to be
Old bridges breaking between you and me
Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall
Confident that we have built our wall.
Are careful to test out the scaffolding;
Make sure that planks won’t slip at busy points,
Secure all ladders, tighten bolted joints.
And yet all this comes down when the job’s done
Showing off walls of sure and solid stone.
So if, my dear, there sometimes seem to be
Old bridges breaking between you and me
Never fear. We may let the scaffolds fall
Confident that we have built our wall.
Dipping My Feet Into The Cold Waters of Creative Writing
jeal•ous•y
/ˈdʒɛl ə si/ –noun, plural
1.jealous resentment against a rival, a person enjoyingsuccess or advantage, etc., or against another's success oradvantage itself.
2.mental uneasiness from suspicion or fear of rivalry,unfaithfulness, etc., as in love or aims.
3.vigilance in maintaining or guarding something.
That little green monster,
hiding in the
Deep recesses of my mind
waiting for the chance to go out
To feast
destroy
Green like the grass,
Whenever we look up at the vastness
Of the skies
At the freedom of the birds
Soaring without a care
Whenever we see something
Above, bigger,
faster, richer
nth-er
Forever bound
Forever existing
Envy
I just watched the movie “Flipped” And I really feel that it was such a mesmerizing movie of love, judgements and regrets. It was about a boy and a girl, about their story of falling in love as well of falling out of love. The girl in the movie loved to climb a particular tree and enjoy the breathtaking view that she could see from the top of the tree. One scene that really resonates deep within me was when the girl’s tree was cut down and she was devastated by this fact. Then the father, who is a gifted artist, out of love for her daughter, painted a picture of that tree for her and hung it in front of her bed, so that it will be the first thing that she’ll see whenever she wakes up, and the last when she goes to bed. Beautiful isn’t it? For some people this scene might just be a mediocre one, but not for me. This scene holds so much for me as it is the one thing that I have always wished I could have. The love of a real father, of a real family.
My parents were divorced when I was still very young. So I have never had that chance of being loved by a real father as I was growing up, and envy those people who actually had wonderful experiences with their dads. Ever since their divorce, my mother, brother and I stayed at my grandparent’s house. Their house was huge. I think the word mansion best describe it. It was painted white on the outside and had lots of big windows all around the house, allowing the glaring light of the sun to enter the house every morning, waking up its inhabitants. All around the house was a beautifully tended garden, with roses, jasmine and orchids all around. Living in such a place often made me feel like I’m a princess. And yet even though I had all this, I feel that something is always missing inside.
Like many other modern fairytale princess, I never felt much love from my mother or my grandparents. My mother was always at work trying to support me and my brother, while my grandmother only told us the things that we’re supposed to do. Every time we went back from school there was never that sweet ring of “How was your day?” or “What did you learn at school today?” Instead, there will only be my maids and grandmother who will promptly ask me and my brother to take a shower immediately and prepare for extra lessons or tuition. As the day comes to a close and the sky is tainted with orange, I would start to get worried. Worried for my mother, especially if she came back later from work. I would just pace around the garden and no sweet intoxications from the flowers can cure my worry. But like all kids I was still shy to admit my feelings, that I worry about her that much, so every time I hear that oh so familiar footsteps of my mother, I would just pretend to play around the garden and try my best no create a veil of nonchalance, ignoring her arrival altogether.
Before this, she used to work at my aunt’s DVD store. It was hard work and she would only be home by around 11pm. Back then I had to go to bed by around 10 pm. No matter how hard I tried I can never fall asleep before I am sure that she was back home safely. Tossing and turning on my bed, waiting for that click of the front door and hearing that familiar footsteps which was the only bedtime story that can finally lull me to sleep. If by 11 she was not back yet, I would pray and pray to God, to bring her home safely. I would promise Him that I would always be a good girl and listen to whatever my mother had to say, if only He can bring her back safely. Recalling this scene now, I feel terrible, as I had never been a very good daughter as what I had promised despite the fact that my mom made it safely home every night.
My mother was a fighter. Those early years were never easy for her and for us as a family, and yet she fought on and never gave up on us. I used to get angry at her for little things. Grounding me whenever I defied what she said to me, not buying me the things that I wanted, or not allowing me to go out and play with my friends during the weekends. However, deep inside of me, I know that no matter how much I am annoyed at her or even detest her sometimes, I would always love her more. If it weren’t for the sacrifices that she made during our early journey as a family, I might not be the person that I am today, enjoying everything that I have right now. She saved every single penny she could, to raise my brother and I. Like everyone, she always had a choice, the choice to abandon us and leave us in an orphanage to give herself the chance to start again. And yet she stuck with us and carried us through. She turned down many suitors just because they couldn’t accept our existence as her children. For this I truly admire her courage and her love for us.
All of her years of perseverance and patience finally paid off one day when she met my best friend’s dad, who would eventually ask for her hand in marriage. It was what I thought a fresh start, a new beginning for all of us. My best friend lost her mom due to breast cancer so from my point of view, we are all pretty much on the same boat. The first few years after they get married were the happiest years for me. My new father was very nice to us. He would play with me all day, piggybacked me, carry me on his shoulders, and do practically anything to make laugh, spilling with joy. It was a great moment, to finally feel loved, to finally found a father figure in my life that I can depend on. My father and mother loved me more than anyone else, and as a bed of roses, underneath the beauty of my life at that time, there are still thorns waiting to prick. Everyone else was jealous of my parents love for me, and this was the fuel that was used to spark up conflicts within our family. It was a beautiful yet difficult few first years. But how as time goes by rocks are softened, so are hearts. After a while everyone seemed to be able to accept everything and life goes on.
Someone once said that life is like a wheel, sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down. Just as everyone had started to settle down, my step brother was diagnosed with brain tumour. It was shattering, hearing the news, especially for my dad. He just lost his wife due to cancer and the pain was still there haunting him. He refused to give on my brother. He tried everything he could. All the hours spent consulting with different doctors, moving my brother to and fro hospitals around town, desperately trying to find a cure for the incurable. He forked out every single cent that he had and lost millions trying to save my brother. We had to sell our car. And after four surgeries and countless sessions of therapy and medication, it was not within our power to save my brother’s life. He passed away on New year’s eve. When the world was rejoiced at the beginning of a new year, we were lamenting the end of my brother’s short life. All the things that he never got to see, the things the he never got to do and experience. It just seemed so unfair, just when life seemed to get better.
For my father it was the last straw that will finally break the camel’s back. Ever since then things changed within our house. We hardly go out. We hardly had family time, and the only language spoken within our house is the language of silence. It seemed like my dad had been through enough. Enough with life and all its miseries. This experience had also made them paranoid about us their children. Once I had a really bad headache and without hesitation I was rushed to the hospital to take and MRI and CT-scan. It turns out to be nothing at all, and I suppose with the death of my brother, it has allowed the birth of the monster of paranoia within my parents mind.
I can’t really recall when I started to hate the vines of attention that started to strangle me. My parents were over-protective and I needed space to grow up. The monster of paranoia is choking me and my growth as a teenager. From then on things took a turn for the worst. My dad who had seemingly gave up on our family, never paid attention to us anymore. The closely knitted ties were broken and at certain point in time, things got so bad that all I could think of was to run away from home. Fortunately I did find a way. A chance to study overseas, and leaving that madhouse of a home far behind me and out of my life. But being away from them made me realized once again how much my family means so much to me, no matter how bad they are. And yet every time I go back home during the holidays, there’s nothing that I would want more, than to get out of there as fast as I can.
As time goes by, we became further apart, the chasm is now too deep and any chance to salvage any family ties and bonds are dashed. I hardly talk to them now, only to my mom every time she calls me once a week. Those beautiful times were nothing but distant memories now. I thought I had a dad, I thought I had a family, and yet life says otherwise. Looking at people with a perfect family or movies depicting such scenes breaks my heart and sparked the green flame of jealousy deep within me. And even though I love my mother and my brother no matter what, and promised to become a better daughter, that green flame will always burn. Burn, until the day I can finally have that feeling again the feeling of being loved by a real family.
/ˈdʒɛl ə si/ –noun, plural
1.jealous resentment against a rival, a person enjoyingsuccess or advantage, etc., or against another's success oradvantage itself.
2.mental uneasiness from suspicion or fear of rivalry,unfaithfulness, etc., as in love or aims.
3.vigilance in maintaining or guarding something.
That little green monster,
hiding in the
Deep recesses of my mind
waiting for the chance to go out
To feast
destroy
Green like the grass,
Whenever we look up at the vastness
Of the skies
At the freedom of the birds
Soaring without a care
Whenever we see something
Above, bigger,
faster, richer
nth-er
Forever bound
Forever existing
Envy
I just watched the movie “Flipped” And I really feel that it was such a mesmerizing movie of love, judgements and regrets. It was about a boy and a girl, about their story of falling in love as well of falling out of love. The girl in the movie loved to climb a particular tree and enjoy the breathtaking view that she could see from the top of the tree. One scene that really resonates deep within me was when the girl’s tree was cut down and she was devastated by this fact. Then the father, who is a gifted artist, out of love for her daughter, painted a picture of that tree for her and hung it in front of her bed, so that it will be the first thing that she’ll see whenever she wakes up, and the last when she goes to bed. Beautiful isn’t it? For some people this scene might just be a mediocre one, but not for me. This scene holds so much for me as it is the one thing that I have always wished I could have. The love of a real father, of a real family.
My parents were divorced when I was still very young. So I have never had that chance of being loved by a real father as I was growing up, and envy those people who actually had wonderful experiences with their dads. Ever since their divorce, my mother, brother and I stayed at my grandparent’s house. Their house was huge. I think the word mansion best describe it. It was painted white on the outside and had lots of big windows all around the house, allowing the glaring light of the sun to enter the house every morning, waking up its inhabitants. All around the house was a beautifully tended garden, with roses, jasmine and orchids all around. Living in such a place often made me feel like I’m a princess. And yet even though I had all this, I feel that something is always missing inside.
Like many other modern fairytale princess, I never felt much love from my mother or my grandparents. My mother was always at work trying to support me and my brother, while my grandmother only told us the things that we’re supposed to do. Every time we went back from school there was never that sweet ring of “How was your day?” or “What did you learn at school today?” Instead, there will only be my maids and grandmother who will promptly ask me and my brother to take a shower immediately and prepare for extra lessons or tuition. As the day comes to a close and the sky is tainted with orange, I would start to get worried. Worried for my mother, especially if she came back later from work. I would just pace around the garden and no sweet intoxications from the flowers can cure my worry. But like all kids I was still shy to admit my feelings, that I worry about her that much, so every time I hear that oh so familiar footsteps of my mother, I would just pretend to play around the garden and try my best no create a veil of nonchalance, ignoring her arrival altogether.
Before this, she used to work at my aunt’s DVD store. It was hard work and she would only be home by around 11pm. Back then I had to go to bed by around 10 pm. No matter how hard I tried I can never fall asleep before I am sure that she was back home safely. Tossing and turning on my bed, waiting for that click of the front door and hearing that familiar footsteps which was the only bedtime story that can finally lull me to sleep. If by 11 she was not back yet, I would pray and pray to God, to bring her home safely. I would promise Him that I would always be a good girl and listen to whatever my mother had to say, if only He can bring her back safely. Recalling this scene now, I feel terrible, as I had never been a very good daughter as what I had promised despite the fact that my mom made it safely home every night.
My mother was a fighter. Those early years were never easy for her and for us as a family, and yet she fought on and never gave up on us. I used to get angry at her for little things. Grounding me whenever I defied what she said to me, not buying me the things that I wanted, or not allowing me to go out and play with my friends during the weekends. However, deep inside of me, I know that no matter how much I am annoyed at her or even detest her sometimes, I would always love her more. If it weren’t for the sacrifices that she made during our early journey as a family, I might not be the person that I am today, enjoying everything that I have right now. She saved every single penny she could, to raise my brother and I. Like everyone, she always had a choice, the choice to abandon us and leave us in an orphanage to give herself the chance to start again. And yet she stuck with us and carried us through. She turned down many suitors just because they couldn’t accept our existence as her children. For this I truly admire her courage and her love for us.
All of her years of perseverance and patience finally paid off one day when she met my best friend’s dad, who would eventually ask for her hand in marriage. It was what I thought a fresh start, a new beginning for all of us. My best friend lost her mom due to breast cancer so from my point of view, we are all pretty much on the same boat. The first few years after they get married were the happiest years for me. My new father was very nice to us. He would play with me all day, piggybacked me, carry me on his shoulders, and do practically anything to make laugh, spilling with joy. It was a great moment, to finally feel loved, to finally found a father figure in my life that I can depend on. My father and mother loved me more than anyone else, and as a bed of roses, underneath the beauty of my life at that time, there are still thorns waiting to prick. Everyone else was jealous of my parents love for me, and this was the fuel that was used to spark up conflicts within our family. It was a beautiful yet difficult few first years. But how as time goes by rocks are softened, so are hearts. After a while everyone seemed to be able to accept everything and life goes on.
Someone once said that life is like a wheel, sometimes you’re up and sometimes you’re down. Just as everyone had started to settle down, my step brother was diagnosed with brain tumour. It was shattering, hearing the news, especially for my dad. He just lost his wife due to cancer and the pain was still there haunting him. He refused to give on my brother. He tried everything he could. All the hours spent consulting with different doctors, moving my brother to and fro hospitals around town, desperately trying to find a cure for the incurable. He forked out every single cent that he had and lost millions trying to save my brother. We had to sell our car. And after four surgeries and countless sessions of therapy and medication, it was not within our power to save my brother’s life. He passed away on New year’s eve. When the world was rejoiced at the beginning of a new year, we were lamenting the end of my brother’s short life. All the things that he never got to see, the things the he never got to do and experience. It just seemed so unfair, just when life seemed to get better.
For my father it was the last straw that will finally break the camel’s back. Ever since then things changed within our house. We hardly go out. We hardly had family time, and the only language spoken within our house is the language of silence. It seemed like my dad had been through enough. Enough with life and all its miseries. This experience had also made them paranoid about us their children. Once I had a really bad headache and without hesitation I was rushed to the hospital to take and MRI and CT-scan. It turns out to be nothing at all, and I suppose with the death of my brother, it has allowed the birth of the monster of paranoia within my parents mind.
I can’t really recall when I started to hate the vines of attention that started to strangle me. My parents were over-protective and I needed space to grow up. The monster of paranoia is choking me and my growth as a teenager. From then on things took a turn for the worst. My dad who had seemingly gave up on our family, never paid attention to us anymore. The closely knitted ties were broken and at certain point in time, things got so bad that all I could think of was to run away from home. Fortunately I did find a way. A chance to study overseas, and leaving that madhouse of a home far behind me and out of my life. But being away from them made me realized once again how much my family means so much to me, no matter how bad they are. And yet every time I go back home during the holidays, there’s nothing that I would want more, than to get out of there as fast as I can.
As time goes by, we became further apart, the chasm is now too deep and any chance to salvage any family ties and bonds are dashed. I hardly talk to them now, only to my mom every time she calls me once a week. Those beautiful times were nothing but distant memories now. I thought I had a dad, I thought I had a family, and yet life says otherwise. Looking at people with a perfect family or movies depicting such scenes breaks my heart and sparked the green flame of jealousy deep within me. And even though I love my mother and my brother no matter what, and promised to become a better daughter, that green flame will always burn. Burn, until the day I can finally have that feeling again the feeling of being loved by a real family.
Pia Toscano - I'll Stand By You
Pia Toscano singing I'll stand by you at Dancing With The Stars.
In the words of host "How the hell did [she] get voted off?"
In the words of host "How the hell did [she] get voted off?"
Acceptance
ac•cept•ance
/ækˈsɛp təns/ –noun
1.the act of taking or receiving something offered.
2.favorable reception; approval; favor.
3.the act of assenting or believing: acceptance of a theory.
“But can we all just stop lying about that there aren’t things that we wouldn’t change about ourselves? . . . I’m just keeping it real. . . . All I’m saying is that if you look in the mirror and you don’t like what you see, you should change it.”
Santana Lopez– Glee “Born This Way”
When you look at yourself in the mirror, are there things that you wish you could change? Are there things about yourself, inside and out, that you wish you never had?
The newest Glee episode revolves around the topic of people accepting themselves for who they really are, no matter what you look like, no matter what race you came from. For me, the most impactful moment of the show was the internal conflict within Quinn Fabray. So far in Glee, she has been depicted as your typical High School “It” girl, long flowing blonde hair, a facial bone structure which are to die for, basically the prettiest girl in school. Here in this episode it was revealed that before she came to High School, she was not pretty at all. She was fat, had pimples all over her face and had brown hair (not that there’s anything wrong with brown hair). She even did a nose job to achieve the look that she has right now. This is what she has to say about her experience being that sad little girl.
“I hated the way I look. I had zits, I was chubby, felt terrible about myself. I didn’t have friends, nobody would talk to me. I was the only kid at school who had to dissect their own frogs because nobody would be my lab partner. [Describing the changes she made]. . . I love myself and that’s why I did all those things. I’ve been that girl, and I’m never going back."
Quinn Fabray – Glee “Born This Way”
I believe that this is a topic that really resonates deep inside all of us because, as Santana has so crudely put, there must be things about ourselves that we always want to change. Maybe you want to lose a few more pounds, to have higher cheek bones, wishing to God that you don’t have an entire Amazon of zits on your face or even wishing that you came from another race. And we all know how hard life can be when you don’t look like as good as other people, when you don’t click with other people, when you’re different.
Personally I can really relate to Quinn Fabray, in terms of how she used to hate the way she looked. I didn’t have it as bad as she was (I never wish to have any cosmetic surgeries), but I have to admit that I was fat when I was younger, and I wasn’t remotely athletic at all. I totally suck at sports, and in an environment where most people view that boys should be good at sports it was something that I was really ashamed off. And all these things that I see of myself are the reasons why I strive towards perfection (insecurity post). It is because I was so insecure about myself and the way I look that I tried so hard in order to be that perfect image. Just like how Quinn Fabray tried so hard to change and hide her past so she can be what she is today. I believe that when you see someone who is almost perfect it’s either they are just lucky enough to have it all naturally or they are just extremely insecure that they try so hard to be perfect to satisfy their insecurity and to be able to accept themselves.
When talking about the topic of acceptance I am always a bit confused as sometimes trying to change who you are, like what Santana said, can be a good thing. For me, I tried to lose weight and I picked up certain sports like tennis and swimming and all of those worked for me. Nowadays I can feel much better about myself compared to when I was still in Primary and Junior High School. In the words of Quinn Fabray, I didn’t try to be perfect and change myself solely because of the insecurity and because I hate myself, it is because I love myself that I want to change, that I want to be better.
I believe that acceptance is crucial. You should always try and accept who you are, especially all the things that you can’t change inside or out. But like how you must control your insecurities I believe you should also control your sense of acceptance too, as we all should look at ourselves and try to see the things that we can change to make ourselves into a better person. An example, I was obese last time, If I were to completely accept myself with no other regards, I would have continued being obese and unhealthy for the rest of my life, with risks of heart disease and diabetes haunting me every step of the way. All I’m saying is do not let your sense of acceptance of who you are prevent you from trying to improve yourself as a person.
Acceptance does not only mean towards oneself but also towards others. As we can see from Quinn Fabray’s account, her life was miserable not because she didn’t accept herself, it is because the other kids in school refuses to accept her for who she was and what she looked like, which caused her to hate herself for it. Accepting yourself for who you are is one step, but we should never forget to try and accept other people for who they really are as well. People are born different and who are we to judge them based on their looks and what they have? We all have things that we wish to change about ourselves and so does the people around us, and it will do everyone good if we could try and accept other people for who they are and not give them a miserable time in school or anywhere else just because they are different. We all have certain kinds of people that we prefer to hang out with and that’s perfectly fine. But that shouldn’t stop us from trying to be nice and accepting to everyone, even the people that we can’t really “click” with.
Finally, in the words of Lady Gaga
I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track baby
I was born this way
Don't hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track baby
I was born this way
/ækˈsɛp təns/ –noun
1.the act of taking or receiving something offered.
2.favorable reception; approval; favor.
3.the act of assenting or believing: acceptance of a theory.
“But can we all just stop lying about that there aren’t things that we wouldn’t change about ourselves? . . . I’m just keeping it real. . . . All I’m saying is that if you look in the mirror and you don’t like what you see, you should change it.”
Santana Lopez– Glee “Born This Way”
When you look at yourself in the mirror, are there things that you wish you could change? Are there things about yourself, inside and out, that you wish you never had?
The newest Glee episode revolves around the topic of people accepting themselves for who they really are, no matter what you look like, no matter what race you came from. For me, the most impactful moment of the show was the internal conflict within Quinn Fabray. So far in Glee, she has been depicted as your typical High School “It” girl, long flowing blonde hair, a facial bone structure which are to die for, basically the prettiest girl in school. Here in this episode it was revealed that before she came to High School, she was not pretty at all. She was fat, had pimples all over her face and had brown hair (not that there’s anything wrong with brown hair). She even did a nose job to achieve the look that she has right now. This is what she has to say about her experience being that sad little girl.
“I hated the way I look. I had zits, I was chubby, felt terrible about myself. I didn’t have friends, nobody would talk to me. I was the only kid at school who had to dissect their own frogs because nobody would be my lab partner. [Describing the changes she made]. . . I love myself and that’s why I did all those things. I’ve been that girl, and I’m never going back."
Quinn Fabray – Glee “Born This Way”
I believe that this is a topic that really resonates deep inside all of us because, as Santana has so crudely put, there must be things about ourselves that we always want to change. Maybe you want to lose a few more pounds, to have higher cheek bones, wishing to God that you don’t have an entire Amazon of zits on your face or even wishing that you came from another race. And we all know how hard life can be when you don’t look like as good as other people, when you don’t click with other people, when you’re different.
Personally I can really relate to Quinn Fabray, in terms of how she used to hate the way she looked. I didn’t have it as bad as she was (I never wish to have any cosmetic surgeries), but I have to admit that I was fat when I was younger, and I wasn’t remotely athletic at all. I totally suck at sports, and in an environment where most people view that boys should be good at sports it was something that I was really ashamed off. And all these things that I see of myself are the reasons why I strive towards perfection (insecurity post). It is because I was so insecure about myself and the way I look that I tried so hard in order to be that perfect image. Just like how Quinn Fabray tried so hard to change and hide her past so she can be what she is today. I believe that when you see someone who is almost perfect it’s either they are just lucky enough to have it all naturally or they are just extremely insecure that they try so hard to be perfect to satisfy their insecurity and to be able to accept themselves.
When talking about the topic of acceptance I am always a bit confused as sometimes trying to change who you are, like what Santana said, can be a good thing. For me, I tried to lose weight and I picked up certain sports like tennis and swimming and all of those worked for me. Nowadays I can feel much better about myself compared to when I was still in Primary and Junior High School. In the words of Quinn Fabray, I didn’t try to be perfect and change myself solely because of the insecurity and because I hate myself, it is because I love myself that I want to change, that I want to be better.
I believe that acceptance is crucial. You should always try and accept who you are, especially all the things that you can’t change inside or out. But like how you must control your insecurities I believe you should also control your sense of acceptance too, as we all should look at ourselves and try to see the things that we can change to make ourselves into a better person. An example, I was obese last time, If I were to completely accept myself with no other regards, I would have continued being obese and unhealthy for the rest of my life, with risks of heart disease and diabetes haunting me every step of the way. All I’m saying is do not let your sense of acceptance of who you are prevent you from trying to improve yourself as a person.
Acceptance does not only mean towards oneself but also towards others. As we can see from Quinn Fabray’s account, her life was miserable not because she didn’t accept herself, it is because the other kids in school refuses to accept her for who she was and what she looked like, which caused her to hate herself for it. Accepting yourself for who you are is one step, but we should never forget to try and accept other people for who they really are as well. People are born different and who are we to judge them based on their looks and what they have? We all have things that we wish to change about ourselves and so does the people around us, and it will do everyone good if we could try and accept other people for who they are and not give them a miserable time in school or anywhere else just because they are different. We all have certain kinds of people that we prefer to hang out with and that’s perfectly fine. But that shouldn’t stop us from trying to be nice and accepting to everyone, even the people that we can’t really “click” with.
Finally, in the words of Lady Gaga
I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track baby
I was born this way
Don't hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track baby
I was born this way
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Reverie - Claude Debussy
rev·er·ie
noun /ˈrevərē/
1. A state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts; a daydream
- a knock on the door broke her reverie
- I slipped into reverie
2. An instrumental piece suggesting a dreamy or musing state
This is the song that I am learning to play right now, it is suppose to be the song that I'm gonna play at some concert my teacher is organizing.
I just love the whole piece! And I really think that the hardest part of learning this song is getting the whole feel of the song and I suppose capturing the image that the song is trying to convey.
At first I was having a hard time learning this song. It's not a fast piece or anything it's just that I was having problems understanding the piece itself. I was trudging through this piece for almost a month already and am stuck in page 3 out of 5 with no significant improvements for around 2 weeks. Finally I listened to this rendition of reverie on youtube and this video opened my eyes to what the music really is about, what I should do and feel when I play the music. Even after listening it for a few times I never get bored of this song, it's just so beautiful. Listening to this made me really want to practice hard and do justice to the piece.
noun /ˈrevərē/
1. A state of being pleasantly lost in one's thoughts; a daydream
- a knock on the door broke her reverie
- I slipped into reverie
2. An instrumental piece suggesting a dreamy or musing state
This is the song that I am learning to play right now, it is suppose to be the song that I'm gonna play at some concert my teacher is organizing.
I just love the whole piece! And I really think that the hardest part of learning this song is getting the whole feel of the song and I suppose capturing the image that the song is trying to convey.
At first I was having a hard time learning this song. It's not a fast piece or anything it's just that I was having problems understanding the piece itself. I was trudging through this piece for almost a month already and am stuck in page 3 out of 5 with no significant improvements for around 2 weeks. Finally I listened to this rendition of reverie on youtube and this video opened my eyes to what the music really is about, what I should do and feel when I play the music. Even after listening it for a few times I never get bored of this song, it's just so beautiful. Listening to this made me really want to practice hard and do justice to the piece.
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