Happy Thanksgiving!

Even though we do not celebrate that back in SG, my secondary school has taught me well enough to know that I should always be generous when it comes to gratitude..

Now I know the reason why they make us sing "Give Thanks" back then every Wednesday...

"Give Thanks, to the Holy One.. ~"

Or at least, give thanks to those who deserve it.

Disenchant-ed

For the magic card fanatics, that word basically means,

"Destroy target artifiact or enchantment."

Though I think it should really mean:

"Destroy target hope or belief."

Yawns.

Arigatou gozaimasu

Thanks for all the insightful comments. I've passed them on to my friend. Hopefully, things will change for the better. =)

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I think I spend way too much time working. I have been in front of the comp since 10+ in the morning, and I am still here now. Can hardly keep my eyes open.

And the thing is, I actually look forward to work.

I look forward to the days when I don't have classes, because I would have the entire day to do my work.

That probably sounds crazy, but honestly, that's how I'm feeling now. I have to admit it's not that healthy though.

I really need some balance in my life.

And some money...

Interesting reads

ROME (AP)—In the latest fashion statement out of Italy, soccer players are dropping their shorts to score goals.

Catania, a team in the country’s top division, unveiled the new look while taking a free kick. The players lined up in a wall and dropped their shorts in an effort to block the goalkeeper’s vision.

Read more: Secret to scoring goals, unveiled!

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I used to think that all pigs love to wallow in mud, till I saw this.

Step aside PCK, I've green boots!

Freaking hilarious and cute!
This pig, or piglet, apparently has a phobia of mud, and hence its thoughtful owners came up with this brilliant idea.

Read more: Pig in boots

Some help/advice/suggestions needed

Because I realise I have got pretty responsive readers, I thought I could seek some advice from you regarding a knotty problem that a friend of mine has. I know this is lengthy, but if you could take some time out to read this, I would appreciate it. =)

Background:
She is a pleasant girl, and a very filial one at that too. Besides having to juggle work, school, tutoring classes, and the occasional outing here and there, she also makes it a point to dedicate a large part of her time to her family, and spending time at home.

On days where she does not have to go to work or class, which is really rare by the way, she makes sure that the household chores are well taken care of, before she even contemplates going out. Many a time, the hectic pace of her life would leave her all drained and catching for breath, while her current balance of work, family, studies threatens to boil over and lose all equilibrium.

Now, if time management was the only issue here, she would be doing just fine. But it's another matter altogether when she has obviously tried her best, but it still falls way short of the lofty expectations that her mum has in place.

Her mum is one who holds dearly to the belief that if you are not at work or class, you should be back home.

Regardless that school is in the western part of Singapore, and home is at the opposite end almost, and travelling takes at least 2 hours.

Regardless that its a weekend, and the only day of the week where she can finally afford to relax.

Regardless that she has been in the workforce for many years, and is more than mature to think for herself.

Restrictions are not limited to the amount of time she spends outside, but also on the company and the reason. Her mum would question her who is she out with, why is she out, why is she hanging out with this particular person, and the list goes on. If her mum can put a name to the face of the person that she is hanging out with, and it also happens that she does not have a good impression of the guy, she would blatantly voice her disapproval.

When she is back late, her mum would scold her and sometimes, the grammar that she uses is not the most pleasant. Sometimes, it's almost baffling to know that your mum would use this kind of language on you. If you think that is bad, it was even worse a couple of years back, when she had strict curfews imposed.

She's a really strong girl, but sometimes, the poor girl would be so overwhelmed by her mum's overbearing and unreasonable demands that she would just collapse. She has a sister, and the both of them are at their wits end trying to improve this situation.

I've tried to offer my help by doing whatever I could, even though my help is seriously academic. All I can do is to offer my personal suggestions and advice, but it does not really apply to her case. The problem really lies with her mum, and not anything else. Her mum is a housewife, and I figure that is where the entire problem lies. She has no one to talk to while at home, and the only avenue where she can vent her frustration is on her two daughters. She feels bored when no one's at home, so she can't wait for her daughters to come home and accompany her.

Sure, that's only my conjecture, but I do feel pretty strongly that is the underlying reason. So, I'm asking you to offer your much appreciated comments and advice, because she really deserves better.

If you have had any experience, or heard of anything similar, please be generous and contribute your two cents worth. Heck, even if you only had one cent to spare, I would take that too.

Hermit. Me. & The Economics of Friendship

It's been a while since I last made my way out of the house, other than the times I had to go for classes. Today must have been the first time in a few weeks that I actually went to a shopping mall with someone, and took in some fresh, and much needed air. And I rather enjoyed it.

I have come to realise that it takes time for me to warm up to people, and it's something in me since young. Call me shy, call me anti-social, but I guess it's really just me. I'd like to think I'm a friendly guy though... Hmmm, let's just say it's a latent quality, something the casual stranger would not realise in the initial stages.

Place a clam in the fire, and it opens up after the heat radiates through...
I guess I open up, literally, in the same way too. Haha..

I'm mentioning this because it's hard to find someone who you can engage in a meaningful and comfortable conversation all the time. I'm not referring to your ability to converse here, but rather the positive emotions that you derive from such an exchange. Personally, I find meaningful conversations especially engaging.

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The Economics of Friendship

I have been having this niggling thought lately:

Friendship:
To be expected, or to be maintained?

I always think relationships and friendship require maintenance, and if you can't be bothered, chances are, soon you won't even have to bother anymore. I believe when it comes to friendship, you reap what you sow. And this is totally unlike love, where you can't expect reciprocity if the other person just doesn't like you.

If you don't make it a point to keep the friendship going, it will just fade away. It's really about mutual respect and how much you value him/her. Sure, there are times when you are too busy, but if you can find time to stay online and chat on msn the whole day, you can meet your friend for a simple meal too.

It does not take a genius to differentiate between the truth and an excuse. So don't expect your friend to keep trying his/her luck in asking you out when you just decline/reject her bluntly with your latest trick (excuse) in your book. I know, because I've been guilty of the convenient excuse very often too.

I'm not referring to anyone here, so don't be too sensitive. Just some thoughts from someone who has been at both ends of the equation here. And to quote my own experience, I find it especially hard to take when one has time for everything and everyone else, except me. Is time really the problem here, or is the lack of effort to blame? To be honest, there are times when I have been left disillusioned.

And to add in my favourite quote, "An inconvenient truth, or a convenient excuse?"
Or maybe I am just expecting too much here.

Yawns...

Loyalty Personified

I just had to write something, after reading this tribute to Ryan Giggs on Soccernet.

He's turning 35, and this is his 18th year at the club since he first broke into the first team when he was only 17. I mean, where can you find such a player nowadays? It's all about the money and fame nowadays. Loyalty, and gratitude are all thrown out of the window when you there is so much money at stake.

I might not have started watching football when Giggs first broke into the first team, but I think I managed to see his best years.

Who can forget his mad, grossly hairy, goal celebration when he scored the winner against Arsenal in the FA Cup? Of course, he is remembered for much more than that, but that is one of the moments that made me proud as a Man Utd fan.

From this...

...to this

At his peak, he was virtually peerless. Defenders were often left grasping thin air as he flashed down the left wing time and time again.

Giggs on the left,
Beckham on the right,
Scholes and Keane in the middle,
Yorke and Cole up front..

Those were the times... and to be honest, even till today, that is the team that I like best.

The Economics of Relationships (Part Deux)

Because this could very likely be the subject matter of my thesis, I thought it would be good if I could finish it up. Imagine this,:

Dr Lua
PhD in Economics (Love)

Now, that would really look awesome on my CV.

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So, to continue from where my previous post left off, I shall attempt to dissect the next genre of men when it comes to the society today. If you had missed the first part of this wonderful topic, you can read it here - The Economics of Relationships (Part One)

Meanwhile, I reckon I better touch on this genre before they disappear all too quickly and become extinct. So to start things off:

Genre 2 - Good Men (Subjective demand, Dwindling supply)

Rule Number 1 of Economics: The higher the demand, the higher the supply. Due to the overwhelming demand and success of Genre 1 - Bad Men, it's almost inevitable that just about every guy dreams of entering that realm.

That is the place to be. The group to be in. Utopia, if you like to see it that way.
It's almost similar to the theory that you will only go to Heaven if you convert to a particular religion.

Pardon the drift, but what I'm really saying here is that every religion deserves respect. While you may have different beliefs, you can't force upon your ideas on others.

Back to my point. Like how that old adage goes, "All good things come to an end". And just to show off my brilliant Chinese vocabulary, "夕阳无限好, 只是近黄昏". But in all honesty, this trend simply cannot be avoided.

I say that because that is really how the cookie crumbles.

Think about it, have you seen movies where the good men are surrounded by a bevy of ladies? That only happens with the bad guys. The ones who are all dressed in black suits, have a cigar stuck to their lips, and have one lady on each lap.

If you are a boy who's struggling to combat those raging hormones during puberty, you can be forgiven for turning to the dark side, or rather the more popular side. You are not at fault if you find yourself idolizing a really cool bad guy back in your childhood. Well, I have been guilty of that too. While you might not have a good ending, as with most movies, chances are that you would have had your fair share of fun and died a happy death.

So, what place does a typical good man have in the society now? When he meets a connoisseur, that is. Not everyone knows how to appreciate the good stuff; it takes time and understanding.

It's an acquired taste.

Just like durian, honeysuckle tea, nasi lemak. You either love it, or you hate love it even more.


Disclaimer: This entry was written without any form of malice from the author. If you think you are being mentioned in any part of the article, you are not, unless you are part of the endangered species of good men. The author firmly believes in setting up a conservation campaign for this endangered species before they become extinct, and become just a topic in your secondary school History or Science textbook.