of PRESSURE and PLEASURE

Buried by dust a thousand years,

There lies a stone precious and dear,

Unearthed by men all in a tier,

Shiny as if a drop of tear.

Diamond, the appellation it rears,
The spectrum it renders, too queer,
All men are dying for once wear,
A gem destined to last forever.

No one knows the saga it couriers,
Men are too blinded to care,
But it knows the journey it endured,
And be a stone all endears.

There goes a tale for all to hear,

Pressure, a gift so much to bear,

A man to his goal, it always steers,

Weakness, indolence, it all clears.

PRESSURE. It may sound scary to some (especially those standing in the way of a tsunami of examinations). But without it, nothing will shine. Pressure is the reason people push themselves for the better. It sometimes serves as a (very, very, very) strong steroid, keeping people wide awake into the wee hours of the day. Proper management of pressure (stay bright is always the first step) is necessary, of course, to avoid ugly consequences. However, pressure itself carries a positive energy. It kicks men towards their goals, and squeeze overflowing happiness into the hands of everyone who believes in it. It shapes minerals into diamonds. Despite all the pros of pleasure, some people foolishly resort to another path -- pleasure.

The Sun shines ever so brightly,
The breeze blows ever so free,
The trees dance ever so comely,
All performing in perfect unison.

Their spectator, a stone,
Sitting in the shade of the trees,
So rough its edges,
So lazy its spirit.

Tripping passers-by, its heavenly duty,
Contaminating the scene, it always plies,
And so its reward, hard kicks,
Occasionally, wry smiles.

Bathed in pleasure, it is,
Soaked in indolence, its hobby,
At the end of the day,
No sowing, no reaping.

As quite obviously illustrated in the poem, too much pleasure hinders people from their goals. All the petty relaxations, indulgences and enjoyments can easily congregate to form a mountain so high for one to scale. Why take the chance? Just for a moment of pleasure, are you really willing to gamble away your success which you could have easily reached? PLEASURE is a nemesis in disguise (perfect disguise, with myriad temptations covering its loopholes). 

Of pressure and pleasure, the tale goes on...

Which path?

Just a few years ago (when I was about 15 years old), I witnessed many of my seniors making calls and enquiring here and there on what they should study after their SPM (a public exam taken by students at the end of their secondary education in Malaysia). Some of them received quite a number of offers from myriad universities and colleges, and they were in dilemma of which to accept. Some of them had none, and thus they had to go for private institutions. Then, I found myself asking: What is so hard about choosing which course to take up in tertiary education? I was too foolish...

At warp speed, the years took to their heels and before realisation dawned on me, it is the turn of my batch to wade the same ordeal. Even before we sat for SPM, several friends asked me (who is absolutely untrained to advise in this field) in which direction should they steer their attention and more-or-less-five-year-worth of their life to, to escape the ruthless grasp of regret. Of course I didn't have the answers! I didn't have the answer for myself, and I didn't even bother to think of one! I thought the answer would come to me on its own. I was too foolish...

After SPM, some of my friends left town earlier than most of us to pursue their further education (I hope they do well!) in various different fields. But before long, there came some yell and scowl (can't adapt themselves to the new environments, can't keep up with lessons, can't socialise...) from a few of these early-leavers. Some of them are successful, though, and are kind enough to pass me some tips on 'surviving in the wild'. I started to feel the heat, but I brushed it off. Again, I was too foolish...

The apprehension that it is now my turn to make a decision hits me hard at the back of my head. Alas, now I feel like I'm walking on a bed of glowing charcoal! What am I good at? What am I really interested in? What do I really want? What is the thought of my family? If I were to go for this, how would my future be? If I were to go for something else, ditto. And even if I've really came down on what to study, would I qualify? And another big question that renders me sleepless at night: Will the institution that I choose accept me?

Which path should I take? Will I not cry over my choice? All this unfruitful cogitation is definitely killing me! Oh, did I mention how every university and college announces the result of admittance on different dates? They are worsening my already-critical migraine (just figurative, of course, I'm still quite healthy apart from owning a priceless pot belly)! How ever do they plan things? Howbeit, I've placed my bets (to be revealed when the result is out!), and the dice has been thrown. The game, has begun...

SCHOOL life

Hmm, the poem in my previous post were quite well-received. So, I've decided to come up with a second poem to illustrate my school life (in the past, now I am still enjoying my holiday). Hope my poems can help kick away your suffocating boredom!

The cradle of scholars,

The moniker it shoulders,

All wisdom, it nurtures,

All virtue, it mothers.

School, they call it,

Inferno, I take it,

Spewing tasks, its pursuit,

Nightmare, now, my habit.

Deep in slumber, Uncle Sun,

Already chiming, pesky clock,

Busy dressing, there I go,

Bread and butter, down the throat.

Inch by inch, the traffic crawls,

Every driver starts to growl,

School is in sight, now I scowl,

Reached the classroom, there I yowl.

Chums are right here by my side,

Latest gossips at a tide,

Soon the bell rings when it's time,

Now the teachers start to rhyme.

End of lesson, homework dawns,

Deep in my skull, headache sown,

Joy and fun are all but mown,

Now my mood is bombed and blown.

'Ta-da' a call I most condemn,

It's another surprise test,

Oh, I'm shocked! Oh, I'm shocked!

Red and chastises come my way!

Teachers are mad,

Parents are sad,

Now, I plead:

One more shot!

TIME

Visage-less, bodiless, intangible, thou art,

At times charming, others, hideous,

Devour men to all but dust,

Yet the best cure for pained hearts.

Time, oh, time,

How mighty thou art!

Create memories, inflict tears,

Reflect love, engender regrets.

Sit through the shift of seasons, thou did,

Witnessed the fall of nations, thou knew,

Wise and learned, thou always art,

Past and present, thou always rule.

Time, oh, time,

How long do thou need,

To feast on this piece,

Like thou did others?

Time is a wonderful creation. It reveals its authority on us in whatever we do: assignments, meals, accidents... The list is longer than civilisation itself. We, humans, tried to trap time in clocks and watches, but it still overpowers us. It begets us to catch trains, to wake up early in the morning (and students really condemn this), to flip eggs before they get burned on the pan, to veer the helm before a truck bumps into us, to catch shows before they end and to blog quickly before the battery dies (yeah, that's me). 

I've never seen anyone struck by good fortune after meddling with time. Students who waste their time doing useless things instead of studying are awarded with '0's and 'X's on their test papers. Entrepreneurs who saunter behind time have their million-dollar contracts torn and thrown. Medical officers who are late to the rescue have to shoulder the guilt of losing patients' lives for what seems like all eternity. 

Scary, it is; cruel it is; strict, it is. Wrinkles are carved into our skin, agility is sucked out of us and our vision is eventually rendered blurry, all as decided by time. To (temporarily) counter the adverse effects of time, we can only befriend it, utilise it wise and well. 

Time, though ruthless, still pockets our happy memories. It reminds us of our purposes as a parent, a friend, or a teacher... It tells us to smile, to laugh and to treasure. It teaches us to seek, to seize and to share. Time is here to stay, to witness man from cradle to grave, to monitor buildings from bricks to rubble, to accompany trees from seeds to soil...

Time, oh, time,

To thee, I promise:

Act right on time,

Every tick and chime...

BLOGGING: The Process

Whenever I meet someone I know in town, this question always comes my way: "What are you doing during this long holiday?" When I replied, "Oh, I blog," I receive unenthusiastic visages two-thirds of the time. It seems to me that most people are labouring under the delusion that blogging is just an action which eats away precious time, and energy, perhaps. Well, I can confidently tell you that these people (hmm, maybe you are one of them, too?) are terribly wrong.

So, what goes into writing a blog post (my way, since I don't really know what approaches other people are apt to take)? Here goes my five-month-old recipe:

1. Theme. It is extremely crucial to decide on a suitable theme because it determines the popularity of your post. Take for example, the environment. If I am quite right, I touched about the environment for a couple of times in my blog. Guess what? Those posts just weren't (and aren't, I'm sure) popular. This, I trust, is due to the fact that most of the explanations outlined in my posts have already been spelled out in textbooks. Hence, most of the time, I opt for more relaxing themes, like shopping, personal life and humour. Focusing on delicate processes in everyday life helps me to pick the right theme, as I would be able to elaborate more thoroughly when my fingers start dancing on the keyboard.
2. After settling down on a theme, the next step would be to come up with a title. Occasionally, I ask my friends for ideas. Sadly, however, instead of sharing with me titles related to what they experience in everyday life, some of them simply give me titles they came across in essay examinations in the past. A title has to be catchy in order to draw eyes. If you recall, I posted on 'all EARS on deck' (sometime in January or February). It definitely sounds more appealing than 'Listen to Other People's Stories'. In order to invent and innovate (the use of these terms show you that I take blogging very seriously) titles for my posts, I usually sit in front of the desk for no less than five minutes, to make sure that they are of the highest quality my brain can produce (OK, I admit it, I failed miserably several times). When I am truly satisfied with the moniker of my post, I move on to Step 3. 
3. Brainstorm, alone! This is the step that gives me migraine all the time. I keep a little notebook in which I write down the key points that I am going to elaborate on in my posts. The notes provide me with a vague guideline (vague, because I wish to leave some possibilities for corrections in case I changed my mind) of where my post is gravitated to. 
4. I am not a scientist (at least not a qualified one, though I like to experiment with everyday objects around me, creating weird mixtures and solutions in the kitchen and blowing up sockets), but research is definitely very important to me as a blogger. Why trouble myself, you may ask. To be frank, this is to save myself out of even graver troubles. If I were to publish my post without doing any research, this creates an opportunity for me to post something, say a fact, that has been proven wrong by researches worldwide. So, by doing my homework, I get to avoid reprimands and misunderstandings.
5. Survey. I sometimes skip this step, but most of the time, I stick to it. I conduct surveys by conversing with my mum and chatting with my friends. So how does this work? Hmm, take for instance, I am posting something about how people fall in love (Oops! This is a big scoop lying in my 'Draft' section that I am still working on). I navigate to Facebook, scroll down the chat list and look for names that have been targeted by Cupid's arrows. Well, you know who you are...
6. Beef up! After I have done my typing, I usually read though my post again and again to make sure I have done no errors (though as a human, errors are as surely made as the Sun is to rise in the East tomorrow morning). Following some pruning, I try to drop shades of humour consistently from top to bottom to make sure my readers have an enjoyable read (which proves to be a very, very arduous task, and I seldom succeed).

Now, the important question, "Isn't this whole process a waste of time?" No (I am actually bellowing)! I can say that this process is a very helpful David-sharpener. I learn (still learning) to execute tasks under great pressure (trying to come up with good posts, all the while having some of my friends pestering me every now and then to ask for new updates to my blog). It is also good to know that constant reference to the dictionary exposes me to new vocabularies and I have my ability to reason brushed up on from every angle.

It is painful to realise that once this long holiday comes to an end, I will be deprived of my time to come up with so many posts every month. I doubt I can do two per. But for now, I wish to stay close to my sharpener...

RIDDLEs

I was chatting with one of my friends yesterday when she decided to throw some riddles at me. Good thing I was able to answer them (which proves that the thinking I do everyday during this long holiday helps to sharpen my mind a little bit, hey, I am not trying to blow my own trumpet! Go ahead and ask all those SPM graduates, they are going to tell you the same thing). So today, I want to share her riddles with you (let me just tell you this before you try them: Some of them are puns).

Are you ready to put on your thinking cap? Then 3, 2, 1, good luck!

1. What can't you have for breakfast?
2. A father and his son had an accident on the road. The father died on the spot while the son was severely injured. The son was sent to the hospital and upon his arrival, the doctor said, "Owh, that's my son!" So who was that doctor?
3. What do cows like doing during the weekends?
4. What car does Mickey Mouse's wife drive?
5. Which brand of computer sings?

Try to think of the answers before you scroll down...

Answers:

1. Burger, hot-dog and chips. No, that's not the answer. I am merely expressing my desire to take them later. The answer is... *drums rolling*... Lunch, dinner and supper. OK, I can imagine you making this face - (-_-).
2. It's funny how only 'man' is always linked to the term 'doctor'. Well, the doctor was actually his mother. If you go as far as to claim that the doctor was the 'ghost' of the father, then you need to go see your psychiatrist.  
3. Cows spend their weekends watching 'moo'vies. Hey, put your fist down! Stay calm...
4. So the hint is Mickey's wife. What's her name? Minnie, yes. So she drives 'MINI Cooper'. Alright, this is not funny.
5. This computer sings 'Best for Last', 'Crazy for You' and 'Daydreamer'. Yes, it's Dell (short for Adele)!

To cap it all, one last riddle for you, guess a word: 'A plant amidst a group of friends; the middle of middle, and the end of end; the sound you make when you're at a dead end'...

Tata, tutu...

THE STORY -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Claire was a girl born with a silver spoon (if not golden) in her mouth. She always dreamt of becoming a world-famous ballerina. Her mother was determined to help fulfil her dream. With ease, her mother produced cash from her purse to buy Claire a set of tutu with the finest pattern. Equipped with the tutu, Claire enrolled in a ballet class. With her determination and diligence, she outperformed even the most talented girl in the class. And her rise to fame followed suit. But that was when the tragedy struck. She was crossing the road when a drunk driver knocked into her. She lost both the use of her legs, and her future in ballet in the accident. Eventually, she had to let go of her tutu. But what the accident didn't took away from her was her perseverance and diligence, with which she wisely utilised to score success in a new field. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, that's the story. The world doesn't always revolve around us, sometimes, we have to revolve around the world. It is not wrong to pursue your dream, to do something you like. And it is perfectly normal for you to face and overcome failures on your journey of transforming your dream into a reality. But, bear in mind that sometimes, things just don't go as you have planned. That, is when you should stop looking straight, and start looking for other paths. You may want to call this attitude 'a lack of perseverance', but I will insist on calling it 'embracing the reality'.

I want to believe that each of us as human isn't just talented in one aspect or one field. There are always other lanes available. Of course, it is very painful to let go of one's dream. After all, no one likes to lose what he treasures. However, if one has to make a choice between living on and realising an impossible dream, wouldn't the former option be the wiser pick?

We live, because we dream; we dream, because we live. When a dream is already impossible to be achieved, then think of another dream. Don't just do what you love, but love what you do, and when there's enough love, you will see another dream forming in your mind. With a new dream developed, you persevere, and try to overcome all the challenges standing in your way, and then you succeed.

Upon succeeding, you will realise that, sometimes, you have to say tata to your old tutu, just like Claire...

Birthday Eve

Ever since my birth till last year, I've been celebrating my birthday with my family and my family's friends. This year, however, I celebrated it with my friends a day before the D-Day. It was a humble celebration spiced up with conversations among friends. I trust it was also special for those who were just back from PLKN (National Service).

So, let the feast begin...

1940
I arrived at the venue. Two people were waiting outside (supposedly for other people to come). I saw the cake, and the organiser was disappointed with my early arrival, so much so that she said, "Nah, since you've seen the cake, let me show you something, isn't this handwriting like yours? (She was referring to the words written on the cake)" Though unusual, we waited for other guests to arrive, and they did, after a few minutes.

2005
The main event began. They lit up the two number-candles '1' and '8'. I, together with another March baby, blew out the flame. And it was present time. I got a 'phony' (rather than a piggy) bank. Though it's a small gift, but I realised how much effort my friends must have put in to make the event a success. The 'effort' itself was a grand price, and I value that!

Me, and another March baby.

2015
The organiser divided the cake and I handed the pieces to my friends. One of my friends refused, saying he would get a headache if he had one (and I saw him wolfing down lots of ice cream later on). Everyone had their share of the cake, and of the fun. We also ordered some ice cream and chips. Then we talked. We talked about how each other spent this three-month-long holiday, where everyone is heading soon (after the result of the SPM is announced).

2130
Done catching up! Everyone headed home to access their Facebook account, and uploaded the pictures they've taken at the party.

My 'phony' bank.

All in all, it was a joyous occasion and I will make sure that the happy memories stay with me for the rest of my life (errmh, exception to be made if I contracted Alzheimer's).

the WEB

So here we are, congregated in a virtual space. The Web has definitely benefited mankind. For instance, social networking services (SNS) such as Facebook, Twitter and Google+ let us stay connected with our family and friends from anywhere, at anytime. However, arguments about the Web are emerging. When we condense all the complicated facts and numbers (and terms), they simply spell: Is the Web a blessing or a curse?

Initially, the Web was invented and built for good purposes. But as the population of Web users keeps increasing overtime, the function of the Web becomes more complex, and thus, more vulnerabilities surface. Some people use these vulnerabilities to jeopardise the safety of other Web users, and therefore attracting the parties concerned to debate whether or not new policies should be introduced to suppress the freedom of users.

I am going to share with you some key points involved in the arguments for the Web (I am not going to pen anything regarding arguments against the Web because they are just too controversial):

BLESSING

• The Web is like a gigantic international library with all sorts of information available in thousands of different formats. Online encyclopaedias like Wikipedia are being used as references by teachers and students worldwide. They type in a term, and all information related to that particular term will become available at their fingertips in under a minute. And remember when I said these information come in tonnes of different formats? There are also many educational videos on YouTube. Needless to say, the 'iTunes U' page in iTunes also provide college students with thousands of educational contents (which include videos and notes). When I was still in my school's debate team, the Web was like my own personal library. It provided me with important quotes, statistics and examples, all of which would have otherwise require me one whole year to search without the Web.
• Say hi, and smile! As I pointed out from the start, SNS allows us to get in touch with our loved ones regardless of the miles of space that stretches between us. In Facebook, for example, we can chat with people in our 'Friends' list. We can see their statuses, we can drop comments. Services like Skype and FaceTime also allow their users to chat and video call each other, all at a tap (on tablets and smartphones) or a click (on computers) away. Ah, if you are too shy to show your face or to talk casually, don't forget you can still use e-mail services. All of these forms of communication are much faster than penning a written letter, and also help to save paper (and ink, money and time... oh, and petrol).
• The Web also provides us with unending entertainment. Users can read entertaining news on major news sites. They can also tune in to YouTube to watch the latest MVs featuring their favourite popstars. A few clicks and users can get into a page full of jokes from popular comedians. They can even acquire movies or songs they like from thousands of providers available on the Web. Reading other people's blog sometimes also ignites joy in oneself (so do come and read my blog when you are free). Some people find the games available on the Net entertaining. Now, we can say that the Web is a vital source of happiness. 
• The air smells of money (money earned right). The Web plays an important role in driving the global economy. Search for an airline, pick a destination, set a date, and you can enjoy your flight! Type in 'amazon.com' into your browser's search box now, and you can gain access to millions of goods from all around the world. Pick the ones you like, key in your credit card number and you can easily become the proud owner of the latest gadgets or the coolest accessories. Now, you don't have to stuff yourself into a packed shop on Black Friday or Christmas Eve. Just armchair-shop away!

So, the Web has its pros and cons. How we use it will decide whether it is a blessing or a curse. For the time being, it is a blessing to me, since I can blog.

Shh!!! It's a secret...

Just to make it clear, for those of you who watched Happy Together (KBS), this post has nothing to do with the dish of the same name. In this post, I would like to talk about secrets (no, not mine, I mean I'm gonna talk about secrets in general). We like to hide secrets. Some are negative ones, meanwhile some are sweet ones (for instance, if you have a crush on someone).

Owh, by now, you would have recalled some of your secrets, whether they are dark, sweet, small, big or spicy and no wings... Oops, sorry, scratch that last three words (guess I just let slip one of my secrets). So, let's take a look at the wonders of secrets.

ORIGIN
How do certain events turn into our secrets? They become secrets when we don't want other people to know that certain events have taken place. Secrets are most of the time created when you least expected them. For instance, I get to have a new secret to secure when my waist size suddenly increases due to overeating (no, I don't have a secret in that genre for the time being).

ADRENALINE
Things like how much money you've kept in your closet, your waist size (if you are like me) and your age (ladies) are most of the time, your biggest secrets. What will you feel when you know that people are about to discover your biggest secrets? Nervous? That's right. Like me, I get super nervous when people try to peek at the reading of the balance I am standing on. Instinctively, I get my feet off the balance when I feel that people are approaching me. That's adrenaline doing it's job.

STORAGE
Where do you keep your secrets? In your diary? Or just in your mind? As the saying goes (now I sound like I'm writing an essay for a school assignment), 'out of sight, out of mind'. Sometimes, if we just keep secrets in our mind, we may accidentally forget them. Of course, it's good to forget about them if they are painful secrets. But if you are someone who hides money here and there around your house, you better write them down. Or else, you are going to lose your cash!

SHARING
Some people can easily share their secrets with other people (family, friends, etc.). But the receiving end will have to bear an extra burden. They listen to a secret which does not concern them, and guess what? Their lips are going to itch as though they have been bitten by a thousand mites. Poke their mouths a few times and all the secrets they have heard from other people will flow out.

Yes, yes, having secrets sometimes spices up our life. But if we keep dark ones, they are going to haunt our mind and suck the soul out of us. All of us have secrets. If you ask me, I have several big ones, but they are still safe, for now... Shh!!!

MUSIC

My iTunes library

For some, it's a remedy (if you don't know what I am talking about, then you must have missed my post on 'Cures for the Wounded'), for some, it's entertainment. Ah! And for some, it's work (and money). Music is one of the most diverse industries in the world. Through music, we get to know other people's cultures, thoughts, emotions, stories and experiences. Even as I blog right now, I am listening to music (if you care to know, it's Imagine Dragons' It's Time). Listening to music allows me to calm down and to think of more ideas (and ultimately, pen good posts to quench your thirst of reading).

MY EXPERIENCE
Nah, I am not an expert in music. And I will just admit that I don't have a beautiful voice. But when I was young, I attended piano lessons. Of course, I know the basic 'Do Re Mi'. Anything more than that, I can't handle. But frankly, I love music. I listen to songs when I study, before I retire to bed, or even when I have nothing to do. If you want to know my preference in music, you can look at my iTunes library above. Simple, touching, or meaningful songs usually work for me.

Sometimes when I am chatting with my friends, we will share the songs we like listening to and discuss about them. It just feels great!

MISUSING MUSIC
How so? We can see people like to include negative elements in their songs. Since music is a very powerful tool to relay messages to the public, they can easily get influenced by the negative memes present in the music they are listening to. Let's take Justin Bieber's 'Beauty and A Beat' for example. If you listen carefully to Nicki Minaj's rap in the song, you will be surprised to know that explicit issues are inserted fearlessly (and shamelessly).

It's also sad to know that some even misuse music to defame other people, or to pollute the reputation of one's country (if you know who I'm talking about). This kind of misuse degrades the importance of music in our life. It causes turbulence to the peace everyone is trying so hard to maintain. It raises disagreements and hatred among the people.

CONCLUSION
Music is something we need in our life. Ever since we were young, music helped develop our mind. Dramas need music for better effects. The country needs music to raise patriotism. No matter how we look at it, music is here to stay for as long as humanity lasts...

Psst! Share your favourite songs below!

OTAKU

It wouldn't be too much to say that apart from homo sapiens, nowadays, there is a new species of mammal 'identified' as homo otaku (note that this is not a real scientific name, if you accidentally wrote this down in your Biology essay during the exam, you are taking my opinion too seriously) which is growing in population as well. Otaku (おたく) is a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests particularly in (but not limited to) anime and manga. I don't know if I am a homo otaku, though I'm quite an avid reader of Naruto manga. But let's leave it there for now. Let's talk about how being an otaku affects one's life.

First of all, financially, otaku are at a disadvantage. Real fanatics are willing to 'invest' lots of their cash just to read manga (or comics) or watch anime (of course, they also buy toys, clothes and accessories which are related to their favourite cartoon). Last month during Chinese New Year, I went to Kuching for a four-day vacation. There, I had the chance of visiting a large local book store (if you care to know, it is the Popular book store in Tun Jugah). For those of you who know where Tun Jugah is but have not been there for a long while, the whole top level of the building is now the book store itself. It is quite large and one can find almost all genres of reading materials there (decent ones, of course).

In the book store, there is a corner dedicated to manga and anime (sold in DVDs). It seems that most young people are more willing to congregate at that corner than to pick up one of the thousands of books arranged on the bookshelves all around the store. I saw one young man buying five manga at once. Well, I don't know the price, but imagine if he was to do that for more than once, wouldn't it create a big pressure on his own wallet? And of course, the DVDs aren't inexpensive. None of them costs below RM 15. 

Next, otaku tend to be socially inept. That's why people sometimes use the word 'geek' to replace 'otaku'. Since otaku are so into manga and anime, they will dedicate a lot of time to read and watch them. So what happens? Less conversation with people dear to them, and certainly, relationships between them and their loved ones will get worse. Becoming socially inept will also cost one's confidence. Ponder. They talk less, so they lose the skill to communicate effectively with other people. When that happens, it often leads to other people ridiculing (or equivalent) them. Note that this will also lead to depression (which could have been avoided if the victims were to assert control on themselves from the start). So, now, we can't rule out the fact that suicide may also happen.

I watched a news report on TVBS (Taiwan) and a few documentaries in the past stating that some otaku even marry their desired characters from their favourite cartoons. Some do that by buying a life-size soft toy of the said characters, meanwhile some blow up the pictures of the characters and paste them on their house's walls. For those of you who come across the term 'otaku' (and their stories) for the first time, you might not be able to believe this, but it is true! And now, the authors of thousands of manga and anime are going to condemn me for this post. Come on, I am also one of your readers! 

Now, are you a homo otaku?

K-Drama

SITUATION 1
An 'ahjumma' divorces her current husband who is having an extra-marital affair with another woman. This 'ahjumma' now lives her own life, doing what she enjoys to earn money. Her effort caught the eyes of the prince of the company she is working in. That prince falls in love with her. They got married. Her ex-husband regrets his past actions...

Sounds familiar? Of course it does! Several K-Dramas include this in their story lines. I don't know about you but it makes me feel that all of these 'princes' like older women. And it also suggests that only rich people can get romantic. On top of that, it is funny to know that the poor men always get involved in extra-marital affairs.

SITUATION 2
A woman (I don't know why, but it's always women) starts coughing, or maybe things like medical check-ups are mentioned. I can bet that it must be cancer or some kind of deadly disease. That woman changes. She starts to become bold and brave. And 95% of the time, she meets a man who comes to fall in love with her...

Introducing a new actor: Cancer! When the plot can't seem to push the story to the desired ending, writers begin to induce deadly cancerous cells into the lead actors or actresses. People around them regret their actions, they reconcile. Most importantly, love gets sprayed into the air. And why must it be cancer? There are so many other diseases like diabetes, osteoporosis, etc. Owh, I get it! Only cancer can attract tears (get my tone?).

SITUATION 3
A woman (again!) acts terribly cruel to a boy. They boy seems to be patient enough to endure every reprimand coming his way. As the story progresses, the woman finds out that the boy is actually his long-lost son. That woman starts to act kindly towards him...

Why are these babies always get 'banished' by their parents? And 100% of the time (from all the K-Dramas I've watched), they all get to see each other again when these children grow up. Are they magnets?

SITUATION 4
A man falls in love with a woman. Very coincidentally, the man's first love returns from the US (most of the time it is the US). Then you can expect a fierce triangular battle...

And now, you are saying, "Yeah, I noticed that." Why do the lead actor's first love always have to appear out of nowhere (meaning from the US) when he is about to fall in love with the lead actress. It is so unrealistic! Try writing things like the lead actress is the lead actor's first love! Owh, then the writers are going to make the lead actress' first love appear.

SITUATION 5
Two pairs of couple are introduced in the drama. The older couple sees the younger one dating outside (maybe in a shopping complex or in a cinema). The older man recognises the younger woman as his younger sister, and the older woman recognises the younger man as his younger brother. And so, the older couple does not allow the younger couple to proceed with their relationship...

Hmm... I don't know what to say anymore. Things get complicated, the older siblings beat up their younger siblings (in a comedic way) to stop them from dating one another.

So, these are a few of the situations often found in K-Dramas. I would like to make it clear that I intend no offence against the Koreans, it's just that most of the time (when I am not watching CSI), I watch Korean Dramas. Well, some of the Korean dramas do stand out from the crowd (though they do include some of the situations above in their story lines)...

1. My Husband Has Got A Family (KBS) -- Situations 3 and 5

2. My Name Is Kim Sam Soon (MBC) -- Situations 2 and 4

3. Scent of A Woman (SBS) -- Situation 2

all EARS on deck

"As long as we are willing to keep quiet now and then, storytelling will go on..." 

- Henning Mankell

Very often, when we sit together with a group of friends (during a party, reunion, etc.), we will notice that everyone is so eager to tell his or her own story. Other people pretend to listen and when the story ends, another friend snatches the chance to tell his own story. So we can easily come down to the conclusion that people are just self-centered and they don't really care about what is happening to others. They just want to tell their own stories, get a standing ovation from their audience and walk away.

Having friends who are willing to listen is a big blessing one can get. Now, you might want to argue that my previous post stated that if we face any problem, we should write them down instead of pouring them into other people's ears because they also have their own troubles to be worried about. Come on! I didn't say anything about telling people problems you are facing! Your stories can include funny things that you have witnessed, great stories that you have read or even riddles that you have had a hard time guessing. In other words, telling stories can help to spread joy!

However, the greatest blessing goes to the receiving end. Why? Because the listeners get to receive seasonings to spice up their lives. They get to listen to great tales, understand your feelings (and preferences), gain knowledge and experience, and spend quality time with you. With all these advantages, why don't you want to be a part of them (listeners)?

HOW?

It's definitely as simple as E, A, R... When your friend is telling his story, open your ears, listen to every word he says carefully, understand what his feeling is according to his tone, and ask him questions to guide him. And before you even realise it, you have been through (and return from) a wonderful journey alongside your friend!

So, why don't you save up your saliva for food digestion and get ready for great fairy tales? ◼

Cures for the Wounded

Have you ever felt lonely after a hectic day at work (or school)? Or ever felt like your life is meaningless, and nobody cares for you? And things didn't work out the way you planned? And you discovered that there is no more joy in life? And you decided that it is time to give up hope? Or are you feeling it now?

The good news is, everyone feels the same thing at one point of his life (which means you are perfectly normal). And the bad news? Sometimes, you need to find the cure for yourself. Here's a list of possible remedies that you could try. So what are they?

• Cry. Yes, free your tears from their pouches. Cry as hard as possible. Let your emotion dive into the sea of your tears, let them become one, and be gone from you. Breathe hard, and after a while, you should feel light (as a feather). And when you do, congratulations, you have reached the end of your therapy session. (Tip: Do not care about your makeup, or your appearance, while you are crying. It will just make you feel worse!)

• Laugh. That's right, laugh! Laughing makes you feel more optimistic. It gives you the feeling that there is still hope for you. It's important that you don't perform fake laughs, for it makes you feel empty. To get a good laugh, you can browse through the humour-equipped pages in Reader's Digest, or watch funny television channels, like 'Gag Concert' on KBS. (Tip: Do not proceed with this form of therapy directly after you have tried crying. People might think you have gone mad when they see you cry and laugh!)

• Music. Have some favourite songs? Go listen to them. Doing something you like helps kick away the sadness thriving in your heart. It makes you feel that life is meaningful and that there are plenty of things that you can enjoy doing. (Tip: Come on! If you broke up with your lover, don't listen to songs about lovers breaking up! Go listen to light-hearted songs.)

• Write. You might want to talk to someone else about your problems so that you will feel better. But bear in mind that other people have their own problems to be worried about. So why not try to write them down? It allows you to release your feelings onto the paper you are writing on. Seeing your problems written on a piece of paper convinces you that your problem is not as serious as expected. You will be more positive in finding the solutions to your problems. (Tip: Do not be so naïve and burn the paper you have written your problems on. It doesn't solve your problems and it leads to air pollution!)

I want to make it clear that the above solutions and explanations are based on my personal experience. So, for professionals (doctors or counsellors or equivalent), do not attack my mailbox with reprimands. Anyway, good luck, if you want to try these methods out!