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?