Rants & Ravings

Another cold day..
It's yet another cold day and my head is swimming with facts. The wonder of it all? I still haven't finished preparing my cheat sheet, still have ard 15 pages of notes more to go and ard 5 more tutorials to go thru. My stress addled brain has come up with a nice jingle

I HATE NUS (sung to the tune of I love Rock and roll)

I hate NUS
Everybody say it once with me
I hate NUS
Everybody shout with me

(repeat till you feel better or ad nauseum.. )

Singapore Studies tomorrow
Waking up early tomorrow morning to do last minute reading of notes and stuff.. Luckily paper is at 5pm.. yes one and only time I'll probably say a 5pm paper is a good thing.. then its go home and mug for sat's paper.. EE2008.. mental note: must make cheat sheet..

3 days and 2 more papers to go
No matter what happens, it ends Saturday 29th of November at ard 11-ish.. 11:10 latest..

Going crazy!!
Ugh.. way too many formulas and variants I need to remember.. I get the concept.. just the stupid @$!@!%!#%!%# formulas..
But enough abt me.. how are YOU doing? hahahaha..

SNL
Heh.. watching SNL now.. its kinda an old episode.. think 2000 or even earlier.. Ben Affleck is the guest host.. haha.. quite interesting.. its Ben Affleck as a singular entity before he became looped together and became Bennifer.. haha.. the dumbest name since the symbol that represents prince or the title "The Artist formerly known as Prince" heh..

Oh yeah.. more cds I have to convert to original
Mr Big. Firehouse. Eric Johnson.. whoa.. the list goes on.. and T-Square!! ugh.. slowly slowly..

Toto has good songs
Ok say what u will abt the 80s with the bad haircuts and over synthesized music, but there are some really good songs.. I mean starship and toto for one.. I'm listening to toto now.. good band.. great infact.. well to me at least.. going to buy their cd after my exams.. that and matchbox 20.. and the 2 jars of clay cds.. bugger.. how to slowly convert to original if I can't find the cds? stupid marketing ppl.. haha.. sorry cold weather affecting me.. and its starting to rain again.. now mr big is on the play list.. realised windows media player has this cool function which supposedly plays songs I havent heard in a while.. quite cool..

Brr.. cold front
The closest singapore will ever get to winter man, this time of year.. rained a lot to day.. temp is super low.. well relatively low anyway.. either that or today had a super killer paper where everyone emoted.. or maybe all 3 papers were killers and everyone emoted the weather.. nm, fact is it rained a lot.. :D
Did the last bit of studying for EE2004 today.. didn't really feel like studying it.. tomorrow will do my SS readings.. hopefully can finish everything by tomorrow then sunday can do EE2008.. (yes KM, I still dunno the module names, but who cares.. hahaha.. )

Nasty little voice in my head
Hmm.. doubt is entering me as the time for programming exam draws near.. not studying now.. have read thru the notes backwards to forwards and forwards to backwards.. dunno how much I'm actually absorbing.. was just thinking of Sat's paper and how that went.. sigh.. dunno if will pass that.. think its causing a snowball effect for today.. and its starting to rain now.. hmm 1pm paper just started.. guess ppl are emoting the weather too..

God is Good!!
And I am testifying to His goodness.. for those who have followed my exploits on this blog regularly, well u know I hate programming.. and this sem has been bad.. with many flops and stuff.. but just checked my grades so far and THANK GOD!!
My programming lab which I was only able to do half and which I thought I flopped big time, I got 83 or 85.. I can't remember.. but the pt is, it is totally unexpected!! And my final CA grade going into tomorrow's paper is 43.95% .. :D
The CA grade is upon 60.. which I originally thought was upon 100... kinda freaky there.. but I'm happy!! yay..

Coming down with a cold
Hmm think the erratic weather seems to be affecting my health.. although according to KM.. its cause of my fear of programming which causes me to fall sick..psychosomatic reaction..oh well.. could be.. I seem to be succeptible to such things.. like there was one time, I actually got chicken pox because of something I wanted to avoid.. haha.. freaky eh.. anyway quite a good day.. managed to get the car so I could carry my bass to church.. worship was good.. YAG worship was good also.. but made a few mistakes.. must prac the fret board more.. memorise the position of each note
Class was good also.. Mavis led. quite good.. haha quite funny also.. in Titus there was the section of 4 kinds of ppl:
Older Men
Older Women
Younger Men..
so what do you think should come next? Younger Women right? WRONG!!.. its SLAVES.. haha.. so following the natural progression... it means.. haha..

Feeling slightly better
Had worship prac today.. then after that we went to Dunman Food court to eat.. good food and value for money.. food does make ppl feel better..

Heh.. funny article
http://www.theonion.com/3944/news3.html

1 day to go
Whoo hah..

I am pissed
Not feeling very much a happy camper now.. I found the paper tough so did others, but I think I lost more marks cause there were certain areas where I should have gotten correct but got wrong because of careless mistake.. well be happy to pull off a C grade..

Ugh too many facts in head.. exploding..
Man.. just have to keep all the facts in till tomorrow.. my brain can then explode at 11am after the paper ends..
Must resist urge to play bridge.. umm.... bridge..

Feeling fruitful
Finished a sizeable part of my revision for Sat's test today.. feeling quite happy now.. shall go yahoo to play bridge.. haha.. yes rewarding myself.. its a psychological thing.. some ppl have snacks, I have games.. lots of them..

I hate roaches
Stupid annoying insects that seem to be infesting my house recently.. just found one in my room.. big bugger.. couldn't kill it because no available rolled up newspaper.. went to the other room.. better not come back.. later saw a baby one in the toilet.. flushed it down ..
Wonder what the natural predator of the roach is.. I'll invest in lots of them.. too bad spiders are too small to eat roaches.. I like spiders.. and think they like me too.. haha.. they always seem to come to me..

2 days to go
Countdown to extinction

3 days to go

go here to get ur Matrix name
http://www.chuggnutt.com/matrix_name.php

Only in Singapore
Only in Singapore will you find 2 free newspapers competing to see which is the most widely read.. why.. its obviously the one where they actually give to more ppl then..its free.. does it really count as to how many people actually read it? People take free stuff all the time.. Heck on rainy days, probably 10% of the "readers" take it as make-shift umbrellas..
I'm commenting on this cause a) exam-related crap b) its dumb
Cause yesterday in Today papers, there was this comment abt how readership for Streats (their biggest free paper rival) had a drop in readership and stuff.. and how Streats' claim that it had 800000+ readership was false.. so being the petty ppl they are, at the end of yesterday's today paper, there was a graph with demographics of how many ppl read each one .. with Streats being placed as unaudited.. cause Streats claimed that they used a different way of counting than Today.. sounds familiar? well it should cause a while back, these crap flinging monkeys were arguing abt how to check which station was more popular with the nielsen's rating and what not..
Then later on, on tv, why they had TCS stars plugging the TODAY paper.. wow..
Listen both sides, you want to increase your readership? a) Actually get ppl to deliver them to every house? b) have better articles.. dun do sensationalistic posts for the sake of ratings.. eg. Andrea De Cruz trial, Singing Pastor Ho's dual role.. etc etc..
for crying out loud.. nothing else happening in the world lately?

4 days to go
Programming still bytes..

5 days to go
Programming bites..

I love cartoons!!
Not the cheesy junk that is being hocked to kids nowadays : eg digimon, pokemon, scarymon, power rangers, PPG, Sponge Bob etc.. stuff with proper and concrete plot and character development..
After exams must find more good cartoons to watch.. Samurai X is good.. Dragonball is ok.. an indulgence for me.. basically its fight and become more powerful, x-men evolution is surprisingly quite good.. so is Justice League..

6 days to go
Heh.. just rented "Batman Mystery of the Batwoman" and watched it at jon's house with mich, andy, jon, noel, james, joan teoh, joan chen and tai vie. The rest were running up and down watching either samurai x or soccer.. go figure..
Good show.. hehe.. yay no need to go america to buy the disc.. If you like mystery/action shows, go for it.. Bane appears.. yes THE Bane who broke the bat...

7 days to go
Need to rant abt the show "Spongebob Squarepants" why do kids like him? He's a walking talking sponge.. I think if the sponges at home started to walk and talk, it means u've been using them too long and you should change them.. either that or you need to up your medication.. :D

Batman snores!!
Just finished watching an episode of justice league which I downloaded.. haha batman snores.. how unexpected.. oh wait.. or as the guy on kids central pronounces his name.. "Badman" no wonder the standard of spoken english is suffering..

8 days to go
Slow day. Just been at home reading and trying to understand 1 semester worth of work. guess its coming along.. got to finish more today.. busy day tomorrow.. rehersals from 4pm to 7pm.

9 days to go
Watched Matrix Revolutions today. No surprises cause I knew the whole show already.. just that I was being restrained by ppl around me.. haha.. it was ok.. not that great and stuff.. interesting twists but left quite a lot of qns unanswered but the answers are inferred upon... can't wait for MTV music awards to spoof it.. haha. Ate Seoul Garden also. 4 bowls of prawns.. haha.. new record..

Song for the day
For 10 days to exam. I present to you
Green Tinted Sixties Mind by Mr Big.
Enjoy

"Green-Tinted Sixties Mind"

She just woke up, but she's still tired
Is that the telephone ringing?
The curtains can't hold back the light
That's reaching into her dreams
Down in her heart
If it had fingers, it'd be tearing it apart

You be lookin' groovy
In a sixties movie
Maybe tell the press you died
Little legend baby
Try your very best to hide
A green-tinted sixties mind

She keeps some memories locked away
But they are always escaping
neclgect won't make them fade away
They're reaching into her dreams
Down in her heart
Don't need fingers to be tearing it apart

Gotta face the day
There is no other way
To clear the fog inside your mind
Fill it up with dreams
But all that you can seem to find
A green-tinted sixties mind

Hangin' out with Janis
Movin' to Atlantis
Could've made it if you tried
What's the point of force
It's easy as a horse to ride
A green-tinted sixties mind

You be looking groovy
In a sixties movie
Maybe tell the press you died
Little legend baby
Try your very best to hide
A green-tinted sixties mind
-U can't hide-

Observation
Just noticed today that engineering students have this constant look on their face which looks like someone just kicked them in the nuts.. especially near exam dates.. haha..

10 days to go
Yet I just had to blog. It's been a good day. Got back my 2 SS test papers.. the response essays.. well got back both together cause I didn't have my tutorial last week and I skipped the lecture yesterday.. but what I want to say is God has been very gracious to me.. I got A- for each one.. heh.. my first 2 A's in NUS.. sad right? haha.. think going to be my only ones.. haha.. anyway it was fun doing these essays.. one was on failure and the way we view failure in Singapore and gender policies with regards to women.. I think this sem my SS is the most fun module where I actually enjoy and learn stuff.. the opposite end of this spectrum would be.. programming.. that no good piece of !@%!#^ ..

11 days to go.
and how do I feel? Well in the words of Mr Big
SUPERFANTASTIC


He runs around
Like it's a monkey doo situation
Reach down into his soul
And get nothing at all
Ride the wave
In a bubble made of plastic
In a water color world that's...

Superfantastic
Everything is beautiful
Nothing's too tragic
In the heads
Of happy people
Bedtime stories,
Morning glories
Blue skies and
The perfect life
For you and me

Look into the eyes
Of the man and see
The main attraction
Living off the fat of the land
And standing tall
Mr. Feel Good craves satisfaction
Like an all day sucker....

Superfantastic
Everything is beautiful
Nothing's too tragic
In the heads of happy people
Bedtime stories, morning glories
Blue skis and the perfect life
For you and me

White bread, black tie,
Big boys don't cry

12 Days to go..
All the best people..Just hang in there..

Christian soldiers must stand up

By Cristina Odone
November 1, 2003

The chattering classes - educated men and women who are comfortably off, rise with the "quality" media and retire after some dinner-party philosophising - pride themselves on being tolerant, sensible and humane. Yet they share one prejudice that turns them into rabid persecutors: Christians.

Christians are seen as creationist fundamentalists who are anti-women, anti-gays and anti-Semitic. Their churches are led by child abusers and autocratic bigots; their faithful are out of touch and out to convert.

Why is baiting Christians a sport among the chattering classes? Because the chattering classes most enjoy and benefit from the status quo, and sense, in the Christian, a subversive element who seeks to destroy their lifestyle.

Christianity is not the only religion to resist materialist greed, promote the family and urge protection of the vulnerable. But no mainstream TV network would show a cartoon called Mullahtown; no newspaper would home in on the way in which Orthodox and liberal Jews disagree over homosexuality. To do so would prompt accusations of cultural insensitivity, discrimination, racism.

For the chatteratis, a multi-ethnic society is sacred. But make a white, Anglo-Saxon Christian the target of your vitriol and you will have plenty of support.

So what are these subversive Christian views? We believe in authority. In an era that prizes individual freedom, Christians believe in a supreme being who dictates our words and deeds.

To modern ears, the concept sounds outrageously autocratic. From when to die to when to give birth, from whom to have sex with, to how to spend their money, the chatteratis believe they should enjoy unlimited freedom. But for the Christian, freedom is not an end in itself. Unfettered individualism can mean greed and selfishness, the evasion of personal responsibility, the destruction of the family.

Christians believe that from an all-powerful authority stems a clear system of judgement that teaches that there is a right and a wrong. Confide this to a member of the chattering classes and they'll choke on their ciabatta. In our pluralist society, one person's truth is as valid as another's. To pass judgement on someone's actions - to say abortion is murder, or that adultery and gay sex are wrong - is to be judgemental.

Moral certainty grates against the spirit of the age. Yet to the annoyance of the secularists, the Christian morality is only partly expressed in what may seem like old-fashioned rules about sexual mores. Yes, church leaders teach that adultery, homosexual acts and sex before marriage are sins. But they also preach virtues and values such as brotherhood, justice and self-sacrifice. This message is far more challenging, and proves a constant reproof to the chattering classes.

For the chattering classes pride themselves on their allegiance to the poor and the voiceless. They don't just want to be successful and contented; they yearn to be seen as good and fair as well. They want to be regarded as moral beings.

To this end, they have attempted to erect their own parallel system of morality, one that looks to humanism rather than God for its inspiration. The result resembles the religious model, but fails in one important respect: it cannot answer the question, why? Why should I not cheat, why should I not sleep with him, why should I help her out?

The Christian knows the answer to this "why" and, alas, that certainty simply throws into relief the brittle edifice that houses the secularist's morals. Such moral rectitude, in the eyes of the secularists, is unforgivable.

Equally unpardonable is the fact that so many Christians don't live up to the caricature of a simplistic Jesus freak who leaflets the neighbourhood, sports one of those funny fishes on his car or believes that every word in the Bible is literally true.

Such easily ridiculed believers would make the chattering classes feel secure in their secular world view. When instead they meet someone with a questioning faith, clear on the big themes but uncertain on the little ones, open to all the fruits of science and reason, that person seems dangerously sane. And so the vilification must not abate.

In the face of such opposition, we Christians must, unbowed, unashamed, publicly acknowledge our faith. We may not need to sport a "Jesus Loves Me" T-shirt or leaflet the neighbourhood with invitations to a prayer meeting, but we do need to proudly confirm that, yes, we are Christians. And though some may hate us, here we stand. We can do no other.

British writer Cristina Odone, a former editor of the Catholic Herald, is deputy editor of the New Statesman. This is an edited extract from her Tyndale lecture, delivered this week at Lambeth Palace in England.


This article was forwarded to me from Amanda.

Being sick sucks..
I hate being sick.. but I'm sick now.. dumb cold for 3 days now its fren sore throat and cough have taken over.. crap.. supposed to go eat soft shell crab just now.. but was so sick during dinner.. cause partly by gastric cause late dinner and smoke in the air.. darn.. hope I dun develop bronchitis or something..