Wednesday, March 30, 2005
Earthquake in Sumatra

Genuine concern or a convenient excuse to garner international accolades for being compassionate?

It's not fair on the Indonesians but either way, they are getting help.

It's cool, at least the needy are receiving the required assistance.

Now, if only the million other people in need could have their plights mafde obvious to the world.

Gavin pondered @ 10:46

Tuesday, March 29, 2005
Drizzle

There is no joy quite like taking a slow stroll though a drizzle.

Especially when one is in a particularly pensive mood.

The peaceful calm and the lovely silence is an extremely delightful eden away from the noise of the reality.

For just that few precious moment, the mind feels so at peace, and the world allows it's primal glory to shine through the mists of civilization. Accentuating the essence of creation, through the life blood of the planet: Water.

It is in simplicity and nature that pure beauty is revealed. A unadultered kind of beauty.

A beauty that is unanimously recognized.

One that is quite unlike beaty that is acquired.

Gavin pondered @ 13:16

Saturday, March 26, 2005
I've been busy

Busy so you readers can enjoy the two sketches below.


Blood


Gilphur

Gavin pondered @ 19:46

Friday, March 25, 2005
The gentleman

There was a gentleman in BK who deemed it necessary to expound his knowledge to 3 young men.

He said Singapore was too small.
One of them agree.

He advised the young men to leave the country.
One of them smiled at him.

The gentleman was jaded and tired, but he also spoke the truth talked about reality.

However, the young men lived in the apparent.

The world is too small, but their minds were not.

As the gentleman departed, one of the young men could not help but feel his solitude. He felt the gentleman's loneliness as the solitary figure weave his way through the crowd. For a moment, the young man could have sworn he felt sorry for that gentleman. He felt he should have shown the gentleman the power of dreams, but instead, he smile at him and waved farewell. His mind was preoccupied.

There was still much he has to learn, but indubitable, thoughts of leaving the island were emerging in his heart.

Gavin pondered @ 22:17

So he issued an ultimatum: Stop playing this game.

She remained silent.

He felt tired of giving in. She felt tired of waiting.

He asked her to tell him what she wanted. She said she did not know. He said he did not believe her. She said sorry.

He said he had enough of being the one to accomodate. He asked her if she ever understiid him at all. She kept quiet.

Silence.

He told her that this was a huge mistake from the start. She hesitated.

Then he told her that the game is ending.

Finally, he hung up.

Gavin pondered @ 21:47

Advent Children

Tentalizing.

The new trailer does little to quell the strong curiosity inside of me.

Brilliant marketing ply Sqaresoft is employing. (Or perhaps they are indeed severly behind schedule as I speculated.)

Maybe it will disappoint me, but hell... There is no fighting it.

The most presing question is, will the one-winged angel be ressurected?

Gavin pondered @ 17:00

Thursday, March 24, 2005
At last

Oh yeah. I've received the reply from him.

Just as the suspense was starting to kill me.

A good first step, hopefully steps which leads to the world.

Before the journey begins though, there remains much to be learnt, and one must not gloss over the preparations.

One can only hope blood relations would prove more helpful than expectations. His help could do much to push me forward.

One also hopes that the wait does not prove to be the greatest failing.

Gavin pondered @ 14:54

Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Enochlophobia = fear of large crowds.

No longer xenophobic then.

Gavin pondered @ 09:55

Tuesday, March 22, 2005

What do you want?

Gavin pondered @ 15:12

Monday, March 21, 2005
Gareth, Michael, Gareth, Michael.

In the library of heaven.

Archangel Michael: You see this? The collection of all man's knowledge. The crystalization of the worlds thoughts. A lifetime spent here would do much to enlighten one.

Archangel Gareth: (Smiling) No Michael. They are only a mere fraction of the whole.

Gavin pondered @ 21:10

Sunday, March 20, 2005
Hello world!

Yesterday, the world shook.

When I woke up this morning, the world had changed.

My life seemed too mundane, my music collection seemed to trashy, my skills seemed to lacking. In other words, I realized I have nothing.

Then I smiled to myself. A truly hearfelt smile.


When I thought I had everything, the world seemed so empty. Today, I lost everything, and I'm all exhilarated.

Heh. Too much excitement in my heart! I truly am intrigued. The knowledge of what I have. It used to satisfy me. Afterall, that is what they said. But what's the point of being satisfied? Life cannot be wasted feeling content. Life is being lost, and finding the way. Enjoy the moments and then continue the journaey. Don't ever stop, not now, not yet.

What I don't have is what I want, so I'll start throwing out the trash.

You, thank you! You cannot imagine what I owe you. Nothing that slice of cake can ever repay.

Gavin pondered @ 17:38

Saturday, March 19, 2005
The second time I was left dumbstruck.

Yingemei asked last night: "Care to join me for a photo expedition?"

I must admit I was skeptical initially, considering I was going on a photo excursion without my camera. It's like driving without a car.

Met up with her at city hall round 9. Bright day it was, with sights so numerous. Witnessed a cricket match, a few wedding cars, a yellow ferrari, a few rolls royces. An elderly painter on the shores of the Singapore river, another elderly gentleman who had an affinity with fishes. Also witnessed a Tamil movie being filmed. (for a full timetable check out Mei's recap, cause I'm a lazy ass)

What a day to be without a camera. Still half convinced it was going to be a bad day.

The best part of the day however, was having awed her with the ever wonderful Fullerton hotel. In return, she left me dumbstruck. Not many people ever did. (Houf being the only other.) How could I have known her for a year and not understand her pass the surface. Confounding, but nonetheless satisfying. I revealed so much of myself in that half a day, so much so it felt unreal. It's bordering on scary. Of course, I must admit that I have changed so much in the past year that the prior 19 years seems like just half a day.

Lousy day? Oh how wrong I was. This might just turn out to be one of the most exciting day in a long while.

Of course, I've also booked the sound of music tickets with Neubs. Wonderful baby. The hills will be alive with the sound of music.

Did I forget to mention it was a supercalifragelisticexpialidocious day?

Gavin pondered @ 19:38

Friday, March 18, 2005

The HitchHiker's Guide to the Galaxy has a new trailer. It's pretty good.

New trailer

Gavin pondered @ 19:37

Thursday, March 17, 2005
Supercalifragelisticexpialidocious!!

It's Supercalifragelisticexpialidocious, even though the sound of it is somethingquite atrocious! If you say it loud enough, you'll always precocious. Supercalifragelisticexpialidocious!

Don't mind me. Just a little nonsensical outburst never did harm anyone did it?

Supercalifragelisticexpialidocious. A wonderfully romantic expression, and so perfect for the expression of nonsense. Not useless nonsense, rather, the subtle nuances of the human emotions which fail to find any pragmatic interpretations. When one gets all excited for no particular reason, like one wants to break out in song for no logical explanation. Or when one feels a sudden sadness in the midst of a moment of triumph. Such instances are hard pressed for a verbal expression except for the magnificent "supercalifragelisticexpialidocious." It's a proclaimation of the creative influence in the human nature.

Spercalifragelisticexpialidocious is romanticism personified. It's not bound by logic, neither is it scientific. It's irrational.

Irrational is good. Irationality is a hallmark of the sane mind. Without the ability to be irrational, the creative mind would cease to exist. Afterall, creative thought is never logical.Why create something logical? That's the job of nature and the job of the scientists.

Alas romantic ideals are dying out. In this day and age, romance is assumed to mean an extraordinarily sappy love story. Oh well, next please.

You see, I'm not a Don Juan nor adonis. I'm a knight. A knight on a magnificent stead, or a pirate, or maybe a cowboy! No, no, maybe I'll be a samurai. Doesn't matter what it should be, it's what I want to be.

You understand what I'm trying to say my dears?
What do you want to be princess?

Well, it don't matter much really, cause I'm just so feeling supercalifragelisicexpialidocious!

Gavin pondered @ 22:41

Wednesday, March 16, 2005
Ponder

What do you belive in?

The Apparent or Reality.

Gavin pondered @ 13:09

Tuesday, March 15, 2005
Just a little rest

The journey is tiring. Dragons, monsters, rivers, valleys, bridges, mountains.

Patience my dears, this traveller needs a breather to catch his breath.

No worries, he will be back in no time.

Gavin pondered @ 22:46

Sunday, March 13, 2005
Thanks and Sighs

First of, Thanks must go out to my two best friends for the brirthday presents. 2 books on art from Houf and a parker pencil from Seng. Merci!

"Pen and book." How symbolic. Brilliant.

Gavin pondered @ 20:18

Friday, March 11, 2005
Westminster Palace

Victoria Tower


Victoria Tower


Westminster Hall


St. Stephen's Entrance


Details of a Carving

Absolutely beautiful. Must visit it one day.

Gavin pondered @ 11:30

Wednesday, March 09, 2005
One alone

When two people disagree, they can be such asses.

But it's too late for apologies. Neither will gifts offer any reprieve.

So I guess the only solace to seek is to put down in words, in hopes that a God exists. A vain, futile notion, but the faithless often hold the most faith in the moment of their weakest obstinace; in ardent prayer someone else will rectify the mess.

Gavin pondered @ 19:39

Monday, March 07, 2005
This time tomorrow

This time tomorrow. Maybe I'll be driving a car.

Yeah.

Gavin pondered @ 13:59

Sunday, March 06, 2005
Door

He stepped home tired, kicked off his shoes and slunk into the sofa.The air was humid and the temperature high. He felt vaguely sleepy.

His phone rang. It was her. The usual pleasantries were exchanged.

Then she asked: When will you open the door?

Him: Door?

Her: Yes...

Him(pauses in thought): Hmm... You mean you're outside my house now.

Her: Don't feint ignorance.

Him: . . .

Her: The door to the inner you. You've never opened it to let me in. You talk, but talk remains on the surface. There's a room, but you only show me around the room, never opening the door.

Him: Surely, it has always been opened to you, and to all my friends.

Her: No... Not that door. There's another

Him: Sorry? I don't really catch you drift.

Her(long pause): You've just slammed the door in my face. I understand. 9pause) Idiot!

She hangs up.

And his heart skipped a beat. He stares at the door. It was ajar.

He closed it.

Then back on the sofa he went.

Gavin pondered @ 22:47

New template

A little present from me to my readers. Easier navigation guaranteed.

Gavin pondered @ 22:43

Friday, March 04, 2005
On Uptopian Ideals

Subservience, a desired trait.

Provided you desire dominance over the masses. To achieve obedience from the populace, it is necessary for society to insert values into the system of thought, and in recent decades, into the educational systems. Where better to start grooming the next generation?

Values such as nobility, compassion, so on and so forth. Society tends to lean towards values that remain beneficial to society. The government will promote values that are of intrinsic value to its position. In certain cases, it will encourage the ignorance of certain moral values over other moral values, if that would result in a consolidation of the organization's interests.

Certain values would always lose out to others. For example, loyalty to one's nation will precede values such as honor and piety. That is because the rulers dictate it through the grooming of its citizens. After all, they would rather people die for king and country than for parents. Moreover there also is a possibility that parents might harbor sentiments not in line with the government's general consensus.

It is quite fallacious to conclude that each and every moral value has a different basic worth. Rather, the worth of a moral lies in its association with survival. The more closely related to survival the value becomes, the higher its worth. However, the values that are placed on these morals are not entirely determined by the individual. Instead, it also depends heavily on the social background and political climate. That is of course, not saying that the values that a government might choose to emphasize is wrong. On the contrary, the government will also strive to ensure the survival of the people. Of course, it is vital that the people are content. Otherwise, there would be nothing for them to govern.

So of course, to them, the value of morals lies in its ability to mould the people. Promote the right values, and the population would react in certain ways. Often, the government hopes it is for the better.

However, it is unfair for the common man. They really do not have a choice in what to believe in. Look at it in a broader scope, the same might actually apply to everyone. Not many people can truly ascertain the validity of the freedom of their choice. What we perceive as choice, might merely an illusion.

Although I must emphasize that giving everyone the freedom of choice will result in chaos. Not necessarily in a detrimental way, but rather, chaotic by nature of it being a logistical nightmare.

Our world revolves around logistics, and subservience is the policing quality that ensures the continuity of logistics. With out diligence, discipline and meticulous planning, logistics will not be accurate. This is where subservience is required.

Otherwise, it would not be possible to maintain the level of productivity, unless it is possible for the above mentioned values to be displayed without a display of subservience.

Without logistics, our modern world will simply collapse. The foundation of the world is no longer a solid material pillar; rather, it is based on logistics, and on numbers. The golden word? Capital. Capital that no longer changes hands physically, but virtually. The world changes at too fast a pace for physical exchanges to occur before the next transaction.

That is why information has been dumped unto the world through the medium of the internet. For logistics to be efficient, transmission of information is of the essence, and what better solution than to dump it all.

This has lead to an interesting time.

The information age, is the perfect opportunity to break out of the cycle of subservience. The sea of Information contains knowledge. Beckoning the willing to open their mind to view the enormity of existence. Only those who are willing will break the surface and discover what lies ahead.

Do not say that it is impossible. It is not about the impossibility of the task, but the obstinacy of the mind that manufactured that word. There really is not point in being content. Progress only occurs when there are changes, and changes will always follow the uncontested. Contentment, it is merely a disguised complacency, and also a fear of change and failure.

So by all means do not restrict the curiosity of the brain; never stifle the questions that go unanswered just because nobody dares to discuss them. The imperative lies on us to think about what we are fed and decided what we consume. Unfortunately, not everything is not what it seems, nor is it nearly as simple.

There has to be a base of subservient workers to sustain the status quo. With out these base level workers, the integrity of the current system cannot be upheld. Such is question of opportunity. Whoever is able to break free of the chaste system that exists in the society naturally are the people residing at the top of that hierarchy.

That is before we achieve a free society, man would be faced with the problem of eradicating the chaste system that lingers. To liberated the masses from the constraints of menial labor. That is where they come in with the idea of automation.

For the moment, that would suffice for our needs. But in future, the same problem might reemerge when the robots become increasingly “intelligent”. When they reach the level of man’s intelligence, would the same argument of the liberation of man from labor be applied to the instance of the robots?

When robots become sentient beings, the very same predicament will present itself again. Of course, that problem will only begin to emerge in the distant future, but it would be incredibly myopic of humans to leave the problem to their descendants.

The same problem always occurs. There has to be a dominating “party” that regulates the rests. In conclusion not all the people will be presented with the opportunity to be liberated. The real question is, how can we reach a stage where everyone will be given the opportunity to break loose.

Gavin pondered @ 09:45

Thursday, March 03, 2005
Every March, this happens

Only in March will you get (in order of preference)

Hitch
Lemony Snicket's: A Series of Unfortunate Events
Robots
Sideways
Ray
Million Dollar baby

That means I have to catch 1.5 movies per week. Something tells me I won't be able to watch all of them. This will be a test of my organization skills, and availability of companions.

Looks like March may see the first time I ever watch a movie alone.

Gavin pondered @ 19:54

.hcraM fo drihT

I was delightfully pleased to have bought the books until the heavens caught me unawares. A "timely" downpour ensuring what ever remained of that optimism was washed off. I don't mind being in soaked in the rain, but the fact that my new books got wet, that is infuriating. Oh well. Shit happens.

Now I've also caught a cold. It's sitting on my shoulder now, that little blog creature. It's pretty cute, but I didn't intended to catch anything, especially considering that I WAS running away from the rain.

Strange creatures colds are. You never intend to catch them, but they will always be caught, intriguing!

Now if only I could get the SPCA to accept this little critter. It's causing me quite some trouble.

Apparently the A level results will be out tomorrow.

The following:

Meixian
Yingmei
Joanne
All the drama Juniors
And the rest

All the best for tomorrow.

Gavin pondered @ 15:02

Wednesday, March 02, 2005
A little tribute

The writer known as Damon has laid down his pen, and let dust to claim his world of words. A fond farewell, I shall bid to the conclusion of one inspiring blog.

Hardly can you find another blog that contains such emotions, all you get these days are blogs filled with the incoherent ranting of half the world's teenagers. Damon was well ahead of his peers, myself included, and that maturity is to be admired.

In many ways, Damon was the mentor to this blog. He shaped my thoughts, my style and ultimately, my writings. For once in a page of history, this blog was merely a record of a teenager's escapades. Only through the gradual influence of Damon was the potential of the prose slowly revealed, for he understood the power of his words.

With Damon gone, the remaining 2 blogs, tfaduh's and mine, they will not be the same. For me, they have formed a strange trinity, and with one down, the whole experience will not be as it was. For we stand alone, but in that solitude we stand united. Ties forged through adversity.

Indeed, it will not be the same.

Gavin pondered @ 23:25

Oh dear, I have been tempted.

Temptation. An irrepressible urge. Needs incredible feat of willpower to conquer.

Oh how I have been tempted with the promise of books. Dear old Colin, the great tempter.

Started inoncently enough. "Sandman is a great book." Friendly conversation and an hour later, I was sold.

Bugger.

Looks like the possibility of a Neil Gaiman hoard is imminent. The vision of a mountain of Gaiman books to compliment the Pratchet hill, and the manga peaks. Oh what a wonder of geology it will be. Only iron would be the absence of trees on the landscape.

Succumbing to temptation is such a wonderful experience. Heh. The pleasures of sin. I really ought to be guilty. Not.

Come, revel in sin with me.

Gavin pondered @ 18:22

4 * 5 = 20

After the 1st of March. 20.

Cool.

Gavin pondered @ 11:39

Tuesday, March 01, 2005
The 20th castle games.

The 1st of March again, and it's time for the castle games, this year being the 20th anniversary . The usual fanfare and performances opened the day, but that's not important. It's the same every year.

The event truly worth waiting for is the castle games itself.

This year, the Visitors came on aggressive right from the beginning, scoring the very first points way early into the games, and catching everyone by surprise. It was followed by another point not long after, with the home squad looking quiet. But of course, they won't give up. Then right after the Visitor's second, the home team scored their very first point, and against all expectations, it was the rookie who scored. Amazing!

However, the Visitors followed up with their thrid point. Sick move! The score, 3-1 to the Visitors. And halftime was called.

Opening the second half, the Visitors came strong,, scoring their 4th, oh what a show they were putting up! Not wanting to be left behind, one of the home veterans made a tentaive move and scored! Nice one.

The final score: 4-2.

Not a bad result, considering the Home squad was sorely beaten 6-0 last year. The home squad looks tobe improving, but there;s still a long way to go.

Gavin pondered @ 21:26

Pardon me?

Oh, it seems to be that time already.

Well then, show me what you've got.

Gavin pondered @ 00:01

Other Good Reads tfaduh Houf UNposted letter Neubs Nick's now at Blogspot Ying Mei Pink Tank Claire Meixian Alwyn Gideon Hasif Cheryl Adam Tim ShenYong Joanne Heng Tin Simple Bear HaoFat Tianhao Janan Jianxiong Samantha Alex SuChang Sherman Colin Sanjiv Clement Zhong Zhen Slightly Pretentious Food Floble! Falleen Hian Liang Gerald Jon Fergus Anette Dilbert Blog Mr. Brown Miyagi.sg A Welsh View My Opendiary Singapore Ink