Jul 28, 2010

Let the Word Do the Work

Let the Word Do the Work - how we tend to misuse words :p

This left me laughing to bits.

Especially loved the comment left by Rod on Sept 3, 2009.

Hilarious!!

I Write Like..

Fact: I love writing.

Not just anything. I'm picky. Yet the fact remains. 

Stumbled across this page, I Write Like, that analyses an excerpt of yours, and tells you which famous writer you write like. Soooo, I took a few paragraphs from some of my latest posts and tested it. Then, I went on trying some of my earlier posts. I did get different results but the most common was Cory Doctorow.

Honestly, never heard of this guy. His last name looks like Doctor + Crow!! Not a fan of both :p 

It was fun though =)


UPDATE:


While I was browsing a little more, came across this page, the Gender Genie that actually tries to analyse which gender the writer is based on keywords of the excerpt. Once you get your results, (I got 'female' by the way, no doubts there :p), they actually produce a calculation sheet as to how your post produced that result.

Jul 27, 2010

NESCAFÉ® Kick Start - Where Dreams Become Reality

Thought it was pretty cool!!

Something new, refreshing =)

You get to land a 3 month internship for your dream job AND it may be turned into a full-time employment deal.

Personally, I loved every choice on the list ;)

Jul 16, 2010

What book's next on your list?

Was blog-hopping and came across What To Read Next: Oprah's Summer Reading Quiz. Just answer a few questions and it's suppose to select the next book to read that's most suitable to your taste. Tried it and I got:

The Passage by Justin Cronin

Should give it a try soon...hope it's worth my time ;)

mornings :p

Pay attention to what you do...however big or small the task...definitely learnt my lesson :p

Today morning, I brushed my teeth with face cleanser!! and only noticed after not detecting the "minty-ness". Laughed at myself in the mirror but even extra toothpaste didn't help much hehe..

After posting that on Facebook, someone commented that it was good it didn't happen the other way around.

Now, that gave me an idea.

I'm gonna try toothpaste on my face..small experimental area. Hopefully it doesn't damage the skin :p Hopefully it's safe enough to experiment in that way haha

Are you ruining your skin?

Just about to log out when I came across Yahoo!'s article on 10 Things That Are Ruining Your Skin.

One that caught my eye - Stress! We've been told time and again how harmful over-stress can be. Seems all too normal for me to catch people posting a status that has an affinity towards it. Come on, people. If stress is going to take a toll on your skin, I'm out...

I just loved this one -Beauty Sleep. Yup! Sleep, that's when the body's anti-inflammatory molecules are at their highest. 8 hours is a must. So, sleep away for a healthier looking skin =) (and I don't mean extra hours in the morning 'cos that'll be contradictory to my previous post :p)

Well, supposed to have posted this last night..when the power went out :p Thank you Blogger for having so frequent draft-savers. A real life-saver :)

Waking up early

I'm reading Robin Sharma's The Greatness Guide and every chapter has been food for thought. Many of the ideas aren't so alien but it helps revisit all that I've come to know so far. The guy is full of positivity throughout the book, though I may not completely agree with everything he writes.

What made me switch on the computer at this hour was the latest chapter I got myself into -  Be Wise, Early Rise. Always heard people say that to be a good leader, you've got to wake up earlier than the rest. Knowing that sleeping is one of my greatest pleasures, I take pride in having the urge to wake up early so that I could accomplish more for the day.

Some tactics he shared in his book:
1. Don't lounge in bed. Bet many can relate to that. Should jump right out when the alarm goes off. I do find that easy to do when there's something that I need to do, like a reason to wake up, which is another point he discusses later - have goals in life that make you want to get out of bed every morning. Like Benjamin Franklin said,"There'll be plenty of time to sleep when you are dead". I am still not overruling the pleasure of snuggling in bed on a cold, cozy morning ;)

2. Set the alarm 30 minutes fast. A wonderful thing the brain is. It learns. Picks up more stuff than you do consciously. It may work for a while but once the brain has figured it out, it can even tell you,"Ah, it's alright. The clock is fast anyway. Take it easy. Plenty of time". Sneaky little thing. Best thing to do, and I've tried it too, is to tell myself before bed what I need to accomplish the next day and how much time that is going to need. Only by waking up early can all that be done so, wake up all bright (no moody face :p) and jump right into the day. So far, it has worked 'cos I'm not cheating anyone, especially myself. And the brain knows that, too :)

3. Give it 30 days. Now this one I've heard from my grandmother. Old habits die hard. Can't blame them, they are that way because we constantly 'practised' them, right? So, get a new habit in with a little determination and it'll stick on. Still, who doesn't love that feeling of knowing that you can go back to sleep on the weekend after a long week hehe...

Jul 13, 2010

Playing the piano

Came across this site for those who want to learn any instrument by ear, at any level:
Hear and Play Music Learning Center..Best part...it's free. All that's needed is some DILIGENCE :P

I think it'll be a good way to spend some of my time hehe :p Hoping for the best, always :)

Oh ya..almost forgot..if you're a complete beginner, and you really really really want to know how to play that song without having to go through all the heartache of learning the piano, go to Pianocheats.com Wonderful work by the blogger.

Jul 10, 2010

To Do or Not To Do?

One thing bothering me about the past one year is how "relaxed" I've been. I mean, I've always been diligent at my work, maybe I worked too hard. So, when I entered college for my pre-u, it was time to relax, or so I thought. I did put in the work, but not as much as I could have. Yeah, the transition period was like madness, going from Science to Arts, completely different subjects, except for Maths, and thus a different studying approach. I worked at it from the very beginning, to adapt quickly, create the interest for the subject and get myself into the game. Still, not all that satisfied. Could have done better.

Taking things positively, I did learn my lesson - work and play equally. Guess I slipped up a little. Not the way I would play the game, knowing that I played it right all this while. Now that I know 'how to slip up', I would definitely be more cautious next time.

There was a suggestion though. Redo the papers. Not all of them, just the ones I wasn't so confident with. Doesn't seem like a bad option, since the exams would be at the end of the year. I've got my basics, just need to sharpen those edges. However, I'd already be well on my way with my degree. So, what's the point?

Something to prove to myself. It's not just an entry requirement or a paper qualification, it's a self-achievement. When I see good results on a paper, it tells me I've done my very best, and I can move on. Not getting those grades, I feel, would in the long-term make me feel like there was that one thing I couldn't do. I could have done better, but I didn't - self-esteem issues, perhaps?

I know I can move on, taking it as a good lesson for the future. Still, what if I gave myself another chance? I don't want to tell myself one day, yeah I did that subject in A-Levels but if you ask me anything about it, I'm totally nil. Not the way I would want to look at myself. It's an education I'm getting, not just some grades on a paper. Therefore, to do or not to do? I'd better make up my mind fast 'cos time is running up.

Jul 9, 2010

A Wholesome Education System?

We're getting there...fingers crossed!

I was out today with amma and sis. A 15-year-old approached my mother saying he was looking for a job. His mother had broken her leg and was immobile. He dropped out of school and is looking for a job. Asked amma where he could get vegetables-his sister hasn't eaten. Father had left them to fend on their own. Now, I don't know how true his story is. Amma just told him to get back to school. He didn't belong out there in the working world just yet.

Made me think. Shouldn't the school be aware of the boy's absence? Shouldn't they take active measures to get this boy to stay in school, and contact someone who could help out this family? Were they just closing an eye knowing that so many children like these were out there making it out somehow?

Then, there is my neighbour. Father does contract jobs. Mother is an alcoholic. She helped babysit so many children. It's a small area they live in and yet practically everyone they knew were bunking in. Bad influence on the children - drug addicts, heavy smokers and alcoholics. Now, the eldest son has dropped out of school, with his father agreeing to him working. The second has major discipline problems in school and wants to follow suit. What will happen to these children? How much can the education system do when the parents are not cooperative enough?

When I was in primary school, there were students who just 'didn't get it'. Teachers would scold, whack, criticise harshly. Didn't anyone see maybe there was more to it than just giving extra classes for them to catch up? There were root problems that were not addressed. I vividly remember a girl that hardly spoke. She did not respond much to anything. Never saw her cry, laugh, nothing. She didn't do well academically or in sports. Teachers were obviously irritated. Thinking back, they had targets to reach and students like these were  like a setback. Weren't teachers supposed to be the guiding lights in a student's life?

A friend I know opted for the Arts stream although given the Science stream. Generally, people looked down at these students. Teachers were pressured to make them perform. What they couldn't see was the other strengths of these students - their creativity, the passion they have for the subjects they love, the caring hearts that forged amazing friendships. Yet, they were always compared to the "better" Science stream students, and harsh words were thrown at them, demotivating them, telling that they were not good for anything. Is this what we expect of the teaching force? Aren't these the very people who were supposed to bring out the best in a student? To realise their untapped potential?

We do have a long way to go. The education system should be redefined to cater for every student's needs. It should be able to identify students with learning disabilities, encourage them out of their little shells, tap brilliant hidden potentials, and prepare the youths to make a better world for tomorrow. We've all got a role to play to better the system. A small step it may be but every step counts.

The Last Airbender

Being an avid cartoon-watcher (not sure if that's an acceptable phrase ;)), I just lurrrvveeddd to watch Avatar. You know, the kid with the arrow on his head :


Watched the trilogy from 2005 right up to 2008 on Nickelodeon. What intrigued me most about this cartoon series was the storyline. I was getting a little fed-up with the cliche ones, and this was something different. Yeah, core story, good guy vs bad guy. Yet, this was just different. You'll get the idea if you watched it. The other characters are just lovable, too.

The idea revolves around the four Nations : Air, Earth, Water and Fire. So, the characters are different based on the nations they come from. The conflicts they endure within, the change in their character over time, etc. makes it so grounded to reality.


My personal favourite: Zuko, a.k.a. the bad guy. Well, he started out bad, didn't quite like him then haha but the character evolves over time, as his background is slowly exposed to the viewers. Love the way they bring about the conflict that he faces and how he has to deal with them differently every time he faces the Avatar.



Angry, rejected, attempting-to-gain-his-pride-back Zuko









Calm, deep-thinking, conflicted Zuko









I'm obviously anticipating the upcoming movie: The Last Airbender. Though I'm quite uncertain if it'll measure up to the excitement the cartoon series delivered. Still, the fact that M. Night Shyamalan is directing it gives me a little hope :)


Please...please...please...let justice be done to this movie!