The boy is sad, and so I am.
It's not the same as the boy is sad, and so am I.
You get my drift?
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Sunday, September 23, 2007
An economic perspective...
Let there be 2 goods. Time spent alone and time spent with you.
Let there be 2 agents. Me and you.
Is it possible to find a Pareto efficient outcome that will make both of us happy? Who would the results skew to?
We want to max our utilty subject to the time constraint.
max u(time alone, time spent wth you) s.t. t = 24 x 7
The question remains. What does our individual utility function look like?
Let there be 2 agents. Me and you.
Is it possible to find a Pareto efficient outcome that will make both of us happy? Who would the results skew to?
We want to max our utilty subject to the time constraint.
max u(time alone, time spent wth you) s.t. t = 24 x 7
The question remains. What does our individual utility function look like?
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Happily ever after
There is something about happily ever after endings that isn't quite complete. There are people who believe in it, and there are those who think that it is a fiasco. I am straddling between the two.
I just realized that Ralph Fiennes is an extremely versatile actor, and he now makes my list of favourite actors of all time. Somehow, watching him portray the role of Marshall in "Maid in Manhatten" redefines the meaning of happily ever after. I don't know why, but even up to now. I still get a thrill up my spine whenever I watch a "happily ever after"ending, and I would remain dazed for quite some moments before I revert back to my, not so happily ever after life, by Hollywood's standard, of course.
When we discover more of a person, does it make us love him/her more, or less? Depends on what we see, doesn't it? But sometimes, mystique is such a powerful aphrodisiac.
Some of us like to think that we are past the stage of exciting love rapture, and sweet talk, and have somewhat graduated to a more mature and less showy love, thinking that it gives us the license to laugh and scorn at love-raptured notes of adoration, or to view such intense romance with cynicism.
Oh, they will get over it one day. Wait till the fights start kicking in.
Then we wonder why our lives are so empty and devoid of excitement, or why our feelings have faded away.
I attended Zhou Ming's wedding yesterday, and encountered once again that powerful passage in 1 Corinthians 13. And I wrote down my thoughts on the bus home today.
The Bible says love is patient, love is kind, love is not self seeking. It doesn't ever say that love is exciting. Is it really possible to love another human being so ideally? It doesn't seem humanly possible, because human nature is just simply unlovable. Only with God's love can we love so unconditionally and selflessly. Yet this love is deemed weak in a dog-eat-dog world. Which bugger can really keep no record of wrongs? Only those with Alzheimer's! But I think God didn't paint this perfect picture of love to make us despair, but rather to give us a blueprint of the kind of love that we are all searching for.
I just realized that Ralph Fiennes is an extremely versatile actor, and he now makes my list of favourite actors of all time. Somehow, watching him portray the role of Marshall in "Maid in Manhatten" redefines the meaning of happily ever after. I don't know why, but even up to now. I still get a thrill up my spine whenever I watch a "happily ever after"ending, and I would remain dazed for quite some moments before I revert back to my, not so happily ever after life, by Hollywood's standard, of course.
When we discover more of a person, does it make us love him/her more, or less? Depends on what we see, doesn't it? But sometimes, mystique is such a powerful aphrodisiac.
Some of us like to think that we are past the stage of exciting love rapture, and sweet talk, and have somewhat graduated to a more mature and less showy love, thinking that it gives us the license to laugh and scorn at love-raptured notes of adoration, or to view such intense romance with cynicism.
Oh, they will get over it one day. Wait till the fights start kicking in.
Then we wonder why our lives are so empty and devoid of excitement, or why our feelings have faded away.
I attended Zhou Ming's wedding yesterday, and encountered once again that powerful passage in 1 Corinthians 13. And I wrote down my thoughts on the bus home today.
The Bible says love is patient, love is kind, love is not self seeking. It doesn't ever say that love is exciting. Is it really possible to love another human being so ideally? It doesn't seem humanly possible, because human nature is just simply unlovable. Only with God's love can we love so unconditionally and selflessly. Yet this love is deemed weak in a dog-eat-dog world. Which bugger can really keep no record of wrongs? Only those with Alzheimer's! But I think God didn't paint this perfect picture of love to make us despair, but rather to give us a blueprint of the kind of love that we are all searching for.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
the new sem
I have mixed feelings about this semester. There are ups and downs. Of course, I am still thankful for the PGP rooms, makes life alot easier. But the workload this semester is quite overwhelming, in terms of the content that we have to internalize.
Thats it for now. I'm tired. Now the boy just wrote a funny passage about my chin. But i am embarassed to post it. Those closer to us should know what I mean by that.
Thats it for now. I'm tired. Now the boy just wrote a funny passage about my chin. But i am embarassed to post it. Those closer to us should know what I mean by that.
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
Hostel waiting list -- Successful!!!
Dear Readers,
I know I've gone on a hiatus for quite a while, and that's because i have been mulling and fretting about my hostel application via waiting list. and GUESS WHAT! the boy and I both got rooms! hahaha.. He got TYPE A, while I got TYPE C room.
It was quite an adrenaline-filled and nerve wrecking process. The boy was smart enough to begin applying at 11:59 while hitting the SUBMIT button at 12 midnight sharp. His application clocked in 00:00:23. On the 23rd second. Me, however? I began logging in at 12 midnight, and... needless to say, of course the server response was slow, given the hundreds of undergrads logging in at the same time. My application was clocked, I believe, between 12:03am and 12:04am.
Little wonder, that the boy got allocated his room a whole 24 hours before me, which sent me into a silenced frenzy for the day. And today on the 23rd of August, I got it too!
God blessed us! Thank YOU.....
More updates from PGP soon!
I know I've gone on a hiatus for quite a while, and that's because i have been mulling and fretting about my hostel application via waiting list. and GUESS WHAT! the boy and I both got rooms! hahaha.. He got TYPE A, while I got TYPE C room.
It was quite an adrenaline-filled and nerve wrecking process. The boy was smart enough to begin applying at 11:59 while hitting the SUBMIT button at 12 midnight sharp. His application clocked in 00:00:23. On the 23rd second. Me, however? I began logging in at 12 midnight, and... needless to say, of course the server response was slow, given the hundreds of undergrads logging in at the same time. My application was clocked, I believe, between 12:03am and 12:04am.
Little wonder, that the boy got allocated his room a whole 24 hours before me, which sent me into a silenced frenzy for the day. And today on the 23rd of August, I got it too!
God blessed us! Thank YOU.....
More updates from PGP soon!
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Gone Cold
The altar is cold, and barren against the touch
Warm wine poured forth into silver goblets
Drunk by silhouettes, murmuring.
They come and they leave,
Circulating like the warm wine in the body
That gradually turns
Cold.
The keyboards sing a praise
A resounding cymbal
Clap your hands, all ye instruments
They compliment the bassist with the brilliant
walking bass line,
and listen to the 16-beat roll of the drums.
Weekly, they pass like shadows
From the noonday sun,
The same handshakes, the same smiles
The same greetings,
Hows your baby doing?
We do not have ears, we cannot hear.
Vengeance is mine, I will repay.
Sounds the great and terrible Voice
And even the pews tremble.
W.J.H
Warm wine poured forth into silver goblets
Drunk by silhouettes, murmuring.
They come and they leave,
Circulating like the warm wine in the body
That gradually turns
Cold.
The keyboards sing a praise
A resounding cymbal
Clap your hands, all ye instruments
They compliment the bassist with the brilliant
walking bass line,
and listen to the 16-beat roll of the drums.
Weekly, they pass like shadows
From the noonday sun,
The same handshakes, the same smiles
The same greetings,
Hows your baby doing?
We do not have ears, we cannot hear.
Vengeance is mine, I will repay.
Sounds the great and terrible Voice
And even the pews tremble.
W.J.H
Thursday, August 9, 2007
National Day Parade 2007
I really enjoyed this year's NDP. The theme was brought out so very well, a world of possibilities. Every act and spectacle serves to reinforce once again, that we can dream big, as a nation and as individuals. Even the location was ideal. The Singapore River where we humbly began, and yet now the skyline testify to our success and prosperity in a mere 42 years. All that was captured very beautifully, in a harmony of sky and water.
"It was the best of times, It was the worst of times." The morale is unbelievably high this year. We are undoubtedly born in one of the golden periods of Singapore, and perhaps of the world, having seen neither the toil and hardship of our forefathers, nor the poverty of their contemporaries, yet being able to enjoy the fruits of their labour with a prospering economy and good governance.
Of course, some able-bodied NSF may retort about how NDP may be a highly "wayang" affair. As in every cause, we will have our fair share of cynicism and satirical jokes. Yet let spectacle, glory, and patriotism have its hour, for there is a place and a time, for the celebration of the nation, for the fireworks and for the tingling of the spine at the Singapore flag flown high, for the lovely harmonies and the new and adventurous tunes that capture the essence of our time, for the resolute and immutable national anthem.
Happy Birthday Singapore.
"It was the best of times, It was the worst of times." The morale is unbelievably high this year. We are undoubtedly born in one of the golden periods of Singapore, and perhaps of the world, having seen neither the toil and hardship of our forefathers, nor the poverty of their contemporaries, yet being able to enjoy the fruits of their labour with a prospering economy and good governance.
Of course, some able-bodied NSF may retort about how NDP may be a highly "wayang" affair. As in every cause, we will have our fair share of cynicism and satirical jokes. Yet let spectacle, glory, and patriotism have its hour, for there is a place and a time, for the celebration of the nation, for the fireworks and for the tingling of the spine at the Singapore flag flown high, for the lovely harmonies and the new and adventurous tunes that capture the essence of our time, for the resolute and immutable national anthem.
Happy Birthday Singapore.
Wednesday, August 8, 2007
A day will come...
There will come a time, when I'm old and haggard, with saggy cheeks an sallow skin. But it is not this day.
There will come a time, when I will gaze at my children or grandchildren with all the raptures and longing to be young again, but it is not this day.
There will come a time, when I will dispense words of wisdom and caution to the careless youths of tomorrow, but it is not this day.
There will come a time, when I will count the days I have to live by, and wait for that hour, but it is not this day.
This day...
I AM that reckless youth. I have the right to be careless, and to dress up and travel and do all the things young people do.
lest I should regret when i reach that fateful day.
SO let the worries fly out of the window. We're going SWEDEN!!!
Watch this space for Boy and Goon in Sweden!
There will come a time, when I will gaze at my children or grandchildren with all the raptures and longing to be young again, but it is not this day.
There will come a time, when I will dispense words of wisdom and caution to the careless youths of tomorrow, but it is not this day.
There will come a time, when I will count the days I have to live by, and wait for that hour, but it is not this day.
This day...
I AM that reckless youth. I have the right to be careless, and to dress up and travel and do all the things young people do.
lest I should regret when i reach that fateful day.
SO let the worries fly out of the window. We're going SWEDEN!!!
Watch this space for Boy and Goon in Sweden!
Monday, July 23, 2007
Owl Post and other musings
There is something very dramatic about millions of books travelling to the world at the same time, arriving at people's doorsteps. This bomba-lastic (this funny, non-existent word came to mind) phenomenon seems to be something that just might happen in the world of Harry Potter itself, thus fanning the magic and excitement. Granted that if it were their world, we could possibly suffer from an attack of owl droppings. Yet, behind these astronomical figures, every book that arrives at a home seeks to consort a private audience with its reader, making this Harry Potter event not just phenomenal but also very personal. It is clear that we all seek an alternate reality from time to time, and the more vivid this other world is, the more willing we are to escape into its realms. I shall be quite reluctant to leave the world of Harry Potter, and would be sure to bequeath this wonderful legacy to my future children.
The magical world aside, I came across a most pointed and poignant column in Life! today, by Teo Cheng Wee. His bolded summary of the column read,
"I've always been dismissive of the relationship between my youngest brother and his girlfriend. But at their wedding recently, it dawned on me that what they have is what I've always dreamt of having."
Apparently, this young couple tied the knot two weeks ago, on 070707, after 10 years of courtship. In this column, the writer recounts how his immediate family members had disapproved of the courtship because "they were all of 16 years when they got together." And the couple had to suffer a whole decade of doubts and disbeliefs that they will ever last. The cloud only lifted after they had announced that they would be registering their marriage, it was then that "the ice started thawing.. you [they] see each other as family rather than enemy, attitudes and behaviours change and the bonds start re-forming." The writer guiltily admits, "Before that, I had never imagined them as mature adults ready to commit a lifetime to each other." And we wonder what they had been doing for the past 10 years.
As to why this particular article resonates with me, my dear friends and family, should be very clear. I was, all of 16 when I got together with the boy (he was 18). I remembered rather vividly the disapproval from my parents, and certain adults in church because we were far too young. I am now hurtling, in 5 months, towards my 21st birthday, with the boy by my side, squabbling away like a pair of eccentric magpies. And I wonder, how peoples attitude would change 180 degrees in another 3 to 4 years, when that time comes. I am bemused, because people never seem to really recognized a couple until they are officially married.
Till then, we shall work on being "ready to commit a lifetime to each other", or, haven't you already known?
And now, Book 7 beckons...
The magical world aside, I came across a most pointed and poignant column in Life! today, by Teo Cheng Wee. His bolded summary of the column read,
"I've always been dismissive of the relationship between my youngest brother and his girlfriend. But at their wedding recently, it dawned on me that what they have is what I've always dreamt of having."
Apparently, this young couple tied the knot two weeks ago, on 070707, after 10 years of courtship. In this column, the writer recounts how his immediate family members had disapproved of the courtship because "they were all of 16 years when they got together." And the couple had to suffer a whole decade of doubts and disbeliefs that they will ever last. The cloud only lifted after they had announced that they would be registering their marriage, it was then that "the ice started thawing.. you [they] see each other as family rather than enemy, attitudes and behaviours change and the bonds start re-forming." The writer guiltily admits, "Before that, I had never imagined them as mature adults ready to commit a lifetime to each other." And we wonder what they had been doing for the past 10 years.
As to why this particular article resonates with me, my dear friends and family, should be very clear. I was, all of 16 when I got together with the boy (he was 18). I remembered rather vividly the disapproval from my parents, and certain adults in church because we were far too young. I am now hurtling, in 5 months, towards my 21st birthday, with the boy by my side, squabbling away like a pair of eccentric magpies. And I wonder, how peoples attitude would change 180 degrees in another 3 to 4 years, when that time comes. I am bemused, because people never seem to really recognized a couple until they are officially married.
Till then, we shall work on being "ready to commit a lifetime to each other", or, haven't you already known?
And now, Book 7 beckons...
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Pride and Prejudice
I have had a most uneventful day at home. Sleeping the afternoon away, and busying myself in finding things to do, and rather uncharacteristic of me. I have, however, discovered the joys of Pride and Prejudice after having watched the 2005 film version of the book, and finally understood how it can be such a much-loved classic.
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