30 Tips for Happiness

This really shouldn't have to be said, but I guess most people need a reminder sometimes. Happiness is something that we all need, and I dare say deserve, in our lives. But people get caught up sometimes, and forget about being happy.

So I'm linking to a page that provides 30 tips to being happy.

Some choice selections:

Think solutions. Instead of thinking about problems, move to the next step: how to solve it. When someone says to me, "Oh, this is so hard," or "Oh, I can't seem to do this," or "Man, we don't have any more of that," I just ask them, "Well, what's the solution?" If you develop solution-oriented thinking, you'll be much happier.

Notice small things. Along the same lines, try to notice when you feel good, or you're not suffering, or you are tasting something really delicious, or you feel something cold or hot, anything. Noticing the little things will help keep you focused on the present.

Treat yourself. Take a few minutes each day to give yourself a little treat, whether that's something like chocolate or berries, or a bubble bath, or walking barefoot in the grass, or taking a nap. Whatever it is, treat yourself. You deserve it.

Realize that you deserve it. You deserve happiness. That simple statement is actually profound for many people, as they don't believe they really deserve to be happy. It's often unconscious. If you feel that within yourself, you need to first realize that you deserve happiness. Repeat it if necessary.

The article was written by Leo Babuta.

My childhood imagination

I was at a friend's party over the weekend, and it was a fairly good time. We were at the Fairypoint Chalet in Changi Village, which had an excellent view. Sometime during the night, Adrian, Mark and myself set off to Changi Village to get some drinks and the like.

And whilst on our way back to the chalet, we walked past a couple of kids playing with some toy cars; the sorts with weapons and all (Crush Gears, if you must know). And they were playing happily with the requisite lasers, gunshots, explosion noises that children make (PEW! BANG! KA-PA-BOM!).

The level of immersion and imagination that these children had, with their toys, is something that I have lost over the years, as I become an older, wiser, grumpier, fatter, impatient old man. I can barely capture the magic of a simple toy in my hand, and the power of my mind's eye, and my imagination.

I had a number of toys when I was younger, as most children do. And each toy could entertain me for hours, if not days. I remember my GI Joe action figures (I only ever had two), who'd go on death-defying missions to save their non-existant counterparts. I had only one Ninja Turtle (Leonardo) and I could conjure up the images of the remaining turtles to battle the forces of Shredder, Krang, Bebop and Rocksteady. I had two M.A.S.K toys (Raven and Condor), and they would travel my imagined world to face off agents of V.E.N.O.M.

And when I didn't have toys available in my hand, my mind kept me equally occupied with creations of my own - Superheroes, fantasy warriors, a captain of a spaceship. There was no limit to my creativity and imagination. I should tell you of some of the characters I had fantasised about being.

And as I look upon the two children I walked past, I remember the days in which simple pleasures would suffice. Everything seemed bigger, more significant, and the adventures that I created for myself seems to become a matter of life and death. I had to save Leonardo from being swarmed by the Foot Soldiers. I had to defend Castle Greyskull from Skeletor. Their world, and mine, depended on me.

On some days, when I'm really, really quiet, I can still capture a bit of that magic that I thought was lost. And for those few fleeting moments, I remember what it was like to be a kid again.

I'm such a geek

Those closest to me know that there are big things going on in my life right now. I'm setting ourselves up for a great adventure, and I think it'll be a blast.

But I was doing some random surfing around, and I stumbled upon this:

When I finally have a kid, I'm so going to get it to wear this. It's a level 1 human!

I'm such a geek. And Audrea's gonna kill me...

The product above was taken from Jinx: Clothing for Gamers & Geeks

Batman!

Now it seems I've been copping out quite alot recently with just posts of photos and videos that are found on the internets. And on some level, you'd be right. But since I only post things that resonate with me, just looking at those things should give you a quick snapshot of myself as a person, my likes/dislikes, and maybe even my psyche if you so choose.

Well, everyone I know knows that I like Batman. I think Batman is awesome in so many ways, and not just because he's got a cool car. In this character, I see the epitome of human conditioning, and how discipline and training can take a person onto a wholly different level. I also see a deep psychiatric trauma in the character, bordering almost on insanity. Imagine a person driven to project the same fear that one has felt onto others; to inflict pain/vengence/penance onto those who would otherwise do with same without remorse. Both these concepts/aspects appeal to me.

In one of the comics, Batman declared that the identity of Bruce Wayne was the disguise, and that Batman was his true personality. And that Bruce Wayne would be discarded as it no longer suited his needs. This has always left a deep impression on me.

So here's another reimagining of The Batman. The artist, Mike Mitchell, conceptualised Bruce Wayne as being middle-classed and was never rich. An interesting concept, and an interesting image.
This image was taken from Mike Mitchell's blog

An open letter to Subway Sandwiches.

OMG! A real Transformer!

This here is pretty awesome! See a real Transformer in action!

O RLY?

Apparently, girls who complain about their problems are at a greater risk of developing anxiety and depression. Hmm... Interesting...

In a research done by a professor from the University of Missouri-Columbia, it was discovered that "discovered that girls co-ruminate* more than boys, especially in adolescence, and that girls who co-ruminated the most in the fall of the school year were most likely to be more depressed and anxious by the spring".

The researcher, Amanda Rose, said "When girls co-ruminate, they’re spending such a high percentage of their time dwelling on problems and concerns that it probably makes them feel sad and more hopeless about the problems because those problems are in the forefront of their minds".

Of course, we have to keep several things in mind when reading the article... 1) This is only in the case whereby there is excessive communication, and 2) most of the subject group are in their early adolescence (5th, 7th and 9th grade students). Still, it's an interesting read.

Other interesting things to note are:
1) Co-rumination (both boys and girls) "was associated with positive friendship quality, including feelings of closeness between friends".
2) Boys who co-ruminate "did not develop greater depressive and anxiety symptoms over time".

*Co-rumination: excessively talking with friends about problems and concerns

Here's a link to the article: Girls who complain about their problems at greater risk of developing anxiety and depression

Airport Security

The photo above was taken from sirbrent84's flickr page.

I believe in a thing called love!

I believe in a thing called love
Just listen to the rhythm of my heart
There's a chance we could make it now
We'll be rocking 'til the sun goes down
I believe in a thing called love
Ooh!

It's the first days of the second half of 2007, so let's rock out! Enjoy!

My constant companion

It occurred to me that I have changed a few phones in my lifetime, and I thought it might just be nice to talk about them for a little while. Almost a walk down tech memory lane.

My first phone was the Nokia 3210, which I bought from the M1 shop at $280 together with a 2 year contract. This phone was bulky, heavy, and a piece of shit. But it was mine, and no one else's. It's almost like a first love, only it was really a compromise, and everyone just got together cos no one had any reason not to.

I next got myself a Nokia 8210. Well, it was given to me by my older sister, who had been given a new phone by her then boyfriend. I loved this one so much. My sister had it tweaked with blue LEDs so the screen gave off a really nice glow. And it was the smallest, lightest phone I have ever carried. I don't think any of my following phones could match this one in terms of form. However, this was sadly stolen from me in my bunk while I was still in National Service. Word of warning to future NS boys: Keep an eye out for your own belongings, kids!

Ah... The Nokia 8310. The slightly pudgy cousin of my previous phone. It's like the kind of girl that was kinda cute... but would look really hot if she shed a couple pounds; Dressing nice helped a little, but we all knew the score. The thickness of the phone was slightly more than the 8210, and the width slightly smaller. It just felt a little chubby in my hands, but hey... some people like that sort of thing. For me, it was a rebound phone, having just lost my 8210. You're cute... but really not what I'm looking for.

My next love was the Nokia 6610. I was pinning after this phone ever since it was first announced. This phone was also one of the first few with colour screens, which made it all the more attractive. But the fates kept us apart, and so I stood in silent admiration from a distance. It was really my wallet my prevented us from being together, that cold hearted bitch. I finally got together with the 6610 in 2004, when it was offered for $100 (with contract) by M1. Ah... This phone served me very well for the following 3 years, and I'm still currently using it (cos the next one is also a piece of shit).

Tempted by it's sleek design, and revolutionary metal casing, my sister bought this phone for me at $400. And that, for me, is akin to an expensive date with a stupid, air-headed slag. Aside from its good looks, there isn't much that I like about this phone. It was like a trophy phone... except everyone else had the same damn trophy. And using the damn thing got on my nerves so bad. The texting was a chore, transferring contacts from SIM to phone was confusing, bluetooth was a joke... I could go on. I sold this phone for $60 to a second-hand dealer... That's all you're worth, Moto. Be grateful.

Starcraft Sunday

So Adrian and I spent the entire afternoon playing Starcraft, and it was most excellent. We've been on a Starcraft kick, since I bought myself a second-hand copy of the game. And hearing the recent news of the sequel has re-ignited our interest in the game.

We used to play the game quite often back when we were much younger, and when LAN shops were all the rage. We essentially spent all our leisure time between this and CounterStrike.

We played two rounds today, each time teaming with each other against the computer. We both aren't too good at the game (he's better than I am), so the computer proves to be a more than sufficient challenge to our skill. We played against the Zergs and the Protoss, with us using the Terrans in both rounds.

There were times when things got a little hairy. I mean, with those damn Zergs, there are just wave after wave of those pesky zerglings and hydralisks. And we kept getting slaughtered by the templar's psionic storm ability. But we were able to pull out wins in the end, and only because the AI isn't brilliant. If we were playing against a human opponent, we'd have no chance in hell.

But hey... A win is still a win! Siege Tanks FTW!

Play! A Video Game Symphony

Adrian, Audrea, Aedan, Mark, Shaun and myself just attended the last performance of Play!, at the Esplanade Concert Hall. A part of the Singapore Arts Festival, I believe that this performance was the most popular of all. I have also heard that all 3 Play! performances were totally sold out, the only sold out performances in the Arts Festival this year.

The entire experience was exquisite. The music arrangements were excellent, the selection of songs were spot on, and hearing those tunes played by a full orchestra was mind-blowing.

Games that were featured included: Super Mario Brothers, Lost Odyssey, Blue Dragon, Shenmue, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy (VI & VII), Halo, Castlevania, Chrono Trigger, Oblivion, World of Warcraft and Zelda. If any of those names are familar to you, then you did yourself a dis-service by not going to this awesome performance.

And even if you don't know the musical scores, the experience would still be extremely satisfying. The music from video games are true works of art, and is an enjoyable aural experience. It was an excellent performance all round, and for geeks, just a little bit more extra special.

What is Love?

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
Oh, baby don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more

What is love
Yeah

Oh, I don't know why you're not there
I give you my love, but you don't care
So what is right and what is wrong
Gimme a sign

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more

Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh
Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh

Oh, I don't know, what can I do
What else can I say, it's up to you
I know we're one, just me and you
I can't go on

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more

Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh
Whoa whoa whoa, oooh oooh

What is love, oooh, oooh, oooh
What is love, oooh, oooh, oooh

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more

Don't hurt me
Don't hurt me

I want no other, no other lover
This is your life, our time
When we are together, I need you forever
Is it love

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more (oooh, oooh)

What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more
What is love
Oh baby, don't hurt me
Don't hurt me no more (oooh, oooh)

What is love?

Transformers: The Game

This clip features a short interview with Peter Cullen, the voice of Optimus Prime.

When you hear him say that famous line, "Autobots, transform and roll out", it will send a shiver down your back.

Motivation

Bad food

It is a rare occasion that I would not finish my food, even if it is only mediocre. And so if it happens that I do not finish a dish, I must really abhor it. And once I have tasted something that is extremely unagreeable, I lose my appetite and I feel the need to wash my mouth out. With soap.

This happened once before, when I had a Thai beef noodles at a food court in Vivocity. The broth was weak, and had a really odd after taste, and the accompanying beed was tough and tasteless. I didn't finish it. It was bad.

This happened again yesterday, when I had a pasta dish at Cedele in Wheelock Place. It was the strangest concoction I've had in a long while, and I barely ate 2 bites of it. I told the waiter to remove it from the table.

Normally, I'm fairly satisfied by the food at Cedele; They have excellent soups, cakes and bread. So yesterday's meal was a revelation, to say the least.

I had the Crab Lime Pasta, which I did not enjoy at all. The taste of lime was too overpowering, and completely masked any other potential flavours. And do you know that bitter taste when you bite into a seed of a citrus fruit? The dish had that same after-taste, and it was very strong. The only other flavour that was not masked was the chilli. And so the pasta I had was sour, bitter and spicy. To my palette, that was not a pleasurable combination at all.

On the postive side, the serving was quite generous, and there were a lot of chunks of crab. But I did not eat much of it.

And I have to note that the staff at Cedele are very good, and offered to exchange the pasta for something else on the menu for free. I declined, as I really did not have the mood for food. But I did accept their offer of a slice of chocolate cake. Service at Cedele is excellent.

World Of Warcraft: Dancing

We all know that dancing is cool. So how do we make it geeky?

By having computer animated characters doing the dancing. Specifically, characters from a MMORPG, that was based on a RTS. Awesome!

Guitar Hero II

A: Wow... That's a pretty piss poor video...
B: Haha... Yea... But look at that fat dude go! He totally sucks!
A: God... He's just embarassing himself...



Haha... I hope you guys enjoy my poor attempt at Guitar Hero II, on my Xbox 360. And have a good laugh while you're at it.

When Pigeons Attack!

If this doesn't bring an evil smile to your face, I don't know what will.

Wii for the Dead

When I eventually do pass on, I want one of these to be burned for me: Wii for the dead.

I absolutely insist that someone burn me a bunch of the latest gaming consoles, all accessories, and a whole selection of games. I'm going to need it wherever I'll be going. I hear that the afterlife is gonna be quite a long time.

Also, I insist that along with the paper gaming consoles, that boardgames and comics to be burned for me too.