| I've been thinking about the transience of human existence. On one hand, there's the rat race to the finish line - reminiscent of the Singaporean attitude towards everything, aiming for nothing short of the best and working asses off in the process. It's how life culminates in a series of seemingly endless tests, with every accomplishment leading to yet another potential challenge and it never stops, really. But why this quest to achieve the world for yourself? Why are we driven to work from 8-5 each day with no time for respite, why do we hardly smile at strangers or greet a neighbour in the lift? Working hard is all very well, but overkill leads to the sapping of life's energies, leading to a shell remaining, devoid of the ability for expression, encumbered with the burden of glazed-over eyes and a clouded vision. I confess that I succumb to this too, it somehow seems easier to pull a long face on the bus and avoid eye contact with the majority of the world. Of course the sullen look forms a shield around me, thus, I can relinquish myself to my world of dreams...but it's a petty existence if you live life alone. Perhaps in the short span of a hundred years, we work and work at it to achieve all that we possibly can for ourselves. Perhaps it's to quell our innate desire to be something big, thus, we can die beholden to nothing and nobody, sated with the notion that we have reached the pinnacle of our lives. Is happiness included in this overarching mindset of monotonous work? That's the other side. The slackers and bums and coach potatoes and every other word you could use to describe being sluggish and lethargic and unmotivated towards work. On this side partying and distraction reign, temptations galore: alcohol, smoking, drugs, women/men. Sure they are happy, for the drugs create a 'high' which seems to whitewash your mind of all unpleasantries. Wake up darlings, the smoke is transient too. People want to have fun, let loose and let their hair down. It would be so easy to shirk all responsibility and just give in to the wiles and evils of the world and hey, of course you could do that with a bank account filled to the brim or a wealthy homestead. But is it realistic? Being in your youth would be the high point of your life, you have the energy and vigour to do practically anything you set your mind to, and achieve ginormous success. Therefore, to waste it? Or not to waste. And on this side, it is also the mindset of having all the fun you could possibly have before you breathe your last breath. 2 sides, bent on achieving the same thing. All and everything in the name of fun/accolades. How do we strike a balance between the two? And to you: Wake up! Do something good with your life. -- Amanda + I watched Wanted, the only good part was Angelina Jolie. The amount of logic involved in the storyline is questionable: who creates a 1000 year old cult of assassins who kill people based on the names dictated by a 'loom of fate'? My dad described it as 'violent and mindless', stylistically it was beautiful. It's unfortunate that people had to admire the rendering of bullets through the air and boring into human skulls with blood splooshing in all directions though. <3 Manda, you're my movie buddy (: We're so going to watch 'Bad Habits' about stomach stapling and cruel mothers even though it sounds completely sadistic. -- ++The cathedrals of Barcelona (or anywhere for that matter) enthrall me. Europe rail trippppppppppp in the near near near future Yi Ting please (:   
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