You Should Get a PhD in Science (like chemistry, math, or engineering)

You're both smart and innovative when it comes to ideas. Maybe you'll find a cure for cancer - or develop the latest underground drug.

What Advanced Degree Should You Get?

My desktop is still down. For 3 weeks already. For those who know, it is my only source of entertainment apart from the TV. So now I have to use my sis laptop.

Anyway I came across an article in Life! on Friday. The National Council of Churches of Singapore (NCCS) has decided to call for a ban on the Da Vinci Code movie, coming in May. I don't like this decision.

Firstly, because I want to watch it. Secondly, because my friends and a whole lot of people also want to watch it. Thirdly and most importantly, it has value as a movie with a anti-orthodox Christianity theme. It is one of the few things that make people (albeit a small percentage) who reads the book or watch the movie to evaluate the orthodoxy of the Christian church, the cannonization, the validity of the bible, the deity and manhood of Christ Jesus, the resurrection, whether paganism affected the deveopment of Christianity and a whole lot of other issues. Even I myself was called into investigation of my religion's roots, which otherwise I may not have been bothered to do so. So Da Vinci Code was a book that made people think and ask questions, and make people defend them with answers. I feel that the movie will do the same.

It would be better for such a movie to penetrate the mass audience and make them think, rather than have people who are apathetic to religion, and ultimately, the Truth.

Seek the Truth is motto of the film. The NCCS should not deny people to seek it.


"I was like 'So I'm playing Da Vinci?'" - Tom Hanks, who's acting as Robert Langdon.

I have something silly to say.

I want to bring my family on a tour. Probably after my NS. I am so afraid that I might not have another chance to do so.

And the silly part comes in... the idea came from a primary school chinese comprehension paper. I am surprised I actually remember it. Perhaps its the only thing that actually makes sense in Chinese at that time :)

Anyway, the simple (primary sch, mind you) story goes like this: a man yearns to go on a world tour. When he was young and strong, he had studies and then family to worry about. But he never had enough money to go abroad. So he worked very hard to earn his money. Then he was in his middle age. He had a wonderful career and was not willing to even take a break. He was earning his millions, but finds that he had no time to fulfil his dream. Finally, when he turned old, he had retired and he now had all the time and money in the world to finally go on a tour, yet he finds that he no longer has the energy he once had to do it.

The moral of the story is, don't wait until it is too late. And perhaps I should just take the passage figuratively, not literally as I did now. Still it is not a bad idea, considering that neither myself nor my parents have had the chance to really go abroad together.

My mum and I had never taken a plane before. She worked so hard all her life to support the family, and so did my Dad. I believe they deserve a break to observe nature, to forget for a moment the temporal things that trouble their minds, and appreciate the beauty the Lord has made. If anyone deserves a break, it is them. I cannot wait to repay them, though I can never possibly do so.

I might look further into this. As usual, any holiday trip is a no-no since it requires cash and my family is not exactly rich. I'm going to save my NS money for this...

fulfil my dream while my parents are still young and strong.

http://www.theinterviewwithgod.com

Breathtaking pictures...

It is very irritating to be approached by those Prudentials insurance sellers at Tampines interchange. It is just my luck to have met them twice in two weeks straight! At first I could not tell why they could tell that I'm in NS (I was in civilian attire both times). Then I realized. It's my shoes. My brooks shoes that is so 'army'. I swear the next time I book out I'm wearing my civilian shoes!

Anyway, I wish I just have the courage to ask them, 'since your product is so good, do you subscribe to Prudential?' I bet the answer is no. It is one thing to sell something that you are convicted of (I am more tolerant of that), but it is another to persuade others to something that even you might not even be convicted of. Also, I utterly hate their sales tactics. They try to compare your beloved POSBank to their INSURANCE, I repeat, INSURANCE company. Then they try to tell you that your teeny-weeny 0.25% interest in bank makes you a loser because Prudentials give you 3% and you can withdraw some $10-20,000 more! Of course, they somehow 'forgot' to tell you its a long term investment and it is just so different from a bank la! How to compare like that? Anyway she completely missed the point of us putting money into banks. They just want your signature. And once you sign, good luck NSF, your money is gone :)

Of course I wasn't too good at rejecting people. I'm too polite, I just think of excuses to go while the salesgirl keep asking me to 'sit down first, I tell you more'.

I: Erm, do you have website? I go back and find out more...
Salesgirl: Oh, we don't have website
I: Huh, no website meh?
Salesgirl: Actually got lah, but very little info one. You won't understand one...come sit down I tell you more.
I: Don't understand then put website for what? (I almost laughed at my own statement)
Salesgirl: Aiyah, you sit down first la....
I: ....

So in total she asked me to sit down 3 times. Of course I didn't... then I just requested for a brochure (which she again tells me I won't understand -.-) and left because my bus came. Phew..

And anyway so ai lui (love money) for what?

Life as a signaller is so slack. To be honest, it wasn't what I was looking for. Ask me 5 years ago, now, even in the future, what first comes to my mind when the word 'army' is mentioned, it is always, unfailingly, the picture of soldiers charging at enemies, firepower booming, people dying. At Signals Institute, it is totally opposite, which probably explains my boredom. The only time I got hold of my wife (rifle) is when I was doing guard duty. The rest of my time was spent either studying, eating, sleeping, or talking. This is a stark contrast to my wish to be in the infantry (or at least carry my freaking rifle!) It is a weird situation. Peers around me are looking for an easy 2 year NS life, so signals to them was a gift. Perhaps people have different ideas of what NS should be. In their minds, they owe the country 2 years, serve it quick and easy before ORD and back to their civilian life. To me, NS is more than that. Yes, I do believe war is unlikely, but it is not impossible. Instead of looking at this 2 years (which is so narrow minded) alone, I sometimes envisage what would happen if a war really breaks out. Will these officers stand under pressure? Will these soldiers fight (when they can't march properly)? At least I know given the chance I will. But for now, my fate is sealed and my new wife is my radio sets (though I'm still combat active and I still carry the rifle, but ... the feeling is just... different.) Maybe I will just watch Saving Private Ryan for my dose of infantry garangness.

Oh...the soldiers charging, firepower booming, people dying...