Broad

I'm working on the Portland recap still. So for now, it's a creative piece (with rhymes!).

Blitz the runway,
For a fading know.
This soul can't sway;
Time will still flow.

From a river to a mudslide,
Eventually this glow will subside.
It'll fade, with a slow bleed,
But what's inside can't secede.

It's energy.
Not destroyed, nor created, only transferred.
These words will then be heard.
By another entity, my lover: ferocity.

posted from Bloggeroid

Preview

As I peered out the window of the small jet, shrugging off a brief nap and listening to Rhett & Link on their Earbiscuits podcast, I'm met with an unfamiliar scene: beyond the veil of an 8 pm winter day, snow-capped mountains slowly pass by as the plane slaloms to an eventual descent. Beyond the mountains, lay the warm glow of Salt Lake City. I was in Utah, albeit only for a brief period. We were on transit to Portland, Oregon.

The view of a glistening city, poses a stark contrast of the largely spaced-out backdrop of a minimally light-polluted Des Moines. It got me wondering: why am I still travelling around the U.S., when I'll be leaving for Malaysia in a couple of weeks?

Why am I willing to spend time outside of self-learning and improvement, via online courses, and utilize the time to travel? Why am I somewhat okay with spending my parents money more, since I've been doing so in remaining in Ames, even though I don't have work authorization here?

Three things: because I can spend quality time with friends (in this case, with Adli, Hanan and Juana) who I can cherish for the longest time. And secondly, because I still have the capacity to see the world for its culture. Lastly, because I love my parents and am grateful for their uobringing of me. As such, I will repay them indefinitely.

Call this an investment for my personal development. Portland, here we come.

*edit: forgot to post this while in Utah. So I'm positing this in Portland*

Midway through my flight, I realized that I forgot to bring my facial wash. What made things worse was that the place had no toiletries, so I'll have to get some at Wal-Mart later.

The flight was less remarkable than the previous one, mainly because I unintentionally fell asleep and missed out on the complementary peanuts and apple juice. Damn it.

That being said, the place looks posh! We got it off airbnb and hopefully I can show it off when we make the travel video. Yep, I borrowed Justin's GoPro to film the trip.

posted from Bloggeroid

Bike

Day two of cycling: Fang can ride a bike.  So suck it, scarred-4-year-old-self!

Granted I can't consistently ride in a straight line or turn quick, but at least I'm not falling after my first pedal.

And then I rode on the pavement too quickly that I had to veer off onto the grass instead.  Baby steps.  But this might just work.

Now I got to learn up cycling in a city.  Nevertheless, promising stuff.

I Know It's You - Guards

Mole

I found out a few days back that my friends and I will be cycling extensively when we're in Portland, Oregon on Thanksgiving vacation.  Only problem being that I don't know how to cycle.  Shocking, isn't it?  Well, that's a fact now.

So today I had borrowed Yan Yao's bike to self-learn cycling in THREE DAYS, before we fly off to Portland.  Today was day one, and since it was wet and dark out, I took opportunity of the gaping emptiness of the living room to practice.  Day one's thoughts?  My pelvis hurts.  At least I can somewhat cycle straight.  Will need to practice outdoors tomorrow, when it's still bright out (sun sets at 5 pm nowadays...).

But that's not the main reason for this post.  I wanted to talk about the mole.  The less suave, more conspicuous one... resting on my nose.  Yes!  For the longest time, I had forgotten about it.  

I was exfoliating my face earlier to get rid of blackheads on my nose that I rediscovered the mole on it.  What a shock that was, to have such a defining feature gone unnoticed for so long.  It was a big "huh!" moment, which was a pleasant surprise, I guess.

I don't know...  Just found it amusing, that's all.  Also, I got my flight ticket for Malaysia already.  So in three week's time, life's gonna be a heck of a lot more interesting.  Shit.

Come On Eileen - 

Dexys Midnight Runners

Paris

Yes, this is a few days late, but I didn't actually want to talk about this. Not because I'm shying away from conflicts and whatnot, but because I do not want to misinform others or send the wrong message.

*Disclaimer. This is evidently an IMO (in my opinion).*

In case you were wondering, Paris had a mass shooting and hundreds of lives were taken, and ISIS claims to be involved in this. Around the same time, there were attacks in Beirut and Baghdad as well.

So Facebook had this thing whereby you can create a profile picture of the French flag in support of these hard times. And wrongly so (I'll get to my opinion soon), this angers many people, as the media only focuses on one matter. Besides those bombings and shootings, there were other tragedies which have occurred, with Japan and Mexico experiencing earthquakes, and the mass shooting which took part in Nigeria as well.

*edit on the following day. I'm just going to put an "et cetera" when listing locations, because it's just so important (sarcasm) to include everyone. Otherwise I'm just a one-sided person, you know? (waaaay more sarcasm)*

Basically, people are upset that we care more for France (because Facebook introduced that photo option). Can we blame France for that? Can we blame Facebook for that? Because it seems to be a case of egocentrism and ethnocentrism all over again. This... Is what ultimately upsets me.

If you can criticize me for valuing France over the others, then shame on you. I value all human life, be it from the north, south, east or west of Earth (and maybe someday, beyond that). Why can't I exercise my freedom of choice to support France? Who are you to come in and say that supporting them through a tough time is the wrong thing to do?

It doesn't mean that me supporting France leads me to forgo everyone else. Yes, I feel sad for Beirut, for Japan, for Mexico, for Nigeria, for Baghdad, for FUCKING Palestine and Israel! Does that mean that you're any better than me?

A resounding "no". So stop mucking about with false democratization of your own approval by cherry picking your friends or followers on social media and leading your own crusade to shun everybody else. Stop getting on your social media high horse and exclaim to the world be a better person, then expect to be revered as a rebel with a cause.

Just fucking act as a better person yourself. Pricks.

posted from Bloggeroid

Keeper

I just found out that former Sunderland Athletic Football Club goalie Marton Fulop had passed away today. What's more shocking was that he died of cancer at the age of 32.

Thirty two.

That's just a decade away from my age. All lives matter, and although I didn't know him or his personality, it is still a shame for someone to pass at such a young age.

Sadly, this news overrules the ecstatic rap that Jordan and I did earlier today at 2 AM Karaoke. We did Eminem's Lose Yourself, and some other songs.

Anyway, rest in peace, Fulop.

posted from Bloggeroid

Augment

I wanted to talk about my attempt on Movember, but as of an hour ago, it had been silenced by this.  Biohackers implemented light emitting diodes (LEDs) into their hands.  Why?  According to them, it's a gesture to embrace integrated tech instead of wearable tech.

Now, this is an interesting segment in a few ways: because first of all- what the hell is up with that?  Secondly, I'm blogging about an actual real-world application, and more importantly, it raises an interesting question.

When the time comes for humans to develop improvements that are not only a step above portable tech, but is mobile and ubiquitously accessible, what happens next?  

Humans as a growing species will always look to better ourselves, to strive for the next big thing: microbots become nanobots, intercontinental travel becomes interstellar travel, etc.  We are expanding ourselves further into the universe, getting smarter in the process.  Eventually, we will decide that in conjunction of looking outward to the stars, we should turn to ourselves and see how we can improve our physique.  I'm not talking about living a healthier life; I'm talking about prolonging life.  And that's a different ball game, as we have the capability (and the technological advancements) to diagnose some diseases at a younger age.  

Decades ago, mental health was swept under the rug as a seldom-ventured field. A whole slew of cancers were only discovered when the patient has reached its advanced stages.  Renewable energy was only reserved to the extremely wealthy, as it wasn't profitable back then.  Times have changed, and it will continue to do so.  The insatiable hunger for knowledge drives humans forward.

Personally, I think that integrated tech is an inevitability.  We have already started augmenting ourselves already via prosthetics for amputees, robot exoskeletons for the elderly, and increasingly intuitive tech.  Wearable tech might be an interesting thing for now, with the Fitbits, Apple Watches, "smart" clothes, but I am not completely bought over by these things.

Granted, the idea of sticking a coin-sized LED into my hand isn't exactly a pleasant idea as well.  However, integrated tech could be extremely important in understanding how our body works.  Imagine having a sensor in your blood stream which can display real-time compositions in your blood, monitoring cholesterol levels and whatnot.  I'll have to admit, I'm speculating at this point, but let's get creative with the potential improvements.  

The point is... we are slowly merging electronics with biological materials.  Biomedical engineering and 3D printing has laid down foundations to improve our healthcare and recovery from physical harm.  What if we can take it a step further and replace metal with computer chips?

Call me a fanboy of the Deus Ex video games, but it can't be denied that we're moving into a new age of on-the-fly technology.  Plus I haven't even gotten into the ethics of human augmentation.  That's a whole other dialogue to pursue.

Half Crazy - The Barr Brothers

Party

Today's been a slow day.  Slower than usual, which says a lot, considering how I have an overwhelming access to free time.  Stressed out, I took an afternoon nap, which did help the day pass quicker, although productivity just went down the toilet.

Justin is back today, since it is Veterans' Day (so there's no work).  His company was much appreciated, as we had Fish & Chips at the Mucky Duck Pub, plus I had someone to talk to.  Anyway, that isn't the purpose of today's post.  I'm here to write about the Murder Mystery Party I had a while back.

Yes, it's overdue.  That's the epitomizes my life right now: My affection is overdue.  My gratitude is overdue.  My shitty internet problems being addressed, is still overdue.

Okay.  Breathe.  Ah, slightly better.  Back to the party.

*Disclaimer: This is a description of how I formulated my version of the game*

So I devised my own murder plot and characters, loosely tied to the cast of BBC's Sherlock (to make costume design and decor much more feasible).  There are many ways to run your own murder mystery, but the progression can be generalized in two ways:

1) Round-based

• Participants have their own set of task(s) they need to complete in each round.
• After these tasks are met, they will report to the game master (usually the host/hostess).
• Once everyone's done with their tasks, the game progresses to the next round.

2) Free-flow

• Everyone starts off in a "learn as you wander" routine.
• This makes them the sole reason for their progression, as they will have to take initiative and hunt for clues.
• Everyone tackles the mystery at their own pace, with a time limit set.

Now, I chose the latter option when running the game, because it was more realistic to plan and execute in 3 weeks of planning versus the former.  Would I have changed it, if I had more time?  Absolutely.

There are pros and cons to both methods.  Having rounds means that everyone moves along with the same pace, and the flow of information can be slowly digested by the others in bite-sized chunks.  I feared that the rigidity of this structure would stagnate the pace of the game, so I opted out.  

Free-flow also had its flaws by unintentionally forming bands of people.  The quicker-to-deduce group would form up, and steamroll the rest of the participants, and the ones struggling would lag behind, and eventually give up altogether.  That was the biggest problem I overlooked.

A big factor to consider when planning for a murder mystery party, is how a lie can, and should be done.  Lying is part of the fun of the game, as it adds a layer of complexity to the game.  That being said, it is imperative for everyone to know under what circumstances is lying permitted or not.  

If someone was to lie about a core clue to the story, then it's just a terrible red herring for everyone.  And since everyone doesn't know that it is false information, then their approach to the game would be totally off.  For my party, the doctor had lied about his post-mortem results, and sent everyone in the wrong way by lying about the victim's cause of death.

However, I think everyone enjoyed the party, if not the idea of it.  So I've attached my "cheat sheet" for the murder mystery party here, in case anyone wants to refer to it.

I don't care one bit about copywriting or plagiarism (simply because it isn't that great, to start).  Just bear in mind that my party was flawed, so it would be wise to reinvent and build on this model than to straight up produce a carbon copy version.

The planning and execution phases are discussed via this link, and the biographies of all the characters are included via this link.  Should there be any questions, just contact me.  I'll be happy to help.

Happy hunting, and let the games... begin!

New York (Oliver Nelson Remix) -

Urban Cone

Yama

I was supposed to blog about the Murder Mystery Party (although the photos aren't uploaded yet) but eh... I'll do it tomorrow. Mainly because I'm still watching Pan's Labyrinth and would like to sleep soon.

I sold off my TV earlier today, and for cheap too, which of course is a bummer. So the hermit life isn't all so hermit-y now. Thus, I'm using my yet-to-be-sold monitor for a video output, with an external speaker hooked to the PS4 controller for audio output.

But enough about that. This is about Yama, or rather, the owner to Yama (he's a cat, not the Japanese God of Darkness of the same name).

It's odd to think how we're two best friends stuck on opposing ends of the same reflection, how we are both going through the same ordeal, albeit with a different set of people, in the same position of an alternative dimension.

It's bizarre. To think that distance separates us only by a micron of reality (if that's quantifiable). It is comforting to know that I'm not alone in this predicament, how we are on the same boat.

Well, not really. You have a cat named Yama.

posted from Bloggeroid

Spectre

Leave them unanswered.  Knowing the responses would just be worse.

Who are you to come into my life?

What did you to subject me to excruciating self-reflections?

Where do I go to forget about the thought of you?

When can I find someone else to forget about this?

Why can't I stop falling in love with you?

Do You Hear The People Sing? 

- Aaron Tveit

I

Damien Rice - I Don't Want To Change You

That's all I can muster for now. There's just too much to say and process, that I don't want to relive it.

Just leave me with this flare in my chest. Bursting with uncontrollable emotions.

posted from Bloggeroid

Film

Finally got that phone call from Savannah (I have been pestering her since last Thursday)!  Yeah, it was a brief 20 minutes; I wished we could talk more.  Cabin fever is setting in at an alarming rate.

I managed to agree, although only in principle, to offload almost everything in the living room to a couple of newcomer grad students: my office chair, study lamp, winter gloves, standing lamp, bean bag, couch, and even the coffee table.  I was gutted to know that I'm parting ways with all these things, and at such a low price of only $60 for all those things.  Even the TV might go this weekend, so I'll have to get creative with the PS4 afterwards.

But that's not the main reason I wanted to blog today.  I took Jordan's advice and watched Me and Earl and The Dying Girl, which was about the precarious adventure of a teenage boy, his best friend, and his relationship with this girl he barely knew who, you guessed it, was dying.  Without giving away too much of the plot (because you should go watch it), the movie was an emotional journey.

Working in tandem with the uncertainty of teenage life/quarter life crisis/me, the movie shifts back and forth through a melange of emotions: unadulterated joy met with a sudden feeling of dread, which was quickly quelled by the uncanny nature of the characters in the show.  It spoke to me profoundly.  And the final sequence of the show was beautifully done, not due to its aesthetic nature but from the artistic brilliance of how it was revealed.  I could only wish I was that profound in real life.

Actually, I wish I was more profound in my writing as well.  Yes, I have been told by some friends *selfless promotion* that I am an eloquent writer.  However, that's just one aspect of writing that I'm good at.  It is rather odd to know that I have no other writing style to a story, except to evoke my inner Michael Crichton wannabe when I do my writings.  

My style is that I like to describe things and the environment in intricate detail.  I can go on and on about how, for example, an oil on canvas painting may appear to a character, but I can't talk in psychoanalytic babble (good lingo, mind) of how a character feels.  Some people I know write so well, that I just want to sit down with them for an entire day and pick their brains.

So that one day, I can be well-equipped and knowledgeable enough to be an eloquent speaker, too.  I need to know how to say the wisest, most beautiful words to everyone I care about, so that they may spread the wonder of words to others as well.  Hmm... maybe I should have studied journalism...

Book Club - Arkells

Monologue

So Jon has left for Malaysia. It's kind of bittersweet, because on one hand he's a friend, and on the other hand I'm bereft of his narcissism and insults.

Moreover, Justin isn't around for the weekdays because of his job in Des Moines, which is about a 40-minute drive away from our current apartment in Ames.

Thus began my first day of having the apartment entirely to myself. I must say, it is liberating. Knowing that no one but myself is accountable for the maintenance of the place indirectly translates to me having the place set up to my liking.

However, seeing as I'm blogging at 1.37 am (after daylight savings had us gain an hour), there are some minor drawbacks. The most notable one being a lack of social interaction in person.

Besides my venture to the grocery store in the afternoon, I have not made verbal exchanges to anyone else. Today was probably the least amount of words I have used in the past two decades of my life, even when I talk to myself.

It's interesting, to say the least. Hopefully my phone call with Savannah tomorrow would liven the mood. Back to trying to sleep.

posted from Bloggeroid