Eve of the Eve

Another day, before the world begins our countdown to a New Year!

This is my character, home at The Goblet of FFXIV.

The media would have started on their stories looking back on 2017 as closing articles.

Of course, even as I decide to attend a BBQ tomorrow evening, there are other people to think about - people who will not be ushering the New Year, simply because of circumstances.  The friend I visited yesterday, is one of those people.

For their family, the New Year means they are closer to saying goodbye. 

Next year, will bring it's own challenges.  It's the Year of the Dog.  Frankly, I am not too certain if people will be better off generally.  2017 brought into the spotlight, brutal truth that people are not willing to accept.  The Jerusalem issue comes to mind.

Those who are in the habit of TAKING TAKING TAKING, will use that as the reason to kill others who do not share their religion. 

The world events may change, but the bottom line remains the same.  If one is selfish, one can never be unselfish.  If one is accustomed to tantrums to get something, that wouldn't change either.

Frankly, if any religion has teachings which honour the killing of followers of another religion, then THAT isn't a religion at all.
Religions came about to promote love for all.
It is not just a Christian belief.

It's nonsense that there is A GOD, who gave the green light to kill at pleasure.

Yet because people are not constructively busy raising their families, working to support their families and keeping themselves gainfully employed, they have FREE TIME - for isn't the saying
AN IDLE MIND IS THE DEVIL'S WORKSHOP?

So perhaps, a lot of governments in the world should borrow a page from our humble governing body here - make people work hard so they don't have time to dabble in nonsense.  Make people fear the law because in a lot of countries, their laws are a joke.

Here, we may not have the freedom of speech, simply because RESPECT must come first.  If we have that, then we will know better than to shoot our foul mouth off just because we can.  Respect means, we are not careless about how we address others.

Regardless of where each people will be, come the New Year, the day will still arrive.
How we ride the tide - rough seas or calm waters, will depend pretty much on whether we believe that there is always a big picture.  If we can't see it, it's because it's not time yet. 

So today, I thank GOD and the angels in heaven, for always walking with me - had I been walking alone, I would have perished multiple times over.  I was never alone. 

One thing my friend told me yesterday was that I seemed to be happier than he ever remembered me to be.  I actually got him to laugh, in his despair.

I told him - GOD keeps me well - GOD drives my cart - GOD uses SATAN to keep unwanted people from me.  No regrets.  I can tell myself that I have no regrets, but when an old friend tells us what they see, then we know that ah....I wasn't kidding myself.....

THANK YOU GOD for 2017 and May Your Blessings rain upon us to give us renewed birth for 2018!

Tears when it's Cheer time

Days before the New Year, an old friend, someone I have lost touch with, sent me a Christmas Greeting.
At first I thought - perhaps it was a mass send from his phone.  But I sent back a Christmas greeting with a note, generic, as cultured people do.

To my horror, he told me his wife has Stage 4 advanced Cancer.

I was stumped.  The one thing I was bad at doing was dealing with families of the terminally ill.  I never felt the words said to matter, because someone was loosing everything and nothing can comfort them.

I offered coffee. 
He called me.
So now we are meeting at the hospital - he invited me to visit his wife. 
I had to say yes, although I have no idea HOW and WHAT to say to her and him and their young children.

During the conversation, he asked about me, my family and everything.....I told him, I'm not important, my troubles, even if I had any, cannot match what he is facing now. 

When I chose to raise my son, alone, it was my choice.  We are now living better, with God's blessing.  Everyday, Mother resides with us, protecting us and keeping us well.  I have nothing more to ask of her.  When a trusted person tried to screw me up, Mother intervened and the huge problem he was hoping to created, frizzled out in an hour literally.  When the trusted friend, after having escaped prison and a caning tried to evict my son and me from our temporary refuge, I got another immediately and just under 5 months, I bought a new apartment - the apartment I have been wanting from the time it was available.

I never doubted that Mother would abandon me, even when mortals try their best Satanic trick. 
What mortals do for the devil, they will pay with their dying soul.  That much I know.

Now what has happened to my this friend, who has never done wrong to me, is tragic.

I know that whatever trials we have in our lives, are put there so that we grow to be stronger. 
I know that GOOD PEOPLE seem to always be the punching bag for the devil. 
I know that GOD allows such things to happen because He knows we have the strength to overcome it.
I know that it's unfair to seem to be punishing good people, but that is the devil's way of showing the little power he has.

So today, I offer this serenity prayer for my friend and his family.

I pray that he will find comfort and that he will strengthen his Faith that all WILL be as it's meant to be.

EMOTIONAL OUTBURSTS ALWAYS WINS in the world today

WHO CAN SCREAM THE LOUDEST?

I live in a civilised society - by that I mean a society which upholds respect for the individual.  That encompasses beliefs, practice, culture and TOLERANCE. 

EVERYONE has a RIGHT to exist.
EVERYONE wants to LIVE.

What right does a person have over another to say, I AM MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOU.

I am a practising Buddhist.
I abstain from eating BEEF and all it's by-products.
But if a stall sells BEEF, I can still buy edibles from there - I just don't buy beef-based food items.
Yet I do carry a pure LEATHER bag.

Buddhism teaches TOLERANCE.
It's a philosophy of life.
Do good unto others and have others do good towards you.
(Sometimes, people prefer to take advantage, but it's okay, KARMA catches up - what goes around, comes around)

Today, I read world news, whether it's FAKE NEWS or MODIFIED NEWS or CRAFTED NEWS and I find that world society gives in to EMOTIONS rather than facts.

I am a Psychology Major, and I know that giving in blindly to emotional outbursts NEVER SOLVES THE ROOT PROBLEM.

So why are world politicians, who are supposed to be people who received some kind of scholarship or some sort, blind to FACTS?

It's a little like a couple - one party goes on an emotional rampage, threatens to end a life and cries until the tear ducts are worn, just to get the other party to cave in.  It usually works.  That's why, till today, couples stay unhappily married, so they don't have to deal with the excessive emotional storm.

Our daily life, outside of marriage, has become the same.
People rather vote with the majority, even though that IS factually incorrect.
GROUP DYNAMICS - Applied Psychology.

Back in the day, parents raised us all to be tough.
We were raised to speak the truth.
We were raised to return what doesn't belong to us.

I guess, with all that education, fat salaries and VIP treatments, the fundamentals of ethics went down the toilet.  In crude terms - LOSS OF BALLs.

I can't wait for the SECOND COMING OF CHRIST....I'm Buddhist, why should I care right?
WRONG.
I'm still a Roman Catholic.....retired, but still is.
If being a Catholic means, I get to meet CHRIST, then I want to because I have a ton of questions for Him.

I want to know why HE took so long to return.
I am about to run out of TOLERANCE and PATIENCE because people in high places CHOSE to be IGNORANT about the truth. 
Already, I have refrained from eating food simply because the stall offers BEEF products.
I am ONE person, I do not have ECONOMIC WEIGHT.  I do not matter to the stalls.

BUT I MATTER TO GOD.

I always have.
So I SEEK GOD to answer my humble prayer this Christmas.

LET JESUS BE BORN AGAIN so that the world may return to what GOD wanted it to be.

When I celebrate Christmas Lunch tomorrow, I will actually say GRACE, because finally, after skipping out on Christmas for 2 years, I decided to stand with Christians around the world to spread the GOOD NEWS OF THE LORD.

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

About JERUSALEM

FACT FINDING TIME:
http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2017/12/08/jerusalem-has-been-home-jews-for-3000-years-to-deny-it-is-israels-capital-is-fake-history.html

MORE FACTS:
https://www.jerusalem.muni.il/en/Visitors/Facts/Pages/Section31621.aspx

AND MORE FACTS:
https://www.ancient.eu/jerusalem/


I DO understand how important it is to keep PEACE in the world.
I ALSO DO understand how important it is to keep HISTORY intact.

We have all heard the saying, 'history has a habit of repeating itself' - but only IF we do not learn the lessons of the past.

To alter HISTORY just to keep the PEACE is eradicating the truth, bit by bit, until generations later, after adding up all the missing bits, we get a whole new truth, which is actually a LIE.

I am a retired Catholic....the joke of course is in the acronym RC.....it's a Catholic joke.  I say that because I do not go to church every Sunday.  However, being 'retired' does not mean that I am no longer a believer of the Catholic faith.
One cannot erase the 10 years of Catechism in the Convent, 10 years of celebrating MASS for any small reason, 10 years of leading the school in singing hymns.

Therefore, it is with HORROR that I find a lot of people, in high places, making nonsensical statements about the recent announcement that Jerusalem will be recognised by the the USA as the capital of ISRAEL. 

I get that today, the internet is more important than having a belief in GOD. But to want to condemn what is only correct i.e. JERUSALEM was originally for the JEWISH people, is disgusting.

I do not wish to preach, since, I do not go to Church every Sunday, but over many years, generations, centuries, the Jewish people and the archaeological finds have proven, beyond reasonable doubt, that the Jewish people were the from before the beginning of our calendar.  That isn't about religion, it's history.  So why are people, who hold control and power in countries, UNWILLING to accept the truth?

Since the announcement, papers are reporting violence in those areas.
Perhaps they were just blinding following their leaders there, who called for an UPRISING.

I wonder, what are they upset about, given that it's the Jewish people who have suffered for thousands of years.  A Jewish friend of mine told me in jest, that it's perhaps to pay for their sin, of what happened to Christ.

I also read people seeking for things to go back to before the announcement ie talk about a 2-government/country solution.
This has been going on for DECADES.

GUYS, you can't keep doing the same thing and expect a different outcome.
Where is all that common sense?

Is this about who can cry the loudest?
What happened about doing the right thing?

People say, this will bring about WAR.
Well, let me say this:
The second coming of Christ is INEVITABLE.
With the world this selfish, STUPID, and wicked, it may be time for human-kind to start over.

Christians all over the world know that it has been Satan's reign - it was given to Satan, this headstart.
As in movies, the good wins.
In real life, GOD wins.
He always does.

Those who still want to stay on the grey area, go ahead - stand there and wait - worship Satan and re-write history.
That would probably make the world end a lot quicker, and put all our miseries in the grave...perhaps it isn't a bad thing.....this is my piece, a retired Catholic, who is a practicing Buddhist.

Tis' the time of the year!

Welcome to ADVENT!

As we approach CHRISTMAS, we come to the close of another year.

It's my favourite time of year, simply because it gives me MOMENTS to be thankful, really thankful for the BLESSINGS I have had in my life.

Sure, I am thankful all year, but it's usually at this time of year, where I have like 2 entire months to prepare my home to celebrate the JOY and HAPPINESS that GOD has always bestowed upon me.

I think the only thing I wish I had, was the wish, this time of year, every year, to wake up to snow....it would complete the season for me.  

Yet, as tropical as this place is, at least my home feels like it's winter and we are loving every minute of it.  

My friends often wonder why I am in winter clothes, every day of the year - they know that since I buy lots of sweaters - love sweaters - hoodies - just so it's great to come home and feel that I'm in my own private wonderland.

As usual, for 10 months of the year, I don't think about it - but only this time of year, I remember that I wake up the season my friends in the snowy lands talk about, minus the snow!

I was telling a group of teenagers recently, how they should do their bit for Christmas, by looking for the Boys Brigade christmas collection boxes OR that of the salvation army.  That no matter how little we think our contribution is, SOMETHING is better than NOTHING.

Because the world has gone totally crazy, it's time for all of us, to remember how we got here, why we are here and that for the BLESSINGS we have in our life, some cheer to others, less privileged than we are, is one way of spreading the CHRISTMAS spirit.

So, as I do a little here n there, to dress up my home for this season - I like to do this slowly, just to immerse myself in putting up a baubles, streamers and finally lights.

The world has gone wicked over time.  People forget how they get to where they are.  

Well, this season, lets pray for those who have been lost for too long - let's pray that GOD grants them the intelligence to know that no success comes without the blessings of GOD.

So, until the big Merry Christmas....I will keep up with my one day one thing decoration.....and to all Christians, I wish all of you happiness as each household gets ready to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Grape-kun - May he rest in peace!

I have never visited Japan.  I have no idea what the place is like.  Of course, I have watched countless Japanese Dramas (like a lot of people) and do know how to speak a little Japanese.  I am also very invested in a Japanese MMORPG - it has been 4 years since I started this game.

Last week, I read about a penguin, Grape-kun was his name.
He was dumped by his mate (who went for a younger male - now where have we heard that story before? Hmmmmmmm) - at around that time, Grape-kun's loneliness was not meant to be.

There was this festival (Japan has MANY festivals, most are theirs by culture/history/habit), which involved putting in Anime characters into the pens....a cardboard cut-out of Hululu, an Anime character, was put into the penguin's enclosure. 

What surprised everyone was, Grape-kun, fell in love with it.

From the reports I have read, I gathered that he spent a lot of hours just by her side.  There was a point, the handlers were concerned he wasn't eating because he was just staring at her.  He left his penguin family and rather be like how he is in the picture above, daily.

According to reports, how he is (picture on the left, is how penguins are when they are courting).

I am touched.

So touched, that here I was, never quite sure, what animals could clearly see.  Do they see the world in colour? Or is it black and white?  How do we know for sure?

Grape-kun had lived a long life.
I'm glad that the heaven's are kind to him.  For the months, before he died, fate twisted his heart and he lost his love to a younger male - instead of letting his heart bleed because it's broken, the GODs sent him Hululu.

If anything, Hululu gave Grape-kun back his pride, to face his rookery.

Thank you Japan, for being so sensitive to Grape-kun's dying unspoken wish.  The Japanese zoo officials, allowed him to breathe his last with Hululu next to him.  He was just a penguin, but what Japan did last week was to tell the world that they may have their customary fishing events, which the rest of the world condemns, but this little gesture is the real heart of Japan.

I have never met Grape-kun, but I shed tears when I read about how he died and how his last months were, alone. (before Hululu)

If everyone could save a life - whether it is an animal at the zoo, or abandoned, whether we donate food or take them in....perhaps the world will learn to LOVE more than preach tolerance when they actually don't have any.

**When we ask people to do this for us, we are asking people to MAKE PROVISIONS for us - that IS NOT us tolerating the world and working to adapt to it.  

Grape-kun, would have died a lonely penguin, who was dumped.....so he's old and he cannot find another mate to be attracted to him, but the Good Lord was beaming upon him and sent him Hululu.  Instead of wishing for Hululu to be a real penguin, to keep him warm and share meals with him, he adapted and stood by her, staring at her all day, just content to be next to her.  

He must be thinking "It's ok, if she is not responding, she's still by my side right?" 

Imagine that, he didn't have high demands.  He knew what fortune is, what fate is and what CONTENTMENT is.

May God Bless you and Keep you well, Grape-kun!

For more articles on the last few months of Grape-kun, do google his name, and read!

Korean Drama Scarlet Heart Ryeo

Now, THIS, THIS actor, broke my heart to a zillion pieces - watching him feel the hurt.

The great thing about Sageuk is, it creates a personal interest in history (for me).

I am not a person, remotely invested in history - YET, YET, from the Korean Drama's I now know more than ever.

This series is set in the beginning of the Goryeo Dynasty, during King Taejo's reign (1st Century).

THE KING LOVES, was set much later, in the 13th century.

Costumes aside, this series, resonates with my soul.

Sure, there are grievances (we always want our preferred ending), but for me, I'm content. I cried and cried, in the last episode.  I couldn't stop.  BUT I am content.

I'm more content with this series than I was with THE KING LOVES.  That one, irritated and annoyed me because of the stupidity of it all.

The 4th Prince here, so far, was on point every step of the way, as was the heroine.

I have read many recaps/reviews, people who are dissatisfied with the ending.  Well, let's believe that it's left hanging because we might get a Season 2?

Perhaps Season 2 could pick up from Present Day Korea - sure I will miss the costumes, but I would like to see them together too.....

In our lives, we sometimes say, see you next time.....or we think, perhaps in our next life?

I'm glad that Korea decided to 'sell' history this way.  I'm proud that many viewers did what I did - research history once we get invested in the series.  It tells me that, there are people like me, who do not just mindlessly watch soaps.....we find the meaningful ones....we read the real parallel story....and we grow our minds.

With each Kdrama, I buy the OST - and well, it's my way of saying, Thank you Korea!

This face, has haunted me, yet I don't mind....it's a beautiful face.....

KDrama - The King Loves - King Chungseon

This is what will never be because it never was.

It's a STILL taken for promotional purposes and has nothing to do with how this fictional drama played out.

FICTION:
In my surface search, I have not found any writings about King Chungseon having a BFF.

I am disappointed with the script.
However, the main actors and actress, as depicted on the right, did a more than excellent job.

Im Siwan, did such a great job that I actually got interested in King Chungseon and started looking for any written information in history, and not fiction.

Throughout this series, watching the two boys share a rare friendship, warmed my soul, since the world lacks such people.  The best parts of this drama was when there were scenes of the three, just being people.  Those scenes pulls on the heartstrings because it CAN and DOES happen to the fortunate few of us in this world.  The laughter and lighter moments in our lives when we forget who we had to portray in our real life and just be people without any serious mission.

In history, his mother, the Queen then, did pass away and the drama included that section.  There was suspicion that she was murdered.

Perhaps, some viewers never took the side of the Crown Prince because they thought that people should be morally coded at all times.  I guess those are the viewers, MOST drama writers, Networks, base their ratings on.

Had I lived back then, I would have gone into a rampage too - if my royal parent, was murdered.
Such wickedness and cruelty cannot expect kindness as a repercussion.

We may never know, why King Chungseon abdicated the throne shortly after ascending it, only to go back to his roots.  Perhaps, the loss of his Mother did affect him, also for real.

I am not of royalty and so I'm not familiar with how things are for them, especially back then, when there was no mobile phone, telephone or any form of instant communication.

I accept that this drama is based very partially on Korean History.  The drama, which is based on a fictional book (also fiction), uses that point in time, with that specific ruler and built a story around the little that we all know as a fact.

FACT : Queen died suddenly - murdered was on the minds of some
FACT : Crown Prince was married in CHINA as required.  He had other Korean wives as well.
FACT : He did ascend to the throne after his mothers death.
FACT : He did abdicate the throne back to his father when he left for China and stayed there for a decade
FACT: He did return to Korea, when his father, the King, passed.

I would never want to watch a drama written like this ever again.  As I said in my earlier posts, if I wanted to know more in history, I WOULD GO TO FACT FINDING CHANNELS or buy HISTORY BOOKS on that matter.  I would not want to spend my leisure time, trying to understand a complicated plot, some parts which made no sense to me at all.

IM SIWAN  - He deserved the award he received years ago, for another K-Drama.  He is an excellent actor and I know he will never get to read my comment about him, since I'm not a significant expert anywhere on the screens - but I will say this - IF NOT FOR HIM, I would have bailed out on the series many episodes back.  His facial expressions were on point and his acting drove me to start research on King Chungseon.

There isn't much information that google turned up, so I will be going to bookstores and the library to find books on Korean History.
If anything, IM SIWAN, brought to life, a King pretty much misunderstood and one who was lonely, sad yet not as POWER-HUNGRY as he could have been.  I think, being a King meant, either you show your colour or someone else is going to shit on your head.


Because of IM SIWAN, I am motivated to find out more about what was.

The King in Love Korean Drama Ep 14/28

We are 3 weeks from the Finale.

So far, I'm disappointed with the plot.

When I decided to watch this, I thought, ok, let's dive into some soppy drama and loose myself in a more fair and just world, if only for 2 hours a week.

Lady San, may be a good martial artist, but seriously, she's not worth that much for a Crown Prince to break his heart over.  I detest women who sway and shift according to their whims....even if that means we are talking too many decades past.....

Why is this character so stupid?  WangRin was ever around her because he was supposed to be looking over her....He may have gone on his own a few times, but mostly, when he retrieves her from her arrest etc, it's on the instruction of the Crown Prince.

She keeps going back to how WangRin is always there...cut the BS.

To many, she may be magnanimous, always thinking about Lady Dan.  But that's another pile of shit.  Do we really know a woman to stand back for another to take the man she desires?  I doubt so.

The Crown Prince is the one suffering.  It's his fault for not wanting power from the outset.  It's his fault for not taking his Mother's advice....but at least he wasn't too rude about it.

How could no one see that Concubine piece of work with her incense around Lady San's dad in the Palace waiting area?  What kind of security is that?  That's too much of a write off situation.

This drama is based on the book, and part of the story of King Chungseon (1308-1313) and how he became the destructive King that he was.

It was said that the writer tried to inject new emotions - I should have read about the book BEFORE I decided to watch this series.

If I wanted FACTs, I would watch DOCUMENTARY serials.

Even if, the late King Chungseon, was destructive, I would like to ask if anyone could have done a better job, given the prevailing circumstances then.  Sure, I wasn't at the end of his bashing sword, but then, which ruling group isn't intent on abuse of power at some level?

To bring his life into a Korean Drama, which is supposed to be DRAMA and soppy - is not fair to us people who prefer to keep sit-coms as sit-coms....leaving us with a good feel.

I feel sick that the innocent is always at a loss.  In this case, the Crown Prince.

His best friend lied to him, kept secrets from him.
That is a friend fit for the trash.  NO offence to the actor who portray's his best friend.

I dumped my best friend for far lesser reasons.  Why? Because, if my weakness is for someone to take advantage of, I rather dance with the enemy.  Thank you very much.

Not going to continue watching this drama.

Loved Im Siwan's acting, but the plot sucks.

The King in Love - Halfway done!

So far, it's TERRIBLE!  The plot is TERRIBLE!

I'm not familiar with the 2 male leads, but so far, I'm on the side of Han Cheon or the Won, the Crown Prince.

Frankly, I don't understand HOW a man or anyone for that matter, would still go all out for unrequited love.  Sure, save the woman but why continue to try to make it work?  In the real world, this is dumb and the Crown Prince is anything but dumb, according to the scripts.  He can be cunning, and he has the backing of the Grand Imperial.

This story is based on a Korean novel - and Korean history like Chinese history is built around empires of the Emperors.

IF she likes his best friend AND I don't have a problem with that guy.  I'm all for him too as long as he does his job ie protect the Crown Prince.  In an earlier episode, his father told him that the Crown Prince will be King and he cannot have friends.   Well, in this world, no one can say they are assured of a best friend they trust.  Many times, people put aside friendship/relationship because of greed.

Now, given that this man, probably pitied the Prince, when they were boys - they met after the 12-year old Prince's humiliation by the King, should remember he pledged his life to walk with the Prince.

If Lady San, cannot see that she was protected because of the Crown Prince, then she doesn't deserve the Prince.  The Korean novel, ended badly from what I have picked up (I haven't read the book, but I will if i can find an English version), the Crown Prince was exiled.

What kind of a shitty story line is that?

In real world Monarchy, Princes who run foul of moral integrity, do not get exiled.
Back then, perhaps, but really, why make us wait every week for a drama to be disappointed?  If Korean Dramas are going to end like the shit we all get from reality, why bother? I would rather spend my evening looking at the real world then!

This little bit of escape, gives me HOPE that wicked and insincere this world has become, there is hope because after an hour of Korean Drama, I re-charge my negativity and focus on plodding on.

So far, I'm so angry.  Angry that the Crown Prince may loose this battle against a wicked King, his father.

The evil cannot and mustn't win.  Isn't that why we all go on our moral horse and try to do our bit to make this world a better place?

There are at least another 8 episodes left.  If it doesn't end well for the Crown Prince, then this will be the last KDrama I watch.

In the world we didn't live in, we cannot understand much about how things were - but why bring bad endings into a drama - If the goal is to portray a true story, then do a documentary.  Leave the drama for us to look forward to for laughs, smiles and HOPE.

Korean Drama - The King in Love

I never thought I could enjoy 'period' dramas - Language doesn't make it palatable for me.

I bumped across this series as I was searching for SONY ONE on my channel list.  I have had this channel forever, but I never could remember to locate it since by the time I was ready to sleep, I was too tired to bother.

This series, so far, has me laughing, smiling and brought me back to what it means to have this desire to be your own person.

I love the costumes, in fact, if I could find a ponytail clasp like the one the Crown Prince wears here, it would blow my mind to bits.

The storyline is believable.  We can easily draw parallels with our 21st Century reality.  People will always be fighting for power - to control and to bully those who let their guard down.
Loyalty, is such a rare commodity.  Who can we trust? How often do we look over our shoulder and wonder if our deepest darkest secrets will be exposed by a trusted friend?

The writers have done an excellent job with this script.  Plus, the lead actor is really mouth-watering.  His acting skills are impressive - his facial expressions and gestures.

I managed to watch 4 episodes straight - since this is currently being aired, I have to wait for it to be aired in Korea, then here.  So after 4 hours of wah wah wah it's bummer-ing till episode 5.

I have looked up reviews and comments about this show and someone did mention that there are apparently 2 versions of this series.

Whatever it is, whichever it is, I shall not complain, as long as I get my FIX this week.

I may have hopped onto this KDrama bandwagon late, but Better Late than Never!

Casual Gamers

People who play FFXIV do so for many reasons.  However, a word of caution here - Gamers fall broadly into a few groups.

SERIOUS GAMERS - are consistent.  Their game account is always active.  This group logs-in to craft, do raids/dungeons and PVP.

CASUALS - they are the ones who spend a lot of time, chatting either in the Linkshell (LS) or FreeCompany (FC) chat.  The ones who are bigger than their shoes tend to use the WorldChat.  They are the ones who are borderline in terms of skill in game but have a truckload of opinions which usually are nothing but repetitive whines.

PVPers - These are also serious gamers, who focus on PVP or Person-Vs-Person raids.  In this game, there is a decent-sized group of PVPers across the servers.

What is interesting is - Serious Gamers and PVPers, seldom complain or voice their unhappiness about game play changes.  It's obvious why.  If one takes gaming seriously as a leisure activity, one tends to at least have the brains to be a decent player.  It's like someone who spends his free time on the green.

The casuals, whichever the server they come from, are TOXIC.

They complain about everything.
Nothing seems to be right for them.  PVP is too difficult.  Raid content is too difficult.
Every class, aside from the one they main, is overpowered.

I guess, gone are the days when only a few game.

In this 21st century, GAMING is THE choice leisure activity.
No matter which game a person is engaged in, on the bus, on the subway, on flight, it's a game.

People have to try harder to be better.
This world needs more people who put their money in their mouth, than whine like some spoilt brat.

Rule of thumb : If you can't clear a level multiple times, keep trying or QUIT playing and find something else to do.  The surprising thing is, MOST people are decently good at gaming - and we think that MOST people are the far and few, only because this group of MOST people, do not complain but just PLAY THE GAME.  This ultimately results in the casuals, having more of a voice than the MOST people group.

I guess, casuals must have a hard time turning their life experiences into a success story.
By success I do not mean being RICH and living in a 30 million dollar home.

One would have lived a successful life, if

• we are gainfully happy 
• we are captains of our lives therefore, in control of what we do
• we are able to accept our weaknesses and work to make them our strength
• we are solution providers

So until developers find a platform to lump these casuals together, these casuals will continue wrecking games by 

• playing a Healer but does not heal, 
• playing a TANK but does not STUN
• playing a DPS but thinks he's a tank and wonders why he died
• complaining in forums about class nerfs

Perhaps, developers should make an idiot-proof MODE for this group.

KUGANE

The MID-YEAR holidays for schools are just over - and one can only imagine how EVERYONE always goes somewhere, does something different or even when vegging out, has a varied style.

Of course the conversation about holidays will come up in the workplace since it's the only month long vacation for school-going children and parents will, obviously, plan to take part of their annual leave to bond with their kids.

When asked, where I was planning to go in May, I said KUGANE.  Most automatically assumed it's some Japanese Province.

For me, KUGANE is a Japanese Province.  For a week, I actually spent more waking hours making my way there than sleeping.  The journey there was actually interesting, since I expected nothing more than the usual 'when will I get there' feeling.

Because it's a relatively new area, there is no way to fly in.  Everything has to be done 'with feet planted firmly on the ground' literally.  We had to traverse mountains, cross crystal clear waterways and finally, after the long grind, arrived at KUGANE.

I have no regrets, spending 2 entire days, just being on the road, to get there.

Tatami mat flooring was everywhere - I remember those traditional Japanese paper brollys - I had one of those when I was a little girl - it does bring back memories.


 This was the best road-trip ever - It was a good vacation choice.

Korean Drama - My Daughter Seo Young

As a K-Drama newbie, I chose to watch this series because of the lead actor Lee Sang Yoon.
He has a very heart-wrenching face, adorable smile and he does act very well.  He has the ability to actually look angry, confused and hurt on screen.

I didn't care much for how they dressed him in this series since this isn't a recent screening.

I get the storyline but I think the script was over done when the protagonist lady kept up her iron-clad appearances when clearly, if it was reality, it wouldn't have been possible really.

K-Dramas remind me that once upon a time, men were like their lead actors....strong and sincere.
Somewhere along the way to the 21st Century, everything took a turn for the worse.  Men behaved like cheap sluts which left very bad tastes on the tongues of most women.  So we get a higher divorce rate and a higher proportion of women who prefer to spend evenings with the K-Drama team and dump the failure of men in society today.  Perhaps it's our (my) way of keeping myself from becoming jaded about reality.

Men these days, don't have words or thoughts that are even worth a penny.  They lost their ability to be honest people just because they believed that once you are born with a sack between your legs, you can do whatever you want and forget about sincerity in the simplicity of life.

Tell a failure of men to do that and they get lazy on you.
Tell a failure of men to not trouble themselves, they get fat and useless.
Tell a failure of men to pick themselves up and do better, they grow pig-headed.

So watch this series because it reminded me that for the 98% of men who are just people in briefs, there is at least 2% out there somewhere, who were brought up well and humbly.  We all need to be reminded that it may well be that every corner we turn has a failure of a male species, but if K-Drama script writers can write about the 2%, then they do exist - perhaps just not where I reside.

THAT's OK.
After too many years of disappointments, I'm now at peace and happy with how things have turned out.  I may have sounded bitter in this post, but I'm not....I'm merely stating a painful fact.

I wake up each day and I look forward to watching the birds flying around my plants for nectar.  I hear them twittering about and it's heaven.

ACER for Mother's Day

This is what my Mother's Day 2017 present looks like.

I do not celebrate calendar occasions simply because people celebrate it.

So, this gift was a surprise.

It was from my son (S).

It all started because I bought an ACER gaming PC for my son, blew off 2k+  !!!
My good ole' DELL was still going strong, but there is a slight graphical lag for a super high graphics game that we play ie FINAL FANTASY XIV and because the 2nd expansion to the game is coming up in June, the DELL had to be retired from gaming.  She runs a NIVIDIA 650 and that's way too 'old', given that the the world is now in the 1000+ series - She has served me so well, and she will have a place in my room, once I clear some space up for her.

So, my son got himself a gaming desktop with a 1060 and I inherited his 900+ series desktop.  All was great until I plugged the TV - the view on screen was terrible......terrible.  I wasn't sure if my eyes went kaput or I was just not used to playing on a wide screen.

BUT as with all things, I moved the TV unit further back and still managed to survive the game play....I always zoom as far out as I can when I'm in game.

My other son (actually my son's ex-schoolmate/best friend), came over the next day, and he was horrified that I was allowing my eyes to go bonkers with the TV.  Apparently, the TV (toshiba) is quite old too....and it's about to meet it's dying day.....and because I wasn't in, the boys decided to buy me a new monitor, make it Mother's Day present, but to make sure I don't bitch, give it to me before the day (since I will not accept gifts or otherwise on that day itself).....and since we are 4 days away, it was their perfect excuse.

So now, I have this beautiful ACER monitor.  Thanks to my sonS.

Funny how I always joked that he's my other son - and now that they are both grown up, they really touch my heart....

We all went out for a lovely late lunch at SHABU SAI.....great to watch boys eat.....they CAN EAT!

It's the acknowledgement of being a 'mom' that touched me most....that two boys could bicker over the awful resolution and come up with a solution they both agreed was best...not for them, but for me.
For the years, moms look after their kids.....we wait for that day, when they are old enough, mature enough to actually be able to say MOM, THIS IS BAD FOR YOU, WE BOUGHT YOU A REPLACEMENT....

AIMLESS in life..........

The saying goes, a year older, a year wiser.
Unfortunately, it doesn't apply to MOST people.

Often, I witness regression instead.  It's almost like, the older someone gets, the sillier they become.
How is that?

For starters, I believe there actually is evidence that it stems from dissatisfaction in their achievements.
I don't have any empirical data on this, since I'm not doing any research at the moment, but if a person have lived his/her life to the best of their ability, given their circumstances and they have a clear conscience, then THERE IS NO NEED to over-live their life by doing silly things like abandoning their family for a cheap whore on some remote island or third world country OR loosing the little value they have left and blowing it on expensive hookers and demeaning sex.

No matter how we look at things, at the end, in the end....MORALITY does count.
I'm no nun and not a pastor.
So MORALITY to me means, to have some humility in how we behave.

I have always said that one cannot be 'high class' or 'blue blood' or 'well-bred' if one isn't - this is genetics - you either are or are not.

So instead of trying to be someone you can never be, try being yourself...

Have a direction to arrive at - make it something any random can be proud of....

I have read terrible news about people recently - all caught on camera - people believe they have succeeded just because they are better dressed than an old man.
When a person ages, its not shameful - it's what happens to EVERYONE.

We should extend courtesy, to those who have lived before us and respect LIFE so that when we do get there, LIFE doesn't do a KARMA on us.

Life may seem to be great for us now, but we should and must never take it for granted, for what is given can be taken away.

Let's bow our heads and be humble for the many goodness and blessings that we have.

Korean Drama Whisper 2017

I have only just completed 2 episodes - not enough to say it's a WOW or not but so far, I find the plot confusing.

The total episodes for this series is listed at 16 - enough reasons for them to squeeze so many possibilities for how the story will turn out.

What I find baffling is : An entire CORRUPT judiciary panel.  I am able to accept one or two members who are on the take, but to have an entire panel is a little too much for me to digest.  HOWEVER, there are times and places in the world where all it takes is one CHIEF CROOK the rest fear because of his connections and that alone 'buys' him favours, votes.

POSSIBLE.

What is not quite possible is for a tipsy man, ending up in a hotel room, and later with a video clip of him having a tryst with her - being used as ransom.
Well, it's not beyond me that people get drunk and misbehave, but in the clip he didn't look like he was high at all......he seemed like he was sober and having sex.

In my opinion, that was far-fetched and I think it's almost IMPOSSIBLE for that to happen for real.

In the world today, where powerful people use their wealth to influence elections, outcomes of hearings and making disgusting deals aside from donating MILLIONS to terrorism in the name of peace - nothing is surprising anymore.  So that sex scene aside, the plot is very very possible.

In fact, in the world today, one such DEMOCRACY has been discovered to be so.
Where their ex-President transfers MILLIONS over to some Godforsaken place in the world, without anyone spilling the beans.  The world just only found out about this via a newly installed government, going through the books/records.
A super rich male figure, has been using his money to influence elections, he used his money to pay for demonstrations in public places and in spite of all that, goes about his daily life, as if he's innocent of anything.  He has caused the demise of MANY innocent lives, because they did not share his sentiments about the world.

This Drama series is a little like what's going on the world - so I still believe that at Episode Two, its doing well.

The cast is excellent, as usual and that makes watching it all the more worthwhile.

LEE SANG YOON - my favourite actor of all times.  Makes any drama worthwhile to watch.

Korean Drama - Angel Eyes

Angel Eyes

It just gets better!
I now have bought more Korean OSTs for my playlist!

The reviews I have read for this drama series are fair, which was why I decided to watch it.  I'm not a follower of 'crowds' and much prefer to come to my own conclusion. When reviews are too much of the same, then it's pointless watching - but if controversies are possible, then it's worth to watch.  If predictable is what I want, there is no need to watch dramas but instead just look around me.

So I generally will watch dramas/movies, which has a mixed review....not that some must be negative, but dramas with 'talking points', like this series.

The first few episodes were done well actually.  How a father copes having lost his wife, who was survived by his daughter, now blind.  The guilt must have been huge.  With all that success as a doctor, he couldn't manipulate the donor list for his daughter....money couldn't fix his situation.
Fast-forward to the cross-roads and we watch how a father gave in to his selfish instincts but ethics drew him back from the darkness.  Nevertheless, the eventual death (caused by another external party) made him believe he was the causal factor.....his guilt, unwarranted, gave this Series it's story.

Many episodes down, we find out about the web of deceit.  Without the web, there will be no drama...so webs are important i.e. defining moments for a series.  On a parallel, there may be moments in our lives, where we are backed to some corner....to choose....and not everyone will make the morally correct or ethical choice.  Mostly we choose according to our circumstances.

When Lee Sang Yoon began his first episode in Angel Eyes....it stunned me.  I'm new to K-Drama yet his face was so familiar.  It's his dimples and persona on set.  Put him in a lab coat and I was sold.  I frantically searched about this drama after the episode and realised it was him, from On the Way to the Airport!

I loved the ending.  There were pockets of the plot, I had questions about....but because it ended well, I forgot about them.

I don't like the idea that the women, in the dramas so far, seem to always be the one walking away but I guess, in real life, in my life, it's true.

People should watch this, so that we can remind ourselves that being a parent isn't easy....that we are all human and TOO ERR IS HUMAN......yet ethical conduct must prevail and money mustn't ever win any battles......but the most important take away is, that soul mates meet and once they do, they do.  Fate is there but destiny is also up to us.
People are in our lives because of past matters.....the past should not matter, but IT DOES.  It always does.

Korean Drama - Second to Last Love

Second to Last Love

This is another interesting Korean Drama - in fact, I now understand why a lot of my friends are hooked to Korean Dramas....it's easy to watch and most plots surround our reality....there might be some difference, but it's subtle and still very acceptable.

This series is about two people....mid-life....'alone' and dedicated to their respective choices.  The female lead is typical of strong, independent women....single by choice and drowning in work yet making allowances to appreciate the little things in life like nature.  The male lead, is a civil servant, who goes by the book...not very emo because he probably believes that rules do matter at the end of the day.  I find his character refreshing, in that, he's so tunnel-visioned about doing his job - as a father, as a mother, as a brother.....that he doesn't have time to give in to emotions the way most people do.  He feels only accidentally, I think.

In the end, they got together but the final episode didn't conclude the series with a wedding.  I'm glad. It tells me that, being single is OK.
We have gone past the age of being pretentious.
Why marry if dissolving it will bring everyone misery?
Best to just be together because you want to, not because a piece of paper tells you you have to....

Korean Drama - Love Rain

This is number Two for me.

It is a great Drama Series, except that, perhaps, the plot was a bit too centered on why 2 people can't be together because their parents are.

Given that they are not related in any way, I don't see the issue.

The storyline is actually not predictable.  I didn't expect his dad to give way to him but as a parent, it didn't surprise me that he did.  I like it that the story made both couples work, but in different continents.

It makes sense.  What we don't see allows us to cope better.  Over time, what we cannot digest will become palatable and all will be fine....but the here and now urges us to add space until then.

What baffles me is, the silence carried over from scene to scene.
If there is something to say, say it.  Keeping numb doesn't make it go away.  It might have been an added plot because reality is such.

The soundtrack was excellent.
I actually bought a few as a keepsake.

This is a lovely screengrab.

It brought to mind the many times, I felt like how this picture wants us all to feel.

It's a shame that the series did not get as high a rating as it deserved, when it was aired.

Of course, the best screenshot of the couple is this one.

Wolf in Sheep's Clothing

What is the real issue in this world?

There is constant bickering about who's the real bigwig.  Does it matter in the end?  When our lives have exhausted their lease on this earth, does it matter?

It all starts when people start seeking for some kind of equality in society.  As far as I can see and recall, we have gone past the era of race domination/ethnic cleansing - whatever's going on the world today, is a regression.

It doesn't matter if Technology has advanced to levels unthinkable. If behaviour regresses, it means we have not matured as a person.

I read with unease, one such arrest here, HERE where people are living in peace with one another.

http://news.asiaone.com/news/singapore/imam-being-probed-over-comments-christians-and-jews

Now, why would someone do that? This preacher apparently is subtly inciting people to trash other religions because theirs is superior.

Somewhere along the way, something went wrong with this person's ethical coding.  If one is truly religious, one WILL NOT and WOULD NOT plant ideas into another person's head.  People who were at the Friday prayers were there to worship, and unknowingly, they were fed this poison once last year and again this year.  We know, that consumption of small quantities of poison over time, does kill.

So if this preacher is warped in the head, why did no one even notice during their chats/meet-up/catch-up?  Just because someone has the task of preaching or preaches as a job, doesn't mean they are CLEAN and UN-SINNER-BLE.

These people are a danger to society at large. 

In this situation above, an attendee of the Friday prayers, reported him.  KUDOS to this man.  He knows what religion is all about.

Religion is NEVER about taking another life, just because we worship differently.

We do not get to choose what colour of skin we get when we are born.  We do not get to choose where we are born.  We do not get to decide who becomes our parents.

BUT

We do get to choose how we make sense of doing good - which means, not killing another person for whatever reasons.

We do get to choose where we worship or NONE AT ALL - which means, whichever makes our spiritual life enriched.  Some people can do it on their own, which is fine.

We do get to choose the kind of world we want to bring our children into - which means, if we breed contempt, in decades, contempt will be the order of the day.

Society should never condone such individuals.

Wolf in sheep's clothing - that's what this is.

This has to be stopped.

He has to be made an example of because if there is one, there is more and I don't want to live next to a ticking bomb.

Syonan - Syo WHAT?

http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=91838#1

And so another moment where we have screamers on one side saying WE NEED TO BE SENSITIVE and the rest who say TELL IT AS IT WAS.

SO what's up with this being 'sensitive'?  Doesn't telling HISTORY, in all it's correctness, matter anymore?
I have had enough of people who are nothing more than a bag full of tears.

My grandparents lived through the Japanese War.  I was told stories about life After the Fall, how every male in the 'kampong' said their goodbyes to their families because 'males were being rounded up'.  That remained a firm reminder in my head that Singapore and the World needs to focus on making the world a better place for all and not about blowing one's trumpet, which we see too often, going on, in this present world.

With the change in the name of the Museum/Exhibition - we have regressed into a re-invented state.

Take the example of a Recovering Alcoholic - they are generally able to even sit through dinner, watch others enjoy a glass of wine and NOT need to have one.

What just happened here about SYONAN is the Pseudo-hurt, people have created for themselves.
If a child falls and smashes his knee-cap - I would say, learn from how careless you were so it never happens again.  When the child forgets I will remind him - Remember the time when you smashed your knee-cap?
That's how learning takes place.
Not by shoving the facts under the door-mat, but by looking at it squarely and making sure it never happens again.

So I guess, after all those movies from the West, a lot of us Asians, prefer to follow the model which promotes growing up sheltered because our FEELINGS will be hurt.

The Pioneer Generation here, survived and started to build the city-state we are now - they shed tears, they worked to the bone.  And what have we got to show for that? A heart too easily broken.

Tsk Tsk Tsk!

Heartwarming & Heartbroken

http://mashable.com/2017/02/06/cat-strawberry-milk-vet/?utm_cid=hp-h-5#N65J95NgVaqc

HEARTWARMING !

I first found this story here: http://news.asiaone.com/news/lifestyle/concerned-child-writes-vet-cute-email-after-her-cat-drank-strawberry-milk

HEARTBREAKING = DISGUST

After reading about the masking tape cat, and in today's print edition of the local main paper, a cat killer who was sentenced, my day went awful.

http://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/courts-crime/cat-killer-admits-hurling-feline-from-sixth-storey

What's disgusting is, after throwing the cat down 6 floors, he went to the ground floor to continue slamming the half-dead cat on the ground twice - I guess he just wanted to make sure the cat is dead, perhaps so that the cat CANNOT file a police report against him. Ridiculous!

On the right is the FACE of this CAT ABUSER.

This is an excerpt of the report.

"A food and beverage captain hurled a cat from a sixth-storey staircase landing after first luring it with cat food, a court heard.

In the early hours of May 26 last year,

Fajar Ashraf Fajar Ali, 25,  lured the female shorthair cat into a lift at Block 884, Tampines Street 83 to play with it.

He took the lift to the sixth storey and led the cat to the staircase landing. At first he played with the cat but when it tried to escape, he lured it back with more food."

All that INTELLIGENCE of killing off the victim (he must have watched too many CRIME drama), didn't protect him.  Perhaps the crime series he watched didn't have a story-line in a built up city with CCTVs and neighbours in close proximity.

To put it bluntly, a young girl, young in age, young in maturity demonstrated more COURAGE and MORAL CODING than this 25 year old wannabe.

Questions to ask:

Where did he school?

What did he do in school, in terms of activities?

It's time someone take stock of how apples go bad, because ONE BAD APPLE SPOILS THE BUSHEL.

In a society so tight in terms of people per square km, it's better to be discerning, even with the people we see everyday.  Had a witness thought it was just a man playing with a stray cat, he would have walked away a free man.  Never mind that, he would have walked away thinking he did very well for himself i.e. murdered a cat and escaped.

Is it paranoid to take a second look? NO.

There are many wolves in sheeps clothing.

So, I salute that little girl for giving me faith again, that the world might have gone to putts, but there is still salvation.