Saturday, October 04, 2008

I want to be an egg and sleep in an incubator.

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

Whitie Tighties

Here are the results

Jarrett Likes
Apologies
Appearing to Enjoy Classical Music
Arts Degrees
Asian Fusion Food
Awareness
Bad Memories of High School
Book Deals
Coffee
Dinner Parties
Diversity
Facebook
Farmer’s Markets
Gentrification
Gifted Children
Graduate School
Grammar
Having Gay Friends
Irony
The Ivy League
Kitchen Gadgets
Knowing What’s Best for Poor People
Lawyers
Living by the Water
Microbreweries
Music Piracy
Musical Comedy
Not having a TV
Plays
Recycling
St. Patrick’s Day
Sushi
Sweaters
T-Shirts
Tea
The Onion
Vintage
Wine

Hannah Likes
80s Night
Apologies
Apple Products
Architecture
Arrested Development
Arts Degrees
Awareness
Barack Obama
Being an expert on YOUR culture
Being Offended
Book Deals
Children’s Games as Adults
Coffee
The Daily Show/Colbert Report
Difficult Breakups
Dinner Parties
Dogs
Facebook
Farmer’s Markets
Film Festivals
Girls with Bangs
Graduate School
Grammar
Hating Corporations
Having Black Friends
Having Gay Friends
Indie Music
Irony
Japan
Juno
Knowing What’s Best for Poor People
Lawyers
Living by the Water
Marijuana
Modern Furniture
Mos Def
Music Piracy
Musical Comedy
Natural Medicine
Non-Profit Organizations
Not having a TV
Plays
Religions their parents don’t belong to
Sarah Silverman
Scarves
Self Aware Hip Hop References
Shorts
St. Patrick’s Day
Study Abroad
Tea
Toyota Prius
Traveling
Vintage
Wes Anderson Movies
Wine
Writers Workshops
Yoga


Verdict:
Jarrett: 38
Hannah: 57

Hannah's more white.
Home, Truely?

I can't quite decide what to make of JBJ's life, or death, mostly because I never really gave much thought to politics. I'm an LKY supporter for a variety of reasons, but when I saw JBJ's death on the news my heart stopped. Mostly because I mis-read it and thought it was "Singapore's Leader" (I don't know what I'd do if LKY were to go), but also because he's been quite the land mark in Singapore. If anything, to me, he represents an undying love for a nation that has dealt him a heavy hand. A passion for the people who, for the most part, have left him to fight this battle alone. I'd like to love Singapore that way too, but not through politics (obviously).

Anyway, I was very nervous that the Singapore press would demonize him... [[edited :: 0030 hrs]]

Rest in peace Mr Jayaretnam - I never had a chance to vote, and it probably would never have gone to you, but you will be missed. Not just by me but by the entire nation. And while you never won the votes, I think that in a way you have won our hearts.

I did speak with you once, I believe, outside the ICA. I think I was in the middle of figuring out my Citizenship status. Looking back, I note the irony.

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Watching you die

I kept what you had blogged me on my computer. That was 4 years ago when it brought me to tears. Re-reading it had the same effect on me today because I love you. And I know that that doesn't matter to you now, but I hope that I will matter to you again, at some point. Right now, I'm learning to be patient. But I hope you know that I will always be there for you. I think you know that, and a little part of you feels guilty about running to me as a last resort, without really knowing what to do with our friendship. But you can't quite deal with the latter right now. I don't mind, I have my own life to lead too and it is very full. And as much as I'd love for you to be in it, I know I can't be demanding, You are, after all, still so young. You'll somehow always be 16 to me.
Ok. I've had it. I'm not the biggest authority on politics and world events (I did think Kofi Annan was Samuel L Jackson and still can't quite tell you what NATO is), but here's my two cents.

I mean free speach is great and all, especially in this time of election fever. But when it's reduced to unqualified name-calling it has no value and is dangerous. I say this particularly because I am within the context of the university where, you would expect, individuals to be a little more educated and well thought-out.

You can't call Bush a moron and expect us to take it. Being in Vancouver does not mean that you need not back up baseless arguements that seem to regurgitate mainstream discourse. You can't just sit around and poke fun at Palin and what have you not if you're not going to tell me WHY they're bad ideas. Being conservative is not enough. Maybe it's because I grew up in a one-party state, but I find it terribly elementary to pidgeon hole everything with shallow labels.

But that's all besides the point. Kick me for not having a sense of humour, but I think poking fun at minority political views is tantamout to ideological discrimination. If someone can't spell out their political views without fearing a negative reaction, then we've lost sight of what it means to be a democracy. You're supposed to engage goddammit, not senselessly intimidate each other with what's politically popular.

Of course, my feathers ruffle when my friend tells me that he loves McCain and what America stands for, and that he lingers on the otherside of the Huntington fence as I do. But give him a chance to explain why, and it makes sense. Not to say that I agree with him, but I would not take him to be a fool, and, I learn.

So what I see now, is a politically-illiterate mass, thinking that they know what it means to have a democracy since they can arrogantly belittle the views of others when they themselves have not put much thought into their own. If political ideology were like skin colour, things would be a little different.

I'd like to think, that if one really has thought through their stand on things, they'd respect another's opinion, because they would know what it takes to come to a personal conclusion. And from respect comes engagement, didectic discourse and a richer, more substantial democracy.

In my disgruntled state, I'm feel like this society is a farce. Give me Singapore's one party state anytime.
So between Hannah and Jarrett....



Who's more white?

... Akan Datang

Monday, September 29, 2008

I don't know what to make of this.

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Resolution:
To not cop out.
Yes I know it was late
We were greeting the sun
Before long
And you live with someone
I live with somebody too
Leave it there
For safe keeping
One of the west village in plains
That was the custom
Come dawn

On the walls of the day
In the shade of the sun
We wrote down
Another vision of us
We were the challengers of
The unknown
"Be safe" you say
Whatever the mess you are you're mine okay
That is the custom
I'm down

Until I see you around
Until we clear the accounts
Leave it there
Leave it to us
We are the challengers of
The unknown

Challengers ~ The New Pornographers


Life can be so wonderfully insufficient. There's too much to be grasped, so we sit, hands tied, with nothing more to show then confusion and contentment - at least on my part.
Holy shit, we need this!