Phew, Bush Junior finally stepped down today. This marks the end of (uh-hmm, I’ll be nice) a not-so-nice period for the U.S., even though I know there are plenty of people who think otherwise, and let us not count those people’s votes from now on… oh wait, I forgot to be nice. Oh well.

Now, Obama has charisma and does seem an intelligent individual. He also carries a lot of positive motivation for the people. However, I still see him as sort of a stock option where you can win a lot but also lose alot because with the current landscape, we simply do not know that whatever he does will, and by how much, improve the situation. We shall see.

This brings me to my topic on pain. Pain. It can be physical, mental, emotional, as abstract as could be. Most of us don’t like pain. But I think it would do us well to always remember the pain we have experienced. I say this because I observe that people are predisposed to forget about pain quickly.

I noticed on the highway that people average 70+ MPH now vs only 60+ MPH couple months ago and that more SUVs and Hummers once again roam the roads. How quickly people have forgotten about the energy crisis. It shows that people only care about the short-term expense of gas vs. understanding that our energy resources are not infinite.

Start naked truth — As of now, most people do not know nor truly care about preserving resources and not be wasteful for both the planet and the generations to come, yet. They may like talking about it. They may like being enthusiasts. But that is that.

On a personal level, I observed my parents’ tendency to seek a lot of space when searching for housing, even though we used to live in some 400 sq ft. apartment back in Hong Kong. Back in the days, we just make do, and honestly, we don’t really NEED all that space.

It is important to remember painful experience because it will guide your action in the future. Pain teaches good lessons. When you learn from painful experience, you will get that much wiser. When you forget about pain, it is much easier for to make mistakes, and to repeat mistakes.

I remember the pain from relocating and starting brand new twice. I know to cherish the people I do get to spend time with while I can, and simultaneously, holding on to people is futile.

I remember the pain when I could not speak English properly and fluently. It helps me to be kind and considerate with strangers.

I remember the pain when I got stuck between a clash of two cultures and generations that almost no one can understand. I know that no one can fully understand each other and that makes it even more important for us to make an effort to empathize, to be compassionate, to be present in the moment.

I remember the pain when a good friend my age passed away suddenly who is a most kind person. It provoked me to pull myself together and figure myself out. From there, I learn to live in the moment.

I remember the pain when I got hit by a car on a bicycle. Life is not to be taken for granted.

I remember the pain from watching my grandpa who became half-paralyzed on the right after a stroke. The most painful part is that he’s a poet and calligrapher who could no longer enjoy those things. We do not have as much time as we think to do what we want. Hence, I do what I can most when I can now.

I remember the pain from breaking up with girlfriends. Sometimes no matter what you do, be it timing, place, or person, it does not turn out alright. It is all the more important that one gives their best, and that in relationship, it will do well for us to help each other grow. Even if broken up, we will have learn and grow because of each other. That will surely allow a smile on the face.

I know the pain from not being understood from some of the closest people in life. I strive not to do the same to the people I most care about. I must listen, without presumptions, without ego.

I remember the pain from not having a stable income, yet having large amount of expenses when I was attending graduate school, and to get by, I would pass up meal on campus until I get home and do whatever else to preserve money. I understand most of what I do and have now are basically luxury which I could do without, and I do my best to manage my money now. It is never too early. It is never too late.

I remember the pain I have caused to others and myself from when I let emotions took over. It does me well to understand myself and be consistently aware of my thoughts and emotions now.

I remember the pain I went through to learn all that I did, though painful yet necessary. It is vital for us to be considerate to not take away others’ opportunities and responsibilities to feel pain, no matter how eager we are to present them with a solution.

Pain also presents itself as disease and illness in terms of our body. We need to take heed when they happen because the body is telling us that we must take care of it. I find it sad that for years people would not do that and rely on medication to cover up pain (remove the symptoms) and think they are “cured”, only to be hit with a much more deadly or incurable condition later. By the time, it’s already late. You wonder why are medical cost is going up like crazy. It is hugely because people do not listen and neglect their body for years and decades, thinking that medication and technology will “fix” them when something happens.

Stark naked truth — As of now, people do not truly care about the health of their body, and for proof, you just need to look around yourself. How many of those people look healthy? And there’s a difference between that and looking pretty.

In the end, let me say that pain does not only teach, it is also a way to connect us all. When we remember our pain, we can also be compassionate.

One thing is for certain. It will do us well to remember pain. As a nation…especially the last eight years’.

Popularity: 40% [?]

A friend sent me link about a new Sony Vaio laptop.

The world’s lightest 8″ notebook, the 1.4-pound VAIO® P Series Lifestyle PC does more than you could imagine–with impeccable style. Email at the airport, IM from the park, or just show it off when you want some attention.

Honestly, who really needs a laptop that is 1.4lb that is mega-expensive? What the F is a person gonna use it for? Throw it like a baseball? It’s not big enough to read and browse and work on it comfortably. It’s not small enough like smart phones, with resembling functions, for you to carry around. If you have trouble carrying around a 4 to 5 lb of very portable laptop, may I say you have a physical condition called weak, and by that I mean, weaker than a 5-year-old.

So in the end, it is all about the last comment — just show it off when you want some attention — that which appeals to the emotional side of consumers. And people will fall for it too, as we have come to adopt the consumeristic lifestyle, which boomed in the past decades. Just maybe less peope will fall for it now, but such things like this laptop are the reflections of the excess in our society.

The lavish lifestyle of the super-rich.
The giant house that’s too big even for a family, let alone just a couple.
The big house that parents insist to buy because they have… TWO kids.
The ultra mega-pixel digital camera, when common users won’t even have practical usage of pictures from a 4MP camera.
The pick-up and SUVs for just-in-case big items.
Uh… Hummer!
Fancy gym memberships that 85% (or whatever large amount) of the people don’t use.
The obsessive of saving this and that, or war on this and that, while each individual has trouble taking care of the self, mastering the self.
Talk shows, reality TVs, game shows.
The amount of lawsuits, blaming, victimizing the self.

And the biggest reflection of excess is… the unhealthiness, both physical and mental, of the general population. Just look at obesity, many terminal illness, depression, people going hay-wired, rising health care cost, general uncaring-ness of each other… I believe are all reflections of the same thing.

The excessive excess we have reflects a general lacking inside. Something is amiss which causes us to be so materialistic, even though it is all about looking inside yourself. Since nobody does that, they never fulfill the lack and continue to chase materials, in the form of money, in the form of a successful career, in the form of owning things. Thus the excess. All the while, without looking at yourself and taking care of the self first, people’s physical and mental condition deteriorate because they only know to chase materials. Thus all the physiological and mental illness.

So until each individual learns to take care of the self and learns to look within rather than without, and thereby shedding the excess, our problems will always be re-occurring, if only in different forms. Look at the past 3000 years. Humans hadn’t really changed. If anything, I think we are in worse shape than ever, despite the entrepreneurship, despite technology, despite all the knowledge and information we possess now.

Popularity: 42% [?]

There is something special about you…

You can understand yourself better than anyone.
You can take care of you, your body, and all your other shit better than anyone.
Only you can be responsible for yourself.
Only you can express yourself.
Only you can be yourself.

Something tells me that all your “situations” and the collective world’s “situations” are because individually…

You don’t understand yourself.
You don’t take care of yourself.
You are not being responsible for yourself.
You don’t express yourself.
You stop being yourself.

Popularity: 41% [?]

Couple months back I wrote about getting fradulent charges on my Citi credit card. I finally received letters that their investigations are finishe and the credits to my account are permanent. It’s much faster than I expected and it is such a relief. It would suck to pay $250~ for nothing. I wonder what exactly did they do for investigation though. Does anyone know?

Talk about paying. The local community college classes have started again. This quarter I will be taking two singing classes, one chorale singing, one real class. For just the 3.5 credits, the amount is about $40, which I must say is quite cheap. Adding the extra fees doubles that amount and plus parking, it came out to about $140~. It’s a good amount but doing what I enjoy for the next 12 weeks for that amount, I think it’s worth it.

I only hope with the current state budget situation, the price won’t go up too badly in future. This is actually a much less problem because if I think about the people who will apply and go to Univerities of California, I feel bad for them. Look around, it is hard to help but see fires everywhere.

Popularity: 36% [?]

I make a fool out of myself. I have made many fools out of myself. Such as by writing this blog.
Do you make a fool of yourself?

I have done a slew of random things in the 25 years of my life. Looking back there is one thing common to all of them before i got better. That is, in all of them, I began by making a fool out of myself, and even as I grow in experience, I still do that.

When i first began…

• Social dancing — I was stiff. I studdered. I lost rhythm. I tripped. I stepped on other people’s feet. (sorry!)
• Basketball — I made bad passes. I missed tons of shots. I lost my dribblings. (and I still do)
• Fencing — I sucked at footworks. I found myself helpless against better fencers. I lost many bouts.
• Gym — My posture sucked. I lifted improperly. In general, I trained ineffectively.
• Singing — I missed pitches. I cracked. I could not hear myself. I would screw up in recitals.
• Piano — I lost rhythm. I hit the wrong key. My fingers couldn’t do some movements. I sucked at sight-reading.

And a more common day thing… girls. I make fools out of myself with girls. I acted nervously, said the wrong things, did not know what to say, did not share enough, misread signs, NOT reading signs, cracked bad jokes, and what not. I am better now, but I am no playboy. Maybe for the better. Or maybe I am still too much of a geek. NOT. Haha.

Needless to say, sometimes it is quite discouraging, but one thing no one should ever do is to to give up entirely. I kept trying and I got better. I gained more confidence. It would be arrogant to say I become experts but I definitely become better and better through the trying process.

One of the things I often tell myself is, if someone else can do it, why can’t I? Not that I compare myself with others, nor am I denying human and genetic limits. But seriously, if another human can do it, why can’t I? Why can’t I do it? Why can’t I do better? Yes, I can. I just need to keep trying. Better to shoot for the moon and miss high, as long as I don’t get desperate about the moon.

Talents? Surely some people may have them. I don’t believe it myself. When I see someone who is really good at what they do, I see all the time and effort he or she had spent on perfecting the art.

To be constructive, we can ask ourself, “Why couldn’t I do better?” when we fall. Let the disappointment and sadness happen and let them go. Then start analyze what could be done. What did you do right? What skills are lacking? How can you do it better? What changes can you make? Small change? Big change?

Really care and be willing to learn. Do you really care?
Don’t avoid growing pain. Do you just want the easy way?
Don’t be scared to fail. Do you care so much about what others think of you?
When you fall, feel the pain and find a way to get up. Are you not strong enough, willing enough after all?
Don’t mind making a fool out of yourself.
You can only get better.

You can only get better. Find the best and not the easiest way to do it. Set yourself up with the right environment. Find supporting peers, or if you can’t, no peers. Do what you need to do. Pay attention and strive for quality.

You can only get better.

Think about if you start life as a master in everything, there would be no journey at all, then what’s the point of life? Without growing you do not live. If I must give life a meaning, this is probably it. Life is to grow yourself in the ways that you want yourself to grow.

It sounds simple, but you see, you cannot let others tell you how to grow — live. Others including your society, culture, religion, family, friends, things. You are to be you. Self-actualization. But this a topic for another day.

You cannot learn and grow in life without making a fool of yourself first. Think about babies. Don’t wait until you know it all to start something. Why don’t you make a fool of yourself in the new year?

Popularity: 30% [?]