I admit it! I am a bookworm and I used to dream of my own house with a dedicated room for library. Since I started reading at the age of 3, I've been collecting books. My collection of children books unfortunately did not survive my brothers...brothers can be a destructive force on books!
But my other book collections, including religious texts, science and mathematics, fantasy, science fiction, romance, etc, have grown so much that I've three big cabinets dedicated to them and I'm running out of space. I've decided that I will be selling some of these precious books since my parents are complaining about the space they take up. It is a painful feeling but I have no choice.
So for the next two weekends, I will have to catalogue my books and see which ones I will let go of and try selling on ebay.
Tuesday 27 May 2008
Tuesday 20 May 2008
Handwriting Analysis
I tried a handwriting analysis at Compatamate.com and here are parts of the results (and my comments):
Your Fundamental Temperament — How You Approach
Your basic nature is one of benevolence, amicability, friendliness and cordiality. You do not like conflict and will assume a lot of responsibility for keeping the peace, whether it is yours or not. In the negative, these characteristics can become complacency or escape tactics in order to remove yourself from the discomfort is causes you.
(well, not sure about benevolence but I do like keeping the peace...the wording is strange "discomfort is causes you." I wonder if it's a grammatical error.)
The Primary Motivation Behind Your Behavior
You strive for balance of the mental, emotional and physical realms. At this point in your life, your primary motivation is to be the best that you can be. You will seek opportunities to display your talents. You demonstrate a willingness to assume responsibility and thrive on freedom to experiment. Independence, trust and responsibility are important to satisfying your needs at this time.
(Okay, quite accurate so far.)
Life's Impact Upon You
At this point in time, emotional situations impact you moderately. While some issues that have little importance to you will roll off your back quickly and easily, this is not the case when something is important to you. When your feelings are stimulated, good or bad, you do not get over them easily.
The depth of your feelings creates passion. You have energy to invest in anything that sparks your interests and will pursue it with purpose. Your emotional memory keeps you committed to your undertakings.
You enjoy sensuous stimulants: fine foods, rich textures, etc., as well as sensuous endeavors within moderation.
(Not too bad; I rarely bear people a grudge but there are a few.)
Your Emotional Response to Life's Experiences
Your emotional responses are controlled and border on non-expression. Others see you as cool, calm and collected, even unemotional and undemonstrative. You do not move into relationships or new situations quickly. Some people may tag you as noncommittal because of this. Even when you want to make contact, it is not easy to reach out or really communicate with others. In many cases, you might be less inclined to speak at length because to do so would mean to reveal more of yourself.
(Well, given that I've been called a robot...yeah, I guess this should be accurate enough.)
You stand on your own two feet and expect others to do the same, all the while discouraging emotional dependency. You do not burden others with your personal pain or problems and are not particularly comfortable when they attempt to "bounce" their feelings off of you. Even your language is void of emotional words; rather than say "I feel," you are more comfortable with "I think." When you must deal with emotional displays, it is most natural for you to want to withdraw. Such behavior can result in leaving the other person more frustrated than before (which also serves as a way of getting even if you are angry) and the loss of that relationship becomes a possibility, since neither party can communicate effectively. You appreciate and build more solid relationships with people possessing similar emotional restraint.
(Yep, I think this is accurate enough in parts...I definitely use more "I think" then "I feel". But I don't think that I withdraw. In fact, some people say that I'm a good listener.)
Problem Solving and Learning — Your Mental Processing Powers
You would have been drawn to a highly skilled profession by the natural intensity in you character, but now you find that having to attend to details drives you crazy. They take too much time and time is something of which you rarely have enough.
The development of this habit is usually a result of deeply felt pain. Energies are turned toward escaping the pain; if you are busy enough you will not feel it. And, so you become busy, possibly a workaholic, but definitely an escapist, and everything becomes a blur as you speed through life.
(Now, this is where I have some doubts. I don't mind details...I like details if they are necessary or advancing the work/project. However, red tapes and all sorts of admin stuff aren't my forte. Okay, I am a bit of a workaholic and an escapist...after all, that's what fantasy is for.)
The Scope of Your World and Your Importance in it
Your moderately outgoing nature opens doors for you to make contact with the outside world. Whether you will or not is dependent on your emotional response level. You enjoy socializing and would not be content without a reasonable amount of people contact. You are receptive to your environment and willing to draw resources from it. You believe "No man is an island."
You are able to shift your attention easily from thought to thought, person to person or project to project. Interruptions rarely bother you and you are able to regain your focus on what you were doing with relative ease. You are able to handle more than one task at a time and are most content when what you are doing allows you a reasonable amount of freedom of thought and space.
(Hmm...I do find that I can juggle a few things together even if I can't juggle physically. Sure, moderate outgoing nature is the key word. I wasn't as outgoing when I was younger.)
Your Current Governing Philosophy
The even-keel you nurture tends to balance how you perceive matters and move through life. You are able to cheer the pessimist and pull the optimist down to reality. To others, you can represent the most steady, predictable thing in the lives.
(Hmm...hope so.)
Your Fundamental Temperament — How You Approach
Your basic nature is one of benevolence, amicability, friendliness and cordiality. You do not like conflict and will assume a lot of responsibility for keeping the peace, whether it is yours or not. In the negative, these characteristics can become complacency or escape tactics in order to remove yourself from the discomfort is causes you.
(well, not sure about benevolence but I do like keeping the peace...the wording is strange "discomfort is causes you." I wonder if it's a grammatical error.)
The Primary Motivation Behind Your Behavior
You strive for balance of the mental, emotional and physical realms. At this point in your life, your primary motivation is to be the best that you can be. You will seek opportunities to display your talents. You demonstrate a willingness to assume responsibility and thrive on freedom to experiment. Independence, trust and responsibility are important to satisfying your needs at this time.
(Okay, quite accurate so far.)
Life's Impact Upon You
At this point in time, emotional situations impact you moderately. While some issues that have little importance to you will roll off your back quickly and easily, this is not the case when something is important to you. When your feelings are stimulated, good or bad, you do not get over them easily.
The depth of your feelings creates passion. You have energy to invest in anything that sparks your interests and will pursue it with purpose. Your emotional memory keeps you committed to your undertakings.
You enjoy sensuous stimulants: fine foods, rich textures, etc., as well as sensuous endeavors within moderation.
(Not too bad; I rarely bear people a grudge but there are a few.)
Your Emotional Response to Life's Experiences
Your emotional responses are controlled and border on non-expression. Others see you as cool, calm and collected, even unemotional and undemonstrative. You do not move into relationships or new situations quickly. Some people may tag you as noncommittal because of this. Even when you want to make contact, it is not easy to reach out or really communicate with others. In many cases, you might be less inclined to speak at length because to do so would mean to reveal more of yourself.
(Well, given that I've been called a robot...yeah, I guess this should be accurate enough.)
You stand on your own two feet and expect others to do the same, all the while discouraging emotional dependency. You do not burden others with your personal pain or problems and are not particularly comfortable when they attempt to "bounce" their feelings off of you. Even your language is void of emotional words; rather than say "I feel," you are more comfortable with "I think." When you must deal with emotional displays, it is most natural for you to want to withdraw. Such behavior can result in leaving the other person more frustrated than before (which also serves as a way of getting even if you are angry) and the loss of that relationship becomes a possibility, since neither party can communicate effectively. You appreciate and build more solid relationships with people possessing similar emotional restraint.
(Yep, I think this is accurate enough in parts...I definitely use more "I think" then "I feel". But I don't think that I withdraw. In fact, some people say that I'm a good listener.)
Problem Solving and Learning — Your Mental Processing Powers
You would have been drawn to a highly skilled profession by the natural intensity in you character, but now you find that having to attend to details drives you crazy. They take too much time and time is something of which you rarely have enough.
The development of this habit is usually a result of deeply felt pain. Energies are turned toward escaping the pain; if you are busy enough you will not feel it. And, so you become busy, possibly a workaholic, but definitely an escapist, and everything becomes a blur as you speed through life.
(Now, this is where I have some doubts. I don't mind details...I like details if they are necessary or advancing the work/project. However, red tapes and all sorts of admin stuff aren't my forte. Okay, I am a bit of a workaholic and an escapist...after all, that's what fantasy is for.)
The Scope of Your World and Your Importance in it
Your moderately outgoing nature opens doors for you to make contact with the outside world. Whether you will or not is dependent on your emotional response level. You enjoy socializing and would not be content without a reasonable amount of people contact. You are receptive to your environment and willing to draw resources from it. You believe "No man is an island."
You are able to shift your attention easily from thought to thought, person to person or project to project. Interruptions rarely bother you and you are able to regain your focus on what you were doing with relative ease. You are able to handle more than one task at a time and are most content when what you are doing allows you a reasonable amount of freedom of thought and space.
(Hmm...I do find that I can juggle a few things together even if I can't juggle physically. Sure, moderate outgoing nature is the key word. I wasn't as outgoing when I was younger.)
Your Current Governing Philosophy
The even-keel you nurture tends to balance how you perceive matters and move through life. You are able to cheer the pessimist and pull the optimist down to reality. To others, you can represent the most steady, predictable thing in the lives.
(Hmm...hope so.)
Saturday 10 May 2008
Mother's Day
Mother's day is finally here. While I'm not bringing out my stepmother for dinner today, the whole family will be celebrating in two weeks time. One of the difficulties with grown up children with families of their own is the ability to find common time.
But today, I want to write about my late mother instead. She passed away 15 years ago, a long time by any standard but her legacy lives on in her children. Last weekend, my family paid a visit to my mother's eldest brother's house during his house warming. We found out from Uncle Allan that my mother's love of cats and animals was inherited. I never thought that love for animals were a inherited trait...it seemed more like a social condition; if your parents used to have pets and you grow up surrounded with pets, you are likely to have one yourself since you are used to the idea. But clearly, even though my mother was given away as a baby, she had the same love for animals as did her biological parents and siblings.
However, it is not just her love of animals that make people love her. It is her generosity and compassion. I remembered when I was small that one of my father's relatives stole her entire jewelery collection (at the time, we were really poor and she struggled to save for them). Instead of reporting it to the police, she forgave the person and still welcomed her (albeit more cautiously). My father's eldest sister considered her to be her actual sister and told me after my mother's passing that she had lost a confidante.
My mother was the one who taught me to be inclusive and that family is not about blood. It can be seen through my mother's relations...my mother was adopted and so was her younger half-sister. Her parents split and she was raised by a stepmother who brought her oldest daughter. So my mother grew with a step-sister and a half-sister who had no blood connection with each other. Yet, till today, I am close with both my aunts because my mother used to very close to them. My relatives also include my father's step-sister's family. My step-aunt happened to be my mother's best friend. That was how my parents met.
So, it was not a wonder that my family was able to embrace my stepmother and her family. To us, it is not the blood that matters but the feelings of closeness. Something that my mother managed to pass down to us.
Of course, the last advice she ever gave me is to be humble. That is not an easy task but I am trying to follow the advice to the best of my ability...for all our differences, mom, I do love you.
But today, I want to write about my late mother instead. She passed away 15 years ago, a long time by any standard but her legacy lives on in her children. Last weekend, my family paid a visit to my mother's eldest brother's house during his house warming. We found out from Uncle Allan that my mother's love of cats and animals was inherited. I never thought that love for animals were a inherited trait...it seemed more like a social condition; if your parents used to have pets and you grow up surrounded with pets, you are likely to have one yourself since you are used to the idea. But clearly, even though my mother was given away as a baby, she had the same love for animals as did her biological parents and siblings.
However, it is not just her love of animals that make people love her. It is her generosity and compassion. I remembered when I was small that one of my father's relatives stole her entire jewelery collection (at the time, we were really poor and she struggled to save for them). Instead of reporting it to the police, she forgave the person and still welcomed her (albeit more cautiously). My father's eldest sister considered her to be her actual sister and told me after my mother's passing that she had lost a confidante.
My mother was the one who taught me to be inclusive and that family is not about blood. It can be seen through my mother's relations...my mother was adopted and so was her younger half-sister. Her parents split and she was raised by a stepmother who brought her oldest daughter. So my mother grew with a step-sister and a half-sister who had no blood connection with each other. Yet, till today, I am close with both my aunts because my mother used to very close to them. My relatives also include my father's step-sister's family. My step-aunt happened to be my mother's best friend. That was how my parents met.
So, it was not a wonder that my family was able to embrace my stepmother and her family. To us, it is not the blood that matters but the feelings of closeness. Something that my mother managed to pass down to us.
Of course, the last advice she ever gave me is to be humble. That is not an easy task but I am trying to follow the advice to the best of my ability...for all our differences, mom, I do love you.
Friday 9 May 2008
Anita Hook
Anita was one of the first FOLC (fans of Lois and Clark) I met. At the time, I was writing fanfiction in that fandom and being in Cambridge, Mass, I could be active in IRC since I was basically in the same time zone as most of the US FOLC.
While I got to know several FOLCs, Anita quite stood out. Being far away from home, I felt welcomed by her, especially after we met during the Christmas period that year (I think it was 2001). I still have the Superman T-shirt she gave me then. And in the years since, while we've not stayed in close contact, we've always managed to catch up on the IRC and exchanged emails. She was a warm and generous person, very fun loving. Given Boston's weather condition, she still got a convertible for herself after experiencing it in LA.
FOLC has lost one of its stalwart. She was very knowledgable on FOLC and was willing to help any of us. She even extended me an invitation to come and stay with her when I visit...unfortunately I never managed to take her up on her offer....and now...great! I can't seem to stop crying. It is a shock this morning when I checked my email and saw an email from a mutual friend, Natascha, that she passed away last week. I still can't get over it since as I mentioned earlier in my blog that just last week, Natascha mentioned that Anita was suffering from kidney failure. I was hoping that dialysis could help but I guess God has other plans.
Anita, here's to you...may God bless you for all the generosity and kindness you have shown to all of us at FOLC...we'll miss you!
While I got to know several FOLCs, Anita quite stood out. Being far away from home, I felt welcomed by her, especially after we met during the Christmas period that year (I think it was 2001). I still have the Superman T-shirt she gave me then. And in the years since, while we've not stayed in close contact, we've always managed to catch up on the IRC and exchanged emails. She was a warm and generous person, very fun loving. Given Boston's weather condition, she still got a convertible for herself after experiencing it in LA.
FOLC has lost one of its stalwart. She was very knowledgable on FOLC and was willing to help any of us. She even extended me an invitation to come and stay with her when I visit...unfortunately I never managed to take her up on her offer....and now...great! I can't seem to stop crying. It is a shock this morning when I checked my email and saw an email from a mutual friend, Natascha, that she passed away last week. I still can't get over it since as I mentioned earlier in my blog that just last week, Natascha mentioned that Anita was suffering from kidney failure. I was hoping that dialysis could help but I guess God has other plans.
Anita, here's to you...may God bless you for all the generosity and kindness you have shown to all of us at FOLC...we'll miss you!
Thursday 8 May 2008
Understanding investment theories
Okay, I've been reading this book entitled "Investments" by Sharpe, Alexander, and Bailey. I'm also starting to read on "Derivative Securities" by Jarrow and Turnbull. Really, mind boggling...I thought I am quite savvy about investments, but little did I know.
Anyway, read about all types of instruments used for investments like call/put options, short selling, etc. So buy = long and sell = short. While I understand the dynamics of short selling, it doesn't make much sense to me. How is it possible to sell something that you don't own?
Another concept is the interest rates and present values. Seems like today's money is worth more than tomorrow's money. That means that not only does our wealth decreases with time, but to make up for it, we would need to use more and more resources to maintain the same level of wealth...hmm, given we have finite resources, is that why we're having all these crisis of food shortage, poverty, and so on? No wonder, we are called the consumer society.
I do understand that the argument that if you invest now, your money will grow...but that is not the same as "today's money is worth more than tomorrow's." Because of inflation and other factors, our purchasing power decreases even as we invest the money. A return of $100 in 5 years for every $100 we invest now (nominal return) may not have the same purchasing power if we had obtained that return today.
So, something is seriously wrong with our economy if my intepretations of what I'm reading are correct.
Anyway, read about all types of instruments used for investments like call/put options, short selling, etc. So buy = long and sell = short. While I understand the dynamics of short selling, it doesn't make much sense to me. How is it possible to sell something that you don't own?
Another concept is the interest rates and present values. Seems like today's money is worth more than tomorrow's money. That means that not only does our wealth decreases with time, but to make up for it, we would need to use more and more resources to maintain the same level of wealth...hmm, given we have finite resources, is that why we're having all these crisis of food shortage, poverty, and so on? No wonder, we are called the consumer society.
I do understand that the argument that if you invest now, your money will grow...but that is not the same as "today's money is worth more than tomorrow's." Because of inflation and other factors, our purchasing power decreases even as we invest the money. A return of $100 in 5 years for every $100 we invest now (nominal return) may not have the same purchasing power if we had obtained that return today.
So, something is seriously wrong with our economy if my intepretations of what I'm reading are correct.
Friday 2 May 2008
Another accident - part 2
Well, seems like this is the week for bad news. Not only was I in an accident two days ago, yesterday, my brother had an accident which landed him in the hospital for a day or two. He was on his way back home riding his bike when he fell asleep and found himself falling down. Currently his left knee is injured and he has scrapes and bruises all over his hands. Luckily there was no other injury.
Then last night, I heard my Rotary club president had a mild heart attack and another Rotarian is suffering from bronchitis. Also, my uncle came yesterday and told us that my aunt is now on dialysis...I had a similar email from a friend about one of our mutual friends. And lastly, I found out another friend's nephew was suffering from cancer.
God, please grant those afflicted with good health and a fast recovery. Grant them also patience in their adversity and strength to see it through. Ameen.
Then last night, I heard my Rotary club president had a mild heart attack and another Rotarian is suffering from bronchitis. Also, my uncle came yesterday and told us that my aunt is now on dialysis...I had a similar email from a friend about one of our mutual friends. And lastly, I found out another friend's nephew was suffering from cancer.
God, please grant those afflicted with good health and a fast recovery. Grant them also patience in their adversity and strength to see it through. Ameen.
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