An unprecedented moment in world history...

I'm not just saying this because I live in the US of A now, but yesterday's election WAS an unprecedented event not only in the history of America, but also the world. I know how people typically stereotype Americans as egocentric and self-absorbed, but I can be certain that the collectivistic blood of the Orient still runs deep in my veins and I'm not making this statement because I've decided to trade in the five stars and one crescent for a star-spangled banner. However, the election of President-Elect Barack Obama truly marks the dawn of a new era. Though it may seem inconsequential to some of us living out of the US--you don't understand what the big hoo-ha is all about--all I can say is that America as a nation, its culture, economy, education, politics, etc. does have an astronomical impact on the rest of the world. Okay, I guess I've made my point.

Anyway, I'm not here to yak about politics, nor am I here to rejoice and celebrate Barack Obama, I mean, President-Elect, Obama's victory, although I was rooting for him throughout, and was exhilarated when he toppled the McCain campaign, and Sarah Palin (who by the way, had openly expressed her intentions to join the race for the white house in eight year's time!). I just thought I'd blog about my experiences regarding this election because I felt so privileged to be able to witness such a historical event right where it happened. Okay, that is partly true, the truth  is I really wanna blog about this even more so because I was blown away by the over the top reactions of Americans throughout the elections, and especially last night when Obama was declared the 44th president of the United States of America. I'm sure you know how wild they can get. 

The campaign fever really got into me when the two then-presidential candidates came to Columbia for their very first face-to-face dialogue. That I have blogged about. That really got me interested in this whole campaign. In the past few months, there had been so many controversies surrounding Palin (over the unjustified sacking of her former brother-in-law, and her former beauty queen, current hockey mum status) and Obama (his so-called associations with terrorists, and at the start his name sounding like Osama..haha), and it had all been so juicy and talked about over here. Professors and students would comment about presidential debates in class. There was one time, a student in class raised how Cindy McCain insinuated that people in the US Navy don't get PTSD because they are well-trained, and someone else mentioned how McCain stuck out his tongue at times when he said something wrong. On the streets, you would see booths with Obama stuff, and people wearing t-shirts in support of Obama. Then came Halloween when people even dressed up like him. And there were a few Sarah Palins too. More recently there was this dude I think from Brazil that decided to wake up in the morning and do a huge (and I mean really enormous) sand portrait of Obama on a long stretch of beach in his country. With all this happening, it was hard not to be attentive to the elections. That was accentuated when Lehman Bros fell, and both presidential candidates were putting forward their respective rescue package proposals and debates regarding the financial bailout ensued. Last week, Obama's campaign committee did something unprecedented in the history of the American elections. They bought prime time slots on major television networks and did a half-an-hour campaign ad last Wednesday. That costed them a bomb! But the ad was amazing, I felt both an emotional and an intellectual appeal coming from it. Obama is a fantastic speaker, or rather he had an amazing script-writer. Whenever he spoke, it sounded like some script taken off a Hollywood movie where one hero, leader or king makes this dramatic ra-ra speech to boost the morale of their audience. Above all, this campaign was historical because if Obama won, America would have their first African American president (well, technically not completely accurate because Obama's actually half caucasian and he has two degrees, one from Columbia and the other from Harvard, but still...); if McCain won, America would have their oldest president ever elected and first female vice-president, Sarah Palin; if Hillary won the democrat nomination for president, there could have potentially been a first female president in the history of the United States of America. So these points made this whole election so captivating.  

I had two random strangers talk to me yesterday on election day. One was this dude on the street who asked me whether I was voting and obviously I said no. And there was this other guy in the elevator that asked me the same question. Everyone was just so engrossed with elections yesterday. Throughout the day, there were people driving those campaign trucks and sounding those campaign horns (like how we used to do in the earlier days when PAP was still driving around in their lorries and SDP was still in operation...Ah, the Pay-And-Pay, So-Don't-Pay days...). Last night, major news stations zeroed in on the final race to the oval office by canceling regular TV shows and replacing them with election coverage (oh yah, even Heros was postponed on NBC because of some pre-election program telecasted on Monday night...darn!). From 6.30pm all the way till 12.30am, all that was on TV was voting statistics. CNN was doing projections and there came a point where it seemed like McCain was losing the battle and then later on he jumped back for a while. But when Obama seized majorities in the West coast, mainly Washington and California, his victory was sealed. He won 70% of voters' tickets in New York City by the way. Soon later McCain gave his defeat speech and later on Obama gave his landmark, victory speech which was really rousing to the crowd in Chicago and us tuning in on TV. Outside the window, in the streets, we could hear cars horning, people yelling and cheering when Obama was declared the winner. We peered outside the window and we saw people walking on the roads not giving a hoot about the vehicles. A friend of ours said that he was in a cab and this male person just literally walked over the taxi (like pranced over the bonnet). That was how crazy it was. It was like New Year's Day. People were packed elbow-to-elbow at Times Square, Harlem, and everywhere. People were standing on telephone booths and bus-top shelters just to catch the action at Times Square! TV stations were zooming in on people in the crowd with tearful faces, and famous people in the crowds like Jesse Jackson and Oprah. The enormity and intensity of reactions displayed was remarkable.   

This morning I was woken up by sirens. When I walked on the streets, everything felt so surreal and I felt like I was in a state of derealization. There were fire engines and police cars on the streets. Close to where I live was a car accident that had me wondering whether there were more incidents of road traffic accidents last night given the victory prances on the streets of NYC. As a raring fire engine drove by, I peered into the vehicle and caught a quick glimpse of FDNY firemen with their matter-of-fact, cool-as-a-cucumber expressions that totally contrasted the urgency and impatience depicted in the blaring siren. Perhaps all this brouhaha going on was long anticipated and expected. Apart from that, nothing seemed different. The first morning after election day seemed just like any other ordinary day. More than 20 months of campaigning had culminated in the nation's election of its first African American president. Everything will probably resume normalcy in a couple of days, maybe weeks. I wonder what vendors are going to do with their McCain paraphernalia. After the big event, life goes back to day-to-day struggling with finances and commitments. 

As I reflect on this whole event, the only thought on my mind is my hope that Obama can truly deliver what he had promised. Bush has become the scapegoat responsible for the total mess this country is in, and Obama has been accorded the mandate to clear this trash up. A huge burden weighs on his shoulder now, and he must swiftly change his gear and operate as the commander-in-chief of the nation. World leaders are looking toward him. The people of America are gazing expectantly at him. Can the man who inspired and raised so much hope throughout millions and billions of hearts in the USA create the needed and desired change in a country so diverse and stricken with social ills and poverty? Skeptics and pundits alike will now be scrutinizing his every move. With great power comes tremendous responsibility. And I guess that's why Times Square Church is organizing a day of prayer and fasting tomorrow to pray for the new president-elect and his government. And I hope Barack Obama will live each day safely as he takes the oval office in the white house (haha, there was a joke on the Internet about the white house going to be repainted if Barack wins--that's a joke, don't take it seriously). There were two dudes that were arrested for plotting to assassinate him few weeks back. Okay, I'm going to stop here. I haven't completed my paper that I need to turn in a few hours later, and I seriously need to get back to it. 

"Yes, we can!"  

Long time no blog

Haha it's been a while since my last entry. Not that I've been super busy (well, a little maybe), just pure laziness and devoid of motivation, I guess. When you are away in a foreign land, there are so many interesting things that you can blog about. Just too many such that it gets too overwhelming when you give yourself a little break; you don't know where to start again. So before the "hiatus" prolongs, I shall do a blog summary of what's been happening in my life since October. Haha, so my mum will also know that I'm "alive and well"! (:

So I went down to Brooklyn twice. The first time I went with two really wonderful Korean female friends of mine. We went to Brooklyn Tabernacle--this church which is really well-known in NYC for their choir and music--for a Tuesday night prayer meeting. They have such a beautiful place--similar to Times Square Church, they acquired an old theatre and spruced it up. To be honest, that was the first ever authentic prayer meeting I've ever been to. There was a time of worship with only four back-up singers and a reduced band. Nonetheless, the voices and music sounded so wholesome and the harmonies were rich. We were each given a prayer slip later on, containing a prayer request from someone whom we didn't know. I presume all the prayer requests that were made to the church that week were printed out and disseminated to attendees to accord individual attention to during the meeting. I found it great that members were able to be involved in prayer for other members. Such a great way to promote unity and awareness of existing needs in church! This way, the burden gets shared among members and does not simply fall upon the shoulders of church leaders. 

The second time I went down to Brooklyn was last Sunday. This time we both went down with our Singaporean friend to check out the "Atlantic Antic", an annual fair where they block up a huge stretch of Atlantic Avenue and have stalls lined up on two sides of the street--something like our Pasar Malam but a whole lot fancier. It was so long! There were so many stalls selling all kinds of stuff; odds and ends like old furniture, jewelry, t-shirts (haha the Obama ones are everywhere!), etc. were on sale. Macy's had a corner selling shoes and offering foot massage. There was also this bus museum, where kids were allowed to hop on old vintage buses to play and snap pictures. Beautiful balloons with Elmo and Spongebob were everywhere. And as usual, New Yorkers brought their little (and some not so little) pooches out as they walked down Atlantic Avenue. The weather was cloudy, but cool and not too cold. And the food, wow, there were dozen of stalls along the street, but they kind of repeat--like our Pasar Malam but food looks more high-class heh. They had some restaurants setting up makeshift kitchens and serving fancy stuff outdoors. We ate oysters and had this roast pork sandwich (nothing near our sio bah, but good nonetheless!). I had a corndog which cost me USD5!!! Haha, more high class and upmarket then ours alright...

Our real purpose in Brooklyn however, was not to visit the fair. Rather, that Sunday, Paul Baloche (this kinda famous worship-leader, songwriter) was ministering at Brooklyn Tabernacle with their awesome choir. So he was there, and so we decided that it'll be a fantastic time to pop into their service to see what it's like, especially since so many people have recommended that place to me. It was good, but I guess the food in my stomach was digesting and I felt a little sleepy, hence I couldn't fully immerse myself in the entire experience. Haha, but Paul was great. The authenticity in his worship-leading and the songs that he sang (actually one song in particular) were inspiring. What do I mean by that? Well, someone was very inspired by it, and determined to buy a guitar subsequently (before that, the will to buy one was there, but after Paul's guitar-playing it was probably enhanced by a great deal). We've been on a guitar-hunt for few weeks now--went to the guitar centre in Manhattan twice, and the one in Brooklyn once. Probably go down to the one in Manhattan tonight and buy one once and for all. 

Last stop on the excursion to Brooklyn was a trip to Target--haha, how could we not go to Target yah? We don't have one near campus so it's always great to see one when we are out and about. They sell all sorts of stuff and very cheap too. We finally bought a rice cooker and will probably be cooking rice soon. This Saturday we'll be heading down to Chinatown for dinner with a couple of Chinese friends. And most likely we'll get some groceries too---Chinese vegetables!!!! They only sell western "stir-fry" in the grocery stores near campus. Anyway, we gave up a meal at Grimaldi's--this famous pizza place near the Brooklyn Bridge which is a famous tourist sight--and ice-cream at the Ice-Cream Factory beside it, to visit Target. So we'll probably go back to Brooklyn again.

Woah, I haven't even got to other events beyond our Brooklyn adventures. Well, what else is happening? Hmm...we found a gem in East Village! After heading down to the guitar centre last Saturday, we walked toward East Village hoping to get some good and genuine Jap food. East Village is like a bohemian place, similar to our Holland V in Singapore. It's lovely! And there are several Jap eateries there that seem very authentic. After browsing through menus and deciding between various options, we went to one that was filling up with people rather quickly. The deco of the eatery had such a huge Jap flavor, and the people working in it were all Jap, so we figured that it'll be good. They had these vintage Jap posters on the wall (there was one with a nude woman!!! haha Japanese are known to be kinky), and some 60s Jap music playing in the background (I would describe it as in the genre of the Doremon theme song). The food was super cheap!!! And the portions were just nice. I had a Tanin Don (beef and egg with rice). It was very yummy cos' the sauce from the beef had penetrated the egg causing it to be so tasty and flavorful. Haha it was an unforgettable gastronomic experience! I couldn't help but rave about it throughout our subway trip back to campus. We'll definitely be going back to East Village to get our dose of Jap food. 

Had meals with a couple of friends this week too. We went to this Vietnamese place with my course-mate from Taiwan and her brother, and had a wonderful time just laughing and chatting. The four of us were all psych majors!!! And are all studying psychology now. So there was so much to talk about... psychology, being non-American (a lot about this actually!), etc. Haha, and I was really impressed with my Mandarin! I spoke much more fluently than I expected myself to. That was Wednesday evening. On Tuesday night, we met another friend for dessert at this Hungarian pastry shop on Amsterdam Avenue. The pastries were nice but really je lah after a while. But overall, the pastries were delectable and the place was crowded for a weekday night. In fact, I bumped into my Korean friend who was studying there. She's such a lovely girl and a devoted Christian. I had a nice and long chat with her on the subway when we were going back to Manhattan from Brooklyn. It's really fantastic to meet people who have so much in common with you. 

Okay, I shall stop here for now. I need to continue on my paper. Hopefully, I'll get back to blogging soon. Maybe next time, I'll be blogging about the guitar. Haha. 

Two beautiful songs of praise...

Your Name by Paul Baloche

Offering by Paul Baloche

A Flushing Discovery!!!

Praise God! Found a new place to feast on Chinese and Malaysian (pseudo-Singaporean) cuisine, and to buy Asian groceries from (can find Milo, Chu Qian Yi Ding, Kai Lan, Ribena, century egg, etc.)! Yippeee... This place is called Flushing--don't ask me why, I really have no idea. It's in Queens, another borough of New York City (the others being Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn, etc.). Haha, it's like a second Chinatown with a little Korea attached to it. My friend, Celia from Taiwan, recommended me to this place called Nan Xiang Xiao Long Bao, which is (obviously) known for xiao long bao, and so (obviously) we had xiao long bao!

Super juicy xiao long bao!!!

Eating the xiao long bao with care.

We also had pork chop noodles which was extremely tasty, soya bean milk, and you tiao. And it was cheap!! Compared to Manhattan, that is. Later on, we went to Macy's and got me a pair of red, polka-dot rain boots! I really like them. But I'm too lazy to take a photo of them and post it here. Maybe next time yah. They cost me 69 bucks. As I was paying I was chatting with this Chinese-American salesgirl who has the same last name as me, birthday in October like me, and wants to go to TC. So much details in just a while eh? That's because she spent a long time helping me to apply for a Macy's card which was unsuccessful in the end because I didn't have a Social Security Number. Meanwhile, I also helped to do translation for two customers who could only speak Mandarin. Knowing chinese is really helpful--especially in the line of work I want to do and it looks good on my CV too. I just joined this research team at the School of Epidemiology that is embarking on a project to do with Schizophrenia in the Chinese-American immigrant community and I'm in the translation team because I'm bilingual! It is a precious language. Don't lose it. 

After shopping at the Chinese supermarket (where we bought 12 packets of instant mee!), we went to have bubble tea. They have Quickly there. But it wasn't as nice as the one in Singapore. The pearls were too chewy and tasteless. I bet I can find better ones here. My mum should really set up a stall selling bubble tea near Columbia. It'll be money-raking! Finally, we had dinner at this place called Sentosa, which serves Malaysian (not Singaporean) food. We had Hainanese Chicken Rice and Curry Chicken Rice, and they were pretty good! Haha, and cheap too (again as compared to Manhattan). They have other stuff like Roti Canai (that is, Roti Prata) and ice kachang. Looks like we'll be back for more. 

Won't be missing Singapore food no more!

I'll be going back on Tuesday to meet my relatives for lunch. Apparently, I got two distant aunts (or grandaunts) there and I'll be visiting them at Flushing together with my uncle who is coming to NYC tomorrow. Got a lot of shopping to do when I go there on Tuesday. It's gonna be a 1 hour plus ride on the subway man. It's pretty far but worth the visit! 

Gonna stop here cos' I need to do some work. It's the end of the weekend; another week just flew by. Tomorrow night is the debut of the new season of HEROS on NBC!!! Yay! Can't wait. Here's a song that I really love that Times Square Church did today--very uplifting!

UNCHANGING by Chris Tomlin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vrGbVmfOw1A

Super hot Sunday - 09-14-2008 !!!

Hi everyone! I'm going to blog about today. It was really hot today. The weather has been a little erratic: cloudy and rainy on one day, and bright and hot on the next. Ha ha, it's been driving me nuts because I need to dress appropriately for the weather. I either end up overdressed and underdressed. So checking the weather forecast is a must before I leave the apartment. 

As per other Sundays, we went to Times Square Church today. Took some shots of the church facade and within the church:

Times Square Church located at 51st Street along Broadway

That's me standing across the street from the church!

The building is actually an old theatre so the ceiling is very elaborately designed.

This is the view from the gallery snapped before service began. The service starts at 10 am but people come here as early as 8 am just to secure seats! Last Sunday, we couldn't get seats cos' we went at 9.40 am so this week we were more kiasu! If you notice a man onstage, that's the senior pastor who was walking and praying before service. And people would gather at the altar area (below the stage) to pray every Sunday.

This was taken after service (obviously I'll be too preoccupied to take photos during service).You can see the choir onstage in their white robes and the pastor at the pulpit area. They were doing a baby dedication, so there were families onstage. And the crowds below are not extended family members. They were responding to an earlier altar call!

After church, we walked down Madison Avenue to go to the Apple Store to buy a cable for my new Samsung printer. Here are some shots taken along the way and of course shots of the Apple Store which was really cool. The place was crowded with people and according to the cashier I spoke to, he said the store opened 24 hours and it is crowded all the time (don't think he meant during the ungodly hours like 3 am though!). There were so many iPods, Macbooks, etc. displayed for people to play around with. And the store assistants, or "Specialists" really look hip, young and friendly. Ha ha, Mac is really about lifestyle and not branding anymore!

Travel by horse carriage - additional way of seeing NYC & getting tourists to spend $$

The smell of horse manure was really pungent in the air!

The mecca for all Mac fans! Ha Ha no prizes for whose fave store this is!

Apple fans - actually it's just one Apple fan, I'm not that fanatic yet!

Check out the contours of this building. Nice reflective surface too.

It's the Louis Vuitton building (rightmost building)! Fans of Louis sure must love this.

The previous photo was actually taken in Harlem. We took a walk along 25th Street to look for Havaianas. Happens that the only shop selling those flipflops is situated in Harlem. But to our disappointment, there were no male designs--now you know who we were shopping for! We didn't really take many pictures there cos' it was our first time visiting the area and we were busy appreciating the sights and sounds, and being vigilant. We were the only 2 out of 3 Asians walking around there on a Sunday afternoon--other person was this old Chinese woman selling terrapins to a bunch of Blacks...which was quite an interesting sight. I didn't dare to snap that on my cam so instead we took this pix of Popeye's...LOL!!!

After Harlem, we went back to rest before whipping up a nice pasta dinner. It was yummy!!! Ha ha, we are really perfecting our pasta...so far we have used 2 kinds of bases, marinara and pesto. Next, we'll try Alfredo! I must say, our pasta beats Pasta Mania's hands down! Watch out for photos of the food we cook in my subsequent postings! For now, photos from PINKBERRY, this hip dessert chain that has hordes of Columbia student supporters! Their desserts are simply heavenly and delectable - it's just yogurt (choose from original, green tea and coffee flavor) and select your toppings from an array of fruits and cereal!!!  

 

Haha,  just posing with my PINKBERRY! Relax, I'm not eating both portions.

Front cup: Med-sized, original yogurt with blackberries, kiwis, and Captain Crunch.

Rear cup: Med-sized, original yogurt with strawberries, kiwis, and mochi! 

Guess who ordered which... 

Answer revealed!!!

Finally made it home to set up my new Samsung printer with the cable I bought from the Apple Store. It looks nice right? But it's super heavy and takes up a lot of space!!! I was so frustrated earlier on that the paper kept jamming. And I later realized that my paper was considered "thick" and I had to alter the settings on the computer....zzzzzz....zzzz....zzz...zz. The stack of paper I bought cost me eight bucks--USD, mind you!!! 

Haha, it's super late!!! I've done it again! It took me so long to upload and format the photos. I had to drag each one to the exact spot and every time I uploaded them, they appeared right on top of my posting. Okay, shall end here...and that also marks the end of my day anyway. Just want to leave you with something that touched me during the service today...second verse of Amazing Grace. Tears just rolled down uncontrollably today as we sang it in church.

Twas' grace that taught my heart to fear

And grace my fears relieved

How precious did that grace appear

The hour I first believed...

It wasn't by chance that I got to know you, Lord. It was by your grace that I experienced fear in my heart--the fear of things around me and the fear of You, Lord--and the only way to bring relief to those fears was to run into Your wide and open arms. And by that same grace, You calmed my fears and still do today. It wasn't by chance. It was all because of Your amazing grace. 

The night they put aside their differences and sang the same tune...

Columbia University was swarming with people tonight as the two giants in the race for the nation's most powerful and coveted position participated in the same forum (but were interviewed separately; we were hoping it was going to be a political debate) at the university auditorium. Woah, the steps of Low library and the surrounding areas were packed with students like me who probably tried their luck at the lottery (that secured winners with seats in the auditorium) but weren't that lucky after all. The university placed this huge screen in front of the low library so that students can watch the forum live, and perhaps enjoy a little picnic and hangout time with friends.

The forum started at around 7.30 p.m., and we bought some sandwiches and choped our seats at a strategic location just before the screen. Scores and scores of students just crammed the area and soon every spot of empty space was filled. I would really like to upload these photos, but I forgot to bring my camera--bad timing to take my cam out of my handbag when I carry it with me most of the time--and the photos are still in the camera phone we used to snap a few shots. So some other time yah.

But anyway, you can imagine the scale of this. It's machiam Singaporeans going to Comex at Expo or Christians going for FOP. Tonight's meeting between the two senators is also especially meaningful to Columbia University. Well, maybe just the appearance of that one person that makes this a particularly significant one for all Columbia students I guess. Democrat presidential candidate, Senator Barack Obama, is a Columbia alum and a hot favorite among the crowd at Columbia--I'm sure there are some Republican supporters though. 

Tonight both candidates were here to talk about national service. National service here does not mean draft or NS like what it is commonly referred to in Singapore. They were both at Columbia to talk about their commitment and plans for citizens to contribute in their service to the nation. Today marked the anniversary of September 11 and I suppose TIME magazine who organized this event deemed it appropriate to pay tribute to people who serve the country, and also decided to engage the candidates in a conversation about their individual blueprints for national service. It was nice because both casted down their political cat-fight for the night and in one accord rallied the nation to move beyond themselves and to serve others.

A funny moment appeared at the start when the tech crew were still fixing problems with the screening. Just as the picture came on, this Black person was shown taking to the stage to give a speech and many in the crowd, thinking it was Obama, stood up to give him a standing ovation. When his frontal view presented itself, you could just hear chuckling in the crowd. Excitement just took over and fooled by their perceptions everyone assumed the man was Obama. One could just sense the enthusiasm towards the Columbia alum in the crowd. It was hilarious seeing students jeer or scrunch their faces as McCain spoke, and observing the contrasting reactions when Obama took to the stage. And that was no surprise because when Obama spoke you could tell the difference. In my opinion, McCain's words had little substance in comparison to the university hot favorite. Obama's replies were substantiated with concrete plans and sound policy. I admired those answers. I won't say I have become an Obama fan tonight like those people wearing Obama t-shirts, but I must say that he's my preferred choice between the two. 

It's a great time to be here in America when things are shaking and reforms in the government are about to take place. People seem to be yearning for change and clear direction towards a better future. Everyone is eager to vote and waiting for elections to come so that a new government can right some wrongs and bring about betterment for the citizenry. Whatever it is, we should pray for good leadership because the US is the world's power and its influence on other countries are far-reaching and tremendous. It's going to an exciting time in history!

Life in NYC through sunflower lenses

Realized I haven't been blogging much about life here and what I've been busy with so far. Well, maybe except for the part about buying stuff, which you probably would have gathered from my account of the bad experience I had with the fan. 

Basically, I've been busy with many many administrative procedures. Getting prepared for school is no easy feat, especially since you've left school, like I have, for a while. In the past few days, I had to set up a new bank account, purchase a cell phone plan, check in at the Office of International Services, get my TC ID card done, register for modules, activate my email account, etc. And so many new numbers and passwords to remember!!! It's like starting a whole new life altogether--guess this is what people go through when they emigrate as well. My NRIC no. means nothing over here. All I have is a student ID which functions like a Social Security no. Getting all these things done also mean me having to navigate my way through the labyrinthine walkways and multiple buildings on campus. We've also been doing a whole lot of walking down Broadway to get the stuff we need, and finding places to eat. So much walking has really taken a toil on my lower back (Remember that time when I hurt my back because of the "over-shopping" in HK? Yep, that dreadful pain is back!) One can only survive here with a good pair of walking shoes. They walk a lot here in New York!

There are some cool stuff, of course. Columbia has been bustling with activity for the past few days. Scores of freshies have been swarming the campus. People are moving into dorms with mini refrigerators, computers, pillows, etc (so Legally Blonde!). Orientation programs are going on, so you see people forming circles on lawns around campus, tours going on around the buildings, queues of students forming at the Citibank branch on campus, and people carrying plastic bags from the Columbia bookstore. Speaking of the campus store, it is really neat (heh, I'm beginning to speak their lingo). They sell all kinds of Columbia merchandize like apparels (hoodies!!), mugs, car plates and decals, etc., household items like the water purifier I got, and books from Barnes & Nobles. We got us some T-shirts yesterday (among them is a Polo Ralph t-shirt with the word, Columbia, embroidered on it!). Haha, students here have so much pride in their school and I'm not the least surprised ;)

The Orientation programs here are pretty cool too. Apart from social events like ice-cream meetings where people network and make new friends, student volunteers (otherwise known as peer advisors or mentors) organize trips to stores like IKEA and Target for new students to get household items, visits to museums, and trips to watch performances, etc. I didn't go for all but chose those that I was interested in. Besides orientation, there are student activities like trips to watch a Yankees game, $1 movie events, etc. planned throughout the semester, and the fitness center has classes such as yoga and tennis that students can sign up for a fee. Sorry NUS, but the American unis really sound more fun and more creative at sprucing up a boring academic life!

Here are three things I've learnt about NYC (at least the part where I've been):

1. New Yorkers love dogs! Almost everyone owns at least one dog or more, and dogs are everywhere--in the stores, outside restaurants, at the park, everywhere! They walk their dogs a lot! According to some stats I found off the net, there are over 1.4 million dogs and over 500,000 dog owners in NYC itself. My landlady also owns a dog. It is so tamed and super friendly!

2. New Yorkers walk a lot! I think I mentioned it above. But really, people here love to loiter! And there are people who love to stand around on sidewalks, just doing nothing (unless you count people-gazing as doing something). Well, guess the weather's much more conducive than it is in Singapore. You see people lying on grass patches in NYC during summer! Maybe that's why people prefer to stay indoors in Singapore (except maybe at Little India and also HDB void decks at night) even if they have nothing to do. 

3. New Yorkers eat huge portions! Think this may not be anything new to you, but I have definitely witnessed and experienced this myself. The portions here are enormous! I'm slowly learning how to order food here so I don't end up having to buy 2 dress sizes up by the time I leave this country (or even worse, my next trip back to Singapore!). There are so may eateries around; you just can't escape the onslaught of temptation. And there are really many obese people in NYC (that can take up 2 seats on the subway and on the planes). No wonder obesity is a major crisis in this country!! 

More in the next posting. Ciao!

Recovering my Singaporean roots in NYC...

Little did I know that I would revert to my Singaporean ways here. It was quick and instinctive. You must be wondering what I'm referring to. Well, just to give you a blatant hint, I almost wanted to entitle this posting "Forgive me for whining; I am but only human!" 

It seems insanely human but ironic that I whine about Singapore and sing praises about the US when I am back home in the humidity and unbearable heat, and yet when I move to the US, my vision narrows only to zero in on the efficiencies and good of Singapore and the flaws and not-so-ideal of NYC. "The grass is always greener on the other side" does seem to have a hold on me. 

Well, it was a gradual reconciliation process I had with my whining ways since I touched down in New York. At the start, zeal and gratitude saturated my mind. It took a huge turn on Sunday night. That was the first night since we came that we stayed out later than usual. We were heading back toward campus at around 9 p.m. after a play at Central Park, and decided to get something to eat before we went back to our respective apartments. Trust me, walking in the streets of NYC at night is an eye-opener for the typical Singaporean (which I am, of course). Once in a while, we heard the blasts of a siren belonging to either a police car, ambulance or fire engine. Most of what we saw that night were mainly ambulances I think. Along the journey, there were people loitering around, homeless people lying outside churches, a few people from a certain group standing at the corner of streets...it was kinda creepy. There are many people in NYC that towered over us in terms of height, and outweighed us in terms of width, u' know. Thank God we made it home safe and sound--if not I won't be blogging now right? 

It just isn't as safe here as it is in Singapore, I guess. Some of the people in the streets LOOK pretty dangerous, and it gets especially scary when they walk by you or ask you for donations. It's also especially chilling when you hear people near you raising their voices as though anytime soon a brawl would break out (believe me, this has happened a few times in the daytime since I came). Haha but anyway just to assure you, Columbia area is pretty alright. Security within and outside of campus is kinda tight. In fact, a survey by U Penn revealed that it is actually the safest CITY campus in the country. We heard this during a talk by the public safety department during orientation. They presented all their safety precautions and measures, but also sent the message that we are responsible for own personal welfare and safety. Apparently, one in four women in college are victims of attempted rape or rape itself. Such a scary statistic! 

 

Okay, more serious whining came on Monday when I had to return the fan that finally collapsed on me. Fine. It wasn't as safe as it looked. On Saturday morning it fell and made a loud thump just as I was preparing to go out. But it wasn't my fixing that was lousy, it was a defect in the make of the fan. Oh well, I decided to bring it back to the store to negotiate for a return or exchange (as most Americans would frequently do--heard it is in their culture to return things within 7 days). The store was located between 105th and 106th Street, and my apartment is somewhere near 120-something. Walking close to 20 streets down Broadway is no laughing matter if you are carrying a standing fan (in a box, of course) and your back has been aching for the past few days! Anyway, I did it. I walked down Broadway in a leisurely pace to create less pressure on my lower back. When I got to the store, the storeowner graciously allowed me to exchange for a new fan (heh, after a little wheedling). Unfortunately, there weren't many to choose from. So I ended up picking a smaller one (which I found a little too tiny) and having to pay an additional 10 USD for it. Sighz. That was the best option for me then. Anyway, by God's grace, everything paid off. I didn't have to assemble the fan on my own, and it is now working very well in my room. Phew! However, I felt disgusted by myself when I finally reached my apartment with the fan in my hands. The whole time I was walking back, I was complaining profusely in my mind and throwing myself a little pity party...

Haha the next big party came soon later though. Guess whiny me had inadequate conviction. We stopped by this seemingly Jap eatery for dinner yesterday on our way back from getting our cell phones done (got a new number from AT&T!) I guess we were deceived by the outward appearances of the restaurant. We assumed they served authentic Jap food of a certain standard. However, when the sushi came, we gained new revelation. Never be fooled by the looks of a restaurant! The seaweed in the sushi was tough, the raw salmon in it wasn't as fresh as it should be, and the rolls were out of shape. The Udon came in a huge bowl with tempura prawns (or rather battered HALF-prawns--they were sliced into 2!) and tempura broccoli(?). I had an enormous portion of rice in my donburi. The rice was nice, just that it wasn't Japanese! It was good CHINESE rice. And the tempura on the rice had sticky, starchy and salty stuff stuck to it (it didn't taste bad but it just wasn't mainstream tempura!). And did I mention that the large mushroom in the bowl of udon had a huge stem attached to it? This should've been removed! 

There I go again. Whine, whine, whine. I mean, I could say I was critiquing the food. But I knew in my mind I was complaining. You know how sometimes you just feel this spirit of negativity within you? And I know I was being willful because I did fuss about wasting calories on such lousy food, and blame my wrong selection of food on the restaurant rather on my own bad luck! I think I felt guiltier in this circumstance (even though the food was undeniably non-Japanese and pretty substandard) because there was this young Asian couple sitting beside us. And since the moment we sat down, I heard the guy raving about the food on his table, but we ended up doing the exact opposite. Well, one could argue that he probably wasn't Japanese nor was he a frequent taster of Jap cuisine, and it was his ignorance that deluded him into thinking that the food was great. But I certainly hope we didn't wreck their mood or foil his chances of starting something with that girl (I mean for all you know he could have brought her to this restaurant hoping to impress her!). However, it did come across me that I was being a bad ambassador for Christ. Not that he was tuning in to our conversation all the while he was on a date with this girl, but the table was definitely near enough for them to listen in to what we're saying to each other. Signz, I lost the chance to demonstrate my maturity in this situation...

Anyway, I prayed about it and have sought God for forgiveness. Conviction doesn't come easily but with diligent prayer. There are bound to be hits and misses as I adapt to my new lifestyle here in NYC. I certainly hope that I eventually will relinquish that whiny nature but I know it's going to be hard because humans tend to make comparisons and zoom in on the negatives. I won't be human if I don't have such tendencies yah?  However, I do know that God has the power to transform me. Not into someone who thinks the world is a patch of roses and perpetually sees things through rose-tinted lenses, but someone who is an objective observer and assessor of things. I hope I won't miss out on opportunities to show Christ-likeness in similar situations, especially when these are opportunities to glorify the name of the Lord. 

Woah, my posting's almost as long as a sermon. Time to halt now. I've got a whole day ahead!

Every blessing You pour out

I turn back to praise

When the darkness closes in, Lord

Still I will say...

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your name

Blessed be the name of the Lord

Blessed be Your glorious name.

Legal alien in New York on F1-status

It's been almost 3 days since I've been here in NYC and I'm slowly adjusting. When I thought I was doing fine however, I came to see some of the streets of NYC. Yesterday, we toured the Village area on foot and later on Chinatown, and were kinda repelled by the smell and sight of the streets. The subway was kinda filthy, as compared to Singapore's MRT of course. I'm sure it has improved over the years, but it certainly has a lot more room for improvement! I guess I'll have to lower my expectations of cleanliness in the city and make peace with the air conditions here. No wonder they sell toilet seat covers in this part of the world! Unfortunately, these are not available in all public places. But I must say, some of the toilets are pretty clean. Haha, American Standard I guess...

Ok, nasty stuff aside, there were some cool sights and sounds (and smells? Not really). There were lots of eateries and nice colonial buildings. Remnants of Dutch, English and German cultures were evident in the Village area. I was really amazed by the diversity of cultures all co-located in one place. There were rows of Japanese and Italian eateries. And cafes were all over the place, very much like our Holland-V, Alfresco style in Singapore. The guide, Arthur, who brought us around the area, was an elderly gentlemen in his seventies. He was really fit and energetic for his age. And his knowledge of the area was remarkable. His memory was so excellent; I doubt he'll ever be at risk for Alzheimer's! He furnished his introductions with song by breaking out into a little tune once in a while, in an abrupt but natural and entertaining fashion. 

Anyway, I think I'll take a while to get used to NYC. I really wanna love this place cos' I'll be residing here for the next few years! By God's grace, I just happened to begin reading the Book of Daniel for my QT, and had found so much wisdom that is really relevant to me right now. Isn't it amazing that the bible is still relevant today after so many eons?! Daniel first described his adjustment to Babylon when he was sent there as part of a program to get the elite crop from Israel to serve the Babylonian Empire. In Babylon, Daniel had to learn all about the new culture. Nonetheless, while doing so, he chose to maintain his steadfast allegiance to God, and God grant Him skills and wisdom. It is important to clarify that God does not oppose culture, but He certainly is displeased by cultural practices that go against His Word. Wise-old Daniel was able to learn what was necessary in the new place without compromising God's laws. 

So what are the keys for Daniel's success? How can Christians survive in a foreign culture? And what am I going to attempt to do? Here are my strategies (as cited in my most valued Life Application Study Bible):

1. Learn about the culture--be open!

2. Strive for excellence in my work--and hopefully achieve success!

3. Serve the people around me and those in a church.

4. Pray diligently for God's help and intervention.

5. Maintain my integrity--this is vital.

I'm really looking forward to Chapter 2 of Daniel and Chapter 3, the one with the miracle of the burning furnace where they all come out alive and the son of man is seen in it!

Ciao! 

THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF JESUS! (Night One)

I attended Dr Joe Stowell's seminar at St Andrews Cathedral last night. What he preached about was a huge revelation to me! The night began with squeezing through packs of people to find a perching spot, but the effect was a magnificent chorus of majestic singing that resounded within the sanctuary. Everyone came with such eagerness and fervent hearts, and despite our different Christian upbringings, we were all united in song. In my bible-study companion's personal account, it was simply "a sight of deafening praise" for the Sri Lankan national beside him was singing with all his might. But in all, it was a pleasant surprise and a warm fuzzy feeling of gladness inside. 

Dr Stowell did not delve into the book of Philippians as scheduled. Instead he chose to deviate to another topic which he probably felt compelled by the Spirit to teach about. He preached about the link between Mattew 4 and John 21--how Simon Peter was first called to follow Christ and how his last encounter was Jesus was played out. Both occurred along the beach when the apostles went fishing. I'm going to briefly mention some learning points here (together with a little research I did based on some of the things he said) because it spoke really deeply to me and I hope you glean some new insights that will refresh and nourish your understanding of the Word. Importantly, I felt that the sensitivity Dr Stowell had towards the intricacies of the bible scripture encouraged me and spurred me on to read the bible deeply instead of superficially.

1. WHO ARE WE?

Dr Stowell first challenged asked by asking us who we were. And obviously, most of us would have replied that we were tailors, doctors, admin workers, candle-makers, etc., according to our occupations. But really that creates a problem when we retire or lose our jobs, because along with that, we will relinquish our self-identity and go into a serious conundrum. 

We need to identify ourselves as Christians, followers of Christ. Dr Stowell also mentioned that the early Christians in the bible were known as "People of the Way". True enough, as I did my own search, I realized that this was actually a derogatory term that was used by the Romans to define people who practiced the Christian faith. After all, Jesus was "the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6). What was amazing for me was that people then were not just recognized by what they belief in (which was Christ), but they were known for following "the way" . This early title reflected the importance of our Kingdom lifestyle. 

In Psychology, there are experiments revealing that people who admired or liked certain others would emulate them in action and this was experimentally uncovered when their concrete gestures seemed to imitate the person of admiration or adoration. So likewise, our love for Christ should be exhibited in the manner we behave. If we are truly "People of the Way" (Acts 9:2; 18:24), how do we reflect His ways? 

As you read the gospels, you will soon realize that Jesus is one true "deviant" (I'm not saying this to blaspheme against Him, nor am I suggesting that I'm using it negatively). He does not conform because the world accords low status to prostitutes and tax-collectors but He reaches out to them in generosity and love nonetheless; the world celebrates greed and money but he encourages us to forsake these in light of greater things to come. His "way" is a totally different one. It is a narrow one separate from the broad and comfortable one many are treading today. 

WHO ARE WE? 

WE ARE THE PEOPLE OF THE WAY!

2. REMEMBER YOUR FIRST CALLING?

Dr Stowell also prompted us to remember our first calling to follow Christ. We were taken to the book of Matthew where Simon Peter was called (Mt 4: 18-20). The crucial text that goes unnoticed very often is the part where Peter and Andrew were said to "left their nets". They dropped their nets, and what is significant about that you may ask? They left everything behind, their job and identity, and took on a new one as a follower of Christ. They immediately dropped their nets! I'm not saying that you should quit your job (neither is Dr Stowell proposing that), but we need to remember that what you do isn't your identity. Besides, we are not saved by our righteousness and our deeds, if so we would all never attain salvation. We are saved by grace, God's grace. Doing tons of charitable acts will not determine your eternity.

Here in chapter 4 of Matthew was an important link to John 21 where the disciples decide again to go fishing. I presume some of you are seeing some light now. By then, Jesus was already crucified and the hope they harbored for Him to achieve certain political prowess and extinguish the Roman sovereignty in their land was diminished. The disciples were obviously feeling defeated and devastated, and hence they returned to their trade. And perhaps, they were deciding to forgo everything they had invested in within the last three years of their time with Christ. They took up their nets again and went fishing, but in verse 3 as it was said that they "caught nothing". Dr Joe Stowell mentioned that sometimes leaders fail when they don't follow Christ, and I guess there's an element of truth in that in our lives. When we ignore what we were called to. Remember that God's plans for us are always far better than what we have planned for ourselves--believe me ya!

At the end of the chapter, Jesus asked Peter the same question 3 times. If it were me, I'd probably feel equally hurt like Peter. I mean, likely Peter was going in his heart: "Jesus, are you doubting me?" But when He said that, it could be that Jesus was trying to convey the seriousness in what he was asking. He was probably telling Peter: "No, I mean seriously, do you really love me?". It was not just a brotherly love Jesus was looking for, but an Agape love--the highest of all, one that was unconditional. And He then asked Peter to "feed me sheep". I guess we would all simply think that Jesus was trying to say that if we loved Him, we should heed his Word to love our neighbors and serve others. 

More deeply, Jesus was instructing us to care for what He cared for. Just like how you would care for what your loved one would care for, in the same way, we are called to care for what Jesus cared for most--His people. And have you ever wondered why humans are referred to as sheep? According to Dr Stowell's theory, sheep are not very smart in the animal kingdom--they just go baah all day. They are one of the weakest. They break their legs easily, they fall easily. They symbolize the neediness in the world. Jesus cared about the needy and their needs and was asking Peter to do the same. And He is asking us to do the same. 

JESUS, PLEASE SHOW UP ON THE BEACH OF OUR LIVES ONCE AGAIN. JUST LIKE HOW YOU FIRST CALLED US, LET US RELEASE THE NETS IN OUR HANDS AND RESPOND LIKE HOW PETER DID. HE RAN TO YOU ON THE BEACH.

Lastly, Jesus supplied everything. In verse 9 you'll see that Jesus was already making breakfast and calling out "come and have breakfast". Like wow, Jesus you are amazing. The whole load of fish they caught that morning amounted to 153. And mind you, they were "large" fish (v. 11). This scene encapsulated God's provision in our lives. When you decide to follow Christ, you don't need to worry about the needs in your life because Christ will supply them all. Jesus showed up three times after He was crucified. He did so always at the weirdest times, but they were the most life-transforming moments. He's amazing!

REMEMBER YOUR FIRST CALLING AND HOW YOU RELINQUISHED EVERYTHING AND LET GO OF YOUR WORRIES AND BURDENS.

Just Musings...

So much has happened recently. Not so much in my life exactly (sorry to those who are expecting exciting life accounts, but my life is kinda boring at the moment), but rather in the world around us. Yes, most of you will probably guess easily that I'm talking about the twin tragedies in Asia--the Sichuan earthquake and the Cyclone Nargis that hit Myanmar. Amidst these, everyone's talking about rising fuel and food prices. In neighboring Indonesia, civilians have taken to the streets to protest the escalating fuel prices, hurling molotov cocktails at police officers and being subdued with pepper spray. American Idol season 7 just crowned David Cook as their latest winner...(okay just to point out the diverse things happening in the world...not that it's a major upset--I like the fella). 

Seeing images of people devastated by the catastrophes has brought me to tears. I'm really a crybaby at heart. Cast aside that confident and poised facade, and you'll see a very vulnerable me. I read the newspapers, and tears can just well in my eyes. When the twin towers were struck in the 911 incident and CNA kept screening the clips round-the-clock, I seemed as though I was on some korean drama marathon, one of those "Winter Sonata-Stairway to Heaven" ones of course, for the subsequent weeks. Not going to start about the time when SQ06 crashed in Taiwan...

As people from all nations rally around the bereaved and help in efforts to reconstruct the country and mend the broken hearts, the resiliency among the adversity is simply remarkable. Grieving is normal in the first instance, but ultimately, most cope, adapt and pick themselves up. You see people who have lost loved ones step up to tend to other survivors--for example, the Chinese female police officer who is nursing several children who had lost their mums. The altruism is equally amazing. Of course, there are many people who don't give a hoot about these things. We can't really blame them cos' these may be of remote significance to them--these events happened thousand of miles away from us--and imagine if we were to be so affected by everything that happens in the world...we'll be crushed every time something major strikes the world. Life still goes on and people need to function per normal. Nonetheless, events like these present a strong reminder that life is uncertain and fragile for that matter. Our country is fortunate to be buffered from natural disasters, but accidents or illness can happen to anyone of us. Life is like a vapor, transient and fleeting. But in our short lifespan on earth, it would be ideal to savor every moment and enjoy the gifts of family and friends. Events such as these serve grave reminders to the father that returns home from work every night to a sleeping household, the overachiever that spends more time socializing with his computer at work then his parents at home, the online junkie that lives his entire life virtually (no pun intended) in the Cyberworld (all references are not specific to the male species of course).

The ironic thing about humans is that we know what is good for us, we know what we should do, but our human flesh always wrestles with our will and wins. It takes major crises that are personal to us to jolt us to our senses. Sometimes, it may be too late. Lost time can't be reclaimed. Sometimes, learning doesn't last; as memories of these incidents fade overtime, we return to our baseline. Unrealistic optimism and complacency seem to reign in our human faculties. Psychologists study these and related fallacies that humans commit. We aren't as logical as we think. We minimize possibilities of mishaps and failures. But that's who we are! And it helps us cope with things in life. These human adaptations, as evolutionary psychologists term them, perhaps enable us to cope with the uncertainties in life and instills in us hope. We all need hope to function, don't we? In my opinion, both our logic and the lack of it makes us totally human. That's why we are so unpredictable at times and the social sciences are not as straightforward as the natural sciences because of this. 

Through all these, my awe for God has augmented. He has created such interesting creatures--humans are fascinating. I guess that's why psychology is such a captivating field. In our frail humanity, we can be resilient. Despite circumstances, we can forge ahead in our lives. In spite of our weaknesses, He can help us triumph over overwhelming situations and formidable obstacles and He delights in doing so. Just like how He helped David defeat Goliath, His divine power equips us with the means to overcome whatever adversity comes our way. Just like how we are thrilled seeing a dark horse win a competition, because it gives us the hope that we too can be like that person. In addition, intelligent as we may be, we are often illogical. We knowingly do what we know may not be good for us. Many times we know what we need to do, but we refuse to do it even though it may be best for us to do so. Sometimes, we allow human emotions to cloud our logic or trade away our values to enjoy a moment of rebellion that will cost severely. Our incredibly human nature contrasts starkly God's truly divine, supernatural and supreme nature, doesn't it?

Okay, I've emptied my thoughts and its time to stop. But let me end with this quote--my fave one for now. From 2 Corinthians 12: 9,

But He said to me "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that 

Christ's power may rest on me. 

It reminds me that I am weak, but I need not worry and instead should delight in it because I can give Him the due credit when I succeed and His glory will be revealed through me. My weakness make me rely on Him. In the uncertainty, I can rest on the firm foundation of Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior. 

Escapism in the modern world

How many times have you found yourself retreating into your Nokia 6100 just to evade the need to come up with something creative to PR with someone, or to avoid looking stupid at a party where you hardly know anyone? Unless you are Amish or you've never owned a computer in your entire life, I'm pretty sure that sometime or another you would have done that.  I mean, who wouldn't agree that it's better to look busy and engaged, rather than to appear like a socially-awkward loser. It's such a convenient escape!

Survey the surrounding when you take the bus or sit in the MRT cabin, and you'll find that it's not hard to spot someone plugged into something, whether it's a IPod Shuffle or a Blue tooth hands free. Sometimes in the mornings when I manage to squeeze up the bus, I can easily pick out six people with earphones in their ears. And now I'm one of them (just joined the community with my rather new IPod Nano), and I'm so addicted to my mini jukebox too!

I was almost pressed against the window of the MRT train this afternoon as I was going back to the office from lunch (don't ask me what time was that though, everyone was rushing back to work). And as I was trying to find my balance in the area near the door. Beside me was this rather elderly lady leaning on the glass panel, who was peering into my IPod Nano as I adjusted some setting. Somehow I felt like I was being observed and I stole a quick glance at her intrigued expression. And I wondered how the elderly feel in today's society where everyone's so preoccupied with the latest handphones and electronic devices. It's so difficult not to notice this new phenomenon. Do they feel alienated from the younger generations whose conversations hardly deviate from computer jargon and the latest electronic deals? How do they feel having to learn how to use PDAs to take orders, if they wanted to work at MacDonalds? This related to the whole movement to encourage lifelong employment? Just musing over this; don't mind the digression.

Whatever it is, technology is such an amazing thing. Such ambivalence I have towards it; to like or not to like? On one hand, I see it happening already. People hibernating online (or rather in their rooms, on the computer) because they are bored and have nothing to do. We have become such sticklers for constant stimulation. We end up seeking it in places which causes us to lose touch with the soft skills of communicating with people face-to-face. We retreat into our mobile phones just like how a child refuses to go to school because he hasn't done his homework. After a while the lack of practice may degrade into reclusiveness and social anxiety. Of course I refer to extreme cases where one's only friend is either a "Rock" named Joe (no offense to people called Joe or have Jo in their names--my dad's Jo too!), or have a virtual girlfriend named Zoe (no offense to fans of Zoe Tay either; it's just a random name from my brain). 

On the other hand, I'm so enamored by things like Facebook, and of course, my latest MAC Notebook!!! Online messengers and communication tools have the ability to connect you to your long-lost primary school friend and even that stubby ex-girlfriend of yours who has became a top supermodel. It's remarkable how you get to see how people have changed over the years. I've digressed again. If this were a GP essay, I'd probably get zero for not addressing the topic given. 

I guess as technology advances we find ourselves relinquishing old skills and having to navigate through a set of new skills which even the experts have not figured out. The psychology behind internet communication, the psychology of social perception of gadgets and their effects, the psychology of online etiquette, etc. (all psychology...bet you detect the love for psychology eh). And many young people who are so entrenched in the business of technology either find themselves floundering in the sea of a "gadgets arm-race", or spotting the latest devices and their accessories in a bid to look cool. But what I find most troubling is the sad fact that many, even myself, use technology to evade the very things that we should tackle head-on.  

~Facebook Fan