Sunday, April 26, 2009

Desafinado



Desafinado mean "out of tune"

If you say my singing is off key, my love
You would hurt my feelings, don't you see, my love
I wish I had an ear like yours, a voice that would behave
All I have is feeling and the voice God gave
You insist my music goes against the rules
Yes, but rules were never made for lovesick fools
I wrote this song for you don't care
It's a crooked song, ah, but my heart is there
The thing that you would see if you would play the part
Is even if I'm out of tume I have a gentle heart
I took your picture with my trusty Rolleiflex
And now all I have developed is complex
Possibly in vain, I hope you weaken, oh my love
And forget those rigid rules that undermine my dream of
A life of love and music with someone who'll understand
That even though I may be out of tune when I attempt to say
How much I love you all that matters is the message that I bring,
Which is, my dear, I love you

30th April

Come 30th April, the gloves are off... It is going to be make it or break it. Lets pray that I make it

Monday, April 20, 2009

Random Thoughts

There is a fine line between asking for more and being content with what you have. When is it appropriate to ask for more and when it is prudent to be content? Is it too much to leave your job just because you are not satisfied with it? Especially now when a job is so hard to get.

I mean, who cares about job satisfaction, I’ve financial obligations and I need the monthly salary, money does not grow on trees you know. So I will work just for the pay and jump ship the moment I have something better. This begs the question, is such an existence worth living? Where is that sense of life? Are we really created to do things like that? What is the point?

Some would say we have to be pragmatic, things don’t always work out the way we want. We all have ideas about what our life should be and it is normal to fall short (really?). Because reality will creep in with loan repayments, mortgages, insurance and a whole lot of other stuff we need that requires money and we need to work for money. And that is how things get complicated.

I guess it boils down to what we work for. Some work to support the family they love, even if the job sucks they will stick with it because they are working for their families, that is a good reason. Some work to fulfill their dreams, whether it is earning lots of money, buying that dream car or home, those reasons are valid too. Some of these people will work even though they do not enjoy it because the money is good and they can get the things they want. Then what is my reason? Is that asking for too much to work for a reason other than money?

My guess is that most people will say, “yes.” They might say that I am being too idealistic. I should appreciate what I have, there are lots of people much worse off than me and that I am being too greedy, I should be happy to have a job in the first place. So where do we draw the line? How is the balance struck between ambition and pragmatism? Were you expecting an answer? Or at least my point of view? I don’t have one. Read the title :P. I am still trying to figure this shit out. Life is full of difficult decisions, that is what makes it so “fun.” God help me

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Logic

Logic has always been a mistress with very little compromise. We are bounded by it. It dictates our actions, our motives even our likes and dislikes. No matter how crazy or sensible a person’s logic is, the person will stick to it to the very end. Don’t believe me? Just take a look at the Islamic terrorist that blow themselves up, they might seem crazy to you but rest assure that it is their stone cold logic that guides their actions. In short, blowing themselves up with dozens of other people makes perfect sense to them.

Logic would dictate that in times of economic crisis, people will try their best to hold on to their jobs with all the retrenchments going on. They would try to ride out the storm before looking for better opportunities out there when things begin to pick up. They would refrain from overly risky investments in light of a volatile market. It makes perfect sense does it not? I can understand why this logic appeals to most people, it is the safe and responsible thing to do.

Unfortunately, I do not go by such a logic, and as stated above, I have very little room for compromise. With things going on in my company, the logical thing for me to do (as I see it) is to leave even if I don’t have a job offer at the moment. On top of that, I am sinking some of my savings into an investment that has considerable risks with no guaranteed return. Sometimes, I really think that I have lost my marbles, but I don’t think I have a choice in the matter because I think that it is the logical thing to do. Logic need not be sane.

Of course the logical Christian thing to do is to pray about it and look for God’s guiding light, but I believe I don’t need a “burning bush” moment for every decision I make in life. Sometimes you just have to do it when it feels right. But this will beg the question, “what happens if it all falls apart?” Do I expect God to bail me out? I would answer, “No.”

One of the thing I am honestly quite fed up with is what I call the “human sense of entitlement.” We believe that just because of who we are, we are entitled to certain benefits. For example, just because we are a citizen of a certain country, we are entitled to free medical care or social safety nets even if it costs the government billions of dollars and hurting the economy. In truth, we are entitled to nothing. We were born in the world naked, we leave naked. What we want in the world, we must earn and deserve. Sad to say, this is true even for love. But how does God fit into this you might ask.

Well… God is sovereign, He has free will to choose what to do. Hypothetic speaking, if God chose not to send Christ to die for us, it is entirely within His right. My point is that although God can choose to bail us out when we run into trouble, we cannot assume that we are entitled to it just because we are a Christian. God in His sovereignty might choose to allow us to fall. Sound pretty bleak doesn’t it, but I cannot assume that I will walk my Christian walk without some bumps and bruises. That would be illogical.

So the conclusion of the matter is this. Humans can’t live without logic in this world, no matter how insane or sensible the logic sounds, or even if it is based on a lie. But no matter what I do, I know one thing. God did send His Son to die for me, even though I was grossly undeserving of such an act. Logically, it would be difficult to take something like that for granted. That is logic that I can abide by.

Tuesday, April 07, 2009

Atlas Shrugged

Even in these troubled times, people are buying books to read. Curiously, a book I bought and read 5 years ago is making its way up the bestseller list again. The book is "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand. (Yes, you heard me talk about her before.)

Written more than 50 years ago, it depicts an America where economically successful people were "penalised" through government regulations and taxation so that the less successful people can get what they need. Almost like a "Robin Hood" system, take from the successful and give to the unsuccessful. Much like what is happening in the USA now, with all the bailouts and massive spending to keep unsuccessful companies afloat.

Unfortunately, the successful people in Rand's book had enough of such a system. So they went on strike, refusing to contribute anymore to a world they know would not allow them their just rewards. And since it is the successful people that "run the world," the entire world collapses without them.

The reason why this book is beginning to sell again is because it seemed to have saw the current economic crisis coming 50 years ago. So people are now looking for answers in the book. Although I feel that there are still some differences between the book and the current reality we are in, I believe Ayn Rand still makes a good and very powerful point in the book. Especially the point about how a man must ultimately work for his own happiness and no one Else's. Really does make you think.

Read the book, perhaps we can have a good discussion later.... lol