Redirection

So I’ve been using WordPress.com for a few days now I’ve thoroughly enjoyed it all. I am, once again, moving. Not back to Blogger, but to my very own domain. I’ll still be running WP (ver. 2.2) scripts, but on a server of my own. Technically, I’m sharing it with David and Queenie but nevertheless, it’ll be on a tasty self-serve server.

To find me, you can head on over to http://www.the-ppole.com/ – David helped me snag up the domain today after I asked him about it last night around 12 o’ clock. Considering the fact that the man has summer school to worry about too, I really don’t know how he got on top of it so quickly… Impressed.

It’ll take me a little while to set everything up nicely but as for now the posts and comments and whatever are all functioning swimmingly. Sorry for any inconvenience (like cookie hashing and bookmark replacing) this may have caused you.

info @ the P.Pole 04.26.07

3 things that bug me about this city:

• There are billboards (notably from McDonald’s) that have slogans such as “There are so many hours between lunch and dinner” and “Toast is just cooked bread.” on the sides of the road. Is it just me or does that seem like a sick joke with those in abject poverty eating the butt end of it? I’m not implying that I am somehow above and beyond the consumerist mentality that this society is so infamous for, but seriously, there is such a thing as enjoying one’s wealth and advantageous circumstances, and then there are ad campaigns like these that rub it in the faces of people terribly off as it is.
• There is a public transit system that will take you just about anywhere within reasonable boundaries, but few people use it. It costs, on average, approximately $9000 less per year to travel by public transit (an option that has been subsidized to an extent by government funds which come from, you guessed it, taxpayers). It helps out the environment to take the bus or subway since it cuts down on carbon emissions. Obviously not all destinations can be reached via the public system, but good golly gosh, carpool damn it. If you’re going to work, unless your office has got an insanely high turnaround rate, I’m certain there must be at least someone else who both works in the same office and lives close to you. Why should there be innumerable cars clogging up the roads with a person a piece? People who think themselves too good to take the bus are slowing themselves (and everyone else) down by increasing traffic congestion on high-ways (which ought to be renamed low-ways), wasting fuel, time, and energy. The richer we get, the more affordable it becomes to live in inefficiently.
• That brings me to my next qualm: this place is too spread out and too focused in terms of housing and work, respectively. There are tons of wealthy people living out in the middle of farm country who work in high-end office buildings downtown (or at least relatively closer to the center of the GTA than the fringe). And this is probably a better excuse for people to drive everywhere, claiming it is a necessity: buses don’t go to the middle of nowhere and back. Whose fault is that? The transit system or the people who go house shopping miles away from where they work? Here’s the problem. We’ve got a huge urban sprawl happening (wiping out farmland, moraines, and other expanses of natural landscape), an extremely centralized business district, picky rich people who can afford to drive in and out from their expensive homes elsewhere to work, and no way to convince these people that they’re screwing everyone over.

Haruhi Suzumiya-itis

I’ve got it. It causes anyone who has it to fall head over heels for Haruhi. Seriously, this anime series (spanning just fourteen episodes) is the best I’ve ever seen. Next to no fillers. Beautiful artwork. Solid soundtrack. Completely original concept. Lovable characters. Perfect pacing and character development. All round astounding. And the finale! Simply perfect. Wonderful conclusion to a wonderful series. The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya is a must see for anyone. Highly recommended. Just look at me! I can’t even for complex sentences. I’m still stunned from finishing the last episode ten minutes ago. Five astronomical stars out of five for Haruhi!

What are you still reading this for?! Go out and watch it! Do anything you need to to get your hands on a copy! Do it! Quick! Before it’s liscensed! Hell, I’d pay to own a hard copy of the series — preferably with english subtitles. Seriously, go check it out.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya

I just started watching this anime series. As Arnold had promised, it really is about nothing, but it’s amazing. The kind of random-stupidness humour that Melancholy is full of is exactly the kind of stuff that I appreciate. Definitely worth checking out if you’re an anime fan.

On another note, I am in need of a shave… but maybe I’ll leave it for one more week. Won’t be trying to look prim and proper for anyone until the 16th. Win! Of course, my mother might have a thing to say about it — oh well! Maybe I’ll see how long I can stand it before I have to shave.

Quick Questions

Can true love ever be over-professed?
Can someone ever tire of receiving affirmations of love?

It’s about time!

So I’ve been reading Wild At Heart by John Eldredge which basically talks about rediscovering what it means to be a man as God intended. I came upon this part half-way-ish through the book, where it talks about sabotaging our own God-given masculine strength. Just read the extract (emphasis not added).

Carl is another young man whom the ladies seem to find especially attractive. I am astounded what young women will offer when they are famished for the love and affirmation they have never had from their fathers. They will throw themselves at a man to get a taste of being wanted, desired. Carl came to me because his sexual activity was out of control. Dozens upon dozens of women offered themselves to him and each time he gave in he felt weakened; his resolve to resist was less the next time around.
Things began to change for Carl when he saw the whole sexual struggle not so much as sin but as a battle for his strength. He wants to be strong, wants it desperately, and that began to fuel his choice to resist. As à Kempis said, “A man must strive long and mightily within himself, before he can learn fully to master himself.” Carl and I spent hours praying through every one of those relationships, confessing the sin, breaking the bonds sexual liaisons form between two souls, cleansing his strength, asking God to restore him. He did, and I am grateful to say those days are over for Carl. It wasn’t easy, but it was real; he is happily married now.**

Today’s lesson: It both rocks and kinda sucks to have your name used in a published piece of work. It’s kinda funny to me because, well, it’s my name! I’m not about to explain or elaborate for fear of who might be reading this (the Internet isn’t quite as private as I’d like sometimes), and how said persons might interpret things. I’ll just say that this extract’s Carl is somewhat analogous (and I don’t mean [just] the part about girls totally digging me, even if it is for all the wrong reasons). *wink wink… nudge nudge… cough cough… cough blood cough blood… choke choke… gasp gasp… die die*
But seriously, the book is great and quite… well, meaningful. I suggest anyone who has a pair (literally) to read it.

** Have we all heard “Question” by Rhett Miller or do I need to post up that one too? It makes me feel like proposing and stuff. Uh, yeah.

TWSS

TWSS stands for “that’s what she said,” a sexual innuendo (in your endo!) joke made popular in my own social circle by the TV show “The Office”. Basically, when someone says something that can be interpretted as something a girl would say to the speaker in a sexually charged sense. It’s quite versatile and useful for impressing the guys or disgusting the ladies.

Note: TWSS reminds me of TCW (i.e. “tasty coma wife”), which is from Scrubs (another show that is watched by my friends and I).

Click title for an example of the TWSS joke in action.

What a woman!

A good woman is hard to find,
and worth far more than diamonds.
Her husband trusts her without reserve,
and never has reason to regret it.
Never spiteful, she treats him generously
all her life long.
She shops around for the best yarns and cottons,
and enjoys knitting and sewing.
She’s like a trading ship that sails to faraway places
and brings back exotic surprises.
She’s up before dawn, preparing breakfast
for her family and organizing her day.
She looks over a field and buys it,
then, with money she’s put aside, plants a garden.
First thing in the morning, she dresses for work,
rolls up her sleeves, eager to get started.
She senses the worth of her work,
is in no hurry to call it quits for the day.
She’s skilled in the crafts of home and hearth,
diligent in homemaking.
She’s quick to assist anyone in need,
reaches out to help the poor.
She doesn’t worry about her family when it snows;
their winter clothes are all mended and ready to wear.
She makes her own clothing,
and dresses in colorful linens and silks.
Her husband is greatly respected
when he deliberates with the city fathers.
She designs gowns and sells them,
brings the sweaters she knits to the dress shops.
Her clothes are well-made and elegant,
and she always faces tomorrow with a smile.
When she speaks she has something worthwhile to say,
and she always says it kindly.
She keeps an eye on everyone in her household,
and keeps them all busy and productive.
Her children respect and bless her;
her husband joins in with words of praise:
“Many women have done wonderful things,
but you’ve outclassed them all!”
Charm can mislead and beauty soon fades.
The woman to be admired and praised
is the woman who lives in the Fear-of-God.
Give her everything she deserves!
Festoon her life with praises!
- Proverbs 31:10-30, The Message

Anyhoo, I posted this up just because I was interested in finding out what the Bible says about women. I understand that the list of things that the woman does here in this list are pretty stereotypical and aren’t exactly true for modern woman… But I do also understand that God (specifically, Jesus) taught with examples where the principles taught are to be applied and not the actual example.
This means that we could just as easily exchange stuff like surveying and buying fields with surveying and buying some huge family purchase (like a house). What’s taught with this example is that she ought to be discerning and she ought to buy knowing full well what she plans on doing with the purchase. In the example, the woman surveys land, and buys it with money she has saved up: she’s not a compulsive spender. She’s calculated and planned the purchase. And then she plants a garden, which shows that she had something good (and fruitful) in mind for whatever she spends money on.
About making her own clothing and dressing in colourful silks and linens, I personally think this is referring to her creativity. Humans were created by a Creative Creator, and so it’s natural that we would also be creative beings. A woman who is aware of this and is always thinking of new ideas on old issues and new ways of doing old tasks would be a joy to be around, as she would constantly be refreshing and fun to be around. Also, dressing in colourful linen and silks could be interpretted as simply, she knows how to dress. It’s fact that women are obviously the fairer gender. Knowing how to dress for the part (but not immodestly) would show that she is aware of her femininity (it’s an actual word!) and that she isn’t afraid of it. Instead, she plays on her strengths. She knows that she’s attractive, and dresses in a way to enhance the beauty that’s already there, but doesn’t flaunt it necessarily. Again, I think the principle here is that she is aware of who she is (a creative female creation of God) and lives in a way that brings it out, ultimately glorifying her Creator by doing so.
There are also other things the woman in the passage does, which are considered very mother-like, such as preparing breakfast for her family, mending clothing, and helping/assisting others. These all represent personality traits that people (not just women) should have — of course, these are traits that happen to be more generic/usually expected for women. Getting up early and preparing breakfast for her family shows that she is willing to sacrifice her own comfort (beauty sleep time!) for the good of her husband and children, and that she nurtures them. Mending clothing represents womankind’s natural instinct, ability, and talent for mending what has been broken or torn apart, be it shirts, pants, socks, hearts, and relationships. Women, pretty much by birthright, are much more in tune with the emotions and interpersonal dynamics than men. This means they are much better sympathizers and more understanding when it comes to emotional and relational issues, and I’m sure God intended for this. I really doubt that humanity could survive and tear itself to bits if wives/ mothers/ girlfriends/ girl friends weren’t around to soothe and comfort hurting people. Lastly, women have the God-given instinct to mother and help others — it’s in their nature to want to help people in trouble, to shelter scared children, to share the work load. Girls are motivated by teamwork whereas boys are motivated by competition. If all people acted like guys, we’d be living in a world not too unlike the wild (you know, survival of the fittest, if I hurt my foot, ow, I can’t run, a lion eats me).
One important thing to note is that the Bible specifically refers to a woman who has meaningful words to say (she has wisdom) and says them kindly (she is wise). What we’re talking about here is a woman whose words are constructive, insightful, and worth paying attention to. There’s no mention of senseless babble or small talk, though those have their righful place in life as well (IMO). We’re also talking about a person who is gentle and soft, never harsh or cutting when dealing with others. It truly is hard to find people who are genuinely kind and peaceful 24/7. I think these traits (wisdom in the intellectual sense and wisdom in the practical sense) are important to both sexes, and not just women. Men need to learn to be gentle and tender with women, since they are after all, ladies, and women need to be such people as well, because, well, after all, they are ladies.
Among other things that the passage talks about, an important point is that it mentions many times over the woman and her work. It talks about designing, making, and just her working at various tasks. It also states that she knows where the value of her work lies. I’m assuming back then, the woman of the house would do all the things women have traditionally done up until the last century: cook, clean, mend, and wash. These chores might seem pretty menial, and they are, but I believe that the passage discusses this to bring up a deeper truth. With a little bit of free-thinking, we can see that, in the grand scheme of things, pretty much 90% of everything we do in the temporal realm is pretty quotidian. Day in and out, the doldrums are quite a common place to live. Yet the Bible notes that she knows where the values at. Where is that exactly? Well, if we assume this woman in question as described by God Himself in the Bible to be a God-fearing woman, we know that she is working and living for more than just “getting by”. She’s busily and productively (as stated in the passage) working away at these tiny and seemingly insignificant task, all in full knowledge of the fact that both the spectacular and mundane have been established by God. She does everything with the goal of glorifying God with her body, mind, soul, and all the other parts of her life in mind. This woman has one singular purpose in life: to make God happy. Whether she’s washing dishes or raising God-fearing children, she’s committed and motivated to produce that which is well-made and elegant before God.
What does a beautiful woman like this receive? In this life, she deserves the honour, respect, and love of her husband and children. Her children speak lovingly of her; her husband chimes his agreement. She’s cherished and loved by all. In fact, god says to “Give her everything she deserves!” because, well, she deserves it. She lives a life of humility, honestly, creativity, diligence, gentleness, wisdom, and lovingkindness. Surely, she deserves the world! What about in the non-temporal realm? Well, for one thing, she has received one of the highest honours receivable by humankind: she is considered admirable and worthy of praise in God’s own eye. She has His approval, His personal stamp of “A+”. Surely, that’s worth much more than any kind of showering of presents and gifts (that she more than deserves anyway) she might receive here on Earth! The word used here is “festoon”, which means something along the lines of “decorate heavily”. In my mind, festoon makes me think of totally smothering in gifts, bouquets of flowers, ribbons, confetti, etc… Imagine a tiny pebble sitting under a dumptruck’s worth of dirt. That’s what her life should be like, completely smothered and drowning in praise and gifts. That’s what God says, and I’m pretty sure He’s not using hyperbole here.
All in all, like it says at the start of the passage, a woman (or person in general) with this kind of character, degree of goodness, and fear/love of God is very very rare, even more so than a brilliant diamond. The Bible draws a nice little metaphor here, between a [godly] woman and a precious diamond. Both start off in the rough, and look nothing like what they can be metamorphed [by God] into (I remember my geography and science classes: diamands are formed from coals that are compressed under extreme pressure and heat, making them metamorphical rocks/minerals). Both are beautiful when refined and polished. Both start off with great potential that may or not be realized depending on what happens. Finally, both take a great deal of time and hard work — pun intended — to grow and change into their dazzling final forms.

So why did I write out this huge piece about women? Because, the other day my friend said that I don’t respect women, and you know what, I’m sad to say that I really don’t.** I’ve never taken the time to really sit down and ponder what it takes to be a good woman; how much less think about what it takes to be a godly woman! I haven’t taken time to ponder and realize the immense value of women. Sure, girls have pretty faces, but the people behind the skin and flesh are so much more beauteous and make up much more of the person’s actual worth. You can have a beautiful woman without a beautiful face, but you can’t have any woman without a soul. It makes me angry to witness the double standard the Western society has placed — more like forced — a double standard on women. Society dictates that women’s worth lies in her physical appearance only, yet when girls dress to impress, they are called whores and sluts. That is so messed up. How come no one values things that deserve to be valued? What ever happened to honouring a gentle and meek spirit? What about a warm heart? What about a nurturing attitude? Well, writing up this analysis of the Bible’s take on what a beautiful woman really is has strengthened old views and shown me some new ones too.

** In my defense, I had replied, “They’re important — and not just for reproduction!” but I had not gone any further than that.

Google Desktop

Okay, so maybe it wasn’t the wisest thing to wake up at 5:00 AM today, the day of my History and Economics exams (two subjects in which I think I need to do well/better in). But really, it was either get up and do some stuff or lay there and freeze/starve myself to death. My room is freaking cold, and my stomach was freaking empty.
Anyway, like my title suggests, this post has some higher significance. As a self-professing Google advocate, I’m here to propagate one of Google’s other products: Google Desktop. What is it? Basically, it’s an extra sidebar that is so full of amazingly cool features and plug-ins that you can coordinate crap loads of stuff from this one place. It’s hard to describe, but to list the things I have on mine right now, I’ve got the generic searchbar (with the bonus that it can search up indexed files within my own computer as well!), a system monitor (that keeps me updated on my computer’s performance), my Google Talk client (leave it to Google to make sure their products are fully compatible with one another), ShareIt which is like GoogleTalk’s version of filesharing software (only it’s not crap and unstable like MSN’s), my Gmail account client (that indexes and updates my emails to show me past emails and any new ones that come in), Google Soccer (which helps me keep track of match scores and stats of teams that I’ve picked — I’m rooting for Argentina and Germany by the way), and… weather. -_- Okay, so the weather plug-in isn’t exactly “hip” but hey, it’s useful.
Google Desktop does have a few shortcomings, however, being a beta and all. It seems to have a bit of trouble getting along with desktop wallpapers, as it displaces my background image upon start-up and needs correction each time. I’m not sure whether that’s just the way it is or it is caused by my use of other programs to change my desktop settings… O.o I corrected it with some tinkering and it’s fine now. Another thing about it is that the indexing of files and emails takes one hell of a long time (especially if you, like me, have a lot of stuff). I think it took Google Desktop approximately 1 hour to index all my stuff, simply because it only indexes while the computer is idle, meaning, yes, it won’t slow your computer significantly while indexing, but no, it won’t do anything while you’re working on things. I also find the customization of the actual sidebar to be quite limited (as is Google’s style). It’s understandable that Google wants to keep the clean and tidy look (which is why, I’m assuming, Google Talk does not allow personalization of text), but even some of the purely ergonomic settings like placement and orientation of the sidebar are quite limited.
All in all, it’s worth trying out to see if you could find a use for it. Personally, I think it’s a pretty neat way to organize a multitude of stuff into one simple and relatively easy to use program. Now, I’m off to prepare for my exams (i.e. shower and get changed).

Click title for ware.

EDIT: My exams are officially over, as is my year of Grade 10. And just like this year, the exams were surprisingly easy. T’was alright, none-too-special, see you later, yeah right, sleep time-ish. I made some pretty amazing likes and one or two queer dislikes. All in all, very worthwhile but I’m glad it’s over. Nothing to bug me for 2 whole flipping months. Can you say w00t?

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.

And in one Lord Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Father before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by whom all things were made; who for us men, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day He rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father. And He shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.

And we believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. And we look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Note: the Nicene Creed was recited awhile ago, and it was latent in my mind until now. For some reason, I felt the urge to post it here. Perhaps this will find a use for someone browsing through?