How random

Met a person on Battlefield Heroes going by the nick of Mabthera - lo and behold, a doctor from Hungary. Sparked off a conversation which took place while we weaved in and out of the ruins of Midnight Mayhem where everyone chatted about where they were from while complaining about the lag.

I've been playing this for a while on and off - still nice to interact with players like this rather than the usual noob-jeering and player taunting and crass language that normally goes on.

Song of the Week

Can't believe I havent posted this before - possibly my favourite orchestral piece of all time haha. I like how everything's broken down and comes back together at the end. Still remember listening to this just before I went for my music exams - was really nervous but by the end, just felt privileged to be in my own small way able to produce music and to call myself a musician.

To those who say I don't bathe for long enough.

So I was thinking in the shower:

So who among us is good, really? The long-quoted phrase 'no-one is perfect' - how many of us would challenge this? Granted, being 'good' is different to being 'perfect' - we may be considered 'good' despite making mistakes. But even so, what is the definition of 'good'?

Oxford Dictionary lists the definitions (as an adjective) thus:
1. To be desired and approved of.
2. Having the required qualities; of a high standard
3. Possessing or displaying moral values
4. Giving pleasure; enjoyable or satisfying
5. Attributive; being thorough
6. Valid
7. Used in conjunction with the name of God or related expression as an expression of extreme surprise or anger

We can discard 4,5,6,7 from this discussion.

1. To be desired and approved of - whose desires/approval are we talking about? Each individual has different desires/ppl they seek approval from - therefore what is good differs from person to person. And this is where influence of people, for good or bad, is able to change the fate of nations eg apartheid in Africa, the Dalits in India, Nazism in WW2, 9/11 etc.

2. Again, whose standards are these? We may say we 'aspire to high standards' yet to others, our standards may be woefully low. What is impressive to me on the tennis court, is peanuts to Roger Federer for example.

3. Moral values, ah. This is the crux. To go back to Oxford, moral is defined as:

a.concerned with principles of right and wrong behaviour.
b.holding or manifesting high principles for proper conduct.

This is contentious; on one hand, everyone's right or wrong code is different. Someone may agree with cheating to get ahead as long as no one's hurt however others feel this is wrong. However we do consider some things that definitely are bad. eg. rape/murder/incest/abuse. Surely there can be no question of that? So, surely if we do not perform these 'morally condemnable' actions, we must be good, or at least, good-er than people who DID perform these actions.

But then again, is there a scale of goodness? Where we are ranked 6 above Hitler who is probably a minus something? And who decides this scale? Santa Claus?


Where am I going with this?

I put it to you, that the term 'good' is something relative, not absolute. And that all of us who compare ourselves to others do so on an individual code of morality (that is, unless you are of a faith that says differently, in whatever way).

And so the conclusion is, none of us are really 'good' or 'bad'. The closest we can come to deciding that (without outside help) is by judging each other, rather pointlessly in fact when we think about it (but which we are really, really good at). For good people do bad things, and vice-versa, despite the labels we give each other.

And I also put it to you, that this often-quoted question 'Why do bad things happen to good people?' is thus rendered inaccurate.

As in, bad things happen, there's no denying that. But the people that they happen to, are neither good, nor bad. Indeed (if I may be allowed to use an expression from what I believe), we are all sinners in need of grace.

What do you think?

Weekend in Southport

One of the most relaxing weekends in Southport since we started here 2 months ago. Got up at the fashionable hour of 930am after which headed into town to get errands sorted. Tried out the HTC Wildfire at a Vodafone store. And then spent a nice few hours at Waterstones picking out books from a gift card (thanks MeiFoong!).

Which way to the sea?

Persuaded Jack to come out for a drive (he's been poorly the past week) and so we traipsed off to Formby beach. A nice walk over the dunes led us to a wide open beach with pretty fine sand and packed just nicely for running/horse-riding/frisbee.

The dunes were 'under construction' whatever that means.

Emo Jack

Walking out to the ship.

Southport sunset

No beach trip complete without creamy ice!

Then decided as we were so close to Liverpool (Formby is about halfway btw Liverpool-Southport) might as well pop over for dinner, so met up with CherHan and Victor for dinner and a tong sui supper. Ah, good times.

All possible because of this baby.

And this is home for the year!

Southport Musical Fireworks Championship 2010

An enthusiastic Woei Lin with an even more enthusiastic Sasha

I had no idea this was on until Woei Lin my ex-housemate asked me if I was getting tickets. Apparently held annually, it's between a few ?fireworks companies who spend untold sums on getting fireworks timed to music.

Yes it rained

The whole thing kicked off at about 7pm with a demonstration of different types of firework(?s) eg what a Catherine wheel did as opposed to a Roman candle or a tourbillion. Being a fan of Paddington Bear, E.Nesbit's The Treasure Seekers etc, (all of whom described particularly memorable firework segments) it was actually pretty interesting.

No my camera doesn't do night shots well.

The main event turned out to be better than expected, particularly the first performance which was themed around Britain's Got Talent. Favourite bits below.

Not my idea of fun.

See more funny videos and funny pictures at CollegeHumor.

This gave me wet palms before the halfway mark.

What is the point of wearing hard hats if you're climbing that high?