NOTE (4TH NOVEMBER 2022): This post, originally posted on 30th July 2004, has now been edited to update one URL, and to delete another URL because the site it once linked to is no more. If you do manage to find the pictures of those cool-looking Chinese zodiac animals, do let me know, and I'll put up the alternate source. Better check out this place quickly, comrades: "Ironing Out Blood Impurities", a Wired.com report. Looks like an automatic healing system is almost in the making. Let's hope the technology can be put to good use. Also, it looks like Blogger's undergone another revamp. That means new options for me, and a bit more interactivity down here. Let's hope things keep improving. - EDITED SECTION START! - The next item used to come from an offensive site, but as of the 4th of November 2022, when I revisited this URL, it was apparently shut down for good. What was it, you ask? Well, it was: The Twelve Animals Of The Chinese Apocalypse. Excuse the odd way of putting it. I meant to say something along the lines of "The Four Horsemen Of The Apocalypse", but these animals need NO horses. Besides, one of them's a Horse in his own right...sharp teeth, too. Maybe I should grab all 12 pictures and make a quiz or something, considering that my visitors are few, and that comments from them are even fewer. - EDITED SECTION END! - Which brings me to something I'd like to re-iterate: there's 2 comment-boxes beneath each blog item I post up. Either one or both should show up, depending on your browser settings. Do write something, OK? Aside from that, I'd like to elaborate a bit on an ol' tale. Still remember my "Of Fish And Fishermen" entry? Well, down in Bukit Jalil, there's a river that cuts through the general area. Not sure if there's any fish there, but someone was there, so it's a sign. Let's hope he managed to get some fish instead of mud; I saw him pull out a net's load of the stuff earlier on. Also, for your reading pleasure: The U Project: Supremacy, a Love Hina fanfic. For those of you who've read the Love Hina manga before, this is an interesting change of pace, but even for those who haven't, this is worth a good read. Anyway, got to leave. I'll put in a much better entry soon, I promise you. Current Music: A Stranger Met by the Wind ~From Anti-Soul Mysteries Lab~, (Michiru Yamane - Castlevania Special Music CD). Great stuff.

Just an observation on humans, in general. There's some information regarding the human body, as far as I can remember.
 
Something to do with the composition of an average human being. I mean, the stuff that makes up one of us includes about enough glycerine to make a few bars of soap, enough iron to make up a few nails, and some other materials.
 
When a person dies, all these materials normally return to the ground from which they came. To sustain the next generation that will undoubtly rely on most, if not all, of those things.
 
Which, in my humble opinion, sometimes makes me question why some people prefer to cremate their dead instead of returning it to the ground. Religious aspects aside, I think that it might be the greatest recycling effort we humans could ever do to preserve our Earth, but I believe that some people may disagree with me.
 
I mean, there are other ways for us to contribute towards saving the lives of others. Sure, you could contribute your liver or heart to save a kid, or perhaps a kidney or two to save someone else; just make sure that you know the risks of contributing those vital items while you're still alive.
 
The choice is ultimately yours, of course.

Sometimes, there are some people who tend to misunderstand you without realizing it. And when the sparks fly, you end up taking the critical hits.

And when these things happen, I ask myself, "Is it truly better for me to be alone, instead of finding friends to keep me company?"

But when I think about it, the Pandora's Box entry comes to mind, and I understand, albeit briefly. Experiences are useful, but they only offer a limited amount of insight into something. You have to continously seek out newer experiences, but you don't necessarily need to experience them first-hand.

The words of other people are the experiences that they had when they were still on Earth (or, if they're still alive, their current experiences up to their current point of existance).

To rest on your laurels, i.e. experiences so far, without seeking new ones, will bring you towards gradual mental and physical ruin, a fact I'm aware of, and a fact I'm desperately trying to remind myself of.

I hope that I become more wiser now and over time...^_^;;

Now that I think about it, I admit that I was wrong to assume certain things about some people. Remembering my past blog entries makes me feel like deleting them to cover my shame and embarassment during those times I was infected with foot-in-mouth disease, a.k.a. faux pas for anyone who speaks French.

But then again, I think that it's better for me to leave them be. Just to remind myself that I'm still human, even though there were (and sometimes ARE) times when I wanted to become a GOD.

I'll settle for being a human, but that doesn't mean I'll stop seeking perfection. It's a natural thing for anyone, IMHO. We all want the best for ourselves, right?

GemWing watches from the top of a high cliff, far away from Saviour-V....

How true, Saviour-V.

....and grins momentarily, before she teleports out....

OK, here's post #2.

Ever heard of Pandora's Box? Well, if you haven't, allow me to tell you about the legend.

GemWing teleports in....

Do tell 'em, Saviour-V....I haven't heard that tale in a long time.

GemWing walks towards Saviour-V, and sits down on a levitating disc that she had conveniently summoned earlier...

Anyway, let's continue.

At the beginning of the world, there were no adults. Just kids, playing happily. They neither had our worries, nor our fears. And they thought that life couldn't get any better.

But that changed one day....

Two of the kids, a boy and a girl, were intrigued by a mysterious box, left behind by an even more mysterious stranger a few weeks ago. In fact, mysterious voices were heard from within the box, begging the two kids to open it.

Although the boy repeatedly told the girl not to even consider OPENING the box, temptation got the better of the two of them, and they opened that box!

And they instantly regretted it.

For once that box was opened, many insects flew out of the box, and began to sting them, and all the other children! These insects were no ordinary ones, though; they represented Pain, Anger, Fear, and many other negative emotions that we humans are famous for.

After a long time, those fiends finally flew away, leaving everyone in considerable pain. But it wasn't over yet, oh no! One MORE voice begged the children to open the box once more.

And although they felt reluctant to open it again, having been stung before, they were enlightened enough to open the box a final time.

THIS time, a fairy flew out of the box, and began flying around the injured children, sprinkling healing magic to heal them all. That fairy, by the way, represented many positive emotions, but her greatest association was that of HOPE.

And HOPE is what we have to believe in, regardless of the circumstances.

For every day, we come across many such boxes. These are Pandora's Boxes.

And when we come across them, we have the choice of either opening them, or leaving them alone.

Either choice has risks.

Should one choose to open one such box, that person must be willing to accept the effects resulting from that box being opened. Regardless of whether they may be good or bad, that person will gain experience from understanding the contents of that box.

Should one decide to leave a box alone, that person may become less wiser than if he opened it. If that same person is unwilling to open ANY boxes at all, he will become less human as a result.

And these Pandora's Boxes have existed ever since we came into existance. The decision to make a new friend is worth a box in its own right. Even when a new technology or thought comes round, that box is still there. If you are willing to open that box, you must be willing to take responsibility for it.

So, are you willing to open these boxes?

If you're not willing, then you'll lose out. Both you and I know this, Saviour-V.

Indeed.

Anyway, thanks for the story. Hope everyone here learnt something new.

GemWing gets off her seat, grins at Saviour-V, and teleports out...

I hope so.

Blog updates a little to slow for ya, comrades? ^_^;;

Sorry, but I've not been able to get online lately. Apparently, some places hate my lap-top's Wi-Fi card. Which explains why I CAN'T seem to log into TM NET's Petronas Hotspot in Section 7, Shah Alam.

So this update's a bit subdued, no thanks to their half-reliable PCs.

Anyhow, last Monday night, my old schoolmates invited me to attend a dinner at a restaurant in Port Klang: Medan Muara Ikan Bakar. And if you understand enough Malay, roast fish is just ONE of the items on their menu.

Of course, if you want the best fish, you'd have to catch it yourself. That explains why one of my friends had scratches from one or two fish bites (or stings) when he finally sat down at the dinner table...^_^;;;

Food was OK. Special recognition goes to the fried squid - although I normally eschew squid, that dish was great - and the roast fish. With a bit of sour sauce to add a bit of flavour to it.

Oh, and don't forget the vegetable soup. Lots of veg. Nice. Of course, I prefer Japanese misochiru soup over that, at any rate.

The only thing that really made this meal LESS than memorable was the fact that it was a STAG affair. That's right, no girls...*sigh*

But it was moderately OK, overall.

Seriously, to any Hira'kians reading this blog....CAN'T WE HAVE AT LEAST 5 GIRLS WITH US DURING OUR TRIPS AND EVENTS?

It's starting to get rather boring, somewhat.

Apart from that, I got a comment from Steven Foong in response to my comment on his article HERE.

Thanks, comrade SteveF (OK, so I flouted my earlier quotes, but forgive me), but I'm not much of a Malaysiakini fan. Still, your words have merit, unlike the words of a not-so-cute doggie. Now, that's more fangs than cuteness, IMHO.

Obviously, that other person missed my comment in your blog,. Moderation. That's the key to success. Besides, that guy should realize that gaming is serious business, nowadays. RM2 billion, if I remember right. In as much as we can speculate on the positive (or negative, as cuteDoggie has done), it's up to us to decide.

I think I'll post up another post in a while. Just a reflection.