ThunderStorm

These are some strategies I use to help me have a restful sleep. You can test them out and see if they work for you.

This post is for those who struggle with internal and external critics who destroy your self-confidence and create anxiety in you, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

Every year, when there is a new release of the latest season of PR, I would try to dip my toes back into the series to get in touch with my roots. This year is no different. While I still have mixed feelings about PR changing hands of parent companies every time, I hope that each season brings something positive and memorable to the series. After watching Beast Morphers episode 1, I thought that the plot borrowed elements from RPM (computer viruses vs a government agency), In Space (frozen rangers), and Ninja Storm & SPD (3 v 2 dynamic), some of my favourite series, which worries me that the producers might be setting up really high expectations for old-time fans. I hope that the writers put a different spin on those plots and keep it fresh for the younger fans without dumbing down complex life issues. Anyway, I still look back fondly on PR and am filled with gratitude that the series challenged my past assumptions of (inner and outer) beauty and continued to empower ...

In my recent foray into literature, I was introduced by a lecturer to the works of Geoffrey Hill. In articles, Hill was stated as the greatest modern poet alive. Sad to say, he passed away in 2016. R.I.P. When I read some of his poetry, I immediately felt the soul of a kindred spirit. Hill was known to be a man who struggled with depression and the lack of confidence in penning down his thoughts. He seemed like a perfectionist who would not be satisfied with his poetry until he found the precise words to pen down. His fear of making mistakes prevented him from publishing more poetry in his youth, but for some untold reason, he was unshackled from his fear in his later years and plenty of poems were published. What discovery did he make that enabled him to blossom? Was it a renewed purpose and faith in God? I hope so. However, it is regrettable that his poems make it difficult to infer Hill's stance regarding his personal beliefs. In his interviews, he seemed more interested i...

Just recently, I was asked which person in history, dead or alive, I would most like to meet and why. These are my top 5 choices: Jesus Christ (At the second coming. And that means living in God's eternal kingdom a.k.a. heaven/paradise. And finally getting answers to all of life's questions.) Paul/Saul (The reformed persecutor of Christians in the bible who wrote majority of the New Testament books. One of the greatest redemption stories yet.) Joseph, son of Jacob (A dreamer who was despised and sold to Egypt by his brothers, he chose to obey God and forgive them. God rose him through the ranks from prisoner to governor.) Moses (First-hand witness to the parting of the Red Sea and all the other miracles performed by God.) Leonardo da Vinci (One of the greatest minds of the Renaissance era. A talented polymath who inspired me to learn and explore as much as I can. If only I could speak his language. Can't wait till he hears that a turtle was named after him.) ...

Here's a common way of thinking: I'm upset/hurt/angry/humiliated/etc., and it must be someone else's fault, and if I can't pin the blame on someone, it's on me or on God [assuming you believe in (a) higher being/power(s)]. However, the bible teaches us that God is righteous and just, and is in control of all circumstances, good or evil. He does not sin, neither does He tempt us to do wrong. When we choose to do wrong, we assert our own free will to do what we please, and humans therefore suffer as a consequence of our own, or someone else's wrongdoing. While negative events sometimes occur for seemingly no reason at all (like natural disasters, unexpected deaths, losses, etc.), God allows them to happen to develop and strengthen our character and faith in Him, yet at the same time He does not give us trials so great that we cannot bear them. God hears the inner cries of our soul and spirit, but will we allow Him to take control of every part of our lives...

Loneliness is no stranger to anyone. However, as humans, no matter how much of an introvert one can be, we naturally yearn for spiritual nourishment from a relationship, from social interaction, the giving and receiving, the opening of the heart to another. This is why isolation is a punishment in and of itself, and isolation from God, much worse. Silence can be surprisingly deafening, making one go insane. In addition, when your mind is isolated from other people, you are an open target for the devil to attack. There is a saying that "idle minds are the devil's playground". It is a very real experience. When I do not occupy my mind with God's word, things of the earthly nature naturally seep in to fill the void. And it can be frightening to be alone with your own dark thoughts. They tend to be cyclical in nature, and can lead you on a downward spiral into negativity. We are instead instructed to fill our minds with God's words, and, wherever you go, no ma...

<< Warning: This show is for ages 18+ >> I recently got on board the Grimm train and have been thoroughly absorbed into the world of wesen tales. When 'The End' appeared when it was over, along with its equivalent in other languages, I was cheering on the inside. I loved how it delved into stories from the East in addition to the West as well as its rather balanced casting. About the characters,  I like most of the members of Team Grimm, my favourite being Munroe and Rosalee, as well as Hank, Wu and Bud. They have been wonderful sidekicks, though I was annoyed that Wu was initiated rather late in the series. He could have picked up more knowledge and been more helpful to the team had he known about wesen, not that he was any less useful without wesen knowledge. Well, what's done is done. As for Trubel, I didn't really like her at first, but she's been growing on me. I am glad that Nick wasn't always painted as the infallible her...

This is a reminder to all parents of young children to be alert when supervising your child at the playground. Credit:  https://www.timeout.com/singapore/kids/kidzplay-skygarden Today, I was at a rooftop water playground of Nex shopping mall having lunch when I noticed a 5-7-year-old boy repeatedly calling out for his mother at the east wing of the playground. He was growing more panicky with each call. I looked around the playground and saw that all the other children had some form of adult supervision except him. When he started wandering out of the playground and even further east, I became worried and approached him to ask if he was looking for his mother and whether he remembered what she was wearing. He nodded cautiously and mumbled a description. I told him that I would help him look for her. I looked around and noticed a woman sitting alone at the west end of the rooftop, behind the playground, her eyes glued to her phone. I pointed her out to the boy and asked him if it wa...

This anime is hilarious. All the character quirks are memorable and each one adds a new dimension of unpredictability to Saiki's everyday problems. Nendou is a real wild card. The dialogue runs at bulletspeed, but slightly slower than that of Tatami Galaxy. I would definitely recommend this to any anime watcher who loves comedy and characters with super powers. Each episode in season 1 lasts 5 minutes, so it's great during breaks when you need a quick laugh. In season 2, each episode is a compilation of 5-minute clips and has a regular 25-minute run-time.

My attempt at replicating a Goines' sketch using Autodesk Sketchbook. I really have no idea how to draw the army of 12 on the outer ring so I decided to leave it out. << Warning: This show is for ages 18+ >> *No spoilers* Seasons 1 - 3 have been a blast of an arc so far. Both protagonists and antagonists have been well-developed. I am simply impressed by its execution of the time travel plot. It's also what drove me to read up on the bootstrap theory. Mind-boggling stuff.  I gotta hand it to the entire cast and crew. On another note, Jennifer Goines is the one character you would have to be crazy to forget. She is such an insanely unpredictable, eccentric and endearing character. And the season 3 finale closes the story arc with perfection, leaving us wondering if all the sacrifices made to come this far were worth it or in vain. I'm looking forward to completing the last and final season. I really hope the team pulls out all the stops to give it a good send-of...

This is going to be an upsetting topic for many people, especially while emotions are still raw from the suicide cases that have been reported in the media in escalating numbers over the years. There is weight in every word, written or spoken. It shapes our thinking and influences them. The more influence a person carries, the heavier the responsibility they bear in shaping the minds of others. Whether or not you are in the education industry, you are a teacher or mentor to someone, like it or not. You matter. In my opinion, depression is a very real and very human emotion in a subset of sadness and affects every individual at some point or another. Because of all the attention depression and suicide has been receiving in the media lately, people either think it will not happen to them or they view it as some sort of medical condition that some unlucky few go through. The moment you feel like you are alone in this world with your problems, reach out and talk to som...