Meritocracy sucks sometimes

mer·i·toc·ra·cy   
[mer-i-tok-ruh-see] Show IPA

–noun, plural -cies.

1. an elite group of people whose progress is based on ability and talent rather than on class privilege or wealth.

2. a system in which such persons are rewarded and advanced.
3. leadership by able and talented persons.
 
Taken from Dictionary.com
 
I see the point of a system such as this, it ensures that those who succeed gets their due reward, but when you are neck deep in examinations, you hate its guts.
 
Next up, when I have edited and typed my next post up properly (I am very proud of it =D ) :
 

A Chinese Wedding Dinner: The Trials and Tribulation

Being Used

While there are many forms of being used by someone. It is in my opinion that there is nothing worse than being used by a dog. Let's run through a typical day if you have a doggy friend.

It's breakfast time, and to your dog, that is when food magically reappears in his or her bowl through an avatar, which is you, the owner. So, you are roused as early as they could possible wake you up, so that you could do this task. They will do anything to get into your room, and when they do, they fawn over you and jump around you like completing a ritual. You feel proud and a bit amused by this exhibitions and maybe a little annoyed at being woken up my a large moving lump of fur. So, you go to get the food for your dog, with him and her escorting you the whole way, making sure that there are no dangers which will prevent you from getting the food to the dog. You place the food on the plate and let the dog go at it. Your dog sniffs it, and walks away.

Instead, your dog wants to see what you are eating first, because it may be better. This will happen also when it is time for your lunch and dinner, where your dog will have this unsatiable curiosity to see what you are eating. Chances are, your dog wants a piece of it too. So, they will deploy the stare. This stare is guaranteed to make any owner go 'Awww....' at their pet and coo over them. Sometimes, it may even get them some of the food. So, they will stare and stare and stare. You will feel happy again to have the eyes focused onto you and only you. And then you realise that their eyes aren't trained onto you, but on the food your are commuting from the plate into your mouth. Then you feel a bit exasperated. In fact, the first moment of feeling used happens now. When your dog realises that you have no more food, they will just walk away since you are no longer of use for them.

Then, there is the matter of walks. All dogs love walks, short walks, long walks, any kind. And they will also harrass you to take them for a walk is they haven't gone yet. It if you are walking at the fastest of your just-woke-up-in-the-morning-and-is-zombified walk, it will never be fast enough for you dog. When both are you are done walking, they walk away from you again.

See the pattern. Everytime, they get whatever they want done, they walk away and ignore you until the next important bit is supposed to happen. Then, they will be all over you as if you are the only person in the world. The fact that cats are emotionless evil creatures is a lie. At least they are honest of what they think of you. Dogs, on the other hand, are pure evil in disguises of cute doggy eyes.

Fried Fish

This is a adjusted recipe for fried fish made to fit me:

1. Get a fish, any fish
2. Marinate it in salt and pepper / Curry powder
3. Add in plain yoghurt to marinate for about 10 minutes
4. Put enough oil in the pan to cover the entire fish
5. Heat up the oil and place in the fish
6. Your hand should be dry before putting the fish in (the oil notices this type of thing)
7. DO NOT RUN AWAY FROM THE PAN
8. NOTHING WILL HAPPEN TO YOU
9. Fry until brown (5 - 8 minutes on both sides)
10. Take out the fish and soak out the oil
11. Eat

I hope all of you put this to good use and beware of the dangers of oil in a pan.

Rice, a Journey.

I can't cook and my mother has decided that I need to learn To Cook. This was the beginning of my cooking journey, by the end of it, I hope to not flinch when I dump the fish I want to fry into the oil and the oil makes popping sounds and splash back. I ran away from the stove once. This was the beginning of it, the lesson wasn't even planned.

This happened a few weeks ago, and I stopped blushing at the memory to finally commit to putting it down somewhere. So, it will be in physical diary and also here. On that day, my brother went off to some tennis competition which was supposed to last the whole day and be back before 7. So, at 5, to go and support talk my brother, my mother left to cheer him on. So it is just me and my dad in the house.

At 7, disaster struck. My mum called saying that my brother's match was pushed all the way back due to the rain and he's only playing now. So, she asked me to cook the rice and my dad to prep the fish to steam it.

My dad was already struggling with the fish and the ginger and the millions of sauces, spices and herbs she keeps in the kitchen, so I thought best not to bother him. So, there I stood with that bowl you put rice in, with the short instructions my mother gave me.

1. Dump rice into the rice pot
2. Wash rice
3. Fill the pot with water
4. Cook.

Okay, I could do this.

I got the rice, dumped it into the pot and started washing it, and that is when all my self-doubt about my abilities of becoming a celebrity chef came to haunt me. The water won't stop being gray at every washing and gray is suppose to not be good, right? By the seventh washing, I called my dad over and showed him the still gray water. He was just as clueless and said it was as clean as it was going to get.

So, now I had to fill the pot with water. But I wasn't sure exactly how much. I settled with the water level being half of my index finger's length. About twice the volume of rice, give or take. And then I put it in the rice cooking machine, and flipped the switch on.

I was feeling very proud of myself at that moment. And in a self-congratulatory haze, I decided to go watch TV. Half an hour later, I decided to go check on my rice and opened the cover.

Oh crap.

It wasn't even cooked yet. You see, there was another hidden switch on the rice cooker labeled cook - which I didn't press. Lucky my mom wasn't home yet. So, with self-doubt mounting, I pressed cook and left it alone again.

10 minuted later, I went to check on it and there were bubbles coming out of it and I was all wtf. I quickly called my dad and he said it was normal. Okay, calming down again.

So, I didn't bother to check on the rice until it was dinner time and my dad opened the rice cooker and looked inside.

And looked some more.

Me : What?

Dad: I don't think you made rice...

Ladies and gentlemen, it sadly was not rice. I would have felt better if it had been porridge, because that meant that I have at least achieved at cooking something. It was rice grains on the way to being rice but was confused in the middle on whether to become rice or porridge. It was the type of gunk which just lumps on the plate, and when prodded with a spoon, remains resolutely glued to the spoon.

Sigh

And that was my first experience making rice. The second time was better, it looked like rice.

Not Happy With Glee

The sectionals episode came without much fanfare, we have seen Mr Shue rushing them on picking songs, which I find weird, since they always pick new songs for the main event. And I actually like the combination that Emma dissed in the beginning.

So, firstly, whre is Sue? I am missing my weekly does of snarky sarcasm which while mean, does make twisted sense. Shouldn't Sue be there to diss the combination instead of Emma? And Emma, her new husband annoyed me. Since, out of nowhere, she's married and I think he tricked her into it. That's a doomed marriage right there, right next to Will and Terri's marriage.

Next, Rachel. She's my favourite character where she's all "Me!Me!Me!" but she has a heart. This episode gives her no heart. It is not even character development, the character has become shallower. Since when was Rachel mean? If Finn played petty, I get it, but not Rachel. And she's too in love with Finn do even consider Puck, remember their first Puckleberry trial, it did not work out. And, the trauma of finding out her boyfriend slept with someone else when she was seeing someone else made her mood swing like crazy. First she's all, 'the world hates me - takes duct tape' and the next thing you know, she becomes Kurt's very young grandmother. I was just confused by the whole thing, I think Kurt was too. (But I love Rachel/Kurt duets they always sound awesome together)

Kurt's plot line was my favourite in the entire episode, but the Warblers are annoying me, which I think was the intention of the plot and Blaine annoys me too. His little advices sound too zen and something you can draw off the internet to be useful. And while he owns the song, I prefer Kurt's one...but maybe because I'm prejudiced.

Then, there's the golden couple, Quinn and Sam, and I hope they break up soon. It's too fluffy, to cotton candy, pink and too fake. And they totally ripped off Rachel's and Finn's regional performance by the coming out of the back door trick. Someone should tell him the trick is annoying and painful. Try craning your neck to look at the back in a theater, very painful, and should not be done for long.

Will Shuester also annoyed me in the episode, he treated Rachel like his personal, very well tuned punching bag. When I was watching the episode where Rachel refuses to participate, I remember the Rocky Horror one, where he sulked through that dentist's song. So...it's okay if he shows a sour face around, but Rachel can't, because she's a student, just one of many. While he is a teacher, the one who molds minds, who shapes the future, who sulks and screams when things don't go his way....

Yeah, but on the lighter note, I loved Brittanny's and Mike's dance and Santana too. And I was right about Rachel and Finn breaking up soon.

=D

A billion

It seems like a billion years since I last blogged, but truthfully, in the fundamental sense, nothing happened. In the actual sense, many things did happen but the many things are ones which occurs everyday. So, the truth is many things did happen, yet, not happen. It has not happened because it happened everyday, until it becomes...nothing. Life now has become so regular, so natural, so rythmic that it is hard to find something which happened. Which is why my blog should be full of posts, but it isn't, because the posts are nothing, since everything is the same.

Wonder how many people would actually get me with that paragraph.

I am hooked on a new anime, Fairy Tail. Hui Ee recommended it to me after I spent weeks drifting from anime to anime since InuYasha ended and I don't have my fix. I was briefly and reluctantly entranced by Kaichou wa Maid-sama since I knew where it was going, how it would go and what would it end up with by the very first episode, it is just the matter of how long it would take to get there. So, I'm up to episode 43 of Fairy Tail now, and I like it. I always like these type of anime, where there is a sense of comaraderie and bravery in it. Also, the bildungsroman thing which is prevalent in these types of anime. But I still don't get what the heck Plue is doing there, what about ELIE from Rave? Yes, yes, I know, same artist, but still...Plue is just freaking me out now.

Three blind mice.

I think I have a habit of placing a random title and blogging about something totally irrelevant to it. Right.

I have finished the entire series of Harry Potter again, but this time with a clear purpose. I was suppose to read them in due time for the latest movie. Actually, I was supposed to start in the middle of September, because I read fast, so it's pointless to start early. But then...I had a dream about me reading Harry Potter and opportunistic me took it as a sign that I Must Read Harry Potter Now!

So, disregarding the tests coming up next week, I started reading it in mid-August. I had no doubts that because of OOTP's size and me attempting to slow down, I would finish it latest by the beginnning of October.

I finished it 2 days ago.

Now what am I going to do?

All right

I know why my blog looks crappy-like.

I'm just too lazy to get off my hypothetical butt and do something about it.

And I should update more often too.

Think microscopic

I was disappointed in Psychology but I don't want to get into the details.

However, I'm seriously reconsidering doing four subjects in A-levels and dropping Psychology so that I can concentrate on my core subjects sucky lit work. I don't like giving up though, and it may bother me to bits if I knew I dropped Psych because I couldn't split my concentration into four anymore (three actually since I do more than enough Maths in college)

Hmmm...

4 to 3 ... it doesn't seem a lot but that means I'm diminishing 5 hours of required studying periods in college. And I don't pay too much attention to it as it is...

We'll see I guess.

My weird essay

So, I thought it was done, my focus was clear, my essay is no longer confused!

Boy, was I wrong.

Apparently, while my focus is happy the way it is, my argument is sneaky and extremely flexible and very promiscuous. After sidling up next to the Tragic Flaw tried and true theory, it decided to try it's luck chatting up the older, more mature ones. Yep, my essay decided to sink its claws onto Aristotle's Theory of Tragedy, apparently finding it extremely attractive indeed. Of course, my argument assures me that it would still be on the tragic flaw but I'm trying to explain to said argument that eventhough Aristotle is considerably older than Shakespeare, the Elizabethan society have not even heard of Aristotle, let alone his theory. But, it seems to be confident in trying a line of argument where while Shakespeare did not know of this theory, he creates a tragedy which paralles it.

*sighs*

Let's see how this one goes. If it goes through and becomes real, I have to look up the original Poetica and read through it. *grumbles* And people say you decide how to argue.

I still have the hot and roll feeling...

My bored self decided that I needed to study...but in a different way. So I made up power point slides of it. I got a addicted to slides after having to help do them for a lit presentation, and the obsession is still here.

Also, my normal 'It's the Weekend!' high got killed during lit. We had to analyze a poem called Ars Poetica, but it is actually an ironically named poem. The poem is a recent (modern) one, so, finding out about it is hard. This is also the case since there are many Ars Poeticasout there.

I also had my IELTS speaking test today and had the most random question.

1. Name one healthy thing you do.

Swim

2. What do you need for this healthy activity.

Well, most importantly, you must have the swimming pool or any body of water of a suitable depth. And also, a swimsuit and a pair of goggles.

Why do all the random things happen to me.

Sporadic

I seem to have infrequent updates on this thing.
And, now it isn't just an expanse of white, it is an expanse of blue.

I just wanted to try out this line-y thing. It really is fascinating.

I would try to update more substance next time. For now, I want to stalk Disney Princesses

New

I feel like changing the design on this blog, not that there was any designs to begin with.

I wonder what I should do with it?

Btw, Krabi pictures would be posted up later...maybe not here though. On Fb, most likely.

Depressed

I just found out one of my collegemates passed away.

RIP Jacinth

Notes on Krabi

1. It is surprisingly cooler here than Malaysia.

2. My hotel is very far away from town.

3. Everyone here is very nice - which scares me.

4. Alya thinks I was here already.

5. There are a lot of white cars here.

6. My hotel is situated next to a swamp and I saw a monitor lizard

It has begun!

Right after Glee finishes by original favourite series has started again!

True Blood!

Yup, no singing and high schools no more, back to vampires and gore and twisted plots which messes up everyone.

And that is why, Becky, having kids is not high on the priority list.

I just watched the last episode of Glee. I was literally sqeezing my legs shut to prevent imaginary babies from popping out.

Yup.

I'm pushing back my pregnancy age to 35.

Unless someone convinces me otherwise

Stuff

Some things I found in my camera.

Conforming, for once.

It looks fun! So here is my very own question thing!

5 Things

So, I shall challenge myself to post about 5 things which made today today.

1. Waking up at (not exactly) the crack of dawn.

While I have days where I survive only on 5 to 4 hours of sleep, it hasn't happened often this year. In college, I can miraculously obtain at least 5 1/2 to 6 hours of sleep at a minimum. However, since I am on holiday/study leave, I have been waking up at a very respectable 9.30, and be down for breakfast by 10. So, the past two days has been very difficult as I had to be up and running in college by 9 am. I am not the only one, though, I've been seeing panda eyes and hazy faces for the past 2 days.

2. Literature is very exhausting, even though it is a pathetically short poem.

In fact, the shorter the poem, the harder it is to analyze. For example, this one:

This Is Just To Say

by

William Carlos Williams

I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox

and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast

Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet

and so cold

Apparently, there are many ways to read this poem, so it is not about plums.

3. Sometimes, words are what they mean.

From the poem Neutral Tones by Thomas Hardy, there was a line 'And the sun was white, as though chidden by God'

So, we did William Barnes for lit also, and he used an accent so the words looked funny. I thought the same thing happened here. Turns out, chidden does mean chidden.

4. I have backlog.

I was checking the updates on my Facebook and discovered a backlog of articles from a lot of groups. I am still deleting them.

5. My dog refuses to eat.

My dog does not like the thunder or the rain. However the place I live likes ironies and

therefore, provide thunder sans the rain.

However, my dog refuses to eat due to the prospect of rain since there is thunder.