Into own's heart...to realize survival involves others

I watched Into The Wild, a true account adapted to book and film about Christopher McCandless, an intrepid civilization-forsaking 23yo who hiked into Alaska and (inadvertently or not) never to return.

The show portrays his wanders first south then north for his ultimate goal of Alaska in his bid and, very sadly, his failed attempt to survive and exit the wild. More poignant are his thoughts and universalist outlook on life and society, and the odd lives and friendships he comes into contact with.

My observations through the show:

Chris's getting away from family--even gave himself a new name and identity--caused them grief and pain, yet his parents' fraught marriage also pained his life in deep ways. That's why he wanted to get away.

Can you and I or anyone really just abandon one's present identity and obligations and start anew elsewhere? Isn't that simply running away without dealing with the situation? Perhaps it is in venturing out that some discover their identity.

It seems he realizes in the end, from reading Tolstoy and own realization, that he can't live alone and happiness includes being with others. Initially he ditched his name and identity (white, middle-class, college graduate), but still remembers his family and his own christened name.

Family matters. To you, and you to them.

If he had been able to get wilderness survival tips, whether from someone physically with him or from the Internet, he might have made it out alive. But how long can one really survive on wild game (vitamins?), books (bored?) and nature (no one to share thoughts and feelings with)?

Such a nomad, live-off-the-land lifestyle is definitely not imaginable for city dwellers who are used to modern pleasures of food, entertainment, possessions etc. and career, money and aspirational wants.

Afternote thought: If Chris was alive today, would he have kept his social media accounts or would he have deleted and eschewed them totally? Since "happiness is not real until shared."

Accomplishing Goals!

Did I ever mention that I think podcasts are really wonderful?? So much to learn/enjoy, so easy to consume, yet so beneficial and inspiring, depending on what you listen to.

One health podcast that I started listening to about 6 months ago is this:



I won't bother to talk much about what this podcast is about (go find out for yourself!).

But this recent episode really inspired me to re-visit my goals and to get serious about them:

How To Accomplish Any Goal You Want, Overcome Addictions, And Reframe Your Thinking – With James Swanwick

Yes, another 5-steps-to-etc is prescribed, but it's not so much the formula, but the life lessons and practical wisdoms that I found useful and inspiring. Check out this podcast and this particular episode to learn more about goal setting and achieving them.

Alright, enough for tonight. Time to hit the sack--it's past my 10pm bedtime!

Welcome back!

Yikes! I haven't been blogging... Well, I originally started this blog, chronicling interesting places I had visited, and then about issues. Then life got busy, and our mobiles became almost un-detachable--sucked into time-whiling apps like Facebook, Twitter and Whatsapp--and among other things and so...my blogging desire abated and vanished (who doesn't like being liked??).

Is it age? Is it a returning to old loves? Whatever it is, I've decided to re-ignite blogging and penning thoughts.

So here I am.

Seeing

Mesmerizing... Oud meets jazz meets quranic singing

By Dhafer Youssef

Read his bio here.

Wearing Heart On Sleeve

Glennon Melton speaks about dealing with bulimia, alcoholism & facing up to life.

Questions to think about:

1. If you have a deep-seated problem, are you bringing it to the fore and sharing about it to someone?

2. Are you being helped out of the hole you're in?

3. What gives you hope?

4. If it never goes away, how can you still live life with purpose and power?

Sofia Rei - Noche

Matt Wright - Adam's Son

"I want to live with my world wide open"

Quirk & Color

Phoot Camp



Courtesy of Ryan Schude.

Swimmingly

Coal Burning

Perspectives from SE Asia

Works caught at Singapore Biennale 2013.

Space

Action View!

Catharsis

When you're unhappy, what do you do?

Swallow it? Let live? Laugh it off and hope you really did?

If you don't, will it start to gnaw, eat and nibble away your insides?

Symptoms include sighing, lethargy and becoming numbed to other things that ought to matter.

Ask yourself, what do you need?

Importance of Finding a Competent Partner

IPA Street Photography Asia Award 2013 Winners

In The Dark

Mortality is not the end of life. As we know it, it's all how you live. Or as I recently learnt from Steve Jobs, it's how you build your life.

Life is full of storms. Some loom large and threaten to blow everything away. Some loom far but don't get close enough. Some brew quietly inside, not visible from without but surely it spins and whirls--demand a real effort to tame it.

There're also moments when the lights seem to go out. And you panic. Perspire. Plead for help. Yet in that moment, perhaps a voice tells you to try. You're in the right place. And step by step, things will fall in place.

Who's to say you're on the right track? Shouldn't each of us be the best judge of that? Maybe not right away, but eventually yes?

Money and the lack thereof

Whatever amount we have, I think the heart of the attitude is really about having contentment.

As Paul says in Philippians 4:12,

I know how to live in poverty or prosperity. No matter what the situation, I've learned the secret of how to live when I'm full or when I'm hungry, when I have too much or when I have too little. (GWT)

Beyond basic needs, can I say that everything else becomes relative? And in crowded SG, driven by competition?

Where does contentment come from? Why are some more generous than others? Maybe it's simply learning to have enough, to enjoy life wherever we are, whatever we have, whoever we're with.

Now, I know comparison with others and focusing on things we don't have always highlight one's lack. But surely we've to remind ourselves that net worth don't determine a person's self-worth.

And if we keep focusing on our needs, whether present or future, we'll never feel we've enough. There's always something that requires money.

Can we simply learn to make the most of what we have? If we prosper, then enjoy the moment. If we don't, well, make do and be happy.

That's right, be happy.

Pursuing

There is talent, there is hard work and then there is luck. I believe in the luck that comes in the form of favour and opportunity. To make the most of these, one needs an attitude that is hopeful, positive and values networking.

Now, would others around describe you as one who pursues his dreams and priorities?

Pursuit demands energy--relentless--and sweeping aside anything that can distract or detract.