http://www.beliefnet.com/story/76/story_7665_1.html
So, I'm a Mahayana Buddhist first, Theravada Buddhist second. The Jainist in me ranks up high too! Neo-Pagan, New Age, and Unitarian Universalism are something I knew nothing about, but they sound cool.
Try it!
The breakdown of my belief systems:
1. Mahayana Buddhism (100%)
2. Theravada Buddhism (93%)
3. Jainism (88%)
4. Neo-Pagan (82%)
5. New Age (79%)
6. Unitarian Universalism (77%)
7. Hinduism (77%)
8. Liberal Quakers (72%)
9. Sikhism (67%)
10. Taoism (66%)
Thursday, April 28, 2005
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
Everwood
I urge everybody who hasn't seen this excellent family drama to start watching. Set in a town amidst the breathtaking vistas of Rocky Mountains in Colorado, the show tells the story of a world-renowned surgeon who, after the death of his wife, gave up his life in New York and moved his family of two kids to Everwood. Andrew Brown (Treat Williams) was suddenly faced with the challenges of raising his two kids, which he didn't play a big part while his wife was still alive. The son, Ephram (Gregory Smith), is a smart teenage boy who quietly resents his father for the lack of attention his father paid to him and his sister before the death of their mother. The daughter, pre-teen Delia Brown (Vivien Cardone), is as sweet as you can ever hope.
As the story unfolds, we discover that the arrival of the Browns was not entirely welcomed by the only other doctor in town, Harold Abbott (Tom Amandes). The two had tensions for a while, further amplified when Harry's mother, Edna (Debra Mooney), join Andrew's free practice as his nurse. Ephram also found himself secretly harboring a crush on Harold's teenage daughter, Amy (Emily VanCamp), who still can't get over the death of her boyfriend and place the blame on his surgeon, Andrew. We were introduced to other colourful characters as well, such as Amy's brother Bright (Chris Pratt), Edna's husband and school driver Mr. Irv Harper, and Andy's friendly neighbor Nina (Stephanie Niznik).
The show was unafraid to deal with many issues, such as teenage pregnancy and abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, a husband's homosexuality, and medical marijuana. It got me hooked instantly after I watched the pilot of Season 2 on TV. Every episode has something new to offer, and it never failed to touch my heart in many ways. The cuteness factor of Gregory Smith doesn't do any harm either. Go watch!
Interesting tidbits:
Marcia Cross, the oh-so-perfect housewife from Desperate Housewives also guest stars in several episodes, playing Linda, Harold's kid sister. Linda was returning home after traveling around the world to exotic locations and using her medical skills to help people in remote villages. As a result, she is very much a carefree individual. Talk about 180-degree difference.
Brenda Strong, also from Desperate, appeared in flashback sequences as Andrew's dead wife in the beginning of Season 1, much the same as her character in Desperate.
As the story unfolds, we discover that the arrival of the Browns was not entirely welcomed by the only other doctor in town, Harold Abbott (Tom Amandes). The two had tensions for a while, further amplified when Harry's mother, Edna (Debra Mooney), join Andrew's free practice as his nurse. Ephram also found himself secretly harboring a crush on Harold's teenage daughter, Amy (Emily VanCamp), who still can't get over the death of her boyfriend and place the blame on his surgeon, Andrew. We were introduced to other colourful characters as well, such as Amy's brother Bright (Chris Pratt), Edna's husband and school driver Mr. Irv Harper, and Andy's friendly neighbor Nina (Stephanie Niznik).
The show was unafraid to deal with many issues, such as teenage pregnancy and abortion, sexually transmitted diseases, a husband's homosexuality, and medical marijuana. It got me hooked instantly after I watched the pilot of Season 2 on TV. Every episode has something new to offer, and it never failed to touch my heart in many ways. The cuteness factor of Gregory Smith doesn't do any harm either. Go watch!
Interesting tidbits:
Marcia Cross, the oh-so-perfect housewife from Desperate Housewives also guest stars in several episodes, playing Linda, Harold's kid sister. Linda was returning home after traveling around the world to exotic locations and using her medical skills to help people in remote villages. As a result, she is very much a carefree individual. Talk about 180-degree difference.
Brenda Strong, also from Desperate, appeared in flashback sequences as Andrew's dead wife in the beginning of Season 1, much the same as her character in Desperate.
Sunday, April 24, 2005
You're minding your own business, running errands, watching people pass by, reading your old novel. The air-conditioner suddenly decided to lower its temperature to its lowest as a form of rebellion of having to work all-day long, 24/7. You put on a jacket but are still shivering, while quietly cursing the sudden change of temperature. Then it struck. The admission came not before a long hard battle with yourself. How could it be? How is this even possible?
You're sick.
It's not that you weren't warned, but you can't do anything about it. Instead, you tell youself everything will be just fine. Now see what you've done?! Please, slowly savor the outcome. The misery and the constant lump in your throat.
And here you are, telling the world of your miserable condition. For what? To elicit some heart-felt responses on how you will get well soon? Or to satisfy your own narcissistic desire of getting attention to yourself? Yes, that might seem to be the case.
P.S.: Ignore this post
You're sick.
It's not that you weren't warned, but you can't do anything about it. Instead, you tell youself everything will be just fine. Now see what you've done?! Please, slowly savor the outcome. The misery and the constant lump in your throat.
And here you are, telling the world of your miserable condition. For what? To elicit some heart-felt responses on how you will get well soon? Or to satisfy your own narcissistic desire of getting attention to yourself? Yes, that might seem to be the case.
P.S.: Ignore this post
Saturday, April 16, 2005
It's been more than 2 weeks since my last update. Well, a few things happened within those 2 weeks, though I couldn't quite remember the details. A mini vacation with the extra dose of sunshine was on the itinerary, a 2-day project marathon, minus the sleep, a day to compensate the sleep deprivation, a meet-up with my supervisor that didn't turn out well, a few dirty and cheesy jokes with like-minded friends, and lots of heavenly street food. It was a blast.
However, we are perpetually on a quest for the better things in life. Sometimes it takes sacrifice, hard work or the lack of it, and plenty of bs-ing. There are two more important events happening in the next two weeks, I have to admit, that does worry me a bit. I am never one to take things very seriously, or to dwell too long on a certain thing or event. A passage on The Art of Happiness taught me not to worry on stuff that I can or can't control. It struck a deep cord with me for the simplicity of the truth behind it. Yet being an imperfect human being that I am, life's constant worrying occasionally lurks in and shadows your mind when you're reading or in a shower. Ah, I guess that's just how it is. For now.
Enough of the ramblings. Anyone who have seen the movie Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter,...and Spring will agree that the movie is nothing short of breathtaking. The director Kim Ki-Duk has truly surprised moviegoers by chronicling a man's life in four seasons, and in the process touched a nerve with the audience. The movie contains very little dialogue, and it doesn't really need one. The actors and the scenery speak volume of the beautiful story the director-cum-writer is trying to portray. I won't divulge the plot or anything here, let's just say Buddhism has everything to do with the movie. I cried twice during the entire length of the movie, even sob during one particularly touching scene where the older monk.... (see for yourself!). Yes, I'm not embarrassed to admit that I do cry. What are the tear ducts for? I need to see more movies like this, so I could cry more. You know, in my present life, few events had me crying anymore; I don't know if it has to do with the grim reality of life or the superficiality of it. All in all, go see the movie! Buy DVDs, VCDs, or whatever. You'll need another story like this to lift your spirits up.
However, we are perpetually on a quest for the better things in life. Sometimes it takes sacrifice, hard work or the lack of it, and plenty of bs-ing. There are two more important events happening in the next two weeks, I have to admit, that does worry me a bit. I am never one to take things very seriously, or to dwell too long on a certain thing or event. A passage on The Art of Happiness taught me not to worry on stuff that I can or can't control. It struck a deep cord with me for the simplicity of the truth behind it. Yet being an imperfect human being that I am, life's constant worrying occasionally lurks in and shadows your mind when you're reading or in a shower. Ah, I guess that's just how it is. For now.
Enough of the ramblings. Anyone who have seen the movie Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter,...and Spring will agree that the movie is nothing short of breathtaking. The director Kim Ki-Duk has truly surprised moviegoers by chronicling a man's life in four seasons, and in the process touched a nerve with the audience. The movie contains very little dialogue, and it doesn't really need one. The actors and the scenery speak volume of the beautiful story the director-cum-writer is trying to portray. I won't divulge the plot or anything here, let's just say Buddhism has everything to do with the movie. I cried twice during the entire length of the movie, even sob during one particularly touching scene where the older monk.... (see for yourself!). Yes, I'm not embarrassed to admit that I do cry. What are the tear ducts for? I need to see more movies like this, so I could cry more. You know, in my present life, few events had me crying anymore; I don't know if it has to do with the grim reality of life or the superficiality of it. All in all, go see the movie! Buy DVDs, VCDs, or whatever. You'll need another story like this to lift your spirits up.
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