I came across these grotesque and disturbing pictures recently. Apparently, the massacre took place in a place called Faroe Island in Denmark. Whales are hunted for their meat and amazingly, almost every part of the whale can be used. The islanders use the blubber for processing oil, the skin for ropes and lines, stomachs for floats, and the esophagus for shoes. Undeniably, the whales do not die in vain and they truly serve their worth to the fullest, but if people do not put a stop to whale-killing, they will become extinct in no time.

Mankind is definitely going down a road of self-destruction. I’m afraid one day, we will join the list of the endangered species!
It's the school holidays now and very soon, I will be off work officially. It has been a very hectic year. Somehow, this hasn't been a very good year for me especially when I have been plagued by poor health in the second half of the year. Much as I'm looking forward to the new roles and challenges ahead in 2009, I can't be more relieved now that the school term is coming to a close and I can finally have the peace of mind to rest and get down to doing some things for myself.

Despite the fact that the next few days of solitude has provoked feelings of profound dread as my husband is away in Cambodia, I've the luxury of succumbing myself to all my little indulgences. I can stay up as late as I want to, sleep in till noon, be a couch-potato in front of the TV the whole day or simply plonk myself down on the sofa and devour a story book, taking only occasional bio-breaks and meal-breaks. All of which my husband will never approve of if he's around. To him, all that are ridiculously unhealthy.

One of the things which I enjoy thoroughly during the school holidays is immersing myself in the boundless world of stories, where my imagination can be set wild. Yesterday, I finished one which I would categorically place under the "Trashy but entertaining" section. Well, at least the suspense kept me hopelessly hooked till the end.

Right now, I'm into my second book, Madwoman on the Bridge by Su Tong. It's a story set during the fall-out of the Cultural Revolution about a madwoman and her cheongsam which she will not take off, and a young doctor who covets her cheongsam and will stop at nothing to get her hands on the historical gown. It's quite interesting to see how the story unfolds.

I bought this book some time ago but never got down to reading it until yesterday. It is equivalent to a self-help book but from a Christian perspective. As I was reading the first few chapters, I came across this paragraph which struck a chord in me.

"Knowing your purpose motivates your life. Purpose always produces passion. Nothing energizes like a clear purpose. On the other hand, passion dissipates when you lack a purpose. Just getting out of bed becomes a major chore. It is usually meaningless work, not overwork, that wears us down, saps our strength and robs our joy."

For a student who sets his mind on achieving academic excellence and getting into the Polytechnic / JC of his choice, he will be driven to work hard because it is apparent that if he puts in the right amount of effort coupled with the right studying techniques, he can expect good results.

On the contrary, a student with a laid-back attitude is usually one with no sense of purpose, no goals and no dreams at all. Lessons are of utter tedium to them and any amount of homework is burdensome. He sees no reason to study hard or pay attention during lessons. This lack of a sense of purpose in life usually spells a very bleak future. In fact, it will be the quintessence of a wretched life.

Food for thought:
What's the driving force in your life now?