Going back into the pokemon community
The community fell apart circa 2007-2008 and I had thought there would be no more hope in it ever being revived. Then BAM! one fine day I was on sgcafe, looking at cosplay pics like I tend to do when I’m bored. Some loser posted how he was a “pokemon professor”. I didn’t pay too much attention to him until he posted even more incredulous news: There was going to be a tournament with some attractive prizes for the winner. And the rest is history. Now I’m richer by a copy of Pokemon SoulSilver, poorer by a few hundred dollars and my life enriched by a quite a few friends. Hahaha. (The “loser” turned out to be quite a good person and the opposite of a loser by the way)

Turning 18
There should be no pretensions that one suddenly becomes a man, or in any measure more mature once he hits 18. However, it also marks the baby steps in adult life and society is less inclined to treat me as a teenager. Personal pressure to find a route in life starts building up. The resolve I’ve had in my youth to do biology begins to waver as hedonistic tendencies began to slowly take over. The changes may be subtle, but what I see, listen and think from the day I turn 18 will surely have far-reaching effects

A’levels
2010 was certainly a stressful year for me because of the A’levels. My perseverance and strive during the O’levels had all but dissolved once I entered JC. I am not sure why, but it may have to do with a new environment. A second, more likely reason is my procrastination. In any case, it was too little too late by the time I hit my stride in studying. I ended up royally screwing up one of the most important exams I will ever take in my life. Where will I go from here? Who knows?

Clubbing
So I’ve only done it once and my mom called me to go home BUT I had actual physical contact(of the dry humping variety) with a girl. I don’t even remember how she looked. Not that I care though. Clubbing imo, is something to do with your bros.

Not falling in love with any girls
Ok so this not a major happening, but more of a not-happening but I’ve not had a crush since I’ve entered JC. My sexuality has become more fluid, no thanks to the internet and the many crossdressers who do a stupidly good job at tricking people.

So, how was your 2010?

The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads Wow.

Crunchy numbers

A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 2,200 times in 2010. That’s about 5 full 747s.

In 2010, there were 21 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 385 posts. There were 4 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 452kb.

The busiest day of the year was March 30th with 50 views. The most popular post that day was Happy Women’s Day.

Where did they come from?

The top referring sites in 2010 were tsangsheng.blogspot.com, propagranda.blogspot.com, towalkthelonelyroad.blogspot.com, 4empathy08.blogspot.com, and google.com.sg.

Some visitors came searching, mostly for underboob, grimmjow cosplay, graduate mothers scheme, zaogeng, and best grimmjow cosplay.

Attractions in 2010

These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.

Happy Women’s Day March 2010
3 comments

Graduate Mothers’ Scheme September 2008

Discuss the importance of religion in society today. May 2010
2 comments

GP essay time February 2010
18 comments

PW results April 2010
2 comments

*insert random talk about guy or school*

Repeat ad nauseam for 5-7days a week.

Not that I’m doing much better though. I guess a lack of blogging has also brought down my writing skills. But what to say? My life is kinda sucky now.

Religion is used in the context of organized religion such as the three main Abrahamic religions. Their importance can be judged by their necessity and value to various aspects of society.

Starting at a personal and familial level, religion appears to be very important even today. Many have rejected the capitalistic ideal of materialism and have turned to religion to guide them in life. Statistical studies have shown that religious people are happier, are less likely to suffer from stress-related illnesses and are more likely to remain employed. Yet, what seems causal may only be a correlation. Growing up in a stable family for instance, also has similar effects. Furthermore, for every family that lives in harmony in shared belief there are people whose parents refuse to acknowledge them for the mere crime of atheism. It seems that sometimes, religion may not be that vital to self or family.

Religious leaders have always used their supposed moral superiority to others what to do and what not to do. In the past, it may have been justified that without the fear of a higher authority we would have devolved into mere savages. But in light of new studies that have shown that morality is deeply ingrained in us, is it really essential for religion to guide us morally? Even when it comes to ethical dilemmas, what makes a priest or lama more qualified than our parents or friends to give us advice? Ignoring the wars and violence some of the words from these leaders have caused, it could be said that being far removed from normal lives, these people could hardly put our problems into the context it requires. On the other hand though, a fresh and spiritual perspective may be needed when we are unsure what is the right thing to do.

Speaking of ethical dilemmas, in recent times Science has found itself in many a quagmire. From the human genome project to the Large Hadron Collider, every time science progress somebody fears the rest of humanity will lose a part of it’s soul. Einstein once said “science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind”. Though it may true that the path of a scientist may need occasional straightening by some moral guidance, science and technology is in no way hampered by the absence of religion. In fact it will probably advance even faster without the persistence of religious people who think they need to dictate the pace of technology. People only believe that science and religion must work in tandem, like Einstein said. But what Einstein was referring to was a personal religion and not of organized religion. As long as a scientist is true to his own principles then he can do science without fear.

It can be said that the hierarchal systems of many religions grew together with the class based system of early civilization. Today however many of us live in democracies where are all religions are treated equally, which is as good as saying they do not matter at all, for the basis of religious grouping is to prove a sense of superiority by belonging to the “right” group. If we could, like John Lennon imagine a free-thinking world, there would be little change in the world except that it would probably be much more peaceful. Religion has caused fierce xenophobia ever since the human mind conceived of it. Even in more peaceful times, there is really no dissolution to the the barrier of “they” and “us”. In this age of universal brotherhood, do we really need this type of thinking to take hold of us?

Any benefits that religion can bring is outweighed by the all the bloodshed and animosity that it has wrought among humanity. Of course, if this would be extended to the past then we would lose a great deal of culture for much of our human culture is entwined with religion. However I am arguing about the importance of religion now and it is my opinion that it is not. The modern era has diminished the cause of and the need for religion in the first place and though we can continue to appreciate the influence of religion on our ancestors and ourselves we no longer require it to live a normal life in a functional and ideal society.

Sucking in every aspect of my studies. Teachers probably don’t see much in me. Neither do I.

Moping around doesn’t help does it?