Behind Textual Frustration

Textually Frustrated

When texting with someone over IM or SMS that takes too long to reply leaving you waiting and frustrated.

Thank you Urban Dictionary.

*   *   *

I have a hierarchy of priority for my communications.

First on the list are the means which require my immediate attention, such as a phone call, or a person knocking on my door.

Next is the kind of messages which I can observe long after it has been sent, such as SMS, a letter, or a voicemail. This is because the sender would not know if I have actually received it, and hence not as effective.

Last on that list is the type which requires a stable Internet connection for communication to be effective, such as Skype, Whatsapp or Facebook Messenger. (Not everyone has Mobile Data activated all the time, you know.)


Which is why I don't understand the fact that people get annoyed when they do not get a reply in the first half-a-minute of them sending a text.

It's like ordering beer from a bar, and expecting it to arrive the next second. Just because it can be done, doesn't mean the bartender would. He has other drinks to pour, even if just for himself, before he could serve you.

The problem with the society nowadays is that we assume everyone is attached to their phones 24/7.

...which, to a certain extent, is true. The world at the palm of your hands? Who doesn't want that kind of power?

But that's only half the problem.

The other problem is that everything now must be fast, fast, FAST.

 Our food must be fast, our transport must be smooth, our games must not have lag, and our communication must be instant.

This is a hallmark of city life, where everyone is rushing to go everywhere to do everything.

And this puts a burden on society as a whole. If they want everything to be fast, the members of the society themselves to have to be faster, to keep up, as it were.

It puts an expectation on everyone. Faster is better, they all say.

But you know, some times, I wanna take it slow. Sometimes, I want to go the pretty way, just to enjoy the journey, or just to piss off the city people. Sometimes, I don't want to reply that text.

I can choose to be fast in today's world. But I can choose not to.

Call it laziness. Call it unproductive. Call it irresponsible.

But if it's not important enough for you to even bother calling, it's not important enough for me to rush.

Cya. Call me, beep me if you wanna reach me.

Behind Freedumb of the Spaken

Before I start, let me make two things clear.

FIRSTLY, I am not out to insult or blame anyone, I am merely stating an opinion, one you don't have give two shi- shakes of a tail about.

SECONDLY, although I am a supporter of freedom of speech, and I understand that a certain restriction on it is needed to be imposed on it to prevent chaos, THERE IS A LIMIT TO BOTH SIDES. Jeez, you all shout so loud and proud, but you just don't get it do you?

But first, definition of "Freedom of Speech":

The freedom to an opinion and the right to express it in a non-violent and non-threatening manner. It does not, as opposed to what many people think, grant the freedom to say anything without consequences.

Thank you, Urban Dictionary. You actually make more sense than people would. Sometimes.

Now essentially what this means is that I can say things like: "My god is different than your god", or "You don't like durians? Shame." without having any fear of reprimand. It is an opinion which does not affect you in any way, and hence is free to be expressed.

On the other hand, phrases such as: "Imma burn you and your family, witch!" or "You're going to hell/court for insulting my god!" is NOT okay. This is akin to a threat, both physically and mentally, which, unlike an opinion, will harm people in this wonderful society. Even if no action is taken, the trauma may- nay, WILL be pretty severe, especially if the whole issue gets blown out of proportion.

Speaking of out of proportion, it has become oh-so-easy to do so in this digital age. What with fanatics prowling every social media platform around, it is too easy to turn something innocent into an eruption of hate-shares.

Now, before I proceed, let me tell you that Islam is a religion that I really respect. Muslims that I've met are generally really nice, whether here in Malaysia or in the United Kingdom. Surely there are extremists, but in every religion, there are extremities, and therein lies extremists. And Islam takes commitment, especially during the holy month. Added to the good values to make a functioning society: it really deserves my respect.

But let me tell you that my respect is not enough to cover my dumbfoundness when the whole Malaysian media world, mainstream and otherwise, raises a big hoo-ha over a Korean lady wearing a dress with Quranic verses on it.

Yes, she was impolite to Islam. Yes, she has to respect local laws, even if she's just a tourist.

And the authorities were dragged in it too. I mean, c'mon. She's Korean. And she bought it in India. How would she know those were holy verses? Someone should just tell her its impolite. If anything, you should go hunt down the sellers in India.

But I don't blame the authorities. They did their job in protecting the public from mental trauma. I don't want to blame the trolls on the Internet too, but....

Using the power of FREEDOM OF SPEECH, the pic of her with the offensive outfit went all around the country and pissed off Muslims nationwide because there are holy verses where there are not supposed to be any.

(Same could not be said for Christianity.)

Look. If you didn't want the whole nation to be offended WHY SHARE THAT PICTURE? I mean, yes, it's your right to share the picture if you agree with it and you agree she should be punished by the law, but you are causing hurt to both the Korean lady and stress to your brothers around the nation? Especially if there is a risk of death threats, which come surprisingly common with big religions.

When you share on impulse, that is where Freedom becomes FreeDUMB.

I bet if you don't share this article, no one will even know of its existence. So no one gets offended, everyone is happy.

But hey, that's just my opinion. Not forcing you to do anything, not even to like a Facebook page.

Cya.

RAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGE
RAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGERAGE

Behind Old Wood Chucks

Say it fast, yeah?

*deep breath*

How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

As

much wood chuck as a wood chuck would chuck if a wood chuck could chuck would.

Now

would a wood chuck chuck a sunk junk chunk if a wood chuck should chuck wood?

If

a wood chuck chucks chunks like a wood chuck would then you know it's made of wood.

When

a wood chuck would chuck your chunk of wood would you chuck the wood chuck good?

No

A wood chuck could chuck Chuck's wood good, I hope it's understood.

Even

Norris knows no wood chuck would know to chuck Chuck Norris's wood,

Cause

A wood chuck would chuck no one's wood; wood chucks would not be rude.

Then

Woody's poor wood chuck would chuck wood if Woody would let the wood chuck chuck,

But

Poor Wooden Woody's wood was chucked, so Woody's wood chuck would chuck Woody.

So

Would ya, could ya, would ya, could ya wood chuck chuck wood good?

Or

Could ya, would ya, could ya, would ya chuck your wood chuck's wood?

How much wood could a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

As

much wood chuck as a wood chuck would chuck if a wood chuck could chuck would.

Cya, nature! You scary!

Behind Reluctant Wings

First MH 370.

Then MH 17.

Then ATR-72.

Now 5017?

What are the odds?

Quick Googling shows that the odds of being in a fatal airline accident is 1 in 4.7 million.

And now three flights down in a single week, two by storms (one questionable), one by gun.

What crappery is this? Anymore tragedies in the skies and you're practically proving the existence of a god (albeit a cruel, twisted one, and definitely not mainstream).

My condolences to those whose lives have taken a turn for the worse by these incidents. I have no support for you, nor anything anyone can do could replace your loss. I can only advise you to stay strong.

They're all still up there now. Somewhere.

But what can we do? Funds? FB likes? Advice? Airline assurance and insurance?

Dumbledore: No spell can reawaken the dead, Harry. I trust you know that. 

Even magic can't bring them back.

I understand that this is a great loss for the world, both in the skies and on the earth.

But life goes on. 

Shit happens, even if it defies probability.

Get the investigations over with, stop exploiting the crashes for media coverage, settle minor differences and cooperate for heck's sake! You ain't helping anyone!

And before you call me a heartless bastard, know that I do feel terrible for not feeling terrible for them.

And I try to emphatise. I really do.

But I can't. It's not rational to do so.

I know what the world would be like if everyone stopped caring, especially at a time like this, where those affected need all the care and support they can get.

But caring hurts, and I can't too much to people I don't even know.

I'm selfish, and I'm sorry.

What can I do? 

This post doesn't deserve a sprite. Or maybe I'll add it in later, when I've calmed down.

Cya.

Behind Virtual Monsters (StoryTime)

I live in a realm held together by numbers.

Each stream of data is channeled to its destination with utmost precision and speed.

I am currently flowing in one such stream, as one of many fragments of free data.

It’s not too bad, being an abstract collection of information. At least now, I have some degree of independent thought.

3 hours, 14 minutes and 15 minutes ago, I overheard some Users talking about this strange concept of religion. Apparently they are constantly debating if there is a Man who lives in a higher realm and created each and every one of them for a certain purpose.

As a data fragment, I find it funny. Of course it is true. How else could we exist? That some random numbers floating in the ether crashed together to form meaningful data.

In T-minus 34 seconds I will arrive at my destination, where data is collected to form a higher being. I will lose my independent thought momentarily, until this being is destroyed and we are released.

It also seems that the Man can grant wishes. I only ever have one wish.

*initiating spawn sequence*

I’m here. I wonder if  01100100 01100001 01101101 01101110 00100000 01101001 

 

*MEEP*

A Green Slime popped into existence from nothing. In a normal reality, this would go against every possible law of physics, hereby proving once and for all that numbers lie. Instead, in the MMORPG world of MWDS (Melee Weapons are Definitely Stronger), it is a daily occurrence, and did not bother anyone here at all, least of all the slime.

The slime looked around its spawn point. A great grass field spread out from all directions around it, dotted here and there by interactable fruit trees. This, added to the fact that the sky was a mono-palette blue, suggested that this was one of the beginner’s maps and that the slime was pretty weak.

The Slime knew this, but didn’t care.

Off to his left, about 700 pixels away, the slime spotted another Blue slime, roaming the field. He decided to bounce over (having no legs) to say hello.

*MEEP MEEP* *MEEEEP?* *MEEPMEEPMEEP* *MEEP!*

It was a very philosophical conversation.

Of course, being in this world for less than 5 minutes, Blue and Green quickly ran out of things to talk about. So they decided to hop to the next area and travel to the next background.

The next screen seemed to be an orchard, with apple trees dotted here and there. Off in the distance, wild Bees hovered around. Being much higher leveled than the Slimes, the Bees ignored the Slimes, and continued wandering the orchard.

The Slimes ignored the Bees as well. Besides, they don’t even speak the same language.

Green then proceeded to headbutt a nearby tree, causing a few apples to drop on the floor. The Slimes then ate the apples, but since their HP bars were still full, the apples did nothing except disappear off the floor. A green zero appeared on each of the Slimes’ heads.

The Slimes knew this, but didn’t care.

Suddenly, out of the blue, which is the colour of the adjacent background, a fireball shot towards the two slimes. It hit Blue straight in the back, causing a pretty impressive explosive effect. With a final cry of

*MEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeep….*

Blue dissolved into a puddle, leaving behind a Slime Card drop (rare) and a red number: 1567, indicating the damage done.

This kind of damage can never be done by Green, indicating how weak it was compared to the Killer. Nevertheless, driven by pure programming, giving it an innate desire to pound it into… whatever it could pound it into, it bounced towards the Killer, who turned out to be a level 87 Fire Wizard.

Being a level 5, Green was hopping towards certain death.

The Slime knew this, but didn’t care.

And so, with another WHOOSH and a BOOM and a CYA by the user, another fireball striked its target.

*MEEEEEEEEEEEeeeeep….*

And Green was dissolving into another puddle, similar to Blues. Its vision was the first to go, so it did not see how much damage was dealt to it. However it did see the armor the User was wearing: A Red Armardo Breastplate with a Scarlet Giai Cape.

The Slime now knows this, but it’s dead. Why should it care?

Overall, the Slime existed for 12 minutes and 54 seconds.

And so, the Slime dissolves into the data fragments it was built from, one of which seemed to have a life of its own….

01101001 01101101 00100000 01100010 01100001 01100011 01101011 ing another slime. I’m free from that temporary existence, and now am floating in the ether.

It seems that the Users derive enjoyment from killing virtual creatures. I wonder if the creatures will derive enjoyment from killing Users?

It’s not that I am angry for becoming slimes all the time. I am incapable of feeling anything. I am merely curious on how the Users find this routine of slaying pretend creatures everyday amusing. There isn’t even a use to that.

Or perhaps I do not comprehend. The realm of human thinking supersedes the realm of data.

In T-minus 34 seconds I will arrive at my destination, where data is collected to form a higher being. I will lose my independent thought momentarily, until this being is destroyed and we are released.

I do not know about the other data fragments, but it would be interesting to discover the feeling of wielding a sword instead of being struck by one.

Perhaps this time, I’ll try this “wish” action the Users do talk about so much.

*initiating spawn sequence*

Maybe 01100100 01110010 01100001 01100111 01101111 01100110 01100110 

The dragon woke from its slumber. Unfolding its leathery wings, it took to the skies from its spawn point as soon as it appeared from nothingness, giving the impression of a demon emerging from a portal at sonic speed.

The dragon scoffed at this thought. In the MMORPG world of MWDS (Melee Weapons are Definitely Stronger), dragons eat demons for breakfast. Sometimes lunch as well.

The night sky is cloudless, and the Constellation of the Seven shone brighter than all other stars in every background in which there is night. Cloaked in his black scales, the dragon sailed through the night, camouflaged by darkness, invisible to all but the keenest Hunter.

Suddenly, an arrow followed him in his flight, hitting the dragon in the left arm. Bouncing off the well-protected scaly hide, the arrow did only about 12 points of damage before dropping back to the forest below.

So there was a Hunter here after all.

The dragon tilted left, changing his flight path to the source of his displeasure. 3000 pixels away, he spied the Hunter, accompanied by his guild mates, 4 in total. And among them, a level 87 Fire Wizard, equipped with a Red Armardo Breastplate with a Scarlet Giai Cape.

Something in the dragon stirred, as if in recognition, even though the dragon has only spawned 3 minutes ago. Where have I seen this imbecile, thought the dragon.

But to him, it is but a small matter. Even though the Hunter had hurt him and would be his primary target, the Fire Wizard seemed to annoy him a lot more than his pride would allow.

With a gaping maw, he shot a jet blue flames at the ragtag group of adventurers. 

As expected, the Fire Wizard stepped forward and cast a Fire Ward to block the flames from searing the group.

As not expected, the dragon used this chance to swoop through the flames and pick up the Fire Wizard with his claws. He then flew upwards, tossed him into the sky, and proceeded to roast him in a fireball before swallowing him whole. He then departed from the scene, dimly aware of the shock of the remaining guildmates, followed by a delayed chase sequence.

Another something in the dragon stirred, berating him for using this skill so early in the battle. And that last minute switched targeting? That was not in his program! This was not standard protocol!

There would be consequences for his glitch, he realized.

He did not know why he did what he did.

All he knew was, it strangely satisfied him to send the Fire Wizard into a ball of flames that is his stomach.

And after all, for once, he was a dragon. He could do whatever he want.

Behind Them Old Songs

Way-Hay, and up she rises,

Way-Hay, and up she rises,

Way-Hay, and up she rises,

Early in the morning!

Sometimes I wish I could stay in bed for much longer. From 12 to 12 like how I remember my cousins do. I would really like to spend a larger part of my time in bed; an extra few hours of not having to think/worry at all. But I always get up before ten, when the sun shines in my face. Personally, I blame my brother's phone alarm.

It's my life 

It's now or never 

I ain't gonna live forever 

I just want to live while I'm alive 

I step out of bed, and I start the routine all over again. Breakfast. Drive. Lunch. Facebook. Stocks. Assassinate. Dinner. Bed. I mean, it's good to relax and all, especially after 9 months of pure studying and clinical experience (among other things), but this kind of life feels.... empty. I mean, not that I'm complaining that I don't have to worry about living on my own anymore, it's just that it feels like I'm slipping from one routine into another. I want to use my time PROPERLY, gdmn it.

Ain't no mountain high enough

Ain't no valley low

Ain't no river wide enough

Enough to keep me from you

No excuses this round. I have all the time I need, I will do what I promised to do. And I can't stop me.

Cya.

Behind The Physical Law of the Mental

Click me!

Today, we will visit this picture, first seen at a blog I follow.

We have to break this cycle down very carefully, for it can happen to any of us.

First, we see that it is a closed cycle. Hence, the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics apply, which states that:

Basically, it states that it is impossible for entropy to decrease in a closed system.

Thank you Urban Dictionary.

So basically it means that as long as the cycle continues, internal chaos will increase until it reaches a maximum. Whether the person can take this chaos, depends on the person entirely.

But not everyone can survive this chaos. So for most of us, we must have an external force acting on the equation, so that if we get trapped in, we have a way out.

What is the way out, you may ask? Well, I'm sorry, but I can't really help you with that, even though I really want to. See, being beings of different personalities, we run on very different systems. A different catalyst; a different reactant; a different reaction condition. What I am saying is that you have to find your own solution.

Sports, food, love, attention, book, media, whatever really.

What's mine, you ask?


Whacking slimes.

You should try it sometimes.

And writing helps too.

Cya. Please don't wander into endless cycles, ya?