Psychology

I've been mugging Psychology till it's coming out of my ears and loving every moment of it. There is no other subject that you can apply what you learnt so immediately and commonly.

For example, i was studying about how the brain remembers things and was trying to figure out how to memorise all this info when i realised the answer was staring right at me.

Woah. Use psychology to study psychology.

But this creates a problem. Because i could look and analyse any action or word mentioned by anyone i come across psychologically (and i tend to do so), i'm starting to over work my brain in a phenomenon people call thinking too much.

Example: We learnt the laws of proximity (things close together are assumed to be together) and continuity (things that are traveling in the same direction are assumed to be together). I started laughing because read it as if the laws were used to tell if a guy and a girl were a couple.

Somehow my highly adaptive and creative brain has compensated for this over usage by creating a new user account, Psychologist Justin (let's call him PsyJ), in my brain. So normal Justin would be talking to a friend, while PsyJ would whisper in my ear that he notices how the person's body language has changed and is talking to me the way he would talk only to his close friends, which means he's comfortable with me.

I think i just started down a long and sad road of split personality.

I also analyse people and i know who would do what under certain circumstances. In other words i can put myself very easily in the shoes of someone i know and think the way they do.

As you can see, i have activated many new parts of my brain and am using them with so much curiosity. But these... are uncharted waters in my mind. And one night, when there was a lot of stress, i began to lose control.

Stress was beginning to fill my head and the hormonal balance was changing. Never really a problem before, but this time there was a lot more in my head that was getting affected. Normally i would only hear 2 voices, me and PsyJ, debating over an issue. Now several other personalities that i had (either of myself in other mental states or just the mental personalities of the people i had analysed) were beginning to talk as well. This was bad- i was hearing too many voices in my head and they were out of control. I tried to sleep but could not silence the competing shouting voices.

Can't fight the voices in my head. Can't shout louder than them. Never mind. This is my brain and i can do whatever i want in it.

Somehow, my years of fighting thoughts of temptation beforehand helped (thank God...) and i pulled he same method here and it worked. I imagined a blue floor in my mind that melted every thought that touched it. I was in the middle of it and all the other personalities around began to melt into the blue and the dim and the dark. Many others came out of the darker corners of my mind, some twisted and scary, but i didn't fear them as they melted away the moment they touched the blue.

It was quiet then, and i found myself- right in the middle of the blue, fading slowly.

And then there was silence.

Sleep had come at last.

Healer

Why is it...

The moment i say i have food poisoning...

Everyone starts talking at me as if they are my doctor?

I ate my first piece of meat today. A thin slice of ham on white bread.

Nothing has tasted this good. Nothing had felt this bad.

Things i never thought could be taken away i took for granted.

The freedom to eat when i'm hungry...

To gulp when i'm thirsty...

To sleep when i'm tired...

To study.

To move my fingers...

my hands...

my wrists...

my feet.

But what really matters was what was said on one of the scariest nights of my life. As diarrhea, violent vomiting and profuse sweating drained my body of salts and liquid, i lost control of my legs, my fingers froze together and my wrists locked themselves backwards. Realizing i was going into shock, i told mom to call an ambulance. In that moment alone i cried out in no uncertain terms:

IN JESUS NAME, HELP ME!

And he did.

Staring Incidents

I sit on the train alone.

No one stares at me.

My girlfriend sits on the train alone.

People stare at her.

But when i sit on the train next to her...

People stare at me.

It was a little freaky at first, but now...

When people stare...

I smirk to myself.

Yup, she's with me.

KungPaoCian

My heart is heavy, and my bladder is filled to bursting.

Stairway to Heaven

Heading to church.



There was a huge crane outside, reducing the road to one lane.

Girl walking on the road towards me with earplugs on.



She didn't realise she was holding up traffic behind her.

She was wearing some yellow and white JC shirt.

KPCians

He thinks being late is cool.

-Daniel on Vincent

I met up with the 18 year olds from youth a few days back. We were supposed to go to Wild Wild Wet for a time of fun but um... my 18 year old boys preferred to... mug.

If i told my girlfriends that... They'd die laughing...

-Girl from Prinsep Presbyterian

So we met for lunch then headed to the airport where the 18 year old girls saw crayons and free paper and started colouring. The boys were too embarrassed to stay around and quickly went aside.

___-_-___

Sounds more politically correct now?

When The Tears Fall

Tears fell 4 times today.

All regarding tonight's Bible study.

I'd usually tell you what i felt and how amazing the passage was, but this time i won't. God's word doesn't need paraphrasing by me. Just take the time to read it slowly.

Here's the context: David, after spending 37 years of his life in the field, has finally been crowned king. God's promise to him has finally come to pass. Then God adds something...

"When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom. He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father, and he will be my son."

2 chapters later,

Mephibosheth bowed down and said, "What is your servant, that you should notice a dead dog like me?"

Newton

Kid on the floor at the MRT station. Crying, beating the floor and throwing a tantrum. Family stands around.

"What's his problem?" Sarah asks.

"Gravity."

Dare You to Move

I was one of the best debaters in the country.

I was a top shooter in my unit.

I bear the heaviest loads in my company.

I walk further than you would cycle.

I wield a sword like few can.

I can see at night- pitch black.

But why have i been so scared to put myself out there?

Why have i been so scared to fail that i don't dare to try?

Because i've been alone all this while.

I had no one to cry to when i fail.

Thus i found my value in doing things perfectly

And if it can't be perfect, i won't do it.

So the potentially best debater/shooter/walker/fighter didn't, and wasn't.

What am i to fear now?

Of night and light and the half light,

I was making my way home after a hard evening run.

Body battered, beaten and bruised.

Walking along i saw a little girl and her grandmother.

The little girl was half my height.

The grandma was so hunched she was almost the little girl's height.

They were walking home.

I realised my steps had slowed.

And i wondered.

What is the meaning of life?

When dreams and ambition have come to naught.

When years and strength are almost spent.

What do we live for then?

And is there really any difference

between what the little girl lives for

And what the little grandma lives for?

I found myself on a dim path i had never taken before.

But somehow i knew it would lead me home.

Too much TV

Many are called,
Few are chosen.



Not a line you'd expect to hear on TV (mobile).
I sat up in the bus and awaited the next line.



Now let's find out who will be...

...the next Ninja Warrior!



Ho yeah!
Hahaha life is good again.



I love Ninja Warrior. It's probably half the reason why i'm training my body so hard- i'm inspired.

(The other half is because my girlfriend mentioned in passing that she likes shoulders and arms.)



Makoto Nagano, the fishing boat captain, just cleared the new stage one with a new record! Ho ho ho!

He's my favourite contestant.

My sister and i shouted, screamed and banged on the floor for the full 30 seconds of his ascent up stage 4 and achieve total victory in the previous season- becoming only the second man to be crowned Ninja Warrior in history.

He should really be recruited to join G.I.Joe.

Technically,

this unit doesn't exist.

But if it did,

it would be comprised of the best operatives in the world.

And when all else fails, they don't.

Just think of it.

The selling power!

Makoto Nagano-

Ninja Warrior,

G.I.Joe.

Incomparable, unchangeable...

The drink runs up the straw and sweetness stings my tongue.



I take a big gulp and the coke burns my throat.



The burger in my other hand is not worth what i paid.



I pick up a french fry, dab it in ketchup, take a bite and put the rest in my mouth.



I'm sitting alone in McDonalds.



I'm not willing to pay so much for food, but if a happy meal can give me what it's name promises, i'll gladly pay.



It's closing time soon.



___



This morning during worship i fell to my knees.
It's something i've never done at youth service before.
Something no one has done at youth service before.


This afternoon when the sanctuary was empty
i sat at the foot of the cross
speaking softly; words no man has ever heard.


Amanda passed through the hall without realising i was there.
She was startled when a voice called her by name
from beneath the big wooden cross
in a supposedly empty hall.



"What are you doing here?" she asked.


"Just sitting at the foot of the cross," I replied.


"Oh okay. You seem very emo lately."




But of course.

Quotes

In case you're still in the dark and think that Justin's book of quotes no longer exist... time to follow me into the light. With the advent of modern technology, Justin's book of quotes is now in digital format... and very up to date. So you've been warned (and now you know why Justin has been typing into his phone every time you talk nonsense). Here are some extracts from the bestseller soon to hit stores.



The Good


Take stock of my life:
Am I a human being or a human doing?
-Dr Alan Adams


It's not about
how smart you are
or how rich you are,
but who you are.
-Mike Hack



The Bad


How do you spell FBI?
-Rex, Toy Story 2


Want me to scold your mother is it?
-My mother



The T Shirt Slogans


Your daughter is in good hands.


Friends don't let friends talk to ugly boys.


-

I cannot believe i've never used this post title before.

Shaken

It really sucks.



Why is it


After all these years


Only now


Has someone pointed out to me my weakness



Friends are supposed to point out my blind spots.




But my blind spot is that i have no friends.




Sigh...



Who am i to blame.

Just Say It

Okay i finally changed my facebook relationship status. Hurry go click the like button.

When i first got together with Sarah she warned me that if i were to propose at the end of this year she'll scream and run in the opposite direction.

Now people, be honest and own up... who alerted her of my tendency to propose?

Meridians

He thinks being late is cool.

-Daniel on Vincent

I met up with the 18 year olds from youth today. We were supposed to go to Wild Wild Wet for a time of fun but um... my Meridian JC boys preferred to... mug.

If i told my girlfriends that... They'd die laughing...

-Girl from RJC

So we met for lunch then headed to the airport where the MJ girls saw crayons and free paper and started colouring. The boys were too embarrassed to stay around and quickly went aside.

___-_-___

Maybe if i tell you you're not good

enough, making you work

rather hard as a result;

in the end, if you

do well,

i've succeeded

and it seems worth it, yet...

not once did i consider the cost.

Bible Study

Some things i never knew are actually mentioned in the Bible.

Heard of the saying:

Red sky morning,

sailors' warning.

red sky night,

sailors' delight.

It was actually mentioned by Jesus in slightly different words.

Matthew 16:2-3

Have you heard of a man crying for his wife was being taken away from him to be given to a King? Yeah of course. But have you heard of such a story in the Bible? David wanted his first wife back from her new husband Paltiel. Paltiel's devotion is seen in 2 Samuel 3:16.

Her husband, however, went with her, weeping behind her all the way to Bahurim.

Just thought you might want to know.

Space

A girl came into our tutorial class half an hour late. She was exasperated and spoke loudly.

"How do i get here?!? It's like NUS has become a labyrinth!"

"Aren't you a year 2 student?" The tutor said.

"3!"

But i don't blame her.

Our class was on the 2nd floor of block 5.

Walking from the 1st floor of block 4 gets you to the 4th floor of block 5.

Walking down the stairs from there will get you to the 3rd floor, the sign on the wall tells you what is located on floor 1 to 6, but the staircase does not go any lower than the 3rd floor.

Go figure.

Taylor Swift

We were both young

When i first saw you...

Marianne bought Taylor Swift's Fearless album. Nice. (Fearless has been what i've been trying to be for a long time.) But once the songs started playing, especially Teardrops On My Guitar, i got so emo. It was like the song was written about me.

But come to think of it, you know who gets the most emo listening to Taylor Swift's music? (No not you Des.) It's the boys who inspired her heartbreaking songs. Imagine how the dude will feel when he hears The Taylor Swift singing about how she used to like him but he was too blind to notice. Now that... would make any dude emo.

But to give them some credit... If the dudes had noticed her... She would not have been heartbroken and thus inspired to sing, and she would not have become The Taylor Swift.

Just a thought.

My favourite line of all her songs:

Romeo save me

They try to tell me how to feel

This love is difficult

But it's real