I just watched the show "Coach Carter" not long ago and I heard a speech by one of the characters in response to "What Is Your Greatest Fear?"

Still my favourite jazz artist.

Had a bit of time to look at cars again, and I discovered yet another devil worth blogging about. Enjoy!

On this twenty second second of the twenty second minute of the twenty second hour of the twenty second day of the twenty second year of my life. Happy Birthday.

I think being attracted to people with either similar or differing interests, life experiences and political beliefs each have their pros and cons. 

I believe that when two people have similar interests, life experiences and political beliefs, they often reinforce each other's thoughts. They are more likely to agree with one another, than to disagree. They are also able to understand each other's perception of things, and may help each other to develop a central idea together. These are helpful in a relationship especially when they are required to make big decisions that may affect one, if not both of them.

This can be illustrated in the example of buying a house. When a couples with similar interests and life experiences decide to buy a house, they reinforce each other's ideas of what the ideal house for them would be. Having come from similar social and economic backgrounds also help the couple to formulate the idea of what an acceptable house design (e.g. Colonial or Venetian, Huge metal gates or White-washed wooden fence), or an realistic cost to the house would be.

In addition, people with similar interests are more likely to find work within the same industry. For example, if two people have similar interests in the field of health and science, they would tend to work within the research, healthcare and medical industries. As such, they can relate to and understand the day to day jargons that are used within their field of expertise, as well as give support to one another regarding the emergence of new ideas, theories and concepts. Having the same thoughts and perception of the central idea may help the couple to build confidence and support in the principal decision.

On the other hand, couple who have similar interests, experiences and political beliefs are often unable to explore every side of the principal decision. Having similar thoughts and perspectives may cause them to overlook details in the fine-print, like those found in a housing loan for instance. Overlook, not merely because they have simply been oblivious to the details, but because their similar decision outcomes and interests cause them to neglect potential traps and loop-holes.

Flawed decision making processes may occur like "The interest for Loan A is substantial. But since this is the only loan available that allows us to buy this beautiful house, I guess we could both work hard and be thrifty to service the loan, right?" People with similar ideas, interests and beliefs feed upon each other for confidence and support when making principal decisions. Hence, their supporting perceptions compel them to neglect potential problems. Problems of which, may come back to haunt them in future. Another significant  disadvantage perceived by me is that couples who agree on almost everything take each other for granted. As such, huge fights and quarrels occur in the event that they do disagree. It may also cause them to misunderstand the fact that quarrels and disagreements are part and parcel of relationships. Thus, in the event that they do quarrel and disagree, they may think that the fundamentals of their relationship is flawed and imperfect.

In contrast, the opposite couples have quarrels, disagreements, reconciliation and love-making every other day.  I am exaggerating of course. But my point is that people with differing perceptions and views would experience a roller-coaster like relationship, where quarrels and disagreements are all part of the package. In contrast to the similar couple, who supports each other's decision making, opposite couples complement each other's decision making. They each take turns to play the devil and angel at the back of each other's decision making.

Like when a man chooses a boring, dull-colored work tie that says "I'm bored of my job, please fire me." The woman may come up with a differing opinion about ties and choose a pink ties that says "Ow honey, I really think this tie looks great on you. Maybe you should give it a try? I'm sure your boss would notice you the moment you step into the office!"

Or when a woman wants to buy yet another pair of shoes for her already overcrowded shoe cabinet, the man might come in to say "I think these shoes complement your dress dear, but won't the other shoes in your cabinet feel left out and lonely when you get these new ones? Besides, I like the ones that you have now because they make your legs look so hot! Maybe we could get some more dresses to complement those pretty shoes?"

Differing points of view and ideas help a couple to explore all sides of a central idea before making the principal decision. They contribute to one another's chain of thoughts by providing view that the other may not have considered during their thought process. Sharing of life experiences can also be very much more interesting and lively because there's bound to be something to say that the other hasn't heard of before.

To me, no two people can be completely similar or different. But that's the joy of things. Couples can capitalize on the advantages of having both similar and differing interests, life experiences and political beliefs to make their relationship more stable, interesting and satisfying.

Okay. Felt like I wrote a lot for today :)

 I cannot help feeling that there's a mysterious force out there with cunning plans to oppose my journey towards doctor-hood.

First it was The Offer that could not be accepted because of policy.

Then it was the long long wait to get two years of freedom-less life over and done with.

Now, its the shocking discovery that the "pre-requisite" semester that I've planned for Semester Two of 2010 may have to be set back yet another year. Why? Because most approved pre-requisite subjects are only offered in Semester ONE. A bit too convenient, eh?

But hey, I'm hearing all of you say "Whatever doesn't kill you makes you stronger and tougher", right?

So what else could I do but be resilient to changes in my situation and come up with plans of my own to overcome adversity.

I've got my own Plan B. Astute.

So keep on falling bombs, I've got a stockpile of motivation and passion to shovel back into this crater you've payed so much attention to.

Atychiphobia - The fear of failure.

For those of you who have yet to figure out the answers to one of my questions on my facebook quiz, here you go. I am Atychiphobic.

While I was studying during my first year in the University of Melbourne, I frequently found myself struggling hard to memorize facts and concepts just days before I was due to sit for my exams. Everytime I managed to remember one fact, another concept would pop into my mind, and I'd panic again thinking that I have not properly grasped the latter. For year one, revision began two weeks before the cessation of the academic term. After a hurried meal, I would walk to the exam hall at least an hour before the exam with all my notes in my backpack, pick a good spot, sit and cram my poor brain with last minute vita-information. Panic and nervousness crept through me like vines on the wall. I was a wreck.

The worst thing was, lunch was churning in my tummy like a stormy ocean. Have to waste twenty minutes of writing time in the loo later. Damn.

One night just before one of my exams, I dreamed that I had failed a major paper. I snapped out of deep sleep at 4am in the morning only to find that I was clasping onto my Biology notes tightly.  My mind was racing at high speed, I couldn't remember anything! That was the first year that I had ever undertook a Biology subject. I was so nervous about the exam. I kept thinking about the people who had prior experience with Biology, how they must have thought that the exam preparations would be a breeze. And there I was, eye bloodshot, mind splitting headache and a runaway heart rate, sweating profusely in the winter cold.

For all intends, I scored a H2B  for that subject.

Since that episode, I never wanted to be in that situation again. I vowed that I would do all that I could to avoid it, whatever the costs were. I found myself starting my revision as early as two months before my exams. I stayed in the library more often (as long as 18 hours in a stretch during study week), took less naps and used more note pads. I came up with weird rules about the way I studied. For instance, I only wrote my notes in red or blue ink, never in pencil (I'm left handed so the carbon often messes up my hand). I made it a point to go through my lecture notes in such detail and devotion that I was able to replicate entire slides without looking at my notes. Speaking of going through notes, my norm was to go through it at least five times. I adopted a style of learning and studying that was a complete change to what I did before.

Gradually, I found myself walking to the exam venue with just my pencil case in one hand, and my water bottle in the other - warm water during winter. I never allowed myself to bring my notes along. Though I may not be the most confident candidate in the exam hall, I'm sure I am the most well prepared. I know because I have done all that could be done and I have prepared myself sufficiently for my exams. But for some reason, I still didn't like the idea of eating before my exams. Twenty minutes of writing time is just too much to spend flushing it down the drain.

Bachelors was pretty good for me I should say. I learnt one thing from all this. I may not consider myself to be smart, but if I could bother to put in all the hard work and effort, I would definitely be able to achieve the same results as the smart fellow sitting next to me.