Bout time i got to writing on my blog again, b/c i didnt hav the time before.
I read in my psych book a bit ago, and it mentioned the primary indicators of happiness. Lookin at my psych book right now, it said that some of the factors that do NOT predict happiness are
-money
-age
-parenthood,
-intelligence, and
-physical attractiveness.
VERY interesting. I didn't really think these would predict happiness, but i'm sure they do help. Especially after blowing my macro econ exam, i feel kinda stupid, and a bit insecure, but more on that next time.
The Moderately good predictors of happiness are
-health
-Social activity
-religion
-culture
I agree with ALL of those, although i think health less so than the others. More on culture later.
The Strong Predictors of happiness are
-Love and Marriage
-Work (wth...?)
- Personality
It seems that social activity from the moderate predictors of happiness might tie in with the "Love and Marriage", b/c that one helps lead to that. More on personality later.
Anywayz, i went to church today, and I was thinking about the need for God and religion, otherwise a moderate predictor of happiness. I always thought about it before, but church refreshed these thoughts, and i decided to write these thoughts finally in my blog.
Many people think of God as an actual being or entity- or at least most of the very religious people still do. Others think that there is no God, and therefore no need for Him. Some ppl who disown god think that they are done away with Him in their lives for good, but that's a misconception. God and faith (and love for each other) are synonymous in a way. True happiness comes from having faith and love for one another, and since God is in all of us, those athiests who claim to be "happy" are having faith and love to those close to them - in other words, they are having faith and love to God. So, God IS in their lives, whether they like it or not. Unless they're not the faithful or loving kind...but that jst means those athiests aren't rly happy.
God, for those who believe he is some sort of being (in which most of the times i do), trust that he has a plan for all, and that there's a reason for everything. In this sense He is a guiding Light. This plan of God leads to a "let it be" mentality towards those who believe, helping to ease the sins they've committed and accept the tragedies in life. Most athiests say that this act of letting all the pressures fall on God's plan, or God's shoulders, is an excuse, or reason, for Christians/Catholics to blame all their faults on. But, that's totally looking at it in a negative light. God's plan and its "let it be" attitude it induces is just another way to relieve pressures and stress (just like this blog), to make life easier, making extra room to focus on the good things in life. The "let it be" attitude puts the pressures on God, and lets us move on with our lives. Now, as a said before, God is in everyone. We ARE God. We are each other's guiding light - we have the power to relieve pressures of other ppl, to relieve their sins. Whatever which way you look at it - the guiding light as an ENtity/BEing OR the guiding light of God in each of us - that's also another concept that athiests overlook: when they take consolation in others, or lean on another person's shoulder, they're following God's guiding light (which leads to a "let it be" attitude). It's a bit confusing how im saying it, but here is the point form of what im thinking:
Since God is in everyone:
- If we have faith and love for one another, we're also having faith in God.
- If we take consolation in each other, we are taking consolation in God. Once our pressures and sins are relieved onto one another (God), we are led to a "let it be" towards life, making us happier.
- For athiests, who have faith and love and take consolation in each other, are still happy, even though they took teh name "God" out of their lives.
With last point in the summary, God - as name, symbol, or actual being - is not necessary. It just makes things easier if we believe God as an actual being, something that we can have FAITH and LOVE and CONSOLATION in. But since we're all human, we need THIS entity. We need something we can hold onto. I'm not sure if the athiests are truly happy. There are many implications im leaving out here - like how God is a TEST to prove you are truly faithful. Since God is not concrete, having to test our faith in Him first will determine our faith in other people in real life. SO, I'm not sure if the athiests are truly happy if they do not have a non-concrete being to place they're faith on, otherwise it's not real faith, meaning they're not truly happy. Like i said before, we NEED God, we need FAIth, which actually then enables us to love and console in others.
There, God is needed.
Also, with God comes a RELIGION, which is also needed. The main point (highlight) of the bible was to witness Jesus's fall and resurrection. We need this in order to see that we can RELATE to God. Plus, with that comes more consolation, in that we see our sins/sorrow isn't as bad as Christ's sufferings. In short, religion is jst extra to a solid base which is God.
I'll continue culture and personality some other time, and some self analysis of myself too.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
my "surprise" 19th bday
I couldn't be happier with how my bday turned out - i got a bronze medal, and alot of encouragement from my coach, who is such a brilliant technician. My medal isn't jst a medal tho - it was a sign of my transformation as a wrestler - NAY, a person. I won't be so scared anymore when walking onto the mat. I've turned over a new leaf, for a lack of a better phrase. Hopefully this "Im gnna win, im gnna win" mentallity will stay with me - b/c rite now, it's priceless. Also, all-u-can-eat sushi after the Nemeth tourney, PLUS a surprise bday from my sis. From wat the facebook page i could see, i assumed that it was jst my friends who were coming. But,to my vry surprise, nearly all my cousins were there. That made me so happy, since the day b4 every1 was at my uncle's party, and considering how busy they usually are, im glad they took time out of their daily lives jst to come a 2nd time. I couldn't be any more grateful to my friends who setted this up, and also my sister. I dont kno how to repay them. I rly am still thinking about how to repay them, but nothing can repay them back fully to the amound of fun/joy i experienced that day. If my friends invited my ubc friends - at least leanne, lianae, and sunny - that would've jst been the cherry on top. I haven't ever been treated to such a selfless action - I learned alot from that, and it rly does inspire to act out of selflessness too, jst to spread teh joy. Tho can't promise anything. One of teh best days of my life, period.
wrestling entry 2 - KAMloops and Nemeth
So, im writing this on the same nite of when i created my blog. Here goes.
So my very first tourney i was psyched. I practically went there on a greyhound with jst me and my coach with the mentallity that "I was going to lose anywayz." I don't think i would've went if it weren't for my friends' support.
I didn't expect their support - i guess i wasnt used to it. But now i know that's wat friends are for. I think it was b/c one of my worst fears came true when that jacka$$ of a classmate (some1-who-shall-not-be-named) went on laughing at my video on youtube of me getting dominated in the regionals for BC. I hated that - that was one of the reasons y i kept wrestling on teh down low for so long, so that ppl didnt kno if i screwed up or not. I was so mad when he laughed at me - and embarrassed too. I still cringe at the video of me on youtube - I know i could've done so much better. What bothered me so much is that that video is what ppl now see me as - some1 who's at their worst. I hated that. NO ONE knows how fast i could be - how strong i could be, let alone how cunning i could be. NO ONE knows how hard i worked. The problem b4 was that i started to concentrate on losing weight and not exercising, and only relied on my double leg takedowns. This is one of the main reasons why i'm still in wrestling - i want to redeem myself for that poor performance. Now, im the opposite -im exercising to lose weight and get more endurance and stronger, AND im learning new moves everyday, and perfecting old ones. I'm jst glad i have a few friends who wrk out with me - jst so that they kno how hard i wrk - at least now those ppl who are my current gym partners respect how i seriously i take my wrestling. If only they could see me wrestle now - i jst hav to remmeber to bring a cam next time to record it - not rly for them, but for myself to learn what i did wrong.
ANYWAYZ - back to KAMLOOPs. Yeah, i was psyched at first - but as soon as a i saw how big (well - tall) the other guy was, my confidence plummeted. Worst of all, a crowd (one of my worst fears), was concentrated on that one mat to see the amazing collegiate wrestlers wrestle. there were vry few wrestlers - it was an open tourney - so technically some1 who weighs 130 could verse a guy who weighs 170. Anywayz, i was frozen when i went on teh mat. Luckily i lasted...26 secs. I hand-fought and sprawled for those few secs, but my first opponent managed to get me in a fireman's carry. it's not that i lost which was the most embarrassing - it was HOW i lost- the guy put me down slowly and safely, and pinned me softly as a result - yeah, he was a nice guy, but next time ill beat him.
My 2nd opponent in kamloops i thought i was gonna run thru - he was skinny shit. I later found out his name was Harri(son). He was tall, and was in my weight class, but NO WONDER - he was mostly skin, some bone, and lengthy. In a fight, i could've beat teh crap out of him. BUT, in a wrestlign match, he was jst more conditioned and knowledgeable as a wrestler. He won by points in the end. I was rly sad. Later on, i was embarrassed to txt my friends i lost BOTH matches. I thought i went there for nothing. On the greyhound back home, i txted my sis too, saying that i was "kinda embarrassed". What she txted me back literally made me cry - i was choked up in the greyhound, and tears were running. she texted me back somethin along these lines: "aww, it;s ok, ur still learning rite. if it makes u feel better, we could go out and eat later on". It doesnt sound like much, but the fact that i felt like QUITTIN wrestling, wat she said couldnt have been any more perfect. I loved her for that - sometimes my sis says the wrong stuff, but this time, she rly hit the target. I txted her back, "thx", and took her txt to heart. AFtER ALL, i WAS still learning, and STILLl am. I felt better, but i still knew i would go home empty handed. it was the worst feelign ever.
O yeah, i won't ever forgot what that black guy, named "frank menza", said to me: "Good job man. I'm glad you came out, and glad you stuck it out *tells me what i could've done from that sprawl*". Later on, he would tell my coach "I have potential". WHAT A NICE GUY. Even my coach didnt rly believe him at that time - neither did I, until i realized that that guy's frame was jst as short as me - and he was 2nd in CANADA. It rly does give me hope =) - my first ray of hope out of this whole tourney.
In the other tourney, which was on my bday on saturday (exactly a week after my first tourney), i took a different approach. I said, wth, mite as well give it a shot - i took the mentallity of "im gnna win, im gonna win". IT WORKED. My first match - waddya kno, it was harry! - i got my rematch. I remember it so clearly - heh after all it was jst 2 nites ago. With my new mentallity in tack, i took the fear of a crowd off my mind - after all, there were only a few ppl watchin. I wasnt concious of how i looked while wrestling either. I felt great walkin onto the mat. He shot, i sprawled, went behind quickly and painlessly, coach's orders. Here's where i ran into trouble - i knew no offensive moves from this position. The ref stood us up, he shot, i tried to defend, but he got the better of me and i went on my belly. He scored some pts on me on the ground, and the first round was over. he won that round. 2nd round wasn't as great as teh first round, i cant remember it too well. Wen i went back to my corner, what my coach said i won't ever forget "Listen. You've improved 300%. I liked that. You didn't give up." That's what i wanted to hear, altho i was still pretty pissed knowing i could've won that match. During the break, i caught up with my opponent, which is how i learned his name was Harry. He said he was pushing 60 kg, even tho my weight class was 57kg. No wonder. If i had THIS guy on the run, and the fact im still a beginner wrestler, jst think how dominant i would've been if i were at the lowest weight class, 55kg? Literally, weight cutting started today (monday), and it feels great to get back into that exercising/concious-eating mode.
ANYWAZ, the 2nd match was good too. I dont kno how he won teh first round - i felt i dominated him the whole first round - i remember there was 12 secs left in the first round, and the score was 4-2 in favour of my opponent - so i Shot, and tried to take him down for the 2 pts. unfortunately time ran out. 2nd match, he pinned me with a move that i've seen him fail to do the whole first round. Dubbed the "hig sag". As of today's (monday's) practice, i now know how to defend a hip sag. But that Harrison person - i was talkin about it to 1 of my friends 2day, and she said "well, nxt time for sure u'll beat him". I couldn't agree more.
After rolling up the mats, my coach called me over. He gave me a bronze medal. I was so happy, especially after i would have a nice "surprise"party with my friends.
So my very first tourney i was psyched. I practically went there on a greyhound with jst me and my coach with the mentallity that "I was going to lose anywayz." I don't think i would've went if it weren't for my friends' support.
I didn't expect their support - i guess i wasnt used to it. But now i know that's wat friends are for. I think it was b/c one of my worst fears came true when that jacka$$ of a classmate (some1-who-shall-not-be-named) went on laughing at my video on youtube of me getting dominated in the regionals for BC. I hated that - that was one of the reasons y i kept wrestling on teh down low for so long, so that ppl didnt kno if i screwed up or not. I was so mad when he laughed at me - and embarrassed too. I still cringe at the video of me on youtube - I know i could've done so much better. What bothered me so much is that that video is what ppl now see me as - some1 who's at their worst. I hated that. NO ONE knows how fast i could be - how strong i could be, let alone how cunning i could be. NO ONE knows how hard i worked. The problem b4 was that i started to concentrate on losing weight and not exercising, and only relied on my double leg takedowns. This is one of the main reasons why i'm still in wrestling - i want to redeem myself for that poor performance. Now, im the opposite -im exercising to lose weight and get more endurance and stronger, AND im learning new moves everyday, and perfecting old ones. I'm jst glad i have a few friends who wrk out with me - jst so that they kno how hard i wrk - at least now those ppl who are my current gym partners respect how i seriously i take my wrestling. If only they could see me wrestle now - i jst hav to remmeber to bring a cam next time to record it - not rly for them, but for myself to learn what i did wrong.
ANYWAYZ - back to KAMLOOPs. Yeah, i was psyched at first - but as soon as a i saw how big (well - tall) the other guy was, my confidence plummeted. Worst of all, a crowd (one of my worst fears), was concentrated on that one mat to see the amazing collegiate wrestlers wrestle. there were vry few wrestlers - it was an open tourney - so technically some1 who weighs 130 could verse a guy who weighs 170. Anywayz, i was frozen when i went on teh mat. Luckily i lasted...26 secs. I hand-fought and sprawled for those few secs, but my first opponent managed to get me in a fireman's carry. it's not that i lost which was the most embarrassing - it was HOW i lost- the guy put me down slowly and safely, and pinned me softly as a result - yeah, he was a nice guy, but next time ill beat him.
My 2nd opponent in kamloops i thought i was gonna run thru - he was skinny shit. I later found out his name was Harri(son). He was tall, and was in my weight class, but NO WONDER - he was mostly skin, some bone, and lengthy. In a fight, i could've beat teh crap out of him. BUT, in a wrestlign match, he was jst more conditioned and knowledgeable as a wrestler. He won by points in the end. I was rly sad. Later on, i was embarrassed to txt my friends i lost BOTH matches. I thought i went there for nothing. On the greyhound back home, i txted my sis too, saying that i was "kinda embarrassed". What she txted me back literally made me cry - i was choked up in the greyhound, and tears were running. she texted me back somethin along these lines: "aww, it;s ok, ur still learning rite. if it makes u feel better, we could go out and eat later on". It doesnt sound like much, but the fact that i felt like QUITTIN wrestling, wat she said couldnt have been any more perfect. I loved her for that - sometimes my sis says the wrong stuff, but this time, she rly hit the target. I txted her back, "thx", and took her txt to heart. AFtER ALL, i WAS still learning, and STILLl am. I felt better, but i still knew i would go home empty handed. it was the worst feelign ever.
O yeah, i won't ever forgot what that black guy, named "frank menza", said to me: "Good job man. I'm glad you came out, and glad you stuck it out *tells me what i could've done from that sprawl*". Later on, he would tell my coach "I have potential". WHAT A NICE GUY. Even my coach didnt rly believe him at that time - neither did I, until i realized that that guy's frame was jst as short as me - and he was 2nd in CANADA. It rly does give me hope =) - my first ray of hope out of this whole tourney.
In the other tourney, which was on my bday on saturday (exactly a week after my first tourney), i took a different approach. I said, wth, mite as well give it a shot - i took the mentallity of "im gnna win, im gonna win". IT WORKED. My first match - waddya kno, it was harry! - i got my rematch. I remember it so clearly - heh after all it was jst 2 nites ago. With my new mentallity in tack, i took the fear of a crowd off my mind - after all, there were only a few ppl watchin. I wasnt concious of how i looked while wrestling either. I felt great walkin onto the mat. He shot, i sprawled, went behind quickly and painlessly, coach's orders. Here's where i ran into trouble - i knew no offensive moves from this position. The ref stood us up, he shot, i tried to defend, but he got the better of me and i went on my belly. He scored some pts on me on the ground, and the first round was over. he won that round. 2nd round wasn't as great as teh first round, i cant remember it too well. Wen i went back to my corner, what my coach said i won't ever forget "Listen. You've improved 300%. I liked that. You didn't give up." That's what i wanted to hear, altho i was still pretty pissed knowing i could've won that match. During the break, i caught up with my opponent, which is how i learned his name was Harry. He said he was pushing 60 kg, even tho my weight class was 57kg. No wonder. If i had THIS guy on the run, and the fact im still a beginner wrestler, jst think how dominant i would've been if i were at the lowest weight class, 55kg? Literally, weight cutting started today (monday), and it feels great to get back into that exercising/concious-eating mode.
ANYWAZ, the 2nd match was good too. I dont kno how he won teh first round - i felt i dominated him the whole first round - i remember there was 12 secs left in the first round, and the score was 4-2 in favour of my opponent - so i Shot, and tried to take him down for the 2 pts. unfortunately time ran out. 2nd match, he pinned me with a move that i've seen him fail to do the whole first round. Dubbed the "hig sag". As of today's (monday's) practice, i now know how to defend a hip sag. But that Harrison person - i was talkin about it to 1 of my friends 2day, and she said "well, nxt time for sure u'll beat him". I couldn't agree more.
After rolling up the mats, my coach called me over. He gave me a bronze medal. I was so happy, especially after i would have a nice "surprise"party with my friends.
wrestling entry 1
OK, so Dave, my wrestling coach, told me to write wrestling "diaries" about what i learned in wrestling practices + tourneys. So, instead of going thru the hassle of writing everything about past practices, ima write about what were significant to me. Here goes!
Anywayz, what wrestling has been great so far. Been alot of fun, and it's what has been keeping me fit (and motivated to be fit) since i started UBC this year. What a ride it's been..from having no mats, playing soccer in the SUB (KARATE CLUB VS WRESTLING CLUB IN SOCCER! that was too good - forgot what the score was, but it downrite fun), to having a home at PW and having mats! It really has been a wild ride so far - we had to sneak out our mats (with teh vry few men that we had) out of behind the SUB theatre. I still remember what an a$$ the theatre owner was - my coach asked politely if we could quietly move our mats while the movie was playing, and the skinny/tall owner said in his steve urkle voice "no, how about u leave now?". Luckily, my coach oersuaded him to let us move those mats. PICTURE THIS: a team of wrestlers, scavengers desperate for a home, working our asses off to move mats *QUIETLY* through the back of a PITCH BLACK theatre into a THIN hall and then into a truck! What a nite, and i won;t ever forget it. Luckily we got a home now, and that's PW, where we had my visiting beginners, only to hav a handle of STAYERS. And so real wrestling practice begins!
Anywayz, what wrestling has been great so far. Been alot of fun, and it's what has been keeping me fit (and motivated to be fit) since i started UBC this year. What a ride it's been..from having no mats, playing soccer in the SUB (KARATE CLUB VS WRESTLING CLUB IN SOCCER! that was too good - forgot what the score was, but it downrite fun), to having a home at PW and having mats! It really has been a wild ride so far - we had to sneak out our mats (with teh vry few men that we had) out of behind the SUB theatre. I still remember what an a$$ the theatre owner was - my coach asked politely if we could quietly move our mats while the movie was playing, and the skinny/tall owner said in his steve urkle voice "no, how about u leave now?". Luckily, my coach oersuaded him to let us move those mats. PICTURE THIS: a team of wrestlers, scavengers desperate for a home, working our asses off to move mats *QUIETLY* through the back of a PITCH BLACK theatre into a THIN hall and then into a truck! What a nite, and i won;t ever forget it. Luckily we got a home now, and that's PW, where we had my visiting beginners, only to hav a handle of STAYERS. And so real wrestling practice begins!
Monday, January 26, 2009
Intro
Well, here's my blogspot to display my thoughts and feelings. It could contain a variety of things, ranging from dreams, ventings, thoughts about society, wrestling practices, and so on. Hopefully this healthy for me...hahah. Let it begin!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)