Prince Caspian

Random thoughts from the last day or two...

NTCBC: Bible Study
We did a study on idols, when Wayne mentioned a really good point. We often cite that our idols are things like fame and money and schoo...yet our true idol, most often, seems to be time. That totally threw me off, but I realized the truth behind that statement. We eat McDonalds because we don't want to spend the time cooking. We buy fancy PDA phones (read: iPhone) and use integrated email/calendar (read: GMail and Google Calendar), rely on RSS feeds and the microwave because it brings us what we want sooner. I've heard that we've gotten really good at making things more efficient...yet we simply just jam more things into the time we did free up at making things more efficient. We're more busier now, more than before. Always rushing here and rushing there...

NTCBC: Family Fun Fair
There was a Family Fun Fair. As promised, I went to check it out. I guess it was cuz I was helping them prepare for the event the night before (Friday), before Josiah (High school/University fellowship), one of the Aunties recognized me. So she got me to pour tea into cups for people. While I was doing that, I looked around me...I guess alot of these people were parents of kids that attended NTCBC's chinese school. So I was taller than alot of them. Yet when they came up to me (cuz I was pouring tea and all), I seemed to have naturally reacted like I would around adults. I guess University doesn't really make you feel like you're an adult.

This is really contrasted with the environment I'm used to. Where I have the ability to shape my fellowship. Where I've taken "high-ranking" positions like Committee and Retreat Coordinator. lol...I remember during Frosh week, they were telling us how we're the "best of our high schools" and that the stardards are higher and whatnot. And some people had to adjust from that. I never really felt that, since I was a slacker and did poorly (so my adjustment was having to actually work to get my marks...haha). I suppose this indicates to me that my adjustment will have to come after University...when I actually have to keep my pride in check and realize that I'm but one vote, instead of among the leadership board.

I think it stood out a bit when we noticed that there was a shooting range station (someone brought a BB rifle -_-) and Rika was commenting on how there's no way any of us with that type of idea would make it by the deacon board...but since it was an adult that did it...oh well. I suppose adults knows better. I suppose. But I suppose I'm also still naive.

Empress Walk Theatres: Prince Caspian [Spoilers]
It was a good movie. Having not read the book, I can't comment on how closely they sticked with the plot. One comment stood out from the movie though. There was a point in the movie where Peter Pevensie (the "high king" back at the end of the first book, being the oldest of the Pevensie siblings) complains about being treated like a kid (he was an adult by the time he left Narnia...go read the book -_-) and gives a general feeling of discontent with the "real world", having been a king in Narnia. I was reflecting on that when the movie ended, wondering if I'd have the guts to take on Miraz in a one-on-one duel...or charge into a massive advancing army...and even a bit of what life was like back when things were just just swords and shields, where knights and the like were the the norm. This then lead to thoughts about being discontent with normal life, like Peter was. I suppose that's why things like fictional books, manga and video games are so popular...they serve as an escape from the mundane life. This directly reminded me of a conversation I had with Victor, regarding the merits and downfalls of owning a portable gaming device (the Nintendo DS). "With it, every moment is exciting" ... why would you want to live as a regular employee, where you go to work 9-5, 5 days a week, doing the same type of stuff over and over again...when you can be Prince Caspian, running straight into battle, beating up hundreds of soldiers, saving the day against all odds, and bring crowned king.

How would programming 8 hours a day in MATLAB compare to something like that?! And so people feed their discontentment with normal life with such things. Wanting more and thus turning to things like movies, but ultimately unsatisfied with the temporal nature of it all.