Breaking Bad - How It Will End?

How a docile and harmless chemistry teacher turns into a ruthless drug dealer is what Breaking Bad all about. After being diagnosed with a cancer, Walter decided to cook crystal meth in order to provide for his family. Progressively, he descended into the abyss of moral destruction. The irony? This was after the factor that led him to "break bad" had disappeared: his cancer.

How this TV series would end is the one million dollar question. Whatever Vince Gilligan, the creator of Breaking Bad, has in mind, there are two moral complexities that need some resolution.

First, every action has its consequences. The idea of justice is ingrained in us and we are taught since child that consequences will follow. No crime goes unpunished. Revenge, is the default response whenever feelings or rights are violated. Thus, Walter has to face the ultimate judgment from all people whose lives and freedom he had raped for the pursuit of his drug empire. To let him off the hook seems to be offensively simple - a fairy tale.

On the other hand, some of us secretly wish that fairy tale does come true. We all know how dire circumstances awaken the Dr Jekyll in us, and the impossibility of extricating ourselves from the spiraling journey down. Part of us wish that forgiveness is not too much too ask; a jewel that the world can still readily dispense.

The reason Breaking Bad captures the heart of many viewers is because, to some degree, the story of Walter White is a story of us. It reveals a frightening nature of human. Given the right ingredients - power, absence of moral authority, wealth, duress - people "break bad".

I believe Breaking Bad is not a story about personal change, but about situational change. The more Walter's drug empire grows and the more obstacles he overcomes, the more convinced he is of his invincibility. His crime begets another crime, but the better he is at damage control, the more God-like he feels. Steadily, as the circumstances increase, he decreases. Under this escalating situational change, Dr Jekyll has totally overtaken Mr Hyde. It is this self-inflated Dr Jekyll who looks straight to his wife and says, "I'm not in the drug business, I'm in the empire business".

Breaking Bad runs on a frightening moral principal: every one of us can turn into season-6 Walter White. It shows, in a modern twist, what Philip Zimbardo had concluded in his famous Stanford Prison experiment: Dr Jekyll is not a hell of our own making, but a hell exist all along inside us.

At this point, no one knows how Breaking Bad is going to end, and I trust Gilligan will bring this challenging dilemma to a satisfying conclusion. Whether it would end with the idea of justice and love being mixed into a beautiful concoction still remain to be known. If yes, then Breaking Bad would be the closest tale of grace in today's modern culture - the return of the prodigal son, Walter White.

Lessons from Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can't Stop Talking by Susan Cain

Validated!

That was the pervasive feeling I had after reading Susan Cain's book, Quiet. Being an introvert for almost 26 years is like living under constant prejudice that we are the 2nd class personality. Who care about that kid sitting quietly at the corner? Why is he not contributing to the discussion? "He's sooo quiet," people whisper.

Like the sun by which everything become clear, this book explains why I behave the way I behaved. The crux of the issue is not about which personality is superior, but how one personality can support the other, and vice versa. This writing is even not an argument, but a plea (I'll let the extroverts argue) for more understanding to the inside world of an introvert.

1. We are not anti-social.
Might be shocking to you, but we enjoy being in a social event and socializing. However, I wish you would redefine the idea of social events that have been shaped heavily by the culture, and enter into the introverts' idea of social event instead.

Imagine a small table of four, either at a coffee shop or a wine bar, with Michael Buble playing on the background, and four friends chatting heartily about life. Forget beer pong. Forget limbo and please don't even mention a disco night, all those are beyond our threshold of tolerance. So, it's not that we are anti-social, but we are differently social. Apparently, a table of four works better for us.

2. We are not anti-fun
I apologize if I did not jump from my seat and dance to the beat of Pitbull singing. I remember I was at a Bruno Mars' concert, and there was me sitting down quietly trying to enjoy his voice in the middle of girls jumping, hollering and cam-videoing. Pardon me for being the "lousiest fan", but I did enjoy the concert and did have fun. I just prefer less stimulation, and thus produce less expression of enthusiasm. Take off the lighting, and everything that make a concert spectacular, and I will not be deprived of fun. I just enjoy it differently.

3. We do engage in brainstorming and group discussion session.
These two types of environment are the perfect incubator for extroverts: spotlight, quick decision, thinking out loud, and actions oriented. Unfortunately for introverts who prefer solitude, contemplation, and thought processing, these brainstorming and discussion session will only produce half-baked ideas that we feel very uncomfortable to present.

Believe me, we do engage in the discussion, but for the time you spend talking and brainstorming, we are thinking and contemplating - mostly about what you said two minutes ago. And because there is rarely a moment of silence to which we can finish our thought, we just can't keep up. It's not rare that I come out from these sessions feeling wrecked by all the brains storming my resources and leave me in vertigo.

4. We do feel excited about your idea
Don't interpret our lack of excitement, or our hesitant to high-five as a non cooperative gesture to your initiative. It's just very natural for us to go into contemplative mode and wander into the realm of "what if this does not work". Instead of risk taking, too often we are heed taking. And it's hard to be gregarious when our path to gregarious require a five minutes risk assessment of the idea. Trust me, once we settle with it, we develop what Cain said Quiet Persistence or Soft Power - a silent tenacity in achieving a goal.

"Foothill College communication studies professor Preston Ni calls this style soft power, and contends that even someone who's not outwardly charismatic can lead if she is committed to her cause. The introverted Mother Teresa wielded soft power, and so did Gandhi, who had been a shy man. "In the long run," says Ni, "if your idea is good and you lead with your heart, it's almost a universal law: You'll attract people who want to share your cause. Soft power is quiet persistence.""

5. Believe me, I'm an introvert
And many other of your friends who can be gregarious, loud, and seems pretty comfortable in a large social setting. This is because many introverts are pseudo-extrovert, or as what Cain put it, a high self monitoring introvert - people who can modify their behavior to social demands. Although we do enjoy (point #1 and point #2) the social interactions, they are taking a toll on us and our energy meter is depleting rapidly.

To this, Cain suggested a method called "restorative niche" - a physical or mental place to recharge your energy and be true to yourself. Allow this 5- 10 minutes break between high stimulating activities and go for a walk before meeting, or hide in a bathroom, or put on your noise-cancelling earphone, etc.

Overall, there is no finger pointing here, I don't blame the company culture or the education system for favoring the Extroverts ideal. What I am hoping is for introverts not to shy away from their strength, and for extroverts to understand the contribution that for long have been closeted by the introverts. I'm sure the synergy of a team depends on all parts working together in their areas of strength and after so much training and focus on 7 Habits or Strength Finder, maybe it's time to shift our focus and go back to people's most basic trait, introverts and extroverts personality.

Commencement Speech - You Are Not Special

Be careful what you hear. We tend to selectively hear only things that validate our opinion and sense of liking. We like to hear messages that tickle our ears, telling us that we deserve it, we are strong, and we are special. Aren't we the contender? Imagine that you are one out of the millions sperms that being dispensed, and you're the one who swim victoriously towards the egg? But hey, listen more carefully please: there are 6.8 billions sperm that manage to do that too, and more are following. That is why when one commencement speaker states that we are not special, the whole world throws a tantrum and gasp in disbelief.

How could he? 

How dare he? 

Yes, what rarely said and often only heard in a faint whisper is the line after that: how could he tell that disturbing truth that soon? How dare he shatter the beautiful yet misconstrued pictures that we have been constructing for this little child - that he is the most special and that the world revolve around him?

This speech is an appropriate wake up call not only for these children, but also for all of us. Listen to what David McCullough Jr, an English speaker from Wellesley High School has to say during this commencement speech. 

Here are some of my favorites:

'Yes, you've been pampered, cosseted, doted upon, helmeted, bubble-wrapped. Yes, capable adults with other things to do have held you, kissed you, fed you, wiped your mouth, wiped your bottom, trained you, taught you, tutored you, coached you, listened to you, counseled you, encouraged you, consoled you and encouraged you again. You've been nudged, cajoled, wheedled and implored. You've been feted and fawned over and called sweetie pie. Yes, you have. And, certainly, we've been to your games, your plays, your recitals, your science fairs. Absolutely, smiles ignite when you walk into a room, and hundreds gasp with delight at your tweet. ... And now you've conquered high school ... and, indisputably, here we all have gathered for you, the pride and joy of this fine community ...

But do not get the idea you're anything special. Because you're not.'

'Your planet ... is not the center of its solar system, your solar system is not the center of its galaxy, your galaxy is not the center of the universe. In fact, astrophysicists assure us the universe has no center; therefore, you cannot be it'

'Like accolades ought to be, the fulfilled life is a consequence, a gratifying byproduct. It's what happens when you're thinking about more important things. Climb the mountain not to plant your flag, but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you. Go to Paris to be in Paris, not to cross it off your list and congratulate yourself for being worldly. Exercise free will and creative, independent thought not for the satisfactions they will bring you, but for the good they will do others, the rest of the 6.8 billion- and those who will follow them. And then you too will discover the great and curious truth of the human experience is that selflessness is best thing you can do for yourself. The sweetest joy of life, then, come only with the recognition that you're not special. 

Because everyone is'

See this for complete transcript

StopKony 2012 - Campaign Against Child Soldiers in Uganda

Today, a social campaign against child soldiers is going viral, taking all social medias by storm. Kony 2012. A campaign initiated by Invisible Children with the purpose to create awareness about Joseph Kony, an international criminal who abducted children and forced them to be child soldiers. Pretty horrifying fact although the issue itself is not new.

I laud the campaign for successfully bringing this issue to the dinner table. At least, I've seen more post about Uganda now on my Facebook feeds rather than the usual food pictures and 9gag.com. I am excited that such issue can be shared with millions of people around the world, and now people know what's happening in Uganda and hopefully many other parts of the world.

As with anything viral, things will wane and all these people now tweeting #StopKony will wake up a week from now and have no slightest remembrance of this issue. It is expected that most people are driven emotionally and only feel the nudge to press the like or share button mostly to make themselves feel better. However, I believe out of millions who sway and move on, a few will take the issue to heart and would not be able to erase what their eyes have seen and what their ears have heard. These raging unstoppable passion will be the driving forces once more, rallying people to care about issues that matter.

So, I am totally behind this movement and this ground-breaking visibility especially after lately been exposed to testimonies from former child soldiers themselves. A Long Way Gone is a great memoir of a boy detailing his odyssey with war in Sierra Leone. Another book that I've read is First They Killed My Father, another gripping story of a girl's journey in a devastating brutal war in Cambodia. And now, the story of Jacob in Uganda.

Too many things are left unsaid and too many tears have been poured out invisibly. It is time for the people of the world to start noticing and sharing their problem. I know how the pain of losing a family member can be torturous, but to witness your parents being murdered is another different game, let alone to be forced to kill them yourself. There is no closure for that. No one should go through that kind of nightmare. Not us, and certainly not them.

Lessons Learned - The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz

The idea of helping the poor has never escaped me, I am always internally drawn to the possibility of making the world a better place. I believe this is the passion that I share with Jacqueline Novogratz, the founder of Acumen fund, who unlike me started to realize her dream early in her career. It is with elation that I ravage the pages of her book, The Blue Sweater, mostly for sharing stories that had I possessed the courage, I would also be able to experience and share.

When the idealist and novice imagine a life of a social entrepreneurs in Africa, one would sway, due to their inept knowledge of the reality, to either one extreme: the painful rough path of suffering or the rewarding transcendental joy of changing the world. I myself have unconsciously been apologizing to myself for wanting the former and for enforcing such 'curse' upon my own life, why not vie for that wall street or consulting job? This book, however, shatter my misconstrued reality

Yes, the business of changing the world usually entail certain level of loneliness and hardships, but do not all roads contain their own rubble and hard path? Being negatively judged, unlawfully accused and even being poisoned are part of the package. Jacqueline described it perfectly here,

"Doing this in a different language, in a place far from home, where navigating even simple things could thwart the best intentions challenged me to my bones. There were plenty of nights when the sheer injustice of the world in which I lived would come crashing down. With no means of communication other than letters, a sense of isolation would envelop me, and there were nights that ended in tears of tiredness and sadness for a world that didn't seem to want to see the possibilities right there in front of it. In those times, I would turn to music. Peter Gabriel, Joni Mitchell, Carole King, and Cat Stevens began to feel like good friends on lonely nights" 

But unbeknownst to me is the magical adventure this life has to offer at the same time. Weekend is still weekend wherever you are, and the world is not lacking of any perks and fun to throw at you. For Jacqueline, it is that climbing one mountain in Africa or an adventurous travel from the far reaches of Ethiopia to the Kenyan savannas or to the volcanoes of Rwanda. Or even as simple as eating shish kebabs and grilled bananas, dancing to the tunes of African music with Rwandan beer at hand. Those are pictures that my misconstrued mind often denigrated as not being philanthropic, but certainly with every trough, a peak is about to follow.

Another issue that I am having hard time to grip with is the issue of lifestyle: how much are they going to change me and vice versa, how localize should we conform to their lifestyle and how much freedom are we throwing out of the window? I think big part of that answer depend on the level of involvement you want to be in. But this story helps me to understand and find a better conciliatory point between the joy and suffering of social entrepreneurs.

"I'm not sure I even want the champagne, Dan," I said. "I feel a little ashamed by it. I just don't know if it is right to be doing this while we're living here." 


Dan looked at me. "I know it doesn't make a lot of sense on one level. We're working with the really poor, and you and I couldn't be more privileged in relative terms. But don't pretend to be someone you aren't. If you were at home, you'd celebrate with champagne. If you want to remain happy and alive in this work, you need to reconcile this part of who you are and understand the inconsistencies with the work you do and how it all fits into your whole way of being." 


I looked at my lovely friend. As a young man, he'd lost his brother and had already endured great sadness in his life. His commitment to social change had never wavered. Maybe he knew something I didn't. 

Certainly, there are something I do not know unless I jump into it and get my hands dirty. Reading this book awaken the sleeping giant in me, I know I am several years behind, I am 24 now and little that I did except reading and learning about the issue. Other passionate young men and women have flown high and even let their wings being clipped and plucked during the quest, while mine remain ironically unscathed.

Going to Cambodia this year is my first action plan; an adventure to learn the world beyond me and to be familiar with what I think would be my world. Cowardice and comfort are two vices that I have been submitting into, but this time I refuse to bow down and present my tithe. I know I will take what Jacqueline said to heart,

Entrepreneurs see possibility, an idea, and won't stop, regardless of the obstacles, until they make it happen. They aren't necessarily the smartest people in the world, but they are the ones who have the guts and the heart to do whatever it takes to make dreams come real.

Why Do I Choose to Yelp?

Yes, my name is Gerry and I am a Yelper! I said that with the most declarative tone and highest pride any food lovers can exude, putting my name in the same caliber with any other food experts yelping and reviewing various kinds of restaurants or food establishments.

I wonder why do I join this Yelp bandwagon pretty late compared to all my other friends. Although at least one shot of espresso and crumbs of chocolate pistachio cake run in my blood, and despite the fact Yelp has been one of my most visited website, at home or unashamedly I admit at my work laptop, I have been reluctant to complicate my life with reviewing stranger's restaurant as if they will remember me and send me a thank you card later. 

But, certain angelic revelation came unto me one day and I was convinced to join the bandwagon and added "yelper" to my part time occupation, only mine is not about raving or bitching over the overly cooked fillet mignon or the not-so tender carrot. No, I refuse to do that, mine is, as I have alluded, contain an 'angelic' aspect,

And this is the reason. I've seen too many great small restaurants and talented chef destined to pack their cookware only because they don't get enough exposure in this super cluttered food business world. Places like Mike's place and Ippudo are reaching to a point of exploding because of glowing review from tons of Yelper, joining the hype at the moment, and at the same time, attracting multitude of crowds. Life is not fair I know, there is a gap distancing the famous and infamous, but I'm gonna try to do my part to make it a little bit fair-er.

And thus is the decision. Those restaurants worthy of five or at least four stars, will get what they deserve. From this day onward, you are going to see me cruising more on Yelp, writing my piece of mind for small restaurants that possess the potential to be the next Ippudo. It might sound petty for some people, but 'do unto others what you want them to do to you' right? With scanty marketing budget and unfamiliar brand name, a simple review from one customer or a rating boost from 4 to 4.5 star could be just what the fledgling entrepreneur needs to put his head at rest and face another day with confidence.

So in short, and yes, this post could have ended 30 minutes ago, but kudos for you who manage to stay until this point. For me, Yelp is not only a platform to evangelize your favorite bar or to express your resentment towards that fail-to-melt molten chocolate cake, but also a platform where people put all of their chips - aspiration determination and hope - into one single business, letting its fate to be determined by some strangers, freely to be crushed or to be actualized. What's your choice? As for me, I rather choose the later. 

Ted Video - David Gallo and Alexander Tsiaras

I think these two cool videos deserve more coverage (although I don't think my blog will boost their number of views that much), but still, I can't help not to share it. Some objects are not easily captured, and most of the time remain foreign to the eyes of the average Joe, but these two experts did some serious undertaking to visualize and capture and made it unknowable to us the mystery lies in the deepest & darkest part of the ocean and also the miracle of a cell's conception.

If there is one feeling that these videos should evoke to us is the feeling of awe and wonder (jaw dropped) of how little we actually have discovered and how many more things remain unfamiliar to our mind. Like what one of the speakers said, "its magic, its miracle, its divinity", something that beyond comprehension of any humans' mind. Enjoy.

David Gallo shows underwater astonishment

Alexander Tsiaras: Conception to Birth - Visualized

Mere Christianity Discussion / Study Guide. Part 2

This is the part two of my post on Mere Christianity and its study guide / discussion questions. Here is the link to part 1. Again, hope this helps.

Book 3 - Christian Behavior
Chapter 1 - 3
1. What do you think when you hear the word "morality"? Make it practical and think of some of moral issues we or the world is facing today.
2. In chapter 3, do you think Lewis is proposing a Christian society? Do you agree that Christian society would be an utopia?
3. In the same chapter, Lewis talked about cherry-picking some values from christian morality which conform / confirm our pre-existing belief. Point out one that is evident in today's society.

Chapter 4 - Morality and Psychoanalysis
1. Lewis stated that psychoanalysis and Christianity share similar technique. How are they similar? "Freud ... is not in the least contradictory to Christianity. Its technique overlaps with Christian morality at some points ..."


Chapter 5 - Sexual Morality
1. Understand Lewis' analogy of sex and food (the bacon strip tease). Looking at how prevalent sexual immorality is in today's society, how does Lewis' argument helpful? Does it relevant, does it give a counter argument to current culture? What are some objections to sexual abstinence?

Chapter 6 - Christian Marriage
1. We often heard that love is not a feeling but a commitment. "If love is the whole thing then the promise can add nothing, then it should not be made" or "And in fact, whatever people say, the state called being in love usually does not last." The implication of this is, marriage is not only based on love, but more on commitment. And if feeling will go away, do married couple actually has no more love for each other and simply view the relationship as a binding commitment? As you read, think of some biblical basis to support or refute that statement.

Chapter 7 - Forgiveness
1. On paragraph 3, Lewis said that, "It is made perfectly clear that if we do not forgive we shall not be forgiven". Does this mean that divine forgiveness depend on us?
2. Refusal to forgive a person usually translate into a form of punishment ( par 8). What kind of punishment do you usually deliver, and when is the last time you blow that punishment?
3. Looking at the atrocities in the world (imagine Hitler or 9/11 or even a person who has hurt you profoundly deep), is anyone ever beyond forgiveness?

Chapter 8 - The Great Sin 
1. Lewis argued that "the utmost evil, is Pride". How do you agree or disagree with that statement.
2. We hear a lot of saying that we need to take pride in our body, in our nation, in our achievement, or maybe in our sexual orientation (gay pride etc). Does Lewis speak against this? Explain.
3. I personally believe that this is one of the greatest piece about the topic of Pride. Highlight several statements that stand out to you and please share.

Chapter 9 - Charity
1. Lewis argues that to love someone, we need to stop to manufacture the feeling and just go to the action (par 5). Is motivation important then? How could we justify doing something when we do not feel like it (or still have impure motivation)?

Chapter 10 - Hope
1. In paragraph 2, Lewis states that "something has evaded us". What are the things that have evaded you in your personal life?
2. Lewis implies here that humans tend to be hopeful and later be disappointed in life. Among the three alternatives he provides in dealing with hope, which one reflects you the most? Provide example.

Chapter 11 - Faith
1. Lewis seems to imply that faith must come from reasoning or intellectual argument: "My faith is based on reason" (Par 2) and "faith is the art of holding on to things your reason has once accepted" (Par 5). What about people who has no intellectual reasoning with Christianity before and just come to Christ by experience?
2. Lewis argues that it is moods (or imagination or desire) that usually take away / shaken our faith. What usually challenge your faith? When St Paul talks about "walk by faith and not by sight", how does our sight shaken our faith too (in connection to our mood)?

Chapter 12 - Faith
1. After reading this chapter, what do you think is the relationship between Old Testament and New Testament, or in other words, relationship between good actions and faith in Christ?
2. In paragraph 4, Lewis says to discover is to "really finding out by experience that it is true". How does experience help us to discover better in comparison to only knowing or understanding that it is true? 

Mere Christianity Discussion / Study Guide. Part 1

Some books are harder to understand, some authors are endowed with amazingly coveted skills to write complicated yet insightful sentence, which often only resulted in perplexed frown from its laymen readers. This book, this author, more than any other books, always leave me in that state of confusion and it is with that problem in mind that I write this post.

Mere Christianity, arguably one of the best Christian books out there, is soaked with gems of insight and biblical truth that it would be unforgivable for a Christian to left this book unread. I strongly recommend this literature, and go to the extent of giving out study guide / discussion questions for the more serious and committed readers out there. Not by anyway perfect, but I've used them for our book club, and they have their own charm.

Book 1: Right and Wrong as a Clue to the Meaning of the Universe
Chapter 1 and 2
1. One of the big ideas that Lewis discussed in these two chapters is relativism. Do you think this idea is still relevant in today's world? If so, how do you see this idea being manifested / popularized by the culture?
2. Lewis stated three objections against moral relativism and argued that moral relativism is flawed in its essence. Try to read these chapters on those light and think of practical examples / cases of each.

Chapter 3
1. Pay close attention to how Lewis developed and expanded the idea of the law of nature.
2. In chapter 3 paragraph 1, Lewis talked about the consequences of the "very idea of something being imperfect". What are the consequences he had in mind?

Chapter 4 - 5
1. In reasoning with the problem, "what lies behind the law", Lewis laid out what the world think about it, how do they approach it, the problem with the approach, and his proposed solution. Be on the lookout for all these points.
2. There are two bits of evidences about the Somebody - he is not good and not soft which led Lewis to conclude that we were on a deep trouble. "This is the terrible fix we are in". Closely observe the connection between the two evidences and the conclusion.

Book 2- What Christians Believe
Chapter 1 and 2
1. In the beginning of chapter 2, Lewis concluded that atheism is then "too simple". How is so?
2. Lewis here argued the relevancy of Christianity in explaining the world and its surroundings. Dualism as he argued, has less explanatory power to make sense of the world we are living in. "Dualism, in a strict sense, will not work". So what distinguish Christianity and Dualism, and why does Christianity do make better sense?

Chapter 3
1. Lewis brought up the idea of "free will". What does this concept contribute to our understanding of human nature, sin, and the world?
2. What are the implications if people regard Jesus only as a great moral teacher?
3. Imagine if you were in that day and heard people talking about a teacher forgiving sins, how would you react?

Chapter 4 - 5
1. Read paragraph 8 and 9 closely. "But unfortunately we now need God's help in order to do something (read: repentance) which God, in His own nature, never does at all - to surrender, to suffer, to submit, to die." The point being is, the reason we have the ability to repent is only because God has done and showed it in the first place.Sin is the prerequisite for repentance. And if God as human is free from sin, then he has no need to repent. How then he gave us the examples of repenting and surrendering without having the prerequisite of sins?

2. Chapter 5 is entitled "The Practical Conclusion". What is so practical about it, and how you could use this "practical conclusion" today?

Nespresso C-100 Review

Due to my daily demand of caffeine intake, I decided to buy an espresso machine that could satisfy my craving for coffee while could also save my wallet from the costly back and forth trip to Starbucks. After some heavy considerations, my choice landed to Nespresso C100, a home based automatic espresso machine that uses prepackaged ground coffee pressed in a capsule / pod. Here is what I think about it.

Pros:
One of the winning factor this product has is its ease of use. As simple as ABC, first you turn on the machine (wait for approx 30 secs until it heated up), insert the capsule, and press the button to start brewing. No frill, no spill of ground coffee, no splashing or dripping of water, no five minutes waiting anymore. Perfect for you who always on the rush yet can't leave the house without coffee.

Trust me, in terms of flavor, they taste great. My favorite is Ristretto (intensity 10). When it starts to brew, the crema starts to come out right away. I am in no way a coffee connoisseur, so if you ask me about how good the crema is, I would say that as long as you have crema, it is a step up, it's an espresso shot.

They also have great aroma. I dare to say that it is comparable to Starbucks, I love love love the taste of my Nespresso. Put two or three pods of Ristretto, use Aerocinno to produce your steam milk, pump in one pump of Monin Vanilla syrup and drizzle light caramel on top. Perfect.

Bottom line: for everyday consumption of coffee, nothing beat the easy practical quick result of Nespresso.

My Espresso Station

Cons:
Nothing really. I know there are lots of raving out there about the price. But really, think about it, Starbucks cost you $5 for a triple grande caramel macchiato. Compared that with $1.8 for Nespresso. Alright, count in the milk and syrup, it will end up $2.50 max. So, even a four year old know that $2.5 is cheaper than $5.

More grumpy users also complain about having to order the pods online, exclusively at Nespresso website. I understand how this can be inflexible, but as long as you plan them well, you can always order in bulk, pay the fixed rate shipping of $6, and have your Nespresso supplies for months. Unless they discontinue their production or run out of their pods, this is no sweat for me.

I have petty disgruntlement about the shot though. Maybe this is my feeling, but I feel the intensity of the caffeine is pretty weak and stale. Three shots of caffeine at Starbucks will surely keep me wide awake, pumping my heart beyond its capacity, but three shots of Nespresso do not seem to do the trick. I do still yawn with teary eyes, maybe it's me being too jacked up, maybe it's the espresso, but what I know for sure is I would not dare to go for the fourth shot. Please have mercy on me.

Mere Christianity - Book Club

It started on last September, and after a grueling seven months of reading, scrutinizing and reflecting the text, we finally reached to the end of the chapter. Last Sunday marked the last session of our book club on Mere Christianity, one of the best books I've ever read. Praise the Lord for sustaining and blessing each session with crunchy yet spicy discussion from each fellow book clubbers. Here are what they say about it.

"Being a reader, this book club helps me to learn to read in a different way, being more critical of what I am reading and to think much deeply into the text. The book itself is not an easy read, therefore being able to discuss with my peers really helped me to understand many points that I can't figure out on my own" - Anggrini Kwok

"I really like the way C.S. Lewis invites people to think about God from the secular point of view. Joining the book club also motivates me to enjoy reading. Having fellow friends makes learning a lot more enjoyable because we can share with each other what we learn, we can give opinions or ask questions without being afraid to be judged, and together we learn about how to apply it in our lives" - Ria Pangestu 

"We had a lot of great discussion about faith, hope, forgiveness, charity, pride and ultimately about the nature of the Son of God and our transformation to become his begotten son. I would certainly recommend anybody who is interested in digging more about God or Christianity (but may not be as driven to read) to join one of these book clubs" Pauline Ie


"This is the first time I have ever joined a book club and never thought I would love it like this. During the book club session, we would discuss together the point that we agreed or disagreed with the author. We tried to find some bible verses that support the view and discuss some of the contradictory world views. Then, we pull out some application. It was a really worth it experience." Angeline Tan 


"To me, the book club has been a lot of help by enforcing a discipline and a habit to read (e.g. I am somebody who don't read book as often if there's no book club). Being in a book club allows me as a reader to squeeze more juice out of the book - as we are now analyzing the book through five different perspective instead of one. It certainly is a blessing and a privilege to get a chance to be in the book club. Hopefully there are future similar opportunities to come =) " Hendy Tohan 

To let the momentum fizzle out is a shame. The engine has been set in motion and now it is the time to let it run in frenzy, like a roller coaster hysterically going through all the loops and turns. The next book club is coming in a week, and I hope more and more people do appreciate the acquired taste of reading. Sweet in its simplicity, yet rich in flavor. One chapter of a good book can open up one window of knowledge to the world. People often talk about going abroad for the experience, but what most people often neglect is, book can do that too, if you allow it. So, happy reading :)

Your Next Pick-Up Line?

There are two books that I want to share here, one is a biography of the well-known Amazing Grace composer, John Newton and the other one is a journal of a Christian writer, C.S. Lewis. Both individual lived in a different era, but both of their writings share one unifying theme - a crazy and intense love feeling for their wife. One cannot help but notice and feel and shudder in amazement at the passion coming out from the romantic and melancholic hands of these Christian leaders. So, I think it would be interesting to show the other side of them which is too often shadowed by their other glorious life story or achievement. Here are the writings of an ordinary Adam falling helplessly to their Eve.

John Newton - from Disgrace to Amazing Grace

Describing his initial feeling, he wrote "Almost at the first sight of this girl, I felt an affection for her that never abated.". In his journal, he expressed his feeling as "this violent and commanding passion .... a dark fire locked up in my breast ... in degree it equaled all that the writers of romance have imagined". 

Isn't this the greatest love letter ever?

"The first day I saw you I began to love you. The thoughts of one day meriting you (and believe nothing less could have done it) roused me from a dull insensible melancholy I had contracted and pushed me into the world. .... I think I could run on to a volume, but it would be quite needless, for it is not in the power of words to express with how great ardency I am - Your most devoted faithful admirer, John Newton"

And upon returning to England for six weeks with his wife, he called this period "the happiest part of my life," and continue "I never before had so much of your company in equal space and with so little interruption. Seven such weeks are preferable to seven years of common time."

And on a later occasion, writing to his friend in regards to several people who questioned his wife's excellency to be his partner (as she has no brain nor beauty), Newton wrote "There are sensibilities belonging to a happy marriage that can no more be communicated by description than the taste of a pineapple. They are only to be acquired by experience."

C.S. Lewis - A Grief Observed

Well, this one is different - it's not a book but a journal that he kept after his wife died - detailing his pain and grief at this bereavement. 

"At first I was very afraid of going to places where she and I had been happy - our favorite pub, our favorite wood. But I decided to do it at once. Unexpectedly, it makes no difference. Her absence is no more emphatic in those places than anywhere else. It's not local at all. Eating in general would be different, every day, at every meal. It is like that. The act of living is different all through. Her absence is like the sky, spread over everything."

Reflecting back to his marriage and why it was ended he wrote "It was too perfect to last, so I am tempted to say of our marriage. It could mean "This had reached its proper perfection. This had become what it had in it to be. Therefore of course it would not be prolonged. As if God said, 'Good; you have mastered that exercise. I am very pleased with it. And now you are ready to go on to the next.' "

It's never easy to swallow the hard truth and face the reality. But it is always better to take it at face value rather to deny it by creating a disillusionment or petty comfort  "It is hard to have patience with people who say, 'There is no death' or 'Death doesn't matter.' There is death. .... I look up at the night sky. Is anything more certain than that in all those vast times and spaces, if I were allowed to search them, I should nowhere find her face, her voice, her touch? She died. She is dead. Is the word so difficult to learn?"

And lastly, such a despondent statement - and I second that. Grief has less to do with sorrow or being forsaken, it has more to do with being fearful of what tomorrow or even the next hour may bring.  And grief still feels like fear. Perhaps, more strictly, like suspense. Or like waiting; just hanging about waiting for something to happen. It gives life a permanently provisional feeling. It doesn't seem worth starting anything. I can't settle down. I yawn, I fidget, I smoke too much. Up till this I always had too little time. Now there is nothing but time. Almost pure time, empty successiveness.