Addiction

Every addiction arises from an unconscious refusal to face and move through your own pain. Every addiction starts with pain and ends with pain. Whatever substance you are addicted to - alcohol, food, legal or illegal drugs, or a person - you are using something or somebody to cover up your pain. That is why, after the initial euphoria has passed, there is so much unhappiness, so much pain in intimate relatioships. They do not cause pain and unhappiness. The bring out the pain and unhappiness that is already in you. Every addition does that. Every addiction reaches a point where it does not work for you anymore, and then you feel the pain more intensely than ever.

- The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

Help AWARE protect its good work

Scans see 'gay brain differences'

BBC NEWS | Health | Scans see 'gay brain differences'

This article in the BBC came out in June. It is an article that details research showing that there are differences in the brains of gay people and heterosexuals. I did not blog about this earlier partly because I am heterosexual and I do not want to appear confrontational to my Christian friends. But the recent hostile take-over of AWARE (a secular feminist organisation in Singapore), by a group of homophobic Christians has prompted me to highlight this article.

Dr Qazi Rahman, a lecturer in cognitive biology at Queen Mary, University of London, said that he believed that these brain differences were laid down early in foetal development.

"As far as I'm concerned there is no argument any more - if you are gay, you are born gay," he said.

I feel that if people were born with their sexual orientation, they should not be discriminated against. If gays and lesbians treat their partners well, then they probably make better couples than heterosexual couples in which one or both partners are philanderers. Sexual orientation is NOT an issue. Basic human decency is the main issue.

I am sure that some Christians, in their belief that their bible is completely infallible will contest this somehow. Just like when they contested that the earth revolves around the sun during the time of Galileo. And just like some Christians who believe that the earth is 6000 years old and disagree with evolution.

I have to speak up and speak out, when fundamentalist Christians take public action over beliefs that run counter to scientific thought. For if we are going to throw away science for writings that were done way before advent of scientific research, then we are turning back the clock to the dark ages.

DEPARTURES - the movie

DEPARTURES - the movie

I had no idea what to expect from this movie except that I had heard that it was a good movie. I must say that I was really touched. I fear death and I suspect a lot of other people do. But this movie made me think more about not what happens to us when we die, but what do we leave behind. How we conduct ourselves while still alive will reverberate in the lives of the people we will leave behind. How do parents who abandon their young children make amends? How does a parent accept a son who choses to be a woman? Why is death 'dirty' when we will all die one day?

I cried at different points of the movie, reminding myself that I must not forget to appreciate and thank my parents before it is too late. I also reminded myself to keep my life simple and truthful, so that I will leave as little negative energy as possible. And hopefully I will leave a smile for the people whom I will leave behind.

There is so much for the living to learn from death. It is inevitable. It knows no politics, no religion, no race, no age, no wealth.

This is a movie worth sharing.

Scotland police force includes Jedi Knights

Scotland police force includes Jedi Knights

How a religion starts. :)

A theatrical time

It is strange how it never rains but it pours. There is a lot of theater in my life recently.

Shot publicity for Ballet Under the Stars for Singapore Dance Theatre
Took production shots of Invisiblity for Lasalle
Watched Destiny of Flower in the mirror (Very theatrical, but too conceptual for me)
Shot publicity for Rashmon for Theatre Practise
Took production shots of 3 Fat Virgins unassembled for Lasalle
Took prodcution shots of Stand still for Lasalle
Watched The Importance of Being Earnest by Wild Rice (Very funny, but not sold on the all male cast)
Will be watching Romeo by Fuiyama Anette tonight.
Will be watching 3 Fat Virgins unassembled tomorrow afternoon.
Will be taking production shots of If There are Seasons next week
Will be taking Percolation for Lasalle next week
Will be taking 69 Degrees Celcius next week

After next week, things slow down but they don't go away. But it is nice to be around such bursts of creativity.

The Arts Festival will start in May and I will be attending some performances then too.