Thursday, July 6, 2006

What Is Truth?: Towards a Theological Poetics

Rating:★★★★
Category:Books
Genre: Religion & Spirituality
Author:Andrew Shanks
Synopsis:
In a culture where institutional religion is in decline there is a pressing need for new theological strategies. Andrew Shanks argues for a fresh 'theological poetics', providing an eloquent and original first step towards meeting these needs and an alternative strategy for reconciling Christian theology with poetic truth.

From http://books.google.com.sg/books?vid=ISBN0415253268&id=16k7y8FG8fkC&dq=what+is+truth+andrew+SHANKS
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My Personal take:
A book which every other 2 to 3 lines must use the dictionary. Incredibly academic and PC(practical criticism)-ish, lots of philosophical terms. But stirs your brain cells. Best for reading it over a long night in ya favourite crunch with a night capper.

Preview the book at
http://books.google.com.sg/books?vid=ISBN0415253268&id=16k7y8FG8fkC&printsec=frontcover&dq=what+is+truth+andrew+SHANKS

Tuesday, July 4, 2006

on the shortest run and the longest warm-down ever...


Just looked at myself in the mirror the other day. Man, love-handles sticking out like handle bars. Really gross. Spurred me on to go jogging just now. Man, am really outta shape. Only jogged from 25+ mins from my under HDB flat to Admiralty MRT station. Figure it to be less than 2 "click" (kilometres). ARGH! Guess flat-footed people really cannot run. well, that's my usual excuse la. I prefer swimming to running, so given a choice, I'll swim rather than walk.


After running to Admiralty, I really cannot stand it. Decided to walk all the way home. Took the long route actually, go past the church building site. They are laying the foundations, as can see a few huge granite blocks onsite. Then walked further up and went past the Singapore Sports School. Saw a "chio bu"** as I walked past a primary school, brightened up my warm down*.


In the end, I took 1 hour to walk back to home. This is not good...


*yes, it doesn't take a lot to make me contented... :p


** Amazing! there's actually a Wiki entry for "chio bu"! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiobu

Ethnoscape

http://www.flickr.com/photos/ethnoscape/sets/
Friend sent me this link. Nice photos!

Monday, July 3, 2006

on having the rest of God

Went out with a friend to have dinner with him. Well, more of I watched him have dinner, as my mom insist on me having dinner with her beforehand at home. Had a good 3 hours of talk and drink with him, as it's been quite a while since I caught up with this dear friend.


One of the things that came up was about my jobless state for the past 11 months. My friend is totally amazed that I can stand not doing work for such a lengthy period of time. Truth be told, I'm also amazed that I can stand the length of time at not being employed. Brings back to my mind on a conversation I had a few days back with some friends, on what are the greatest bane to people my age these days: singlehood and lack of employment.


As we talked, I sensed that my friend has really got caught up in his lifestyle of work. In a sense, I felt he had to keep on working so as to keep providing his needs. Words like "personal wealth", "spending habits of the poor, the middle class and the rich" came up a lot. I heard him talk about providing for his parents, and clearing all the debts and stuff. Somehow, just sense a bit of weariness as he talked about it.


Don't get me wrong, I'm not dissing him for working hard. In fact, I should take notes from him on all the sound financial advice and work ethics that he gave last night. But at the same time, a phrase my pastor used in sermon on sunday came back to mind. "Beware the barrenness of a busy life!" I think my friend did suffered a bit from work-fatigue. Am glad he talked about him taking a break in April with his family. Think he really enjoyed that time of short break away from work, even though he admits going with a holiday with your parents ain't the most relaxing thing to do!


Just want to encourage those who feels overstretched in life: Seek your rest in God.


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Psalm 62


For the director of music. For Jeduthun. A psalm of David.

 1 My soul finds rest in God alone;
       my salvation comes from him.


 2 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will never be shaken.

 3 How long will you assault a man?
       Would all of you throw him down—
       this leaning wall, this tottering fence?

 4 They fully intend to topple him
       from his lofty place;
       they take delight in lies.
       With their mouths they bless,
       but in their hearts they curse.
       Selah

 5 Find rest, O my soul, in God alone;
       my hope comes from him.

 6 He alone is my rock and my salvation;
       he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

 7 My salvation and my honor depend on God [a] ;
       he is my mighty rock, my refuge.

 8 Trust in him at all times, O people;
       pour out your hearts to him,
       for God is our refuge.
       Selah

 9 Lowborn men are but a breath,
       the highborn are but a lie;
       if weighed on a balance, they are nothing;
       together they are only a breath.

 10 Do not trust in extortion
       or take pride in stolen goods;
       though your riches increase,
       do not set your heart on them.

 11 One thing God has spoken,
       two things have I heard:
       that you, O God, are strong,

 12 and that you, O Lord, are loving.
       Surely you will reward each person
       according to what he has done.


Taken from http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?book_id=23&chapter=62&version=31&context=chapter

Sunday, July 2, 2006

HAJAH ASIAH & H. GHANI MAKANAH SINGAPURA

Rating:★★★★
Category:Restaurants
Cuisine: Other
Location:Far East PLaza, #05-65, 14 Scotts Road, Singapore 228213.
This joint serves great Malay food. Must try is the Pattaya Fried rice, but do beware if you cannot take hot spicy food. Basically friend rice, with generous portion of chicken and peas, carrots and corn and chili padi, wrapped in a steaming hot egg omelette! All time- favourite of mine...

VERI GOOD 1

Rating:★★★★
Category:Restaurants
Cuisine: Other
Location:Far East Plaza, #05-54, 14 Scotts Road, Singapore 228213.
Nice little eating place at Far East plaza. If you ordered a main course by itself, not as filling as you ordered with a soup and a drink. When I went 2 Fridays back, I ordered a Soup of the day (Cream of mushrooms - not too thick, just nice), with Fish and chips (at first I thought the breaded fillet looks a bit small, but turns out the portion is just right), with a cup of Darjeeling to wash it down (like the tea cup, but $1.80 for the tea was a bit overpriced, I think).

They got fried ice-cream and stufff, but didn't tried that, because don't want to overstuff myself.

Price range: S$3.00 onwards, if you just want a main dish.

Kenny Rogers Roasters (At Marina Square's)

Rating:★★★
Category:Restaurants
Cuisine: Other
Location:Marina Square, #03-140, 6 Raffles Boulevard, (S)039594.
eh, went there with 2 other friends. They didn't have their famous corn bread, due to " unforeseen circumstances". But they offered to replace it with an additional side dish.

The service was alright, though we did waited a while when we asked for the bill. And they dun serve water. The chicken size seems to have shrunk, but the sides made the meal a filling one. One note of caution though, do not ask the for the BBQ chicken pita combination. My friend ordered it, but can't finished it (and he's a GUY!). Tried a taste of it, more like BBQ sauce was the main dish, not the chicken...