Normality

What is normality? It is defined as "conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural." So what is the standard? How do you define the "standard of life"?

I chat up with a friend of mine recently. Found out that she doesn't want to lead a normal life, or rather, doesn't want to conform to the normality of society. What is the normality of society? She defines it as getting a qualification, having a job, getting married, bearing kids, watching them grow up, developing wrinkles and lastly, dying out. All these are normal to her.

I have a good friend who told me the exact same things few moons back. He doesn't want to follow the normality of the society. He questioned, "Why do we have to conform to the normal life? Why can't we go out, be wild and be who you are?" That is why he makes frequent trips overseas to a certain place to drink, smoke, party, have fun. His frequent trips used to be once a month. It "upgraded" to about twice a month. It even "escalated" to him faking medical certificates to just get away to his "paradise".

What I am saying here, is not condemning their actions or mentalities. What I am trying to question here, is "What is normality?" If normality means following what the others are doing, then probably they are better off walking on their hands. I agree with what my two friends have said about having fun, being yourself and letting yourself loose.

But we humans are social animals. We live in a society. We have families and friends. We are ultimately responsible to our family and friends. You are not alone. We are all interconnected. What you do now is going to be something that will come back to haunt you in the future. You have to be responsible for your own actions.

So it sets back the scene on "normality". Are they really out of the "cage of normality"? Or are we judging them based on the "normality" of the society? It is becoming like a "chicken or egg first" question.

I shall leave it as it is. Perhaps the stress of university life is putting a toil on me and I feel the need to just pull myself out from the tons of assignment. Perhaps, just back into the comfort of the "normality" of life...

The above article is written by the author with no particular person in target, unless your name is stated. Written in the context of an Asian mind.

做人要懂得自动

Living together with my China housemate has proven one thing. China people are most likely the same, no matter if they are from Guangzhou or Shanghai. Getting really fed up with China attitude. They care only for themselves and are selfish. I have Don from Unilodge and now Du Fei here to reinforce my stand.

Du Fei likes to leave the used rice cooker unwashed in the kitchen. He doesn't help to clear the rubbish. He doesn't help to do the cooking. When the bread has finished, he simply tells ZQ, "政权，面包没有了。" When the hazelnut spread is finishing, "政权，这个吃完后，买些果酱吧。" For someone who doesn't help out in the kitchen for meals, he will tell me, "Kevin，这个饭有点干。下次放多点水。" For someone who doesn't help in cooking meals, he has the cheek to come into the kitchen and say, "饭还没煮好？我肚子饿了。"

All these are getting on my nerves. I am not blaming ZQ for selecting this housemate. No one knows the habit of a person just by looking at his face. Just lamenting our bad luck to have to have a China man to stay together with us. Luckily we are only going to stay here until end of November. 

I will be returning home on 8 December. I will probably travel to Tasmania or Gold Coast before I head home. I want to travel around. Don't want to tell people I haven't been to anywhere in Australia except Melbourne city. Disgrace. 

Neglected...

My camera has been neglected. I haven't had the time to really go photo shooting. I really want to go photo shooting, but upcoming tests and assignments are killing me! Sometimes, I really have the urge to just sell away my camera and gears so that I won't have this feeling of neglecting my camera and hobby. But at times, I also have the urge to upgrade my current lens (EF-S 17-85mm F4-5.6 IS USM) to a better quality lens, the EF-S 17-55mm F2.8 IS USM. 

Still in a dilemma...