an education

At times I feel like my life is at a standstill. I still find it strange that I am at home, and doing graduate school. Undergrad felt like a natural (or shall we say expected) choice but grad school was not expected and in a way, I feel inadequate to live up to the standards I set in my mind.

I keep going. Education is safe. The realities are talked about, debated, and critiqued. However well that prepares me for practice, I shall not know until I am there. So many times, people refer to the working life as "life in the real world" or "reality". Why should there be a gap between so-called reality and education? Why do we distance ourselves in a cocoon away from "reality"?

I find myself asking more and more questions. Perhaps less so about what is "reality", but questions about my choices, my morals and ethics, and my values. A lot of the times, it's about self-confidence and whether or not I can muster up the courage to do what I ought to do, or do what I want to do.

There just seems to be too much knowledge in this world. My life has been sheltered and I have been well-fed. I don't want to perceive myself to be atop of a pedestal and looking down at the world.

I may be incoherent or incapable of flow at this hour. I do know one thing, I will always value education. Education can be in so many forms. It should be accessible and not necessarily formal. I find myself thinking about what I should have been taught in elementary or high school instead of realizing such simple connections to subjects such as biology, chemistry, and social studies 10 years later. Maybe I should be a teacher.

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.

- Nelson Mandela

not ready for kids...

I am exhausted. The hot shower I just took has never felt so good. As I mentioned in yesterday's blog, I took my cousin's two young children out around Taipei. They're visiting from Colorado and the children have never been to Taiwan before. Aged 5 (boy) and almost 7 (girl) are a lot of fun and some of the things that come out of their mouths are just too funny. However, they are also a lot of work! They never stop talking and are slightly obsessed with 7-11 and Family Mart convenience stores.

My mom and I took them to the Taipei Fine Art Museum today and the little one fell asleep on the way there and couldn't be awakened. Had to borrow a stroller at customer service to push him around. He missed the whole thing. His sister seemed to enjoy it enough I think. On afterthought, it was probably good that the little one was asleep because he would've been quite loud in the exhibits haha. The special exhibit on Paul Gauguin was just alright to be honest. I couldn't stop and look closely at the pieces or rent a explanatory headpiece but from what I saw from the small exhibit was mostly landscapes, still life, portraits, and some sculptures - which I suppose compose of the majority of art in these museums.

After the art museum, he finally awakened and we headed to Mos Burger...my favourite fast food joint. One wanted a hot dog and the other one doesn't seem to want to eat anything... The hot dog and chicken nuggets I ordered (all made from real meat) did not suit the tastes of the American kids unfortunately, and I was stumped and frankly a little frustrated! I love Mos Burger for their fresher and slightly healthier take on fast food! Most of their burgers are less than 500 calories and their portions are adequate but not oversized. Anyhow, the children did not eat too much and we headed to a nearby park where they had a swell time on the slides and these "exercise" machines for the elderly. Please see Exhibit A from my prior experience on these exercise machines:

These exercise things are available in most public spaces where the elderly frequent. 

We brought them to my place for a little while and they didn't want to leave. We had to entice them with the subway (the little on was wanting to ride the MRT) and 7-11 to leave. Anyhow, we got them back to where they were staying and I was exhausted. They just don't stop going. I think scientists need to study why children have so much energy and transform the findings into some revolutionary battery or transferable energy source to those lacking energy.

I can't imagine myself with children right now...my mom and I handled them alright and my aunt thought I took care of children quite well from her observations when we got back to their place. But nonetheless, I'll play with children that are not my own for now. I suppose if I have children of my own one day, I'll love them enough to have the patience for all the good and the bad. As my cousin noted, witnessing the "horrors" of others' kids is the best form of birth control. Haha....

I shall bid thee all good night as I am worn out!