Common Factor

Sir Isaac Newton

What do all these people have in common?

• Sir Isaac Newton
• Muhammad Ali Jinnah (the founder of Pakistan)
• Robert Ripley (of Ripley's Believe It or Not)
• Humphrey Bogart
• Rod Serling (creator of The Twilight Zone TV Series)
• Atal Bihari Vajpayee (former Prime Minister of India)
• Nawaz Shariff (Prime Minister of Pakistan)
• Sissy Spacek (Holywood actress)
• Annie Lenox (singer)
• Dido (singer)

Nop, they were not all grandmasters of the Priory of Scion :Þ

Highlight the section below for answer:

[All of them were born in Christmas Day!] <<

A Hallmark Christmas

Spent Christmas eve all alone, in the house doing my research. I knew watching Rob Lowe's Christmas Shoes will make me sad but I couldn't keep myself away from this emotional, typical Hallmark feature. As usual, it had a happy / sad ending - which is true in most real life situations anyway.

That said, I made good progress on my research. I got home on Saturday evening, spent the whole of Sunday and Christmas Monday in the apartment. What I achieved by being a Grinch is that I'm almost ready to get into the analysis mode, which means most of my work will be completed soon. I can't wait to get this thing over with...I am so looking forward to graduating next year. What next? PH. D. I hope. I guess I still haven't had enough of the academic torment.

Hit me with all you've got! Come on!

Merry Christmas world.

Maran 1 - World 25

Miracles

Am I expecting for a miracle? Maybe. If so, what's wrong with that. After all the struggle I've been through my life...am I at least not even allowed to hope for one? It's not as if what I wish for is totally beyond my reach. It can happen, and I want to believe that it will happen. It's not as if I want to be rich and famous in an instant. What I am hoping for is something basic, and I know I deserve it. Why? Because nothing in my life had been easy so far. I have met with fierce battle every turn I take. I'm a battle weary, beaten down soldier. I had to fight fiercely for everything I had ever wanted in my life. There had never been shortcuts. There had never been any help from others - it was me, myself and I all the way. Don't I get to choose what I want to do with my life? I am not being choosy or fussy. I have been miserable enough for a long time. I just know what I want, and by being strict with that, I strongly believe I should not be labelled "unrealistic".

There will be miracles, when you believe...isn't that how the song goes? There is no need to be sarcastic about what I believe. What I wish for might not happen, and I might end up being disappointed as always - but this time, my disappointment might be worse because it had been made known that my hopes for a miracle is seen as ridiculous, probably even laughed at.

My confidence has been utterly shaken - and my miracle, whether it comes or not...does not make any difference any more.

Knowing that hurts. Alot.

Cyberpark, Cyberjaya

Serene Cyberpark, Cyberjaya

Silent Shouts

Have you ever felt that the world is closing in on you? Not a pleasant experience I tell you...and I'm sure you've gone through these phases as well. When in such situations, do not look for divine interventions. It's not gonna come, and even if it does, it wont be as fast as you would like it.

Things you just want to get over with, has the tendency to move at ultra slow - motion speed. When your entire future (or at least when you think so) depends on the whims and fancy of someone half way across the world, that you've never even met or exchanged pleasantries with, there's nothing much you can do but wait patiently staring at the liquid crystal display and pray.

So what do you do when these things occur? One thing you shouldn't do though, is be alone. Get some company, and talk about other things.

Escapism, is not what Harry Houdini specialized in. That's you and me in a circle of friends or loved ones, learning to deal with troubles of the world by forgetting it, even if it's only temporarily. A single thread of kind words could save you from total insanity, just as it could plunge you into your doom. So take it easy, and that's not my advice to you.

It's to myself.