Loonism

Loonism - A summary

1) Everything is subjective.
2) Moderation is key.
3) Self-defeatism is unsalvageable.
4) Honesty is the best policy.
5) Hope for the best, prepare for the worst.
6) It's a matter of choice.
7) Try everything once.

Death

Today I was informed of death.
Death of a friend.

She was young.
Only 24.

I couldn't make out any emotions.
Only surprise.

We weren't close.
But it's still strange.

Death around me,
Has never been so young.

Up in smoke

Last time we tried, we stopped just short of 3 weeks.
All we needed, was 1 lousy excuse.

This time we try again.

Today? Day 1.
D-Day? 6 December 2009.

Misconception

I am a curious man.

I like to watch T.V. programmes about things that are not strictly important in life, but I like to watch them nonetheless. I watch so much T.V. and read about such stuff that I know quite a bit of trivia.

Today I was watching another of these programmes, 'The Works' on History Channel and I realised something.

For a good part of my life I have enjoyed this delicious grain known to me as 薏米. As I got older I came to know it as barley. Since I could always get my orders in coffeeshops and eating places, I assume my fellow Singaporeans know it as the same thing.

Today, I realise I've got it wrong all along, and I cleared up quite a few things today.

It was mentioned in the programme that barley and malt are the main ingredients of beer. Though I know they are grains, I was never sure what the difference is. So I wiki-ed.

And to my horror, barley is not 薏米. Barley is 大麦. 薏米 is in fact something known as Coix Seed or Job's Tears. And while I am at it, 小麦 is wheat, 燕麦 is oat, and 麦芽 is malt.

Malt is what you get when grains are allowed to germinate in water.

No wonder I always felt that 薏米 doesn't look like the thing that made beer.