Imagine

A classmate of mine likes to play visual novels. Visual novels are actually like those make-your-own-adventure books, wherein you decide what course the story will take, only that they are played in a computer. Well, one time, I watched him play a game, and got interested on the story. It's about a medical student who got into a car accident. He had undergone a major brain surgery. When he recuperated, he found out that the way he sees the world has changed, side effect of the surgery. People appeared as monsters, his food looks like human guts, the world a big, strange, scary place.

So, what made me interested? Try this.

Close your eyes. Imagine.

You are walking on a dirt road. On your right is a flowing river. On your left is a forest teeming with life. A cool breeze is blowing softly across your face. After some time, you arrived at a group of nipa huts arranged in a circle. At the center is the bonfire. People are either playing, eating, cooking of course, while learning what their surroundings is telling them. Everything you need, the forest provides, and no one abuses the forest because everyone knows that it is your life source. This is your village. Only one law is followed, and that is to do what you want to do, as long as you don't hurt others, otherwise they'll hurt you too. Everything is beautiful. Everything is clean, even the air. Peace is so palpable, so evident, that you can feel it to the bones. And you are happy and contented.

Now, open your eyes.

What do you see?

People might not appear as monsters, your food still tastes good, the world as normal as ever. But what I think the game was trying to portray is the dark side of reality. That people don't appear as they really are, allegory to the things humans do to change themselves. Beauty products, surgeries and implants, food supplements, processed foods. Not only these things, but also on the way we think, how selfish we really are, how self-centered human race is. And because we are like this, we do not realize that everything around us is affected. Pollution. Toxic wastes. New diseases. Global warming. Mutated animals. These things are the product of humans trying to control nature, when in fact doing this only makes nature against us.

Imagination may be the only answer. If we can imagine terrible things, we can imagine beautiful things too. Remember the quote, "You are only limited by your imagination."

Hit Songs

Did you ever wonder why those popular songs today are popular?

Do you want to make a song that would also be a hit?

Then, i'll tell you the secrets in making a song that could be popular!

_____

"What do those popular songs have?"

After careful listening to popular "songs", I noticed some very particular similarities among them.

These songs have the same characteristics which makes them great! (Not all great things are good though *Cough*Jusehember*Cough*)

What are these characteristics?

1) Melody that is Repetitive and Easy to remember. - Our brain likes patterns. Admit it, even though you don't like those popular "songs", the melody of those "songs" are stuck inside your head! Why? Because it's (a) Repetitive, and (b) Easy to remember. It's basically a pleasure for your brain which is the reason why it is betraying you in terms of your music preference.

2) Catchy Lines that is constantly Repeated. - Never mind the Stanzas of the songs. You could just fill it up with " I like jellies, I like jelly, and me so jelly" then bring in a Catchy line like "and I was like, jelly, jelly jelly oh oh ohhhhh." together with a equally Catchy and Repetitive Melody. That will surely make your listeners remember your song.

3) High notes in the middle of the low notes - Do you get it? Add a high note after singing in a low tune then lower down your notes again. An example of this is the song "Paparazzi". Listen to this carefully (Well, play the song.), "I'm your biggest fan, I'll follow you until you love me, Papa, paparazzi.". Why does it sound so good to the ears? Was it autotune? No! It's because your brain was BLASTED with it! The part of the song prior to the high note puts you into a state of relaxation (Relaxed in a sense that you have accomodated the music). After blasting you with a high note, your mind was altered into a "emergency state" which increases your attention and focus to the source of the stimuli enabling you to remember it easier.

This 3 stuffs, are the MAIN factors that makes a song a HIT!

However, there are other ways to make a song popular.

This includes, but is not limited to:

1) Violent Lyrics

2) Cool and Noisy Melody (By Cool I mean, it's "different")

3) Controversial Artist

4) Hidden Satanic Messages

5) Controversial Lyrics

6) Making your song banned in other countries.

7) Spreading conspiracy theories about your song.

___________

See, making a hit song wasn't so hard.

Only 3 things to consider and every one of it is in front of you.

What are you waiting for?

Write your own song now.

Who knows, maybe you'll become the next idol.

Thanks To Google

It's fun to create a blog. You are free to express everything and let the world know what you think of something. But this blog wasn't that easy.

When this blog, grupong-kul.blogspot.com was first created, we already got a problem. We don't want the dash in our subdomain (because it separates the 'g' and 'k') and instead, we want to use grupongkul.blogspot.com but it is unavailable. I forgot that I am the one who created that blog in 2008 but never put a content in there. In short, it's my fault why it is unavailable.

Luckily I got to remember the email and password I used and then I got access to the old empty blog. I deleted the blog assumming that we can use the dashless subdomain. But when we tried to apply the dashless subdomain to our new blog, it said that it is (still) unavailable. We didn't know that when you delete a blog, you can't use its subdomain anymore for new blogs. I felt sorry but I still tried to do something. I contacted Google for support, hoping that the deleted blog's subdomain can still be used.

Below is a copy of our conversation with Google.

Hi,

Thanks for reaching out to us!

We have received your legal request. We receive many such complaints each
day; your message is in our queue, and we'll get to it as quickly as our
workload permits.

Due to the large volume of requests that we experience, please note that
we will only be able to provide you with a response if we determine your
request may be a valid and actionable legal complaint, and we may respond
with questions or requests for clarification. For more information on
Google's Terms of Service, please visit http://www.google.com/accounts/TOS

We appreciate your patience as we investigate your request.

Regards,
The Google Team



Original Message Follows:
------------------------
From: eleandre007@gmail.com
Subject: Your Request to Google
Date: Sat, 04 Jun 2011 14:37:30 +0000



AutoDetectedBrowser: Firefox 4
AutoDetectedOS: Windows XP
IssueType: lr_legalother
Language: en
companyname:
country_residence: PH
dmca_signature: Jay Ocampo
dmca_signature_date_day: 04
dmca_signature_date_month: 06
dmca_signature_date_year: 2011
full_name: Jay Ocampo
hidden_product: sites
legalother_explain: I created this blog, http://grupongkul.blogspot.com/

in 2008 but I didn't use it. Now I want to create a blog and I want to use

the URL I used previously, but I cannot access my account anymore. I
cannot
remember the email I used to create the blog, neither the recovery email.

Please help delete this blog, as it has no content and safe to delete.
url_box3_1: http://grupongkul.blogspot.com/

Then after four days, Google replied:

from The Blogger Team blogger-support@google.com
to eleandre007@gmail.com
date Wed, Jun 8, 2011 at 2:33 AM
subject Re: [#814127016] Your Request to Google
mailed-by trakken.google.com
signed-by google.com

Hello,

Thank you for your note.

We have received your DMCA complaint. Upon recent review of the blog(s)
mentioned in your complaint, it appears that the post(s) in question no
longer exist(s). If this matter is still a concern, please reply to this
email with detailed information to enable us to locate the allegedly
infringing content.
- Hide quoted text -

Regards,
The Google Team

Then I said:

from Jay Ocampo eleandre007@gmail.com
to The Blogger Team
date Thu, Jun 9, 2011 at 4:35 AM
subject Re: [#814127016] Your Request to Google
mailed-by gmail.com

Hi,

Good thing it has been deleted, but even it is deleted, I cannot use the URL http://grupongkul.blogspot.com cause it says it cannot be used again. Is there any way that I can use the URL again?

And finally,...

from The Blogger Team blogger-support@google.com
to Jay Ocampo
date Thu, Jun 9, 2011 at 7:29 AM
subject Re: [#814127016] Your Request to Google
mailed-by trakken.google.com
signed-by google.com

Hello Jay,

Thank you for your note. This subdomain has now been released and is
available for new blogs.

Regards,
The Google Team

Yeah! Google allowed us to use the deleted blog's subdomain. Thanks to Google!

We are now using grupongkul.blogspot.com as our blog address, dashless as it should be, Thanks again, Google!

Half Mast

June 12, 1898. Aguinaldo waves the flag in a balcony overlooking innumerable spectators. Thus, the Philippine independence was declared.

June 12, 2011. Here I am, feeling like it's June 11, 1898. I know it's unreasonable, but then again, I'm not the only one who's feeling this way. And so, I'm going to ask the question that is asked over and over and over again: Are we really free?

According to Wikipedia, "[political] freedom is a central concept in Western history and political thought, and one of the most important (real or ideal) features of democratic societies. It has been described as a relationship free of oppression or coercion; the absence of disabling conditions for a particular group or individual and the fulfillment of enabling conditions; or the absence of economic compulsion.", and that "the concept of [political] freedom is closely connected with the concepts of equality, civil liberties and human rights, which in democratic societies are usually afforded legal protection from the state." Free of oppression or coercion. We know that, although there are no perfect government, our government is so rampant with their not-so-under-the-table tactics, their corruptions, their power plays, that some of us get used to these, and is resigned that this is just reality. Is that really it? Does it mean that freedom is just a philosophical idea, something that can be thought of but not really exercised?

Also, concepts of equality, civil liberties, and human rights doesn't seem to apply here, what with all those discrimination, media killings, massacres, poor standards for poor people, and politicized policies going on around.

Maybe I'm just feeling this way because I'm also used to these things, but maybe also because of the fact that I'm feeling this way that I'm still hoping for the time that June 12 will never make me feel this way again.

Least Thought Theory

The principle of the least thought theory is that when you think of something and you didn't consciously notice you've thought of it, it would happen immediately, then you will realize that you've thought of it, you just didn't notice. The thought that came into your mind has no basis but a pure thought that you didn't expect you've thought of it. Symptoms of this kind of phenomenon is when you are not expecting that something least that you thought will happen. For example, you are in a store as a vendor, and in a flash something least you thought, least as you didn't pay attention to that thought, is a woman in red will come at your store and buy something. After a few seconds, a lady in red came and bought something in your store, and deep inside you are amazed that you thought you saw something five seconds before it happened, but actually you did.

This theory is just my own theory way back in high school, or maybe it's just my superstition and I am being just in a state of hallucination when these kind of strange things happen to me. I started to think of this theory as a coincidence, but as the days pass by, the coincidence of the least thought versus the the things that happened a few seconds after the thought became more often. So every time a least thought came into my mind, I disregarded it as if nothing came into my mind, because it's not amazing anymore, but scary. The example above in the definition of the least thought is a real life example. I once told someone about this theory, and I don't know (and I don't care) if she would believe me. But before the conversation ends, she asked me what will happen to her tomorrow and I told her that she would be tripped and fell to the ground. The next day she thanked me because she was about to be tripped and fell to ground but because I told that thing to her, it never happened. I told her, it's just a coincidence 'cause I'm not a misfortune teller.

They say "What your mind can perceive, your body can achieve." But for me, because of the least thought theory, it was different. When a least thought came, I get hold of it and concentrate about it because if I do, it would not happen. I do this every time, because every least thought that emerges to me is a bad thing, and that is not good, relatively.

Maybe it's just a series of coincidence about thoughts and events. But how could you tell if it is a least thought or not? If you concentrate about it consciously, meaning you think of it mainly after you somehow notice it, then it's not. If the thought made a glimpse in your conscious mind and then buried in your unconscious mind, then it is a least thought. This theory could just be a coincidence of thoughts and events and I am just a mental patient looking for attention, or it could be true but needs further experiments. True or not, this is just a theory.

The Comedian Syndrome

Wake up, sit up in the bed

Bathe, dress, go on ahead

Walking amongst the throng

Wondering why everything's so wrong

Pretentious, fake smiles

Acting like they know you for miles

Alone, in the darkest corner

Like a comedian, fun giver, fun seeker

Work Smart

Disclaimer: This is just a thought that poofed into my mind while I was trying to name my new bunny stuff toy. Believe in this Tip at your own risk.

_____________________

Have you ever put an effort on doing something only to realize that what you did was not the best?

That someone did a job better than you without working as hard as you?

I know what that feels.

Someone once said,

"Work smart, not hard.".

That changed my way of doing things.

Why work smart and not hard?

I'll enumerate its advantage,

1) Working smart save you time - instead of working you could just spend your extra time with your family or have a little time off.

2) Working smart save your energy - working hard not only drains your time but also your energy.

3) Working smart can give you the same or better results than working hard - this is the part that is the best. You spend less time and energy for the same result, it just like having an ice cream without making it!

4) Working smart will give you an advantage to anything - this is an exaggeration. If you work smart, you need to think carefully and analyze the things you will do. That really gives you an advantage about doing something.

Now, how do you work smartly?

It really depends on you!

But the words that matter really are

1) Effiency - doing things in the right manner

2) Effectiveness - doing the right thing.

How could you remember this?

Simple

"Be effective, do the right things. Be efficient, do it right for the first time without taking up too much time and effort."

If your goal is to do the laundry:

You're effective if you finished doing it.

You're efficient if you finished it right away

You can be effective at something without being efficient

but you cannot be efficient if youre not effective.

Try doing the laundry but end up finishing watching tv - you cannot measure your efficiency if you did not achieve your end goal (which is to do the laundry).

So the two steps to working smart are

1) Be effective

2) Be efficient

Want me to elaborate?

1) Focus on the goal(s) and make (a) plan(s) on how to achive it.

2) Execute the most efficient plan and do it right for the first time. Doing it the 2nd time is being inefficient.

Well, this basically sums up everything.

If there are any questions and reactions, feel free to comment.

Always Remember

"Work Smart, not Hard."

P.S. When i said "Work smart", it doesn't mean you'll not work anymore. As you can see, the word "Work" is in the statement.

Of Greens and Reds

Money, money, money...

I once read a funny comic strip that goes like this. A teenager said to his friend that love makes the world go round. His friend answered that it's money that makes the world go round. Then someone butted in and said that it is the tangential rotation created by magnetic fields among the planets and... well, what happened next is that the two punched the guy in the face for destroying an otherwise normal and healthy conversation. Yeah, I know, it's not funny by the way I told it.

Anyway, it's the second guy's answer that really caught my attention. Money. We are now living in a very capitalistic world, and it seems that guy no. 2 is right. Twenty years ago we have no computers, no cellphones, no MP3 players. Now, it's like we cannot leave the house without our cells and laptops and any other gadgets. I know, I know, cellphones are helpful gadgets, since you can connect to anyone anywhere, laptops are great cause of their portability. But still, do we need to further increase these gadgets abilities other than what they are really intended for? And it's because of these things that people think they have to upgrade when in fact what they already have is enough.

Actually, it's not money, it's greed. I mean, I understand that oil prices are soaring in the market, and so companies must also elevate their price. But notice this, they immediately increase their price when the market price increases, but when it goes down, they take their sweet time in decreasing their prices, and by small increments too! Ergo, by the next increase, the base price is now higher! Outrageous! And so, like domino, other consumer products have to also increase their prices because of the greediness of some businessmen.

It is also through this greed that blood flows. War, crimes, corruption. What the heck?! Do some people really can't have enough? The world should be big enough for everyone to benefit, but no, some people think they need to have more than others.

This is getting long, and my blood pressures getting higher, so I have to cut this short. Just a few more words to you: let us help each other in decreasing, if not eliminating, greed not only for our sake but for the sake of the now suffering future...

Hello World!

Welcome to the GK blog!

This blog contains stories, articles, and other events that we hope can provide entertainment and knowledge to you readers.

Enjoy reading and feel free to comment!


GK...