It has only been sixteen days since the last post but as we know a lot can change in such a small amount of time. In that time we have received our HSC marks and our ATARs and hopefully yours is high enough to get into the course of your dreams. 

In other news Jimmy Huang, our glorious leader, has created the Penguin Club. If you have to ask what it is you are clearly not a member. This was a ridiculously short post but I promise that more will come in the future. Maple time.

Every once in blue moon there is a special moment for all to enjoy. Deva Saxena has decided to showcase his blogging abilities. Below is his first post.

"Although I unfortunately hadn’t come across him in my travels over the past few weeks, a friend of mine told me that he’d been keeping track of my actions in this post-HSC phase through Facebook and word of mouth. 

Those with more public lives than mine have bared their activities online…promising us saucy and exotic schoolies stories [which, ahem, we’re still waiting on betty!] or, taking the easy way out, and blogging via pictures.  

I guess it’s just nice knowing that people have now left the stresses of the last few months/years/decades etc. behind and are enjoying themselves in these moments of summer freedom…taking pictures and sharing their adventures with others. Adventures that, if you think no one will appreciate, will almost always be ‘liked’ by the faceless boizz of Baulko, sitting behind their faintly glowing screens at night, talking of the fun they and you are having well into the early hours of the morning! Join them sometime – it can be fun!

For most of us, it has now been a month since we sat our last exam! Sure we’re enjoying ourselves, but I found myself in a conversation with this same friend about what has been accomplished during this time. Well, for me…nothing meaningful as of yet! 

But don’t fear if you’re in the same boat! I got told very eloquently by this individual that: “sometimes if you're happy where you're at its not necessarily a bad thing to stay in that lane and enjoy the ride!” 

And he’s right; we should keep cruising in the lane, because it’s not going to last for much longer! Eventually, we’re going to have to merge into the main street, into the rote and routine that uni shall bring. I guess that’ll be another adventure altogether!"

There are times in life when people are just rude. Sometimes people cut you deep, so deep that it breaches your very soul and there is absolutely no way to repair the damage. The damage which they so carelessly caused with they're scathing witticisms and rude remarks. 

"Sticks and stones may break my bones,

But words hurt forever, you bitch"

I may be whining more than H.H. in 'Lolita' but hear me out. All I ask is to be able to enjoy the company of friends and loved ones without the constant berating, mimicking and mocking. Did you not get my message, that's only funny when I do it to you...

The ability to 'poke fun at oneself' is often an overlooked skill. In my mind a much more important ability than the more glorified skill of 'intelligence'. Yes intelligence is a skill that is cultivated, not a god-given ability. This talent, 'to make fun of yourself', allows us to improve ourselves in the eyes of, often harsh, observers. Although the intentions may have been noble the words are often wrapped in hurtful little packages.

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions"

Complaining is so annoying, pardon the irony. It's insightful to note that the so called critics of every industry such as film, music and sport are also the least likely to partake in said industry. They observe and critisise from the the outside. Why is it that they harbour so much influence and command such attention? This is of course a mere observation and criticism of those people and not a reflection upon anyone in particular. Ciao.

It has been an extensive length of time since I blogged anywhere. Depriving you of my wisdom has been excruciatingly difficult for me and of course you so I would like to apologise for my absence. So I have been contemplating the topic of my first post and decided on 'My two favourite games'. When I say games I am referring to board/card/etc games.

My two favourite games are Monopoly and Texas Hold'em Poker. Why are these games so amazing, so awesome, so fundamental to humanity? Because they teach us how to be successful in life. They teach us how to be GOATs. Who doesn't want to be the GOAT?

Monopoly.

To win monopoly you need a few things;

    -Persistance/Perseverence

Monopoly games last for hours and hours. A lot fo the time the winner is just the person who quits last. DO NOT BE A QUITTER. Juts stick it out and eventually your friends will quit and you will emerge victorious. If you can't see the life lesson in this not even I can help you. The one thing I will take from Baulkham Hills High, persevere.

    -Negotiation skills

If you play Monopoly properly you will eventually need to negotiate with other players. Negotiations will extend from buying their land to striking deals to get out of paying their hotel costs. In life you will continually have to negotiate with others, salary/interest rates and everything else. The moment you are able to negotiate the use of Monopoly Money to make a purchase in a real life store you will have mastered this life-skill.

    -People Skills

This is arguably the most important skill Monopoly has to teach. You need to be suave, charming, flirty, ideally all three. This is the ability to sweet talk people out of their money, property, loved ones? I am not condoning lying or cheating but... No, do not do that. It's better to be the happiest person in life than the richest man in the graveyard. Essentially this is always makign people feel as if they won the deal. Even if they didn't, especially if they didn't.

    -Luck

Sometimes in life you just need to roll a six.

Texas Hold'em Poker

Poker I like for different reasons. I'm not too sure what it teaches about life but it's still an enjoyable game. Poker requires quick mental maths (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Poker_probability_(Texas_hold_'em)). I am a big fan of mental maths, it's half the reason I'm friends with Tom. Give him any two numbers to divide, multiply, add, square and he'll give you the answer. There is just soemthing that impresses me about this skill. The other thing I enjoy about Poker is the ability to win money. Many people think that Poker is a game of mere chance but when you acquire sufficient skills it becomes a game of skill. Lastly there is the thrill involved in going all in ona bluff, or is it a bluff?

I've never lost a game of monopoly although I haven't played it in a while. Poker I haven't had the opporutnity to play to completeion often so my record is non-existent. 

I typed this post on a program called Stypi, which records all the keystrokes. THat means if you have nothign beteter to do you are able to see how I constructed this post. The link is to the right. Just click it and then press 'Playback'. I'm back.

ps. Betty is not the best. =] just kidding.