Long Shots

It has been a long long time since I last updated this blog, partly because I was otherwise engaged, but more importantly is because I have doubt about a lot of things. That is until I heard an episode of This American Life called Long Shots. The general theme for the episode is keep trying even when the odds are against them.

One of the stories is particularly heartfelt for me. It's about a man who was sentenced to life with parole after inadvertently killed another man in an armed robbery in his twenties. He served his time as a model prisoner -- took courses and got associate degree, followed all the rules and not got into fights -- for 20+ years. Then  he appealed for parole for 6 times even though he knows his chances is so slim just because he is in California. CA, among MD and OK, are the only three states where the governors can over-rule release decisions made by parole board, mainly out of political reasons. I can see the obvious reason for that. They had committed gruesome crime in the past, releasing them could be like releasing a ticking bomb. No governors want to be responsible for the next crimes they may or may not commit. But on the other hand, we all make mistakes. True, theirs are way more severe and irreversible, but after they have paid the most valuable things one can give, other than life, their youth and all the happiness they could have had, and are truly repent, shouldn't they deserve a second chance? It's hard enough to convince a group of experts in the parole board to believe they have changed, but once they managed to do that, why can some politicians revoke the freedom they fought so hard just to please voters who don't know what they have been through, what have changed over time, what went through their mind? I can't imagine how it feels to long for something so bad, try so hard to secure it, but knowing the probability need to constantly remind oneself to be realistic, yet couldn't help but see signs and be hopeful, but only to have it taken away at the very last minute! If I knew all these would I ever bother trying in the first place?

Okay you know I'm not talking about the case any more. It's dilemma we all face sometime in life. For me, it's about career change which probably isn't such a long shot comparing to the poor man, but knowing myself for all these years and my own track records, I have nothing about doubt. I was never good at writing and probably will never be. A lot of the times my thoughts and feelings are like spinning dryer, tumbling inside but I can't get them out, in words. And yet recently I did fall for writing. Is it worth trying even if I know I am not good at it, or worse, will never be good at it? What can I offer? What makes me or my opinion unique? There are too many questions I don't know. But still I'm putting all these here. Alas I guess if something is beautiful enough, then I wouldn't be at ease if I don't try, against all odds, Nothing Else Matters...

Until next time, love and peace!

Birds of feather flock together

Since I said "daily" exploration in the last post, I feel the pressure to keep updating at least every other day, alas~~ so I decided to change it to "weekly" discoveries ;P

The most interesting thing I saw today is a fleet of at least 8 bikes on 295 in Washington direction. They are maybe riding to some function since I noticed the couple on one motorcycle besides me when I'm merging were wearing matching T-shirts, which I thought was so cute that I gave them a thumb up, plus all bikes are spotless and look very similar in style and color. Oh, how I wish I could take a picture of them!


The next interesting thing is a podcast I started listening yesterday about how using (or disregarding) our herd mentality would affect the efficacy of public policies which I thought was the best episode of Freakonomics I heard lately. Since I'm writing during work hour, I would resume later today, until then, love and peace!


[Later today] So as you may have learned by now how mimes are better in keeping the traffic in Bogota under control than police, or how by setting up warning signs people, maybe the most righteous people mind you, are more tempted to violate those rules, or how our neighbors are the real determining factor in our energy conservation, or how far people would go to break the rule just to keep their lawns lust and green. No? Then click the link in the last paragraph and listen to the podcast! The podcast also mentioned a book called Influence which should be a good read! In the mean time I probably would try to shame my roommate to clean our apartment more often, mwahahaha... 


Until next time, love and peace!