Monday Musings

Life! Monday feature

I like the Life! feature story that comes out every Monday, typically featuring someone that has achieved a certain measure of success in her life, doused with nuggets of wisdom and reasons behind that success, including her motivations and background.

Today's article is about the founder of The Projector, an indie film lifestyle operatorship based out of the top levels at Golden Mile Tower. Just 35 years young, Karen Tan has managed to establish what long time operators have failed to do - a sustainable indie arthouse filmhouse. While I have not watched a screening at The Projector before, I have been a customer and spent some time catching up with friends over a few drinks at the bar outside, and the vibe was pretty cool.

That aside, I think my takeaway point is that Karen has managed to find meaning in what she has done, contributing positively to the burgeoning arts scene in Singapore by providing a venue that will screen the films made by small and upcoming indie film producers. Seeing someone build something that contributes positively to society is always inspiring, especially if that someone is some one belonging to my age group. 

Some food for thought....

Joke of the Day

Was making small talk with a big swinging dick (Managing Director, or "BSD") while heading to a client meeting.

BSD: "Yo RB35 you look stronger and more defined these days. What do you do to get in shape?"

 

RB35: "Just a little mix of kettlebells and high intensity interval training. Nothing much."

BSD: "Shoot me the contact for your personal trainer man. Mine's not really good for advice, it's been 15 months and I don't feel too in shape."

RB35: "I'll shoot you the app for my gym timer, but I don't have a personal trainer boss."

BSD: "Dude, you're a fucking investment banker. You should go hire a personal trainer instead of formulating your own workouts."

RB35: "Erm, sure boss."

Gee, I guess I know why your personal trainer didn't work out there, Mr BSD. 

Captain Fantastic

Was introduced to this show by a close buddy of mine. And it was totally fantastic.

It basically revolves around an American family led by a Dad that has a contrarian approach to life and raising his six children. Instead of going through the public education system, Dad has decided that the best way to raise his kids would be to foster education through both experiential and textbook learnings, in the forest where his children will learn to build up physicality, mental smarts and a thought process that provides for critical thinking, coupled with a strong resistance against the consumerism, organised religion and big government.

His children are raised to be able to build a fire, skin a deer, read Plato, critique the bill of rights, compare and contrast different governments, eat clean, function at a high physical level, plan, execute and refine missions (such as raiding a supermarket), play a musical instrument at a proficient level, engage in personal combat, and to perfect other skill sets that are necessary to not just survive, but thrive in a jungle environment with just a knife.

And of course, the main protagonist faces obstacles along the way. No struggle, no meaning yes?

Society comes crashing on him when he needs to take his kids out of his own version of Plato's Republic. Grandpa, in all good intent, throws down the gauntlet and insists grandkids go through the normal school system. Is Captain Fantastic going to yield, or is he going to hold his ground?

Certainly one of the top 5 films over the last decade that has made me think - how do I, and how should I raise my hypothetical children in the future? Put them through the Singapore educational system which is surely nothing less than a wringer, or to home school them in qualities that will be essential to be a good human being?