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Spitzer on Hobbying
In a new interview with Time magazine, Eliot Spitzer explained why he chose hobbying instead of having affairs. He said, "I know this is parsing it very thin, but the emotional component would have in some ways been a worse violation."
Actually, I have always held that view - that hobbying is "less unfaithful" than affairs, because I have not professed love to anyone other than my wife. Of course, I'm sure my wife would not appreciate that fine distinction.
Happiness Is To Stop Procrastinating
Unlike most of you here, I am not a handy person - and that is an understatement. I had a leaky faucet in the powder room for several weeks which has been bothering me a lot. Now, even I can usually fix a leaky faucet. But this one is the oldest in the house that has not been updated since we bought our place ages ago. I had visions of rusted screws and frozen threads - and an obscure washer that nobody makes any more. So I just kept putting it off. My wife, to her credit, did not complain.
Well, what started as dripping drops worsened into a steady stream. So this morning, I could not stand it anymore. To my surprise, I took it apart without difficulty. There were no rusted screws or frozen threads. And I even had the right washer among my small collection. The whole thing was fixed in 10 minutes.
A small triumph in everyday struggles!
Best Oscar Story Lines
I watch very few movies these days. However, I still like to follow the Academy Awards as a pop culture phenomenon.
There are two fascinating story lines this year.
1. Two co-favorites for Best Director are James Cameron for "Avatar" and Kathryn Bigelow for "The Hurt Locker". Cameron and Bigelow used to be married to each other. They are still friends socially and professionally. If Bigelow wins, she will be the first female Best Director ever.
2. A strong favorite for Best Actress is Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side". Coincidentally, last night Bullock picked up the Razzie Award in Hollywood as the Worst Actress of the Year for "All About Steve". If she wins tonight, she will be the only person to win both the Best and the Worst Actress in the same year!
Freedom To Do What?
It is quite popular to invoke "freedom" in political debates. For example, the current healthcare reform debate sometimes appears to be between the proponents of the "freedom to not have to worry when I get sick" and the proponents of the "freedom to control my own destiny when I get sick even if I have to fend for myself".
Balancing individual freedom and the common good is always the challenge. Most people agree that we do not have the freedom to yell "Fire" in a crowded theater.
Consider the example of one of the most economically advanced and highly literate countries in the world, i.e., Singapore, where people are being asked to give up a rather "basic freedom", i.e., the freedom to chew gum.
To solve the destructive effects of used gum being left in public venues, subway trains, elevators, etc., Singapore banned the import and sale of chewing gum in 1992. Despite the negative publicity it has brought to the country, Singapore has not yielded to the pressure to repeal the law.
Before you condemn this as "Big Brother", consider the irony that Singaporeans enjoy one freedom that we do not have - the freedom to sell and buy sex.
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