Monday, November 30, 2009

How many stars did Abraham see?

One of my favourite stories of the Old Testament is when God brought Abraham out of his shelter and told him to look up at the stars in the sky. There, He made the promise that Abraham will be blessed with descendants as countless as the stars.

For old, limp Abraham, he probably laughed his head off and paid little attention to God's wicked sense of humour, like how we'd react whenever we fail to grasp God's wisdom.

This encounter between God and Abraham is a simple story about trust. Doesn't take a bible scholar to figure that out. It does however, take a sharp mind to understand the depth of trust that Abraham had in God.

Each time I read this story, I'd picture in my mind a cloudless dark sky peppered with thousands and thousands of stars - a sight which unfortunately, is hard to come by in a city of bright lights like ours.

But if you read the entire chapter 15 of Genesis (especially verse 12), you'd realise that it is highly likely that when God brought Abraham out to see the stars, it was daytime. And if Abraham had looked up in the sky during the day, he wouldn't be able to see any stars, but that doesn't mean the stars weren't there. He simply couldn't see them.

And this is precisely why I love this passage so much! The author had turned an ordinary prose into something so poetic in nature and captured the essence of what Trust is: relying and having confidence in an invisible God, yet someone who is more real and trustworthy than any human being we know.

At times when we fail to see the big picture and desperately want to hang on to our human instincts, we need to learn to be like Abraham - to look out on a sunny day and trust that the stars are there, beyond the light.

All we need is a little patience.

Posted by Jo at 11:12 PM

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Called to be a doctor after all

God has been taking me for a spin lately. And although my limited human mind can hardly fathom the whirlwind that had just swept through, like a 3D optical illusion, He allowed me to see the very image that has been hidden from many.

While I should be happy about this newfound 'vision', I now find myself caught at a crossroad - with a big decision to make.

It's one of those times you know for certain that God is speaking, and it's one of those times you want to chicken out. Well ok, obviously, I have my Free Will trump card, and to be very honest, I'm so tempted to flash it right now. It's always easier to take the straight road, although in my case, ironically, I've been tasked to take it. (Confusing, I know.)

So here's the thing. He knows I love Him too much to say no. I have to make a right turn but I fear the unknown. The other road is tempting because it's safe, yet I know for a fact that it leads nowhere.

And as usual, I'm being affirmed of what needs to be done and during my bible reflections one night, the answer was staring at me as I stared back, riveting in disbelief.

"Now made manifest through the appearance of our saviour Christ Jesus, who destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed preacher and apostle and teacher." - 2Tim1:10-11

The reflection piece following the passage talked about how there's a remedy for malaria and leprosy, yet millions still suffer from it today because no one has managed to bring the cure to those who need it.

The writer related that to our spiritual diseases, matters that cause us to rot inside. Like malaria, our spiritual diseases can be cured, yet no one has managed to administer the 'treatment' to those who need it.

All of us who are baptised and confirmed have been commissioned to bring the 'remedy' to others who are losing their lives. The question to ask then is whether we're doing that, or are we sitting and watching, as the people around us die in silence.

Preacher. Apostle. Teacher. Really, it's not the job title that matters but what you do will make all the difference. So, I know what I need to do now. I just hope He grants me the grace and courage to get it done.

Posted by Jo at 10:32 PM

Friday, November 13, 2009

Holy Nerds Club (Oct) - The journey

The Journey by Peter Kreeft is an allegory attempt to discuss philosophical ideas and moral dilemmas in a dream where Kreeft set forth on a journey of truth together with Socrates as his teacher.

In each chapter, the duo meets different famous philosophers of the past who would stop them in their path and pose a philosophical question. Kreeft and his teacher would then reason out these ideas before making a choice to continue on their journey.

Prior to reading the book, I had high expectations of it. For one, I'd heard raving reviews about Kreeft's books. And secondly, I was excited to deepen my knowledge of philosophy after being engaged in Sophie's World. Unfortunately, I hate to say that this "spiritual roadmap for modern pilgrims" had fallen short of my expectations.

In all honesty, Kreeft's style of writing annoyed the hell out of me. I can't quite pinpoint the exact cause of my annoyance, but there's something about his narration style which I found to be flippant, amateurish, and corny.

Secondly, I found that the book - while entertaining and easy to read (I finished it in under three weeks) - was shallow and had oversimplified the Western philosophies which have a more significant impact on today's society than what was portrayed in the book.

Then again, maybe therein lies the problem: that life doesn't have to be that complicated after all.

In any case, I'm still not a huge fan of this book.

I must acknowledge, however, that there were noteworthy points argued by Kreeft which had given me a new perspective to my faith. Is there objective truth? Is there right and wrong? Does God exist - is he everywhere or nowhere? Questions like these have certainly expanded my thoughts and helped in my search for Truth.

At the end of the day, I really wouldn't highly recommend this book, but I do know of many who are fans of Kreeft's work and have applauded The Journey for being an excellent introduction to philosophy.

Whether you decide to pick up this book or not, I think we owe it to ourselves to go in search of the truth - as opposed to just going through the motion everyday for the rest of our lives.

To conclude, here's some food for thought from the bible. Incidentally, it's today's mass reading:

"Yes, naturally stupid are all who are unaware of God, and who, from good things seen, have not been able to discover Him-who-is, or, by studying the works, have not recognised the Artificer.

Fire, however, or wind, or the swift air, the sphere of the stars, impetuous water, heaven's lamps, are what they have held to be the gods who govern the world.

If, charmed by their beauty, they have taken these for gods, let them know how much the Master of these excels them, since he was the very source of beauty that created them.

And if they have been impressed by their power and energy, let them deduce from these how much mightier is he that has formed them, since through the grandeur and beauty of the creatures we may, by analogy, contemplate their Author.

Small blame, however, attaches to them, for perhaps they go astray only in their search for God and their eagerness to find him; familiar with his works, they investigate them and fall victim to appearances, seeing so much beauty.

But even so, they have no excuse: if they are capable of acquiring enough knowledge to be able to investigate the world, how have they been so slow to find its Master?"

- Wis 13:1-9

Posted by Jo at 10:46 PM

Thursday, October 29, 2009

deflate me not.

As a kid, I become all excited whenever I get my hands on a sheet of puffy air-filled bubble wrap. I’d sit quietly, entertaining myself with each popping bubble, one row at a time.

But even a kid would know that soon enough, there won’t be any more bubbles left to burst and no matter how hard you may try, you can never put air back into those little pockets again.

Today, I feel like that bubble wrap, getting more deflated with every squeeze of the finger.

Posted by Jo at 8:45 PM

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

And so the story goes...

I realised, while taking my bath earlier, how much I've missed blogging. I miss sitting in front of my laptop, typing away without the need to refer to a press release or someone's corporate website. I forgot when was the last time I could type freely and express my thoughts without having to put much effort into thinking per se. In an odd kinda way, I actually miss logging into blogger and seeing the all too familiar template which has, over the years, become my writing haven. Oh yes, and I miss ranting - like what I've done for the past 3 minutes.

Ironically, what has kept me away from writing is writing itself - my work. When Spiderman said that 'with great power, comes great responsibility', I think he forgot to mention the great amount of stress as well. My job, as glamorous and fun as it seems, is mentally challenging and very difficult. Imagine having to type article after article, not knowing when the end point is, and knowing that no one really cares about a seemingly trivial matter like writer's block. Sometimes, I don't know why I do what I do. Most of the time, I manage to convince myself that I love my job, and that I live on the challenges and freedom which is hard to find anywhere else. At the end of the day, there're only two sides to a coin no matter how many times you toss it - I'll either be the biggest loser, or a worthy artist of my craft. I've decided that I will take my chances.

The other big gamble of my life is getting married. Not that it's a big risk to marry a person like Hil, but rather, taking that leap of faith in God and in the person He had blessed me with, to say that hey, I'm no longer in control of my life and that at the same time, I've been given control of someone else's life - that's deep shit (as in deep ideologies, not deep shit-shit).

Going through the Marriage Preparation Course - we're into week 2 - has been exhilarating, if that's the right word to use. Not sure if that's even intentional, but I find myself learning more about myself - than anything else. Like for example, I learnt today, how judgemental, inflexible and indifferent I can be. I mean, I knew these things before, but it's coming to the awareness that someone knows these things about me, but chooses to love me anyway - it just made me more convinced of how real God is, since unconditional love like this can never be humanly possible.

And while all this talk about true love and marriage is setting a mould in me, it's sad that the trashy tv programmes and movies we watch portray nothing of this agape love. Unfortunately, I've kickstarted my chase for season 5 of Grey's. It's tragic because I find it so hard to say no, despite knowing consciously how absolutely trashy the show can be. Drama series look real; it's their job to be that way. But there's certainly a clear distinction between fiction and reality. In self-defence, I say that a small amount of trash can be good for the system, as long as you don't turn into trash yourself.

To balance my yin and yang, I've also been doing something a little more intellectual. It's called weffriddles and if you haven't heard of it (where have you been??), it's a series of online puzzles to work your brain juice. It's fun, challenging, intellectual, frustrating, and mind-boggling all in the same breath. Aiyah, just click on the link and get hooked with me.

I guess this is the point where I've satisfied my need to blabber and my head's starting to get fuzzy and I seriously need to sleep. So yea, the story of my life continues. Good night world.

Posted by Jo at 12:17 AM

Monday, October 19, 2009

Best of Europe's Hotels: Ritz Paris

The Golden Era Of The Ritz Paris

Every successful concept has a beginning, and in the world of top luxury hotels, it began with the Ritz Paris. JC gets a brief experience of the blue blooded life.

Coloured by time, the Ritz Paris still stands along Place Vendôme, dignified; watching a century of French culture and life past it by in the capital of high society. A priced treasure from the 1890s, this is one of those places that great cities are built around.

The hotel lobby is embellished with hanging chandeliers, precious oil paintings and seasonal fresh flowers; its walkways lead to deliberately partitioned smaller areas, each with its own unique allure. As I entered the archaic dumbwaiter-styled elevator en route to my deluxe room, it felt like I had entered a time machine and was being transported back to the 18th century era of the French revolution.

Prestige Suites And Rooms

Stepping into my room overlooking the Vendôme terrace, everything – from the table lamps to the wall tapestries – was a visual display of rococo charm blended with noble aristocracy. The bathroom is accented in white marble, with a swan’s head for a tap, and rosy apricot coloured bath linens specially chosen by César Ritz himself, who believed they were the perfect complement to female guests’ skin tones.

The hotel has 159 rooms, which includes 56 apartments and six prestige suites, and employs nearly 600 people, making it the highest staff to guest ratio in the French capital. With more than three employees per room, service standards, as you would imagine, is worthy for a hotel of its stature.

Some of Ritz Paris’ most luxurious suites are named after its notable patrons from the past. Throughout the century, these included Ernest Hemingway, for whom a bar in the hotel was named, and F Scott Fitzgerald, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom, Iranian leader Reza Shah, Rudolph Valentino, Charlie Chaplin, Elton John, and couturier Coco Chanel, who made the Ritz her home for more than 30 years.

The Hotel’s History

The legend began in 1898, when founder César Ritz imagined an ideal residence offering “all of the refinements that a prince could wish for in his own residence”. Within no time, the Ritz Paris became a meeting place for dignitaries, socialites and well-heeled guests from Europe and across the Atlantic.

The palace hotel was the first in the world to be equipped with electricity on each floor, with a telephone and bathroom in all guest rooms. Keeping in mind that all these were implemented during a time when tourism was at its infancy, César’s foresight made him a pacesetter in the hospitality industry, with the innate ability to grasp accurately the needs and demands of his esteemed guests.

However, while the Ritz Paris was sturdy enough to survived both World Wars, it was on its way to a slow and eventual decline after César’s death and it was not until 1979 that Mohamed Al Fayed – owner of Harrods department store in Knightsbridge and Fulham Football Club – acquired the hotel and set out to restore all of its prestige.

Like César, the Egyptian-born businessman is an art lover, a perfectionist, and driven by a passion for beauty and elegance. Following an extensive nine-year long renovation programme, the legendary hotel reclaimed its grandeur and opulence.

Today, The Ritz Paris consists of the Vendôme and the Cambon buildings with rooms facing Place Vendôme and on the opposite side, rooms overlooking its famous garden. Located near the hotel are key attractions such as the Louvre Museum, Le Tuileries, the Paris Opéra, the Place de La Concorde, rue Faubourg Saint-Honoré, and some of Paris’s most luxurious shops. But despite being situated in the central city district, the ambience in the hotel remains one of tranquility and class.

Gastronomic Successes

Eating breakfast in tasteful Parisian elegance, I found myself constantly captivated by my surroundings. L’Espadon, a two-star Michelin restaurant in Ritz Paris, was first established in 1956 by César’s son, Charles Ritz.

Decorated with a beautiful trompel’oeil ceiling depicting a pale blue sky and white cottony clouds, with velvet banquettes and a profusion of plants and flowers, the setting at L’Espadon is versatile enough to accommodate a hearty breakfast, a business lunch or a romantic evening dinner.

Michel Roth is the ninth chef that the hotel has welcomed in its 111-year existence and the cuisine served at L’Espadon is an embodiment of creativity and originality, whilst respecting conventional principles.

The 21st Century Ritz Paris
César once said, “I dream of a little house to which I will be proud to see my name attached.” This “little house”, an 18th century mansion in the French capital, is today an iconic example for all other leading hotels, one whose legacy has sprung forth to produce many other namesakes throughout the world. The Ritz Paris is truly worthy of its world-class status, bringing together princes of the old world and the masters of the new.

Posted by Jo at 10:26 PM

Wednesday, October 14, 2009

Europe's Best: The Berkeley

[This series of Europe hotels are long overdue, but I wanted to wait for them to be published in the magazine before putting them up. Here goes!]

Stylish Knightsbridge Redefined At The Berkeley

The epitome of English elegance and luxury for over 100 years, The Berkeley constantly reinvents itself to remain at the cutting edge of hospitality and fashion. JC checks in to style haven.

The Berkeley is a good example of why one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Plain, unassuming and virtually obscure on the outside, the hotel springs to life the second you get past its revolving doors. On the left is the classy Blue Room which gets the thumbs-up from Madonna herself. The right houses Pret-a-Portea – the renowned afternoon tea for fashionistas. Upon arrival, be greeted by neat rows of purple-balled alliums which double up as The Berkeley’s quiet mascot in this quaint, elegant and very English boutique luxury joint.

Located in Knightsbridge – the heart of the luxury shopping district – the hotel is a stone’s throw away from retail legends Harrods and Harvey Nichols, alongside a string of designer boutiques and specialist shops.

The area is known to be one of London’s greenest – offering an open breathing space and stunning views at the nearby Hyde Park. For history and science buffs, The Victoria & Albert Museum, The Science Museum, and The Natural History Museum are within walking distance. A 45-minute drive from London’s Heathrow Airport, The Berkeley is conveniently situated between two underground train stations (Hyde Park Corner and Knightsbridge) which provide direct access to the central city districts.

Rooms And Suites

The hotel houses 214 bedrooms, including 65 suites individually decorated by some of the world’s foremost interior designers. The Berkeley Suites by Helen Green are sophisticated yet understated, reflecting her signature style of timeless, effortless elegance. In contrast, The Chelsea Suite uses a rich and opulent colour palette with its polished wooden panelling, huge purple sofa and sensuous bedroom to spell indulgence.

In addition, there are three individually designed signature conservatory suites with large roof terraces and conservatories, each with its customised touches such as saunas and David Linley furnishings. In the Wellington Suite, the terrace and conservatory also offer glorious views of Hyde Park.

Afternoon Tea At Prêt-à-Portea

Priding themselves as a five-star luxury hotel with a difference, The Berkeley is a natural choice for business travellers, avid shoppers, fashionistas, and celebrities alike. And one of the reasons why people flock to The Berkeley is for its famed afternoon tea at Prêt-à-Portea.

Designed with a creative twist to the classic elements of the traditional English afternoon tea with cakes and pastries, Prêt-à-Portea’s fashion-inspired biscuits, fancies and meringues make this a must-visit on the London itinerary. Like the latest fashion trends, the afternoon tea menu is updated twice a year. In fact, Berkeley pastry chefs visit the London fashion week shows to get their inspiration for colours and textures of the new collections.

I sank my teeth, quite literally, into savoury patisserie from the Spring/ Summer 2009 collection, which echoed the season’s trends of block colours, metallic, vibrant orange and exquisite summer chic. Some of the delectable sweet treats included a Josh Goot combination of strawberry pannacotta, mango crème and kiwi marshmallows, an Alexander McQueen ‘Elvie’ chocolate truffle tote wrapped in mint flavoured marzipan, in vibrant summer green, a Christopher Kane clementine bavaroise dress complete with signature oversized circles, and the crown of the collection, Michael Kors’ red and blue striped Regatta dress cake made out of rich Valrohna chocolate.

For the ultimate fashion touch, the hotel, in collaboration with Thomas Goode of Mayfair, serves tea and champagne in a bespoke collection of Paul Smith fine bone china and Baccarat crystal flutes respectively.

Restaurants And Bar

Besides the Caramel Room, where stylish afternoon teas are served daily, The Berkeley is home to some of London’s best restaurants. The famous Pétrus restaurant, now renamed as Marcus Wareing at The Berkeley, is an exclusive Knightsbridge restaurant – the first solo venture of two star Michelin chef Marcus Wareing. Serving modern European food, Chef Wareing is known for his theatrical and technically brilliant French cuisine. Be sure to request for a chef’s table where you can watch the action of the kitchen.

Gordon Ramsay’s Boxwood Café is his take on the upscale New York café scene. Set in a relaxed atmosphere and English garden feel, dining here makes for a stylish and charming experience – a far cry from London’s usual restaurant scene. With locally-sourced seasonal ingredients, the restaurant menu reflects a traditional British market with freshness and quality as its hallmarks.

At the heart of the Knightsbridge scene, the Blue Bar is a popular and exclusive top London celebrity hangout. The stand-out feature of the Blue Bar is its striking Lutyens Blue colour scheme by designer David Collins. Some of the bar’s must-try includes the signature Berkeley Champagne Cocktail and the sublime Ginger Cosmopolitan.

The luxury and sophistication of this acclaimed hotel is hard to miss – with its inviting setup, affable staff and diverse culinary spreads – so much so that I arrived at The Berkeley expecting it to be my sojourn in London, but left feeling like the hotel itself had become my destination.

Posted by Jo at 11:06 PM

Thursday, October 08, 2009

Snazzy Stationery

I'm not usually hot about stationery and the likes, but I got these at a media event and they're so appealing I had to show them off!

For the auntie in all of us. It even comes with a matching pencil and magnetic strip at the back so you can stick it to the fridge door.

Post-its with a purpose.
Takes naggy wives and bossy secretaries to a whole new level!

And with bulldog clips like these,
you can jolly well sack the secretary.
Too bad you can't do the same with the wife.

Circular paperclips. So pretty!

If there's one stationery item I like (and find practical), it would be the notebook. This one comes with a matching pen.

And my personal fave of the lot: a hanger paperclip. The packaging says it all: "Fashion is in the detail. Accessories for your stationery wardrobe."

For more, check out: kikki.K ION Orchard, B2 44-46 or visit their website.

(I should be paid for this!)

Posted by Jo at 11:28 PM

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

Holy Nerds Club (Sept) - Pope John Paul II: An intimate life

Heavily photographed and covered by the media during his reign, Pope John Paul II was a pop icon of my growing up years, yet he was a pope I knew little about. To me, he was a successor of Peter, one who was merely doing his job. After all, he was the only pope I knew all my life and there wasn't anyone else to benchmark against.

Of course, all that changed in late 2004, when his health declined rapidly and I, together with millions around the world, started noticing him a little more and realising the impact he had made, not just to the Church, but to mankind as a whole. (He was one of the most-travelled world leaders in history who visited 129 countries during his pontificate, beautified 1,340 people and canonised 483 saints.)

When he eventually died, I remember how the world stood still to mourn the loss of this great man. I remember even taking half the day off work just to go home to watch the live telecast of his funeral.

Four years on, he continues to make an impression. Books with PJPII on the cover are plentiful on the shelves but for some uncanny reason, I picked up this particular one at Borders and after scanning the foreword, made up my mind that I had to read it.

Two main reasons fuelled my desire for this book. Firstly, the author, Caroline Pigozzi, is a journalist by profession. And being a writer myself, I was compelled to read about her firsthand experiences behind the inner walls of the Vatican while getting to know a personal side of the beloved Pope that few are privileged to see.

The second reason for my wanting to read this book is simply because my curiosity and interest in the governance of the Holy See had been stirred up after my trip to Rome in May, and conveniently, this book provides a brief overview of Vatican's protocol and operations.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the day in the life of PJPII, where Pigozzi observed how he would wake up at 5.30am each morning without an alarm clock - and earlier than most people in the Vatican - and how he would spend the precious moments alone in the chapel, fully prostrated before God in quiet adoration. As the Supreme Pontiff and Sovereign of Vatican City, his days would then be packed with state visits, audiences, and meetings with politicians, diplomats, writers, scientists, bishops and cardinals.

Once a year (and this was something I didn't know before), PJPII would take a much deserved break in the mountains, where he used to ski in his younger days, and be one with nature. He was quoted, "The mountains forge character with courageous asceticism and soothe the spirit by putting it in touch with nature."

I love reading about the people in his inner circle (they are Polish btw), how he travels around the world, and the things dear to his heart (Poland and Mother Mary). Aside from the successes and accomplishments, the book also talks about PJPII's sorrows, challenges and failing health - which at times, brought a tear to my eyes or made my hair stand on ends.

What's great about this book is that it offers an objective insight to the pope's life, one that's not fabricated by the Vatican PR department for 'brand building' purposes.

The only two things I'd gripe about is the fact that the content was rather disorganised and I felt that the chapters could have been categorised in a more sensible (or chronological) manner. Secondly, Pigozzi failed to elaborate much on the last days of his life, which was something I had been keen to read about.

As one of the most influential world leaders of the modern age, PJPII is a legend who had left a trail of life lessons and words of wisdom to follow. For Catholics and skeptics alike, Pope John Paul II: An intimate life is definitely worth a read.

Posted by Jo at 12:26 AM

Thursday, October 01, 2009

10 famous people in 5 days

While I'm not one to run around stalking celebrities and politicians, I must admit there's always a secret thrill in meeting famous people. The idea of breathing the same air and claiming those bragging rights is a reward in itself.

Here are some of the people I met over the F1 weekend. And although I didn't get up-close with some of them, well, at least we breathed the same smoggy air.

1) No Doubt
My boss gave me a pair of complimentary tickets to watch F1 Rocks on Friday (thank you British Airways) and on top of that, Dannel was kind enough to invite Hil and I to an exclusive meet-and-greet session with No Doubt. I'm officially a fan after watching this 40-year-old rock chick jump around non-stop on stage like a 14-year-old.

2) Lindsay Lohan
Ok, I wasn't hot about meeting her and neither were the thousands of booing fans at Fort Canning. But I definitely know I'm getting old when I reminisce about cute little Lindsay from The Parent Trap and wished she hadn't grown up so fast.

Photo source: http://www.daylife.com/photo/04NIah6dUL6Il

3) Lewis Hamilton
Slinging the all-important media pass around my neck, I was given full access to most areas of the tracks and while walking around, I spotted pre-race Hamilton (and eventual race winner) with girlfriend Nicole (so they didn't break up after all) getting cosy at the Mclaren suite, totally oblivious to the crowd of people staring at them stare at each other.

4 & 5) Nicole Scherzinger & Will.i.am
More commonly known as the lead singer of the Pussycat Dolls (at least that's how I know her), Nicole was later making her presence felt on the grid, walking around with Will.i.am of the Black Eyed Peas. Actually, errr, I didn't know he was Will.i.am until I googled to find out who's that cool dude beside her.

6) Chaka Khan
This is the woman who sang 'I'm every woman', which was later covered by Whitney Houston. (Betcha didn't know that.) I didn't either, till I went on wiki to find out more about her. And while we're at it, you may like to know that she's also a 10-time Grammy Award recipient.

7 & 8) Bernie Ecclestone & PM Lee Hsien Loong
Doing their pre-race formalities, these two were bigger than the F1 drivers, inspecting the tracks with an entourage of ministers, bodyguards, photographers, and ushers. Oh, and I saw PM Lee again on Tues night at another function where he looked at me and smiled. =)

9) Backstreet Boys
Performing at the Padang after the race, the BSB were a bunch of disappointing has-beens. Belting out songs from the comfort of their stools, they moved little and perspired buckets. Hmmm. Maybe I'm biased after watching the high energy No Doubt performance that same weekend.

10) MM Lee Kuan Yew
I sat through a 45-minute dialogue session with our founding father and was in awe of his authoritative presence. Although he spoke slowly, he held my attention throughout the entire time and his speech showed his sharpness of mind and vast knowledge of world politics.