Simplify!

My desk is of maximum entropy nowadays: beside the usual LCD panel, keyboard and desklamp, I have tonnes of stuff that I always tell myself "I will clear that in a minute." I have been taken the definition of one minute so liberally that until now there are multiple one minutes on the table waiting for me to take care of.

Without the guts to face reality, I peep with the side of my eyes and here is a list of papers I need to take care:

1. An article on relationship, "Studies and statistics: love potion number 'O'" by Janice Shaw Crouse, that I plan to read again. Among the statements I find interesting are



"... there really is a love potion -- a miracle, God-designed chemical that is induced when a couple shares touch, closeness and/or intimacy"




"We’re used to musicians singing and poets waxing eloquent about love, but it’s quite a jolt to have scientific researchers bluntly call love a “chemical addiction” between a man and a woman. In fact, they claim that the brains of people who say that they are deeply in love use the same neural mechanisms that are activated during the process of addiction; the affected brain areas are relatively small, but have powerful influence on deep emotional responses, one’s “gut” feelings."




"The truth is simple: to love deeply and with greater enthusiasm, we must be highly discriminating about our relationships with the opposite sex. Oxytocin is instrumental in regulating the sex drive in both males and females –– it creates a natural feedback loop so that the more sex a couple has, the more they want. Sex with the right person (read husband/wife) produces a psychochemical cocktail that can yield absolute, unconditional and uninhibited love for each other –– orgasm causes levels of oxytocin to increase three to five times above normal."




"The warning is equally simple: to casually “hook up” is to risk short-circuiting all future relationships. The chemical reaction that takes place during orgasm prepares the body and heart for a relationship. When the relationship does not develop, the person’s bonding ability and ability to trust is undermined. Further, the stress of an uncommitted mating produces the same effect. In short, promiscuity can destroy the long-range potential for sex.



That is what a long term relationship means and for... Supported by scientific research :)


2. A letter politely asking me to renew car insurance 3 months in advance, offering me a free travel mug
3. A paper on MPEG compression techniques
4. A book on Linux device driver programming
5. A cup, with fresh water for my consumption. FYI, I will never allow any utensils with whatsoever leftover remain uncleaned for more than 1 hour. No exceptions
   
6. A charger from my old Nokia 1110, don't know where to put it. It is still in working condition. Disposing it will be a waste, putting on the table for now as paper weight
7. Some stray wires
8. A stack of paper at the bottom of the heap that I am not sure if it's useful or not
   

The holy grail to tidiness will be to actively reduce messiness (aka entropy), however according to the second law of thermodynamics, entropy is forever increasing. As a law-abiding person, I decide to follow and let it increase. Hmm, how does my reason sound? ;)

Suddenly thought of a conversation with Mr. Snail this afternoon when discussing the merits of HD-DVD and Blu Ray. For the picture in picture feature, HD-DVD is using an XML file while Blue Ray uses an embedded version of Java language. After discussing the pros and cons, suddenly I asked him something like "We are too boring, not sure if any girl will bother to listen to all these?" Duh...