20 years later...

To-do list

2009-05-09T09:53:00.001+08:00

Things have been rather smooth and predictable for the past 4 months, at least to me. The semester has just wrapped itself up to make way for a relatively long summer vacation, one that draws waves of anticipation. This is especially true for fresh undergraduates like me, for it is unconventionally a long period of time to conceive of anything productive. Well, I guess I have to start working and postpone my initial plan of backpacking across the whole stretch of Vietnam, to year 3.

Lately, I managed to secure some time to conduct my long-expired life reflection session. Like many of us, my goals and dreams change with time. I knew that something was, and is amiss in my life. This something is “unconventional.”

I have a pearl of a decade in front of me-twenties. These are the prime years of my life and no way am I going to sign my life off to monotony! I shall throw convention to the wind and find a way to survive by doing what makes me feel alive. May the early years be more unconventional and experimental. Try things that we might never have the chance to do again. When else in life would I have such freedom, I wonder. What life experience would I live old enough to tell my grand children, I wonder. What fond memories in life would I reminisce of on my deathbed, I wonder. I realized that things have a tendency to fall in place once we take the first leap of faith.

As I lie lazily on bed like a tortoise, with a pen and a pad in hand, I drafted out the things that I want to do in my twenties:

1. Learn horse-riding in the vast Mongolian plains.
2. Work on a cruise-liner as a crew.
3. Teach English in either Japan or Taiwan.
4. Work in a beach resort in either Phuket or Hawaii
5. Cycle along the coast of Normandy, France
6. Cycle up the whole stretch of Vietnam along its coast.
7. Solo backpacking in Europe.
8. First hand experience of wildlife in Africa
9. Ride a camel and spend a night over on the desert of Africa

Of course there are more which I couldn’t conceive of at the point of publication! I would be glad If I could accomplish 2 or 3 of the above task..lol

happy new year

2009-01-05T01:10:00.004+08:00

My first lesson of the semester is just 10 hours away and I am neither looking forward nor eagerly waiting to embrace a new academic calendar. I get the kind of feeling that I am already a battle-harderned warrior ready to face all the setbacks, or opportunities that I shall address euphemistically, but in reality, I have survived only a semester. Almost everything has been smooth-sailing, at least for me, and I am particularly glad that I have gotten the elective of my most preferred choice:)

Now that a new year has just begun, I have compiled a list of new year resolutions. I shall not hope for these resolutions to happen, because as I always believe, hope is as dangerous as it sounds. I shall not hope for miracles to happen, unless I want them to remain as miracles always.

1) Find out more about GIP, INSTEP and any other overseas exchange programmes available and add them to my shopping list before IA.

2) GPA = 4.69. I have set my target grades for every module and the least I aim for is 4.69.

3)Plan and go for an overseas holiday trip with friends during the next summer break.

4)Be happy:)

2009 shall be a great year ahead. Never mind that 2008 has a been a bleak year for most of us, with economical downturn and financial turmoil being most negatively impactful. It is uncommon not to face setbacks, but if we could view them from a different perspective, we could rejoice because thorns have roses instead of complaining because roses have thorns.

In the new year, I shall embrace all wealthy, healthy and successful thoughts and no let any negative, destructuive, fearful or unhappy thoughts cross paths with me.

Final days of 2008

2008-12-30T20:54:00.004+08:00

Yes, I have gotten back my first examination results in my varsity education. I couldn't wait any longer for the release date. I couldn't wait to witness judgement day. I couldn't wait to see the fruits of my labour, within them bear the months of mental stimulation. It all boils down to the 29th, it is the deciding factor. Although results aka GPA aren't everything in life, they still play a microscopic part in your purpose of life, so it is bullshit when people tell you that results aren't important. You know very much that they are just finding a convenient approach to comfort you.

Let's face this practical world, in every organisation, every sane person will want to be the top 20% of the pyramid, hoping that there are always the remaining 80% to support them at the bottom. This mentality is entrenched in each of us and can be applied in the GPA system too. How you wish you are in the dean's list. But for my case, I am very sure I am still some distance away from that goal. It is always painstaking to see B grades on my result slip, but I gotta admit those technical modules aren't my forte and I deserve the 2 B+ grades. What I couldn't get over with are my 2 most confident modules, HE191 and CH1031, an A- for both of them won't settle me down. But looking from another perspective, I have to swallow my sky-high ego and admit that there are always more academically-inclined people in my course. Nevertheless, I am not and never will be disheartened, for I will strive for an even higher GPA=4.67(yes, i have calculated!!)

Besides the results, things are looking bright in the hall with our excellent performance in both sports and recreational IHG. I am playing hockey and boggle, both of which are totally new to me before I stayed in hall. I always feel it is enriching to pick up a new sports.

My first competitive hockey match( after just 4 training sessions) bounced off to an impressive start against hall 8. Technically speaking, we were on par, but we held the physical edge over them with our undying stamina and speed. Playing as a right back, I had very rare contacts with the ball, and precisely, the only 2 contacts were crucial interceptions that I made.

The 2nd match were against mighty hall 13, for they fielded a couple of national players. We faced an uphill task of neutralising their swift attacks and experienced game play. At the end of the day, the better team won, and i had no rants to make, only valuable experience gained for the next and final group match against hall 8 again.

This crucial match is a deciding factor for our advancement into the quarters and sadly, I couldnt promise my turn out that day, for I have boggle IHG on the same day. Yes, boggle! I am gonna own them all!!

ORD 1 year anniversary!

2008-12-08T21:08:00.006+08:00

My body has been aching all over since last week, ever since I lifted up my activity tempo with a series of consecutive hockey training, swim session and street-soccer challenge. It is always a good sign to have when pain invades my biological system, which in most cases, is accompanied by a slight sense of "euphoria" due to release of endorphins.

Yesterday's street soccer match was indeed an rejuvenation and soul-releasing session for me. The feeling of getting back to my kicking habit, striking the ball with the greatest possible impact, scoring multiple unstoppable goals, and adopting the grace and guile of the beautiful game, was simply beyond words could depict. It is simply amazing to learn of how football can actually bind communities together, hold primary importance over political and war issues, or in some cases, create intense rivalries. Football, in my perception, is a common language understood by all, played by all, watched by all. It is a game beyond imagination, a drama in its making. No amount of hollywood scripts can possibly craft out the most dramatic scenes of football, as we can see in last night's football match between Myanmar and Singapore. Who would have expected the burmese goalie to launch an assault on the referee, who was alleged by the Burmese to have made an unfair decision against them. This is yet another disgraceful scene in football, but being social creatures, we don't mind paying to watch 10 minutes of human conflict in its own making without a movie director. This is what I call real-life entertainment!

I suddenly thought of the date today..8 December. Well..no big deal on this date, but it is worth recording it down as my ORD anniversary. I don't even need to record it down! When can I ever forget this date when it is always running through my mind like a locomotive for 2 years?? The very bleak scene of a Friday, on 9 December, 2005 still hangs firmly on my memory wall with pins secured to it. 2 years on, one would have expected the extreme opposite scene of a Friday again, on 7 December, 2007, but it was rather a heavy-hearted one after all that had been gone through.

post exam

2008-12-02T00:01:00.005+08:00

What a breath-taking ride I had that drove me through this 1st splendid semester of my uni life! It may seem hectic, but the joy of overcoming all the hard-fought modules and being able to juggle school and social commitments concurrently, is indeed overwhelming. I couldn't expect any more of the workload to be piled on me in the coming semester, but sometimes, I feel like I am the culprit for imposing such stuffs on myself. No prize for doing this, but isnt it better for me to fill up my grey matter while I am still youthful?

Being in CBE is definitely challenging, considering that I am even able to enrol into this course. With funny lecturers, brain juice-sapping modules and wonderful course mates around, I am enjoying every bit of my uni life. One of my favourite modules is surprisingly, outside my core subjects. I have no prior knowledge of economics, but I could understand its relevant importance to our society. A favourite subject doesnt yield a definite A grade, as I have learnt from past experience.

For now, I have got a dozen tasks on my to-do list(13 to be exact) and I believe this vacation would undoubtedly, pass by with a wink. So much so for all the events planning and game particapation, I need to find serenity in personal indulgence. A focused mind is the key to success. Maybe i should migrate to hilltop and meditate? LOL

Recently, I flipped through an old book and found some retrievable insights and motivation from a quote by Vince Lombardi: "Winning is a habit. Unfortunately, so is losing." I allow this quote to run through my mind a few times and I could draw parallel to sports. The traditional football powerhouses are always awarded top seedings in tournaments and they continue to dominate top standings. That makes winning a habit.

But, occasionally, we cant prevent previously unrecognised teams from claiming top honours. This partly contradicts the quote. The transition from losing to winning is never a habit in a second time. Once you have won something, the winnng formula stays with you and is packed into your DNA, and whether u win again or not lies in your belief.

Sometimes, I feel that I should stop blaming on my circumstances. Being in a good circumstance gives you a comparative advantage over the rest. But often or not, a bad circumstance somehow turns us into a whinning bull. The people who get on in this world are those who get up and look for the circumstances they want, and if they can't find them, make them.

cheena post

2008-10-01T01:45:00.000+08:00

夜深人静，我的心也随着静了下来。头望出窗外，细雨连绵，而在雨水的淋声中，一阵听似古怪的音乐钻进我房内。我想这是从隔间房间发出的，那就不去理它了。当我拿起建盘想要写布络格时，脑海中浮起中文字熟悉的笔画，它那亲切的语调，但可惜的是，观音的流去加远了我与它的距离。所以，这次的付出也算是破天荒的个人突破。

好了，夜晚并不漫长，在这死气沉沉的时刻，我的灵魂也该休息了。。。

School starts!

2008-08-27T00:16:00.003+08:00

Hey all I finally managed to filter out some highly indispensable time of mine to update this blog! At this period in the wee hours of the morning, I have just completed one of my maths tutorials and tomorrow is my most anticipated day of the week again!

A multitude of thoughts are running through my grey matter and I just couldnt pen down all of them over here, although I would very much want to. The past one month has been electrifying for me as it marked yet another life transition to campus living. Hall life has been great so far, and I still think I made the right choice of going for the hall camp, for it brings together people living under the same roof, so life won't be as tough as looking for the few old companionship for dinner!

Apart from all the fun and enjoyment of hall activities, studies must still be prioritised, and here comes another challenge for me to juggle the both. Do I still retain the discipline that I was onced deeply engraved with? haha..only results will tell. So far, my temptation factor to engage in activities other than studying hasnt really gotten over me, for it never had and never will! Balance on both sides is still the key to an enriching university life.

Through this month long of school life that had just begun, I start to appreciate the events that had widened my area of sight, the people who crossed path with me and left an recognisable impact on me, and the fun-filled activities that kept my adrenaline flowing and left me with more to yearn for.

Right now, I have got a few serious contemplation to deal with...so till the time when I blog again, I will be enlightened.

sat night

2008-07-22T22:38:00.002+08:00

Dark knight's a great production so much so that it even beat the opening sales for spiderman 3! Heath Ledger's role as the Joker was simply awesome acting. I won't deem it to the extent of acting anymore especially when he's able to bring out the joker's crude humor and pyschopatic nature to near perfection. The batman was rather a shadow of his past, and a lost guardian being tested to his limits of conduct.

Well..just before catching the movie, I was rushing on my way to the cinema. As usual, my wandering line of sight caught the eyes of yet another salesperson, and just as I thought I could weave pass him, I was approached. I was rather baffled by his request to sell me a small candy without disclosing his selling price. The market rate was claimed to be around $2, which seemed overly-priced to me even in the current midst of inflation. What triggered my attention the most was that he wasn't from any organisation when I asked for who he represented. He claimed that his objective was to compete with his group of friends in a game to see who can sell the most sweets in the shortest possible time.

I couldnt imagine myself going around and gathering public funds to satisfy my entertainment needs with a group of teenagers on a Saturday night which could be better spent in town. Who is going to be so naive as to buy the sweets from them when their rationale is purely a personal indulgence with no official accountability? I had no time to question this young boy any further, all the more I won't want to miss the dark knight.

Nueve 2008!

2008-07-21T09:42:00.003+08:00

Nueve FOC 2008!!(Recalled with the best of my memory)

Day 1:

Fighting strength: 22/22

The 21 of us, consisting of 17 freshies and 4 GLs, met up at Jurong point Mac and proceeded to hall 8, where we checked in. We regrouped with Numemon in the hall and that made up our full strength! Once we had settled down, the usual ice-breaker games kicked in and as usual, some of us, including me, had reasonable difficulties in matching names with faces! I was amused by the wide variety of games and riddles that were made conceivable to us, yet annoyed by my inability to solve some of them haha!

I won't go into the core of the games, fearing that the cows would have driven home and the snails would have scaled the tree if I had otherwise.

Next, we shifted our belongings into our allocated double rooms. Things didnt seem right for me with 4 guys having to spread ourselves comfortably on 2 beds! Area cleanliness standard was a C grade! I couldnt bother much with that either since my purpose was just to sleep through the 4 nights!

The boring part came next, with a series of lectures lined up and held in the comfort of a lecture theatre, a perfect and proven bed for rejuvenation. I had it enough of the insurance talks and magazine subscription when I was in army. I would have gladly called up their insurance agent if I need a policy, but not when I had a few already. The last part of the lecture really woke me up into darkness with the focus on the screen. Snippets of the SP night were previewed, very much to our anticipation!

I hope I got my sequence of activities right haha

Then, we had station games that brought us through the whole afternoon! The most memorable part had to be the most tiring one, in which we had to run with a watermelon up the steps of the School Of ADM

That night was a long one, and beautiful as well:) I recalled walking a long distance to some area near the forested area where each of the OG took a group photo. I guessed there was an activity planned for us, but had to be cancelled due to the ongoing drizzling.

Initiaiton night was next and it just marked the beginning of a long night! We were blindfolded in hall 6 and were led to certain places to get real dirty and wet...the most disgusting thing happened in the toilet, where I had to suck up a coin from a pail of milo tucked into the toilet bowl..lol It was really a long night, bushes were tickling me from all corners...milo powders and flour were poured on me randomly. Number of hours blindfolded: 4

KO: around 3am

Day 2:

Fighting Strength: 22/22

Pool games were the highlights of the morning at the Sports and Recreation Centre(SRC). The captain's ball game was interesting though energy-sapping. I didnt get to throw the ball at all! All I did was to push the float with the girl on top while trying to stay afloat! The first sign of tiredness unrolled before me and before I could realise anything, it was time for lunch.
After lunch, I think we continued to play some dry games at the SRC. Since it has already been 2 weeks after the camp, all I could recall was playing captain's ball, chucking dried biscuits and a flour-flavoured mentos into my mouth and also piggybacking a girl while blindfolded!

That night really wore me out to the bones. I got really excited to know who my SP was through our first skin-to-skin interaction. The session lasted rather long and I actually spoke to 3 supposedly freshies, 2 girls and 1 guy. Wth brought me to the guy?? lOL..

Just as I thought the 2nd day would have ended with the "lab safety talk", I was wronged. That's the bridge to our exhilarating Fright Night! Never in my life had I experienced such awesome real-life thrills that could only be seen on horror shows. We went through about 8 stations where we had to gather clues and information to help solve a murder case, or a few of them. Actually, I felt the main objective was not in solving the mystery, but rather concentrated on scaring us! My task was a daunting one, having to protect 2 girls at the same time!!! Overall rating is unparalleled and i felt the programmers put in a great deal of effort in making this fright night a successful one.

KO: around 3am again

Day 3:

Fighting strength: 22/22

Started the day with a long bus journey to Sentosa and the thought of doing some body maintenance was quickly overwhelmed with games and riddles. The sun was bright and the mood was right for a day of beach games, but unfortunately these only lasted until lunch time when it rained. Nevertheless, lots of taupoks and watermelons and throwing raw chickens!

Next, we proceeded to Aloha Changi where the SP night was to be staged. It turned out to be a really lovely dining place under the night sky overseeing the sunset along the coastline. SDU must have been really busy yet thoughtful in planning out these events during this season of matchmaking in FOC camps. Food sucks though haha

The last event of the night ended with ice-skating at Jurong Entertainment Centre. We booked the whole skating ring just for our usage! I shall move on since skating on ice or even ground isn't my forte to begin with.

We rested early for next day's amazing race that we so dearly wanted to win, which we did eventually.

KO: 2am

Day 4:

Fighting strength: 22/22

We started the race with full of confidence and spirits which brought us far-ahead even before the 2nd team to finish the last station at SRC. The running part from SRC to innovation centre and from orchard MRT to Dhoby Ghaut MRT was madness haha..but it was worth the effort anyway. I didnt like the station where we had to search through the maddening crowd Bugis Village for someone whom we didnt even know!

After the race which we completed at around 9pm, we got back to wash up and went for supper at the nearby food centre. 1 x prata+chicken porridge+iced-milo would be good for a night's sleep.

Relevation night came to us as a surprise when the fake freshie was revealed to us!!! Was a girl so we couldn't taupok!

KO: 3am to 4am

Day 5:

Some games and a cheer competition followed by the grand finale, in which rules were no longer regarded when we started dumping water bombs at the opponents.

I had dinner with my OG after the end of FOC...reached home at 1130pm...KOed!

Really enjoyed this camp and the friends made..

Now i will just look forward to my hall FOC!

gambling experience

2008-07-09T20:48:00.002+08:00

I have been wanting to blog since last week but just couldn’t find the time to do so! Anyway, I am back to my dark and overly tanned complexion, thanks to nueve camp and the sun! I looked into the mirror when I reached home last Friday and that’s it, my skin-whitening efforts have been washed down the drains. You could be wondering why should I be lamenting about my crisp brown skin with a radiating tan when others are having difficulties trying to look tan and some end up getting sunburned.

In fact, I don’t yearn for a white complexion, but just a lower tone of brown. Unfortunately, my skin is highly sensitive to the sun such that black pigmentation could raid my skin easily even with sun block applied! Just this evening, I was greeted by a PRC cashier at fairprice in English…when I was expecting her to do so in Mandarin as she did to her customers queuing up in front of me. I am used to it anyway since young and I could hardly recall any instances in which I was not mistaken as Malay.

Back to the highlights for the past 2 weeks! My trip to Macau and her mainland border was an eye-opener, so much so that I could see the importance of the casino industry and understood why our government is ever so eager to start the dice rolling despite the social woes it can potentially stir up.

If I could go back to the scene I was in, it was a lavish setting with hundreds of game tables fitted with the latest technology and tracking system. I saw middle-level Chinese citizens stomping the casino in hordes, rich and elegant looking tai tai pumping in chips like water flowing down the stream, casino crew serving free flow of juices and drinks, and scantily clad European( I guess) girls in their slyest look performing pole moves in the free-to-see cabaret shows. One thing I didn’t enjoy had to be the choking feeling I experienced in the smoke-filled, air-conditioned casinos. No choice, the casino managers couldn’t stop them, if not how could they rake in billions of annual profits?

Another testimony of my youth and boyish nature was shown when I was stopped by the casino security guards at the entrance, not once, but a few times! Age limit is 18, but I am almost 21…I don’t whether I should feel sad or happy about this.

Besides, I noticed Chinese prostitutes soliciting in the Venetian. Omg..was that allowed? They did not gather in clusters, but they stationed themselves around different corners of the casino. One even came up to me and asked me whether I would want a massage or not! Physically, they beat our geylang liu2 ying1 hands down…lol but I am only interested in winning money!

I wouldn’t say that I am lucky to win a considerable sum of money when all odds are against you no matter which game you play in the casino. I developed my own system of gambling right on the spot and it was just for the game “big and small”. I didn’t touch other popular games like baccarat and blackjack because I wasn’t very sure of the way it was played. Nevertheless, luck is still needed in all games and it is important to time your entry in accordance to your onset of winning streaks and know when to pull out when it is time to do so. I shall not go further into the technical and psychological aspects of gambling, which can take up more of my precious time doing other things.

Next stop was in Zhuhai city, China. Shopping was awesome in terms of price, uniqueness and service! I bet not many people actually thought of shopping in this unknown place of China. If you guys happened to run out of ideas where to fill up your shopping list or are just tired of visiting chatuchak market or mongkok district again, check out Zhuhai!

That’s all for now, tune in to nueve camp in my next post soon!

june report

2008-06-21T22:00:00.000+08:00

With so many things to look forward to and to embrace, I couldn’t hope more for this month of June to be prolonged. I have never so far in my life experienced the harsh reality of time, its ability to drain your youth as it sweeps by, leaving you in a state of pre-transition. The first 6months of the year simply whizzed past before me like never before, and for the same period of time in my schooling and military years, the former pales into insignificance in terms of time wasted.

I have completed my 5 month stint at my workplace and just like in any organization where I had spent for a significant period of time, the strong and mixed reactions start to surface when it was time to move on. I am delighted because of the bright and unpredictable future that lies ahead of me. On the contrary, some kind of emotional control is required of me to suppress the emotional attachment to the place, the people and the routine of work, which will continue to linger around me for some time. No longer a stranger to this kind of physical and emotional transition, I was admittedly, once a lost sheep after I completed my A levels and 2 years later, my national service. I am sure the next transition will take place after I graduate 4 years later…

During the past 2 weeks, I found myself getting back to football, both visually and physically. The summer of every 2 years is always a cause for relaxation and celebration. This summer is not excluded, and has the making of yet another great European Championships. My only disdain is the exclusion of England, my all-time favorite team that I have supported since the age of 9, from this year’s tournament. Nevertheless, the countless European Nights so far still managed to left me intoxicated with the beautiful game, a play widely considered as unparallel and that no Hollywood script can ever produce the kind of drama football presents.

I m looking forward to my macau and china trip on Monday!

elitism

2008-06-05T11:31:00.000+08:00

Singapore, our unique homeland, with its ever-growing and robust economy and ambitious plans mapped out, is becoming a livelier and interesting place to dwell in. In this increasingly competitive era, Singapore has shown to keep up with powerhouses around the world despite our small physical dominance.

At times, we may be too engrossed with our work and studies that we overlook what is happening around us. Economically, we may be unparalleled by most nations, but are we enriched emotionally and socially to embrace the new wave of developments? How far are we exactly from reaching our “First-World City” status? A mature, developed country isn’t defined only by wealth and education; it is also about humanity and concern for others.

The greatest gift god has ever bestowed on our island is a blessed geographic location untouched from the destructive forces of nature. But we certainly do have unappreciative sinkies who are self-centred and indifferent to other people’s plights. In a TV interview, a tourist who just returned unhurt complained angrily about his encounter with airport delay and telephone breakdown at a time when the Chinese were frantically rescuing people. Is he willing to trade his personal inconvenience for 3 days under the debris?

After more than 30 years of social and kindness campaigns, tales still abound of people rushing for train seats or refusing to give one up to the elderly, ill treatment of maids, littering or inconsiderate driving. There was never an instance in my life that I have seen commuters waiting patiently for others to alight from the train or commuters keeping to the left of the escalators.

This unique mentality and behaviour is perpetuated in all corners of society, and is seemingly unique to the Singapore context. Generally speaking, we are an uncaring and selfish lot. I do not have any strong moral or socio-political backing to support my claim, but most people can sympathise with my general public observation. We even need the government to subtlety remind us to work towards a gracious society, and the most direct opinion from LKY was that we are nowhere near a gracious population in the future.

There has been an ongoing debate regarding elitism in Singapore. Could her social and moral progression be undermined by this cold, uncaring elitism? I personally doubt so. It actually boils down to the lack of empathy, compounded by the aimless pursuit of material wealth. Elitism is not just portraying the holier-than-thou attitude, it is a state of feeling superior in many aspects; morally, physically, intellectually, financially and spiritually. It doesn’t only manifest itself in top schools and higher social strata of the working hierarchy. There is a sense of elitism in all of us, just like the ego boost we all experience. Elitism can co-exist with the lack of empathy, but the former does not always progress on to the latter.

There is nothing wrong with aiming for the best in whatever we do in life, whether it is accumulating all the wealth in the world or topping the toughest exams in top colleges. There is nothing wrong to be rich or educated, or even born rich and talented. There are plenty of people out there who have risen to the top, but who have managed not to become gits. There are those who are on the lower rungs of society who are utter gits. Being an elite does not automatically turn you into an uncivilised boor. Lack of empathy does.

Our long-standing system of meritocracy has been largely responsible for nurturing top brains, our only and indispensable resource, which contributes to our nation’s astronomical development. Elitism is inevitable so long as meritocracy is around. We can only have 1 president and 1 Prime minister in parliament, 1 CEO in each company. If we don’t feel superior to our peers, if we don’t want to outwit them, if we just want to lie deep comfortably in the mud hole, who will want to stand out and lead the rest?

The elites in society often carry with them a high moral and social obligation, an expectation I deem a little high. Raves and rants propagate across the nation and create an unnecessary sensationalisation when the labeled “elites” fall below expectations. We recently heard of yet another blogging saga when a local undergraduate was arrested for his racist remarks. Not long ago, a bus driver was hammered by a student from a top junior college over a small misunderstanding and sentiments were stirred following a “get out of my uncaring elitist face” comment by a MP’s daughter. It is a shame to learn how simplistic this world has become. Our lives are dictated by labels imposed upon us.

Let’s work towards a more gracious society! The only way is to learn to control our emotions. It is said that if you can control your emotions, you can control anything you desire! No amount of corrective work order or kindness campaign endorsed by our smiling lion can do any significant improvement if we don’t work on ourselves first.

Beauty of China

2008-05-08T21:48:00.003+08:00

I happened to filter out this flimsy piece of note during the time when I was rummaging through my drawers and cupboards, patiently searching for my resumes, testimonials, academic and non-academic transcripts to prepare for my scholarship interview.

I wasn't sure whether I could stand another afternoon of nostalgia, 2 years after I left Ci Bi village located in the mountainous region of Yunnan. It was my overseas CIP expedition to Yunnan, China, a project collaborated between MJC and YEP, where we spent one of the most memorable and intoxicating 14 days of our life, an experience far beyond words could describe.

I can still vividly recall the defining moments of our trip, in which almost all of us were down with diarrhea or/and fever, symptoms which were very likely attributed to food poisoning, high altitude sickness and unfavourable climate. Similar to a domino effect, one by one, we fell sick as the days stretched. I was down with diarrhea towards the end of the trip, the next morning after we had a football match played at 2000 metres above sea level. The feeling of running on such high altitude with cold wind brushing past me was totally different, such that the high physical drainage took a toll on my stamina, causing me to pant profusely with each stride I took. Coupled with the cold weather, I did not perspire at all. I guess my lack of physical conditioning to such environment eventually brought my body system down.

That alone did not dampen our spirit of extending our warmness and gratitude to the guest who accomodated us. We were treated with their traditional minority performance and also the best of dishes they could possibly whip out. Even after 4 years from the trip, these were some of the unforgettable memories that I can possibly squeeze out from my grey matter:

squatting in the open-air toilet in the middle of freezing winter nights staring at the cloudless sky of stars.

Interacting with Chinese government officials and actually staying in one of their apartment blocks when I was sick!

Hearing the war stories of a granny who was a communist leader during WW2.

Went to a hospital to seek treatment for my diarrhea, and was appalled by the low standards of medical practice there.( 3 doctors were actually smoking and chit-chatting in the consultation room when I enterd.)

I was caught off by the mesmerising beauty and picturesque scenery of the village we stayed in. ( just look at the photos above!)

With each new day, the bonds forged with the students were strengthened and cultural barriers were gradually broken down. We interacted with the students of a local secondary school through games, English lessons and home visiting. The emotional attachement held on to this part of the world was so strong that we were overwhelmed by the fact that we had to physcially depart from there anyway.

On the very last day, we had our autographs signed by the students. I was amazed that they could recall my name when we only introduced ourselves once on the first day. Some even wrote down their address hoping that we would return them a letter when we returned back. I felt guilty of not doing so. But I will make my way back there one day, even though this village is located in the most remote and unaccesible parts of rural China. No tour guide group anywhere in the world would take you there because it is very inconvenient and secondly, we all know of China's attempt to neutralise foriegn intervention into their private culture.

Lastly, I dedicate this post in remembrance of the thousands of innocent lives lost in the Sichuan earthquake. Somehow, the images of the students and physical landscape caught on media resemble those of what I saw when I was in Yunnan.

2008-04-24T12:50:00.006+08:00

He says ministers should not be automatically removed for lapses down the line'If we go overboard in trying to solve one problem, the chances are we will inadvertently commit other mistakes which we will regret later,' PM Lee said. -- PHOTO: ZAOBAO SINGAPORE should not encourage a culture where officials and ministers resign whenever something goes wrong on their watch, regardless of whether or not they are actually to blame, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in Parliament on Tuesday.'

That would be the easy way out. It may temporarily appease an angry public, but it will not fundamentally solve the problem,' he said in his statement, which addressed the Government's overall approach, its responsibility and accountabilty over fugitive terrorist Mas Selamat Kastari's escape from the Whitley Road Detention Centre on Feb 27.

In the aftermath of the escape, some Singaporeans have criticised the Government, the minister and senior officials in charge for the major lapses that enabled the Jemaah Islamiah militant to flee and some have called on the Home Affairs Minister to take responsibility for the incident and step down.Responding to these, PM Lee on Tuesday urged the people not to 'over-react to one bad incident'.'If we go overboard in trying to solve one problem, the chances are we will inadvertently commit other mistakes which we will regret later,' he said.'For example, encumbering an organisation with unwieldy rules and processes may look good on paper, but in practice will simply generate a false sense of security, while hindering the organisation from functioning efficiently and achieve its goals.'

VIDEOMas Selamat: PM cautions against witch-hunt(4:17)RELATED LINKSClick to read PM Lee's full speechPM Lee said when something goes wrong, the first priority is to respond to the immediate crisis and then identify shortcomings and put them right.

Besides corrective measures to ensure that the problem does not recur, he said the Government will give as full a public accounting as possible, especially if it is a major lapse.

'Singaporeans need to know what went wrong, and what the Government will do to fix things,' he said.While the minister is ultimately accountable for the policies and operations of his ministry, PM Lee cautioned: 'But this does not mean that if a lapse occurs down the line, every level in the chain of command, up to and including the Minister should automatically be punished or removed.''

Based on the facts, we have to decide who fell short in performing his duties, and what is the appropriate disciplinary action for each officer involved. We also have to follow due process, giving officers the chance to defend themselves. Otherwise we will demoralise the organisation and discourage officers from taking initiatives or responsibility, for fear of being punished for making mistakes.''This same principle of responsibility and accountability also applies to Ministers.'Mr Lee said when a lapse happens, it is his duty to decide how the minister in charge has performed - whether he has been incompetent, negligent and if he is able to put things right.'The basis issue is whether the person is culpable,' added Mr Lee.'If so, we must act against him, however senior his position. But if he is not at fault, then we must have the moral courage to state so, and support him.''This way, everybody within the organisation can be confident that when something goes wrong, they will not be sacrificed for politcal expediency.'

I am not the sort of person that dwells into politics and analyse every string of sentence that pours out from our ministers’ mouths. Ultimately, I look at the whole picture instead of picking up minute details that are of negligible significance.

Let’s talk about POLITICS.
No doubt that the model of our governance is ever-efficient.
No doubt that our capable leaders have steered the nation into a developed one growing at a rate equivalent to that of a developing one.
No doubt many foreign countries are singing praises and trying to adopt our system.
No doubt we have a nation of complainers and whiners who, despite our general political apathy, are capable of blowing simple matters out of proportion with our seemingly analytical minds.
No doubt that that we are capable of organizing a ministerial panel discussing the complacency of the whole nation and not the the competency of our government, and whether ministers should be shown the cabinet door, when everything started off with a man limping out of jail.

Casual griping is a beloved Singaporean pastime, so is mine. I am neither spewing criticisms nor turning to armchair speculation, not least representing any organization but solely my personal thoughts.

Just take a look at the Mas Selamat incident. People are condemning the government for its lapse in security. Our dear MM, PM, and DPM would of course have their say of words. But the message they are putting across to me is “It’s not our incompetency as leaders, but your complacency as a nation, let’s not blame anyone in this matter, let’s just learn and move on.” Is this convincing or not? You decide.

Can Singaporeans find our own Obama or Clinton that shakes us out of our deeply entrenched political apathy? We really need someone with the charisma and eloquence of an inspirational leader to do so.

Train rides

2008-04-24T11:31:00.001+08:00

Train rides have never been more eventful with unexpected sightings and experiences. They never fail to portray the cosmo political nature of our state with a mix of a dozen different tongues and practices interacting under a common roof. Even when I was catching the last train home late at night, the queer settings of been part of a globalised population has made us unique.

A train ride depicts the tale of a life journey applicable in most of us. The origin station is left trailing miles behind after our train departs, whenever we initiate to something from our current situation. The destination station is already pre-determined since we know where we are going to alight. Along life’s journey, we are faced with a myriad of challenges and experiences, which are parallel to the pleasant and disgustingly forgettable moments in that packed carriage.

The sight of a lady with a protruding belly beats any anesthetics administrated by doctors to put patients to sleep with unprecedented, immediate shut-down effects. The tranquil journey to work is sometimes interrupted by high-decibel, phone chatters that transcend carriages, a feat which few are capable of. Nobody likes to be caught in a sardine-packed carriage during peak hours, but my frustration is compounded by the selfish acts of some commuters who can’t seem to stop leaning their back against the holding poles, thus depriving others of a supporting handle. I am not stereotyping any particular group because I have seen Bangladeshi, PRCs, Sickaporeans and Sillyporeans doing it. These 2 terms aren’t coined by me, but are gaining popularity stakes as net lingoes.

Change

2008-04-16T13:53:00.000+08:00

Finally!!
It has been almost a month since my last post, and this is wholly attributed to my increasingly hectic, yet meaningful lifestyle. Work commitment and new tuition assignments are starting to unfold before me, leading me to a whole new array of experiences and elevating me to a higher temple of thoughts.

Just yesterday, I was invited to a corporate event organized by Prudential in its effort to increase awareness and credibility of its company. I felt comfortable with the light settings at the Singapore Arts Museum where the event was held. It didn’t seem like a mass recruitment campaign where managers and new agents were out there desperately trying to paint us a bright picture of the career prospects in Prudential.
I would not have attended if not for Adam Khoo, the star speaker for the event. Unveiling a slice of his background, he was one of the youngest self-made multi-millionaires in Singapore who is currently managing his education business in the region. He is paid to give motivational talks to many affiliates, schools and organizations, and has written some of the best-selling books which I have read through some.

He is a very energetic and experienced trainer, and every audience of his would definitely have felt the kind of positive energy that he radiated. Probably because I have read a couple of books and attended other seminars in which the insights resonate with his speech, the effect I felt might not be tantamount to what others felt.
Nevertheless, I shall share a few key points that he so effortlessly brought out. It is interesting, yet unfortunate to hear of cases of people who do not want to succeed in life, who do not have dreams and just hope to lead a stable life. After all, we have to die, so why go through your life without a purpose?

It is imperative to have a goal in life and also strategies mapped out to eventually help you achieve it. A study conducted in Yale University many decades ago found out that only 3% of Yale graduates in that particular year had a goal in life, while the majority didn’t. 20 years later, the 3% of the same graduating cohort earned a combined income that was 3 times that of what the 97% earned! That is the power of goal.

I shall end this paragraph with a story illustrated by him to create an awareness that job security no longer applies today like it did 20 years ago. Instead, he is actively promoting the spirit of entrepreneurship that he so strongly advocates.

“The villagers in a town have been threatened by the presence of monkeys and one day, they set up a trap to eradicate them one by one. Some peanuts were dropped into a coconut that had been cut open, and sprinkled along a straight path leading to the coconut. This led one of the monkeys who followed the trail of peanuts to the coconut. It eventually reached out its hand into the coconut and was trapped by some kind of mechanical tongs placed in the coconut. The villagers, on hearing the scream of the monkey, rushed over and captured it.”

We are just like the monkey in the story, very determined to work our way up the corporate ladder and not willing to let go of the “peanut income” that we so dearly hold to, just like a monkey who will not never let go of its peanuts. We don’t know what lies ahead of us, which is analogous to the booby trap in the coconut. We are not in control of our lives by working for others, let alone the income we desire. We are clouded by the concept of job security, an idea once highly-regarded after the Industrial Revolution. We carry a price tag of $2500/month with a Bachelor’s degree, yet satisfied that we spend 4 years and $25000 to achieve it.

I am not encouraging people to quite their corporate job or to give up their college years. But it certainly raises one’s eyebrow at the thought of going through a systemic life planned out by others and not by you. We live in the new age, and change is the only constant. Need me to say more? How to change? I am still in deep thoughts….

Cars

2008-03-22T20:59:00.000+08:00

I was appalled by what I saw this morning when I barged into the driving compartment of my instructor’s grey Lancer. A tidily scribbled note with Chinese characters greeted me beside my steering wheel. 从即日起, 学车费将提升于每小时$2.
That translates to an increase of $3 for every lesson I attend, and it was mutually accepted across the board of union, some kind of organization that governs those private instructors. I believe the instructors also don’t earn much from this adjustment, considering that oil prices are spiraling up over USD110 per barrel. But the value-to-price ratio we are entitled to, as private students, remains significantly higher what our school learners receive, provided we get an experienced and compatible mentor.

I can vividly recall the first day when I hit the road with anxiety and full of nerves, yet subtle eagerness and pride. Even now, I still think that it was actually very dangerous for me, a rookie, and adventurous on the part of my instructor, to allow me to maneuver my way through throngs of car along the narrow roads outside the driving center. I would give him the benefit of doubt, since he has accumulated 40 years of experience under his coaching belt.

Currently into my 15th lesson and 2 more months to my test date, my confidence is building up tremendously and at times, I tend to be complacent. I have committed almost all acts of reckless driving i.e. cutting lane suddenly, speeding, beat red light, did not shut my door properly, took my hands off the steering wheel, almost hit cyclist and pedestrian.
That poor old man had to constantly remind me to slow down and be gentle in handling his gear lever. Lol..I am always feeling the adrenaline pump when driving, so no doubt I would emulate the actions of a F1 driver.

All of us learn to drive for different reasons. We want to own a car, drive to work, impress others with luxury cars, follow others who are also learning, or simply to pick up a life-long skill. From my perspective, the greatest liability a person is bound to in his entire life is to own and maintain a car! It’s a blatant fact: a car is not an asset(inflow of cash) but a liability(outflow of cash). If I ever were to own a car, I will go for a luxurious and high-performing one, and that is when money isn’t a problem. I have no qualms with taking a public transport to work everyday. In many developed countries like Japan and US, there are CEOs who share the same public train with ordinary commuters to work.All in all, I deem driving as a life-skill and I will continue to pursuit my dream of driving a continental car along the picturesque countryside overseas.

JLPT 4 passed!

2008-03-14T15:20:00.004+08:00

Upon receiving the letter from the Japanese language school, I knew that I must and would surely pass the JLPT level 4.(an internationally recognised Japanese proficiency qualification classified into 4 levels, with level 1 being most proficient.) After having sat for the test on the 2nd of december last year, I have been waiting impatiently for the result, and I only allow one thing to linger within my soul: Success. The slightest possibility of failure never ever crossed my mind from the day I decided to take up this new language. I wouldn't want to invest my money on something that I was not confident of achieving success and gave up halfway.

It all started out in the summer of 2006, when I just passed out from my signal operator course in Stagmont camp and was posted to my active armour unit. The later months of 2006 were some of the most carefree and mundane periods of my NS life. So, why not take up something useful and meaningful to occupy my time in bunk instead of just napping, psp-ing and doing sai-kang.

The art and process of mastering a foreign language is never smooth sailing, especially when one has yet to even sharpen his own native tongue. Being a typical Singaporean who is well-versed in both languages is something laudable and admirable. Kudos to our far-sighted, bilingual education system that oversees the need to assimilate our workforce into both the worlds of East and West. But picking up a third language is simply out of my pure interest and time-killing strategy. I chose Japanese over other languages like German, Spanish, French, etc..because it is the easiest and economically practical language to master for a Singaporean. A Caucasian would encounter difficulty in writing out the kanji(Chinese characters) while a Singaporean who is bilingual in English and Chinese can simply breeze through the course through a range of methods.

And here is my result: Writing-Vocabulary: 96/100, Listening: 41/100, Reading-Grammar: 171/200, Total: 308/400(passing mark is 280)Not exactly impressive due to the listening component, and I can’t blame myself because there is really very little exposure to real-life Japanese conversation.

Looking forward to my JPT 3!

NTU, here i come

2008-03-08T23:50:00.002+08:00

I am pretty decided on which course to embark on after spending 2 years of analyzing the market and research on different courses. It takes a moment of impulse to decide, but an experience of a lifetime to affirm. Frankly speaking, I have neither of the above, but just 2 years of my life spent thinking through what I really want in life. I won’t say that I have wasted 2 of my youthful years serving the nation, in fact it may come across as a blessing in disguise, since I have adequately utilized my free time on self-development, reflective thoughts through books, seminars and networking.

Today was another fulfilling, but tiring day for me at the NTU open house. The former, being attributed to the wide range of new courses unveiled this year, while the tiring part came from our aimless, direction-disoriented walk up and down the 2 spines looking for that damn LT2A. Nevertheless, it was a meaningful experience because I got to interact with undergraduates and professor there, similar to what I did over the past 2 years in order to find out whether NTU is the place for me. Seeing all the young faces around me, I am starting to feel old…lol. Many people have asked me why would I choose NTU over NUS, and since I am majoring in a chemical engineering degree, isn’t NUS a more recognized and prestigious platform for me to excel? And I have with me the following reasons why I choose NTU chemical engineering and not NUS or other courses:

1)Although ntu is much further than nus from my home, I will still prefer the former which can provide me with a confirmed accommodation in the first year. And I heard from many peeps and relatives that ntu is famous for its hall living and all should at least try it once. I think it is a great platform for networking with different faculty members, and hopefully a chance to meet my future spouse:)

2)I pretty like the serene and natural environment in ntu, though I can’t stand the noise of live-firing if I were to reside in halls 12,13, or 14 near jalan bahar area. In nus, besides its concrete jungle appearance which doesn’t appeal to me, the science and engineering blocks are quite confusing and challenging to navigate in.( been there quite a few times for jc enrichment camps and SAF medical appointments)

3)NTU’s mission and policies resonate with my personal values. It provides numerous opportunities for every single student to go for an overseas attachment/exchange programme, and the emphasis on this really makes me want to try this out, as I have already planned to set aside half a year in America or Europe. Not only will it look good on my resume, but the networking and global interaction involved will be invaluable.

4)Their policy in making it compulsory for everyone to go for an internship/attachment is a pragmatic one. It ensures some kind of job security even before you graduate, as proven by the higher employability and starting salaries compared to her counterparts.

5)NUS beats NTU flat on food. Both offer reasonably cheap prices, but the quantity and variety of food in NTU leaves much more to be desired. A $2 bowl of wantan mee in canteen A(ntu) took me 2 mouthful to finish!! How can survive??

6)I like the “globalised” population in ntu, which I believe there are as many prc and Indian top brains in nus too. Many locals feel uncomfortable with these ppl around, fearing of competition stuff which I do not wish to discuss in depth. C’mmon man, the govt is not stupid to simply make up 20% of our uni with FT(foreign talent) and thus shortchanging our local students. I deem these FT as assets to our economy and also to my own development. Surely you will do some bootlicking or euphemistically, public relation, if your course-mate is some foreign white horse.

I think we may be an unlucky batch to enter university during this period. By the time most of us graduate in 2012, the economy will be picking itself up slowly from the debris. Yes, we are bound(not predicted) to face a global recession either this year or next year, and it could be one of the worst in history this time round. When commodities like gold, oil rise in value, the economy will dive like what is happening now. And amazing thing is every 5 years, it always seems that something bad will happen to the economy.( asian crisis 97, sept 11 01, sars 03, subprime 07…) So who knows what’s gonna happen in 2012? That’s why I choose to major in chemical engineering with an intended minor in either business or economics.An engineer will never become obsolete whereas a general degree holder in business or science can be quite vulnerable in a bad economy. Imagine what will happen in a few years time when banks start their massive retrenchment/downsizing campaign(it surely happens, not said by me, but by statistics), that’s when all the hype on studying finance and business course will die down., and the engineering sector revives like it did in the nineties.

Not that sick face again!

2008-03-05T13:11:00.005+08:00

Yes, I am talking about that sicko face that keeps appearing in every aspect of our life; bus, MRT, internet, handphone and soon... in our dreams!

I really have full respect for that JI leader, not for his evil intention as a JI leader, but for his brilliance in escaping from our detention centre and causing a big hoo-haa. Who on earth has the capability to do so? Who would have the honour to appear on all our mobile message inbox? Who has the ability to trigger off an island-wide manhunt on a large scale never seen before in Singapore? In the end, he is just a limping, unarmed, old man. What an insult to our security efficiency! He might possibly be residing in his cosy home in rural Indonesia now and laughing his intestines out at our futile antics in capturing him.

Was on my way back home late at night on the train when I came across a face quite similar, but different to that on my handphone. Features include....Malay, middle-aged man, 1.6m short, walked slowly out of train in order to conceal his limping motion. I followed him out of the carriage simply because he was also alighting at PasirRis. lol..i wonder if other passengers felt the same. But I just ignored him..how can he be so dim-witted as to present himself publicly.

The authorities might consider offering a modest reward for his capture, a.k.a those wanted criminal poster we see in cowboy movies. And the reply given was that it is not their practice in doing so, but surely it is their practice in raising their salaries. It seems to me that they would prefer to spend money in attracting top brains than to encourage the public in helping out in our security problem. Yes..I agree everyone can help out by keeping a lookout for that sicko, but a little monetary motivation from the govt can certainly spike our interest and vigilance.

It's mid-week now and I am really looking forward to weekend. Can't wait to go for the open house at NTU...my 3rd and final one this time as a prospective student!

SIA, is it still a great way to fly?

2008-02-27T13:28:00.010+08:00

What comes to one's mind when asked to name a true Singapore brand? It would definitely be SIA, simply because of her reputation as a top commercial airline who has put us on the global scene as justified by her numerous acclaimed awards, and all the prestige and pride in maintaining her integrity. If given a chance, who wouldn't want to be employed under SIA? The generous bonus given out, free/discounted travel on our national carrier and a wide range of benefits.

In view of the recent news revolving around SIA, there is certainly more to be desired from the management side as well as the public. I chanced upon this Asiaone forums discussing the slapping of a cabin crew(cc) and the alleged bad attitude of a lead stewardess. http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=9136

http://forums.asiaone.com/showthread.php?t=8805

These 2 threads alone drew a whopping 75 pages of comments and more than 130,000 views from netizens! And the amazing thing was, I managed to scroll through all the pages yeah. What spurred me on to finish reading was the really heated debates between the 2 extreme groups namely pro-SIA and anti-SIA, supplemented with non-stop flaming, downright accusation, and personal expriences onboard SIA.

I am really amazed by what some Singaporeans are capable of, in this case, blowing out of proportion a simple case of being not granted a 80 cents Straits Times onboard a plane for valid reason, into 48 pages of comments with a plethora of opinions, and having the vice president to make a public apology. I believe cc had to undergo intensive training before they are allowed to serve onboard, especially SIA, which demands the best from its crew. And mind you, being a cc is not just about performing the job of a waitress on air, it also requires one to do PR(public relation) with pax, attends to different dietary needs of pax, recognises the faces of PPS and biz pax and to endure/retaliate against the physical/sexual abuse by pax.( I can testify this on personal account of my relative, a ex-cc) Which normal guy won't feel high when a hot stewardess bends down forward to serve u food..lol

What I am trying to bring out is that people are usually judged by their wrongdoings, albeit all the good deeds. A cc could probably bring her service standard to the apex by attending to the needs of all pax, but a single negligence easily sets the flame ablaze. Another point of contention brought up was the preferential treatment of caucasians over Asians pax. I don't know whether to believe this or not because from my experience onboard SQ and other national carriers including no-frills flights, I have not encountered any of such treatment. Blame it on my indifference towards my surroundings onboard as I only care to indulge in my in-flight entertainment and that occasional sly look at that hot stewardess. Sometimes, people do not judge you by your skin colour, but the way people are made appreciated makes the difference. A typical westerner, who is more open to expressing his gratitude than a Asian, would certainly leave a greater impression on the cc who in turn, is more willing to provide better service. There are always appreciative pax and service-oriented cc, just as there are suckers who stretch their dollar and get value for it, and SPG Stewardess suffering from colonial hangover.

What about the rich tai tai who laid her palm on the cheek of the poor stewardess? I sympathize with the latter because she had to fork out her own legal fees to bring the accused to justice. SIA could simply provide more assistance to its crew instead of labelling it as a personal matter. I wonder any actions will be taken by SIA if it were a normal pax instead of the wife of a CEO. Quite a dilemma for the management team yea...to protect the pride and dignity of its cabin crew and to preserve its business with influential pax at the same time...sensible and political thing to do is of course to take a neutral stand with a declared zero tolerance for abuse of crew. Right now they are probably more interested in securing a stake in China Eastern and delivering the A380 to the world.

I think I shall not go further into such sensitive issue. Although I have full respect for SIA in handling its affairs and flying the national flag high, there is still room for improvement. With so many pairs of eyes fixed on SIA over the years, it is imperative to maintain a even higher standard as expected. We do not want to lose out to other 1st grade airlines like CX, emirates, Thai Airways..etc. I am sure our million-dollar ministers and perm sec. will not sit there and do nothing when that really happens.

long weekend

2008-02-25T23:03:00.002+08:00

Another weekend just swept by but I would say it was very eventful but more importantly, extra long! That’s because I took a day off on Monday to attend my platoon’s chalet, which lasted from Sunday evening to the following morning. As short and sweet as it was, the gathering of a small group of us was really meaningful, especially when some of us had not been in contact with each other since our ORD. We got together for a bbq, some late night TV show, and blackjack, though I wasn’t as lucky this time with my deck of cards as when in Justin’s house. I must admit that those are quite normal activities that people usually engage in chalet, but it feels a bit awkward without those pillow fights and live bunk wrestling, late-night street soccer matches, swearing of vulgarities across the bunk, psp marathon and rat-killing operations. Lol..I am still recalling those days in army, the type of communal living that we will never get to experience again.

Besides the platoon gathering on Sunday, I, together with my gang of 04S201, visited Mr Wee, our GP tutor’s house for a supposedly, but belated Chinese new year get-together. It might have been 2 years since we graduated from college, but the camaraderie and closeness exhibited made me wonder if we had just completed our studies not long ago. And with all the interaction flowing in spontaneously, I see all of us are getting on well with our life and maybe I should change my job for a more meaningful and high-paying one. In fact, I just discovered that MJ is paying its ex-students to act as invigilators during the common test period! Besides, I am still waiting for a reply from my science HOD, as I had already sent in my name to give tuition to my juniors. As intimidating and challenging as it may seem, giving tuition to A level students isn’t really my cup of tea but I will still give it a try, since it provides me with a chance to revise my science concepts in preparation for uni work.

Trivial things are worth a reflection

2008-02-19T22:13:00.004+08:00

Now that the lunar new year is coming to an end, it is back to real work, the routine that most would choose to take up. The mindset that one’s satisfaction in life with getting good grades and landing up with a stable, well-paying job, is ingrained in most of us Singaporeans. There is absolutely nothing wrong with leading a simple, tranquil life, but it is also reasonably rewarding and fulfilling to venture beyond one’s boundaries and out of our comfort zone, and indulge in the sights and happenings around us that may appear subtle previously.

Just yesterday, I was on the train ride to Aljunied to meet Sandip, and as usual, the grumpy and lethargic expressions on the commuters were exchanged after a day’s work. What caught my attention and amused me was actually a young boy in his teens, who was walking up and down the carriages shouting to himself the names of the respective stations at every stop. Not a usual sight, and I think the rest of the commuters would agree with me that he is mentally retarded. I was trying my best to suppress my laughter and I spotted some smiley faces across the aisle. There was nothing to be amused of and I didn’t see it as an entertainment.

The same incident struck again this evening when I was on a bus ride home. This time round, a young man in his 20s had the habit of violently pulling and shaking the handle pole of the bus exit whenever the bus made a turn. It was a double decker bus packed to the point where passengers had to stand on the lower deck. That guy was really making a
mockery out of himself. We can’t really blame him because his action might be involuntary due to some medical conditions.

Living in a complex, borderless society, we may encounter snippets in life that are worth reflecting upon. The world is undoubtedly getting more competitive, but are we able to cope or have some of us being defeated? We live our lives only once, and what we are going to tell our next generation will depend on how we live it to the fullest.

2008-02-15T23:29:00.003+08:00

Yesterday was Valentine’s day for some and “Virgin’s day” for others, and that includes myself. Not that I am bickering over being single, in fact there are many people out there who are enjoying their single hood. The idea of spending astronomical sums of money just to please your other half on this special occasion is widely accepted and we can’t blame retailers and business-savvy marketers for raising the prices of gifts on this once-a-year event. But I feel that any other day can be a V day and one with a clear sense of mind doesn’t have to burn a hole in his pocket for getting a rose for 100+ bucks when on other occasions it would have cost half the price. There are 1001 different ways to express love for your beloved, and I shall not go further into elaboration given that I am a green horn!

Like what my colleague told me yesterday, V day is nothing …it is just a virus day..so better stay home and hide..lol. I was on my way back home on the bus and it was rather heart-warming to see commuters, students and office executives alike, carrying flowers and packets of gifts, stuffs that they had probably received on V day. That brought back memories of school days when playful dedications were made to tease our friends, gifts were exchanged all in the spirit of goodwill and love. Memories, in my perspective, are invaluable. They can only be reminisced, never ought to be re-lived physically. If a price is needed to sustain love, then true love will no longer be priceless.

That makes me sound rather philosophical yea? Lol

not shagged

2008-02-13T22:27:00.002+08:00

Down with flu today, in fact I was sneezing non-stop since monday when I stepped into office. Today is really a busy day like any other working day, except that I started giving my first tuition lesson to a Taiwanese boy on a weekday after work. After 9 hours of repetitive work in the office, I had to hurry home and got ready for my tuition lesson. Surprisingly and as always:), things went smooth for me and the only challenge is that I had to communicate with him in mandarin...imagine explaining to him organic chemistry and cumulative frequency with my best ability in mandarin..it's not that he doesnt understand English since he is studying in a government school, I just want to make things more comprehensible to him. And now, here I am, after 14 hours of work and study, still feeling energetic and awake..which doesnt seem quite normal for a lazy guy like me.

2008-02-07T23:47:00.000+08:00

Chinese new year is back once again and this year must be really great..in fact it is the most anticipated occasion every year. I am especially grateful to my boss who treated our whole department for a reunion lunch at a chinese restaurant on the eve of eve...we had something like a 7 course meal with yusheng, steamed fish , scallop, coffee pork ribs, so on...must be very generous on her part.

After lunch I took a half day off..yeah it was that easy just by asking my boss and not like in army where we had to bark like a dog or worked our assess to get a off day. Next up, fireworks at esplanade! Went out with eric, yux and jy to catch the 5 min display and also the line-up of programmes and activities at the esplanade park...lots of pple over there and the whole stretch of bench in front of esplanade was bombarded with ppl ready to catch the display digitally.

May this year of Rat mark a refreshing start for everyone as it is the beginning of the chinese zodiac cycle.

What is freedom?

2008-01-28T16:02:00.000+08:00

I spend almost 20 years understanding what freedom really is. You can never understand freedom until you have actually experienced it. There are many forms of freedom and they are probably manifested at different stages of one's life; financial freedom, legal freedom, moral freedom, emotional freedom, social freedom...

What I am experiencing right now is conceivable yet indescribable, the freedom to re-discover myself after having gone through 12 years of rigorous educational curriculum and 2 donkey years of National Slavery. These 8 months of do-what-you-want period provides the best opportunity to experience meaningful things other than mugging, digging trenches and paper chasing. I can't imagine the hectic lifestyle and the back-to-books regime that I have to go thru once uni terms starts in August. So, now is still the best time to enjoy!

~~Freedom is when I dun have to constantly monitor my grades and outdo my peers to get the A grade. Freedom is when I dun have to stay awake on my bunk bed fearing that OC/CSM will barge in and confine me over the weekends. Freedom is when I am no longer caged in a camp from monday to friday, far away from all forms of civilisation and performing the duties of a bangla worker for 500/month. Freedom is when I dun have to wake up in the morning cursing and swearing why I have to work or go to school.

Freedom, like happiness, is a choice rather than a consequence. But it has its implications.
Right now, freedom is about enjoying the last 8 months of my adolescence before reaching another phase of my life.

Letter to SPH

2008-01-22T14:24:00.000+08:00

Just a day before our transport minister unveiled plans last friday to bring about an overhaul to our public transport system, I wrote my first ever letter to SPH complaining to them about my fustration with the SBS bus i took to pasir ris mrt. That cost me to miss my ever-on-time company shuttle bus that takes me to UPS.

Surprisingly I received a call on Sunday from SPH and my small and edited article was published on Monday! Maybe my letter rang a bell for LTA to take some actions. I think our transport infrastructure seriously needs a revamp if we are to remain as world-class. In Hong Kong, I learnt that the waiting time for their MRT is always below 5 mins and that is something we need to achieve too.

I still have in my mind, a whole load of suggestions to improve our transport system...maybe LTA can grant me their scholarship and groom me up haha. I will make sure no more long waiting times and value-for-service fares!

Black Monday

2008-01-22T13:55:00.000+08:00

Today is the second day of a long coming week and I am starting to recover from my monday blues. Yesterday was certainly a gloomy day for me, and as usual facing the computer keying in data and analysing the cost of shipment continuously. I was lucky that I left my house early and caught up with the shuttle bus at Pasir Ris which ferried me to my workplace, otherwise I had no idea how I could get to work when the god-damn MRT system was out of service for the whole morning!

To add oil to fire, the STI(Straits Times Index) fell by 6 %, a stunning 187 points drop to below the 3000 mark. And I think this is a worst single day drop for a long time. Not only was tension and anxiety felt in the Singapore stock market alone, stock markets across the globe tumble significantly too. What does all these imply? A beginning of a bear market? Most probably. With the greenback drepreciating in value, a rise in oil prices and recession of the US economy caused by her sub-prime crisis, the bear is very likely to strike any moment.

I read an article recently that reported the linear relationship between human emotions, weather and the stock market. This is very true because we have to admit that the market is driven mainly by fears, anxiety, confidence, all which are symbolic to basic human emotions. But what is interesting is that studies have shown that stocks generally perform better on a fine weather than on a dark, gloomy day. The data was produced by analysing the rise and fall of stocks on every single day of the year and a high percentage of good performing stocks appreciate on a fine day! I am sure Warren Buffet might want to incorporate weather patterns into his investment strategy as one of the deciding factors for selecting winning stocks.

Overall, it was still a gloomy Monday for me and most people out there. Hope to gain some insights late in the week.

My first blog

2008-01-21T14:39:00.000+08:00

The first question that comes to my mind when I start typing off this first entry is why am I creating a blog all of a sudden? A blog itself serves a multitude of purposes and the following are what I can think of: earn money, advertise products and services, gain popularity by attracting viewers, or simply treat it as a personal online diary!

Here I am, sitting in my office on a boring Monday afternoon staring at the computer, at the same time, waiting for job tasks to be assigned to me! The thought of starting a blog never crossed my mind previously probably because I was too occupied with my school work and subsequently, army life.

Perhaps now is a good time to reflect on myself and my surroundings and put them across in words. Hopefully this can be a platform for me to spend my seemingly "free" life bringing out daily issues and sharing my personal experiences, at the same time allowing me to sharpen my language knife after being left blunt and obsolete since I handed in my GP essay 2 years ago!

To all friends and blog viewers, enjoy your time here and I greatly appreciate all your comments!