Memories...
Tuesday, February 27, 2007
The important thing is not to stop questioning.
- Albert Einstein, 1879-1955
German-born American physicist
Went for the NYC Young Changemakers interview last night..went well i hope..i talked and talked and talked..in fact, i think i talked too much haha..felt excited before and after the interview..excited that i ll be learning new experiences and embarking on a new challenge once again, if i m selected.
I am after all, an adventurer!
Was so tired when i reached home, that i slept all e way till this morning.
On the academic front, its going to be a hectic week. I just cleared 1 test yesterdae. I got a presentation tom, a 30% mid-term test on thurs, an essay due on Fri, and an MNO group project interview on Sat. haha. What the hell right.
Saturday, February 24, 2007
To accomplish great things
we must not only act,
but also dream;
not only plan,
but also believe.
- Anatole France, 1844-1924
French writer
This is my 400th post wow! haha! My little space here has indeed come a long way..
Todae was quite eventful..went to CPIB (Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau) with Bit Bit as part of some PS learning trip..and yeah, i certainly learnt a lot and enjoyed it..heh heh, we even went into those little room where one side of the wall is only visible from the other side, the kind of room where witnesses identify criminal suspects from a shortlist of candidates..got a much better overall picture of how corruption in both the private and public sector is dealt with in Singapore.. CPIB is really 1 powerful agency with quite a lot of authority to carry out investigation, arrests etc, if u are suspected of corruption.
Oh well, but like what they say in the army, do anything but dun get caught. If u get caught, u live with the consequences, and i must say, the consequence of being charged for corruption in Singapore is really heavy.
Went to have steamboat dinner with my 26th odac batch at marina south at night..haha, had a great time..somehow i always feel a lot more ease talking to them. Maybe its coz we ve known each other for 7 years, maybe itz coz we are all of the same age, which makes it easier for us to connect, maybe itz coz we were all from the same college and cca together back then..and maybe itz coz the whole batch of us are all quite driven. I m really glad to see everybody doing well, esp the girls who have graduated and working liao..
I guess its also good in a way that we are all in very different fields..which means that we get to share a lot of different experiences, stories, lobangs, and ideas with one another. Teacher, doctors (5 of us! haha), architect, engineers, bankers, researchers, businessman etc..
And everytime we meet up, we realize that time flies and that we are really getting older le. Qiu qiu, for eg, has been with Renjie for 5 years le haha wah, when it seems like they were only together yesterdae..
Its hard to explain, but i just feel really comfortable seeing this special group of friends, and feeling so happy catching up with them such that when i came back home, all the worries of fatigue, essays, assignments, presentations just vaporized..and i strangely felt more energized.
Such is the power of friendships. =)
Thursday, February 22, 2007
"Imagination is the beginning of creation.
You imagine what you desire,
You will what you imagine,
and at last you create
What you will."
- George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950
Irish dramatist, writer and critic
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
One of life's most pleasant surprises is...
Not a pay rise...
Not good results. (nah, far from it)...
Not a good hair day....
Not free tickets to watch the now defunct Crazy Horse...
BUT....
A brand new toilet bowl cover!!!
AHahahahaha!
Wow! Imagine my pleasant surprise when i woke up just now to see a brand new shining gleaming toilet bowl cover in the toilet!
It actually smells fresh as well, heh.
Monday, February 19, 2007
I must say, Ghost Rider was a really cool movie, and make me feel like wanting to ride a Harley again. Haha~ Guess its high time that i go for Class 2A licence after i graduate, when i got more income..and then maybe go for a SuperFour bike..then 1 year after that, get my Class 2 licence, and then..maybe..just maybe...get my dream Harley when i m earning big bucks. In between all these, i need to get my Class 3 licence after i graduate also.
The GV Max theatre at Vivocity really rocks..definitely must try man, for those who havent watched a show there yet before..haha, the screen is like much bigger than the average movie screen, and the surround sound effects are better as well. Then, there is the greater space and leg room which makes the whole experience so much more enjoyable.
Before the movie, i went to River Ang Bao at Esplanade with Princess Shuang Er..haha..it seems to be bigger and more re nao than last year le..but somehow i felt last year's one was more exciting..not exactly sure why. The games stalls also suck this year, in the sense that it seems to be more and more expensive, while the prizes (stuffed toys) look really ugly. Haha! I won a cute doggy stuffed toy for Shuang Er last year..but this year, we really couldnt find a cute little thingy, so we didnt attempt the stalls. So qiao to see Jianwu there also ahhahah!! Wah, and his elder sister is quite chio wan, totally unlike him!!! What happened man Yang Jianwu!! What happened??!! heh heh
Did the usual yearly visits of my relatives, both father and mother side as well..Kinda wierd to realize that you are 24 this year, while your cousins and nieces are all like growing older as well..and my older cousin is like 31 liao. Haha, wah lau eh, time really flies man. And my niece rite, last time she only like a tiny baby (when i was in sec school).. wah now she's sec 3 herself le, and really tall (i think only slightly shorter than me, which makes her kinda tall considering the fact that i m quite tall also :p ) and looking really pretty...
Yep, and next few daes not going to be easy. Lots of readings to start on, and lots of tests plus early essays to start on..Again, this is like my 1st mid-term break totally free of mc duties and responsibilities..so hopefully i ll get more time to do certain things.
Anyway, just wanna wish everyone a very happy chinese new year as well~ =) Have fun, rest well, and yeah, take a good breather from everything yeah!
Saturday, February 17, 2007
I honestly think reunion dinners on chinese new year eve are just a waste of time.
That's one thing about us Chinese. We are very good at wayanging and doing things for show. I lost faith in family reunion dinners ever since i was a kid, and after my grandfather passed away.
I mean, whats e point of eating a dinner together to wayang out a symbol of family unity when family unity in the house has been lost for so fucking long? In fact, i have come to dread reunion dinners. Confirm i noe some one, either my mum or dad or sis will kao bei for 1 reason or another. And i was right. Every year it happens.
So my sister cried a bit just now at the dinner. What the fuck la, i was like thinking. Why cry over a wayang dinner and show? What does a pointless reunion dinner have to make u wanna shed tears for it? I cant remember when is the last time my family had dinner together, yes thats right. Exactly 1 year ago during reunion dinner ' 05. Thinking about this fact makes me more sick.
And my dad never changes. Talk what shit about coe cars at lowest price in years, and got the cheek to ask my sis and bro "So how? Shall WE get a car?" Kanina la, if u wanna buy car use your own capability to buy yourself la. Obviously he's hoping to leech on my sister (who's working oredi) and my bro (who's graduating). What the fuck?! Notice that he didnt dare to ask me. Not becoz i oredi own a bike, but because throughout all these years, i dun hold back what i feel or say towards him. Thats why he never dares to bully me, but everytime target my bro (who's more mild-mannered) and my sis.
So as usual for a number of years, i was the 1st to be at the dining meal, and the 1st to leave the dinner. Just wanna get it over and done with.
Why? Becoz it doesnt mean a shit to me at all. And i hate to do things which i dun believe in.
Fucking reunion dinners.
Life just got a bit more exciting for me heh. Checked my mail todae, and realized that there are another 62 applicants for the National Youth Council Youngchangemakers Youth Panel. Good, i love challenges. My interview's coming up after CNY, so lets see how many successful applicants remain after that.
And yes, apparently someone tried to be a wisecrack and posted on my module forum, saying that me and a few others' point were "overly exaggerated". Haha, good. So i whack him left right centre with my own reply, rebutting at least 6 points in return. Nabei want to argue with me, try harder la. (yes, i do love debates and arguments)
Was talking to joshua in the clubroom this evening. haha, was quite surprised that the room was initially locked. I guess i ve grown used to seeing faces such as JEremy irons, xinyu, meiling, and kenneth camped inside heh. Josh came back to sweep the floor and clear some rubbish. Nice chap. He was telling me that he really learnt a lot from being in mc. And i told him yeah man, wont regret wan. In fact, i think i tell him that every fridae haha. And i mentioned also that a lot of times its not only the things u learn in mc but also the networking which is invaluable. Enlarging one's social network and acquaintances is really important nowadaes, esp when everybody got degree liao.
And i also said that often, u only realize how much mc life has benefitted u, or make u a stronger person, when you are in yr 3 or about to graduate.
Got another soccer session tom morning with my old chinese high mates. Shiok.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Went to the zoo with Princess Shuang Er yesterdae..haha..i must say, it was real exciting for us coz we havent been there since we were both in primary school..we did visit the Night Safari last year, but i felt it was nothing special though..
Seeing all the different animals was fun and interesting.. we were quite aggrieved though, that they apparently removed the section where you could pat little chicks in the past..i wonder where all the chicks (prob chickens now) went..maybe coz of bird flu so they didnt wanna let them hang around now.
We also went to visit Inuka, the polar bear whose going to leave the Singapore Zoo for San Diego after his mummy pass away..isnt that sad? =( There was really lots to see, haha, but we got kinda tired after walking around for a while, and the damn tram service needs major improvement man.
I prepared some nice sandwiches personally for Princess Shuang Er. Took quite some time to shop for the ingredients, and to prepare it. And i really thought it ll taste nice. But alas, my efforts failed terribly. It didnt taste nice at all when i took them out at the zoo. Yah..so i had to throw away the 3 of the 5 sandwiches that i made. =( *sad face* Ya, actually i m really kinda xianz that the food didnt turn out well. Looks like i terribly need lots more practice. Maybe i shud really pay more attention to how my mum cooks. She's the best heh heh.
Feeling slightly relaxed now..maybe coz i like thurs nights..plus new year, and mid-term break coming..well, for the past 3 years, i have always looked foward to sem 2s ending, coz it means that Arts Camp and FOP ll be coming. Heh. And maybe coz it means the nearing to the start of a brand new academic year..
Trying to organize a steamboat dinner and reunion for my odac batch..hope that it works out =) i havent seen so many of them for so long! Argh~
Death stared at me in the face today.
As i was riding to school in the morning along bukit timah road, the stretch near behind beauty world, i noticed an unusual jam. Going further upwards, i saw an ambulance in the middle of the right lane, and a paramedic in a frantic rush. I saw a van there as well, and my 1st thought was that the van had crashed into the right fence..
And then i saw the lifeless body lying on the ground, with a mat covered over the face. I got a really closed up view as the traffic was moving v slowly..There was a pool of blood around the head, and i could see that it wasnt a big-sized person. And i saw his legs, white, and drained of colour.
It wasnt the 1st time i have seen death. I had a friend who died in the past due to the infamous army water dunking incident, and i had a close friend whose dad passed away and i was at the funeral. I have seen near deaths when i was in the army. And i faced death in the face on 3 occasions when my bike got into accidents.
But i could't understand why i just felt really sad and disturbed when i saw the victim just now. I rode away with tears in my eyes, asking myself why is that there are so many traffic accidents in singapore, so much that everyday i hear such news on the radio, and see with my own eyes uncountable accidents as i ride.
Have we ever asked ourselves why are our Singaporean drivers, riders, and passengers always in a rush?
Sunday, February 11, 2007
Todae was a wonderful dae! n_n
I finally finished my research guide on the WHO and communicable diseases at 715 am after slogging throughout the night. Had went to Chinatown (really packed man) with Princess Shuang Er earlier yest night, and was really tired when i reached home at bout 1 am. But still i tahan to finish it, and i m really happy about it!
And then i slept for only 45 minutes on the sofa! Before waking up at 8 am to play soccer at lavendar with my chinese high mates. Felt real good to see them again. And i really had fun and a great workout, playing straight from 9 to 12 noon. Had a nice tan as well heh.
After which i rode down to school, to help prepare ISIS stuff and paint banner..and catch up with more Arts club frenz..went back to take a 2 hour nap, before going down to Lace's 21st birthdae party. Haha! Cant believe lacy is 21 le! And so will all e girls in 26th..haha...looks like there ll be more parties for the year...
Oh, and before i went home, i dropped by Bukit Panjang Plaza to get a brand new alarm clock..haha..coz i have a feeling i ll need it quite often again..
All in all, a packed dae. But a really fulfilling and happy dae. =) I actually have a test tom, which there are tons of stuff to read, and i havent start reading any yet heh. Oh well, last min then pia la haha.
oh, and bobsie has given me new inspiration! I thought i m oredi doing well by jogging twice a week long distance, 40 min each time..and sticking strictly to just 3 meals. But dear old bobsie jogs FIVE times a week for an hour each, eats FIVE meals a day with 2 fruity meals, chiongs a lot, and has cut down 10 kg since he stepped down! Wah lau, cannot man. I must strive to catch up soon. Now that my weekly soccer sessions are back, i must say it ll help a lot. But i need to be more determined, and push myself harder.
Saturday, February 10, 2007
Managed to squeeze some time out todae to visit the NUS Career fair with Princess Shuang Er..haha, must say it was really exciting and informative for me. And to make things even better, i saw Hsin Hui hahaha! So long since i saw that notti girl! Well, apparently she's got a first-class honours in food science, but she decided against specializing in that field coz she was kinda sick of doing research haha..so she's with TMS Asia-Pacific now..a recruitment agency for the travel and hospitality industry.
Oh, i was also really glad to see Jerrine and Marcus again from Finexis.. =)
A few things struck me todae though. Actually i kinda suspected it for quite a while le, but todae more or less confirmed my thoughts.
1st of all, NUS students should really brush up on their dressing and professionalism when meeting potential employers. I went to the Career Fair expecting everybody, or at least most students to be well-dressed. Frankly, i was appalled that me and Princess Shuang Er were actually the minority who were dressed formally. My brother went yesterdae and he too was in formal attire. This was in spite of the NUS Career Centre's repeated reminders for students to dress appropriately for the event, and they do have a point. Like it or not, most people will always be judged on their 1st impression delivered to their prospective employers.
I do hear a lot of stories of how NUS students suck in dressing, even from companies themselves. After seeing today's scenes, maybe they are right. If you were an employer yrself at the fair trying to recruit potential candidates into your company, would you be more keen to explain yr company to someone dressed with the right attitude or someone in shabby jeans/ shorts/ slippers? Would you want to waste yr time talking to these people? Princess Shuang Er feels its becoz a lot of NUS students are arrogant in the sense that they think that their degree is so high and mighty as compared to NTU and SMU's, so they dun have to spend so much time on professionalism or delivering the right image.
Even if those students are not graduating this yr, does it really hurt to dress up appropriately for the event? duh.
Which brings me to my 2nd point. Sometimes i m quite amazed as well, by how so many students here are in their shells and cocoons. They study and study, not knowing what the hell they are studying for, or what jobs their degree will give them an edge in. I feel one doesnt need to wait until his or her final year or sem in school, before embarking on the job search. There are so so many career options available if one is willing to explore, and if u oredi noe which company u wish to apply for 1 or 2 years before u graduate, u can then take concrete steps to prepare for yr application in advance. You could do research on these organizations 1st, or try and boost up yr CV which ll make it relevant and attractive to the company. And you ll have the advantage of being more prepared than those who only job search at the last minute.
In fact, my brother (who's graduating this sem) and I are often bemused by how so many of our peers who are going to graduate soon, be it yr 3 or 4, are still nonchalant and bochup about looking actively for a job. Some graduating people, when u ask them what job they want to seek, they just tell u, "oh, i m going into private sector. Confirmed!" And then when u ask them, so what job in the private sector?, and they are speechless. Mayb it never dawned on them that the private sector is huge. And they are graduating in 3 months time. Geeze.
My take on these people is that they are trying to escape from reality. Some are refusing to accept the realization that they would be no longer be students, and would be out in the rat race with others. Some are refusing to grow up. Some, like what Shuang Er says, are just too arrogant in their thinking in that an NUS degree is so valuable that a wonderful job is guaranteed and secured, which means they dun have to put in much effort to look actively.
Time to get out of your cocoon and think about your future?
Thursday, February 08, 2007
Duh..i m really tired. Why does the research guide seem to take forever to finish?
Looks like i m really not suitable for a job that requires doing tons of research and writing papers..
Frustration mounts.
Sunday, February 04, 2007
I had a really really busy past week..surely my most packed week since school started..
Mondae, i went for the NTUC recruitment talk..was really quite impressed..and its quite likely that i ll try and apply for an internship with them for the hols..but the irritating thing is that i got a high-key reservist in-camp for 2 weeks in the middle of july..which is going to shorten my possible internship. Also had a history mcq test which was real tough man.
Tuesday, i had to rush my political inquiry assignment, and MNO assignment. ITs ridiculous how much work MNO expects the students to put in, esp when it is just a level1000 module. Really ridiculous man. Also finally completed my application for the National Youth Council YoungChangemakers Youth Panel, and submitted it at Somerset NYC building. I kept thinking whether i should apply for it, as i was worried that i wont be able to commit to it due to lack of time. But after Kwang ge's repeated high recommendations, i was def much more for it.
Moreover, i ve been thinking quite hard for the past week actually, and i realize that as much as i will try, studies ll never be my 1st love. For the past 1 month of school, i have tried to be a good student, and indeed i think i was. But i also realize that somehow deep inside me, i wasnt very happy. And I think my friends who understood me were right. Being an activist is always going to be my true passion and love. I have grown so used to being busy organizing events, trying to make a difference in organizations and the community, challenging myself and constantly pushing myself to limits for the past 7 years (if we include JC odac), so much that a mundane and peaceful lifestyle was never going to be enough for me. I always see myself as an adventurer. I can never stay still and content, and i yearn to explore new horizons, to challenge my mind and learn. I seldom agree with toh yong soon, but he was right when he mentioned to me long ago that when you are busy everyday, yr mind gets constantly challenged. Even though that may mean that i ll get more physically tired, but that kind of adrenaline rush is something i need and something that makes me who i am.
As such, after i submitted the form (which effectively demands 1 year of commitment from me to the Panel), I was strangely very happy indeed. I felt a great sense of purpose once again, and a comfort in knowing that once again, i am about to plunge into the unknown seeking to bash through a ray of light, just like how it has been for me during my 2 MC years. Now i ll wait for the interview and hopefully i ll be confirmed soon enough.
Wednesday, i went for the MINDEF recruitment talk, where they were looking for PS majors to be Defence Policy Officers and Defence Relations Officer. Again, i learnt a lot from the talks, but somehow the job didnt appeal to me as much as the NTUC Industrial Relations Officer becoz of the seemingly low career development prospects...
Thursday, had a group project meeting for my PS2247 presentation. Damn shitty sia, i m presenting next Wed, and i havent read a single shit yet.
Friday, well, Fridays are always a bore for me. 6 hours straight of lectures, geeze..I also took care of Princess Shuang Er, who fell sick also (damn virus seems to be still going around)
Saturday, went for a Freedom of Speech Seminar in the morning, organized by the NUS Democratic Socialist Club. Was good to meet and listen to speakers such as Perry Tong of the Workers' Party, Dr Cherian George, NMP Dr Thio-Li Ann and the popular blogger Mr Wang. Then at night, i went for Bike Quest 2007, had a lot of fun, but got a sore arse for a whole night of riding haha. It was good to see quite a number of fresh faces and affiliates helping the current com though =) And heartwarming to see that another of my Sports Cell project started when i was the Director during 25th, had been built on...
Also glad to see quite a number of the 26th helping in 1 way or another.. n_n
Sunday, here i am, typing here furiously while preparing for the 2nd leg of the Singapore-Thailand final. The 1st leg was ridiculous and a farce to me. I am rushing also furiously to finally settle the Research Guide for the SMUN once and for all. It has given me quite a number of headaches duh. Also got more presentations, homework assignments, and readings for the coming week. Indeed, 1 month of studies have reminded me once again that i dun pretty much give a fuck whether i get 2nd Uppers anymore. 2nd Lower is fine enough for me, and i ll just try my best and see how my results goes. At least i have been attending lectures actively haha. There are just so many things in life that matter more to me than just a 2nd upper, and especially after i noe what i want for my career.
