i was struck thrice in recent times by something. like they say, things happen in threes. and when they do, u can be quite sure it definitely means something.
it is a principle. about leadership. and the instances have one common denominator. they are all Chinese. and judging by their historical value it seems like this principle has been upheld throughout China's history.
in the epic film Red Cliff, set during the time of the Warring Kingdoms around 208 AD, Liu Bei said: 如果连老百姓都不能保护，那这场抗争还有什么意义。(what good is a ruler if he cannot protect his people.)
in the film The Warlords, based on the Taiping Rebellion of the 1860s, General Pang said: 从 前我做官的时候，在街上看见一个士兵，捉着一个穷人，见着就打，打得遍体鳞伤，浑身是血。没有任何理由，就是因为他穷。而这个穷人并没有怨言，好像一切都 是天公地道。从那天起我就发誓，如果我做主，这种事绝不能再发生。不光你们，全天下的百姓，都不能让人欺负。我们要做的是这样的大事。(freedom for everyone.)
and lastly, i saw in a Tiananmen documentary, a student leader back then said, in a particular homage, the late Premier Zhao Ziyang displayed his core Chinese principle that fateful evening, and stuck to it until his death. he believed a government's job is to protect, not harm, its people, which is why he was so against the use of the military that night. and though paramount leader Deng Xiaoping gave him the opportunities to return from exile thereafter, he never succumbed.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Saturday, July 18, 2009
causality of behaviour
if there was a line demarcating those on the side of the whites, and those anti-whites, i'd probably fall into the area consisting of the critics of the ruling party of singapore. even the word 'ruling' seems out of context and poor as a label, since they have been the only party to rule the state.
i believe in a rigorous and active system, mostly in the form of an established and mature civil society, one that's conscious of what they are in and put through. the obstacles in our day-to-day labour are acceptedly the government's economic success so far, and a much-contested climate of fear. the extent of what they call youth apathy, which i dub youth ignorance for better accuracy, can be seen in how few of our youths actually know anything about sociology and political science. this is not helped by an ideology that has placed the sciences above the arts, a career in medicine, law, engineering and accountancy where the money is.
but an interesting viewpoint raised by Gillian Koh, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, turned the tables on critics of the PAP. we push for what we term 'necessary change'. the government may find it hard to embrace changes and we find fault with them, but is the individual as readily open to changes? even if yes, will it be easy to adapt? she says: "singaporeans have to take ownership of their ability to cope with a reduced government presence in many facets of singapore life". in other words, from my understanding, the system and the success brought about by the PAP might just be the root of our growing consciousness. if in the first place without the work of the government, singaporeans may not even be sparked, or even knowledgeable enough, to care. will the people question as vigorously if there isnt a working, though flawed, democracy? i even dare say it is the PAP's system that gives birth to its critics; without it there would be less or none. why would u care about rights or freedom when u have nothing to compare with, no space to challenge, or even, know nothing? and in a tit-for-tat behaviour, will the statesmen do good if there's visibly no system to follow?
we are arguably the most successful post-colonial state, and this has happened under PAP's leadership. according to LKY himself, PAP has been decked out in full white since half a century ago to symbolise a clean government. and i think they have succeeded in that, made even more stunning relative to corruption around the world, especially in the region this tiny red dot is situated in.
and i loved this line: "in what would become the PAP's article of faith in years to come, LKY offered a glimpse of how his government would work: "there may be times when, in the interests of the whole community, we may have to take steps that are unpopular with a section of the community. on such occasions, remember that the principle which guides our actions is that the paramount interest of the whole community must prevail." "
inspired by Loh Chee Kong's The Next 50 Years, a feature on singapore's self-rule so far, which appeared in Weekend Today June 6-7 2009.
i believe in a rigorous and active system, mostly in the form of an established and mature civil society, one that's conscious of what they are in and put through. the obstacles in our day-to-day labour are acceptedly the government's economic success so far, and a much-contested climate of fear. the extent of what they call youth apathy, which i dub youth ignorance for better accuracy, can be seen in how few of our youths actually know anything about sociology and political science. this is not helped by an ideology that has placed the sciences above the arts, a career in medicine, law, engineering and accountancy where the money is.
but an interesting viewpoint raised by Gillian Koh, senior research fellow at the Institute of Policy Studies, turned the tables on critics of the PAP. we push for what we term 'necessary change'. the government may find it hard to embrace changes and we find fault with them, but is the individual as readily open to changes? even if yes, will it be easy to adapt? she says: "singaporeans have to take ownership of their ability to cope with a reduced government presence in many facets of singapore life". in other words, from my understanding, the system and the success brought about by the PAP might just be the root of our growing consciousness. if in the first place without the work of the government, singaporeans may not even be sparked, or even knowledgeable enough, to care. will the people question as vigorously if there isnt a working, though flawed, democracy? i even dare say it is the PAP's system that gives birth to its critics; without it there would be less or none. why would u care about rights or freedom when u have nothing to compare with, no space to challenge, or even, know nothing? and in a tit-for-tat behaviour, will the statesmen do good if there's visibly no system to follow?
we are arguably the most successful post-colonial state, and this has happened under PAP's leadership. according to LKY himself, PAP has been decked out in full white since half a century ago to symbolise a clean government. and i think they have succeeded in that, made even more stunning relative to corruption around the world, especially in the region this tiny red dot is situated in.
and i loved this line: "in what would become the PAP's article of faith in years to come, LKY offered a glimpse of how his government would work: "there may be times when, in the interests of the whole community, we may have to take steps that are unpopular with a section of the community. on such occasions, remember that the principle which guides our actions is that the paramount interest of the whole community must prevail." "
inspired by Loh Chee Kong's The Next 50 Years, a feature on singapore's self-rule so far, which appeared in Weekend Today June 6-7 2009.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
thank you, michael
All over the world today people are gathered in love viduals to celebrate the life of a man that taught the world how to love.
When Michael started, it was a different world. But because Michael kept going, because he didn't accept limitations, because he refused to let people decide his boundaries, he opened up the whole world.
But I hope the love that people are showing will make you know he didn't live in vain. I want his three children to know, wasn't nothing strange about your Daddy. It was strange what your Daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it. He dealt with it anyway. He dealt with it for us.
Some came today to say goodbye to Michael. I came to say, thank you. Thank you because you never stopped, thank you because you never gave up, thank you because you never gave out, thank you because you tore down our divisions. Thank you because you eradicated barriers. Thank you because you gave us hope. Thank you Michael!
Reverend Al Sharpton
Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana's Blackstar Square, in Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, England, we are missing Michael Jackson. But we do know we had him, and we are the world.
excerpt from We Had Him, by Dr Maya Angelou
The Michael Jackson Memorial Service, Staples Center, Los Angeles, July 7
People may be wondering why there's such an emotional outburst. But you would have to understand the journey of Michael to understand what he meant to all of us. For these that sit here as the Jackson family - a mother and father with nine children that rose from a working class family in Gary, Indiana - they had nothing but a dream.
No one believed in those days that this kind of dream could come true, but they kept on believing and Michael never let the world turn him around from his dreams.When Michael started, it was a different world. But because Michael kept going, because he didn't accept limitations, because he refused to let people decide his boundaries, he opened up the whole world.
In the music world, he put on one glove, pulled his pants up and broke down the color curtain where now our videos are shown and magazines put us on the cover. It was Michael Jackson that brought Blacks and Whites and Asians and Latinos together. It was Michael Jackson that made us sing, "We are the World" and feed the hungry long before Live Aid.
Because Michael Jackson kept going, he created a comfort level where people that felt they were separate became interconnected with his music. And it was that comfort level that kids from Japan and Ghana and France and Iowa and Pennsylvania got comfortable enough with each other until later it wasn't strange to us to watch Oprah on television. It wasn't strange to watch Tiger Woods golf. Those young kids grew up from being teenage, comfortable fans of Michael to being 40 years old and being comfortable to vote for a person of color to be the President of the United States of America.
Michael did that. Michael made us love each other. Michael taught us to stand with each other. There are those that like to dig around mess. But millions around the world, we're going to uphold his message. It's not about mess, but it's about his love message. As you climb up steep mountains, sometimes you scar your knee; sometimes you break your skin. But don't focus on the scars, focus on the journey. Michael beat 'em, Michael rose to the top. He out-sang his cynics, he out-danced his doubters; he out-performed the pessimists. Every time he got knocked down, he got back up. Every time you counted him out, he came back in. Michael never stopped.But I hope the love that people are showing will make you know he didn't live in vain. I want his three children to know, wasn't nothing strange about your Daddy. It was strange what your Daddy had to deal with. But he dealt with it. He dealt with it anyway. He dealt with it for us.
Some came today to say goodbye to Michael. I came to say, thank you. Thank you because you never stopped, thank you because you never gave up, thank you because you never gave out, thank you because you tore down our divisions. Thank you because you eradicated barriers. Thank you because you gave us hope. Thank you Michael!
Reverend Al Sharpton
Today in Tokyo, beneath the Eiffel Tower, in Ghana's Blackstar Square, in Johannesburg and Pittsburgh, in Birmingham, Alabama, and Birmingham, England, we are missing Michael Jackson. But we do know we had him, and we are the world.
excerpt from We Had Him, by Dr Maya Angelou
The Michael Jackson Memorial Service, Staples Center, Los Angeles, July 7
Sunday, July 12, 2009
if only i had...
as every single singaporean laments, complains, and curses about e sweltering heat and unbearable humidity, an unusually long summer and heatwave, let us look back on a life lived, and as the common individual complains "how can my actions impact a global problem", Al Gore in An Inconvenient Truth seeks to remind us that "what we take for granted", are going to disappear, and be sacrificed at our hands. they are "not going to be here" for our descendants, whom would be robbed of e chance to exist, one which we had, and whom would look back at us bitterly knowing we were guilty of genocide even though we say we love them.
if only i had switched off that fan when i wasnt in e room, that table lamp, unplugged those plugs which i found too troublesome.
~ coal burns to generate electricity, producing e principal greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.
if only i had driven my car less and took public transport.
~ vehicles run on gasoline, which then produce carbon dioxide.
if only i had thought less of SUVs and discouraged people i know from buying, possessing and driving them.
~ SUVs are not built for city roads, and they emit more than four times carbon dioxide compared to a standard car.
if only i had used paper more sparingly, not printed everything i thought i needed, didnt mind using recycled paper, and not used disposable chopsticks unnecessarily.
~ deforestation is responsible for a quarter of the planet's carbon dioxide emissions, not to forget our elementary science: trees absorb carbon and provide e balance to humans.
if only i had flew less.
~ the aviation industry's contribution to warming is fast growing. e fewer people need to fly, e fewer flights.
if only i had turned off that engine while waiting, and not been part of heavy traffic.
~ stationary vehicles with engines running are contributing significantly in carbon dioxide releases.
if only i had made a point against fertilisers in my vegetables and cars with converters.
~ these are man-made sources of e greenhouse gas nitrous oxide, 300 times more effective in trapping heat than carbon dioxide.
if only i had eaten less beef, pork and rice and gone vegetarian more often. staples suck, they're so high on carbs.
~ cattle and rice fields release large amounts of methane, more than 20 times deadlier than carbon dioxide in trapping heat.
"why didnt they wake up, when they had a chance?"
if only i had switched off that fan when i wasnt in e room, that table lamp, unplugged those plugs which i found too troublesome.
~ coal burns to generate electricity, producing e principal greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.
if only i had driven my car less and took public transport.
~ vehicles run on gasoline, which then produce carbon dioxide.
if only i had thought less of SUVs and discouraged people i know from buying, possessing and driving them.
~ SUVs are not built for city roads, and they emit more than four times carbon dioxide compared to a standard car.
if only i had used paper more sparingly, not printed everything i thought i needed, didnt mind using recycled paper, and not used disposable chopsticks unnecessarily.
~ deforestation is responsible for a quarter of the planet's carbon dioxide emissions, not to forget our elementary science: trees absorb carbon and provide e balance to humans.
if only i had flew less.
~ the aviation industry's contribution to warming is fast growing. e fewer people need to fly, e fewer flights.
if only i had turned off that engine while waiting, and not been part of heavy traffic.
~ stationary vehicles with engines running are contributing significantly in carbon dioxide releases.
if only i had made a point against fertilisers in my vegetables and cars with converters.
~ these are man-made sources of e greenhouse gas nitrous oxide, 300 times more effective in trapping heat than carbon dioxide.
if only i had eaten less beef, pork and rice and gone vegetarian more often. staples suck, they're so high on carbs.
~ cattle and rice fields release large amounts of methane, more than 20 times deadlier than carbon dioxide in trapping heat.
~ for cindy, and all of mankind ~
Sunday, July 05, 2009
Saturday, July 04, 2009
Save the Harddisk
yes i am serious.
u might have noticed on my facebook and msn. i really need financial help for the data recovery of my crashed hd.
a common job costs from $200 to $600, which would not have called for this campaign. unfortunately there's been physical and electrical damage and the expert resources required to salvage the data pushed the price to MUCH higher.
some have u have and i know others would ask is it worth it. i have thought through this long enough (a state of depression for 4 days) and my conclusion is it is.
just for an idea, my hd contains:
important school/CI Club documents
SSUEP videos which i haven't finished editing.
my resumes and portfolio - all my singaporesports.sg and Chronicle articles, and other relevant research and contacts.
all my old and new pugi family photos, and parts of our old pugi video, all of which might never be recovered again.
all my memories since i entered wkwsci and hall 4.
my plan to gather the money is (1) to earn, (2) to loan from my family, and hopefully (3) the goodwill of friends. PLEASE chip in if ur able. any amount will do (but i'd appreciate at least a token of $5 lah).
THANKS SO MUCH.
contact me to make a donation.
it is now a full-fledged campaign.
t: 97694696
e: millenniumrock25@hotmail.com
Save the Harddisk©
u might have noticed on my facebook and msn. i really need financial help for the data recovery of my crashed hd.
a common job costs from $200 to $600, which would not have called for this campaign. unfortunately there's been physical and electrical damage and the expert resources required to salvage the data pushed the price to MUCH higher.
some have u have and i know others would ask is it worth it. i have thought through this long enough (a state of depression for 4 days) and my conclusion is it is.
just for an idea, my hd contains:
important school/CI Club documents
SSUEP videos which i haven't finished editing.
my resumes and portfolio - all my singaporesports.sg and Chronicle articles, and other relevant research and contacts.
all my old and new pugi family photos, and parts of our old pugi video, all of which might never be recovered again.
all my memories since i entered wkwsci and hall 4.
my plan to gather the money is (1) to earn, (2) to loan from my family, and hopefully (3) the goodwill of friends. PLEASE chip in if ur able. any amount will do (but i'd appreciate at least a token of $5 lah).
THANKS SO MUCH.
contact me to make a donation.
it is now a full-fledged campaign.
t: 97694696
e: millenniumrock25@hotmail.com
Save the Harddisk©
Friday, July 03, 2009
a song for viola
"A city riddled with criminals and steeped in poverty.
Where violence is a way of life, and its streets full of blood;
its citizens downtrodden, trapped in an abattoir.
The kingpin, Marko, controls the city.
With the whole criminal underworld at his beck and call,
Women. Money. Power. Authority.
He had everything he wanted.
Amidst the hardships, there were still little simple joys people could turn to;
if it only could take their minds off what lies beneath this city.
The roadside bookshops with wizened storytellers;
the occasional opera troupe;
the travelling circus;
but above them all, there was The Picoult Sisters.
The most popular singers in town; their overnight disappearance reeks of suspicion.
The police have been silent; the Triads claim no responsibility.
As the city mourns its daughters; all four news agencies in town are working round the clock.
This is the biggest news story the city has ever seen.
Everything is on the line;
Everything, in a bid to get the scoop on their disappearance.
The public clamors for information-
If your news agency solves the mysterious disappearance of the Picoult Sisters, sales figures raked in would drive your competitors bust.
It will be wise, to conduct your investigations immediately."
NTUWKWSCIFOC2009. Coming 6-10 July.
If your news agency solves the mysterious disappearance of the Picoult Sisters, sales figures raked in would drive your competitors bust.
It will be wise, to conduct your investigations immediately."
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Requiescat In Pace
weili - RIP Michael
ah boon - RIP King of Pop
louis - In God's Hands
keith - you were and are a legend, thanks for the memories
mingxiu - just beat it
pedro - God Bless the King of Pop
jiewei - Bless him
melvin - because 'm bad
sean ho - I want to remember all the good you did for music-lovers throughout the world, shaping so much of what that came to be for so many years and so many years from now. Rest in peace, Michael! You are already immortalized in the world of music!
andrew tien - Rest In Peace
sivamani - remembers Michael Jackson & Farah Fawcett and wishes them peace
jamuna - MJ the best!
sook zhen - stop existing and start living
tasneem - wanna be startin' somethin'
keith - Today, my idol died. FML
melvin - long live the King of Pop. You will be missed.
jeanette - reeling in shock over his passing. Michael Jackson has always rocked our world, and always will.
jiahao - RIP MJ and Farrah
rachel - RIP, MJ. the helicopters are still buzzing above the hospital where you are and i can hear them from my room. shh, it's almost 1am.
amos - oh dear. mj is dead.
desmond - Despite Michael's troubling rationale, the King of Pop's life has expired, but he will always be remembered for his dazzling entertainment and musical ingenuity which enriched the world's ear.
calvin - has always wanted to attend a MJ concert
ros - RIP MJ.
juliet - More than the King of Pop...
deryck - Michael Jackson forever.
praba - R.I.P MJ!
wanyu - How could he have died...
cheeyuen - Let us spare a moment of silence to remember the King of Pop, who has left us recently to spread his culture to another world.
selly - in memory of Michael Jackson
yiyong - R.I.P MJ... we gonna miss u
jose - RIP MJ
dj - RIP Michael Jackson. You were everyone's King.
serene - RIP MJ. You'll be missed.
priya - R.I.P Michael Jackson. You were the man!
shi jian - farewell, legendary moonwalker
lyon - RIP, MJ. No matter how much of a quack they make you out to be just know your music has touched millions.
me - if we run all the lights: 1958-2009
i remember one of the headlines running along CNN's banner was something like "News of Death Fanned via Social Media".
jacko's death had a groundbreaking effect on the internet, slowing down traffic, causing google, wikipedia, twitter, AOL and the first two news sites carrying the news to crash.
at 1.14am of 27 june local time, almost 20 hours after jacko's death, while a bunch of us were at acid bar, the live band's instrumentalist spontaneously broke out into 'Beat It', a tribute, in his words, to our generation's King of Pop.
sweet.
ah boon - RIP King of Pop
louis - In God's Hands
keith - you were and are a legend, thanks for the memories
mingxiu - just beat it
pedro - God Bless the King of Pop
jiewei - Bless him
melvin - because 'm bad
sean ho - I want to remember all the good you did for music-lovers throughout the world, shaping so much of what that came to be for so many years and so many years from now. Rest in peace, Michael! You are already immortalized in the world of music!
andrew tien - Rest In Peace
sivamani - remembers Michael Jackson & Farah Fawcett and wishes them peace
jamuna - MJ the best!
sook zhen - stop existing and start living
tasneem - wanna be startin' somethin'
keith - Today, my idol died. FML
melvin - long live the King of Pop. You will be missed.
jeanette - reeling in shock over his passing. Michael Jackson has always rocked our world, and always will.
jiahao - RIP MJ and Farrah
rachel - RIP, MJ. the helicopters are still buzzing above the hospital where you are and i can hear them from my room. shh, it's almost 1am.
amos - oh dear. mj is dead.
desmond - Despite Michael's troubling rationale, the King of Pop's life has expired, but he will always be remembered for his dazzling entertainment and musical ingenuity which enriched the world's ear.
calvin - has always wanted to attend a MJ concert
ros - RIP MJ.
juliet - More than the King of Pop...
deryck - Michael Jackson forever.
praba - R.I.P MJ!
wanyu - How could he have died...
cheeyuen - Let us spare a moment of silence to remember the King of Pop, who has left us recently to spread his culture to another world.
selly - in memory of Michael Jackson
yiyong - R.I.P MJ... we gonna miss u
jose - RIP MJ
dj - RIP Michael Jackson. You were everyone's King.
serene - RIP MJ. You'll be missed.
priya - R.I.P Michael Jackson. You were the man!
shi jian - farewell, legendary moonwalker
lyon - RIP, MJ. No matter how much of a quack they make you out to be just know your music has touched millions.
me - if we run all the lights: 1958-2009
i remember one of the headlines running along CNN's banner was something like "News of Death Fanned via Social Media".
jacko's death had a groundbreaking effect on the internet, slowing down traffic, causing google, wikipedia, twitter, AOL and the first two news sites carrying the news to crash.
at 1.14am of 27 june local time, almost 20 hours after jacko's death, while a bunch of us were at acid bar, the live band's instrumentalist spontaneously broke out into 'Beat It', a tribute, in his words, to our generation's King of Pop.
sweet.
Friday, June 26, 2009
life's a flash
i find it quite cool that someone/some organisation actually bothered to do a documentary on the new circle line. i caught a bit of it and there was this student interviewed.
he said he now only requires 10 minutes to reach school. from my estimation (as i know where he stays and what school he has to go to), previously he probably needed 20 to 30. most of us are nodding in agreement, that this is a plus. but take a step back and ponder. what difference is that?! can that little time saved be used to achieve much more?
this brings up once again a fundamental and overcooked issue of the fast-paced life in singapore. to rush and to rush, many not even sure for what purpose. it'd be too shallow of me and too weak an argument to criticise this problem and way of life with such a simple perspective, but i hope to just make u think about it, that's all.
i was recently in china for the sino-sing undergrad exchange. nanjing (6,600 sq-km, 7.5m people) and xi'an (10,000 sq-km, 8.2m people) have one mrt line each. yangzhou has none (6,600 sq-km, 4.6m people).
singapore, area of 710 sq-km and population of 4.8m, has four.
when the mass rapid transit was first conceptualised, it was to complement the bus service, the former to provide a transport spine to the country, the latter covering the grassroots. today, soon when the circle line is completed, every corner u turn towards, u'd be met with a station.
accessibility, convenience and connectedness are the hallmarks of the so-called world class public transport system in singapore. im not complaining about an improved system set to benefit most, if not all. but at what costs?
the environment? the increased urbanising of this island, an unbelievable amount of materials injected into project after project, trash, and of course electricity to run all of these.
taxes? do we need all these and are the taxes we pay justified?
fare hike? they enforce 'improvements' and then charge us for it.
and etc, things im ashamedly not knowledgeable enough to discuss.
to further my point. results of a survey of 12 countries released recently showed that singapore youths can complete 42 hours of work in a day of 24 hours. wow.
he said he now only requires 10 minutes to reach school. from my estimation (as i know where he stays and what school he has to go to), previously he probably needed 20 to 30. most of us are nodding in agreement, that this is a plus. but take a step back and ponder. what difference is that?! can that little time saved be used to achieve much more?
this brings up once again a fundamental and overcooked issue of the fast-paced life in singapore. to rush and to rush, many not even sure for what purpose. it'd be too shallow of me and too weak an argument to criticise this problem and way of life with such a simple perspective, but i hope to just make u think about it, that's all.
i was recently in china for the sino-sing undergrad exchange. nanjing (6,600 sq-km, 7.5m people) and xi'an (10,000 sq-km, 8.2m people) have one mrt line each. yangzhou has none (6,600 sq-km, 4.6m people).
singapore, area of 710 sq-km and population of 4.8m, has four.
when the mass rapid transit was first conceptualised, it was to complement the bus service, the former to provide a transport spine to the country, the latter covering the grassroots. today, soon when the circle line is completed, every corner u turn towards, u'd be met with a station.
accessibility, convenience and connectedness are the hallmarks of the so-called world class public transport system in singapore. im not complaining about an improved system set to benefit most, if not all. but at what costs?
the environment? the increased urbanising of this island, an unbelievable amount of materials injected into project after project, trash, and of course electricity to run all of these.
taxes? do we need all these and are the taxes we pay justified?
fare hike? they enforce 'improvements' and then charge us for it.
and etc, things im ashamedly not knowledgeable enough to discuss.
to further my point. results of a survey of 12 countries released recently showed that singapore youths can complete 42 hours of work in a day of 24 hours. wow.
Monday, June 22, 2009
Thursday, June 18, 2009
a choke
last night.
was the first time i choked up with tears over our relationship.
no one was at fault. it couldn't be helped. only time has the ability to change things. and of course, a willingness in u to change.
it was a sensational feeling. being frustrated, and sad, yet not spiteful, or hurtful.
there was a calm. which i realised i haven felt in years. a sense of selfless quiet that only love can bring.
u need time to understand what a commitment means. what is it to hold together a life where now not just the self is important, but another, is equally, if not more important.
it's hard. it's already been so hard. but we'll try harder.
i thought this line last night summed it all up:
"i want u to know i love u no matter what."
even in adversity. even when there's animosity. even when things are unclear and we're in a mess, because that is the only thing we can depend on and hold faith to.
optimistically, i guess there are tears only when u care from the deepest of ur heart.
=)
was the first time i choked up with tears over our relationship.
no one was at fault. it couldn't be helped. only time has the ability to change things. and of course, a willingness in u to change.
it was a sensational feeling. being frustrated, and sad, yet not spiteful, or hurtful.
there was a calm. which i realised i haven felt in years. a sense of selfless quiet that only love can bring.
u need time to understand what a commitment means. what is it to hold together a life where now not just the self is important, but another, is equally, if not more important.
it's hard. it's already been so hard. but we'll try harder.
i thought this line last night summed it all up:
"i want u to know i love u no matter what."
even in adversity. even when there's animosity. even when things are unclear and we're in a mess, because that is the only thing we can depend on and hold faith to.
optimistically, i guess there are tears only when u care from the deepest of ur heart.
=)
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
"and the highest was..."
in another school-emo post after that...
varsity has proven to be a different proposition altogether. u don't really have much of a chance when ur with people formerly from top JCs, people with straight As, in the top communications school in Asia.
the feeling is exhilarating when u actually do well in something. but im so lousy u cant guess what were the two times (ever, only) ive topped my class for.
1. Newsmakers in Hedwig's newswriting. a pop quiz to recognise their faces and label why are they newsy. my only error was spelling CONDOLEEZA out of 24 marks, while the next in line was like a good 7 marks away.
2. Oscars predictions in Arts Journalism. since film is in the syllabus, bree made us do this. he especially earmarked me since im like the film guy in the class. and i was confident haha. although i had quite a few no-hits (too many, for my own liking) it was still good enough for the cohort.
that's all. boo.
varsity has proven to be a different proposition altogether. u don't really have much of a chance when ur with people formerly from top JCs, people with straight As, in the top communications school in Asia.
the feeling is exhilarating when u actually do well in something. but im so lousy u cant guess what were the two times (ever, only) ive topped my class for.
1. Newsmakers in Hedwig's newswriting. a pop quiz to recognise their faces and label why are they newsy. my only error was spelling CONDOLEEZA out of 24 marks, while the next in line was like a good 7 marks away.
2. Oscars predictions in Arts Journalism. since film is in the syllabus, bree made us do this. he especially earmarked me since im like the film guy in the class. and i was confident haha. although i had quite a few no-hits (too many, for my own liking) it was still good enough for the cohort.
that's all. boo.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Conducting a Study
Research Question: Who are the Weirdest and Normal-est Males from CS Class of 2011?
Abstract: people have been quoted as sayin CS guys are mostly weird. tt it's hard to find a normal guy.
Methodology: Vote with me.
Level: Nominal
Current Standings (votes in bracket):
Weird - Me (3), jiahao aka xander (1), gerald (2), thaddaeus (1), titus (1), zhongming (1), jin (4), clement quek (2), aloysius (1), DJ (1), alfian (1), kenneth (1)
Normal - everyone else (4), cameron (1), Me (5), no one (5), edmund (1), james (1), rikesh (1), wenxu (1), jeanette (1)
Disclaimer: no offence to individuals named. it's an open study. if u dont like then dont visit here. both categories were not defined for participants. it's all up to em. so plz dont think too much if u fall under whichever. weird for some may be normal, normal for some may be weird. haha.
Abstract: people have been quoted as sayin CS guys are mostly weird. tt it's hard to find a normal guy.
Methodology: Vote with me.
Level: Nominal
Current Standings (votes in bracket):
Weird - Me (3), jiahao aka xander (1), gerald (2), thaddaeus (1), titus (1), zhongming (1), jin (4), clement quek (2), aloysius (1), DJ (1), alfian (1), kenneth (1)
Normal - everyone else (4), cameron (1), Me (5), no one (5), edmund (1), james (1), rikesh (1), wenxu (1), jeanette (1)
Disclaimer: no offence to individuals named. it's an open study. if u dont like then dont visit here. both categories were not defined for participants. it's all up to em. so plz dont think too much if u fall under whichever. weird for some may be normal, normal for some may be weird. haha.
Sunday, June 07, 2009
among angels there are demons
when we exited the cinema it became obvious there were two camps. one liked Angels & Demons, but thought The Da Vinci Code was better. the other favoured this latest film adapted from a Dan Brown bestseller.
to further mess up the delineations, there are then those who've read the books, bringing to the table the debate of book-versus-film. so there are those who liked both books over both films, those who liked the first book over the first film but not so for the second book, those who read the first book but didnt catch that film and caught the second film but didnt read the book, and blah blah blah blah blah.
anyway my point is... let's get back to both the stories, as films. because ive never read the books.
i find The Da Vinci Code better. but jaime said she liked Angels & Demons more. this can go on forever. but it set me thinking on why people differ on such taste, with this scenario in mind. i tried to understand with her, and im thinking i have the answers.
the latest film works better as a thriller, offers more in terms of cinematic experience, is smoother in its development and structure. and of course, it's not that controversial! i guess i prefer The Da Vinci Code due to its content, history, and nature. i must admit its narrative structure was very evidently adapted from a book. there is probably more talking but i like it that way. therefore, Angels & Demons didnt set me off thinking as much. but i must still give it to Dan Brown for putting together something so elaborate, with clear in-depth prior research. and maybe give it to Robert Langdon for being oh-so-super-smart all the time.
the premise here is the Vatican, papacy and once again another secret society, called the Illuminati. unlike the Priory of Sion in The Da Vinci Code, the fictional presentation of the Illuminati is largely different from the real organisation. here the 400-year-old movement was allegedly founded by Galileo, as an enlightened reaction to persecution by the Catholic Church, another conflict between science and religion. the four cardinals most likely to succeed the dead Pope are kidnapped and to be executed one by one at the four altars, a secret of the underground society, around Vatican City that form the Path to Illumination. it is believed to be a revenge plot for the Catholic Church's purge of the Illuminati many years ago and to end the Church.
to further mess up the delineations, there are then those who've read the books, bringing to the table the debate of book-versus-film. so there are those who liked both books over both films, those who liked the first book over the first film but not so for the second book, those who read the first book but didnt catch that film and caught the second film but didnt read the book, and blah blah blah blah blah.
anyway my point is... let's get back to both the stories, as films. because ive never read the books.
i find The Da Vinci Code better. but jaime said she liked Angels & Demons more. this can go on forever. but it set me thinking on why people differ on such taste, with this scenario in mind. i tried to understand with her, and im thinking i have the answers.
the latest film works better as a thriller, offers more in terms of cinematic experience, is smoother in its development and structure. and of course, it's not that controversial! i guess i prefer The Da Vinci Code due to its content, history, and nature. i must admit its narrative structure was very evidently adapted from a book. there is probably more talking but i like it that way. therefore, Angels & Demons didnt set me off thinking as much. but i must still give it to Dan Brown for putting together something so elaborate, with clear in-depth prior research. and maybe give it to Robert Langdon for being oh-so-super-smart all the time.
the premise here is the Vatican, papacy and once again another secret society, called the Illuminati. unlike the Priory of Sion in The Da Vinci Code, the fictional presentation of the Illuminati is largely different from the real organisation. here the 400-year-old movement was allegedly founded by Galileo, as an enlightened reaction to persecution by the Catholic Church, another conflict between science and religion. the four cardinals most likely to succeed the dead Pope are kidnapped and to be executed one by one at the four altars, a secret of the underground society, around Vatican City that form the Path to Illumination. it is believed to be a revenge plot for the Catholic Church's purge of the Illuminati many years ago and to end the Church.
Tuesday, June 02, 2009
giving to a stranger
i just caught this ad from the Kindness Movement on tv. and i went, "that's exactly my point!"
ive been preaching this to many people for a while now, although many (u too, gf!) sounded unconvinced. why do we even do an act of kindness? is it fully altruistic? something that stems from the bottom of our conscience or moral duty is hard to use as a persuasive tool. but look at it this way. an act of kindness indeed goes a long way.
we give, not to receive directly from the recipient of our kindness, but so that he or she is moved to give further, to the next person. with that, a web of kindness can begin. a chain effect, in scientific terms. someday, if such an act returns to oneself, one can smile and be comforted that he or she is a proud member of that movement. kindness is not for reciprocation, but to just make society a little more civil.
and the problem in singapore lies in the people themselves. self, selfishness, and selflessness. we give to receive, often expecting a direct, immediate reward. u can even throw kiasuism into the mix. to make matters worse, people are made more cynical by phrases such as 好人有好报 and 助人为快乐之本. this fosters a culture that receiving is the carrot behind giving.
ive so much to say about this because i was like that once too. i understand totally. but something like what's depicted in the ad happened to me one day and this perspective developed.
either they finally caught my point or something divine passed it on to them.
ive been preaching this to many people for a while now, although many (u too, gf!) sounded unconvinced. why do we even do an act of kindness? is it fully altruistic? something that stems from the bottom of our conscience or moral duty is hard to use as a persuasive tool. but look at it this way. an act of kindness indeed goes a long way.
we give, not to receive directly from the recipient of our kindness, but so that he or she is moved to give further, to the next person. with that, a web of kindness can begin. a chain effect, in scientific terms. someday, if such an act returns to oneself, one can smile and be comforted that he or she is a proud member of that movement. kindness is not for reciprocation, but to just make society a little more civil.
and the problem in singapore lies in the people themselves. self, selfishness, and selflessness. we give to receive, often expecting a direct, immediate reward. u can even throw kiasuism into the mix. to make matters worse, people are made more cynical by phrases such as 好人有好报 and 助人为快乐之本. this fosters a culture that receiving is the carrot behind giving.
ive so much to say about this because i was like that once too. i understand totally. but something like what's depicted in the ad happened to me one day and this perspective developed.
either they finally caught my point or something divine passed it on to them.
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