Enslaved

I will become a unit of production. I must turn myself into a valuable asset to society by working hard. There are obvious, tangible benefits to be derived from excellent work, but as a nobody I have to work extra hard to earn them. Although obvious, these benefits are few and only available to a selected few.

What happens if I work too hard? Will any organization take care of me? Who will bother?

I will be covered by a shield. Paid for by my own monthly contributions. Will it be enough? I think it can't protect me against the formidable viruses, with blood suckers as their accomplice. I will be left to the wastes if I fail to work further, so I must dodge ahead regardless of rewards nor sacrifices.

All is not lost yet. We have the slave union to fight for our rights, even though the union is always preoccupied with its other operations, such as slave insurance, gigantic supermarts and river taxis. Perhaps it can still be counted upon when real trouble brews.

My livelihood is a whip. Tormented souls are my neighbours.

A Tale of Tails

If growth is Gospel truth,
Then I prefer a land before time,
Millions of years ago,
When nothing was known as gold.

All in the name of progress,
Never to look back!
Should I stumble and fall,
There will be no memories to fall back upon.

Again in the name of progress,
Leave nobody behind!
But I am a nobody,
And I am left behind.

I recall a time when we all had tails,
Living a life simple as it was.
No cars and trains to save time,
And no cheques to quantify time.
Time is now saved,
With which to slog more.

If time is money,
I would hate to be a prince.

Release of the Examination Results

I did not check my results when they were first out in the afternoon. I was out the whole day with Daniel and Jiayi, trying to clear my mind of the fear that had culminated as the day approached the release time at 2pm. Many of my friends such as Hauser and Tips had enquired about my grades, and I could not tell them then.

In any case, I had an enjoyable day with both Daniel and Jiayi. Having broken into cold sweat and with trembling hands, literally, I logged onto the relevant website on my laptop, expecting the worst gift bestowed upon me by Heaven.

I have received one of my best results ever. With 2 A+s. Impossible! I almost cried just now! Not that they are super-duper terrific, but I had expected much worse from myself.

For my film modules, I was the crap who had crapped much in my assignments and papers. Throughout the semester, I did not even know the proper terminologies to be used in film analysis, and was a dummy who knew nuts about cinematic techniques. Jacky is the whiz kid in this field. For the examinations, I wrote crap. I didn't even know what to write about, but simply carried on anyway. Guess what: for one I achieved an A+ and for another, an A-. I'm more than satisfied. What a close shave!

My worst grade actually came from one of my ISMs, a B+. Nonetheless, given the overall circumstances, I truly have no regrets. Really.

The past semester had been my busiest and worst one ever. I am currently a Research Assistant, and had chosen to challenge myself by studying 6 modules, including 2 ISMs and 1 CBM. Thank goodness that everything has turned out fine.

I really have no complaints. Those who know how bad I had survived the semester would also know that I am not flaunting my results here. I am just plain lucky. Phew!

Doomsday Looming

Oh no. The exam results will be out in a few hours' time. On Boxing Day. How apt it is to unwrap what I think will be my worst present for years to come.

My pet chant: Grades are transient. All things are.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas to all my readers! Have a happy, merry, joyous Christmas! The lack of adjectives to describe Christmas here has thoroughly exposed my lack of lexical richness and vocabulary and hence, my English proficiency level. After all, I am truly Asian or more specifically, truly Chinese.

I hate to face it, but English has been tagged a status symbol in Singapore. I was in Penghu last year when a Taiwanese told me that the Singaporeans ignored her pleas for help when she asked for it in Mandarin during her tour here. I had never realized that some of us can be so cold and aloof.

I have never really celebrated Christmas. Not that Christmas has been distasteful for me, but I can't sing the Christmas carols, don't really like turkey and ham, and dislike the foam and strands from the spray cans aimed at me. Perhaps I am too conservative for bashes and parties of any nature, whether or not they are of the Christmas content. I do like coffee though, and it is sustaining my consciousness now.

I find myself increasingly unsuitable for life in Singapore. Singapore has been too "Westernized" to my liking. Not only in the hardware but also in the software, that is, the behaviour and mentality of the people at large. Skyscrapers are one thing, the way people think is another. Capitalism and consumerism have already been embedded in the psyche of the people, and with globalization comes growing intensity of these trends.

I am a peace-loving person at ease with myself. At least I think of myself as such. I don't belong to the rat race culture in Singapore. I am not competitive either, and I understand that without the slightest competition I can never reach the cutting edge for my country. Given my inherent nature, I am definitely not an asset or talent to Singapore. At the very least, I just hope that I won't turn into a liability. If I ever become so, I will want to live abroad.

My favourite places: Hong Kong and Taiwan? I had earnestly considered the possibility of moving to either place in the future. However, from my conversations with friends from these places, there are also disincentives that I, a foreigner, may have overlooked. High stress levels, sky-rocketed property prices, poor job conditions are some of the "horror" stories that I have heard. Where else can I go to, or turn to, if I can't thrive in these circumstances?

I am at best a 2nd-Upper Honours degree holder. I will be pursuing my Masters degree in Chinese Studies upon graduation. Sometimes I wonder why I do so much research and academic work that entails little practical purpose. Then it dawned onto me that I just dislike working and studying is actually the lesser of the two evils to me. If I'm better-looking, I could have joined a boy band. If I can speak as well as my idol Jacky Wu, I could have become a TV compere. Alas, I can do neither! Although I am not a smart arse, I have to choose the academia, because it happens to be the field in which I can perform satisfactorily.

Am I willowing in self-pity? Not exactly. I'm just re-evaluating my possible options in life. A lack of confidence? Nope, I'm just coming to terms with the fact that I'm a heartlander at heart. I can never aspire to become the cosmopolitan that marks the lives of my PSC scholar friends, as well as the elite professionals of accountants, doctors and lawyers. The fact that I can face up to the harsh realities of life means that I am still a strong individual, mentally that is.

My Christmas resolution? To believe with all my heart that everything in life is transient.

June 2007: Beijing (a final note)

I have tried my best to condense my 2-week stay in Beijing into 3 entries. It has proven rather impossible to cover the density of my trip in totality, so these entries are neither comprehensive nor exhaustive. I felt kinda "numb" then, having been to China on so many occasions, and had taken very few pictures around.

Other than the numerous temples and rural villages, we had also visited the Summer Palace (Yiheyuan). I just couldn't find the famous Marble Ship.

We also went to the Tiananmen Square. "Forward, Comrades!" seemed to be the cry for the Monument to the People's Heroes.

Of course, how could I have missed the sentry guards standing on alert near the Great Hall of the People? However, it was a pity that I failed to catch the changing of guards parade, as well as the hoisting of the China flag accompanied by the Chinese anthem in the wee hours of the morning.

I had the delight of watching a Peking opera performance with my professor and a few students of the module. We drank tea and fanned ourselves in squire fashion.

When it was time for us to part, I had a photo taken with the kind professor and her teaching assistants outside the university hotel.

June 2007: Beijing (continued)

We visited the Temple of Heaven. For me, again. In fact, for the third time within a year.

And we went to the Forbidden City! The Palace is a place that I wouldn't mind going for a number of times. However, due to the Olympics preparations, the palace grounds had turned into a massive construction site. I was greeted by dust and smoke. Many chambers and pavilions became out of bounds due to the works.

Still, I managed to catch a glimpse of the Dragon Throne! Most Qing Emperors had sat on the Throne. I wish to sit on it too.

June 2007: Beijing (to be continued)

I was the Programme Assistant for a USP Summer Programme entitled Chinese Thought and Culture, and since the Programme was conducted in Peking University, I enjoyed the luxury of visiting China once more for the nth time in my life.

The following picture features a pagoda standing by the side of a lake. It is known as 一“塔”“湖”涂. The site is Peking University, and the whole campus is characterized by its picturesque landscape. It is a favourite spot for recreation and sightseeing.

Of course, we climbed the Great Wall. It was my nth time as a 好汉. The scorching sun and heat had almost killed us all. Singapore could have lost a number of talents.

"One World, One Dream". Tell the barbarians that when they scale the walls again.

The 13 Ming Tombs is represented by an excavated one that belonged to Ming Shenzong, more commonly known as the Wanli Emperor. The underground mausoleum is splendid with grandeur. The following picture that I have was taken on the ground, and it features the Chinese impression of a mythical creature known as the "Qilin" (麒麟).

Some notes from life

1. Women can only choose between beauty and knowledge. Having both or having none, to her is a tragedy.

2. What are friends? Friends are idiots who stand by you even after you have made terrible mistakes.

3. Life is fuelled by fear. Stress results from fear. Performance stems from fear. Ultimately, everything becomes fearful.

4. Time is an imagined currency that quantifies your existence. Why bother counting down?

Phenomena

I notice that my towel has been crying excessively! Dripping tears non-stop! What can I do to console it?

Both my toothpaste and soap are getting slimmer by the day! They were so fat just a month ago! How can I boost their appetite?

Perhaps I should not do anything.
Nostalgia beckons because there is nothing to look forward to.

I always leave home early in the day, coming back at night,
And the sleeping cats will always be at the very position where I see them in the morning.
Isn't it nice to be cats?
Taking life at their own pace and time.
Waking up to food and grooming themselves with whatever free time they have.
I asked one of the cats: "How cute! How did you do it?"
The cat turned its head away.

Perhaps I should not have asked.
Silence is sanity's last resort.

Darkness within Darkness

Life is fragile, life is hard.
Life is transient.
Life is bitter, life is sweet.
Life is transient.
Where lies the glimmer of light?
Darkness within darkness.
At times like this,
Dementia is inviting.

Jacky Wu's albums

Wow! All Jacky Wu's albums were sold out! It's hard to find any of them in the market these days. Unlike the Jay Chou and the Jolin Tsai CDs. They are piled up at almost every retail store and I still see the piles around after weeks. Isn't it great to see how Jacky Wu's albums had been selling like hotcakes? It's such a pity that he is too busy to cut another in recent years. It'll be great to hear his voice in melody rather than the usual, chirpy one in his variety shows.

非战之过，天亡我也！

人生实为一出戏。
尽人事，听天命，
古今多少沧海事。
笑傲拂袖一身去，
落得沧海难为田。
笑看风云心未泯，
唯有以泪洗千秋。
一失铸成千古恨，
此恨绵绵无绝期！

Accomplishment beyond means

Wow! I had not spoken to anyone outside home for the past week! Except for chanced meet-ups at corridors and on buses, I did not really talk to anyone other than Jacky, John and Weizan! Nothing to be proud of here, unless I am an aspiring hermit!

I don't mind becoming one though. People always say that it takes courage to pursue your dream against all odds. I would say, however, that it takes greater courage to forgo all the fortune and happiness that you may accumulate and live in the mountains with the bare essentials to survive on. Now that is courage.

I have decided to deprive myself of most, if not all, sensual pleasures that I may possess. With no ambition comes no disappointment, and with no dream comes no hope dashed.

Candle

A candle glows at night. Burning and shedding light. The flame consumes. The wick exhausts. Darkness looms. The candle cries out melting wax. Its existence remains. Converted to ashes. Still air. Endless state.

Everything turns dim. Wick or wit?

One of my smart and funny friends

Conversation 1 (2006):

MK: Yo you are on Dean's List eh?
YK: Wow, how you know?
MK: Someone told me.
YK: You leh?
MK: My name permanently parked there one. No need to check.
YK: ... ...

Conversation 2 (2005):

MK: Wah not bad, your test score is quite high.
YK: Thanks. You leh?
MK: I top the class. So many "tops" until I sian liao. No feel le.
YK: ... ...

Thank You!

As the year draws to a close, allow me to thank some of my foreign friends who had travelled to Singapore over the last few months.

March: Ryota, Angela
April: Hisashi, Marvin, Francoise
July-September: Albert
September: Peggy and her friend, Alex and his sister

Reason for thanking them: For their generous contribution to our small economy, as well as for rekindling our friendship! Welcome back, and see you all soon!

If any of you (whose name is mentioned above) sees this post, please send me some of your photos taken in Singapore. Thanks!

Reflections of a Geek

Here is some advice from a nerd of me:

1. Never mug at the Central Library, especially on the 6th storey, during the weekdays. The Central Library is predominantly filled with people from the FASS, who usually open their laptops and appear diligently hard at work. MSN and Youtube occupy a bulk of their work.

2. Never sit near a group of people who seem to know one another within a one-metre radius from where they are. With friends all around them, their attention span is short enough to spark off conversations at five-minute intervals. The online chats manifest themselves in reality.

3. Simply put, many people who study at level 6 of the Central Library are deluding themselves. They believe that their very existence at the library constitute to sheer diligence and will eventually amount to tangible grades at the exams. However, such efforts are more to compensate for a sense of guilt that may erupt for not making any at all.

4. Even the Science Library may not be conducive at times. Although it has been a well-known fact that Science students are more motivated than Arts students, their disciplines usually require them to consult one another when questions cannot be answered and problems cannot be solved. The problems may plague them for as long as fifteen minutes, and you may want to settle your big business at the washroom given such ample resting time that is forcibly imposed onto you.

Having said so much, I have not been mugging much these days. Instead, I had gone for a movie marathon to watch about thirty films at the Multimedia Lab of the Central Library in preparation for two of my papers. The above points are merely my observations with no hard feelings or offence to anyone in particular. However, many inconsiderate people do appear at the library, and I hope that they can keep their behaviour in check in contribution to a more conducive environment for students who are striving for their Dean's Lists.

Disclaimer: Definitely not for me. I just want to stay afloat.

24 May 2007: Kuala Lumpur (Day 2)

First, the Mazu Temple. After lunch, we walked the stretch of road where many of the government buildings are located. The big Malaysian flag was flying proudly in the air. Later, we visited the famous Petronas Twin Towers. Very tall indeed.

In the evening, we went atop the KL Tower to catch a glimpse of the city landscape at night. Standing prominently amongst all is still our beloved Petronas Twin Towers.

23 May 2007: Kuala Lumpur (Day 1)

We set off from Malacca in the morning and reached Kuala Lumpur in mid-afternoon. It was my first time in the Malaysian capital, and I was impressed by the level of development in the city. We went for some shopping in the central district, which was again cheap and good. Jerry bought loads of DVDs that were either unavailable or too expensive in Vancouver.

22 May 2007: Malacca

Malacca is a sleepy town. We visited some old houses owned by rich "Kapitans". I went to a temple located in the Chinatown area, followed by a trip to a mosque. Then I walked to the central square with the famous church and fort that were built by the Portugese. Finally, I had dinner at a Japanese restaurant that was cheap and good.

Self-Challenge: 10-minute Post

I think Premier Wen is lodging at the Four Seasons Park Hotel. I was on my way home from a bookstore when my bus stopped at Orchard Road for more than 10 minutes, and even when the lights turned green the bus could not move an inch forward with two policemen blocking the flow of traffic on the road. An entourage of posh cars, vans and police bikers appeared from another road at the junction and it stopped right outside the Hotel. No bigger shot than Premier Wen has arrived in Singapore this week, so it must be him lah. I have decided to break my life of seclusion to work in China. Wonder if he has any lobangs for me.

Hogzilla and I were discussing Chinese history a week ago. I told him that Liu Bang succeeded because he had Zhang Liang and Han Xin, and Liu Bei failed because he only had Zhuge Liang. Therefore, what I meant was that a successful CEO or anyone else needed to possess someone who can devise the strategies and another person who can execute them. Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Huang Zhong, Ma Chao, Wei Yan and others CMI lah. Liu Bang himself had said that he could not govern as well as Xiao He, plot as well as Zhang Liang, or manage as well as Han Xin, but he was best at selecting them and realizing their full potentials. Moral of the story? Be a general of generals, not a general of armies!

There is a problem with the education system and the workforce. Most of us are studying to get a better job, better pay, better life etc. Education has become a platform on which we can value-add and "sell" ourselves to employers, who will determine our worth by the salaries that they are willing to pay us. That's awfully disgusting. And in the years ahead, I can foresee some silly competition between individuals such as earning the fattest paychecks, buying bigger houses and posher (or poser) cars, and getting promotions even if it means displaying your soccer skills on the corporate ladder, kicking asses and not balls. To quote Kiyosaki, we should make money work for us, not the other way round. Of course, I guess this is subject to the availability of capital. Whatever the case is, we should think big and achieve greater things.

A survey was done many years back to study the aspirations of children in developed countries, and it reflected that children in the USA and Europe often responded with answers such as "I want to become an astronaut!" or "I wish to become the President!", but what Singaporean children offered were "I want to become rich!" or "I hope to own big cars and houses!" See the contrast? I don't know if there are any cultural attributes to this phenomenon. If there ain't any, then it is worrying, well at least to me. Bold ambitions maybe, but no bold dreams.

Feeling the Academia in me

I'm beginning to feel more like an amateur academic rather than a mere student. This is not to say that my intellectual capabilities have improved by leaps and bounds, but I feel more obliged these days to write good essays beyond the consideration of grades alone.

I used to "mass-produce" essays over a short span of time, and my "best" record was having completed 6 essays in slightly less than 2 weeks. These "factory-made" products passed without any form of proof-reading for quality control, but somehow I was often rewarded decently at the end of the day. I'm not bragging here, but I was just plain lucky in the past. Sheer luck indeed.

Due to the same old problem of time constraint, I still don't proof-read my essays, but would now devote more time and effort in consolidating my thoughts and devising a smooth delivery of my ideas in them. This is perhaps what I coin as an academic obligation. I ought to be more responsible for what I write. However, such a mentality has taken a toll on me. I possess little time to conduct individual field research, and had practically lost all sense and track of time. In fact, it suddenly dawned upon me that the exams will be held in about 2 weeks' time.

In addition, I have begun to formulate arguments of novelty instead of deciding on the "safe" ones in my papers. For instance, in my previous assignments, I discussed about how the demand of the Wu kingdom for horses had actually stimulated the maritime Nanhai trade during the Three Kingdoms period, as well as how Taiwan's State-Owned Enterprises can support a diplomatic quest for political legitimacy. These are controversial arguments that have not been fully ascertained, but I was willing to give them a try.

I suppose these changes within me should be viewed positively, if I really want to become an "academic boy".

......

...

No Money Sia

Some of my friends from Hong Kong and Taiwan had congratulated me on MSN for the Singapore purchase and launch of the Airbus A380. If that's the case, however, I told them that they had spoken to the wrong person. For obvious reasons, of course.

1. I don't own SIA.
2. I can only afford to take the bus, not the one that can fly.
3. I may never get a chance to travel on it anyway, given my status as a low-income earner.

Ah yes, yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of my encounter with Jacky Wu in Taiwan! Hurray!

Egalitarianism?

In some societies, the winners think they have won a fair competition, while the losers are generally unaware that structural inequalities may have contributed to their failure to succeed. The winners always prefer a status quo, and the losers have to live with it. Egalitarianism? Sure, if the winners say so.

I Love Hong Kong

Since the handover in 1997, Hong Kong's economic links with China have strengthened over the years. I just read from a report that there now exists a huge demand for Chinese teachers by private schools and big corporations in Hong Kong. However, owing to visa problems and social stigma, there are few teachers from mainland China who can fill the vacancies. Therefore, I have finally found a lucrative market for my services, because it seems that the Hongkongers are willing to pay high salaries (and I know they can) to satisfy the domestic demand. Finally, I feel wanted! I hope to contribute to Hong Kong's economic growth if I can in the near future. Hong Kong has to be the haven for talents, of whom I shall try harder to qualify as one. Hong Kong!

12 May 2007: Guangzhou (Day 2)

We visited the National Park of Sun Yat-Sen's Mausoleum, and were touched by the heroic deeds of the 72 Martyrs who died in their fight against the Manchu dynasty. As a result, we all wore solemn faces at the Park.
Later in the morning, we went to the Guangzhou Museum, and for a history buff like myself, it was definitely a welcome treat. I learnt about the early history of Guangzhou, starting from the Nanyue Kingdom, to the Panyu city, to the Nanhai trade, to the Shi Xie regime, to the links with North Vietnam, to the Canton trade system, and finally to the modern city that we see now. I took many pictures of the relics exhibited at the Museum.

To wrap up the day, we toured the old streets of Guangzhou to catch a glimpse of what life might have been in the past. However, the streets teemed with shops and shoppers, and they displayed a distasteful blend of traditionalism and commercialization.

Should Guangzhou succumb to capitalism and globalization in entirety, then Hong Kong can take over and assume the role of a cultural ballast for the Cantonese and the Chinese as a whole.

11 May 2007: Guangzhou (Day 1)

Nothing much really happened today. I am a Cantonese, but honestly speaking, I felt happier in Hong Kong than I was in Guangzhou, even though Guangzhou is situated in the Guangdong province where I can better locate my roots. Maybe I am too much of an urbanite. Anyway, we boarded a bus and crossed the Chinese border, stopping over in Shenzhen before we finally arrived in Guangzhou in the afternoon. We visited a junior high school, and then proceeded to a local university for a welcome dinner hosted by its vice-principal. We met a few good friends there who could communicate well in English, and all of us enjoyed our dinner to a large extent, accompanied by Cantonese cuisine and, of course, some beer. How can a meal in mainland China be complete without booze or wine?

Life is like a Vacation

Life is like a vacation, and should be treated like one. Life may be perceived as a time frame in which experiences of sorts should be gained and novelties tried out to derive its fullest. However, it is nonetheless a limited time frame, and imagine rushing through a 3-day tour of Beijing, in a bid to cover the Forbidden City, the Great Wall of China, the Temple of Heaven, Wangfujing, Xidan and the 13 Ming Tombs altogether. Yes, it may be accomplished, but the quality of the trip will be compromised. Similarly in life, our whole existence should be taken in stride and simply be enjoyed. We may only live once. Do coffers and grades really matter?

Antidotes of Life

We are all doomed to die right from the start. However, antidotes of air, food and water shall sustain us for decades before we breathe our last. Emperors who had sought for elixirs aimed to break the limitations of these antidotes, but they usually died faster due to excessive mercury poisoning instead of natural causes. Therefore, "Do nothing, yet nothing is left undone". Why seek fame and glory, when we should let nature take its course?

“无为以无不为”

“古今多少事，都付笑谈中”

Thanks, my dear friends!

To those who had attended my talk last week: Thank You very much! I understand that the talk was not my best presentation to date and that the delivery could have been better, but nonetheless I hope that your time had been well-spent at my mini-seminar. Thank You!!

I had sprained my back and experienced a stiff neck some days ago. The greater pain in the neck goes to my countless assignments. More specifically, these assignments comprise 3 essays that will be due soon, 2 ISM reports due much later due to time grace, and my field research at some temples, of which I have visited none.

Here are some of the dire consequences if I fail to meet the mark this semester for academic performance. I will:
1. Be sacked from the research assistant post for spending too much time on petty assignments and none on my field research.
2. Witness a dramatic drop in the CAP score that allows me to kiss my class of honours goodbye and renders my Masters application useless. It shall be my maiden kiss if this happens.
3. Feel so utterly demoralized that I shall slack through my last semester in NUS.

Whatever the outcome may be, life has to go on. Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Everything is transient. I shall possess no desires whatsoever. The worth of a person should never be determined by his or her looks, qualifications or wealth. How myopic and superficial if that's the case. Attitude, character and other inner virtues should be the currency of assessment instead. Easier said than done, but it can be done.

In any case, although it sounds a bit Buddhist, singlehood for life is the epitome of personal freedom. The hassle of courtship and the bondage of marriage are killjoys. Please prevent the diffusion of such views to the general public. After all, the power of procreation can reduce any form of dependence on foreign talents.

Updates on Mini-Seminar

As a follow-up to the most recent entry, here are some of the updates that my dear friends should take note of:

The venue remains unchanged, but more specifically it is called Discussion Room 04-01. This room is located next to the stairway of the USP Block Admin. If you are taking a lift up to level 4, be sure to make a right turn after exiting from the lift, and enter the first room that you see on the left side of the corridor.

Light refreshments will be provided, in gratitude for the support of my dear friends, some of whom not really interested in the topic, others skipping classes to help fill the quota, as well as those who do not have lessons on Friday but will attend the talk nonetheless. And of course, to friends who are genuinely interested in an academic discourse of sorts, THANKS!

I'm now like Taiwan, which is desperate for more support from member states of the international community to gain a seat in the United Nations. So please continue to spread the word further, and see you this coming Friday! :)

Mini-Seminar: The Longzhong Plan: The Geo-Economic Factors leading to the Tripartite Division of Han China

Dear friends,

I will be giving a talk on the above-mentioned topic next Friday. Details are as follows:

Date: 19 October 2007
Time: 2pm-4pm
Venue: Seminar Room ADM/0401 (USP Admin Block; please take the lift to level 4)

Please don't be late, and come prepared with questions! My professor will regard a lack of questions as a failure of my presentation to be stimulating and engaging. Please help!

Despite the fact that I had booked the room for 2 hours, please rest be assured that I shall only speak for about 30 minutes, followed by a Q & A session for another 30 minutes. Please bombard me with loads of questions, and I mean it!

And for those who have pledged to come, THANKS! I really appreciate it. All are welcome! Please ask your friends along too! I need more publicity. If the number of attendees falls below 15, I will have to do the presentation again in an open seminar for members of the public. Please spare me from that by allowing me a reasonable turnout. Thanks!

Yours Truly,
Wacky Jacky

10 October 2007: Happy Birthday, Republic of China!

I dare not call it Taiwan, but it is definitely one of my favourite places on the surface of the Earth. Happy Birthday!!

One of my online purchases on eBay has yet to arrive, when it ought to at the end of last month. So infuriating! I need it for one of my assignments! Shall I file a dispute?

10 May 2007: A Happy Reunion!

I woke up early to the smell and taste of Portugese egg tarts. It was my first breakfast in weeks, since I never have the practice of eating one in my hectic Singapore mornings. After having the tarts, I went to meet Elvis at the Tsim Sha Tsui MTR station. It was noon, and he brought me to a buffetaurant for lunch. Our next destination was Harbour City, a famous shopping mall for the rich and affluent. I was the great pretender, comparable to King Richard III.

Of course, it was nice meeting up with Elvis! We skirted the whole district of Tsim Sha Tsui and walked the Avenue of Stars, where we had most of our photos taken. My tired legs soon demanded a rest, but ironically led me all the way to Mongkok before stopping. It was there where we had my favourite mango dessert, again!

In the evening, I went to meet up with Debby, Teresa, Paul, Ansel, Alison and Vivian (from left to right in photo) at a Chinese restaurant in Mongkok. Teresa and I, the Taurean babies, were pleasantly surprised when they wheeled in a cake lit with candles. Then, I received from Debby a bag of homemade cookies as a belated birthday gift. Great taste came with the thought, and Debby has good culinary skills to speak of! Thanks everyone, if you are reading this belated post! Sigh, when will we meet again?!

9 May 2007: Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin and Tsai Wan

Professor Graham took us on a morning trip to the Sam Tung Uk in Tsuen Wan, followed by a tour of a temple that reveres the Goddess of the Sea, namely Mazu.

We also went to a museum located near the Chinese University of Hong Kong at Sha Tin. It's a pity that I don't have the photos of the museum with me here.

I concluded the day by meeting up with Kieron, a friend from the Hong Kong University. We knew each other in Taiwan last year during a competition. Kieron offered me a treat at a Japanese restaurant at Tsai Wan, and we went for mango dessert at my favourite 许留山 outlet at Causeway Bay where I broke a shoe. That spells the intensity of my Hong Kong trip. Thanks to Kieron's discount card, I was able to buy a new pair of New Balance shoes for less than SGD 50 at a nearby shop. An added contribution to the already-robust Hong Kong economy!

8 May 2007: Lamma Island and Causeway Bay

The summer in Hong Kong was unbearable. Nonetheless, it did not deter me from visiting Lamma Island, one of Hong Kong's southern islands. No one else in the group would want to risk a possible heatstroke there, so I took a 1-hour ferry ride to the place alone.

Besides having a beautiful landscape, which I had enjoyed viewing immensely, Lamma Island is also known for its fresh, delectable seafood. What may be less known is that Lamma Island is actually the birthplace of movie star Chow Yun Fatt, who had famously quipped "Welcome to Singapore" in the recent Pirates of the Carribean III. In short, Lamma Island provides a great escapade from the urban hassles of ever-busy Hong Kong.

After a whole afternoon of hiking and trekking, I met up with the rest of the ding gang at Times Square of Causeway Bay for dinner. We headed back for the YMCA hotel after some shopping in the vicinity, feeling thoroughly bushed at the end of the day.

Rewarded for being Overloaded

Thanks to Qihua Jie for her steamboat dinner treat, and also to Daniel for his ramen treat after he has received his first paycheck! Kudos to them for offering me treats, despite my pathetic assignment grades amid the daunting workload that I am currently enjoying. Life is indeed like a box of chocolates, both black and white.

Happy Birthday to the People's Republic of China!

26 September: Happy Birthday, Jacky Wu!

7 May 2007: Amandae and my Hong Kong friends!

We visited the Kowloon Park with our Canadian friends, and I'm happy to know Amandae, Ying Hui and Hui Ping even better through this trip to Hong Kong! We had a sumptuous dim sum lunch at Professor Graham's treat, followed by a group visit to the infamous Chungking Mansions. It was my first time there despite many previous trips to Hong Kong.

I met up with Debby in the evening, and she treated me to a kebab spread before we went to meet Fatpo at a dessert outlet (by the popular franchise 许留山). I had my favourite mango sago called 杨枝甘露 there while catching up with them on our lives and future plans. I was truly happy to have visited Hong Kong, my most preferred travel destination, again within mere months. Amandae will be heading for Hong Kong in the coming weekend, with my shopping list to look at if she gets too bored on the plane.

6 May 2007: Avenue of Stars, Hong Kong

I had gone to Hong Kong in May for the UBC-NUS Summer Programme to learn more about the Chinese Diaspora and migrations in Asia. Coincidentally, Francoise, Hisashi, Marvin and Jasmine were holidaying there as well, so I met up with them in the wee hours of the morning after my hectic schedule earlier in the day. We had drinks and snacks near the Avenue of Stars at Tsim Sha Tsui, and strolled the promenade before parting ways. That was the last time I saw the former three, whom I have known since last year in Taiwan. I often wonder how they have been so far. Wonder too when we will meet again in the near future.

Will I Survive?

I am currently taking 6 full modules that weigh 24 MCs in total, of which 1 is a level-5000 Course-Based Module offered at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy and 2 are level-4000 Independent Study Modules taken with my favourite professors back at the Chinese Studies Department. To spice things up, I am also a Research Assistant in an academic collaboration between the Chinese Studies and Sociology Departments on the study of the City God belief system and temples in Singapore. To make matters worse, I have to submit proposals and make preparations for my Honours Thesis due by the end of my next semester.

I guess I need to frequent the temples for 2 reasons: to complete my research and to pray that I do not collapse before or upon such completion. Good luck to myself.

Dissident or Distant?

It takes a simple mind to assume that things can be aboslute. As a matter-of-fact, they are not. This applies to any issue or policy, which dictates the rules that in turn govern a system. Lone actors within the system may oppose the way things are run, harbouring little more than a simple intention to improve it. However, those who concur with the system, especially those who have benefitted much from it, may dismiss their opinions as pointless ramblings from ones who seem too difficult to please. More often than not, apathy prevents such obliging souls from making critical judgements, and sadly speaking, these souls often constitute the bulk of the system. No constructive change can ever be effected, when the boundaries between conformity and loyalty are blurred.

Realism in Life

All men are self-interested, rational beings who believe that they lead sober existences to face the miseries of the harsh reality of life. Nonetheless, precisely because they are so sober, as well as aware of their own existence, they make a conscious effort to survive in this world of anarchy, and the discreet way to do so in this seemingly civilized world is through mockery and trickery. Breaking psychological defences of others and the sneak-attacking of back-stabbers were more of novelties in the past than they are now.

Laws, rules and principles are simply some of the stardards or norms that reinforce a loose form of conformity upon mankind, and these intangibles constitute a false veneer beneath which an emerging kind of brutal savagery and blatant exploitation lies. In specific terms of gaining a global ethos and thus allowing humility and morality to reign in our worldly realm, we have all failed terribly as global citizens. Disregarding the narrow definitions of progress, the world has certainly not improved in such aspects, and an envisaged future of gratuitous wars and ever-starving children filling our global landscape appears reasonable.

We urgently need a second Enlightenment, before the world tilts beyond its final phase of redemption.

Nostalgia

I've been thinking much into my past. Nothing great or grand seemed to have happened in my life, and simplicity is a virtue in its means and definition. What better way to relive those moments than letting myself go and immerse in a timeless dimension?

Our Defeat

Sunderland lost 0-2 to Liverpool. My heart goes out to this underdog team, as always, for we are indeed two of a kind. Something seemingly (or truly) as rotten and incapable as I am dodging ahead in life in the midst of adversity and condemnation. I wish I can survive in this game of life but I doubt so. Life has proven itself too much for me to take. Thanks :)

I am really not Mr. Tan

I'm truly amused by my new joke book. I have the spontaneous urge to laugh at every word or sentence of so-called inspiration.

The book offers high levels of sheer entertainment and comic relief. The author hallucinates so much that he had lived on the false impression that the world is bent on fixing (I think he needs to be fixed, in a different way) him for the past three decades, and he feels unduly exploited and oppressed in the heavy-handed system. With this comical work he seriously tarnishes the reputation of his fellow counterparts. Using his vivid and often incredulous imagination, he distorts views and theories at whim, hopelessly trapped in his very own world of self-delusion and spectacle. He quotes little citation to substantiate the content, and his arguments and reasoning are horrendously flawed.

There are many modes of resistance or retaliation available that seem more practical and sensible to me, leaving the book a hard, weird, and therefore, distasteful nut to crack and chew on.

I am not Mr. Tan

I just bought a Chinese joke book for SGD 12, with Jiahao contributing SGD 2 to subsidize the cost. I read it to de-stress, breaking into some of my biggest laughs in my life. At its introduction, the book promises to inspire and empower me with the strength and courage to launch a massive onslaught against certain inequalities and monopolies, but I was so tickled pink after reading that my legs could not even pick themselves up. The author indulged himself in some form of self-induced persecution and ridicule, and I'm impressed by the way he interpreted his world. I'm guilty of such ridicule as well, for buying the book in the first place. Small regrets experienced here, but it's still worth the purchase for all the smiles on my face. Shall lend the book to Jiahao when he wants it.

Fulfilling Life

Tackling life's tasks now seems easier with clear goals in mind. Spiritual contendment is the essence, and material needs are, ironically, immaterial and therefore, not needs in reality.

View everything objectively, keeping the heart void at best. Albeit difficult, never be judgemental. Accept the lifestyles of individuals and tolerate their differences. A world of elites, officers and scholars is unthinkable. A world that comprises just you or I will be meaningless to live in.

In suspense

溏心风暴 is better than either 金枝玉孽 or 火舞黄沙. The TVB drama serial is a star-studded production that features many veteran actors and actresses in their best performance, all of whom seem determined to take me by storm with the wondrous plot that they are portraying. Definitely not to be missed, in Cantonese perferably.

The Dark Horse

Sunderland seems set to be the new dark horse of the current EPL season. It shall become another Wigan or Reading, looking especially so after its recent victory over Tottenham. Add to your coffers by placing your wise bets on it.

Happy Birthday, Singapore!

Long live our legacy of progress and prosperity. May Singapore scale new heights and shine on the global arena.

Just like the Mayflowers bloom in June,
look into the eyes of Capricon and discover,
within itself,
the fundamental basics of construction that define and redefine the present through the past;
the prisms that shred light into its components,
that shall point the way to bright and blight,
that is,
the fundamental idiocyncracy of the poetic journey that is life.

人生之艰难
就像那不息之长河
虽有东去大海之志
却流程缓慢
征程多艰
然江河水总有入海之时
而人生之志
却常常难以实现
令人报恨终生!

老虎与猪

在现今的社会里，人人都无形中跟四川师傅学艺，
面具越戴越多，变脸技术也越用越高明。

其中一幅面具，我们称之为老虎，
令人闻风丧胆，却又趋之若鹜。

殊不知，最可怕的不是老虎，
老虎面目狰狞，看官有所提防。
所谓的纸老虎，更是不堪一击。

追根究底，有种双层面具，
俗称“扮猪吃老虎”。
外表温顺，内心凶残，
平时不露痕迹，深得师傅真传。
遭此物突袭，含冤莫白死。

CORS Bidding System

I love the system. I don't have the time to monitor it, but I hope to get my desired modules eventually. I only dumped 4200 points to bid for a particular module, and competition is stiff because there are currently many more bidders than vacancies for it. Bidders, including myself, are now left in a state of panic, no, anarchy, in the virtual system. How exciting!

彻夜

一大早醒来，什么也看不到，
只看到黑暗与绝望。

我是否瞎了，只听见恶魔疾驰的脚步声，
活在它的世界里，我无法自拔，
只能让灵魂随它的心飘去，泪水尽收眼底。

就怕输给时间，只剩下万分想念，
不舍只要一点，寂寞即无限。
就算真的输给时间，也要有所眷恋，
看不见，还有回忆让我不变。

无奈

换一个季节，换一个地方，
我已不是我，你也不是你，
茫然飘荡在无情的时空里。

匆匆几番秋冬，花儿更新，
偶见面孔已改，心也变了，
面目全非，无能为力。

想寻回那份纯真、那份荣耀，
不沾世俗纷扰的荣耀，
它却如背影一样，渐行渐远，
不留任何余地。

The Passage of Life

The passage of life can be felt through and by oneself. Nothing matters when its own existence is in doubt. Questions are senseless when they offer no conclusive solutions. There are no answers available in the first place. Everything in life lies from within. Seek life by walking the passage. No dark alleys are ever too daunting. There are no eternal caves. Light ahead.

My Deepest Apologies and Sincerest Gratitude

Oh I have seldom felt so terrible about myself! I was dreadfully late for a birthday gathering organized by Jiayi, and kept everyone waiting at Essential Brews. We enjoyed a KTV session after dinner, and Jianhao passed me a card with everyone's greetings and regards written on it. I felt happy but embarassed, and I think I owe everyone a big one this time round. Very sorry for my lateness, and I wish I can make up for this in the near future. Thank You for such a wonderful evening, and I wish I can enjoy more of such moments during the long vacation.

We had forgotten to take photos then. Anyway, I would like to thank Boredin, Jacky, Jianhao, Jiayi, Soon Kit and Crystal, as well as Tenghui and Jane for taking the time out to spend the lovely evening together. I appreciate what Jiayi had done for us, and please don't be mad at me! I mean, even if anyone does, all fault and responsibility is mine, and I shall not defend myself here by citing any reason for my lack of punctuality or to excuse myself unnecessarily. Paiseh, and thanks!

Subconsciously, I didn't think I was so important as to form an integral part of anyone's life or event, so I took little action to reaffirm my ties with most people. Now I realize that small things as such do matter, and I should watch myself more from now on. But please believe me when I say that I have never harboured the intention of taking any individual for granted!

A Dream

It's over. It's all over. Everything is over. Coffee and tea both sustained a consciousness that had mishandled the daunting questions, and their effects ensued to alert a tormented soul that sleep should never be rewarded. The monster from within lurked in the dark, and an abject failure appeared in the mirror at dawn. I had no nightmares in such deprivation, but this life is the longest dream I've ever had. What a wonderful world.

Happiness!

I feel happy, and I feel happy to make others happy. Be them my cheesy jokes or weird antics, I'm just happy to make others laugh their worries and sorrows off. Let's pay it forward, and allow happiness to roam our lives! We should spread joy in the world! Thanks to all who have made me happy! To some of you here: I hope I've made your days at times!

Happy Birthday to Myself!

My birthday wish is for all my loved ones to achieve both health and happiness in the year ahead. Many thanks for my friends who actually remembered my birthday and sent me SMSes at midnight to remind me that I was not forgotten. Heartfelt gratitude to my foreign friends who posted me cards from Hong Kong and Taiwan. No one mentioned in particular here, but Thank You so much to all!

Happy Birthday to William Wong and Melvin Koh too!

I was born in the Year of the Pig, but I love the Rabbit. Thanks.

Anguish

Everything went blank before my eyes. I groped my way back to my room, threw myself onto my bed and dug my burning head into my blanket and pillow. So everything has been in vain. In vain all the sacrifices. In vain the death of millions of brain cells. The clouds cleared to unveil an overcast sky, and the birds chirped to declare the coming of winter.

The Illusory World

Everything in life is predestined. Let us resign to fate, and allow our destinies to manifest themselves. Everything in the world is transient. Let us not be blinded by material comforts, and cast our sight to a paradise beyond. Nothing in the universal is profound and stands for eternity, and nothing that we have strived so hard for shall witness the passage of time. Allow us to take deep breaths and accept all consequences of our actions. Welcome life as it is for creations of nature. Love and happiness abound, without sowing seeds for them to blossom. Goodness.

My Favourite Module and Professor

Ryota in Singapore!

EQ needed: I am deprived of that

I doubt anyone would be reading this blog these days; I had made it clear that I would not be writing entries for a long time to come, and everyone whom I know is currently busy with his/her own affairs, be them school work or internships. Whatever the case is, I suppose my blog has turned into my personal online diary, well, at least for the time being.

I should be more sensitive to events and occurrences around me. I had failed to notice oddities from within, and such inability truly made me doubt the level of my intellect. A friend of mine is now involved in a family crisis, but he hides it so well that few actually know about it. I was too insensitive, and it took me a while before realizing that I was not paying enough attention to his feelings and had blurted out some stupid stuff that might have irritated him. My sincere apologies to him, as well as all those whom I had unwittingly offended, and I don't know if I can still count myself as a valuable asset of society given my low EQ equivalence.

Let's all work this out together. Best of luck to those who are in adversity. Regards.

Foreign friends on the Fore

Many of my friends whom I had met at NTU will be arriving in Singapore in the coming weeks! I must clear my assignments fast, so that I can show them around when the time comes and facilitate their contributions to the Singapore economy!

Fieldtrip to Malacca (with Prof. Lee, Yong Chang, and Taiwanese friends)