My Last Entry for the Semester...
...and so I plan. I will 闭关修炼in the next few weeks to work on my Honours thesis, otherwise I will need to rely upon divine help to complete it on time.
I had received phone calls from Debby and Peggy, as well as greeting cards from Marvin. Thanks for all those thoughts! Here's wishing you all the best of health and luck in the New Year!
Valentine's Day was just over, and I had met enough friends last week to convince myself that most of the single and available around me are actively seeking the special someone in their lives. Good luck to them! Find one soon before your virtues are masked by your looks and wealth in the future, that is, on the basic assumption that all of which will improve in the next few years (with higher income you have the resources to doll yourself up and hence enjoy a better appearance). Those who stick with you when you are at your worst ought to be treasured and loved in kind.
Me? I wear shorts to school. Sometimes I don't shave. I prefer books to humans. Cracking jokes is my forte. I am only serious in my papers. Simply put, I just don't care. I have enough loved ones in my life to feel wholesome. Family and friends. What can be missing?
I am an aspiring academic. And an aspiring hermit.
I need to thank Peggy for helping me gather some of the research materials from Taiwan. She deserves a special mention in my acknowledgement list. My professor has been very kind and helpful too! And nice! Thanks to Jack who has always offered me timely advice when I need it. And to Jacky who has never failed to stress me out to make me see the fallacy of my wishful thinking. Thank You very much to every other person who has assisted me in one way or another. A more comprehensive list will appear in my thesis, if I ever get it done on time.
I shall camp at libraries. I shall sleep in campus. I shall feast my eyes on books and papers. I will do anything to complete the thesis. Never underestimate the willpower of a Taurean. But sometimes I do doubt my own intellectual ability. I hope everything works out fine.
On 15 February 1942, the worst capitulation of the British in Japanese hands occurred in Singapore. 66 years later, I make a vow to avoid that of my life.
China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Turkey. See you in my dreams.
Omniscience to my transient life!
Friday, February 15, 2008
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Monday, February 11, 2008
Jacky Wu and his variety shows
I have an idol named Jacky Wu. He currently hosts many variety shows in both Taiwan and mainland China. Occasionally, he directs a few films and cuts a few albums, both of which he has not done in recent years. How is he able to cope with such a heavy workload, traveling from place to place and having to transit in Hong Kong without direct flights across the Straits?
Jacky Wu has emphasized the "Three No's" principle for his variety shows: No rehearsal, No script and No re-take. The viewer has to accept whatever he does or says without NG. This endows his shows with the vibrancy and wit unseen in our local media. Everything has become so impromptu, so real, and most certainly unpretentious. I was in a live recording of his "Guess" show 2 years ago, and the entire process lasted for merely 1 hour for a 2-hour telecast. Yet, with a huge viewership, it is obvious that the quality and entertainment value of his shows are not at all compromised.
I met up with a Taiwanese senior during the New Year. She has a friend who is a Taiwanse-born TV compere working in our one and only media station. Her friend mentioned that it is stifling working in an environment filled with scripts and forced expressions. Unnatural.
My professor appeared in the papers a couple of weeks ago. Some of us had commented that the photos of him looked "fake": my professor was featured reading a book and apparently in deep thought. The photographer should have done something better, like capturing him when he was speaking to the reporter perhaps?
We live in a pretentious world. 也罢，这世界本来就是虚假、虚幻的，只是现在才察觉到。也不算太晚，知道总比麻木好。I need a respite. As soon as I am done with my Thesis, 我就会到那我熟悉和那熟悉我的国度去，独自过着自在和悠闲的生活: 起码要待上一个多月，必定允诺。我就是这副贱骨头，对那封存已久的境与事总是难以释怀。
哭也一天，笑也一天，干脆逢场作戏过一天。笑一笑，就过去了。
We are all a product of our memories and experiences. Without a future to look forward to, I have my memories to fall back on. Back to square one. For eternity. For nothing, if eternity is transient.
I have an idol named Jacky Wu. He currently hosts many variety shows in both Taiwan and mainland China. Occasionally, he directs a few films and cuts a few albums, both of which he has not done in recent years. How is he able to cope with such a heavy workload, traveling from place to place and having to transit in Hong Kong without direct flights across the Straits?
Jacky Wu has emphasized the "Three No's" principle for his variety shows: No rehearsal, No script and No re-take. The viewer has to accept whatever he does or says without NG. This endows his shows with the vibrancy and wit unseen in our local media. Everything has become so impromptu, so real, and most certainly unpretentious. I was in a live recording of his "Guess" show 2 years ago, and the entire process lasted for merely 1 hour for a 2-hour telecast. Yet, with a huge viewership, it is obvious that the quality and entertainment value of his shows are not at all compromised.
I met up with a Taiwanese senior during the New Year. She has a friend who is a Taiwanse-born TV compere working in our one and only media station. Her friend mentioned that it is stifling working in an environment filled with scripts and forced expressions. Unnatural.
My professor appeared in the papers a couple of weeks ago. Some of us had commented that the photos of him looked "fake": my professor was featured reading a book and apparently in deep thought. The photographer should have done something better, like capturing him when he was speaking to the reporter perhaps?
We live in a pretentious world. 也罢，这世界本来就是虚假、虚幻的，只是现在才察觉到。也不算太晚，知道总比麻木好。I need a respite. As soon as I am done with my Thesis, 我就会到那我熟悉和那熟悉我的国度去，独自过着自在和悠闲的生活: 起码要待上一个多月，必定允诺。我就是这副贱骨头，对那封存已久的境与事总是难以释怀。
哭也一天，笑也一天，干脆逢场作戏过一天。笑一笑，就过去了。
We are all a product of our memories and experiences. Without a future to look forward to, I have my memories to fall back on. Back to square one. For eternity. For nothing, if eternity is transient.
Thursday, February 07, 2008
Unfair World
How can we claim that the world is rosy when as high as 50%, if not higher, of the world's population are suffering from famine and poverty? Doesn't it prove the Buddhist notion that life is an endless cycle of suffering （苦海无涯）?
A world of CEOs and presidents is unthinkable, and undoubtedly impossible. If I am not mistaken, about 40% of the secondary school students in Singapore fall under the Normal stream. Unbelievable? Unfair? This sounds logical given the disproportional number of independent/SAP schools compared to that of neighbourhood ones.
“大智若愚”，才是终极智慧，才不会自取其辱。
I am not bright, so I always prefer people to tell me the truth upfront to them being discreet and mindful of what they say. Why bother making suggestions and telling me things that you have no intention of fulfilling? All our feelings would have been hurt. To err is human, and I am a mere mortal. Please criticize me upfront if I fall short of your expectations.
I am a practical idealist. Sounds oxymoronic eh? I have my crazy ideals, but I know that my survival in the society fully depends on how I play the game of life. Although I don't dislike society, I have always wanted to leave it and enter reclusion. I will still work my guts out if need be, but given an opportunity, I would rather lead my own kind of lifestyle and forgo the dreams and riches that life has promised to offer.
Anyway, keep your spirits high! Happy Lunar New Year!
How can we claim that the world is rosy when as high as 50%, if not higher, of the world's population are suffering from famine and poverty? Doesn't it prove the Buddhist notion that life is an endless cycle of suffering （苦海无涯）?
A world of CEOs and presidents is unthinkable, and undoubtedly impossible. If I am not mistaken, about 40% of the secondary school students in Singapore fall under the Normal stream. Unbelievable? Unfair? This sounds logical given the disproportional number of independent/SAP schools compared to that of neighbourhood ones.
“大智若愚”，才是终极智慧，才不会自取其辱。
I am not bright, so I always prefer people to tell me the truth upfront to them being discreet and mindful of what they say. Why bother making suggestions and telling me things that you have no intention of fulfilling? All our feelings would have been hurt. To err is human, and I am a mere mortal. Please criticize me upfront if I fall short of your expectations.
I am a practical idealist. Sounds oxymoronic eh? I have my crazy ideals, but I know that my survival in the society fully depends on how I play the game of life. Although I don't dislike society, I have always wanted to leave it and enter reclusion. I will still work my guts out if need be, but given an opportunity, I would rather lead my own kind of lifestyle and forgo the dreams and riches that life has promised to offer.
Anyway, keep your spirits high! Happy Lunar New Year!
Happy Lunar New Year 2008!
Wacky Jacky and his Taiwan Desk would like to wish everyone a very Happy Lunar New Year! Thank You for accompanying him through a significant part of his life-the transition from carefree student to prospective working adult. Here's yet another year away from freedom and innocence, into a future of hopes and dreams.
I wonder if babies born in the Year of the Pig will enjoy good luck in the coming year. Superstition perhaps, but it is always welcoming (at least to me) to make your future seem more predictable according to the stars and signs.
I appreciate your SMSes of well wishes, dear friends!
Thanks too to Peggy and Marvin for their overseas greetings!
在此恭祝各界同仁新年快乐、身强体健、永保安康！
Wacky Jacky and his Taiwan Desk would like to wish everyone a very Happy Lunar New Year! Thank You for accompanying him through a significant part of his life-the transition from carefree student to prospective working adult. Here's yet another year away from freedom and innocence, into a future of hopes and dreams.
I wonder if babies born in the Year of the Pig will enjoy good luck in the coming year. Superstition perhaps, but it is always welcoming (at least to me) to make your future seem more predictable according to the stars and signs.
I appreciate your SMSes of well wishes, dear friends!
Thanks too to Peggy and Marvin for their overseas greetings!
在此恭祝各界同仁新年快乐、身强体健、永保安康！
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Global Warming
I saw my comment appear on Lianhe Zaobao dated 5 February 2008. I had commented on the use and payment of 10 cents for plastic bags in the NUS Co-Op bookstore. I supported the new policy, adding that it would promote the practice of bringing bags out for shopping.
I think we have to start somewhere. I can almost imagine that the air-conditioned nation of Singapore will contribute to and fall into what I coin a "heat cycle". Imagine this: the weather gets hotter by the day, and to make ourselves feel more comfortable we switch on the air-conditioners at higher blast. The engines and turbines with the CFCs emitted will then add onto the amount of greenhouse gases that the atmosphere has already contained. Thus hotter weather. Until we turn the air-conditioners onto full blast. Finally, the situation will reach a stage whereby no level of technology can sustain us and we shall suffer from our own un-doings.
We are already feeling the heat ourselves, so we need no Al Gore and his An Inconvenient Truth to tell us what we should already know. Let's begin bit by bit, starting from ourselves!
I saw my comment appear on Lianhe Zaobao dated 5 February 2008. I had commented on the use and payment of 10 cents for plastic bags in the NUS Co-Op bookstore. I supported the new policy, adding that it would promote the practice of bringing bags out for shopping.
I think we have to start somewhere. I can almost imagine that the air-conditioned nation of Singapore will contribute to and fall into what I coin a "heat cycle". Imagine this: the weather gets hotter by the day, and to make ourselves feel more comfortable we switch on the air-conditioners at higher blast. The engines and turbines with the CFCs emitted will then add onto the amount of greenhouse gases that the atmosphere has already contained. Thus hotter weather. Until we turn the air-conditioners onto full blast. Finally, the situation will reach a stage whereby no level of technology can sustain us and we shall suffer from our own un-doings.
We are already feeling the heat ourselves, so we need no Al Gore and his An Inconvenient Truth to tell us what we should already know. Let's begin bit by bit, starting from ourselves!
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
What is Civilization?
This is a chim question. I also don't know. I Chinese educated one. But in my words I think civilization is this: “穿着光鲜的衣裳，进行原始的搏斗”. Times may change, history may change, but human nature remains the same lah.
I heard they changing the bus and train system leh. For the better. I also think must change. During the off-peak hours, the frequency all freaky low. The bus-stop got people but bus bay bor bus. Once I wait for 20 minutes and a guy who reach the bus-stop before me still there waiting. 等你等到我心痛！等你等到没有梦！Why 没有梦？Completely lost hope, 没有梦想了！Now I see a bit of hope.
Then sometimes, I think my arm too short to be seen, the bus never stop! Then I take train, peak hours, jialat man. I too puny to wrestle in, so wait for about 3 trains then can squeeze in you know. People in the carriage think that standing at the entrance easy for the 财神爷to see them, so all crowd there. You think everyone alight at Woodlands or Boon Lay meh? Of course I know most people will drop off soon, but be considerate and move in for others to board lah. Even I can understand the announcement on air leh.
The taxi, bus and train system all change at one go, wrong lah. Must be gradual and one at a time. Now the transport system improve to discourage people from buying car, but first step to change the cab fare wrong liao. Now those used-to-take-taxi people change to taking bus and train, when the bus and train cannot tahan the new crowd! Why? This means we still don't have world-class transport system! And we always have to pay world-class fares! How can when we are even worse than Taiwan (the "last" of the Asian Tigers) in this aspect? Aiyah, don't know lah.
Monetized economy: everything calculate in relative gains and profit margins. When got LRT and NEL, bus services gone to make people use the new installations. Our convenience compromised. Like this civilized meh? Aiyah, I also don't know lah.
I don't know how to use nice-sounding words to explain things. I only know how to drink kopi and talk cock. Paiseh hor.
This is a chim question. I also don't know. I Chinese educated one. But in my words I think civilization is this: “穿着光鲜的衣裳，进行原始的搏斗”. Times may change, history may change, but human nature remains the same lah.
I heard they changing the bus and train system leh. For the better. I also think must change. During the off-peak hours, the frequency all freaky low. The bus-stop got people but bus bay bor bus. Once I wait for 20 minutes and a guy who reach the bus-stop before me still there waiting. 等你等到我心痛！等你等到没有梦！Why 没有梦？Completely lost hope, 没有梦想了！Now I see a bit of hope.
Then sometimes, I think my arm too short to be seen, the bus never stop! Then I take train, peak hours, jialat man. I too puny to wrestle in, so wait for about 3 trains then can squeeze in you know. People in the carriage think that standing at the entrance easy for the 财神爷to see them, so all crowd there. You think everyone alight at Woodlands or Boon Lay meh? Of course I know most people will drop off soon, but be considerate and move in for others to board lah. Even I can understand the announcement on air leh.
The taxi, bus and train system all change at one go, wrong lah. Must be gradual and one at a time. Now the transport system improve to discourage people from buying car, but first step to change the cab fare wrong liao. Now those used-to-take-taxi people change to taking bus and train, when the bus and train cannot tahan the new crowd! Why? This means we still don't have world-class transport system! And we always have to pay world-class fares! How can when we are even worse than Taiwan (the "last" of the Asian Tigers) in this aspect? Aiyah, don't know lah.
Monetized economy: everything calculate in relative gains and profit margins. When got LRT and NEL, bus services gone to make people use the new installations. Our convenience compromised. Like this civilized meh? Aiyah, I also don't know lah.
I don't know how to use nice-sounding words to explain things. I only know how to drink kopi and talk cock. Paiseh hor.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Crazy World
It's total madness at NUS. The Arts students of last semester require a SAP of 4.9 to qualify for Dean's List! The names of my friends "traditionally" "parked" on the list disappear, replaced by a whole chunk of new ones. I think our juniors are very very smart, a mighty force to be reckoned with in the last bell curves that we will experience at NUS.
It's total madness at NUS. The Arts students of last semester require a SAP of 4.9 to qualify for Dean's List! The names of my friends "traditionally" "parked" on the list disappear, replaced by a whole chunk of new ones. I think our juniors are very very smart, a mighty force to be reckoned with in the last bell curves that we will experience at NUS.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Being Humble
...is a virtue. And especially held in awe and esteem by the Chinese. “虚心”is the Chinese translation of being humble, but it literally refers to a "void heart". In order to be humble, you have to clear your heart of all bias, knowledge, presumption and misconceptions. This is why sometimes it is easier to learn something from scratch and not at mid-way. Without the implicit distractions that can unleash the best tamed hearts into a world of arrogance and deceit, we can all be humble at heart and learn to accept and see things the way they are. Being humble is never too easy, so it is a virtue to be attained only at great cost and effort.
Why bother filling your life up with fame and glory, when all hearts ought to be void to enjoy the best from life? Being humble allows us to empathize and understand others and things from their perspectives, alleviating ourselves of the agony or hatred that stem from despising or discriminating against certain individuals. We always feel a constant, inevitable sense of inadequacy. Nothing is ever enough, nor is anything enough to satisfy our lust for more. The perceived lack of things spurs us on to pursue better looks, smarter brains and greater wealth, all of which may prove unimportant when we recall upon our lives at twilight. I had almost forgotten how sad I was at Secondary 2 when I scored 0 for my Technical Studies.
“由简入奢易，由奢入间难”。It is hard for the rich and affluent not to be arrogant, but it is harder for them to remain happy in poverty.
...is a virtue. And especially held in awe and esteem by the Chinese. “虚心”is the Chinese translation of being humble, but it literally refers to a "void heart". In order to be humble, you have to clear your heart of all bias, knowledge, presumption and misconceptions. This is why sometimes it is easier to learn something from scratch and not at mid-way. Without the implicit distractions that can unleash the best tamed hearts into a world of arrogance and deceit, we can all be humble at heart and learn to accept and see things the way they are. Being humble is never too easy, so it is a virtue to be attained only at great cost and effort.
Why bother filling your life up with fame and glory, when all hearts ought to be void to enjoy the best from life? Being humble allows us to empathize and understand others and things from their perspectives, alleviating ourselves of the agony or hatred that stem from despising or discriminating against certain individuals. We always feel a constant, inevitable sense of inadequacy. Nothing is ever enough, nor is anything enough to satisfy our lust for more. The perceived lack of things spurs us on to pursue better looks, smarter brains and greater wealth, all of which may prove unimportant when we recall upon our lives at twilight. I had almost forgotten how sad I was at Secondary 2 when I scored 0 for my Technical Studies.
“由简入奢易，由奢入间难”。It is hard for the rich and affluent not to be arrogant, but it is harder for them to remain happy in poverty.
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