Aileen was right... everyone of us should go do something we used to do but haven't done in a while...
last night, I took out the book "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee and read it again. The book was my 'O' level literature text so yeah... it's been a while since I've looked at it again... it was interesting...
for one, the book was full of my scribbling down of notes here and there... this paragraph is to show prejudice, to show this and that... I could see parts where my highlighter ran out of ink and the colour was so faint... I could see some scribblings in pencil which started out clearly and then got fainter and blurrer, indicating the parts of the lesson when I tried to stay awake and take notes but failed halfway... I could see doodlings and random marks here and there, indicating the times when I was either bored or testing out the ink in my pens... fond memories...
and then it brought back the ideas we used to have that perhaps Harper Lee didn't really mean to convey so many hidden messages.. that perhaps she was trying to write a nice decent book about prejudice (that message was obvious enough) but that literature teachers and students around the world got so serious about reading in between the lines that the book has become a celebrated literary work... after all, Harper Lee didn't have anymore works after that book... maybe she got freaked by the reaction of the literary world...
reading the book again also brought back memories of us sitting in the lecture theatre watching the film version of the story.. it was really old, being in black and white... the unfortunate part is that I don't think I finished watching the entire show... maybe I had to leave the class early or something... or maybe the teacher didn't show us the whole film in the first place due to time constraints... I really can't remember... but I bet it was a great show... I won't mind watching it again... hmmm... and I certainly won't mind if some director or producer decided to remake it... after all, prejudice and the innocence of children is a theme no one gets tired of even in this century... I'll think it's even more relevant today...
amazing isn't it? how much a book like that can bring back...
but good thing is that it's a proper story... I don't think I want to read my Romeo and Juliet text again..
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Monday, November 21, 2005
This feeling...
I don't like this feeling...
where it feels like no one else but you still care about how things go... that everyone is too caught up in their own little world to bother about you, even though you're working for something bigger and beyond your own little world...
doubt, anger, confusion, helplessness...
why???
where it feels like no one else but you still care about how things go... that everyone is too caught up in their own little world to bother about you, even though you're working for something bigger and beyond your own little world...
doubt, anger, confusion, helplessness...
why???
Friday, November 18, 2005
Photos
Forgot to include the link to the photos... so here they are:
http://wwwsharontan.myphotoalbum.com/
they're in the album titled accordingly...
http://wwwsharontan.myphotoalbum.com/
they're in the album titled accordingly...
Malacca
Got back from Malacca last night... yup... went for a short 2 days (1.5 days if you don't count all the travelling time) with my parents and my aunt... my bro didn't wanna go cos he was still having classes..
Anyway we took the coach down and boy it was quite a long journey... but then again, after travelling from New Delhi to Agra, nothing really counts as long anymore... we went by the 2nd Link and it was my first time there... the place looks nice enough.. only setback was that it was super empty... there weren't anyone in the lines and hardly any vehicles using it... so that kind of cut travelling time, since there was zero traffic all the way from the link to the expressway leading from there...
we stopped over at Ayer Itam (I know it means Black Water but I'm not sure if I spelled it right... never did learn Malay) while the driver lunched... pretty uneventful except for the fact that they were playing the chinese version of the Dragostea Din Tei song (Numa Numa hey... yup that AIESEC song) continuously... sounds quite horrible and in case you're wondering, the singer is actually Singaporeans and is singing about cockroaches in that song...
anyway, after that it was directly to Malacca bus terminal... another sprawling place and you can tell it's quite new... reminds me a bit of our own HarbourFront, where the terminal is housed in a shopping complex selling all sorts of stuff.. oh and the terminal comes with a very cool looking overhead bridge.. I've never seen one so long in my whole life...
so after admiring the place a bit, we headed off to this hotel my aunt found on the internet... not too bad for 69 RM a night... it's just a 3 storey building with pretty decent hotel rooms... at least there's aircon and a TV :)
anyway by this time it was like 2 plus in the afternoon (we boarded the bus at 9am in Singapore) so we headed across the street for some Chicken Rice Balls... I have a photo of the rice balls in my album... see if you can figure out which is the fishball and which is the rice ball... that was quite interesting cos the few chicken rice ball stalls in Singapore sell rice balls that are the size of your fist and not so small as those in Malacca...
I managed to hurry my mom so she'll eat faster and then we set off for the attractions... we walked about 20 mins to get to Christ Church (which is the famous red church building you always see when you look up Malacca) It's quite something to actually stand inside a bulding that's more than 100 years old... you don't get such old stuff like that in Singapore.. we're like so young compared to Malacaa...
most of the historical sites were around the area of the Christ Church... there was a hill behind with a dutch graveyard and remains of another church... the last standing wall of the fotress A Farmosa is just behind that hill... there we saw lots of museums as well (though we didn't go inside).. most of the museums are housed in buildings that were built more than 80 years ago...
after that we walked over to the river and the maritime museum. It's an actual model of a ship used back in the days when Malacca was a bustling port of trade (even earlier than when Singapore started) and they've included exhibitions of actual equipment used in those ships, models of other ships that visited the ports in the old days etc.. we weren't allowed to wear our shoes in (I assume they didn't want us to damage the floor, being made of wooden planks and all) so we carried our shoes about.. felt quite like being in a real ship, because the aircon was leaking at place down under the deck so you get wet spots and leaky roofs :) but all in all lots of interesting displays and definitely worth it for 2RM entry fee. the air con was quite enjoyable as well..
anyway, after that we decided we'll go hunt for some of those tasty Malaysian foods that Singaporeans and Malaysians always talk about.. we headed in the direction of this hawker centre stall place only to find a carpark and a sports complex there... there's lots of construction going on there, probably to make the place more modern etc... anyway the food centre was gone... apparently the last time my aunt was there was 5 years ago so I guess the changes weren't so surprising after all :)
without the roadside stalls, we headed for this shopping complex across the road... tried some KFC cos we heard it's better tasting than the one in Singapore... I thought it was quite ok.. at least it's not as oily as those in Singapore... and we said we're healthy... gee... well we didn't spend much time in the complex... My dad said we should go to the Portugese Settlement and the Portugese Village so we headed in that direction until my mom complained that it was a tad too far to walk... in the end we turned into this area with lots of Nonya restaurants and ate at the same one my aunt visited 5 years ago... it was quite ok... I really liked their Otak Otak... :)
after dinner we headed back to the hotel... I wanted to continue to Portugese Settlement but my mom said they're probably closed at night.. I didn't think it was likely cos I imagine it would be a place where tourists, especially the westerners would visit and have a drink at night.. in the end I was right... the hotel manager told us that place sells food and stuff at night.. must be something like CHJIMES in Singapore... haha..
well we were too far away and it was late to turn back so we headed to the 5 start hotel nearby for some drinks (my mom wanted to try cocktail :)) there was a live band playing when we got there... the male singer's quite ok and the electric guitarist rocks... only the female singer was a turnoff... she ruined many a good song that night...
so that marks the end of the 1st day in Malacca...
Day 2 saw us heading off to the "Antique Street" area of Malacca... it's on the other side of the river from Christ Church and the other historic attractions... quite a lot of chinese and nonya stuff there... the adults I was with were reminscing about their childhood when people still stayed in those double storey shophouses... that was quite interesting... we saw some temples along the way as well... yeah the place kind of reminds me of our China Town, just that it's still less commercialised compared to ours... which is a good thing I feel... oh yah we tried Chendol at this supposedly famous stall... man their syrup and coconut milk were thick... it's the real thing!
anyway we spent quite some time in that area and finally headed back to our hotel area for lunch at the Bulldog Cafe cos we found some recommendations to eat there on the Internet... sells nonya food as well and it was pretty good food... just that the owner was quite scary... she tried to "force" us to but her pineapple tarts... we declined, having bought fresh ones at Temple Street so she wasn't quite happy... she kept trying to compare how hers were better and that we should just get hers as well... :S
well after lunch we took a cab back to the bus terminal... had to be early cos we hadn't bought tickets back home... we got there at 3pm only to find that the next bus leaves at 5pm.. well no choice... ended up roaming the shopping complex for roti canai (Singapore calls it roti prata) but they didn't have it anymore... so we went to A&W...
did you know that A&W was the 1st fast food restaurant to open in Singapore? Unfortunately it was also the 1st to leave the Singapore market... couldn't keep up with competition from McDonalds and KFC and the rest... so we poor Singaporeans have ever since been deprived of root beer floats, curly fries, coney dogs and ice cream waffles... we would have packeted some home for my brother but I doubt the food would survive a few hours coach ride home...
good thing we didn't... it was freezing on the bus, partly cos there was a huge thunderstorm on our way back... because the expressway travels along the outskirts of the states, we got to see lots of natural scenary like moutains, plantations, small villages here and there... there were no skyscrapers or buildings to block our view of the night sky, which was dark, cloudy and would flash once in a while as the lightning streaked through the sky... there weren't as many street lamps along the road as well so it was really dark... it was quite an experience sitting in a coach zooming across an expressway that was hardly lighted underneath the lightning-streaked sky... must be something to live in those villages we passed by...
after some hours, we reached JB (different route from when we travelled into Malacca)... but before that we stopped over at Ayer Itam again and horror of horrors... they were still playing that chinese song... the poor hawkers there...
well that pretty much rounds up the 2 days in Malacca... not too bad for a short trip to get away from it all in Singapore... the only sad part comes when we get back and all the deadlines and things-to-do rush in our faces once again...
Anyway we took the coach down and boy it was quite a long journey... but then again, after travelling from New Delhi to Agra, nothing really counts as long anymore... we went by the 2nd Link and it was my first time there... the place looks nice enough.. only setback was that it was super empty... there weren't anyone in the lines and hardly any vehicles using it... so that kind of cut travelling time, since there was zero traffic all the way from the link to the expressway leading from there...
we stopped over at Ayer Itam (I know it means Black Water but I'm not sure if I spelled it right... never did learn Malay) while the driver lunched... pretty uneventful except for the fact that they were playing the chinese version of the Dragostea Din Tei song (Numa Numa hey... yup that AIESEC song) continuously... sounds quite horrible and in case you're wondering, the singer is actually Singaporeans and is singing about cockroaches in that song...
anyway, after that it was directly to Malacca bus terminal... another sprawling place and you can tell it's quite new... reminds me a bit of our own HarbourFront, where the terminal is housed in a shopping complex selling all sorts of stuff.. oh and the terminal comes with a very cool looking overhead bridge.. I've never seen one so long in my whole life...
so after admiring the place a bit, we headed off to this hotel my aunt found on the internet... not too bad for 69 RM a night... it's just a 3 storey building with pretty decent hotel rooms... at least there's aircon and a TV :)
anyway by this time it was like 2 plus in the afternoon (we boarded the bus at 9am in Singapore) so we headed across the street for some Chicken Rice Balls... I have a photo of the rice balls in my album... see if you can figure out which is the fishball and which is the rice ball... that was quite interesting cos the few chicken rice ball stalls in Singapore sell rice balls that are the size of your fist and not so small as those in Malacca...
I managed to hurry my mom so she'll eat faster and then we set off for the attractions... we walked about 20 mins to get to Christ Church (which is the famous red church building you always see when you look up Malacca) It's quite something to actually stand inside a bulding that's more than 100 years old... you don't get such old stuff like that in Singapore.. we're like so young compared to Malacaa...
most of the historical sites were around the area of the Christ Church... there was a hill behind with a dutch graveyard and remains of another church... the last standing wall of the fotress A Farmosa is just behind that hill... there we saw lots of museums as well (though we didn't go inside).. most of the museums are housed in buildings that were built more than 80 years ago...
after that we walked over to the river and the maritime museum. It's an actual model of a ship used back in the days when Malacca was a bustling port of trade (even earlier than when Singapore started) and they've included exhibitions of actual equipment used in those ships, models of other ships that visited the ports in the old days etc.. we weren't allowed to wear our shoes in (I assume they didn't want us to damage the floor, being made of wooden planks and all) so we carried our shoes about.. felt quite like being in a real ship, because the aircon was leaking at place down under the deck so you get wet spots and leaky roofs :) but all in all lots of interesting displays and definitely worth it for 2RM entry fee. the air con was quite enjoyable as well..
anyway, after that we decided we'll go hunt for some of those tasty Malaysian foods that Singaporeans and Malaysians always talk about.. we headed in the direction of this hawker centre stall place only to find a carpark and a sports complex there... there's lots of construction going on there, probably to make the place more modern etc... anyway the food centre was gone... apparently the last time my aunt was there was 5 years ago so I guess the changes weren't so surprising after all :)
without the roadside stalls, we headed for this shopping complex across the road... tried some KFC cos we heard it's better tasting than the one in Singapore... I thought it was quite ok.. at least it's not as oily as those in Singapore... and we said we're healthy... gee... well we didn't spend much time in the complex... My dad said we should go to the Portugese Settlement and the Portugese Village so we headed in that direction until my mom complained that it was a tad too far to walk... in the end we turned into this area with lots of Nonya restaurants and ate at the same one my aunt visited 5 years ago... it was quite ok... I really liked their Otak Otak... :)
after dinner we headed back to the hotel... I wanted to continue to Portugese Settlement but my mom said they're probably closed at night.. I didn't think it was likely cos I imagine it would be a place where tourists, especially the westerners would visit and have a drink at night.. in the end I was right... the hotel manager told us that place sells food and stuff at night.. must be something like CHJIMES in Singapore... haha..
well we were too far away and it was late to turn back so we headed to the 5 start hotel nearby for some drinks (my mom wanted to try cocktail :)) there was a live band playing when we got there... the male singer's quite ok and the electric guitarist rocks... only the female singer was a turnoff... she ruined many a good song that night...
so that marks the end of the 1st day in Malacca...
Day 2 saw us heading off to the "Antique Street" area of Malacca... it's on the other side of the river from Christ Church and the other historic attractions... quite a lot of chinese and nonya stuff there... the adults I was with were reminscing about their childhood when people still stayed in those double storey shophouses... that was quite interesting... we saw some temples along the way as well... yeah the place kind of reminds me of our China Town, just that it's still less commercialised compared to ours... which is a good thing I feel... oh yah we tried Chendol at this supposedly famous stall... man their syrup and coconut milk were thick... it's the real thing!
anyway we spent quite some time in that area and finally headed back to our hotel area for lunch at the Bulldog Cafe cos we found some recommendations to eat there on the Internet... sells nonya food as well and it was pretty good food... just that the owner was quite scary... she tried to "force" us to but her pineapple tarts... we declined, having bought fresh ones at Temple Street so she wasn't quite happy... she kept trying to compare how hers were better and that we should just get hers as well... :S
well after lunch we took a cab back to the bus terminal... had to be early cos we hadn't bought tickets back home... we got there at 3pm only to find that the next bus leaves at 5pm.. well no choice... ended up roaming the shopping complex for roti canai (Singapore calls it roti prata) but they didn't have it anymore... so we went to A&W...
did you know that A&W was the 1st fast food restaurant to open in Singapore? Unfortunately it was also the 1st to leave the Singapore market... couldn't keep up with competition from McDonalds and KFC and the rest... so we poor Singaporeans have ever since been deprived of root beer floats, curly fries, coney dogs and ice cream waffles... we would have packeted some home for my brother but I doubt the food would survive a few hours coach ride home...
good thing we didn't... it was freezing on the bus, partly cos there was a huge thunderstorm on our way back... because the expressway travels along the outskirts of the states, we got to see lots of natural scenary like moutains, plantations, small villages here and there... there were no skyscrapers or buildings to block our view of the night sky, which was dark, cloudy and would flash once in a while as the lightning streaked through the sky... there weren't as many street lamps along the road as well so it was really dark... it was quite an experience sitting in a coach zooming across an expressway that was hardly lighted underneath the lightning-streaked sky... must be something to live in those villages we passed by...
after some hours, we reached JB (different route from when we travelled into Malacca)... but before that we stopped over at Ayer Itam again and horror of horrors... they were still playing that chinese song... the poor hawkers there...
well that pretty much rounds up the 2 days in Malacca... not too bad for a short trip to get away from it all in Singapore... the only sad part comes when we get back and all the deadlines and things-to-do rush in our faces once again...
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Slow Dance...
Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask
How are you?
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift.... Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?
Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask
How are you?
Do you hear the reply?
When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?
You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?
Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"hi"
You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.
When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there.
When you worry and hurry through your day,
It is like an unopened gift.... Thrown away.
Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.
Monday, November 14, 2005
Counting down!!
Lots of things to count down to:
2 more papers till the end of exams! (and which means no more exams until this time next year!)
1.5 more days before heading off for a one-day trip in Malacca!
1 more week till the start of taichi classes again! (had to stop this sem cos classes ended late on taichi days :S)
1 more week till I can catch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in the cinemas! yes I'm a self-confessed Harry Potter fan... and if you're asking why not catch it this weekend? That's because it's freaking expensive to watch movies except on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.. Also, I'm guessing the cinemas will be fully booked with other even more ardent fans...
3 weeks more till the start of NLDS Singapore 2005! (find out more here)
5 weeks more till Christmas!! Presents, food, fun with friends!
6 more weeks till the end of 2005! well I'm not sure how this will work out to be something worth looking forward to but hey it's significant enough... oh now i remember! End of Dec 2005 marks the start of 1st Jan 06 which is someone's birthday... hehe...
can u believe it? 2006 is coming! and that means 2 more years till Olympics in China 2008 =)
2 more papers till the end of exams! (and which means no more exams until this time next year!)
1.5 more days before heading off for a one-day trip in Malacca!
1 more week till the start of taichi classes again! (had to stop this sem cos classes ended late on taichi days :S)
1 more week till I can catch Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in the cinemas! yes I'm a self-confessed Harry Potter fan... and if you're asking why not catch it this weekend? That's because it's freaking expensive to watch movies except on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays.. Also, I'm guessing the cinemas will be fully booked with other even more ardent fans...
3 weeks more till the start of NLDS Singapore 2005! (find out more here)
5 weeks more till Christmas!! Presents, food, fun with friends!
6 more weeks till the end of 2005! well I'm not sure how this will work out to be something worth looking forward to but hey it's significant enough... oh now i remember! End of Dec 2005 marks the start of 1st Jan 06 which is someone's birthday... hehe...
can u believe it? 2006 is coming! and that means 2 more years till Olympics in China 2008 =)
Wednesday, November 09, 2005
Tuesday, November 08, 2005
Because You Live - Jesse McCartney
what a nice song...
Because You Live
by Jesse McCartney
Staring out at the rain with a heavy heart
It's the end of the world in my mind
Then your voice calls me back like a wake up call
I've been looking for the answer
Somewhere
I couldn't see that it was right there
But now I know what I didn't know
Because you live and breathe
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help
Because you live, girl
My world has twice as many stars in the sky
It's alright, I survived, I'm alive again
Cuz of you, made it though every storm
What is life, whats the use if your killed inside
I'm so glad I found an angel
Someone
Who was there when all my hopes fell
I wanna fly, looking in your eyes
Because you live and breathe
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help
Because you live, girl
My world has twice as many stars in the sky
Because you live, I live
Because you live there's a reason why
I carry on when I lose the fight
I want to give what you've given me always
Because you live and breathe
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help
Because you live, girl
My world has twice as many stars in the sky
Because you live and breathe
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help
Because you live, girl
My world has everything I need to survive
Because you live, I live, I live
Because You Live
by Jesse McCartney
Staring out at the rain with a heavy heart
It's the end of the world in my mind
Then your voice calls me back like a wake up call
I've been looking for the answer
Somewhere
I couldn't see that it was right there
But now I know what I didn't know
Because you live and breathe
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help
Because you live, girl
My world has twice as many stars in the sky
It's alright, I survived, I'm alive again
Cuz of you, made it though every storm
What is life, whats the use if your killed inside
I'm so glad I found an angel
Someone
Who was there when all my hopes fell
I wanna fly, looking in your eyes
Because you live and breathe
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help
Because you live, girl
My world has twice as many stars in the sky
Because you live, I live
Because you live there's a reason why
I carry on when I lose the fight
I want to give what you've given me always
Because you live and breathe
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help
Because you live, girl
My world has twice as many stars in the sky
Because you live and breathe
Because you make me believe in myself when nobody else can help
Because you live, girl
My world has everything I need to survive
Because you live, I live, I live
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Voicing my thoughts
Everyone has so much to do...
but everyone only has 24 hours a day...
So why is it that some people can do more than others?
Reason 1
they cut down on the number of things they have to do... either outsource, or arrow it to someone else, or heck care and chuck it aside...
Reason 2
they make full use of their time by improving their efficiency... read faster, type faster, think faster, learn faster...
I can't think of any other reasons...
Everyone has so much to do...
but everyone only has 24 hours a day...
but everyone only has 24 hours a day...
So why is it that some people can do more than others?
Reason 1
they cut down on the number of things they have to do... either outsource, or arrow it to someone else, or heck care and chuck it aside...
Reason 2
they make full use of their time by improving their efficiency... read faster, type faster, think faster, learn faster...
I can't think of any other reasons...
Everyone has so much to do...
but everyone only has 24 hours a day...
Saturday, October 29, 2005
Have you found your Missing Piece?
interesting powerpoint... makes you ponder...
http://www.geocities.com/tuitionmatch84/themissingpiece.ppt
http://www.geocities.com/tuitionmatch84/themissingpiece.ppt
Everybody's Free to Wear Sunscreen
Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.
Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing every day that scares you.
Sing.
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.
Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.
Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Oh, never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they've faded. But trust me, in 20 years, you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. You are not as fat as you imagine.
Don't worry about the future. Or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubble gum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind, the kind that blindside you at 4 p.m. on some idle Tuesday.
Do one thing every day that scares you.
Sing.
Don't be reckless with other people's hearts. Don't put up with people who are reckless with yours.
Floss.
Don't waste your time on jealousy. Sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long and, in the end, it's only with yourself.
Remember compliments you receive. Forget the insults. If you succeed in doing this, tell me how.
Keep your old love letters. Throw away your old bank statements.
Stretch.
Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don't.
Get plenty of calcium. Be kind to your knees. You'll miss them when they're gone.
Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't. Maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much, or berate yourself either. Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.
Enjoy your body. Use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it or of what other people think of it. It's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.
Dance, even if you have nowhere to do it but your living room.
Read the directions, even if you don't follow them.
Do not read beauty magazines. They will only make you feel ugly.
Get to know your parents. You never know when they'll be gone for good. Be nice to your siblings. They're your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future.
Understand that friends come and go, but with a precious few you should hold on. Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography and lifestyle, because the older you get, the more you need the people who knew you when you were young.
Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard. Live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. Travel.
Accept certain inalienable truths: Prices will rise. Politicians will philander. You, too, will get old. And when you do, you'll fantasize that when you were young, prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders.
Respect your elders.
Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund. Maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse. But you never know when either one might run out.
Don't mess too much with your hair or by the time you're 40 it will look 85.
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.
Friday, October 28, 2005
Thursday, October 20, 2005
Xiao Xiao Stick Man Fighter
Hey to everyone...
Because the link I put for Xiao Xiao (left column) seems to have died, thought will just make things a bit easier for everyone since I have the files in my computer already...
those interested can download the Xiao Xiao Flash Movies from the following links. Just right click and "Save Target As"
Enjoy!!
Xiao Xiao 1 - One Vs One (Avi File)
Xiao Xiao 2 - Game
Xiao Xiao 3 - One VS Many (My favourite!)
Xiao Xiao 4 - Shooting Game
Xiao Xiao 5 - One VS One
Xiao Xiao 6 - Game (bit of error in this cos it gets stuck at one of the stages)
Xiao Xiao 7 - Mutilator
Xiao Xiao 8 - Mutilator II
Because the link I put for Xiao Xiao (left column) seems to have died, thought will just make things a bit easier for everyone since I have the files in my computer already...
those interested can download the Xiao Xiao Flash Movies from the following links. Just right click and "Save Target As"
Enjoy!!
Xiao Xiao 1 - One Vs One (Avi File)
Xiao Xiao 2 - Game
Xiao Xiao 3 - One VS Many (My favourite!)
Xiao Xiao 4 - Shooting Game
Xiao Xiao 5 - One VS One
Xiao Xiao 6 - Game (bit of error in this cos it gets stuck at one of the stages)
Xiao Xiao 7 - Mutilator
Xiao Xiao 8 - Mutilator II
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Are you stupid?
I got bored and found this link on a friend's site...
The site says:
You are 14% stupid. This means...
You are far from stupid. Congrats on a great accomplishment!
Thoughtful them even provided a table...
Stupidity Score Requirements
Status Needed Score
??? -------------------- 0 - 9
Pretty Smart ----------- 10 - 24
Fairly Smart ---------- 25 - 39
Smart, but Stupid ------ 40 - 59
A Little Stupid --------- 60 - 79
Stupid ------------------ 80 - 89
??? ---------------------- 90 - 94
??? ---------------------- 95 - 100
but seriously.. if i weren't stupid... why am i doing a stupidity test instead of studying for exams?? hmmm....
*ponder ponder*
The site says:
You are 14% stupid. This means...
You are far from stupid. Congrats on a great accomplishment!
Thoughtful them even provided a table...
Stupidity Score Requirements
Status Needed Score
??? -------------------- 0 - 9
Pretty Smart ----------- 10 - 24
Fairly Smart ---------- 25 - 39
Smart, but Stupid ------ 40 - 59
A Little Stupid --------- 60 - 79
Stupid ------------------ 80 - 89
??? ---------------------- 90 - 94
??? ---------------------- 95 - 100
but seriously.. if i weren't stupid... why am i doing a stupidity test instead of studying for exams?? hmmm....
*ponder ponder*
Oh bother...
hmmm... my 1st exam paper is on the 2nd of Nov.. which isn't too far away... so what the hell am I doing blogging at this time?
I dunno... so much to do so little time... even when there is time like now, so hard to keep immersing oneself in work... need to take a break from the books or the whatever other stuff I need to do...
yet, so few forms of entertainment... TV shows nowadays are just crappy if you don't have cable... I haven't gotten hold of any new books yet... only entertainment is radio... sad state of life when one doesn't want to leave the house or to spend some money.. haha..
ah well.. this is just a blog entry with no real meaning in it... maybe there is some meaning la.. just to waste a few minutes of your time to read this till the end.. haha...
I dunno... so much to do so little time... even when there is time like now, so hard to keep immersing oneself in work... need to take a break from the books or the whatever other stuff I need to do...
yet, so few forms of entertainment... TV shows nowadays are just crappy if you don't have cable... I haven't gotten hold of any new books yet... only entertainment is radio... sad state of life when one doesn't want to leave the house or to spend some money.. haha..
ah well.. this is just a blog entry with no real meaning in it... maybe there is some meaning la.. just to waste a few minutes of your time to read this till the end.. haha...
Sunday, October 09, 2005
Wise Words...
"Life has no other discipline to impose, if we would but realize it, than to accept life unquestioningly.
Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate, or despise, serves to defeat us in the end.
What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy, and strength, if faced with an open mind.
Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such."
Everything we shut our eyes to, everything we run away from, everything we deny, denigrate, or despise, serves to defeat us in the end.
What seems nasty, painful, evil, can become a source of beauty, joy, and strength, if faced with an open mind.
Every moment is a golden one for him who has the vision to recognize it as such."
Saturday, October 01, 2005
Dear friend
I know how you are feeling now...
I can tell you feel so lost... so misunderstood... so unappreciated... so at a loss... I look and see you with so much to do... and so much popping up out of the blue...I see you try to deal with things today but they never seem to really get dealt with.. and when tomorrow comes, it brings new things to for you to face...
I've been your friend long enough to know that you will keep going, you will keep standing... because you know that there will be consequences for people aside from you if you don't... and I applaude you silently, because I know that these people may not always be aware of what you are doing... they don't see everything that you are doing, everything that you are dealing with...
You tell me that sometimes you feel like you are nothing but a small insignificant part of this vast universe... and you wonder if you really do make a difference... I think you need assurance... you need someone to listen and to comfort you... and I wish I can be that person... but I'm not the best... I can only hope that you find someone or some people who can do that...
I know you feel like crying... like breaking down... but your pride holds it back... but the barrier will break one day... you know that... and as your friend, I can only say that you need to let it all out... to cry and break down... to acknowledge and show that you are not as strong as you, or others, think you are...
Dear friend... you know who you are... and in these hard and stressful times, I wish you strength... I wish you clarity of mind and thought... I wish you humility to accept that you do make mistakes... Take care... and may you soon find that freedom which you seek and which you treasure...
Love,
Your Friend...
I can tell you feel so lost... so misunderstood... so unappreciated... so at a loss... I look and see you with so much to do... and so much popping up out of the blue...I see you try to deal with things today but they never seem to really get dealt with.. and when tomorrow comes, it brings new things to for you to face...
I've been your friend long enough to know that you will keep going, you will keep standing... because you know that there will be consequences for people aside from you if you don't... and I applaude you silently, because I know that these people may not always be aware of what you are doing... they don't see everything that you are doing, everything that you are dealing with...
You tell me that sometimes you feel like you are nothing but a small insignificant part of this vast universe... and you wonder if you really do make a difference... I think you need assurance... you need someone to listen and to comfort you... and I wish I can be that person... but I'm not the best... I can only hope that you find someone or some people who can do that...
I know you feel like crying... like breaking down... but your pride holds it back... but the barrier will break one day... you know that... and as your friend, I can only say that you need to let it all out... to cry and break down... to acknowledge and show that you are not as strong as you, or others, think you are...
Dear friend... you know who you are... and in these hard and stressful times, I wish you strength... I wish you clarity of mind and thought... I wish you humility to accept that you do make mistakes... Take care... and may you soon find that freedom which you seek and which you treasure...
Love,
Your Friend...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)