Friday, December 28, 2007
Contented
Results are out.
Hmm I'm glad that despite such a huge struggle and facing so many uncertainties, I managed to maintain at the level I want to be at.
It really could have been better, but at the same time, it really could have been much worse.
So, I'm contented. =)
I'll learn those lessons that can make me better, and avoid repeating those things that can make me worse.
It's a mini emo period for everyone, but don't worry! It will be over soon.
What's done cannot be undone. Right now, we'll just focus on what we can do, and really do it for the rest of the sems.. And we'll be together for the whole war.
Yeah jiayou everyone!!
lowtide blogged @
4:55 pm
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
The door.
The door.
The door that's in front of you.
The door that brings a conclusion to all the agony, the pain, the struggles, the fun, the journey of the last 3 months.
The door that refuses to be barged open before the stipulated time.
The door where all that matters lie behind.
Damn I'm feeling damn nervous now =(
lowtide blogged @
8:38 pm
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
Merry Christmas!!!
Yes, the christmas sms is mass sent.
Hey! But the thought is still there nonetheless.
I would love to type a personalised message for everyone, but it will be really too taxing on my fingers and my poor handphone =P
But seriously, when I enter each name on the 'send' list, I picture you in my mind, and at that moment in time, my thoughts are for you, and I really want to wish you a merry christmas!
Having moments with other friends doesn't mean that your moment is in any way less unique.
So, I treasure every reply/re-greeting that everyone gives back.. it's so nice to think of all my friends in this special day =)
It is especially heartwarming to receive Christmas greetings from friends you have not heard from for a long time, or perhaps never will really meet in the future.
It's a time to celebrate friendships, old or new. I treasure every friend, every person that has made these little little footprints in my heart, no matter big or small.. Thanks everyone for everything! =)
Merry Christmas everyone!! =)
lowtide blogged @
2:02 pm
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Evan Almighty
Caught Evan Almighty on a DVD just now.
The show is super duper nice!
It has comedy, a comfortably simple yet solid plot and tight pace, making it a very watchable show.
When viewed with a renewed perspective, it can be the most inspiring - offering many, many lessons throughout the show.
Personally, I feel most impressed by a very simple conversation between God and Evan's wife.
God: Sounds like an opportunity.
Let me ask you something. If someone prays for patience, do you think God gives them patience? Or does he give them the opportunity to be patient? If they pray for courage, does God give them courage, or does he give them opportunities to be courageous? If someone prayed for their family to be closer, you think God zaps them with warm, fuzzy feelings? Or does he give them opportunities to love each other? Well, I got to run. A lot of people to serve. Enjoy.
No matter what divine power you believe in, while we usually pray hoping to get certain things in life, it may not come directly like boxes of christmas presents.
Perhaps perhaps, they come in terms of opportunities.
In life, perhaps, opportunities are everywhere, and it depend on YOU to cherish the opportunities and do the best you can.
While we are lazy, we are impatient - we want some divine power to just grant us the things we want immediately - the power to change your life lies in YOU.
While opportunities can perhaps be created by someone else, we need to be the ones to seize these opportunities.
They appear in very simple things: Family, studies, career, people to people relationships etc
Look out for these little little opportunities that appears before you. They could be the ones that could possibly help you achieve what you want.
Opportunities come and go. Some opportunities come repeatedly, but some pass by and never come back.
Remember, the course of your life lies in the choices you make at every juncture, so never never let these opportunities slip, for they might never come back.
I feel very inspired.. Great movie! =)
lowtide blogged @
8:46 pm
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Sometimes passion just ain't enough
Despite a tiring day, I stayed awake until 7am this morning to watch Rover's Carling Cup quarter-final match against Arsenal (Reserves).
The match started at 4am, I tonged until 6am. Then extra time came, which I duly followed them til 7am, despite the lousy stream and tiring body.
But they lost. In extra time. Haiz.
And I had a bikequest meeting in NUS at 11am!
Football fans are stupid. Despite things happening so far away, they always think they have a hand in the bad things happening to their team.
For Rovers' losses to Villa, West Ham, and Wigan, I did not watch them and they lost. For Newcastle, Spurs and Man City, I watched and they won.
So I thought watching Rovers against Arsenal would 'give them some luck'. Well, it was not meant to be.
It doesn't get any crappier than this.
3 semis in 3 seasons under Mark Hughes, 4 in 4?
Now we need a FA Cup run already.
Come on Rovers, you can do it.
Fight.
lowtide blogged @
11:40 pm
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Factory Work
Factory work is boring to the max
"Bing De you found a job? Factory work?" etc etc
Hahaha no lah, I had a factory job as an one-day assignment.
It was at Bedok South. You know, that stretch of road that leads to TJC from Bedok interchange? The factories lie on the left side, and that's something we seldom notice.
Well, when I entered the factory, I kind of got a culture shock.
Ok, to be fair, what can you expect a factory to be? Surely not as comfortable as offices. But this is the first time I actually got to enter one, and work in one.
Plus the fact the I didn't really sleep well (was watching mobtv's fu man ren jian - shall blog about it next time), it added to the seh-ness I have.
The factory was hot, noisy and totally has a sian feeling.
Then, I was led by the lady to my 'supervisor', who told me the simple job I have to do. Yup, check this particular metal piece if it is too big (using one end with a 11.60mm gauge) or it is too small (using another end with a 11.56mm gauge - yup, it is THAT precise).
Simple job? Absolutely. Only a small problem. There are around 3000+ pieces in that metal container.
All done by me ALONE.
Hence I started - at around 10.15am.
Check, and check, repeat and repeat. Sweat and Sweat. Listening to the noisy engines around me. Nothing changes in the environment. The only changes are perhaps uninspiring men and sometimes women pushing metal containers around. I thought I've done a lot of work, I've checked a lot of parts. It seems like 2hour's passed.
Time for a quick water break.. Time check.
11am.
WTH!!!!! If you think that when working in the office, time crawls, time is in SLOW-MO in the factory. No entertainment, no music, no internet, and you sweat like hell.
I continued checking, and feel like dozing off after all these brainless and endless repetitions.
And with that, I suddenly sink into my thoughts again.
The first reaction when I first step into the factory is 'industrialisation'. Yes, the same thing we studied during our EC2373 module. Suddenly, when I was sulking and getting really impatient in my job, I felt an immense pity and respect for these factory workers.
This place is shitty. The jobs they do is shitty. So is their pay.
As from what we learnt, Singapore began a rapid industrialisation programme since 1959, the year we were granted full internal self-government from the British. It was also the year PAP came into power. (Yup it's THAT long)
In the textbooks, industrialisation was seen like the magic pill to solve all woes. High unemployment was the problem, and industrialisation was the magic pill. All words hailed how it curbed unemployment and build a now-wealthy Singapore.
However, by being in a factory, I found a new perspective. From the worker's.
Industrialisation is great, but it required a massive sacrifice from the people as well. I mean, imagine people previously were living in kampongs, being poor but simple and carefree, then suddenly, they have to work in factories, which has alien machines, foul air, and are controlled environments.
In a factory, people are not people. They are like machines that feed on rice and water. They are just part of an assembly line, doing that 'specialised' jobs for hours. Things that are repetitive, brainless, and void of communication with other people.
How can anyone stand this kind of working environment?
A short chat with uncles enlightened me.
“Boy ah, 在读书啊？”
Nods head.
“在哪里读啊？”
“国大”
“wah, 大学生啊！”
That's the reaction people will get, especially working as a factory boy seems so out of sync (to them, not me) for an university undergrad.
“读书好啦！拿笔好过拿这个啊。” he said, pointing to the metal pieces.
“昨天啊，我做这个做到我手痛啊！”
“我以前就是没有读书。。能读多一点好啊！”
I smiled. Suddenly, I feel very fortunate. For me, this is just an one-day assignment, endure through the day, and this shitty job is over. For them, it is something they have to do FOR LIFE. Repetitions after repetitions. Day after day. Month after month. Year after year.
And suddenly, I found a new found respect for these workers.
Next time, when I see them flooding the bus, I'll try not to sneer, I'll try to be kinder, more humble, and treasure my university place more.
And I saw something beautiful after work.
夕阳无限好，只是近黄昏。
我说，
彩虹好划过，只是在雨后。
haha act cheem! Enjoy your hols people!
lowtide blogged @
1:57 pm
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
Keynes
In the short run, disequilibirums occur everywhere.
Classical economists believe that the Long Run comes quickly, prices and wages are flexible. Walrus' Law states that when n-1 markets clear, the nth market clears as well. Given that all agents are rational utility/profit maximisers, everyone will be doing the best for themselves, hence you can do no better than to leave things as it is, and any intervention will only result in market distortion.
However, Keynesians believe that in the Long Run, we're all dead. Hence, policies are needed to help achieve equilibrium, and to bring the Long Run in as soon as possible.
It's good that things start people thinking about things, as unsuccessful as the process can be. Like the recent petition to repeal S377A, although NMP Siew Kum Hong tried unsuccessfully, he got the entire nation thinking about the gay rights, wife's rights in a marriage, human rights, or on what basis should laws be made in general. The government got a chance to re-evaluate its position (as hypocritical as it could perhaps be) and the nation got to discuss more about it. Passions rose, people were pissed, threats were issued, but at the end of the day, it gave people a chance to re-think about the status quo, things we apparently we take for granted everyday.
Life is an amazing process. That's why it's called a period, a timeline, a process, a road, a journey. It's never a be-all and end-all. It's amazing that despite you think you do know a lot of things, new things, new experiences come and you get to challenge and re-evaluate a lot on your long-standing principles, and constantly evolve to see what you really think.
Maybe, there's no such things as wrong and right, the only things that matter is that whether things are wrong or right to you personally.
Perhaps some day, we should all be like Descartes, erase all our past bias and judgements, and we will gain some really fresh and meaningful perspectives =)
lowtide blogged @
2:49 pm
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Hols
The holidays come so fast that it seemed so unreal.
Activities came straight and fast.
In the span of these few days, I've went for 3 k-ing sessions, watched 1 movie, played soccer once and had 2 meetings.
It's great meeting old friends - Our usual soccer gang, Crite gang, 08/02 and of course the new - rag cum oweek champalang gang =)
School work has gone, but club work has suddenly came in 2 piles.
Bikequest - Programmer (East Area IC)
Foodhunt - DPD (Admin)
The foodhunt meeting just for today. Frankly speaking, after the continous camping in the Arts Clubroom has made me a bit sick of the place =P However, it's always happy to meet the new person, and create new dynamics between us. As it is with all first meetings (and we have a rather big comm), it's rather awkward, especially for me. It might seem small, but stepping up into doing a non-smallfry role is something new to me, and I really hope to do a good job this time round.
I guess it's always lidat. When you do something new, you tend to compare it with the old. It's a bit strange to sit in front of Cindy and do some briefing, when during last year, we were buddies in the programme team, ta-ing all the sai gangs, and having fun doing all the games, clues, answer sheets, makan tokens etc. With Baochuan, we were a small but comfy team. =) I really enjoyed it then, so I hope the same can happen for this year!
Admin work cannot be said as fun, as it involves the very mundane and dry stuff. But I'll try to inspire fun in the Admin team by trying to let them know of the programmes! I wouldn't want to compare it with last year's (the memories I hold so dear), so I'll not say I want to do better, but I'll want to do good nonetheless =)
Bikequest - I hope to settle the very boring stuff soon, then have fun quick with the recce, games and actual cycling. And of course to kp with the comm members!
Adam Khoo side does not really need people, crap. I have to find a job, so anyone with any lobang please tell me!
And thanks to Wong TK - We are certainly spending quality time watching quality shows on mobtv! At least time won't be so sian when you got to watch all these shows, old or new ;P
Ok this is getting random.. Meet up more guys, I'll be so bored =X
lowtide blogged @
8:12 pm
Friday, December 07, 2007
我能呼吸 I am Free
经过三个星期的折腾后，这学期终于结束了。
考试终于告了一个段落。
莫名的，在考试结束之后，我并没有感到而外的喜悦。心中似乎只有“累”这个字。
正如信宏所说，"I realized one of the worst feelings you can have after you walk out from the exam hall is the feeling of “I could have done better”."
我并没有因此感到而外的惋惜，但是多多少少希望自己在那几个小时能更充分的利用自己的学识。
但是从中我学到了一个重要的道理：谋事在人，成事在天。
在人生的路上，我尽力而为，但结局如果不能称心如意，至少我也尽了力。果真如此，也可算是无怨无悔了吧。
不管了啦！是非对错，功果成就，12月27日自有分晓。=X
It's amazing how this semester has brought about unprecedented stress. Every year 2 I've spoken to seem to agree with me that going into year 2 is a huge jump, and the difficult of it all starts to creep in on us. I thought it was just Arts Club people, but speaking with Justin (who is from Computing) confirms that observation.
I'm not sure of the reason. Is it that level 3000 modules are indeed alot tougher than level 2000 modules? Or is it simply that, it seems tougher because everyone seems to step up a gear in their studies once they reach year 2? I always had a theory, of how people doing good would want to maintain, and people who did badly would want to pull up their CAP, hence the increased level of pianess in everyone.
Looking back at my posts for the semester, indeed, like how we kaopeh Jeremy, it has been about studies, studies and studies. Compare that with last semester, when I blogged about the fun I had in the Foodhunt Ocomm, visiting Parliament in my free time, my fun with Malay, current affair issues etc, a lot of emphasis has been put on studies and grades. Every assignment/midterm/term paper's grade is magnified, analysed, and with that, a guess on how others do affecting how well is your grade eventually.
This is crazy, absolutely. Personally, I can think of a few reasons.
Firstly, for me, this semester's modules are indeed a lot tougher than last semester's. Last year's micro1 is crap, philo is slack (ok at least to me, I'm just lucky in my essays), Malay is tiring but absolutely fun, Econometrics is JC, and Government and Politics of Singapore is simply what I love to study.
This semester: Econometrics 2 is oh-so-confusing, totally not helped by Lee Jing's monotonic voice and confusing notes. Micro 2 - Serene Tan, nuff said. Macro1 - Slack, but taking this module alone kinda sucked. Global Economic Dimensions of Singapore - colonial history makes me sleep, totally not helped by the smoking textbook, and WEEEKLY 8AM tutorial. Translation - 4 group assignments, 1 presentation, translation practice to be done before lectures every week (or risk losing face in front of the whole LT). Boring, crazy, and out of the world.
Secondly, I think it is also because I have no hall room to stay in. People who know me know that I sleep a lot, and I need a lot of sleep to be energetic and productive. Not having a hall room means I have to reach home when it's dark, and having a tired body, tired eyes plus a tired mind mean that I can't study at night. Readings for the week are piled until the weekend, and this kinda sucked, and is totally unmotivating and unproductive.
However, I think I suddenly know the real reason for feeling the stress and heat. Stupid as it sounds, I think I feel more stressed about this semester because I know a lot more people. Don't get me wrong, I love these guys. However, I think the fact that you know so many people, and hearing each individual talk about studies, stress and their test scores inevitably adds to that perception that everyone is piaing, so you yourself has to step up a gear as well.
Last semester, I really know few people for the modules I took. I took Micro1 with Xinhong, GPS with Yaozong and HMG, Philo with Yz and Cindy, Econometrics with Cindy (i ponned all bar one lecture anyway), Malay with Cecilia and Patrick.
Less people = less muggerism feel = less stress, at least that is what it is to me. This semester, knowing all the econs majors, and zhimin's ENS friends (who are rather pia), just give me the feeling that everyone is piaing, so must I.
I love studying with my Arts Club friends, but another part of me also miss the days I studied alone in Sheares Hall. It was like in jc days: it's all between you and the books, as long as you study well, you'll score well, where competitors, bell curves are alien concepts. This time round, especially in economics, the competitors suddenly come to life. Every high score you get is accompanied by the
hope that the mean is pathetic, and every low score u get is followed by the
prayer that the whole cohort chui.
Maybe for the next semester, I'll try to harness the best of both worlds: Mugging with friends to keep me motivated and awake, but at the same time, try my best to only compare with myself, on whether I know my stuff well, and not get stressed or affected by what others are doing. It's hard, but I think I'll be a happier student this way =)
Anyway, really thanks to:
Xinyu, Kaiwei, Remmy, Tienkwan, Zhimin, Michelle, Evelyn, Chuan Seng, Cindy, Hwee Guang, May, Zheng Chuan, Jeremy, Joshua, Eugene, Xiaoyan, Applie, Lionel (plus a lot of people visiting the clubroom once in a while) for the company in my 2 weeks of isolation. That gave me massive motivation to study, and help me quit my addiction to my laptop for at least this period. Also, thank you to you guys who tagged jiayous on my tagboard! A big hugs for everyone! =)
I'm glad that this semester is over and done with.. Let the holiday mood sink in!
Back on Earth.
The F word is in the air.
FREEEEEEEEDOMMMMMM!!!
lowtide blogged @
11:15 am
