As 2010 draws to a close

These days, life does not just pass. It whizzes pass. I do not recall that it was a year ago that I splurge on my LV bag, went on tour for 3 weeks in Japan and Taiwan, and got all bumpy about finally graduating from NUS. In fact, it seemed to me all that happened just months ago. It is insanity to actually tell people that 3 years ago, I went to Stockholm for exchange and lived one of the happiest moments of my life there.

Recently, the weather has been erratic. Snowstorms all over Europe, even the temperature in Hong Kong fell below zero (simply ridiculous). That has indeed brought back memories about my Stockholm days, when Kim and I got uber excited about seeing snow in Stockholm, outdoor ice-skating, building snowman, etc. My love for Europe is beyond imagination. Some day I will return, I told myself.

And how has my 2010 been thus far?

The working world is indeed really different from school. You have income but you have more responsibility. You have holidays but it also means you have more work. I have never doubted my own desire to educate, but I have been questioning my desire to stay on in the job. The job really derives a lot of satisfaction, especially when you see your students making progress along the way. However, I think that satisfaction is unable to fill me, fill my desires and make me contented. I want to do more, with each passing day. Life at work is mundane compared to life when I was a student: more happenings, more jokes, more laughter, more friends, more conversations, more learning, more knowledge, more control.

Your friends at work discuss about the same things everyday. Their conversations are much like a routine. The conversation revolves around the same topic; students, results, exams, CCAs, shopping for girls, etc. I feel that the number of intellectual conversations that I engage in has decreased exponentially while in school.

Honestly, I feel that when you step into the working world officially, you start to think more (not necessarily deeper). You become more risk-averse, you try to calculate and weigh your benefits and costs for each step that you take, you behave more appropriately socially. However, you lose your innocence and candour. You become overtly mindful of other people's feelings, so you lose yourself. I still prefer the me when I was a student.

Then I was dumped into NIE and overwhelmed with assignments. I had less time for myself but I got to meet new friends. I meet interesting characters; people of diverse background but at least we share something in common: we all have a passion for teaching. I do not get to engage in conversations outside of assignments (tons of project discussion) but I spend more time reading the Economist, Nat Geo, news, and books that I like. So there is a trade-off. My writing has toned down a lot, less of the fanciful analogies, idioms, catch-phrases but more of formal expressions, which I really disdain.

The highlight of 2010 was probably the trip to Egypt, the land of civilisations. Egypt has really aroused my interest in ancient history. I have always been fond of history, be it ancient, middle ages, european, asian, or whatever. However, I lack the discipline to actually visit the library to get the books and read them. But well, yesterday is not representative of tomorrow. We should move on.

My 2010 is definitely not as colourful and vivid as my 2009, and you can corroborate from the number of blog posts that I made this year. Hopefully, my 2011 will be more fascinating. :)

星光's next big star: 安东倪 Sorry that I loved you

Everything I hear him sing, my eyes tear. It's his voice! Now I am so glad that he finally has his own album. :))

And of course, I hope this song will touch your heart and make you tear too! :)) It is getting difficult to find someone who is good looking and can sing so well....

Words have no meaning, you put meaning into them.

I have always uphold this view that "words have no meaning, it is the reader that puts the meaning into the sentences." Indeed, I was proven right yet again! I have absolutely no intention of putting anyone down in the process and in fact, I was already feeling awful that things had turned out the way it did. Someone dealt me another blow when the comment that "I seem to be shifting the blame to someone else" came out from her mouth. C'mon, be professional and objective. Stop putting words into my mouth and degrade my intentions.

I have not been blogging that often these days and it has indirectly affected the way I express certain ideas, perhaps.

A weird and silly dream....

The weirdest dream appeared last night! I dreamt that I was back to Stockholm, Sweden, back to SSE, Saltis and all that. I was with the wrong company, the sort of people whom I will never imagine being with while overseas. But nostalgia overwhelmed me when I awoke from the dream. SSE was still there, Saltis never changed a single bit, but Lidl was gone. Our favourite supermarket no longer stands as it is. I really wonder how much Stockholm has changed. I miss Stockholm, I really do. Truly, deeply, badly.......

so swarmed with work....

NIE is supposed to be a breeze, isn't it? It seems like I am more swarmed with work than ever, at least 20 assignments due of various degrees thus far. And I've got to take tests (MATH)! I'm fearless when it comes to Math exams since young but this time round, things are really different. It seems to me that the questions are more like Maths Olympiad Questions then mathematical questions. :( Oh well, to think I said I do not think that anyone can fail SMMT. I retract those words of mine. :(

And yes, november has too many deadlines awaiting me. I honestly need a break! :( I wanted to take time off to chill, sit down with friends and do nothing, play more tennis than ever, go back to studying French but none of these are on my agenda! Not that I will accomplish all of them without those assignments but perhaps the probability of accomplishing some is way higher!

Perhaps, wake me up when "December" comes. Cause that will be when all the deadlines are over and I can finally have a good break, enjoy my birthday month as usual. I love December!!!! :)) Nonetheless, they never last. From birthday to X'mas then New Year, time whizzes past always. And I vividly remember, last December I was away for almost the entire month. The kind of life I lick my lips over all the time! Not this December anymore.

Nonetheless, there are perks to me joining the force. Occasionally, I get text messages from my ex-students or meet them on the bus and we get to catch up on our lives. :)) And when they tell me how darling I was a teacher to them, my heart melts. Teaching is really a very satisfying job. :))

Enough of whining, back to work. :((

Sacrificing sleep for Mitch Albom's books!

Mitch Albom's books never fail to sweep me off my feet. This time round, "Have a little faith" indeed did not disappoint. Just a few meaningful excerpts from the book:

It's perfectly fine to say "Someone is imperfect but they don't need improvement because it simply means you are willing to accept them as they are."

Faith is about doing. You are how you act, not just how you believe.

There is no cynism in the line of work revolving faith. Let me answer with a story, "There's this salesman, see?" And he knocks on a door. The man who answers says, "I don't need anything today."

The next day, the salesman returns. "Stay away", as he is told. The next day, the salesman is back. The man yells, "You again! I warned you!" He gets so angry he spits in the salesman's face. The salesman smiles, wipes the spit with a handkerchief, then looks to the sky and says, "Must be raining."

That's what faith is. If they spit in your face, you says it must be raining. But you still come back tomorrow.

Make a case against God; When you come to the end, that's where GOD begins.

Why do bad things happen to good people? ..... Because when you lose someone you love, you can curse GOD. You can yell. You can blame him. You can demand to know why. But when you don't believe in God, and things happen, you can only blame yourself. "Oh yes, it is far more comforting to think God listened and said no, than to think that nobody's out there."

Most religions warn against war, yet more wars have been fought over religion than perhaps anything else. Sodom and Gomorrah.... But so many people wage wars in God's name. God does not want such killing to go on. But MAN does.

When a baby comes into the world, its hands are clenched. Because a baby, not knowing better, wants to grab everything, to say, "The world is mine." But when an old person dies, his hands are open because he has learned the less, "We can take nothing with us."

What do people fear most about death? And Thomas Hardy answers in his poem

"They count as quite forgot, They are as men who have existed not, Theirs is a loss past loss of fitful breath. It is the second death."

Fear of being forgotten - That's the second death.

Marriage & Commitment: What do you lose if you don't commit? "A happiness you cannot find alone."

The same things in life can be good or evil, depending on what, with free will, we do with them. Speech can bless or curse. Money can save or destroy. Science can heal or kill. Even nature can work for you and against you: fire can warm or burn; water can sustain life or flood it away. Nowhere in the story of Creation do we read the word "bad". From the beginning, God put this world into our hands so we were created with a piece of divinity inside us called free will. And what God does is watch us every day lovingly, praying that we will make the right choices.

Everyone has done some bad things in his life. But it's not about you against the other guy. It's God measuring you against you. "Maybe all you get are chances to do good, and what little bad you do ain't much bad at all. But because has God has put you in the position where you can always do good, when you do something bad - it's like you let God down. And maybe people who only get chances to do bad, always around bad things, like us, when they finally make something good out of it, God's happy."

It's amazing how folks can't see you, cause they want to keep you in that past. They just looked at your past. And when we're still looking at ourselves through our past, we're not seeing what God has done. What He can do! We're not seeing the little things that happen in our lives. You knew me. You knew that person, but you don't know the person that I'm trying to become. Judge Not.

It's amazing how all these excerpts struck a chord in me as I was reading. Another 10 years down the road, these excerpts will continue to remind me of how the book has touched my heart for I probably would not have the time to re-read it again. Perhaps, some day I will. Just like I would relish the opportunity to journey through "Tuesdays with Morrie."

It seemed too small for what I wanted to achieve in life, like being stuck wearing your grade school clothes. I had dreams of travelling, making foreign friends in foreign cities. I had heard the phrase "citizen of the world." I wanted to be one.

Quote of the day

"I can accept failure. Everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying." --- Michael Jordan

Peer Pressure

How to combat peer pressure at work and at school?

1. Think about what is best for the company you work for

Many times, others think solely about themselves, but if you think about the company as a whole, it will help your judgment process

2. Avoid gossiping in the workplace

This is very important. The last thing you want to do is start getting into a gossip battle with someone else at work. Go about your own business and get your work done well.

3. Keep a positive attitude no matter what.

Those who pressure you to do things you don't want to do will likely be frustrated if you have such a positive attitude.

4. Keep a smile on your face.

Do not talk behind other's backs. This is very hurtful and a good way to get yourself into trouble.

5. Choose your friends wisely.

There's a big difference between someone who pressures you into wasting your money on stuff you don't need and someone who draws you into drugs and alcohol. Kids who use that kind of peer pressure will make you feel rotten in other ways, so it's best to avoid them.

Find someone in your group of friends who objects to drugs, alcohol, crime, and cigarettes. An ally can really help when push comes to shove. Make sure you respect them, though, so the strategy doesn't backfire.

Support someone who's undergoing peer pressure. When cocaine is being passed around a party and kids are giving someone a hard time, pull them away from the crowd.

Emphasize that doing drugs, drinking alcohol and smoking are illegal. Ask your friends if they want to go to jail, get suspended from school or get into trouble with their parents. Tell them the punishment isn't worth the crime.

Learn the gruesome truth about the health effects of drugs, alcohol and smoking. They kill your brain cells. These chemicals ruin your skin, teeth, and hair and make you look and feel gross.

5. Take a broken record approach.

No matter what anyone says, repeat, "I don't do that stuff". You don't need to justify your decision.

Read horror stories on the Internet and share with them whoever's trying to pressure you. Some peers can only appreciate in-your-face messages like stories about destroyed lives. Email and text-message them URLs so they can see for themselves.

Avoiding peer pressure doesn't require not conversing with others. Converse and associate yourself, but don't compromise. Dealing with peer pressure isn't easy, but it can be done, so keep your head up and smile! :))

Trade-offs

Oh well, the past one week I've been digging myself in Mathematics. So much that I discovered I've a burning passion for it. Mathematics rocks! :))

And, I realise I really enjoy studying. Vividly remember how I used to laugh @ my friends for being bookworms, burying themselves in books. Oh well, so who's a frequenter of the library these days?

K is flying to Sweden ONCE AGAIN! Sometimes I really envy for all that he has. A warm AND rich family, an overseas job which allows him to shutter between SG and Sweden every now and then, a bunch of like-minded friends who play music, and many more.

But I guess that's the trade-off for subjecting myself to a bond. Less freedom, but perhaps more of other stuff?

Stages of Life... (Part 1)

Just a random post on life...(written 2 years back; I'd forgotten to publish it...

0-4 years old:

You were most probably living the happiest stage in life where u need not study and all you did everyday was sleep, eat (drinking milk), being pampered, carried all around and play! Adults would be busy taking care of u.. playing with u... You learnt how to speak, how to crawl, how to walk and how to run.. hahhaa.. For me, life before four is something that is extremely vague thus I do not have much memories of anything..All I remembered was my enemity against pacifiers.. They make me uncomfortable.. hehe.. but i had a bad habit of wearing pampers.. hahaha... At the turn of five years old, i met "him".. Something that has a love-and-hate relationship with me.. It was something I had to rely on for the rest of my life and yet I didn't like it a single bit.. My childhood mates were of course my beloved brother and cousin.. All the dumb child's play like role-playing doctors, nurses, teachers etc... and doctor games tt we played...I kind of miss them.... Fortunately, i need not attend nursery and that saved me from an extra year of pain and agony from reading and studying...

5-6 years old:

OMG! Inauguration of SCHOOL! Afterall, it was a Christian kindergarten so things weren't that bad... I started picking up my ABC and 123 and of course, it's FUN! ... However, I lost touch with all those kindergarten friends of mine already....

My ambition: To be a DOCTOR~~

7-10 years old:

Primary School!! Life still wasn't that pathetic...Kids started to go to school to learn more complicated stuff not just academically but also socially.. At this point in life, everyone is a friend to you and there wasn't any hard feelings between anyone... hehe.. Differences between the opposite sexes were never highlighted and your teachers make you hold hands with one another till primary three....I vividly remember this guy who sat next to me in class who often lacked behind others in his work.... We talked a lot a lot and I was often punished because of that.... Subsequently, we started assigning homework to each other though most of the time, he was the disciplined one who kept to his promise... I evolved to be more like a teacher to him going through his work and "correcting" them within my mental capability... Had my teaching ability been spotted back then? CLUELESS....

When I entered primary three, I was first exposed to "foreign students"... This wealthy Indonesian boy, Bobby, who was my first best male friend in primary school. Sitting behind me in the classroom, both of us could go on for hours bickering about trivial stuff.. Nevertheless, no argument ever affected our friendship... At the end of the day, both of us always made up and we would walk home together with his maid who would pick him up from school... Though the journey wasn't that long, those images stay in my memory ALWAYS...

Primary 4 followed shortly and I met friends whom I term as Best Friends, YP.LY.. I attempted lies so that I could linger in school a while longer to play but my grandmother was smart enough to see through them. However, she was kind enough not to expose me in front of my Mom. Woo! Thanks!

It was also during this stage in life that I first experienced my lifetime hobby- MAHJONG! hahaha...

My ambition: to be a Teacher or Lawyer~~~

11-12 years old:

Probably the worst two years in my life and in primary school as I had to transfer to a new school and adapt to a totally new lifestyle.... Everything started from 0 and within two years, PSLE appeared on the agenda...It was probably at this stage in life that I suffered my first major setback in life as i underperformed..

Needless to say, this was also a point in life when bgr crept into my life... Friends confide in you as to who they have taken a liking to.. Gossips flew all around and if you wanted it to be a secret, the best way was to not let a single person know... The more happy memory in this stage was probably the integration of mahjong into my life since I played mahjong every vacation and almost every other night at my cousin's house...Was vulgar in it as well? hahaha

I am still steadfast in my ambition to be a LAWYER!

13-16 years old:

To everyone, this stage in life is always memorable and unforgettable... You start to rebel against teachers, parents and anyone who tried to control or take away ur freedom! You openly challenge the teacher's authority, you start to engage in emotions like infactuation and crushes... You seek intimidation with the opposite sex... Terms like backstabbers, hypocrites became pervasive in your life... You always coined them as detestable etc... However, I cannot help but agree it is definitely this point in life that you meet your true friends in life... The people who will walked through life with you.... For me, the first two years in secondary school is what I'd term as the transition period.. I didn't have much good memories perhaps because I wasn't a competent participant in the social setting as yet..It was in secondary two when I met Karine and Debbie that I finally opened up... We hanged out at Westmall almost everyday after school and those days were really carefree....

Entry into sec 3 & 4 changed my life completely... Nominated and perhaps voted the most outspoken and talkative GIRL in class, I am not sure whether to take that as a compliment or an insult... hahaha.. I understood the meaning of unrequittance, the struggles especially when the opposition party is your best friend....Yet, without ignition, wounds won't hurt as much... Time heals them.

Subsequently, I met SH, one of my best pals in life... Those crazy acts in school, and the whining about the distance between our homes etc. We have always been looking forward to the day when both of us would live in the same neighbourhood so we could turn the whole neighbourhood upside down... God granted us our wishes eventually but it came too late... It's insignificant now...

Before I put a full-stop to my teenager years, I met the two most important PALS in my life-Chris.WenX. Together with SP, SIDY was established.. I would single out those days with them as the most memorable period in my teenage years... The swings, the nasi lemak, the complaints, the prefects, the macdonalds, basketball sessions, the sms-es, the phone calls, the bus rides... Everyday, there were a million things for us to lament on...

From them, I learnt one important rationale in life - Every end is also another new beginning...

Uncontained laughter, happiness was present in every single cell of mine.... When you needed help, you knew instantly who to seek, comfort was always available.. Even till years later, the bond, the telepathy that you share never disappears.... For that, I heart them.....

When you least expects it, God throws you yet another lifeline... Ta-daa~ Pigsy Ang! We were originally two planets that would never ever have clashed. Even if we did chance upon each other, we always inflicted damage on each other... Arguments never ever escaped our conversation even till the day when we were put to sit next to each other... But when two planets are forced to revolve around each other peacefully, an unexpected reaction ignites... That's why till today, he's still the one who will drive me around whenever I requested.. He's still the one who would send some chocolates to my place and tell the banglas not to remove them.....

When you realise you lack the foundation that will pave the way to your dream, you steer away.
My ambition ~~ To be a Counsellor !

17-19years old:

My experience at AL Dente was one of the most enjoyable one, meeting great friends like Jun, Nick , Jeremy & Ben... till now, we still keep in contact occasionally and I really miss them a lot a lot! haha.. U learnt abt skills tt u nv knew.. for me, italian food! hahaha.. bar!! wines!! spirits!! beers!! u see how ugly men become when they fight for promotion and pay increase!!

Ambition: Singer or Accountant/Auditor

Point in life when u start to make decisions about your own future, some may already have a partner whom they intend to spend the rest of their life.. some still single.. some attached and stuff... U experience working life if u are a Poly student and if a JC Student, u learn all about stress!! hahaha... U see more backstabbers and hypocrites.. u start to miss ur childhood! U gossip about somebody around the clock.. u stare at guys in lectures, follow them, appearing at the same canteen many times a day in the hope of seeing them.. hahaha..

For me, i met another group of close friends, Shuin dee & JANICE & Jiaying who did all the above with me.. Getting enrolled into TDP provide the environment for me to mature, learnt how to handle politics better than in sec sch, made presentations in classes and grps, peer tutor a grp of students etc etc... & this was the first time i was able to officially skip classes w/o gving any1 any excuses! Damn cool! hahhaa.. I love Jan & Omma.. cause they really brought me tons of laughter and taught me different lessons in life, different from those that SIDY & SH & Deb did.! I learnt first hand auditing experience too @ EY.. i will always be grateful to AG for showing me the ropes back then, for being a mentor, a friend, a confidant, and a BOSS...

I moved into nightlife with Ben upon leaving EY and right there I met A, someone whom I shared an ambigious relationship with. Back then he often set me into thinking about the future, and I'm glad I met him. He made me realised what I wanted in life most, and in him, I found the courage and perseverance to set out for what I wanted most in life, to travel around the world. Without him, I doubt I will ever embark on my adventures to the different continents in the world. The exposure in ICB opened up my tiny little world, I became more receptive towards the different cultures, values, behaviour, etc.

In the last lap of my polytechnic education, I met another 2 good friends, Allan & Shuren. Two young, smart, and, promising lads who will some day in the future become our future leaders. The long and gruelling nights of current affair discussions, preparing for our scholarship interviews, psychometric tests, etc. always seem less tiring with their accompany. Finally, before I knew it, it was time for me to graduate from the Polytechnic and i dreaded it because it meant that everything was reset and I had to start all over again as a fresh undergraduate! Haizz....

After graduation, I went on cruise, and even got a job @ Hilton hotel working @ the front desk. Since I am so passionate about travelling, picking up the know-hows of the tourism industry is a must. It was right there where I get to interact with people of different nationalities the most. However, I was also exposed to the backstabbing world, the scandals.. etc etc.. I finally truly UNDERSTOOD the importance of education in SG. The privileged ones are always the smart ones. I see why foreigners dominate the F&B industries because Singaporeans are choosy characters when it comes to working.

Then I had to face one of the toughest decision in my life: Scholarship or SIA?

Ambition : Air-stewardess or Teacher/Lecturer?

20-23 years old:

And so I chose knowledge over glam, and I have to salute myself for making this wise choice. Come to think of it now, it shouldn't have been that hard a decision. I've to admit that studying in NUS is not as easy as what others perceive it. The rolling tons of coursework, competition, assignments, exams that you are have to deal with will easily turn a sane person insane anytime. Without the right balance in life, leisure activities, friends who show support, one will easily sink into depression. Of course, that's only if you wish to ace your exams and emerge as a top class honours graduate. If you are just aiming for a pass, it's as easy as ABC. Just show up for your tutorials, put in the minimal effort and you will be guaranteed a 'C' every semester for every module.

Joseph & Sharon; my first few friends in NUS who walked through the tortuous year 1 phase, me laughing @ their lame jokes while they laugh @ my laughter and poise because I burst into tears too easily while laughing. If you have ever been alone in a social setting, you will understand how much of a comfort it is to have someone sitting beside you during lectures, in tutorials, planning modules, etc.

Pauline, Rachel, HuiYun: I wasn't too receptive towards Pauline when I first met her because she was very quiet and looked like the studious type who was only interested in studying. So despite taking 2 modules tog with her, Calculus & Econs with her, we only attended school together and parted ways after classes. But never in my imagination would she become my best friend in NUS, who tolled through the first 3 years of school. Lunches, Dinners, takeaways in LTs, and eventually gatherings outside school with Rachel, Huiyun to the Botanic Gardens, Waraku, etc.

And I'm kind of tired..... Shall continue with it some other day about the interesting characters I met in my life..

Labelling II

Finally finished labelling all the past posts! It took me more than 6 hours in tally to do it.

Why on earth did I blog so much in the past?

Some of the posts are really random and I'd no clue how to label them?

But at least those from Stockholm are all classified in one label; STOCKHOLM :))

Lovely memories...

Sick (Again)

Haven't have the time to sit down to update my blog.

Been busy with school mostly, some tennis here and there, shopping, and chilling out with friends.

Maybe having to wake up early is really taking a toll on my body which explains why I fell sick for the 3rd time in less than a year! Arrgghh! I hate to be sick especially when I am down with a running nose. :(( It's extremely irritating when I've to keep wiping away the snivel. :(

So I was on MC for 2 days. I hate to be consistently on MCs because I am grounded @ home, and others might see me as a weakling which is totally untrue! I play sports actively and my physical condition cannot be better! It's just that with my throat completely sore (can't utter a proper sentence without my voice going hoarse), I would be better off resting @ home (according to the doctor). Plus, he says that I shouldn't be in school if not I will spread the virus to students, and my colleagues. :))

Please, don't fall sick again, my dear body!

Just-for-laughs.

My friend from India is getting married. She invited us to attend her wedding. 5-10 August.

Checked air tickets. $511/-. May I?

I went into the salon, flipped open the female mag as usual. Saw the latest louis vuitton ad.

New bag. Sistine Damier Ebene. Checked. $2.3k. May I?

Then I came back home. I looked at the pile of papers and envelops on my desk. Found my latest cc & other bills.

Looked @ the amount. WOW! I should hit lala land soon. The above will happen in my dreams. :))

Commencement

Hands filled with marking, vetting drafts, a level oral examination, so much so that I didn't have the time to sit down to blog about commencement, needless to say Egypt! Oh whatever happened to my one post a day?

I am really glad that I've finally come to the end of my academic career (at least temporary). It was extremely overwhelming as I sat inside the auditorium, lining up at the side of the stage waiting for my turn to go on stage, having shook the presenter's hand and be handed my degree scroll. Never in my dreams have I expected this day to leave me lingering in the times when I was in NUS, needless to say be in the elite group of FCH graduates.

People, you have completely no idea how precious that title is, or rather how many people covet for that honour. In the sea of people, there are only 43 FCH graduates in the entire Social Sciences cohort, which includes those from Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, CNM, etc. and including those from the double degree programmes. If we narrow down to the Economics Honours Class, then there is an elite group of 23 students (including those Law, Engineering, and Business students) who will eventually land the prize of the FCH title. Initially, I didn't think much of it. It was only until Monday, 12 July 2010 that I realise how fortunate I am to have been presented that honour and I start to have serious thoughts about what I am doing right now and in the foreseeable future.

So the 10 of us sitting in the FCH section started chatting over our employment, job prospects, salary scale, job scope. That was when I started to feel really lousy. All of us are employed by the Ministries and I've to say mine is definitely the lousiest of them all. After chatting to them, I realise that the Ministry that I work in is a place where the top-tier graduates shun and see it as a drop in the bucket in the realm of Public Service.

To cut to the chase, I feel that whatever I am doing now is seemingly meaningless in comparison to my pals who graduated with FCH. People are reading papers, doing analytical work, making presentations to perm secs, deputy directors of various depts whereas for me, I am reading work full of grammar mistakes, spelling errors, lacking in depth and general knowledge e.g. "Wheat is used to make corn".! The days when I read research papers, simulate regressions, analyse data and results are all gone with the wind. :(

To add bitter icing to the rotten cake, I think I do face quite a lot of people who do not put their money where their mouth is and of course the it's a small world people! It is not as though I can't find my feet in the environment unlike the freshies days in NUS, I just need bigger and better things to fill my mental capacity.

But anyway, I guess there's no point in my having a chip on my shoulder since I have penned it years ago. Or maybe LK is completely ON THE MARK. They can't make a 18 year old make decisions. :) It's unfair!

Best Pals since the Poly days..... :))

The Economist gang - times of playing monopoly deal, Wii, argghh! How I miss them!

So happy after we finally threw the mortar board...

There are many more pictures... Just too lazy to upload from my camera..... we shall await..

World CUp Updates V

WooLaLa~~~

Spain is the WORLD CUP 2010 CHAMPIONS!

The 8th nation to win the WC, succeeding Italy, Brazil, France, Germany, Argentina, England, & Uruguay.

Honestly, the first 90-minutes of the game was a tad of a bore.

You witness a team of thugs don in orange, known as the ORANJE running after a bunch of sleek street performers of football a.k.a.(also known as) La Furia Roja.

After a long-drawn 120 minutes, 14 yellow cards and a resulting red card were flashed.

It makes you ponder if the Oranje are really homosapiens or our origin as Ardipithecus Ramidus had once again penetrated their souls.

Honestly, La Roja was a bit off the mark in the beginning whereas the Oranje were taking their gloves off!

La Roja's possession was a dime a dozen! :))

I guess "Total Football" is causing much destruction to the Oranje despite the latter being the true masters of it.

But anyway, they should feel proud that today's Spanish football is to a certain extent of Dutch lineage.

After a month's long of football and tennis action, I am feeling empty now that everything has come to an end.

Gone are the days where I will have to drink cups of teh-beng to keep myself awake, stumble upon going to work because I simply find my bed irresistible, or go out like a light the very next day after the football match! :))

Oh well well well, CONGRATS NADAL; CONGRATS LA FURIA ROJA! It's a morale booster to the Spanish because they managed to hold all their aces but hope all of these victories and success will not be a flash in the pan! GO SPAIN!

World CUp Updates IV

Oh well well, Lady Luck donned the Oranje's colour this time round, didn't she? And when that happens, there's absolutely nothing Mr. Outstanding Footballer can do. :)

First WC ever to be held in Africa, First-time WC winner emerging. Ambivalent about the emerging winner though. I am definitely going for Espana though. This is the golden age of Spanish football, with the likes of David Villa, Fernando Torres, Xavi Hernandes, Andres Iniesta, etc. There really isn't a better time than 2010 for the Spaniards to indulge in World Cup glory!

The curtains are gonna be drawn this coming Sunday and a month of sports-filled action is on the decline. I am so gonna miss Tennis & Football. If Spain were to lift the prized trophy this year, then it has indeed been a rewarding year or rather a bumper harvest for Spanish Sports.

The most bizarre occurrence. Poor Paul, he's on his way to being fried or the sushi menu!

Before the curtains fall, let's once again call to mind the Official Theme Song for this year's WC:

World Cup Updates III

can't believe that Brazil is out of the competition at such an early stage in the competition. I guess the curse that I bring upon the downfall of the team and people I support is en route to its glory days.

RFederer was sunk by Tomas Berdych, a rare phenomenon, and Murray got kicked in the ass by Nadal, which was pretty much predicted.

Netherlands is through to the semi-finals thanks to Melo's own goal, foul, and eventually the sent-off. Honestly, I was filled with respect and in awe of Robben's dazzling runs @ defenders in the competition but he went off the rails when he started playacting to earn free-kicks and get his opponents sent off. And I was extremely devastated by the fact that Brazil is out because I just blogged about how united the team is and how entertaining their football can be. I better not praise any team in particular otherwise I would be heartbroken to have to witness their exit again.

David Villa's goal against Paraguay to ensure their place in the semis was the only silver lining after the drama-mama 5 minutes of two penalties at both ends of the field. He's the bomb, pick of the tournament, and top on my chart currently! :))

Germany is thus far the most consistent team in the competition so the game between Germany & Spain is a tough one to pick, having to take into consideration the fact that both teams had just met in the 2008 Euro Finals. To maintain a neutral stance and objectivity, the better team tomorrow night should prevail and earn themselves a place in the finals. :))

Nonetheless, like ZH said, the jabulani is a perfect sphere and anything can happen. This WC has been filled with dramas and playacting esp. Slovakia, Robben, etc. Does this spell hope that Spain might eventually prevail or Uruguay might just lift the cup this coming Sunday?!

Labelling

Trying to backdate and label all my previous posts. Indeed, 350 posts is working my socks off! Shouldn't have blogged so frequently! To be continued........

Egypt IV - Abu Simbel

Built by Ramses II during his 67 years reign, it only gained its fame in the 1960s when UNESCO and the few powerhouses around the world decided to undergo major relocation of the temple.

Abu Simbel is located 40km north of Sudan, and 270km from Aswan, the city in the most Southern part of Egypt. Ramses II built Abu Simbel primarily to show off his awe to Egypt's African Southern counterparts after successfully deterring them from invading Egypt. However, the sweetest thing I like about this narcissist Pharoah was his love for his wife. He had 47 wives and 111 children in total, but he had only one love of his life, Nefetari! He is the only Pharoah in ancient Egyptian history to have built a temple for his wife.

So I suppose he wanted to be with Nefetari and only Nefetari in his after-life and eternally. :))

What exactly is the catch of Abu Simbel then?

1) It has two temples, one for the King and the other for the Queen, which is one of a kind in Egypt.

2) On 2 days of the year, 20th February and 20th October, for 2 minutes, the Sun will shine right into the temple and onto Ramses II's face and lit up Ramses II's statue. Why these 2 days?

Bingo, it's the birthday and coronation day of the Pharoah! :)

3) It used to be completely buried under the sand and not so soon after the archaeologists discover it, the temple faced the risk of being submerged in Lake Nassau, an artificial lake that was about to be formed by the construction of the Aswan High Dam back then. So UNESCO stepped in and with more modernized equipments and technology, they decided to cut the temples up in blocks and pieces so as to shift the temple 210m and 70m up and away. :)

4) Ramses II placed himself on the same status quo in the temple, he was worshipped as per the likes of other ancient Egyptian Gods like Amon, Goddess of Earth (think it's Hathor), God of darkness (can't rmb the name). The only Pharoah to be worshipped like a GOD. Maybe he's really GOD-LIKE (at least to himself).

That ends the "A story a day from Egypt".

Mirage on our way back! You can see the reflections of the sand dunes as though there's a lake in the desert but it is merely an optical illusion caused by atmospheric conditions.

Artificial Lake - Lake Nassau: Beware of CROCODILES! They used to reside in the Nile but the Aswan High Dam deterred their entry into River Nile due to uneven water levels and barricades I think.

Abu Simbel - Temple for Ramses II (left) & Temple for Nefetari (right)

That's Nefetari, wife of Ramses II, at the foot of his statue.

Abu Simbel

Lake Nassau again!

Egypt III - Giza & the Ancient Egyptian Civilization

Have you ever wondered why Ancient Egyptians build pyramids? Have you ever seen the pyramid that is being printed on the US$1 notes with the wordings, "In God We Trust"?

I never did, until I went to Egypt.!

Ancient Egyptians believe that their soul will rise to the sky upon their death and they will have a 2nd life i.e. after life and this after-life is eternal. However, the prerequisite of having an after-life is a well preserved body that the soul is able to visit every night. Otherwise, (maybe) your soul will vanish into thin air. :(

So, understanding their culture and beliefs is only the first step to understand the various religious practices of ancient Egyptians.

(1) Mummified Body

(2) Pyramids

Mummification keeps the body intact so that the soul will be able to recognize its own body and visit it every night. It involves 4 main processes, mainly immersing the body in some kind of liquid mixture to preserve the body, dehydrating the corpse, followed by the removal of key organs like the lungs, intestines, stomach, and brain, and finally wrapping it up in linen cloth.

Even with our current biotechnology and scientific knowledge, no one is able to figure out the composition of the liquid mixture because it is the key to mummification. Without first preserving the body, all other procedures will not fall in place accordingly. Experiments that have been done thus far suggests that ginger, herbs, some other natural plants that were found in ancient plants are necessary. The process of producing the liquid mixture is a complete mystery that awaits insight.

The removal of key organs involves 2 main steps, first a 10cm cut in the right abdominal to extract the intestines, lungs, and stomach. The second step involves squeezing the brain out through the nose, though I am clueless as to how our nose and brain are connected. Only the biology students can shed some light on this.

** Ever thought of doing something great and impossible? Research on the liquid mixture necessary for mummification and improvise it such that it can be used to preserve live human bodies. You'll make it big.**

Upon preserving the bodies, it is then necessary to bury it. Pyramids are only meant for the royalties since ordinary beings can hardly afford to build one. In addition, the deceased has to be buried together with all its personal belongings in his or her first life thus they often require gigantic tombs. The first ever pyramid that was built are not those of GIZAs but the STEP PYRAMID in Sakkara. Its architect was Imhotep and his rationale of constructing a tomb shaped like a pyramid is so that the coffin can be placed right in the centre of the pyramid since the tip of the pyramid is at the highest point of the tomb and the soul of the deceased will ascend to heaven from the tip. But it was the Pyramids of Giza who acquire fame and worship through its majestic structure and ancestry.

Belonging to the three Pharoahs of the same bloodline, Cheops (Father), Chephren (Son), Mykorinos (Grandson), the first pyramid is the biggest pyramid in the world. It decreased in size because the descendent, out of respect, felt that its tomb should not be bigger than that of his ancestor. Since only pharoahs built pyramids, and their personal belongings are exquisite, or made of gold, the prominent appearance of the pyramids started to draw tomb robbers. Thus, subsequent generations of pharoahs stopped building pyramids as tombs. Instead, they had their tombs built underground in Valleys which bring us to the 2nd most important site in Egypt, Valley of the Kings. :))

Do you want to be mummified?

World Cup Updates II

Well, Round of 16 is over, the best 8 teams move on to the quarter-finals and this year seems to be South-America's year with 1/2 of the 8 teams coming from the continent!

Since young, everyone has been discussing how awe-inspiring Brazil's football is and I never truly appreciated it until this year. I caught 3 out of 4 of Brazil's matches this year and they impress me every single game. No sophisticated moves or tricks, No Rambo in the team, simple yet successfully completed passes, plentiful of scoring opportunities created, stream of goals coming in (at least 2 every game except the one against Portugal). They are SIMPLY AWESOME to watch! I hope they move on to win the CROWN! :)) Go Brazil!

England was a disappointment to watch YET AGAIN! Since my passion for football was ignited by the English players in the Premier League, supporting England is in succession to my love for the game. 8 years ago, the likes of David Beckham, Michael Owen and the teenage wonder boy Wayne Rooney caused a big hoo-ha about the possibility of England being crowned champions. But the rising young star Ronaldinho sent the English team packing their bags home in the quarter-finals. I continue to hold strong belief that the golden age of England has yet to come. God knows the quarter-finals against Portugal in 2006 was yet another bummer that shattered all hopes and dreams I hold of England!

So come my very own 3rd anniversary of the WORLD CUP FEVER, I decided to take an objective stand and support teams that deliver and bring out the best football in them. Indeed, it turned out to be one of the wisest footballing decisions I've ever made. Teams like Brazil and Spain never fail to take my breath away even in the wee hours of the morning whereas England time and again shattered their fans' dream. Goals changed games I concur, and the outcome would have been as different as day and night in the match against Germany. Blame it on poor luck.

The champion is still hard to predict, tough tie between BRAZIL, SPAIN, and ARGENTINA. BUT GO BRAZIL! GO SPAIN!

Egypt II - Alexandria

The city was non-existent prior to 322 B.C. and you can deduce its founder from the name of the city itself. It is none other than Alexander The Great, a Greek who invaded Egypt in 322 B.C.

Alexandria is located at the northern coast of Egypt, close to where the Mediterranean Sea is. A pretty chilly city, completely off imagination of the typical weather in Egypt. We covered 3 main tourist attractions in Alexandria, mainly Pompey's Pillar, Qaitbay Citadel, and Montazah Palace.

And of course, Alexandria is where all the stories about Cleopatra originated as well!

Pompey's Pillar is a Roman Triumphal Column that rises out of a pile of debris (it was previously the site of a temple), as I'd call it honestly. Pompey is a person's name and he was thought to be a revolt to the then Roman Emperor, Dicoletian. So the emperor ordered his arrest and public decapitation. It was rumored that the pillar was where they hanged Pompey's head. However, subsequent sources proved it wrong but they still kept the name. Perhaps it's a way to lure the tourists to visit.

Qaitbay Citadel, the guarding fortress of Alexandria city. Egypt has a strategic location like Singapore as it connects the East and the West in the past when harbours were still the main gateway to trade. Thus, many Western countries covet over the city of Alexandria which is close to the Mediterranean Sea. As such, invasions or attacks by the enemies were common. According to the guide, there is a distinct difference between citadels and fortresses. Kings and Queens do not live in the fortresses but they do reside in the citadels.

The citadel is the exact site of the Lighthouse of Alexandria, one of the 7 ancient wonders of the world. However, repeated invasions and an earthquake led to the destruction of the lighthouse with only the bottom to survive, but only as a watchtower. :(

Montazah Palace was built by Turkish rulers of Egypt and it was meant to be a Summer Palace. Alexandria was chosen as the destination for the summer palace due to its relatively cooler climate compared to the South, I deduce it myself. :) Really awesome architecture and nice gardens, you can tell that it's a place meant for kings even from afar.!

Cleopatra - The last pharoah that ruled Egypt before the nation became a Roman province. :)) Interesting stories about Cleopatra but my memory is dying on me. Cleopatra is of Greek lineage i.e. descendent of Alexander the Great. Unlike her precedents who ruled under the Ptolemaic dynasty, she picked up Egyptian and represented herself as the reincarnation of an Egyptian Goddess. In addition, she was a socialist princess who won the hearts of the masses, and fought with her step-brother over the throne after the death of their father. As her step-brother held tight control over the military power, in order to solidify her grip over the throne, she consummated a liaison with Julius Caesar, a Roman King. After Caesar's death, she aligned with Mark Antony and subsequently Caesar's legal heir Augustus unseated her from the throne leading to the fall of Egypt into the Romans' hands. The couple, Antony & Cleopatra both committed suicide sequentially and it was rumored that Cleopatra died in the conventional way of an asp bite. :))

And from all that we know, she was GORGEOUS! :))

Much Awaited Post about Egypt - Land of Ancient Civilizations

These days, I get increasingly lazy when it comes to blogging about my trips. It's not as though I am so swamped with work ever since I am back. :))

Thus, to find the constant motivation to blog about the trips, I've decided to force myself to write a blog post everyday on a city that I visited. :))

The first post is of course dedicated to the overview of the places that I've been to spice up my readers' interests to conscientiously log in to read the posts daily. Lol! Sounds so lame.!

Anyway, a summary of the route we took:

Day 1, 27/May : SIN-CAIRO

Day 2, 28/May : CAIRO-ALEXANDRIA; Pompey's Pillar; Qaitbay Citadel; Montazah Palace

Day 3, 29/May : Pyramids of GIZA; Papyrus Paper Factory; Perfume Palace

Day 4, 30 May : Egyptian Museum; Drive to Hurghada

Day 5, 31/May : Desert Safari Trip; Red Sea Resort @ Hurghada

Day 6, 1/June: Hurghada-Luxor; Karnak Temple; Valley of the Kings; Temple of Hatshepsut; Temple of Luxor

Day 7, 2/June: Hot Air Balloon; Sailing on Nile Cruise; Lock of Esna; Horse Carriage Ride

Day 8, 3/June: Temple of Horus (Edfu)

Day 9, 4/June: Temple of Kom Ombo (Kom Ombo)

Day 10, 5/June: Abu Simbel; Aswan City Bazaar

Day 11, 6 June: Aswan High Dam; Uncompleted Obelisk; Felucca Ride; Temple of Philae; Overnight sleeper train to Cairo

Day 12, 7June: Sakkara; Step Pyramid; Khan Al Khalili Bazaar

Day 13, 8 June: Home Sweet Home

As you can see, the itinerary wasn't all packed due to the long hours of sailing on the Nile River Cruise. Fortunately, it was arranged so because Day 6 entirely drained us out since we were under the Sun for more than 8 hours. Furthermore, certain trips like the Hot Air Balloon Ride & Abu Simbel required us to wake up at 3-4 am in the wee hours of the morning! Thus, the entire Cruise journey on the Nile was all rest and relax, where I spent most of time lying on the bed reading, or trying to repay my sleep debt. :) The same goes for my SIS. However, something positive we took home from the cruise was we both improved on our table tennis skills! ;))

Just a pinch of disappointment

Both LK and I thought he'd bagged the placement @ JJ! God has just taught us the lesson that life's not a bed of roses.

The final 10 weeks that we imagined did not materalize after all. I tried my best to comfort him though I knew he hardly needed any. Instead, he was the one comforting me! Lol! What an irony!

Whatever's not yours will never be I guess.......

World Cup Updates I

No doubt the 7-0 Scoreline in Portugal's game last night stole all the headlines possible. Ronaldo is as mesmerizing as ever, not a tad lesser though his goal was of lesser celebratory compared to the others. You could still see his exasperation when the first 3 goals had absolutely nothing to do with his fabulous football skills. Nonetheless, this guy just wanna be a part of everything, and stealing his limelight is nothing that should never happen or rather he will never allow it to happen. :))

I am seriously wondering if Portugal is under imminent threat of missiles or terrorism now. :))

However, what captivated me and left me lingering for more is DAVID VILLA.! I've always been an avid fan his but due to the bizarre timings of the La Liga matches, I probably see him in action once in a blue moon. Furthermore, the constant exposure of his fellow countryman Fernando Torres in the Premier League definitely resulted in David Villa being in the backdrop more often than expected.

Last night, it all changed. The game between Spain and Switzerland brought some hype in me towards this star striker who is on his way to Barcelona. The game against Honduras uprooted Torres's dream Spanish boy image in me! Argghh! The wonder goals he scored, his deportment, blah blah blah, it definitely made Torres pale in comparison without any warning.

I know I sound like an adolescent who is falling head over heels over a footballer or a typical fanatic who is smitten. But, considering that the decisions made by referees have been waywardly unreasonable resulting in unentertaining football and idiosyncratic results, I have to seek solace in the alluring faces of the footballers.

Since my bro and sis are pretty sick and are becoming less responsive of my "Ronaldo is the BEST OF THE BEST", "Ronaldo is second to no one", etc. lines, it is time for me to reanimate my overtly exaggerated "footballers are the apple of my eye" behaviour! Lol!

No doubt the conclusion I derived from my Europa trip 2 years ago still stands.

SPANISH BOYS = GORGEOUS!

David Villa

DV7

Celebrating the goal over Honduras. :))

Fernando Torres - as charming as ever. :))

FT9

I see the stud on their right ear as a charm. :))

Happy 2nd Anniversary

Happy 2nd Anniversary to my visit to PARIS!

Can't believe 2 years just fly past in a wink of an eye. :((

Next year (Hopefully), I should be flying to Paris! :))

To visit Wai who will be studying in NICE!

What's our world becoming to?

I walked past the kitchen yesterday night and saw the Shin Ming Daily lying around on the dining table. Out of curiosity, I stared at the numerous headlines.

2013 - Mother Earth shall experience stoppage of all power generated devices, basically we will get cut off our electricity supply.

Then I recalled the trip to Egypt. The tour guide told us about the Bedouin tribe (nomads) of Egypt, that they actually send their kids to village schools until the age of 10 before they stop schooling. The rationale being they do not want their kids to be educated because they fear they will pay the price of their kids abandoning the nomad lifestyle. For education empowers someone with knowledge and at the same time with desires for a better life. Education has its ugly side.

The various issues under scrutiny this time round is bound to upset some readers but there should be no resemblance to any particular person and if it does, it's purely coincidental. :)

1. Purpose of having a wish-list.

I watched tooth fairy on the flight back from Cairo to Singapore. The movie tells of "the Rock" as a professional ice hockey player who is well-known to be extremely critical and "kills off young children's dreams". As a punishment, he became a tooth fairy.

Honestly, I've come across countless discussions either with friends or listen to random strangers blabbering about their wish-list. Some post them on their blogs, others announce it on facebook, while a handful constantly have them at the back of their mind. As you can see, I've one too. So I start to ponder about the true significance of having a wish-list. Is it there to remind your loved ones and friends that you desire something and you hope that some day they will send it to your doorstep like what Santa does to kids every Christmas or is it purely a reminder to yourself that you have to work hard to attain whatever dreams or wishes you have?

Wish (meaning by dictionary on mac): feel or express a strong desire or hope for something that is NOT EASILY ATTAINABLE; want something that CANNOT or PROBABLY WILL NOT HAPPEN.

So why have a wishlist? If you really desire something, then work towards it yourself. Don't just dump it on whatever wishlist and secretly hope for a Santa Claus. DUMB.! Staring and listening to a list filled with millions of branded items, or the impossibles and is never exhaustive really makes me feel like rolling my eyes sometimes. So perhaps, it's time to take a few items off my wishlist. I don't wanna be a dumb ass.

2. The world of luxury goods in resemblance to the world of Narcotics.

I guess it is due to the environment that we are in and peer influences. Luxury goods store sprouting out everywhere in Singapore, from 1 Louis Vuitton store till 4 now, with a double storey one in Orchard Ion. Prada, Gucci, Burberry, blah blah blah easily available at one's fingertips. Subsidiaries opening one after another. Globalisation that connects us to the other side of the world more quickly, an international language that breaks down communication barriers, people flying across oceans and mountains in less than a day's time. It used to take months, FYI. Who will not be tempted by all these luxury goods? Colleagues competing with each other over who is carrying a more "atas" bag, friends "psycho-ing" one another to get the latest designer bag in town, increasingly eye-catching advertisements with celebrities endorsing the products. It's a vicious cycle.

Consumers pay more for a good, producers get more surplus, higher profits enable them to beef up their marketing campaigns, consumers become more hyped up about the product-branding, producers have higher monopoly power and end up charging even higher prices, people use such goods as a measurement of their status which creates an even higher demand...... and it goes on and on......

Stroll down Orchard Road and you will see the number of people carrying all the branded bags. I've interacted with kids as young as 14 years old who desire to buy a LV bag or Gucci wallet. I really feel like knocking some sense into her. She hasn't even earn her very first $1 in her life and she desires a gift that is probably worth her very first pay cheque. I've come across kids at the age of 18 who already own like a 2k Louis Vuitton bag on top of his wardrobe of Armani Jeans clothings, Marc Jacobs bags, Chanel sunglasses, blah blah blah.....

The harder we work, the deeper our desires to want something of material value to reward ourselves. So you think you studied or worked very hard thus you deserve something as a reward. You convince yourself to whack that branded jeans, bag, Iphone, Blackberry, Macbook, PSP, etc. After making the purchase, there is an awesome feeling that boils from within, bringing you to an euphoric state. And if your like-minded friends actually tell you "Hey dude, you got a cool bag, jeans, laptop, blah blah there", it boosts your ego and makes you wanna experience it the 2nd time.

Congratulations, you are officially in the "pig race" (as I would call it cause it's STUPID). So you make yourself work even harder so as to afford the second purchase. The harder you work, the deeper the desire for an even bigger reward. So you convince yourself and other people that you actually deserve to pamper yourself... and it goes on and on again.....

I'm the best person to relate this feeling to everyone out there. I've lost recollection of why my very first desire for a LV or a designer good budded but ever since it started, it has never stopped. Time immemorial had I developed such a fiery and burning passion for travelling, but it has never stopped either. So from my very first LV wallet to the bag to some other cardholder and a 2nd bag (and I honestly foresee the 3rd one coming very very very soon), to my D&G sunglasses, Tiffany & Co., Swarvoski, you name it, I have it. IF you ask me why don't I stop, I would tell you I ain't got any clue how to. My advice is, NEVER START instead! There's no end to it, up till the very end of your lifetime. That very moment that someone told me the LV bag fitted on me perfectly changed my life.

With great power comes great responsibility. With great power comes great desire. The desire to be empowered by that "great power". Like how Kings wanna rule a country for eternity, Cinderella's stepmother is eager to be the fairest lady of all, America wants to be the world policeman, blah blah blah.

3. Why travel?

For the stories? For the sceneries? For having memories? For leisure? For relaxation? For boasting?

I overheard this conversation just hours ago on the train:

A (should be bride-to-be): OK, I wanna go somewhere more exotic for our honeymoon.

B (should be bridegroom-to-be): Actually I think we should go to Europe. My colleagues said Europe is very beautiful.

A: But everyone is going to Europe. If we also go Europe, it's very sian. Nothing new. Plus, where in Europe do you want to go ah?

B: London, Paris and Rome. (Typical answer) Eiffel Tower is so romantic. If we go, we can take a lot of pictures in front of the Eiffel Tower then we both put it as our profile picture on facebook.

A: Oh ya ya ya. That day I see (a couple's name which I apparently forgot) profile pictures. They are super sweet la. Both of them always put the same profile picture then everyone will comment on their wall.

B: Ok set, so we go Europe. I think we go free-and-easy 10 days or something.

A: But we also don't speak their language, later we cannot communicate with them how? Go tour package like better leh. But then hor, honeymoon go tour package very sian one lor. Got all the unwanted people around (xian zha ren deng).

B: Or I go ask my friends for their itinerary then we don't need to really plan also.

A: Ya, like this we also won't miss out all the places that your friends have been to. Btw, that time did your friends take video or not? Shall we go buy a video camera so that we can record the sceneries there? Then we can upload to facebook. I want to show that bitch in my office. She keeps saying what she go Europe until sian then say what we never go Europe very mountain-tortoise (sua gu).

B: Aiya, you just ignore her la. Or you are too sensitive? Abo you ask her go India la. A lot of people have not been to India, so if she go, she is smart liao what.

A: I don't care ah. Next year, we must go somewhere more exotic. Or why not we go Russia honeymoon la? Then I can tell her she never go to Russia before, she's damn sua gu. (Laughs out really loud)>>>>

--- Then I got off the train ---

I could have missed out bits and pieces of the conversation. This is the best that I can recall though.

After hearing that conversation, I feel it is an insult to have such fellow Singaporeans as like-minded individuals who share a common passion for travelling.

I travel for culture, for experience, to learn about the world, to take photographs and capture memories that will stay with me for life so that someday when I grow old and have limited mobility, I can flash out these pictures and reminisce about those awesome times. Like how I reminisce about Europe from time to time now. Those memories were awesome.

Travelling shouldn't be a competition whereby you use the number of cities and countries that you've been to as an indication of your grade or achievement. I have met those typical P** who always want to chop a place in front of some famous monument or architecture with ENGRAVINGS or SIGNS indicating the name of the monument. Think deeper and the bell strikes. They merely want to show off that they have been to this place. Honestly, I like having the monuments as a background, especially those that I have a fetish for them i.e. Eiffel, Pisa, Trevi Fountain, Pyramids, Old Trafford, (and of course if possible CRISTIANO RONALDO & FERNANDO TORRES especially), etc. Youth is countercyclical to age. 30 years down the road, age would have created a masterpiece on my face and I can only stare at it and marvel about how awesome it will be if I were 30 years younger. My biggest fear in life is "growing old". To overcome my fear in the foreseeable future, I intend to capture those youthful moments in the best possible manner. Having the monuments as a background is the intended way I am going about it. I wanna capture the moment that's brilliant like how Avril Lavigne sang it.

Waking up I see that everything is OK

The first time in my life and now it's so great

Slowing down I look around and I am so amazed

I think about the little things that make life great

I wouldn't change a thing about it

This is the best feeling

This innocence is brilliant

I hope that it will stay

This moment is perfect

Please don't go away

I need you now

And I'll hold on to it

Don't you let it pass you by

I found a place so safe, not a single tear

The first time in my life and now it's so clear

Feel calm, I belong, I'm so happy here

It's so strong and now I let myself be sincere

I wouldn't change a thing about it

This is the best feeling

It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming

It's the happiness inside that you're feeling

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

It's a state of bliss, you think you're dreaming

It's the happiness inside that you're feeling

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

It's so beautiful it makes you wanna cry

This innocence is brilliant

Makes you wanna cry

This innocence is brilliance

Please don't go away

Cause I need you now

And I'll hold on to it

Don't you let it pass you by

And I only experience such emotions when I travel. That I actually feel tears welling up in my eyes when I get to see those breath-taking monuments, nature, beaches, oceans, all of God's magical creations.

Not for the stories that I can tell my friends, or for boasting to my friends. It's extremely dumb!

It is like when I blog, it's not to share with others or show off to others about how awesome I think my life is or gonna be or how miserable or torturous it is. Rather, it is to capture my thoughts, my emotions, my memories which explains why from time to time I actually revisit my blog posts. :) Even till today, I still read about everything that I blogged about during those days when I was on exchange. :))

Of course I am not saying that if you are not in the ideal mindset, you shouldn't travel because everyone is motivated by different values and beliefs. But I just can't help lament such thoughts.

-------

Ask yourself, when was the last time you came across someone who told you that his or her wish is to have a happy family? less wars and conflicts globally? world peace (genuinely and not in the bimbotic pageant manner), less poverty? a caring girlfriend or boyfriend? a job? a skill in life? a language?

No more down-to-earth wishes these days, only to travel around the world, more and more branded goods, more money, more A's in school.

Will 2013 change us all? If it will, I'll be welcoming it with OPEN ARMS.