One bad one not so.
1.
Biochem exam just killed me. I made a grave error by not comparing my textbook to the notes: The examples used in the 6th edition are so different from the 5th's!
So, I have to either GUESS or DEDUCE (thank goodness for this thing called general principles)those parts which are ALIEN (yes, ALIEN) to me. And well, they have to ask for the structure of RIBOSE when the only thing I can do is to recall from the structure of DNA and DEDUCE the Fischer projection from the Haworth.
I already know that I guessed/deduced some wrong and some right. Luckily my first test sufficiently buffers this. Next test I'm going to destroy Yiran's book by extensively photocopying it.
2.
A*STAR And UK Medical Research Council Partnership Opens Up New Research Opportunities For A*STAR Scholars30, Oct 2006
6.
NSS (BS) scholars will have the opportunity to do one of their summer attachments at reputable MRC laboratories. In addition, NSS (PhD) scholars who are admitted to top UK universities will be offered PhD training in the MRC-funded centres or units at these universities. Overall, the partnership with MRC enables A*STAR to nurture its scholars even further and ensure that they are well-trained to be future research talents for Singapore.
Well, excellent news :D
More elaboration.
The previous post about the RJC girl's case was a little too brief to demostrate the point behind what I truly intended to convey. I feel the need to clarify and elaborate.
What you are going to read is nothing new. Just that, I, too, needed to rant.
Singapore's society is divided. Indeed, divided in many ways. One simple example would be the focus of our newspapers regarding local news. Needless to say, ST and Zaobao report social incidents from different angles: ST seems to devote less space in discussion of such issues compared to Zaobao. Recently Zaobao's focus has been the Chinese Garden MRT suicide case; ST seems to be much more quiet regarding that. And Zaobao said nothing about this RJC girl's case, except in a commentary on Saturday. Actually, if you compare Wanbao/Xin Ming and Zaobao, you will also sense that there is a huge difference between their foci.
These differences are NOT differences in political viewpoints (there is no such thing in Singapore). They are differences in SOCIAL viewpoints. And it is a fact that these newspapers have different readership.
Even to those of us who read both, there will definitely be a difference in focus. For myself, I'm more inclined towards Zaobao.
In a country as small as Singapore, the effects of such fundamental differences in social viewpoints are likely to be more prominent. If these differences grow and is left unchecked, fundamental values which our society builds upon will be shaken. This is not something trivial.
Hence, we cannot depend on a group of people who has no idea or is indifferent towards how other groups of people lives and thinks to pave the way for our country. This is DANGEROUS. However sadly, our system is designed in such a way that the exclusiveness in educating the so-called 'elites' has created an inevitable seclusion of these people, who will one day take up scholarships and pave the way for our country. This case of concern is simply an early manifestation of the eventual result. This is an intrinsic system fault which needs to be rectified as early as possible.
Well, I shall share some experiences which I had/people around me had over my 12 years in Singapore, which might be unimaginable if someone just stays within the exclusive circle.
> A Single-parent family who lives a in 2-room flat, the mother is jobless and is surviving on support from siblings and the CDC. The children are in P6 and P3, have no interest in studying, though they lead happy lives running around their block playing 'block-catching' with their friends. The P6 kid cooks his own dinner, which is simply just rice and a piece of charred fish which is inedible to me. The mother will come crying to me sometimes, telling me her problems which I, as the kids' mentor, cannot interfere other than reflecting it upwards. What I respect them the most is, despite these circumstances, the family truly cared for the kids, and the kids, too, love their mother and respect their uncles truly.
> Have you ever been a prefect in a neighbourhood primary school? Well, you get people fighting, people challenging you, destroying your water bottle while you have to resist the urge to whack him back, and witnessing people being caned in public. The last time you met your head prefect (probably 3 years back?), he told you that he was waiting to enter poly and was working as a bouncer in some nightclub (well he is really suited for the job :D).
> Representing your school in science fairs, and to your dismay, the only things you have to present is just some hand-drawn posters, hand-drawn booklets and 5 pots of plants which you have fed with different kinds of solution, whereas other people brought with them speakers, projectors, powerpoint slides, and elaborately designed and nicely printed posters. That project of yours took you like a month to do, your Saturdays and Sundays, and many discussion sessions with your teachers. Though once you step out of the school gate, you will face inevitable defeat.
> a) A guy, with IC number starting with 85, reflected in our nominal roll as 'married' to a girl, also with IC number starting with 85 (that's in 2004). b) Somebody who, on the very first day when our allowances are credited, take out a huge chunk for himself to go clubbing, and at the end of the month will start asking you to lend him money. c) Someone who needs to take leave because he needs to go to Court for his brother's probation hearing. d) Someone who cannot do a duty on a Friday because he needs to be around when a witch doctor sees his sister in order to 'get rid of the ghost inside her'.
I am bluffing on none of these. They are all my personal experiences.
Well, clearly, if the RJC girl who ranted in her way had my experiences, interacted with these people I mentioned,
is a friend of them, felt for them, and cared for them, will she still have the attitude she had? (Nope, those 6 hours of CIP doesn't work. 6 hours a year, is sadly, useless in generating a sense of civic duty. And in fact, can be a burden to a lot of charitable organisations.)
Much more unlikely, isn't it?
I do not come from the elite class. I do not have a MP dad. My mum left the workforce since I was born. My sister, well, can do decently well but not exceptional. None of my cousins is exceptionally good in their schoolwork. Hence, I am really very grateful that I can be what I am now, doing them proud, and have the chance to really contribute to society.
Will those of my peers that belong to the group that the girl in the case belongs to share the same sentiments I have? I know some do, and I am very glad that they do: it is very difficult for them to feel that way and they would be the exceptional ones that will genuinely do good for our country. What about the rest?
Lastly, the pledge:
We, the citizens of Singapore, pledge ourselves as
one united people,regardless of race, language or religion,to build a democratic society, based on
justice and equality,so as to achieve
happiness, prosperity and progress for our nation.
How many of us genuinely believed in it and lived by it when we recited it every morning, for 12 straight years? Frankly, I can't say that I did.
Time to return to Biochem. I should say no more. (Haha and I finshed reading Billy Budd!!!)
2 more things.
1.
Yet another who fail to realise that being smarter means she owes more to society. Well then, for the sake of Singapore, since parents cannot instil the appropriate values, it should be made compulsory for everyone to be educated in a neighbourhood school for either primary school or secondary school or JC. They can opt to substitute that with 2 years of NS as SAW and M203 gunners in a place such as 3SIR Alpha Coy Pl 2 Sec 3 and get screwed by the medics everytime they go to the medical centre to keng if they so desire, regardless of gender. Then they might understand better.
RJC girl Wee Shu Min gets slammed by netizens This is by another netizen; the analysis is pretty valid:
Wee Shu Min just me, us, just like another Singaporean, just better Engrish Lastly from Zaobao, for everyone to think about:
如果，精英的目光里缺少了对大众责任与关怀，谈何坚守理想和创造？
如果，精英的字典里缺少了人文的深思与实践，如何体现自我的理性与全民的平等？
如果，精英的生活中少了点真诚与宽容，又该如何任事力行进取为他人？
如果，精英的现在与未来匮乏超越自我的精神，又该如何寄望他们带领大众迈向卓越？2.
Now it's my turn.
I wrote this article at 1am in the morning, half asleep... I wasn't too happy with it actually, it doesn't have a central theme (in fact if I submit something like this to my prof she'll confirm give me a C and still say that she is being lenient)... I was just writing paragraphs and linking them up to rebut this other person whose attitude I think is unacceptable. Well, Zaobao decided that I should have rebutted so here goes...
以坚毅态度面对逆境● 刘晓阳我可能并没有足够的社区经验和合适的社会视角来评论最近的散工跳轨自杀事件，可是在追踪近日早报的报道以及评论的时候，却发现了一些我认为正反映问题症结的地方。
在早报25日的一篇题为《跳轨事件：陈家今年获不同团体协助》的报道中，记者引述事主遗孀林女士的话，指出事主的两个儿子“每人需要至少十元零用钱买食物、搭车……”虽然报道并没说明十元指的是“每天”还是“每星期”，可是我想指出的是，若十元指的是每天，那两个儿子也实在不懂得节约。根据我的经验，三年前我在读初院时，每天从东部到西部上课，加上午餐、电话费，一天也用不了十元。若情况真的如此，社会给予林女士的援助用到刀口上了吗？我们是否真的应该在提供援助的当儿，指导他们如何真正有效的使用这笔钱？
另一方面，26日《联合早报·交流》惠玲女士的投函指出了另一个要点。她在文中指出，当她在向社理会求助时，社工却以“讽刺的口吻”回绝她的求助，使她觉得受到“耻辱”。社工的专业性在此受到了质疑：他们是否应该更具人情味、抱有更多的同情心，并以更专业的态度接待这些需要援助的人？很多时候，“不想自尊心受损”是很多这类家庭不寻求援助的主因。因此，社工的态度至关紧要；他们不应以任何借口降低前线服务水平。如果我们的社会援助机构使得求助者感到“受耻辱”，任何完善的配套都无法抵消这带来的反效果。
在文中，惠玲女士也提到，为女儿的医药费“每半年提呈所有的文件”、“太麻烦了”。我相信，这绝不会是少数人的想法。当然，能够减少繁文缛节当然最好；可是，求助者亦应该清楚，他们拿到的援助，其实是来自其他的纳税人。资源有限，援助机构需要评估每个个案以让援助能够到达最需要帮助的人手中，要求求助者办理一些手续是合理的。世上没有白吃的午餐，钱也不会从天上掉下来。如果一名学生在课业上遇到难题，不去寻求老师同学帮忙而想自己解决问题，到最后问题解决不了，影响了成绩，他能怪谁？
“我认为事不关己、任何建议形同废话”是不能被接受的说法。换一个角度想想，任何能够给予援助的人，事主的问题都和他无关。若求助者不愿敞开胸怀，认为人家说的都是废话，那任何人、任何形式的援助都帮不了他。金钱上的援助当然重要，但是这是暂时性的。只管怨天尤人，不去改变自己的态度，光等别人把钱送上门，天下哪有这么便宜的事？
世上哪有做什么不用看别人脸色的？父亲为了养家，得看上司脸色；我为了拿到学位，也得看教授脸色。古时韩信若不是能忍气吞声，他能最终辅助刘邦打下江山吗？在要求援助机构的前线人员改善服务、政府机构简化手续的同时，我亦希望接受辅助的人能以更坚毅和正面的态度对待逆境；这对他们自己、对社会，都是有好处的。
Hmm I am being rather harsh also I think... :P
Bush.
If you do not like Bush and his policies, watch this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVEZwDbVS9w
My sis told me about this this morning... Created by a French (Haha French!) group Les Guignols De L'Info. Absolutely loved them :)
2 Things.
1.
Read an article written by Cexiang in his blog; hmm I'll write my reply here:
Scholars are paid by the government to excel in their studies and subsequently return to serve the country. I do believe that scholars should have the mindset that their purpose of existence is to serve. A scholar is not made a scholar because the country wants to recognise whatever talent he has, but the country expects him to utilise his abilities to do whatever best for the country.
To take up a scholarship is a commitment a scholar has made. That puts him in a position which requires him to be even more humble than before, which makes the 'exclusiveness' tendency even less justifiable. Given the social environment we are in, it would be difficult to change the 'scholars are superior' mindset in some people. However if the scholars themselves are able to recognise that such a mindset in them is not healthy and damaging, a lot of criticism surrounding the scholarship system can be neutralised, and it would be able to genuinely serve its purpose.
2.
Read the ultra long entry on Kenneth's blog about his birthday! Really really felt happy for him :) and haizzz apparently I only realised that that day was his birthday when it was an hour past...... :(
That generated some thoughts in me. A few of my close friends popped by my place and gave me a surprise on my 21st birthday last year; I am very grateful to them. However, I know, from these 22 years of my existence, that it would be almost impossible for me to receive such granduer comparable to Kenneth on any special occasion that relates to me. Why?
It has to be something to do with me.
Probably it is because of the fact that I prefer to keep to myself too much. Well, I left Singapore very discreetly and did not tell people actively when I am leaving at all. So basically, I received calls from friends when I am already in Baltimore asking me 'whether I will be joining them later'. Same goes, I do not actively make friends with people, I do not remember details about my friends, and I do not (almost never) call up/SMS/MSN friends just to chat.
Give and take. I cannot blame anybody.
I realised that is not the way, if I want to know people, keep in contact with people and know people better. However, I also feel rather weird if I were to do all three: I have not been doing them! It is definitely not because of my family; my sister can do it, my mum is an expert in it, my dad, well, yup I think I resemble him in this aspect then. But then, still......
So how? Try to be as happy as possible with what I am and make myself feel happy by working hard and doing well lor... In this aspect, I really do not know how to change... and I really do not know whether I will like it if I force myself to change...
I realised this tendency of people around me: people tend to 'look up to' me and seeing me as a 'problem solver' rather than someone who they can talk to. That excludes my best friends; probably that's why they are my best friends. It is not something that I like; I really don't know what's wrong in me that created this tendency... Someone tell me...
Just some useless self-reflection. Of the biggest weakness I see in myself which I do not know how to rectify...... :(
Zaobao :)
Haha I am quite proud of myself today :P
My mum's article went onto Zaobao! Haha I helped her edit it, typed it and emailed it (basically, the work of a secretary, though I don't think I make a good secretary) so I guess I can claim partial credit :)
Haven't been writing to Zaobao for a long long time... the last one that was published was in 2004? I hope 卢老师 is not still looking out for them; everytime I go back to DHS she will go “晓阳最近好像没怎么看到你的文章...?”Haha well, I edit my mum's :P
So here goes:
应有义工跟进林仙花的个案● 麦彩明我94年从香港移居新加坡，已经把此地当成是我的第二故乡。千禧年时为了响应当时吴总理的号召，开始积极地参与义务工作，并走入社区，亲身体验社会中不幸的一群的生活。本人每星期会有固定的三天到护理医院，癌症基金和痉挛学校去服务；这些经验使我深切体验到陷于困苦的人如何不胜生活的折磨，而在社会的边缘挣扎求存。
很多时候，由于贫困和处于弱势的人对未来怀有恐惧，他们在解决自身难题时往往显得不积极。他们根本并不知道该如何才能解决问题。因此，除了政府的援助方案外，他们其实也需要一些能够了解他们的问题并能协助他们寻求援助的人，主动接触他们并跟进他们的个案。只有这样，他们才能真正的走出困境，并学会如何帮助自己。
昨早在报章上看到公众不停地给陈如川遗孀林仙花女士捐款，至今总额已达五十万之巨。我不禁担心，公众的过度的热心和媒体的渲染可能会导致不良的后果，严重者甚至可能会掀起一股自杀风潮。像林女士的家庭在社会上为数不少，而这些报道则很可能会给他们一种启示——我自己死后家人可以得到巨额捐款，家庭的问题也可以立刻得到解决，那我何不牺牲自己，而让家人无忧？因此，我觉得，在这起事件中，传媒其实应该负起教育公众的责任，而不能只报道时间(Sic)悲惨的一面。传媒应该指出大家从这事件中可吸取的教训，并指出在悲剧发生前可以采取的解决方法，从而突显自杀并不能解决问题。
事主其实并非走投无路。他大可将他的组屋单位的其中一个房间分租出去以帮补家用；他那十来岁的孩子亦可出外去做一些零工或通过学校申请《海峡时报》的零用钱计划来获得一些收入。由于他们并没有巨额债务，欠的也都是基本日常生活费用，有关机构也能让他们分期付款以减轻负担，是不是？可是，事主就是因为种种原因而钻牛角尖，为了千多元债务而放弃了自己的生命，到底这到底反映了什么？是事主的无知，还是真正意义上的无助？
其实，除了协助林女士还清债务和管理捐款，当前更重要的任务是照顾好孩子的思绪。我们不应只往金钱方面想；我们应尽力协助林女士的孩子走出阴影，提升他们的课业，并教导他们积极地面对人生。这样，他们才能最终脱离贫穷，以避免重蹈父亲的覆辙。父亲的牺牲是一个惨痛的教训；我们应该告诉孩子，在结束生命之前，其实还有很多可解决问题的方法。让孩子有一个积极的思考取向，他们才能一生受用。所以，派遣义工跟进林女士的个案，让义工协助他们走向积极的人生，才是最重要的事项。对一些没有或不可能有长远的人生计划的人，没有人从旁指引，他们又如何能知道当下应怎么做？
我在此引用慈济证严上人的话：“人生不一定球球是好球，但是有历练的强打者，随时都可以挥棒。”如何才能让人人都变成一个有历练的强打者，才是我们应该思考的问题。
A bit more stuff.
Well Washington DC was last week, so here is this week's: it was a fun Saturday :)
Mum/dad have been asking me to get more winter clothes, so as an obidient child who will suffer from the disobidience the most I went down to get some more. I don't need a lot though, so just bought a big hooded jacket, another pullover and a beanie. Together with those I have should be good enough to allow me to survive through winter.
Today is Yiran's birthday, but we decided to celebrate yesterday nevertheless; in combination with Michelle's arrival from Philadelphia it was a good enough occasion for all of us to go downtown for dinner. Michelle's friend, Walter, drove her here and hence we got a ride downtown. Hmm if we were to take a bus it would be pretty bad.
We couldn't decide between Inner Habour and Fell's Point, but settled for Inner Habour in the end because no one knows how to navigate Fell's Point. Initially we went into Cheesecake Factory but the queue was insane (2-2.5hrs!) so we decided to walk down the waterfront and go into anyone which looked fine. In the end we went into this bar/restaurant, ordered three huge platters to share among the 6 of us. And we figured that their crab cakes were indeed a bit overrated.
Inner Habour
Grace, Yiran, me, Yi Chung
Grace and Michelle with the 3 combo platters
Since Cheesecake Factory was so full we bought a cheesecake back instead. We told the lady that it was for someone's birthday and she offered to 'make it nice' for us. In the end it looked rather, well, amusing :P
Everyone then went to my room for cake cutting :) we tried to light the candle with my electric stove, but it didn't work besides generating a lot of smoke. It was then I remembered that I should have matches :P so Yiran had a candle to blow in the end :)
Cheesecake Cutting :P
Haha his roommate Johnny must have been waiting for this day. Wish him all the best, as in, that he won't be forced to drink to his death or be coaxed to buy liquor for Johnny and hide in his cabinet or something :P
Washington DC
Since today I am a bit more free so decided to spend some time writing about my DC trip...
Originally I intended to go down alone (hmm visiting museums and taking photos does not really need anyone to go with me right) but the night before managed to get Lynn to go with me, so hmm don't have to go alone anymore...
We set off 830 in the morning to get the 9am MARC train. One reason why I decided to go on Monday is because the trains during the weekdays are much more frequent and much cheaper... If I were to take Amtrak it can easily cost 2-3x more. And it is not anyway faster.
We arrived at Union station about an hour later, and started our photo-taking walking tour! We started from Union station, headed towards the Capitol, down the National Mall towards the Holocaust Memorial Museum: that would be our first stop. It was not as near as it seemed on the map, but it wasn't insanely far, so we arrived in around an hour. So here are some photos:
Union Station
The Capitol
Washington Monument and its reflection
We spent quite a lot of time in the museum itself: the brochure says that the average time a tourist spends inside is 2-3 hours, and they are really not exaggerating. The exhibits were very comprehensive and extensive, and it was just huge. We skipped quite a bit and managed to emerge in less than 3 hours. Basically the museum condensed everything regarding the Holocaust in Europe into 3 floors, accompanied by real artifacts and replicas. If you are interested in WW2 history, go there and find out things that you might not have known.
Holocaust Memorial Museum
So after that we walked to the White House, only to find that the front was cordoned off for some reason (apparently, after I came back and read the news, LKY was in DC while I was there). So we walked to the back, took photos from the back (and met a Singaporean tourist with her teenage daughter, no idea why the girl could be on holiday in mid-October), and then took a Metro ride to the Air and Space Museum.
The White House
Inside a Metro Station...
The Washington Metro was alright, but rather scary: the station was really really dark and cavernous, comparable to those natural ones I went into near Ipoh. And the passengers do not look exactly very friendly. Though I count on the fact that no one would dare to rob me and Lynn is a SAF officer so she should be able to defend herself :P
The Air and Space Museum is another huge one: we were there from 3:30 to 5:30 and couldn't even cover half of it. There were some really cool stuff in it (though the exhibits are indeed a bit old), such as tonnes of airplane models, simulations, and even moon rocks but there just simply isn't enough time to see everything in detail. Got to revisit some day.
The Air and Space Museum
So after that we met Lynn's friend Daniel. He's Lynn's primary school friend who went to the US when he was Sec. 2, currently studying in George Washington. Basically they rediscovered each other on FACEBOOK (it is, indeed, powerful). So we took a ride from him (thanks to Facebook) to find this Malaysian Kopitiam (:D) which, well, sells Malaysian/Singapore food. We found it indeed, and ate Nasi Lemak, though it costs $8.95 each (I can get 10 from Changi Village for that price) with non-crispy ikan bilis and insufficient chilli. But then, better than nothing la...
Penang :)
On our way back to the train station we discovered Penang (apparently lots of places have it too) and yet another similar restaurant, all around the same area. So there is one more reason to lure people from JHU down to DC now :)
Short Entry.
I am very tired. Have just finished revising my essay... So stared at the computer screen, thought and typed incessantly since 6pm, except for the 45 minutes spent making and eating dinner. Will just postpone blogging about Washington DC again...
A few things.
1.
Organic Chem was alright... Should be an A. Definitely could have done better though, if I have prepared more thoroughly. Yi Chung's was even more classic: he got full marks for every question except one which he got 3/14 and another which he had the same fate as me. Do not dare to look down on organic chem anymore...
2.
Chatted with Jinfa and he told me about his narrow escape. That was really scary... Thank goodness no one was hurt. Please drive carefully when it is raining...
3.
1 essay due next Monday, 1 Biochem lab report due next Monday, Biochem midterm next next Monday, of course, another 1 Biochem lab report will be due next next Monday. You get the idea.
4.
Expecting a guest this weekend! Michelle will be coming down from Philadelphia. Yi Chung is suggesting that we eat at my place, which I utmost welcome. Haha really need to do some shopping though... and it will be Yiran's birthday coming Sunday too, so might as well... :)
DHS again!
PM Lee said this when he attended Dunman's 50th Anniversary Dinner on Sat:
"Mr Lee praised Dunman's tradition of excellence, noting that it is 'the school of choice' for students who want a well-rounded education with solid grounding in Chinese language and culture.
He also paid tribute to its graduates, observing that they are in high demand because they are well-educated, bilingual, creative, confident, passionate and have a more cosmopolitan outlook."
ST Interactive,
PM Lee Pays Tribute to Dunman HighI'm taking that as a compliment :D
And they 'unveiled the Dunman High Orchid' which is 'purplish'. Dunman High Orchid! Haha I am looking forward to see how it looks man.
Next year DHS will be moving to Ghim Moh (old RJ) temporarily, so I can go back much more easily since I will be working in Biopolis in summer :) But then again, they will be modifying the Tanjong Rhu campus quite a bit...
And lastly:
Fellow alumnus, bank officer Ho Man Ho, 26, said of the school in Tanjong Rhu: 'We are a disciplined bunch and the school placed emphasis on trust, honesty, loyalty and bravery. We were taught to share from day one and contribute to the greater good.'It is not 'trust, honesty, loyalty and bravery' please... It's 'honesty, trustworthiness, moral courage and loyalty'... There is a lot of difference between 'bravery' and 'courage'. Still dare to say you are an alumnus.
Shopping.
Another effort to make myself feel more at home:
Well, went today to the Chinese grocery store again (obviously) with Teck Chuan and Chyan Ying. After all these shopping we ate dinner at this Chinese restaurant next door; their dim sum, rice and noodles are indeed quite good!
Although this is my second time there it is still amazing! We can't even get those pop-pan biscuits, coconut wafers, instant udon, coconut buns and shrimp paste in Singapore easily, and here they were hidden in the middle of an American city with no Chinatown waiting for me to bring them home... So, spent $40 in total!! (Well I didn't show everything here; only showed those that would give mum/dad the idea that NO I don't eat sandwiches everyday so there is no need to worry...)
I just realised they sell all kinds of soup ingredients too! Dried red dates, preserved dates, ginseng, dried cabbage (yes I found them!) etc etc. but I can't find those almond nuts. Didn't buy them back this time because I am not strong enough (rice and milo are heavy stuff you know...). Next time.
Another Lau Hiu Yeung's blog.
I found this HK guy who has exactly the same name as me some time ago, lost his site and rediscovered him today! Haha it's public domain, so since I can find him everyone can.
Google Patraqushe + Xanga. You can find him too. Though his entries are completely in Cantonese...
And this is inspired by one of his posts:
有種（電影《行運超人》插曲）
鄭中基
作曲：陳輝陽 編曲：陳輝陽 填詞：林夕
&時來運到 天下無敵 天生有種總有用
無論場地軟硬 長與短途 同樣向前衝
難捱便有衝動 趁機表現 誰及我英勇
未必要做強者 稱霸最強 是我不怕痛
#時來運到 天下無敵 即使最終得個夢
無論成敗最後 能夠開懷 才是至成功
沿途越有希望 才越有望 誰及我相信
幸福要問自己 不必強求 運氣會贈送假使很低 不怕去到了谷底
似隻螞蟻 奮勇攀石亦壯麗
萬花出於污泥
世界亦細 但我心 深不見底
@好的東西 定能留低
我信最尾 我還未毀
我放得低 拿著更覺矜貴
笑對亂世 難道我會失禮
Repeat: & -> @ -> & -> #
Dedicated to everyone who needs to work hard for whatever reason :)
Hmm. THANKS.
The margin to allow us to screw up has got (or is going to get) narrower. So, don't screw up...
(Which means, if our GPA is not sufficiently buffered, we should start buffering by taking things like Satistical Analysis, Intermediate Chinese, Oral Presentation, etc...)
ST Interactive: 'I'm involved, I'm in charge', Oct 10 2006
Mr Yeo talks a lot about his scholars. He thinks that most public sector agencies do not invest in talent the way he did when he was at NCB, EDB and now at A*Star.
This year, A*Star gave out over 60 research-oriented scholarships. Scholars grade point average had to meet 3.6 before they could even be considered.
He is raising the bar on academic standards this year because the students are easily reaching 3.6 these days. So the bar will be raised to 3.7 for new scholarship interviewees, he said, adding 'that's why people are always complaining about us'.
'I tell them my purpose in life is not to make it pleasant but make it unpleasant for them. So that they push themselves.'
When he travels, he takes a scholar with him. He chuckles as he recalled telling foreign hosts that his companion is his 'paid slave' but someone who will run Singapore some day.
In his books, to be an A*Star scholar is to be just that: A star.
Some random stuff again :)
My cosy corner :)
And:
Learn Cantonese!Also:
Compare these two passages :)
阿扁家書and
與妻訣別書I love the irony :D
Mid-Autumn...
Fall is here!
First things first: mum's recipe was FANTASTIC! I experimented with the onion chicken recipe and it turned out PERFECT! Really really appreciated that... Especially that she stayed up till 1am consolidating them for me instead of watching her favourite Korean drama :P
Back to other stuff.
First ever Mid-autumn away from home. Certainly it wasn't nice: I didn't have EVERYTHING, including the moon, because of the stupid rain that lasted for half the week.
So, Friday evening Yiran came over to my place and we had dinner together. He brought his rice cooker and some food over and we started to cook... We created stuff within our abilities; it was not fantastic but turned out pretty well! So here is the photo:
Yiran left his rice cooker at my place because he says that he doesn't have many chances to use it... That was just great: I have a rice cooker now!!
After that we started watching Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Not fantastic, but very cute :) Children's education movie :)
Saturday is always grocery day, but this Saturday I have Yi Chung and Yiran joining me as Yi Chung needs to buy stuff from Giant (which is a rarity). Yi Chung was very unawake because it was his roommate's 18th birthday the day before and there was a party in his room... So, they drank and drank and drank and drank until 4+ am, and Yi Chung was complaining "those kids were puking all over my toilet, and I had just cleaned it!" (ouch..) That was really one great disadvantage of living in a dorm, unless you like those parties and drinking. I would rather do without them.
And in the evening went to Towson to have MAF dinner with the SSA and HKSA. The Hongkonger's turnout was 3x the turnout of the Singaporeans, and since I didn't know most of them (none of those I knew was freshman), I was sitting with the Singaporeans. It was real Chinese food (not the fake, atrocious one behind my block) and as long as it is real Chinese food no matter how it tasted like it would still be welcomed. So we had soy sauce chicken, fish with corn, beef brisket, steamed pork ribs, etc... not fantastic stuff, but well appreciated :) the restaurant even gave us mooncakes!
Though the auntie was quite interesting... Basically she assumed the whole bunch of us to be Hongkongers (since we are only <25% of the whole population) and spoke to everyone in Cantonese. So when she was trying to clear food and trying to give out food to everyone at our table, nobody knows what she was talking about except me... After she heard me translate her instructions to Mandarin she started speaking in Mandarin, and we thought she would remember. But when she came back after a while, she started her Cantonese again! Haha so I basically have to say something to switch her to Mandarin mode every time she comes :) It was quite funny :)
And I brought back one whole packet of eggplants from the restaurant... Since everyone doesn't want it, I might as well bring it back and it can at least feed me for 2 days :P
1 vs. 2.
Tk posted this on the DHS4K01 blog for the S.A.D. club members; haha it would be nice to practise writing with this. Definitely more fun than all those criminal law stuff and don't need to worry about grades :)
1.
快乐要有悲伤作伴，雨过应该就会有天晴。
如果雨后还是雨，如果忧伤后还是忧伤，
请让我从容面对离别后的离别，
微笑地去寻找一个不可能出现的你.
This actually comes from a list of quotes the Chinese bloggers are re-publishing all over the place. While reading through the quotes, I saw this as well:
So...
2.
如果我爱你，我就会理解你，通过你的眼睛去看世界。
我能理解你是因为我能在你身上看到我自己，在我身上也看到了你。
1 vs. 2.
I will first start with my comment posted replying (Tk) regarding the first verse:
'The S.A.D. club ought to stop indulging in self-pity and move on. As chairman, you should encourage your members in pursuing what they deserve.' (slightly modified, verses explicit here are implied in the original comment.)
The purpose of the S.A.D. club, when initiated, is to gather together a group of friends who are hopeless in getting attached (and indeed we are a group of very good friends) and provide support. Well, at its very beginning approximately 5-6 years ago the term S.A.D. wasn't coined. In fact, we are quite happy (or proud?) with what we were, hence the bet 'Who gets married first who will be a 乌龟王八蛋'. It wasn't entirely illogical at that point of time as all of us are extremely busy (not as if we are not now) with loads of commitments here and there (all for getting a scholarship and into what we are now? Our operation seemed very successful) and horrific stories all around us (esp. Tk :P). The logical and right thing to do at that time was to restrain.
The term was coined by Tk in 2004, halfway into NS and before GCS goes to Chicago (DHS4K01, Jul/Aug/Sep 2004). I do not know what prompted him to coin the term, but, it indicated a major mindset shift. The mindset shift has begun subtly even before 2004, starting with minor 'family man' discussions to lengthy discussions over DHS4K01 (2004 through 2005), and recently it is complete with frank exchange of ideas and feelings over such issues.
Well, how this mindset shift comes about I do not know. However I am sure that I have changed. Things that I find unacceptable becomes more acceptable and even enjoyable over the years. Examples include pop songs (in secondary school I don't listen to them at all, now I have 1000+ of them in my computer and i-pod) and romance stories (I still do not buy them but I do read them). And I try to stay out of Korean drama not because I find them disgusting but I know that I will fall for it too if I ever start watching, which is detrimental to both GPA and common sense (because they are so full of unrealistic illusions, that's why we find them so nice....)
However there is something within myself which I know that is not an illusion. This brings in the main point I want to highlight: if you want to get attached, stop feeling sorry for yourself and do what you are supposed to do. Tk's quote suggests an 'impossibility' and a genuinely grim future, which is irreversible and hence must be taken with pride. Well, I must point out that, under the circumstances of the S.A.D. club, this implication is largely invalid.
>Firstly, regarding the 'trying' issue, GCS has tried (he claims that there is no backfiring element in that, so be it), I am trying (I hope I am doing the right things, though I am not sure...), Jeff (hmm..) and Tk is hoping for something to happen. There is no solid 'desperate' element in any one of our circumstances.
>Secondly, we have never been in such a situation which warrant us to enter that state of mind. In order to enter that state of mind, one needs to have gone through tremendous trauma and not recovered. At this moment I believe none of us should be in that serious state. Certainly I am not.
Now let me come to part 2. This is more of a 'what your mindset should be' kind of thing. As I have always believed, the word '包容' encompasses all. (Sorry I can't find an appropriate word in English which translates its meaning fully...) The reason I like you is because I see myself in you; true enough, and the key is still, 'understand you, accept you and see the world through your eyes'. Language, religion, distance, political viewpoint, etc. (sounds like the Pledge :P) are all invalid issues if they are dealt with an open heart. Love is not about me, me and me; it is about you and me, which render the self-pity attitude inappropriate and useless. Such an attitude can only bring prejudice which disables all possibilities.
(However, some things are easier said than done... I know that I cannot drag forever. However I am really not sure when is the right time and what is the right thing to do? Especially under the current circumstances. I am prepared though...)
The '乌龟王八蛋' bet has more or less became a joke which gave us something to talk about. I must submit that that has no more relevance in our lives. Move on, reach out, and try. You will find someone you deserve (vice versa).
(Thank you for reading this nonsense! :) I appreciate your patience :P)
So...
So the exam was not that bad after all... I am in fact very happy with my results. The essay too! I fully didn't expect such a good grade from Dr. Cotton. And the remarkable thing is, her comments for each one of our essays are at least 1 page long! I received 1.5 pages of comments and some people even had 3 pages! How marvellous. And her comments are indeed quite useful.
Spent one whole night yesterday mugging 4 criminal cases and completing a comparison exercise... It was not easy at all. I stayed up until 3 something for it. And today I have just finished a biochem lab report... Again it is taking up so much of my time. Just for 2 credits.
Just realised Six Flags might not work out... It clashes with the MAF dinner! If Shengyong they all cannot make it in time for MAF dinner I guess I should forfeit Six Flags... Well, there is always another time, I have 3 years here...
And have this vague idea of going to DC alone on Fall Break Monday to pay those popular tourist attractions a visit and to wander around one museum or two. Lynn was telling me that she will be going that Sat to pay a visit to a friend of her parents, but she has not met them before. Actually I am obliged to do the same (my mum's friend's brother) but I guess I will see how first? Got to decide latest this week though...
Weekend.
Did not do much this weekend... But I was quite happy because:
1. I completed my first essay! 10 pages, 3500+ words. Hoping well that my professor will bestow a good grade on me (but based on my track record in JC I'm not hoping much...)
2. Friday night went to Zhen Xin's place across the street to kind of 'party'. Since most of the people there are SIngaporeans (plus a few Chinese/Japanese Americans and Taiwanese) the 'party' is clearly not the very rowdy kind (though we still had music played rather loudly, all Chinese songs :D)... We brought our own food there, ate, drank, played games, sang karaokae, watched I Not Stupid 2, played cards, and in the end I went home really really late (~2:30am?) :P But it was fun! It was Friday night though, so it's ok :D But Yiran couldn't wake up the next day when I asked him to go to Giant with me...
3. Watched Pride and Prejudice! With English subtitles. It is a very nice show... It is more enjoyable if you have read the book before. Compared to the book the set-ups in the movie are very much abridged (so it gets a bit awkward at times), but I am very happy that they did not change anything that was inside the book! Pride and Prejudice's story is formed mainly by the dialogues between the characters, which very vividly displayed the personalities and feelings of every character. I liked those from Elizabeth, Mr. Bennet and Mr. Darcy the most... they can be so witty, apt, acrid and blatant, that I really respect the Jane Austen's talent. And the movie actually retained a lot of these original dialogues! I guess the scriptwriter admitted defeat to Jane Austen too... :)
4. And next weekend most likely I will be going to Six Flags. We are lucky that there is a park near Washington; and since some seniors are going and they are willing to let me join them so next Saturday I will be there! However that means I have to finish most of my work by Friday, if not Sunday would be another disgusting day... :|
