Wk 12

Slow week with the guys going to vancouver. Gave it a miss cause it was too cold. It's coming towards the tail-end of my exchange and I must say I've had a blast! Even managed to catch a few glimpses of snow. Again, the weather is getting colder but the house itself is like a warm oven since the heater blows 24/7. Western is really a great college and I can see the students are all serious about their work. While exchange students only need a pass, I would be working as hard as I can as it would be an insult to the college if I was just going for a pass. Unfortunately, the lessons are getting harder to understand but I'll keep plugging at it.

Hope my friends and family in Singapore are doing well!

Take care everyone! :)

Homecoming

Homecoming has come and gone like a blink of the eye. Once the dust was settled, Western emerged victorious against arch-rivals Queens on the football field. Hopefully, the Western merchandie will reveice a discount to celebrate this win! (Have been wanting to but some as souvenirs but was put off indefinitely due to the price.)

Well, one might ask where was I when the football match was underway. If you were at the homecoming parade, you may even notice that I wasn't present. (Not that you would notice me since this place is definitely the land of giants. :) ) I was actually at home most of the time, trying my outmost not to leave the house. 2 reasons really. The first being it was raining cats and dogs (squirrels too) and I really did not want to get wet. The second being the wind was blowing soundly, creating a massive drop in temperature. It was almost like a giant refrigerator outside and the house was the only place to keep warm. It didn't help that I was sort of behind in my revision for all the modules. (The assignments were both time-consuming and difficult to attempt) So stayed home I did, with my roomies. I only went out with them to get a quick bite for our meals.

Was vastly disappointed in the Reds' performance in recent weeks. The season has probably ende before it even started. It's a pity but I feel that Hogson deserves a full season to rebuild. However, the fans and the board may not be so forgiving given that one of the losses happened at Anfield and it was against a newly-promoted club. Hopefully, Gerrard and Torres can hit top form and at least guide the Reds to a top-6 finish.

Anyway, time is running out for me to continue typing. Will do so as and when there's time.
Bye! :)

Update...

Canada is a beautiful place and pictures can be found on my facebook. The people here are friendly and service standard is high. It's not everywhere where you can just randomly meet some one on the streets and they say "hi". I also do not detect any form of discrimination and for that I'm glad. London is a small town but seem to have everything I need. The weather is a permanent air-conditioner and sometimes the house is warmer than outside.

(Will continue another time...Time for class.)

London

London beckons and I'm in a whirl. The surreal feeling persists. Doesn't seem real that my next destination in little more than a week would be London, Canada. Am I ready? I can't seem to answer that question. There still seems like tons to do and plan. However, things are shaping up and there is at least some framework in my plans. Everything will have to be settled and there's no turning back!

Reflections (updated)

What would you see if you look in the mirror? What would you see if you look into the clear stream? If you could take just a few seconds to look into your soul, do you truly see yourself? More often than not, it is most difficult to know thyself. Lying to yourself is not only detrimental to you but also adversely affect the people around you. Examine everything that has been done and solemnly reflect if you have done all you could. Did you enjoy doing it? That would be the first step to doing something well. If not, you may be better off doing something else.
Light bends as it travels through different mediums. At a particular angle, light would refuse to pass through at all. This is similar to life. There is only so much we can take before we breakdown. While the only constant in this universe is probably the Northern Star, perspectives are hard to change. Once the mind is set on something, it is unwilling to deviate from the path. It is difficult to change perspective, yet it is not impossible. Adidas probably got it right to some extent by using the slogan “Impossible is Nothing”. If we are not enjoying what we do, we can try to change our perspective and think positively. Although changing to a positive perspective is a good thing, we must be careful not to force the issue as this would lead to more hurt in the future.

“Reflection” was a popular song sung by Christina Aguilera for the Disney movie “Mulan”. The story was about a girl who willingly took the place of her father to serve the army by dressing as a man. It was a heart-warming story about filial piety. However, in the end, it was impossible to continue as her secret was exposed. You could imagine her anguish of needing to dress as a man in order to serve the country and the song properly portrays it with heart-rending lyrics. Not all stories will have a happy ending like “Mulan” and this serves to reinforce the fact that we are not able to fool our hearts.

We all yearn for a kind of freedom. Just like a bird in a cage. It could be physical, emotional or even mental freedom. As we begin to look for our reflection in the mirror, do we see a bird in a cage or an eagle soaring in the clear blue sky? Are we bound by chains which bring us closer to the abyss or are we sprouting wings and taking flight? The world is a place which is bounded by rules and we are obliged to live by them. However, if we are able to attain happiness even in this kind of environment, we should strive towards it and make it our goal to achieve it. After all, what you want to see in the mirror is really just yourself.

The end of the 4-year wait

After the dust has settled, there can only be one winner. World Cup, in some matter of respect mirrors life sometimes. Sometimes, there can only be one winner. Even when the Golden Boot has so many winners, the one with the most assist wins. Spain, with their tiki tika football has triumphed over the Oranje. Not much surprise in that department. Xavi, the master passer. Villa, the deadly assassin. Saint Iker in goal has one of the safest pair of hands. Iniesta with his telepathic understanding with Xavi. Marshalled superbly by Basquets and Alonso. A dream midfield and forward line if any. The defence with their imposing towers, Puyol and Pique followed by the evergreen Capdevillea and dynamic Ramos, the curse of the European Champion not winning the World Cup was always in danger to be broken. And so it did. Can't say I'm not happy about it! :)

World Cup fever

Well, the World Cup is already halfway through and I must say there are a lot of upsets. The All Whites prove that population doesn't count for much and despite having a smaller population than Singapore, made it to the World Cup. That wasn't all as they went on to score 2 precious points and taking the scalp of world champions Italy! Unbelievable I must say. France succumbed to their internal strife, slumping out of the World Cup amid the controversy and drama. The host South Africa bowed out of the World Cup despite being level on points with the second-placed Mexico. It was a pity but there was no helping it. The traditional African horns are the only legacy left behind. Spain faced the upset of the competition, losing to a plucky Swiss side, coached by an experienced German coach. A disappointing game where most of their star players went missing. Hopefully, they would improve and make it to the last 16. Brazil, Argentina, and the Netherlands strode easily to the last 16 where stiffer competition awaits. South Korea made sure the Asians are well-represented by drawing with Nigeria and cementing their place in the last 16. A World Cup which began with a drought of goals could very well end in rivulets of them. The world wait with bated breath...

World Cup in Singapore

Well, there are still people who do subscribe to our two World Cup carriers. In my opinion, the price is just exorbitant. I'm not sure it's around $1 dollar a match since there are concurrent matches. (unless you own 2 TVs and put them side-by-side) There are alternatives of course. McDonalds, Community Clubs, some pubs, bars etc. have opened their doors to patrons and fans alike. While some prefer the comaraderie found in these public places, I prefer to watch in the comforts of home. When it comes to the World Cup, I'm pretty picky on what matches to watch. As a result, it would not be worth my while to subscribe to the package.

On another note, and this is probably old news, I believe the admnistrator of your Internet Service Provider has started blocking online streaming of WC matches. Online streaming belong to one of those grey areas threading between legal to watch and illegal. The subject was finally put to rest by the ISP. I'm sure there will be some public outrage and questions on privacy would be raised. Personally, I'll be waiting for Spain in the semi-finals shown on our beloved free-to-air channels! :-)

Knowledge

Knowledge is a weird thing. We all work hard in order to obtain it. Sometimes, it just comes knocking on your door even when you did not ask for it. Too much of it can actually be detrimental (see game theory). Too little will become a roadblock to your path. Even the lack of knowledge is a kind of knowledge by itself. At least you do know which areas you are lacking! This beats the person who doesn't even know what he or she is lacking. A populist saying: Ignorance is bliss. In my opinion, this is the exception rather than the norm. What do you all think? :-)

Exam Results

Well the results were out quite some time and I must say I'm satisfied with mine. And without further ado, here are my results:

MAS 212 Calculus IV A

MAS 315 Probability and Statistics II A-

MAS 317 Data Analysis A-

MAS 371 Game Theory A

HW112a Academic Writing B+

MPS 811 & MPS 812 P

It's great I managed to improve my GPA! And this gives me great confidence as I embark on another journey into the great unknown! :-)

Exam Results

It's here again! The time of the year when all your semester's work boils down to. To check or not to check, that's probably the most important question for tonight (or more accurately, tomorrow morning). For some, the need to know will prove irresistible and succumb to clicking on the dreaded link. Others will appear offline in order to stave off the incessant questions about their results and resolve to put off the unenviable task of finding out their results. Wherever you lean on, tonight will prove to be a busy one for NTU students and I wager that the server may crash. I won't say too much on my predictions although I'm just hoping to maintain. It would put my mind at ease when I go overseas in September.

On another note, I've been spending quite a bit as I met friends whom I've not met for a long time. The time spent with them was invaluable and I cherish every moment of them. I hope to continue meeting up with friends during the holidays before embarking on my attachment with MOE. Lots of thing still to take care off before I can fly off to the land of Maple leaves.

Knowing thyself

One of those questions that struck me is whether I truly know myself. Without sounding too philosophical, I believe trying to understand oneself is an extremely difficult thing to do. While we may bring up our defences, wear a facade and pretend to the whole world when other people ask what we really want, there is no such need when you ask that question to yourself. What are my goals? What do I want to accomplish? These are questions which only you yourself hold the answers. No one else can answer these questions. As we sometimes go about listlessly in life, is this what we really want to do? Life is short and what our soul hungers for is a fundamental need that we more often than not fail to acknowledge. Of course, these questions don't come out of the blue. All these came out when I started reading this book by Tom Morris called "True Success". It's an interesting read and for those who have not step into the world of self-improvement, it's a great introduction to the genre. There are plenty of quotes for the quote-hungry, but the more important take home messages, in my opinion, are not the quotes but the questions and salient points that are laid bare in this book. I would love to meet the author as he seems to be a person who is passionate in education which I'm hoping to share in just a few years time. Energy and enthusiasm are the fuel to life. All thing flow continuously and compartmentalizing may not always be the best method. Just some of the things that I've picked up. Will try to complete reading the book by th end of this week. :-)

Some Magic Fun

Today was a day when I indulged in a little fantasy fun. Being a planeswalker, able to transcend time and space. Harnessing energy from nature and using this energy to summon spells and creatures from another plane. Hurling bolts of lightning and fire at my foes are just some of my hobbies. Researching into new and improved ways of summoning creatures and equipping them with powerful artifacts of war. The stench of death and charred bodies is never a step away. Goblins, merfolks, elves and of course humans, are just some of the beings I meet along the way. They can help me or stand in my way. If it's the latter, there are just a thousand ways of decimating them. Anyway, that was how I spent my day together with like-minded friends aloy, timo and jq. Definitely a fun experience that I've not experienced for a long time and a much enjoyable one too. Brings back childhood memories yet they were not that far away. Must be feeling my age haha.

Words

Words have powerful meaning. Alliteration helps one to remember complicated theories. Words help to reinforce beliefs. They serve to reorganize haphazard thoughts into nice little compartmentalised and manageable blocks. I've found that writing down my thought is a useful way of clearing the mind. There are many times when I've read something and thought I fully understood. Unfortunately, when push came to shove, at the most crucial point, I'm unable to translate what I've read into coherent-sounding words. At these moments, I find writing the key points down an essential aid to my understanding. These applies to many things including revising for the exams. Summarizing the large chunks of the tome we call a textbook can at times be daunting. However, through practice and taking small, baby steps, It is definitely possible. The first attempt may not produce the desired result, often leading to the copying of the whole textbook. But the decisions that you have to make, whether to add this part or not, will help in your decision-making skills. It keeps you thinking and inadvertantly cementing the information into our CPU. While I wouldn't recommend trying to burn your textbook and drinking the remains (it never works as far as I'm concern), memorizing some key theorems are sometimes better than trying to understand the abstract concepts that lead to the formation of those theorems in the first place.
On a side note, I've started on my revision of the Japanese language. It's tough to restart my learning, but since I've some background on it, it's getting easier as my grey matter sought to find the keys to unlock the language puzzle. Till next time, write down your thoughts to better understand them! :-)

Time for a change

I have decided and you have probably noticed. Changes have to be made and it may very well begin with my blog. Long it has been that my blog boasted none of the qualities that will interest myself into blogging. Plain, dark and more recently bright colours were the mainstay of my blog design. In an effort to spruce up my blog (and hopefully self-induce myself to blog more), I have decided on an anime-themed blogskin. Hope everyone who bothers to visit will like the new look.

In case anyone was wondering, the anime is called D-Greyman and it's a smashing anime to watch. Contrary to popular beliefs, there are valuable lessons to be learnt from watching anime which may range from anything like friendships to love to courage.

Anyway, it took me quite a bit of time to figure out how to customize everything to my liking. Personally, I'm not too good with programming and would rather prefer everything to be done in 1 click. As such, I saw that little bit of time after my examinations as a perfect opportunity to learn some new skills. I'm sure those skilled at web design would probably laugh at me and given that the design wasn't something I came out with, the job looked simple. However, it still took me quite some time to identify which parts to edit and how to insert in my own words. After the better part of the hour, I finally figured out some of the codes. The result is as shown. It ain't perfect but at least it's something. :-)

On a side note...Kudos to Chelsea who won the Premier League in emphatic fashion. Will look forward to the transfer window and hopefully those American owners would no longer be in charge. Wouldn't mind if RB left for Juventus. While not forgetting all he has contributed, it just seems that he has already brought the Reds as far as he could possibly do.
Sayonara Rafael Benitez!

It's been a long time coming...

Time passes on a fly. The wind blows relentlessly stirring the leaves into action. The sea of red beneath out feet starts to dance, forming maple formations all around. Soon, white confetti will fall down from the sky, a gift from heaven. Environment temperature will go south. Bulky snowmen will walk around town. This is something that will never happen in Singapore. Still, I'll get to experience all this and more. Because...I'll be going to Canada next semester!!

Having applied for INSTEP which is our university's student exchange programme, I was accepted and was given my first choice - University of Western Ontario. What brings me triple, quadruple or even pentuple (if there is even such a word) is that I'll be going with lots of friends! Just imagine what fun we'll all be having! (Apologies for the incessant exclaimation marks. Can't seem to contain my enthusiasm) Now, all I need to do is get through this semester without hurting too much. Crammed 23 AUs this semester which is a record at least in my books.

Sigh...if only I had more time for my mid-terms which are just around the corner...

Till next time, buy time, sell time anytime! (TimeOrDime.com)

The Last Week

The last week of the holidays. It came and went in the blink of an eye. To be absolutely truthful, I probably could have done more during the holidays. However, we always look forward and not back. I've rested well during these holidays.

So what did I do? Well, I stayed over at WL's house and we had a blast which included a trip to sing KTV and even eating Punggol Nasi Lemak. Then I also represented Hall 7 in the IHG for carrom. Despite our best efforts, we were unable to defeat the top 2 in our group and had to settle for 3rd place in out group. It was an improvement from last year when we ended 4th but it was still just quarters. I would like to say we could have done better but I believe that everybody gave their all and that is what's most important. I'm sure we all had fun! Straight after the last day of competition, it was time to check our results. Although it's already the 3rd time that I'm checking my results, it never fails to give me the jitters. Of course it doesn't help that one click and the whole results would be displayed. Overall, I did pretty well, well above my expectations. I scored 1 A, 1 A+, 3 A- and a S, thereby maintaining my GPA in the safety zone. I'll continue to do what I did last semester and hope to keep my results in that range.

With less than 1 week left, it has made my remaining holidays even more dear to me. I'll probably hit the library tomorrow to borrow new books since I've run out of fictional nutrition. I'll blog as and when I feel like it so don't keep any hopes up that this blog will be updated regularly. Happy New Year to all! :-)