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! :-)

Ame - Rain

What do you think of rain? No, I'm not talking about the international Korean megastar but the liquid rain. There is a certain purity that is present in every droplet of rain. The perfect little concentric shapes it makes with the ground seem to be flowing in a particular direction yet also flowing in the opposite direction. It all depends on how you see it. Sometimes it seem to flow, other times it remains stagnant. At those times, they seem to form a great painting made up of repetitive circles which seem to tell a story. Looking straight at the rain falling down, meteorites rain down, attempting to scorch/purify the earth. In a way, they look like shooting stars, streaking across the dark sky. It makes you want to make a wish on it. The rhythmic music created by these rain drops weaves a melody so achingly familiar to us. Yes, this is the sound of nature, something which we tend to forget in this increasingly urbanized environment. It reminds us that Mother Nature is overlooking us and carefully observing what we are doing to survive. A reminder that we are alive only because she is forgiving and continuously providing us with the means of survival even as we slowly erode her. Hopenhagen - I wonder how effective it would really be with every country only looking out for their own interests. Indeed, it is too optimistic to hope that mankind will band together and avert this impending crisis which threatens our very own survival.

The contradiction that is examinations

Examinations are a contradiction to me. On one hand, I've an acute fear of it. On the other hand, I know it provides a useful way to judge how much and how well I've learned. Unfortunately, the time has come to fight the dragons. With the 1st paper being tomorrow, I can't help but feel unprepared for it even though I know I've done all I've could this past few days. The result of my semester's effort will all come down to this one and only paper. It seems funny that your school life all depends on a piece of paper and how well you answer the questions on it. It's not how you participate in CCA activities, the friends you make or even the lectures you go for. (thankfully for the last one I must add) I guess this is one of the effects of living in a paper-obsessed society. Yet, there are many things to be happy about. What we can do after the exams is a sure motivation to push through these last few days of revision and catching up. I'm looking forward to the holidays though it's a pretty short one. A short break is better than no break, yes? Hope to learn new skills this coming holidays! :-)

Good luck to all for your examinations!

I love music! - Part 1

My close friends would know that I love listening to music. While I try not to restrict myself to listening to particular genres of music, it is also unrealistic to expect myself not to have some likes and dislikes right? Let's start from the likes.

Since my generation belongs to the age where pop reigns over others, this fact has somewhat shaped my appreciation for music as a whole. I'm quite partial to boybands like Westlife, Boyzone and Backstreet Boys just to name a few. In addition, I'm a great fan of singers who have a powerful voice (at least in my opinion) like Celine Dion, Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey. It's quite unbelievable how high and crystal-clear their voices can reach. However, these songs have rapidly moved towards being categorized as the old-school kind. The evidence is that they can no longer be heard on so-called hippier radio stations and heard mainly on Class 95FM. (I really do like that radio station) On that note, I also like evergreen groups like the BeeGees, ABBA and The Carpenters although they belong more to my parents' generation.

For Chinese music, ny influence has undoubtably be my sister. She started the trend of listening to 93.3FM and I started to really listen to Chinese music. Since then, names like Cao Ge, JJ Lin, Guang Liang have become "household names". It was also this time that I realised that Chinese music and English music are quite different. It could be the lyrics or the music itself, but both language songs require different kinds of appreciation. (not sure if I've adequately explained it :-)) Still, my favourites are Joi Chua and the above few I've mentioned earlier with the list growing larger and larger.

Unbelievably, my brother introduced me to Korean music which have got me addicted. Not to mention that I already love listening to Japanese songs (anime-inluenced), Korean music brings a different kind of mood and style. Most songs are upbeat with catchy tunes and some awesome dance moves. Some popular groups include SNSD, Wonder Girls, Da Vichi, Big Bang, SS501, DBSK and many more. With the K-wave hitting Singapore, it would not be too much of a stretch to see a rapid rise in the number of Korea language learners. (One of my main gripes about J- and K-pop is my inability to understand the lyrics and this prevents me from fully appreciating the music)

(to be continued...)

Stories

Everyone has his or her life story to tell. May it be interesting, may it be long, may it be life-changing, there are many stories out there waiting to be told. In the newspapers, we read about people who are able to make it in this fast-paced, ever-changing world. Those are the success stories. There's so much to be learnt form these stories. Mostly, it's about how the person overcame all odds, challenges with iron-clad determination. Admittedly, this has become predictable but nonetheless, a seemingly essential ingredient for success.

Then there are stories which sets us thinking. Thought-provoking articles about what-ifs and the moving line which separates the good from the bad. Justification of certain punishments. Moral values. OB markers. There are a wide collection of stories that entices the grey matter to start working.

Of course there are also the stories which lead to tears. We must not forget that there are other people who are not as fortunate as us to be living in a material world. Sometimes, the world has been divided into two: one of a more affluent nature and the other a much poorer cousin being an understatement. People who are living well below the subsistence level, constantly worrying when the next meal is going to be, where is the next shelter to call home. There is help for them, but it is never enough. So should we expand our efforts or resign ourselves to the fact that we can only throw so many starfishes back into the water?

Life stories are wide and plentiful. If we ever bothered to stop to smell the roses, we should be able to stop and listen to the stories that people are willing to share. There is much to learn and helps to broaden our horizons.

Responsibility

It's a big word with many implications. Assuming a leadership position puts me face to face with this intangible entity which gets heavier with time. Some people are able to handle the burden admirably (Frodo Baggins in Lord of The Rings), others become weighed down by this invisible force. Friends who you can depend on become absolutely crucial in this juncture. While the rewards may justify the work, often, it is a thankless task.

I'm not sure how I'll handle it if it is being thrust to me. I only hope that I have the strength and persistence to see it through. It would by no means be the first time I'll be faced with it and it will definitely not be the last. To improve and grow, learning is needed. And it goes in a cycle...

Mirrors

Look into a mirror and what do you see? A reflection of oneself that is untainted by lies or malice. A doppelganger staring right at you. Reality in the virtual. They are the windows to your soul. When you face a mirror by yourself, there is no longer a need to deceive and pretend. What you see is what you get.

Mirrors come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are dresser mirrors, dentist mirrors, wall mirrors, road mirrors, hand mirrors and even house of mirrors in amusement parks. Mirrors have a variety of uses that help us in our daily lives. It has become such an integral part of our lives that I can dare say that there are few who have not looked into one at least once a day.

Something as simple and elegant as a mirror with such an important function, yet it serves to provide us with a greater insight on who we really are. When we stare into the mirror and ask who is the fairest of them all not unlike Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, what would the mirror say? Are we really happy with what we have become or who we really are?

If one can see the inside of another soul, what do you hope to see? Something as gleaming as the first rays of sunlight? Or something darker like the abyss which is devoid of light?

"Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the fairest of them all?" - adapted from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs