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! :-)