it's nearly X'mas... and Chinese New Year!

I remember last year at this time, I was on the last 'leg' of my SEP - traveling down south from Vancouver to San Francisco, via Seattle and Las Vegas. The most recent exam results are out, and I'm clear (whew)! So now it's just the long piece of writing, which I have some ideas and possible 'pathways', but not really sure how to ground the whole thing down. I guess things will eventually (and have to) get better once the actual work starts. Besides, there's always the midway-mark presentation in early Feb that has to be delivered, so that should provide some motivation (if not fear).

Lots of things to look forward to! There's the AZ trip which might actually materialise in late May. There's also more paper-pushing to be done in making my bid for doing an overseas Master's. Hmmm. And there's the possibility of a call-up in the near horizon, after escaping these few years, though a medical check-up is due in three weeks. hmmmmmm.

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Outrageous October!

Wow, it's already (almost) October! I should really be studying/practicing for my accounting mid terms, but never mind.. just need to S/U eventually hehe. I'm glad to finally have sorted out all the insurance matters for my folks; now I feel much more secure. It always feels good to have things sorted out and placed in order.

In three months time, 2011 will be over. Seems so quick, although did not seem like a lot was done/accomplished. But there's still three more months - time to revive those plans and New Year resolutions etc!

bbq!

Yeah, there was the recently organised bbq with the usual gang. It's the most exciting thing we've done in ages for our bi-annual chalets (which often just involves lots of binging and nuaing), on top of the fact that we actually played Twister (yes, lots of cracking sounds were heard). We also changed our location to the East for the first time! (My hunch is that we will be back at good old Gombak the next time round. haha). Anywayz, here are the pics!



Trying hard to be (act) virtuous... (note the misplaced bag of sotong balls)


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回归纯朴 - Sara Lee cake for bday celebration! (but the cake was quite nice)




The gang settles down after all the grocery shopping




Eagerly anticipating the games. (Regrettably)




Warming up (note the slacker...)




Things get heated up...




People are kicked out unceremoniously...




The winner slowly emerges (rather frightfully...)




And the sweet smile of victory (while almost tearing the Twister mat up)




We try to settle for more intellectually-engaging and less physically-demanding games...




But everyone seemed bored...




So bbq it shall be!




A luxurious spread. The most expensive (per pax) i've ever organised.




But also the only bbq I ever went before where everyone is actually slogging at the pit.




The artistically-arranged bbq




A success :)


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I realised. Good.

One week more to back to school!

In a strange sort of way, I'm looking forward to being back in school; the social life (or lack thereof), the lunches, the mugging, the essay writing, the rampage of books. There's a kind of normalcy in doing all that; the student, for all the pains of groupwork, cramming for exams and churning out of outwordly essays, is protected from the vicissitudes of life with its never-ending decision making, choices and options. The bewildering and confounding maze of lived reality can tire out even the most energetic and vibrant of souls. But books, ah, at least there is an escape valve by dwelling into intellectual depths.

Still, it's the last semester of coursework, although ideas for HT is nowhere near materialising. I should perhaps take things a little easier; I think I can count on the last-minute warrior to create a fabulous proposal in days. But of course, I'm not leaving it to chance; doing some readings now will help in freeing up time to think and work on the proposal later on, amidst the fire-fighting inherent in all groupwork.

At the same time, I shall have to train hard for IPPT. I need the $$$!

Cheers,

August!

Yes, it's almost August now, which also means that the new - and final - academic year is about to start. With each passing year, uni life gets a little less exciting. It's like replaying your almost-perfected S.O.P. year after year, although of course, things almost certainly never goes according to plan and new situations push us in new directions.

There's a proposal deadline hanging in the air, but not much inspiration has since transpired to materialise something, anything. For better or for worse, SEP has taught me that the last-minute warrior sometimes produces something vaguely intelligent with fairly little stress; it can be quite a miracle worker actually. Now's the time to catch the last days of holidays to read that book, watch that movie, or slack away guilt-free before the factory-like lifestyle of students kick in again. But, what a joy to be the student instead of the teacher.

My attachment also ended without much fanfare, but I'm glad to have met rather colourful personalities along the way. People are always interesting, but sometimes we get too caught up with our schedules and deadlines to really make time for people that really matter, the ones who provide meaning to our otherwise mundane existence. It's also much easier to stick to one's comfort zone and watch as time pass us by, occasionally amusing ourselves with a spontaneous break from monotony, only to seek comfort in our old ways when the uncertain appears too unruly, ill-disciplined.

Perhaps its most unfortunate to live in a place with virtually no seasons. With the coming and passing of spring, summer, autumn and winter, there is at least a sense of the cyclical nature of time, but also the impetus to occasionally catch a respite and take stock of life. What is the meaning of it? Why are we doing what we are doing? Should I try something new? Alas, living in a tropical climate spares us the need for immense wardrobes, but also denies us of much space to take in the variety and diversity of life.

But it does little good to lament. Make good use of whatever time there is. Life is meant to be lived :)

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swirling thoughts

I kind of realised that my blog is rather boring. (ok, this is waaaayyy belated.) Perhaps this is because I don't lead a very exciting life - I take comfort in security, stability, serenity. I love 'high' points in life - when you snag that goal you're aiming for, the not-so-occasional/occasional social gatherings, the occasional kaching that comes in from tuition etc. (Oprah declared in 2008 that "Liking $ is good. I love $." I agree!)

But at times you think about how life should/could/might have turned out differently, if only one had done so-and-so at some point in life. Coming from a student of History, it might be rather funny, but life needs to be lived and experienced forward, not backward. Getting the direction wrong will only leave more room for regret.

Bad decisions can be costly. But is the cost of not doing anything even greater?-

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