I used to love the certainty of the written form. It is there. You write what you think. Or at least I thought so.
I am not so certain now. The written form betrays you worse than the spoken form. You are held to task for time immemorial because you have provided concrete, existential proof - in writing.
Writing used to provide an opportunity to create your own reality. It is a mode where I could unload my thoughts and ideas, ramblings and grumblings, praises and compliments, complaints and insults on a free form canvass.
Yes, the medium used to be free-form - how one fills up a piece of plain paper with words is really freeplay. Our minds are what restrained our expression. I used to frown on fanciful writing - I still do, I guess - and proper writing should be in neat lines across the page. I doubt I'll change in the near future, or at all. That's why blogging is fine by me. The form is what I have internalised and accepted.
But with the advent of computing media but without the rapid, contemporary development of freeplay functions that a freehand pen-writer can perform in physical writing, computers have further constrained our flair for "showmanship".
Yes, we vary our form but it is not as easy as before to choose a free form of expression. Like rows of words on a keyboard, our words are reined in to form neat rows.
Writing used to be a harmless outlet to vent. Now people get into trouble for venting. The refuge is no longer.
Now I even feel like finding a refuge from my refuge - I have been under a lot of pressure recently as there is a major project requiring extensive reading and writing. Writing has become a tiring chore.
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Birth Order of Children
1st baby: You begin wearing maternity clothes as soon as your OB/GYN confirms your pregnancy.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.
Preparing for the Birth:
1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month
The Layette:
1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing
Pacifier:
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.
Diapering:
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
Activities:
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.
Going Out:
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.
At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.
Swallowing Coins (a kid's favorite):
1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays.
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance.
2nd baby: You wear your regular clothes for as long as possible.
3rd baby: Your maternity clothes ARE your regular clothes.
Preparing for the Birth:
1st baby: You practice your breathing religiously.
2nd baby: You don't bother because you remember that last time, breathing didn't do a thing
3rd baby: You ask for an epidural in your eighth month
The Layette:
1st baby: You pre-wash newborn's clothes, color-coordinate them, and fold them neatly in the baby's little bureau.
2nd baby: You check to make sure that the clothes are clean and discard only the ones with the darkest stains
3rd baby: Boys can wear pink, can't they?
Worries:
1st baby: At the first sign of distress--a whimper, a frown--you pick up the baby.
2nd baby: You pick the baby up when her wails threaten to wake your firstborn.
3rd baby: You teach your three-year-old how to rewind the mechanical swing
Pacifier:
1st baby: If the pacifier falls on the floor, you put it away until you can go home and wash and boil it.
2nd baby: When the pacifier falls on the floor, you squirt it off with some juice from the baby's bottle.
3rd baby: You wipe it off on your shirt and pop it back in.
Diapering:
1st baby: You change your baby's diapers every hour, whether they need it or not.
2nd baby: You change their diaper every two to three hours, if needed.
3rd baby: You try to change their diaper before others start to complain about the smell or you see it sagging to their knees.
Activities:
1st baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics, Baby Swing, and Baby Story Hour.
2nd baby: You take your infant to Baby Gymnastics.
3rd baby: You take your infant to the supermarket and the dry cleaner.
Going Out:
1st baby: The first time you leave your baby with a sitter, you call home five times.
2nd baby: Just before you walk out the door, you remember to leave a number where you can be reached.
3rd baby: You leave instructions for the sitter to call only if she sees blood.
At Home:
1st baby: You spend a good bit of every day just gazing at the baby.
2nd baby: You spend a bit of everyday watching to be sure your older child isn't squeezing, poking, or hitting the baby.
3rd baby: You spend a little bit of every day hiding from the children.
Swallowing Coins (a kid's favorite):
1st child: When first child swallows a coin, you rush the child to the hospital and demand x-rays.
2nd child: When second child swallows a coin, you carefully watch for the coin to pass.
3rd child: When third child swallows a coin you deduct it from his allowance.
Flying The Unfriendly Skies
All too rarely, airline attendants make an effort to make the in flight "safety lecture" and announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:
1. On a Southwest flight (SW has no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"
2. On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."
3. On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you’re going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have.
4. "There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane"
5. "Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."
6. As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Ronald Reagan, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!"
7. After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."
8. From a Southwest Airlines employee: "Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 245 to Tampa. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."
9. "In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite"
10. "Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Southwest Airlines."
11. "Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."
12. "As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses"
13. And from the pilot during his welcome message: "Delta Airlines is pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"
14. Heard on Southwest Airlines just after a very hard landing in Salt Lake City the flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump, and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt."
15. Overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo, Texas, on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo .. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"
16. Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: “We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."
17. An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?" "Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot "What is it?" The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"
18. After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."
19. Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to Thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of US Airways."
20. A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport after it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax...OH, MY GOD!" Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!" A passenger in Coach yelled, "That's nothing. You should see the back of mine!"
1. On a Southwest flight (SW has no assigned seating, you just sit where you want) passengers were apparently having a hard time choosing, when a flight attendant announced, "People, people we're not picking out furniture here, find a seat and get in it!"
2. On a Continental Flight with a very "senior" flight attendant crew, the pilot said, "Ladies and gentlemen, we've reached cruising altitude and will be turning down the cabin lights. This is for your comfort and to enhance the appearance of your flight attendants."
3. On landing, the stewardess said, "Please be sure to take all of your belongings. If you’re going to leave anything, please make sure it's something we'd like to have.
4. "There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane"
5. "Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."
6. As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Ronald Reagan, a lone voice came over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!"
7. After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced, "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."
8. From a Southwest Airlines employee: "Welcome aboard Southwest Flight 245 to Tampa. To operate your seat belt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seat belt; and, if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised."
9. "In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with more than one small child, pick your favorite"
10. "Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but we'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Southwest Airlines."
11. "Your seat cushions can be used for flotation; and, in the event of an emergency water landing, please paddle to shore and take them with our compliments."
12. "As you exit the plane, make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses"
13. And from the pilot during his welcome message: "Delta Airlines is pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry. Unfortunately, none of them are on this flight!"
14. Heard on Southwest Airlines just after a very hard landing in Salt Lake City the flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump, and I know what y'all are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendant's fault, it was the asphalt."
15. Overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo, Texas, on a particularly windy and bumpy day: During the final approach, the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo .. Please remain in your seats with your seat belts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"
16. Another flight attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: “We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."
17. An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying our airline." He said that, in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for a little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sir, do you mind if I ask you a question?" "Why, no, Ma'am," said the pilot "What is it?" The little old lady said, "Did we land, or were we shot down?"
18. After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Capt. Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal."
19. Part of a flight attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to Thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of US Airways."
20. A plane was taking off from Kennedy Airport after it reached a comfortable cruising altitude, the captain made an announcement over the intercom, "Ladies and gentlemen, this is your captain speaking. Welcome to Flight Number 293, nonstop from New York to Los Angeles. The weather ahead is good and, therefore, we should have a smooth and uneventful flight. Now sit back and relax...OH, MY GOD!" Silence followed, and after a few minutes, the captain came back on the intercom and said, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I am so sorry if I scared you earlier. While I was talking to you, the flight attendant accidentally spilled a cup of hot coffee in my lap. You should see the front of my pants!" A passenger in Coach yelled, "That's nothing. You should see the back of mine!"
Monday, June 18, 2007
So, now what?
De Volkskrant, 5 Jun 07
Schipol Airport and Air France-KLM want a different ecotax to the one proposed by the government for air traffic. They wrote a letter to the government on the subject last Friday.
As in the government’s plans, in the proposal presented by Schiphol and Air France-KLM, the airlines will pay for the volume of CO2 they emit. The difference is that the money, a sum of roughly 350 million euro a year, would not go to the government but would be invested directly in environmental projects in developing countries. ‘That will produce a greater environmental return,’ said Schiphol’s spokesman.
KLM is already involved in a project in Kenya, where together with Coca-Cola and Rolls Royce it is planting 120,000 trees near Nairobi.
It never ceases to amaze me how some people ennoble themselves and so bloody righteously elevate their pathetic existences on pedestals. Of course, I had just written to Old Whig's blog if anyone
"Ever wondered why there is a penal code but without an accompanying moral code?
I suppose immorality and amorality should not be criminalised unless they harm others.
I also do not subscribe to the notion of "morality" because there is no standard to measure it."
Still, what would Nairobi need 120 000 trees for? Another safari?
By the way, what use is there if "environmental projects in developing countries" translate into tree planting? If the farmers there practice slash-and-burn agriculture, the trees could be chopped down and burnt to make way for agriculture.
Oh, maybe people are trying to stem the losses of trees by planting others for farmers to chop down. Or what?
The trees will also hamper land development. Oh, how noble. People are trying to teach developing countries the perils of development, so in order to stem further development, they put in trees as barriers. Is that really it?
Maybe these are fruit trees. Yes, the likes of cherries, apples, oranges, grapefruit, avocado, olives, figs, apricots, prunes... the wonders of life. The trees will bear so much fruit that these developing countries can become fruit exporting countries, freeing the developed nations to pursue other activities such as flying more aeroplanes, driving more cars, burning more fuel to add more pollutants to the air.
But growing fruit trees in dustbowls? Will these even thrive or are we merely planting hardy shrubs to stem the desert from encroaching into agricultural land?
That's it! It must have used so much thought and consideration to attenpt to use such noble techniques of preserving precious little agricultural land for the developing countries under seige by nature.
Perhaps by burning less fuel, these countries would have survived very well without those additional shrubs.
So, now what?
This blogger is anti-conservation because he believes that the only way Earth can get better is to first make it worse. This blogger also loves to watch House.
Schipol Airport and Air France-KLM want a different ecotax to the one proposed by the government for air traffic. They wrote a letter to the government on the subject last Friday.
As in the government’s plans, in the proposal presented by Schiphol and Air France-KLM, the airlines will pay for the volume of CO2 they emit. The difference is that the money, a sum of roughly 350 million euro a year, would not go to the government but would be invested directly in environmental projects in developing countries. ‘That will produce a greater environmental return,’ said Schiphol’s spokesman.
KLM is already involved in a project in Kenya, where together with Coca-Cola and Rolls Royce it is planting 120,000 trees near Nairobi.
It never ceases to amaze me how some people ennoble themselves and so bloody righteously elevate their pathetic existences on pedestals. Of course, I had just written to Old Whig's blog if anyone
"Ever wondered why there is a penal code but without an accompanying moral code?
I suppose immorality and amorality should not be criminalised unless they harm others.
I also do not subscribe to the notion of "morality" because there is no standard to measure it."
Still, what would Nairobi need 120 000 trees for? Another safari?
By the way, what use is there if "environmental projects in developing countries" translate into tree planting? If the farmers there practice slash-and-burn agriculture, the trees could be chopped down and burnt to make way for agriculture.
Oh, maybe people are trying to stem the losses of trees by planting others for farmers to chop down. Or what?
The trees will also hamper land development. Oh, how noble. People are trying to teach developing countries the perils of development, so in order to stem further development, they put in trees as barriers. Is that really it?
Maybe these are fruit trees. Yes, the likes of cherries, apples, oranges, grapefruit, avocado, olives, figs, apricots, prunes... the wonders of life. The trees will bear so much fruit that these developing countries can become fruit exporting countries, freeing the developed nations to pursue other activities such as flying more aeroplanes, driving more cars, burning more fuel to add more pollutants to the air.
But growing fruit trees in dustbowls? Will these even thrive or are we merely planting hardy shrubs to stem the desert from encroaching into agricultural land?
That's it! It must have used so much thought and consideration to attenpt to use such noble techniques of preserving precious little agricultural land for the developing countries under seige by nature.
Perhaps by burning less fuel, these countries would have survived very well without those additional shrubs.
So, now what?
This blogger is anti-conservation because he believes that the only way Earth can get better is to first make it worse. This blogger also loves to watch House.
Sunday, June 17, 2007
I want to feel something...
Because of you I never stray too far of the sidewalk.
Because of you I learn to play on the safe side so that I don't get hurt.
Because of you I learn to play on the safe side so that I don't get hurt.
Monday, June 11, 2007
I'm a bear who can throw a bitch fit.
I want to thank Quinsy for bestowing that title on me.
I now wait with bated for my sash and crown. I hope the sash is wide enough for me to put my head and my arm through it. I hope my head is big enough for the winner's crown. Or rather, I hope the crown is big enough for my head and there are enough diamonds embedded in it.
I'll hold my sceptre and sit on my throne. And whoever comes by and say something stupid, I'll hit them with my sceptre.
I'm sure I'll win consecutive pageants. So might as well also crown me Miss Bitchiverse 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013,... before I throw another bitch fit.
I now wait with bated for my sash and crown. I hope the sash is wide enough for me to put my head and my arm through it. I hope my head is big enough for the winner's crown. Or rather, I hope the crown is big enough for my head and there are enough diamonds embedded in it.
I'll hold my sceptre and sit on my throne. And whoever comes by and say something stupid, I'll hit them with my sceptre.
I'm sure I'll win consecutive pageants. So might as well also crown me Miss Bitchiverse 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013,... before I throw another bitch fit.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
Life's Not Fair
I read with indignance the parent who wrote on the child's behalf that junior, having scored A, B, E and a C for General Paper, could not make the cut for a local university.
My only advice: GET A LIFE.
It's just too bad that life deals you with this lousy hand.
I have had my share of lousy hands and honestly, many things suck big time in my life.
Do my parents write to the press and complain that with almost straight As, I didn't get a more prestigious scholarship? Duh!
This is life. Even at work, you are bypassed for the one with the right pedigree, the right connections, the right timing, the right placement, the right opportunities, the right...
There are so many variables. Not making to university is not the end of the world.
Try again next year. In any case, A, B, E, C tell a story. C for GP suggests below average but passable writing abilities - so study what? Arts and Social Sciences? Can't write essays.
I don't know what the A and B are in. Suppose they are some science-based subjects. Then Science and Engineering faculties are too competitive. Even if you make it in by a whisker, be prepared to repeat cos the courses are likely to be too challenging. I've seen a senior repeat MA 103 - Analysis 1 (mathematics) enough times for me to cringe. She was a year my senior and still doing the course (first year module required for graduation) when I'm in my 4th Semester.
Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry are out. Eh, this is not north enough where you can expect places to be reserved for the people of the land even if their results are less than spectacular!
So what's left? Try A levels again or find other universities.
I am a wet blanket and rightly so. But I will also tell you that my friends up north also didn't make it to the prestigious courses of their choice because there is a quota for the people of the land. They ended up doing what was second or third choices. Others also didn't make it because of quota, not because they were not good enough.
In this case, the rejections were on the grounds on merit and interviews. There is at least some form of transparency.
Oh yes. This brings me to another letter who talked about some applicant with straight As not making Pharmacy. The interview is very important. If some unkempt guy walks into an interview room and he does not have behaviour or temperament suited for Pharmacy, are you going to take him or are you going to offer the place to someone else? I think the choice is clear. Straight A people may not make doctors because they may have less than desirable character traits or the also show glimpses of undesirable bed side manners. Some things that you know from your experience that cannot be changed by education or training.
So what is my point? A few points really and I'm not giving my all since the 7 points may already cause some people to rue for the whole week.
1. Life ain't fair. If you can't take it, go suck shit.
2. If God gives you lemons, make the best lemonade possible.
3. Your child is ordinary. If s/he's special, s/he needs help. Otherwise, s/he is not the king/queen of the world. (Think about it. Even Elizabeth II is only Queen of Britain.)
4. No one owes you or your child a living. If you are not good enough, stand aside. Otherwise, do something to become better.
5. The best of the best need not get the best of anything available. Take it or leave it.
6. If you have time to complain, you should have used the time to do a better job in the first place.
7. If you think you're good, someone's better and s/he's out there.
I think I am bloody qualified to make those points above because I have internalised them, some the hard way.
My only advice: GET A LIFE.
It's just too bad that life deals you with this lousy hand.
I have had my share of lousy hands and honestly, many things suck big time in my life.
Do my parents write to the press and complain that with almost straight As, I didn't get a more prestigious scholarship? Duh!
This is life. Even at work, you are bypassed for the one with the right pedigree, the right connections, the right timing, the right placement, the right opportunities, the right...
There are so many variables. Not making to university is not the end of the world.
Try again next year. In any case, A, B, E, C tell a story. C for GP suggests below average but passable writing abilities - so study what? Arts and Social Sciences? Can't write essays.
I don't know what the A and B are in. Suppose they are some science-based subjects. Then Science and Engineering faculties are too competitive. Even if you make it in by a whisker, be prepared to repeat cos the courses are likely to be too challenging. I've seen a senior repeat MA 103 - Analysis 1 (mathematics) enough times for me to cringe. She was a year my senior and still doing the course (first year module required for graduation) when I'm in my 4th Semester.
Medicine, Pharmacy and Dentistry are out. Eh, this is not north enough where you can expect places to be reserved for the people of the land even if their results are less than spectacular!
So what's left? Try A levels again or find other universities.
I am a wet blanket and rightly so. But I will also tell you that my friends up north also didn't make it to the prestigious courses of their choice because there is a quota for the people of the land. They ended up doing what was second or third choices. Others also didn't make it because of quota, not because they were not good enough.
In this case, the rejections were on the grounds on merit and interviews. There is at least some form of transparency.
Oh yes. This brings me to another letter who talked about some applicant with straight As not making Pharmacy. The interview is very important. If some unkempt guy walks into an interview room and he does not have behaviour or temperament suited for Pharmacy, are you going to take him or are you going to offer the place to someone else? I think the choice is clear. Straight A people may not make doctors because they may have less than desirable character traits or the also show glimpses of undesirable bed side manners. Some things that you know from your experience that cannot be changed by education or training.
So what is my point? A few points really and I'm not giving my all since the 7 points may already cause some people to rue for the whole week.
1. Life ain't fair. If you can't take it, go suck shit.
2. If God gives you lemons, make the best lemonade possible.
3. Your child is ordinary. If s/he's special, s/he needs help. Otherwise, s/he is not the king/queen of the world. (Think about it. Even Elizabeth II is only Queen of Britain.)
4. No one owes you or your child a living. If you are not good enough, stand aside. Otherwise, do something to become better.
5. The best of the best need not get the best of anything available. Take it or leave it.
6. If you have time to complain, you should have used the time to do a better job in the first place.
7. If you think you're good, someone's better and s/he's out there.
I think I am bloody qualified to make those points above because I have internalised them, some the hard way.
Monday, June 04, 2007
Stingy Self-Righteous Slut
"I don't like to give her the red packet one."
"I'll give her clothes for the new year. But not the money."
"I tell everyone to pass her red packet to me. But they give it to her directly. They think I say for fun is it? I told them seriously to give the red packet to me."
"If she works very hard and puts in overtime, I may give her some extra, like $10. I won't give her the red packets one..."
"They should just give me the money and let me decide how I want to reward her accordingly."
How piercing, those words. Your maid is also a person. Chinese New Year is but an occasion where she will be getting her bonus for the year. Would you like it if your boss tells the company to pass him your bonus and he'll change it into clothes for you? Or give you a pathetic $10 when you work your ass off? How about as and when he decides to reward you for your work, he dispenses the booty accordingly?
My excellent dinner at Pizza Peperoni lost all its flavour.
"I'll give her clothes for the new year. But not the money."
"I tell everyone to pass her red packet to me. But they give it to her directly. They think I say for fun is it? I told them seriously to give the red packet to me."
"If she works very hard and puts in overtime, I may give her some extra, like $10. I won't give her the red packets one..."
"They should just give me the money and let me decide how I want to reward her accordingly."
How piercing, those words. Your maid is also a person. Chinese New Year is but an occasion where she will be getting her bonus for the year. Would you like it if your boss tells the company to pass him your bonus and he'll change it into clothes for you? Or give you a pathetic $10 when you work your ass off? How about as and when he decides to reward you for your work, he dispenses the booty accordingly?
My excellent dinner at Pizza Peperoni lost all its flavour.
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