Gathering

This post supposedly should be uploaded on last Saturday, but I couldn’t online for the past few days and so I post it now.

After not seeing my best friend, K, F and O for ages, finally we met each other on Friday. After listening the ptptn loan briefing, we (K, S, Z and I) went for lunch in MV. K phoned O and F to meet in MV. O is really good, she came all the way from Kepong to meet us but F is quite bad, the one who stays in PJ said MV is far for her. *sweat*

And so we had our lunch. S and Z left first as they were going to Ipoh. After the lunch, three of us (K, O and I) had a stroll in MV till 6 p.m. As F didn’t join us in MV, we insisted no matter how, we must meet, for your info, we have been in one gang for the last 3 semesters. And so K and O came to my house and had dinner at the coffee shop near-by while waiting for F to join us. Finally F showed up at 9 p.m. We chatted happily for the next 3 hours. As a punishment, F treated us to yam cha in Murni. We chatted for the next 1 hour and said bye-bye to each other. O stayed overnight in my house as it was too late for her to go back to Kepong. For your info again, she didn’t bring a single thing here. She just brushed her teeth with hand and my toothpaste, and didn’t bathe, as she couldn’t get used bathing without her own cleansing gel. At first she said she didn’t want to sleep as she didn’t bathe, but both of us turned up to sleep till 10.40 a.m the next day. We could sleep longer if K didn’t phone me. *sweat*

After washing and getting everything ready, O and I went having our breakfast at the coffee shop near-by. After that, she headed home while I went UTAR to wait for K to collect result. After that, K helped to assemble the writing table I just bought. He used nearly 3 hours to assemble it. *sweat*. Anyway, thanks K.

Well, this was our small gathering after 3 weeks’ time since the end of Foundation Studies. Hopefully we will have a trip at the end of this sem, Sarawak or Kota Kinabalu (if and only if we have enough money)? Let’s see….

Bored like hell

Well, I expected degree course's schedule would be packed and we all would be busy like hell, but on the contrary, I'm so free, really free. Some more, up to now, the lectures all are quite easy and boring. *Sweat* Foundation Studies life is so busy, we even were briefed for assignment in the first lecture!

Studying in PD is really inconvenient. I have to walk for 20 minutes to PD. Taking UTAR bus is inconvenient as the service is so "consistent and frequent". *Sweat*. I waited for 40 minutes for the bus on Monday. Taking public bus is inconvenient too, as the bus does not go in PD, have to walk for quite long distance, so I would rather just walk all the way from my house. Driving to PD is inconvenient too, as the parking places are limited and up to now, I don't have my own car here yet (my father doesn't allow me to drive here, he said petrol is very expensive). *sad* I hope I can get loan and thus my father will not have any excuse to not let me drive here, but I'm applying UTAR merit scholarship, it's likely I will get it as I fulfill the requirement, and so I have to give up applying loan (we can't have loan at the same time holding scholarship). Haiz.....

My lecturers so far are good and quite pro though not as beautiful, handsome and young as lecturers in Foundation Studies. My Discrete Math lecturer is kind, she fetched us back to Sec 17 after the lecture on Tuesday. That day, after the lecture, she said,"who want to go back sec 17, I can fetch you back..." After listening that, I was like.... *speechless*

Well, there is still a long way to go, now it's just the very beginning, so I would not like to give much comment regarding AS.

*I miss my family so much* *sob* *sob*

Financial Planning and Retirement

Financial planning is really crucial related with retiring age.

Over-rewarded

Fabulous prizes!!!

Won a 17" LCD

Finally...

Finally, I finished reading State of Fear by Micheal Crichton. Well, I would rather rate it as a mediorce novel, perhaps it didn't really suit my taste. However I was so patient enough to finish it (this is the first time I spent 2 weeks to finish a novel)...

Finally, my three weeks of holidays come to the end... Well, I had a relaxed and wonderful holidays or should I say every of my holidays is wonderful. However it's time to say bye bye to my family again =.=

Finally, my three years of degree studies is going to start pretty soon... Well, I'm quite excited thinking of it... I just hope to end my studying life as soon as possible though I know working life is way tougher...

Finally....

Actuarial Science

For those who will be pursuing Acturial Science as a degree course, feel free to log on to Actuarial Society of Malaysia to get a clearer picture about AS... And don't lose faith in AS, it's promising! I was once unsure of AS's future, but now I'm quite confident to study AS.

Share with me what you know about AS if you don't mind! Thanks in advenced!

Indonesia Open Super Series 2007

Lee Chong Wei is finally back! He just won men’s single title in Indonesia Open Super Series with US $ 20,000! After being eliminated in the early round for the past few tournaments since the end of last year, today he is back with strong determination, optimism, never-give-up-attitude and resilience. Keep it up, Chong Wei! You’re my idol! Actually I’m longing another badminton player, Wong Choon Han to be back, I believe one day he will regain his 1^st place in badminton international ranking! At the same time, I believe Malaysia veteran pair, Lee Wan Wah and Choong Tan Fook will reappear as the best international badminton pair!

On the other hand, Malaysia top pair, Koo Kien Kiat and Tan Boon Heong lost to China pair in semi final yesterday. I’m quite disappointed of their recent performance; they played below par. They have been losing for three tournaments continuously. Perhaps, everything came so fast for them; they won four out of six international champions after being paired up by Rexy (Malaysia Badminton Men’s Doubles couch) for just six months. And I think what is crucial now for them is to adjust their psychological state. This makes me recall the poem If by Rudyard Kipling, one of the stanza is like this If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two impostors just the same... And what Koo-Tan needs now is Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build’em up with worn-out tools....

A little thought for today, why does prize for women in sport tournaments is always less than men? For example, in badminton, the prize for men’s single is double as women’s single. I do not intend to raise any issue here, I’m just wondering why.

p/s: more about the latest badminton news, please log on to BWF.

You Raise Me Up

When I am down and, oh my soul, so weary;
When troubles come and my heart burdened be;
Then, I am still and wait here in the silence,
Until you come and sit awhile with me.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

There is no life - no life without its hunger;
Each restless heart beats so imperfectly;
But when you come and I am filled with wonder,
Sometimes, I think I glimpse eternity.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

You raise me up, so I can stand on mountains;
You raise me up, to walk on stormy seas;
I am strong, when I am on your shoulders;
You raise me up: To more than I can be.

~ Happy Mother’s Day ~

YEAH

Break my personal record in Bejeweled 2 Deluxe at 11.18 this morning... Wahaha... Though it's a lame game for many people, it's fun and exciting for me especially when I have to beat the clock (strike as much as I could within the time limit). Haha... Very happy now... Joy of "great" accomplishment...

Resistance And Acceptance

Found this newsletter quite meaningful, so I post it here to share with you all... Enjoy reading...

All suffering is resistance.

We are resisting what is. Because it is not the way we want it to be, we then suffer.

The opposite of resistance is acceptance. Letting it be as it is.

Yet this is difficult. We reject what is because it is not perfect, beautiful, and true.

We think that by resisting it, we can then change it. If this worked, then suffering would not arise.

But our resistance does not lead to positive change, it leads to aversion, and we either avoid the thing or feel depressed about it.

Acceptance, on the other hand, does not mean withdrawal or resignation, it means engagement.

When we can accept what is, then we are also open to what can be.

All this is hard to understand in the abstract. So let us imagine a situation where resistance arises.

Imagine that you have no job and are low on money.

This is an unpleasant situation and you feel instant resistance to it. You do not like it at all. It frightens and upsets you.

It is not the situation that has created your suffering, but your strong reaction to it.

Because you are resisting, you are suffering. You reject the situation because it threatens the integrity of your well-being. This resistance, this rejection, and this suffering leads you to feel stuck, confused, and desperate.

From this place, your thoughts, feelings, and behavior are seldom productive. Your power of adaptation are greatly diminished. You have a bad situation on your hand and you feel bad about it.

Now switch that to accepting what is: that you have no job and are low on money. But because of that acceptance, you are able to feel good enough to start using the Law of Attraction to start working for you.

Because you are still in a resourceful state, you are open to new possibilities of how to create money in your life.

Do you see the difference?

Resistance creates a reaction of suffering that immediately plunges you into a non-resourceful state, and either the situation gets worse or it is resolved in a less than satisfactory way, e.g. you get a low paying job that you hate.

Acceptance on the other hand means that you remain optimistic. You see what is and you choose not to enter a non-resourceful state. You then resolve the situation by thinking, feeling, and acting in a positive way.

It is easy to love and accept what is good and pleasant. Yet problems do not have those characteristics. Our immediate and default reaction is to resist and to begin suffering and to make things worse. Yet with awareness, we can choose what is and adapt to positively changing it.

Excruciating pain

I was not being abused... But.... fell down when I was skating... very painful.. sob sob...

Penang Outing

I went Penang Island yesterday with my two best friends. This was the first time we used public transportation to Penang Island. We kicked off from my house at 12 noon by bus, reached Butterworth Jetty at 12.30 p.m. then boarded a ferry at around 12.45 p.m. Salty smell hit my nostrils once I ascended the ferry. The smell was unbearable. However we enjoyed the breathtaking scenery with gentle breeze caressing cheeks. We caught a bus to Komtar and boarded another Bus 3-5 to Queensbay Mall. We reached there at 2 p.m! This is the “advantage” of using public transportation.

Well, Queensbay Mall is not as grand as I expected, I think one-utama is better. Haha. We had a quick look of the mall, then we went GSC to buy Spiderman 3 ticket, however the earliest ticket available was 6.10 pm. As we have to rush to watch a concert in Disted-stamford College, we didn’t the ticket; instead, we went to Tobogun Adventure Park for skating. It was really fun to skate though I fell down, and was injured! We took a few photos there like outstation people. Is it lame? Haha.

We went to have our “lunch” at Nando. After the sumptuous meal, we went Popular for a very short while. We went Disted-stamford College after this by taxiing, and it cost us 24 bucks! For your information, Queensbay Mall is located at Bayan Lepas and Disted-stamford College is at Pulau Tikus. We bargained with the taxi driver for more than 10 minutes then only he was willing to reduce the taxi fare from RM 30 to RM24. Sweat. It was really unfair for us as the driver didn’t use meter.

When we reached the college, Shane showed us around; it is a small college, but the building is full of the 18^th century architecture. The “ancient” building style really impressed me. The concert started shortly afterward. However we didn’t finish watching the concert, it was quite a lousy concert. Perhaps, as I don’t like Rock music, so this concert didn’t really attract me. Another thing distracted me was the transportation problem, we had a problem of going to jetty. Penang public transportation system is really terrible; there was neither bus nor taxi at 9 p.m. We really freaked out that time, like cats on the hot bricks. Then I phoned Ah Tuck (Joo Khoon), my ex-schoolmate who went that concert as well for help. Shane told me Ah Tuck is an impatient guy and it was hard to ask for his help. I tried, and unexpectedly Ah Tuck agreed to fetch us to jetty without second thought. He was really our saviour at that time.

We boarded ferry again and then caught a bus to go back home. I reached home at 11 p.m. This journey was fun though tiring. My friendship with Shane and Ewe Chin is enhanced again.

Voluntary Work

I read an e-mail last night and found it funny, nonsense yet meaningful to some extent. It was something like this (I couldn’t really remember):

God: Ah Gu (cow), I create you to work for men, give them milk and as a return I let you chew on grass and a 50-year-lifespan.
Ah Gu: What the crap?! I have to labor for men and I only have grass to chew? I just take 20 years life time, I give you the rest.
God: Okay.

God: Ah Kow (dog), I create you to guide the door for your owner, should anyone come in, all you need to do is to bark at him. As a return, you’ll be given your master’s food leftover and a 20-year-lifespan.
Ah Kow: What the crap?! I have to bark and what I get is only leftover? No way…
God: Okay.

God: Lau Kau (monkey), I create you for a purpose. You are to put your best and funniest faces to make men laugh. As a return, you will have peanuts and banana, and a 20-year-lifespan.
Lau Kau: What the crap?! I have to do the silly faces to make men laugh and all I get are just peanut and banana? I don’t want to be so suffering, I give you my 10 years.
God: Okay.

God: Son, you are my masterpiece, so what you have to do are just eating, drinking, sleeping, playing and enjoying. I give you 20-year-lifespan.
Human: Are you serious?
God: Sure…
Human: Since Ah Gu doesn’t want his 30 years, Ah Kow doesn’t want his 10 years and Lau Kau doesn’t want his 10 years, why don’t you just give me? You can’t do anything to it also.
God: Since you’re so enthusiastic for your life, okay, I give you all.

And so, we eat, drink, sleep, play and enjoy for the first 20 years as we are growing up. We work and labor like Ah Gu for the next 30 years to raise our family. We have to bark outside people’s door for 10 years when we are retired and finally we have to make all the silly faces to make our grandchildren for our last 10 years.

Sometimes, I really wonder why we, human are so pitiful. We have no shortage of problems and worries. Solving this problem to wait for another one. Should we actually do something to help people if we are capable of or afford?

As my friend said she thought of doing voluntary work instead of continuing her tertiary education, but somehow, she wants money to enjoy. She said it’s really hard to find a balanced point between money and contribution. I also agree, I can’t give up money as I find it playing an important in my life, but seeing our world is losing its empathy gradually, I feel I’m responsible to make some contribution. I’m wondering should I participate voluntary work in my 3 months of holidays at the end of this year. Or should I say am I ready to do so? Or should I say my parents will not bark at me after listening this?

Another milestone

I’m at home again. I’m having so much inside me now; a strong surge of passion in blogging makes me here again.

Is weather that changeable? I was doubtful about it until today.

Along the way back to Penang, the weather was so unpredictable. It was sunny morning when I woke up. Everything was so beautiful; perhaps I should say my mood was beautiful. I moved to a new house, and I treated it as my new start. After settling myself, I grabbed a bun and a bottle of 600ml mineral water at the grocery shop nearby and waited my friend, Shu Vien in UTAR. It was very quiet as it was a public holiday. After five-minute-waiting, we went to Setapak by Shu Vien’s dad’s car. As to be detail, Shu Vien was moving to Setapak actually.

After settling everything, we headed home. It was 3 p.m. at that time. It was torrid hot. As to be detail, Shu Vien’s brother kept complaining how hot was he. After about two-hour-driving, dark cloud was trying to cover the whole bright sky. And as expected, it rained cats and dogs. It was really raining heavily as the view was almost “zero”. We hardly saw anything in the surrounding except the torrent of rain kept beating mercilessly on the windshield. Surprisingly, the sun never forgot of his obligation, and shone brightly. What a big contrast!

After around half-an-hour-pouring, the rain seemed starting to withdraw its troops. The rain seemed giving in to the strong and responsible sun. Pretty soon, the sky was bright again. The view was clear again. And finally I reached home at 7 p.m.

Within the four-hour-journey, there could be so many changes. Seemingly this is a conclusion of what was happening in this one year of my life in PJ, ever first time I left home for so long. I went PJ with a purpose – gaining as much knowledge as I could and widening as much perspective as I could. However the road was never smooth. There were so many hurdles and my determination of holding the purpose nearly broke down. The view was almost “zero”; I could not see anything except darkness. I nearly gave up. Slowly, with the help of friends and myself, I started regaining my “consciousness”; I could see things in surrounding and worked hard for my purpose of being in PJ. And finally, I finished my Foundation Studies!

There will be obstacles along your journey, no matter shine or rain. However it is not the matter of how big the obstacle, it is the matter of how strong your determination.

The end of Foundation Studies indicates I reach another milestone, and at the same time, it means I’ve more to venture in the coming journey that I choose to take. Here I go, Actuarial Science!

p/s: I’m wondering why there are two “as to be detail” there… Perhaps I mix with two crappy guys too much recently. =.=

Foundation Studies was Over

Finally my Foundation Studies was over. I’m neither happy nor relieved. Perhaps I get numbed of exam. Well, I was quite satisfied with my performance in this exam though I haven’t known the results yet (it seems like I’m quite confident =.=”). When I came out of the exam hall, I bumped into Ms. Audrey and we chatted for a very short while. And surprisingly, we hugged each other before we left (so emotional right?). Perhaps, this is a farewell hug, we are going to be apart soon, I’ll study in PD for my degree course while Ms. Audrey will still continue her noble work in PA.

Well after that, I’d my dinner in Secret Recipe, one-utama with my best friends. We had a stroll after that. Then I moved into my new house (room actually). It took me around two hours! I expected to finish it in half an hour as I’d packed everything the day before this. Thanks, Hong Tong, as he helped me to move house. He is really helpful and kind, I owe him not only a meal, but a great debt of gratitude. My gratitude towards his help can’t just be described in simply a few words… Thanks, Hong Tong.

I’ll head home in afternoon later to have a two-week-holiday. I’ll recharge myself fully before I start another adventure in PJ.

Prayer for the day...

My heart was running wildly and aimlessly last night, I simply couldn’t focus on what I was doing. My emotions were greatly disturbed. I was so sad thinking of leaving my housemates. At the same time, I was struggling hard to squeeze all the Management Studies facts in my lousy and mal-functional coconut. Suddenly I saw a card, and my disturbed emotions were soothed gradually.

The content of the card is as the following:

I love You, God for who You are, my Saviour and the Bright and Morning Star. I love You for what You are, the light of the world and the hope of my life. I love You for where You are - with me always, inside my heart.

I love the way You speak – so soothingly, so lovingly, so freely. I love the way You listen – so eagerly, so attentively, hearing and attending to my every prayer. I love the way You care for me – providing my needs and even my wants when You know they’re good for me.

I love the way You can look into my heart and see my innermost desires, my secret longings, my hidden wishes, and make them come true. You see the longings of my spirit – some of which never even reach my heart or mind before You fulfill them, because You know better than I do on what I need and what is good for me when my heart is overwhelmed within me, in the midst of sorrow, your comforts delight my soul.

Yea, this is a Christian prayer, though I’m not a Christian, somehow my soul was greatly soothed when I read this and I managed to swallow all the Management facts, theories and examples before my exam started. I don’t know what should I say about this, simply it was so coincident. As I read that card, my clogged mind was suddenly cleared and filled up with all the Management facts, theories and examples. I consider this as a miracle.

At last, whatever it is, I should Thank God letting me read that significant card (actually it’s a prayer)….