Brain Storm: We Are Mortals

A long time ago, I talked about dying with Chi Weng. He was sharing some of his experiences and feelings. We talked about how mortal we really are, where we would go to after we die. Many people say that we only have one life, live it well. We've also heard that we plan our lives and we determine how we live. Yet, these words are such a mockery, because life is so fragile. There's this guy in my company. He just passed away. Motorcycle accident. He's gone now. I just booked out yesterday and within 12 hours, someone told that he has passed away. I didn't know him well but he didn't deserve to die. Nobody does. He wasn't informed. No one told him he was going to.

If you look around you, think about your surroundings, you can truly feel how mortal we are. It's like when we are crossing the road, someone didn't see you and didn't brake in time. It hits and you're gone, it wasn't your fault, but still, you're gone. It's like when you jaywalk across the road, you slipped and fell, the car hits you, it's nobody's fault, but still you're gone. How can we not appreciate every minute?

天有不测风云,人有旦夕祸福.

It means the skies have unpredictable weather, just as humans have unpredictable accidents.

Frankly, many accidents can be avoided. The above examples plainly means you are suay. But after realising how mortal one is, won't you put in more effort to live?

Slice Of Life: Walking In Orchard On A Beautiful Monday Morning

2 weeks ago, I went for a movie (The Surrogates, nice btw) with my pals. That's cool, but here's the catch, it was on a Monday. Now, that's hot.

In the same week, I went shopping for Portable Media Player (PMP) with Tsun Wang. Likewise, it was on a weekday, a Wednesday.

Last week, I went karaoke-ing with my platoon mates on a Monday. That Tuesday I went Yum Cha Buffet with my pals, then a movie (500 Days Of Summer).

Yesterday (a Monday), I went for an evening 5km run. Moments ago, I went to the gym.

These are all signs of something coming. Something big. Something call ORD.

Ramblings: ORD A Woe

Lately, I've seen a couple of people writing down their thoughts on ORD. Be afraid, for their posts are largely about how ORD is a saddening thing. No, they do not have the guts to write that they don't want to ORD, cause it's a widely accepted fact that every single mother's son wants to ORD. But it's still a fact that they are depressed, in some ways, that ORD is coming. Some are worried about the change in way of life, most are more concerned with the tight friendships forged in these 2 years. They're thinking that "life had sucked but with you great pals around, see you guys all day makes my day though people call me f***ing gay shit, but I'll still hate to not live around you anymore". Something like that.

Actually, I think it is true for most people, stay in personnels I mean, to feel some sadness. Whether it's due to uncertainties or depression due to not having bedside f*** buddies anymore, I think it's valid, though some people do express it albeit too aggressively and emotionally. I can't say I won't feel overwhelming sadness or that I won't be too emotional, but the thing is... There's still 20 days, and they wrote those stuff when there's still 30 plus days. A bit more endurance and patience shouldn't hurt, you know?

ORD posting is up and coming...

Ramblings: 101 Things I Dislike About Communal Living

1) Having to tolerate smokers (i absolutely hate the act of smoking and whoever does it)

2) People singing, especially when they have their earpiece on and becomes oblivious to everything around them

3) People who have absolutely low EQ

4) People with retarded smiles/faces/expressions or whatever you call those things

5) Thieves

6) Sharing toilets with people who have no sense of hygiene

7) People who walk around with less than enough clothes that causes eye sores

8) People who spill stuff or dirty the table and don't clean up after themselves

9) People not contributing to the area cleanliness

10) Liars, especially big, fat, utterly ridiculous liars who think their tall tales are actually even a tiny bit believable

11) People whom think they are likable

12) Egoistic people who think they are always right and want things done their way

13) People using phones late into the night, talking loudly, disturbing my precious sleep

14) People playing games late into the night

15) How easily my stuff gets dusty as the fan is switched on almost every single minute

16) How cram the table is due to sharing

17) Being unable to do my own decorations around the entire area

18) Not able to blast my favourite music

19) People slamming the door all the time (so barbaric)

20) People not closing the door after themselves (uncivilised)

21) People who borrow stuff from me without asking

22) People who don't return things after borrowing

23) Absolutely disgraceful mandarin speaking

24) People who vent their anger on me (ok, I'm guilty of this too)

25) Annoying sh*ts who repeat every sentence I say

26) Greedy pigs who ask for food from me all the time

27) People doing distracting things which diverts my attention from whatever I'm doing (imagine a couple next door banging, gosh)

28) Cold water for showering (for my community at least)

29) People who spit on the floor. Totally gross

30) Lack of privacy in whatever I do

31) People flocking to my room/bed without invitation

32) People sleeping on my bed when I'm not around

33) People sharing my lock password

34) Not being able to be as messy as I would like to be

*To Be Continued

Brain Storm: Psst! That Guy's A Freak, Actually I Think You Are Too

I went for a mini gathering with a bunch of guys just now. At first a even smaller group met up for lunch. Seriously, guys gossip too, they just prefer to call it discuss, and that's what we did. We discussed about a couple of people in our circle, how weird they are, how disgusting they are or how great they are. It's not necessarily have to be about bad things when we discuss about stuff. Then we met up with more guys, we discuss about the same people, with more content and input, or we change the discussion, especially if we were talking about those people.

See, its always the same. I had the same experience a long time ago, all the way until present time. A talks to me about B, how B sucks and how she totally hates B. B talks to me about A, how A is pretentious and how he despises A. B doesn't know that A discusses about him with me, and I don't let both sides know. Then along comes C and she tells me that she's totally disgusted with both A and B. The worst part isn't what to say, since I'm friends to all of them. The worst part is having to wonder if A talks to C about how I really suck and if C discusses with B about how disgusting I am and how B tells both of them that I am totally pretentious.

I have people coming up to me and tell me that I am a arrogant piece of thing and my ah-beng-ness and egoism needs to be dealt with. But I'll never know if they say more than that right? Like once, I had a trusty friend who told me that this group of people were discussing about what an emotional person I was. I can't tell whether that's a normal gossip or a malicious discussion, not that I really care. And maybe they're saying how they can't stand how short I am. Now that will really get me worried.

Brain Storm: Time, It Will Not Wait

Did you see that guy? He's fit, he can run very fast, he has a cheerful attitude, he's smart, and he can play the violin. God knows what other talents does he have.

There's this other guy, handsome, bulging muscles, tall, extremely intelligent, knows a lot of musical instruments etc.

Yeah I made up the second guy but don't you think such people exist and sometimes we just happen to walk past somebody who seems to know a lot of things, do a lot of things or have a lot of assets. Everyone's given 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, yet some people have accomplished much more than the others, it just makes me wonder what went wrong and what have I not done.

As I advance towards ORD, I ask myself, how did I spend my time all these years? How come these people know how to play guitar but I don't? How come these people can speak japanese but I can't? How come these people know so much current affairs but I know none? How did all those freaks get gold for their IPPT, where did my training go? How come those people give so much tuition that they're rich but now I'm struggling with my finances? How come some people have so many things to do, they never seem to be at home when I am?

Where did my time go?

Tech Speak: Googling Videos

Below are 3 videos from Google I just viewed which I find interesting. The first one is about love for Gmail. Google asked everyone to chipped in a bit of video, anything as long as it includes the picture of the Gmail logo. The final product is the combination of them all and I must say its quite nice. I'm so disappointed that I didn't see this advertisement if not I would so make a good one. Anyways that said, if anyone of you is still using hotmail or whatever gibberish-y thingy, it's a good time to change. The reason why is shown in a Google Theatre video here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBbmiQhuAhU . I know there have been reports of Gmail having downtime. But don't fret such small things, the gibberish-y stuff are far worse.

The second video is about the prowess of Google Docs. I don't use them so much personally, since I'm still not working but I have quite a number of documents uploaded to Google Docs. The ease of using and sharing documents is shown in this funny and lovey dovey video.

The third video is about Google Wave. It's the next big thing, which I believe has the potential to eliminate emails. Imagine a group of friends working on a document at the same time, on different computers. Real time, mind you. You will be able to see changes made to the document real time, and if you're not around, you can play-back changes made to the document by your friends. Its still in invited beta now, and I'm disappointed that I ain't religious to Google enough to get invited. But oh well, do watch the video. It's really awesome. Enough said.

Ramblings: Where Did The 12km Go?

Okay, so now I think it was a waste, it was a pity. That I did not complete it. I should have tried harder, I should have ignored the 2 pieces of shit beside me. I should have, I could have.

Imagine 2 pieces of shit walking beside you the whole time, all eager to abandon you, yet "cheering" you up by saying that you are not putting in enough effort, how motivated would one be? Physical huddles aside, those can be endured, there's only the mind. Constant yap yap yap of negative (and vomit inducing) voices just puts one off.

At the end, look at how many people succeeded. They were stronger, fitter. I was shorter, weaker. But I could have. It was only 12km more.

What a waste, damn it.