Complexity meets simplicity..
lately i am beginning to experience the ubiquity of an ageing population in Singapore. indeed the problem seemed to have intensified over the years, either that or it is because i neglected and dismissed this social issue in the past. since my new home is now in Tiong Bahru, I have began to notice the number of elderly people around me.
taking bus with elderly people constituting more than half the passengers is a common occurrence. on one of the rides, an issue intrigued me. suppose there are so many elderly on the bus that all the seats have been taken up by the elderly, even with a number of them left standing, who should give up seats? probably it is on a first come first serve basis? in any case, people nowadays are considerably selfish. many a times, i have witnessed a young, able person ignoring an old person wobbling in front of him. not that i had never been guilty of that, but that was in the past. not that i was selfish but more of thin-skinned. the problem of ascertaining who to give up the seat to and how to give it up tactfully. perhaps the person may look elderly but in actual fact, he is not and may even find it offensive. now, i have learnt to be thick-skinned and offer my seat graciously to anyone who deem fit. seriously i think all of us need to develop a social conscience and be socially responsible individuals, towards a loving society!
Friday, January 25, 2008
perseverance is the key to success! after 2 rounds of appeal, i have finally secured the module of my choice - NM 2209. great!!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
actual day of birthday was well-spent with family and friends. lunch with Val was yummilicious and most enjoyable since it's been a while since we last had quality time together. shopped for a while before i went for tuition. post-tuition was games at Mind Cafe @ Purvis St. had 2 hours of fun with Desmond, Kin Sung and my sister before heading for Brewerkz. shared a hamburger with Le Wei, downed 2 pints of beer followed by another glass of white wine at Indochine where Gerald is working. went singing at K Box at cinneleisure after Gerald knocked off work. droned out songs all they way from 1 to 6 before being escorted home by 2 bodyguards. slept for 1 hour and was pulled out of bed by my niece. super sleepy but havent much of a choice because i have lectures starting at 12. after school, celebrated my birthday with N357 though i cant eat my birthday cake. really glad to have known all of them and all the times we had together.
just met up with Yuan Tai, Jackson and Daniel for dinner at ThaiExpress. post-dinner was games at Mind Cafe @ Prinsep St. Jia Ying, Zheng Hao and Lionel joined shortly after. had a fabulous time of fun and laughter. really appreciated their effort in making time out of their busy schedules. and miraculously my birthday wish was fulfilled. *.^
the temptations of delectable food....
nothing is gonna get me down.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
the mode of celebration this year is a distinct contrast to that of last year. instead of big crowds, i've settled on personal one-on-one meetups this time round, quality instead of quantity. first up on the list was Jamie. met up with him at holland village at 2200 last night. though by that time, most of the people were walking out instead of heading in. dinner at Breko was great followed by aimless walking around the neighbourhood since most of the shops were closed by then. finally i decided to spare him the torture and we parted ways. next up on the list will be lunch with Val at Wang Chai and dinner with Le Wei at Brewerkz. who cares if these add inches to my waistline. birthdays only come once a year!
this year i've been immensely blessed. birthday greetings from people who i least expected. after absence of many months of contact, it is a pleasant surprise to hear from them and heart-warming to know that they remembered. not forgetting my students who treat me like a part of their family. in particular the Min family who is so receptive and never fails to share their lives with me. Mrs Min whipped up a meal of delectable Korean cuisine for me yesterday. hence, lunch was authentically Korean. indeed, what more can i ask for? *.~
before i know it, the age of double swan (22) descends and with it the time of matchmaking. when everyone's wellwishes center around me finding my knight clad in shining armor, riding a white stallion. time to set down my criterium again, think they havent change much? in the order of importance though more or less, they are of fairly equal importance:
1. gentlemanly (acts like holding the door open, sending the girl home etc)
2. witty (no-brainer talks get on my nerves and bores me out)
3. humorous (jokes that are not offensive are good enough for entertainment)
4. family-oriented (not mummy's boy definitely!)
5. charismatic with a good sense of dressing (a person's style of dressing reflects their character)
and of course the person must be of same frequency as me. different bandwidth leads to serious miscommunication.
in any case, i am sure the right man will present himself at the right time. for now, i embrace singlehood! and lastly... Happy Birthday to myself~ ^.*
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
back to school Day 1. managed to pull myself out of bed at 0625. it's been countless semesters, 4 to be exact, since i went for an early morning lecture. a pat on the back for achieving that. haha. a good start! though i was quite destressed and stranded as both Val and Joyce were unable to make it. not that bad though as i made a new friend. ;p
crashed NM2209 for my second lecture of the day. indeed i think new media modules are much much more my cup of tea! pray hard my appeal will be successful.
third lecture was interesting with the ever-so-humorous German lecturer, never fails to amuse us with his eccentric manner, funny antics and quirky words dripping with slight sarcasm. nonetheless, i prefer his mode of teaching - laidback, which suits me just fine.
fourth lecture was super boring. not exactly something i fancy. if it wasnt for its close relationship with the lab module, I wouldn't have taken it. however, after undergoing half the lecture, I am almost certain I want to drop it.
fifth lecture was manageable though i was quite lonely. seems like i am one of the few brave souls who dared to infringe on the territory of IT whizzes. CS 2250 isnt that bad for the time being. let's just pray i can hand in there.
after a full day of back-to-back lessons, i am really tired. shall go unwind tomorrow at Holland Village. woots!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
CS 2250. is it a wise decision or will i live to regret taking it? considering what an IT idiot i am, the prospect of ace-ing it seems bleak. havent much of a choice though since i am outbidded for the NM module. after some time discussing with Alister, the arts modules that doesnt clash with my present ones are real bores. oh well... i can just pray for the best.
supposedly my timetable still isnt that bad. Monday lab from 10 to 5 which optimistically speaking should end latest by 3, followed by a 1 hr tutorial. Tuesday lessons from 8 to 6, with a 2 hour break at 10. Friday will only be 12 to 4 with tutorial at 10 every alternate week. seems like my school life is quite laidback. that's excluding my tuition sessions which i estimate will outnumber my own lessons. average of 2 tuition sessions a day makes it a total of 14 a week. woah! i must be crazy. trying to juggle 7 students amidst all my lessons. i must really sacrifice my social life to get my CAP of 4.5! bleahx..
a few more days and the Big Day dawns. what do i want? rather that listing what i want, it's easier to say what i do not want. number one taboo is cosmetics and beauty products. i figured that it is the only category i dont fancy as a gift as they are too personal and i dont exactly experiment my face with unfamiliar brands. accessories, bags, clothes, gift vouchers are all fine. basically i have absolute confidence in my friends. they should know me well enough to know my style. ;P somehow as one gets older, one has lesser expectations on gifts. or perhaps it's just me?
Thursday, January 03, 2008
in a twinkling of an eye, 2007 has made way for 2008 - the year I will officially graduate from NUS. if nothing goes wrong and my bidding is successful that is. aiming for my 3 days week isnt easy.
sang at K-Box Marina last night with WC, Ben, Jackson and Clement. yeah! I am the thorn once again. haha. had lots of fun cause the guys are just plain jokers, born entertainers! ;p afterwhich I got the honor of being sent home since my house is a stone's throw away. lol. of course the location of my house never fails to impress my friends. *.*
I was reminded that it is January when my student wrote the date for his homework. wow~ I am adding another year to my wisdom soon. now... where's my first R21 movie experience? to think I am turning 22 soon!
