The bo liao after the exams

Have you ever wondered how many exams you took since you were borned? Here is a rough estimation:

 

Primary School

4 subjects * 6 years + PSLE (4 papers) = 28 exams

 

Secondary School

8 subjects * 4 years + O levels (8 papers) = 40 exams

 

Junior College

5 subjects * 2 years + A levels (5 papers) = 15 exams

 

University

6 modules * 7 semesters = 42 exams

 

Total: Around 125 exams!!!

 

 

The '125th' exam of my life is named Pattern Recognition, which I shall remember forever, cos...

 

...it is damn chui! Ganna screwed left right upside down. Down... T_T

 

Hopefully I won't have a 126th exam named Pattern Recognition also.

 

Anwz, I almost died during this sem's exam period. FOUR papers in 7 days!!! 4 Red Bulls, 2 Starbucks Mocha Frappe, 5 Chicken Essences were what kept me going in the past week. Now I finally can recover from exhaustion, and taurine, caffeine and chicken overdose. 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Things to do during this holidays:

 

 

1. Prepare for FYP presentation next Monday

 

2. Grad trip in Taiwan for 11 days, starting from 12th May

 

3. Make an MS Excel program to help simplify dad's accounts

 

4. Find jobs

 

5. Visit natural reserves in Singapore, eg hiking/cycling in MacRitchie Reservoir or Ubin etc - to find peace in nature after such an hectic sem

 

6. Visit places of interest in Singapore which I seldom or never visit, eg, zoo, bird park, discovery center, museum, art museum etc etc

 

7. (Re)learn Tarot cards - to unlock the mysteries of the universe

 

8. Learn Tai Ji Quan (Maybe? Haha!) - to be One with Tao

 

9. Play games - actually no need to say, cos games and me are One

 

 

Anyone interested in going to any place or doing anything listed above with me, feel free to find me! 

 

Today

Today after my 3rd exam paper, while I was queuing at an ATM, I met a year 2 junior from hall. Though, we don't know each other very well, we still made some small talk while queuing.

 

She told me that she respects me!

 

Haha!

 

I asked her why, and she said cos I rec games very zai. Although I inside feel shiok but actually I also feel a bit guilty. True, I played all recreational games (c chess, weiqi, bridge, darts, i chess, othello etc) except scrabble and boggle in Inter-Block Games, BUT, I am actually NOT zai in any of them. Juniors nowadays very easily get cheated by seniors’ false ‘reputation’.

 

But well, really damn shiok! LOL!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

On my way back home, on the MRT, I was playing my PSP when a secondary school student came on the train and sat beside me. He was facing the other side talking very loudly, nonsense like

 

"Ah, the door is going to close... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."

 

I thought he was talking to his friends, so I didn't bother about him. Throughout the journey, he just kept talking. And I just kept playing my PSP. Until the next stop, he said the same thing loudly again:

 

"Ah, the door is going to close... 5, 4, 3, 2, 1..."

 

Then, I began to sense something was wrong. I looked up and around. There was no one for him to talk to!!!

 

At that point of time, I knew there were only 2 possibilities. Either he was talking to himself, OR…

 

*creepy music in*

 

…he was talking to someone I couldn't see.

 

. . . . . .

 

Both possibilities also didn't sound very good. =(

 

I tried to act as if nothing is happening and I continued to play my PSP (looking like very happy liddat). But inside I felt like running away.

 

Only until when I reached Woodlands and got out of the train, then I let out my breath. Phew!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Retrospectively (assuming it was not a supernatural incident), I don't think I should felt uneasy around people like him. He was only talking/thinking to himself out loud. I also talked to myself, albeit silently.

 

Actually, I am not that different from him.

 

(Maybe it was because I myself couldn't stand myself talking to myself so much, that was why I started writing to myself instead, and hence, this blog! Haha!)

 

 

Random Gundams

I have been watching Gundam Wing series recently. This morning feeling a little bo liao, went to do some googling on Gundams. Then I chanced upon different countries' Gundam from old Gundam G series on the Gundam Official Website. Let me show ya a few random ones from around the world, they are quite interesting:

 

Neo China - Dragon Gundam 

 

Neo Egypt - Mummy Gundam IV

 

Neo Spain - Toro Gundam   

 

 

Neo Kenya - Zebra Gundam

 

Neo Greece - Zeus Gundam 

 

 

Neo Holland - Hurricane Gundam

 

 

After looking at so many cool Gundams from around the world , do you believe Singapore also have a Gundam in the series???

 

Behold...

 

*Drumroll*

 

 

THE...

 

SINGAPORE...

 

GUNDAM!!!

 

 

 

Neo Singapore - Ashura Gundam

 

 

WTF! Since when did our national symbol became a freaking... SPIDER?!?

 

Down... =(

 

Studying... and Crapping

During the interview at DSTA last last Friday, I tried a little stun. It went like this:

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

The first question the panel of interviewers asked was, as usual,

 

"Hi Jiefeng, lets tell us more about yourself, eg, what is your strengths and weaknesses?"

 

To which I replied,

 

"I have been a Professional Student all my life. My strength is that I am damn good at studying.

 

No matter what type of exam, be it Memorize type, Application type, Tigam type, Mix Mix type, Study-Also-No-Use type etc etc, I simply JUST won't fail!"

 

The interviewers were all flabbergasted.

 

"Haha! Just kidding la... My strength is my sense of humor. Hahahaha!"

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

The above is purely crap, including the "simply JUST won't fail" part. But sometimes I really do feel that my one and only 'strength' is just studying.

 

Wonder if I should really try this stun during an interview someday... haha!

 

Anw, it has been a long time since I have studied for enjoyment. The last module I truly enjoyed was Chinese Cinema in English, which I took in Year 2. Well, studying to me is not really torturous either. I am just too used to it, studying my entire life. It is just like breathing. (Though I do get block nose and asthma attacks sometimes. =P)

 

It has also been a long time since I studied for grades.

 

I realized something after Year 1. 'B' grade is something you get naturally when you studied enough. 'A' grade is something you get naturally when you studied enough to become One with the subject. It is a by-product you don’t need to aim for purposely, I feel, just like you breath out carbon dioxide.

 

I usually study just enough.

 

I guess grades are not such a big thing under the old system ba, where nobody knows shit about what honors they are going to get. Anw, at this stage, it doesn’t matter for me.

 

In one week's time, I am going to reach Enlightenment by transcending the Bell Curve to the Great Beyond.

 

*Holy music in*

 

 

Good luck for your future exams, juniors (mortals) !

 

4 hours to my first paper, still have some time for me to try to become One with Software Engineering. 

 

Ohmmmmm....

 

(Oh no, I am beginning to see things in source codes again!)

 

Random stuff from the net

Split Personality 

A: - Hi 

B: - Hi

A: - I have a split personality!

B:  - Hmmm...

A: - I have one too! 

B:  (wtf!)

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

I Am Legend (Will Smith)- Alternate Ending

 

   

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

 

Loveless - From Final Fantasy Crisis Core

 

Prologue

When the war of the beasts brings about the world’s end

The goddess descends from the sky

Wings of light and dark spread afar

She guides us to bliss, her gift everlasting

 

Act I

Infinite in mystery is the gift of the goddess

We seek it thus, and take it to the sky

Ripples form on the water’s surface

The wandering soul knows no rest.

 

Act II

There is no hate, only joy

For you are beloved by the goddess

Hero of the dawn, Healer of worlds

 

Dreams of the morrow hath the shattered soul

Pride is lost

Wings stripped away, the end is nigh

 

Act III

My friend, do you fly away now?

To a world that abhors you and I?

All that awaits you is a somber morrow

No matter where the winds may blow

 

My friend, your desire

Is the bringer of life, the gift of the goddess

 

Even if the morrow is barren of promises

Nothing shall forestall my return

 

Act IV

My friend, the fates are cruel

There are no dreams, no honor remains

The arrow has left the bow of the goddess

 

My soul, corrupted by vengeance

Hath endured torment, to find the end of the journey

In my own salvation

And your eternal slumber

 

Legend shall speak

Of sacrifice at world’s end

The wind sails over the water’s surface

Quietly, but surely

 

Act V

Even if the morrow is barren of promises

Nothing shall forestall my return

To become the dew that quenches the land

To spare the sands, the seas, the skies

I offer thee this silent sacrifice

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Empty Your Cup

 

(This is the story where the scene from Forbidden Kingdom originate from.)

 

A university professor went to visit a famous Zen master. While the master quietly served tea, the professor talked about Zen. The master poured the visitor's cup to the brim, and then kept pouring. The professor watched the overflowing cup until he could no longer restrain himself. "It's overfull! No more will go in!" the professor blurted.

 

"You are like this cup," the master replied, "How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?"

 

Different Stages in a Complete Hall Life

Year 1 - Freshies

 

- FOC & Ignitiation - Going through the ritual before becoming part of Hall 11 'family'

- Blur, getting use to new culture

- Sudden exposure to a lot of new faces

- Making new friends

- Not that attached to hall, relatively

- Want to prove themselves

- Worry about next year's accommodation

 

Year 2 - Seniors

 

- Happy to be recognized by seniors as 'seniors' too

- Guide freshies to get used to hall and uni life

- Know everyone

- More attached to hall

- Start to take up leadership positions and/or join a LOT of stuff

- Disillusions (why did I join this?!) may occur due to over-commitment

 

Year 3 - (Grand) Seniors

 

- Semi-retiring, less active (becoming smarter from disillusions)

- Some will still take up high positions (for own interest and/or portfolio sake)

- Miss the seniors who are graduating...

- Have an empty feeling that a lot of familiar faces in hall had disappeared

 

Year 4 - Lao rens

 

- Graduating

- Mostly fully retired

- 不 active 的 与世隔绝 (云深不知处，只在麻将中。)

- Slightly more active 的 喜欢倚老卖老，but 不喜欢做事

- Tendency to rant non-stop (You know who, haha!)

- Frequent periods of emoing

 

- Realization that no matter friends or acquaintances, they have lived in the same place for more than 1 year. They are actually, really, family.

 

- Miss all the friends they have made in hall, esp those seniors (non-year 1s) whom they have lived, worked, played together for more than two years.

 

- Feel a faint sadness (淡淡的忧伤) about the inevitable leaving of the place they have called home for four years.

 

 

Only 3 more weeks...

 

因空见色, 由色生情, 传情入色, 自色悟...？

 

*淡淡的微笑*

 

 

Flying Penguins

For those who haven't seen this footage or heard this news on 1st April, BBC reporters have found and videoed a flock of penguins that can fly! Amazing!

 

BBC - THE FLYING PENGUINS

  

 

 

BBC - MAKING OF 'THE FLYING PENGUINS'

  

 

 

 

Btw, one of the most interesting products I found on the net, from thinkgeek.com. But of course, it also debuts on 1st April. 

 

 

I might buy it though.

The Last Day of School

Today is the last day of school. Not any other last days of school. It is THE last day of school.

 

Which I pon as usual.

 

Not that I don't want to go to school. By right I have assignments to hand in. But I have a job interview at 1130. Symbolic isn't it?

 

Ending the last day of School with a Job interview.

 

Guess what is the next thing I did after the job interview on the last day of school?

 

I applied for a THREE years Popular student membership card. LOL!

 

Little ironies in my life on the last day of school. Ha! Nothing remarkable happened after that, but I shall write it down for completeness sake. I went to watch a random movie on my own to celebrate the last day of school. It is called Untraceable, which was really quite thrilling as a thriller should be.

 

Then I came back home and chanced upon Minghui's blog entry from a few days ago, which is called Edited version of John Cage's 4'33. It reminded me that it was actually Minghui's mentioning of 'Zen' that started my recent rantings about Nothingness, Buddhism and stuff! (Minghui, it was all your fault!!! Haha!) Anwz here is a performance of John Cage's 4'33 on Youtube. Enjoy!

 

 

John Cage's 4'33

 

   

 

 

There is another video I wanted to show. This video was first put up by Singying on her blog and it WAS what made me bought PSP in the first place! (Singying, it was all your fault!!! Haha! Eh, btw, I complete it le. =P) Enjoy it too!

 

 

Final Fantasy Crisis Core - Angeal, Genesis and Sephiroth (English)

 

   

 

(What a contrast between the first video and the second video. =P)

  

A beautiful last day of school. Pray hard for me that I wont ganna recall manning this weekend. (I don't have fieldpack T_T)

 

A nightmare

I had a horrible nightmare from a few days ago, which I typed out but haven't got a chance to post. Here it is... it was really horrible...

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

It was a bright sunny day. I was in a strange foreign place which was somewhat similar to Harry Potter's Diagon Alley in London. I was walking leisurely along a street when I saw some green apples growing from some vines on the ground. (I don't know why.) I felt a bit hungry, so I tried to kapo some apples. However, the apples suddenly came to life and shouted angrily (Ya, the apples had eyes and mouths) :

 

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?"

 

"Eh... I want to kop some apples. Can?"

 

"WHAT?!?"

 

Then, the apple spitted out 3 seeds on to the ground... and they transformed into 3 white canvass shoes! Not ordinary canvass shoe, but moving ones!!! The shoes jumped and jumped and jumped towards me, menancely. Sensing something was wrong, I quickly ran back along the street, and as I looked back, the shoes were still jumping towards me! They were chasing me!!!

 

I was thinking to myself, 'siao liao la', when I saw at the far end of the street was a clobber (those kind sit on the roadside one). Then I knew I had hope. I had been chased by shoes before and he had saved me the last time by whipping out his magic wand and turned them back into seeds.

 

I ran with renewed energy.

 

The shoes were jumping closer and closer and I was getting more and more frightened. As I neared the end of the street, I shouted desparately, "HELP ME! HELP ME!"

 

However, as I ran passed him, I heard him yayaly said:

 

"Don't want leh."

 

I was shocked. And just as one of those horrible shoes about to hit my backside...

 

I woke up.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Hmmmm... what is my subconcious trying to tell me?

 

 

空

Did some googling on JM's comment 

 

"因空见色, 由色生情, 传情入色, 自色悟空" - 曹雪芹，《红楼梦》

 

To understand the meaning behind, we must first understand the following line where the above idea came from:

 

"色不异空，空不异色，色即是空，空即是色"- 《般若心经》 

 

"色" refers to the appearance of all objects. All objects came into existence from nothingness/non-existence, "空", and eventually they will go back to nothingness. After you fully understand this (enlightenment), you will find that appearance is just appearance, which is just as empty as nothingness. Actually they are all one and the same thing.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Next time your girlfriend caught you looking at chiobus and pull your ear, you can tell her

 

"Wah lao eh! Why you pull my ear?? I am actually practicing Buddhism you know. In actual fact, I am looking at 'nothingness'! Did you heard of this: '色不异空，空不异色，色即是空，空即是色。' Pretty gals are actually nothing in my heart!!! "

 

See, learning philosophy is useful! Haha!

 

(I am sure your girlfriend will pull your ear even harder.)

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *   

 

Back to "因空见色, 由色生情, 传情入色, 自色悟空". This is merely a description of the process of how the protagonist in the story understand the above Buddhism concept.

 

From nothingness you see something / someone.

After you see something / someone, you feel attachment / love.

From attachment / love, you look deeper into that something / someone.

And eventually, you realise that something / someone is nothing.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

 

JM, bothered by attachment or love?

 

 

虚于实2

An ancient philosophy question:

 

One day, you came to my room and talked to me, you knew right then that I existed. After you left and close the door, how do you know I still exist? How to you PROVE that, I, or in fact, everything in the room, is still there (when the door is closed)?

 

You can't, can you?

 

Everything you know of the reality is through your five senses, and you should know that five senses can be easily fooled. (Ah, how I love optical illusions.) Since the five senses can be easily fooled, how do you know that the reality you know is the REALLY REAL, CONCRETE reality?

 

You can't, can you?

 

However, you might be relieved that at the very very least you can prove that YOU yourself exist. "Cogito, ergo sum - I think, therefore I am" - Descartes.

 

But, that is ALL you can prove - YOU exist, and nothing else. 

 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

 

This is called 太极图 (commonly mistaken for 八卦, but no, it is NOT 八卦, and that will be for another entry). The black and white in it usually symbolize Yin Yang. In this case I choose to interpret it as Imagination and Reality.

 

Here, everything is in a flux of change. Who knows where Imagination begins and Reality ends? When Imagination is going to become Reality, Reality is going to become Imagination? Is reality really Reality? Or is it just part of Imagination?

 

Nobody knows.

 

I believe that reality is not concrete and fixed. I believe that reality is fluid and malleable. I believe that reality can be changed and bent at will. I believe that we can create our own reality from our own imagination. I believe. DO you?

No? You don't?

 

Then how the hell did the boy bend the spoon in Matrix???

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

(Hmmmm that doesn't seems very logical... Oh no... I ki siao liao... exam stress... heehee)

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Boy: Do not try and bend the spoon. That's impossible. Instead... only try to realize the truth.

 

Neo: What truth?

 

Boy: There is no spoon.

 

Neo: There is no spoon?

 

Boy: Then you'll see, that it is not the spoon that bends, it is only yourself.

 

虚于实

I have a friend.

 

She went Arts stream in JC.

 

I went Science stream in JC.

 

She studied Mass Comm in University.

 

I studied Engineering in University.

 

She does news.

 

I have no interest in news.

 

She said in her recent blog entry that she hates literature.

 

I like stories.

 

She is firmly rooted in reality.

 

I don't exist.

 

无厘头

Once upon a time, in a parallel universe far far away, long long time ago, just after Earth was created, there were 3 formless, spirit-like entities. What exactly they were then, we do not know. We only know that they were some entities and they were brothers and they each have a different personality. That is all.

One day, God summoned them before Him and said in a deep, almighty voice,

"YOU THREE HAVE NOW REACH THE AGE WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING FOR THE WORLD. WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO?"

The cheerful and outgoing eldest brother answered enthusiastically, "Father, I want to bring light and warmth to the entire world!"

 

To this, God replied, "VERY GOOD! THAT IS A WORTHY AMBITION! YOU WILL BECOME... THE SUN."

The quiet and humble second brother said, "Father, I want to watch over the world when it is sleeping."

 

To this, God replied, "HMMMM NOT BAD... YOU WILL BECOME... THE MOON."

The slightly slow and retarded youngest brother thought about the question for a very long while before answering:

"Errr... Father, I want to eat bananas."

God was stunned, and then furious! "YOU IDIOT!!! YOU WILL BECOME... ONE OF THE UGLIEST CREATURES THE WORLD HAVE EVER SEEN!" After saying that, God left angrily.

 

(After the omniscient God's temper finally died down, he mumbled to himself, "Hmmm... did I make a mistake somewhere? I don't think it was supposed to happen this way..." Then He shrugged it off as one of those mysteries in life that could never be solved.)

And so, the eldest brother became the Sun, the second brother became the Moon, and the youngest brother became One Of The Ugliest Creatures The World Have Ever Seen. However, although he was ugly, he just lazed around happily each day, doing whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. (And most of the time, he just wanted to eat bananas.) Life could not be happier.

Meanwhile, his brothers were toiling day and night non-stop doing the same old boring thing again and again and again everyday...

Although life could not be happier for One Of The Ugliest Creatures The World Have Ever Seen, he just couldn't help but had this little doubt in his slightly slow and retarded mind:

'Why did God call me an idiot? Why ah??? You know?'

 

THE END

 

Actually it is not quite the end. Later, in this particular parallel universe, human beings learnt about this story about the 3 brothers. They then adapted it into a chinese movie, named,

《猩猩，月亮，太阳》

 

Why is it recommended that you do assignments only on the LAST minute?

The story goes like this:

 

Off the coast of Japan lie several tiny islands whose population of Macaques monkeys were under continuous scientific observation for over twenty years. Daily, the participating scientists would strategically place potatoes on a beach in order to entice the monkeys out of the jungle and into the open for observation.

 

One day, one of these monkeys on an island learned to wash those potatoes, and gradually, this new behavior was spread through the colony of monkeys on the island - in the usual fashion, through observation and repetition. However, the scientists observed that once a critical number of monkeys was reached—the so-called 'hundredth monkey'—this previously learned behaviour spontaneously and instantly spread across the water to all the monkeys on nearby islands.

 

This is called the Hundredth Monkey Effect.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Collective Unconscious is a term originally coined by Carl Jung. It is also known as "a reservoir of the experiences of our species", or the "racial memory".

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

So how do the above concepts apply to assignments?

 

At the beginning, when an assigment is given to the students, nobody knows how to do it. As time goes by, more and more students will attempt the assignment, do research, and try to figure out the answers. By the time when it is jus one or two days before the due date, most of the students will have done the assignments and know the answer.

 

This is where the Collective Unconscious and YOU come in!

 

Once the number of students who know the answer pass a critical threshold, their knowledge, which is stored in the Collective Unconscious, will be significant enough to be tap by YOU! By then, you can do your assignment easily and effortlessly since you are accessing the answers in the Collective Unconcious of all the students who have done the assignment. The feeling will be something like:
 
*Ding!* (Light bulb come out from the head) "Eh? How come I suddenly know the answer??"

 

If anyone has any doubt about what I said, ponder about this:

 

If monkeys can do it, why can't you?

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

I have been relying on this concept for the past 3+ years in NTU. Since I still survive, I guess it works to a certain extent. It has been one of my closely-guarded secrets of surviving in NTU and I disclose it only because I am graduating soon. To juniors reading my blog, you can make good use of it. =)

 

However, please take note, there are risks of using this method:

 

If everyone do their assignment the last minute, then YOU. ARE. DEAD. Hmmm... Actually not quite la. If everyone is as dead as you, then you are still ok. Haha!

 

Another thing to note is that if the number of people doing the assignment is small, ie. not many student taking the same module as you, the effect may not be that obvious. 

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

I have one assignment due next next monday, another on next next thursday, and I don't have a single clue on how to do them. I am still waiting for that sudden flash of inspiration from the Collective Unconcious. God, please make that hundredth monkey faster do his assignment!!!

 

(Or let everyone be as dead as me.)

 

HELP!!!

Zen

Minghui briefly mentioned Zen in her blog. It reminds me of this Zen story which I like alot. This story also brings out the core philosophy of Zen, and it roughly goes like this:

 

 

Once upon a time, there was this very highly respected Zen master, 禪宗五祖 - 弘忍, who knew he was going to die soon. So, in order to decide who would be his successor, he called all his diciples to him and said:

 

"Today, I am going to test you on your understanding on Zen teachings. Summarise the Zen philosophy into a short 4 sentence poem. Who wants to go first?" The eldest diciple, 神秀, stood up and recited this poem:

身是菩提树,  Body is Puti tree,
心如明镜台；Heart is like mirror stand.
时时勤拂拭,  Clean frequently and deligently,
莫使染尘埃。Never let them get dusty.

 

-神秀

 

What he meant was that a man's Body and Heart (Mind) will always have impure thoughts. We must practice Zen meditation frequently and deligently to purify the Mind and Body to reach a peaceful and enlightened state.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Everyone clapped. All the diciples thought it was a very good poem which clearly demostrated a good understanding of the Zen philosophy. However, at this point, another diciple, 慧能, suddenly stood up and said he has another poem! It goes like this:

菩提本非树， Puti originally is not tree,
明镜亦非台， Mirror is also not stand.
本来无一物， If there is Nothing in the first place,
何处染尘埃？ Where do the dust land on?

 

-慧能

 

This is in reponse to 神秀's poems, demonstrating another interpretation of the Zen philosophy. 神秀's understanding of Zen state still includes 'Body' and 'Mind'. However,  慧能's understanding of Zen is that Zen's eventual aim to reach a state that is so PEACEFUL that even the concept of 'Self' (tree / body and mirror / mind) is forgotten - so much so that the issue of 'impure thoughts' is not even an issue anymore. Only then can TRUE enlightenment be achieved.

 

This is the real meaning of Zen saying: "万物皆空".

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

So in the end, 弘忍 passed the mantle to 慧能, who became 禪宗六祖. 神秀 eventually went off and set up another school in the north, teaching his understanding of Zen, hence dividing Zen into two schools of thoughts - the new 禪宗北宗 and the original 中土禪宗.

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

So, Minghui, when you said, 'Need to practice Zen.... seriously... clear my mind...' , do you mean 'clear your mind of impure thoughts' or literally 'clear your mind' (until you have no mind)? Haha!

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

 

Actually, I have composed another poem in response to 慧能 's poem!  It goes like this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

-

 

^_^

 

Disclaimer: Translation and interpretation of the poems is done by me, they may not be 100% true to the meaning behind the poems (esp the 'mirror stand' part, haha).

 

 

In memory of grandma

My grandma passed away last week.

For those who are concerned about me, dont worry. I didn't grieve. Frankly speaking, I am not very close to my grandma. I guess it is due to language barrier.

Still, I dutifully attended all the rituals that a grandson is supposed to attend. At the moment when they send her coffin into the incinerator, I prayed...

'Ah ma, may you move on to wherever world you are supposed to go peacefully. Hope you will live a better life in your next life...'

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

The funeral took place at a time when it was the busiest period for me... right in the middle of the week where I was supposed to rush for a 60+ pages FYP report due the next Monday.

On those few days, Time abruptly came to a standstill.

Suddenly, I could not do my report anymore. Instead, I had to sit for hours listening to scriptures in rituals, or burning paper money, talking to my cousins, waiting for things to start. Not just me, everyone else had to stop whatever they were doing to stay around for the funeral...

Time around that particular void deck stopped. Outside, Time raged on, never slowing, never stopping......

At that particular point in Time. Peace ensued. Contemplation. During a Funeral. What is the Meaning of Life?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

盖棺论定，入土方休。

Most, if not all, stories I heard about my grandma are those that said that she had caused a lot of unhappiness to her daughters, sons and husband，mostly over monetary matters. She never did anything to me though. I guess she must have reasons for what she did... a woman who reared up 5 children, went through war and economic downturns, naturally had more concerns about money.

However, her life will be something I will never ever know in its entirety. Was it good? Was she happy? What kind of person is she? I don't know and I will never know. The only things I know about her were from the stories I was told...

...and that she gave me a very big Ang Bao during Chinese New Year two months ago.

How do you want people to remember you when you die?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

What happened when you die?

During a ritual where the Buddhist scripture was chanted, a handbook is given to allow us to follow through and understand the ritual. The scripture described a Heaven where there are a lot of colors, a lot different gods. A place of peacefulness. It is time to let go of everything. Everything doesn't matter anymore. It is now time to pass on. And go to this Heaven.

Another ritual (of Taoist origin?), which lasted for the entire day, was done to invite the Earth God up to bring the spirit down personally. This was to prevent the spirit from being bullied on her way to another world.

I tried to sense my grandma's presence/spirit throughout the funeral...

I could not sense anything.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * *

If spirits exist... Grandma, I hope you are now in the Heaven with a lot of colors.

 * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

... After the funeral, Time furiously accelerated back to its usual hectic, crazy pace. Never slowing. Never stopping. Until you die. 

 

拾壹制作

剧终人散。 戏，演完了吗？

两百多名观众看了 2008年 拾壹制作 《剧本》，但又有几个人能了解编剧人的‘一番苦心’呢？
 
现在，还是 未来 ？
刻意，还是 巧合 ？
沉重，还是 轻松 ？
前台，还是 后台 ？

演员，还是 道具 ？
台上，还是 台下 ？
灵异，还是 幻觉 ？
真实，还是 虚构 ？
人生，还是 戏剧 ？

 

到了谢幕，才发觉，答案是

 

没有答案。

 

......

 

 

一生参与过六个戏剧制作，做过宣传，道具，音响，技术指导，编剧等。 到最后，还是觉得道具组最好玩。

那天，有一名道具组员埋怨：道具组不能像观众一样在台前看戏! 但是，他并不知道

 

观众也不能像他一样，在台旁看戏。

 

我想，我以后应该再也没有机会在台旁看戏了...

 

谢谢大家在我的最后一个戏剧制作，带给我那么美好的回忆。=）

 

      

    Props seniors acting cool.

 

   

    Hehe!

 

  

     鬼啊！！！(Weiling aka ‘小孩子' )
 

 

PS.又要继续在这人生的大舞台当演员了。Haiz 最讨厌演戏了... 可以做道具吗？Haha!

 

 

Random Pictures

 

   

 

 

   

   HARD WORK OFTEN PAYS OFF AFTER TIME, BUT LAZINESS ALWAYS PAYS OFF NOW.

 

  

 

  

   

  

 

Crossroads

Somehow these days for some reasons there are a lot of things happening together at the same time, all of them take up significant amount of brain power: job finding, production, FYP, tutorials etc etc. The result:

 

CPU Usage: 99%

 

The above paragraph is something I wrote a few days ago, in an attempt to write an entry, and failed. Now because of Chinese New Year, CPU usage dropped a bit, that is why I can continue... and because I think quite a bit these days, I am going to be a bit philosophical.

 

 

What is life?

Life is the sum of all your choices. -Albert Camus

 

Why do I bring this up? Because I am reaching another major crossroad of life: finding my first job. Looking back at all of my previous crossroads for the past 25 years, choosing my secondary school, JC, university, courses, IA company, FYP etc etc, I have been mostly happy with my choices... until NOW, when all my previous choices collectively give me a major headache:

 

WHY THE HELL AM I IN ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING WHEN MY INTERESTS ARE IN 1. THE ARTS AND 2. PROGRAMMING?

 

Hahaha! What a joke.

 

I had a strange dream during the Chinese New Year's eve. I had been blaming myself why I didn't go Art Design Media (ADM) in NTU. Then Lydia (Of all people!!! Haha! Anw she is a junior in hall, the first batch of ADMer) suddenly appeared to cheer me up. She said (in angmo) that even if I went ADM, I also won't know how well I will do there. Maybe it will turn out that I don't really like arts also. Then I thought: hmmm... What she said is true! And I felt better when I woke up.

 

Actually she is just a manifestation of my subconcious, of course what she said is true!

 

Anw, I can't help but wonder, what happened in those alternate universes where I dropped Engineering after first year and joined the newly created ADM school...

 

...or where I was borned a year later and able to choose to be admitted into ADM...

 

...or where my A level results are so hopeless that I have no choice but to go into an art school...

 

...or where my parents will strongly encourage me to go into an art school despite my ok A level results...

 

(Just now at my aunt's house, she told me that art is something you can only play as a hobby...)

 

...or...

 

All these scenarios are IMPOSSIBLE!!! Or at least improbable.

Is there any free choice in life? Or I am predestined to be an engineer in this life?

 

What do you think?

 

Hahahaha! HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR EVERYONE! =)

 

 

Guys night out

Yesterday we had a JC class guys' night out @ Mind's Cafe. It was really fun, meeting up with old friends, esp those we seldom meet cause they went China study, and saying lame stuff. One of the conversations went like this when we passed through Raffles City on our way home:

 

Jiankang: Anybody wants to buy anything from That CD Shop?

Kimsim:   That CD Shop doesn't sell Anything.

 

*Jiankang thought for a split second what the hell Kimsim was talking about*

 

Jiankang: (arghhhh)........ Whatever.  

 

 

Haha!

 

 

Hehehe

Thanks Jiahong for organising the birthday surprise for me! Thanks Jiamin for the birthday card! Thanks Miaoting for buying the present and the cake! Thanks fellow 54ers for celebrating my birthday for me and contributing to my present! And lastly thanks everyone who remembered and messaged me "HAPPY BIRTHDAY"! =P

 

  

 

You guys made me felt that I still have friends in this hostile world... I am not a loner! Hahaha!

 

 

 

P.S. Damn you Chanfan, already striking while taking photo (can see the hand moving!)... and whose hands are those on my shoulder and hand holding me down?!?

 

 

Beauty World

  

 

Went to watch Beauty World the Musical last Saturday with a bunch of JC friends. At the ticket price of $44, we sat at the 2nd last row of the huge Esplanade Theatre - Circle 3, four floors from the stage!!! It didn't help that we were completely surrounded by primary school kids, haha! 

 

Everything about Beauty World is good except for the plot and the ticket price. The main set is magnificant - 2 stories showing the inside of the glorious nightclub of Singapore 60s, with live ensemble on the second floor. Whenever it is not needed, it is hidden by lowering a veil. Then there are 2 extremely versatile platforms which can slide in and out of view (into the side of the stage) in front of the main set which can transform into different settings, be it home, tailor shop, backstage make up room, rooftop of Beauty World etc... Because of this design, the scene change is seamless. Plus the 'on the rooftop under the beautiful moonlight in a starry night' scene, with the perfect use of dry ice to create the on the clouds atmosphere... Dammmnnn zai.

 

Acting and singing-wise... Can't see a thing ah... but supposedly quite good la.

 

Alas, the plot... haiz... and the price, haiz... Frankly speaking, I would rather have less magnificant set for lower ticket price. 《天冷》's budget is only a small fraction of Beauty World and yet I enjoyed it much much much more!

 

I swear to God that I will not watch any local english play above $40 ever again, unless it is the BEST seat in the theatre.

 

Anw the morale of the story is: If the script is not good, at least impress your audience with your set, and keep it cheap... so that they will grumble less.

 

 

P.S. So far the only 剧团 that never disappoints me is 实践剧场 (except for 'Tosca', but well, it is 'pay as you want'...), founded by Guo Bao Kun. Their upcoming new show is 都是当兵惹的祸 The Soldier & his Virtuous Wife, directed by Huang Mei Lan. I remembered that last time when I was in Huang Cheng she used to talk to us about theatre theories and stuff, so I think should be quite zai ba. Haha!  Anyone interested?

 

 

 

Watching things grow

Take a look and guess what is this. =)

 

   

 

The correct answer is...

 

*drum roll*

 

2 rocks with green crystals growing on them on a piece of toilet paper!

 

(Now, who guessed "some strange vegetables" ?)

 

Anw I have been growing these green crystals 2-3 weeks ago since I came back from the science center. (Lots of interesting stuff in the science center shop!) Loved watching and making things grow, be it living like plants or people, or non-living like crystals, projects, Production.... from nothing to something beautiful...

 

... The satisfaction is there.

 

This year's Production I am not in the Inner Circle, so, I am more relaxed. And, watching the Production grows from outside... despite the various problems... 

 

I am satisfied.

 

For those who are inside... when the day comes and when it finally glows...

 

You will be satisfied too. =)

 

 

My Horoscope Today

Read my horoscope from the horoscope bar at the side of my blog. It goes like this

 

Aquarius 

January 20 - February 18

 

Live your creative fantasy today, dear Aquarius, but watch out for the reality police at the boarder. You may be experiencing a bit of conflict with a stubborn person or an area of your life that is not very well planned. Think things through before taking action, or you may find yourself lost in this world of daydreams without any escape hatch through which to come back through. Keep your mind set on the positive aspect of the situation and you will succeed.

 

 

Hmmm wonder what is going to happen during today's Full Run...

 

 

My timetable

This time table will most probably be the last school time table I will ever have (unless I bao 1 more sem), so I've have decided to immortalize it by putting it on my blog. Behold!

 

 

 

 

Exam Schedule still not bad... 2 days 1 paper. But 11 AU(s) still 5 days week... so many gaps between lectures somemore... WTH! However, do not despair! Since I never ever go lectures, this is my actual time table:

 

 

 

 

Ahhh... this looks so much better! Go school walk walk 3 days a week so that won't get so bored staying in hall all the time. Haha!

 

 

The Original Human TETRIS Performance by Guillaume Reymond

Came across this video while surfing the net... The name sounds interesting, so being curious, I watched the video. I dunno what magic compelled me to finish watching the entire 2+ mins of the video. All I know is that, after watching it, I was flabagasted (mouth open dunno wad to say).

 

This is ART.

 

Enjoy! =)

 

     

 

 

Ben

For people who have been wondering what I have been up to these days, I have been playing with a cute little botak boy called Ben most of my time in hall, as part of my FYP project. (If you ask me why is he 'botak', the reason is that botak people are easier to animate. The computer don't have to do countless calculations for the individual strands of hair.)

 

Ok, Ben, lets give our blog readers a big welcome! =)

 

 

Good job Ben! Oh, I forgot to mention, Ben is a sign language specialist who is going to teach hearing impaired children sign language. What he is showing now is the word 'WELCOME' in SEE (Signing Exact English, the sign language used in Singapore) - 3 fingers extended (letter 'W') palm up moving towards body.

 

Haiz... but Ben here is a very poor boy. He is condemned to do the same action again and again and again for eternity. Hundred, or even thousand years from now, even if I am gone, as long as the internet still exist and my blog is not deleted, he will still be welcoming people, even if there is no people to welcome. A meaningless existence.

 

Me, his creator, is at fault here. I am guilty.

 

But, look at him, he appeared to be smiling no matter how many times he bowed. As long as he is happy and content, who am I to judge whether his life is meaningless or not?

 

Hey Ben, I am going to leave my site for the time being. Even if I come back, most probably I won't visit u anymore. So you are on your own from now on.

 

Eh, bow too much will backache one. As long as no one is looking, feel free to take a rest k? Sit or walk around, drink some coffee, read some books, play some computer games, surf net etc. Don't do the same thing again and again. Find some meaning for your own life. Chao4 geng1 abit I won't mind one, but, I stress again, ONLY when no one is looking k? ;p

 

Be a good boy. Take care!

 

 

New Year Wish List

1. Bang (card game) expansion sets

 

2. 5 As for my final 4 modules (11 au) and FYP (10 au)

 

3. Second Upper

 

4. A good pay, fun, but slack job

 

5. Everyone, especially my family and me, to be healthy and happy

 

6. Production a success

 

7. World peace...

 

 

Recently I...

Read...

 

1. V for Vendetta by Alan Moore

2. Swamp Thing by Alan Moore

3. Top 10 by Alan Moore

4. Tom Strong by Alan Moore

5. Watchman by Alan Moore

6. Planetary by Warren Ellis

7. Stormwatch by Warren Ellis

8. The Authority by Warren Ellis

9. The UnderCover Economist by Tim Harford

 

Have been mostly reading nothing but comic books (and lecture notes) for the past few months. My new favourite comics writers: Alan Moore and Warren Ellis! As good as Neil Gaiman (Sandman, Stardust) and Bill Willingham (Fables). Dunno how can come out with such incredible stories. Impressed.

 

Watched...

 

1.  Warlords

2.  I Am Legend

3.  Kill Bill Volume 1

4.  Prison Break Season 3

5.  Cirque du Soleil - Nouvelle Experience

6.  Cirque du Soleil - Saltimbanco

7.  Cirque du Soleil - Alegria

8.  Cirque du Soleil - Quidam

9.  Cirque du Soleil - Dralion

10. Cirque du Soleil - Corteo

11. City Harvest Christmas Show

12. South Park

 

Quentin Tarantino (director of Kill Bill) is damn zai!!! Has been wanting to watch Kill Bill Volume 1 after I watched Volume 2 on DVD a long time ago, but the Volume 1's DVD version is banned in Singapore. Dunno what the hell Singapore Censorship Board people doing...  allow Volume 2 don't allow Volume 1. Just abit of blood splashing around like fountains only then ganna banned le. Erm ok, not abit... in fact, is alot... alot. Still, as if people will go around killing people just because they see alot of blood splashing around like fountains. Cock. I am going to kill them. (Kidding =P)

 

Anw I have also been watching Cirque du Soleil's shows on DVDs borrowed from the national library. I was wondering what is so special about Cirque du Soleil that get it featured as the first example of our Blue Ocean Strategy 'textbook', so when I saw the DVDs (Quidam and Corteo) in Boon Lay library, I borrowed them. Since then I've been hunting down every single one of their DVDs - the magic of Circus plus Theatre is indeed powerful. 5 and 6 are not as good cos it is their first few shows. But the rest are... WOW! 'Elated' is how you feel when you watch their shows. =)

 

The City Harvest Christmas Show was quite alright... but I feel there is slightly too much preaching by their pastor after the show for non-christians like me. Oh well, it is free, what can I say? 

 

South Park... another banned cartoon in Singapore. WTH.

 

Played...

 

1. Hellgate London

2. Need For Speed - ProStreet

3. Heroes of Might and Magic V - Tribes of the East

4. Call of Duty 2

5. The Battle of Middle Earth II

6. The Movies

7. Sid Meier Civilization 4 

 

Seven is the number of games I currently have in my new computer right now. (Ermm... Paiseh, I am not being accurate in my previous statement. I have uninstalled Call of Duty 2 and Civilization 4 cos I've completed them.) Hmm.... Now I faced a dilemma everytime I on my PC: I dunno what game to play. Haiz...

 

Visited...

 

1. Science Center - Digital Art & Technology exhibition 

 

The Digital Art & Technology exhibition is an eye opener - what the merging of technology and art can do. Damn nice. Science Center is indeed my favourite tourist attraction!

 

'Busy' with...

 

1. Final Year Project

2. Inter-Hall Contract Bridge Competition (over le)

3. Hall Production

 

Somehow since the beginning of the sem, I have been getting the impression that our hall JCRC can't be bothered with Contract Bridge - they don't even want to organise a Contract Bridge Inter-Block Game (IBG). If you don't organise IBG, how the hell are you going to know who is interested in playing??? Since they can't be bothered, I also can't be bothered, even though I am the ONLY person left in my hall who can (barely) make it in Bridge. Kinda disappointed but since I final year le, heck la.

 

It was not until 2 weeks before the competition that our Assistant Rec Sec called me personally asking me to play. Then I was thinking: hiya, since I last year le, after graduate probably will never have a chance to play le, then she also sounded so sincere... ok lor, play lor.

 

I was quite surprised and happy when I know that they already found a group of new bloods that are enthusiastic in playing, but dunno how to play. So, although we lost the competition, I guess I should train them so that next year our Contract Bridge Team will at least stand a chance. Having doubts about how long their enthusiasm will last, but lets hope for the best.

 

Anw, as I said, I final year le, if they heck care, I also heck care.

 

Btw, I played a total of 3 games in the competition. Lost 2 rounds in the beginning, si bei low morale. But at least during my 'finale' match (the very last match of my life in NTU), my roomie and I played against a pair of chiobus... and win! So at least I ended my Contract Bridge life in NTU on a high note. Haha! =P

 

 

That will be the end of my ramblings. 2007 has been a great year. 2008 will be an even better year! Hereby wish everyone a

 

 

HAPPY NEW YEAR!