Saturday, February 21, 2009

Playing life's game

Yes, as it comes, it goes, and we herald a new school week, with the reading break all but behind us.
I did hold myself to certain expectations - that I'll dedicate this week to catching up with the back log of readings. That, rather unsurprisingly, I have failed to attain, but anyhow, it is all but behind us now. The ever constant urge to procrastinate, the extra hour in bed, or the frequent excursions I took to lala land, just proved too hard to transcend. But even that is all but behind us now. With the old week deceased, comes the promises of the new. Although it presents itself as a Herculean task, but I guess I must at least make the effort. It is never what we get out of it, but rather the memory of the effort, the knowledge that we have tried. The memories of the ends will just evaporate with time. But effort, well, we will acknowledge it, for it is not just purely substantive, but it holds us and defines us as the individuals we are.

We are all dealt a hand, which holds what life has bestowed on us, that is beyond our control. Some perpetually the pair of As, others well two odd number cards. But in essence, the hand we are dealt, how we are to play it is solely determined by us. So when the flop and the river cards are dealt, we may find ourselves doomed by destiny's hand. We can be foolhardy and take a bet with destiny, which by pure chance, we may triumph over destiny's sway. But we may also be beaten, and capitulate to her dictates. We can fold and live to fight another day, but never should we fold and give up on life itself. Rather take the bet if you must, fall hard and rise again. Or fold, if your temperament demands of you, and go at it again some other day. Whichever way, we will win some and loss some, those are the ends. But the memory of playing destiny's game with a poker face, will be cast upon eternity.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Summer Itinerary

Just a slight alteration for Summer 2009 due in part to Mum making a huge din about the shortness of my length of stay in Singapore

So instead of being back from June 14 to July 4, I'll be in Singapore from June 14 to July 24. Yay! Oh ya instead of departing from LA, I'll be departing from San Fran instead.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Japanese Finance Minister in a drunken stupor at G8 Press Conference



Rachel Maddow totally rocks!

"I dun speak Japanese, but I do speak hammer, and that dude is hammered!"

Oh btw, that drunk dude, Shoichi Nakagawa, he lost his job adding to the already escalating unemployment rate in Japan.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Ice Skating/Academy of St Martin-in-the-fields

I apologize for the sketchy title.

Those two activities have little or no relation with one another, with the exception that it took place on the same day, and at the end, I felt that both activities went really well and were really fun in their own ways. A huge credit goes to the company, with good company, regardless of any unexpected hiccups or misadventures, things will still turn out well, and it did.

I say so because I totally dislike ice skating. Seriously, I just don't get the notion of threading around in ice, with really uncomfortable shoes that gives you really bad foot aches and blisters, and with little kids romping pass u making u look like a total idiot. Yeah, that' sums up the experience - my first ice skating endeavor.

But the company was great. Anthony like me, played the fool. Well, Jennifer and her sister, they were real good! And they were pretty good teachers as well, except I was a really slow learner who just could not get my footing right. The whole time, I was just so afraid to fall on Kristen, shes barely up to my shoulders and I know the consequences would be disastrous if I fell on her.

Well then to the second event of the day, this time it is a concert featuring the Academy of St Martin-in-the-fields, held at the grand old Orpheum Theater. It is literally the grand old dame of the cultural scene her in Vancouver, and the facade of the buildings says it all. The rich lush steps, adorned with overarching walls, with mirrors decked along the sidewalks reflecting the majesty of concert evenings, where fine ladies and gentleman throng through the hallways in their full regalia, exhibiting all the pomp and circumstance of the occasion.

The academy dished out a repertoire of Baroque pieces, namely Bach's Violin Concerto No. 1 and 2. I'm no music expert, but in my humble opinion, it is definitely one of the better interpretations of Bach out there. The form is majestically maintained, with little exuberance, in full deference to the composers' work. The performance on the whole was very disciplined and the piece well articulated.

It was great to have Serene there, I mean she's the most avid armchair critic u can find. When the music is good, she listens with a nod of satisfaction and when it was beyond everyone's understanding, she just folded her arms in anticipation(I think it is more wtf, I paid 40 bucks for this?).

Yeah for some reason, the last piece was just mind baffling. With little or no form or structure, a theme invariably present in today's contemporary classical compositions. William Walton's Sonata for Strings, as Serene so tacitly pointed out said one thing - a rejection of the status quo and I guess the Academy being what it stood for, did not just coincidentally arranged the Walton piece as an after thought to Mozart and Bach, two of the cornerstones of the Classical Music tradition. Well, if indeed it was supposed to be a statement, what a statement it was, because people started leaving after the Second Movement. However, some in the audience saw the point, stayed on and gave the academy a rousing standing ovation.

Haha, but it is THE Academy of St-Martin-In-the-Fields, of course you applaud them.But as a whole, I throughly enjoyed the experience and the company most of all, haha.

So with all that, that is my eventful day, I hope yours went well too.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Yes here we go again, towards the warmth and comfort of Summer

First, our esteemed national carrier has decided to shut off it's operations to Vancouver effective April 25th. This drawback certainly reflects the pathetic state of their finances, and I offer my deepest regrets and wish them well. My only hope is that they will not take away my precious Krisflyer points or stiffen the criteria dictating the redemption process, which is as complicated as it is.

But there is always something good which comes out from even the most dire of circumstances..

So as i struggle to scavenge every detail I could find with regards to my return ticket, I began to see a whole new set of possibilities enacting itself. Apparently, our esteemed national carrier (via Air Canada) has decided to fly us down to the States, from where we can board the flight for Singapore from either Los Angeles or San Francisco, which in itself doesn't present such a negative prospect afterall. Although it translates to a full 24 hours on the plane, and having to go through American Customs.. which can be a real nightmare.

So here's my plan, in view of the unforeseen turn of events, my Summer iteinary would be as such

04May - 12 June: Summer School I
13 June - Exams
14June - Leave for LA
15 June - Leave for Singapore
16 June - Reach Singapore
16 June -whenever - Singapore Singapore Singapore
Sometime in June: Community Service in Cambodia
04 July: Back to Vancouver with Dad
05 July: Summer School II


So yes, LA for a day! For such a negative turn of events, it really doesn't hold such a negative prospect after all.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Thucydides wrote

" The Strong did what they did, the weak suffered what they must"

Bullshit..

Sunday, February 08, 2009

Oh lamentations, the repose of nature's burdens
From whose cup, every scorn I shall fill, and every love I shall drink
Do not allow me to be overwhelmed by you this time
for I can scarcely allow myself to be succored into your ways
But let me be gone from your oppressive hold
and allow me to cherish what beauty has brought
For this I beg of you, and will offer in return, my heart and soul.
And if you shall refuse, only disdain and contempt I shall return.
For even you shall not hold, for I shall know myself no more.

Monday, February 02, 2009

Dear Aunty N

So I've heard and I am deeply sorry that it has turned out so
What pain this pronouncement must have been
What sadness this sentence must have drawn
But in this weary moment of confusion
I pray that you do not for one moment waver in affliction
but that you would be strong for all you love
As they stay strong for you, whom they love

I am a son as well, dear aunty, and I know a sons love for a mother
It is never quite pronounced or as finely articulated as it should be
But nonetheless, the love for a mother is second nature to us all.
Although we might frown at your seemingly petty quibbles
Or express nonchalance at your torrent of nagging concerns
But in our shallow reticence, we do know your love for us.
Although we struggle to express that same love we have of you.

So Aunty, please do not waver, as you prepare to mount this struggle
Against the pernicious spirit of our body's weakness,
We can only hope to summon the strength your spirit possesses.
A spirit which is free and undying, and never ceases to inspire
all you've touched in one way or another, through all this time, through all these years.

It is the same spirit which I believe, will enliven your weary being.
And as we go forth, to be healed by the almighty.

Sunday, February 01, 2009

Dear Mum ,

Please do not work so hard
Your friends are dropping like flies
All because they tried so hard
And never had thought twice

Is it all worth while to work the night away
To slave and toil, sweating blood and tears
All for those ungrateful fiends
who scarcely gives a fuck
should anything happen to you
maybe a basket they will send
just to wish you well
but if your life should end
there's a whole ground swell
where they can pick and choose
a replacement for you.

Dear Mum please do not work so hard
Maybe you do not know
But your children loves you so
much that we do not care for worldly riches no more
But just want you, our loving mum.