The Retrocession

My fifth day in Toronto. A huge blackout. Streetlights no longer worked, the subway is down, and there goes my heating. Yes I didn't bathe that day. I miss home. This won't happen in Singapore. Or maybe it would,  but the water won't be as cold anyway. Looks like we've been taking some things for granted. 居安思危, that's how the Chinese put it. Always be prepared for the unexpected. You never know what kind of shit is going to happen, so always be prepared for the worst. That said, this power outage gave me the perfect opportunity from escapibg from the evil claws of Facebook and Whatsapp. Seriously, give me some peace. Sometimes I really wonder if those who click LIKE on whatever shit I post actually LIKE it. And stop spamming rubbish onto my phone, I am not exactly interested on which chiobu you saw just now and all the work you want to give me (after which you realise, oh no HE IS NOT IN SINGAPORE, when I reminded you last week on the same damn wh...

I have made some pretty important decision this week. Hope I wasn't being too rash. It definitely took me a long time to make up my mind. After all, it's a battle between dreams and reality. 长痛不如短痛。 I think I know myself best, and so far I don't remember having much regrets in life. When a window is closed, another would open for you. I shall take this few months off to enrich myself with some essential skills. Gotta be more hardworking than the rest to succeed in life. The main point of this post is of course, not about my life. This blog was never meant to describe my life. Instead, it was meant to describe everything else. 身边的朋友们，非常感谢这些年来对我的鼓励。 Perhaps I have some low self-esteem issues (contrary to popular belief hahahaha) but everyone has been very encouraging. I am really blessed to have friends like you all, some of whom I merely knew for weeks. This is someone wrote today to me: Jiayou in whatever you decide to do. I admire all who have the cour...

There is this Japanese idiom, 一期一会, which means one chance in a lifetime. 「茶会に臨む際は、その機会を一生に一度のものと心得て、主客ともに互いに誠意を尽くせ」 Surely enough, in retrospect, there are 1001 things that you wish you had the chance to do it better again. But too bad, you can't. Another year of Archi. Such fun. And attempting a minor. And balancing so many roles in hall. Joining at least 5 camps during the holidays isn't killing, it didn't make me stronger either. School has started, and projects have started coming along too. So darned sick of it. DARNED SICK. I am being damn lazy I admit, but it's not the thing I like to do. I freaking hate it. I love to study, but I hate to build things. I don't like the idea of keep on failing and trying and failing and trying. Glad I met great friends in Hall, but actually I am still very much on my own. 人的一生，仅有一次相会， 请珍惜身边的人、事、物。

Everytime ancient Melaka is being mentioned, the two things that come to my mind is: 1. The founding of Melaka under the Melaka Tree ; 2. The "Malay dilemma" of Hang Tuah and Hang Jebat . Point 1, is obviously something of a legend. Come on, where got kancil so powerful one? I am pretty sure the mousedeer in our zoo would be eaten by the wolves should they be kept in the same compound. Point 2 however, is something worth thinking. I always believe that different cultures produce different sets of values that they embrace. Those interested in the Hang Tuah-Hang Jebat Battle please read this post  that I wrote eons ago. 汉惹拔要死了，说： "Abang, you must jaga my son!" Before Hang Jebat died, he said, "Raja adil raja disembah, raja zalim raja disanggah" . In simple terms, if the ruler is a wise and noble one, he would be respected with loyalty. If he is an asshole, however, he should be overthrown and rebelled against. Sadly, Hang Tuah felt that as a Mal...

Holidays are for gaining further knowledge.  Holidays are for staying home. Holidays are for meeting people.  Holidays are for staying home. Holidays are for travelling. Holidays are for staying home. Holidays are for keeping shape. Holidays are for staying home. Walau eh. 大家都爱看电影，殊不知底片其实是一张一张的。放映时， 一秒钟底片转换二十四次， 我们只看到连续相，我们肉眼又如何有能力有识别每一张呢？ 世间事物其实都是这样让我们无从察觉它的存在。

[Hah actually I wrote this on 4 May night but was lazy to edit and post this, and now that the election results are released I guess I shouldn't keep this in my closet anyway.] [5 May, 1am] Went to watch an election rally (ceramah, they call it there) in Kulai, Johor on Saturday night. 心里其实已经酝酿了很久，想看看彼岸的人民究竟对于政局有何看法，对于未来又有什么样的期待。这种东西当然报纸也会写，但是内容真实性似乎永远只能给50%。某些报纸甚至不报真，只报假的…… 我们差不多晚上八点半到古来。古来据说华人很多，尤其是客家人，这次行动党 (not PAP ah) 派了一位超厉害的张念群，作风犀利，精通三语，让家人上台助选（打亲情牌），向老公示爱（打家庭牌），向选民呼吁不要移民新加坡（打爱国牌），还抨击马华候选人不敢跟她展开辩论，当然虏获了大家的心咯！ Actually, 古来才多大，辩论要辨什么，有用咩？你爱不爱你家人，又关我什么事？ 重点是大家似乎已经赌懒国阵很久了，只要是骂政府的，老百姓听起来都爽…… 这场ceramah观众差不多90%都是华人。我们最担心的问题当然就是如果华裔都投民联，巫裔都投国阵，国阵胜选后是不是真的变成巫裔在朝，华裔在野呢？更糟糕的，如果选后出现暴动，党派间的冲突是否马上会变成另一个种族冲突？ 回来的路上，在新山市区黄亚福街 Jalan Wong Ah Fook，成群的飙车族 Mat Rempit 驾着贴满国阵党旗的摩托车在路上奔驰，呼喊口号。换作是新加坡，这些siao的应该会被拉去关几天吧，你妈妈还希望法官可以判几鞭威慑一下。 But why would these samseng kia support BN? Solely because of money paid for their support during this election period? I rememb...

It's a two month hiatus! Wow. Life is mundanely exciting. Went to Canada and stayed at this Auntie Linda's home. Super nice~~~ And seen snow for the first time in my life. When it comes to postdating my posts I just get real lazy. So let's just talk about what happened these couple of days okay. Our Archi course was tasked to look for kiosks and be ready to design a better one along Selegie Road. The target I have in mind right now is the gao luck man. I have no idea why Buah Berangan, better known as 栗子, is called Gao Luck. But anyway I had to run around Singapore to find these people with woks and gas cylinders; it certainly isn't easy. There is this Chinese phrase called 跑地牛 . Who is 地牛 ? 地牛 , in modern context, means NEA officials. Do you know that selling fruits outside the MRT station requires a permit? Do you know that the Gao Luck man has to change his location every now and then to avoid them? Legal or not, it isn't my problem. But I would...