Things to do before (my youth’s) death

https://youtakecontrol.wordpress.com/one-life

True to self

The past two weeks haven’t been very fruitful for me. I simply wasted my time doing unproductive nonsense or just lazing around. To some, that may be acceptable. But to me, it just isn’t. I just feel that that isn’t the way to go, I ought to spend life doing things more achieving of my own ability.

But, one doesn’t have to worry to much. What matters most is that one is happy. So long I’m happy doing something I ought not to think too much. But then again, there are more things to achieve. If you want what you want, you have to do what you don’t want.

~

I just had numerous conversations with different people around me on various topics, and I found that I’ve been rather misaligned on certain issues. We all have a certain set of values we hold true to ourselves. But that does not give one the right to enforce his own philosophy over another. I’m just rather upset that there are people who I live and work with love to use force and a perceived level of superiority to make people around them comply with their ways of life. To me, these people are just living in their own well, and fail to recognise that people are made to be different, and more importantly, fail to accept that fact and accept others.

Well, I believe that is one thing I really cannot tolerate. I feel, and know, that I do have a very high tolerance level for many things. In other words, I’m hyper-competent at the art of sucking thumb. But when I meet with issues I cannot stand, my temper would give in. And I guess I would soon.

Many would tell me I don’t have to think too much. But the way I see it, not being true to self is one blunder in life. One of the things I hold true would be this – to be true to myself, and the values and philosophy I believe in.

~

On a lighter note, I read this article on the web: http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/what-singapore-can-teach-us/2012/05/02/gIQAlQEGwT_story.html

And I’m rather proud that Singapore have been featured on a major platform. I’ve always thought that Americans are really critical on our system which less and less Singaporeans pride on, and it pleasures me to know that just one American is approving of this system which even Singaporeans ourselves are ungrateful and unappreciative.

Say, for example, our HDB and MRT are the envy of Westerners, the supposed “first world”. Yet Singaporeans show no sense of gratitude, and complaints are all they see. Is it because in our blind chase for progress, we have neglected the very basics of being thankful for what we have? Have we forgot our past, and the struggles our forefathers went through to ensure our impeccable standards of living today?

So Singaporeans, please.

Accomplishment.

I tend to get lazy in doing things. Things that I don’t usually like to do. Some are rather necessary yet are just found to be undone, for example:

•  Exercising/Keeping Fit
• Constantly updating my blog
• Writing on certain issues
• Reading up on current affairs
• Making myself breakfast
• Researching what uni is all about
• Getting out of the room

And I hate it when my windows and tabs get messy, cause my life gets messy as well. It doesn’t really matter that physical things are messy, my hard disk must be neat and tidy.

And anyway, I was thinking about my A-Level times. Those were the most defining and reforming moment in my life so far I guess. It is only when one is put through something out of the norm that he grows and learn, and believe I have done so too.

Here’s one song that accompanied me through the gruesome A-Levels.

I find the tune exceptionally soothing and the lyrics somewhat meaningful, especially those at the chorus. It was once on loop and pushed me through my study sessions.

Today was pretty much lazing around albeit culminating in a 21km run around my area. The run was refreshing, and much less painful than previous ones possibly due to proper and adequate warm-up.

I can’t wait to have a purpose in life.

People and Achievements

On the evening of 12th April, I received one of the best pieces of news in my life so far: SMU’s School of Law decided to interview me. I had minimal time to prepare for it, as the only available date was on Saturday, 14th April. My path to the interview was a unique one, and I would say I’m fortunate to have got it, or even the course itself. I appealed for a change in course to hopefully a Double Degree in law and economics and much to my surprise I got called up for the Law interview. I was overjoyed. I was thrilled.

I went to buy my clothes and cut my hair on Friday, after successfully getting rid of that duty. I would say that I’ve been rather lucky so far to meet nice people in Singapore’s service line, such as the G2000 store assistant, the taxi driver or the hairdresser. It’s great that I’ve learnt to appreciate little things like this. For instance, the hairdresser, a middle-aged woman, was really friendly and advised me on the various hairstyles for the interview. I’m glad, I’m blessed.

Then came the big day. I procrastinated at home again before leaving for SMU. Once there, the atmosphere was not as tense as expected, surprisingly. I first chose the essay “Authority proceeds from true reason, yet true reason does not proceed from authority. Discuss.” and I think I wrote quite well. What I really screwed up was the interview.

I felt rather insecure as I was posted to an interview group with the other two girls knowing each other (the male:female ratio was like 2:1) and coming from much ‘superior’ backgrounds. Sensing an uphill battle, I answered first for the first discussion question – the impacts of social media on people’s privacy and society; but gradually stumbled along the way. My individual question was worse – whether the defence budget was justified. My response – it has to be, for the internal threat remains real, and full stop. I mean, what else can you argue for?

Well, so be it. At least I tried. Just treat it as an experience gained.

And then I bumped into Daphne and caught Battleship before heading to Indoor Stadium, where I returned to a spiritual home, albeit the wrong physical environment.  It was a real pleasure being able to return to an NCC event and meeting old friends and buddies, despite outgrowing some of their age and not knowing more people. But it’s still heart-warming, to see that it’s the same faces who stay dedicated, be it for the higher calling, or be it for the people around them. These are the people who treasure the things around them and even after many years, still hold on to it and are able to relive it no matter how old they’ve gotten or how long they’ve left service.

These two events essentially made the other two days of my weekend (Monday was an off-day) feel boring. Well, I guess life is about two key things – people and achievement, although not all, certainly.

Destination.

After much deliberation I decided to blog regularly on WordPress, so that I make sure I chronicle significant moments and not let them become a distant memory in time to come.

Once again, WordPress has an irritating “follow” function which I guess I’ll use on my other blog. Follow functions are too damn annoying for the fact that they tempt one to follow another. Well, it takes one to know one. Our society have become less articulate in own opinions, and then end up easily accepting (or say blindly adopting) others’.

At the moment, there are are number of topics I would want to write about:

• The recent bunch of young soldiers I have influenced
• My immediate past weekend, people, and acquaintances
• Random miscellaneous thoughts jotted down in every location

It is of utmost importance, at least to me, to be constantly in writing or reading and hence engaging the mind. For success is not a destination, and excellence should be a habit.