Do NOT Judge A Book By Its Cover

It's so cliche but that means it's repeated so often that it should remain in everyone's head, no matter how thick the skull or how fluffy the brain?

A friend I really respect for his integrity, his kindness and whose friendship I treasure is being accused of being the polar opposite. What's worse, by people he doesn't know and don't know him.

This friend is one of the very few who was there for me when I was upset.
This friend drives 50 kilometres just to fetch me from Klang to IMU.
This friend keeps you company while waiting for your train to arrive.
This friend goes out of his way just to make sure you're not alone for lunch.
This friend takes the trouble to explain to you what DoTA is.
This friend makes an effort to help you conquer your fear of heights (unsuccessfully).
This friend has a sense of humour that would bowl you over.

He treats everyone (save a few who really get on everyone else's nerves) with respect and consideration. He makes his friends feel appreciated and provides a sense of belonging. He does not deserve to be judged such.

He's nice. Leave him alone.

The Scale Says

133 pounds. Down from 135.5. Hahaha... in a week!

I'm Getting Old

At the car today, I thought I left the car keys at the library pigeon hole...

Evelyn runs back to IMU... leaves bag with Christine and Ken at cafeteria...

Library pigeon hole EMPTY...

Evelyn runs into library... Jimmy says no keys at table...

Evelyn runs back down...

Empties bag.

As you might have guessed... keys were in the bag, hidden under the water bottle...

*sweat*

Disgusting

Is winning really all that important?

Or are we, the professional slackers, not seeing the real point of sports here?

Witnessing a few games being played under high tension, I wonder where all the fun has gone. Is there joy only in winning now? When opponents congratulate winners only half-heartedly, if at all... When players jeer at their opponents...

This is such a small campus community. We are all schoolmates, for goodness sake. We meet in the hallways (or escalators and cafeteria and photocopy shop and VK Bookstore). Half the time, we play with each other.

Were you pretending to be friends?

Were you putting a facade of respect for your seniors who organised the event, only to yell at them at a later date?

When it's crunch time, when things turn ugly, players have to make a choice between (a) turning ugly as well, or (b) resisting the urge to strangle the living daylights out of the opponent who is the only barrier to the elusive gold medal, even when the opponent isn't really good or even when he's swearing, there's a choice between joining him at his level or rising up to the occasion.

I don't know. I have seen players who keep calm, who cheer for their opponent's good shots and remain focused to win. That's real sportsmanship.

And for those who feel they absolutely must win, don't delude yourself by romanticising it as "I have to do this for my batch, for my friends, for my parents, my pet dog, pet cat, and pet goldfish. And because I made a promise to my long dead teddy bear that I'd win this for it". That may have a part to play but you want to win because you enjoy winning. But mind, if you're incomplete without the gold, you would not be complete with one either.

Trust me. I hungered for a gold in a particular sport for more than a decade. Winning it didn't make the sport any sweeter. The most difficult and unforgiving yardstick is that face staring back in the mirror every morning. Getting a gold? That's nothing.

This isn't the Olympics. Get a life.

Birthday Wish

His name is Lee Michael. And he's officially 24 today.

Happy Birthday, Twerp! *ducks a flying chair*

This post is for someone special. Of all the people I know, you are one of the...

• STRONGEST, bouncing back from cruel twists of fate that would have broken a lesser man. we really thought you had given up... and you amazed us by being grateful that the series of events happened to bring you to where you are
• KINDEST, forgoing lunch (oh so long ago... do you remember?) to buy the beggar some food
• GENTLEST, orphanage visiting with you opened a whole new world to most of us. the way you interacted with the kids... without the slightest tinge of pity, but with respect and interest... was amazing
• MOST FORGIVING, who would sincerely befriend someone who had once stabbed his back so bad. you are right, people can change... but we still believe that it was your giving him a second chance that changed him so much. he said so himself
• MOST UNDERSTANDING, not merely tolerating... truly understanding
• MOST DISCIPLINED, doing things that no one would subject themselves to just to achieve what you deem important and what i had deemed impossible. i apologise for doubting you.
  
  
• worst liars, who tries to say he drank orange juice when his breath reeks of alcohol
• worst drivers, who manages to crash his car twice in a week WITHOUT alcohol
• worst comeback-makers, really... you should stop even trying
• blurest, you should stop believing EVERYTHING i say... hehe...

Someone said, "How sweet it is when the strong are also the gentle"

Friend, thank you for being you.
You are an inspiration to the people around you, whom you serve tirelessly.

Actually I Don't Know

Seem to be getting quite a lot of feedback recently.

"... you damn pro-IMU la. They pay you or what?"

Oh well... here we go again. Yes, I do love IMU. It really doesn't matter what everyone else thinks of it. Okay, this is the part when you're supposed to stare and ask "why???". No, try again... do it in a more incredulous tone.

And this is the part when I stare back and ask "why not???" and then "actually, I don't know"

Maybe because there are nice people in it. Friends who would drive 50 kilometres just to give a friend a lift. Seniors who give you their old books. Juniors who give you respect you know you don't deserve. Lecturers who would spend a Sunday at an event that he's not paid. Coaches who are patient with you even when you just can't perform something right. Guards who would stand by your car instead of taking a seat at his station at the carpark just because you did not lock your car. Food operators who would give you a treat when you forget to bring your wallet. Cleaners who remember your name and return your wallet. People are generally very nice.

Maybe because I dreamt to be here. This is NOT a stepping stone to my dream. I dreamt of wearing that ID that says IMU. Just as much as I dream to wear that ID that says Thomas Jefferson Medical School. And no, I am not disappointed with what they have to offer in return for my (parents') money.

When (or if) I graduate and someone asks "where are you from?", I will hold my head up high (assuming the question is not asked to catch the culprit of some boo-boo) and say "IMU and TJU". I will not hide. I am not embarrassed. I only pray that IMU would one day be as proud of me as I am to be part of its growing years.

A Passing Remark

Someone told me today, "...no use one that office" in reference to the student representative council. No, he was not referring to the current council nor any particular councils for that matter.

He was referring to the office itself. It represents what most students feel about the SRC and at the end of it all, it is - like most other things - a dismissal.

What does all the work amount to? Nothing. As I leave, I look back and realise that I have taken more than I have given.

Pasar Kutu

Stated on the banner.

That's the result when the organisers of an event make direct translation from English. I was told that it was an MCA event. Goodness gracious.

Lost

Both Taekwondo belts... one el cheapo one and one nice Adidas one. I now officially have 4 sets of uniforms... but no belt.

*cries*

And why do people forget that old people can forget? Why do people forget that old people can act like children sometimes? Why do people forget to treat old folks with respect and instead become bitter and frustrated when interacting with them? Why do people forget that some day, they too will age? Why?

When will they realise that yelling at old folks won't make them listen... they'd just tune out the same way teenagers do.

Picture Tsunami

These pictures are courtesy of Yeap Chee Seong a.k.a. Uncle Yeap Yeap. Dinner, of course, was courtesy of Mummy and Papa.

We had our dinner at...

And there I am promoting IMU... kinda ran out of casual shirts again

A picture with the family minus Kor Kor plus Kelvin's girl girl

And aunty-aunty sekalian...

The compulsory lan-si look after kena bombed by our dear Uncle Yeap Yeap
(or at least I think so... maybe I DO look like that most of the time)

Singapore

Here I am... in a foreign country, where the connection is much faster than at home (dowan to compare with IMU's connection la)...

Gathering yesterday with the MGS gang was really fun. Thanks for everything, peeps... including that dedication for a birthday song in Cantonese. Didn't understand a single word but it must have been good, judging from the very loud laughter from all corners of the cafe.

I learnt something today. Do NOT attempt to carry

(a) Guyton's Medical Physiology
(b) Netter's Atlas of Human Anatomy
(c) Clinically Oriented Anatomy by Keith Moore
(d) First Aid for USMLE Step 1

with your left arm and

1 very much bigger Gracelynn

with your right.

Energy level before attempt IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII------------

Energy level after attempt IIII------------------------------

Childish

That's what a friend commented about the old me when he stumbled upon my old blog. But apparently the way you write now is very different. The way you look at things have changed. Perhaps time has blunted a few of the many rough edges I had. Thomas once quoted someone, "A life without reflection is not a life worth living" (or something like that). I won't go so far but birthdays happen to be the most natural time for reflection I suppose.

A rather wise young man of M206 once told me, "We always say that we don't want to celebrate our birthday but deep inside, we know that we would really enjoy it if people take the effort to make it special". Jimmy, you're right.

Many many many thanks to the folks who arranged the best birthday lunch I've had, who signed on the sweetest birthday card I've received, who gave me absolutely the best dinner I've had... for making the day special, for making me feel remembered.

8th Sept 2006 is officially the greatest day I've had.

And the birthday wish this year? For family and friends. And to postpone goodbye-forevers, to not take people for granted, to truly appreciate and love them... and hopefully on my 23rd birthday, I'll look back on the 21-year-old me and say "How childish... but the way you write now is very different. The way you look at things have changed", to know that I have grown.

Jimmy was right. Maybe Thomas is too.

Lost

That's how I feel.

How quickly one phase of life ends. Just as one adapts and builds a comfort zone, one is shoved out. Walking around school today was depressing... faces were familiar but very few as friendly as one's batchmates. The place used to be filled with people... it still is... but it isn't quite the same. Nothing much has changed, really... just that the cycle has moved on and I am still here.

The harder one tries to cling on to the remnants of times one remembers, the faster it slips away.

It's time to move on but it's hard to say goodbye.

Of Scrabble and Lunch

Went to school today as usual except that Pei Vern was with me, so I self-declared today a holiday from studying. Looks like these days are coming far more often than working days recently...

So we spent the entire morning playing SCRABBLE in the cafeteria and in front of the bookstore. ended with a bingo with the word TISANES, which everyone stared at me and asked WHAT ON EARTH IS TISANE? So here, ladies and gentlemen, I shall now enlighten you:

Tisane is what you will get when you to go IMU cafeteria and tell that kakak there BARLI AIS SATU. Also used for beverages infused with herbs.

Then Steven came... and we went to Ipoh Chicken Rice, Bandar Baru Seri Petaling for lunch. Have you ever wondered why people like to call new housing areas BANDAR BARU. Ada ke bandar lama? And even if it's like 50 years old, would people still call it bandar baru? And sometimes, these housing areas aren't even the size of small pekans, apatah lagi bandars...

But I digress.

It was a great lunch that almost got Jimmy late for his class at 1330. At 1315, when I called for the bill. He seemed so calm that we all thought he was too polite to ask us to hurry up. Then I rushed back to school, jumping 2 red lights, making 2 crazy U-turns and weaving through traffic like some maniac... only to arrive at 1329.

Dropped the kids off... After parking the car, I walked through the cafeteria and saw him chatting with his batchmate. I almost laughed, already feeling like an idiot for all the rush. No wonder he was so calm... he probably didn't care much for the Malay Language class.

Note to self: Not everyone has a type A personality.

Bored

Pei Vern is in Klang. In 82A, Jalan Batu Nilam 26, Bandar Bukit Tinggi 2, 41200 Klang. So now, as part of entertainment, we shall argue for the sake of arguing. Wait ahh... I go and pick a fight wif her first.

Eve: Oi Pei...

Pei: *stares at Eve*

Eve: Stare what stare?

Pei: *laughs*

Eve: You crazy edi ah?

She doesn't want to fight. I shall now go and pick a fight wif my teddy bear.