Is there joy in creation?
Yes, there is.
Spent a majority of my time at home today holing up in my room other than to go out occasionally to get a drink and for dinner. Finally gotten some writing done after a long period of stagnancy. Currently, my head is swimming with many ideas, but there's simply no more energy for the continuation of the creation marathon. I'm feeling quite worn out, but it's definitely time well spent.
Read a story halfway through writing mine as I was feeling a little less motivated. Was actually quite pleased with what I was reading until it started becoming more and more drama. Although I do not fault the author's efforts and the language, I find myself screaming in protest at the draggy plotline. Oh well, guess life doesn't give you everything you want.
My right arm feels so strange, and it hurts when I lift my whole arm towards the air. Wonder if I did anything to it during today's PC or yesterday's Sports Heats for javelin. Hmm.
April 22, 2008
April 20, 2008
This, is what I want to blog about.
What do you associate with this picture? Is it a circle? A ball? Earth? A cycle? A line that's neverending?
In my opinion, this represents everything there is.
....
.....
....
Why do I say so?
....
...
....
Tell me, what does not occur in a circle? Where do you not find cycles?
Use your intelligence.
Fault me.
Challenge me.
What do you associate with this picture? Is it a circle? A ball? Earth? A cycle? A line that's neverending?
In my opinion, this represents everything there is.
....
.....
....
Why do I say so?
....
...
....
Tell me, what does not occur in a circle? Where do you not find cycles?
Use your intelligence.
Fault me.
Challenge me.
April 17, 2008
Mugging.
Frankly, I do not understand the culture of mugging till you puke blood. Nor do I understand the culture of workaholics.
What's the use of memorising words and downloading information to your brain every single minute of the day when you're not - 1. resting; 2. sleeping; 3. eating; 4. studying in school; 5. bathing; and letting it eat into time for yourself?
Sure, there's always a sense of satisfaction when you complete a piece of work, be it homework, project, or an art. But is there satisfaction in completing something repetitive and boring? School work isn't supposed to be crammed in. It's supposed to be something you enjoy, something you understand and visualize, even if the actual experience with the stuff that you learn may be impossible. It is supposed to be learning, supposed to be fun and thought-provoking, not the mindless memorization of words. That is how I think school should be. It should broaden your horizons and give you an insight in the world of knowledge.
If you know a concept, you know it. What's the analogy behind applying the same concept to each question that you do, other than to make yourself go 'oh, crap. Not this same thing again'? True, you may say that with practice comes perfection, but why do we seek perfection? Isn't knowledge enough to satisfy people? Take for example.. If you know how to make a car shine in polish, why isn't it enough? Why do people want it to be so sparkling that it blinds the pedestrians who are on the pavements when you drive by?
Sometimes, I find it really funny. When people teach, they go into a monologue and talk about everything you should be learning about. But when you start doing the homework, you'll get stuck. Why is it the case?
There's only one reason why people get stuck while doing homework, assuming that they are in the mood to do work.
1. They do not know, or understand, what concepts and theories they should use to answer the questions.
And this, is caused by a few reasons:
1. They were distracted when the stuff was taught
2. They did not understand the question
3. The concept was not taught
Reason 3 disturbs me the most. Really.
Because I view learning as a platform for questions and answers to mingle. In answers, questions are found. In questions, answers are found. That must have been the way great scientists and mathematicians and even philosophers worked.
Reason 3... suggests to me that the education we are undergoing is flawed. We have a education system. We have a syllabus to follow, and this has been decided by more educated and able personnel what the new and future generation should study about. This I agree with.
However, why is it then, in schools, the questions that we are exposed to which are set by the teachers in the school itself so unreadable and confusing that we don't know what to do with it? I always mentally give a bitter laugh when a teacher goes: 'you won't be able to do this question as it wasn't taught in the lecture' It is strange that we are given questions to do whereby these stuff are what we did not learn.
I hate this sentence even more.
'It is not required in the syllabus, you don't need to know'
Syllabus?! Good grief. When had learning been limited to a foolish and lame thing such as the syllabus? If I was a teacher, my priority will be to teach students. The syllabus is a strict guideline to follow, but it is a guideline nonetheless. No one can wield a chopper at your neck to force you to stop teaching that is out of the syllabus! (unless what you are teaching is morally or conceptually wrong) It is only irresponsibility, arrogance or a lack of passion that makes a teacher say such words. When students ask proper questions, we know that the answers are important for us in understanding the concept better.
That aside. Despite all the musing, I appreciate the need for a structured education system. Sometimes though, I just wish that people weren't so rigid. Education empowers people, for it is what truly differentiate us from less intelligent animals. I also clearly realize the stark reality of the difference between an educated person and a non-educated person. It's a matter of life and death.
Nevertheless, I question- if there were no high level of technology, does education matter?
Yeah... did theoretical education matter in times like..... AD1000?
Frankly, I do not understand the culture of mugging till you puke blood. Nor do I understand the culture of workaholics.
What's the use of memorising words and downloading information to your brain every single minute of the day when you're not - 1. resting; 2. sleeping; 3. eating; 4. studying in school; 5. bathing; and letting it eat into time for yourself?
Sure, there's always a sense of satisfaction when you complete a piece of work, be it homework, project, or an art. But is there satisfaction in completing something repetitive and boring? School work isn't supposed to be crammed in. It's supposed to be something you enjoy, something you understand and visualize, even if the actual experience with the stuff that you learn may be impossible. It is supposed to be learning, supposed to be fun and thought-provoking, not the mindless memorization of words. That is how I think school should be. It should broaden your horizons and give you an insight in the world of knowledge.
If you know a concept, you know it. What's the analogy behind applying the same concept to each question that you do, other than to make yourself go 'oh, crap. Not this same thing again'? True, you may say that with practice comes perfection, but why do we seek perfection? Isn't knowledge enough to satisfy people? Take for example.. If you know how to make a car shine in polish, why isn't it enough? Why do people want it to be so sparkling that it blinds the pedestrians who are on the pavements when you drive by?
Sometimes, I find it really funny. When people teach, they go into a monologue and talk about everything you should be learning about. But when you start doing the homework, you'll get stuck. Why is it the case?
There's only one reason why people get stuck while doing homework, assuming that they are in the mood to do work.
1. They do not know, or understand, what concepts and theories they should use to answer the questions.
And this, is caused by a few reasons:
1. They were distracted when the stuff was taught
2. They did not understand the question
3. The concept was not taught
Reason 3 disturbs me the most. Really.
Because I view learning as a platform for questions and answers to mingle. In answers, questions are found. In questions, answers are found. That must have been the way great scientists and mathematicians and even philosophers worked.
Reason 3... suggests to me that the education we are undergoing is flawed. We have a education system. We have a syllabus to follow, and this has been decided by more educated and able personnel what the new and future generation should study about. This I agree with.
However, why is it then, in schools, the questions that we are exposed to which are set by the teachers in the school itself so unreadable and confusing that we don't know what to do with it? I always mentally give a bitter laugh when a teacher goes: 'you won't be able to do this question as it wasn't taught in the lecture' It is strange that we are given questions to do whereby these stuff are what we did not learn.
I hate this sentence even more.
'It is not required in the syllabus, you don't need to know'
Syllabus?! Good grief. When had learning been limited to a foolish and lame thing such as the syllabus? If I was a teacher, my priority will be to teach students. The syllabus is a strict guideline to follow, but it is a guideline nonetheless. No one can wield a chopper at your neck to force you to stop teaching that is out of the syllabus! (unless what you are teaching is morally or conceptually wrong) It is only irresponsibility, arrogance or a lack of passion that makes a teacher say such words. When students ask proper questions, we know that the answers are important for us in understanding the concept better.
That aside. Despite all the musing, I appreciate the need for a structured education system. Sometimes though, I just wish that people weren't so rigid. Education empowers people, for it is what truly differentiate us from less intelligent animals. I also clearly realize the stark reality of the difference between an educated person and a non-educated person. It's a matter of life and death.
Nevertheless, I question- if there were no high level of technology, does education matter?
Yeah... did theoretical education matter in times like..... AD1000?
April 16, 2008
阿旺新传主题曲- 十万个为什么
歌詞：
男：
十萬夢兒裡有你
一起闖入穿梭機
與你挽手星海中探險遠飛
女：
若問爲何愛上你
推開關著的心扉
你以愛將千顆傷透心救起
男：
怎麽天天見太陽
東方升接著夕陽
女：
夜與白天分開去細賞
男：
怎麽一天再漫長
心中總有你在場
合：
念掛（女）就似是唯一的傾向
（男）著你如在美夢 我想
Sunshine and love be with you
In rainy days,I shall be with you
Love is no fool
Dreams come true
問問愛會有多闊
原來像那片天高海闊
Love is no fool
Dreams come true
I'd always be with you
...... (uncomplete lyrics)
Yes, this TVB series that's currently still on air on weekdays at 7pm on chn 8 is my current favourite right now. It's a break from all the old-fashioned dramas without a decent character or plot with 阿旺新传. It's just so touching, innocent and honest, something which I think the society now has been lacking in. Not to mention this has one of my most adored actress Jessica Hsuan in it~
I love this song, it's just so cute and dreamy.
P.S - I'm really sad. The group photo I took about 3 to 4 years ago during my sec 2 SJAB days is stuck to a glass panel that's placed atop my table. Can't get it out and I fear that I'll destroy it. Hais.... memories memories memories...
歌詞：
男：
十萬夢兒裡有你
一起闖入穿梭機
與你挽手星海中探險遠飛
女：
若問爲何愛上你
推開關著的心扉
你以愛將千顆傷透心救起
男：
怎麽天天見太陽
東方升接著夕陽
女：
夜與白天分開去細賞
男：
怎麽一天再漫長
心中總有你在場
合：
念掛（女）就似是唯一的傾向
（男）著你如在美夢 我想
Sunshine and love be with you
In rainy days,I shall be with you
Love is no fool
Dreams come true
問問愛會有多闊
原來像那片天高海闊
Love is no fool
Dreams come true
I'd always be with you
...... (uncomplete lyrics)
Yes, this TVB series that's currently still on air on weekdays at 7pm on chn 8 is my current favourite right now. It's a break from all the old-fashioned dramas without a decent character or plot with 阿旺新传. It's just so touching, innocent and honest, something which I think the society now has been lacking in. Not to mention this has one of my most adored actress Jessica Hsuan in it~
I love this song, it's just so cute and dreamy.
P.S - I'm really sad. The group photo I took about 3 to 4 years ago during my sec 2 SJAB days is stuck to a glass panel that's placed atop my table. Can't get it out and I fear that I'll destroy it. Hais.... memories memories memories...
April 14, 2008
Why do people cry? Is it because they are sad? Or happy? Or simply because they feel like crying?
What makes people cry? Their losses? Their gains? What they could have but didn't get? Their regrets? Why do people have regrets?
Is it then important to comfort someone when they cry?
So many questions, but where do we find the answers? From ourselves or the society?
You can ask these questions again and again, cycle after cycle. Perhaps you know the answer yourself, perhaps you don't. Then again, who really knows the answer? Is there even an answer to such a thing?
I digress.
There's a song I'd like to share with everyone. For those who know who the character is, you'll understand her pain.
Lyrics translation source from here http://eruantale001.livejournal.com/13536.html
I love you more than anything else.
Even if the whole world were to become my enemy,
Yes even if it were to treat me of a devil or godess
Here's a youtube link for the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD3jROAvof4
What makes people cry? Their losses? Their gains? What they could have but didn't get? Their regrets? Why do people have regrets?
Is it then important to comfort someone when they cry?
So many questions, but where do we find the answers? From ourselves or the society?
You can ask these questions again and again, cycle after cycle. Perhaps you know the answer yourself, perhaps you don't. Then again, who really knows the answer? Is there even an answer to such a thing?
I digress.
There's a song I'd like to share with everyone. For those who know who the character is, you'll understand her pain.
Lyrics translation source from here http://eruantale001.livejournal.com/13536.html
And monologues thanks to Amaya.
Katakoi Enka
It was like a spring dream
The cherry blossoms were falling, as I was falling in love
A kind love, an eternal love, a passionate love that threw me in a worrying state of mental darkness
Nureta kami ni sotto
kuchibiru yosete me wo tojite
Namida gundara akan?
I gently lay my lips on
your moist hair and close my eyes
May I not wallow in my sorrow?
Mune wo kogashite oikaketa
Ayakashi mitai ni oikaketa
Itsuka issho ni shinitai wa. Ara,
Yume ni ayatsurare mau koi no hana
I chase you as my heart is set aflame
I chase you as if I were a demon
One day, together we shall go into death. Ah,
The flower of love dances, manipulated by a dream
Kaze ga fuita dake de
Chiriyuku sadame nara
Dakiatta sono hi ni moeteshimaitai
Soshite beni no iro ga asete yuku you ni
Itoshii hito no naka hai ni naritai no
If we were to be set apart
by the mere blowing of the wind
I would set the day that we embraced in flames
And turning into ashes of fading crimson,
I long to disintegrate inside my love
Omoikirenai wabishisa to
Tsutae sobireta wabishisa to
Uchi ga shindara naki haru no? Ara,
Kikeba karesou na katakoi sakura
The wretchedness of persistent thoughts and
The wretchedness of their suppression
Will you weep for me if I die? Ara,
The sakura of unrequited love seemingly withers upon hearing it
Hoshi ga ‘rin’ to nareba
Yomichi wo terasu kara
Omoi ha tomaranai moete moetsukite
Kondo koso nigasanai
Kono mi ga kietemo nigasanai
Once the stars cry out
They will illuminate the night
Irripressible love burns everything into entirety
This time you will not escape
Even if this body were to perish, I will not let you go
This is an old love song which seems to be speaking of me,
since it likes the summer fire and the insects that fly in the flames
And in the same way I want my body to die in the flame of my feelings for you
Kaze ga fuita dake de
Chiriyuku sadame demo
Omoi ha tomaranai moete moetsukite
Kondo koso nigasanai
Kono mi ga kietemo nigasanai
Even if the mere blowing of the wind
Were to set us apart
Irripressible love burns everything into entirety
This time you will not escape
Even if this body were to perish, I will not let you go
Omokage ni youhodo Koyoi midaremasu…
Intoxicated by your countenance, I descend into chaos tonight…
Of Which color is love?
The color of the moon which is reflected on the autumn sea?
The color of pure white snow which decorates our heart?
The color of the cherry flowers which falls in memory of a girl?
I love you more than anything else.
Even if the whole world were to become my enemy,
Yes even if it were to treat me of a devil or godess
Here's a youtube link for the song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD3jROAvof4
April 13, 2008
I don't know why, but I keep staring about the feedback stuff on PW given to me by Ast on Sat. Yes, I'm pretty sure that I'd spent a total of at least 2 hours looking between the feedback and the WR that was submitted for the A's.
Till now, I wonder if what I'd done for PW really deserved an A. Truth is, when I received the unexpected sms halfway through the Biopolis course telling me that my entire group got an A, my initial reaction was a few seconds of shock, then an overwhelming relief that everyone in my group got an A. It's tough being the leader as everyone looks to you for the direction, and you'll probably take the brunt of it if you screw up the work allocations or neglect to plan... and sometimes it's hard to get the group mates together to do the project as everyone has their own programs.. Then, after that moment, came the slightly hysterical moment of celebrating that my entire group got an A.
Maybe I'm too harsh on myself or something, but I had expected a B for PW personally. Although at that point in time, I felt that the WR we've submitted was perfect... I've realised that the more I stared at it, the more flawed it became. It still remains flawed in my eyes right now. Perhaps that explains why I had been staring at the feedback for so long... I was possibly trying to see from the view of the examiner that what ever was written there on that feedback was present in the WR and not something that the examiner had imagined.
The occasional takeover by the perfectionist in me?
But seriously, I'm definitely glad to know that the group pulled through with an A. Hahas. Congrats to everyone, though it's a lil late.. Lols.
Till now, I wonder if what I'd done for PW really deserved an A. Truth is, when I received the unexpected sms halfway through the Biopolis course telling me that my entire group got an A, my initial reaction was a few seconds of shock, then an overwhelming relief that everyone in my group got an A. It's tough being the leader as everyone looks to you for the direction, and you'll probably take the brunt of it if you screw up the work allocations or neglect to plan... and sometimes it's hard to get the group mates together to do the project as everyone has their own programs.. Then, after that moment, came the slightly hysterical moment of celebrating that my entire group got an A.
Maybe I'm too harsh on myself or something, but I had expected a B for PW personally. Although at that point in time, I felt that the WR we've submitted was perfect... I've realised that the more I stared at it, the more flawed it became. It still remains flawed in my eyes right now. Perhaps that explains why I had been staring at the feedback for so long... I was possibly trying to see from the view of the examiner that what ever was written there on that feedback was present in the WR and not something that the examiner had imagined.
The occasional takeover by the perfectionist in me?
But seriously, I'm definitely glad to know that the group pulled through with an A. Hahas. Congrats to everyone, though it's a lil late.. Lols.
-------------------
That aside, I feel like I've grown up a little more inside over the weekend.
April 11, 2008
Finally finished the 3 days long course at Biopolis.
Was supposed to be doing on embryonic stem cells, but the course was changed to CNS regeneration and myelination =( Oh well, I understand the change though, the minuscule tube of human embryonic cells easily costs 6 to 8k and as students we'll probably waste most of it away during the experiment =_= (evilness of spillage)
Oh well. Enjoyed the feeling of sleeping from 9pm to 7am for the past three days, as well as taking afternoon naps during the 2hr lunch break in Biopolis. I swear that I love the air-conditioning system there, it's just perfect for cooling your body down and sleeping. The sliding doors for each lab is another one of my favourites too~ It's just so cool. First time I stepped into the lab area, it looked really sterile to me, and was a perfect place to film haunted movies...
Did dissection and extraction of DNA, and running of a PAGE gel cell. Was doing the experiment on p53 proteins and by the end of it, we had to develop a film with our results. Mine had the strangest results as there was a mistake in one of the steps we did. Lols. Definitely learned quite a lot of new stuff. For our bench, we used the lung, heart and brain tissues to make our DNA samples for the extraction.
Went into the dark room today, it was a totally new experience! It's really pitch dark in it, and you could only see faint traces with the installed infra-red lights after a while for your eyes to get adjusted. There's also this circular turning mechanism in place of a door to prevent stray light from entering too.
It was fun taking the Biopolis shuttle bus (yes, shoot me) , it comes almost at every 5 minute interval, so I really liked it. Convenient, and it wasn't too crowded or stinky. Out of the 3 days, I spent two day's worth of lunch eating at the opposite building's food court. The food there wasn't excellent, but definitely much better tasting than some of the food courts in shopping malls. Cheaper too. I had a fish and chips set for only $4.50 (=
Made some friends there, mainly 3 from Bukit Panjang Govt High and 2 from RJC, not to mention bonding with fellow JJ students Shu Qing and Pamela. There was a shy one from Navel Base Sec too. Hahas, discovered another fellow lamer! Spent the extra time after the discussion period today to crap and turn the already cold lab into something colder.
Yep, overall a good break from school and an enriching experience. It has made me learn something important though.. that I'm not going into the science faulty because I wouldn't be able to stand doing the same type of experiments everyday. Business school, here I come!
I think I might miss the tall buildings named after some bio terms. Hmm..
But now, I'm looking forward to my journey around Singapore tomorrow. Hehheh.
Was supposed to be doing on embryonic stem cells, but the course was changed to CNS regeneration and myelination =( Oh well, I understand the change though, the minuscule tube of human embryonic cells easily costs 6 to 8k and as students we'll probably waste most of it away during the experiment =_= (evilness of spillage)
Oh well. Enjoyed the feeling of sleeping from 9pm to 7am for the past three days, as well as taking afternoon naps during the 2hr lunch break in Biopolis. I swear that I love the air-conditioning system there, it's just perfect for cooling your body down and sleeping. The sliding doors for each lab is another one of my favourites too~ It's just so cool. First time I stepped into the lab area, it looked really sterile to me, and was a perfect place to film haunted movies...
Did dissection and extraction of DNA, and running of a PAGE gel cell. Was doing the experiment on p53 proteins and by the end of it, we had to develop a film with our results. Mine had the strangest results as there was a mistake in one of the steps we did. Lols. Definitely learned quite a lot of new stuff. For our bench, we used the lung, heart and brain tissues to make our DNA samples for the extraction.
Went into the dark room today, it was a totally new experience! It's really pitch dark in it, and you could only see faint traces with the installed infra-red lights after a while for your eyes to get adjusted. There's also this circular turning mechanism in place of a door to prevent stray light from entering too.
It was fun taking the Biopolis shuttle bus (yes, shoot me) , it comes almost at every 5 minute interval, so I really liked it. Convenient, and it wasn't too crowded or stinky. Out of the 3 days, I spent two day's worth of lunch eating at the opposite building's food court. The food there wasn't excellent, but definitely much better tasting than some of the food courts in shopping malls. Cheaper too. I had a fish and chips set for only $4.50 (=
Made some friends there, mainly 3 from Bukit Panjang Govt High and 2 from RJC, not to mention bonding with fellow JJ students Shu Qing and Pamela. There was a shy one from Navel Base Sec too. Hahas, discovered another fellow lamer! Spent the extra time after the discussion period today to crap and turn the already cold lab into something colder.
Yep, overall a good break from school and an enriching experience. It has made me learn something important though.. that I'm not going into the science faulty because I wouldn't be able to stand doing the same type of experiments everyday. Business school, here I come!
I think I might miss the tall buildings named after some bio terms. Hmm..
But now, I'm looking forward to my journey around Singapore tomorrow. Hehheh.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)