A Wonderful Poem to Share

The victor's crown only goes to those who've been in war.
Eagles can't stay in their nest if they want to soar.
Sitting on the side lines you'll never be your best.
You can't have a testimony 'till you've had a test.

God won't send thirsty people to an empty well.
Heavens cup sure is sweeter once you've tasted hell.
There's no wine until the grape has gone through the press.
You can't have a testimony 'till you've had a test.

~Jim Rohn~

How true! Good gold must first go through fire. Those experiences which fails to kill you make you. Contrary to what most think, painful experiences are not always negative and to be avoided at all cost.

Along with them brings valuable and useful lessons to all to learn. Something may be lost during the incident. However, something else, usually more valuable, is definitely gained. If not, you are certainly not looking hard enough.

Successes in life comes from making the correct decisions while the ability to make correct decisions come from experiences, often from the painful ones.

Do you know of any successful people who achieved great successes during the early years of their lives, only to lose all or more of what they had gained earlier? Can you identify some of them?

Most, if not every, of the successful people out there have their own unique struggles and sufferings. However, every time they emerge victorious from those so-called "negative" experiences, they get to grow by an inch. That explains why their successes can only be better than before their fall.

The purpose of mistakes is not to create more sufferings or struggle in your life. Instead, it is to teach you what you didn't really have to suffer in the first place. Learn your lessons well the first time for neglected and unlearned lessons are bound to repeat itself.

Try Getting Flipped Over Like A Human Prata

Sometimes, I cannot help but agreed to what this poster says.

"Just because you've always done it that way doesn't mean it's not incredibly stupid"

Oh my, frankly speaking, why would anyone in their correct mind will want to race with several crazy bulls only to find themselves get flipped all over by the bulls like roti pratas?

Do they really think their 2 legs can out run the 4 legged, blood lusted beast? Or they think they could easily wrestle with those bulls and have a chance in winning? If so, they are definitely not in their right mind!

I think they see it as a tradition, a yearly event where people from all over the world comes to their country, their town to see them get flipped and trampled over by the bulls! Doesn't it hurt to be tossed around by such a majestic animal? Furthermore, if you were the unlucky one, you won't be tossed just once!

And the people around them seemed to enjoy seeing beings of their own race getting flipped all over. Oh my, how sadistic is that!

Well, probably the event is really enjoyable or what. Maybe someday I will also want to personally witness the event myself. However, what's sure is that I won't be cheering them on or booing them when they whack by those animals for sure enough, the physical pain is excruciatingly enough. No need for anymore emotional burden.

For the video of humans being flipped around like pancakes by the bulls, visit this link here.

The reason why I am not placing the video directly on the blog is because there is no way I can stop it from automatically playing. With the irritating sound and the video playing by itself, it is getting on my nerves.

So, if you think it is worth it, click on the link here for the video.

Introducing New Fees. AGAIN!?

First was the new University fees. Then follow by the ever increasing hostel fees. Next, is the implementation of the parking fees. So what's next?

**Drum Roll** Introducing, the new STF (Special Term Fees)! Oh how interesting.

Oh gosh, why aren't you as surprised, excited or agitated as before? What happened? Are you already numb to those new or raising fees? Well, can't blame you, I believe many people, like you and me, have already given up hope for a stable, cheap University life.

And you know what, the University again has some "reasons" behind their actions.

"Over the years, although participation is optional, the number of students taking Special Terms has grown substantially. Additional resources are needed to conduct the Special Terms over and above the two main semesters. As this can have an impact on the quality of education for the larger student population in the longer term, there is a need to charge for Special Terms so that NTU can continue to provide a high quality education."

Oh my, oh my... They really don't want to get met started on this shit thing again. As you can see, the University now don't even bother finding better "reasons" to introduce the new fees because they know, the students and the student union can do nothing about it.

Well, actually they are given the disillusion that they have some say over it. However, just like during the army days, what you say will be taken into consideration, but NEVER put into action. That is to say, they are practically telling you, "Don't waste your time and my time. Just sit there and give a look of a loser and accept whatever we give you. You need the degree right? If so, just suck thumb, loser!"

So if you are hoping that I will write another long, long post about the unfairness of the new system, then stop hoping. I'm not going to waste my precious time and energy into talking sense with those money-minded freaks. In Chinese, it is called, **. After all, I only have 1 more freaking year to be in the University. There is only that much they can get from me.

So now, rather than lamenting the actions of those money-minded people, why not we concentrate on more interesting stuffs like making a guess what new fees is the University going to introduce next? Will it be an entrance fee into the University. After all, there are many outside idiots who drive all the way into the University to have their meals in NTU causing so much inconvenience to the students and staffs.

Probably because of that, next time we will be charged a fee for entering the University or even the canteens. Or the University may even implement an ERP system within the school compound. Reason? To curb the already pathetic number of cars traveling within NTU.

Well, if you are thinking the above suggestions are impossible, then think again. Nothing is impossible in the minds of those money-minded freaks. As long as there are money to be earned, it can be done.

Impossible = I'm possible! After all, it is money that makes the world goes round.

Understanding Why You Do What You Do

Contrary to what most people tell you, it is not what you should have done or what you are going to do that is important.

Instead, it is why you do what you do that is more significant to your . Through understanding the underlying reasons why you are behaving in a specific manner, you will get to be more empathetic, less blaming and more forgiving on your past actions and also the actions of others.

Acknowledging and understanding the big why behind your actions is just half of the story. The other half lies in your willingness to change what you had done and make out how you can do it better the next time.

Insanity is to continue doing what you have been doing and expecting a different result. Expect your life to improve? Then adopt a different thinking. It cannot be simpler than that. ^^

NTU Is Really Getting On My Nerves

Calling folks from NTU. Are you people constantly receiving emails about the new or raising fees which we, students have to pay.

First is the parking fees. Now can someone tells me when was NTU founded? Long, long time ago, isn't it? And since when was parking an issue before? Now, lets give them the benefit of DOUBT, lets say that cars are really getting so cheap that so many people can now afford to drive cars to school and this resulted in issues like lack of car park spaces and illegal parking (those idiots).

Even so, what's the rational for setting up carpark gantries at ALL carparks available in NTU? Do ALL carparks have the same problem of lack of carpark spaces or illegal parking? Bullshit!

Also, even if that reason is really valid, why don't you set up gantries, do the counting and stop any cars from entering a full carpark without asking them to pay for the stupid unmaintained carparks? Frankly speaking, what has the university done to maintain the carparks? Do the carparks need to be maintained after all? So stop giving us the bull that the university needs the money to maintain the carparks. In the past, the University has no need for addition money to do the maintenance. So why out of a sudden, the carparks need to be maintained?

Also, by implementing those stupid gantries, they are actually changing the maintenance-free carparks to maintenance-full carparks. How clever of them. Now, no wonder they need maintenance fees!

Gantries are machines and they were placed under there rain or shine, whether they like it or not. One day when the gantries decided to stop working, the carparks which they are guarding will be deemed nonoperational. Isn't that going to cost more to repair those freaking machines? Excluding the maintenance fees we were talking about earlier on? Also, when any of the gantries were to stop working, isn't that going to cause more inconvenience? End up, even if you have the money and is willingly to pay for the parking fees, you are not allowed access to the carpark. Worse still, or no access out of the carpark. How convenient is that!?

In addition, if the illegal parking in NTU is really an issue, then definitely the gantries are not going to help. Lets do a simple maths. Assuming that there are around a 1000 carparking spaces in NTU. However, daily there are 1500 cars wanting to park their cars in NTU. That is to say only 1000 lucky cars will be allowed into the carparks. What will the remaining 500 drivers do? Do you think they will be that obedient as to drive their cars out of NTU, park their cars somewhere and take buses or walk into that bloody, most wulu university in Singapore.

Yup, they hope. FAT HOPE! And for the sake of those who don't have a brain to think, those drivers will just conveniently park their cars at the roadsides causing even more inconvenience to the common road users! OMG! Isn't that common sense.

All, in all, except for the extra revenue the university can get out from the carpark fees, I totally have no idea how the carpark system can help in creating convenience to the staff and students as what the university has claimed.

For god's sake, if the university is need of money, just say so. No one will laugh. Who will find additional revenue income a problem? If they have a problem with that, they can always come to seek expert help from me. Therefore, why bother coming up with those lame, stupid excuses as to why they need to do such things.

End up, they have to explain to students and staff for their actions. Worse still, even if the students or staffs are in objection to the implementation of the carpark system, the plan is still carried out. What crap!

If so, why do we have those showy talks held outside the canteen to let students have the misconceptions that they have a say in the operations of the University!!

KAOZ!

How Often Are You Engaged In Self Improvement?

Well, this may be a very peculiar question to many, however can you answer this question truthfully?

• When is the last time when you last read a book on how to improve on yourself?

• What is the last CD, DVD or seminars which you attend?

More than often, the answer which I got from the the majority of the people whom I asked is none other than "ZERO"!

"Oh gosh, who needs self improvement?" or "If self improvement really works, there won't be bad guys in this world at all!" or even "I'm happy with what I am now. I don't need to improve on myself anymore." are just some of the many answers which I receive when I asked the above questions.

Obviously, many people don't really see self improvement or personal development necessary for them. To those people, self improvement courses are for their friends, colleagues or family members to better improve themselves so that they could make their lives easier.

In other words, they are always waiting for other people to change in order for their lives to turn to the better. Other people or external circumstances are always responsible and to be blamed for what happen to them.

The answer ZERO to my above mentioned questions is surely not a well-liked number. What does the number '0' signifies? Does it mean it is not worth the time, effort and money to improve on yourself? Or does that signifies that you have already perfected your life here and there is nothing else you could ever learn from it?

Which one is easier? To change yourself or to change the thousands of millions of people around you? You are a clever person. I'm sure you know the answer.

If the number to the above question remains the same, so will your life. Change the number so will you start seeing changes in your life.

Hockey Fight!

I am never a fan of hockey. Firstly, I can't skate. Usually, you are only interested in the game when you participated in it before. Secondly, I don't really understand the rules of the game.

However, what's really interest me is the fight you can get out from there. Lolx... The game can be going on smoothly and out of a sudden, you'll find 2 players fighting. In the end? A group fight! Wuahahahaha....

And what's more interesting is that the referees there don't even really dare to stop the fight, afraid that they will get beaten up for no reason. By the way, will the players get send off from the game if they fight during the game? If so, what happen when players from both teams get into a fight? Do both teams get send off too? Hmmm........

Oh one more thing, why don't they use their hockey stick? Or just bump their head into the other party's face? Won't that be easier?

How Old Is This Movie?

Can someone please tell me how old is this show? I still remember clearly this show was one of the favorite TV drama I once liked to watched when I was young. I don't know, 10-12 years ago? Lolx....

Now I'm old. Looked at how young the actors were that time. Also, the lyrics were so damn and lame. Time really flies. Before I know it, I'm already that OLD! Haiz... Where are the old friends, those whom I once could laugh and joked with..

Are You Trying to Be Funny?

Man comes home, finds
his wife with his friend in bed.

He shoots his friend and kills him.

Wife says :

'If you behave like this, you will lose ALL your friends'.

********************************************

A small Boy wrote to Santa Claus, ' send me a brother'

Santa wrote back,

' SEND ME YOUR MOTHER'

****************************************

What is the definition of Mistress?
Someone between the Mister and Mattress

***********************************

Husband asks:

'Do u know that the meaning of WIFE
is:

Without
I nformation
F ighting
Every-time

Wife replies:

' No,...... It means:

W ith
Idiot
F or
E ver !!!'

*****************************************

What's the difference between stress, tension and panic?
Stress is when wife is pregnant,... Tension is when girlfriend is pregnant.

Panic is when both are pregnant.

****************************************

Grammer Teacher: Do you know the importance of a period?

Kid: Yeah, once my sister said she has missed one, my mom fainted, dad got a heart attack & our driver run away!

**********************************************************

A young boy asks his Dad :'What is the difference between confident and confidential?

Dad says: 'You are my son, I'm confident about that. Your friend over there, is also my son, that IS confidential.

My First Trip to Batam

6 June 2008 - Yessy and my first trip to Batam.

Actually before that, we actually wanted to pay Batam a visit. However, it got delayed indefinitely until one day when Germaine suggested that we could go Batam together.

And whola, here we are at Batam!! Batam is definitely one very, very nice place to be in.

Of course, this trip possible is only made possible with the efforts of Germaine and Yew Pang. The planning is surely not an easy task, especially when they only have 1 week to book the accommodation and the ferry tickets! Kudos to them.

This 3D2N trip is full of fun, laughter, joy and not to forget, body aches! We actually went for cable ski due to Yew Pang's recommendation.

To be frank, I wasn't really very impressed when I first arrived at the cable ski site. First the water wasn't really clean. Secondly, the water wasn't really clean! Yup, the water isn't clean!!!

However, that doesn't mean that the cable ski wasn't fun. In fact, it was ton of fun. Except for the body aches and the dirty water, everything else was good. ^^

Another very fun event was the water basketball we had at the pool, although we lost, 5-0 to Yew Pang and Germaine. ^^'

Dinners were seafood all the way. Crabs, prawns etc... Cheap and nice!

The only thing that is not nice was the smelly toilet. Not sure what happened during the last day. When we came back from breakfast that day, the sewage system seemed to go haywire and both our toilets smell.

In fact, the rooms which we stayed in were supposed to be the better and nicer ones. Haiz... Luckily that happened on the last day and because of that, the sales manager promised to upgrade us to the suite for all the "trouble" we had went through. So nice of him... ^^

All in all, the trip is definitely an enjoyable one. However, I must say we have chosen to go with the correct people.

Playing With Monkey

Are You Overly Motivated

Although I have yet to see anyone who is overly motivated, however, it seems that someone out there believes such people actually exists! That's why the website Despair.com was created and it became pretty popular for a reason, a wrong reason, to demotivate people.

Below are just some of the demotivators which I find to be damn amusing. They are all placed here under the courtesy of Despair.com. Do visit their website for more of such demotivating stuffs.

Words of caution: If you have been pretty down or demotivated these days, don't continue. Yes it is true that they are funny. However, it is also true that they can be pretty demoralizing. So please proceed at your own risk.










There are many more such posters lying around at Despair.com. If you are prepared, go take a look and have a great laugh.

Hope you have a great day ahead. ^^

Warren Buffett's Secrets Revealed!

Interested in knowing how the world's top 10 richest person achieve his wealth, success and fame in life? If so, you know what to do... ^^

Warren Buffett's Secrets Revealed!

Things Aren't Always What They Seem

Two traveling angels stopped to spend the night in the home

of a wealthy family. The family was rude and refused to let

the angels stay in the mansion's guest room. Instead the

angels were given a small space in the cold basement. As

they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a

hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel

asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always

what they seem."

The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very

poor, but very hospitable farmer and his wife. After sharing

what little food they had the couple let the angels sleep in

their bed where they could have a good night's rest.

When the sun came up the next morning the angels found the

farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had

been their sole income, lay dead in the field. The younger

angel was infuriated and asked the older angel "how could you

have let this happen? The first man had everything, yet you

helped him" she accused. "The second family had little but

was willing to share everything, and you let the cow die."

"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel

replied. "When we stayed in the basement of the mansion, I

noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall.

Since the owner was so obsessed with greed and unwilling to

share his good fortune, I sealed the wall so he wouldn't

find it."

"Then last night as we slept in the farmers bed, the angel

of death came for his wife. I gave him the cow instead.

Things aren't always what they seem."

Sometimes that is exactly what happens when things don't

turn out the way they should. You just need to trust that

every outcome is always to your advantage. You just might

not know it until some time later.

For every adversity lies within it an equivalent benefit.
All you need to do it to unwrap it and find it out. Remember,
things aren't always what they seem to be...

My Last Day In ExxonMobil

The 3 Interns Working For Uniformance

Today mark the last day of my attachment with ExxonMobil. Actually my last day should be on the 6th June 2008, however, as I had to go Batam for a 3D2N of fun and relaxation trip, I couldn't help but to ask for an early release. ^^

To be frank, I am really grateful for the great opportunity to work in ExxonMobil. Of course, to say that the whole attachment was only fun and laughter is certainly not the truth. However, sure enough, I had my own fair share of difficult moments and moments of fun and laughter.

Also, not to forget to mention, I had met many wonderful people who had helped me so much for the past 6 months. Some offered me their advice on how to survive in the corporate worlds while others are ever so willingly to impart their technical knowledge to me even though I could be a a nuisance at times.

Though technically I didn't picked up as much as what I could have achieved in other companies, nevertheless, I had learned more important skills like communication skills, interpersonal skills and EQ skills.

For the benefits of those who didn't know what I did during my attachment, I was mainly involved in 2 different type of work.

One is the support work where I would have to contact users when they encountered difficulties in using some of the applications under our support. Also to say, as a system analyst, I had to work with delicate servers to ensure that the services on them are running smoothly as not to cause any unplanned outages.

Secondly, I was part of the the release management team where I assisted the 2 full time employees, Samuel and Hongbo, to prepare and consolidate all the changes to the several systems under our care and create the necessary documents for the rollout to the 50 over chemical and refineries sites all over the world.

Remember the software engineering, CPE 207 for the NTU SCE students? Yup, it is somehow similar.

All in all, it is really a very wonderful experience for me to take home. Wonderful people and wonderful lessons. Though most probably I may not be going back there again, however that doesn't mean the work or people there aren't good. Just my personal preference, that's all.

Well, soon after attachment, I would have to return back to NTU for study again! Argh... For the next 1 year, there will be my Final Year Project (FYP) and the many electives which I have yet to clear waiting for me. And not to forget my core modules! Shit... so many things...

Btw, can someone tells me when should we be registering for my modules? My secretary Angeline Goh seems to have forgotten all about me. Wuahahahaha... Opps, just joking okie, Angeline. ^^

Below are some photos taken during my last day in ExxonMobil. Not a lot of photos as the people there are always so busy...^^" And very thankful to Favain for bringing his camera.

Joanna, A Very, Very Nice Lady

Cheok, The Tier 3 for Everything... Ever So Helpful

Last Dinner With Staffs In Exxon Mobil

This dinner was probably the most fun and full of laughter dinner during my 6 months of internship with Exxon Mobil.

The dinner was actually organized by Samuel and Hongbo as a form of appreciation for us, the 3 interns who had worked under them to help prepare the release rollout for the 50 over chemical and refineries sites.

Also, we had invited Tue, another attachment student who work under Sample Manager to join us along with our team lead Lynette and Sample Manager's team lead, Karen Wong.

Dinner was great. It is Waraku after all, the food couldn't be that bad right? And food aside, what really surprised me was the causal talk and the laughter we all had during the dinner.

To be frank, I wasn't quite excited about the dinner at first, thinking that it would be just a quiet dinner and all will leave for home right after we finished our food. Not only did we not leave immediately, we in fact had quite a fun time talking after that.

Well, probably the not so fun part for me was that I was actually the "center of attraction" most of the time (And when was I not!!). All thanks to Samuel Kong for bringing up something so "interesting"...

Oh btw, that guy, Samuel, was in the same primary school, secondary school and junior college as I am! Also, we shared the same surname (in English spelling)! Such a coincidence. Lolx...

Samuel: "Why wasn't I included in the photo? Hump!"

Why so shy, Samuel?

This photo was so nicely taken. By who? Use your brain la...

Gan Pei! (Cheers)

Listening intensively to Prof. Samuel

For more of the Waraku dinner photos, go to my facebook and have a look. All of them are there and several of my other photo albums.

Even Frog Know What's Doggedness

Two young frogs fell into a bucket of milk. Both tried to jump to freedom, but the sides of the bucket were steep and no foundation was to be had on the surface of the liquid.

Seeing little chance of escape, the first frog soon despaired and stopped jumping. After a short while he sunk to the bottom of the bucket and drowned.

The second frog also saw no likelihood of success, but he never stopped trying. Even though each jump seemed to reach the same inadequate height, he kept on struggling. Eventually, his persistent efforts churned some milk into butter. From the now hardened surface of the milk, he managed to leap out of the bucket.

Success doesn't only belong to the clever or the talented ones. Instead, it goes to those who recognize the importance of persistence and continuity of hard work. Consistent, small efforts are always better than one off, massive one.

Those who persists win. Winners never quit while quitters never win. You heard this phrase often enough. However, how often did you live by this code?

A Jerk Versus A Nice Guy

One question for the ladies. Who do you like more? A jerk or a teddy bear nice guy?

Well, I don't know about you, however, I often find girls falling for the jerks rather than for the teddy nice guy. And I always wonder why.

Just as I was wondering and doing some research on the web (yup, I'm bored alright!) I came to understand the reason why girls often give up good, nice guys for those nasty jerks.

A great deal of the time, girls mistaken self-centeredness for self esteem and arrogance for high confidence.

While for the nice, teddy bear guys, they are often perceived as being gutless and always giving in to what the girl wants.

Well, females are definitely some weird creatures in my opinion. You can't always give in to them for they will view you as a spineless gay.

Therefore guys, if you think doing only the things the girls want is going to make them happy, think again.

Girls need guys who know how to make the correct decisions and still make them happy WITHOUT telling the guys what they want. This shows that the guys understands them and care about them. Funny creatures, isn't it? They just can't verbally tell you what they want or like. They just enjoy playing the guessing game.

Guess correctly, you are rewarded with huge amounts of kisses and hugs. Guess wrongly, oh oh oh... I shall leave that to your imagination.

To me, girls don't fancy guys who only cares about what they want.

Therefore, to be an ideal guy for your girl, know what you want and go for them while at the same time, know what your girl wants and get it for them.

To me, that is what most girls want, isn't it girls? :)