labels

labels. we give them to everyone. the tall one, the short one. the funny one. the fugly one (!). the fat one. the hot one. the creepy disgusting nerdy one. the lone black dude. the white nerd. the asian geek.

Labels tend to be an easy, convenient method for shelving people into parts of our (seemingly organized) brains. Evolution, single-serving, 1st impressions, call it what you will, but no matter how PC we try to make ourselves (Politically Correct lah), we tend to just stick to the big picture. It's easier. Saves time.

Labels: is it fair though? Well, it all depends. Is it racial stereotyping? Do we automatically assume that just because a person is black that he likes fried chicken? Or that a Chinese fellow is good in math? Or an indian person loves spicy food? Or a malay person is much more brand-conscious? Is it fair to label someone according to race group by traits that supposedly these people are genetically prepositioned to have?

Labels, again is it fair to use them on everyday people, by just calling someone the funny man just because he is full of jokes and always expecting him to entertain you. All. The. Time. Or is it fair to use labels to mark the quiet person as anti-social, anti-party, anti-conversation and just ignore them, giving them their own space and automatically assuming they wont want to come? Again it all depends. Are these labels fair? Do these people go out of their way to make themselves the loudest in the group? the funniest? Do they primp and style themselves to make themselves stand out? or do they just stand in a corner, ignoring advances?

Labels are fundamentally human, we are evolved to constantly spot patterns and judge as such, these help us make decisions, but unfortunately this makes us prone to jumping to conclusions. Behind each label we assign, there is a human being, full of complex emotions; a personality enigma that will probably take us a lifetime to understand, and even more so, because honestly, deep down, who really understands themselves? But on the other end of the spectrum, do we even have time to try and understand every single person we come across in life?

Labels. Fair? you be the judge

i've always wanted to blog about my travels, my stories, my days, my life... but somehow, i just cant seem to put my thoughts down into words.... nothing i can type seems to be able to justify my memories...

Let's just say, i have amazing friends and crazy stories :) Live your own experiences

Peas and carrots

I've always viewed life as a joke.

What defines a good joke? usually a story, not too long, not too short, just enough to keep the audience mesmerized, with a twist at the end of the tale. or a riddle, with just enough of a pun or a twist to get the reaction of surprise, the guffaw, the burst of LOL-ness, the snorting and the trololols and wakakas. A good joke, is one that delivers a sufficient enough twist, a satisfying payload, a punchline, if you will, that is both unexpected as it is borderline relevant.

Life:

Everything is so funny. things unfolded expectantly, and the only constant thing about life is how absurdly inconstant it was, how inconsistent, how irregular. Everything unfolds in one direction, then ends in another; everything feels like unwrapping a square shaped package to reveal a round object, or walking down a staircase to find yourselves at the top floor. Or walking into a bar with a priest, a monk or a rabbi.

Like revealing the punchline at the end of a joke, the more unexpected, the better.

Expecting the unexpected becomes a norm, then the norm becomes the riddle, and suddenly the expected is unexpected, the straight becomes the crooked, the corners become the bends.

The villain lives, the hero dies. the duck walks, the chicken flies. the undertaker laughs, the clown cries. the balloon drops, the anvil floats up high.

life is a form of humor. black. dark. light. bright. funny. depressing. whatever.

Life is funny. laugh.

i just had a dream.

It was a good dream.

And a bad dream.

It let me imagine the impossible, live out the incredible, go through the beautiful.

Broken strings can't be made whole and perfect again. Dead things can't breathe.

Only in dreams.

It was a good dream. A bad dream that made me dream.

But it was only just a dream...

of travelling and surviving

Someone commented that i lead an interesting life and have a very interesting blog... hmmm ironic really since it's been so long since i've updated... but well, thanks alot =D

How's my life been so far? Well i missed a metro bombing in Moscow last year and very recently, on the day i was due to fly to Paris, there was a suicide bombing in the arrival terminal of the main Moscow airport, Domodedova, leaving 35 dead and 130 injured. i was transiting in Coppanhagen airport when i heard the news, and let me tell you it is not some memory i would be likely to forget...

i m extremely lucky. Have been throughout the whole trip as well. Thank Buddha for that. Someone speculated that it was because i am a nice person. hmmm karma coming in play? I thank that person abundantly, but i doubt i have done so much good in my life to warrant escaping deaths... Someone up there in the skies must really love me, and i thank You.

and yes, i do take care of myself and try not to take risks (most of the time) but really, when someone explodes in front of you i believe the only thing you Can do is say "cheers" and hope by god that you have lead a good life, and done enough good to either grant an entry into the pearly gates, or go crashing into hell fiery demon that you are =D

will start my travel journals soon enough, happy valentines to all. Coincidently, this day is also random act of kindness to strangers day, and also on 1876, 14th february, Alexander Graham Bell patented his famous invention, the telephone. burn your phone bills you lovers out there =D

DST ends

starting tonight at 3am, time will be pushed up one hour as DST ends....

if only time could really be pushed back at will

Top 10 Things To Do When You're Single‏

(my friend sent me this article from Askmen, i think its good advice)

Whether you've been single for a while, were recently dumped, or decided to kick your ex to the curb, there are many advantages to flying solo. Not to worry, you won't be bored; here are some tips on what you should do with your newfound time.

10. Work out

Everyone knows that we tend to get lazy when we have someone. Some men shave less often, while some women dress less sexy. These may be stereotypes, but surely you agree. If this is so, then why not take advantage of your newfound single status and hit the gym? For one, you will get in shape and feel better about yourself, and second, who knows, you may meet someone that catches your eye while on the treadmill.

9. Seize the moment

I know many will blast me here, but you need to get it all out of your system, especially if she did the dumping. Is there a female friend you always wanted to get to know better? Well, get to know her. Is there a spot you wanted to hit? Take a trip. Did you want to try a new haircut or style? Now is the time. Whatever you do, be careful, but go all out. Nothing sucks more than missed opportunities.


8. Be bad
I am not going to urge anyone to have sex in a church, slap a priest, cause harm to others, or any such deviant practice (well, the first one may be cool...), but do things that will make you feel young and slightly carefree. While some men play the good boy next to their bad girlfriend, most men are usually forced to tame up a bit when they are taken, so when you are single, go crazy; it's debauchery time.

7. Volunteer

We are always caught up in our own world, rarely seeing beyond the tip of our noses. One great way to open one's blinders is to help others. Not only will you meet interesting people, but you'll also get some perspective into your life and will likely end up cherishing what you have even more.

6. See your friends

My friends make fun of me for going out often... very often. They tease me even more when I meet someone interesting because my focus changes -- drastically. While this is slightly normal, I do urge all men to never forget the boys; the boys will be there for you when (and if) things end, but she may not. So if you happen to be single, then make sure that you enjoy your friends' company and always show them your gratitude.

5. See your family

One of my personal concerns is not seeing my family nearly as often, or as much, as I should and desire. Reasons range from work and social life to other matters, so if you happen to free up some time after saying goodbye to the ex, then take the opportunity to visit the folks, take out the siblings and even say "hey" to the grandparents.

4. Take a vacation

While it is indeed great to take a trip with a loved one, it may be twice as good to take a trip with friends or even by yourself. There is no better way to find yourself, seek new avenues and clear your head. So leave the pictures of the ex at home and head out for some adventure.

3. Improve yourself

This is an extension of working out, but it entails improving one's diet, getting rid of nasty habits, finding your dream job, and doing what you have always set out to do but never had the chance to. I know, easier said than done but trust me, nothing will make you forget what's-her-name faster.

2. Explore a new world

So you limit yourself to Sports Illustrated , macaroni and cheese, and beer? Why don't you try something else for a change? No, I am not encouraging you to read Henry David Thoreau's Walden (although it is a good read), but you should do something new and different. Trust me, you will thank me for it.

1. Look ahead

Yes, you should live in the moment, take the plunge and seize the opportunities. But one must also ask where they came from to know where they are going. No one needs a 25-year plan laid out; I don't know where I'll be in 25 days . But if you wish to attain your goals, then you need some sense of direction.

An update. Like, finally o.O

okaaaaayyyy. sorry for neglecting my blog for so long. i have been... busy? u knw wht? screw the excuse.
i was lazy. and preoccupied. preoccupied by studies, Facebook, my new SCANNERRR and the arrival of juniors.
orientation is now over, and finally i can come back to what i really love doing, talk crap online on my blog about anything and anyone coz This Is MY DOMAIN SO @#$@#%$#$ OFF IF U DUN LIKE IT ahem *cough* write

So anyways, what has been going on in my life?

All juniors have more-or-less arrived.

Orientation (as said earlier) was saturday and it was great. Kudos to the OC.

Went to Old Arbat street to visit the antique camera store ahpek and try my hand at street photography on a famous tourist spot

Went to the embassey to have a meet n greet wif the newly elected minister of sports n youth of msia.

The hamster that i so lovingly cared for (well tried my best to anyways) little siaw bee passed away. *sniff2* ur little furry nose will be missed.

Went through my Orthopedic Trauma cycle and wrapping up my Facultative Therapy Cycle (thats Internal Medicine for all u Msians) soon...

My Scanner Is Here. photos will be up here soon, i swear. well, a select few anyways, dun wanna overload my dear readers' brain space and bandwidth. (ok, whatever's left of my reader base)

And... Thats about it. as u can see, every subpoint up there warrants an individual post of its own, AND IT WILL COME =) for now, here r some fotos i hv in my camera fon...

Rama, charming as ever...

hospital intercom... ==

the doll we were supposed to imagine was a newborn. best child control ever. Maybe they should just give out these dolls in supermarkets. i m sure the teen pregnancy rate will plunge 50% overnight

kamen rider?

Billy's new hairstyle =D
how do i look? =))

wht does the silver thing remind u of? anyone hu starts laughing come get ur head cleaned. thats a screwdriver. ( i think)

prosthetics...
close up of a hip replacement
screws and tools galore


Ortho is awesome. where else do u get to play wif power tools everyday and make bionic human parts?

Gary's Zenit meets my canon

camera phones take nice pictures too
hulk!!!! (need i say more?)

photos from moscow run =D

All photos are taken from facebook, credited to Layla and Arep. i cant possibly catch pictures while running could i?? =p

Nike Moscow Run 2010

1 word: awesome. the crowd was awesome. the venue was awesome. the atmosphere was awesome. the run was awesome. even the squeeze during the q to get my shirt was awesome. My 1st ever international marathon run, and it was fantastic.

Freebies!!! Free shirt, free red bull, free glow in the dark band. Lost my number thou, so sad....

the distance, 5km. my target? 40 mins. My time? 38 mins. Not bad for someone who cramped halfway and hopped awhile =p

overall, 2 thumbs up. hopefully fotos will come soon

ONG cycle over~

my 2nd cycle of 4th yr is over. Yes~ =D will upload some fotos chronicling my cycle soon, but 1st, i. am. loving. russia. all over again. doing fotoshoots. film here n developing is dirt cheap, my film scanner is coming soon. haha in fact yday spent 2 hours just outside my hostel shooting. =p

tmr is nike's moscow run. hope i can make it out wif an ok performance =) will update other stuff soon.

p/s: go mega for FREE awesome coffee. and if u wan to get ur faces planted over the new ikea catalogue, go over to the ikea stand as well. who knows, u might get lucky =p bring someone hu looks like ur family i.e. wife and kids XD

... of abortions and revelations

Russia is an open country. in many ways. it allows freedom of religion. of race. of cultural habits. it does not force its people, or restrict them in any way according to race. it does not condemn people, and politically at least, there is no discrimination. no one is imprisoned for celebrating any festival too early, but that is another topic for another time. All in all, it allows it's people to make their own decisions, their own way.

unfortunately, it's also a country where abortions are completely legal.
Now don't get me wrong. i completely respect free will, choice and self beliefs. i understand that this is a human right, that humans have a right to choose what they want. i am not about to choose a side now, i am just here to present completely unbiased fact. i am neither pro-life or pro-choice. Again, i m not trying to influence anyone in any way, these are raw STATISTICS.

ok, now that we have the disclaimers out of the way, here goes.

1. Abortions are completely free, meaning anyone can walk into a clinic or hospital and have an abortion done, no questions asked, F.O.C.

2. the avergae age of abortions range from the age of 16 to 35.

3. Out of 10 women in Russia, only 3 decide to have their child. Meaning 7 people choose to get abortions.

Now what do these facts tell us? For one, they let us understand that Russian women are truly open to having abortions. the sheer numbers if people choosing not to bear children is a statement to this. Social stigma, while still there, is almost non-existant. At a time where pre-marital sex and one night stands run rampant, this almost opens an opportunity to people to fool around. I'm not saying that guys shouldn't be held responsible, in fact, most guys would probably pounce at the chance to take advantage of women, no strings attached, but as the saying goes... a single hand wont be able to applaud.

the very act of legalizing abortions has opened a different prespective to humans. Everyone gets caught up in the heat of the moment, regardless. However, this legal option opens up the window to irresponsibility in grown adults, grown up, of course, only in stature but not in mind. Many younger people, married couples, probably opt to abort due to financial instability or just through personal choice. i am not talking about these people. i m referring to those who choose to have sexual relations with people they have met only once, and made the irresponsible choice to forego contraception, not only risking pregnancy but the spread of STDs as well. This could be the reason of Russia being the fastest rising country of AIDS in the world.

The very act of allowing youngsters to get rid of their "burden" from passion could be convenient, but also raises alot of morality issues. Imagine ur daughter, one day just walking into a clinic. Young school children fooling around with the backing of the law. How different is this from people just throwing their babies in dumpsters, the way its done in Malaysia? Alot actually. For one, irresponsibility will always exist, but here, its LEGAL. Resources are being spent by the government,in a way that seems to be saying "go ahead, fool around, we'll clean up your mess" Young people become more daring, since they can always openly walk into a clinic and solve their brand new problem free of charge, no questions asked.

Of Course, exceptions for allowing abortions exist. Criminal abortions, for 1. Ironically, in recent years, rape victims in Russia are choosing NOT to abort, and statistics show that percentages are decreasing year after year. This was explained by our lecturer as due to the opening of more children homes. Another reason would be medical abortions, that is if the foetus somehow endangers the life of the mother. This could be easily solved by allowing a loophole in the law.

For me, at the end of the day, human life is valuble. Like i said, i am not pro-life, i do not stubbornly insist that abortions should not be done no matter what, i understand completely some couples deciding not to have children. However, i feel that people should be held responsible to their acts, and not view abortions lightly. Just my 2 cents worth. Feel free to argue ur point
i'll be waiting

ONGGGG

2day marks the end of my 1st week of classes, got my zachoot for derma on tues *big smiles* now i'm currently in my Obstretics And Gynaecology cycle, which is unfortunately located 1 n a half bloody hours away, meaning i have to wake up at 5.30 everyday =_=see the 2 black circles? i live on the lower black circle, konkova of orange line, i have to travel all the way up-north to the last station on purple line, & i have to do it Every. Single. Day. for the next 2 And a half weeks... FML.



ANYway... here's some random pics i took these few days =)

guess what i found?? hubba bubba tape gum!!! =D
obligatory picture of billy sleeping =p
muahahahaha i m evil. i dunno how he puts up wif me =p
these are boards for the babies being borned in the hospital, according to gender. as u can see from this pic, the girls (in red) are in the lead, outnumbering the guys 21 to 3. thats 1 guy to every 7 girls! mb thts y russian girls seem so desperate Russian guys are lucky =)

same board after 2 hours of lectures. seems like the guys are slowly catching up. 31 to 14.


more pics coming soon. forgive the poor composition of the pics. camera fon ma...

=D

So i'm back in the land of the big cow, alot going on right now, 4th yr has been a good time so far... =) will try to revive my blog however i can. here's looking to a brand new year ahead

Simon Pegg's hilarious tweet

Ok Go:: End Love

ok, i've been neglecting this blog long enough, so i'm gonna officially revive (resuscitate?) this blog wif this video of ok go doing what they do best: use one of the ongoing internet trends, and make a great video out of it.

Media they chose to use this time:: stop motion!!! frequent readers (i think the number currently stands at 0) of my blogs will know, i am a big fan of stop motion.

enjoy::

OK GO -End Love-

awwww....

There's someone i'll like u guys to meet. 2 very special, very cute someones




Benjy and Susie
Ganesh holding Benjamin, Adeline holding Susan ("baby")
Susan
poyo Susan
awwww~~

p/s they. can't. stop. biting. lucky their teeth aren't developed yet.

arent they the cutest~~~ >w<

5th of november

Remember, remember the Fifth of November,

The Gunpowder Treason and Plot,

I know of no reason

Why the Gunpowder Treason

Should ever be forgot.

Guy Fawkes, Guy Fawkes, t'was his intent

To blow up the King and Parli'ment.

Three-score barrels of powder below

To prove old England's overthrow;

By God's providence he was catch'd

With a dark lantern and burning match.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, let the bells ring.

Holloa boys, holloa boys, God save the King!

enter ur own title

stuck... in.... a.... rut.... i.... can't.... freaking.... get.... out.... off....

Somebody save me

haiz

missing and not being able to see, feel, touch or hear...

is like a cat staring at a computer mouse, unable to satisfy its appetite