Frankfurt!

I'm getting more and more excited as the date for my internship draws near. First off, let me show you guys a preview of Frankfurt from the air.



The IE office is located at Goethestrasse, apparently the centre of the the financial district of Frankfurt. Looking up Frankfurt, I only just realised that Deutsche Bank HQ is located there, and so is the European Central Bank. Wow. To quote Wikipedia,

Frankfurt am Main (help·info) [ˈfraŋkfʊrt] is the largest city in the German state of Hesse and the fifth-largest city in Germany. Situated on the Main river, it is the seat of the European Central Bank, the Frankfurt Stock Exchange and is the largest financial centre in Germany and continental Europe. Frankfurt is also one of the richest cities in the European Union.

from Wikipedia

And so now my journey finally begins. I must learn Cantonese (so as to talk to Frau Li regarding my housing in Frankfurt), and I must learn German, which at the moment, isn't going too well, because I already forgot what I learnt this morning. Ich versuche zu studieren Deutsch. (i probably got the verb studieren wrong). Perhaps lernen is a better verb.

German is becoming a language that I HAVE,MUST and WILL pick up. After all, it is going to be an uphill battle all the way. I feel that with Econ 20000 and German, I already have my hands full for the quarter. In fact, I'm not even sure if I can maintain stellar results for this quarter. After all, scholarship agencies don't look at the courses you take, but rather at your GPA. The sad fact about scholars is that they are unable to take courses they like which are insanely difficult, and which prove to be provide the best returns for their future for the short term benefit that is a high GPA. If I was given a chance to repeat my first two quarters here, I would probably have taken Math 16100, then Analysis, and probably Stat 244. It all depends now. I have a lot of decisions to make, about Masters (high GPA), about cost etc. Oh well...

Sometimes, I wish my family had the resources to send me overseas. I guess, living the high life is always a wish everyone has, that is why we run the rat race anyway. But here, I start to appreciate my role in life, as the eldest, as a son, as a grandson, as a friend. After all, your life is not measured ultimately by the number of As you garnered, or the number of trophies you win. It is measured by how many lives you have touched.

Oh well, enough musing for the day. Ich bin ein Studenten an der Universität von Chicago. Ok. Checked, I got studieren: to go to college/university wrong in the preceding paragraph. Oh well...



I wish you said this.



lip
ranting

Beating the System

First of all, congrats to Yihui, who made it to University of Leicester to study medicine. Guess what, she ONLY (only to some Singaporeans) has a diploma from a polytechnic.

In the paper society that is Singapore, everyone wants to be in the same route: EM1, Raffles, 10/11 A1s at O levels, RJC/HCJC, 4 As 2 S papers, scholarship, study at Harvard/MIT/Cambridge/Oxford, or do medicine, law. The lessser routes are to get a university degree at at least NUS, if not you are fucked.

I remember a convo with Yihan the other day at Matsuya, about the need for all Singaporeans to obtain a University degree. America allows it. ALL students go to college, pay for it with financial aid/or work through summer. Not only the best and the brightest get to go to college, but rather, it is an opportunity for all. It doesn't matter if it is Harvard/Princton or XYZ college in some state. Everyone has the opportunity. Regardless of skill.

Maybe it's time to rethink our education system. Where diplomas are always seen to be the lesser cousins to a university degree. I remember being shocked when Yihui decided to go Poly, and yes, I admit I am surprise she went so far with a diploma. Maybe times are changing, of course, she's the cream of the crop, so to many poly students, Uni education can only be a dream.

After all, you limit personal advancement if you limit university degrees. In a hierarchal society that is Singapore, I feel that we try to hard, almost, to limit the number of University graduates we have. This is wrong. Singapore cannot survive in the future with a citizenship that expects its government to supply them with a job, security, independence etc. It is time for us to find our own niche, to fight for what we want, and for Singapore to become a global city.

I think Yihan said some pertinent points that I want to share. Singapore should be a global city, much like New York, London, maybe even Hongkong. There must be no "Singaporean VS them" mentality. We are all immigrants, doing our best in a country where our resources are in one word, us. After all, we are barely 40 years old as a nation; my dad is older than my country!

So cut the reins, allow tertiary education, promote lifelong learning, loose the boundaries, allow Singapore to compete globally. We have the human resources to compete globally, we have the talent, as students like Penny have shown. We have the dreamers of the world, we have those who are willing to sacrifice and work to their limit, we have the visionaries.

Well, congrats to Yihui =) So this makes the 10th? person from 01S70 to study abroad. Well, I love my class haha...

P.S. Ty to Maria for bringing this to our attention.

lip
ranting

Started Learning German

Finally started learning German, after a long procrastination session with my German books. I have a lot to learn I realise, and I just forgot everything that I just learnt. Hehe... Vocab is hard, oh well, I will have to double my effort I suppose.

I'm flying in the 7th week of school! Yay. I have to go to Frankfurt to meet Frau Li who is going to rent me her room for 2 months. At $400 Euros a month no less, electricity and water inclusive. I hope it is a nice place, at least close to transport and stuff. I need to go for my internship soon, and certainly Europe is a very very attractive place to vist at the moment:).

Well, I hope my new life has started. I think I'm reverting back to the old magical me, in JC, where everything is optimistic and fun. Definitely a lot of cynicism has been added to my repertoire of humor, but I guess being happy has to do a lot with your mental state and your outlook. Life is good now, although definitely it can be a whole lot better. Only time will tell...

Sometimes, I wish I really had my mum's abilities to sketch. Just sketch. Then I can sketch Chicago, Frankfurt, London, Paris... Even Hongkong disneyland. I still am amazed how nature comes alive at the hands of an artist. Maybe one day, if I decide to take an arts course in drawing, I will actually start taking baby steps towards that dream.

Meanwhile, I'll stick to my piano and my guitar. Beauty World is a PITA. (PAIN IN THE FUCKING ASS). I was just done with my German homework, and it's ONLY 1 chapter. (Kapitel 1). From next week onwards, it's 2 chapters of Homework a lesson. I am sooo going to die.

Ich arbeite stark. Helfen Sie mir Geist!

lip
ranting

听海

写信告诉我今天海是什么颜色
夜夜陪著你的海心情又如何
灰色是不想说蓝色是忧郁
而漂泊的你狂浪的心停在哪里
写信告诉我今夜你想要梦什么
梦里外的我是否都让你无从选择
我揪著一颗心整夜都闭不了眼睛
为何你明明动了情却又不靠近

听海哭的声音
叹息著谁又被伤了心却还不清醒
一定不是我至少我很冷静
可是泪水就连泪水也都不相信
听海哭的声音
这片海未免也太多情悲泣到天明
写封信给我就当最后约定
说你在离开我的时候是怎样的心情

lip
ranting

Sunrise

The sunrise was awesome.. Beautiful. It just made my day.

On another note, here are some pretty hilarious pictures.









Picture are from despair.com

lip
ranting

5:32 am...

I woke up at 4:45 am this morning. Troubled. Thoughts. Maybe I worry too much, maybe I just have too much on my mind. Sometimes, I wonder why I blog... Maybe it's because I'm so obscure, writing down everything in an obscure way helps me vent some of my frustrations and allows me to let off some steam. I have some entries set on draft, which I never published, to remind of times where I feel so down, and to let myself remember those moments.

Some say I'm melancholic. Maybe I am. I remember the little boy I used to be once. Who was in NAFA. I guess piano has always been a huge part of my life. When Mum used to send me to piano school, this old school building off Selegie road. We had to park in the sun. Saturdays were 大课 days, masterclasses almost every month, where you would perform the pieces you've been practising. I remember when my teacher gave me a good remark, me and mum, occassionally sis, after she joined NAFA, would go for supper at Lao Pa Sat. If the comment was especially bad, she would be angry with me, and I would dread those moments. Yes, my mum always had a temper, she would just hit me and scream in the car and drive like a mad woman. I remember I was scared. Almost all the time, after a bad masterclass, I would take the seat right behind the driver's seat, so that she would have a hard time pinching and hitting me in the car along the way. Sigh.. It's amazing how my piano has progressed even with such parental "guidence". I think I eventually grew to love it, even though I was always punished over the piano.

Temper. One more thing I've inherited from my mum. I have a legendary temper I guess. In primary school, one of the more interesting entries in my autograph book was that I was a nice guy, except when I lost my temper. Haha... Then when I was with Shar, I guess my temper kinda managed to dictate moments of happiness. Then again, I hope I've got it all under control now. Nowadays, when I get an outburst, it's rare, and it's usually over some really really important matter. But I digress...

I guess you will grow to love whatever you are good at. I remember I was trying to do a recording for an international piano competition. Brahms. Rhapsody, Op. 79 \ No. 2 . A rhapsody is a piece full of flair, of passion, of unbridled angst. I guess in trying to portray that, I made many mistakes in my recording, which lead to another recording, until I was doing my recording at 2 am in the fucking morning, with all doors and windows closed so as not to wake my neighbours up.

Speaking of which, my roommate just woke up. I think he's pissed at me typing away.

I guess I'll always be a guy who likes my space. I like obscurity, I like vagueness. The world is too complex to colour in shades of black and white, no matter what the graphic artists say. Greys are perfect on the canvas where morality, politics, money, greed all collide and come together. Sometimes, it's like a Beach Boy's song, where Kokomo's waiting around the corner. Other times, we snuff out Candles in the wind, and hope dies along with us.

I guess one quote which I like a lot is:

“I hear music when I’m with you,” Sylvia said, perhaps to herself.

“What kind of music?” Wes asked, just as softly.

“Continuous. Umm… sonatas, suites. A lot of Bach.”

“Major keys or minor?”

“Minor, mostly.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

Sylvia embraced Wes around the arm. “It is,” she said as she smiled. "

You don't wanna know which website I got that from:). I guess I hear a lot of music when I'm alone. When I'm with someone, music flows. It used to be poppish songs: ala "One in a million", cheesy songs that worked somehow. Listening to her talk on the phone with the Perfect 10 playing on the background. I've grown up now. Now, my music is in the minor key, sad, modulating over areas of intense passion, happiness, stress, angst. You name it.

I think I'll catch the sunrise with my iPod. Nowadays, chinese songs are in. Don't ask me why. Then again, Vivaldi's Four Seasons has always been another favourite of mine. Angry winter has passed, and Spring is just arriving. Let's see if I can work myself into a Spring mood by the time I get to the Lake.

Tata. I'll take a mental picture to send it to you.

不想。

lip
ranting

I don't understand...

I don't understand you..

lip
ranting

Spring Break!!!

Hi all!

Back from Spring break, the inevitable alcohol, and of course, lots of sun, sand and smirnoff. Not too much sea, because I just wanna chill out and slack, but then again, whenever I am on the beach, I start looking out into the waves and remembering someone. Interesting... How the waves break, and how they are almost crying. Well, it was just a moment of intense emotion just looking at the waves.

and the sand... it was just amazing.



Have you ever thought about someone so much, you were almost lost without them?
Random rantings were never cool for me. Well, Spring quarter is here upon us, and Beauty World is going to happen in 3 weeks time. I hope that Beauty World would be a spectacular show, and really, I wish everyone who should come would come... Otherwise, I would have to take time off my schedule to do a spot of flying... haha...

I got VoipStunt, free land line calling to like 30 countries, SG included. Well, I'll try to call my parents soon. Hope it'll be fine...

Maybe I should just call my dad now.

Cheerz





lip
ranting

Beach!

Clubbing

Postsecret

ranting

A load of my shoulders.

(1) I'm happy she took it well.
(2) I'm sad it had to end.
(3) I'm not proud of myself.
(4) I feel that I have been true to myself.

lip
ranting

Johari Window

Come Come, help me do my Johari Window.

For a bit of fun:)

http://kevan.org/johari?name=Lip+Jin

lip
ranting

Tiger Beer In the US of A!!?!?!?

"Anheuser-Busch will become the U.S. importer of Tiger Beer, a leading premium brew from Singapore, expanding the American brewer’s portfolio in the growing U.S. import category, the two brewers jointly announced today."

from tomorrow.sg

lip
ranting

It Wasn't Meant For Me.

Isn't loving strange,
Why do my feelings change,
In a moment I've fallen,
And then nothing seems the same.

When I finally fall,
Every sound is her call,
And when I answer running,
I find no one there at all.

If I just could know
Whether being alone
Would be better than loving
'Cos in the end you're on your own

I suppose I'll see
If it's meant to be
Why did I fall in love?
Maybe it wasn't meant for me.

There's a voice in my head
Saying leave right now instead.

And a sound in my heart sings,
Telling me to stay.

I suppose I'll see
If it's meant to be
Why did I fall in love
Maybe it wasn't meant for me.

lip
ranting

I am a Type II.

free enneagram test

Seems like I have been taking some random online test frequently nowadays...

Must study.

lip
ranting

Postsecret

It's from mediacorp,Singapore. Cool. Another image of Singapore as a staid place erased.

lip
ranting

Physics Question

Qns: A helium-filled balloon is tied to the floor of a car that makes a sharp right turn.

Does the balloon tilt while the turn is made? If so, which way?

Note that the windows are closed so there is no connection with the outside air.

lip
ranting

How Could An Angel Break My Heart

I heard he sang a lullaby
I heard he sang it from his heart
When I found out thought I would die
Because that lullaby was mine
I heard he sealed it with a kiss
He gently kissed her cherry lips
I found that so hard to believe
Because his kiss belonged to me

How could an angel break my heart
Why didn’t he catch my falling star
I wished I didn’t wish so hard
Maybe I wished our love apart
How could an angel break my heart

I heard her face was white as rain
Soft as a rose that blooms in may
He keeps her picture in a frame
And when he sleeps he calls her name
I wonder if she makes him smile
The way he used to smile at me
I hope she doesn’t make him laugh
Because his laugh belongs to me

Being an angel to someone means keeping promises and always being there. What if the angel is not yours anymore? Sometimes, angels need to fall, and then they become Lucifer. But in our hearts, angels will always remain angels, and we wish angels could always be with us.

Melancholy.

lip
ranting

Handwriting Analysis

I just did a self handwriting analysis. Here are the results. They are pretty funny I must say.



Something is incomplete in Lip Jin's life. He feels frustration relating to his physical needs and desires. Somewhere in his life there is some disappointment, non-fulfillment, and interruption. This is very likely to relate to Lip Jin's sexual needs. (Probably not sexual needs.)



Lip Jin is a practical person whose goals are planned, practical, and down to earth. This is typical of people with normal healthy self-esteem. He needs to visualize the end of a project before he starts. he finds joy in anticipation and planning. Notice that I said he plans everything he is going to do, that doesn't necessarily mean things go as planned. Lip Jin basically feels good about himself. He has a positive self-esteem which contributes to his success. He feels he has the ability to achieve anything he sets his mind to. However, he sets his goals using practicality-- not too "out of reach". He has enough self-confidence to leave a bad situation, yet, he will not take great risks, as they relate to his goals. A good esteem is one key to a happy life. Although there is room for improvement in the confidence catagery, his self-perception is better than average. I'm fucking egotistical that's what I am.



In reference to Lip Jin's mental abilities, he has a very investigating and creating mind. He investigates projects rapidly because he is curious about many things. He gets involved in many projects that seem good at the beginning, but he soon must slow down and look at all the angles. He probably gets too many things going at once. When Lip Jin slows down, then he becomes more creative than before. Since it takes time to be creative, he must slow down to do it. He then decides what projects he has time to finish. Thus he finishes at a slower pace than when he started the project. He has the best of two kinds of minds. One is the quick investigating mind. The other is the creative mind. His mind thinks quick and rapidly in the investigative mode. He can learn quicker, investigate more, and think faster. Lip Jin can then switch into his low gear. When he is in the slower mode, he can be creative, remember longer and stack facts in a logical manner. He is more logical this way and can climb mental mountains with a much better grip.



Lip Jin will be candid and direct when expressing his opinion. He will tell them what he thinks if they ask for it, whether they like it or not. So, if they don't really want his opinion, don't ask for it!



Lip Jin uses judgment to make decisions. He is ruled by his head, not his heart. He is a cool, collected person who is usually unexpressive emotionally. Some may see him as unemotional. He does have emotions but has no need to express them. He is withdrawn into himself and enjoys being alone. The circumstances when Lip Jin does express emotions include: extreme anger, extreme passion, and tremendous stress. If someone gets him mad enough to tell him off, he will not be sorry about it later. He puts a mark in his mind when someone angers him. He keeps track of these marks and when he hits that last mark he will let them know they have gone too far. He is ruled somewhat by self-interest. All his conclusions are made without outside emotional influence. He is very level-headed and will remain calm in an emergency situation. In a situation where other people might get hysterical, he has poise. Lip Jin will work more efficiently if given space and time to be alone. He would rather not be surrounded by people constantly. In a relationship, he will show his love by the things he does rather than by the things he says. Saying "I love you" is not a needed routine because he feels his mate should already know. The only exception to this is if he has logically concluded that it is best for his mate to hear him express his love verbally. Lip Jin is not subject to emotional appeals. If someone is selling a product to him, they will need to present only the facts. They should present them from a standpoint of his sound judgment. He will not be taken in by an emotional story about someone else. He will meet emergencies without getting hysterical and he will always ask "Is this best for me?"This is soo true.



People that write their letters in an average height and average size are moderate in their ability to interact socially. According to the data input, Lip Jin doesn't write too large or too small, indicating a balanced ability to be social and interact with others.

Wow... The emotional part is true. I like to be alone sometimes. I like my analysis of my mental abilities:). And I'm not getting enough sex. Haha.

lip
ranting

My favourite Blogger

Hanting is probably my favourite blogger around:). For his witty posts, coupled with his dead-pan writing and his cynical sense of humor. I miss EOAC, because of friends like him. This post seriously just jumps out...

Romance

Maybe it's just me, but before you watch romantic movies or read romantic novels, you must be mentally prepared.

You can, if you so wish, jump straight in defenceless. You can sit through Titanic with your mind naked and unprotected, or read The Bondmaid similarly unprepared.

But you do so at your own risk. Don't blame me if afterwards you get bitter, upset, frustrated, or even suicidal.

The problem arises because people tend to take whatever they see in the media at face value. This is the exact reason why little kids with capes jump off tables thinking they can fly, and why ruggers suplex each other thinking no one will get hurt from wrestling.

This, of course, spells untold harm and damage on the state of Romance in Singapore, and the world at large. Basically, what happens is that young impressionable people grow up absorbing unrealistic notions of romance, and when they find out for themselves that romance is as real as Santa Claus or as probable as Moderations of Exam Grades, whatever romance in them fizzles out.

In fact, in today's accelerated world it's not uncommon to find young twenty-somethings with all the cynicism and bitterness, of thirty-somethings.

That's why, you have to be prepared. Instead of starting off overly-idealistic and then crashing, it's generally better if everyone began knowing the truth, and then slowly working to make the world a sweeter place to live in. For the sake of our young, let me dispel some myths that perpetually cloak almost every love story out there.

First Myth: Story couples live happily ever after. Generally, they either die just after they confess undying love (Romeo 'n' Juliet, Moulin Rouge), or the story ends when they get together (Just Like Heaven, Eternal Sunshine). Simply put, you never see how these wonderful couples make it through life together, months after the honeymoon period has worn off.

I mean, look at Moulin Rouge. It's great to have your new lover burst into song every time he sees you, but seriously, after a few months of that, you just want to stab him. Over and over.

Any surviving couple will testify to the immense amount of effort required to keep a relationship alive. When I was younger and captivated by the idea of Romance, I used to think that all you needed to succeed in a relationship was love. Now, older, wiser, I have learnt the distinction between real love, and hormonal love.

Most unfortunately, real love is something of a delicate rose. Cultivating it and keeping it alive takes all the skill, energy and dedication you've got. That said, even cactuses die if you just plant them and leave them alone. Hormonal love, on the other hand, grows as spontaneously and ferociously as foot rot. Often, the bad effects last just as long too.

So don't be fooled. Getting the girl might be difficult at times, but in totality, it's only less than 10% of the entire journey.

Second Myth: That love overcomes every obstacle. You just need to realise that there are some obstacles that are just insurmountable. There are tons of movies out there just raring to have you believe in this, but don't be fooled.

Look at King Kong and his little blonde girl. In that movie love transcends species, communication, religious, financial security and hygiene barriers, and yet people still believe that the two had a chance. It's about as realistic as you falling in love with a hamster and hoping to receive your parents' blessing.

Perhaps that's why parents caution us about rushing in. You need to know what your personal stands are, and assume that your beloved's own views will never change, then ask yourself if you can live with it. All in all, if there's a fundamental issue you two can't agree with, it's really worth a meticulous rethink.

Third Myth: That people never change. The quintessential story that perpetuates this myth is probably Legend of the Condor Heroes - in that story, the lovers are seperated for 16 years, during which time the male hero is assaulted by the fervent and insistent affections of no less than three different wholly approvable girls.

Yes, you guessed it. Said male hero, most probably through the use of heavy drugs, suppresses any semblance of libido and common sense and waits 16 long years for his love to return. Romantic? Yes. Drama? Yes. Realistic? No.

Don't misunderstand, I'm not belittling anyone who chooses to wait for his one true love. It's just that people do change, and it doesn't mean that if two people are right for each other at a certain time, they'll always be right for each other. Your postage-stamp-sized bikini makes you irresistable now (if you're female), but donning it 30 years later will only make your children dig their eyes out.

It's all related to maintaining a relationship. People change, and you've got to keep up. If you stop growing in tandem with your partner, if you neglect to keep connected, you'll wake up to find a stranger next to you.

Actually, now that I think about it, the hard part isn't getting people to know that romance in the media is largely exaggerated. The hard part is getting people to stay romantic, despite all the hard knocks they receive through life.

I'm morphing myself, although I am fighting it every step of the way. I'm slowly changing into this practical, cynical person that is the bane of the Romancing Singapore campaign. You can't blame people, I realize. You can't look into the eyes of a person who's just been jilted, and say seriously, don't worry, love will conquer all.

Maybe that's why romance still sells. Although it's sad that people buy into romance but don't really believe in it, in the same pathetic way students like me buy assessment books knowing I'll never touch them, maybe people immerse themselves in romance to glimpse a better world.

A better world where there's unending energy to pull off romantic surprises, where true love is untainted by the passage of time, where partners or spouses aren't just companions who help you through life, but actually are your soulmates.

I encourage you, if you are a romantic at heart, keep that fire burning in you no matter how hard the storm rages outside. It's like believing in Cho. The world may test your strength in a myriad of ways, but if at the end of the day you manage to keep that little spark of belief alive, I do believe life will be a little brighter, a little sweeter.

Keep the faith alive.

Soulmates versus people who help you through passages of life. Now that's hard to find.

I want someone who can look at me and know what I am thinking, to know how I'll react to a situation, to know who I am. The last person who really knew that didn't keep up with change, and I didn't keep up with her.

Maybe I still believe in romance, but then I refuse to accept that there is anyone anymore.

lip
ranting

Learning to Love

Sometimes you wish for the first love that never could be.

And you wish that you'll find that again.

And when you find it, you wish you never did, because things get so confusing.

不想爱被风吹走 不想情擦身而过
不想你在我的日记本里告一段落
不像我们之间的故事这么快就到结果
让我们好好地说
不想爱被风吹走 不想情擦身而过
不想你在我的日记本里告一段落
不像我们之间的故事这么快就到结果
用回忆编成小说

from 新谣2005

Couldn't sleep till rather late last night. Confused, thoughts, re-evaluating myself. There's something about the piano that is just so beautiful. I express myself through music. I play songs that express my thoughts, my feelings. And then when morning comes, I hide away the real me and put on a facade again.

No one knows who I am.

I remember back when I broke up. Words were not enough to express everything. So I called. And I played the piano over the phone. It was enough.


Sometimes, I wish I had someone who understands.

lip
ranting

Yay for Beauty World

Buy tickets.

On another note: Yay for sisters too:)

Take care Dad, Mum, Sis and Bro. Family is always home, but then, I'm having a lot of fun studying here:). Would like to be home though.

Thanks for the thoughts sis:)
http://overandoveragain.blogspot.com/2006/03/things-i-want-to-say.html

lip
ranting