Monday, July 21, 2008

PUPPIES FOR SALE

A farmer had some puppies he needed to sell. He painted a sign advertising the pups and set about Nailing it to a post on the edge of his yard. As he was driving the last nail into the post, he Felt a tug on his overalls. He looked down into the Eyes of a little boy.
Mister," he said, "I want to buy one of your puppies."
"Well," said the farmer, as he rubbed the sweat off the back of his neck, "these puppies come from fine parents and cost a good deal of money."
The boy dropped his head for a moment. Then reaching deep into his pocket, he pulled out a handful of change and held it up to the farmer. "I've got thirty-nine cents. Is that enough to take a look?"
"Sure," said the farmer.
And with that he let out a whistle,"Here,Dolly!" he called.
Out from the doghouse and down the ramp ran Dolly followed by four little balls of fur. The little boy pressed his face against the chain link fence. His eyes danced with delight.

As the dogs made their way to the fence, the little boy noticed something else stirring inside the doghouse. Slowly another little ball appeared; this One noticeably smaller. Down the ramp it slid. Then in a somewhat awkward manner the little pup began hobbling toward the others, doing its best to catch up....
"I want that one," the little boy said, pointing to the runt.
The farmer knelt down at the boy's side and said, "Son, you don't want that puppy. He will never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would."
With that the little boy stepped back from the fence, reached down, and began rolling up one leg of his trousers. In doing so he revealed a steel brace running down both sides of his leg attaching itself To a specially made shoe. Looking back up at the farmer, he said, "You see sir, I don't run too well myself, and he will need Someone who understands."

The world is full of people who need someone who understands.

I remember reading this in some magazine a couple years ago, and it still is as touching and inspiring as ever...Sometimes, i myself longed for someone who'd understand the whole me, and although i'm blessed with a few friends who listen to me blabbering away all the time, i kinda felt as if there could be more...

I AM.....?

I did a little personality test, and the result was...well, i must say, it's pretty accurate, in fact, it hit all the right note about me...

自我型(與別不同,自成一格)

您樂於活在邊緣,而且在人生的所有層面追求不尋常、藝術性且富含意義的事物。
您具有美感的洞察力,以穿著和環境來表達自我的獨特性。
您把焦點放在關係和感覺,所以儘管對工作抱持理想,找到理想伴侶卻是第一優先。當一份新的關係出現,或是既有的關係出問題時,工作很快的就會被暫放在一旁。

優點:
您對別人的受苦具有深層且天賦的同理心,會立刻拋開自己的麻煩,去支持並幫助在痛苦中的人。

缺點:
您會主動追求「負面」情緒。當生命過得越來越平淡時,您會產生出一個情緒危機,如果任何人試圖跟您講道理,都只會令您變得更憤怒不悅。

愛情:
您傾向以「若即若離」的方式面對愛情。距離越遠,對方看起來就越完美。
您情緒變化範圍太廣,太強烈,再加上若即若離的習性,對於伴侶而言很難確切知道如何和您建立關係。

您只要在交往過程中碰到一丁點難題,或是預見自己會被拒絕,您便會推開自己的伴侶。
「我寧可當那個先離開的人,也不要當被遺棄的人。如果我失去了掌控權,那是相當可怕的事。」

安定方位:改革型
在安定的狀態下您會開始有完美主義傾向,去批判自己和別人。

壓力方位:付出型
當面對感情的壓力或情緒對抗時,您會變得痴纏,失落,抑鬱和行為反復無常。很需要吸引別人,以獲得讚許。

建意:
每天找些正向的事情,並加以慶賀
享受世俗面,去看看平凡中的不平凡
覺得自己特殊而正確時,在行動前先花時間考慮清楚

最渴望:能更深入的了解自己,看透人生
最恐懼:自我身份的模糊,感情世界的缺陷
最難達到的美德:平衡 (Equanimity)
最難克服的執念:憂鬱 (Melancholy)

p/s: i'm too lazy to translate. Sorry to those who can't read chinese.

Friday, July 18, 2008

Bookstores In Taipei

I've been to a couple bookstores in Taipei, and i especially LOVE this one. Eslite Bookstore (Chung-Yo branch) of Chung-Yo Department Store, Tai-Chung. The whole place is exquisitely design with the most fabulous wooden decor and a spiral-circular interior.


























This one, on the other hand was taken in front of the main branch of Eslite Bookstore (Xin-Yi flagship store), situated at Taipei City Hall, 10 minutes walk from Taipei 101.

OMFG!!!

I just checked my results online...
And i received the shock of my life...

Drums!
Dum dum dum dum....brrr....

Oh whatever.
They're crap.

Anyway, i did a calculation of my result for this semester.
And it's....91.72%!! (The average. LOL!)
Still.

【962學期學期成績】
課號 班別 選別 課名 學分 學期成績
CR101A必修 操行成績 (Conduct)
087
EL111A必修 西洋文學概論(2) (Introduction to classic western literature)
297
EL123B必修 大一英文聽說讀寫整合課程(2) (Integrated English)
590
EL124B必修 大一英文寫作個別指導(2) (English Writing/Composing)
190
EL126A必修 文學作品導讀(2) (Guidance in Western Literature Reading)
287
GC0166A必修 英文(二)(英美系) (English reading)
299
GC0167A必修 國文(英美系) (Chinese)
272
GC0189A必修 慈濟人文暨服務教育(二)(英美系) (Tzu Chi Humanities)
295
GN0009A通識 疾病與用藥概念 (Diseases and Education in Medicine)
286
GN0013A通識 醫學新知 (Information on the latest Medical advances)
174
GS0049B通識 兩性關係 (Gender Role Education)
287
PE233A必修 健康體適能運動訓練(英美系) (Physical Education)
179

The Pussycat Dolls - When I Grow Up



Heard they'll be the opening act for the MTV Asia Awards!!! Yay!!!!

Angkasawan to be conferred Datukship

SEREMBAN: The country's first man in space, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor Al-Masrie will be bestowed the Darjah Setia Negeri Sembilan (DSNS) award which carries the title "Datuk" by the Yang Di-Pertuan Besar Negri Sembilan Tuanku Ja'afar in conjunction with the state ruler's 86th birthday celebration on Saturday.

Dr Sheikh Muszaphar, who made history when he blasted into space with Russian flight engineer Yuri Malenchenko and commander Peggy Wilson from the United States in the Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft on Oct 10 last year, will receive his award from Tuanku Ja'afar at the Istana Besar, Seri Menanti, on Saturday.

The 36-year-old orthopaedic surgeon returned to Earth after spending 11 days at the International Space Station.

The Mentri Besar's office released the first list of recipients on Friday morning and the second and third instalments were expected to be out in stages.

Uh, don't they have like more important things to do? Instead of throwing a lavish party to celebrate a person walking in space, why not spend the money wasted on organizing the event to help the poor? Geez. The government is ------!

Scholarship ratio to stay at 55:45

THE Public Service Department (PSD) scholarship ratio of 55:45 for bumiputras to non-bumiputras will not be changed to suit populist sentiments, said Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Datuk Seri Nazri Aziz said.

He said the PSD introduced the quota scheme last year in which scholarships were given to deserving students regardless of the income level of their parents.

However, he said the criteria for bumiputra students should not be relaxed just to satisfy the notion that the Malays and bumiputras were accorded special rights under the Constitution.

“The 55:45 ratio is good enough, which we have practised all this while,” said Nazri.

What?! Most Chinese and Indians students (i can name a few, some of my friends, for instance) were rejected off their application of the PTPTN scholarship. It's so unfair, considering they work through sweat and tears for the A's, and they got like, at least 10!!! A1!!! What about those "Potatoes" (my parents fondly refer *ahem* them as), 2 A'S and they get themselves into Matrikulasi!!!

“The bumiputra ratio will not go below 50%.

God! Think, why do students fled from this country?!

“Whether this ratio should also follow changes in population trend will be studied later on,” he said in winding up the debate on the Supplementary Supply Bill on behalf of his ministry at the committee stage.

Nazri said the Constitution did not state any form of ratio on rights and privileges, in this case scholarships, that should be given to bumiputras and other races.

“It also did not mean that applicants with excellent results should be deprived of scholarships just because they come from wealthy families.

“Otherwise, we will lose them to other countries like Singapore, which regarded them as assets,” he added.

Oh, so now they realize that most "non-bumiputra" students went abroad because of their stupid quota!

Datuk Tajuddin Abdul Rahman (BN-Pasir Salak) advised the Government to stay within the course of the primary objective of the rights accorded to bumiputras.

“The objective of the bumiputra rights stated in the Constitution is to achieve a level playing field in the development of human capital among the different races.

does this statement sound fair to any of you? Does it mean that we're the lesser minorities who should be deprived off our rights to earn our rightful scholarships?

And can anyone define "BUMIPUTRA" to me? Last week, i happened to caught a show on Discovery channel(there was this British guy who visits all the aborigines and natives around the world, a show which i couldn't remember the name), the native PENAN tribes of Sarawak express their anger towards the way they were treated; land stripped off, and they were even being warned not to speak to outsiders. I was shocked by the way they were treated like some animals, and it's so humiliating, to us Malaysians! Does "Bumiputra" literally meant Malays????

“But don’t compromise this right for bumiputras just to win hearts,” he said.

(credit: The Star Online)

Thursday, July 17, 2008

Malaysia = Jeopardy


I bet the Malaysian government has become the laughing stock for people around the world.
Geez. The whole thing with the Anwar case, and the oil prices and stuff.

To me, Anwar is a political tragic hero. I mean, damn those fuckers,
since when did they actually saw him raping another dude?
And what about that moron, Najib?
He was involved in the Altantuya murder case, and yet,
no one made any arrest or legal stuff.
I mean, come on, this is clearly a political conspiracy!

As the time i'm writing this piece, he was released 2 hours ago.
But i don't think the whole affair would end soon.

Buckle up, fellow Malaysians, do not expect the case to settle down quietly soon and instead, chances are, it'll get more and more fired up!

Me at Taipei (3)



God, i LOVE 101. I mean, u get Louis Vuitton, Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Coach, Dior, Miu Miu, Vivienne Westwood, Valentino, Cartier, Mont Blanc, Celine, Giorgio Armani, Armani Exchange, Agnes B, Loewe, Bvlgari, YSL, Dunhill, Versace, Bally, DKNY, Hermes, Bennetton, Celine, Swarovski, Calvin Klein, D&G, Dolce & Gabbana, Kenzo, Issey Miyake, Tiffany, Escada, Boucheron,Karl Lagerfeld, Moschino, Ralph Lauren, Jean Paul Gaultier, Aigner, Aquascutum...........!!!! Starhill Gallery would not, in a million years be able to compete with THAT!




Me at Taipei (2)


























The first ever LGBT Books and Cafe in Taiwan. Gin Gin Bookstore 晶晶書庫.
I was embarrass when i arrived (the whole search took me 2 hours! God knows it was only a 5 minutes walk from the Tai-Power Building station!) because...well, i don't know, probably because i never been into a place like this before. Anyway, i did made a fool of myself when i asked for the business card from the manager, in english, and he thought i need greeting cards!!! It was humiliating, as all the other patron (all couples! sigh...) was looking at me,bemused. I mean, don't blame me, my chinese language system jammed whenever i'm in a tense state.

Me at Taipei (1)
























































































The first 3 pictures were taken at Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, Taipei. 中正紀念堂
The last 2 were taken at the National Palace Museum aka. Gu-Gong Museum 故宮博物館

Graduation Day (Not mine, hehehe...)

Me with a bunch of friends. 'Cept for the girl on the left.
















Me with my...how do i put this, sister? It's a long story, but the concentrate version is that, we have this system in TCU (or was it only my department?) that every student has a "family of their own, consisting the senior,junior, sophomore and freshman.


























Me and the ISC gang. I'll miss Nana so much. Well, i made her promise to take me to a club or pub or disco or whatever u call them, cuz i never really went to those kinda place before....hehehehehe!

Hualien





















































The day i went to LIYU Lake, though my butt still ache till today. Darn bike.

Home at last! It's SUMMER!!!



Ok, my bad for not updating since...forever, i guess.
Heh! I know, i've been really lazy on blogging,
just couldn't find the motivation to post anything.

Still, quite a lot happened since my prolonged hiatus here.
I've been elected as the vice president of the one organization i despised the most,
my result this semester was a million times better than the previous semester,
which came as a huge surprise to me as i really thought i'd fail at least one of the subjects (chinese! Bet it'll haunt me for the rest of my life. Thanks to that evil witch, brr...)

And, a lot more, i guess.
I'll get back at it when i have the time to do so...
well, i'm free, since i am in Malaysia now,
but still, i'm trying to finish my copy of SHOPAHOLIC & BABY.

Ok, i know, they're not really guy lit, but still, they're hilarious!
And guess what, i bought the entire collection of Sophie Kinsella's books.
I mean, it's a bargain, each paperback cost no more than NT245, which is really cheap, considering a normal paperback here cost like, RM34.90, even after discount, it still cost like RM28 if i use the Popular Bookstore member card.

I am so not going to visit the bookstores in Malaysia again.

Ok, apart from my books, (it was embarrassing, i bought a truck load of 'em, and my luggage was 4kg over the weight limit), i bought the entire set of KERORO figurines; the type which you'll have to assemble it yourself. Ha!

I guess a guy will always be a guy in his heart.







Anyhow, it's summer, i'm home, yay me! Gotta slouch all i can on this 2 months of summer vacation!