Life. Gets more real when you come into contact with people, listen to conversations, and well, read less fairytales. I know I contradict myself sometimes, either that or I'm still sitting on the fence, trying to find a nice balance between fairytales and the somewhat harsher reality. Greedy I am, trying to believe in the first, but yet be prepared for the latter.

I've not written for some days, so here are some instances that struck me.

~~~~~

At Contact 2005, where the freshmen going to US universities come together to know each other better. A game, needing the whole group to present their ideas on a sheet of mahjong paper.

Guy J: Hey Girl E! You write la! Girls' handwriting confirm better than mine lor!
Very convenient, since Girl E was the only girl in the group. PLUS she's especially good looking. But overall, a failed attempt at buaya-ing
Girl E: *laughs* You see, we type more than we write these days.
Ouch. A slap right onto Guy J's face. Well done.

PS. I type better than I write too. Especially since I can download fonts. Hmm. But hey, don't stereotype =)

~~~~~

Still at Contact 2005, talking about their greatest accomplishments. (Not entirely true.. well, laugh along!)

A: Well, I AM a President Scholar, you know.
B: I represented Singapore in Maths competitions.
C: I made it to Stanford!
D: I can dance any sort of dance.
E: I'm still a virgin.
All: ... ...

Well, what really matters these days? *laughs*

~~~~~

I remembered clearly, during Bintan, when Adnan mentioned about "marriage of convenience". That people got married because the time was right, because the income was there, because the partner is there, because the house is ready. How skeptical and unromantic, but yet, not entirely false.

On Friday, I drove my father and his friend (Uncle Tham) down to another of his friend's workshop, where they decided to car-pool and drive up together to Malaysia for a golf game. As I drove carefully on the rain-laden roads, I listened with interest (not often does this happen, you see) on the conversation carried out. Real life kinda conversations.

Dad: You know, XYZ Company is turning its engineering resources global, so either Mr E or Mr H would have to go soon.
Uncle Tham: Yah, I heard, it is so silly. How can one angmoh handle a worldwide transaction? I bet you, soon he'll get them both back on the team.
Dad: Mr E is fine, he's about our age isn't he? His kids are mostly grown up, only 1 left in JC I believe.
Uncle Tham: True, H is worse off, he's so young, only late-thirties? All his kids are in school.
Dad: E can probably retire. Who will employ people at our age?
Uncle Tham: But that's besides the point isn't it? Once you are able to see your kids through school, you can consider your job done, and take a step back.
Dad: But people like us can't live very much longer without things to do.

Perhaps what struck me was the part (not here) where they discussed timings and such. Like at 30, you should be doing what what, at 35, what else, 40, yes this and that... Life is so.. ordered? And sometimes, we talk about life to be free and to live life to the fullest, I really wonder how much of this talk can be fulfilled. Commitments tie us down, and it's something we can't just chuck aside.

Somthing I heard from Meiru's Dance teacher. “自我”与“忠孝”不能双有。You can't be selfish and loyal/ filial at the same time, or can you?

But strange, when we talk about living our lives out, it sometimes imply seeing children through schools and feeding families. And all the wild dreams of adventures, really, have to be put aside while we carried out our obligations, which could be never-ending. So whatever happened to all the "live free" and "live your life the way you want it" slogans?

Life of convenience? Or, haha, life of INconvenience?

~~~~~

For those who just turned 21 and eagerly awaiting the elections to show your proud step into adulthood as you drop that vote into the boxes of destiny, I know disappointment has swept you away.

But never fear, you can still vote here at Sintercom!

~~~~~

A post Charlie and the Chocolate Factory kinda connversation.

Chelsea: Do you feel like a man now?
Me: No, I don't.
Chelsea: And when will you feel "man" enough?
Me: Maybe I will when I start to have my own steady income, look after myself and have my own family
Chelsea: When did you stop feeling like a boy?
Me: I think, somewhere at Sec 3, I stopped being a boy and became a young adult. All the responsibilities and stress and what not. I somehow skipped the "teenager" phase. And now, I'm a very old young adult.

~~~~~

On fireworks

Ben: Think I'm going to be late. You can't believe how crowded town is! I've moved a record of 50cm in 5 minutes.
Me: Because of the fireworks?
Ben: Yah man. Why can't they just used up all the fireworks on National Day?
Me: They can't, else no one will be able to get home on National Day. Human flow of 1 cm per minute.

~~~~~

I've just gotten the nicest gift from Archery, and it comes in a form of a T-shirt with scribbled words on it. PLUS my Chinese name boldly inprinted at the bottom left, easily the nicest I've ever seen my Chinese name written. The rest of the wordings? Well, as much of it was rubbish as it was heartfelt. =)

But this is what makes us unique isn't it?

It's all Shi Ling's fault.

Thanks fellas =)