Pay It Forward

Today, someone I barely know did me a huge favour for my Rotaract Club’s upcoming charter celebration and installation. Indeed, lately, I have been receiveing a lot of kind deeds from various people, and the most amazing thing is that these people do not expect anything back in favour of their help. It troubles me a lot that they do not expect aything in return, because I am the kind of person who will not rest well if I owe anyone a favour.

So how do you repay the kindness of people who do not want anything in return? This brings me to this very interesting concept called, “pay it forward”, inspired by the book “Pay It Forward” written by Catherine Ryan Hyde, which was subsequently adapted in the 2000 movie starring Kevin Spacey and Haley Joel Osment.

For every favour I received, instead of repaying the deed, I am encouraged to pay it forward to another three people. That three people, meanwhile would each has to pay the deeds I have given them forward to another three people and it goes on.

I must admit, in today’s materialistic world, this is not a practice that everyone will be willing accept. But a quick Google search revealed that this concept has a huge following, and they even have an official website for the Pay It Forward Movement.

It’s amazing how this concept can touch the life of so many people. I guess sometimes, life is not all about making profit out of everything. Perhaps those whom I am indebted too are all, sub-conciously, members of this Pay it Forward movement. These people have indeed inspired me to do the same thing, to help others without asking for something back.

Being the usual part-time idealistic person, I shall initiate the Pay It Forward spirit around me. So my friends, the next time I do you a favour, please do pay it forward. Let’s make this world a better place to live in!

Opportunity

Opportunities do not come knocking on your door daily. It is perhaps thus I felt the need to take this plunge and grab this opportunity without hesitation. I know for a fact that I will have to forsake many things, and I risk losing some things that are more important if I do not tread this road carefully.

I am blessed as I have with me people who understands the risk of this opportunity, but are willing to walk this path too. Some, unfortunately, were forced to see this opportunity pass by them.

I wouldn’t say that it was a hard decision, but when I decided to take this step, deep down inside me, there were, and still, are fears; a fear of failure; a fear of being unworthy of this opportunity; and a fear of disappointing those who have invested their faith in me.

But it can be done, and it has been done, and I there is no reason why I cannot do it.

A Promise to Keep

to rise to greater heights, yet to stay firmly on ground

to aspire to be better, yet to be grateful with what i have

to teach others, and to learn from others

to give my all, and to persevere

 

to dare to dream, to be idealistic

to stand tough, yet be compassionate

to forgive and forget, yet to remember

to smile and laugh, to have fun

 

to believe and trust, to have unshakeable faith

to give and take, to tolerate

to respect and be respected

to keep these promises, to remember them

 

chiewee

Me, The Theorist

1. Theory of Time

Time travelling is not possible. However, we can look straight into the past, almost at every instant. Assuming, that you are looking at a man walking ten meters in front of you, you are actually looking at something that has already happened miliseconds or nanoseconds ago, and not something at present time. We see objects because light bounces off the object. So, while the man is walking in present time, it takes time for the light to bounce off as light travels at a speed of 299 792 458 m/s. So, by the time the light really reaches you, you are actually looking at an event that has happened nanoseconds ago.

So yes, man can see the past! 

2. Theory of Civilization

Billions of years ago, even before the age of Jurassic, there exist a civilization, not unlike the human civilization. A major catasthrophe striked and wiped out any traces of the existence of this civilization. The destruction of this civilization paved way to the rise of the our ancestor’s civilization, and evolution led to this current human civilization.

 

3. Theory of God

A controversial theory maybe. There is only one God, not your God, not my God, but our God. We are all praying to the same God. It is just that the way we profess to this God is different, and this difference is defined by our different religions.

 

4. Theory of Attraction

Rhonda Byrnes in The Secret wrote about the law of attraction, that what we think is what we will get as our thoughts create energy that attracts like energy. So, if you want desire something, you have to focus your thoughts to that desire; in other words – no negative thinking.

I was reading The Secret halfway before concluding that the principles in that book is not something that we don’t know. It is about generating a positive environment by using positive words and thoughts.

Think of this; if I ask you “not to think of elephant”, your mind will subconsicously think of an elephant. So, if i said, “do not disregard me”, the word disregard will operate in your mind, and sure enough, the chances of you disregarding me is higher. Instead’, I should be telling you to, “listen to me”, and you subconscious mind will focus on; the word “listen. Of course, this is again just a theory, which is not supported by any empirical research

 

5. Theory of Choice and Chance

I am still sore, thanks to Mr. Luck. Recent happenings have made me consider whether there is any truth in the maxim of “life is a choice, not a chance”. Because everything around me now seems to have happened by chance. So, what determines the fact that one is more lucky than the other?

It is the chicken or the egg dilemma here. Do you make the right choice, and then get the right chance; or do you get the right chance, and then make the right choice. You are confused, and so am I.

My conclusion is that chance and choice are both dependant on each other. You can only have the chance to make a good choice if you have the chance; and you can only have a good chance if you make a good choice. (Gosh I love to be complicated and confusing  )

Mr Luck and His Jokes

If anything can go wrong; it will. Believe it.

Just less than a month ago, I was robbed of my laptop. All my important works are in that laptop. Fine. Unlucky me.

Today, Mr. Luck decided to play a big fat joke on me again. The motherboard in the old laptop I have been using for the last three weeks was killed by Mr. Luck. Of all the time in the world, Luck decided to play this joke on me three weeks before an IMPORTANT EVENT (READ: INSTALLATION), where I need my LAPTOP BADLY.

Screw you, Luck

Forgetful Me

My memory has failed me once again.

 

I forgot that I am a mere human

I forgot that there is only 24 hours in a day

I forgot that I cannot stop time

I forgot that I need to relax

 

I forgot how burn out feels like; and I don’t intend to remember it

I forgot how a good rest feels like; and I want to remember that

 

I forgot to enjoy life

I forgot to appreciate life

I forgot to live my life

I forgot to let you into my life

 

I forgot to take a deep breath to help me remember

I forgot to take minute to think what I have forgotten

 

I forgot to smile; I forgot to laugh; I forgot to joke; I forgot to have fun

 

We all forget, don’t we?

 

chiewee

Charter Celebration and First Installation

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN

Come and enjoy the food, fun and fellowship. Support your favourite blogger

All proceeds will go to Rotaract Club of ATC Community Fund and Chrestus Home Fund

Perfectly Imperfect

In Star Trek, there was a pseudo-race known as Borg that assimilate other inter-galactic species in an attempt to achieve perfection. In that sense, many of us are like Borg too. Many of us try to assimilate other people’s style and manner in an attempt to be perfect.

We are all guilty of wanting to be like someone else at some point in our lives as we feel that that person has a perfect life, and is a perfect person. We sometimes ask ourselves, “Why can’t I be more like her? She is so perfect!”.

Perfection is however, a fluid concept. What amounts to perfect? It is therefore ironic that this whole concept of perfection is imperfect in itself. We can never achieve a perfect description of what is perfect. If being perfect means being like everyone else, and having the knowledge of everyone, it means death to individuality, which in itself is imperfect. If perfection is ever achieved, it will mean that we will no longer have something to strive for, no goals to live for.

The Borg’s dominance in Delta Quadrant was finally put to an end by Captain Janeway in the final episode of Star Trek: Voyager. This shows that one can never achieve perfection, as there will always be someone who is better than you in one way or another.

I shall then embrace my imperfections. I treasure the chaos in the midst of my orderly life. I am thankful for my forgetfulness and swinging temper. I am glad that I am imperfect, because without it, I am not me, the perfectly imperfect me.

Malaysians Mourn for the Death of Democracy

Democracy is dead. Yesterday, while ATC and Help University College were debating on the motion for abolition of death penalty as it violates basic human rights, how ironic it was that outside there, the Malaysian government were committing a clear act of human rights violation with the arrest of Raja Petra Kamarrudin, Teresa Kok and Tan Hoon Cheng under the draconian Internal Security Act (ISA).

As a law-abiding citizen who have preferred to stay apolitical, I vehemently condemn this vicious act by the government. This is a clear case of double standard and hypocrisy. Ahmad Ismail (I refused to address him with his honorary title), who called the Malaysian Chinese “immigrants” in the presence of the Deputy Prime Minister, was let off easily, whereas Tan, who was merely reporting the truth was deemed to be the guilty party. 

You, the ruling party, UMNO, have committed an unforgivable act, not only against the Chinese community in the country, but also against every single peace loving Malaysian. You have tried to instill fear into the hearts of the people, but we will not bow down. Your arrogance will lead to your fall.

Do not insult our intelligence. We shall not allow you to trample on the democracy that has been built by our forefathers. I join the united voice of millions of Malaysians who are demanding the release of these ISA detainees. Democracy will live again, and we shall live to see that day.

Back

Finally, after 3 months semester break, I am back in class. I cannot believe how much I miss all those lectures and tutorials. Indeed, life without learning is no life at all. It was great to see all those old faces from Inter Jan/April 2007, and also other intakes in the new class, but at the same time, it’s sad to know that some of them didn’t make it.

Anyway, now that we are in Part 1 Finals, the lecturers have all warned us that it is NOT the same as Intermediate, where we can be easygoing and relaxed in our studies. The LEAST we have to secure is 2Bs and 2Cs in order to ensure that we get Second Class Lower to qualify for Certificate of Legal Practice (CLP) in order to be eligible to be a practicing lawyer. But of course, true to our gung-ho spirit, we will settle not for 2Bs only, and that would mean extra extra hardwork.

Here are the subjects that I will be doing for my Part 1 Finals:

Law of Tort

This is a very practical subject, and I think I will thoroughly enjoy it because it is something I can use in my everyday life.

Land Law

I was smiling when the lecturer mentioned the word breach of covenant; because it was exactly the problem I was facing with my landlord, which I settled by using law of contract principles, rather than land law. But anyway, this is another practical subject I can use. Unfortunately however, the English land law is in many ways different than Malaysian land law.

Law of Trust

This subject is notoriously known as the killer subject. It is THE subject with the most failures and referrals.

Optional subject: Criminology

 The only subject where there is NO case law. There were many opinions from lecturers and students on the suitability of this subject for Part 1 students. Some lecturers have said that it would be good to take it in Part 2 Finals as this subject complements Jurisprudence, the compulsory subject in Part 2. Others have said that it would be an ideal subject for Part 1 because it is lighter compared to the other three compulsory subjects. Whatever it is, I am taking this subject because it is simply my type of subject: a study of crime from a psychological, sociological and philosophical point of view.

__________________________

By the way Menaka, if you’re reading this, I said that I want to quote from your new top

“Life is not about searching yourself, but creating yourself.”

And indeed, I am in the process of self-creation