Happy Cny to all! So another one gone. Didn't feel that much for it this year. Yesterday's gambling was good though.

NUS's decision to have mid term break this week is a double-edged sword. It's good as we don't have to worry about staying up late and still being in that cny mood a bit longer. But then there are the projects and tests to worry about next week. Damn.

Man Utd's match with AC Milan last night contained many points of consideration. I always thought that Manutd fare poorly against skillful opponents (think Kaka) ... and also Ronaldinho for some parts of the match was pretty overwhelming. The thing about playing in the EPL is that its more physical than skills, hence their possession and physical approach may not be as effective against skillful players. But, I must say that the 1st part of the 2nd half was one of the best display i've seen overall .. Fletcher was running all over the pitch, Scholes and Carrick were pulling the strings and Rooney was just banging in goals.

Not a bad result. But i felt the 2nd goal conceded was unnecessary. It makes the 2nd leg a little bit jumpy.

Today I had a very interesting conversation. I certainly relish such an experience because i'm not sure whether everyone does have the opportunity, and my self-thoughts might sound like it, but i don't so much as look down on ppl. To put it simply, it's a highlight of today.

It happened at one of the companies i send goods to. I sat down with the guy who was collecting the purchase order, and he suddenly went all brotherly with me. Was a little taken aback but well ... everything was in mandarin so i gotta translate ..

Guy: Eh so do you all need to work on saturday?

It didn't strike me immediately that saturday is cny eve as my first thoughts were, hmmm i don't even consider myself as working on any day at all.

Me: Saturday? eh no no need work.

Then it hit me its cny eve.

Me: Oh but its cny eve leh.

Guy: Ya lor ... you know how usually companies will paste some notice to inform the staff if there's half-day ... don't have leh ... damn effed up ...

Me: ummm ... but then need to eat reunion dinner right?

Guy: Ya haiz sian ... but nvm la i gonna quit soon ... my friend introduced me to a job ... better pay also ... now 1.something k work here work until so jialat the pay also a bit only nia ... at least there 1.6k then got commission ...

Me: ahh ok .. ok...

Guy: You leh? Work as driver (i think he meant it as delivery man) should have at least 1.8k right ...

Me: (you can't be serious ... 1.8k ... me a delivery man ... wait till the rest hear about this ...) ehh still okay la ... my company is rather new ...

Guy: Ah new company is good! Got chance to rise and get promoted!

Me: (rise and get promoted? i don't know promote to what leh) hahaha! -mega smile-

Guy: My friend's company last time also new ... then now quite big already!

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So yeah .. like what i said, i like blending in with this side of society. Makes me realise much more about reality.

In school i learn about downward social comparison ... helps you feel better about yourself. My mum always asked me why do you always compare your test results to classmates who have scored poorer ... I think she always wanted me to do well ... then in recent years, she has been asking me to cultivate a sense of self-contentment. Pretty confusing for a kid like me. Today's event proved to me that it's important to strive higher, because i do not want to be a delivery man forever, and also to appreciate the things you have in life and to remember to count your blessings.

Today is really a kns of a day.

I talked to the most strangers ever. And the freaking troublesome hassles of getting into a car accident were fully in play today. Made countless number of calls, and was put in numerous moral dilemnas.

And it was tough facing it alone. My dad more or less left it for me to handle it, which i should say i gladly enjoy, but waking up at 830am and then having to skip my 12pm class cos i still wasn't done by 1pm were super zzz.

Then i came to sch for the career fair which was plenty of talking and interaction with strangers again. Submitted my resumes and gave my contact info for some booths. Hopefully i get some positive responses.

Class now till 9pm. So damn zonked.

Hope poker later would be good.

It's amazing how Lost could brainwash its viewers to continuously have the "damn its so damn good and whatever that's gonna come out next is gonna be out of this world".

The 2 hours 1st episode of Lost Season 6 provided several answers, but it was definitely information overload. We were told who Jacob's nemesis is, who was possessing Locke, and what is Smokey. I love the alternate reality story telling ... in a way it is a reset, but i am sure all the viewers need to physically witness what might actually happen had the plane not crash.

Pretty melodramatic. Especially the constant switching about with the present reality which already encompassed all the bonds and relationships, only for us to be knocked back into 'reality' when the plane landed ... afterall if nothing happened, it was just a planeload of passengers with different purposes in life.

I thought episode zero is excellent, in the way the producers reminded all of us the ties and links between the characters, as well as the major events that happened.

We don't want the reset, yet we want to know what just MIGHT have happened. There were rumours about both timeline finally meeting each other towards the end of the season ... although i cannot figure out how. Well, at least all the survivors are at the same time already.

Another thing about this episode is that the producers want to tell us that there are many us, all in different timelines, different realities. Ah well ... thing about watching dramas is i hate the weekly wait. Hence often i always wait till the whole season is out. Can't seem to do it with Lost though. Keeps my mind thinking too.

Lol! You guys just made my tues night more bearable.

1st episode of the last season today. ANSWERS!!

To Paulo Coelho:

With regards to your commentary about how happiness is overrated, with all respect I beg to differ. In fact, the most immediate feeling I had after reading it was more of irritable than enlightenment.

It is easy to see the link between your article and Ellin’s 31st Dec 2009 article on “Seeking a Cure for Optimism”. I do agree that positivism and optimism needs to be realistic and cannot be too far-fetched. Indeed, there might be a certain group of people out in the world who are constantly bothered by masking that unhappiness they have. Yet I had a strong sense that both of you were nitpicking on the seemingly simplicities of life happiness.

All of us choose what we want to pay attention to and hence see them. If we choose to keep on probing the meaning of life, which is extremely subjective, we will never come to find out what is happiness. In response to your statement regarding “What will you do when that (everything) comes to an end?”, I will bravely defend those who believe that when life ends, as long as we have done enough to feel contented and fulfilled with our life accomplishments, that is enough.

I urge upon you to look at life simply, at people with face-value, and perhaps reduce the doubt you have for the things around you which I sense deeply from your commentary. We should do our best to stop imposing our own unhappy experiences onto the people around us, and believing they are feeling just like that. Instead, we can learn to embrace that perhaps, people are truly always striving to improve themselves, and actually being happy while doing that. There are people who enjoy working, relish the challenges they face in life, and soaking in the feeling of satisfaction upon achieving those goals in their lives.

I guess one major difference, if I was you while writing the commentary, would be the way how I phrase the questions at the end. Instead of them, I would sincerely ask or say “How can I plan my time such that I can earn enough money to afford this kind of lifestyle that I always yearn for?”, “The actress I am with in this photo, is truly a great performer, and I will learn to model after her.”, “I wonder if she knows she looks gorgeous in those clothes.”, and “I am glad everyone is smiling so much and enjoying themselves.”

GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED! GLORY GLORY MAN UNITED!