The Pursuit of Happyness

It was 8 days ago, last week’s friday while working, and suddenly a middle-aged indian man came to my counter and…

“Hey young man, please, share with me your secrets to happiness! I see you working so happily. I’m so jealous and envy you. I am unhappy all the time, I feel like committing suicide. And when I see you, you’re so happy and cheerful! Please tell me your secrets, what can I do to be as happy as you…”

 Well upon hearing that I was pleasantly surprised and don’t know what to say. While listening to his problem, I was thinking in my mind, searching for my answers. To my realisation, the answer cannot be found through thinking. I should not be treated like a maths problem where you think logically for a solution. The answers for such questions lies in one’s heart, and its not something which one can teach others. One cannot give instructions to others regarding happiness.

“You ain’t allowing yourself to be happy. So its very simple, stop thinking negatively, and do what you like which makes you happy. Look, you got such a wonderful family, with a lovely wife and sons! Just let go and indulge in a happy mood!” That’s my reply for him.

Its so timely that having just recovered from suffering so much, and something like that came to me. He represents the person I was when I was suffering. So its just like after the suffering is over, I saw my own reflection of my depressed state.

It’s the first time ever that a stranger ever approached me like that while working. I guess my guides are giving me a pad on my shoulder on my progress, by sending him to me.

Lab Assistant

Yesterday was my first duty as lab assistant, as part of my internship. I was under a very friendly and hearty supervisor – a technical support officer who is responsible for the microbiology labs.

My job is to assist in preparing lab sessions! Unlike sec schools, poly lab sessions last 3hrs long. And for a whole cohort of 5-6 classes, two classes per session, it means a 9hr long day for the staffs.

I like my job which is relaxing and I get to see so many chio bu! The food science course houses many many SYTs (sweet young things)!

So what I did was basically stock up on DI water, prepare and autoclave nutrient broth agar/liquid, stock up on ethanols, gram staining liquids, as well as other chemicals needed.

Oh yes, I even helped the culinary science department by delivering beef and pork to the lab! Yes, pork! Babi! At first I asked my supervisor how come pork is included as part of the ingredients when there’s muslim students? She couldn’t answer me. She too was speechless by this controversial question. All she can say is that its for study purposes, that pork is an essential part of asian cooking. (wow!, visions of bak kut teh, bak kwa, pork satay, kong bak pau, san zham bak are popping in my head! and of course, Billy Bombers pork ribs!) While exploring this issue with her, I brought up the idea of ethanol, which is of common usage in labs. That might as well the muslims can’t even use ethanol to do their lab work, since its alcoholic.

PAIN!

The really intolerable, insurmountable pain are those unseen, emotional and thought-wise ones.

It’s like a parasite hanging around your heart, leeching something out of you. Your heart feels heavier, difficulty breathing, and your temperature shoots up. Oh yes, you feel like opening your mouth as wide as possible, hoping to shout out this parasite. This pain isn’t sharp; there is no physical area where you can press to increase the pain. Rather, the pain spreads the entire body. Suddenly, your appetite may become gone and your stomach feels weird. Your legs and arms doesn’t feel like moving an inch. Your eyes starts to get restless, so as your mind. Countless thoughts rushed into your mind, as if overriding every neurontransmitter, inflicting it with pain-causing chemicals. The skull seems to be put onto a huge amount of stress to the verge of cracking. Soon your entire body is in the vibrational level of pain.

Have you ever heard of a greek mythology, somehow, I forgot who out of so many of Zeus’es enemy, had a mosquito in him. He’s in so much pain that he asked Thor to crack open his skull and out came that tiny insect of pain.

I had not experienced such intense pain for a long time, until today. It’s really “buay tahan” (singlish for Cannot Take It!) It causes tears to squeeze out from my small eyes.

I’d been arguing with reality. And that is sadistic actually, yet most of us takes that up as our second-nature.

Doctors don’t usually diagnose and treat themselves. That applies to counselling too. I need someone to talk to, probably a psychiatrist, or at least someone who knows what’s cognitive dissonance. Or someone who’s strong, resonating goldrush vibrations.

Plus point: this pain is forcing me out of my comfort zone, a place which I’m stuck in it for the past few months.

I will regain my strength.

Mac colleagues outings

Had been going out with Jia Jun, Li Rong and Yi Jie for quite some times these past few weeks. Bowling had became our “addiction”. But still, I prefer movie. We watched “Drag me to hell” which I’d consider to be quite comical, through its horror elements is still very much in place. It’s director directs Spiderman too. JJ was enlisted two weeks ago into CD (photos of the camp is above). When I went into the camp with him, the corporal asked me, “are you enlisting?” I’m like, “No way?!” The camp is very new (launched in 2006), its, wow! So much different from Nee Soon Camp and Bedok Camp! (the only army camps I went into)

JJ’s getting quiet lately, probably due to reality shock. Lii rong’s my “dating partner” who’s always happy go lucky, and Yi Jie’s always getting on my nerves!

House M.D. Quotes I

“Maybe you didn’t want to die, but you didn’t care if you live.”

– Doc. James Wilson (House’s Bestie)

House M.D Season 4 Episode 3 : 97 seconds

He said that when House nearly killed himself by poking the live powerpoint with a knife, when House saw a patient doing the same thing in front of him. The patient, who had a fatal car accident previously told him of his previous Near-Death-Experience (NDE), and his heart had stopped for 97 seconds and that was “the best 97 seconds of my life ever.” That’s why the patient tried to stop his heart again to reexperience it. And the miserable House, being miserable, found that 97 seconds, tempting.

Misery not only loves company, but doesn’t care about living too.

Major Project

I’m in my 3rd Year now. Its student intern time, where most of my coursemates are out in the various companies. Whereas for me, I’m in school as a project researcher. I don’t mind at all, seriously; except for that part which I don’t get paid a single dime, when some of my coursemates get more than $400/mnth at Exxonmobil.

I’m doing a project on nanotech and fuel cells, and submitting to NUS for science competition!

Sounds fun! I love to do my own experiments.

Time flies, Year 3 already.

Bad Decisions

Had made some bad decisions these few days. Well, I would say since the start of this year.

Our lives are defined by the decision we made.

I need to change.

Quotes from Obama

If you ever step into Borders, go to the politics section and you’ll see a book title something like, “100 events which changed the world”. It’ll show events such as D-Day, Kennedy Assasination, Collapse of the Berlin Wall and so on. The recent event that had Obama bridging the USA and the Muslim world towards a new beginning, is indeed a highly cosmoethical act which will benefits millions now and more in the future. Change indeed is happening and taking place. How about GM then?

“The interest we share as human beings are far more powerful than the forces that drives us apart.” President Obama and President Kennedy

“For we have learned from recent experience that when a financial system weakens in one country, prosperity is hurt everywhere. When a new flu infects one human being, all are at risk. When one nation pursues a nuclear weapon, the risk of nuclear attack rises for all nations. When violent extremists operate in one stretch of mountains, people are endangered across an ocean. And when innocents in Bosnia and Darfur are slaughtered, that is a stain on our collective conscience. That is what it means to share this world in the 21st century. That is the responsibility we have to one another as human beings.” – President Obama

Broadrick 39th Speech Day

Last Thursday was Broadrick 39th Speech Day. This’s the prize I got – Friends of Broadrick Award, for contribution towards the school’s Red Cross Youth unit after graduation. Junie (GG), Fann Howe (NCC) and Asvin (NCC) got this award too. In fact, my friend’s dad, being the ex-trainer of the school’s netball team got the award too. It’s my first time back after stepping down as the unit’s VI (Volunteer Instructor) in March.

I saw changes in my juniors – most for the better especially Chris, Wei Han and Guo Xin, who had grown to be more capable of command and control of the unit, being more serious and disciplined. I’m so proud of Wei Han, Guo Xin, Benedict and Zhi Hong for making it for NDP 2009! They are the 3rd Generation of Broadrick RCY cadets to ever made it to NDP. The firstwas made up by Alfian Sir and Kevin Sir sometime between 1997-1999. And then it’s me only back in NDP 2005! And now, its four cadets in NDP 2009! Kudos to Brd RCY! Anyway, my last trip to RC HQ was last year, around Sept. The Happy Meal’s Olympic Toy which I got for Nicky Sir is still with me!

Caught up with some friends as well. One of them is Esther. Hadn’t seen her in months and I do miss her. She look pretty much – the same!

Tomorrow’s the start of my SIP (student internship programme) and MP (major project).

A new start.

Wisdom Teeth – Unplugged

Wisdom Teeth

Left – Lower Teeth. Right – Upper Teeth.

Having to suffer from gum infection over the weekend is intolerable – The dentist’s not working!

Having to suffer from toothache while at work is frustrating – I just feel like whacking the customers!

Toothache is painful! Wisdom Tooth SUCKS!

And yesterday it all came to and end when I finally decided to pull two of the troublesome ones out and now I’m left with two. Now my left side is less than my right side.

Now my mouth feels something’s amiss… And my exposed gum feels weird, while the stiches’ making the sensation worse.

Not only did I lose two teeth, I lose $450 of my own medisave. But most importantly, I loses… PAIN!

By the way – the surgery is not as scary as I thought so. My upper tooth was removed within 2min after the my whole mouth was successfully numbed. And the lower one which is more troublesome just took a while longer.

Alright alright. The display above’s on auction! The smaller one will start with S$450 and the bigger one will start with S$500. Make your bid!

End of CPTC

I got my cert!

TP06 Class Photo

Mario seems to be the highlight of the day!

My diploma buddies!

Sexual Prowess?

This photo’s cute. A 40-er holding a soft toy!

Group 4 photo

This 6-weeks course had finally ended. Days of travelling daily to Jurong Island is finally OVER!

I do miss many things – David (Supermario) my trainer, and the sights of JI where all the giant tanks and distillation columns are everywhere! You don’t get to see them anywhere else in SG. 

Passed this course and I have the Cert in Chemical Process Technology. It’s not easy. There’s those who fail. Well, now I can move on with my life where a few serious committments which had been held back because of this course awaits.

Bye bye Chemical Process Training Centre! I’m heading back to TP for student intern and Major Project!

Had A Bad Fall

While training at the chemical plant, I accidentally fell over a ladder. A two-storey ladder, one which did not fell even when I knocked it. Shin went hit-first with the metal shaft between the ladder sides, but what makes me limb is my right knee cap injury. Perhaps the metal shaft injured my knee cap. Right now, every step forward is a painful one. Climbing stairs is even worse.

On the bright side, I feel that this very fall is a message from my higher-self, guides and helpers. As with my understanding and knowledge of the sub-conscious and the universal laws, that it is a consequence from what goes on inside me these days, and a warning that worse will be impending if things are left unchanged.

International Human Trafficking – Prostitution, Sex Trade and Slavery

To us they’re human beings, to them they’re incomes.

Every year, millions of women and children around the world were forced to leave behind their normal lives at a tender age, and began another filled with nothing but despair and sufferings.

These innocent people were at the mercy of those people. Those people who are corrupted in their mind. People who were misguided to live in violence and pain, deception and unethicalities. Those people gathered and form organisations, gangs. Organisations which are known by the authorities yet they still stand firm but operates underground. How lucrative this business is that it becomes a multi-billion international business.

Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, China, India, Eastern Europe, Latin America – these are just some of the areas where the “resources” are gathered. Captors exist almost everywhere, as long as they can get their ways around the laws of the area.

Countrymen harming their own countrymen. Deceiving and kidnapping their own people. Mutilating children to become handicaps, turning them to become street beggars. Kidnapping teenage girls to become prostitutes and sex slaves, drugging and raping them. Deceiving young men and women of good careers overseas, trapping them aboard to become forced labour and ill-treated.

Empathise the feeling of being taken away from who you are now, being brought to a place far away to be violated and feeling helpless. How unloving the world seems to be, where all your rights are being taken away, and knowing there is no escape. With no dreams and hope to live for, dying seems to be a better choice.

No less unhappy are their loved ones and families who longed for their return to their arms. Worrying and upset over the missing ones yet unknowing to what they are suffering.

Let us be aware of such tragedies happening around us. Let us protect and love our loved ones whenever we can. Let us live to know that the day will arrive where humanity has evolved enough that these unnecessary sufferings will cease to exist.

P.S. Above is just a tiny narration of this topic. To see the bigger picture, you may like to view the following articles and reports around the world:

http://edition.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/europe/03/08/women.trafficking/index.html – Sex Slavery

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/23/48hours/main675913.shtml – Victim of Sex Slavery

 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/10/06/MNGR1LGUQ41.DTL – Sex Trade in San Francisco

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/07/22/sarajevo.rape/index.html – Violence in Eastern Europe

As well as many more articles on the net.

There are great movies who explore such tragedies as well:

-“Slumdog Millionaire”: Homeless orphans in the slums being mutilated (blind, amputated) to become steet beggars

– “Taken”: International sex trade and slavery where kidnapped girls were sold at high prices to wealthy men.

Industrial Training

This week’s the start of my industrial training. Training to be able to operate almost all aspects of a chemical plant. The above is the place known as Chemical Process Training Centre (CPTC), located right at the heart of Jurong Island. It’s a kerosene plant but its products aren’t for any commercial purposes. We have yet to enter the plant, as for the past two days it had been full-day lectures in the auditorium. Transport is tiresome. Waking up at 5.30am and go to Tampines interchange, taking the coach on an-hour long ride through the island’s expressway all the way to another island’s doorstep. 5pm the coach come and pick us up back to Tampines. By the time its 6pm and the traffic is at its peak. Take Bus 31 home and by the time I reach home it’s 7pm!!! This consumes 13.5 hours of my day!

I AM SO TIRED!!!

The Coffeeshop Experience @ Marina Bay

The Shop

Mama Shop

Kim, the Boss

Skill in packing rice

I can cook!

Mr Water, the Top Chef

Aunty Nancy, the Cook’s Assistant

Dealing with Supplier

Whoa!

Dim Sum

Uncle, the Beanie

Can Drinks

Bandung and lime juice

Rice

Uncle in Action

That’s how you brew coffee

Mr Water

Our customers – the Bangladeshi!

The “Chap Chai Peng” Boy

It’s actually coffee powder inside

Our customers – the PRCs! 中国人!

Uncle again

The “Kopi Boy”

Kopi, Teh, Kopi O, Teh O

Kelly should transfer me to Mccafe

Jia Jun and Larry, I also know how to make coffee!

Selling “Economic Rice”

Our Chef – Mr Water

Chicken, Pork, Veggies, whatever you want to eat

Me and Uncle Lim

A few benches and tables for a few hundred of workers?!

 During the holidays, I’ve been working at my friend’s shop @ Marina Bay. It’s a canteen business at the foreign construction worker domitorities, who are working in the Marina Bay IR project and Gardens By The Bay which will be open in a few years time.

We sell typical ‘kopitiam’ beverages, and economical rice. It’s a rather small business with just a few people working. However my friends, Angelina and Kim, who partnered to set up this place, and who are ex- Mac managers (that’s how I knew them), have to work very hard to get business going. I’d begun working there since Jan, but its only during this time which is my holiday, when I worked there more often than before. I’m sort of in charge of the four vending machines which they have. Every week, I’ll be the one topping up and collecting the coins.

I learn to make coffee and tea. My hokkien improved alot, thanks to the frequent usage of this dialect to communicate with the elder workers as well as the local and malaysian truck drivers and construction workers who are our regular customers.

It’d been a great experience working there. Though it’s like the first time I work in the F&B line without air-con!

Oh yes, I’m considered as one of the many who is part of the IR Project!

In forty years time…

Old Mr Zach telling his grandchildren:

“Ah Boy Ah Girl… Mummy Daddy always bring you to Marina South there play play. forty years ago… I was there to help build the place you know… I sell rice and kopi to those workers who put up the bricks to build the resorts you know…”