sparkslife

Every time I sit wondering in my lecture class, drifting in my own thoughts, I would remember what my Computer Studies tutor, Mr. Pek (Not PACKED its PEK!) told me during my Foundation Studies in PJ.

I give you an example of such instances.

<Management Lecture a.k.a The Period When The Time Stands Still>

As usual our beloved Management lecturer will start the lecture straight away in a urgent and aggressive manner (I really dunno what she rushin for actually. It is after all "The Period When The Time Stands Still". So there is really no need to rush Missy!). My attention span for this class is usually quite short. About 10 minutes precisely. So after she started to babble about her Management shits for about 10 minutes I would start to drift away into a sweet peaceful world of my own (What! I’m not dead yet ok!!). Haha… Usually I would just fish out my iPod and plug one earbud into my ears and pretend to be attentive to what she said while all the while I might be thinking something completely opposite of what she is talking about.

Lecturer: It is not the governmnet RESPONSIBILITIES (Yes she stress it.) alone to take care of the environment, but the company must also bear some RESPONSIBILITIES (Yes she stress it. Again.) to take care of the environment while it is performing its day-to-day operations…

(Yes it’s getting blurer! Cuz I’m drifting away! Just add a lil effect to my otherwise boring blog! Haha…)

Me: Is it really Paris Hilton voice in the record? Yup. Its waffle-thin and monotonous. Yup! Its definitely her! Ok… It’s 7.23pm adi. What for dinner afterward huh? Hmm.. Maybe I going with Joel la. Dunno what to eat. Sg. Long food sucks. Summore some of the restaurant damn packed. OH!!! PACKED. PEK! Mr. PEK!!

<Mind went into a a rewind mode and thoughts automatically whirreled back to the ancient time of Foundation Studies>

Venue: Some lab in Level 2. Forget what class is that.

Environment: A typical lab with all my TA1 classmates. All sitting and listening attentively to our well-respected Mr.Pek’s speech!

THE SPEECH

Mr. Pek: Please make full use of this one and a half hour tutorial. Remember! You don’t want to leave this classroom gaining nothing but one and a half hour older. I want you all to leave here with a mind full of knowledge and one and a half hour older!

<Come back to present time!! Aiyo…>

At that time I was really inspired by what he said. And I actually take time and energy to listen to his teachings in his tutorial class. But after the novelty went off, so is my spirits and my so-called "energy to listen to his teachings". But lately his SPEECH started to creep back to me slowly. Usually during deadly lecture classes. (Go back to top to read) But now that I’m in my 1st year of study, I can interpret what he said in a different view. According to one of my favourite author, Mitch Albom (credits include Tuesday with Morrie, The Five People You Meet In Heaven), there is always two ways to look and view a situation. So to practise what I preached, I decided to interpret what he said. In a different view of course!

<View #1>

Mr Pek said… that instead of spending one and a half hour becoming older (by one and a half hour in age. You do the Math ok.) in his class why not actually take some innitiative to learn something! "Wow!", some of my friends will proclaimed loudly. (New concept for some of them, I guess)

<View #2>

I said… instead of spending time rotting in your class why not I spend this one and a half hour of my life doing something that I actually think is beneficial to us? Why get old in your class when I can get old and happy elsewhere? So next time I just ponteng all the shit class that I think it is not worthy of my time! Haha… That’s how I intepret it!

I know you may think that I’m wrong to say something like that but try to think about it! If you would just leave the class gaining nothing but an age maturity of one and a half hour why not just  DUN GO!

Don’t get me wrong but I still attend all my lecture classes (I just ponteng a few only). And I am not encouraging you all to ponteng class as well. I’m just expressing my view on this aspect. A blog suppose to be the place where you express your thoughts and views freely without any boundaries. And this is a looong view I guess.

Well I don’t care cuz I got all the time I have in the world, since I just decided to get older here instead of there!! Haha….

John Lennon makes us imagine and ponder about a world where there’s no boundaries and no hatred; a world where human beings can actually live together as ONE peacefully and harmoniously. U2 gives us the concept of one love and how it can CHANGE the world dramatically if we embrace it with an open arm. Nelson Mandela reminds us that WE are all the same and we shoudn’t oppress each other and not one person can denied another individual’s freedom.

All these great figures. They actually fight and do something to make the world a different place. They dreamt and imagined a world of peace and tranquility. They sing and write beautiful tunes to touch and inspire us to unite and fight against war. They sacrificed for the rest of the nation to make their voices heard.

Are we in part of their battles?

Forget the cliches of "holding hands and unite". Forget about the imaginary world we all envisioned to exist. Forget also about the sacrifices they make for us if we do not appreciate it at all. If we do not start from the basis itself, we are going nowhere with these kind of attitude.

Change. Now.

Fightin and hatin is just a waste of time. Just imagine if we could dump all these excess baggage we have been carrying all these while. The feeling of emancipation and liberation will lift you off the ground, literally. For me, hating someone is totally not cool. As they says, life is short, appreciate every moment of it. Using half of the time we had just to hate that "special someone" is really not worth it! I rather use it to rebuilt the friendship than using it to HATE that someone! (Make perfect sense rite?)

So to you all this is my apology and for that special few, thanks for forgiving me.

Thank you.

Finally!! Exam is something of a past!!!!

No more late studying!

No more skipping my fav TV show to solve some idiotic Maths problems!

No more worrying what I would get if I didn’t study!

No more staring at the "If not now, THEN WHEN?" sign standing on my table!

No more feelin of jealously when my housemate get to do the stuff they want and I stuck there reading a crappy textbook!

No more wondering why I CAN’T sleep when it is raining CATS AND DOGS outside!

No more people asking me "Have you finished your study?"

No more looking at the sky and see Maths equations!

No more people stare at me as if I’m some kind of freak (cuz I study too much I guess)!

No more blogging just to complain about the workload I’m burdened with!

No more eating late night at mamak store after a tedious late night study!

No more no more no more TESTS!!  (Well at least for this few months!!)

Let me ask you all one simple question. Have you ever felt like a homeless person before? Y’know, with no place to go, you have to resolved to sit on some corridors of some stinky shops just to get some shelter. Have you ever felt cold and shivering and wishing you were in a warm blanket on a comfortable bed? How do you react if passers by throw dirty glances at you? How would you feel?

Don’t worry! Most of you are normal (I’m not saying that homeless people are abnormal or something but I just saying "normal" as in a general context) if you answer NO or roll your eyes to these questions.

Well not for me!

Actually to tell you the truth, I wrote this blog entry (the draft, have to use the manual way of writing. HANDS) while I was trapped outside of my Sg. Long condo. (I forget to bring my keys out! I know one day I gonna KENA). How silly and stupid of me!! Now I have to resolved to sit on the empty and creepy corridor of my condo with my BIG yellow luggage, my bagpack, my Information Systems and Maths text books, and lastly my Adidas sneaker all scattered around me. Luckily I brought my WalkMan along cuz I can’t survive sitting in an empty silent corridor alone. A minute ago, I called up all my housemate to enquire on their whereabout. These are the results:

• Sam - In OUG and currently on the move to Subang
• SUE LING - In Sg. Buloh
• ARVEEN - In Subang
• JET - Dunno where the HELL he is!!!

So begin my journey of waiting for my friends to come back. With fingers and legs crossed I sat there patiently in the hope that one of my housemate will return early and save me from the disasterous state that I am at that moment!

10.26pm     I glanced at my Casio watch. It’s 10.26pm. Luckily all my neighbours slept early! If not they will freak cuz their neighbour is sitting outside his house writing something furiously on a piece of paper and of course with all his valuable possesions scattered around!

10.29pm    A sweet looking girl past by just now. She gave me a "Are-You-A-Freak-Cuz-You-Are-Building-A-Settlement-Outside-Someone-House" look. After the much detailed look, she quickened her pace as if I was gonna harm her with my pencil and IS text book. (C’mon seriously! What harm can I do??)

10.33pm Suddenly I feel like going to the loo. Oh please! Not now! Must tahan! I wonder why my bladder has such a good sense of humour. HAHA!! My WalkMan is playing that song by Rihanna called S-O-S. Now this is what I call S-O-S. Just because someone doesn’t call or return your message it will not give you the right to wail and scream S-O-S all over the place. You do that when you have an 8am class tomorrow and you are still trapped outside your own DAMN house with the bladder screaming "I need to go now! I need to go now!" Now that’s what I call SOS. (Take note Rihanna)

10.37pm    I started to wonder about and having some kind of illusions. If I were in a movie where I play the BADDIE role, this is THE part where I realized how bad of a person I am. This part will also includes the flashback of the previously committed sins in black and white through a very fast motion. Then he will buried his face in to his arms and do a macho pose. (Sambil whinning and said, "How can I commit to such act of sinfulness and indecency!?" Then at this EXACT moment, an old kind lady will appeared outta nowhere and reach toward him and give him the warmest and most truthful smile ever. The old lady will bring him to the torn and broken house of her. It is then that the BADDIE eyes will shine and he will realized that there is still hope and good people in the world.

                                                    *POP*

I get drag to reality again! I found myself sitting here alone and my legs cramped like shit. Where the HELL are they??? The time is 10.39. Finally I decided to study for my Infromation Systems since I got the test this week. (GROAN)

10.42pm    The lift rings suddenly and a guy emerged from it. He look at me with the EXACT same expressions. C’mon give me a break. You haven’t seen a person forget his keys before izzit? Radio is playing BAD DAY by Daniel Powter. How apt!

10.50pm    Heard a child wailing from the other side of the building. WAY too creepy. I increased my volume in my WalkMan. That’s better!

10.52pm    My neighbours came back!!! Enquire on what I am doing there and I have to explain to her my embarassing situation. (What the worst that could’ve happened already happened!) The kid neighbour come and talk and laugh along with me! How cute and adorable! Hehe….

10.55pm    The kiddo gave me a candy. But he said that I can’t eat now! Must eat in the morning! Haha… So cute the kiddo!!

10.57pm    My friend, Ken got me!! So ngam meh?? Haha… I explain to him on what happened and he offered me his place for the night. But I declined cuz don’t want to kacau him. (Go to his place will be the last resort!)

11.14pm    The kid come and talk to me through his grill door. He ask me a lot of stuff. Y’know when I first come and stay here, I really wanted to make friends with a small lil’ kid like him. Now I done it! Haha… The kid tell me his experience today at The Mines Wonderland while holding his pelampung! Haha… This kiddo is damn nice! Haha…

11.27pm    Discovered that my cellphone got no reception. Cacat! That means Sam and whoever might be calling all the while I was there! It is just GREAT! Thanks DiGi! Thanks Sg. Long! Thanks you all a lot!!

11.32pm     Ken’s housemate, Mun Yew found me! Finally I decided to ask help from him! C’mon desperate adi larh!! He willing to help me! Thank GOD! I was cold, tired and needed to go to the toilet. All these shits are over, now that I was saved!

NOW THAT’S A NIGHT TO REMEMBER!!

A week after the interview, we got our AGM meeting. This the time where they suppose to announce the results of our interview!!

Want to know the results??

Let’s just say that I got what I want.

Actually it’s more than what I want.

So much more than what I wanted!!

A combination of mixed feelings of happiness, shock, suprise, elated, top-of-the-world-kinda-happy, all roll into one.

That’s what I felt when they announced that I make it thru the interview and successfully obtain the post as the leader of the shadow committee.

Sometimes a harmless combination of letters can spells horror (or other kind of emotions) to certain type of people! Take for example, E-X-A-M (omigawd!!), P-R-E-S-E-N-T-A-T- I-O-N (not again), C-H-O-R-E-S *roll eyes*, L-O-S-E-R or F-U-T-U-R-E (they will bug your mind forever when they are address to you). But in my opinion, none of those compares to these combo of horror!

I-N-T-E-R-V-I-E-W

Yea. Simple enough. Start with an “I” and ends with a “W”. Harmless and pleasant! Just the way we like it! Haha… But behind this harmless disguise lies an activity so terrible and evil that you will tremble and sweat every time the word is verbally spoken! Just like a wolf in sheep disguise! It will eat you up alive and you will be left dead emotionally and physically without knowing actually what you are dealing with.*

* This sentence had been exaggerated to the blown-up proportion for dramatic purpose. The author will apologize for any feelings hurt during the course of reading this piece of article. 

So how the hell did I end up with an interview if I hated it so much in the first place?? Well I thought it will be fun and happening if I put my name in the “Shadow Committee” candidate name list. I mean I can’t only become an ordinary member rite? At least I need to hold a post in a club. And that will make me an all-rounded student (yea right!). Y’know… I’m trying to prove that I’m not only the studious type. I’m more than that!! So much more! Haha…

So I practically got the shock of a lifetime when one of the committee member told me that I’m suppose to go for an interview this week. (She actually said tomorrow)

*FAINT*

An interview?? Call me naïve or whatever but I would never imagine by putting my name in the list will actually put me in an interview session with a bunch of strangers. But deep inside of me I was rooting for myself to nail this interview!! This will actually be my first “formal” interview! So it kinda like a biggie for me! Haha…
The chronological process of the interview will goes like this:

Getting Ready a.k.a. Pre-Interview

I’m trying to understand as much as possible about what I’m dealing with! What other better way to do it other than reading the Club’s brochure. Typically, the Club’s brochure will always promote and promote and promote its club. So if I vomit back all the praises and beautiful words that I consumed from the brochure I would actually might (I said MIGHT!) get the post! (Yea I do have a naïve mind) Haha… So I try to understand the standard way the stuff works at this club, its culture and its needs and its future outlook! All in one evening! (Damn the girl SMS-ed me in the morning to confirm about my interview)

THE Interview

After Management Studies tutorial class, I rushed to the interview spot as soon as possible. Upon arriving there I found that my bladder is trying to prevent me from entering the ROOM!! (In simpler form I need to go toilet) Sam sempat to insert a few jokes about me going to toilet due to extreme nervousness. (Thanks Sam! Appreciate that a lot) While I was getting ready for my turn, Cassandra (one of the committee member) saw the club’s brochure I was holding. (Which was not in a very good shape. Quite crumpled) Maybe she thought I was some kind of freak cuz I’m READING the brochure! I glanced at her and said politely “Oh these? I kinda browse thru it a little. Y’know just to add a lil’ knowledge about the club. Anyway the article you wrote is nice. Top-notch!) When Calvin emerged form the ROOM, I knew it was my turn to go for THE interview. With fingers crossed, I pushed open the door.

THE Interview
I push open the door calmly. First impression is always important, I remind myself again and again. So by the time I finish the WALK to the interview table, I was sitting there maintaining my eye contact with them (the President and the Publicist of the CLUB). It started off casually enough. The President started by asking me a few simple questions about myself and my background. It suddenly hits me! The point of an interview! To make an impact on the interviewee so that they can remember ME! So basically it’s all about ME, ME and ME!! Damn I miss out this point completely. (I knew I shouldn’t read the brochure) During the whole course of the interview I try to maintain an air of casualty in my tone and gestures. I guess it’s important for me to be myself. I’m not gonna be someone I’m not! Haha… But during the middle of the interview, they bombard me with all these tough questions. I still remember this one question where you have to rate yourself from the scale of 1 to 10. So I kinda go for the moderate number larh. Hmm… So I guess 7 will be perfect! Haha… Coincidentally 7 is also my lucky number! Haha… But the questions they could think of regarding a puny number 7 is sooo much! To say A LOT is an understatement.

Why 7?
7 are always considered a B. Are you saying that you are a B-class kinda person?
Why not 8 or 6?
Where the other 3 of remaining goes to?
Why not give yourself a full mark?

I mean for Christ’s sake!! It’s just a number OK! Drop it larh.
 
The rest of the interview went well I guess. After a simple thank you, I walk out of the room with my head held UP high!

Haha…

Post-Interview

The images of the interview started to found their way into my head again. This is the time to reflect and the time to regret about the “what-if”, the time to joke around with your housemate about the silly parts in the interview and the time to evaluate where you had gone wrong, but most importantly this is the time to smile and be thankful because you had just nailed your first interview!!

This interview, whether it will help me to secure a place in the committee member or not, will always be in my Hard-Disk (brain) all the time! Suddenly I feel like the outcome is not as important as the journey you take to reach the destination! Life is a never-ending journey in search of knowledge, happiness, love and oneself. Savor the journey of searching for the truth. Life is not about what you CAN be. Instead it is about what you COULD be.

Now that’s another lesson well learnt.