Age, wine, man.


I find that the older a man gets, the more attractive he is. Attractive to me, that is. Of course, it depends on what type of man. Not all men become attractive as they age, but there is a number of them who do. And it's just like wine. The older the wine, the better it is to taste and to drink. There's a type of spice and warmth in it that would simply leave you craving for more.


On Saturday, as I was going through Panda's photos (some of my classmates started this repository of online photos of ourselves), I was suddenly struck by the similarity between him and wine. All his earlier photos showed an immature and silly boy who would do very well to be coddled by his mother. It is only in his recent photos, that is, from 2001 or rather, 2002 onwards that he started to morph into a man. He looked charming the first time I saw him in 2004, but during summer that year, he seemed to have grown pretty sexy!


That summer, he came back to school with a new haircut, style and even highlighted his hair. It was quite a big change from what he used to be. He even grew a little stubble on his chin. God! When I saw him for the first time after the summer holidays, I was at a loss for words! He sure looked damn good! Wish that he could pour himself into me the way I want to for him. :0)

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 4:44 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Bridal entourage.


One of my close friends got married today and I was part of the brial entourage. The entourage consisted of Ying, Yan, Lil's 2 sisters and I. We had to guard the door to ensure that the groom does not enter the house so easily. It was quite fun, as we got to rag the groom! Hahaha! Ying and her friend put in McDonald's garlic chilli sauce, orange jiuce and other weird things into that cup of "tea" for the groom. Poor guy! He actually finished the ENTIRE thing! Ewwwww! I would run a mile away from it. Yucks! It was really gross city. We made him do push-ups and sing aloud as part of the ragging activities. The groom was very sporting and took it all in his stride, even though he vomitted the tea into a potted plant outside the house.


My job as part of the entourage was to be the video girl, taking videos and sometimes pictures for the couple. Lil was such a beautiful bride! Ying and and I took many photos with her and the groom. We went to the Esplanade and Fullerton to take pictures, before proceeding back to the groom's granny's house and Lil's parents' house for the tea ceremony.


The wedding dinner was pretty enjoyable too. Ying and I were manning the reception counter and taking note of the "ang pows" that the guests gave. In reality, we were guarding the "ang pows" to prevent them from being stolen. The place was so crowded that I had to keep my hands and eyes on the box holding them at all times.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 11:46 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Distance makes the heart fonder.


Sometimes when I'm feeling pretty dour or bored, I'd think about my sisters-in-law and their children. I love to talk to them! Especially my elder sis-in-law. We seem to have more things in common to talk about. My second sis-in-law doesn't like to talk nonsense, so there rarely is a common topic that we can talk about. Unlike my first sis-in-law. We both just love to talk nonsense, the more ludicrous, the better. I don't talk much with my 2 brothers. They are always very busy with their work and sometimes I don't even get to see them at all. But they are very happy that their wives and I can get along so well.


I had a wonderful gossip session wtih my elder sis-in-law over the phone just now! Heeheehee! She has just received the stuff that I sent them for Chinese New Year and she told me that the entire family loved the things a lot. Especially the children, because I sent a box of 100 coloured markers, a doll, clothes and sweets for them. My 2 nieces and nephew even went as far as to announce to their neighbours that I've
sent them things!


I like the elder girl better, probably because I was there to see her when she was only a week old. And also, I've spent the most time playing with her before her brother was born, and before the other girl came along. I call the elder girl Lucky, but I have't given Christian names to the other 2 yet. Lucky's very cute and fun to play with. Her brother is somewhat mischievous. But then, which boy isn't? The younger girl belongs to my second brother, though I haven't seen her yet since she was born. They are expecting another one now and the baby should be due some time in August or September. I'll be going to see them during the year-end holidays and it'll be winter! Yay!


Okay, I have to go and sleep now. Tomorrow's a long day because my friend's getting married and I have to go and help out. Well, just to be part of the bridal entourage. I think that it's going to be very fun! :0)

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 10:38 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Behavioural problems.


I went to visit a care centre for students this evening. This is in line with the assignment for one of my Psychology modules. I was there with my group members and we were briefed on the client profile of the centre and what programmes it offers. We also stayed back for one of the programmes which caters to children with behavioral and/or social problems such as inattentiveness, low self-esteem and hyperactivity, to name a few.


It was quite an eye-opener actually. I've always viewed children who misbehave as brats who are very naughty. Like those who simply refuse to sit down and keep quiet when told to. But after this briefing and the time spent observing the children, I feel that they deserved to be helped and not despised.


I was lucky to grow up in a family who loves me and gives me the best of everything, within reason of course. These children, I was told, sometimes do not even have their parents' understanding and affirmation. It's weird why some people have certain things and others don't.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 11:59 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

I wonder...


What life would be like if it weren't so complicated. When I was young, all I wanted was my Barbie doll house and lots of books to read. As I grew older, my appetite for things and food increased. No longer do I crave the bare necessities, but other items too.


What do I actually want now? Is it good grades, a happy life or WHAT? I really don't know. How can I know what I really want in life? It's like there are so many choices, so many things to choose from and I don't know which one to pick.


What is it that will make me happy in life? Do you know? Can anyone tell me? It is like one big rat race with everyone rushing to get to the end. But the end is not always attainable. WHY?


On a lighter note, I found something really good today! Can you guess what it is? Nope, it's not money! Or maybe it is! Hahaha!

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 3:46 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

The Dictator.


Are pregnant women really temperamental? I have a classmate who is currently pregnant (I shall call her PW, for "pregnant woman") and people have been saying that she is very difficult to deal with. A friend told me that she saw this PW dictating to another classmate what and when to do things. This other classmate, like all submissives, was extremely happy to oblige.


I feel that being temperamental is no excuse for imposing your views and yourself on others. So what if one is pregnant? Can this be an excuse to make people give in to you all the time? I wonder whether she has ever considered other's feelings at all. Do this, do that. Cannot do this, cannot do that. This is no different from being a dictator. When she needs your help, she'll talk to you very nicely. When she doesn't, out goes all basic courtesy. You just feel that you're transparent and basically, non-existent. Worse, you'd feel as if you weren't a human at all.


Morning sickness or not, if you want a baby, you must be prepared to endure all the inconveniences that come with it. Having morning sickness is not an excuse for skipping lectures and expecting others to wait on you hand and foot. Otherwise, make sure that you plan properly before deciding to have a child during your period of study. Slavery has long been abolished and in this country, it is an offence to enslave another.


What I find hilarious is that PW even had the nerve to tell my friend (who, by all accounts is an extremely nice girl), to TELL ME, to stop asking my tutor, questions during lectures and tutorials! My friend defended me by saying that such is my learning style. I told my friend to pretend that she has never told me about it at all. PW said that her baby needs to hear the tutor speaking in complete sentences, otherwise, her baby will not learn. DUH! How lame can one get? There is no evidence (not that I've heard or read so far) to indicate that babies in their first trimester are capable of understanding complete sentences. She, is just being her inconsiderate self, delighting in ordering people about.


But, she has forgotten that she has me to reckon with. I AM NOT SOME NINNY who will simply bow to what you tell me. I am a female with my own mind, doing whatever pleases me. Asking questions during lessons has never hurt anyone. The rest of the class also get to benefit from the questions asked. I'm not the only one who asks questions, there are others too.


So, do you think that I will tame my style of asking questions during lessons? ABSOLUTELY NOT! I think that I will up the ante and ask EVEN MORE QUESTIONS just to annoy her! Of course, I must have the appropriate questions to ask. I am perfectly comfortable with irritating people. But, I can do it in an extremely civil manner. After all, I AM a civilised person, unlike SOME people. The saying goes that the pen is mightier than the sword. In my case, it'll be: the pen and mouth are mightier than someone's temper and tantrums. Let's see how long she's able to tolerate this! Hahaha!


Guys, NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF A FEMALE MIND. You may think that you are playing mind games with us, but we are equally capable of playing the same with you too. Remember, Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. And in this case, you would want to think thrice or more, before you antagonise me. :0)


I cannot please everybody and I certainly am not going to do so. I only aim to please myself, and this is the most important aspect of life to me.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 4:45 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Confusion!


My classmate and I took the public transport home together today. During the journey, we were discussing about what had been taught so far for one of our common modules. She was complaining about our tutor, who doesn't seem to have a fixed plan for the lesson. He can jump from one topic to the next and this is especially disturbing and irritating during the session! I mean, imagine having a class where you don't know how it is supposed to proceed. He can be talking about topic A and then without warning, he will switch to topic B, then to C and then back to A. God! How are we ever going to get the gist of the lesson?!


She admitted that she regretted taking up this module and also another one too. My classmate seems to be under a lot of stress lately. Hmmm.... is it just me or the whole world that seems stresed? I've been questioned why I do not look at all stressed up. Actually, they seem to be accusations instead! WHY MUST I BE STRESSED JUST BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE ARE?! WHY CAN'T I BE MY HAPPY AND SMILEY SELF?! Sheesh... Some people are so selfish and weird. They think that no one else can be happy when they are not. It's like, they want people to suffer with them and grudge the happiness of others. What can I say? That's why they are only my classmates and not my friends. Thank God for that!

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 3:18 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Home...


Sometimes I wonder at the meaning of the word. What does it mean actually? A simple word like this can conceal a whole lot of meanings. To me, home is a place where I feel safe and secure. A place where I can relax and be myself. It is my protected place, where only my family members and I are happy and laughter reigns.


I was watching "The Soong Sisters" and this song made me reflect on the meaning of "Home".


Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam,
Where the deer and the antelope play,
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.


Home, home on the range,
Where the deer and the antelope play;
Where seldom is heard a discouraging word
And the skies are not cloudy all day.

It's the official song of the state of Kansas, USA. You can get the lyrics and a midi at http://www.50states.com/songs/kansas.htm.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 7:13 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Holy matrimony...


I was so surprised to receive a call from my primary one classmate from Las Vegas this evening. She told me that she was getting married on 31st January 2005, 2pm, her time. I was so happy for her! Wow! I can't believe that she's getting married. It seems like just yesterday that we bade each other farewell and she flew to the States. Good God, am I getting old?


We spent about 1 hour and 45 minutes on the phone, chatting about her wedding and old times, ending the call only at about 8pm, my time, when I had to go and bathe. Poor gal, she had 8 baby teeth taken out and is fitted with braces for the time being. She told me that she's practising how to smile without showing her braces at all and I think that she's got it down pat. Heehee!


Eh Wan ah, I wish you all the best for your wedding! Tell Bernard if he bullies you, I'm going to throw whatever I can lay my hands on, at him! Hahaha!

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 9:00 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

My Elemental Goddess -- The Wind!


Here's one that Mnemosyne introduced to me.






Wind Goddess

"The element of air and wind is vital to human survival. Without it, the world would perish. You are thinness, motion and darkness, and your quality is active. Air is the manifestation of movement, freshness, communication and of the intelligence. You are the power of the mind, the force of intellect, inspiration, imagination. It is ideas, knowledge, dreams and wishes. You govern the four winds. You are a vital spirit passing through all things, giving life to all things, moving and filling all things."


What Elemental Goddess Are You? (Earth, Fire, Wind, Water) + Pictures +

Brought to you by Quizilla

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 1:41 AM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

My Tarot Card -- The Star!


Hey, check this out! I was surfing the Internet when I chanced upon this link on Tarot cards. It certainly sounds like me, especially the dream part!




"You are the Star card. The Star is the light of hope. Shining in the night, sending light into darkness, the stars provide direction to sailors and are a field on which to dream. Humanity used to look up at the sky and desire to be there, to find out what it all meant, and now we have been a distance into space and have elementary ideas of the makeup of all the different stars. This kind of achievement adds further fuel to our hopes. The eternal, slow-moving stars that will be long shining past the end of our own existence provide hope of immortality, and the vast space they suggest and the very mystery they hold provide us with excitement and knowledge yet to be discovered."


Image from: Danielle Sylvie Taylor
http://members.limitless.org/~morpheum/gallery.html


Which Tarot Card Are You?
Brought to you by Quizilla

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 12:13 AM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Hopes dashed...


I saw him again today. But the feeling's kind of gone actually, not sure why. I was walking along this main corridor again and hoping to see him but didn't. Then I went to the lift, chanelling all my energy into that little button, willing the doors to open when HE came out with his friends, some of whom I also know. Sigh... Just when I wasn't expecting to see him and I have to meet him. He wore a dark green polo tee today with his Levi's faded blue jeans.


I was standing there when he came out of the lift, but I didn't realise that it was him actually. It was only until I heard his voice then I knew that it was him. I was wearing a halter top by Levi's, white pants and black heels. I think that he saw my back, because I hadn't turned at that time. By the time I knew it was him and turned to my left and said "Hi 'Panda'!", he had already walked into that corridor on my left. However, he did incline his head to show that he heard me. Ah well, at least he knew that I was there and he saw me in my sexy little halter top. My classmates were forever rubbing their hands on my back and commenting that I look very nice and fair and that my back is very smooth to touch.


Sheesh... How I wish that Panda would do and say that to me! But I know that it would not happen anyway. I was happy to see him, but not ecstatic like the other day. I think that Father Time is a great healer. I think that I might be starting my healing process now. For good or bad, who knows?

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 9:12 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Culture.


I had a lecture on Culture and Society today and I thoroughly enjoyed it! It is interesting to know how the culture of a society can affect the country. It seems that for a young country to gain a foothold in the world, it is pertinent that its culture be suppressed during the nation's infancy. It is probably because it might seriously impede the country's economic development.


My professor said that high culture is characterised by money. Yes! It's as though only the very wealthy and highly educated people will be interested in or supportive of high culture. I asked him whether Puccini is high culture and he replied in the affirmative. He also said that Botero's part of the contemporary art scene. I feel that I've learnt a bit more regarding what's high and low culture, after his 2-hour lecture. At the very least, I can rattle off examples of high culture like the Russian Ballet and other opera stuff.


Heehee! My classmate was taken aback when she heard me ask the Puccini question. She said (jokingly of course), "Eh, don't use those difficult words that we've never heard before!" When I heard that, I laughed and told her that it's not that difficult a word. I've heard it pretty often among my friends who are into such things. They were also the ones who introduced me to Botero and other Arts things. The people around me were also staring at me when I asked it. I wonder whether it's because they also have not heard of Puccini. Hmmm... I haven't had the chance to watch it, but I will try to make it if it is staged here.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 9:11 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Face to face once more...


I know that I'm not supposed to think too much about it. But what happened this morning was really unexpected. I was walking down the lane towards the school carpark as usual for my 9.30am class today. I think that I reached school around 8.55am. As I walked, I suddenly saw his car! Yes, his car is this cute little thing that I will never forget. He didn't get to park in his favourite place today, so he parked in the second row facing the school building. He was wearing this light blue shirt with white stripes and a silver looking tie. Nice! I always like to see him in light colours. He sure looks good! Anyway, I've told him about thrice that he looks horrible in black and dark colours. I wonder why he is so nicely dressed today. Perhaps he's having a presentation later. And he's parking in the paid carpark that lecturers usually park in. Hmm... I wonder why?


You know, I think that he could see me from his car as I walked down the lane to the zebra-crossing. His car was facing my direction as he waited for the car in front to reverse into the parking lot. After he had parked his, he got out of it and started looking around him. By this time, I had already crossed the road and was walking into the carpark to get to the lift in the building. He looked in my direction twice or thrice. I know, because I was also looking at him out of the corner of my eyes. But I avoided making a show of it. I wanted to play it cool and not seem overeager. He was to my left as I walked to the building.


He walked towards the building, then stopped midway in the carpark. He was looking for something in his bag, but couldn't find it. I willed myself to walk slower, so that we would both end up in the same lift. Heeheehee! You know what, we did take the same lift together. He said "Hello", but didn't say my name. I wonder whether he still remembers me after one year. He was leaning against the right side of the lift, a little on the lift buttons. And he was looking leftwards by tilting his head a little to the left. I was standing on the left side of the lift. I saw his eyes move up and down and back again. So I said "Hi 'Panda'!" to him. Then I asked him why he looked so sullen so early in the morning and he snapped at me. Sigh... MAN! Thou art a very temperamental animal. Why do I still subject myself to such torture?


You know, by the way he was looking around after he got out of his car and stopping in the middle of the road, I think that he was gauging how much time it would take so that he could meet me face to face. Like I was doing the same too. Hmmmm....... I wonder whether I am correct about it. I was on my way into the lift when I turned and saw him entering too.


I was ecstatic when I spied his car from afar, but I didn't feel the same way after seeing him close-up. Perhaps it was because he seemed intent on ignoring me? Or is there some other kind of explanation? I know that I still like him, but it is difficult when he either doesn't reciprocate or sends me mixed signals. Yes, he did the latter for the whole of last year. And I was so confused!

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 8:28 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 7:02 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Addiction...


It has been said that addiction is the one thing that is difficult to overcome. People are addicted to many things, like drugs, books, food and many more. But I am addicted to BLOGGING! Ha! I keep on thinking about my blog whenever I'm free and what to write in it. Sometimes, I would just be composing the stuff that I want to write during lessons and I have to shake my head and remind myself that I'm not home yet.


I think and feel that my blog is a avenue for me to let out the stresses of my life, one where I can blow hot and cold. Blog oh blog, how I love you so! I cannot live without you here to accompany me during my most revolting days and those times when I am in 7th heaven. Cheers to my blog! :0)


Here's one picture that I came across recently and I quite like too. It's from the 'Ah My Goddess' comic series.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 2:51 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

A penny for my thoughts?


I had a refreshing sleep last night! Now I don't feel so tired after all, so maybe I can tackle a couple of my assignments later on. Eh, I really hope that I can at least complete a draft today.


Winter Magick advised that one cannot be forced to forget. The more one is forced to forget, the more painful it gets. In the end, the person suffering will be the one who is tasked with forgetting. Maybe this is so. But somehow it still hurts when I see him. You know, the sense of longing that one day he and I might at least start something together. Yes, I am grateful that fate has brought us together. Though not as a couple yet, but as 2 entities who acknowledge the other's presence.


I do treasure the moments, really, I do. And I'm unwilling to let the moment slip away. You know, for the 8 semesters that I am supposed to spend on campus, I only met him in my 6th one. That was in January 2004, a year ago. I can still remember the date, day, time and place that I first saw him. I think that he was wearing a white shirt that day. Actually, I didn't really like him then. It was only after a couple of weeks later that I realised that I was starting to like him. Mnemosyne suspected that he is the guy I like when I couldn't stop talking about how irritating he was being!


Not that I do not want to tell him how I feel. It is because I simply cannot and don't dare to! The main reason that I do not dare to tell him my feelings is that I am afraid that he might reject me. Sigh... The fear of rejection always looms greater over other concerns. Next, it is the disparity between us in many aspects. If you were in my shoes, would you reveal your feelings? Maybe not. I will not let him know, unless he initiates it. Or unless I get the guts to do so after my graduation.


If you dream about someone at night, it's probably because you've been thinking about him or her too much during the day. The Chinese say 日有所思, 夜有所梦. I think that this is quite true too, because it happened to me last year. I remember that there was a period of time that I dreamt about him consecutively for 1 week! 但是, 你梦到他也不能代表他也有梦到你, 除非你们两个真的是心有灵系. 我总觉得, 喜欢一个人是一件非常痛苦的事. 明明是喜欢, 但又不晓得对方是否也是对你一样的.


If you CANNOT see the Chinese words above, click 'VIEW', then 'ENCODING', then 'UNICODE (UTF-8).

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 1:18 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Tired!


I think that I've been having too many late nights this week. I seem to be feeling extremely tired once I reach home and all I want to do is just lie on my oh-so comfy bed and go to dreamland, where I belong. The assignments are slowly piling up and I'm trying to find some time to myself, so that I can start on them. In this way, I don't have to wait until the last minute to rush and get them done (unlike some of my classmates!).


It's the end of the 2nd week of school and I'm dreading the end of the semester. I wish that the semester would never end, or at least, that time would pass by very slowly so that I can enjoy my time on campus. I think that I've taken my time on campus for granted for too long. Now that the departure date is drawing nearer and nearer, I'm suddenly at a loss about what to do. Without school, life to me is meaningless. I wish that my wishes would come true, but I am sceptical about it after all.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 9:42 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Feelings, emotions, whatever...


You know what? I READ his blog last night! Sigh... I was in 7th heaven for the entire night! I was ecstatic, really. And I was gushing the whole time during my reading of it. A classmate of mine complied a list of some of the other classmates' blogs and sent it to all of us. But they don't have mine, THANK GOD! I didn't know that he had actually started his blog so early. I only started mine after my Pragmatics exam in November 2004. That was definitely a very tiring period. I had 1 month to study for 3 exams and my exams fell on the 1st day of the exam period and also the final few days. I remember being so stressed up that I started my blog as a way to de-stress. And I'm glad I did!


The following 3 paragraphs will be in Chinese. So if you CANNOT see the Chinese words below, click 'VIEW', then 'ENCODING', then 'UNICODE (UTF-8).


我不知道为什么我会觉得如此的烦躁. 是不是因为他的理由呢? 还是因为我刚开学不久的缘故, 才会这样的呢? 谁晓得啊. 女孩子的心, 是一件非常难理解的事. 你知道吗? 我每次见到他的时候, 心里头总觉得有种辛酸的滋味. 是我太想念他了吗? 这是否就是叫做相思呢? 我发觉自己近些日子以来都好想, 好想着他. 明明知道我们两个根本就不可能在一起的, 但我还是无法阻止自己想他. 是愚蠢, 是痴情, 还是无聊呢?


同学们都在问我他到底是谁. 大家都好像很关心我的样子, 都给我意见教我如何跟他可以有个开始. 但是他们不晓得 '熊熊' 真正的身份. 要是知道的话, 他们就不会这么轻易得叫我主动去与他说了. 我们俩的身份和地位实在是相差得太多, 太远了. 他的真实身份, 我没和学校的人提过. 因为我是怕她们会把它给泄漏掉, 到时候的场面就会变得很尴尬了. 他是谁, 只有 '回忆', '冬天魔术' 和我两个旧同学/朋友知道而已. 与其让自己受苦, 不如把他给忘了较好. 说是这样说, 但我还是无法使自己这么做的.


问世间情为何物, 只叫人生死相许.


The agony of no one else in school knowing about it, is no doubt there. Because I cannot share my sightings with anyone in school at all, I have to behave myself when I see him so as to prevent them from knowing. Yes, all of my classmates have interacted with him before. They know him as that guy, that person in a particular class. Simply put, they know him. But they do not know that he is the guy I like! Phew! I always have to behave differently around my friends when we see him. Tough, but I have no choice. If any of my classmates get wind of the fact that HE is the one I like, it will definitely spread round the entire campus like wildfire. And this will be detrimental to us both. Sigh...

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 10:04 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Adding on...


It seems that 缘分 (fate), is indeed a superordinate in English! Yippee! I got it right, finally. Then 缘分 is a hyponym in Chinese. The difference is that the Chinese has a more specific concept for 缘分. It is cultural related, because in Chinese, people talk about fate between 2 persons -- 两个人的缘分. Whereas in English, the word fate, can be used to cover lots of things.


Wondering why I'm suddenly so hung up on 缘分? It's because I'm still thinking about it. People say 有缘千里来相会, 无缘相认不相识. In a way, I think that this is quite true. We meet countless of people in our lives, but how many people do we actually know? How many people do we actually talk to as friends? Not many I would say. If you are fated to meet someone, then you will meet that person. But even after meeting or seeing him or her, would a friendship or any type of relationship develop from there? Or would you just simply acknowledge that person by the face or name when you see each other and don't know much about that person at all?


I remember hearing this Chinese phrase: 命里有时中需有, 命里无时末强求. The literal meaning is that, if in life, you are fated to have something, you will have it, otherwise, don't ask for it. Sometimes I just can't help hoping for something. I know that I can be found wanting, but doesn't everybody do this? Do we not all look towards something or someone unattainable to satisfy our deepest and darkest desires? I do.


If you CANNOT see the Chinese words above, click 'VIEW', then 'ENCODING', then 'UNICODE (UTF-8).

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 6:47 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Superordinate and Hyponym...


I had a lesson on the above terms this morning. Not that they are totally new to me, but it's just that they have gotten pretty interesting lately. One knows that a superordinate is a general term and a hyponym is a specific term. So, if 'animal' is a superordinate, then 'dog, cat, lizard, and fish' are all hyponyms. Easy? It should be. The lesson today was on translating Chinese words into English and 1 of the problems faced was having to translate words where English does not have a specific term.


In Mandarin, the word 'fate' is written as yuan fen, 缘分. This word is made up of 缘 and 分, literally meaning fate for 缘. If this is so, then 分 would mean -- one whole that has been broken up into separate pieces or parts to be distributed. Thus, it can be said that English has a superordinate for the concept of Fate, but is does not have a specific term for that of 缘分 in Mandarin at all. This is a bit weird and will be a bit tough to translate.


If you CANNOT see the Chinese words above, click 'VIEW', then 'ENCODING', then 'UNICODE (UTF-8).


Hmm, I'm not so sure whether I've gotten this explanation down pat. I'll ask my tutor tomorrow when I see him for class.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 5:14 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Drained...


Whew! After just 1 day of school and I'm like mentally and physically exhausted! I think that with all the assignments coming in and me trying to arrange my timetable for completion, it is no wonder that I am highly agitated!


I saw him today, FINALLY! I was walking along the main corridor when I noticed him. Upon coming out of the side corridor, I turned my head left, then right to see whether there was anyone there. I saw him actually, but I pretended not to. He was standing there like he was God's gift to women! A bit egoistic and conceited kind of manner. I walked past him and couldn't helped but sniggered a little and looked at him as he passed me on my right. There were a few people behind me and I think they were smiling at him or something. So he said 'Hello'. I didn't smile at him and neither did I greet him.


Everytime when I walk along that particular main corridor, I would invariably see him. I heard his footsteps initially, as I could recognise them. Yes, I actually can! Amazing right? Maybe so. This time round when I saw him, I didn't feel especially happy, just a tad unhappy. I think that the 'spark' is no longer there. After that encounter, I walked around with a heavy heart the entire day and reminded my classmates to discourage me from talking about him, when I try to do so. I think that I am finally coming to my senses, though it has taken me a year to do so. Ah well, better late than never!


I told myself today that I should just forget him. Perhaps it's working, as I don't even feel the urge to want to see him again or go to the canteen during lunch. Sigh... I just want to avoid him from now onwards.

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 6:23 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Clothes. Doll. Stuff.


I went to the market with my family today and bought a few pieces of clothes for my nieces overseas. The clothes are quite cute actually. They are made of denim. One has flowers embroidered on the jeans, another has Snow White and flowers, while the remainder has a picture of Barbie on the back of the jacket. We also bought 2 woolblend checkered skirts -- one's pink and black, the other's red and black. There wasn't anything nice for my nephew, so we'lll probably buy for him next week.


We bought a Raggedy-Ann doll for my nieces during December and have yet to post it to them yet. Hmm, I think that I will most likely post the items when I've accumulated enough stuff to put into the box. Seems like the folks want to send barbecued pork slices and floss overseas too. I've sent the floss before, and didn't encounter any problems with the customs. Just hope that the pork slices will not be a problem too! Eh, they better not stink up the entire box. Otherwise the clothes are going to smell real bad!

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 6:03 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Till we meet again!


I spoke with Vilynk during my 2-hour lunch break today. It's too bad that she had to leave so soon without us meeting up. I wished that we could have the time to meet up, but all's not lost actually. We managed to talk for about an hour on the phone, exchanging gossip about ex-classmates, especially who has gotten married and who has kids! Hahaha!


I had a full day today and am feeling pretty tired now. Whew! After like 6 weeks of holidays, I have to get used to sitting through long hours of lessons. I have 3-hour tutorials every Thursday afternoon and Friday morning. Hmm, I could actually fly to Hong Kong or somewhere nearer during that timeslot!

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 9:56 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

Sunshine and raindrops.


I just returned from school not long ago. It's only the 3rd day of lessons and I'm suddenly overwhelmed by all the things that I have to do. Assignments galore, this I think is what the student life is all about. Hey! I have no complaints about such a life at the moment anyway. Since this is my last semester on campus, I will try to enjoy it as best that I possibly can.


Yesterday was pretty hectic. I went for dinner with my ex-classmate who lives near me at a Chinese restaurant. The food was quite good and I came home feeling extremely bloated! She has to deal with people and sometimes this job of hers is no bed of roses. I wonder why people behave as they do. What is that mysterious thing capable of influencing one's behaviour?


I saw Panda's car on campus again today, but haven't had the chance to see him yet. Different time-table from mine and I think he's on a 3 or 4-day week. Sometimes, it is hard to forget certain things, especially when particular objects or places can suddenly trigger off a flood of memories that one would prefer to be kept submerged. It is not only painful when the flood comes, but also agonising. Sometimes I feel that my moods are as changeable as the inclement weather. People, watch OUT! :0)

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 5:12 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

1st day of school!


It's the time of the year again when you see tiny tots in their oversized uniforms marching to school, together with their humongous bags and parents / grandparents / maids in tow.


Hmm, the 1st day of school for me wasn't that bad actually. I got to see old friends and classmates again, and also, managed to catch up on a little gossip that I've missed during the holidays. Of course, there will always be people who exist to annoy you in school. They will be the ones who will look over your shoulder and peep at the notes that you take down, or try and borrow your stuff from you even before you have had time to look at it. These are very characteristic of coursemate weirdos!

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 4:02 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?

On a new journey once again...


Once more, I will embark on a new semester this new year. How will I fare in this semester? I really do not know. The fear of starting something new is always there, lurking in the deep recesses of my heart. I know that I can never be rid of it, no matter how hard I try to. I can only try to ignore it and cope with life as best as I can.


This will be my final semester in school and I really do not want the time to pass so fast. But I know it will. Time, something so precious that one can never manage to hold on to, inevitably slips from our fingers into nothingness. Perhaps the reason that I love school so much is because of the innate dislike of work after graduation. After spending so much time in school studying, I have grown to abhor the working life.


I do not find any meaning in working at all. Day in and out, one does the same thing over and over again. What does one learn in the end? Nothing! But, studying is different. Everyday when I go to school, I get to learn different things from my lecturers and tutors. I learn the whys, the because, the hows and many more things. I learn how people, things and words interact with one another to get things done.


I really wish that school this semester will be smooth-going for me! :0)

~ ~ ~ Skye's telling at 7:05 PM ~ ~ ~
Hey! Are you in on the secret yet?