Against the current

Do you know that feeling (WHO) you get when you know you have to do something and you know WHY you have to do it and exactly HOW you should do it and (WHEN) the time is now and the WHERE is here but you can't will yourself to do it? You know WHAT you have to do but your heart feels like a million pounds and you wish you could just rip it out. You just can't do it. You've hit the brick wall. You simply can't move forward. The path stares at you so intently that if looks could kill, you'd be dead with the intensity from the glare of the way forward but all you can do is stare back. Your legs won't take you any further and you feel your brain shuting down. There is no forward. Only the sense of helplessness.

Cure for this feeling of nothingness?

Reality.

It's when reality slaps you in the face, you force yourself to fight the current. Keep yourself from drowning even though a part of you wish the current will take you away. Far, far away.

My favourite quote

-Buzz Lightyear

Ever since mankind walked the Earth many hundred of thousands of years ago, he has made tremendous progress through the ages of human history. From the Stone Age to the Bronze and Metal Ages. From the Dark Ages to the Age of Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution. From the Age of Space Conquest to the Age of Super Computers. From the age of limited knowledge to the age of infinite knowledge.

Once man had said it is impossible to fly, but they flew anyway. Once man said it is impossible to conquer space, but they conquered it anyway. Now, one wonders - do we have any limits? One thing I know for sure - the sky is certainly not the limits! To infinity and beyond!

Sorry

"Sorry doesn't change anything."

"It does for the person who's apologizing."

-Quoted from Jodi Picoult's Nineteen Minutes

If you said something really bad to your brother and immediately wish that you hadn't, you say you're sorry. It doesn't changes the fact that you've said it.

If a friend took credit for your work and after that she is filled with guilt, she comes to you and says she's sorry. It doesn't changes the fact that she did it.

If a man accidentally killed a kid during a robbery and after that he is filled with remorse, he tells the kid's family he's sorry. It doesn't changes the fact that he broke into a home and stole their worldly possessions and in the process committed murder, accidental or not.

So, sure! Sorry doesn't damn change anything. No matter how many times you say you're sorry, someone will always remember you said you hated her. Someone will always remember that you bullied him for that one whole year during high school when you were going through 'a phase'. Someone will always remember that you slapped her and shouted angry words. Someone will always remember that you spread nasty rumors about him and made his life a living hell.

Knowing all that, you still say you're sorry because though sorry doesn't change anything, it does for the person who's apologizing.

People apologize because it brings comfort knowing that they've made an effort to retract their actions, no matter how bad. There's no rewind button that they can press, no do-over they can request for. So, sorry becomes people's means of erasing the action.

It's at times like these, when someone tells me they're sorry, I can't help but think, "Don't do it in the first place. Then you wouldn't have to apologize for it. Doesn't changes the fact I'll remember it till the end of times (how dramatic)."

It's also at times like these when I say I'm sorry, I can't help but think exactly like what I've said above but still I say I'm sorry because I truly am.

When you say you're sorry, mean it! It doesn't changes the fact you did it but on your part, it's the small effort you take to press rewind.

Mean it!

Say what you mean.
Mean what you say.

No beating around the bush. Say what you mean upfront and centre so that long-winded conversations can be avoided and all intentions will be made clear. Sometimes it takes ages for people to launch off their life story when all the wanted to say in the end was, "So, yeah. That being said, can I burrow your shovel?" *Similar situations applied. I could've done without all the drama.

You know, it always puzzles me when I hear someone saying, "I'm so, so sorry. You know I didn't mean it, right?" Why do people say that? If someone said something terrible to her friend like "I hate you!" during a heated argument and minutes later say, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it", did she really not mean it? In the argument, it got heated enough for the thought to have crossed her mind and shout out the words. She must've meant it at some level, even a little bit. Maybe she really didn't mean it in a long run (maybe) but for that few minutes when she first said it, I think she must've meant it! If you didn't mean it then you wouldn't think it and the urge to stick your foot in your mouth wouldn't have occurred. *Similar situations applies. It takes great patience to keep your head during any situation.

If a guy tells his girlfriend he loves her, not because he really meant it but because he knows that's what she wants to hear then why say it in the first place if you know you don't mean it, no matter how much you know its what she wants to hear? Mean what you say or that'll just make you a liar! *Similar situations applies. Remember when we were 2 feet tall, grownups tell us all the time, "Don't lie." Surely we never forget that simple word of advice along with don't steal and don't kill.

If you pretend to be buddy buddy with someone because of his connections, then you must've not meant all those loving-friendship-bullsh*t charade you put on. Mean what you do or that'll just makes you a hypocrite! *Similar situations applies. No one ever likes a hypocrite. Sometimes I'm afraid I'm one myself! When a friend says she misses me and I immediately reply I miss her too when really I've haven't thought one iota about her, does that makes me a hypocrite or a liar? Surely it does! Exhibit A of not meaning what I say.

Maybe sometimes people lie because that's what the situation require, little white lies. Does it make it ok to do it? Lie to protect someone else. Someone you love? Be a hypocrite when the situation calls for it. Do what you think it's right when you think it's right. Does it make it ok? A delicate, subjective subject but for most parts, SAY WHAT YOU MEAN AND MEAN WHAT YOU SAY.

The human mind works in a mysterious way.

Because I choose to

Matrix Revolutions:

Agent Smith: Why, Mr. Anderson? Why do you do it? Why get up? Why keep fighting? Do you believe you're fighting for something? For more than your survival? Can you tell me what it is? Do you even know? Is it freedom? Or truth? Perhaps peace? Yes? No? Could it be for love? Illusions, Mr. Anderson. Vagaries of perception. The temporary constructs of a feeble human intellect trying desperately to justify an existence that is without meaning or purpose. And all of them as artificial as the Matrix itself, although only a human mind could invent something as insipid as love. You must be able to see it, Mr. Anderson. You must know it by now. You can't win. It's pointless to keep fighting. Why, Mr. Anderson? Why? Why do you persist?

Neo: Because I choose to.

Notable Quotes from President Barack Obama

Take a look at some of the icon's inspirational thoughts:

1. "Faith is not just something you have, it's something you do."

2. "If you're walking down the right path and you're willing to keep walking, eventually you'll make progress."

3. "You can't let your failures define you - you have to let your failures teach you."

4. " If we aren't willing to pay a price for our values, then we should ask ourselves whether we truly believe in them all."

5. "We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."

There is no such thing as 'studying too much'

I consider myself to be very hardworking (and apparently so does everyone around me). Mind you, it's not easy having to study all the time. Unlike some of those few fortunate beings, I'm not one of the more lucky ones to be blessed with say, a photographic memory...or with the talent of immediately grasping everything that is being thought the second the knowledge is being delivered...nor am I one of those people who can miraculously answer the exam questions effortlessly and precisely without studying beforehand (I do have friends like these....bless their souls!). And hence, with all that said, I HAVE TO be hardworking. I HAVE TO constantly study. I HAVE TO take steps in order to know everything that is required and to achieve my absolute best.

But like I said, it's a very tiring chore. Sure, I enjoy gaining knowledge, learning things I never knew before but when the dark side comes calling it's hard to resist.

Take first semester incident for instance. People say I study too much, I work too much, should relax more...called me a study machine...After a while things like that gets to your head, y'know? I resented that and after some time I did relax...a bit too much and look where it got me! 3 B's for finals! That's TERRIBLE! Everyone else faired about the same but that's besides the point. Not an A is not an option!And so I (wisely) reverted back to my old hardworking self.

Look, I'm not trying to put anyone down. I'm just putting this up because I have this to say:

1. NEVER, EVER let anyone cloud your judgement. NEVER, EVER let anyone influence you to the 'dark side'. Do what you know it's right and stand for what you believe in, even when the world is against you.

2. To achieve, it takes a lot of hard work. A's in exams don't come easy. They take effort. You will often feel that the workload is overwhelming and you will feel like quitting. DON'T! Continue on!

3. Don't try to put down other people regardless you're an A student or not. If you think they're studying too much, it's probably because you're studying too little! Even if that's not the case and you're studying enough to get yourself an A, respect the fact that some people just need to study a little more to achieve that A. Don't make them feel inferior just because it took them 5 tries to remember a single, simple fact when it only took you 1.

4. If number 3 does not apply to you, i.e. you think you are studying just as much as the person next to you but somehow managing just a strings of B's instead of your dreamed A's, perhaps it's time to rethink your studying method.

The analogy of a donkey could be applied here (got this from my dad...not that I'm calling anyone a donkey):

Work hard people say. Remember though, a donkey works very hard but at the end of the day, the donkey remains a donkey. Instead choose to work smartly. Work hard and work smart! They go hand in hand.

5. Don't be envious when people achieve more than you do. Take that as a challenge and rise up to it. If you see others around you getting straight A's and you're getting straight C's, instead of wasting your time blaming the world, cursing the teachers, damning god, take the time to mirror yourself and start doing what you know you should be doing...

GO STUDY and MIND YOUR OWN GOD DAMN BUSINESS!

BUTT OUT OF MINE!

There's no such thing as, studying too much. We are after all on a journey to INFINITE KNOWLEDGE.

Damn those who dare come in your way. Let nothing stop you.

Strive on even when your hardest hit. Even when things go wrong, you must NEVER QUIT!

Of course, talk is always easy. Doing is another thing all together. Still, have faith

AND

The difficulty of giving up

Often, the feeling of giving up overwhelms us and sometimes I can't help but think it's so easy to give up. Just put down the pen and walk away because to succeed it takes a lot of effort and effort means hard work and hard work is difficult.

Tongo Field Diamond Miners

But interestingly enough, as difficult as it may seem to succeed, realise that it is more difficult to give up and fail without effort. And it is that realisation that makes us strive harder.

Realise that when you fail and you know you've done nothing within your capability to avoid that failure...it truly is the end of the line. No turning back.

So, even when you want to give up, don't! DON'T QUIT! Have the determination, work hard, and NEVER GIVE UP!

My dad told me a about a cache called Hard Times in Australia and the story behind the cache is about the hardship of the pioneers and the difficult times they went through but they endured and because of their endurance, Australia is what it is today. ENDURE!

A few years back my sister bought for me a poster with this poem on it. I've loved it ever since! I'd like to share it with the world:

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,

When the road you're trudging seems all uphill,

When the funds are low and the debts are high,

And you want to smile but you have to sigh,

When care is pressing you down a bit,

Rest, if you must

But don't you quit.

Success is failure turned inside out,

The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,

And you never can tell how close you are,

It may be near when it seems afar,

So, stick to the flight when your hardest hit

It's when things go wrong that you mustn't quit!

The POWER OF WORDS

A group of frogs were travelling through the woods and 2 of them fell into a deep pit. When the other frogs saw how deep the pit was, they told the 2 frogs that they were as good as dead. The 2 frogs ignored the comments and they tried to jump out of the pit with all their might. The other frogs kept telling them to stop. Finally, one of the frogs took heed to what the other frogs were saying and gave up. He fell down and died.

The other frog continued to jump as hard as he could. Once again, the crowd of frogs yelled at him the whole time to stop the pain and just die. He jumped even harder and finally made it out. When he got out, the other frogs said, "Did you not hear us?" The frog explained to them that he was deaf. He thought they were encouraging him the entire time.

There is power of life and death in the tongue. An encouraging word to someone who is down can lift them up and help them make it through the day.

A destructive word to someone who is down can be what it takes to kill them.

Be careful of what you say. Speak life to those who cross your path. The power of words...It is something of great importance, sometimes hard to understand that an encouraging word can go such a long way. Anyone can speak word that tend to rob another of the spirit to continue in difficult times. Special is the individual who will take the time to encourage another.

-Author unknown

Road to success

On your road to success you will be faced with obstacles that will make your journey a hard one, full of challenges. Other people being one of your most irritating hindrance. They'll turn on you and out of spite do things to stop you from succeeding. They're envious of your achievements when they themselves have achieved so little. They want the world to progress with their sad slowness and only then when they come out first, not because they were the best but because there was no one better will they leave you alone.

Never let anyone put you down

Never let anyone cloud your judgement.

Never let anyone influence you to the dark side.

NEVER GIVE UP AND NEVER GIVE IN!

It won't be a journey, a road to success if everything was laid out on a silver plate for you to take. Success is sweetest when you (and only you) know what you did and all the things you've sacrificed to achieve it.

Do what you know and believe with all you're worth is right, even when you have the world against you.

Do what it takes to reach the top.

Do what it takes to reach the greatest heights.

The sky is NOT the limit...it only is for those who fail to see beyond the great possibilities of (among other things...) space exploration!