Perbualan Bersendiri Seorang Putera Tragis

Untuk menjadi, atau tidak menjadi. Itulah persoalannya.
Samada lebih baik ditusuk panahan nasib yang terlampau baik, atau mara menentang kesusahan yang seluas laut.
Dan dengan menentang mengakhirinya!
Mati.. tidur. Tiada lagi! Dan bila dikatakan tidur maksudnya ditamatkan kepedihan hati, dan beribu kejutan semula jadi, yang diwarisi darah daging.
Ianya penyempurnaan, yang ikhlas diharapkan.

Mati.. tidur. Tidur.. barangkali dapat bermimpi. Ya! Itulah pokoknya!
Dalam tidur kematian itu apakah yang mungkin dimimpikan, selepas kita sudah bebas daripada gegelung hidup ini?
Mesti memberi kami rehat seketika.. Itulah tanda hormat.. yang menjadikan musibah hidup yang berlarutan panjangnya.

Maka siapa yang akan menanggung sebatan dan cemuhan masa?
Kesalahan penindas, caci maki orang yang bangga, rasa cinta yang dibenci, kelewatan undang-undang, kebiadaban pejabat dan penghinaan yang kesabaran mewajarkan daripada mereka yang tidak layak. Apabila dia sendiri mungkin menenangkan jiwanya. Dengan sebilah beladau?

Dan siapakah yang akan ditanggung berkas? Untuk mendengus dan berpeluh di bawah kehidupan yang meletihkan. Tapi ketakutan akan sesuatu di sebalik kematian; tiada pemgembara yang pulang.. mencabar azam.. dan membuatkan kita lebih rela menanggung kesakitan yang sedia ada; daripada terbang mencari apa yang tidak dikenali.

Maka suara hati menjadikan kita semua pengecut!
Dan maka warna asli penyelesaian, menyelimuti acuan fikiran yang kabur,
Dan segala perusahaan yang hebat dari segi kepentingan dan empulurnya, berkenaan perkara ini menjadi serba salah; dan hilang nama tindakan.

~ Petikan daripada Tragedi Omlet, Putera Denmark.

2013: Resolutions Reviewed

This is becoming somewhat of an annual tradition now. Bear with me as I attempt to cross-off those I managed to achieve over the last year. GREEN for those met, RED for those I didn't manage to.

1. Affiliate with a professional organization - IEM
I intentionally deferred my IEM registration to a later date. There wasn't a point affiliating myself with the organisation when I don't have the time to travel and join in the monthly activities. Yet I did manage to affiliate myself with Aker's very own professional networking group - the Solutioneers Kuala Lumpur! More on this one sometime soon.

2. Complete a half-marathon - Brooks Half Marathon
Done. In fact, I managed a 2nd half-marathon at the BSN Putrajaya night run, along with a 16km run at the Mizuno Wave Run.

3. Pick up a musical instrument - Guitalele
Failed. In quite epic fashion as well. I'm probably better off picking up the more popular guitar first..

4. Pick up an extra language - Spanish
Failed. Did manage to learn quite a number of basic words and phrases, and the general grammatical rules.

5. Get a new phone
Done - got myself a HTC One X early on last year. Happy with the investment, especially given it still works perfectly fine despite me dropping it from a flying carousel in Tambun (with no cover/protection whatsoever mind you.. bare is just how I ride. Heh)

6. Complete 5 poems/articles
Done. 2 poems. 5 articles (4 of which got published on company's website).

7. Complete reading a classic - Hamlet
Done. Perhaps the most satisfying reads I've had in ages. Such brilliant writing; with such memorable lines that I've even on occasions quipped them before unsuspecting friends, as well as made references in the few blog posts I managed last year. Oh.. and I've practically memorized the entire famed soliloquy.

There. That should set it up for my new set of resolutions for 2014, which at this point still lies in contemplation lol. One thing's certain though. More blog posts in 2014 (FAR more than the meager 9 I managed in 2013!).. although you can expect them to be shorter, with less 'flowery language.' In the words of sweet Queen Gertrude, "more matter, less art."