2016 - Looking Back

In a few minutes what we commonly define as a year will end, and give way to a new one. After a string of more upbeat years prior, 2016 began under grey clouds.

Volcanic clouds of Mt. Merapi, Indonesia

It wasn't long before the sun began to eke its way past the clouds, and shower us with glimpses of light.

Batu Caves on Thaipusam. A monkey sits perched upon a street lamp as it watches the sunset. 

As the dire days continued, it was perhaps a good idea to spare a thought for the less fortunate and remind ourselves that we truly are blessed, and things could be far worse.

My first street-feeding experience with Street Feeders KL

Slowly the year began to build a rhythm of its own, as it March-ed past condensed moments of joy.

My home-made birthday cake courtesy of my cousin Yamuna

Some of my own simple resolutions made at the beginning of the year began to come to fruition, as I picked myself up and set about getting a better grasp of my own fate.

Blast from the past: Meetup with Joe & Michelle after long.

Blast from the past part deux: Caught up with the elusive Guruparan. Also managed to schedule a meetup with Khairun (who I hadn't seen since 2004.. that's VI days!) 

There was also the effort to not lose sight of all that is green. The trails we traversed this year were wetter than before, yet less strenuous on our ailing knees.

Hike with Ison's church mates to a waterfall at Hulu Langat

Spotted a swarm of Rajah Brooke's birdswings by the river at Selangor State Park

The main goal though was to move on to different pastures, and pray that they'll be greener (for I lost all hope that there would ever be any semblance of grass where I was). As the country celebrated the anniversary of its independence (albeit rather muted in nature), I scored a little triumph of my own as I managed to exonerate myself of the painful chores at Aker Solutions..

My new second home

While the joys of the year began to grow, so did the bottled spirits in my collection, and their subsequent potation. This year I finally managed to build on my collection to the point where I'm comfortable hosting cocktail nights - and host I did, some of those wonderful people I met during my time at Aker Solutions a week after Deepavali.

Drink cards for the cocktails I prepared that evening

The PSV (Pimms, Sugar, Vodka)

A few other events worth mentioning: Ran a half-marathon at the KL Marathon this year; Attended Cheng Khang's wedding in October, Samantha & Jason's wedding in December; Took a trip with Alvin to Singapore to meet Kwong Hann in during my short break between the jobs. There weren't much, but I truly cherished those little moments of joy in 2016. 2017 does sound a lot more exciting though, and I guess it's nice to start on that upbeat note. :)

Goodbye 2016. Hello 2017!

Filling The Growing Void of Emptiness

Yet again I abandon this barren space. Thoughts are plenty, but my indifferent nature coupled with my overt contemplation of the impact of what I write results in.. well, next to nothing being written here. Why am I so indifferent about so many things? Sometimes it really seems life would be so much easier if I just picked a side on issues without too much thought, yet that really would be out of the realms of my character. Whenever an argument for one side of a debatable issue is brought up, I immediately tend to argue for the other. Perhaps it's a product of my seemingly constant need to appear self-righteous. After all, I have been exposed to and been highly appreciative of such ideals throughout my years growing up.

Perhaps it is this indifferent nature of my thoughts that in fact manifests into my fickleness. When my mind is unoccupied, it is cavitated by thoughts of all the 'what-ifs'.. all those roads that just went by without me ever knowing what life could have been.. and I cannot help but blame my indifference.

Ever so often you might catch me gazing into nothingness, barely a twitch of the eyelids as I contemplate the many things in life. Random thoughts that cover a rather wide range of things. That constant need to know - so often I see its virtue in how it has and continues to shape me as an engineer. If I was to advise another engineer the first thing I'll probably tell him is to never be afraid to think. Yet in retrospect I do realize that there is a tendency to 'over-think' and in effect make things a lot more complicated than they should be. Then again, if it is possible to see those very things in such complicated manners, then perhaps they aren't as simple as we may assume them to be..

Ah, what a beautiful yet torturous dilemma.

P.S: A more 'relevant-to-real-life' post on my new project at work coming up soon. :)

Me, Defined

Here goes a list, that shall grow with every fact recalled, and slowly clear that cover of shrouding mist..

Principles and Beliefs

• I generally stand strong by my principles because I believe they define me, and forgoing them would mean that I'm basically losing myself.
• I do not enjoy imposing my beliefs on others because I believe everyone has a right to their own unadulterated opinion. Preaching facts, on the other hand is a different matter on its own.
• I always put myself in others' shoes whenever I can (not literally wtf), so I can attempt to understand what underlies their actions.
• I believe in helping people, regardless of their social and biological background.
• I feel human greed underlies the problems and inequalities in this world, and am vehemently opposed to its fruits being disguised as methods of survival.

Likes and Dislikes

• My favorite color is blue - it always has been.
• I am a fan of many sports, and enjoy indulging in it both visually and physically.
• Food that I am aversive to: Eggs, Milk
• I enjoy poetry, and am a big fan of Shakespeare and Wordsworth.
• I enjoy photography, but more so of the environment rather than people.
• I like to analyze how people think and act.
• I enjoy all types of music, except techno.
• I like to people-watch when I have a few minutes to spare at a crowded place (malls, cafeteria etc.)
• I dislike beer, although over the last few months I've grown fond of cocktails.
• My favorite movie genre is comedy.
• I am a sucker for history, especially European and early American history.

Character

• I tend to come off as quiet on a first-impression, although that would change once you get to know me better.
• I love challenges, and am driven by them.
• I always strive to do my level best at everything I put my foot into, and believe that patience and persistence will pay.
• I am always up for adventures, and have a rather good sense of direction.
• I often go into deep thought, and it would seem I am in a parallel universe.
• I have never been in a romantic relationship, to date. I still wait for that one person, expecting what some may see as a fairytale.
• I believe that I can be, perhaps to the surprise of many who know me personally - quite hopelessly romantic.. but then again, I haven't had a chance to express it.
• I used to read a lot as a kid, but stopped because I began to develop my own style of writing, and didn't want it to be compromised by the works of others.
• In general I am not calculative when it comes to money amongst friends, but I also try to make sure I am not underpaying in any way.
• I cannot dance. I am simply horrible at coordinating my bodily movements.

Random

• One day I hope to publish an autobiography entitled "What's In A Name," alluding to my long name that has been the subject of much external interest throughout my life.
• I dream of building a home for my mother at some point in my life, with a garden feature and a rambutan tree. :)

* To be updated from time-to-time *

The Precipitation of Character

Thinking back, one of the things my blog (or at least what you see of it) has been lacking is personality. I always figured anyone interested in delving into my character simple needed to.. well, read between the lines. Yet thanks to a few comments, I've finally realized that it just isn't enough, and this blog is seemingly deprived of my character.. my true self.. a chance for the reader to know who I really am.

Now of course, the fact that this blog is public has probably subconsciously played a major role. Then again, a narration of my experiences through an apathetic channel would be..a narration, and nothing more.. devoid of life and emotion. Plus it isn't like I have much to hide, or that this blog is even remotely popular. So, I guess from here on I'll do my best to.. ermm.. keep it real.

Now then, where do we begin? There are lots of things that come to mind when I try to think about random stuff that not many people know about me. Hence, a random list of them is in order.. a living one of course, that grows (and perhaps even morphs) with the passage of time, and more importantly thought. Lo and behold, the list is born.

This oughta' be good.. I hope.