IIT Commencement - A Year On

It really doesn't feel like it's been that long, with the memories of that day still vivid in my mind. Just hours before the graduation ceremony, I had slogged till midnight looking to clean-out the apartment for the next day also happened to be our move-out-date. Understandably I was a little panda-eyed at the ceremony on that beautiful morning. Such weather was a bit of a rarity in Chicago, and it only made the whole ceremony all the more memorable. I remember looking out trying to find my uncle throughout the ceremony, although I only got a chance to catch him at the end of the ceremony (with all the rules and restrictions we graduates had during the ceremony).

Truly poignant moments in my life.. and although I did share it with some wonderful people that I have been blessed to come across, it would have been perfect had my parents been there. For that.. for that reason at least I can assertively say I will continue my studies at some point.

The day marked the official end of my time as a student of the university. It's been some time since we parted, and I truly miss walking amongst your walls. Thank you IIT for all that I've gained through you.. the knowledge, the wisdom, the friends, the acquaintances, the experience..

Ketchup - Fire & Aftermath

Since I began working, quite a few other things have happened to date. I met a few old friends around my workplace, and even got my driving license (again.. wth). One event though stands out like a thorn among roses - the top floor of my home catching fire from a short circuit. One room was blazed with quite some extensive damage to the ceilings, walls, furniture and stored stuff. Fortunately no one was home though when the fire broke out, but perhaps even more fortunately we were all in KL when it occurred and got back as soon as we could to a house doused with water, powder and smoke (especially since we traveled away from KL the weekend prior to the fire).

I guess there really isn't much to say, except that its impact was quite profound as we were pretty much restricted to the ground floor of the house for the following 2 weeks (even now I spend 99% of my time at home downstairs), and a lot of the electrical wiring still needs to be worked on around the house. I guess it serves as a good lesson for us, and thankfully the damage was limited by the quick-thinking of our neighbors and immediate action by the firemen. Personally, I lost quite a bit of my collection of nostalgia - a box-full of miscellaneous things I've held on to for most of my life. Perhaps it's a sign for me to move on, and hold on a little less to the past..

It's been 3 weeks since the fire.. I've began to see it as a gentle reminder of the things we tend to take for granted - electrical safety systems (the obvious one), familial bonds, neighborly love, and the plain and simple fact that 'tomorrow' remains an unpredictable entity - to say the least.