I am depressed over the Graphic Calculator which I sold for only RM260 and that Indian man freakin’ took a book for “free” which was not even in the deal at all! The son is innocent but those people are who I hold grudges on, I guess. I admit that it was partially my fault because I was not being aware. However, I would never believed to be cheated by another Malaysian as such. He told me that there was going to be a Fair and calculators will be sold for RM200. Being afraid that I might not at all be able to sell the calculator, I just took his offer.
That was just plain idiotic of me and I regret it now. Malaysians…. Because one gives a bad impression, it stays like this for the rest of our lives. What happens if foreigners who travels to Malaysia experience such? Would you think that they would ever want to come to Malysia again? It is how the Malay proverb ’sebab nila setitik, rosak susu sebelanga’ describes this situation. Not only during this incident that I experience such dissapointment, but while watching Amazing Race Asia, the Malaysian mums were in my opinion, not playing fair. I know that I should be supporting the representatives from my country but sometimes, you just can’t agree to something that is morally wrong. In that episode, the Japanese team got eliminated.
What happened? Well, they were using tricks to have the Japanese team go the wrong way and what if that happens to you? Wouldn’t you feel frustrated to be cheated? That is just wrong, man… It is just a freakin game and to me, they have gone too low. As this programme will be telecasted world wide, what would other people think of them?
Anyway, I did sell my notes to this guy who’s brother studies in IMU as well. I binded it for him and it wasn’t as cheap as I thought it would be but heck, it could have been more expensive. I really hope that the notes would be of very good use to him. That would make me feel proud and happy as the owner. I know that right now, I sound mad to treat my notes like my “baby” but what the heck, I wouldn’t part with it unless I know it has a good owner or at least a decent looking owner.
Other than that, two new friends I made, Vivek and Shan helped me sell my books and I too, helped them sell theirs. It was a mutual thing. I have a bag of books reserved for a girl. I sure do hope that she turns up tomorrow, otherwise, I’d have a headache having to sell the books all over again. I guess I can’t complain much except for being conned by the Indian men.
They were even asking me to reserve my notes and I did in the beginning but in the end, they didn’t come. So, it’s a good thing that there has been an arrangement for someone else to get it from me. My classmate was suppose to sell his stuff with me but he sold everything for a much more cheaper price that I think was too good to be true! Another classmate of ming, Eu Jin was unbelievable too. He sold his original books for a very very cheap price. I think I should have bought from him and sold it for a way higher price. What the heck, it was initially RM20 only until he changed it to RM40. Selling it for RM60-80 would still be reasonable considering that it is an original.
Oh well, what has happened has already happened. So, tomorrow is a new day and I am going to help Shan sell his books. Now, I’m wondering if I should sell my assignments. Hehehe… Nah, that’d be unfair…. *I’m so tempted to do so though* I am just feeling disgusted at how parents, yes, and I mean PARENTS who lie to take advantage of pre-adults. It is not called preparation of the outside world although it is the outside world. Rather, I believe that in conducting business or sales, it is the parents' role to play in guiding us. Did I stressed on PARENTS? I'm not saying that all parents does this, but more like parents ought not to do this because not only does it set a bad example and pose negative effects on other teenagers but it is also them that ought to be civilised. Just because I can't understand tamil doesn't mean they can criticize me in tamil. (I was just lucky to have an Indian friend beside me who translated every thing they said.)
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Who decided your future? You? Or did you take up something that satisfied your parents' wishes?
Be careful of whom you aim to please with your actions. As Eries said,
In the end, I do not know if I’m happy because I truly am or I am trying to make people happy. Is making people happy, making oneself happy?
As much as your parents want you to succeed, make sure you yourself have an interest in what you will be studying. You do not follow a future others dictate - not even your parents - simply because they prefer you take it.
Take the time to go in-depth into what you plan to do later on in life. Study places to further your studies in your chosen field, find out what your course will be about, look up possible career opportunities. The Star newspaper offers occasional supplements about institutes of higher education in and out of the country.
Most importantly, don't go about making uninformed decisions, i.e. choose to be a singer merely because you want to be rich and famous like all of them on TV. If you can convince your parents that you truly have a passion for it, that you know your stuff and the possible risks, they will be more than happy to let you go for it.
~verus rara avis~
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This is a little piece of insight I received from the PERMATA (PETRONAS Management Training) camp I recently had in Casa Rachado, Port Dickson, from the 18th to the 22nd of June, 2007. Tell me what you think about it.
How many doors are there in your life? Think about it. How many doors have you seen in your life that you can think about? Perhaps you remember the crib door from your youth - or the great big glass doors at the office where your dad worked. Or that ominous wooden door that leads into the examination hall where you did your SPM.
Think about all the doors in your life. Perhaps when you entered varsity life from high school, the change of pace came to you as a liberation. That's one door - the door to a new stage in your life. Or maybe you made a change in yourself one day, something for the better - another door, the door to positive change.
What is a door for? What is its purpose? Most would say security, or privacy. It guarantees your safety (most of the time). When the lock is broken, it feels as if even the merest wind will push it open. You can't sleep at night, knowing your privacy is not as guaranteed as it was before, when the lock worked.
A door might also serve to restrict access sometimes, and also to provide a first impression to new visitors. When a wooden door is old or broken, some people use it as firewood. Others use it as a raft. More creative people draw and spray it with graffiti, giving it new life as an art canvas.
Then think of what we normally do to doors. When we're in a bad mood, we slam the door. At times we release our anger on the door. We punch, kick, bang, bash, hammer, scrape and tear at the door. We clobber it relentlessly till we need to catch our breaths and take a look at the damage we've done. Then remorsefully, we step away and return to our lives, slightly less pressured than before.For all that it has done throughout its life for you, it meets its end in a way that is cruel and uncaring.
Think of the one door in your life. The one door that provides you with security and comfort. Privacy, even. The one door you can't sleep at night for, knowing that it doesn't work as well as before, or is slightly spoiled. The door that protects you despite everything you do to it in anger.
Think about it. When you were young, one door bore you into this earth, and watched with tearful eyes and radiant smiles as it cradled you for the first time. This door ran its fingers over your head, cooing gently as you gazed at this new world around you. And somehow, your instincts told you this door was the one responsible for your life.
The door watched as you learned to walk and talk. It gave gentle encouragement to you every step of the way, and protected you fiercely from that which might harm you. In the dark of night, when a lone mosquito sought you as prey, the door did not just chase it away, but crushed it that it may never return to hurt you again.
As you entered school for the first time, this door fawned over every inch of you, fussing over your uniform and books and hair. You cried when the door brought you to this strange new place full of other children just like you. And though the door might not say anything at times, it prayed for you silently each time you were away from home. It prayed that you may find new friends and gain much knowledge. The door waits for you till you come home, cupping your cheek and helping you with your bag. It asks, "How was your first day at school?"
Gradually you grew bigger and bigger. The door continued to look after you as you progressed from primary to secondary. How proud it was of you! It shuttled you back and forth, providing you with the best things it could give - all for your sake. You grew into a useful person, learning more and more with each passing day.
Soon, the door realizes that time has passed so quickly, and you move on to the new daunting world of varsity life. How would you cope on your own? it wondered. It cried as the day drew near for you to leave home for the next stage in your life. The door watched as you left, tears brimming in its eyes and fear and worry lodged deep in its heart.
And everyday you were away, whether you were studying or hanging out or even blogging, this one door prayed for your safety and health. It prayed that you may aspire to even greater heights, and that you may continue to receive all the best things while you were not home. It prayed for you, and even in the wee hours of the night, the door woke to lucid dreams, sweat beading on its forehead, but it still prayed even as it wept as it realized you were not home, but away in your new place.
And it is this same door we kick and punch and scream at when we are angry. We hate it at times for not understanding us. We slam it when the mood strikes us. And when this door grows old, we throw it out with the trash, some people even using it for firewood. For all that it has done throughout its life for you, it meets its end in a way that is cruel and uncaring.
By now, you would have realized that this door is actually symbolically representing your parents. Think about all that the door has done for you. Think back about what you have done in return. And think about all that you will do for this door in future. Will you savor and love this door for all eternity? Or will you consign it to the bonfire and leave it to burn by itself in the night?
Think about it.
~verus rara avis~
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;;I watched Oprah today. And there was this guy, Rabbi Shmutley (or something like that) who is the host af a reality show, "Shalom In The House", who specialises in bringing peace into homes of families hit by a crisis or crises.
And while he was dispensing his advice to this family, and to the viewers alike, something he said hit me. Hard.
"Your kids will have plenty of friends. But they will only have one father and one mother. So step up and be that parent!"
It seemed like he was encouraging parents to become authority figures and disciplinarians and stop at that. Now, if he did suggest that, I have to disagree.
I'd rather have parents whom I respect and whom I can be friends with, all at the same time. And I am extremely lucky to have that.
I can't imagine having parents who are disconnected from me, as a person. I can't imagine being scared to talk to my parents about just about anything.
You see, if my parents are like that, I wouldn't have these luxuries. I wouldn't have been given the freedom to choose what I want to do with my life or the freedom to choose my friends or the iPod that I want or anything else. In a nutshell, I might have to ask permission to even talk.
But then again, I can't say much about parenting as I don't have the experience...yet. But when I do, I want my kids to respect me and be my friends, all at the same time.
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