Even in the holidays, I'm too busy to blog. I have more drafts on my dashboard than I do actual posts. I keep telling myself that i would save the draft and then come work on it when I'm free, but it never does happen. I've got almost 2 weeks worth of draft in there! And due to the difference in dates between here and Malaysia, I don't know what goes where. Even under normal circumstances, it can get a little tricky to distinguish between today and tomorrow (I always try to write as if I'm under Malaysian timing), so you can imagine what it's like now. So, if you see something new that wasn't there 2 weeks ago, or if you see the dates of posts being shifted around, you know what happened lah. Ok?
Anyways, today is (since it is only 10.14pm EST), or rather has been a bittersweet day. Bitter because the university has turned into a bloody ghost town! Almost everyone I know has left! But that's not the worst part. The worst part is seeing friends for what could be the very last time. A few of my good friends have decided to withdraw from Riddle, and pursue their dreams somewhere else. Mike Delacruz left for Maryland a couple of hours ago. I helped him pack up today, and after packing, the bunch of us went to Subway for lunch. It was great having him as a friend, and hanging out with him will sorely be missed. I'm gonna miss swearing at him. Den left this morning at 9. I was really sad to see him go because I really liked that guy. He is definitely among the most sincere person that I've ever had the privilege of knowing and working with. It's also sad to see him go because I knew that he liked it here, and given half the chance, he wouldn't have want to have left. He has so much potential on his hands, and I'm sure that if he was given the right conditions, he would have smoked me alive. But that's life isn't it? Not all pastures are green as they should be. Mike too left because he didn't have the funds to keep going on. I just hope I get to see them both again. They really are cool people.
Sweet because I now have the whole internet connection to myself. No more jack arses to slow the internet connection down! Plus this little "ghost town" gives me some time to think. I enjoy the calmness of an empty area.
Training with Sean was good today. We covered bar fights, and random attacks. I can't say that I'm developed as hell, but, I'm on my way. It's just that I've been really inconsistent due to my schedule. I can't wait to get back to the gym though. It's been almost 2 weeks since I last worked out!!
Thursday, April 30, 2009
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Gone Fishin'
So we went fishing today. It was a great experience, and we spent almost 6 hours doing it. I'll let the pictures do the talking.
My first ever catch. A Pompino. We ad to throw it back because it was too small.
Mike and myself with the Hammerhead shark that Mike caught. We threw it back into the sea too.
Kenneth with his second catch of the day: A Whiting fish.
My third catch of the day: A Sail Catfish.
Our final tally:
7 Whiting.
1 Catfish.
We fried them later that night. I helped to clean the fish. And in the process of cutting the catfish's fins, I got cut by it.
My first ever catch. A Pompino. We ad to throw it back because it was too small.
Mike and myself with the Hammerhead shark that Mike caught. We threw it back into the sea too.
Kenneth with his second catch of the day: A Whiting fish.
My third catch of the day: A Sail Catfish.
Our final tally:
7 Whiting.
1 Catfish.
We fried them later that night. I helped to clean the fish. And in the process of cutting the catfish's fins, I got cut by it.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
The End
After nearly 6 hours of finals, I've finally finished the semester! And to be honest with you, I'm extremely glad to see the rear end of this semester. I will definitely miss a few things and people from this semester, but generally, I'm just glad to have finally gotten through all my engineering sciences courses. I can now finally start doing what I came here to do, which is to learn about Aeroplanes, and aerodynamics so I can one day streamline a title winning Formula 1 car. In case you didn't know, that's what I want to do as a career. Of course, I will definitely want to go into commercial and fighter aircraft, but my ultimate target is to do aerodynamics in Formula 1. But all that is gonna be a long time from now.
What I liked best about this semester is my Astronomy class. In astronomy, I didn't just learn about what was out there, about how the development of astronomy has helped propel the development of humankind both scientifically and spiritually, how it advanced our knowledge about navigation, mathematics and the like. What I've developed along the way are plenty of ideas about our place in the universe. At the beginning of the course, Dr. Fleck, who stood in for Dr. Aufdenberg, said that after learning astronomy, you will feel insignificant. True enough, as I began measuring in astronomical units, I did begin to feel rather insignificant. In terms of size, the solar system really isn't huge. If it somehow were to disappear today, the universe will still dance on, oblivious to our disappearance. So I kept asking myself, why are we here? Could there really be more to life and death than what we are taught to believe? Are we alone? Is it possible that we have "siblings" in other star systems. Siblings that we have yet to find due to the large cosmic distances. If someone were to look at the solar system from another galaxy, they will come to a conclusion that we do not exist, simply because they just can't see us no matter how hard they try. Even from the nearest galaxy, which is Andromeda, fellow Andromadeans will conclude that there is no life on planet earth. They will only learn of our existence in about 4.5 billion years later!! We do know that in our galaxy alone, there are hundreds of earth like planets capable of supporting life. The Kepler mission is now searching for them. But then again, what if different forms of life really didn't need the basic ingredients which we need for survival? As we know it, even on earth, oxygen is poisonous to certain types of bacteria. So, what if alien life required other ingredients to survive? Are we looking at the wrong places? We know that certain life forms can survive in the treacherous conditions of space. We know that they can survive the radiation for years, and also the heat of entry into a planet. Could it be that based on these facts, we were planted here? Could we all be nothing but experiments? Could learning about all these things lead us closer to understanding the hand of our creator? These are things that I find myself contemplating. We may thin that these questions are crazy, but in the recent development of science, we have uncovered many bizarre truths about nature. Not long ago, we would have been thrown into prison for suggesting that the sun was at the center. But now we now otherwise. Of course, I may never know the answers to these things, but it is indeed refreshing to know that there are bigger things in life to contemplate. Will there be another revolution in scientific thinking? The answers will definitely be interesting.
Ratz, I think I sounded like a lunatic on that last paragraph =P
Anyways, the semester is over. It's time to stop cracking my head. It's time to start having fun! I'm going fishing tomorrow!!
What I liked best about this semester is my Astronomy class. In astronomy, I didn't just learn about what was out there, about how the development of astronomy has helped propel the development of humankind both scientifically and spiritually, how it advanced our knowledge about navigation, mathematics and the like. What I've developed along the way are plenty of ideas about our place in the universe. At the beginning of the course, Dr. Fleck, who stood in for Dr. Aufdenberg, said that after learning astronomy, you will feel insignificant. True enough, as I began measuring in astronomical units, I did begin to feel rather insignificant. In terms of size, the solar system really isn't huge. If it somehow were to disappear today, the universe will still dance on, oblivious to our disappearance. So I kept asking myself, why are we here? Could there really be more to life and death than what we are taught to believe? Are we alone? Is it possible that we have "siblings" in other star systems. Siblings that we have yet to find due to the large cosmic distances. If someone were to look at the solar system from another galaxy, they will come to a conclusion that we do not exist, simply because they just can't see us no matter how hard they try. Even from the nearest galaxy, which is Andromeda, fellow Andromadeans will conclude that there is no life on planet earth. They will only learn of our existence in about 4.5 billion years later!! We do know that in our galaxy alone, there are hundreds of earth like planets capable of supporting life. The Kepler mission is now searching for them. But then again, what if different forms of life really didn't need the basic ingredients which we need for survival? As we know it, even on earth, oxygen is poisonous to certain types of bacteria. So, what if alien life required other ingredients to survive? Are we looking at the wrong places? We know that certain life forms can survive in the treacherous conditions of space. We know that they can survive the radiation for years, and also the heat of entry into a planet. Could it be that based on these facts, we were planted here? Could we all be nothing but experiments? Could learning about all these things lead us closer to understanding the hand of our creator? These are things that I find myself contemplating. We may thin that these questions are crazy, but in the recent development of science, we have uncovered many bizarre truths about nature. Not long ago, we would have been thrown into prison for suggesting that the sun was at the center. But now we now otherwise. Of course, I may never know the answers to these things, but it is indeed refreshing to know that there are bigger things in life to contemplate. Will there be another revolution in scientific thinking? The answers will definitely be interesting.
Ratz, I think I sounded like a lunatic on that last paragraph =P
Anyways, the semester is over. It's time to stop cracking my head. It's time to start having fun! I'm going fishing tomorrow!!
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Name
Name: Federico Villagra
This fella is gonna have a hard time introducing himself to people. And people are gonna have a hard time calling him, while sounding polite. Haha
This is exactly why parents have to do some research before naming their kids. Or else, you're gonna end up with a son by the name of Chee...you know the rest =P
This fella is gonna have a hard time introducing himself to people. And people are gonna have a hard time calling him, while sounding polite. Haha
This is exactly why parents have to do some research before naming their kids. Or else, you're gonna end up with a son by the name of Chee...you know the rest =P
Friday, April 24, 2009
Lost
I seem very good at losing things these days. Here's the list.
Nearly lost:
1. Watch.
I left it at the gym, but thankfully my friends found it.
2. Spectacles.
I dropped it on the grass while changing into my shades. I didn't notice it, until I reached class. Tried looking for it, but nothing turned up. Lost and found didn't have it either. I traced my steps back a couple of hours later, and saw it lying on the grass.
Lost:
1. Camera Tripod.
Left it on the ship. Didn't realize it until about 2 or 3 days later while I was reading Popular Photography.
2. Eagle Card.
Dumped it into the dumpster while throwing my excess food. I went to retrieve it, 15 minutes later, but the cleaner had already thrown it into the compacter.
3. Calculator.
Got stolen.
Is it because I watch too much Lost these days??
Nearly lost:
1. Watch.
I left it at the gym, but thankfully my friends found it.
2. Spectacles.
I dropped it on the grass while changing into my shades. I didn't notice it, until I reached class. Tried looking for it, but nothing turned up. Lost and found didn't have it either. I traced my steps back a couple of hours later, and saw it lying on the grass.
Lost:
1. Camera Tripod.
Left it on the ship. Didn't realize it until about 2 or 3 days later while I was reading Popular Photography.
2. Eagle Card.
Dumped it into the dumpster while throwing my excess food. I went to retrieve it, 15 minutes later, but the cleaner had already thrown it into the compacter.
3. Calculator.
Got stolen.
Is it because I watch too much Lost these days??
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
Update
So, it seems that I didn't do so bad afterall. In fact, the reason that I was just a couple of points shy of the ultimate result was because, well, I was just being me. I didn't read everything properly and I just overlooked things. It's not because I didn't know it. But to have the realization that, it was possible is just a very refreshing feeling. I know that over the next couple of days, many new and difficult challenges will present itself before me. In some ways I look forward to them, but in some ways, I wish I didn't have to take them. They are a pain in the arse. Really! But I guess, that's what makes it a whole lot sweeter because once all is said and done, I really have no reason to say that I should have, or could have, because I know I covered them all.
These days, I find failure so easy to swallow. In fact, I feel very sanguine about these things. Even when something really bad or serious happens, I realize that I've developed this twisted way of laughing it out. I'd make a joke about it, a few seconds of laughter, and the next few seconds would be me trying to find my way back, a way forward. In some ways, I am annoyed by it, but In some ways I'm glad. It reduces my stress levels by a huge percentage. I screwed up? Oh ok... I'll try again next time. It's not to say that I like failure, but, I think staying positive and not worrying about it really is the way to go.
I've been thinking lately, about how to solve most of our problems in Malaysia, and in some respect, certain parts of the world like Israel and Palestine. I have a way, but it is going to involve a very radical approach, where Malaysia is concerned, about how we view ourselves. A good portion of it is indeed race related, so in effect, what I'm suggesting is the creation of a new race-term and a huge amendment to the constitution. No longer should we call ourselves Chinese, Indians and, Malays, but rather, Malaysians. Malaysians, with an equal identity, and of equal opportunities in everything. I also believe that this is the time to separate religion from our education and governance. I think it is time that we became a nation of humanity, and not a nation of religion and ethnicity. I've seen this model work wonders in other nations where diversity is much more pronounced than that which we have in Malaysia. I think it is time we tried it too. It will be difficult, but I believe that time will certainly prove its worth. Our ancestors may have come from different parts of the world to settle here, and I respect that and we should indeed be proud of and celebrate our roots, but we certainly did not. I work on the assumption that we will not fight and kill if we know we are common. What do you think?
These days, I find failure so easy to swallow. In fact, I feel very sanguine about these things. Even when something really bad or serious happens, I realize that I've developed this twisted way of laughing it out. I'd make a joke about it, a few seconds of laughter, and the next few seconds would be me trying to find my way back, a way forward. In some ways, I am annoyed by it, but In some ways I'm glad. It reduces my stress levels by a huge percentage. I screwed up? Oh ok... I'll try again next time. It's not to say that I like failure, but, I think staying positive and not worrying about it really is the way to go.
I've been thinking lately, about how to solve most of our problems in Malaysia, and in some respect, certain parts of the world like Israel and Palestine. I have a way, but it is going to involve a very radical approach, where Malaysia is concerned, about how we view ourselves. A good portion of it is indeed race related, so in effect, what I'm suggesting is the creation of a new race-term and a huge amendment to the constitution. No longer should we call ourselves Chinese, Indians and, Malays, but rather, Malaysians. Malaysians, with an equal identity, and of equal opportunities in everything. I also believe that this is the time to separate religion from our education and governance. I think it is time that we became a nation of humanity, and not a nation of religion and ethnicity. I've seen this model work wonders in other nations where diversity is much more pronounced than that which we have in Malaysia. I think it is time we tried it too. It will be difficult, but I believe that time will certainly prove its worth. Our ancestors may have come from different parts of the world to settle here, and I respect that and we should indeed be proud of and celebrate our roots, but we certainly did not. I work on the assumption that we will not fight and kill if we know we are common. What do you think?
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Not Since 1981
Ever went fishing before? Well, I never have been fishing in my entire 21 years of life. The closest that I've probably had to fishing was catching the fish in my aquarium with a net. That doesn't count does it? Well anyways, yesterday, a bunch of friends and I wanted to go for some fishing. We had been talking about it for quite some time now, but the weather during the previous months were anything but friendly for fishing. Plus the winds by the sea are even stronger during those months, so unless you have proper gear, you're gonna be shivering throughout that whole two or three hours. So, while I was studying yesterday, Mike knocked on my door and asked me if I wanted to go fishing with them. They did tell me about it last night, but I assumed that it would be in the morning, and since I had woken up late, as I usually do these days, I assumed that they had already gone. So, him coming up to me at around 4 pm was rather surprising. Not being in the est of study moods, I excitedly packed my stuff, and agreed to follow them.
Upon arrival to the pier, we got off and walked to inquire about the fishing activities for that day. The lady at the counter told us that the waves have been pretty rough for the past 3 days, and that fishing had not been so great for those who have tried. But she said that maybe we could pay a dollar, walk down to the pier and speak to some of the fishers about their luck. But upon seeing the waves, Mike, being an experienced fisher, decided that it would be a waste of money to try. Apparently, the waves drive the fishes away. Plus, equipment rentals were not cheap. It cost perhaps 6 dollars to rent the rod for two hours, a further thee for bait, and there was another charge which I cant remember. So we decided to just hang around by the pier and just watch the other fishers do their thing. It was depressing though, because we were kinda excited the night before, and to be let down by the weather, definitely isn't any fun. Plus, we probably won't be able to try again anytome soon because of the exams, and the fact that Mike and Evin will be going back to Maryland for the summer.
But anyways, I watched the race last night. It was great that Vettel won in such a classy manner, but what disappointed me again was the poor showing from Ferrari. Stayed up all the way till 5 in the morning only to watch Kimi finish a distant 12th because his Ferrari was absolutely a handful in the rain. So, afteryesterday, it is the first time since 1981 that Ferrari has gone 3 races in, without any points. Genius. Pure genius.
Upon arrival to the pier, we got off and walked to inquire about the fishing activities for that day. The lady at the counter told us that the waves have been pretty rough for the past 3 days, and that fishing had not been so great for those who have tried. But she said that maybe we could pay a dollar, walk down to the pier and speak to some of the fishers about their luck. But upon seeing the waves, Mike, being an experienced fisher, decided that it would be a waste of money to try. Apparently, the waves drive the fishes away. Plus, equipment rentals were not cheap. It cost perhaps 6 dollars to rent the rod for two hours, a further thee for bait, and there was another charge which I cant remember. So we decided to just hang around by the pier and just watch the other fishers do their thing. It was depressing though, because we were kinda excited the night before, and to be let down by the weather, definitely isn't any fun. Plus, we probably won't be able to try again anytome soon because of the exams, and the fact that Mike and Evin will be going back to Maryland for the summer.
But anyways, I watched the race last night. It was great that Vettel won in such a classy manner, but what disappointed me again was the poor showing from Ferrari. Stayed up all the way till 5 in the morning only to watch Kimi finish a distant 12th because his Ferrari was absolutely a handful in the rain. So, afteryesterday, it is the first time since 1981 that Ferrari has gone 3 races in, without any points. Genius. Pure genius.
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