Monthly Archives: May 2010

We Were Immortal

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4 years ago, I was at yet another transition point of my life.
Fresh out of high school, I seized a great study opportunity and went straight for university.
In a whole new territory of strangers, we were all just trying to fit in.
After all, these are the people we were going to live with for the next 5 years.

Heck, we were all set to be friends for life.

We were foolish, naive and young.

Late-night mamaks, weekend getaways, copying assignments, skipping classes, dirty jokes, lame jokes even, birthday celebrations, tasting Ipoh night life, tasting Ipoh chicken rice, getting involved in events and putting our footprints in the university, cramming for exams, cussing the university’s internet connection, saw one basketball court bloom into five, gaming addiction, fights, staying up wee hours in the morning to finish our projects…

…those were the crucial bits that transformed us from loud, brash kids into loud, brash adults.

Hey, you can’t change ‘em all.

We thought we would live forever.

They say, “The best time of your life is when you’re in university”,
“Play all you can, cos you’ll be working all your life after you graduate”
and “Life only begins at 30″.

Subconsciously, we believe what they say.
When we hit 17, we couldn’t wait to get our driver’s license.  18?  Legal!
And turning 21 is such a big deal because we’re officially adults.
And then we cannot imagine being 30, 40, and so on.

Yesterday, one of us, celebrated his 23rd birthday.
Today, he passed away.

Yes, as blunt and brutal and cold as it sounds – it is as blunt, brutal and cold as it is.

It was so sudden, some of us thought it was a prank.  While we found out it was true, it took time to sink in.

While I was having dinner with my church friends, we spoke about our day, our jobs, our personal lives and it dawned on me that all that we worry about, all that we dream and hope for could vanish in almost an instant.  What do we leave behind when we’re gone?

Stories.  I see the people around me and I see stories.  A tale behind every soul that has ever walked on the face of this earth – regardless of how long, where or who.

If Jasmitt had a story to tell, it would be one that speaks about friendship, brotherhood, and staying true to oneself.  No pretense, no masks. He’s the kind of guy you’d call to wart off any useless buggers that come your way.

If you were to leave this earth right this moment, what would your story be?  Would it be one you’ve dreamed of since you were a kid, or have you been swayed by the harshness of reality to an extent that your story has lost its happy ending?

If you’re reading this, it means you still have time.  Proofread.  Edit.  Add a plot.  Add a few more characters.  Be a superhero.  Find God.  Whatever.

Because we’re not immortal.  No one gets out of this place alive.

So live already.

~*~

Dedicated to Jasmitt Bhullar.
26.05.1987 – 27.05.2010
Friend, joker, big brother, macha.

The One We Can’t Get Away With

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I feel old.

I blame it partly on my day job. I’ve been an intern for the past 6 months with 2 more months left and I’ve seen various batch of interns from other universities come and go.  I’ve grown accustomed to the 8-5 schedule, suffered Monday blues, started calling my senior colleagues by their first names and had my fair share of tasting office politics.

Sometimes I really think 8 months of internship is a wee bit long.

Let’s rewind a little bit. I’m good at that.

Small

Thanks to a friend I was caught candid playing sand art in a local shopping mall in Ipoh – just a few weeks before I left that sleepy town for home to begin my internship.  Though it remained obvious, I always thought I was that smaller kid in the photo.  A little denial can’t hurt, right?

My coursemates and I have always wondered what will happen to us after our internship.  Will we be different?  If so, how different can we become?

I was discussing with a good friend about our approaching final year.  Once again, we are all at the familiar crossroads of choices.  Which major should we take?  Which minor should we take?  What about our electives?

I was caught in a dilemma myself.  Should I take a major that most of my friends are choosing?  Courses like Petroleum Engineering or Energy – where all the money is at.  Or should I take the road less traveled and pick something I actually have interest in – even if that means I’d be alone in that journey?

Yesterday, I made my decision.  I took the road less traveled.  Again.  I’ll have to be more independent now, but that’s what it’s all about isn’t it?  After all, my coursemates aren’t the ones taking my degree for me – we have our own battles to fight, and more so when we graduate.

I think my friends and I will experience a certain degree of change within ourselves, a more personal kind of change.  Our own perspectives towards things and people around us.  And maybe start to worry if we’ll ever end up becoming like that typical, sleepy, boring old fart that we see everyday in the corner of his cubicle awaiting his monthly pay (not referring to anyone specific but if you think it’s you then maybe you should be worried too).

I have more stories to share from my day job, but I’ll save them for later.  I’m just jotting this down to mark yet another crossroads we all have to come to.

Boy, do I feel old.  And maybe a teeny weeny tiny bit wiser.  Just maybe.

Different Worlds

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photo

As I dismantle objects for the sake of troubleshooting, collect data for analysis and brainstorming over possible solutions at the production line, a grid comes to my mind and images start to form and put themselves together, forming a complete workable website.  And then I think about which path I want to take after my internship period.  Then I remember that another friend’s coming over for dinner tonight, followed by guitar sessions, and a little bit of craft work.  Oh, and my new PC that won’t start due to a faulty motherboard.

And then a vendor just called to tell me there will be a delay in the shipment of an item I requested.

What they said is wrong.  You can be in two places at one time.

And more, too.