Monday, December 31, 2007
On The Coming New Year
"I guess that's what happens in the end, you start thinking about the beginning." Mr. and Mrs. Smith
Well, 2007 had been rather eventful. It was a year of discovery and self-growth, if I might plainly add. The highlight would have been sailing onboard Maersk Sun. God... I can't believe I survived that ship, what with the horrible food and terrible rolling! Notwithstanding, I made friendships there, even if they were just temporary. Still, I can’t help feeling nostalgic. Even though the new year is approaching soon, I don't feel the least bit gratified.
New Year’s day for me, I’d rather spent it in the company of loved ones, than with nameless strangers rubbing their bodies as they ‘grope’ around in a foam party, or dancing and see the faces of people move around in a hazy swirl.
The only exception I had was onboard Sun. I guess when you’re away from home, and out there in the middle of the ocean, you’d just want all the warmth of a festive day. So what the heck… I just danced with the guys and for that few hours, the bondage is incredible (with my 'brother' and the 'rockstar'), and the chilly wind isn’t that intolerable after all. We're not left alone as we think sometimes.
Anyways, it's unwise to linger in the past. It is but a door where all the fond memories SHOULD lie dormant now though they were fevering, still. I have enough and shouldn't want for more, or should I say that I fear that I'll make another mistake and upset the status quo once again...?
It's too precarious but who can resist the forbidden apple?
10:54 PM
Friday, December 28, 2007
On The Lack Of Space And Want Of ... Air
I enter the room and it feels so stuffy. I have an ordinary, proportionately-sized flat for 4. But due to the lack of space perhaps, we don't have a storeroom, and I feel this chiefly in my room - a square, 2 beds (my sister's and mine), cupboard, one small bedside table, and boxes which fill the whole length of the bed on the floor.
One of the boxes contains my books and I feel it an insult to lie above books, for they should be respected, and be seen! But then again, there's just not enough space for them but under the bed. There's a whole corner stuffed with contents I have absolutely no idea about ever since moving into this flat, and how long has it been? About a decade soon! My mum has no qualms of them being a sight for sore eyes for it seems to be my qualm mainly. It just looks sooooooo cluttered! Like I can't feel any air stirring around the room.
I loved living in the square, well a rectangle actually, when I was at sea. My cabin, probably about 85% of my living room was just perfect for me to stretch my legs and fill the shelves with books.
I guess what I'm saying is that I wanna feel... free, uncluttered, able to move around freely and smell the fresh air when I open the portholes. It just seem so endless when I see far out to the horizon, nothing but an expanse of vast ocean, and the colour of the sky telling the state of the day. I can move with ease and stretch at will, knowing that I am 'unbridled', the air circulating freely, and my books in plain view.
This is the kinda room I wanna return to. Guess it comes down to the freedom when owning your own room, and I like mine with a view.
2:46 PM
On The Mandatory Need Of A Better Structure For Maritime Education In Singapore
"Such that when argument, or opinions are to be analysed, we can't say much." Mary WollstonecraftI was just reading Wollstonecraft and don't mind me paraphrasing her words to suit the context of my brief conjecture.
I am a nautical student and as part of our training, we are sent out to sea to serve a minimum of 12 months seatime. However, I find that on the basis of scanty knowledge (in my opinion) which we get from school, information obtained by hearing the conversations of seniors who've completed their cadetship, and with the continual mixing with people of the maritime industry, we obtain a muddy if somewhat heterogeneous understanding of what sailing is all about.
I have to say that when I stepped foot onboard my first ship, I had totally no idea what to expect. I guess it's understandable that it takes a while to adapt to the change of environment, but why some people in my class choose to quit the sea when they barely started sailing, I think besides the fact that it is not in them to WANT to sail, perhaps they did not have the proper constitution to comprehend what they were actually getting themselves into when they decided to take this path, nor were they aware of the misconception when they were in the academy. Perhaps the lecturers conveniently forgot to let them know that sailing is not a piece of cake, or the students themselves are filled with false notions of this line as aforementioned.
To quote Wollstonecraft, "...we can never consist of all resolute (though well-disciplined) individuals..." under the the influence of having strong passions for sailing and this is because of the lack of exposure given.
We gain a false knowledge of sailing before we even sail and satisfied with this false notion, we might blindly submit to "authority" without questioning how our depth of understanding were properly tended to? Though it's the responsibility and duty of the individual to ask and clarify his/her doubts, who are we to question when so little is presented to us?
A change in the education structure is hence necessary if Singapore wants to see more locals sailing as qualified navigational officers.
2:46 PM
Wednesday, December 26, 2007
On Sleepless Nights
"...it is intended that great ideas will not just be abstract qualities, but tangible realities..." ORCA InnovationI couldn't sleep again, though this time for a good reason. It's just one of those nights where I get sudden jolts of inspiration, ideas bubbling all over me, and then the unfortunate mental warfare ensues when my stomach starts feeling hungry and I have to decide should I let the flow of thoughts continue or just find food. It's always like that when I'm 'thinking'. WHY???
Well, I decided to NOT give in to food this time. Sustenance for my mind, but not suitable for my stomach. Still 'food' for thought is ALWAYS welcome these days, even more so with the new year approaching soon. My resolutions are decidedly made.
I shall endeavour to read the following: -
Pride & Prejudice - Jane Austen
A Vindication Of The Rights Of Woman - Mary Wollstonecraft
Utopia - Thomas More
Women Who Run With The Wolves - Clarissa Pinkola Estes
Rabindranath Tagore Selected Essays
Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse
The Meaning Of Things (Applying Philosophy to Life) - A C Grayling
The Romantics - Geoffrey Grigson
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
and last but not least...
Bart Simpson's Guide to Life - Matt Groening. Hahaha...!
12:57 PM
