The end of things

Randy Pausch was a professor at Carnegie Mellon University. He gave a lecture at the university titled 'Really Achieving Your Childhood Dreams', for a lecture series on what a professor would deliver if it were his last lecture. Unfortunately for him, that lecture really was one of his last, as he was diagnosed with cancer two years earlier and passed away on 25 July 2008. In the lecture, he emphasized on living life to the fullest, setting an example himself by living a full healthy life right until the end, doing what he loved - teaching his favourite subject.

Here's the lecture on youtube, for those interested.


The lecture is truly touching and motivating. Especially the witty head fakes at the end. After watching it (just listening most of the time actually), it got me working on my own list of things to do in life.

There's this age old question; if you can go back in time, would you have done anything different? In a way, my living deja vu grants me that, and I can honestly say that there are many things that one would have kept constant. Of course, there would be the odd fixes and major turnarounds that one would make so that bad history won't repeat itself, but there are just some things worth living through again.

I'm probably saying that because I loved college life, and going back to do it again twice as hard is just a thought too thrilling to pass off. After all, like what Professor Bausch mentioned, life is only worthwhile when you're having fun living it. But all play and no work makes Jack an underachieving boy. There needs to be some form of direction so that at the end of the day, you don't look back and wonder why you did it all.

So in accordance to the Last Lecture, I've made my own list of things to do in life. Here's some of them that I want to share, in no particular order.

1. Write a published article
• I've always had an interest in journalism, but don't really have enough drive to make it my lifelong career. Maybe I'll do some freelance pieces for the local papers,  but more likely to write for some online I.T. editorials. Writing in an anonymous blog is fun, but nothing gives a writer more pride than having his work read by the masses.
2. Co-produce a movie/tv-series episode
• This is mostly because I think most local productions are downright bad. Where do all those quirky aspiring poly students go to after graduation? Are local studios really that bogged down by censorship to the extent of continually producing tasteless shows that are nonetheless amusing the locals? Seriously, I can do better.
3. Feature in a song
• Ok, I don't really have a talent for singing, just a shower songster. Probably should have joined that shower-oke event. But, you know, if I can just be the background supporting vocals or something, it'll be cool.
4. Write a fantasy fiction novel
• Ever since Dan Brown (whose work I've read when he first published, way before it got sensationalised), I've always wanted to write a fantasy novel based on local references. The country has lost some of its past magic due to the rapid urbanisation, but I recognise that there are colourful things in its past that many aren't aware of.
5. Organise a major fundraiser
• Schools usually force you to do some minor stint for the community, simply for the sake of getting the credit for CIP points or something similar. That is such a farce, and it kinda shreds whatever morsel of morality left in me. If I were to do anything for the community, I want it to be big, grand, and glamourous. Like those presidential fundraisers for the US presidential nominees. Why are they raising funds for the future-president anyway?
6. Volunteer for an overseas humanitarian effort
• Singaporeans are always accused of paying off everything, even in times of crisis. Out of sight, out of mind, they say. Instead, I want to one day face these disaster-stricken places to get a firsthand account of how it's really like to be in an underprivileged situation. 
7. Finish 1500m freestyle under 20 minutes
• I don't think my swimming days are over just yet, not until I get a decent timing for my pet event. Until then, I'm not throwing in the towel yet.
8. Go skydiving / scuba diving / bungee jumping / open-water kayaking
• There's something in me that just craves for adrenaline and adventure. Maybe it's from the stifling urban Singaporean environment. Somehow, I see myself waking up one weekend morning and decide to fly to Australia to jump off a bridge. Life really doesn't have to be boring.
9. Make love in the office / college / backseat / plane / hot tub
   
• Like I said, I have an adventurous spirit. And that applies to every aspect of my life. Besides, come on, admit it, it's kinky. Right, right?
10. Die by assassination
• At the end, I want to go off in a blast. Disease, euthanasia, in your sleep? Boring... Can't really think of anything more exciting that this. Maybe to kill off your assassin as you're going down.

Top ten reasons that make you a Singaporean student

A few years back I used to make these kinds of lists all the time. Mostly to mock what it refers to. Well, after a rather extended absence, I decided to bring the lists back. So here's one for your amusement.

Top ten reasons that make you a Singaporean student

10. You can ace subjects like Project Work with minimal effort (or overenthusiastic solo work), plagiarism and made up data.

9. The most important lessons you learnt are those after curricular time.

8. You don't believe 'impossible is nothing' when it comes to finishing revision for exams.

7. Your favourite radio show is 'Muttons Till Midnight'.

6. There's a silver lining. Student discount and transport concession is unparallelled. It even beats the Safra card.

5. You often hang out at MacDonalds, mostly to study the opposite gender.

4. You set off to school before the sun rises and returns after the sun sets.

3. There's a five day work week policy? You don't think so...

2. You measure charity and goodwill in CIP hours.

1. During school holidays, you will naturally have school or homework.

There you go. Hope you enjoy this short entry! Click the 'top ten' tag at the bottom to see other lists that I've managed to dig up from the archives.