!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"> Past. Present. Future: April 2009

Past. Present. Future

Thursday, April 30, 2009

went to brisbane to visit sean. came back on 19. all i can say that its a very pretty not happening city. everyday is sunday to them there. but still, it was fun. paid for the ticket, and flew there and back myself. haha, a first. other than going around town, including a club, we also went sunshine coast and surfer’s paradise. met my ex-pc and ns ps there. it was very good catching up. dozed off during the easter vigil mass cos it was on the first day. but we went to a latin mass, and i found it chop chop, and spiritually refreshing.

latin mass by pope benedict

staying there gave me a glimpse of what to expect when studying overseas. so i didn’t really feel like a tourist, and consequently didn’t take any pictures there at all. when the adventurous feeling of diving into the unknown dies down, and there’re so many esssential stuff to settle on your own, its no fun. time to time, you’ll definitely feel homesick, and there’s definitely a challenge learning to blend into a new clique. and if you find one you really feel comfortable in, i guess you can count yourself really lucky.

it made me consider, and mentally prepare myself for my plans to do my masters in uk. it all seems far away now, but it’ll come soon enough. and soon, it’ll be sean’s turn to visit me there.

the auction for the painting went very very well, and many people, including myself were pleasantly surprised to learn how much it sold for. its smaller than my uob piece, but it has set a new record for the value of my work. its an achievement, considering how the economy’s faring right now.

alvin ong dozed and watched the sawdust trampled night @ 10:56 PM 

Friday, April 03, 2009

!!!

just finished my latest painting, n feeling estatic. the high is totally worth it. feeling even more accomplished considering i did it in a week.

life after ord is truly bliss. though i think alot of the skills i've learnt have kinda languished, its really great to have a stress free day of no worries.

n update. since the last post, i've been really pleasantly surprised by some of the sacrifices my friends actually made for me. quite touched. i'm glad that things have happened in a certain way, n even if i was given a chance, i won't go back in time to change it. it was a really interesting experience. it all depends on which angle u look at it actually.

went to japan. was really fun! very great place to shop, with beautiful scenery too. especially now with the sakura season starting. but wad struck me most about this very unique asian nation was its people. its one thing to have heard of the service japanese provide, but its another to experience it for uself.

its the way they go the extra mile to wrap something so nicely for you, point out directions, n go all out just to make u feel at home. they do all these even though u r a foreigner n their country, and u don't speak their language. its these little things dat they all do that count for truly unforgettable memories.

another thing that surprised me was the way they took pride in everything they did, no matter how banal or boring. they can b standing at a booth n collecting ur ticket, n they could have been doing it for the past 10 years, but they still do it with a smile. with utmost sincerity n courtesy, n with no hint of boredom at all; as if they've just gotten the job yesterday.

n u can really trust that what u see is what u get. if an item really expensive, then u can b assured u're paying for a quality good. their attention to even the most minute detail is perfectionistic. u'll never feel cheated like u do in thailand, vietnam or china. not to degrade any of these countries. there's no need to bargain at all, even at the touristy roadside streets. if the japanese feel that their product is not up to standard, they'll refuse to sell it, even if u tell them u will pay them 10 times the price on the price tag. n most unforgettable of all, they don't put pressure on the customer. even if u walk out of their shop empty handed, they'll still treat u with equal amount of graciousness.

its these things so deeply ingrained in their culture that makes u reflect, n wonder.

alvin ong dozed and watched the sawdust trampled night @ 9:24 PM