You know what ? I tried to write a good movie review of The Dark Knight but I just couldn’t. Just go watch the damned movie and you’ll thank me for it.

What the FUCK is Akira Toriyama thinking ??!!

One year ago, I was alone in my room with no phone, internet or any friends. That was a horrible birthday, but I lived through it. This year I have a cold and I had to cancel a dinner but at least Sherlene kept me company. (She was the one who passed the flu to me in the first place!)

So let’s see, what’s happened over the past year ?

• Studied for a masters degree
• Broke up with my longtime girlfriend
• Found a job
• Started paying for my own rent and food
• Got a new guitar
• Got into a long distance relationship (and broke up)
• Decided to stay on in Australia to get a PR
• Failed one subject for that purpose
• Met Sherlene

I guess what I really learnt from all this is that I’m no longer scared of growing up. I always had apprehensions about being an adult because I was scared of being boring and working for the ‘machine’ of society. It’s either the movies I’ve watched, or the books I’ve read, which always potrayed adulthood as mundane and meaningless. All that gen-x bullshit is really producing a lazy generation! I can’t believe I procrastinated all these years and finally woke up.

I’m glad to say that I’ve never been happier in my life.

Well, I’m heading to the park to read a book or something, just a quiet day out since I’m not feeling too well. Hopefully some sunshine will do the trick.

Also, I’m heading back to Malaysia for 2 weeks (15 July to 1 August).

As children, we experience our surroundings for the first time with wonder. Do you remember that ? When everything was new and the simplest thing can make you happy ? Unfortunately as we grow up, we lose this sense of wonder and everything becomes mundane. Why is that so ?

My theory is that we start compartmentalizing everything we know into distinct ‘categories’, oversimplifying and stereotyping. When we experience something new, we think we’ve experienced it before and thus come up with our theories about it. What it should be and what it shouldn’t. Some may call it cynicism, but I’ll call it narrow-mindedness.

When things happen the way we expect, it ‘cements’ our idea about that experience. If it doesn’t, we get dissapointed and reject it because we don’t understand it. Or worse still, we make up myths about what the new experience is about. Examples ? Pretending that thunder comes from Thor’s hammer. Fire comes from the gods. Or that the world was made in 7 days.

Truth is, we have to admit that we don’t know so much about our world, and that we need to find out more about it. Socrates once said, “a wise man is he who knows that he knows nothing”. Profound words, my friends.

Let’s face the truth people, we are not as open minded as we think. Put aside all your prejudices and preconceived notions and your world will be a happier place. The only thing constant about the world, is that it’s always changing, and that all our old fears are probably misplaced.

So inquire! explore! make mistakes! ask questions!

Look at the world around you with new eyes. Take the time, and you will find that everything you thought you knew, you just took for granted!

“Final Fantasy. Wings. Red. 3 column”.

Voila ! New blog layout!

This wasn’t actually drawn by me, but my girlfriend.

Yeah, I’ve been seeing someone new. I know, it’s a little too soon after my long distance relationship, but we’re taking it real slow and getting to know each other. Like all women, I don’t really understand her (especially when it comes to that time of the month). I guess I’m learning.

Well, she left this comic in my mailbox today, and I thought it was really sweet. Or it could be a trap …

Don’t mind me, I drew this when I was really upset.

Now that I think of it, those memories are static. Everything is just as it were, the street we grew up in and the evening before I left for the airport. In fact, I was so certain that she was my soulmate. You know the guy that puts the girl at the center of everything ? I used to be that guy. Not until I freaked myself out and bailed on her.

I always wanted to work abroad and I wished she could have come with me. Unfortunately, that was never a choice for her. We were still together for 2 years even though we were seeing other people. But that changed when I left the country. Eventually she moved on, and I realised it too.

Today, I was doing the dishes and cleaning up after a long day at work. I felt a little of last year’s loneliness, except this time it’s not as bad. Things have changed so much for me , and sometimes I feel like I’ve grown colder. My youthful idealism and childish fears have given way to a safe middle ground. Perhaps the most important thing is, that I’m not scared of growing up anymore.

Except for the fact that she might be getting engaged. I don’t really believe it’s happening or that she’s serious about it. You know what I said when she told me? I told her I’d ride into the church with a white horse and kick open the doors. Okay, maybe I’m in denial, but how am I supposed to accept that?

I still don’t know how to feel about it.