The Story (Prologue)

In the beginning...

Well, to begin with, the story that I'm going to tell  isn't actually quite interesting. To be frank, it's quite boring. In fact, it's so boring, the proper word that should be used on this story would be mundane. But, as luck would have it, that in this story, as also in all other stories that you have read or heard or else there wouldn't be a story, something happens, and it changes everything forever. 

How shall we begin? Well, not long ago, somewhere in the peninsular of...  Wait, wait... this is too long winded. Well let's just begin with our character shall we? Some time ago, maybe a few months ago, there was a not quite so ordinary boy. He fancied himself to be a traveller of sorts, and not having seen or heard anything out of his home or country, longed to travelled. In his heart, he yearned to experience the world. So when opportunity came, he decided to set his sights on the land down-under, Australia, without his family. He had with him a single, clear, focused purpose: to touch a kangaroo.

Now, you might think that the boy was foolish to have thought such a thing. I mean, who in the world would have heard of such a thing? Clearly this boy is not thinking clearly, or perhaps, not deeply enough? Travelling to a far away destination just for the chance to pet an animal? The others thought. But in this boy's heart, it was a lifetime dream, and once he was set on something, he would try his best to uphold it.

So the boy went. He still had to appear normal to the others, so, still under the pretense, he went working while he was there. Luckily enough for the boy, he had a good friend to travel along with him, and also to guide him along while he was there. The friend of the boy was always helpful, and also tried his best to help the boy.

And so the boy worked. And waited, for the chance, the thought deep somewhere at the back of his mind, but always, always there. The boy made many a good friends in the land down under. Some became very close to him, others were just casual friends, some were just formal acquaintances, but all we still well respected. The boy laughed. Sometimes he cried, missing his home. He did his work faithfully, and ever so subtly, found himself slowly, but surely, growing up. He enjoyed everything he experienced, and was very thankful that he made the journey.

In our story, the not quite so ordinary boy did managed to touch a kangaroo, but in the process, unwittingly put himself through the greatest journey of all: the journey of life. How did this happen? You would ask. He grew from the experience - and the experience grew with him. When it was time for the boy to return home from his journey, he wept, remembering everything that he had done.

You might think that this story is good and meaningful, or you might find it incomplete, or simply lacking a good goal or a plot. But, that's just the way the story goes. Then again, I did tell you that it was sort of mundane. But I can draw for you one conclusion, and this is just my conclusion, everyone else is entitled to their own based on what they think the story means: the next time you decide to do something, wait, no, how shall I put it, really want to do something, why not? Well, you might just be surprised where life brings you based on your decisions.

The Great Adventures of Lokman: The Australian journey comes to an end.

Hi all,

For my faithful readers, I am truly sorry and apologize for my constant procrastination when updating my blog. :P It seems that my fingers turn to lead EVERY time the very thought of writing pops up, and my mind suddenly seems to wander over to "what's for dinner tonight?". All blame lies on me, and I will make it up to you guys by regaling my strange and exotic tales from abroad. Like a veteran sailor back from a long sail, I shall do my best to tell tales that shall both excite and satisfy your curiousity. I have made the best of friends on this trip, grown up (well, just a lil' bit I hope :P) and seem to find myself to be more matured (although i seriously doubt it, ha ha).To those of you who are planning an overseas internship for your studies, I suggest that you should really give it a go. You might really like what you find, just like what I've come to realise. The world is such a big place, so go out and get em' tiger. RRRrrr.

The Great Adventures of Lokman: Australia Day 36 - Wohoo! I'm loving it! Time for some self-reflection :P

Hi all,

I know, I know, It's been a damn long time since I've updated my blog and this has on many occasions left my fellow faithful readers feeling very disappointed. On behalf of myself I would like to apologize profusely for the delays and for my procrastination and humbly hope that my apologies are accepted. :P Now, back on track to my Australian adventures. Truly a lot has happened during my stay here. I've learned to cook, clean, be responsible for my own well-being, set ground rules for myself, learned quite a lot on how to rely mostly on moi, help others through the day as much as I can and generally grow to be a more matured and responsible adult. (ya right, a matured and responsible ADULT :P) I've met and made very good friends during this trip and I'm quite sure that I'll be remembering them forever. Life at the lodge (or if you prefer to call it 'hostel') has given me quite a unique experience and a sense of community bond as we all stay and go about our daily lives under one roof.

Given this opportunity, I would also raise my hand in the highest salute to those who have left their country in the pursuit of knowledge. I have experienced on a firsthand account basis the obstacles and difficulties faced by international students and how they would use the means that they have as much as possible to survive and also thrive in their new environments. (Trust me, studying in a foreign country can be more difficult than you think. :P) In spite of all the tremendous amount of difficulties, they still wish to plough ahead and persevere in what they do. From the bottom of my heart, I wish them great success, and they have gained my utmost respect.

On the lighter side, living in a foreign country can be extremely fun! :P Literally, you will have the whole of the country at your feet for exploration. My example for this case is when the lodge villagers (I refer people who live in the lodge by this name :P) made a weekend getaway to Rainbow Beach. It was a heck of a good time, and for the very first time in my life, I surfed the waves! :P To me, life can't get any better than this. Well, that's it for today, see you next time, bye!

Rainbow Beach

My friends playing soccer in the sand

Moi :P

The Great Adventures of Lokman: Trip to Sea World! :P

Hi all,

It's been quite sometime since I've updated my blog, due to equal parts of laziness and lack of time. :P  It's been three weeks now, and I guess that I've adapted quite well to the environment and the culture here in Australia. I've done so much over these couple of weeks, and sharing them all will take quite some time. But here goes nothing, and I will try to recount as much as possible the activities that I have done. As some of my friends will already know, I've visited the Sea World theme park near the Gold Coast and I can frankly tell you, the theme parks in Singapore will definitely pale in comparison with the theme parks here. First of all, the theme park was HUGE in terms of size and the rides and attractions that were available would even put the "adventurous thrill-seekers" in Singapore to shame. These are just some of the pictures that I took in the theme park:

However, the highlight of my visit to Sea World was definitely the helicopter ride! Woohoo! Ha ha... :P These are some of the breath-taking pictures i took on the ride:

Well, that's all I have to show for today. I'll be sure to keep my blog up-to-date. Till next time, bye! :P

The Great Adventures of Lokman: Haiz... I really miss Singapore :(

Hi all,

I'm in a really, really depressed mood right now. :( I know that it's just been a week since my departure from Singapore, but I've been getting these extreme bouts of homesickness whenever I think of Singapore. Australia's really not that bad, with amazing places to visit and good weather and it is full of nice and interesting people, but then again, there's nothing like home sweet home. I miss the Singaporean shops. I miss the food too. I miss the high-rise buildings, the cars, the MRT (which is the train in Singapore)... I even miss watching kid's central on the television for god damn sake! Haiz... (*sighs for very, very long*)

Most of all, I miss my family and friends. I think of them often, and how their lives are while I'm away in Australia. I really can't wait when the day comes when I've arrived back in Singapore and I get to see all their faces again. I know that some of them have vowed to welcome me back at Changi Airport, and I will cherish that moment forever. To me, three months is too long to be away from your own country. I've often think about the students who travel overseas to study and what they must be feeling to be far from home for so long, and I sympathize with their plight. They must have a deep longing to see their friends and family again. I really hope they persevere through, and keep that goal in mind while they're studying.

Well, it seems that by some miracle that I've survived the first week in Australia. I know that it's just a matter of time before I return home, and that thought keeps me going. I know that I could survive anywhere in the world and achieve much if I persevere long enough and have the determination and will to see it through. Well, that's it for now, bye! :P

The Grand Adventures of Lokman: Australia Day 2

Day 2:

Hi all,

Today, Alvin and me finally landed at Brisbane's airport quiet earlier than expected, but luckily the chaffeur was already there to pick us up. This were the pictures that we taken on that day:

Indooroopilly Lodge

Indooroopilly Train Station

Transit Bus

Queensland University

My Workplace :P

We did quite a number of stuff on the today. We prepared our University Library Cards, "Go" Cards (Ezlink Card), registered ourselves into the university, etc. The list goes on and on. Well, that's it for now. Bye! :P

The Grand Adventures of Lokman: Australia Day 1

Day 1:


Hi all,

I'm finally in Australia! Woohooo! Ha ha... I left Singapore on the 1st of September with Alvin, and I was glad that a lot of my friends were there to send me off. I'm sincerely touched guys... Sob sob... :) Well, enough with the crying already. During the flight, I had the "Malay Style Beef Semur with Fragrant Rice and Stir Fried Greens, White Chocolate Mousse with Dark Chocolate Sauce, Chocolate and Solo - Lemon Squash" which roughly translates to "Beef Rendang Rice with Long Beans, Whipped Cream with Hershey's Chocolate Sauce, Small Cadbury Chocolate Bar and Lemon Juice". Oh, and last but not least, the Potatoe Salad. :P

I got to see the plane fly off from Singapore, and i must say, Singapore is really beautiful from the top. By the way, this is the berth that I flew off from:

Well, that's it for now. Bye! :P

I have a new hobby! ha ha... :P

Hi all,

It just seems that I've just stumbled into a very new activity that I find quite interesting and I kind of enjoy doing. Have you ever been on a packed train ride with nothing to do but just sit or stand and wait for your station? Well, one day, while I was casually glancing at the multitude of faces in the same carriage as me, I had a sudden bout of curiosity and a need to find out about the people that were onboard with me. It got me thinking to the point whereby I wondered what they were doing or what might be their jobs, why are they wearing the clothes that they are wearing, or why are they on the train at that moment of time, etc. I began to mentally note down their behaviors and tried to guess who they were from their appearance and behaviors.

If you had the same experience as me, then you have just successfully just began your very first session of... PEOPLE WATCHING! Yay! Ha ha.. :P

It might seem pointless to people-watch, but to me, there are quite some things that you can learn from the activity. For example, after some sessions, you could easily define the expressions of people for yourself. You would have a good idea on whether they're sad, bored, happy, angry, etc. You can use this and apply it into your social skills in determining the moods of your friends and therefore act and adjust your mannerisms accordingly.

Another good thing would be how you would be able to get a glimpse of your society as a whole and figure out trends such fashion, language, etc. The opportunities are quite endless, it seems. :P And the best part of all? It sure can keep you occupied on your journey home. Ha ha. Well that's it for now, till next time. Bye!

The new MP (Major Project) lab... is very cramped.

Hi all,

For all the new things that had been happening recently, our exodus from the old, lovely 2nd floor competition lab to a new, cramped one on the 6th floor of the AS (Applied Sciences) building has just been the bane of my MP existence. Why oh why didn't they let us continue using the competition room? Haiz. :( We didn't make any trouble when we were in it, and the space that was available was just wonderful for my MP team compared to the new one. Worst of all, we had to share the lab with many other teams. They definitely will have the same opinions about the MP lab, given the sheer number of computers stuffed and arranged closely together in the lab like a can of sardines.

Even with all its flaws, however, the new computer lab does have its rustic charms. The corner that we were assigned to does seem a little cozy, and I feel that my concentration on my work seem to have improved given how little distractions we have from outsiders these days. I will try to give the new lab a chance and adapt into it. Well, that's it for today. Till next time, bye! :P

p.s. I will try to update this post with the pictures of the two labs for comparison as soon as possible. :P

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Blogger
Lokman

Finally, the JavaJive results are out! And I am sad... :(

Hi all,

Finally, the JavaJive results are out, and sadly enough, we didn't win anything. Zero awards. Haiz (*sighs very loudly*). A fact more disappointing to the all the teachers that were coaching us was that all the teams that TP (Temasek Polytechnic) had sent also suffered the same fate as us, leaving the school with just a participation certificate and no prizes to showcase at all. Argh! ROAR! (*roars very very loudly*) I really feel very sad and disappointed that all our hard work was not good enough for the panel of judges and in the end had amounted to nothing. Sure, the teachers keep telling us that it was a good experience for us to be in the competition and to keep trying harder next time but it really crushes your spirit when you put your 110% into something and still be rated as NOT GOOD ENOUGH to win anything. Sob, sob.... :(

Well, enough with all of that. We did manage to have some fun in the competition after all, and the it really was a good experience for us to be in it. I just hope that next time, I'll be able to try even harder and hopefully manage to win something, however small the award is. It would really feel very nice to just for once be the winners of a competition.

Duke (The mascot of Sun Microsystems) and me

JavaJive - The Final Stages

Hi all,

It's me again, and this time, my life's been full of JavaJive. Up to my eyeballs in it, actually. The final judging day is on Thursday 26th of June - which leaves me a mere 36 hours from the time this post is published. I just hope beyond all hope that our project is really good enough to win a prize, considering all the hardwork that the team - Hanafi, Wilson and myself have put in. We would also try very hard not to disappoint our teachers that have high hopes for us, namely Mr. Lawrence and Miss Lynn. They are both good teachers, and I couldn't possibly bear to see them disappointed by their team.

I will definitely give in a 110% on that day and try my very best to perform like never before. Actually, I really feel that our project is good, only that it is bogged down by too many functions that our school's critic panel commented as 'not fitting our concept of pre-illness, illness and post-illness care'. We would try to benefit from the criticisms and improve our presentation to make our idea clear and coherent to the judging panel. Well, that's it for the moment. Till next time, bye! :P

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Blogger
Lokman

The Barbeque with Friends

Hi all,

Wohoo! Ha ha... I went to a barbeque with my friends recently on the 16th and 17th of June. It was to be an overnight barbeque, and there were a lot of my really close friends attending it. During the barbeque, I had great talks with most them and on top of it all, the activities that we did we outrageously fun! Imagine being able to play soccer by the midnight seaside with some of your best friends while eating, laughing and joking together, all that the same time.

We also rented bicycles and tried to make our way to OCH (Old Changi Hospital) to find out whether its haunted reputation were really true (Ooooooo... Scary....) but sadly, we couldn't find it (awwwww), and it wasn't on our map either (*sighs*).It was truly a pain in the neck trying to find the hospital in the first place, but what almost knocked us out was the journey back (it was so goddamn long that I almost wanted to give up there and then and take a taxi ride back home). We really saw a lot of the hidden and beautiful sights in Singapore on our journey. For example, did you know that Singapore has one of the most

On that night, I got to see one of the most beautiful and happiest things in my life - a group of my friends having fun together. For the readers out there, this is what I learnt on that day: it is truly the friends in your life that make you happy. So cherish them while you can. Or joke with them while you can. Or hug them while you can. You get the picture. Ha ha. :P

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Blogger
Lokman

What my name means...

Hi all,

I seem to be in a bit of a daze these days, wondering whether I would be able to pick up my strength and will to continue on with my projects. The school work that I had done really did took a toll on me, more than I had even realised. So in this daze I decided to find meaning in my work and myself, and suddenly a bright idea came to me like a bright flash of dazzling light - why not find meaning in my name? So I searched the web (UIR did come in handy) and I did find something interesting:

What Lokman Hakim Means

You are relaxed, chill, and very likely to go with the flow. You are light hearted and accepting. You don't get worked up easily. Well adjusted and incredibly happy, many people wonder what your secret to life is. You are well rounded, with a complete perspective on life. You are solid and dependable. You are loyal, and people can count on you. At times, you can be a bit too serious. You tend to put too much pressure on yourself. You are a seeker of knowledge, and you have learned many things in your life. You are also a keeper of knowledge - meaning you don't spill secrets or spread gossip. People sometimes think you're snobby or aloof, but you're just too deep in thought to pay attention to them. You are confident, self assured, and capable. You are not easily intimidated. You master any and all skills easily. You don't have to work hard for what you want. You make your life out to be exactly how you want it. And you'll knock down anyone who gets in your way! You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are very intuitive and wise. You understand the world better than most people. You also have a very active imagination. You often get carried away with your thoughts. You are prone to a little paranoia and jealousy. You sometimes go overboard in interpreting signals. You are truly an original person. You have amazing ideas, and the power to carry them out. Success comes rather easily for you... especially in business and academia. Some people find you to be selfish and a bit overbearing. You're a strong person. You tend to be pretty tightly wound. It's easy to get you excited... which can be a good or bad thing. You have a lot of enthusiasm, but it fades rather quickly. You don't stick with any one thing for very long. You have the drive to accomplish a lot in a short amount of time. Your biggest problem is making sure you finish the projects you start.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

Well, I would really like this to be verified by my close friends. It seems that most of what they described about me rings true in my opinion. I really suggest that you give it a try to give yourself a perk in life. Ha ha. I too have an advice about living, and I follow it word by word: The world is in your hands. Be what you want to be. Well, that's it for now. Till next time, bye! :P

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Blogger
Lokman

Hie All!

Hi all,

I'm BACK!!! Oh, finally. The first semester of year 3 almost drowned me with its workload. I mean, during the first few weeks, things were great with school work bordering on the manageable side. However, during the last few weeks of that semester, the workload turned into a powerful tsunami that almost threatened to erode my sanity! Argh! But enough said on that subject, I finally got through it and damn, do I feel powerful enough to handle anything. I mean, if you can complete 43 pages for UIR (Using Internet as a Research Tool) and have still enough brain juice to write another 34 pages for MLBI (Manufacturing and Logistics Business Informatics) while juggling 9 pages of pure mental agony with ITSB (IT Systems in Banking), then hey, the SIP (Student Internship Program) couldn't be any much harder right? Ha ha. Well, that's all I have to say for today. Till next time, bye! :P

Your Friendly Neighbourhood Blogger
Lokman

Doing JavaJive... Hope it works...

Hi all,

It's been tremendously long before my last post, and I fear that this blog is going to get rotten :( So I'm starting it all over again in an effort to revive the old through new entries. Let's see, since the last post, there's alot of things going on. I've gone into block mode with this three subjects: MLBI, ITSB and UIR. They seem quite easy, but it involves alot on the theory part, and studying for them will definitely take some time. I've also signed up for the JavaJive competion (also involving alot of work and sleepless nights). I'll hope that it'll be good enough to be counted as a major project and we'll be able to travel to the region and win it all. Good luck everyone, and wish you all the best. Till next time, bye!

Your friendly neighbourhood Blogger
Lokman

NeW BeGiNiNgS, Old EnDinGs - And OVERSLEEPING

Hi all,

Well, writing has been getting harder and harder for me this days. Some experiences are just best told by word of mouth, but there are a few events worth noting and writing down.

Firstly, for the FIRST TIME EVER, I had overslept and not gone to school. Apparently, the school schedule had taken too much of a toll on me and I slept. Like a log :P. I was helping a friend till the wee hours of the morning and was going home to take a shower. Apparently, my plan was to leave for school immediately after that. This was not to be. I felt too tired that I HAD to just rest for a while, maybe for just a few hours. I told my mum to wake me up at 9.30 that morning so I could go to school. My mum did wake me up. And guess what. I WENT BACK TO SLEEP! ARGH! ROAR! SOB SOB....

I got the class worried, and i received about 50 plus miss calls. Haiz. Sorry guys. Thanks for worrying about me though. I'm touched.... Ha ha... Till next time, bye!

The Pretender - Foo Fighters

Hi all,

I apologise for the weird title, but I do love the song very much, as it reflects the state that I'm going through just now. I realised that I'm no ordinary person: I possess this tremendous amount of will-power and endurance to achieve my goals, no matter how long or hard the obstacles are. I believe so much in their lyrics: deep down, everybody has this superhuman spirit indomitable by difficulties or circumstances. Reach in yourself and just give it a try. Till next time, bye! =P

What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?

New songs for my blog

Hi all,

For the frequent readers of my blog, by now, it should be apparently clear that I'm some sort of a fanatic when it comes to new songs. I realised that I'm in abit of a pickle now that my favourite media YouTube has decided to not allow me to embed songs that I really like! Why? :( So I'm racking my brains for good new songs that aren't blocked and would really love some suggestions. Till next time, bye!

Long time awaiting

Hi all,

It's been a long time since I've come to my usual habits of online journalism, and ok, I'm abit rusty, but boy, do I have alot to talk about. My confidence has been booming to the maximum since I received my price money of $2000. It does feel very en-rich-ing (pardon the pun =P) having cash at hand and the absolute disposal of it, all according to one's whims and fancy. I've bought all my "essential" equipment: and my very basic "essentials" include a limited edition deep red PSP (to say the very least). I've blindly spend it, and it does feel oh so good. To catch the very attention of other lessers (people with ordinary PSPs) on my daily rides between school and home and gaining their envy would be enough revenge on my part for all those times where I'm left without the plaything while the others are happily playing away. Indeed, life is good. Ha ha. Well, I'm done writing my thoughts. Till next time.