Sunday Thoughts

She caught my attention as I read the Sunday Times between my heavy eyelids. She is merely 28, holds a doctorate and is the inventor of the recycled spectacles. I probably wouldn't have paid much attention had I not tried the recycled spectacles at Nanyang Optical recently.

Whenever I read of such young achievers, I would often think "hey, what have I been doing all this while?". I was from a reputable school, had a decent education, yet I feel stagnated now. Looking back, I think one of the main causes of my stagnation is my lack of courage. I'm just not not daring enough. During the most colorful period of my life, I had the chance for something bigger but I pulled the brakes. Few years later, when I should have closed a chapter, yet I still held on to it. It seems that I always fall into the trap of letting go too early or holding on for too long.

A friend once said to me, it is not so much of whether you can or not but rather, you dare or not. How very true, especially when I look at the people around. Many who are doing well in life now did not come from reputable "good" schools and some did not ace academically. Conversely, some products of the "good" schools are now just a plain face in the crowd.

So what am I trying to get at? While a formal education is important, I feel that greater emphasis should be placed on character building. A person with the right attitude and good character will go far in life, regardless of his beginnings.

If I coulld turn back the clock, I'd choose to be bolder and listen less to the "good advice" of well-wishers. Alas! I can't go back in time but I guess it's still not too late to start now. Wish me luck ;)

Unusual encounter

What is the last thing that you think you'll ever see in an air-conditioned foodcourt housed in a shopping mall? I was having my dinner at Kopitiam foodcourt in IMM last night when I had the shock of my life. Halfway through my dinner, I saw something running furiously towards my direction. I wasn't wearing my spectacles, yet I could see it so clearly. I was lucky that I didn't choke on my food but I almost dropped my cutlery. Guess what I saw?

It's a furry creature of about 20cm in length, grey in colour, has a long tail. Need I say more? It's a RAT! My first reaction was to lift up my legs. Apparently, some of the diners around me did not even know what happened. The lady at the table on my right continued eating as if nothing has happened. Oh my, if only she knew there was a rat running inches away from her slippers-clad feet. The furry creature ran under her table, then under my table and headed straight for the recycle bin a table away from me. There was a mop and some cleaning equipment next to the bin and the rat just hid in there.

Some of the cleaners saw it and they were amused. They tried to see where the rat was hiding, yet they were afraid that it might spring out suddenly. I couldn't concentrate on eating anymore. I kept looking out at that corner, just in case it ran out again and leap onto my chair. Well, I'm not exactly sure if rats have such ability but I do see cats leaping onto chairs in coffee shops. You can't blame me for my wild imagination. The impossible has already happened right under my nose.

I wouldn't be as surprised if it was a cockroach or if I were in an old market hawker centre. But how in the world did the rat get into an air-conditioned foodcourt on the second floor of IMM? Did it take the travelator, escalator or lift? Or is this somebody's naughty pet that jumped out of the bag? Unlikely, I thought.

As you probably can guess, I did not finish my food. We hurriedly left when those guys got serious in hunting it down. I had initially thought of staying to see how the drama ends but I'm afraid I might become part of the drama and make a fool of myself :P