SEaN™ YaNG

haven't updated since i got back home. it's been a GREAT summer with friends and family. and im leaving for berkeley this sat.

now it's just getting ready and stuff.

 

and also i've changed my msn account. if you were on my old msn frd list (sky19891020@hotmail.com) please add seanyy@live.com :)

 

I had experienced the worst procrastination since 2009 this weekend. But I learned a lot. I learned a lot from this great man.

 

We can’t change the cards we’re dealt, just how we play the hand.

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Brick walls are there for a reason. They are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. The brick walls are there to stop people who don’t want it badly enough.

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Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you wanted.

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No one is pure evil. Find the best in everybody. Wait long enough and people will surprise and impress you.

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It’s very important to know when you are in a pissing match and it’s very important to get out of it as quickly as possible.

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The best gift an educator can give is to get somebody to become self reflective.

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If your kids want to paint their bedrooms, as a favor to me, let ‘em do it.

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Never underestimate the importance of having fun. I’m dying and I’m having fun. And I’m going to keep having fun every day because there’s no other way to play it.

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It is not about achieving your dreams but living your life. If you lead your life the right way, the karma will take care of itself. The dreams will come to you.

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If you are going to do anything that is pioneering you will get those arrows in your back.

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I now believe that Wikipedia is a perfectly fine source for your information, because I know what the quality control is for real encyclopedias.

 

The last lecture of Randy Pausch, who inspired tens of thousand people. I admire him.

 

 

 

儿子长这么大，第一个没有和你们在一起过的春节，

我想你们，

我爱你们。

 

So the last final exam grade of last term came out. Got term average of 89% for 15 credits earned, which is 4.3 in 4.0 GPA scale.

 

- Jie Geng

 

Life expectancy in Canada is about 80 years. This may seem quite a long time, but time is only relevant in terms of experiences. So why does it seem like we squander away so much of our youth constantly in search of fast, high energy escapades that's ever so fleeting? Granted, it is fantastic once in a while to let loose. However, the constant crash and burn causes us to sink deeper in our miseries. << haha, Pascal getting to me!

Whatever happened to the cheesy term of "stop and smell the roses?" We're always on the go, always seeking the fastest, shortest route to our destinations even if we are not in a hurry. A literal example of this would be to seek out the 99 express bus route to UBC when the 17 or 4 is right in front. It is understandable to desire to take the 99, perhaps walking a few blocks up and catching it will save 15 minutes or more in terms of commute. But what is the point of going through all the hassle if there is no hurry? What is so wrong with sitting on the bus at night, listening to the music from our iPods or if with company, have a longer conversation? Personally I enjoy sitting on the bus, looking out the window as I listen to some amazing songs. It's relaxing, mind clearing and absolutely sensual. It's an experience that does not cost anything to our bodies or our wallets.

In a recent conversation with friends, an unanimous agreement was reached as to the real reason we seek these high octane adventures is to avoid our inner conflicts. Not everyone has "major issues," but most of us have some inner turmoil that we attempt to avoid. Being drunk or high may temporarily stop/slow down the ruminative thoughts in our minds but does not generally contribute to maximizing the sense of happyiness or feeling of content.

We spend a lot of our energy and time worrying about the future. The most common phrase I hear nowadays is "I am so stressed!" But what is the point of "stressing out"? Does it contribute to solving the issue at hand? Is the issue even resolvable? If it is resolve-able, my suggestion would be to take action. If it is not something in which one can take steps to resolve, then the best way to accept that fact. This is especially annoying when it is an issue that involve a 3rd person-"something, to do with someone else." While it is nice to care for others, this is where selfishness comes in handy. Accept the fact that one cannot change the situation and move on. There is enough to deal with already, why let other's problems affect oneself? Or worst off, constantly talk to ANOTHER person about the first person's problem. Is it really beneficial to SPREAD the misery around? Think of this in terms of economics. We commonly associate TIME = MONEY. So, by stressing out about someone else's problems, it is really not a worthwhile cost. Therapist are paid to deal with other people's problems, so it make financial sense for them. On the other hand, wasting ENERGY on other people's problems is only ROBBING one of LIFE. It is easier said than done, but with practice, it can be mastered. I don't mean to say that I am always 100% stress free, but I like to believe that I can actively alter my thoughts and feelings to alleviate my "stress."

But the best way to make life a little more tolerable is to savor every one of our experiences-no matter how mundane. Train the mind to absorb the small details. Whether it is commuting home from class, completing everyday chores (such as cleaning room, dishes, cooking) or even when consuming meals, it can all be enjoyed better if we are not constantly in panic mode. So go ahead, enjoy the walk at night, embrace the silence as you walk. Take a deep breath, smell the air (think of how wonderful it smells at UBC- the scent of autumn leaves and rain instead of the pollution and garbage that plague many other areas of the world.) Listen carefully to the music. (One may notice new aspects that is otherwise largely ignored.) Music is great as soundtrack to working out or set the mood, but think of how often one actually REALLY LISTEN to music purely for the sensual experience? So lights off, speakers on, eyes shut, tune in. Savor every meal as much as possible. Slowly sip that drink, let it touch all the parts of the tongue. (Especially if you're drinking wine eh?) Perhaps by incorporating all these details, one can find a way to naturally relax the body physically and mentally. 80 years....The clock is ticking.

DISCLAIMER: It's just my point of view....not to criticize or be preachy.

 

my body's been functioning really abnormally for the past week. I had so much trouble sleeping, no matter how tired i was during the day.

i've been trying hard to sleep early and, hopefully, get up early in order to adjust to a better physical status for the future exams in the morning. Apparently I failed huge. couldn't drag myslef out of bed in the morning and couldn't put myself into sleep at night.

lying on bed, my thoughts went wild. i thought bout the past (a lot), the present, the future. I thought about places (especially HOME!), people and books. I thought about science, social science and fringe science. I thought about EVERYTHING which kind of drove me crazy sometimes.

Anyways, hope it'll get better soon. it's the last day before 3 exams in 3 days in a row tomorrow. speaking of exams, I'm not seriously worried about it but still feeling so intense. i know i'll do my best (esp. for math =(..) and hope this first round of finals in univeristy would not leave me with regrets.

and today i sent a msg to one of my role models since senior year in high school, just because feel i'd love to keep in touch with him.

also i spent like 3 hours to get my social insurance number today, which almost pissed me off. because the application system in that office was down. you know 3 hours are worth A LOT during final exams period.

well this post was kind of random. but trust me, it's much much more organized than the thoughts on mind right now. so i'll stop here by wishing everyone good luck with exams or any other papers. :)

 

Sean

so, i finally start to feel tired now, after 4 days of really hardcore study.

but somehow all this didn't make me more confident or whatever.

deep inside, im still confused. about a lot of things.

like. if it's all worth it.

like. if it really can help me get to the place.

like. if i am really happy.

 

Sometimes, i know, i'm not ready. not ready to embrace all the changes.

but when? when would i be ready?

i wish the answer could be, always.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

It's going to be the last day of class tomorrow. Sometimes it's just hard to believe the first semester is almost gone. And now we are about to "prove" ourselves through the most traditional means of assessment, called Final Exams.

Wish me luck. :)