Listening to: Run, Collective Soul
Thinking of: Skipping classes

Lost Horizons, Gin Blossoms

The last horizons I can see are filled with bars and factories
And in them all we fight to stay awake...
Drink enough of anything to make this world look new again
Drunk drunk drunk in the gardens and the graves
She had nothing left to say so she said she loved me
I stood there grateful for the lie...
Drink enough of anything to make this girl look new again
Drunk drunk drunk in the gardens and the graves
Turn summer trees to bones and ice
Turn insect songs against the night
With words we build and words we break
I’m drunk drunk drunk in the gardens and the graves...
Drink enough of anything to make myself look new again
Drunk drunk drunk in the gardens and the graves

Misadventure

Listening to: About a Girl, Nirvana
Feeling: Retrospective…

Admittedly, I am tempted to write pretty angry words in this edition of my blog. Not that anyone has incurred the wrath of umm… Me, but thinking back, I can’t help but feel betrayed when the world around me was tumbling down. Without a doubt the first 2 emotions that flood my heart are anger and frustration… That followed by depression and then sadness and care.

“Come as you are, as a trend, as a friend…”

No, I am no misunderstood genius (Well, if I’m going to be misunderstood, I might as well be a genius, eh? Imagine the phrase… Kelvin Chan, Boy Genius… it has a good ring to it). Heck, I’d give myself a pat on the back if I can first understand myself. On a lighter note and a less emotional one, I had a little misadventure this morning as I was coming into university. So yeah, housemate and I were trundling down the A46 this morning heading towards the motorway when suddenly we realized a long line of cars are being diverted to some little country road… Woo hoo! Fun, or so I thought… So all tragic from that one road converged onto a road meant for a single car. It wasn’t all that bad for me as I wasn’t the one going to be late for a class… Yes, I do go into university a lot earlier than my classes… but back to the story… Anyway, I have never seen my housemate that pissed off with traffic and cussing like mad. Well, needless to say and it does figure that he has an important class to attend. Oh well, so we diverted from our little road to some obscure bridge which (and thank goodness) led us to Kenilworth, of which was vaguely familiar. “At least we got to see better scenery… not that it makes up for the shit…” was what he said after a short while. However, on the other hand… I guess since I wasn’t in a rush I did enjoy that little detour and I did enjoy watching the pretty houses go slowly by and the fields that are bare after harvest. I enjoyed the blue sky today and soon I found myself in my own little world. Country bumpkin boy? Doubt it… I’d probably get bored of the scenery in 2 days… However give me a fast Jaguar and a location like that, I’d take it… It’s not that far from Leamington and well, a decent distance from civilization, all I ever wanted. I guess it’s free to dream… the more I think of it, the harder it seems to ever be successful in Malaysia… To achieve what my parents have continues to float away from me… I don’t know if I can ever recoup the money spent on my education and have enough to provide my children with an education like mine while still having a decent pension for my old days…

Now, on to a different plane of Kelvin’s twisted mind… Today, all the light bulbs in the house just blew. It was just very bizarre… If 1 blew, it would have been alright… However, all of them… and all in a go! That’s just really puzzling…

Listening: Ain’t no mountain, The Temptations + The Supremes

Listening to: Stay With Me, Finch
Thinking of: Hmm... lunch...

Scott is taking a shower while singing... pretty loudly... be it any consolation, at least he can sing. If I try doing that... oh goodness, forgive me world... It has been about 2 days since I last updated the blog. Anyway, these past 2 days have been pretty good...

For starters, I actually decided to go to Heat Transfer lectures on Monday and Tuesday and thank goodness I did, I mean we were discussing the assignment. If I didn't I think I'd be so lost with various graphs and so many numbers and unit-less numbers. Phew... so that was a good call that one. On the other hand, I got one of my friends to help me out with my marketing assignment (I mean hey, what is an engineer to do with marketing). I'm hoping for more help on that one actually in terms of product selection and the likes.

Last night, I managed to get tickets to Bowling For Soup concert on campus. It was bloody fun... and I did have a good time without much booze (only had a glass of wine at Eat, friends were having dinner). Iain managed to get like spectrums and even the bloody drum stick... Well, I guess it does pay to know the bouncers in front of the stage and also to have guts to actually dash to the front of the crowd. Oh well, good for him... the rest of us wimps watched from the pool room... and I swear Jaret looked up and waved to me a couple of times. Needless to say, I kinda lost my voice anyway for the night. I got Chris's (the fat guy) signature and we got a photo while he was socialising at Cholo's. Well, I could have gotten the rest of the band's signatures had I not been so blur while they were playing pool on the next table to ours. Well, support bands were Never Heard of It (NHOI) and Farce. Well, I thought NHOI was pretty good but I didn't seem to relate anywhere close to Farce. Oh well... Bowling For Soup was pretty good and they continued the show though the lights went bust in the Union... to top that off, had showmanship as well... they got the crowd to join in with lighters and cellphones and stuff like that. Quite cool... In short, I did enjoy myself last night.

Listening to: Nothing... I forgot to carry along my headphones this morning
Thinking of: Winter Wonderland? Never!

Its another day in the dreary library sitting at my usual perch on the 4th floor. I guess the library isn't all that bad... its got a pretty good view of the engineering school and well, during autumn, the trees covered with red and orange leaves and they're so pretty... Well, a total havoc for the cleaners sure (they've got massive vaccum cleaners that can be driven around, would want to try that really), but for me at least... I find the sight of falling red leaves and the noises they make so fascinating even 9 years on after I've seen autumn with my own eyes.

Films, managed to catch Kill Bill, 2 fast 2 furious and American Wedding... all in a span of 2 weeks. Personally I don't think Kill Bill lived up to its potential and well, it became more of a bloody mess to be honest. Not to say that it was bad... but it could be so much more. Conclusion, a good flick with way too much gore and headless graphic scenes. My housmates loved American Wedding as we see 1/2 (can't believe they axed Tara Reid) of the crew doing their usual stunts for the 3rd time. I found it amusing... but I don't find it compelling enough to actually spend money on. 2 Fast 2 Furious... enough said.

Ouchies!

Once again, another one of my Sunday in the engineering school before Church entries. After spending a day in Nottingham, suddenly I've realized that goodness, I've got so much to do... Anyway, my room is in disarray and I've got like a plate left out on the kitchen counter and of all things, I've yet to contribute to my domestic chores which this week is Cleaning the Bathroom. Oh boy... so much for going out to enjoy my day eh? Anyways, all of that domestic work will have to wait after lunch... which hopefully will be with Vicky and Sharon. :D

Right, Nottingham Games... in my personal view, Warwick in general should have done better. Then again, most if not all our players managed to get past the group stages, which to be fair... is an achievement. Volleyball... I thought the team played really well. Though we got bumped out in the quater finals... it was a good match. I mean for a team who has only played once together as a whole team before the tournament, it was a really good achievement... I mean hey, we lost to the eventual champions as well... Kudos!

On a more personal note, I managed to catch up with a couple of friends while I was there... it was definitely nice to see old familiar faces thats for sure. Unfortunately I didn't have much time to attend to socialising as I was stuck on court for most of the time. I mean I had a short conversation with Raveen, Maithili, Meeraf and Simran from college... Hau Chan and Yong Jin from Melawati... and a couple more MC people. Sigh... thinking about it now, I miss my past.

Took a walk with Ee Lynn and Ian around Notts. campus and ended up at the little cafe by the lake. Well, that is where Raveen work$... had a little chat and had some hot chocolate and well, that made me happy. We managed to get back to where the buses were though it was dark and well, we managed! The trip home was well... tiring and I did manage to catch a wee bit of shut eye on the bus.

So that was yesterday... it went too soon.

Cheerio!

Listening to: Porgy and Bess, Miles Davis
Thinking of: Shaking the thumb injury off

So anyway, had the final practice for Notts. games today and somehow I managed to further induce injury to my already battered thumb. So yeah, somehow trying to block a shot or at least to set it in a hopefully promising position, I managed to somehow hit the ball awkwardly and I think it bent my thumb back and sprained it. Oh well, needless to say the rest of the evening my thumb was wrapped in my jersey and an ice pack. However, I still managed to drag myself to the gym for a short ride on the bikes along with good ol' Ning and Jean.

Other than that, I guess my day was pretty ordinary. I was having a conversation with one of my friends today and suddenly I noticed how pretty she actually was. Oh well... I guess its one of those things that you don't really notice until one fine day it you just open your eyes and its right in front of you. Don't get me wrong... there are quite a number of good lookers in Warwick if one would just open their eyes and take notice. There are quite a few who don't seem really eye catching at first sight, but as conversation begins... sometimes the beauty shines... even if its just skin deep. Well I don't know... I mean I don't know nuts about women.

Having already sprained my thumb... I've come to realise how hard it actually is to live without an opposable thumb. When everything from the zipper to the pencil was designed to suit thumbs. Sigh... so if you asked me, for this brief moment I ought to have disabled status, along with the car park space and all!! Oh well, now to convince the rest of the world to think so. To be honest, I'm hoping the swelling will go down like overnight and then it'll definitely relieve a lot of pressure on the thumb itself.

Sex and Evil

Listening to: Breakfast at Tiffany's, Deep Blue Something
Thinking of: Show me the money, Jaguar!

Anyway, my little adventure in the library ufurls! I was taking a walk through the journals section... thats where most of my research references are and then I swore I passed this journal called Canadian Journal of EVIL Engineering. Right, surprised as I was and sure enough, I misread the thing. But that would have been pretty amusing right? Then I took a look in the next shelf and whoa! Now this one cought my eye... don't ask me why though.... Journal of Sex and Marital Theraphy. Now that was something I couldn't miss... I mean heck the title was as large as the entire A4 paper that was the cover. Oh well... Anyway, I guess one day I'll conjour myself to make a trip just to take a peek at what makes this journal. I mean, admittedly... some of the journals are pretty interesting... for the guys, there is Jane's Defence Weekly or the ones which I read quite often... Automotive Engineer... and really, if you're into the technical bits of cars... its a beautiful read.

Girls... well, unless you're into the artsy fartsy thing, or married (may I recommend Sex and Marital Theraphy, heck it writes things even Cosmo. editors would find embarassing)... I can't really think of anything really. But nonetheless there are quite a few amusing bits of journals there actually, much to my pleasure (at least the car bits, some curves are better than others... cars that is!)

Anyways, thats a short one from the library... I'll have to go on to the Sports Hall... Volleyball time! ;) Can't take a minute of the library anymore... Cheerio!

Smokey the Bear

Listening to: Sheep Go to Heaven, Cake
Thinking of: I wanna head back to bed

Anyways, a bit of background... its kinda early in the morning and I've been awake since 5... Not a bad thing altogether... Can't really remember the last time I managed to coax myself out from bed at 5-ish just to do things. Think it was in 1st year being the Malaysian Soc. External Officer when yours truly had to make sure e-mails and schedules had to be sent out before people woke up. LOL!

But the day looks promising... if I can keep the past to the past and move along the way. I don't have that many plans today... but I think thats actually good for once. To a certain extent I think I've really exhausted myself over the last week and now I'm paying the price for it. Uggghhh... But hey, thats not going to stop me from playing Volleyball... I can't remember the last time I played it. Not that I'm any good to begin with... I mean digging the ball once is a good thing.

I was looking at some of my pictures of my Kuantan trip earlier and really, I remember feeling rather happy and blissful then. Kuantan... though I sail further away from it each day, its a point I look back with so many fond memories.

A new beginning

Worlds apart,
I think of you sometimes
I miss your smile,
I miss your voice

The friend I never had,
Please tell me its not that bad,
I miss how you'd tell me its all right
and how you'd always be there

Today, I can't tell
I don't want to feel
I don't want to hurt
Don't want to fall

The tides turn again,
The waves pound,
Thoughts of you come conjouring back
Today, myself I lack

Only in the western world

Listening to:What went wrong, Blink 182
Thinking about: What went wrong (urrr... coincidence?)

"....I can't forget,
Can't give in,
What went wrong, cause you said this was right..."

I don't do this often but this morning Umut turned on the tele. and we were watching Kilroy. Most of the time I think Kilroy is annoying and somewhat silly. However as silly as it still was this morning, there was an interesting topic (yes, its silly). Basically, its about this lady and her unemployed husband obtaining 37 grand a year (in pounds, ladies and gentlemen) in benefits from the government and sitting pretty though with 8 kids. Her husband isn't working and receiving benefits due to "severe depression" due to the loss of his mother about a year ago or something like that. The basic argument was that this is absolute outrage and stupid that the rest of the nation has to pay for this household a total of 52 grand a year gross (before tax) and they can manage to live in an affluent neighbourhood while not working. Heck, even the ever diplomatic Kilroy was against her... Only in the western world... I could go on condeming her and her family seeing how so many of us are working our butts off just to get through whatever we have to do and there are some people who think its justified to siffon money out of the government system and has the chic to say "I frankly thing there is no problem with it"

Be still oh my soul,
What is it that you don't find whole?
Be still my heart,
Though you can never be a part

For people are only human,
Not perfect in each and other way
Wishing to fly,
only to die

On the wings of another
Oh please don't let it flounder,

Listening to: Name, Goo Goo Dolls
Thoughts at the moment: Materials, work

I'm in the library once again trying to do some work in regards with my project. The more I do, somehow the more worried I get... Sigh...

Somehow, I'm feeling a little sad and a little disappointed... A couple of thoughts running through my head. However, I'm back to reading journals on cars... quite my favourite thing to do anyway. Cars... drool... some friends think that my liking for these 4 wheeled machines border obsession. Oh well...

Anyways, it is a couple of hours since I started writing this entry,

Listening to: Summertime, Modern Jazz Quartet(MJQ)

Strangely enough, MJQ isn't all that modern... but they're pretty relaxing to listen to especially when yours truly is a big bunch of nerves. Anyways, back to cars! This weekend, a friend of my housemate popped by... Sarah was her name and I thought she was pretty sweet... but oh, the killer part was that yes, Sarah loved cars too... Woo hoo! How about that, I've finally met a girl who doesn't go "Isn't a car made to take you from point A to B?" It turns out that her brother has an Imprezza as well... Hahahaha... cool, cool.

But of course, on the other hand, my project has had to hit the brakes for a while as I've realised they've removed a material selection software in the Engineering Computer Lab. First reaction, "GASP, HORROR!" I certainly hope that there has just been some innocent mistake. Anyways, time to progress on other fronts then... my case study I've decided will be Aluminium (Audi A8 and Jaguar XJ) and the Porsche Carerra GT and all for the use of composites in vehicle construction. Oh yes, btw... that was in English if you were wondering. Right, anyways... time to jump back into another issue of Automotive Engineer

Another Sunday morning, bright and sunny. I'm alone in the engineering computer lab waiting for the right time to start walking to church and well, kinda thinking about how I'm going to approach the new week... Should I be really industrious and work like there is no tomorrow? I've got no idea... but we'll take it day by day.

All notions of summer have disappeared from my mind. Now its main focus is to study and to get the grades that I want. God willing... However on the other hand, there is my work hard and play hard motto this year and as I think back to the previous week, I really do have to thank God for the energy... I don't know how I managed to do all of that I've done over the past week, speaking of which... I still have to get a pair of shoes and a new shirt. Retail theraphy... nothing quite like it. LOL

I'm actually enjoying myself in university and though its only the beginning of the 3rd week, I hope I can carry this attitude all the way to the end of the year. Once again, my mantra! Work hard, play hard! Woo hoo!

Listening to: track 4, Metoera, Linkin Park
Thinking of: Rugby World Cup, a true man’s sport?

Being alone in my room, I feel compelled to write something though I don’t have the internet around at the moment and I’d probably have to publish it on Monday morning. Curtains pulled and the dim yellow light of my only source of light gives my room a strangely surreal feel.

I surely wish I had someone I could just simply call and have a good conversation. Maybe it’s because the conversation with Aida this morning was rather short. I mean, I did call her at the wrong time anyway… and she’s always wonderful to speak to. Yet when I think back to the UK, I can’t think of anyone on top of my head that I’d like to talk to or maybe someone who’d just tolerate my nonsense. Hehehe… just a silly random thought though… could it be that I’m actually missing female company? I mean I’m doing engineering which has err…. 3 girls in my class, it doesn’t help that I’m living with another 3 guys as well.

Last night was pretty decent, Soul Nation that is. The music was reasonable and really, the only major gripe I had was the darned crowd… it seems that the union was filled over the brim. Oh well… there are other minor gripes but nothing to really bother me much. Its good to dance as well and I must admit, it did put a bit of a smile on my face. Although I admit that the occasional clubbing night out is good fun, nothing beats a good dinner with good company. That in a sense would make me happiest… it may cost quite a bit more but the idea of an intelligent if not silly conversation is something I always enjoy. In retrospect, I really do miss having friends around in KL and being mobile enough to have a couple of good meals in some fancy place. I was laughing with a couple of friends the other day that Leamington is wasted on me… All those snazzy restaurants and then there is no one to go out with me. I guess Leamington is quite a distance for guys from Coventry or on campus (think its 20 quid for a cab if I remember correctly).

Listening to: Nothing
Thinking about: Nothing

So this new nothingness that comes with me. I guess its a Sunday morning and I'm at the IT centre before I take a walk over to church. Its been a pretty tough week, this week. Things to do, classes to attend... to settle in once again with different housemates and also to start working on whatever I have to do. Its been a big run around and I do hope that along the way, I'll get a little bit of support here and there from friends and family, also that I won't get sidetracked by doing other things instead of whatever I'm supposed to do.

I'll be going sailing on the coming Saturday, Graham convinced me that I should join the sailing soc. The only one which I actually regret signing up for and hence wasting a couple of pounds on was Mountain Biking, don't get me wrong... I love the sport, I think its one that's gotten me through lots of tough times and what that builds character while having a great deal of fun and a shot of adrenaline through the arm, the thing is that I don't have a proper Mountain Bike in the UK and I'm unwilling to fork out about 300 pounds to get one. Other sports of which I've taken an interest is badminton (as always), motorsports and archery, though I've yet to tell Will that I'll be doing it. Sigh...

My badminton game has deteriorated, I can't place a shot properly to the small boxes at the corners anymore and my smashes are absolutely gone, I can't even hold a racquet naturally anymore. I guess give me a couple of games and hopefully I'll be back on track.

I've also gone for a couple of parties so far and really, Greek chicks are really, really hot. Met a couple of them the other day and I almost had to roll my tongue back into my mouth and lift my jaw off the floor before I could even say hi. Oh well...

Anyways, as for me, I think I shall leave this blog as it is for the meantime till I can find a proper time to update it as well as just to prune it a little here and there.