justinl

Status updates in picture 002

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 20:20:00 +0000

Justin Lim Jia Tian

Take a deep breath, and you'll know that wasn't deep enough.

"Breathless" | View from Schilthorn, 2970m. Switzerland. Nov 2011. justinlim.

Click on the picture to enlarge.

Status updates in pictures 001

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 21:06:00 +0000

Justin Lim Jia Tian
RT "@GreatestQuotes: 'The human race is governed by its imagination.' - Napoleon Bonaparte"

@justinjtlim on Twitter · 29 October at 22:09 via Twitter

Place de la Concorde, Paris. Aug 2011. justinlim.

Hazy

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 21:13:00 +0000

It's been a hell of a weekend. Utter laziness with irregular (and rather untimely) bursts of deeply-inspired motivation. Okay, many weekends have past since my last update. A rather reflective post, that was. And yet the soul-searching continues.

On reality, I've moved from Tours to Colmar. Newly-erected cerebral monuments mark the carnival of events which zipped past me. The two months in that charming city have been, to say the very least, significant.

The heavy German influence in the Alsace region of France gives Colmar a bretzel-like flavour. Luckily for me, I now escape the true wrath of the Indian Summer Sun in the comfort of my classroom. The chilly winds in the morning are somewhat relaxing and refreshing, quickly blowing away the morning sleepiness. At night, the temperature drops below 10 degree Celcius as I take refuge in my sweaters and the comfort of the bed and blanket.

I'm still struggling with productivity. I have read and watched numerous resources on the net and have started to implement these suggestions, physically, mentally and spiritually. I'm still uncertain, perhaps I'm asking for too much from myself. Or am I grossly overestimating the grandeur of my chores.

“A hero is a man who does what he can.”
Romain Rolland

Nevertheless, autumn has come, the little flowers of my tiny quirky plant has bloomed for the one and only time this year; summer still isn't satisfied, and me, well I'm surprised at my current mood.

Place de la Concorde, Paris. Aug 2011. justinlim.

A toast to an awesome week.

P.S: You're not going to McFlurry-fy me.

Disarray

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 23:03:00 +0000

It baffles me how when I identify an obvious weakness I hesitate to do anything. Recently, that hesitation has started to develop into a habit, I'm afraid. Perhaps it is optimism corrupted with sloth. Perhaps it is just a lack of motivation.

Or perhaps, I'm forgetting something. Something I've been relying on throughout all these years. Something I subconsciously cherish.

Of peace and solitude I've had aplenty, yet that moment of reflection eludes me.

Wherever my search takes me, Time's constant nagging brings me back to reality.

And I'd better hurry. Autumn approaches.

Paris, August 2011

"It takes as much energy to wish as it does to plan."

Eleanor Roosevelt

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 21:15:00 +0000

Renovation works underway.

Progress: 0.56%

Blanc is the new black, by the way.

I'm in ~~Miami~~ Europa, bitch.

Justin

Upheaval

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 13:39:00 +0000

Resumes and Interviews for Dummies

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 14:08:00 +0000

This post is on a seminar titled "Resume Writing and Interview Skills" by a Jobstreet employee, held at KDU two or three Tuesdays ago. Of all days, my classes finish very early on Tuesday so I could join Muzamil, Sajid, Hazwan, Amarveen and the rest for the seminar. It was more of a small reunion for us as we cracked lame jokes and acted "Free"-ly. As I told a few people I'd share the contents of the seminar with them, I figured I'd just post them up for everyone else too. It should be clear that this little guide, as you can call it, is mostly based on the notes I took at the seminar, perhaps presented in a slightly different manner. Have fun :D

Getting a job isn't as easy as it seems, especially at times of economic uncertainty. Employers are looking for more efficient and innovative workers at lower prices while future employees want higher job security and obviously, better salary. It's a situation where neither sides are willing to sacrifice much and this situation is partially responsible for the high unemployment rates globally.

Then again, it ain't that hard either. If you can't even get a job, what else can you do in life?

Graduating top of the class or having unparalleled passion isn't going to guarantee success, generally-speaking. Knowing the right way would save you all the unnecessary hassle.

To greatly improve your chances of securing a job, or rather, the job of your dreams, you'll need to be clear about 6 essential things.

1. THE ATTITUDE

It's pretty simple and straightforward. You need to have the right attitude in everything you do in life.

Attitude determines character, and character determines work performance, which in turn determines your paycheck. Screw this up, and failure would gladly be your best buddy.

"Your focus determines your reality."

Qui-Gonn Jinn, Jedi Master

So unless you have the Force, start focusing on your attitude if you really want to shape your own reality.

2. THE DOCUMENTS

The "stuff" that you definitely MUST have before you apply for a job:

- Resume

- Certificates

- Transcripts

- Testimonial

In this post, only the resume would be covered. The other three are probably self-explanatory, you don't even need to be a dummy to know what they are and how to get them.

So there you have it. In other words, you'll need to outline your achievements BRIEFLY and CONCISELY in your resume. Here are some more tips to ensure that your resume doesn't end up in the bin too soon.

i) Don't be humble

But you're not supposed to be arrogant either. You have to make sure you clearly show your strengths and qualities but at the same time be careful not too regard yourself too highly. It's up to you to find the balance.

ii) Don't copy

You have to be UNIQUE if you want to stand out and get the job. Be original, be yourself.

iii) Sell your skill set

Among the skills you would want to highlight (ONLY if you really have them):

- Writing

- Organising

- Communication/Language

- Leadership

- Presentation

- Entrepreneurial

It would be better if you could prove your skills and not just list them out. If you were involved in organising events for your society either in school or in university, or if you were part of the editorial team, then put that in your resume. Don't just tell them how good you are, show them.

iv) List all your accomplishments

Try using numbers and data when talking about your accomplishments. People respond well to numbers and statistics, in fact, they will have a better understanding of your accomplishments. For example, explaining that an event you organised managed to attract "up to 500 people" would be much more helpful than merely stating it as being "very successful".

Besides that, list major achievements first. You don't have space to list out all the minor ones so only include those important ones, especially if they are related to the job you are applying for.

If you're still studying, it would be wise to keep an achievement journal and to have all your certificates well-organised.

v) Research the company

Diligence pays off. Customise the resume to the services, technology, markets, brand, position etc of the company you are applying to. You would also need to do some research on the company's background to prepare yourself for the interview later on if you get shortlisted, so don't take this lightly.

vi) Accuracy matters

Check and recheck. Carelessness resulting in typographical errors etc would immediately cast a shadow over your application.

Right, on to the 3C's:

i) Competency
Simply put, this covers your level of knowledge, skills etc. It includes anything that you've learned, either formally or informally, and would like to add in you CV (preferably because you find it related to the position you're applying for). Don't just list out what you know and what skills you have, instead try to show it to your future employers by including the workshops, courses, seminars etc that you've attended.

ii) Cooperation
You pretty much know how important cooperation is in a corporation, blah blah blah. Anyway these are the few pointers the speaker gave during the seminar. Your future employers will be looking for:
  a) a team player with a strong sense of comradeship
  b) a pleasant personality allowing you to quickly adjust into the team
  c) drive and energy
  d) ability to defend the ideals and beliefs of the team
  e) dependability and reliability

iii) Commitment
Among the qualities which fall into this category:
- organised and well-planned
- ability to see things through and get them accomplished
- ability to meet deadlines, good time management skills
- quality output
- minimum supervision
- self-manageable and motivated

Being from Jobstreet.com, the speaker didn't miss the chance to share with us the different services offered by the company, especially the Career Services and English Learner's Assessment. Feel free to visit Jobstreet.com.

3. JOB HUNTING METHODS

- word of mouth, friends, relatives etc
- newspapers
- employment agencies (just don't go to the wrong ones)
- cold-calling, mailing and emailing

Or you could also utilise the Internet. The Internet captured 82.58% of the market share in Dec 2010 (based on the statistics we were given by the speaker)

4. PREPARING YOURSELF PHYSICALLY

First impression doesn't just count, it'll probably be a BIG factor when your future employers are down to two choices, and you happen to be one of their choices. Walk in like a tramp, and be prepared for the next interview with a rival company.

i) Don't underestimate the power of personal hygiene
Unless of course, you're dreaming of taking over Mike Rowe's job on Discovery Channel.

ii) Pick out proper clothes
proper clothes = comfort = confidence (period)

iii) Practice talking
In front of a mirror. Like an idiot. Yes, do it and you'll be less idiotic on the day itself.

5. ATTENDING THE INTERVIEW

OK, you want a job. And the interviewer wants to know if you can fill the position. It's that simple. Remember to do as much research as you can about the company interviewing you to show your initiative. Go prepared and as with every other important event in your life,

Also be mindful of proper etiquette: Firm handshake, sit straight up, have eye contact etc
And speak calmly and confidently. Listen carefully, organise your thoughts and reply clearly.

One more tip, when asked if there are any questions, do take the opportunity to ASK!
For example:

1) How is job performance evaluated?
2) What are the goals and challenges of the particular department?
3) How will I be trained or orientated for the job?
4) Who would I work with?
5) Does the job require travel or regular transfers?

Ask the right questions and you might be leaving a better impression of yourself, an impression of initiative. But don't ask the questions if the answers are readily found on the company's website, unless you already have another job offer waiting for you.

Out of courtesy, you could also send a handwritten 'Thank You' note to the interviewer.

And here are the FAQs during an interview:

1) Tell me a bit about yourself. (ALWAYS prepare for this question, it's inevitable. Answer wisely and not crap about what type of underwear you like wearing)
2) Tell me what you know about our company (If you don't know nuts about the company, then why on earth did you even apply? Do your homework and you shall ace this one)
3) What is it about our company that interests you?
4) What qualities/skills do you think this position involves?
5) What do you consider to be your strengths and weaknesses?
6) What would you consider your greatest achievement?
7) Where do you see yourself 5 years from now? (Model answer: If the economy is still as crappy as it is now, I'd probably be considering your retrenchment.)
8) Do you have any questions to ask us?

Digressing a bit, here're the top reasons why companies don't hire fresh graduates (Based on a survey by Jobstreet.com in 2009):

1) Asking for unrealistic salary/benefits - 55%
2) Poor English - 48% (I hope the Malaysian Ministry of Education takes notice of this. Then again, we shouldn't expect them to know too much after all)
3) Choosy about first job/company - 38%
4) Poor character, attitude or personality - 35%
5) Poor communication and other basic soft skills - 33%
6) Syllabus not meeting demands of company - 22%
7) Knowledge of skills not deep enough - 17%
8) Ill-prepared for job interview - 13%
9) Unable to demonstrate problem-solving ability - 11%
10) No interest - 10% (Please at least try to inject some enthusiasm in the interview)

In general, these are what employers find lacking:

1. Communication
- poor English
- lacking teamwork
- little confidence

2. Attitude
- no continuous learning/self-learning
- questionable commitment

3. Expectations
- it's not about what the company can do for you, but what you can do (as usual...)
- be realistic in evaluating your market value

4. Skill mismatch
- level of knowledge not in depth

5. Can't demonstrate problem-solving skills

So start working on all these points NOW.

6. GETTING AND KEEPING THE JOB

Don't you ever forget the probation period. Most companies have that, either formally or informally, so please watch your behaviour especially during the first few months. Yes, we all slack, it's an inevitable natural phenomena, but I'm sure you wouldn't want to attend another interview a month after landing your first job.

Among the things to remember even after you've gotten the job:

-Keep learning
-Broaden you perspectives
-Pick up additional skills e.g: IT, latest technology, foreign language, business skills, negotiation skills, strategic thinking

Attend courses, seminars, workshops, read books, meet new people, travel to new places etc. Do these according to your own capacity. But remember, your job comes first. These things will definitely hasten your climb up the corporate ladder or at least, give you something to fill into your CV as you apply for your next job.

That basically sums up the seminar. Best of luck, folks :)

Oh and remember to get your own copy of the newest bestseller, Resumes & Interviews For Dummies! For a limited time only, you get two hotdogs and a coldcat for every purchase of the book. Available at all minor and never-heard-before bookstores thousands of light years from you. Get it now!

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Tue, 22 Feb 2011 11:11:00 +0000

Perhaps it's going to be a new year?

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 11:09:00 +0000

I recently watched Inception. Very recently. Yes, I did NOT watch it in the cinema. I had to be contented with my 14.4-inch laptop. I have to admit that I was so hyped up by the movie that if it wasn't for the light-hearted, yet still meaningful, Gulliver's Travel, I would not have been able to blog about Inception. I met up with Xiang Yan again three days ago, together with Ni Wen and Abigail (also back from Down Under). We watched Gulliver's Travel and I must say I enjoyed every bit of it. Jack Black rocks and rocks and just kicks ass in the movie. I saw some "School of Rock" here and there, a little bit of "Kungfu Panda" and that other movie about nachos and wrestling in the movie. Amanda Peet looked great too, but the fact that she could fall for a ball-less jackass loser like Gulliver was pretty unconvincing. Anyway, the show seemed pretty much like a parody of the classic tale at times. It was a great show really, and I STRONGLY RECOMMEND anyone reading this to immediately rush off to get tickets, after you reach the end of this post, of course.

Anyway, back to Inception. Yes, the movie is awesome, spectacular, magnificent, superb and any other positive adjective I can think of. Seriously, it rocks. I'm not going to write much about it but I must say that the acting was AWESOME, the effects were BREATHTAKING and the plot, it was simply MIND-BLOWING, to say the very very least. I really really regret not having watched it in the cinema when it was still showing. To my surprise though, I know quite a number of people who have not watched it yet. Among one of the reasons would be the fact that the movie was screened during our trials. It was still on after the trials but I believe we were just all too busy. To summarise it, Inception blew me away, besides giving me cerebral orgasms. I really admire Christopher Nolan, who wrote, directed and produced the movie, having directed another masterpiece, The Dark Knight (featuring the superb Heath Ledger as The Joker, may he rest in peace).

Well, the new year's coming! The transition from a mammoth year, having 365 momentous days, each and every 24 hours significant in its very own way, to a new and unexpected year, with even more twists and turns already anticipated, would last only one second. Yes, from 23:59:59 of 2010 to 00:00:00 of 2011. That significant second shall last for 24 hours around the globe. Celebrations, beer, parties, music and fireworks shall be the kings and queens of the entire day. Not that they already aren't.

The idea of reciting one's new year resolutions silently, in a solemn mood, offering prayers for those who have left us this year, and to everyone else still in this living hell and just savouring that second in silence, seems to have been drowned by the overwhelming festive mood. To be fair to everyone, it is easily said but often overlooked. Even I myself fail to do it every year. But I really do admire those who actually spend just a second of their lives, specifically the last second of the entire year, in prayer. Whatever religion or philosophy, just a moment of divinity wouldn't ruin your celebration. As I write this, I am promising myself that I shall be doing what I am preaching, if that is what I'm actually doing here, this year, and for the remaining years till I exhale my last breath.

Perhaps if everyone starts off their year with a firm resolution, preferably a positive one, there could really be a significant change in our world. A change we have been dreaming of for centuries. A change for the better. A real change. Not mere words from politicians. Not mere treaties endorsed by nations. A change which will, hopefully, be able to stand firm against the oppressive powers bent on destroying us from the inside. Such a change might not require a multi-billion dollar campaign, nor would it require a complete overhaul of the global political landscape.

Perhaps all we need is the awareness for such a change to take root in our minds, deep in our subconscious. Perhaps all we really need is to let this idea of a change spread its root and grow in our subconscious, gradually affecting our conscious thoughts and actions. Perhaps we could do it, and be the generation responsible for sowing the seeds of change. Letting it flourish into a vast jungle, slowly.

Perhaps this idea has already been implanted in our brains since we began walking on two legs. Perhaps it has been programmed in our DNA, that it is an essential part of our survival. Perhaps this idea is the very reason behind our evolution, the driving force behind our transformations from simple amino acids in a primordial soup on earth.

Or perhaps this is impossible after all. Even if it were possible, someone might make good use of it by turning the six billion people on earth into his living zombie army.

Then again, there is no good nor evil. Its all an illusion, one might say. What you perceive as good might be evil to me. Maybe one day we shall wake up to reality, or are we actually falling deeper and deeper in our eternal slumber?

Perhaps if I had not watched Inception, I wouldn't be wasting your time with this. But if you had watched it yourself, you might find all these valid arguments.

Perhaps I'm getting too obsessed with the idea Christopher Nolan implanted in me. Perhaps that he was performing Inception, after all, through his movie. Or that his movie only served to re-activate the hidden idea , buried deep within our subconscious, in our genetic code.

Maybe I shall just end my post now. Happy New Year in advance :)

I wish you readers all the best in 2011, sincerely :)

Sukhi Hontu :)

"I told myself I'd think about the title after I finish typing"

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 07:48:00 +0000

It's been a while now since I passed up my last answer booklet to the invigilator. So yeah, I'm finally tasting freedom. Or so it seems. I've cleared up my old textbooks and revision books. But my room is still in a big big mess. All "renovation" works have been stalled while I "buzz" around with some "stuff" now. Oh and I've registered for college at INTI. I went for the January intake and that means I go back to school life on the 10th of January. I haven't really made up my mind on Further Mathematics, so I'll be popping in one or two classes when the semester begins before I pay up the fees. Speaking of fees, I'm really really hoping I scrape through Biology and English Literature with at least an A because INTI offers a full scholarship as long as I don't have an A-.

I've been looking forward to jamming with Xiang Yan, who's back from Down Under, Yue Jin, Dexter and Shaun. The 'musico brothers', as Xiang Yan put it. However, Jammin Senzation's closed till January for the holidays. I guess we'll have to look for another place then, and hopefully they have a good bass guitar there. Speaking of going out, I have been out everyday for the past week. Met up with Xiang Yan, Marilyn and Shaun for Rapunzel, in 3D, which wasn't really that bad, REALLY, it was GOOD. And then we talked and talked and talked. Oh yeah, almost forgot about Zach who tagged along. No, not Zachary Levi, our beloved Chuck, but Zachary Kee, your average 'quiet' and 'innocent' little brother who is taller than his older sister. I pity how we actually ignored his existence and started talking about EVERYTHING, from 'foursomes' to 'desperados' and well, I shouldn't be revealing anything else. Maril was busy taking random and unimportant pictures and videos but she didn't think of a group picture. But I guess we'll most probably be meeting up again anyway.

I lost RM2 to zombies. It seems you're supposed to shake the gun when they're right at your face.

Ah, Shaun's the only one who has a valid licence. -Photos courtesy of Marilyn.

I'm working. Not really. But you could say so. And no, I'm not telling you anything more.

I know I had something else to say. Oh crap what is it? Oh yes! Yue Jin is going to KL! So there's gonna be a farewell party before he leaves. DEFINITELYYYY!!! Everyone from 5B disappeared after SPM. I thought it would have been a great idea to have a little get-together last week in conjunction with.... *drumroll* TAN SOON JIN's birthday! Yep yep, our maestro/genius/'ang kong'/geek/hacker/etc etc turned 17, finally. SADLY, I got his birthday WRONG. We kinda celebrated it 2 days earlier. CUHRAPPP. I remembered I was a day earlier last year. Paranoia probably crept in subconsciously. At least I wasn't 2 months early. xP *oh yes, i AM referring to you, my paranoid buddy* So it was just Nelson and I, and we went out for a movie, TRON in 3D!!! Actually there's nothing much to shout about the movie but for the action/effects-loving guy/geek like me, the effects were spectacular! What more in 3D! We had Sushi King's before that. Speaking of Japanese food, I've had lots of Japanese food for the past week. I'm probably switching to more Chinese stuff now I guess. Oh and I think Chopper Board is, by the way, a place which serves good food and great price.

There was also Razeim and Chandra from BM High. The guys who brought you the snake-charming robots were out in Penang Island and yes, we went to Gurney. I had suggested Queens, but they preferred otherwise. Razeim found Gurney to have a little 'something' that Queensbay did not. I was getting pretty bored, and to a certain extent, a bit scared of the thought of going to Gurney but it still turned out to be a great day. We opted not to watch a movie and instead had lunch, walked around, talked and then some ice cream. Belgian chocolate and Panna cotta is something worth saving RM12 for.

At this point I suddenly remembered that I really need more pictures on my blog. It's so dead and devoid.

*oh come on, the paragraphing is intended to create a space of emptiness echoing ... graphology, anyone?*

And then the epic moment of realisation comes, as millions of impulses burst through the dense network of myelinated fibres, exchanging information at speeds of up to a hundred metres per second. I'm really really sorry I wrote this yesterday and as I am continuing now I can't remember what I had intended to write. Too bad.

Anyway, here's a little something I did a few days ago. Maybe if Julius Caesar had written a book titled Veni Vidi Vici, he could use this as the cover. Okay, that's a little far-fetched so forget it. There're probably 3000 better designs out there worth considering. ANYWAY, what if? What if he did write that book? And what if a publisher decides to use this as the cover? Snort.

I'm currently working on something else. So I guess I'll post them up when I'm done in a few days time. I thank you for having wasted your time reading all this jabber. Thank you folks. See you in a few million *cycles!

*I really like the way they use it in Tron: Legacy to measure time

Sukhi Hontu :)

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 15:11:00 +0000

"There's no such thing as a free lunch"

Milton Friedman

I've been viewing so many typographic works that I decided to try it myself.

©JUSTINLIM2010

Phuket Penned v1.0.2

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 05:32:00 +0000

Okay. I'll skip the boring details and go straight to the blue seas, as requested by Chulan, as fast as I could. Having landed in the new and huge Suvarnabhumi airport, I did the usual checking-in for the next flight. I had to take two different flights instead of a connecting flight. I think it was because of the flight schedule or something, can't really remember though, for it has been more than two months.

There was one little incident with the Immigration worth mentioning though. At the Immgiration counter shortly after arriving, the Immigration officer asked me where I was staying in Bangkok as I had not filled that part in the Arrival Card. I told him I was going to Phuket instead. He then asked me for my address there. To that, I answered, "Hilton Hotel, but I don't have the address". His eyes lit up and he seemed embarrassed as if he had asked a stupid question. And that made me think. We're all pretty screwed up. I won't explain my irrelevant train of thoughts on this somewhat insignificant matter concerning the very nature of us humans though for greater things await.

Shots around Suvarnabhumi

There were a few of these statues in the airport. And they're really huge, up to three stories high or more!

I had dinner here, as recommended by mum who landed here a few days before.

I must say, I never knew Singha did drinking water. I thought they were liquor all the way.

They have a kinda nice memorial in the middle of the airport. I had plenty of time so I just snapped away.

I had to wait for a few hours in the airport before my flight to Phuket so I checked in early and strolled around. There wasn't much shopping to do except expensive "tax-free" luxury products. With only 2000 bahts, all I did was flip through a few books in a convenience store. I settled down at the waiting area for the next flight and ended up watching Discovery Channel's Theory of Everything. Sadly, no one else seemed interested in it. They had an internet kiosk too but I dared not log in to facebook or email due to "security reasons". I just visited wikipedia I think. After the documentary ended, I had nothing to do but listen to music and take more pictures.

INTRODUCING: My 5-year-old Pentax which I used to take all these pictures. It's actually a DSLR in disguise xD

My bag, with the jammed handle. The extended handle would get jammed when I'm in a long line for a security check or when I'm boarding the plane.

Just as I was about to be granted the "Immortal" title having lived past "Eternity", the "Prophecy" came true. The mystical and incomprehensible Thai words followed by a murmur of an ancient variant of the English language filled my head. I woke up from a sleep which I was not even aware of and immediately headed for the long queue. I looked at my watch and told myself, "AirAsia's early again". It was half an hour before the boarding time of my flight to Phuket.

After 10 minutes at the line I suddenly noticed the sign on the counter which read Flight **** (You don't expect me to remember the number do you?), BANGKOK to CHIANG MAI.

HOLY SHIT! I was about to fly off a few hundred kilometres north of my original destination. And I don't trust the ground crew of the flight company because I doubt they actually check your destination when tearing your tickets. Okay fine, they actually do, but they could make mistakes right? A little mistake which could land me hundreds of kilometres away in a colder place with elephants! I would love to visit Chiang Mai one day as I've heard lots about that place but not when I still have a Maths paper on Monday and left with only 2000 bahts! (That's roughly RM200 FYI)

I popped out of the line, feeling stupid and awfully embarrassed, and headed back to the chairs. Fifteen minutes later, they finally called for my REAL flight to Phuket. Everything else went well, I guess. I was too sleepy to note. Been burning the midnight oil for the past few nights studying. And now I was on a solo trip to Phuket, finally.

Drukair? The national carrier of the Royal Government of Bhutan.

Catchy name xD

I just love colourful lights, dark nights, slow shutters and engine turbines :D

Mighty Minds National Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:59:00 +0000

In less than 10 hours I'll be leaving for KL.

MIGHTY MINDS NATIONAL FINALS

HERE WE COME!

Phuket Penned

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 14:18:00 +0000

- This post chronicles the events which took place on the 26th and 27th of August 2010. Yes, some six bloody weeks ago. –

Add maths wasn’t that hard. At least that’s what I thought. Anyway, it was Paper 1 and I couldn’t concentrate because I was about to leave for Phuket in less than 3 hours! In fact, I was going to fly alone and that only pumped more adrenaline. My family had been there, at Hilton, for the past three days or so but I was in the middle of my trials. So I could only join them on Thursday, after add maths. Friday was a holiday so I had a long weekend. Sadly though, we still had one last paper on Monday, Maths 1, of all papers. So I still had to come back by Sunday, although we ended up coming back on Saturday.

Ok, enough digressing. At 3.30 pm, I left for the airport, having thoroughly checked my little luggage bag, making sure my passport and Thai bahts were in place. I had to eat in the car as school finished at 2.40 pm and I only had time to bathe at home. Grandpa dropped me to the airport and had initially wanted to wait with me but I assured him that “I got it all covered”. Checking-in was a breeze.

There was just this minor encounter with the immigration officer at the hand-luggage check when I was asked to open my bag and queried on a pack of batteries I bought. You see, my trustworthy 5-year-old Pentax is a battery monster, and I make sure I have lots of spares with me. But the officer thought I had too many (it was only an 8-pack and I haven’t even opened them yet). So much for a teenage battery smuggler eh? If the immigration and customs officers are really that vigilante, I wonder how all those drugs and cigarettes get smuggled. And even Einstein or Hawking would have a tough time figuring out how in the infinite universe did Anson Wong manage to get through with more than ninety snakes in his bag.

The plane departed at 5.05 pm, to Bangkok. Yes, I had to fly all the way north to Bangkok, before taking a domestic flight to Phuket. It seems AirAsia doesn’t fly directly from Penang to Phuket. So Suvarnabhumi Airport it was. On the plane, I simply slept. Occasionally though, I could hear Breaking Benjamin and Muse (Plug In Baby especially) echoing from my headphones. In an extremely rare incident, the plane landed 15 minutes ahead of time. Perhaps AirAsia is taking punctuality to a whole new level xD

Their newest marketing strategy: Overestimate the duration to guarantee early arrivals.

At 5.30 pm (Thai local time, GMT+7, 1 hour ahead of Malaysian time), I reached Bangkok. Been four years since I last went there. In fact, this is the first time I’m at its new airport. From the plane, I was reminded of Bangkok’s flat terrain and it’s canals.

Some shots of the outskirts of the city.

Phuket In Pictures

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Mon, 04 Oct 2010 12:06:00 +0000

It's AMAZING

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 09:31:00 +0000

Unbelievably, I'm blogging. In the middle of my trial exams, that is. Like I said before, I DIDN'T study. How hard is that to believe? But for once, I'm not going to prove my point. Because, that would mean screwing my exam results and that is not what I have in mind. At least, I will try my very very best to NOT screw up.

In the span of 5 days, I've experienced hundreds of gruelling moments. Specifically, the "Oh-I-just-read-this-last-night-BUT-I-effing-forgot" moments. So yep. That sums it up. Gotta run :)

PFS, Chinese Girls take Penang honours

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 05:40:00 +0000

PFS, Chinese Girls take Penang honours

GEORGE TOWN: Students from Penang Free School and Penang Chinese Girls’ High School made their schools proud when they won their respective categories at the RHB-The Star Mighty Minds Penang state challenge on Sunday.

Both teams walked away with RM3,000 and a desktop computer for their schools, beating over 50 teams in each category to claim the honour of representing their state in the National Finals.

Penang Free upper secondary student Justin Lim Jia Tian, 17, said he and his teammates did thorough research on the Internet and logged onto The Star’s portal to look up questions asked in the previous state challenges.

Thinking caps on: Quizmaster K. Sivashankar (right) and the top five teams battling it out during the buzzer quiz at the RHB-The Star Mighty Minds Penang challenge on Sunday.

“We never expected to win as the competition was stiff but we became confident once we were among the top five.

“The questions were tricky, especially the multiple-choice questions, but I guess our presentation skills helped,” said a beaming Lim.

His teammates Oh Yue Jin and Muhammad Nabiel Waheed, both 17, agreed it was their oral ability which won them the challenge.

Chinese Girls’ Ooi Wei Yuen, Foo Zhe Wei and Christine Yap Ee Ling, all 14, said they took part in the challenge to put what they were taught in school to the test.

The RHB-The Star Mighty Minds challenge consists of four rounds: multiple-choice questions quiz, hands-on task, oral presentation of the model built and buzzer quiz.

The competition is jointly organised by Star Publications (M) Bhd and RHB Banking Group while the food and beverage partner is McDonald’s Malaysia. Incidentally, under 18-year-olds can start being financially savvy by opening an RHB Junior Savings Account with just RM1.

The competition has whizzed through 13 states with the final state challenge to be held in Selangor on Saturday and Sunday at The Summit Subang USJ.

All state winners in both categories will then scramble to out-think each other when they meet at the National Finals, which offer a grand prize of RM6,000, in Kuala Lumpur on Oct 16-17.

Catch the students in action over ntv7 at 7.30pm every Wednesday.

Abstinence

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 04:04:00 +0000

Abstinence is a voluntary restraint from indulging in bodily activities that are widely experienced as giving pleasure.

I AM ABSTAINING

from FACEBOOK.

Trials coming in a weeks' time and I haven't touched my books since Mid Year Exams. Yep, I'm pretty screwed. Really. So I'm going on my usual stay-away-from-facebook-during-exams ritual.

Robotics competition is in 2 days' time and I'm proud to say that we are 30% from completion. Sarcasm aside, we are still much faster than last year. No more staying up to 12.30am in school this year, hopefully.

After robotics, I'll have Editorial Board work. Sadly, we're much slower than last year (no joke) and I'm finding it hard to keep my earlier optimistic flame burning.

Among everything else, I also have a dilemma.

PHUKET or TRIALS ?

My dad is going for some convention in Phuket and my mum and brother are tagging along. I don't really care about going to Thailand anyway, but guess what?

THEY'RE STAYING IN HILTON!!!

:(

Sadly mum isn't very happy about me skipping trials (which I didn't even prepare for, and there's also a second trial anyway)...

Need to chiao now. Got lots of work to finish. A lot of sound editing to be done for the robotics project.

Buh-bye :)

WARNING: I'm falling again xD

SUKHI HONTU! :D :D

MY FIRST GIG!!!

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:32:00 +0000

It was awesome. Interact Club, Computer Club and Co-curricular Prefects Joint Dinner.

Yue Jin, Benjamin Han, Dexter Chuah and I performed. We went Muse all the way and then played some Maroon 5. A bit screwed up here and there but it was WHOA!! xD

Vids courtesy of Shaun Ooi ;)
*a lil blur though, but just bear with it will ya*

TIME IS RUNNING OUT

RESISTANCE

Two more vids coming up soon ;D

Cheeeeeeries.

LOVE xD

JABBER JABBER JABBER

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 05:58:00 +0000

Long long time since I've touched my blog. Yes, my last post was way back APRIL! Anyway, lotsa lotsa things have happened since. (I've tried to arrange the events below in chronological order, but some things might be mixed up)

WARNING: This is going to be a LONG post.

You have been warned.

1. Obviously there was MSSPP, my 8th and last one. I was so close to qualifying for MSSM but I had to go for two playoffs and I faltered in the final game. So MSSM will forever be the only entry in my list of unaccomplished goals. BUT I'm still proud to have recorded my highest showing in MSSPP ever, finishing 6th! (two years ago, this position would have automatically guaranteed me a spot in MSSM. even last year, this would've been enough for me to be selected. sadly, they decided to have a playoff this year)

Adding to my medals this year is my Board Prize for the team event and of course the silver medal we got. We were neck and neck with Chung Ling and were tied with the same points until the final round. Unfortunately, they got the prize because of the fact that we lost our 1st and 3rd boards, winning only our 2nd and 4th boards when we met them. Anyway, Silver was still sweet. My board prize is even sweeter as I won ALL my games xD

2. So after MSSPP, I had GVC. Global Virtual Classroom. Basically I was already involved since December and had been working on the project with my other teammates since January. But April was crunch time as we had to send in our project and we were all busy busy busy. This project involved three different schools from different parts of the world to come together and create a website, an interactive one on a topic they've decided upon. Penang Free School were partnered with Percy Julian Middle School from USA and Chavakali High School from Kenya. Yep, we got to work with students from totally different continents and very very different time zones.

Our topic was Mystical Gods and Creatures and I was assigned to work on the Greek/Roman part (actually, it was my choice). We collected information from the net (they had to be public domain, cause they're real serious about copyright issues) and had to work on short animations and banners. Real real fun in the end. And guess what placing we won??

THIRD PLACE! Yeah, THIRD in the WORLD, accompanied by cash prize and a certificate each :D

CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK
http://gvc0924.gvc09.virtualclassroom.org/

3. GVC over, and it was back to studies, I guess.

EXAMS...

To be honest, I didn't really study this time. No, really. I barely studied. Ah yes, there were also Additional Sports and Sports Day and all the preparation. I really suck at sports (OBVIOUSLY) but I was somehow elected as one of the vice captains last AGM (look how desperate HAMILTON is...) and had to be involved in all the running around, getting things organised etc etc

Oh yeah, I forgot one more thing. Just 2 weeks before our MID YEAR EXAMS, Yue Jin, Sajid and I were selected by the school to go down to KL for a competition: The Young Achievers' Award. Mainly about the surveying profession, we came home empty handed anyway as we didn't know what the competition was about but it was like a short vacation. AND, I met Chulan, passed him some Buddhist books and CDs and got a nice t-shirt with the initials "FBI" boldly imprinted on the front, a keychain, and chocolatesss :D :D

So yeah, see how my exam preparations went? I only started studying two weeks before my exams. That's longer than the duration of the exams, which stretched over a period of 3 weeks. THREE AGONISING WEEKS. As soon as exams were over though, a trip to the cinema in Gurney was organised (actually, we organised it a week before the exams were over). Hazwan, Sajid, Yue Jin, Nelson, Samuel, Muzamil and I stormed the cinema with our "antics". We watched Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and had loads of fun in the arcade.

In fact, I even wrote a movie review. It was during the two-week semester break, just a week after we went out, that someone from the New Straits Times' weekly pullout, Niexter, called me. She was the editor for upcoming issue and needed articles. So I agreed to write an article on friendship woes and a movie review, on Prince of Persia xD The article was published last Thursday but the movie review wasn't because they had too many articles. There was a slight "glitch" though, they put my age as 15 and stated that I was from Damansara Jaya!!!

4. Now more on my holidays. I didn't do much. Had to go to school every weekday morning for robotics. Went for my Undang test, and got 48 out of 50! In 15 minutes! xD AND of course, I went to SINGAPORE!!!

AWESOME SINGAPORE!

We went there on a Thursday and came back on Sunday evening, touching down less than 12 hours before school the next day. It's the second time I've returned home the night before school re-opened, the first being our trip to Hong Kong during the March holidays. The main highlight of our trip to Singapore is of course, the new UNIVERSAL WORLD STUDIOS!!! As of now, I have only managed to upload 159 photos on facebook and there are around 300 more still waiting.

I have to say though, I initially thought Singapore was going to be boring because we've already been there a few years ago and we were only going to spend less than 4 days there.

I WAS HORRIBLY WRONG

Thank you Zara for the tips on where to go, what to play and what to see. Singapore proved me wrong xD

I'm feeling awfully lazy to post anything more about the AWESOME trip although I might do it in the not-too-distant future, so here's the link to the pics on fb:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2067465&id=1446663862&l=ae585e0701

I'd love to add a few more things but I'm getting too lazy. So goodbye and good luck whoever you are.

-Currently in MUSE OBSESSION mood-

xDD

Courtesy of Yue Jin xD

Cheers! xD

Lots Of Love!

Sukhi Hontu

How many colours are there in a rainbow?

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 14:36:00 +0000

I'll be dead honest with you.

As I'm typing, I have no idea what I actually want to say. It's just that the compulsion to blog has overridden my cerebrum. Here's something interesting:

"A billion is represented by 1 followed by 9 zeros, what about 1 followed by 45 zeros?"

Ans: A Quattuordecillion

:o

:O

for some reason i can't help feel that the emoticon represents a yawn more than it's intended meaning.

"Read it, watch it. GETS YOU SPASTIC."
Mr. Lee Jang Giap's take on the Twilight pandemic.

Sorry Ker Lynn xP

WARNING: This pic has been ciplak-ed from the net. It does NOT belong to the blogger. Let him repeat himself: *Refer to the warning*

"Never been to this place,
Looking for this one face,
To fill the empty space,
Ain't that such a disgrace."

Now wouldn't these four lines make up the opening of a nice song? ;)

Oh yes, MSSPP is on Wednesday. Ah, my last MSSPP; my first was in 2003. That makes this my 8th consecutive MSSPP. Sigh, feeling a bit nostalgic now.

xD
xD
xD
xD
xD
xD
xD

xD

Red

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:04:00 +0000

They spilled their blood,
Struggling to do the same to their enemies,
Fighting for what we represent,
And we to rejoice,
Or to reflect?

The chains broken,
The oppression over,
Leaving devastation alongside development,
And we to condemn,
Or to commend?

To condemn would be a waste,
To commend would be disgrace,
Choice is forsaken,
To guard our own freedom.

The flag flies majestically,
While the men march steadily,
Parading honour and pride,
And we to celebrate a triumphant euphoria,
Or to mourn a tearful eulogy?

Our anthem resounding,
Our spirits swelling,
Our past a reminder,
Our future a dream,
As everything comes together on this fateful day,
When blood of the past is commemorated,
And blood of the future is celebrated.

Justin Lim

"Humanity's greatest enemy is patriotism."

EARTH HOUR

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 08:22:00 +0000

Phew? Not yet

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 15:11:00 +0000

Lots of things have happened, are happening and will happen.

I've been way too busy to blog. Yep, so this post is for the sake of having an update in March.

Btw, I've just returned from Hong Kong. SUPER SWEET VACATION. Short, but sweet. Photos are being uploaded on facebook and the link will be posted as soon as they're all up there.

I love the world and am still learning how to love it more.

Gosh, I really don't know what to post. Trying to refrain from using the word, but oh what the heck: RANDOM. There you go.

One more thing, I might be refurbishing my blog, yet again xD

"Don't think of how much they can embezzle from you, think of how much you can embezzle from them."

xD

Dedication

noreply@blogger.com (JustinL) — Sat, 06 Feb 2010 05:45:00 +0000

Looking at your smile,
My mind becomes empty,
It is soon flooded with joy,
And I forget the reason
I'm standing in front of you.

You look so smart,
With your neat haircut,
Clean white shirt
And dark blue tie,
But it is your smile
Which fills me with joy.

Your smile
Radiates the warmth of life,
To those who might be mourning a loss,
Returning the meaningfulness of life,
To those who might have been swept away by waves of sorrow,
Reminding them of impermanence,
So that they cherish those around them.

As the smell of incense lingers,
The sounds around me become audible,
I gradually come to my senses,
Quickly aware of the reason
I'm here standing in front of you.

As I return your smile,
Tears flood my eyes,
You are still smiling,
Even though you have left;
And I know that
Your smile will last forever,
In the hearts and memories
Of those whom you've filled with
Joy and Love.

*This poem is dedicated to Goh Yi Zhang and Brendon Yeoh of Chung Ling High School who passed away in the dragon boat tragedy on the 17th of January. They were good friends, outgoing and were well-liked by so many people. They will always be in my thoughts and memories.

May they have happy rebirths.*

Let us contemplate on the impermanence of life, appreciate those around us and not take their presence for granted.

Impermanence

In my previous post for the new year, I posted this picture which I took during a recent visit to a waterfall in Kulim. Little did I know that I will experience the loss of two friends to remind me of impermanence.

Justin

Sukhi Hontu

justinl

Status updates in picture 002

Status updates in pictures 001

Justin Lim Jia Tian RT "@GreatestQuotes: 'The human race is governed by its imagination.' - Napoleon Bonaparte"

Hazy

Disarray

Upheaval

Resumes and Interviews for Dummies

Perhaps it's going to be a new year?

"I told myself I'd think about the title after I finish typing"

Phuket Penned v1.0.2

Mighty Minds National Challenge

Phuket Penned

Phuket In Pictures

It's AMAZING

PFS, Chinese Girls take Penang honours

Abstinence

MY FIRST GIG!!!

JABBER JABBER JABBER

How many colours are there in a rainbow?

Red

EARTH HOUR

Phew? Not yet

Dedication

Justin Lim Jia Tian
RT "@GreatestQuotes: 'The human race is governed by its imagination.' - Napoleon Bonaparte"