Bittersky.org

Nothing much has happened lately. The only thing worthy of note is that I found out I’ve graduated with a first class honour degree, which came as a delightful surprise although I was a bit worried that it might have been a mistake. I received a letter certifying my degree results along with my transcript today. It is real, and it makes me feel accomplished.

Another good news is that Michael is visiting soon. I can hardly wait.

Everything else has been the same - I am still looking for a job and working out different options, but I like to think I am more optimistic about the whole thing. At this age, you realise it is impossible to just do what you want right away without trying to work hard for it and I think it is fair. As I have mentioned before, compiling a portfolio is definitely on the agenda. On the other hand, I am still slightly worried about my brother’s future, but it is something he needs to figure out himself so all I can/should do is to be there for him in case he needs me.

I guess that pretty much sums up everything at the moment. I shall write more later.

Site news: The Gallery page is up and running. I still have photos taken in 2007 and 2008 to upload, but now there are a few albums for anyone who’s interested.

You might have noticed very minor changes on the appearance of the blog. I have upgraded to the latest version of Wordpress and got rid of most old and outdated files on the server, the site is in fact a lot cleaner now although it is rather invisible.

As for some real blogging related to the not-so-interesting real life, which I have always been doing on LiveJournal, they will come soon. I ought to write about my trip in June, which is possibly the last time I’d be away for so long in a while. However, honestly life has been a bit on the down side since I came back and I have spent most time to deal with difficulties. Now I am feeling better and since I am currently unemployed, I should have more than enough time to write the entries and sneakily date them back in June.

Until then, I shall be working on improving individual pages of the site and maybe establish a more organised gallery.

My “review” on the book The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky… Well, it’s more like a personal feedback.

The best approach to a completely new book is trying to remain completely neutral. Do not expect it to be excellent just because people say it is, and do not expect it to be terrible just because people hate it. People have varying tastes, especially when it comes to arts.

My mistake with The Perks of Being a Wallflower is that, even before I knew what the story is about, I expect it to be brilliant. Why? Because everyone I know who has read it love it. I forgot that my idea of brilliant is not the same as the others’, nor is it the same as mine a few years back. And because I had expected so much from it, it stroke me as a disappointment.

Characters in this book have constantly challenged me to just toss the book aside. The protagonist Charlie is a troubled teenager - in most cases, such characters either earn a lot of sympathy or a lot of dislike. Unfortunately it was the latter for me. It is forgiveable because he has been going through a lot of drama and is actually depressed. He is passive and doesn’t know what to do in his situation, but it doesn’t make him any more likeable. The only person I liked was Bill, the teacher, but he is a grown-up.

Another trouble I had was that there is too much drama in one book. Writing about a series of unfortunate events and earning a lot of recognition is easy. But it is not how good writing works - good writing is something that can make adding sugar to a cup of tea seem comic, tragic or what-have-you. Good writing makes what seems completely average and common extraordinary. With that, I lament the waste of Chbosky’s writing skills because I believe he is capable of that.

I feel the need to clarify that I do think The Perks of Being a Wallflower is a good book - if you look closely at the writing you will see what I mean. I’d say it is a lot better than you think an MTV book could do. It is a story full of drama, full of depression and pain. Only problem is that the pain is mostly by choice, which I think is one of the messages most people don’t get from reading this book. No one can deny the pain and suffering from the problems, but we can hardly lay the blame on the problems or fate or circumstances for their consequences (in this case: drugs, cigarettes, pregnancy etc.) If we reflect on our teenage years ourselves, we could at least find a few similar examples.

Teenage years are “infinite”, you only grow up once. However, it is not the only time that you exist. I love the last chapter because it tells you that. No matter how memorable your freshman year was, you have to go on and be a sophomore. Remember the times with fondness and live on

It wasn’t a random adventure. It was more like a walk that I really need - only that I was too lazy to get out of my town. And now it appears that I am too lazy to narrate.

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(Courtesy of Yolanda, my awesome friend who remembered to bring a camera)

It was our last proper teaching day at uni and the last assembly. This time it is different from all the photo day malarkey - you really do get the feeling it is actually going to be over soon.

The girl beside me started crying in the middle of the assembly, so did some other students. I was oblivious until the last part of the video they showed us, where it says “farewell!” I didn’t cry, but I’d be lying if I said they didn’t get me there. The assembly ended with a ‘ceremony’, in which every graduate took a balloon (possibly filled with hydrogen) and released it into the sky. They did not have enough balloons so neither of us got one, but it was quite a sight (see photo).

I never liked university too much. The place itself is mostly for academic purpose. It is nowhere as warm as secondary school or college thus can never mean the same to me as those do. People generally behave in annoying manners just to show they are grown up - drinking way too much is just one of the examples. I am happy to get out of it, but I know I will miss it terribly. The freedom is great; also to feel like an adult and act like a child, is simply a priceless time of life.