The Key

Been a rather interesting week I must say. Finally receiving that invitation for Golden Key a few weeks back was certainly a pleasing moment. After all, it's something I had strived for since I stepped into Monash, but somehow, now that I've been formally inducted into the society, that supposed sense of excitement was surprisingly subdued. Top 15% of faculty and by invitation only. Sounds good and all but what's the big deal of it anyway. To begin with, there are so many you-know-who-you-are who score near perfect scores semester after semester with no end in sight in a far more competitive environment. It also remains to be seen if I can maintain that standard for this semester. It's been a challenging term in more ways than one. Of course, there's the usual academic challenge where the curriculum just gets more difficult as you climb up that ladder but my increasing involvement in S.A.M has also brought about many delicate issues for me to contend with. This term has certainly seen -z.w- come out of that cave more often and moving into uncharted territories. Stepping out of that comfort zone is never easy but the time has come, and it is through such challenges that one grows as a person.

A year ago, just like everyone else, I related 2008 to be the year of the Olympics. The year of Taiwanese Presidential Elections. (Perhaps Malaysian as well?) The Russian Political handover. The heating up of the race for the White House. I would never have thought, as I speak now, I would also be potentially be embroiled in an election fever as well. Some say, the race has already started. I prefer to take that in a nonchalant manner for the matter is too delicate to politicize matters at such an early stage. Slowly but surely though, I'll have to start seeking for my very own "Super-Delegates" come August.

Came across this interesting thought of late. To Forgive and Forget. Probably something everyone has encountered at some stage. The permutations are interesting:

1) Forgive and forget
2) Forgive, but not forget
3) Forget, but not Forgive
4) Forget and Forgive

Can you actually Forget but not Forgive? Can you really forgive but not forget? By not forgetting, have you really forgiven the person?

-k.e.e.p.i.n.g-t.h.e-f.e.e.t-f.i.r.m.l.y-o.n-t.h.e-g.r.o.u.n.d-w.h.i.l.e-r.e.a.c.h.i.n.g-f.o.r-t.h.e-s.t.a.r.s-

Dr. Alan Finkel, Chancellor of Monash University.
Amazing achievements:
Collaborated with Buzz Aldrin, the 2nd man after Neil Armstrong to step onto the Moon for the the Science Magazine "COSMOS" which he founded.
Slated to be the first Australian space tourist onboard Sir Richard Branson's spacecraft "Virgin Galactic".