EDX 20

On 22^nd October 2007, around 10 a.m. in the morning, I was sitting alone at Pocket D In2Eat café, enjoying my morning break.
This guy named Billy suddenly approached me and asked, “Raymond, are u free now? Can u help to carry some tables from MPH ah?”
I thought it is just a few tables, so I said ok.
Then, after a while, Melissa rushed to me and said,
“Raymond, can u go to MPH now ah? To carry the tables...”
I was like, “Huh? How to go wor? Walk ah?”
Then u can guess the response I get lah…

I started to walk from In2Eat to MPH (for ur info, it’s not very near…).
When I reached Chancellor Complex, I saw Chong and some other guys there, then only I knew what they meant by “some” tables…
It’s around 200 TABLES!! WHAT THE F**K?!?
I was asking myself, “Why should I do this? I’m not a EDX member also…”
But then at the end, I helped out in carrying all the tables, and I don’t know why… (most probably because of kindness I think…)
After putting all the tables together, all of us walked back to In2Eat café. (again I want to remind u, it’s not very near…)

We met Mr. Rahmat in the EDX road show, and he belanja us makan pizza (Thanks again, Dai Lou! ^_^).

As we were sitting together talking while eating, I told the story of how I was ‘dragged’ into carrying the tables.
But then Mr. Rahmat reminded me something important.
I’ve been complaining all along that I’ve not been recruited into EDX committee, and that this might be a chance for me to contribute something.
I’ve always been expecting what other people could give me, but not otherwise. I’ve always over-viewed myself, but never learnt to be humble to the others.
I realized what I should do, and not for myself, but for EDX 20.

I was grateful when I was given a PR post in Logistic department (thanks to Chong).
The day before EDX event, I went for duty at the undercroft area.
Man, I never knew there’s such place under the Chancellor Complex.
As Chong brought me around the ‘tunnels’, I realized that UTP really is not a simple place.
I’ve never seen these paths before, and when I brought my friends later around the ‘tunnels’, they also had the same astonishment.
It is very easy to get lost there, especially if one is trying to use shortcut.
Anyway, it is a new experience to me, roaming around the underground area.

As everyone is preparing for EDX 20, I felt the serious atmosphere around the committee members.
Everyone is carrying out their duty and responsibility in each department, and everyone is doing their best in making EDX 20 a success.
As a PR, I can’t help but feel certain amount of pressure around me, especially when everyone is in stress mood.

The opening ceremony went out nice and smooth. The booths are all set up nicely and in order.
Among all the booths, the one I liked most is the Activities department’s booth.
Man, they really put some effort in decorating their panels.
Good job, Edgar. You’ve got yourself some very committed members, especially Yoon Yeh (the one in the picture).

EDX 20 event went on for 2 days smoothly.
I am not going to elaborate much about the whole event, but by the end of the day, it is a success.
I can see that everyone is relieved and satisfied with the outcome of the whole event.
Thanks to C&P department, the decoration of the stage is beautiful.
Thanks to the 'MedTech' department, the opening and closing ceremony is wonderful.
Thanks to F&B department, we have pizzas to eat for our lunch.
Thanks to Adjudication people, the judges are well taken care of.
Thanks to P&P department, the EDX t-shirt are very nice. (although I didn't get one.. T_T)
Thanks to the high-com. I don't know what they did, but still, we have to thank them.. =P

We had a small appreciation speech from our new advisor after the closing ceremony (forgot what's his name already...), and we were off to finish up our job.
Of course, the logistic department have to stack up all the tables and chairs again, but luckily we don't need to carry them back, or else I will definitely fade out.
After finished our job, I found myself involved in other departments' jobs. I helped R&A carried some stuff, helped P&S carried hampers, helped Activities department cleaning up their booths...
Well, it seems that I am a multi-PR, and I enjoyed being it. =)


EDX 20 is a great success, but nothing is perfect, there are some mistakes too.
I didn't went for the postmortem on Friday night, and according to my friend who went, I missed out a lot of 'excitement'..
(Mr. Rahmat, u know what I am talking about, right? =P)
There are something that I wanted to share with the committees, but never got the chance to do so.
From what I saw in EDX 20, all the members take their scoop of job seriously and with full responsibility.
There are of course some 'trash' members among all, but I am not going to talk about it here.
What I am trying to say is, EDX 20 committee members seems to over-emphasize on the value of responsibility, that they forgot other values such as tolerance and 'help-helping' (tolong-menolong).
*Sorry, my English not so good...

Some people asked why I helped other departments doing their jobs.
For instance, Activities department forgot to clean up their booth before they left, and there are scraps of papers and balloons all over the floor of the booth.
Someone from the committee called them to come back to clean up the booth, but I called Edgar and tell him that I will helped them clean it up.
It is true that if we look from the perspective of responsibility, one would say that it is the department's responsibility to fulfill their job, and their responsibility to make up for the mistakes they've done.
But then, if we look from the other perspective, is it so difficult just to clean up some straps of paper and balloons? Is responsibility that important that we forgot the value of kindliness?
I don't see responsibility as an ultimate value, and it certainly cannot be a fundamental value without the others.

I'm sorry if I might indirectly offend anyone, but I feel that I must say this.
EDX 20 couldn't achieved success with just full responsibility from the committee members.
This event is a success because we all worked together in making it a success.
Not one department could do it on their own, and definitely EDX wouldn't success with contribution from only one department.
Commitment is the keyword here, not responsibility.
We are working as EDX committees, not as Logistic member or P&P member.
Therefore, we have to work together hand-in-hand, cover others' back when they are lack, help others when they are weak, guide the others when they are lost.
We cannot do anything without one another, that's what I believed.

In a nutshell, I enjoyed being a part of EDX 20.
I made some new friends, and I learnt something new from them.
This event is indeed a success, not only as in terms of exposing students' potential in engineering design projects, but also in building bonds between the committee members.
I hoped that every one of the members will realized the importance of working together as one body, so that EDX will improve in the future.
I prayed that God bless this event, and that EDX may achieve greatness one day, and together we may share the pride of the success.

I've been tagged!! again...

I've been tagged again... by the same fellow named Philip Chan...
Luckily it's not very long, or else I'll spend another 5 hours again doing it.
Below are my sincere answers.. Enjoy reading!! ^~^

Layer 1: On the Outside
Name: Raymond Tie / ‘Lemon Tea’ / Ray (Whatever u like to call lah…)
Birth date: 09.12.1988
Current status: Single and available =)
Eye Colour: Black? Brown??
Hair Colour: Errmm… It was black, now it’s copper-colour, will become black again soon…

Layer 2: On the Inside
My Heritage: Malaysia
My Fear: Darkness? Loneliness? Can’t think of specific answers…
My Weakness: Hot-tempered, dependent, lazy…
My Perfect Pizza: Hmmm… almost every kind will suit me…

Layer 3: Yesterday, Today & Tomorrow
The First Thought of Waking Up: Can I sleep back?? =P
My Bed Time: Between 1~4 am…
My Most Missed Memories: The days in Taiwan… (Miss it a lot...)

Layer 4: My Pick
Coke or Pepsi: Pepsi. My Mum said Coke is bad for health. Haha…
McDonald or Burger King: Either one will do…
Single or Group Dates: Group dates?? Who’ll want to date in groups???
Adidas or Nike: Neither… I no money lah…
Tea or Nestea: Nestea, especially Ice Lemon Tea. Haha… =P
Chocolate or Vanilla: Vanilla
Cappuccino or Coffee: None of them… I usually don’t drink that, unless I don’t want to sleep…

Layer 5: DO YOU...
Smoke: Nope
Take a Shower: Come on lah… What kind of stupid question is this??
Have A Crush: Hmm... yea…
Go To School: Does uni considered as school?
Believe In Yourself: I got high self-confidence when it comes to my sort of things…
Think you’re A Health Freak: Health freak means what?? I’m quite healthy...

Layer 6: In the Past
Drink Alcohol: Yep, prefer wine...
Gone to the Mall: Shopping mall? Yes, of course…
Dyed Your Hair: Yeah…

Layer 7: Are You Hoping To...
Get Married: Yeah, definitely…
Have Children: Yes, ideal number is four… Haha…

Layer 8: In a Girl
Best Eye Colour: Black? Brown? As long as it’s normal lah…
Best Hair Colour: Hmm… prefer something near to black or brown…
Short or Long Hair: Depends... Usually I like long-hair girls, but then some girls looks pretty with short hair…

Layer 9: What Were You Doing Just Now?
A Minute Ago: Watching movie…
An Hour Ago: Still, watching movie…
Month Ago: One month? I don’t quite remember…
Year ago: Do u really need to know that?? -_-”

Layer 10: I???
I love: God, my family members (the big family), my buddies and my friends…
I hate: Stalkers, liars, backstabbers; there’s quite a number of things I hate…
I hide: My dark side… (Trust me, u don’t want to know about it…)

Layer 11: Tag 5 people
Hmmm… Can I tag back the person who tagged me?? Haha… just joking…
1) Jesse (h.s. king =P)
2) William
3) Shanthini
4) Hui Ching
5) Henry

I'm just a nobody...

I feel like going nuts here...
Undeniable, UTP is a good place to study, but not a very happy place to live in.
My life had been quite messy during my secondary school time, and it was pretty screwed up since I made the decision to further my study here as a engineering student.

I've been here for three semesters, and I feel no less miserable.
During my Foundation year, it was still understandable that my female coursemates don't mix very much with me, who was the only Chemical Engineering Chinese guy that time.
Stepping into my 1st year of engineering this semester, I was looking forward for more non-Malay guys to accompany me.
But my hope immediately crushed, as those guys took even that little attention of me away with them.
I'm now just a nobody among my coursemates, and I doubt they'll even remember me if someone from outside asked them who's with them in the same class.

It's not that I purposely want to make a fuss about it, but I seriously doubt that I can finish my 4 years here in this kind of condition.
I felt a little bit more transparent everyday here in the campus.
Many people might think that I'm isolating myself, but actually I'm not..
How I wish that I have a group of my own, like many others else, eat and study together.
It's very ironic that many people are facing problem with peer group pressure and I don't have any, as there isn't even one group that I truly belongs to.
I know it's a lie if I say I have no friends here in UTP.
I did have some good friends, but then they have their own groups of friends, which I'm not a part of them.
Often when I tried to think of my future here as an engineering student, I saw nothing but dark and empty space.
I can't imagine the years to come, when the study will get tougher and tougher, and people like me will definitely fail without a group to study together.
That's pathetic...

I don't know why God put me in this place.
People are wearing mask every now and then, when they 'socialize' with other people.
I am also wearing a mask of my own, just that my mask is too horrible, that most people won't even care to look at it.
Seriously speaking, if I'm not a Christian, and if it's not for my family whom I loved with all my heart, suicide will be a very favorable thing for me.
I've thought of it too often, until I am so terrified that I might one day walk on that sinful path straight to the burning Hell.
May God find pity in me, and strengthen my heart against this kind of thought.

Sometimes I think I will rather live in my grandfather and my father's year, when people worked for only one purpose, that's to survive.
It might be hard, but then at least I won't have these much conflicts, these much battles within myself.
I felt so weary right now, and my soul longed to soar above the sky, away from all my loneliness and pain.
I only pray God for one thing now, either to show me a path to follow before my hope runs out, or take me into His kingdom, where I no more need to face the world.
I know my prayer is selfish, but that's the only thing I know, and the only thing I can do now...
May God bless me and my years to come.

国油大学华乐团

Initially, I wanted to write this whole blog in Chinese.
But since there are quite a number of 'bananas' in our orchestra team, I might as well write it in English.
I just wanna share about my experience as a player in UTP Chinese Orchestra.
I have no basic in Chinese musical before, but I found myself quite talented since I join the CO team. (ceh.. bangganya... :P)
Anyway, thanks to Gary for giving me the opportunity to be one of the players, and was able to perform for UTP Symphony Fest and also in ConvoFair.
It is my great honor and pleasure to be part of the CO team.
Before I started to say something emo, I just wanna introduce a few important people in Chinese Orchestra team.

1st of all, of course, is our expert teacher, Mr. Goh Suk Liang.
We called him 'senior', since he doesn't want to admit that he's already quite old.
He is a professional, I can say. He plays Maksim's "Bumblebee" using 'Er Hu', imagine that... We were all shocked when he 1st played it in the class. It was awesome....
I always thought Chinese Orchestra only play traditional Chinese songs.
He had me changed my mind about it.
The one I circled in the picture up there is our teacher lah.
See his style of playing, a total professional look..


Next, there are our beloved 'Boss', Gary (left)
and 'Lady Boss', Shu Hui (right).
(I don't know how to interpret 'Lao Ban Niang' in English. Haha... cincai lah...)

They are the busiest 'couple' everytime whenever a performance comes up.
Remember last time during Symphony Fest and ConvoFair, they really had a hard time organizing everything.
Thanks to them, our performances can be said as very successful.
Sometimes they are a bit strict, but of course, it's for the good of all of us.

After that, it is time to introduce some of our players.
There is my 'Lao Da', Xi Yi. He's a talented flutist and drummer, and also a very funny person.
Seriously speaking, I enjoy fooling around with him.
And also Jia Min 'Jie', whom the others called 'Chang Ying' (which means lalat), because she is playing 'Er Hu', and it always make humming sound like the lalat's.
She is a very pretty senior, but sometimes when she gets very frustrated and tension, she can be very fierce also...

There is also our conductor-Henry Yew (he is quite good in Chinese actually, but still, he is a 'banana'.. =P); our 'Yang Qing' player-Xiao Qi 'Jie'; 'Pi Pa'-cute Edrea; our multitasker-Chong; percussion-Guo Lin and Chin; the flutists-Melissa, San Yin and Ong; the most dedicated double-bass player-Pui Wei Jui; another two 'Er Hu' players-Wen Pin and Tnay; Melvin Tan and also our young 'cello mei'-Xuan Hui. Below are some pictures of them:















































Last but not least, the THREE MUSKETEERS.
It is very cool name for a 'humsap' gang, although in Chinese we called it for a different meaning. :P

The leader of the gang, the 'humsap King', Jesse Oliver, is also initially from my hometown.
He is very talented in music, which I envy very much.
He can play different kinds of musical instruments, a multitasker I called him.
I still remember last Symphony Fest, he ran from this edge of the stage from Chinese Orchestra, to the other end of the hall to play in UTP Keronchong, and then ran back here again.
Our boss was so panic when he suddenly disappeared, and he also, ran a big round the hall to find him. That was so cute....
Jesse's so-to-be GF is also a very talented violinist, I guess that's why they are so 'sepadan' with each other. ^o^

The 2nd seat of the 'humsap' gang, William Wan, comes from Penang.
He's already 22 yrs old, but his face doesn't look a bit like 22 yrs old man.
In fact, sometimes I feel like I look older than him.
I always wonder, is he just plainly baby-face? Or is he still immature? Or maybe it is the side effect of being too 'humsap'??
He also can be very feminine sometimes...
I don't understand, how come a person can be 'humsap' but also feminine at the same time??
Hmmm... that'll take some time for me to discover it...

The 3rd person, of course is me lah... =P
Don't misunderstand, the reason that we are in the 'humsap' gang doesn't really means that we are very 'humsap', just that we like to have some "man-and-man" conversations...
I want to state once again, I am a good guy. ^^

Since I am not a very well-rounded person in my batch, the orchestra members are just like family members to me.
I enjoyed every second in Chinese Orchestra, and I never regretted all the time I had spent in practicing.
We eat together, practice together, share jokes together, laugh together.
I felt like somehow if the whole world turns against me, I still have this bunch of friends by my side, to accompany me and to guide me.
It is such a wonderful thing that I am in this big family.
I just don't know how to express that feeling, the feeling as if I have returned to my home.
I wish that UTP Chinese Orchestra will keep on growing in the years to come, and the family will become bigger and stronger in our bonding.
I love you all! Thank you very much!
May God bless UTP Chinese Orchestra and all its members for the years to come. ^~^