One step at a time
by Jordin Sparks

Hurry up and wait
So close, but so far away
Everything that you’ve always dreamed of
Close enough for you to taste
But you just can’t touch

You wanna show the world, but no one knows your name yet
Wonder when and where and how you’re gonna make it
You know you can if you get the chance
In your face as the door keeps slamming
Now you’re feeling more and more frustrated
And you’re getting all kind of impatient waiting

[Chorus]
We live and we learn to take
One step at a time
There’s no need to rush
It’s like learning to fly
Or falling in love
It’s gonna happen and it’s
Supposed to happen that we
Find the reasons why
One step at a time

You believe and you doubt
You’re confused, you got it all figured out
Everything that you always wished for
Could be yours, should be yours, would be yours
If they only knew

You wanna show the world, but no one knows your name yet
Wonder when and where and how you’re gonna make it
You know you can if you get the chance
In your face as the door keeps slamming
Now you’re feeling more and more frustrated
And you’re getting all kind of impatient waiting

[Chorus]
We live and we learn to take
One step at a time
There’s no need to rush
It’s like learning to fly
Or falling in love
It’s gonna happen and it’s
Supposed to happen that we
Find the reasons why
On step at a time

When you can’t wait any longer
But there’s no end in sight
It’s the faith that makes you stronger
The only way you get there
Is one step at a time

[Chorus]
Take one step at a time
There’s no need to rush
It’s like learning to fly
Or falling in love
It’s gonna happen and it’s
Supposed to happen that we
Find the reasons why
One step at a time

[Chorus]
One step at a time
There’s no need to rush
It’s like learning to fly
Or falling in love
It’s gonna happen and it’s
Supposed to happen that we
Find the reasons why
One step at a time

Sometimes after a hard day of life, it helps to just step back and look at what you've done so far.
Yeah, I know the desire to show what you worth to the world is overwhelming, you don't want to just be another face in the crowd, another wallflower.
The life we lead now is fast-tracked. Everything' has got to be super-fast, express or instant. Slow is a no-no.
So how to take it one step at a time when all we want to do is run as fast as we could?
It is kinda slow when all need to be in order, one step after the other. Is what the song meant is doing things one at a time, focusing all you have for that ONE goal. Then after it is achieved, focus on another goal. Is that it? Kinda slow eh?
Isn't there a another way, another pathway to bypass the ordinary banalities?
Maybe what the song meant is being patient and rational so that you could tackle the problems one at a time?
Control your heart and actions so that you wouldn't be overwhelmed by what is in front of you. Plan what you do, think things through, take your time to do the best in things. If you rush, then maybe you couldn't give equal attention to all. Solve the big things first, leave the small ones for later. But don't forget about the little things, or it'll come pounce on you one fine day when you are unaware. In other word: PRIORITIZE. Deal with everything, just don't do it all at once. Humans are not high-throughput machines ;)
Remember that we are not perfect, we are constantly given lessons by the people around us, by the things we experience, by the things life throws at us. So learn. Don't stop learning. Be patient, the answers will come...eventually.
Like in the song, if it's supposed to happen, then it's gonna happen. Regardless of what we do. Life isn't easy, deal with it. If it is, that is not life, that is just mere existence.

***************************************************************************

Erti hidup pada perjuangan

Crazy unnecessary things I thought up lately (today was quite a boring day in the lab)

1- In the morning, as I was looking at the data I got from LC/MS (Liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry), I was struck dumb. I thought to myself: What am I doing?

--I was not quite ready to deal with LC/MS, a technology that is still quite new to me. But I ran the samples anyway, just to see how it would turn out. But what came out from that machine meant nothing to me. I just looked at it blankly.
It is true that the one without knowledge would lose out on many things. Someone who doesn't know the true value or the meaning of something would not appreciate it even when it was put right in front of them.
Opportunities would be lost. The worst thing is, you wouldn't know what you lost.
A person without knowledge would also be easily cheated on and played. Take this example: let's say you're in a foreign country and you don't know a word of their language. Then some of them took you out for dinner. At dinner, they could be discussing about dropping an atom bomb on Malaysia in front of you but still you just stand there like a dumb person smiling all the way, saying, "yes, no, alright" because you thought that they were asking what dessert you want.
See? It would be different if you have knowledge. Then you'll behave differently and you'll know what to do, what's expected of you.
So now I have to read more on the technology before attempting to do it again. Be prepared!

2- As I was paying for my food yesterday, I thought about the ever-escalating price of food. Everything is so expensive nowadays! Then one of my lab mates asked me to hold their food for a while as they did something else. I noticed that the weight of my food was lighter compared to my friend's. So I thought, "why don't we pay for our food based on their weight?"
I accidentally voiced my thoughts out loud, and my friends just looked blankly at me for a second and then they burst out laughing. Yeah, I know its illogical because the ingredients used in each food differs, so the idea of standardizing the price of food like standardizing the price of oil is quite far fetched ;)

3- Yesterday I watched Malaysian badminton athlete Wong Mew Choo battle it out with China. It was an amazing match. The match between Koo Kien Keat-Tan Boon Heong with the Indonesians was also breathtaking. What I can say that even though we were out in the end, we didn't go down easy. It was a fight of wills, a fight not between losers and winners but a fight among equals. Seriously, their fighting spirit makes me proud to be a Malaysian. I heard the sports announcer say with gusto, "Malaysia Boleh!" and I couldn't agree more :)

Right now, I think I want to marry a good guy with money. I don't want my kid to ever beg or ask for money from the government to study. It is so hard even though all we want is just some support while we toil away with our task of furthering our studies. Is that too much to ask? They expect so much, but then there is no system to deal with our needs.
But the at the end of the day they expect us to be patriotic and work for the betterment of the country. Seriously, it comes no surprise to me when so many scholars are opting to apply for overseas scholarships and then be bonded to work for that particular country (obvious example: Singapore). It offers so much more than what our own country is willing to give us!
...the problem is that we have such flawed system. It's time to change!!
If this keeps up, then I think the aim for having at least 60% PhD holders by the year 2020 is closer to being a dream than being a reality.
Cut the crap!
Why bother so much with red tape?!
All started when I received a phone call yesterday from MOSTI saying that I can't apply for NSF. I tried explaining my situation but then, they wouldn't budge.
Why can't they let me compete with the others? Am I not good enough?
I even asked the makcik at MOSTI : "Cik, cuba tengok proposal saya, adakah saya tidak layak?"
She agreed, "Ye, memanglah awak layak, tapi..." and then bla... bla... bla...
Seriously, if I am eligible then what exactly is the problem??
The makcik and pakcik of MOSTI kept maintaining that I would fail the interview, that they would not even consider my application. [why did they say those things? so unprofessional]
I am fine if I failed to get the interview. But, why did they call only to tell me that I can't apply?
Senyap2 sudah la. Ni pergi telefon kata xkan dapat la, xkan di consider lansung. Xke sakit hati?
I long to ask, "Apa masalah cik?"
I know I am bonded to another scholarship under MOSTI, but I have clarified my situation to the officers of MOSTI that came to UiTM during the registration. I did exactly what they told me. I was only trying my very best, doing everything in my power to achieve everything I can. If they [the MOSTI officers I consulted earlier] were misinformed, then that is very unfortunate. But hey, shit happens. I am truly ok with it if they just let go of it.

The right thing for them to do was just consider my application as unsuccessful. Then I'll check whether I succeeded or not like everybody else. Like a normal scholarship applicant.
If I fail, then ok, I'll move on.
But no, they had to call me. I did not call them. THEY called ME twice. TWICE! Yesterday and today, harping on the same things. I can't help but think that I am so important to them that they care so much about me..[yeah, right].
Maybe they are trying to be heroes and save me from the hurt of applying for something that I could not have?
Wow, so considerate of them. If that is the case, I thank you with all my heart.
But, why not also call my friends who are in the same situation as me?
I really am puzzled.
Semua diserahkn padaNya. Apa2 pun yang terjadi, kehendakNya lah yang terbaik.
Malas nak fikir.