The Grass Is Always Greener...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MTR

For the three times I've returned to HK, the one thing that always brought me a feeling of joy and pride was seeing the MTR subway system. It's really odd that I could always remember the distinct smell of an MTR station and feel sentimental. Yes, I DID take a huge sniff when I went back in 2003... like as if you people didn't know I was already weird! =P

I know it is a very bad comparison because of the obvious differences between HK and Toronto, but I've always wondered out loud why can't the TTC be this good? I know the MTR sucks in the fact that the fares are pretty steep because you're paying based on the distance travelled versus the TTC where you just pay one fare for everything (which in my opinion is its Achilles' Heel). However, it's obvious that the added cost has allowed the company and the system to stay in good shape, while we can see obvious signs of the TTC becoming stagnant. Yeah, a bad comparison... this is not even apples to oranges... probably much worse.

My biggest complaint is that the TTC did not respond fast enough to the growth of Toronto and to build lines in areas that needed them desperately. An obvious one that I can think of right now is Scarborough. The RT is a complete joke in my opinion, because it doesn't cover much. They should also make a line on Steeles I think... connect it with the Yonge line... could serve those coming from Markham... and hahahaha, this I find funny because it's kind of stupid, but a line on Kennedy to Pacific Mall.. BAHAHAHAHAHAHAAHA. I think the TTC could make a killing just because of the mall's popularity (plus, it would get rid of a lot of the lousy drivers.. better for us and parking =P). But... this is all just a silly thought.

I don't have the knowledge of the whys and hows of the TTC... so there's really nothing that can be done for now. A lot of us that came from HK would easily make comparisons between the services in HK and those here in Toronto. Yes, HK ppl are a lot ruder, but at least they get the job done and quite quickly so. Here, we get the politeness, but you all should know the efficiency (or lack of)... it's a trade off, yes. Surely there is a way to get the best of both worlds?

I guess that's the issue with the Health Care system too... There's talk about that court case in Quebec that some think will open the flood gates to privatization and stuff. Naturally, there are those sounding the warning bells of doom saying that privatization will destroy the socialist identity of the country, etc etc... Personally, everyone was too slow to realise that things are going wrong. When news broke out years ago about the long waits and other things, shouldn't things have begun to get fixed back then? Man, I'm really on a soap box rant tonight...

I guess I just hate the fact that things could be better... at least, I think they can be. But then, who am I to complain when I haven't sorted out my own problems and made myself better? Ah well, I'll get off the soap box and get back to work... stupid projects... argh...

Rock On !!! The Brilliant Green !

Well, I'm sure certain folks are clammoring out there just ITCHING for an update.. (yes, I'm soooo popular... *hears the expected puking in the background*) soo.. but since I haven't been in the most cheery mood, I'll spare you from the usual self-pitying and talk about my current music binge!

As you can probably guess from my last entry, been diving into the Japanese music pool. Hahah da heck... well, first off, being a Gundam fan, I decided to catch the latest series that out right now called Gundam Seed. Now, the thing is, I've never liked Gundam Wing or any of the "alternative universe" Gundams.... umm.. what does that mean? Well, the original Gundam series took place in a certain "universe" with a certain timeline, chain of events, and specific technologies, etc. It's kind of like the Star Trek universe. All the Star Trek shows and movies took place in that "universe", where it was all tied together. Gundam Wing took place in another universe that was different from the original and its sequels. I'm a fan of the original, so I was very hesitant to watch Seed. But citing boredom and reviews that said it wasn't so bad, I gave it a shot. I was hooked right away, and I even liked the music so much I downloaded as much of it as I could. One of the songs I really liked is in the last entry. Seeing the english translation of the song made it even better. Yeah, being in a depressed mood would get you into songs like these. =P

One Japanese group that I've always loved was The Brilliant Green. My friend called them Japan's version of "Aqua" and "10,000 Maniacs"... I think... actually I'm quite sure he meant another group back in the 90s, but I just don't remember. Oh well... but yeah, I just found all their albums and grabbed them all. Hahaha now to figure out how to burn all the songs I like into the right combo of CDs.. times like these make me wish my car stereo can play MP3s.... sigh... oh well. Their style is purely rock... almost alternative-like, but not exactly either. They're great.. ya!

So that's it for today... tune in next week... or the week after, or the week after that..... or.... =P

Tatuya Ishii - River (Gundam Seed ED2)

Nani mo ka mo umaku yukanai modokashisa ni
Aseru kimochi wo osaete
Hagayusa to iradatashisa ni kokoro midare
Kakaekonda hiza kozou
(Nothing is going the way it should
I hastily subdue these feelings of impatience
All this anxiety and nervousness is sending my heart into disorder
Just a boy hugging his knees in the midst of it all)

Kuyashisa wo koraete namida ni furuete
Naita yoru ga akeru
(Shivering and in tears, I repress all my regret
I cried all night, but now it seems dawn is breaking...)

Sou
Tashika ni kimi no iu toori da yo
Ima nara hikikaeseru keredomo
Tsumaranai iji wo haritsuduketeru
Arukihajimeta ijou akiramenai
(So, undoubtedly you're right
Even though right now I may try to turn back
And I keep on being stubborn about it, though I know it's monotonous
I'll start walking again, this time even farther, and I won't give up)

Mou ichido kono te ni chansu wo...
(If I could get just one more chance...)

Subete kono mune no naka ni shimatte okou
Yume ga kanau made...
(I'll keep it all locked away in my heart
Until my dreams come true...)

Yarusenai hakanasa ni mi wo yudaneru hodo
Sonna ayaui jidai ni
Agaitemo te no todokanai kishi wo mezashi
Muga muchuu de oyoida
(I surrendered myself to a dismal emptiness
in the most critical of times
No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't quite reach
Aiming for the shore
I had to swim for my life)

Nagare ni sakarau koe mo agerarenai
Yukitomari no basho de
(Withstanding the current, I can't even raise my voice
It could have been the end right there, but...)

Sou
Ai ga subete tasukeru to wa
Omowanai dakedo kimi no hohoemi
Kokoro wo iyasu sono kuchibiru ni
Tachiagaru yuuki wo morau no sa
(I don't think that love can save everything,
but there's something about your smile
that somehow healed my heart, and in your lips
I found the strength to stand up again)

Mou ichido kono te ni chansu wo...
(If only I could get just one more chance...)

Kawa no nagare wa kyou mo hageshii keredo
Kimi no te wa hanasanai
Itsumo kono mune no naka no ai wo shinjiteiyou
Yume ga kanau made...
(The flow of the river is intense even today
But I won't let go of your hand
I'll believe in the love that's in my heart forever
Until my dreams come true...)

Sou
Ai ga subete wo tasukeru to wa
Omowanai dakedo kimi no hohoemi
Kokoro wo iyasu sono kuchibiru ni
Tachiagaru yuuki wo morau no sa
(I don't think that love can save everything,
but there's something about your smile
that somehow healed my heart, and in your lips
I found the strength to stand up again)

Tashika ni kimi no iu toori da yo
Ima nara hikikaeseru keredomo
Tsumaranai iji wo haritsuduketeru
Arukihajimeta ijou akiramenai
(So, undoubtedly you're right
Even though right now I may try to turn back
And I keep on being stubborn about it, though I know it's monotonous
I'll start walking again, this time even farther, and this time I won't give up)

Mou ichido kono te ni chansu wo...
(If only I could get just one more chance...)

Kawa no nagare wa kyou mo hageshii keredo
Kimi no te wa hanasanai
Itsumo kono mune no naka no ai wo shinjiteiyou
Yume ga kanau made...
(The flow of the river is intense even today
But I won't let go of your hand
I'll believe in the love that's in my heart forever
Until my dreams come true...)

The Needs of the Many....

"No matter how exotic human civilization becomes, no matter the developments of life and society nor the complexity of the machine/human interface, there always come interludes of lonely power when the course of humankind, the very future of humankind, depends upon the relatively simple actions of single individuals." - from The Tleilaxu Godbuk, DUNE MESSIAH by Frank Herbert

..... sometimes, don't we all just wish we were such individuals?


......... maybe.... just maybe.... in His Plan....... we are...........

When your own brain isn't enough, maybe it's time to buy another one =P

Gaaah... absolute organizational hell!!

As if there wasn't already enough proof that my time management skills are pure shit... got so many things to catch up on.. work projects, doing things for GT, and of course, the other parts of my life such as plans w/ friends and all that... yes, I finally have some actual plans with people for once... =P

My organizational skills in the big picture are so terrible... I need to find a way to sort it out better. I need some kind of calendar software.. similar to MS's Exchange that I have at work... I can run some kind of resident proggy that pops up when an appointment or something comes up... I actually think I have something like that but I don't know how to use it.. rofl. Maybe I should reinstall it and see....

Gonna collapse from all this... *THUD*