The Forerunner Times

"A life journal by Nathan J. Elias, called under God's grace to be His forerunner and restorer for His glory."

What do you think will happen if you get two most entertaining lecturers in your campus at once in one term?

That.

Anyway, in James Cook University, the consensus among us students say that the two most entertaining lecturers here are Mr. Samuel Lee and Mr. Frankie Yee. They will make you laugh all day as their lectures are interesting, entertaining, full of jokes and so much fun to the point that you will not want to miss any of their classes! And amazingly, this term I got both of them at once. So imagine how my days are now this term, everytime I go for a class, that day I will return home with a sore jaw because of too much laughing.

This week, Frankie was telling us about the macroenvironmental analysis, in which he analysed several countries where the students came from, like India, Indonesia, China, Vietnam and Myanmar. We also had a little discussion about the Thai Coup. It was hilarious and extremely fun, as other than looking at stats such as GDP, Inflation Rate etc we also talked about birth rate stats in Singapore which in turn led to “which country is the most sexually active” discussion, haha. Won’t tell you the answer, though, you’ll have to find it yourself.

On the other hand Samuel was giving us a personality test and the results was damn right. Am I so talkative? Haha, I guess so. The way he described the four personality types was cool. Eagle, peacock, dove and owl. I’m a 25% eagle, 50% peacock and 25% dove type. Eagle is the dominant and goal-oriented type, Peacock is the social and talkative type, Dove is the silent, complacent and compromising type while Owl is the thinker and analytical type. Why are those birds related to those types? Sit down, relax and think a bit, and you’ll get the answer soon enough. Hmm I think I will ask him to give me a copy of this test later, it’s so interesting I want to try it on some friends.

With all these so much fun, let’s just hope that I don’t laugh too much to the point that my face becomes like Smithey above.

Well, I need all the fun I can get now, because next term it is going to be a bad term. They decided to cut down the next term from six weeks to five weeks, so that we can have our exams for next term before the Christmas holiday, not after. That way, we won’t have to think about exams and study during our holiday. But to make that happen, some things have to be sacrificed. Other than cutting the next term down to five weeks, they also chose to omit the break after this term. Usually after two terms (four months), we will have a one week term break, but because of this decision, we will have three terms (six months) before our term break later during Christmas!

Since I have decided to stay here for Christmas and New Year to be with my new friends from KP, I will have to return to Indonesia during my one-week Study Break before the exam in the first week of November. It will be a bit tough and uneasy holiday, but since my subjects in this term all use case studies for the exam, there is not much theory and text to read and remember actually. All of them boils down to analysis and thinking, not memorizing. Let’s hope that my holiday will go well and I can withstand the next term onslaught and still participate for the Christmas events.

These are some photos when KP GPO went to eat some dessert after the Youth Day event on September 2^nd. I’ve got these photos since quite a while back, but since I didn’t have any good captions on my mind at that time, I didn’t post them. Now that I have thought of some nice captions, I post the photos here for you to see. Captions are in Indonesian only, sorry.

Debat di meja makan: “Pesan yang ini! Tidak, pesan yang itu, jangan yang ini!”

“Sudah, sudah, sudah! Pokoknya kita akan pesan yang ini!!!”

“Oh my gosh… Apa yang kau pesankan bagi kami??” (see the evil grin)

Photos are for joke only. No offense to the parties involved in this incident…

Really, is there anything better to do in this world than singing?

Since I joined my first choir “Agaphe” back then in April 2004, my world has been filled with songs of praises and worship to Him, the Holy One that I so deeply love. So when I had to go to Singapore, that choir was one of the harder things for me to let go. I knew that God will provide me with another ministry here, but the time it took was so long…

Yes, it was six months actually since I last sang with a choir (not including July 2006 when I went home to sang with them on CK and Ivan’s wedding - that doesn’t count). Finally in GPO, I managed to enter the music ministry once again in the Youth Vocal Group. Yesterday, it was the first time I sang with them in the Sunday Service and it felt really good to be able to sing again for the LORD. There were 13 of us yesterday, which were a lot according to the Vocal Group standards (they even once sang with only five, I heard). I just hope all of us will be given loyalty, faith and commitment to remain in this vocal group and keep singing for the LORD.

The funny thing was how God was playing with the timing again. Yesterday we sang on part to commemorate the Family Month in GPO. Two and a half years ago, when I first sang with Agaphe, it was during a Family Month too. I still remember the anxiety inside me that made me feel very nervous when I went up there to the stage the first time. I still remember the song we sang, all of my house serve the LORD. How great is our God that His plan never fails. I think now I can see why He waited six months before sending me here. Since I tend to jump from church to church maybe God feels I kinda need a sign to know that this is the right church. So He made me came in Youth Day to get the “home” feeling of my old youth, He meet me up with some people from my old church a few weeks ago in this church and now He made me sing my first time in this church in the Family Month.

Coincidence? I believe not. God has a great plan for all of us, for you and me. Now I am no longer worried about the remaining six months I have. Somehow I believe that He plans to make me stay here longer. There have been some signs that point that way, but I have to keep praying and discern what it is that He truly wants from me.

Looks yummy enough? These are the empal penyet and soto ayam that I ate today.

Since today was the day after the exam, me and my friends decided to have an outing together while celebrating three of our classmates’ birthdays - Andy, Ranjit and Girish. We went to Ayam Penyet RIA in Lucky Plaza together to have dinner. There were about 15 of us taking the space in that small restaurant and we ordered food like there was no tomorrow. I ate steamed rice plus empal penyet (smashed beef steak) and soto ayam (some kind of a chicken soup) and drank a big glass of milo which filled my stomach to the max, feeling very satisfied.

Since we started the dinner on 7.30pm, when the dinner ended, the night was still young, so we decided to take a walk to the Coffee Bean near Paragon to have a chit chat and let the food in our stomaches go down. We talked about things until it was around 9.00pm, then we decided that we were going to have a little game of pool to lighten up the night. So off to Lucky Plaza again we go, but before we leave, I got an SMS from Aji telling me that Gerry, an old friend of ours from our high school days in Indonesia is coming to Singapore and that they are eating at the moment in a Thai restaurant at Takashimaya. What a coincidence, the Coffee Bean is right in front of Takashimaya! So after receiving directions, I just run up across the road to the Thai restaurant on the fourth floor of Takashimaya…

It didn’t take me too long to find where the Thai restaurant was, and thanks to the glass windows I can see Gerry and Aji from outside. I came in and sat. For Aji and Gerry, it was their first meeting in six years after Gerry went to Australia in 2000 to continue his education. I already met Gerry last year when I was strolling around Pakuwon Trade Centre in Surabaya, but nonetheless meeting an old friend far from home is good. Since Gerry would return the next day, we decided to spend a long night and go watch a movie. We went to Cathay cineplex and choose The Banquet, which will play from 12.15am. At that time it was still around 11 pm so we went back to Gerry’s room in Phoenix hotel to have a chat about the old days and what has happened during these six long years. Turns out that a lot of our friends were already married and having families. Hmmm… life feels so fast, don’t you think? I’m sure Rita would agree with me.

At 12 pm we returned to watch the movie. This was a brilliant Chinese epic kind of movie that far outclassed even Hero and Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon. Zhang Ziyi performed superbly here, being the evil empress who seeks to fulfill her desire for power. Daniel Wu, who usually played bastard guys, like his role in The New Police Story against Jackie Chan, played exceptionally well as the Crown Prince here. Zhou Xun also managed to capture the emotion and feelings of the audience with her moving, sad and somewhat tragic love story (move away please, Lake House!). All in all this movie is a must watch which I will highly recommend to you all. This is one of the greatest movies I’ve ever seen and it will rank very high on my movie list. You’ll miss something really great if you miss this movie, especially if you love Chinese epics, art, drama and performances. The movie itself is a very splendid work of art, the cinemarography, art direction and musical arrangements are beyond amazing. Wow.

It’s about 2.30am by the time we finished watching the movie. After saying goodbyes, I went back to my home in Redhill by taxi, as there was no more MRT service during this hour and I don’t know the bus route to go home from there.

Sleeping at 4 in the morning, I took a long rest and woke up at 11. After cleaning up and eating lunch I went to GPO at 2.30pm for vocal group practice, and afterwards youth fellowship at 4.15pm. After the youth finished, we arranged a plan to go to DXO - a dance club of sorts which photos you can see above - to support our friend Yustina (and all other GPO youth friends who were there as her models). She was having a fashion show as part of her final project, and the chosen venue was DXO, so off we go right from church to a dance club. Talk about moving from light to darkness so fast!

Welcome to Sin City. That was the theme of the fashion show where the seven students are assigned their own themes based on the infamous seven sins. Yustina got the theme of LUST (yes, LUST) so their costumes will be mainly red in colour.

The night unveils to be a very amazing night. From the first group, GREED I think, there was a very mafia looking guy with very short white hair, wearing glasses, with wooly costume and opened shirt revealing his muscles and tattoo. I was thinking where the heck did they hire a yakuza like that… And one performer from the last group, PRIDE, was… shocking. The man just wore a white underwear (yes, KOLOR, Indonesians!), ONLY that, plus some kind of feathery ornament. He seems to be very proud of his firm muscles, abs and six pack, but man, talk about wearing only that in front of more than one hundred person audience… whoa!

Our friends’ performance were amazing too! We rooted for them and took pictures and videos of them, though it’s better to leave them unpublished at the moment, before I get their permission. They managed to convey the theme of LUST amazingly (doh, for a second I forgot that they were churchies, haha) and their red/black costumes look very amazingly made. Their hairdos also look fabulous, man, those were some amazing style from an amateur (maybe not even amateur, she was still a student!). So proud to have them as friends, though, I don’t think these kinds of costumes will ever be used in any church dramas, events or the likes, hahaha. So with the ending of the night, it ended an amazing experience for me. Dance club, friends’ fashion show, groovy music… whoa. This must be simply be my best night in Singapore ever since I came here.

These two days turned to be very amazing, especially the last one. I will forever treasure these memories, as these two days are days I spend with my dear friends, old and new. It feels… complete. The first one was with my campus friends, the second one was with my old friends from my highschool days and the last one was with my new friends from the youth. There could be nothing more I can ever ask for, no better way to spend two days. I will forever treasure these two days, for they are memorable beyond measure.

Thank GOD for this Friday and Saturday.

The Road That Ends Here will tell you the summary about two months of my life in this Merlion country. It will have six chapters, corresponding to the six terms that I will endure in this one year. The idea about the title comes from a journey to hike a mountain. I imagine that getting my master degree is like enduring a long mountain path. Between the summit and the peak, there will be five stopping points to rest and regain strength (this is Chapter I through Chapter V). After the five stopping points, if I still endure, then I will reach the peak and reach my final destination (Chapter VI). Enjoy these stories and may the tales bring you new strength and encouragement to reach your goal.

Chapter III

This term began with a somewhat relaxed pace. There were not so many assignments to begin with - only one marketing plan assignment and one financial plan assignment - and for me, Accounting is not at all that difficult as before I have learned Accounting three times in my life during high school, college and a special course. Though this Accounting class is quite different are more detailed, the basics from those three classes really helped me through and for me, Accounting is never very different with mathematics, which is not too hard either for me. Even with the new things such as ratio analysis etc I am still sure I can make it through, in fact I think Accounting is the easiest class so far for me in JCU Singapore.

The assignments started to build up after we get several additional assignments. For the Marketing class we got a case study assignment and a presentation coming up, while for the Accounting class a presentation was also in store. Compared to the previous terms, though, these are still a breeze. On the first term the assignments were like a barrage (wrote about 50-60 pages I think at that time) and on the second term we could hardly understand the assignments at all especially the business plan one. Sure this term still had its own share of sleepless nights, but all in all it’s not that bad.

The Management exam is four questions on a case study, so it’s no use studying too much on the theories. And for the Accounting, the exact question types are already given and even the questions in the exam are exactly the same with the questions in the study book, some even have the exact same numbers unchanged. So in the end we end up relaxing during the study week, I was watching DVDs, playing games and sleeping (especially because I was ill during this time and I only recovered just today). All in all, the exam was relatively okay. I don’t know how I fare in Management (as it is a case study and there are no definite answers) but for the Accounting exam, I’m sure I did well, only a few mistakes here and there on the trick questions.

A nice term. Not too much because of the relatively easy classes and fewer assignments, but due to the many unforgettable memories that happens this semester. Mom’s operation, finding a new church, going out with new friends etc, it changes the stagnancy of life I’ve been enduring through the first two terms. If it can only continue like this, my remaining six months in Singapore will really be filled by happiness and memories. Especially because I think now I am able to get along with my friends better and I’m starting to like this place better… maybe I will think about spending another year or two in here.

Some of you who knew about the plagiarism case that happened in the Accounting subject might ask, how come I can still feel this is a good term when that happened? Well, I decided to take no further action on that one. To ask for action I have to write a formal written request and I don’t think I will take it that far. As long as there’s no action taken against me (as in failing my Accounting) then it’s fine, but when it happens I will take action. I’m sure God is in the way to help though, so I won’t do anything more and I’ll let God handle the rest of it.

On a note, here are the marks that have come out for my previous subjects…
• Human Relations in the Workplace ~ Credit
• Sustainable Enterprise ~ Credit
• Data Management and Information Technology ~ Credit
• Entrepreneurship and Risk Management ~ Pass

Hmmm… no Distinction marks yet. Let’s hope Accounting will be my first one.

Related Links:
The Road That Ends Here, Chapter I (May 2006)
The Road That Ends Here, Chapter II (July 2006)
The Road That Ends Here, Chapter IV (November 2006)

Gah, finally went to see a General Practitioner (GP) today… spent S$28 for it.

I consulted the doctor on my headache and sore throat, and he gave me medicines mainly for my sore throat, which seems to work at the moment. The problem is that my headache is not healing at all from the past few weeks and even the medicine from Indonesia which worked wonders before can only help to ease off the problem a little now. The doctor gave me Paracetamol 1000mg tablets, twice the Panadol dose. I hope those will work tomorrow when I’m in the exams, cause Panadol doesn’t work and I need all the pain reliever I can get at the moment.

Seems that I got these diseases due to lack of exercise though, as when I tried to do light exercises today in my room such as body stretching and flexing, it seems to help my body relax a bit and managed to ease off my headache and stomach pain a bit. So maybe after I’m healed I should really put some time to go to the gym and do some exercise once in a while. It’s only S$2.50 per visit so it won’t burn a hole in my pocket, I don’t see myself being able to go to the gym for more than 15 times a month now, looking at my current study load…

The funniest thing that happened today was that the name of the receptionist - also doubling as the pharmacist - is Cynthia Chua. The same name with the person who owns the Chua’s Flower Heart blog on my bloglist on the right. Thought I saw it wrong because of my illness or something but turns out thay maybe God is playing another joke on me, because I was thinking between going to the Polyclinic or the GP today, but because the Polyclinic had a long queue I went to the GP instead. And duh, to see a friend’s name on that nametag is too much of a coincidence. If God’s planning for me to come there from the beginning then please heal me. Though Your will be done, not mine. I dunno if You’re training me to do more things myself in Singapore, because until now I always relied on others and especially going to Indonesia if I need things, which is not good if I’m to stay here for a longer period. A sign that you’re going to put me here for more than 6 months, God?

On the exam, haven’t studied much for the case study for Marketing and Innovation today. Can’t do much by reading it over and over either. I will just put it all to God and rely on Him. Whatever the results will be, there will always be a good news and a bad news, so I have nothing to fear about…

I will come back to you later on news about how I managed to do in the exam. Now I must sleep…

“The world is changed. I feel it in the water. I feel it in the earth. I smell it in the air.”
— Galadriel, Lord of the Rings –

Yes, the world is changing. I dunno why I am writing so much lately. I have a lot to think and say. I only wrote 6 posts in Augusts, yet this is already my 5th post in September. Maybe because I do not have too much to do lately, and this week is my study week where I’m supposed to study, but I can’t, due to lazyness, sickness and so on…

Anyway, just went into some thinking about the future after I see my favourite stall in the nearby hawker centre closed shop. They have been closed since last week and I thought the owner might have gone on a holiday. Turns out that they have moved away, today when I went there the banner sign of the stall is being replaced by a new one. I didn’t realize they were going to move. I didn’t feel anything when they started giving extra portions and they do not replace their diminishing plastic fork and spoons (at one point they run out of both so I had to eat rice with bowl spoon). But it happened so fast and in a flash they’re gone. There goes my favourite eating place, the best chicken rice, fried fish rice and all kinds of ramen. Had to go look for another good stall to eat…

In a flash, people can go away. Where will I be six months from now?

Yes, six months. I was expecting eight, actually, as I strongly believed that I would fail that Entrepreneurship class, leaving me to retake it, which translates to an additional two months here. But today, Angel told me that the results for this class is out, and when I checked, I got a Pass mark. Happy and thanks God, because I passed, but at the same time sad, because now I know my days here are numbered, and it’s counting down quickly. Maybe later I can find a job in Singapore, but it’s up to God to decide that and grant me one if He’s willing for me to have a longer stay.

Back then I missed my friends in Indonesia, I felt lonely and I want these days to pass away quickly, but now… It’s amazing how a man’s heart can change so quickly once he’s found a new home, a new place, with friends to be with and to share with. When I went home in July, my parents asked me if I want to stay here another year for work. And I said no. Why would I want to remain here longer if my days here have been suffering? Study, study, study all the time, wishing it all would quickly pass. Even though I will have a good salary, with no friends and family to share it with, what is the use of it? I’m not the kind of person who likes to use up a lot of money for myself, in fact I save a lot and use it mainly with friends and family. But now that I have found my place and my friends, I feel that I want to stay here a bit longer.

Six months from now, when all of this ends, where will I be?

Sometimes people just need a place to belong…

Here are two photos from the ORPC Youth Day last Saturday. Didn’t take it myself and I was still in the process of asking permission to grab it (naughty am I? posting what isn’t mine), haha, but I’m sure she will grant me that permission to post here :p

I am… I am in… Hey, where am I? Look for a streak of golden hair… XD

GPO Youth Gals… and Fried Rice! Anyone hungry??

So yep that’s it, two for now. These photos were taken by someone else’s camera. I brought my K750i actually, but I, uh, being a new person I just don’t feel right taking their pictures at the moment. Maybe when I’ve known them better, I can take a few more pics for you to see. Especially later in September 30th, if they decide to go for an outing…

Nice people, don’t you think? I always think that small numbers have benefits in that everyone knows each other. Just like home… Hmm, suddenly I don’t feel that homesick anymore towards Latreia and Agaphe (haha, sorry guys). Must be because I’ve found my new home and I’m back in the ministry now. Goodbye 6 months of desolation!

More photos can be seen here.

For English Readers:
This article is more focused towards Indonesian readers, thus I choose not to translate it to English, though some of you English readers might have also practiced or believed in these. It basically talks about the dangers of believing in Chinese horoscope and astrology and going to “fate readers”. “Clairvoyances”, if you prefer. Since you can’t read the article, the main point is: flee from all kinds of horoscope, astrology, zodiac signs, etc. If you still got that one on Friendster, shut it down. If you’re reading it in newspapers, stop. If you still read it anywhere, then flee from it. It holds more danger than what you might think or believe…

Pengakuan Harun Jusuf, Mantan Tukang Kuamia:
“Pasien yang datang justru dikutuk Si Tukang Kwamia!”

Harun Jusuf, mantan tukang kwamia yang namanya pernah sangat ngetop di kalangan etnis Tionghoa ini, berpenampilan sederhana. Ditemani Acu, istrinya, Harun Yusuf menjawab serta membuka semua rahasia kwamia secara blak-blakan. Ia pun mengaku sedang menyiapkan sebuah tulisan untuk diterbitkan menjadi sebuah buku mengenai perjalanan hidupnya.

TANYA: Bapak sangat dikenal sebagai tukang kwamia di kalangan etnis Tionghoa. Apa yang Bapak lakukan setiap kali pasien datang?

JAWAB: Begini. Tak semua pasien yang datang diterima. Tetapi, harus saya uji dulu. Maksudnya ialah saya tanyakan tanggal lahirnya lengkap dengan jam kelahirannya. Lalu didaftar,tunggu, antri dan jam berapa bisa diterima.

TANYA: Maksud Bapak?

JAWAB: Dari tanggal lahirnya, kita harus bikin Pek Jie. Pek Jie ialah sebuah daftar di mana kita dapat menghitung dengan mengutak atik angka berdasarkan tanggal lahir sehingga menghasilkan sebuah angka. Jam, tanggal, bulan, tahun kelahiran diterjemahkan dalam dua huruf. Angka ini disebut Bintang (”Xing”). Nah, dari sinilah nasib manusia berjalan sesuai dengan apa yang sudah ditentukan oleh Pek Jie.

TANYA: Dan, ternyata memang tepat?

JAWAB: Saya jamin 90% tepat, karena memang sudah diuji. Jadi, saya menerima pasien tak sembarangan. Jika menurut perhitungan berdasarkan masa lalunya, kapan menikahnya, kapan punya anaknya, sudah 90 % tepat barulah saya jadikan pasien. Tetapi, kalau kurang dari segitu tak mau saya jadikan pasien. Bisa saja saya katakan bahwa tanggal lahir yang diberikan kepada saya itu salah tanggalnya, karena orangtuanya memang salah mencatatnya.

TANYA: Benarkah seseorang yang datang minta dikwamia, rohnya sudah dikuasai terlebih dulu ?

JAWAB: Ya, benar. Rohnya sudah berada di dalam cengkeraman roh yang saya pelihara. Sejak itu roh pasien harus tunduk pada roh saya apapun yang saya perintahkan. Misalnya saya ramalkan bahwa orang itu akan bercerai, maka rohnya tunduk 100% dan dia pasti akan bercerai! Padahal sebenarnya belum tentu ia akan bercerai. Roh kamilah yang justru menakdirkan, merencanakan semuanya itu. Ini, yang saya pikir paling tepat. Makanya, tukang kwamia yang makin jitu, makin berbahaya, berarti yang dipeliharanya makin hebat. Bekingnya makin hebat.

TANYA: Kalau begitu, kutukan itu datangnya justru dari si tukang kwamia kepada si pasien?

JAWAB: Ya, betul, secara tak sadar, ya! Saya dipakai oleh roh yang ada dalam diri saya untuk mengutuk manusia atau pasien yang datang! Dengan begitu setiap pasien berada dalam cengkraman kami. Melalui mulut kami, tukang kwamia keluar kutukan-kutukan yang harus dijalankan secara tak sadar oleh si roh pasien itu. Misalnya, jika dikutuk bahwa tahun depan ia akan disikat orang perusahaannya, biar bagaimana hati-hatipun perusahaannya pasti akan disikat orang lain. Mengapa? Karena rohnya sudah sepenuhnya tunduk kepada roh kami si tukang kwamia! percaya kepada tukang kwamia, ia menjadi hamba dari roh tukang kwamia. Menjadi hamba roh tukang kwamia, pasti ada imbalan atau tumbal yang harus dibayar.

Ingin diramal baik, sudah tentu tak gratis. Jadi, harus ada bayarannya dan bayarannya mahal yaitu nyawa salah seorang keluarga kita. Seperti yang dulu pernah saya alami. Dua orang anak saya meninggal dunia.

TANYA: Jadi, tumbal adalah suatu keharusan jika kita meminta sesuatu kepada tukang kwamia?

JAWAB: Di dunia mana ada yang gratis, kecuali ASI, air susu ibu yang Kita minum. Kita pinjam uang kepada bank. Tak mungkin bank memberi secara gratis. Kita harus membayar bunganya, bukan? Kita pinjam uang sama teman. Namanya hutang, bukan? Kecuali dari orangtua kita. Di alam roh juga begitu. Harus ada harga yang harus dibayar. Karena itu, jika memperoleh hasil, maka hasil itu harus jelas, apakah dari Tuhan atau bukan. Jika dari Tuhan, maka Ia akan memberi tanpa imbalan. Gratis!

Misalnya Ia menciptakan matahari. Orang jahatpun bisa menikmati sinar matahari. Begitu pula dengan air. Air, Tuhan berikan secara gratis. Kalau kita harus membeli air, itu karena kita harus membayar ongkos pembuatan air. Airnya kan gratis.

TANYA: Menurut orang Tionghoa yang kokoh memegang tradisi lamanya, peranan Shio sangat penting dalam perjalanan hidupnya. Bagaimana sebenarnya hal itu?

JAWAB: Karena tradisi yang turun-temurun, watak manusia sudah tak berfungsi sebagai watak manusia yang sebenarnya. Sifat dan watak manusia sudah seperti berubah menjadi sifat dan watak binatang. Hal ini terjadi karena sejak zaman dulu, orang Timur sudah ditaklukan oleh gambaran hewan dalam Shio-shio itu.

Mau tahu artinya Shio? Shio artinya persis atau sama dengan! Siapa yang bisa mengutuki anak kita, kalau bukan orangtuanya? Melalui shio itu akhirnya kuasa jahat itu, memakai mulut orangtua supaya mengutuki anaknya!

TANYA: Jadi, kalau begitu tak ada shio yang baik?

JAWAB: Mana ada ! Nasib binatang mana ada yang bagus. Kelinci artinya playboy. Rumah tangga bakal hancur. Naga, artinya kesombongan. Ular artinya licik. Tikus merusak, kerbau bodoh, macan sadis atau buas, kuda diperbudak atau ditunggangi orang. Kambing,kebangetan atau “awban” atau berjiwa pemberontak, monyet nakal. Apa saja berani dia coba. Ayam jadi santapan orang banyak, anjing tak bisa membedakan. Jika dipelihara perampok, dia akan membela perampok atau majikannya saat melawan polisi. Tak mungkin dia membela polisi saat itu, bukan? Babi? Huh! Dia kan binatang jorok. Selalu kembali ke tempat yang kotor dan nasibnya selalu berakhir di tempat pembantaian.

TANYA: Kalau dengan horoskop?
JAWAB: Nah, di dunia Barat, dikutuki melalui horoskop yang mengambil sifat-sifat binatang. Manusia sudah berada dalam perangkap iblis dan iblis sudah berkeliaran di dunia ini dan mempengaruhi manusia agar jiwanya tidak seperti manusia melainkan berjiwa dan bersifat seperti binatang. Ajaran manusia membunuh, merampok, memperkosa. Kita lihat anak membunuh orangtuanya, ayah memperkosa anaknya, jiwanya sudah seperti binatang.

Credits to Vincent for the original article and letting me repost it here.

千里之外 | Qian Li Zhi Wai | A Thousand Miles Away (Faraway)
曲：周杰倫
Qu : Zhou Jie Lun
Music: Jay Chou

詞：方文山
Ci: Fang Wen Shan
Lyrics: Vincent Fang

Music Video (MV): http://youtube.com/watch?v=j78yf4RCtqo

Lyrics from jaywife provided by cs_omigosh here
Translation: Ling & cs_omigosh - www.jay-chou.net

屋簷如懸崖* 風鈴如滄海 我等燕歸來
Wu yan ru xuan yai* / feng ling ru cang hai / wo deng yan gui lai
The roof is like a cliff, wind chimes like the ocean, and I am waiting for the swallow to return.

時間被安排 演一場意外 你悄然走開
Shi jian bei an pai / yan yi chang yi wai / ni qiao ran zou kai
Time is scheduled to act out the accident of you leaving quietly.

故事在城外 濃霧散不開 看不清對白
Gu shi zai cheng wai / nong wu shan bu kai / kan bu qing dui bai
The story occurred outside the city (where) there were thick fogs. (I) can’t see the dialogue clearly.

你聽不出來 風聲不存在 是我在感慨
Ni ting bu chu lai / feng sheng bu cun zai / shi wo zai gan kai
You can’t tell (that) the wind chimes never sounded. It was my exasperation.

夢醒來 是誰在窗臺 把結局打開
Meng xing lai / shi shui zai chuang tai / ba jie ju da kai
Awakened (from my) dream, who stood by the window sill and opened the ending.

那薄如蟬翼的未來 經不起誰來拆
Na bo ru chan yi de wei lai / jing bu qi shui lai zhe
The future is as thin as the cicada’s wing and can’t withstand being torn by anyone.

我送你離開 千里之外 你無聲黑白
Wo song ni li kai / qian li zhi wai / ni wu sheng hei bai
I send you off to a thousand miles away. (My mental image of you) is silent, black and white

沈默年代 或許不該 太遙遠的相愛
Chen mo nian dai / huo xu bu gai / tai yao yuan de xiang ai
Perhaps a love so far apart shouldn’t exist in this silent era.

我送你離開 天涯之外 你是否還在
Wo song ni li kai / tian yai* zhi wai / ni shi fou hai zai
I send you away beyond the end of Earth. Are you still there?

琴聲何來 生死難猜 用一生 去等待
Qing sheng he lai / sheng si nan cai / yong yi sheng / qu deng dai
Where is the zither** sound coming from? It’s hard to predict life and death. (I will) use (my) whole life to wait.

聞淚聲入林 尋梨花白 只得一行 青苔
Wen lei sheng ru ling / xun li hua bai / zhi de yi hang / qing tai
I enter the woods upon hearing tears. (I) search for a white flower, but only get a row of moss.

天在山之外 雨落花台 我兩鬢斑白
Tian zai shan zhi wai / yu luo hua tai / wo liang xu ban bai
The sky is far away from the mountain. The rain falls on the flower garden. My hair has become white.

聞淚聲入林 尋梨花白 只得一行 青苔
Wen lei sheng ru ling / xun li hua bai / zhi de yi hang / qing tai
I enter the woods upon hearing tears. (I) search for a white flower, but only get a row of moss.

天在山之外 雨落花台 我等你來
Tian zai shan zhi wai / yu luo hua tai / wo deng ni lai
The sky is far away from the mountain. The rain falls on the flower garden. I wait for you to come.

一身琉璃白 透明著塵埃 你無瑕的愛
Yi shen liu li bai / tou ming zhe chen ai / ni wu xia de ai
Wearing clear white clothes, the transparency shows dust and your flawless love.

你從雨中來 詩化了悲哀 我淋濕現在
Ni chong yu zhong lai / shi hua le bei ai / wo ling shi xian zai
You come from the rain and transform sorrow into a poem and I am now wet.

芙蓉水面采 船行影猶在 你卻不回來
Fu rong shui mian cai / chuan xing ying you zai / ni que bu hui lai
A lotus floats on the water. It seems as if the shadows of the boat sails are still there, but you still won’t return.

被歲月覆蓋 你說的花開 過去成空白
Bei sui yue fu gai / ni shuo de hua kai / guo qu cheng kong bai
Covered by time, the flower that you said would blossom has become emptiness in the past.

夢醒來 是誰在窗臺 把結局打開
Meng xing lai / shi shui zai chuang tai / ba jie ju da kai
Awakened (from my) dream, who stood by the window sill and opened the ending.

那薄如蟬翼的未來 經不起誰來拆
Na bo ru chan yi de wei lai / jing bu qi shui lai zhe
The future is as thin as the cicada’s wing and can’t withstand being torn by anyone.

我送你離開 千里之外 你無聲黑白
Wo song ni li kai / qian li zhi wai / ni wu sheng hei bai
I send you off to athousand miles away (My mental image of you) is silent and black and white

沈默年代 或許不該 太遙遠的相愛
Chen mo nian dai / huo xu bu gai / tai yao yuan de xiang ai
Perhaps a love so far apart shouldn’t exist in this silent era.

我送你離開 天涯之外 你是否還在
Wo song ni li kai / tian yai* zhi wai / ni shi fou hai zai
I send you away beyond the end of Earth. Are you still there?

琴聲何來 生死難猜 用一生 去等待
Qin sheng he lai / sheng si nan cai / yong yi sheng / qu deng dai
Where is the zither** sound coming from? It’s hard to predict life and death. (I will) use (my) whole life to wait.

Credits to www.jay-chou.net.