Lesson(s)

[Bu Gong Ping]
Point of matter, nothing in life is fair.

It's more about being in the right place at the right time or knowing the right people for the right purpose.

If you've been keeping up with the Malaysian Monsoon Cup Qualifiers which ended yesterday, or with the Asian Qualifiers that started today, you'd probably understand where all this is coming from. NST covers daily reports of the event briefly in the Sports section.

** No, I am not complaining or criticizing anyone, am merely pointing out the realities of life which I think is fairly important for all us to take note.

So, I was and still am shocked to see some of my ex-crews at the event, mainly for a couple of reasons.
(1) How did they manage to even go for it when we didn't have any budget?
(2) Why are they representing Perak when they're from Selangor?
(3) Who arranged for them to be there?
(4) How come I didn't know and was not told about this?
(5) How did all this happen??!

And honestly, why are all the teams who entered this year all Malays, minus the only non-Malay skippered entry from Terengganu. 2 teams from Navy, 1 team from Perak, 2 from MYA, 1 from Johore, 1 from Putrajaya (if I had not mistaken)... All Melayu's, all org sendiri!

** The only reason why I cannot even remember who is racing or was racing is because, they are freaking nobodies!! No match racing experience, no training, no knowledge. Nada! Nil!! How the hell did they even get to enter when the entry fee is so effin high?

I cannot not assume that it's bloody politics lingering again, top ranking people helping their own people, bloody selfish people wanting and trying to be in the limelight, Melayu's tolong-ing Melayu's. The freaking people in MYA (Malaysian Yachting Association) pulling strings to suit their own benefits.

Okay lah, so it isn't true that I am not criticizing and complaining but how can??

Half the entries are people from the MYA who aren't even sailors! They're supposedly in the MYA to help us run the damned association so that youngsters and youths, people like you and I will get the chance to sail and one day represent the country, but no.

They're there to pull in their own people. Abang, adik, kakak, anak, sepupu, pak cik, mak cik all they tarik in, those different from them can forget about ever donning the colors of our country. What the hell is all these?!

It was already bad when I was in the squad 3 years back, at least then we still had someone who really was in the association to do good, who saw the potential in others and was there for the sake of the sailors, and then they kicked him out. What is their f*cking problem?! Just because he was not one of them and just because he was actually doing his job in making sure that everyone was treated equally and had equal opportunities to advance.

I tell you, this is all nonsense. Pure rubbish. Literally. That is why I strongly believe that Malaysian sports will never go far.

Damn.

Okay lah, so I am pissed and annoyed because life is not fair. But over my share of experience, I have learnt that life isn't fair to begin with, it's just not as easy to digest when you see unjust right in front of your two eyes.

*inhale exhale inhale exhale*

Nevertheless, congrats goes to Ain, skipper of Team Perak and also the only female skipper this time around for winning the wild card to the actual Monsoon Cup. Hope she does well then. Hope.

Also hor, another lesson that 'hit me hard' over the span of the past two weeks. It is not about being knowledgeable or being successful, or how people see you as or perceive you to be. It is how you 'cheat yourself' to believe that you are smart and successful that makes you 'successful'.

Faham ka?

Meaning, I can be the worst ever person to conduct an orchestra but as long as I stand in front of the crowd, smile, wave my wand as if I know perfectly what I am doing, I will still get my applause at the end of the concert.

It's more like, I know I don't know much, but if I pretend to know that I know much, people will think that I know much and therefore I will look smart, and if I look smart, people will think I am smart! So conclusion is, I AM SMART!

Using proper terms, it basically means, crazily high self confidence and super thick skin will pull you through thunderstorms, taifun's, tsunami's, crap and nonsense, somehow.

Of course I am not suggesting that one should rely totally on self confidence to get through life, chances are, it'll get you somewhere but nowhere far... I am emphasizing the importance of self confidence.

If you've made it thus far, you deserve a pat on the back. *pat*

So yeah. It's been a good day, finally spent some quality time with the friends over lunch and had the usual dose of laughter from the very cute bunch of people. My friends are just oh-so-cute! The trigger for this post was when I flipped open the newspaper and read the contents.

So another lesson of the day, don't read the newspaper! It spoils your day! (of course I am just kidding on this one).

A very long post script:

Okay, I am being very harsh. I should not blame others for what has happened or for what that has not happened. After all, you want something, you have to work for it. I wanted to be there, to be part of it, to be representing the country, but I did not work for it. So all I have is myself to blame and thrusting my anger on others isn't the right thing to do.

I am jealous of what my counterparts have achieved and I wrote this very long post noting everything bad and everything negative. Again, my own perspective, my own story. It shouldn't be the case.

I hereby clarify that although I am not happy with how things are at the moment, I suppose the winners did perform well and earned it for themselves. My sincere congrats to them and although I am still sore about the whole thing, I am glad that at least they've moved on, and hopefully they'll continue to perform.

Despite all that, I don't think a "sorry" is necessary because after all, I am stating what I see as the truth and I am very sure that if it isn't, no one should feel offended.

So, you want something, you work hard to earn it! It is as simple as ABC.