Belief
Forgive me Father, for I have sinned. At the time when they needed me the most, I wavered. I doubted them. I set myself up for disappointment, prepared my heart for it. I forsook them at their darkest hour, I placed my well being over them, yet they still played the game of their lives. They raised their game, they stood 2 metres tall, they played with their hearts. So while I celebrate and revel in this victory, I feel ashamed as well, for I had doubted them, didn't render the support they demand.
7-1. This was a team that had players like Fletcher and O'Shea, whom I frequently condemn for not being good enough to be a Man Utd player. 2 goals from Carrick, who perhaps with the absence of Scholes, was able to step up and hit those sweet long shots, his second was just a beauty, unsaveable. Giggs played those passes that I remember he could do ages ago, including that grounder banana pass for Ronaldo's second, the last time I saw that was way back when he set up Andy Cole's 4th goal for a 5-1 win over Newcastle. Ronaldo, what can I say, everytime he touches the ball there's this air of excitement and expectation that crackles around the ground, and I think he revels in it. Player of the season for me so far no doubt. And Smith, after his horror injury, deserves his goal. I missed the sight of him harrying defenders, snapping at their heels.
Dreams are made of this. I had already told myself, the only way they can win this is that the players play their best, and they sure did. I had this silly grin pasted on my face for the work at work. And given some stuff that have been happening in my life, it looks like my fortunes are somehow tied to my favourite club for 12 years.
Glory, glory, Man Utd.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Fever Pitch
Been reading the aforementioned book for the last few days, and I must say it's great. Bear with me, those who read it long ago, I have always wanted to read it but never got down to doing so, finally got a chance to do so after borrowing it from the library. Any football fan should read it. I just like to reproduce a excerpt from the book, which more or less sums up the feeling of a football fan.
Football teams are extraordinarily inventive in the ways they find to cause their supporters sorrow. They lead at Wembley and then throw it away; they go top of the First Division and then drop dead; they draw the difficult away game and lose the home replay; they beat Liverpool one week and lose to Scunthorpe the next; they seduce you, halfway through the season, into believing that they are promotion candidates and then go the other way... always, when you think you have anticipated the worst that can happen, they come up with something new.
When I read this paragraph I can't help but nod in agreement and smile. I remember having to endure cock ups like taibi and barthez, defensive errors aplenty, that agonising FA cup final in 2005, when Man Utd dominated the whole match but lost, 4-3 against Real at home but still out, and many more sad moments.
Didn't really feel that well today, thanks to a major screw up on my part on sun. It did not help that Man Utd lost in a very frankly, pathetic way. I just hope now they roll up their socks and finish the job they started way back when the season started.
Been reading the aforementioned book for the last few days, and I must say it's great. Bear with me, those who read it long ago, I have always wanted to read it but never got down to doing so, finally got a chance to do so after borrowing it from the library. Any football fan should read it. I just like to reproduce a excerpt from the book, which more or less sums up the feeling of a football fan.
Football teams are extraordinarily inventive in the ways they find to cause their supporters sorrow. They lead at Wembley and then throw it away; they go top of the First Division and then drop dead; they draw the difficult away game and lose the home replay; they beat Liverpool one week and lose to Scunthorpe the next; they seduce you, halfway through the season, into believing that they are promotion candidates and then go the other way... always, when you think you have anticipated the worst that can happen, they come up with something new.
When I read this paragraph I can't help but nod in agreement and smile. I remember having to endure cock ups like taibi and barthez, defensive errors aplenty, that agonising FA cup final in 2005, when Man Utd dominated the whole match but lost, 4-3 against Real at home but still out, and many more sad moments.
Didn't really feel that well today, thanks to a major screw up on my part on sun. It did not help that Man Utd lost in a very frankly, pathetic way. I just hope now they roll up their socks and finish the job they started way back when the season started.
Friday, April 06, 2007
Sunset Horizons
Relief teaching has come to an end. Had an option to continue for another week, but didn't take it up. Decided to go back to my old job, as there were a plethora of assignments lined up for me for that week, hence would pay better than relief.
That relief teaching stint sure taught me some stuff, like students really take their school for granted. Last tues' assembly was about a bunch of 60 year old old boys and their teachers coming to school to promote their book of stories about how life was like during their time. Sitting there in the new hall on the teachers' chairs, you can't help but wonder amidst the chuckling of the current students at the humorous anecdotes, did they really understand why these men of such advanced ages would decide to do something of this great scale, 4 decades after leaving school? What is special about the school that inspires this in them?
I used this example of these old boys in a civics and moral education lesson which I was reliefing to sec 2 boys. They claimed they liked my lessons as I would just ramble on and on with story after story, but that's another point. When I brought up the case of those old boys, one boy stood up said that, he feels that sometimes all the school is concerned with is their reputation and nothing else.
In the times I was in school, I may have agreed with him. But hindsight gave me rose tinted glasses. I told the class, that you as students are very very privileged to be studying in this school, where there are opportunities abound for you to excel in, where the teachers and admin staff are supportive and genuinely care for the students, where many before you have go through those hallowed gates and became men of great repute. To be part of this great institution, one has the responsibility to those before and after him to uphold its good name many hold in high regard. For it is only the things we feel the strongest for are the ones we will protect with vigour.
A bit melodramatic I know, hence my afterthought for that day is that I may like hearing my own voice too much, but those words just came. I think many an old boy would agree with him, for it was in white we became and still are good friends, it was there we went from boyhood shorts to adult long pants, and despite leaving, we irrevocably return.
I may been romanticising this, but I feel that way. It is very easy to just get into a daily grind of things, but once I took those necessary steps back and viewed my school, I did not see walls of soulless stone mortar and brick, I feel that unique sense of belonging, a feeling that I was always going to be a son of this place, a place of yes stone mortar and brick, at the mercy of rain wind and demolishers, but its unremovable mark it left on many cannot be erased.
To those who currently walk those hallowed halls, remember those who came before you, but more importantly, remember why they return.
Relief teaching has come to an end. Had an option to continue for another week, but didn't take it up. Decided to go back to my old job, as there were a plethora of assignments lined up for me for that week, hence would pay better than relief.
That relief teaching stint sure taught me some stuff, like students really take their school for granted. Last tues' assembly was about a bunch of 60 year old old boys and their teachers coming to school to promote their book of stories about how life was like during their time. Sitting there in the new hall on the teachers' chairs, you can't help but wonder amidst the chuckling of the current students at the humorous anecdotes, did they really understand why these men of such advanced ages would decide to do something of this great scale, 4 decades after leaving school? What is special about the school that inspires this in them?
I used this example of these old boys in a civics and moral education lesson which I was reliefing to sec 2 boys. They claimed they liked my lessons as I would just ramble on and on with story after story, but that's another point. When I brought up the case of those old boys, one boy stood up said that, he feels that sometimes all the school is concerned with is their reputation and nothing else.
In the times I was in school, I may have agreed with him. But hindsight gave me rose tinted glasses. I told the class, that you as students are very very privileged to be studying in this school, where there are opportunities abound for you to excel in, where the teachers and admin staff are supportive and genuinely care for the students, where many before you have go through those hallowed gates and became men of great repute. To be part of this great institution, one has the responsibility to those before and after him to uphold its good name many hold in high regard. For it is only the things we feel the strongest for are the ones we will protect with vigour.
A bit melodramatic I know, hence my afterthought for that day is that I may like hearing my own voice too much, but those words just came. I think many an old boy would agree with him, for it was in white we became and still are good friends, it was there we went from boyhood shorts to adult long pants, and despite leaving, we irrevocably return.
I may been romanticising this, but I feel that way. It is very easy to just get into a daily grind of things, but once I took those necessary steps back and viewed my school, I did not see walls of soulless stone mortar and brick, I feel that unique sense of belonging, a feeling that I was always going to be a son of this place, a place of yes stone mortar and brick, at the mercy of rain wind and demolishers, but its unremovable mark it left on many cannot be erased.
To those who currently walk those hallowed halls, remember those who came before you, but more importantly, remember why they return.
Sunday, April 01, 2007
Birth by Sleep
It's been some week for me. Week 2 of relief teaching brought more headaches and a very bad throat. Started feeling very lousy during monday's japanese class, and the general feeling of being ill continued throughout the week. Queasy stomach, running nose and the works. Still am not feeling totally 100%, but have been irrigating myself with water and vitamin C for the last few days so I think I'm on the road to recovery.
It's nigh impossible to get my students to hand up homework. Somehow perversely I like marking so I make them hand up their work, and half the class doesn't. I give up. No point collecting if only less the class hands in. However, sometimes their answers make me laugh out loud. Like this student's suggestion on how to control the burgeoning rabbit population in Australia was to bomb the burrows. Very ACME. Also, started this idea of giving sweets to those who do well in my class. Those sweets are actually left over from CNY when only a few guests came to my place. It's akin to feeding sealions pieces of fish when they perform their tricks, in my opinion. And for their last lesson last week, there were supposed to view onion cells in the bio lab. Sec 1s and fragile lab equipment really don't go well. I leave the lab for 1 min to get the lab tech and someone breaks a bottle of iodine solution.
Actually had more to say, but Blogger ate my post. Argh. Oh well, shall leave that for another day.
It's been some week for me. Week 2 of relief teaching brought more headaches and a very bad throat. Started feeling very lousy during monday's japanese class, and the general feeling of being ill continued throughout the week. Queasy stomach, running nose and the works. Still am not feeling totally 100%, but have been irrigating myself with water and vitamin C for the last few days so I think I'm on the road to recovery.
It's nigh impossible to get my students to hand up homework. Somehow perversely I like marking so I make them hand up their work, and half the class doesn't. I give up. No point collecting if only less the class hands in. However, sometimes their answers make me laugh out loud. Like this student's suggestion on how to control the burgeoning rabbit population in Australia was to bomb the burrows. Very ACME. Also, started this idea of giving sweets to those who do well in my class. Those sweets are actually left over from CNY when only a few guests came to my place. It's akin to feeding sealions pieces of fish when they perform their tricks, in my opinion. And for their last lesson last week, there were supposed to view onion cells in the bio lab. Sec 1s and fragile lab equipment really don't go well. I leave the lab for 1 min to get the lab tech and someone breaks a bottle of iodine solution.
Actually had more to say, but Blogger ate my post. Argh. Oh well, shall leave that for another day.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
At the very least, the night did not forsake me
It's a sat night, and I'm here blogging in front of the laptop. The outing to don's house for england against israel was cancelled due to the poor attendance. So it's just me, the laptop, the thunder and lightning outside the small window and the radio on 100.3 with smooth jazz music to keep me company for tonight.
Watched TMNT on friday, and yes it isn't the best movie by far, but like I always say, watching it is a celebration of the fact that you have a childhood. Loved the way they managed to combine the grittiness of the comic with the slapstick humor of the cartoon. There were some killer lines in the movie that prompted many guffaws from the audience.
Today I went for a combined birthday party of 3 of my JC classmates, held in SMU students' lounge. It was fun and nice, had 3 groups of people to talk to, fencers, 4D and 3E. Was the one of the earliest to arrive and latest to leave, thanks to the fact I live about 15 mins walk away. Spent a nice afternoon there, talking cock with good friends.
So much weird stuff in my life. 1 of my friends is going for a matchmaking session next week. I thought he was kidding, but turns out he was deadly serious. Met my old econs tutor on the train home and she claimed I was very "naughty" during my JC times. I spend quite a bit of time gossiping with my former chinese teacher in the staff lounge. And my Japanese teacher thinks that I practically live in Suntec as her favourite question for the monday class is "what did you do yesterday?" in Japanese and I have been answering for the last few weeks either "travel fair" or "IT fair". Interestingly my Japanese class has been reduced to only 2 guys in it, 1 of them which is me. And it's going to be further reduced as the other guy is going to enlist soon.
I'm practically falling asleep on my chair. At the end of the day, when it's dark and quiet, I'm glad for the fact that the night will never forsake me. I know it'll always be there for me even during the darkest of times. I think I'll heed my body's insistence for rest soon. Sleep is the best balm for any kind of emotional malady, that I've long realised.
It's a sat night, and I'm here blogging in front of the laptop. The outing to don's house for england against israel was cancelled due to the poor attendance. So it's just me, the laptop, the thunder and lightning outside the small window and the radio on 100.3 with smooth jazz music to keep me company for tonight.
Watched TMNT on friday, and yes it isn't the best movie by far, but like I always say, watching it is a celebration of the fact that you have a childhood. Loved the way they managed to combine the grittiness of the comic with the slapstick humor of the cartoon. There were some killer lines in the movie that prompted many guffaws from the audience.
Today I went for a combined birthday party of 3 of my JC classmates, held in SMU students' lounge. It was fun and nice, had 3 groups of people to talk to, fencers, 4D and 3E. Was the one of the earliest to arrive and latest to leave, thanks to the fact I live about 15 mins walk away. Spent a nice afternoon there, talking cock with good friends.
So much weird stuff in my life. 1 of my friends is going for a matchmaking session next week. I thought he was kidding, but turns out he was deadly serious. Met my old econs tutor on the train home and she claimed I was very "naughty" during my JC times. I spend quite a bit of time gossiping with my former chinese teacher in the staff lounge. And my Japanese teacher thinks that I practically live in Suntec as her favourite question for the monday class is "what did you do yesterday?" in Japanese and I have been answering for the last few weeks either "travel fair" or "IT fair". Interestingly my Japanese class has been reduced to only 2 guys in it, 1 of them which is me. And it's going to be further reduced as the other guy is going to enlist soon.
I'm practically falling asleep on my chair. At the end of the day, when it's dark and quiet, I'm glad for the fact that the night will never forsake me. I know it'll always be there for me even during the darkest of times. I think I'll heed my body's insistence for rest soon. Sleep is the best balm for any kind of emotional malady, that I've long realised.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Polemic
My life is eerily like army. Everyday I book in by signing a book, spend my time alternating between being busy or acting busy, sneaking in a few personal activities in between, finally clocking up the required hours before having to leave in the most stealthy manner. And of course you have to sign out before you leave. Once I get home I inevitably go take a nap before dinner. It's fast becoming a bad habit and screws up my bio clock.
Oh and after the Boro game when Ronaldo won the penalty that decided the game, he used the word "polemic" in the post match interview and had me scrabbling for dictionary.com.
While in the staffroom today, I was chatting with a teacher with my colleagues. She was asking about what happened to the personalities of our batch, and she proceeded to take out a file with all the class lists of the classes she used to teach, which dated back to 1997. In the 1997 file pocket, there was a namecard. She said that this student came back recently and gave her his namecard. Written on it was "Phd MIT".
That really got me thinking. I really want to be able to bring back a namecard and it would be something impressive as well. Not for vanity, it's more for a validation that yes, I did well.
However, I went to my former form teacher and asked her, "Ma'am, Mrs XXX kept classlists of all her students and still remembers most of them. So, what's my name?"
She couldn't answer me.
Well, at least it's an improvement. The first time she saw me when I came for relief, she confidently called me Zhi En.
Anyway, I would like to just air some views about my alma mater. Thinking back, I think the best and the most carefree times were in sec school where my class just fooled around. I kind of regret not making the most of my time then. Now that I'm a teacher there, I see a lot of things happening behind the scenes and realised that a lot of perceptions was wrong. I used to detest chinese, but now I think chinese is a very important subject and would always find the opportunity to use it (hence my various conversations with my former chinese teacher); I would complain about going to school, but now I'd love to go back in school; I would fret unnecessarily about results and compare them with peers and get jealous, now I realise it's so pointless as long you do well in the end for the major exams to get to where you want to go.
I guess these sentiments are a result of growing up. I get if-only-i-knew-then-what-I-know-now moments a lot, but yeah life goes on and I've to just get over it. So just a friendly word of advice from someone who has gone through it before, enjoy your school life. Don't be so eager to get out of school as once you do, there ain't no way back there. Unless you become a teacher that is.
My life is eerily like army. Everyday I book in by signing a book, spend my time alternating between being busy or acting busy, sneaking in a few personal activities in between, finally clocking up the required hours before having to leave in the most stealthy manner. And of course you have to sign out before you leave. Once I get home I inevitably go take a nap before dinner. It's fast becoming a bad habit and screws up my bio clock.
Oh and after the Boro game when Ronaldo won the penalty that decided the game, he used the word "polemic" in the post match interview and had me scrabbling for dictionary.com.
While in the staffroom today, I was chatting with a teacher with my colleagues. She was asking about what happened to the personalities of our batch, and she proceeded to take out a file with all the class lists of the classes she used to teach, which dated back to 1997. In the 1997 file pocket, there was a namecard. She said that this student came back recently and gave her his namecard. Written on it was "Phd MIT".
That really got me thinking. I really want to be able to bring back a namecard and it would be something impressive as well. Not for vanity, it's more for a validation that yes, I did well.
However, I went to my former form teacher and asked her, "Ma'am, Mrs XXX kept classlists of all her students and still remembers most of them. So, what's my name?"
She couldn't answer me.
Well, at least it's an improvement. The first time she saw me when I came for relief, she confidently called me Zhi En.
Anyway, I would like to just air some views about my alma mater. Thinking back, I think the best and the most carefree times were in sec school where my class just fooled around. I kind of regret not making the most of my time then. Now that I'm a teacher there, I see a lot of things happening behind the scenes and realised that a lot of perceptions was wrong. I used to detest chinese, but now I think chinese is a very important subject and would always find the opportunity to use it (hence my various conversations with my former chinese teacher); I would complain about going to school, but now I'd love to go back in school; I would fret unnecessarily about results and compare them with peers and get jealous, now I realise it's so pointless as long you do well in the end for the major exams to get to where you want to go.
I guess these sentiments are a result of growing up. I get if-only-i-knew-then-what-I-know-now moments a lot, but yeah life goes on and I've to just get over it. So just a friendly word of advice from someone who has gone through it before, enjoy your school life. Don't be so eager to get out of school as once you do, there ain't no way back there. Unless you become a teacher that is.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
The Mascaron Drive
Another one of my late night rambling again.
Teaching is fun, but definitely don't see it as a potential career for me. I think the novelty of teaching wears off after 2 days, and I got 2.5 weeks more of it to go through. Not to say I don't like it, but it's rather stressful to prepare for lessons and get sent around in circles by the incessant and weird questions the sec1s can come up with. Challenging and somewhat amusing if you ask me.
Also, it allows me a look on the "other" side in my old school. I got a kick out of sitting by the side on the chairs during assembly today. Was speaking to my old chinese teacher today, she was lamenting that the chinese standard is quite bad nowadays, so much so my standard of mandarin which is quite condemned is considered quite good! Things have really changed much when I was in sec school, the facade, the subjects taught, the teachers etc. I don't really remember being like my students when I was their age though, and I'm like only a few years older than them! No wonder my chinese teacher said it's getting harder to connect to students nowadays.
On a home side, finally set up the home network system. So I'm actually blogging using my new laptop in my room. No more fighting over between us 4 siblings on who gets to use the only internet enabled computer in the study room.
Played basketball on saturday with a pathetic 4 people. Good thing I warmed up and cooled down thus I didn't get any aches or muscle strains.
There's still a whole tonne of stuff that require my attention, all listed very compulsively in my blue notebook, all waiting to be struck off with some satisfaction. It's probably the late night syndrome again, as I feel this compelling need to speak to someone. Oh well, one way to deal with that is to just sleep it off, which is what I'm going to do now.
Another one of my late night rambling again.
Teaching is fun, but definitely don't see it as a potential career for me. I think the novelty of teaching wears off after 2 days, and I got 2.5 weeks more of it to go through. Not to say I don't like it, but it's rather stressful to prepare for lessons and get sent around in circles by the incessant and weird questions the sec1s can come up with. Challenging and somewhat amusing if you ask me.
Also, it allows me a look on the "other" side in my old school. I got a kick out of sitting by the side on the chairs during assembly today. Was speaking to my old chinese teacher today, she was lamenting that the chinese standard is quite bad nowadays, so much so my standard of mandarin which is quite condemned is considered quite good! Things have really changed much when I was in sec school, the facade, the subjects taught, the teachers etc. I don't really remember being like my students when I was their age though, and I'm like only a few years older than them! No wonder my chinese teacher said it's getting harder to connect to students nowadays.
On a home side, finally set up the home network system. So I'm actually blogging using my new laptop in my room. No more fighting over between us 4 siblings on who gets to use the only internet enabled computer in the study room.
Played basketball on saturday with a pathetic 4 people. Good thing I warmed up and cooled down thus I didn't get any aches or muscle strains.
There's still a whole tonne of stuff that require my attention, all listed very compulsively in my blue notebook, all waiting to be struck off with some satisfaction. It's probably the late night syndrome again, as I feel this compelling need to speak to someone. Oh well, one way to deal with that is to just sleep it off, which is what I'm going to do now.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Cause celebre
No work for the next 4 days till friday as it is the school holidays. Am savouring the break, but reminding myself to make good use of it. Things have really piled up and there are a lot of stuff that require my attention.
Was a bit apprehensive about going to work on sat, as it was all the way in the west at an ungodly hour. Good thing I managed to secure the car, otherwise the journey will be very intolerable, especially since I slept precious little the night before thanks to the adrenaline and testoterone 300 worked up in me. But in the end it was rather fun to be there training, the students were the most obedient and receptive bunch I've gotten, probably because they're the incoming captains and student councillors. But as they were undergoing a boot camp of sorts, they were pretty militant in their style, as evidenced when one girl said "All pens on the right hand side of table tip pointing forward, water bottles under table on the right side as well". I thought this would kill their spotaneity, but after a slow start they came good.
Went for barney's birthday party about an hour early as I came from work. Just talked cock with the 4D people, met a long lost pri school friend who happened to be barny's friend as well. Been seeing my old pri school classmates lately, on friday one of the sales promoter at the IT fair was my good friend in pri school. Ended up buying a laptop from him when I went back on sunday.
Yet again I'm unwilling to turn in for bed. Don't know why I always display such self destructive tendencies. Maybe I love the night a bit too much. After all, in the quiet of the night, the only voice you hear is yours and yours only.
No work for the next 4 days till friday as it is the school holidays. Am savouring the break, but reminding myself to make good use of it. Things have really piled up and there are a lot of stuff that require my attention.
Was a bit apprehensive about going to work on sat, as it was all the way in the west at an ungodly hour. Good thing I managed to secure the car, otherwise the journey will be very intolerable, especially since I slept precious little the night before thanks to the adrenaline and testoterone 300 worked up in me. But in the end it was rather fun to be there training, the students were the most obedient and receptive bunch I've gotten, probably because they're the incoming captains and student councillors. But as they were undergoing a boot camp of sorts, they were pretty militant in their style, as evidenced when one girl said "All pens on the right hand side of table tip pointing forward, water bottles under table on the right side as well". I thought this would kill their spotaneity, but after a slow start they came good.
Went for barney's birthday party about an hour early as I came from work. Just talked cock with the 4D people, met a long lost pri school friend who happened to be barny's friend as well. Been seeing my old pri school classmates lately, on friday one of the sales promoter at the IT fair was my good friend in pri school. Ended up buying a laptop from him when I went back on sunday.
Yet again I'm unwilling to turn in for bed. Don't know why I always display such self destructive tendencies. Maybe I love the night a bit too much. After all, in the quiet of the night, the only voice you hear is yours and yours only.
Saturday, March 10, 2007
Joie de vivre
For the benefit of those who don't know, for the past 3 days I have been reliefing in my old secondary school. It's fun to go back to my old stomping with an elevated status, but the education business is no joke and there are many quirky things that occur. These include sec 1s asking me weird but yet logical questions that are very hard to give a proper answer to, sec 1s asking me to explain a concept he found out on the net which I have never heard before in my life, sec 3s claiming to prefer route-learning, the very fun relief teacher gang who come together to talk cock or visit each other at our cubicles to have lunch together, the laptop and all the benefits that come from it, the students calling me "Sir", meeting my old teachers, like my old chinese teacher whose first words were to make fun of my hopeless mandarin, bestriding those nostalgic hallowed halls of education from my past. And in the space of 3 days, I was almost late thanks to champions league football, only came in right on time for assembly, witnessed a car breakdown and almost lost my voice.
Was out with nick, fab and don for the IT fair after relief today, went to scout around for laptops, but was rather tired and irritable so wasn't really able to concentrate. Also am frustrated by the great variety of choices which decision making a real headache. And also, **** that cock sony ps3 promoter, didn't give me a brochure when I asked for it, even though he clearly had some more if he had bothered to ask his colleague. In the end, I got one from the counter less than 10 paces away. And when I went to get it, the cockster came over to where I got the brochure to talk cock to his colleague. Wanker. Was damn pissed.
Went to watch 300 with the guys. It was the ultimate manly movie, with only 1 prominent female in the show, and the sight of tanned sculpted bodies with ads of steel on screen more than half the time. The gore was sometimes unnecessary and off-putting, but overall it was nice, and it inspired the manliness in us.
During dinner, mog was making random manly jokes and punctuating his sentences with stuff like "that's not what a true Spartan will do", and as usual we started to talk lots of random cock.
I just realised it's these simple times, sitting at carl's jr eating and cracking silly jokes that I'll really miss when I go over. As the clock slowly but surely ticks down to the day of my eventual and inevitable departure, I find myself wanting to savour and cherish every moment of happiness. Sometimes I get bogged down by work that I forget that I should allow myself to enjoy life now as I'll get lesser chances to do so in the next few years.
Sorry for being a bit pensive, not that I'm sian or anything, just a little tired and that's when my mind goes all zonky. But I know for sure that I'll miss genuine good company whom I know will cover my back, shield and spear ready against the trials of the big bad world.
For the benefit of those who don't know, for the past 3 days I have been reliefing in my old secondary school. It's fun to go back to my old stomping with an elevated status, but the education business is no joke and there are many quirky things that occur. These include sec 1s asking me weird but yet logical questions that are very hard to give a proper answer to, sec 1s asking me to explain a concept he found out on the net which I have never heard before in my life, sec 3s claiming to prefer route-learning, the very fun relief teacher gang who come together to talk cock or visit each other at our cubicles to have lunch together, the laptop and all the benefits that come from it, the students calling me "Sir", meeting my old teachers, like my old chinese teacher whose first words were to make fun of my hopeless mandarin, bestriding those nostalgic hallowed halls of education from my past. And in the space of 3 days, I was almost late thanks to champions league football, only came in right on time for assembly, witnessed a car breakdown and almost lost my voice.
Was out with nick, fab and don for the IT fair after relief today, went to scout around for laptops, but was rather tired and irritable so wasn't really able to concentrate. Also am frustrated by the great variety of choices which decision making a real headache. And also, **** that cock sony ps3 promoter, didn't give me a brochure when I asked for it, even though he clearly had some more if he had bothered to ask his colleague. In the end, I got one from the counter less than 10 paces away. And when I went to get it, the cockster came over to where I got the brochure to talk cock to his colleague. Wanker. Was damn pissed.
Went to watch 300 with the guys. It was the ultimate manly movie, with only 1 prominent female in the show, and the sight of tanned sculpted bodies with ads of steel on screen more than half the time. The gore was sometimes unnecessary and off-putting, but overall it was nice, and it inspired the manliness in us.
During dinner, mog was making random manly jokes and punctuating his sentences with stuff like "that's not what a true Spartan will do", and as usual we started to talk lots of random cock.
I just realised it's these simple times, sitting at carl's jr eating and cracking silly jokes that I'll really miss when I go over. As the clock slowly but surely ticks down to the day of my eventual and inevitable departure, I find myself wanting to savour and cherish every moment of happiness. Sometimes I get bogged down by work that I forget that I should allow myself to enjoy life now as I'll get lesser chances to do so in the next few years.
Sorry for being a bit pensive, not that I'm sian or anything, just a little tired and that's when my mind goes all zonky. But I know for sure that I'll miss genuine good company whom I know will cover my back, shield and spear ready against the trials of the big bad world.
Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Saturday, March 03, 2007
Homecoming
It's been a rather strange week. It's like someone up there read my subconsciousness and resolved to give me stuff that is close to what I desire yet not quite as similar as what I really want.
Was chatting with yangqi on sun at liang court macs about the good old times in RJ, like how we missed the old campus especially. Then lo and behold, I receive a sms on mon morning, telling me that the venue for today's assignment was switched to mt sinai, where the school I was supposed to go for work has taken over the old RJ campus. Was very excited to be back there. There were many changes, although the main facade did not get altered much. All that was once green, like the doors or railings were not painted sky blue, LT1 no longer has the extra chairs on the sides, but it still has those rickety green chairs cum folding table, the field is very condemned, with bare patches everywhere, LT 2.5 was paved over, thus no more paint stains, the library (which I spent most of my time there as it was where I had my workshop) had its layout changed, the back rooms where we once took econs s papers in are now sealed off and converted to classrooms. They still retained the magazine shelves though, and I found a copy of Outlook amongst the Time and Newsweek magazines. Didn't get to stay too long though, as I had to rush off immediately when we ended, but will be back next week so will definately go and take a longer and harder look at how the place has changed.
Thursday brought me to Jalan Batera (sp?) adventure camp, site of the Singapore jamboree 6 years ago. I remember how it rained almost everyday and I felt extremely lousy throughout the camp. It was raining heavily on thurs as well, so my students did the indoor rock wall first. I then spied upon students wearing the iconic PE shirt of my former JC. Then I saw my old PE teacher, which strangely enough yangqi and I were discussing on sun. Talked to him for a while, found out those students were J1s going through a class adventure camp. Also saw one of my chem lecturers, but he wasn't my tutor so didn't talk to him. Those from my batch, you would rmb him as the guy who twitches his head frequently.
These incidents helped to make a busy week memorable. Went dragon boating, rock climbing and high elements with my students. Working with so many students, each of them having very unique problems, it always leads me to think, how did we end up the way we did? How did we learn to stiop being playful and study hard for exams? How did we realise that only by doing well for our exams will we have a better future? How did we realise that fighting is the wrong way to do things? How did we become well-adjusted and dare I say it, normal individuals? My job is to equip my students with lifeskills, but when I was in school I sure didn't have these workshops. So how did I, and most of my peers, become who we are?
I realise that myself and my colleagues, despite we teaching our students lifeskills, sometimes we ourselves are flawed indivuduals as well. Yet flawed as we are, we managed to be well adjusted enough to deal with life. I guess we just grew up to become flawed adults, but with the sense to hide these flaws from sight.
Still, I feel happy when the students I try to reach out talk to me and say that they want to work hard and be the best they can be. It sure does help to brighten my day. I believe in helping people the practical way, and I must say I enjoy my job. Sure there are times when I feel disappointed when I try my best but the student just won't listen, but I know I can't save everyone, as long as those who are willing to be helped help themselves, at least I'm safe in the knowledge that he or she will respond positively and live up to their potential.
It's been a rather strange week. It's like someone up there read my subconsciousness and resolved to give me stuff that is close to what I desire yet not quite as similar as what I really want.
Was chatting with yangqi on sun at liang court macs about the good old times in RJ, like how we missed the old campus especially. Then lo and behold, I receive a sms on mon morning, telling me that the venue for today's assignment was switched to mt sinai, where the school I was supposed to go for work has taken over the old RJ campus. Was very excited to be back there. There were many changes, although the main facade did not get altered much. All that was once green, like the doors or railings were not painted sky blue, LT1 no longer has the extra chairs on the sides, but it still has those rickety green chairs cum folding table, the field is very condemned, with bare patches everywhere, LT 2.5 was paved over, thus no more paint stains, the library (which I spent most of my time there as it was where I had my workshop) had its layout changed, the back rooms where we once took econs s papers in are now sealed off and converted to classrooms. They still retained the magazine shelves though, and I found a copy of Outlook amongst the Time and Newsweek magazines. Didn't get to stay too long though, as I had to rush off immediately when we ended, but will be back next week so will definately go and take a longer and harder look at how the place has changed.
Thursday brought me to Jalan Batera (sp?) adventure camp, site of the Singapore jamboree 6 years ago. I remember how it rained almost everyday and I felt extremely lousy throughout the camp. It was raining heavily on thurs as well, so my students did the indoor rock wall first. I then spied upon students wearing the iconic PE shirt of my former JC. Then I saw my old PE teacher, which strangely enough yangqi and I were discussing on sun. Talked to him for a while, found out those students were J1s going through a class adventure camp. Also saw one of my chem lecturers, but he wasn't my tutor so didn't talk to him. Those from my batch, you would rmb him as the guy who twitches his head frequently.
These incidents helped to make a busy week memorable. Went dragon boating, rock climbing and high elements with my students. Working with so many students, each of them having very unique problems, it always leads me to think, how did we end up the way we did? How did we learn to stiop being playful and study hard for exams? How did we realise that only by doing well for our exams will we have a better future? How did we realise that fighting is the wrong way to do things? How did we become well-adjusted and dare I say it, normal individuals? My job is to equip my students with lifeskills, but when I was in school I sure didn't have these workshops. So how did I, and most of my peers, become who we are?
I realise that myself and my colleagues, despite we teaching our students lifeskills, sometimes we ourselves are flawed indivuduals as well. Yet flawed as we are, we managed to be well adjusted enough to deal with life. I guess we just grew up to become flawed adults, but with the sense to hide these flaws from sight.
Still, I feel happy when the students I try to reach out talk to me and say that they want to work hard and be the best they can be. It sure does help to brighten my day. I believe in helping people the practical way, and I must say I enjoy my job. Sure there are times when I feel disappointed when I try my best but the student just won't listen, but I know I can't save everyone, as long as those who are willing to be helped help themselves, at least I'm safe in the knowledge that he or she will respond positively and live up to their potential.
Sunday, February 25, 2007
Lazy Weekends
Next month will be a crazy month for me. I foresee working 6 and a half days a week, plus the resumption of my classes in the evenings. Will be doing relief teaching in my alma mater, plus various assignments and tuition on sundays. All in an effort to finance my jetsetting ambitions.
This weekend is probably my last restful weekend for sometime. I was supposed to revise my Japanese, but didn't even go close to doing that. One good thing is that I managed to settle many of the "5 cent 10 cent" things which have been bugging me the last few weeks. Finally overcame my inertia to get them done, pushed by the fact I probably have no time to do so for the next month.
Just spent the weekend lazing away. I think 1 of the greatest pleasure in life is just to be half-asleep and half-awake while the radio plays nice soothing songs. And this is such a simple pleasure.
Spent some time to visit my grandmother who hasn't been feeling very well. Watched a bit of hong kong drama with my sis and commented on how diabolical the villain was. My family of six had a great dinner, bantering with each other.
While writing this entry, I stopped at this point for about a good 20 minutes. I simply couldn't find the words to describe this simple kind of happiness I like. It's just that feeling you get when you're with people whom you care about. I want my future to be filled with that feeling forever. It won't be easy, but it's these moments of simple happiness that make me remember that life is a not a rush to the destination, rather it is a nature trail, allowing you to take in the sights and sounds.
Next month will be a crazy month for me. I foresee working 6 and a half days a week, plus the resumption of my classes in the evenings. Will be doing relief teaching in my alma mater, plus various assignments and tuition on sundays. All in an effort to finance my jetsetting ambitions.
This weekend is probably my last restful weekend for sometime. I was supposed to revise my Japanese, but didn't even go close to doing that. One good thing is that I managed to settle many of the "5 cent 10 cent" things which have been bugging me the last few weeks. Finally overcame my inertia to get them done, pushed by the fact I probably have no time to do so for the next month.
Just spent the weekend lazing away. I think 1 of the greatest pleasure in life is just to be half-asleep and half-awake while the radio plays nice soothing songs. And this is such a simple pleasure.
Spent some time to visit my grandmother who hasn't been feeling very well. Watched a bit of hong kong drama with my sis and commented on how diabolical the villain was. My family of six had a great dinner, bantering with each other.
While writing this entry, I stopped at this point for about a good 20 minutes. I simply couldn't find the words to describe this simple kind of happiness I like. It's just that feeling you get when you're with people whom you care about. I want my future to be filled with that feeling forever. It won't be easy, but it's these moments of simple happiness that make me remember that life is a not a rush to the destination, rather it is a nature trail, allowing you to take in the sights and sounds.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Red Storm
It has been a very good Chinese New Year.
Saturday had a class reunion lunch at PS cartel, but I refused to pay for their 10% service charge so I ate at home before going. It ended up being more like a RI reunion as there were no girls and the only non RI guy did not turn up. Reunion dinner was nice for the company but not the food, was rather appalled to realise my bro blew 124 bucks in Topman for his outfit, especially after I tsked at some JC kids in that very same shop the day before when I went to get my phone. Watched Man Utd waste chance after chance to beat Reading until 330 am.
Visiting started late again, but somehow it didn't feel draggy. Still, I was half asleep half awake thanks to the late night before, so I kinda zombied through my last visiting for the next few years.
The second day of CNY brought me to Sing Yong's house, and I forgot to bring mandarins. Anyway, we played 3 rounds of mahjong, won a considerable sum, which I would blow very quickly over the next 3 days. After which rushed home for dinner, before heading to bishan for a fencer's outing to see adrian off. We met at bishan and was driven to the thomson prata place by adrian, after which we went to his house to play mahjong and poker. Andrew provided a lot of soundbites and plenty of moments of merriment, especially when he related on his experience on how to take a photo while on a rollercoaster and on how good is he in mahjong as he had honed his skills by playing it on his phone. The best was when he told us with a straight face on how to not get caught running a red light by the red light camera. He said, you have to inch forward slowly across the line, as the camera only detects the change in magnetic flux, which prompted us to ask adrian to try. Sadly enough we couldn't prove the theory as adrian showed a lack of faith in his friend's words and unsportingly refused. I left early as I had tuition the next day, apparently they played poker all the way till the morning.
Day 3 was tuition in the morning, then father side dinner in the evening. Woke up at 0400H to watch Man Utd vs Lille, I thought another thai walkout will happen. Rushed to a primary school in Jurong for work, zombied through it, was amused by the cute pri 3 kids. Went home and napped, had another session of tuition before retiring at 9 thanks to the sleep debt accumulated over the last few days. Went back to my alma mater today for a job interview, will be teaching there for 3.5 weeks. And it is also world's scouts' day and Murugan's birthday. Had a nice dinner with the guys in an Indian restaurant at clarke quay. Had a fun time talking cock and laughing as usual.
Amid these busy and activity filled days, there has been precious little time for me to think or mope. I guess being busy is the best way to ensure that I stop worrying about things I shouldn't worry about.
It has been a very good Chinese New Year.
Saturday had a class reunion lunch at PS cartel, but I refused to pay for their 10% service charge so I ate at home before going. It ended up being more like a RI reunion as there were no girls and the only non RI guy did not turn up. Reunion dinner was nice for the company but not the food, was rather appalled to realise my bro blew 124 bucks in Topman for his outfit, especially after I tsked at some JC kids in that very same shop the day before when I went to get my phone. Watched Man Utd waste chance after chance to beat Reading until 330 am.
Visiting started late again, but somehow it didn't feel draggy. Still, I was half asleep half awake thanks to the late night before, so I kinda zombied through my last visiting for the next few years.
The second day of CNY brought me to Sing Yong's house, and I forgot to bring mandarins. Anyway, we played 3 rounds of mahjong, won a considerable sum, which I would blow very quickly over the next 3 days. After which rushed home for dinner, before heading to bishan for a fencer's outing to see adrian off. We met at bishan and was driven to the thomson prata place by adrian, after which we went to his house to play mahjong and poker. Andrew provided a lot of soundbites and plenty of moments of merriment, especially when he related on his experience on how to take a photo while on a rollercoaster and on how good is he in mahjong as he had honed his skills by playing it on his phone. The best was when he told us with a straight face on how to not get caught running a red light by the red light camera. He said, you have to inch forward slowly across the line, as the camera only detects the change in magnetic flux, which prompted us to ask adrian to try. Sadly enough we couldn't prove the theory as adrian showed a lack of faith in his friend's words and unsportingly refused. I left early as I had tuition the next day, apparently they played poker all the way till the morning.
Day 3 was tuition in the morning, then father side dinner in the evening. Woke up at 0400H to watch Man Utd vs Lille, I thought another thai walkout will happen. Rushed to a primary school in Jurong for work, zombied through it, was amused by the cute pri 3 kids. Went home and napped, had another session of tuition before retiring at 9 thanks to the sleep debt accumulated over the last few days. Went back to my alma mater today for a job interview, will be teaching there for 3.5 weeks. And it is also world's scouts' day and Murugan's birthday. Had a nice dinner with the guys in an Indian restaurant at clarke quay. Had a fun time talking cock and laughing as usual.
Amid these busy and activity filled days, there has been precious little time for me to think or mope. I guess being busy is the best way to ensure that I stop worrying about things I shouldn't worry about.
Sunday, February 18, 2007
I find your lack of faith disturbing..
For some strange reason, I've strained my right shoulder muscle and it has been hurting for a week already. I suspect it's another casualty from that very ill-fated rollerblading session. Repairing my K750i's screen cost me $125. Very expensive lesson learnt.
Went K with adrian and fabian on friday. It was supposed to be a rollerblading session but that lasted like 10 mins, the same amount of time it took for adrian to blade 1 round around the east coast macs and for fab and me to use the macs toilet. YJC was having its cross country there, hence the large posse of people. Adrian chauffeured us to parkway where I killed chickens for 3 hours, before retiring home.
To people who read this, happy CNY to you all! My last in Singapore for the next 3 years I guess, will probably pseudo-celebrate it next year via a webcam. Shall enjoy the experience of visiting tomorrow.
And I frittered away $36 of hard earned money on wed night. Never again.
Like Nick, I kinda stalled on my plans for an exciting 2007. It was supposed to be filled with exciting work experiences and the time in between I was to learn many skills and read a lot of stuff and hopefully exercise to get IPPT silver. I've managed a few objectives, like my Japanese language classes are going on well; work is fun, exciting and insightful; been reading plenty of books, but when it comes to those activities which require great amount of self discipline, which are normally those activities during the free periods between work, I tend to nap, watch TV or just idle away.
Got to stop the rot. Must make an effort to maximise my free time. Many of my friends in uni tell me I should enjoy this free period in my life, as uni you'll be less free. Thanks to them, I'm reminded that I shouldn't sit on my ass for too long.
Somehow, their reminders have a very sobering effect on me. I'm already 21, once I enter uni and complete it, I'll be 23-24. Then it's time to get a job, be financially independent, get married, have kids, work for their future then retire. Not much time for yourself.
I'm grateful for their words as it serves as a very important reminder for me to go seize the day. It'll do me a world of good to heed them.
For some strange reason, I've strained my right shoulder muscle and it has been hurting for a week already. I suspect it's another casualty from that very ill-fated rollerblading session. Repairing my K750i's screen cost me $125. Very expensive lesson learnt.
Went K with adrian and fabian on friday. It was supposed to be a rollerblading session but that lasted like 10 mins, the same amount of time it took for adrian to blade 1 round around the east coast macs and for fab and me to use the macs toilet. YJC was having its cross country there, hence the large posse of people. Adrian chauffeured us to parkway where I killed chickens for 3 hours, before retiring home.
To people who read this, happy CNY to you all! My last in Singapore for the next 3 years I guess, will probably pseudo-celebrate it next year via a webcam. Shall enjoy the experience of visiting tomorrow.
And I frittered away $36 of hard earned money on wed night. Never again.
Like Nick, I kinda stalled on my plans for an exciting 2007. It was supposed to be filled with exciting work experiences and the time in between I was to learn many skills and read a lot of stuff and hopefully exercise to get IPPT silver. I've managed a few objectives, like my Japanese language classes are going on well; work is fun, exciting and insightful; been reading plenty of books, but when it comes to those activities which require great amount of self discipline, which are normally those activities during the free periods between work, I tend to nap, watch TV or just idle away.
Got to stop the rot. Must make an effort to maximise my free time. Many of my friends in uni tell me I should enjoy this free period in my life, as uni you'll be less free. Thanks to them, I'm reminded that I shouldn't sit on my ass for too long.
Somehow, their reminders have a very sobering effect on me. I'm already 21, once I enter uni and complete it, I'll be 23-24. Then it's time to get a job, be financially independent, get married, have kids, work for their future then retire. Not much time for yourself.
I'm grateful for their words as it serves as a very important reminder for me to go seize the day. It'll do me a world of good to heed them.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
Too nice
Thanks to a very crappy and shaggy singles' night out on v day night, it's midday and I'm feeling extremely sleepy. I'll probably hit the sheets once I finish this entry.
Anyway, was out CNY shopping with a friend on tuesday when we started to discuss about girls. (Off topic: I think when guys get together they mainly discuss 1) Girls 2) Army 3) Football) Anyway, he was telling me the girl he used to like was to him, at least not very nice. He elaborated further that he deduced it when they took the train together and she did not give up her seat for anyone. Well to draw a conclusion from that incident seems over hasty, but I tend to agree with his point. You don't want a partner who goes around caring for everyone but you.
Am out of work for 2 weeks due to the CNY period. Thus been slacking around st home doing a whole lot of nothing. But yeah, giving myself Feb and March to slack around before emabrking on my plans in the months later.
Shall work on part 2 of the script soon. Inspired by a certain dinner and dance.
Ok i really need to sleep...
Thanks to a very crappy and shaggy singles' night out on v day night, it's midday and I'm feeling extremely sleepy. I'll probably hit the sheets once I finish this entry.
Anyway, was out CNY shopping with a friend on tuesday when we started to discuss about girls. (Off topic: I think when guys get together they mainly discuss 1) Girls 2) Army 3) Football) Anyway, he was telling me the girl he used to like was to him, at least not very nice. He elaborated further that he deduced it when they took the train together and she did not give up her seat for anyone. Well to draw a conclusion from that incident seems over hasty, but I tend to agree with his point. You don't want a partner who goes around caring for everyone but you.
Am out of work for 2 weeks due to the CNY period. Thus been slacking around st home doing a whole lot of nothing. But yeah, giving myself Feb and March to slack around before emabrking on my plans in the months later.
Shall work on part 2 of the script soon. Inspired by a certain dinner and dance.
Ok i really need to sleep...
Sunday, February 11, 2007
When you look like crap, you start building a personality real fast
Agree no? I kind of agree with it, but I believe that the personality comes first no matter what. It also helps if you don't look like a car wreck as well, as sadly first impression, which is normally visual, affects a lot and somewhat unfairly.
Rollerbladed on sat for the first time in my life, landed on my poor K750i so many times that now it has rapidly spreading dead pixels on my LCD screen. Heart pain.
Watched a very low class match where newcastle led a charmed life to beat liverpool. Still it was fun watching fabian and nick squirm everytime a long ball was pumped into the newcastle half and bramble will fumble it while kenneth jun seng and I would shout "Siao liao! Siao liao!" in the hope the fumble will be a costly one.
Got stuck in rush hour traffic at 6 pm to send my bro to NJC for a concert. Madness. Just sat in the car and listened to the radio. BKE at rush hour is no joke.
Looking forward to CNY somewhat, my last in sg for sometime after all.
Some of the things that are bothering me now include my probably enormous repair bill for my phone, my frustratingly slow bittorrent speed, inertia to set up the computer network in my home and my reluctantance to finish reading that ever-increasing stack of Newsweek magazines. But the thing that frustrates me the most is wondering whether if I have been fighting on the wrong and unprofitable side all this while. And I wonder if a change to the dark side is due..
Agree no? I kind of agree with it, but I believe that the personality comes first no matter what. It also helps if you don't look like a car wreck as well, as sadly first impression, which is normally visual, affects a lot and somewhat unfairly.
Rollerbladed on sat for the first time in my life, landed on my poor K750i so many times that now it has rapidly spreading dead pixels on my LCD screen. Heart pain.
Watched a very low class match where newcastle led a charmed life to beat liverpool. Still it was fun watching fabian and nick squirm everytime a long ball was pumped into the newcastle half and bramble will fumble it while kenneth jun seng and I would shout "Siao liao! Siao liao!" in the hope the fumble will be a costly one.
Got stuck in rush hour traffic at 6 pm to send my bro to NJC for a concert. Madness. Just sat in the car and listened to the radio. BKE at rush hour is no joke.
Looking forward to CNY somewhat, my last in sg for sometime after all.
Some of the things that are bothering me now include my probably enormous repair bill for my phone, my frustratingly slow bittorrent speed, inertia to set up the computer network in my home and my reluctantance to finish reading that ever-increasing stack of Newsweek magazines. But the thing that frustrates me the most is wondering whether if I have been fighting on the wrong and unprofitable side all this while. And I wonder if a change to the dark side is due..
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
Totally unrelated
This shall be a very random post.
My music collection has been stagnanting for ages due to err acquring issues. Please feel free to help me rectify this problem.
It's alright to be infatuated with someone as long as you know you only "like" the person because his or her physical appearance is appealing to you. I think.
It's darn irritating to be infatuated with someone as that makes conversation with that person so much more harder. Especially when all you want to do is just to talk to him or her and get to know him or her better. It feels like your body is purposely trying to ignore whatever your brain tells you to do.
I wonder if roller blading is the same as ice skating.
I won $16 in the first round of mahjong last week, only to lose $29.50 the next round. Ouch.
I have been running around many schools for workshops in a bid to earn back my losses from the aforementioned mahjong game.
I nearly fell ill after monday's Japanese lesson as my teacher and some students were coughing away in a poorly ventilated classroom.
Went for 2 21st birthday parties, seah's and shaorong's. Wallet is lighter as a result. Had lots of fun with my 4D classmates reminiscing about our antics in class and our teachers.
Been reading Neil Humphreys books on Singapore. British wit in a Singapore context, quite a funny combination. Need to finish 2 more books in a week before having to return them.
There are too many bloody mosquitoes in my room thanks to me keeping the windows open when it gets dark.
I think I should sleep more instead of staying up damn late and tiring myself.
This shall be a very random post.
My music collection has been stagnanting for ages due to err acquring issues. Please feel free to help me rectify this problem.
It's alright to be infatuated with someone as long as you know you only "like" the person because his or her physical appearance is appealing to you. I think.
It's darn irritating to be infatuated with someone as that makes conversation with that person so much more harder. Especially when all you want to do is just to talk to him or her and get to know him or her better. It feels like your body is purposely trying to ignore whatever your brain tells you to do.
I wonder if roller blading is the same as ice skating.
I won $16 in the first round of mahjong last week, only to lose $29.50 the next round. Ouch.
I have been running around many schools for workshops in a bid to earn back my losses from the aforementioned mahjong game.
I nearly fell ill after monday's Japanese lesson as my teacher and some students were coughing away in a poorly ventilated classroom.
Went for 2 21st birthday parties, seah's and shaorong's. Wallet is lighter as a result. Had lots of fun with my 4D classmates reminiscing about our antics in class and our teachers.
Been reading Neil Humphreys books on Singapore. British wit in a Singapore context, quite a funny combination. Need to finish 2 more books in a week before having to return them.
There are too many bloody mosquitoes in my room thanks to me keeping the windows open when it gets dark.
I think I should sleep more instead of staying up damn late and tiring myself.
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Someone
Someone who explodes with joy when Manchester United scores a great goal.
Someone who likes writing simple short stories in the dead of the night with quiet and soothing music on.
Someone who likes the camaderie he feels when playing mahjong.
Someone who likes to just chill out and talk cock with his friends.
Someone who loves grandiose stories in RPGs.
Someone who hates his own indecision at times.
Someone who loves a good book for some late night reading.
Someone who believes that your legacy is left within other people and in not in the amount of money you have.
Someone who believes in doing what you believe and making your own choices so that if you screw up, you got no one to blame.
Someone who believes that smiling in the face of adversity will always help.
Someone whom a lot of people think talk too much for his own good.
Someone who loves his life a lot.
Someone who believes that happiness is a choice and to be sad is a conscious decision, therefore we can always choose to be happy.
Someone who wants to continously improve himself.
Someone who hates himself sometimes for being lazy and unmotivated to make the necessary changes in his life.
Well, I'm just someone on this Earth trying to be. Still looking for my niche in this world, but I'm sure I'll find it.
Someone who explodes with joy when Manchester United scores a great goal.
Someone who likes writing simple short stories in the dead of the night with quiet and soothing music on.
Someone who likes the camaderie he feels when playing mahjong.
Someone who likes to just chill out and talk cock with his friends.
Someone who loves grandiose stories in RPGs.
Someone who hates his own indecision at times.
Someone who loves a good book for some late night reading.
Someone who believes that your legacy is left within other people and in not in the amount of money you have.
Someone who believes in doing what you believe and making your own choices so that if you screw up, you got no one to blame.
Someone who believes that smiling in the face of adversity will always help.
Someone whom a lot of people think talk too much for his own good.
Someone who loves his life a lot.
Someone who believes that happiness is a choice and to be sad is a conscious decision, therefore we can always choose to be happy.
Someone who wants to continously improve himself.
Someone who hates himself sometimes for being lazy and unmotivated to make the necessary changes in his life.
Well, I'm just someone on this Earth trying to be. Still looking for my niche in this world, but I'm sure I'll find it.
You and I are a statistical improbability
They stood overlooking the harbour, feeling the evening breeze caress their faces. He leaned against the railing, stealing glances at her all the time. She just stared out into the distance while casually adjusting her short hair. They were physically close to each other, but yet not close.
He knew what her response would be anyway, he just had to say what he said as he wanted to. He just wanted to tell her how he felt.
He spoke. "I don't know about you, but right here right now, being with you, I feel happy and contented. I wish I could just stay here and stare at this magnificent view with you forever."
She didn't respond immediately.
She smiled a sad smile at him. "I'm sorry."
They stood overlooking the harbour, feeling the evening breeze caress their faces. He leaned against the railing, stealing glances at her all the time. She just stared out into the distance while casually adjusting her short hair. They were physically close to each other, but yet not close.
He knew what her response would be anyway, he just had to say what he said as he wanted to. He just wanted to tell her how he felt.
He spoke. "I don't know about you, but right here right now, being with you, I feel happy and contented. I wish I could just stay here and stare at this magnificent view with you forever."
She didn't respond immediately.
She smiled a sad smile at him. "I'm sorry."
Saturday, February 03, 2007
Wednesday, January 31, 2007
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Truly Madly Deeply
By Savage Garden
I'll be your dream
I'll be your wish
I'll be your fantasy.
I'll be your hope
I'll be your love
Be everything that you need.
I love you more with every breath
Truly madly deeply do..
I will be strong I will be faithful
'Cos I'm counting on a new beginning.
A reason for living.
A deeper meaning.
Chorus
I want to stand with you on a mountain.
I want to bathe with you in the sea.
I want to lay like this forever.
Until the sky falls down on me...
Verse 2
And when the stars are shining brightly
In the velvet sky,
I'll make a wish
Send it to heaven
Then make you want to cry..
The tears of joy
For all the pleasure and the certainty.
That we're surrounded
By the comfort and protection of..
The highest power.
In lonely hours.
The tears devour you..
I want to stand with you on a mountain,
I want to bathe with you in the sea.
I want to lay like this forever,
Until the sky falls down on me...
Bridge
Oh can't you see it baby?
You don't have to close your eyes
'Cos it's standing right before you.
All that you need will surely come...
I'll be your dream
I'll be your wish
I'll be your fantasy.
I'll be your hope
I'll be your love
Be everything that you need.
I'll love you more with every breath
Truly madly deeply do...
This is the de facto love song. With vivid imageries to boot. There's a pirated version of this song on radio now, sung by a female singer. After all these years I still prefer Savage Garden's version and Darren Hayes' silky voice. This was probably the first song I fell in love with, way back when I was still in primary school. And I guess it gives an informal guide for die hard romantics. They can go stand on Mt Faber and go swim in East Coast park. Which reminds me, 14th Feb is coming again. Crap.
By Savage Garden
I'll be your dream
I'll be your wish
I'll be your fantasy.
I'll be your hope
I'll be your love
Be everything that you need.
I love you more with every breath
Truly madly deeply do..
I will be strong I will be faithful
'Cos I'm counting on a new beginning.
A reason for living.
A deeper meaning.
Chorus
I want to stand with you on a mountain.
I want to bathe with you in the sea.
I want to lay like this forever.
Until the sky falls down on me...
Verse 2
And when the stars are shining brightly
In the velvet sky,
I'll make a wish
Send it to heaven
Then make you want to cry..
The tears of joy
For all the pleasure and the certainty.
That we're surrounded
By the comfort and protection of..
The highest power.
In lonely hours.
The tears devour you..
I want to stand with you on a mountain,
I want to bathe with you in the sea.
I want to lay like this forever,
Until the sky falls down on me...
Bridge
Oh can't you see it baby?
You don't have to close your eyes
'Cos it's standing right before you.
All that you need will surely come...
I'll be your dream
I'll be your wish
I'll be your fantasy.
I'll be your hope
I'll be your love
Be everything that you need.
I'll love you more with every breath
Truly madly deeply do...
This is the de facto love song. With vivid imageries to boot. There's a pirated version of this song on radio now, sung by a female singer. After all these years I still prefer Savage Garden's version and Darren Hayes' silky voice. This was probably the first song I fell in love with, way back when I was still in primary school. And I guess it gives an informal guide for die hard romantics. They can go stand on Mt Faber and go swim in East Coast park. Which reminds me, 14th Feb is coming again. Crap.
Shag can't think
Further proof that I should keep my mouth shut when my mind is addled. Last friday, after another hard day at work, the 3 of us (my male boss and another female colleague) allowed the students to leave the venue first before we started to pack up and leave ourselves as well. It was a trying an emotional day and I was feeling very drained mentally. In addition, I didn't really take a fancy to the canteen food so I had only a little bit of lunch, thus I was also very glucose deprived.
As we were packing up, we started to talk cock amongst ourselves, especially in reference to what happened in the day's programme. We finally got all our stuff together and was about to leave. I carried the heavy stuff like the laptop out of the archaic AV theatre, while my female colleague went to turn off the lights. As the school was a very rundown one, with ageing facilities, pressing the switches resulted in a blue flash of electricity to crackle around it, shocking her but thankfully not literally. She gave a surprised gasp and backed away. My boss, who was behind her, checked to see if she was alright.
"Woah, be careful there." He said
And as if someone else was speaking using my lips and my voice, I heard myself saying, or at least it's my voice, but it would seem my mouth was being controlled by another being. "Don't worry, I know CPR!" And it came out crystal clear in my voice, with a tinge of playfulness in it.
Silence for a full second, before my boss deadpanned, "I don't think that was the point."
Moral of the story: Shag can't think
Further proof that I should keep my mouth shut when my mind is addled. Last friday, after another hard day at work, the 3 of us (my male boss and another female colleague) allowed the students to leave the venue first before we started to pack up and leave ourselves as well. It was a trying an emotional day and I was feeling very drained mentally. In addition, I didn't really take a fancy to the canteen food so I had only a little bit of lunch, thus I was also very glucose deprived.
As we were packing up, we started to talk cock amongst ourselves, especially in reference to what happened in the day's programme. We finally got all our stuff together and was about to leave. I carried the heavy stuff like the laptop out of the archaic AV theatre, while my female colleague went to turn off the lights. As the school was a very rundown one, with ageing facilities, pressing the switches resulted in a blue flash of electricity to crackle around it, shocking her but thankfully not literally. She gave a surprised gasp and backed away. My boss, who was behind her, checked to see if she was alright.
"Woah, be careful there." He said
And as if someone else was speaking using my lips and my voice, I heard myself saying, or at least it's my voice, but it would seem my mouth was being controlled by another being. "Don't worry, I know CPR!" And it came out crystal clear in my voice, with a tinge of playfulness in it.
Silence for a full second, before my boss deadpanned, "I don't think that was the point."
Moral of the story: Shag can't think
Sunday, January 28, 2007
Friday, January 26, 2007
Lost in Translation
Something rather funny happened when I went for my night Japanese lessons last evening. I came from work, so I was dressed in my long sleeved shirt, a casual beige jacket, jeans, a pair of American cockroach red covered shoes and carrying a black briefcase bag. I was feeling rather tired and my mind was addled due to the long day so when I entered the classroom I was feeling rather dazed already. I sat down and proceeded to take out my files and papers when my sensei (teacher) approached me and started talking to me. She's a lady, in her mid 20s to early 30s, speaks ok English but with a Japanese accent.
Sensei : Zhao Yang-san! Did you cut your hair?
Me: (snapping out of my daze) Err.. Hai! (Yes in Japanese)
S: Very nice! (hands drawing out an outline of a person's body) You look very handsome! You go dating later?
Me: (still in a daze) Err...Iie.. (No in Japanese) I went to work today so I dressed this way.
S: Sodesune! (Oh, like that ah in Japanese) (Puts 2 thumbs up) Very nice! Very handsome!
Me: (Finally coming to terms of what's happening) Hontoni? (Really in Japanese)
S: (still smiling, note:I used a term not taught yet in class but i learned it from watching too much anime) Hontoni!
Well of course I felt rather bucked as someone complimented me on my looks, although felt rather weird as it came from a teacher of all people. Then I thought back to what I wore for the last session. For the previous class I wore my baby blue bathing ape shirt, light brown diesel bermudas, airforce sandals and carried a backpack with straps very tight as I cycled to class. In addition my hair was unkempt, un-gelled and looked like a lion's mane. So I wonder if she was really complimenting me or making a subtle remark about my dressing for the last class.
If anything, this reminds me once again, clothes do maketh a man. If you look like a certain friend of mine who has this babyfaced youthful look, whenever he puts on his sec 1 orientation shirt and cap he immediately looks like a sec 1 kid again. But put him in a collared shirt he looks like a mature young man. Thus one should never underestimate the part the clothes you wear play when people are forming impressions about you.
Something rather funny happened when I went for my night Japanese lessons last evening. I came from work, so I was dressed in my long sleeved shirt, a casual beige jacket, jeans, a pair of American cockroach red covered shoes and carrying a black briefcase bag. I was feeling rather tired and my mind was addled due to the long day so when I entered the classroom I was feeling rather dazed already. I sat down and proceeded to take out my files and papers when my sensei (teacher) approached me and started talking to me. She's a lady, in her mid 20s to early 30s, speaks ok English but with a Japanese accent.
Sensei : Zhao Yang-san! Did you cut your hair?
Me: (snapping out of my daze) Err.. Hai! (Yes in Japanese)
S: Very nice! (hands drawing out an outline of a person's body) You look very handsome! You go dating later?
Me: (still in a daze) Err...Iie.. (No in Japanese) I went to work today so I dressed this way.
S: Sodesune! (Oh, like that ah in Japanese) (Puts 2 thumbs up) Very nice! Very handsome!
Me: (Finally coming to terms of what's happening) Hontoni? (Really in Japanese)
S: (still smiling, note:I used a term not taught yet in class but i learned it from watching too much anime) Hontoni!
Well of course I felt rather bucked as someone complimented me on my looks, although felt rather weird as it came from a teacher of all people. Then I thought back to what I wore for the last session. For the previous class I wore my baby blue bathing ape shirt, light brown diesel bermudas, airforce sandals and carried a backpack with straps very tight as I cycled to class. In addition my hair was unkempt, un-gelled and looked like a lion's mane. So I wonder if she was really complimenting me or making a subtle remark about my dressing for the last class.
If anything, this reminds me once again, clothes do maketh a man. If you look like a certain friend of mine who has this babyfaced youthful look, whenever he puts on his sec 1 orientation shirt and cap he immediately looks like a sec 1 kid again. But put him in a collared shirt he looks like a mature young man. Thus one should never underestimate the part the clothes you wear play when people are forming impressions about you.
Thursday, January 25, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
Reel Life
I just realised that in 2006, after watching Pirates 2 in late June, the only other movie I went to watch was Flyboys, which was at the behest of dear Brandon. ("Humor the pilot." He said.) I think there was a distinct lack of must-see movies last year.
Anyway, I think most people know that 2007 is going to be a blockbuster year for movies, many of them are sequels or highly anticipated due to their source material, be it comic adaptions or what nots. Also those who know me well I loathe to spend $9.50 watching a crappy movie, but here are some movies I know I'll be in a cinema to watch.
The following list was chosen from wikipedia under the catergory 2007 films so I hope the collective wisdom of all internet users are accurate.
1) GOAL! 2: Definately one to catch with the guys. That means Adrian, yes you are coming too. Don't make us drag you.
2) Harry Potter 5: What can I say, I'm a fan and I like this book for its descent to darkness.
3) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: Well you can't really argue with blockbusters. Besides the second one was the best summer 2006 movie I watched, and I want to know what happens at the end of the trilogy.
4) Spider-Man 3: I liked the black costume, I like Venom, I liked the cartoons and comics and I liked the first 2 movies. To me, this is a must see. Only problem is to jostle with everyone else wanting to watch it.
5) Ninja Turtles: I think people can see a pattern already here. Nevertheless, this movie may suck but I would think it's a way to regain my lost childhood.
6) Transformers: This is it. This is the one I have been waiting for. I have suffered enough ridicule for my weird interests, and with this I'll have my vindication. Now to find someone who would watch it with me on opening night with me gushing and giving a running commentary.
I just realised that in 2006, after watching Pirates 2 in late June, the only other movie I went to watch was Flyboys, which was at the behest of dear Brandon. ("Humor the pilot." He said.) I think there was a distinct lack of must-see movies last year.
Anyway, I think most people know that 2007 is going to be a blockbuster year for movies, many of them are sequels or highly anticipated due to their source material, be it comic adaptions or what nots. Also those who know me well I loathe to spend $9.50 watching a crappy movie, but here are some movies I know I'll be in a cinema to watch.
The following list was chosen from wikipedia under the catergory 2007 films so I hope the collective wisdom of all internet users are accurate.
1) GOAL! 2: Definately one to catch with the guys. That means Adrian, yes you are coming too. Don't make us drag you.
2) Harry Potter 5: What can I say, I'm a fan and I like this book for its descent to darkness.
3) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End: Well you can't really argue with blockbusters. Besides the second one was the best summer 2006 movie I watched, and I want to know what happens at the end of the trilogy.
4) Spider-Man 3: I liked the black costume, I like Venom, I liked the cartoons and comics and I liked the first 2 movies. To me, this is a must see. Only problem is to jostle with everyone else wanting to watch it.
5) Ninja Turtles: I think people can see a pattern already here. Nevertheless, this movie may suck but I would think it's a way to regain my lost childhood.
6) Transformers: This is it. This is the one I have been waiting for. I have suffered enough ridicule for my weird interests, and with this I'll have my vindication. Now to find someone who would watch it with me on opening night with me gushing and giving a running commentary.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Blast from the Past
Makes me wonder what I have been writing all this while. Frankly speaking, I'm tired with ranting and raving about things in my life anymore. Maybe I would like to comment on some stuff once in a while, but I guess general laziness to muster an opinion is stopping me from actually writing anything. Plus I'm sure no one wants to listen to the ramblings of sad single 21 year old male and the boring events in his life. Thus I shall provide all my loyal readers a blast from the past of sorts, which incidentally was 1 of the questions for the pioneer PW paper, for those who were in my batch would know it. Anyway, without any further ado, here are some hightlights from a younger, angrier, stupider and frankly more eloquent me 2 years ago.
And Grand Slam Weekend only delighted the neutrals.
JC life thought process: I need to study hard as
studying hard-> 2-3 S papers-> scholarship-> overseas education at the government's expense-> come back and earn a lot of $$-> a better life
Well, I choose my own path.
Well, I've chosen my own path indeed. I wonder if this mentality is still prevalent in my alma mater. Let's hope it isn't so. Life is determined by the amount of money you make or whether you get a scholarship or not.
Life is becoming rhythmic, monday has the mind-numbing exercise of looking at microscopic slides, then a deluge of lectures as the monday blues take over, tuesday ends off better but later with econs s, wednesday training causes me to drag a heavy bag home before I just collapse on bed, thursday the slew of lectures which sap my energy, but the prospect of going home earlier brightens up my day. Friday is tutorial day, where the slackers die a horrible death, and where I always have to rush the chem prac, but after that it is a release from academic prison, before saturday comes with training again, and sunday, the day of rest, degenerates to a day of school work.
I really envy the J1s. They are living that care-free life I had last year, where each day was actually fun. Now, I find myself hurrying to finish tutorials, study for tests etc. There is little time to just relax, read a book, a pleasure I really miss, or write a short story. All my energy is spent on doing schoolwork that all I want to do after that is just crash.
Brings me back to my hectic school days when, well, everyday was crazy and stressful, but now I hanker for those uncomplicated times. And even the best of us are not saved from the common problems like homework, hopeless teachers, BGR, tension with schoolmates and what nots. But yeah I think most of us came out better because of such experiences. Like how today I was telling my grandmother how I was careless and let my Sgt kope my rifle and got 1 x extra for it. I remember how gloomy I felt after that and thought only about it throughout my field camp. But yeah in the huge cosmic scale of things it wasn't a great matter, the fact that I can laugh about it 2 years on is testament to that. So yeah things aren't really as bad as we think they are.
Reading other people's blogs, some people go clubbing for their excitement. I must first state that I'm no advocate of clubbing, but I'm an advocate for personal freedom so go ahead and satisfy your preferences as that will help reach Pareto optimality. However, I think clubbing is definately not the lifestyle for me, I'm just one of those people who prefers peace and quiet then loud music, plus I can't stand booze, and the negative connotation that clubbing brings is enough to turn me off. Haha, you are most probably thinking "what a sheltered boy he is." but that's who I am. However, I would like to go just once, to see for myself what is it really like, before I get wrong ideas of it and make baseless arguments. But certainly not in the immediate future. Maybe when I am older, much older.
Err, I take my words back now haha...
Like I have repeated ad naseum, this is not my orientation. I merely facilitated your orientation. Think back over the last few days. Did you really make orientation the orientation you want? Or did you feel it was a big waste of time?
I hope all of you will take at least a few minutes before you sleep at night and reflect over the last week, all the games, activities etc. You will never have a second orientation, so cherish these memories. I’ll always have fond memories of my orientation Zaqaedor, and I hope all of you feel the same of Jaxoras.
This is not the end. This is only the beginning of your wonderful JC life. You will experience the highs and lows of teenage life, of trying out new experiences and being a better person. You guys have a short 2 years, go out and cherish every moment of it.
If you always wanted to try a sport, go do it, and to hell what other people think. My advice to you in RJC is very simple. Carpe Diem. Go out there and seize the day, go out there and live your dream. Not mine, not their, not your parents’ dreams, but yours and yours only. Go out and try new things, pick up a new skill, etc. RJC is a place of opportunity for you to do so. Never forget that.
This is an excerpt of a letter I was supposed to give to my OG during the last night of orientation as I was supposed to be busy attending to something else not very important haha.. But in the end I managed to go to my OG and said something similar to what I wrote. But yeah I do think the concept of Carpe Diem is very important. Live your life the way you want, not what you think the way you should. Big difference there, remember it's always your choice.
Quote of the week: "My preference is that Manchester United loses the rest of their matches. But they are facing Leicester, Portsmouth and Blackburn. For those who do not understand what I am talking about, GO GET A LIFE!" Mr Sowden, while econs s lecture, explaining preference maximisation which constitutes welfare may not be fulfilled.
I kinda miss those econs S sessions, even though I was always very tired then. Good humor helps in any situation. On this note, Adrian still hasn't got a life.
Ghosts
I quote from a classmate's blog, "(for common tests) my half-formed stabs in the dark and found As out of them."
I must have gotten the leftovers then.
And that was probably the story of my JC life. Good thing I came good when it mattered.
I was walking towards kinokuniya yesterday after dinner with my family. Upon reaching the entrance, I saw a boy wearing the new Manchester United jersey. I felt it looked odd, and on closer inspection, I realised why so.
There was no golden lion on the sleeve, just a normal blue one.
Then all the hurt and disgust came flooding back, before slowly being replaced with righteous anger.
This time, we're going to get that golden lion back, and how.
Just you pretenders wait.
Let's hope this comes true come May.
And finally, a post that warrants to be re-posted in its entirety due to its everlasting relevance.
Makes me wonder what I have been writing all this while. Frankly speaking, I'm tired with ranting and raving about things in my life anymore. Maybe I would like to comment on some stuff once in a while, but I guess general laziness to muster an opinion is stopping me from actually writing anything. Plus I'm sure no one wants to listen to the ramblings of sad single 21 year old male and the boring events in his life. Thus I shall provide all my loyal readers a blast from the past of sorts, which incidentally was 1 of the questions for the pioneer PW paper, for those who were in my batch would know it. Anyway, without any further ado, here are some hightlights from a younger, angrier, stupider and frankly more eloquent me 2 years ago.
And Grand Slam Weekend only delighted the neutrals.
Saturday, February 28, 2004
Priority in lifeJC life thought process: I need to study hard as
studying hard-> 2-3 S papers-> scholarship-> overseas education at the government's expense-> come back and earn a lot of $$-> a better life
Well, I choose my own path.
Well, I've chosen my own path indeed. I wonder if this mentality is still prevalent in my alma mater. Let's hope it isn't so. Life is determined by the amount of money you make or whether you get a scholarship or not.
Thursday, February 05, 2004
Still hanging onLife is becoming rhythmic, monday has the mind-numbing exercise of looking at microscopic slides, then a deluge of lectures as the monday blues take over, tuesday ends off better but later with econs s, wednesday training causes me to drag a heavy bag home before I just collapse on bed, thursday the slew of lectures which sap my energy, but the prospect of going home earlier brightens up my day. Friday is tutorial day, where the slackers die a horrible death, and where I always have to rush the chem prac, but after that it is a release from academic prison, before saturday comes with training again, and sunday, the day of rest, degenerates to a day of school work.
I really envy the J1s. They are living that care-free life I had last year, where each day was actually fun. Now, I find myself hurrying to finish tutorials, study for tests etc. There is little time to just relax, read a book, a pleasure I really miss, or write a short story. All my energy is spent on doing schoolwork that all I want to do after that is just crash.
Brings me back to my hectic school days when, well, everyday was crazy and stressful, but now I hanker for those uncomplicated times. And even the best of us are not saved from the common problems like homework, hopeless teachers, BGR, tension with schoolmates and what nots. But yeah I think most of us came out better because of such experiences. Like how today I was telling my grandmother how I was careless and let my Sgt kope my rifle and got 1 x extra for it. I remember how gloomy I felt after that and thought only about it throughout my field camp. But yeah in the huge cosmic scale of things it wasn't a great matter, the fact that I can laugh about it 2 years on is testament to that. So yeah things aren't really as bad as we think they are.
Friday, February 06, 2004
Life through a lensReading other people's blogs, some people go clubbing for their excitement. I must first state that I'm no advocate of clubbing, but I'm an advocate for personal freedom so go ahead and satisfy your preferences as that will help reach Pareto optimality. However, I think clubbing is definately not the lifestyle for me, I'm just one of those people who prefers peace and quiet then loud music, plus I can't stand booze, and the negative connotation that clubbing brings is enough to turn me off. Haha, you are most probably thinking "what a sheltered boy he is." but that's who I am. However, I would like to go just once, to see for myself what is it really like, before I get wrong ideas of it and make baseless arguments. But certainly not in the immediate future. Maybe when I am older, much older.
Err, I take my words back now haha...
Wednesday, April 07, 2004
That fine lineLike I have repeated ad naseum, this is not my orientation. I merely facilitated your orientation. Think back over the last few days. Did you really make orientation the orientation you want? Or did you feel it was a big waste of time?
I hope all of you will take at least a few minutes before you sleep at night and reflect over the last week, all the games, activities etc. You will never have a second orientation, so cherish these memories. I’ll always have fond memories of my orientation Zaqaedor, and I hope all of you feel the same of Jaxoras.
This is not the end. This is only the beginning of your wonderful JC life. You will experience the highs and lows of teenage life, of trying out new experiences and being a better person. You guys have a short 2 years, go out and cherish every moment of it.
If you always wanted to try a sport, go do it, and to hell what other people think. My advice to you in RJC is very simple. Carpe Diem. Go out there and seize the day, go out there and live your dream. Not mine, not their, not your parents’ dreams, but yours and yours only. Go out and try new things, pick up a new skill, etc. RJC is a place of opportunity for you to do so. Never forget that.
This is an excerpt of a letter I was supposed to give to my OG during the last night of orientation as I was supposed to be busy attending to something else not very important haha.. But in the end I managed to go to my OG and said something similar to what I wrote. But yeah I do think the concept of Carpe Diem is very important. Live your life the way you want, not what you think the way you should. Big difference there, remember it's always your choice.
Thursday, April 15, 2004
RainQuote of the week: "My preference is that Manchester United loses the rest of their matches. But they are facing Leicester, Portsmouth and Blackburn. For those who do not understand what I am talking about, GO GET A LIFE!" Mr Sowden, while econs s lecture, explaining preference maximisation which constitutes welfare may not be fulfilled.
I kinda miss those econs S sessions, even though I was always very tired then. Good humor helps in any situation. On this note, Adrian still hasn't got a life.
Friday, July 23, 2004
Ghosts
I quote from a classmate's blog, "(for common tests) my half-formed stabs in the dark and found As out of them." I must have gotten the leftovers then.
And that was probably the story of my JC life. Good thing I came good when it mattered.
Monday, August 09, 2004
Claiming back what's oursI was walking towards kinokuniya yesterday after dinner with my family. Upon reaching the entrance, I saw a boy wearing the new Manchester United jersey. I felt it looked odd, and on closer inspection, I realised why so.
There was no golden lion on the sleeve, just a normal blue one.
Then all the hurt and disgust came flooding back, before slowly being replaced with righteous anger.
This time, we're going to get that golden lion back, and how.
Just you pretenders wait.
Let's hope this comes true come May.
And finally, a post that warrants to be re-posted in its entirety due to its everlasting relevance.
Saturday, September 18, 2004
I-don't-want-to-tell-you-but-I'll-tell-you-anyway
Let me tell about a syndrome that is named after the title of this post. That is just a shortened name of the syndrome and does not accurately reflect its nature. The real nature would be "I want to tell you something but I don't want to be so direct and tell you so I'll drop hints to make you ask me or somehow shift the conversation towards it so I can tell you." It is believed to have its origin in the times when women would fan themselves slowly and claim it's hot to show off their diamond ring. This is especially so when it concerns matters of the heart or achievements.
This syndrome is accredited to mr nicholas tsao wen jie who has been very perceptive in pointing it out and coining the term for it.
Confused? Here are some examples to illustrate this syndrome.
1) Jake is with his friends studying. Jake then looks at his phone and announces loudly, "Oh shit, I forgot to call Jessie! I promised to go out with her today! No she'll kill me!" Then he waits for his friends to start questioning him about his relationship with Jessie.
2) OR Jake sighs and says "man later still need to go buy new clothes. Need to to meet Mr Nathan for the awarding of my scholarship." and then waits for his friends to ask about it.
3) OR Jake receives an SMS and laughs happily and audibly, then saying "hey look at this... aiyah never mind" Having aroused his friends curiosity, they would badger him for an explanation.
4) OR suddenly, out of the blue, Jake asks, "hey do you think Jessie is pretty?" Then when his bewildered friend replies, and asks him why did he ask that question, he'll just dismiss it with a mysterious nothing, before leading his friend on to probe further and then he'll say.
Got a better idea about it? Actually, this syndrome is a good form of conversation starter, but when it gets to more sensitive subjects eg. wealth or achievements they tend to cause resentment in other people who deem it as an indirect way of showing off. Or people would think you're a chronic attention seeker.
Well, I must confess to having fallen prey to it a few times. But hey, it's relatively harmless, and among friends it's fine, as they won't get wrong ideas of you being cocky. Personally, try not to do this so much, but among friends you guys can have a good laugh about it. Besides, by not doing it, there would no longer be conversation for conversation's sake, and life would be so boring.
Reproduced with permission from nicholas tsao.
Are you guilty of this syndrome?
Saturday, January 20, 2007
Sleight of hand
Welcome to the Grand Slam Weekend. Liverpool Vs Chelsea, Arsenal Vs Manchester United. This promises to be a great weekend for football fans. Let's hope the action lives up to the hype.
Started on my japanese lessons this week, so far so good, realise that watching too much anime can be bad because they actually mangle the words as they speak too fast so I have probably been picking up the wrong things. Went to the National Stadium on wednesday night to watch Singapore Vs Indonesia with junseng murugan and fabian. We bought grandstand tickets as it was about to rain, a cedar girl was the ticket seller, and I was rather surprised as I always had the impression that ticket sellers were normally grouchy old men. It was a rather thrilling match, due to Singapore's inability to hold on to a lead and willingness to just sit back and soak up the pressure. The attendance increased from the 5000 people who watched the Laos match to about 13000, see what 11 goals in a game can do. My boss also called me halfway through the match to give me new assignments, so I tried my best to listen to him over the roar of the crowd. Another interesting sight was that of a portly caucasian man wearing a Singapore jersey with the words "ANG MOH 10" printed behind. Nice sense of humor.
Worked on Monday and Friday, was given a nice surprise on Thursday, although I had to travel all the way to Boon Lay to get it. Thanks to you people, you know who you are.
Till next time then.
Welcome to the Grand Slam Weekend. Liverpool Vs Chelsea, Arsenal Vs Manchester United. This promises to be a great weekend for football fans. Let's hope the action lives up to the hype.
Started on my japanese lessons this week, so far so good, realise that watching too much anime can be bad because they actually mangle the words as they speak too fast so I have probably been picking up the wrong things. Went to the National Stadium on wednesday night to watch Singapore Vs Indonesia with junseng murugan and fabian. We bought grandstand tickets as it was about to rain, a cedar girl was the ticket seller, and I was rather surprised as I always had the impression that ticket sellers were normally grouchy old men. It was a rather thrilling match, due to Singapore's inability to hold on to a lead and willingness to just sit back and soak up the pressure. The attendance increased from the 5000 people who watched the Laos match to about 13000, see what 11 goals in a game can do. My boss also called me halfway through the match to give me new assignments, so I tried my best to listen to him over the roar of the crowd. Another interesting sight was that of a portly caucasian man wearing a Singapore jersey with the words "ANG MOH 10" printed behind. Nice sense of humor.
Worked on Monday and Friday, was given a nice surprise on Thursday, although I had to travel all the way to Boon Lay to get it. Thanks to you people, you know who you are.
Till next time then.
Sunday, January 14, 2007
Thankful
On this special day, I am thankful for all I have.
I am thankful for being able to have enjoyed and experienced fully my 21 years on this Earth.
I am thankful for having a wonderful and supportive family and extended family.
I am thankful for having a group of great friends to share joys and tears.
I am thankful that I can look forward to a future which I can mold.
I am truly thankful for what life has given me, and will continue to cherish all that was dear to me in my 21 years before.
Happy birthday to me.
On this special day, I am thankful for all I have.
I am thankful for being able to have enjoyed and experienced fully my 21 years on this Earth.
I am thankful for having a wonderful and supportive family and extended family.
I am thankful for having a group of great friends to share joys and tears.
I am thankful that I can look forward to a future which I can mold.
I am truly thankful for what life has given me, and will continue to cherish all that was dear to me in my 21 years before.
Happy birthday to me.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Local entrepreneur takes over English football club
Reported by Gonzalez Ng
In a stunning move today, a consortium headed by Koh Enterprises announced they have taken over Norwich City Football Club. In a statement released by Koh Enterprises spokesperson, Mr Fernando Ng said that "We are pleased to announce that we have successfully taken over Norwich City Football Club. Our company Chairman, Mr Alonso Koh, will now be the Chairman of the club."
Mr Koh, when interviewed at the press conference in Koh Enterprises Headquarters in Singapore, had this to say. "I have supported Norwich ever since I was a young boy. My friends supported the more glamorous clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle.. err wait sorry not counted. Anyway, my friends could never understand why I would support in their opinion a lousy team. But I have always admired Norwich for their grit and determination, and it was through these values I have got to where I am now as a businessman."
Mr Koh also shared this anecdote with the journalists gathered. "I remember when I was touring Bangkok with my friends, I told them I intended to get a Norwich jersey in Bangkok. One of them, a Manchester United fan, scoffed at me and said that if I could find a Norwich jersey, he'll buy it for me. I searched many shops for it, but everytime the shopkeeper would shake his head and say he never even heard of such a team. Just as I was about to give up, I decided to try one last shop. And there it was, the last piece, and it was from the only season Norwich was in the premiership, but still I had found it. And my friend duly paid up for it, and I knew from that day on Norwich and I were meant for each other."
In England, the current manager of Norwich City Football club Pete Grand was delighted to hear of the takeover. "I hope more funds will be released for me to strengthen the side as we continue our push for the 3rd Division title."
Reaction to the takeover by the Norwich fans has been mixed. Some expressed hope that Koh would be their version of a Abramovich sugar daddy, others were more concerned whether he is an opportunistic foreignermerely trying to turn the club into a money making machine. A Peter Pansley was quoted as saying, "I don't care if he's British or not, as long he gets us going, it's a good thing for me."
New funds spark rumors about spending spree
As soon as the takeover was announced, rumors were about that Norwich City intend to sign Titus Bramble to shore up their defence and pay a record breaking 50 million pounds to Chelsea for Andrei Shevchenko. There are also reports that Chairman Koh may decide to play himself in one of the games. "He fancies himself as the Asian Darren Huckerby." A close source to Chairman Koh reveals.
Reported by Gonzalez Ng
In a stunning move today, a consortium headed by Koh Enterprises announced they have taken over Norwich City Football Club. In a statement released by Koh Enterprises spokesperson, Mr Fernando Ng said that "We are pleased to announce that we have successfully taken over Norwich City Football Club. Our company Chairman, Mr Alonso Koh, will now be the Chairman of the club."
Mr Koh, when interviewed at the press conference in Koh Enterprises Headquarters in Singapore, had this to say. "I have supported Norwich ever since I was a young boy. My friends supported the more glamorous clubs like Manchester United, Arsenal, Newcastle.. err wait sorry not counted. Anyway, my friends could never understand why I would support in their opinion a lousy team. But I have always admired Norwich for their grit and determination, and it was through these values I have got to where I am now as a businessman."
Mr Koh also shared this anecdote with the journalists gathered. "I remember when I was touring Bangkok with my friends, I told them I intended to get a Norwich jersey in Bangkok. One of them, a Manchester United fan, scoffed at me and said that if I could find a Norwich jersey, he'll buy it for me. I searched many shops for it, but everytime the shopkeeper would shake his head and say he never even heard of such a team. Just as I was about to give up, I decided to try one last shop. And there it was, the last piece, and it was from the only season Norwich was in the premiership, but still I had found it. And my friend duly paid up for it, and I knew from that day on Norwich and I were meant for each other."
In England, the current manager of Norwich City Football club Pete Grand was delighted to hear of the takeover. "I hope more funds will be released for me to strengthen the side as we continue our push for the 3rd Division title."
Reaction to the takeover by the Norwich fans has been mixed. Some expressed hope that Koh would be their version of a Abramovich sugar daddy, others were more concerned whether he is an opportunistic foreignermerely trying to turn the club into a money making machine. A Peter Pansley was quoted as saying, "I don't care if he's British or not, as long he gets us going, it's a good thing for me."
New funds spark rumors about spending spree
As soon as the takeover was announced, rumors were about that Norwich City intend to sign Titus Bramble to shore up their defence and pay a record breaking 50 million pounds to Chelsea for Andrei Shevchenko. There are also reports that Chairman Koh may decide to play himself in one of the games. "He fancies himself as the Asian Darren Huckerby." A close source to Chairman Koh reveals.
Monday, January 08, 2007
Sunday, January 07, 2007
Thursday, January 04, 2007
Love in the Emergency Room
Inspired by a true story... somewhat.
Director: Cefiro
Starring: Freedom
Alonso as The Protagonist
Eto'o as The Foreigner who is the best friend of the Protagonist
Fernando as The Jealous Third Party
Cherry as the Metrosexual Best Friend to The Girls
Gonzalez as The Extra
Also costarring:
Fifi as The Girl
Y as The Other Girl
Note: All characters are playing themselves.
Episode 1:
The Fateful Encounter
Scene 1: At some damm posh office building
(Alonso walks out of the office building. He is wearing a suit and a red tie, holding a briefcase in his left hand, the other hand is taking out the keys to his damn posh car. On his left ear is a bluetooth ear piece. He makes to open his car and gets in.)
Alonso: Yes, yes. Don't worry, Mr Richards, as long you place your trust in me, I gurantee we will make this project a success! No problem! So when can we sign the contract? Next tuesday! Excellent! I look forward to closing this deal with you Mr Richards then. Thanks and I'll see you next tuesday!
(A gets into his car and starts the engine. He drives out and reaches a junction. Then there's a loud crashing noise and we see a car crash against a lamp post.)
A: Oh no!
(A gets out of his car and rushes to help the driver. We see the driver is slumped against the wheel, blood oozing from her head, unconscious. It's Y. A opens the door and carries her out of the vehicle, running away, before it explodes dramatically behind him. He then lays his coat on the floor and places her on it. She stirs a little.)
A: Miss, Miss, can you hear me? Are you alright?
(Y stirs. We see her looking at A in a kaleidoscope of colours.)
Y (Feebly): James?
(We see her vision blur away and hear the sound of the ambulance siren become louder)
Scene 2: Hospital
(The emergency doors burst open. YH is wheeled in in a stretcher, and all the nurses and doctors are doing their thing, shouting some medical stuff, acting all gan cheong. Eventually we see A, sans coat, tie loosened, clothes slightly bloodied rush in as well.)
Some random nurse: Sorry Sir, you cannot go in!
(A stops. Another random nurse approaches him.)
2nd random nurse: Sir, you accompanied the patient right? Please come here and sign some documents. Once that is done, you can leave.
(A takes a clipboard and starts filling up the form. Away from his earshot, 2 more random nurses walk past him, do a doubletake, then start whispering conspiracally.)
1st random nurse: Hey isn't that guys Alonso Ko? The self made millionaire? They say he is one of the most eligible bachelors in Singapore, and he's very rich as well! Wow, looking at him up close, he's SOOOO CUTE!
2nd random nurse: Ya loh! Wonder if he has a girlfriend... Whoever she is must be very lucky!
(Voices drowned put by the background sounds of the hospital. The camera returns to A, who finishes filling up the form. He signs off with a flourish, then places the pen down. As he turns to leave, he hears a voice behind him.)
F: I would like to thank you for helping that poor lady who was in the car crash. If you hadn't carried her out then, she would have died.
(A turns around to see who spoke to him. Time slows as he stares in amazement.)
A: Fifi? (pause) Wow, it's been a long while...
(Obligatory flashback scene)
to be continued...
Author's notes:
As you can see, I was quite bored.
Inspired by a true story... somewhat.
Director: Cefiro
Starring: Freedom
Alonso as The Protagonist
Eto'o as The Foreigner who is the best friend of the Protagonist
Fernando as The Jealous Third Party
Cherry as the Metrosexual Best Friend to The Girls
Gonzalez as The Extra
Also costarring:
Fifi as The Girl
Y as The Other Girl
Note: All characters are playing themselves.
Episode 1:
The Fateful Encounter
Scene 1: At some damm posh office building
(Alonso walks out of the office building. He is wearing a suit and a red tie, holding a briefcase in his left hand, the other hand is taking out the keys to his damn posh car. On his left ear is a bluetooth ear piece. He makes to open his car and gets in.)
Alonso: Yes, yes. Don't worry, Mr Richards, as long you place your trust in me, I gurantee we will make this project a success! No problem! So when can we sign the contract? Next tuesday! Excellent! I look forward to closing this deal with you Mr Richards then. Thanks and I'll see you next tuesday!
(A gets into his car and starts the engine. He drives out and reaches a junction. Then there's a loud crashing noise and we see a car crash against a lamp post.)
A: Oh no!
(A gets out of his car and rushes to help the driver. We see the driver is slumped against the wheel, blood oozing from her head, unconscious. It's Y. A opens the door and carries her out of the vehicle, running away, before it explodes dramatically behind him. He then lays his coat on the floor and places her on it. She stirs a little.)
A: Miss, Miss, can you hear me? Are you alright?
(Y stirs. We see her looking at A in a kaleidoscope of colours.)
Y (Feebly): James?
(We see her vision blur away and hear the sound of the ambulance siren become louder)
Scene 2: Hospital
(The emergency doors burst open. YH is wheeled in in a stretcher, and all the nurses and doctors are doing their thing, shouting some medical stuff, acting all gan cheong. Eventually we see A, sans coat, tie loosened, clothes slightly bloodied rush in as well.)
Some random nurse: Sorry Sir, you cannot go in!
(A stops. Another random nurse approaches him.)
2nd random nurse: Sir, you accompanied the patient right? Please come here and sign some documents. Once that is done, you can leave.
(A takes a clipboard and starts filling up the form. Away from his earshot, 2 more random nurses walk past him, do a doubletake, then start whispering conspiracally.)
1st random nurse: Hey isn't that guys Alonso Ko? The self made millionaire? They say he is one of the most eligible bachelors in Singapore, and he's very rich as well! Wow, looking at him up close, he's SOOOO CUTE!
2nd random nurse: Ya loh! Wonder if he has a girlfriend... Whoever she is must be very lucky!
(Voices drowned put by the background sounds of the hospital. The camera returns to A, who finishes filling up the form. He signs off with a flourish, then places the pen down. As he turns to leave, he hears a voice behind him.)
F: I would like to thank you for helping that poor lady who was in the car crash. If you hadn't carried her out then, she would have died.
(A turns around to see who spoke to him. Time slows as he stares in amazement.)
A: Fifi? (pause) Wow, it's been a long while...
(Obligatory flashback scene)
to be continued...
Author's notes:
As you can see, I was quite bored.
Tuesday, January 02, 2007
New
Happy new year to all of you reading this. In the spirit of the new year, I just changed my computer from that old and cranky one to a new but still rather low end one. Well it works so I ain't complaining much. Also new is the blog template, as I think I got rather bored with the green template.
The days that led to the end of 2006 was fun, dinner with the guys on the 31st was nice, had a very interesting outing on the 29th night, otherwise it was just being stuck at home sleeping the late nights off, reading, helping my mum out, having hearty family meals, completing FFXII finally, fixing the new computer, going for training sessions for my assignments that are starting soon, cleaning up my room, watching Man Utd play stylishly and win, you get the idea.
I don't really have any new year resolutions, as I only had one last year and yet I couldn't even fufil it, which was to exercise more.. In any case, I think I should just live by this mantra, which is not to regret.
Looking forward to a great year.
Happy new year to all of you reading this. In the spirit of the new year, I just changed my computer from that old and cranky one to a new but still rather low end one. Well it works so I ain't complaining much. Also new is the blog template, as I think I got rather bored with the green template.
The days that led to the end of 2006 was fun, dinner with the guys on the 31st was nice, had a very interesting outing on the 29th night, otherwise it was just being stuck at home sleeping the late nights off, reading, helping my mum out, having hearty family meals, completing FFXII finally, fixing the new computer, going for training sessions for my assignments that are starting soon, cleaning up my room, watching Man Utd play stylishly and win, you get the idea.
I don't really have any new year resolutions, as I only had one last year and yet I couldn't even fufil it, which was to exercise more.. In any case, I think I should just live by this mantra, which is not to regret.
Looking forward to a great year.
Sunday, December 31, 2006
Afraid
Amid those flashing lights and blaring sounds, he felt a sense of epiphany, a sense of otherworldliness, a touch of uncertainty. It frightened him immensely, but somehow he wonders if there was anything to be afraid of.
Still, when the lights dimmed and the sounds faded, he wonders if he was true to himself.
Amid those flashing lights and blaring sounds, he felt a sense of epiphany, a sense of otherworldliness, a touch of uncertainty. It frightened him immensely, but somehow he wonders if there was anything to be afraid of.
Still, when the lights dimmed and the sounds faded, he wonders if he was true to himself.
Thursday, December 28, 2006
You Needed Me
by Anne Murray
I cried a tear
You wiped it dry
I was confused
You cleared my mind
I sold my soul
You bought it back for me
And held me up and gave me dignity
Somehow you needed me.
Chorus
You gave me strength
To stand alone again
To face the world
Out on my own again
You put me high upon a pedestal
So high that I could almost see eternity
You needed me
You needed me
And I can't believe it's you I can't believe it's true
I needed you and you were there
And I'll never leave, why should I leave
I'd be a fool
'Cause I've finally found someone who really cares
You held my hand
When it was cold
When I was lost
You took me home
You gave me hope
When I was at the end
And turned my lies
Back into truth again
You even called me friend
Repeat Chorus
You needed me
You needed me
You know sometimes your player plays a song that you haven't heard in ages, and somehow once it ends, you want to hear it again, then again, and again. This song is just that. It's the Boyzone cover version though, but still it's a lovely song. I bought the Boyzone greatest hits album about 8 years ago and never transfered the songs to the computer until lately. I remember 8 years ago reading the lyrics of this song I wondered why a person can "need" a person, who, as the song goes, cries, was confused, and sold his soul. The me then didn't understand it, and the me now understands a little, I guess, but still not enough. I guess what the song is trying to say that, even the person who can do anything and everything, still needs someone to validate his/her existence.
The philosophical mumbo-jumbo aside, I think I've just found another song for the night.
by Anne Murray
I cried a tear
You wiped it dry
I was confused
You cleared my mind
I sold my soul
You bought it back for me
And held me up and gave me dignity
Somehow you needed me.
Chorus
You gave me strength
To stand alone again
To face the world
Out on my own again
You put me high upon a pedestal
So high that I could almost see eternity
You needed me
You needed me
And I can't believe it's you I can't believe it's true
I needed you and you were there
And I'll never leave, why should I leave
I'd be a fool
'Cause I've finally found someone who really cares
You held my hand
When it was cold
When I was lost
You took me home
You gave me hope
When I was at the end
And turned my lies
Back into truth again
You even called me friend
Repeat Chorus
You needed me
You needed me
You know sometimes your player plays a song that you haven't heard in ages, and somehow once it ends, you want to hear it again, then again, and again. This song is just that. It's the Boyzone cover version though, but still it's a lovely song. I bought the Boyzone greatest hits album about 8 years ago and never transfered the songs to the computer until lately. I remember 8 years ago reading the lyrics of this song I wondered why a person can "need" a person, who, as the song goes, cries, was confused, and sold his soul. The me then didn't understand it, and the me now understands a little, I guess, but still not enough. I guess what the song is trying to say that, even the person who can do anything and everything, still needs someone to validate his/her existence.
The philosophical mumbo-jumbo aside, I think I've just found another song for the night.
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
No Shaking Throne
Rain, again. My roof leaks, at the same two places, again.
It's been a rather balmy Christmas period. Christmas was as usual, a visit to my Grandma's place for lunch and dinner and banter among relatives. After lunch my parents disappeared to buy new furniture for the new house, I disappeared to Taka for a spot of Christmas shopping, albeit belatedly.
Boxing day the heavens poured forth, but I braved the rain with my sis and mum to go for another round of Christmas shopping. I would just follow them to their destination, then tell them I'll be going to the men's section and hide there till they call me on the phone to come back and look for them.
A few observations include that these sales are really tempting, which can really cause you buy the stuff you don't need. Picked up a few stuff that I felt my wardrobe was lacking, then spent the rest of the day salvaging my room, reading Bleach 25 which was boring compared to 24 (bought 25 as a Christmas present to Adrian for always borrowing his manga), and watching Reading hold chelski and Man Utd beat Wigan to go 4 points clear. Cashley cole, I love you.
Today was supposed to report to the office, but the boss was not feeling well so he cancelled the session. Thus spent the day lazing away, reading, watching the bleach episodes I have backlogged, wondering why the internet was so lagged and playing the ps2.
Something has been bugging me for a while. On 933 radio station there's a segment which is a radio play, basically "A typical Singaporean schoolgirl's diary". There was once I was listening to a segment, and when it ended the writer of the programme came on and asked for input from the listeners. Basically she asked a very interesting question, which was "How do you know when you like somebody?" Responses included, from my memory, so may not be very accurate, "you get jealous when you see the person with another guy/girl", "when you're with the person you're unable to think properly, when you're not with the person you think of him/her for no rhyme or reason", "you feel happy because he/she feels happy, you feel sad because he/she feels sad."
Just to put things into perspective, the show is geared towards the younger listeners, maybe 12-18 year olds, so most of the responses I guess would come from them. Somehow, when I listened to those responses, I can't help but chuckle. Those were very cliched responses, but I guess they're still the most likely indicators. Still I wonder, does experiencing all those feelings mean you like the person in question? I believe that it's something far far more complicated than I can comprehend at the moment.
Anyway, my immediate answer to the question when it was raised was "When you start feeling the great need to act like an idiot in front of that person, yup that means you're a goner."
Rain, again. My roof leaks, at the same two places, again.
It's been a rather balmy Christmas period. Christmas was as usual, a visit to my Grandma's place for lunch and dinner and banter among relatives. After lunch my parents disappeared to buy new furniture for the new house, I disappeared to Taka for a spot of Christmas shopping, albeit belatedly.
Boxing day the heavens poured forth, but I braved the rain with my sis and mum to go for another round of Christmas shopping. I would just follow them to their destination, then tell them I'll be going to the men's section and hide there till they call me on the phone to come back and look for them.
A few observations include that these sales are really tempting, which can really cause you buy the stuff you don't need. Picked up a few stuff that I felt my wardrobe was lacking, then spent the rest of the day salvaging my room, reading Bleach 25 which was boring compared to 24 (bought 25 as a Christmas present to Adrian for always borrowing his manga), and watching Reading hold chelski and Man Utd beat Wigan to go 4 points clear. Cashley cole, I love you.
Today was supposed to report to the office, but the boss was not feeling well so he cancelled the session. Thus spent the day lazing away, reading, watching the bleach episodes I have backlogged, wondering why the internet was so lagged and playing the ps2.
Something has been bugging me for a while. On 933 radio station there's a segment which is a radio play, basically "A typical Singaporean schoolgirl's diary". There was once I was listening to a segment, and when it ended the writer of the programme came on and asked for input from the listeners. Basically she asked a very interesting question, which was "How do you know when you like somebody?" Responses included, from my memory, so may not be very accurate, "you get jealous when you see the person with another guy/girl", "when you're with the person you're unable to think properly, when you're not with the person you think of him/her for no rhyme or reason", "you feel happy because he/she feels happy, you feel sad because he/she feels sad."
Just to put things into perspective, the show is geared towards the younger listeners, maybe 12-18 year olds, so most of the responses I guess would come from them. Somehow, when I listened to those responses, I can't help but chuckle. Those were very cliched responses, but I guess they're still the most likely indicators. Still I wonder, does experiencing all those feelings mean you like the person in question? I believe that it's something far far more complicated than I can comprehend at the moment.
Anyway, my immediate answer to the question when it was raised was "When you start feeling the great need to act like an idiot in front of that person, yup that means you're a goner."
Monday, December 25, 2006
There's nothing either good or bad, but thinking it makes it so
Nope, it's not that I suddenly became very interested in the bard's works, but this quote was from the Final Fantasy Versus XIII trailer, which by the way, was pure coolness. Makes me want it a lot, and I have yet to finish FFXII for that matter.
It was a more restful week, as I didn't have to report to the office at all for the whole week. Spent it mostly trying to prevent my room from flooding due to the crazy storm on tues, had dinner with friends and watched Flyboys with the flyboy brandon who had returned from Australia. The movie was surprisingly good, but riddled with cliches and fabian and I had a fun time guessing which character will die next and predicting what happens next in the movie. Spent the whole night out though, and watched chelski undeservingly win at wigan.
Along the way I felt a bit down due to some events, but I realised I let myself feel down, and not that the event itself making me feel down. It took me a day to straighten out my thoughts, so I guess I feel better now.
It's early Christmas morning. I think I have to get up early later in the morning as I have to ferry some stuff to my grandmother's house for the lunch we normally have during Christmas. We would have very nice mee siam and open presents, but I doubt I'll be doing any opening this year as I think most people would prefer to give money nowadays, not that I mind.
The movie Love Actually just finished showing on Channel 5. I must say it's one of my favourite yet hated movies. I remember showing it as part of a med fac event back in J2, and the sight of the many twosomes in the school hall was something that stuck in my mind. In any case, I like the show as well it's good and funny and heartwarming, but bad as it never fails to remind me that Christmas is the most miserable time for those who are single, but only if you let yourself feel that way. I'm not letting myself feel that way though, as I slept through christmas eve anyway.
Here's wishing everyone happy holidays, next week will be the post-christmas sales and work for me. Thanks to all those who gave me cards or presents, really appreciate it. Have a good time everyone!
Nope, it's not that I suddenly became very interested in the bard's works, but this quote was from the Final Fantasy Versus XIII trailer, which by the way, was pure coolness. Makes me want it a lot, and I have yet to finish FFXII for that matter.
It was a more restful week, as I didn't have to report to the office at all for the whole week. Spent it mostly trying to prevent my room from flooding due to the crazy storm on tues, had dinner with friends and watched Flyboys with the flyboy brandon who had returned from Australia. The movie was surprisingly good, but riddled with cliches and fabian and I had a fun time guessing which character will die next and predicting what happens next in the movie. Spent the whole night out though, and watched chelski undeservingly win at wigan.
Along the way I felt a bit down due to some events, but I realised I let myself feel down, and not that the event itself making me feel down. It took me a day to straighten out my thoughts, so I guess I feel better now.
It's early Christmas morning. I think I have to get up early later in the morning as I have to ferry some stuff to my grandmother's house for the lunch we normally have during Christmas. We would have very nice mee siam and open presents, but I doubt I'll be doing any opening this year as I think most people would prefer to give money nowadays, not that I mind.
The movie Love Actually just finished showing on Channel 5. I must say it's one of my favourite yet hated movies. I remember showing it as part of a med fac event back in J2, and the sight of the many twosomes in the school hall was something that stuck in my mind. In any case, I like the show as well it's good and funny and heartwarming, but bad as it never fails to remind me that Christmas is the most miserable time for those who are single, but only if you let yourself feel that way. I'm not letting myself feel that way though, as I slept through christmas eve anyway.
Here's wishing everyone happy holidays, next week will be the post-christmas sales and work for me. Thanks to all those who gave me cards or presents, really appreciate it. Have a good time everyone!
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