Have actually been thinking about what i'll be missing while i am away during the trip =======> for quite some time now - so thought here before i go i shall list them all down -
Exam results:
They're out like two or so days after we arrive there - hmm and on the one hand i have a feeling that i'll do better than ok so am a leetle eager to get them back (which is possible) but on the other hand if my feeling is totally off then i'd be all mopey and sullen for the rest of the trip if i did check them so i dunno lah...
American Idol:
Am missing the final by a matter of a day or two - actually i would not be that eager to catch it anyway cos my gut feeling (which i hope is seriously off) is that Taylor will win [and i am probably more anti-Taylor and his affectations (which make him look like he's having a seizure or indigestion or something like that) than pro-Kat], and also that the idol song that both of them will have to sing will be high up there with much of the rest of them idol/idol-contestant-sung songs such as "I Believe", "Inside Your Heaven" and the worst offender of them all, "8th World Wonder", in the sheer cheese factor...
Singapore Idol:
After catching chunks of it on tv, i am so glad that i won't be subject to a lot of its nonsense - imho, even most of those who made it to the next round simply don't even pale, but basically fade away in comparison to their American counterparts (and i'd like to think that coming from choir, i have slightly more credibility in my opinions than the average Singaporean. Way too much oversinging which results in strained voices that tend to go flat or sharp on a regular basis... The only potential sourse of excitement for me is seeing methinks three filipinos among those who went through (my kababayans - and honestly, filipinos in general have really good voices), and furthermore, two of them share my mother's surname - Pelaez - and my mother informs me that in all likelihood, they are probably somehow related to her, and therefore to me, but still, there are many filipinos who can sing way better than they did - maybe the dull singing environment of Singapore had a negative effect upon their vocal quality (my mother - to borrow a page from the PM's book - remarked that in terms of singing quality, S'pore is stil very much of third-world standards)
World Cup:
The last time i was still in the army, and was practically the only bochap guy in a sea of soccer-crazed course mates. This time, i dunno how readily available soccer coverage and the like will be over there but whatever it is, i'd be glad to not be in S'pore while it's on...
French Open:
On the other hand, am sorry to miss the French Open - have become somewhat of a closet tennis fan as of late - since unlike badminton i am able to serve and hit the ball over the net occasionally - but owing to it's relative unpopularity when compared to (imho) silly games like soccer and golf, i never get to see it on the telly save for short highlights on the useless channelnewsasia since i don't have cable. Clay court tennis is realy intriguing - and allows for some really long rallies and that's always fun to watch... Ah well... But anyway, let me go on the record as saying that i am rooting for Federer, Davydenko and Ancic for the men and Clijsters, Hingis and Myskina for the women (though i predict Nadal and Henin-Hardenne to win)...
Okies, so that's it from me for now, thanks for all the prayers and encouragement smses and what nots - they're very much appreciated... Be back in a jiffy - ta! =)
Wednesday, May 24, 2006
Monday, May 22, 2006
presenting the duh statement of the day
And i quote directly from the televised excerpts of the news conference on mediacrap just now where the person in question said:
"Our people will grow up to be the men and women that they will be for the rest of their lives"
Aiyoh, how to connect with the populace by making them understand you if you will churn out nonsensical soundbites like this on a regular basis?
Anyways, the past few days have been spent in minimal (and i couldn't emphasize the word minimal any more...) preparation for both MEET as well as exchange, together with housing Greg at my place in transit between trips... In fact, i went just now to the airport with Sida to send him off back home to Charlotte. After sending him off, as the two of us were stoning by the viewing gallery and watching five or so garuda planes balek kampung in slow progressive succession, i realised that the two times when taking a flight out of Singapore would be as unexciting for me as ever would both be for flights to Thailand - back in 2003 when i was flying to Thailand for exercises at Kanchanaburi Training Base for a month, and in two days' time, when i'll be flying to Thailand for MEET trip to Salokbat (see post below).
For the former, well, that's only expected given my general aversion to anything to do with military training (though in retrospect i'm glad i spent that one month there). And for the latter, well i am looking forward to it to some extent, but at the same time there are so many unknowns and semi-knowns that make the whole pre-trip picture that much more hazy and complicated, and which at the same time prompt you to look to God even more... My general negativity towards unfamiliar situations is probably why i remarked to Bobbert that i really meant every ounce of what i said when i told him that i can't wait till the next time i see Greg - cos apart from the fact that i'll see him again is also the fact that the next time will also be when i'm finally in NC, after MEET, moulding the future of our nation and exchange prep will all be over...
Another highlight of the past few days? Meeting up with my ALLO buddy Melvin before i leave - and taking the opportunity, since we agreed to meet at Pasir Ris, to cycle there and back from my house, since i predict a general lack of exercise for me within the next month or so [the only exercise i foresee possibly happening is people jio-ing (sp?) us for soccer while we are in Thailand, which is an experience hardly anywhere on my list of my most highly-anticipated things to do while over there =x...] But i digress, anyway, it was a good time catching up with him after almost a month methinks, and the exercise was good too - Katong to Pasir Ris by bike in 35 minutes - which depending on the circumstances may even be faster than taking bus 12 over there from my house as it meanders in and out of Tampines and Pasir Ris before finally reaching the interchange... Quite fast hor - any takers come the next time?
"Our people will grow up to be the men and women that they will be for the rest of their lives"
Aiyoh, how to connect with the populace by making them understand you if you will churn out nonsensical soundbites like this on a regular basis?
Anyways, the past few days have been spent in minimal (and i couldn't emphasize the word minimal any more...) preparation for both MEET as well as exchange, together with housing Greg at my place in transit between trips... In fact, i went just now to the airport with Sida to send him off back home to Charlotte. After sending him off, as the two of us were stoning by the viewing gallery and watching five or so garuda planes balek kampung in slow progressive succession, i realised that the two times when taking a flight out of Singapore would be as unexciting for me as ever would both be for flights to Thailand - back in 2003 when i was flying to Thailand for exercises at Kanchanaburi Training Base for a month, and in two days' time, when i'll be flying to Thailand for MEET trip to Salokbat (see post below).
For the former, well, that's only expected given my general aversion to anything to do with military training (though in retrospect i'm glad i spent that one month there). And for the latter, well i am looking forward to it to some extent, but at the same time there are so many unknowns and semi-knowns that make the whole pre-trip picture that much more hazy and complicated, and which at the same time prompt you to look to God even more... My general negativity towards unfamiliar situations is probably why i remarked to Bobbert that i really meant every ounce of what i said when i told him that i can't wait till the next time i see Greg - cos apart from the fact that i'll see him again is also the fact that the next time will also be when i'm finally in NC, after MEET, moulding the future of our nation and exchange prep will all be over...
Another highlight of the past few days? Meeting up with my ALLO buddy Melvin before i leave - and taking the opportunity, since we agreed to meet at Pasir Ris, to cycle there and back from my house, since i predict a general lack of exercise for me within the next month or so [the only exercise i foresee possibly happening is people jio-ing (sp?) us for soccer while we are in Thailand, which is an experience hardly anywhere on my list of my most highly-anticipated things to do while over there =x...] But i digress, anyway, it was a good time catching up with him after almost a month methinks, and the exercise was good too - Katong to Pasir Ris by bike in 35 minutes - which depending on the circumstances may even be faster than taking bus 12 over there from my house as it meanders in and out of Tampines and Pasir Ris before finally reaching the interchange... Quite fast hor - any takers come the next time?
whassup with me...
Hi fellow brothers and sisters in Christ,
Thank you for your kind support for our team in both prayers and finance. Indeed, it has gone a long way in equipping our team to be a channel of God's blessing to the Thai community at Salokbat town, Kamphaeng Phet province in our upcoming mission trip.
For the past few months especially, the pace of trip preparation has picked up as our departure date has drawn ever nearer, and it is truly by the grace of God that we are able to come and work together. Most of things at hand have fallen into place. We have managed to come up with some creative English and teaching plans that we will use to reach out to Thai students during our trip. We will be conducting a day English course in ten schools in the area, and hope to share God's love with the students as we do so. Our individual testimonies and sermonettes will also be used in sharing God's wonderful work, love and truth to the Thai community. Concurrent with this, some worship song dances, skits and mimes have also been prepared for further Gospel presentations too.
Though we are ready with much necessary preparations for the trip, there are still many aspects that we still need to look into. And one of these areas is prayer. We would like to invite you to continue to uphold and intercede for us, both as a team and individually, as well as our one month mission trip to Thailand, for we realise that our ministry has to be founded upon the Lord and prayer if it is to be one that is for His glory.
Please pray with us that the work and will of the Lord in our lives at this juncture, as we trust and obey Him to walk by faith through the one-month mission trip ahead, will be done.
You can pray for us in these areas:
Our final preparation before departure:
-For our individual sermonettes and testimonies to be well done, that God will use them to touch many lives in Salokbat.
-That our hearts and minds will be in tune with God, with our hearts filled with love for the Thai people who we are going to reach out to.
-That we will be prepared physically and mentally for the trip.
-That all necessary things will be packed, and yet that we will be able to travel light.
-For journey mercies back and forth.
While we are there:
-That we will work together as a team in the love and unity of God.
-For spiritual focus, that we will seek God first daily, and that we will forget about self. (as in Romans 12:10-11 says, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above ourselves. Never be lacking in zeal but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." )
-That we will be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to response to any situation, and be able to adapt as any circumstances may call for change.
-For God's strengthening in our spirit and health.
-That we will be aware of Thai culture and customs as we go about our ministry there.
-For the ability to apply what we have learnt and been equipped with through the missions training over the past few months to the effective reaching out to the Thai community.
-For the Thai people's hearts and minds in Salokbat to be receptive to God's Word, and that they too will be led to Christ.
-For God's favour, protections and blessing to be extended to our host missionaries -Alan, Bessie, and their daughter Hannah, and to their ministry there. That He will meet all their needs as they continue to trust and obey Him.
Even though it is quite a long list of prayer supplications, we hope that this may not be a hindrance for you to interceeding for us and our one-month ministry in Thailand.
Below is our brief programme for the trip, starting from our date of our departure (24/5) to the date of our arrival back to Singapore (21/6)
24/05 Arrive in Bangkok and travel to Salokbat
25/05 Preparation and orientation Evening Bible study
26/05 Chum Chom Srithara school
27/05 Visitation
28/05 Church worship in Kamphaeng Phet Church(Testimony)
29/05 Chum chom WanKhru School
30/05 Rest and church prayer meeting in the evening
31/05 Wudonsap school Khlong Lan
01/06 Visitation and evening bible study
02/06 Pang Ma Kha Wittayakhom School
03/06 Children's program (not confirmed)
04/06 Church worship (Testimony)
05/06 Rakraysong school Khlong Khlung
06/06 Rest and prayer meeting in Salokbat church evening
07/06 Pang Sila Thong School
08/06 Visitation and evenong bible study (testimony)
09/06 Thung Sai Wittaya School
10/06 Visitation
11/06 Sunday Worship (Testimony)
12/06 SakGnam School
13/06 Rest and Church prayer meeting in the evening
14/06 Khlong Khung School
15/06 Visitation and evening Bible study
16/06 Salokbat Wittaya School
17/06 Visitation
18/06 Sunday Worship (Testimony)
19/06 Khlong Lan patanacinasat School
20/06 Team evaluation
21/06 Travel to Bangkok and home sweet home.
Our flights to and from Bangkok are on Tiger Airways, departing Changi Airport Budget Terminal on flight TR118 on 24th May, Wednesday, 1.05pm and arriving back in Singapore on 21st June, Wednesday, 6.15pm, flight TR119.
We truly appreciate all of your prayers and support in many ways from the depth of our hearts.
God bless you and keep you safe in your pilgrimage on earth!!!
To God be the glory!
With love,
Deborah, Huishan, Matthew, Melissa, Pamela and Zhiwei (MEET Thailand team 0506)
Thank you for your kind support for our team in both prayers and finance. Indeed, it has gone a long way in equipping our team to be a channel of God's blessing to the Thai community at Salokbat town, Kamphaeng Phet province in our upcoming mission trip.
For the past few months especially, the pace of trip preparation has picked up as our departure date has drawn ever nearer, and it is truly by the grace of God that we are able to come and work together. Most of things at hand have fallen into place. We have managed to come up with some creative English and teaching plans that we will use to reach out to Thai students during our trip. We will be conducting a day English course in ten schools in the area, and hope to share God's love with the students as we do so. Our individual testimonies and sermonettes will also be used in sharing God's wonderful work, love and truth to the Thai community. Concurrent with this, some worship song dances, skits and mimes have also been prepared for further Gospel presentations too.
Though we are ready with much necessary preparations for the trip, there are still many aspects that we still need to look into. And one of these areas is prayer. We would like to invite you to continue to uphold and intercede for us, both as a team and individually, as well as our one month mission trip to Thailand, for we realise that our ministry has to be founded upon the Lord and prayer if it is to be one that is for His glory.
Please pray with us that the work and will of the Lord in our lives at this juncture, as we trust and obey Him to walk by faith through the one-month mission trip ahead, will be done.
You can pray for us in these areas:
Our final preparation before departure:
-For our individual sermonettes and testimonies to be well done, that God will use them to touch many lives in Salokbat.
-That our hearts and minds will be in tune with God, with our hearts filled with love for the Thai people who we are going to reach out to.
-That we will be prepared physically and mentally for the trip.
-That all necessary things will be packed, and yet that we will be able to travel light.
-For journey mercies back and forth.
While we are there:
-That we will work together as a team in the love and unity of God.
-For spiritual focus, that we will seek God first daily, and that we will forget about self. (as in Romans 12:10-11 says, "Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above ourselves. Never be lacking in zeal but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord." )
-That we will be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to response to any situation, and be able to adapt as any circumstances may call for change.
-For God's strengthening in our spirit and health.
-That we will be aware of Thai culture and customs as we go about our ministry there.
-For the ability to apply what we have learnt and been equipped with through the missions training over the past few months to the effective reaching out to the Thai community.
-For the Thai people's hearts and minds in Salokbat to be receptive to God's Word, and that they too will be led to Christ.
-For God's favour, protections and blessing to be extended to our host missionaries -Alan, Bessie, and their daughter Hannah, and to their ministry there. That He will meet all their needs as they continue to trust and obey Him.
Even though it is quite a long list of prayer supplications, we hope that this may not be a hindrance for you to interceeding for us and our one-month ministry in Thailand.
Below is our brief programme for the trip, starting from our date of our departure (24/5) to the date of our arrival back to Singapore (21/6)
24/05 Arrive in Bangkok and travel to Salokbat
25/05 Preparation and orientation Evening Bible study
26/05 Chum Chom Srithara school
27/05 Visitation
28/05 Church worship in Kamphaeng Phet Church(Testimony)
29/05 Chum chom WanKhru School
30/05 Rest and church prayer meeting in the evening
31/05 Wudonsap school Khlong Lan
01/06 Visitation and evening bible study
02/06 Pang Ma Kha Wittayakhom School
03/06 Children's program (not confirmed)
04/06 Church worship (Testimony)
05/06 Rakraysong school Khlong Khlung
06/06 Rest and prayer meeting in Salokbat church evening
07/06 Pang Sila Thong School
08/06 Visitation and evenong bible study (testimony)
09/06 Thung Sai Wittaya School
10/06 Visitation
11/06 Sunday Worship (Testimony)
12/06 SakGnam School
13/06 Rest and Church prayer meeting in the evening
14/06 Khlong Khung School
15/06 Visitation and evening Bible study
16/06 Salokbat Wittaya School
17/06 Visitation
18/06 Sunday Worship (Testimony)
19/06 Khlong Lan patanacinasat School
20/06 Team evaluation
21/06 Travel to Bangkok and home sweet home.
Our flights to and from Bangkok are on Tiger Airways, departing Changi Airport Budget Terminal on flight TR118 on 24th May, Wednesday, 1.05pm and arriving back in Singapore on 21st June, Wednesday, 6.15pm, flight TR119.
We truly appreciate all of your prayers and support in many ways from the depth of our hearts.
God bless you and keep you safe in your pilgrimage on earth!!!
To God be the glory!
With love,
Deborah, Huishan, Matthew, Melissa, Pamela and Zhiwei (MEET Thailand team 0506)
Saturday, May 20, 2006
the four-fold obstacle course beckons
I am in another of my will-do-anything-but-what-i-am-actually-supposed-to-do moods today, the what-i-am-actually-supposed-to-do in question being exchange stuff of which i hope to complete as much of as possible before flying for Thailand on wednesday (full trip details appearing on this blog by the time i leave so watch this space!) or else possibly run the risk of being deported back here upon arrival to the states because of visa complications or some thing like that...
Went for arts comm retreat at the floorball place on thursday. Realised that the week that had gone by so far had been full of other people staying over at my place for various reasons - a total of four over the three weeknights - some kind of record methinks... In fact the whole week, and more accurately, the last few days before leaving for MEET was and is going to be very packed - squeezing as much as possible in before being gone for a month...
The retreat was no exception. Though i was only there for the first day, and expected to be merely extra, it nonetheless was a good time of reflection and encouragement and fun. I am seriously very heartened to see how the Lord has been continually guiding us along in the right direction, and to see how He has been working in the lives of everyone, especially the soon-to-be-year-twos - they in particular have been encouragements to me during the retreat. Floorball as usual was great - and for the first time since i dunno when i actually was on the winning team, and not only once but twice [i normally always end up in the team opposing some powerhouse player(s) who inevitably easily win the day for the opponents by thrashing whatever team i am in] haha, and on top of that i just weighed myself on my home scale (which hopefully ain't koyak) and found out that i have lost 2kg since the last time i had to take weight, which is always a good thing heh... So all in all, methinks that next year will be a very exciting year for at least arts CF, and i believe that the Lord will indeed do wonderful things in the ministry if we earnestly seek Him in all we do... Pity i (hopefully) won't be around next sem to see it, but it's exciting nevertheless =)
Am really glad and thankful to see the MEET team and everything related to us all coming together bit by bit by God's grace - there's still much to be done, but am feeling less and less uneasy about leaving as the day draws nearer and nearer... =)
Was good to meet up with the other UNC-bound peeps to discuss our (lack of) progress with regards to prep, and also to brainstorm and formulate any possible corporate travel plans. I did feel a bit paiseh cos it turns out that quite a few of the places they want to go to both in the West Coast as well as in FL are places that i've been to fairly recently and hence have no wish of revisiting this summer - but anyway there's a very tentative plan that i have to faster consider cos there's a lot to do yet not a lot of time to do it... All in all, before i leave for exchange, i'd have to clear a four-fold set of bureaucratic obstacles - that of nus, unc, the folks who mould the future of our nation and the us embassy, a process that i am not looking forward to - though it does make finally going there feel that much sweeter...
Yay tonight is my lola's (lola = grandmother in tagalog) birthday dinner, whereby honestly the biggest draw for me is the food, which includes ayam buah keluak, beef rendang and filipino pork satay, among other stuff... That also means that i'd better squeeze in at least one more run before i leave, or else the 2kg that i lost during retreat will make an unwelcome return after tonight...
Went for arts comm retreat at the floorball place on thursday. Realised that the week that had gone by so far had been full of other people staying over at my place for various reasons - a total of four over the three weeknights - some kind of record methinks... In fact the whole week, and more accurately, the last few days before leaving for MEET was and is going to be very packed - squeezing as much as possible in before being gone for a month...
The retreat was no exception. Though i was only there for the first day, and expected to be merely extra, it nonetheless was a good time of reflection and encouragement and fun. I am seriously very heartened to see how the Lord has been continually guiding us along in the right direction, and to see how He has been working in the lives of everyone, especially the soon-to-be-year-twos - they in particular have been encouragements to me during the retreat. Floorball as usual was great - and for the first time since i dunno when i actually was on the winning team, and not only once but twice [i normally always end up in the team opposing some powerhouse player(s) who inevitably easily win the day for the opponents by thrashing whatever team i am in] haha, and on top of that i just weighed myself on my home scale (which hopefully ain't koyak) and found out that i have lost 2kg since the last time i had to take weight, which is always a good thing heh... So all in all, methinks that next year will be a very exciting year for at least arts CF, and i believe that the Lord will indeed do wonderful things in the ministry if we earnestly seek Him in all we do... Pity i (hopefully) won't be around next sem to see it, but it's exciting nevertheless =)
Am really glad and thankful to see the MEET team and everything related to us all coming together bit by bit by God's grace - there's still much to be done, but am feeling less and less uneasy about leaving as the day draws nearer and nearer... =)
Was good to meet up with the other UNC-bound peeps to discuss our (lack of) progress with regards to prep, and also to brainstorm and formulate any possible corporate travel plans. I did feel a bit paiseh cos it turns out that quite a few of the places they want to go to both in the West Coast as well as in FL are places that i've been to fairly recently and hence have no wish of revisiting this summer - but anyway there's a very tentative plan that i have to faster consider cos there's a lot to do yet not a lot of time to do it... All in all, before i leave for exchange, i'd have to clear a four-fold set of bureaucratic obstacles - that of nus, unc, the folks who mould the future of our nation and the us embassy, a process that i am not looking forward to - though it does make finally going there feel that much sweeter...
Yay tonight is my lola's (lola = grandmother in tagalog) birthday dinner, whereby honestly the biggest draw for me is the food, which includes ayam buah keluak, beef rendang and filipino pork satay, among other stuff... That also means that i'd better squeeze in at least one more run before i leave, or else the 2kg that i lost during retreat will make an unwelcome return after tonight...
Wednesday, May 17, 2006
six days and counting...
The past few days have just been a flurry of activities - they've all gone by so fast that recounting them is quite a process indeed...
A week from now, the Thailand MEET team will be in, well, Thailand - and there's a lot of things going through my mind now that i can't fully make sense of or note down verbally, but basically the preparation has really been ongoing - sometimes i do yearn for a break from time to time, because seriously it can get very draining - these past few days have been so packed with stuff like MEET that time with God has ironically been severely compromised in terms of both quantity and quality - i just can't get myself to have a proper time, cos am tired and/or distracted waaay too often.
Sending off heyfrens' team today reminded me yet again that my team's turn looms near - at the same time however am reminded not to keep looking at these quantifiables such as number of days left, or number of things left to prepare - but to take a look at the big picture - the picture that ought to have Christ at the centre.
The budget terminal is seriously budget man - visited it twice today within the span of less than twelve hours - it felt more like an exhibition of how an airport should be run located within a large warehouse, hangar, or expo hall, than an actual airport terminal per se... And the lack of cash card scanners at the car park? Come on...
Thought it was very farny how Daniel's little taxi ride cost more per unit mileage than his flight - that's one times happy taxi uncle...
Did you know that tiger sells wine only out of a can? Thousands of miles away Frenchmen all over the vineyards of France are having heart attacks. "Ah, mon coeur! Sacre bleu!" And they only serve Carlsberg instead of Jessica Alba's preferred brew (you have very bad taste, btw Ms Alba...), the logical choice given the identical feline appellations, for some strange reason...
People have commented how i like to blog about little mundane incidents such as the one above - but seriously, i can't even remember what the other ones today that they said i'd confirm blog about are...
Just remembered one - Clement White accidentally winding down the window a total of three times with his elbow.
But can't remember anymore leh - too many things to remember - forgot one big thing that i wanted to blog about...
And too many smses sent out too - 119 (excluding mass smses) within a week and a half - considering i only have 100 free per month...
Sleep cycle out of whack!
A week from now, the Thailand MEET team will be in, well, Thailand - and there's a lot of things going through my mind now that i can't fully make sense of or note down verbally, but basically the preparation has really been ongoing - sometimes i do yearn for a break from time to time, because seriously it can get very draining - these past few days have been so packed with stuff like MEET that time with God has ironically been severely compromised in terms of both quantity and quality - i just can't get myself to have a proper time, cos am tired and/or distracted waaay too often.
Sending off heyfrens' team today reminded me yet again that my team's turn looms near - at the same time however am reminded not to keep looking at these quantifiables such as number of days left, or number of things left to prepare - but to take a look at the big picture - the picture that ought to have Christ at the centre.
The budget terminal is seriously budget man - visited it twice today within the span of less than twelve hours - it felt more like an exhibition of how an airport should be run located within a large warehouse, hangar, or expo hall, than an actual airport terminal per se... And the lack of cash card scanners at the car park? Come on...
Thought it was very farny how Daniel's little taxi ride cost more per unit mileage than his flight - that's one times happy taxi uncle...
Did you know that tiger sells wine only out of a can? Thousands of miles away Frenchmen all over the vineyards of France are having heart attacks. "Ah, mon coeur! Sacre bleu!" And they only serve Carlsberg instead of Jessica Alba's preferred brew (you have very bad taste, btw Ms Alba...), the logical choice given the identical feline appellations, for some strange reason...
People have commented how i like to blog about little mundane incidents such as the one above - but seriously, i can't even remember what the other ones today that they said i'd confirm blog about are...
Just remembered one - Clement White accidentally winding down the window a total of three times with his elbow.
But can't remember anymore leh - too many things to remember - forgot one big thing that i wanted to blog about...
And too many smses sent out too - 119 (excluding mass smses) within a week and a half - considering i only have 100 free per month...
Sleep cycle out of whack!
Saturday, May 13, 2006
wasting time
Ok Thailand looms ever-closer - as of this point, we leave in eleven days time - went to send off the first team yesterday - and they looked like they were very ready and prepared - was quite cool to see so many people sending them off (and by implication supporting them - which in a sense adds to the pressure cos you leave not only with your own expectations but also with the goodwill and support of so many people), yet at the same time it reminded me that there's a lot of stuff to do before we ourselves get our grand farewell (though maybe not so grand since we're using the budget terminal)... Better get cracking...
The atl's birthday party was last night - after a lot of mind-cracking i just wore the black-and-white striped shirt that i bought for crossover retro Valentine's Day party last year - and have not worn since - my alter ego for the night was "ca lair fair (sp?) zebra from The Lion King" - lame i know but best that i could come up with from a thorough scan of my wardrobe (though once i got to the place itself a lot of cool ideas came to mind but alas, they came too late - next time maybe - if there ever might be a next time?) And i also dunno how yours truly, who probably spends as much time watching soccer as JG spends checking his paperwork, somehow recognised Maradona and Batistuta among the guests at the party...
As usual, was too stuck to my bed this morning to even harbour any hope of a morning run - think that i'll have to stick to running in the evening - unless by some miracle i can ever get myself to sleep at nine so that i can wake up by fourish in the morning - a tall order? I think so too...
Just checked put the idol tour dates and it turns out that they'll be in NC when i will (hopefully) already be in the states - one show each in Greensboro and Charlotte - but the thing is that i may not be in that area yet since i only have to be in UNC on the 16th (and UNC is in neither Greensboro nor Charlotte anyway) (all the later dates are in the midwest and west coast - too far from where i'll be), and i think i am not all that crazy to catch them (anyway the chances of Kat winning are now much less since angry Chris supporters will now, if they still vote, certainly not vote for her - and if so i hope it's for Elliot that they vote for and not for the prematurely-aged and visually-annoying Taylor) - i suppose if i somehow do end up going, it'll be for the mere novelty of it. Anyway, i already do carry with me a piece of idol memorabilia - an autographed poster of Jasmine Trias from when Denise went to catch the idol show in PA while she was there for exchange... Ah well, this all reminds me that there's a lot of exchange stuff that still has to be planned, including visa, travel, insurance etc *yuck*... I need to wave Debs' magic wand so that all this stuff can automatically be done for me - then all that's left for me to do is just to go =)
The atl's birthday party was last night - after a lot of mind-cracking i just wore the black-and-white striped shirt that i bought for crossover retro Valentine's Day party last year - and have not worn since - my alter ego for the night was "ca lair fair (sp?) zebra from The Lion King" - lame i know but best that i could come up with from a thorough scan of my wardrobe (though once i got to the place itself a lot of cool ideas came to mind but alas, they came too late - next time maybe - if there ever might be a next time?) And i also dunno how yours truly, who probably spends as much time watching soccer as JG spends checking his paperwork, somehow recognised Maradona and Batistuta among the guests at the party...
As usual, was too stuck to my bed this morning to even harbour any hope of a morning run - think that i'll have to stick to running in the evening - unless by some miracle i can ever get myself to sleep at nine so that i can wake up by fourish in the morning - a tall order? I think so too...
Just checked put the idol tour dates and it turns out that they'll be in NC when i will (hopefully) already be in the states - one show each in Greensboro and Charlotte - but the thing is that i may not be in that area yet since i only have to be in UNC on the 16th (and UNC is in neither Greensboro nor Charlotte anyway) (all the later dates are in the midwest and west coast - too far from where i'll be), and i think i am not all that crazy to catch them (anyway the chances of Kat winning are now much less since angry Chris supporters will now, if they still vote, certainly not vote for her - and if so i hope it's for Elliot that they vote for and not for the prematurely-aged and visually-annoying Taylor) - i suppose if i somehow do end up going, it'll be for the mere novelty of it. Anyway, i already do carry with me a piece of idol memorabilia - an autographed poster of Jasmine Trias from when Denise went to catch the idol show in PA while she was there for exchange... Ah well, this all reminds me that there's a lot of exchange stuff that still has to be planned, including visa, travel, insurance etc *yuck*... I need to wave Debs' magic wand so that all this stuff can automatically be done for me - then all that's left for me to do is just to go =)
Thursday, May 11, 2006
talk about a lack of customer knowledge
samplings of a text i got this afternoon:
"Get the latest World Cup news and results sent 2 u @ only $6.30 for e entire season"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Good exercise today - went over for another swim (comments directed at me at the end of the exam period like "hmm you look so pale" have semi-motivated me to get out more into the sun - and not solely because darker colours are purportedly supposed to be slimming - and i am talking nonsense so i shall end the parentheses here) with some science cf friends at Gary's house - good change of swimming environment from school - water tasted much less salty and chlorinated, good fellowship too - and back of neck is starting to tingle now which means got burnt...
But indulge me now while i continue to complain about IPPT - booked it for July before flying off - but will be in the midst of attachment, and some more it's right after MEET, and i dunno how much training i could get done there... And haven't really done a single proper pull-up since the last time i did IPPT, and running timing has not improved either - so looks like i'll just be aiming for a pass so as to get the silly thing out of my mind while i am away...
And as usual there's still a lot to do in prep for both MEET and exchange - for the latter i know what has to be done but i just can't motivate myself enough to do it - thankfully there are the other unc-bound peeps who are reminding me of what has to be done... For the former - oh well, chugging along slowly - it's definitely a great learning experience - can't help but feel so easily worn out though...
The first team leaves tomorrow - so quick! Which means that it's all of 13 days till our team leaves - gosh...
Shall attempt to run in the wee early morning tomorrow at ecp (i.e. before sunrise, weather and my body permitting, of course) - on the way home after night cycling realised that ecp just before dawn is a great place to run at... Hopefully timing has improved...
Still dunno what to wear!
"Get the latest World Cup news and results sent 2 u @ only $6.30 for e entire season"
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Good exercise today - went over for another swim (comments directed at me at the end of the exam period like "hmm you look so pale" have semi-motivated me to get out more into the sun - and not solely because darker colours are purportedly supposed to be slimming - and i am talking nonsense so i shall end the parentheses here) with some science cf friends at Gary's house - good change of swimming environment from school - water tasted much less salty and chlorinated, good fellowship too - and back of neck is starting to tingle now which means got burnt...
But indulge me now while i continue to complain about IPPT - booked it for July before flying off - but will be in the midst of attachment, and some more it's right after MEET, and i dunno how much training i could get done there... And haven't really done a single proper pull-up since the last time i did IPPT, and running timing has not improved either - so looks like i'll just be aiming for a pass so as to get the silly thing out of my mind while i am away...
And as usual there's still a lot to do in prep for both MEET and exchange - for the latter i know what has to be done but i just can't motivate myself enough to do it - thankfully there are the other unc-bound peeps who are reminding me of what has to be done... For the former - oh well, chugging along slowly - it's definitely a great learning experience - can't help but feel so easily worn out though...
The first team leaves tomorrow - so quick! Which means that it's all of 13 days till our team leaves - gosh...
Shall attempt to run in the wee early morning tomorrow at ecp (i.e. before sunrise, weather and my body permitting, of course) - on the way home after night cycling realised that ecp just before dawn is a great place to run at... Hopefully timing has improved...
Still dunno what to wear!
Wednesday, May 10, 2006
anyhow hantam again
being random as usual...
when i went to get the jabs for MEET, i barely felt anything (and thankfully since i only needed two shots they were just one on either arm - none on the derriere, which might have been a different matter altogether). As i have often lamented, i subscribe to Queen Hadassah/Esther's "If I perish, I perish" philosophy, and hence if i were left to my own devices, i would not bother with immunizations/safety flights/ insurance - that sort of thing - cos if it's His time for you to go, nothing you can do is gonna stop it from happening, and even after you go - He will still be there to provide for who you've left behind. But of course i do agree that this is a rather selfish way to see things, which does not take into account the others around you who may possibly be affected by your demise/incapacitation etc... So i let it be...
games day was way fun - good to see this year's FOC comm (do visit their blog over there =======> by the way) in action and dedicated and all that... And after the weigh-in at the clinic where i found out that i had gained weight (if not then either my home scale or the clinic scale is koyak), i was more determined than ever to play my heart's out. So i did (and each team that i was in lost - four out of four) but it was fun nevertheless - except for my sprained right fourth finger what i obtained while trying to catch a long pass. I dunno how i can hate sports so much but yet still like playing (some of) them... I guess it's all in the fitness and weight loss...
agm was interesting to say the least - have been to quite a few in my lifetime and this one was by far the most animated and to some extent, the most uncomfortable - but of well, it was nothing that was overly serious and monumental so no worries - in any case - congrats to the team who shall lead us forward in the upcoming year - prayers are with you all...
and i officially also got a one-year's notice (and i'd be lying if i said that i didn't see it coming) but it is still a year lah, so am gonna take it slow - and meanwhile i have to iron out tons of issues...
by the next day my finger had swelled to 150% of it's normal size - and swimming was no easy feat - for the first time ever i actually felt like stopping halfway cos of the pain in the finger and nothing else... writing too was proving to be a very tedious process... but got through with it by God's grace... And finger's more or less ok now =)
btw, has anyone seen my big fat black and blue pilot shaker mechanical pencil? I dunno where it disappeared to but am positive it was lent to someone whom i forgot who him/herself forgot about it. I am most annoyed when stationery is lost cos it happens ever-so-often with me...
some of my Filipino relatives are here for a visit and once again was experiencing minor Chilipino blues - which happens anytime a pinoy comes around and i am stuck with deciphering the 5% that i can gather from the conversations that they have with my mother and grandmother. This is basically why i cringe at the very mention of the phrase "mother tongue" cos, my dear future employer (shhh!!!), my mother, or my whole family for that matter, doesn't speak anything remotely similar to mandarin and yet you subjected me to the torture of learning a fictional mother's tongue for a whole six-and-a-half years (nine-and-a-half if you count kindergarten and nursery)?
my parents took the exercise bike out of my room (to wherever - out of sight, out of mind) and pushed the giant box that has been sitting in the middle of my room since we moved in more than two years ago to one corner and when i got back to my room, my jaw dropped - i never realized that my room was so big - and it'll look even bigger once Greg's stuff goes and i find a way to dispose of my father's two large filing cabinets... However, knowing me, my proposed re-arrangement of the layout will probably not come to fruition for a long time more...
had Japanese food just now for dinner - at this good Japanese restaurant (my criterion for a good Japanese restaurant is that Japanese go there) called Waraku across the road from my house [the dining oportunities here are endless =)]. Thankfully managed to spot one-and-a-half wayward small shrimp in the okonomiyaki before eating it. And the cold soba + katsu don portion that i had at $15 was huge (though admittedly still not enough to make me full). Have concluded that cold soba is my favourite Japanese food - and the best that i have come across so far is at this place (though think in total i've only eaten it from three other places, one of them being arts canteen and another being sakae so cannot really compare lah) even though i suppose it's all carbs *pooh*
And let me say a little more about the elections and stuff, now that things are starting to quiet down a bit - from reading people's blogs realised that my persistently non-political content is far more persistently non-political than theirs - so i shall take the liberty to be a little more open (though i shall only err on the side of caution)
Firstly, i am very glad that SL has decided to take up the ncmp post, even if it is in a way against what the party believes in. Use whatever way to gain exposure - and i think in this case it's a smart move (just hope she doesn't end up in some silly self-defeating scandal like SC or i'll just cry). From what i've gathered from the reports both in mediacrap and the state's times (even those unapologetically-pro-establishment-to-the-point-of-being-nauseating articles that CMH churns out on a regular basis) as well as from the rally, she is very capable and has raised and (i believe in faith) will raise tough and critical issues as an ncmp. At the least so far she has touched on a lot of the grouses i have harboured for the longest time... And methinks from today's paper she was quoted as saying something and then ending off with "God willing" which certainly sparked my interest, no matter who she was actually referring to...
And while we're on the topic of religion - let me also voice one of the many reasons why i voted the way i did - i simply cannot reconcile purported adherents of the Christian faith giving their support for schemes that they should know fully well run contrary to what their faith teaches. Yes and i am talking about people like you - IN (edited to change initial - got person's name confused with the comedian IA - though from the hilariously telling and ridiculous statement that IN made as reported in the forum today - maybe this person can be a comedian too). What were you thinking by supporting this decision in the interests of pragmatism? Of course, for every IN there also were others who stood firm in their faith like LMS, and, to the shame of people like IN and VB, even pre-believers like TSK but still, the fact remains that the party you belong to went ahead without even allowing you all to express your approval/disapproval via a whip-free vote because it is supposedly a matter of "national interest". Well, let me just say that if it is truly a matter of "national interest" then you'd jolly well let the nation make it's views heard via an official channel such as a referendum, or at the least via the supposed representatives of the people - the MPs (though in our case much of the people didn't elect them in any case - but that's another story).
Also, i cannot stand arrogance - and pardon me, but high-up people like WKS, NEH, and even higher-ups whose names are too easily deciphered even behind the veil of acronyms, have exuded it aplenty. Go and show proper respect for your opponents, refrain from calling them names and passing your own imperfect moral judgements on them as well as threatening to 'fix' them then i'll consider voting for you in future... You did not make Singapore into what we are today by yourselves, nor do you know all that's best for our country, so don't act like our survival is dependent on your existence. Get a reality check and humble yourselves accordingly.
At the same time, i knew that despite how my heart was already firmly on one camp i had to be really prayerful in my decision and not anyhow hantam - and to that extent was praying very hard about how to vote - and at the end of the day - and taking everything into prayerful consideration - i simply had no other choice.
To end off - i'd just like to congratulate the young female curly-haired and stone-faced employee of the ED who's gotten much more than her fair share of screen time over the past week or so thanks to the JG affair - you could be a star - considering how i've seen more of you on mediacrap this year than the entire gan si dui amk team and Zoe Tay combined...
Oops better stop now before the already-loosened floodgates are opened fully... Hope that this was persistently non-political enough...
when i went to get the jabs for MEET, i barely felt anything (and thankfully since i only needed two shots they were just one on either arm - none on the derriere, which might have been a different matter altogether). As i have often lamented, i subscribe to Queen Hadassah/Esther's "If I perish, I perish" philosophy, and hence if i were left to my own devices, i would not bother with immunizations/safety flights/ insurance - that sort of thing - cos if it's His time for you to go, nothing you can do is gonna stop it from happening, and even after you go - He will still be there to provide for who you've left behind. But of course i do agree that this is a rather selfish way to see things, which does not take into account the others around you who may possibly be affected by your demise/incapacitation etc... So i let it be...
games day was way fun - good to see this year's FOC comm (do visit their blog over there =======> by the way) in action and dedicated and all that... And after the weigh-in at the clinic where i found out that i had gained weight (if not then either my home scale or the clinic scale is koyak), i was more determined than ever to play my heart's out. So i did (and each team that i was in lost - four out of four) but it was fun nevertheless - except for my sprained right fourth finger what i obtained while trying to catch a long pass. I dunno how i can hate sports so much but yet still like playing (some of) them... I guess it's all in the fitness and weight loss...
agm was interesting to say the least - have been to quite a few in my lifetime and this one was by far the most animated and to some extent, the most uncomfortable - but of well, it was nothing that was overly serious and monumental so no worries - in any case - congrats to the team who shall lead us forward in the upcoming year - prayers are with you all...
and i officially also got a one-year's notice (and i'd be lying if i said that i didn't see it coming) but it is still a year lah, so am gonna take it slow - and meanwhile i have to iron out tons of issues...
by the next day my finger had swelled to 150% of it's normal size - and swimming was no easy feat - for the first time ever i actually felt like stopping halfway cos of the pain in the finger and nothing else... writing too was proving to be a very tedious process... but got through with it by God's grace... And finger's more or less ok now =)
btw, has anyone seen my big fat black and blue pilot shaker mechanical pencil? I dunno where it disappeared to but am positive it was lent to someone whom i forgot who him/herself forgot about it. I am most annoyed when stationery is lost cos it happens ever-so-often with me...
some of my Filipino relatives are here for a visit and once again was experiencing minor Chilipino blues - which happens anytime a pinoy comes around and i am stuck with deciphering the 5% that i can gather from the conversations that they have with my mother and grandmother. This is basically why i cringe at the very mention of the phrase "mother tongue" cos, my dear future employer (shhh!!!), my mother, or my whole family for that matter, doesn't speak anything remotely similar to mandarin and yet you subjected me to the torture of learning a fictional mother's tongue for a whole six-and-a-half years (nine-and-a-half if you count kindergarten and nursery)?
my parents took the exercise bike out of my room (to wherever - out of sight, out of mind) and pushed the giant box that has been sitting in the middle of my room since we moved in more than two years ago to one corner and when i got back to my room, my jaw dropped - i never realized that my room was so big - and it'll look even bigger once Greg's stuff goes and i find a way to dispose of my father's two large filing cabinets... However, knowing me, my proposed re-arrangement of the layout will probably not come to fruition for a long time more...
had Japanese food just now for dinner - at this good Japanese restaurant (my criterion for a good Japanese restaurant is that Japanese go there) called Waraku across the road from my house [the dining oportunities here are endless =)]. Thankfully managed to spot one-and-a-half wayward small shrimp in the okonomiyaki before eating it. And the cold soba + katsu don portion that i had at $15 was huge (though admittedly still not enough to make me full). Have concluded that cold soba is my favourite Japanese food - and the best that i have come across so far is at this place (though think in total i've only eaten it from three other places, one of them being arts canteen and another being sakae so cannot really compare lah) even though i suppose it's all carbs *pooh*
And let me say a little more about the elections and stuff, now that things are starting to quiet down a bit - from reading people's blogs realised that my persistently non-political content is far more persistently non-political than theirs - so i shall take the liberty to be a little more open (though i shall only err on the side of caution)
Firstly, i am very glad that SL has decided to take up the ncmp post, even if it is in a way against what the party believes in. Use whatever way to gain exposure - and i think in this case it's a smart move (just hope she doesn't end up in some silly self-defeating scandal like SC or i'll just cry). From what i've gathered from the reports both in mediacrap and the state's times (even those unapologetically-pro-establishment-to-the-point-of-being-nauseating articles that CMH churns out on a regular basis) as well as from the rally, she is very capable and has raised and (i believe in faith) will raise tough and critical issues as an ncmp. At the least so far she has touched on a lot of the grouses i have harboured for the longest time... And methinks from today's paper she was quoted as saying something and then ending off with "God willing" which certainly sparked my interest, no matter who she was actually referring to...
And while we're on the topic of religion - let me also voice one of the many reasons why i voted the way i did - i simply cannot reconcile purported adherents of the Christian faith giving their support for schemes that they should know fully well run contrary to what their faith teaches. Yes and i am talking about people like you - IN (edited to change initial - got person's name confused with the comedian IA - though from the hilariously telling and ridiculous statement that IN made as reported in the forum today - maybe this person can be a comedian too). What were you thinking by supporting this decision in the interests of pragmatism? Of course, for every IN there also were others who stood firm in their faith like LMS, and, to the shame of people like IN and VB, even pre-believers like TSK but still, the fact remains that the party you belong to went ahead without even allowing you all to express your approval/disapproval via a whip-free vote because it is supposedly a matter of "national interest". Well, let me just say that if it is truly a matter of "national interest" then you'd jolly well let the nation make it's views heard via an official channel such as a referendum, or at the least via the supposed representatives of the people - the MPs (though in our case much of the people didn't elect them in any case - but that's another story).
Also, i cannot stand arrogance - and pardon me, but high-up people like WKS, NEH, and even higher-ups whose names are too easily deciphered even behind the veil of acronyms, have exuded it aplenty. Go and show proper respect for your opponents, refrain from calling them names and passing your own imperfect moral judgements on them as well as threatening to 'fix' them then i'll consider voting for you in future... You did not make Singapore into what we are today by yourselves, nor do you know all that's best for our country, so don't act like our survival is dependent on your existence. Get a reality check and humble yourselves accordingly.
At the same time, i knew that despite how my heart was already firmly on one camp i had to be really prayerful in my decision and not anyhow hantam - and to that extent was praying very hard about how to vote - and at the end of the day - and taking everything into prayerful consideration - i simply had no other choice.
To end off - i'd just like to congratulate the young female curly-haired and stone-faced employee of the ED who's gotten much more than her fair share of screen time over the past week or so thanks to the JG affair - you could be a star - considering how i've seen more of you on mediacrap this year than the entire gan si dui amk team and Zoe Tay combined...
Oops better stop now before the already-loosened floodgates are opened fully... Hope that this was persistently non-political enough...
always look on the bright side of life...
Was just looking through the inspiringly-named Budget Terminal's brochure just now, cos will be both fetching someone from there soon and also flying off and arriving via it for MEET trip as well, and came across this little gem of a description of the features of the terminal:
"Enjoy the experience of seeing the aircraft up close and personal as you walk about 20 metres across the tarmac to board the plane"
Ah, the power of euphemism - it certainly sounds much better than:
"Due to us being a budget terminal, we have not constructed aerobridges for your convenience in order to save on running costs, so instead we're afraid that you'll have to trod your own way in the open air to your airplane from the terminal building, come rain or come shine and climb up the steep staircase to board your plane"
Monday, May 08, 2006
I have a choice - and i choose to be cryptic
Hehe am finally awake enough to comment on the sleep-deprived events of the past few days, and ironically it is at a time when i really ought to be asleep...
Well, night cycling was a blast - never thought that we'd have such a big group -18 people methinks - but in the end it went ok - God was gracious in keeping us all safe, especially during the Changi Airport perimeter road stretch, which even i get intimidated by from time to time... And this whole cycle then eat fatty and oily food then cycle some more to burn off what's eaten is such a swell idea - guilt-free pigging out i like =) And when you cycle in groups it's always seems less of an effort to cover long distances - if i were alone don't think i could have made it so far , though come to think of it, that's probably because in a group i am forced to modify my pace to suit others and hence don't tire myself out prematurely...
Managed to be awake enough to head on home, shower and then head off to my polling station with my father to vote. From what i saw in the newspaper today, i just missed seeing my neighbour the 'elected' president cast his vote, since he came once voting started and i came around five minutes after that... Ah well, anyway, it was over in a jiffy - a random point: i recognized the uncle of the bike shop outside my house who the previous day helped me to change my worn-out bike tyres at the polling station, the tyres which i around an hour or so later soiled by accidentally cycling over some gross prawns that someone had just discarded on the road at east coast...
After MEETing, joined cell-u-lights for dinner and bowling. Great to be able to spend time with them again - hope that may be when i am back will be able to commit more time to church stuff, and have a greater burden for the church too... Anyway, bowled my second-best game ever (110 - helped by a bowling computer programme which was probably programmed by an arts student given how it credited two pinfalls for a longkang shot...) so was quite happy with that...
Well, night cycling was a blast - never thought that we'd have such a big group -18 people methinks - but in the end it went ok - God was gracious in keeping us all safe, especially during the Changi Airport perimeter road stretch, which even i get intimidated by from time to time... And this whole cycle then eat fatty and oily food then cycle some more to burn off what's eaten is such a swell idea - guilt-free pigging out i like =) And when you cycle in groups it's always seems less of an effort to cover long distances - if i were alone don't think i could have made it so far , though come to think of it, that's probably because in a group i am forced to modify my pace to suit others and hence don't tire myself out prematurely...
Managed to be awake enough to head on home, shower and then head off to my polling station with my father to vote. From what i saw in the newspaper today, i just missed seeing my neighbour the 'elected' president cast his vote, since he came once voting started and i came around five minutes after that... Ah well, anyway, it was over in a jiffy - a random point: i recognized the uncle of the bike shop outside my house who the previous day helped me to change my worn-out bike tyres at the polling station, the tyres which i around an hour or so later soiled by accidentally cycling over some gross prawns that someone had just discarded on the road at east coast...
After MEETing, joined cell-u-lights for dinner and bowling. Great to be able to spend time with them again - hope that may be when i am back will be able to commit more time to church stuff, and have a greater burden for the church too... Anyway, bowled my second-best game ever (110 - helped by a bowling computer programme which was probably programmed by an arts student given how it credited two pinfalls for a longkang shot...) so was quite happy with that...
Just some random old pic i unearthed from the thursday cg vault-we were young and innocent then haha
and heyfrenz is the centre of attention
Those who went bowling
My team - made up of non-TPJC people - the others
Team Touching People for Jesus Christ (TPJC)
Hmm the bowling balls (which by the way, prove that i have too big hands - my fat fingers could only comfortably fit into a 14-pound ball ) look like giant skittles...
Rushed home from bowling alley to watch election coverage (see - bowling alley only 5 minutes from house =) As i said before - my vote is secret - though i am sure anyone whose talked with me about politics will be more than clear on my preferences... Well suffice to say i was annoyed in one way or other by every party - of course some much more than others. The outcome, well. it's not what i would have wanted ideally, but think it's the minimally acceptable standard for me... I tell you if certain people had won, i'd be rather peeved, and would want to, ahem, fix them =p
Maybe if one day when i am more in the mood, i shall be more overt in expressing my views regarding the election, but for now, be content with this random observation from the natural world: Night Owls terrorise Otters, Pheasants and Pigeons...
Sunday, May 07, 2006
my vote is secret...
Since it's late and all, and i have had all of one hour's sleep in the past two days, i shall keep the details for another time and just make one quick observation:
The question about whether we have a first world government and opposition (as debated ad nauseaum over the past nine days) is perhaps one that can not be easily answered with a simple yes or no.
On the other hand however, the question of the quality of the local television media (i.e. mediacorp - or imho, mediacrap), judging from the standard of the election results broadcast just now is a no-brainer: whether or not we have a first-world government and opposition, we definitely also have a very third-world television broadcast network (which annoys me to no end...).
Beyond this i shall comment on the events of the past few days another time, save for the fact that i am basically pretty ambivelent in response to the election results...
The question about whether we have a first world government and opposition (as debated ad nauseaum over the past nine days) is perhaps one that can not be easily answered with a simple yes or no.
On the other hand however, the question of the quality of the local television media (i.e. mediacorp - or imho, mediacrap), judging from the standard of the election results broadcast just now is a no-brainer: whether or not we have a first-world government and opposition, we definitely also have a very third-world television broadcast network (which annoys me to no end...).
Beyond this i shall comment on the events of the past few days another time, save for the fact that i am basically pretty ambivelent in response to the election results...
Thursday, May 04, 2006
morning run
Managed to wake up for a run this morning, first time i've gone for a morning run voluntarily and alone (the other times were with people and most of the time being forced to do so in army), though i did wake up late (how disgusting is it when waking up at 615am is already late?). Cos i wanted to run while it was still dark so that no one would see me wheezing and gasping for breath but oh well, by the time i reached ecp it already was seven so it was bright and sunny (and very humid and not breezy)...
The run itself was bad - i was even worse than the previous time. My plan was to - as i did the last time, run all the way to the cable skiing lagoon, make one round around it and then run back without stopping. Managed to do that roughly (i measured the distance in the street directory so no guarantees of accuracy) 6km stretch in 37 minutes on Sunday (which when averaged out is roughly equivalent to 1 km every six minutes and ten seconds - which is just plain bad) But today, after running to around the costa sands area i realised that i did not have it in me to cover the same route so i decided to run further to the jetty and then take a long break there. After that long break i had more or less run out of steam altogether so had to walk back all the way to costa sands again (after a ill-thought-out 100m attempt at running right after leaving the jetty) before mustering enough energy to hobble back to my starting point at parkway... Jialat!
Well, while i was running i did come across several people practicing what can safely be referred to as bizarre exercise regimens. From fan-flailing taiji to alternate breaststroke hand motions, from marching backwards with loud stomping to hand clapping both in front and back, from what from afar looked like chasing flies away from the head to alternate lifting of hands in a manner akin to the raised-hand salute that is banned in Germany - i almost couldn't hold my giggles in even as i was desperately running out of energy...
While i was walking back i looked up to realise that i had just walked into a black caterpillar right at my face that was hanging from a silk thread from the tree above. While i was trying to find where it was so that i could throw it off, i suddenly felt this very hard flick on my left wrist - but when i looked around to see who it was there was no one else in sight - so i dunno what caused that flick in the first place... Of course i am not one to freak out and flee in fear of a ghost so i just brushed it aside and continued for home (though i must admit that it being in broad daylight and i being right next to chinese swimming club hardly made for a scary setting - now if it was pitch dark and i was next to the chinese cemetary instead now that might have evoked a totally different response from me altogether...)
The run itself was bad - i was even worse than the previous time. My plan was to - as i did the last time, run all the way to the cable skiing lagoon, make one round around it and then run back without stopping. Managed to do that roughly (i measured the distance in the street directory so no guarantees of accuracy) 6km stretch in 37 minutes on Sunday (which when averaged out is roughly equivalent to 1 km every six minutes and ten seconds - which is just plain bad) But today, after running to around the costa sands area i realised that i did not have it in me to cover the same route so i decided to run further to the jetty and then take a long break there. After that long break i had more or less run out of steam altogether so had to walk back all the way to costa sands again (after a ill-thought-out 100m attempt at running right after leaving the jetty) before mustering enough energy to hobble back to my starting point at parkway... Jialat!
Well, while i was running i did come across several people practicing what can safely be referred to as bizarre exercise regimens. From fan-flailing taiji to alternate breaststroke hand motions, from marching backwards with loud stomping to hand clapping both in front and back, from what from afar looked like chasing flies away from the head to alternate lifting of hands in a manner akin to the raised-hand salute that is banned in Germany - i almost couldn't hold my giggles in even as i was desperately running out of energy...
While i was walking back i looked up to realise that i had just walked into a black caterpillar right at my face that was hanging from a silk thread from the tree above. While i was trying to find where it was so that i could throw it off, i suddenly felt this very hard flick on my left wrist - but when i looked around to see who it was there was no one else in sight - so i dunno what caused that flick in the first place... Of course i am not one to freak out and flee in fear of a ghost so i just brushed it aside and continued for home (though i must admit that it being in broad daylight and i being right next to chinese swimming club hardly made for a scary setting - now if it was pitch dark and i was next to the chinese cemetary instead now that might have evoked a totally different response from me altogether...)
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
running from running
My intention today after i got home was to hold off dinner till after 10, by which i would have both watched idol and gone for a run, cos as i told Ade just now - running with stuff in my stomach will soon cause the stuff to leave my stomach - via the same way it came in, that is.
But of course i happened to be in one of my hungry moods (which do occur from time to time to balance out my fasting moods) so i decided to nibble on some beef jerky and some peanuts. But then i surveyed the food on the table - bought from outside cos my mother's not in the country - and soon was eating it too, here's what i ate just now: half a cup of kfc whipped potato, a cup of coleslaw, a big oily piece of chicken, 3/4 a packet of beef hor fun, a whole packet of duck rice, and one big bowl of rice with some chicken dish - and after all that i still wasn't full (though thankfully i didn't totally succumb to gluttony, and decided to stop after that...) Needless to say i have postponed my planned run, to (if i can wake up in time) early tomorrow morning...
American Idol - right now i predict (and hope for) a Chris/Kat final two. Chris is starting to warm to me, though i stil don't like him (though i must say his being from NC has somewhat made me dislike him less). Of the three remaining guys he definitely has the strongest voice - though the problem is that this power means that subtlety and gentleness are totally lost on him - his constant death glare for even love songs like "Have You Really Ever Loved a Woman?" really is not appropriate - as one online commentary i read commented - he looks like he's ready to pummel anyone who still claims to have loved a woman in spite of not meeting the song's criteria... My favourite is still Kat though - her performance of the "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" song (what a bizarre title btw) was really unique and entertaining. She really should do more of these spunky songs instead of those annoying power ballads that she has a partiality towards. If she ever decides to sing "My Heart Will Go On" she would have lost the support of this supporter... Taylor better get booted out soon - it already has always been a pain to watch him perform - and i seriously cannot imagine him winning the competition... If he did somehow win i foresee him following in the career path of a previous (not American) idol winner and start plugging big gulps =p
Can they please stop excessively garlanding the election candidates? It's both an unnecessary waste of flowers and a hayfever risk...
But of course i happened to be in one of my hungry moods (which do occur from time to time to balance out my fasting moods) so i decided to nibble on some beef jerky and some peanuts. But then i surveyed the food on the table - bought from outside cos my mother's not in the country - and soon was eating it too, here's what i ate just now: half a cup of kfc whipped potato, a cup of coleslaw, a big oily piece of chicken, 3/4 a packet of beef hor fun, a whole packet of duck rice, and one big bowl of rice with some chicken dish - and after all that i still wasn't full (though thankfully i didn't totally succumb to gluttony, and decided to stop after that...) Needless to say i have postponed my planned run, to (if i can wake up in time) early tomorrow morning...
American Idol - right now i predict (and hope for) a Chris/Kat final two. Chris is starting to warm to me, though i stil don't like him (though i must say his being from NC has somewhat made me dislike him less). Of the three remaining guys he definitely has the strongest voice - though the problem is that this power means that subtlety and gentleness are totally lost on him - his constant death glare for even love songs like "Have You Really Ever Loved a Woman?" really is not appropriate - as one online commentary i read commented - he looks like he's ready to pummel anyone who still claims to have loved a woman in spite of not meeting the song's criteria... My favourite is still Kat though - her performance of the "Black Horse and the Cherry Tree" song (what a bizarre title btw) was really unique and entertaining. She really should do more of these spunky songs instead of those annoying power ballads that she has a partiality towards. If she ever decides to sing "My Heart Will Go On" she would have lost the support of this supporter... Taylor better get booted out soon - it already has always been a pain to watch him perform - and i seriously cannot imagine him winning the competition... If he did somehow win i foresee him following in the career path of a previous (not American) idol winner and start plugging big gulps =p
Can they please stop excessively garlanding the election candidates? It's both an unnecessary waste of flowers and a hayfever risk...
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
so now that exams are over
So 1 May marks the first time that i've written stuff down at length during my quiet time, in keeping with my aim as professed here previously. It really has been quite cool how God put different events together all leading me to finally get down to writing - it has been one day and definitely it's a change for the better. Of course now there's the issue of keeping this up consistently - not every day will be as peaceful and free as this exam-and-school-free public holiday, but i suppose that it's less an issue of striving to be consistent than to just spend time with God and allow Him to speak to you at any point in time and to note down what He says as He says it...
Was deciding whether or not to go to school this (or to be exact, yesterday) morning, but the uncharacteristically sunny weather (which means good weather to swim - exercise sorely needed - yesterday's 6km run took waaaaay too long) and my nagging need to get stuff done for exchange (considering me left to my own devices at home would just rot and do absolutely nothing productive, all the more that exams are over) convinced me to just go (normally i would only make such sudden decisions to go to school when i was armed with a bus pass, as i would then make my money's worth, but since i've been blessed with so many lifts as of late could afford to use the bus sans a pass...).
Unfortunately, i was stuck with another TV mobile bus, the sad situation exacerbated by the fact that it was screening a repeat of the last episode of the channel eight twenty days show that is soooo a rip-off of 24... In short, it is the latest in channel eight's string of what i'd like to call accidental comedies, if you catch my drift... I tell you, my current (in)ability to still speak and understand some mandarin is due as much, if not more, to my faithfully catching those old channel eight shows like the volleyball show and the bobo show as to those horrible hua2 yu3 ke4 that i was at the mercy of for six-and-a-half years of my schooling life. Basically, if the shows then were of the same (lack of) calibre as those now, such as the totally ridiculous twenty days show, then methinks i not only wouldn't speak a word of chinese, but also would have tanked my PSLE and just faded into academic oblivion...
The brief swim was the first that i've had for a long time. It was brief mainly cos i tak boleh tahan after just twenty laps (of which i rested for a lot of time in between too) because have been way too caught up with other stuff. But thankfully i stopped when i did cos the moment i stepped out of the pool, it started to rain (but then again; fifteen minutes after that, by which i had already bathed and changed; the sun shone even brighter than it had previously...)
The whole SEP process is one long extended headache...
Went for my first election rally in like nine years just now - especially significant since i now can vote and hence must be responsible as a voter and check out who i may be voting for and know what they are all about - where else but in the east could you have an election rally with a dramatic seaside backdrop? Was very interesting and informative, though whenever the speakers switched to Mandarin or any other Chinese dialects i concurrently switched off - cos i really had no idea what they were talking about - and was left clueless whenever the audience burst out into applause or cheers. Also i totally unintentionally came wearing a shirt that had a hammer on it...
Got an invitation to go clubbing with some friends - i can't believe it's like more than four years since i last did that sort of thing (and i am sure many of you can't believe that i ever did that sort of thing) - yup but i figured that if i did go where would God be in the picture? Could i honestly say that i'd be spending my time in the best way possible - one that would glorify Him? Would all that cigarette smoke that i'd be bound to inhale be harmless to me? And would all the drinking be beneficial in any way plausible (and army has proven to me that i can indeed drink a lot - surprise surprise)? Nah... So i declined =)...
Was deciding whether or not to go to school this (or to be exact, yesterday) morning, but the uncharacteristically sunny weather (which means good weather to swim - exercise sorely needed - yesterday's 6km run took waaaaay too long) and my nagging need to get stuff done for exchange (considering me left to my own devices at home would just rot and do absolutely nothing productive, all the more that exams are over) convinced me to just go (normally i would only make such sudden decisions to go to school when i was armed with a bus pass, as i would then make my money's worth, but since i've been blessed with so many lifts as of late could afford to use the bus sans a pass...).
Unfortunately, i was stuck with another TV mobile bus, the sad situation exacerbated by the fact that it was screening a repeat of the last episode of the channel eight twenty days show that is soooo a rip-off of 24... In short, it is the latest in channel eight's string of what i'd like to call accidental comedies, if you catch my drift... I tell you, my current (in)ability to still speak and understand some mandarin is due as much, if not more, to my faithfully catching those old channel eight shows like the volleyball show and the bobo show as to those horrible hua2 yu3 ke4 that i was at the mercy of for six-and-a-half years of my schooling life. Basically, if the shows then were of the same (lack of) calibre as those now, such as the totally ridiculous twenty days show, then methinks i not only wouldn't speak a word of chinese, but also would have tanked my PSLE and just faded into academic oblivion...
The brief swim was the first that i've had for a long time. It was brief mainly cos i tak boleh tahan after just twenty laps (of which i rested for a lot of time in between too) because have been way too caught up with other stuff. But thankfully i stopped when i did cos the moment i stepped out of the pool, it started to rain (but then again; fifteen minutes after that, by which i had already bathed and changed; the sun shone even brighter than it had previously...)
The whole SEP process is one long extended headache...
Went for my first election rally in like nine years just now - especially significant since i now can vote and hence must be responsible as a voter and check out who i may be voting for and know what they are all about - where else but in the east could you have an election rally with a dramatic seaside backdrop? Was very interesting and informative, though whenever the speakers switched to Mandarin or any other Chinese dialects i concurrently switched off - cos i really had no idea what they were talking about - and was left clueless whenever the audience burst out into applause or cheers. Also i totally unintentionally came wearing a shirt that had a hammer on it...
Got an invitation to go clubbing with some friends - i can't believe it's like more than four years since i last did that sort of thing (and i am sure many of you can't believe that i ever did that sort of thing) - yup but i figured that if i did go where would God be in the picture? Could i honestly say that i'd be spending my time in the best way possible - one that would glorify Him? Would all that cigarette smoke that i'd be bound to inhale be harmless to me? And would all the drinking be beneficial in any way plausible (and army has proven to me that i can indeed drink a lot - surprise surprise)? Nah... So i declined =)...
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