Am at the airport transit lounge now using the free internet, as usual, i forgot something...
This time, just as the taxi was about to leave my house, realised that i had left my phone charger in my room... But then figured, aiyah so ma fan, so didn't bother... Then as my house became further and further away realised how silly i was, especially since i asked my father to get an adapter specifically for the purpose of the charger's use... Ah, but too late... Good thing i charged it last night, maybe can borrow one over there..
Also forgot to check if frequent flyer miles were credited...
Hope that's all i forgot...
Bleah...
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
some final words...
Am flying off in approximately seven hours' time, have barely began to pack, but here i am online instead of choosing clothes to wear... Priorities, priorities...
Wah, really crammed lots of stuff into my last full day here, early morning went to school to check out the CF storeroom, which unfortunately was inaccessible due to the main room being locked during public holidays (i mean, everyday seems like one nowadays) within the term break... After some time, and to cut a long story short, managed to take a fleeting glimpse at the room, so mission somewhat accomplished...
Then went over to Sentosa, to provide extra manpower for the ops show-CF's-Mongolian-and-Korean-guests-our-best-excuse-for-a-beach... By God's grace the weather was good. Actually, it was extremely sunny, and felt like i was doing some fire walking when i tried to walk barefoot on the baking sand, let alone play ultimate frisbee, but at least better than rain lah... And no blisters, too, so can't complain... And got a little darker too hee...
After a short rest went with some CFers as well as with two of my batch Choir pple to catch "An Evening With Friends" Won't critique much, but anyways, i did thoroughly enjoy myself, things really have changed so much since, ahem, my time... Anyway, the combined choir's version of Rondo Lapponico was certainly much better than when the combined when i was in j2 did the same song, as i can distincty remember. Good job, guys. God has blessed you all tremendously.
Also got to catch up with several choir people, from my batch, seniors and juniors, that i haven't seen in goodness-knows-how long...
I do however, have a bone to pick with certain members of the crowd. Honestly have not seen such shake-head-worthy behaviour in an audience for quite some time. Constant coughing, heavily amplified in the hall, coupled with people frequently applauding prematurely, among other stuff, really did get on my nerves. Maybe it's cos the crowd is so young and do not know better. They all seemed like little boys and girls in my eyes... Am i getting that old?
Wah, really crammed lots of stuff into my last full day here, early morning went to school to check out the CF storeroom, which unfortunately was inaccessible due to the main room being locked during public holidays (i mean, everyday seems like one nowadays) within the term break... After some time, and to cut a long story short, managed to take a fleeting glimpse at the room, so mission somewhat accomplished...
Then went over to Sentosa, to provide extra manpower for the ops show-CF's-Mongolian-and-Korean-guests-our-best-excuse-for-a-beach... By God's grace the weather was good. Actually, it was extremely sunny, and felt like i was doing some fire walking when i tried to walk barefoot on the baking sand, let alone play ultimate frisbee, but at least better than rain lah... And no blisters, too, so can't complain... And got a little darker too hee...
After a short rest went with some CFers as well as with two of my batch Choir pple to catch "An Evening With Friends" Won't critique much, but anyways, i did thoroughly enjoy myself, things really have changed so much since, ahem, my time... Anyway, the combined choir's version of Rondo Lapponico was certainly much better than when the combined when i was in j2 did the same song, as i can distincty remember. Good job, guys. God has blessed you all tremendously.
Also got to catch up with several choir people, from my batch, seniors and juniors, that i haven't seen in goodness-knows-how long...
I do however, have a bone to pick with certain members of the crowd. Honestly have not seen such shake-head-worthy behaviour in an audience for quite some time. Constant coughing, heavily amplified in the hall, coupled with people frequently applauding prematurely, among other stuff, really did get on my nerves. Maybe it's cos the crowd is so young and do not know better. They all seemed like little boys and girls in my eyes... Am i getting that old?
Saturday, May 21, 2005
big belated birthday bash
Just came back from a special birthday in honour of the one and only pink princess Deborah (whose birthday, as we now all know so well, was four days ago).
Was so funny how Mel and Ade Wan brought her to the restaurant and then the whole bunch of the rest of us (twelve or so in total, i think...) clumsily made our way (twice) to them at our super-long table, from our hideout at a corner of the restaurant, with yours truly carrying the complimentary birthday tiramisu with one pink and one yellow candle nervously flickering under the aircon (and my breath)
We actually made one aborted attempt, as the first time when i tried to sing the birthday song i promptly blew the candles out, so we had to start again, more or less sans any attempt at singing [and much to the amusement of the restaurant staff and diners]
Haha but glad to note that she was plesantly and genuinely surprised, despite apparently nearly being alerted to this secret dinner earlier on in the day... She also was treated to many (largely pink) presents. Wow it looks like broadcasting your birthday three months in advance really reaps big rewards... [subtle hint: am exactly 21 and a half years old today... ah but it's in the middle of exams anyway (for the next few years, no less) so bah...]
On a totally unrelated note, think i may be watching too much tv as of late. Much of my thoughts regarding my holiday revolve on perhaps having to miss the American Idol finale in the states despite arriving there that very afternoon due to a supposed welcome dinner to be held that night as organised by the tour agency, as well as just missing the season finale of Desparate Housewives due to it being shown on Sunday night when i arrive on tuesday afternoon (as far as i can gather they're introducing a new housewife as well as killing off someone, and revealing why Mary Alice killed herself...) Oh, and of course hoping to catch as many old Frasier and Golden Girls episodes as possible on late-night syndicated tv, like i managed to do the last time i was there... Most of my other thoughts regarding the holiday of course revolve around finding an internet connection to check my exam results at 11am S'pore time on 2 June, and the resultant agony/ecstasy from that moment...
Was so funny how Mel and Ade Wan brought her to the restaurant and then the whole bunch of the rest of us (twelve or so in total, i think...) clumsily made our way (twice) to them at our super-long table, from our hideout at a corner of the restaurant, with yours truly carrying the complimentary birthday tiramisu with one pink and one yellow candle nervously flickering under the aircon (and my breath)
We actually made one aborted attempt, as the first time when i tried to sing the birthday song i promptly blew the candles out, so we had to start again, more or less sans any attempt at singing [and much to the amusement of the restaurant staff and diners]
Haha but glad to note that she was plesantly and genuinely surprised, despite apparently nearly being alerted to this secret dinner earlier on in the day... She also was treated to many (largely pink) presents. Wow it looks like broadcasting your birthday three months in advance really reaps big rewards... [subtle hint: am exactly 21 and a half years old today... ah but it's in the middle of exams anyway (for the next few years, no less) so bah...]
On a totally unrelated note, think i may be watching too much tv as of late. Much of my thoughts regarding my holiday revolve on perhaps having to miss the American Idol finale in the states despite arriving there that very afternoon due to a supposed welcome dinner to be held that night as organised by the tour agency, as well as just missing the season finale of Desparate Housewives due to it being shown on Sunday night when i arrive on tuesday afternoon (as far as i can gather they're introducing a new housewife as well as killing off someone, and revealing why Mary Alice killed herself...) Oh, and of course hoping to catch as many old Frasier and Golden Girls episodes as possible on late-night syndicated tv, like i managed to do the last time i was there... Most of my other thoughts regarding the holiday of course revolve around finding an internet connection to check my exam results at 11am S'pore time on 2 June, and the resultant agony/ecstasy from that moment...
Friday, May 20, 2005
the twilight zone
Yupyup i can almost hear the eerie score now, am at the NUS central (or as many now refer to it as, the arts) library cos just finished a meeting for matric fair stuff, n had decided to bring my laptop along to check if its wireless capabilities were still alright... Well, as one may guess, by God's grace am able to get a connection, cos around the exam period i had tried to get a connection but i couldn't, no matter how hard i tried, my limited computer skills notwithstanding... (maybe it really was the Lord's hand - so i wouldn't get too distracted from studying)
And so here i am typing this in the library. It certainly is a pale shadow of what it used to be a mere month ago, while exams were in full swing... My dear old study haunt, the sixth floor is closed for the hols, and so for the first time in a long time am at the frigid arctic zone that is the fifth floor. Although it apparently is summer now on the fifth floor, perhaps the library people, anticipating the fall in visitorship during the hols, have finally made the long overdue decision to raise the 5th floor thermostat in order to put everyone's school fees to better use... [anyway, speaking of temperature, went online to check the projected weather in the places i'm visiting in the US, in hopeful anticipation of something cooler than the ridiculous heat we're getting here. Most places are fine, save for Vegas, where the daytime temperature apparently will reach 100F or more, which is close to 40 degrees celcius... aaaaaaahhhhhh]
Not many people around here, perhaps apart from PRCs, who still have to come to school... Met some of those from my PRC camp and ESC groups just now... Apart from them, the library is largely a dead zone, or should i say, the twilight zone *cue spine-tingling music*
And so here i am typing this in the library. It certainly is a pale shadow of what it used to be a mere month ago, while exams were in full swing... My dear old study haunt, the sixth floor is closed for the hols, and so for the first time in a long time am at the frigid arctic zone that is the fifth floor. Although it apparently is summer now on the fifth floor, perhaps the library people, anticipating the fall in visitorship during the hols, have finally made the long overdue decision to raise the 5th floor thermostat in order to put everyone's school fees to better use... [anyway, speaking of temperature, went online to check the projected weather in the places i'm visiting in the US, in hopeful anticipation of something cooler than the ridiculous heat we're getting here. Most places are fine, save for Vegas, where the daytime temperature apparently will reach 100F or more, which is close to 40 degrees celcius... aaaaaaahhhhhh]
Not many people around here, perhaps apart from PRCs, who still have to come to school... Met some of those from my PRC camp and ESC groups just now... Apart from them, the library is largely a dead zone, or should i say, the twilight zone *cue spine-tingling music*
Thursday, May 19, 2005
not that i mean to be prudish, but...
Isn't nudity supposed to be banned on free-to-air tv?
Just caught some of nip/tuck on tv, the first episode of the new season, was rather interesting to see two actresses who are mother and daughter in real life play mother and daughter on screen, although i am rather intrigued by Vanessa Redgrave's transatlantic accent (she's a fabulous actress nonetheless)
But my point is that they at one point showed a full shot of one of the male actor's nude behind. And it wasn't even a fleeting shot, but at least a second or so, they even showed him wobbling it with his hand (WTMI?)
And this is not the first time they have done so, i recall last season they showed a full rear shot of the other male lead. The show wasn't even considered late night (the butt came on at around 1045pm or so). I find it rather strange that the censors obviously are snipping other inappropriate moments from the show [as can be gathered from the poor editing job - for example one moment the character is standing up and immediately she is seated...] but they totally ignore butt shots. Is it because since they've been showing nude babies' butts for the longest time during diaper commercials they decided not to discriminate against the adults and allow nude rear shots for them as well?
It wasn't too long ago when i was watching "The Deer Hunter" on arts central when, during a scene set at a men's changing room they showed the naked rear ends of quite a few people, but from afar. Then i thought i had caught our normally more-than-vigilant censors napping. Looks like i was wrong...
Just caught some of nip/tuck on tv, the first episode of the new season, was rather interesting to see two actresses who are mother and daughter in real life play mother and daughter on screen, although i am rather intrigued by Vanessa Redgrave's transatlantic accent (she's a fabulous actress nonetheless)
But my point is that they at one point showed a full shot of one of the male actor's nude behind. And it wasn't even a fleeting shot, but at least a second or so, they even showed him wobbling it with his hand (WTMI?)
And this is not the first time they have done so, i recall last season they showed a full rear shot of the other male lead. The show wasn't even considered late night (the butt came on at around 1045pm or so). I find it rather strange that the censors obviously are snipping other inappropriate moments from the show [as can be gathered from the poor editing job - for example one moment the character is standing up and immediately she is seated...] but they totally ignore butt shots. Is it because since they've been showing nude babies' butts for the longest time during diaper commercials they decided not to discriminate against the adults and allow nude rear shots for them as well?
It wasn't too long ago when i was watching "The Deer Hunter" on arts central when, during a scene set at a men's changing room they showed the naked rear ends of quite a few people, but from afar. Then i thought i had caught our normally more-than-vigilant censors napping. Looks like i was wrong...
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
of reunions, reflections and reminisces
Yupyup last night met up with two friends from Barker times, Renshao and Ian, the latter of which i haven't seen for quite some time even though all three of us are in that school that is 'transforming minds and changing lives' - or whatever it is that they proclaim proudly on the mug...
We were supposed to meet at Somerset MRT, and yours truly decided to take a bus there. Unfortunately, me having not gone to Orchard in MONTHS and, even when going there, stopping at the Orchard MRT bus stop, meant that i missed alighting at the stop outside Somerset/Hotel Phoenix [or more accurately, realised was supposed to get off when the last person had alighted but the doors had not closed yet, but was too paiseh to suddenly get up and rush off the bus], and ended up walking back from the stop outside taka...
Anyways, we ate at Heeren Marche (which i haven't stepped into, coincidentally, since Barker days). It was a really great time that we had as we caught up with one another, talked about events that have put Barker in the spotlight as of late and of course, recalled some of the silly stuff that happened over our four years there... Thinking back, i can hardly believe that so many crazy things could have happened over a mere four years, but, well, they did and i (and i'm sure Ian and Renshao too) laughed myself till my cheek muscles ached...
Haha yup we all certainly have come a long way since those days, now when i look at people in my church or anywhere else are in secondary school, i suddenly feel so old... [imagine, those in sec 3 now were born in when i was in primary one] and everytime i see a Barker boy, am reminded of the good old days...
Oh, and whenever you read this, happy birthday to Deborah!!! It finally came, eh? Just 364 days to go to your next one...
We were supposed to meet at Somerset MRT, and yours truly decided to take a bus there. Unfortunately, me having not gone to Orchard in MONTHS and, even when going there, stopping at the Orchard MRT bus stop, meant that i missed alighting at the stop outside Somerset/Hotel Phoenix [or more accurately, realised was supposed to get off when the last person had alighted but the doors had not closed yet, but was too paiseh to suddenly get up and rush off the bus], and ended up walking back from the stop outside taka...
Anyways, we ate at Heeren Marche (which i haven't stepped into, coincidentally, since Barker days). It was a really great time that we had as we caught up with one another, talked about events that have put Barker in the spotlight as of late and of course, recalled some of the silly stuff that happened over our four years there... Thinking back, i can hardly believe that so many crazy things could have happened over a mere four years, but, well, they did and i (and i'm sure Ian and Renshao too) laughed myself till my cheek muscles ached...
Haha yup we all certainly have come a long way since those days, now when i look at people in my church or anywhere else are in secondary school, i suddenly feel so old... [imagine, those in sec 3 now were born in when i was in primary one] and everytime i see a Barker boy, am reminded of the good old days...
Oh, and whenever you read this, happy birthday to Deborah!!! It finally came, eh? Just 364 days to go to your next one...
Monday, May 16, 2005
a time to pray
Yupyup after several half-hearted and ultimately aborted attempts at so-called 'prayer biking ' (which end up being purely cycling around aimlessly) today felt led by the Spirit to pray as i cycled from my house down to the esplanade area then back up to the national sailing centre at ecp, before going back home.
Have recently been convicted of the fact that there are several things that involve/affect me in one way of another that require prayer [of course we ought to pray in all circumstances with all kinds of prayers(Ephesians 6:18) about all things], that i have basically been personally neglecting/forgetting to pray for myself, while ironically bringing these things to the attention of others as my prayer requests... Realised that there must be something fundamentally wrong with this arrangement if others pray for things that affect me, while i sit around and don't pray for these things myself...
Yupyup but anyway, in the midst of cycling, as i was around the Sheares Bridge area, felt prompted to pray for these things, regarding Church, CF, friends & family, and myself... Was really a very refreshing time, because felt that it was, in a way a load lifted off my chest. I know that the Lord has heard and will answer my prayers in His time. In the meantime, of course, as Ephesians says, keep on praying!!!
Now i realise how silly i have been to, for the longest time, merely superficially pray about all these things, hence still feeling deeply troubled and bothered by them, instead of lifting all these things up to the Lord right from the get-go... Things to do with my walk with God and various personal issues linked to it, service in various areas, what other things to consider next sem etc... I really felt the peace of God as i lifted all these issues one by one to the Lord.
Yupyup anyway, this again reminds me of the importance of being sure that what you say you are doing is in actual fact followed up by action. That it's something that goes on not only in the head, but in the heart and subsequently followed up by the actual action... Or else, you may end up continually dwelling on certain issues cos they are, subconciously, still in your hands, and not in the Lord's...
Well, anyways, look forward to more conversations with my dear Lord and Saviour while taking in all the sights of Singapore on my trusty two wheels...
Have recently been convicted of the fact that there are several things that involve/affect me in one way of another that require prayer [of course we ought to pray in all circumstances with all kinds of prayers(Ephesians 6:18) about all things], that i have basically been personally neglecting/forgetting to pray for myself, while ironically bringing these things to the attention of others as my prayer requests... Realised that there must be something fundamentally wrong with this arrangement if others pray for things that affect me, while i sit around and don't pray for these things myself...
Yupyup but anyway, in the midst of cycling, as i was around the Sheares Bridge area, felt prompted to pray for these things, regarding Church, CF, friends & family, and myself... Was really a very refreshing time, because felt that it was, in a way a load lifted off my chest. I know that the Lord has heard and will answer my prayers in His time. In the meantime, of course, as Ephesians says, keep on praying!!!
Now i realise how silly i have been to, for the longest time, merely superficially pray about all these things, hence still feeling deeply troubled and bothered by them, instead of lifting all these things up to the Lord right from the get-go... Things to do with my walk with God and various personal issues linked to it, service in various areas, what other things to consider next sem etc... I really felt the peace of God as i lifted all these issues one by one to the Lord.
Yupyup anyway, this again reminds me of the importance of being sure that what you say you are doing is in actual fact followed up by action. That it's something that goes on not only in the head, but in the heart and subsequently followed up by the actual action... Or else, you may end up continually dwelling on certain issues cos they are, subconciously, still in your hands, and not in the Lord's...
Well, anyways, look forward to more conversations with my dear Lord and Saviour while taking in all the sights of Singapore on my trusty two wheels...
Never again
will i play badminton... After the course of embarassment today when i picked up the racket after much urging from others, have decided to retire permanently from the sport...
As i have talked about before am quite hopeless in a number of sports, including badminton... Then today after Church they booked two courts so decided to tag along... To cut a long story short found myself holding a racket on court... And embarassing myself horribly, being subject to praise from the kind others when i was able to even merely touch the shuttlecock with the racket (cos that was a rarity...)... It wasn't pretty...
Yupyup so no more flirtations with badminton for me... Too maluating already lah... Dunno how people can say it's easier than table tennis (not that have any standard in that either) i mean, at least your hand is much closer to where you are supposed to hit the thing you are supposed to hit (lost anyone?) in table tennis, so have a better chance of success in hitting it. Dun have to run some more... badminton, ot the other hand, so hard to accurately gauge whether you actually are hitting the thing... (or maybe it's just me...) sigh...
As i have talked about before am quite hopeless in a number of sports, including badminton... Then today after Church they booked two courts so decided to tag along... To cut a long story short found myself holding a racket on court... And embarassing myself horribly, being subject to praise from the kind others when i was able to even merely touch the shuttlecock with the racket (cos that was a rarity...)... It wasn't pretty...
Yupyup so no more flirtations with badminton for me... Too maluating already lah... Dunno how people can say it's easier than table tennis (not that have any standard in that either) i mean, at least your hand is much closer to where you are supposed to hit the thing you are supposed to hit (lost anyone?) in table tennis, so have a better chance of success in hitting it. Dun have to run some more... badminton, ot the other hand, so hard to accurately gauge whether you actually are hitting the thing... (or maybe it's just me...) sigh...
Sunday, May 15, 2005
selection of spoofs
Yup figured that my dear collection of BCE spoofs would be better served being placed on my own blog so that no association need be made between my nonsense and the BCE...
Also, have this strange fixation with the scrollbar length of the blog, somehow have this obssession with making it as short as possible, i.e. need for more long nonsense posts to take up space...
We start off with "super supper"
The East is hot!
The West is not...
(and neither are my essays btw but that's another story...)
Come see the food:
Stingray Stingray
Bak Chor Mee Bak Chor Mee
Chicken Wings Chicken Wings
Ah Balling Ah Balling
Hokkien Mee Hokkien Mee
IQ Balls IQ Balls
Sugarcane Sugarcane
Rambutans Rambutans...
"spinning in the east"
Surely the east has so much more
Than the other parts of Singapore...
Surely it holds something greater,
Oh, i could go on forever...
"an easties' journey"
The daily journey to the west begins with us waking sapped.
A ROAR so THUNDEROUS, a YAWN, sekali kena mishap.
The single place we cannot erase is simply, NUS.
From the blissful east we're taken to unimagined depths,
From where the rising sun resides, to where it sadly sets,
The single place we cannot erase is simply, NUS...
Sometimes the journey just seems endless,
The daily grind relentless.
Oh, even though it seems so senseless,
There are simply no more choices...
(No chorus composed (or massacred, depending on how you look at it)...yet, at least:-P)
Two paths diverged from the road to the west we know,
ECP then AYE, or Pasir Panjang Road...
The path we travel will always be known
As where we moan and groan...
public service announcement for the bce bbq...
Come westies, come look around,
Come hear the easties cry out loud:
"The dinner's here in six whole days,
Head to the place that is next to parkway!!!"
De-ar Dinner, so wondrous and fleeting,
What dishes and items will you be bringing?
De-ar dinner, full of fun and of feasting,
Let's hope our stomachs won't be continually spinning...
Yupyup there's much more nonsense where this came from... but am selective about what i post, dun want to offend too many people who are sick of the lame...
Also, have this strange fixation with the scrollbar length of the blog, somehow have this obssession with making it as short as possible, i.e. need for more long nonsense posts to take up space...
We start off with "super supper"
The East is hot!
The West is not...
(and neither are my essays btw but that's another story...)
Come see the food:
Stingray Stingray
Bak Chor Mee Bak Chor Mee
Chicken Wings Chicken Wings
Ah Balling Ah Balling
Hokkien Mee Hokkien Mee
IQ Balls IQ Balls
Sugarcane Sugarcane
Rambutans Rambutans...
"spinning in the east"
Surely the east has so much more
Than the other parts of Singapore...
Surely it holds something greater,
Oh, i could go on forever...
"an easties' journey"
The daily journey to the west begins with us waking sapped.
A ROAR so THUNDEROUS, a YAWN, sekali kena mishap.
The single place we cannot erase is simply, NUS.
From the blissful east we're taken to unimagined depths,
From where the rising sun resides, to where it sadly sets,
The single place we cannot erase is simply, NUS...
Sometimes the journey just seems endless,
The daily grind relentless.
Oh, even though it seems so senseless,
There are simply no more choices...
(No chorus composed (or massacred, depending on how you look at it)...yet, at least:-P)
Two paths diverged from the road to the west we know,
ECP then AYE, or Pasir Panjang Road...
The path we travel will always be known
As where we moan and groan...
public service announcement for the bce bbq...
Come westies, come look around,
Come hear the easties cry out loud:
"The dinner's here in six whole days,
Head to the place that is next to parkway!!!"
De-ar Dinner, so wondrous and fleeting,
What dishes and items will you be bringing?
De-ar dinner, full of fun and of feasting,
Let's hope our stomachs won't be continually spinning...
Yupyup there's much more nonsense where this came from... but am selective about what i post, dun want to offend too many people who are sick of the lame...
Thursday, May 12, 2005
aiyah
Why must the release of the exam results always be at the most inappropriate of times?
Last sem it was an unwelcome and ill-timed Christmas present that NUS gave us, and now this sem, it's in the middle of my holiday... I can imagine myself now in the US hurriedly calculating the time difference between US pacific time and Singapore time, with my limited math skills honed from years as an arts student, and then scrambling to find the nearest internet connection once it's 11 am 2 Jun in S'pore. Once i access it i'll either be rather moody and not enjoy the rest of my trip, or be at least at peace... I honestly don't forecast anything to really jump for joy for, but, oh well, no point worrying and dwelling on these things, it's all in His hands now. Just pray that the reality for me will be the second scenario...
On a totally unrelated note, have been wondering as of late, especially since i've been taking the bus more recently to milk my $52 undergrad bus pass to the max, as well as attempting to study while on board, that the people who tend to talk at such a volume that the whole floor can hear almost always are not speaking in English. Wonder if it's a Singapore kentang cultural thingy or something like that. Anyway, just as well, since the loud conversations being in a language foreign to me means that i can't eavesdrop and possibly both be rude and be further distracted from what i am doing. Now, if only i could do the same for the incessant irritant that is TV mobile. Do people really even care??? The only thing i find remotely entertaining on TV mobile [and i happen to have watched it at all times of the day] is Just for Laughs gags. Oh, and of course when it's spoilt. That's when i enjoy TV mobile the most... =)
Last sem it was an unwelcome and ill-timed Christmas present that NUS gave us, and now this sem, it's in the middle of my holiday... I can imagine myself now in the US hurriedly calculating the time difference between US pacific time and Singapore time, with my limited math skills honed from years as an arts student, and then scrambling to find the nearest internet connection once it's 11 am 2 Jun in S'pore. Once i access it i'll either be rather moody and not enjoy the rest of my trip, or be at least at peace... I honestly don't forecast anything to really jump for joy for, but, oh well, no point worrying and dwelling on these things, it's all in His hands now. Just pray that the reality for me will be the second scenario...
On a totally unrelated note, have been wondering as of late, especially since i've been taking the bus more recently to milk my $52 undergrad bus pass to the max, as well as attempting to study while on board, that the people who tend to talk at such a volume that the whole floor can hear almost always are not speaking in English. Wonder if it's a Singapore kentang cultural thingy or something like that. Anyway, just as well, since the loud conversations being in a language foreign to me means that i can't eavesdrop and possibly both be rude and be further distracted from what i am doing. Now, if only i could do the same for the incessant irritant that is TV mobile. Do people really even care??? The only thing i find remotely entertaining on TV mobile [and i happen to have watched it at all times of the day] is Just for Laughs gags. Oh, and of course when it's spoilt. That's when i enjoy TV mobile the most... =)
hmmm
Flipped to the ST this morning (not gonna provide a link to it cos refuse to pay a cent to access STI's online edition - yup i shall remain a freeloader) and was struck with some rather disturbing news abt my dear old school, Barker... In short, a single male teacher who apparently has been on staff "since the mid-1990s" [i.e. i probably know who this guy is since i was schooling there at the time] has been accused by more than one student of molestation...
Of course, i dunno anything more about the case so would be quite premature to comment so much on the whole situation, but in any case, if the allegations are true, then it's really sad for the school that i love so much...
Furthermore, this comes on the heels of other disturbing news that i have heard about Barker as of late... And of course also that silly incident regarding some very untrue and unkind allegations made against the principal by an ex student a couple of years ago, both of which i shall not elaborate on...
Yup, well as i was saying, this latest piece of news, as John Cage (the Ally McBeal one, not the avant-garde composer) would say, "troubles me"...
Guess all i can do is pray for the school, that things will be sorted out and will get back to normal, and for wisdom for the school admin and for the general well-being of the school, i guess... I do know, for one thing, that God is in control and is all-sovereign. Amen.
Of course, i dunno anything more about the case so would be quite premature to comment so much on the whole situation, but in any case, if the allegations are true, then it's really sad for the school that i love so much...
Furthermore, this comes on the heels of other disturbing news that i have heard about Barker as of late... And of course also that silly incident regarding some very untrue and unkind allegations made against the principal by an ex student a couple of years ago, both of which i shall not elaborate on...
Yup, well as i was saying, this latest piece of news, as John Cage (the Ally McBeal one, not the avant-garde composer) would say, "troubles me"...
Guess all i can do is pray for the school, that things will be sorted out and will get back to normal, and for wisdom for the school admin and for the general well-being of the school, i guess... I do know, for one thing, that God is in control and is all-sovereign. Amen.
Wednesday, May 11, 2005
lots of stuff
Yay after regaining full lucidity can recap the exciting string of events over the past few days...
Of course, i shall begin with the oft-hyped nite cycling on Sunday nite/Monday morning... Contrary to expectations, it turned out to genuinely be nite cycling with sporadic eating, rather than eating with sporadic nite cycling in between Was really fun, cos so many people came, although the list of people who were supposed to go varied greatly from the final group of people who went. To recap, there was Joel, Andrew, Jocelyn, Chris, Yinbing, Kelvin, Christine, Ian Chen, Ruthann, Jason, Marcus (ever-efficient safety vehicle), Mark (till Kallang at 1050pm) n Minzhi [oh, n me =)]... Got to know several people better, had great fun especially in the frighteningly long slope stretching from PGP all the way to the HSS Library area, where apparently a little accident occured the year before. And we ONLY made two refreshment stops along the way, not counting lagoon food centre before and McD's after... Was really cool to cycle along near-deserted roads at night, save for the occasional taxi now and then... First time night cycling and hopefully not my last (HINT) Anyways, thank God for faithfully keeping us safe throughout the journey to and from Fong Seng from ECP.
Then after a couple of hour's rest went to meet the Sentosa people for dinner before the VCF AGM at NUS... Very interesting AGM, certainly the most entertaining one i've ever attended (not that i've attended many), choice quote: "...God. Is like an onion..." That's what inadequately-long rests and imaginative minds can do to a perfectly innocent analogy...
After that was the 'star-gazing' at Mel's place, which turned out to be more of just plain chilling, with nary an eye casting glances at the sky... Quite a few people went (mainly from thursday cg =), recap: Mel, Angela, Eunice, Meisi, Minghui, Ryan, Deborah (b'day May 17), Angeline, Kevin, Ade the cat, (guest appearance by Jocelyn) n Fern. While playing Bible Charades, found out that a Christian song exists called 'All Rise' [which, for the uninitiated, is also the title of a Blue song], which needless to say inspired some rather interesting guesses for subsequent Hymn titles... Then there were also the rather intriguing games of Bluff (where we realised that Meisi looks like she's lying even when she's telling the truth) and Indian (or is it Russian?) Poker, where yours truly was made to reveal some (juicy?) secrets about himself despite having the cards always being in his favour, while learning much interesting stuff about others too... *dead fish* *juice-o-meter*
Then after staying up the whole night, went to the airport to send the Thailand MEET team off, them i decided to stay behind and waste time at the airport, then send off Beidi who's now at Yellowstone (so fun!), then also bumped into Jack Kie, who's going on the same thingy. LAter after lunch at the airport with Renshao, even managed to see Lydia before she flew off on her India YEP...
Mmmmm All in all, a rather eventful few days i've had. Since then have been sleeping LOADS in order to catch up on countless lost hours. Ah, the irony of it all, have probably lost more sleep hours to these two days of fun then i did over the few weeks spent preparing for and taking the recent exams... Priorities, priorities...
Of course, i shall begin with the oft-hyped nite cycling on Sunday nite/Monday morning... Contrary to expectations, it turned out to genuinely be nite cycling with sporadic eating, rather than eating with sporadic nite cycling in between Was really fun, cos so many people came, although the list of people who were supposed to go varied greatly from the final group of people who went. To recap, there was Joel, Andrew, Jocelyn, Chris, Yinbing, Kelvin, Christine, Ian Chen, Ruthann, Jason, Marcus (ever-efficient safety vehicle), Mark (till Kallang at 1050pm) n Minzhi [oh, n me =)]... Got to know several people better, had great fun especially in the frighteningly long slope stretching from PGP all the way to the HSS Library area, where apparently a little accident occured the year before. And we ONLY made two refreshment stops along the way, not counting lagoon food centre before and McD's after... Was really cool to cycle along near-deserted roads at night, save for the occasional taxi now and then... First time night cycling and hopefully not my last (HINT) Anyways, thank God for faithfully keeping us safe throughout the journey to and from Fong Seng from ECP.
Then after a couple of hour's rest went to meet the Sentosa people for dinner before the VCF AGM at NUS... Very interesting AGM, certainly the most entertaining one i've ever attended (not that i've attended many), choice quote: "...God. Is like an onion..." That's what inadequately-long rests and imaginative minds can do to a perfectly innocent analogy...
After that was the 'star-gazing' at Mel's place, which turned out to be more of just plain chilling, with nary an eye casting glances at the sky... Quite a few people went (mainly from thursday cg =), recap: Mel, Angela, Eunice, Meisi, Minghui, Ryan, Deborah (b'day May 17), Angeline, Kevin, Ade the cat, (guest appearance by Jocelyn) n Fern. While playing Bible Charades, found out that a Christian song exists called 'All Rise' [which, for the uninitiated, is also the title of a Blue song], which needless to say inspired some rather interesting guesses for subsequent Hymn titles... Then there were also the rather intriguing games of Bluff (where we realised that Meisi looks like she's lying even when she's telling the truth) and Indian (or is it Russian?) Poker, where yours truly was made to reveal some (juicy?) secrets about himself despite having the cards always being in his favour, while learning much interesting stuff about others too... *dead fish* *juice-o-meter*
Then after staying up the whole night, went to the airport to send the Thailand MEET team off, them i decided to stay behind and waste time at the airport, then send off Beidi who's now at Yellowstone (so fun!), then also bumped into Jack Kie, who's going on the same thingy. LAter after lunch at the airport with Renshao, even managed to see Lydia before she flew off on her India YEP...
Mmmmm All in all, a rather eventful few days i've had. Since then have been sleeping LOADS in order to catch up on countless lost hours. Ah, the irony of it all, have probably lost more sleep hours to these two days of fun then i did over the few weeks spent preparing for and taking the recent exams... Priorities, priorities...
oooooooh
heehee got so many things to say about the exciting events of the past two days, but sadly my pseudo-jetlaggedness necessitates my leaving this to a later time when my mind is more awake...
Saturday, May 07, 2005
suntec syndrome
In a bizarre series of coincidences, have been to suntec every alternate day for this past week. Last sunday, then tuesday, thursday, and finally, today... After thursday, realised this pattern, and was like, well there's no way i'll be here on saturday too, but circumstances were such that ended up eating at subway again (but yay! nevertheless) for dinner.
Things always seem to happen in excesses, first an excess of always looking longingly at the grey, cold, yet still highly inviting facade of suntec from the outside, everytime i pass it on the way to and from school, while on bus #10, to an excess of visiting suntec which has resulted in a loathing of the very sight of the 'fountain of wealth' which i inevitably come across whenever i am in suntec...
Bleah... Anyways, today found myself waking up at hours not seen since the end of the exams to get to suntec (oops, Freudian slip... rather i mean nus McD's) to meet up with some ACJC choir folk from my year for breakfast, cos Beidi (the very efficient resource manager from my batch) is going off to work at Yellowstone, and then backpack in the States and Puerto Rico till September... So cool... In any case, was really great to catch up... So glad have the chance to meet up with old friends now and then...
Yay, only twenty hours or so till night cycling!!! so exciting!!!
Things always seem to happen in excesses, first an excess of always looking longingly at the grey, cold, yet still highly inviting facade of suntec from the outside, everytime i pass it on the way to and from school, while on bus #10, to an excess of visiting suntec which has resulted in a loathing of the very sight of the 'fountain of wealth' which i inevitably come across whenever i am in suntec...
Bleah... Anyways, today found myself waking up at hours not seen since the end of the exams to get to suntec (oops, Freudian slip... rather i mean nus McD's) to meet up with some ACJC choir folk from my year for breakfast, cos Beidi (the very efficient resource manager from my batch) is going off to work at Yellowstone, and then backpack in the States and Puerto Rico till September... So cool... In any case, was really great to catch up... So glad have the chance to meet up with old friends now and then...
Yay, only twenty hours or so till night cycling!!! so exciting!!!
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
yawnz
the past few days have been quite alarming, i've been feeling really sleepy throughout most of the time, and this evening, had the urge to go to bed at EIGHT pm... Which i suspect hasn't been the case since like primary school... Guess it's all those lost hours due to caffeine while the exams were still on coming back to haunt me...
Anyways, the past two days haven't been that action-packed, but were nevertheless not wasted...
Yesterday met up with David from boat coy in 35sce, whose clearing leave (ah, those were the days...) We were supposed to watch a movie, but basically everything on offer (in my opinion, at least) stank, except for the interpreter, which he had already watched... So we just walked around suntec... (and that means i still haven't watched a movie in a theatre since January) In any case, it was good to catch up on what has been going on since i ORDed :) and on what he should expect in NUS... :(
Then went to school to look at old newspaper clippings at SMC... Dunno why have developed a sudden interest in them, discovered them while i was looking for info while preparing for govt n pol of s'pore. Quite cool, i think, to look back at old news... One totally irrelevant and useless piece of info that i found out was that Chen Hanwei used to be called Albert, while he was competing in Star Search together with Zoe Tay and co...
Today, was driven by the obscenely hot (as in so hot that people have to resort to dressing obscenely) weather to take a swim, but lo and behold, went to two pools and both were closed for some 'internal staff event' so i figured all of them must have been closed, so resolved to swim tomorrow instead... Really need to exercise, getting more and more paranoid abt ippt...
So after that, went to celebrate Grace and Claris' birthdays at some Northern Indian Restaurant in boat quay (if either of you are reading this, happy belated/ not belated/ coming soon birthday!!!) with the year ones from the FOC comm. Food quite good, [of course Grace said grace :P] left quite stuffed, a bit ex, thank God for my handy tuition allowance...
Then, had to get back to church for the tuition that paid for the meal. Lo and behold, midway, my student msgs me and says cannot make it, so decided to go cycling instead, perhaps prepare for the much hyped nite cycling... Anyway, think i overestimated my body's capacity, especially after such a long exam-induced exercise hiatus. Cycled up to Changi Coast Park, but by the time i reached home, my legs were quite done for the day... Hope they'll be ok by tomorrow, sekali kena cramp tomorrow in the pool...
Need to sleepzzzzz
Anyways, the past two days haven't been that action-packed, but were nevertheless not wasted...
Yesterday met up with David from boat coy in 35sce, whose clearing leave (ah, those were the days...) We were supposed to watch a movie, but basically everything on offer (in my opinion, at least) stank, except for the interpreter, which he had already watched... So we just walked around suntec... (and that means i still haven't watched a movie in a theatre since January) In any case, it was good to catch up on what has been going on since i ORDed :) and on what he should expect in NUS... :(
Then went to school to look at old newspaper clippings at SMC... Dunno why have developed a sudden interest in them, discovered them while i was looking for info while preparing for govt n pol of s'pore. Quite cool, i think, to look back at old news... One totally irrelevant and useless piece of info that i found out was that Chen Hanwei used to be called Albert, while he was competing in Star Search together with Zoe Tay and co...
Today, was driven by the obscenely hot (as in so hot that people have to resort to dressing obscenely) weather to take a swim, but lo and behold, went to two pools and both were closed for some 'internal staff event' so i figured all of them must have been closed, so resolved to swim tomorrow instead... Really need to exercise, getting more and more paranoid abt ippt...
So after that, went to celebrate Grace and Claris' birthdays at some Northern Indian Restaurant in boat quay (if either of you are reading this, happy belated/ not belated/ coming soon birthday!!!) with the year ones from the FOC comm. Food quite good, [of course Grace said grace :P] left quite stuffed, a bit ex, thank God for my handy tuition allowance...
Then, had to get back to church for the tuition that paid for the meal. Lo and behold, midway, my student msgs me and says cannot make it, so decided to go cycling instead, perhaps prepare for the much hyped nite cycling... Anyway, think i overestimated my body's capacity, especially after such a long exam-induced exercise hiatus. Cycled up to Changi Coast Park, but by the time i reached home, my legs were quite done for the day... Hope they'll be ok by tomorrow, sekali kena cramp tomorrow in the pool...
Need to sleepzzzzz
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
exercise
yay yet another productive day today. To start off, i really thank God for the opportunity to not be rushed whenever doing my qt now that there is nothing to really rush for in the first place... More time to just sit in quiet and wait upon Him, it can be a very enriching experience...
Anyways, went over to tampines to watch some of the church pple play badminton. Since i know am really hopeless at it (last time during pe in acjc would serve by throwing the shuttlecock across the net) cycled over so would have the perfect excuse not to bring a racket. In any case refused to (attempt to) play once i got there, in spite of all the urging of everyone, for fear of severely maluating myself... Have realised how sports such as these may look really easy, but when i play them, they all of a sudden look very difficult. And the cycling made up for the lack of exercising through playing badminton, so in the end all is well... =)
After that biked over to Mel's eastern house to chill out with some cf people, which we proceeded to do till around an hour or so ago, watching DVDs (FINALLY caught The Incredibles), talking, poking one anothers' sides, and doing other assorted post-exam stuff... *smilez*
Dunno why so sleepy today, maybe its the sudden burst of exercise after months of dormancy spent mainly poring over school-related work... Off to bed...
Can't wait for night cycling!!!
Anyways, went over to tampines to watch some of the church pple play badminton. Since i know am really hopeless at it (last time during pe in acjc would serve by throwing the shuttlecock across the net) cycled over so would have the perfect excuse not to bring a racket. In any case refused to (attempt to) play once i got there, in spite of all the urging of everyone, for fear of severely maluating myself... Have realised how sports such as these may look really easy, but when i play them, they all of a sudden look very difficult. And the cycling made up for the lack of exercising through playing badminton, so in the end all is well... =)
After that biked over to Mel's eastern house to chill out with some cf people, which we proceeded to do till around an hour or so ago, watching DVDs (FINALLY caught The Incredibles), talking, poking one anothers' sides, and doing other assorted post-exam stuff... *smilez*
Dunno why so sleepy today, maybe its the sudden burst of exercise after months of dormancy spent mainly poring over school-related work... Off to bed...
Can't wait for night cycling!!!
Sunday, May 01, 2005
Turn left, turn right
Ok, haven't even watched the movie (haven't voluntarily watched a single chinese movie apart from zhen1 xin1 hua4, which was atrocious, btw), and have only the vaguest idea what it is about, but for some strange reason, this movie (and the accompanying Stefanie Sun song -yes, i do listen to [some] chinese music) popped into my head, after the course of today's exciting events have unfolded.
Went to Suntec after church with Daniel, Eunice and Nana from church cell to chill out after (and in the two girls' case, in the midst of) exams, had an ice blended and a jelak cheesecake at coffee bean, before Dan and i left to go back. Decided to check out some dvds at HMV first so said byebye to Dan, but not before bumping into Ian from vcffoc at citylink. Tot to myself, ok have met my requirement for always bumping into someone i know whenever i go to the Suntec/citylink/raffles city area...
Then, at HMV, saw Jiun Horng from my batch of ACJC Choir, whom i haven't seen in YEARS, so was really great to catch up after so long. After that, was on my way to raffles city to tarpow (sp?) Subway, before going home, when i had barely stepped out of HMV, when i saw Joel, Mel, Jocelyn and Princess Deborah (whose birthday is 17 May) from vcf. They even were apparently talking about me at the moment when i appeared... How uncanny is that? hahaha...
So decided to follow them back to suntec. On the way went with Deb to see Eunice and Nana, who were studying at McD's... (Mutual friends - so cool - such a small world S'pore is)
Anyway, we had dinner and a long conversation at Subway (YAY!!!) and were walking back to go home when, just when i tot had my fair share of pleasant surprises for the day, Mrs Wilson and Mrs Chiang from ACJC Choir popped up behind us... Realise they must have noticed Joel's head towering over the rest of us from a distance...
Haha such an eventful day... Thank God even for these little pleasant surprises to brighten up your otherwise mundane day. Hope that the rest of this long break will see more of such little pleasures beckoning...
Went to Suntec after church with Daniel, Eunice and Nana from church cell to chill out after (and in the two girls' case, in the midst of) exams, had an ice blended and a jelak cheesecake at coffee bean, before Dan and i left to go back. Decided to check out some dvds at HMV first so said byebye to Dan, but not before bumping into Ian from vcffoc at citylink. Tot to myself, ok have met my requirement for always bumping into someone i know whenever i go to the Suntec/citylink/raffles city area...
Then, at HMV, saw Jiun Horng from my batch of ACJC Choir, whom i haven't seen in YEARS, so was really great to catch up after so long. After that, was on my way to raffles city to tarpow (sp?) Subway, before going home, when i had barely stepped out of HMV, when i saw Joel, Mel, Jocelyn and Princess Deborah (whose birthday is 17 May) from vcf. They even were apparently talking about me at the moment when i appeared... How uncanny is that? hahaha...
So decided to follow them back to suntec. On the way went with Deb to see Eunice and Nana, who were studying at McD's... (Mutual friends - so cool - such a small world S'pore is)
Anyway, we had dinner and a long conversation at Subway (YAY!!!) and were walking back to go home when, just when i tot had my fair share of pleasant surprises for the day, Mrs Wilson and Mrs Chiang from ACJC Choir popped up behind us... Realise they must have noticed Joel's head towering over the rest of us from a distance...
Haha such an eventful day... Thank God even for these little pleasant surprises to brighten up your otherwise mundane day. Hope that the rest of this long break will see more of such little pleasures beckoning...
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