Maybe one day i'll grow up

Cut lip

2012-02-04T19:00:00.002+08:00

Ouch. My upper lip sustained 2 cuts because some hall 6 waterpolo player banged his head against my mouth. Its been almost 5 days and it doesnt seem to get any better even after putting salt (double ouch)

how

Expectations, Heavy burden, God and Hope

2011-11-13T00:00:00.002+08:00

Who is this person that i see in the mirror? What of the expectations that others have on him? What of the expectations that he has of himself? What about all the promises and hardships that will face him when he comes out to the world in 7 months time?

I see a confident yet insecure man. I see a mature yet childish personality. I see a flicker of fire in his eyes, yet is still so naive. I see a passion of wanting to be more than what he can become, yet is held back by things he cannot control.

I am only 24, still young but with lots of responsibilities. I am only 24 yet i want to be 34. I want a good paying job; good advancement in my career; happy with my friends, colleagues, bosses and working hours; drive a nice car; live in a comfortable home with my wife at my side every night, watching the night pass by. Not having to worry about work or the meeting that i'll have tomorrow. She not having to worry about work or the meeting tomorrow. Everything in its place, where it should be.

But why does this never work out for anyone?Are we expecting too much in this lifetime? Can life ever be perfect? Can it ever be sweet and blissful? I know the answer but it is so hard to get there. I know that only God can give me that happiness and that I have to make him the center of my life. I know too that even when the world turns against me, when my parents turn against me, I still have him and I can trust in him completely and get through all hardships. But just how hard it is to make him the center of my life.

God is the cornerstone in my life and from that cornerstone, I build my life. He has given me my Dad who has provided the family with the stability it needs. Given my mom the love that she deserves. He has given me a comfortable family to grow up in. He has given me Debbie whom is the love of my life. And blessed me with the opportunity of being able to study in the University.

I look forward with hope and renewed vigor. That with him all things are possible. I've met with hard times and suffered but without them, i wouldn't be who i am today. More will come and they will only make me come out of my comfort zone and grow up and mature into the man that I will become. The man his son will look up to with admiration and draw inspiration to become a better person that I will ever be.

I pray that we will all find our own happiness. Amen.

Life....

2011-09-04T21:08:00.002+08:00

Is tough isn't it?

Work, family, friends, girlfriend, money(or the lack of it), bad economy, projects, energy(and the lack of it again)

Why can't life be easy and carefree? Sitting by the balcony chilling or watching a movie in the living room couch and watch the days pass by..

I have yet to reset things in my life and things have started to pile up even more.

I think...... I just need a good sleep today. And hopefully wake up all energetic and ready to FIGHT!

If I have a chance to relive my life... I wish I could be born an ang mor in Australia or New Zealand or somewhere chillax like that

Start of new semester

2011-08-22T08:43:00.002+08:00

Just some ramblings after coming out from the shower..

Ok. I'll admit it now. I started off this semester really horribly. If I could, i'll press the reset button right now. Here is why:

- Into the 3rd week and I am already 2 lectures (4hrs) behind time.

- There are 3 tutorials tomorrow and 2 i have not attended the lectures

- I got to do my FYP literature review by Wednesday

- I got to submit my resume to Stephen Chong to vet by this Friday

- On top of all these, I got very important things to do every night

- Go to HDB tonight (maybe)

- Go and discuss about which flat to take on Tuesday night

- Choose my flat (yay!!) on Wednesday morning = missing another 2 hours lecture

- Attend career talks every night

- Meet up with breniel for dinner

- Train or beach nationals

-To top all of it all, I forgot to bring my earphones. That means I cant listen to my online lectures on the go. zzz

Ok. I've straighten out my priorities. Trash training and the career talks and the dinner. I got to settle my school work first. I'm going to catch up and be up to date by the end of this week. Time to press the reset button. Better now than later.

Wish me all the best of luck this Wed. Hope me and debbie can get the balcony unit *prays

Disappointed

2011-08-10T09:14:00.002+08:00

Disappointed that in the end even when I tried to turn myself blind to the facts, this time it smashed right into my face:

"Perhaps its time for some other people to grow up"

Shirking responsibility, being super ignorant, acting innocent, being very selfish, acting defenseless and helpless etc etc. 1 more year to graduation and out into the fray you'll go. All I can say is... Good luck

You do have lots in fact, with someone awesome looking over your back and protecting you. But when he is gone, perhaps then you'll be forced to grow up.

All the best

Reflections II

2011-07-28T10:16:00.005+08:00

As i pack my bag, getting ready to leave my hostel which marks the end of my Summer studies, a few things dawned upon me:

I've seen how narrow minded people can be. Life in an overseas program be more about seeing the world, mixing with people, making mistakes and learning from them. No doubt I do not really like talking to people but at least I make an effort because I see the benefits of doing so.

At the same time I've seen how widely read and travelled others are. This has made my more humble and curious as to how the rest of the world really is. No amount of studies in lectures and textbooks will be able to replicate this experience.

I've mixed around with many people from different cultures and being exposed to them have exposed the flaws in our own Singaporean culture. It's sad that it is evident that some of us are so stuck in our own world and contented with what we have. It's like the Chinese phrase: 井底之蛙.

I'll miss the friends I've made here, the carefree live that as a Singaporean, have never experienced while in an education system. The late nights at bars, clubs and beaches getting drunk, being stupid and at the end of it all, take only 10 minutes to walk back to home.

Overall, I'll like to thank my parents and my debbie for being supportive throughout this whole program. I feel like I have finally grew up a little bit, know a bit more about myself and it's an experience that I would recommend everyone who has the opportunity to really take this by the collar and go and try it, even if it is just for a short period of a month

Reflection

2011-07-26T21:10:00.001+08:00

I am Me. I don't have to be who people want me to be or try to pretend something that I am not. I have often wondered:"What do I want in life? Who am I?"

After countless nights of reflection and deep pensive thoughts, I have arrived at a conclusion. I am kind, I avoid conflicts and unhappiness as much as I can because I don't like them. I prefer to agree than disagree.

I love peace and harmony. I love to be challenged at work, to work to impress and be accepted. I prefer to truly know someone rather than just touch and go. I don't really care about riches and fanciful cars.

I want to love and be loved, have a happy and supportive family. Call me naive but that is what I believe and want. Up to now, I don't believe in all the riches that everyone says the banking world promises.

What profits a man who gains the world but loses his soul? It's not that I believe that I will rot in hell if I go for fame and riches but rather, its that in this world, I'm afraid to live in misery everyday and die unhappy.

We can't take our riches to the other world when we die. "Who says there is another world anyway?" Some would argue. "So you might as well enjoy life here to the max and get filthy rich! After all, you only have one life."

Exactly my point. Who are you to tell me that being rich is the only way to being happy? I know I'll be more than contented with just a supportive family, loving wife, great kids, doting grandparents and with just enough to live by.

"What a naive and girly dream that is" But who are you to tell me about how I should want to live my life and even more so, who are you to tell me that I should not go after my dream?

Yes, there were times when I feel confused. I want to know the whole world, yet I also want to be left alone. At times I want to get it all: be that charismatic person that everyone loves and be that successful person that everyone looks up to. Yet I want to be left alone at the side of the party too.

Isn't that what being human is all about? It's a never ending search for answers to questions. Making mistakes and learning from them, being pensive and being caught up in the moment. I hope that even if I discount everything else, this trip has made me more aware of myself and who I am, who I want to be and one step closer to achieving the happiness that everyone seeks.

"Because when the world quiets to the sound of your own breathing, we all want the same things: comfort, love and a peaceful heart" - Mitch Albom, author of have a little faith.

Korea Day 2

2011-06-26T23:57:00.002+08:00

It was raining intermittently the whole day. Some times a light drizzle, other time a heavy down pour with strong winds that threaten to destroy our umbrellas.

We started the day with our orientation of SNU. SNU is HUGE. if you think NTU is hilly and big, think again.

Met up with my bro and suyi and they brought us for dinner at myeongdong at this pepperlunch style restaurant. Difference is: They cook for you!! Awesome food. Had some street food too and hear this: You-can-eat-on-the-train! Coupled with the cold weather, i think im gg to get a culture shock when i get back to singapore

Went to namsam tower and its very beautiful. I dare say its a better view than victoria's peak in HK. Went to their guesthouse and its UBER big and clean and comfy. fml.

Finally got my adapter, thanks to bro and suyi. Woon taught me alot of new korean words, decent ones like how to count etc. Very useful. Now waiting for laundry to be done.. Got to shower first. ciao!

Korea Day 1

2011-06-26T00:31:00.003+08:00

Was kind of excited before leaving. The plane ride was kind of bumpy cuz of turbulence. Other than that Korean air is just abt the same as any other airlines.

Touched down and it was cold and slightly drizzling. Hopped onto a cab and the cab driver got lost. Didnt know where my hostel was even though i showed him the address i took from their website. -_-'' got off at hongik station, talked to someone from their 7-11 and finally got to the place

People here know zit about english language, except for a girl who gave us directions to the hostel.

Thank goodness Woon knew how to speak and read korean or i would have been left stranded on the street and have walked pass the hostel without knowing it was the hostel (Their hostel name is written in korean)

Pathetic hostel room. Very small. Their toilet is about 3x3 foot at the most. Its gross. No idea how im going to survive here for a month. Bro and suyi yet to meet me. Hope they didnt get lost too.

Searching

2011-06-07T01:06:00.004+08:00

What do I want in life? What do I want to achieve? Family or career?

What are my values? What do I believe in? Have I been heading in the right direction?

All these questions have been surfacing and filling up my thoughts but i haven't seem to be able to find an answer to any of them.

I can't seem to be able to write any good reports or get down to do things. Perhaps I have lost my drive. One day off from work has left me dreading to go back more instead of feeling recharged.

Career, HDB, money for marriage and photo shoots. Unplanned Korean trip, missing my babee while i'm over there, her missing me, losing weight etc

Life is so messy but am I unhappy?

Perhaps I just need a good sleep and i'll forget all these problems. They'll straighten themselves out somehow, those that don't will come back and haunt me. But lets leave that for another night.

I got a battle tomorrow. I got to cease the opportunities and start to grow up and mature. Time and tide waits for no man. Will you be there to catch me when i fall?

Brotherly advice

2011-06-02T00:19:00.003+08:00

Being the great procrastinator, and hopelessly forgetful person that i am, i thought that i better pen this down before it fades away..

My bro is going to UK to study and his presence will be sorely missed. His insightful thoughts, questions and words of wisdom have helped me grow as a person. Sometimes it seems like he is the older brother. =s. haha

Nevertheless, he seems to come over to my room to talk to me more often about this and that. Sometimes just random chit chat, sometimes more intriguing stuff but its what i like best. Quality time

Who am I? What values do i have and want? Am i achieving my purpose in life? Is this the most logical and rational way to do things?

These are just some of the questions that he asks. Lots of soul searching.. I was getting there, just taking my time. But better to sort this out asap for my own growth as a person.

Ok. Back to my manga. ciao!

Student life

2011-04-07T13:02:00.004+08:00

They say that you will never appreciate what you have until you lose it. Now that i am having a break from work and currently in schoool, I could take a look at what school life is like from a different perspective. School life... is full of buzz. Every student here is brimming with enthusiasm and full of life.In their eyes, i see dreams, isee hope that will never exist in a person that has been out toiling in the working world for years. Somehow, the harsh realities of the world has eroded them of the chance to dream. Will my dreams be shattered by the time i come out of this university life and be crushed by the harsh realities of the world?

In their eyes, i see life. Such buzz created by them from interacting with friends or friends that they have just met. There is no decit in their voices, no lies in their speech, such innocnnc is so refreshing. The air seems fresher, the sky is much clearer, the world less tainted and the walk in their steps are lighter. Why do i see that so many working people drag their feet to work?

In the students, i see joy and i sense life. Working people work their lives away, slowly eroding their sense of joy, their ability to enjoy life. There is no smile, there is no joy, there is no life. Will I become like that?

Admittedly, life as a student is not a bed of roses. I still can remember the taste of such biitter sorrow when i was cramming for exam. The utter dispair that i felt when i couped up myself, not knowing when day and when night was. Hours turned into days and days turned into weeks. Every minute spent seems to pass by slower and slower as the upcoming exam looms upon the near horizon.

But as compared to working, one will never experience freedom like this ever again. Wake up when you want, study when you want, eat when u feel like it, or dont when you feel like it too. Travel overseas for holidays without caring how much work you have left behind or worry about bosses seeking an explaination for your long absense from work. Wear what you feel like, sleep when you feel like it and do anything that you feel like.

A student's life is part of growing up and definitely a wonderful experience that one will look back wihth a smile on their faces. But all this is i preparation for the outsid world, where it is not as forgiving, not as carefree and definitely a much longer route to take as we walk on this journey called life.

Swimfest 2011

2011-03-06T09:55:00.010+08:00

I'm seriously going to get a pair of shades.

Swimfest passed by really fast and I can't wait to join next year's one.

This year's prizes was much better than last year's but sadly the response was halved. Nevertheless it was very fun. Looking forward to next year as a participant!

Dark times

2010-12-12T22:14:00.000+08:00

Who will show me the way out of this darkness that fills my heart?

2010-11-28T16:28:00.003+08:00

My roomie brought back lunch for me today. Super thoughtful of him. He knew his mom was cooking for some guests and if I wanted, he could ask his mom to cook and extra portion and bring it back for me today.

When we first stayed in the same room, we took some time to get use to each other's habits. Gradually, we knew each other's patterns and habits and with some care and concern for each other, 3 years have passed smoothly.

Everyone has their flaws, but if you learn to overlook them, living together is not so impossible after all.

I wish

2010-11-26T00:03:00.002+08:00

I wish that...

- I am smart

- Life is not so tough

- This pain i'm experiencing will pass really quickly

- Exams will slowly come because I dont have enough time to study

- You are here with me

Fried Fish in Thai sauce

2010-10-23T13:07:00.003+08:00

Ingredients:

1. Fish

2. 03 x Chilli

3. 05 x Garlic

4. o2 x Parsley Root

5. Half a pack of Palm Sugar/03 x spoonful of sugar

6. Asam Water/Lemon

7. Chinese Parsley

8. Cooking oil

Preparation steps:

1. Rub fish with a salt (1 fingertip worth of salt/Fish the size of your hand)

2. Blend the Chilli, Garlic and parsley root in an electric blender

*Tip 1: In between blending, stop for a while to shake the mixture to ensure a more even mix

Cooking steps:

1. Deep fry the fish

*Tip 2: Remove all traces of water using tissue paper from the fish!! Or risk oil splattering onto your face. haha.

*Tip 3: Slowly slide the fish into the oil

2. Cover the wok. Cuz oil might start splattering out of the wok

3. Turn the fish over after 3-5 minutes

4. Deep fry until the fish is cooked and remove to drain off the oil

5. Add in slightly more oil than the volume of your blend

6. Add in your blended mixture and fry until fragrant

7. Add in Palm sugar and fry until it more or less disappears

8. Add in Asam water

9. Continually readjust taste

*Not sourish enough = Add more asam water/lemon

*Not saltish enough = Add more salt

*Not sweet enough = Add more sugar/Palm sugar

*Too spicy = Add more sugar/Palm sugar

10. Add in fish to the sauce and simmer for a while

Tao Gua with mince meat

2010-10-23T12:47:00.004+08:00

Ingredients:

1. 01 x Tao Gua

2. 01 x handful of mince meat

3. Salt and peppers

4. 01 x plastic spoonful of cornflour

5. 01 x Garlic

6. 01 x Medium Sized Onion

7. Spring Onion

Preparation Steps:

1. Dice the onion and Garlic

2. Marinate the mince meat with salt and pepper

3. Cut Tao Gua into desired size

4. Put 01 x spoonful of cornflour with tap water

Cooking Steps:

1. Deep fry the Tao Gua

*Tip 1: Add them one at a time to prevent oil from splashing into your face

*Tip 2: Continually stir the Tao Gua, else they will stick to the wok

*Tip 3: If using Toufu (Cylindrical shaped ones), add even more oil when deep frying because they tend to stick to the wok more easily.

2. Remove the Tao Gua after the skin has formed.

3. Drain away the oil and leave about 04 x spoonful worth of oil in the wok.

4. Fry until they slightly brown

5. Remove the onion and drain away the oil. To be used later as garnish

6. Add a little more oil to what is left in the wok

7. Add the diced garlic

8. Lightly fry it and add in the mince meat

9. Add in just enough water until it can cover the mince meat

10. Add in cornflour to make the sauce sticky

11. Add in Tao Gua and spring onion

*Tip 4: Add more water if it turns too sticky

*Tip 5: Add in a little bit of dark soy sauce for colour

*Tip 6: Adjust the taste accordingly by tasting the sauce at intervals. e.g. More pepper/salt etc.

What are you afraid of?

2010-09-28T02:20:00.004+08:00

Fear prevents someone from moving forward, yet at the same time it can motivate people too.

I'm afraid of all the tough times that are going to come. No. I don't want them. Yet it is inevitable.

Is the lesser of 2 evils considered to be good? My strength is failing even before the battle has started.

I can't stay like this. I will get up and pick up my sword and fight. Fight to the bitter end.

But I know that I will not be fighting this war alone. Hopefully by then, I will see the light once again.

Everyone has their evils to fight right?

What are you afraid of?

Hall life

2010-09-14T00:19:00.008+08:00

I hear people gathering outside on my level this minute, talking loudly and cheering and it made me come to a conclusion:

I don't like hall life.

Sad but true. I don't think that they are unfriendly or bad people, I think they are just the same as anyone but I just don't seem to want to be with them.

At the end of the day, everyone is just fighting to get into that recommendation list. I hate it when people are fake, when people do things for a hidden agenda. Hall is 黑暗.

I've finally had enough of this and don't wish to become the person I hate anymore. I'll just be myself and do things because I WANT TO

Lifeguard Committee is different. I'm in there because I like swimming and partly because I hope to get points to stay hall next year. I like the people here as well, I feel more at home with them because they are friends that I trust.

May the good Lord bless you

2010-09-12T23:41:00.002+08:00

Happy Birthday Bro! Wonder if you will ever read this post. haha.

Had a fantastic dinner with you, Mom, Dad, Rita, Debbie and Su yi at Carousel.

May the good Lord bless you

Swimming marathon

2010-09-12T23:24:00.003+08:00

I managed to survive a 152 lap swim in 3 hours! It was no mean feat and I'm very proud of myself. It's another achievement that I'll relinquish for some time.

Although I did feel exhausted by the end of it, I didnt wake up the next day with the whole-body-sore kind of feeling that I get from my usual training. Perhaps I can try for more laps next year?

The experience was unique. One lane to swim over and one lane to swim back. At times the lane was so crowded, it felt like I was at a club.

All the jostling around was no fun especially when you accidentally take in a mouthful of water instead of air when someone swims past. Zzz..

The lap gifts were disappointing. For all my efforts I only got...

1. SPF 130 sunblock

2. Facial wash

3. $5 frolick voucher

4. Hair wax

5. Aloe vera gel

I heard last year they got potato chips! Sounds more useful to me =p Nevertheless, it was an interesting experience. I managed to test my endurance and push myself to the limits.

Conclusion: Swimming still rocks. Beats running anytime

23rd Birthday celebration II

2010-09-07T21:18:00.003+08:00

Since my birthday was such a blast, I thought that it would be a waste not to write about it. So... Here are the events that happened on the 3rd Sept 2010:

- My babee called me at 12am and played a hamster/chipmunk version of the Happy birthday song and one more version then we chatted for a while

- I left to Jun Hua's room to play mahjong with Woon and the loser had to drink Martini. Poor JH, ended up drinking most of it =p

- Dragged myself out of bed to go for ushering duties and got a free goodies bag with a thumbdrive and a jacket for my babee

- Made my friends suck in helium and sing me the Happy Birthday Song! Damn funny. (Video suppose to be uploaded by my fat friend cheryl but she mia recently)

- Got shoes for my present from my friends!

- Went out to meet my dear at 15 minutes for light dinner. Got a surprise from her =D

- Went to Liquids cafe for second dinner with family and had a cheesecake as my bday cake

- Tried to reply all the messages on facebook but k.o-ed halfway through

-End-

Exciting right?? hahaha. My friends are awesome, and my dearest even more so ;) Thanks everyone for the well wishes and gifts =)

Let the battle begin

2010-08-29T17:54:00.003+08:00

LIKE it or not, BELIEVE it or not, ACCEPT it or not, the fact is that school is starting tomorrow. It took me quite some time before the fact settled in.

But now i'm all ready to take on the semester head on. I mentioned before about taking 7 papers in a semester and how I almost died. This summer... Its equally horrible especially with a f-ed up exam schedule. zzzz

Oh... and I'm going to take up a new cca: Attending career talks. You may think its still one year too early but i say its never too early to find out more about a decision that will affect your whole career life.

So those interested in going for the talks pm me, we can go tgt =D

Other than that, it looks like its going to be a uber hectic semester once again.

So lets get the adrenaline pumping and the party started!

23rd Birthday celebration

2010-08-26T02:01:00.002+08:00

My babee planned for me a birthday outing/treat and i LOVED it to the max =D

First was a facial at Leonard Drake. Something that I have wanted for some time. I lost track of all the steps and treatments that they put on my face but overall it was a relaxing and great experience.

Now my skin looks 6 years younger. Its more taut, smoother, whiter and no more clogged pores. muahaha

Then we went to Riders Cafe at Fairway/Eng neo ave. Ulu place where there are lots of horses and decent food

Finally for dinner we went to P.S. Cafe at Dempsey Ave. 10/10 for its ambiance. Glass walls to see the outside, fresh but smelly flowers on the inside and fantastic cheese toast and beef stew. Highly recommended those who want a romantic night out with your special one.

Thanks dear for this. You made me feel very special

Cologne 102

2010-08-26T01:37:00.011+08:00

I'm suppose to do a blog entry on how to choose cologne but i think i'll skip all the details and go straight to the point... Most important rule:

- Spray ONE on yourself and walk around for at least half hour and smell it every 5 min. If you like it after that long, it's probably something you can consider getting.

Things to take note:

- Strength of the cologne

- Longevity

- Changes in the smell from top, middle and bass note.

Here is the REAL reason why i have this entry.. My mom paid for a new cologne for my birthday!! So breathe it all in you lucky people when i start to use it next sem. Here are the reviews of all the colognes I have so far.

Bvlgari Aqva Pour Homme Marine. Rating: 7.5/10

-Smells fantastically heavenly great

-Longevity kind of sucks

-New birthday present

-Hope my skin will adapt to it and make it last longer and smell stronger

Hugo Boss Pure. Rating: 9/10

-Best Woody and executive smell

-Used to its longevity sucks until i got the Bvlgari

-But some say Bvlgari smelt stronger so im abit confused

Calvin Klein Escape. Rating: 7/10

-Aromatic smelling for someone feeling mature

-Lasts forever with just one spray

-Smelt horrible at first but as I grew older I'm starting to like it more and more

Calvin Klein Eternity. Rating: 7.5/10

-Aromatic smelling for someone feeling younger

-Decent longevity.

-Used to smell great but after 5 plus years i think the cologne has started to deteriorate. *Sigh

Dolce & Gabbana Pour Homme. Rating: 4/10

-Floral scent

-Reminds me of air freshener therefore low rating

-Lasts quite long and still very strong smell

Back home

2010-07-31T21:26:00.003+08:00

I've got to make a correction to my previous post. It should be very late nights and very early mornings. I only slept 5 hours in 2-3 days. Other than the lack of sleep, I felt that this ICT(reservist) was quite memorable.

Looking back on how I felt when was there 2 years ago, I felt that I have grown up a little. I used to want people to acknowledge my hard work as an Admin spec and a Platoon Sergeant

But after I got the letter of commendation, I didn't feel any different than an hour ago. Come to think of it, I haven't even opened the envelope yet! lolx

I'm still reflecting on this but perhaps its because I have realised that I am not the only one carrying all the burden. I have many people I can depend on =)

They too have seemed to have grown up and are more dependable. How different will it be a year from now?

I might be promoted next year but what is the point of it? I don't feel as if I deserve it. There are others who work just as hard as me and are even more capable but stay one rank lower. I guess this reflects what the outside world is like, except that I have become the person I hate.

Then again, I just have to prove myself worthy right? Nothing is written in stone yet anyway so no use thinking about it.

Being able to see my friends once more was what made the ict worth the while. Catching up with them, getting updates on their lives and going through thick and thin together etc.

NS does bond people together because we all work towards a common goal: Get out of this place safe and asap! So in that sense, our bonds are strengthened and are life long friends material =)

Nonetheless, though it felt weird coming back home, I'm glad that I'm back safe and sound in the arms of my loved ones.

Back to camp

2010-07-25T23:25:00.003+08:00

In a few hours, i'll be back at Sungei Gendong. Its inevitable. More late nights, early mornings and admin work. Anyways.... This will be a happy post because someone said that my previous posts all very emo. haha

Things that made my week

1. Jay Chou concert
2. Strike 3rd prize in 4D ($20 nia cuz i bought ibet but hey! How many of u strike 3rd prize on first try before? =p)
3. I bought my dream phone - A clam phone! (Camera-less. For army)
4. Spent lots of quality time and shared wonderful moments with my love

Short and sweet entry =)

So long for 5 days!

The day superman crashed to the ground

2010-07-20T14:53:00.002+08:00

Sorry guys,

I just felt off yesterday. Could be the alcohol, could be the slight flu, but whatever it was, yesterday superman could not fly.

I hope to bounce back by tomorrow for my last training before nationals. It has been one helluva journey with everyone. Jia you for trg!

Feelings on 19-Jul

2010-07-19T17:39:00.006+08:00

What spoilt my day

- The lousy mee rebus for breakfast
- Too much time spent on tumblr
- Having to redo my work because of a new directive my big big boss
- The thought of going back for reservist

What prevented it from getting worse

- Perfect cool weather in the morning
- Got my tumblr blog started
- An sms from Debbie

Hopefully the swim later will make my day or maybe I just miss you

http://williamsummerspring.tumblr.com/

Introduction to Cologne

2010-07-15T10:25:00.021+08:00

Finally its here! My mini guide on cologne and everything you need to know about it. Lets start with 10 things one should know:

10. Different Class of Perfumes

Colognes are usually made up of the fragrance itself and alcohol. The more fragrance, the strong the smell(duh~)

Extrait Perfume>Eau de Parfum>Eau de Toilette>Eau de Cologne>Eau de Solide.

9. Some Vocab!

a. Sillage - The trail of scent that one leaves behind
b. Longevity - How long the cologne lasts on you

8. Olfactory breakdown of a cologne

There are 3 main smells in a cologne:

Top note - This is the scent upon your first application. Lasts for around 5 min
Middle note - After which, the scent would change to this and stays for about 15 min
Bass note - The scent that lingers and stays with you after the first 15 min till the time it wears off

7. Variety of scent groups

What makes every cologne unique is their combination of ingredients but generally they can be classified into the following:

Woody/Aquatic/Floral/Aromatic/Fougere/Oriental

Combination of scent groups are quite common e.g. Woody aquatic or Aromatic aquatic. So choosing the right one for yourself is an more of an art than a science~

6. Application instructions

Believe is or not, the secret is not to apply too much. At most 2-3 sprays or risk choking everyone around you with your cologne! Point to note: Your nose will get used to the scent therefore your cologne is actually stronger than it seems(smells)!

Apply it on places where your pulse points are(but not all of them!)
-Wrists. Spray on one of your wrist and rub or tap your wrists together
-Neck. Just one spray here would do
-Chest. Are there any bigger pulse points than this?
-Back. Some say this will create a better sillage
-Behind your ears. After spraying on your wrists, rub them behind your ears

Spraying on your clothes will only stain them and it won't last long

5. Increasing Longevity

For better longevity, apply the cologne after you have dried yourself from a shower

Do not put your cologne after using a different fragrance smelling shower gel. It might weaken or worse still, cancel out your cologne

4. Body Chemistry

You might notice that the same cologne one person sometimes smells differently when on another person will smell. This is because everyone's body chemistry is unique and reacts differently with the cologne.

Also, the strength and longevity depends heavily on each person's chemistry with the Cologne.

3. Varying your cologne

Change your cologne according to the various times of the day or the occasion to suit the mood or risk being known by that scent only.

After all, there are so many fantastic fragrances around, why do you have to settle for only one?

2. Storage

In order ensure that you well chosen bottle of cologne lasts for as long as possible, one must know how to take care of it.

Put it in a cool and dry place, away from the sunlight and places where it experiences temperature changes. Placing it in the toilet is not advisable.

1. Dare to try

Lastly, take that leap of faith and pluck up your courage to go the counter and try out different types of cologne.

Don't be too paiseh to pick up a bottle and spray on yourself or the piece of paper provided. A whole new world awaits you when you open that door!

If this post is popular, I may consider writing another post on "How to choose a cologne."

Hope it was useful information for everyone!

Comments anyone??

Leaps and bounds

2010-07-12T16:22:00.010+08:00

Thats how i would describe my improvement in my swimming timing since i started training for my Superlifesaver. Its my main event for this Nationals in case you were wondering..

At the recent friendly at RP, i improved by 5 sec! Now my PB is 3.15 min. On target to achieving my goal.

But no doubt the road from here will be even tougher because to maintain such phenomenal improvement requires an even greater amount of effort.

I've indeed come a long way from my initial timing of 3.40 but i wont be satisfied till I've achieved what I want.

Anyway, I've decided to start having entries where I share some interesting articles that I've read online. Hope to do this frequently and that you'll find it useful/interesting. Here are today's reads:

Memory Boosters:
http://lifestyle.xin.msn.com/en/health/wellbeing/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4165782

Natural Mood Lifters:
http://lifestyle.xin.msn.com/en/health/wellbeing/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4165783

Fun Facts on Love:
http://lifestyle.xin.msn.com/en/sex-relationships/article.aspx?cp-documentid=4172275

Guess which is the fact I like most?

Malaysian Loot

2010-07-09T15:25:00.008+08:00

Back from KL where i spent 3 days 2 nights of non stop shopping. It's a record for me considering that I'm a guy. So here is what i got:

1 cardigan ~$45
1 vest ~ $24
2 long sleeve shirts to go with my cardigan & vest ~ $24 ea
2 plain colour v-neck t-shirts ~$10 ea
1 polo tee ~$15 plus voucher

7 in total! No scarves cuz they are about 2 times more ex than here -_-'' Got a cardigan and vest cuz i thot that they are more cool than the ntu jacket and its a NEW addition to my wardrobe!

I'm not so bhb to post my pics of how i look in them so here is what i might look like(without the sunglasses and poser look)

Mine is dark grey overall with light grey at the sleeve end, collar and the button area. Present from Debbie for this GSS =D

My vest is dark brown. Simple and nice

Overall it was a very enjoyable trip. Most important thing was just being able to spend the whole time with my dear =) Nothing in the world would beat that

Recommends: Swiss Garden Hotel, Seed and F.O.S

Tmr is my friendly competition with RP and NP. Not sure if we can beat them but i'll try my best. 2 more weeks to Nationals and I'm not nearing the 3.10 mark yet =s

My next post will be on Cologne since i'm very into it and I think its something that guys shy away from. Stay tuned!

Comments can now be added without signing in to google!! (Leave ur name pls)

Holiday No.2

2010-07-03T01:09:00.002+08:00

First was a holiday with my family to the Philippines. Later in a few hours, its a holiday with my babee, Petrina and Jia Rui to KL. I'll have one more in Aug to Bangkok.

This time It'll be for shopping! And i expect myself to come back with lots of goodies. Shoes, tops, berms, scarves (Yes. Scarves) All in bid to upgrade my wardrobe.

OMG! Has Mark turned gay? Not sure how a Scarf fits into a men's wardrobe without looking gay? Fret not. I'll take some pics and show you how to look good and manly in one. I wanted to post a series of entries on Men's fashion after doing some quite intensive research in the past few days(Blame my ever too much free time at work)

So wait for more updates! I'll be back on Mon =D

Holly Miao~

2010-07-01T17:29:00.004+08:00

I wanted to blog about lots of stuff today since I have heaps of free time. In the midst of reading articles to get inspiration i stumbled upon these 2 blogs that are extremely fun to read.

So.. To those of you who still visit my blog somehow, here is a reward:

One is Holly Jean. She writes about sex, dates, love and the usual girl stuff (I skip those). Check out her blog and the links on them

http://holly--jean.blogspot.com/

Second is Miao & WafuPafu. This is THE blog to read. Its special and different from the rest out there. Its entries are in comic form. 100% Hilarious and Entertaining. Not like those narcissistic blogs (If u know what i mean). Highly recommended! Enjoy ^_^

http://www.akiraceo.com

Monsoon

2010-07-01T14:27:00.008+08:00

This is about the new haircut i got at Storm, not about the rain this afternoon that threatened to flood some places in Singapore again. I'm out of my ''Shaggy'' hair and back with a short spiky hair style with a ~~gay~~ fringe:

hMmm... At the very least, I look more metro than ever. It'll be gone in a month anyway when i go back to reservist. So i'll be able to press the reset button on my hair

A bookworm revelation

2010-06-30T16:17:00.003+08:00

Recently I have done quite a lot of reading. I was inspired by my brother who knew of how free I am during work and how avid a manga fan I am and said something like this:"Why not read a book? At least they are more valuable than manga."

*Ouch. But damn it made sense. The 2 most important things about reading is that
1. It can provide you with another open your mind to another world and
2. You are able to learn skills/lessons that took people a lifetime to realise and become a better person.

So.. inspired by him, i grabbed a book The upside of irrationality by Dan Ariely. It talks about why humans do not always behave rationally and the reasons behind it. Not the best but i learnt more about human psychology(Which has always been my area of interst)

There are many fantastic articles online too. Ranging from self-help to anatomy of relationships etc. Usually i get these articles from channelnewasia.com and click on the other links that are related to the article.

Conclusion: Growing up value of Books >> Manga but doesn't mean i'm giving up on manga!

Reads of the day:

-Interviews:
http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/9-insider-secrets-to-getting-hired
http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/21-things-hiring-managers-wish-you-knew/21

-Money issues:
http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2010/06/04/7-money-mistakes-we-make-every-day

Footprints - 2 years of Swimming

2010-06-17T11:47:00.012+08:00

I know many people but not many i call friends.. So here is my little dedication or emo entry to my friends who gave me a reason to continue swimming, who taught me about trust, respect and most importantly, friendship:

My first friend, Jon Jon:
In the first sem there were some freshies that came and went but only jon jon stayed with me. I didnt get to interact much with the other seniors. If i didn't rmb wrongly, Augustus arrived ard this time too.

First 2 girls I knew in sem 2:
After a few more trainings, I got to know Yvette and Meisee who introduced themselves the other way round and we had our little chats in between 200m obstacle trainings. Daniel was not being very happy that we were chatting instead of swimming =p.

In came the rest of the gang:
Still in Sem 2, after my long absence due to cheerleading, i found that there were new members like James, Alex, Wei Jie, Desmond. All of a sudden, I felt very left out and alone because I knew no one. It didnt help that jon jon was nagging about me missing training. But i found it quite amusing when he called me his "Eternal Rival" hahaha!

Chalet and Mahjong
I guess the turning point was during the Chalet. Thats when i got A LITTLE drunk(Its my blog dammit!) and did lots of funny stuff, all recorded on facebook.

I finally felt like i was not alone anymore.

Then came the Mahjong Session with the guys at James place. Where we HTHT-ed and the birth of my famous FU-rap that Alex is still so amazed until today. lolx!

So i went to Nationals feeling very different. This time with a group of friends and all ready to give their all. Wei Jie and I monster hunted while waiting for our turn.

Chips and Martini:
One of the most memorable day was when they called me to all wish me Happy Birthday! I was feeling down in my room, because no one called or message me yet.. =( Until they called and shouted over the phone "Happy Birthday Mark!" I was quite touched. Went over with chips and some martini =D

I got to know Yan Fang alot better in year 2 too. We had our trainings, and Wei Jie's birthday and more fun still. And oh how time flies.. It's almost NUS again. I have not been able to be as dedicated as last year but i still try my best.

Absentees next year..
Desmond, Yan Fang and Li Yuan have left the team, Jon jon is gg to final year, Wei Jie has graduated, Yvette and Meisee having IA, not sure if still joining, Alex is not coming back for sure after NUS, James still half half. So its only me and Augustus left remaining.

sObz
Thats why this loonnnnggg entry and why im emo-ing. When Alex said he was so sure he wont come back and James looking as if he had the same thoughts, I was uber saddened. I was starting to miss the times we had then. I dont want this to end!

So.. The next time you all want to meet up, go chiong or MJ again.. PLS PLS count me in k?

I hope I have been a friend to you as much as you have been to me.

Friends come but they'll never go. Because you have all left a footprint on my heart and it will be there to stay.

Keep in touch!

Fairy Tale

2010-06-13T21:36:00.002+08:00

Who says that fairy tales do not exist? I'm currently living one! These 5 years have been a dream and i'm enjoying every single moment of it.

They say that a couple needs to have a ratio of 5 good times to 1 bad time in order to stay together. But it seems like i'm having a ratio of about.... 1000:1? hahaa.

It was another beautiful day out. I use the word "beautiful" because it was a day that was filled with fun, laughter and love. We are all living the time of our lives, the peak of our youth. I'm creating my own fairy tale and happily every after and there isn't a second more to waste!

The shame of it all

2010-04-04T16:21:00.002+08:00

Where else can i hide my face? I have let down the whole of my MSE not once or twice, but this is the third time alr =(

I know i don't really have a thing for rules but this is totally unacceptable especially when the whole cohort depends on me.

The shame of it all. I need no one to lift this burden off me. Throw me into the pits and get stoned. I deserve every single abuse and spit hurled at me. I won't forgive myself, won't expect you to.

For everyone's sake, i'll be praying for a miracle

Cherry Blossom

2010-03-27T22:06:00.003+08:00

Song of the day: Two is better than one - Boys Like Girls feat Taylor Swift

Weak ankle, manga therapy and quizzes

2010-02-23T22:52:00.003+08:00

My title explains is all doesn't it? haha. For the past week, i've been waking up with a weak ankle that hurts everytime i put pressure on it. The pain wears off as i ''warm up'' with a walk to the toilet and back but it comes back after it ''cools down''. hMmmm... perhaps i'll go see a doc sometime in recess week if it hasnt recovered by then. Swimming with fins surely doesn't help.

Talking about swimming. I'm finally back! And hopefully i can get to do the same event as last year. The best part about swimming is that i know i will come out of the pool fitter, stronger and hopefully.... with a better bod =p I must somehow catch up with alex and jon jon at least. My aim to over take aug looks set to fail since i started so late. hahaa

Today, i didnt have much mood to study but after reading some manga, i've had my fill of fun and i'm back mugging with a vengeance! Screwed up one on monday, i cant afford to screw 2 more on friday. So i got to jia you!!

On a side note, Chingay was v fun! Hope u call can get to see the pics me and Debbie took with the performers in their elaborate costume. Totally worth my sat~

Ok. I'm done with my random rants for the day. cya!

Song of the day: 太美丽 - 陶喆 this is going out to you ;)

Staggering

2010-02-16T11:59:00.005+08:00

Instead of growing a year wiser, I seem to have gone a few steps backwards. zzzz... Time for more self reflection. 4 Quizzes next week. Wish me luck~

Yours Truly

2010-02-11T14:32:00.003+08:00

Do you know who I am? Like really who I am? I spent some time thinking about the people in my life that really know the answer. And the conclusion is one person, or maybe two(If i include myself)

The thing is... How many people really know the true you? That's because we all want to be accepted by our friends, and every group of friends is different - Different dynamics, different characteristics. So we behave in accordance to how the people will most accept us.

The same goes for me. I'm different when im with my mse friends/JC/swimming friends. But in times of trouble, i usually turn to myself for help. In that aspect, i think im quite a loner. Perhaps i am a loner to begin with. I've had many friends but not many who knew me very well. Even if they did, none of them last more than 2 years cuz thats when i graduate from the place and i don't really keep in contact much. This realization dawned upon me and i started to do some soul searching.

Dependence on people is something i avoid because i learnt that the most dependable person on earth is always yourself. Trust on the other hand, is something you must give, its always risky but essential to build up on friendships, otherwise you'll forever remain as acquaintance. Trust has to also be earned.

Basically, i'm just feeling lonely and in need of some real friendship again. i've been hurt badly before and tho' that scar has faded over time, it still remains hidden somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind and has affected me subconsciously. Perhaps its time again to venture out and search for something i have lost a long time ago.

Responsibility

2010-01-14T04:33:00.004+08:00

I like responsibility. I like to be able to take charge of things/events/run the way i want it to. But today, i learnt a lesson. Responsibility for a life is a responsibility too big for me to handle. I always thought i could handle it, i thought i was experienced and mature enough but i was so wrong.

You can never be too experienced or mature when someone's life is in your hands. And i learnt that you can never be adequately prepared for it. The guilt and pain i feel is probably nothing compared to how the anxiousness and how worried her friends are, nothing like the trauma she is suffering and definitely nothing like what her parents are going through.

I know that no amount of pain and guilt that i am feeling now will help elevate the situation. I only hope that everything will be all right in the end.

Sorry is not adequate enough to amend my mistake. No words or actions will wash this off my stained hands.

But there is nothing more that i can do now but to say "I am sorry." From the bottom of my heart and with everything i have: " I am sorry."

I hope you bounce back up as usual and as quickly as possible.

Responsibility dictates that i cant quit now too. Not 2 weeks before it ends. I still have a team to lead and i'll lead them all the way pass the finishing line.

Freedom

2009-12-08T00:10:00.004+08:00

I want freedom. The freedom i want is not one exam away. Shackled by my own foolishness and short-sightedness. I want to run away from it all and into freedom's arms. This holiday will be a reminder of the bad decisions i made. I need to take some time off and do some soul searching.

Hold my hand and lead me out of the darkness

7 written exams

2009-12-03T10:04:00.004+08:00

Im so NOT going to take 7 written exams next sem. Dammit, i think i might not even take anything more than my 5 Cores! haha. Exams are killing me. Thanks a million once again to Bendy and JH whom without i'll be even more lost and dead.

3 more hours to my elective which i really want to get an A. But seems like every minute that ticks closer to the exam, my A is slowly fading away. Maths is tmr morning at 9 and i hvnt done much revision as compared to the rest, so most prob my A- is gg to drop as well..

Life looks bleak. Even after exams its more cheerleading and swimming and not much time to spend with my dear. But dont worry, i'll somehow squeeze out time to spend with u, even at the expense of these activities which to me are not as impt.

Pre-examination stress.. Im still not very confident of my paper later. The holidays are just a temporary relieve from the reality that will hit me hard when the results come out. When life sucks, every problem in your life seems to float to the surface.

Ok. I just spent the last 10 minutes whinning. What a whimp. Back to studies in a valiant attempt to wrestle something from this elective

Inspire

2009-11-26T19:59:00.002+08:00

I'm going to add a collection of quotations that i like at the side of my blog. Hope you all like it as much as i do. Here is another quote that is quite inspiring:

“Only as high as I reach can I grow,
only as far as I seek can I go,
only as deep as I look can I see,
only as much as I dream can I be.”

3 down, 4 more to go. Back to studies and full throttle ahead

Rain and sunshine

2009-11-25T02:07:00.003+08:00

Some quotes of the day:

“It’s brilliant, being depressed; you can behave as badly as you like.” ~ Nick Hornby

-It was quite a useful quote because i was quite depressed for the first half of the day.

"Some people feel the rain. Others just get wet" ~ Bob Dylan

-I'm the type that will feel the rain and each of its raindrops on my face.

To end the short note:
I'm grateful that i have friends who cared and showed me the way out when i was lost and feeling all alone. I hope i can your light in your darkness too.

Shamelessness

2009-11-15T12:47:00.004+08:00

I wonder if there is such a word.. One of the worst attributes a person can have is being shameless, 不懂得羞耻。If i ever land up in that state, please give me a good kick because i do not want to be a hypocrite. I think it all stems from the concept of "Putting oneself first" or "Taking advantage of people is ok as long as i benefit". I dont want to give examples but im sure you all know who i am talking about.

Just when i thought that everything was going to be ok, things start to make a 180 degree about turn. Maybe all of the 'improvements' that i have seen was just a facade. Don't have to hide it any longer, i have long seen through your facade.

Maybe its just me being selfish but there also must be something about you that makes me feel this way. Such anguish and scepticism, how can so much be hidden for so long? Someday, i'll just end this masquerade, hopefully that someday will come soon

Home sweet home

2009-11-07T00:43:00.002+08:00

My last thoughts before i went into deep slumber last night:

There is no other pillow in the world i'll rather rest my head on than my pillow,
No other bolster i'll rather hug than my bolster,
No bed i'll rather sleep on than my bed
And no blanket i'll rather be tucked in than my own blanket.

Ahhh... Such bliss. There is indeed no other place like home.

Goals for the week

2009-11-02T13:06:00.004+08:00

No use crying over spilled milk. The weekend was over and gone in a blink of an eye. I didnt managed to accomplish as much as i wanted to. Skipped lecture again but that is only for the better. Have to catch up later at night.

Currently doing last week(s)'s tutorials and hopefully i'll be done by today. Its quite a wishful thinking i must say. Tmr will be spent doing more tutorials for Thursday's tutorials then finally Wednesday i can start preparing for my 2 quizzes coming up on 11th November.

I got to focus 110% this time round. Time is of the essence. Blogging is just a way to escape reality for a while. Well... back to more tutorials. Laplace is an ass. I think thermody will be worse.

Hope my cheerleading thing can be settled asap. sigh.. One thing to look forward to: Quality time with my babee this Friday/Sat

Songs of the day:

1。下雨天 - 南拳妈妈
2。原来 - 林俊杰

Heartache, heartbreak

2009-11-01T01:04:00.002+08:00

No one reads my blog anymore, not even me. But today i'm in a blogging mood. I just saw "This is it". I got quite emotional when i saw the part that was released when Micheal Jackson passed away. Overall, its quite an insight to how the actual performance would be like and i must say, its v.v.good.

All the lightings, special effects, and MJ can still dance and sing! Who says he was weak and frail and all those nasty stuff! He is the king of pop and lives in everyone of his fans. I'm kind of getting the feeling that he is still around in this world. He lives again when we play his songs, when we do the moonwalk, when we watch his videos. His legacy will live on. Heal the world.

After feeling depressed and sad that he has left us, i switch on the tv and saw that liverpool was drawing 1-1 with Fulham. And not too long after that, a series of freak events happened:

-Torres and Benayoun were taken off
-Degen and Carragher were red carded within 5 min?
-Fulham scored 2 more to make it 3-1

My contacts as usual, didnt last long even though its still new. I guess today is really a bad day. The only good thing that happened was that i had dinner at Manhattan Fish Market with my love.

Cheerleading got more problems.... The coach is not really a coach -_-'' and time is running out, exams are around the corner. Tutorials left undone and 2 more quizzes 9 days before my exam that will stretch for 3 weeks.

I just hope that this horrible sem will quickly pass by. In the meantime, i'll hold on to that one precious memory from today to get me through the horrible day and the definitely-going-to-be-horrible-week:

Flaming Platter for One (Manhattan Fish Market)

ANYONE GOING THERE PLEASE INVITE ME ALONG!!

Last thoughts before i turn 21

2008-09-02T23:40:00.003+08:00

I am blogging in my last 20 minutes before i reach adulthood. Lots of things await me in the future... Well, at least in the VERY near future.

1. Nanyang lake.

That is as certain as uncertainty. lolx

I had a very good dinner with some of my army friends. Had steamboat at hall 5 with wei lin, Seetoh and even BAO BAO came!! hahah. *miracle. Then i realised just how small the world is. I saw Frankie and Cheryl. And to show just how small the world is.... Cheryl is in the same OG as Victor Koh and they were all there eating steamboat as well! And guess what... I saw Kenneth there too! He shares the same birthday as me. lolx. So qiao..

Absolut Mango was not bad but i prefer Absolut Peach more. hMmm.... that was just some random thoughts. Yew han says that i am always not there. hMmm... maybe i should be more involved in hall activities... I so want to stay in hall next yr >.< sighh..

Well.. last 10 minutes now. Everthing seems so quiet here. Its just like the calm before the storm. hahah. I'll be back to let you know how Nanyang lake tastes like. lolx

21st Birthday

2008-08-31T01:32:00.002+08:00

At first i didn't quite want to have a birthday party. I frequently asked myself questions:
"What is the true meaning of celebrating a 21st birthday with such a big group?"

"Am i happier with a big group celebrating it with me or do I prefer a smaller, more cosy kind of celebration?"

"What is the point of celebrating it in the first place anyway?"

Well, i guess i have found my answer:

It is a celebration of our friendship that we have shared throughout the years of hardships and to remember the times that we had so much fun with each other. And most importantly, to continue to keep in contact with each other as we move on with life.

Last night was the most happening and smashing(literally smashing into a pole) birthday party for me. Filled with non stop fun and its touching moments. I must first thank God that it didnt rain that night because i was really worried.

It turned out that not only was the sky clear and cooling, it seemed like i was the only person having bbq in that whole area = as if i had booked the whole coasta sands. lolx ^_^

The food was a great success too! The chunky otahs, kopi chicken wings, satays, delicious fried rice, sting ray and absolut mango. hohoho. You can trust me to have good food cuz im a food-fan too. hahaa

Thanks all for the video. I'm really touched. Benice and Jessie, Madeline and Joanne, Kang li and Jia yi, Ying Zhen and Ya li, Gui Xian, Shi Ling and Xiu lu, Yiting and friend from Shanghai, Chin Hao, Enwei, Zhi Kai, Eugene and Frankie, Kelvin my roomie, Spencer for his long and meaningful video and last but not least Debbie the love of my life <33. Thank you all so much!!

And many thanks to my family who helped me with the planning and prepartion of the event. Rita, my bro, su yi, chawaryee my maid, my mom and Dad and Debbie <3

Once again thanks to all my friends(those that made it and those that didnt) All had in their own way their footprints in my life.

Go to my facebook and check out the photos!!

New life - New Gadgets

2008-07-02T12:01:00.002+08:00

The new gadgets in my new life right now:

1. ASUS F8sn Laptop
2. Sony Ericsson W960i(I still feel that i have yet to fully utilise it)
3. OSIM icare 100 that Karen and Peter(They are one of them vendor whom i dealt with for the past 6 months)

Thanks Karen and Peter for everything! Hope Reda treats u all better =p

New life - Overseas!

2008-07-02T11:58:00.002+08:00

Just like the title says, i'll be away for most of this july hols.

3-7 jul -- Bangkok

14-19 jul - MSE Camp(I seriously think that it is too long)

21-25 jul - Genting and KL

Somewhere in between there will be birthday parties/paintball and who knows what else

But the most important thing:
** Find time to spend with my dear <3

Nothing beats that. Period.

ilu

New life - Laptop!

2008-07-02T11:36:00.002+08:00

It has only been 2 days since i stopped work. My views on the place:

Very nice people
Lots of work
Lots of freedom

Conclusion: Excellent working environment where there is no such thing as office politics except trying to siam boss's arrows. Colleagues are themselves at work and not putting up a show to anyone or trying to back stab each other. All are focused on doing what is best for the company/meeting their objectives.

Hope Desmond will be able to work there for a long time. I really thought that that is one good place to work in, otherwise i would not have intro-ed him to work there.

Anyway, talking about a new life....

The first day after i stopped work, i went to Enwei's house together with Frankie and got my new laptop!! Its Asus F8sn. Top specs: Core 2 duo T8300, 14'' screen, 250HDD(not sure how i can use it all), nVidia 9500, 4G Ram, Windows Vista plus free gifts.... tian. Im on cloud nine.

Frankie said that he got the 'lousier' laptop but i seriously dont think so. Its most probably got to do with expectations. Vista compared to my desktop... is about the same. Seriously speaking... i cant feel much difference between my laptop's core 2 duo(2.4gHz) and my Desktop's Pentium 4(2.66gHz). Maybe they are the same after multilying it by i dont know what.

Good things about this laptop:

1. Its mine. Courtesty of my mom who bought it for me.
2. It only has MY stuff inside = much less cluttered than my desktop
3. Its new. Looks cool. haha lame -_-''
4. Nothing else

After searching high and low for the best combination of specs, weight, freebies etc and consultation from the experts and settled for this laptop, when i start using it..... I feel indifferent
No ''WOW, this a Asus F8sn, Core 2 duo T8300'' kind of feeling. As long as it can work, im fine with it.

Vista is not much different from XP except that it looks cooler and they just changed arrangements of some buttons thats all.

Most importantly, this laptop has to last me at least 4 years if not longer. So far still ok. Hope that it will last for a long long time

Goodbye part 1

2008-06-27T17:13:00.003+08:00

Thanks Jason! Thank Chris! Too bad i can't see you all one more time on Monday. Can't make up my mind whether i am happy to leave the company or feel sad about it. But i'll never forget the good times we had and how you were fantastic colleagues who never looked down upon a temp and treated me more like a friend. Can't say just how much i've enjoyed myself here: Hardwork, late nights, how i tried so hard to follow up with cynthia's crash course on MFGPro and those manga and msn time! hahaa

Sigh... Another chapter in my life is about to close, and another is about to be opened.

It's time to grow up.

Monday Blues

2008-05-26T08:42:00.003+08:00

So after that fantastic weekend, I am not back at work with a mountain of work of astronomical proportions. I have not had so much work before. Not sure if it is because i have slacked too much the last week and the work piled up or if the work is really a lot. hMmm.... But i think that the truth is that i have been slacking quite abit. So for this week I really have to 'pia'. No more surfing online to do my own research or reading comics etc, I'll just focus full time on clearing up my work.

Work here is like a Sine curve, sometimes up, sometimes down but for the past month, it was been an exponential curve! And if I dont inverse the curve by breaking the habit, I'm so going to drown here.

Eh.... NOooO!! Why am I blogging instead of WORKING!!

Star Struck Weekend

2008-05-26T08:23:00.003+08:00

Last weekend was a blast! First off, i got myself a new pair of shoes just before the Singapore Sales started. Its a brown crocodile pair, really great looking. My old pair of converse shoes is only about 2 years old but it is really worn out because i have been wearing it almost everyday for the past year! haha.

Next up.... I was star struck *_* At the 8 days road show, I went to get Fiona Xie, Felicia Chin and Joanne Peh's autograph and all of them looked gorgeous(I skipped my swimming class for this!). Fiona xie's smiles better naturally then when she is trying to fake a smile out. The result is a crooked smile that makes her look ugly. But i take back my word about her looking horrible cuz she said that i have ''nice braces and cute dimples'' ^_^

At the same road show, there was this 'scan and win' event and i got a KimRobinson's salon voucher! Apparently it is quite an upmarket hairdressing salon. Its just what i needed. So I'll keep hair long till about july and get a haircut before I start school.

Above all, It would have had no meaning if my dearest was not with me. <3 ILU!

Hopefully I'll get the pictures up asap to show you all what a blast I had. It is certainly one weekend to remember =D

My view on 21st Birthdays

2008-05-08T15:11:00.003+08:00

I think that the reason why i dont like to blog is because i am a very private person. But am I an Introvert? I have read up several articles on introversion and the classification of introverts and extroverts. And I think that everyone, no matter how introvert or extrovert you are, there is a little of the opposite end of you. Something like the yin yang symbol of taoism where it
''reflects the inescapably intertwined duality of all things in nature..." (quoted from wikipedia)

I myself, being quite an introvert, do enjoy the company of friends at times but generally prefer to be with my dear or myself. I'm not good in handling new faces especially if they are those outgoing type. On the other hand, I am sure that those outgoing types will have their own moments when they prefer to be alone.

Talking about parties and being an introvert, this year is when everyone is celebrating their 21st birthday. I have been to quite a few but still have not decided how i want to celebrate mine. Big parties like at chalets or organising it at cafes is not a bad idea. But I do not really enjoy myself there and it seems like the birthday boy/girl is not really enjoying himself too.

So I ask myself: ''What is the purpose of having a party in the first place?"

Is it to celebrate you turning 21 which means that you are an adult in the eyes of the law now? Yes.

But are you really an adult yet? No.

We are still dependent on our parents to support us through our university. In that sense, we are no different from the JC or Secondary students. What makes us truly an adult is the way that we think and act. In truth, we are still young and have lots to learn. We have not seen the outside world and we are still very sheltered from the harsh realities of the world.

What will really make us grow is when we experience hardships and turbulent times. You don't appreciate what you have until it is taken away from you. Just like how those who have been through war, will treasure freedom; those suffering from illness will value good health; those that have removed their braces will appreciate the fact that food will never get stuck everywhere each time they eat and the ulcer free days.

Back to the topic on 21st birthdays.....

Perhaps it is an opportunity to gather all your friends together for a gathering that you have planned but no one ever seems to have time.

What ever the case is.. I came to this conclusion:

Birthday celebrations should never be for the sake of inviting everyone because they have invited you to theirs before. Rather, it should be because you want them to share that special moment with you. Be it in cafes/chalets/ even at your own home and no matter how little or many people you invite, you must not forget the most important person: You.

If at the end of the day, you feel this sense of emptiness or lose sight of the meaning of celebrating your own birthday, then I say that that is the saddest thing that can possible happen to you on your birthday.

For me... I'm still thinking about it and making sure that I do not end up just following the crowd by organising one big birthday bash and end up with that feeling at the end of the day.

And if I do happen to organise one big birthday bash, please turn up and celebrate it together with me ok? =D

2008-04-23T19:44:00.001+08:00

This is my first blog entry from my new w960i. Wonder how it will turn out to be like. Haha

2008-04-18T22:59:00.002+08:00

Ok.. I'll admit that my previous post was a tad too pessimistic. So I shall continue the story.... After the extraction etc, they started to put the top braces for me. It took quite long and didn't hurt much. The much anticipated crippling pain was suppose to come after the braces were done did not surface. hahah. I had to admit, i was a bit disappointed

The pain only came later. It seeps in slowly and by the 2nd hour you realise just why you have to go on a porridge diet for the weeks to come

But all those who get depressed over this fret not! Here are some food tips that will help you advert your fantastic diet of porridge for breakfast, lunch and dinner:

1. Full cream milk
2. Mixed berries yoghurt
3. Tako pachi(It hurts a little but its worth it =p)
4. Yam cake
5. Campbell soup
6. Campbell soup + Toasted garlic bread dipped in the soup
7. Chocolate fullcream milk
8.And the list goes on

See! There is nothing to dear. On top of that, you'll lose weight. =D Plus, if you exercise on top of that.... OMG. You'll achieve the weight loss nv possible without the the magical braces.

So for now.. I'm happy again ^_^

Thanks love for being there with me all this time <3

Braces (Part 1)

2008-04-09T22:18:00.003+08:00

I am writing this so that all those who are searching for that perfect smile with a beautiful set of teeth will have a better understanding of what your journey of 2 years will be like.

First of all, you start with making the all important first step by consulting the Odothologist and he will give you a quick brief of how things will turn out. Its nothing more of a general overview.

Next up, he will make a mould of your teeth structure and get an x-ray of your teeth. After that is done, all well and good. You can finally embark on a painful but rewarding journey. Word of advice, which generally applies to all aspects of your life: If you dont know why you are going into this. Then stop and think about it again. Take as much time as you wish because it is one helluva ride.......

Then on your next appointment, another dentist/the same one will start by taking out the 4 pre-molars. This is to ensure that your overcrowded teeth has space to move and straighten out. The extraction itself is a milestone. Basically, it is the point of no return. You can't have your 04 x teeth slotted back inside and pretend nothing has happened.

So.. Let me bring you through the extraction itself.
Step 1. The dentist will apply some numbing gel on your gum(upper and lower).

Step 2. The needle that carries the anaesthetic will be injected inside/near your nerves and trust me, it is 1 x unpleasant experience. It is nervousness when you lie on the chair, it is fear of anticipation of the pain that will follow and finally comes the needle piercing into your gums and it will linger there for a while as the dentist injects the medicine in.

Step 3. Repeats for both upper and lower (Inner and outer gums). The only consolation is that the pain that you experience on the upper outer gum is almost insignificant compared to the other areas especially the lower and upper inner gums

Step 4. The extraction itself is painless. It should be! Since you have gone through hell once over with the injections.

Step 5. Before you know it, it is all over.

Step 6. After care that includes stuffing up gauze in your now empty 'sockets' to stop the bleeding

If you have made it this far. Give yourself a pat on the back. Part 1 is over.

The minor side effects of 4 missing teeth is the decreased effectiveness is eating because you have 4 teeth lesser(duh~) and the sore feeling. Others include pain after the anaesthetic wears off(*Ouch) but there is always panadol and the most MAJOR side effect - you cant eat a lot of your favourite food anymore =( haha

Separators will be forced in between your teeth as well so that the dentist can fit in the braces later. That is uncomfortable as well.

Over view of part 1: Unpleasant and Gao3 wei4 esp with the separators

Hope this will get over and done with as soon as possible..

Enjoying life

2008-03-25T21:13:00.002+08:00

How do i define the phrase "enjoying life"

1. Working at a place with sufficient work and at the same time lots of freedom and good pay $$
2. Running late at night with cool breeze and fresh air
3. Reading and chasing mangas/ Bleach anime
4. Waiting for new episodes of Lost/Grey's/Bleach
5. A family always by my side
6. Being there when my dear needs me

And...

6. Being loved by her in return

Right now... I am enjoying my life =)

Carpe Diem

2008-03-08T15:03:00.003+08:00

I guess the late nights and hectic schedules are finally taking a toll on me. I slept for a record 12 hours straight on thurs, a feat i can't remember when i last did it; ulcers which indicated i was 'heaty', diahorrea and for today: Fatigue. I'm just too tired to do anything much. It could be that i pushed myself abit too much when i ran the other night. In any case, i'll just recupperate at home.

Good news is.. i've finally embarked on my quest of straightening my teeth. The first small steps to putting the braces on are already set in motion. I'm sure a lot of people will ask why this, why that. I myself am not so certain but i'm sure that it is a step in a direction. And if i chose not to do it, how will it change my life? I'm not so sure, I can't see the future. In any case, it is a path that i chose to take and let's see where that will lead me.

I find that now i have more time to pursue what i really want in life: Swimming, making money, studying, spending time with Debbie etc. Time is on my side and it is up to me how i maximise it and use it to my advantage.

Currently, i plan to start revising on my A level work bit by bit so that when i enter Uni, i hope to have a good head start to kick off my new phase in life. So the point of the day is: To sieze the day and make full use of it as one marches bravely into the future.

2008-03-04T23:44:00.004+08:00

Hey everybody!!! erm... anybody? haha. Wonder who else reads this blog besides Debbie and a few others. Upon the encouragement of you all, i've decided to start blogging again. This time, i wish to talk a little more on issues and mainly stick to the usual -whats going on in my life- style of blogging.

Here is an update on my life thus far

FIRST of all, I've gained about 10kg since JC.

"10KG?!! Are you serious?"

Sadly yes. 5 kg in my second year in army and the other 5 after army. hohoho. So.. I've decided to exercise again. My JF regime: Runs twice a week with a few static exercises and don't eat so much in between meals.(My office is a haven for snack food in case you all don't know). So the word for the month is RESOLVE

SECONDLY, I've gone back to swimming, my life saving course rather. After 7 years. Yeap. 7 years! On my way to become a life guard ^_^ Its not for the money but rather a rekindled interest that i lost oh so many years ago. I'll say its one of my life goals.
* Point of interest: This blog got its name cuz i wanted to take up swimming again one day and the day has come!

WORK...? I'm working in Tuas which is very far but at least my dear accompanies me to work on some days which i appreciate it very much(Thanks love!) and giving a P4 EMS tuition at Marsling. See you all on MSN! hahaa

INTERESTS/HOBBIES... Watching Bleach anime and manga, Grey's anatomy and Lost. I've even got myself some Bleach toy figurines and key chains over the holidays!

OTHER RANDOM THINGS that have/are happening/going to happen.... toothache. See denist. Braces? Failed driving test. Driving instructor and tester sux. 2 AJcian colleagues. What a small world. Teaching Desmond guitar. I'm perpetually hungry.... RESOLVE!

I try to be less long-winded as well. So.. till the next time i update. cya all! Keep in touch =D

Phrase of the day: Move into the known and not dwell in the unknown

2007-12-19T01:55:00.000+08:00

I was looking back on some of my army photos and saw the pictures of me in Taiwan with my other army friends and damn... it was heart warming. I miss you guys, i miss those tough times when we train and work so hard together. All the tough times in the sun, in the rain, and under the vehicle. haha! I miss you all. Hope we can get together some time soon. Such camaderie and friendship can never be found elsewhere.

Starting from Bed 1
Wei Jian
Desmond Oh
CJ
Joel Goh
Melvin
Nicholas
Kee Yong my buddy
Me(Last bed)

haha. Those pictures really tugged a string in my heart.

Leadership

2007-11-06T15:19:00.000+08:00

I will describe this 2 years in the army as a period of self discovery. I've learnt a lot about myself: Strengths, Weakness, what drives me etc. Its not that i never knew what my strengths or weaknesses are, its just that now i know it at a much deeper level.

Here is what i've learnt:
1. Leaders are born.

Me.. Im not a leader. Funny isnt it? I've taken on so many leadership positions like.. a Senior CLT in NCC, Class reps etc and was so sure that i was born one. But when i came to the unit, everything told me otherwise. I cant influence people like others do. I cant think of a better rebuttal when my men talk back to me. I cant pass down my ideas or communicate them to my men as well or as easily as others. My whole being took a beating when i came to that realisation, but at least now i know.

Initiative and hardwork is not equivalent to leadership. That just means that you are responsible and hardworking. In the end, you might just get used by people to do their shit.

Intelligence is not enough. One must be witty. Or you'll just end up speachless more often that not, even though your reasoning is better.

Leadership is a combination of all the above plus 2 important(natural) factors.
1. Charm/Charisma
2. An element of fearlessness and cruelty.

Charisma is what makes people attracted to you. If you are able to charm a person, more than half the battle is won. Just look at Hitler and Churchhill. The element of fearlessness and cruelty is neccessary to demand things or standards from your people without compromise. No matter what excuse or reasons they may give. And it is in this 2 factors that i lack.

I dont have the kind of charisma that others have. Neither do i have the other element. Perhaps im too soft, i tend to hold back my anger. My heart tends to give in when they give excuses like back pain etc. Somethings cant be helped..

Everyone is made for different things and what are my weaknesses are also my strengths. Im sad upon this realisation but at the same time, im glad that i now know myself better. And through all this.. I've grown up. Much more than i've ever imagined..

2007-01-08T21:44:00.000+08:00

Looking back on my previous entires, i came to one conclusion: I was blogging for the sake of blogging. From now on, i shall blog only when i truly want to pen down my thoughts, feelings or frustrations. It shall not contain any random blabberings. Starting from this entry, my New Year wishes or what i wish to acomplish this year:

1. Learn Italian
2. Learn Driving
3. Be true to myself
4. Master one music piece at one time
5. Strive to be the best that I can be
6. Enjoy being the introverted me. Don't even think about changing me, you just have to live with it
7. And most importanly, grow deeper in love and union with my babee

This is all for the moment. I'll update this as the year goes along

2007-01-08T01:03:00.000+08:00

My dearest bought for me my favourite movie of all time - Windstruck! hahaa. I first watched it with the slackerz(My first 3 months class), it is a very touching and romantic story, abit illogical and unrealistic but i love it to bits. Thank you my bao bei! I love uU

and there is smthg wrong with Hello. I can't seem to send pics over to this blog or else i would have posted some pics of windstruck. Everytime i want to go to bloggerbot to send the pictures, instead of seeing the program to send the pics, i see the 'log in' page for blogger.com and i only get a glimpse of the program when i click log in, after which, it returns to the log in page. Can someone help??

2006-11-11T14:40:00.000+08:00

Hi to all or whoever may still be reading this blog of mine. hahaa. Added some pics of my Taiwan trip and my Bday bash =D

2006-10-24T21:27:00.000+08:00

How time flies.. Just a few days ago, i was having a bbq with my new company on a friday night, throughly enjoying myself and now i have to go back. Not much outfield 'chionging' for me, more of administrative work. I was abit disappointed at first when i knew that i will be an admin spec instead of a combat role, but one has to be positive and take it as a challenge.

"Always look on the bright side!" I will get alot of admin experience that will be more helpful to me next time when i go out to work. Whats more im working with someone im quite comfortable with. So its not that bad afterall.

I went to NTU to have lunch with my dear. Had a look around the place and concluded that University is the place that i belong to. I'm quite excited about uni life: Living in hostels, going to lectures, CCAs, cheap and great canteen food etc.

Countdown begins!

Artists for the month:
Jay Chou
F.I.R
S.H.E

2006-09-03T09:43:00.000+08:00

Its my 19th Birthday today and so much has happened already!

Yesterday, i went out with my babeE to eat at my secret garden. It is a cosy and stylish place with good food. The crayfish and scallop pasta is not bad, she ate some chicken which i think tasted better =p hahaa. She gave me a new puma sling bag. It is something that i've been wanting for quite some time but just didnt bring myself to buy a new bag. Thank you my dEar for everything yesterday =D

After which i went to the bbq with my class at Pasir Ris park. It's just fantastic to be able to gather with the guys again. It was just like the fun and crazy days in JC. Eu Gene drank until he was abit drunk. haha! Hui ling called then we tried to get her to guess who is on the phone with her, seems like she became more clear headed after she left s'pore. =p

Food was not bad, the stingray was superb. sigh.. shld have eaten more of it! But my stomach just cldnt take anymore food. The peach vodka with 7-up or even with green tea is superb.

Genna tau pok by the guys. I was almost knocked out. After frankie jumped on me, i felt all the air from my lungs squeezed out, and i couldn't take in a single breath of air at all. After frankie, the rest of the guys jumped on top of him and the tau pok began. I certainly felt as if i was dying.. crap. I was so blur by the time they finished tau pok-ing me that i wasnt quite conscious until they poled me twice. *ouch And before i recovered from the poling, i had satay sauce n chilli sauce all over me. hahaa mann...

But i want to say Thank You Benice for organising this bbq, it was very successful and all the 2304 ppl for the memorable day. =)

2006-07-22T00:11:00.000+08:00

OVM, my nightmare, my burden.

I've had enough. Enough of worrying and getting scolded for losing my OVM. Why can't anyone care? They would not bother to put in that extra effort to make sure that they did not accidentally take your tools.

"Hey so n so.. Do u have any extra tools? Because i'm missing some, wondering if u might have accidentally taken any extra.."

It is such a redundant question. Because the answer is always : "NO" Even without checking their tools. They must have some psychic powers!

Shit. I run around like a mad dog, checking and rechecking every OVM cage(It is really a cage to keep your tools) And I always come back with some items that belong to me.

"Thanks so much for the help guys"

Fuck. It doesn't pay to be nice. I won't be on this losing side anymore.

2006-06-25T07:26:00.000+08:00

After going through 3 weeks of training in the Armour Training Institude, my attitude towards training has changed. I remembered that i felt very depressed when i first came in because i realised that i wasn't in some slack vocation i thought i had been posted to. Instead, I am training to be an Armour Infantry(AI) Specialist!

Secondly, i had to go through 18 weeks of training, the longest specialist training in the SAF. Which means I'll be getting my miserable pay for a longer period of time. On top of all these, my camp is in some corner of s'pore, it takes a very long time for the bus to reach my camp and a very long walk back from the bus stop to my camp. Not to mention the 'quality' food i'll have

My depression was compounded by the living conditions: Small bunks that were stuffy(i could feel the heat wave hitting me as i walked pass the bunk) and old toilets. The the basic essentials for a soldier who is gg to live there for 5 nights.(All these were relative to the bunk is SISPEC which is very very new so it isn't a fair comparison)

But as time passed, i grew accustomed to the place. We solved our transportation problem by indenting a bus to send us from our camp to cck mrt. We resigned our fate to the food there. Our morale and mindset changed for the better after a series of talks with the CO, OC and most importantly PC1,Warrent Koh. They gave us a better idea of what AI is like, what to look forward to(Training in ROC and the 3 days of r&r), what is expected of us etc.

What i like most is the freedom and respect they give us.

Warrent Koh once said:"Who are you?"
We didn't know the answer at first but he taught us this word
We answered:"Commanders!"
He replied:"Then behave like one"

It struck me.

Commanders are not suppose to have a low morale(or show that they have one) or else how are they going to lead their men?
Commanders are suppose to be an expert in everything they do(That's when i strived to do my best to listen to all the lectures to learn as much as i can)
Commanders are suppose to be fit(And i started to push myself to give my all in the pt sessions)

On top of this, i have a bunch of fantastic bunkmates, whats more, most of them were either my sispec or bmt bunkmates. sispec or bmt, they are all fun to be with.

Life is going to get tough but with my friends and my instructors by my side, i'm gg to pass out in the grandest fashion and be proud to be an Armour Infantry Specialist.

I hope this serves as in inspiration to all those who happen to be in a similar situation as i was in.

2006-06-01T00:48:00.000+08:00

Warrrent Officer: " Teo Jun Yi,Mark.... ATI(Armour Training Institute)"

Me: "yeeeEEessSS!!!!"

It was like me anxiously waiting for my A level results and when the results were out it was a feeling of indescribable joy n elation. I'm finally out of that place. Not that it was that bad but i just wanted a change in environment badly.

The sergeants there are nice(some), they r willing to teach and impart what they know. Not all of them do it in the way i like it while others just have an attitude problem. I hate it when they are sacarstic, why cant they be straight to the point? And some other problems i shall not mention.

The few memorable things abt BSLC:

1. Ex Nutcracker. Who can ever forget this? 40++ hrs without sleep and in btw digging trenches for the whole night. Bearing thru' pain, abrasion, breakfast consisting of bread, kaya and.. soil! fatigue and always being bugged by bugs

2. Cleaning of toilets. Its so clean people would rather use my toilet than to go home n use theirs. haha

3. OC giving us a talk and ending off with a promise of a nights off.

4. Going to Cheveron and having my first glass of beer.

5. Eating cup noodles with a cup of cereal drink and listening to Jay Chou late at night wayy after lights off =p

6. Going to taka to eat.. It was someone's treat. hahaa

7. Sleeping in lectures =p

8. Sitting outside the bunk talking to my ai ren on the phone

Hope my new unit for the rest of my stay here in NS will be a fufilling and safe one.

2006-04-23T07:29:00.000+08:00

Why most A level students are not fit for the army

My sergeant came from a poor background, started working at age 14 and didnt go further than O levels but he is very street smart. He could not understand why we(A level grads) just cannot do things fast with a sense of urgency or get things into our head despite being told very nicely upteen times, amongst other things.

He gathered and talked to us, it left me very demoralised but it opened my eyes and realise the core and make up of most of us:

We only like to hear what we want to hear.

We try to avoid doing things that are tough, taking the easy way out.

Take advantage of other people when we can(not everytime), seek for personal gain or glory when we do a task.

We try to shift the blame when things go wrong and are very selfish.

Who cares if the person next to me is not doing his work properly?

As long as it doesn't affect me, why should i waste my time helping him? I have done my part. Let him be.

Think about it for a while...

This is what i have came to realise in the army. It brings out the worst in a person, our darkest side exposed. Yet in this darkness there is a light, this is what the army seeks to eliminate and among us i am fortunate enough to meet those few who are unblemished despite being surrounded by such moral evils.

"Then again isn't this how you survive in the cold and brutal world outside?" Some will ask.

But if we do not seek to address this we will forever stay this way and the world will never make a change for the better. We will be stuck with this system for eternity or until a miracle happens and the moral fabric of our society is changed.

Do not ever subscribe to such moral evil. Being self-centered will lead us to no where.

Perhaps we are not able to do so because we have been hurt before.

"Understand,forgive and forget" I have always believed in this. I seek reconcillitation with all i have offended or when people have offended me through understanding the other person. This way one will be happier because he is not chained by the need to seek revenge to release the inner hurt that was inflicted on them.

Render assistance to anyone in need because one day you might be the one who needs help.

Will the world ever change or am i living in my own utopian world?

2006-04-23T06:50:00.000+08:00

This week was the most tiring of all. Training in SISPEC has finally begun..Monday was my navigation at lower mandai, not only did we not find any checkpoints, me and my team 'hollanded' (got lost) at night and ended up on the PIE. haha! Thank goodness we found the PIE if not then i really do not know what we would do.

Tuesday was the same navigation and we still could not find any checkpoints.. sian.. Friday was our navi test and if we fail we would have to retake it on a saturday! A few lessons learnt:
1. Always bring gloves to navigation to prevent yourself from getting thorns embedded in your hand
2. Keep cool when checkpoint is not found or risk your group breaking up
3. Reconsider wearing your Gortex Jacket when is it raining. I got heat rash the next day after i wore them

Friday was our navi test and we found all except one checkpt. haha. Improvement by infinity -_-'' I wonder what was going through the golfers' mind at SICC when they saw us with our uniform and guns. .

The one thing that made my week was my babee coming down to boon lay to meet me. =D Ate lunch and happened to see dong fang bi li. I dont know him but apparently he is quite famous.

2006-03-25T23:37:00.000+08:00

I'm posted to the School Of Infanty Specialist or SISPEC. Life here is not bad.. They treat u with more respect but the food is not as good as bmt's haha. Nothing much to write, but expect more tough training's for SOC n IPPT. oh no! They are my worst nightmare.. sigh

2006-03-18T08:29:00.000+08:00

The day i passed out was one of the highlights of my army life. It was a mixture of joy and excitment, at the same time a pinch of regret and uncertainty. I was excited and overjoyed because i no longer have to see the faces of the people i disliked. The self-centered and shallow friends that i know of and their true colours were shown during field camp and towards the end of my stay in bmt. The only friends that are worthy of mention include my buddy MingZong and Zhi Shiun and probably one or two more. A word of thanks to my commanders:
PC Shah: The crap talking sessions that breaks the monotonous routine of bmt life and it is through him that we gain deep insight on life in the army. He is seldom around tts why we always look forward to see him again.

PS Chung("Double quick time shuff-it-to-the-ground!") I wish that he didnt go for his PS course so that he can teach us more tricks to survive in the army. Then again, i was glad that he left because the days without him were so peaceful and quiet. haha

Sgt Fad for taking care of us when PS Chung was away and his famous ''every step i take'' song and singing with us during our route march and that would never fail to lift our morale. He is quite slack with our discipline too. haha.

Sgt Hong Wei: Whenever he is our duty sgt, we will always be the last to go for breakfast. He has a problem waking up in the morning u see. lolx

Sgt Yen: Our section commander who takes good care of us. He is the coolest sgt in bmt. We have a section diary and he frequently writes back to us. It warms our heart everytime he wrties back and it is smthg we always look forward to.

I'm posted to sispec. The land where all my commanders have thread and it is for me to go through these 5-6 months of training and make a postitive difference in the lives of my men. Am i looking forward to life in sispec? I don't know the answer myself. I am just going to be me and take everytime that comes along my way in my stride

2006-03-02T00:17:00.000+08:00

And here is a BIG sigh of relief.... aHHhhhhh

Super relieved and happy toO. hahahaa. Did as i expected, or at least smwhere there. hehe. My babeE did very well toO! haha. yayz. Tgt we worked very hard. Always gg back during the holidays n studying in the lib for the whole day, finding the teachers to clarify our doubts, flipping n mugging thru' notes.. ah.. those were terribly stressful times and it is all over! haha

hmM.. yupx..Last Sunday was my brother's confirmation. So.. he is now know as Edmund Ignetius Teo(correct me if im wrong) I actually had a confirmation name too u noe? Its Gregory. Mark Gregory Teo Jun Yi. Was. Not bad eh? But But.. No one in my batch registered. siaNz...

today booking in! Im super sleepy now. nitez ppl!

Inoculation

2006-02-17T15:35:00.000+08:00

7 days of fieldcamp finally came to an end. Finally. The first few days were horrible. Intervals of rain and shine for the whole day, top it up with a heavy rain just b4 u go to sleep is one sure way of making one feel down. The most demoralising thing that can happen to u is to wearing back your wet uniform from the day b4.

Insect bites, blisters, heat rash(its torturous), cuts, mud, zero hygine is all part n parcel of it. But I came out from it more enlightened and stronger. I learnt alot of things, saw thru' people, found out who is ur friend n who is not. It was more of a test of how i can cope with mental pressure rather than my physical aspect.

"It's all in the mind" That's what my PS said just the day b4 he left for his course. Wonder if he got confinments.haha. Anyway, I wish him all the best. I don't quite know what to feel. Im sad tt he left, yet im also equally glad tt he wasn't there for our fieldcamp.hmMz..

You'll never appreciate the things u take for granted until u go for a fieldcamp. Things like warm home cooked food, your shower, clean set of clothes, school life, your bed of course, the hot n scorcing sun(really!) and most of all, your loved ones. I guess that's why they say the army is the place where boys become man.

The 2 things i liked about fieldcamp were my friends because without them, i dont know what wld hv happened to me and the stars out there in tekong are beautiful. Especially when the night sky is so clear, and the moon was ever so bright. I would soak myself in the beauty of the night and i longed for her presence. That is when i start to feel sad again..

aH.. Im so long winded. Forgive me. haha. Situational Test is coming up very soon. It's going to be much worse than fieldcamp. Pray for me will ya? 3 days 2 nights. I'll take it all in my stride

I love you my dear

Third bookout

2006-01-28T13:39:00.000+08:00

Yea.. This is my third book out. Didnt have much time to blog during the previous 2 bookouts cuz i simply had no time. This time i have a 4 day break. woa! its quite long. Let me recall what has happened so far...

First bookout
Guess when it was? I was enlisted on the 7th and let out on the 9th.Haha well..It was a public holiday(ph) so what can i do? I cldnt believe it also. Nothing much happened. Got intro-ed to my Platoon Sergant(ps)Chung, my bunk and my fantastic bunkmates. 2 days..Nothing much to report

Second Book out
This was our 2 week 'confinment'/adjustment period. Being away from home n ny babeE was the worst feeling. No amt of tough training was as bad as missing them. Anw, tough training didnt start yet. Got used to the system there.

Out platoon got our PS into alot of trouble and when he shouts..hoho..Hell on earth. We got it worse. But i have to say tt behind his all his kbkp n @^!* he actually cares for us. Telling us what is gg to happen in advance, planning n fighting for our welfare etc. We may not know it but i believe tt he is trying his best to train us into soldiers. I quote from him: "Tough training is the best welfare" hmM... food for thought.

Talking abt food..The cookhse food is ok, nothing to complain, physical training is not so tiring, they oso cannot give too many push ups, all in all, life is easier than i thought it wld be. So im breezing thru~ Juz give me my admin time every night to call n im contented.

My section/bunk mates are the coolest of all in the platoon. We are the most carefree n easygoing lot. Laughing n joking ard during admin time, having mini picnics n talking nonsense. yea Section 4 rocks! Made quite a number of friends there. The feeling after booking out is so sweet. Reaching mainland n being able to see my babee agn is all i look forward to everytime

Third book out
Here i am..CNY is coming soon..oh and Happy Birhday Debbie! More hong baos this yr? lolx.I'll rather hv more time than money. This a loong break n im gg to spend it to the max. Till the next time. ciaO~

2006-01-07T12:58:00.000+08:00

A journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

Goodbye ppl. Cya ard! Dont forget me. haha.

All the best in all tt u all do.

byeE~! Will miss ya all

2005-11-19T23:36:00.000+08:00

Its pretty amazing tt i am still up at this hour. Went out today with debbie to do abit of shopping. haha. Feeling quite happy today also. Havent really settled down and gotten used to this new freedom. All of a sudden, it is all over.. one can feel quite lost initially but im enjoying it now. M'sia is calling me. lol.

@_@. i'll crawl back to bed now.. in less than 24hrs.. i'll be on a bus to genting. =) Life is good.

Song of the week: ye qu by Jay Chou

2005-11-11T15:08:00.000+08:00

Nothing short of a miracle would get me out of the seemingly hopeless situation i am in... God help me

2005-10-22T13:31:00.000+08:00

Sometimes... All we have to do is to keep on hoping and working hard.

It is not impossible. A whole new life awaits me after this.

2005-10-15T18:22:00.000+08:00

What else can i say?

6/1/06

Its not the end of the world yet..
It is juz a beginning of a new journey

2005-10-14T23:58:00.000+08:00

Last day of school...

I dont feel sad, pretty emotionless. It has ended as quickly as it had begun. Probably reality hasnt set in for me yet. AJC has given me so many memories, so much invaluable experiences and here is where i have grown the most. CHS is where i built my charatcter and AJ is where it was tested. My very core values and views and life shaken and tested throughly. Now i get a better idea of who i am, what i am, where i am in this vast world.

The slackers gave me the warmest and loudest welcome to JC life. Havoc as we were, the stress and incredible amount of workload deeply humbled most people. Never ever was i so hardworking yet not getting any results. Puzzling isnt? Never happened to me b4.

Guitar club is the place where i was able to express myself sometimes and given space to develop my interest in guitar. Opportunities given by Mdm Khoo to let me perform on stage n most importantly, accepted me even though i had an external CCA. A bunch of great fun loving people. SYF was special indeed. Endured months of training. Blood sweat n tears for the toil and pain for the one final performance... And i'll nv 4get the concert grp ppl too. Those sessions w me in preparation for the concert. Sure i was laughed at when i tried to convey a musical msg across but it worked! lolx

23/04 is the one thing i will probably miss most. For i never really had and enjoyed staying in a class in sec as compared to them. The many ups and downs we went thru' tgt, getting tossed n turned around as we barely pulled through a turbulent JAE period. Friendships forged are bonds that will nv be broken. I have too many words for them, all unspoken for it is better felt than said.

Lastly our fortune of having such fantastic teachers.

-Mr Lim whose dedication n hardwork in preparing for lessons for students is truely commendable.

Giving advice n keeping cool n for singing in class. haha!

-Mr Soh who never fails to tell a cold joke on a very cold day and frequently bringing us to the comp labs for lessons to hide away from the terrible heat
.
-Ms Lee. Her lessons are forever engaging.. well.. most of the time at least. The jokes that rarely draw laughter except for her drawing that is equivalent to a pri 5 kids. Lolx. And how to forget her pretty trendy and fashionable dresses lyk an umbrella skirt, a very cropped jacket, Shoes that has a flower on only one foot(The other one dropped out.!) etc

- Last but not least...... Mr Paul Tham. Whose effort n guidiance n concern about the class is unparralleledd in every aspect. He though me one valuable lesson - to never give up hope n always keep the faith. It was this faith in us that saw us through our worst times as a class and this hope that kept us going on. His love for our class can never be underestimated, the depth of it will never be known to us but one is certain of the sacrifices he has made for us. It is a shame that things ended this way. What have we done to deserved such things from a man?

His last wishes for us:

That we will be taken care of and by the ones we love

That we will respect and be respected those we work with

We are all a better person already. Thank you for touching out lives

2005-10-10T00:45:00.000+08:00

So.. the ipod is mine for a week. haha. while trying to create playlists to personalise it i stumble upon a major obstacle.... The cds i wanted to upload to the ipod are missing =( pissed. I juz misplaced a secret garden CD!! aRgh.. What was suppose to be a full collection of their 4 cds are now down by half..! gRrrr...

One more month to go.. or less than that. I'll put all these aside and the few things i will do straight after the As is to buy 10 CD racks! To fit the huge collection of cds i have here and a few specially for my mom's catholic songs. The whole place is so very cluttered up.

Looking forward to Genting and the times im going to spend with dB.

Right now i'll juz make do with what i have and get myself one ipod smtime later when i hv the $$. yea. Jia you ppl, all those taking A's or their final yr exams. It sux but u'll miss after it is all over i bet.

2005-09-23T00:02:00.000+08:00

well well... A big sigh of relief for me. Deep breath and...*hhhhhhhaaaaaaiiiiiiii. it says it all. Did my best, studied hard... yet.... it was a killer. Right smack in the middle of my throat. ok maybe not tt bad. There is still some glimmer of hope but not much.

Anyhow, after the end of physics i cldnt feel any better. hahaa. A big burden off my shoulders. We went to cuppage almost immediately and sat in front of the screen for 6 hrs +. Guys... ya. cant help it. It is so dirty cheap $1 an hr. Amazing. FantAstiC. lolx. Then... went to eat. hvnt spent tt much time w e guys like tt in sm time. As in gg out, play n eat w/o thinking abt hmwk or stuff.. juz fully focused on having pure fUn. pErfect.

tOday... went out again. Pizza for lunch n Swenson's for dinner = fat. hahah. watched "be with me" in the cinemas. It the arty farty kind of show but it is quite nice actually if u think abt it. Need patience for sure to slowly figure n last thru the show. No speech was made in the first 30 min or so. In the end... I totally enjoyed myself today. thanks dear. Tmr is my cousin's convo n photo shoot on sat. Maybe on last outing on sun b4 sch starts?

2005-09-04T23:41:00.000+08:00

So basically that is it. Im officially 18. Getting a glimpse of adulthood and in the twilight years of my teens. But somehow i dont feel any older, perhaps abit wiser after all that i have been thru' last year.

Im v.grateful for all the friends i have/had. They come and go n leave their traces inside ur heart. Although we may not be as close as we were but i will still rmb those wonderful memories u all gave me. Thank you all. For your presents and love.

2nd sept... Spent the day after my gp exam in bugis with debbie. Went to fishnco, walked ard. Ate a small chocolate cake afterwards. I felt really loved =) how i wish it wld never end...

3rd sept... Woke up in the morning with a pleasant surprise. My brother had left my present on my table with a card juz beside it. How nice of him. Thanks tiack. Left for morning mass and lunch was a taka. Had sm Italian meal n Tiramisu cake with my family and it left me feeling v.v. full all the way till 10 plus. It was a special day, a day dedicated to me n my family.

Thank you all once again for the messages n all. Made me feel real special. =) And luckily there was no poling or funny stuff from the guys. hahaaa. Frankie is next! *evil laughter. muahaha.

2005-08-29T15:37:00.000+08:00

Its kind of cliche but in life there are ups and downs. Juz not too long ago, it was one of my lowest point in JC life. Starting from last week, the whole episode on whether to go prom night has drained me. In the end, we could have saved everyone the agony by just not caring. We tried to persuade ppl to go not because we want them to go or else we will feel lonely. But rather its because we thot tt they didnt want to go cuz others were not gg but wanted to very much.

Morale was very low in that chatroom that night, then was raised by our optimistic view and agreement on how amazing the prom night will be without them afterall. And so it was decided, we handed in our order forms. Until i received a msg, i knew it was coming once the idea was mentioned. But i kept hope and faith that it will not happen. When i saw tt msg, my heart sank. I was utterly disappointed. We had all agreed to have fun together did we not? But dont get me wrong, i have nthg against that grp of ppl. For they were the ones who gave me my most enjoyable time here in AJ. I like all of them still.

Yup. In the end, everyone will be happier this way. No more burden on them. Good guys make mistakes too. I dont blame them, neither am i angry with them. Im just glad that all this shit has came to a conclusion.

YET throught it all, I remain optimistic that in the very end, everyone will leave without regrets. That in the future when we meet up again one fine day, we will remember nothing but the good memories that we hold dear in this place. The unpleasantness will only last this long but the beautiful memories are ours to keep.

Im looking forward to our trip to m'sia at the end of the year =) gO Go go gUys~!! I'll return to sch tmr feeling relieved that this is all over. Burden on my shoulder lifted. I'll go back feeling happy once again. Forgive all who have done wrong to me and start anew. Seeking reconcilliation with everybody. Hope they do likewise. Relax ppl! Life is too short to fret over such stuff =)

Hahah. And forgive me for being abit narcissistic =Pp

2005-08-12T21:15:00.000+08:00

Maybe its the stress. No. It must be the late nights... Everyone is trying to keep their sanity at this moment in time as prelims are juz round the corner.

Went to slp this aftnn with a mild headache, probably a sign of my lack of sufficient slp. Woke up feelin worse, the headache got bad and i was even more dazed. So i woke up and crawled out of bed knowing that i cant stay there any longer, i had to get my work/revision done... After a hot shower, revigourated, im ready to fight the battle again!

2005-07-28T20:03:00.000+08:00

About one month after 3rd july i wrote this entry..... haha. wadeva. I had my guitar farewell ysd, it was not bad, at least there was effort. Mr A's speech was v.long, nothing unusual. lol. Missed the slide show they did tho' hai. anyway, im glad to be finally out of the club but whether our paths will ever cross again is certainly not up to me to decide.

Chiong back from dotA and made it juz on time for the compre paper, didnt hv time to finish it. To me.. it wasnt as difficult as the TJ or VJ paper but still had to think quite abit. Must study hard le... As to whether i can score in prelims is still a question mark. I remembered being confident and prepared b4 midyr but my results showed otherwise. Nvtheless, play n games can all come later. Work hard ppl, a few more months only if u hvnt realised..hmmm.. Will be stopping my guitar classes in Sept. and i wonder when will i get the chance to go back to yamaha again? i will miss those times.

2005-07-03T23:17:00.000+08:00

This has been a terribly eventful week for me and prob for everyone too.

Firstly... was the Midyrs!!(27/6 - 30/6) I spent some time studying for it esp in the last week. i accompanied debbie to the lib for almost the whole week to study there cuz somewhere in her block there was a renovation gg on. That was my most successful week. haha. GP was ok, the usual stuff. Maths was not that bad, i hope my results are not tt bad too =p. Chem was do-able but no time to finish. Physics had the most kick. Quite tough in other words, had to think alot while spending some time taking care of my running nose. Luckily no one was near me to see struggling to keep the wet stuff from my nose from dripping all over the place. hahaa.

Next....Midyrs ended!! song. The guys went to play dotA in btw our chem paper 2 & 1 b4 ew n eugene had to chiong back to sch for their chi listening ppr. lolx. After our last paper, the guys left immediately to play dotA again for 4 hrs str8 at cuppage. @_@ OWnnIngG~ Then watch initial D. It was a just above avg movie cuz jay chou with his AE86 n the da shuaige, shawn yue n edision was inside. i kind of like jay's dad in the movie too. haha.

Followed by....? oh. i went to watch save the last dance with dB. It's a better show than initalD cuz it had more plot n its more than just dancing. AFter the show im thinking of learning hiphop dance. haha. how coOl is tt? sTreEt sOcCer was next on the list on Saturday. Legs aching abit now from the long period of inactivity. zZ then went to parkway n tm and got myself another singlet n a surf shorts. so tts it for my summer shopping. lolx

just now... i was watching A.I and it was a touching movie. Stephen Spielberg is a genious in movie making by far. He brought up many issues and it was simply beautifully done. Perfect.

Presently.... Life is getting more realistic now. 2 more compres 5 essays(i lost my prelim package!!) Chem trans metals plus option topic, and prob maths binomial distribution(what the hell is tt?) and the whole idea of going back to school and A lvls..... My whole world seems to be caving in again. haha. Should shake myself out of my post-exam mood soon n start cracking.

2005-06-23T22:08:00.000+08:00

oOoo.. today im very happy. Firstly is because its our(me and db) 99th day.... hmmm. lolx. and secondly i got a new singlet. hahaa. I can now finally brave thru' the hot scorcing months on more than one singlet. lolx.

I got back from my m'sia hol in Rawa Island. Its some off shore beach island resort. Nothing much to do really, except snorkel and get cooked by the sun(i got sun burnt) and eat and sleep. ya.

The fishes there are quite colourful, not lyk those u see in Discovery channel of course but snippets of them. The corals are mostly.... dark brown/black but still there are some corals u see in Discovery channels. Lyk the one with the clown fishes inside u noe? lolx. Its a v.nice place really, like a getaway kind of thg.

Next time maybe, i shall org a trip to tt island, wld u all come? haha. Trust me, i noe exactly how it all shld be done ;)

Midyr in 3 days...... Mr Lim says phy will be a killer so dont be too disheartened. I hope my other subs can do well, quite well in fact. Im aiming high~ anywayx------ All the best for ur midyrs toO! Juz give it ur best shot, its not the end of the world if it doesnt turn out ur way. I'll keep my fingers crossed for me n for u all. haha.

2005-06-15T15:59:00.000+08:00

I Juz got promoted to senior CLT. hahaa. What does that mean? It means that i can still continue to contribute to my air unit in cat. high. It would not have made a dofference if i wasn't promoted, i will still help them anyway. But looking back on my very short one year stint as a CLT, there is much i have achieved and much i have yet to do.

I still rmb, i entered and came out of my 47th clt course with much vigour and purpose to help my unit. Alas, it was not to be, situation took control with JC life to cope and Guitar Club. J1 life was crazy. I took 4 subs all the way to promos, which meant loads of time has to be spent on hmwk n studies juz to pass. It was tough trying to adjust to JC life. On top of that, there was guitar twice every week and when syf came ard, it inceased to 3 times a week. Still,i had to go back to HQ often to help establise the aeromodelling club. Then only did i have time to contribute back to my unit. sigh~ After the aeromodelling club was setup, i cldnt find time to go back anymore, whats more, their training schedules were not taylored for the JC ppl. e.g thurs 1-5pm.??? how to go? im in the middle of class u noe? So other than getting to fly the plane twice n lots of 'saigang' preparing the club, nothing was left for us to do. It was simply out of our way.

I went back as and when i could and helped more with the back stage planning n discussions with Qin Xue, who was doing most of the ground work. What we discussed, he would try it out etc. Everytime i go back, i carry myself with a great sense of pride that i could come back to my alma mater to groom n give a part of myself to the cadets. Up to today, I wish i could be with them more often and help Qin Xue and Mr Goh guide them and give to them what NCC has given me. The discipline, confidence, care for my ppl etc. With Darren and a few more who just passed out, congrats! And hope they can continue what i have not begun. Only then will i have a peace of mind. =)

Lastly, how can i forget all the support my CO, Mr Jeffery Goh and Ms Wong(Mrs Tay) has given me? They supported me all the way in trying to startup line flying, part of aeromodelling here in CHS. Financial and moral backup which was so graciously given helped in my own experential learning to grow as a person. At least i can say for now, i have given smthg to my unit. Hope the aeromodelling course was successful for the Part Bs. =) Thank you Sir and Mdm. I will continue to help out with my heart n soul everytime i can make it back.