Day 9 — Someone you wish you could meet

Two years later, three of you went on to serve the nation, while I'm still living the life of a student. It's just a matter of time before I join you guys on the field.

Thadd, I wonder where you are now, and how you're doing. Among the 4 of us, you were like a guy with great strength, a friend I looked upon for reassurance you would be there to help us whenever we had difficulty completing our tasks during PE during our 1 month's stay at MI.

Didn't get the chance to say congratulations on being attached to Shi Hui. Only found out recently. How are you getting along? Great? I could only imagine you as a body builder, always striving to make yourself stronger than ever.

If there's the chance, I do hope we could meet up soon, even a simple tea session with you guys is good enough.

Haven't heard much from Limther as well, though he sounds the same as before. Hope he's as well as ever. Sean, well, I guess he's still the same, maybe better than before, just that I never really noticed?

Let's see if we could meet for once, before next year, hopefully? Looking forward to seeing you guys!

Day 1 — Your Best Friend

The Year End Special. Something to end things off differently this year!

Each year, I'll spend a little time, pondering over little stuff that has happened over the past 364 or so days. This year, I wanted to make it special, since it's 2010, I'm probably in my final year as a teen(unless 20 is considered as the last), and I'm graduating in less than three months. Many thanks to Xing Dan, who inspired me to take on the challenge, since it's probably the best way to mark the end of the first decade of the second millennium(or, the third).

Ever since my age had a second digit to it, I stopped figuring who was truly a best friend. Honestly, I can count the number of friends I have with my fingers, and be left with a few still standing upright! I shall remember three friends. Three friends who have helped shape me from someone people would call a sitting duck, into a simple-minded individual who simply enjoys being there for others(even when he knows it's out of his league to do that much).

I have known this boy since I was 10. One of the few friends I had back in Primary 4. Zheng Yan. Probably the only prefect back in 2001 to spot 4 different badges on your left. Wondered how you managed to bear that weight, walking around during recess, climbing stairs, taking the bus home. Outspoken, always taking initiatives, you have showed me the basics of the meaning of friendship. In 2003, you looked at me with tears in your eyes upon seeing the green laminated script with the three digits that somehow dictated the future of every 12 year old. I could only stare back at you blankly, helpless, not knowing what to do, other than to tell you ,"don't be upset, you did better than me." You know, the incident at the fish shop that same year, was the last time I visited similar shops until 2 or 3 years back. Gosh, we stood there like status, as if looking at the fishes for answers to our innocent deed(it was their fault to place the tanks at such a position where there was little room for them to balance on their own). Still taller than me, you have become better looking, definitely more mature, but hey, you still sound almost the same!

Miss Lim(have yet to find her Facebook account), our first and last secondary school teacher(and the best teacher I've been taught by since I started schooling), sat us beside each other back in January 2004. A month later in February, we decided to go ask for her endorsement for us to make it to the councillor interviews. Like everyone in the world, you started small, and gradually made a name for yourself. We took similar, yet different paths. I still remember, we used to jostle with metal and plastic rulers, typical of 13 year-olds back then? Always there for me, yet I took things lightly every now and then. Perhaps the camera incident in 2006 was a blessing in disguise? The thousands of volts that ran through our hearts at the science lab taught us many things. I don't know what to say, although I had misplaced your trust, you welcomed me back almost as soon as it all ended, as if nothing had happened. Recently you had just returned from your overseas stint, a better groomed person, at least you're more tanned now. I just feel, though we seldom see each other, Randall too, it does wonders how simple stuff like meals, a movie series, books and the like could always help us relate to one another. Sometimes, we don't even need to think about what each other was thinking to know what we're feeling! I miss the days we studied together. Perhaps, history could repeat itself if we became course mates, or beter still, classmates, at NTU?

I don't know about this one. I just, don't know what to say. It all started with us electing a class representative back on Monday morning, 7th January 2008. There were the four of us. One who was the life, organising last minute class gatherings and lunches right after the dismissal bell went off everyday, without fail, there was one, who was always there to provide us with the support we needed, and there was you, the one who would never fail to point out your miss beautiful in the crowd to us every morning(well, almost). Sean, you have been like a guru, ever since the four of us left in different directions on our respective journeys. Many times, I come to you, you'll provide some useful advice, without fail. You gave me the chance to meet not one, but two friends who I came to know and grew really close to. Ever since I knew you, I have had many opportunities to travel those long journeys from the West to the East, to kill time, release stress, and to just catch up on the times. I can't wait to meet you guys soon!

Although it's been quite a while since I met them, I still see them every now and then, though not as often as when were were still seated in the same respective classrooms. I have 4 others, but I doubt I would stop at 7 if I were to type away.

I wonder, would it be possible, if some of the days, I end up writing to the same contact since I can't think of any other?

NJC-NP Joint Comminuty Service Project to Dumaguete City, Philippines-Part 5

Today's a very special day. It marks one year after I first entered the school for my first lesson. The first lesson I had at 9am was Engineering Math, and we were doing some basic tutorials on functions, practically A Math stuff. Ever since I left MI, I wondered whether the choice of going to study in a polytechnic, where the style of learning and the environment were very different from what I had been going through for the past 10 years, was the right one to make. Before that, the past 4 years I had were eyeing that one spot in a junior college, until last year, that one month of experience totally forced me to make serious reconsideration. If I was operating at 80% capacity in a centralised institute and yet score single digits for every test in the first month alone, I might not even stand a chance going beyond the first term in a junior college. Thus, I made the decision to go to a polytechnic. I had wanted to get into aerospace technology, but perhaps I was destined to take another route, one that had easier competition and more doors to many portals. In February 2008, I was posted to Mechanical Engineering. So, after all those months of work and slacking, I'm now here. Indeed, being posted to a course with a sky-high cut-off point was a blessing in disguise.

Anyways, on to the fifth day of the reflections. If not for the posting to my current course, I might not be here today posting stuff about a joint community trip to a foreign land. So, off we go, with the fifth day.

It was the fifth day, and also the highlight of the trip. In the morning, we met up with our students before having Joey leading the warm up, playing games such as before we settled at a corner to ask our students about their ambitions. Ivan wanted to be a nurse like his mother, so that in future, he could use the money he earns to build a house for her. Dellwen wanted to be a chef to cook delicious food for his family in future and others. Mierco wanted to become a scientist who would come up with new ingredients and food to contribute to the community. I was taken aback by their dreams, for although they still young children, they had already have made rough plans for what they wanted to do in the future! I remember that even at that young age, all that I ever wanted to do, was to study hard and clear my PSLE so that I could get into a good secondary school. Dreams could come later on in life. In addition, the students all wanted to take their education to a higher level, to go on to study at a high school before going on to a college or university in future. The children were also given the assignment of letter writing. They would reply to the letters written to them by friends from NJC. As they were not veterans with their usage of grammar and vocabulary, we stood by them, providing them with assistance in correcting their mistakes. Although the letters they wrote were simple as compared to the letters written by an average 10 year-old child in Singapore, these children wrote their letters with great sincerity and effort, and that was what made their work stand out.

We returned to the centre for lunch, and started off on our rehearsals for the Cultural Night performance. It started out badly at first, for most of us had forgotten some lyrics to some songs. The Cultural Night committee went straight into an urgent meeting to find a solution for the problem at hand. We decided to not sing for two song items, but we would go on to perform all the songs with actions. We noticed some of the children from Candau-ay Elementary School who had come down five hours ahead of the Cultural Night to watch our rehearsals and attend the concert later in the evening. Although we wanted very much to spend time with them, we had a goal, to put on a good performance for our hosts at Saceda Youth Lead, representatives, principals and teachers from the schools around Dumaguete and not to forget, the children we made friends with.

Soon, it was dinner, and an hour later at 8pm, it was time for the Cultural Night. We were greeted with another pleasant surprise when we were told that a traditional percussionist band was there that evening to not only watch our performance, but perform for us as well! The opening ceremony of the Cultural Night was very solemn, with the singing of national anthems, but once that was done, the mood changed in the blink of an eye. Everyone was in high spirits, ready to celebrate the time we had that night.

Our performance that evening went very well indeed. It was followed by a performance by a cultural percussionist band, and there was the finale, where we all danced to the music played by the band! The band’s music was something that I have never heard before, very original indeed. Their music gave me a feeling of peace in my mind and soul. I felt like I was floating in the air, relaxing, forgetting my worries. Moreover, the instruments they played were all hand crafted by them, from recycled materials. Remarkable. After the Cultural Night ended, some of us stayed behind to admire their instruments and their music, before they left on their journey to perform at another location.

That night, was also the only night where we had supper. We were given eggs to eat. However, the eggs were only the tip of the iceberg. There was something more to the eggs. Inside each egg, there was an embryo. Some had tiny bones and feathers, some had none. Yes, the egg yolk and egg white was still in the egg, so except for the embryo, the egg was still normal. That is the Balout. It was voted the Second Most Exotic Food in Asia by the National Geographic.

For consuming the Balout, we got a reward. It was a biscuit covered with bread crumbs, with a layer of cream sandwiched in between two pieces of biscuit. The cream tasted like vanilla ice cream, only better. Once again, the night ended with another debrief.

Tomorrow's the final day of our module, and after that, it's freedom for the next few days before school reopens again. There would be a group presentation in the morning, followed by lunch, and everyone would go for a movie after that. However, for me, I would be going to sit for an evaluation test for basic theory at the driving centre. Hopefully I would be able to pass it, book practice sessions every Wednesday for 11am slots and sit for the actual basic theory test on Thursday, 7Th May. Once done I would be taking lessons every Tuesday and Wednesday from 8 to 10.40am, before going to school for self study and lunch till 1pm. Hopefully, I would clear everything by July, latest August, so that I can break the time limitations of taking the public transport home before 12am in future.I just hope everything can go well without any errors tomorrow.

End of the Storm

Actually, it has ended quite some time ago, just that, I'm breaking the news late. Finally found time to update, so here I am posting(of course). This is so going to be one extremely long post.So, ya, do read if you think you have got the time and interest to.

Last weekend was the very first time I fought in a Inter Varsity-Polytechnic championship(IVP). Went to NTU on Saturday to gain some first-hand experience of full-contact sparring at the tertiary level. The difficulty of each match varied greatly, depending on the amount of experience each side had, as well as the expectations of the judges and referee.

On Sunday, I experienced my first match. That, was the third time I wore the head gear since I first joined the sport as a CCA. Was extremely afraid before the day started, but as time passed, I found myself becoming someone very different(I wasn't that quiet self, my confidence level was very high, and I forgot the meaning of fear). However, the match was fast paced. We were both very fast, but he was just faster. 2 moves by me would be equal to 3 of his.

The very first counter that was dealt was a direct hit. It was a very nice score, though it left me stunned for a couple of seconds. The intensity of the blow was similar about 10% of Adrian's. to Each time I attacked, it would only end up with me being countered. I tried to retreat to time my counter, but that, too failed. So, I sort of gave up, and decided to take the blow when he attacked, go close(close enough that it seemed as though we were hugging), and try to make my move once he forced me away. The first part ended with a devastating 4-0 score( I knew I had 2 hits, though they were not very clear to the judges).

In the second round, I tired the same thing, except that I attempted to aim for his head this time round. It proved fatal. Two attempts met with two swift, direct counters. I gave up, decided to buy time, so that even if I lost, it would be about 30 seconds or so into the second round before I lost. Everything ended in the evening, so went to Jurong Point for dinner before going home.

After that match, the storm ended. Relaxation here I come! So the next day, went back to school for an hour of briefing on the general outline of the trip, before going to the Alumni Club House for the first time to accompany them for lunch, before going off at 12.30 for Sentosa for class outing. The moment I reached, it rained. Sad. That day, was the first time I sent the most messages. And it seemed to my friends that I had a partner. Well, I'm still not attached, and I'm proud of it!

Tuesday, was spent slacking and sleeping at home.

Wednesday, was the first time I stepped into National Junior College. The atmosphere, was well, different. It was about 4.20 when I arrived, and everyone was about to enter the school. There, both sides of the team met each other for the first time, and we also knew, for the first time, the whole backbone of the plans.

Thursday, was back to training, and I seemed to have gotten worse, and my stamina had dropped.

Friday, another day to slack and sleep.

Saturday, that's yesterday. Reached the TV room at 8.30am to find that the place was still locked. At around 9am, everyone had arrived and we went in shortly after the doors were opened. Played a few ice-breaking games, and I still found it hard to remember everyone. Forgot the names of almost everyone 30 seconds after the games were played. Anyway, we got down to our groups real quick, and we successfully came up with the complete list of things to do and bring for most, if not all our activities in just 3 hours? After that, we learnt one of the college's mass dance, and it was easier compared to the one I learnt last year back at MI. Mostly hand movements which made it easy. Went for our first group lunch, and we learnt lots os stuff about the difference in our education systems. we left at 3pm. Had a minor infatuation that morning, but, I'm just glad it's gone.

Today, it's slacking and sleeping again, only that I decided on the bags to use for the trip this coming Friday.Alright. I'll say it now. I'm part of the 30-member team comprising of 2 teachers and 28 students from National Junior College and Ngee Ann Polytechnic. We're going on a 7-day trip from this Friday(Friday the 13Th) till next Thursday(19Th March...4 more days) to Cebu, the Philippines for a Community Problem Solving Project, where we will be visiting two schools for activities, and after that, we'll be back in Singapore to complete our research, report and present on the trip( definitely for some of us at NP, but not so sure about the NJC side). This would be the second time I'm going on a joint Overseas Programme. The first time was to China back in secondary school.

And, here's the plans for the up-coming week. Tomorrow, go to Grandma's place in the morning, before going to Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station to meet Jian Hui and the others for a movie, change some money if there's the time, and head back to school for taekwondo training.

On Tuesday, it's the one day where I'll slack, sleep and pack up.

Wednesday, it's back to school to pay the 400 bucks for the trip and to NJC for the second and maybe, the last time. We'll be there to learn the mass dance as well as finalise some plans for the trip on Friday.

Thursday I'll be out with WM and Jon on a tour around Singapore I guess? One of the stops is a visit to the IT fair, post my NYAA application and also to change some money if I have not done so tomorrow.

Friday, it's plain simple. Get myself and my bags to Changi International Airport Terminal 2 by 6.45am and everything else will fall into place over the next few days till the 19Th. I can't wait!

Alright, here's something random. Was interesdted in thsi quiz found on Amanda's blog, and went to try it out. Surprisingly, it's very accurate! I'm still unsure about the commitment part and the one on death seems interesting.

What is your True Fear? Your Result: Losing Someone You love affection and the people in your life more than anything. Your greatest fear is that one day someone you care about won't be there anymore. You are a very friendly and inviting person, who draws in a lot of friendships with your kind, considerate, and loyal nature. However, deep down you are slightly insecure and unsure of yourself. You couldn't deal with it if you didn't have one of your loved ones in your life anymore. You don't have too much to worry about though, because with a friend like you, no one will want to lose you either!
Disappointment
Where Your life is Going
Being Alone
Commitment
Looked down on
Death
What is your True Fear? Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

Simple Goodbye to 2008, Challenging Introduction to 2009

Hi there again! It's been some time since I updated. Alright, first up, the top 15(decided to bring down the number as I felt it might be a little irrelevant).

15. 1 Month long PAE(provisional Admissions Exercise) at MI, from 2nd January till mid February.
Although it was just a month-long stay, I sure made many friends from all over the country, and till today, I still keep in touch with some of them.

14. Many long breaks and holidays.
School life up till the third quarter of last year was pretty slacked, with breaks lasting from as short as 2 weeks to the longest ever of 7 weeks. Even during the school terms during the first semester, the lessons were easy to understand, compared to the second semester where things gt tougher.


13. JAE(Joint Admissions Exercise) posting results

At first it came as a big blow, but over time, I gained much interest in my current course, ME(Mechanical Enginering) although I had very much wanted a place in AT(Aerospace Technology) before that.

12. Combined Toastmasters meeting with RJC and students from Hong Kong.
1 word to describe that 1 reason: Memorable.

11. 4E1-07 Class gathering at IMM.

That was definitely not a night to miss, when we invited Mr Liew to dine with us to celebrate Teachers' Day.


10. 42km runway cycle.
That was the first time I ever cycled such a distance, and on a heavy bike as well. I successfully cycled the distance, but with a couple of stops along the way for breaks.

9.Cycling the East Coast Park- Changi Village route twice in a year
The first time I travveled that route with friends from the Cycling Club, it was one tough challenge, with a short stop over at Changi Village to stock up on water and have lunch. Instead, I went to buy chocolates to eat while cycling back, which made things a little worse on the return part, as I could not cycle at the normal rate while eating. On the second time with a couple of friends, this time, we were able to cover the distance over a much shorter period of time, even though we stopped quite a number of times to watch planes landing an taking off from an active runway of Changi Airport, not too far from the cycling track.

8. First birthday celebration organised by friends
Earlier in March this year, it was a single sms that made me realise that I was actually noticed in class(I used to be so quiet that I always had a nice, cosy corner to myself). Really have to thank them once again for the gifts, dinner and cake, so thank you guys! So, getting a year "younger" to 17 was great I guess?

7. No Camps in 2008.
If I remember correctly, I did not attend a single camp in 2008, although I did attend orientation programmes organised by the Mechanical Engineering Society, Cycling Club and the Student Toastmasters Club.

6. Collection of 'O' Level stuff from YCSS
Decided to fill in this spot with something different, so ya. I guess that might be the last time I went to the school's office to collect a document that belonged to me, unless, in future I return as a teacher(which I'm still considering if I have not made up my mind on what I really want to do in future).

5. 08S6(PAE class) gathering at East Coast Park
This was the very first class gathering that I organised, which turned out very well, except that the weather was not in our favour that day.

4. 08S6(PAE class) second gathering
That day was the first time I brought girls home(please notice the 's'). Yes, that was the first time. Usually I brought only guys to my place for projects and the like, but that day, was solely to slack, just one day before the posting results were out. That, was the first successful barbeque for the class, and I hope it might not be our last.

3.Earned a place on the Director's List of Students
I had expected to be in the list, but never to claim the top position for the first semester. For the second semester of the academic year, I guess i might not be so lucky, for to date, I have quite a number of B and C grades, and possibly failure grades as well.

2.New Computer
The third laptop that I owned since 2003. This time, it's a Windows Vista operated Fujitsu S7211. At first during the first term, I used it purely for studying, but over the months I started installing games to kill time. Now, it's become such an asset that I don't really know what to do should I lose it.

1. 2 day 1 night stay at Downtown East Resort.
Learnt many things during the night of the stay, some of which came in handy when I walked the longest distance ever back home from the Marina Countdown.

So, now that you have the top 15 of 2008, let's head off into 2009! HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!

The first minutes of 2009 was welcomed with a big bang. Met up with a few friends at city hall at 6.30pm on Wednesday, 31st December 08,and we ate quite a lot at Swensen's, before going to the esplanade, to slack, before going to Merlion Park to find a place, stay there for 2 hours and watch the fireworks at 12am, on the first second of 2009.

The next part is practically about madness. After the event, there was a large crowd moving toward the City Hall MRT Station and the Raffles Place MRT Station. I got lost after they went to take the train home from Raffles Place MRT Station. So, somehow, I ended up at Tanjong Pagar after 30 minutes of walking at 1am. Over the next hour, I set off for Raffles City via Clarke Quay and Chinatown(somehow I managed to do that, though i did not know exactly where I was headed). That was the worst part of the journey, but I won't go on with the minor details(it's going to be one long story). At 2am, I found myself back on the route home when I arrived at Raffles City. So, from that point on, it was mainly the physical part of the journey. For the next 2 hours, I continued traveling on foot from Raffles City to Clementi, with 3 breaks of 10 minutes each. The toughest part was at Holland Village, where I had to take a slightly different route due to the on-going construction works there. I still enjoyed the 10 minute bus ride home though I had to pay $3.50 just to cover the last quarter of the journey. It was very difficult to complete the last part of the journey without transport, as although I had passed that area many times over the years, I still do not find it safe to walk there, as it's an industrial site.

At 4.40am, I reached home. After waking up at 10am, I did some calculations, estimating that I covered a distance of at least 14 km from Raffles City to Clementi, taking my average speed to be 6 kmh and total time spent of walking as 2hours(excluding resting time).

Anyways, I just hope that this year would be a better year than last year, though this time round, it just felt as though the digit 8 in the calendar was simply replaced by the digit 9. Since the journey home, I had been thinking of some resolutions, though I have not come up with the list yet(don't worry it's not as long as you think it is).

After a 5 Month Hiatus

Today we all met up again, after five months. Pathetic ain't it? Well, can't do much about it as the polytechnic and jc academic calendars are arranged in such a way that it's nearly impossible to organise gatherings on weekdays during the school term, especially if it's during the second semester.

I had to rush to a couple of places before going to the place we were supposed to meet. Stepped out of home at 11am to take the bus to the Esplanade. It was sort of a good thing when Weiwen messaged me that she could not get the group gift for Joycelyn's birthday, for I was just a bus stop away from the shopping centre that she had planned to go to get the gift from. So, I got down, and walked all the way to Far East Plaza, walked around the whole shopping centre once, called her 5 to 6 times before she picked up the phone, only to tell me that the stall was in the basement when I was about to leave for the bus stop. So, went back in, and finally, I found the stall. Close call. Got the present, and left in a hurry for the Esplanade. Time check, 12.15pm. Wow. I spent 15 minutes just to get a gift. So, I walked to the bus stop, and took a bus to the Esplanade. It was 12.50 when I reached Raffle's City, and walked to the Esplanade to get a box of chocolates as a personal gift. I reached the shop at 1.00pm, and since I did not have the time to choose the flavours as I only had 15 minutes left, I decided to make do with the pre-packed one first(sorry if the flavours were not to your liking), and come back another time to select the chocolates for her when we meet again. 1.05pm, I boarded the same bus I took to Raffle's City earlier, back to Orchard MRT Station. 1.13pm, I reached the meeting place. I could finally take a breather.

There were only 7 of us today, Sean, Cherie, Limther, Fiona, Weiwen, Joycelyn, and of course, me. Like Sean said, she wasn't as tanned as how she looked in her blog(hope the chocolates won't worsen her condition).We went for Pepper Lunch at Taka 1.50pm and left at 3pm, as Weiwen and Joycelyn both had to leave early. So while the other two couples went on with their dates, I went home, sadly, but true. I walked all the way to Raffle's City again, just to take the bus back home and enjoy sleeping in the nice weather on the way back home. Although it was only a partial success this time round, at least, I know that the next gathering, there will not only be more people who would be able to make it, but also more things to do as there would be more people present.

Tomorrow's back to school for practicals again, economics lesson, and back home to sleep and mug(yes, I did type "mug"). It's rare for a student in a polytechnic to mug, but, still I have to, or I won't get my 4.0, which I failed to get the previous semester.

Pauses

Today was hectic, I slept for less than 5 hours during the night as I was doing some revision and other things, and ended up sleeping at 5.30am, and woke at 10.30am. Had lunch, slacked a bit by watching television, before sleeping for another 2 hours. Went to Vivocity in the evening, and finally found a suitable blazer, but will get them next week when my borther comes along to check his size.

That's all for today though, so for tonight, I doubt I will be staying through the night again, and I'll just sleep early, for there's going to be a gathering with friends from the PAE period! I can't wait for tomorrow, though it's just for lunch. It's been 5 months since we last sat together and had a good chat. Oh, and I have removed a portion of the previous post as I don't think there's any relevance to keep that portion.

1.2 Day 5

Today's finally the last day of the first week of the term. Usually the best day is the last day of the week, but I don't think today would be a good example. Today was a mixed bag of both good and bad events. But, they sure made today exciting!

Today I left home quite late as I underestimated the approximate travelling time to school, and almost ended up being late in the process. Anyway, I was just in time for the CAD lesson, and managed to get the hang of it after some assists. We had an hour's break after that, from 11am to 12pm. During the lesson, was chatting with WM, who had no school today, and he went on a tour to a school to pass off some time.

After lunch, we went for a lab lesson for a short 30 minute briefing, before having another 1 hour and 30-minute break before going for the Math lecture. I did revision for economics again, this time I did a mind map to compile all the information. Finally, after 6 hours of revision, I can finally get the information into my mind. Guess I'll revise it again in the morning just to make sure. Math lecture was slacked again, and I completed the notes without paying attention to the lecturer. 2 hours passed quickly, and we were dismissed or the week.

Some of us went to grab a bite at the atrium, and we left after that. I arrived at West Mall at 5pm to look for gifts and construction paper, before leaving at 5.20pm for school again. I'm taking a foreign language lesson again this semester, and have gone up by a level. The lecturer has changed, and I guess times are also going to get more exciting as well! Looking forward to the next lesson!After the lesson ended, went to the atrium to have a more decent dinner of 2 sandwiches before heading home.

Now, I'm back home, and I'm still stuck with the planning phase. This time I really did put off a few friends, and I can understand their reasons for being so as well. It's been a week since we set off doing what we had been hoping to do, and now, it's as though we've made very minute progress. Alright. Tomorrow, I will definitely inform those whom I know about the upcoming gathering and ask if they can make it. By the way, it's going to be lunch, as it's extremely dangerously close to the A level Chinese Language paper that demands lots of concentration.

Tomorrow, I'm meeting Sean, Jon and WM again to celebrate 2 birthdays. How would the day progress, really hope it will be a great day out for us! And I'm also looking forward to the coming week, for there would be lots of exciting things going on as the week progresses! I can't wait, for time just passes so fast now that school has begun.

1.2 Day 1

Today was a great start to the new semester. I barely managed to wake at 6.15am this morning, and that was something I could not achieve during the holidays. Well, just have to make sure that I can wake at that time again tomorrow. I left for school at 6.45am, the same time I left for school during PAE. The bus was not as crowded as expected, and I arrived at 7.20am.

There was only 1 lesson today, a perfect start to the new school semester. The lesson started at 8am. Today's module was about technical drawing and Computer Aided Design(CAD). Pretty interesting module, but the lecturer was strict. Anyways, I had to quickly recall the drawing skills I picked up in secondary 1 and 2 to help me complete the drawings in time, although the lecturer has explained the standard way to do it. It has been more than 3 years since I last touched the isometric paper used in technical or engineering drawing! Well, I managed to finish it in time, but the same problem I had during those days surfaced again; I forgot to complete the minor details and my drawing of arcs and circles is still very bad. It was 10.50am when the class ended, and we were dismissed for the day. Didn't really do much other than drawing, which is quite a good start for a new term, and it really helped me recover from the holiday mood.

After that, as it was raining heavily, some of us went to have lunch before heading home. The moment I reached home, I fell asleep and, something really bad happened. Remember that I had to meet up with a few friends today? Yes, I woke up 5 minutes before the speculated meeting time at 3.25pm! I had only 5 minutes to get ready and head down to Orchard MRT station! Damn! I was in such a hurry that I kept messaging the wrong person till she thought that I missed her so much(quote from Jon "Oh my tian")! It took me some time to get myself at least half awake and left the house at 3.30pm. I reached there 45 minutes later at 4.15pm. Sean and Cherie arrived soon after that, and my "big sis" Weiwen arrived at 4.45pm. We stalked her for 2 minutes before she took out her phone and called me(good thing my phone was still on silent mode) and found out we were behind her the whole time. We went to search for a birthday present, but after an hour of searching, we gave up. Weiwen went to Far East to search for something, while Sean and Cherie, with me, went to Subway for dinner. There, we discussed about the up-coming gathering, and something that I least expected happened (and I did something no one close to me would think me capable of doing). not going to go on about that, and so far, we have planned very little for the gathering. Hope it will be a successful one after so many failures.

Preview for tomorrow's post coming right up. 4 hours of practical tomorrow, followed by 2 hours of break(wonder where we're going for lunch this time) and finally, 3 hours of Economics. Had been looking forward to the day I can learn Economics either as a subject or a module since PAE ended, and finally tomorrow's the day it's happening! I can't wait! Let's no get too high and lose myself for now, otherwise I won't have a nice post up here.

On Vacation'08-Part 7

Hey there! Here we are, at the seventh and final part of series, which means that the holidays are about to come to an end, signalling the start of another semester. I must say, that, this week was definitely one of the most exciting weeks during the seven week break. So, without any more delays, here's the week's happenings. Oh, and I decided to throw in today as well, since I wanted a nice, long finish to this post.

Monday wasn't really an exciting day to begin with, and I was still waking after 10am in the morning! How exactly am I going to wake at 6am this coming Monday for the first lesson of the semester, which starts at 8am? In the afternoon, I went for my third-last evening run for he holidays. I clocked 20 minutes, which was not too bad, as it was a few days since I ran the route, and I usually have relatively low average speeds on Mondays.

Tuesday, the day progressed as though I was climbing a mountain. I woke at 10am today, a slight improvement in my waking time. The afternoon was spent on rushing through the first 40 episodes of Naruto Shippuden, sequel to the 220- episode anime series of Naruto. There was without a doubt more action in the new series, and the music collection (knowing some of the music helps one to estimate how good a series is) is also better. I won't add any spoilers in here, for it might kill the excitement of fans who just started watching the series. In the evening, I went for a run again, and I managed to hit 19 minutes, a minute off the normal 20 minutes. At 7.40pm, I set off to meet Ling(did I get your name right?) at Bukit Gombak to collect an order. Wanted to go to Eunos to collect it as I usually want to spend some time out before going back home. So, bought some bread, before walking all the way home. Surprisingly, it took less than 30 minutes to walk home from there, even though I got lost halfway through!

Wednesday was the second time during the holidays that I met up with my sps friends. We went to Bugis for lunch, talked quite a lot to catch up on some lost time and I gained some insight about a module I'll be taking next semester. The knowledge contained that module was one of the reasons why I wanted to go to a JC, but it sure was reassuring to know that it was offered as an elective. Nice. We went to Sim Lim to get some accessories for our phones, before going to Marina Square to watch a movie. It was pretty late by then, so we went for dinner before heading home.

Thursday saw me going to the National Dental Centre for an appointment again. If I remember correctly, that day was one of the few days that I was early by at least 5 minutes. After a while, the things to be done for the appointment were done and I took the bus home after making a call to Sean. Here's a little fast fact: For every 1 in 2 calls made to Sean, there would be a long wait before he answers his phone, and there would also be someone beside him answering the call as well. Anyways, It's good to hear that they're doing really well together, but, I seriously hope I did not call them when they were doing something else, like what usually happens in most drama serials. Sean, if that did happen, please do let me know(in private of course)! I will do my best to make it up to the both of you! I went to West Mall to search for a present for my brother who's turning 15 in less than a day's time, but did not manage to find a suitable gift. So, I decided to leave for home, empty-handed. However, something lit up my spirits when I saw someone familiar, in a brown uniform and black bag. Coincidentally, I met Chong Siang! It's been a long time since we were together. Turns out that he had just come from Jurong Point after being dismissed from school, and was searching for a sports towel. So, I accompanied him to Queensway. Thought I might find something good there as well, so I decided to take him there. It was 6.20pm when we left on bus 61. We reached about an hour later, and within 15 minutes, we got our things and went to the hawker centre across the road for dinner. By the way, I got a dozen shuttle cocks, but it took me a while to notice that after making the purchase that it would make a really bad birthday gift, as he does not play badminton. So, I turned to plan B, to give him the blue lanyard for his phone I bought the day before. I reached home at 9pm, just in time, I guess, for I was expected to be home after 7pm. At 11pm, there was a group conversation held, to organise the joint birthdays of three 4E1 classmates, Wei Xiang, Wei Fan and Weng Ling. Not exactly sure which days their birthdays fall on, but I'm positive it's during these 2 weeks, so Happy Birthday to them! After the conversation, which got nowhere after a while had ended, I thought of something nice.

Let's head back to the 2007 Graduation Nite, held shortly after the last O Level paper had ended. A really great night to remember, me making the second confession(most memorable one in fact). Bonds were remembered and strengthened, before everyone left the premises. 4 years of secondary school life had ended. After that was a month of rest and recuperation from the examinations, before going to MI for the first one month during the PAE period. I was reluctant at first, but, that decision sure was the right one to make, for the strongest bonds that I have made so far(and want to have for the rest of my life), were from class 08S6. Well, it wasn't really academic strength that made us worried, but more of the separation after 1 month, that made me stressed during those times. Having friends from around the country is damn rare, and it's even more rare to have close friends from around the country. A month later, I spent time in preparation for Polytechnic life, as to me, it did no seem fair for the friends in the JCs to be studying and under much stress, while I, was at home, slacking and doing nothing. That head-start proved to be extremely helpful during the course of the first semester, where I made many new bonds during the course of study in ME. Right now, it's going to be the start of a new semester real soon, and there's only so little time left to relax, before I get back to seriousness again.

Friday was such a slacked day for me, though I woke up relatively earlier at 9am. It's still nowhere close to my 6am target, though I know that I'm getting close to it. I spent the day watching Naruto Shippuden again, this time I'm left with 11 episodes before I catch up with the rest of the main group who are currently at episode 79. Sadly, episode 80 would only be released next Thursday. I went for the last 5kilometre run during the holidays. That run was the mos eventful. I saw myself clocking extremely totally new and faster times, especially in the nature park, where I clocked 9 minutes instead of the usual 13 minutes. However, on the return part of the run, I stopped to help two boys whose ball had rolled to the side of the ride I was on. It's rare to have me say this, but, one of them sure was cute when he took the ball, thanks me and ran off. It sue was heart warming to see them running off safely to return to their game too! I sprinted 400 metres to make up for the lost time while waiting to cross the road earlier on. I sure was surprised I could sprint that distance, as after all that running, I did not expect to have that kind of a stamina. Guess the holiday's training sure worked some wonders. I ended up clocking 18 minutes for the run that day. My cousins came at 10pm to celebrate my brother's 15Th birthday, and there was lots of fun! I was surprised when I, too received a present! Thanks a lot!

Saturday, and that's today! Today, I wok up extremely early at 7.11am! Yes! I'm almost near my target! I sent an email to the taekwondo club this morning at 10.20am, hoping to join it so that I can train up my strength and fitness. Having speed ans stamina alone would not help much. I hope I can get a reply soon so that I can start training once again after stopping for a year. At 11am, I left for the City Hall MRT by bus as I wanted to catch up on sleep during the journey there. I was late as expected, but by 5 minutes, and was second t arrive. Sean was the last to arrive today, as the gathering today was not a date. Maybe he reached home pretty late from his date the previous day, that's why he ended up being late, so I guess I can't really blame him for that. We went for lunch at Pasta mania, talked quite a lot about education again, before we went off to Toys R' Us to look at the toys vehicle models, before going to take a look at some Samsung phones. WM sure freaked me out when he went in to grab all the brochures for Sumsung models in such a short time. Sean, seriously, I wonder how freaky he was when you said that he took the brochures for every phone model which the shop sold. After that, we went to a coffee shop in the basement for desert, and slacked there till 3.30pm before going off. I went back to the esplanade to take a bus home after accompanying them to the MRT station. The tyre marks left by the cars were gone, but still, the condition of the road felt just the same as it was before the race. Perhaps the difference could only be felt when one was driving a vehicle on the road?

Just a moment ago, a short discussion was held. Guess there's really going to be a class outing for the PAE class that I was once a part of, and it's round the corner!Can't really say much here till it's confirmed though.

Well, there you go, the last weekly review for the last week of the October Vacation. The new school semester is going to start soon, and it's also time for me to do some warming up to get ready for the challenges ahead, for I have a gut feeling that this semester's not going to be as easy as the previous one. Here's a preview for the next post. On Monday after the first lesson of the semester, I would be meeting up with some friends in the afternoon again, after we sort of lost contact for 5 months.

On Vacation'08-Part 4

Good evening! Welcome to the fourth instalment of the series. Taking a glance back at this week, there many high moments, with a couple of low moments as well.

Let's head straight into Monday. Today was the release of results for the first semester, and there was one funny and weird thing that happened. I woke at 10am, an hour after the results was released. Half awake, I logged on to the site, and saw my results. I simply stared at the screen for 5 seconds, restarted my computer, and logged on to the site once again. This time, I was convinced. This was the second time in my 11 years of education history where I went on a killing spree of As and a B. The first time was 5 years ago. I never expected to get beyond 3.8 for my GPA. So here are the results:

Engineering Mathematics 1 A+

Computer programming(was expecting a pathetic C) A

Engineering Mechanics(physical aspect of physics) A+

Electrical Technology(electrical aspect of physics) A+

Engineering: A Creative Profession B+

Sports and Wellness PX
(PE at the poly level...PS PX represents a pass grade in modules that only have a pass or fail grade)

In the evening, went for a run. I covered 5km in 30 minutes. Damn.

Tuesday, met up with Jian Hui, Jun Jie, Janna and Amanda at Far East Plaza. We went to accompany Janna on her shopping. halfway through, something told me I was not strong enough to face up to certain things, though I had gone through a lot. Went to TCC for tea and a Department store to slack, before I went to Funan to check out the head phones and writing tools there, while the rest went home.

Wednesday, met Sean to make a special delivery. Caught up quite a lot on lost times and learnt a little more about our classmates during the PAE period. I guess I really have to plan for that outing, and fast so that there would not be any more push backs of gatherings. The earliest we could all meet up would be in December, so guys, PLEASE try to keep a day free okay?? Missing everyone and those times badly. We chatted for 2 hours before I had to rush off to buy a dictionary for the up-coming German Enrichment programme next semester.

Yesterday, I ran the same 5km route again, and this time, I managed to clock 19 minutes! Finally I broke my personal record of 20 minutes after a month. The timetables were out as well, and although school would end earlier before 5pm daily, School starts at 8am on Mondays and Tuesdays. However, something got me very worried. I still don't know my elective for the next semester, and I also don't know the time slot of the elective. That small issue has got me anxious for almost a day now. Hopefully, I would be notified soon, as some have already been notified of their electives through their timetables. Oh, and in case I forgot again, HAPPY 17th Birthday to Caderina! You're another year older at 10:10pm(nice time though)!

Today, nothing special. Just managed to complete my 5km run in 20 minutes. My timetable for Mondays and Tuesdays is still a little empty after 1pm.

Once again,
TAG REPLIES:

john:
Well, I just sent it to you for fun, it's really up to you to decide whether you want to do it.

Andy:
Welcome! Just glad tha I had something to kill some time.

john:
LOL! Go back to your Chinese please, I don't wish to be on your Blame List if you fail your exams. And, I'm 100% sure your idea of Sean's name is WRONG =X.

sean:
Guess I spelt your name correctly then! Even though we know each other for just slightly more than 9 months.

Joycelyn:
o.O You're always creeping up like that. Won't sleeping after training make you more lazy >.< ?? And, what's a trivium???

Andy:
YO! Hey thanks(maybe I should have done daily posting), and same to you for your exams!!

On Vacation'08-Part 3

Hi again! We're looking at yet another week that started well, and ended well. Alright, this week, there's really nothing much to elaborate on, so, WM, guess you can finally take a bit of a breather from this week, as I'm going to cut down on my words this couple of weeks.

Monday, nothing much, other than watching some anime, sleep and of course, eating.

Tuesday, went back to school to submit a form for cycling club CCA, went to register for Shyam's German 102 and get a new adapter for the PSP. The original one that came with the package finally broke down.

Wednesday, nothing again.

Thursday, met Shyam and Sankalp at Clementi before going for the second Toast Masters meeting in school. Shyam was expecting a good dinner before the meeting, but it turns out to be a breakfast instead, as there were only cakes for him to feast on.

Friday, stayed home all day again. Cousins came to have some moon cakes, before leaving at 11.30pm. Apart from that, I finally caught up with the latest episode of D. Gray Man! I finished watching the 99Th episode this morning at 11, and waited 12 hours later to catch the 100th on TV.

Anyway, here's a quiz:

1. The person who tag you is:

Andy



2. Your relationship with him/her is:

Secondary school classmate and friend




3. Your five impression of him/her is:

serious, easy going, born-leader, amicable and strong-willed






4. The most memorable thing he/she had done for you:

Don't really have a most memorable, but there's too many memorable things to list!





5. The most memorable thing he/she had said to you:

Not that sure.





6. if he/she became your lover, you will feel weird?

Duh?




7. If he/she become your lover, thing he/she has to improve on will be:

How to woo a certain girl. Other than that, I can't possibly judge another guy can I?




8. If he/she become your enemy, you will:

Do nothing, for that's an impossibility.




9.If he/she become your enemy, the reason will be:

Don't think any reason's good enough for such things to happen.




10. The most desired thing you want to do for him/her now is :

Support him whenever and wherever possible.




11. Your overall impression of him/her is:

Truly a great friend to have. I won't forget someone like him.




12. How you think people around you will feel about you:

1 word: weird




13. The characters you love of yourself are:

Determined, caring towards those I know and, patience to listen to a friend's problems and share his/her grief.




14.On the contrary, the characteristics you hate most about yourself are:

Too quiet, afraid to take the initiative.




15. The most ideal person you want to be is:

Myself?




16. For people that care and like you, say something to them:

Hey! Really glad that I'm acquainted to someone like you! However, like most people, I don't really express those feelings really well (guess only those really close would know what I mean), but , thanks for being with me in both good and bad times!




17. Pass this quiz to 10 persons that you wished to know how they feel about you pass to people that have blog only:

1. Thaddeus

2. Joycelyn

3. Priscilla

4. Jane

5. Augustine

6. Chong Siang

7. Carina

8. Janna

9. Jon

10. Wei Ming






18.Who is no.6 having relationship with?(Chong Siang)

You got to ask him that yourself. I have got no idea.




19. Is no.9 a male or female?(Jon)

Male




20. If no.7 and 10 are together, will it be a good thing?(Carina and Wei Ming)

Don't think they know each other.




21. What is no.2 studying about?(Joycelyn)

First year in Facilities Management for Business in Ngee Ann. Wonder how she's doing.




22. When was the last time you had a chat with no.3?(Priscilla)

Last week




23. What kind of music band does no.8 like? ( Janna)

Not so sure about that, but I guess it's a Chinese band???




24. Does no.1 have any siblings? (Thaddeus)

Never asked about that. Sorry!




25. Will you woo no.3? (Priscilla)

Maybe I'll keep that a secret?




26. How about no.7? (Carina)

Guess I'll keep that a secret as well?




27. Is no.4 single? (Jane)

Not so sure.




28. What is the surname of no.5?(Augustine)

Teo




29.What’s the hobby of no.10?(Wei Ming)

Writing long essays in his blog?

Complex

Today I found something to occupy my time again. I embarked on another anime spree! Should have started a long time ago I know, but since it's going to be a long break, should be fine to start today I guess? By the way, WM said that he dint have time to read an essay, so I'll make this short then. I completed the first 20 episodes of D. Gray-man today. At this rate, I should be able to catch the same week telecast of the anime on Central every Friday, from friday onward, and maybe in English as well(I hope, as I have never watched anime on national TV before).

Then, just moments back, something hit me. On the second week of October, one of the 4 birthday friends from MI might not be able to make it. So, as of now, I'm in abit of a fix. Should I go on planning, or wait till December, after everyone's exams for this year have finished? Even so, I'm afraid of asking about friends in the JCs about their last day of exams, as I'm afraid this might cause unecessary stress. Maybe, I should have asked on the first day of their holidyas, and not on their last. DAMN. Maybe, right now, it's still not too late to ask I hope?

WM, this should be short enough for you to finish in 5 minutes I hope?

On Vacation'08-Part 2

Hey there again! Today we're onto the second part of a 7-part weekly roundup of the vacation so far. This week has been good, although it's expected that after last week, things would start getting dull, the days did not turn out that way. This week was also had its own set of excitement and enthusiasm. So, here we go:


Monday:
Today was Teachers' Day! Not as much fun as last year's, but glad there are many things remembering on this day. I spent the day sleeping at home due to the extremely good weather(it went on till Thursday). Also, the weather was so great, it left me without a chance to get some exercise. Today I saw another answer in a dream. Guess i won't be sharing this one as many would find it too boring, so, ya.


Tuesday:
Today was the third reunion for the class. Everyone caught up on times, and enjoyed our meal. As it was a day after teachers' Day, we invited ms Lim and Mr Liew for dinner. Mr Liew took time off his work to meet us today, and we were thankful for that. We had a hard time getting Mr Liew to accept his gift which was a black and yellow Addidas bag, and we managed to make it happen(wondering if I had forgotten if we had the same situation a year ago, or was it another teacher?). By the way, the catching up part took up around an hour or so, and the other hour, was to prepare the gifts and presenting them. Hopefully, there will be another reunion at the end of the year just like the one we had last year, on the night of the school's open house.I'm so looking forward to the day that the whole class could be together again, though for now, it all seems like an impossibility. Anyway, to end off the day, we took a photograph to remember the night:




Wednesday:
I spent the whole day at home, doing nothing, other than gaming, eating and sleeping. A practical timetable for someone in a holiday mood. I woke extremely late today, at 12pm. If it were still during the secondary school days, the latest time I would normally wake during the holidays would be 8.45am. It's been 4 months since I chose and set foot on this stretch of road, so there's going to be no turning back. I knew very well that 18 points could see me in a couple of schools that gave the direct ticket to a place in a University. However, after that one month, realising that i did not have what it takes to juggle between fun, demanding timetables and schedules and other activities, I decided to set foot on the other path that was wider and easier to walk on. I chose the Polytechnic route that gave students more freedom, but, likewise, it also had its own sets of obstacles. This road has got another split-road after a three-year journey. Either I did well enough to earn myself a ticket to a place in a University, or it was time to set sail, in search of a job. Either way, I would have to face the possibility of being looked down upon by superiors who belief that a polytechnic student is more incompetent than those who either graduate from a University or those who took and passed the A levels well enough to get into the University(I had thought about whether I had made the right choice many times, but still, whether I'm in a Polytechnic or whether I still wore a uniform to school, I'm aiming for one thing. A place in a University.). That's my Wednesday reflection for you.


Thursday:
Today, I had an improvement in my waking time, 11am. Once again, I was back to gaming, sleeping and eating. Until 5.30pm, the weather was finally good enough for me to go for my run. Guessed today finally confirmed my timing for my 5km run some time ago. 20 minutes, 5 kilometers. After that, went to have a game of badminton with my brother at 6.30pm. Day ends with a small and short discussion for the next MI outing.


Friday:
I had a dental appointment today at 4.45pm. For the first time since I have no idea when, I registered on the dot. I left for home at 5.30pm on bus. Since it's the holidays and I had nothing to do at home, might as well take the longest, yet direct route home. So an hour later, I reached home. The journey by train takes only 35 to 40 minutes. This evening, my cousin came for a visit! There were moon cakes and other stuff. At 10pm, my cousin and my parents had an hour long insightful debate about the stock market. I never expected that Economics knowledge could be brought into the scenes as well! Would be taking that as an elective module next semester if I was given that elective.


There's the roundup of the second week's events. From next week, I guess the chunk of words you're currently reading could very well be summed up into a couple of paragraphs, or maybe not? Well, from next week, I'm embarking on another self-imposed head start programme into the next semester. No textbooks or notes? There's always the Internet to turn to!Till then!


Anyway, here's a first:
Tag Replies:

Jane:
Yep, after everyones done it their exams would be the best time. Would be asking around for opinions on what to do soon.. still thinking about the venue though >.<

Anonymous:
Hey there! You know, it's still not too late to get such things going yea? Whether or not you're still studying in school, there're bound to be opportunities to organise such events, and you, together with your friends(who knows, maybe even your teachers) , will definitely cherish those memories! All the best! =P
Wish we were in the same class so you could share that joy with us

XL:
I totally agree with you! Been a year already, but those memories still linger clearly in our hearts, and they forever will! Looking forward to the next gathering to revive those days ^_^

JoN:
Err.. not anymore once it's the third or fourth week I guess?? I know! Find one day when you, wm, sean and I are free, then we can go somewhere to slack for a day, so you can come up with an essay as well xD

Reunion at IMM

Today was the first time this year we had the chance to sit down almost as a whole class and have a decent dinner together. Mr Liew was there as well, as it was just a day after teachers' Day and we wanted to take the chance to celebrate it. Sadly, Miss Lim could not make it, but, there's going to be another day when we could all meet up for another round.

At 6.30pm, there was no one at the planned meeting place, so I guess that made me the first to arrive. Around 5 minutes later, Siang Lin arrived, followed by Chong Siang and the others. Andy, Xue Li, Damien and Zhong Rong were already at IMM. At 7.20pm, we took the shuttle service to IMM as it was raining. The journey there was slow in the crowded bus, but with the company, the journey seemed just right.

We spent 2 hours at Burger King, before leaving at 10pm as the shopping centre was closing for the day. I overheard the girls planning to have another gathering, but exactly when or where, I'm not so sure. There was some difficulty in presenting Mr Liew with his gift, but we managed to do so somehow. We took a photograph to remember the day before heading our own separate ways again. If those in JCs had a longer holiday, there might have been a celebration far better than today's (but that's not going to be possible, as their syllabuses are already super-crammed into less than 2 years). After today, it's going to be a boring holiday once again, and I have given up looking for a job for the vacation. From tomorrow, there's really nothing much to do, and since I have got no CCA that requires my weekly commitment, there really isn't much to look forward to.

Oh, and about the next MI outing, well, I'm pretty much in a spot as I have no idea when we're all going to be free, especially with the promotional examinations drawing dangerously near to have a gathering with those currently pursuing the GCE 'A' Level course. Even if there was a day where we were all free, I have got no idea as to where to go and what to do. So, if anyone has an idea, or would like to help, please do let me know. Thanks!

On Vacation'08-Part 1

Yep! The holidays have officially started this week, and it's been a busy week so far. Oh, before we go on, this is the first of a weekly seven part series, on every Friday. Bringing weekly updates into the holidays as we progress into the next semester. The first week, was like a catapult on an aircraft carrier, propelling me into the holiday mood.

Monday-Tuesday:
The first ever class outing on this vacation seemed a great way to kick off this vacation, as we had a 2 day 1 night stay at a chalet at Downtown East. Met up with Yin Feng at 1.55pm, before An Yan came and we took a bus to the resort to meet up with the rest who were already waiting to check into the chalet. The chalet was way smaller than the one at Aloha resort, which was at least three times larger than our current one. There was a barbecue, followed by games and a drinking session? As the sun set, so did the aura of darkness overcome its chains that bore it down during the day. There were many parties being held, and playful pranks were in abundance, though the mess was expected, that did not stop a large group of students on a study trip to stay at the resort. As the place became darker, so did the intensity of some of the celebrations. All that I would say that, some things were unprecedented, but have taught us many lessons. At 10.40pm, Jian Hui,Jun Jie and I escorted Hamzi and Janna to the MRT Station and taxi stand respectively. That was due to past experience of what my friends experienced earlier this year, that we decided to do the same just in case something similar happened. As we approached midnight,I noticed that the place was sort of broken into three small parts(I related to them as the partying area, the middle line and the peaceful zone). We were in the Middle Line, as we were in the middle of the chalets of the partying students and those where tourists and students stayed at for the night. That night, a series of events brought us closer together, as well as a series of lessons that we will never forget.

Wednesday:
Today would have to be the day that I found courage to go for my first job interview. I had a strange, monotonous tone during the interview, which I had never experienced before. Strange. Well, till today, I have yet to receive a call that I have been selected for the job later during the vacation. Anyway, if by next Friday i have not received a call, I doubt I would have the time to get a job, and would be back to studying in preparation for the next semester's modules. After the interview, I decided to have a preview of the Comex, by walking to Funan to take a look at the games,earphones and tablet add-ons for my laptop. The pricing for some of the products were reasonable, but,I thought that maybe I would get those gadgets if I had received my pay, should I get a job. Headed home at 6pm.

Thursday:
8 days before the registration for Basic German 102(sequel to the Basic German enrichment programme that ended last semester) closes. I went back to school for the registration at 3pm, but sadly, I forgot the last digit of the pin. Oh crap. This was the third time I had forgotten something as important as that. The first time wasn't that important as it was a game, the second time, it was for the gym, the third was my password for my library account. This is the fourth, and I promised myself, today, would be the last time I would forget something as vital as the ATM PIN. With all that free time left, I headed to Suntec Convention Centre for Comex 2008. I happened to meet Darren by coincidence at the fourth floor. He was there with his dad and sis. The booth layout for the fair was alot better with more space for walking, but, one thing that was missing this time round, was the presence of good deals for computer accessories. Maybe that was due to the fact that today was the first day of the fair. After two hours, I reached home at 6pm.

Friday:
Today, met up with Andy and Zhong Rong at 7.45 at Lakeside MRT Station before going back to Yuan Ching to watch the Teachers' Day performance. there was a new segment, the school's new mass dance. Though I did not know how to go about doing it, the thought of mass dance brought back memories from the first month spent at MI. I'm wondering how the teachers who took the effort to take us on a tour into the realm of life in a JC, are doing. It's been 6 months since I last entered the school gates, though I still see it occasionally as I used to live there more than 10 years ago.

Anyway, back to the performance, it's still the same as the previous years, although there were not as many performances put up by the main performing arts groups. The class parties were brought down, to be held at the intra-school level, so as to liven up the celebration, and also to allow teachers to be with more than one class at any one time. Kudos to the organising committee for overlooking those factors.

This was proven by some of the teachers we met today, and this year, the school saw many former students coming back to see their teachers. I must say, that today was almost like a reunion for 4E1, with at least three quarters of the class being present in school today. Mr Liew even joked about going to one of the classrooms for a recap on differentiation and integration to bring back the memories we shared during his lively lessons which I till miss till today.

At 1pm, Andy,Randall, Gabriel, Chong Siang and I left for Boon Lay after collecting our testimonials and certificates. Andy had to head home to get ready for his swimming training, while the rest of us headed to Jurong Point for lunch. At 2pm, Randall and I left for the bank to reset my ATM PIN, before we went to Singapore Polytechnic so that he could submit a form for a camp. We the took bus 74 to Ngee Ann Polytechnic for my second attempt to make the payment for the Basic German 102 course. At first, the machine could not read the card which caused quite a scare, but on the second attempt, I finally successfully made the registration! Now, we went on to Vivocity to help Sean(MI friend) search for a high grade perfume that fetched a 3-digit price tag. Well then, I'm sorry, but exactly what errand I was running for Sean, must be kept a secret till who knows when. This afternoon, one thing I noticed was, every time he answered the phone with a smile, you could almost be sure that he was enjoying precious moments with someone precious. And today was no exception as well.

Randall and I rushed back to Clementi at 5.40pm to get ready for a small reunion dinner. After that at 8pm, the group of us who sat together for dinner went to the sports complex for 2 hours of billiards. Randall and I left early as we were too tired to continue. many Thanks to Randall for accompanying me for the whole afternoon today!!

Right now, I realised that I am feeling lost again. Would I meet that person soon? Is that person already in my life, just waiting for me to take notice? I have got no idea, and I seem to have lost my resolve in holding the bow and arrow, which could be the explanation to why I am feeling lost. Perhaps, dreams could help me see the answers to these questions, and hep me overcome these times once again.

A day ago,
we exchanged greetings.
A week ago,
We engaged in conversations.
A month ago,
We went almost everywhere together.
A year later,
Would those times still be there?

One day,
We met.
Every week,
We promised to be together always.
Each Month,
We would catch up on lost time.
A year,
Could our hopes last?

No one knows for sure what exactly could happen next. For now, I will just keep searching for the answers, hoping that one day, I would definitely find the precious stone and treasure it like there was no tomorrow.

An Unique Birthday Celebration

I had a very unusual invitation yesterday. I was invited by Wei Ming, Sean's friend, over to his place to celebrate not just his belated 17th birthday,but his sister's 21st birthdayas well! Well, a little strange, but, since I had nothing better to do at home, so why not? After attending a friend's wedding(thanks for the invitation and best wishes~), I rushed home, got changed, and left the house.


At around 1.40pm I boared the bus and headed for Clementi MRT station. The time I was suppossed to meet them was 3pm. But, since I was travelling from the West to the East, I would need alot more time to travel. So, at 2.45, I reached Aljuned MRT station, and depended on a small map to locate The Alcove, the place where the party was to be held.



Well, true enough, I got lost, since the directions on the map were wrong in a sense. Whenever Im not used to a place, I tend to find a traffic junction when it comes to corssing busy roads. However, in that map, well, I was suppossed to jay walk. So, in the end, I took the correct route, but ended up getting lost as the map did not cover the area that had the traffic crossing. So, Wei Ming had to come escort me, just because I did not know where to turn.


Anyway, once we arrived at his place at 3pm, we played games,listened to music and surfed the net with our laptops. All three of us, Wei Ming, Jon and I, except for Sean who has yet to own his first. Well, at least Sean had something that we did not have(an ipod touch). Sean and I played counter Strike which became a game that was boring to play after spending close to an hour playing the same map over and over. So, after watching the first semi final match of the Aviva Open on TV, we went to the gym for a short workout at 4.30pm.



The gym was really small though, but the equipment were decent. This time I hit a new high on the treadmill, 16.5km per hour. I usually ran at 15, but since it has been 3 weeks since i ran on one, maybe i could use the extra speed to make up for lost time. after that I hit the machine. Sean handled 12kilogram weights without any effort. Well, for me, I was close to being half dead when I tried the 7kilogram weights. Finally we used the 6kilogram free weights, since those were the heaviest we could find(damn). By then, it was almost 5.30pm, so we went for a drink before playing at the playground. We were damn bored by then, so we played on the see-saw, and took photographs.The food arrived 15 minutes later.





At 6, we were back in his apartment, changing into dry clothes and slacking in front of our laptops again. We listened to more music, and I saw how the game of AuditionSEA was being played for the first time. At 6.30, we went down to the barbeque pit for buffet dinner. The food was nice and we ate quite a bit. At 7, we continued with our stuff on our computers, but an hour later, we went down again to cut the cake. The cake weighed 3kg, but when I carried it down, it felt as though it was only around 1kg. After we finished our cake, we took another photograph before heading back to the apartment, and locked ourselves in Wei Ming's room after viewing a short video clip made by him to his sister(and seriously, that was really my first time I watched it, though he did mention something about using The Click Five's sountrack for that).




Around 10.30pm, I left for the MRT station, with the escort of Wei Ming and Jon(just in case I got lost). surprisingly, it took me only 30 minutes to reach home, since it took me at least 45 minutes just to travel to Aljuned from home. And, I look forward to seeing you guys again sometime soon!