26.1.09
book out!
I have already served NS for 16 days. long it may seem for others, it passed by dam fast for me. We are already handling our 'wife', and equipped with military skills. I see my progress in fitness and is getting used to the regimentation and not-using-ur-brain kinda life. well looking at it in a positive light, there's actually still alot of things to learn, fun things to do, new people to meet. NS can be quite fun! at least there is less stress on assignments, tests, deadlines etc.
I kinda like my platoon, good mix of people. quite a few i can clique with and can talk to, no ultra garang people, no wayang personnel, HEALTHY, oh and none with bad body odour (it's impt ok!) i think i just need a week or two more to adjust fully to army life, and hopefully i will be able take something away from this, and not be drained by the constant thoughts of OCS etc. I just want to enjoy, learn, reflect, improve!
and i got overseas merit scholarship (OMS-open), which means possibility of NS disruption this sept/oct and flying to UK to study in cambridge. WOOHOO! but its 'open' which entails things i haven thought thru about, so i need to straighten out my thinking.
i will give you an answer, when i get one.
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 01:05
book out!
HAPPY NIU YEAR TO ALL FRIENDS AND FAMILY! let's hope we will brace ourselves and strive real hard like an ox in the farm till we emerge victorious from a bad economic downturn and smaller yet still important adversities in the army or at work!
I have already served NS for 16 days. long it may seem for others, it passed by dam fast for me. We are already handling our 'wife', and equipped with military skills. I see my progress in fitness and is getting used to the regimentation and not-using-ur-brain kinda life. well looking at it in a positive light, there's actually still alot of things to learn, fun things to do, new people to meet. NS can be quite fun! at least there is less stress on assignments, tests, deadlines etc.
I kinda like my platoon, good mix of people. quite a few i can clique with and can talk to, no ultra garang people, no wayang personnel, HEALTHY, oh and none with bad body odour (it's impt ok!) i think i just need a week or two more to adjust fully to army life, and hopefully i will be able take something away from this, and not be drained by the constant thoughts of OCS etc. I just want to enjoy, learn, reflect, improve!
and i got overseas merit scholarship (OMS-open), which means possibility of NS disruption this sept/oct and flying to UK to study in cambridge. WOOHOO! but its 'open' which entails things i haven thought thru about, so i need to straighten out my thinking.
i will give you an answer, when i get one.
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 01:05
7.1.09
BYE!
hello tekong! here i come.
i got butterflies in my tummy and a frog in my throat. mixed feelings of sianness, excitement and anxiety. hurhur.
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 22:31
BYE!
goodbye world! for the next 2 months.
hello tekong! here i come.
i got butterflies in my tummy and a frog in my throat. mixed feelings of sianness, excitement and anxiety. hurhur.
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 22:31
6.1.09
good news
if i attain 3As for bio chem math at 'A' levels.
i was still shaking when i picked up the envelope from my postbox and tried to open it. as i pulled it out the words conditional offer flashed past immediately, and i jus wanted to scream and heave a very long sigh of relief. then when the excitement died down a little the realities began to set in. this meant more at stake, but of cause hope is still there.
what does it entail: i may be given a place to study there in october this year if i clear my As. i will need disruption from NS, so PSC side has to clear (the interview is on 14th, results within 5 days). if not, i may have to defer the offer from cam, or may even need to reject it. so i really need to score on the interview!
wm and nazri goes in today, hope they're still doing well in there (THEY ARE IN PEGASUS TROOP) tml it will be jason and jarren, then my turn! i may not have a chance to blog until CNY, so sorry guys you jus have to wait. i will take care of myself at NS i promise so don't worry. for the girls and guys still out there working, all the best and do take care of urselves too!
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 17:23
good news
a conditional offer to churchill college, cambridge!!!
if i attain 3As for bio chem math at 'A' levels.
i was still shaking when i picked up the envelope from my postbox and tried to open it. as i pulled it out the words conditional offer flashed past immediately, and i jus wanted to scream and heave a very long sigh of relief. then when the excitement died down a little the realities began to set in. this meant more at stake, but of cause hope is still there.
what does it entail: i may be given a place to study there in october this year if i clear my As. i will need disruption from NS, so PSC side has to clear (the interview is on 14th, results within 5 days). if not, i may have to defer the offer from cam, or may even need to reject it. so i really need to score on the interview!
wm and nazri goes in today, hope they're still doing well in there (THEY ARE IN PEGASUS TROOP) tml it will be jason and jarren, then my turn! i may not have a chance to blog until CNY, so sorry guys you jus have to wait. i will take care of myself at NS i promise so don't worry. for the girls and guys still out there working, all the best and do take care of urselves too!
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 17:23
on the 5th day of 2009
the fun of meeting up with the old vs boys again before NS
the joy of looking at two babies playing a fool on the MRT train
the excitement of a strength of 20 for ODAC dinner
the unexpected compliment that tells you people are noticing (even when you least realised)
the struggles with a close friend that disappears (like always)
the disappointment of a dream unfulfilled (i still have hair)
the sudden realisation that army life takes u away from your friends
the inspiration of entering a post like this xD
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 00:40
4.1.09
new year, new room, new realisations, new (no) hair
spent alot of time transferring my study table (which i never used as there were just too many stuff to put there, no room u see?) and bed up, and to rearrange the stuff. i can finally display my awards and medals, and all the victoriana and postcards i painstakingly keep, can even maintain a photo wall like that in maho's room.
new realisations occurred at grandma house just now. before dinner, my grandparents and aunt prayed for my safety in NS. my grandma was so worried that tears streamed down my face. i dun usually show the soft side to my family, so i nonchalantly said that i'll be ok with my training in NPCC and ODAC, but of cuz inevitably a tinge our sourness emerged from within. family love is always intangible, u won't realise it exist until moments like this. i recall josiah's story about playing for his grandmother and how they always delayed. well i think now that i still have the opportunity with my two paternal grandparents, i should cherish them. my grandpa is already 90+ (i lost count, born in year of rabbit, can count) no longer clear-minded but still loud, swollen legs, frequent headaches, difficulty in mobility. every day is a gift, not jus for him but his family members. hmm i'm not sure i'm doing enough as a grandson, but i still have time.
on a lighter note, i will be shaving my head alongside odac boys tml. show u photos then!
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 22:14
new year, new room, new realisations, new (no) hair
4th day of 2009 and a MAJOR breakthrough! for the first time in 18 years, i have my OWN ROOM!! well half a room to be exact, because the other half is filled with boxes and boxes of STUFF. stuff that we never used but it always sits in the house. if u had made a trip to my house, u would know what i mean - my house is really like a big store room. ok but at least we (my parents la more of) have learnt and are starting to clear off stuff for good! good for me, less headache in the future.
spent alot of time transferring my study table (which i never used as there were just too many stuff to put there, no room u see?) and bed up, and to rearrange the stuff. i can finally display my awards and medals, and all the victoriana and postcards i painstakingly keep, can even maintain a photo wall like that in maho's room.
new realisations occurred at grandma house just now. before dinner, my grandparents and aunt prayed for my safety in NS. my grandma was so worried that tears streamed down my face. i dun usually show the soft side to my family, so i nonchalantly said that i'll be ok with my training in NPCC and ODAC, but of cuz inevitably a tinge our sourness emerged from within. family love is always intangible, u won't realise it exist until moments like this. i recall josiah's story about playing for his grandmother and how they always delayed. well i think now that i still have the opportunity with my two paternal grandparents, i should cherish them. my grandpa is already 90+ (i lost count, born in year of rabbit, can count) no longer clear-minded but still loud, swollen legs, frequent headaches, difficulty in mobility. every day is a gift, not jus for him but his family members. hmm i'm not sure i'm doing enough as a grandson, but i still have time.
on a lighter note, i will be shaving my head alongside odac boys tml. show u photos then!
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 22:14
3.1.09
2008.
new year's day was filled with a lot of thoughts, especially on the bus journey to ipoh hot spring. bus journeys are a good time to emo and reflect, haha there are always places where i can think think until tears flush my eyes.
2008 was a great year. in school, i'd accomplish so many feats. from the start, it was orientation where i was stretch out of my comfort zone and pushed to my physical and mental limits. but all the hard work paid off as my OG emerged 3rd and i believe my freshmen and OGLs had alot of fun. then it was ODAC all the way with B2B, OLC and DARE to plan. that really tested us as a batch because there were so many things to do with so little time! i'm glad that each were responsible, helpful, accomodating and understanding that disagreements were minimal and ultra-efficiency overwrote everything else.
in june, CLIC was another blasting success, being one of the camps i've learnt the most out of. i learn from my fellow facis, my group 'excelerate', eka and teachers, and myself. yes myself, it was the one camp where i learnt so much more about my strengths and weaknesses, upsides and downsides. it was very fulfilling, and one of my proudest achievements in life thus far, having planned a successful camp! shortly thereafter, we stood down from all our co curricular activities and went on towards the fight for academic performance at the 'A's. because of all the commitments, i truly started studying real hard from june. it was not long before i ended up at the scrabble board, with that bunch of wonderful people who have provided me with motivation, joy, a lot of laughters, and a chance to do what i like to do the best: tutor! you guys made studying for the 'A's so much easier.
then i had two attachments with MFA and MOE which i learnt alot more about potential career pathways. about scholarships and higher education, this year i transformed from a clueless child to an informed adult. i'm sure of what i want to do in the future. applied for UK universities and PSC scholarships. it was a whole lot of decisions to be made, and all thanks to the help by peers and tchers, i was able to make informed decisions.
for my relationships with friends it wasnt at all smooth sailing. frankly speaking wm and i struggled so many times this year, all the way from june until recently. we met so many deadends, roadblocks, talked for so many times, seemingly resolved issues but always left some hanging, or what i like to call as carried excess baggage alongside us. i felt like giving up this imba frenship so many times, but somehow it was jus not possible. it is true i have lost that initial outrageous feeling developed last year, but i have gained back something else in the process. what it entails i do not know yet, but each day i affirm further why he is so special, and takes up so much weight in my heart. we have come so far, and ot3 should be a start of something better, i look forward to being long-life buddies with this idiot haha.
not forgetting josiah, a recently discovered confidant and big brother. josiah is a thoughtful, truthful and ORGANIC (no preservatives, engineering or whatsoever) person. inspiring, motivational, and always taught me how to be imaginative and how to dream. as a big bro he takes care of me so well, and really let me feel that it is someone i can so depend on. thanks bro if ur reading this! i really really appreciate u for everything u have done and are about to do.
girlfriends. hmmm. a blank sheet for me duh! although it gets a little frustrating sometimes when all ur friends are getting attached, but that shldnt in any way be a motivation to do the same thing. well like ive said before, i think it takes time, so i'm not rushing anything i guess. i think i'll probably only think about this after NS? haha lol still a long while to be 'companion-less'. only bros for now!
OH WELL quick summary for 2008, really great year. this year it will be NS already. whole new life, new people, new environment. i hope i can thrive it in too! all the best for 2009 to whoever bothering to read this haha!
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 14:44
2008.
sorry this came only on the 3rd day of the month, there was no internet access in our hotels. alongside with the beautiful fireworks from our hotel room windows, 2009 came with a lot of reflection and realisations. never though how significant a new year will be, until i really thought of a whole year's work, leaving it behind, learning the good and bad, and moving on to a new chapter.
new year's day was filled with a lot of thoughts, especially on the bus journey to ipoh hot spring. bus journeys are a good time to emo and reflect, haha there are always places where i can think think until tears flush my eyes.
2008 was a great year. in school, i'd accomplish so many feats. from the start, it was orientation where i was stretch out of my comfort zone and pushed to my physical and mental limits. but all the hard work paid off as my OG emerged 3rd and i believe my freshmen and OGLs had alot of fun. then it was ODAC all the way with B2B, OLC and DARE to plan. that really tested us as a batch because there were so many things to do with so little time! i'm glad that each were responsible, helpful, accomodating and understanding that disagreements were minimal and ultra-efficiency overwrote everything else.
in june, CLIC was another blasting success, being one of the camps i've learnt the most out of. i learn from my fellow facis, my group 'excelerate', eka and teachers, and myself. yes myself, it was the one camp where i learnt so much more about my strengths and weaknesses, upsides and downsides. it was very fulfilling, and one of my proudest achievements in life thus far, having planned a successful camp! shortly thereafter, we stood down from all our co curricular activities and went on towards the fight for academic performance at the 'A's. because of all the commitments, i truly started studying real hard from june. it was not long before i ended up at the scrabble board, with that bunch of wonderful people who have provided me with motivation, joy, a lot of laughters, and a chance to do what i like to do the best: tutor! you guys made studying for the 'A's so much easier.
then i had two attachments with MFA and MOE which i learnt alot more about potential career pathways. about scholarships and higher education, this year i transformed from a clueless child to an informed adult. i'm sure of what i want to do in the future. applied for UK universities and PSC scholarships. it was a whole lot of decisions to be made, and all thanks to the help by peers and tchers, i was able to make informed decisions.
for my relationships with friends it wasnt at all smooth sailing. frankly speaking wm and i struggled so many times this year, all the way from june until recently. we met so many deadends, roadblocks, talked for so many times, seemingly resolved issues but always left some hanging, or what i like to call as carried excess baggage alongside us. i felt like giving up this imba frenship so many times, but somehow it was jus not possible. it is true i have lost that initial outrageous feeling developed last year, but i have gained back something else in the process. what it entails i do not know yet, but each day i affirm further why he is so special, and takes up so much weight in my heart. we have come so far, and ot3 should be a start of something better, i look forward to being long-life buddies with this idiot haha.
not forgetting josiah, a recently discovered confidant and big brother. josiah is a thoughtful, truthful and ORGANIC (no preservatives, engineering or whatsoever) person. inspiring, motivational, and always taught me how to be imaginative and how to dream. as a big bro he takes care of me so well, and really let me feel that it is someone i can so depend on. thanks bro if ur reading this! i really really appreciate u for everything u have done and are about to do.
girlfriends. hmmm. a blank sheet for me duh! although it gets a little frustrating sometimes when all ur friends are getting attached, but that shldnt in any way be a motivation to do the same thing. well like ive said before, i think it takes time, so i'm not rushing anything i guess. i think i'll probably only think about this after NS? haha lol still a long while to be 'companion-less'. only bros for now!
OH WELL quick summary for 2008, really great year. this year it will be NS already. whole new life, new people, new environment. i hope i can thrive it in too! all the best for 2009 to whoever bothering to read this haha!
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 14:44
odac overseas trip (ot3)
yippee! i finally went overseas after the dreadful 'A's, although it's jus malaysia for 3D3N, it's still travelling with a bunch of wonderful brothers and sisters of the odac family. in short, the trip was a boost, succinct, uber fun, and a great time of catching ups and hanging outs!
just briefly what i did so i would rmb in time to come:
30 dec
left vjc for penang, overnight bus ride
31 dec
breakfast at a penang market
visit to snake temple
visit to malaysia's biggest buddhist temple
lunch - asam laksa!
visit to fruit farm and fruit buffet (wa a first for me, but we ate like mangoes, PINEAPPLES,
visit to biscuit factory (white coffee and tambun!)
guava, dragonfruit, fig, starfruit, honeydew, oranges, watermelon ... drank fruit juice etc etc. WOAH then later we all bombed in the toilets haha)
walk at a beach in penang with no sand (haha)
SHOPPING
dinner at hawker food stalls - claypot, cuttlefish, fried eggs with oyster, char kway teow ... yum yum
back to hotel malaysia - ate ramly, played polar bear, counted down till 2009! it was fabulous cuz the room we hanged out in had perfect view to fireworks being set somewhere nearby, so we were screaming and shouting and jus viewing at the beautiful nightsky)
1 jan
hotel breakfast
visit to hotspring off ipoh (it was hot hot! legs turn red)
lunch at garden seafood restaurant
visit to chocolate showroom
SHOPPING at sungei wang - bought tshirt
dinner at chinese restaurant
SHOPPING at petaling street market (filled with fake stuffs, but i bought so many things! shades, berms, adidas sleeveless)
talked cock in hotel room at night
2 jan
hotel breakfast
SUNWAY LAGOON - amusement and water park (woohoo! this is the best part, sat all the cool rides, overcome my fear of turning and fast rides, playing the slides, woah it was shiok)
the photo for ben foo!dinner at yongpeng (pit stop)
bus ride back to vjc
best thing about the trip is the people, catching up, strengthening the bond. i feel that odac is such an essential part of me that even tho the itinerary was simple, i still had alot of fun! yep and it was great time for wm and myself cuz we had alot of time to talk cock, talk serious, sort out stuff, and really remind ourselves whats up with this imba frenship, so i think it made the trip a whole lot better! xD
odac is obviously moving towards a new equilibrium with so many changes taking place from within. seemingly scary at first, but as long as each of us love the club, love one another, put in a little more effort, there's no problem in adapting and embracing them. i have faith that things will get only better in years to come, and the spirit of the 24ths will stay infallible.
i look forward to ot4 5 6 7 8 9 10 ...
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 14:13
26.12.08
the calling
it's always usual to have family dinner at my uncle's but it's usually a dread becos we know at the end of the day it always ends in evangelism. oh well i do not reject the religion, i do feel the calling when i attend churches (most recently josiah's last sat, when i was close to tears when the pastor asked for those present to accept christ), but the complexity of the relationship between my family and my uncle are a major hindrance for me to take the step forward. i jus dun like the way they put it. talked to bryan during christmas party with the vs boys. he said he has learnt to see his relationship with God away from something needs-based, but as of one of glory, to glorify him. the way they do it, is to tell us about all the successes or smooth-sailing times they've had ever since accepting christ and how they always 'leave it to God' and everything will be fine.
i mean i understand, it's human nature to need support from a higher being in times of stress or despair. but isnt it super shallow or even wrong if im right to say it.
haiz. im not sure, but my parents have distorted perceptions of the religion, and its making me hard to make a choice for myself. i guess only time can help me answer the call.
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 00:21
the calling
christmas is a day to celebrate or commemorate the birth of christ.
it's always usual to have family dinner at my uncle's but it's usually a dread becos we know at the end of the day it always ends in evangelism. oh well i do not reject the religion, i do feel the calling when i attend churches (most recently josiah's last sat, when i was close to tears when the pastor asked for those present to accept christ), but the complexity of the relationship between my family and my uncle are a major hindrance for me to take the step forward. i jus dun like the way they put it. talked to bryan during christmas party with the vs boys. he said he has learnt to see his relationship with God away from something needs-based, but as of one of glory, to glorify him. the way they do it, is to tell us about all the successes or smooth-sailing times they've had ever since accepting christ and how they always 'leave it to God' and everything will be fine.
i mean i understand, it's human nature to need support from a higher being in times of stress or despair. but isnt it super shallow or even wrong if im right to say it.
haiz. im not sure, but my parents have distorted perceptions of the religion, and its making me hard to make a choice for myself. i guess only time can help me answer the call.
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 00:21
the grass is ALWAYS greener on the other side
sorry for not blogging for the past few days! been sinking in the christmas mood, going to stayovers, cooking mashed potatoes, drinking (just a little), giving presents and having a lot of fun!
on christmas eve, decided to share it with jing and josiah, my 2 big bros. it's funny how we call each other ge ge, dunno who is the other side of the brotherhood, but heck la, i derive a lot of motivation from each of them!
spent alot of time talking to josiah cuz the tuna man was terribly late, but it's always fun to talk to josiah. he stirs alot of thinking in you, and yea always get me cracked up. it was funny how we spied on swensens from a higher level, looking and how the waiters wait, and the desserts were prepared. we so wanted to eat there, but didnt realised the queue was uber long as the "viewing platform" only showed "the good stuff". we talked about alot of stuff, like how odac is like how, and the complexities inside. hmm how can things work out with like so much going on, well i know it will, but it wont be easy. i fear for myself too, especially with a trip coming up. oh well as long as u have faith in the batch, u know things will work out. i was also telling him i will feel so alone when i book out from army, cuz only 2 days, for my closest frens, one day will be for family, one day will be for *ehem* family. haah yea so i have all the time for myself, hmm i think i can go gym or run, haha i wont die!
den speaking to jing also stirred alot of thinking. in him is a guy who has many dreams but is laiden with obstacles to achieve it. i do believe results wont be a problem, i have faith in him, but he doesnt have it for himself. ah i dunno, i will see wad i can do to help this fren of mine, who came under very weird circumstances. he told me he wished he was bothered bout scholarships now, i told him i wished i wasnt, which kinda shows how we are never content with where we are or what we've got. thats how we're always like. always seeking for the better, but we will never get it. because there's always something else better. calvin, be content, be satisfied, dun ask for too much. you take things for granted, you dun cherish them well enough. honestly to be in the position im in now, im much more fortunate than alot around me. what's there to complain?
the grass is always greener on the other side, so why cant we jus live to accept our own and stop yearning for other things?
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 00:05
21.12.08
failure
for a person who has really tasted failure, will he be able to appreciate success?
psc psychological interview tml. jus need to talk to stranger for a few hours, and share my hopes, fears and ambitions
christmas is coming!
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 23:16
failure
i guess the worst failure for me getting 7 points for O levels, cuz i scored an A2 for both languages. well i know many of u wanna punch me now, but it was quite a blow for me having put in so much effort, but not much for English la, probably thats why
for a person who has really tasted failure, will he be able to appreciate success?
psc psychological interview tml. jus need to talk to stranger for a few hours, and share my hopes, fears and ambitions
christmas is coming!
peel me [][][][][][][[]] 23:16