Abandoned Stars...

Pissed With the Ensemble

2010-02-06T08:32:00.000-08:00

My blog suddenly got revived again because I'm upset again.

I just went through a really long day - had a guitar class and then ensemble and watched a dance performance. Actually when I compare my ensemble playing and the dance performance, it's actually quite a reality check.

Why? The concert is one month away and our standard is still like...this?
And every week people are repeating the same mistakes?

Guitar Ensemble: To me, Ensemble >> Guitar. Meaning? If the word ensemble - playing together is much much more important than the instrument. There is a conductor. The conductor is there and no one is utilizing him enough.

Then I don't know why I'm working so hard for all the programme booklet, for the website and for the poster. People don't even get things right, even things that are mentioned so many times. I feel very sad for people who do practice very hard for the concert, because the songs can be well ruined by some other people playing the wrong note at the wrong time.

Programme booklet, posters, voice overs, Robert's pre-show talk - all are just value adding to the concert. It's still the playing. We are guitar ensemble - not publicity group or performance group. Our value is determined by our music. No matter what I do, I'm just adding to the value.

But ONCE the value is not there, the music is not there,

I don't know why my role even exists.

Needs to Learn To Be Selfish

2009-08-31T04:27:00.000-07:00

Suddenly, things happen so quickly. And I want to settle all of them quickly.

I don't know is it I'm not mentally prepared for it. There are people who tell me not to do a particular thing. But I chose to do it. Is it I'm ill-prepared for all these. Is it that I'm asking too much of people to do things? Am I all wrong in judging the entire situation?

I feel very bad complaining to people about all the things. But I just want some room and time to do the things and settle all the things when I have the time. Am I assuming everything, am I just that inflexible and am I just that kind of people who cannot understand the situation? Or I assumed that everything can be settled way before the time when I have no time to deal with it?

But everything just seems so familiar. Things happen like this over and over again. I just feel really fed-up. I just feel so turned off when people tried to explain to me their position and what I should do or what they hope I can be. Perhaps when I look at it when I'm more calm I would really feel sorry, but now, my "sorry"s are just so superficial that I am doing it, or I have to do it, to avoid more trouble and prevent myself from losing more time and patience.

Maybe I'm really very fed up. I need my time to rest. I need time to sort all these through my mind again.

But I also don't have so much time, to wait, to wait and to wait. I'm sandwiched by deadlines.

I Dreamed A Dream

2009-04-16T05:26:00.000-07:00

Britain's Got Talent blows me away again.

First they had Paul Potts in June 2007. Billions of youtube views. Million views within a week. Now 4 million albums sold worldwide. I have contributed to more than 20 of the views, and I also contributed to 1 album sale. Out of the 20 times, maybe I have cried close to ten times.

This time it was Susan Boyle. A 47 year old unemployed woman, no boyfriends before, didn't get a kiss before, living with her cat Pebbles. She sings in her church, she doesn't get a chance to sing, and she is trying to get employed, trying to get her chance in singing. Look at how the judges were talking to her and how the audience reacted, how they rolled their eyes when she said "I want to be as successful as Elain Page".

Look at how she awed the audience.

Susan Boyle on Britain's Got Talent 2009

She really has a good talent.
And for no good reason, I cried upon the performance. It's just simply you are touched by it, and for no other reason.

We are all just too cynical in life and the performance was a great wake up call indeed. Perhaps you don't know what you are capable of until you tried.

Keep dreams alive.
You may achieve something that you didn't even think of in the first place.

22

2009-03-28T14:02:00.000-07:00

22 is actually my favourite number. And today I turn 22 :)

I must say my birthday this year is really celebrated through a humbling experience. It really proves that I cannot drink (look at how awake I am now at 5am of my birthday after a crazy experience from 9 to 12) you can tell what alcohol does to me. But really sorry to my friends who has "treated" me to Timbre, I can't really appreciate what has been done to me. The gift was really very nice though! I really would want a new bag for birthday. But I too dizzy to say thank you to everyone of you already.

And I think I also had another wish come true. Able to serve as GENUS's new pub sec - a post which I can contribute to GENUS (first thing is the website!) and also able to serve with such able and dedicated people.

To Yu Jun: I look forward to working with you! You are a great partner with many new good ideas, and I will try my best to teach you about web design so we can all work on the website together!

To Tina: I know you would bring fun and interesting stuff to GENUS practices! (Esp. Roll the carpet contest) and you have great talent in music :) You're really my role model in playing the guitar

To Jane: You have brought to GENUS your positive working ethics and great working attitude :) Great seeing my HC junior having such great skills and attitude. Look forward to working with you

To Kenneth: I think you would make a great CM with the musical and guitar knowledge you have. I know GENUS will be less stressful and more fun with more songs under your guidance

To Cheng Yong: You also have great positive working attitude and a really hard worker! Great to have you as our new PM

To Alvin: You are also a very interesting person to work with! I hope I also will have good ideas of how to improve GENUS like you.

To Theresia: I'm impressed with your minutes! Haha. I think you are a hardworking and conscientious person dedicated to GENUS. Work hard and jiayou :)

To Xin Yi: I'm thankful that you pulled me into the PGP small group! Was really surprised how close we are now together :) Hope you too work hard and help GENUS to store $$$$

To Jade: I'm glad to work with someone so dedicated to GENUS and so hardworking. You have my full unwavering support to push for the welfare post. We all need so much care from this new welfare secretary to destress ourselves :)

Yeah I so look forward to this year!
Happy birthday to myself.

It's A Ridiculous Situation

2009-02-10T06:53:00.000-08:00

I need an outlet to let my emotions run free.
I think the whole situation is getting so ridiculous.

I thought putting in hard work is enough to get me a good grade.
I thought I would be able to think more positively by smiling more.
I thought everything is fine.
I thought I would be happier by studying what I like.
I thought I could handle the situation.
I thought it's better to be nice to others.

But how wrong can I be in an environment which I can get outsmarted, outmugged. I am can only get outstressed.

I don't understand why I have to give up so much time of what I like.
I don't understand why am I spending so much more effort trying to understand.
I don't understand why I am always lagging behind.
I don't understand why everybody wants to compare.
I don't understand why I have so little time.

I don't know why I must spend time debating over that 1 mark.
I don't know why I can't memorise what I have studied.
I don't know why I am stressed over should I fake my results.

It's because everyone is paranoid.
It's because everyone is selfish.
It's because everybody is doing this so I'm losing out when I'm not doing it.

I want my life back.
It's a ridiculous situation.

And I want to do well.
But it shouldn't be in this way.

Go away all my negative thoughts with this blog post.
There is no point taking up things that I don't enjoy and I feel stressed.

There's shouldn't be a point of being stressed.
你不是真正的快乐你的笑只是你的保护色
Sometimes things are not that fine.

But I can only move forward. I am hanging on a very thin line.

New School Life

2008-08-26T08:28:00.000-07:00

10 Things I Am Very Stressed About For This Semester

1) Catching up with MA1505 (especially calculus)
2) Trying to recall what I have learnt last lecture
3) Doing tutorials as fast as possible
4) No time to watch TV shows to distress
5) Cannot perform well for GENUS concert in one month's time
6) Familiarise myself with BOTH guitar and violin fret boards
7) Tutees are just too irritating
8) No time for fun and games
9) Difficult to schedule outings with friends
10)Cannot remember new friends' names

However, there are good things.
1) I have a free day on Wednesday!!!
(A lot of people have misconceptions about Double Degree. I also have 5 modules so having a free day is possible)
2) Finally after 15 years there is a lift that goes directly to my floor
3) I love playing in an ensemble
4) New cash deposit machine in the MRT station opposite my house
5) MR BEAN IS OPEN IN THE STATION ALSO
6) I can save money from student meals
7) I get to meet a lot of nice people
8) Tutee's parents are starting to appreciate my efforts
9) Lot I has Delifrance restaurant which has a superb view and nice pastry
10) I also save a lot of money out of concessions.

Nonetheless I am stressed. I must get an average of B+ otherwise I'M OUT OF BUSINESS (pun is intended)

Frustration

2008-06-11T01:28:00.000-07:00

Sigh.

Why my hard work is never enough to get to what I want.

It's a kind of frustration that I am unable to resolve. I'm totally frustrated by myself.

I can never be as good as what others want me to be.
I can never be as good as what I want to be.

It's even more frustrating to realise that there is almost nothing I can do to reverse the whole situation.

If all these events are a "must", what is my fate and my life leading me to?

When all the games, movies and outings are just temporary anesthetics to my painful life, what is the true panacea to all these?

There is an endless list of worries and I do not really see happiness in any part of the list.

I know this society is not a philanthropic one. I know I should not be rewarded based on what I have. But now who is there to lift my worries from all the monetary problems ahead?

The difference between an award and charity is so so vast.

And all the problems are cyclical.

I'm judged based on my past. My past is based on my past's past. Then it is resulted from my past's past's past.

It's as if the sun, the moon, the Orion is erased from my sky.

And I feel that people around me are adding worries to me.

I think maybe my mask is cracking and I'm starting to show my true self.

I'm not happy at all.

I think it's all right for a person to be selfish and think of his or her own happiness first before others.

Why should I care for others whether they are happy or not when I'm obviously not happy.

Why should I care about the feelings of others when they don't care for mine.

Why should I do something for others when they won't help me next time.

It's tiring. It's frustrating.

I need to be happier.

Blogsphere

2008-05-25T08:31:00.000-07:00

I would like to refer to my fellow blogger's blog post on 24th May 2008, on "careful about what you blog". [Link]

First I got to say, who has the right to intervene about what I should write in my blog. It is as good as directly ordering me what I should do in my life.

Personally, I treat this blog as a place whereby I can write everything truthfully, a place where I can be who I really am, a place where I can talk all I want. And most importantly, a place where I can tell others that this is the real me.

Moreover there is this "Profile" mini bar in my blog. For people who know me, they know that this is really my name, really my birth date and really my school. No doubt about it. In other words, I endorse on what I have written.

Perhaps my blog hasn't really outrageously criticized any of my superior, any of my elders, I feel that there's nothing wrong about criticisms if they are constructive, they are truthful and they are sincere. I also do not encourage mere cursing and bad mouthing people, but if they are truthful comments, then why not we share them here?

And to those people who wants to read into their students, or employees' "inner mind", then please have the mental preparation that you may be outraged, disappointed or tongue-tied after reading the blogs. If you are not mentally prepared for what you are going to see, choose not to view the blogs.

And you see all those entertainment stars. What do they say when they were asked about their negative reports? They say they don't watch TV, they don't read newspapers or Internet forums because they are not mentally prepared to see what they are going to see, and believe that they have done nothing wrong.

I feel that if there was ever a case I was confronted by my employer or my teacher or professor about the things I write on my blog, I will tell them,

"If you think you are not prepared to see what you are going to see, just don't view my blog. And please have more confidence in your student / employee. It is very sad for you not to come to me directly for my comments and trust me, and now having to confront me like that."

The lesson to this bunch of people: Unless you think you can swallow the consequences, don't read blogs.

And the lesson to fellow bloggers: Be responsible what you write. Eat only what you can swallow.

It is seriously very sad for people not to trust each other and result in this kind of blog searching.

And I would not want to lie to anyone about what I think. The very last person I will lie to is myself.

My blog is a representation of me, myself, and I.

Doraemon 2008

2008-05-17T01:04:00.000-07:00

Check out my recent purchase!

ドラえもんのび太と緑の巨人伝 : Doraemon - Nobita and the Legend of the Green Giant

And here's the price tag. Well, I think this is the most expensive comic book I've ever bought. Somemore...this period of time watashi wa binbo desu. (Very similar to bimbo...but binbo means poor).

Check out the price tag!

Yes it's $11.30. It's directly imported from Japan of course. Printed in Japan. Anyway I told a lot of people already I saw a $880+ Chemical Engineering book in Kinokuniya, printed in Japan but it is written in ENGLISH. So maybe this comic is rather affordable in Japan.

But anyway, the Mr Fujiko's successors did a very good job for this book! The drawings are getting very natural now, the story flows much better, and it is much more touching than the previous books.

And it was worth the money because I took around 4 to 5 hours to finish the book. The reason?

Step 1: Read the words

Step 2: Know how to read the words

Step 3: Read the words aloud and then figure out what it means. If not, roughly guess.

LOL most of you may be interested on the last page. Pardon my scanning. I don't want to hurt the book spine so soon. Next time when I'm better in Japanese I will try to read the book again. My first Japanese book! Anyway if my translation is wrong, I apologize for my noob translation and I hope my translation makes sense.

I know how tired is it to make "scanlations" now.

And I really really want this movie to show in the cinemas! It's such a great movie. But looks like Singapore has to wait...and wait...and wait. And very few cinemas will show this wonderful story.

Ayaka really gave a very nice song to a very wonderful movie.

The plants are rooted to where they belong. They have a very close sense of belonging to where they are born.

Let's not take away their right to survive on the planet.

僕らの希望が. 未来を動かす Our hope moves the future.

Chances Don't Come After Regrets

2008-05-11T00:11:00.000-07:00

My blog has become a victim of all my negative emotions these days. I didn't think that it was that big of a matter, until I was triggered by an event and I realised things are not so simple after all.

There seems to be so many things that I can regard as regrets. And I won't have any chances to make up for them anymore. My piano practical exams, all the theory exams, A level, O level....so many things that will not ever come back to me again.

It is also frustrating to realise that it was my immaturity that caused all these regrets.

Maybe I didn't grab the chances to study, maybe I didn't realise that all these are important, there are just so many so many things that I know that I could have done.

But the fact is that...I really did screw up.

And I am not getting any chances to encourage me and tell me it's ok to fail once or I'm not screwing up that badly.

And this very event, told me very squarely in my face that I don't deserve anymore chances because of the fact that I messed things up.

I have been trying to console someone who said that he screwed up but the fact that he did not screw up. It takes me that extra effort to console him that he didn't and I still need to look back and tell myself that everything is fine and it's ok for me to screw up.

All the "sorry la" or whatever may not matter already. The damage was done.

Why are we so upset about not getting everything when we came to this world for nothing? Because we worked hard.

And because we always need a chance to get recognised and somebody or some event to tell us that you are doing the right thing and you should follow your path.

It's simply too realistic.

I don't feel like helping you anymore because I can't even help myself.

I can't help myself because I don't have the chance to repair the damage already.

I'm Still An nth Class Citizen

2008-04-18T02:14:00.000-07:00

It's not over yet. I don't know how many trips I have to make before everything is finished.

And how many times were my previous passport processed and chopped? If they still don't know what passport and citizenship I'm holding right now, then... I dont' know what I'm paying for actually.

If you receive 2 identical sets of instructions, do you execute them 2 times exactly?

The answer is

It's just IN CASE.

And I'm not a diplomat. I'm not a embassador. I'm not a lawyer.

Which case should it be in? Which case am I considered?

Can the government which now represent me tell me directly what to do.

Or rather, can the government which I want myself to be represented in, help ?

Please don't be looking so shocked when I have to visit again.

I really don't know anything.

And I'm wasting so many trips.

Why should I be bothered by all of your formalities?

Can I get at least a checklist of what I should do in the letter other than what is about my attire?

Can someone show me what are the documents I really need?

Can I be informed of the reason why I'm not getting my documents and not make me waste a trip, and queue up just for a one sentence reason?

Most of all, I paid.

I didn't do anything illegal.

And I don't know why,

I still feel like an Nth class citizen.

I still need to report to you again.

Again...

I feel sick and frustrated. I ask myself did I bring myself to end up in such a situation.

I am very sure it's a "No".

I just feel that it is so ridiculous.

Saying Goodbye To My Past

2008-04-16T00:47:00.000-07:00

I think perhaps there are a lot of people out there will not share the feelings I have. This is not a situation which is shared by a lot of people.

I know a lot of people will say, "Do you really have to feel so sad" or they may not understand why do I have to behave like this. I also think it is not a very big problem at first.

However, I realised it's not easy to let go and it's getting even harder to call this place a home.

As my MSN nick probably said it, I still feel like a second-class citizen.

And to renounce a citizenship is not that easy for me especially when everything was so much more familiar to me and I have to finally cut my last ties with the place where I am more willing to call home.

It's the last bond that I have with the place where I'm born.

And after all these kinds of trouble and discrimination, it's very hard to form new bonds and gain more trust with this new place.

I don't know why but to feel very sad. Even with a cup of bubble tea on my table, I cannot lift my mood.

And somemore it seems that I'm not eligible for the growth dividend.

Now I'm forced to say goodbye to my past.

I cannot find someone to share the burden and grief with me.

I feel discriminated.

I feel lost.

I feel upset.

It's unfair.

Why do I need to make a decision.

I just want to live peacefully.

Can people stop sending me letters to ask me to settle things.

I want my time back.

I want my life back.

Why do I have to go through so much trouble to get what I want.

Why do I need to go through so much trouble to get what I rightfully should have.

It's not as if I didn't do my part.

I didn't do something illegal, didn't do something that caused trouble.

I don't know why it's like this.

I won't have the time to settle all these nonsense anymore next time.

Can these nonsense stop.

Ready For Change

2008-03-20T10:05:00.000-07:00

I believe most of you out there know that Taiwan is going to hold the Taiwanese presidential elections in 2008. It will happen in less than 24 hours later.

Just when Obama is shouting "Yes we can" I have watched a very very good commercial on TVBS-News on Channel 49. I think some of you may know I'm a long time pan-blue supporter, but all the KMT commercials or talks have not moved me.

However, this commercial is very different. Like what Paul Pott's voice has done to me, this commercial is so well done that I'm nearly moved to tears again.

Commercial from the KMT President and Vice President Candidates

None of other presidential elections have not been viewed as important as this 2008 election. It will completely seal the fate of KMT, and it will also decide if DPP will thoroughly reform. Although through all kinds of polls and studies, things look good for the KMT. However DPP has really been proven to be a party which knows how to handle elections well.

322.

I don't have the right to vote yet. But I am really impressed by how far and how well-developed Taiwan's democracy is. Every Taiwanese has the power to decide their future. They all have an equal share of Taiwan's future.

You have a greater sense of belonging towards the country if you have that power to decide the country's future.

These Music Exams

2008-03-17T08:01:00.000-07:00

Finally my grade 6 theory exams is over. It has been a very long time since I had my last exam (in 2000).

I feel really old when everyone was taking out their identity proof. Everyone was taking their student pass and I'm taking out my temporary IC. So many people younger than me are taking grade 6 - 8 theory.

The paper was very easy so I hope to do well....

How I View Singapore

2008-03-06T06:49:00.000-08:00

Challenge to all fellow bloggers - blog about this! I'm very curious how fellow Singaporeans out there are thinking.

Today is indeed an important milestone for my life. I'm finally a Singapore citizen now, and I think it is more "politically correct" or maybe it's a bit more justified for a citizen to blog about Singapore. I may not stay in Singapore for a period of time longer than you all out there, and I may not know Singapore as well as you all. But just treat my blog entry as a forum article.

Trivia.
So how well do you know about Singapore. Singapore is an island country, with around 650 square kilometers, 4+ million people (with citizens and foreigners). Singapore highly depends on trade (I think more than 300% of our GDP is involved in trading), Singapore's port remains to be the busiest (followed by Shanghai) but Singapore's Changi Airport became 3rd this year (after South Korea and Malaysia....)

Singapore government basically goes by the parliament system. Citizens vote for the MP, then the winning party vote for the prime minister, the prime minister then appoints his cabinet.

Ratings
Political Environment - 7 / 10

I came across this Taiwan commentary show (Sisy's News on Ch 52) and one day they were discussing about Singapore's growth dividend. Many Taiwanese commenter said that Singapore is a very attractive place. But they have expressed a very valid point.

Singapore is a democratic country. However a lot of the things they do - the ultimate purpose is to increase the productivity of the country. CPF is not intended to be only a pension scheme, but also as a form of monthly taxation. People are happy about paying less tax in Singapore. But that is on the surface. You must realise you are contributing to the government actually all along using CPF. Then the government gathers all the funds, and through Temasek holdings and GIC, further reinvest the money and get more returns for Singaporeans. Growth dividend is actually extra income given to people to boost internal domestic market and help to promote spending. It is also a measure to help to relief some decrease of exports due to sub-prime, increasing internal spending so it will be less straining for our local economy.

Otherwise...where does the interest from CPF come from? So basically, growth dividend is just a bonus for all Singaporean shareholders. Singapore, to me, is run more like a company, not really like a country, or maybe less like a big family.

And just try and recall...what happened to Hong Lim Park and speaker's corner? We have to register in the police post then we can speak. I think this just shows the government's lack of confidence in the people. If the society has come to consensus that racial harmony is vital to the society's cohesiveness, I do not think there is a need to worry about people making rude comments towards other races. The government should be more confident about the society.

Just look at places like Taiwan and Hong Kong. No matter how they scold, there will always be media or individual groups of righteous people who correct those people who are slightly misguided.

Look at our media also. I think sometimes the newspaper and the news have shifted much importance towards some unimportant local events instead of other world events. I remembered when I was watching Phoenix TV on Ch 50, when all the other newspaper headlines is about another world news, Singapore's Lianhe Zaobao's headline is about Singapore HDB upgrading. And from the news reports and newspapers, I think it's rather easy to tell that the government has quite a bit of say over what should be in and what should be out of the news.

And the meritocracy system we have - I know it's the best measure we have, but I can't help it but to equate it to REALISTIC. I know many governments stick to this policy, but for Singapore government I think it is very easily equated to realistic.

However, I think Singapore government has done a rather great job so far. For a small country like this, there are many policies that are necessary.

Environment & City Planning - 8.5 / 10

Singapore is well known as a "garden city" and the National Parks Board is going a step further to change Singapore into a "city in a garden". And of course Singapore has a very great environment, very clean air, very good sanitation. Singapore also has a lot of great parks and I like the idea of park connectors - it's a very good cycling route. But I think currently things are more tended towards the East. The East has a better developed parks and park connectors.

City or new town planning also has been great so far. I think Singaporeans can easily gain access to schools, sports facilities, and markets all within their own new town. Each individual new town is rather well planned.

Health - 7/10

It's quite a good healthcare system. Singapore healthcare is really affordable, professional and reliable. School dental and immunization programme also benefited Singaporeans greatly. However I think the polyclinic system is still not up to mark, and nowadays you see a lot of foreign healthcare specialists. It's a bit of problem again, especially when the caregivers cannot communicate with the patient.

Creativity and the Arts - 4.5/10

In Singapore you have MICA (ministry of information, communication and fine arts). But to me it seems like MICa with the letter A becoming the small letter A. The focus of the ministry seems to be shifted to the I and C, information and communication.

"Think out of the box" has become a slogan rather than a practice. The education already is not really encouraging you to be creative, Singaporeans produced out of the education system is not really creative, and yet they are not really doing much to make grown-ups more creative.

I feel that we are all actually ill-informed about upcoming Arts events and we are not encouraged to participate in any arts event. I am quite sure that there are musical talents or performing arts talent among Singaporeans, but they are not encouraged enough to come out to perform. People always stereotype artists as poor people. The whole system is not encouraging Singaporeans to participate in the arts.

And most of the Singaporean artistes really are bounded to this invisible cage. How can we compare local artistes to other foreign artistes? Can we find a Lydia Sum or Jacky Wu in Singapore? The difference in level is really vast. I think Singaporean artistes cannot really do their best, and they only perform within this safety zone.

Using that to reflect on the society's creativity, I think our society really lacks creativity because nobody wants to cross over the red line.

Singapore has many arts infrastructure and really can make better use of them.

My PW was on the arts. And my conclusion is - there is still a lot to catch up.

Education - 3.5 /10

Being in the education system for 12 years, I think I am suited to comment about it. It is rather stressful to study in Singapore, and just look how parents can burn money and time trying to make their children's studying environment better.

We are all trying so hard just for that degree.

Are we really free to choose what we want to study? I think for most people, subconsciously they chose Science stream in JC. I think most of us are just "directed" to study Science.

And what about all those hypes about life sciences? The education system didn't really link all the courses up together. They didn't really explain to the students what kinds of degree does A level Physics tie up with. The students are not really making an informed choice of the courses offered.

Many people just take the subjects because they are EASIER TO SCORE.

As for PW, I think it is partially necessary, not say totally unnecessary, but they really have to look into it again. It really does become a burden, and does not really add to the variety of courses that students have to take.

National Education. I think most students are really familiar with the 5 defenses on civil defense, and Singapore's history with Malaysia. I think the National Education system is over-stressed on all these. It's mentioned again and again throughout the 12 years and it's really time to review on this.

Why not teach something else more interesting that really helps the students to bond and learn useful skills. I think teaching of simple CPR and AED skills help. Now major shopping centres like Ngee Ann City and Wisma Atria have AEDs on every level but how many people know how to use them? These skills are really useful to students and help to save lives. Maybe they can also teach students about how to deal with emergency calls, and students can share these lessons with their family. Isn't this better than just plainly mugging books and notes? Isn't it much more useful to teach them in schools instead of distributing SCDF booklets in ICA?

Then the education system did not teach us much about global events. I feel that there is quite a number of Singaporean students lack of global perspective. Students are mostly concerned with results. Do they really know what the real threats are? What is the real implication of not getting good results? Does the GP cirriculum give us enough information to give us a correct perspective? And look at our media. Is it helping our education system to give students a good global perspective? There are not enough quality commentaries in the Singapore media.

When a foreigner ask you, "What does Pasir Ris mean? Why does this area have this name?"I think students do not really know Singapore that well enough. The education system needs to work harder in helping Singaporeans have a better sense of belonging to their country.

Branding - 6.0 / 10

Singapore is not a place with a very long history, so she does not have places of historical interest. Singapore is trying really hard to boost tourism, but I always find myself out of ideas when I try to bring my foreign relatives around.

It's always Sentosa that I can only think of. Actually if you need casinos, you will go to Macau. If you need to do shopping, Hong Kong is not a bad idea because Hong Kong Dollar is pegged to USD and USD is cheap nowadays.

There are many reports in the past few years saying that Singapore aims to be a "Communication hub", or "Biology Research Hub" or "XYZ hub". But to me it seems more like a trend spotting. Singapore can only earn a sum by spotting trends early, but is quickly caught up by other bigger and more capable countries.

It is understandable that it is not easy for Singapore to maintain her competitiveness in many fields, but honestly speaking, I now lose track of what kind of hub is Singapore trying to be.

Singapore does not have a very strong branding of her own other than being a clean, garden city.

However I think Singapore is doing rather well in medical-touring industry. People from the region are coming to Singapore for medical help. However Thailand is catching up really soon.

Transport - 2.0 / 10

I am a very unhappy commuter. I think the transport system is getting atrocious.

And any future transport development has nothing to do with the West. As a resident of the West, I think the transport planning is terrible.

Look at how stressed is the transport in the west. They are going to add the MRT west line extention. Look at how packed the Eastbound trains from the West would be.

The train intervals are absoloutely atrocious and I really need to run to catch my 1 min trains otherwise I will be very very late for my appointments. Next train comes 9 min later. Then the whole train is packed.

Who cares about tunnel TV from Newton to Orchard. I have enough entertainment of my own. Nowadays you look at commuters. They all have their books, MP3 players, handphones and handheld game consoles. I just want more trains to be in service.

Who says you just need to add more trains into service when it's during peak hours. Is 7, 8, 9 or even 10 min acceptable waiting time? I still need to transfer so many times. The accumulative waiting time becomes 15 minutes. Is it really that acceptable to be 15 min late for an appointment?

Then I need to get out of the station. Boon Lay interchange now is so extremely crowded until I need 3 to 4 minutes to get out of the station. Some MRT station needs to be expanded to deal with the volume of the crowd. I remember Orchard station and Boon Lay station look exactly the same as they were 15 years ago. But the volume of commuters change, and nowadays look at the train traffic volume.

By not developing the transport system in the West, the group that suffers the most is the students. NUS, NTU students need such a long time to get to school.

And now you want to build an MRT line that goes to Bukit Panjang. Why can't you connect it to Choa Chu Kang and let the commuters in the North West have a choice to use the Bt Panjang line to go directly to town? So actually why you need Bt Panjang LRT line when you are going to build an MRT line? People need time to get suited to the new transport system changes, and now you say you want to use build MRT in Bt Panjang.

You want to encourage people to take public transport. But I'm very sorry to say I'm very turned off by the current state of public transport. It's encouraging me to get a car soon.

Buses also come at such long intervals. 15, 18 min? Must we spend such a big proportion of our lifetime in travelling time and waiting time and transfer time?

We need express services. We need faster services. Why can't they subsidise public transport even further and improving in the public transport intervals.

I'm turned off by the fact that I need so much time in travelling. I'm even more, far more turned off by the fact that I spend so much time waiting. WAITING. Waiting at the bus stop or waiting at the train station for a good 10 minutes. We need really fast EXPRESS services.

Maybe hoping for a Maglev that travels from the west to the east with 3 stops a bit too much, and maybe just an express mass railway service will do.

I waste 10 minutes waiting for one day, I spend 3650 minutes waiting a year. Sorry. I don't have that much time to spare in my life.

Conclusion

Despite some of the unhappiness I have, I still think Singapore is a good place to live in, much better than some of the countries we know. Of course, there is many areas to improve on.

I blogged for 2 hours writing this ultra long issue. Maybe I should submit this entry for the government essay writing competition.

If you finished reading this entry, it's around 2500 words, and it's as many words as my PW report.

March 2008

2008-03-03T03:37:00.000-08:00

I have to blog about this month because very few important things are coming this month.

1) Finally I've put the lower braces with the orthodontics. So it's really painful now because the lower row of my teeth is at a very messy state. Today is my first day with my lower braces so it still hurts and makes my mood quite bad.

2) I am eligible for the government's ang pow (I think) because I'm going to be a Singapore citizen as of 6th March.

3) Theory exam after 7 years! So I'm finally going to take grade 6 exams. I am quite confident to pass, but a distinction is really difficult for higher grades.

4) My birthday falls on a certain day of this month.

5) I think I'm going to get a very very big present for myself. And a lot of people will benefit from it (those out there who knows what it is will be grinning and waiting for me to get my present) and IT fair falls on this month as well.

6) Finally I'm getting the highest pay I have ever received in a month. It's looking good =)

7) My Japanese basic lesson ends this month also. Should be attending the Japanese Basic lesson 2 should also start this month.

March 2008. All 7 events will fall in it.

I Realise I'm Still A Child

2008-02-29T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today is a special day - 29th Feb. It's a day which you get only every 4 years. However today I learnt quite a lesson. It was a humiliating experience. It is a humbling experience.

Before the story proper, I shall give an introductory story.

Who doesn't want to be rich? Who doesn't want to quit their job and stay at home, wait for their rich parents to feed them?

But what if you are born in a very poor family? Generally people may have these two kinds of behavior:

1) Childish behavior - you blame your parents for your own state.
2) Matured behavior - you know that everything is of no one's fault and you quietly help your parents to get out of poverty

So how?

If you really love your parents very much, you will not want them to be hurt. It really hurts a lot if you say the direct truth. And I think, the more you endure, it shows that the more you love them.

Although I'm turning 21 quite soon, I still have very childish behavior.

So what really happened today...

I initiated a meeting with my secondary school friends today. We were supposed to meet at his place for a mahjong session.

(This story involves me, Friend A and Friend B)

Then friend A was supposed to meet me at 10am for a swim. Then this friend overslept and replied me at 11 after she woke up. She said she can go to friend B's place at 12+. After that she said at 12+ that she needs to stay home for lunch and be only meeting us at 1+.

So of course I flared up because the whole meeting was delayed for 3 hours. But when I realised the reason I was quite ashamed of myself. She wanted to eat at home so that her grandma can cook lunch and have a proper meal.

Then friend B said why not we cancel the outing. But I managed to convince both of them to continue the meeting. Initially friend A wanted to stay at home to accompany grandma, and friend B wanted to study.

After that then when we were playing there were some unhappiness and misunderstandings. I realised that everyone was not really happy after all. They had better things to do than meeting out together.

Even if you think this meeting is of high priority, but others do not think so. Everyone has their own priorities. And I was looking for my own trouble when I organised the meeting.

I'm quite sad that things ended up like that. So many years of friendship and I think I still don't really understand what people want and how people feel.

I still have rather childish behavior. Why do I really need to insist? Why do I think I'm of a high priority? Why I did not think of the consequences and how others feel before I think of myself?

Maybe age is just a number. Mentality, mindset and maturity have no connections with age.

I hope this is just a learning experience and does not cost relationships.

Sum of All Joy

2008-02-25T05:44:00.000-08:00

I believe this is the title of an article that was shown one week ago.

And she's really the person to remember.

Lydia Sum (1945 - 2008)

I believe many Singaporeans are familiar with her, and I think nobody in Hong Kong doesn't know her. She's always there with her smile, she has never changed her hair-do, she has never changed her glasses. And of course, her laughter is priceless.

It's very sad for me to see her go.

I have been hearing her voice since I know how to decipher Cantonese. She's always present in a lot of variety shows, especially Hong Kong charity shows.

As how Mr Donald Tsang (Hong Kong SAR Chief Executive) has described her, she has the qualities that fellow Hong Kong people look up to - she's hardworking, passionate, and she brings joy to all of us.

Despite all the difficulties she faced in her life, she continues to bring us joy without fail. She is also a very responsible woman, she is a great entertainer, and of course she is a very good role model.

She is also a superb mother and has brought up her daughter Joyce very well. I think Joyce's singing is quite good, not as what many Youtubers said. I believe she has also inherited some traits from her mother.

Lydia in Kangxi in 2005

And I was really moved by her speech when she received her award from TVB in 2007. She is so determined to get back to the entertaining industry. She never gave up, and she is totally into her job.

Lydia's Last Appearance in TVB 2007

She's a great entertainer.

And of course she is a big lady, but with an even bigger heart.

My Blog Evolves!

2008-02-19T10:25:00.000-08:00

My blog finally got rid of those javascripts and my blog now is back, fully functioning again, only using HTML tables!

I hope it still looks organized and everything will look normal.

I didn't go and type www.freefallingstars.blogspot.com for like 1 year+. I was quite shocked when my blog looks so disorganised and quickly decided to redesign the blog again.

I have learnt quite a lot of blogger HTML during this revamp. And now all the archives and previous post links are working well. All the previous posts are nicely displayed in the central window.

My blog is sticking to this colour scheme because at the moment I can't think of any good colour schemes. I am yet to be inspired. This time I took quite little time compared to last time (consider I started from scratch again) and everything managed to work! As of my previous blog, I prefer blogs that do not require massive scrolling , so I just make everything compact and I only need to scroll the central table to read the entire text.

I haven't thought of anything I want to put at the bottom window. Perhaps I will draw another flash animation again, or maybe add music...I haven't really thought of it.

And FYI, I have added 100 hits to my page just re-designing my webpage. I refreshed many times, tested many times, "templated" many times...

I hope this will make me blog more again!

What Is All These For?

2008-02-11T05:16:00.000-08:00

This question suddenly struck me. And it got me thinking again. Ask yourself. Is your life something like this?

Life begins when you come out from your mother's womb. Then you begin to attend kindergarten, then Primary school, then Secondary school, then maybe polytechnic or JC, then university.

At the age of 6, you ask your mother, "What is school for?"

Your mother replies you dryly, "It's for you to find a better job." Perhaps you will hear this over and over again in her nagging for many years to come.

And then you go to Secondary school, flipping your lecture notes, trying to study for the coming test. It's so much notes, and it's driving you crazy. And then you ask yourself, "Why am I studying so much for?"

And at the back of your mind, maybe you imagine your parents saying, "It's to help you find a better job."

For people whose lives are slightly more interesting, perhaps your parents (or maybe yourself) went to appeal for a better school to enter. You go to all the different schools with your parents, photocopying all your results slips, filling up forms...

"So what is all these for again?"

During your teenage years, there may be times you are surfing Friendster or Facebook looking at pictures of people that you like. Or you try to groom yourself better when you go out, hoping you will get some attention from a girl or guy of your choice. But at the end, you break up with your girlfriend or boyfriend.

When you think about all the gifts, all the hard work you put in for courting this girl, then you ask yourself again, "So what's all this for?"

After graduating from school, you get a job. Then you have to work at least 8 hours a day. Or perhaps some people would want to work for a few hours more to get more money for the family. But when the boss gets unreasonable, your wife nags at you, your children starts to get rebellious.

Won't you want to ask yourself, "What's all these for?"

Then you work for another 40 years and retires and wait for CPF to come. This question suddenly struck me. And it got me thinking again. Ask yourself. Is your life something like this?

Life begins when you come out from your mother's womb. Then you begin to attend kindergarten, then Primary school, then Secondary school, then maybe polytechnic or JC, then university.

At the age of 6, you ask your mother, "What is school for?"

Your mother replies you dryly, "It's for you to find a better job." Perhaps you will hear this over and over again in her nagging for many years to come.

And then you go to Secondary school, flipping your lecture notes, trying to study for the coming test. It's so much notes, and it's driving you crazy. And then you ask yourself, "Why am I studying so much for?"

And at the back of your mind, maybe you imagine your parents saying, "It's to help you find a better job."

For people whose lives are slightly more interesting, perhaps your parents (or maybe yourself) went to appeal for a better school to enter. You go to all the different schools with your parents, photocopying all your results slips, filling up forms...

"So what is all these for again?"

During your teenage years, there may be times you are surfing Friendster or Facebook looking at pictures of people that you like. Or you try to groom yourself better when you go out, hoping you will get some attention from a girl or guy of your choice. But at the end, you break up with your girlfriend or boyfriend.

When you think about all the gifts, all the hard work you put in for courting this girl, then you ask yourself again, "So what's all this for?"

After graduating from school, you get a job. Then you have to work at least 8 hours a day. Or perhaps some people would want to work for a few hours more to get more money for the family. But when the boss gets unreasonable, your wife nags at you, your children starts to get rebellious.

Won't you want to ask yourself, "What's all these for?"

So when your life comes to an end, isn't it very possible if you look back at what you have done in your life, you will still say, "What's all these for?"

"What's all these for?"
"What am I doing in these 70 years?"
"Why did I work so hard for?"

You go to school, get a job, start a family, and you have done so many things. But doesn't it seem very absurd when everything, every single thing becomes so pointless.

However, life gets into another perspective when you can answer ALL these questions with, "I'm already very happy with what I've done."

It is already enough when you have done your best. You don't need to push yourself so hard for that extra $100 more, you don't have to revise for another 1h when you already did enough revision. Whatever you think is enough, and you have worked hard for it, you don't really need to work for the extra ten miles.

It's important to know that you are already having a blessed life.

And make choices such that you will become happier. There are many people who have been telling me "Why am I studying this course, why not that school..."

I found my answer. I rather do something I like to do, not something that will get me more money. I also don't want to work so hard because I still want time to do what I like. And I also like my tutoring job so I will really try to make time for it when school starts.

So...

Only when people found what they want, their lives will then make their worth.

Post ORD Plans

2007-10-31T00:42:00.000-07:00

I think it's time to post my post ORD plans already. Well, it's 6 days to my ORD anyway...so I hope to achieve all these things in my list!

1) Finish learning driving (which a lot of people already have, and my test date is on 31 Jan)
2) Learn Japanese (most probably going to a language school)
3) Finish as much Music theory as possible (going for grade 6 music theory in March, trying to rush)
4) Get myself partially empoloyed, get more tutees (to cover all my course fees and save up a bit)
5) Learn some really zai music songs (I'm hoping I can play Fantasy Impromptu by then)
6) Catch up with manga and anime series

The list shall end here. 8 months to spend, and will be really well spent if I can achieve all these.

Taiwan Experience 台湾经验

2007-10-03T07:09:00.000-07:00

Alert : This blog entry is written entirely in Chinese. Please change your Encoding to Uni-code so as to read the entire entry. I feel that this entry has to be in Chinese so that everyone knows what I’m talking about…

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19号到机场的时候，心里也没有想什么。但是知道这次的旅行大部分的时间都是在旅游车上，每次的行程都会很赶。可是毕竟是一个环岛游，如果什么地方都要去的话，总是会有这样的代价。樟宜机场最近又变了一个样子，我们也不难了解到，为什么新加坡机场是世界排名第一的机场。

台湾的另外一个名字也叫做Formosa, 是宝岛的意思。曾经在荷兰、葡萄牙还有日本的殖民之下。到达台湾的桃园国际机场，已经是晚上7点多了。

桃园国际机场在台湾正名之前，是中正国际机场。其实在台湾，正名的东西也不只是机场的名字。到处看到的中国石油也到最后变成了“中油”, 把中间的“国”还有“石”去掉了。

我们这次的导游是有很多年经验的金先生。整个环岛的行程都是他在讲解，真的很厉害。上次去中国的时候，还有很多个“地陪”，每个地方换一个导游。因为飞机晚到，所以第一天的士林夜市游没有了，改成了麻辣锅晚餐，然后回到了酒店。

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隔天我们先到了九份。九份原来的意思是“分九份礼物给山上的九户人家”。里面好像是以前的金矿，现在变成了一个观光的老街。里面的东西也是很多，很多都是我们在新加坡看不到的东西。

下午坐了车到另外一个城市宜兰苏澳，看到了当地的妈祖庙。原来妈祖的别名也叫天后，香港的天后宫，也就是在供奉台湾的妈祖。那里紧邻苏澳港，有很多的钓鱼船。然后我们到了旁边的冰店吃了当地的“冰”。不像这里的Ice Kachang, 那里有一种“绵绵冰”，吃下去真的是细细的，很不一样。

然后坐了两个小时的车程，穿过了山路，一直沿山也沿着太平洋海岸到了太鲁阁，也就是原住民语言“山口”的意思。

接着下来，我们到了一个舞蹈剧场，欣赏阿美族的舞蹈。他们这个舞团应该不是原住民所组成的。可是看了也是有几分的味道和几分的相像。

晚上没有行程，我们搭了德士到花莲市中心。花莲的本名叫做回澜，是太平洋海浪回转的意思。花莲算是一个小城市，但是市中心的东西还是很多。

花莲的美仑酒店就和前一天的悦华酒店一样，就在一个高尔夫球场的旁边，酒店后面就是一个山区。

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这一天坐车的时间也是很久，要从花莲一直到高雄，路经台东、屏东才到高雄。可是沿途的风光很美，我们大半天都是在海岸线旁的路上走。中午在一个很特别的海滩餐厅吃午饭，餐厅的下面就是太平洋。

高雄的本名是“狗雄”，是继台北后，台湾的第二大城市。到了高雄已经也是下午四点多了。上了85 大楼的观景台，也因为天气不好，没有看到什么。最后因为天气太差，连高雄的旗津岛还有爱河都没有去成。但是还好晚上天气还好，到了堪称亚洲最大的梦时代广场。

商场里面有间有名的诚品书店，其实我觉得还是像新加坡的Kinokuniya。商场里面的东西不便宜，对我们来讲能买东西也算是个“梦”…

台湾的夜市没有像这些商场这么早关店，我们到了高雄的夜市，真的从街头吃到街尾。有炸鸡排，木瓜牛奶，炸花枝，臭豆腐，牛肉面，棺材板…其实什么小吃都好吃，毕竟没有试过。

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今天要从高雄到台中，路途没有这么远，上了快速公路，路程也是少了一点。首先我们到了台南很有特色的“五角船板”餐厅，餐厅里的所有摆设是从中国的一些不要的废物当中去取回来的。餐厅里面的柱子也不是四四方方的，是一个创意者的餐厅。

下午到了日月潭，日月潭也叫做明潭。到了文武庙参观。文武庙供奉的是关公还有至圣先师孔夫子。里面有很多风铃，其中很多都是在求读书成绩的。

晚上到了台中的逢甲夜市。夜市旁边有一个商圈，所以要看、要买的东西真的很多很多。团队本来只给我们两个小时自由活动，可是我们逛了两个小时还不够，晚上从旅店又搭了计程车到回逢甲夜市，逛到了早上差不多两点，到那些商场要关店为止。

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因为前一天太过拼的关系，所以在车子上迷迷糊糊就这样过去。上午我们到山地原住民卖蜂皇浆还有野生灵芝的地方。午餐过后团队带我们到台北市政府里的台北探索馆，也就是等于我们URA博物馆一样，看台北市的发展旅程。

在那里竟然遇见了...

猜对没有奖，他算起来也是很红的艺人，团队里面有人看到了他，然后就开始忙着叫他拍照，他的女友在玻璃门的后面，没有拍到...

过后我们到了台北野柳地质公园。那里是海边，旁边都是经过海水腐蚀过的天然地质景观。因为要下雨了，所以那里的风很大，风不断地来，头发无论你怎样弄还是会乱。

野柳因为靠近海边，所以那里的特产是鱿鱼丝，其实跟新加坡的差不多，但口味比较好一点…

天黑以后，我们到台北阳明山的天籁温泉馆泡温泉。我们六个都是第一次，不知道温泉有这么热，有41度，也不知道怎样泡。原来泡温泉要一冷一热，才会觉得舒服，“三温暖”这个别名也从这个泡温泉而来。

晚餐有吃臭豆腐，可是团队里面没有什么人敢吃。因为小时候我家里楼下就有常常在卖，所以对我来说却是没有什么…晚上的重头戏，就是在台北的君悦酒店住了一晚。晚上我们很迟才到酒店，旁边的台北101已经关门，我们只好到附近的饶河街夜市逛逛。

每天没完没了的逛夜市，身体也有一点吃不消，还好有泡温泉…

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今天我们也起了还蛮早，为了要吃顶尖酒店的免费早餐，也要为了要去忠烈祠去看台湾的国军换班的仪式。台湾那里长久以来开放给公众观赏这个仪式，也让忠烈祠变成了一个旅游景点。

如果我们Guard duty change over都要给人看、给人拍照，那不是很辛苦…

接下来我们到了故宫博物馆。其实我对这个景点还蛮有兴趣，里面陈列的东西多，价钱也不多，差不多8新元，算起来还比我们的Discovery Centre还要便宜。里面的文物真的很多，可是不可以拍照，被抓到要罚6000台币。可以看的东西多，自然里面的人也会多…

这一天的午餐真的很棒，是在台北的点水楼，吃的是一笼又一笼的小笼包。坐车要到淡水的途中，我们有到当地的茶馆去试试台湾的茶还有一样很特殊的饮品-养乐多(Yakult)加绿茶粉。过后我们到台北的中正纪念堂，但是里面却是围起来了，也是因为中央、地方政府在争正名问题。

傍晚到了淡水，去试吃当地的阿给还有买到了阿婆铁蛋。因为是假期的关系，所以来玩的人也是很多，淡水老街也是很挤。

因为考虑到假期关系，所以团队最后也要以捷运代步，到剑潭站的士林夜市。士林夜市是一个有名的夜市，里面真的很多东西可以吃，可是实在是太挤了，我们也没有看到或者吃到什么。其实每个夜市买的东西都差不多一样，东西吃起来的口感也是大同小异。

晚上到了下榻的旅馆，地点是5 星级的，住宿是3星的，导游讲的没有错。可是从君悦到这里，差别真的有一点大。

我们在酒店附近的西门町商圈逛了一下，也不知不觉到了晚上十二点。

250907

到了自由活动的那一天，我们都到了九点多才起来，不过还是昏昏沉沉的。虽然说本来是要Free and Easy ，可是一看了地图，发现台北市自己一天都可以走完。不知道如果我们真的Free and Easy 五天在台北，我们会能去到哪里…

一大早西门町都还没有开门，所以我们先搭了捷运，从西门站先到在忠孝东路附近的诚品书局总店。很不一样的地方是，那里的杂志真的很多，中文书更是不用讲，中文书的价钱也是很便宜。

我到外国哪里都是一样，会去买音乐的琴谱。当然这次在诚品的音乐书也是算蛮多的，买了两本琴谱还有一本小说，也买了一千多台币。琴谱贵算是贵，可是日本歌曲的琴谱在新加坡也是难找得到。

然后我们去到了五分埔，发现什么店都还没有开门。台湾的店就是迟开迟关。没有办法，我们又搭了计程车回到了101 大楼。

本来我们没有打算到101 大楼，可是想一想也没有什么地方好玩了。加上天气很不错，到了上面应该是可以看到很多东西。

上去真的感觉不一样。在37秒之内这个世界最快的电梯从5楼就可以到达87楼的观景台。

91 楼的户外观景台

对这个LOVE熟悉吗？新加坡的是绿的，台北101 的是红的。

然后我到了台湾的总统府拍照。可是那里还算冷清，在台北市内都没有看到政治看板，不像我想象的那样。可是从总统府的样子来看，台湾真的有在把很多的精力放在加入联合国里面。

晚上汇合的时候，我们去餐厅吃了蛋包饭，主要是因为我们当中有几个人已经迷上了蛋制的台湾小吃。我们最后一顿的台湾晚餐还是不错，350台币就有主菜，甜品还有特制饮料，我觉得台湾吃的还是比新加坡划算还有好吃。

逛到了晚上12点，我们到了附近的KTV唱歌。我们有Party World，他们也是有Party World，但是他们的Party World也叫钱柜。里面的装潢、设施跟新加坡的没有得比，旁边有控制台可以把人家的歌跳掉，包厢里面有厕所。要唱4个小时的话要价每人差不多350台币。

回去酒店已经是3点多了。有些人只是睡了1个钟头，有些看电视，就这样我们台湾的7日游，也就这样完了。

260907

早早6点多就要开车到机场，都没有补足睡眠。

我第一次用Timer来拍照，结果变成这样…

- 后记 –

其实台湾没有我们想象中的那么乱，那么的政治。我们在电视上看到的，都还算夸张。台湾也很大，7天也是玩不完，我们这一次就没有到阿里山。如果第一次去台湾，Free and Easy 真的很难去到这么多地方，也很难欣赏到台东的海岸美景。台湾的东西也其实跟新加坡的差不多，所以这次去了也是花了500多新币。但是台湾的夜生活、台湾的自然风光都是在新加坡无法看到、体验的。台湾的人真的如很多评论所说，很善良、很好客。

台湾，原来可以这样玩。

Within Control VS Out of Control

2007-09-09T06:38:00.000-07:00

It has been a long time since I blogged. But well...next week I will be preparing to go Taiwan from 19th Sep to 26th Sep - applied leave and book a tour package already. So I won't be blogging until all the way till end of Sep I think.

These few days, again, I've been disappointed. The question comes right out of my mind again. It's about things I can control and the things I cannot control.

If you put talent and fate (things not within your control) vs hard work and your own behaviour (things in your control), to which side will the scale favour? Which is more important to your life?

I've been proven again - things that are out of control.

There are times when no matter how hard you work, how determined you are in doing certain things, good things and good results don't come to you that easily. It's also about that extra bit of luck, that extra bit of talent and extra bit of chance. People don't really get recognized for their hard work.

Sometimes I don't need to work so hard.

What's the point of working hard when you are not rewarded?

Been catching up quite a bit on piano these days. It really helps me to calm down and re-organise my thoughts. But come to think about it, I really lack of the talent to play good music and I don't pay enough hard work to practise on my techniques.

It's very hard when talents are not on your side. I've to put in more hours of work, not to say I have 24 hours just like other talented people do.

Trying to train up for my running as well - but still can't run as fast as some other people. Talent really is a factor of excelling in sports as well.

Frustrated, disappointed, disheartened, and want to give up...

But without all the hard work, I think I will be further off behind than this.

Lonely - Feeling of Being the Only

2007-08-19T07:57:00.001-07:00

My mind now feels really alone.

How do I put it - there are times when I think I am the only one who thinks about the problem this way. There's no one else who feels the same way as I do.

I think being in the army has some advantages as well. Being with a group of people constantly, living with them, working with them...is actually a chance to interact. And being together for so long, I become more accustomised to them and begin to behave the way I do at home.

And I found that I'm a very honest and direct person. I feel very uncomfortable keeping my frustrations in me. And the trade-off is - I offend people rather easily.

I also tend to feel insecure about my own behaviour. Should I feel this way? Should I have said things in this way? Should I have done this differently?

It sounds as if I want to be politically correct. But it's also important to me not to hurt other people in the process when I try to emotionally unload myself.

Perhaps if I'm not the only child, the entire problem will not be as difficult.

2 years back when still at JC...around the same time of the year I remember I was given an essay assignment. Out of the 12 question choices, this topic immediately caught my eye and I decided to write about it.

"The advantages and disadvantages of being the only child"

Who can be in a better position to write on this topic?

Being an only child sure has some advantages. Being the only one who is loved, being the only one who is tended to, being the only one who is cared for...

The list can go on for on and on.

But I feel unbelievably lonely.

8

2007-07-22T08:53:00.000-07:00

Didn't manage to find time to update my blog - and I realised that I haven't updated it for a month...these 2 weeks I've been sick. I had high fever during the last 3 days of the week off-in-lieu, then it complicated to become headache and flu one week in camp, now having coughs and sore throat. So altogether I've been sick for around...half a month.

It's not good to be sick.

And these days again I'm again bothered by some facts. I've been naming my entry title with numbers. This number also keeps make me wodering.

In which way do I show that I'm a Piano Grade 8 graduate.

Even though I do have a grade 8 cert, I still cannot appreciate music like others do. I can't sight read well (I always fail my sight reading) and I practically forget all the songs that I knew. My technique and foundation are lousy, I always merely pass my practical exams, can't really sit still when listening to a long piece of classical music.

So...actually grade 8, to me, doesn't mean much at all. And really, in a lot of situations, people think too highly of my music standard.

It's actually quite sad when things turn out like this. It has been around 15 years since I first touched the middle C. But I've come to appreciate this musical skill too late and didn't brush up on my foundation earlier. There are many times that I press the wrong keys - how many grade 8 students press wrong keys during their playing?

These days I've been watching this drama called "Nodame Cantabile". It is presented in quite an exaggerated style, but nonetheless it's quite inspiring. I get really envious of people who can play their instrument so well. I'm surprised by people who know so many pieces of classical music, knowing so much about famous musicians. Everything just tells me how lacking am I in this field.

I think I don't have the discipline to practise music well, no patience to correct my mistakes carefully, often resulting in the error in timing.

Music is a very discplined kind of art. You can't play it anyhow and in anyway you want it - you have to respect the score and the composer.

But piano has already given me a good musical background. From there I can go into other instruments rather easily. After Nov I think I will take up violin lessons - and hope to slowly regain my passion of music and help me to better in music.

The Moving Point

2007-06-17T07:57:00.000-07:00

It was lucky that I knew about this video and this show through the Taiwanese news. There I saw this plump, short and a "potential William Hung" on the latest reality TV "Britain's got Talent", a British version of "American Idol".

Again Simon Cowell is the chief judge with his co-judges Piers Morgan and Amanda Holden. And you thought Paul Potts will perform like William Hung and make a fool of himself. He looked as if he was not prepared to sing. But no, he made Simon Cowell's jaw drop. He made Piers Morgan speechless. And he made Amanda Holden cry. Everybody's nodding, cheering and giving him a standing ovation.

Then I went to search the video on youtube. The video of Paul Potts singing Nessun Dorma was posted only for 1 week (1 week since the telecast of the show) and it was already a 2 million hit. (I've never really recommended any music / youtube video before, I'm recommending it because it's really very inspiring and touching...)

I found myself suddenly really pulled by the music and really gets absorbed by it. Then when he was hitting the high notes I started to cry uncontrollably. It's very strange but I'm really touched and inspired by his singing.

It's not like anything you find in American Idol, let alone Singapore Idol or any Superstar. This is really superstar performance. It's really music. It's really singing, singing with all his heart and full of his own sincerity and emotions. I watched it again and again, and I was still astounded and continued to tear again (I really can't help it). It's really good music. This totally defines what makes a good singer and what is a sincere rendition of the song.

I personally like this opera song a lot. It's actually the ending song for Sisy's World News on Ch 52 (which also is my favourite show now) but it never made me so emotional. Not even after hearing Pavarotti's rendition of the song. I don't know why but Paul Potts really have this magic and making music alive.

Paul Potts is not a very confident man, and he was troubled by a lot of health problems so much so that he could not continue to develop his talent. He attended some lessons on opera singing, but he did not continue to pursue his passion. He's really going against all adversity. I am rooting for him to win on today's (17th June, 10.15pm UK time) final of "Britain's Got Talent".

(For full story about him, go to http://paulpottsofficial.com/)

He is a normal salesman, with much of his talent undiscovered. From his example, I realised that when people have the talent and do the right things, your talent and work will eventually get recognised. An extraordinary talent and power is hidden within all of the ordinary people. All of us do need patience to discover it.

This song Dessun Dorma is a song from the opera Tunradot by Giacomo Puccini, a play talking about an exiled prince attracted to this Chinese princess. This princess promised that she would only wed the person who answered her riddles correctly.

Q: What is born each night and dies each dawn?
A: Hope

Q: What flickers red and warm like a flame, but is not fire?
A: Blood

Q: What is like ice, but burns like fire?
A: Tunradot (The princess's name)

But the princess backed on her words. So the prince thought of an idea to make her accept the results and carry out her promise. He asked her to find out his real name before dawn. If he wins, he will get to marry her and if he loses, he will be beheaded. The song Nessun Dorma, is the song sung when the prince was celebrating his victory and winning over the princess.

The song's lyrics:

_______________________________

ITALIAN
Nessun dorma! Nessun dorma!
Tu pure, o, Principessa,
nella tua fredda stanza,
guardi le stelle
che fremono d'amore e di speranza.

Ma il mio mistero e chiuso in me,
il nome mio nessun sapra!
No, no, sulla tua bocca lo diro
quando la luce splendera!

Ed il mio bacio sciogliera il silenzio
che ti fa mia!
(Il nome suo nessun sapra!
...e noi dovrem, ahime, morir!)

Dilegua, o notte!
Tramontate, stelle!
Tramontate, stelle!
All'alba vincero!
vincero, vincero!

ENGLISH
None must sleep! None must sleep!
And you, too, Princess,
in your cold room,
gaze at the stars
which tremble with love and hope!

But my mystery is locked within me,
no-one shall know my name!
No, no, I shall say it as my mouth
meets yours when the dawn is breaking!

And my kiss will break the silence
which makes you mine!
(No-one shall know his name,
and we, alas, shall die!)

Vanish, o night!Fade, stars!
At dawn I shall win

_____________________________________

This singer, this song has really added my interest and love in opera. It all brought me to the "moving point" - it moved me and it makes me want to get my life moving. And I'm really thankful for what Music has given me. It is indeed a common human language that can pass through all language, racial and even time barriers.

It was Phenomenal.

Influence

2007-06-13T08:08:00.000-07:00

To start off this entry in a very GP sense - I find that we are all experiencing influence from so many sources. All the cultural influence, all the different ideas, all the different views... It's almost as if I'm "bare-naked". The mind now needs to be so open to different ideas and views, or in a very scientific sense - the mind needs to be such good conductor of ideas - so that we can live in this current world.

We can get so many ideas from different forms of media, not to mention we can get information from so many different groups of people and friends. Things can be so breath-taking. Just a small example. Now we have wikipedia. Actually what does that mean...is that everyone around you is just a small wikipedia of their own. There are so many different "good songs" that people have, there are so many "good movies", "good shows"...

And sometimes it's just so hard to listen to all the "good songs" or "good shows" people recommend. There are so many kinds of influence around. People at the end still have to choose. There's not enough time to do everything.

Recently I found out something quite intriuging. Do you behave differently in front of person A as compared to person B? That I find it's a kind of invisible influence that people exert on you - causing you to behave differently. Of course you can't behave the same in front of your teachers and in front of your cousins. But in front of friends, peers?

In front of ex CCA mates I think I'm more towards crappy. Towards ex classmates I'm more towards the listener side. Towards the platoon mate I'm more of also talkative side. There are so many different sides of me - but which side is the real me?

Being comfortable of who you are under all kinds of influence is probably the best thing that people can do. The kind of self-confidence will definitely make one a more influencial person as compared to someone who has low self-esteem.

12

2007-05-25T06:22:00.000-07:00

Just as what my title reads, I'm writing this entry addressing to my current predicament and also saying my truthful feelings and responses. But seriously - things are already up to a point whereby I can't really leave things as they are and just live on like this. Things are getting stressful and my patience meter tends to go low very quickly.

As the saying goes, "Like I Have a Choice". I don't have a choice over whether I can skip deployment, whether I have such a neighbour or whether I have such a bunkmate.

These days I find deployment quite stressful. I have to be good at resuscitating casualties, good at CPR, good at the management protocol and good in the stores (accounting the stores and locating the correct store at the correct bags and boxes). I got already problems remembering how many resuscitation equipment I have - not to mention how much stores I have to bring down from the vehicle to the ground if I have to deploy. It's just pure stress and really tiring. I sometimes tend to forget my protocol and all that. I don't have the analysing space and strength to remember everything. I'm also not very confident of doing things properly myself.

Not to mention that really some of the platoon mates are not helpful at all. They don't have to deploy - play as casualties - but didn't help in keeping the stores and moving the stores back. And what about things like area cleaning? At least pack your own area and not give excuses like "they usually don't care about the tidyness".

Just because you don't feel like doing it - you are just letting others do more to cover for you. Fair?

Now talk about bunkmate. And not like I have the choice. He also happens to be my team mate and I also don't know what he's thinking. Just can't explain things in simple logical terms. Sometimes I feel he's quite a good and reliable colleague - at least able to help in taking stores, printing documents and help me talk to the admin officers from other units. I don't really mind working with him, but when physical stuff comes into play - there's question on efficiency. Living with him though tends to get a bit creepy, weird....

Finally the factor that today tipped my "happy-tired" balance. My neighbour. Today suddenly I find that it's so tiring to be nice to people like him. I am tired of giving. Giving unconditionally. I really don't mind being totally nice / totally giving in to what my friends want. But being with him I find that I just learnt a lot of negative stuff and I just don't feel I became a better person being around with him. And there are just so many times I have to be patient, I have to be giving in to him and now, I have to say, I'm tired. I'm tired. I'm tired.

So tired that I have to write it so many times.

Why am I being so stupid trying to encourage him during physical conditionings when he only give responses like "Shut up", "Don't make so much noise" and "Kaobei".
Why am I letting him put the mahjong table at my place even though my parents obviously didn't really like the idea.
Why am I keep offering my place convenient to him to play.
Why do I have to defend him when other platoon mates say bad things about him.
Why do I have to lend him the money when it's so difficult to get back the money from him.
Why do I have to keep listening to his ramblings about him being so poor when obviously my bank account doesn't have as much money as him - and my family is also very troubled and always quarreling over money.
Why do I have to give him counselling or console him when he and his teammates quarrel.
Why do I have to lend him the USB cable when obviously he's going to borrow it for such a long time and my father is reluctant to lend it out.
Why do I have to tolerate all his insults and scoldings at the basketball court when we are all playing basketball.
Why do I have to wait for him when he doesn't even reply me whether he's going for nights-out with me.
Why do I have to listen to all his complaints when he loses in basketball or a PSP match.
Why do I have to lend him my iPod / PSP when he is not feeling happy or when his PSP ran out of battery.
Why...
The tons of whys that seem so unconditional but I'm now so tired. I need a bit of breathing space, a bit of time but he just comes and keeps greeting me "Hey neighbour".

Now I can hardly cope with myself and I don't want to cope with him. I just find that he never shares my burden and I don't get the benefit of friendship from him.

What's more disappointing is - his insults when I'm in the basketball court. Actually if people know me well, I don't use to play sports during the years in school. I never played the sport at all. I know I'm really lousy at the sport. I want to try and want to change. I want to also play with my platoon mates.

I was so close to erupting this week at the court. "I'm lousy then lousy la. Then I get out don't play lor." I learnt this line from him. And I'm really learning this escapist mindset from him.

It's really time for me to think of myself first. Time to get really selfish. Sometimes when wanting to watch the movie with the platoon it's just so tedious. Tedious. Asking bunk by bunk who wants to watch and help everyone collect money and get tickets - somemore having people like him refusing to draw money from ATM to pay up for the movie tickets. It's just so frustrating. And having to wait for the whole group to be ready - I suddenly find it - so tedious.

Tired.

I don't want to be nice anymore.

I also want to just lie in the bunk, play PSP, skip all the "saikang" and just wait for lunch and dinner. I also want to have off-pass. I also want to have medical appointments. I also want the easy way out.

I don't mind working and work to my best ability. But everything and everyone just seem to be so unsupportive.

I'm also tired.

Tired.

And I hope I'm not close to being tired of living.

Money and My Current Jobs

2007-05-20T04:42:00.000-07:00

Now talking about my jobs. Currently taking a J2 Physics student and P6 Science student (big difference). Actually tuitioning is quite enjoyable and a good learning experience. I'm just glad that I find satisfaction in my work and at the same time my work is quite well paid =)

It's a very fortunate thing to a job that suits you and gives you a sense of satisfaction.

Just as the Chinese saying goes - "You cannot do a million things with money. But you can't do a billion things without money." It's not very inspirational but it's really that realistic. Especially these days when everyone is shouting "I'm poor" or "I'm really poor" or "I'm even poorer than you."

But how much is enough?

And are we slaving away for money? And are we letting money control us?

Actually I feel that I'm quite rich. (Here I'm saying I'm rich in terms of what I have is exceeding what I need not in absolute sense / cents) Here's a question : If you win $1 million lottery today what will you do with the money?

My answer? Save it in the bank and let the money roll.

So is there a difference between me having that 1 million and not the million? Actually in a very minimal sense.

I'm already happy with what I have. I have a nice house to stay, can afford for my lessons, can afford for my weekly expenditure...and things like cars, living in condominium and all those sorts...it's a good to have but definitely not a want.

A good to have is different from a want.

That's why I feel a bit richer. There are things that should exist in your dreams (or daydreams). Sometimes you can reach for what you want but there are just things that just don't come across to you in your lives. Be happy with what you have and who you are.

Death

2007-05-06T08:26:00.000-07:00

we are all dead since we are born.
the end is there before anything starts.
if to live is to continue learning
the end is when we learn the very alst thing.

to finally discover the end
and learn about it completely
is what death is
we are not allowed to learn about something
those who cannot transcend death shouldn't learn of anything.

I think it's a very good quote that summarises what's really called "death". It's the end point of our lives, an end point that is already set for us. Every tomorrow - also constitute one day closer to death. The starting point - birth and the ending point - death. What we all can do is to make up our own journey from the start to the end. There's nothing we can do about our presence in this world, neither can we do anything about having to disappear from the world one day.

What we can do is probably - make this journey as most fulfilling and as fruitful as possible.

Actually what inspired me to write this is what happened recently. My grandfather just got to the hospital about his walking and S.O.B. (shortness of breath) problems. During the 2 weeks in the hospital, there are quite many times he brought up that he wants to die. Actually it feels sad to hear this kind of things. I can't do much about it also.

It's your own life.

I don't think life can be so worthless until you want to give up living.

20

2007-04-01T08:28:00.000-07:00

I'm 20 years and 3 days old.

I've been alive for around 7000+ days.

And to have my age start with a digit 2 - reality seems to set in. Actually I've been losing track of my age since like 13 / 14. Time seems to slip pass day by day, and somehow it's your birthday already. But somehow I think I used the term "19 years old" very little and somehow I feel I didn't spend 365 days as a "19 year old"...

Now my life seems to be at a complete stand-still. Being NSF - the experience makes you a better person, but you are just not progressing in life. I'm not studying, not starting a family, not working long-term in a company - from what I see - I'm just taking a long break from life and found myself so detached from the society and the norm. Everyday people are trying to get their degrees, starting their families, climbing the career ladder. Somehow this 2 years seem to be quite a waste from this perspective.

But there are some advantages. I tend to have time to read more, have time to give tuition (for extra money lol) and have time to watch anime + play games...

Actually the tuition experience is quite "eye-opening" to me. 2 students and I realise that "you can only study well only if you really want to study". There's really not much use trying to go for tuition when you don't do your own memory work memorising Physics equations. And there's no use going for 5 / 6 tuitions a week when you don't find the purpose of studying and not disciplined to study.

Somemore I feel quite amused when the parent told me to help to discipline the child and inspire the child to study. What can a tutor do in 2 hours a week? Somehow I think this type of requests seem to be quite absurd and shows how their own family education failed.

I managed to read "for one more day" by Mitch Abloom this week. And I was quite touched by some of the phrases mentioned in the book.

"I'm not ashamed by my job as a cleaner. I'm a mother. I have to provide for my family."

Parents doing so much to raise their children.

And most of all,

"Children don't realise that they are a wish come true of their parents."

I think that's the most powerful phrase in the book, summarising everything into just a short sentence.

I hope I'm still someone's dream come true after 20 years.

dtf Grand Opening

2007-03-25T06:37:00.000-07:00

dtf fund is finally activated with our first outing!

dtf fund is a non profitable fund which seeks to benefit all participating members and fund outings to help people to bond together. (for real definition please refer to dai's dtf fund proposals)

Saturday was a very very busy day with the dtf co-founders dai and tai. LOL. Went to dragon gate restaurant (at quite a ulu place in Harbourfront Centre) with dai's recommendation. I think the dim sum is quite nice, but I'm rather horrified by the mee (looks like instant noodles frying beansprouts).

Dai and Kaijie

Retro Tai with a very retro kettle LOL

RF with her water chestnut dim sum

En Hua with his 2 / 10 cute pose

People paying up $20 as required by the fund. Tai and $20 not the $10 anymore LOL.

Dai the duty treasurer of dtf with both the yusof ishak figure displayed properly on the $10 note.
Dai : $20 dollars added.

The total bill summed up to $119.80 which leaves only $0.20 to DTF fund.

Then went to RF's house to mahjong for a while. So near to having 13 yao. It was fun to have together back again and play mahjong. After that took a cab home.

Suddenly got a MSN from Eugene saying he's too bored. Yeah went to watch TMNT but missed like 10% of the show (miss 10 min for such a short 70 min show). A lot of people now go to JEC Shaw theatre and had to queue for Internet booking (with the help of Eugene). Eugene went to the wrong theatre and got chase out...and he ended up missing 20% of the show.

Saturday was eventful. Sunday was painful with one tuition after another. I realise how bad my Physics can be.

Eureka Seven : Ray=Out

2007-03-22T03:44:00.000-07:00

Last weekend had been a very crazy weekend...with some bit of mahjong, tutoring and great lunch / dinner outside...

But it's really crazy because I've finally watching Eureka Seven on Youtube :) (full name Psalm of the Planets : Eureka Seven) and I think it's a very very nice anime. Finished watching 20+ episodes this weekend before book in and the ending was really nice and romantic... Haven't wrote an anime review before but this anime is too nice till I think I have to write a review for it.

Ray=Out

"Don't Ask For it, Go Get It and You'll Be Rewarded"

The wonderful quote that attracted Renton to board the Gekko State. This particular teenager who is such a fan of ref-boarding (a term for sky-surfing in the anime) suddenly came across the Gekko State and the crew in his village. He also came in touch with Nirvash, the robot with this mysterious girl Eureka. Gekko state (the spaceship) was pursued by the enemies, where everything started... he thought he was dreaming when he could board the Gekko State and chase the Trapar (the winds for ref-boarding) with his idols.

Reality Hits : Childish Behaviour

But things turned out to be totally different from what Renton expects. Gekko state is an anti-government group. The world is flooded with Scab corals, and it's continuously growing, up to a point which its growth is gobbling up human's living space. The military wants to get rid of all the corals, but the Gekko State believes that humans can communicate with these corals.

Then things get very tricky. Renton doesn't know what's Gekko state is all about until he's already on board. And Eureka is not as simple as just "a girl of his dreams". She is not a human - but a Coralian, a creature created by the Scab corals - as a way to communicate with the humans. Then Eureka and Renton fall for each other, decide to show the world how to communicate with the Scab corals.

Moreover, it's not the first time that humans tried to eradicate the corals. Renton's father and sister, both tried to stop the world by postulateing the fact that corals are living things and humans can communicate with the corals. But they have failed in helping "First Summer of Love" and failed to negotiate how to co-exist with the corals - and had not returned home since then. So it's an utomst difficult task for Renton and Eureka to communicate and perform "Second Summer of Love"...

Things get even worse when Holland, the leader of the Gekko State is ultra protective of Eureka. He was an ex-militant and stole Gekko state and got Eureka out of the military. Initially he was really a bastard in the series, hitting Renton for no reason, thinking that he is not doing any good for Eureka.

But finally he did realise that Renton and Eureka really fell in love...things get a bit better. And finally Talho (the vice-captain) revealed her true feelings for him and that's when Holland gets little less childish and really becomes a hero at the end of the series...

"Do You Still Want Me"

Then the military also has their weapon against the Gekko State and the "invincible" TypeZERO Nirvash. They had their own version of Eureka and Nirvash - genetically modified girl called Anemone and TypeTHE END.

Up to the final test - the couple went on fine. But after the two found out the truth of the corals, Coralians, even the truth to Eureka's existence, things start to change. Eureka started to evolve and changed. She became paranoid and came out with this - "Do you still want me?"

The reply was indeed very sweet.

"You gave up being a Coralian to save the world. I'm willing to give up being a human just to be with you".

And Holland finally told Renton, the quote was supposed to be for him. The message was by his father and meant only for him, and Holland was merely the messenger. "Don't ask for it. Go for it and you will be rewarded."

A very sweet anime with tons of emotions and touching scenes.

A Real Voice From Deep Below

2007-03-17T01:25:00.000-07:00

This week is true hell.

Summary of what happened.
Monday : Marching
Tuesday : Marching
Wednesday : IPPT + PT
Thursday : Deployment in MOPP 4 + PT
Friday : Live Infusion (Injection) + A Bit Basketball

And my face is totally burnt, peeling. My arms have 2 additional poke holes. My front stomach area hurts. My right thigh totally hurts and I don't know if I can do my SAR 21 drills properly especially those saluting movements.

The marching is quite grueling this time, especially with the sun. Monday marching in the bright hot sun and Tuesday in the rain. Then this time actually the whole actual parade isn't as long as the SAF day parade, but somehow I still feel that the commands are not very clear (sometimes didn't hear the command then I didn't carry out the drills on time).

Then look at Wednesday. I actually thought I won't pass my IPPT this time (didn't have lots of training and really got very tired because of the parade) but I passed. =) Quite happy with it already. Actually quite lousy results...will try to work harder on it.

Sit-up : 34 (2)
Shuttle : 10.4(3)
Jump : 234 (4)
Pull-up : 8 (3)
2.4 Run: 11: 47 (3) => Total D + 15 (Pass)

Bad things just come one after another. Wednesday and Thursday had a lot of PT, with climbing stairs, statics, runs...then we are informed that we have to take another IPPT. Those who cannot pass will have to stay back on SATURDAY for remedial PT. It's a really big threat.

Then we have deployment. And our platoon short of so many people that we only have to deploy Decon, CAM and Treatment. A lot of people reported sick. Or possibly "sick". Then there was total disaster on Thursday over who should do Guard Duty. It's just - make me again feel very irritated about what is going on for our platoon. Some people just do a lot. Some people just don't bother.

Maybe people may think that...things will eventually be done so why not slack off and let other people do it. But what I think...it's quite selfish. Can't friends help each other? And why everybody becomes so particular in doing work. And the guard duty why can't those people who didn't do any work now contribute?

Friday doing live infusion again.

Sigh.

Can people please co-operate when there's such time of crisis.

Busy

2007-03-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

Book out on Saturday afternoon due to the CDF COC parade.
Then really had no time to blog / go out, with all the tuition etc.
So that's why I don't have time to blog. I nearly forgot.

Mini Platoon Outing!

2007-03-03T23:29:00.000-08:00

Friday is the exciting day...had a lot of very fun activities.
1st was going to Yuki & Yaki with 8 other people...had a lot of fun doing the ice-cream and here's Vincent's masterpiece...

Splashing ice-cream!

Master with his good hands and great skills

Last min work by Vincent but it's still very nice :)

Group photo...looks like Exercise Titan trophy??

How nice is the ice-cream?? Look at their faces!!

And then we went inside K-box to sing until 4am. Took a cab home. Big hole in the wallet but had loads of fun.

CNY '07

2007-02-25T07:47:00.000-08:00

Again...one week break passed by so quickly!

Had been a wonderful week but with a very awful ending. Woke up today with a very terrible headache and this is the nth day I have been visiting the toilet very often. Sigh. Headache + stomachache = ache.... so it's a bad ending to everything...

Since last friday...
Last friday : Went Seoul Garden with platoon mates (initially thought it was quite disastrous but end up very fun) then went to the bar (then bringing my drunk platoon mate home) . First time to those places. It's not nice to see people drunk actually.

Saturday : Eve of the lunar new year. Dinner at crystal jade. (seen lots of roasted pig everywhere)

Sunday : Visits starting from Aunt's house. Made lots of trips by taxi. Wondered if it's better if I really own a car and drive my family around for the visits. Played mahjong with cousins and it ended up very terribly with me losing $100 worth of chips.

Monday: Continue to visit.

Tuesday: Visit to kx's place with 04s64! Kx's parents were very nice to us and really thanks to her for being a good host. Had the yusheng again and a few rounds of cards. At the end lost $4 or so.

Wednesday: Mad badminton with dai. Then went off to tuition again (hard to earn money)...

Thursday: Mad mahjong session with platoon mates at my place. Things seemed very good for me at the beginning. Won quite a bit at the start. But then Justin seemed to win everything at the end. Then end up having small wins. Basketball with them again.

Friday: Initially wanted to meet tai. But mostly ended up playing computer at home...

Saturday: New tuition lobang! It seems that I enjoyed tuitioning this tutee more. More challenging also. J2 Physics...I thought I forgot everything already but I STILL managed to talk sense and managed to teach her quite a lot of things. Quite happy about how it turned out.

Sunday: Another tuition. But that's when I really had a bad headache and everything.

Eventful week yeah? BUT IT'S OVER.

This year's first goal is to clear the IPPT first. Otherwise can't promote / get the CPL rank pay. But how well can I do? I don't know...

04s64

2007-02-10T11:13:00.000-08:00

This is my class!!

This collage really brings in lots of memories about the class. I really miss the class a lot... and also studying. I had a dream about taking an exam with a pen without ink. Then woke up in shock (then I realise I'm in camp and haven't taken an exam in ages) . Now really miss the good old times!

(Now time for picture description)

Lots of photos on the collage yeah? But it's all from 04s64! Have so much fun being with the class. Especially playing volleyball, going to the beach, new year visits, STJ JTS, and not to forget selling nice food during CNY and Homecoming Carnival.

Have included pictures for these main events, and I hope everyone's happy about how i placed everything and stuff. I am quite sure that I've put everyone's faces in the collage. And the sandy words 64 - really speaks a lot!

Then just randomly read Kai Guan's blog. Bumped into the entry about a few of the guys trying to fit a job to everyone in the class. LOL since this post is dedicated to my class, let me just talk about how can people in our class fit into certain jobs...I think it's quite interesting...

Going in the order of the class register...

1) Chew : Sell eggs? Of course sell Chew Eggs...actually that's the first thing that comes to everybody's mind?

2) Xiao Xuan : Maybe a very patient piano teacher (rarely see her angry) or maybe can be a very rich tai tai :D

3) Yen Shong : First thing I thought of was soldier / police. Someone who looks good with uniform.

4) Yiqi : Typical office-kind jobs / secretary. Can imagine her flipping magazine during lunchtime and gossiping with colleagues. LOL.

5) ME : ??? No comments.

6) Kai Guan : Journalist!! I still think he's very well suited for it given his language ability and his great attention to details. Organised in his scripts also...just look at his blog!

7) Lynnette : Sales / Insurance / Talk show host also can...anything that requires talking she's the best...look at her PW presentation...

8) Eunice : MP! Must vote for her...but I think any professional jobs will suit her. Just don't make her stay with children otherwise she will strangle all of them

9) Eugene : WHAT ELSE. Teacher (who doesn't need water, since he's supplying his students with his own sprinkling system) and of course a very very fun teacher who can act, talk, imitate suona....everything can la!

10)Sherman: Some business. Hopefully he doesn't con people LOL. Always involved in buying Liang Jian / Williams' comapny. Can make a lot of business with his talking.

11)Benjamin: Also doing lots of business also. But definitely not those boring businessmen - very trendy one siah...

12)Yimin : Doing business also...but he's that kind that will slam the door when the deal is over that kind. But if do with him he confirm steady that kind...

13)Felicia: Human resource those kind of jobs...also those very zai executive in the office that kind. Very probably human resource. When those people come for interview she will give her very honest opinion that kind..."You're not fit for the job. Thanks for coming."

14)Soon Heng: Maybe also businessman? Or yeah probably a zai engineer somewhere drawing plans.

15) Peiyin : Another top lady of the office. Professional kind also. Imagine her having tea with her clients...with sunglasses and all that.

16) Weijian : Aiyah already sign on - so nothing to talk about already. Was thinking he can be a very fun PE teacher - give that very interesting face and say "Run 100 rounds and come back"

17) Kian : Also going to sign on as a pilot. Was thinking he could have been a very zai cabin crew. But quite close right, both work high above.

18) Shiyun: Can be a rich tai tai already because of ahem. LOL. But can imagine her doing banking stuff. Or maybe become a music teacher?

19) Liang Jian: In the office staring at the shares thinking when he can take over Sherman's company

20) Eileen : Do sales! Very persuasive advertising skills. LOL. *Based on her PW performance. But don't give the HUH look can already. She can really get very persuasive...

21) Yi Hui : Music instructor, band instructor...something to do with music!

22) Olivia : Being in the same office with Yiqi and gossiping while having afternoon tea. Then shares magazines with colleagues...

23) William: Also strategizing how to take over all the companies in Singapore including Sherman's and Liang Jian's. The 3 can fight it out.

24) Jia Yan: Can imagine her selling her ideas to her clients...maybe work in those tourism sectors helping to promote Singapore / her company etc. But just don't give people the impression that she's advertising for Fillipino maids...

25) Yuet Chong: Some fashion consultant or something. She's also quite good at promoting stuff...

26) Kai Xian: Can be a good lawyer, or someone who fight for rights, write columns etc. But she'd better not get so invoved / agitated until her whole face turns red...

And I shall see how right I am 5 years later.

Lots of thanks to everyone in 04s64. Really changed a lot for the better after being with the class in the 2 years. I've become more open to people, a bit more sportty and spent a lot of nice time with you guys. Can't imagine what would happen if I was transferred to NJ and never come back again...

04s64 forever.

Powerless

2007-02-04T07:11:00.000-08:00

These days I feel very powerless.

I can't do anything to change things around me. Can't do anything about people having bad opinions about me. Can't change the environment I'm in. Can't change every single thing. I don't have the choice.

But yet I don't understand why powerful people do not like to change things for the better.

China and US didn't sign the Kyoto Protocol. Now just look at global warming. Amazon rainforest is now under threat. No one is doing anything now. What are people doing? Nothing?

And now I don't understand why everyone needs a defence force. Is it just because we are different - that's why we must try to deter others from invading us? Is it just because we are different? To me, it wastes a lot of resources to have a defence force - not to mention wars.

People say oil prices are soaring. Look at the fact. Doesn't armoured units need oil? Doesn't those war planes need oil? It's just such a waste. Look at the lives that are lost - the medical supplies that are used...it's just a waste. Can't we live everyday just like this? Are there not enough losses in the Iraq war?

But life still goes on. For how long? 40 years? 50 years before the whole biological system turns upside down?

Now I don't know what to say. Not that I need help, but can I cope in this situation?

12th Platoon Forever

2007-01-27T10:02:00.000-08:00

This picture summarises what I've been doing for the past 6 months.
Lots of memories, sweat, teeth-biting moments...
So this is my unit! And just look at what we do...

12th Platoon MRF

Normal Life

2007-01-21T07:11:00.000-08:00

Everything is back to normal again...finally mum's back in the house. It feels a bit weird actually, but finally I don't have to do so much housework myself now =) Not really used to hearing her nag and stuff after 2 months...but the house definitely looks more tidier and neater now.

It's actually nice to stay at your own place. Feel good to be in my own room. Actually still have 9.5 more months to go. Civilian to-be =)

Resolution for the new year? Can't think of any yet. When all of you are out there counting down to 2007 - my thoughts - have to book in anyway. Around 80% of 2007 won't be much different from 2006.

HK Trip '06

2006-12-25T22:57:00.000-08:00

Finally back to blogging after such a long time =) But these days free got sick so couldn't do much about my HK pictures. But now I finally have gone through all the 400+ pictures and chosen those that I want to put on the blog! Around 60 pictures in total... So bear with the long loading time and then enjoy viewing the pictures!

It feels good to be back in HK =) It's especially shiok to go shopping there when everyone's treating you very nicely (really very different from the way customers are treated in Singapore) No wonder the recent survey Hong Kong's hospitality ranking is still so high and Singapore's went down (to me it's not shocking at all) and one more thing - no GST + good exchange rate = good time for shopping!

And HKish Mandarin and English really...cannot make it. Sometimes I also don't know what they are trying to say. They are trying quite hard but...it's just weird and difficult to comprehend.

Sat 161206 1300h
Beginning of the trip on SQ 866. Went to take some pictures of Changi Airport gates and it was really decorated nicely for Christmas.

Then on the plane you can see this island =) Who says you need Google Earth for this...

With good weather, you can see small islands on the way.

Sat 161206 1730h
Arrived at HK's Chek Lap Kok Airport. It was quite welcoming, to see people from the Tourism board distributing goodie bags.

But to my horror again, have to take a bus. As some may hear me say...you are just taking a 1 h journey, with 30min just looking at endless stretches of hills and hills...But besides the point, arrived at my 姑妈house at 1900 for dinner. Had 东东云吞面 which used to be my favourite when I was just 5...

Taking a photo with the family

Route :
Singapore -> Hong Kong -> Aunt's House at Lok Fu

Sun 171206 0700h
How early...but it's already rise & shine in HK. Dad pulled me up from the bed for early breakfast...or 早茶. Went to the nearby restaurant, but...
You can't get a place!
The whole place is filled with people...especially with those old people. And have to find a place on our own. So after the breakfast then went to Jordan to find Bear...

And meeting people in HK it's really very different from meeting them in Singapore...the MTR exits are everywhere and there are so many places where you can meet. But we eventually met and got some breakfast.

After that did some shopping at Prince Edward then went very quickly to Causeway Bay to my grandmother's place. Actually the place changed quite a bit. Somemore hotels and new buildings are built in the area. Had Chinese cuisine at a restaurant in Causeway Bay. After lunch dad and I hurried to go further sightseeing and shopping =)

Went to Ngong Ping 360 (a new tourist attraction) and the great buddha statue in Ngong Ping. It's totally different after 3 years. There are so many many Chinese tourists.

Short hair and big jacket don't come nicely together...

Had to wait for 30 min before able to board the cable car and go back to Tung Chung

At night did a massive round of shopping in Tung Chung town centre. Really a lot of shops there...and HK people really spend a lot more effort in decorating up for Xmas.

Decoration at Tung Chung Square

Route :
Lok Fu -> Jordan -> Causeway Bay -> Lok Fu -> Ngong Ping -> Tung Chung -> Lok Fu

Mon 181206 0700h
Again woke up by Dad to go and meet mum in Causeway Bay (we stay in different places) to make our ICs. Went to do some visitng before going to the Wan Chai office which opens at 9. I also went to post my Xmas cards from Wan Chai Post office =)

In the afternoon went to Causeway Bay to have dim sum lunch (again LOL) and then my parents went to their IC offices to do their ICs. I went alone to shop again =) and no problem I'm still very good at navigating and I went to shop for shoes...not bad cost HKD$200+

Main Rd in Causeway Bay on a Sunday

Then at the end send mum home. Continue with the evening schedule and went to a after dinner stroll at Tsim Sha Tsui East...over at the Stars Avenue. Things have really changed a lot and it took us quite a while to get there.

Bruce Lee Picture

Beautiful Xmas lighting in HK

Route :
Lok Fu -> Wan Chai -> Causeway Bay -> Tsim Sha Tsui -> Lok Fu

Tue 191206 0700h
Again this reville timing. Went to Kowloon Bay instead to have breakfast. The restaurant was really quite good and served good porridge =) then I finally found a nice traditional bakery which produces wife biscuits! Then went to find mum again to go and apply for 回乡证 at North Point. After a quick application then went to Disneyland!

~Disneyland HK 1030h~

Really went to almost all the rides and managed to catch all the nice shows (thanks to my good time planning skills). Actually the really scary one is the Flight of Space Mountain...and also Mickey Musical is a MUST WATCH. The 2 really memorable rides. BTW I'm quite horrified by how Chinese tourist grab the brochures. They really pulled one whole STACK of it.

Common sights in the central grand walk

Disneyland Rail Station

Beauty & the Beast at Dining Hall (Canteen)

Water Feature

Me in a shop with lots of soft toys

~Disneyland 1500h~

Time for the Disneyland daily dance parade! Lots of pictures for that too...

Big inflatable Mickey Mouse?

Disney Films

Little Mermaid!

Group Picture at the Entrance

~Disneyland 1600h~
Then went to the adventure land to watch Lion King Festival =) My favourite Disney cartoon (1993) movie. Featured a lot of nice singing and some fire performances.

AdventureLand Entrance

Taken from the boat ride in AdventureLand

Gift Shop!

Lion King looks like soft toy...

Came out and went to take more photos before waiting for Mickey Grand Awards show. It's a nice show featuring all the past Disney movies.

Really love this picture's effect. It seems like the Magician is passing through time & space, with all his surroundings warped...

This is how popular Pooh Bear can get...scary...50min.

Mickey Grand Awards!!

Hunchback Notre Dame

Mulan

Little Mermaid!

~Disneyland 1900h~
It's dark after the performance...the place is still so attractive...in a different way. Waited for the fireworks performance before the whole theme park closes.

Xmas Trees

Grand Street at night

Sleeping Beauty Castle at night...ready for the Fireworks...

Spectacular Fireworks....

Then went to dinner back at Admiralty for Peking Duck =) still as nice as ever...Great day with great dinner.

Route:
Lok Fu -> Causeway Bay -> North Point -> Disneyland -> Admiralty -> Lok Fu

Wed 201206 0700
Got woken up again...and same breakfast at Kowloon Bay and collected the wife biscuits. Only have the morning to do the last min shopping and visiting, but still went a lot of places!

Took 106 from North Point back to Wong Tai Sin. That's the bus that I used to take from my place to grandma's place, so it passes by all the places that are familiar to me...including Hung Hom (my old place) and Kai Tak (old airport)

Crossing the harbour~ and look at the traffic...it's Wednesday 10am after all...

Rather messy traffic but still it's smooth traffic

Taken on the bus...a park very near to where I used to stay

Then went to Wong Tai Sin to pray...and I must recommend everyone to go and pray... because my dad did strike 4D shortly after that lol =) then went to the new shopping mall in Kowloon Tong for last minute shopping...before proceeding to the airport.

Route:
Lok Fu -> Kowloon Bay -> North Point -> Wong Tai Sin -> Kowloon Tong -> Lok Fu -> Airport

HK Airport Checking-In

Departing...

Sunset from 10km above the ground...

Wed 201206 1940
And finally arrived in Singapore. Got slightly delayed due to the turbulant weather. Really nice trip, seen lots of people and bought lots of things =) HK is still a very nice place to go...

Back Post - China Trip '05

2006-12-15T05:44:00.000-08:00

Going to HK from 16 to 20th :) So to fill up the spaces, I'm posting my previous China trip photos and journal here...hope those who missed it will enjoy :)

Warning : The text below should be decoded using Unicode Have some patience for all the 30+ photos to load.

Wow. How long have I owed this entry. Two Weeks? Really have to write this entry - it was a wonderful trip for me - first time being in a tour group and really got to know a lot of things. I've managed to sift through around 300 photos, and got around 30 photos here.

It started off with a late night flight, reaching Shanghai at around 6am. Reached the airport fairly early, and realised the airport had quite some transformations. Used to see lots of dark red - but apparently they changed the colour scheme of the place. A lot of paperwork has to be done to get into China. The good thing about travelling with a tour agency - they fill up almost everything for you and you just sign wherever necessary :)

SIA planes also changed quite a bit. Sitting in planes isn't a very boring thing anymore. Movies, games, even Pok谷mon Gold is inside (but don't think you can complete it within one airplane trip). 4 hour seems to fly by so quickly after watching some movies.

First impression of Shanghai Airport - nothing really much. Isn't as nicely decorated or filled with shops like Changi Airport. Then have to walk so so far to get to the customs. Once out of the gates, we met my 姑妈 whom I didn't meet for like...10+ years. Then we followed the tour group and went on the coach.

The first day we first toured one famous old town 西塘. It was famous because of the rivers and its age. Lots of pigs trotters and those kind of fermented beans for sale. When I got back I realised it's the one featured on the taiwan zhongtian channel. And look at the trees - part of the stem is painted white. The Chinese had been applying plaster onto the stems for a long time, so that the trees won't feel cold. (Quite interesting)

It really looks very old, the people there are still burning coal to cook and to get warmth. We began touring the places where rich people used to live. There were many doors with very high 门槛 which symbolises their status in the society. There were many nice gardens (those people in the past seem to love to build gardens when they have money)

Then they also showed us how to make buttoms made from the shells of the clams...and had a lunch there. I guess their dishes were too oily, too salty or too sweet for Singaporean's taste. After hours of journey (just shows how big is China) we checked-in into a hotel located in the sub-urban area in Hangzhou city.

The next day we began the real tour in 天堂之城, 杭州. It was a 40 min ride to 西湖 (West Lake or Xizi Lake) which is located close to the city centre.

The locals are very proud of the river because it's located in the city centre and is one of the most beautiful lake in China (but sadly we are there in winter so can't see a lot of things). After we took a boat and cross the river.

we arrived at 苏堤 which is built by the famous 苏东坡 when he was still a city mayor. There were a few islands within the lake itself, linked by many bridges. We also went to many gardens. They still remain to be so nice during winter.

Then we came to this small island called 西湖天地 which is a very famous tourist attraction. There you can find lots of gift shops, and lots of famous dining restaurants like Haagen Daz, Starbucks or even...Crystal Jade. Haha. Had dessert in Haagen Daz - ice cream and fruits in hot chocolate. The good thing about China - you just need to pay the amount stated on their menu. No extra charges.

This is a very interesting picture taken over there. The background - a wall filled with 100 "寿" characters

Then we visited a tea plantation, and then went to a local "pasar malam". Quite a lot of things there, but they aren't that cheap as you think....haha. It really looks like those you see in those pictures.

At night we went to a theme park where we watched a classic performance, a show which is based on all the ancient Chinese stories. This theme park has one slogan - "给我一天，还你千年" You really see those scenes in the palace, with all the songs and dances.

It was another 3 hour ride before getting to 苏州. Just to get things into the right perspective - Suzhou is around 18 times as big as Singapore, and they said Shanghai is 11 times as big as Suzhou (so go figure out). Our coach directly drove into the 苏州工业园区 where Singapore invested in. Over there you see some things related to Singapore - even a pirated version of the merlion. This is the picture taken there - each flag symbolises the country which invested in Suzhou, with Singapore as the first flag.

Suzhou is a place with lots of rivers - boats used to be the main transportations. That is why you do see lots of rivers around. The next day we went to the silk producing factory and also a private garden constructed by one poet. This garden took him 16 years to complete, and every inch of the garden is CHIM. The photo below : the 2 pictures on the wall : Chinese believed that the ground is squarish and the sky is round (weird right?) and the seats for the host facing the east (东道主) and seats for the guests facing the west (西客) A lot of very interesting facts...

Then went to a famous temple there, and went in to hit the big bell. From there actually you can see 京杭大运河 which stretches from Hangzhou, to Suzhou and all the way up 杭州 to 北京. The river so called secretly followed our way up the tour.

Next we went to the city of 南京. Was quite surprised that we will go to 中山陵 which is actually like a mausoleum. Quite interested in the trip actually - interested to see where the Taiwanese leaders went during their journey to China early this year. And you do see lots of KMT's logo inside.

Then on top you see the words (3 peoples' principle) encrypted on the top there. And from the top (300+ steps up) you cannot see the individual stairs but you can only see all the platforms - a creative idea by the designer...

At the dinner we tasted 秦淮 and the dishes - were quite interesting lol. But a lot of the people didn't dare to eat duck's blood (which I think is nice). All the food come in individual servings so this is the only time you don't need to fight for food :) After dinner came shopping in another night market.

Next day - still in Nanjing. Went to a bridge (sadly forgotten what's it called) It was one of the biggest projects led by Mao Zedong. So we see a big statue of Chairman Mao right at the entrance. Beside him were his words of encouragement to the workers at that time.

Then this was the bridge, the top level allowing cars to pass through and the 2nd level for the trains.

We also dropped by a workshop...this particular artist draws within glass balls and within thin glass panels (note the word within)

Later that day we went to 无锡. And...the tour guide mentioned that it was once called 有锡 (so you get the idea why is it named like that). And went to the place selling pearls grown in their freshwater lake. Also went to this Film making studio. A lot of films are taken there, and there's a large panel which recorded all the shows which had scenes taken from the place.

Interesting rock which required 1000+ years to get its shape

Then we watched a show, a live performance by those trained actors - a show briefly about 三国.

Wuxi is also very popular for the 紫砂壶. Actually didn't know teapots come in so many different colours. They were like describing how rare is the mineral (mineral only found in Wuxi) and I'm quite shocked that the teapots don't really cost a lot (around 300RMB)

Finally to the last stop 上海. It's also a very long journey from Wuxi, around 2 hours? And getting to the city centre is not easy, considering the heavy traffic. We've got a small preview of what's the traffic like in Shanghai. The city is very dependent on elevated highways...but still it took the coach around one hour just to get from the city border to the CBD on highway. Just look at the situation...right from the hotel.

First we stopped by a very nice shopping area 南京路步行街. Got a feeling that it's really like some downtown place in Hong Kong :)

Then we went to The Bund. It is really spectacular at night. But there's no shopping centre there. It's more like Raffles Place...offices and banks. Those banks are in such nice buildings. Really didn't see such a good night view before. Everywhere is a good spot for taking pictures.

We had a tour down 黄浦江 which allowed us to take pictures of the 2 sides of the river. But sadly...the ferry shakes and you can't get a really good night view without a good camera. So I was busy taking pictures after alighting the ferry.

There's a live TV on the buildings. And the leftmost tower is 东方明珠塔. It is the tallest broadcast tower in Asia. Very good looking at night :)

The next day we went to another mausoleum, then to the restaurants around where there are lots of "pirated handbags and leathergoods" and you really can bargain a lot.

Last day was free activity from the morning till 12pm. We dropped by 中央公园 which marks the city centre of Shanghai. Around the park it was where all the government offices are situated.

Visited 上海城市规划馆 (you can also call it Shanghai URA) and it's quite exciting. Lots of exhibitions, lots of exhibits on the recent developments and the historical photographs. The most interesting thing - the model of Shanghai in 2020. One photo is not enough to capture it.

Yup and that marked the end of the 7 day trip. And have a peek at the Shanghai airport's departure gate.

Back to Singapore...it's SO HOT. The temperature there fluctuates around 0 deg, but during the warmer days it hits around 10 deg. Quite sad we didn't get to go there around the Christmas season, otherwise we may get to see some snow. First time experiencing such cold winter. Wonder what will happen if I went to Beijing instead...

Be thankful I live in Singapore and don't need so much clothing. Really wore a lot of clothes, layers after layers over there.

~ Free ~

2006-12-14T03:04:00.000-08:00

Three weeks of break! Hard earned break. So I have rest of the year free. Can do a lot a lot of stuff. Didn't update my blog...because I'm busy with so many other things =)

Going to HK in < 50 h time! I went to pick up the air tickets yesterday, and to my surprise...it just looks like one photocopied paper. It's not as nice as it should be...so I suspected it's a fake. Apparently they changed the style already...but who cares if it will take me all the way to Hong Kong...

And I found out that I do have quite a lot of things to do.
1) Catch up with driving
2) Meet up with friends & relatives
3) Play games
4) Give tuition
5) Prepare for countdown stall

So the 3 weeks isn't as "do nothing" as all of you all may think. Let's talk about each item at a time.

1) I've just started on Basic Theory. And failed today's Basic Theory Evaluation (by quite a bit) and didn't realise there are practice papers. So I need to seek help from Miss Tai.

2) Can go to grandfather's house more often. And meet up with cousins. Then meet up with juniors. Not to mention other friends that I haven't been meeting...And I'm looking forward to 28th Dec :)

3) Lots of games to play :) And just bought Rich8. Can also play games that can be downloaded.

4) Now giving tuition to this Pri 6 guy. And everyone is asking how much do I get. But...I didn't really listen carefully so I'm not sure. But it's quite a demanding job. Not easy to earn money!

5) Countdown stall! I just tried and tested out a nice formula for nacho cheese. Selling milkshake also. Hope can earn money from the stalls. Good learning experience :)

All the exciting activities in the 3 weeks!

Disappointing Thoughts

2006-11-29T05:34:00.000-08:00

Sometimes the reality disappoints.

I feel like an idiot working hard. It's just not worth the effort. It's just not worth the time. Look at the people around me. Look at what's really happening now.

People can get over things without doing anything. People just don't bother. People don't need to put in any effort to get things done.

It's a very hard pill to swallow. But I know I don't have the talent and neither am I that smart. I have to work hard for things.

It's the same case no matter during school, army or work. Everthing is like that.

I'm also very tired. Just let me rest and let me heck everything.

Floating Thoughts

2006-11-26T07:10:00.000-08:00

This week seemed to pass ultra quickly =) and I think I should be happy about that. 3 more weeks and I'll get to fly to HK! Really excited about that...Since I will not be updating the blog during this period, I shall upload my China trip entry (which I posted in my prev blog, now I found my source code) and fill up the space =D

2 weeks since mum is not at home. Don't really know what she's doing at HK. But at least she doesn't need to tidy up the place and doesn't need to help me with all the things over the weekend. Didn't do much during the weekend, just rotting at home and try to save money for HK trip =)

Have to move bunk again~ and I managed to get a better bed position. Actually the bunk we got became ultra small (8 people in 8 man bunk - fully utilised) not like those days whereby it was 5/8. The drivers are going for their course also...but time will really fly after this week I think.

I came across this chinese article quite some time back. But now this mother was interviewed in a Phoenix TV programme recently, so I managed to know her name and surfed the net about her incident

Link to the Article

It's a very touching report. It is about a mother, who was examined to have a bone marrow failure, giving up all treatment procedures due to the heavy cost of the treatment. Although her sister's bone marrow can be donated to her, she cannot operate with no money in her hand.

Then she waited for her days to end...but all this while she was thinking of her 3 year old son at home. So she wrote many letters to him, for him to remember his mother after her death.

This mother saw an article in the newspapers asking for submissions. It asked for essays written by the parents to their children. So this mother submitted these letters to the publisher.

And the readers were very touched by the letters, so they donated a lot of money, so that she can operate. And she has already carried out the operation. Now she is recovering well in China.

(I'm not very good at narrating the whole incident. Please refer to article)

I'm quite touched by the article. I wonder if parents are always thinking about their children. Everything they do - it's for their children.

It's unconditional love.

Big Dip of Reality

2006-11-20T07:05:00.000-08:00

What a week...really very happening week.

The weekend was unusually unhappening. Tons of things happened. Tons. It's so much more exciting to be a civilian than to be inside camp. Friday, Saturday, Sunday. Three days that made me feel much more fulfilling and lively compared to Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Friday. My singing partner (lol) wanted a K-box session a lot. And thanks to the early book-out we managed to start singing at around 3. Actually this time was not as "high" previously, but it was still very fun :) and I think it was very worthwhile (only paid $12 each). Our singing group became a bit larger - 6 people, with me, Bear and Justin being the 3 most frequent member...now with Winston John and Sunat...

(Photo thanks to Bear)

Then we went to eat at Billy Bombers. Long time didn't visit since JTS from 05s64.

Saturday. Even more happening. Now me and sunat goes to swim every week at Civil Service Club. I was one train late and there's already a big crowd at Bukit Batok station.

Then I see sunat kneeling down beside this old man who is lying down. There was lots of blood. Apparently sunat is trying to attend to him.

There was really a lot of blood (even more blood than in medic training course IV) from the head. This poor man fell down and hit his head. The blood was quite fluid (luckily) and the blood seemed to clot quite quickly.

Then the MRT staff came to help and came with the First Aid Kit. Without the First Aid Kit we can't even help this old man :( So sunat and the MRT staff did a bit of just pressing the bandage on the wound. This old man didn't want anyone to call his family and kept saying he's OK (But he really isn't)

SCDF people came around 5 min later...and I think they are also NSF and just like us are not very skilled paramedics. Just checked Level of Consciousness and did a bit of checks.

Although it was a short incidence, I was sweating all over already. My whole shirt was wet before going to swim. It was quite scary. Don't know if I can still think calmly during this kind of situations. But as a medic somehow you feel an obligation to help, no matter you are afraid or not...

Sunday. Went to the ticketing agency to book airline tickets to Hong Kong. EVERYTHING IS SO FULLY BOOKED. Went into quite a lot of agencies to ask. X agency said their SQ, Cathay and United Airline are fully booked. Panic. Y agency only has tickets for SQ, but not on the days that I prefer.

So my stay in HK is shorted, and have to come back on 20th. Only have 2 days to make all my necessary documents, hope I still have enough time to do some shopping and bring some souvenirs to everyone here...but schedule will be really tight. Guess I will make a proper trip there (as long as 1 month) when I'm going to ORD.

Weekdays. My emotions were at rock bottom. Felt very tired. My team has a lot of people who "keng"s and don't want to put in their effort. Sometimes really feel quite an idiot to put in effort in deployment or helping to move stores. Everyone in the bunk is just having this "fatigue" and don't want to work.

"Things may be done in the end anyway"

But...I just don't feel right.

Something is just not really right.

I don't want to make my friends worse off to make myself better off. (Allocative efficency?) It's the teamwork that makes the entire thing work. That's why we are all in the team.

Eventful week.

Halfway Mark

2006-11-12T07:39:00.000-08:00

Finally ended my trainee life in 10 months. It was really really long, with so many things happening especially during the last few months. Being a trainee in my unit is not really easy - not to mention Exercise Titan which we have to do in order to pass out.

4.5 hours of intensive physical exertion. 2.5 hours in MOPP suit. 2 hours in the mask. 1+ hour of pure mental torture.

Was quite proud that my team did quite well in the exercise. Despite all those disputes (our team is quite infamous for having people unhappy with each other) we worked very well with each other and completed the exercise as one piece. Our team had the least number of deployable people, and not to mention we have people with several conditions.

Moving down the tentages, pallets and the stores were still fine. The equipment standby was fine. Our team was really fast in loading up loading down and deployment, but we just cannot take the Casualty Management.

Could not mask off to treat the casualty for the entire 2h. MOPP-4 with mask and under 30+ deg hot sun. After treating each casualty we had to kneel down to take our breath. I pleaded my teammates to carry on. All of us know that it was the most difficult training we ever had.

Casualties just stream in, and we had to carry casualties 10m into the treatment site, carry onto the stretcher stand, then to the disposition. Our casualties were quite big sized - imagine the workload.

It was all very tough. But what I couldn't stand is my teammate who didn't give in all his best just because "it was very hot" and didn't know that "we are just as hot and if not hotter after doing more work."

But I was really proud to say that the platoon completed the exercise and pass out together =)

We are already halfway there.

It marks how far we have come through, and how far are we to the finish.

It is the halfway mark.

Ultimate Q & A

2006-10-29T04:20:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer : Most of this set of questions is taught by this ultimate platoon mate of mine. Feel free to comment about it or curse about it. If it has a lot of friends I can consider putting up more Q & A. Enjoy and have a nice week ahead!

Instructions : After you know the answer (or give up), highlight the words behind the A so to reveal the answers. Here it goes~!

Level 0 (Warm-Up)

Q : Guess one zero (Chinese female singer)
A : 蔡依林

Q : Mr Zhang just know that he’s his friend (Chinese male singer)
A : 张学友

Q : 什么儿子 (Shop name)
A : Watsons

Q : Mr Guo lives in a very rich city (Chinese male singer)
A : 郭富城

Level 1 (Beginner)

Q : Ice cube lost its way (Band name)
A : 迷路兵

Q : Meat him (Shop name)
A : Bata (Meat – Ba [Hokkien] Him – Ta [Mandarin]

Q : Mr Tan just send one SMS (Chinese male singer)
A : 陈奕迅

Q : Mr Zhang stun his mother in law (Chinese male singer)
A : 张震嶽

Q : Morning (Chinese male singer)
A : 黎明

Level 2 (Medium)

Q : No more sheeps left (Chinese female artiste)
A : 杨丞琳 (Sheep times zero)

Q : 潘小姐鱼圆面加鱼圆 (2 Chinese artiste)
A : 潘嘉丽 (加一粒)
A : 潘玲玲 (O + O)

Q : Car can continue to “chiong” seeing the traffic light (Song name)
A : 绿光

Q : 马先生穿短裤去跑步 (成语)
A : 露出马脚

Level 3 (Quite Difficult)

Q : 弟弟在笑 (Male singer)
A : Hady

Q : Who is the Taiwanese artiste that always shake his head
A : Nono

Q : Whose Taiwanese artiste house is always empty
A : 康康 (空空 in Hokkien)

Q : A very very fat person appear (成语)
A : 原（圆）形毕露

Q : Ten guys (Place)
A : Tampines (Quite Crude)

That's all for the week folks :)

What If I Die Now

2006-10-22T08:06:00.000-07:00

I'm still only 19 years old and I'm writing such an entry. It is very weird of course, but come to think about it. I'm already 19.5 years old so quickly. Ageing. And I don't think I will live for long.

Now I thought of a quote mentioned in Sisy's World News. When the Lebanese war started, there was this 32 year old Israeli who said, "I'm only 32. I've so many things that I've not accomplished in my life. I don't want to die."

What if I really die when I'm 19? Not as if it's not impossible. I've seen someone die at such a young age before me. Now it seems that it's "logical" that old people die and young people don't realise they can die at this very moment. But...what if I really die now?

What If I Die Now

I'm just a normal person, 19 years old
There are so many years that should be ahead of me
There are so many things that I have not done
Yet I'm now forced to end my journey now

I am someone's son, and supposedly someone's father
There are so many things to experience
There are so many things to know
Yet I'm not given the chance to move on further

I will not be able to fulfil those promises that I've made
Those promises that I made to my previous soul-mate
I won't be able to meet you in this century anymore
Because I can't hang on already

I hate my destiny
Does it have to come to this
Yet I have to thank the almighty
For bringing me to where I am thus far

To all the souls I met in this world
I'm taking a move first
But if given the chance, I would
Shake all of your hands and say "I'm so glad I've met you"

I want to ask for more time to spare
Yet I know I can't ask for more
It's already such a colourful life
It's already all I can ask for

I don't understand, just don't understand
Why do I have to depart now
I don't deserve more?
Or it's just my destiny?

I hope my life is like a shooting star
With that spark of brilliance, lighting up everything
Not like an abandoned star
Doomed from the very beginning, when I started to live

- Jeffery 221006 2333

I hope this entry isn't that philosophical (I don't think it is though) and hope everyone likes it. Don't worry I don't have any terminal illnesses. Just something that I want to share and hopes everyone cherish their lives.

Heartless Politics

2006-10-15T10:02:00.000-07:00

- This post is in Traditional Chinese, viewed under Unicode. Go Under View > Encoding > Unicode (UTF-8) -

看了六年的台灣政治戲, 現在終於達到了高潮, 也讓全部的人都睜開了眼睛.

雖說是民主, 但是最後人民的力量還是這麼的微薄, 實在是讓人心寒. 政客實在是太可惡, 人民還是很可憐. 已經有一百萬人上了街頭, 但是還是沒有拉下那麼一個人. 這麼多人為了尋求公義, 但是換回來的卻是不理不睬, 還有這麼多的臭罵聲. 一個人和一百萬人, "不成比例", 但是權力更是違反了這個比例原則.

所謂的民主, 是讓人民當家作主, 但是總統卻獨攬權力, 變成了變相獨裁. 難道現在多數的民意沒有在反映出台灣已經不要這個總統了嗎? 權謀中的錯綜複雜, 也行成了一個保護傘, 讓這個貪腐的總統不必下台. 大家都是為了自己的權力而做考量.

這些已經白了頭髮的人, 這些帶著幼兒的人, 這些行動不便的人, 為甚麼還是要來參加活動? 為甚麼這麼多人還是願意日曬雨淋還在那邊圍城? 難道老天真的要捨棄這幾百萬人民的願望, 不讓總統下台, 而成全他一個人的願望讓他做滿任期? 這真的好殘忍, 很讓人覺得無力, 讓人覺得前途一片黑暗.

雖然這件事跟我無關, 生長在一個融合的社會裡, 看到台灣政局的變化, 也不禁覺得事態有些炎涼. 我有時候也覺得有些台獨激進份子也很奇怪, 他們為甚麼為了台獨而支持貪腐? 這麼簡單的對錯問題, 應該超越意識形態. 我認為台獨是一個遙不可及的一個夢想, 眼看中國的崛起, 台灣是要依靠大陸的. 統一只是遲早的問題罷了. 現在有西藏的例子, 就可以看出中國的經濟力量有多大, 能夠讓西藏不繼續往獨立的路走.

為了權力, 甚麼東西都不顧了嗎? 到了這種關頭, 大家還是這麼的自私, 只懂得自利.

這是一個殘酷的政治現實.

This post talks about my views about the current scene of Taiwan politics. An entry that I thought of writing long ago.

Week!

2006-10-09T07:44:00.000-07:00

One week break is finally going to be over.

I really spent these days playing Dynasty Warriors non stop and eyesight is going to spoil. Did almost nothing constructive all these while. Needed a good time to rest. It's back to deployment and extrication from tomorrow onwards all the way to Pass Out!

Only did more constructive things on Monday and Tuesday. Was dragged to the Meet-the-People session by my platoon mate. Felt quite extra. It was my first time there and I knew nothing (so I don't know why am I there for) and heard very weird complaints. Then got to see the MP of the area. Tuesday was spent on K-box for nearly 7 hours and enrolling driving lessons.

The best part of the break is MAF! Got to play ball back with fellow s64. The school did not change much (except the A Block extention is really ugly) Got to see quite a lot of people there. But missed the light up.

Two years just passed by so quickly. But those songs and mass dances really bond us to the school very well. And here we are again - singing together and gathering in a big circle. We were doing all these when we were J1s and J2s. And now we have 05s64 and 06s64 with us. It really felt like we are back home in HC.

It's a wonderful feeling back home for a week.

But it's time to work already.

My Music Tale

2006-09-25T07:08:00.000-07:00

It has been an enlightenment.

The journey basically started 15 years ago, when I was still 4. All began from piano lessons in a music school near my HK place. And everything started off with incorrect playing techniques - positioning the fingers flat on the keys. I didn't know it has such a big impact. But now it made sense when your arms grow longer.

Then I went to a very good teacher at the age of 5. The teacher was strict - asking me to play with my finger tips. Imagine there are two balloons on your palm and you inflate it. That's the shape that your hands are supposed to be. But I still continued using my own method - something that I'm comfortable with.

After migrating, I went to this teacher in Coronation Plaza. Thanks to the previous teacher I had a better foundation. It was all right in Grade 1. Things went for the worse when I slacked off and didn't find the fun of playing the piano. Moreover this teacher isn't as dedicated as the rest - using her phone during lessons. There was once I didn't understand how to write ascending scales (theory lesson) and cried. Learning music is becoming a burden and a waste of time. Things got worse and worse - until I just managed a pass at Grade 5.

My mum sensed things are wrong. And she asked me to change my piano teacher. Then I went to Christofori. Things got quite good - but I have to suspend my lessons because of this C programming course in Sec 1 that didn't allow me to be free on Sat afternoons. So I stopped.

I stopped learning piano during my PSLE and Os year. I have lost contact with piano so much.

Everything accumulated and things went haywire when I was taking grade 7. I failed quite miserably. After that I started to pick up again. Two years with grade 8 and just managed to pass it. My foundation isn't that good - and I have loved music too late. Those sessions in Esplanade - should have taken place so much earlier.

Things are different when I get in contact with guitar.

I figured that I didn't have many options for my JC CCA - and I got influenced by a friend. Guitar is another instrument that is not that difficult to learn. Playing in an ensemble is also a bit easier because you just need to practice your own part.

It was a good experience for guitar. It was quite easy to learn and you can just play it when you are bored. The 2 years - learning how to pluck, how to strum, how to perform...

But the 2 instruments made me love music much much more.

No Entry Notice

2006-09-10T05:08:00.000-07:00

At least 10 days in camp after this. Dreading over it now...so these days I won't get to update the blog.

And these few days I've been catching up with Taiwanese news and I'm going to miss the entire drama!!

Coming back with a good entry. I've already been inspired again :)

Change

2006-08-27T04:04:00.000-07:00

Stop and look back. Look at where you are now. Then look at where were you then.

Then you realised how far you've come and how much you've changed. So much so that you don't recognize yourself and appreciate what you had gone through.

It started off with plainly nothing and now ended up into something.

During this period I'm somehow shocked by how people have changed - either by entering the army or going into university. It totally shattered the original impressions of people, or even more, my impression of myself.

I used not to be like that - but all these things gave me a chance to change. By taking the first step...the rest of the journey seems to be easy - morphing slowly into another personality. To be a better person, all that is needed is the courage to change. The courage to take the first step and saying goodbye to the previous you. There's no excuses to escape.

How can you be a worse person tomorrow? How can you not change for the better the next day? It would have wasted previous day you have lived.

Take the first step. Change and start to like yourself. Become a better person.

Misery

2006-08-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

Apparently I didn't take care of myself enough. I developed a fever again - back to the usual 38.5C mark.

Had the feeling that I would be sick during the platoon outing at Sentosa. I had tons of fun playing volleyball, looking at people building sandcastle, people swimming...and all the illness seemed to have gone.

Yet it haunted me again - I couldn't stay awake during all the bus journeys home. Something was wrong. And there it is my fever went up to 38.5 and sometimes 38.7. Third time of the year having fever and the cause for it is always the same - throat inflammation.

I didn't realise how serious the problem was until the doctor asked me when my throat started to swell.

So the long weekend I had was spent on sleeping and trying to get well. But today I had a very serious headache - and a continuous one which haunted me throughout the day. I couldn't really stand and walk, so I had to either sleep or lie down to make myself feel better.

I didn't get to enjoy the weekend at all.

Next week I have a short weekend :(

I have to take care of myself.

Every Part of Life

2006-08-06T08:02:00.000-07:00

This week is rather eventful. Thursday - to the airport to send off relatives and dinner with cousins, friday - a movie with platoon mates + fire piquet duty, saturday - SENTOSA with 64s and today - at home civ and slack :)

Was enlightened by the movie "Click" I've watched on Friday. It has such a good mix of fun and touchy sentiments. The idea of the universal remote seems totally cool at the start, but when things start to go haywire...life starts to go wrong. You are missing chunks of your own life.

It made me recall what I wrote in my journal in Sec 2. "Why does our life has to include misery, sadness when we don't need them at all". I wrote the whole sentence in caps. Sec 2. So that's why my teacher called me to talk to her during reading period.

She said something like, "Life will be so boring without all these emotions...life will seem very pointless without all these things..."

Seems like a trivial answer.

And now I think the answer is beyond that.

Everything makes you appreciate everything else.

It's back to the typical "yin-yang" argument again. Whenever there's light, there's a shadow. Things exist for one another. When your life is in misery - it makes you appreciate the other side. Sickness, sadness, hopelessness are things that you need to help you appreciate the life you have now.

It's probably destiny or fate that help us pave our lives. Just walk down the road and appreciate the scenary and learn from all the experiences. All the drops, all the drips, every part of your life - it's worth living.

I had hoped to fast forward these 2 years. Now I'm having different thoughts. It's a worthy experience.

Crucify My Love

2006-07-30T08:03:00.000-07:00

It's just so ironic that I'm writing this here. Totally ironic. And for the first time I think I want to write this in my blog. I didn't think it would come to such a situation - such a standstill. I also don't know what to do, how to react, how to deal with this situation - or even most of all how do I face this person from now onwards.

Actually I feel so glad that I didn't do something stupid on Saturday. Otherwise the situation will be out of control.

It has been quite an eye-opener. And now nothing is really going to stop me from looking things from my own perspective. Perhaps love can be really that selfish, that untrustworthy and insecure. Now I found out something new - everyone's definition of love is so different - and so warped at times.

I don't know what's the motive behind behind this. From what I see - returning every single thing back after such a long while - maybe I've already become something that you must get rid of in your life - your next phase of life. It's not a relationship that is worth remembering. So painful that you hope to wake up next day...

All the apologies do not seem to matter anymore. This is just something that I cannot tolerate (perhaps I'm weird but I'm now insisting on my stand) And you come back and ask me "Can we still be friends?" With all these what do you expect me to say? I can't live up to all the expectations. I need my own life.

Even the love between friends - I don't even feel it now. Just by doing all these I think you just want to cut off everything. Everything. Just let it return back to 0. Nothing has happened at all. Until we don't know each other. We shouldn't have crossed our paths.

I'm supposed be the rubbish dump and clear up the mess. I'm supposed to undo all the damage? You go and pick yourself up. It's already for such a long while. I also don't know whether I'm a fool - thinking that we are still friends for the past few months. Perhaps all you've been thinking is getting rid of all the memories and things. From the start it's all - fake? Said that we can still be friends - but what is the situation now? To me it's an outright and clear message.

It's an ultimate move.

I just cannot stand it. I never saw it coming. It seemed so unintentional, so innocent - but the damage is done. Let everything crucify.

I'm not regretting for what I said - I'm now looking from my own perspective. I don't really care now after all these things are done. When people hurt you, it gives you the right to defend or even hurt them back again. Then I shall say this here - it's really very painful.

If anyone else want to speak out - let me say this - spare a thought for both parties. If anything else happens it just gets even uglier.

Carry on with your life then. I don't want to be in any part of your life anymore.

The Feeling of Being Loved

2006-07-29T21:55:00.000-07:00

- Back to the Writing style for my previous blog : Tag on the tagboard if you are reading my entries and feel free to write your comments -

"Do you know all the things I have done is for you"

It's something that you rarely hear in your entire life. It's something that you don't get from everyone that you come across in your life. It's something that you need to survive. It gives you a sense of purpose in your life. It's blissful. It's something that makes you feel blessed.

Admist of all the hurtful comments, backstabbing, hypocritism in this oxymoronic world, you get such a nice words. All the strangers outside, even all the acquaintances - do they care about you so much? It's natural for people to be only concerned with their own lives.

People out there are getting smarter. Knowingly or unknowingly they may hurt you and get ahead of you. With all these - who are those that believe who you are? Who are those that accept who you are? Who really take you as the best gift of their lives?

It's a never ending quest for it.

Blog + Version +

2006-07-23T08:53:00.000-07:00

Now the pictures are inside :) Haha. Things get to load faster now without the song.
Enjoy the new blog layout - something that I did over the week before I get confined this Sat!
This weekend is a long one because of the MTI celebrations at Seoul Garden - so I have to do up my blog!!

Even the class blog is reviving!!

Revival

2006-07-09T14:21:00.000-07:00

Yay all the technical glitches are solved!

Actually I could have reopened the blog quite some time ago, but I think it's better for me to redesign everything and ensure EVERYTHING is working before I open it. First I had problems with the top navigation bar, then the content...

Then I was lazy to design the banner.
The banner is actually...I think "OK-ly" done. I wanted to draw something like a shadow of a person holding a star but I realised there's no space -_- so I just decided to just play with boxes and stick to the original colours. It's a Flash animation, done in around 30 min while watching the World Cup Finals (QED - it's really Quite Easily Done). To me it turns out quite presentable...

Next week I am going to remove the music bar (finally) and replace with some pictures hopefully. Lots to update though. Have to see what happens (wait till next week)...

So everything is settled, doing real blogging soon. Hopefully got those standard of the entries I posted down at diary-x. Still prefer diary-x giving me much more freedom and things are easier to understand.

My blog looks like one big POSB bank.

Apple iPod

2006-06-11T09:04:00.000-07:00

Finally got one iPod - a wish finally fulfilled after quite a long time. It is actually quite expensive...and more than one month's pay just gone like that with the swipe of the ATM card...
Quite impressed by Apple's packaging...
But it's a pain having to re-edit all the tags of the songs - I'm only like halfway done and I just used the whole day to do it...

New Blog

2006-05-14T03:11:00.000-07:00

Finally - this is my new blog!

Making a template for blogspot isn't as easy as i thought - having to take not of all the CaSe sensitive tags, S11 and all the <$tags$> drove me crazy. Lots of PHP coding here - unlike those in diary-x which is much simpler. After looking through the other blog servers I realise blogspot is still considered one of the simpler ones....

My blog is done - but I still need some touch-up to make it a better one. I still need some tabling code, align my drop down menu and design a new banner to make everything come together....