Saturday, August 30, 2008

30-08-08 (Saturday) "Brain Dead"

AaAaarrghHhHh@!!@$$!

Tried doing some Mathematics past year prelim papers to no avail. Ended up doing this.

*read question*
*pause and think*
*flip behind to answer*
*aaaahhhh......*
*reads next question*
*pause and think*
*flip behind to answer*
*ooooohhhhh....*
*repear*

What happened to all the mathematics skills in Form 4 and 5? I guess that just goes to prove that I was really all relient on the tuition lessons by mom then, eh? God help me!!!

I am SO dead come prelims... Sorry, Australia ppl. I guess I can't make it there anymore then...

Decided to stop trying so hard at nothing. Hafta consult my nice PRC classmate tomorrow then.

Andrew's fine now. Operation only took place this morning at 5.30 am. Won't be discharged for another day or two. Poor him, all alone in Changi with all the hot nurses(or so he claims, though I didn't spot a single one for the whole 2 hours or so there...). Hope that nothing serious will follow after he's discharged and has healed.

99 more days to Miri. Sigh... So fast now... Really hafta push myself to push hard for the coming 2 months and more. Real thing coming soon!!! THE PRESSURE!!! (By LCP, the forward reaction should be favoured as less gaseous substances are formed...)

N oh yeah... Merdeka Day tomorrow! Happy be-early51st birthday, Malaysia! Do take care of yourself! Love you!

Praise the name of Jesus
Perfect Redeemer
Star of the Morning
Yesterday, today and forever
Jesus the same

Friday, August 29, 2008

29-08-08 (Friday) "(Reclaimed land) Under Construction"

What an eventful day it has been... Rather, what an eventful NIGHT it has been...The hostel organized this ‘BBQ4U’ thing. Basically a bbq at East Coast Park(ECP) instead of the normal dinner la. Study break next week anyway.

Beautiful evening sky...
So, we headed there, all jolly and skipping together hand-in-hand *cues Beach Boys “Wouldn’t It Be Nice”*… Started having fun with the volleyball while waiting for the walking people. Then when everyone arrived, we formed our Frisbee circle and started throwing the Frisbee around.

clearing in the trees...
Then, we pushed it further. Ultimate Frisbee! It’s just captain ball but with the ball replaced with a Frisbee and instead of a captain, you score by getting something like a touchdown in rugby, pass to a teammate who manages to cross the designated line.

... Scene of crime...?
Anyway, it was all fun and excitement when suddenly Ming Hwei shouted, “Eh! Come here oi!” Then, I noticed Andrew balancing on a foot, seemingly squirming in pain. Running up close, I saw sth sticking through a toe on his other foot he was holding up. It was a FRIGGIN’ HUGE NAIL!!! RIGHT THROUGH HIS BIG TOE AND OUT THE OTHER SIDE!! *&($^!*^#$)!^

OooOOoo... Ouuuuuch...
All the panic and running around asking “First aid kit! First aid kit oi!!!! Ada orang tengah mati sini OOoooOOiiiIIiiii!!"

Andrew : Tell my parents I love them and I'm sorry for all the bad things I've done. I promise never to play bare-footed on the beach again...

Aravind: *bored*
*Cut scene* ambulance arrives… Brings him to hospital… And even though it’s been more than 3 hours since it happened, even while I’m typing here right now, Andrew’s STILL waiting for his turn in the operating theatre. Apparently, it’s all full till around 3 am later. So… I assume he’s lying on some white-sheeted mattress with metal bars around preventing him from falling off his bed while he’s staring at the freaky thing stickin’ out his right toe and praying that he got his tetanus shot in Malaysia.

Final product before transportation to hospital.
I was thinking of how little inconsiderate acts of people who ignore the proper etiquette involved when at public places cost so much to others.(LITERALLY! You know how much Changi Hospital charges for their OT or not?!?! I also dunno but I sure wouldn’t like to find out the way Andrew does…)

Amy couldn't bear seeing the squeamish scene
Then, it kinda came to me. How the HECK does a huge nail like that end up on a beach? Reclamation of land needs construction as well ah? I have nOOOoooooOOoOoo idea…

Please God, if there STILL are people reading. Give me a sign… If not, then let it be Your sign for me to stop blogging once and for all......

"Well open up your mind and see like me
Open up your plans and damn you're free
Look into your heart and you'll find love love love love
Listen to the music of the moment people dance and sing
We're just one big family
And It's our God-forsaken right to be loved love loved love loved"
~ "I'm Yours" Jason Mraz

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

26-08-08 (Tuesday) "Deducing the Romanticity of Square Root Three"

I’m sure that I will always be,
A lonely number like root three

The three is all that’s good and right,
Why must my three keep out of sight

Beneath the vicious square root sign,
I wish instead I were a nine

For nine could thwart this evil trick,
With just some quick arithmetic

I know I’ll never see the sun,
As 1.7321

Such is my reality,
A sad irrationality

When hark!

What is this I see,
Another square root of a three

As quietly co-waltzing by,
Together now we multiply

To form a number we prefer,
Rejoicing as an integer

We break free from our mortal bonds.
With the wave of magic wands

Our square root signs become unglued,
Your love for me has been renewed.

I like this poem. Very intellectually romantic. For those of you who know where it's from... I won't be saying where. But it's definitely not by me.

Monday, August 25, 2008

25-08-08 (Monday) "Weareveryhappy@gmail.com"

Had GP Prelims paper today. Wasn't easy. I mean... "Technological advancements always have a democratising effect. What is your view?" and "Is pragmatism or idealism a better approach to life?"... What the crap? How do less-knowledgeable ppl like me deal with questions like that? Thank God for the other 10 questions available to choose from. Heheh...

I think I see an angel there... *waves* Hello...!
Moving on...

The guy with the SLR and the funny poses. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you... ERNEST PUEY! *clap**clap**clap*
In lieu with the upcoming major exams for everyone in JC. My daily morning prayer group decided to bless the Victorian community by cheering them up with come posters we came up with.

Happy girls...
With the words "We are very happy. Ask us why." or sth in that context spread across the pictures, we hoped to bring some happiness and share with others THE Source of Joy in our lives.

Hahah! This one... I like... The words "We are very happy" spread across the top. Funny, right? ROFL!!
I don't know what the other Victorians think but from a long time back since I entered VJ, it has always given me a feeling of... "Blessedness". I just have that gut"tual" feeling that VJ is really VERY blessed compared to other JCs. Compare you may with the other two top independent JCs and their academic superiority. But... Other than that(and of course sporting achievements...), can they boast more? Say you may that those are the most important things in JC life but... In that case, I'd say life would have actually stopped for those two years then, eh?

The whole group. L-R: Randy, Jeanne, Bryan, Melodie, Jonathan, Megan, Joshua, Audrey, Happydude, Wei An, Joanne
Anyway... Apparently, we got lots of different responses. There're those who really came up to us to ask about our reason for happiness, and those who just basically found it offending the freedom of expression in terms of religious expression. I actually found it ENCOURAGING that some ppl are 'prosecuting' us. That just plain means we're advancing into enemy territory. I guess I have a hunch of what kept Paul going and why he was always the way he was despite all his hard times.

The boy band pose. I hafta say it's quite a nice pic...
I do seriously thank God for leading me to discover this prayer group through Joanne. She's the angel that God sent I guess.

Joanne. Godsend. (side note: I like this pic... Very candid.)
Now, every weekday that I have to go to college brings it with it greater reason and purpose. God will CONTINUE to work great things in VJ in years to come(meaning He ALREADY has and still IS doing great things!). I just wish for those of you Victorians who, like me, feel that VJ is really a blessed JC will really step out and bless others around thee!

The girls... This prayer group actually started off with the extreme left 4 actually. Then it grew to what we have now. All glory to God!
L-R: Joanne, Megan, Jeanne, Melodie, Audrey
Heh. Is pragmatism or idealism a better approach to life? LOL...

Weareveryhappy No.2
Back L-R: Bryan, Randy, Wei An, Ernest, Joshua, Jonathan
Front L-R: Megan, Melodie, Joanne, Audrey, Jeanne
Hmmm... Wayne's not in the pictures...

Friday, August 22, 2008

22-08-08 (Friday) "God Is Just Amazing!"

Let me reiterate. God is JUST AMAZING!!!

Aravind, Chia Weei(behind), Pei Yi and Ming Hwei enjoying durians while watching Chong Wei-Lin Dan match the other day at Vui Yung's aunt's place...

There was gonna be a prayer meeting in college at 5 but I ended lessons at 12.45 so I returned home for a break before returning to college. The sky had telltale signs that it was gonna rain soon even as I was cycling back and this was gonna be my excuse to NOT come if it DID rain when I was supposed to leave.(STUPID DEVIL...!!) Anyway, after my nap... I went downstairs to find out the floor all wet but it had just stopped raining, so I left for college.

... While Amy was suffering from the durian '
stench' while staying away from the dog as well. Double nightmare for her... Tsz Kit was just posing for the camera.

First time any prayer meeting had so many Victorians. I was so encouraged and touched! We then had a wonderful time singing songs of praise to God, followed by lots of words of encouragement and prayers in small groups. It was REALLY, REEEEEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLYY an amazing time spent together with God.

Here comes the amazing part...

AFTER I reached the college, it started raining... Then as we started singing songs of praise, it started pouring cats and dogs! We concluded that this was God's curtain over our songs as there could be 'Saul's out there who wouldn't like our praising God and would complain and report and all. AFTER we finished our songs and prayer, the rain STOPPED!! TOTALLY! How amazing is that?!? Call it coincidence(, you skeptics out there) but it really IS God manifesting His power.

Gifts of encouragement from Pei Yi(left) and Thomas(right)
Now you cynics and skeptics may start bombarding me with cynical and skeptical questions inside you right now... Trying to list out the bad things in the world that contradict the existence of this amazing God I'm telling you of right now. Now, all the ugliness are just some indications of how much we've fallen away from God because of man's sins. Don't try to put the blame on God for something WE'VE done, kay?

Yes. Pei Yi's sense of humour is very local now... 'jia you' written on a pack of some oil...
... And... Even if Mike Guggs' did NOT contract terminal cancer or anything of that sort, it doesn't mean God is any less a healer than He has always been. Period.

Jesus, we're living for Your name
We'll never be ashamed of You
Our praise and all we are today
Take it all!
~ "Take It All" Hillsong United

Wednesday, August 20, 2008

20-08-2008 (Thursday) "Olympics Update"

I watched the Chong Wei-Lin Dan match together with all the other Malaysians in my hostel at another fellow Malaysian's aunt's place. Went back rather disappointed with the result. But wait! I said 'with the result', not with Chong Wei. I think he deserves a break from all the criticism ppl are piling up on him lo.

I'm sure he tried(though he wasn't really agressive that night). Lin Dan really showed why he still IS World No. 1. Chong Wei had his moments of brilliance as well(The amazing diving saves and cross-court smashes) but didn't produce enough for the medal. But... He IS the only medallist so far and the first silver Olympic medallist since '96! No matter what, I'm still proud of being Malaysian because of ppl like him! Keep it up, Chong Wei! Btw... He still IS unbeaten in the Malaysian Open for abt 4 yrs now...

More about the Olympics... Usain Bolt just ran a crazy 19.30 s for 200m!!! With a 0.9 m s-1 wind in his face! MY goodness!!! Utter craziness!!!! Hahah... this is turning out to be quite an exhilirating Olympics!

Liu Xiang bowed out of the 110m hurdles due to an injured Achilles' tendon as well. I pity him as well, having to bear so much burden and the hope of a whole nation of over 1.5 billion ppl. I don't blame him even if it wasn't really because of an injury but because of succumbing to the pressure. I think he really pushed himself to the extreme in training just to NOT disappoint his nation and for that very reason got himself injured. Ironic, don't you find it? I wish I could say I know how it feels but I can only imagine... Heheh... Hang in there, Liu Xiang!

Terrence Trammell after injuring himself in preliminaries

110m hurdles is all set for Dayron Robles to win. Both his major rivals are out and all now...

21-08-2008 (Thursday) "10 Truly Singaporean Things"

I decided to put back my Windows Sidebar up to remind myself of how close I am to everything. 73 days to the start of the dreaded 'A' Levels, 89 to "O.R.D" from 'A' Levels, and... Wow wow wee wow... just 15 weeks and 3 days from the day I fly back home to Miri!! My goodness, it's closer than it seems already!

Anyway, being here for almost 88 weeks (So Chinesely fortunate ah...) now, I thought of listing out some of the stuff really just make the studying experience in Singapore unique!(Particularly applicable for JC students...) These are the stuff that, for those who've studied in Singapore, as they think back of their time here, inevitably wander across these stuff. And here they are:

1. Queuing up - When a queue starts, ppl here just start adding on the queue, eager to discover the pot full of gold at the end of the queue, only to find the well-known Changi Village Nasi Lemak stall vendors at the end of the queue.

2. Typically local phrases/terms - e.g. "Wahlun leh!", "Siao ah", "Wah sian...", "Stun", "Stone", "Dao(ignore)", "Pon(teng)", "Sial lah!", "Lame ah you...!", replacement of "didn't" with "never"(I never called you leh...)...

3. Year-long sales - Yes, there is the Great Singapore Sale(GSS) but it didn't make much of a difference to me at all. Anytime of the year I walk into a shopping mall, there're bound to be sales... Giordano polos for $13 each fine print "min. of 2 pieces"; iPod promotion, trade-in any mp3 player and top-up for an iPod...

4. Meritocracy - all sorts of scholarships, talks, workshops, conferences, school events (Orientation Programme, Students' Council, CCA Exco) overseas trips (Overseas Community Involvement Project - OCIP, Youth Exchange Programmes - YEP) that require applicants to be the best among the applicants through stringent agreements and competitive interviews...

5. The constant reminders that "We are a small red dot"... "We lack natural resources/We have limited factor endowments"... "All we have is YOU - Labour"... "We are an open economy"...

Me likey this pic... Very cool...
6. Fancy, state-of-the-art gadgets being wielded by friends around the day after it is released in Singapore - e.g. iPod Touch, HTC Diamond, iPhone... Come this Friday, I'm sure I'll get to see the iPhone 2 the coming week. I'm sure the Singaporeanness will not fail to prove me right...

7. "Just For Laughs - Gags" on mobileTV on SBS Transit buses - Those practical jokes are hilarious at times. Needed to give the ever-busy, ever-serious Singaporeans a laugh to slow their lives down for those bus trips.

8. Excellent public transport service - Bus routes are well-connected, Iris comes in VERY handy many times(service that informs you when the next bus is arriving), and very many MRT journeys. And then there are the relatively cheap cabs.

9. Outings - Class outings, CCA outings, Cell Group outings, after church lunch outings, hostel friends outings... Phew... Social life here very different from before as no cars are needed to meet up. Just hop on a bus or flag down a cab and you're on your way!

"farewell" lunch for senior Wu Chean at Thaipan next to our hostel...
10. Health and fitness - You can never expect to NOT see someone jogging or cycling or just sweating out when you're out. Hmmm... Then again, it could be due to the humidity here that ppl are sweating like free...

I think I might mention some more once I think of more but... That's all for now. I think Singapore's a very blessed nation, (for those of you who are different in opinion, forgive me for saying this) most probably because of the passionate Christians here. I surely do NOT regret one bit coming here and every so often still thank God for bringing me here in the first place.

Friday, August 15, 2008

15-08-08 (Friday) "One World, One Dream"


No kidding... Recently just read some article that commented on that motto. One world with one dream... The dream of getting 8 gold medals in one Olympics, THAT'S the dream, alright... Just the recess in school today put it very much in perspective. Never have I seen Victorians cheering someone on without the Red Shirts egging them on. Not to mention he's someone unrelated to not just the school and nation, he's not even AWARE of their cheers...!!

Anyway... I hafta say that Michael Phelps IS someone deserving of all this attention. Greatest Olympian ever to have lived... What a privilege to see someone like this in our era, no? Dreaming of 8 Olympic goals in one Olympics is quite ridiculous already but... breaking the same number of world records TOGETHER with the golds? Well, it's 6 records down now... only 2 more.

Even cooler is the fact that many of the ppl here watching are not even the type who usually keep up with the sports world. Suddenly, there IS someone that you can mention without the person going "Huh? Who?"(Well, maybe with the exception of Li Yawen... :P)

Keep it up, Phelps! Hats off to you!

Btw... Chong Wei's playing tonight! All the best! Get Malaysia's medal in dunno how long, dude! Make us proud!!