A Glance to the Skies

pvf

2009-07-12T23:16:00.002+08:00

having my block leave now
don't really know why i'm posting...
probably so that this place isn't *officially* dead.
that being said, there won't be anything to blog about until i ord.

so this'll remain dormant.
for a pretty long time.
i'm tempted to type out an essay-length post about a certain issue i've been considering
but it'd be pointless since no one would read it in time to contribute anyway.

4 more months!

fmf

2009-03-21T23:39:00.003+08:00

Field pack: Packed
Duffel Bag: Full
Book-in Attire: Ready
Apps: Written
DoTA: Played

9 months in hell: Ready.

llk

2009-03-07T22:27:00.002+08:00

just back from platoon dinner.
fun, though many people decided to pangseh

the euphoria derived from receiving my results lasted all of 2 hours.
which is quite a pity, as well as a curiosity.
definitely did as well as i expected,
yet i feel nothing at all.

and now i realise
we should not have been celebrating
at least, i should not have been.
should have sought out those who were feeling too terrible to celebrate
and be with them instead.

on the other hand i suppose it was only natural to go wild and forget, for the moment, about others.

i never enjoy having an uncertain future.
great thrills and many spills ahead.

mnm

2009-03-06T22:44:00.002+08:00

haven't really had the inspiration nor the time to update this place
and probably will have even less in the foreseeable future
so... until some major event occurs this will be a pretty slow blog.

like today, of course
collected A-level results
did...about as well as expected
not perfect, though
shan't elaborate further.
quite satisfied with the results as they are.

on a completely unrelated note...

it was great meeting up with the 08 batch (might well be the very last time we gather)
initially (pre-bmt) i intended to catch up with all the different people i know every week
meet up for chats/coffee/movies/games and stuff like that
but so far it's only been the bball guys and the jcats.
doesn't bode well for my social life :/

and on a not-quite-so-unrelated note

i think i'm still a little repressed
just a little.

anyway.
block leave is nearing
so all you non-bmt dudes and dudettes please plan accordingly thankyouverymuch :D

hj;

2009-01-23T21:18:00.002+08:00

FIRST BOOKOUT!!!

we aren't allowed to disclose classified stuff online, so i'll err on the side of caution and keep this short.
Got enghow and lingzhang and loyce ree in my platoon, and some other rj dudes in the other platoons in Taurus.
BMT is really quite enjoyable, save for the discipline and the rushing around.

and i'm down with the flu, so probably no bball on sat ):

mdf

2008-12-30T23:42:00.002+08:00

played badminton with weiwen and audrey today
skills have all gone down the drain like so much sewage.
can't even tap properly anymore.

ever get the feeling you're getting dumber by the day?
inexplicably it almost seems my mind is taking a walk somewhere.
can't be due to a lack of sleep (i'm getting alot more than i used to)
(or maybe that's why)
maybe because i'm not exercising my brain enough
or it could be (gasp) some horrific neurodegenerative condition that's insidiously chipping away up there.
maybe it's age (c'mon i'm only 18)

it's a little uncomfortable to even consider such a phenomenon, really.
though eventually (much later on in life, i hope) we'll have to come to terms with it.

sgc

2008-12-27T22:31:00.002+08:00

again, quite and enjoyable day

cross dinner at clarke quay fisherman's wharf
four generations of crossers were there, from mok's batch to ruiyong's (though only 1 j1 was present)
stoned around, talked alot
went to haagen daaz.
stoned around, talked somemore.

not a bad day, indeed.

jhb

2008-12-26T23:30:00.002+08:00

quite a fun day today

went to shenghao's house for 4P christmas gathering
for some pseudo-barbeque (using an electric grill)
and of course, mahjongg.
earned about 26 imaginary dollars. :D

and tmr is cross outing.

ggj

2008-12-23T21:09:00.002+08:00

scored triple 800s in SATII :D:D:D:D:D:D
got an unfamiliar elation hurtling up my mind when i read my results

finally done with christmas cards.
one card takes quite awhile, especially if you try to make them unique.
*appreciate it*
haven't received any so far though.

'bout two weeks left before enlistment.
pretty satisfied with my hols, though.
after all, it's the first one i've ever spent in complete relaxation.

qlv

2008-12-20T12:06:00.002+08:00

watch the previous 4 first, if you haven't

TEN THINGS ABOUT YOU: (who, me?)
1) Are you single?
yep.
2) Are you happy?
usually.
3) Are you bored?
i'm doing this meme.
4) Are you sad?
1-usually.
5) Are you fat?
don't think so.
6) Are you a virgin?
yes.
7) Are you afraid of the dark?
why would i be?
8) Are you good at cooking?
unfortunately, no.
9) Are you sleepy?
i'm getting 3 more hours of sleep than i normally do.
10) Are your parents still together?
of course.

TEN THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE: (i don't have one)
1) Do you believe in love at first sight?
i believe we call those "crushes".
2) Have you ever been hurt emotionally?
yes.
3) What is it that you look for in someone?
depends on what i'm specialising in in med school.
5) Are you afraid of commitments?
if you really love the person would it feel like a commitment?
6) Have you hugged someone within the last week?
hmm yes.
7) Have you ever had a secret admirer?
uhm. briefly?
8) Which ex did you love the most?
don't got no ex.
9) Have you ever kissed someone of the same sex?
nope. bleargh.
10) Have you ever cheated in a relationship?
never been in one.

TEN THIS OR THAT(choose only one):
1) Love or money?
lUbxzXz?
2) Hard liquor or beer?
anything below 5% is fine.
3) Cats or dogs?
kittens.
4) A few best friends or many regular friends?
a few best, definitely.
5) Television or internet?
i could do without a tv.
6) Pepsi or coke?
pepsi twist ftw.
7) Wild night out or romantic night in?
romantic night in. introverts ftw.
8) Money or happiness?
happyness, to which money is just a means.
9) Night or day?
anytime, baby.
10) MSN or phone?
msn.

TEN HAVE YOU EVER:
1) Been caught sneaking out?
never had to.
2)Been skinny dipping?
what's the point?
3) Done something you regret?
like anybody hasn't
4) Bungee jumped?
i wanna. though it probably tops the chart of "Stupid things people do", below "setting your hair on fire".
5) Lied to someone you love?
my parents?
6) Finished an entire jaw breaker?
yep. got a slight phobia of swallowing one, though.
7) Have you ever slept in someone else's bed?
your bed, my bed, it's all the same.
8) Wanted an ex bf/gf back?
no. ex. okay?
9) Cried because you lost a pet?
umm no.
10) Wanted to disappear?
many times indeed.

TEN PREFERENCES:
1) Smile or eyes?
eyes don't lie.
2) Light or dark hair?
black.
3) Hugs or kisses?
depends.
4) Shorter or taller?
doesn't matter.
5) Intelligence or attraction?
intel.
6) Romantic or spontaneous?
romantic.
7) Hook-up or relationship?
relationship.
8) Dinner out or takeaway?
depends on eating conditions.
9) Hot or cute?
either or both.
10) Educated or dropout?
educated.

TEN LASTS:
1) Last phone call you made
i don;t remember.
2) Last phone call you received
zach.
3) Last person you hung out with
linky zach cf.
4) Last person you scold vulgarities
probably one of them, for KSing me in crimson skies.
5) Last person(s) you hugged
hmm. jane, i think?
6) Last text message you received
"tmr my house 10am play ball then lunch then i dunno do what but cannot camp at my place"
7) Last person(s) you went to the movies with
fambly.
8) Last person/thing you missed
bus 13.
9) Last thing you touched
keyboard.
10) Last person/thing to piss you off
kinda hard to get annoyed nowadays.

fbf

2008-12-14T21:37:00.002+08:00

went for ice-skating today.
surprisingly easy to learn
although eventually i tried to go faster and faster
and fell proportionately more frequently :/

then they came over to play bubble puzzle/bridge
card games are so much more entertaining with yuanz/nic/jingli
"OMG YOU SCAMMED ME"
"AGHHHHHH WHYYY"
and some overtly homosexually-charged choice quotes that i shall not taint this post with.

ran a 5k before dinner.
now THIS is a holiday-day.

pfq

2008-12-11T20:14:00.002+08:00

1. Have you had any relationships this year?
... (this sort of question usually comes later, yeah?)

2. Have you had your birthday yet?
yeah

3. Kissed two people in the same night?
haha no.

4. Been on a diet?
never.

5. Pulled an all nighter?
only for hedonistic pursuits. like mahjongg.

6. Drank Starbucks
yeah. if drinking from my dad's latte counts.

7. Went camping?
nope. would be fun, though.

8. Bought something?
what kind of stupi- yes.

9. Met someone special/who changed your life?
theoretically, anyone you meet would have changed your life. yes, anyway.

10. Been out of the province/county?
NO. life is tough.

11. What are you thinking about?
what am i thinking about?

12. Hugged someone?
soitenly.

13. Slept in someone else's bed?
mattress, yes.

14. Got a job?
i got a life. and ns.

15. Loaned out money?
for food, yes.

16. Got in a car accident?
do matchbox cars count?

17. Gone over your mobile phone bill?
err nope.

18. Been called a bitch?
usually in jest (i hope)

19. Done something you regret?
yeah.

----------------------------------------

LAST:

Last person you hugged?
don't remember. one of the Jnr Cats on sunday.

Last person to call you?
my mum.

When was the last time you felt stupid?
what do you mean, "last time"?

What was the last thing you yelled?
YES. when asked whether i was going out to run.

----------------------------------------------

1)Where did you begin 2008?
probably in a friend's house.

2) What was your status by Valentine's Day?
very much single.

3) Did you attend school this year?
yes.

4) How did you earn your money?
magicked it out of nowhere.

5) Did you have to go to the hospital?
no. unless you count visiting zach and his broken nose (fractured by a barbell)

6) Did you have any encounters with the police?
f- no.

7) Where did you go on holiday?
falador.

8) What did you purchase that was over $1000?
nothing?

9) Did you know anybody who got married?
Paul

10) Did you know anybody who passed away?
not this year.

12) Did you move anywhere?
still in amk, thanks (:

14) What concerts/shows did you go to?
err piano recital, guitar concert, and a play.

15) Are you registered to vote?
nope.

16) Who did you want to win Big Brother?
what's big brother?

17) Where do you live now?
ang mo kio.

18) Describe your birthday.
Math common test 1.

19) What's one thing you thought you wouldn't do but did in 2008?
i sang in a church choir.

20) What has been your favorite moment?
the split-second after we were dismissed from Bio MCQ.

21) What's something you learned?
that some things just have to be done.

22) Any new additions to your family?
thankfully, no.

23) What was your best month?
december ftw.

24) What music will you remember 2008 by?
FUN FUN FUN (5 Years Time, for the confused)

25) Made new friends?
definitely.

26) Favorite Night out?
the night after prom. (okay, morning)

27) Someone you liked?
...

28) Have you kissed the one from question 27?
never kissed a girl, save for my mum.

29) Something you look forward to before 2009?
i did it last sunday.

30) Where will you start 2009?
again, probably staying over in someone else's house.

31) Overall, was it a good year or a bad year?
things look so much more comfy in retrospect.

h;l

2008-12-07T23:35:00.003+08:00

ran the full marathon today
4h 15mins
which is a decent time, i suppose, for a newbie.

was doing good time (3h 40min pace) till 28k
then cramped like mad.
tried to push through it and crumbled
so walked for 2k
then pushed
and walk
push
walk.

until 40k, where i stopped then went all the way.

still.
I HAS THE FINISHER SHIRT YEAH.
doesn't look quite as nice as the old design, though.

unfortunately it now hurts even to walk, and don't get me started on climbing down stairs.

then went for bbq at mau's place
'twas probably the most fun (and efficient) bbq i've ever had.

jgv

2008-11-24T21:50:00.002+08:00

had quite a fun and prod-

wait.
productive?!
IT'S AFTER A'S! 2fsdgsdfgfbgdgdfgk

but well.
SAT IIs.
no choice. :/

still, at least there were people to mug with.
don/mark, nic, van and soph also attempting to cram.

then headed home at 5pm
and met no less than 4 J1 (soon to be J2 hehehe) crossers
3 of whom attempted to drag me back into training.
managed to shake them off, but i did feel a slight pang of temptation to u-turn and follow them
very ,very slight....
i might actually consider it, since my holiday schedule seems rather....empty, after the SATII

then got waylaid by some mediacorp raz0r-something-or-other crew.

Ambusher:Given the current economic downturn, do you think there'll be less jobs for people?
Ambushee (that would be me): "Uh....i guess?" *no shit, Sherlock*
Ambusher: And are you worried?
Ambushee: err. not really? *C'MON, i just finished my A's*

right.
that is all.

kpx

2008-11-21T22:19:00.002+08:00

will be singing in a wedding choir tmr.
should be fun.

really should get down to training seriously for marathon.
wonder if i should rejoin mrquek training...

in more ways than one, the end of school has brought blissful liberation.
most importantly, from academics, of course (at least for the next two years)
but also from all the accompanying concerns
doubts
hope?

all gone.
what you do not see
can be forgotten.

hkj

2008-11-20T22:36:00.002+08:00

now that we can finally put studies aside...

1) SAT II, 6 Dec, RELC
2) StanChart Marathon, 7 Dec
3) Learn how to cook (from mum)
4) Learn how to bake (ditto)
5) Learn how to swim front crawl properly (company appreciated)

spo

2008-11-14T23:24:00.002+08:00

The Castle Personality Test

You are a bit tentative when it comes to new experiences. You have to push yourself to try new things, but once you do, you love the adventure.

You like to think that people see you as intellectual and wise. You consider yourself to be very smart.

You are a very realistic person. You see the world as it is, flaws and all.

Right now, stress occasionally makes you feel trapped in your life. You usually have a clear perspective on things though!

Overall, your life is calm and steady. Not much stirs you, and each day is full of joy.

You feel like the fate of the future partially rests in your hands. You believe you need to help make the world a better place.

The Castle Personality Test

ngf

2008-11-12T21:31:00.001+08:00

NO MORE ECONS.
ALRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIGHT.

hli

2008-11-07T22:48:00.001+08:00

check this pic out.

oyb

2008-10-20T23:01:00.001+08:00

You Are Mustard

Your personality is strong and distinctive. You are beyond quirky.

You can stand alone in the world well. You are a strong individual.

You sometimes work well with others, as long as there aren't any other strong personalities involved.

Your taste in food tends to be simple yet high quality.

You can really get into a perfectly prepared sandwich or simple fresh salad.

You get along best with ketchup and barbeque sauce personalities. Get you with a salsa personality, and things might become downright nasty!

What Condiment Are You?

You Are Wintergreen Flavored Gum

You are laid back, low maintenance, and super cool.

You go with the flow, and you never cause too much of a fuss.

You are very in touch with nature and the world around you.

You prefer to keep things simple. Complexity stresses you out.

You are a very real person. Openness and honesty are important to you.

You can be friends with almost anyone, as long as they tell it like it is.

What Flavor Gum Are You?

Divide 24 by 24.3

"Attack dogs. No walls, just dogs."

vla

2008-10-19T23:10:00.001+08:00

You Are a Cinnamon Raisin Bagel

You are warm, loving, and genuinely selfless.

You enjoy comforting other people, and you easily fall into the roll of caretaker.

Of all the types, you're the most likely to be an excellent cook.

You tend to have something delicious for breakfast that you've cooked up for everyone.

What Kind of Bagel Are You?

You Are a Chocolate Shake

You are a total hedonist. You are drawn to pleasure.

You are an expressive, over the top person. You're naturally dramatic.

You're the type of person who always chooses quality over quantity.

Life's too short to not have optimal experiences. You're proud of being picky.

What Flavor Shake Are You?

You Are a Hazelnut

You are very unique and distinct. You may even freak some people out.

Most people don't really know how to interact with you.

You get along best with anyone who is super sweet.

But you really do get along with almost anyone. You just need a chance to wow them.

What Nut Are You?

You Are Cheerios

Like other Cheerios eaters, you want to be a responsible adult.

But you can't help but still be a kid at heart!

You try to make good decisions. You're a clean cut, conscientious person.

You're the type of person who would never skip breakfast.

Part of you thinks that breakfast is too important to miss...

But a bigger part of you knows it's too fun to miss!

What Kind of Cereal Are You?

iyu

2008-10-11T00:06:00.002+08:00

totally wasted today.

can't really find the words to describe my current emotional state.
it's a well-mixed, heavy blend of despair, contemplation and mild panic.
with just a hint of existential wonder, the kind you don't want to be getting before a major exam.
and regret.

we sang the batch song: "remember you're not alone" during farewell assembly. i sang.
When everyone has his/her very own world
you are alone. very much alone.

an apple made me cry today because i haven't recovered from temporomandibular joint disorder and it hurts to chew.

my p4 science teacher, ms ho, writes: "yongquan, always work for your dreams" on a precious little note sealed in a ziplock bag with a small, white eraser.
what if my dreams have withered, ms ho?
what do i do with a handful of should-have-been?

i do a mathematics question that asks me to find the derivative of a trigonometric equation, and do it again and again. it orders me to.
life is going to be just like that, isn't it? someone hands you instructions and you follow. i follow.

printing out application forms to apply for a US university that i am not even particularly interested in, and i type my name, my address, and my birthday, and i type it as if someone actually cares. like it even matters that i get a scholarship and head off to a prestigious ivy league university, because i know that when i return home the same questions will be waiting at the airport and follow me to my room door. they will hold the door open for me, gently guide me in, and then kill me. then i'll be dead.

a-levels would have been so much fun if not for life.

gun

2008-10-04T22:34:00.000+08:00

lightersandlove says:
"most problems can be solved with a well-placed bullet. Discuss."
jeremiah says:
well
jeremiah says:
given that, according to Mao Zedong, "Power comes out of the barrel of a gun"
jeremiah says:
and Power = Workdone/Time
jeremiah says:
(Gun)(Time) = Workdone
jeremiah says:
so, given time, most problems can be solved with a well placed bullet
lightersandlove says:
excellent argument.

znm

2008-10-03T22:21:00.002+08:00

it's officially 30 days left to the A-levels for BCME dudes.
and dudettes.

going to have to seriously hardcore to confirm the As.
so... barring any important matters, mugging is king.
of course, if anyone wants to

1) form a mugging group
2) meet up to mug
3) meet up for group consultations

and would like to include me then i'll probably be happy to go.

to be honest this doesn't really feel like a marathon anymore.
it's more like the last 5 shots in a shooting competition (out of 60, btw)
the most frightening ones, i think.
but as long as you keep your cool and follow through with the actions
it'll be alright.

anyway.
on thursday i got hit by a surprising realisation
that i don't really know what i'm fighting for
the best answer i can give you is: a future i'm completely uncertain of.
due to a confluence of a few factors:
1) mr cheong's (gp teacher) little talk at the end of our last GP lesson. actually i think we heard most of it before, but yesterday it seemed particularly salient.
2) got back the pw file and was awfully reminded of my grade. then felt a pang of anger/frustration/worry and subsequently wondered why i did.
3) was trying to read up on university applications and wound up quite confused (any help greatly appreciated, btw). then wondered why i really wanted to go overseas to begin with.

i suppose this is a really bad time to be considering such issues.
might be best to put it aside, for now.

dsb

2008-09-28T00:09:00.002+08:00

it was 11.55.
and i listened to 5 minutes to midnight.
yes i did.

there's a part of my mind that does the exam papers
another part cracks the whip, urging it forward
somewhere to the right, something quietly tells it to take a break.
the part just above it slaps it and tells it to shut up.
the big section to the left pats its metaphorical back, assuring it that this is the right way.
a tiny, lost piece of mind struggles to breathe
while at the extreme right, something faded kneels and cries over a photo.
near the occipital lobe, one peers into the angry world.
a few tired, bruised slaves try and try to hold on to facts, figures, diagrams and love.
somewhere close to the top, a small piece refuses to believe. it thinks there's more to life than this
one of the abovementioned claims there isnt.
hiding in a secluded corner, a few huddle, warm in the knowledge that this isn't so importa--
every day, a few of them turn.
one looks for room, and finds none.
one seeks solace, and finds y=ax+b|r|<1(sinx-tanx)a+bi=4.

it's 12.30.
goodnight.

sad

2008-09-27T23:59:00.001+08:00

excellent, a meme.

should make it a point to create one after the A's.

Do you sleep with your closet doors open or closed?
closed. I fear t3h monstarz D:

Do you take the shampoos and conditioner bottles from hotel?
...no.

Do you sleep with your sheets tucked in or out?
either way’s fine by me.

Have you ever stolen a street sign before?
This. Is. Singapore.

Do you like to use post-it notes?
they sound so useful in theory. But no.

Do you cut out coupons but then never use them?
I tear out coupons. And proceed to leave them to rot in my wallet for the next 6 months.

Would you rather be attacked by a big bear or a swarm of a bees?
depends. Do I have a gun?

Do you always smile for pictures?
umm. Occasionally.

What is your biggest pet peeve?
where do I start…. Okay let’s just say I hate pretentious people.

Do you ever dance even if theres no music playing?
I have close to zero flexibility. Which makes for highly awkward dancing. Though I’m not sure if it matters.

Do you chew your pens and pencils?

Ew. Other people’s stationery, maybe :D

What is your Song of the week?
come sail away. Yes I know it’s really old.

Is it okay for guys to wear pink?
hell yeah.

Do you still watch cartoons?
south park counts, I guess.

Whats your least favorite movie?
don’t watch much.

What do you dip a chicken nugget in?
barbecue sauce ftw.

What is your favorite food?
here we go again… prata, one egg two kosong with teh tarik.

What movies could you watch over and over and still love?
equilibrium, star wars, transformers. Mostly action sci-fi.

Last person you kissed/kissed you?
my mum. That would be about 14 years ago. Maybe more.

Were you ever a boy/girl scout?
nope.

Would you ever strip or pose nude in a magazine?
y--no!

When was the last time you wrote a letter to someone on paper?
Christmas, I think.

Favorite kind of sandwich?
toasted-with-everything-in-the-fridge-on-it.

What is your usual bedtime?
11.30 is optimal. But rare.

Are you lazy?
I’m lazy when I should be.

What is your Chinese astrological sign?
horse.

Are you stubborn?
er..no.

Afraid of heights?
I live on the 18^th storey.

Do you think musicals are cheesy?
most are. *cough* hsm *cough*

Favorite type of fruit pie?
chocolate pie. Cocoa is a fruit. Shut up.

Occupations you wanted to be when you were a kid?
sniper

Do you believe in ghosts?
uhmm..nah.

Ever have a Deja-vu feeling?
yep. had one yesterday.

What do you wear to bed?
whatever i wore when i was awake.

Nike or Adidas?
Asics.

Ever take dance lessons?
good heavens.

Is there a profession you picture your future spouse doing?
snip--no wait. hm...

Have you ever cried because you were so happy?
nope.

Regularly burn incense?
nope.

Ever been in love?
...

Who would you like to see in concert?
don't go for concerts.

Tea or coffee?
teh.

Can you swim well?
i can swim okay.

Can you hold your breath without holding your nose?
uh..yeah?

Are you patient?
are you doctor?

DJ or band, at a wedding?
i'd prefer a quiet wedding.

Do you want to get married?
wrong time to ask.

Who was your HS crush?
...

Do you cry and throw a fit until you get your own way?
no.

Do you want kids?
not really.

Whats your favorite color?
black.

Do you miss anyone right now?
no.

koq

2008-09-22T19:56:00.002+08:00

i've probably been reading too much webcomics for my own good.

here are a few:

xkcd: for those who like sarcasm, math or language. or a combination of two. or all of them.
explosm: for the really, really twisted. and like it that way.
looking for group: for the WoW player.
the zombie hunters: for the resident evil junkies
the phoenix requiem: great story, and better artwork.
bolt city: by the editor of the Flight series of books

in other news..
spent these few days doing absolutely nothing.
zilch.

besides read webcomics.

must be crashing into some post-prelim pit of no return.
to think i was going completely insane for the past two weeks.
makes me wonder what the days after the A's will feel like.

free? hell yeah.
purposeless? hopefully not.

it can't be a healthy thing, validating our existence through our grade reports
but i guess we're all stuck in this game, aren't we?
sometimes i can't help but attempt to imagine what life would be like
without A-levels. or O-levels. or any sort of streaming, "milestone" examinations
it's actually quite difficult.
for one thing, to varying extents from individual to individual the tests shape us into competitive bastards with a single-minded perspective of life.
there's always something to kick, scratch and bite for.
grades. then CVs. then scholarships. then universities. then jobs. then promotions.
what if there were only hobbies, instead of professions?
what if doctors really wanted to become doctors so that they could save lives?
what if lawyers really became lawyers because they wanted to serve justice?
i find that really hard to imagine, now.

dfg

2008-09-20T19:07:00.001+08:00

nice webcomic.

noy

2008-09-19T23:04:00.002+08:00

ALRIGHT! :D

44 more days to the A's.

day summary:
did chem mcq
6 classmates crashed my house
played munchkin
played soul calibur
LANned CS
went to sch
played bball for 3 hours
ate chikkin
blogged.

can't really claim that i did very well for prelims, i guess
just gotta hope for the best now

ghp

2008-09-01T22:07:00.005+08:00

it's a day late, but here's how the nike plus 10k went....

Met up with zach mike weiyuan, joked around all the way to the padang
dumped our bags at the baggage point then chilled in the esplanade library (massive collection of DVDs there)
race started at 4.15, got to start right in front because i swopped tags with weiyuan heh.
ok, not exactly in front, because they reserved the very front for the elite runners
like mok, kien mao, and dee (and her dad, i think)

ran with chen yang, and as usual the first km was way too fast (3.30 =.=")
got separated at around 6-7km
managed to overtake quite a few people
made it a point to shout/exhale loudly in every tunnel (i counted about 5)
don't ask me why. oxygen-deprivation tends to make people do the most nonsensical things
it was pretty nice to run through the cafes/eateries and hear the customers cheer for you
as expected, mostly caucasians
at the end i heard the MC go "hey, you're almost finishing! don't look so pained!" (wtte)
didn't really have the breath to shout at her to try running herself, so i just flashed the peace-out handsign.
but yeah, i really look quite terrible at the end of races, usually.
i mean, even relative to most other runners.

net timing was 41.20, i think.
37th overall, 8th student.
not bad :D
and top 200 got the gym bag
which is quite pimped, but not as comfortable as my old one.

okay afterwards, pics:

then we went for dinner at carl's jr (for a supremely satisfying burger meal)
then back to the padang to catch Boys Like Girls.
The Great Escape sounds many, many times better live.

in other words, it was a Good Day.

jfx

2008-08-28T22:55:00.002+08:00

settling into the dreary rhythm of mugging
and mugging
and mugging.

gju

2008-08-26T18:38:00.003+08:00

Went to collect the Nike+ race pack with mike.
was surprisingly fast, considering the chaos on the first day.
i think the bottle by itself is worth the money.
my number is.......... 0836607

*Ben casts Google on Number*
*Ben casts GC on Number*

nope.
no significance whatsoever.

i was intending to grab the red tag for sub-50 runners
but i should've known that they'd all be gone by then.
along with the blue tags, for sub-65 runners.
and so i'm left with a green one.
and will be stuck at the back third of the first wave, or put into the second wave.

so, to all whom this may concern:
heaven help you if i catch you WALKING with a red tag on race day.
you WILL die.

yep.
gptmromggtgkthxbai.

hoj

2008-08-24T13:54:00.004+08:00

okay so it wasn't EXACTLY a smackdown
but i did get 96mins, which is a 4 min improvement from last year. (decent)
which is approximately 4m34s per km
should have remembered to restrain myself at 4m30s pace at the start.
norman did quite well, 89mins
rachel.... um i'm not sure about girls' standards.
i would upload our pic, but haven't received it from rach yet.

nikeplus 10k is going to seem like a breeze compared to this
legs were foaming at the 16k mark.
they implemented a route modification this year, some Engineer's Trail from the 15k to 17k marks
quite a depressing track to run on, really.

ah well.
one week to recover from the trauma.

(edit)
and here's the only pic of the halfmarathoners:

sdg

2008-08-21T00:15:00.001+08:00

gearing up to lay the SMACKDOWN.

fds

2008-08-16T23:15:00.003+08:00

half-marathon in exactly one week.
wonder if i can actually pull off my target timing, sub-95mins
nike plus 10k in two weeks
have to get that bag.
GP in 10 days
sigh.

thg

2008-08-14T22:25:00.005+08:00

plenty of talk about portfolio matters this past week
and as a natural course of events, it got me wondering about my own portfolio (currently non-existent, of course)
i'm going to have to do it eventually, i guess.

glancing around at others' nicely bound/filed, immaculately arranged and categorised, apparently flawless exhibitions of their "achievements", i get this mildly horrifying realisation that

i'm a wuss

yep.

a wuss.

countless certificates and awards, backed by "peer reviews" and recommendations, painting a beautiful, perfect picture of the individual.
don't get me wrong, i still believe it's all meaningless and altogether superfluous.
but then again, those are supposed to make the difference in scholarships and uni applications.
or so it seems.
why else would otherwise rational people request (and write) paragraphs of praise and "testimony" from their acquaintances?

okay okay.
lets put this into the context of my personal situation
1) i have one (1) CCA
2) i have zero (0) leadership positions in school, unless you count being a GP rep "leadership"
2a) i'm not a very good GP rep
3) i have zero (0) major CIP projects undertaken
4) i have average grades.
4a) don't try to dispute me on that
5) i have zero (0) ability to suck up to people
5a) though i suppose that's not too bad
6) i'm not a social whore
6a) that's definitely good

so basically, you get a portfolio about, say, a third the thickness of my class average.
obviously, things do not look particularly rosy

it's not a pleasant experience, definitely, to observe this distinct lack of recordable and remarkable "achievement". and to languish in a class packed full of overachievers and, dare i say, "superior" individuals.
*begin disclaimer* i don't have nothing against them *end disclaimer* (really)
and i'm not regretting how i spent my RJC life/career. (no reason to)
but sometimes i catch myself just detesting this class for being so competitive, so stressed-out and so utterly focused on garnering the necessary credentials for their bright and glorious future that i find myself consumed and assimilated by the culture, the life of an incessant pursuit of one-uppance and merit i once, in the not-too-distant past, assumed myself immune to.

so, if i ever stand up in the middle of the class and scream "**** YOU ALL"
know that i still love you people (as wrong as that may sound)
i just hate all of you.
heh.
i'm sorry.

opg

2008-08-13T18:46:00.003+08:00

went for the GIC talk today
wasn't very informative in terms of the scholarship per se
but at least now i understand the process of applications (uni/scholarships)
one major pain in the butt down.

dxa

2008-08-10T00:11:00.002+08:00

remarkably calmer after some light reading.
and then doing some of the unimaginably-thick stack of bio MCQs.
doubt it's possible to clear it before prelims
without unacceptable sacrifices on sleep and sanity.
i wonder why i'm writing this way.
or is it more appropriate to say, composing?

i've a couple of concessions to make
firstly, i don't think i've been exactly the most diligent of students this past week
so uhm.
not really justified in whining about workload and pressure.

and secondly, i don't think i've been the nicest of people.
not just this past week, of course.
conceptions on this are still relatively vague, really.
most times i'm just poking fun, but maybe i just can't tell when it's too much.

been kept up recently just pondering over life
such nights seem to be growing in frequency
on whether that's beneficial, i'm again uncertain.

all this brings me to the issue of how we actually value ourselves
do we have a monetary value attached?
if we all have an intrinsic, intangible value, then how much?
and what, just what makes someone better than someone else?

can still recall fairly well the civics lesson when we had to define ourselves
not the first time i've done something like that
and i kinda went crazy and filled about half a foolscap with interlinking bubbles
and it was enjoyable
not only because it was aesthetically pleasing, of course (it WAS) (quiet, you.)
but for some unfathomable reason there is pleasure to be taken in being delineated as an individual, with such-and-such qualities and such-and-such abilities.

alright, it's not "unfathomable". actually i think it's just sociology/psychology. so i won't bother discussing it too much (it's 12.30, fyi.)
but i just wonder if the way we value ourselves isn't seriously ****ing us up.
sports? music? grades? appearance? race, nationality, religion, even clique?
what happened to the really important stuff?
after 1/2h of writing, not a single non-superficial characteristic on the piece of paper.
what happened to introspection?

gtf

2008-08-09T22:07:00.002+08:00

instead of watching the parade today i went for a tenkm run in a white and almost-red teengames tshirt and am now officially fit to train again and i hope i don't mess up the halfmarathon because of this stupid injury and my studies as well ohno i'm dying this is insane what can i do i dunno hell i feel like getting a sledgehammer and pulverising every inorganic object within a tenmetre radius so much to learn and practise and revise with so little time.

sho

2008-08-01T22:02:00.002+08:00

joined ihc shooting today
and we got CHAMPS, nigs.
that means i'm the new possessor of a brand new ihc shirt de w0rxzxz

okay i'm slightly high right now on account on the fact that my cupboard top is now packed with useless trophies and it's FRIDAY NIGHT.

will be running in intercca relay as well.
probably will be worse than last year's since i've not been doing speedwork.

after this week, i shall play no more than 2 hours of bball a week, and 3 hours of training.
though i have to say that the ihc experience was well worth the time.
especially since it's one of those rare occasions when most of the ex-RI shooters are gathered in the range.

unfortunately, the heaps of work left to be done cries incessantly, an irresistable cacophony of mind-benders and confusion and what.
okay.
it's time to mug.

fob

2008-07-30T20:23:00.005+08:00

played ihc frisbee today
was an epic fun experience, though we got 2nd eventually.
couldn't handle (haha. ha. handle. okay obscure joke) the pimped BW team with uh.. two captains?
still, it was a good workout and now i know how to mark people properly and become an even larger royal pain in the rear in territorial games.
went to do pullups afterwards.
and realised that i've maintained my max (20) but foam alot faster.
must...train....more.

*no you loser you've got to MUG MORE. MORE. MORE. M0R3. Mw34r.*

anyway, i kinda liked my team: engwei enghow longzhao siyi bryden and one more girl.
though i got smashed in the first game against bw when i caught the disc then some guy flew into me in midair. epic. fragged.
and i'm really really sorry for tripping up jingli
and for yelling the stall count into the opponent's face, which i'm wont to do.

okay it's time to do bio.
i shall redeem myself in ihc shooting.

okl

2008-07-29T22:55:00.001+08:00

and still moar blogthings....

You Are an Orange

You have a zest for life, especially for anything colorful, wild, or dramatic.

You have a unique take on the world, and you're not afraid to be a little funky.

You are a bit reserved toward people who don't know you well.

You have a thick skin, which can protect you from anything that goes wrong in your life.

Once someone does get to know you, they totally get and appreciate you.

Your friends see you as a bright person with a refreshing take on life.

What Type of Fruit Are You?

You Are Cereal

Playful and lighthearted, breakfast is likely your favorite meal of the day.

(In fact, you're probably the type who sneaks cereal as a midnight snack.)

Your culinary skills are probably a bit lacking... and you are a sucker for junk food.

Some people accuse you of eating like a kid, but you prefer to think of yourself as low maintenance.

What Kind of Breakfast Are You?

You Are a Spoon

You are a well rounded, balanced person.

You are friendly and welcoming. You get along with everyone.

You are easy going and laid back. You don't have any hang ups.

Non judgmental and accepting, you are a comfort to people around you.

What Utensil Are You?

WHY NOT KNIFE?!

ryu

2008-07-27T22:07:00.001+08:00

time for....
random blogthings!!

You Are an "A-OK"

Your life philosophy can be summed up as, "Whatever will be, will be."

Your greatest wish is to live each day a little better than the next.

You are naturally calm and stable. Some people would call you a rock.

You feel one with the world. You are a spiritual person, though no one who knows you would guess it.

What Hand Gesture Are You?

Your Fitness Type: Challenging

You often find exercise to be mundane and too routine.

You need to be continually challenged and pushed.

Try exercise that has a potentially competitive element - like running or weightlifting.

You also may like taking on a partner in a fast paced sport like tennis or racquetball.

How Should You Get Fit?

no surprises there..

You Are Sauvignon Blanc

Engaging and energetic, you have a lot to offer the world - most of it they've never seen anywhere else!

You are the type of person who carves your own path in life... and you invite everyone else to come along.

The only thing predictable about you is that you could have anything up your sleeve.

You're all about sampling all of life's experiences. Both the savory and unsavory ones.

Deep down you are: Laid back and young at heart

Your partying style: Anything goes... seriously!

Your company is enjoyed best with: Smoked meats or spicy food

What Kind of Wine Are You?

i like smoked meat.

ssf

2008-07-25T20:20:00.002+08:00

it hasn't been a very kind week
okay, admittedly nothing major cropped up, no crises nor epic failures
more like a stale, stagnant and utterly draining void
and on top of all the supposedly inconsequential disturbances, the inexorable pile-up of pressure and migraine-inducing assignments.
in short, while it's not that everything's turning out wrong
nothing seems to be turning out right.
ah screw it i'm rambling on about some vague notion i can't even grasp myself
not in this state of mind, anyway.

today wasn't too bad, for a friday, except my glasses broke during basketball.
sustained no injuries but will have to go get it repaired/replaced.
such a pain.

this is nuts.

tro

2008-07-20T23:11:00.002+08:00

went for the scholarship/UK/US university fair today
let's just say the most memorable aspect of the entire experience was the brownies.
or chocolate fudge cake, whatever.
did come back with quite a decent loot though
and walking around with buddies always makes for good laughs.

walked to the mrt with joshtoh weiyuan yongfountain and ferny.
and was discussing the upcoming running events (i.e. SBR and nikeplus)
which made me come to the realisation that i haven't been too serious in preparations

i suppose there's a balance to be achieved in individual, independent training between fun and effort. it's time to get it on.
10k on mondays
intervals on wed/thurs/fri (really depends on my motivation level on that day)
16k on sat/sun
it seems bball time will have to be sacrificed.
no matter.
it is For The Greater Timing.

wlb

2008-07-18T21:24:00.002+08:00

today.
from 8am to 8pm in school
7 hours of lessons
2 hours of meals
3 hours of basketball.

the bomb.

wdc

2008-07-17T21:48:00.002+08:00

Your True Birth Month Is December

Logical
Patriotic (lol)
Ambitious
Not egoistic
Loves praise
Loves to joke
Fun to be with (i hope)
Not pretending
Loves attention (lol^10)
Short tempered
Hates restrictions
Loves to socialize (lol x 10^99)
Loves to be loved (who doesn't?)
Loyal and generous
Impatient and hasty (on occasion)
Changing personality
Good sense of humor (maybe?)
Honest and trustworthy
Influential in organizations (hmm)
Takes high pride in oneself
Active in games and interactions

What's Your True Birth Month?

faz

2008-07-17T00:34:00.001+08:00

stress

xft

2008-07-15T21:09:00.001+08:00

today something interesting happened D:
shall not elaborate any further.

went for the university talk, which was mainly a waste of time

dvz

2008-07-13T00:42:00.002+08:00

just had quite the happening day

went for CIP early in the morning with wenjun yuanz and leonard.
conveniently sited at pathlight school, which is about...4 stops from my house.
job was to man the drinks stall at some charity funfair for autistic kids.
to be honest, we spent half the time wandering around and buying food and watching the lucky draw (because we had a surplus of labor). the chicken rendang was imba. as were brownies. i mean, as ARE brownies.
and of course, discussions (read: listening to gossip) with wenjun and yuanz is always fun.

went for a 10km run, in 44mins. surprising, considering i'm not in serious training.
then trained abit more, then played ultimate frisbee with some random christian youth group.

i have a slight intuition that i'm having a little too much fun.

awv

2008-07-07T23:23:00.003+08:00

1. At what age do you wish to get married?
hm. haven't considered it yet.

2. Who is more important to you? Friends or boyfriend?
um. assuming i take the question uncorrected, friends.
if it's friends vs girlfriend, still friends. cos i ain't got no gal, yo.

3. Who is the person you trust the most?
me.

4. Do you think you have enough confidence?
after today's performance, not quite. but substantially more than a few years ago.

5. If you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?
world domination? um. a lifetime's supply of 75% cocoa dark chocolate, perhaps.

6. Do you believe in seeing a rainbow after the rain?
yes. i also believe in seeing muddy fields, wet shoes and consequently, annoyed faces.

7. What is your goal for this year?
to live

8. Do you believe in eternal love?
do you believe in eternal life?

9. Have you broken someone heart that she/he tried to commit suicide?
um. no?

10. What feeling do you love most?
the taste of a hot, chocolate-laden waffle in my mouth.

11. What are the requirements that you wish from your other half?
that she be female.

12. What feeling do you hate the most?
disappointment.

13. Do you cherish every single friendship of yours?
generally, i suppose.

14. Do you believe in GOD?
aye.

15. What do you think is the most important thing in in your life?
me.

16. Who cares for you the most?
me. okay, actually, my parents.

17. What have you regretted doing in your whole life?
trying not to be me.

18. IF time were to rewind, will you want it to be?
definitely.

19. What happened IF time really rewound?
what, you want a physics answer?

20. What is your ideal holiday?
and the lights all went ooouuut in maaaassachusetts

seo

2008-07-07T23:11:00.002+08:00

cip today.

not a bad experience.
first time performing with a microphone
tend to choke up when nervous though.
so it uh. kinda sucked ><.

and.
i need
to train more
and mug more
more MOAR.

ttu

2008-07-06T19:58:00.001+08:00

if anybody has taken my ezlink card
i'd appreciate having it back.

thanks.

bht

2008-07-01T19:41:00.002+08:00

how's life, you ask, how's been your day

jzq

2008-06-29T23:31:00.002+08:00

is it wrong to find the future so bleak
to see no drink in a sea of sand
to despair in an interminable seek
to occasionally wish for it to end

to feel loneliness on a busy street
and flail but fail to sail, whilst
the spirit expires under marching feet
and the eyes see nothing but miles

and the miles seem to taunt every step
coaxing my fear and mocking the tear
with a brand-new pain on every lap
every split-second too crystal-clear

to end each day with a sigh
for living, shackled to a lie?

lyv

2008-06-26T18:45:00.000+08:00

and we're done, again.

anyone got plans for the weekend?

bfw

2008-06-25T20:23:00.004+08:00

time for some aww pics

and because it's bio tmr..

cht

2008-06-22T21:38:00.002+08:00

okay i really should be studying for econs right about now
but anyway

just got back from the horror that was cc1 camp.
err heh. jcats who were there should know exactly why it was not a very fun experience.
but i do agree.
it's better to learn now.
than suffer later.

put straight, i can't manage for s**t
nicely said, i need to be abit more lazy
and micromanage a little less. :D
i think i can be sure that i won't be forgetting this.

but i also got warmm fuzzies from my sec1s
and thanks from the catechists which was quite unexpected.
all the same, i don't ever wanna be log ic again.

hm k.
gtg.

vtn

2008-06-18T22:17:00.001+08:00

studyingrunningtrainingbasketballeatingsleepingflyingdrowning
usually, life is just a disappointment.

bsh

2008-06-17T22:37:00.002+08:00

mugging in the morning
lunch
mugging in the afternoon
basketball at 5
this. is the way.

still need to practise shooting though.

lpt

2008-06-14T00:12:00.000+08:00

someone save me.

dnn

2008-06-09T11:10:00.001+08:00

watch em.
really good.
and
i suppose there's a lesson to be learnt from there
can't wait for ep4 though.

lmg

2008-06-08T18:26:00.002+08:00

just back from facilitating cc2 camp.
exhausted and suffering from minor sleep deprivation
but otherwise unscathed.

it's a wonderful feeling, watching the teens hold their parents' hands, maybe even hugging them, despite the hurts and emotional bruises they may have had.
kinda makes all the grueling briefings, scoldings, and late nights worthwhile.
but now comes the cc1 camp
and the horrifying amount of logistics to deal with.

okay, it's not that bad.
abit trying, to juggle camps and common tests.

i liked this song (this is just the bridge)

I'll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

tuf

2008-06-02T14:20:00.000+08:00

i am thus inspired.

ybv

2008-05-30T23:37:00.003+08:00

i would love very much to swear right now
but i won't.

just so little time
and not enough smarts to pull it off.

|

why

2008-05-26T22:40:00.001+08:00

there is no innocence.
only degrees of guilt.

discuss.

gbv

2008-05-25T21:16:00.001+08:00

so.
the june break begins.
not surprisingly, don't seem to feel any relief.
tired as hell.

moj

2008-05-22T22:16:00.003+08:00

went for some solo training after gp
400 x 10, 80s.
need to pimp it up to at least 12 rounds.
was quite a fine day to run (lazy to paste the pic i took of the sky here)
then went to play bball, where i just foamed
but the smell of barbequed meat from the volleyball bbq was wonderfully appetite-inducing
then went for dinner with zach
in other words, a pretty Good Day.

went for bball match support today
quite a heartbreaker, especially for the bball girls.
but listening to the kiampa comments from the rj supporters was amusing.

rhv

2008-05-20T22:28:00.002+08:00

suddenly hit by the wet towel of inspiration
to blog.

was just reading up abit for gp tmr.
which is ironic, as you'll see shortly.
from a book with several decent essays debating about Singapore issues
and inevitably, kiasuism and Singaporean students was mixed into the selection.
it was, of course, alot more than a mere economics lesson on how kiasuism might affect singapore's competitiveness in the future
it concluded that any nonconformist and unconventional aspirations we may have had
has been squeezed out of us like dirty water from a sponge
leaving a hollow, empty, STANDARDISED husk
devoid of any uniqueness.
everyone is chasing the exact same damned DREAM.

i wonder what i'm doing now
it's no more than a game, now.
it's just a game, to play, get a score.
and then.

of course, there's no reason not to have fun in the process.

mlp

2008-05-20T21:01:00.002+08:00

thigh ache -- tiger balm
shoulder ache -- medicated bandage
backache -- massage
headache -- panadol
toothache -- dentist

heartache -- ?

stx

2008-05-19T21:54:00.002+08:00

haven't been here for awhile

took part in teengames frisbee, where we got stomped upon in every game.
does get quite demoralising, after awhile.
but i participate for fun (and the tshirt)
and it was good training, considering the hundred times i must have sprinted the width of the field.
and *cough*excuses*cough* i only went for 2 trainings :D

but now i really really have to start training again.
so here's a disclaimer: i am not attempting to be ostentatious or 'action' when i train after PE, i'll train then because it's the only time i can conveniently do so. woe betide any classmate assuming the former.
though i'll probably have to start with 84s pace again ):

ubp

2008-05-14T21:37:00.001+08:00

in the oven

nobody can hear you scream.

lgi

2008-05-09T21:43:00.001+08:00

must be getting down to it nao
but first

You Should Live in the Country

You are laid back, calm, and good at entertaining yourself.

You don't need an expensive big city to keep you busy.

You'll take the peaceful life over the stressful life any day of the week.

Where Should You Live?

rgb

2008-05-08T22:37:00.002+08:00

argh crap.
2.4 same timing as last year ):):):):):):):):):):):):):
but i did maintain my 6year gold streak, so that's some consolation.
seriously time to manz it.
will still go down to macs on sat to train, though will probably be running with girls.
monday mornings will be very fun indeed
and hopefully will be able to squeeze in training time after PE.

finally making some progress on work.
i think.

ozl

2008-05-05T18:16:00.003+08:00

ALRIGHT H3 is OVAR.

okay... now that we've gotten over two major obstacles (nats and h3)
time to check back on Laif.

1) thoroughly behind on H2. need to do abit of catching up. ponning an entire day's worth of lectures to mug h3 was kinda fun though.

2) still haven't done napfa. will do on a retest day.

3) Only 6 more months to go!

4) Only 2 more months to CT2!!!!!1111oneoneeleven

5) time to come up with a serious training regime

6) H3 is o- oh wait. already shouted that.

7) ah. i am NOT in a relationship. N-O-T. Junior Cats and any other misguided acquantances/friends imagining otherwise, please take note. and quit yore sniggerin'.

8) i'm 18 :D:D:D D:

9) and thanks to yinghui yuanz jingli and shan for the nice bag of goodies (:

10) thanks to yufang for the lockable laces

11) thanks to various relatives who 1) were too lazy or 2) didn't know what to get me and decided to toss hongbaos instead.

12) and to all for the dozen or so messages i got over the past weekend

13) of course to the realmein, for teh munchkin cthulhu set.

14) any other late gifts will be very much appreciated d:

P.S. 3f guys,girls and joshua, please be doing up your gp handouts.

ijz

2008-05-03T23:24:00.002+08:00

damn seriously getting it on on this blog...

okay just ran the 4x3k road relay at macs
our team strategy was to split the j1s and j2s.
then draw lots to decide who runs when
(in other words, no tactics whatsoever)

was the second runner for the J2 team.
got 3rd (the j1 team got 2nd grr)

ah well.
time to find a day to discuss with mr quek future training planz0rs.

awf

2008-05-03T11:50:00.002+08:00

again i've gotta say this
there is absolutely nothing more pleasurable than being awakened by the morning sun on a weekend morning after 9 hours of sleep.

and erm thanks to everyone who sent me bday smses/tags
and my mum. who just bought me a brownie :D:D

biu

2008-05-02T21:47:00.002+08:00

not much time to blog
update after h3, i guess
thanks to 3f for the bday prez, btw (:

needed insulin jab after finding this one heh.

gxw

2008-04-30T18:35:00.006+08:00

ok nothing really to blog about

here's one of my favourite fight scenes

ignore the subtitles

and btw...

1. Model the Way
2. Inspire a Shared Vision - i.e. kill everybody
3. Challenge the Process
4. Enable Others to Act
5. Encourage the Heart

i'll leave you to observe these characteristics from the movie
and i'm sure that you'll come to the conclusion that this is a way better illustration of leadership than aragorn and his little motivational pep talk.

:D:D:D

swx

2008-04-28T23:18:00.004+08:00

i think blogging's becoming a stress-relieving habit.

actually i don't really have much to write about.
except i'll probably have to take my napfa on the 18th, unless the cross session takes place at like 5pm or sth. :/
not fun. but i'll have more time to prepare for SBJ i suppose.
gragh i need pro pacers.

i think my cynicism is at its all-time high
but i'm just too tired to express it
random thought.

nfk

2008-04-24T22:20:00.002+08:00

public service announcement:

anyone intending to participate in the Singapore Bay Run
register NAO.

that is all.

H3 bio exam: 10 days!
bio SPA: 3 days omgwtfbbq

curiously i feel a little benumbed towards the work i have left.
my personal conjecture is that when you sprint up a hill, you have absolute awareness of just how many painful metres lie ahead of you.
on the other hand, you tend to just look down when going up a frigging mountain.
OH @#%* someone is singing bleeding love on american idol asfgdsgfs.
you cannot begin to imagine how annoying it gets when the classmates around you break into high-pitched falsetto while you're wrestling with your tutorial.
unless you're in 08SO3f.

i think we're the class that celebrates birthdays most consistently.
which is very nais.
but we're also one of those classes where when someone exclaims "omg i just failed", you're meant to interpret it as "ah crap i didnt get an A".
and sometimes i really, really, really detest being in a mugger class.
being perennially below average in terms of intelligence, leadership, skillz, etc (you get the picture) is no. high. five.
okayokay stopstop mugmug.
byebye.

kxq

2008-04-23T23:49:00.002+08:00

Cross-country nationals is OVER.
really exciting and inspirational, something on which our supporters probably beg to differ.
watching the final fight of ruiyong vs alan (some AC guy)
and every single one of the guys coming in within one minute of them.
all top 20
so yes, we won the championship title.

on the other hand
we also saw plenty of tears
from C and B div runners breaking down
and even though we didn't manage the doublegold this year
both boys and girls improved from last year (one place each)

victory was earned through kilometres of perspiration and lactic.
through coming for training despite rain, weariness or plain laziness (guilty on this count)
through the undying desire to get faster and faster and stronger.
watching the team blaze towards the finish line was more than adequate compensation for not getting to run
because i trained, ran and won, with these people.

went to fishandco. for dinner
took about a total of a gigabyte's worth of pictures, based on a conservative estimate.

oh and...
happy birthday rachel and weiwen!

more tomorrow.

njl

2008-04-19T21:53:00.002+08:00

countdown
4 more days to Nats
16 more days to H3

i think my mind is brinking on saturation
and it's only April.
or maybe i'm just crashing out.
it's not really doing work that's draining
it's more of the sight of the uphill climb
the seemingly interminable push
and just when you thought it was over
round the bend yet another one manifests itself.
and why do i have this odd feeling that i've said this before?

having heard the opinions of a few teammates
i'm still not sure about what to do after nationals
quit entirely?
go all the way?
or attempt a compromise?
going for road relay after nationals
but for Allcomers i'm pretty ambivalent.
i guess it wouldn't hurt to train a little longer for one last race.
then again, it mostly depends on the judgment of the power that be
i.e. mr q.
and definitely will consider the number of crossers remaining after nats

ah.
my new singpass just arrived.
accidentally locked my account after three unsuccessful attempts to login (forgot password :/)
heard several colorful accounts of the medical checkup.
looking forward to an interesting three hours.

phl

2008-04-12T21:35:00.002+08:00

felt much better this morning
convenient how the mind tends to sort itself out after a night's sleep.

went for the ora walkathon (1.6k or so)
the shirt is...not aesthetically pleasing.
but the walk itself was reasonably enjoyable, with zach mau mao and borray.
ate brownies, then mau and borray came over to my place for awhile to play dota.

then heading to macs for another 4.5k race (SAA-organised)
much better organised than akira-swift, and they provided chilled water.
route was slightly muddy but otherwise runnable.
came in 9th, for 15:30.
decent improvement from the last one.
RJ guys got positions 1,3,4,5,6,8,9
but that's probably because hc and vj weren't there.

respect to rachel and fang who both pimped their respective timings by a full minute.
and to all the guys who splashed through the muddy puddles and miring, soggy, decaying vegetation before me
we can do this.

fal

2008-04-11T23:24:00.004+08:00

don't really feel up to much work, as is usual on friday nights.
except tonight is that much worse.

got a B for PW
now, i know the reflexive response would go along the lines of:
"oh, but a B isn't that bad what..."
guess what.
it's worse than 85% of the school population.
what makes this so particularly aggravating
is that i was entirely unprepared for that B.
i had everything (almost) tilted in my favour
solid PW group
enjoyable topic
and despite all that effort.
i see a nice, capital B right next to my name.
i refuse to believe that my effort wasnt at least more than the 15th percentile
and neither can i accept that i'm the bottom 15% in terms of writing, or even presentation.
and the absolute worst feeling is that of helplessness.
i don't know what went wrong
and it's futile to appeal, even if i did.

i'm tired of failing
for once, i want to be able to celebrate something
anything
not go home wondering about the cause of my defeat
wondering if it's all worth it.
wondering if it'll ever end.
it gets tiring, pretending to be going strong, trying to push ahead.
it's painful to hide all the tiny cracks and leaks.
it's draining to be behind, the tail end, the lagger.

tym

2008-04-10T15:47:00.000+08:00

You are 10:02 a.m.

You are breakfasty, like a pile of pancakes on a Sunday morning that have just the right amount of syrup, so every bite is sweet perfection and not a soppy mess. You are a glass of orange juice that's cool, refreshing, and not overly pulpy. You are the time of day that's just right for turning the pages of a newspaper, flipping through channels, or clicking around online to get a sense of how the world changed during the night. You don't want to stumble sleepily through life, so you make a real effort to wake your brain up and get it thinking. You feel inspired to accomplish things (whether it's checking something off your to-do list or changing the world), but there's plenty of time for making things happen later in the day. First, pancakes.

mmm.
pancakes.

joq

2008-04-08T00:16:00.004+08:00

today's training was one of the most enjoyable i've ever had
despite tripping over a rock and grazing my knee and elbow (with accompanying bruises)
12km in macritchie in one hour.
started off by jogging to macritchie, then decided to go the 8k route first.
it's actually very peaceful if you go at a slow pace
and of course we have people like Ruiyong who manage to talk the whole way.
as i see it, it was better for team bonding than any camp we could have planned.
well, if only for the guys.

tripped and fell on my right side nearing the end of 4k.
but was nothing serious, so we went on.
then somewhere around 9k both our cathigh J1s slipped on downslope
though i suppose it wasnt their fault given how slippery it was.
thankfully no one was KOed.

i think i need new shoes.

After some time I've finally made up my mind
she is the girl and I really want to make her mine
I'm searching everywhere to find her again
to tell her I love her
and I'm sorry 'bout the things I've done

I find her standing in front of the church
the only place in town where I didn't search
She looks so happy in her wedding dress
but she's crying while she's saying this

Chorus:
Boy I've missed your kisses all the time but this is
twenty five minutes too late
Though you travelled so far boy I'm sorry your are
twenty five minutes too late

Against the wind I'm going home again
wishing me back to the time when we were more than friends

But still I see her in front of the church
the only place in town where I didn't search
She looked so happy in her wedding dress
but she cried while she was saying this

Chorus:
Boy I've missed your kisses all the time but this is
twenty five minutes too late
Though you travelled so far boy I'm sorry your are
twenty five minutes too late

Out in the streets
places where hungry hearts have nothing to eat
inside my head
still I can hear the words she said

Chorus:
Boy I've missed your kisses all the time but this is
twenty five minutes too late
Though you travelled so far boy I'm sorry your are
twenty five minutes too late

I can still hear her say.......

somehow this song strikes me again and again and again.
desperately need a pick-me-up. perhaps saturday's race will provide it.
15 more days to nats.
H3 and econs are driving me insane.
i don't understand how i can lose almost 10 marks due to carelessness
i'm afraid of pushing so hard and ultimately failing.
i think i'm flying out of kilter
too much to lose.

tnq

2008-04-05T21:21:00.002+08:00

ran the swift-akira 4.5k today at macritchie
came in about 15:43.
not too bad, but could have cut about 10secs if i whacked the end.
didn't really want to risk and injury though.
didn't get no trophy
but i did bring home 15 apples 6 pears and a bunch of bananas.
can't say it wasn't worth it.

i think i might miss training after nationals.
the tests of sheer willpower and endurance (and pacekeeping)
but i can't afford to lose 2-3 days a week to exhaustion and consequent non-revision.

crapcrap only 5 more days to do up 90% of the h3 report.
SOS.

sxm

2008-04-03T23:09:00.002+08:00

confidence took quite a severe beating today.
no, not because i got owned by some ppl.
but mostly due to the sudden realisation of the immense shortfall between expectations and results.
(in other words, getting back crappy marks)
times like these really drag me back
killing off any momentum i might have built.
plenty of convenient excuses, of course
yet all lies, and merely wimpy attempts to obscure the truth from sight
the truth, that the preparation simply wasnt enough
being in a strong class (3/4P --> 3F) provides a certain degree of impetus
but makes you feel horrible in the process.
unsure of whether i should hate it or love it.
at least, it feels bad now.

gcr

2008-04-02T22:40:00.003+08:00

1. ONE OF YOUR SCARS, HOW DID YOU GET IT?
bashed my knee into the wall. it's actually pretty hilarious, the way i did it.

2. WHAT IS ON THE WALLS IN YOUR ROOM?
the moonlight. and probably the odd fly/ant.

3. DO YOU SNORE, GRIND YOUR TEETH, OR TALK IN YOUR SLEEP?
nope, but i shift about alot (not sure if it's because i'm dreaming).

4. WHAT TYPE OF MUSIC DO YOU LISTEN TO?
highly eclectic

5. DO YOU KNOW WHAT TIME YOU WERE BORN?
no idea.

6. WHAT DO YOU WANT MORE THAN ANYTHING RIGHT NOW?
everything.

7. WHAT DO YOU MISS?
days when i can walk without feeling an ache somewhere in my legs

8. WHAT IS YOUR MOST PRIZED POSSESSION(S)?
my gel-1120. and the feet that go into them.

9. HOW TALL ARE YOU?
178cm

10. DO YOU GET CLAUSTROPHOBIC?
nope

11. DO YOU GET SCARED IN THE DARK?
used to.

12. THE LAST PERSON TO MAKE YOU CRY?
me, actually.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PERFUME FOR A GIRL?
Perspiration Redux. ok i'm kidding.

14. WHAT KIND OF HAIR/EYE COLOR DO YOU LIKE ON THE OPPOSITE SEX?
um. brown eyes and black hair. no particular reason.

15. WHERE CAN YOU SEE YOURSELF BEING PROPOSED TO?
i'm a guy.

16. COFFEE OR ENERGY DRINK?
teh-tarik. shut up.

17. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PIZZA TOPPING?
anything with minimal vegetables.

18. IF YOU CAN EAT ANYTHING RIGHT NOW, WHAT WOULD IT BE?
prata (1 egg 2 kosong) with teh tarik.

20. HAVE YOU EVER EATEN A GOLDFISH?
...

21. WHAT WAS THE FIRST MEANINGFUL GIFT YOU'VE EVER RECIEVED?
life.

22. DO YOU LIKE ANYBODY?
no quiz is complete without this question, right?

23. ARE YOU DOUBLE JOINTED?
nah.

24. FAVORITE CLOTHING BRAND?
Adeptus Mechanicus.

26. DO YOU HAVE A PET RIGHT NOW?
nay.

27. WHAT KIND IS IT?
i'd like another winterwhite.

28. WOULD YOU FALL IN LOVE KNOWING THAT THE PERSON IS LEAVING?
hard to say.

29. WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO TELL SOMEONE HOW MUCH THEY MEAN TO YOU?
you tell someone how much they mean to you.

30. SAY A NUMBER FROM ONE TO A HUNDRED:
3.141592654--crap. i'm a geek.

31. BLONDES OR BRUNETTES?
5 colours please.

32. WHAT IS THE ONE NUMBER YOU CALL MOST OFTEN?
home.

33. WHAT ANNOYS YOU MOST?
me.

34. HAVE YOU BEEN OUT OF SINGAPORE?
yeah. not far though.

35. YOUR WEAKNESSES?
likes to play with fire. and somewhat impatient.

36. MET ANYONE FAMOUS?
no.

37. FIRST JOB?
buying fruits at the wet market. i think.

38. EVER DONE A PRANK CALL?
nope.

39. HAVE YOU EVER HAD SURGERY?
no. i'd like to keep it that way.

42. WHAT DO YOU GET COMPLIMENTED ABOUT MOST?
ask zach.

43. HAVE YOU EVER HAD BRACES?
nope.

44. WHAT DO YOU WANT FOR YOUR BIRTHDAY?
no idea.

45. HOW MANY KIDS DO YOU WANT?
no thank you.

46. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE?
nope.

47. DO YOU WISH ON STARS?
i'd fall asleep waiting.

49. WHAT KIND OF SHAMPOO DO YOU USE?
too lazy to check.

50. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING?
contrary to popular judgement, yes.

51. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT?
beef.

52. ANY BAD HABITS?
chilling too much, drinking too little (water).

53. WHAT CD ARE YOU MOST EMBARRASSED TO HAVE ON YOUR SHELF?
i don't have cds on my shelf. though i'm ashamed to admit i spent 3 hours going through the Sparkle's science series sometime last year. (remember the stupid blue alien?)

56. DO LOOKS MATTER?
i suppose they do.

57. HOW DO YOU RELEASE ANGER?
decimate a few hundred virtual victims.

58. WHERE IS YOUR SECOND HOME?
RJC

74. WHAT'S THE FASTEST YOU HAVE GONE IN A CAR?
no idea

75. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO ANSWER THESE QUESTIONS?
can't stop you.

76. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO?
300 soundtrack: Fever Dream

77. LAST THING YOU DRANK?
teh-C

78. LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE?
mum.

79. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE IN THE OPPOSITE/SAME SEX?
le--i mean, face.

82. FAVORITE MONTH OF THE YEAR?
december

83. FAVORITE ZODIAC SIGN?
taurus?

91. LAST THING YOU WATCHED?
Hot Fuzz (warped humor)

92. FAVORITE DAY OF THE YEAR?
any day spent in linky's house is a Happy Day.

93. PLAY ANY MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS?
guitar. suck at it.

95. KISSES OR HUGS?
how bout both?

96. RELATIONSHIPS OR ONE NIGHT STANDS?
relationships. one night stands are only fun for that night.

97. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU BOUGHT?
h20 from vending machine.

98. WHAT KIND OF CAR DO YOU HAVE?
small ones.

99. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING?
none, unfortunately.

100. DESCRIBE YOUR LOVE LIFE:
nonexistent. stop. asking. pleaz.

scr

2008-04-01T11:23:00.003+08:00

slept for about 11 hours

lab report due in 11 days.

nationals coming up in 22 days.

H3 exam arriveth in 33 days.

bleh.

happy april fool's.

der

2008-03-25T20:09:00.005+08:00

fun day today
but was so tired at the end of it that i fell asleep on the bus back home.

just got my chem paper back
it's a decent grade
but a 69 has to be the most annoying result you can ever receive.

wsx

2008-03-22T16:13:00.002+08:00

ahh.

it's over.
probably won't do very well though.

somehow people dread receiving their marked scripts.
it's odd, because it really should be a relief from the anticipation of good grades or more likely, the apprehension originating from a disastrous encounter with the chem paper.

the worst time for me is immediately after the paper, when, despite the joy of knowing that there's one less test, i do a quick replay of the past 2+ hours and realise i could have done better, if only i had 1) been more careful 2) prepared better 3) got more sleep (which in most cases ensures you don't sufficiently achieve 2)) and 4) was just a little bit luckier.

we'll probably get our pw results back next week, and the CT papers by end of week 2.
man. it's only CT1. three to go.

training was at botanical gardens today
time trial + 2 hill runs
can't say much about my speed (was last for the trial, of course)
but happiness is snagging the remaining fruits after everyone's done.
ah well.

will spend this weekend with guilt-free chillin'
and then it's a plunge straight into the cold choppy waters of term3.

vpr

2008-03-19T15:44:00.000+08:00

carelesscarelesscarelesskehlerzarghwhyyy

sigh

last one.

aeg

2008-03-18T22:31:00.001+08:00

ho boy.
guess i don't have to mention just how insane chem was.

two more to go

wvg

2008-03-15T22:31:00.005+08:00

alright alright no more blogthings .... for now.

going to train through the CTs
mr q. promises light training, so it shouldn't be too bad.
then again, i've learnt not to trust his assurances of an "easy" training.

right.
let's have a look-see into the near future.

1 week: end of Common Test 1
1 month: end of nationals
2 months: end of H3 ntu bio
3 months: end of track nats??
(not sure if i should go for it) (probably not)

cute pic from mau i just received.
made me momentarily forget just how @$^*#$-up bio is
especially when you have to study 20+ chapters of it.
momentarily.

i can still hear her say

pie

2008-03-13T21:22:00.003+08:00

boys and girls
and anyone in between

tomorrow is pi day
so buy an apple pie
and bite into it at 1:59:26.

extra points if your pie is circular.

You Are Mud Pie

You're the perfect combo of flavor and depth.
You are overpowering and dominant - and that's what people like about you.
You bring energy and a new direction to most interactions.
People crave you in a serious way. You're that important to them.

Those who like you give into their impulses.
You don't represent reason. You represent pure temptation.
People get addicted to you rather easily.
You offer people a dark side that is very hard to resist.

What Kind of Pie Are You?

weird answer, though i did the quiz truthfully
ah but the pie looks wayyy too good.

awr

2008-03-12T21:19:00.001+08:00

today
was really reallly bad.
didnt even get to race because of the rain.
unforgettable day, for the wrong reasons.

crz

2008-03-08T21:23:00.000+08:00

i'm trying my best to enjoy this
but it gets so damn tiring, so quickly.

vhb

2008-03-06T22:21:00.003+08:00

ahhhh.
we really should include one more freedom in our Constitution
the freedom to awaken as and when one desires
haven't been allowed to sleep "all the way through" for months.
so today i woke up at 10am.

yes, i am a deprived fella.

achieved my second kill yesterday in IHC CChess (won silver) (the first was duathlon)
should at least---ohcrapmytoeskinispeelingdsafsfg

ahem.
should be able to get another one, in shooting or sth.

gragh the field is going to be perpetually muddy from this week onward.
tough is life.