Myself

Decided to write a post, introducing myself. Haha...a bit wu liao but nvm lah.

Hm...I am a Singaporean who grew up in Indonesia. Bcoz of that I know English, Bahasa Indo (It's not the same with Malay), Hokkien (Medan style...lol) and Chinese. Hmm...wad else?

I studied in JPS. Joined Badminton as a CCA...but didn't really get to take part in any competition...lol. Then study...study...study...until PSLE. After that I went to CSS.

In CSS, I joined the Military Band and Student Council. Took triple science in upper sec. Didn't really like the subject combi they gave as there is only one triple science class for our batch...so not much options for me in the subject combi. Anyway...life was quite fun in CSS. Practiced real hard for SYF...still remember the night practices we had...lol...it sure was tiring. Especially more for me since I was the Percussion Section Leader...needed to call the Percussionists...tell them when to come...etc. But my Percussion mates are all nice people. Saw one of them the other time in JEC (Jurong Entertainment Centre). Lol...he grew taller than me. That time when I left I still remembered that he was still in Sec 1...an enthusiastic drummer. Haha...really miss my juniors. For our SYF we practiced real hard...but in the end...we got a Silver. We heard that we missed by 1 point to get a gold. Life after SYF was very sad...could see that every member was very disappointed. Even one senior clarinetist started to disappear from practices. However, I heard that our juniors got a Gold after my batch left...lol. Well at least our school got a gold in the end. Hm...after my GCE O Levels...I went on to NJC.

NJC...NJC...the place where I spent two years of my life in. Joined the Symphonic Band and S&T Society. We played the National Anthem and School Song everyday...wonder what the school would do without us...lol. But it was not in vain...in the end we got extra CIP hours for doing that. The same SYF again appeared on our band schedule. Same thing...practice hard and hard. Carried the heavy percussion instruments here and there to practice...life was sure tough. During the SYF competition, we could really feel the tense feeling that everyone felt. For me, I was afraid that the same thing in Sec Schl would happen again. Some of us missed a beat, skipped a note or even played out of pitch. In the end...we got a GOLD!! Sure was happy...first, and might be the last time, that I got a Gold for SYF. We even got into the top 5 Bands. However, during the "Band of the Bands" competition, we didn't make it. As for the S&T Society, I participated in the SSEF 2004 (Singapore Science and Engineering Fair 2004) and the NSTS 2004 (National Science Talent Search 2004). A lot of effort was put in by my partner and I for. I can still remember the nights that we spent in IMRE (Institute of Materials Research Engineering) in NUS after school everyday. We had a very good mentor, Dr Nikolai Yakovlev. He is a nice and warm person who would teach us concepts related to the SIMS machine and Material Science. He guided my and my partner very closely throughout the project. I am very fortunate to have him as my mentor (Thanks Dr Nikolai Yakovlev). I heard from my other friends that their mentors were not as good as mine and that they were envious of me...lol. Sadly, we only got a Merit in the SSEF 2004...sure took a long time to get over the disappointment. Everybody expected us to get at least a Silver...but things didn't turned out as expected. But it was the whole process I believe that was enriching...the scientific method of investigating problems...the different approaches and techniques to deal with a certain scientific problem and the skills needed to write a scientific paper. "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28. The next hurdle was the GCE A Level papers...haha...can't forget the hours burnt in the night so as to remember things such as 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine...Fehling's Test...Repiratory Quotient...Kepler's Third Law...etc. But in the end, we still survived through the GCE A Levels. Then came Prom Night...an unforgettable experience where we would soon part to go our seperate ways. Took a lot of photos and sang many songs...lol...those were the days.

Now...I am in NS. With my hair gone and my second home in Tekong, I made new friends...friends who really cared for me. We sleep in the same bunk and talked about alot of things. Shared the ups and downs together.

So this is my life so far...not every detail was included as it would take hours to finish. But this is just a brief post to allow readers out there to get to know me better.

Tags: Me

Evening...

Just had my dinner. Dinner was the same...same place, same dishes and same person eating. I wonder how my NS friends are doing now in outfield. I went there once and experienced some aspects of life in the outfield. The sun was real hot.I remember digging holes with another guy, Rec EL. And drops of sweat kept dropping down. It was like 1 sweat of drop in each second...never sweat that much before. The sun was so hot that I started to get dizzy...almost fell down...because I just came back from hospitalisation leave for pneumonia. I hope that my friends are doing well.

I wonder who will be reading this blog of mine...lol. It just started only yesterday (Sunday, 31st January 2005). Heard of those "Blog awards" awarded to some blogs...haha...don't really know if I can ever get one. Anyway...this blog seems to be a place where I pour whatever I think of. Well I guess that's what a blog is for.

Nothing much has happened so far...a day on MC leave is boring. The occasional chest pains and shortness of breath. I hope that something interesting would at least happen later on today.

Tags: Me

The Good Old Days...

Life in NJC was truly unforgettable...haha...still remembered the jokes and pranks that we played on each other. I was in the class 03S21...the class remembered me as a guy who would tell lame jokes...cold enough to freeze the bunsen burner in the Chem Lab. Hm...so where should I start from?

Ah yes...my project group. Well I am one of the few groups in my class who was grouped with 4 other girls to make a group of 5. Should I be happy or sad? I guess it was both. Happy because girls work harder than boys so that I can slack a little...lol. Sad because I am the only boy there...hard to talk to girls lah...because don't really know how a girl's brain worked. Scared later say the wrong thing then they cry or get angry...I just hoped for the best then...

Hm...first group meeting...how was it? Well it was the basic I-stare-at-you-you-stare-at-me kind of situation. We need some ice-breakers!! Coz we didn't know each other really well yet...it was only the second month after the orientation. So we just decided on which topic to do. Either "Blast From The Past" or the synergy question. After deciding to do the "Blast" question...we went to source for information...

The next few meetings were like that...nothing extraordinary...just normal talking...and boring stuff such as filling up of forms. But things won't be that boring during the June holidays...

We went to K's house and sometimes to E's house for group meetings. I can still remember how we all (more like the girls) laughed from my lame jokes. There was once while doing our project that P became bored and asked me, "Hey, you so like tt...have u ever had a crush before?" And I replied, "Hm...I don't think so. I don't remember crushing anybody" And what followed after was that everyone started to laugh...so much so that E almost choked on the biscuit she was eating (sorry E). Then there was dinner time in K's house. I forgot what I did...but the girls all laughed, and I was like "What's so funny?". They said that I was lame and asked me to stop. I think it must be the lame comments on the food that I had made.

When the day our project was to be assessed by the teachers, everyone was nervous. We did our presentation and showed the teachers a modified Chinese Chess that we made so that other races could play. YL also performed on an Indian instrument. We all hoped for the best.

When the results came...guess what? All five of us got an A2...I was satisfied with the result, considering that the girls put in a lot of work while I provide the lame jokes to lighten their mood.

Ah...the boys in my class too were fun. In lectures we would sometimes crack lame jokes. Quotes such as "I am funny...you are lame" can be heard between me and B. Then there was M, a walking Campbell textbook. If you ask him what is the name of the cardiac tissue located in between the tricuspid valves and the ventricles, he would be able to tell you the answer in seconds (but we won't know whether it is the real answer or just some fad that he just make up). This M guy also has his own Periodic Table! Can you believe it? Mendeleev made the PT for us and he went through all the trouble just to make another one...and guess what? His PT looked similar to ours...lol. I wonder why he made it in the first place. I guess it's to familiarise himself with the PT.

Then there's D, a funny Indonesian guy. Likes to crack lame jokes too. ZR also...seems to be infected by my lameness...lol. The ACS group, consisting of K, XY and J. They are a friendly bunch of ppl who are nice to be around with. Who else? Oh yah...the SJI group, consisting of D, C, M and N. They are also nice ppl. I still remember N...on my birthday he bought the cake for me (thanks man!) Not only that...he made sure that I get to eat the cake by smashing it on my face...lol. I still remember how he chased my around the school with the cake on his hand. The both of us sure looked stupid. Luckily there was no principal or SP around. The girls in my class are all quite nice, helping me in my schl work at times. Basically I had a fun class in NJC...really miss those days man......

Tags: Friends, Junior College, Thoughts

Afternoon...

Just had my lunch. I had steamed fish, some vegetables and some kind of soup. Luch was ok. Feeling a bit bloated now from the food that I just ate. Must remember not to eat so much...still in NS...must watch my diet. If not all those trainings will end up in wasted.

Looked at a few blogs today. Some talked about politics, some on their personal life while some were just places for advertisements...lol. There were some which are very pro...lol...don't know whether can be like them a not.

Can't stop thinking about NS...lol. Weird huh? But it really worries me that I might need to do all those training again (Re-BMT). Haiz...but really loh. They must now be in the jungle is some test already. Really missed all those bonding sessions with my buddies...haiz. But they are still nice to me even though I am sick for quite long...a very understanding group of people. I really thank God for this group of NS buddies.

Hm...don't know what to write already...I think this post is a bit boliao...lol.

Tags: Happenings

PS And PS2

Since young I have always played video games. The console that I used to own is the Playstation. I used it from Sec 1 to Sec 4. Four years of my life with the little machine from Sony. I remember the games that I played using it. They are Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy 7, Final Fantasy 8, Wild Arms, Suikoden...and many more. As you can see, I play a lot of RPG games.

At Sec 4 however, towards the end of the year, I didn't touch the PS anymore. This is due to the upcoming GCE O Levels. Studied hard for it...wasn't satisfied with the results...and continued on in JC.

I still remember during the first 3 months (lol...sounds like BMT) of orientation in JC...our seniors told us that we as juniors should enjoy our first 3 months of "honeymoon period" - a term used to mark the orientation period. That was when I got the Playstation 2. Lol...still remembered the time I spent playing with it. Games that I played are Final Fantasy X, Final Fantasy X - 2, Metal Gear Solid 3 and many more.

You can tell that I grew up with video games...lol.

Tags: Me

Next Morning...

Wow...the pain is back again. I wonder what actually causes all these pains in my chest. A shortness of breathe is also there...that restricts me to slow movements and non-strenuous activitites. Lol...I really do sound like some retired old man talking about his life.

Anyway, I really wonder how my buddies in NS are doing. Today is their first day for SIT Test (Situational Test). It's a test where the whole company is randomly grouped into groups of six. They will be placed in the jungle, facing different kinds of situations such as how to cross a river with the given resources or how to estimate the distance from point A to point B. Heard that this Test will be important for those who wants to go to Commanding Schools (OCS and SISPEC). Yah...so I really hope that my friends who want to go there would excel in this Test.

As for me...life at home is mundane. Occasional pains and shortness of breathe really spoils the day, especially the hope of a recovery. Haha...but at least I find comfort in that everything (be it bad or good) happens for a purpose. We may not know now what the purpose is, but we may know later on in life.

It was a good idea after all to start a blog. At least life at home would not be boring. So some of you might be wondering what I do at home...well, I help out with the household chores such as folding the laundry, hanging the laundry, keep the supply of drinkable water running. Other than these chores I also write a blog (Duh!), try to keep myself updated with the current happenings in the world, do a bit of light exercise and try to stay alive...lol. Oh man...the pain and shortness of breathe is back again...lol...I really do sound like an old man.

Tags: Happenings

SuMmErGaL: January 2005

SuMmErGaL: January 2005

Tags: Blog, Friends

"The Most Embarrassing Moment In My Life"

This is just a composition. The story is similar to the one that I wrote for my GCE O Levels...it's not the same as I forgot most of it already. Hope that you would enjoy it.

Hi, my name is not that important. I mean does Jack sounds like anything interesting? Well, I am now studying in a neighbourhood school. There are a lot of things in my school that I really like; they are my friends, teachers, CCA, and most of them all, Anastasia.

Well, you must be wondering who this Anastasia is. She is a girl in my class, though she is very popular in my class, I still have some hope of making friends with her. It is without say that there are a lot of boys who are wooing her, even those in Sec 3 and Sec 4. Sadly...it looks like my chances are slim. Even Carlos, the most famous boy in my school, is interested in her. He is so famous that even girls from other schools know him and his handphone number!

Yesterday, I went to prepare for tomorrow's Prom Night. Yup, tomorrow is my school's Prom Night for us Sec 2s. But obviously there would be some Sec 3s and Sec 4s, and not to mention Carlos, who would be there just to see Anastasia. My attire would be simple; a short-sleeved shirt and jeans for the occassion. Guess what? I am going to sit on the same table with Anastasia! Wow! I just received this news after lunch today. And it is a two-seat table! I guess the heavens must be smiling on me. Anyway...I better get a present for Anastasia. Would a CD do? Or maybe I should get her some flowers. Roses would be nice. And I must not forget to wish her a "Happy Birthday" tomorrow.

Finally, the day has arrived! I went there early and mingled with some of my classmates. Carlos was there too. He walked up to me and said, "Hey small boy. I know you've been wanting to get Anastasia. But let me tell you this: getting to sit on the same table as her won't make you win this game. All the best NERD!" What can I say? Carlos is a famous guy with girls all around him. It did affect my self-confidence. But nevertheless, I need to try my best.

Then suddenly, the door of the school hall opened. In came an elegant lady. Her eyes dazzled like diamonds and her teeth were like white pearls lined in a row. Her smile was infectious. Her personality was simply charming. There she was, Anastasia, elegantly dressed in a night gown. What could I say? Silence reigned throughout the hall for what seemed like hours.

"Erm, Anastasia, would you like to sit now?" I asked sheepishly.

"Well...ok," she answered with a smile. Oh that smile that made my legs melt.

On the table we began chatting on topics such as CCAs and school.

"So how's your day?" Anastasia asked.

"Well...it was fantastic!" I replied as I swing my arms wide open to make my point clearer.

However, in the process of swinging my arms, I accidentally hit a waiter, the pepper container that he was serving flew up into the air! And I looked up to see what happened. Sadly, the pepper container flew up and the contents hit my eyes! All of these in front of Anastasia. I wished I could just hide my head under the chair! My eyes sting like never before. What a way to make a first impression!

"Are you all right?" Anastasia asked, concerned about the situation.

"Yeah, I am fine. I think I need to go to the toilet. Excuse me." I answered, trying to hide my embarrassment

I rubbed my eyes, trying to get every speck of pepper out of my eyes. As I washed my face and looked at the mirror in front of me, I was dismayed and shock by what I beheld. There was my reflection, showing a boy with puffy eyes like a goldfish. That was not the end of it! My eyes were also red. They were so red that I myself got scared of my own reflection! Oh no! How am I ever going to see Anastasia in such a state? After thinking for a while. I suddenly remembered that I had brought along my sunglasses. I decided to wear them even though the idea of wearing sunglasses in a dimly-lit room seemed ridiculous. Well, I will just tell Anastasia that it was the pepper that made my eyes sensitive to the lights.

As I made my way out back to my table, I saw Carlos there on my seat! The both of them seemed to be talking, enjoying themselves in each other's company. Oh, how I wished that Carlos would just vanish in thin air. I guess that was the end of the whole thing. How could an average school boy like me ever get to beat a famous boy like Carlos.

I walked out of the door, feeling dejected and sad. When suddenly, someone tapped me from behind. Could it be...

"Hey Jack!" the person from behind said.

"Huh?"

"Well, you are going back now is it? Why don't I accompany you back home? I hope that it's fine with you."

"Sherlyn? Hey...I guess that would be all right," I answered, somehow disappointed that it was not Anastasia.

Well, what did you know? The journey back to home that night spelt a new beginning for a new friendship. She is much better than Anastasia, a whole let better. Though Sherlyn lose in terms of looks, but her character and warm personality really makes her unique, uniquely Sherlyn. But that is another story for another time.

(This piece of composition is fictional. All names or events that bears resemblance to any threads of reality are purely coincidental.)

Tags: Stories

NS...

Haiz...missed NS again today. Always get sick and sick. Today supposed to book-in but the symptoms came again...so went to NUH A&E section and saw the doctor. The doctor said that it was "Post-Recovery Symptoms"...sounds so chim. But really loh...the chest pains, cough, dizziness and headache still there. Hope that my brain nothing wrong man...I want to go to Uni one leh...need all the brain I can get. But really loh...miss all my NS buddies. They are all very nice people...from M2401 to M2413. They were willing to help me in packing my stuff...taught me the things that I have missed out and even consoled me...telling me not to worry about my training but concentrate on getting better. Haiz...it all started with the hospitalisation on the 10th of January 2005. At that time I had chest pains and a high fever (39.9 Degrees)...went to NUH A&E...the doctor said got pneumonia (a lung infection) and said that I needed to be warded. Haiz...really missed a lot of training loh. But as they say in NS "Your health should not be neglected". So today (Sunday, 30th January 2005) I must rest and hope that all of these pneumonia symptoms will cease...so that I can get on in life.

Tags: National Service, Singapore

Outing

Hi...this is my second post...don't really know what to write...lol. Hmm...went out with my cousins and brother to play LAN at Bugis. It was yesterday...(Saturday, 29th January 2005). Then while playing half-way...lol...someone called. It was Vernica. Suddenly said that she wanted to join us with her brother. Then when I went to fetch them...lol...2 more guys came. Our game must be that attractive I guess...haha. But things were very awkward...in the sense that the people in Vernica's group was quite quiet...to me. Lol...maybe they don't like me. Anyway...we played together but not the same game. After playing...we (me, my brother and 2 cousins) went to watch Elektra...while the Vernica's group continued playing. The show was quite decent...nice effects but the story was quite complex. Anyway...it was the first time I saw Vernica...lol.

Tags: Friends, Happenings

Test

Tags: Blog, Wallpaper

First Blog

Hello...first time blogging...don't know what to say. So....that's why there's nothing in this post.

Tags: Blog