Wandering soul

2004-06-13T02:15:00.000+08:00

Haha probably just got retribution for all the times I ever said anything bad to anyone just cos I was in a temper (I hope tt's all the retribution to come tho I probably still have a good bit more stored up somewhere waiting to strike me one day huh ^_^") Literally have a sour taste in my mouth (half cos I didn't leave my comp to drink any water, etc. for 2 hrs) after listening to 2 of my old friends vent separately... It isn't very fun to have mud slung in your face cos u're in the middle trying to mediate the situation...heh but I'm surprised at how I took it considering I'd probably have erupted back at them in the past after half of it ^_^"" I'm surprised I only got mildly upset after 2 hrs of it...esp since I thought I've been rather irritable recently o_O Haha it was a little eerie/ironic too since one of my aunts just told me (in Chinese) at my cousin's wedding on Tuesday that if there's one thing she learned through all the years of her life, it's "ren3" (endure); and also cos I just read that if there's one thing to be learnt in life, it's "what can be endured, must be endured" (tho I suppose what "can be endured" varies according to how firm ur grip on ur temper is) in a novel yesterday night. The things pple can reveal to each other/say to each other sometimes when they're distracted by emotion are...surprising...to say the least... I guess still waters run very deep. Whatever; tho I'm glad at least the waters aren't so murky anymore - at least some fairly important things got communicated through to both sides...

Is it better to attempt to reason with someone when they dun want to be reasoned with or to nod sympathetically? I always thought that reason was the answer and tt nodding sympathetically without addressing the problem wouldn't ultimately help the matter if there was sth to be solved. Strange how changing tack made the horse arrive at the finishing line instead... (Thanks for the suggestion PL) Haha sometimes with friends u get more than enough trouble anyone ever needs...what do u need enemies for? :P

Sian Portugal just lost 2-0 to Greece.

Haven't replied to comments in a while...sorry guys/girls not in the mood tonight. Will try to b4 I leave =)

2004-05-23T00:15:00.000+08:00

I realise I overuse the ^_^ face...with my usage it sometimes means too many different things and is hardly a reflection of my mood, thoughts, or even actual facial expression in front of the screen. A suitably...ambiguous...emoticon. ^_^

2004-05-23T00:06:00.000+08:00

Many ages ago, a horse (Horse for simplicity's sake) lived in a bucolic meadow where a swift river skirted its eastern edge, with nary a care in the world beyond a full stomach, freedom to run, and a fine vista of stars to admire every other night. One sunrise, while it drunk from the river's edge, to its surprise and the muttering of an elf lord from across the river, a freak flash flood (in which the wavefronts looked strangely like elves astride phantom horses) swept it from its feet into the dark, churning water, carrying it beyond return into distant lands. Horse awoke to find itself lying on the banks of a strange, unfamiliar pasture, with the evening sun silhouetting the lush grass in shades of gold and yellow. Looking around in wonder as it shakily got to its feet, Horse felt a rumbling deep in its stomach. Glancing down at the verdant grass hungrily, Horse thought deeply (as far as the equine ampulla of Vater) for a moment. To eat, or not to eat, that is the question...without a doubt, this was not its pasture. What would the grass taste like...would it taste the same? Should it start eating? What if the pasture belonged to some other horse? What if it started eating and could never return to its old meadow, if it were possible? Horse stood frozen in the rapidly waning light, wracked by indecision.

Went swimming w C today - my first exercise in a long time. It feels good to exercise...which makes me realise I'm a lazy guy considering the pool/gym is just downstairs... ^_^" But it's even better to just spend time with old friends and talk...u can talk abt anything w/o worrying u'll say the wrong thing, u have more to talk abt; u dun even have to talk to feel comfortable. Much of what we talked abt can be reduced essentially to the above story anyway, as unrelated as diff things are... Played DND: Shadows over Mystara with him after that at home...shiok ah. Reminds me of old days in class/tech labs/lib in TCHS, in the HC library, at ZY's house, etc... Tho I missed a chance to do sth tt I felt needed to be done. By the time I get another opportunity it might (ah probably will) be too late. Hope things will still be fine, even so...ah well no sense kicking myself over might have beens. =) Done's done. Ahaha then why do I still feel a sense of regret? Wonder which choice tt could be reflected as...having started eating, or trying to find a way back to the old pasture. Hmm ^_^ Heck...

Btw this story is wholly unrelated to the previous one (still no inspiration) which is wholly unrelated to anything...was just many disparate events/pple written together :P But yah if anything, could say Pandaren was in a way me...my GB nick's Pandaren, my fav WC hero is the Pandaren Brewmaster, and I think pandas are cute and unique looking bears anyway ^_^

2004-05-07T23:24:00.000+08:00

Hello...heh I'm here to talk crap ^_^ I have the urge to blog crap now that SSM is over, but not to update the blogskin or even the left column, so if u dun want to read crap then...well it's too late to leave, since u've been reading crap if u've read this far already =p

Ah anyway to cut (some of) the crap, let me tell a story...There once was a Panda named Pandaren living an idyllic and peaceful life on the isle of Nerad Nap. Pandas, u see, were not just your usual cute, furry, white and black endangered bears - they were...Pandas. Capable of, and enjoying, lobbing pebbles at each other through bamboo shoots, they frequently engaged in stylised, ritualistic games called "Gunbound matches" involving reducing each others' (or of the opposing team members) "HP" (a mystical meaningless value usually arbitrarily assigned as 1000) to zero, upon which they would receive "GP" and "GOLD" (2 more meaningless imaginary parameters given value by Pandas) to hoard assiduously.

Now Pandaren spent his days as a model citizen of Pandadom after passing the First Professional Panda Exams, honing his skills daily and striving to improve at the meaningless ritual of "Gunbound". But alas, these days were not to last long. Conscripted into the regimental PAF (Pandadom Armed Forces) to do his duty to the nation, Pandaren now spent his time under the auspices of the SSM (a mad bureau of researchers in the PAF) wandering aimlessly from tree to tree lobbing pebbles at shadows (where his training finally became of use) in an attempt to research how many mosquitoes could be brought down in an average pebble shot. As part of this research, he was forced to consume anti-malarial pills to see if it would make his fur turn pink, and forwent the beloved long-held tradition of daily "Gunbound" rituals and harmonica cleaning.

Now you'd think Pandaren was resigned to shooting mosquitoes for the rest of his Panda life...but as luck would have it, a chance encounter one day changed his fate...

One fine day, (duh) trudging down the forest path on all fours as usual, Pandaren let his mind wander, and without noticing soon found himself lost in the tangled undergrowth. Unperturbed, he plodded steadily forth, eating his way through the foliage despite non-bamboo flora not really being his taste. As he slowly made his way forward deeper into the forest, a sudden sharp, prickly sensation shot up his leg. Lifting up his leg, he saw - to his surprise - a porcupine embedded in his tender paw. Yowling in pain, he glared at the hapless porcupine rudely awoken from its slumber. "What are you doing lying in the middle of the path?" he asked. "Huh? I dunno I really dun know...." replied the porcupine, still hazy with sleep. "Grrr...I thought no porcupines were allowed in this encampment?" said Pandaren, shifting from one foot to the other to accomodate the large, spiky porcupine currently hanging from his paw. So saying, he set the porcupine down carefully, and exclaimed "Well, since I'm injured, help me find a way out of this encampment so I can go home!"

Blinking, the porcupine retorted with a snort. "Something tells me I should charge you $270 for disturbing my sweet dreams...but since I'm a kind soul, let's forget about it. Follow me!" Turning sharply, the porcupine trundled off into the undergrowth with nary a rustle, forcing Pandaren to hurry after it. Lost in the forest, the porcupine and Panda wandered for hours before bursting through the last of the undergrowth to emerge in a vast field of brown rice, golden-brown stalks rippling in the warm breeze as far as the eye could see in all directions.

To be continued... (my way of saving my face cos I dunno how to continue this nonsensical story =p)

2004-05-01T19:02:00.000+08:00

Wah so long since I blogged that I dun even know how to start/write properly already. Been thru 3 attempted starts then I decided tt admitting lack of knowledge on how to blog's the best way to blog. Ah, since I can't think of a proper way to start and I'm supposed to go meet the 4Oceans now I'll just stop here first and try to think of how to blog during dinner... :p To Be Continued.

Most ridiculous blog entry I've ever written ^_^"

P.S. For a moment I forgot my blogger username... o_O

2004-01-20T21:46:00.000+08:00

Hmm Happy Chinese New Year ^_^ By a stroke of luck (and Priya's enterprise) anat tutorial's shifted to next wk so there's no need to go sch tmr... :> On other notes, CA7's over and it wasn't difficult...

Went back to HC today for the first Mediquiz teaching session...it's a refreshing experience to teach other pple in this manner - you have to know ur stuff, so u don't end up giving other pple the wrong info or not knowing enough to teach them...not to mention that both would be rather embarrassing ^_^" Thinking back, I admire our seniors for looking so confident and knowing their stuff well...hope I can live up to their example. It's a good chance to revise stuff we've studied b4 too...grin it's beneficial for everyone I suppose ^_^

A few days ago, a friend commented to me that I can be "quite condescending sometimes", the remark stemming from me praising her for knowing sth I didn't. I meant what I said, just tt I guess she took it differently... =/ Today, I commented to a friend abt another friend's intellectual capability...disparagingly, and I meant it too. -_-"" (I'm being purposefully vague, dun ask who they are for both incidents) Which then makes me wonder abt my own attitude...since when did I gain the right to be high and mighty and look down on other pple? I dun doubt tt it's at least partially true, given tt it's not just one incident or one person mentioning it, and tt my actions certainly seem remiss upon hindsight. Zzz...I know not how to put it, but in a nutshell, I feel bad, which is why I'm typing this. Given that every person I meet and know is my superior in one way or another, what right do I have to criticise other pple or look down on them in any way? Have I forgotten that, or have I become a blind, arrogant #*&#*$&#()$? :(

I know of at least one New Year resolution: to be more humble...

Oh and to be more punctual too. The left column's updated. I guess I deserve a few good kicks huh. ^_^"

**replies**

jiat: Haha nah...I wrote the entry last last Friday after the campfire, just didnt put it up until Monday. Yah I know...need to shape up and be less blur from now on :p

cute_girl: Tnet's enough la ;) Gunbound on top of that would be...tough to handle ^_^" Haha I havent really played this year yet anyway...getting weaned off GB. :)

eN!L: I think so too... ^_^""" thanks for the kick too :P

2004-01-12T23:11:00.000+08:00

Merry Xmas, and Happy New Year too...my inaugural entry this year in my sadly underutilised blog. :P

Rough update on interesting things recently:

Went for dinner and HC's orientation campfire last Friday night w 4O. (cos I was sick of mugging)

Took the wrong bus for the 2nd time in less than a year...w new glasses o____o Last year it was mistaking 970 for 67, this time 177 for 67...which I inadvertently discovered, takes you to MINDEF -__________-"" Thought I'd never have to visit that place again at least for the next 5 years or so, only to end up on the only bus that does go there...hmm suay ah =p Luckily I managed to change bus to 970 and ended up only 5 min late to meet my friends for dinner. Huh...is it tt I'm cockeyed or blur or what? I could have sworn I was on the right bus, yet still ended up on the wrong bus to somewhere like MINDEF... So what if I leave a scalpel inside an incision next time even though I think I removed it? o___O""" Sheesh...I doubt anyone else at this age still makes this kind of mistake. (pls tell me if you do, might make me feel better :P)

Anyway besides me doing sth stupid like tt, the main point of the evening was going back to HC for the campfire; and ending up being bored...to the extent of discussing finding stupid things to do like act dumb, shout "fire!" and attempt to put out the campfire, or stand in a line behind the campfire/performers (w the whole audience facing you) and do stupid stuff, or (for Alvin to do) run up and grab the ball the performers were playing with then sprint off (he'd probably get quite far b4 anyone could catch him) - well yeah, you can tell how sian we were from the AA/dumb/crazy ideas we were contemplating.

Somehow you just feel rather out of place on such occasions nowadays...the pple you knew are gone and replaced by a sea of fresh faces engaged with their own concerns, the places you knew are changed and gone...what you once knew exists only in your memories now and not even in the exact same way in the memories of others - and you don't really belong anymore. Ironically, happy memories somehow gain a tinge of sadness when you realise tt however happy they were, they remain merely as events in your memory which fade as time passes by. I wonder if I'll feel this way abt my life when I grow old? To recall pple, places, and events of a bygone year with the realisation that they are forever more in the past. I have this theory that that's one of the reasons old pple are sad/go crazy or become senile, besides the obvious normal facts that their close ones are dropping like flies one by one and they're often left behind/neglected, their brains suffer degeneration as they grow old, and their bodies start failing. Perhaps it would be a kinder mercy for some to send their consciousnesses into the recesses of their minds, back to forgotten times and places where they once were happier. Shrug I wouldn't know for sure, considering I haven't ever had much contact w the elderly, rather ashamed to say. (My grandparents all died b4 I was born, and whenever I have opportunity e.g. during CIP, most of the time I can't communicate beyond things like "Ah Po, li ho bo?" Lousy man ^_^"") Perhaps when I'm old huh I'll know huh? That is if I haven't forgotten this theory by then...

Other interesting things...I haven't even played 1 hr of Gunbound yet this year :> (I succumbed to half hr or so some days ago) Tho I've begun playing Tetrinet again after a 1 year hiatus (corrupting a number of other medical pple to play too, and in the process of corrupting more ;))

School's started again and there's a CA this Saturday...Celebrate!! -____-

Finally getting to read "Notes from an even Smaller Island" by Neil Humphrey courtesy of Pei Lin...damn funny guy. About the only day of the week I read the family's free copy of Today with any consistency is Saturday when there's his weekly talk crap column...hehe ^_^

I might not have to quit kendo after all...there's a guy recovering from a shoulder injury putting his unused bogu up for sale at only ard $500 odd. With any luck, I'll be able to continue for at least this semester (my reason for not buying the ard $900 armour and quitting, cos I doubt I'll be able to continue kendo during 2nd year onwards)

side note: continue ignoring the very unupdated side column, will update after CA. Someone pls kick me if I don't.

***

Replies

N-de: huh...delete D2 man ^_^ get Tetrinet instead!

Anonymous: ??? I suppose asking who you are won't do any good...thought I was the one supposed to be Anonymous...? Hehe hmm.

2003-12-22T22:46:00.000+08:00

5 things for the night

1) I'm sick of my cooking (if you can call it that)... o_O lucky my parents are back tmr/Xmas dinner w OG is tmr
2) Gunbound isn't working...ARGH...irritating.
3) I skipped the revision lecture today cos I overslept z________z
4) Looking at Yuyi's photos of Spain and Portugal now...very nice. Hehe yet another place to visit someday...if that someday will ever come
5) Suffering Gunbound withdrawal symptoms o_O

2003-12-19T02:05:00.000+08:00

Yay! Just watched Lord of the Rings: Return of the King today and it is without a doubt the best movie I've watched this year ^_^_^_^_^_^_^ My only possible complaint is that the purist in me protests against the many small areas the theatrical tribute fails to adhere to the original tale and omits others. (I'm hoping they'll be in the extended version) But nonetheless, the sheer breathtaking cinematography, graphical detail, superb music and magical quality sweeps me away =) I very nearly cried at several points in the show; no, it's no tender and heartwarming show, heart-rending tearjerker, or humorous to bring tears to my eyes, but yet has the ability to fill my eyes. (nearly) I know not how to describe exactly why, except because it is simply, or rather not so simply, the Lord of the Rings =) I guess the main reason it's so powerfully stirring and enduring over the years is that it's at heart a tale about the steadfastness of courage, hope, and love in the face of unending adversity and seemingly insurmountable odds; not forgetting tt it's a nice tale of "and so they lived, happily ever after." Would hardly be as well loved if despite their valiance they had failed to turn back the darkness, after all...pple don't connect as much to reading abt failure ^_^ Add to it a well crafted story and grace of phrasing nearly beyond compare, and you get Lord of the Rings :) I think the film version retains much of the allure of what's essentially the Lord of the Rings, dramatised as it is...and I'm very much content with it =) Haha I must visit New Zealand someday and walk the lands where they filmed the show and immerse myself if only for a little while in the lingering image of this world's vision of Middle-Earth...

Oh yeah the most exciting parts of the show are the battle scenes after all... ^_^ The foolishness of war and death may not be alluring, but the adrenaline-pumping action looks damn good and as arresting is the moving premise behind it (I mean the themes of courage and hope...to fight for more than one's personal selfish desires, [well selfishness does come into it, u also fight to preserve your own life, of course] to defend, rather than conquer, and remaining unfaltering when all chances of victory/survival seem to have despaired) Haha somehow for both the Two Towers and Return of the King I think the charge of the Rohirrim is the best battle scene...grand, for a good cause (so far as good causes for war are defined) and somehow sad too...you know u're going to kill someone, and probably be killed in return... The last battle in the book/show (avoiding spoiler for those who havent watched/read it b4) comes under that category too.

Haha...I think for me the Lord of the Rings (kinda think of all 3 movies as 1 single work, as the book) is the best movie I've ever watched in my short 19+ years =) Will watch it more than once... :->

2003-12-16T09:17:00.000+08:00

Arrrgghh...my com crashed just as I was about to save the previous entry and went into a state of shock for 4 resets -___- Grin I guess there's more than one way to lose ur entries besides to Blogger...

anyway this is how it roughly went:

Good morning world :) Haha haven't been fully awake this early in more than a week ^_^ And now that I'm awake I find I'd rather still be asleep z_z Still I know it's healthier to wake up earlier than late...

Going Body Worlds later at last ^_^ It's NOT a sign that I'm going to start mugging anytime soon tho...unlike some pple I could name...*cough* ;) My mum keeps telling me to start mugging soon but I just grin at her and tell her I will after I pack my room and stuff...and my room is yet unpacked ^_^" Been feeling rather apathetic and sian this past wk, so still have alot left undone - room left unpacked, blog and blogskin not updated, lib books not returned (nearly overdue), piano/harmoc unplayed, even games I set out to complete yet uncompleted... (now that's difficult ^_~) and the list of things needing to be done goes on... ^_^" Haha dun ask me what I've been doing for the last wk, cos I can't really say apart from "huh? slacking only...dunno." o_O

K...time to get off my lazy ass and do something =)

Hmm highlight of the morning: listening to Class 95's Morning Express show...the humorous, comfortable crap really helps perk you up in the morning =)

And at this point I SAVE my entry =p

you are aqua
#00FFFF

Your dominant hues are green and blue. You're smart and you know it, and want to use your power to help people and relate to others. Even though you tend to battle with yourself, you solve other people's conflicts well.

Your saturation level is very high - you are all about getting things done. The world may think you work too hard but you have a lot to show for it, and it keeps you going. You shouldn't be afraid to lead people, because if you're doing it, it'll be done right.

Your outlook on life is very bright. You are sunny and optimistic about life and others find it very encouraging, but remember to tone it down if you sense irritation.

the spacefem.com html color quiz

hmm got turquoise just now...which doesn't sound as garang :P a lower saturation level and slightly less bright outlook.

**replies**

eN!L: U mean the green coloured book with the parody version?

rayzor: Yup...haha u know him?

2003-12-10T00:12:00.000+08:00

Grin just wanted to post this up b4 I forget. Courtesy of Yiren:

Lord of the Rings for Bengs

So the new Lord of the Rings movie is coming out, and you want to impress some Ah Lian you're trying to buaya by being able to explain the whole complicated plot with all the funny sounding names and words. You want to seem like you've actually read all 3 books, but, damn suay, even The New Paper is too "cheem" for you. Neh'mine! Dun scared! Here is our easy to understand guide to J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy, written specially in the conversational style of Ah Bengs, so you can memorize:

THE FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING

Last time got this short-short person with si-beh hairy legs called Bilbo, lor. He, hor, got this ring that last time belong to some monster.

But then, hor, one day suay-suay the monster want it back, and send his kah kiah to Bilbo's house to settle, lah.

But the ring, hor, acherly can make people very powderful. But then, hor, if you wear too long will also kena sai. Si beh hiong one, so better faster go and destroy it, lor.

So Bilbo's nephew Frodo, aiyah, dun ask me why their name all so funny, can or not? You ask me, I ask who?

Anyway, Frodo and some peng yew kena arrow to go and destroy the ring.

But donno why also, they must do it in the monster's home, which is at the end of New Zealand there.

So they walk and walk and walk across New Zealand, lah. And then along the way, got monster chase them, got people want to hoot them, some of them dieded, all sorts of thing, lah.

At the end, Frodo and Sam, his pooi-pooi friend who I think so is a bit ah quah, got separated from the rest.

THE TWO TOWERS

Frodo and Sam meet up with this thing called Gollum, who look like he take too much Slim 10 like that.

At the same time, hor, the other friends get into some powderful hooting session, where, wah lau eh, even the trees can do gongfu one. They all fight over what, I also donno, but quite kan cheong, lah.

THE RETURN OF THE KING

In the end, Frodo and his peng yew all win leow, lah. Arbuthen?

- This condensed version of J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings trilogy was brought to you courtesy of the Coxford Singlish Dictionary. -

2003-12-07T02:41:00.000+08:00

Zzzzzzz. Should have posted this and slept much earlier but got distracted by Warcraft... =p

Just came back from watching Love, Actually...with my parents. Was originally going to spend the day relaxing at home, but Todd called and we ended up agreeing go catch some other show and talk crap...but that )#&*$*(#$# found last minute tt he really needed to slp Z_Z so I joined my parents for dinner and we ended up watching Love, Actually...from the first row ^_^" It's a Great Show, Actually...right up there with The Pianist and Pirates of the Carribbean as the best movies I've watched this year. Despite the fact that you go into the movie knowing what you'll see, and you can expect what's coming next most of the time, I think it's a remarkably charming show =) The characters are mostly endearing and interesting (the rest are perhaps just interesting) with believable fairy-tale stories (e.g. guy meets girl, girl doesn't notice him, guy does all sorts of things, etc, or guy goes on holiday to the countryside, meets nice girl, etc, or sparks fly when a guy who just got promoted [wont spoil the show, but it's a really big promotion ^_~] meets a nice girl working for his new position, tries to avoid her, but fails) Kind of clichéd but hey I like such stories... :) The common thread linking all the many separate story lines is tt they all occur around Christmas, and the characters are deftly interlinked with each other - for e.g. the above mentioned promoted guy's sister/husband is in another storyline, two of the husband's employees (male/female) are involved in another, the promoted guy's girl is involved in sth at the school where the sister's children study, and a father/son studying at the same school are involved in yet another storyline...nicely convoluted, yet simple in its execution and story telling that somehow draws you in and gets you involved in the stories ^_^ There may not be a single main driving plot, but I think what the disparate stories abt life are driving at will suffice =) Pretty good lines too, making it a romantic comedy of sorts...you smile as much at the many jokes as at watching love unfold in its different ways =) Heh Rowan Atkinson makes a guest appearance as an "extra" character to boot... A rather cute line by the son mentioned above: (profanity warning, though it may be too late anyway ^_^) "Let's go get the shit kicked out of us by love!" a kinda innocent view of couple love, no? ^_~ (though of cos it's a happy ending... ;)) Hey it's a heartwarming show in many ways...all kinds of love can be observed throughout the show; love between friends, love in a family, love that won't work out, illicit love, and the usual love between couples of course... Grin...kind of reminded me that though I may not have that someone special yet to share such love movies with it's ok...it's perfectly enjoyable to watch as long as it's with pple you love, e.g. your parents, friends (well a little dodgy here... ^_^") =) After all, Love, Actually, is all around us... as the opening and ending aptly demonstrate :) Bottomline: It's an excellent Christmas show to catch...Mushy, gushy, emotional, heartwarming, celebratory, happy ending, and Christmas theme too...go watch it! *big grin*

Interesting fact: Keira Knightly from PotC is in Love, Actually too...looking even more chio ^_^

***

*replies*

jiat: Hmm I'm not referring to private personal things u keep to urself or things that should be unsaid...I mean the things that can be said and u want to say but you just end up not mentioning/recording them down...

eN!L: Haha I think it'd be cool =) Might even help pple to think carefully before they do things instead of doing them and forgetting afterwards to thus, in a way, absolve themselves...

zhenlin: Yup I agree...haha but dun worry it only happens sometimes =) Thankfully for e.g. not tonight... ;)

***

I've discovered an excellent method to help my blogging btw...briefly write down in points what I can remember of what I want to say before I begin so I won't forget halfway or lose track/motivation ^_^

2003-11-30T19:01:00.000+08:00

Zzz. My first blog entry in ages...somehow it almost feels pointless to have a blog if u have only 1 previous entry to show for a whole month, does it not? I could claim it was wholly due to the tightly packed last 2 CAs with quite alot to mug but tt wouldn't be true...haven't felt much like blogging anyway for november; apart from the fact that spending most of my time mugging isn't conducive to generating stuff to blog abt, my flair for blogging just isn't really strong... I can't blog like some of my frens can, who are able to recall, and have the impetus to frequently record down what they experienced or thought about during the day. (Tt's why I don't have a diary too) Most of the time things tt I do blog abt are mentioned on the rare days tt recall, verbosity,~ and opportunity to blog coincide...kinda like only when the fengshui is good ^_~

When more than one of ur entries out of a few mths of blogging mentions missing out on blogging abt interesting things, things u can't blog abt, or tt you just don't feel like blogging, etc. something somewhere isn't right... It's kind of a loss...not to have recorded down interesting thoughts/experiences that you rather wish you had put down to a tangible record instead of being consigned, carefully stored away, and then eventually forgotten in one corner of your brain as time passes; yet...unless I were to carry around pen and paper constantly just to write abt such things it's not very possible to do that (which would feel too much like talking to myself anyway o_O") The truth is that more often than not when the opportunity presents itself, I sit in front of my comp with the inclination to blog abt some thought/experience/topic, and yet find myself at a loss of words/drive to write something...and whatever it may have been is instead gradually submerged in the depths of memory.

Sianz...I miss the little things in life that I've forgotten...

Thankfully that doesn't happen as much when it comes to talking to friends directly...most of the time, it's easier to mention interesting stuff that you DO want to mention from recall esp when your friend might be mentioning something along the same vein... still I seem to have somewhat of a problem with expression of this kind...which needs to be cured ^_^" I guess that's the reason why around at least half the time, when with quiet pple I tend to talk less, yet become alot more verbal as long if the pple ard me are correspondingly more verbal themselves (apologies to anyone who's also quiet whom I've kind of daoed as a result :p) Haha lucky it usually doesn't happen with pple I'm close to/have known a long time, so thank goodness for my friends, e.g. esp for the 4Oceans who are a combination of both :) (note: though most of the time thoughts that I have when no one else is around end up kept to myself anyway whoever I may talk to after that)

So what should I do...perhaps keep a blank, rested state of mind (parasympathetic ;)) most of the time when alone, and activate my brain to think (sympathetic) when I'm with pple or have sth handy to write down what I'm thinking abt, so I won't miss out on potentially interesting thoughts? Or better yet, don't think at all the whole day and only think in front of my comp so as to be able to blog abt sth, and have a place to record my thoughts? ^_^ Ridiculousness...

At this point in time there's some thought (related to the above stuff) that I wished to elaborate on(belabour)/talk abt(bore cum brainwash) that I can't remember anymore...which is actually quite irritating -_______- (but it's probably better for the reader lah ^_^") Enough abt such thoughts... ^_^ On a more interesting front, studying is over for the rest of the year ^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^_^ CELEBRATE!!! =) *big grin*

*replies*

welldone: of cos...I'm a nutcase ;)

plhu: done ^_^ abit late... :p but done...

2003-11-06T22:55:00.000+08:00

The Mugger-wannabe looked at his dusty, long neglected table, piled high with books, papers, and assorted junk cached from a hundred forays out into the greater World. With a sigh, he bent to work amidst a burgeoning dust cloud.

***

Half an hourglass later, a dusty Mugger-wannabe covered with assorted junk cached from a hundred forays out into the greater World looked out at a pristine table from amongst piles of books and papers heaped around the table. With a mildly satisfied sigh, he bent to work.

***

Used my table to do work for the first time in around a year :P Been using my bed, floor, computer table (all with their own inherent distractions) when I'm at home all this while, so finally decided to get round to cleaning up my table and use it ^_^ Does wonders for mugging =) (tt's why I'm here blogging ^_^") I'm able to concentrate for longer periods and actually not get distracted by looking at my TV/comp/door...celebrate! ^_^

First time I feel like blogging in a long while...Not cos of a lack of sth interesting to blog abt but rather cos I just didn't feel like it nor really could have afforded the time to...been feeling the constant urge to buck up and mug properly for the last 2 wks ^_^" (With little success, I might add) Well...I may have missed out interesting bloggable stuff but today's entry rather aptly sums up life recently as mugging. o_O (Or at least, a daily attempt to mug [stress attempt ;)])

Updates:

3 new links, N-de, Raymond, and Zhen Lin :) and aims for Nov...not much change since obviously very few were accomplished since last month ^_^"

Hmm oh and this:

Disorder	Rating
Paranoid:	Low
Schizoid:	Low
Schizotypal:	Moderate
Antisocial:	Low
Borderline:	Low
Histrionic:	Low
Narcissistic:	Low
Avoidant:	Moderate
Dependent:	Moderate
Obsessive-Compulsive:	Moderate
-- Personality Disorder Test - Take It! --

2003-10-17T17:12:00.000+08:00

Interesting file from the kendo yahoo grps... Myers-Briggs Test

Try it out...now you can take the MBTI Test for free instead of having to pay! ;) (Well it's not as comprehensive, at least... :p) Took it back in sec 3 in TCHS and got INTJ...was curious if I still am one - I am...according to the test, and the tests on the websites under the "results" tab in the excel file... Had fun reading abt the type descriptors...things that are true, possibly true, and dun seem to be true ^_^ For those who haven't taken it before, go try it out to possibly find out more abt yourself; for those who have...take it again to see if you've changed ;) Everyone, tell me what you get when you've done it, yar?

One thing tt isn't true most of the time: INTJs are supposed to be pretty work oriented, putting work more often than not before play. Me? I'm going to take a nap now first, then talk abt work... ^_^

***

replies:

cute girl: oops :P Thanks...there it's done! Haha congrats on passing ur FTT :) Now you're eligible to take ur test... ^_^ you should go take it... *half-evil grin*

2003-10-16T00:14:00.000+08:00

Would really like to thank everyone for the well-wishes and gifts...really touched. :) Well even the bday song in the LT... o____O" Spoke to a few pple I haven't spoken to in a long time otherwise :P Drove for the first time on the roads and broke my personal speed limit...and lived to tell the tale ^_~ Thanks to the pple who made my 19th bday an enjoyable and memorable one! Really appreciate you guys n girls... :)

One year older...somehow time seems to have flown by, and it barely seems like a few mths ago tt it was 15-10-2002. Not that the past year has been lacking or forgetten, but thinking back, the feel of time seems to have accelerated...mugging for As, the As, an all too brief holiday break, BMT, Court Martial life, then the miracle of disruption and the 1 mth break, and now medical sch... Haha almost strange tt 1 year can be macroscopically broken down into these few segments tt seem brief, yet contain so much. Yet nonetheless, I am grateful for all the experiences, knowledge I've learnt, and pple I've met this past year. Am I older? Yes... (Duh :p) Am I wiser? A little... Am I more mature? I would like to think so... ;) Doubtless, I am different from the person I was at this time last year...happier and more content in general and not as confused. For that, at least, I am thankful ^_^

With luck, I will continue to learn, grow, and become a better person this year... Definitely tough; in some ways, I must admit I do not think I have grown, or have become a better person, and in fact, have regressed, if it can be called that... one way's at least in that I'm less innocent now :P I do not know if this is an inexorable part of learning and growing up... but I do know for sure that most fortunately there's still an innocent little brat locked up inside me ^_^ May he never disappear!

In 1 min the red balloon shall disappear from my ICQ, and it will be 16-10-2003...and my bday will be over. I'm glad tt I can say tt if this day is a reflection of what the next year will be like, the next 365 days will be pretty good... =D (Well what do you know, it's 12:01 a.m. and the balloon didn't disappear... :P)

Once again thank you everyone...may I have the chance to return the favours and brighten up ur bdays :)

***

replies:

jiat: Aww... :P Hmm still wouldn't mind a copy of ur qtn paper tho... ;) ;) Haha just kidding. Gd luck for the test!

cute girl: Nope He BP (this one) isn't n-de... oh well not impt I suppose ^_^ Will the real He BP pls stand up? Hmm lit in pri 5? cool... :P

alvin (well unofficially): Didn't work, can't bring myself to blog abt it :P Too private ^_^"

2003-10-14T00:21:00.000+08:00

Failed to get PDL on sunday...didn't know they weren't open -_______-" Will have to go down again tmr just for it...*grumble* heh I'm lazy la ^_^" Nvm still can drive on the road on my bday... :D Will give luck against any...unforeseen...circumstances I hope ;) Ahh. Well anyway my bday is on wednesday ^_^ (Of course, note the self-promotion there... ^_~) Wasn't even going to blog today but I'd just like to thank the pple who sent me online cards today...chao wan, n-de, raymond, yunpeng...really perked me up after coming back tired from kendo :)

***

replies:

cute girl: it's tmr :P since it's tuesday already... Hmm a new book? Well either it's a new book or u just noticed the quote/just recognised where u saw it from... ^_^ I saw it online somewhere and decided to use it cos I like it...guess it just stuck with me until I just nice decided to start my blog...

jiat: AHA ^_^ Would it by chance...be mcq? ;)

"He Bei Ping": ??? Haha sorry...but I have no idea who you are or what are you talking abt also... ?_? Thanks for remembering my bday anyway... =) (At least I hope it's a good thing tt u remember...whoever you are... ^_^" [cos I dunno who u are])

qich: thanks :) sure! I'll take the liberty of linking you first k :P

2003-10-12T10:40:00.000+08:00

Forgot to mention earlier today that I passed BTT... :> going to get PDL today...and thus my "bday present to myself" will be driving on the road for the first time! ^_^" Heh had this weird dream abt my blog being replaced by a porn site o_O"" Must have been inspired by the commercial abt coms being hacked into and your private stuff being stolen and perused by hackers on class 95 tt I've been hearing these few days...weirdest dream in quite some time :P

***

replies:

cute girl: Haha...tt means they must have taken at least 6-10 min to argue :P Hehe I think could try pouring milk down the nose...;p provides calcium ions ^_~

jiat: At least it turns brown and stops flowing...standard blood stains on anything usually end up like tt what :p Hmm CA4 for med's on thurs b4 deepavali too...nvm la so tt means u also have an extra long weekend after the CA what ^_^

2003-10-12T03:25:00.000+08:00

Woohoo! CA's over! ^_^ Life's approximating a 2-3 wk cycle nowadays...like the biochemical cycles - relax --> gear up for studying --> study --> mug and panic --> CA --> input of new stuff to study enters cycle, + relax --> gear up for studying --> etc... which plainly chafes, to be honest...

Got a nose bleed for the first time in too many years to remember exactly just now - observed blood clotting first hand on a piece of tissue paper, when ironically we missed the blood practical, and perhaps observing live blood clotting would have bestowed a moment of epiphany to provide help during the CA...which was sorely in need of help o_O" Time to turn over a new leaf and be more focused when it comes to studying...spending the hours without spending the organised effort is ptless; then perhaps I wouldn't have to spend as much time mugging, and more time doing what I want to do... (a dream?)

Enough lame references to the CA...

England just drew Turkey 0-0...no thanks to the lack of effort on Beckham's part...CMI!! Probably scared of Tugay... ^_^ Not to mention the lack of 2 prime players...

***

replies:

(note: sorry for late replies, I prefer to reply to comments when I finally blog :P)

eN!L: Thanks man...working on it ;)

jiat: No not going to tell you :P yeah u might say they're the stuff I'm planning to do...I stress plan... ^_^

YiQuan: Haha...come NUS play? Dun really know of a place near mine...Dun mind playing...but As should be starting ard now already rite?

nat: Haha yet to do the sunset thing...wanted to do it today but was too groggy after LAN ^_^" (wrong location to anyway)

cute girl: Sure! No prob...be my guest :)

qich: Hello! Thanks... yeah of cos I rem you. ^_^ Didn't get to play against you (death wish actually, but still) last mon...have chance must play again yar?

rayzor: Dun worry abt it...thanks...we all say the wrong things at the wrong times sometimes =) And dun keep thinking you do it very often yeah...I think it's not all as bad as you think it is for you ^_^

***

note: note the inherent, inexorable incoherence innately introduced in (yay 6 "in"s in a row...now if only CA MCQs were this easy) this entry...due largely to the lack of proper sleep the whole week and being distracted for 3/4 of the entry by England/Turkey ^_^

Oh yeah, also, apologies to anyone I might have irritated over the past few days especially due to crankiness over the CA... ^_^"""

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

2003-10-01T22:34:00.000+08:00

Once again, haven't blogged in a long time...missed out on blogging abt quite a no. of thing I'd wanted to. ^_^ Nvm...they'll just remain unsaid, since the moment has passed by anyway...

Oh yeah, first, happy bday to my dad... => and to China...

interesting new things since last blog, in order of recall:

Allowed to take shinais back home to practise...but w/o a covering, making carrying it ard troublesome and quite AA, since I'm hardly a swordsman but only an aspiring one ^_^" brighter note, shinai (w cover) + gi/hakama will be arriving in 3 weeks...

Took Basic Theory Test on the last day of September. If I dun post abt it in 2 wks...dun ask... O_~

Played badminton for the first time since JC (need work)

Discovered a new series: the Mistwraith series by Janny Wurts...pretty engaging :D

Blogged for the first time since my last blog ^_^

***

Foot-in-mouth disease

Heard today for the first time from a friend's mouth what exactly it was that I did in the past to arouse her long-standing ire. Making no bones about it, I indeed was guilty in the past of the careless behaviour I was accused of engaging in. Considering the facts, I constantly put my foot into my mouth for the better part of JC life when talking to her without realising due offence might be taken from what I said. Of obvious necessity, I need to recognise when offence might be taken by others regarding my words and not assume none will be taken simply because others might not take any offence in the same position, or because no outward rancor is shown. Response begets response, and having unknowingly blundered for so long, I quite deserved the treatment received from her... Regretfully, I am possessed of glaringly inadequate verbal facilities to provide a proper response, and knew not what to say beyond "Really ah? Sorry..." ^_^" Here, let me apologise for the irritation on my part I may have caused at any time in the past whatsoever, though apology may be no cure and scant relief... can you find it in you to magnanimously excuse, even if not forgive, the past and put it behind? If there's opportunity, I'd like you to continue your list of what's bad abt me someday...so at least I'd have opinion on what NOT to do next time :)

Zzz. Thinking abt it, there are probably at least several pple I should apologise to. ^_^" Darn hard sometimes knowing whether pple take your comments jokingly or instead take offence at them... O_O

***

Shall attempt a review of last month's 10 pts while I'm at it... ^_^

1) Mug hard and stay afloat in med sch

still afloat...but mug hard? AHAHAHAHAHA :P

2) Play hard and maintain a life besides mugging ^_^

well definitely played...

3) Improve at and learn more about kendo

ongoing...

4) Still try to be nicer and more appreciative

needs to be moved up

5) Read something besides medical textbooks

done...too much of it

6) Pack my room and organise my notes

AHAHAHAHAHAHA *cough*

7) Learn driving

ongoing...

8) Play piano/harmoc every now and then

have yet to :(

9) Sleep before 12 everyday...!

*FAILED*

10) Watch the sunset from a beach

have yet to...

realise this month's aims are hardly changed...have yet to fulfil last month's properly ^_^"

***

Replies:

eN!L - well...I'm still wasting time on WC now and then :)

cute girl - I've yet to study tonight ^_^ Hmm visit more! ;D

2003-09-18T23:47:00.000+08:00

The Blademaster-wannabe once again stepped upon the now familiar path that would take him to the distant haven of SRC, weaving through the placid NUS countryside on a cool Thursday afternoon. Reflecting upon his doings for the past quarter-moon while being blasted by waves of hot air from the passing of Four-wheeled-metal-boxes, he realised a singular, rather obvious fact - his ruminations upon the mystic "Blogspot" oftttimes fail to coalesce into an appreciable form for several reasons...inactivity, activity, or confidentiality. Inactivity, expressly the sheer lack of constructive activity, excluding the insidious lure of the Computer World...candidly, nothing to be noted. Activity, or otherwise, life's myriad concerns, preventing the Blademaster-wannabe from cohesive thought to be recorded. And too, confidentiality...for the many things in life that should best remain secrets. Pondering this as he skirted the ridge bordering the Soccer Plains, he noted in passing the diminishing of the giant mounds, restoring the Plains to a more pristine state. (not everything under "Inactivity/nothing of note" avoids the censor-wannabe's blade... ^_^) Passing the sparsely populated Basketball and Tennis courts, the few remaining pools of water agleam in the lambent afternoon sun, he came at last to SRC MPSH 2, an enigmatic name for an enigmatic place. Here, was where a wannabe Blademaster might, perhaps, become a Blademaster.

***

I would go on, but too tired... ^_^

summarising, things of note in the past few days:

Too much slacking
Too much computer playing
Began to learn driving

reason didn't blog for the past few days:
INACTIVITY!! ^_^"

reason didn't blog abt MAF:
Inactivity/Confidentiality

***

kai lin: thanks...you probably won't read this in time, but good luck for the remaining papers anyway! ^_^ Jia you...prelims will be over in no time, then the As, and next you get to slack for 6, 7 mths before medicine... ;) hmm keep in touch with the rest...dun lose track of ur frens even tho u're mugging yup?

YiQ: np man...welcome! thanks for the viola

jiat: change...this wk im slacking at home :p

KT: tll server? reasons not to update more often see above :P past few days mostly...well...inactivity...

2003-09-14T01:26:00.000+08:00

In the vein of today's entry, from my friend :)

Aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at an Elingsh uinervtisy, it deosn't mttaer in waht oredr the ltteers in a wrod are, the olny iprmoetnt tihng is taht the frist and lsat ltteer is at the rghit pclae. The rset can be a toatl mses and you can sitll raed it wouthit porbelm. Tihs is bcuseae we do not raed ervey lteter by it slef but the wrod as a wlohe.

sho it doeshnt marter if mai spallying ish hurrahndous, huh...anyway too blur now to spell properly ^_^ going to zzz...will blog abt maf tmr...just wanted to reply to the comments:

KT: thanks =) didn't know u read also...

kai lin: hello... haha we dun post on it very often as u can tell la ^_^ just use it and the yahoogrps to keep in touch. which batch are you from?

cute girl: sigh... *runs after n-de with a parang*

2003-09-13T15:34:00.000+08:00

Me: Hi
eN!L: me says hi to all visitors to joseph's blog.. grin.. this is my first experience bloggig, and i kant spal. i thunk dat eye shult not blag anymah.
rags - nde and his kok spallings, spals verse dan mi
Me: Eh skru hour spalling, i tink vee mag 2 much alleady (if vee vere magging in de farst place...)
eN!L: ok lah enuff of this atrocious spelling.. actually the three of us are at eusoff hall *trying* to study, and we're kopping rags' laptop.. though we're not succeeding too much...
rags: n aktooaly mi splings r baetre den dis but i kudnt bi baddered 2 spl praperly
Me: *beep* our spelling...ey go MAF leh. On?
eN!L: no actually i juz disrupted from SAF.. dun wanna go MAF... later pple LAF at mi...
rags: wokai mi splings geddin bedder aleadi don yue dink?
Me: ok we just engaged in reading something totally pointless and irrelevant.
rags: junqueira
eN!L: no! got point! this laptop has a pointer in front.. and
*gets palpated on the cranium by rags and joseph b4 he has a chance to go on*
the rest: KoK
rags: okok now i better get serious with my studying b4 i fail my ca
me: ok i think we should...bye

2003-09-11T23:22:00.000+08:00

Ate at Bkt Timah Food Centre for the first time since it was renovated with my parents. Met a old friend of my mother's and her family there coincidentally. Realised the last time I ate there was after Soiree 2002, and remembered what I did after that. Then the moon came out from behind the clouds...ahh it's MAF ^_^ Everything that can possibly have room to change in life changes...different, new food centre, my mum's friend looks alot different from the last I saw of her and her family a few years ago, things are no longer as they were last year, and neither am I. Even the moon changes...an additional crater or two, perhaps a little more worse for wear; yet still as full and bright as ever. Or at least, as bright as I can discern, and that is enough for me ^_^ Happy Mid-Autumn Festival, everyone.

2003-09-11T17:04:00.000+08:00

Yay! Let this mark the first time i'm ever blogging in school. Why? Sheer boredom ^_^ bored as can be...unable to bring myself to mug anymore nor sleep (can't say which surprises me more), but have to wait until kendo starts. zzz...

2003-09-09T00:28:00.000+08:00

A solitary Blademaster-wannabe burst free of the Forbidden, Fathomless, Fenestrated Depths of the Medical Library on a tranquil Monday afternoon, filled with a ceaseless yearning to be free of the terrible ordeal of Mugging. Whither was he to go? And lo, the answer came to him while contemplating the problem over flat Indian pancakes with curry sauce at The Frontier, a taverna for the dwellers of the municipality of Science Faculty. What he needed most, was a good, long walk and some sword practice to free his mind of the terrible, insidious influence of the Medical Library which yet left its grasping claws in the recesses of his mind. And so, he set off on foot for the distant haven only known as the SRC Old Gym, where the wise Sensei would impart mystical sword techniques to bring him one step closer to achieving the status of Blademaster. Remote, the haven was, yet time was necessary to clear his mind of the cobwebs Mugging had left during its unrestrained rampage. The balmy late afternoon weather and warm sunlight invigorated him, and restored some part of the lost vitality drained away through Mugging. Musing about the true meaning of life's mysteries, his ruminations were interrupted when he caught sight of a pair of lovebirds ahead of him while ascending the path heading up the mountain ridge overlooking the expansive Soccer Plains (Which alas, were sadly disfigured by giant mounds protruding from the gentle surface of the earth, thrusting nigh as high as the top of the ridge). Calling upon his wannabe-Blademaster powers of Windwalking, he attempted to sneak past them invisibly so as not to call attention to oneself and illuminate the ridge with light through lightbulbish behaviour, but it was not to be. Having been spotted by the lovers even through their devoted, absorbed haze in one another, he was left with little choice but to take the path inexorably heading towards them and illumine the ridge through his slow transformation to a giant lightbulb. Exchanging courtesies with the tender lovers, he was quickly on his way again, slowly transforming back to a Blademaster-wannabe from his lightbulb form as he wondered about the quandaries of modern love, life's mysteries forgotten. And in no time at all, he reached the promised haven - SRC Old Gym filled with fellow Blademaster-wannabes, having travelled through an astonishing landscape filled with Tennis Courts, Basketball Courts, and the strangest of all, a Swimming Pool. And he smiled. :)

***

Spirit, Sword, and Body as one...too often had achieving this sublime state of perfection eluded him, yet tonight, it came to him, in brief glimpses of epiphany, through the teachings of wise Kato-Sensei. Will and Sword together, allowing him to deliver near-Critical Strikes, sure and true. One step closer to becoming a Blademaster, one step closer to becoming a Doctor through the ordeal of Mugging. And he smiled again. ^_^

Replies:

eN!L: heh. must mug less...and play liero more ;)

cute girl: no i'm not anonymous...I have a name...it's at the top of the left column under "Alias"...see? ^_~

2003-09-03T19:15:00.000+08:00

Time to talk crap. :P CA on saturday but just can't bring myself to study. For once in the past 3.5 wks, just can't bring myself to mug even tho I know i should ^_^" Saturated? Nah not yet...just taking a breather :p

Recent stuff:

the first HC 4Ocean to leave Singapore left on Monday. Had a farewell lunch for him on Sunday, ate at a restaurant deep in foreign ground (SMU) Not too good, but wasn't too bad for a $15 buffet :) Talking cock for the last time was better...last time we were able to talk cock together as 4O until the distant future. (if ever) Sth CSQ said as we left him at Serene Centre Mac talking to his jc ex-classmate struck me: "This is probably the last time we'll see him. You think he'll come back meh?" Unfortunately, tt might just come true; what makes me think he'll come back? Will miss the times together, talking cock and playing cards in TCHS n HC. To be honest, was never really very close to him; diff character, interests, personality. Abt the only significant thing in common is that we're both from 4O; that, I suppose, is enough... even though none of us showed any overt emotion or did anything special such as giving him some farewell gift (hey the only thing we did was take photos at Botanic Gardens), I'm sure all of us will remember him for the friend he is (or was? only time will tell...hopefully won't become past tense) and remember him in our hearts. Wish him well for Cambridge, whether he ends up becoming a bioterrorist or Colombian drug lord or not...if they dun expel him in less than a year for growing poppy on the lawns or barbecueing swans :)

On another note, not many more 4Oceans will be leaving Singapore. Dunno why so few 4O pple got scholarships to go overseas...or even bothered to apply for them -___-" certainly not cos they're not smart enough to get them...why? 4Oism of the day: Dun ask me, ask Ilango... (been using alot lately) Maybe some of the products of overseas education e.g. Ilango turned us off getting an overseas education ;)

On to a happier example of the progress of time - joined kendo - the only CCA I'm going to actively join, apart from doing CIP here and there if possible. No more harmoc or string (passed the audition, thanks Yiquan for the viola), mainly due to the lack of time, despite missing preparing, organising, and playing for concerts badly. Time is a precious commodity in medicine..you mug and mug for hours after hours, then stop to wonder why you're mugging. Then you mug some more :)

Kendo - The Way of the Sword

The concept of Kendo is to discipline the human character through the application of the principles of the Katana.

The purpose of practicing Kendo is:

To mold the mind and body,
To cultivate a vigorous spirit,
And through correct and rigid training,
To strive for Improvement in the art of Kendo;
To hold in esteem human courtesy and honor,
To associate with others with sincerity,
And to forever pursue the cultivation of oneself.
Thus will one be able to love his country and society,
To contribue to the development of culture,
And to promote peace and prosperity among all people.

Strikes a chord...my favourite definition among all those I could find :) Heh maybe I've been watching too much anime... ^_^ Had a dream abt being a blademaster (from WC) and delivering 999 dmg Critical Attacks on every hit with a shinai on monday night... ^_^" Shall get accustomed to swinging a shinai correctly first ;p

Until then, I should go focus on my books and hope to do Critical Attacks to the questions on Saturday...

Jiat: haha...yeah heard it today from prof voon...one of the best lecturers to grace M1 this year =) no not kill off la :p

alvinny: must spread the knowledge of the wise ma ;p

nat: err ^_^"

rui: only a week of nothingness this time ^_^ I'm improving... :p

eN!L: slowly adjusting...getting back on rhythm ^_^ liero or otherwise... ;)

no updates for left column yet...will get to it soon for the next blog! (hopefully on sat after CA)

2003-08-26T00:43:00.000+08:00

Finally blogging again...no real excuse for not having blogged for the past 2 wks, to be honest.

Jos: Huh...sch's just started what. I've been busy for the past 2 wks settling into sch...where got time to blog?
Eph: Go die...what abt wkends? When u're happily taking some time out to slack? Or those few hours u used to play Warcraft?
Jos: ... -_-" Okok, I admit...just didn't feel like blogging...didn't want to express my thoughts...
Eph: Then why are you blogging now?
Jos: Hmm...cos I feel like writing now? Not happy that you have to help me think of what to write huh.
Eph: *BEEP* What makes you think I should?
Jos: So *BEEP* rude. Shuddup and blog...

Ok la seriously though sch has been pretty busy. Somehow starting serious mugging on the 1st day of sch is not my idea of great fun ^_^" but I'm doing it anyway, and to my surprise sticking with it... Why? Perhaps cos what we're learning now is actually interesting and will be applicable for a lifetime as a doctor. You get to learn abt the infinitesimal subtle workings of the human body, its intricate complexities and dangerous frailties (try functioning for a day without using ur thumb :P)

Though studying it makes you weird...or perhaps it's just that I'm trying to mug too hard and am burning myself out huh? o_O I agree with the professors, "Medicine is an art and a science." The actual practice of medicine aside, I believe that refers to the study of medicine too... for now I appreciate the simple things in life more: standing in the cascading rain and watching the scatter of droplets, trying to observe the raindrops in motion to test my neural reflexes (I know, goondu in action) until the security guard hollers at me to get off the road and I do before Snell (anat txtbk) gets wet; marvelling at the simple, clean action of leaping into the air and releasing a snap shot at the basket in one fluid motion at the twilight of the jump (I try n miss, other pple score). At the same time the study of medicine has changed former, simple aspects of my life: now besides marvelling at the complexity behind a simple basketball shot I also end up trying to do a scientific analysis of which muscles power the motion, their innervation, blood supply, and attachments -___-" honestly *BEEP*ing stupid to do that but it keeps popping up in my head... hahaha or worse, while admiring things like a beautiful pair of eyes or a nice pair of legs (obviously as a heterosexual male I admire the female form, look under "Interests" for proof) dry clinical details like "eyes? optic and occulomotor nerves. Ahh, look, biceps femoris...nice gastrocnemius, slender calcaneus too...eh what's the innervation again?" pop up unpleasantly *_*

Dun ask me why I didn't start thinking this way during Mediquiz last time...maybe it's just cos I never studied so hard/in depth for it, nor had as much interest in it then as now...heh ok bottom line of the above para of crap is tt my attitudes n mindsets have changed from now as compared to before and will continue to be warped by medical sch ^_~" I suppose uni is a time of change and growing after all...so many new things to assimilate, new influences, new friends... can only hope won't change for the worse... (or even worse end up corrupting other pple...*cough* =p) N what i really want along the way is not to lose the friends I have or had simply cos our lives are now going in different directions. Hmm true friendship should stand the test of time? Hope so...remember CSQ's comment some time back abt being very happy at 50 if any of us (4Oceans) are still his frens - I agree... (of cos not just w reference to 4Oceans =)) though I know it's impossible for everyone to remain the same way...pple inevitably drift apart or closer in the currents of life... Sian...but it'd be ridiculous to assume pple wont ever drift apart... Still, to all the pple I once knew but drifted apart from...thanks. Thanks for being a part of my life...for providing all those moments which are precious and serve to shine through in the hourglass of life when the sands of time obscure what once was.

Jos: Ok enough blogging...was going to blog more but dun feel like it anymore today.
Eph: Huh really ah? Spend so much time thinking only write so little...
Jos: Not happy? Not happy go toilet fight... (4O pple will understand... ^_^)
Eph: Okok...nvm.
Joseph: Ok time to slp...by far overshot 12 am already.

2003-08-06T23:56:00.000+08:00

Been doing CIP the last few days as part of Med fac's orientation programme... Mon was a trip down to Clarke Quay with SAVH (Singapore Assoc for the Visually Handicapped) for bumboat rides, Tues was NUS' annual flag day, and today was the charity bazaar @ Youth Park.

Scattered thoughts about the past 3 days:
1) The Singapore River needs another clean up
2) There is but a thin line separating the fortunate of society from the unfortunate...what would happen to a doctor who lost his sight? Sometimes I think pple (like me) spend too much time griping when they should better appreciate what they have...
3) A tin can and stickers in hand will garuantee you alot of personal space
4) Now I know the existence of Youth Park
5) Adeline draws great Mickeys/Minnies Mice
6) Shanhan and Alex can sing very well; there are many talented pple in med. e.g. today's jugglers, guitarists, singers...

Spent 10 hours today at Youth Park in mostly aimless activity in an attempt to sell various sponsored items for raising of funds for charity. Honestly do not feel tt it was particularly successful, despite all the frenetic effort and energy put into it by everyone. Was pretty encouraged by the evident enthusiasm, and the seniors' support all the way from NUS to Orchard and back to NUS again, which is why I stayed til the end. While I debate the efficacy of the event at raising funds for charity, I doubt not the hard work pple put in to carry the charity bazaar through to it's end despite hiccups such as a bout of rain, and a distinct lack of customers (which I hope everyone else felt) Heh am I just making myself happier by consoling myself over a day seemingly wasted? I do not think so...I say bleah to those who believe only results and a successful outcome matter :) Life will be pretty meaningless then if you do not believe "process" counts at all...

2003-08-02T00:56:00.000+08:00

Haven't blogged in a week thanks to Orientation activities this wk...have been slping at 1 am (mostly due to warcraft ending at 1 am when I tell myself at 10 pm that I'll sleep at 11) and waking up at 6 to attend the morning lectures (which have on average only abt half attendance...Maedhros has one of the highest attendance percentages...steady huh ;)) Lucky Sat no activity ^_^ This will be a long entry...if you bother to read through all of it, think of it as 1 week's worth of blogging...

Orientation stuff this wk was fun (despite the boring morning talks) from the OG outing to the games, the LAN session to the KTV session today, and all...Maedhros rocks, the new pple and medicampers alike =) Keep it going guys...

Random thoughts for 1st of August 2003:
1) Med textbooks are thick, expensive, heavy, and bulky
2) must finish Zhou Jie Lun's new CD tonight
3) I love Maedhros
4) Pple usually practise singing in the bathroom; I need to practise my singing; therefore I should bathe more often
5) I need exercise
6) Shouldn't have signed up for NUSSO auditions, probably going to embarrass myself since I haven't touched a viola this year yet (hey I dun even own my own viola, always used the sch instruments...^_^")

Happy thoughts aside, there have been many not-so-joyous things in life too to balance it out. When I found out that my mum was sick with flu when she came home on Tuesday, all I thought of saying was "Orh. Better quickly go rest la." and happily went back to sleep...had to wait until my dad was home b4 he took my mum to see the doctor. How much more of a goon can you be? -____- Wonder if I can successfully take care of my parents in the future... wonder if I can be a caring/observant doctor? Seem to be getting irritated more easily nowadays...have been getting more irritated than I should be with my parents' constant reminders over the past few days to check out things such as matriculation forms n procedures properly, to get a proper bk checklist, to come home earlier and all...sorry dad, sorry mum. I think I make a lousy son, despite knowing how much they love me, and how well they treat me.

Had a CT outing last sat, which will be the last time 01S76 of HCJC will be meeting together in a long while. Felt a sense of loss; some of my frens are leaving overseas to study, and tho I'm not close to all of them, I still wish I had the chance to know them better, and that they will be well overseas. Invariably they will grow and change, and come back as different people. Upon entering university/NS, everyone will change and the way we knew them as will no longer be valid.
For certain I know I will have less opportunity to remain close with non-med pple nowadays. Something my friend said struck a chord within me: "i seriously will be very happy if at the time I am 50, any of u are still my bestest frens..." I agree... yet for e.g. already I know I'm drifting a little from some of my closest friends serving their NS. Only change is constant; permanence is impossible, yet being the "fang4 bu4 xia4" type, I still wish for a level of permanence in the friendships I have now and not to lose them amidst the transience of everything in life. Pple will change as time passes, and if as a result u lose a fren tt's sad...but then it's up to you to arrange your life and relationships as you see fit...whether u maintain a friendship even if pple change/drift is up to you. It's easy to say but hard to do...I may fail to complete other things in life, but I hope I do not fail this.

I'm sure pple have heard abt the RJ girl who committed suicide last wk. How it directly affected me was tt one of my closest friends who was her classmate in RGS was depressed/shaken to the extent of skipping school among other things (which she would never do, in any other circumstance) I will not profess to be able to analyse why such a thing happened, nor condemn another's actions (or those of the pple ard her) wholly since I was not in her shoes after all, but what makes my friend sad affects me to an extent too. (Thankfully she's fine now) I know many pple who knew her were also affected as a result of such action, be it her family and friends, school, or even the psyche of society.
Moral? To be able to realise better how much your actions can affect other pple beyond your knowledge. Of course, it is difficult to think beyond the moment often when about to do anything. Who will know for sure until they are placed in a situation where they are required to think with clarity, after all...to me, I only hope that whenever pple are placed in situations where they can potentially act to affect many greatly (e.g. this...), the consequences of their actions will be realised more often before any action does occur. To me, I feel that would be...enough, if nothing else. My condolences to all affected by this, and wish that that girl will be happier wherever she is.

Oh, and for sth I have not asked permission to publicise, I vote for more social awareness/civic mindedness lessons for Singaporeans. (Edit: I realise I'm not old enough to vote. -_-)

Enough of my crap, congratulations if you slogged thru all of it... ^_^ will go listen to Jay Chou to cheer up. :)

reply

N-De: hey man, thanks for visiting...though it's only been less than a week I'm glad to know pple like you, and the rest of Maedhros :) :) Friends forever! Heh wonder how many pple actually check someone's icq info when they add someone... besides pei lin, christine and you, dunno if any Maedhros pple have been visiting? Tho it does seems tt my hit counter has been increasing more quickly since medicamp... Hey if u have visited pls leave a comment/sign guestbook or sth, so I'll know who's ard here ^_^

2003-07-26T13:06:00.000+08:00

Medicamp 2003!

Back from medicamp 2003! It was great fun, much better than expected...was impressed by the amount of effort put in by the seniors to come up with such a well thought out camp and make it interesting. There was stuff like games (usual kind of stuff for camps) campfire, fright night, skits, dancing, cheering, a visit to sentosa, secret pal letter writing, etc.. (not much to etc, think tt's abt it but in case I missed anything)

To be honest at first I didn't think it would turn out well cos I heard abt the campsite and thought it would be a waste of the remaining precious time left before sch starts. On the first day I pretty much felt even more so...my Orientation Group Maedhros (all the group names sounded like Elvish at first, until an OGL mentioned tt they were just anagrams of the OGLs' names..^_^") couldn't make it in the beginning cos we lacked spirit - cheers no standard, games no standard, communication no standard, ideas no standard...only the OGLs were good, being enthu and all abt things. But I think we got better lah =) Like wine, needed time to achieve potency ^_^

By the 2nd day things were better...it was a whole day of fun and games (and we weren't losing so much anymore) plus the team spirit got better once we got to know each other in the group. Fright Night was cool - the seniors really put in alot of effort into it to make things look realistic and maintain the atmosphere. It was so realistic that the police came to investigate cos passerbys in Sembawang park thought they saw some "things"... =P But it wasn't really scary since we knew what's going on beforehand already; only the tunnel where you can't see anything was quite steady...fear of the unseen is greater than fear of what you can see after all. Maybe next year shouldn't tell M1s there's a Fright Night planned or make the stations all dark until the hapless soul gets really really close in then...muahahahahaha ;>

3rd day Sentosa was fun, and my OG had more chance to survive the games since they weren't competitive anymore... ^_^" Campfire was cool too, where we watched all the skits the OGs came up with...haha why must cross-dressing/sexual humour always be so prominent? Not that it's not funny but wondering...someone suggest reasons leh. Then we had a Mr/Ms Medicamp pageant which I think was skewed...seems as though they won more cos they danced well than due to any real charisma/uniqueness. The candidates who did cooler stuff/looked and acted more with style didn't win, e.g. my OG's Ivan who picked up the female host and ran around the campfire when she asked him what was the most rebellious thing he had ever done...cool dude man... Choice is a hard thing...why did the winners win? Dun ask me, I'm not a judge, ask the judges...I'm sure they had reasons for their choices as I would have if I were to judge. After that we had a reading out of the mushiest secret pal letters we were supposed to write and revealing of SPs (I was Superman writing to Lois Lane) and my letter got chosen for one of the 3 mushiest letters ^_^" (which all came from my group) Wonder why they chose mine...the other 2 letters by my OG mates were much better, more erudite and focused, unlike my rojak 1/3 chinese 2/3 english letter. They were steady...one an english poet, one a chinese poet... @_@ Had to read the letter out in front of the whole camp to _____ (my SP) So paiseh...haha but nvm la if I wrote it I should have to account for it... (credits to CSQ for the opening line abt a glass of Coke) Tho if have to read it out should at least do a good job of it...kinda regret my lousy public performance cos was too nervous to read it out properly at that time. =p Somehow at these moments I always end up cocking up...need more confidence man. Coincidentally my SP was my friend...! ^_^" (Sorry _____, if you were embarrassed by the reading...) Why didn't any letters written by girls win? Haha...guess girls don't want to write such stuff even tho they're supposed to be more romantic and mushier. Why? Beats me...

Didn't sleep for the rest of the night, played more captain's ball/cards until it was 6 plus when a group of us went to the beach to watch the sunrise...fell aslp tho after I sat down on the bench... -___- The sky was streaked with light by the time I woke up. Nm, at least I woke to a beautiful morning where the sky and sea met :) We broke camp early yesterday morning and bid farewell to Medicamp 2003... went home and slept from 11 am to 7 pm :p

Thoughts:

OG - great group of guys and girls...too bad haven't gotten to know them better in the last few days. (tho act know alot of them from b4 camp) Not say cannot click with them, but as usual I don't open up until I get to know pple better...those who think I'm quiet and have nothing to say have got another thing coming ;) Feel paiseh that as always I don't open my mouth and suggest ideas...should have contributed what I thought of and tried to help make our group's productions better and our time happier. They're really a cool bunch of pple...if have chance hope to get to know them better once sch starts =)

OGLs - I salute them...they were the ones who kept the group together esp in the beginning and gave us tips, ideas, and guided us along the way for both the camp and abt Medicine. They were the enthusiastic ones at first, not us...without their friendliness, liveliness and encouragement the camp wouldn't have been fun, nor could our group have made it...

Medsoc in general - Steady! Well organised, impressive...astounding amount of effort put in to make it all fun for the M1s and to provide a cool and imaginative camp... (their skit was esp good) well done. :)

Food - Subsisted for 3 days until the 3rd day, ate BK Mushroom Swiss :> at Sentosa and had a buffet style dinner (act more like SAF style...food was distributed in the same way ^_^") back at camp

Damn, I'm severely sunburnt again...

Was surprised to see _______ at the camp...thought she applied for science instead. Thought I had forgotten her face already but recognised her straightaway in the crowd...damn.

Off to bed now for a nap...still sleepy, still have CT outing later...

*replies*

jiat: haha...sleep is good...not much time left to sleep tho, sch's starting

plhu: I live in a condo mah...the jacuzzi pool's circular...just sit at the side facing the west and u can watch the sunset :) though can't see it go all the way down, only mostly...

2003-07-19T23:17:00.000+08:00

Things I've done lately:

1) Slack
2) Practise harmoc (still need a lot of practice)
3) More idiotic driving theory lessons/evaluation test
4) Play bball (still need even more practice)
5) Swim (mostly watching the sunset while sitting in the jacuzzi)
6) Watch .Hack//Sign (Can't really make it, but music for this series is great)
7) Feel nostalgic...ended up playing some old games in my com. Can't connect to Twilight LPMUD anymore... :( haven't logged on in 3 yrs...surprised it was still around :o
8) Chatted with some pple I haven't talked to in a long time online
9) Finish Crossroads of Twilight (left since BMT)
10) Sleep (no matter what time I wake up I'll still feel sleepy until at least 12 pm ^_^")

2003-07-16T22:31:00.000+08:00

Played harmoc today for the first time in ages...cleaned off some tarnish that had accumulated after these few months. Have lost touch with what was once my favourite instrument... Just as well anyway, can work on the blowing-from-the-side-of-your-mouth technique Mr. Ho told us abt, but which I never really practised b4... ^_^ it's tough, like learning the instrument from scratch all over again...could barely manage a proper simple song by the end of 2 hrs of practice... nm, will try again tmr... had fun playing along with the Fajar sec sch band while they practised a few hundred metres away downstairs ^_^ can't even rem the titles to alot of the songs...all I know is that they sound familiar...heh miss playing in a musical group too much, I guess.

2003-07-15T22:10:00.000+08:00

Just realised my "Get fit" aim has been set at 100% for the past few days...ultra paiseh...should be around 10% instead ^_^"

HWACHONG SYF RESULTS:
STRING - GOLD
HARMONICA - SILVER

Went to watch the central judging for SYF 2003 for string and harmonica today at NY auditorium :) Harmoc performances were first in the afternoon (Sec sch string in the morning) followed by the JC string performances. Was pretty impressed at the standard Hwachong was able to produce despite having no prior experience at SYF...for what it's worth I think they did themselves proud :> :> Even though VJ was the clear show stealer...good rhythm, togetherness, nearly without error and most imptly no scores! For a harmoc band (cos the majority of all JC harmoc band players have no musical background) to do that is pretty eyebrow-raising. (Unfortunately [for harmoc]) The following string performances were of a diff class altogether... as much as I love harmoc, must admit that the standard of playing produced by harmonica bands cannot be compared to that of the string ensembles. ^_^ All the ensembles played well, esp RJ and HC...quite impressed by the pizzicato produced by RJ. Compare that to HC's pizzicato polka tt we used to play...basically cannot compare :P Still, HC was excellent too :) Had the largest ensemble present...they certainly have a lot more members than we did for the last SYF. Big recruitment efforts paid off I suppose. ^_^ It ended at around 330, and the results were announced after a short break... Haha the reason why it's "unfortunate" for harmoc tt string performances were directly after the harmonica performances is tt the judges seemed biased, based on their appreciation of the higher standard of the string performances. ALL the schools got silver, even VJ. What then, is the meaning of giving them all silver? Might as well give all golds no? Judging harmoc performances in comparison with string ones resembles comparing judo to karate and giving one higher marks cos it looks more impressive. Then they announced the string results - RJ, HC, and AC all got gold :> Pretty relieved that the juniors have maintained the sch reputation and proud of them for doing so well too...brings back memories :P wish I could take part in string SYF again...but then that would mean I'd be a retainee -_____-" Unless I conduct... @_@ (Yeah right...) Glad that TCHS string got gold too...after 2 SYFs without gold we finally got it back =) =) Of course it's not as significant considering 6 out of 8 secondary schools got gold...but still, gold :)

Personally I think the judging standard is pretty screwed...they dun seem to be judging the relative standards of the performing groups against each other rather than judging them against some internal benchmark they set on their own...Yes I agree if no groups are particularly good there shouldn't be any golds, or if all the groups are good more of them should deserve golds, but I think it's more impt to place more emphasis on judging their relative standards at the same time. A gold would be pretty meaningless if everyone had one, wouldn't it?

2003-07-12T22:08:00.000+08:00

2 quizzes I took off Pei Lin's blog...kinda funny results ^_^

You are Rand form the Wheel of Time Series by
Robert Jordan! You are well...Slightly crazy
and are known for doing very stupid and idiotic
things though its in your best intrest. You
quite sadly are very strong and a good friend.

What Main Fantasy Book character are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

The noble warrior.
You intend to protect the world from the evil that
is rising. No cost is too great.

What fantasy stereotype are you?
brought to you by Quizilla

2003-07-11T23:54:00.000+08:00

Watching the feature about Ladan and Laleh on ch 8 now... even though I dun pray or anything, my thoughts go out to them, wherever they are. Always had this optimistic thought that everything will be fine and the operation will turn out to be a success...thought the same abt the Nepalese twins last time too. Was kinda shocked tt it ended up the way it did. Despite everyone just hoping for things to have a happy ending, it just doesn't happen sometimes.

Now some pple are defending the medical team, others flaming them. Wonder what I would do if I were in their place...accept the burden or decline? I dunno...haha kinda glad I'm not, cos I'd probably be optimistic anyway and accept, even with nowhere near the expertise of any of the experienced personnel of the team, with even less chance of success... ^_^"

I stand on the medical team's side, however...I'm supportive of their willingness to try and help the twins when no one else in the world would. Of course, some pple may point out it was partly a bid for glory if it had succeeded. Perhaps...perhaps not, it's too easy to point fingers or talk abt standing behind them with hindsight, actually. The ones I despise in this situation are the media...as usual generating extra revenue and ratings by playing on the sympathy buck and having a field day by capitalising on the post-operation hype. Empathising with their situation is one thing, but the usual media stunts are as always, deplorable.

2003-07-11T20:20:00.000+08:00

I'm back... haven't felt much like blogging this week, so this will be my first entry in days... Wasn't able to break free of the pull of Warcraft, so have still been spending alot of time playing ^_^" Had fun playing basketball with Biyong and Daniel on Monday after they collected their A level certs from the sch office and got sunburn, as usual...hwachong/tchs was devoid of its normal bustle thanks to Youth Day. then went to Coro for lunch, and then to PS to try to catch a movie. Either it was a bad day to choose, or a bad choice of location, but everything was sold out until 5 pm... -__- went to play LAN instead. We gave up after 1.5 hrs cos it's pretty pointless playing when there are too few pple, cos u just end up playing with the comp... (got discount thanks to Daniel's 11B... :> cos the shop was celebrating SAF Day [I'm not going to complain if they want to]) Watched Love Hina Again, finished Mastering Psychology, and played Warcraft on Tuesday. Watched Vision of Escaflowne, and played Warcraft on Wednesday. Went to NUS for medical check up early yesterday morning...passed! Whew...had this small recurring fear that I might ironically fail this last hurdle after getting into Medicine and be kicked out... ^_^"" Passed, at least if nothing is wrong with the chest X-ray... Met Junpei, and we met this girl from dentistry named *drum roll*..............Peijun :p ...hmm talk abt small coincidences... then went down to Borders for the rest of the day, took over an armchair and read until dinner time. Why didn't I buy anything? Haha cos I'm poor, can finish a book or two in time anyway, won't buy a book unless I really like it, and if I bought all the books I want to, my house won't be enough to store them... :p So I need to buy my own island and store all the books I want there... :D Heh slept late again last night...at 4...finishing up Vision of Escaflowne. For those who dunno what I'm talking abt it's an anime series (so is Love Hina Again) and it's damn good...great plot, intricate, moving and gets u thinking about fate/destiny...not a super happy ending...but the good guys won in the end :) the characters are endearing and believable, not like the one-dimensional characters in some other animes...good art, even more so since it's a 1996 show...heh can only complain that the main characters all seem to have pointy noses :P the music is excellent too...good mix of orchestral, choral, and pop-style music that all sounds nice...heh keep imagining being able to play the string pieces with HC string ^_^ Recommend it to everyone, esp anime-philes like law and plhu... :)

Think I shouldn't have bought Frozen Throne...yeah it may be a great game but it's occupying too much of my time...spending too much time playing as it is...not doing the things I should be instead of playing all day. My parents aren't happy, I'm not happy (when I finish playing... :p) heh at least once sch starts I won't have time to play anymore. :D

2003-07-05T22:35:00.000+08:00

Went for theory lessons at BBDC today. Learnt nothing not to be found in the wonderful booklet (which you have to pay for), paid for useless lessons, and spent 4+ hours out of 657450 hours of my life (conceivable figure) attempting to avoid the instructor's eye while reading Mastering Psychology...^_^" (unsuccessfully) i.e. it was something that was useless, but not free.

Slept for 2 hours today, saved money on electricity, regained energy depleted over the past 3 days, but spent 2 hours out of 657450 hours... something that benefited me, but it wasn't free.

Played Warcraft over the last 3 days...I enjoyed it immensely =), but ended up drained for the past 3 days and probably the next 3 too, (always happens when I chiong comp) costing energy depletion... something that I liked doing, but it wasn't free.

Went on a night sightseeing car tour with my parents to Upper Seletar Reservoir and saw several cars with newspapers/aluminium foil/whatever opaque stuff covering the windows parked in dark parking lots. One even had the lights on and a hand scrabbling at the window, like in a horror movie... -_-" Maybe they think it's cheaper than a hotel room, or more convenient to avoid the eyes of pple/their families, or more fun... whatever the reason, it's not free.

Was talking to Ed Chong, talked about catching the Twins' Effect. Conclusion: Charlene Choi and Gillian Chung may be cute, but it's not worth paying $8.50 on a Sunday to watch them. Even if you d/l the show...it's not free. You have to pay for your Internet every month, and your electricity.

Was talking to Huimin, who paid a lot for first row tickets to the Energy concert even though she doesn't really like their songs, cos Toro is cute. Well... it's not free. (duh... ^_^" well for balance had to mention another example :p)

Bottom line: NOTHING IS FREE IN THIS WORLD :> :> :> (including spending 20 minutes to blog abt this)

2003-07-05T00:43:00.000+08:00

Today marks the last day of my WC Warcraft induced seclusion. I thought I didn't like rock music, but I find the credits song for Frozen Throne excellent. "Storm, Earth, and Fire" (should be the title, considering how many times the shaman and the singer keeps repeating "Storm, Earth, and Fire, heed my call!" ^_^") makes an excellent finale to one of the best games this year. Ai wu ji wu ba, so something that might not have appealed to me otherwise, if apart from Warcraft, drew me in. These things happen often - when you take up something just to please your friend who insists you try it and end up liking something you wouldn't have tried on your own. Or when a guy begins to appreciate shopping cos his girlfriend is a shopaholic. I'd probably like a rock song if Jay Chou sang it... :D Anyway, I shall return to a normal life starting Saturday, and do things I've put on hold since I bought Frozen Throne.

It's quite obvious I have nothing else to blog about for today and yesterday, since the only thing I've been doing is wake, Warcraft, eat, Warcraft, eat, Warcraft, sleep, with only some interruptions to the schedule. Gdnight, in preparation for boring theory lessons at BBDC tmr...shall not bore unappreciative ears regarding Warcraft anymore for today ;)

*replies*
jiat: Haha...pink just doesn't agree with me :P

nat and rui: Is anything wrong with Warcraft? It's a fun game, go try it... ;>

2003-07-04T01:30:00.000+08:00

**Palpable tension surrounded Prince Kael'thas and Lady Vashj as they stood amongst the hastily constructed towers in defence of their only hope of freedom. The faint glow of the portal leading the Blood Elves and Naga to an unknown land lit the horizon. Unfamiliar, and perhaps holding danger - but for those desperate to escape a certain death, a chance for exodus...was enough. The next wave would come in mere minutes. Staring around at the ruins of Dalaran, Kael'thas grimly readied his weary soul. In the distance, the lambent light from the mystical portal flickered as the remnants of the Elven population entered in their straggling numbers. Too soon, a voice cried in his mind, as the gates of the Alliance encampment opened to release the next wave of attackers. Down to the last dregs of his mana reserve, he watched as the Pandaren horde surged across the broken plain outside Dalaran. Beside him, Vashj expelled a reptilian hiss. "Tell me, young prince. Have you ever looked death in the eye...and lived to tell the tale?" Laughing, she gathered her remaining energies in preparation for the carnage to come, as the furry, adorable Pandaren swarm thundered towards them.**

Celebrate! 2nd day of blogging! ^_^ I have a lack of discipline when it comes to Warcraft...(ok la, im weak...i cannot resist the temptation of WC :p) havent done anything else since yesterday afternoon besides WC - haven't studied BTT notes for driving, haven't finished the library book, haven't blogged... The only thing I did besides WC was to pack my room, and only cos I was looking for my WC CD so I could install Frozen Throne...Why the addiction to WC? I dunno...maybe it's the self-gratification when you crush your foes' bases (can't do that in real life, now), the rush of adrenaline as you race against time and resources, the fantasy setting (for me), the blend of strategic control and reaction skills (micromanagement) that you need, the immersive and balanced gameplay...lots of things. All I know for sure is that it all adds up to the mysterious allure of well-made RTS (real time strategy) games like WC that is...quite irresistable... ^_^" For me the most alluring part of WC is the rich and detailed world the game is set in - fantasy-based, intricate, and colourful. Maybe what's so fun about exploring the next bend past the hill as Rexxar, or boarding the transport ship to set off for new shores is that through it, I can vicariously live my dreams of exploring a new world and finding new sights and creatures. (yah right, maybe I'm just a control freak out to conquer the world with my legions...) For a time, all that you are is reduced to the simple world of build, explore, and win...(escapist part speaking) your Farseer isn't likely to tell you he's pissed off and wants to take a day's break from work, your farms aren't going to suffer from droughts, you don't have to clean your house, don't have to worry about paying your troops or them having to eat or drink...hey you can even come back to life with a simple click on your altar. I dunno what it is for sure...haha but to keep things simple - I know that I LOVE WARCRAFT! :>

Having just invalidated the purpose behind my whole blog entry discussion with the last sentence, I go off to explore new lands beyond the portal with the Bloody Elves, despite how blur I am and a mind screaming for sleep...

2003-07-02T14:24:00.000+08:00

btw, qing duo duo zhi jiao! Pls tell me any comments abt the page - pictures, music, layout, etc..it's my first attempt at making a webpage and i need feedback ^_^ Thanks!

2003-07-02T13:56:00.000+08:00

At last, completion. :> :> :> Haha after working on this for so long, suddenly dunno what to type...I'll start by thanking the pple who helped me on this: Thanks Rui for the Adobe Photoshop help :), Pei Lin for the comment board help :) (down with enatation, go haloscan :p) and thanks Ed Chong for the picture u uploaded to the yahoogrps a long time ago... :)

I would like to confess this is a day behind schedule...I planned to set up my blog by the 1st of July but due to several delays yesterday it was inadvertently held back ^_^ Freedom from the SAF (*insert appropriate word* organisation) feels great. One week ago I was still planning what to do for the next 2 years, never expecting disruption to be anything but a dream I could hope for. Yet I sit here one week later blogging, with my pink IC less than 2 metres away from me. The pink IC...symbol of civilian-hood and freedom. Stepping out of the Court Martial Centre on Monday was my last official connection to NS for the next 7 years. NS...I can't sincerely say I will miss being enlisted - yet I cannot deny it has taught me many things. Besides stuff like more vulgarities and how to chao keng, it has made me realise how much I miss school, even with all the tests, homework, and stress it might have. I have learnt to be more tactful, considerate, and to treasure my friends and family. Oh yes, I have learnt about the legal system of Singapore. I know that I will miss CMC. I miss opening the gates in the morning in time to catch the sun rising over Kranji Camp. I miss the quiet havens to be found all over the building(sometimes for sleeping), and the cat that makes its home in the drain outside the prosecutor's room. I miss talking over long lunches in the dining room, watching movies in the court room, playing Liero when the Chief Clerk isn't around, watching interesting cases, the Presidents of CMC (regret I haven't seen Mr. See Kee Oon in his term yet), the chio clerk from Sembawang Air Base, and most of all, the friends I have made there. Here's to Patrick("where's the girl? zai na li??"), Ben(Smoke-king), Chee Wai(Koo-niang! -_- "Now, on a more serious note..."), Mark(Qoo!-mar...), Mdm Irene, and Dave. And of course, I miss court too. I will even miss staying until 9 plus so Mr. Chong Kah Wei could finish his trial. *a little lah...* I will not forget what it means to be part of CMC. Am I more mature after half a year of NS? I do not know for sure, but I know I have learnt about life, and am ready to face its next challenges.

"Good morning sir, court is ready sir." *salute*

2003-07-02T12:55:00.000+08:00

testing, 1st post!