Sunday, January 07, 2007
I miss having to sit in lecture theatres with my friends, listening to lectures and trying to understand what the lecturers are saying.
I miss tutorials, where 7 of us will sit together and listen to our tutors teach.
I miss having to do homework.
I miss having to study for tests and exams.
I miss singing in both Meridian and Montfort Choir.
I miss performing in front of an audience in a choir.
I miss the times where we had to prepare for SYF.
I miss the times we had to prepare for concerts and performances.
I miss the times where I did crazy things with my frens after choir practices in Sec sch.
I miss my freedom to do what I want.
I hate this fear that is lingering within me.
I hate this feeling of nothingness within me.
I'm thankful for having people who loves me, friends, family
I'm thankful to be blessed with so many wonderful things in my life
I want my life back.
I must be patient but 11 months seems too long...
Father, give me the strength to carry on! Bless my frens, my family and I... Bless us all... Amen.
- where is God in this situation?
- where is the reality of Christ?
- where is the wisdom that I lack?
- where is the strength that I need?
- where is the answer that I seek?
The real answer may seem shockingly simple and untrue: it’s all within you. Once you are connected to God’s unbounding resources, all good things are within your reach.
From www.lighthouse.org.sg
Friday, January 05, 2007
Wednesday, January 03, 2007
Just came back from my cousin's house. I stayed over at their place yesterday and boy were we crazy or what. We slept at 2+ am yesterday night because we were playing board games. At first we were playing this game called "Game of the Year" which (till now) we don't understand how the game works. We took turns to read the instructions for the game and gave up in the end because there was a much more fun game called "Mad Magazine". My cousin had been describing the game to us so excitedly a few years back and finally we get to play it together! woohoo!! Its definitely a very very crazy game. We laughed so hard and made so much noise that we woke our aunt... -.- Yea yea! definitely had a lot of fun with them around!
I met andre yesterday afternoon too! He was teaching me how to roller blade. I managed to roll all over the place and still remain intact (with no arms detached or any thing like that) thanks to andre. Its definitely very very fun to be blading all over the place!!! Oh well... Hopefully one day I can get the hang of those wheely things... hopefully... muahaha....
As for today, I've finally ran after a long break from exercising. My cousins and I went to Choa Chu Kang Stadium for a jog since they had not run for a very very long time too! Whoa... It felt great to run again. A release of negative energy! woohoo!! After that, we went to play badminton with me losing all the way... yea... I so love my family! Its always interesting to see/hear my aunts gossip with my mum, giving each other the latest updates of family business and stuff... haha... Its just so so funny! =) How thankful I am to be blessed with great friends and family!
"Let december come let december come let december come..."
Monday, January 01, 2007
Time has past extremely quickly... Its 2007 already but I feel like its just any other ordinary day in 2006. No diff... Sigh... Oh well... Hopefully 2007 will end soon too! I want to be a civilian!!
Class gathering on 30 dec was quite okay. The number of people who turned up is more than half the class ( 16 people!). But then again, it doesn't feel class gathering-ly because everyone stayed in their own cliques as usual. The girls definitely change alot ever since they entered army. As for the guys, we just look desperate for the day to come. I'm quite sad that not everyone from my clique turned up though. Was really looking forward to see them because it has really been quite some time since we last met. But its okay. I guess there will be more chances for us to meet up in 2007!
On New year's eve, I went to catch a move with sandren. Night at the Museum is so so so funny!!! Oh my gosh! Its really a very nice show! woohoO!! We managed to see the fireworks behind the blocking trees and the tall memorial thingy. Nice fire works but the view was spoilt by the tall trees... Oh well... better than nothing.
As for today, I met up with Ting Yi and Joel. We walked around Vivocity today and we found lots of restaurants! The food there is quite expensive though. We were talking about how our taste changed as we grew up. While we were in school, fast food restaurants like Macs and KFC are like treats to us and are like places we hang out. Now that we have all graduated from JC and are doing our individual stuff, we tend to frequent expensive restaurants and stuff. Even our taste on clothes change. The way we spend money is as if money grow on trees. Wahahaha... I guess its time for us to control a little.
Hmmm... I guess I'm quite relieved that 2006 has past. Many many things happened in 2006 which has changed me emotionally and spiritually. I had to deal with a change in environment and culture after entering the army, I had to recover from my grieving of my grandmother's death, I had to deal with people who are older and of higher authority than me, I had to train myself physically to pass IPPT so that I won't have to go for recourse. Wow... Its like a roller coaster ride for me man... Somehow I feel so different (In the bad sense)... I've became more timid... Sigh... My counselling sessions definitely help but I will just have to pluck up the courage to do what I'm supposed to do because the mental block is in me and the only person who can removed that mental block is me. So I guess I'll have to work on that this year...
2006 is definitely not all bad for me... I managed to get good results for my A levels, I got into Log Branch, the place where I truly enjoyed myself in my stay in Tekong, I performed for MJChoir's concert in the alumni item, made good friends in camp, open up myself into one crazy guy with a screw loose, I passed my IPPT which means that I need not recourse, went to KOREA (SO EXCITING!!!), outings with cousins and friends, and long breaks which served as rest points for me to recover from the mental torture in camp. I've overcomed one of my mental blocks (which i still need to build on to fully recover from it), and yea, all these wonderful things that happened to me just serves as a reminder for me. That having Faith in God is really important. Throughout the year, I've been praying very hard for most of these things and God granted me with what I asked for. I'm very touched and grateful for all that I am blessed with. Faith, indeed, can move mountains!
Since this is the first day of the new year, I pray that God will bless each and every one of you out there with a wonderful new year! Put your past behind you and start anew... woohoo!!!
Wednesday, December 27, 2006
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Anyway, I had my first ever Guard duty in the forbidden island. Its a tiring and boring experience. Shan't give the details. Sigh...
Lets see... My programme for this week will be...
Tuesday: Zoo zoo Zoo with the 3 musketeers!
Wednesday: Work.... =(
Thursday: Ops Clerk Duty
Friday: Blading with Sandren aude
Saturday: Class gathering!!!! =)))
Sunday: Countdown with cousins?
Next Monday: Lunch with S208?
Next Tuesday: Cry you a river that leads to your ocean because work starts on wednesday...
Somehow, I am having this recruit like feeling of fear in me. I don't know why... Its really irritating and I'm becoming more and more petty about thing. Sigh... Somehow, the Korea trip has made me realise how much I've been forcing myself to accept the fact that I still have 11 more months to go. 9 days away from camp made me realise how happy life can be if I don't have to be tied down with rules and regulations, the fear of being charged for any little thing you do, the fact that adults can actually be childish, unreasonable and irritating with their incessant use of expletives (be it in dialect or English). Maybe that is the working world for me? I don't know. I just can't wait for school to start, can't wait for 7 Dec 07 to come. It seems so far away from where I'm at now. I will just have to treat this 2 years as a learning experience won't I? I've become more and more stupid each day though (I just can't process what people are saying these days. Can't even solve a simple Maths problem. haiz... What's wrong with me!!!!).
Oh well... Life still goes on with or without work. Will just have to live with it won't I? Sigh...
I want to study!!!
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Anyway, I feel so relieved when I touched down at both airports because the flight experience was extremely scary. My trip from Singapore to Korea was one filled with continuous turbulance (6 hours...) which causes the whole plane to shake here and there quite often. The plane was quite small too, so it didn't help for someone who had not sat on an aeroplane for 10 years and has suddenly developed a fear for flying... My trip from Korea back to Singapore is quite alright until when the plane is about to land. It seems that the pilot does not know how to descend gradually because about a few minutes before landing, we actually felt the plane drop a few feet (everyone began to panic and all...) and it seems like we were not going to land at all........ And when the plane landed, there was quite a bump... haiz... scarrrrry...
My trip in Korea is actually quite fun, come to think of it. The tour guide is a Korean who speaks with a Chinese accent. We have a very hardworking tour guide assistant/photographer who is quite acquainted to our family. And we have a very nice and friendly Singaporean tour leader. Yea yea! On the very first day, upon arrival, we went to visit some tunnel dug by the North Koreans (they wanted to invade South Korea see...) and we went to the border between North and South Korea. The tour guide gave a very lengthy history about the separation and stuff (things learnt in Social Studies and History..) which I didn't really listen because I fell asleep... hehe... After that, we made our way to the spa resort where we experienced the lifestyle of Koreans. We stayed in a condominium whereby the apartment has a kitchen, living room and a bed room. And like all Koreans, we slept on the floor!! woots!
This is the Kitchen
This is the Dining Table
Living room
The 4 of us in our room
We went walking around and had spa and the day ended quite quickly like that.
Day 2 is skiing day!! We made our way to the ski resort and borrowed skiing gear from the shop there. Skiing is extremely fun!! (Although I didn't really ski much...) But yea, we spent the whole day at the ski resort. And we ate ice cream outside when the temperature is -2.5 degrees. How crazy is that... muahaha...
Okay... I'm actually quite lazy now, still recovering from being so so so tired... I've uploaded all the photos online!! You can start viewing the 1000 over photos taken at this link
http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r46/jere87elm/Korea%20Trip/
Please press previous if you want to view the photos in chronological order... haha... Shall update more on my trip tomorrow or something... yea!!!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Anyway, I've only finished packing my stuff this morning and I don't even know if I had brought enough clothes to help me survive for the next 5 days (apparently today is day 1 of my holiday and I'm at Singapore!! So korea-ny here!). And my bag is filled with winter clothings.... Those clothes really take up a lot of space man! Oh well... Don't know how I'm going to survive at Korea but I shall see how things go. So exciting!!
Mr Yong, Ernest and I went to China Town for ma la huo guo (numb spicy steamboat... haha) on Friday. The soup is really very very shiok! Very nice and very spicy! I can't really take it though. was sweating throughout the whole numb spicy experience. Phewy... But its nice and it helps to clear our bowels too! haha... Had diarrhea the very next day because of the spiciness of the soup... woots!
Okay... I shall end here and prepare to fly off to koooooorea!
Monday, December 04, 2006
As for the songs performed by the SYC ensemble singers, conducted by Jennifer Tham, I guess its too abstract for me (the first two songs as least). More abstract than the ones i used to perform or listen. So I was trying to figure out what the sound was like and all (makes me a little drowsy too... haha) But I love the song Laudate Dominum by Urmas Sisask. Its a latin song with a Japanese tune! Very very interesting piece of music! Overall, the choir's performance is fantastic! Love the sound, the tone, the interpretations. Very beautiful.
Lastly, the part by the Ateneo Chamber Singers, conducted by Jonathan Velasco. As the main religion in Philipines is Catholicism, the songs sang by them were mainly hymns in dialects of the filipino language. The first 2 songs are like those sang by SYC, quite abstract. But still, it is really amazing. I guess they have lots of power pact singers as their singers can really project very well! I guess the songs sang by them have the best interpretations given their abilities and all! Its like you can be really touched by the song and actually feel what the composer is trying to tell you. LOVE THE ENDINGS MAN!! THE GREAT CRESCENDOS TO THE END! WOOTS! Nice ending chords! Loved the song I Believe in particular because it is very very well done! Their soloist for You Raise Me Up was great too! woots woots!!!
In summary, the concert is worth every single cent I have paid for! Wouldn't have missed it even if the ticket is very expensive! Ahhhh... My life is now complete! =))))))
Sunday, December 03, 2006
Anyway, Chase, choon, jan, Mr Yong and I tried to be ambassadors of Mandrain by playing the speak Chinese game. It isn't easy for all of us except Mr Yong because we were so used to speaking English with each other that sometimes we just speak in English out of excitement. Wahahaha... But it is definitely fun (and mentally tiring =X)
I am extremely excited now because I will be attending a concert by 3 choirs tomorrow at the Esplanade!! Three. A concert by SYC, Gaia Philharmonic Choir and Ateneo Chamber Singers conducted by Jennifer Tham, Ko Matsushita and Jonathan Velasco respectively. These 3 conductors are world renown conductors and I'm waiting to hear the compositions of Ko Matsushita being sung tomorrow. His compositions are very very interesting and he is the composer for next year's SYF set piece for secondary schools. One of Meridian's choice piece is composed by him too! Woots! So yea, I am very excited (Especially to be able to see him in person since I've seen Jonathan Velasco and Jennifer Tham before... hehe).
Alright, less than a week to Korea Trip!!! Can't wait Can't wait Can't wait!!
By the way, note to cab snatchers...
GOD WILL PUNISH YOU!!! Don't think that the people standing in front of you are transparent because we are not! KARMA I TELL YOU!!! Retribution!
Thursday, November 30, 2006
Anyway, went to buy my BBQ stuff with ernest and paul just now. My image in public is totally spoilt man. I was talking so loudly and excitingly at the super market and it is really very embarassing come to think of it... wahahahaha... oh well... Its definitely fun. Miss those times where the committee members would go out and shop for stuff together. Hopefully the BBQ this sat would be a successful one! Can't wait man!!!!
Saturday, November 25, 2006

We were actually practicing how to self-take photos so that we won't have a difficult time in Korea! =)
Thursday, November 16, 2006










Tuesday, November 14, 2006

This pic was taken 10 years ago! We look so CUTE!!! (at the same time, geeky with our shorts pulled up so high... wah liew... what were we thinking!) And 10 years later, we will be flying away to some other country together!! So cool!!

My brother and I with my mi mi yan... hehehehehe...
Matching shirts!!! I am like part of their family man... woots!
Lastly, a photo of me! When I just moved to where I am living now. 3 years old only!!!
Alright... That's all for now... I'm enjoying all the funny photos I've dug out this afternoon! Will scan more interesting ones into my com!!
Sunday, November 12, 2006
Went shopping with my cousins yesterday. Interesting outing it was. I manage to get my very own jacket to keep me warm in Korea!!! The perfect one... woots! So happy!! I've burnt a big hole in my pocket though. Spent about $180 on food and clothes yesterday. Can really feel the hole in my pocket now (more than half my salary[or allowance, so they call it...]) Oh well... need to scrimp and save for the rest of this month now.
Anyway, it was a really embarassing day yesterday. Everywhere my cousins and I went, people will laugh at us (make us look so sua gu... wah liew...) Firstly, we went to Cathay Cineleisure to buy tickets for Material Girls. At the counter, the girl laughed at us for being indecisive on where to sit. Also, we were laughing at her because we didn't know she was actually waiting for us to pay her. (She looks as if she is busy doing something to accept my money ok!) sigh... We went to Cafe Cartel for lunch after the movie. At the restaurant, the waitress was made confused by us because we were standing around our table since the girls can't decide which side to sit on... -.-
After lunch, we went around window shopping/shopping for clothes. Whichever store we entered, the salesperson will march towards us asking us if we need help. Even when we say we don't, they lingered around us (as if we want to steal their stuff... *roll eyes*). But then again, I guess its because we dropped quite a lot of things along the way and my cousin went round trying most of the stuff there. haha... But, why can't we try on the stuff there if we were interested in buying? =p When we went to Imperial Palace (whateva the name is lar...) at Marina Square for dinner, the waiteresses and managers there can't be bothered to serve us (either they were too busy serving the adults standing behind us or ate too much glass as we grew up) and we were really pissed about it. We then went to Secret Recipe for our dessert (cheesecake... yummilicious!). The waiter was trying very hard not to laugh at us because he had to snatch the menu away from my cousin.
So we practically became clowns wherever we went yesterday. How nice... -.- But its really fun and funny lar... Can't stand it.. .woots! we rock! Alright, will be on leave this coming tuesday and wednesday. Will have to go and change my passport photo on tuesday if not I will not be able to go Korea and film my own Korean Drama... (so exciting!!!!)
Monday, November 06, 2006
I've been in a rather cranky mood since Saturday because I am super duper tired. I don't even know why I am tired.... I've been sleeping (using my precious power of sleeping unknowingly...) everywhere I go. How irritating! And I woke up early today, thinking that there is choir practice at Montfort. But when I reached Montfort, I was told that practice was cancelled. Then I met the teacher in charge on the way to the staff room and to my horror, I found out there will not be practice on any of the days I have taken leave! How am I suppose to help them if they have such a blur president who give me wrong info? The practice schedule is even on the consent form lar! Haiyo... Bad bad bad... Haiz...
The A levels have officially begun and my friends are very nervous about it. Have been helping Chase with his Biology but don't know if he is confident about his Bio paper tomorrow. Sigh... So fast so fast. Its their turn now to sit for the A levels. One year has passed in a blink of an eye. I just can't wait for my turn to ORD. Sometimes it feels as if December 07 will come very soon but then again, it is definitely very very far away. I have not even served 1 year of NS.. boohoohoo... Wonder what will life be like after all my friends ORD-ed. Sigh...
Anyway, my aunts and cousins came over yesterday to view photos of my mother's China trip and my aunt's nepal trip. Both China and Nepal have very very beautiful scenaries!! Got Mountain mountain and lake lake, got waterfall waterfall and cloud cloud... So nice... However, I guess I'm not into those places because all they do is visit places with beautiful scenaries. It can be kinda boring for me. Oh well, can't wait for my Korea trip!! My cousins and I will be filming our own Korean drama and I shall embark on my toilet project! woots~! haha.. It's gonna be fun with my cousins around since we are such cam whores and we always do crazy things when we are together! Futhermore, the 4 of us will be sharing 2 rooms!! So exciting! Can't wait man...
By the way, I've just realised that older people says the funniest things. My mother brought back a siak liu (promegranate in Teochew) from China and we were suppose to eat it yesterday. Suddenly, my mother ask us young ones what is siak liu in English but we don't know. Then, my aunt (who is not very proficient in the English Language) said the following:
"I angry already. I angry already. I angry university. University no teach things one. No say i want say."
Oh my gosh! You should hear how she spoke it man. It was really very funny. Anyway, its like somehow old people expect us to know what every fruit in the world is named. Even my mother expect me to name some weird exotic fruit or plant she brings back just because I study biology. I don't see a link. I only know how to name plant or human parts... Not fruits... Oh well... Because of that uproar about us not knowing the name of the fruit, we went to search (painstakingly, mind you) what the fruit is called. haha... Anyway, its really cute seeing my aunts converse in English. Especially when they struggle to find words to say. Its really very funny, not that I want to be mean or anything but yea! Woots!
Sunday, October 29, 2006
Alright, yesterday's family day was quite quiet... I was expecting the whole grandstand at the parade square to be filled with people but it turned out that only 1/4 or less people were there. And there were specks of people here and there on the parade square, patronising the store. How interesting... I spent less than an hour at the parade square before making my way back to the office where I watch TV and sleep =X Gotta catch up on my beauty sleep since I had to wake up early yesterday morning... haha...
Oh well, SYF would be coming and I wonder how Montfort Chorale will do this time. They might not be able to take part SYF if they don't have any new members next year. This is just so pathetic. The school doesn't seem to even care about the survival of the choir now judging by the way they are dealing with the intake problem. I know conscription isn't the best idea but I guess we should at least give this people a trial period of like 1 month before they make the decision whether they want to continue with choir. It really won't help by going around telling others how the choir can earn you CCA points or whatever other things that can boost their results. Even if we want to tell the new sec 1s what we have been doing, we can't because there is nothing to boast about. They can bring up stuff from 1997 to 2003 maybe, but, those were things that has happened a very long time ago. They may boast about the bronze they got two years back but judging by their standard now, they might not even get a COP if you ask me. The seniors have been trying to help them sort out their problems but they just won't listen. Everyone in the choir now is just so divided. Even the committee isn't what its used to be. How to help the choir like that... If only the others and I have time to go back and help them. At least help them with sectionals or advise them on the planning of activities. If only there is time... Sian-ness... Oh well, hopefully things will turn out better as time passes (hopefully.......)
As for Meridian Choir, they will be going to malacca for exchange in December!! So exciting! haha... Hopefully they have mastered or at least complete learning their choice pieces. Mr Kwei's style would be making us learn the set piece within a day and then we would perform the set piece in front of him at the end of the day. If it does not reach his expectations, we will have to go back and re-learn/touch up the piece and perform in front of him again. Until it reaches his expectation, then we can go. It can be stressful but then I guess he just wants us to minimise learning time and maximise interpretation time. Woots! he rocks my socks! Alright, the alumni might be having another performance at the end of this year! Can't wait man! So exciting!
Okay, looks like I have quite a few activities lined up for me in November and December. Weekly choir pract with Montfort Chorale, Meridian BBQ/Chalet, MCA BBQ, KOREA TRIP, CHRISTMAS, Meridian alumni performance!! woots! so happy! I guess I will end here...
"Sawadee Sawadee Sawadeekap! Chulalongkong University!"
Tuesday, October 24, 2006
This photo was taken at my house 4 years back. Everyone from my father's side came down for Chinese New Year visiting.

This picture was taken during my grandmother's 81st birthday. I remembered my uncle had this mini performance for her too. It was near christmas, so my uncle played the guitar and sang Christmas carols.

This was the last birthday celebration we had for our grandmother. I remembered that it was in the middle of my A levels and I had my Bio paper 3 the next day. That cute little girl there is my cousin.

Lastly, this is my family with my grandmother. Every family took turns to take a photo with my grandmother... haha...
Anyway, my grandmother was actually staying with my aunt since two years back. However, we know that she wanted to go back to her own house a lot even though she was very weak and all. So we decided to celebrate her birthday at her own house since it might be her last. I remembered a few days before my grandmother passed away, she was rather sad that she had to put up at my aunt's place as she felt that she is disturbing my aunt. She knows that we know that she wanted to go back to her own home a lot but she still chose to stay at my aunt's place as she did not want to trouble us. Oh well... it has been 8 months since my grandma passed away and I am still rather saddened that I wasn't able to see her for the last time (all thanks to asian aerospace, I was stucked in tekong till late afternoon...) I guess I will just have to move on. I really wish I can turn back time and apologise to her for all the trouble that I've caused her. How I wish I can see her again, that I can actually spend more time with her when I had the chance to. All the regrets now... sigh...
Therefore, note to all, "never ever learn from me... Never!"