//High & Low//
"There are 4 double promotions, and 2 people who failed."
At that moment, I was damn worried.
On the grading day itself, I did the pattern right, but there seemed to be something wrong with the way I clench my fist (and I do realise I clenched my fist wrongly that day). The judge was even pointing at me holding his fist, indicating the mistake in the way I clenched my fist. So I was sort of expecting him to ask me to re-do, but he did not, so it left me wondering, "Is that mistake so basic that he just failed me immediately, or is it so minor that he did not really care?"
Back to the annoucnment, so 2 poor souls failed, and I was very worried that it would be me. Afterall, it would mean 25 bucks wasted just like that. What's more, he told us that there are 4 double promotions and NO failure the week before, which is probably the reason why I only start freaking out right before the announcment.
4 names were announced, 3 guy and 1 girl got their double promotion, they stood up, everyone clapped. (which by the way is shocking in its own way too since he said all 4 double promos are guys).
"Now for the 2 who failed."
My heart was thumping like mad.
"Seah Kay Siong"....
Niiiiicee...I failed my grading. I raised my hand, not expecting him to ask me to stand like those 4 who got double promos, afterall, it was embarassing enough to fail already. The first thing that flashed through my mind is "25 bucks wasted..."
"Stand up larz...let everyone see your face"
Ok lor, fail already still wanna malu me somemore, that's really considerate, wonderful and nice of him...
I was really sad and disappointed about the results, but not really that surprised since I did think that there is a remote possiblity that people may fail despite what all the rest said. My mood was at a all time low....
The next name was read out, the poor guy felt that same way I do I guess from the way he reluctanly stood up.
"Aiyah, all 6 of you guys got double promotion larz"
In a matter of 5 seconds give or take, I went from failing to getting double promotions. If you want to know what a emotional roller coaster feels like, this is it.
I did not really get what he said at that moment cause I was too busy indulging in self-pity and saddness. My friends around me all started congratulating me and stuff, and I did not even smiled or show any signs of happiness about the good news, cause I wasn't really amused by the joke.
Am I happy about the double promotion? Of course! It would save me 25 bucks so why shound't I be?
But looking around, a lot of really good people with great kicks, good flexibility, huge passion and enthusiasm didn't get it. And I have none of those, I am neither passionate, enthusiastic or talented at it at all, but I admit I did have luck I guess. Afterall, the grading grades none of those, so being a yellow belt means nothing if you still can't kick well. Now things are expected, and I don't think I can live up to that expectations.
But seriously, I think my whinning about getting a double promotions would stop here...like my friends said, I should be happy about it rather than bitching about it. Let's see where this would take me...
Thursday, April 27, 2006
Sunday, April 23, 2006
Mahjong
//Mahjong//
I'm addicted.
During one of the game, I was building my first ever "qing yi se"...and my tiles had been very good right from the start, out of the 13 tiles, I had 9 tiles that were from the Bamboo suit...and Wilson just keep letting me chi his tiles...and I ended up these tiles...
The first 3 sets are given to me by Wilson, he let me pong that "1 shuo"...and chi a "7 shuo" and a "2 shuo"....then mitchell let me pong a "5 shuo" (I gave up my "gang" to build this qing yi se lor)
So as you can see, I've got 12 tiles already...so what I need is just that final pair to let me win...and the two tiles I had left are both from the Bamboo suit too....
So I have to discard one of this 2 tiles...and wait for the other tile to be discarded by the rest of them or hope that I zi mo in order to win....
So happily...I discared the "9 shuo" since there have already been 2 being discared earlier on...
KABOOM!
Mitchell chan HU!
Sadly, he is waiting for BOTH "6 shuo" and "9 shuo" so whatever tiles I discard...he will win...I guess the "qing yi se" just wasn't meant to be...
Stayover was interesting...somehow everlyn's living room is a good place to talk...lol...so the 4 of us (mitch wilson me n everlyn) just talked from 11+ to 1+...about all sorts of stuff....and it was relaxed and easy-going...
It feels good to just talk about whatever that comes to your mind...without worrying about how others will see you cause of what you said...cause it's really tiring to keep having to "think before you speak" so to speak...
I'm a very self-conscious person...I always worry about saying the wrong things at the wrong time...so I chose to keep quiet most of the time...and even when I speak...I filter my thoughts...which I guess everyone else does that too more or less...but with certain friends...I just let my inhibition down and talk freely from my heart...
I've got a couple of friends whom I think I'm really close with..from sjab...frm the class...that I wouldn't mind making a fool of myself in front of them...that I would tell them my inner most thoughts....but sometimes I wonder...would I still be in contact with them after we graduate...10 years later would be still be in touch...
I've popped this question to a couple of them recently...answers I got ranges from "Nah I don't think so" to "For a years maybe...10 years..it's hard to tell" to "let nature takes its course"....
I guess it's really impossible to tell now...I've got a feeling that I would lose contact almost immediately with some of them after graduation...but there are a couple that I really think the friendship will continue....will it?
Only time will tell...
I'm addicted.
During one of the game, I was building my first ever "qing yi se"...and my tiles had been very good right from the start, out of the 13 tiles, I had 9 tiles that were from the Bamboo suit...and Wilson just keep letting me chi his tiles...and I ended up these tiles...
The first 3 sets are given to me by Wilson, he let me pong that "1 shuo"...and chi a "7 shuo" and a "2 shuo"....then mitchell let me pong a "5 shuo" (I gave up my "gang" to build this qing yi se lor)
So as you can see, I've got 12 tiles already...so what I need is just that final pair to let me win...and the two tiles I had left are both from the Bamboo suit too....
So I have to discard one of this 2 tiles...and wait for the other tile to be discarded by the rest of them or hope that I zi mo in order to win....
So happily...I discared the "9 shuo" since there have already been 2 being discared earlier on...
KABOOM!
Mitchell chan HU!
Sadly, he is waiting for BOTH "6 shuo" and "9 shuo" so whatever tiles I discard...he will win...I guess the "qing yi se" just wasn't meant to be...
Stayover was interesting...somehow everlyn's living room is a good place to talk...lol...so the 4 of us (mitch wilson me n everlyn) just talked from 11+ to 1+...about all sorts of stuff....and it was relaxed and easy-going...
It feels good to just talk about whatever that comes to your mind...without worrying about how others will see you cause of what you said...cause it's really tiring to keep having to "think before you speak" so to speak...
I'm a very self-conscious person...I always worry about saying the wrong things at the wrong time...so I chose to keep quiet most of the time...and even when I speak...I filter my thoughts...which I guess everyone else does that too more or less...but with certain friends...I just let my inhibition down and talk freely from my heart...
I've got a couple of friends whom I think I'm really close with..from sjab...frm the class...that I wouldn't mind making a fool of myself in front of them...that I would tell them my inner most thoughts....but sometimes I wonder...would I still be in contact with them after we graduate...10 years later would be still be in touch...
I've popped this question to a couple of them recently...answers I got ranges from "Nah I don't think so" to "For a years maybe...10 years..it's hard to tell" to "let nature takes its course"....
I guess it's really impossible to tell now...I've got a feeling that I would lose contact almost immediately with some of them after graduation...but there are a couple that I really think the friendship will continue....will it?
Only time will tell...
Saturday, April 22, 2006
When I...
//When I...//
When I eat meat (or soy product)...I think of proteins...the beautiful 3D conformation of the proteins...and how the various proteases in my body will hydrolyse it into simple cute little amino acids...and then I think of how these amino acids will be coverted to enzymes or other useuful proteins in my body....ribosome comes to mind...since it synthesize proteins...rough ER comes to mind too...since it folds the proteins into its correct conformation....
When I eat bread or rice...I think of the carbohydrate polymers...starch....I wonder if it contains alpha 1-4 glycosidic bonds....then I think of how these polymers will be digested to simple glucose monomers...the glucose ring form...and the chain form comes to my mind...
When I run...I imagine all the fats in my body being converted to energy through aerobic respiration....bit by bit...I imagine the fats being digested off....I hate the fact that 1g of fats yields more energy than 1g of carbohydrates....
When I finish running...panting like mad...the oxygen debt curve comes to my mind....I think of how anaerobic respiration is taking place in my body...how much lactic acid is released...how I must breath in more to repay the oxygen debt....
When I cough and spit out green phlegm...I imagine lots of dead bacteria inside...I visualise how the white blood cells killed them and how much more disgusting harmful bacteria are still there inside my body causing my blocked nose/cough....
I need to get a life...
When I eat meat (or soy product)...I think of proteins...the beautiful 3D conformation of the proteins...and how the various proteases in my body will hydrolyse it into simple cute little amino acids...and then I think of how these amino acids will be coverted to enzymes or other useuful proteins in my body....ribosome comes to mind...since it synthesize proteins...rough ER comes to mind too...since it folds the proteins into its correct conformation....
When I eat bread or rice...I think of the carbohydrate polymers...starch....I wonder if it contains alpha 1-4 glycosidic bonds....then I think of how these polymers will be digested to simple glucose monomers...the glucose ring form...and the chain form comes to my mind...
When I run...I imagine all the fats in my body being converted to energy through aerobic respiration....bit by bit...I imagine the fats being digested off....I hate the fact that 1g of fats yields more energy than 1g of carbohydrates....
When I finish running...panting like mad...the oxygen debt curve comes to my mind....I think of how anaerobic respiration is taking place in my body...how much lactic acid is released...how I must breath in more to repay the oxygen debt....
When I cough and spit out green phlegm...I imagine lots of dead bacteria inside...I visualise how the white blood cells killed them and how much more disgusting harmful bacteria are still there inside my body causing my blocked nose/cough....
I need to get a life...
Monday, April 17, 2006
Temptation
//Temptation//
Temptation comes to all of us. Whether or not we succumb, depends on our ability to recognise its disguise. Sometimes it arrives in the form of an old flame, flickering back to life. Or a new friend, who could end up being so much more. Or a young child who wakens feelings we didn't know we had. And so, we give in to temptations, all the while knowing, come morning, we will have to suffer the consequences.
-Desperate Housewives
I was watching the latest episode of Desperate Housewives last night, and the show ended with this quote.
Let's rewind, last night I finally finish downloading the episode at around 12+...was deciding between watching the show and studying for the upcoming tests, and in the end, as usual, I succumb to the temptation and chose watching the show. I mean, in my secondary school life till now, I have never ever start studying for a test unless the test's tomorrow , so I guess it's not about to start, not such a tough choice to make afterall. So the first temptation I succumb to...
And as the show went on, I got progressively hungry...but the problem is I swear not to eat any junk food (or any food or that matter) after 10..and especially not at 12+ when I'm going to sleep. I've gotten much fatter and heavier over the holidays (a friggin' 7 kg can you believe?) Some of my pants don't fit anymore...so I die die must stop my bad habit of eating at such unearthly hour...
But...temptations are hard to resist...ice cream's in the freezer...dying to be eaten by me....I'm hungry....so it didn't take long for me to forget all about my attempt to slim down. What's more I've got this cough thing...that doesn't seem to get any better...but heck, I still ate that ice cream...and the most funny part is just as I was finishing the ice cream, the show ended with tha quote....such a fitting ending....that's the second temptation I succumb to...
Even right now...I shouldn't be using the computer...I would normally stay in school on Mondays to do my tutorials and stuff...and being the efficient worker that I'm...I've finish almost all the work that we had....except a few here and there....so I decided to come home earlier today...since it's pouring, the class bench is wet, not really suitable for studying for tests...
I intended to come home, and study at least a bit first before even touching the computer....but my self-discipline is really weak I guess...so here I am...
On a totally unrelated note, Napfa's today...did horribly...
Sit up - A (43)
Sit & Reach - A (50 cm)
Pull Up - D (3)
Shuttle Run - E (10.8)
Standing Broadjump - FAIL! (203 cm)
Argh...horrible grades...It's kind of malu-ating to post my lousy Napfa grades here, but nevermind, it will spur me to train harder for the re test!
Sit-ups, I finished my 43 with around 5-7 seconds to spare....sit & reach is ok too....Pull up is saddening...train so long liao still no improvement....cannot! I must be able to do at least 5! Shuttle run is expectedly bad, I never get past a D for shuttle run. And broadjump is the most depressing, jumped a lousy 203 cm, missing even the E grade by 3 damn cm. Even xinyi can jump 222 cm...I'm so bai lei....And it's absolutely NOT TRUE that people with long legs can run fast and jump far...Sylvia and I pretty much proves the theory otherwise....
Broadjump and shuttle run are my problems I guess...pull ups I can train...but broadjump and shuttlerun? I guess I can run more but jump more? Nevermind, I will try to improve this 2 by hook or by crook before the retest.
I am the only guy (and I believe only person) in the class to fail 5 items lor! Cannot cannot...die die must at least get a bronze this year and a silver next year! I don't want to be the first 06S71 guy to enlist in NS!
The first step would be to cut my weight and lose all the fats...seriously...and to do that, running 3 times a week wouldn't really help unless I stop with all the junk food eating....
Resist...must resist....
Temptation comes to all of us. Whether or not we succumb, depends on our ability to recognise its disguise. Sometimes it arrives in the form of an old flame, flickering back to life. Or a new friend, who could end up being so much more. Or a young child who wakens feelings we didn't know we had. And so, we give in to temptations, all the while knowing, come morning, we will have to suffer the consequences.
-Desperate Housewives
I was watching the latest episode of Desperate Housewives last night, and the show ended with this quote.
Let's rewind, last night I finally finish downloading the episode at around 12+...was deciding between watching the show and studying for the upcoming tests, and in the end, as usual, I succumb to the temptation and chose watching the show. I mean, in my secondary school life till now, I have never ever start studying for a test unless the test's tomorrow , so I guess it's not about to start, not such a tough choice to make afterall. So the first temptation I succumb to...
And as the show went on, I got progressively hungry...but the problem is I swear not to eat any junk food (or any food or that matter) after 10..and especially not at 12+ when I'm going to sleep. I've gotten much fatter and heavier over the holidays (a friggin' 7 kg can you believe?) Some of my pants don't fit anymore...so I die die must stop my bad habit of eating at such unearthly hour...
But...temptations are hard to resist...ice cream's in the freezer...dying to be eaten by me....I'm hungry....so it didn't take long for me to forget all about my attempt to slim down. What's more I've got this cough thing...that doesn't seem to get any better...but heck, I still ate that ice cream...and the most funny part is just as I was finishing the ice cream, the show ended with tha quote....such a fitting ending....that's the second temptation I succumb to...
Even right now...I shouldn't be using the computer...I would normally stay in school on Mondays to do my tutorials and stuff...and being the efficient worker that I'm...I've finish almost all the work that we had....except a few here and there....so I decided to come home earlier today...since it's pouring, the class bench is wet, not really suitable for studying for tests...
I intended to come home, and study at least a bit first before even touching the computer....but my self-discipline is really weak I guess...so here I am...
On a totally unrelated note, Napfa's today...did horribly...
Sit up - A (43)
Sit & Reach - A (50 cm)
Pull Up - D (3)
Shuttle Run - E (10.8)
Standing Broadjump - FAIL! (203 cm)
Argh...horrible grades...It's kind of malu-ating to post my lousy Napfa grades here, but nevermind, it will spur me to train harder for the re test!
Sit-ups, I finished my 43 with around 5-7 seconds to spare....sit & reach is ok too....Pull up is saddening...train so long liao still no improvement....cannot! I must be able to do at least 5! Shuttle run is expectedly bad, I never get past a D for shuttle run. And broadjump is the most depressing, jumped a lousy 203 cm, missing even the E grade by 3 damn cm. Even xinyi can jump 222 cm...I'm so bai lei....And it's absolutely NOT TRUE that people with long legs can run fast and jump far...Sylvia and I pretty much proves the theory otherwise....
Broadjump and shuttle run are my problems I guess...pull ups I can train...but broadjump and shuttlerun? I guess I can run more but jump more? Nevermind, I will try to improve this 2 by hook or by crook before the retest.
I am the only guy (and I believe only person) in the class to fail 5 items lor! Cannot cannot...die die must at least get a bronze this year and a silver next year! I don't want to be the first 06S71 guy to enlist in NS!
The first step would be to cut my weight and lose all the fats...seriously...and to do that, running 3 times a week wouldn't really help unless I stop with all the junk food eating....
Resist...must resist....
Saturday, April 15, 2006
St John
//St John//
I love squadmates (:
squadmates will never leave one another in the lurch whenever someone needs a helping hand.
squadmates are people who will stop with you if you fall.
squadmates are violently protective over you if someone tries to bully you.
squadmates become your mouthpiece if you are too drained to talk.
squadmates know what's on your mind without asking the obvious.
- Wong XinYi
So true...I've wanted to post this entry since the zone com...but have been quite preoccupied with other stuff...
Zone com was fun...cause unlike previous years where I'm either too bored to care (sec 1 and 2)...too nervous to have fun (sec 3 participating in the com itself)...or too critical about the com team's performance to enjoy myself (sec 4)....
But this time it's different...I really had fun laming around with the squad...I reached there around 5+ and given HQ and the zone's efficiency, of course the competition haven't ended, in fact it's far from being over...but it just feels good to be around with the squad...
After the zone com, the game TnT (truth and truth) we played at the concourse after our usual BK dinner was pretty "interesting" too...I don't think I would be comfortable enough to do the same with anyone else...lol...
The stayover at Kenneth's house on Thur was fun too....though we didn't talk much...but it didn't feel awkward at all...let's look at it this way...you are in the car with your family...you guys were not talking...but it doesn't feel awkward does it? I guess it's the same thing here...everyone is being real...and no one is being pretentious...and the fact is we can't be talking non stop all the time...
I remember last time I used to always get a free ride to Hougang on yc's dad's car...when we have stuff to talk about...we can't just keep talking...from the squad affairs to the happenings in our respective class....but there are times when we have absolutely nothing to talk about...that I would sleep the whole way or just stone...but there wasn't any awkward silence at all...
I really think SJAB defines my life in secondary school...forget about the class...forget about the academics...forget about the projects..the MRP....the only thing I might possibly remember about my secondary school life when I'm dying is probably SJAB...
And the funny thing is I dread every single training last time...I HATED the camps...I hated footdrills....I hated memorising the first aid manual...i hated the PTs...but I still love the squad (aww..so mushy)...I guess that's sort of what's pushing me to come training every week...I hardly pon any trainings...never pon any camps...I guess my dislike for those stuff we do makes my life in SJAB more memorable cause I'm sure most of my squad mates don't like doing those stuff too...but we went through it together anyway...
I will never forget all crazy stuff...the chao fan....the Poncho daytona...the running 12 rounds around the track in sjab uniform at 2pm in the afternoon....the comical st john song composed by minghao and irvin (if i am not wrong)....how terence, mw, yc and i would meet most of the time during recess in sec 1 n 2 and crap...esp when camp is coming we would discuss ideas how to get sick before the camp...so that we can pon it...lol...
Going from sec 1 and 2 to sec 3 was very different...joining the competition stretched me a lot in terms of technical stuff...footdrill...TOC...first aid...I remembered the zone com....we didn't perform up to standard...but we still won but it wasn't the same for the other team...it was a pretty sad day....if I remember correctly...4th April 2004...full of "4s"...the walk to Suntec from HQ is especially long...
National Comp was pressurising...lots were expected from us...my confidence level is a all time low after doing the footdrill...which was so badly screwed up...short case causes my confidence level to sink even lower...I mean I coudn't even diagnose hyperventilation at that time properly! TOC was shocking totally...transportation of casualty of the whole route without stretcher was a first for us...so 3 blows in a row....how to win like that? Then we went out and ace the last long case (which takes up 200 marks..which is half the total score)....that one long case is the one single best case I did for me...I'm totally fluent...no er er ar ar....CPR was pretty much the best I've done...I remembered to do all the stuff like check response etc....and we were fast! I must do say that's a easy case...but we've screwed up countless easy case too...
But at that point after finishing the whole competition, I didn't hold out much hopes...cause we've done too badly in the previous 3 items...and the time before announcement of results...it keeps occuring to me that after months and months of training...all the efforts are wasted...
Announcement of results...we did not win a single category...Best Footdrill, Best TOC, Best Short case, Best Long case, Best Leader...not a single one...hopes of getting into the top 3 was super super low....I mean at that time, we thought even if we can't win top 3, at least win a Best Something in one of the category...so when all the "Best Something" category was announced...I sinked into depression...the NCOs expected at least a Best Footdrill from us...and we didn't get it....and chances of top 3 seems impossible at that time since we didn't get the highest or top 2 in any categories...so I was starting to feel very depressed...
But just at that brief moment...they began to announce the top 3....starting with third...and when they announced "AA2" my brain stoned for a moment...I heard cheers from the spectators...my mind sort of blanked out at that moment...and after that moment, I couldn't stop grinning...It was like a roller coaster in that few seconds...it went from the Great Rfit Valley to Mt Everest in a matter of seconds...
To this day, it still makes me smile looking at the scores at that time...especially long case...we missed out the "Runner Up for Best long case" by a mere 0.7 marks, and we would have gotten it if not for my minor glitch in CPR...I got 39.5 marks....Best CPR was 44, second and third were both 40 and I got 39.5...so if I did not have that minor glitch...we would have gotten 1 more mark...and we would have gotten Runner up for long case...
NCO life isn't especially that enjoyable...I rmb lots of negative stuff...some arguments with the squad...lots of pressure from the teachers...and pressure from the expectations...tt we must maintain at least a third in national com...a gold in caa...but it stretched me in lots of ways too...
The proudest moment as a NCO I guessed...was when the com team got the National Champs in the National Competition...with them sweeping the best footdrill, best short case and best leader. I felt that I manage to contribute a bit to their win...I manage to pass on what I've learnt to the next batch of NCOs...although the sucess is still mainly theirs cause they must rise to the ocassion too...
St John has pushed me to do lots of stuff that I never thought I would and could do...I mean the only friends I ever quarelled with are all from St John...first time with yc in sec 1 over some coins kena stuck in arcade machine kind of lame shit.....then with jeremy over so many stuff...and with terence over lots of stuff too....
We never had the toughest training...or the most sadist punishment compared to other CCA like NCC....but for me...SJAB has left a real deep impact on me...I've made a few really close friends in SJAB...and a whole bunch of great friends...there are so much I wanna say....that I don't even know where to begin or end...I don't think I would ever get the same experience from my cca in JC now...may the squad spirit lives on!!!
*seriously..some of the stuff that i've typed are very mushy i thought...but when it comes to this subject...I'm really at a loss of words...and this is the best I could do to express myself...
Here are some photos from the sec 1 Dec St John camp...
Lol...such lousy pumping....
OMG! Rui Yang is flying!
Terence Heng, your basic TOC SUCKS!
Minghao, why was your shirt tucked in? Kai Herng, you were short and fat! Lol...Sheng jia!! Lol..haven see you for so long..and the first pic I saw of you is when you were sec 1...and the scary thing is I think I still look the same! except I'm fatter now...
Lol...I thought nite trail supposed to be solo?
Morning PT...
Quack Quack Quack...
Frog jump!
I believe I can fly...I believe I can touch the sky..
YONG WANG ZHI QIAN! Our flag rocks!
Who can forget the no bubbles water bottle...and the many many standardised items on the table.
St John camp is all about sleep depreivation and starvation...
Off to hike to Yishun at 4am!
So we walked in the dark...
...and walked till the sun comes out...
..and we still continued walking...
..and walking...
..stopping for breakfast at Bishan park...
..and still walking...Jeremy! Irvin! Soon Swee! Rui yang! Kenneth! Minghao! Weiqin! we all looked so different...lol....
I love squadmates (:
squadmates will never leave one another in the lurch whenever someone needs a helping hand.
squadmates are people who will stop with you if you fall.
squadmates are violently protective over you if someone tries to bully you.
squadmates become your mouthpiece if you are too drained to talk.
squadmates know what's on your mind without asking the obvious.
- Wong XinYi
So true...I've wanted to post this entry since the zone com...but have been quite preoccupied with other stuff...
Zone com was fun...cause unlike previous years where I'm either too bored to care (sec 1 and 2)...too nervous to have fun (sec 3 participating in the com itself)...or too critical about the com team's performance to enjoy myself (sec 4)....
But this time it's different...I really had fun laming around with the squad...I reached there around 5+ and given HQ and the zone's efficiency, of course the competition haven't ended, in fact it's far from being over...but it just feels good to be around with the squad...
After the zone com, the game TnT (truth and truth) we played at the concourse after our usual BK dinner was pretty "interesting" too...I don't think I would be comfortable enough to do the same with anyone else...lol...
The stayover at Kenneth's house on Thur was fun too....though we didn't talk much...but it didn't feel awkward at all...let's look at it this way...you are in the car with your family...you guys were not talking...but it doesn't feel awkward does it? I guess it's the same thing here...everyone is being real...and no one is being pretentious...and the fact is we can't be talking non stop all the time...
I remember last time I used to always get a free ride to Hougang on yc's dad's car...when we have stuff to talk about...we can't just keep talking...from the squad affairs to the happenings in our respective class....but there are times when we have absolutely nothing to talk about...that I would sleep the whole way or just stone...but there wasn't any awkward silence at all...
I really think SJAB defines my life in secondary school...forget about the class...forget about the academics...forget about the projects..the MRP....the only thing I might possibly remember about my secondary school life when I'm dying is probably SJAB...
And the funny thing is I dread every single training last time...I HATED the camps...I hated footdrills....I hated memorising the first aid manual...i hated the PTs...but I still love the squad (aww..so mushy)...I guess that's sort of what's pushing me to come training every week...I hardly pon any trainings...never pon any camps...I guess my dislike for those stuff we do makes my life in SJAB more memorable cause I'm sure most of my squad mates don't like doing those stuff too...but we went through it together anyway...
I will never forget all crazy stuff...the chao fan....the Poncho daytona...the running 12 rounds around the track in sjab uniform at 2pm in the afternoon....the comical st john song composed by minghao and irvin (if i am not wrong)....how terence, mw, yc and i would meet most of the time during recess in sec 1 n 2 and crap...esp when camp is coming we would discuss ideas how to get sick before the camp...so that we can pon it...lol...
Going from sec 1 and 2 to sec 3 was very different...joining the competition stretched me a lot in terms of technical stuff...footdrill...TOC...first aid...I remembered the zone com....we didn't perform up to standard...but we still won but it wasn't the same for the other team...it was a pretty sad day....if I remember correctly...4th April 2004...full of "4s"...the walk to Suntec from HQ is especially long...
National Comp was pressurising...lots were expected from us...my confidence level is a all time low after doing the footdrill...which was so badly screwed up...short case causes my confidence level to sink even lower...I mean I coudn't even diagnose hyperventilation at that time properly! TOC was shocking totally...transportation of casualty of the whole route without stretcher was a first for us...so 3 blows in a row....how to win like that? Then we went out and ace the last long case (which takes up 200 marks..which is half the total score)....that one long case is the one single best case I did for me...I'm totally fluent...no er er ar ar....CPR was pretty much the best I've done...I remembered to do all the stuff like check response etc....and we were fast! I must do say that's a easy case...but we've screwed up countless easy case too...
But at that point after finishing the whole competition, I didn't hold out much hopes...cause we've done too badly in the previous 3 items...and the time before announcement of results...it keeps occuring to me that after months and months of training...all the efforts are wasted...
Announcement of results...we did not win a single category...Best Footdrill, Best TOC, Best Short case, Best Long case, Best Leader...not a single one...hopes of getting into the top 3 was super super low....I mean at that time, we thought even if we can't win top 3, at least win a Best Something in one of the category...so when all the "Best Something" category was announced...I sinked into depression...the NCOs expected at least a Best Footdrill from us...and we didn't get it....and chances of top 3 seems impossible at that time since we didn't get the highest or top 2 in any categories...so I was starting to feel very depressed...
But just at that brief moment...they began to announce the top 3....starting with third...and when they announced "AA2" my brain stoned for a moment...I heard cheers from the spectators...my mind sort of blanked out at that moment...and after that moment, I couldn't stop grinning...It was like a roller coaster in that few seconds...it went from the Great Rfit Valley to Mt Everest in a matter of seconds...
To this day, it still makes me smile looking at the scores at that time...especially long case...we missed out the "Runner Up for Best long case" by a mere 0.7 marks, and we would have gotten it if not for my minor glitch in CPR...I got 39.5 marks....Best CPR was 44, second and third were both 40 and I got 39.5...so if I did not have that minor glitch...we would have gotten 1 more mark...and we would have gotten Runner up for long case...
NCO life isn't especially that enjoyable...I rmb lots of negative stuff...some arguments with the squad...lots of pressure from the teachers...and pressure from the expectations...tt we must maintain at least a third in national com...a gold in caa...but it stretched me in lots of ways too...
The proudest moment as a NCO I guessed...was when the com team got the National Champs in the National Competition...with them sweeping the best footdrill, best short case and best leader. I felt that I manage to contribute a bit to their win...I manage to pass on what I've learnt to the next batch of NCOs...although the sucess is still mainly theirs cause they must rise to the ocassion too...
St John has pushed me to do lots of stuff that I never thought I would and could do...I mean the only friends I ever quarelled with are all from St John...first time with yc in sec 1 over some coins kena stuck in arcade machine kind of lame shit.....then with jeremy over so many stuff...and with terence over lots of stuff too....
We never had the toughest training...or the most sadist punishment compared to other CCA like NCC....but for me...SJAB has left a real deep impact on me...I've made a few really close friends in SJAB...and a whole bunch of great friends...there are so much I wanna say....that I don't even know where to begin or end...I don't think I would ever get the same experience from my cca in JC now...may the squad spirit lives on!!!
*seriously..some of the stuff that i've typed are very mushy i thought...but when it comes to this subject...I'm really at a loss of words...and this is the best I could do to express myself...
Here are some photos from the sec 1 Dec St John camp...
Lol...such lousy pumping....
OMG! Rui Yang is flying!
Terence Heng, your basic TOC SUCKS!
Minghao, why was your shirt tucked in? Kai Herng, you were short and fat! Lol...Sheng jia!! Lol..haven see you for so long..and the first pic I saw of you is when you were sec 1...and the scary thing is I think I still look the same! except I'm fatter now...
Lol...I thought nite trail supposed to be solo?
Morning PT...
Quack Quack Quack...
Frog jump!
I believe I can fly...I believe I can touch the sky..
YONG WANG ZHI QIAN! Our flag rocks!
Who can forget the no bubbles water bottle...and the many many standardised items on the table.
St John camp is all about sleep depreivation and starvation...
Off to hike to Yishun at 4am!
So we walked in the dark...
...and walked till the sun comes out...
..and we still continued walking...
..and walking...
..stopping for breakfast at Bishan park...
..and still walking...Jeremy! Irvin! Soon Swee! Rui yang! Kenneth! Minghao! Weiqin! we all looked so different...lol....
Sunday, April 09, 2006
Campus Superstar
//Campus Superstar//
Yea I was a bit lag....wanted to post this since the finale last sunday...but never really have the urge to blog...so here it is now...
Just caught parts of the finale of Campus Superstar on TV just now during its second telecast...yea..Chee Yang won (I still prefer calling him Chee Yang than Zhi Yang)...I'm a bit shocked...not that he don't deserve it cause he is one of the better singers in the competition in my opinion...I'm just shocked cause I didn't expect him to beat Refrend in terms of vote (which he turns out he didn't, he beat Refrend in terms of score, which help his overall percentage)...but he still beat Refrend nevertheless...so yea I was shocked...in fact I didn't really expect him to go that far...cause I didn't really think Hwa Chong people would be that supportive, but you never know, maybe majority of his votes are from the general public? But nevertheless, he won...I'm happy for him...he deserved it...
But what really shocked me more is my parents' reaction throughout the finale...they were like so so excited and nervous during the whole show...so scared that Chee Yang would get eliminated, right after the first round which they showed Refrend leading in votes...they were like "Ay! Go vote a few votes for him lerz"...and my parents are the type that are "Ay..you better don't waste your money voting ok...Mediacorp cheat money one..." normally, be it Singapore Idol, Project Superstar or any other shows that require voting...so Mediacorp finally managed to "con" my parents to vote...(but they didn't in the end larz)...cause we all don't know the number...by the time we know..voting is over...
And when it's announced that Chee Yang is in instead of Refrend...my parents were will clapping and cheering....lol...omg! How come?!?! What was I doing? Ok..I was nervous for him too....but I was doing my Bio SPA A worksheet or something...when it was announced that he was in...I was happy at the moment...then I proceed on to do my SPA A worksheet....
At the end, when the overall winner is announced...you can imagine the reactions of my parents...I need not elaborate...I was delighted that he won...I mean he's from Hwa Chong, I'm from Hwa Chong...so of course I'm delighted...and it's kind of weird...to have a schoolmate being the first Campus Superstar, cause it's like you see him in school (since his class bench is next to my class's)......and it's just so different than what you see on the TV...while I was happy...my reaction wasn't really as big as my parents...who were so so excited...I hardly saw them feeling so excited in my life...
And from what I gathered...my parent's aren't the only ones behaving "abnormally" during that finale night...Jason's and Mitchell's parents too...what's up with all our parents huh?
Went KBox with pauline cheryl everlyn wilson yesterday...just discovered 2 more girls in the class who can sing...lol...it's like Pauline sang...Cheryl sung....ownage...then me and wilson...noobs...then everlyn...ownage again....everytime just go kbox to listen to them sing can liaoz larz...
and why the hell didn't they go participate in Hwa Chong Idol....they can surely beat that "My Heart Will Go On" girl and that "Knock Knock Knock on Heaven's Door" girl...in fact they are better than all the guys that sung on the day too...(sorry..I don't really like the eventual hwa chong idol..and most other guys..)...but it may be kind of hard for them to get that far larz...cause the eventual representatives of Apollo are Meiling and Jingkai...the former which I think can sing very well and should have won...the latter which somehow a lot of people think can see but I don't like...
Anyway...I just want to clarify something...maybe it's just me and they really feel this way...but some of my classmates looked rather suprised and asked "You all going KBox huh??" when they knew about it and I sort of felt quite bad at that moment cause we didn't ask them along......well actually...at first only wilson and everlyn tio the unlucky lots in the lucky draw...so they have to come...and at that time, sign up time for sabbats is still 7am...so I decided to come for the science synposium that day since I have to wake up early anyway...then the 3 of us can go out...cause I have not gone out for a long long time....and at that point...we haven't decided where to go or what to do...
So on fri...we decided to go KBox...and most of the class isn't that interested as seen from the previous outing...plus at that point..we also didn't really know who else are going for the synposium and it's kind of ma fan to go around asking and stuff...so we decided to just keep it simple...3 people easier to manage...then later Pauline and Cheryl heard about it so they joined us...
So we didn't really purposely choose to tell certain people and and choose not to tell some other...since it was meant to be a really simple kbox outing in the first place...
But as Pauline said...next time we should get more people to come...cause singing duets is so fun!!! Lol...after like 4 years in guys sch..and only going to KBox with guys...it gets pretty boring...suddenly with girls around...no matter what songs they sing...it seems so high...lol...and I realised it's the same thing for them (all 3 of them are from girls school)...so it's kind of hard for them to find guys to sing duets with....but I guess a girl-girl pair singing a guy-girl song will sound infinitely better than a guy-guy pair singing a guy-girl song...
Anyway...I think I did something wrong for TKD grading just now...after the pattern..the judge was pointing at me and doing some weird thing with his fist (something wrong with the way I clench my fist??)...so I thought "Shit, I need to redo the pattern"...but no it didn't happen...at that brief moment..I was relieved...cause I need not redo...but after that brief moment....I thought "What if I failed...what if that fist clenching is such a basic mistake that the judge just failed me straight away without letting me re-do?" Well..it could also be that the mistake is so minor that doesn't require re-doing the pattern....I won't know till 2 weeks later....but 1 thing for sure....no double promotion...not that I haboured any hope in the first place since my kicking is bad cause of my inflexibility...
Another week has come and gone...and to my horror...it's week 4 already!! 2 more weeks to Napfa....and 1 more week to the "Week Of Many Tests"....still haven't figure out Series and Sequence for Maths yet...still haven't break the 5 pull-ups and 220cm broad jump barrier...
Yea I was a bit lag....wanted to post this since the finale last sunday...but never really have the urge to blog...so here it is now...
Just caught parts of the finale of Campus Superstar on TV just now during its second telecast...yea..Chee Yang won (I still prefer calling him Chee Yang than Zhi Yang)...I'm a bit shocked...not that he don't deserve it cause he is one of the better singers in the competition in my opinion...I'm just shocked cause I didn't expect him to beat Refrend in terms of vote (which he turns out he didn't, he beat Refrend in terms of score, which help his overall percentage)...but he still beat Refrend nevertheless...so yea I was shocked...in fact I didn't really expect him to go that far...cause I didn't really think Hwa Chong people would be that supportive, but you never know, maybe majority of his votes are from the general public? But nevertheless, he won...I'm happy for him...he deserved it...
But what really shocked me more is my parents' reaction throughout the finale...they were like so so excited and nervous during the whole show...so scared that Chee Yang would get eliminated, right after the first round which they showed Refrend leading in votes...they were like "Ay! Go vote a few votes for him lerz"...and my parents are the type that are "Ay..you better don't waste your money voting ok...Mediacorp cheat money one..." normally, be it Singapore Idol, Project Superstar or any other shows that require voting...so Mediacorp finally managed to "con" my parents to vote...(but they didn't in the end larz)...cause we all don't know the number...by the time we know..voting is over...
And when it's announced that Chee Yang is in instead of Refrend...my parents were will clapping and cheering....lol...omg! How come?!?! What was I doing? Ok..I was nervous for him too....but I was doing my Bio SPA A worksheet or something...when it was announced that he was in...I was happy at the moment...then I proceed on to do my SPA A worksheet....
At the end, when the overall winner is announced...you can imagine the reactions of my parents...I need not elaborate...I was delighted that he won...I mean he's from Hwa Chong, I'm from Hwa Chong...so of course I'm delighted...and it's kind of weird...to have a schoolmate being the first Campus Superstar, cause it's like you see him in school (since his class bench is next to my class's)......and it's just so different than what you see on the TV...while I was happy...my reaction wasn't really as big as my parents...who were so so excited...I hardly saw them feeling so excited in my life...
And from what I gathered...my parent's aren't the only ones behaving "abnormally" during that finale night...Jason's and Mitchell's parents too...what's up with all our parents huh?
Went KBox with pauline cheryl everlyn wilson yesterday...just discovered 2 more girls in the class who can sing...lol...it's like Pauline sang...Cheryl sung....ownage...then me and wilson...noobs...then everlyn...ownage again....everytime just go kbox to listen to them sing can liaoz larz...
and why the hell didn't they go participate in Hwa Chong Idol....they can surely beat that "My Heart Will Go On" girl and that "Knock Knock Knock on Heaven's Door" girl...in fact they are better than all the guys that sung on the day too...(sorry..I don't really like the eventual hwa chong idol..and most other guys..)...but it may be kind of hard for them to get that far larz...cause the eventual representatives of Apollo are Meiling and Jingkai...the former which I think can sing very well and should have won...the latter which somehow a lot of people think can see but I don't like...
Anyway...I just want to clarify something...maybe it's just me and they really feel this way...but some of my classmates looked rather suprised and asked "You all going KBox huh??" when they knew about it and I sort of felt quite bad at that moment cause we didn't ask them along......well actually...at first only wilson and everlyn tio the unlucky lots in the lucky draw...so they have to come...and at that time, sign up time for sabbats is still 7am...so I decided to come for the science synposium that day since I have to wake up early anyway...then the 3 of us can go out...cause I have not gone out for a long long time....and at that point...we haven't decided where to go or what to do...
So on fri...we decided to go KBox...and most of the class isn't that interested as seen from the previous outing...plus at that point..we also didn't really know who else are going for the synposium and it's kind of ma fan to go around asking and stuff...so we decided to just keep it simple...3 people easier to manage...then later Pauline and Cheryl heard about it so they joined us...
So we didn't really purposely choose to tell certain people and and choose not to tell some other...since it was meant to be a really simple kbox outing in the first place...
But as Pauline said...next time we should get more people to come...cause singing duets is so fun!!! Lol...after like 4 years in guys sch..and only going to KBox with guys...it gets pretty boring...suddenly with girls around...no matter what songs they sing...it seems so high...lol...and I realised it's the same thing for them (all 3 of them are from girls school)...so it's kind of hard for them to find guys to sing duets with....but I guess a girl-girl pair singing a guy-girl song will sound infinitely better than a guy-guy pair singing a guy-girl song...
Anyway...I think I did something wrong for TKD grading just now...after the pattern..the judge was pointing at me and doing some weird thing with his fist (something wrong with the way I clench my fist??)...so I thought "Shit, I need to redo the pattern"...but no it didn't happen...at that brief moment..I was relieved...cause I need not redo...but after that brief moment....I thought "What if I failed...what if that fist clenching is such a basic mistake that the judge just failed me straight away without letting me re-do?" Well..it could also be that the mistake is so minor that doesn't require re-doing the pattern....I won't know till 2 weeks later....but 1 thing for sure....no double promotion...not that I haboured any hope in the first place since my kicking is bad cause of my inflexibility...
Another week has come and gone...and to my horror...it's week 4 already!! 2 more weeks to Napfa....and 1 more week to the "Week Of Many Tests"....still haven't figure out Series and Sequence for Maths yet...still haven't break the 5 pull-ups and 220cm broad jump barrier...
Tuesday, April 04, 2006
4th April
//4th April//
Today is the 4th Of April.
Yesterday, I finally manage to get hold of the book "1984", and yesterday night after 12am, I started reading it...which means it is effectively 4th April already...and I was reading and reading...and there was this part..Winston's secret diary entry...and as you know, a diary entry will start with the date...and guess what's the date?
"April 4th. 1984"
How fitting to start reading the book on 4th April for me...it's kind of freaky actually...there are 365 days a year and the probability of me starting to read "1984" on the same day as the first diary entry is 1/365...and coincidentally I got it...
And I realised I have difficulty in falling asleep...I need some "pre-bedtime" activity in order for me to fall asleep...meaning I need to at least watch a show (be it Charmed, Desperate Housewives, Lost or any other shows/movies I downloaded)...or read a book....or something before I can fall asleep...if not..I guess I just need something to stimulate my mind before I sleep? Lol...
The most absurb part is if I don't do any of those mentioned above...I need to have some undone work left on the table in order for me to fall asleep...weird right? I like to go lie down while doing my work...to "rest" for a while...but actually in my mind I know I for sure will fall asleep...yet I choose to go "rest" with my stuff all over the bed and table...cause I know this is the best way to help me fall asleep...if I finish all my stuff...packed them nicely and neatly..then I proceed to sleep...I will toss and turn for a long time before falling asleep...
The best way to help me fall asleep is to hold notes in my hands...lie in my bed and "study" for the test....and halfway through studying...I will doze off...and I will wake up the next morning feeling so damn screwed...but history keeps repeating itself...there was even once...I looked at my time table before I proceed to lie down to study my test....and I realised I got quite some breaks before the test...so I just happily proceed to lie down to "study" and after reading a couple of pages...I happily and willingly let myself fall asleep while holding the notes in my hand...let's say I didn't do that, I just packed my bag and go to sleep...I am sure I will toss and turn...feeling very much awake....
I guess I just need to let my mind thinks that "Hey I've done something...I deserve to sleep now" as opposed to "Ooi! You haven't stay for your test yet...slacker..get up n study!"...
Speaking of test...I managed to pass my Bio test! Which is like totally unexpected! Lol...I asked around...the classes that I know of all have only 1 or 2 people who pass...so I was expecting the same for the class...and obviously I won't the one right...so of course I was pretty damn surprised to see a passing grade...it's an "E" though...1 mark away from a "D"...but who cares...I am happy as long as I passed...
Bio and Maths test in a few weeks time...plus Bip and Chem SPA too....a couple of my friends are feeling damn stressed and worried...but I'm feeling like nothing? Lol...maybe it's due to the fact that I totally cannot comprehend maths...thus I don't feel the anxiety and stress? FYI...I am still in the process of understanding Sequences...so far...I am at the stage of understanding what's "u1 u2" and stuff...understanding sigma notations is one of my study plan in the distant future...oh....and for Inequalities tutorial...I still could not do 90% of the questions despite going through in class....
I cannot believe how hopeless I am in Maths....
There's actually a lot of stuff I wanna blog about...St John Zone Competition...reminiscing about the old times in st john, Campus Superstar and the weird behaviour exhibited by my parents while watching the show....but I just lack the motivation to blog about it right now...I prefer to blog when I'm feeling extremely happy/sad....or there's another time when I love to blog...when I'm bored....and I just don't feel inspired enough this couple of days to write...
3 hours of Council Q&A tomorrow....3 hours of my life wasted away again...
Today is the 4th Of April.
Yesterday, I finally manage to get hold of the book "1984", and yesterday night after 12am, I started reading it...which means it is effectively 4th April already...and I was reading and reading...and there was this part..Winston's secret diary entry...and as you know, a diary entry will start with the date...and guess what's the date?
"April 4th. 1984"
How fitting to start reading the book on 4th April for me...it's kind of freaky actually...there are 365 days a year and the probability of me starting to read "1984" on the same day as the first diary entry is 1/365...and coincidentally I got it...
And I realised I have difficulty in falling asleep...I need some "pre-bedtime" activity in order for me to fall asleep...meaning I need to at least watch a show (be it Charmed, Desperate Housewives, Lost or any other shows/movies I downloaded)...or read a book....or something before I can fall asleep...if not..I guess I just need something to stimulate my mind before I sleep? Lol...
The most absurb part is if I don't do any of those mentioned above...I need to have some undone work left on the table in order for me to fall asleep...weird right? I like to go lie down while doing my work...to "rest" for a while...but actually in my mind I know I for sure will fall asleep...yet I choose to go "rest" with my stuff all over the bed and table...cause I know this is the best way to help me fall asleep...if I finish all my stuff...packed them nicely and neatly..then I proceed to sleep...I will toss and turn for a long time before falling asleep...
The best way to help me fall asleep is to hold notes in my hands...lie in my bed and "study" for the test....and halfway through studying...I will doze off...and I will wake up the next morning feeling so damn screwed...but history keeps repeating itself...there was even once...I looked at my time table before I proceed to lie down to study my test....and I realised I got quite some breaks before the test...so I just happily proceed to lie down to "study" and after reading a couple of pages...I happily and willingly let myself fall asleep while holding the notes in my hand...let's say I didn't do that, I just packed my bag and go to sleep...I am sure I will toss and turn...feeling very much awake....
I guess I just need to let my mind thinks that "Hey I've done something...I deserve to sleep now" as opposed to "Ooi! You haven't stay for your test yet...slacker..get up n study!"...
Speaking of test...I managed to pass my Bio test! Which is like totally unexpected! Lol...I asked around...the classes that I know of all have only 1 or 2 people who pass...so I was expecting the same for the class...and obviously I won't the one right...so of course I was pretty damn surprised to see a passing grade...it's an "E" though...1 mark away from a "D"...but who cares...I am happy as long as I passed...
Bio and Maths test in a few weeks time...plus Bip and Chem SPA too....a couple of my friends are feeling damn stressed and worried...but I'm feeling like nothing? Lol...maybe it's due to the fact that I totally cannot comprehend maths...thus I don't feel the anxiety and stress? FYI...I am still in the process of understanding Sequences...so far...I am at the stage of understanding what's "u1 u2" and stuff...understanding sigma notations is one of my study plan in the distant future...oh....and for Inequalities tutorial...I still could not do 90% of the questions despite going through in class....
I cannot believe how hopeless I am in Maths....
There's actually a lot of stuff I wanna blog about...St John Zone Competition...reminiscing about the old times in st john, Campus Superstar and the weird behaviour exhibited by my parents while watching the show....but I just lack the motivation to blog about it right now...I prefer to blog when I'm feeling extremely happy/sad....or there's another time when I love to blog...when I'm bored....and I just don't feel inspired enough this couple of days to write...
3 hours of Council Q&A tomorrow....3 hours of my life wasted away again...
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)