Counting the blessings of the year gone by - Reflections on 2006

It's only apt and appropriate for me on this last day of 2006 to reflect on the year gone by...to take a little time before ushering in the new year 2007 to really sit down and write on the events which has happened in this landmark year of my life...which will come to eventually shape the person that i am gonna be...and come to alter my mindset...my personal outlook and philsophy on life...my attitude and my mentality to pple and things ard me...and of coz the things and values that really matters in life...

2006...what a year for me really...the year that defines my life literally...the year which I have come to seek solace in God and accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as my Saviour...Who died on the Cross for all our sins...the year i have found direction in life...the year which saw me travelling almost half the globe away...to places i can only dream of not too long ago...to a totally foreign land so far and so long away from home for the very 1st time in my life...and of coz the year which saw me came this close to death...which totally woke me up and realised juz how fragile life can be...juz how close i came to losing my loved ones and come to treasure most...

the year 2006 could not have come to a more "happening" start with 3 lonely lads mamboing the nite away at expo and spending the 1st hours of the year camping outside the mrt waiting for the 1st train...hahaha...but now one yr on...reduced to 2 lonely lads for my bro ken has found that special someone to spend the 1st hours of the new year and beyond...bro i wish u and cheryl happiness and may the 2 of u always be happy and blissful in each other's company :)

den come no doubt one of the most xiong academic sem i undertook...which saw me challenging myself to handle the equivalent of 7 mods in one sem...glad i pulled thru eventually and gave a decent account of my grades...and of coz Vortigern Entertainment lives on!! muz tell genting to give us a share of their profits lah...we came up with the universal studios idea first k...haha

and off i fly with ken to the american outback barely a few days aft the exams...the experience of a lifetime...the things i saw...the experience i had will stay on etched at the back of my memories for a long long time...the 3 months no doubt gave me a good taste of how it feels like to take care of myself in a faraway country...how to live with one another...work with one another and take care of another...a diff and refreshing experience from the army...and also working and living in a totally new culture and new environment...the cities i have visited...the beautiful scenery and natural creations of God i have witnessed...and of coz the morbid encounter with death...really once a lifetime kind of experience to sum up the whole WAT programme...the summer of 2006...the summer of a lifetime...hee

came back still feelin the aft effects and repercussions of the accident...still pondering abt life and death issues when genie extended an invitation to his church for an evangelistic meeting...and aft a few more gospel meetings...readings of the Bible...came to find my answers in Chirst...muz thank genie once again for building the bridge to rekindle my faith in Chirst again...and the relationship with God is the most important one which one could ever have in his or her lifetime...and i hope thru regular church attendance and reading of the Bible...i will be able to build up my faith and be a better servant and follower of God...

den of coz midway thru the sem when sembcorp came down for a career talk and opened up applications for scholarships which i gamely applied...with an attitude of "no harm trying" & "got den good...dun have also nvm"...it's really a pleasant and wonderful surprise that they r offering me this opportunity thru the scholarship...though it's juz a 2 year bond...i most probly will extend on for aft this 4 weeks of internship...i have come to love and relish the nature and challenges of the job...i really hope to feel that sense and level of accomplishment when u see ur project completed one day...and see ur structure be it a rig or floating structure standing tall...that day will come soon i hope...hee

andden not forgetting the best ever sem i have recorded thus far...if someone tell me at the start of the year that i will be standing at the brink of dean's list...i will ask the person go fly kite...but now the reality is really this...haha...absolutely happy with my grades and now give me much needed confidence to deal with the technically more difficult and advanced mods...

And of coz if anyone tells me i will have such a year at the beginning of 2006...i will really find it hard to believe...i'm realising my dreams one by one...and all these are the blessings by God given to me as i recount each and everyone of them...all these would not have been possible if God has not been there to watch over and guide me thru this life-defining year of 2006...2006...what a year for me really...

Looking to the new year - Resolutions for 2007

2007 is merely hours away as i am typing this...a brand new year comes with it equally brand new resolutions...for this coming new year...i pray for my family...i pray for each of them...Pa, Mummy, Hong & Ying to stay healthy and happy...and that we will continue to learn to love and cherish one another as a family...i pray for my friens...i pray that wherever they are...whatever they r doing...i pray for each and everyone of them...to be happy and fufilled be it their career or studies...i pray for the world...i pray for less wars...less pollution...less global warming...less natural disasters...less virus outbreaks...and that this world will actually come to live in peace and harmony in God's name one day...

and of coz for myself...i pray that i will continue to learn to be a better servant and follower of God...a better son to my parents...a better brother to my sisters...a better friend to my friends...a better student in my studies...i pray in this coming year...that i will continue to gain spiritually, mentally, socially and physically and be a wiser and more mature young adult...next year is the year of the pig...my chinese zodiac year...wah koaz...really old liao...haha

Final Blog Entry

As mentioned this will be my last blogging entry not only for the year...but also for my blogging journey...bringing to an end my 8 months of blogging activity...so friens dun waste time coming here liao...haha...i have really enjoyed my time blogging...abt my days in US and my sem in sch...sharing my life with friens and maybe strangers alike...good times and bad times...and blogging has really been a good avenue to thrash out my fustrations and unhappiness at times too...especially during the stressful semester...haha...would like to again apologise for my sometimes offensive words i have used...so if i have offended anybody (maybe the person offended also not reading liao...haha)...i would like to say a BIG "Sorry"...and also if i come across as too insensitive or even arrogant i.e. haolian at times...would like to ask for ur forgiveness too...i dun mean to be like that...i juz wanna to share my joy with friens...no ill meaning whatsoever...so paiseh ah...

I am glad i have captured like almost 2/3 of my landmark year in this blog...probly a good reading companion when i old nxt time...haha...but also come to realise blogging can be such a double-edged sword...u never know who's gonna read the crap u write (am i right denise? haha)...and maybe not used to it anymore to reveal details of my life so openly...i also dunno how to be discreet sometimes...haha...so i guess good time to stop blogging...maybe at least for now...who knows skarly i start blogging again tomolo...lol...juz joking...even if i do it will be a private blog...or maybe the nxt time i go for a long holiday like WAT (when will it be ah??)...whatever it is...thank you all for reading my lame blog...and bearing with the nonsense i wrote...it's been fun sharing but everything's gonna stop one day eventually...hee

With this...i wish all my readers whoever u r wherever u may be a Happy New Year!! May u have a fruitful and happening year ahead!! God Bless

Signing off...
Leon Low Kok Ming
31st December 2006

Results out on tues!! tahan the whole day never check at the office even though i could have done so using mike's com...purposely dun wanna use the sms service which the sch has provided for more speedy transmission of results (internet connection ain't that reliable these days aftall)...and got home almost 7 hours aft the release of the results at 8pm...and i could not have asked for better den wad i saw the moment i clicked "Login" on the screen...

WAH KOAZ!! I can't believe what i am seeing...the grades on the screen...are they mine?? for a while i was stumped for seconds...before letting out an uncontrollable shout of joy which saw Pa streaming into my room to find out what's going on...his son siao or wad...haha...without a doubt it's my Best Sem thus far...aft breaking last sem's record high...clocked an unprecedented SAP of 4.3!!! I am really very pleased and very satisfied with my results...1st time see so many As under my name on the screen...hahaha...really happy that one sem of hard work has actually paid off...was pleasantly surprised with the A for Gen Bio...and in the end manage to salvage a B for geotech aftall...wheeew...seriously another MA1506...the exact "chui" feeling aft the papers...and now the exact same grade...the power of moderation!! lol...rest of the mods hit my expectations as well...transport and political science both A- and physics B+...so overall my results exceeded my expectations...very happy really...though the icing on the cake would have been 0.2 more and Dean's List!! lol...that close but of coz muz be satisfied cannot be too greedy loh...heh...hopefully can spur me on for my remaining 3sems...consolidate on 2nd lower Hons...2nd Upper is still mathematically possible but technically impossible...haha...will try my best lah hor...but of coz also muz say the mods last sem which i took also technically easier...and it's always these types of jepalang mods which i tend to thrive in and sadly not my core engin mods...hee...most importantly thank God once again for guiding me thru the sem...granting me the perseverance and discipline thru reading wk and the exams especially...Rejoice in Jesus's name...Amen.

still rejoicing in the highs of my results honestly speaking...though the bidding of mods for nxt sem somewhat quickly brought me down to earth...sianz muz plan to take wad mods so fast again...means sch is starting again...crossed my mind to actually wanna finish my studies in 7 sems which means grad end of nxt yr...budden realise have to start FYP nxt sem plus yr 4 mod on top of my yr 3 mods...definitely will die lah even b4 i can see the sunrise of 2008...haha...so decided against it in the end...wiser to follow by the conventional rules...anyway my very last sem will be super slack...enjoy while i can b4 toiling in the shipyard...heh...

on the shipyard frt...it's been pretty normal for me this wk...gotta go out to another shipyard with aloy and mike on tues...spent an aftnoon there looking at the spud cans of the rig...while the bosses decide on how to load and bring back to our base...now muz start tinking of how to write my report...nxt week ending attachment liao...need to submit a report...wah the 1st headache of 2007...heh...got the news frm the HR abt signing of the contract too...now need to find 2 assurities to assure i wun abscond with the $$ to an unknown carribean island...haha...yah i wish man...in my dreams probly...

caught up with TR and kenT yesterday aft work...had a simple dinner at cine food court and watched Borat...wah it muz be the most farnie show i have watched like in a decade lah...haha...really super farnie some of the jokes...laugh until i almost pengsan...though some of the jokes in the movie r rather insulting and lame...but it is portrayed in such a way that pple dun feel offended but instead will laugh abt it no matter whether u r a Jew, Christian, Muslim (maybe not the kazaks though...lol)...super kao siao some of the scenes...Ali G is really so natural in this role that for the whole movie i am realy deceived by him that it is a real-life person i am watching...he deserves an Oscar man this fella...the movie too...the ironic thing is he is actually a Jew in real life...can never forget some of the scenes...the Jewish bed & breakfast inn...the charismatic church congregation...the naked wrestling at the hotel (and tt classic "69" move)...hahaha...tinking abt it juz makes me laugh...seriously give him an Oscar man!

went for some dessert at NYDC Heeren...ordered one mudpie each...and shared in an ah gualy fashion with bevies of gals surrounding our tables...heh...went for some pool action at monster andden home sweet home...yet another enjoyable nite wif good old friens...

and of coz another super old good frien is back frm his US stint...haha...juz went out with gabe...his house for swimming in the morning in frigid waters...den crystal jade for lunch in town...caught up aft never see him for mths...still the same old gabe i know...as charming as ever...haha...concluded over a toast of coffeebean - our fav talk cock hangout tt US has changed both our mindsets no doubt...in a good way i suppose...anyway juz glad to have him back...once again yandao enjoy ur "high net worth income" Shell IA...lol..and of coz happy belated bday! my only wish for u is to finally have that someone to celebrate with u come 2007...heh

gifts from gabe...a t-shirt frm hawaii and bottle opener cum fridge magnet frm san frans

attention everyone!! muz watch this upcoming chn8 show...wah kaoz so qiao mediacorp film a show abt life in shipyard...supposedly to attract "talents" into the maritime industry...but can someone pls tell me where to find ann kok...jeanette aw and dawn yeoh in a shipyard? i wanna ask for transfer...hahaha

no doubt the news of the day...the execution of a tyrant...hopefully peace will be restored in Iraq with this milestone in history

Tomolo is 31st december...the last day of 2006...2006...a watershed year for me personally...a year that changed my life completely...will be back for one last entry tomolo before i close off my blogging journey officially...reflections for 2006...resolutions for 2007...so stay tune while i am off for some Sat EPL action!! Come on Liverpool!!!

"Let it snow (rain)...let it snow (rain)...let it snow (rain)..."

"Jingle Bells...jingle Bells...jingle all the way..."

Warning: Unusually long blog ahead...got much to catch up aft 2 weeks of non activity...hee

yelo everybody...i'm back!! yes yes yes...i know i haven blog for like more than 2 weeks or so...muz be the longest time i have stopped blogging since my inaugural blog entry in april...also muz be too long never blog liao...now blog also trying hard to "squeeze" the words out...unlike at the peak of my blogging craze in US when the words juz flow out like nothing...haha...in fact there were times when i wanna blog over the past 2 weeks abt my working life in the shipyard and catching up with friens and so on...but den somehow blogged halfway den dunno wad to write...got such thing call blogger's block anot?? heh...maybe also using the right side of my brain too much with all the engin stuff at work...the creative or left side of my brain are not utilised as much these days...all these explains why i haven been blogging...haha

and of coz shagged lah my work...i need to report at sembawang shipyard at 7.45am every morning...and that means having to wake up at 6plus in the morning...andden leave my office at ard 5.45pm each day...if never meet friens...go home on another dreary one hour bus-mrt journey...eat dinner...watch tv...check mail...read newspapers andden the nxt thing i know my hp alarm clock sounding again at 6.15am...haha...working life quite shagged ah...somemore in a shipyard...heh...

more on my shipyard work now...i'm attached to a Project Office currently building an oil rig...the 1st of its kind which semb shipyard is building...i am actually very thankful that they attached me to so called "outfield" rather than to the main office (which kenny and YX are stranded...haha)...really learn so much more than wad i know and learn in sch...in fact i know nuts abt oil rigs coz haven start to specialise yet mah...but over the past 2 weeks...have really learned a lot technical aspects of building an oil rig...a jack-up one to be exact...not only that...also getta learn abt the organization and structure of a project office...like the diff depts such as hull, electrical, mechanical, logistics, heavy lift, piping and such...didn't know a project can be so complex as such...last time thought juz building only wad how difficult can it get...as such the past 2 weeks have really given me a good feel of the system & working culture in a shipyard...and a good background for my longer 12-week VIP in May and of coz my 2 years bond in the yard and hopefully beyond...hee..hope can come back to this proj in May again and hopefully also they attached me to a proj when i grad come 2008...

it's been a fruitful and accomplishing 2 weeks at the yard...of coz thanks in large part to the proj manager aloy...a gregarious man whose charisma simply exudes thruout whenever he conducts the daily safety meeting with the area managers...foremen...safety officers and contractors...his enthusiasm despite working in the yard for like 35 years simply rubs off on anybody...and i really hope to learn as much as i can from him...and of coz special mention to my mentor mike...area manager for heavy lift and logisitics and currently serving his bond...haha...really showed me ard the yard...bringing me to all the depts to get to know the pple in the yard...and of coz patiently answering wadever questions i got...juz like a big brother guiding the little one...and the rest of the proj office for making me feel at home...there's juz that sort of bond between pple in a project office when they r all working towards a common goal...and i dun really feel any animosity or so called "office politics" between the pple which the environment i kindda of like...and besides i'm definitely more of an on-the-go person rather than a deskbound one...haha

as such a typical day for me will start with a 10min morning exercise in frt of the office building porch...yes it's a standard exercise routine for all workers in the yard...ala the all-too familiar great s'pore workout...aftwhich changed to my coveralls...den read the spec mannual...technical primers and engin drawings...jot down notes...andden cycle to the site for the daily safety and progress meeting...yah man the yard is so freaking big...and u really need a bike to move ard esp with my office at one corner of the yard...aftwhich follow by my own site exploration...in and ard the rig...den ride off for a "shipyard tour"...haha...yah free and easy really...but of coz lah i cycle ard all the docks to "look look" lah...the more u move the more u look the more u learn rite...haha...even board an oil tanker on my own to see how it is like...shagged ah go up...heh...den go back office if got time ask mike some questions follow by more reading...den lunch...hurray!!!

aft lunch normally stay in office for a while den go down to the site if weather permits...still remem my 1st day was like a baptism of "water"...taking shelter with blanghas and my bosses underneath a makeshift attap roof...went home without socks that day...coz soaked like to the max with all the flooding at the site...damn pathetic really...lol...den if no events like safety briefing or meetings or wad...go back for more reading...so my job juz to look...observe and learn...heh...yah lah wad ya expect me to do...175million project ask a half-past-six student to take part meh?? heh...but things will be diff the nxt time i'm back...no more such carefree role...added responsibility...added stress and of coz added $$...hee

the oil rig project i am attached to...looking to be completed by 1st Quarter 2008

Asian Hercules...as the name suggests...used to lift extreme heavy loads...the largest floating crane local shipyards use

heavy lifting in action

Premier Dock...the largest grave dock in the shipyard...it's quite scary looking down to be honest

Malaysia ahead...sometimes my phone can even detect malaysia signals...juz an idea how far i am working man

in full gear...certainly back to my lifeguard colours...haha

view from atop the tanker i boarded...btw semb shipyard is the biggest in s'pore...occupying 83ha in total

an ongoing ship conversion project

where they keep all the new cars pending COE release...wah lao everyday i confirm drop by here see see...see can shunbian drive one back anot...lol

caught up with the bulk of my friens over the past 2 weeks...mp&c buddies...NP gathering...leong...the fab4...over steamboat buffet...ala carte...western food...and tepanyaki...always a nice feeling to catch up with old friens...esp now when everyone is like busy with studies over the sem...and career aft they grad...harder to catch up...so always try to make it a point to catch up with each group come holidays...a simple meal and catching up more than sufficient...recalling the old times over beer and such...can be quite heartwarming ain't it...still got left 4-10 and class18 pple haven meet up...hopefully can meet up before the new sem starts...

looking ahead to nxt week's highlights:

1. exam results out on tues!! wah koaz feeling those nervous pangs again...one click to decide the fate of ur entire sem...super cruel...in fact got leak of results on last Sat...nb got the news already too late liao...looks like Tuesday is destined to be D-day...

2. Bidding of modules...wah lin...haven even enjoy my hols now muz plan mods liao...even b4 the results are out...damn crappy...sighz...happy times always seem to fly by...

3. email of details for signing of contract...that's it once it is signed...no looking back liao

4. Gabe returning frm US...haha...yd dun cry when u see this...u r a highlight...hahaha

5. dinner with TR and Ken T (to be confirmed)

wad a rainy christmas eve...in fact wad a downpour it has been over the week...adding a tinge of chill and at the same time a feeling of warmth to the festive air...went for my 1st sunday service this morning...cannot be more symbolic since it falls on christmas eve...christmas takes on a more added meaning for me this year...as a born-again believer...celebrating the birth of Christ...for Christmas is the day to rejoice and come together with ur loved ones to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the only son of God whom He sent to die for all our sins...

Here's wishing all my friens a Merry Merry and a simply Merry Chirstmas...may God bless each and everyone of you...be it ur family...loved ones...studies...work or health...Merry Christmas!!

I am typing this blog in a stupendously high...fantastically buoyant...super exhilarated mood...sembcorp juz called to tell me they offering me the scholarship!!! wah kaoz...i really can't believe it...it's really too good to be true...i am really not expecting it seriously speaking coz my grades are really not the "scholarly" kind...and i tink i sound a bit cocky during the interview...hahaha...wah i am really very happy they giving me such a golden opportunity like this...pardon me as i am on cloud 999...a gift from above...Thank God for everything...for paving and lighting the path ahead for me...now at least i know which direction i shud go...no longer the little lost lamb wandering out there...

the HR told me to go down to sign the contract next week...haha juz nice i will be der anyway...signing away 2 years of my life...told Pa immediately...YJ who happen to be online...msged ying...den msged ken...genie in JB dunno contactable anot...i am really so happy...that this feeling will really take some time to filtrate through...fancy calling myself a "scholar"...haha...too good to be true...life is certainly good as i mentioned to YJ...the $$ will definitely come in handy for sure...now waiting for the email for more details abt the signing nxt week...whoowhee....quick anyone wans a treat from me pls leave ur name under comments below...hahaha

really a fantastic news to receive early in the morning...rite aft the stressful exams somemore...really shoot up high to the max!! went for a morning run early in the morning...and juz feel charged up for the day...and come back got this piece of fantastic news...i never feel so happy for a long time really...and this feeling will prob spread thru the remaining days of 2006...2006 wad a year for me really...haha

ying accompanied me to go some shopping yesterday...for my working clothes nxt week...aft 2 hours of galivanting..finally settled on 2 long sleeve frm Carrefour PS and one navy pants frm John Little...all well within budget and value for $$...haha...tink i look presentable too...at least according to my fashion consultant...dragged my sis out with me even though she only slept 5 hours coz of her prom nite and her boss decided to give her off yesterday...haha...muz made full use of her when she's free...that's wad sisters are for...hee

watched flags of our fathers with ying aft that at GV...a remarkably meaningful and deep movie on WWII...directed by clint eastwood and produced by steven spielberg...based on a true story on a bestseller that stayed in top of New York Times for a record 46 weeks...i always love war shows...counting among my favs like "Saving Private Ryan"..."Black Hawk Down"..."Windtalkers" and one vietnam war show which i can't remem the title that i watched when i was a kid...they never fail to inspire me always...but this movie is quite diff from those throwing mortars and bombs scenes (there are still though)...it explores deeper to the definition of heroes...why there is no such thing call heroes because heroes are wad we depict and create them to be...i really love watching how the story unfolds behind the flag raisers of the flag on iwo jima that came to be such an icon for US marines...and there is even another similar movie by the same director called "Letters of Iwo Jima" coming up...an unprecedented 2 movie projects shot back to back at the same location...telling 2 sides of the story of iwo jima...the americans and the japs...examining the clash of 2 of civilization's greatest cultures...brillant move...definitely will catch it when it is released...hate to admit this...but this is my 1st movie in almost 6 months...the last one is da vinci code in wildwood...damn paiseh...haha

another good news...insurance finally settled...CIEE emailed to say the insurance company decided to claim the full sum despite me not able to provide the full police report...really a sigh of relief...episode closed finally...

Post Blog sentiments: Finally...a great day to relish...clinching the scholarship no doubt is a good achievement...but i believe it can only motivate me further from now...the responsibilities and challenges of a scholarship holder...i relish it...once again...Thank God for everything planned out for me...

free as a bird in the vast blue skies...unrestrained like a fish in the titanic oceans...liberated from all the academic confines for now...spared from all the scholastic constraints for the moment...in 3 simple words..."Exams over loh!!"

enough of all assignments...tutorials...essays...lab reports...tests...enough of waking up early and squeezing the mrt den again fighting to go up 96...enough of LT2...MPSH...engin canteen...and now finally after almost 4 months...i am free again...exams over lo!!! wah kaoz really feel damn shiok the minute "Time's up. Stop writing" was sounded across MPSH1...feel like one 10 tonner off mine shoulders the minute i hear that...really damn shiok...that kind of "shiok" is really indescribable...unexplainable...beyond words...that "high" u hit twice a year...albeit after almost 4 months of intense and rigourous mental drilling...quite saddistic to achieve such "high" ah i muz say...but still those who have been thru such a saddistic system wud know how i am feeling at the moment...come share my euphorism...spread the joy...Christmas is coming...haha

took a cab from outram mrt to sch today...ken msged to say got mrt delay in the morning...anyway left my house too late also...too used to genie waiting for me at clementi...haha...so bobian...decided to relac myself before the draining 2 hours ahead by taking a cab...anyway a little luxury wun hurt ur pockets sometimes...the paper...hmmmn...i wud say 50-50...quite tricky...and nb the lecturers set the questions all over the place without following the sequence...can hear pple flipping their text and notes with a "tsk" sound now and den...felt a steaming pressure at the start of the paper...really feel like screaming out loud seriously...not juz this but for other papers as well...tink putting too much pressure and expectations on myself for this sem...haiz...but still manage to complete the Bio paper ahead of time...correct or wrong dun care already...time to party!!

aft paper went with ken to wisma food republic for lunch...had a quite solid hokkien mee...aft exams everything juz taste nice lah...issn't it? haha...went off to far east to cut hair...muz look good for internship next week...speaking abt it...got an email saying muz report at 7.45am nxt mon...wah kaoz 7.45am all the way at sembawang...that means havin to wake up at 6 lah...seriously army style...wonder how it will be like...muz shop for some working wear soon...

went for a slow easy run ard good old farrer...the grand old dame and cradle of singapore sports...feels really shiok (this is the how many times i'm repeating shiok...haha)...time to flex those muscles...ok this time i muz be really disciplined...muz run every week day...10 minutes...20 minutes also can...muz work out...planing for a swim tml...training for my shipyard stint next week!!

time for a really really good sleep...i am sure it will turn out to be the best sleep i will have in months...no worries...carefree once again...and free from the shackles of school...will be rejuvenated, recharged, refreshed and above all reborn come tml morning...ready to plan out more holidays...yipeee...i am on top of the world!! the simple delights in life...finishing yet another sem...

Postnote: have been contemplating lately whether to cease my blogging activities soon...aft all this blog was set up for USA WAT'06 and Canada SEP'07...now that my canadian dreams are all but in smoke...and besides losing the passion for blogging liao...not due to anything...juz simply the enthusiasm fading away loh...quite surprised i can actually go on blogging abt my boring sem...haha...see how lah...maybe will still blog if i go for long holidays like WAT...but doubt it will be happening soon...since this hols and the next one wud be most prob spent in a shipyard...and next yr this time wud be probably scratching my veins out from my brain for FYP...lol...so earliest wud be graduation trip'08 (tentatively konichiwa Japan!!!)...heh in any case wud still blog meanwhile...but most likely my last post wud come before the clock strikes 2007!! wud keep u guys posted...wun not juz end so abruptly...not my style u know...hee

Ahhhh ha...geh wo yi beh wan qing shui...lalalalalalala...

paiseh juz love to sing when i am studying...esp late at nite...or either that i will talk to myself...ask myself questions...read out the text...helps to keep me awake u know...haha...little weird studying habits of mine for sharing...

Woooh finally a breather...had a hectic past 2 days...with geotech and PS back to back...feel so suffocating with 2 heavyweight modules back to back...one requires so much technical knowledge...the other need to remember so many political ideologies and jargons...seriously it is stretching my left and right brain to the max...on the verge of burnout...feel like strangling somebody to let off some steam...

that's really how i feel like yesterday aft the damn geotech paper...wah kaoz really chui...i dun have enough time to finish the paper...and for the bulk of it...i was juz blindly drawing and frantically copying from the lect notes and tutorials with no idea wad i am writing 90% of the time (the other 10% i am sure is when i write my matric number)...it's really very bad...esp when some creeps are actually finding it okay...really knn...totally chui this module...got the spirit of ma1506 rearing its ugly memories...ma1506...the worst paper i ever sat in my life...staring at the ceiling for a good half hour...kan even do the simple matrix questions at the back...and somehow i am still trying to comprehend how i manage to escape with a miraculous "B"...wun be so lucky this time i guess...

there goes my little dreams of making the Dean's List at the start of my exams...yes yes i know wad u tinking...somebody aiming for the Dean's List?? but seriously and honestly...i did harbour faint hopes of making the eluded List for the very 1st time with such unprecedented CA marks...call me ambitious or wad i dun care...but i do feel there is a realistic chance of even trying for it this sem...but there goes all hopes aft geotech...vanishing into the skies or rather the smelly air of LT7A (i hate taking exams in LTs and on a sleepy aftnoon somemore!!!)...there goes wadever faint hopes i have...demoralising...juz like my beloved Liverpool...title hopes vanishing into thin air with such promise at the start of the season...sighzzz...haizzz...alas still got champs league to aim for though...hopefully still can see a 4 this sem...i wud still be very happy...hee

PS still relatively ok...considering my peculiar likeness for arts gems...haha...times like this when i start to wonder wad am i doing in engin?? haiz...still if someone wud turn back time for me...i wud still have chosen this path today...no regrets...made my mind and juz have to stick to this path...good or bad is my responsibility...no one else to blame...i love engin!! (trying hard to sound excited)...haha

off to my Bio aft this...doubt i wun be doing much studying this weekend anyway...it is juz the last paper effect...somemore open book...MCQ...wah kaoz...all the more no mood lah...heh...

mummy's Bday on wed...too bad me and hong still havin exams...not able to go out to eat and celebrate for her...nvm next year her BIG 50...will throw a feast for her come next year...

Sen Ri Kuai Le Mummy!! I love my Mummy!! (getting harder for a 23 year old to say so public these days =p)

Took my 1st paper this afternoon...Transport to be exact...should i even call it a paper in the 1st place...no offence for this...but seriously the whole "paper" is a mass copying exercise...maybe to be more exact...the 2nd part of the paper aka the traffic engin part is indeed a copying exercise afterall...WAH KAOZ...both the questions are exactly the same as the tut and exactly the same means exact phrasing of the words...exact sequence of the questions and the same exact values used...and what's more solutions are provided by the lecturer liao...and one juz have to copy the whole damn solutions inside lah...wah lau really a sham...at this level still got such things happening...

not that i am complaining...but with this i tink everybody will ace it...provided of coz u brought the tutorial and bother to print it out...the 1st half is also quite moderate...i mean not that tough though at least it provides more use of the brain lah...in this case the CA component will defitnitely be emphasised more...luckily enuff for me...both tests have been rather ho seh...now hoping the target for this mod will still be achieved...hee...start off with a bang indeed! Hurray!! but not before after coping with much nerves before the paper...didn't have appetite for lunch...too much pressure liao...now i understand why there is a even greater pressure to deliver when u have been doing well...for this i take my hats off to the constant Dean's list toppers...heh

mugging rather fervently for the past reading week...i mean reading week is to mug lah if not give u reading week for wad...wah lau everytime come reading week i feel like i am training for the subaru wrx challenge...cannot do anything else other den study...watch a bit of tv also feel guilty...haha...but still muz maintain my weekly doses of EPL and amazing race...otherwise seriously might as well juz kill me lah like that...

Setting out my plans for the coming holidays (apart from spending at a shipyard on the most northern ulu part of s'pore)...

Top 14 things to do when the exams end....

1. Develop the photos from WAT and frame up and enlarge the nice photos to decorate my room...muz hop down to the new ikea tampines for a visit...buy nice looking albums to put in my travel photos together with the HK 2004 photos with donnie...

2. change my reading glasses lens...eyesight deteoriating since JC...old liao...

3. buy a new shelf from PS carrefour to store my year 3 year and to-be year 4 notes and books

4. stack up nicely this sem's notes and books and chuck them to one corner (a tradition for every sem)

5. clean my room, clear my snail mail and wipe clean my table...i am a neatness freak!

6. read the Freakonomics finally and buy that next Brad Thor or John Grisham novel from Times using my bday voucher...

7. get some working clothes from hangten, U2, Giordano for my internship (Hugo, G2ooo, Polo all can wait...boh lui is like that one...heh)

8. it's adrenaline time!! tennis, badminton, swim and run...run run run!!

10. catch up with friens for the year end season...ole ole ole ole...4-10...NP...class 18...mp&c...

11. get my hair cut for goodness sake...can tie a ponytail if i delay further

12. settle my stoopid insurance that has been bugging like mad...wah lau 4 months since the accident still so many dai ji...damn mafan these yankees

13. Sleep...i need tons of it...eat hao leow...and simply relac one corner...

14. Above all...Read the Bible!!


in fact read finish the Book of Genesis...now reading Exodus...prefer to read it from the old testament onwards...and i am somewhat surprised at how the old testament actually take up almost 70% of the Bible...to be honest my first time reading the Bible in such detailed fashion even after spending like a decade in missionary schools...was reading abt the story of Joseph and his mutli coloured coat...reminded me of when i was in primary 5...we had this musical about Joseph and his coat...my class was asked to sing as the choir while the senior class was asked to act...haha...those childhood memories juz starts to stream in as i slowly recall...issn't being a child the most wonderful thing in life? no concerns about anything...juz look forward to recess everyday...and spending my holidays in malaysia with my fun loving cousins...those days are no doubt one of the happiest of my life...no wonder pple say there's a child in everyone even when they grow up...and this childhood memories are the ones most close to my heart...

wah liew...planning my holidays in the middle of my exams??!? dun care lah...exactly one more month to christmas...bring in the festive cheers ladies and gentlemen!!

1 down 3 to Go!! Chiong ah!!

chicken essence...the essential tonic for exams!! eh they change packaging ah

Probably the most expensive oral exam i have ever took in my life...in full singapore idol style yesterday morning...with a panel of 4 pairs of eyes scrutinizing your every move that u make...every word that u spout...every gesticulating of ur hand...down to every ooze of cold sweat breaking across ur forehead...and with such penetrating eyes...such sharp-witted questions shooting at u left right up down center in that cold hard training room...wad an experience really...the only difference from s'pore idol is there is no caustic remarks from the "judges"...no recording contract at stake...no road to stardom...no cheering and frantically yelping fans (got a lot of high-levels rivals only)...BUT still the stakes are high...a direct and privilege route to enter a regional marine engineering conglomerate...a listed Temasek-linked company on Sesdaq...and landing that job ahead of ur fella peers with 20k into ur pockets...it cannot get any higher for a hardup year3 engineering undergrad...

with that...didn't really sleep well on sunday night...tink too nervous liao...as this is not juz some scholarship interview but also a job interview loh...woke up at 6.45am exactly...brushed my teeth in an unusually detailed fashion...shaved...bathed...grab 2 gardenia breads while putting on my "armour"...put on my atlantic city fossil watch...sprayed a ridiculously high amount of addias deodorant until i am satisfied...and den the final and most important ritual...gelled my hair with that familiar bottle of HARD GATSBY...looked at the mirror...checked all my documents in place and OFF i go at 7.30am sharp!!

tete...presenting my armour!!

on the way there blended in perfectly with the working crowd...at last away from my t-shirt and berms...only my slingbag was the only sign that gave me away of my real status of a student...haha...on the way to boon lay was tinking of the speech i have prepared...trying to remember my "lines" and crossing my fingers they will ask wad i prepared...heh...

wah kaoz really damn far the shipyard...from boon lay still muz change bus...saw a long queue of ntu students waiting for bus...tink their exams have already started...tot i was going to be late becoz i have no idea how far away the place is...and heng juz made it on time like 5 minutes before my slated time of 8.45am...reached the security office and saw my name was the number 2 on the list...the guard directed me to the room in the opposite building and i didn't know and barge straight into the middle of an interview session...den one of the interviewers directed me to the waiting room...oopphhs...dunno got minus points like that anot...haha

Finally my turn came aft 10 minutes of waiting...wah damn nervous but manage to calm my nerves as i sat down...first thing handed over my documents and resume and was asked to introduce myself...4 interviewers in total with 2 of them seemingly more senior...the more senior guy seriously looks like one HK actor that always act pai kia one...haha...and they were the one firing me the questions most of the time...the questions as below...as far as i can remem...not in any particular order...

"Tell me about yourself"
"What is this Work and Travel thing about?"
"What did u do in the army?"
"What is this best soldier about?"
"Why did your superior in the army nominate u for the award?"
"Why did u choose to specialise in offshore engineering?"
"What is the criteria they look when they choose students for the offshore program?"
"Do you have any working experience in a shipyard before?"
"What is this CE3101 project about?"
"Why did you think your friends choose u as the CEO?"
"Why do u think u deserve the scholarship?"
"Are you a more design and calcuation type or the on-the-go, hands-on kind?"
"What do u think working conditions are like in a shipyard?"
"Do u like working in outdoor environment?"
"Describe one problem u have faced and how u resolve it"
"Do u intend to go for further studies...local or overseas?"
"What is the Hons u tink u will get when u graduate?"
"Do u understand there is a 2-year bond?"

Wah lau really intensifying...bombarded with questions...answered each and everyone as truthfully...as detailed...and as enthu as possible...and tried to ask a few questions at the end...lucky got prepare so still manage to get by for the bulk of the interview...hee...but kaoz the senior woman commented i looked so fair to look like the outdoor kind!! wah lau forgot to bring my lifeguard pics show her lah...haha...walked out aft a seemingly overstretched 25minutes...only to realise there are one whole bunch of year 4s outside...wah lau stress...becoz of these pple doubt i will get it lah...tink my grades are not really "the scholarly kind"...i remembered the senior mdm said something like still got 2 years when tokking abt my grades...chui when i heard that...now banking on my cca record liao...but not raising my hopes too high honestly...will take it as a good experience learned in any case...which will definitely help for future interviews...keeping my fingers crossed though...hee

Jurong shipyard at a glance...

Goong last episode today!! wah lau i am totally mesmerized by this drama man...and mesmerized is an understatement...totally caught off my couch while watching this K-drama...now i finally understand wad this K-melodrama wave is all about aft such an impact...haha...admit i a bit slow paiseh...this show is really something...always delivering me to korean fantasy-land come dinner time for the past 2 months or so...i watched every episode xcept the first one lah! (due to my initial apprehension of yet another "cry here cry there" korean drama)...wah lau i am wrong!! this is juz not any other ordinary melodrama...it is a romantic comedy...a political backstabbing story depicting how 2 royal camps fight it out for the prized throne...the grandeur of the palace and the fairy tale of teenage princes and princess caught in a love web...intertwined with catchy theme songs...well scripted lines...scenes that made u wanna swallow ur tears sometimes (ok exaggerate a bit)...and so many chiobus (even the court ladies are chio lah!!)...wah lau and there u have...the most popular K-drama of 2006!! one that literally blew me away...dinner times will be like a vacuum from tomorrow onwards...sobz sobz...


As a tribute to my fav K-drama of all time...(my first one thus far...haha)...dinners would have been so boring without u...without u...dinner without u...can't imagine really...Goong rawks!!

Princess Hour 宮 - Perhaps Love

got back phy test...damn happy...totally unexpected...26/29 to be exact...wah kaoz so wrong of me to tot of it as my jinx module this sem...now can aim higher for this module liao...haha...an unexpected happy closure for this mod :) ok enuff of hawking my test results...but things are pointing to a "personal best" this sem as far as CA test results are concerned...still dun wanna count my chickens before the eggs are hatched...still got 4 papers to go...jia you!! to all my friens having exams too...leeeeeeet's jia you together!!

YJ: Cheer up!! Muz be strong...ken, genie and me will be waiting here for u to join us back...and u can have the seat at xiao hong back...haha...time will heal everything...life is too short to be sad...so enjoy ur time in sweden and dun tink so much!

some crazy EE ginna sent out this mass mail to all the eng year 3s...i tink he do programming until screw loose lah

received phonecall from sembcorp marine halfway during lect yesterday...called me to inform me of scholarship interview next mon...pheewww...finally heard from them abt this...was wondering how come so long never contact me or issit gone case...but wah kaoz...reading week ask me to go down for interview!?!! somemore kenna an early timeslot...need to reach jurong shipyard at 8.45am...and they request to see all the certs, testimonials, cca records, transcripts...tsk tsk...hogged my mind the whole day aft got the call...on the train back tinking of the questions they most prob will ask...went home straight away type out my speech...haha...instead of studying for my bleddy physics test today...cannot blame...20k of cold hard cash at stake...need to take out my vortigern clothes (my long sleeved u2 shirt, u2 pants, no.3 shoes and black socks proudly sponsored by jurong camp emart)...need to iron and neat pressed them every nite until nxt mon...haha

Speaking abt the physics test today...it's juz one word to describe lah "Crap"...wah kaoz much more difficult and trickier den 1st test lah...really cham...but still i walk out 10 minutes even before the test ended lah...dun care...trust my 1st instincts...heh...but seriously scared this mod will pull me down man...and be the jinx mod of my this sem...

Got back my PS test today...went with genie to collect aft lunch at macs...*wolf whistle*...wah pleasantly surprised and very delighted with my grade for this 30% test...haha...was not expecting much honestly coz tot i wrote too much for my 1st part den scared the lecturer see until dulan...den 3rd question also never study den juz write...tot wrote out of point...but wah very happy...confidence boosted for this mod!! heehee

is this telling me i shud have pursued my 1st love - political science??

i muz say something seems to be rather unusual this sem...i am actually doing well for my CA thus far...both tests for transport...Bio assignments (thx to fio...heh)...and now PS...dun talk abt phy which is like dangerously hovering juz above avg and 2nd test results still in a "blackhole" state...haha...yah lah i normally buang my CA coz i seriously last minute worker...not the kind to put in consistent effort for my studies...that's why always lock myself in my room during reading week to "hibernate"...lol...but this sem seems to be quite unusual...hopefully it's a good sign...aftall statistics have shown my CAP having a direct linear relationship with the no of exams i taking...*touchwood!!*...only got 4 papers this sem lah...hopefully this is the time to correct this unexplainable and gravity defying relationship...lol

mugging in progress in science com lab...the last few minutes left...genie seems damn stressed...haha

xi mi lai eh

took passport sized photos for the interview at EA...trying to act cool for my last pic (truth is i forgot got one more flash =p)

rumours have been rife that the most powerful man on planet earth is coming down to nus to give speech...this mail merely confirms the suspicions

went with ken to PS aft sch for some dessert...woww...finally the last official day of sch for me today...damn shiok...no need to go sch from tml till the 1st paper next sat...wah kaoz another sem juz come and gone like that...and now already time for exams...i know i have been saying this all the time...but this sem is really damn fast lah...it seems moments ago we juz touched down from Taipei...and now we r already going into reading week...really can't believe how fast uni life seems to be flashing by man...soon enuff will be trading t-shirts and berms for long-sleeved and pants...sling bag for suitcase...slippers for doc martins...and hopefully 96 for a lamborgini...haha...ok too far fetched i know...but dreams are there for a reason...juz to keep u alive...


Letter from a from a post-65 young singaporean who cares: (skip this if u heard enough of the GST hike)

GST up till 7%!! why like that u ask me...why like that?? why on the one hand give us progress package and den to take back in the form of GST...what is the rationale?? yes u tell me say wanna finance the enhanced social nets needed to help the lower income groups...and claim that the package will offset the increase in GST...and claim that government spending muz go up...always come claim here and that...but where is the solid proof?? widening income gap...and here u r increasing the GST...in defence of closing the gap...this is really a joke...den wad abt the reserves...billions of dollars stocked away in neverland...den wad r the reserves for u tell me?? to collect interest like siao for what and until when den can take out and use...until one day the whole island sink issit?? i dun care whether i get arrested by I.S.D tml...but as a citizen of this land...this is wad i am entitled and allowed to say...hold my peace den pple will accuse me say i dun care abt the affairs of state...

obviously the least income group will be most affected rite since i learnt in econs any tax increase will be passed on to the consumers and eventually made its way "nicely" into the govt's coffers...u say will offset in the future but for how long?? how long can another package of few hundred last...until we die issit??? the increase is here to stay and will definitely increase again wad...so much talk abt improving the infrastructure, go for retraining and all that...there are still a small group of pple who r bound to be affected somehow rite...education will need years and retraining will take months...u ask these pple to eat air during this time issit??

always like to do things like that...without consulting the pple first...saying that it is the good for us and all that crap...andden still accuse our generation of not caring enough abt state affairs ...but truth is are we given a chance in the 1st place anot? (someone pls mention the casino)

ok enough...dun wanna my breath...time for some serious mugging!! ready...get set...GO!! plan out study timetable...stock up on chips...cup needles...chicken essence...panadol...coke etc etc...

afternote: paiseh too inspired by my PS grade liao...so pen out this politically charged letter in jest...juz in case u dun hear from me within the next week...someone pls come tanglin police to bail me out =p

Received mail from YJ saying he had topped his swedish engineering geology class and got 1000 sek (i tink ard $200) for his feat!! Wah kaoz...go sweden and topped their class...travel around europe (tell me juz got back from Latvia)...enjoy the cool winter...eat the famed swedish meatballs with vodka parties week in week out...smoothing up to those legendary leggy swedish blondes...and tell me this is not life den wad??? tmd!! why i am suffering here...this clown is obviously enjoying the best time of his life lah (refer to the link Yu Jun's Blog for more lurid details)

on the other hand...gabe seems to be on the completely wrong end of the SEP experience...haha (paiseh ahh toh)...whole day read his blog tell me mugging in library...piaing to finish his assignments which is like neverending...and counting down the days on his msn nick...wah kaoz...this is definitely not the way to celebrate one sem from NUS lah yandao...do something abt it before it will juz whizz by...stop mugging anymore!! go out and breathe some air lah...u r in California for goodness sake...the land of hollywood, beach and the sun... (refer to gabriel's Blog for more horrid details =p)

aiyah 2 of my good friens away on exchange...2 different stories they r telling...but too bad i am not going to have my own to tell...wah lau if only my canada dream is still on...i would be flying away next month liao lah...den can give me that little xtra motivation to go thru the mundane and boring exams...at least can take comfort that X'mas is coming!! "jingle bell jingle bell...jingle all the way" hee...i only realise that on thursday when i went with the lads to IMM to eat lunch on a super heavy rainy day...the christmas decor are up...wonder how it's like the standard of the lighting in orchard this year...

caught the 1st episode of Amazing Race Asia on Thurs too!! oh mine...with so much expectations and hopes that it will be a successful spinoff from the original series...i muz say it's quite a disappointment frankly speaking...somehow i feel the whole thing lack the ommmph and ahhhh factor which the original series is so famed for...partly muz blame it on asian culture too...when perhaps we r naturally more conservative and less expressive with our feelings and emotions...and the contestants like lacking that fighting and "chiong" + "gungho" spirit...also maybe they are racing for like US 100k which is only like 1-tenth the 1 million which rob and amber raced for lah...wah lau so unfair rite...the background music and the editing also cannot be compared...but aftall muz give some face to allan wu lah...which i feel did a remarkably good job...though he should learn to be less stiff and has a little of more of his own style (stop imitating phil!)...but the internet forum dun seem to agree with my opinion of allan...some decried him as a robot, yet another ABC and some ask whether he's gay and even say he cannot be compared to phil at all... of coz lah phil has been in the business for 10 seasons leh...and he's till der for a reason wad...guys give allan a break man (at least for the safe of his ever-gorgeous wife...hee)

Printed out my geotech lab report finally...and uploaded the physics essay...two heavy loads off my mind...and aft the phy test on wed can say adieu to this sucky mod for good!! ahhh...who wanna join me on wed for campfire to burn my phy notes??

till the day i clear this pile of junk...one by one...ripping off the skin...tearing out the flesh...exposing the bones (sorry i am going crazy...arrgh exam stress)

my babolat seems to be crying out loud for some attention these days...confirm need a game of hard tennis aft the exams...

going off to watch my BIG Match Liverpool vs Arsenal!! Go Go reds!! thrash the gunners...and make your claim to the ultimate throne of EPL!! You never walk alone!!

Celebrated Ken's belated Bday with a simple authentic japanese fare at Sumo House Clementi today...

wad i ordered...Teriyaki chicken Udon...

the side dishes we ordered...fried scallops...squid and cold tofu

genie and ken digging in...look at the red shirt guy!! his face seems to be saying it all "ahhhh oishii.....oishii...."

ok lah the overall standard of the food...not too bad i would say...the ambience quite nice too...with catchy chinese pop songs (creating a juxtaposical effect serving jap food) in the background...and it's newly opened also...neatly tucked away at the corner inside the emporium...i would certainly prefer here compared to the nxt door neighbour (can't remem the name)...certainly much more cleaner and brighter...but it's not those high end jap restaurants though...but overall value for $$...quite a good option when u r rushing for time and taste buds are hankering for some jap fare...heh

had the 2nd transport test today also...confidence renewed and further boosted aft the lecturer went thru the answers aft the quiz...shud be full marks and 15% in the bag...haha...but i guess quite a number of pple shud be getting the full grade with such an "open" environment for the quiz...but confidence surge for this mod coupled with the effect of my 1st test...hee

was hanging ard the Singapore Pools outlet at tekka mall on a boring saturday and checking at the odds for the EPL matches...haha...Yes i admit i was quite an "invester" not too long ago...with my peak during army...haha...still can remem i was even a "mini bookie" during world cup'98 (wah koaz councillor somemore)...wah lau those days really naughty...but things never really got out of hand lah...but now look at the odds blankly was tinking damn stupid of me to throw $$ to the S'pore Pools "Charity Foundation" week in week out last time...but i guess will still "put in" a bit of money during future world cups and euros for that little bit of excitement...heh...but to tink the odds no longer interest me anymore these days as mad as last time...a sign of wiser and more mature mindset?? beats me really...haha

over the weekend was reading abt the Took Leng How or rather the more familiarly know Ah how case...finally the poor chap got hanged...bringing a closure to the case which has gripped singaporeans for almost 2 years...was reading how he actually posed for his family wearing a suit and all that...and how his family visited him for one final time before he was hanged...i really feel very sorry for the chap...i was juz wondering the saddest thing in life is really departing with ur loved one knowing that will be the last time u ever see him or her alive...juz imagine that...only 3 hours for the chap to see his parents, wife and toddler son...andden having to say bye bye...he even wrote a letter for his wife...touched me really...i really dun tink he actually killed the china girl...ok maybe i shudden phrase it this way...i tink he is definitely involved and prob and most likely indirectly caused the girl to die...even the unprecedented case for the Court of Appeal with one Justice overthrowing the death sentence seems to support my stand...but surely everything is already too late liao...

attended a Gospel meeting at genie's church on sunday nite...my 2nd time going for the gospel service since the evangelistic meeting in Sept...this time rd...the group is much smaller...and was held in a room instead of the hall the last time...the topic for the day was "Jesus is the Judge"...the message was delivered in a clear and coherent manner...the speaker was straightforward in his delivery...giving many examples and interesting analogies...i remember one quite clearly...the speaker was speaking abt how in life we r faced with constant examinations...school exams...proficiency tests like driving tests and so forth...in short life juz full of tests and exams...but as long as we put in effort for these exams...in the end we r bound to do well for them...however there is one final exam which no matter how much effort we put in...we will not know whether we pass anot...and that is the utilmate exam all of us have to face...and only Jesus can judge whether we deserve our place in Heaven...the House of God...

is this a reason why some pple can get away with murder and arson and lead an exceeding corrupted life till they die...wouldn't life be unfair with these crooks getting away scott-free and exploiting pple thru often inhumane and violent means?? that is why there is this ultimate exam we have to face and Jesus will be the Judge come that day...

I feel that aft every gospel meeting so far...i have gained spiritually...an aspect i have often said i have neglected for like a decade or so...at this stage i dare not say that i am a Christian when others ask me...coz i am not regularly attending church services on Sundays...but with each gospel meeting...i am slowly starting to believe in Christ again...really muz thank genie for helping me to renew my relationship with God thru constant discussions we have and invitations to his church...i hope to slowly build up my faith in God thru the monthly Gospel meetings for now...and thru daily readings of the Bible which was handed to me today...and thru prayers...i was told to humble myself and pray to God to grant me the wisdom to understand the true meaning of His words...one thing is for sure...I am starting to pray again...

Pardon me for such a serious tone today...I guess this gotta be one of the...if not the most serious Blog entry I ever written so far...

will be back for more updates soon admist the busy preparation of my exams...so stay tune folks!!

Juz got back from dinner at Novena Sq Fish & Co...feels like a decade since i ate at fish and co...haha...i am really a self confessed seafood junkie...juz tell me seafood is on the menu for dinner...be sure to find me turning up man! heh

anyway the dinner was organized by speedwing...as a form of "thank you" dinner for a job well done at the WAT roadshow (note: last year's helpers didn't get one...hee)...quite generous of them to treat us for dinner and i muz say it was quite a hearty one to match...there was the appetizer soup to start with...followed by salad (weird one with ikan bilis)...mussels...seafood platter for 2 (hurray...my fav baby!)...and dessert of cookie and creams icecream (not nice one too much cookie already)...wah overall eat until damn full...esp when sharing wif alwyn who has a small appetite (no wonder he can survive on fruit bars day in day out in wildwood...haha)...and i muz say i am rather surprised quite a number turn up when exams are round the corner...looks like got free food sure got people come one...lol

got an offer from MegaConsult for internship but too bad already accepted sembcorp so bobian gotta reject...wah liew...i tink pay shud be higher and somemore so near my place the office at lavendar...no choice too bad not my field and already agree to slog out at the shipyard liao...ll loh...

Drafted and compiled a list for tell-tale signs that exams are round the corner !!(some tongue-in-cheek of coz =p)

The Top 10 Tell-tale signs are ......*drum rolls*......

1. start receiving email informing u of exam wellness package to collect (dun be deceived by the nice use of words...only a few pathetic sachets of 3-in-1 and ovaltine biscuits...say so nice package...chey)

2. engin club putting up posters informing sale of past year exam papers

3. library start to pack like siao and YIH study room sees unusual high volume of muggers...the number of people sleeping and playing yahoo pool at engin com lab dramatically reduce

4. much easier den before to book badminton court from SRC and suddenly u find no punks playing soccer at handball court

5. the dean list's pple start coming late for lectures coz burning midnight oil MORE intensely den b4...and more pple start joining the "ponten" club

6. UWC starts seeing an upsurge in patients...and not becoz of haze mind u...common complaints are fever, headache, flu, loss of appetite, insomnia...and so forth

7. email reminding u to do the semly evaluation feedback (time to kan the CMI lecturers and tutors!)

8. suddenly realise ur timetable getting slacker and slacker...and juz when u start to rejoice cheering clearing ur lab reports, presentations, essays and assignments...u realise left 2 weeks to exam!!

9. central library announces extended opening hours...YIH operating 24 hours and tut rooms opening up till late...

10. email informing u to check ur exam seat number and venue (wah piangz betta and seriously plz wake up when u see this one man!!)

MY EXAM TIMETABLE as follows:

25/11 (SAT) Transport
Yeah!! start off wif my fav mod this sem...doing well so far for CA...one more MCQ = Must Copy Quiz nxt tues and that's abt it...banking my hope on this one

30/11 (Thurs) Geotech
oh man...my most feared mod...haiz...wah lau seriously dunno wad the lecturers tokking abt till now lah...muz put in effort to the power of 10 for this mod!!

1/12 (Fri) PS
waah seems damn shiok aft completing the test...suddenly feel i am prepared for this...not that i tink i will do well for the test lah...juz that like study before and juz revise a bit more will do liao for this mod

5/12 (Tues) Gen Bio
ok banking my other hopes on this one...and final paper loh!!! woowheee...but hopefully but confirm will bound to suffer from the "final paper syndrome"...in which one will not put in that much effort for your final paper as half of ur mind will be planning for the beach and the sea afterwhich...haha...

@@sen ri kuai le@@

yes it's my lunar bday today...haha yes i know u muz be tinking who in this world is still celebrating his or her lunar bday rite?? but mummy being mummy...insist on cooking mee sua and red eggs for all our lunar (or some call it chinese) bday every year...in fact i don't even remem my chinese bday until mummy tells me to eat mee sua every year...hee

and coincidentally enough it's ken's bday today!! haha...Bro, here's wishing u a Happy Birthday...enjoy ur day with ur special someone...and cheers to our friendship!! dun worry genie and me will give u a treat nxt week!

Went to the Science Center for an excursion today...excursion?!?! Uni still going for excursion?!! Haha

Yup u heard me rite...it is a full blown official excursion for my mod general bio...they even wrote down the word "excursion" on the consent form...YES...Consent Form!!! Consent Form to go science center at the age of 23...my goodness...in my year 3 of studies in Uni...wah kaoz...this is den the bigger joke...some of us are already parents at this age and still need to ask our daddy mummy to sign consent form to go science center...a practical joke really...

nevertheless was damn drained already the whole day thanks in large part to my PS test this morning...1st time taking an Arts Gem gotta do a test instead of an essay...and so far for my Arts Gems i have taken...i always never sleep the nite b4 the exam to mug...dunno leh...i tink arts mod study as late as possible the better coz the points will be fresher...haha...call it my theory...had only like 3 hours of sleep staying up to go thru the readings and the textbk...and still had to go science center Imax theatre to see some "Deep Sea" movie...all i can remem is the scene where a gigantic sotong eating a super suay crab...and a jellyfish scooping up hapless hums (the char kway teow hum i mean) for dinner...slept for large bits of the movie...but sitting near the front in Imax doesn't help either...damn straining on ur neck...

nxt up still have to go ard the exhibits looking for answers to fill in the trivia...wah lau tell me 10 or 20 years ago i will still be excited abt doing this lah...not rite aft a night of mugging for some dense mod like PS rite...starting to be really weary as the day went on...but still ken and i manage to finish up the quiz and catch the "excursion" bus back to NUS...pheewww...

Was attending Geotech lect yesterday when something prof harry said strikes me...he was talking abt attending some court case recently involving some engineering firm...and the engineers getting charged for designing a building along church street which seems to be tilting...and was warning us betta get our basics rite b4 we go out to work...if not later get charged and jailed and even caned den we know...i was thinking why only structural engineers get this type of treatment...den wad abt errant doctors who treat their patients until they die?? or wad abt crooked lawyers who failed to defend their clients well and end up their clients sentenced to the gallows??

i mean both cases also involve people dying wad rite...and also can argue both cases the lawyers and docs fail to do their jobs well wad...den why is it engineers build a structure that collapse or worst haven even collapse get bleddy charged in court?? why the double standard u tell me?? doctors and lawyers' arses are too precious to be caned issit?? den suka suka anyhow charge engineers becoz one die still got so many rite...to them the whole damn streets are filled with engineers wad...nb really biased the more i tink of it the more angry i get...pay already lower still got so much responsibilty...somemore every nite cannot sleep coz fearing a structure you built 10 years ago and collapse is still ur dai ji...knn...

wad to do...life is juz like that...if not why there are rich and poor...strong and weak...beautiful and ugly...smart and stupid pple ard...in short life is juz unfair lah...

fixed my printer with this!! isopropyl alcohol the printer repair kit

yes my 2 year old canon i455 was playing punk with me...change my ink cartridge like mad and still refuse to print anything...dulan went online and search for solutions...found out my printer may be clogged and need alcohol to flush down my printhead...and *tete* it really works!! now my printer prints like new!! all thanks to guardian alcohol! haha...another skill to add to my expanding resume...tinking of other career options aft hearing demoralising news of engineers getting charged day in day out...as of now these are the career options viable...

1. Taxi driver!! yeah can drive ard town...pick up stewardess frm changi airport...and office belles from shenton way...hee...flexible working hours...but first need to have an updated street directory...very blur with singapore roads...haha

2. Chao fan stall assistant...notice i put asst...muz be humble a bit...still got lots of things to learn to master the perfect chao fan...heh

3. Lifeguard (but only strictly for knee depth pool or 1.1m depth whichever lower)

4. Printer repair man!! yeaaaah...the latest skill i have added...juz need to buy $2 alchohol from guardian and i can go ard repairing clogged printers...lol