Finishing the Good Race

- 2 Corinthians 8:11 "But now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have." -

At the begining of a new year, most people will be filled with excitement and fresh hope of what is to come, and many go about naming a list of new year resolutions and some came up with a list of goals to accomplish before the end of the year. I am one such person.

AT the turn of the new year, I had listed a whole long list of "Goals to Achieve 2006" and the now all-too-familiar-and-ultimately-unsuccessful "I will be Early" new year resolution. As I often mention in my ramblings, time and tide waits for no one, as of now the year 2006 has just 51days more to run, the clock tickling away as I type on.

Time it seems, is a ever-increasingly rare commodity running out for me.


My MAJOR Milestones for 2006.

1. NTU eXams SEM1 (15-28Nov)
2. Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon (3 Dec)
3. Lose 12Kg ,Starting weight: 77kg (31 Dec)

With each passing second the deadline looms ever closer and desperations grow I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of helplessness.

STOP!

Yes, time and tide waits for no-one, and even as the achieving these goals seems virtually (if not Practically) impossible now, bemoaning and wallowing in self regret does not bring me closer my goals nor does it do any good to my self-image/ esteem. All is does is drive one deeper into the vicious self decapitating cycle.

WAKE UP! GAVIN! (DUN press that "snooze" button anymore)

Yesterday I caught the movie "Step UP".

It is about how this young rebel [read very gifted street dancer] growing up on the wrong side of the neighbourhood and wasting his time and living a largely unfulfiled life until he met this girl [read brilliantly talented and passionate dancer] from a elite dance school while serving community service.

The girl needed a good dance partner for her showcase, which is instrumental for her to continue pursuing her dancing passion, and the guy filled the spot. Along with a series of obstacles along the way, the guy and the girl fell in love (whatelse?!) and had a chance to fulfil their dreams in the final dance performance at the showcase.

What struck me deeply in this movie is the male character's (Tyler Gage) struggle to finish what he started, which is the main reason he is leading a hugely UNFULFILLING life despite his apparent gift in dancing. Just when things are looking to turn up and he is make gains in his new life, an obstacle crops up and he gives up, returning to his old lifestyle and undoing his good work thus far. Sounds familiar? (it is a very familiar script for me) Watching these scenes, I can't help but think aloud "Hey come on dude, get back and continue your working on it, you are almost there. Don't give up now!"

It is always easier to see things from a 3rd person view. Deep down, I know that this is the exact pattern that have be unfolding all along in my life, working on a goal, then on meeting a big obstacle, I turn back and give up, after sometime I started working on the goal again, then another obstacle came, I quitted again, and ...... (Repeat)

As the saying goes, "success is not the result of not meeting failures, it is moving on and picking up after each failure/ obstacle." The Winner is NOT one who doesn't fail, it is he(she) who DOESN'T Quit!

To all who read up to this point, I appreciate your attention and congrads, you are displaying what it takes to finish the good race, endurance to carry through to the end =p

Well let's all continue to work on our lives and the goals we have set out to accomplish, see you along the race, if not at the finishing line!

- 2 Corinthians 8:11 "But now you also must complete the doing of it; that as there was a readiness to desire it, so there also may be a completion out of what you have." -

Cries from a Struggling Undergrad

Geez, miss my friends..

Gosh how time really flies, it already 7 weeks = 49 days = 1176 hours = 70560 min since school started, and next week’s our mid term break already. Next week’s our mid-term break, supposedly to be a mid break for us students to take a breather after a hectic 7 week of studying. Time to catch up with old friends and reminiscence the old times.
FAT HOPE! That’s not for me, more like tonnes of tutorials to complete, and textbooks to read, arghhhh!!! Die die die, just after 7 weeks in school in back to my old self, skipping lectures, the backlog of unfinished tutorials, unread lecture notes/ textbook chapters simply grew as each day passes, in Chinese it is called “与日俱增”.

I don’t understand why but it seems I have lost all sense of self-discipline that I had back in the army days. I was the “model” soldier I presumed, since I never took a day of MC ever since I got out of course from S.I.S.P.E.C, took pride in my work and I was really dedicated to it, so much so that my superior made me an I.C, despite there being so many more capable fellow soldiers around, some of whom I felt were even better than I am in terms of abilities. Whenever I had time, I would head to the library to borrow books to “upgrade” myself, studying was FUN then. Fastforward, 1 year later now I am dreading those books and notes, study seems to lose its lure and excitement, instead I found a new interest in traveling and fashion.

It seems things take a heightened importance and lure only when they are scarce. Like why during BMT, even booking out 1 hour earlier is ecstatic, when I first got a 8-5 vocation it felt like I won the lottery ( and 3 months later I dread having to wake up 1 hour earlier to go to camp and rather stay-in).

I feel so bored now, so listless and so lousy, oh God please give me some motivation :p

Uni Life...

Didn't know I would say this, but suddenly I really feel that being back in school isn't such a good idea actually. Why now after 2years of NS and yearning to return to my books, now that I'm starting school I kinda think that it's tougher being a student than (God forbidden tha I say this) an NSF. School does bring it own sets of complexities and troubles for a returning NS "boy", 2years and 6 months in NS had done much more damage to my memories than I could imagine. What happened to all those physics, maths, & chem stuff that I struggled to cramp into my head before the A lvls?! Die die die, the tutorials are killing me already.

Well next to the "fun" of studying, meeting new friends are definitely another highlight of uni life, and since studies is turning out to be such a killer, I guess this is my 'only' highlight of uni life. As I did not go for any Freshmen Orientation Camp (F.O.C) nor do I stay in hall, the only people I know in uni are my past acquaintances, ex-classmates, ex-platoon mates, ex-chiong suah buddies, mostly guys and yupz the uni system is not that conducive for people to actually make new frens easily. Unlike JC, there's no fix class system where u get to meet up every week or a day with the same set of people and it's pretty hard to form lasting friendship this way. Hopefully once I started joining a CCA this situation will improve. Well not that I am very poor off now, I am really glad that there's still alot of good friends around me that I can hangout with, it's just that these friends are also meeting new people, making new friends and expanding their social circles, and naturally they have to spend time with their new friends, so we'll have less time be hangout too.

I believe that there is no point in harping about problems without actually facing them and overcoming them. So here's what I planned to make my uni life more interesting and exciting in the days to come:

1) Spend 2hours each day doing tutorials, 1 hour reading lecture notes in advance. (Well how interesting u'll probably say, but I believe that once you get better in what u are doing, u will feel more confident and more interested in pursuing them, going for better results. Yupz, I'm gonna make (force) myself like studying more!

2) Pack my free time with gym/ running/ swimming sessions. (When you get fitter, your body works better, the mind feels fresher and u'll feel good naturally. And what a healthier way to relieve all the fatigue (stress) from all the studying.)

3) Visit my all friends staying in halls, for catching up. (To expand my personal network. People will link us to more people, friends can link me to their friends, and I will know more people around. Also having good communication do good to our spiritual well being and fulfills our emotional needs)

Scammers Reunite

08-08-2006. Met up with our S.O.S (aka Sisters of Scam/ Shit) with my B.O.S (aka Bra of Shit) @ Orchard. It's a miracle the 4 of us finally get to meet up since we parted ways in Sa Pa some 2 and a half months ago. While Cheng Yao had been BZ with orientation, tuition, gathering, Yuqing and Peili were tied down with work. Myself, I didn't even have time to blog, much less meeting up for dinner, when I was not travelling, most of my time was spent on late night OT/ boozing in APB with my new "colleague cum long time Bball Buddy" Joshua.

Well was really expectant for this gathering, cause I heard Peili mentioned something about a souvenir for me and Cheng Yao that our S.O.S got for us in China, and of course we miss our S.O.S too. Supposed to meet up with OPL at Orchard MRT station at 7pm, too bad I got the msg late, and as a result, turned up late at Orchard MRT station @ 7.15pm. Saw nobody, and as I waited n waited, and Cheng Yao eventually showed up @ 7.30pm and still no sign of that Lady.. Finally at 7.45pm, received a sms that read, " I guess I'll see u guys at 8.30pm." SCAMMED (no. 01)

8.30pm, supposed to meet up with both S.O.S at Topshop, again no signs of either 1 of them. SCAMMED (no. 02) Tried to ACT SMART, went to the sales counter to ask to make an appointment with the "Image Stylist", thinking I can spring a "surprise" on our apparently-working-late-and-definitely-LATE S.O.S, only to be get ambushed from behind. Guessed I made a fool of myself in front of the salescounter girl. Worst still, found out that we were again scammed when I saw Yuqing. We originally agreed on a Red-White theme to commemorate National Day (I still got that MSN msg log to prove it), but our dear S.O.S was dressed in a Brown top and White pants. SCAMMED (no. 03) again!@##$% (Prior to this gathering I suggested that every1 dressing in Red-White theme, so as to commerate the Nation's birthday. GLK = Patrotic Sgporean ok!) Can anyone tell me where is the brown in Sg's flag?! (unless u think that Mr Brown is a national icon)

Cut short the story, it's getting late nw... Here's our Pretty faces...

Name: Yuqing (aka S.O.S)

Skill Level: GrandMaster Scammer

Name: Cheng Yao (aka Petite)

Skill Level : Noob (always kena scammed!)

Name: Gavin (aka GLK)

Skill Level: Advanced (Branded the "thinker". Good at discerning scams and dishing out scams, but still can't beat the Grandmaster)

OPL, stop trying to hide behind the newspaper!!

Name: Peili (the Life story session facilitator)

Skill Level: Advanced (the one who came out with the Ultimate Scam, the "Lesbian" scam, but it was from her slip-of-tongues which let the cat out of the bag.)

Fav tagline: "U r dead!"

Me and Cheng Yao trying to pull out a SCAM on Yuqing.

Supposed to make Yuqing feel "deeply" touched by telling her Cheng Yao went all the way to Bangkok to get her the "Music is my Business" t-shirt. Trying to create a scandal, too bad the girls did not catch on to it...

Smilez, one last photo. Till we meet again in 08 August 2008.

Images contributed are taken by Canon Digital IXUS 800 IS camera.Photographer: Ong Pei Li (exp for group photo)

In the end I need to say this, thanks for the dinner treat Peili, and all the best to you girls till our paths cross again. You gals had been really really Gr8 travelling mates, n thanks to you we had an unbelieveably wonderful time backpacking around S.E.Asia n learnt a great lesson in life: always take what others tell you with a pinch of salt. Make observation and discern the truth for yourself, as scammers are just about everywhere.

To Cheng Yao, Myself Pei Li (the singles): We will all find a great partner someday, meanwhile let's enjoy the freedom of singlehood and the friendships and strive to give the best to our work/ studies!! Gan Ba Teh (",)

Happy Birthday SINGAPORE


Happy 41st birthday Singapore!! Wee, it's been a loooooong time since I watched the National Day parade on TV, and coincidently it's been quite a long time since I've blogged, well don't they always say "good things" come in pairs =P


I think that this year's national day parade was really well done, especially the video they showed midway through the parade. I can't help but feel a deep sense of pride for being a Singaporean, seeing how Singapore had developed from a small British abandoned colony to a World Class City, and despite the flaws and shortcomings our society holds, I cannot help but marvel at the progress the nation made over the past 41 years. It's embarassing but I've to admit I nearly cried when I saw that footage on TV..

So tell u what I am going to do today, my new resolution is to MEMORISE the Singapore national pledge. (I'm too ashamed to say this, but just 24hrs ago I can't even recite the national pledge. Oh well I still can recite it back in my JC days, it's not like I didn't know it BEFORE ok, man back in my sec school days we used to recite it in chinese too, how many people in Singapore can claim that! So stop judging me, all u self-righteous sgporeans)

And here after 5 min of practise, I've finally pieced my broken memories together and here I'm proud to present you, the SINGAPORE National Pledge:

We the citizen of Singapore, pledge ourselves as one united people, regardless of race, language or religion, to build a democratic society, based justice and equality, so as to achieve happiness, prosperity and progress for our Nation.

(This is done w/o refering back to my primary school textbook, it's all actually still in the back of my head k!! Well done GLK..)

Fireworks displays during NDP (grand finale)