- reminiscentii -

So much to say, so little time. D:

2010-04-04T10:02:00.002+08:00

I really REALLY need to update my blog more frequently. Not because I'm chasing away readers (LOL), but every single time I feel like talking about everything that has occurred from the second after I published my post. D:

Well, it's been a long time since I watched a movie in a cinema. I missed out on 2012 and Avatar, and a hell lot of other movies. So I paid $10 to watch How to Train Your Dragon with 11s06A (or a part of it, anyway) at GV Bishan. It was one of the nicest movies I've ever seen. :D But yeah, sitting at the front row sucks quite a bit. Boohoo for not buying tickets the day before. Was supposed to watch Clash of the Titans on the same day too, but everything was sold out. Yay for Good Friday. ;_;

Seeing that there was this long weekend, I set out to do something crazy. I started the class website. heh. Then I realized I've lost most if not all my skills. Hiatus ftl. =/ Oh well. Another useless email to add to the list of emails I already have. But maybe the class would want to use them as well, so that we can at least have a class convo somewhere. - -

Did I mention how much I don't like how Facebook is currently? =/

home.

2010-03-07T23:54:00.002+08:00

I can't wait to go home. That's all. XD

I got bored.

2010-03-01T17:40:00.005+08:00

Well let's see. What do you get when you cross boredom with a completely retarded roommate who doesn't want to turn on the fan when it's so freaking hot at night nowadays? A little bit of Photoshop and an advertisement. XD

The trip(s) to the hospital. D:

2010-02-24T22:42:00.002+08:00

ARGH ADJIOQWNDQWUICBQIWOENUIQW FLAT FEEEEEEET.

Bah. You know, I thought it'd be just a normal trip down to Tan Tock Seng Hospital la. The doctor at the clinic told me I'd be referred there because he "can't give me that many MCs". This was last Thursday. I mean like, what the heck ._. Do I really have to waste my time making my trip down there just to get an MC for my flat feet? D: Either way I didn't complain, cause I was sick at the same time as well. So I took the referral letter, and proceeded down to the clinic 3:30pm today.

Since I was already a bit late I decided to take a taxi down. Everything proceeded normal and all, and I met Dr Lai, a very nice orthopaedist who told me that it can't be helped. I've been told that too many times, but I was too nice la. Maybe because I was tired. So I couldn't be bothered. Heh. He gave me a year-long MC and told me to renew it next year. So I left to pay $91 dollars at the counter for my first consultation, which I hoped would be the last until the next MC renewal.

Things started to turn shitty after this. At the counter, the nurse (whom I believe was new) encountered problems. As I made payment with NETS, the machine died all of a sudden whilst the receipt was printed. The lady told me not to worry and proceeded to print an official receipt. So I thought all was well, so I proceeded to take a cab back to the hostel.

Halfway back, I got a phone call asking me to go back. So I thought I left something behind or they printed the receipt from the machine. Then they told me "OH SORRY AH. JUST NOW DIDN'T WORK." I was dumbstruck. Like are you trying to scam me and charge me twice or something D: So I had to key in again and all. Then I left for RIB again.

Back at the hostel, I gave the documents needed to the matron. Then she told me, "I don't need the official receipt. I need the tax invoice and the referral letter." ... What the fk la! The baarger didn't give me a tax invoice. And the referral letter was not given to me. Sux. So I had to take ANOTHER cab (4th time now, if you didn't notice) back to get the documents. Then after some delay (including having another person at the counter asking me why the official receipt won't work. HELLO, DO I LOOK LIKE THE INSURANCE COMPANY? D:) I finally got the things I needed, and I took another taxi back (because taking the train at 5:15pm is not the wisest thing to do. XD)

All in all, I had to pay for taxi fare 5 freaking times. And I didn't even get to nap. So now I'm freaking tired, and I'm still waiting for my laundry to dry. Nice job, Jun Lem. Did I mention? PE tomorrow. And lessons end at 4:10pm. FML. D:

silent presence.

2010-02-17T00:04:00.002+08:00

Let's talk about things on a more personal level (cause you know how listing out what I've eaten and done everyday would get boring).

I have been very quiet lately. No no, I'm not trying to be sarcastic, but it's true. If you ask any of my secondary school classmates, most of them would say that I am talkative as hell. Not that it's a bad thing. XD But yes, recently I've been quieter than usual. And though it might be because I am mad or angry, most of the time I'm not. I have my reasons for that.

Have you ever heard of the saying "silence is golden"? Well, that's what I'm trying to achieve. But silence is more than just golden; it means something way bigger. I don't know if you've ever had that feeling, but whenever my heart feels content, I prefer to stay quiet. It's like there's no further explanation or clarification (or just plain talking) required.

Staying quiet allows me to think a lot. It lets me think about feelings, about family, about friends. Everything under the sun. About knowledge. About my future. About my scholarship. But most of all, it allows me to enjoy the moments that I am around with the group of people. My family. My orientation group. My class. My friends. Cousins, teachers, whatever. Sometimes there's no need for anything to be said to allow me to convey messages. A simple gesture from me will be embedded with words that I wish to express. "Thanks for being a friend." "I love you." "I'm glad you're all around with me." "I am happy to have known you." "Sorry for what I've done."

Maybe it's because I'm tired of being a loudmouth. Maybe because, staying quiet is much better than speaking out loud. Why use words if there's no need for them? We can communicate with others through languages that do not involve words. Just actions would be sufficient to overpower the strength words have. So the next time someone asks me why I'm so quiet, I'll just say I'm tired, and leave them to their imaginations or read my blog post. (viral advertisement, heh)

So the next time I stay quiet around you, please don't think that I hate being around you. In fact, it just shows that I'm happy around you, and your silent presence is all that is needed to make me feel content.

hesitancy.

2010-02-10T15:08:00.002+08:00

Sigh. I really don't like making decisions. Economics, or Geography? It's been THE question that has been occupying half of my brain for the past 96 hours. Too many people have chipped in and now I feel more confused than enlightened.

As much as I hate to admit it, I'm a very indecisive person. I always fear that making the wrong choice would lead me to oblivion, or something of that sort. It's irrational, I know. ._. I mean, every piece of advice is different. Even those coming from Geography and Economics teachers. So I've been thinking about it for far too long.

Whatever my choice is, thanks, Ms Chen Yee Chien, Dean of Systems, for putting up with the load of crap I've done. First it was KI, then it was an appeal for KI, and then it was requesting for subject change to Econs, and now cancelling it. I bet others would have shouted at me or expelled me already. XD

I can now rest a bit easy and get ready to celebrate CNY. (:

one month of a hiatus and i have too much to say.

2010-02-09T23:40:00.002+08:00

You know that feeling that you get when you know it's high time to update your blog, and there's too much to write about? ._. Well here I am, one month (and two days) later, at a loss of what to type first.

MOE owes me money. Hardly a good topic to start off a blog post with, but hey, it's frustrating okay. XD While our seniors got the money way earlier last year, I've called up MOE to ask (a.k.a. beg) for our allowance only to receive a nonchalant reply that it'll only arrive in mid-February. Excuse me, I understand the scholarship deed has some clause about how the payout is done at the sponsor's discretion. But hello?! Almost all of the J1 scholars are almost bankrupt as a result of this, and we have a hell lot to pay for class fund. Not to mention the infamous $150 graphics calculator. D:

Depressing information aside, I'm extremely happy to say that I'm part of MT02! Also known as "G'et me a fillet of fish student meal upsize change Coke to Sprite" (say that 10 times without stopping! XD). It has a ridiculously long name la, and we know fillet is spelt wrong. But we don't care. Anyone who tries to deny the fact that MT02 > * must be kidding themselves! XD And it's all thanks to the most awesome OGLs any OG could ever ask for! :D

I'm changing my subject combination too. PCMG to PCME. There're way too many things to think about. It's helluva frustrating deciding whether or not to switch, but I guess when money comes to mind I should be alright la. All I hope for is that I'll prove myself to be better in Economics than Geography. But argh. I'm praying hard that I won't have to leave 11S06A. My class is too fun. XD

Well I guess I should stop here, take a bath and sleep. There are too many things I want to complain about (such as ongoing annoyance of the inconsiderate roommate that insists that he wants the fan speed switched to 1 on a freaking hot night). And I'll be sure to blog more often la! Since I can't stay on Facebook, Twitter or MSN too often now. I'll keep checking the chatbox here though, and you can always leave me an email! :D It's [ admin AT reminiscentia DOT com ] for email, and [ julian AT reminiscentia DOT com ] for Facebook (gotta complain some day about how Facebook blocks "admin" in an email, too. XD) if you need me!

P.S. I think I've just used way too many brackets. :P

driving test.

2010-01-07T19:33:00.002+08:00

I passed my driving test! On my first try! :D :D :D :D :D

Sigh. Gonna try and get my license tomorrow. That's assuming that the data has been processed. I hope JPJ would be super efficient in these things! I can't wait to drive. Heh. XD

There was only one thing that pissed me off though. The girl that went ahead before my turn took like 30 minutes to drive around the place. What speed was she driving at? 30km/h? D: I had to wait like a dufus while others who came later got to take the test first. Even the examiner was like "I already told her to go faster." XD And before you ask, no, I wasn't going at 100km/h. D: Around 60, I guess? To be on the safe side la. The straighter, nicer roads I drove at around 70-80 lo. Examiner even thanked me for saving his time. XD

Overall the test wasn't so hard. As long as you complete everything according to what is taught, actually. Heh. I'm still irked by some people who were on Facebook talking about how hard they're preparing for the theory test. Uh, hello, this is driving, not some uber-difficult SPM-like test that you must pass in order not to fail in life. Stop freaking out about how hard it is, how you've done 500 questions, how you need more revision and all that. Just retake if you fail la! It's not the end of the world, people. XD

Anyways, let's hope JPJ can give me my license tomorrow. After all, it affects their Kacang Putih Index. XD

first update of the year!

2010-01-06T11:24:00.002+08:00

Happy New Year people! I know I haven't updated my blog for a very very long time. D:

Anyway. Missed my own deadline to update yesterday because I fell sick. Way to start off the new year, huh. ._. I'll be taking my driver's license tomorrow, so good luck to me with that. XD

Can't believe time flies so fast. I'll be going back to Singapore next week. Hmm. ._. Hopefully I'll be able to online more often? Though the workload will probably not permit me. Sad.

Anyway! Happy 2010 people! A new decade, a new resolution. I'm not telling you what's mine. :D

goodbye, halcyon days.

2009-11-09T10:35:00.007+08:00

So much has happened after EOYs. I was struck by the fact that I had to GRADUATE from secondary school after this year a lot later than my friends. Still, it wasn't too late, and here's my rant.

I have had a very wonderful and memorable experience for the past two years. There're no words to describe this journey, or rather, there are too many words to describe it. Not all times were happy: there was the "complete" devastation I felt after leaving home, there was the culture shock of being bombarded by kiasuism around me, and there was the responsibility that came side-by-side with freedom. That's on top of the avalanche of schoolwork I get. It took me quite a while to adapt to the changes in environment. It helped a lot to have great friends to take my mind off homesickness, scholars and schoolmates alike, as well as boarding staff and school teachers who are really supportive.

Thus, I have a long gratitude list here. Unless mentioned, this is in no particular order (though I still try, but many-a-times there are ties which I cannot decide on), and explanations do not serve to show who's more important.

Firstly, and most importantly, to my parents and sister, who have been so completely supportive of me for the past two years. It is their help that I deem most important above all else. Their laughter infects me just through their voice (I wonder if I can get an MC for that), their care and concern shows that I am still very much like I'm back in Malaysia.

Relatives: What can I say? They're my relatives. By default they should be in this list for the years they've taken good care of me even before I came to Singapore. Without them I wouldn't be in Singapore in the first place.

My own countrymen, especially Zheng Hung. Thanks, because.... well, just thanks la. Otherwise it'll be too long a list. XD

Old classmates/friends: Tang Eng Yee, Ong Chi Hao, Chan Pui Mun, Lim Cheng Yee, Angelyn Ho, Woo Qi Hong, Tan Yann Fei, Kan Choong Hong, Leong Mun Jun, Chong Yee Xin, Ng Jia Qi, and so many more. Boo. Too many to list. D:

Scholars of my batch, especially Yu Liangping, Vuong Gia Hieu, Manikandan Thyagesh, Chavan Tejas Deepak, Mai Ngoc Nhan, Le Duc Anh, etc etc. (I can't remember everyone D:.) Thanks a lot for being supportive of my actions, decisions and whatever stuff I've done as Hullett 1 chairman.

Classmates, especially Delwyn, Shi Leon, Chin Jie, Dennis, Han Kit, Matthew, Ye Oon, Alvin, Wen Jian, Patrick, Dexter. Thanks for making 4M a nice place for me to study in! (though we have to minus the fact that I can barely listen to the teachers at times, but hey, who cares now? XD)

Batchmates: Bryan Lee, Tat Hsiang... (sorry, just woke up, can't remember shit.)

Scholars' Committee: Nguyen Duong Ngoc My, Gui Xiaohui, Bui Ngoc Linh Chi, Stacey Tay, Forlando Antonius, Jenny Fong, Kevin Frandy Budiman, Li Wanchun, Wu Jianxiao, Talitha, Sivakorn Chongfeungprinya (please do not ask me how I managed to remember his name. I just did. D:), Mai Ngoc Thien Trang, Hanh Trang, Hu Xu Ling, Long Wen, Wu Wei, Yu Shiyu, Elsye, Li Yiqiao, Zhang Wenjing, Xu Qiusi. Did I miss anyone out? XD

Teachers: Mrs Eunice Tay, Dr Koh Siak Peng, Mrs Priscilla Lim, Mr Law Hock Ling, Mr Low June Meng, Mrs Neoh Terh Ling, Dr Chionh Yan Huay, Dr Iluyomade Raphael Funwa, Dr Jeffrey Lee, Ms Quah Seok Whee, Ms Lim Si Hui, Ms Wong Chiu Chin, Mr Ng Kai Yong (betty!), Mr Harold Au. Thank you for your support and wonderful teaching.

Boarding Masters: Mr Vincent Quek, Mr Tan Chiew Sern, Mr Daniel Chua.

"Upper echelon" of the school: Mrs Lim Lai Cheng, Mr Koh Chin Nguang, Mr Magendiran, Mrs Tan Siok Mui, Mr Kenneth Kwok, Mr Lam Nam Soon, Mrs Jacqueline Chua, Mr Edward Ng.

And the list goes on and on and on. It'll be never ending. I think it's important that we show our gratitude to those who have helped us in one way or another, and not disregard their little efforts. I thank those whose names I've left out up there, and know that you're equally important as the people above. (:

As Mr Edward Ng puts it in his talk, JC will be a completely different thing. I care less about arguing over whether or not the school should call it GRADUATION CEREMONY now, because by default, and whether they like it or not, I'm calling it as that. Screw whatever names you can think of; there's no substitution for graduation, even if it's Year 4 to Year 5 of a programme. So is the school contradicting itself now? You name it "Year 4 Dinner" because it's still under the same programme, yet you're telling us "Year 5" or JC1 as I'd like to call it is a completely different game. Make up your mind.

Whatever it is, there'll be no more time for rest in JC. I'll work doubly as hard and compensate for the time spent by using the computer less and joining less stressful CCAs. Excelling is the key, but with it comes a lot of sacrifices. It's truly the time to say: goodbye, halcyon days.

update. boo.

2009-10-21T14:28:00.003+08:00

Hmm. It's been quite a while since I actually updated my blog, no? :o Can't expect me to update everyday though; I seriously do not have the time to do it. Maybe after EOYs? XD

EOY's nearly at its closure. So far I've been doing alright, but I don't feel contented. It's like I don't think I can get a 4.0 for Physics anymore, I screwed up my Geog, and coming tomorrow I have Maths, for which I need to get 60/60 to get a 4.0. Even a half-mark drop will pull me up only till 3.6. So much for optimism, but I'm gonna try for it. Then it's Bio, then I'm done. XD

Apple released new products yesterday! And of course, it's mouthwatering again. I've soaked up about 3 shirts of saliva just looking at them. XD Yeah yeah, I'm guessing by the time you read this, at least 30% of you would be pointing at me the next time you see me and shouting "APPLE FANBOY". I really don't care: screw you for liking Windows. Even Ubuntu is better, FFS. Windows is just a stupid OS that is widely adopted and has plenty of games. So what?! I sure as hell don't play games. And it beats the crap out of Windows 7 no matter how you look at it. Sure, flash at me with your UAC, your Windows "Aero", your new oh-my-god-bottom-right-hand-corner-button-lets-you-see-desktop technology which was already in Mac since long ago.

Now ahem, back to life. Why do I always digress? XD I have loads of activities lined up this weekend. Immediately after the Bio tests I'll rest and watch Hieu and gang do their secret dance, and then go out with Delwyn and gang to Night Safari. Saturday... well, it's Mr Lam's birthday, so I'll have to crack my head open about that as well. And I'll be visiting my cousin on Sunday! Haven't seen Boon Seng, Aun Chiew and that little rucku---- I mean, cute little Yang Yang for a long time now. Heh. :P I really enjoy their company though. It's like a faraway family for me. Though yes, I'll have to bear the 1-hour MRT ride, which is completely aiosdjqweb. XD

Anyway. Very likely I'll be getting a new phone soon. As long as M1 lowers their freaking price. I mean come on, for the same phone with the same plan and the same contract period, SingTel offers the phone I want at $448, and M1 and StarHub charges $598 for it. WHERE IS JUSTICE?! I think I'm gonna email them and threaten them to lower their prices or I'll... I don't know, but I'll do something bad. D: Lol

I've just realised that Singapore has no Nando's! WHY THE HELL IS THERE NO NANDO'S?!

now that i've finished ranting...

2009-09-21T20:40:00.002+08:00

It's a good thing I have great self-control over many aspects of my life. Otherwise, I would be a lot less likable. XD

So anyway! On to not-so-dark stuffs. Life's been quite busy, now that the end-of-year exams are coming up. Sometimes I wonder if I might suddenly choose to check myself into IMH. Change of environment, whoopee. XD But for now, nothing I can't handle. It's still DMPs, and I'm sitting in a few support classes (like Physics... urgh. D:)

I've been pondering over what phone to get at the end of the year. It is, after all, the end of my contract. 31st December 2009. Nice date. Wooooo. Huge dilemma. I want an iPhone 3GS, but I also want an HTC Hero. Now to complicate things up, there's the GSM version of the Palm Pre coming up. Bah. What to choose what to choose.

Nothing much else actually, but:

To Joel, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! You'll be a senior next year, don't worry. XD

To all Malays, Selamat Hari Raya Aidilfitri. :D

To Malaysian F5 students reading this, enjoy a short break after your SPM trials! You deserve it. all the best for your SPM! :D

i'm sick and tired. so i shall rant.

2009-09-21T20:18:00.002+08:00

I'll be doing a double post today. This shall be my first. And boy, am I boiled up.

I'll be very freaking honest. I feel pissed that someone such as him was chosen as a scholar. Surely some other people with much better character could make it. Being the country with the largest population, there should be other Maths geniuses that can understand the meaning of respect. Alas, for some reason, he was indeed chosen, and is now staying in my cluster. Walking about with his shitty attitude that words cannot describe. His rudeness outstrips many others. He dared, while I was in such a heated up mood, to walk out of roll call even before I finished.

The disrespect and attitude problems that he has shown, however, isn't limited to this. He probably antagonized the whole Vietnamese batch of scholars and didn't even care when he showed his "bravery" during RIB Night by jeering the winner. He doesn't keep his opinion to himself even in the lift.

Completely incensed by his actions, present and past, I decided to alert the boarding masters, head of boarding Mr Low, and of course, teacher-mentor of scholars Mr Lam. Mr Lam and I had a short talk and he agreed to talk to him. I thought matters were over. How I wish it was. Too bad life doesn't work that way: when you thought your troubles were over, think again.

The next roll call, he walked into the common games room, wagged his finger at me, smiled, and had this "you better watch out" kind of look. God, it took less energy to move mountains than to resist the urge to walk over and punch him in the face. But I kept my cool and observed him. He just kept on staring at me, probably trying to imagine he was this dude with super lasers so that he could intimidate me and fry my brains when I wanted.

I shall not mention names, to save the baarger some face. But people who are around me should know who the bloody hell I'm talking about by now. If the said person is reading this as well, let me ask you this:

Who the fuck do you think you are?

My apologies for the massive use of profanities (Mr Lam noted that, and I won't deny it), but what are you going to do? Beat me up? Grind me into pieces? Just because you're bloody proficient in Maths doesn't mean you don't have to go by the book. I've had just about enough of your bullshit, and so do others. So you better buck up and start showing some respect.

Especially with the stress of EOYs starting to mount on me, I have as short a temper as you do. All that's holding me back is my sanity and my constant self-reminders that I shall not stoop down to such a low level as where you are right now. But if you are trying my patience, you better watch out.

Since you like to throw your threats at me with your oh-so-intimidating eyes, let me return one in kind: there are a thousand ways I can screw your life up. Don't make me try even one of them.

Singapore and the Steamboat Session

2009-09-14T00:04:00.002+08:00

I guess I finally realise that I can't really live without my gadgets with me. I really don't know how the hell people made it last time. Probably there was more trust and less evil back then. Otherwise I feel compelled to send SMSes to friends, check my email, and stuff. ): Ah well, I may never know. XD

But anyway! As mentioned before the holidays, we decided to start our term with our very own steamboat in Singapore. I brought over pacific clams, mushrooms and noodles from Malaysia, while the rest of the gang went out and get some stuff. Including a pot. Just for steamboat. Hmm. XD We all feared that it wouldn't work with the induction cooker, but I guess that worry was wrongly placed, as it worked like a charm. I still don't like the freakin' lid though. D:

The bunch of us realised that we need to help out more in the kitchen. I mean, how can we not know how to make steamboat? XD There were funny moments though. I had to force Wei Herr to help me mix and marinate the pork we made. He was all "yeeeeeeeeeeeeeer" and "disgusting" all the way. Just as he started mixing, guess what came out on my iPod: that classic MJ song! "CAN YOU FEEL IT? CAN YOU FEEL IT? CAN YOU FEEL IT?!?!?!" XD Epic win.

I swear, I have to be more productive next holidays. I mean, seriously, what have I done? The only thing I have done, to be honest, is revising for my Maths. And that's like, very little Maths. Damnit. XD But I guess since it's DMP, there'll be plenty of time. Gotta rush my Chinese and do a CLE poster, and then I'll be off revising for my EOYs. Last year around this time I was slacking. Once bitten twice shy, as they say. XD

Malaysia was fun. I got to go out with Angelyn in Secret Recipe (and finally knowing something in advance (according to her, "WAY WAY advanced") XD), encourage my friends during their trials (though I doubt that did anything), chat with them, and of course, stay with my family. This means I'll be grounded for another 3 weeks, but wtfhey, I got what I wanted. XD I stayed up late for the Apple Rock and Roll event too. And I went around surfing for free VOIP back to Malaysia. Lalalala. XD

Well, 2 months away from freedom and graduation from secondary school. Can't wait. For those that are asking, my current choice for JC subject combi would be Physics/Maths/Chem/Geog + KI. But then again, I haven't considered fully. XD I shall wait until then. DRIVING LICENSE PLEASE THANKS.

And though this seems a bit late, HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY to:

1. MY WACKY AND LOGICAL EX-ROOMMATE, COUNTRYMATE, CLASSMATE AND GREAT FRIEND, Lam Zheng Hung. :D

2. MY SIAO TEACHER-MENTOR OF MOE, Ms Joyce Yeo. XD

Enjoy! (Americans hate the both of you, by the way. D:)

For the teachers.

2009-08-29T11:25:00.003+08:00

It's Teachers' Day in Singapore today! I know Malaysia's was long over (May 16, if memory serves?), but I'd still like to dedicate this blog post to them anyway.

In retrospect, I believe I've been quite an asshole in my primary school years. I can safely say most of my class hates me. Heh. But it is thanks to the guidance and support by teachers (with some scoldings in between) that I am who I am now. I owe it to them completely. This is not limited to just school teachers. I know by definition and common usage it is restricted to only that. However, teachers are people who educate; they need not necessarily be limited to your school or tuition teachers.

So here's my long list of teachers whom I want to thank. Not in specific order as I'm typing it out as I go.

Mdm Cheng Poh Yoke, my Standard 5 and 6 class teacher, who has taught me humility and showed me that arrogance is one's greatest downfall.

Mdm Woo Sook Yee (?), my Malay teacher for Standard 5 and 6.

Mr Zuraimi Mokhtar, my Geografi/class teacher for Form 1.

Mr Tan Ewe Seong and Ms (now Mdm) Carrie Lum, my Computer Club teachers-in-charge.

Ms (now Mdm) Chan Ai Ling, my English teacher for Form 1.

Pn Gunavathi, my English teacher for Form 2.

Mr Sabapathy, discipline teacher for lower secondary in Malaysia.

Pn Etron, teacher-in-charge for English Language Society.

Pn Tang Kar Ming, teacher-in-charge for Choir Club (afternoon session).

Pn Chong Suet Fun, second teacher-in-charge for discipline for lower secondary in Malaysia.

Pn Tong Chew Fong, KH teacher in Form 3 who taught me accounts. Sparked off my interest in the field.

Mr Yap Kok Wai, Science tuition teacher in Malaysia. Helped me in Physics when I was back for holidays as well.

Mr Sin, maths tuition teacher in Malaysia, whose skill far supersedes other Maths teachers that I have had so far (no offense, but it's true). It is thanks to him and the time I spent with him that I actually understand many concepts which I fail to understand under the tutelage of others, including Calculus. Everything seems so easy when he does it. Damn!

Mr Aaron Kok, English tuition teacher in Malaysia.

(in another light) Ms Ivy, money-eating tuition-teaching bitch who has taught me (the hard way) to NEVER be gullible in dealings with others and not to be naive when it comes to people.

Mr Lam Nam Soon, teacher-mentor for scholars in RI; the second-most person I wish to thank for his support.

Mrs Eunice Tay, Physics teacher-cum-form teacher for both years in RI.

Mrs Priscilla Lim, Maths teacher for both years in RI, who can make Maths one of the most interesting subjects.

Mr Harold Au, Bio relief teacher for Sec 3 who has given scholars many remedial sessions to catch up on DNA and the likes, and who can actually TEACH Bio rather than to blurt out all concepts.

Mr Vincent Quek, Mr Daniel Chua and Mr Tan Chiew Sern, my boarding masters in Hullett 1.

Mr Low June Meng, HOD Boarding of RI-cum-PE teacher for both years.

Dr Chionh Yan Huay, HOD National Education-cum-Geography teacher for both years in RI. She's grumpy, yes, and everyone dislikes her, but she's one hell of a teacher if you're good in her class. (:

Mrs Neoh Terh Ling, Social Studies teacher, Sec 4.

Mr Koh Siak Peng, Chem teacher for both years in RI. Thanks to him, Chem's as simple as ABC.

Mdm Bek Su Ling, HOD Mother Tongue-cum-Chinese teacher for both years in RI. I'm grateful for having such a nice teacher to teach me one of my worst ever subjects.

Ms Joyce Yeo, MOE Officer for scholars (English Literature teacher otherwise).

Ms Trancyn Wong, EL2 teacher for Sec 3.

Ms Lim Si Hui & Mdm Wong Chiu Chin, RI Chinese Orchestra teacher-in-charge. Mr Bernard Low, who was also teacher IC for a short period of time.

Mrs Theresa Lai, who was there during RI's trip to Malaysia for recruitment.

Mr Kenneth Kwok, Mr Koh Chin Nguang, Mr Magendiran, Mrs Lim Lai Cheng and Mrs Tan Siok Mui, the pillars of RI who are (or was) responsible for keeping RI intact. XD

I might have missed out on some teachers. I apologize in advance, and I thank you too for playing a part in moulding me into who I am right now. It might have skipped my mind, but you have made a difference no matter how small the contribution you have made, be it a scolding or comforting me when I need it the most. I'll try and update to put in more people. Hmm.

Last but not least, my parents, who have been the most important people in my life along with my sister for the last 17 years, 1 month and 23 days. They taught me that love knows no boundaries and that family will always come first before anything, including work and studies, which have put me in tight situations at times.

But I will not, and will never apologize for it, so save your breath if you're going to tell me how going home for the holidays is not important, or a phone call in the middle of a class by them can be ignored, or how that reduces your work efficiency (seriously, lamest fucking excuse ever for a person if you say that.) You'll get a long lecture from me instead, no matter who you are. That's why I loathe those who put work over your family just to earn a bit more money to indulge in whatever lifestyle there is without including the people who have made it POSSIBLE for you to even live now in the first place.

Oops. Digression, but it's something I feel strongly anyway. Nevertheless, HAPPY TEACHERS' DAY to one and all! Give yourselves a pat in the back; you deserve every bit of it. (:

Rant, from the bottom of my heart.

2009-08-23T02:02:00.000+08:00

If you are not interested in reading a long message explaining my actions, my reasonings and my reflection, please skip this article. Otherwise, you can read on, and see what I really feel about the incidents that have flashed past me in the last 8-9 weeks.

This will be one of my last blog posts of the term, and updates will be very rare.

It's time that I reflected on my behaviour. English teachers have been talking about metacognitive reflections on a subject, but why not do a metacognitive reflection on the whole? While it is completely irresponsible for me to post at 2a.m, with the rain beating away, I felt that with the tranquility and the small whistles of the wind blowing past my ears, it is easier for me to express nothing but the truth.

I have, since June, brought an illegal laptop, a 13" MacBook Pro. Its sole purpose was to help me with my assignments, and I seldom spend time on it. I swore to myself that no matter the situation or the magnitude of temptation, I would not play games on this. So far, I have kept that promise. This week, however, Mr Lam found out that I had a laptop. I was grounded, and I had to do community service. The laptop will have to go when I leave Singapore for the September holidays as well.

What bothered me was not the punishment, nor the fact (to some, heartbreaking) that I had to leave my laptop until next year. It was the betrayal of trust that I have committed that had struck me. That day, during the meting out of the punishment, I would rather have Mr Lam throwing words that take on the shape of knives at me. However, all Mr Lam did was telling me the punishment, and how disappointed he was. No scolding, whatsoever. Heard of the phrase, "silence is golden"? Well, in this case, silence was the golden arrow that pierced my conscience.

Mr Lam has taken care of me so well since my arrival. Why then, did I do this to him? No way in hell did he deserve the pain of betrayal that I have inflicted. He is, even now, my second father in Singapore. He looks so depressed nowadays, probably because of the events that have unfolded so far that continuously saddened him. I understand, too, that a thousand apologies wouldn't even begin mending the wounds and the broken bond of trust.

It is a conflict between what's right and what's practical. I believe what I am doing is practical by bringing my laptop. It is not to say that I have not pondered upon my decision. It took me days to try and argue with myself whether or not to bring a laptop, for I know that the consequences are dire. In the end, I decided firmly that bringing it in was the best thing to do, as I had so many posters to design for my Greenwave project. The sudden change in the topic of my SS Documentary only further supported my reasoning that taking my MacBook Pro with me was the best thing to do.

To be honest, I also felt that laptops shouldn't be brought in from Sec 3. The only thing that I needed to do with a computer last year was the SS National Service Video with Mr Quek, which I did on Mr Lam's iMac. Even in the first six months of my Sec 4 years, I felt no urgency or the need to bring a laptop, because there was simply no need for it. Being a tech enthusiast myself, I would tinker with the computer the whole day.

But then I found that coping with projects were not possible without a laptop anymore. I had to design 15 awareness posters for my Greenwave project, and my Singaporean groupmates conveniently decided to change our SS Documentary title 4 weeks before the submission deadline. So what am I to do? I try my best to be independent. It is not right for me to camp in Mr Lam's office using his iMac as if it were my own, for I was taught by my parents to depend on nobody as much as possible.

So is the "3.6 for a laptop" rule still relevant for the Sec 4s? 5 years ago, I bet there were a lot less assignments that required less usage of computers, and more of "manual work"; at least, that is also what's happening in Malaysia. I thought about it and came to the conclusion that it is a matter of perception. It is not whether Mr Lam or me is right or wrong. He is infinitely more experienced than I am, given the age disparity. I have my own way of thinking, and he has his own. I can understand his point of view. The question is, does he understand mine? For those who are so immature to think that I am blaming Mr Lam for what has happened, please read again, for there is no use for me to explain what I have just clearly said.

It's much like how the world works. English or GP comprehension papers will always ask you "What is the author's opinion" or "Why do you think" questions. Isn't it ironic that we get marked wrong sometimes? Like I mentioned in my previous post, what makes teachers or question setters think that they have the same opinion as the author does? Why are you telling me what to think? Interpretations have, in the past, caused wars and conflicts. One extreme way of interpreting the Qur'an would lead to terrorists; another, saints.

But as the world advances, our perception has to change as well. What is applicable in the past may not be applicable to the present. See hypocrites who blame communism as the harbinger of doom when we're at this age and time? In the past, people would think of democracy as the same. We cannot condemn the actions in the past, like the "3.6 rule", because it was still very relevant at that point in time. But as RI gives out more and more computer-based assignments and tasks, shouldn't there be a bit more flexibility too?

I have much more to say, actually. To say how my actions are justified even more than the little illustrations that I have mentioned above. About how my situation compels me to bring a laptop. About how I knew, for sure, that from past experiences, Mr Lam would not have allowed me to bring a laptop, for that would mean partiality.

But does it matter? All that matters to me is that I have done myself wrong. For betraying the trust that Mr Lam had in me. For making the same mistakes -- using the past to judge the present -- that I have been actively avoiding. For disappointing many teachers and friends of mine, as the head of Scholars' Committee, the chairman of Hullett 1, and above all else, as a human being who swears to live in integrity. I have failed myself as all of the above, and while I am actively seeking to mend the hole that I have created, there will always be a scar left behind.

I am truly, truly sorry, to all my boarding masters, MOE officers and teachers, for disappointing you.

I apologise to my parents as well, for I have dishonored my family with the decisions that I have made.

But most importantly, I am sorry, Mr Lam, for the pain that I have caused. A hundred words cannot even express how deeply sorry I am, a thousand apologies cannot count as atonement for my mistakes, and a million "sorry"s will not magically heal the hollowness of the part of your soul that I have taken away. But also thank you, Mr Lam, for teaching me, even whilst I make mistakes, to differentiate what's right and wrong, to make the right decisions, and to take responsibility for all my actions.

I shall now sign off to sleep and rest, and start my day tomorrow earning the trust I've lost again.

National Day holiday. Win. XD

2009-08-10T15:00:00.001+08:00

National Day. I love the day. Even though it's not Malaysia's. XD But I bet it would've been more enjoyable if I actually didn't fall sick. Now I gotta chiong all my work in one day. What the hell. D:

Well, for no reason (and just felt like doing it), this is my top 10 charts. Of this week. In no particular order. I think. =/?

1. Jason Mraz/Colbie Caillat - Lucky - We Sing. We Dance. We Steal Things. (3:10)

2. Pink Floyd - Echoes - Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd (16:31)

3. Daisuke Ishiwatari/Koh-ichi Seiyama - Blue Water Blue Sky - Guilty Gear XX OST (3:01)

4. JET - She's a Genius - Single (2:59)

5. Queen - Bohemian Rhapsody - Greatest Hits I (5:58)

6. Hirano Aya - Super Driver - Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuuutsu 2 OST (4:20)

7. Queen - Somebody to Love - Greatest Hits I (4:58)

8. Linkin Park - New Divide - Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen OST (4:29)

9. Taylor Swift - You Belong With Me - Fearless (3:52)

10. Coldplay - Viva la Vida - Viva la Vida (4:02)

Now, I'm gonna go do my English portfolio now. Before someone kills me. XD

You know, sound bites are actually easier. :D

2009-08-07T14:31:00.002+08:00

Yeah yeah. I don't have much time anyway, so I'm gonna go on a sound bite rampage until further notice, such as when something pisses me off, or when something major happens. :D

Isolated. AGAIN. D:

Sigh. Can't believe my luck. I'm now officially on isolation again. I've missed out on yesterday's (Thursday's) lessons and today's school NDP celebrations. Sore throat (this time a more severe case) and blocked nose. The two of them in a combination is absolutely disastrous. Can't get enough sleep, and I have to keep getting the mucus out of my nose. Troublesome. Not so much about the yucky part. XD

RI-WLAN Conquered

I didn't know which verb to use, but I guess that's fine. It's annoying to have to log in to my school portal every 30 minutes or less. I understand that it's done for the sake of preventing people from mass downloading, but how bout normal teachers and students who really just want to surf the net with some peace of mind. So while in isolation (with concept mapped out the day before), I created http://riwlan.reminiscentia.com. XD It only works specifically with my school internet, so no point trying if you're not from RI.

I'm still not sure whether or not it will be banned, but at least it's something.

Haruhi and the Endless Eight

It's finally over! After such a long freaking period of time, it's over. I can't believe them people actually looped back the (almost) same episodes for 8 damn times. Are they trying to piss customers off or what?

Singapore's National Day

Singapore's National Day falls on the 9th of August. So as a result, we get a long weekend. I'll have much to do, including Showcase Portfolio, Eng Yee's stuff, Chem PT and some more things that I need to think of. I'm currently in such a drowsy mood that I don't even wanna think.

Tests

As of now I'm currently temporarily removed of all exam burdens. SS test was quite okay, manageable, but I still didn't find enough time. The same with Geog. Somehow I can't write fast enough, and I need time to think. Hmm. I completely screwed up my Bio, seeing how I didn't even study much for it. Incorrect state of mind. Note to self, never, ever fall sick. Anymore. Otherwise my EOY is *ka-boom*. D:

Being isolated is fun. I think.

2009-08-01T19:20:00.003+08:00

Sound bites again! I'm sorry for not updating. I know I update "once in a blue moon" nowadays. Forgive me, I got a hell lotta work I need to complete.

SS Documentary

I can finally close that chapter. After tons of unhappy days, uncountable times being emo (that's a first for me. XD) and the collection of eyebags, I have finally completed the SS documentary with my iMovie. I have to say, Apple has got to put in a lot more effort into iMovie 10' to finally match the standards of the old iMovie HD. Making a documentary was a complete pain in the ass. Should've used Premiere Pro, but then I saw the quality of the raw footage and I felt it was a complete waste of time switching. So yeah. 10 minutes 14 seconds of hard work, averaging 2 hours per minute, if you get what I mean. *phew* XD

Isolation (it's just another lemon tree...)

Forgive me. I felt a wave of nostalgia hitting me. XD But yeah, immediately after I completed my SS Documentary, I fell sick with sore throat. Probably the long hours of work, but you never know. :o Sleeping at 4am isn't actually a good thing. I swear I'll never do it again unless I really, REALLY have to. But it was fun, having a room meant for two people to yourself. And there's no mess too! (Unlike the condition of my room. D:) I also learnt that FairPrice Tom Yam cup noodles damn nice. :D

Scholarship Stuff

Sorry Eng Yee. Didn't do it yet. THOUSAND APOLOGIES! D: D: D:

Facebook Block whilst using RI-WLAN

Yep. The infamous Facebook block. While people are scrambling to find solutions to overcome it, I've already found one, though I'm gonna reserve the knowledge to a select few. XD No, it doesn't have to do with pinging facebook.com and VOILA, use the IP to access. Very smart, people. Very smart. - - No, this isn't the method of using either proxy or VPN. Proxies are too damn hard to find, and VPN is too god-damn expensive. So I've found out my own way. A very simple way. :D

And no, this method is more or less infallible. If they wanna block the method I'm using, they risk killing a lot of other websites too, including Yahoo, Adobe, Sun Microsystems (or Java's creator :D), and a lot more. Heh. XD

Wei Herr's (pre)Birthday Celebration

Terrible. Just too terrible to describe. Choosing where to eat took us more than half an hour before I got freaking fed up and settled for S11's Claypot Delights alone in peace. Ignored 2 calls from Kah Wah, 8 calls from Wei Herr. Because I found it very stupid for us to argue over what to eat. People are STARVING in Africa, and we're bickering over whether to eat at food court or at Cafe' Cartel. So I say, screw it. I'm not even gonna be pissed off. Eat my own food, then just go. XD

Workload to Come

Hell, if I told anyone I had this amount of work that needs to be done in Malaysia, they'll be all "What the flock?". Even as I shut off SS Doc, tons of stuff come at me: Bio CCT (retake), Geog CCT, English Oral Defence, English Showcase Portfolio, Chem Performance Task, and some more in the next few weeks. Did I mention Chinese is gonna kill me? D:

Someone remind me that I'm me if I ever lose my sanity. Thanks. Signing out to work a bit on developing some PHP skills!

p.s. I SHOULD HAVE JOINED CEP, DAMNIT DAMNIT DAMNIT!

bye. (:

Practice for summary. FAILING BADLY!

2009-07-18T12:36:00.003+08:00

Well yeah, I really don't have much time to stay online, what with Magship, EL Book Club and SS Doc deadlines all piling up next week! But I haven't posted for 2 weeks now, so might as well just summarise everything up. Heh. :p

Birthday!

Nothing much to say, but just wanted to thank Mr Low June Meng for sending in a belated birthday wish to me. Thanks! (: Sec 4 Indians are getting more and more annoying nowadays, what with their happy birthday wishes even 2 weeks after. Sigh. Thanks to all of you. If I find the time, I'll post a link to thank you guys. Or maybe do it for the bulk. XD

Harry Potter 6

Watching it later at 4:15p.m. Will of course post more of my views then, but heard that it's going at so fast a pace that readers find it good but non-readers of the Half Blood Prince find that it just sucks off your money. :o

Juniors

Started corresponding with another guy in view of the deteriorating relationship between my junior batch. I might get emo and start scolding every single one of them. Till then, I'm trying my best not to antagonize any of them. Heh. YOU HEAR ME JUNIORS? YOU BETTER BUCK UP AND STOP THE F**KUP.

School Work

Homework piling up again. Geog seems a lot less interesting for some reason, I screwed up my Maths TA (because I _panicked_?!) and made a very huge careless mistake in the Physics Quiz. SERIES AND PARALLEL CONFUSED IN COUNTING RESISTANCE! wadafk. ):

Scholars' Committee

Yea yea, I know it's all over for the 08/09 batch, but we still do (though rarely) chat a bit and all. Received my certificate from MOE! Envelope looks kinda scary at first though. "ON GOVERNMENT SERVICE"... XD Maybe I'll scan a copy and post it here. Someday. Heh

iPod touch/iPhone 3GS

Just did a major overhaul to my iPod touch. Restored and reinstalled everything, purged old (and crappy) songs which I got bored of after listening to it tons of times, added new ones (thanks Delwyn and Sup!). On a side note, I WANT THE iPHONE 3GS. CAN YOU HEAR ME DUAK?!

Reminiscentia.com

Planning to make another layout, this time maybe even playing around with the div tags. XD Any fresh ideas? And at the same time I plan to make a thank-you message with my website too. Hmm. Gonna try, but probably won't have any luck. Flash? Javascript? Mmm. Decisions decisions.

Dad's office computer stuff

Can't believe how angry I was yesterday after receiving a call from my dad saying the technician screwed up in reformatting the computer. All his songs lost and the interface looks like hell. AND he still gets charged. Unscrupulous bastards. I mean, if you do a good job and all, I wouldn't mind. But how can you finish the job in a few days' time, do a crappy job and didn't even get the things my dad asked? So I had to guide him through some processes in installing things and blah blah blah.

And apparently the DIR-300 I bought (last year?) died. I had to also ask my dad to do step-by-step configuration to reroute the whole thing to the original modem, killing off his office wireless at the same time. Boohoo. Just too bad. XD maybe I can bring it back to Singapore to tinker with it! Yay!

------------

That concludes everything, I guess. Oh, and I spoke to her yesterday night! *activate OVER-THE-MOON mode. XD*

Birthday! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.

2009-07-06T00:00:00.004+08:00

It's that time of the year again! The time of the year where I have Lady Luck on my side (no, no gambling for me. XD) and the feeling that I can't do anything wrong today. Well, nothing went wrong, that's for sure. (:

I decided to do a Kar Heng and had this post list out everyone who has wished me for the day. Heh. (: people in BOLD! messages in ITALICS! important people in UNDERLINE!

All messages/calls from Singapore unless stated. (: Facebook and other online methods not included, of course.

27TH JUNE (holy, that's so early. D:)

1648hrs: Shuit Siew Kit via Friendster.

4TH JULY

2221hrs: Liew Chin Seng via Facebook.

2259hrs: Goh Kwok Yui via Facebook. BELATED WHAT FOR MAN?! IT'S FREAKING EARLY. XD

2344hrs: Pham Viet Hai via Facebook. Wished me luck on becoming a hacker. :o

5TH JULY

0000hrs: [MY] Dad, Mum, Kei and Uncle Richard. Phone call! Love mah family. (:

0004hrs: Tommy K Ongkowidjojo. "happy b'day! all the best! hold it there. one more year for the girls!" LOL

0004hrs: Sarun Udomkichdecha (I SPELLED! OMG!) "Happy b'day! All the best! Hold it there! Focus on studies! Gd luck!"

0008hrs: Sivananda a/l Rajananda! FI! XD "Happy b'dae! All the best. Hold it there! Think of whats more important, girls or studies." I say girls. XD

0008hrs: Nguyen Duong Ngoc My. Thanks girl! "Hey remember me? :p happy birthday! Wish you a great year ahead with lots of love, luck and success. We dun talk much these days but you've always been a good friend of mine :) anyway, enjoy your day! ;)"

0012hrs: Kah Wah, Wei Herr, Tien Anh, Joel in 6.2 wishing me happy birthday after the call with my family. (:

0034hrs: Leon Scott Kennedy via Facebook. How can I ever forget you? Ah. Reminiscing bout the old RO days.

0041hrs: Sup Udomkichdecha: Found out a bit late after going to his room umpteen times, but it's the thought that counts anyway. (:

0118hrs: Yonathan Priambada via Facebook.

0124hrs: [ID] Painem. Terima kasih ya kak!

0225hrs: Doan Xuan Loc Nguyen via Facebook.

0753hrs: Woo Qi Hong via Facebook.

0807hrs: Ong Chi Hao via Facebook. You better watch out Landy Khoo. :p

0809hrs: Wu Wenqi via Facebook. There's nothing between me and Lam! - -

0815hrs: Au Tse En Nicole via Facebook. Sweet 17 okay, but no sexy 17 please. XD

0839hrs: Tang Eng Yee via tagboard on my site. THANKS A LOT! But I didn't receive your SMS leh. Haih. Tak apa la. (:

0841hrs: Tan Yun Ting via Facebook.

0843hrs: [MY] Angelyn Ho. Thanks sistuh. :D Nice message! "Hey hey! Happy birthday! And so the States are celebrating for you. Weeee.. You're 17 already. So fast. *kleenex moment* Enjoy your day kay. Hope you're still not quarantined. :S that'll suck. Go have fun! Loves, the cute one. :D"

0959hrs: Jason Limanjaya via Facebook.

1004hrs: Kevin Frandy Budiman via Facebook. Terima kasih bang!

1017hrs: Roy Lim Ruey via Facebook. I've no idea who you are, but thanks anyway. (:

1053hrs: [MY] Chin Ee Lyn a.k.a. DiGi betrayer. XD Dearest cousin! Hope you're doing well in Sunway girl. (: Stay strong! Call you some time in the futureeeee. :D

1101hrs: Alvin Chua via Facebook. Freedom! XD

1121hrs: Teodorus Theo Susanto via Facebook. Sapi!

1156hrs: Stanley Septian via Facebook. I have no idea bro. Leave everything to fate. Lol

1159hrs: Mr. Zuraimi Mokhtar via Facebook. Thanks yo.

1200hrs: Sergio Rinaldi via Facebook.

1205hrs: [MY] Lim Cheng Yee a.k.a. my surrogate mother. Thanks. :D

1211hrs: Chong Chiao Hui via Facebook. Thanks thanks thanks. Can't believe you still remember me. Haha!

1319hrs: Yiu Han Kit via Facebook. XIE XIE NI KANHITHANKIT!

1323hrs: Dr. Tay Yoong Chuan and Qian Wei (is that how you spell it? SORRY D:) at the dining hall. heh. :D

1348hrs: Bryant Tan via Facebook.

1358hrs: [UAE] Yati who sent me a message whilst at work. Terima kasih juga! (:

1412hrs: Matthew Lo, who shares the same birthday! Happy birthday to us indeed. XD

1414hrs: [HK] Angie Lau my elder cousin sister. Heh. 吾该晒！Called again at 2021hrs to wish me personally, along with Auntie Rose!

1418hrs: Avinash Javaji, Hullett 2 Mr Chairman. Thanks. Heh. I can't see you! *runs*

1424hrs: Tan Yong Chin via Facebook. Yeahyeah. XD

1451hrs: Tran Minh Viet via Facebook.

1508hrs: Yoong Ren Yan via Facebook.

1606hrs: [MY] Aunt Candice, my dearest aunt! (: "Happy birthday, may good health, love, happiness, success, miracles b with u always. Best wishes n lots of love from me 2 u, :*:*:*!"

1615hrs: [MY] Phei Lian the chicken and siao cousin sister. Haha. Zhou sun indeed! "Hey!rise n shine!happy birthday dear old pal!"

1721hrs: Li Zhao via Facebook.

1728hrs: Choong Wyai Khee via Friendster. What don't recognize you. You were sitting beside me all the time la. Siao. XD

1747hrs: Mr Lam Nam Soon, my teacher-mentor and surrogate father (XD) in Singapore. Called and asked me to take my cake from the guardhouse and wished me happy birthday.

1810hrs: Chan Pui Mun, my dearest surrogate daughter! Thanks! xoxo. (that felt weird. D:)

1821hrs: Jocky Sam Wai Hong via Friendster. Yes yes. Remember. Haha.

1828hrs: Yu Kern Hong or Kernny, Lam Zheng Hung, Ong Cheng Yuen at 6.2 again. Lol

1847hrs: Vincent Chong who didn't attend the pepper lunch outing. "I can't attend your birthday party but happy birthday mate! May you be blessed for the year ahead"

1918hrs: Wang Phei Phei, another dearest cousin of mine! Thanks. Miss you too. I come back you cook for me ya. Lol

1932hrs: Daniel Ng Zhe Sheng via Facebook.

2058hrs: Delwyn Lim via Facebook. Thanks. Honored to be wished by the richest kid in Singapore. :p

2058hrs: Aditya Lesmana via Facebook. Thanks!

2218hrs: Denny Jonathan Brail via Facebook.

2237hrs: Kok Jiann Yao via Facebook.

2242hrs: Vuong Gia Hieu, Duong Hoang Viet while eating my cake. oafsnoiqwbuiqwe. XD

2252hrs: Christian Antono via Facebook.

2304hrs: Mr Magendiran, SDHM of RI whose number I called mistakenly. Freaking auto keypad lock failure. ): But he called back and wished me happy birthday personally anyway! (:

2336hrs: Crystal Oh via Facebook. Nah. I'm just lucky. Heh. Thanks yeah! Hope baby Justin's fine.

2344hrs: Jack Lai via Facebook.

2348hrs: Roy Soo via Facebook. Thanks future Percussion SL. XD

2352hrs: Tay Muan Wei via Facebook. Yeah. Thanks man. How's Sec 2?

2354hrs: Goh Yat Tong via Facebook. Thanks! I did. :P

2355hrs: Wang Phei San via Facebook. Miss you too my dear. (: Thanks!

6TH JULY

0751hrs: David Oktavianus via Facebook. LATE! XD

1244hrs: Nguyen Luong Thanh Minh in the lift. WTF LA WRONG WISHES. D:

1421hrs: Subhankar Ghosh who went all "Why didn't you tell us it was your birthday?!" XD

---------------

Please do not attempt to kill me for not underlining your name. It's just a freaking line! D: But yeah, after this I realise that I don't have any close friends here in Singapore at all. Sad I know, but I guess it might have something to do with the attitude of Singaporeans. *coughkiasuselfishcough* Whatever it is, I'm glad other scholars were here to celebrate with me. Heh. (: Thanks all!

And now that I'm done with my post, happy birthday Eng Yee. (:

oh, and Tien Anh and Xi Yan as well, but nah. Outshine in progress here. :D

% sanity left: 69%.

2009-07-02T00:53:00.002+08:00

Yep. I'm losing my sanity as we speak. And you wonder why. Why don't you try getting yourself stuck in the same damn place for 3 whole days. D: I mean, school sounds almost like heaven, if you know what I'm saying! But that's not the only thing. The teachers have oh-so-kindly dropped a pile of homework for each of the scholars, individually stacked together. The only problem is teachers expect all of us to understand exactly what the worksheets are saying. Sigh.

Anyway! I got chosen for NS in Malaysia! I mean, quite a number of friends didn't get chosen, so I'm like WTF D: Anyway, I now have to apply for deferral. Which is pointless anyway, but whatever pleases them pleases them. Sigh. I don't know about it, but I find it a funny thing for NS to even exist. NS for other countries is to mainly act as training for the young to protect their country. Ours is to... foster interracial relationships. What the hell? I'm going to leave my comments at the question mark, but you can sorta guess what I'm trying to say. =/

Also, I'm now part of the team at Gadget Cracker! It's a technology news site and all that, and Adam and I met on Twitter. I hope I'll be able to contribute more to the iPhone/iPod touch community as well as in other aspects. Hmm. Sometimes I wonder if I'm writing too little. This starts as practice? I believe? Uh. ):

NOW, I'M ACCEPTING DONATIONS OF SANITY. I HAVE LOST PART OF MINE AND WISH TO RECOVER SOME. MY SANITY HAS ONLY 4 DAYS TO LIVE. PLEASE SAVE IT. D:

Alive! And angry, too. QuickPWN bastards.

2009-06-26T23:21:00.003+08:00

Heya guys. I finally got my blog up! My webhost encountered problems moving servers, and there were plenty of idiots asking for support with questions which could be answered if they could read the goddamn forums for information. Sigh. Ah well, no use complaining about them. I'm just glad that it's finally over for me. Yay.

I've watched Transformers 2 with Jia Kai just a few days ago. He's still with his braces and all. Very nice movie, I must say. Doesn't disappoint, and made some improvements to the ending. Remember the first Transformers movie? Ending sucked. Stuff cube inside enemy, boom, game over. The hell was that?! FAIL! At least this time there was more drama whether you like it or not. Heh. Then we had Secret Recipe, where I would never dream to eat because it's too darn expensive. BUT I DIDN'T EAT THE CHEESECAKE! WTF ):

And it's time for me to come clean as well. If you've noticed my Twitter posts (and Facebook updates, for that matter) I've been posting some real hints on a new computer. Well, it's my new 13" MacBook Pro that I got last Saturday. I'm not telling you how I got it (definitely not from my dad) because of some privacy issues and all, so thank you to the anonymous relative. You're the best. (: I can finally design and play in peace.

Please forgive me if you find my ranting hard to take, but this is regarding QuickPWN. If you have no idea yet, Basically a software named QuickPwn was developed by the iPhone Dev Team to jailbreak either an iPhone or iPod touch; simply put it, if I did run QuickPwn, I would be able to modify many things in the iDevice that Apple has previously restricted. However, while the real site of the iPhone Dev Team is here, some bloody bastards who registered quickpwn.com have took their software, claimed it as their own and distributed it.

While there's nothing much wrong with distributing software like that, what I did not mention was the fact that slapped all over the site are Google AdSense advertisements. This means that for every advertisement you click, these script kiddies are getting money. And since they do have the .com domain, it makes it all the more convincing to tell everyone that they are the developers.

Whole lot of bullshit. Pirating software to me is still unacceptable, given that some people do not have the ability to purchase whatever products they want to use (and if you see pricings of, say, Photoshop, your eyeballs would implode), but redistributing and profiteering off someone else's products is just stooping down to a whole lower level. Thus, if you have been following me on Twitter, you've noticed that I have put a link leading to Adria Richard's article that will explain everything and messaging everyone telling them all about this scam.

While I'm not sure whether if a bounty is set on me, dead or alive, I still think that there is a fine line of morality that we should never cross. I find the actions of QuickPWN.com and its affiliates completely unacceptable, whether or not they are direct contributors to my grievances. I condemn the act of stealing someone else's work and calling it their own, and still making money off it. Bastards.

Holidays. The brighter side.

2009-06-07T21:21:00.004+08:00

As promised, after yesterday's ranting I'm talking about the holidays. There's nothing much to talk about, really. The only thing that shook me out of the drowsiness and boredom is the English department's decision. Now that the school has confirmed that there was no such thing, the week seemed boring as hell again.

Until Wednesday, that is. On Thursday as classes ended, I proceeded to bathe and rush off for lunch, then went to grab my headset. Apparently the Sennheiser MM50IP I have died yet again, so the only thing I could do was rush off to get a replacement. I don't think I can bear not having music being pumped in my ears while being on a bus for 8 consecutive hours. The shows are boring, the screen's glaring and the guy beside me would be snoring (that's assuming Wei Herr will be sitting beside me. XD) So more or less, the earpiece is my lifeline to having a better night's rest. Ironic. Lol

Then I went off to look for Phei San. She and her friend needs to bathe quicker. I spent years waiting for them at the MRT station (NO OFFENSE XD) and even had time to go to THEIR station to wait for them. Hmm. Lol. But I guess it was nice meeting her again after years of isolation. Heh. Had dinner at some place her friend suggested, and it was expensive, but nice. There's 3 very very thin pieces of abalone, and that alone cost 3 dollars more. Wadafrick. XD

Then when I thought I could get a good night's rest on Friday, I went and visit Chi Hao on Saturday. Siao. We met at Bugis that day, and he along with his mother and brother are here for the sole reason to skip NS. Double siao. Cancelling their PR-ship! Fuhhh. Three strikes, you're out damnit. :p Of course, I talked about how RI life is and he talked (a lot more than I did) about Sam Tet life, and how the Computer Club is in complete disrepair. Shit. More work for me now. SIEN! And he visited RI too and met up with Zheng Hung whilst going around "wahhh"-ing seeing the school. Quadruple siao, now gtfo. :p

Finally, I do hope everything turns out fine. Signing off.

Observation. Nothing, to heck, to hell, to f**k.

2009-06-06T23:43:00.002+08:00

This is not exactly a blog post. The real blog post will come later after this rant. Maybe tomorrow? Or the day after. (:

Sometimes as I grow up I tend to notice very minute things that others don't give a damn about. Things like the slight change in behavior of my friends, the anger that my parents feel, and so on and so forth. The list goes on and on and I can't be half-assed to actually list ALL of them down. But somehow I do realize that the degree of words have intensified.

I remembered when I was in my first year of primary school, saying bad words used to be a taboo. Never mind the kind of scolding we get now, in those days I actually get a severe punishment if I ever said anything rude to anyone. The maximum I could go even when I was steaming angry was "who are you?" or "what do you think you're doing?" or "why?" Even adding any "suffix" to the end of the question word, I would get a huge scolding. Why, I do not know.

Then came the 4th or 5th year. With increasing exposure to movies that were marked PG13 or even NC16, I started using "what the heck", "who the heck", "why the heck" and many more the hecks you can think of. Somehow the idea of using only the question word showed mild anger or even signs of weakness. So to project my emotions better, be it anger, surprise or just because, I use "the heck". How the heck can that be wrong? And my parents were cool with it too, and so are teachers; they barely scold or say anything.

Then came the first year of secondary school. Somehow people started using "the hell" all around me. "The heck" seemed like a very weak form of speech now. Using the 5W1H by itself made you seem like a wimp when you're expressing strong emotions. So I thought, hey, "the hell" sounds cool. So I'll continue using it. What the hell's wrong with it? I don't see anything wrong. Even people around me are using it, including my family members sometimes. So why the hell should I not use it?

Of course, as the days go by, more and more things accumulate behind the simplest of words. Even when there was no need for such words. "Where the heck are you going?" "What the hell la!" "Who the heck did this?" And then came "??? the bloody hell", "??? the freaking hell", and then everything adds up to a nice long train. Then people started wondering: if this goes on, it'll take years for me to complete just one sentence! So why not shorten it?!

Yes. And that's how people came up with "the f**k". Who gives a single f**k about whether or not it's used properly! As long as it sounds cool, all the more it should be used! Nobody on the phone after they phone you? Just shout "who the f**k is this?"! Or "what the f**k do you want?" Or countless other possibilities which make your everyday speech cooler. The only thing you'll ever earn from parents is a shush anyway. So why the f**k not?

And my thoughts? If this goes on, the final word would be unfathomable. Probably a word randomly put together with jumbled, meaningless letters that don't even seem to make sense. Like "who the fritzeschnide" or the "asimafrungiast" or whatever there is. So from now on, I'll start using the root form of questioning without letting my feelings override my senses, no matter how sissy or weeny it sounds using just one word instead of a long list of words, because I'm human and I have self control, thank you very much.