It's a quarter after one, I'm all alone and I need some food~.

Woke up at 7am and wondered why the sky was still so dark. Fell back to sleep only to wake up at noon. Saw my brother in the room and I asked him what time it was. He said :" Now already 12pm." I couldn't believe it and just answered :"You siao ah? Where got so late?" Aaaaaaaand the next thing I know, I woke up at 1230pm. Must be the bizshield I played yesterday after laying off soccer for more than half a year. No idea why I can play basketball for hours but fall down like a dead battery after playing soccer for 10mins. Browsed 9gag in the school library to waste 2 hours before the start of my interview. And the dreaded interview turned out to be so simple. Mr P started out by asking why do I always perspire so much, what am I planning to do after graduation, blah blah blah. The actual interview lasted 5mins consisting of approximately 5 questions. I think these are sympathy marks given to let us pass, so as not to see our faces again next year.

Reached home and started fiddling with gadgets because my brother got a new phone, so he passed his former phone to my dad. And my dad couldn't stop playing with his newfound favourite app- whatsapp so he kept sending us random hokkien verses like "ho boho?" and other random words that I couldn't comprehend. And the text window kept appearing at the bottom of my screen when I was watching Running Man. I found that a tad annoying so I sent him a picture of a koala to pacify him. My dad loves koalas.

Stayed over at zhiqi's house on Saturday to make it more convenient to go to jocelyn's birthday venue. Ordered pizza and I think I gobbled 8 slices throughout the night. Sorry guys, I am really hungry. And that's just the commencement of my eating escapade. Her house is simply an absolute haven of CNY goodies and you could guess what happened next. Pineapple tarts, chilli prawn rolls, cashew nuts etc. started disappearing from the table and reappearing in my stomach. And it was all fun and games until the greatest incident of the night happened. Mich accidentally locked zhiqi's room door when her keys were inside. Suddenly we were all Engineering students and step-master thiefs. Pins, hammers, spanners and pliers were all used in an attempt to open the door. Weichong even went on youtube to learn how to pick a lock. However, it was all in vain as we resorted to removing the doorknob. Imagine all the loud hitting sounds generated at 3am in the morning. It still makes me wonder why none of the neighbours complained that night. Zhiqi should just scare them and say no one was home that night. Played the ukelele and monopoly deal until we were all drained and one by one we drifted into dreamland at 6am. Woke up at 12 noon and as usual, I started eating again. Went to change and stoned on the sofa. I also learnt that my hair is always only in two states. It's either an unattended garden or a strawberry. Went over to jocelyn's birthday venue at Serangoon Country Club, ate again, two full plates this time, and lots of dessert. The night's events were pretty cool, with a magic show and serenading, among others. Requested for balloon swords and we all started becoming kids again.

Back to current time and day. Really want to pass napfa but lost the will to practise running. Still lazing in bed as a result.

Shower of Tears - Baechigi ft. Jiwon (SPICA)

Awesome beat to the tune. Love the dreamy image of Jiwon as well.

In the end, I gave up. Not one to, but yes I did. Maybe it's stupid, maybe it's for the better. I didn't put in any effort, not because I didn't, but because I can't. It's time to turn the page and not live in self-delusion any longer. Yes I'm blabbering nonsense.

Insane days ahead. How unfair can it be to celebrate CNY, train for napfa and complete the research paper simultaneously? But I'm not complaining because almost everyone is in the same predicament. Going for a run tomorrow morning in school, hopefully I can clock under 12 minutes for my 2.4km run, since the last time I ran during secondary 4.

Work hard everyone, our freedom is near!

Went for a run and had stitches after running for 50 metres. But still managed to run to tampines and back. Scaled 13 storeys in 66 seconds. What happened to my 56 seconds?

And C.N Blue's back!
Can't stop listening to "More Than You" and "I'm Sorry".

Feeling a little studious today, starting portfolio and all.

Now Playing: 明明就 - 周杰倫

明明就他比較溫柔　也許他能給你更多
不用抉擇　我會自動變朋友

How meaningful of the lyrics.

I am sorry I am not as diligent as the others to come up with a definitive post commemorating the transition into the new year. I can blame everyone and anything, ranging from my wretched work schedule to my constant lack of personal time, but I think we all know that the most obvious reason is that I am just plain lazy. Although I wasn't able to spend my Christmas and New Year with my all loved ones due to my lousy schedule, I am glad it didn't turn out as bad as expected. I felt an immense sense of loneliness while exiting the hotel and seeing everyone having fun and celebrating the new year meaningfully while I was like a plain loser who could only be free at 2am and chasing after lost time. 

Had a short classroom session in school on Saturday, the last of which we will ever have as we are nearing the end of our internship! The entire morning of work yesterday was spent moping around as I was lacking spirit or any mood to speak of. The session in school allowed me to realise how much I miss having all my friends around, even if it is for the simple activities of having a meal or simply chatting. Really can't wait for the fun that awaits in Taiwan, Korea and probably Genting. 

Having mixed feelings about school reopening on 28th because it would mean meeting all my friends again, but could also signal a dreadful countdown to the day when we lose the definite opportunity to meet in school ever again. 

Aching like crazy all over after playing basketball again after laying off for almost a month. How can I expect to get fit for Napfa when my only available recreation time is once a month? Making me boil that we interns are never the first priority, taking the hits such as switching from afternoon to morning shift and vice versa consecutively back and forth.  On a lighter note, it's only 54 days to the end of internship! Freedom will come, and it will be sweet. This internship stint has allowed me to narrow down my career choices in future. Although it is my industry of interest, I'm not willing to commit to the uncertainties that come along with it. Shall make the decision when the time is ripe. There's still 2 years of pondering during NS anyway. Really can't wait for the trips to taiwan and korea. Okay no feel or inspiration to continue anymore.

Picture of the night: Ajumma hot-spring fashion!

"Nobody said it was easy, No one ever said it would be this hard."

This line from Coldplay's "The Scientist" explains it all. Finally, barely surviving, I battled on and achieved my rest day at long last. And what better to ruin this perfect day attributed towards relaxation and leisure than the odds-defying bane of the drill. Ad what better could I do but lament my gradual personification of Bad Luck Brian?

Was polishing a white wine glass yesterday but in a moment of superhuman strength and clumsiness, the stem broke right off and sliced a gash just below my fourth finger. Alas, the blood flowed like the Niagara Falls, not showing any signs of stopping even after exerting pressure on it. After a hard-fought war with my gaping wound, I managed to plaster it, with an approximate casualty blood loss of 10ml. 

Now for the positives. Departure flight to Taiwan has been confirmed, heralding my maiden outward voyage without parental guidance, forsaking my dependence on the guardians of my life. Marching on to March.

"Plans are merely ideas, action takes the situation forward."

The ultimate feeling of fatigue and lethargy struck me this morning. Could see my lips turning pale and I could only read documents one word at a time. Not to forget the extreme hunger pangs. When I was released for breaktime, I wolfed down my entire tray of food in less than 10 minutes.

Cannot believe that I'm deprived of meeting my fellow slaves again this week. And my weekly basketball sessions have been starkly reduced to monthly. Here are just some pictures I am uploading from my itouch.

I think I'm getting the "weichong syndrome".

This picture was overdue from the last slave meeting. New korean popstar group debuting on Music Bank this Friday! D.R.Y!

And our dear wesley has gotten his driving license! Which means more impromptu supper sessions! Blasting songs while on the road simply like a bunch of douches. Not to forget the jam-brakes that catapulted us off our seats. In a span of five hours, I gobbled two hamburgers and one lemongrass dessert at tampines, one chicken rice set and cup walker at ehub, and a plate of seafood noodles at simpang. The possibilities with easy transport!

Now Playing: I Didn't Know About Love (사랑밖에 난 몰라) - BTOB

Feeling so foreign navigating the interface as the last post was exactly two weeks ago. In a flash, six weeks has already passed. Fatigue and "sleep lag" has already begun to set in. "Celebrated" my parents 23rd wedding anniversary today. Inverted commas because it wasn't really much of a celebration, simply a simple dinner at Ssikkek Korean BBQ at Novena. Embarked on the arduous and sleep-inducing bus journey back home since we decided not to become sardines on the train.

I think hairdressers or rather barbers have something against me. Even if I instruct them not to make me look as if I have already started serving the nation, they still do it nonetheless. Thus, I lose approximately one kilogram of my hair and possibly much more of my ego. Could probably fit through my front door now. Anticipation turned to disappointment as I was denied basketball for three weeks and counting due to the merciless family of Thor. The unforgiving rain pelted down, akin to hailstones which pierced any lingering hopes of shooting hoops this week. *sigh* That long-awaited dunk would have to make a backseat for now.  

Caught "Sinister" at the theatres today. The plot was rather intriguing, supported by brilliant visual and sound effects. But the movie in its entirety was let down by the cliche out-of-the-book ending, with no solution to the case whatsoever. Offers a pretty great scare though.

Back to the endless cyclical routine of work tomorrow to face the harsh pathetic reality of the working life. But take heart in the fact that the upcoming classroom session signals the halfway milestone of this nightmare.

I must go now. My planet needs me.

Time: 1:46am

Awake as I lay on my bed with my eyes wide open. Can't fall asleep even after such an intense night of basketball. My body is weary but yet my mind is sober in its entirety. What a rebel.

I am shrinking. Everything and everyone seems so imposing now that I have become smaller, like a shirt straight out of the washer. Internship is the main culprit, jeopardising my sleep routine and exercise routine. Having shifts at 6am means I have to turn in practically at 8pm to clock in my 8 hours of sleep. And when I return home at 5pm, I would sleep all the way till the next morning and the cycle repeats. Which means I skip dinner every night. But considering the monstrous portions of breakfast and lunch I devour, the "shrinking" part still remains a mystery.

It really feels good to be appreciated. But this time, the recipients can be said to be highly appreciative. Although the rigours of the hospitality industry can be said to be thankless, it is all in the name of service. Although I didn't really do much, this family of six wrote a personal letter to me and another to the GM. To be honest, I was really shocked when he told me that. And guess what, along with the personal letter was a crisp $50 note enclosed. How generous. The sad thing is how this tip appears really significant as it represents 10% of my monthly allowance.

Three weeks into the real working life and I abhor it. Waking up at ungodly hours and feeling lethargic and fatigued every moment of the day is never a good feeling. We have been warned of how the working life could be so deceiving, but yet we always hated school. Don't we all regret that now?

Too busy and feeling too lethargically drained(Is there even such a word?) to even get up in the mornings nowadays. When I open my eyes at 4am at dawn, it's literally akin to looking into the Sun directly. Alas! What has happened to my mantra of sleeping and waking up early? Work aka internship is so damaging to my feet that I have super-large blisters that threaten to burst any opportune moment. Or inopportune actually. Getting the hang of sleeping at 6pm when I get back from work everyday, even skipping dinner, which is considered a high-priority activity on my list of pastimes. The funny thing is that even with the monstrous tray of food on my lunch tray and a non-stop routine of gobbling and guzzling at the lounge, I am still shrinking. Probably de-evolving perhaps. My only motivating factor is the meet-ups once every week(hopefully?). Still unable to stick to my pre-determined planned exercise regime of at least one recreational activity per week. Okay time to visit lala land in view of the 6am shift tomorrow as usual.

The last few days have been a rollercoaster ride, which ended at an all-time peak, with me falling sick. With the ever-irritating sore throat and flu plaguing my worrisome and pathetic resistance of my health, it was no wonder that it succumbed to sickness. Nevertheless, with a constant dose of tortilla chips with nacho cheese, and the barbecued chicken pizza from Pizza Hut earlier this morning, the current state of my health can be said to be deteriorating. Food > Health. What can you do when your home is stockpiled like a supermarket, with differing variations of crackers and chips, along with a full shelf of ice-cream waiting in the refrigerator?

Forgot to mention the two-day event I participated on 8th and 9th September. It involves the usual event logistics and set-up, except that this time it is on a ship docked on international waters. Ignore those stereotypes that mention that food on a ship is tasteless and bland. Every meal period onboard brings different variety of hot food items, along with the heap of bread and not-so-soft rolls that I gathered on these hunger escapades. There was even an soft-serve ice-cream machine! The work onboard could be backbreaking at times, but it was all well-worth the effort. Most of the time were simply spent on sleeping and eating actually. S$350 for less than 2 days of work, along with a complimentary taxi ride back home was lucrative at its best. 

Bob the Builder in the making.

On the 11th of September came the time when the Chinese flower crab turned 20 at long last. Although I played no part in the total "event" logistics and planning, I am glad it turned out okay. Not great but okay only. Because we all had to return home at such an early time. Had dinner at Wild Oats at Punggol. Despite the recommendations and revelations of this place, the food was simply disappointing, with pathetic serving portions that just does not justify the prices. It's like Astons at double the price. Hail Astons! For the second time this year, the Fried Penguins™ were able to join us again, although only two were able to turn up due to some major hiccups. *cough cough*

And at the twitch of an eye, I have arrived at the 8th day of my internship. Although it takes a great deal of memory work, which I lack at the current moment in time, I am relieved that it is all going along fine. An ultra-efficient memory is needed to remember guest names and table occupied, buffet item layouts for three different meal periods, the various procedures and layout presentations. My goldfish memory just isn't up to standard. The utterly dismal staff meals at the canteen is not much of a help either. I think I can whip up better meals with my eyes closed. Seriously speaking. And there's just this lingering thought that emerges in my head. As service providers for hospitality commercial businesses targeting the lucrative business and luxury market, I cannot understand why employees are paid such pathetic wages compared to other industries. I know that the current industry standard is set so as to comply and maintain the uniformity of the hospitality business, which in layman terms refers to not "spoiling the market". It is thus no wonder so many industry professionals decide to take the leap of faith and cross over to another sector. Food for thought.

Funny how it's Friday yet it it doesn't feel like it. Looks like working too much can make you lose track of the time or day. Give me another one month and I may even forget my own name. People say TGIF but it's no difference for me because I don't really feel fatigued, except when I was working. Internship Day Three completed just like that. One positive element is that I really like my uniform. Although it's just original BESE style (Stop referencing that Gangnam Style nonsense) albeit with additional cufflinks for the french cuff. My colleagues are really delightfully gregarious and every bit welcoming. Although there is a diverse variety of nationalities such as Austrian, Russian, Korean, Chinese, Filipino and Thai, I must say that the workplace culture is really conducive and warm. Been doing the 6am shift for the past three days, which means arising at the ungodly hour of 4.20am pre-dawn. However, it translates to an arranged taxi transport waiting for me under my block every morning. Feels #likeaVIP. Finally able to get my basketball fix after three weeks being out of action. Need to continue my running regime soon as well. Getting more unfit by the second. Was supposed to have dinner outside but decided to come home to accompany my dad, who will be eating alone if I wasn't home. Even bought his favourite Sparkling Red Grape and Peach juice for him. Parents' wedding anniversary coming up in just over a month's time. Still undecided on any gifts. Guess I really hit rock-bottom when in the selection of gifts. Hope to meet up with the gang soon. Feels foreign not seeing them for days.

Awesome streak of events ever since the examinations ended. On Friday, finished the last paper I'm gonna take for years to come with more than an hour to go #likeaboss because I am an intelligent genius. Nah, it's actually because more than 80% of the entire paper was based on questions from the one past year paper that I did. Gosh I really needed that, considering the meagre pathetic coursework grade of C+ for FNB. Have to thank Mr Tai for giving us some leeway here and I'm sorry for laughing at his use of English that made no sense.

After three years, somebody still can't open his eyes while taking a photo. No offence to Asians like myself.

Headed over to katong to commence our food trail which failed miserably in the end. Started off funny when we walked one entire round in Roxy Square trying to find the exit. Had katong laksa for lunch but I got to admit that the standard of the food really declined since the last time. Went over to I12@Katong to catch "Imperfect" and "Step Up Revolution" in two separate groups. Shin and I had to leave early to meet the Fried Penguins™ at Bugis while some went off and the rest went for Boon Tong Kee Chicken Rice. Had Bak Kut Teh for dinner to nullify that insatiable hunger. Went over to Clarke Quay at night to chill out at Harry's. Will always prefer pubs over clubs. Gale won a complimentary bucket of HPL beer, exactly sufficient for each of us. The pizza was also really good, not to cheesy, with a thin crust and crunchy to the palate. Walked halfway to Holiday Inn but gave up as it was rather late by then. Usual routine of bullying and disturbing wesley on the train home and his ash-green hair this time offered further opportunity for teasing and laughter.

Saturday was the birthday celebration for the King™. Decked out in all-white, he bore absolute resemblance to Elvis Presley himself, save for the differing hairstyles, a mohawk to boot. Guys had to don blue outfits, with girls in red, so as to complement the theme of USA at the party. Played FIFA with the guys and whichever team that conceded a goal had to down a shot of vodka neat each. And alas, we lost the last game 3-1. At that time, my chest was burning up. Not fun, not fun at all.

With the classmates of Freshmen year.

With the King ™  himself.

   

Soccer really does unite people.

Sunday was Tom Yum Day. Met up with semester 2.2 mateys at Golden Mile. Ordered a table full of food but strangely we were still famished. Consider the people who have been my groupmates for the past 5 semesters and I am sure they have gained weight ever since due to the countless times we snacked and gobbled food quicker than Usain Bolt during project meetings. And no, it's not my fault. I take credit instead. Bulk up, you skinny people!

Monday was "Crazy Workout Day". Played futsal at East Coast with the other HTM people at East Coast. Even though the place was sheltered, the humidity and scorching heatwaves rendered us breathless and fatigued. Maybe it's just my lack of match fitness. Headed to chong's house with Tuna after that and met Steph at tampines interchange (Who was frantically running for the bus, not a pretty sight.). Met up with the "Ching-panzee"(sorry ching) and zhiqi at Yishun and gathered all the supplies and "hunger ammunition"(aka food). Went over budget and had to return some items to the shelf. Boarded a reckless driver's bus and reached chong's house. Prepared the food at his house with the aid of his helpful mum who taught the sotong me how to prepare sotong. Went down to the pit and started the fire rather successfully. Everytime I barbeque, I slim down rather than expanding horizontally because I perspire like crazy. Furthermore, I can't really eat with my overheated body in need of a ventilator. Ended the night early as some people had to head home, some for driving and others for chalet. Stayed back for a swim and jacuzzi with tuna, chong, zhiqi and ching. The latter two decided not to swim in the end though. Both tuna and I were hurting from our wounds sustained during soccer and it was funny to see how much noise we were making when our injuries came into contact with the water.

Tuesday was "Crazy Workout Day Part II". Cycled to Punggol Waterfront and had lunch at some super remote place before cycling back. Approximately more than 10 kilometres but we did not feel the strain yet. The Ching kept attempting to push people while on the bicycle and zhiqi kept banging into things like a lamppost and a bush. Badminton at Sengkang Recreation Centre (I think?) and that was when we realised our tired legs had turned jelly. Played for 15 mins and 1 hour with an hour break in between as we booked the court from 3-4pm and 5-6pm and arrived late late for the first period. Dinner at White Tangerine over at Kovan. Baked rice was too dry and we came to a conclusion that the best item was the drinks. Standard peach tea and lemon tea though. Had Selegie Beancurd for dessert before heading home. Realised bus 81 was a loop service and retuned to the exact stop where I boarded the bus 20 minutes earlier. How silly.

How awesome is it to spend that pathetic 9 days of vacation like this! Hopefully, we can do such activities more often in future. Rage mode on earlier because stupid blogger hanged and caused me to lose almost half of the entire post without saving. Dad just came into the room and offered me snacks. And the look on his face was priceless when I declined. Must be the first time.

Photographs credited to Jocelyn, Gale, Shaun, Yiinshin and Zhiqi in no particular order.

"You can let your child live in a big house, eat a good meal, learn the piano, watch a big screen TV. But when you are cutting grass, please let them experience it. After a meal, let them wash their plates and bowls together with their brothers and sisters. It is not because you do not have money to hire a maid, but it is because you want to love them the right way. You want them to understand, no matter how rich their parents are, one day their hair will grow gray. The most important thing is that your child learns how to appreciate the effort, experience the difficulty and possess the ability to work with others to get things done." 

-Anonymous (edited)

Three down, one to go. But the one left could be the hardest of all. As they always say, the worst is yet to come. Couldn't describe my lifestyle now with other words other than dull, boring and mundane. With the examinations spread out over a span of eight days, I avoided sports and exercise for fear of getting burned out. Like how I told my mum I should not train right before the MICE paper yesterday in case I didn't have the energy to write the paper afterwards. Okay laziness could be another logical reason. Cannot wait for the semester to be over and hopefully receive good grades to rescue my pathetic cGPA. 

And the dream of learning either the drums or the violin just disappeared again, considering my paltry seven days of vacation before the start of SIP. "Studied" for a short while earlier. Described in inverted commas because it was of zero effect. Scumbag brain can only concentrate with full serenity, peace and quiet. Attempted to switch on the player for some classical music of Richard Clayderman but realised I lost the disc. Yes, third-world me is still using a compact disc. Reduced to using the boombox radio but failed to search for any classical radio stations and 98.7 was too noisy. In the end, I gave up studying altogether. Friday's paper is possibly the last major examination paper that I have to undertake for the next few years, can you believe it? And after that, hopefully we are going ahead with the planned food trail on Friday! Imagine Katong Laksa, CMC Confectionery, Boon Tong Kee Chicken Rice, Beancurd Salad and Pork Ribs Soup all in a day! That procrastinated diet would have to take the backseat.  

Shall end this post with an inspiring picture (with a quote from Harvey Dent):

Completely no evidence to prove that Lance Armstrong had used dope to improve his race condition. And the association had absolutely no authority to remove his seven Tour de France titles. Do those 500+ tests that he underwent not mean a thing? Even if he was innocent, the incessant accusations were more than enough to break his spirit. A person is innocent until proven guilty. Regretfully, the authorities thought otherwise.

Worked at anf for the first time in almost two months. Was reminded of how much I abhor the incessant continuous routine of folding clothes. Trust me, I don't even fold my own clothes at home. Hurl them into the wardrobe and they will be magically folded into stacks. Thanks noble mum. Was transferred to womens floor fitting room and had to be a prepper-runner-door opener. Yes you read that right, the stupid system of locking the fitting room doors, only available for access via the key. Why can't they simply utilise the "Vacant-Occupied" methodology? Cue the thankless task of opening doors while people are changing because I forgot which rooms are occupied. And yes, even though I worked only for five hours, it feels like I have aged ten. Finally ended work at almost 3pm, collecting my AAAs right after. Visited steph, sherri, zhiqi and shin at their flea over at Scape. Stayed just for a short while and grabbed burger king before heading out straight to basketball.

Fast-forward to today because yesterday was too boring to be worth a mention. Finished up my notes for LSO and MICE and felt majorly accomplished. That's the procrastinator in me. And he wins all my internal debates all the time. Went for a run to clear my mind. Really feels good spending some alone time out with nature, trees and nothing else. Did some pull-ups causing blisters to form on my palms. Stupid bars. Made a life-changing decision. Hopefully the willpower to sustain it will remain and may I have no regrets. 

Current state: Sick.

Absolutely no idea how I caught the virus but yeah, I'm sick. Always at an inopportune moment of time. Shall describe the intense day of crazy eating today which I could only taste slightly due to the annoying cold.  Went to Geylang Lorong 27A for fried doughsticks, onion pancake and soya bean early in the morning. The standard seems to have declined since the last time. And the food has become so oily. Mother had salty beancurd. Who in the world orders salty beancurd and expects it to be fit for consumption and even taste good? Apparently no one, since she gave it up three mouthfuls later. Walked around for a little while and wound up at Astons Specialities where I had my Hickory BBQ chicken. Dad was crazy enough to order the Prime Sirloin at medium doneness, which he regretted not long after. To think he ordered the dish without foreseeing his inability to chew the tendons. So that all went down my gullet as well. Bought a smoked duck a la carte over at Cold Storage for dinner. And that concludes my episode of "How I Got Labelled As A Pig."

Celebrated sherri's birthday last friday. Korean BBQ at Ssikkek over at Novena. Chomped down on beef, pork, chicken and whatnots without even identifying the meats. Did not fulfil my fullest potential due to the impending sick state. Played games over at the Revenue House as usual. Reminiscing the olden days where we used to play games and talk in one big circle. Should be roughly 2 years back. Embarked on a journey back to pasir ris on bus 21. Funny to see mark trying to maintain because of a full bladder since the bus arrived right when he wanted to visit the washroom. 

Examinations coming right up. But time is flying and soon, internship will commence. Can't wait for the meet-ups and activities planned out. Especially the korea and taiwan trips in March/April. Totally stoked to travel with close friends.

Had my birthday.....and it's gone. Finally twenty. Somehow the number in words sounds much tamer than "20". And with the Olympics happening right now, I can't help but ponder. Some people have already achieved an Olympic gold medal at the tender age of 16. What have I done with my life? 

Started off the day with text messages streaming in right from midnight. However, I have to say that I only read them at 87am because even though I turn 20 the next day, I still have to adhere to my 8-hr sleep rule. Which means I slept at 11pm. Waited an hour to reply those messages in case they were still asleep. Met zhiqi at the interchange. Attended MICE tutorial and had to present the advantages of Vancouver as an incentive travel destination. Had MICE interview right after and it went well I guess. All of us had butterflies in our bellies but they miraculously disappeared right after we stepped out of the interview room. Skipped F&B lecture because we were already almost 45mins late. Proceeded to Sugarloaf for lunch. Had the lamb briyani. Returned to library for project. Since I have already started proofreading the report for our very last project, I am trying to ascertain that there will be minimal mistakes. As a result, I ended up rewriting and paraphrasing the entire report in my own words, thus the slow rate. Went to macs after almost 5 hours of reading. Although we were having dinner after that, I could not resist having a mcchicken meal. Waited for sherri, steph and weichong before we proceeded to Tampines to meet the Avengers™. As I settled down and was having my delicious and tantalising hot peri-peri chicken, the fried penguin gang came to surprise me. Trust me, I was really surprised. My face was like :O They sat down to chat for awhile before going over to Sushi Tei for dinner, claiming that Nando's was expensive. Hello you think Sushi Tei one piece 20cents is it? Finished our meals and took a photo which looked like we were at a club. And nope, I still have not made my maiden club voyage and I intend to let it stay this way.

  

We talked at Wendy's for awhile. Makes me remember this picture:

And I have come up with a new martial art called Hok DnomYar. It consists of a combination of punches, hooks, kneekicks and elbows. After an intensive training period of 5 minutes, you will transcend the masses and be conferred the title of a "hok-er" or hawker, and you will be able to display the certificate such as the one shown below:

Parted ways and went to find the Fried Penguins™ at Tampines Mall. Talked for awhile at Mos Burger before we started to go home. Chaos ensued when I tried to get wesley to quit smoking. I know it is hard but it can be done. Returned home for another celebration with my family. And there will not be any pictures of them at all because they did not want to have to change clothes or comb their hair just before sleeping. Funny people. Just a small celebration at home without any fanfare but the setting was comfortable. But since the womens singles table tennis semi-final match was broadcasting at the same time, they quickly sang the birthday song and went back to the sofa, only returning after it ended. 

Pardon my blank look because I was really tired already at that time. Who in the world celebrates their birthday 15 minutes before it ends? Enjoyed myself thoroughly and loved the presents.

Present from The Avengers™

Present from Fried Penguins™

Really appreciate everything that everyone has done. Especially the planners. I have no idea what went behind the scenes but certainly the effort is commendable. Thank you for all the well wishes and for making my 20th such a memorable one.

Now Playing: B2ST- Beautiful Night

This is hard. I know the last post was almost two weeks ago but I still have no inspiration to write anything. Excessive thinking will only cause more white hair to sprout. However, according to some Straits Times report, it is supposedly an "indicator of good health". Take that you critics. But the hypothesis was based on wild boars. So I am one too. Rawr. 

Went for medical check-up last Thursday and luckily my second medical test result was fine. The first time I took the test, I was told I had excessive proteins in my body. "Au Naturel" protein. Unlike those buff guys at the gym who consume protein powder to appear more muscular. Absolutely no offence. But I wouldn't want my body to sag when I stop exercising during old age. But alas, we live in a superficial world where looks appeal more than substance. Met up with huiying, wesley and benjamin for dinner after my check-up. Haven't met the latter in almost a year. Although the meet-up was short, it was good fun. 

Met up with groupmates for project at the URA gallery on Friday but things went awry. Was supposed to meet a consultant but it turned out that we had simply booked a slot to visit the library, which was free for all entry in the first place. Left early to meet gale and yiinshin together with stalker weiling for dinner at Liang Court. Why is she a stalker? Because she knows so many of my secondary school friends. Not stalker then what? Tasted escargots aka snails for the first time in my life. Not advisable for a retry. Succulent but too gross to the thought. 

So the examination timetable is out. Can say it was rather lenient to us. 4 papers spanning 7 days. Not bad already, can't complain. Imagine that, just one project, two tests, two presentations, one interview and four examinations to go. No stress, none at all. Can't wait for March!

Cutting Down the Tree

How true of our education system. Where everybody is judged by their ability to replicate a set of motions, which in this case refers to a permanent non-changing syllabus. You don't expect me to fly when I am made to swim, right? The above analogy reflects the true nature of our society. How superfluous it is and how superficial we can be. I understand the general basis of education. It mirrors our attitude, character, personality and makes us a better person. The positive aspects end right here. Anything further is a competition of effort. He who puts in more effort will be rewarded. But it isn't the case sometimes. Effort does not necessarily equal to reward. I find it better to adopt an unorthodox solution. Which in the above scenario, would mean chopping down the old pine. That way, we succeed in our goal together, not as an arrogant, all-despising individual. Which sparks the fury in me. Why do educated individuals always have to be such arrogant and egoistic people? Is this what the education system here has imparted to them? The need arises for them to understand that the world does not revolve around them. Their destiny beckons in the face of true reality. What good is all that IQ without an ounce of EQ? How zombified we must be to go with the flow. A democracy it may be, but a dictatorship it may strangely seem. In today's context, fairness is extinct.

Time Check: 12.09am.

I am having an internal debate whether I should scavenge for food in the kitchen, or plonk on my bed and sleep like a log. The second option seems more sensible and feasible, given that basketball was cancelled today and I gobbled like 10 kilograms of snacks while watching Superman Returns. Nothing really exciting, or maybe I'm just that boring. Settled my internship placement like finally. It's hard to give up osip but I had no choice. My dreams of a beach holiday in Mauritius or winter in China all dashed. But maybe remaining in Singapore has its perks too. I get to stay connected with my family, really can't imagine being away from them for 5 months. I can already picture myself missing all the food here in Singapore. How typical, always food on my mind. Projects have been stressful as usual. Going back to school on a Sunday afterwards. Not the first time though. Okay really blank in the mind now. Zoning out.

When You Really Need A Good Laugh

Jongkook's flying kick.

And last but not least:

The soundtrack of the season.

Laugh: Check.

Work undone. Check.

This shall be a short post since I am starving. Not the first time I'm sure. Okay my updates are long overdue, and this being the last day of vacation before we transition into the "hell"(sorry there's no better word) period, I shall commemorate it with a post! Take that, you stalkers! Hmm where shall I begin? Okay got myself a new laptop. Massive big ticket item. Burnt a big hole in my savings. But it's alright since it's practical. Shall not elaborate on the specifications as it will bore everyone to sleep. But I'm banking my trust on Asus, please do not fail me. 

This vacation was crazy. Met up almost everyday in school, emphasise on "EVERYDAY". Seriously no joke. According to our minutes of meeting, we met for a grand total of 20 times! Which means it's like everyday for a month not including weekends. But I'm glad it's over. Tried to submit just now but couldn't find a way to the TCA office. Abandoned the "ninja-parkour" thought since there were cameras around. Later make it to STOMP then someone will get free $50 voucher. 

So I worked last Friday. I think it's time to jump ship. Although some managers are really nice, the management really cannot make it. Understaffed, yet not giving people shifts, yet still hiring. #yousiao

Yesterday was extended family barbeque. As you can infer from the photograph below, I am yet again cooking. Hello charcoal face. Since the barbeque pits at Pasir Ris Park were fully-booked, we attempted BYOP (Bring-Your-Own-Pit). 

And yet again after staying at the fire for so long, I didn't have much appetite as usual. It's the same routine, cook, drink water, stone. Repeat cycle. It really irks me when people are so unhelpful towards their own family members. My cousin's new boyfriend especially. He looked around my age and had tattoos all over his body. But that didn't help take away the "gay" tag labelled on him by my three aunts. Haha yes I just sat there listening to all the gossip. Because he did not even lift a finger to help and simply sat there on the mat. Even when they called him over, he declined. Even my cousin helped, with her thick makeup and fake eyelashes and all. I was afraid they would melt under the heat. 

Really cannot take it anymore. Have to get food. Will update again when a miracle happens.

Have been thinking too much recently. What an irony, considering that I am always the one telling others not to read too much into things or let their mind wander. But considering that I will soon be spending approximately 5 months in foreign land for OSIP, I guess I am entitled to. Provided I secure the placement as well. Sourcing for laptops online, reading customer reviews and comments because the "G" and "H" keys on my keyboard are faulty. Took me ages to get this post out. But strangely enough, it is behaving itself now. Maybe it knows that if it doesn't, a new one will take its place. But this beloved companion has already stayed with me for 2 years 4 months and counting. Don't worry brother, I will continue to support you till your last breath.

Plans for basketball today were cancelled at the last minute when I was already at the bus stop! #rage Cannot stand people who are constantly late, or cancel plans at the last minute(Not your fault today wes). The meeting time for yesterday was 5pm but the first person that reached after me came at 5.20pm. I know it's just 20mins, but what about the rest? If I make the effort to be early and you don't, does it mean that your time is more precious than mine? And to cater to the persistent latecomers, I have even violated my own principles of punctuality and arrived late on purpose on certain incidents. I know people may say patience is a virtue, but definitely, respect and consideration weighs more in this sense. (Sidenote: My blackberry just lit up all by itself. Scary.)

Some of you say my posts very abstract is it? Now write like that primary school mindset okay?

It is finally the last week of school. I don't really have feel for blogging so I shall just type nonsense. Went to school for boring dpd lecture and some useless survey which earned me a $10 NTUC voucher. Tess say can buy one week supply of vegetables. I think I should buy three packets of doritos. After the test, Winson fetched us home even though he resides in the opposite end of the island I think. How nice of him. Maybe a teeny weeny bit of me wants to learn driving now. Came home to a feast due to mum's adventures at the food fair at Singapore Expo(Wanted to put as SExpo but I think we all agree it looks misleading). Shall not describe my feasting because I'm starving as I type this.

Yesterday was ahdan birthday. It was quite epic for about 20 people to squeeze into his bedroom and shock him when he was sleeping. Note to self: Never sleep in the buff. His parents were so nice also, asked us to make ourselves at home. Glad he enjoyed it, plus got kfc and pizza, how not to enjoy? Met my parents at IKEA Tampines for dinner and I stuffed myself till exploding point. The fact that I couldn't even eat ice cream describes the state of my stomach. Went over to Courts and my parents bought me a camera because I'm going for osip in September. Funny how they have confidence that I will surely succeed in getting the placement and thinking so far ahead. Hope pray wish I get in, if not I will be very sad.

Just finished my article review so I rewarded myself to computer games until I fall asleep. I think it is fair that 2 hour of work equals 5 hours of play. My logic.

Watched The Avengers last Thursday and can't get enough since. So I caught Captain America for the second time on Sunday, and borrowed the disc for The Hulk to watch during the weekends. And I tried to source for action figurines online but they are really so expensive! No choice but to wait till I start earning real money. My favourite hero is Captain America. Although he can't be considered a superhero, as he has no special powers, he was biologically-engineered to withstand blows and his regeneration rate is double that of an average human. Which means he sprints, heals and fights twice as fast. Not to mention that indestructible vibration-absorbing shield made of vibranium.

 

The next phase is known as transparency. In both action and thought. It is not worth the effort to invest the time and energy anymore. You will only be invulnerable when you do not allow others to penetrate your personal sphere. People's words and actions in a spate of anger or mischief can actually reflect their true intent. In recent times, I have found myself to be out of topic, out of activity, and soon to be, out of mind. This may infer how out of sync I have become with organic beings. For instance, my ability to sustain conversations has declined drastically. I understand that happiness is self-sought. However, I do not believe in it any longer. Any lingering acts of happiness can be attributed to the influence of endorphins. The rest are simply farcical.

Reality is scary sometimes.

This span of almost 2 months could be said to be a period of intense stoning and reflection. Seriously, as I spent so much time cooped up in my room, I was crazily procrastinating every single thing. For example, I had planned to go for a swim and catch "Battleship" at Ehub earlier this morning but I abandoned those plans because of a slight elbow sprain. Sometimes I think I am too lenient with myself, which attributed to a total lack of self discipline. Okay enough about myself. Since classes were revealed yesterday, I shall touch on that.

I have been classified into 3H03. Being the third time changing classes throughout my poly route, I have become accustomed to meeting new faces every round. The scary thing is that project groups have already started forming within the class. Hope this new semester will be another successful endeavour.

Mind's totally blank now, so for now, that's all.

My Second Dream Car

My first dream car would still be the Mini Cooper. Can totally imagine sending my son to school in a jeep though. How cool would that be? And I suddenly have the spark to call my future son "Lance". Like the dragon trainer of the Elite Four in Pokemon.