Great.
Apparently, I was indeed correct when I mentioned at the beginning of this sem that this academic year will find an angrier, more bitter, me.
Latest in a string of unfortunate events: fried my 80GB external hard drive, causing me to worry about whether my TV shows, movies, a large dump of MP3's, galleries and galleries of PHOTOS, old lecture notes and tutorials and projects and miscellaneous documents for Choir & Ridge & NUS and heck even Pisay days, are still recoverable. I promised someone I'd post some recent photos in my Flickr account, and I couldn't because of this.
Golden lava still flowing off my arms, craters of red volcanoes expanding, and I just learned that the doctor who examined me a few weeks back, who let me strip and touched my legs a little longer than necessary, is rumored to be gay. More than anything, after two trips to his clinic, the red volcanoes and golden lava are still very much active.
* * *
Today the NUS Choir had its first rehearsal with the new recruits from last week's auditions. We were playing this sticker game variation of the Speed Dating game, and this pretty girl came up to me, we chitchatted and I won, and the forfeit was for me to place a sticker on her face or forehead. She said, nah, she'll stick the thing on herself. She was very nice and friendly and all (and funky too, from her big round green earrings and sassy specs), really, but I couldn't help but think that she didn't want me to stick the thing because, well, let's just say the back of my right hand is a red volcano region.
Visayon the Publicity Sec, who I like to joke around with, like Aaron, said in our committee discussion of what to do during the first practice, that maybe the forfeit for the losers of the game would involve me. He said that I would give them a hug. With my red volcanoes and crusty gold goo on my arms, I sure as hell was willing to bet it would've been a nasty forfeit no freshie would ever forget. That was quite a funny suggestion, though, I thought when Vi joked about it. Thinking about it again, I don't quite feel so good.
Tutorials begin next week. Woe to those who haven't begun studying yet.
* * *
Lord please help me decide which module to drop: EN3223: 19th Century Literature and Culture (offered by this amazing British-accented Cambridge-educated lecturer who's a staple in every year's Faculty Teaching Excellence Awardee list) or EN3249: The Body: Politics, Poetics, Perception (a very interesting module taught by this funky English lecturer whose module I enjoyed last time, although I'm worried the subject material is a bit too hardcore philosophy and literature).
* * *
The Ridge magazine is out! It's the bumper issue that's supposedly the March/April issue. (Yes, some problem with the printers I think.. the higher-up editors don't really like to talk about it much) It's still good stuff, mind you, and it's fresh from the printers. I have an article there, too, so it can't be too bad. Haha. The August issue will be out in a week's time too, methinks. Good stuff, take a copy and read.
Mugging time now. Arts modules have so many readings I should read at every opportunity I have. Goodnight.
P.S.
Thank you you lovely people for dropping by my blog and offering your kind words and encouragement. I'm still breathing and blogging, so I can't be NOT okay. (Then again 'okay' is such an ambiguous word) Thanks a lot!
I'm depressed.
I'm depressed.
And stressed and exhausted from all the co-curricular activities I'm doing and I haven't even started studying for this year's modules yet. And this eczema is the most annoying thing that's managed to corrode my self-esteem in record time. It's all over my arms, and they spew golden goo all day.
Life sucks.
And stressed and exhausted from all the co-curricular activities I'm doing and I haven't even started studying for this year's modules yet. And this eczema is the most annoying thing that's managed to corrode my self-esteem in record time. It's all over my arms, and they spew golden goo all day.
Life sucks.
Kick-off
Kick-off
There's something wrong with how this semester is kicking off. My first class of the semester is at 2PM later, Linear Algebra II, but right about now I'm feeling exhausted already. Strange. I'm supposed to be feeling this way well into the semester whenI do my sparring sessions with midterms and projects and tutorials and exams.
I never quite realized how much Choir and Ridge stuff took of my time and energy.
Anyway, everything's not so bad la. Maybe I deserve this for slacking on my duties the past few days and enjoying the remainder of the holidays a little too much. Oh well, I'm gonna be a happy boy tomorrow, I declare it. :)
While I'm at it, lemme greet another happy boy Kerwin a wonderful birthday. Yes this greeting is a day late, but it comes with my apologies for forgetting to greet (I insist I fully remembered, I just forgot to greet) and my sincerest wishes of joy and success. :) Happy 22nd, big bro.
All right, it's 4AM, it's a long day ahead, I better get fully-recharged by getting some sleep.
Life is gooooood, baby.
There's something wrong with how this semester is kicking off. My first class of the semester is at 2PM later, Linear Algebra II, but right about now I'm feeling exhausted already. Strange. I'm supposed to be feeling this way well into the semester whenI do my sparring sessions with midterms and projects and tutorials and exams.
I never quite realized how much Choir and Ridge stuff took of my time and energy.
Anyway, everything's not so bad la. Maybe I deserve this for slacking on my duties the past few days and enjoying the remainder of the holidays a little too much. Oh well, I'm gonna be a happy boy tomorrow, I declare it. :)
While I'm at it, lemme greet another happy boy Kerwin a wonderful birthday. Yes this greeting is a day late, but it comes with my apologies for forgetting to greet (I insist I fully remembered, I just forgot to greet) and my sincerest wishes of joy and success. :) Happy 22nd, big bro.
All right, it's 4AM, it's a long day ahead, I better get fully-recharged by getting some sleep.
Life is gooooood, baby.
Red volcanoes and golden lava
Red volcanoes and golden lava
I sympathize with the affected families in Bicol, a region in the Philippines, who are experiencing the horrors of a volcanic eruption, courtesy of Mt. Mayon. Mt. Mayon is this beautifully-shaped and almost symmetrical volcano that has been dormant for years, but is spewing out lava onto the villages and fields along the slope and at the foot of the mountain.
I really hope everything will turn out fine for my these poor village folk.
Lately, too, I've been experiencing tumultuous eruptions of sorts on a personal level. Nothing dramatic, it's just my skin. It's eczema, and it SUCKS BIG TIME.
Remember the rashes and boils I was talking about? Ah yes, they're now red volcanoes and golden lava. I got them in the Philippines, and after a good three weeks or so, they're still on my arms, and are all the more disgusting. The worst ones are at the back of my left wrist, three big boils that I like to call Orion's belt--although there is nothing remotely amazing or spellbinding about them. The boils are disgusting, and I hate them.
It's begun to corrode my self-esteem in fact. They line my arms in some constellation like pattern, and they sometimes get wet and oozy. I especially hate those near my wrist and at the back of my hand, because I'm terrified of scaring people away. It's not contagious, though, but if I were another person I'd be disgusted too. I've been doing a lot of socialization of sorts too lately, what with this 4-day matriculation fair stint I did for Choir and The Ridge, this Choral Workshop the NUS Choir hosted on Tuesday and the Welcome Tea for newbies on Thursday, and my Editorial meeting with the Ridge guys. Ugh, I cannot imagine how I am going to lectures and tutorials when classes begin on Monday. :(
Aaron and Joanne wanted to swim today, but I had to pass because I'm afraid I'd receive the lifeguard's whistle and thrown out of the pool for being some sort of danger to the swimmers. Oh what a sad life.
I'm still taking the medications the doctor gave me, I'm just waiting to see if they work. I'm not sure if my boils going all out disgusting is a good sign, as it means the toxins are being purged out and better days are sure to come, or maybe the doctor (who asked me to strip to check my legs too) just couldn't help me.
Anyway, I'm already tired from working for Choir and The Ridge. And school proper hasn't even started. I hope I'm able to pull through, as this year is probably the biggest academic obstacle I've ever had to face.
I'm glad I have good company with me, though. The Pinoy group, who went for this Housewarming Party cum Carina's Birthday Celebration at Normanton Park last Saturday, and my Choir buddies, especially those who stay at Ridge View Residences. My bridging-mates Korinna and Ivy are also back, and I'm thrilled that they're around.
I've set up a Multiply account, but it's currently still a mess. Anyway, for the Pinoy party photos, they're already up at jcsorongon.multiply.com. Feel free to check them out. I'll soon upload some photos of what I've been doing lately, just so Ma and Dad and Kai and friends can have a look. :)
OK, time for potassium permanganate on my wounds.
I sympathize with the affected families in Bicol, a region in the Philippines, who are experiencing the horrors of a volcanic eruption, courtesy of Mt. Mayon. Mt. Mayon is this beautifully-shaped and almost symmetrical volcano that has been dormant for years, but is spewing out lava onto the villages and fields along the slope and at the foot of the mountain.
I really hope everything will turn out fine for my these poor village folk.
Lately, too, I've been experiencing tumultuous eruptions of sorts on a personal level. Nothing dramatic, it's just my skin. It's eczema, and it SUCKS BIG TIME.
Remember the rashes and boils I was talking about? Ah yes, they're now red volcanoes and golden lava. I got them in the Philippines, and after a good three weeks or so, they're still on my arms, and are all the more disgusting. The worst ones are at the back of my left wrist, three big boils that I like to call Orion's belt--although there is nothing remotely amazing or spellbinding about them. The boils are disgusting, and I hate them.
It's begun to corrode my self-esteem in fact. They line my arms in some constellation like pattern, and they sometimes get wet and oozy. I especially hate those near my wrist and at the back of my hand, because I'm terrified of scaring people away. It's not contagious, though, but if I were another person I'd be disgusted too. I've been doing a lot of socialization of sorts too lately, what with this 4-day matriculation fair stint I did for Choir and The Ridge, this Choral Workshop the NUS Choir hosted on Tuesday and the Welcome Tea for newbies on Thursday, and my Editorial meeting with the Ridge guys. Ugh, I cannot imagine how I am going to lectures and tutorials when classes begin on Monday. :(
Aaron and Joanne wanted to swim today, but I had to pass because I'm afraid I'd receive the lifeguard's whistle and thrown out of the pool for being some sort of danger to the swimmers. Oh what a sad life.
I'm still taking the medications the doctor gave me, I'm just waiting to see if they work. I'm not sure if my boils going all out disgusting is a good sign, as it means the toxins are being purged out and better days are sure to come, or maybe the doctor (who asked me to strip to check my legs too) just couldn't help me.
Anyway, I'm already tired from working for Choir and The Ridge. And school proper hasn't even started. I hope I'm able to pull through, as this year is probably the biggest academic obstacle I've ever had to face.
I'm glad I have good company with me, though. The Pinoy group, who went for this Housewarming Party cum Carina's Birthday Celebration at Normanton Park last Saturday, and my Choir buddies, especially those who stay at Ridge View Residences. My bridging-mates Korinna and Ivy are also back, and I'm thrilled that they're around.
I've set up a Multiply account, but it's currently still a mess. Anyway, for the Pinoy party photos, they're already up at jcsorongon.multiply.com. Feel free to check them out. I'll soon upload some photos of what I've been doing lately, just so Ma and Dad and Kai and friends can have a look. :)
OK, time for potassium permanganate on my wounds.
Wounds that forgot to heal
Wounds that forgot to heal
Yey. About time for an update eh? Yeah, before this blog gets moldy despite its new template and all. 2:56AM and I should be sleeping as I should wake up at 8AM to do some work for Matriculation Fair, but what the heck. Let me type some stuff here before the past few weeks go unchronicled and I lose my sanity from not being able to well, talk about stuff.
Now that seemed to be an intro for something long and profound and insightful, but I've taken my nightly drugs already and according to the label, it "may cause drowsiness" and I shouldn't "drive or operate machinery". I wonder if the computer is some machinery I operate, but what the heck. I've been taking the drugs for three days and I've been having more restful nights since. :) They're not bad drugs, don't worry, they're for this incredibly itchy skin rash I developed the past weeks, which happen to come in two variants, dry and wet. I'll leave the icky details to your imagination. I'll say, though, that it's not chicken pox, but it sure feel likes it. That's half of the "wounds that forgot to heal" story, too.
Anyway, since my last entry, I've flown to Manila, and did a lot of socializing with friends and relatives. It's been fun, and I realize how super important regular albeit occasional contact with friends and family is. Most of my high school peers in the Philippines are in their fourth year in the universities already (I'm in my third since I took a bridging course here in SG), and so it was important for us to meet up before we venture into the dark urban jungle and get caught in the money-making scheme. I also met up with some of my closest friends aside from my High School batchmates: Jacques, Kerwin, Dea, Jasper. I rode the bus too by my lonesome to visit my grandma's sisters in Bulacan. They're extremely nice, and they gave me a lot of food! Hehe yum yum. I stayed in my aunt's place in Quezon City, too, so it was good to catch up with my uncle, aunt, and cousins.
I'll post photos soon. The HS class photos I took are up already, actually, on www.gashong.multiply.com. Gashong is the yahoogroup of my Electron class ("gashong" is a Visayan expression whose meaning I'm not sure what), and I made a Multiply account so I could upload the photos. I'm still waiting for Raissa to upload the pool photos though. :) More photos from the rest of the summer vacation soon.
* * *
I've flown back here to Singapore, and I've moved in to my new room here at the Ridge View Residences, still within the NUS campus. I like my room, although it wasn't too sparkling clean when I arrived. It's still super anyway, as it's on the 8th floor (top of the building), and I have a balcony to my right, the pantry to my left, and it's the laundry floor too. I had this mysterious neighbor when I arrived, and thought he was a sociable Indian guy because some Indian girl/s and Malay/Chinese girl went over to his place the first night I arrived, and all I saw were his slippers. Lo and behold I met him the next morning in the washroom, and it was none other than Keng Khoon my previous NUS Choir president and fellow basso. Haha. It's a choir country this place. I'm this year's Secretary, Aaron the Choir VP is a few doors down, Iris the President is on the 6th floor, KK across me, and his girlfriend and ex-Soprano-Section-leader Michelle near Iris, Joanne ex-Alto-SL on the 4th floor. Nice.
And scholarshipmates and Pisay schoolmates Ivy and Korinna are staying here too! And Karen and Wayne are just blocks away. It's a good place, this one, although I'm a bit worried that we might get sick of each other so soon. Haha. No, really.. how can I escape from my duties now when I'm so easily accessible? Haha.
* * *
So for the past few days, I've basically been doing two things: Matric fair stuff for Choir, and settling my stuff down. That's mostly it. Aaron and I are in-charge of the choir booth, and it's been a pain doing it, but thanks to the help of Joanne, Iris, Johni, we just finished about 90% of it an hour ago. It's nice! We were going for this classy look, and although I'm not sure we accomplished that totally (yet), it's a very decent effort. I'm proud of it.
I'm to help out with the schoolpaper booth, The Ridge, tomorrow too, and hopefully that will turn out less draining. I always treasure Ridge meetings though, as I don't get to meet my fellow writers much as we most always just email, so it's gonna be fun.
* * *
My skin thingy on my arms has been a major pain too. It was diabolically itchy this one time, especially after I moved a huge load of boxes and bags and into my room from the storage place in nearby Raffles Hall. It was so itchy, I had to take bath and say a prayer while scratching stroking the itchy areas on the back of my elbows and neck. I went to the doctor, and hence the creams and tablets. I've been feeling better and less itchier since, although some of the boils are still wet, and thus I'm still disgusted with myself, and worried I might scare people away.
* * *
More than the skin allergy on my arms, I'm worried about my emotional bruises. That sounded too cheesy, but it's true: I'm an angrier, more bitter version of me. Maybe it was last semester's grades (I daresay this is a major factor), maybe it's having strained relationships with some people, heck could it possibly the very rare case of homesickness? I dunno. Maybe I'm missing people too. Maybe Singapore has gotten to me? Maybe it's the excess emotional baggage that's been piling up over the years? Beats me.
I'm thankful I have this balcony to the right of my room. No other floor except the eighth has balconies. It has a splendid view of the track and field oval, some tennis court, the soccer field, the adjacent residences, a lot of trees, the commercial buildings at a distance and a good view of the sky. I go there when I'm pissed, I go there when I'm incredibly pleased. I've been there to visit, at least for a few minutes, every day since I arrived. Easily my favorite place.
Well, if I'm really super pissed, I can easily go to the balcony. Maybe jump too, if I feel like it.
Kidding.
3:35AM, and I think the drug is kicking in. Time to bed, Jose. Goodnight world.
Yey. About time for an update eh? Yeah, before this blog gets moldy despite its new template and all. 2:56AM and I should be sleeping as I should wake up at 8AM to do some work for Matriculation Fair, but what the heck. Let me type some stuff here before the past few weeks go unchronicled and I lose my sanity from not being able to well, talk about stuff.
Now that seemed to be an intro for something long and profound and insightful, but I've taken my nightly drugs already and according to the label, it "may cause drowsiness" and I shouldn't "drive or operate machinery". I wonder if the computer is some machinery I operate, but what the heck. I've been taking the drugs for three days and I've been having more restful nights since. :) They're not bad drugs, don't worry, they're for this incredibly itchy skin rash I developed the past weeks, which happen to come in two variants, dry and wet. I'll leave the icky details to your imagination. I'll say, though, that it's not chicken pox, but it sure feel likes it. That's half of the "wounds that forgot to heal" story, too.
Anyway, since my last entry, I've flown to Manila, and did a lot of socializing with friends and relatives. It's been fun, and I realize how super important regular albeit occasional contact with friends and family is. Most of my high school peers in the Philippines are in their fourth year in the universities already (I'm in my third since I took a bridging course here in SG), and so it was important for us to meet up before we venture into the dark urban jungle and get caught in the money-making scheme. I also met up with some of my closest friends aside from my High School batchmates: Jacques, Kerwin, Dea, Jasper. I rode the bus too by my lonesome to visit my grandma's sisters in Bulacan. They're extremely nice, and they gave me a lot of food! Hehe yum yum. I stayed in my aunt's place in Quezon City, too, so it was good to catch up with my uncle, aunt, and cousins.
I'll post photos soon. The HS class photos I took are up already, actually, on www.gashong.multiply.com. Gashong is the yahoogroup of my Electron class ("gashong" is a Visayan expression whose meaning I'm not sure what), and I made a Multiply account so I could upload the photos. I'm still waiting for Raissa to upload the pool photos though. :) More photos from the rest of the summer vacation soon.
* * *
I've flown back here to Singapore, and I've moved in to my new room here at the Ridge View Residences, still within the NUS campus. I like my room, although it wasn't too sparkling clean when I arrived. It's still super anyway, as it's on the 8th floor (top of the building), and I have a balcony to my right, the pantry to my left, and it's the laundry floor too. I had this mysterious neighbor when I arrived, and thought he was a sociable Indian guy because some Indian girl/s and Malay/Chinese girl went over to his place the first night I arrived, and all I saw were his slippers. Lo and behold I met him the next morning in the washroom, and it was none other than Keng Khoon my previous NUS Choir president and fellow basso. Haha. It's a choir country this place. I'm this year's Secretary, Aaron the Choir VP is a few doors down, Iris the President is on the 6th floor, KK across me, and his girlfriend and ex-Soprano-Section-leader Michelle near Iris, Joanne ex-Alto-SL on the 4th floor. Nice.
And scholarshipmates and Pisay schoolmates Ivy and Korinna are staying here too! And Karen and Wayne are just blocks away. It's a good place, this one, although I'm a bit worried that we might get sick of each other so soon. Haha. No, really.. how can I escape from my duties now when I'm so easily accessible? Haha.
* * *
So for the past few days, I've basically been doing two things: Matric fair stuff for Choir, and settling my stuff down. That's mostly it. Aaron and I are in-charge of the choir booth, and it's been a pain doing it, but thanks to the help of Joanne, Iris, Johni, we just finished about 90% of it an hour ago. It's nice! We were going for this classy look, and although I'm not sure we accomplished that totally (yet), it's a very decent effort. I'm proud of it.
I'm to help out with the schoolpaper booth, The Ridge, tomorrow too, and hopefully that will turn out less draining. I always treasure Ridge meetings though, as I don't get to meet my fellow writers much as we most always just email, so it's gonna be fun.
* * *
My skin thingy on my arms has been a major pain too. It was diabolically itchy this one time, especially after I moved a huge load of boxes and bags and into my room from the storage place in nearby Raffles Hall. It was so itchy, I had to take bath and say a prayer while
* * *
More than the skin allergy on my arms, I'm worried about my emotional bruises. That sounded too cheesy, but it's true: I'm an angrier, more bitter version of me. Maybe it was last semester's grades (I daresay this is a major factor), maybe it's having strained relationships with some people, heck could it possibly the very rare case of homesickness? I dunno. Maybe I'm missing people too. Maybe Singapore has gotten to me? Maybe it's the excess emotional baggage that's been piling up over the years? Beats me.
I'm thankful I have this balcony to the right of my room. No other floor except the eighth has balconies. It has a splendid view of the track and field oval, some tennis court, the soccer field, the adjacent residences, a lot of trees, the commercial buildings at a distance and a good view of the sky. I go there when I'm pissed, I go there when I'm incredibly pleased. I've been there to visit, at least for a few minutes, every day since I arrived. Easily my favorite place.
Well, if I'm really super pissed, I can easily go to the balcony. Maybe jump too, if I feel like it.
Kidding.
3:35AM, and I think the drug is kicking in. Time to bed, Jose. Goodnight world.
Two Weeks' Notice
Two Weeks' Notice
Heya! It's the 7th of July, and that means it's a mere two weeks before I set foot again on Singapura, and the manic schoolyear begins anew. Today also means it's exactly one week before I leave my lovely city of Davao, to drop by Metro Manila to spend a week with friends and relatives. Ahh.. time. I'm running out of it, so I'm trying to make sure I settle all my affairs pronto.
A lot has happened in my two-month visit back home, although I'd have to say that the second month was more of "Me Time", as, well, it was mostly spent by my lonesome, as my friends and my sister had to go off to school. I suspect I've mentioned this too many times here, so pardon the repeat. I don't mind being alone, really, as the Me Time I so wanted was finally here, and I got to REALLY think about my life, how much of a mess it is, and the steps I need to make to fix it.
Anyway, this post is basically just a mouthful of what I wanna say right here right now. I realize I haven't been blogging as frequent as I would have liked, but that's fine, I keep a record of the happenings in my head anyway. Of course, my blog-reading friends can ask me if you want a blow-by-blow account, although nothing is quite groundbreaking, I must warn you.
That's one long intro, but so what. Haha. Right now I'm letting my fingers do the talking, and that's how this blog entry will play out. Let's get it on.
* * *
Today is the Foundation Day anniversary of my high school, Phil. Science High School here in Davao. I would have loved to go, if only for this (usually kick-ass) Cultural Show, as I'm especially fond of my teachers over there, but I decided not to go, as I would have to go alone. My sister Kai, also a graduate of Pisay, has class till 7PM. I texted my batchmates, but most of them too had classes. I even asked my fellow Singapore scholar Carina to come, but she was busy helping her little bro with his assignments. As far as I know, the other Singapore scholars are still in Singapore, like Karen, Ivy, Korinna, Michael, Robs. My Dad's also not here, as he's out of town for a trip to Mati, for some meeting regarding the family business, so that means no car too. So instead, I'm staying home tonight.
Come to think of it, I don't know any of the students in Pisay now, as those who were in their 1st year when I was in my 4th, have just graduated in March. So except for two or three students introduced to me before, I don't have quite an affinity to the new kids. At least last year, I was able to cheer for the 4th year group (who were 1st year when I was 4th like I said) in the modeling and singing and dance competitions, as I had really good friends in that batch.
Anyway, I might still drop by to say hi to the teachers sometime before I leave. If not, maybe in December. They will still be there for sure anyway.
* * *
Last night I was slightly upset with myself for apparently being the cause of the car breaking down. My Dad says it's not my fault, and 80% of my brain is telling me that, too, but I dunno, it's still a great big coincidence that the car decided to break down right after I told my Dad that I'd like to go for driving practice.
We had just arrived from a trip to the house of my folks' friend and super-architect Tito Ed (He has designed subdivisions for the Alcantara Group, Churches, Parks, and currently the big Nature Park project by Davao City Mayor Duterte). My mom was adamant we go visit his newly-constructed treehouse, which is a good four storeys from the ground. It was lovely, and hip and cool. That man's a genius, setting up this nice outdoor open-air place, where one could have a nice chat under the trees or go stargazing. He even put a room with glass windows in the third level to serve as his office, and a bedroom on the second level. The place was still under construction, and Mama even pointed out where an outdoor jacuzzi would be mounted. Coolness.
Anyway, when we reached home, I told my Dad I wanted to go for our second driving practice, and proceeded to go to the driver seat and set the gear back to neutral, and prepared my feet and legs for the footwork. Then the car just didn't start! Sad. Dad was supposed to drive the car to Mati today, a good 3 hours from Davao, but too bad he had to take the bus. Sorry.
* * *
I had thought it was gonna be a restful two weeks before I left, but not so, apparently. From my email inbox came the news that the NUS Choir would be setting up a workshop involving secondary and primary school choirs, which would take place on August 8th, right about the time we sing for Freshmen Inauguration Ceremony, and hold the Welcome Tea. I'm bracing myself for preparations for the Matriculation Fair preparations for the choir, AND some manning time over at The Ridge booth as well.
The shocker yesterday, though, was really the deadline of submission of my desk's articles to my Exec Ed. The Chief Ed's email said it's on July 14th, and I was stunned. That was 8 days from yesterday, and I had only received three ideas from my writers (writers send their ideas first before writing their articles). I had said the deadline for ideas was on June 28th, but I MYSELF FORGOT about it so I did not bug them. Sigh. Nonetheless, it's still their responsibility to email me their ideas without me nagging them right? Sigh. I hope everything goes better next time. See, this is for the September issue, and I'm thinking it's a wee bit early. Anyway, deadlines are coming, and I pray my writers deliver, and don't hate me in the process.
I predict it's gonna be a hectic week for me, as July 14th happens to be the day I leave Davao for Manila too. I'm gonna be editing articles and submitting them just as I arrive Manila.
And, dare I say it, I haven't written my own article yet!
* * *
It's Italy and France in the Finals! Yahooo! I watched the England vs. Portugal match the other day, and that was so freakin' SAD. Beckham injured, Rooney fouled out, and England had thus only 10 players against Portugal's 11. The match was 0-0 till the end of the 90 minutes, and later even in extra time. I was rooting for England because Portugal didn't seem to play too clean, but alas, Portugal proved superior in the heart-stopping Penalty Shoot-out.
France had defeated reigning champions Brazil too, so that was an interesting development. They beat Portugal in the Semis to advance to the finals.
I just saw too the Italy vs. Germany match. It was a major upset for the home team, Germany. It was a thriller of a match too, if only for the remaining few minutes. It was 0-0 for 90 minutes, still goalless for the most part of extra time, and everyone seemed to ready themselves for the nerve-racking Penalty Shoot-out. What do you know, Italy scores a winning goal in the remaining two minutes, which sent the crowd roaring (both the German and Italian supporters, but for different reasons). The German team struggled to tie the game what little left of remaining time, and what do you know, Italy scored again! Two goals in the remaining two minutes. Awesome. Tears and broken hearts for Germany everywhere, but oh well, that's life. Sometimes it sucks.
I've mentioned my dislike for Italy for personal reasons, and so my vote will be for the French come the final match.
* * *
Last shout-out! I bought my first pirated CD's! Brownman Revival CD that's laced with a whole lotta fun Pinoy Reggae, and Ultraelectromagnetic Jam, the all-star tribute to the monster band of the 90's, Eraserheads. Whoops please don't arrest me.
Viva Original Pilipino Music (OPM)!
Heya! It's the 7th of July, and that means it's a mere two weeks before I set foot again on Singapura, and the manic schoolyear begins anew. Today also means it's exactly one week before I leave my lovely city of Davao, to drop by Metro Manila to spend a week with friends and relatives. Ahh.. time. I'm running out of it, so I'm trying to make sure I settle all my affairs pronto.
A lot has happened in my two-month visit back home, although I'd have to say that the second month was more of "Me Time", as, well, it was mostly spent by my lonesome, as my friends and my sister had to go off to school. I suspect I've mentioned this too many times here, so pardon the repeat. I don't mind being alone, really, as the Me Time I so wanted was finally here, and I got to REALLY think about my life, how much of a mess it is, and the steps I need to make to fix it.
Anyway, this post is basically just a mouthful of what I wanna say right here right now. I realize I haven't been blogging as frequent as I would have liked, but that's fine, I keep a record of the happenings in my head anyway. Of course, my blog-reading friends can ask me if you want a blow-by-blow account, although nothing is quite groundbreaking, I must warn you.
That's one long intro, but so what. Haha. Right now I'm letting my fingers do the talking, and that's how this blog entry will play out. Let's get it on.
* * *
Today is the Foundation Day anniversary of my high school, Phil. Science High School here in Davao. I would have loved to go, if only for this (usually kick-ass) Cultural Show, as I'm especially fond of my teachers over there, but I decided not to go, as I would have to go alone. My sister Kai, also a graduate of Pisay, has class till 7PM. I texted my batchmates, but most of them too had classes. I even asked my fellow Singapore scholar Carina to come, but she was busy helping her little bro with his assignments. As far as I know, the other Singapore scholars are still in Singapore, like Karen, Ivy, Korinna, Michael, Robs. My Dad's also not here, as he's out of town for a trip to Mati, for some meeting regarding the family business, so that means no car too. So instead, I'm staying home tonight.
Come to think of it, I don't know any of the students in Pisay now, as those who were in their 1st year when I was in my 4th, have just graduated in March. So except for two or three students introduced to me before, I don't have quite an affinity to the new kids. At least last year, I was able to cheer for the 4th year group (who were 1st year when I was 4th like I said) in the modeling and singing and dance competitions, as I had really good friends in that batch.
Anyway, I might still drop by to say hi to the teachers sometime before I leave. If not, maybe in December. They will still be there for sure anyway.
* * *
Last night I was slightly upset with myself for apparently being the cause of the car breaking down. My Dad says it's not my fault, and 80% of my brain is telling me that, too, but I dunno, it's still a great big coincidence that the car decided to break down right after I told my Dad that I'd like to go for driving practice.
We had just arrived from a trip to the house of my folks' friend and super-architect Tito Ed (He has designed subdivisions for the Alcantara Group, Churches, Parks, and currently the big Nature Park project by Davao City Mayor Duterte). My mom was adamant we go visit his newly-constructed treehouse, which is a good four storeys from the ground. It was lovely, and hip and cool. That man's a genius, setting up this nice outdoor open-air place, where one could have a nice chat under the trees or go stargazing. He even put a room with glass windows in the third level to serve as his office, and a bedroom on the second level. The place was still under construction, and Mama even pointed out where an outdoor jacuzzi would be mounted. Coolness.
Anyway, when we reached home, I told my Dad I wanted to go for our second driving practice, and proceeded to go to the driver seat and set the gear back to neutral, and prepared my feet and legs for the footwork. Then the car just didn't start! Sad. Dad was supposed to drive the car to Mati today, a good 3 hours from Davao, but too bad he had to take the bus. Sorry.
* * *
I had thought it was gonna be a restful two weeks before I left, but not so, apparently. From my email inbox came the news that the NUS Choir would be setting up a workshop involving secondary and primary school choirs, which would take place on August 8th, right about the time we sing for Freshmen Inauguration Ceremony, and hold the Welcome Tea. I'm bracing myself for preparations for the Matriculation Fair preparations for the choir, AND some manning time over at The Ridge booth as well.
The shocker yesterday, though, was really the deadline of submission of my desk's articles to my Exec Ed. The Chief Ed's email said it's on July 14th, and I was stunned. That was 8 days from yesterday, and I had only received three ideas from my writers (writers send their ideas first before writing their articles). I had said the deadline for ideas was on June 28th, but I MYSELF FORGOT about it so I did not bug them. Sigh. Nonetheless, it's still their responsibility to email me their ideas without me nagging them right? Sigh. I hope everything goes better next time. See, this is for the September issue, and I'm thinking it's a wee bit early. Anyway, deadlines are coming, and I pray my writers deliver, and don't hate me in the process.
I predict it's gonna be a hectic week for me, as July 14th happens to be the day I leave Davao for Manila too. I'm gonna be editing articles and submitting them just as I arrive Manila.
And, dare I say it, I haven't written my own article yet!
* * *
It's Italy and France in the Finals! Yahooo! I watched the England vs. Portugal match the other day, and that was so freakin' SAD. Beckham injured, Rooney fouled out, and England had thus only 10 players against Portugal's 11. The match was 0-0 till the end of the 90 minutes, and later even in extra time. I was rooting for England because Portugal didn't seem to play too clean, but alas, Portugal proved superior in the heart-stopping Penalty Shoot-out.
France had defeated reigning champions Brazil too, so that was an interesting development. They beat Portugal in the Semis to advance to the finals.
I just saw too the Italy vs. Germany match. It was a major upset for the home team, Germany. It was a thriller of a match too, if only for the remaining few minutes. It was 0-0 for 90 minutes, still goalless for the most part of extra time, and everyone seemed to ready themselves for the nerve-racking Penalty Shoot-out. What do you know, Italy scores a winning goal in the remaining two minutes, which sent the crowd roaring (both the German and Italian supporters, but for different reasons). The German team struggled to tie the game what little left of remaining time, and what do you know, Italy scored again! Two goals in the remaining two minutes. Awesome. Tears and broken hearts for Germany everywhere, but oh well, that's life. Sometimes it sucks.
I've mentioned my dislike for Italy for personal reasons, and so my vote will be for the French come the final match.
* * *
Last shout-out! I bought my first pirated CD's! Brownman Revival CD that's laced with a whole lotta fun Pinoy Reggae, and Ultraelectromagnetic Jam, the all-star tribute to the monster band of the 90's, Eraserheads. Whoops please don't arrest me.
Viva Original Pilipino Music (OPM)!
Fresh
Fresh
Whew. Finally the new template's up. I'm not sure if I'm crazy over it, I wasn't wowed by it when I first saw it assembled. I remember thinking, 'Oh dear. All that hard work for this.' I dunno, I was just too caught up with the coolness of Mondrian art (Google him) that I think I momentarily forgot about blending. I'm not even sure what's the tree for again. Haha. And hmm.. something tells me this new blog is too colorful for my liking. Also, I was thinking of getting rid of the cartoon characters (but I still like you Calvin, Hobbes, Snoopy and Linus of course) for a more mature feel, although I must admit I thoroughly Photoshopped that tree on the right to get rid of Hobbes (You can google for the original image if you wish). Haha, I'm proud of that tree, and hopefully it isn't too noticeable how thoroughly edited it is, the whole of it. Anyway, even if the template wasn't exactly how I expected it, it's still my baby, so I like it a lot.
It grows on you, actually. (Yes, tree included, although that sounds a bit off.) So I like this fresh new look. I was for a while thinking of a fresh new name too, but my sister thought it was so bleah I could very well have named the new blog to something hideous like "Swan Lake". Haha I won't tell what I came up with, although it's infinitely more decent than that.
Anyway, it's Moonstruck Inc. still for the meantime, and maybe for good. I don't really know. Anyway, I fixed the clickables at the left, too. It's less messier than the previous. This isn't final yet, too. Just the soft opening of sorts.
I can't do a decent blog entry now actually, as the main purpose of this Internet Cafe visit was to set this up. Anyway, I'm glad I uploaded the template on June 30th, end of the month, as tomorrow will rightfully be a fresh new start. (Yes my persistence on this whole new-beginning thing is unmistakable)
Goodbye for now, and feel free to comment on the new template.
Whew. Finally the new template's up. I'm not sure if I'm crazy over it, I wasn't wowed by it when I first saw it assembled. I remember thinking, 'Oh dear. All that hard work for this.' I dunno, I was just too caught up with the coolness of Mondrian art (Google him) that I think I momentarily forgot about blending. I'm not even sure what's the tree for again. Haha. And hmm.. something tells me this new blog is too colorful for my liking. Also, I was thinking of getting rid of the cartoon characters (but I still like you Calvin, Hobbes, Snoopy and Linus of course) for a more mature feel, although I must admit I thoroughly Photoshopped that tree on the right to get rid of Hobbes (You can google for the original image if you wish). Haha, I'm proud of that tree, and hopefully it isn't too noticeable how thoroughly edited it is, the whole of it. Anyway, even if the template wasn't exactly how I expected it, it's still my baby, so I like it a lot.
It grows on you, actually. (Yes, tree included, although that sounds a bit off.) So I like this fresh new look. I was for a while thinking of a fresh new name too, but my sister thought it was so bleah I could very well have named the new blog to something hideous like "Swan Lake". Haha I won't tell what I came up with, although it's infinitely more decent than that.
Anyway, it's Moonstruck Inc. still for the meantime, and maybe for good. I don't really know. Anyway, I fixed the clickables at the left, too. It's less messier than the previous. This isn't final yet, too. Just the soft opening of sorts.
I can't do a decent blog entry now actually, as the main purpose of this Internet Cafe visit was to set this up. Anyway, I'm glad I uploaded the template on June 30th, end of the month, as tomorrow will rightfully be a fresh new start. (Yes my persistence on this whole new-beginning thing is unmistakable)
Goodbye for now, and feel free to comment on the new template.
Not the usual
Not the usual
If you're a frequent stalker/reader of this blog (yes I know frequent can't be too frequent as my posts don't come often enough anyway), you'd know that there are a few things that don't quite come up. Don't bother thinking what they are, I'm gonna bring up one right now, and that's sports.
People who know me know that I am barely sports-minded, and that I'd much rather prefer talking about MTV, or that new song on the radio, or Scrubs or OC or Lost. Well, it's a good time for sports around the world right now, and since I've always rather thought that sports is cool and I just didn't get into it when I had the chance, I decided to catch the World Cup and NBA Finals on TV.
I watched the Sweden-Paraguay soccer match yesterday, and it was quite good. I've always appreciated soccer, from watching Kent Ridge Hall play in the Inter-Hall Games, and found it a pity I didn't know how to play and it's too late to learn. I didn't watch all 90 minutes of the Sweden-Paraguay match, though, as it was not as exciting as soccer fans would have hoped. It was 0-0 for the most part, althought there were a number of noble, although fruitless, attempts to score a goal. It was not until the 89th minute when Djungberg scored the first goal for Sweden, to the disappointment of Paraguay, who were stripped of their chance to win the Cup.
The game turned exciting towards the end, and I think I'm gonna be looking out for more matches on the sports channels on TV. I don't want Brazil to win because I've always liked the underdog. I don't know who exactly to support, but I'm a little biased, so I'm rooting for Czech Republic (because of such amazing memories at that place last year) and I hope Italy loses (because of such horrible memories at their Singapore embassy last year). Haha.
* * *
Just this morning I caught Game 5 of the NBA Finals live on TV. The series was tied 2-2, and with the Miami Heat pulling off an upset by scoring two consecutive wins in the games to catch up with the Dallas Mavericks. This 5th game was Miami's chance to tip the balance in their favor.
I could have caught the game from the First Quarter, but not surprisingly, I only decided to watch the Fourth (Haha) because the good stuff would be in there anyway (pardon to all offended sports fans). Anyway, it was a kick-ass game! Miami, I felt, had everything going for them, what with the homecourt advantage, Shaq, Payton, and the stunning Dwyane Wade on a hot streak. And so I, ever the underdog-supporter, was cheering on for Dallas, and its star players Terry and Nowitski.
Man, I was cheering in the living room by my lonesome, as Dallas seemed to have sealed the game by scoring crucial points in the last few minutes. The lead was down to two as the minutes ticked by, and then Wade would even it out, but Dallas would still inch away with two points. With barely 9 seconds left in the 4th quarter, Dallas had the lead, and the once-roaring Miami crowd was momentarily shut up. And then this Wade does the impossible and scores again, to tumultuous applause, bringing the game to Overtime with a score of 93-93.
The five-minute overtime was just as exciting, as some of Dallas previous tactics worked, and they momentarily were in the lead, but then Miami wisened up and used Wade as a decoy bringing the game to another tie. In the crucial last few seconds, Dallas was up by 1, 100-99, when Wade decided to make his move again. He missed, yes, but (because) he was fouled, so off to the free throw he went, with just about two seconds left. He shot the first free throw, bringing the score to 100-100, and the win now depended on his second free throw. Well, what do you know, he did it again, and the crowd roared. Dallas couldn't pull off a shot across the court in the remaining two seconds, so the game was Miami's.
Darn, it would have been fun to see the prepared confetti NOT go down on the jubilant Miami team and the roaring crowd. Oh well, at least the whole city of Miami is feeling very good about themselves right now. I hope it's Dallas turn to celebrate on Wednesday.
P.S. I didn't plan to devote a full long entry on sports, so I'm gonna post the other stuff next time. Part of it is my Happy Birthday to my brother Schroeder, who would have turned 22 yesterday. Rest in peace, big bro. :)
No dishes left unwashed
No dishes left unwashed
I've just finished my kitchen chores, and let me prouldly announce that there are no dishes left unwashed. I say it with a sort of leave-no-stone-unturned accomplishment, because of all chores, dishwashing hits the top 10 of my dislikes.
In any case, I'm still domesticated for my own good, but it's a good thing I guess. My friends began their classes on Tuesday, and so did my sister. I guess it's Home Alone time for me now, as I guess the time of going out with friends has come to an end as I don't fly to Singapore until mid-July. I'm not complaining much, really, as I pretty much expected nothing else.
For a while my post as editor for the Outspoken Desk of The Ridge has been keeping me busy, gathering and editing articles from my writers, nagging them if they don't submit, asking them and collecting pictures for their articles, and settling writers' matters with my bosses. My deadline's over, though, and after submitting the Outspoken Desk articles to my Executive Ed, I guess that leaves me free. Relatively. I think.
I don't check my emails often (I miss unlimited internet in NUS), and I find that the longer the time before I decide to do so, the longer my break turns out to be.
* * *
It was the 108th year of Philippine Independence on Monday, that's why the first day of class nationwide was moved the next day. I feel a bit bad that I did not especially feel a burning sense of patriotism in me that day, and all I really cared for the previous days were sales at the malls, and the weekend before Independence day turned out to be a good time to pop by the mall for good discounts. I'm sorry, dear mother Philippines, you know I love you anyway. :)
The weekend before that there were midnight sales as well, this time due to an event called "Back-to-school". Next weekend there would be another reasons for malls to issue discounts, Father's Day. Ahh you cheeky cheeky shopowners.. you always find a reason to celebrate.
I'm not complaining though. I got myself a good pair of jeans (button-fly with a bluish-green tinge), Chucks-like shoes from Bench for everyday use in school, Board shorts (as if I do surfing), and boxers! Yiheee. I'm usually a briefs person, for the record.
* * *
I've finally finished reading A Twist in the Tale, a short story collection by Jeffrey Archer. Wow, I feel so proud of myself. I've always loved short stories, because I'm too lazy to finish novels, but the thing with short story collections is that I never get to finish them--until Jeffrey Archer's.
I have vowed that it will be a new life after last semester, and part of the process is to finish off what was left undone in the past. A few days ago, I finished Harry Potter 6 (softcopy downloaded from the Internet hurhur), which I only partially read in December. Now I'm thinking of finishing up my Stephen King short story collections, two of them, which I hesitated to finish some YEARS ago because I didn't want to run out of stories, because each story was just so good (or so I thought then).
A lot to finish and settle and loose ends to tie according to my grand New Life plan, and I'm hell bent on doing everything to make this work.
"Busy"
"Busy"
Another day, another blog. The previous entry I wrapped up and uploaded only today, May 31st, because I was busy once again. With what? Busy with the usual things that have kept me busy the past two weeks I've been back home.. Ridge stuff, and Choir stuff. But actually that doesn't really cut it, 'cos most of the day Jose's doing nothing.
Haha. Nothing but watch TV and lying down and reading more Jeffrey Archer short stories, or watching Lost ofr Prison Break TV shows on his laptop. Haha. Busy with nothing, more like it. Just the way I like it too.
When I came back to the Philippines, what I had in mind was just to de-stress, because God knows it was a bad burnout I got myself into in Singapore. The grades, which I got a few days ago still haunt me, and although the feelind is not the sudden-death I-think-I'll-jump-off-building kind, I think it's even worse, because it's the gnaw-at-your-sanity-bit-by-bit type.
Anyway, aside from that, everything's dandy and well, just all in a day's work. My jobs as editor of the Outspoken desk and as Secretary of NUS Choir are keeping me typing and thinking and typing again, but that's all right.
Maybe I should post photos of the Karaoke and billiards session a good bunch of my high school friends went on last week. Haha but that'll have to wait, cos I have barely 2 minutes left in this internet cafe. Haha ciao!
Another day, another blog. The previous entry I wrapped up and uploaded only today, May 31st, because I was busy once again. With what? Busy with the usual things that have kept me busy the past two weeks I've been back home.. Ridge stuff, and Choir stuff. But actually that doesn't really cut it, 'cos most of the day Jose's doing nothing.
Haha. Nothing but watch TV and lying down and reading more Jeffrey Archer short stories, or watching Lost ofr Prison Break TV shows on his laptop. Haha. Busy with nothing, more like it. Just the way I like it too.
When I came back to the Philippines, what I had in mind was just to de-stress, because God knows it was a bad burnout I got myself into in Singapore. The grades, which I got a few days ago still haunt me, and although the feelind is not the sudden-death I-think-I'll-jump-off-building kind, I think it's even worse, because it's the gnaw-at-your-sanity-bit-by-bit type.
Anyway, aside from that, everything's dandy and well, just all in a day's work. My jobs as editor of the Outspoken desk and as Secretary of NUS Choir are keeping me typing and thinking and typing again, but that's all right.
Maybe I should post photos of the Karaoke and billiards session a good bunch of my high school friends went on last week. Haha but that'll have to wait, cos I have barely 2 minutes left in this internet cafe. Haha ciao!
Overdue
Overdue
Yep, overdue. That's what this entry is. As is the case with everything else overdue, so many things have happened since the supposed due date (whenever that is), and this may be the right time to fill you in (whoever you are).
OK, so let's start with the here and now. I'm home! Here in the beautiful city of Davao, Philippines, and better yet, right in the comfort of our own family home. Jason Mraz's Geek in the Pink is playing for the nth time on the radio (heavy rotation yeah), and I'm sitting here in the living room, having just finished my miscellaneous work for the Ridge and the Choir. My sister's preparing to go to this health and fitness club called Holiday Spa, for which she took a month-long subscription to enjoy unlimited access to the fun fitness services and classes (bellydancing, boxing, pilates, latino dance, etc). Dad's asleep upstairs, Ma's away taking some comprehensive exam for her PhD. Kai, Dad and I will be off soon--Kai to the Spa, Dad to a meeting, and I'll go to the Internet cafe to work on Choir and Ridge stuff again (email people mostly).
* * *
Last time I went online was yesterday, at the mall, right before I went with sister Kai and good buddy Jacques to watch X-Men 3. That's something blogworthy, really. I mean me going online yesterday, not the movie (although for me the movie kicks ass. Kai wanted to watch the movie twice as usual, so I stuck around).
Anyway, being online yesterday was something I looked forward to. Not with enthusiastic anticipation, but with fearful anxiety. Grades were released online yesterday, finally. I wanted the grades issue to be over and done with soonest, because I knew that last semester was the worst ever. A disaster, if you please. I was half-joking to Kai and Ma the night before that I was preparing my toold
I dunno how NUS does it, but every single time during the online release of results, I get stunned. Stunned in a good way, or otherwise, I get taken for a ride. Mmmm.. NUS, all 100 years old of it, and yet still full of surprises. Well, that, or maybe I'm just lousy at estimating my own grades.
I was correct about the general picture though, that last semester was a disaster. And, with utmost conviction, I declare that the next sem will be the beginning of a new life. A new life, ladies and gentlemen, and not just in terms of academics.
After all, truly horrible things always inspire incredible spin-offs.
Yep, overdue. That's what this entry is. As is the case with everything else overdue, so many things have happened since the supposed due date (whenever that is), and this may be the right time to fill you in (whoever you are).
OK, so let's start with the here and now. I'm home! Here in the beautiful city of Davao, Philippines, and better yet, right in the comfort of our own family home. Jason Mraz's Geek in the Pink is playing for the nth time on the radio (heavy rotation yeah), and I'm sitting here in the living room, having just finished my miscellaneous work for the Ridge and the Choir. My sister's preparing to go to this health and fitness club called Holiday Spa, for which she took a month-long subscription to enjoy unlimited access to the fun fitness services and classes (bellydancing, boxing, pilates, latino dance, etc). Dad's asleep upstairs, Ma's away taking some comprehensive exam for her PhD. Kai, Dad and I will be off soon--Kai to the Spa, Dad to a meeting, and I'll go to the Internet cafe to work on Choir and Ridge stuff again (email people mostly).
* * *
Last time I went online was yesterday, at the mall, right before I went with sister Kai and good buddy Jacques to watch X-Men 3. That's something blogworthy, really. I mean me going online yesterday, not the movie (although for me the movie kicks ass. Kai wanted to watch the movie twice as usual, so I stuck around).
Anyway, being online yesterday was something I looked forward to. Not with enthusiastic anticipation, but with fearful anxiety. Grades were released online yesterday, finally. I wanted the grades issue to be over and done with soonest, because I knew that last semester was the worst ever. A disaster, if you please. I was half-joking to Kai and Ma the night before that I was preparing my toold
I dunno how NUS does it, but every single time during the online release of results, I get stunned. Stunned in a good way, or otherwise, I get taken for a ride. Mmmm.. NUS, all 100 years old of it, and yet still full of surprises. Well, that, or maybe I'm just lousy at estimating my own grades.
I was correct about the general picture though, that last semester was a disaster. And, with utmost conviction, I declare that the next sem will be the beginning of a new life. A new life, ladies and gentlemen, and not just in terms of academics.
After all, truly horrible things always inspire incredible spin-offs.
Closing time
Closing time
OK, so this is it. I'm really leaving now. Haha, the previous post wasn't really goodbye Singapore, but this is. I'm leaving tonight for the airport, sleep there, to make it in time for my 7:00AM flight tomorrow for the Philippines. Yes I'm such a cheapskate for not choosing to take a cab tomorrow morning and incur the 50% off-peak surcharge, but another reason is that I'm afraid to miss my flight again (yes that happened before).
Ten days since that last post, a whole lot of things have happened, and I don't know, those past days were rather fun actually, but right now, I'm just feeling fatigue. Most everybody else have (or has? Hmm.) gone home, and since my block D-block isn't the vacation block, I think as of today, I'm the only soul left in the block. I don't mind really, I haven't been hanging in my room all that much, and I'm fortunate to be kept busy all this time.
I'll blog about my adventures soon (not that they're oh-so-interesting anyway), but yep I had fun and I have my friends to thank. :) But for now, Joseph has to do the final-final packing, as he has to leave for the airport by 11pm, and must chuck away the mess in his suitcases now.
It's been a thoroughly challenging 5 months, I'm just glad it's over, and that I'm going home.
Oh, and goodbye Kent Ridge Hall too. I'm not coming back here next semester, as I move to Ridge View Residences. Something tells me I should take photos of me and my empty room and the main entrance and all that, but nah, let's get the packing done first, shall we?
Bye.
OK, so this is it. I'm really leaving now. Haha, the previous post wasn't really goodbye Singapore, but this is. I'm leaving tonight for the airport, sleep there, to make it in time for my 7:00AM flight tomorrow for the Philippines. Yes I'm such a cheapskate for not choosing to take a cab tomorrow morning and incur the 50% off-peak surcharge, but another reason is that I'm afraid to miss my flight again (yes that happened before).
Ten days since that last post, a whole lot of things have happened, and I don't know, those past days were rather fun actually, but right now, I'm just feeling fatigue. Most everybody else have (or has? Hmm.) gone home, and since my block D-block isn't the vacation block, I think as of today, I'm the only soul left in the block. I don't mind really, I haven't been hanging in my room all that much, and I'm fortunate to be kept busy all this time.
I'll blog about my adventures soon (not that they're oh-so-interesting anyway), but yep I had fun and I have my friends to thank. :) But for now, Joseph has to do the final-final packing, as he has to leave for the airport by 11pm, and must chuck away the mess in his suitcases now.
It's been a thoroughly challenging 5 months, I'm just glad it's over, and that I'm going home.
Oh, and goodbye Kent Ridge Hall too. I'm not coming back here next semester, as I move to Ridge View Residences. Something tells me I should take photos of me and my empty room and the main entrance and all that, but nah, let's get the packing done first, shall we?
Gather up your jackets, move it to the exits
I hope you have found a friend
Closing Time
Every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end
-Closing Time by Semisonic
Bye.
Time to say goodbye
Time to say goodbye
As if on cue, the very 'operatic' Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman plays on my Windows Media Player. Sigh. What a fitting end to the most difficult semester of my life.
I just finished my final exam for this sem, the one for the Actuarial Statistics module that had me tear at my hair over and over for the past months. Sucked. I declare it is humanly impossible to finish the six-question exam (with parts A and B too) in 2 hours. The formulas (or formulae?) were just too many, the constant reference to both my battered double-sided help sheet (or cheat sheet as we all call it) and the Life Table was dizzying, and on top of that, I was in my semi-bulimic mode perhaps because of the sleeplessness and stress.
Anyway, 6 exams down and the semester's over man. Lessons learned: taking 6 modules (2 Level 3000, 2 Level 2000, 2 Level 1000 from Science, Business, and Arts faculties) is insane. Be careful next time Jose. Maybe I should just take a few non-examinable modules so I can distribute the stress throughout the year. And yes, I shall never ever underestimate Level 3000 modules, AND that stupid killer calculus module MA1104 that isn't even part of my core modules but which I'm taking as a prerequisite for Financial Maths).
Ugh. fsdhilsafhuasldgfag'f;lghfsdg;h;. ljrg;hksdgihsdgjfogiouiser;
OK, where was I? Oh yeah, lessons learned. Think twice about taking 7 modules per sem, and whether I really want to fulfill my ambition plan of completing two minors.
Also, dear Jose, try try try to not fall in the same spreading-self-too-thin trap again. You been falling into the same trap for a few years now it's becoming a bit stupid. OK? :)
But if there's anything that's come out of this, it's that I'm more psychologically and mentally and emotionally ready for the biggest hurdle to come, Year 3. It's a big thing because it could determine whether I could qualify for Honours Year, Year 4. It's different here compared to the Philippines, because three years is deemed sufficient for a regular Bachelor's degree, while it's generally four years over there.
The other perk that has resulted from this mugging madness of late is that the Choir fellows are so much tighter now. My God, we studied for long hours every day together. Dunno if that's a good thing, because most of us muggers are in the Choir Commitee (both the executive comm and musico of 2005/06 and 06/07 too) and we've been lately been bashing each other (in a joking way of course), but I have no idea how that will affect our professional working relationships next sem, and in front of the new choir members too. Hmm.. oh well.
OK, exams are over and I don't wanna overthink matters anymore. Maybe next week. Maybe on May 26th (or is it 25th) when the exam results will be out. In the meantime, a few of us from choir's going to the Jurong Bird Park this afternoon, and while I'm not super-ecstatic-woohoo-I'm-so-thrilled, I'm sure it's gonna be fun. My first time there too. But mostly, it's just good to be out of NUS after a long time, to just chill and relax and get the exams and schoolwork off my mind.
P.S. This was saved as a draft for the longest time, as I had originally written this entry on May 4th (unfinished), and I'm only posting it up today, May 14th.
As if on cue, the very 'operatic' Time To Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman plays on my Windows Media Player. Sigh. What a fitting end to the most difficult semester of my life.
I just finished my final exam for this sem, the one for the Actuarial Statistics module that had me tear at my hair over and over for the past months. Sucked. I declare it is humanly impossible to finish the six-question exam (with parts A and B too) in 2 hours. The formulas (or formulae?) were just too many, the constant reference to both my battered double-sided help sheet (or cheat sheet as we all call it) and the Life Table was dizzying, and on top of that, I was in my semi-bulimic mode perhaps because of the sleeplessness and stress.
Anyway, 6 exams down and the semester's over man. Lessons learned: taking 6 modules (2 Level 3000, 2 Level 2000, 2 Level 1000 from Science, Business, and Arts faculties) is insane. Be careful next time Jose. Maybe I should just take a few non-examinable modules so I can distribute the stress throughout the year. And yes, I shall never ever underestimate Level 3000 modules, AND that stupid killer calculus module MA1104 that isn't even part of my core modules but which I'm taking as a prerequisite for Financial Maths).
Ugh. fsdhilsafhuasldgfag'f;lghfsdg;h;. ljrg;hksdgihsdgjfogiouiser;
OK, where was I? Oh yeah, lessons learned. Think twice about taking 7 modules per sem, and whether I really want to fulfill my ambition plan of completing two minors.
Also, dear Jose, try try try to not fall in the same spreading-self-too-thin trap again. You been falling into the same trap for a few years now it's becoming a bit stupid. OK? :)
But if there's anything that's come out of this, it's that I'm more psychologically and mentally and emotionally ready for the biggest hurdle to come, Year 3. It's a big thing because it could determine whether I could qualify for Honours Year, Year 4. It's different here compared to the Philippines, because three years is deemed sufficient for a regular Bachelor's degree, while it's generally four years over there.
The other perk that has resulted from this mugging madness of late is that the Choir fellows are so much tighter now. My God, we studied for long hours every day together. Dunno if that's a good thing, because most of us muggers are in the Choir Commitee (both the executive comm and musico of 2005/06 and 06/07 too) and we've been lately been bashing each other (in a joking way of course), but I have no idea how that will affect our professional working relationships next sem, and in front of the new choir members too. Hmm.. oh well.
OK, exams are over and I don't wanna overthink matters anymore. Maybe next week. Maybe on May 26th (or is it 25th) when the exam results will be out. In the meantime, a few of us from choir's going to the Jurong Bird Park this afternoon, and while I'm not super-ecstatic-woohoo-I'm-so-thrilled, I'm sure it's gonna be fun. My first time there too. But mostly, it's just good to be out of NUS after a long time, to just chill and relax and get the exams and schoolwork off my mind.
P.S. This was saved as a draft for the longest time, as I had originally written this entry on May 4th (unfinished), and I'm only posting it up today, May 14th.
Crunch crunch
Crunch Crunch
OK, this is another of those times when I shouldn't be blogging but I do anyway, and this time it's just to say that I'm still alive, and the reason for my absence is that exam season has begun over here at NUS.
I sat for my first two papers last Friday and Saturday, and it feels good to flush out brain disk space for those two modules Operations Management and yes-yes-it's-finally-over-that-cheem-module Regression Analysis. This week's gonna be loaded with exams too, with my Financial Accounting exam at 5PM later today, my Lord-please-help-me Multivariable Calculus on Wednesday, and viewings-and-readings-loaded Reading Film and Cultural Texts on Friday. The exam that I'm most freaked out over, that for Actuarial Statistics, isn't until May 4th, so I can focus on that after this crazy week.
Needless to say, I've been very busy studying the past days, and although it's been fun at times, right now I'm just feeling jaded more than anything. Exhausted too, but more jaded, really.
Anyway, the results for the projects and essay I did that stressful stressful week I had sometime ago have arrived, and maybe I'll talk about them sometime else, especially about the HORROR that swept over me when I got back my English essay. Hehe. Not so bad, but it was pure horror. Heh.
And hmm.. let me take this time out to say congratulations to my pretty sister for being in the Dean's List at UPLB last semester and honor student or something too the sem before that! Tsk tsk she kept it from me all along that cheeky girl! Haha now the truth is out! Hehe I've never been in the Dean's List in college too! Hehe congrats Kai! Keep doing really well over at Ateneo de Davao ok? Hmm.. lemme see what goodies I can reward you with.
6:18AM, and it's time to get up and face the new day. Good morning world, and Lord please help me with my Accounting exam! :)
OK, this is another of those times when I shouldn't be blogging but I do anyway, and this time it's just to say that I'm still alive, and the reason for my absence is that exam season has begun over here at NUS.
I sat for my first two papers last Friday and Saturday, and it feels good to flush out brain disk space for those two modules Operations Management and yes-yes-it's-finally-over-that-cheem-module Regression Analysis. This week's gonna be loaded with exams too, with my Financial Accounting exam at 5PM later today, my Lord-please-help-me Multivariable Calculus on Wednesday, and viewings-and-readings-loaded Reading Film and Cultural Texts on Friday. The exam that I'm most freaked out over, that for Actuarial Statistics, isn't until May 4th, so I can focus on that after this crazy week.
Needless to say, I've been very busy studying the past days, and although it's been fun at times, right now I'm just feeling jaded more than anything. Exhausted too, but more jaded, really.
Anyway, the results for the projects and essay I did that stressful stressful week I had sometime ago have arrived, and maybe I'll talk about them sometime else, especially about the HORROR that swept over me when I got back my English essay. Hehe. Not so bad, but it was pure horror. Heh.
And hmm.. let me take this time out to say congratulations to my pretty sister for being in the Dean's List at UPLB last semester and honor student or something too the sem before that! Tsk tsk she kept it from me all along that cheeky girl! Haha now the truth is out! Hehe I've never been in the Dean's List in college too! Hehe congrats Kai! Keep doing really well over at Ateneo de Davao ok? Hmm.. lemme see what goodies I can reward you with.
6:18AM, and it's time to get up and face the new day. Good morning world, and Lord please help me with my Accounting exam! :)
Hodgepodge
Hodgepodge
Nope, this isn't because Nestor and Ferron have in some way urged me to update this blog. It's more because, well, it's been a thoroughly disappointing day for mugging, and what the heck, I have a few minutes to spare before I grab my dinner and fly away into the night, engaging Regression Analysis in an intensive batttle of the brains.
That, and, maybe the fact that I miss blogging too, it's just that it's been overly hectic lately. So hectic, in fact, that I didn't (and don't) quite mind that some people think I'm a dorky loser, with no life whatsoever, who spends day and night mugging like there's no tomorrow. It's true I've been working a lot, but only to catch up on my requirements, which are a lot given my 6 modules, but to justify that whatever I do is not advanced mugging work, but the work of a cramming scatter-brained fellow, I don't really have time or energy or concern now. Look at me with pity or what, I don't really care. Tell me I'm ugly, so what? I have bigger concerns which require my energy and time.
OK that's not quite a nice way to start off this entry, but I guess the exam pressure is getting to me. Exams are in a week's time, and I'm still reeling from the madness of the week that jsut passed. Can I just please rest first, I tell Grandpa NUS. No, you dork, nobody rests in my household! Go grab your books because the acid test comes at the end of the week!
OK lo. So hence little Joseph's predicament.
In any case, what should be the attitude really, is thankfulness that the week is over. The weekend preceding it was the most difficult and trying weekend of my life. Actually, the pressure was building up even the week before that, as my group had to submit this incredibly draining Actuarial Statistics project. Here's a chronology:
6th April, Thursday - Actuarial Statistics project due at 11AM
Iris and I spent the whole night at the Central Forum doing this intensive project about Travel Insurance-- she went back at 6AM, I went back at 7AM, took breakfast, then went off to the Medical Library to finish the project up... and still my groupmates and I were a bit late! Printer at Science CBLC had to conk out on us too. We paid $20 for the printing because the printer fellows would not admit that their printer is defective.
10th April, Monday - Financial Accounting Project due at 5PM, Regression Analysis Project due at 5PM
So my groupmates on the FNA project were Arthur and this Malaysian guy Jason from Sheares Hall. OK so Jason is nice, really I mean it, but we our discussions take forever. I was a bit annoyed when he told me to read up the book because he wasn't buying what I was saying, but it was peace from then on (I told you he's a nice guy). Good thing Arthur was there to save the day. Haha. As for the Regression Analysis project. I didn't know why I was spending a lot of time on it, when it only accounts for 5% of the grade. Maybe because I screwed up my midterm tests, and Im totally not confident about the exam. Oh Jesus help.
11th April, Tuesday - Reading Film and Cultural Texts Essay due at 2PM. Tutorial presentation on Postmodernism at 12noon.
Now this is the film module that's hands-down the only fun module I have this semester. The essay is 6 pages long, and we were to discuss any text we wanted for stereotypes, greater cultural or social significance, that kind of thing. I decided to discuss a 1960's ad for Marlboro, and tackle the ideology promoted by the Marlboro Man (and Marlboro Country), and how it battled with government-advocated anti-smoking ideology for hegemony (government won). Anyway, I was so close to banging my head on the wall because I NEVER really cram my essays, because I take pride in doing them, but this time, I did. I did a whole lot of research before this, mind you, taking my time to really think of what to say about the Marlboro man, and my books, online references, library database articles, were already there some two weeks back, and I decided I knew exactly what I was going to say. I had my thesis checked and rechecked and approved by my nice New Zealander tutor Jane, and she liked! I liked! And so I moved on to do my Actuarial Stats and Regression and Accounting projects first. But I realized I sort of neglected this essay, and so it was mad typing and thinking and head-banging for me all night and all morning that Monday. For the same module, my group also had to present during tutorial a powerpoint about Intertextuality and Postmodernism. It was fun! I had good fun doing the slides over the weekend, because I got to talk about fun stuff like Andy Warhol and his Marilyn art, The Scream by Edvard Munch and the Simpson parody, the pastiche and bricolage in Shrek 2, the glaring postmodernism in Romeo+Juliet, the self-reflexivity of America's Sweethearts and The Player, and I even offered how Lost is incredibly pomo as well. Fun stuff, the examples and slides I thought of, with a lot of help from Sociology major Hayati (thanks thanks!), and my main concern was that I didn't rattle off too much, and my lethargy and eyebags from not sleeping much wouldn't show. Presentation went well.. Good team we got Samantha Calvin Harold!
12th April - Operations Management Presentation
Oh this was technical stuff.. Not very much to my liking, but it was useful stuff nonetheless that made a lot of sense. Weeks ago we had to submit individual term papers, and now in groups, we had to present one of the papers in our tutorial class. China guy Su Hao's paper was chosen, and he discussed Strategic Operations. It was okay la, I did my part well, although my presentation slides were a bit edited and the animation slides snipped out because well Su Hao wanted a more minimalist approach. OK lo, I didn't mind. I just hope our tutor did not find our presentation too dry in comparison with the fancy shmancy presentations some of the other groups did. It went okay too, and our all-guy group felt good after it was done. :)
13th April - Actuarial Statistics Presentation
OK after the blood-sweat-and-tears-sleepless-nights combo that this project entailed, it was time to present it to class. Collating it was a bitch, as Iris and I have realized during the compiling of the individual parts into a comprehensive report the week earlier, but the powerpoint slides for a 15-minute presentation thankfully didn't take as much effort. Still a lot of effort though. Heh. It was very nice to see Iris, Yilin, Christina, Jermaine and me getting into the group spirit and doing our part and timing ourselves and making sure the slides came on cue and we knew what we had to say. I was particularly anal about this powerpoint thing, where the animationmade by Iris left white lines on the presentation. Haha I ran to the library and did it myself (cos her laptop's language is Chinese haha). Fixed it and tralala it was okay. Thankfully, since this was my third consecutive day of doing presentations, I was most confident now, and right when I needed it, because I have a deep fear of my Actuarial Stats lecturer ever since he, well, made me look not-so-good that one time I presented a tutorial in front of the class. Hehe. But now all is well and things are okay. :) Thanks groupmates. I'll see you around and happy mugging!
* * *
Oh yeah, I went for confession too on Wednesday. It's an exhilarating feeling. People should do it too. I dunno, it's just nice and dandy when you get things off your chest and there's someone to reassure you of things, even if you already quite know those things, but decide to conveniently tuck them at the back of your head. Besides, who's to doubt an old man's wisdom? :) Quite interesting too, that Fr Frans. He's a 66-year-old Belgian priest who speaks English very slowly, but he does the Mandarin mass! Brilliant. Hehe.
Anyway, it's Good Friday today, and I went for this morning's service. Not a mass technically, Fr Richards said. If anything, I should learn to be more prayerful this Holy Week, and the coming exam weeks too. And for the rest of our lives really. Hehe.
If we trust and put our faith in the Lord enough, we will not be shortchanged. God bless us all in the exams! :)
Nope, this isn't because Nestor and Ferron have in some way urged me to update this blog. It's more because, well, it's been a thoroughly disappointing day for mugging, and what the heck, I have a few minutes to spare before I grab my dinner and fly away into the night, engaging Regression Analysis in an intensive batttle of the brains.
That, and, maybe the fact that I miss blogging too, it's just that it's been overly hectic lately. So hectic, in fact, that I didn't (and don't) quite mind that some people think I'm a dorky loser, with no life whatsoever, who spends day and night mugging like there's no tomorrow. It's true I've been working a lot, but only to catch up on my requirements, which are a lot given my 6 modules, but to justify that whatever I do is not advanced mugging work, but the work of a cramming scatter-brained fellow, I don't really have time or energy or concern now. Look at me with pity or what, I don't really care. Tell me I'm ugly, so what? I have bigger concerns which require my energy and time.
OK that's not quite a nice way to start off this entry, but I guess the exam pressure is getting to me. Exams are in a week's time, and I'm still reeling from the madness of the week that jsut passed. Can I just please rest first, I tell Grandpa NUS. No, you dork, nobody rests in my household! Go grab your books because the acid test comes at the end of the week!
OK lo. So hence little Joseph's predicament.
In any case, what should be the attitude really, is thankfulness that the week is over. The weekend preceding it was the most difficult and trying weekend of my life. Actually, the pressure was building up even the week before that, as my group had to submit this incredibly draining Actuarial Statistics project. Here's a chronology:
6th April, Thursday - Actuarial Statistics project due at 11AM
Iris and I spent the whole night at the Central Forum doing this intensive project about Travel Insurance-- she went back at 6AM, I went back at 7AM, took breakfast, then went off to the Medical Library to finish the project up... and still my groupmates and I were a bit late! Printer at Science CBLC had to conk out on us too. We paid $20 for the printing because the printer fellows would not admit that their printer is defective.
10th April, Monday - Financial Accounting Project due at 5PM, Regression Analysis Project due at 5PM
So my groupmates on the FNA project were Arthur and this Malaysian guy Jason from Sheares Hall. OK so Jason is nice, really I mean it, but we our discussions take forever. I was a bit annoyed when he told me to read up the book because he wasn't buying what I was saying, but it was peace from then on (I told you he's a nice guy). Good thing Arthur was there to save the day. Haha. As for the Regression Analysis project. I didn't know why I was spending a lot of time on it, when it only accounts for 5% of the grade. Maybe because I screwed up my midterm tests, and Im totally not confident about the exam. Oh Jesus help.
11th April, Tuesday - Reading Film and Cultural Texts Essay due at 2PM. Tutorial presentation on Postmodernism at 12noon.
Now this is the film module that's hands-down the only fun module I have this semester. The essay is 6 pages long, and we were to discuss any text we wanted for stereotypes, greater cultural or social significance, that kind of thing. I decided to discuss a 1960's ad for Marlboro, and tackle the ideology promoted by the Marlboro Man (and Marlboro Country), and how it battled with government-advocated anti-smoking ideology for hegemony (government won). Anyway, I was so close to banging my head on the wall because I NEVER really cram my essays, because I take pride in doing them, but this time, I did. I did a whole lot of research before this, mind you, taking my time to really think of what to say about the Marlboro man, and my books, online references, library database articles, were already there some two weeks back, and I decided I knew exactly what I was going to say. I had my thesis checked and rechecked and approved by my nice New Zealander tutor Jane, and she liked! I liked! And so I moved on to do my Actuarial Stats and Regression and Accounting projects first. But I realized I sort of neglected this essay, and so it was mad typing and thinking and head-banging for me all night and all morning that Monday. For the same module, my group also had to present during tutorial a powerpoint about Intertextuality and Postmodernism. It was fun! I had good fun doing the slides over the weekend, because I got to talk about fun stuff like Andy Warhol and his Marilyn art, The Scream by Edvard Munch and the Simpson parody, the pastiche and bricolage in Shrek 2, the glaring postmodernism in Romeo+Juliet, the self-reflexivity of America's Sweethearts and The Player, and I even offered how Lost is incredibly pomo as well. Fun stuff, the examples and slides I thought of, with a lot of help from Sociology major Hayati (thanks thanks!), and my main concern was that I didn't rattle off too much, and my lethargy and eyebags from not sleeping much wouldn't show. Presentation went well.. Good team we got Samantha Calvin Harold!
12th April - Operations Management Presentation
Oh this was technical stuff.. Not very much to my liking, but it was useful stuff nonetheless that made a lot of sense. Weeks ago we had to submit individual term papers, and now in groups, we had to present one of the papers in our tutorial class. China guy Su Hao's paper was chosen, and he discussed Strategic Operations. It was okay la, I did my part well, although my presentation slides were a bit edited and the animation slides snipped out because well Su Hao wanted a more minimalist approach. OK lo, I didn't mind. I just hope our tutor did not find our presentation too dry in comparison with the fancy shmancy presentations some of the other groups did. It went okay too, and our all-guy group felt good after it was done. :)
13th April - Actuarial Statistics Presentation
OK after the blood-sweat-and-tears-sleepless-nights combo that this project entailed, it was time to present it to class. Collating it was a bitch, as Iris and I have realized during the compiling of the individual parts into a comprehensive report the week earlier, but the powerpoint slides for a 15-minute presentation thankfully didn't take as much effort. Still a lot of effort though. Heh. It was very nice to see Iris, Yilin, Christina, Jermaine and me getting into the group spirit and doing our part and timing ourselves and making sure the slides came on cue and we knew what we had to say. I was particularly anal about this powerpoint thing, where the animationmade by Iris left white lines on the presentation. Haha I ran to the library and did it myself (cos her laptop's language is Chinese haha). Fixed it and tralala it was okay. Thankfully, since this was my third consecutive day of doing presentations, I was most confident now, and right when I needed it, because I have a deep fear of my Actuarial Stats lecturer ever since he, well, made me look not-so-good that one time I presented a tutorial in front of the class. Hehe. But now all is well and things are okay. :) Thanks groupmates. I'll see you around and happy mugging!
* * *
Oh yeah, I went for confession too on Wednesday. It's an exhilarating feeling. People should do it too. I dunno, it's just nice and dandy when you get things off your chest and there's someone to reassure you of things, even if you already quite know those things, but decide to conveniently tuck them at the back of your head. Besides, who's to doubt an old man's wisdom? :) Quite interesting too, that Fr Frans. He's a 66-year-old Belgian priest who speaks English very slowly, but he does the Mandarin mass! Brilliant. Hehe.
Anyway, it's Good Friday today, and I went for this morning's service. Not a mass technically, Fr Richards said. If anything, I should learn to be more prayerful this Holy Week, and the coming exam weeks too. And for the rest of our lives really. Hehe.
If we trust and put our faith in the Lord enough, we will not be shortchanged. God bless us all in the exams! :)
Sometimes you can't make it on your own
Sometimes you can't make it on your own
Trust me, i'd like to blog about something happy. I could, too, because interspersed amongst my woes are happy memories with friends and family (thanks for the emails and SMSes Ma and Dad). But I dunno, even if I want to talk about bunnies and flowers and chocolate cream puffs, I'm sorry, I'm just, on the whole, a sad person right now.
It's mostly academics, really. I basically screwed up the killer midterm tests I had to sit for the past week. By "screwed up" I mean, messed up in a MAJOR way. I'm disgusted with myself really, and something has to be done regarding my study habits. Seriously, we can never ever mug hard enough. I know I haven't been studying as intensively as I would like, although from the stress level visibls to others, people think I'm doing a pretty good job mugging. Oh nothing could be further from the truth.
The essay for my film and cultural texts module also didn't go so well, and that was a blow to the ego, because if I do bad in my other modules like Statistics, I can say it was never in my list of fortes anyway, and it's really an insane body of knowledge too, so that's that. But for English, no sir, I take things very seriously. And maybe also it's the fact that my hardcore Stats and Maths modules are rather in the danger zone right now, and this film module was one of the few bright lights left, so I'm working my ass off to make sure it doesn't get put out.
Hmm.. what else. Maybe I just should trust God more. I haven't been exactly prayerful and faithful lately, and I think in these very dark days, I should learn to make my way back.
* * *
OK, time to take a break from the depressing stuff a bit. Thanks to Hayati, Aaron, Adyll, and Iris and Joanne for being my constant mugging-mate for the past weeks. Those afternoons and late-nights at the Central Forum, at CFA and YIH one time, at KR, at Bizad faculty both inside and outside Hon Sui Sen Library, yep those were fun. I dunno if we should change strategy now that I didn't really quite do well in my tests, but thanks for the company and keeping me sane.
Ferron, Arthur, Ivy come let's do our all-nighters again like last sem! Haha I think it's high time to get mugging for the exams! Taking six modules a semester is really a pain, I fully realize now.
* * *
I went with some of the NUS Choir folks to watch the Vocal Consort's concert at the Victoria Concert Hall on March 17th. NUS Choir is connected to the Vocal Consort since we have the same conductor, Nelson Kwei, and our key singers Student Conductor Weiwei, incoming Asst. Student Conductor Adyll, outgoing Secretary Hui Yin, and incoming Alto SL Winnie are Consort singers too.
It was enjoyable, being an audience in a choir concert, so I could better understand how people feel when they go for NUS Choir concerts and performances. I liked the Consort's Latin motets, this song the Seekers, and some of their folklore tunes. The Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Choir was their guest choir, and I was impressed about their performance of "Magtanim Ay Di Biro", a Filipino folk song about rice-planting, and it being no joke. The diction was surprisingly very good, and my Laotian friend Vi even commented that the other Thai song they did was also spot-on with the pronunciation (Laotian language is close to Thai).
We crashed the Consort's post-concert snacks afterwards, and then went for a stroll by the Esplanade and Merlion, before heading for a posh coffee shop for some chitchat. This was just the night after, too, btw, of the Jason Mraz concert at the Esplanade that I couldn't go for initially because of no companion, and later, even if I was willing to go alone or even sponsor a buddy, I couldn't go because the show was sold-out! Anyway, my Ridge Big Boss Nurul got the most expensive tickets and was blown away by the performance. Haha I'm gonna get you Mr. A-Z sometime. I do need some cheering up.
Anyway anyway, I took a lot of photos before we took the night rider bus to Clementi, and a cab back to NUS.
* * *
The NUS Choir also performed for the Hatters' charity gala dinner at the Kent Ridge Guild House the night before (yes this is the Friday night of both the Jason Mraz concert at the Esplanade and the Rivermaya free show outside). It was fun. Free buffet food and great company! It was nice to get together with the choir folks before we all become muggerfied in preparation for the exams. The prawn with chilli was to die for, because it tasted like it was barbecued or something.. awesome. The fish fillet too.. heaven! It was tender and had this yummy sauce that seemed a combination of butter with a hint of cheese. Woohoo.. Yummy and expensive charity dinner! Funny thing was, four of the 10 or so tables were reserved for the performers! And guess what, the choir occupied three! Haha. I didn't mind giving a small "token of appreciation" because that was a sumptuous meal anyway! Yum yum.
Afterwards, a few of us crashed this cool and happening super senior Huai Zhi's room at Eusoff hall. Joanne, Aaron, Xuefang and I played this PC game Dynasty Warriors in his room, but as it turned out, we all sucked except for HZ and Aaron. Hehe. I just read the X-men comics instead. We hit Fong Seng for supper afterwards, before heading for KR to hang out in Christina's room where some of the KR A cappella folks hung out. We had some chitchat before turning in for the night finally at around 4AM.
* * *
And oh yeah, the past two days were random days. Haha. I felt so bad after learning of my screwed-up effed-up Actuarial Stats test, that I decided to indulge myself. It was the Ridge Writer's Night on Friday, and it was fun! Had a good chitchat with fellow writers, and they're such fun people to talk to! I'm gonna miss Nurul and Kok Weng and immediate boss Asraf! And I should've talked to Selene and Alice more! Too bad they're graduating this sem!
Afterwards, I went with new Lifestyle Editor Yvonne to the Stardust Finals. KR rocks la! Out of 6 vying for top honors in the Group category, 3 of them were from KR A cappella! Two of them made it to the top 3. The runaway soloist winner was Surath from KR too! Cool cool.
Karen SMSed later to invite me to Blooie's, this sort of pub near PGP, to have a drink with some of the Pinoys. Why not? Yep yep treated myself to a BIG glass of Hoegaarden and was a bit tipsy afterwards. Good stuff though. Although a sip doesn't have much of a kick like Tiger, the quantity (500 mL in that glass) was enough to compensate. Oh and I learned something new too that night.
Yesterday, Saturday was another random day. Haha. I was out at Clementi to settle my ATM and debit cards, and then was suddenly off to Orchard looking around for shirts and bags and stuff (but bought nothing), and then decided to have a haircut, and later was off to faraway East Coast Park to go rollerblading. Haha didn't plan it at all. Was back at NUS in time for dinner. I needed the break too, so yep that was okay.
* * *
Hmm.. what else to say ah? Haha nothing much, I guess. My mind's a blur. Yeah, I should think of happy memories when life gives me sucky experiences.
EDIT@28/3/06, 4:03AM:
Apparently the record-lows I recently hit aren't rock-bottom enough. My lousy results and the truckload of proejcts to do are threatening to break my spirit, but nope, I shall grit my teeth and hang on until this is all over and I can go home and rest.
Thank you to all those who comprise my life-support system. I hope you know who you are. Hehe.
P.S.
Ahh I love long blog entries. Yes I've said it before, but I must say it again! They drive the indifferent blog lurker away, and leave only those genuinely concerned and interested to finish reading (because really, going through it all is a chore). If nobody bothers to read, then all the personal this blog gets. Brilliant, these long blog entries.
Trust me, i'd like to blog about something happy. I could, too, because interspersed amongst my woes are happy memories with friends and family (thanks for the emails and SMSes Ma and Dad). But I dunno, even if I want to talk about bunnies and flowers and chocolate cream puffs, I'm sorry, I'm just, on the whole, a sad person right now.
It's mostly academics, really. I basically screwed up the killer midterm tests I had to sit for the past week. By "screwed up" I mean, messed up in a MAJOR way. I'm disgusted with myself really, and something has to be done regarding my study habits. Seriously, we can never ever mug hard enough. I know I haven't been studying as intensively as I would like, although from the stress level visibls to others, people think I'm doing a pretty good job mugging. Oh nothing could be further from the truth.
The essay for my film and cultural texts module also didn't go so well, and that was a blow to the ego, because if I do bad in my other modules like Statistics, I can say it was never in my list of fortes anyway, and it's really an insane body of knowledge too, so that's that. But for English, no sir, I take things very seriously. And maybe also it's the fact that my hardcore Stats and Maths modules are rather in the danger zone right now, and this film module was one of the few bright lights left, so I'm working my ass off to make sure it doesn't get put out.
Hmm.. what else. Maybe I just should trust God more. I haven't been exactly prayerful and faithful lately, and I think in these very dark days, I should learn to make my way back.
* * *
OK, time to take a break from the depressing stuff a bit. Thanks to Hayati, Aaron, Adyll, and Iris and Joanne for being my constant mugging-mate for the past weeks. Those afternoons and late-nights at the Central Forum, at CFA and YIH one time, at KR, at Bizad faculty both inside and outside Hon Sui Sen Library, yep those were fun. I dunno if we should change strategy now that I didn't really quite do well in my tests, but thanks for the company and keeping me sane.
Ferron, Arthur, Ivy come let's do our all-nighters again like last sem! Haha I think it's high time to get mugging for the exams! Taking six modules a semester is really a pain, I fully realize now.
* * *
I went with some of the NUS Choir folks to watch the Vocal Consort's concert at the Victoria Concert Hall on March 17th. NUS Choir is connected to the Vocal Consort since we have the same conductor, Nelson Kwei, and our key singers Student Conductor Weiwei, incoming Asst. Student Conductor Adyll, outgoing Secretary Hui Yin, and incoming Alto SL Winnie are Consort singers too.
It was enjoyable, being an audience in a choir concert, so I could better understand how people feel when they go for NUS Choir concerts and performances. I liked the Consort's Latin motets, this song the Seekers, and some of their folklore tunes. The Singapore Press Holdings (SPH) Choir was their guest choir, and I was impressed about their performance of "Magtanim Ay Di Biro", a Filipino folk song about rice-planting, and it being no joke. The diction was surprisingly very good, and my Laotian friend Vi even commented that the other Thai song they did was also spot-on with the pronunciation (Laotian language is close to Thai).
We crashed the Consort's post-concert snacks afterwards, and then went for a stroll by the Esplanade and Merlion, before heading for a posh coffee shop for some chitchat. This was just the night after, too, btw, of the Jason Mraz concert at the Esplanade that I couldn't go for initially because of no companion, and later, even if I was willing to go alone or even sponsor a buddy, I couldn't go because the show was sold-out! Anyway, my Ridge Big Boss Nurul got the most expensive tickets and was blown away by the performance. Haha I'm gonna get you Mr. A-Z sometime. I do need some cheering up.
Anyway anyway, I took a lot of photos before we took the night rider bus to Clementi, and a cab back to NUS.
* * *
The NUS Choir also performed for the Hatters' charity gala dinner at the Kent Ridge Guild House the night before (yes this is the Friday night of both the Jason Mraz concert at the Esplanade and the Rivermaya free show outside). It was fun. Free buffet food and great company! It was nice to get together with the choir folks before we all become muggerfied in preparation for the exams. The prawn with chilli was to die for, because it tasted like it was barbecued or something.. awesome. The fish fillet too.. heaven! It was tender and had this yummy sauce that seemed a combination of butter with a hint of cheese. Woohoo.. Yummy and expensive charity dinner! Funny thing was, four of the 10 or so tables were reserved for the performers! And guess what, the choir occupied three! Haha. I didn't mind giving a small "token of appreciation" because that was a sumptuous meal anyway! Yum yum.
Afterwards, a few of us crashed this cool and happening super senior Huai Zhi's room at Eusoff hall. Joanne, Aaron, Xuefang and I played this PC game Dynasty Warriors in his room, but as it turned out, we all sucked except for HZ and Aaron. Hehe. I just read the X-men comics instead. We hit Fong Seng for supper afterwards, before heading for KR to hang out in Christina's room where some of the KR A cappella folks hung out. We had some chitchat before turning in for the night finally at around 4AM.
* * *
And oh yeah, the past two days were random days. Haha. I felt so bad after learning of my screwed-up effed-up Actuarial Stats test, that I decided to indulge myself. It was the Ridge Writer's Night on Friday, and it was fun! Had a good chitchat with fellow writers, and they're such fun people to talk to! I'm gonna miss Nurul and Kok Weng and immediate boss Asraf! And I should've talked to Selene and Alice more! Too bad they're graduating this sem!
Afterwards, I went with new Lifestyle Editor Yvonne to the Stardust Finals. KR rocks la! Out of 6 vying for top honors in the Group category, 3 of them were from KR A cappella! Two of them made it to the top 3. The runaway soloist winner was Surath from KR too! Cool cool.
Karen SMSed later to invite me to Blooie's, this sort of pub near PGP, to have a drink with some of the Pinoys. Why not? Yep yep treated myself to a BIG glass of Hoegaarden and was a bit tipsy afterwards. Good stuff though. Although a sip doesn't have much of a kick like Tiger, the quantity (500 mL in that glass) was enough to compensate. Oh and I learned something new too that night.
Yesterday, Saturday was another random day. Haha. I was out at Clementi to settle my ATM and debit cards, and then was suddenly off to Orchard looking around for shirts and bags and stuff (but bought nothing), and then decided to have a haircut, and later was off to faraway East Coast Park to go rollerblading. Haha didn't plan it at all. Was back at NUS in time for dinner. I needed the break too, so yep that was okay.
* * *
Hmm.. what else to say ah? Haha nothing much, I guess. My mind's a blur. Yeah, I should think of happy memories when life gives me sucky experiences.
EDIT@28/3/06, 4:03AM:
Apparently the record-lows I recently hit aren't rock-bottom enough. My lousy results and the truckload of proejcts to do are threatening to break my spirit, but nope, I shall grit my teeth and hang on until this is all over and I can go home and rest.
Thank you to all those who comprise my life-support system. I hope you know who you are. Hehe.
P.S.
Ahh I love long blog entries. Yes I've said it before, but I must say it again! They drive the indifferent blog lurker away, and leave only those genuinely concerned and interested to finish reading (because really, going through it all is a chore). If nobody bothers to read, then all the personal this blog gets. Brilliant, these long blog entries.
All in a day's work
All in a day's work
Woohoo. This has got to be the worst day of my life. And yes sir, I know full well that the last thing I should do is blog, but nah, I give myself permission to write this short short post.
Welcome to the pits, I tell myself. And seriously, it's true! I realized that it's been about one and a half months now that I've been constantly caught in high-pressure situations. And nope, the stress level hasn't peaked yet. Haha if March had one extra day secretly tucked in there somewhere that wouldn't count at all among the 31 days, I'd absolutely sleep. all. day. Or someone please invent some magic pill that will instantly feed my longing for a good 8 hours of glorious sleep.
Anyway, tomorrow's the deadline of the Operations Management term paper I've been typing and researching for for the longest time, and on Thursday is the killer Actuarial test. Oh, if it matters, I think I may have just lost some valuables yet again (which I just learned are hopefully found again haha), and I failed my Regression Analysis test! Sigh. What's wrong with you Joseph?
I want my "me" time too. And apparently that's harder to accomplish than it sounds.
But hey I'm giddy and hyper right now, and that's supposed to be a good thing, considering I've just had the worst day of my life. Nah, I'll spare you the details (partly because the specifics aren't too exciting anyway) but yep yep, I'm all pumped up right now to finish this term paper and get mugging for the Actuarial Stats test.
Oooh take me away people. Take me somewhere nice and warm and give me a great big hug.
Woohoo. This has got to be the worst day of my life. And yes sir, I know full well that the last thing I should do is blog, but nah, I give myself permission to write this short short post.
Welcome to the pits, I tell myself. And seriously, it's true! I realized that it's been about one and a half months now that I've been constantly caught in high-pressure situations. And nope, the stress level hasn't peaked yet. Haha if March had one extra day secretly tucked in there somewhere that wouldn't count at all among the 31 days, I'd absolutely sleep. all. day. Or someone please invent some magic pill that will instantly feed my longing for a good 8 hours of glorious sleep.
Anyway, tomorrow's the deadline of the Operations Management term paper I've been typing and researching for for the longest time, and on Thursday is the killer Actuarial test. Oh, if it matters, I think I may have just lost some valuables yet again (which I just learned are hopefully found again haha), and I failed my Regression Analysis test! Sigh. What's wrong with you Joseph?
I want my "me" time too. And apparently that's harder to accomplish than it sounds.
But hey I'm giddy and hyper right now, and that's supposed to be a good thing, considering I've just had the worst day of my life. Nah, I'll spare you the details (partly because the specifics aren't too exciting anyway) but yep yep, I'm all pumped up right now to finish this term paper and get mugging for the Actuarial Stats test.
Oooh take me away people. Take me somewhere nice and warm and give me a great big hug.
Busy Busy
Busy Busy
Yeah, can't you tell? If the absence of a blog entry here means something, it's that.
After the choir concert last Saturday, I've been taking the plunge into the deep dark world of academics, of deadlines and essays and midterm tests.
There was a Hall Bulletin Board article I rushed because I was gonna be too busy this week. Turned out, well, early, so no problem with that. Essay One for my EN2113 Reading Film and Cultural Texts module due on Tuesday. One week earlier I had written a draft that was checked by my choirmate and class seatmate Irene, but lo and behold it needed major reconstruction and fixing. I did an analysis on this stunning Honda Civic ad, whose strategy was to humanized the car by mimicking the sounds of the car's adventures by means of a 60-member choir. Superb ad I must say. Anyway, my brain was able to churn out four pages of ideas, so that should be okay. Although on Monday night as I was doing the paper I was a bit distracted by the (almost) final meet-up of the NUS Choir/post-VV party/election of new comm. But nah, it's all good, and I still love NUS Choir baby.
Thankfully my editor Asraf granted my request for an extension of the deadline for my article for the April issue of the Ridge. I would've gone berserk if I had to do it this week too.
And then It's been mad after that. Three midterm tests in four days. One on Multivariable Calculus on Friday, one on Financial Accounting today, and another one on Regression Analysis on Monday. So yep, I've been mugging like crazy the past few days at the Central Forum, at PGP, at HSS Library basement, till late night even, hoping to score well in these killer tests. Calculus was relatively okay since it was open-book and I flagged my notes and book well. The just-finished Accounting test was, I dunno. I just wanted it over with because what I'm really freaked out about is the Regression test on Monday. Although from my post-midterm discussion with Arthur on a few questions about the accounting test, I think I didn't do quite as well as I had hoped.
But no, we mustn't get disheartened Jose! We just have to hang on a little bit longer, and ace this coming regression test. Yeah yeah I've already mentioned how my sanity's now questionable and my sleeping pattern has gone haywire, so I won't say them anymore. Although yeah... let's just say after Monday's test and my submission of the Ridge article, I'm gonna get myself a good night's rest.
I'm not as gloomy as you think, though. It just comes out that way. Sigh. You're gonna do well Joseph, don't worry.
Yeah, can't you tell? If the absence of a blog entry here means something, it's that.
After the choir concert last Saturday, I've been taking the plunge into the deep dark world of academics, of deadlines and essays and midterm tests.
There was a Hall Bulletin Board article I rushed because I was gonna be too busy this week. Turned out, well, early, so no problem with that. Essay One for my EN2113 Reading Film and Cultural Texts module due on Tuesday. One week earlier I had written a draft that was checked by my choirmate and class seatmate Irene, but lo and behold it needed major reconstruction and fixing. I did an analysis on this stunning Honda Civic ad, whose strategy was to humanized the car by mimicking the sounds of the car's adventures by means of a 60-member choir. Superb ad I must say. Anyway, my brain was able to churn out four pages of ideas, so that should be okay. Although on Monday night as I was doing the paper I was a bit distracted by the (almost) final meet-up of the NUS Choir/post-VV party/election of new comm. But nah, it's all good, and I still love NUS Choir baby.
Thankfully my editor Asraf granted my request for an extension of the deadline for my article for the April issue of the Ridge. I would've gone berserk if I had to do it this week too.
And then It's been mad after that. Three midterm tests in four days. One on Multivariable Calculus on Friday, one on Financial Accounting today, and another one on Regression Analysis on Monday. So yep, I've been mugging like crazy the past few days at the Central Forum, at PGP, at HSS Library basement, till late night even, hoping to score well in these killer tests. Calculus was relatively okay since it was open-book and I flagged my notes and book well. The just-finished Accounting test was, I dunno. I just wanted it over with because what I'm really freaked out about is the Regression test on Monday. Although from my post-midterm discussion with Arthur on a few questions about the accounting test, I think I didn't do quite as well as I had hoped.
But no, we mustn't get disheartened Jose! We just have to hang on a little bit longer, and ace this coming regression test. Yeah yeah I've already mentioned how my sanity's now questionable and my sleeping pattern has gone haywire, so I won't say them anymore. Although yeah... let's just say after Monday's test and my submission of the Ridge article, I'm gonna get myself a good night's rest.
I'm not as gloomy as you think, though. It just comes out that way. Sigh. You're gonna do well Joseph, don't worry.
Varsity Voices 2006
Varsity Voices 2006
The NUS Choir concert deserves more than this brief post I'm gonna publish, but let it suffice to say that the concert was a personal whirlwind of emotions for me personally. I must say the choir in general thoroughly enjoyed ourselves singing for the crowd, and from the response of the audience to the Beatles medley and the shouts for an encore, I daresay the audience enjoyed the show too.
And so I must say for the nth time, I love NUS Choir. We rock.
Here is a recording of a song we performed. It's this lovely song called Roads. Right click here and save it to your computer to listen to it.
* * *
I am incredibly touched too by the presence of the Filipino community in the concert. Thank you for coming; it meant a lot to me. And of course to Regina's friend who went with her, haha whatever his nationality is haha, and to Minli a.k.a. Tatatee. I'm sorry I didn't catch you there, but I hope you got your tickets at the front-of-house and enjoyed the show with your friends or family! :)
I hope you all were by no means forced to come, because I tried to make sure that only those who are interested would come. No nagging or anything from me, because I would hate for someone to be not enjoying the show because attending it was against his will. Besides, choral music is something you like or you don't sometimes as a simple matter of preference, so if you strayed to the free Hip Hop Nite show at the UCC Courtyard right outside the Hall, I wouldn't blame you hehe.
After the choir concert, I helped my fellow comm member Kurien backstage to clear up the rooms and lock them, so basically I had to wait for most everyone to pack their bags and leave before I could go. There was some complications with the security, so that delayed me further. Bottom line: thanks to the Pinoys again for waiting for me. Haha I hope it wasn't mean of me to not go leave with you after the waiting. Haha work stuff again for choir, what can I say. I'm stepping down as Records Secretary soon anyway, so hopefully I'd be less busy.
* * *
When I was about to go back to KR by my lonesome because everyone else left already, and upon calling Karen, the Pinoys were headed home too anyway, I caught fellow bass Aaron at the bus, and told me he'd be dropping by KR too to meet his friend Christina, who I also know from KR Choir. After dropping my stuff in my room, I decided to say hi to Christina too, and when we got there, her room had James and Lishi and Sunny too, with Grace fixing up her stuff in a nearby room. Anyway, in the end, I ended up playing around with them, watching Christina's collection of videos from Amplitude, the hall choirs' concert, and engaging in chitchat. Later, after James and Grace went home to their real cribs in Singapore, we went for supper at Fong Seng, this time with this interesting exchange student Austin and a surprisingly Singaporean Justin (he doesn't look nor speak the part). We went back almost 1AM, chatted and then played this cool version of Tai Ti called, Asshole Tai Ti. Haha fun fun. My point in all this rambling? I may have to reconsider my plan of moving out of KR to Tower Block next semester. Haha James of my block and my KR Choir boss was telling me to stay, and Christina was urging me to do the same. And I dunno, when you have a good time with friends (actually, this was the first time I got to really just play play with Lishi and Christina and Navin, and I only just met Justin and Austin that night), it's a bit funny to think of leaving this kind of company.
OK. Killer week begins today. Three essays/articles to submit, one of which comprises 15% of the grade. Three midterms at the end of the week, and I am confident in none of them. My energy resources are at their lowest levels, my room's still a mess, and I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in God-knows-when.
Maybe I should pray more eh?
The NUS Choir concert deserves more than this brief post I'm gonna publish, but let it suffice to say that the concert was a personal whirlwind of emotions for me personally. I must say the choir in general thoroughly enjoyed ourselves singing for the crowd, and from the response of the audience to the Beatles medley and the shouts for an encore, I daresay the audience enjoyed the show too.
And so I must say for the nth time, I love NUS Choir. We rock.
Here is a recording of a song we performed. It's this lovely song called Roads. Right click here and save it to your computer to listen to it.
* * *
I am incredibly touched too by the presence of the Filipino community in the concert. Thank you for coming; it meant a lot to me. And of course to Regina's friend who went with her, haha whatever his nationality is haha, and to Minli a.k.a. Tatatee. I'm sorry I didn't catch you there, but I hope you got your tickets at the front-of-house and enjoyed the show with your friends or family! :)
I hope you all were by no means forced to come, because I tried to make sure that only those who are interested would come. No nagging or anything from me, because I would hate for someone to be not enjoying the show because attending it was against his will. Besides, choral music is something you like or you don't sometimes as a simple matter of preference, so if you strayed to the free Hip Hop Nite show at the UCC Courtyard right outside the Hall, I wouldn't blame you hehe.
After the choir concert, I helped my fellow comm member Kurien backstage to clear up the rooms and lock them, so basically I had to wait for most everyone to pack their bags and leave before I could go. There was some complications with the security, so that delayed me further. Bottom line: thanks to the Pinoys again for waiting for me. Haha I hope it wasn't mean of me to not go leave with you after the waiting. Haha work stuff again for choir, what can I say. I'm stepping down as Records Secretary soon anyway, so hopefully I'd be less busy.
* * *
When I was about to go back to KR by my lonesome because everyone else left already, and upon calling Karen, the Pinoys were headed home too anyway, I caught fellow bass Aaron at the bus, and told me he'd be dropping by KR too to meet his friend Christina, who I also know from KR Choir. After dropping my stuff in my room, I decided to say hi to Christina too, and when we got there, her room had James and Lishi and Sunny too, with Grace fixing up her stuff in a nearby room. Anyway, in the end, I ended up playing around with them, watching Christina's collection of videos from Amplitude, the hall choirs' concert, and engaging in chitchat. Later, after James and Grace went home to their real cribs in Singapore, we went for supper at Fong Seng, this time with this interesting exchange student Austin and a surprisingly Singaporean Justin (he doesn't look nor speak the part). We went back almost 1AM, chatted and then played this cool version of Tai Ti called, Asshole Tai Ti. Haha fun fun. My point in all this rambling? I may have to reconsider my plan of moving out of KR to Tower Block next semester. Haha James of my block and my KR Choir boss was telling me to stay, and Christina was urging me to do the same. And I dunno, when you have a good time with friends (actually, this was the first time I got to really just play play with Lishi and Christina and Navin, and I only just met Justin and Austin that night), it's a bit funny to think of leaving this kind of company.
OK. Killer week begins today. Three essays/articles to submit, one of which comprises 15% of the grade. Three midterms at the end of the week, and I am confident in none of them. My energy resources are at their lowest levels, my room's still a mess, and I haven't gotten a good night's sleep in God-knows-when.
Maybe I should pray more eh?
'Outspokened'
'Outspokened'
Okay, so lately there haven't been happy things going on and I seem to ramble on and on about how sucky life is. Not really lah, but yeah, I think I've been putting on my sad/stressed/sky-is-falling face for way too long (I'm not removing it completely anytime soon.. wait till killer week comes next week), and it's about time I cheer up, at least for a while.
And there is good reason to. Because, well, say hello to the new Outspoken Desk Editor of The Ridge!
Hehe. I'm so thankful and pleased and happy and did I say thankful yet? Hehe. The elections were tonight at 6PM, and so I skipped a few hours of choir sound check/tech run for concert tomorrow to pop by LT15 for the elections, and I sure am glad I did.
The election of the editorial team was a bit of a tense affair, and for a while I was just sitting there waiting for the higher-ups' slots to be filled (or not filled.. interesting case for this one particular position), and then it was time for the desk editors, and I began to feel a bit fidgety. The temperature in the LT was frrrrrrreezing cold too, so I didn't know if I was just nervous or what. Anyway, no soul (at least from those in the Ridge) had learned I was remotely thinking of running for desk editor up until then, so I was just keeping it to myself. The other positions before the Outspoken Editor had only one nominee each, so basically it was a for/against vote, and it was usually for votes anyway, unless one had a complicated case.
So Chief Ed Nurul announced that the Outspoken desk editor position was up for grabs, and I looked around and hesitated. To my left, a sincere-looking pretty girl from the existing Outspoken desk stepped up (or down to the front area), and to my right, a Indian-looking Singaporean girl moved forward as well. They had reached the front seats where the nominees were supposed to sit, and, mustering enough courage and murmuring "what the heck" to myself, I stood up and made my way down too.
I didn't look behind me, but I could tell that my editor Asraf was surprised I presented myself as a nominee at all. Haha. I received what I thought was some peculiar applause marked by surprise and incredulity perhaps? Haha.. or maybe it was just because the just-elected editors were mostly girls? Dunno le. Haha, I didn't dare look back and read their faces.
I've been silent about this thing, and although Nurul invited members who were interested to run for some position to join the outgoing editorial team's meetings for some exposure, I didn't have the balls to volunteer myself. Frankly, I wasn't confident my writing was good enough for them because I've been published only once this year so far, but then I took comfort in that many others, including my fellow nominees, also had one article published too. Haha. And I've been in the Outspoken desk for two years anyway, so that should give me a slight edge.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, after a round of self-intro and some grilling, votes were cast through slips of paper. After a few moments was a shocker: there was a tie between me and the Indian-looking girl Kamala. Gasp. Haha a tie seemed unlikely in a crowd of 30-40 people, so I was caught off-guard. We needed 60% of total votes cast, too, to be elected.
A more intensive grilling ensued, and lookee the girl beside me turned out to be a Year 3 Sociology major.. Oooh and you know Soci majors, they're sharp and witty and essay-loving and always have some smart critique or insight about society or what. Haha stereotypes again, my favorite topic. Hehe, so yeah I was a bit intimidated and I would not have been surprised if I didn't get elected, and knew she would be a good editor anyway. Final vote came and I breathed a sigh of relief when it was my name that was called.
I was so thankful to those who voted, although I didn't want to seem as if I was desperate for the job. Haha. So yep, all my good vibes to all of you, I really really appreciate it. And to Nurul, too, for calling me up after the choir rehearsal to say that she was very happy for me, THANKS LOADS. I've secretly admired Nurul for the longest time 'cos she's cool and funky and witty and writes kick-ass well and perennially cheerful and artsy/poetic/bimbotic but still professional and smart and respectable. Means a lot. I was worried the editors thought I pulled a fast one on them by giving them a shocker on election night, but yep thanks a lot for believing in me.
The Outspoken Desk is one of the more popular among the desks, if not the most popular, based on the manpower of the desk and the number of applicants it receives. Haha the lure of it perhaps is that writers have the freedom to write and rant and rave about most anything, but of course standards are kept so the pieces are controversial and substantial and argumentative and of course sensible. Asraf did a mighty good job with Outspoken this year, in terms of article quality and deadlines, and filling in his shoes will be no small feat. (Haha FEAT and SHOES.. haha get it? Get it?! Haha cheap thrill sorry)
Anyway, NUS Choir's Varsity Voices is tomorrow (or later) already! Haha I'm not absolutely ready just yet, but it's gonna be great! I'm a bit sad there wouldn't be choir sessions soon after tomorrow except for the election and maybe some choir outing, but yeah, it's time to get mugging for the exams! I have a good feeling about tomorrow's Varsity Voices concert, let's just see what happens. Good night! :)
Okay, so lately there haven't been happy things going on and I seem to ramble on and on about how sucky life is. Not really lah, but yeah, I think I've been putting on my sad/stressed/sky-is-falling face for way too long (I'm not removing it completely anytime soon.. wait till killer week comes next week), and it's about time I cheer up, at least for a while.
And there is good reason to. Because, well, say hello to the new Outspoken Desk Editor of The Ridge!
Hehe. I'm so thankful and pleased and happy and did I say thankful yet? Hehe. The elections were tonight at 6PM, and so I skipped a few hours of choir sound check/tech run for concert tomorrow to pop by LT15 for the elections, and I sure am glad I did.
The election of the editorial team was a bit of a tense affair, and for a while I was just sitting there waiting for the higher-ups' slots to be filled (or not filled.. interesting case for this one particular position), and then it was time for the desk editors, and I began to feel a bit fidgety. The temperature in the LT was frrrrrrreezing cold too, so I didn't know if I was just nervous or what. Anyway, no soul (at least from those in the Ridge) had learned I was remotely thinking of running for desk editor up until then, so I was just keeping it to myself. The other positions before the Outspoken Editor had only one nominee each, so basically it was a for/against vote, and it was usually for votes anyway, unless one had a complicated case.
So Chief Ed Nurul announced that the Outspoken desk editor position was up for grabs, and I looked around and hesitated. To my left, a sincere-looking pretty girl from the existing Outspoken desk stepped up (or down to the front area), and to my right, a Indian-looking Singaporean girl moved forward as well. They had reached the front seats where the nominees were supposed to sit, and, mustering enough courage and murmuring "what the heck" to myself, I stood up and made my way down too.
I didn't look behind me, but I could tell that my editor Asraf was surprised I presented myself as a nominee at all. Haha. I received what I thought was some peculiar applause marked by surprise and incredulity perhaps? Haha.. or maybe it was just because the just-elected editors were mostly girls? Dunno le. Haha, I didn't dare look back and read their faces.
I've been silent about this thing, and although Nurul invited members who were interested to run for some position to join the outgoing editorial team's meetings for some exposure, I didn't have the balls to volunteer myself. Frankly, I wasn't confident my writing was good enough for them because I've been published only once this year so far, but then I took comfort in that many others, including my fellow nominees, also had one article published too. Haha. And I've been in the Outspoken desk for two years anyway, so that should give me a slight edge.
Anyway, to cut a long story short, after a round of self-intro and some grilling, votes were cast through slips of paper. After a few moments was a shocker: there was a tie between me and the Indian-looking girl Kamala. Gasp. Haha a tie seemed unlikely in a crowd of 30-40 people, so I was caught off-guard. We needed 60% of total votes cast, too, to be elected.
A more intensive grilling ensued, and lookee the girl beside me turned out to be a Year 3 Sociology major.. Oooh and you know Soci majors, they're sharp and witty and essay-loving and always have some smart critique or insight about society or what. Haha stereotypes again, my favorite topic. Hehe, so yeah I was a bit intimidated and I would not have been surprised if I didn't get elected, and knew she would be a good editor anyway. Final vote came and I breathed a sigh of relief when it was my name that was called.
I was so thankful to those who voted, although I didn't want to seem as if I was desperate for the job. Haha. So yep, all my good vibes to all of you, I really really appreciate it. And to Nurul, too, for calling me up after the choir rehearsal to say that she was very happy for me, THANKS LOADS. I've secretly admired Nurul for the longest time 'cos she's cool and funky and witty and writes kick-ass well and perennially cheerful and artsy/poetic/bimbotic but still professional and smart and respectable. Means a lot. I was worried the editors thought I pulled a fast one on them by giving them a shocker on election night, but yep thanks a lot for believing in me.
The Outspoken Desk is one of the more popular among the desks, if not the most popular, based on the manpower of the desk and the number of applicants it receives. Haha the lure of it perhaps is that writers have the freedom to write and rant and rave about most anything, but of course standards are kept so the pieces are controversial and substantial and argumentative and of course sensible. Asraf did a mighty good job with Outspoken this year, in terms of article quality and deadlines, and filling in his shoes will be no small feat. (Haha FEAT and SHOES.. haha get it? Get it?! Haha cheap thrill sorry)
Anyway, NUS Choir's Varsity Voices is tomorrow (or later) already! Haha I'm not absolutely ready just yet, but it's gonna be great! I'm a bit sad there wouldn't be choir sessions soon after tomorrow except for the election and maybe some choir outing, but yeah, it's time to get mugging for the exams! I have a good feeling about tomorrow's Varsity Voices concert, let's just see what happens. Good night! :)
