Okay this is another lag post.
Confirmation

I felt a sense of overwhelming happiness when I was confirmed. Don't ask me where that came from. And I also felt this resolve to do something to contribute to the church. Yes, so I've decided that I want to be a catechist.

I think for me, confirmation was a very beautiful experience. It was the friendship that I experienced. I mean. Legion came to support, classmates came to congratulate us... There were many whom I didn't expect to come, but came. Thanks guys. Even after the confirmation, everyone (the confirmants) wanted to take photos of each other. The corridor outside the classrooms became a makeshift marketplace, with everyone screaming at the top of their heads. For which I had no idea why. But I participated. Well, it did liven up the atmostphere.

After confirmation, went with my family, and the legion to pizza hut at bukit timah plaza. Lucky I booked, otherwise there wouldn't have been space for the 30 of us. And throughout the dinner, I was laming. And once we laughed so loud the pizza hut waiter asked us to lower our volume. And we over-ordered. Our estimation was not too accurate. So we ate till we felt like even air couldn't enter our body anymore. Okay maybe thats exaggeration, but you get the point...

Well, this is the day that I'll always remember... So many wonderful things happened that I could do microwriting of every incident, and it'll take a few days to complete. and I don't have that time. so I'll just suffice with this very brief account of the day.

One week after confirmation, I feel that the holy spirit works wonders. It does not come in a very flashy, or noticeable, or obvious form, but instead it comes as a subconsious guide. For me, it helps me to make the right decisions, I believe, and I would not realise that until only after the decision making process. Well that said, lets not take the holy spirit for granted, but make a conscious effort to keep it in our lives.

Ora et Labora

I know this post is lag, but I really had no time the past 2 weeks...
Confirmation Camp

Love! That was the group I was in. Best Group there.

Well, frankly, I did go to the camp half-heartedly, inititally not intending to go at all. I mean, judging from catechism classes and everything, it didn't really seem like it was going to be fun at all. But it was confirmation camp after all, and I decided to go since it was going to be the last camp before catechism ended.

And I'm glad I went! It was totally unexpected. The camp was fun, meaningful and enjoyable. Yeah, by the time the camp ended on the second day, everyone, I'm sure, was wishing that it were longer. It was like we couldn't get enough of the camp. Total change.

The camp started off with introductions, then the designing and penning of the goals and aims of the camp. For love, that was the part where we started participating. John was being lame. He wrote this upside down, "To turn this over". Well, I guess after everyone had written something, there was really little 'original' left to write. And then after everyone had penned their aims, we started decorating it. If you can call it decorating. Everyone was just holding on to a crayon or marker, and filling up every white space left on the paper. Started drawing wierd objects like houses, stick figures and the sun! Well, that laid the groundwork for tim's lame introduction story later on I guess. I remember we left a blank space for audrey who was supposed to join us later in the day, but who never turned up.

Later on, there was sessions. Paul had his powerpoint presentation, and was inviting us to enter into reflection, then writing a letter to Jesus about our burdens, which he would help us let go of.

After that there was raft building. Three scouts in our group and many enthusiastic people ready to learn how to tie. One word for the raft built. Successful. I guess the process was as important as the result. Everyone worked together and everything. Haha. I somehow I ended up testing the raft together with tim and val. I was glad the knots were tight.

Mud swim. If that is the term for it. We were the last group doing this activity, and as we were walking through this forested area to the place, we saw these mud people walking out from it. The only places not covered by mud were their eyes. Scary, especially when we anticipated what we were going to go through. Well, it ended up okay. Once we got used to the mud, we started throwing it at each other...By the way, somehow the mud we got was black, and the other groups had brown. Not fair. At least brown looks like milo.

The Q and A session by JP was great. Somehow many people were curious about the supernatural. Later on, was the talk and survey by keenan. I was more than happy to make myself a contribution, so I put a tick for like everything youth related. Then confession. I won't elaborate on this... obvious reasons.

After that was campfire. Hmmm. About the same as the 10 plus I have attended over the past two years. The songs were like, nothing new. But the dance competition was entertaining. Randall looked funny. And Limbo. Gosh. Those people were really pro. Especially nat! Yeah. Go Love!

Nightwalk. What can I say, it was too short. I know we were a little evil, but John and I decided to tell marcus past ghost stories of the area that we had come across in scouts. I guess that made him scared. Shhh. Don't tell him it was on purpose. Right. Like it wasn't obvious. Well, we had our fun!

After everything, well, john and I took our homework to the canteen to do. It was a good effort. But we ended up playing cards with jolenta and val. Bridge was fun.

Next day passed very quickly. Played cards again in the morning, breakfast, then packing up, cleaning the toilets. Yeah and we tried to play murderer. But everytime we sat down, there would suddenly be something else to do. Later on went to macs with John, Jolanta, Gen, benedict, nathaniel. I found out that gen actually saw me at crescent council investiture, but me being blur, didn't see her. In fact prior to this I didn't even know she was from crescent. Haha sorry! So ya we technically didn't meet. Wierd.

Then I went home. That marked the end of our 2-day, 1 night, super short confirmation camp.

First Day of the Third Term!

I went back to school really, really burnt. Sun burnt from the Kayaking course. And I'm now a certified 2 star kayaker!

Well, as usual, had a lot of administrative stuff to settle in school... Teacher's, as usual too, went straight back to teaching like there had been no holidays... And I was reminded that I will have 2 concerts to attend soon. Kindred Spirits this friday and The Taming Game next friday. Truly arts week.

And I just realised next monday is Youth Day holiday. A good chance to catch up with my uncompleted work.

Just airing my viewpoint. Read in the papers about Singaporeans being ranked 30th out of 35 in terms of courtesy. Some of the examples are commuters not giving up seats to those who need it more, students sitting on the MRT floor, people leaning on the grab poles, depriving others of the chance to hold it... and so on. Is courtesy taught or common sense? I wonder. Is it the responsibility of schools, and parents, to inculcate courtesy into Singaporeans, or is it assumed that everyone naturally should know what is the right thing to do and what is wrong?

Food for thought.

Kayaking Course 1st Day from 10.00am to 5.00pm: Located all the way at Changi, it took a quite a long time to go there. Recapped all the skills we had learnt in the 1 star kayaking course (jaw stroke and everything) and we learnt a new method of recovery without the need of coming out of the kayak. Tomorrow for the course we are going for an expedition from changi to pasir ris in our kayaks (obviously) and we would have to pack and bring our own food rations and water along. Should be quite an experience... I don't know why my language now sounds very informative... guess I'm not in the mood to blog... very tired, but just feel like posting before I go and sleep.

At night, 8 - 10 pm, we received our hike results, and I was quite disappointed to learn that I had failed. Well, a slight consolation was that of the 20 people who could make it to that stage, only 7 passed, and I'm part of the, like, 13. And of those who passed, some were already at their, like, 4th or 5th attempt, I'm not sure. I admire their perseverence. Well, at least it is my first attempt on the actual hike itself. I think the main reasons for failing was the shift in the requirements of the logs - it has become stricter and more requirements have been added. Very different from previous years, according to our TYS =). So we were quite unsure of what was truly expected of us in our logs. On hindsight, this hike will not have been a waste of time. It was an experience with its learning points, and now that we know what are the new expectations of both the preliminary hike log and the post-hike report, it is important that we pass it down. Our juniors would attempt the hike in the near future, and we have to tell them everything we've learnt so that they do not become like us, learning what is expected only after we have attempted the hike. We must make sure they know everything they need to know beforehand.

Yes, thats that. I'm going to enjoy myself tomorrow in the kayak in the sun!

Arrgh... Rushing through my holiday homework now!
There is like a lot to do, so litte time. The only reason i'm blogging now is that I'm sick of doing homework...
Tomorrow would be the kayaking course, and that would mean the last 3 days of holidays used up... at Sea Sports Club in Changi... and tmr night, I'll be receiving the results of the hike... at Scout Headquarters... Have I passed? Or failed? I'll know tmr... After all the time and effort put in... I'm getting nervous...

4 More days to school term! A really really really hectic one!

Lets see now... 4 months since I last blogged? I think everyone who used to read this blog has given up checking it.

Well, I don't exactly see the point of blogging on a daily basis, or almost daily for that matter, simply ranting about some common encounter or usual daily experience. That is quite boring and a total waste of time. I mean, I've come across a random blog that was telling me a personal recount of how this person's pimple located on this person's nose decided to burst. Wow. I needed to know that.

The past 4 months have been extremely hectic, and I guess there were more important tasks to do than for me to blog. Well, my march holidays was totally used up with preparation for our scouts campfire. Then there was jobweek, midyear exams, homework, ok, i am just typing everything that comes to mind now. Oh yes, and there was the Cedar Campfire, which we put up a dance, and won the best item! There was the preparation for chinese o'levels, which went quite well, I guess, and the preparation for the Chief Commisioner's Award Hike.

My holidays: First week was chinese o'levels, followed by Scouts PLTC and UTC, then followed by the actual CCA Hike itself. Wow, slept at Sembawang Park, just opposite Johor. Had never been there before. Ya, and that took up 2 weeks of holidays. After that was my family chalet, and then Legion Chalet. Had fun, and kept myself real busy. Now started rushing through holiday assignments.

I must say this year is quite an eventful year for Singaporeans. What with the elections, and the Fifa World Cup, which will definitely be a source of distraction to many. Then there was Sands, winning the bid for the IR at Marina Bay.

I don't want to sound cynic or anything like that, but I really think friendster is increasingly defeating its purpose. Both testimonials and adding friends have become merely a means of showing off and a joke. That said, maybe thats why it is becoming more attractive.

Well I'd better get on with my homework.

Looking forward to the 2 star kayaking course this weekend!

Ok, will make this quick.
Chinese New Year was really enjoyable.

On Friday night there was the 6e BBQ... had fun. I'm glad that so many people managed to make it for the BBQ. Well, having not met each other for like a really long time, it helped us, or me at least, to find out more about each other. How we have changed and gone on to different paths. But i will always remember 6e! Many thanks to the graduating class 6e of 2002!

On Saturday there was the reunion dinner, which was as usual steamboat. Ate till I was bloated. :) But for me everyday is almost like reunion dinner, the whole family sits down to eat together almost daily, so the reunion dinner was more of a custom.

On Sunday, supposed to visit my father's side of the family, grandparents, relatives, but they are all not in Singapore, so we could not do so. Hence, we had free time and we went to watch the Memoirs of the Gei-Sha. I think it was not bad, quite a touching show. But rather long and draggy. The book is still better I guess...

On Monday, well, visited my mother's side of the family, grandparents, relatives (a lot) and cousins (a lot). Had lunch, then played cards, bridge. Then went to watch I not Stupid Too at Lot 1 with brian, kieth, sam, ernie, estella, emily, nat, may, HP, HM...

Very nice show. I wouldn't mind watching again. I would recommend everyone to watch. It's really wierd to describe the show... well... it is supposed to be a comedy, it is funny, but sometimes it is sad too, touching. And then it really shows how academic streaming in schools have affected Singaporean students, and how some parents can't communicate with their children because of lack of time, or they don't know how to... ok won't reveal too much... but basically the show can make you laugh and laugh, then cry. I did feel very sad at one part. and felt a bit of tears. (can also call that crying:)) then after crying can laugh again... wierd show la, really.... but really really worth watching... when I say wierd I mean that it is unusual...

So if anyone has time, must watch I not Stupid Too :) you will not regret.

On Tuesday, it is homework rushing day! rush and rush, then went to swim, then rush, then sleep.

Ok, I was supposed to keep it short.

Now, Homework Beckons...Again...