Oh! Goodness me! I have a blog right here! I totally forgot about it! No posts since the beginning of the year and even the chatterbox thingamajik has died. (Ok let me resurrect it)
Though in the short 3 months that I have been missing, heaps of things have changed in my life. Its been pretty amazing and I am a blessed and happy fella. You know how things just go by in life that are mundane? Well I love these mundane things coz I feel so alive doing it! My job is simply swell. I actually look forward to going to work and I enjoy the company that I'm in. The fact that I have pretty good hours for now don't hurt too. Though it won't be like that anymore once I get posted overseas. But you know what? I'm actually looking forward to it. The challenges I will be facing and how I'll laugh at them as I overcome! And how often do you get the opportunity to live and work in different countries in your life? Sweeet.
God's been good to me. He's blessed me and met so much of my needs. Great job, great house, a totally new wardrobe, swanky gear for work, new phone, new watch blah blah blah the list goes on. But on top of it all, he's given me a totally awesome relationship. She's a big part of the reason why i'm so pleased with life right now. Every guy needs a hottie who's talented and loving and has a sweet melodious voice that is pleasant to the soul. I'm glad I found one before I die.
Righto, looks like this entry has gotta do for now. So, how does this thing work again? Where do I click to publish it. What in the world is new blogger / old blogger? later~
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Saturday, December 30, 2006
Farewell 2006, Hello 2007!
Wowee!
Its been ages since I last blogged and heaps of stuff have happened since! In fact there's so much to say I don't even know where to start! So I guess I'll just ramble on for now. This entry is more of a reflection for me I reckon....
2006 didn't start off too hot. It was plagued with uncertainty, failed relationships and a lot of confusion. I didn't know if I wanted to remain in Melbourne after my graduation or return to Singapore to look for a job. It was a pretty tough decision for me back then, and I gotta admit that I made it without a clear mind. Return to Singapore I did and I gotta say, it was tough at first. I was so unsettled most of the time and I didn't have peace within me. I thought maybe I made the wrong choice but now I know it was God starting his work with me.
Tried looking for a job for a while but nothing came through. As July approached, I became less and less motivated with the job hunt coz I had plans to return to Melb to snowboard! What an awesome time it was! Up till now I still wonder what possesed my mom to approve my extravagant holiday. Perhaps it was God at work again. I had a great time and I established some good friendships during the Melbourne stint. Got to know some of my melbourne friends in greater depth and the friendships that blossomed from there was well worth it.
But! A flaw in having such a great time in Melbourne was returning to reality when it all ends. Returning to Singapore, I might've sunk into depression when I was under more pressure to find a job. Well, maybe not depression. I wasn't depressed, I was just....numb. Fortunately, I had my amazing cell group to get me through this low point. Before I left for my snowboarding trip, I already knew I was in the midst of very special people. W133 is really an amazing cell group, full of amazing, talented and loving people. And while I'm having a great time with the cell group, I'm growing closer to God as well! Smashing!
So anyhow, by God's grace and floated by my cell group's encouragement, I finally landed a job. Right, which means I'm officially out of retirement. hur hur hur. So life is looking pretty good now. Of course in the midst of all this, my parents bought a new place and I have a bigger, more spacious room now. Better living space for me! Sweet!
Now, back to the point where life is full of unexpected moments. My negative sentiments towards relationships have also been turned upside down! And in the most unexpected circumstance as well. However, all is good and amazingly smashing now. An absolute delight is what I'll say about it. Brilliant!
So, 2006 was pretty much an off year for me. It was like a year long break to fix whatever was wrong with me, and now I'm all set to get back into it. I may have started 2006 in the pits but I'm ending it with a bang, and I have God to thank for it. Happy new year to you all!
Its been ages since I last blogged and heaps of stuff have happened since! In fact there's so much to say I don't even know where to start! So I guess I'll just ramble on for now. This entry is more of a reflection for me I reckon....
2006 didn't start off too hot. It was plagued with uncertainty, failed relationships and a lot of confusion. I didn't know if I wanted to remain in Melbourne after my graduation or return to Singapore to look for a job. It was a pretty tough decision for me back then, and I gotta admit that I made it without a clear mind. Return to Singapore I did and I gotta say, it was tough at first. I was so unsettled most of the time and I didn't have peace within me. I thought maybe I made the wrong choice but now I know it was God starting his work with me.
Tried looking for a job for a while but nothing came through. As July approached, I became less and less motivated with the job hunt coz I had plans to return to Melb to snowboard! What an awesome time it was! Up till now I still wonder what possesed my mom to approve my extravagant holiday. Perhaps it was God at work again. I had a great time and I established some good friendships during the Melbourne stint. Got to know some of my melbourne friends in greater depth and the friendships that blossomed from there was well worth it.
But! A flaw in having such a great time in Melbourne was returning to reality when it all ends. Returning to Singapore, I might've sunk into depression when I was under more pressure to find a job. Well, maybe not depression. I wasn't depressed, I was just....numb. Fortunately, I had my amazing cell group to get me through this low point. Before I left for my snowboarding trip, I already knew I was in the midst of very special people. W133 is really an amazing cell group, full of amazing, talented and loving people. And while I'm having a great time with the cell group, I'm growing closer to God as well! Smashing!
So anyhow, by God's grace and floated by my cell group's encouragement, I finally landed a job. Right, which means I'm officially out of retirement. hur hur hur. So life is looking pretty good now. Of course in the midst of all this, my parents bought a new place and I have a bigger, more spacious room now. Better living space for me! Sweet!
Now, back to the point where life is full of unexpected moments. My negative sentiments towards relationships have also been turned upside down! And in the most unexpected circumstance as well. However, all is good and amazingly smashing now. An absolute delight is what I'll say about it. Brilliant!
So, 2006 was pretty much an off year for me. It was like a year long break to fix whatever was wrong with me, and now I'm all set to get back into it. I may have started 2006 in the pits but I'm ending it with a bang, and I have God to thank for it. Happy new year to you all!
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Wheels for FFF
About 2 weeks ago, my cell group had some combined cell group meeting. I think 7 cell groups were involved and following the cell group meeting, we had a scavenger hunt that they named wheels for F cubed. Basically, the FFF stood for Friends, Fun and Food. The gist of it was pretty much this; teams driving around the city area looking for the solutions to the given clues. Not all of us got to stick to our own cell group members though. Adrian and I were teamed up with Irenaus and Chris from a different CG. We got along swell and managed to complete all the tasks. Here's a brief look at what went down.....
As you can deduce, my team emerged victorious and we won the prize of a $100 marche voucher. It was pretty fun and we made new friends. The only food we encountered during the scavenger hunt was a gross tasting myanmar century egg dish, but I guess the $100 marche voucher more than made up for it. Friends, Fun, Food. Swell.
As you can deduce, my team emerged victorious and we won the prize of a $100 marche voucher. It was pretty fun and we made new friends. The only food we encountered during the scavenger hunt was a gross tasting myanmar century egg dish, but I guess the $100 marche voucher more than made up for it. Friends, Fun, Food. Swell.
Monday, November 06, 2006
Back to fantasy land!
Greeting's y'all!
Wow its been a while hasn't it? I almost forgot I had a blog back here. Apologies to the friends who've been complaining about the lack of entries of late. I've been pretty busy you see. Condo launches here. Property researches there. Heaps of stuff to settle leaving me with very little free time. And when I do get some free time on my hands, I go meet my friends. My fantasy friends.
Righto, before you start calling me loony or a schizo who imagines fantasy friends, let me explain. The 12th installment of the final fantasy series from square-enix was recently released and I have a copy! I've always been a fan of final fantasy and I've been playing the RPGs (role playing game) since they first appeared on the 16 bit super nintendo systems!
As usual, the game is filled with mystical creatures, over the top costumes and a wide spectrum of accessories and weapons. All very fantastically fantasy-ish. And of course, you're out to save the world. again.
The anticipation I felt while I was loading the DVD into my PS2 was immediately washed away the moment the opening theme started flowing out of my speakers. A wave of nostalgia swept through my room and i was transported back to the various times when i was playing final fantasy all day and all night long. In fact, I felt like I was being reunited with long lost friends. It feels like I'm actually running around in the final fantasy worlds with the heroes and battling monsters and villians. It feels like I'm on this great adventure with them, solving great mysteries and unlocking the secrets of the world. And ultimately, it feels like I'm saving the world with them.
I guess I get transported into another world where I can be a hero. Just running around on a great adventure and killing monsters. Free from the mundane and routine world that I know. Free from my worries and troubles. Free in my fantasy land. Its a pretty good feeling and you can even call it my happy place. Oh my, what am I doing here? I should be in front of the TV with my PS2! laterrrr.....
Monday, October 16, 2006
right about now, firestarter
Anyone remember that song, Firestarter, by the Prodigy?
"I'm a firestarter, twisted firestarter. You're the firestarter, twisted firestarter"
Maybe those dumbass morons in Indonesia have been blasting that song a little too often. They're burning up their forests and what not to clear the land. Unwittingly, they're destroying the environment and the eco-system, not to mention the daily lifelihood of millions living in the neighbouring countries. Bastards.
The pollution from the fires is wrecking havoc everywhere! Planes are grounded due to poor visibility. Those with respiratory problems are having their lives placed at risk. Outdoor activities have to be limited and there's no such thing as going out to breath in the fresh air or to smell the roses! I can't go for my runs! I run to keep fit. How am I supposed to do that now with the haze level in Singapore hovering at unhealthy levels? Just taking a walk outside causes irritation to my eyes. And you know what happens if I don't keep my fitness up? My metabolic rate will go down, and a lowered metabolic rate means you will grow fat! I wanna put on weight but I don't wanna grow fat! I'm supposed to put on weight while staying trim and toned. Now that age is catching up, my metabolic rate is bound to slow down and this haze is NOT HELPING!
Is this my fate?? To go from skinny chicken legs to fatty bom bom? Noooooo......
"I'm a firestarter, twisted firestarter. You're the firestarter, twisted firestarter"
Maybe those dumbass morons in Indonesia have been blasting that song a little too often. They're burning up their forests and what not to clear the land. Unwittingly, they're destroying the environment and the eco-system, not to mention the daily lifelihood of millions living in the neighbouring countries. Bastards.
The pollution from the fires is wrecking havoc everywhere! Planes are grounded due to poor visibility. Those with respiratory problems are having their lives placed at risk. Outdoor activities have to be limited and there's no such thing as going out to breath in the fresh air or to smell the roses! I can't go for my runs! I run to keep fit. How am I supposed to do that now with the haze level in Singapore hovering at unhealthy levels? Just taking a walk outside causes irritation to my eyes. And you know what happens if I don't keep my fitness up? My metabolic rate will go down, and a lowered metabolic rate means you will grow fat! I wanna put on weight but I don't wanna grow fat! I'm supposed to put on weight while staying trim and toned. Now that age is catching up, my metabolic rate is bound to slow down and this haze is NOT HELPING!
Is this my fate?? To go from skinny chicken legs to fatty bom bom? Noooooo......
Saturday, October 07, 2006
iChat DoTA
Greetings y'all! Man its really hazy out today in Singapore! The PSI index hit 150 today. That's in the unhealthy range. Someone stop the bloody indonesians who are slashing and burning up the jungles!!! Anyhow, after the customary "after church service dinner and fellowship" session today, I came straight home. In the comfort of my air conditioned room, away from the heat, humidity and the haze. And what better way to maintain quality time with my fellow cell group members than with iChat? Of course, this is currently limited to me, Alan and Melanie coz you'd need a camera/mic equipped mac to enjoy the full features of iChat.
And thus, our maiden attempt at a 3-way video conference via iChat commenced at about 22:45 E.S.T and it was a success! It was hilarious too and I must say, iChat is the best video conference program I have ever used. (well? what are you all waiting for? go get a mac already!) Here's a little screen capture of what it looks like.
As I was musing on the screen shot and marveling at how the reflections at the bottom of the participants' faces were nicely rendered, it occurred to me that our expressions and poses were strangely familiar. Then it struck me! Back when I was in melbourne and living with the Hanafi's, many a time I'd watch the boys play Dota. Dota is a spinoff game from the warcraft franchise and Wilfred, Josh and Brian are nuts about it! The most interesting part though, was when they'd select their heros. You'd get to choose from a wide variety of heros, each with their own special powers and appearance. I was always intrigued at which hero they'd choose and why. Anyhow, here's what I noticed.
Alan's upward stance and firm jaw-line, coupled with his neutral smile gives him similar features with the hero known as the stone giant.
My goggle eyed-toothpaste representative smile gives me the creepy and eccentric look thats not very different from the hero called the skeleton king.
And finally my favourite would be the lovely couple of JK and Mel. By sheer coincidence (and my total amusment), the way they are positioned and how much of their shoulders and bodies fill up the lower horizon mimick the look of the 2 headed Orge Magi Hero. Or is it heros?
Right, and it is with these amazing observations that I shall have to bid you farewell for it is wayyyyy late and I have to get up to go wakeboarding tomorrow! Later~
And thus, our maiden attempt at a 3-way video conference via iChat commenced at about 22:45 E.S.T and it was a success! It was hilarious too and I must say, iChat is the best video conference program I have ever used. (well? what are you all waiting for? go get a mac already!) Here's a little screen capture of what it looks like.
As I was musing on the screen shot and marveling at how the reflections at the bottom of the participants' faces were nicely rendered, it occurred to me that our expressions and poses were strangely familiar. Then it struck me! Back when I was in melbourne and living with the Hanafi's, many a time I'd watch the boys play Dota. Dota is a spinoff game from the warcraft franchise and Wilfred, Josh and Brian are nuts about it! The most interesting part though, was when they'd select their heros. You'd get to choose from a wide variety of heros, each with their own special powers and appearance. I was always intrigued at which hero they'd choose and why. Anyhow, here's what I noticed.
Alan's upward stance and firm jaw-line, coupled with his neutral smile gives him similar features with the hero known as the stone giant.
My goggle eyed-toothpaste representative smile gives me the creepy and eccentric look thats not very different from the hero called the skeleton king.
And finally my favourite would be the lovely couple of JK and Mel. By sheer coincidence (and my total amusment), the way they are positioned and how much of their shoulders and bodies fill up the lower horizon mimick the look of the 2 headed Orge Magi Hero. Or is it heros?
Right, and it is with these amazing observations that I shall have to bid you farewell for it is wayyyyy late and I have to get up to go wakeboarding tomorrow! Later~
Wednesday, October 04, 2006
ruminations of sentience
Right. So i'm 26 years of age, going on 27 come December. That'll make me just about 3 years shy of being in existence for 3 decades. Yeowza, sounds like some kind of relic! Well, not really. But still, one can't help but wonder, what is life about? I've been around for over a quarter of a century and I still haven't figured it out.
Sometimes I hear a gleeful exclamation that life's GREAT! Most of the time I hear murmurs that life sucks. Do these people even know what they're talking about? Or is it just a careless expression of their current situation of state coz more often than not, these same people have been known to use both phrases. So which is it?
When I look back at what I've been through so far, my life seems to be fine. Actually its been pretty good. I've always had a roof over my head, a comfortable bed to sleep on and meals to keep me growing ( Yes I'm still growing ). I've got wonderful parents who nag at me but also provide generously. I always have my needs met and a fair amount of my wants granted. But despite all this, I sometimes still sit back and wonder, is this all there is to life? It seems like I'm not really full on and jumping for joy at being able to take a breath every few seconds.
People who've lived through wars. Those that have suffered from disasters and calamities. Those who survived accidents. Now these are some people who would clobber me on the head and admonish me for not being thankful for everything that I have now. And the fact that I'm blogging about it now kinda means that I know that I should appreciate it. And I do. I really do. But why is it I don't feel a giant blast of euphoria whenever I wake up in the mornings? I'm sure someone who's been hiding for his dear life would when he wakes up to find out that the war is over. Please God, don't misunderstand, I'm not asking for something horrible to happen to my life. I'm just wondering if its absolutely neccesary to go through a rough patch to truely appreciate the good times? I wanna just live in the good times and be happy! NOW! :) <--- (what a fake smile, you'd look psychotic if your face were in that exact shape )
Is ignorance truely bliss? Would I be in absolute rapture if I were living up in a mountain, not knowing about the happenings and the technologies of this world? I wouldn't want something if I didn't know it existed right? And if I don't want anything, I'd be totally satisfied instead of constantly thinking when I can earn enough to buy that sports car or get a hold of the latest Mac with the most gorgeous screen. I wouldn't even worry about earning money for anything! I'd just live everyday as it comes. Gathering food when I feel hungry. Sleeping when I'm tired. Probably invent my own games to pass the time. Sounds pretty boring huh but if it were true, I wouldn't know better anyway since I don't know that snowboarding or playstation exists.
So why does this dilemma exist? Whats the confusion about? How can I write so much nonsense over nothing? I'm not sad. But I'm not happy either. I'm just. Normal. Can I even say that? I'm normal. Sounds weird. Say it out loud to yourself slowly. I'm NORMAL. "Normal" is an adjective that implies conformity with established norms or standards. So I'm conforming? What exactly is that standard that I am comparing myself to be conforming?
Ok its time for bed. Goodnight.
Sometimes I hear a gleeful exclamation that life's GREAT! Most of the time I hear murmurs that life sucks. Do these people even know what they're talking about? Or is it just a careless expression of their current situation of state coz more often than not, these same people have been known to use both phrases. So which is it?
When I look back at what I've been through so far, my life seems to be fine. Actually its been pretty good. I've always had a roof over my head, a comfortable bed to sleep on and meals to keep me growing ( Yes I'm still growing ). I've got wonderful parents who nag at me but also provide generously. I always have my needs met and a fair amount of my wants granted. But despite all this, I sometimes still sit back and wonder, is this all there is to life? It seems like I'm not really full on and jumping for joy at being able to take a breath every few seconds.
People who've lived through wars. Those that have suffered from disasters and calamities. Those who survived accidents. Now these are some people who would clobber me on the head and admonish me for not being thankful for everything that I have now. And the fact that I'm blogging about it now kinda means that I know that I should appreciate it. And I do. I really do. But why is it I don't feel a giant blast of euphoria whenever I wake up in the mornings? I'm sure someone who's been hiding for his dear life would when he wakes up to find out that the war is over. Please God, don't misunderstand, I'm not asking for something horrible to happen to my life. I'm just wondering if its absolutely neccesary to go through a rough patch to truely appreciate the good times? I wanna just live in the good times and be happy! NOW! :) <--- (what a fake smile, you'd look psychotic if your face were in that exact shape )
Is ignorance truely bliss? Would I be in absolute rapture if I were living up in a mountain, not knowing about the happenings and the technologies of this world? I wouldn't want something if I didn't know it existed right? And if I don't want anything, I'd be totally satisfied instead of constantly thinking when I can earn enough to buy that sports car or get a hold of the latest Mac with the most gorgeous screen. I wouldn't even worry about earning money for anything! I'd just live everyday as it comes. Gathering food when I feel hungry. Sleeping when I'm tired. Probably invent my own games to pass the time. Sounds pretty boring huh but if it were true, I wouldn't know better anyway since I don't know that snowboarding or playstation exists.
So why does this dilemma exist? Whats the confusion about? How can I write so much nonsense over nothing? I'm not sad. But I'm not happy either. I'm just. Normal. Can I even say that? I'm normal. Sounds weird. Say it out loud to yourself slowly. I'm NORMAL. "Normal" is an adjective that implies conformity with established norms or standards. So I'm conforming? What exactly is that standard that I am comparing myself to be conforming?
Ok its time for bed. Goodnight.
Monday, October 02, 2006
Voice of an Angel
Whenever I am weary, You pick me up and never let me go
You give, me strength
For when I’m lost and lonely, you walk with me and show me the way
You’ll be, my friend
Angel voice, I long to have you near
Your precious words are all I wanna hear
And let nothing, come between us
Coz nothing in this world can ever compare
You give, me strength
For when I’m lost and lonely, you walk with me and show me the way
You’ll be, my friend
Angel voice, I long to have you near
Your precious words are all I wanna hear
And let nothing, come between us
Coz nothing in this world can ever compare
Sunday, October 01, 2006
hoax obliteration
I am vexed. I was alerted to a website depicting my own demise. dnew356.blogspot.com showcases a comic that deceives audiences into believing that I was devoured by a shark. Such subterfuge will not be tolerated! When I find out who these insurgents are, I will personally send Amber, my harbinger of death, to annihilate and destroy. Just you wait dnew356! Muahahahahahahahaha
Thursday, September 28, 2006
Animal Planet
I was having supper with a friend recently when a giant beetle fell off the branches above us and landed on our table with a huge thud. It struggled for a little while before flipping itself off its back and then proceeded to crawl towards me. At this moment my friend started freaking out whereas I calmly scooped up the beetle with my hand and threw it into the nearby grass patch. My friend was properly horrified and shrieked at me, "How could you do that? GROSS!"
Why was it gross? The beetle was a creature of nature. One of God's creations. It wasn't intending to harm me or anything. It just happened to drop into the wrong place. I'm one who is generally at peace with nature. I love animals, and animals love me. In fact, after going through my blog, I've come to realise that I'm constantly in contact with nature and her animals in my adventures. Some have even been photographically documented.
So I say this to all you people out there. Love nature and other living creatures around you and life will be a more exciting place to hang out!
Why was it gross? The beetle was a creature of nature. One of God's creations. It wasn't intending to harm me or anything. It just happened to drop into the wrong place. I'm one who is generally at peace with nature. I love animals, and animals love me. In fact, after going through my blog, I've come to realise that I'm constantly in contact with nature and her animals in my adventures. Some have even been photographically documented.
So I say this to all you people out there. Love nature and other living creatures around you and life will be a more exciting place to hang out!
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Extreme sport?
I'm going wakeboarding on the 8th of October and I was asking my cell group if they'd wanna come along and wow! What a response I got! Turns out there's gonna be 20 people going so we'll need about 4 boats. Some of them have never tried before and asked me all sorts of questions. Is it fun? Does it hurt? Can you die? etc etc.
Well, wakeboarding is an extreme sport I guess. And as with every other extreme sport, there are risks involved, coupled with the possibility of pain. However! You shouldn't let that get in the way of the immense amount of fun you will have! Wakeboarding is extremely fun and extremely addictive. It gives you a good workout too. For beginners, I daresay that you will feel no pain at all when you fall. The boat's moving to slow for you to hurt yourself when you're starting out in the sport. The only pain you'll feel will probably come from the aches the day after. What you'll get is great fun under the sun, wind rushing by as the boat glides on the water and great fellowship with those on the boat with you.
So be prepared for the fun time you're all gonna have and ride safe!
Well, wakeboarding is an extreme sport I guess. And as with every other extreme sport, there are risks involved, coupled with the possibility of pain. However! You shouldn't let that get in the way of the immense amount of fun you will have! Wakeboarding is extremely fun and extremely addictive. It gives you a good workout too. For beginners, I daresay that you will feel no pain at all when you fall. The boat's moving to slow for you to hurt yourself when you're starting out in the sport. The only pain you'll feel will probably come from the aches the day after. What you'll get is great fun under the sun, wind rushing by as the boat glides on the water and great fellowship with those on the boat with you.
So be prepared for the fun time you're all gonna have and ride safe!
Sunday, September 24, 2006
ahoy matey's!
Aloha! Guess what I did today? It was a pretty X-games day coz I went wakeboarding all afternoon and then roller blading in the evening till past 11! Ahhhh the vigor of youth. (Wat?!)
But what I wanna talk about here is not about my day. Rather, its about a serious thought that I had. See, while I was wakeboarding with Sharon and her cell group member Susanna, it was revealed that Susanna actually owns a house in Sebana! Ohhhh the wonderful memories of Sebana. The peaceful, serene environment. The calm and smooth waters. Wakeboarding Mecca I call it. Its great for the occasional getaway retreat. What a great place to have a cell group meeting!
Soon after we ended the wakeboarding session, we were talking about organising another one in 2 weeks and apparently, heaps of cell group members were very keen to come. I asked my own cell group and the response was good too. In fact, we'd probably have to book 4 boats to accommodate everyone at the current count. Christians love wakeboarding! Well the Christians in my zone at least.
So, we've covered 2 things so far. Susanna's house in Sebana. Cell group members wanna wakeboard. Following me so far? Coz here comes my brilliant idea. Why don't we buy our own wakeboard boat? Our very own ZONE BOAT. Sweeeeet. We could organise cell group meetings in Sebana where the boat could be docked (docking in Singapore would cost too much) and have whole weekends of wakeboarding in clear flat water!
Now, Yalan's zone comprises of 7 cell groups. Each cell averages 15 members. That gives us 105 individuals. Seeing how we pay cell group fund every month, we could set up a zone boat fund. So, a proper wakeboard boat like a mastercraft X series would cost around $80K. Divide that amount by a period of 12 months and 105 individuals, the monthly contribution to the Zone Boat fund would work out to be around $63.50 per member! Roughly the price of one wakeboard session. Brilliant! Hur hur hur. I wonder if the relevant individuals are reading this entry?
But what I wanna talk about here is not about my day. Rather, its about a serious thought that I had. See, while I was wakeboarding with Sharon and her cell group member Susanna, it was revealed that Susanna actually owns a house in Sebana! Ohhhh the wonderful memories of Sebana. The peaceful, serene environment. The calm and smooth waters. Wakeboarding Mecca I call it. Its great for the occasional getaway retreat. What a great place to have a cell group meeting!
Soon after we ended the wakeboarding session, we were talking about organising another one in 2 weeks and apparently, heaps of cell group members were very keen to come. I asked my own cell group and the response was good too. In fact, we'd probably have to book 4 boats to accommodate everyone at the current count. Christians love wakeboarding! Well the Christians in my zone at least.
So, we've covered 2 things so far. Susanna's house in Sebana. Cell group members wanna wakeboard. Following me so far? Coz here comes my brilliant idea. Why don't we buy our own wakeboard boat? Our very own ZONE BOAT. Sweeeeet. We could organise cell group meetings in Sebana where the boat could be docked (docking in Singapore would cost too much) and have whole weekends of wakeboarding in clear flat water!
Now, Yalan's zone comprises of 7 cell groups. Each cell averages 15 members. That gives us 105 individuals. Seeing how we pay cell group fund every month, we could set up a zone boat fund. So, a proper wakeboard boat like a mastercraft X series would cost around $80K. Divide that amount by a period of 12 months and 105 individuals, the monthly contribution to the Zone Boat fund would work out to be around $63.50 per member! Roughly the price of one wakeboard session. Brilliant! Hur hur hur. I wonder if the relevant individuals are reading this entry?
Friday, September 22, 2006
Fugu?
Konichiwa!
Did I ever mention that I'm an ardent fan of Japanese food? I love everything Japanese that's edible. Sushi, Sashimi, hand rolls, tariyaki, wasabi, tempura, ramen (EXCEPT THOSE FROM AJISEN!!!!) etc etc. You catch my drift. So it wasn't much surprise that Nicole and I ended up at raku over at greenwood for Japanese before she left. As usual, the food there was good. Fresh and delectable.
One thing that stood out that night though, was the Fugu. Now Fugu is Japanese for pufferfish or blowfish and it is a Japanese delicacy.
Most of you will know that this species of fish is poisonous and can be lethal if mishandled. It is the only dish that the emperor of Japan is banned from consuming and only select chefs with proper training and certification can prepare it. Well, I spied "Fugu" in the menu and immediately I was on the case! Wow! Another fear factor moment! A brush with death maybe? Anyone recall my food adventure involving the sea urchin? Sweeeet.
So I ordered and it took a while for it to come and when it finally did, I was perplexed. You see, in my mind I was expecting a soft, fleshy white dish a-la-sashimi. However what was served were thin brown strips of meat. It looked almost like jerky. Nicole was stumped as well but she prayed for safety anyway. So what happened next? We ate it of course. And this was the weird part, almost immediately an intense pain shot up my throat and up into my head! Everything was turning white and I started foaming and seizing!! I WAS DYING!!!! And then Nicole's voice totally pierced through my imagination and brought me back to reality. "It tastes weird huh? Like meat..." I was chewing on it too and you know what? It did taste like meat. In fact it tasted exactly like Bak Kwa! Bak Kwa is roasted slices of marinated pork, usually eaten as a snack.
How disappointing! They could've cut up a slice of bak kwa into strips and served it to me saying it was fugu and I wouldn't even have known! How come its brown and meaty anyway? How did the fish get that way? Nicole reckons its dried or preserved and all they did was heat it up and serve it with Japanese mayo. Sheesh, what a letdown. I guess I gotta go to Japan if I wanna try the real thing. So my fugu experience wasn't much of a "living-on-the-edge" one but at least I enjoyed dinner. I wonder if there are other places that serve fugu? And the REAL thing. Not some preserved jerky bak kwa wannabe.....
Did I ever mention that I'm an ardent fan of Japanese food? I love everything Japanese that's edible. Sushi, Sashimi, hand rolls, tariyaki, wasabi, tempura, ramen (EXCEPT THOSE FROM AJISEN!!!!) etc etc. You catch my drift. So it wasn't much surprise that Nicole and I ended up at raku over at greenwood for Japanese before she left. As usual, the food there was good. Fresh and delectable.
One thing that stood out that night though, was the Fugu. Now Fugu is Japanese for pufferfish or blowfish and it is a Japanese delicacy.
Most of you will know that this species of fish is poisonous and can be lethal if mishandled. It is the only dish that the emperor of Japan is banned from consuming and only select chefs with proper training and certification can prepare it. Well, I spied "Fugu" in the menu and immediately I was on the case! Wow! Another fear factor moment! A brush with death maybe? Anyone recall my food adventure involving the sea urchin? Sweeeet.
So I ordered and it took a while for it to come and when it finally did, I was perplexed. You see, in my mind I was expecting a soft, fleshy white dish a-la-sashimi. However what was served were thin brown strips of meat. It looked almost like jerky. Nicole was stumped as well but she prayed for safety anyway. So what happened next? We ate it of course. And this was the weird part, almost immediately an intense pain shot up my throat and up into my head! Everything was turning white and I started foaming and seizing!! I WAS DYING!!!! And then Nicole's voice totally pierced through my imagination and brought me back to reality. "It tastes weird huh? Like meat..." I was chewing on it too and you know what? It did taste like meat. In fact it tasted exactly like Bak Kwa! Bak Kwa is roasted slices of marinated pork, usually eaten as a snack.
How disappointing! They could've cut up a slice of bak kwa into strips and served it to me saying it was fugu and I wouldn't even have known! How come its brown and meaty anyway? How did the fish get that way? Nicole reckons its dried or preserved and all they did was heat it up and serve it with Japanese mayo. Sheesh, what a letdown. I guess I gotta go to Japan if I wanna try the real thing. So my fugu experience wasn't much of a "living-on-the-edge" one but at least I enjoyed dinner. I wonder if there are other places that serve fugu? And the REAL thing. Not some preserved jerky bak kwa wannabe.....
Tuesday, September 19, 2006
Brain stimulant
Has it come down to this? I have run out of ideas on what to write about. My regular posts filled with sarcastic humor have turned into bland and lame entries. I don't even know what kind of comics to make anymore! Where has all the nonsensilism gone?? The very essence of this blog has been lost.
Wanting to add a new post, yet not knowing what to write about the other day, I decided to look through my archives to see what I've been blogging about in the past. What I read were fun thoughts and ideas. Some mischevious, some sarcastic, some creative even. Well there were a few angry posts but we'll let those slide. So I sit here wondering, whats become of that spark that used to ignite the creativity and the words? How come I've not been able to create interesting articles for people to read?
I think I'll attribute it to my current state in life. Nothing's happening for me right now. I'm not having much fun, I'm not having great experiences and I have nothing to think about nor talk about. There's nothing to arouse my curiosity or to stimulate my mind. There's nothing that is provoking thoughts and ideas that I can repackage into a blog entry. My toe nail that died while snowboarding finally dropped off today. Thats all I can think of right now.
I'm not upset or uncomfortable or anything, but I'm not very happening either. Bugger. Well at least some of my shows have returned. Prison break and House are downloading as we speak and I hear that Lost and Grey's anatomy are starting soon. Save meeeeee
Wanting to add a new post, yet not knowing what to write about the other day, I decided to look through my archives to see what I've been blogging about in the past. What I read were fun thoughts and ideas. Some mischevious, some sarcastic, some creative even. Well there were a few angry posts but we'll let those slide. So I sit here wondering, whats become of that spark that used to ignite the creativity and the words? How come I've not been able to create interesting articles for people to read?
I think I'll attribute it to my current state in life. Nothing's happening for me right now. I'm not having much fun, I'm not having great experiences and I have nothing to think about nor talk about. There's nothing to arouse my curiosity or to stimulate my mind. There's nothing that is provoking thoughts and ideas that I can repackage into a blog entry. My toe nail that died while snowboarding finally dropped off today. Thats all I can think of right now.
I'm not upset or uncomfortable or anything, but I'm not very happening either. Bugger. Well at least some of my shows have returned. Prison break and House are downloading as we speak and I hear that Lost and Grey's anatomy are starting soon. Save meeeeee
Monday, September 18, 2006
Sunday, September 10, 2006
riding habits
Greetings y'all!
Having returned to Singapore for almost 2 weeks now, I am still having the occasional withdrawal symptoms from Melbourne and Snowboarding. SO! What better way to get my mind off things than to go wakeboarding? Yup, I totally dig being strapped to a board and moving around sideways at speed.
As fate would have it, Melissa and her friends decided to go and they extended an invitation to yours truely. Everything started off pretty well. The weather was good, the company was awesome and the water was acceptable (for a Saturday) but when it was time for me to hit the water, imagine the horror when I realised my riding was all stuffed up! I literally was, HITTING the water! Almost every jump I launched ended in disaster! I was crashing and crashing, but the funny thing was, I was crashing in a weird way. Not the normal "jump gone wrong" crashes I was used to. Rather, I found my body rotating a little in mid air and I would land in a weird position and SPLASH.
Being back on the boat after my run, I pondered for a bit and then I realised where my troubles lay. I've developed bad habits from snowboarding! It dawned upon me that when I was launching jumps on my snowboard, I'd look down towards the snow to spot my landing, my board would sometimes be rotating in the air and my hands are usually flailing around to keep my balance in check. Now, you try doing that while wakeboarding and what do you get? A crash. Why? Simple, coz you gotta keep your hands on the rope handle! DUH.
So I guess I gotta work on correcting those bad habits on my next session. I wonder when will that be? Anyone wanna go?
Having returned to Singapore for almost 2 weeks now, I am still having the occasional withdrawal symptoms from Melbourne and Snowboarding. SO! What better way to get my mind off things than to go wakeboarding? Yup, I totally dig being strapped to a board and moving around sideways at speed.
As fate would have it, Melissa and her friends decided to go and they extended an invitation to yours truely. Everything started off pretty well. The weather was good, the company was awesome and the water was acceptable (for a Saturday) but when it was time for me to hit the water, imagine the horror when I realised my riding was all stuffed up! I literally was, HITTING the water! Almost every jump I launched ended in disaster! I was crashing and crashing, but the funny thing was, I was crashing in a weird way. Not the normal "jump gone wrong" crashes I was used to. Rather, I found my body rotating a little in mid air and I would land in a weird position and SPLASH.
Being back on the boat after my run, I pondered for a bit and then I realised where my troubles lay. I've developed bad habits from snowboarding! It dawned upon me that when I was launching jumps on my snowboard, I'd look down towards the snow to spot my landing, my board would sometimes be rotating in the air and my hands are usually flailing around to keep my balance in check. Now, you try doing that while wakeboarding and what do you get? A crash. Why? Simple, coz you gotta keep your hands on the rope handle! DUH.
So I guess I gotta work on correcting those bad habits on my next session. I wonder when will that be? Anyone wanna go?
Wednesday, September 06, 2006
Ajisen Ramen Poison
I've been up all night. Diarrhea, Vomiting, Fever and cold sweats. Its miserable and I feel like crap now. My body feels like it got hit by a truck. I can barely move my limbs around. Never, NEVER eat at Ajisen Ramen. Its a pathetic and sorry excuse for Japanese food. The service was bad and the food tastes like crap. And to top it off, it makes you sick. The first time I had it, I got sick. Last night after eating the worst Ramen I've ever had, I spied the "Ajisen Ramen" logo at the bottom of the reciept and it all made sense. The restaurant at the Takashimaya food court was part of the Ajisen Ramen chain. And surprise surprise the poison struck again. Bastards. I'm calling the health ministry straight after this post.
Tuesday, September 05, 2006
Coming to a TV screen near you.....
Hahaha! Its complete! My snowboarding documentary is done! After 4 full days (and nights) of going through the footage and pieceing the segments together, I can safely say that I have managed to capture the true essence of my snowboarding adventures! This has got to be the most fun I've had making a video yet! Sweeeeeet!
For all the wonderful people involved in it, you'll be getting a copy in your mail soon! Hahahahahaha. In case I forget, you can place an order here. Laterrrrrr.
Friday, September 01, 2006
on the fly
This explains why I love snowboarding. Here's Brian, Wilfred and Grace catching air too! Sweeeeet!
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