Good Luck, Bad Luck, Who Knows.. Heh.

I met someone on the bus today. She had the most beautiful, innocent eyes I've seen in a while. She's Chinese, I think with a little bit of an Eurasian mix, I can't be sure. We made eye contact and at first, we kinda frowned at each other but after a while, we smiled at each other. She had on a cute red/white striped dress with nice pink Polo shoes. Pretty soon, we were making faces at each other and smiling.

I couldn't really get her name because first of all, I don't think she really knew it yet and second of all, she fell asleep in her grandmother's arms before I could really get around to ask. She's two years old, I think or maybe a little younger and she lit up my day.

A lot has happened the last few days. After an agonizing five days, I decided to withdraw from running for the Students' Association again. I knew I could have been President but my heart was led to give it away. I then followed my passion and applied to be in the Arts Fraternity but my application was late by 36 minutes and got rejected despite two appeals and despite having Margaret Chan pushing some points in my favour.

I'd dare admit I was so devastated I was driven to tears.

I'm not the sort to cry easily but there were other things that led me to cry that day. My dearest dearest friends. I had friends who stood up for me and wrote such a beautiful letter to the ACF Elections Committee to try and turn the decision. I had friends who immediately started a petition going when they heard my application got rejected. I had friends who all came forth and offered a shoulder and an ear. I had friends who backed me all the way. Touched isn't a strong enough word, I was overwhelmed.

Margaret gave me an Oscar Wilde quote, "Those of us who live many lives, will also have many deaths." I do feel that I have grown from this whole episode and hopefully, I have become someone stronger. I am blessed with the invaluable gift of love and friendship and the events of the last few days have made me realize how truly blessed I really am. Amidst all this, how does one even begin to feel dejected? How do I even begin to return the love and affection that I have been showered with? I can only begin to try and continue to serve in whatever capacity I can.

Also, my friends in the Elections Committee, Chi ching, Paolo, Zhiyang and Sharifah. Please forgive me for any resentment I may have directed towards you. I swear to you now that I bear no grudge to any one of you. Anyone. I understand the agony and the ordeal that you must have gone through to make that decision and I do trust that the decision-making process has been a fair one.

I look ahead and I know that if I ever feel dejected and alone in the future, I'll just be being silly. What an amazing thing to get to realize.. very few material things will compare in value to the knowledge that I have so many people rooting for me.

Heh. And through the whole episode, my dad had one phrase to tell me.. "Good luck, bad luck, who knows..."

Thank you everyone, I don't even know how to begin but... thank you.

Salsa Dancing, Pool Parties... now this is University life =)

I was helping Jinfu last evening with setting up a small sound system for the Caderas Latinas Salsa Beginner Workshop and Social Night.. went off to get some food, came back and there was this whole bunch of people on the 3rd level of the Admin Building dancing to salsa. What a sight! Then Faye asked me to try and learn to dance with her and I decided "why not?' (how could I turn down an opportunity to dance with Faye..). Learnt quite a number of Salsa steps the whole night, thanks to Faye, Martin, Emilio (Emilio!! Love just shouting his name out.. haha), Varsha, Esther and my beginner dancing partner of the night, Steph. =) We were stumbling all over the place but we managed to pull off some turns and stuff so it was okay. I wouldnt have been able to try out all those moves if I was dancing with someone that was really good.. I'd just freak out. haha. Good thing we beginners found each other. Haha.

Anyway, I think Faye has just got me hooked on the whole Salsa dance thing. I can't believe this.. and you probably can't believe this.. but I think I'm going to learn to be a Salsa Dancer when the next bunch of beginner lessons come.

This evening was quite a blast as well. Went down to Sophia Court for Verghel's birthday pool party. The food was so good that I just kept eating. We just chilled by the pool with good pimpin' music blasting out. Hit the pool when the time was right.. (haha..), tossed a couple of people in the pool (Khai was the most ADAMANTLY STUBBORN person I have ever tossed in the pool before), watched Verghel do a good blow on his candles.. and ended off with watching Andre's recording of Ja's singing in school the other day.

Which is available here for download! Haha.. I know you wanna see it.

http://stripedshirt.multiply.com/photos/album/126

All respects to Andre, who I officially declare is the most artistic IS guy in the whole SMU and I must admit arguably more good looking than me. Haha. Cheers.

And oh.. I really should sleep but I'm going to leave you guys with this publicity teaser for my upcoming Theatre Production.. oh the class and I are having so much fun with it. =) Coming November 11th!

Fish & Good Company

I had dinner last week at Fish & Co with my first three months JC friends who are conveniently all October babies. Lynn, Joanna, Greg and I. Erina's still in Arizona but she gave me a call during my Software Engineering Project meeting last week and we spent some time catchin up which was really sweet.


Spectacular spectacular.



lynn, joanna and a very tired-looking me in the middle.


Utterly delectable.


Waiter: "Enjoyed your meal, sir?"
Me: "Yes!"


Waiter: "Here's the bill, sir"
Me: "Erm..."


Weak attempt at vogue.


I love these magic brownies that jump into your mouth when you're not looking..


and Lynn has fallen under the spell of the magic super beer..



We hung out at Harry's@Esplanade after that. Chilled, chatted and Oreo Cheescake. So nice to finally catch up with one another after so long.

And oh yeah, at Fish&Co.. there was this girl I knew in JC that sat behind us. Her name is Fadilah, this girl I had a major crush on back in JC. It didn't turn out well back then so it was an awkward wave goodbye when she left with her family.
Yea, I'm the sort of guy who can definitely move on from falling for someone.. but I'm not the sort of guy who can forget. Ah well..

Great Ah Fu BBQ

It's been a nice break week last week even though I quietly begrudge the fact that I never really got away from school.

The theatre production group is still going forwards, full steam ahead.. We stayed over school a few days ago, in the Economics School Multipurpose Hall. What a wonderful place to stay the night over in. We worked on the script till about 5 am, bunch of crappy people.. artsy crazy. Haha.

Oh there was that BBQ at Pasir Ris, Ah Fu's Great BBQ. Met Jamiel in school and left for that small mosque in Novena behind the Revenue House. The minute we reached the front of the mosque, we were greeted and cajoled (?) into joining them to break fast. Food was spread on the floor and we were insisted upon to feast. Jamiel and I couldn't stop grinning. The porridge was tasty, the tea tarik is one of the best tea I've ever tasted and the Briyani Dum was tops! Shioookk. We ate, we prayed and we ate again. Haha. Really nice place.

We left the mosque and rode on Chinook all the way to Pasir Ris Park where the BBQ was going on in full swing. I found out that I had an innate talent to cook satay and to cause the dying embers to burst out into dancing flames again. Fifi the Satay Man. Haha damn. There was another cake for me again there but this time my face was spared the cream/cake treatment. Food was good.. we sang all the classics, we joked the crappiest, lamest jokes, we talked about how we can start to turn Jinfu into the cassanova that he secretly is inside. haha.

We stayed past midnight and suddenly it was raining heavily and Jamiel, Jason and I found ourselves under a shelter. We grabbed what food we could from the grill, gathered what warm clothes we could and chatted all the way till dawn. Seven till dawn indeed. Haha.

Disclaim.

I read my previous post and found it quite a messy read. Lesson learnt, no overly long post after an overly long day.

111005 indeed.

Wooaaaahhhhhhh...... I think I'm going to have to break this entry down to parts.

Story of the Mad School Rush

I hit school today at 10plus am, after a whole morning of vivid dreams. Meeting then went down to clear the SA Room. Gee, that was more tiring then I thought it would be. Took almost all the bullshit out and threw most of it away. Good thing Chiching came down to help out. Chiching, you rock.

2 hours of that and I felt weaker than a limp, wet sock and probably as misearble. Tired out. Lifeless. I attributed it to the lack of food in my stomach, the lack thereof causing a definite deficit in much required energy. Yea. I dragged myself to Studio Comm meeting in which I was roused but still in a state of minimal activity (just enough to keep breathing). CJ called it the standby mode..though some of his jokes were corny enough to make maize weep.

Went down to crash a Networking Tutorial session, in which I realized that the Prof wasn't saying anything new. Went down to Classroom 2.1 SESS and quite a bit of the Theatre class was already there. Got the meeting started, broke them down to groups, listed what we needed to do by when. Was pretty efficient so managed to leave at 430 for Maju Camp.

At this point in time, you must be thinking that I pretty much looked like a walking zombie. Some of you might say I look like that all the time (bastards :P). But you must understand, I'm Super Hero Fir and I made a promise to take the damn IPPT so take it I will.

Zonked out in the cab there. The preparation of the IPPT was a no-issue. There were no sophisticated IPPT machines here. In Maju Camp, you do the IPPT old-school (i.e. PTI-surpervised). Except for pull-ups (where a strict PTI counted my 10 pull-ups as 8), I scored 5 points for the static stations. My tongue was limp and I needed a drink but between me and a nice cold glass of water is about 25 minutes and a 2.4km run.

Ergh.

To cut a long story short, I passed and was quite surprised I didn't feel like passing out. Lack of food definitely brought about some light-headedness but who needs a head when you're running right? Er.. yah. So, after taking my results, I went over to my locker, opened it.. took out my Nike shoes (i was wearing running shoes) and my bag, swung my bag over my shoulder and left.. looking forward to a nice glass of water.

It was only when I got off the bus at Tanglin when I realized I forgot to also swing the plastic bag containing my Nike shoes over my shoulder. *smacks head* I left it on the lockers.

Story of the Missing Shoes

Feeling quite an ass of myself, I made my way back to school where I sat down finally to some dinner. Told Edmund (yes the guy who sells brownies/cookies at Kopitiam) about my shoes and asked if he had the guardroom number. He told me his friend could help. I peered at this uncle sitting at a nearby table. I had my doubts.

Edmund came over with a number. I dialled.

Guard Commander : "Hello, Maju Camp Guardroom"
Me: "Hello.. erh.. I just took IPPT at your camp and I left my shoes behind, do you happen to have a lost and found section?"
GC: "Er no.. where did you leave it?"
Me: "At the guardroom I think.. or no.. at the lockers, in front of the Processing Centre. Can I come back to get it?"
GC: "You will have to book in ah"
Me: "Okay, when's the latest time I have to go back there? Eleven can?"
GC: *discussions* "Eleven cannot ah.. wait ah.."
Me: "Okay..." *waits*
GC: "Okay.. I go look for your shoes"
Me: *wah......so good ah??* "Erm okay, thanks. It's grey nike shoes"
GC: "What's your name and number, I'll call you back.."
Me: *gives name and number*

So I went to the Uncle and thanked him for the number and I said.. "Wah, Maju Camp guards quite friendly ah.."
He laughed (nearly his head off) and said.. "That's because I called them first what"

So I started to think that this guy must be big.. CSM? RSM? I was thinking of this while I was heading to the gym for a shower.

*Locked* Argh.. no hot water..

Headed over to the nearby toilets.. No hose, no tap, someone shitting in the cubicle with the hose. I rushed to the toilet beside the seven eleven for a sad, quick, cold shower. The guy had to call me back in the midst of it.

GC: "Ah hello, feda-oos? I found your shoes ah. I keep it with me at the Guardroom, you can come and collect later."
Me: "Okay, okay, power, thanks man"

Haha yay. My grey Nikes are found! Went over to the uncle (after I dried myself and put on some clothes of course) and told him about it. He called the Guardroom.

Uncle: "Hello is this the Guard Commander? Yah, Sergeant Riyen? This is Colonel Seah. Yes, thanks for your help with getting the shoes ah. Yes, he's standing beside me now. I will send someone to go and fetch it from you. Okay good"

My eyes were quite wide. I thanked him and insisted in trying to get the shoes myself, he said Edmund will help pass me the shoes the next day. We talked, I told him that I was from 4 SIR, part of the 6 Division. He told me he was Commander of the 6 Division once.

Woah. What are the odds that this man, sitting almost nonchalantly beside a pastry shop, was willing to help me and had more than enough rank to go around? Humble fellow too. I'll buy him kopi next time I see him in SMU.

Story of the Chijmes Performance

So yes, I made my way quickly to Carnaval@Chijmes with my fatigue walking 3 steps behind. I completely forgot all the songs that I was going to play and quite honestly, I still haven't recovered enough blood in my head since IPPT 3 hours ago. It was a grand crowd of 8 in the beginning but luckily, it filled up pretty quick when we started. The stage sound was crap though, I couldn't hear a thing. We were all tired, playing quite crappily but we were just fooling around and having fun.. Plush was the worst song I've ever performed though.. I was quite begging for it to stop. It was just horrid.

But I was quite over it.. just having fun with the guys and the crowd as we played.. Was drumming out to An Jing when Gerard brought up a birthday cake onto stage for me. Aawww. I blew the candle, *I always take this opportunity to wish for impossible things* and enjoyed the moment when they all sang a birthday song to fifi. So much for making a manly first impression to strangers there, huh? Haha.. Honestly... it was beautiful, thanks guys =)

EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU ROCK MY SOCKS OFF. *GRINZ*

Carrie then smashed my face into the cake after which I went on a cake smearing spree. I didn't think I looked tasty but having chocolate smeared on some people arguably makes them look more delicious, no? Haha. Fun night, fun night. Pulse (the next band) rocked the night.

Ending Note

So that was the prelude to my birthday. Quite eventful. Tomorrow doesn't promise that much excitement though but if it's one thing I come away with today is that there are very few things in the world more precious than having a good time with friends that rock.

That and if you believe your shoes are going to come back to you, they will!

Oh and that nobody has access to the gym showers right now.

Anyway, everyone's still welcome to give me presents (haha blatant-blatant). Don't be shy, yah? Haha.

Will be quite an 111005.

I was prepared not to retake my IPPT but I got nudged to do it yesterday and I booked it tmr at 5pm. So I'll be running out of Theatre meeting, cabbing down to Maju Camp, run my heart out, cab back to soundcheck at Chijmes, do some last minute rehearsals with Seven Til' Dawn, grab some food in between somehow, catch up on the Theatre meeting, liaise with Pulse at Chijmes, then perform at 9pm.

And I'll be having back to back meetings from 10am before that. Yay for my 11th October schedule. and this is supposed to be my break week? break or BREAK?

Best part of it is my two good friends, Eugene and Hafiz are planning a to beat me up 22 times at the stroke of midnight as a birthday present. They have quite the warped sense of humour. *cue nervous laughter*

Oh yea, I didn't really mention it officially. I'll be performing Tuesday (today) 9pm at Chijmes (Carnival Bar). Do drop by and chill out. Might be the last time you'll see me standing for quite awhile.

You know, I've been such a horrid friend, missing my friend's birthday parties and missing wishing them properly.. all in the name (excuse) of being busy. Really sorry guys.

Do drop by Chijmes though. (Ros, get well from food poisoning first =) )

SMU Students' Association

haha i love this poster.

Ramble Ramble.

Had some time to myself this afternoon and I spent it the best way possible.

I slept.

After that I woke up, felt a little nostalgic and went to read my blog archives. I have quite an old blog back at sponge.pitas.com. Quite a bit of funny stuff.. but don't go too early into the archives.. too many embarrasing stuff. I read about all the stress I went through the last two terms and how if I can pull off dealing with all the SA work while keeping to my goal of hitting the Dean's List, I could do anything.

Like Wanida would say, "coolness bananas!"

I guess it does rock to read up again on what you have achieved before to remind yourself that you're usually far more capable than you think (though some people think too highly of themselves). Ah well.. i've always believed that if you can put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything (Doctor Brown, Back to the Future)

oh and if you've lost your head for an entire year and only just found it, you might have missed a really funny radio show on 987fm, also available on podcasts. the don and drew show. get it off your itunes. (if you don't have itunes, you suck. =p)

Foo Fighters - Best of You

I’ve got another confession to make
I’m your fool
Everyone’s got their chains to break
Holdin’ you
Were you born to resist or be abused?

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Are you gone and onto someone new?

I needed somewhere to hang my head
Without your noose
You gave me something that I didn’t have
But had no use
I was too weak to give in
Too strong to lose
My heart is under arrest again
But I break loose
My head is giving me life or death
But I can’t choose
I swear I’ll never give in
I refuse

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
Your trust, you must
Confess
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Oh...

Has someone taken your faith?
Its real, the pain you feel
The life, the love
You die to heal
The hope that starts
The broken hearts
Your trust, you must
Confess

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?
Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?

I’ve got another confession my love
I’m no fool
I’m getting tired of starting again
Somewhere new
Were you born to resist or be abused?
I swear I’ll never give in
I refuse

Is someone getting the best, the best, the best, the best of you?

drums = shiok.

Some of you who know me long enough know how insecure I get when I need to perform and drum on stage right after a really good drummer just blazed on the drumset.

Ah well.. those days are gone.. waahaha..

Played at Indochine last night. We didn't win but it was like a kind of special night for me considering the other drummers who played on that same stage that night.

Jordan, plays with the resident band there, also drummer for Rafe, heard he's going overseas to some top class Percussions Institute and get a degree or something. I think Syed says he can come back and set up a drumming school.

Yi Meng, played semi-pro, went through the club and pub circuit. Plays with the symphony orcheastra. Plays with Soul In Session (the other SMU Band to play at Indochine that night)

Kian Ping, the really good drummer guy back in SAJC. When I started to pick up drums, he already 10 years of lessons I think.

Usually, I would be like nervous or something, conscious of my playing.. of the drum skills that I gleaned on my own. Heh. Now, not only do I don't give a damn who else is playing.. I'm happy with my playing style. to boost the ego some more, some big shot musician guy at Indochine said I was pretty good too. Hah.

Just play lah. Enjoy.

Oh anyway, if any of you SMU people are interested..

fired down and drowning in Incubus

"..when everything's a mess
and i stumble with the words
you remind me that
you remind me that.."
~Incubus, Live in Malaysia, Vitamin Solo

"..this party is old and uninviting,
participants all in black and white.
you enter in fullblown technicolour,
nothing's the same after tonight..

if the world falls apart,
in a fiction worthy wind
i won't change a thing now that you're here..

cuz love is a verb here in my room..

..pink tractor beams into your incision
head spinning as free as dervishs' whirl
I came here expecting next to nothing,
so thank you for being that kinda girl..

~Incubus, Here in My Room

I'm trying to gather the momentum again. I need to get fired up. I will. I just need some time.. with music as my solace and muse.

Funny thing is quite a number of you guys kinda know why i'm feeling like this. like you already knew or expected it.. ah well, to those who cared, thanks =)

Finally sailed again

My blog says this is the 50th post. Everyone say yay. yay.

I went down to Watershock, this SMU sea carnival thing at Raffles Marina. Give me 2 seconds to bitch about this place.

DAMNBLOODYFARCAN?SIALAHTUASSIAL!TOOKALMOSTTWOHOURSTOREACHSIAL.
DAMNFREAKINULU.WASGETTINGMALAYSIANHANDPHONERECEPTION!!ARGH!!!

Phew, yah okay can already. Thanks.

Anyway, was helping out to emcee for the adventure race segment. I finally got the chance to sail again today too! =) There were some laser picos and Josh said I could just get on one and sail around. It took me all of two minutes to get the boat ready and launch and punch into a closehaul. I haven't forgotten much in 3 plus years. Ingrained since childhood. Had the opportunity to teach some fellow students to sail too. Fun. Free lunch, sailing, emcee-ed, free tee.. capped off with a Huge chicken chop dinner at Banquet. Good day.. only problem (other than moping about this something.. which is a seperate issue) was I didnt get to study the entire weekend and my mid-terms are next week.

Ah well, yea. Here's to sailing again.

Shed.Ink

In the field of our minds, we could feel that we were breaking sacred ground.

Shed.Ink Playwriting Competition. Playwriting. What possessed Ja and I to delve into this, without any experience or prior knowledge, I have no idea. We presevered, Ja down with fever and flu all night long too. We had to cough out a play, incorporating a couple of clues, and we had 8pm to 8am to do it. We did struggle out something. Winning material? I'm not too sure.. but it was indeed a night to remember.

What did we write about? It's about a boy and a girl with a problem that they can't solve. Funny thing is I've had this idea for quite some time, only that it was intially planned for a short film.. recent events have kinda provided fresh perspectives to the whole issue.

Honestly, it's hardly good, we churned it out in a matter of hours but maybe I'll post it up.