Last Day of 2009

Time seriously flies! And I wonder how many times have I mentioned that on this blog now! Haha. Usually, there's this mysterious sunken feeling of lost and worry that accompanies with the last day of the year. It's like I somehow feel that there's still loads of things I would like to do, before moving on to another brand new year! Yet for this very year, I think I can safely tell myself that I've done enough thus far, and that whatever remains, will simply be completed in the coming year ahead! So for now, here's my reflection for the year 2009!

An amazing, absolutely great year 2009 has been for me indeed! It's one year where my dreams have truly soared, flew, ascended, climbed; all real high! :) I'd just like to reflect some of the awesome things that has happened in my life through this very year, in chronological order!

1. ORD!
This seriously felt like a decade ago! Haha. I would say it's rather difficult to picture the fact that I was still donned in that green uniform, doing guard duty some 365 days ago! Lol. But yes, having ORDed brought along a great sense of accomplishment, for having dutifully served my national service to the best of my ability, over the course of 1 year and 10 months! Looking back, I would not have wanted my army experience in any other way, for all the great friends I've made in there is certainly the only reason that helped me along and made my experience a better one!

Also, ORD means returning to civilisation, gaining full liberation from all the regimental crap! Seriously, NS taught me the great value of the word 'freedom'! The freedom to do the things you want at your own time and pace! It also taught me that time is an extremely precious 'commodity'. It should never be wasted away, but to be used wisely.

Hence, while serving, with so much time to be thinking, I've quite mapped out the things that I would so want to do, to accomplish; such as to enrich my life and make it way more interesting so as to 'repair' the damage that NS has brought to it! Haha. Which thus is probably the reason why 2009 turned out to be such a splendid year! :)

2. 21st Birthday Party
2009 is also a year I turned 21, and reached the age of adulthood. Furthermore, my party was actually held 2 months before the actual day, reason being I would be on my WAT on the actual day itself! Funny thing though, is that WAT was no where near 100% confirmed at that time! Haha. The paperwork was far beyond done, and that my job was not even secured! It was just a hope/bet that I would be going on WAT, and so throw a party first, in case my WAT does get the green light and I would truly not be in Singapore on the actual day! Lol.

Party was great though! It was a frenzied rush I must say, planning the party from scratch, doing up all the decorations, in just a short week time! Got to thank John loads for just coming over to my house to help out with the decorations! Haha. And then all my friends who turned up for it also, thus making the party quite a success and the atmosphere an awesome one! It's one night which I felt so blessed to have my family, relatives and friends gathering with me to celebrate my birthday! Oh what a night! :)

3. WAT
First time stepping onto US soil, and that step lasted about 3 months! Haha. I can just go on and on over this trip, because it's seriously one awesome experience which I find very difficult to describe in words! And that is partly because I ain't good with words also. Arghz.

I realise the more I typed, the more I'm lost as to what I want to say! Coz there's just so much to be talking about! So I think I'll just sum it all up for now, and do a proper reflection on it on another day! This trip is truly an eye-opener for me, getting to learn and experience the American's culture, their way of life; not only in the city, but also in the suburban areas. The vivid memories of it all still constantly flashes before my eyes! I guess they will just be etched in my mind forever. There probably will be many more of such to come in future, but this thus far, is indeed a time of my life!

4. Back to school
University life began soon after I returned from the US! After not studying for almost 3 years, brains had turned all rusty and cranky, with most concepts learned while in JC having returned back to the teachers! Lol. It was definitely tough I must admit, as the workload was humongous, and stress level at a constant high, only to go even higher as examinations were approaching! Yet no matter how tough it was, I keep telling myself to just give my best, to be working consistently! Because this is what I have been looking forward to all this while during my NS times! No doubt NS can be quite slack, but that's just easy life! Too easy I must say, such that I feel life is simply just wasted! That is not what I want! I want my life to be meaningful! I want to lead a fruitful life in the end! Hence, even though studies may be tougher than NS, I would still gladly do it!

I must say all the efforts did pay off in the end as well! Working hard, and juggling my time with many other commitments, like CCA, external tuition and driving lessons, I did surprisingly well in the end! My GPA was much higher than what I was expecting! Haha. Looking forward, as the modules that I'll be taking next semester gets even tougher, I will just have to be working even harder. Cannot be complacent, and must continue to give my best shot, with an aim to maintain the GPA I've achieved this semester!

5. RSPHI
I'm glad I decided to join this CCA! Was actually brooding over whether I will be able to cope with my schoolwork and this heavy commitment! Yet it does not really matter now. Coz it's the people in this CCA that makes me look forward the activities planned! Christmas Song Sign was especially great! Getting to know even more of such great folks was one thing; performing the Christmas songs in sign language was another! It most certainly was nerve wrecking, with adrenaline levels at an all time high! Haha. But it was one awesome experience! Love it loads! And missing it loads now too! :)

6. Driving
Quite a hell of a time for me I must say! Having to arrange lessons early in the morning, only to go to school after that! Furthermore, TP was at Ubi, tiring me out totally! Haha. But I'm just glad that I passed, miraculously also I must say! Haha. It's one huge effort on my part, and hence a great sense of satisfaction when I got my license! Whee! :D

Alright! I guess that's all about it! Very very long entry isn't it! All I can say is 2009 will go down in my books, as one of the best years in my life! Exciting, eventful, amazing, totally awesome! :D Let's hope 2010 will be an even better year ahead! Happy New Year to all you guys who are reading! :D

Avatar: Best Movie EVER!

Where Are You Christmas - Faith Hill

Today marked the start of a 3-Day Christmas Song Sign performance! And I must say, it was awesomely fantastic! :) I must say that after so long, it feels great to be back on stage doing a performance once again! I mean, the last time I performed was like almost 3 years ago, and it was a band concert! This time round, it's totally different! No instruments, just plain sign singing and acting! Truly fun I must say, as I thoroughly enjoyed myself while presenting my act to the audience!

Of course, though the crowd at Tiong Bahru plaza was not really very big, I still cannot help but felt extremely nervous while performing. This was especially so while I walked out to do my solo! As I signed the word 'too', I could so obviously see my hands trembling as they try to reach for one another! Haha! Then as the song progresses, the jitters began to fade away, and somehow I just told myself that I should not be nervous, but to be presenting the best of my act to the audience! And so hopefully I did! (Though now a friend of mine just commented that my expression was actually more of the tired sian, rather than it to supposedly be emo and sad! lol! Gotta work on that!)

1 day down! 2 more days to go! I somehow can begin to see that I will miss this period of time quite a lot! Haha. Shall enjoy and cherish the remaining moments of it! RSPHI and Christmas Song Sign seriously rocks! Wheee! :D

Oh here's the mtv of the song that I'm signing! Even though I seemed to have signed this song like at least a hundred times already, I still ain't sick of listening to it! It's really a very nice and emo song! Haha. Hope you guys will like it too! :)

TP TMR! RAHHH!

I don't want a lot for Christmas,
There's just one thing I need,
And I don't care about the presents,
Underneath the Christmas Tree.
I just want you for myself,
More than you could ever know,
Make my wish COME TRUE!
All I want for this Christmas..........

IS A PASS FOR TP TMR!!!!! :)

I'm gonna stay steady, be confident, and know that all the past practices is sufficient to warrant me a pass for tmr's test! So ACE it I will! And I yearn to hold that driving license so dear tmr! RAH! I can and will make it! :)

First Half of December

It most certainly had been a long time since I last blogged! Plain lazy on my part, I must say! Haha. As usual, I'd like to say that time seriously flies! Look where we are at right now, in the very last month of the year 2009! Actually, there's just less than 20 days remaining before this absolutely amazing year comes to a close! Well oh well! Let me begin with all the updates I have to say!

Firstly, EXAMS ARE FINALLY OVER! Woohoo! Though I'm not so sure how the results will turn out to be. :x Only to be released on the 30th of December, (so damn late! SMU had theirs released already and NUS will be revealing them on the 22nd! NTU is so slow!) I really hope that my results will not be as bad as what I feel I will be getting! Hai. Overall, I must say that I think I could have done better. Had I not slacked at various moments during the exam period, but instead utilized those precious seconds to more productive work, I think I would have been able to do better. Oh wells. What's done cannot be undone. Hopefully that dreaded GPA will not be so bad, keeping all fingers crossed for now!

Of course, after exams comes a huge break from all academic activities! Right now, I'm busying myself with my CCA! RSPHI is going to have it's annual Christmas Song Sign Singing! If you have no idea what I'm talking about, it's just simply us volunteers, using the deaf communication tool, hand signs, to sing out Christmas songs! I'll be signing 'Where Are You Christmas' by Faith Hill, a very slow and emo song! There will be 7 other songs by 7 other groups too! Performance will be from the 18th to 20th, at various shopping centers. Below are the details:

18th: Tiong Bahru Plaza
19th: Century Square Mall
20th: Bugis Junction

All performances begin at 7pm! If you are free, I strongly recommend you to come down and take a look, especially on the 20th, as all 8 groups will be performing at the same location. For the other 2 dates, we will be divided into 2 different shopping malls; the aforementioned are the places I'll be performing, along with another 3 groups. It's most certainly alright if you do not understand hand signs, just come down and enjoy the festive Christmas spirit our performance will bring out to you! Songs from other groups include 'Melodies of Christmas' from David Archuleta, 'Christmas Eve' from Celine Dion and many many more! So remember to keep those dates free, and I am most certain you will have an awesome time singing/signing these great Christmas songs with us! :)

Hence, for the past 4 days, I was at no where else but in school for Christmas song sign camp, practicing and rehearsing real hard for the performance! It was very tiring, having to wake up real early, like 7am, and then making that 1 hour trip to school, for a 12 hour camp which last till 9pm, and then reaching home after 10pm! Furthermore, having to do mass performances in front of other groups and seniors as well is truly nerve wrecking! My heart just goes beating at the speed of an F1 formula car, while my hands and knees just could not stop trembling while I was on stage! Stage fright it is, I really hate it, for nothing good comes out of it as it simply screws up my performance! Arghz! Yet it's just not easy to control it you know! Hai. Anyone has any good tips on how to maintain your cool while on stage?! I'd greatly appreciate any good suggestions man! :S

Then of course, though tiring, the camp was extremely fun, in a way I was just self-entertaining myself all the while! Also, because my song is very slow and much easier to pick up than other songs, it means my group was more slack and so not as xiong as the others! Haha. Today is a break! There's 2 more days of practicing, and might have more if our performance is still not up to standards! But no matter how tough the training is, I'm truly enjoying myself right now, and am so looking forward to performance day! :D

Oh! Next Tuesday, 15th of December, 2009, is a very important day for me! I'm gonna have my TP! AHHH! Haha. I guess I'm more or less ready for the test, just that I will require some more practices in the circuit and then I should be good. My clutch-accelerator still isn't very good. Hopefully it will not be too bad on test day, and that I will be able to successfully smoke through my examiner! Most importantly, I hope I get a kind examiner! My instructor had already forewarned me all the good and bad examiners which I could land myself with on test day, and he said that Malay examiners are the most lenient! Haha. So hopefully I can get a Malay examiner, or else just one that will not be too strict with me! :x Wish me luck, I really want to pass just this first time and get it over and done with!!!!!! Hopefully all goes well on that day! :)

Alright! That's all I have for now! There's many more things I'd like to complete before the end of the year! Packing up my stuff and writing a review for this great year is the 2 things I'm giving most priority to for now! Exciting days coming up ahead! Till then! :D