2006, THAT WAS THE YEAR THAT IS, AND WILL BE 'WAS', SOON.

Well, it's been a big year for many of us.

Firstly, it's the last year of 'school', not schooling of course, but school. JC for most, Poly, or even ITE for some.
Well, there's going to be even more to study, and hopefully more fun in store.
RJC for me is the place that I've wanted to go all along, and I really hope I can get in there for real.
Yes, it is going to be stressful. Many people I've spoken to have criticised RJC, saying that the attitude of students are pathetic, being arrogant and all, or that HC is better.
I can't deny that. Through the years there have been plenty of students in RJC with overextravagant personalities.
Only recently in October there was Wee Shu Min and her elitist views.
But hey! There was Annabel Chong that 'deflected' from RGS to Hwa Chong JC and certainly she caused more headlines! Haha. Controversy is not just at Raffles. Really.
Wikipedia has plenty of info. on those two I'm sure.
Whatever it is that all the criticism of RJC is about, I guess I'll find out for myself how true indeed they are, with Leroy, Jun Jie and Lin Hai. Oh and very likely, someone's daughter.

Anyway, it's been a great 4 years in ANDERSON, and although I directed plenty of flak towards the 'lax' and 'semi-corrupted' nature of the school, and a certain class in particular which robbed our black soccer ball, the friends I've made have been great, be it those in 2/4 or 4/7. The 2/4 days were so fun, and laughter was never far away thanks to lame people like Arkar and Kang. Also in part, thanks to the people in class which we could make fun of. A tit bit offensive of me? I just can't resist.
Towards the end of sec 2 and for half a year in sec 3, perhaps I was too study-orientated, and yes I was kind of lonely at times.I was starting to think sec3 (and what would be sec 4) life was stressful, especially with me still having to take Japanese, which was now becoming a burden as I slowly lost interest in it. Man, I knew I should have took French. I also did not really like the class (3/7) then. That sort of changed during term 3, where I sat next to Jun Jie, and got to talk more in class with the rest of our 'clique' or so to speak, Sherhan Cybil Linhai and of course Weelic, haha.They certainly made my upper sec. life all the less boring. Before knowing them, I thought I was hardworking. Enter Sherhan, and I'm content. Haha.
The thing with 4/7 that makes us special is that although there are cliques, we can easily joke around with other people. Haha, and there was this deal I made with someone at the start of the year that I would act like the secret admirer of someone in class for the year. lol. There's plenty to guess on this blog.
Anyway, Junjie and I were able to sit right in front, and so we could talk with many of the teachers.Most of which, were good. Mrs Theresa Lim demonstrated how different a teacher canimpact her students' grades. Either that, or the fact that we had most of our lessons in air con. lol. Just take a look at 4/6's results for geog. Mr Tan changed so much over the course of a year, and I'm sure he'll enjoy his retirement. However, there are unpleasant teachers too. There's the one that blows hot and cold. One moment having an outburst, what i term the Wrath of C***, and making us all hate her. Next moment, she makes/buys some food and makes some think otherwise, untill the Wrath cooldown has ended and it's time for another one, lol. Then, there is the one who can't see the funny side of April Fool's Day, always thinks her papers are difficult, tries to appear very good friends with another teacher who's married and older, yet looks more attractive and younger. Oh, I feel nothing but pity for them.
About the whole school, I feel pity too. It certainly looks as if it's on the decline. Hell, even my sister didn't want to go there, lol. And I feel the reason for the decline is obvious, due to the presence of more normal (It's not even mediocre, true meaning = relegated) classes, with people who like to steal footballs from us brighter students and use their attitude to intimidate us. Sigh. Thank goodness that that's the last I'll see of them for life. Oh wait, I'll meet them again in a couple of years thanks to this government policy, or will I ? lol.
Although that's a goodbye to be happy about, another to be even happier about, for me that is, is the Chinese language (the words, chengyu, the stories behind them, and last but not least the teachers, I mean teacher. ).

In 2006, I was suprisingly able to get rid of that sleepy syndrome I have during lessons, perhaps due to sitting with Jonathan for half a year during sec 1. Perhaps being near to the teacher's table helped. Well, the truth is: Thank God.

It's been such a busy year that I haven't had much time to catch many movies. But honestly, the movies this year have mostly sucked. It's what I call the year of the movies with hugely similar plot. Think Madagascar and The Wild? yeah, and their (the directors') creativeness is so limited that the substitute for the penguins in the former is just a Koala Bear in the latter. However, MI 3 is OK, and I certainly recomend this movie called Akeelah and the Bee. It's inspirational, and the mere fact that I support it shows that I dont discriminate against other colours. lol, if u can get my drift. Very recently Jay is acting in another movie, and at least he's now not the high-profile member of the cast, cause that goes to Gong Li and her ****s. Well on my way to being a critic eh?

For one, I've started watching Grey's Anatomy and couldn't stop watching it after (watching it). As with Desperate Housewives, it's a drama thats ENGLISH and from women's point of view. Haha. It portrays sex as a 'common' thing, and yes, that's what I love about Western culture. The openess. Now don't go thinking how sick I am, cause I probably am (that sick). Hmmm, I don't quite know why my sentence structure is always so repetitive.

2006 has also been the year I started becoming really hardcore about football. About Arsenal.
Going all the way to the Champions League Final in Paris and then losing it all, well I guess there needs to be no further mention of the emotions of an avid football fan after my previous entry.

Lastly, I certainly hope this has been a breakthrough year for me in getting to know Him better. It's been difficult. My parents are buddist, and I have no problems with that, their temperament has improved, mine hasn't. Next, I've always had the occasional doubt, being so intellect and stuff, (you doubt that?), and sometimes wasn't in the right frame of mind. After reading the Case for Faith, some of them have been clarified, and thank you James, for buying me that book, and thank you God, for making him rich. I mean generous. lol. I guess some questions are best left unanswered, but the last part of the book sure helped alot in my spiritual life. Hopefully, I can build on that in the future.

For now, it's the season to be jolly. Merry CHRISTmas, and I look forward to Boxing Day Bonanza tonight.

Man, football can really spoil my weekend.
I gone through the lows and highs and lows in just one match against Portsmouth [what *&^*% team is this, you ask].

Ok, Arsenal played horribly in the first half, creating NOTHING. Portsmouth played as horribly. It was boring. As always, when this happens at the Emirates Stadium, it is the away team that scores first. Fluke goal, but crap, pissed me off.

Then 2nd half, started on the same manner, and conceded another goal, this time I have to admit, its a genuine one. ok, 0-2 now.

Brought on our target man, and he had an immediate impact, 2 goals in 2 mins. Amazing.
So it became 2-2.
After that, deja vu for the 4th time [this is the 5th match in which this has happened]. Lots of chances, only sunday football-style finishing, and yet again, it's a case of what could have been. Last season it was away defeats, this season it's away defeats AND home draws.


Alas, I keep asking myself. Why? Why did the team have to wait till going 2 goals down to get so fired up? Why did we have to encounter such a good goalkeeper?
I was so fed up after miss and miss, i started shouting wildly, [haha imagine that, but seriously...], I was really mad for a moment.

At half time, I prayed to God, saying that I know it's going to be a frustrating game, please don't make me go mad. Please allow me to stay calm. Well, I guess it just wasn't to be.
This is probably a pathetic testimony.
Life is frustrating. But the best thing to do, is to keep the faith, and not give in, and only then will I be able to curb my blowing-hot-and-cold temper.
There is still a lot to be changed.
Slowly, but surely.....

Okay, so its been a long long time since I've blog.
Suprisingly, the days have gone by so quickly, only a couple of weeks left before the New Year. Plenty of events....grad. ball, 4/7 chalet, 2/4 chalet, church camp.....yeh. It's left me way exhausted (at least for today).

Start with the 3D2N of chalet and church camp "combined", since i could not sign up for full time [need parent's consent], and also in part since i paid the deposit for the chalet already [perfect justification for the use of 'deposits']

So the chalet was at Coasta Sands resort this time, much nearer to downtown east compared to Aloha Loyang. Anyway, only went for first day, and it was a case of deja vu. We all [and not was actually not many] rented double bikes for 2hrs and it rained about 10mins later. I was cycling with James Lee, and credit to him, it was so difficult to cycle in the rain with the water and wind catching u right in the eye, but he was able to navigate pretty well. We cycled fast, slow as well, and made so many 360-deg turns which didn't work out and ended up having to take a long loop round the grass. Fortunately we were lucky not to crash after running over many branches and roots. It was cold indeed with us all wet and the wind. After that the girls took a LONG time to bathe [and it was only liike...6 of them?] and we went out for dinner. Then watched this 'girls aloud' show which had xiaxue in it, was totally stupid and NOT useful at all, haha. After that was talking and playing cards all night long, and most of the morning too. Woke at 7, headed off at 8. Very sleepy, and had to get my dose of coffee to keep alive for the rest of the day.

And so I took the mrt all the way from PR to Woodlands, changing at City Hall. The NS line going away from the city was not crowded one bit, and thus i had plenty of space to sleep, which i duly managed to, haha.

The camp at Sports School was great. The auditorium was gigantic and a very good place for all the sermons and praise/worship sessions to be held, although sitting down on the ground was a lil uncomfortable, not that i'm complaining here. Think the first sermon session right after I came was the most enlightening, about not giving in to obstacles between us and Him, and persevering on. Pity that part-timers don't get the Breakthrough shoe bag package, but I'm gonna borrow one copy of the book ASAP. Felt a little sleepy, but that was cured by the salt and vinegar chips, haha. Then after lunch which was OK, had a meeting regarding JC ministry. it's gonna be exciting I'm sure, our next 2 years at JC. But yeah, rightfully said, gotta do our best even during the first 1.5 month or so. Zero JC2s at R now, so, it will be difficult but I guess I've got to give my best next year.

Then after wash-up and rest, it was time for mismatch picnic which I didn't know of, oh well, guess at least I needn't have worried about how i looked, haha. The dinner was good, and the performances and thanks later were better, though it was kind of unusual that it wasn't the 'finale item' of the camp, with sermon still to come later! And it was another long one by David, mostly composing of testimonies. Well, guess it's a refreshing change from the usual sermons at services, yeah, although I was getting kind of sleepy.

The midnight concert was great, and really repented some of my sins recently during worship time, as well as strengthening my resolve towards Him. The songs were all good, and I enjoyed the praise part too with high spirits!

On wednesday, rather amazingly Northeast managed to win the olympics and that big trophy, lol. [heard from quite a few people that NE are pushovers and James even said many other districts wanted to thrash us at some sports, in good spirit of course, haha]. Well, it wasn't particularly 'us', cause I wasn't able to take part in it, but hopefully there'll be a next time to take part, and there'll be a next time to win again.

Well, I'll pause here for now, hopefully there'll be more promising stuff to write about after street outreaching tmr.