(3 x 7 x 24) + (A bit more)

"Moral indignation is jealousy with a halo."
H. G. Wells (1866-1946)

"Glory is fleeting, but obscurity is forever."
Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)

"Victory goes to the player who makes the next-to-last mistake."
Chessmaster Savielly Grigorievitch Tartakower (1887-1956)

"Don't be so humble - you are not that great."
Golda Meir (1898-1978) to a visiting diplomat

"His ignorance is encyclopedic"
Abba Eban (1915-2002)


You kinda know that something’s amiss when I don’t update my blog for a long period of time…
My absence this period was due to the fact that my computer crashed… the motherboard dieded…
x.xlll

As it usually goes, much has taken place offline:
Pesta Sukan aka Taekwondo Nationals
Watched my first Bollywood movie
41st National Day Parade
Fireworks show at the Esplanade
Sent the computer for upgrading
Volunteer work with children from Hong Kong
Volunteer work with the US Navy
Karen’s 21 birthday
Dental checkup
Back to TKD training… don worry… not in full force…

NDP was a big deal for me.
I haven been to one since I was in kindergarten.
Needless to say, when Qian Bei offered Alfred, Lucien and I the tickets… I totally jumped on the chance to experience the fireworks, grandeur, marching and all the other stuff that comes along with the NDP package… let’s not forget the goodie bag and all its contents ya?
Thank God for the company, if not I would have had a total headache with the crowd…
For your information:
I totally abhor crowded places. I get that from my Daddy. Heh~
Alfred’s Mum and baby sister also came for the parade. Such a coincidence that they got tickets for the same area :)
And thank goodness Alf’s dad came to pick us up… else we would have gotten home at midnight… Cinderella no?
But it was absolutely awesome… I took so many pictures I haven even had the chance to rename them on my photo-site…
-hysterical laughter-
Dancing out way into the stadium to the beats of the bangra dancers… hehe… shake here, shake there…
-migumi laughter-
Alf, Lulu and I went nuts over all the marching and the various performances.
Really an experience worth remembering till the last second… we screamed out lungs out and hit the bong-sticks like we were trying to make it rain.
The marching brought back many memories and the Red Lions got us on our feet hooting away.
Kalang-wave anyone?
Hehe… been ages since we did that… and I guess that is the last time we would be able to do it coz they are tearing down the stadium to make way got the sports hub. Gah… oh well…
I am very very thankful I was given the chance to see all the beautiful fireworks and spend my time screaming with other Singaporeans :D
My favorite portion of the parade has got to be the fireworks display.
The sparkles in the night sky accompanied by classical music and the many screams of the spectators around us… truly amazing…

Which would probably account for why I went down with Chong Yun to view the fireworks at The Esplanade on the 12th right after Pesta Sukan Day 1.
I seriously had my doubts about whether I wanted to get my bum hauled up against so many others along the Singapore River.
There were so many people there.
And I mean MANY.
I totally felt the love. Don I mean it in a good way mind you.
Brushing up against other people just trying to get to Chong Yun’s family who were somewhere God knows where… hahaha…
We moved from one place to another squeezing between couples and enduring the stares of strangers… good humor got me through the ordeal… haha…
Yes I have said how much I enjoy crowded places aye?
But overall… when all’s said and done… the display was breath taking and I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
Man! I love being Singaporean!
Hahaha…
The fireworks finale was grand and awe-inspiring… literally dumbfounded at certain parts of those 12 minutes… yes, 12 minutes… people crammed up against one another for more than an hour just to get 12 minutes of free fireworks… ala free show… hahaha… but it was wonderful and I credit Miss Chua and her family for making the entire evening even more fun…
The 3 Miss Chuas were crammed up at the back of the family car with me, and Mrs Chua was kinda enough to give me a lift to the MRT station nearest to home. :)
We had fun crapping in the car and I really look forward to more opportunies to hang out with those crazy girls…
-psychotic laughter-

The Pesta Sukan held at the Yishun Sports Stadium is made up of 4 days this year… in the categories of Young Junior, Junior and Senior.
Most of my friends are taking part in the Senior category.
Sir named me the team manager for the Kovan contingent.
No big deal one… just have to be there on all the days and make sure all the participants are on time for their bouts… actually I think they can do without me… haha… anyway… since the competition is held on the weekends I had to get Chong Yun to give me a hand during the mornings coz I have work and church duties…
THANKS YUNNIE! :D
I’ll get back to the Nationals later…

As I said, the computer broke down… but the thing is that I did not feel the need to get the thing fixed… so sue me.
I was more interested in reading my books and trying to get my schedule in order… besides I had my phone to help me keep in contact with my friends… the only thing that was driving me mad was the fact that I needed to check my mail everyday… so I had to resort to using my dad’s palmtop… hehe
Thank You Daddy! :)
Anyways, never did I expect that I would get a scolding for NOT using the computer… usually I get tongue lashing for using it too long or too much… hahaha… so to the computer repair shop I went.
Alfred was really kind to help me carry that blasted CPU to the shop and back again… he knows a hack of a lot more about computers than I do anyway… so he was a BIG help...
Got to the shop and I ended up cursing and swearing at the CPU. In front of the shop uncle… which, on reflection was very unbecoming of me… for that I have already apologized to the uncle…
The first trip to the shop showed the computer was dying… but not dead yet so I brought it home and attempted to switch it on… finally got it on… did not waste the chance to make backups of all my files… which is not much… hahaha… after that… the computer really went ‘bye bye’ x.xlll
Basically it all ended on Tuesday when Dad and I went back to the shop to get things righted.
Alfred came along as well… remember? He knows more about computers than me and my dad combined times 2!
LOLZ!
Long story short… money out, computer in… and I now use a faster computer… hahaha… :D
-bounces off the walls-

The volunteering with WWS was very enlightening.
Met kids from rich Hong Kong families who were here on exchange programmes.
Also worked with Navy personal from the Kitty Hawk and Enterprise.
WOW.
The descriptions of the Kitty Hawk and Enterprise really left me speechless… so BIG xia… and the people were all praises for out Island City. From the shopping to the food and the people… makes you feel good when foreigners say nice things about your country no? :)
I hope that we get to have more chances to work with international bodies soon… heh… broaden my perspective without leaving the country… hahaha…
Important question: Got cute guys?
Answer: OH YEAH~~~~~
-loud migumi laughter-
Enterprise reminds you of Star Trek ya? Heehee…

A testament to how much I value my friendship with Aziz:
Sat through 3 odd hours of a Bollywood film with Aziz as part of celebrating his birthday… albeit a belated one.
Name of Film: Kabhi Alvida Naa Kehna (Never say Goodbye)
It wasn’t all that bad…. I expected myself to fall asleep in the middle of the movie. Aziz even told me that there would be an interlude (but there wasn’t).
All the colours, music, singing, clothes and scenery… wow… and the actors were damn good looking I tell you!
-more migumi laughter-
My mindset hath been changed! :)
Considering that most of the dialogue is in good English and there are few vulgarities… movies like these get my stamp of approval… heh…
I am looking forward to watching another Bollywood film… hahah… D2 anyone?
Parv! You keen? :D
Got Roshan leh!
-more hysterical laughter-

Karen’s birthday was held on the day I brought the CPU to the shop (first try).
I was late for the party but I did not miss the cake cutting.
The gathering of old friends… ah… wonderful to see them healthy and happy.
What’s more!
They are almost all attached!
Imagine that!
Hahahah…

Aight!
Time to run… gotta get ready to go out…
Where?
I’ll type about it in my next entry.
Sumpa! :)

Cheers guys!
^-^