"Creativity is knowing how to hide your sources"
Albert Einstein.

Especially true. That's random, and I still don't have time to start working on my new blogskin. Too much OP to do.

Training this week's been almost crazy (volleyball, wushu, volleyball, wushu, volleyball). Volleyball's training 5 or 6 days a week I think Chi Shun's crazy. Kidding, but not bad lah we 6 [once in a blue moon 7 when IP kid Marcus joins us] people still have quite a lot of fun. No lessons but everyday it's PW at 11am then training till 8pm. PW's not always at 11am cause I'm late most of the time - half an hour, 2 hours... yeah you get it. I'm never punctual. Plus I don't really look forward to it so that's even less incentive to arrive early. Yeah, on my left knee alone I've collected 1 bruise from wushu, and 2 pricks of dots plus 2 patches of scratches [RHYMES!] from volleyball.

Oh volleyball ran 7km continuously along ECP today, the first time I did a non-stop 7km, it nearly killed me. Furthermore we ran after a whole day of ball training. I bought $4 worth of drinks after that to reward myself. Continue like that and next year NAPFA I sure own. I'm so healthy now I could fight a lion. Not cats, please. I've got muscle aches at my neck, shoulder, ass, thighs and calves right now. I kinda like the feeling - reaching home at around 10pm, having dinner, a bit of work and then lying down on bed filled with muscle aches and extremely tired. No insomnia, I fall asleep within 30seconds. A very good sleep at that.


OH YES Phoenix's having a Halloween together! ZOMG first time I'm going to dress up for Halloween! I'm really really excited teehee! Cannot imagine the number of photos we'll be taking. I'll be bringing my DSLR, so that will be a spam. Lots of details not ironed out though, we still can't confirm who's going, going whose house to dress up, going where for the actual night. But still!

Oh yup and one last update: Facebook's changed its new layout, no highlights, no nothing. Just livefeed VS newsfeed. Apparently livefeed's every single thing that's happened to every single contact on my list, while newsfeed's those receiving a lot of attention. Nothing in between. Which sucks. So I'm going to reduce Facebook usage, look through newsfeed and that's the end of my Facebook session. It's almost impossible, but the 7km run's told me I could push myself hard enough to withstand it. YES I CAN. Notice I'm using a lot of fancy words/colours? I don't have any photos to post up my blog's getting boring.

I've got goodies again!

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio. "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more: "

" 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and showup.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift. "

Remember that friends are the family that we choose for.

So you know I was playing Icy Tower on Facebook and listening to Jump and Fall by Taylor Swift (yeah, check it out, her newest song). Irony much, but she promises she'll catch me when I fall!

I think I've ran out of things to do on the Internet. It's getting really boring. I think it's the reason why I've been watching loads of DVDs this week and anticipating every new episode of Glee. Life's boring and I've no mood to study either.

30 most satisfying simple pleasures life has to offer - from stardustandsequins, as seen from Tzuhsiang. A bit long, lazy to re-post this but 1, 5, 9, 14, 15, 19, 21 and 23 feels especially true.

"30. Finishing What You Started" was once really enjoyable, but ever since I've got myself involved in PW and stopped skinning, I start to dread the feeling. Nothing's ever really finished. Nothing submitted is what I've really wanted.

I've some time right now, I might try out a new skin for this blog cause I've grown out of cartoons. I think. Or maybe it's just that I'm easily tired of things which are routined - uninteresting old things. Yeah, can't seem to start working right now anyway, I've been at Integration tutorial 8.2 for the past week or so.

Today sucked. A little. So I came home after hanging around with Kelly Daniel and Suwen outside Thaipan (trust me, we literally hung around) for some time, and then I only realised I didn't have house keys with me until I was standing in front of my doorstep. The feeling sucked. I wanted to da bian badly and I rushed off to Serangoon MRT toilet and it was locked. I only had a spectacle case in hand plus a wallet. No bag, no iPod - I felt naked. Had to take MRT a stop away to Kovan just to da bian properly. Swear I needed that. Bought snacks and milk tea (since I was there already) and I came back to Serangoon, picked a nice spot below my flat, and actually had a nice time there.

I like Serangoon, it's green and peaceful. And everyone seems to be really health conscious. A sweep across the road and you'll easily spot around 5 joggers. This is a nice place. Had to wait an hour for my parents to come home (with keys) and I actually was a little reluctant to go up. It's peaceful, serene, and it was complete with spectacles (clear vision) and a cup of milk tea. Left for my baby cousin's first year, and that was about all. Had a good 2plus hour chat with my brother about life and stuff. We always talk about deep things, I've no idea why.

My blog posts are too shallow. They are all buzzing whines or finding faults with others who have no relation to my life. Right?


Here to share some deep(er) things as I saw from Wenxin's blog who re-posted it from iamblessed.


A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans… She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ’ Tell me what you see’.

‘Carrots, eggs, and coffee,’ she replied…

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft.. the mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, ‘What does it mean, mother?’

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.The ground coffee beans were unique, how ever. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

‘Which are you?’ she asked her daughter. ‘When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Didn't totally expect what you were going to see from the title huh? Me too. It seems like there are lots of tumblr community or users who posts extremely thought-provoking/insightful/deep stuff. Maybe I should wade off to Tumblr too.

Hello world, WR's finally over so I could take a breather. Had the "OMG PROMOS ENDED" delayed feeling for about an hour during physics lecture. It ended when I stepped into econs lecture and I fell asleep.

JC1's really over? This is called a blink of an eye. You get so busy you hardly have time to stop and think about things. My fastest year yet. Plus I'm getting slightly annoyed at the conversation topic of JC2 seniors. "Eh, I'm enlisting 5th Feb leh!" I've heard that conversation at least 10 times separately. Canteen, morning assembly, corridors, even when I'm (trying to) da bian in the toilet.

Just came home from training and I haven't bathed yet. Disgusting. But I've showered after training though. I've been watching clicknetwork.tv videos ever since. I started with Shan and Rozz's Ris Low interview my senior link shared on Facebook, then I got carried away. SHINGZ SHINGZ! Xiaxue's section is annoyingly stupid. Most viewed on clicknetwork was her review on iPhone, when her arguments didn't even make sense cause she didn't even know how to use it. Funniest was when the producers conned her that a China fake iPhone was the real iPhone, and all the music videos and songs she explored were epic China tunes. And then I watched the clip where she french-ed Kay Kay, pretty good looking girl, and you know the reason for the kiss? She said that lesbian clips were getting a lot of attention on Youtube so she wanted to try it out and see how many hits she got from it. I bet she secretly just wanted attention from kissing a hot girl.

Wait, why am I so grumpy when I've already finished half of PW?

Saw this from Alicia's blog, pretty cool.

YAY this is completely made by me. I'm stopped using resources from others, I guess. No brushes, no images, no nothing, I even drew the human figures myself. I'm pretty proud of this - it's the first few of my (art)works which are 100% mine, and while I was drawing the explosion plume I thought I was going to be wasting my time. Turns out it came out quite well.

I'm extremely fatigued. I'm having training 6 days a week, and the rest of my free time goes to PW. Sucks, I don't have a life at all. Don't know how I'm going to push on like this, so there's gotta be some things I need to get sorted out. The entire week I've only managed to catch at most 3 hours of sleep a day, my body cannot even differentiate between dream and reality anymore. My parents say I start to sleep talk a lot. I'm extremely tired. I need PW to be over. Even after that I'm still pretty unsure if I have time. Life will suck all the way until after sports season next year.

Before leaving for training at 4pm, I shall try to do as much of the WR as possible.

I confronted my PW group mate today through email. I'm extremely glad I did it. So there was a lot a lot of misunderstandings. I'm extremely apologetic. She explained herself to me and I found out I was assuming too many things. She had a good explanation for everything, and this time I believe her. I'm so guilty. I'm such a jackass, I shouldn't have dissed her like that. Guilty face.

Oh yeah didn't exactly do very well for my promos. I expected 2 r-papers: chem and econs, but right now physics's added on to the list. 3 r-papers, Kelly saw Jerald with me today and he actually up-ed my hopes of OGL, he said OGL was max. 2 r-papers. And then I was so confident (and happy) I jumped on the spot - several times at that. Turns out I just worked my muscles for nothing. 3 r-papers, whatever, I'm just going to have to crash orientation.

I'm feeling good - like optimistic about life suddenly. Perhaps half of it is that the hate's finally dissipated from my PW group, maybe a part from listening to Jack Johnson. I love his music. Totally my genre. Kay I'll make myself a cup of coffee and toil the night with WR by my side.

Life after promos day 2. I've a huge mess in my mind right now, lots of things to prioritize and a lot of things colliding against each other. This is at least 2 times more stressful than studying for promos. Swear. A lot of questions, things to do. I shall not inflict your cheerful mind right now with all my thoughts. I'm whining a lot.

On the other hand, I'm getting really hooked on Glee. I've just completed the next 2 episodes. And there's no more for the time being :( [Okay, give me a break from work man!]

Random thought: I was on Facebook and I saw how this DHS-VJC (graduated) senior turned extremely... slutty?! and I'm still pretty shocked at how quickly people change.


Anyway I've come to realise the reason why I haven't been coming up with a post-promos-plan (PPP) and I'm not looking forward to the end of promos. I realise that you only start to think of PPPs after you've mugged enough and you think you deserve a huge reward. And I've been feeling that all my secondary school life cause for the EOYs at the most I would not have completed trying out exercises for a couple of chapters [differentiation/integration for math EOY] but I never have not read my notes for a couple of chapters, or completed trying practices for less than half the syllabus' chapters. I'm guessing it's going to be like any other day - seriously, for the very first time - the end of promos will be no additional elation to my current life. It's what's going to be after promos, I'm going to enjoy the real break when November ends. No, not my birthday, but the end of PW. For hecking good. I was talking to my brother just now about how much Hwachong pumps PW, personal vocal lessons on voice projections, rehearsing OP goddamnedmanytimes such that they memorized their entire scripts. Looking at his final WR. Seriously, PW is extremely discouraging, and looking at progress right now I'll probably take never to get to his group's level. [Thought interjection: I realised I've been pretty despicable backstabbing my PW mates, and I apologise for it :(]

Yeah, and whatever I'm living right now is still what I'm going to be doing after the promos. Promos' no kick. And yes, that means I'm still going to keep like a constant 1/2 hours studying everyday. For those days that I don't have anything to do or anywhere to go, of course. I need to start on those mid-year/final-year/TYS cause I've a stack of them and I NEVER get time to even carass the front cover of my TYS.


Oh yeah and something else: my Linksys router died today morning. Meaning it's either my brother gets the Internet or I get it. And fyi both of us use the computer like at least 3 hours a day. I think he's currently clocking about 8 cause his prelims just ended. Not great news. Come on, like 2 days and I'll start having an official reason to watch dramas in front of my parents and I won't be able to use the Internet.

Anyway you know I watched 3 episodes of this US drama Glee with my brother just now (SHIT I came back home from Funan and my brother HAD to distract me again). And it was really nice! Like a comedy/drama about high school underdogs. Everybody loves to watch underdogs morph into the coolest people in high school right?!
Some really memorable (and funny) quotes:

Sue: I'm going to ask you to smell your armpits. That's the smell of failure, and it's stinking up my office.

Puck: When do we start rehersals?
Tanaka: Now you listen to me you little psychopath. My love life is hanging by a thread, and that thread is Acafellas. It drives my girlfriend nuts in the pants. So if you screw this up for me I swear I will shove my fist so far down your throat you will taste my armpit hairs! Do I make myself clear?

Really, I do not have any idea why this show has so many references to armpits.


But anyway anyway photos from Sakae/Wheelock day! I seriously need an LJ cut. And everything else from the 270++ is on Facebook! :)

We're having so much fun I don't even need wait till the end of promos for anything! <3

2 things on my mind:
1. I split my(VJ)pants somewhere near the vicinity of MJC today around 8.45pm on the way to dinner with grandpa dan, mummy zhang, ian and kelly. They are nice people daniel and kelly went back to grab a pair of pants (and t-shirt) for me while I sat on the floor with ian and wenxin. Okay not much elaboration but you get it, the split was like hmm 15cm wide?

2. I'm quite happy I did not-bad-ly for math today despite all the worry that I was going to screw up. I left the statistics part blank cause I didn't get time to study stats, but otherwise I was really blessed. I want to thank guan yin ma.

Who knew you couldn't finish trying out math practices in three quarters of a day? Who knew you couldn't even finish half the syllabus in three quarters of a day? Oh well, I never had time to try for the other subjects. I told myself I wouldn't screw math up cause I'm already facing the fact that I'm going to have to take at least 2 r-papers in January next year. I don't mind r-papers, really. But if they are hurting my chances of signing up for anything school based in the holidays or the start of next year (hint: OGL) I do start feeling the angst.

Okay I seriously don't know why I'm blogging. I've zilch self-control - and I trust it's not the first time I've said it. But it's like today morning I thought I've still got lots of time and I went Facebook and posted up the 400 photos Phoenix Cheer (these few days it's becoming not-so-Phoenix-Cheer anymore with so little of us) took at Wheelock Place yesterday. I joined them after eating Sakae Sushi with my brother, didn't even have a clue they were there till Kelly called me and asked me to confim if I'm going to Wheelock Sakae. They totally went there for the DSLR. HAHA

Anyway I totally FMLed up myself. I don't want to take 3 r-papers. I screwed up. Big time. I'm going to sleep now and set my alarm at 3am, to wake up and study. I hope it doesn't fail. I need sleep. I can't think without sleep.

"Creativity is knowing how to hide your sources"
Albert Einstein.

Especially true. That's random, and I still don't have time to start working on my new blogskin. Too much OP to do.

Training this week's been almost crazy (volleyball, wushu, volleyball, wushu, volleyball). Volleyball's training 5 or 6 days a week I think Chi Shun's crazy. Kidding, but not bad lah we 6 [once in a blue moon 7 when IP kid Marcus joins us] people still have quite a lot of fun. No lessons but everyday it's PW at 11am then training till 8pm. PW's not always at 11am cause I'm late most of the time - half an hour, 2 hours... yeah you get it. I'm never punctual. Plus I don't really look forward to it so that's even less incentive to arrive early. Yeah, on my left knee alone I've collected 1 bruise from wushu, and 2 pricks of dots plus 2 patches of scratches [RHYMES!] from volleyball.

Oh volleyball ran 7km continuously along ECP today, the first time I did a non-stop 7km, it nearly killed me. Furthermore we ran after a whole day of ball training. I bought $4 worth of drinks after that to reward myself. Continue like that and next year NAPFA I sure own. I'm so healthy now I could fight a lion. Not cats, please. I've got muscle aches at my neck, shoulder, ass, thighs and calves right now. I kinda like the feeling - reaching home at around 10pm, having dinner, a bit of work and then lying down on bed filled with muscle aches and extremely tired. No insomnia, I fall asleep within 30seconds. A very good sleep at that.


OH YES Phoenix's having a Halloween together! ZOMG first time I'm going to dress up for Halloween! I'm really really excited teehee! Cannot imagine the number of photos we'll be taking. I'll be bringing my DSLR, so that will be a spam. Lots of details not ironed out though, we still can't confirm who's going, going whose house to dress up, going where for the actual night. But still!

Oh yup and one last update: Facebook's changed its new layout, no highlights, no nothing. Just livefeed VS newsfeed. Apparently livefeed's every single thing that's happened to every single contact on my list, while newsfeed's those receiving a lot of attention. Nothing in between. Which sucks. So I'm going to reduce Facebook usage, look through newsfeed and that's the end of my Facebook session. It's almost impossible, but the 7km run's told me I could push myself hard enough to withstand it. YES I CAN. Notice I'm using a lot of fancy words/colours? I don't have any photos to post up my blog's getting boring.

I've got goodies again!

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio. "To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.
My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more: "

" 1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first pay check.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.
16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative - dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come.
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and showup.
44. Yield.
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift. "

Remember that friends are the family that we choose for.

So you know I was playing Icy Tower on Facebook and listening to Jump and Fall by Taylor Swift (yeah, check it out, her newest song). Irony much, but she promises she'll catch me when I fall!

I think I've ran out of things to do on the Internet. It's getting really boring. I think it's the reason why I've been watching loads of DVDs this week and anticipating every new episode of Glee. Life's boring and I've no mood to study either.

30 most satisfying simple pleasures life has to offer - from stardustandsequins, as seen from Tzuhsiang. A bit long, lazy to re-post this but 1, 5, 9, 14, 15, 19, 21 and 23 feels especially true.

"30. Finishing What You Started" was once really enjoyable, but ever since I've got myself involved in PW and stopped skinning, I start to dread the feeling. Nothing's ever really finished. Nothing submitted is what I've really wanted.

I've some time right now, I might try out a new skin for this blog cause I've grown out of cartoons. I think. Or maybe it's just that I'm easily tired of things which are routined - uninteresting old things. Yeah, can't seem to start working right now anyway, I've been at Integration tutorial 8.2 for the past week or so.

Today sucked. A little. So I came home after hanging around with Kelly Daniel and Suwen outside Thaipan (trust me, we literally hung around) for some time, and then I only realised I didn't have house keys with me until I was standing in front of my doorstep. The feeling sucked. I wanted to da bian badly and I rushed off to Serangoon MRT toilet and it was locked. I only had a spectacle case in hand plus a wallet. No bag, no iPod - I felt naked. Had to take MRT a stop away to Kovan just to da bian properly. Swear I needed that. Bought snacks and milk tea (since I was there already) and I came back to Serangoon, picked a nice spot below my flat, and actually had a nice time there.

I like Serangoon, it's green and peaceful. And everyone seems to be really health conscious. A sweep across the road and you'll easily spot around 5 joggers. This is a nice place. Had to wait an hour for my parents to come home (with keys) and I actually was a little reluctant to go up. It's peaceful, serene, and it was complete with spectacles (clear vision) and a cup of milk tea. Left for my baby cousin's first year, and that was about all. Had a good 2plus hour chat with my brother about life and stuff. We always talk about deep things, I've no idea why.

My blog posts are too shallow. They are all buzzing whines or finding faults with others who have no relation to my life. Right?


Here to share some deep(er) things as I saw from Wenxin's blog who re-posted it from iamblessed.


A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose.

Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans… She let them sit and boil; without saying a word.

In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, ’ Tell me what you see’.

‘Carrots, eggs, and coffee,’ she replied…

Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft.. the mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg.

Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, ‘What does it mean, mother?’

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak.The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened.The ground coffee beans were unique, how ever. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

‘Which are you?’ she asked her daughter. ‘When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength?

Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart?

Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you.

When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Didn't totally expect what you were going to see from the title huh? Me too. It seems like there are lots of tumblr community or users who posts extremely thought-provoking/insightful/deep stuff. Maybe I should wade off to Tumblr too.

Hello world, WR's finally over so I could take a breather. Had the "OMG PROMOS ENDED" delayed feeling for about an hour during physics lecture. It ended when I stepped into econs lecture and I fell asleep.

JC1's really over? This is called a blink of an eye. You get so busy you hardly have time to stop and think about things. My fastest year yet. Plus I'm getting slightly annoyed at the conversation topic of JC2 seniors. "Eh, I'm enlisting 5th Feb leh!" I've heard that conversation at least 10 times separately. Canteen, morning assembly, corridors, even when I'm (trying to) da bian in the toilet.

Just came home from training and I haven't bathed yet. Disgusting. But I've showered after training though. I've been watching clicknetwork.tv videos ever since. I started with Shan and Rozz's Ris Low interview my senior link shared on Facebook, then I got carried away. SHINGZ SHINGZ! Xiaxue's section is annoyingly stupid. Most viewed on clicknetwork was her review on iPhone, when her arguments didn't even make sense cause she didn't even know how to use it. Funniest was when the producers conned her that a China fake iPhone was the real iPhone, and all the music videos and songs she explored were epic China tunes. And then I watched the clip where she french-ed Kay Kay, pretty good looking girl, and you know the reason for the kiss? She said that lesbian clips were getting a lot of attention on Youtube so she wanted to try it out and see how many hits she got from it. I bet she secretly just wanted attention from kissing a hot girl.

Wait, why am I so grumpy when I've already finished half of PW?

Saw this from Alicia's blog, pretty cool.

YAY this is completely made by me. I'm stopped using resources from others, I guess. No brushes, no images, no nothing, I even drew the human figures myself. I'm pretty proud of this - it's the first few of my (art)works which are 100% mine, and while I was drawing the explosion plume I thought I was going to be wasting my time. Turns out it came out quite well.

I'm extremely fatigued. I'm having training 6 days a week, and the rest of my free time goes to PW. Sucks, I don't have a life at all. Don't know how I'm going to push on like this, so there's gotta be some things I need to get sorted out. The entire week I've only managed to catch at most 3 hours of sleep a day, my body cannot even differentiate between dream and reality anymore. My parents say I start to sleep talk a lot. I'm extremely tired. I need PW to be over. Even after that I'm still pretty unsure if I have time. Life will suck all the way until after sports season next year.

Before leaving for training at 4pm, I shall try to do as much of the WR as possible.

I confronted my PW group mate today through email. I'm extremely glad I did it. So there was a lot a lot of misunderstandings. I'm extremely apologetic. She explained herself to me and I found out I was assuming too many things. She had a good explanation for everything, and this time I believe her. I'm so guilty. I'm such a jackass, I shouldn't have dissed her like that. Guilty face.

Oh yeah didn't exactly do very well for my promos. I expected 2 r-papers: chem and econs, but right now physics's added on to the list. 3 r-papers, Kelly saw Jerald with me today and he actually up-ed my hopes of OGL, he said OGL was max. 2 r-papers. And then I was so confident (and happy) I jumped on the spot - several times at that. Turns out I just worked my muscles for nothing. 3 r-papers, whatever, I'm just going to have to crash orientation.

I'm feeling good - like optimistic about life suddenly. Perhaps half of it is that the hate's finally dissipated from my PW group, maybe a part from listening to Jack Johnson. I love his music. Totally my genre. Kay I'll make myself a cup of coffee and toil the night with WR by my side.

Life after promos day 2. I've a huge mess in my mind right now, lots of things to prioritize and a lot of things colliding against each other. This is at least 2 times more stressful than studying for promos. Swear. A lot of questions, things to do. I shall not inflict your cheerful mind right now with all my thoughts. I'm whining a lot.

On the other hand, I'm getting really hooked on Glee. I've just completed the next 2 episodes. And there's no more for the time being :( [Okay, give me a break from work man!]

Random thought: I was on Facebook and I saw how this DHS-VJC (graduated) senior turned extremely... slutty?! and I'm still pretty shocked at how quickly people change.


Anyway I've come to realise the reason why I haven't been coming up with a post-promos-plan (PPP) and I'm not looking forward to the end of promos. I realise that you only start to think of PPPs after you've mugged enough and you think you deserve a huge reward. And I've been feeling that all my secondary school life cause for the EOYs at the most I would not have completed trying out exercises for a couple of chapters [differentiation/integration for math EOY] but I never have not read my notes for a couple of chapters, or completed trying practices for less than half the syllabus' chapters. I'm guessing it's going to be like any other day - seriously, for the very first time - the end of promos will be no additional elation to my current life. It's what's going to be after promos, I'm going to enjoy the real break when November ends. No, not my birthday, but the end of PW. For hecking good. I was talking to my brother just now about how much Hwachong pumps PW, personal vocal lessons on voice projections, rehearsing OP goddamnedmanytimes such that they memorized their entire scripts. Looking at his final WR. Seriously, PW is extremely discouraging, and looking at progress right now I'll probably take never to get to his group's level. [Thought interjection: I realised I've been pretty despicable backstabbing my PW mates, and I apologise for it :(]

Yeah, and whatever I'm living right now is still what I'm going to be doing after the promos. Promos' no kick. And yes, that means I'm still going to keep like a constant 1/2 hours studying everyday. For those days that I don't have anything to do or anywhere to go, of course. I need to start on those mid-year/final-year/TYS cause I've a stack of them and I NEVER get time to even carass the front cover of my TYS.


Oh yeah and something else: my Linksys router died today morning. Meaning it's either my brother gets the Internet or I get it. And fyi both of us use the computer like at least 3 hours a day. I think he's currently clocking about 8 cause his prelims just ended. Not great news. Come on, like 2 days and I'll start having an official reason to watch dramas in front of my parents and I won't be able to use the Internet.

Anyway you know I watched 3 episodes of this US drama Glee with my brother just now (SHIT I came back home from Funan and my brother HAD to distract me again). And it was really nice! Like a comedy/drama about high school underdogs. Everybody loves to watch underdogs morph into the coolest people in high school right?!
Some really memorable (and funny) quotes:

Sue: I'm going to ask you to smell your armpits. That's the smell of failure, and it's stinking up my office.

Puck: When do we start rehersals?
Tanaka: Now you listen to me you little psychopath. My love life is hanging by a thread, and that thread is Acafellas. It drives my girlfriend nuts in the pants. So if you screw this up for me I swear I will shove my fist so far down your throat you will taste my armpit hairs! Do I make myself clear?

Really, I do not have any idea why this show has so many references to armpits.


But anyway anyway photos from Sakae/Wheelock day! I seriously need an LJ cut. And everything else from the 270++ is on Facebook! :)

We're having so much fun I don't even need wait till the end of promos for anything! <3

2 things on my mind:
1. I split my(VJ)pants somewhere near the vicinity of MJC today around 8.45pm on the way to dinner with grandpa dan, mummy zhang, ian and kelly. They are nice people daniel and kelly went back to grab a pair of pants (and t-shirt) for me while I sat on the floor with ian and wenxin. Okay not much elaboration but you get it, the split was like hmm 15cm wide?

2. I'm quite happy I did not-bad-ly for math today despite all the worry that I was going to screw up. I left the statistics part blank cause I didn't get time to study stats, but otherwise I was really blessed. I want to thank guan yin ma.

Who knew you couldn't finish trying out math practices in three quarters of a day? Who knew you couldn't even finish half the syllabus in three quarters of a day? Oh well, I never had time to try for the other subjects. I told myself I wouldn't screw math up cause I'm already facing the fact that I'm going to have to take at least 2 r-papers in January next year. I don't mind r-papers, really. But if they are hurting my chances of signing up for anything school based in the holidays or the start of next year (hint: OGL) I do start feeling the angst.

Okay I seriously don't know why I'm blogging. I've zilch self-control - and I trust it's not the first time I've said it. But it's like today morning I thought I've still got lots of time and I went Facebook and posted up the 400 photos Phoenix Cheer (these few days it's becoming not-so-Phoenix-Cheer anymore with so little of us) took at Wheelock Place yesterday. I joined them after eating Sakae Sushi with my brother, didn't even have a clue they were there till Kelly called me and asked me to confim if I'm going to Wheelock Sakae. They totally went there for the DSLR. HAHA

Anyway I totally FMLed up myself. I don't want to take 3 r-papers. I screwed up. Big time. I'm going to sleep now and set my alarm at 3am, to wake up and study. I hope it doesn't fail. I need sleep. I can't think without sleep.

emails: chew.bolong.2009@vjc.sg (main) / bolong02@hotmail.com (dominated by junk mail)
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bolong
mobile phone: yeah you wish.