Desert Song

Ms R.

I'm taking a break from dealing with the 3 letter word since the hotmail account is a bit cranky right now.

Just stared at the things piled up on my table- look at your table! is my mum and dad's favourite phrase now- and the letter and photos stuck on my windowsill. Ms Rivera's letter is still the most motivational one after all these years. From my A Levels to my University years, I never stopped reading the first two lines over and over again.

"Things don't go wrong and break your heart so you can be bitter and give up. They happen to break you down and build you up so you can be all the things you intended to be."

These days, every single day is a day of demands. There is an agenda to be fufilled, tasks to finish and just administrative things to do. And I do admit, I'm not being very hardworking at it either. Sometimes I have to remind myself to focus on the task, or I'll just lose it.

FYP is a year-long thing. I cannot afford to lose it.

Not if I want it to be the way I intend it to be.

Kicking off the week.

Me: You know, I feel that we're the same age, like you're my age.

Shi Hui: No no, I'm not your age! You should say you feel like you're my age, not the other way around!

Stupid 20 year old. Show-off.

But nevertheless, I had a good Sunday to start the week. Church was good. Saying good morning to Felicia was good. Studying for bloody astronomy with Joyce was good. Training was also good. And ice cream with the person in the picture was also good-- even though her mum may have thought she was kidnapped by bad people.

Even though I'm going to trudge through the rest of this new week- what, with FYP auditions and other grants to work on, which means a whole lotta work again- I'm just happy I started off right.

I can't wait for Friday to come.

In astronomy class, I see a different set of stars.

The Simpsons are Twenty!

Homer Simpson and family have gone through 20 seasons, and today, they celebrate with a naked Marge on the cover of Playboy.

I love The Simpsons. And it reminds me that the 2 box sets of season 19 and 20 are still in Soon Hui's house, along with goodness-knows-what-other-items-I-shipped-from-Shanghai.

But there is no time to get them.

4am. That's my sleeping time these days. 4am in the morning.

The workload keep tumbling down, raining down. An avalanche. A snowstorm. A "insert any natural disaster" of epic proportions.

Then there's the sidelines. 2 of 'em. Freelance writing and whistle-blowing. I think I can make a juggler look ashamed of himself. For Europe, for my big fat movie of the year, and to sustain life, the sidelines are here to stay.

But I could be exaggerating.

However, in the midst of such chaos, it becomes a joy to squeeze precious time out for simple things. Some night safari madness, an impromptu movie last night, spending a bit of time before I sleep to talk to Him. (Sometimes I doze off and forget to say "Amen". Yikes.)

When crunch time comes, it's always unavoidable. But I believe in my strength. And not forgetting, there's always season 1 to 18 of The Simpsons.

Psalm 6:12

From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.

The China Diaries Part 11- 最后回顾

已经3个月了。
仿佛过去的6个月没有发生过。
仿佛13天的旅程都是幻想。

可是，一想到在上海认识的朋友，Wing, Yan Jing, 老板们，就知道这些都是现实。
想到12个小时的记程车 （其中4小时是痛苦的），走婚的小张，和只穿T-shirt爬雪山的辉强，就知道这些曾经都发生过。

一滴滴细节都模糊了。
这并不稀奇，因为时间总是把回忆搞乱。
有发生过的好像是丰富的想像力而已。
长宁路1188弄已经不是我的地址了。
龙之梦已经不是我每天看到的商场了。
家里的沙发不是我睡着的地方了。
复旦不是我的学校了。
在往外潭对面看到的东方明珠已变成明信片的照片。
上海，我的钥匙还给屋主了。

北京欢迎你
最新的杭州的交通旅游图
南京、南京
上有天堂、下有苏杭
青岛啤酒
烟花三月下扬州
黄山归来不见山
每次离开上海火车站的心情都是一样的。
脸上一片笑容，贴着车窗，看世界在眼前走过。
在青年宿舍，拥有一张床就够了。
够我们环游，够我们买下一片天空。
新加坡的阴影在那些地方不见了。
中国的魅力散发了、迷死人了。

可是中国不是家。
上海不是家。
长宁路不是家。

“悄悄的我走了，
正如我悄悄的来；
我挥一挥衣袖，
不带走一片云彩。”

Riding East

Anything with three legs is a very stable object. Therefore, Fat Tripod Films explains the power of three different forces coming together to form one kickass FYP group. We’re three final year students from Wee Kim Wee School of Communications and Information, Nanyang Technological University, in the midst of making a short film for our final year project.

It's slowly taking shape and even though there are still a lot to prepare, a lot to be done, I have a good vibe about this. Our working title is "Riding East", and it's an adventure story.

Anyone interested in casting or crewing OR sponsorship (very important) can go to fattripodfilms.wordpress.com for more information.

If you have any friend who is interested in acting in productions, this too is a chance for them. If you are interested in looking at what goes behind the scenes, you can also leave your name as a crew. It is a paid job. PAID JOB guys! So come forth, if you're a talent, or want to be, and be part of this amazing production!

When the Going Gets Old, the Old Gets Cranky Knees

This is my wallpaper of the moment. I didn't want to change my current wallpaper, so I stuck the picture of my team on my desktop how a teenage will stick her favourite artists on the wall. I now have a vivid flashback of a super huge poster of Westlife which I woke up to every morning in Secondary School. Kian Egan is smiling at me, but his Bop Bop Baby days are over for now.

I wonder if it's because my FYP Professor is called Knee, that my knees are now beginning to get worked up and cranky. I know, this link is pure rubbish. But for comic effect, anything goes.

My knee feels like it will pop out anytime soon. Which I hope it doesn't (and never does).

But just in case, if anyone happen to see a runaway knee anytime soon, it could be mine.

Or it could my Professor. Double check before you contact me about it.

The Amazing Angel and Mortal Game

I woke up with bruises and blue blacks on myself today.

Nope, it wasn't because I slept violently, but it was "collected" from yesterday's carnival. It was held at Kampong Ubi Community Centre, and I was in my piercing (no, not roadsweeper) orange jersey. After all my games, which involved rolling, diving, and almost poking my hands into someone's nose- oh disgusting, I went to sit with Julie at some lamppost to watch the semi finals, and we talked a bit about the sUNIg games while watching my champion teammates zip across the basketball courts, and one in particular, in her own words, "running like a cheetah". Julie said that she thought Anti You was so "zhuai" because we were making so much noise on the bench during the finals. I compare that to today's carnival, where my teammates' faces were almost all black and frustrated, and it feels so different, so different.

Coming home, I went to re-read every single letter given to me during the sUNIg season. The champion team played the Angel-Mortal game again, and my mortal was someone close to me. My angel, on the other hand, called herself "Plaster", which made me believe, at first, was someone who has been around last year and who'd witnessed all my pathetic facial lacerations.

But no, it wasn't. I first began to suspect Shi Hui after my stuff to my angel never gets collected and my angel wrote about Shi Hui being a lousy defender. Cos nobody in this team will put their teammates down unless they're that mean or they're talking about themselves. So on a friday night, I bombarded the poor girl with so many questions on the way home from Boon Lay until she wanted to listen to her mp3 player. I even told her it's okay and she tried her best. I think she really broke down because she finally said, "Ya la. I'm your angel." But she was quick to say "Maybe" 3 seconds after that sentence.

In the meantime, I was trying to draw my mortal's attention away. And I succeeded, because she suspected Yan Yan as her angel. I also adopted Qinling, who was so sure that I was Ah Fang.

Then one day, Cynthia came and told me, point blank, that Shi Hui wasn't my angel. My angel was someone who asked Shi Hui to help her write during their "lim teh" sessions, hence the bad English. I wouldn't be convinced if not for Cynthia's innocent "xu sexy" bambi doe eyed face. And Ah Fang too, told me that my angel was someone else.

Two people popped up and adopted me. One was "adopted angel" and the other was "power angel".

For one week, I was confused. I decided to stop focusing on guessing for it killed my brain cells. I saw the items that Kalai gave on Shi Hui's bed and assumed Kalai was Shi Hui's mortal. However, after two sessions of intense Murderer, I realised that Cynthia was a fan of mind games. She also kept saying "you'll get a pleasant surprise when the time comes". And if her words were true, only Wan Mei and Kalai was my angel. But, Wan Mei never ever "lim teh". Then I thought about Kalai's angel. And remembered Xiao Hei was the bona fide angel of Kalai. One weeknight, I dreamt of Wan Mei as my angel. But it's impossible that it's Wan Mei. After thursday, I had a nagging suspicion that I've been right all along. Then, the night before Saturday, I dreamt of Shi Hui giving me a letter and telling me to read it.

Confused? It's the same feeling I had for the past few weeks.

And finally, by the power of deduction and powerful dreams, I was right. I feel so smart and it reaffirms Sigmund Freud's theories. But for your efforts, Lim Shi Hui, I give you and Cynthia credit. Made me confused for a while. Deanna Tan doesn't really like to think so much, but she had to for this game.

So, here's the 正常 photo you wanted. Of my very cute face and your 正常 face. Haha. I love this game. It makes everyone in the team somehow connected to another person, thereby producing the very loud "zhuai" cheering effect at the end of it, cos we're all just cheering really loudly for our angels and mortals out there.



Amanda described this angel as the "understated player" in yesterday's games because she never ever shoots unless she cannot find people to pass to and she defended like mad. For me, I describe this person as my new found friend whom I love to bully (outside the court la). She's power angel too.

So er... go go power angel.



This is my mortal! While trying to put on a scary face, and I thought it's a really good scary face. She's been with me through thick and thin, and yesterday, I talked to Cheryl Yap, an graduate of NIE, she also told me how she didn't really like the team when she was playing in 2007, and that she was glad it's much better now. So Zhi Hui! Arn't you glad we stayed? Sunig is her last season though. Next season, I'll be the only Year 4. Boo.



My adopted angel. She's none other than the most hardworking captain Ah Fang! Xu Sexy and her had a very big responsibility since last year to put the team back together, and they did it with so much success! Therefore, I hold her in high respect and esteem.

As long as she doesn't call me by what Yaqi calls me.



Qinling! My adopted mortal and my SRJC junior. People have said we have similar traits. Don't you know, all the people who come from SR are this fun-loving and funny? Haha. She's a roar to be with, and she has the most classic imagination ever. Because her angel, Ah Fang, always gave her items which she give, but it comes back bigger or more in quantity, she wanted to give a $10 note so that she'll get back $100.



Last but not least, Yan Yan! Who was sort of an angel, in a more biblical sense. She walked me through the road as much as Felicia and Joyce did, pushing me to go to church and giving me so much goodies.

I really love this team.

Sometimes, people forget the friendship they forge while they build a team. Sometimes, people stop being passionate about the things they once loved. It may be inevitable, but it's sad.

For me, I hope I'll never stop being passionate about the things I love, bruises and all.

The Best Part of Winning is the Team

The Champions did it again.

We retained the right to be called Champions, until IVP season arrives, that is. And the spirit, the shouting, the spontaneity, the jokes, the laughs. They're still here. This is the one thing that no other team can beat so far, and it makes me very proud to be in the NTU basketball team.

This season's highlight is the Angel Mortal game. It was a twisty one for me in guessing who my angel is. But it turned out to be loads of fun, and yes, it was a pleasant surprise at the end of it all. As for my mortal, it's just great that she was the person who stuck with me through since our very first training in this ulu-fied school.

Now, I'm just tired and sleepy after a whole day with my beloved Champion teammates. There's so much I'd like to say, but my brain isn't functioning much. Therefore, I shall leave the intimate details to another day (preferably one where I get enough rest) and just show some pictures of my lovely teammates.




My Angel. Whose identity I found out so fast, but she combined forces with Xu Sexy to dupe me into thinking she wasn't Lim Shi Hui.



But she is Lim Shi Hui. Plaster and Power Angel, all her.



Ben Ben club members.



Winners!



Yan Yan, who always seem to get "Yan Yan" biscuits all the time.



Wan Mei 的结局！

Me: 我的鸟是什么鸟？
Felily and Joyce: STUNNED. *ENORMOUS LAUGHTER* NON STOP.
Felily: 你的鸟？？？！！
Me: Noo, 我的鸟是什么鸟？





Joyce: 鹅！

Fat Tripod Films

The killer module of the year. But we're hanging on.

Faith is the substance of the things hoped for, the evidence of all things unseen.

Taking that leap, going into a wonderful, wonderful new world.

“中华人民共和国万岁，世界人民大团结万岁”

That's the words you see if you walk past Tiananmen Square, the same building with the large portrait of Chairman Mao. China just celebrated its 60th anniversary, and I looked at the pictures of the celebrations in envy and admiration.

China has come a long way since the end of dynasties. After licking their World War II wounds, communism came and swept the whole nation, which closed its doors. It wasn't until Deng took reign where China re-open its doors and welcomed the world. Still, it has its own scandals like the Tiananmen Massacre, and the most recent one being the tainted milk saga. Despite all these, China has managed to progress rapidly in the last 30 years, until the likes of Shanghai have become the epitome of a modern city.

It is a complex puzzle of a country, filled with bountiful natural resources and awe-inspiring scenery. While people here, in Singapore, have the notion that China is a backward, lousy country, I'm grateful I had the chance to wipe out that preconceived stereotype. Happy 60th, China.

虽然不是中国人，但是中国始终是每一个华人的原点。

And I love Felily, Joyce, Cathy (but I cannot love her boyfriend cos that's just wrong.) for coming to support me! They ended up ogling at someone else instead, but nevermind. Also Colleen and Ros who I know really wanted to come, but can't. I love 'em too!

Come watch the game next Saturday, guys. It's gonna be fricking exciting! 2.30pm ANUS. You can ogle all you want!

7th Heaven.

My whole week's schedule read like a freshie's schedule during the orientation camp period. Somehow, someone out there decided to reverse time, so now instead of a Year 4, I feel like an overly eggcited/enthusiastic/eager Year 1. Thanks to the Anti-You basketball team.

Yes, I'm talking about them- again. These bunch of equally overly eggcited/enthusiastic/eager beavers, ready for supper and burping games anytime.

Someone please remind me I have an FYP to do and a square hat to toss at the end of all these, please.

We are now mid-season into the Sunig games, with one more game to play agains ANUS. (Har.) In this recess week, we've been seeing each other everyday-- and recess week hasn't even ended yet. Someone had a brilliant idea to have a stayover (not sleepover, and for a damn good reason), and so after Tuesday's game, almost the whole team was up till 7am the next day, playing charades (Wanmei points frantically to Pris, shaking her head violently in a bid to act out movie title "I not stupid".) and a so-damn-fun Murderer (stupid Qinling the prostitute who exposed me) in which they all realised I wasn't very capable of lying (Zhi Hui innocently said "I think Ah Mole is the murderer" and everyone saw my face change). Damn.

After some McDonalds breakfast, the quinessential meal after a long night, we all went back to the halls. I slept in Ah Fang and Shi Hui's room, along with Qinling, Cynthia and a previously braless Pris who was so excited about Murderer she tried to make us all stay up. Some of her antics included rolling us down to the floor and playing Linkin Park's "Numb" at full blast.

Of course, she didn't succeed, and pretty soon we were all knocked out. Imagine 4 centres on 2 single-person beds. I just thank goodness that Anti You's centres are mostly tall, not bulky. Shi Hui claimed that she was stuck to the wall at one point in time. Perhaps I was trying to box her out in the midst of my sleep.

I woke up with a strange sensation on my face, and thought I'd drooled all over myself. But it turned out to be TOOTHPASTE. Stupid Cynthia and Pris pretended to be innocent and fast asleep, but I woke up everyone with my screaming. Hyak hyak. Chaos reigned and toothpaste flew fast and furious after that, and we were more than awake after the episode.

I went back for some refereeing, but decided to stay one more night, since my FYP (Yar, FINAL YEAR PROJECT) meeting was going to be held at Jurong Point the next morning. And thank goodness I did, because some of us went to chill out at night, and I was in pretty much the same state the day I came home in Shanghai from my farewell dinner. A lil' more eggcited, and a lil' happier. :)

That night, I remembered knocking out in their room after showering. My hair wasn't even dry yet. Somewhere along the way, I rolled on the floor and laid there till the next morning. Ahhh, a good sleep. But of course, I believe the two poor girls had to suffer my "concert of rythmic but musically impossible notes." Thanks girls, for 收留ing me for 2 nights.

Which brings me- finally- to today. Now, I'm droopy-eyed and about to go for a short nap before an online meeting later at 10pm. My energy level is highly saturated and a spot in my neck hurts from not sleeping properly last night.

But I'm just really a lil' more eggcited, a lil' happier. People come and people go, but let's just enjoy it while it last.

Every single bit.