recalcitrance

2008 was the year of many many fond memories and happenings.
5 things/events that i remember most fondly (or hated with much bated breath) are:

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1. WRITERS' STRIKE
For those of you who don't know what the writers' strike is. The writers to all major american sitcoms or dramas went on a strike, protesting for 14 weeks and 2 days. holy shit. that meant that all dramas and sticoms like my favourite shows were all suspended. BECAUSE THERE'S NO ONE TO WRITE THE SCRIPT. wth. definitely something i hated the most in this year. fortunately, reality tv shows went on as they are unscripted. maybe thats the reason I didn't die of boredom. but otherwise, this year's television was really great. almost everything I watched produced good stuff for viewers. i love foreign tv. but well some said little nonya is damn nice also. so perhaps can give mediacorp some kudos for producing something that generated all these hype. haha.

2. MARIS STELLA SYMPHONIC BAND ALUMNI
Well, looks like we made it another year in this organisation. I honestly wonder how much longer we can all stay in the band and make music. when Uni starts, when schedules get tighter, it seems that if we do want to stay in this band, we'll have to either sacrifice something or manage our time really really well. but hey, i believe this band is just another wonderful platform for us to meet, chat and what not, and we should totally make use of that. very glad that kel and bernard decided to come back again following a N year hiatus. fueled by the win in SIBF, let's see if we can make a miracle in 2009 to get enough sponsorships to make people wanna go for WMC. ha!

3. TABLE TENNIS
Following the nation's sudden passion for the sport, the gang started learning the sport a few months back under jinyan's persuasion and we never looked back. It was like learning a new sport altogether, just like how we learnt badminton. Table tennis (or TT) is now just another part of our lives.

4. ORD
i wouldn't say i remember a thing about how i felt before i ORD or when i got my IC. it seems just like another ritual that every guy goes thru and I'm glad i finally completed these 2 years. to think that i was quite sad after coming back from the hongkong trip with the gang because i am due to enlist 3 days later, thinking how time is passing by DAMN slowly and totally thinking that the ORD date would never come. it came though, slowly and steadily. but it still came.

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i guess its just these 4 things that are etched quite deeply in my mind.
with that, i happily round 2008 off by setting 9 new year resolutions for 2009.
some are relatively easier to achieve and some (like no. 1) sounds damn difficult.

1. SAVE UP!
2. do well in school when it starts.
3. pack my room more frequently. haha =P
4. exercise more to prevent myself from expanding any further!
5. learn to appreciate the many good things in life.
6. be safe and healthy.
7. buy only cheap and good things (contridicting no.1 but buying stuff seems rather essential.)
8. spend more time with my family and also my friends.
9. last but not least, enjoy life.

this year was great, until lehmen brothers collapsed.
after which the new year's outlook is what is described as GRIM.
totally harry-potter-like. LOL.

therefore i'm extremely glad that we're entering uni next year.
by the time we graduated, hopefully the market would have picked up a little.

for all within my social circles,
the marist gang,
the vjc people,
my family,
thanks for a great year and i wish you another great year ahead.




2009 is what i call a highly anticipated year.
i can't wait.

i was sitting at the bus stop with bernard after our little table tennis session just now, when i realised.

that exactly in 7 days time, it'd be 1st Jan 2009.

i honestly have no idea what I did in 2008.
but 2009 seems like a rather exciting year.
not for the economy of course, with pple saying that its gonna be dark and gloomy.

but that only makes me think of Harry Potter.
haha.

alrighty!
xmas 2008 was quite fun.

first up was the VJC gathering @ Jfoo's house.
it was quite really fun with the gift exchange and the caroling.
but i so wanted to be lucky for once and get that bottle of vodka (which is probably now in muscular glen's house)
haha. i got fujing's sugar free chocolates in a coffin.
well. the box just looked like a coffin.
haha.

den it was xmas eve, it was raining in the morning and I woke up one hr later den usual.
i tot i was gonna be late.
but 151 Fast Forward saved my life.
haha...
we had a little Biz Sch lunch, where the food was really not bad.
and den the people in office started exchanging presents.
and the temp stuff actually got presents too!
totally shocked but was quite happy.

after work, chionged home to rest and went for francis's xmas party @ the sleezy Orchard Hotel.
haha.
it wasnt as sleezy as I thought it would be.
perhaps because of its neighbour (Orchard Towers), it just appeared to be another sleezy place.
it was fun. very nostalgic seeing all the old friends.
it wasnt awkward, we still had topics to chat about.
I had a great time just talking rubbish with all of them, and I can't wait for the next gathering that someone might organise.
=)

haha.
this christmas,
was really about reunions and gatherings.
it kinda made me wonder how wonderful the times were when we were younger.
but I'm glad that I've made the friends I've made.
people whom made a difference to my life, and I just know that I won't forget anyone unless I get Alzheimers in the future (touchwood). haha.

thanks to all my family and friends.
I am who I am today because of all of you.



=) Merry X'mas 2008!

last friday was my ORD! haha.
and for many many other people, it was their ORD too.

I'd say it ain't as exciting as I thought it would be all along the two years.
but I'm glad I finally finished repaying what guys owe the nation - 2 yrs of their lives.

had breakfast with the whole bunch of NSF clerks at some ulu shop in sembawang.
but their pork rib noodles are really really good.
the surroundings are quite picturesque.
a good place for breakfast.

den exchanged my clearance form for my IC and stuff.
before I left the office one last time at 12 noon.

after which, the BMT people met up at had a dinner at the Glass House.
it was kinda good to see everyone again.
ok maybe not everyone, but 17 people attended the gathering.
quite a number I'd say, up from 11 (iirc) last time at seoul garden.

took quite some pictures (they are all at facebook).
haha. loved how sunshine conquered the fish n co seafood platter for 2.

apparently, he already conquered the manhattan one.
someone should give him a prize. haha...
=P

rested really well for the weekend.
before I started work at NUS Business School Career Services.

it's a cool place i guess.
with loads of nice people.

i'm still superbly not used to the fact that we get to call "regulars" at work by their names now.
after how we call almost everyone in office "sir" and "mdm".

haha. the job scope is pretty much hectic at the start.
to clear rooms and stuff.
but its almost finished and maybe less of such labour-intensive jobs next time.

back to my favourite hobby.
Survivor and TAR both ended with their finale episodes the past two weeks.
for survivor, I must say it was a rather deceptive season (which i like).
and for TAR, I just hate the ending.

actually Surivor's winner sucked too.

looking back.
both seasons had sucky winners to me.
but its ok! a two month wait and Survivor: Tocantins and TAR 14 will be out!
i seriously cannot wait for both series.
meanwhile i guess i'll just be stuck with Grey's Anatomy and House M.D.


=)

thinking back. it sort of seemed like 2 years was quite short.

but hell no. two years was damn long.
the two years are gonna come to an end this friday (this sunday specifically).
haha. the feeling of cheating them of two days is such a thrill.
but they cheated me of two years so it seems so unfair.
but who cares, i'm gonna go back to my civilian status in 4 days.

holy shit an shaung.
haha... though countless people have screamed "ORD LO!" in my face for the past one month.

haha. it seem like time indeed does fly and thanks to the need to defend my country, 10% of my youth is given away as a free gift.

argh.

bought myself a new laptop.
finally.
after that fugly but faithful fujitsu died after it turned 3.5 yrs old.
haha.
pretty happy with the new one. =)

and as always.
dec's the end of the reality tv season.
with the amazing race season finale in about 8 hrs time.
it only serves to make me look forward to two things.

1. the amazing race 14 premiere on the 13 feb 2009.
2. maybe attempt to apply for the amazing race asia when i am of age.


haha.
although i bet i will lose.
but it looks quite fun.
haha.

everything is gonna come to an end soon.

and i'm glad for some it finally did.