Love Story

I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around
My faith in you is fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said

Romeo save me I've been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring

And said, marry me Juliet
You'll never have to be alone
I love you and that's all I really know
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress
It's a love story baby just say yes

-Taylor Swift - Love Story

I hope everyone finds their love story...

=)

Easter Hols

I had a one week break and it was the most happening break i've had in Melbourne haha..

From friday to sunday i went for easter camp and it was really good fun. Got to know many more people in church and all..

you guys can check out the pictures on facebook.

played tennis on monday and tuesday..

went for a road trip to Torquay on wednesday which is the surfing capital..

surfed for the first time and i love it... although it was quite scary at times..

could have drowned a few times and i lost count how many times i got smacked by waves and some waves were around 1.5-2m.

but overall a great experience and i would want to surf again =)

Assimilated Dangers

Ever wondered what's dangerous in the world around us?

What are the dangers that we assimilate into our lives?

The chance of being hit by an object thrust from a high level - 50%

The chance of being hit by a car - 50%? Not sure

You get my point..

The fact that we are so used to so many dangers in our lives, so much so that we do not even hesitate whether to go out or while we are jay-walking.

I think if you are staying in the States, you have to learn to adapt to many new dangers.

Reflecting on the shooting that occured in Germany.

We should be so grateful that we do not have to assimilate the dangers of being shot into our lives.

Think about those who lost their lives.

Think of their families.

Think of those who survived.

Think of their families.

How do u think they will react to any sound that remotely sounds like a gun shot?

How do you think they will react to someone barging into their class?

Just pray this is one danger we will never ever need to adapt to.

One person can never change the world.

Even Mr. Obama cannot change the world.

BUT

As long as there is one person willing to try there is always hope.

REally?

Isn't that just a stupid cliche?

I guess maybe it really is.

But the problem is we do not need such cliches.

We need to change our mindset.

The mindset that we cannot make a difference.

Who can define difference?

It's us.

Define the difference.

Deliver the change.

The end of hope

What do you do when hope ends?

Optimistic people will say that hope is limitless. As long as there is life there is hope.

Is there really?

Tell that to the victims of the shooting in Germany

Tell that to their families

Tell that to the families of the shooter

Tell that to those how was fighting the war in Iraq

Tell them to the victims and families of the Victoria bushfires

Compared to them what am i? How single-minded of me to consider my life hopeless.

I have a laptop and a shelter over my head. I'm already within the top 10% of the world's wealthiest inhabitants (believe it or not)

With the end of hope,

what do you cling on?

what lies do you tell to others?

what charade do you live?

what do you rationalise?

what makes you get up of bed the next day?

what do you pray for?

Do you pray for hope? or pray for the release of hope?

Hope is worst when elevated, and even worst when kept a secret.

Is hope love? or do you love hope?

Is there a difference?

Get up tomorrow. Get up tomorrow and you'll find out...

New Direction

I think i should start to rethink what i want to do with my life.

Starting with this blog..

Well the history of this boring blog started in 2007

I first came to melbourne to do my college fresh out of carring jerry cans in the army (pun intended for yx)

And my friends wanted to know what i was up to and so this blog came about.

But now that i think about it. I guess why would people want to read about my life.

I mean, how significant is my life?

How will people reading about my life benefit them? Well, sure sometimes i do post some stuff up for fun, hoping to make people laugh (as most of u know that's all i do really)

But i guess i want something more. Something to remind me that this world does not revolve around me.

That i alone am insignificant in this world. I can never impact it in the way i want to.

So i guess this blog will be more like my previous post where people have said its too "chim"

As an aside i've made a new resolution. It's to speak proper english so i'll do my best to type in grammatically correct sentences and speak without the singlish slang. Try it. Its impossible >.<

Anyway back to the main point, i guess i'll use my blog to just post up certain reflections and while the people reading (i'm not sure if ppl read) make not fully understand, i hope it will evoke certain thoughts and emotions.

At least it will take the focus away from me and hopefully we will all gain something from it.

I'll update more after my test on monday >.<.

Pray for me =)

TRUST

I guess ever since i've came back to Melbourne in 2009. Alot of things have been different.

Which has lead me to think and reflect upon various expects of my life.

Such as:

Relationships

Studies/Expectations

Goals/Resolution

What will I invest my time in? What do i hope to achieve? What will i learn?

I guess the hardest lessons in life cannot be truly learnt without experience. It may sound like a cliche. But i guess its true in certain aspects of my life.

I guess a really important lesson i've learnt is Trust.

Well what is trust. The generic definition the dictionary gives is that we perceive to be trust. What the people believe trust to be.

We hear it in songs.

Our friends tell us that.

Our soulmates yearn for that.

Children want it from their parents.

But what are it's implications? What are the sacrifices?

Can u trust something you cannot see? Can you believe in something that does not exist?

People wait a life time to learn how to trust. And some wait a lifetime waiting for their trust to be reciprocated, only just to find that it's never there.

Is trust the hope we hold onto?

Is trust the fantasy we hope to have?

What aspects of our lives really require trust?

I do not claim to have the answer to that question.

Putting religious matters aside where i feel a certain degree of trust is crucial, i feel the relationships we build with each other deserves a large amount of trust.

However, do we really have what it takes to summon ridiculous amounts of trust that smashes all perceptions of rationality?

To be able to hold on to an idea/concept/fairytale where every single piece of evidence says otherwise.

Always looking out for signs that will get you through each day. And when you feel that it's slipping through your grasps, you hold onto it tighter, unaware of the long term consequences it has.

The weird thing about humans is we have needs. We have feelings. Some people let emotions drive them and some drive away all emotions. That's analogous to individuals who trust and those who don't.

Me? I'm optimisically holding on to a pessimistic situation. I hold on to an idea despite nothing backing me up. No one to catch me when i fall down the flights of trust i've climbed steadily over the years.

I believe i matter and while i may be forgotten or forsaken, i will try not to be forlorn.

Because i trust. I have to and its all i have.

I believe one can pray to be loved, but never ever pray not to love.

So what is trust to me?

It

Takes
Ridiculous
Unconditional
Sacrifices
Truly

But in

True
Relationships
Unconditional
Sacrifices are
Timeless

So hold on. Trust. Because even the worst form of disappointment can be negated by the best form of trust.

Song of the day

Dashboard Confessional - Stolen

Not so much the lyrics but the tune and stuff. the overall presentation of the song.

Going to play tennis tml and mayb gym...

=)

Rhythm

Well its week 2 and things have settled into a predictable rhythm...

Sleep eat study go toilet....

and occasionally play PES 2009 with my friends haha..

and today i cooked a really "feng fu" meal...

cheese omelette with italian herbs
lettuce with mushrooms in fish sauce
smoked salmon with garlic, olive oil, black pepper and chilli flakes
1 cup of rice

and i finished it... my appetite seems to have increased after i got back here..

could be the gym or that i'm hitting what i believe will be my 3rd puberty

so this semester is rather hard and i've learnt the difference between up to date with work and revised work...

revised means up to date but up to date does not mean revised (ie you are up to date but dunno the content well)

its only week 2 and i'm already mugging like mad but also gg out more and playing some games so i guess there is a balance...

have to start thinking of where to go for my 1 year of research. any ideas anyone?

chance to get published and get a nobel prize? dream on lol....

like i said b4... glory means little and i live to make ppl smile...

and now i'm gg to make myself smile by sleeping as my eyes seem to be on auto-squint mode..

P.S. dunno what i'll dream about today as i always seem to dream everyday... if only my dreams came true (smiles stupidly to self)

Current Songs i'm listening too

I think the songs i listen to reflect and can affect my mood..

i guess i'm more emotional that i would admit and sometimes i do have to put up a wall to hide my emotions.

So current songs are:

Damien Rice : 9 crimes, cannonball

Jason Mraz: Lucky

Lenka: The show

9 crimes is really good.. damien rice is one artist that if u go to you tube and listen to his performances, none of his songs are sung in the same way..

He really sings from the heart. =)

Melbourne 2009

So its been 2 days since sch started and 3 since i got back...

and yea i feel that things are alot different and i'm a person that does not really do well with changes but i guess i have to learn...

this year i will be 23 and yeah it kind of scary haha... it really seems like we are all growing up so fast...

anyway sch is quite ok except that i really have to work hard to catch up and so far i've had 3 lectures already and have re-listened to all of them online again so i guess i'm satisfied for now...

today listened to 2 online lects, took a nap and cooked carbonara for dinner.. still needs work but i think i'll get it right.

things are different but i'll roll along...

take care guys!

Hey Guys

Im back in sg woohoooo....

past few days have been hard with exam and some problems but i'm glad to be back and looking forward to a new chapter in my life next year....

i know u guys got exams so yea... i don mind meeting up for study sessions hahah...

Good Luck and all the best to you guys for exams

Essay

So yea i got back my HP essay...

and yes i did very badly or not as well as i had hoped...

i guess with my first essay going well i had kinda expected more and i though i handed in a fairly good essay.

Anyway i though i was misinterpreted so i sent it and a teacher offered to look at it again so hope for the best...

anyway i lost 20 marks compared to the first essay.. so it was a rude shock to me..

its my day to be emo again...

Uni Shots

Random Uni Shots

Pasta

Here's today's lunch. Same recipe as before only with mushrooms..

YUMMY

Studying In Singapore

Came across this when i was bored of studying and did random searches on the net.. haha

The Pros and Cons of studying in Singapore

Pros

1) Increasing International Reputation

2) Reasonably Priced Tuition Fees (you wud expect given the ERP and all)

3) Ability to work after graduation

4) Links to Asia

Cons

1) Lack of global visibility for Singaporean Qualifications

2) Vast array of private colleges with unclear reputations (also recall UNSW closing down there)

3) Limited number of international students

Link: http://www.topuniversities.com/country_guides/singapore/

So much for the claims of those "higher up" back home

-.-

and as a side point, i searched university ranking based on employer review and yea.. couldn't find any Singapore University there..

Am starting to wonder are we falling that bad. With the cost of living so high and people taking pay of 3.1 million dollars, what's the incentive for me back home now.

Hospitalized

Another day has passed and zero work was done. -.-

I wanted to cut my hair but yea the place was closed. rarr.. going to the gym soon later..

Anyway i went to visit my fellow course mate at Alfred Hospital today (which by the way is nothing compared to Austin Hospital)

He was playing soccer and got elbowed and yea.. it was quite bad and it was quite scary and heartbreaking seeing him like that and i wish him a speedy recover.

We went as a group and yea, it was quite different going to a hospital as a visitor and not a medical student.

When we heard what was going on immediately i think in all our heads we were review our anatomy and physiology and when he told us what happened, it was in a way that could be described "scientific".

Not all patients would say it like that and if we were to practice our interviewing skills, he would be the perfect patient, giving all the info that we need.

So just walking you guys through it...

Trauma induced injury to the abdominal area, affecting the blood vessels of the right kidney
Supply was cut off to a segment of the kidney was the blood was loss within the body cavity (two kidneys receive 25% of our cardiac output)
Fluid built up and pushed the right kidney quite high up, even higher than the left (normally the right is lower due to the liver)
My fren went home hurting, just thinking it was nth serious till he woke up and experienced excruciating pain and went to the ER
waited 2 hours till a doctor came and gave him an ultrasound and found the vessels of his kidney twisted.
He then went for a CT scan and found that there was a significant amt of internal bleeding and the kidney was pushed way up
10 minutes later he was in the Operating Room and underwent laparoscopic surgery
1/3 of the right kidney was found to be necrotic and was removed.

he will have another CT scan this thur to confirm and will be discharged this fri.

Wish him a speedy recovery

Spagetti Aglio Olio

This is the pasta i cook when i'm hungry... haha... easy to make and quick to wash. A real time saver.

Ingredients

5-6 Cloves of Garlic Diced

Spagetti

A little less than 1/4 Cup Olive Oil

Salt

Pepper

MasterFoods Parsley Flakes

MasterFoods Basil Leaves

McCormick Chilli Powder

McCormick Red Crushed Chilli

Instructions

1)Boil the spagetti in a pot with a dash of salt

2)Pour the diced garlic and olive oil in a non stick pan and heat till the garlic turns a little brown, being careful not to burn it or else good game

3)Once brown, quickly add in the pepper, basil, parsley, chilli powder and red crushed chilli

4) Stir well and remove from heat

5) Once the spagetti is cooked, add it to the pan and mix well.

The spagetti should not be too dry but not dripping with oil too.

For Extra Kick, add in my Garlic and Ham Scrambled Egg (Refer to old post "Late Night Snack") on top for a more balanced meal and a caesar salad for your greens.

Enjoy!

Gymming

So i have been gymming for the past few days..

hols are boring and i havent got down to studying get but i have to soon...

anyways my exams will end on 18 nov and im coming back on the 19th of nov. =)

anyways i hope to do one JC outing cos its been like a gazillion years since we met...

army and sec sch frds MEET up too!! haha

To Ter, Jm, Ls any ideas how to get in touch with everyone?

Chicken (Chooks)

This is My first try at Marinating and cooking chicken (Chooks)

For some weird reason, chicken is called Chooks in Aus and McDonald's is called Mackers.

Anyway

Ingredients

Chicken fillets (Thighs and Drumstick works fine too)

For the Marinate

Masterfood's Garlic Salt

Chilli Powder (Go easy on it unless u like HOT stuff)

Masterfood's Cajun Seasoning

White Pepper

Masterfood's Basil Leaves Seasoning

Instructions

Add Chicken into a bowl and season with all of the above. Add lesser Cajun seasoning and you can add whatever you want to taste more.

Heat the oil in the pan and add Garlic

Fry till fragrant

Add in the marinated chicken and fry till cooked.

Serve

Another Easy and Idiot proof meal that i find tastes ok.

Late Night Snack

Sorry about my handphone camera but i swear it looks nicer in real life haha..

This is my Ham and Garlic Scrambled Egg

Ingredients

2 slices of ham

2 Egges

2 Small spoonfuls of MasterFood's bottled finely crushed garlic (They have a nice taste that fresh garlics don not posses)

Pepper

2 Slices of WHOLEMEAL/WHOLEGRAIN bread ( Dont want the empty calories)

Instructions

1.Chop up the ham into nice cute squares

2.Heat the oil in a non-stick pan and add the garlic and fry till fragrant

3.Add the ham and fry till sauteed

4.While waiting for the ham, beat two eggs (not too hard) and add pepper

5.Pour the eggs over the ham and garlic and keep mixing/chopping, adding milk when the eggs are NEARLY cooked.

6.Serve

Nice healthy snack high in protein with minimal preparation time.

And most importantly, idiot proof