tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-188627392024-03-24T02:13:07.397+08:00Hmmmmmm.........Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.comBlogger124125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-17046602128013214602012-09-20T23:21:00.001+08:002012-09-20T23:21:27.779+08:00Ice Coldthe room was.. A tinge of warm light of unknown origin filled the otherwise dead chamber. Ice covered the walls, like flawless mirrors they mock him. His reflections.. monstrosities..<br />
<br />
Only human. How could he be worthy of the great treasure he seeks?<br />
<br />
And there it was. Encased in a throne of ice. So alluring, tangible, just within reach. It's beauty second to none, save the warm light he follows.<br />
<br />
So close.. yet so far..<br />
<br />
His fingers ran across the dry frozen surface of its prison. No sign of melting. Surely there must be a way..<br />
<br />
Its artist, a master of all, apprentice to none. His works are elusive, yet always finding their way into the hands of those who seek them hard enough.<br />
<br />
Surely.. there must be a way...<br />
<br />
The warm guiding light.. perhaps...<br />
<br />
perhaps...Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-51445204485507074402012-08-03T03:53:00.000+08:002012-08-03T03:53:11.587+08:00RedHe walked into the chamber.<br />
<br />
Crimson. Everywhere he looked, it's as though a blood-red veil covered his eyes. The painting eluded his sight. A portrait of royalty. All his life he sought after the masterpiece, all his life he wondered, wondered if he had wasted a lifetime chasing a children's fairytale. Sometimes it would come within his grasp, only to vanish before his very eyes.<br />
<br />
So close, yet so far, he would always think. Perhaps if I were to look harder..<br />
<br />
He groped in the crimson-lit darkness. Perhaps a little light may guide my way he thought. He searched, for even the tiniest streak of unblemished light could mean the difference between hope and despair.<br />
<br />
Hope.<br />
<br />
A powerful friend, a deadly force. Holding on to it, you just might get what you asked for. Grasp on to it, and you find despair, a bitter companion to your very soul.<br />
<br />
Alas! A twinkle of light caught his eye, or at least he thought. Could it be? It came from beneath an old door. Abandoned and forgotten. What horrors or dangers could be lying beyond the wooden-framed panel?<br />
<br />
'What do I have to lose?' he chuckled. Bitterly.<br />
<br />
He reached out for the knob. Rust and mold filled his fingers.<br />
<br />
The door opened.<br />
<br />
He walked into the chamber...Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-90025174031392559202011-08-27T02:23:00.001+08:002011-08-27T02:25:08.431+08:00Hubble.I'm bound to write something here sooner or later.
<br />
<br />Watch this space.
<br />
<br />It might (never) happen.
<br />Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-6623963619717476852011-02-08T21:37:00.003+08:002011-02-08T21:51:16.286+08:00ReflectionI know I wrote this in my facebook, but sometimes I really think I should be doing something else. Why did I decide to pursue music? I've been around music since I was alive. It's probably the only thing I know, or rather have a qualification in. It's not like I can't live without music. I don't love music THAT much. I don't spend 6 hours practicing my instrument. So, logically speaking, since I do not love music that much, I shouldn't be pursuing it as a career right?<div><br /></div><div>I've never been able to compete with peers of my same level. It always seems that I have a reputation to live up to, having a musically-inclined family background. Any career options to do with music will only have to start with a blooming performing/solo debut. Going straight to teaching will seem like a failure and defeat in the face of overwhelming standards that I am not able to live up to. So what's next?</div><div><br /></div><div>It's not like I can start a teaching career now anyway. I'm not even done with my studies. That is if I can even find a university in the first place. Should I even try to continue this path? Is it worth the sweat, money, time and embarrassment, when results are not even guaranteed, and when there are, they just aren't good enough?</div><div><br /></div><div>I am, and always will be, just another guy trying to play the cello under the shadow of his family.</div>Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-78897995385667047212010-11-30T00:37:00.002+08:002010-11-30T00:46:08.856+08:00TouchdownArrived on Austrian soil not 4 hours ago. 22 hours of traveling definitely takes a toll on you. Only managed to have 5 hours of sleep on the plane.<div><br /></div><div>Fatigue is setting in. I already miss home and uncertainty is about to overwhelm my psychological state.</div><div><br /></div><div>God is my only comfort. Pray for me if you are reading this.</div>Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-19090361897031596832010-10-12T12:21:00.003+08:002010-10-12T12:25:45.243+08:00...on second thought...The urge to blog today left me as soon as I arrived at the typing screen.<div><br /></div><div>Bye!</div>Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-55398433550221100892010-09-27T19:10:00.006+08:002010-09-27T20:17:00.292+08:00Gastronomy<div style="text-align: left;">Boredom can do wonders to a person.</div><div><br /></div><div>Thanks to it I am inspired to try cooking again. Spaghetti Bolognese on wednesday was good. Carbonara yesterday was a near disaster. Where does one find pecorino romano cheese in Singapore anyway? My next ambition would be fried rice. That's how noob I am.</div><div><br /></div><div>But on to REAL food.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrO85s81UmYZb6u0ym5-SiSZ2y1jUqZ9CcDbRLCrvnN2972LntlGCvDWz4o24g2WlbqCxiGYxQNwllLk3WkuUgNmeG2MyJe0Y3CAEXQ3zAfRd0Db_dp1b5NZvX17LciwRFm66ODw/s320/IMG_0396%5B1%5D.JPG" /></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Handburger @ Somserset 313. The patty's good at medium rare. Just above the unassuming onion rings, which were tasty with a soft center (though a little too oily), is the chilled tomato stuffed with coleslaw. Adds a tangy touch to a refreshing side. Next stop for burgers would be Burger Bench & Bar at Cineleisure Orchard. Been always curious about that place.</div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKfY36ojJ8leLnL6pePzpRzAHLCCSTSkdFZu6igyJ4jrocs790QsRdqJeuOuv3uTh7_Ee0OgcoY0EAhZAKtYRDXfkmQcUZFBU-EkdIUuwHFv6Z3BZoxAbgj0EySi2eJahqdxspHg/s320/IMG_0403.JPG" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">nEbO @ AMK Hub. That was one big sandwich. My iPod's reference for size doesn't do it justice. One half of that is about the length of my palm, and 1.5 times the width of my hand. I only finished 1/4 of a half. (That means 1/8 of the entire sandwich.)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Despite all this eating and cooking, I'm still losing weight. I wonder why...</div>Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-30365603669752564722010-09-19T21:08:00.004+08:002010-09-19T21:16:20.343+08:00...Just when I thought I've had enough to think about, issues creep up to me like a lioness stalking a baby gazelle. On top of that, the state of my mind, heart, body and soul is in no shape for tomorrow's lesson.<div><br /></div><div>God, I've never needed You more.</div>Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-63611421897446106132010-09-11T16:39:00.002+08:002010-09-11T17:04:49.462+08:00HaSaturday. Another one of those days to seal myself up at home and catch up on long-needed practice. But hey, I'm a free man in 5 days (technically). That means more time for consistent practice.Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-74614019316368613982010-09-01T23:59:00.001+08:002010-09-02T00:14:54.443+08:00Popped to DeathHer eyes were closed. The silence was deafening. An occasional cold breeze of wind breaks the otherwise stale air around her. An influx of memories filled her mind. This battle might be her last. Years of training and discipline boiled down to this moment. There were many like her, but she was different. In the world of men, she was an endangered species.<br /><br />She takes a deep breath. Her right arm raises up, preparing a decisive strike. A wrong move could be the end of her. 'Strike and follow through.' she thought. She had rehearsed this in her mind countless times. Now, she has to act on it.<br /><br />She strikes. It didn't take a blink of an eye before her right hand landed. Her deceptively harmless weapon met a metal surface. 'Now follow through'. She relaxes, not making the mistake of letting the situation get the best of her. The weight of her arm was sufficient. She pulls. 'Balance of weight and speed is key'. Too fast and she would have slipped, exposing herself to elements of counter-attack from any, or all of her enemies around her. Too slow, and she would have just ground herself to her doom.<br /><br />Success. The metal surface vibrated with such ferocity, the energy had only one way to go. Down. The shockwave travelled rapidly, down in the grains of the wooden pillars, through into the hollow tree, piercing right into a metal pin embedded to the ground. The earth shook. Nobody would have thought that such power could have come out from such a person as her.<br /><br />Elgar would have been proud.<br /><br />Believe it or not, this post took me 3 days to complete. I just don't have the time anymore, not even to practice my instrument during the day. Pardon my bad command of english in regards to the pseudo-novel above. --> (Think Nodame Cantabile + Cooking Master Boy + Samurai X) The possibilities amuse me.<br /><br />I have so much more to write, but it's already 1 minute to midnight. I guess therapy will have to wait another day/night.Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-76698992539917071972010-08-24T00:15:00.000+08:002010-08-23T22:29:31.817+08:00Kit-KatIt is pretty amazing as I looked back at my life in church. Being raised up in a traditional setting of a Presbyterian church, then moving on to the day when my cousin brought me to a rather different church. The very first day I attended his church was nothing short of an in-your-face miracle. I was 13 then.<br /><br />I consider myself blessed and very fortunate to be in the group I am in now. It wasn't the same in the past, when I was mixing with people who do not understand the circumstances surrounding me. We were all innocent and ignorant of so many things going on. We did what we thought and knew was right, but our eyes still weren't fully opened. It came with age and experience. As I grew up and looked back, it amazes me at how God has worked in my life over the years. I've always thought I could only have friends who are musicians, or at least understand what music is all about. It seemed to me that musicians can only fully relate their thinking and be understood by a fellow musician. I looked at my family and can't help drawing the link to that fact. All the musicians in my family married another musician, or somebody who works in the music scene. A couple in my current group consists of a trombonist and flautist. <br /><br />Maybe there's a need to be understood. Maybe it's easier to relate to somebody who is in the same field of work as you. (What about lawyers?) Maybe it's the fact that your other half has to understand why you have to spend 3 hours alone in a room tearing your heart out with your other other half? Maybe it's so that he/she can understand why you can't go out on a date because you need to practice. (But seriously, get a life.)<br /><br />This disconnection with the rest of the world (non-musicians) was detrimental to my social and spiritual well-being in church for a couple of years. Until I attended this group. It is... different. I figured, the problem might have been me all along.<br /><br />But that's a another story for another day.<br /><br />Taking a day off from practicing last Friday was probably the best decision I made in the past week. Practicing til the cows come home was taking its toll on my hands and sanity. I figured, if it's not getting better by practicing a whole lot more, might as well take a step back and think things through. I got back on Saturday and the feeling was great. My thumb doesn't hurt anymore, I was relaxed, and the sense of positivity was back. Maybe the fact that I was back home helped a bit. Spending 3 nights out of 4 in camp is depressing. Going out for dinner once in a while is a good change of pace, but otherwise, it's boring. So, if things are looking grim during practice, and you feel that things are not improving the harder you try, take a deep breath and a step back, because a break might be all you need. (No, kit-kat is not endorsing this.)Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-90474859568739096682010-08-18T21:32:00.000+08:002010-08-18T22:12:44.983+08:00Peace?Fishing.<br /><br />It is amazing how three men in civil defence uniforms could spend one hour in the regimental cookhouse talking about it. It's a wonder how much we can relate to it.<br /><br />Having to cancel tomorrow's lesson with my teacher was.. disheartening. Having not improved to the extent I wished I have is not something I can live with. It seems that I always reach the LDMR (Law of Diminishing Marginal Returns) too soon for my practice sessions, and my down time after each practice session seems to be longer than what I deem healthy. Teacher has always emphasized on the importance of practicing intelligently. It must be due to my impatience when it comes down to solving problems. It must be something in the deep recesses of my sub-consciousness which leads me to think that there is always not enough time at the rate I do things. This isn't unjustified though. My days in this little island are numbered. At least if everything falls into plan.<br /><br />I have been spending more time than usual praying and seeking about current events. With the progress I am making on my instrument, I can only trust in God at this point. There isn't much else I can do but my best, and leaving the rest to Him.Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-84590819233790972932010-08-11T19:14:00.000+08:002010-08-11T19:50:42.718+08:00Hellopandas are lethal. They tempt you with their cute biscuit prints with a chocolatey center. As you swallow the deceptively harmless creatures, they attack you from the inside, going straight to your hips and thighs, refusing to relent to your efforts of flushing them out with regular exercise and healthy diet.<br /><br />Music.<br /><br />Where do I begin?<br /><br />How would you define it? A combination of sounds, rhythms and silences? A plethora of vibrations set into a stream of systematic motion? As a noun described as 'an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and colour' in dictionary.com? Or something that just sounds good? It's funny when you think about it. Because if that's the case, you can't really draw the fine line between music and noise. Noise, if you think hard enough, could also be defined the same way. Like Berlioz's critics first thought when he wrote his <span style="font-style:italic;">Symphonie Fantastique</span>. Like an amateur cellist who couldn't play Haydn's concerto in C in tune.<br /><br />It really isn't about playing the right notes in tune with impeccable technique or singing out a phrase with a profound sense of musicality. True music is done inside the heart of the performer. When the audience see where you are going at. When they have understood your intentions enough. Can music be called music if the performer's heart laid bare before the world turns out to be as black as a rotting concoction of human waste and cow's manure? It doesn't matter if the acoustic of the hall is horrible, or that your scores flew away like the feather in Forrest Gump, because at the end of the day, it is what happens inside that matters, and sometimes, elements of rhythm, melody, harmony and colour just don't cut it. That and of course lots of practice.<br /><br />Having said that, practice today was.. much less than desirable. My playing seems to be taking the route of being temperamental. It's good on even days, bad on odd days. But if that's really the case, I should be rejoicing since I'm having lesson tomorrow.<br /><br />Just my two cents before my brain implodes in heavy thoughts tonight.Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-11783006713303435202010-08-08T22:08:00.000+08:002010-08-08T22:27:46.840+08:00ConvictionWho reads these anyway?<br /><br />Sermon was convicting and despite predictable pointers you might expect from a topic like that, you never fail to learn something new. It's probably God's way of convicting you of your sins and having His word implanted into your heart. <br /><br />Two more months before becoming a full time citizen. Plans are being made but actions remain stagnant. It's still too early to do anything about it anyway. Procrastination? Hope not. Progress with Desdemona remains conspicuous. Guess I will find out on Thursday. While I'm happy with the overhauling of my vibrato, other techniques are having a relatively bleaker outlook. Intonation forever remains a problem. Thumb position never fails to hurt. Patience runs thin, but that's the only thing we can hold on to at times like these.<br /><br />Airline hasn't contacted me since, and I don't expect they ever will. Well, no harm trying.<br /><br />If last night's dream was limbo, I would have almost gladly stayed. It's funny/disturbing how a dream like that can affect you for the next entire day. Depressing, but it happens. A sign? I wish upon a star. It's probably just a rush of emotions and biological compounds all thrown in together into one volatile mix of... delusional thinking?<br /><br />But then again, who reads these anyway?Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-44903000131242868362010-05-31T08:54:00.000+08:002010-05-31T09:12:39.835+08:00RevivalWhat can be better than to worship God with His house and being ministered by Him? By the time i realised it, we have been standing for 3 hours. The conference was a true blessing.<br /><br />Sometimes, or rather most of the time, your relationship with God is a decision on your part, and the things you do every day reflects certain aspects of your convictions.<br /><br />Well, on to something lighter. The song that my friend and I wrote were shortlisted into the top 3 list out of 23 songs submitted for the competition. Given the fact that we were confined in a small space of a 2m by 1m room with no air-conditioning or ventilation for 7 hours, stopping only for lunch consisting of pastamania delivery, I guess we did pretty ok. While I am not considering song-writing as a career, I think I might enjoy writing a song or two once in a while. (Like every six months?)<br /><br />Then again, we did it with the purpose of growing the Lord's kingdom. It was only then that I realised it was all worthwhile. So don't expect tragic operas, majestic symphonies or virtuosic concertos from me. I'm writing contemporary music, much to the dismayed (but currently unknown) reputation of my family.Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-38251942362176209872010-04-02T00:20:00.001+08:002010-04-02T00:23:28.157+08:00Recovery"A professional is not determined by them playing flawlessly, but by recovering whenever making a mistake."<br /><br />Reminiscence of a chinese orchestra session in my secondary school days. If that dictates professionalism, I have failed miserably for tonight's performance.Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-25791602052454851002010-03-21T19:08:00.000+08:002010-03-21T21:15:31.543+08:00HiatusSo the long hiatus is over. I am back. Again.<br /><br />After just over a year since my last post, why did I decide to make a comeback? It's probably one's need to be heard or to be felt. Maybe writing (or typing for that matter) is a form of subconscious therapy, to pour out one's thoughts before actually resulting in self-implosion. Maybe it is to share the goodness or spread the evil to their readers. Or rather, maybe it is just another manifestation of somebody's attempt to grab attention.<br /><br />Should I participate in a songwriting contest? Ideas are flowing in my head like the Niagara Falls dumping people hiding in barrels. I couldn't help but reminiscence about the very first song I wrote over a year ago. The words of cheesiness never fail to make me cringe like a hamster in hibernation. People actually said it was not bad. Maybe in-depth reviewing and re-writing is needed.<br /><br />I noticed parents (namely my brother and sis-in-law) are prone to repeating verbs twice in a sentence when baby-talking to their kid. Example: 'Come sit sit on the carpet here.' or 'Ask xiao shu shu (small uncle aka me) to play play cars with you!'. It also occurred to me that I'm a passive baby-pleaser. I wait for them to come to me rather than putting myself in a vulnerable position of being rejected by a 2 year old.<br /><br />My weak heart would not have been able to handle that.Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-62989251004151920282009-02-17T22:11:00.000+08:002009-02-17T22:27:46.090+08:00So Close<span style="font-style:italic;"><span style="font-weight:bold;">So Close</span></span> by Jon McLaughlin<br /><br />You’re in my arms<br />And all the world is calm<br />The music playing on for only two<br />So close together<br />And when I’m with you<br />So close to feeling alive<br /><br />A life goes by<br />Romantic dreams will stop<br />So I bid mine goodbye and never knew<br />So close was waiting, waiting here with you<br />And now forever I know<br />All that I wanted to hold you<br />So close<br /><br />So close to reaching that famous happy end<br />Almost believing this was not pretend<br />And now you’re beside me and look how far we’ve come<br />So far we are so close<br /><br />How could I face the faceless days<br />If I should lose you now?<br />We’re so close<br />To reaching that famous happy end<br />And almost believing this was not pretend<br />Let’s go on dreaming for we know we are<br />So close<br />So close<br />And still so far<br /><br /><br />I've fallen in love with this song. It's from the movie Enchanted, and I tell you, I love the music in there. And I liked the movie too. It just brings back childhood memories, to the days when I used to watch Snow White almost everyday. XD<br /><br />Don't we humans wish that life was like a fairytale? Where life and love will ultimately end happily ever after? That we will find our true love somehow one way or another? Eternal bliss I tell you...<br /><br />Anyway.. Back to cruel reality. I saw a boy knocked down by a car today from my bus. It was just a bump, but he fell anyway. As a *ahem* responsible and alert Civil Defence Rescuer, I was about to rush out of the bus to aid that boy. But he just got up and continued running. Sheesh. The driver wasn't so happy though. He asked the boy to come back and gave him a piece of his mind. the boy just kept apologising and continued running after the bus, which was the one I was in.<br /><br />My left wrist is hurting from too much Popper etudes. Maybe I should retire to Germany now.Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-88215021373926986152009-02-03T20:01:00.000+08:002009-02-03T20:10:10.347+08:00o.oToday wasn't the best day I've had in my workplace. I got my senior scolded by my officer because of some small trivial procedure which I overlooked. She knew that it wasn't his fault, but he took the scolding. I've a feeling I'm on her blacklist now. Well, what can I say? Every job and task given to me, I've performed it to the best of my knowledge, so I'm not going to hide or anything. I still feel bad that my senior took the scolding.<br /><br />Preparations are being made for a small performance, hopefully to be held in June if everything goes well. It has been quite some time since I played chamber music. I must say it brings back the familiar feelings I had in my fingers. It just feels refreshing.<br /><br />Ok. Enough with the Mentos.<br /><br />It is a short post today because for some reason, nothing is coming into my mind right now, and I can't practice because my father has friends over for dinner. I guess it's movie time...Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-78726402019353977902009-01-28T01:06:00.000+08:002009-01-28T01:57:25.124+08:00=lIt's one of those days again...<br /><br />Chinese New Year was ok. I didn't do much visitation. In fact, the only place I went to was my grandmother's place for lunch. We met everybody else there, so it was done in just one place. Not much ang bao received, but the density of the money was high.<br /><br />There are just too many things on my mind right now. So to make things a little lighter, I will just blog about the kinds of people there were in my platoon during my basic training.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Black One</span> - Basically the only Indian in our platoon. Cheery guy who couldn't stop smiling or laughing even when the corporals were scolding him. The subject of racist jokes, but nothing personal. We like him.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Chubby & Cute One</span> - Probably the fattest and heaviest of the entire regiment. Cute as a teddy bear. Makes everybody laugh, even the hardiest of corporals. Good instrument for corporals to make people laugh, therefore inflicting punishment. Good fun.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Cheerful One</span> - Can't stop laughing. Probably the first guy I know to have signed extra guard duty due to being irritatingly giggly. Nice guy.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Mini One</span> - The shortest, but also the fittest. The only guy to have passed IPPT, because he's the only guy who can pass his pull-ups. Aimed to be a Physical Training Instructor, but ended up being a clerk due to his weight. Buffed up as a bull, short as a gnome.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Greedy One</span> - The one who eats the most. The guy who lost 2kg in 13 weeks while others lost more than 10. Also a trouble-maker and joker. More towards the irritating side. The Ultimate Saboteur.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Hated One</span> - Only liked by a handful of his own kind. Generally the most inconsiderate and racist guy I've met. Stupid enough to get caught smoking in the toilet, along with a handful of his own kind. The very first guy whose face I would very much love to punch. Mysteriously disappears during bunk cleaning and other dirty works. Much better now though. Also an Ultimate Saboteur.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Family Guy</span> - The 21 year old who already has 2 kids. Has a criminal record. Irritating and sometimes racist. A saboteur.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Cut-Queue Squad</span> - A squad of people who cuts the queue during our meals. Namely made up of The Greedy One, The Hated One, The Family Guy, and others I can't really remember. Normally made up of 4-5 people. Tactics include faking to play catch and trying to joke around with the people in front. Doesn't go straight to the front because they know the first few have to serve the rest. Gladly volunteers their friends to serve the line while they enjoy the food.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Psycho One</span> - Socially handicapped. Likes to be alone. Can't remember names even after being in camp for 9 weeks. Speaks with a strange accent, probably Englishy-Americanish- Singlish. Contains rage til the last moment and blows up by screaming 'F***' in the bunk. Quite sadistic when it comes to using power tools and thinking of ways to torture the corporals before killing them. Mumbles to himself after every sentence. Much improvements now.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The OC's Pet</span> - The one with good skills in digital design and creativity. Always asked to do posters and lesson plans for the OC or anything for that matter. Eventually evolved the idea of slacking in the office while the platoon does PT. Also the guys with the high-tech lap-top. Ended up slacking with him for the last 3 weeks in BRT. He managed to lose weight even without doing PT for a month or so. Job now? Administrator in the instructors' office. And he's loving every moment of it. Also a great mind for jokes.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Light-Duty One</span> - Wore his uniform only once, in the 13th week on the day of our passing out. Never wore his uniform before that due to lower limb injury. Never done PT. Have the shiniest and newest boots in the entire platoon. Nice guy. Platoon's photographer.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The AWOLer</span> - AWOL aka Away WithOut Leave. Disappeared after 4 or 5 weeks. Probably arrested with a police case and put in Detention Barracks by now.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Italian</span> - An acting graduate from Laselle. The favourite among everybody in camp due to his roots. The only white in the whole regiment. A great joker. Totally motivated to make a difference. Mr. Perfect. The only recruit in our platoon to get into the Emergency Response Specialist. <br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The American-Born Chinese Singaporean</span> - Always seen with The Italian. Has American accent. Probably the youngest in platoon. Sometimes insensitive. Otherwise ok to get along with.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Acting-Instructor</span> - Longs to be an instructor. Irritating at times. Likes to act-smart.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Kengster</span> - Keng aka acting sick. Champion in hand-clapping (a light form of exercise for people who are sick). Claims to have health problems without certification.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">The Best Buddy</span> - The buddy who AWOLs after 5 weeks or less. Got his girlfriend pregnant. Borrowed $30 from his buddy and disappeared. Never came back to camp. Who's his buddy? Me.<br /><br />Believe it or not, there are actually more to this list. This is just a glimpse of what holds in that traumatizing camp.<br /><br />Until then.Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-55469125973558538272009-01-07T19:19:00.000+08:002009-01-07T19:31:37.021+08:00YouYou.<br /><br />The blessings you have received. The things you have gone through. Could you have done it alone? Look back to your past and count your blessings. Were they possible without God?<br /><br />You know the truth. You know the facts. You've read the word. Are they not enough? Must you go back to your old ways? How long will it take before you change for real? How many times have you looked up and ask for strength, when you yourself are not putting in the effort? Nobody said it was easy. It is your choice. Your life. You take charge.<br /><br />Are you going to regret after everything has passed? How will you account to God for all those you have done? Why are you so stubborn? It is time to wake up! There is no time for regrets. Stop your old ways and turn around! Stop procrastinating and start now. Who knows what the future holds? Tomorrow might be too late. Do you want to wait and see? What if it was your last day? Are you sure you are safe? Think again. You might not be.<br /><br />It is time to start anew. The time is now.<br /><br />Consider it.Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-40708142762943279592009-01-06T23:09:00.000+08:002009-01-06T23:24:03.805+08:00To Be Continued...I was about to blog. But Jaryl and Jeremy asked me out for a drink...Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-6600716508148990162009-01-04T04:40:00.000+08:002009-01-04T12:47:00.123+08:00The Endless White CanvasJust when we thought there were enough going on around in the family, something else happens. My paternal grandfather passed away yesterday. I'm not really close to him, but he has always been a part of our family. He had been senile for many years, and most of the time, he couldn't recognize me, though sometimes he could recognize other people. Now that he's gone, family gatherings at my grandmother's place will never be the same again. Apparently, either he stopped breathing or his heart stopped yesterday, and they sent him to the hospital. They fought to bring him back and sustain him, but I guess it was his time. Sometimes I guess this is for the best too. He can't survive on his own, and his stroke had paralyzed him for years now. Perhaps the greatest relief is that he is a believer, and that we might meet him up there soon.<br /><br />Death has always haunted me. I can never imagine what it will be like. Can you? Just imagine. Your physical life as you know it will be gone for all eternity. Eternity is a really really long time. Our lives, if placed on the timeline of eternity, is just like a small pencil dot on an endless white piece of canvas. The canvas never ends, no matter how long you draw the line, or how many pencils you use. That is just the beginning of a never ending time. It is really up to you to decide what happens after you've placed the first dot on that canvas. It is up to you to decide what happens to your soul after your life on this earth ends. Choose wisely, because I repeat again, eternity is a really really long time. Would you rather risk eternity for just a few measly years of your life?<br /><br />Well, on a slightly lighter note, I'm getting my Civil Defence vocation tomorrow. The best possible scenario is me getting in into the Music and Drama Company in SAF, which is close to impossible. So, the next best thing is me getting a clerical position in the CDHQ, thus allowing me to play in the combo band, which is essentially a rock band. At least I will have more time to practice.<br /><br />Until next time...Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-91031547676516423852009-01-02T17:01:00.000+08:002009-01-02T15:43:44.548+08:00RevivalIt has been exactly 1 year and 3 months since I last blogged, and I can truly say there are just too many things that have happened so far.<br /><br />I just passed out from the basic rescue training programme of the Singapore Civil Defence Force. I wouldn't say it was a total waste of time serving that time, although I would have wished I didn't have to. You really meet all kinds of people in camp. There are some who are quite nice to get along with, while you would just like to punch the others in their faces. Seriously, I just don't understand how people can actually learn to live with the character they have. I will explain more in my next post.<br /><br />I lost a total of, officially on paper, 13kg. But I believe its only about 11kg because they used different weighing scales for our medical review. It took me 13 weeks to lose that much, and probably 2 weeks to gain it all back. I can already feel my tunny growing back to its eloped fleshy sloppy shape again.<br /><br />My stomach is not feeling too well at the moment. I think I ate too much jalapeno peppers at Carl's Jr.(Yeah.. Healthy food for the healthy-minded) Went out with Christoven, Wei Kang and Audrey this evening. Wk and Chris convinced me to buy a black sweater jacket which cost me $60. Its my first 'jacket' if you even call it one. I think I'm already starting to like it. <br /><br />Crap. Tummyache again. Brb.<br /><br />Back. It's amazing what you can learn from the book <span style="font-style:italic;">Uncle John's Unstoppable Bathroom Reader 16th Edition.</span> Like it actually takes 0.2 secs for the International Space Station to travel 1 mile. 3 secs for 475 lawsuits to be filed around the world. And so on and so forth.<br /><br />Many things have happened in my life, whether it involves my spiritual life or the people around me. It is a new year now, and many people probably have their own resolutions to go through with. There are new things for me to worry at this point, and all I can say is that whatever happens, God is the one who wills it. Whatever He puts in your path, it cannot destroy you. You just have to look closer and think about what is best to be done.<br /><br />Til the next post...Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18862739.post-77582076993282791102007-10-03T14:41:00.000+08:002008-12-12T03:14:06.730+08:00Broken Promises<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFCM422hGhqPVKwydU-BngSVNvc8s3_V_Zxg0F9AoPv-V75OvZBIwDjXOEtA3QCJS8D8l4Z0UH70F6UyvlX-P7kkck_DUfbHL6AfNgfkc0Hi0rvqn0EeGIz9la1YS0dzQvlbJug/s1600-h/z92206323.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbFCM422hGhqPVKwydU-BngSVNvc8s3_V_Zxg0F9AoPv-V75OvZBIwDjXOEtA3QCJS8D8l4Z0UH70F6UyvlX-P7kkck_DUfbHL6AfNgfkc0Hi0rvqn0EeGIz9la1YS0dzQvlbJug/s320/z92206323.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116764649238358994" /></a><br />ok..<br /><br />so i've finally blogged.. yea. guess i broke my promise about blogging over the weekend.. in any case, i'm leaving for thailand in 8 hours time.. will be going over for the south-east asian youth orchestra..<br /><br />to be honest, i just dont understand how i got in, since i seriously screwed up the audition.. and i seriously forgot to thank God throughout this entire event.. i guess He is the only reason how i managed to get in.. i hope good things are in store for me there, or after i get back..<br /><br />and, today is a special occassion.. it is<br /><br /><span style="font-weight:bold;">MICAH'S BIRTHDAY!!!</span><br /><br />here are the pics of my little ol' nephew in June when i was there:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqMw_5aGwkGX86K_JmRHo8zC2HIEHgHFMJiPepVxgnosJPnxR98tgNZxCCownh9e_RasXvx8GwA0hcSJHJMBo2l5QZvIS-2gzBVlGgsKmjDVj0jxsS1pApdPZWSGG4b9k4GE6LQ/s1600-h/z92206217.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLqMw_5aGwkGX86K_JmRHo8zC2HIEHgHFMJiPepVxgnosJPnxR98tgNZxCCownh9e_RasXvx8GwA0hcSJHJMBo2l5QZvIS-2gzBVlGgsKmjDVj0jxsS1pApdPZWSGG4b9k4GE6LQ/s320/z92206217.jpg"<br /> border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116763897619082146" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksnULTKrO4AQjhUetPxzOcIn4OnS5rOLASHugatkt3huY0O_bb3qUy9d_-Py3GLR4BOlX0Rjk7Tl6RNCi4JnTv-SI0eo0pVzQhyphenhyphenWugNrPHJMFLUWtNBO-MvhE8jjvYLEuRk4SsA/s1600-h/z92089676.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksnULTKrO4AQjhUetPxzOcIn4OnS5rOLASHugatkt3huY0O_bb3qUy9d_-Py3GLR4BOlX0Rjk7Tl6RNCi4JnTv-SI0eo0pVzQhyphenhyphenWugNrPHJMFLUWtNBO-MvhE8jjvYLEuRk4SsA/s320/z92089676.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116764279871171506" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDf1peIY5GOIYveF7CPJSFcThChoSHmeiIDWc1ME4QJ4NDcD35c9boV_bOheUsIafeU6f_jCMVb63IC3WRZEs_2b-ZVI_evhESc7cdLqLY74zTPHWCDOJhl3hbZ_Br3IvLVaTXw/s1600-h/z92206238.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCDf1peIY5GOIYveF7CPJSFcThChoSHmeiIDWc1ME4QJ4NDcD35c9boV_bOheUsIafeU6f_jCMVb63IC3WRZEs_2b-ZVI_evhESc7cdLqLY74zTPHWCDOJhl3hbZ_Br3IvLVaTXw/s320/z92206238.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116764477439667138" /></a><br /><br />there.... i MIGHT post more pictures in the future.. but dont keep your hopes too high up..Schizerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11053535055971933884noreply@blogger.com1