Sunday, July 24, 2005

Why isn't there a "we" in "friend"?

[Quote of the post] "I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don't believe I deserved my friends." - Walt Whitman
[Song of the post] Lean on Me - Not sure who

"If all my friends were to jump off a bridge, I wouldn't jump with them, I'd be at the bottom to catch them." -Anon

Everybody's been blogging about their friends lately. Now, you'd think I'm just jumping onto the bandwagon; and of course, you'd be right.

What are friends, anyway? It'd be simple enough to look into a dictionary and find out, but that entry simply cannot do justice to what a friend really means. Friendship is not a symbiotic relationship; it is like an anti-parasitic relationship: you try to help the other party so much that it does you harm.

What is a friend? "Friends are like pillars on your porch. Sometimes they hold you up and sometimes they lean on you." -Author Unknown. A friends is one who volunteers to keep your notes for you when you are absent from class. A friend is one who doesn't get angry when you forget to return his CD for the fourth time. A friend is one who laughs at your pitiful jokes even if they aren't funny.

"A friend is like an oreo, its not always that great, but it always gets better!" - Erin Westbrook

I know countless people. Are they truly my friends? I am friendly with them, and they are friendly with me. Does that make them friends?

"Friends are like Peanut Butter ... it sticks to the roof of your mouth, and it feels as if they never go away!" -Author Unknown

Herrick
As Assistant Class Chairman you've been a wonder. You've helped me when I was down. You cheer me up when I am sad. You're the one closest to sanity in our OM group. Just for that I am grateful.

"I believe in Angels, the ones that heaven sends. I believe in Angels, but I call them my best friends." -Author Unknown.

Kevin
Everyone sings praises about you. Think I'm not going to? You have a pure heart full of kindness, compassion and understanding. You help me, even if it isn't to your advantage. You comfort me when I am down. Perhaps it is because we share a common name. But that is enough to create a bond like no other.

"Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend."-Author Unknown.

Juztin
I appreciate you more than I show. Without you, I would never make it through my UYO alive. Maybe because we are both subject to discrimination as GEPers, and that unites us. You help me through four hours of torture every Friday. I thank you for being my friend.

"Love is blind, but friendship closes its eyes." -Author Unknown

Shaun
You are another who cheers me up when I am down. I feel that you most qualify in the last definition of "friend" I typed above. You do not doubt me, yet I turn you down. I am sorry for that. I can still trust you; that above all is most important.

"A friend you have to buy, won't be worth what you pay for him." -Author Unknown

Zhang Quan
You are a fountain of joy that never dries up. You have an infectous laughter that spreads and spreads, and which cannot even be bottled up inside you. You keep me happy in the worst of times, and share my pain on early Friday afternoons.

"If I'm in heaven and you're not there, I'd carve your name in golden chairs, for all the angels there to see, that I love you and you love me. If you're not there on judgement day, I'll know you've gone the other way, so just to prove our love is true, I'd go to hell to be with you." -Jackie Paul

Michael
I know our relationship has been weakened by our infrequent communication, but to tell you the truth you play an important role: another who keeps me cheery in the darkest hours, and one who I look up to in terms of literary arts, full of advice and humour.

"Keep your friends in your heart and your enemies in your range of sight." -Author Unknown

Sorry I cannot show each and every one of my friends; friendship may last but the day still ends.

"I looked for my God; my God eluded me. I looked for my soul; my soul I could not see. I looked for a friend and I found all three." -Author Unknown

"We may laugh, we may cry but our friendship will never die." -Rachel Gould

There may be more, I cannot tell; for now it is time for my farewell.
It's getting late; I've got to sleep; in a few minutes I'll be counting sheep.

Funny how the quotes which have the most meaning are often anonymous.

"Friends are like poems, you may never fully understand them, but you will always love them." -Ashley Correll

"Choose your friends by their character, and choose your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."

"I value the friend who for finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar." Robert Brault

Songs I know that refer to friends:
Friend Like Me from Disney's Aladdin
Lean On Me by I don't know who
You've got a Friend in Me from Disney's Toy Story 1 and 2

"When we are dying, we need friends to survive. But in between, we need friends even more." -Just heard it on TV.

Friday, July 22, 2005

Not angst, just irritation.

[Quote of the post] All this fuss about turning forces is just a load of torque.
"Can you tell me what force times perpendicular distance is?"
"Just a moment."
[Song of the post] Puzzle Bobble Theme

Lol! I just found the Puzzle Bobble theme song and it brought a smile to my face! I mean, the tune of one of the earliest games I played and one of the most fun of my kindergarden life just can't help bring back memories... ah, good times, good times...

Oh yeah. I want to complain.

Complain! That's all you do! Why, I remember the time when you used to write about happy stuff! Now look at you! What's becoming of you? You vowed never to become angsty, but look at you! Complaining for three posts in a row! You know in my day... blah blah blah yadda yadda yadda...

Yeah, I'll try to look on the brighter side of life soon, but right now I'm in teenage angst. Am I? Zhang will be very surprised to find out. I don't know if I even am angsty, or just irritated at life. Lately I've been seeing things with a very cynical point of view. Is it my hormones, or is it just the influence of Demel?

Anyway, about my complaint. The difference between typing it now and experiencing it a couple of hours ago is totally different, but I'll try to express myself in the best way possible.

Let's see, where to begin? This Friday was going to be better than most, since it would end at 4pm despite starting too early. This meant I could return to my humble abode to complete the massive piles of homework teachers always reserve for weekends.

On the bus with Juzzie, the teacher suddenly called my name. As I raised my hand with curiosity, she announced that we (a bunch of four) had to go back to school later at 4pm to reherse the National Day Award Ceremony.

Hmph. So now I couldn't do my homework today. Never mind then, I am getting an award. So I ask, "What time does it end?" She ponders for 312 milliseconds before replying: "Dunno."

Okay... I borrow Juzzie's handphone to call my mom, to tell her that I'll be going back to school. All settled, I ask the teacher again, "Where do we meet?" She ponders for 314 milliseconds before replying: "Dunno."

Right... so I go for the shooting, and later go back to school. The rehersal was a TOTAL waste of time, with the first half-hour taken for each and every UYO award receipient to take their seat. Then, Mr. Tan See Keng take the liberty to tell us that our certificate won't be presented on that day, but a scroll, which symbolises "your success". Then, after a practice in which only the first five rows went on stage to see where to stand, we were released into freedom.

Two things here: WHY THE HECK IS SCHOOL COMMUNICATION SO LOUSY??? Why not tell me about having to stay back earlier in the week, so I can make transport arrangements? Instead, make people worry about how they are going to get back to school and back home again with a fixed budget and timeframe. And WHY DOES THE TEACHER WHO PASSED ON THE MESSAGE NOT KNOW ANY OTHER IMPORTANT DETAIL AT ALL??? The ending time and meeting place is so important, and she doesn't bother to ask the person who asked her to take the message. This is the sort of thing adults teach kids all the time, Find out the exact details. Where? When? How? Who? What? If teachers don't do this, how are students supposed to learn?

Secondly, WHY WAS THE REHERSAL A COMPLETE WASTE OF TIME??? This sort of thing can be briefed in a much shorter timeframe, or, better still, send out a letter with the respective details. But of course, the school puts money over time, and so is prepared to waste the precious seconds of the individuals to save money for the "greater good".

See? All cynical. It must be Demel's fault. =D

Thursday, July 21, 2005

I feel your pain. And boy does it hurt.

[Quote of the post] If his test didn't kill you, his worksheets will.
[Song of the post] Reach out for the Skies - Elane Wan

Hey. I haven't blogged in a long time. School is really pressurising me. And everyone else.

Today was the dreaded Life Science test. Demel said he already got 15 wrong. In a test with 7 questions, that's bad. >_< We were all hoping that Mr. Soo had to go for IvP at 9am (all the IvP people were) but he switched periods with Tucky (and only left at 12:30pm). Everyone was mugging like coffee in the morning.

For some reason, Mr. Soo actually gave out the answers after the test, since he had some time. He must be really confident that we won't spread the answers or anything. Not that we will, of course.

Surprisingly, I could do most of the questions in the test. Dunno why, but it must be something I did.

Ooh, Racial Harmony day today. The performance was interesting, but not much synchronisation except for the Malay group. They were performing martial arts of the three races. Mrs. Cho said afterwards not to try any of this in class, especially with the broomsticks and dustpans.

Kwong had to go for IvP at 9am, so I took his seat. And I have to tell you, I don't know how he does it. I really have to commend him on his willpower and endurance. How he sits between Daniel and Boey for 7 months I cannot imagine.

On one hand (the left), there's Daniel, who constantly tries to strangle me in the middle of lessons, invades my personal table space and going, "Huh? What? I don't understand! I'm going to fail!"

On the other (right) hand, there's Boey, who is a kleptomanic and has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. He keeps stealing my stuff, poking and prodding me, and totally freaks me out. *Shudder*

Go Kev.

Friday, July 08, 2005

*IAMOTAUYOC*

[Quote of the post] I see fields of green, red roses too... means that I'm not as colour-blind as you...
[Song of the post] What a Wonderful World - Ray Charles

I hate UYO. No, technically I don't hate UYO.




I loathe it. I despise it. I abhor it. I depriciate it. I shun it. I execrate it. I disparge it. I detest it.

Whichever idiot came up with UYO must be some sadistic freak and have lots of power to implement his plan. He has a lot of money and time which he fuels into UYO to watch our country's youth be tortured, burnt, drilled, dehydrated, sweated, pumped, punished, and exhausted.

"You're all singing like you're all dead like that." - NPCC Sergeant

Well, duh.

How do you spell depression? Just three letters - U-Y-O. (Kudos to KW for coming up with that.)

How do you spell joy? U-Y-O-C-A-N-C-E-L-L-E-D.

Now, every UYO cadet loathes the day which starts with F. F, F, F. How coincidental.

Terror is now spelt F-R-I-D-A-Y.

Executioner is spelt N-C-O.

Doom is spelt D-R-I-L-L.

Compensation is spelt R-T.

And, for some strange reason, I'm getting a Bronze award for UYO, even though I haven't been turning up for months (due to OM, don't get me wrong). That means I have to stay back for practices, waste more of my precious time, and march on stage in front of everybody on the 8th of August. Juzzie should get that award, seriously. Or somebody else. Anybody else except me.

Today. 4 hour training. What did we learn?
1. Always bring your PT kit. If you don't you miss RT and have to sing songs.
2. Never flunk your drill when you're marching on the road in the 2 o'clock sun.
3. The 2 o'clock sun is the hottest.
4. Which means the road is hot enough to fry an egg.
5. And enough to burn skin.
6. Not to mention the surface is rough enough to erode the skin of your palm.

I hate UYO.

*Big thanks to Juzzie for helping me through UYO. I'd never survive properly without you.*

Tuesday, July 05, 2005

Conspiracy of the Week

[Quote of the post] Change the world.
[Song of the post] Flight of the Bumble Bee (Jazz) - Unknown Artist

I can't believe it. Alien Planet, once in a lifetime show, with amazing CG effects and animation, incredible imagination and science, and only me, Sidhant and zQ watched it. (zQ doesn't actually count because he was watching Wimbledon at the same time.) Oh well. It just goes to show.

I still have the emotional scars of Friday searing across my mind. I hate UYO.

Oh, that remind me about this post's title. Welcome to another episode of... Conspiracy of the Week!

On CotW, we look at some of the world's secret conspiracies... as uncovered by a Secondary Two teenager!

Today's Conspiracy: UYO on Fridays
Hidden Reason: Less teenagers

Why? you might ask. Well, our special field agent goes behind the scenes to uncover the secret of this mystery...

As you know, the government initiated a five-day work week. In compliance with this act, local school Anglo Chinese School (Independent) shifted UYO from Saturday mornings to Friday afternoons, in even more sweltering heat due to the afternoon sun.

ACS (I) principal claims that this is "to comply with the government's five day work week". However, our field agent's evidence proves otherwise.

According to our incriminating evidence, we at CotW can claim that UYOs are implemented to prevent teenagers to going out on Fridays.

The logis is simple: Before, teenagers used to go out on Friday afternoon till night, then skipping UYO the next day due to "exhausted" reasons. Therefore, the system changes.

Now, Friday afternoons are not free, and as teens have to comply with strict UYO laws, have no time or energy to spend their Friday evenings out on the town.

*kzzt* Hang on... *bzzt* we seem to be experiencing some interference... *gzzt*
Signal lost. Conspiracy of the Week will never show again. Muhahaha. End transmission.

Sunday, July 03, 2005

Alien Planet

[Quote of the post] It makes you wonder... are we really alone?
[Song of the post] I Like to Move It - Madagascar Soundtrack
[Site of the post] Alien Planet Virtual Tour

Wow. Discovery Channel has the best in educational programming. That's if you like that sort of stuff. If you're a skeptic or a Christian or both and don't believe in aliens, well, move your cursor to the top right hand corner of your screen and click "Next Blog".

Alien Planet was first shown in Singapore at 9pm on Sunday, July 3rd 2005. It's an amazing show where scientists predict what alien life would be like if they tried to look for it properly.

The simulation is set on Darwin IV, a planet in the Goldilocks Zone of a binary star system. Earth has sent a probe which, although traveling at one-fifth the speed of light, takes 42 years to reach Darwin IV.

I shan't tell anymore, but the CGI is absolutely amazing. The imagination it must have taken, together with the research is incredible. I'm... speechless, and I'm rarely speechless. >_>

Too bad the Wimbledon finals are on now. My bro who's more interested keeps switching channels during the advertisment breaks (which are very frequent, come to think of it) and I keep missing a few moments of the after-ad clips.

Ah, well... the site I recommended (not going to happen very often) is wonderful. It has data of all the creatures shown on the planet, the probes... it's all absolutely amazing. I would just like to say a big KUDOS to Discovery Channel for making this show a reality.

Friday, July 01, 2005

Depression.

[Quote of the post] Don't talk to me. Not now. Not yet. If you need to, tell me a joke first.
[Song of the post] A Star is Born from Disney's Hercules, and Get on Up by 5ive

I'm in a state of mental depression. No, I'm not suicidal yet. Thankfully.

Coming back to school has been a load of new weight on my shoulders. OM's over, so thers's no excuse now. Just three hours ago I suffered from real mental breakdown.

I get it now what it's like to be the Joker. I was uncontrollably unhappy, but for some moments I was laughing; laughing uncontrollable laughter. I couldn't stop. I was waiting for my mom outside my house when I got back from UYO, tired and dehydrated. Maybe that's why I cried: I was there for 20 minutes. Now if that's not long, let's see you survive 4 hour UYO without water and then go sit outside your home for twenty full minutes with nothing to do, the telephone ringing on and off, with no way to get inside to that tall jug of ice-cold water, and with no idea when you mom is getting home and whether you'll survive till then, and the lift going up and down and everytime it passes the floor you're on you lok to see if it's your mom, but when you find it's not you go back to crying into your crossed kneecaps.

*Breathes*

So I'm not in a very "good" mood. I think I have to do all those anti-stress things, like breathing talking to myself, learning to say no...

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because it's stupid!"

"No it isn't!" *Glares and breathes deeply*

I think it's coming back. My normal self. >_@