Kill Switch

Earth Hour 2009 happens to be a week away; 28 March, 8.30 p.m. to be exact. Last year, I managed to play a teeny part in preventing (or more realistically, prolonging) global warming with a candle light dinner in the middle of Fortitude Valley. Next week, I expect myself to be sitting in darkness, blogging perhaps?

On a side note, here are my two cents worth after reading a random YouTube comment on ‘how sad it is that the video above has only over 300,000 views’ and apparently, it is a reflection of how much people care. It’s a wonder how these people think! Caring is relative to YouTube hits? To be honest, Earth Hour would be of little use if nobody keeps it up for the remaining 364 days of the year.

Don’t get me wrong – I strongly believe that the head-fake of Earth Hour is to raise awareness by reminding society that a future with global warming would be calamitous to say the least, and that its’ yardstick of success wouldn’t be based on how many people turn off their lights (the aim for 2009: one billion people) but rather the number of people that would continue with their energy-saving efforts.

Have a good one people! And do remember to Vote Earth! Gosh, the humanitarian in me is finally emerging! Woohoo! :D

The Exorcism of The Red Devils

At. Long. Last. The league double over our hated rivals, the gloating rights til the next fixture, and the immense joy at the expense of their humiliation. Pride comes before a fall? Indeed…

Sure Man. United still remains at the top of the Premier League table. And yes, there’s that four point gap as well but let’s not focus on that for the moment. Instead, let us bask in their hanging heads and shattered egos before allowing reality to bite again. Either way, whatever happens come May, we will never ever forget today. Walk On! :D

Et Cetera

The past week has been the highlight of my break so far – three weeks and counting…

I went for my Pre-Employment Medical Checkup last Thursday and as it turns out, I’m not as healthy as I expect myself to be – a urine test detected traces of blood cells in my pee, so I’ll need to go back for a repeat checkup sometime next week. Also, my right eye didn’t do very well in reading the Snellen chart, which is another bother. Hopefully, my cells will straighten themselves out by the next test.

Sectional Retreat was next. After Entelechy (an East District event), the few of us headed down to the Retreats’ venue for the night. The next morning, each cellgroup was briefed on the main agenda for the Retreat which was a well-organized Persevering Race – all three groups were made to visit four different locations along the North-East Line, completing as many tasks as possible within the given timeframe. After four to five gruelling hours in the 30 degree heat, our group ran a good few hundred metres before being informed that unfortunately, we were the last group to arrive. It wasn’t much of a concern really, the whole purpose of the race was to persevere and I thought that every single one of us managed to exhibit some form of perseverance. Oh and it turned out that we won the race (winners are determined by the number of points earned), which was a pleasant surprise in the end. (:

The last three days were spent in Batam (an Indonesian island south-east of Singapore). Given the fact that our reservations fell during the non-peak period, we were blessed with suites instead of the normal rooms. We managed to engage ourselves in somewhat unfamiliar activities. All in all, sunburns aside, it was a trip worth making – I am too lazy to include the details of the trip at the moment so if you really can’t wait, feel free to indulge yourselves in the specifics here!

Oh and Elaine! Lol! I am obliged to mention about beating battering Real Madrid on Tuesday night! Totally kick-ass performance! Let’s hope for another at Old Trafford Toilet as well! Wouldn’t miss it for the world! Haha.

Alright. Til the next update (hopefully, with pictures). Take care people! Peace out. (:

Aesthetics.

Came across this video. Credits to upendy, the cartoonist. Enjoy and God bless! (:

Frosty Indecision(s)

I stumbled upon familiar literature – Robert Frost’s The Road Not Taken, which in a way, epiphanizes this update…

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

In recent days, the greater part of my thought processes have been revolving around my future – for the record, I am at times, excited at what the future holds but it would be safer to say that for the most part, I am bothered.

Frost’s poem just about illustrates my indecision: I could be staring down both roads at present, weighing the costs and rewards of both options… Should I go left? It certainly looks more promising than the right one. But wait, what if this journey is an exception? What if this time, the destination is more important than the journey instead? What if… Oh wait! There’s a third road! It doesn’t seem as appealing as the other two but who’s to say? Ah! The torment!

It irks me when mind games wreak havoc and as a result, millions of brain cells are deprived of their needs to function normally. But then again, it hasn’t ruined my break. Yet…

Have an awesome week y’all! (:

Lewis Boogie

I’m watching the live telecast of the 81st Academy Awards and Jerry Lewis, a comedian, has just received the Jean G. Hersholt award. Less than two minutes after his acceptance speech, I decided to Google his name and unsurprisingly, there was Wikipedia with an entry on his life.

Scrolling all the way down, under the Honors and Awards category, was this…

Lewis is a 2009 inductee of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. He just got some award on the Oscars for lifetime achievement or something [24]

Yay!

A minute later, I decided to refresh the page and this came up instead…

Lewis is a 2009 inductee of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. He just got some award on the Oscars for lifetime achievement or something [24]

Received the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award at the 81st annual Academy Awards.

I find it really amusing that information can be edited within mere seconds of a live telecast. No complaints though. That’s what you get for free! Okay, back to the Oscars! Later!

Margarita of Emotions.

At long last, my three-year affair has reached its’ end. Nonetheless, the emotions running through my veins are simply beyond words. I suppose it’s fairly normal to be floating in ecstasy, especially after a ridiculously long time in the clinical area but I don’t see myself in such a slaphappy state. Don’t get me wrong – I am, in fact, contented with the bygones. On the other hand, am I expected to be concerned about the foreseeable future? I agree that it is a little premature to worry about the next couple of months (or even years) now, but the anxiety has somewhat kicked in as well. Still, I am obliged to be grateful to the people that has made my three years much easier. Hopefully, these feelings, with time, will be subdued – at least to an extent that it won’t ruin my break. Lol.

On a side note, my biological clock has gone haywire! About two weeks back, I was at a friend’s place after dinner and the few of us ended up watching Hour Six of Jack Bauer’s 24. We completed 17 episodes before calling it a day. Upon reaching home, I took a short nap before waking up in time for dinner. Two days later, I was on night duty and my body clock went bonkers again! After dinner yesterday, we had another all-nighter – spending hours in front of an LCD monitor shooting zombies before watching Valkyrie with droopy eyelids and an overworked mind. Haha.

Alright. I’ll update again in a few days when I’m back home. Cheerio!

Sporty Spice

It was really hard for me not to get all teary-eyed when the emotions took over Federer after he lost to Nadal in yesterdays’ Australian Open final. However, I still believe that the seemingly evasive 14th Grand Slam is within Monsieur Federer’s reach! Anyway, here’s a video of the trophy presentation after the final (It’s the best one that I could find – most were removed due to copyright issues.)

Besides that, here are a couple of things to look forward to…

• Just over two weeks before PRCP officially ends! Finally!
• A long-deserved break!

Goodnight world! (:

Practicing Proscrastination

Note: I really, really wanted to update earlier but unfortunately, I succumbed to the power of procrastination. Either way, I got tagged…

A Picture of You in the Most Unique Environment

Two babes and the Tornado in the background. How much more unique can you get? Lol

A Picture of You at a Place You Dislike

Considering the circumstances – where we had to eat cup noodles in the most literal manner…

A Picture Of People That Mean A Lot To You

‘Ohana’ means family (:

Friends back home. Miss the lot of you heaps!

Friends away from home (:

A Picture of You With Your Best Smile

I wouldn’t classify this as my ‘best smile with my mouth closed’. Rather, I’d say that it’s my most ’spastic’!

Well. I’d count this in cos’ I for one, was awfully relieved and glad that our hard work paid off. (:

A Picture Of You With The Lamest Pose

The lamest by a clear mile! :D

This lame pose was totally unintentional – I was mimicking how teenage girls take photos of themselves…

A Picture Of Someone That Stands At The Top Of Your Heart

N.A. (:

A Picture Of You With Some Toys or Cute Stuff

Aww. Ain’t he cute?

A Picture Of You In A White Shirt

White tees in RED Camp.

Anyways, I shall tag:

• Amy
• Audrey
• Chester
• Constance
• Soon Eng

That’s all for now. And to whoever’s interested in the tag above, please feel free to do so. Til then, ciao!

Bring On Twenty-O-Nine!

As we hoist the sails and embark on a journey into the promising waters of 2009, a familiar message of moving into a new season comes to mind. In Exodus 33 – after the golden calf episode, God told Moses to lead the Israelites to the promise land and that He will not go with them. Verses 12-18 are as follows…

 12 Moses said to the LORD, “You have been telling me, ‘Lead these people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. You have said, ‘I know you by name and you have found favor with me.’ 13 If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you. Remember that this nation is your people.” 

 14 The LORD replied, “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” 

 15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” 

 17 And the LORD said to Moses, “I will do the very thing you have asked, because I am pleased with you and I know you by name.” 

 18 Then Moses said, “Now show me your glory.”

From this particular conversation, there is a number of notable petitions on Moses’ part – as Moses and the multitude enters the promise land. 

1. In verse 13, Moses told God “teach me Your ways so I may know You and continue to find favor with You.” As we enter the uncharted waters of 2009, we need to ask God for the same. Moses, of all people, asked God to teach him His ways – the Moses who threw his staff on the ground and in a blink of an eye, became a snake, the Moses who led the Israelites out of Egypt after 10 different plagues, that same Moses who would raise his staff and the Red Sea would part. If Moses who obviously knew Gods’ ways so well had to ask God “teach me Your ways”, what about us?

2. In verse 15, Moses tells God not to send them if His presence does not go with them into the promise land. The same can be said for us. If Gods’ presence does not go ahead of us (or with us), then what really, would be so promising about the new season? Later in verse 16, Moses explains, “How will anyone know that You are pleased with me and with Your people unless You go with us? What else will distinguish me and Your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” If we want 2009 to be the best year yet, then we’d certainly need to have God with us right from the start.

3. Finally, Moses asks God “show me Your glory” – verse 18. 

That’s about all that I can recall for now. I do believe that it’s oh-so-important to begin the year well (and even more important to end it well), what better way than to ask God the same things that Moses asked for. :)

Personally, I thought 2008 was nothing short of a great year and I’m gonna be optimistic in looking forward to 2009 for an even better one! 

Alright. Hope you’re having a fantastic start to the new year. Til then, it’s back to my FA Cup tie where we’re leading at Preston North End thanks to a beautiful Riera strike. :D