02.03.2010
Effectiveness and placements
categories: Personal, Random, Recollections, Revelations
tags:

I feel effective for God. Hahah I suppose there’s much more to go, but at this point, I’m happy that what I did is of positive eternal consequences.

Class today was interesting – we got to jot down our part-time jobs and volunteer work experiences and shared them with each other. And then we helped each other point out the skills we would have developed in those areas. Then we got briefed about getting placements and stuff. Yeah, I think.. no winter break in Singapore this year. Anyway, I’ve got a reply from a prospective work placement and I’m excited. :D

Okay 9 to 5 in school tomorrow. Goodnight. (:

11.02.2010
Recurring Dreams
categories: Personal, Recollections
tags:

I’ve been having dreams about missing my flight back to Singapore and not packing on time, several times already. It is technically void because I’ve made my flight back and I did pack on time. It’s kinda like my cousin telling me when he was well into National Service that he still had nightmares about having an A level paper to do the next day.

I’m not sure what to do with them.. (probably dismiss them and live life) but what I got out of the whole dream experience thing is how time was not in my hands, or in my control. Oh in last night’s dream my flight got rescheduled/postponed, so technically I didn’t miss the flight. But I didn’t finish the dream cos Dad woke me up to go gym.

Anyway yeah, the dreams distressed me, but I needed the sleep badly.

Can’t wait till CNY comes and I can eat pineapple tarts and bak gua. (:

28.01.2010
At this time tomorrow..
categories: Personal, Random, Rants, Recollections
tags: ,

.. I’ll be 50minutes to touchdown in Singapore.

The past few days have been amazing – thank you to all of you whom I’ve met in this past week. It’s been awesome fellowship and chill outs. (:

Australia day was good. But indeed, matching the Aussie laidback lifestyle really, it was a little disconnecting when no one got excited about the fireworks. Hahah. You know how Singapore makes this HUGE fanfare with National Day every year, and we will get all the patriotism in us built up, with the flags everywhere, and the celebrations and the songs?

Nope. Here you fire up the barbie(-que), drink cheap Aussie beer at home, and then make your way to South Perth/Perth foreshores or King’s Park to watch fireworks.

The biggest debacle we had, and how I’ve made this Australia day totally memorable, is posting up tweets saying that the Qantas ad song the kids were singing is the national anthem, WHICH IS NOT TRUE. With all the confusion (EVEN THE AUSSIES WERE CONFUSED OKAY) and commotion on FB and people LOL-ing at us, I have gone on youtube, and figured out what song is what.

Okay here goes:

  • National anthem: Advance Australia Fair
  • Song people think is the national anthem: Waltzing Matilda
  • Song the kids were singing in the Qantas TV ad: I’ll still call Australia home

THERE YOU GO.

And it’s nearly impossible to forget Majulah Singapura is the Singapore national anthem, maybe because Chan Mali Chan is too folksy, and Di Tajong Katong is.. about Tanjong Katong, as with Geylang Sipaku Geyland is about.. Geylang. SEE: Majulah Singapura is about Singapore!

It helps that Majulah Singapura is totally epic drama win kind of song.

OKAY I SHOULD SLEEP. (: Goodnight Perth.

25.01.2010
Four days
categories: Personal, Realisations, Recollections
tags: , ,

I felt compelled to blog today, as it being the last Sunday before flying back to Singers. The next few days have been planned out, it includes coffees and catchups, dimsum and dinner, some pampering with the girls, and my first Australia day celebrations.

BTW, Happy Birthday E! Thank you for being one of my bestest friends here, and always loving me with the small things and the big things. I <3 you very much!

Yeah my years have many starts and ends, due to the travelling to and fro the homeland (though at this point homeland is very subjective). It’s always been a very mixed reaction if you ever ask me if I’m excited to leave Perth/go back to SG – perhaps only Jon understands. At this point, I’m leaning towards wanting to stay in Perth because the city is so beautiful and the people are absolutely amazing.

You know you are settled in a place when you can see the goods and the bads of where you are at. Indeed no city is perfect, as with people. Good and bad experiences in the place accumulates as you stay longer. But I think the community of FGA is vastly different from anywhere else I’ve been to in this life so far – in the sense where there is so much nourishment and support. People are so full of love, and not wrapped in their own world. People are hungry for God, and they live lives evident of the love and grace of God. It is always moving forward, always desiring more of God. In a sense I wish this can be said the same of every church in the world – it should be, but sadly we know it’s not. Thus I thank God because He brought me to an excellent training ground to prepare me for what is ahead.

That’s why I’m slightly dreading leaving this environment. And the quiet and empty apartment where solitude is enjoyed tremendously. And the days of summer where meetups are spontaneous, and where hanging with friends are peaceful and lazy.

And now I’m leaving this place in 4 days for 3+ weeks of non-stop action, festivities, shopping, major catching-ups and eating-outs. Hello, bustling Singapore.

For now, I’m going to miss Perth.

23.01.2010
Influencers 2010
categories: Recollections, Revelations
tags: ,

.. is AMAZING. Definitely worth the money (and all the rest I’ve spent on buying books after.)

Seriously, I can’t justify not buying Christian books. They are always investments, and they are never a waste of money. And with that, it doesn’t help that the messages preached had been so spot-on, up-lifting, empowering and altogether awesome, and that the Beveres write books.

There had been downs, which on hindsight could very well have been the devil trying to hinder me from getting too much out of the conference. But the messages had been relevant, and mind-blowing, and encouraging, and inspirational all at the same time. Yeah, I suppose He has indeed planned for me to be there (of course He did, He planned everything).

What I loved, is that it was not all hype. They were not emotion-driven services, it was not all about the power and money and success. The pastors and speakers were sound in their theology, faithful about what they preach, and has a genuine desire to equip individuals and churches.

With that, how could I have NEVER seen this before:

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Cor 12:9)

GRACE = POWER.

Dude/wahlao.

Over and out. Time to crash.

Reading: Extraordinary – John Bevere

11.01.2010
My Top 5 from Kottke’s best of 2009
categories: Random, Recollections
tags: ,

Here’s my favourite 5 goodies from Jason Kottke’s best links of 2009 list. And as you can see, I like food. Lol.

From Kottke.org:

Missed Connections, Illustrated [Kottke's link]. – beautiful, beautiful illustrations, and such heart-warming/wrenching text.

Wes Anderson Annonated – for the Wes Anderson fans/friends of mine.

The McGangBang [Kottke's link] – because LOOK AT THAT BURGER. How inviting isn’t it?

Fancy Fast Food [Kottke's link] – doesn’t make it any healthier, but still so good.

Photosketch! – such cool stuff, although I do doubt the effectiveness of it. It seems like gone are the days of drawing on drawing boards and crayons.

11.01.2010
Dream
categories: Random, Recollections
tags: ,

I dreamt of goodlooking tall blue people on earth, with a door that changes the scene every time it closes and opens, with mafias and with murders.

That’s what you get when you dream of Avatar after watching some crazy late night movie. And the door part, I don’t know – doraemon?

04.01.2010
Monday
category: Recollections
tags: ,

I wanted to blog before I head off for a run (yes I’ve not ran nearly the whole of last year – including the time where I was doing the physical activity unit) but yeah.

Epic wasn’t open today. BOO. So we got down to Velvet Espresso instead – but instead it was not as impressive. We then walked around the city, had lunch, headed to my suburb to walk around and do more shopping.

That’s what lazy summer days are about, isn’t it?

04.01.2010
Sunday
categories: Personal, Recollections
tags: , , , ,

Bumped into ChienXin at church. People are not meant to come to my church without telling me! Nah I kid. But with that comes Epic late tomorrow morning, thus explaining why I should be sleeping soon.

I beach-ed. The first time in probably one and a half years. Sure it was a scorching hot day, but by the time we got there and chilled, the sun, the ocean, the wind, the company, the food – everything was perfect. (:

J, E and I decided to start off the Wes Anderson movie marathon with Fantastic Mr Fox, which was screening in the theatres. IT’S FANTASTIC, and the lines are brilliant. George Clooney was just as charming (even as a stop-motion animated fox) and the cinematography was amazing, and the soundtrack was beautiful. VERY GOOD. After that, we watched Rushmore (which was awkward and funny) and then went home. Thanks girls for an awesome time.

Enmian blogged this:

MY SISTER IS COMING BACK!! SOON!! I’m not sure what date la, about 25 days? Haha. Can’t wait, and now we have to trouble ourselves where she’s supposed to sleep teehee.

They had invaded my room, tore down my bed, and morphed it into a study room. So I have no more bedroom back in Singapore, and very possibly have to sleep in the living room. Nah, Mum wouldn’t let me. I’ll be in the way of everyone. Chances are I’ll share the bed(s) with the sisters, having midnight campfire stories and soirees every night. Lol.

Life is good here, I can’t wait to get back to Singers.

31.12.2009
What I’ve learnt #439
categories: Personal, Realisations, Recollections
tags: , , , , , ,

Between Australia, America and Singapore:

- I can survive without the national holidays I got to celebrate in Singapore 20 years before I came here. Although Australia doesn’t get as many holidays as Singapore does, the amount of Christmas caroling they do here (nearly ad nauseum) is enough to overcrowd the effects of the excessive Christmas lightings on Orchard Road in Singapore. And the amount of fireworks Aussie Idol final show gets is comparable to a Singapore National Day.

- Amount of alcohol Australians consume can drown Singapore. (Exaggeration) I’ve been introduced to the drinking culture, and possibly have increased my alcohol tolerance. Unfortunately, the alcohol knowledge did not extend to the classroom where I made up what BAC meant during a presentation. Very embarrassing. By God’s grace though, I’ve got a distinction for that unit.

- I’m just watching an old episode of Oprah on TV, where it was the day before Obama’s inauguration, and they had this ‘America’ song – and I realised the amount of national songs Singapore has (x = existing classics + yearly new songs that become classics + new songs nobody sings because it’s too hard to catch) and the patriotism (country and school-wise) we’ve got instilled in us through the years of education.. MANNN. Maybe that’s why I have slight withdrawal symptoms from not celebrating Singapore National Day.