How time flies, it has been 8 months since my last post on Blogger. Been busy with the paper chase, but today I had some time to myself to take a breather, so I decided to look back at what I had experienced in the past 1 year and 8 months.
Life hasn't been particularly smooth-sailing, there seemed to be more downs than ups, I had fallen in and out of... Kinda, my mind's fault actually. I had blamed life for putting me in my position and I had everything to complain about.
But every time I am halfway through whining and complaining, I decide to count my blessings and all the good things that happened to me that I could have missed if I hadn't been in this position.
I'm always complaining about coming to this school I'm in. I had a choice. I made a choice. And I always thought I made the wrong choice. I still don't fit in. I still feel like a square peg in a round hole, a fish out of water. But I'm not going to complain anymore, because now that I finally sat down and thought about it, it hasn't entirely been a bad experience and I have so many things to be thankful for.
I found friends, I gained new experiences, I won and lost, I learnt to cherish some friends that I never really knew I had, I learnt to push myself to my limits, I found 2 new passions, I found Chistina Perri and I learnt how to get over broken things.
While I complain about the state I'm in, I can't deny that I've found new friends from my experiences this 1 year and 8 months.
There's Wen Cong, Wan Xin, Leonard and my dearest Cross-Country team - Nathaniel, Jeevaneesh, Si HengandJian Hong. They are like colour pencils, filling in the white spaces and making life beautiful. Wen Cong and Wan Xin are always there to make bad days survivable. Real comic relief those two.
Thank you Wen Cong especially for being such a good friend. :D He has everything a friend should have - a 1000-megawatt smile, warmth emanating straight from his heart, wise advise to give, a ear to listen, and a hand to lend. If there ever was a Hall of Fame for friends he would be in it.
And there is Leonard who spends lunch breaks with me playing racing karts and leaving banana peels for each other to slip on.
If I had made any other choice, I wouldn't have joined the cross-country team and strengthened my friendship with Nathaniel, and forged new relationships with Jeevaneesh, Si Hengand Jian Hong. It's amazing how 5 of us with very different personalities managed to stick together to the end and achieve miracles. What miracle?
The cross-country team was pretty much in shambles when I joined them. 'Them' consisted of only three people - Jeeva, Si Heng and Jian Hong - not even enough to make a team of 4 to compete in the Nationals the next year. I was slow for much of 2010, things weren't looking good for us when we didn't get any new athletes for 2011, so there were only the 5 of us to count on and besides Jeeva, the rest of us were sub par.
Here was where I learnt to push myself to my limits, found a new passion, running and won and lost.
We did all sorts of mad things like running up hills, running in circles for as much as 12km, covering 32km in 2 training sessions every day of the week for 2 months but we survived. Through those experiences we learnt that 32km probably wasn't our limit. (:
I fell in love with running. I still run now, and I miss the times when I ran with the team. We were the epitome of camaraderie. Camaraderie - Noun: Mutual trust and friendship among people who spend a lot of time together. And indeed, we spent A LOT of time together. And I loved every moment of it.
Then the Lunar New Year came and gone, and as if an air of auspiciousness swept over us, things began to look better. I was slowly getting faster, Jeeva was like a rocket and there was healthy competition between Si Heng and Jian Hong - both were fast. And Nathaniel was always there, being supportive. :)
Things got even better when new athletes joined the team. Eventually we defied the odds and came in first, we were the champs! I didn't contribute to the points, but I did get 12th place and hence 2 medals.
But the 2 medals don't mean anything compared to our friendship, the Gokul dinners, the Banana Walnut bread every morning, our photo-taking sessions and movie outings. Thank you HCX 2011.
Of course we didn't win all the time. I lost miserably at the Track and Field nationals three weeks later. It was my first time running the steeplechase and I tripped over the 5th hurdle and landed flat on my face. But I'm proud of myself for jumping on my feet and finishing the race and not choosing to throw in the towel. It was disappointing to be overtaken at the home stretch by an opponent but still, this memory is one for keeps.
HCX was probably the best thing to have happened to me. Esprit de Corps. Thank God for the experience.
Besides running, I fell deep in love with mountain biking. And it was through mountain biking I met amazing people from different walks of life. I met Arif, a financial analyst who shared a lot about life and what to expect from it with me; Gio Fabio, an Italian IT dude who helped me to ride better and painted a picture of how the world is like beyond school through our little conversations; Willhelm Prasser, VP of the APAC region at Azeti networks, a German dude who looks younger than he is and the only one among us with a carbon bike; Edward, a litigator at Bird & Bird who shared with me how it would feel like to be a father through conversations about his son. Haha! Besides these four great men, I rode with Swedes, Frenchmen and other Singaporeans. Every ride I learnt something new, whether about a country, about life, or about riding. Life is exciting on 2 wheels, there's always something new to keep me entertained.
Arif shared with me some morsels of his life and experiences that I could relate to during the drives to and fro the biking trails. He talked to me about how he saved every single cent of his NSman pay to fund his tertiary education in Canada. Because he saved every cent, he stayed out of trouble, some friends didn't understand but it did not deter him. Look at him now, he's got a career, happy family and a beautiful mountain bike. Sacrifices well worth it. I learnt from him what it meant to be down to earth and to prioritise. When I grow up I want to put my family first, just like Uncle Arif.
I'm no longer as obsessed with Taylor Swift as I used to be. Not that I had much time to obsess over a beautiful, blond, blue-eyed girl when I had 20 miles to run everyday and sleep to catch up on.
Maybe it's because I found Christina Perri.
A beautiful girl with a raw, powerful, unpolished yet beautiful (man, I used the same word twice in the same sentence) voice. I always thought tattoos uglify the body but this girl is beautiful with or without the ink. (check her out here!) Well, then again she's so much like Taylor Swift. Another girl who shot to fame because she believed and loved what she did. I remember when I was the only person I knew who listened to Taylor Swift in late '06. Can't believe it has already been 5 years. Now, I'm the only person I know who listens to Perri. Maybe she'd be world-famous in 5 years.
A few months back, I learnt to get over broken things. Because time mends old wounds. Scabs disappear but scars remain but what's important is that I'm stronger now. 经一事，长一智 that's another lesson learnt.
Looking back, it hasn't been all that bad. So many friends and so many experiences - good and bad - that I won't exchange for anything else. The A levels are creeping closer, of course I'm afraid but I know I will come out of this stronger. 船到桥头自然直。I'll just have to do what I can.
Just had my maiden ride off-road at the BT mountain bike trail today on my KTM, so I decided to give a review on this monster of a bike :D
First, a little bit of history of KTM Fahrrad GmbH:Motorcycle fans would know that KTM is famous for the dirt bikes they manufacture. KTM has won every Dakar Rally since 2001.
1934 Hans Trunkenpolz opens a repair workshop in Mattighofen Austria.
1951 Hans Trunkenpolz built his first motorcycle.
1953 The company is now officially known as KTM “Kronreif, Trunkenpolz, Mattighofen”After company founders Hans Trunkenpolz and Ernst Kronreif and the Austrian location: Mattighofen, where Hans Trunkenpolz began and the manufacturing plant was built.
1964 KTM starts bicycle production.
Since 1964 KTM produced and sold almost 3000000 bicycles.
KTM Bicycle Ltd. is offering a full range of bikes.
Design and Production of 150 different models: MTB, Road, Cross, City, Trekking and E-Bikes (pedelecs).
Sales and Distribution in 30 countries worldwide.
Sales of KTM bikes per year (2008): 163.000 bicycles.
Moving on to the KTM Score RC 3.0, the bike I'm riding is equipped with the following:
The bike weighs in at 11.9kg without pedals. Pretty light for an aluminium full suspension bike.
On The Road:
The bike felt very stiff (which is good) on the road, especially with the fork and shock locked out. I expected the bike to accelerate like a rocket, but was disappointed. But I'm blaming that on the knobby Schwalbe Rocket Rons rather than bike geometry on design.
The Reba's lockout is commendable. Despite the fork being locked out, the fork will be automatically be reactivated to soak up bumps when you hit large bumps that exceed your preset floodgate threshold. I find this function very useful especially when riding on the sides of Singapore roads. :D The plush Reba forks subtly soaked up huge bumps and reduced the fatigue in my arms. (Y)
Kudos also to the DT Swiss XM 180 rear shock. One thing I love about the lock out function of rear shocks is that they give you the option to choose between riding a full suspension bike, or a hardtail. Some shocks lock out so tightly that it performs exactly like a hardtail, but not the DT Swiss XM180. Despite it being locked out, it manages to provide a smooth ride by soaking up rough bumps, and yet allowing the bike to perform like a true hardtail most of the time. Pedal bob on the bike is minimal, likely to be due to the design of the rear suspension system which bears a similarity to the 2010 Stumpjumper Specialized FSR where the rear shock is mounted under the top-tube.
On The Trail:
As this was the bike's maiden ride off-road, I wasn't ready to attempt anything too dangerous, especially with the SLX disc brakes not fully worn in yet. Despite this, the disc brakes did their job excellently today.
Modulation was good and the brakes provided sufficient and appropriate stopping power. Gone were the days where I would either be thrown off my bike by overly strong V-brakes or where I would be screaming for help when the V-brakes refuse to work after being clogged up with mud. After this move to Disc Brakes, I'm never going back. :D
The disc brakes were kinda sensitive to the touch. It activated itself very easily, that would need some getting used to, especially when I have come from a low-end hardtail equipped with V-brakes.The handling of the KTM on the trail was very snappy (which would require time to get used to as well) as well. I attribute this to the stiff steerer and Reba SL forks and probably the well-calculated length of trail of the Score RC 3.0.
Throughout my ride today, I was very careful with my riding line as I was very worried of shredding my Rocket Rons on their first ride. I have read about unpleasant things about the paper-thin sidewalls of the Rocket Rons which were often easily cut open by sharp rocks on the trail. Even the Schwalbe website warned that the Rocket Ron was an out and out competition tire and not meant for aggressive riding. Luckily for me today, the tires held up pretty well.
However, the Rocket Ron is not a very confidence-inducing tire, especially through turns where they seem to take about half a second to fully grip the trail to carry me through the turn. I slid a few times on loose gravel as well. Not what I had expected from knobby tires like the Rocket Ron, that was disappointing.However, when riding at slightly higher speeds (above 15km/h) the Rocket Rons seem to do their job very well, latching onto rocks and allowing the bike to turn sharply and negotiate the trail very well. Maybe Schwalbe was right. The Rocket Ron is a XC racing tire, so probably it works best when ridden fast. (:
The drivetrain equipped on my Score RC 3.0 worked brilliantly as well. The Deore XT rear d, smoothly shifts the chain up and down gears even under high pedal pressure. The SLX front d guides the Shimano Hyperglide chain very smoothly as well. That must be the power and precision of Shimano, hardcore Shimano fans always talk about.
There's something about the Selle Italia XR Flow light saddle I'm uncomfortable with though. It's the kind of saddle I like to call "skeletal" The saddle is basically made up of a pair of rails, it's shell and a piece of synthetic leather covering the shell. Minimal cushioning, and that hurt, especially on the long ride home.
Thankfully the Score RC 3.0 has a good rear suspension system, otherwise I'd be in a world of hurt, looking at how bony my backside is. :/
The Verdict:
The Score RC 3.0 is real value for money at this spec and price. I believe the KTM lineup will pose a great threat to Giant Bicycles which are known for their bang for buck. Powerful, stiff ride, but probably there could be a better tire choice.
Au Revoir yongliang
he closed his diary at {10:38}
Dear Diary... Skyline vendredi 3 décembre 2010
I didn't like it. And I'm advising you to save that 10 dollars for something else worth that much.
Here's the trailer:
I didn't even get to see those news scenes in the real movie. What's going on eh? IMHO, the movie wasn't worth my 10 dollars. I didn't expect to pay that much just to watch our "band of survivors" get eaten up by metallic alien creatures one by one, and get decapitated inside the body of the giant mothership. The storyline was pretty easy to understand because....
THERE IS NO STORYLINE -.-
I shan't post any more spoilers, for the benefit of those who STILL WANT TO WATCH THIS MOVIE. Go ahead, spend that money. It won't be well-spent, sadly. ):
Please don't watch it. ):
It's about aliens.
Stealing humans from their homes.
With blue light.
And eating their brains.
Seriously.
THAT IS IT.
Au Revoir
yongliang
he closed his diary at {23:18}
Dear Diary... Messages. mercredi 10 novembre 2010
A penny for your thoughts
Do you remember the times when thoughts cost a penny? Well, even a dollar as The Band Perry sung in "If I Die Young" (A penny for my thoughts, oh no I’ll sell them for a dollar/They're worth so much more after I’m a goner) I don't think they cost as much these days when our thoughts are readily available on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace and on microblogging sites like Twitter and Tumblr. And I'm guilty of this too, airing my thoughts in public portals, right here on Blogger!
So, is this increasing openness a bane or a boon?
I made a recent casual comment on Facebook yesterday, "we should stop writing our feelings all over our faces, or in this modern context, all over our facebook walls. Just my 2 cents." It received a couple of likes as well as a couple of comments disagreeing with what I said. So I thought I shall delve deeper into my two-cents-worth comment.
Have you posted song lyrics in your Facebook status update, or similar? Were your really just sharing a meaningful verse, or were you trying to tell everyone how you feel and get someone to comment on it? Here's an example off my Facebook wall, "Nervously pulling at my clothes and trying to look busy/And you're doing your best to avoid me." Those are lyrics from The Story of Us by Taylor Swift. So, honestly, was I sharing just another verse from a song? No, not really, it's a subtle way of seeking attention, we all know that, don't we?
Here is another scenario. You post an interesting video, most of the time its a music video of a song that you like. But you don't post it simply because you want to share it with everyone else, do you? Here is another example off my Facebook wall again, " http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IPJp3wrV0OQ :D The Corrs : What Can I Do ( Live Acoustic) HQwww.youtube.com>Good live version of their first big hit single What Can I Do (Composer- Caroline Corr, Andrea Corr, Sharon Corr, Jim Corr) I haven't slept at all in days It's been so long since we've talked And I have been here many times I just don't know what I'm doi.." Did I post it because it sounded good? Yes it sounds good, but I don't think that is the main reason. You know it isn't the main reason too.
And other times, we decided not to use song lyrics or videos. We simply decide to post a wise proverb or a saying, or just something wise-sounding. Here is yet another example of my Facebook wall, "苟且偷生". A simple 4 Chinese characters open to everyone's interpretation. Anyway, it means to keep alive without serious ambition. So, why did I post that? It cannot simply be a random, ordinary comment right? It was meant to describe my first JC year. Okay, we digress.
Of course, there are also some times when we are completely insensitive with some comments we make. Something like this: Sigh, missed 1 mark to an A. Or: I'd rather get a B then suffer the agony of not being in the top percentile. Or even: Sigh I got 3 As. And that 1 stupid B that is half a mark from an A.
It sounds so funny as I'm typing all that, but those comments usually cut deep.
So do you see? We (ok maybe just I but I believe we all are guilty okay. haha.) publish our thoughts on public portals, depreciating the price of our thoughts (haha, this is meant to be darkly humourous), expose our vulnerable and ugly selves and allow people to read our minds like a book, in an amazingly subtle manner. But is this for the better or for worse?
Take cyber-bullying for example. Sure, I agree that punishment should be meted out to cyber bullies and they are the 21st century's latest, and soon-to-be biggest villians. But I can't help thinking that we are the ones making ourselves vulnerable. We air our thoughts publicly, thoughts that used to be private and were meant to be kept to ourselves before the advent of Facebook and other social networking sites, publishing to the world our vulnerabilities giving and cyber-bullies a chance to do their damage.
Sure, we have become more "connected", the new wave of communication technologies were supposed to form communication links around the world, bring the world closer, encourage different people to be more sensitive and understanding towards each other but how much of this has been achieved?
Regarding the point on sensitivity towards others, some of us still don't make the mark. Read this: http://www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/146169/singaporean_blogger_arrested_charged_with_racism.html
Have we achieved what we claimed? Some may have, but a significant number of us have not. The danger with posting everything we feel online, however subtly is that what we publish cannot be erased or retraced.
So, I just think that maybe we should start being more selective with what we say and publish, just like things were before. Some things are meant to be secret, some things are meant to be kept to ourselves, some things are meant to be kept mum about. Thoughts were meant to cost a penny.
And there, my 50 cents worth.
I'm guilty, are you?
Au Revoir yongliang
he closed his diary at {11:49}
Dear Diary... Unstoppable dimanche 7 novembre 2010
Back from watching Unstoppable! It's a gripping movie about a runaway train, and I shan't say more to avoid spoiling the show for those who haven't watched it. I would highly recommend this movie, I was kept at the edge of my seat for most of the movie. Although the plot is simple enough and the ending was easy to guess, it was still very exciting! :D So, please go watch it if you haven't!
So, now you can roughly guess what the movie is about yeah? :D
Go do yourselves a favour and watch it now, it's eggciting :D You know you wanna.
Au Revoir yongliang
he closed his diary at {00:44}
Dear Diary... Why Can't I Own A Canadian? mercredi 3 novembre 2010
Hilarious article which I chanced upon after Google's autofill suggested the search: Why can't I own a canadian, and it led me to the humanists of utah website which hosted the article. I guess I'm slow, because the article had been published in 2002. That aside, the article is still a funny and insightful one.
Dear Dr. Laura:
Thank you for doing so much to educate people regarding God's Law. I have learned a great deal from your show, and try to share that knowledge with as many people as I can. When someone tries to defend the homosexual lifestyle, for example, I simply remind them that Leviticus 18:22 clearly states it to be an abomination. End of debate. I do need some advice from you, however, regarding some of the other specific laws and how to follow them:
When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odor for the Lord - Lev.1:9. The problem is my neighbors. They claim the odor is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. In this day and age, what do you think would be a fair price for her?
I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness - Lev.15:19- 24. The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offense.
Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighboring nations. A friend of mine claims that this applies to Mexicans, but not Canadians. Can you clarify? Why can't I own Canadians?
I have a neighbor who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Am I morally obligated to kill him myself?
A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination - Lev. 11:10, it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality. I don't agree. Can you settle this?
Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some wiggle room here?
Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev. 19:27. How should they die?
I know from Lev. 11:6-8 that touching the skin of a dead pig makes me unclean, but may I still play football if I wear gloves?
My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 (Ye shall keep my statutes. Thou shalt not let thy cattle gender with a diverse kind: thou shalt not sow thy field with mingled seed: neither shall a garment mingled of linen and woollen come upon thee) by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? - Lev.24:10-16 (And he that blasphemeth the name of the LORD, he shall surely be put to death, and all the congregation shall certainly stone him: as well the stranger, as he that is born in the land, when he blasphemeth the name of the Lord, shall be put to death). Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14 - And if a man take a wife and her mother, it is wickedness: they shall be burnt with fire, both he and they; that there be no wickedness among you)
I know you have studied these things extensively, so I am confident you can help. Thank you again for reminding us that God's word is eternal and unchanging.
Your devoted fan, Jim
I guess nothing should be taken at face value, even religious books.
Au Revoir yongliang
he closed his diary at {12:17}
Dear Diary... Sparks Fly
After waiting for 3 years (or even 4), Sparks Fly has finally been recorded. :D
Sparks Fly Taylor Swift
The way you move is like a full on rainstorm And I'm a house of cards You're the kind of reckless that should send me running But I kinda know that I won't get far
And you stood there in front of me Just close enough to touch Close enough to hope you couldn't see What I was thinking of
Drop everything now Meet me in the pouring rain Kiss me on the sidewalk Take away the pain cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile Get me with those green eyes, baby As the lights go down Give me something that'll haunt me when you're not around cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile
My mind forgets to remind me you're a bad idea You touch me once and it's really something You find I'm even better than you imagined I would be I'm on my guard with the rest of the world But with you I know it's no good And I could wait patiently But I really wish you would
Drop everything now Meet me in the pouring rain Kiss me on the sidewalk Take away the pain cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile Get me with those green eyes, baby As the lights go down Something that'll haunt me when you're not around cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile
I'll run my fingers through your hair And watch the lights go wild Just keep on keeping your eyes on me It's just wrong enough to make it feel right And lead me up the staircase Won't you whisper soft and slow I'm captivated by you baby like a fireworks show
Drop everything now Meet me in the pouring rain Kiss me on the sidewalk Take away the pain cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile Get me with those green eyes, baby As the lights go down Something that'll haunt me when you're not around cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile
Probably 1 of the thousands of babies born in 1993,
Got his first whack on the ass on the morning of 030993. It was a Friday.
Preparing to face the world now in Catholic High School.
This guy is/was a:
:;Part D UDI:: 2008 (technically, but not in name)
::Part A UDI:: 2009
in the CHS NCC (Air) Unit
::Programmes Coordinator:: of the CHS Prefectorial Board.
::Marksman::! x3
::Orienteer::!
::Outdoor Adventure Leader::
::2 Star Kayaker::
::Bronze Swimmer:: (i'd drown)
::ex-Pilot::
::Pencil artist::
::Vector artist::
::Amateur Photographer::
::Amateur Pool Player::
::Narcissist::
<<@>>>
Last but not least, he THINKS he is a pretty nice guy :) (He actually is.)
He has so many likes, dislikes, and wishes that they have to be put into lists below. read more...
Established since 27 January 2008
Webmaster: yongliang (: users online
Likes ;
NCC AIR CHS
M-16
Snap targets
The Number 3
Pretty things
Beetles :)
♥Stealth : F/A-37 Talon & EDI!!!
Going places with his feet
All living things (:
Reading novels
♥♥♥♥Taylor Alison Swift!!!<3<3<3
♥♥♥Jang Nara <3<3
♥♥♥Elaine Cassidy!<3
♥♥Colbie Caillat
♥♥Dawn Yeoh
♥Drew Barrymore
♥Frens
MACADAMIA NUTS!:D go nutty
Yellow
MILD Pink
red
Anything Ferrari or Schumacher. :)
Chocolates :D
Donut Factory!
Candy Empire :D
White
piano
I
Me
Pool
As
FOUR. They say it's my lucky number.
Likes not ;
从小我就懂得以德报怨,
But i still dislike eco probs and bad grades
Psychological Needs;
MARRY TAYLOR SWIFT
For everything to be smooth sailing...
For everything to be totally all right...
to have new friends
to grow taller 185cm!!!^^
to become stronger
to be a success
to live/leave without regrets
that somethings can be undone...
