Thursday, August 30, 2007
So Touughhhhhhhhhh
Looking through my anatomy stuff right now and it's crazy. On one hand I wanna do well, on the other I haven't put in the two cents and it's demoralising looking at the limitless number of names and parts I gotta remember. Half wants to give up, half says every bit counts push on through. Why do I always leave things so late? Am I destined for a life of Testimony-Through-Exams !?!?! God brought Gary and I through this morning's book club mock interview roleplay, and we did well, but still we were going till 0530 in the morning, till the sun actually rose on us it was embarrassing meeting the sun face to face like that. At least that doesn't happen in Singapore.
GOD.... more strength, more power, more of you in my life! Exam times make me realise I'm totally selfish. I give God nothing and continue to take take take it all take take take it all. And that's not very funny. Btw, tomorrow is the second edition of the trilogy of trials that has befallen me. Book roleplay today, anatomy LE KILLAH 10% test tomorrow, and psychology 20% test on saturday. What's the world coming to? You can't get me down that easy!
yawn .....
one of these mornings, won't be very long
paN!cker lost it at 11:12 pm
Sunday, August 26, 2007
Leave Me To My Own Devices
 -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Every new day Your glory unfolds
Filling my eyes with Your treasures untold
The beauty of holiness brings worship anew
My greatest love is You
Call me deeper into Your grace
The river that flows from the Holy place
Wash over me, cleansing me through
My greatest love is You.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
though they don't satisfy
paN!cker lost it at 9:59 pm
Sunday, August 12, 2007
show me the light
I'm blind, but want to see.
paN!cker lost it at 9:40 pm
Saturday, August 11, 2007
what do we chase? why?
I love running. I love sprinting and chasing people. We played soccer today and it was great fun. We didn't have enough to play 11-a-side so there was much more space to move around and run. Even though I got banged up bad at my left Rectus Femoris Tendon (haha anatomy has to kick in sometime somewhere, why not here and now) when i collided into Kelvin Mok's -knee-, I managed to hobble a bit and run around after some downtime. It was slightly disappointing to lose like 2-8 or something, but that's not really important ... is it? The other team had by far all the superior players while we were having to make do with the likes of me. Indeed. It hurts like crazy when I try to bend my leg (like in a squat) so I guess I'm out of action for a bit. On the field next to ours, this girls team was warming up for their game or something, and boy I was thinking to myself, "They can probably whoop our butts. BIGTIME." They're all so big-sized and tall that us skinny (and of course, crazy) azns would prolly go flying with a simple body-check. Bleah. Anyway, good runabout for the hamster Christopher who doesn't have a wheel at home to run on.
National Day
I spent National Day at Steven's/Sam's/Brian's/Alvin's house. Sam whipped up yummylicious Mee Siam and Laksa for us and boy was it good! Ok, so he used Prima Deli but hey, good means good! I watched till the start of the night show and managed to catch the Red Lions, rappelling commandos, Chinook, Apaches, fly-past, 21-gun salute. It was so heartwarming to see the channel 5 logo at the top right of our TV, haha. You don't know wot ya got till ya lose it. The all-too-familiar scenes of the sea of enthralled Singaporeans brought back memories. At the end of the day, Singapore is home. I wonder how many countries have a national day like ours. It's so much a part of our society and symbol of our independence that you can't help but receive a patriotism boost watching the NDP. Anyway, my parents managed to catch the parade live on my behalf and I seriously hope they had a good time! This is the first time I've missed a NDP since goodness-knows-when, and there was that tingling sadness, especially when I realised this is just the first year of 3 more to go that I'm going to be missing NDP. =(
sleepy.
paN!cker lost it at 9:29 pm
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
in good hands
"Students are assumed to have high-school knowledge of algebra and trigonometry. A background in Year 11/12 physics would be an advantage, but is not necessary."
Just reading this statement stirred something in me. Before the semester started, reading this same line also caused a stir, but one of mild horror. Trigonometry? Year 11/12 Physics ?!?! What is this! However, now I realise what it means, and I'm comforted. I'm happy. Because I now know what they are referring to. Thanks Wei Liang. Every little bit counts. Turns out that Physics is a MUST SCORE course, simply because of it's nature and assessment tasks. Just like last semester, there are a few giveaway marks and I gotta snag em like I want em .... because ...er... I .. do. Quite a distant second would be Psych. It's not that difficult, but still it's a lot further off than Physics because of the essay and higher grade standards. Sociocultural foundations of HM is a really grey area and everything is rather subjective (as is the nature of arts subjects) so it remains to be seen. No guarantees.
And then ............. there's ........ Anatomy. How do I even start? Maybe, I won't even begin to comment on it. Strangely, it definitely IS possible to score on all the practical spotter tests. All ya gotta do is memorise a few hundred names, be able to regurgitate the correct one when needed, and understand how each one interacts and what function they play. whoopee. Easy peasy. 7s in the bag eh. Not quite. I'd be hard-pressed to conjure a 6 for this. That's why God's the magician ain't He? Coming up with the right trick as and when I need it. You're rot, Chris, face it. Time to go back to the drawing board and get things straight again.
I just started doing a bit of solid work today in the library alongside Hanggo; managed to complete Physics tutorial 2 and get the pre-lab done. However, I've been back to slacking at home since then (the scrumptious carbonara courtesy of Lemuel must be playing a part. It must it must! It has!). Don't disappoint, Chris. Don't disappoint. Don't let yourself down.
Amazing G-Race
ANYWAY, I have to post this, now that I remember. We had an Amazing G-Race on Saturday. It was basically a runaround a bit of Brisbane, organised by Campus Christian Movement. A lot of teams did not manage to complete the last leg of the race due to time constraints, BUT that is not the issue I need to comment on.
After completing the first leg which was in UQ itself, most of the teams were waiting for the bus at the bus-stop. Yes I know, that's what most people do at bus-stops, wait. Ok, so our bus came. We got on board, and I -think- Dylan kinda got the ball rolling when the driver asked him if he was getting the off-peak daily or something which is a rhetorical question because by default all weekend tickets are off-peak. I -think- he said something which meant "what other option is there? It's the weekend" and well he got his ticket and moved on.
MY TURN. I ask for the off-peak daily and he says $2.10. Ok, so I get $3 and prepare to hand him the coins. I forget that you're supposed to put the coins on this rubber mat on top of the cash register and they'll handle the money. He says "put it there", gesturing vaguely. I'm trying to decide if he means the cash register or the mat and just as I'm tending toward the mat, he repeats himself "just put it right there", this time gesturing clearly at the mat, then he drops the bombshell. "I don't wanna touch you and I sure don't want you touching me." I was so stunned I didn't know how to react. I just couldn't believe he said those words. I gathered up my change, and absent-mindedly started walking to the back. He poked his head out and waved my ticket at me, saying something which I cannot quite remember (I was very stunned, cut me some slack), something like "hey you want your ticket or you want me to ........." blabla it didn't matter. You think that's bad eh. You're right, it is. But wait, there's more! Get racially assaulted once today, and we'll throw in one more free! Seriously, it only gets better.
Next better player, Young Pei Yin.
She obeys instructions to the letter, successfully purchases her ticket without issue (w00t she levels up like 5 times just for that), and wants to be on her way. She takes her ticket from him, maybe a little too hastily, definitely not taking into consideration the many tempting reasons anyone would wanna hang around a little longer and risk getting lambasted. She starts walking, and lo and behold, he turns around, leans out AGAIN, and starts ranting "How dare you! How dare you snatch the ticket from me!!!" He points at her and continues "How rude is that!" He threatens to throw her off his bus and all that jazz. If I was shocked, I am now shell-shocked. You've got to be kiddin' me. What is this?! Such explicit racism and to such a degree. He cannot possibly be in the service line with this attitude. What a sod. This is my first face-to-face brush with racism, and hopefully my last. We could complain and get him sacked, but maybe it's the Singaporean thing to just let it slide and carry on with life apathetically. We don't need to be justified by the law, because our assurance is in God, but I remember the bus number 1243. 4D time! Haha right. Life goes on, and I hope the issues he's dealing with will be resolved in God's time. He sports a moustache and has tattoos on his biceps so I guess he really should be a trucker, not a public transport bus driver, but all the best to him nonetheless, I'm over it.
We're not crazy azns............we're....... just......... misunderstood. :( hahahahahaha ok enough bull for now.
paN!cker lost it at 7:01 pm
Women, know your limits!
This just cracked me up so bad. I saw it during lecture, and again at home. So so bad. =P
paN!cker lost it at 8:40 am
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
stuck in a moment you can't get out of
paN!cker lost it at 9:24 pm
Monday, August 06, 2007
Mercury Rev // Opus 40
Well she tossed all night like a raging sea
woke up and climbed from the suicide machine
with her Spanish candles and her Persian poems
stuck on the rocks inside Opus 40 stoned
And scratching her wrists in the pouring rain
She collapses down upon the ocean floor
Again
Tears in waves, minds on fire
Nights alone by your side
Tears in waves, minds on fire
Nights alone by your side
Catskilled mansions, buried dreams
"I'm alive" she cried
"but I don't know what it means"
But somewhere out there across the moonlit sands
There's a line drawn, like the lines on her own hand
And slamming her eyes, locking the door
She collapses down upon the ocean floor
Again
Tears in waves, minds on fire
Nights alone by your side
Tears in waves, minds on fire
Nights alone by your side
paN!cker lost it at 10:20 pm
Sunday, August 05, 2007
far as the eye sees, the horizon just begins
Today, me and some pals of mine took part in the Bridge to Brisbane fun run, a 12km route across the the Gateway bridge ending up in New Farm, near the edge of city. It was a really kewl experience, because I got the opportunity to wake up at the unearthly time of 0445hrs and battle 5 ºC temperatures (got smoke ok!) in VEST AND SHORTS. Thankfully, by the time we arrived at the site of battle, the temperature had increased a couple degrees and vigorous warming up helped to get me prepped and good to go for the run. Still, it was a very painful process tryna rid myself of the very nice sweater and jeans I had on. It was a comfortable pace we ran at, and Adam, Edwin, and I managed to finish the run under 60 minutes, namely, 59 minutes, haha. Taiming and Gabriel joined us at the end shortly after. If Edwin's knee hadn't decided to give him problems again, I'm pretty sure we could have pulled 55 minutes no problems. As it is, Alex ran a pretty tight 50 minute race himself and kudos to the man man!
The very thing that struck me during the race was how -damn fit- the Aussies are! Granted, there were close to 30k participants, but still, to be overtaken by people of all ages and all genders (ok so only two genders) throughout the whole run was quite a humbling experience. SERIOUSLY man, give me a break! Children not more than 13 years were running by us effortlessly, old men and women of 50 were going " excuse me boys", parents were overtaking us while -pushing their children in running prams-. I was devastated!!! =( I think our best position has to be our initial starting position, haha. Throughout the entire run, and I DO mean RUN, I saw only one person walking. Deeply humbling. Aussies REALLY can run. I heard the winner owned everyone with a timing of 34 minutes. That's 34 minutes for 12 kilometres folks. Yay I took only double that time.
It was of course still a great experience nonetheless, and the company was brilliant. Next up, Singapore Stanchart 21.1km! Anyway, I had easily THE sweetest watermelon ever at the bazaar set up at the end point. Wow, it was so juicy and sweet I could eat forever. The only blehh point was having to wait almost 2 whole hours for the shuttle bus back to the starting line so we could get home in our car. That was horrid, especially since it was a REALLY COLD DAY inspite of the crazy hot sun. Every time the queue happened to move into a shaded area, I died inside when the wind started blowing. Gosh, so so so cold.
Thank God for neat-o but absolutely tiring days. Tomorrow school happens at 8am. Too early, way too early. It's not too late, but I gotta start getting organised. *whips out turnbacktime-o-meter*
BEFORE
AFTER
We live to run another day.
paN!cker lost it at 7:59 pm
Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Praise God
This is a post of thanksgiving for the past week I guess, in spite of my slack week (not supposed to be that way!). We made -a lot- of friends during I-week last Friday, and the momentum has carried through to this week. The turn of day has seen me catch up with some of the people who turned up to Friday's party, and indeed, God has placed them in this place and has placed us here to impact lives, their lives. Just such an influx of new faces, new personalities, from different cultures. Would I have such a chance in Singapore? I would prolly say no, unless through special circumstances. I thank God for this opportunity then to be coming in contact with these people from Taiwan and Thailand. Even though making conversation with them was at times awkward (arghh even among fellow asians? We're just uber different aren't we?), God pulled Hanggo and I through and this is definitely an area where I feel God is training me up to be useful in. One of the purposes of being an international student is to meet and touch base with people from -everywhere-! So yep, selfish aim haha but honestly that was one of the things I was looking forward to (I don't know how to talk to strangers, so I didn't know how that was gonna work), but I believe God can use us in touching these lives and in turn be blessed as well.
I was encouraged today by Hanggo's dedication to following up with these people, and his extension of friendship through a simple and nicely done pasta. Even though we stuttered and stammered our way through the night, I enjoyed the time we had with the Thais. He might not be the smoothest operator around, but his heart was big enough to warm all of us. Praise God! Perhaps it's things like these I should live for, the union of the saints in fellowship (and of course, what else, food, copious amounts of food). Jesus' life was all about the people when He was on earth, and at the end, it's the people's lives that count, not calculators (tho they do count also). HAHAHAHA ohh so lame. -_-
It is true therefore that it is more blessed to give than to receive, because the intrinsic value of giving far outweighs the extrinsic costs. This should serve to give me a kick up the backside, which I really need (no this does -not- mean you people can be starting to give me random kicks up my butt). It's been slightly surreal, but I'm sure sleeping earlier and getting better rest should plant my feet back down on earth.
Thank you God for reminding me of Your love for -everyone-, and for using me to -hopefully- be a blessing in some way to these Your people. Please continue to convict my heart in the same way towards my studies!
paN!cker lost it at 8:15 pm
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