One Life, One Victor

OM quotes of the year

2008-06-27T08:58:00.000-07:00

Some of the most memorable OM quotes from the best team ever.

"Huh? Speedy? ... Gonzalez? ... That's not an oxymoron what!"
- DJ, responding after being called "Speedy Gonzalez" for being so slow in getting jokes, while doing a spon round on oxymorons. Case in point guys.

"Guys, I've got a confession to make. My voice is actually not husky. Seriously"
- Victor confessing during the "No-holds-barred" team talk. But the important thing is that we all know this ain't true.

"What is feeling?"
- Isaac, in his famed malay accent.

"My teacher once told me... once told me..."
- Amil, during one of our hoedowns. Created a new fad!

"Your voice was stale!"
- Luke, exclaiming during one of our rehearsals... when it wasn't his line.

"Victor: We're gonna paint him gold."
"Ronald: Wah then how is he gonna wash it off? We'll need so much turpentine la!"
- Ronald exclaiming in surprise when he first heard that we were BODY painting.

"I've come down here, I passed my test! But for the first time, I failed my test!... Eh wait."
- Sam Lee loves his lines.

"Everything's fine; unless there's a line in their play in which Douglas shouts to Ariel, "I TOLD YOU! I TOLD YOU!"
- Isaac, when asked how the girls' team were during their most stressful night.

"I'm going to shower."
- Amil. We all know what that means.

More to come... as they come to mind...

OM!!!

2008-06-27T08:06:00.000-07:00

Victor loves OM, HE REALLY LOVES IT, REALLY REALLY LOVES IT!

There's somethign up with this activity. Even though it makes you slog for so many months in a smelly, toxic room, yet people still do it over and over again. The best part is that it seems to get better every single time! The friendships formed, the secrets shared, the anger and frustration vented, the sweat, the blood(from rusty broken chairs), the laughter and the eventual tears of joy. This is OM.

As Isaac so wisely said,"OM isn't just a CCA, it's a lifestyle!"

Eccentrics all the way! Love you guys!

Husky

The Girl Next Door

2008-05-19T09:58:00.001-07:00

The Girl Next Door,
Has caught my eye,
Stole my heart,
I can't deny.

Her beauty,
So resplendent,
Her character,
Transcendent.

One may search,
But may not find,
All these time,
I have been blind.

Never thought
I'd feel this way
A Ruby's rare
That's what they say.

If only I
Could know her more
Know her heart,
And show mine's pure...

The Girl Next Door,
My heart she's won.
If only she were in my class...
Her class, plus one.

The Odyssey of Victor's Mind...

2008-05-11T05:02:00.000-07:00

For those who know me, you would have known that this is like the gazillionth year I'm doing OM. Why? Didn't I say sec 3 was gonna be the last time? well, I really don't know.

Should passion and love speak louder than rationality and practicality?
Is it worth all the sacrifice?
Hmm...
Sometimes give me an answer pleeaase?

But I'm in it and i'm gonna go all the way...
They say every cloud has a silver lining eh?
I never thought this silver lining would have been so big.
In fact, it's gold.
Silver plus 1. =)

OM...

Missions Journal Day 2

2007-11-27T03:56:00.001-08:00

What a wonderful sleep I had, huddled inside my sleeping bag, albeit on a not-so-cozy bamboo floor, with a 19 degrees Celsius natural air-conditioning system blowing all around. Yes, as you may have already guessed, I was sleeping in the open, under the stars and at the mercy of large flying grasshoppers and other large insects. Nonetheless, God is good, providing us with a pleasant house in the middle of Mesariang, a small town north of Thailand, to lay our heads for the night. Tired as I was when I woke up at 6am the next morning, having woken up at 2am the following day to catch the flight to Thailand, the sheer excitement of going to the Burmese refugee camps, yes on Burmese soil, was enough to keep me going.

This was also the first morning in which I had rice and vegetables with Tom Yam soup for breakfast. Pastor Song Chai joked that this was a 3-in-1 breakfast. I laughed, but little did I realize how true that statement would turn out to be. At day break, Pastor Peter, camp commander of the Burmese Refugee camps we were going to, joined us at Pastor Pirun’s comfortable abode. After his short briefing, we proceeded to the church to load the goods into the trucks, one ton generator notwithstanding. Uncle Doctor Samuel went off to buy gasoline, whose drastic price increase thanks to huge increase in demand in the world today was one of the catalysts of the protests in Burma. He also had to buy “Heavy Duty Toilet Paper” for all of us on Uncle Larry’s request. Nice one. We were going to need it in the refugee camps in the dense jungles of Burma.

Before the sun was at its highest, we left for the bank of the Salawin River, the longest river in Burma, and also the river separating Thailand from Burma. Wow! It was on the way to his river that I discovered that my dad was such an awesome driver. I always knew he was good, but the way he skillfully maneuvered the truck safely through the insanely windy roads littered with endless potholes was nothing short of brilliant. The fresh mountain air was also highly pleasing considering the extent of pollution on our normal air today. Thank you Jesus! Indeed, as Uncle Sam put it, this was “something money couldn’t buy”.

We soon arrived at the Mae Sam Lep, the jetty on the Thai side of the border. The vast mountain range on the Burmese border loomed into view. It was breathtaking, especially from the altitude which we were at. After an arduous time of loading all the goods onto the boat under the blistering hot noon sun, we finally got everything on the boat. Thank God for the many hardworking porters and our strong, diligent boat captain, whose strong hands enabled two truckloads full of goods to be loaded onto the boat in record time.

The boat ride that ensued filled me with an array of emotions, mostly inspiration and utter awe and the wonders of God’s creation. I fantasized about the undiscovered dinosaur bones and archeological artifacts that could lay hidden in the vast undisturbed rainforests, littering the mountains so wisely described by Uncle Sam as places “forgotten by time itself”… The murky waters evoked thoughts of the mysterious creatures that could possibly be lying hidden beneath, childish as it may sound.

The breeze would have brought about more wacky thoughts if not for the incessant growling deep inside my stomach. Yup, 2-in-1 breakfast had indeed become a reality. I soon fell into a deep sleep underneath the merciless hot sun, shining in the cloudless sky. It was only when I woke up did I realize that I was sleeping so close to the edge of the boat, without a life jacket. Praise God for his mercy.

After 2 hours, we finally arrived at U-Way-Klo, the latest refugee camp to be set up on the Burmese border, housing over 400 new refugees. Some of them had just escaped from the evil grasps of the Burmese military and were still fresh from the trauma of being shot at and being at the mercy of Mother Nature as they hid in the Burmese jungles.

When we stepped onto shore, a stream containing crystal clear, cool mountain water greeted us. Without hesitation, I stepped into the refreshing water, not just to frolic around, but to look for a strategic spot to take a leak in nature’s toilette. I had to wary of lurking dragonflies though, never know what they can do to one’s “little brother”. We then passed all our goods to the extremely strong men and the surprisingly strong children. They totally put all of us to shame. What I subsequently experienced as I entered the refugee camp, after a 10 minute hike up the rocky mountain on which it was strategically situated, is hard to describe, but I’ll try. After getting up the mountain following the stream, we were greeted by the whole town standing just in front of their village, eyes full of hope and joy. It was the face of a people so desperate for hope, stripped of all they ever had. In their eyes, we were that source of hope they had been so fervently praying for. The welcome they gave us was more than enough to perk me up and get me all pumped up for the Children’s ministry to follow. As Jesus said in Luke 18:16, “Let the little children come to Me, and do not hinder them for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”

After Pastor Joseph spoke to them for a little while, they proceeded to sing a song they learnt during their children’s church with such gusto and feeling that one could only imagine the results if they were properly trained. After which, Pastor Thomas proceeded to share his testimony with them in relation to Jeremiah 29:11, our key verse for the trip. Following that, they prayed for the salvation and freedom of the people in response to the majority of hands raised up during the altar call. Glory be to God!

Then, it was my turn. I went to the edge of the bamboo house from where we were sharing and told the story of David and Goliath. The way the kids listened so quietly and attentively was… wow! Their exuberance was contagious and when I made another altar call, the response was highly encouraging, and not to mention inspiring, for a guy who was only doing this for the second time. Indeed, as the story goes, you are never too small to be used by God!

We then proceeded to give out the presents which we had brought along, containing toiletries, sweets and toys. As they received their gifts, the sincere gratitude and joy they expressed just made the lack of the latter in their lives all the more evident. My heart strings were pulled even tighter. Please Lord, please free them, bring them home…

The dentistry was also extremely successful, with Uncle Doctor Sam aided by Nurses Larry and Eddie formed a highly formidable force against any rotten or aching teeth. I also got my first experience of holding a pair of pliers directly to the tooth of a lady, though I didn’t actually pull it out in the end, thankfully for her.

All good things have to come to an end and so, we parted ways with the refugees before sundown and proceeded to Ee-Htoo-Hta, a more established camp in which I am now writing this journal entry on the uneven bamboo surface that is my table. Count our blessings; this is the exact surface the students in the schools there write on. Today has indeed been a highly eventful day! Right now, we’re just going to pray for the healing of Pastor Joseph’s injured leg. We know the Devil is trying to stop this man of faith but as he says, “I can do all things through God who strengthens me!” All those in favor say “Aye!”

From the lips of the oppressed

2007-11-27T02:21:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! Here are just some of the testimonies of the Karen refugees whom I had the privilege of interviewing during my trip to the Thai-Burma border. The Karen are the minority ethnic group whom the Junta are ostracising out of Myanmmar. Not only are they poor, they have no freedom, live in fear and were chased out of their own country. You think about what it feels like being kicked out of your own home and you may just get a glimpse of what they feel. Oh yes, and add being shot at at the the same time.

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Name: Nawbluhtoo, 46, Widow, 5 Children, 5-23 years of age

Refugee Camp: Ee Htoo Hta, 2nd Brigade

Hometown: Sawwader, Northwest Karen State

Testimony:
I came to Ee Htoo Hta in 2006. Before that, I was a farmer, living peacefully and happily in my village with my family. Then, the enemy came and burnt my house and shot my husband while I was out harvesting. They killed him just like an animal. The Burmese attacked for no reason, destroying any place and any person. It has become their nature. The village was attacked at different times, and soon, the whole village was chased away. We were chased from our own home. As a result, I had to resort to hiding in the bushes in the jungle to preserve my own life. It was very hard. At times, I had to go 4-5 days without food, starving. At the same time, I had to make sure my 4 year old daughter did not make any noise, lest the enemy find us and we lose our lives. I had to walk through the jungle for 9 days, not knowing where I was going, before I came to Ee Htoo Hta. Even though I am in this camp, I’m am still traumatized everyday, the nightmares about that day never cease. I am not that happy or satisfied, but I have no choice. The United Nations and the BBC provides food. My relatives helped me to build my bamboo house and are providing for some of my material needs. I became a Christian at 22 years of age. I sensed that God was real and believed in his own will. I knew I needed to be saved

“Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven…”

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Name: April, 73, Widow, 2 Children (Dead)

Refugee Camp: Ee Htoo Hta, 2nd Brigade

Hometown: Udata, North of the Salawin River on the Thai Side

Testimony:
The Burmese had a plan since 1974, a plan to destroy all the Karen. That plan has been going on for every year since. I was working in the farm one day when the Burmese soldiers surrounded us. There was no way to run. We farmers were caught and interrogated. The Burmese thought we were hiding some rebels. They beat every one of us. The man they perceived to be the “head” was beaten especially brutally. They beat his head and his nose till he was totally disfigured. When they thought he had died, they went away. However, he survived and we managed to nurse him back to health. The sight of that “head’s” bloody face was one I’d never forget. I’ve been at this camp for a long time. The first time I came was in 1978. I went back to my village once, hoping that the situation had improved, only to be chased back in December 2006. Both my children died of sickness (malaria), and malnutrition along the way. My younger sister is also always sick. My husband also died of sickness before my 2nd child was born. When I last went back to Burma, I was already so advanced in years that I had no energy to walk. My brother had to resort to carrying me all the way. Now, my eyes and my legs are failing me, I think I’m too weak to ever go back. My parents were both Christian. When I was born in 1949, my father was already a pastor. I believe in God and that there is no other God but him. Sadly, like many of us refugees, I am addicted to Betel nuts.

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Name: Wahpaw, 54, Married, 13 Children

Refugee Camp: Ee Htoo Hta, 2nd Brigade

Hometown: Yedagon

Testimony:
I have 13 children and 2 wives. My 1st wife died in childbirth after bearing me 4 children. I remarried and my 2nd wife bore me 9 children. The Burmese army drove me and my family away on 14th May 2006. Before that, they took me away and made me into a porter. I used to be one of the leaders in the Burmese government and was the head of my village. When the enemy came, I had to look for a porter for them, if not; I would have to carry all their things by myself. Me, and the people whom I chose, carried all the equipment and baggage for the Burmese army. Some were weak and fell sick. These people were shot. Those who got tired were beaten. Majority of the Burmese are bad. They have no feelings. The Burmese army knew they could not defeat the Karen army, so they started to attack the people. They knew that the Karen army loved their people, so attacking them would prevent the Karen army from interfering with their plans. If I continued to work, I would either get killed or die of exhaustion, so I had to make a choice whether I should stay, or look for a refugee camp and surrender my freedom. Then, the Burmese government suddenly announced, on May 14th 2006, that everyone had to move out of the Tonggu division, Taudbin Township, the place where I resided and worked. The only problem was that they did not tell us where to move. If they found anyone left behind, they would kill without mercy. Their reason was because they wanted to make a “safe area” but we all knew that this was just part of their evil plan. Their plan was to move the Karen slowly out of Burma, occupying territories till there was no place left for the Karen. If I had a choice, I would definitely choose to go back to my hometown. Sadly, I cannot. I believe that if the United Nations can succeed in pressurizing the Burmese government to bring about democracy, it would be the best for all of us. Then, we will finally be able to go back. The 4 children my 1st wife bore are still hiding in Burma. All I know is that 2 of the 4 children went back to the village and stepped on a landmine. One died and one lost his sight. In spite of all this, I am a Christian.

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Prayer request:

Misterpaw, 8 years old and Orlando, 4 yeard old. Both suffer from a rare genetic disease called Albinism. They were born without the gene coding for melanin pigment, which is responsible for giving us our characteristic skin and eye colour to reduce damage by the sun. This is a result of inheriting recessive genes. Their eyes cannot be exposed to bright light and they cannot be in the sun for long. They have a very high risk for contracting skin cancer. They need extra thick sunglasses to shield their eyes from the light as much as possible. Sometimes they do not eat well. Their father sells a kind of seed found in the jungle to sell on the Thai side of the border. It takes one month for him to collect enough to sell. The family knows that it is beyond their capability to take care of them sufficiently. They also have a huge lack of knowledge in doing so.

Please pray that God will supply the sunglasses and whatever else they may need. Pray that the parents will have the wisdom to take care of them and that God will send people with the right knowledge to educate them on how to do so. Also pray that some western country will take them in and keep them safe and healthy. They are all Christians and would sincerely like to ask their brothers and sisters in Christ for help.

Honey

2007-11-23T23:19:00.000-08:00

There was once this friendly brown bear living in a forest. His best friend was a funny mousedeer, who never failed to make him laugh. The Bear never hesitated to do anything for the mousedeer, be it helping it to catch fresh trout or sharing the day's hunt with it, both berries and fuits, obtained from the lush green tree tops. It seemed nothing could spoil this awesome friendship. Through storm and wind, the bear and the mousedeer would keep each other warm, and through summer and fall the fun they had among the leaves was dreamy.

Over time, the bear adapted to the habits and likings of the deer and vice versa, with the bear playing catch with the deer in the vast plains, playing hide and seek in the undergrowth and listening to the deer in an attempt to sing more chirpily than the birds. The deer also tried its best to catch fish with the bear and look for honey in the bees' nests, but its hoofs prevented it from doing so. Nonetheless, it was great fun for the bear watching the deer try desperately to catch a fish with its hoofs, only to end up succeeding with its long tail acting as a fishing rod. The cute deer never failed to amuse the brown bear.

Soon, their trust became as strong as the latex found in the rubber trees that littered the forest, their friendship sticky as the honey, among the many things, that they both enjoyed. The bear knew that the deer could count on him, but would it be there for him? As time progressed the deer made more friends and the bear shared in this new company, loving everything about it. Those were fun times when they would frolic in the forest together, or just sit around enjoying the sunset and each others' company. The friendship between the two never changed, with the bear still viewing the deer as the honey of his heart, or apple of his eye, (he didn't really know the difference between the two).

One day, the deer asked the bear whether he would him into the woods to find this new fruit that he'd heard about and couldn't wait to try. Though the bear wasn't really fond of fruits, yet he just tagged along, just to accompany his chirpy friend. They travelled deeper and deeper into the woods, going past great fig trees and redwoods, passing by evergreen plants and sweetly scented flowers. Finally, after a long day's walk, they finally arrived to find that famed fruit tree, in a part of the woods they'd never been to before! It was amazing! The fruit in itself was eye catchingly beautiful and it's scent could be smelt long before the fruit could be seen. The deer was exhilarated! The bear on the other hand was horribly tired, but seeing that the deer was happy, he felt happy too. So as the deer went to pick the fruit the bear just lay beside the tree, hoping to catch 30 winks, reminding the deer to wake him when it was done. Then the bear fell into a deep, comfortable sleep...

Very soon, the deer had finished plucking around haf a dozen of those famous fruits, as many as it could carry. In its excitement to get home to show his friends his findings, he scampered of into the woods, totally forgetting about the poor bear who had followed him all the way. As he skipped past the bear, the bear, recognizing those familiar "Click, clack" sounds peeled open his eyes only to find the deer slowly disapppearing into the forest. "Oh I guess he's just going to get more... I'll wait..." thought the bear. Thus, the bear waited and waited, expecting the shadow of the deer to reappear, longer than before as the sun set even more. Yet, the deer never returned and by the time the bear came to that realisation, he did not know what to feel. Feelings of hurt, disappointment and anger flooded into his usually calm head. He'd never felt these emotions before. After all he'd done that's what he got in return, not that he was expecting anything in the first place. He felt being taken advantage of, tread upon; all the feelings being a compouding of various similar events leading to that day. The deer thought about himself, and forgot about the brown bear...

On the long way home, the bear thought about these things. He loved the company of the deer, and almost all that was to do with him, especially the many great times they spent together, frolicking in the forest all year round. This incident hit hard. Of all the emotions the bear felt, he was hurt the most. He didn't like this. Though he had the Spider and the Monkey to talk to, it didn't feel the same... Very soon, the deer realised something was amiss. His brown friend just wasn't the same. He didn't take long to find out why. All tales have a happy ending, and in this case, I'll have to oblige. The deer, cute and bubbly as usual snuck up to the bear one day, and with those Bambi eyes said a soft but sincere sorry.

The bear's heart had always been soft and he could never be angry for long; this incident however had brought him to a level he'd never experienced before - he'd learnt. Yet, as was his philosophy, their friendship was like his favourite hunny, sticky and sweet at the same time, it would have to take more than that to break them apart, but at least now, he was more aware. His honey had just become less sweet, and well, not as flawless as before, but it still tasted good.

To this day, the bear and the deer are still the best of friends but the bear has become more mature, wiser and as the old oak tree said, more grown up. Indeed he knew how important it was to forgive, but he also learnt that it was also good not to forget. - Dorothy P Harlot

The Diva and I

2007-11-19T05:55:00.000-08:00

"Hey! I'm Victor!" (very enthusiastically0
"Oh, hi." (turns around coldly)

Looking back, this wasn't exactly the best way to start a friendship. I have to admit I was pretty taken aback at this response from a guy I'd heard lots about when we'd just been placed in our new classes at the end of sec 1. Little did I know that Jerrold and I were going to have such an awesome friendship in the years to come...

I don't remember exactly how we became friends but if I'm not wrong, the creative arts program, which both of us ironically didn't go for in the end, was the catalyst for our friendship. Once our first conversation started, I think it went upwards all the way! Man, I just love talking to that guy, albeit the occasional headaches and stomach pains that result from some really lame jokes... Wah, why did I have to start that dreadful disease...

Who'd ever forget the end of sec 2, when somehow my legs brought me on stage to give shy'ol Jerrold that bouquet of flowers? Haha, I didn't know how powerful that gesture turned out to be with regards to the competition! For the record, I still think it was worth it! I doubt our friendship would have been able to continue if not for a certain Mr Zhang Yifan, China Mango. Man, I was nerve-wrecked when the sec 3 classes were announced! Thankfully he was there to intervene and Jerrold and I were in 3.11!! Sadly, he's gone to China and I'll never get to say a real thanks...=(

I've got to say sitting next to Jerrold was one of the most interesting experiences I've had. It wasn't just the enjoyment of chatting all day but the occasional voice in my good ear singing to the tune of "Behind these hazel eyes" and the random signatures appearing all over my paraphernalia, pencil box not spared. As much as I acted not to like his singing, well I mean, who am I trying to kid with a voice as good as his. I still think he should have won Karaoke 2006 man, wow, that performance was freaking good man. Whoa.

All went smooth and well till fashion set in. There went my pupil's handbook, my foolscap, and my bio textbook. Wow, I'll be really rich if he gets famous next time! Aside from the occasional scribbles, I've got to admit the rest are pretty nice, especially Mdm Lu Xiang with that Gucci bag! Mr Gucci or whoever the creator is would be proud... I've got to say I've learned so much about Fashion brands, Haute Couture and cheem Piano terms from him... If I could start differentiating the three of them, not DY,DX plz.

Life isn't a bed of roses, and so is our friendship. Though we almost never fight, there have been times which I've been pretty frustrated, and I'm sure he felt the same sometimes too. But I guess as they say, tough times bring people together. I think Bio practicals were major things that got me pretty angry at times. As in, when you keep letting someone copy and he keeps getting better than you, it can be pretty pissing. But yeah we can look back and laugh now, haha, Bio Pracs... And yeah, that was the reason we didn't do that Bio project together. Hey, I'm really sorry I didn't tell you Jerrold! Indeed, we both enjoyed so much success together as a group, from Lang Arts to well, A maths. Even though we had many a disagreement, which I still resent, but still thanks for all the great times Jerrold! Such Perfection! And hopefully more to come!

I think it's the fact that both of us have so much in common that has kept us so close together. We like what each other likes, at least most of the time, and as a result, we keep getting grouped together one way or another! Yay! From ISO, to IHS MUN and now, even to OM! Now, MUN has become another piece of the puzzle! However, I guess this is also the source of competition between us. Even though competing in almost everything is super tiring, like in Lang Arts, (Yup, you win!), I think it can be said that it also pushed me forward and motivated me somewhat... But hey, on the bright side, we can get to be together most of the time right? And at least we learn more! Huh?

Against popular belief, Jerrold has learnt how to play soccer! Although I know he doesn't like it, but I really really appreciate him doing that!

Retrospectively, I just want to say thanks for everything Jerrold! Thanks for being such a great friend all these years, giving me someone to talk to and lots to laugh about. We HAVE to be in the same class next year ok? Can't imagine what it'd be like without you. Walk on, on the runway, Diva!

Dearest 4.11...

2007-11-05T05:34:00.000-08:00

As the morning breeze gave way to a maroon sky which signalled the impending shower of cool morning rain on the Monday morning we returned to school after the September hols, the reality that this awesome class that I’ve been so honoured to be a part of since sec 3 was going to be separated in less than 2 months. For all the memories and all the good times we shared, both happy or sad, just wanna let everyone know that I enjoyed every minute.

Thanks for allowing me to be your Welfare rep all these years, for enduring all my ranting at the rows on duty to stay back to clean the class after school. Thanks especially goes to those few people who’d stay back on behalf of their rows just to ensure the class was neat and clean. You know who you are. Thanks!!

I’ll never forget the activities we initiated as a class, starting from that unforgettable LDP in Shanghai. Remember that skit we put up for the orphans, with Jerrold lip-synching to the tune of “Mummy”, and with the other 8 of us “puppets” acting like well, puppets. That was fun. Or how about our farewell parties for Ajeeth “Papadam” Samuel and Praphulla. I don’t know about you guys but I sincerely felt our class spirit so strongly then, even though we’d only been a class for less than 6 months. And how about the Chinese karaoke competition, where a class with an even number of Chinese and Indians, and a Vietnamese, came together to cheer Jerrold on, holding up posters that brought the rest of the classes to shame. Jerrold should have won it, and I’m sure few would disagree. And who’d forget the time we had at Marcus’s birthday party part 1, the first time we came together as a class to celebrate and to just enjoy each others’ company. Thankfully none of us got wet.

2006 was also the year in which Esmond made headlines, first with his lamppost antics and that forever immortalised incident of the boy in the pool, removing only his socks and shoes and not his mp3, phone and wallet. Nice one.

Who would ever forget the infamous inter-class soccer that we prepared for the whole year? Yes, the one that got cancelled due to miscommunications between the prefects. Nice one la. On a lighter note, those recesses we spent playing soccer together can be said to be the thing about our class that separated it from the rest. From a distinct batch of 2.1 and 2.8 people playing together at the start of sec 3, our .11 team now includes John “super defender” Yu, Anandraj “Fabio” Selva Rajoo the pok pok man and Errol “goalpost/goal net/3-in-1” B.R. Who knows, Jerrold may be the striker of year 5 next year! Wow, the power of football. Not only did it unite our class, I really think this thing called football really improved our class spirit by leaps and bounds. I really thank God for putting me in such a football-minded class. Thanks guys for giving me such a great time, forever encouraging and helping me improve and us improving as a class. Indeed, football isn’t just a game and I’d like to say that I wouldn’t trade playing football with you guys for anything.

For 2007, what a way we kicked off 4.11! First, winning the Chinese New Year decoration competition that would have resulted in Pigs flying otherwise. What made it extra special was the fact that so many Indians stayed back to contribute, sweating and stretching to get the lantern to stay hung up in the middle of the ceiling and ensuring our class was resplendent with red Chinese culture. If this doesn’t show how our class spirit surpasses boundaries, I don’t know what does. This was followed shortly after with our performance at Christalite Methodist Home. I’m sure our resident wall painting artists would especially remember that day and the time they spent washing off that sticky oil paint. Nonetheless, it was all worth it right? If that wasn’t enough to show our spirit, the way we cheered during the Rugby final was nothing less than resounding.

Fast-forwarding, Marcus birthday part 2 was once again a success, especially for poor Naga, who would have been thrown into the pool mercilessly if not for the guard. Whew. Clement’s awesome party came shortly after, with all of us thoroughly enjoying the Chocolate Fondue and his delicious, lip-smacking Spaghetti and Hokkien Mee. I think we’d all remember the time we had playing Taboo especially, with all the ridiculously funny attempts of Jim to describe “Honeymoon” and our equally nutty responses to “Something girls wear at night”. If our class were a broken vase, our laughter can be said to be the glue that made all us pieces stick. My did we stick.

It’s surprising how academics has also brought our class together. Who’d forget the way Elijah and Jerrold so fiercely fought it out throughout the whole of 2006 with Jerrold nicking it in the end. And we thought competition would drive people apart. This year wasn’t as interesting though with Isaac dominating the study scene since term 1. That guy’s consistency and discipline is well, amazing.

I can’t possibly mention every single event that has happened and defined our class in other ways, but I believe the rest of you writing these dedications would cover them nonetheless. Though it may sound cliché, “through good times, though bad times, we’ll be” together forevermore. Even through Mr Chirnside’s scolding’s at us being late for Rugby, Mr Andrew Wong not allowing us to play football for 6 weeks and opening the many cans of worms that needed to be opened, I’m sure that those lectures brought us closer in one way or another and we’ve all learnt something from our beloved CTs. Though Ms Sie wasn’t exactly everyone’s favourite teacher at first, I believe that she’s warmed into each of our hearts throughout this year. Why do all good teachers have to leave so soon?

Though .11 won’t last, our memories certainly will and I strongly believe these few years as a class will forever be etched in our minds.

Thanks for the memories.

~Victor~

People who made the difference:

2006: Mr Brian Chirnside, Mdm Lu Xiang, Mdm Marjorie Tan, Mr Brian Ng, Mr Paul Cheong, Mdm Wong Li Nap, Mr Raja s/o Vengadasalem, Mdm Ranee, Mr Thong Nai Kee, Mr Shaun Choo and Mr Lawrence Ang

2007: Mr Andrew Wong, Ms Sie Siok Hui, Mdm Suzanne Yeo, Mr Lim Eng Kong, Mdm Sarah Hwang, Mdm Ranee, Ms Chee, Mdm Choy Lau Hoay Min, Mdm Wong Li Nap, Mr Chua and Mr Ho

Man Utd VS Arsenal

2007-11-05T04:57:00.000-08:00

What a day this Saturday turned out to be, and what a night of football!
Whew, I've gotta catch my breath.

First, Arsenal vs Man Utd kicked off, the clash of the 2 best clubs in England, at the moment. What was supposed to be an eagerly anticipated and ferocious encounter left me sprawling on the floor in laughter. Yes the quality was there, yes the plays were good, and yes Ferguson was seen chewing vigorously everytime the camera focused on him, but somehow, it seemed as if I was watching a really good comedy about football.

This comedy had everything, awesome actors, great script, awesome drama and superb, gut-splitting comedy! Without a doubt, Anderson was the star of the night, with his convincing shrieks of pain and his rolling all over the freshly cut Arsenal grass, just to earn a foul 40 yards from goal. Take a bow son!

For the dramatic part of the show, William Gallas was the man of the evening. His dramatic facial expressions everytime the camera flashed towards him earned himself a generous bit of admiration, and his goals, for and against Man Utd were the ones that made the difference. Who knows, he could also be conductor of the Arsenal crowd when he retires.

What really left me in peals of laughter was the man Theo Walcott. No offence friend. Did anyone notice him in the melee before the goal was scored and after the referee adjudged it to have gone in? Poor thing. When the ball fizzed to him, the 18 year old made a total mess of his shot and left the ball flying into the path of Gallas, who thankfully saved Walcott's blushes by scoring. However, the show didn't end there. As the players all thought Gallas hadn't scored, play continued. Van Der Sar pushed the ball to Walcott who could only muster a weak shot before the ball was cleared back to him. He then controlled the ball clamly before attempting to take his shot. However, just as what happens to boys learning how to shoot, his left leg touched the ball before his right leg swung to take the shot, which left him missing the ball completely and going off balance. Thankfully by this time, everyone knew that the ball had crossed the line, somehow, and Fabregas went over to embrace Walcott, thus ending the ordeal. Poor Walcott.

Overall I felt 2-2 was a fair result. Arsenal and Man Utd both had their fair share of chances. If Man Utd were more clinical, they would've won. But what a performance that was from Evra. And if only Saha wasn't injured that often, I'd actually like him by now. His pass was... Sexy. Thankfully for Ronaldo, my blushes were saved for my Fantasy league this week... Yeah.

Liverpool VS Blackburn is a whole new story.

Merseyside Derby

2007-10-25T01:21:00.000-07:00

Thanks to this win, Liverpool now have the best away record in the league! The irony.

What was an overly feisty, hot-tempered match because of the referee ended up being equally pulsating as it was frustrating. Thankfully Kuyt kept his nerve and coolly tucked away those 2 penalties. A few things came into mind during this match, things that could make or break our whole season.

Number 1 ; Decisions even out through the season. After the Chelsea match, I thought that phrase was rubbish, but after this crazy match, I'm a firm believer. As Andy Gray said,"That's what's so interesting about this game called football. You never know what's going to happen." Indeed Liverpool were really blessed to have snatched the win from underneath Everton's noses, gaining all 3 points instead of just one. However, glad as I am, I think Mark Clattenburg should have done a better job, especially in his penalty decisions in favour of Everton. Nonetheless, we still grabbed the win and that's all that matters.

Second, by the looks of things, with Benitez at the helm, winning the title is gonna be a crazy task. Firstly, his substitutions were all so freaking negative! Who takes off Gerrard in a Merseyside Derby just after he freaking earned the side a penalty?!? Yes Leiva was pretty good but i don't think he's in the league of Gerrard. That aside, the fact that he played Sissoko and Mascherano, an equivalent of 5 defenders against 2 attackers, against a 10 men team was testament of his negativity and fear of the "small club" known as Everton. Even Andy Gray was fazed by his decisions. Thirdly, which manager plays an unchanged side once in what, 160 games?!? Look at Arsenal, their youngsters are almost as good as some of their first team people, yet Wenger doesn't play Walcott in place of say, a regular like Adebayor, even though that youngster is hitting top form. He also plays unchanged sides for all competitions, even against Slavia Prague, even though their next match was against the almighty Liverpool at Anfield! Furthermore, Benitez doesn't realise that changing players for each team not only ruins the chemistry of this team but also causes all the players to be complacent, thinking that they have to be rested to play well. Nonsense! Everyone wants to play soccer and by rotating Benitez is doing the equivalent of snatching the ball from a kid just when he wants to play with it. What the pong man.

Third, Sissoko. Nice. Don't get into space when you can't finish please. Stick to defending la brother! Don't make people give you super balls only to see you hitting stand Z, last row! Secondly, though you've improved on your passing, you still got a way lot of work to do okay! You're a midfielder! In the world of today, you can't just defend and then give the ball away to your opponent just as easily and give them more possession then you gain for us! Seriously man! Benitez, there are other people out there who have long legs and can tackle well, together with the ability to string passes together. Besides we've already got Mascherano.

Lastly, I really think Phil Neville should be keeper. Wow! Did you see his superb single-handed save. The combination of lightning fast reflexes and sheer stop stopping prowess he displayed to stop Leiva's shot would put Paul Robinson to shame. Good job la Neville.

Next up, Arsenal. Please. Walk on.

Paul once said...

2007-10-20T05:15:00.000-07:00

Paul once commented, "I wish Gerrard wasn't captain. When he wasn't he wouldn't hesitate to shoot, and that usually led to something." With the current spate Pool is in now, that typically insightful analysis from Paul now looks especially true. Yet was Gerrard a better player before than he is now?

Remember that crazy goal against Everton in 2001 that sent Gerrard into an array of ecstatic celebrations? Or how about that one against Barthez when Gerrard was in no man's land? Or that unbelievable one against Villa in which he had no right to take a shot at all! There were also those shots that keepers could not hold on to, which Owen or Murphy tapped in, or those that deflected and went in due to the sheer pace of the ball and the technique that Gerrard possesses in that right foot.

Still, how about the many countless shots that went high over the bar, wasted when they could have been put to better use with a pass, depriving his teammates in better positions from putting Liverpool ahead. Reckless shooting does indeed yield spectacular results occasionally, but sometimes cool calculated through balls or slick lobs into the box only achievable with extreme composure may be a better option; and composure was something Gerrard lacked in the days of his youth. Furthermore, Gerrard was not known as the main man at Liverpool and wasn't even close to the nominations list for the World Player of the Year.

When Gerrard was made captain in Rafa's maiden season, he did score some spectacular goals, namely that one against Olympiakos that sent Liverpool into the knockout stages of the Champion's league that they went on to win, with him as skipper. The last-gasp 35 yard goal against West Ham to win the Fa cup for Liverpool was also notably one of his best.

I don't usually disagree with Paul with regards to his analytical insights on Liverpool, cause they're mostly correct, but I do have to to a certain extent with this one. Firstly, Gerrard experienced his best season, in terms of goals, when he was the captain. Though he didn't shoot as much as before, yet his overall play improved drastically. He improved his decision making and shot at the right times with his goals-per-unit-shot increasing. What's more it was because of this overall change as captain that got the whole world's notice, bringing him into the spotlight of Football greatness.

However, it should be said that Gerrard has become too unselfish these days, making wrong decisions in whether to shoot or to pass. In doing so he's compromised his natural talent in scoring from long shots. His free kick against Aston Villa showed the world what Steven Gerrard has been keeping inside in since last season. True, Gerrard being captain had restrained his shooting it has increased his positional discipline that was ever-so lacking in his play before. Liverpool's slump cannot be entirely credited to Gerrard's captaincy, much less his shooting. Why do we fans just forget about what he did as captain to lead Liverpool to countless victories, like the Champions League that fateful year, when we're experiencing some bad times. Is criticizing Gerrard just a means of cutting Benitez some slack? Players are what their coaches are. If they ask them to shoot, they will.

Not very fair to get rid of a perfectly good hunting rifle once it doesn't hit the intended animal right?

Kewell

2007-10-17T05:04:00.000-07:00

For someone to catch Benitez's eye and keep his place in the team for so long albeit having so many injuries, he must have done something right? Maybe it's his pin-point crossing and deadly finishing, both long and short range. Or maybe it's his deadly runs and his taking on of defenders. But a squirrel can't climb a tree with a broken leg, ditto for Kewell.

What happened to that prodigy who terrorized defenses when at Leeds and got himself a starting place in a Champion's League final even though he was injured most of the way (and 30 minutes into the final)? What happened to the guy that caught my eyes with his crazy goals and crosses? What's happened is that this man has since epitomized the injured of the football world. They're now calling people with long-term injuries having a "Kewell-esce" career. It wouldn't be an understatement to say that the days he spent injured could be more than Ian Rush and Robbie Folwer's goals added up... and counting. What makes it worse is that he's our best natural left winger. Despite paying his hefty wages to warm the medic's injury table, we still have to compromise out left-wing position by playing our left backs there. Now even after spending 11.5 million on Babel, our left flank is still our weaker side (though I've got a feeling the kid will come good in the end). Right now, what Liverpool really need is an element of surprise, someone who can come up with something from nothing, someone who will and has the ability to do the unexpected. This is what Kewell can provide.

Now we have a Merseyside derby coming our way followed by a visit by the Gooners. For the former we'll be without a natural left-winger and our star striker, 2 things we need to teach Everton a lesson in football. I sure hope they'll be fighting fit for the Gooners or our title hopes will be over before we can say "Metatarsal".

Electrical Appliances and Football

2007-10-17T04:52:00.000-07:00

Hi ya!
I never thought Electronics and Football could have so much in common. When my mom brought me shopping and i checked out the PSP on sale, i couldn't believe my eyes. What cost over 500 dollars and was such a hit when it first came out was now almost half it's original price at $240, with 2 games included! What makes it worse is that the PSP is just as good as when it was first released. WOW! Now they're telling me Michael Owen's gonna be sold to Man City at a measly 6 million from an original 17 million pounds!?! Think what? Great Singapore Sale ah?!Though he's already a yard of his original pace, yet his experience and 10 pounds of muscle to add to his all-round play already compensates it quite a bit. Yeah, cut his price by a few million but 6 million?! That's freakin' almost one-third of the price man.
That Sven is smart, the similarities with electronics, shocking.

What the pong!

2007-10-16T06:28:00.000-07:00

Hey ya!
Firstly, Selamat Hari Raya you guys!
Now, back to the crux of the issue. Michael Owen.

Firstly, I'll be dealing with all the criticism on his return from that crazy freak cruciate knee ligament injury, following which I'll be touching on his absurd departure from the Kop.
When Jonny Wilkinson, the man that won the 3 lions the coveted Rugby World Cup in 2003, was found to have had a broken facet in his shoulder, having a haematoma in his upper right arm, injuring his medial knee ligament and injuring the same knee on his return to action on 13 March 2005, everybody thought his career was over. This was coupled with a disastrous tour of Australia and New Zealand shortly after his return, before going off injured again. It wouldn't be too much of an overstatement to say that his critics were more numerous than the stars in the sky. Now compare this with a certain Lion by the name of Owen. Child-prodigy bursting onto the scene, scoring on his debut. Scoring his way to greatness at Liverpool, scoring in the Charity Shield, Fa cup (who would ever forget that) and Super cup final and being integral in our best-ever-finish for a long time. Notably, as best pal Jamie Carragher said, it was his achievements for England that introduced Michael Owen into the international scene, leaving the likes of a young Wayne Rooney yearning to play alongside him one day after that fateful goal against Argentina. Though it may be said that he didn't win any major trophies with England, but his exploits elsewhere were more than commendable. At Real Madrid, his scoring record was better than Raul and even Ronaldo! WOW! Then he went to Newcastle... This I shall cover later. Though many would say all this was history, you have to give him credit for all that. Owen was not only known for his goalscoring, cause Liverpool were languishing 4th and 5th in the league that time, but as noted by Pele, his poaching instincts, his killer finishing, his eye for goal and his amazing one-on-one-with-the-keeper conversion rate. Yes, he may have lost some pace over the years, Yes he may not be as solid injury wise than years gone by, but how could anyone of his critics ever forget about the dozen or so other properties of a killer striker Owen has?!? I still don't believe people out there are so narrow-minded! After he first tore his hamstring, he scored a stunner on his return against Leeds, then 2nd in the table. After coming back from injury from Real Madrid and to Newcastle, he scored 7 goals in 10 matches for Newcastle, including a hat-trick against West Ham. If actions speak louder than words, I really don't get what Owen did wrong. All that criticism was seriously uncalled for. But as always, Owen doesn't need us to defend him. His goals for England to put them in the driving seat for qualification, amidst all that doubt, and the faith of Allardyce in him shows how the Owen that captured my attention so long ago is about to be at his best. Barthez would be thankful he wasn't Man Utd keeper anymore.

Now, Owen's departure for Liverpool, the place that bred his talents, the place where he first made his name, the place where Stevie, Carra and him grew up together. As Shakespeare's stories all go, each protagonist has a fatal flaw. Owen's had to be greed, but i sincerely hope that this won't end as a tragedy. Man! I don't get what made him just leave his home so shortly after he'd agreed to stay! I mean, yeah, Benitez doesn't like him that much but look at the people he;s brought in, with the exception of Torres, have any of them hit even the 20 goal mark before?!? 14 million pound Cisse flopped, 10.5 million pound Kuyt wasn't even last season's top scorer for us. Yet Owen, a boy from the academy was sold for Antonio Nunez who what, left after 1 season?!? What logic is this? Sell a proven goalscorer for an unproven Spaniard? Now we're left to celebrate ecstatically once one of our strikers scored, which had been a rarity compared to the days of yore. Yes you may say Owen was getting too big for his shoes, but was he really? Was his ego too big for the team? No. As long as the rest of the team's synergy and spirit was maintained, unlike with Van Nistelrooy, scoring goals together and having this great chemistry, unheard of in this current Benitez era, what was the big problem. If Benitez were that good, as he's proven himself to have been, so far, adding more good buys to the team with a proven goal scorer and resurgent midfielder wasn't a bad idea. Yes he masterminded the Champion's League win but would it have been easier with Owen on board instead of Milan Baros? Benitez's style of play may have changed considerably compared to the Houllier era but still, a solid back 4 would be useless if there wasn't a potent front 2. Anyway, Owen's defending ain't that bad either. Indeed, many factors did affect Owen's departure but when he could have come back at a much lower price, what was stopping Benitez? Yes, Torres may have come on board but would any Koppite prefer Crouch and Voronin as a backup for an injured Torres, or a proven international goalscorer? I'd choose the latter. But I also accept the fact that Owen wouldn't want to be left on the bench, and besides, Torres is my new upcoming Golden boy and is someone i'm sure will be more worth it... Nonetheless, it was still not right for Owen to leave whatever the circumstance but I still wish him all the best. He's committed that carnal sin so Carra better clip his heels when he comes back to Anfield and make sure he freaking keeps a clean sheet! Just don't injure him okay?

Cheers everybody!

2007-10-16T06:18:00.000-07:00

Hey ya!
Victor online here. Here's my first-ever blog and yeah, it'll be filled with what you usually hear from Victor, I'll keep my jokes to the minimum! Please don't leave now! I'll also be updating all my views on the beautiful game (football of course) and the best club in the world, no prizes for guessing, Liverpool! Not forgetting my most favourite player of all time... And his injuries of course. Get ready to read some rants-and-chants about my homeland and all other stuff that gets me ticking... Sure hope I can sustain this for a year at least! Please post your replies ok, cause that's what'll make this whole process really fun and interesting! So I guess it's time to turn your attention to the essays to follow so, Cheers!