Incroyable!!!!

Hoi! I'm back! Well where did I leave off? I do believe it was Singnite! Yeah we reach the boat at around 1805, Sherwayn and I. We were early ironically cos we took the tube. Back at Passfield we were actually rushing ard trying to get our suits on, ties fixed; Sherwayn didn't even have a suit till 1700 cos he borrowed his from Anand! Well we were one of the first to arrive. We finally srated boarding at ard 1850? Long wait we had but a chance to meet many peeps. Well the highlight of the night ... as expected was NOT the food but the dance put up by Yvette, Zhijia, Candice and Hui Fern! I even have a little video of it in my camera ... but otherwise it was a little boring - I noe its 30 quid but still ... its the truth ... it ain't worth it. Of course the pictures and seeing everyone dressed up make it ALMOST worth it. Oh the other exceptional thing was this WONDERFUL chocolate mousse cake for dessert. Oooh simply marvelicious! We headed to some place called Zeta Bar after that but coudn't get in. In the end three of us walked to McDonald's (hehe) where we had a nice filling supper (as opposed to the dinner!).
Went to church the next day, EEC. Was a wonder I managed to get up but haha I did. The service was rather nice with a Japanese American pastor from Israel. Wow! Exotic heh? He spoke of missions and the next great leap into China and the Middle-east - the Return to Israel in his words. Still I still like the hymns at All Soul's though ... very emotive and inspiring. One feels closer after hearing them. Hmm wad else ... Liangzhu came over at night and we had my creme brule (that's a french dessert) and my yummy tang yuan! When peeps ask wad is my favourite dessert in UK ... I can safely answer TANG YUAN! Mwahaha how ironic!
Today was a pretty long day! But I watched the Incredibles and it was Incredible! Really witty and comic ... and as opposed to many other superhero or action films this one really brings out the humanity of the main heroes. Heh but as usual got LOST ... coudn't find the theatre until we asked around a bit!

A German Arrival

Phew! Had a really complete day today! Was up LATE again but made it to school in the nick of time. Somehow Sherwayn and I seem to be late EVERY Friday! Ah well ... Anyway after that I went to the gym and had a swim. Always refreshing to take a dip ... especially in the nice heated ULU pool! I met the EDB representatives ... all the UKSSC presidents/ vice presidents did actually. Spoke with the senior HR officer about my interest in an internship ... I mean no harm right if it can increase my job oppurtunities? Although they dun really cater to year ones he said it is possible ... and if I do a short one this year I may have next year free for an internship in UK hopefully! Thats wad i REALLI want!
Well enuf of this academic talk, we had a great dinner. More expansive (in terms of variety) than the dinner we had with the SingSoc seniors but in terms of quanitity ... no kick! Only had TWO bowls of rice ... when i had SEVEN the last time. But since we are with guests ... haha. Anyway Liangzhu arrived from Germany. And guess wad he told me he was staying with an AC fren and I wondered who that was ... well it turned out to be Hazel! So I went to her place after the Bayswater dinner and sat and toked awhile (till 1040) with them. Them consisting of Hazel, Liangzhu and three other frens two of whom had arrived from Singapore for a holiday. Apparently one of em takes Mass Com at NTU and she noes Chuanni! Wad a small world. I noe its cliched not yeh it is true. Especially so for us Singaporeans. Everyone is just practically someone else's fren. Its different for the Americans. Someone from the South would have almost no chance at all of knowing a fellow countryman from the North prior to arriving in UK. Ah it makes me feel all the more cosy ... I mean the world gets just a little more friendly each time I see a familiar(?) face?
Tmr is Singnite at last! Hope my thirty pounds is worthwhile. If not for Liangzhu I would probably not even have considered going! I hate formal wear though ... I mean the girls look good in their gowns but the guys are all in suits ... nothing fantastic but just plain restrictive and stiff-looking!
Ok gotta wake up early for the Symposium tmr ... cya another day ...

Smile!

Helllooooo! Its pretty late now but I think I'll get in a few snippets! I met my Uncle Kenny today for dinner! He was coming down from Wales and decided to drop by Euston to meet. We had Indian food (my stomach is boiling now!) and it was UMMMM! And tmr I have to go Four Seasons as the Singsoc representative for the EDB dinner! More yummy food! And on saturday is singnite with even more yummy (eh mebbe not more yummy but definitely more expensive!) food! Had to read up a little about EDB ... dun wanna go there not knowing ANYTHING abt them! Plus I woudn't mind an internship ... even though I am lazy and hate to work but hell u noe we all have to fill the rice bowl some day yeah? So I have to make a start somewhere. But remember everything I said yesterday? Yeah dump it! Life is wad u make of it! The environment and milieu shoudn't be an obstacle. Let me just reiterate it ... I LOVE LONDON yay! Not the city mebbe and not even the people sometimes... but I think its the amalgamation of experiences and lessons I learn as i live life day by day. I have never felt more alive! And thank you Dad for giving me the chance to be here! Although we dun often say it ... we do love u!
Msg received!

Solitude Is Bad For Health!

Hey you noe someone just called me a GEEK? ME???!!! A Geek? It was Yvette's flat mate manci ... and so I called her VEGETARIAN back with as much vehemence as I could muster! (since that is the only thing i noe abt her ... hehe) Ah well just bcos I am a little kiasu and photocopy extra readings people all think I am some mugger or closet mugger. Which I realli am NOT! Cos I get easily distracted ... (and have no closet with which to mug in anyway), and i photocopy readings that but does not mean i read them and well I spend a lot of time sleeping too haha! I slept at 8 yesterday after dinner at Misato and well when I woke up it was ... guess wad .. 8 again! Been sleeping more and more lately and feeling very lazy ... think its Sherwayn's influence (he stays at Passfield Hall with me) - he keeps sleeping ALL day!
Ran with the running club today and had a realli good run! We did an eight mile run in 45 min! Very very good time. Lawrence and led the way for something like 5 miles but later Anand (from Sinagapore too!) and this American fellow called Matt caught up. From then on it was a race between Matt, Anand and I! Could see everyone straining to beat each other! Its really tiring and exhausting but ABSOLUTELY fun! Was like totally aching but ABSOLUTELY refuse to lose! That's wad racing is all about! But my knees were like TOTALLY busted! I can feel the tremors and pounding even now, 5 hrs later! Kk u guys probably think I'm nuts by now so I'll stop my raving!
Why I am here now? Well two reasons (1) I am lazy to do my EH 101 essay! (2) We were supposed to go MOS tonight with Candice and her King's frens but Yvette was feelin tired so tadah here we are! Plus there is a plus point anyway i get to eat supper with nolly and mark!
(TWO HRS LATER)
Heh I have just finished suppering with nolly and mark. Had a good chicken burger and a nice long chat. You noe it gets terribly lonely here sometimes so I do need this kinda chats. I mean you would think that with all the people around you woudn't ever get lonely ... but it happens ...
Ah well I while I was toking with Nolly just now she told me that my Uncle Kenny's (whom she met at the OCF camp) first church experience was through my Dad! Wow! Woudn't have believed it cos Dad hasn't stepped into Church for like 30 yrs I think. I've always wondered if he was still a believer. Uncle Kenny said he'd be happy if he knew I was going for CU. Yeh I should try to go more often! Peeps here are really pious! Just looking at yvette, nolly, mark, wee yang ... and they are happy with that commitment they are extending. Just look at Uncle Kenny actually ... he is a missionary and not as well to do as us. But u can see he is happier or at least just more satisfied with life. Ah where is this discussion running to? Yah so it all comes back to the fact that I should be more committed!
Wait I have just promised Candice that I will go next Summer to visit her and this is a record of my promise!
Oh I just received an email from Chuanni! It was quite sweet of her ... although she hasn't written for like ... SINCE I arrived but still ... its the thought (and its eventual arrival!) ... that counts! Haiz haven't been toking much with buds back home! Sorry guys! But will be coming back soon so ... *yay*! Missin a little of life back home ... especially the warmth of the home ... where u noe that round the clock there is a Dad and siblings u can run to when in need or when u are just plain bored. If I have gained one thing from my stay in London it is that I love my family! Cya all soon!
Well anyway I have to run off ... get a teeny weeny bit of my essay left to complete then I am done for the day!

Food Galore

This last weekend was an extravaganza of Singaporean food and delicacies! On Friday we (Sherwayn, Jon, Yirong, Yvette, Weiying and I) went over to Samuel's place ay Bankside to cook. His package had just arrived and we made Chicken curry! Adding to the mix, there was springrolls, tao gay, chicken soup and mwahahaha maltesers and snickers ice cream! Simply sumptous! AND on Sunday we had chicken rice, courtesy of Sherwayn. Truly I am very impressed with his culinary skills. He washed, cleaned out the chicken , deboned it and served it! Hah realli I have been overly pampered ... its time to learn some things. My aunt keeps telling me how all her frens studying overseas are such good cooks and independant ... must show her I can do it too! Anyway words cannot actually describe the wonderful sense of satisfaction after those dinners. Being in London only seems to accentuate the taste of the food. Samuel said that the Prima curry never tasted as good in Singapore! Haha! Anyway enuf on food!
Well, went Church on Sunday with Yvette and Penny - to All Soul's. Now that's a pretty nice place. The crowd is decidely conservative (just compare it with Hillsongs!) and the Hymns were very evocative. Had a slight Catholic touch though in all its statuesque kind of splendor and traditional baptist cermonies. Anyway I'm taking a break now from my EH essay. Really gets on your nerves when you spend hours and produce only a measely showing for it! Sighz but that is studying ... and I have no choice! I dun have genius level intelliegence and have to work hard! Anyway the next two weeks are gonna be DAMN busy - but probably very fun! Got a movie, clubbing at MOS, Singnite, dinner with EDB representatives all lined up! Ah but its better to be busy than to be bored ... gives u smth to strive forward to!
Its my last three weeks here b4 I return so I better enjoy myself! Everyone returning home probabably feels the same. Haha for those not returning home this Christmas ... oooohhhh gee!We'll bring back lotsa titbits for u!

"What A Feeling!" - Irene Cara

I've decided to start a blog anew. The old one hasn't been updated in like years anyway. I think I need to sit down and think more. Haven't been doing much of that since I arrived. Just the rustle and bustle of life, my goals, tutorials has been keeping me on the run day to day, minute to minute. I had a long conversation with candice just now and she got me thinking again. About myself, who I really am or want to be, my purpose. Its always refreshing toking to u dice! Thanx! Anyway I feel much better and will take things slow from now. Not everything in life moves at your desired pace.
Yvette and Noelle convinced me to go for the CU (Christian Union) meeting in school today. There was this guest speaker who was pretty charismatic but what really touched me wasn't the facts he presented or his gushing passion. Rather it was something the group leader, Tristan said about opening our hearts accepting without preconditions, the faith. It seems that this has been my problem all along. I'm hardly biased or prejudiced but I dun think I have ever made a predetermined effort to try to fully accept. And today I shall attempt that for to be closed is to stagnate and wither.
Anyway to more mundane matters. Had my first race yesterday at wimbledon. The running club was there in about the fullest strength ever (two teams-12/70, haha). The course was perilous, treacherous, and really tough. Yet i enjoyed it, it returned me to the time when i was training for X-country back in JC. Life was pure then. All u had was the surge of adrenaline, the terrible but somehow pleasatly warming stresses on your body. It was pure sensations - feast for the senses. It made u come alive. I long for that feeling everytime. It seems a return to a simpler, more primordial state where there are no more worries only the completion of that single goal - to end the race in as fast a time as possible. Yes this is the true reason why I love running. My knees are busted, my back aches but it feels GOOD everytime a race is done. Hey for those of you who haven't experienced such pain/ pleasure try pushing your body to the utmost limit one day and u will understand! BUT ... (anticliamx) I fell in the mud, got lost (losing about 3 min of race time). Haha ... rather funny when I think about it ... I have never gotten lost in a race b4! Ah well it all adds to the thrill.
Well tmr is the cook-out at bankside. Yvette, Yirong, Jon, Sam, Sherwayn and myself will be the beneficiaries! Ah i've been longing for some good singaporean food! Hope its good! Ah eating is like running! Good for the senses!