:AveraMel'au:

Major overhaul of Tiankongshini

2009-07-09T08:19:00.000+08:00

Well, this blog is not dead as yet. As days, months goes by, I've seen much of the blogs are dying off or already dead.

This can't be happening here. Therefore, after being a 1 year soldier, it's time to give some ventilation to it. New and super duper simple skin template. But still, i have to say that I can't blog as often as during poly time, where I blogged daily. Oh man! Sounds like I'm some daily reporter on Strait times.

Blogging is so hard to be commercialized now. Bo lui...

Cheers and signing off!
1 more year for freedom!!

-- Post From My iPhone

Finally, i've uploaded all my pictures of Hong Kong

2009-06-24T18:45:00.001+08:00

to facebook!! It was an incrediable feat and now, I have to transport into fuller more complex details into my blog about the venues, exact location and my feelings towards some places.

Meanwhile, do keep a look out for Food and Travel magazine as I'll be featured in a small part in the mag.

cheers everyone.
LCP BY Lau.

adidas Sundown Marathon 2009, I've done it.

2009-06-01T14:00:00.012+08:00

Crazy it seems but never do I know that I would attempt a marathon 5 or 10 years back in primary or secondary school. In the past, running idealogy was very different then. I loathe running, i would really try to cheat / bluff / do whatever things along with my khakis to avoid running. One of the main reason was also I fear that my asthma attack would come back again, another reason was, I was plainly lazy and a fat bump.

Failing shuttle run and 2.4km was a norm thing to be, nothing much to be surprised or sorrowful about it as sports to me was like, why the hell should we do it?

Over the years, when I got older, I found many life experiences that reflects sports rules,

endurance and mentally fused well together. I wasn't faithful to one sport, first it was swimming then later I've changed to some badmintion. During my poly years, I've tried frisbee then later on volleyball. Different rules and different techniques, but there's one common thing in all the spor

ts i've did, which was having fun and the patience to learn.

Back in the poly years, I admit that I had many things on my mind. Tried out many hair colours and styles, went various saloon to get my hair cut. Clubbed, Danced, Sang, Performance, studies etc. It was a huge rush and 24 hours wasn't really enough (at least though it's still not enough, it's much better managing my time now). Tried many kinds of craziest business ventures with many people, some failed some went well etc.

Once I got into the army, I realised that I really could not maintain the lifestyle that I was having before thus I went 'Back to the Basics'. I've got a really simple hair cut now, get a cheap spectacles (with good lens though) and I've not worn a contact lens for donkey years. When was the last ti

me I've clubbed? It was like 10 months to a year back then. Life is more serene and sort of more focus in things that I'm doing. Most of the concept that I am following now is taken from Apple, where their designs are simply so simple, yet very complex.

Now, joining marathons, runs and etc is the craziest and most contridicting thing to do. I hate running in the past, why the hell I started off running the Kallang Expressway Open House 10km and suffer under the humid and hot tunnel? It was the feeling that you can't experience when your chip, your entire body thrust forward to the finishing line. The feeling I could simply put for now is "YES! I'VE FINISHED THE RACE AND GOOD RIDDANCE!" Yea, that's really the simplest way i could describe my feeling.

During early december, I was helping out at the Standard Chartered Marathon 2008 Expo and there was a booth heavily advertising for Sundown Marathon with their early bird special fees etc. Intially, I remembered that I wanted to join subUrban 10km run only as Hivelocity was organizing it but never do I know, due to the awesome freebies and discounts for sundown marathon, I've also joined a full marathon. After all the trasaction was done there, I was like "Melvin,

you are in for sure.. no way of turning back but only to waste your money if you're not particapting it. "

So I thought, there's about 6 more months to go and I thought I could really train for it. But soon after, many obstacles came into my life. Tourettes, my new vocation, new peers in army with tonnes of politcal stuffs (much more of what North Korea is having with US now.) I didn't progress anything or gain anything significantly through this 6 months. It was hell and I've no mood to train for 10km too.

Every single day, my physical fitness was rotting away. Btw, I'm much fatter too, due to lack of exercise in my vocation too. I was practically rotting my 6 months, doing jailbreaks for people (it's a really successful venture you know!), doing my work in camp, meet councellors and neurologist etc.

Till 29th May, it suddenly struck my mind, oh.. I've a marathon to run tonight. What have I done for the past 6 months to prepare for it? Oh yes, the 15km Passion run which was just a week before. And hell, my legs was like 95% recovered from the 15km Passion run.

What I have prepared before the race?

No brainer was that I should load as much carbohydrates though I was plum already. On Friday, I had huge curry fish head feast with my parents and loaded quite a bit of rice into my diet. On saturday, I had mee goreng and puffs for breakfast while attending Asian Youth Games briefing and due to the busy and hectic afternoon of getting a desktop computer for my parents, I had to skip lunch.

I had dinner with Siew Yee and Kewei, at Botak Jones really had the most last minute awesome carbo loading dinner with fries, pasta and fried fish. Actually, during that evening, I was beginning to be worried. I had many thoughts in my mind and one of them was "Melvin, are you very sure that you've joined the correct time? Look, you've not done 21km yet but you're trying for 42km? Your mother has already told you that you're really siao to run for this, are you sure"

I wasn't very sure then... Not until I finished the entire ordeal.

My adventure begins...

Both Kewei and I were late for the marathon, we missed the flag off timing and we were like 10 minutes late from the flag off timing.

I started really slow pace on the first 1km, because I've 41km left to run. Within 30 seconds we started running, I lost kewei and he's far up hopping, jumping and speeding ahead. I've read online about social pressure and nothing's gonna beat or influence me to keep on par with him. I know my limits and continued at my own comfortable pace.

I realised that night runs are much better to run compared to morning.. You need not have to worry about the sun and etc. It was quite cool yet humid when I ran.

The complaints.

At the east coast park, there was a U turn back to the 21km point. they should have a check point there because I do see people cheat when they took a shorted U turn! That tempted me to U turn and cut through to 21km too but I resisted and was scared. Because what if there was indeed a check point at the U turn range? I would be forfeited and running meaninglessly for the rest of the marathon. BUT THERE'S ISN'T! WHEN I REACHED THE U TURN POINT, I WAS LIKE DAMN! DAMN YOU ALL LUCKY CHEATERS!!!

But well, at least I did really run the full marathon.. oh wait, actually MUCH more than 42.125km.

I was really proud of myself at the 33 to 35km mark, during that time, it was around Siglap park connector where I saw many, really many people taking a seat at the playground, benches and took off their shoes to massage as they couldn't take the intense muscle ache. All thanks to my long stamina of standing and running about in my Japanese Restaurant for 13 hours max, I could actually 'tahan' walking and jogging non stop sia! I didn't know that I could take it, though slow but I didn't stop to take my shoes out or massage my legs!

The long, endearing last league of the race

It was hell i tell you. My legs were really feeling the full impact of the numbness, pain and so many other gruelling things to describe it but unable to explain it. Starting from 38km, the journey took so long to reach 39km. Kewei and I suspect that there was some problem with the signage because practically, it takes like many LIGHT years for me to slow jog / walk from 38km to 42km.

At the very last 600m, those 6 hours and above had to run a very different route. And it was EXTREMELY different and grueling shit. They have diverted the course to so much longer than 42.125km. I'm very sure those participants will complain that they cant finish it earlier by crossing the elevated bridge but instead, have to go one huge round the damn river to reach the finishing line.

Upon reaching the finishing line, my mind was blank but only 2 things in mind, get the finisher tee and medal and GRAB A BANANA.

Lastly, I want to thank my parents for letting me going for such a crazy marathon. Though my mother said I was crazy to join such race, but she still allowed me to go. Thanks!

Circle Line Discovery + Passion Run

2009-05-24T23:19:00.000+08:00

Whoosh! What a sudden rush of event that make me feel like I'm back to normal in my poly days.. I said the word "feel" though.. not really back to the post army days as I still have funny commitments in the army.

I'll keep you guys updated again. Cheers everyone!

Britney Spears is not an "Ordinary Singer"

2009-05-14T22:14:00.004+08:00

Ever wonder why she captured and stormed the world with her songs? She was the highest, most searched singer on search engine and her legend lives on.

Why her songs are so catchy? Because mainly and plainly, her songs are satanic and evil.

Everyone do know about "If You See Amy", formally known as "If You Seek Amy". Her original lyrics is "all the boys and all the girls are begging to If You Seek Amy". Who the hell has such english paraphrasing and sentence structure? "to If You Seek Amy"?

Well, you will only understand you see it in this angle ""all the boys and all the girls are begging to iFyoUseeKme" which literally translate to "all the boys and all the girls are begging to F-U-C-K me"

That's her main goal. To breach the censorship and deliver her obsene songs without being edited to the masses. How smart is she? Well, she's extremely smart in conveying evil messages.

Remember the song "Gimme More"? It was extremely catchy and we thought she came out of her total craziness, depression state with this song. Never DO I know that she's venting her hatred in this song.

Here it goes, "Gimme More" played backwards as she talks more about her life in depression state.

What about If You See Amy? She didn't mind singing it again and inserting the word from "Seek" to "See" that makes the whole song cleaner. But how clean is this song?

Her song played backwards are full of satanic phrases and sing phrases for satans.

The new reversed lyrics:
Al al al alal al al al
They hate me, seek me, touch me/ you make me sick
Just 'cuz I have an invisible husband
Hey matrosjka, senorita
This are a mistake, noo
Hey matrosjka, soo.

They hate me, seek me, touch me/ you make me sick
Just 'cuz I have an invisible husband
Exile we streak, in fear he run

Mwahaha hihi haha ho
Dis ist ganz nicht
But at least she got da boobs, boy
And a normal cigar

And here come the forwarding, yaha
Oowha, who else was I, gone easy, buy me west
Ooho, oohoo, galis dans ich nooit met jullie bear
Mymy, that musical good
Myea, let's take the queen's and shake that baby baby

Hoo hell suck my nipples magician, North apimacion
And this be many super heavy, but baby

They hate me, seek me, touch me/ you make me sick
Just 'cuz I have an invisible husband
Hey matrosjka, senorita
This are a mistake, noo
Hey matrosjka, soo.

They hate me, seek me, touch me
Just 'cuz I have an invisible husband
Exile we streak, in fear he run

Mwahaha hihi haha ho
Dis ist ganz nicht [German for "This is totally not"]
But at least she got da boobs, boy
And a normal cigar

And here come the forwarding, yaha
Oowha, who else was I, gone easy, buy me west
Ooho, oohoo, galis dans ich nooit met jullie bear
Mymy, that musical good
Myea, let's take the queen's and shake that baby baby

Hoo hell suck my nipples magician, North apimacion
And this be many super heavy, but baby

Al al al alal al al al

Now, do you underestimate Britney Spears? Can Christina Aguilera or Katy Perry create such magnificent songs that able to decode the hidden messages? I wonder...

Will there be a 2nd time? Mr Mas Selamat?

2009-05-08T08:23:00.001+08:00

"It's only a matter of time" - said the health officials of Singapore about the H1N1 flu being spread as a community in Singapore. For this, they are so certain that there will be a casualty in Singapore.

What about Mas Selamat? He has escaped 3 times and will there be another time?

Can Singapore afford to lose him due to security lapse again? Will Defence Minister quote the Health Minister's saying "It's only a matter of time."?

Hmm, what do you think, guys?

Inter-School Aquathalon 2009

2009-05-02T09:10:00.003+08:00

Hello everyone! What you guys have been up to? Okay, i think the answer would OBVIOUSLY be, please check out my blog lah!

But hmm, after going rounds into my friend's blog, I conclude that there's only like 20% of the who blogs about their lifes and spaces and in the 20%, about 2% of them blogs extremely thoroughly, i thought i was reading their life's Wikipedia.

Anyway, enough of the funny crap. I presume that I can resume my frequency of blogging now. Nuffnang hasn't been giving me ANY advertisements from their banner but I can't complain lah, though my viewership is still the same as before BMT Times (interestingly), but I guess that nuffnang would not give advertisement if you haven't been blogging for a long time (with some commercial means tho).

First and foremost, I am proud that I was invovled in this cuddly, cute'sy event, Inter-School Aquathlon 2009 where children from primary school, all the way up to university students took part in this light aquathlon.

Now, WHAT THE HECK IS AQUATHLON? IS IT A AQUA (GAY/LESBIAN) thing?

It's simply, swim like you've never float before and run like you never walk before.

Preparations were made for this event and I am really proud that I was the shirt designer for the event. Loads of brain cells and creativity were lost during this event. The design of the shirts were a blast and well-received by participants! That positive comments from participants and organizers brought my designing skills into another level. Remember hunkies, and babeies, I wasn't from a designing course.

Smack! This was the design that i LOVE the most. Based from the controversial MRT sign, I've design to create this for 400+ participants and 300+ volunteers because it's catchy, retro and media oriented.

Primary base.

Shirt Front

Shirt Back

But organizers found it really 'media oriented' and excessively retroistic. It does not really cater for children, esp primary / secondary school children. I tried to change the colour and fonts to make it slightly more childish but still, catchy in the eyes of the public to be more AWARE in such sport event.

Therefore, my second draft for my organizers.

Front side

Back side.

I've bumped and kicked the colour up, fresh lime green with childrens' hand writing font, in short, Kristin IC lah.

This was controversial and having loads of mixed reviews. Some loved it yet some still found it to adult looking. The final verdict? For a thought, i thought that the organizers played Amy winehouse song, Rehab. "They tried to bring me to rehab but i said NO NO NO.."

This rejection does really dented my heart and motivation to design something though. But i preservered and did something simpler yet more catchy and direct an obvious message to the public.

Though i spent like 30 minutes creating this image, it took me half a day to brainstorm something so cute and simple.

This concludes something, being and creating something simple isn't easy. Just like life and gadgets, to create something simple and easy to be liked, it requires a lot of effort to deal with it.

Front Side.

Back side.

I was not confident that this design would pass by the organizers initially. I didn't have as much high hopes as the previous design.

But unexpectedly, THEY LOVED IT AND APPROVED THE DESIGN. It was a defining moment because once again, after the OSIM map designing, this T-shirt design is another breakthrough to my designing skills.

Happy event day!

My sister got herself an awesome

2009-04-23T00:17:00.001+08:00

NEW FUJITSU LAPTOP!

What an awesome specifications for slightly higher end performance! Now, im starting to loathe my laptop performance and want to head on getting a macbook pro.

Darn!

I'll get back where I left off soon.

Last Published, 22nd March.

2009-04-04T01:38:00.000+08:00

Where's all the motivation to blog? Where is it? The main reason I am blogging now is because my sister had just asked me why i am not updating my blog for a long time. LOOK! My template is still stuck with the valentine's day thingy.

I've got so much to tell, really.. about my life, about my social circle in National Service, ex school mates, volunteer mates. But the main reason isn't about all this social gatherings or events that I am yearning to blog and stick a memory of it. But rather, about my life in National Service. It's really a hard one and I'm pretty sure no one (including councilors) do understand the mental ordeal that I'm experiencing. People who listen to you will definitely goes " Oh yes Mel, I understand your plight because I sorta went through the same ordeal with you. It wasn't great and blabla..."

Not to be a pessimist, but I feel that a true listener does ask you relevant questions based from your confides about your medical condition, domestic woes and etc. But hell no, forget about even confiding using MSN, the messenger that changed peoples' internet habits and communication. Confiding via MSN seems to be like punching a sand bag and it retaliates back (by hearing the other party's reply going "oh", "oh no, that's bad...") and basically they are playing or multi-tasking in other computer activity such as facebooking and etc, if I have God's senses to overlook what they are doing. Even having a personal face to face counseling session with someone isn't going to work, trust me. It just gives you a brink of hope, sorry, did I say hope? I meant false hope.

Therefore, I have to tell you all, or rather, to confide my blog or facebook notes that I indeed have Tourettes, muscle tics. Nothing fanciful of being insane or not in a sane mental state, it's just that my brain motor doesn't operate as well as before now. I get muscle tics when I get anxiety, depression or a slight discomfort from the environment. If you are curious about Tourettes, read on then.

" Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by repetitive, stereotyped, involuntary movements and vocalizations called tics. The disorder is named for Dr. Georges Gilles de la Tourette, the pioneering French neurologist who in 1885 first described the condition in an 86-year-old French noblewoman.

The early symptoms of TS are almost always noticed first in childhood, with the average onset between the ages of 7 and 10 years. TS occurs in people from all ethnic groups; males are affected about three to four times more often than females. It is estimated that 200,000 Americans have the most severe form of TS, and as many as one in 100 exhibit milder and less complex symptoms such as chronic motor or vocal tics or transient tics of childhood. Although TS can be a chronic condition with symptoms lasting a lifetime, most people with the condition experience their worst symptoms in their early teens, with improvement occurring in the late teens and continuing into adulthood."

If you are fine and able to accept my 'special ability', just read on and see the video further.

This was an evidence that I was having tourettes, a milder version of eye blinking.

Therefore, this post will reveal it all about me, my syndrome and my life that I am living now. It's not meant to hurt anyone here but rather, I just wished that there's someone out there who really understands what I am going through and able to put me into their shoes and go through such ordeal.

I have Ptosis. What is that heck again? I have lazy eyes, and that means that I have bilateral lazy eyes thus to those who first met me, they will have the impression that I do not express interest/attention to them. Instead, they think that I am sleepy. However, majority who reads my blog now are viewers who know me for long and do know that I am not sleepy every time and have shown acceptance to my lazy eyes.

Let's back track a few months back about my life.

In November 2008, I was posted as an Amour Technician. A technician that I have to deal with Bionix, m113 huge tanks that weighs about 17 to 30 tonnes. The engine or rather the powerpack weighs about 5 to 7 tonnes and if the engine falls on you, you'll just die like Hotcakes in Mcdonalds. I endured 9 weeks of my technician course as a TANK technician and one day, I told myself, "Melvin, stop this endurance now. Your eyes just doesn't seem to help you to be a tank technician where you have to bent low inside the tank body chamber, unscrewing stuffs in a dark environment." It was totally unsafe and I sounded off to my instructor who anxiously reported it to my Platoon Commander. It was then I went to the Medical Officer and he got me out of the course of being a technician. Out from this course wasn't a smooth one too. I counted myself as a bad luck guy i guess. I have no idea why when I have a valid 'black and white' paper to certify that I'm out from this course due to my ptosis, my chief clerk still insist to recourse me for another 3 months and do the same thing again. I found no logic but according to her, her logic was that there wasn't a recommendation from my specialist that I should be out of the course. But hey! My MO did and recommended. Thus, I photocopied the same thing, submitted my documents to her the 2nd time and she finally posted me out. The ironic thing was that it was the exact documents that I've submitted her the first time, but it wasn't approved by her initially. I do not know why when she requested the documents the 2nd time, she took action to find me another posting. Was the reason that she didn't read my documents? Or she lost it? I didn't probe it further because finally, I'm not a technician.

But alas, I was out from that course and I was glad that I was out of it. My peers who stuck through the course, are complaining that they want to get out from this by any means.

In early January, I was posted as an armskote personnel and the hours were extremely irregular. At times in the middle of the night, the armskote personnel have to wake up and retrieve all the arms from the cadets and yes, it's a stay in job. In fact, Sungei Gedong camp is a stayin camp with some exceptions.

I couldn't take such pressure especially what's happening at home and my condition, tourettes. In fact, the beginning was I could not accept the fact that I am posted to the place I didn't want to be at; Sungei Gedong, the most out of civilisation camp in Singapore where you are only greeted with wild boars, tropical trees and weird, bright coloured birds there.

Since posted to this camp, my tourettes became extremely bad due to some anxiety problem too. The environment there wasn't for me and inevitable, I had to go to Neurologist and counsellor for help. Yes, I went all those, just to get my tourettes surpressed and domestic problem 'fixed'.

Because of my ptosis, I was PES C1L9 and there was not a single reason that I should be in armskote because i was technically excused from firearms. I had no idea how the SAR 21 works because during BMT, I wasn't trained on it. In fact, I was excused from all kinds of firearms; rifle, grenades and etc. Therefore, how could I bear the responsibility fixing / maintaining those arms with my eye condition like this. What if something went wrong because of my partial vision lost? Besides my tourettes was really affecting my social, mental and physical side of me. Who would want to see a guy who always twitch without any warning and twitch more when there's some stress level involved in the activities like being a armskote personnel? What if I make someone lost their life due to chamber explosion in their rifle? So am I to be blamed?

I fought hard, actually really hard to be posted out again and finally, settle down with being a clerk, overlooking a computer lab. I went to see specialist from Tan Tock Seng and the doctor found my condition really rare though he heard about it. He had no idea what to do to me and referred me to a younger specialist doctor who was well learned and informed about Tourettes. He made the necessary prescription and written a memo to my Medical Officer to excuse me from staying in because it does aggreviate my syndrome.

Till now, I guess I am still fighting out from this by taking medicine daily to suppress my 'already aggreviated' tourettes. I don't have much friends in my existing wingline mainly because in the entire computer lab, I am alone inside the lab which means slightly more freedom. Those from my wing line are stay in and this group of people have known each other for many months (in fact almost a year) in that unit thus the unity is so unbreakable, I couldn't blend into their clique well. I'm fine about it and well aware that I was the special case one, muscle twitching, not staying in the same bunk as them do make them feeling I am the inferior one.

But I don't mind, as long as I do my job and duties with no more weird complains from my superior, I am very well happy with this kind of army life and pass out from this in 1 year 3 months time.

Not much expectation within this 2 years, I simply just keep a low profile and a simple army life. I'm not going to care about the ranks, friendships in this camp but only stay true to the friends that I truly think they are.

I have the feeling that a lot of people are going to despise me. But it's just a feeling only, I should not care much though. I just want my tourettes to be suppressed fully and have a peaceful life, that includes my family.

Hong Kong Hong Kong!

2009-03-22T21:38:00.002+08:00

I can't believe that Josline has eventually blogged finished about her Hong Kong trip while i'm still stuck at the first day!

I better start blogging about my HK trip before i lose my pictures!!!

http://tiankongshini.blogspot.com/2008/11/my-hong-kong-day-1.html

Here is still my Day 1! Cheers and urgh, pathetic!

I'm so lazy to blog

2009-03-21T19:14:00.001+08:00

and even till the extent that nuffnang forgets about my advertisements for now! oh my..

well, if people are interested to know how I am doing.. I am pretty fine at the moment. I've just recovered from my food poisoning, stomach upset or whatever do you call it and finally, I am able to eat army food, restaurant food, hokkien mee and other oily stuffs!

I realised that drinking Vitagen or Yakult is extremely important in the digestive system. Mainly i drank that and my intestine worked pretty fine.

I think this blog might be dead anytime soon. Facebook is indeed much easier to update, posting pictures and etc.

PS: Thank you shirley for taking my position and ran the 5km for Suburban run. I was still feeling weak lah! That's why!

Ironman event, here I come!

Free - Corrinne May

2009-03-13T00:58:00.001+08:00

Thank You Cindy Jie jie for this album. This song comes extremely handy in the situation I am at now.

I see the morning glory
It winds upon the tree
It tells the untold story of how things were meant to be
You saw the universe
Caught up in desperate dreams
You came and changed the ending
Changed it to save my fate
You led the revolution
You left your legacy
Embraced the struggle
in the face of mortality
I know I'm not alone in this
Help me believe

I can be free
I can be free from this place
Beautiful healer
Beautiful grace
Help me to see
Everything fall into place
Wake me from dreaming
No more deceiving
Break these chains

It's still the same old story
This great divide
Between the want and waste
And all the hunger inside
I heard the news today
Now I'm trying to find my place
I'm just a single voice
What can I do to erase

All this misunderstanding
All this anarchy
Six degrees of separation
Sometimes it's so hard to see
That we are not alone in this
I need to believe

I can be free
I can be free from this place
Beautiful healer
Beautiful grace
Help me to see
Everything fall into place
Wake me from dreaming
No more deceiving
Break these chains

I puke, I shat, I blew my health out.

2009-03-09T20:34:00.004+08:00

Everytime something happens, we will suspect on the cause. This is natural and this is very human. As for me, I got food poisoning. oh wait, i think it's food poisoning, if not it's stomach flu, gastric pain or dengue. But i leave dengue out because I do not have rashes.

On Thursday evening, I had dinner with Meiyun and Kewei out at Far East Plaza, that time my appetite was overwhelmingly great but my stomach wasn't feeling good after the meal. Soon, my right hip bone starts to hurt and I think it's the cause of a stomach viral attack that makes my whole body muscle ache.

But it was the initial start of the nightmare and I didn't give a damn about my queer stomach. I went on to drink milk at night and ate spicy food. that was suicidal.

On Friday morning, my stomach was sort of well AGAIN and I rushed down to order Chicken rice with kang kong. I never regret eating it because it was extremely delicious. But wait, my stomach gave me a warning signal on Thursday evening but I've ignored it. Instead, i went ahead to eat the OILEST cuisine, hainanese chicken rice.

I give a pat to my stomach for being strong and withstanding the oil, spices and lactose till Friday afternoon where it gave way. I was having lunch with kewei (btw, I took 2 days LEAVE BECAUSE I WENT FOR A COURSE) and we had shanghai cuisine. Initially i was really hungry and wanted nice shanghai cuisine. But after i went into the restaurant, the smell of the food was overwhelming but wait, it didn't smell like food to me. As i was feeling extremely nauseous, the fragrant smell of the food doesn't appeal to me and it actually smell like vomit.

Poor me, i ate one shanghai dumpling and I told kewei that I'm full. Poor him too, he has to eat everything that was meant for 2 person and he ate everything, quite a huge feat for him eh! Immediately after we paid the bills, i vomited everything out on the drain. I should take a snap on the vomit and the mess I've made on the drain. Just imagine shredded chicken, bits of undigested rice and kang kong spattered on the floor with gooey sticky phlegm. Yes, that was it @ 2pm.

I tried to concentrate during the course and hopefully i can last till 5pm but i didn't. In fact, i vomited again at 4pm and it was torturing me. My stomach was like a deflated air bag. It has involuntarily squeezed my guts out and puke everything that I have, all the stomach acid, the shanghai dumplings and the Bao Ji Wan medicine that I took to curb with the nausea. It was all down to the toilet bowl. The most embarrassing thing is that my colleagues heard all the rumbling, vomiting going on in the toilet while they were having lesson.

I told myself that this was it, i need to see a doctor because this is really bad and I don't think it can be self healed.

After the course, i took a taxi with kewei and went down to Tan Tock Seng Hospital, just to see a pharmacist and see a doctor to get my medicine quickly. Never do I know that I would be landing on A&E ward for such seriousness. The doctor has put me on drips and kept me for observation for 4 hours.

I didn't know that I had to fast for the 4 frigging hours which means that I didn't eat the entire day because i puked my breakfast and lunch out. Now, I didn't know I could not have dinner thus the nurse fed be with chicken porridge and Milo. Oh yes, i didn't know that I COULD NOT TAKE MILO for diarrhea too due to the milk solids in the Milo. but the nurse went ahead and gave me. How cool was that?

Dr. Loi finally came at 10pm to review me. He told me that my blood test was perfectly alright and have nothing to worry. He advise me to drink isotonic non-carbonated drink such as H2O and juices to replenish my water and salt intake. When he said no milk, no milo that part, I sat straight and puke like a merlion. PRACTICALLY LIKE ONE FRIGGIN MERLION on the BED.

Brown fluid with spring onions, shredded chicken came out from my mouth and Dr. Loi said vulgarities because no nurse came to attend to me straight away with a plastic bag. They let me puke till it was about to be over and alas, they gave me a plastic bag. For what? Wipe my mouth is it? that's why Dr. Loi was extremely furious.

Half and hour later, Dr. Loi came back and counselled me to stay overnight at hospital because he said i was fasting for 4 hours yet able to puke so much stuff. I told him that I didn't want to stay in the hospital overnight (because i do worry their services)and told him that they actually fed me with porridge. Upon hearing this, he took my status slip at the side of my bed and shouted at the nurses "Can anyone tell me who doesn't know this sentence, No Hand By Mouth"?(Some kind of sentence like that that describe that I should go on a fast).

Everyone kept quiet and he said "don't give me the EXCUSE that it was the previous shift people who did this. I'm sick and tired of all the excuses.."

Alas, he walked away again without telling me whether I could stay out and not overnight in the hospital.

They gave me 4 packets of drips which accounts to 2 litres of drips into my body. One occasion, they forgot to on the drip and my blood back flowed from my wrist to the tube. how frustrating was that? I tried to wave at the nurses but they didn't reply, only when I pressed the alarm and let the alarm sound off, they looked at me and said "What is the matter??" in such a cold tone. I briefly told them that my drip was closed and my blood was back flowing. She simply just rub the switch to turn it on but it was dripping extremely slowly, from the tube that i saw it was dripping. it was like a drip in 4 seconds?

Lastly, when i could actually get out of this scary place and went home, i puked again at Bishan MRT. Thankfully Meiyun and Kewei was there and guilded my weak body home. Initially we took mrt but i felt nauseous again in the mrt and alighted at Bishan MRT. As usual, I've puked again because the fish smell at Manhattan Fish Restaurant. When you feel nauseous, any kind of food you smell or imagine makes you want to vomit, trust me. wait till you feel nauseous and you try to smell a fish. You'll definitely puke everything.

At that time, I practically have nothing to puke but a lot of stomach acids and remains of my porridge. It was hell because I crunched my stomach like there's no tomorrow. It was extremely tight and I had no air to breathe while I was vomiting.

The last 2 vomit was when I was at home on Friday Night, Saturday morning. It was torturing. I was running a fever since Friday Night till Sunday morning and puke twice. Once on stomach acid again and the another on my medicine. The medicine was extremely bitter when i puked, it was dissolved partially and when the vomit touches my tongue, it made me want to vomit further because it was extremely distasteful. EXTREMELY bitter.

4days of runs, 2 days of vomits and 2 days of fever. I am still not recovering well...

Happy Valentine's Day to all

2009-02-15T01:23:00.004+08:00

handsome guys and pretty girls.

Alright, amidst of all the lovely dovey kissings, flowers and chocolates, please do vote for Kenneth's review on his take for Chingay 2009!

Voting should be easier but sigh, you ought to have a Singapore Stomp account in order to vote. Thus, if you are extremely free, please do join Singapore stomp and please, vote for KENNETH!

Click the link here.
http://youthphoria.stomp.com.sg/shoutbox/showthread.php?t=1141

P.S. I think my banner shocked you visitors for a while, bear with it for the moment ah!

Every hair counts.

2009-02-02T17:16:00.000+08:00

I am Liu Wen Yang

2009-01-31T00:46:00.004+08:00

"We shall name him 'Melvin'!" - my parents decided on my name. Liu Wen Yang shall be the name we've gotten all the way from Malaysia.

Life has been on the rocks in 2009. I completely do not know how whether I can achieve my happiness resolution in 2009 because right the smack of January 2009, so many events have happened till I thought i've passed a year just for Jan alone. I couldn't explain this phenomenon but all the negative problems just happen to me. It's not the thoughts but rather, the problems. When u hear about the way I describe my words "negative problems", it has been weighed heavily because "problem'' is already a bad thing, but "negative problems"? It's worst, i tell you.

It's not that I am negative in terms of thoughts, in short, pessimistic about life but shit happens! It just happens so rhythmically, it rides along with your life now. While it's riding, you just can't believe yet having to accept that shit happens all the time for now.

Social problem is one of the obstacle that is happening now but it's just the way it is. For this, I am glad that I still do have friends who stand by my side and support, encourage me all the way up the ladder. Thus, this can be shrugged off because this is just a pea obstacle.

** I just felt that I should stop blogging about this problems. Though this is a good avenue to pen down my thoughts and access the situation around me. But I hope this post will make me remember of the dark times I have in the past and appreciate the present.

I use to conclude that whatever day is the worst day of my life etc but didn't give a thought that this period is one of the darkest and worst period of my life. I wouldn't easily conclude it as the worst but rather, one of them now as I do now that there will be even worst obstacles after this. Let's face it, shit just happens.

Happy Birthday

2009-01-23T23:40:00.002+08:00

Ok, Happy Birthday to myself.

And thanks everyone for all the wishes. There's quite a lot to reply back to Facebook and all thanks to Facebook notification. Suddenly everyone remembers my birthday.

HAHA!

Ok la, i do pray for better health and better happiness in my life.

My Tourettes syndrome has been getting bad to worst. I need to see someone.

I love this song, We've only just begun. This should be the song for all 21 year old birthdays. We've only just begun 21 years old, and there's many more endeavours ahead of me to settle and conquer them.

We've only just begun to live,
White lace and promises
A kiss for luck and we're on our way.
We've just begun.
Before the rising sun we fly,
So many roads to choose
We start out walking and learn to run.
And yes, We've just begun.
Sharing horizons that are new to us,
Watching the signs along the way,
Talking it over just the two of us,
Working together day to day
Together.
And when the evening comes we smile,
So much of life ahead
We'll find a place where there's room to grow,
And yes, We've just begun.

My (Birth) day, 21st time.

2009-01-18T18:19:00.008+08:00

During a typical day in December where everyone are mostly gracing and anticipating for Christmas, my mother suddenly popped up a question, "So Melvin, how are you going to celebrate your 21st birthday?"

I was stunned, I didn't think of anything much just maybe a nice dinner outside with various people without the hassle of doing up an event etc, booking of places and food in advance.

But well, my mother said that it was once in a life time affair that everyone enters into an era, where the public sector sees u as an adult, throwing you more responsibilities, less discount privileges for being an teenager, let alone being a child. Being a true adult is something that I didn't really yearn for, or even something that i detest. It just happened, it's a natural occasion to be 21 years old product from earth and woa la! A stroke of midnight on your birthday, you are able to sign contracts, being a guarantor, decide on the most difficult situations in life.

Not many very privilege people in third world countries make it to 21 years old, or even have the form of simplest celebration being 21. Therefore, this are some of the reasons that I must have a blast on 21 years old because the next blast will be 50 years old, where I will have to wait for 29 years just to be a half a century old.

Initially, it was a bigger chalet @ Aloha Loyang. The unexpected thing? All the weekends for January 2009 has been booked up and I can't be affording $200++ for a bigger, more luxerious chalet in Aloha Loyang.

Being simple and not having high expectations to holding a party is good, okay, it's best. Long gone those days where I am usually the one booking chalet, organize events since secondary 2 class parties because things always don't go the way you want it to be. During my poly years, I am very sure that organizers, like you and me, handing some event always wish to have something huge and fruitful experience coming out for an event but in the end of everything for some reflections, things always don't go the way you wanted. That's one of my opposing reason not to hold something big like doing up an event because I do want to uphold my resolution, just be a simple and HAPPY person. Being happy is not an privilege, it's an entitlement where you have to sacrifice somethings and earn somethings.

That's where after some intense consideration, I decided to hold a small chalet @ Costa Sands Pasir Ris. Cheap as it can be, $90 rental to house everyone comfortably is good enough.

Rental of place done, food and invitation time.

The food was easy part as my mother did most of the decision. Initially, I thought of having a BBQ, but again, who's going to BBQ all the food? My guests won't be the one bbq-ing, i know guests, they are lazy. Who really want to come for a party where you have to bbq your own food just to eat? They want ready cook food, or rather, I prefer ready cooked delicious food and not having to smell @ a birthday party. Thus, I think everyone was happy that there was a buffet, instead of a BBQ where I can have a jolly well chipney, carbon infused birthday atmosphere. (Sounds like heaven eh? Where smoky clouds fill the place and everyone stinks with bbq meat and sauce)

So, the food was done and we got the food from Bibik's catering (in house caterer from Costa Sands Resort).

The last part was the most difficult, the invitation. Sending invitation ain't difficult though, due to the power of facebook, I send invites with breeze as 99% of my friends do have a facebook account. Facebook has really changed the way we lived, I can't say that to MSN messenger because my friends DO have a facebook account but know nuts about MSN messenger or any other IM messenger.

The difficult part is that who do I invite so that my friends don't really feel left out? I can invite a special friend over but if he/she doesn't know anyone or even a soul there, it's not going to be a memorable one for me. Thankfully, the 4 groups or cliques that I've invited are cool with it. It is just like United Nations you know, where group members do cross over and chit chat with others. Not forgetting that the group member among themselves are also very chitty chatty kind.

Therefore, the final verdict was having my NYP closest mates, relatives, TAS friends, Sentosa outgoing gang and lastly, my long lasting friendship with my Secondary School friends (with some elements of primary school ones).

And on the faithful day on 11th January, 2 actual birthday candidates (Ley Yee and Uncle Thomas) came over to my party! It wasn't intentional. I can't possibly having my party nearer to my real actual birthday because many will be flying off or doing spring cleaning during the pre-CNY celebrations. On the 17th and 18th of Jan, not many are able to make it too because of the Zoo Run expo. 11th of January was then chosen because it's the only SUNDAY of the month where almost everyone is in Singapore, doing nothing much.

Without further or do, let's roll out the pictures!

A big thank you to my sister, Kewei and Siew Yee who were very anticipated to doll up the place.

Look! She wasn't scared of the balloon bursting on her body!

They are figuring out how to make out the words.

My mother finally gotten the ice cream cake ordered @ White Sands Shopping Center. We ordered Red Velvet ice cream cake. Not many people would have the appetite for a fluffy breaded flour cake.

It looks really nice on the net though!

Climbing up and down to paste alphabet by alphabet ain't easy you know!

I was so hungry that I ate curry puff right before the buffet.

It's about time.

Ain't that cool? Debbie talking to my secondary school friends?

Cheers and bottles up my dear secondary school friends!

TAS!

SENTOSA!

FAMILY!

I was drunk. Thanks to Kelly.

I really tried to open my eyes as HUGE as possible. I said huge.

Sweet Sentosa gang.

Thank you kenneth!

And again, my friend says both of us look really compatible. But we're just mere good siblings eh!

Cassey is the bomb. We should have taken a shot during our primary school years lah! Ah sian..

Frankly hor, I've gotten to know you better AFTER secondary school years. LOL

This is the true birthday girl who took time off from her birthday time to celebrate it with me! Thanks Leyz!

It's cool you know, that Rudy and I wore almost the same and both of us looking at Kelly Chua.

My precious cousins who were with us all the while since young. Awesome Amanda and Daryl!

My parents with my relatives.

My uncles and aunties, with mama and papa.

The hippest Auntie and Uncle.

Our friendship is almost 2 years already bro! Since NYP!

My uncle and auntie, who are also my registered God parents, have well taken care of me and my sister. They provide us with almost anything that we ourselves, can't afford for.

Thanks Rudy. You should know what I'm thanking you for.

It's really amazing you know! Maria and Jeremy are people that you can count for a long term friendship. They are incredible.

Needless to say, Cindy and 2 of us are simply Charlie's Angels. We're going back to the Zoo for a different cause this time round!

Jiayi! Someone whom I've never thought that I could talk to and befriend with. From classmates, to attachment mates, to clubbing friends and so on. Time do really mold our friendship!

You know what, viewing all the pictures here, taking all the solo shots with them makes me think about how we became friends. Thanks Joyee, I still remember vividly we practiced Volleyball with Gold Fish and we laughed a lot. I am blessed to know everyone here.

Nisa! Cindy has certified that both of us think alike. Guess what, I have forgotten how we knew each other but I didn't forget those times where we went to Bali, you treated me and bobby for dinner and etc. Ok, i feel super blessed now.

Cindy is the 1st on Forbes Most Eligible Bachelorette.

Twinsel caught the attention of everyone, not the birthday boy!

Debbie, she's the first one whom we've met in Sentosa. So to say, the longest friendship in the entire Sentosa friendship timeline.

One huge family, as Joyee said.

This are my really purest friends in secondary school life. There's more like Izwan etc but it's a shame that they didn't come.

Real birthday girl and advance birthday boy.

In this shot, there's 3 birthday candidates. 2 real, 1 fake. LOL

May our wishes come true!

3 of us cutting the cake.

MUAHAHAHHAHA! CUTTING TIME.

I love my friends, they made the most awesome jumbo birthday card, with loads of sweet messages.

One last shot before it's disfigured.

It's a mash shot because why? EVERYONE KNOWS EACH OTHER. I dunnoe why, but it just happened.

As always, this kind of shot reminds us of the drama, Holland V.

Although I love this shot, i would die for this shot if Sophia, Elmo, Diva came into the picture. It's priceless.

I just have to tickle him.

Thanks everyone. Surprisingly, I got 2 laptop bags for this birthday. Thanks everyone for the practical presents!
Thank you secondary school peeps with the 5x5 rubik's cube and I think i'm going to take 5x5 years to solve that. Not forgetting the shots game where we will definitely play when we meet up for some gathering!
Thank you Cindy, Nisa for the laptop bag. There's a lot of compartments and it feels really sturdy when i slot my laptop in it.
Thank You Joyee for the ang bao and the book, "The LOVE as a Way of Life". It will be a good read when I'm in camp.
Thank You Jonathan and Bobby for the Adidas Shirt. So cooling lah, i feel naked wearing that.
Thank You Rudy for the cuff links and tie. Though I won't be wearing at the moment, only No. 4 uniform, it will be a great tool if in future interviews.
Thanks Debs for the mini mini soccerball!
Thank you TAS gang, along with Rong Jun and Leyz on the Wilson Tour Bag. Another awesome bag where I can slot virtually anything with it. It fits my laptop perfectly too, although it's meant for slotting the tennis racket!
Thank you my bestest, awesome buddy, Kewei for the Brazillian Praia Sandals. I love it, it's really time for a new sandals.
Thank you Jiayi, the prettiest one for the 21st birthday beer mug. It will be solely drunk with beer and other alcohol drink on that mug.
Thanks to my relatives for the ang baos, Armani Xchange accessories.
Thank you Meiyun and Ley Yee for the birthday card. Esp Meiyun's card, it was really warm greetings.
Lastly, Thank you Robin for the "I've survived Singapore". Though I've survived Singapore, Singapore army is another factor.

Cheers everyone. It was really memorable birthday for me.

Videos.

Cheers and Bottom's up with my friends.

The birthday songs.

CAN! run

2009-01-11T11:55:00.002+08:00

Yes I can! Yes I can overcome any obstacles! Therefore, Kewei, Meiyun, Weihua and I went to the CAN! run.

What is it about ?

It's really lame though, but well, we have to run 2010 meters just to get some goodies and celebrate the launch of the YOG logo.

Here are the pictures and we ran like mocking bird just to be one of the first to collect the shirts if not, we're running for nothing.

We got our bib numbers in running order. Initially, i was about to become the outcast one as i've registered myself in another counter and the lady gave me a totally different BIB no. But thankfully I've a mouth and the cheek to ask her for running numbers..HAHA!

Therefore, this is our first run with RUNNING NUMBERS.

Wah! So many people ah!

Wah! Look at all the balloons wasted! So poor thing leh!

Here we go! Running and snapping photos!

Weird and thwarted faces. Thankfully I used the sports mode on SE thus it appears to be thwarted face instead of BLURRY faces.

Kewei and I clocked about 12 mins 30+ seconds on the run with abiding to Traffic Light rules and jammed with people at specific locations.

and this is the place where you're supposed to get your goodie bag!!

The Library at SMU

Every run we go, there will be a shot on the starting point. Here's another collection of it.

See the logo at the right? That's it.

Overall, it was a memorable event that we've had. We also played the carnivals and collected the 5 limited editions of the YOG badges.

I'm so wanting to watch Transporter 3

2009-01-07T22:56:00.002+08:00

I read an online article on how to increase luck. Yes, i know that you guys might think I'm supertitious or something. But true enough, luck isn't a super-natural thing. Luck is simply all about sneizing all kinds of opportunities that comes to you.

Try as much as you can and who knows, you'll get something and people will say you're lucky. Deep down, you know that you've created your own luck. I'll share the article soon when I google it again!

Or simply just google "How to increase luck for oneself?"

Easy.

Kenneth's Christmas Par-tee!

2009-01-05T19:50:00.004+08:00

I'm so into the "Par-tee" word, all thanks to Kenneth who invited this word in his Kenlish Language world.

Finally Kenneth made a breakthrough by inviting his closest friends aboard into his wonderful journey, his humble home @ chong pang. I still remember vividly that piles of books are stacked high (higher than the plant he has right now which outgrown his height too) during secondary school. I remember the old compaq computer where we used to hear all sorts of mp3s, do recordings with his cassette tape recorder in his room and sang / talk all kinds of weird stories up.

Those old good times where I have to be out of Kenneth's house before dusk as his parents will be back for dinner with him etc.

7 + years have came by just like that he finally open up his house like a 30 yrs reformed China that open their economy for investors. And he did it right, it was really a fun party for Christmas.

I was late for the party but nevertheless, others were late too thus haha! Next time Kenneth will make the meeting time earlier just for us to reach the ideal time at 6pm! Ha!

The humble Christmas tree welcomed us.

Kelly barged into the picture and said hello!

It was really nicely decorated kenneth. Or does it comes in a package on this tree?

A big thank you to Kenneth's mother who helped us on the serving of the food. biggie thanks if you happened to stumble on my blog via Kenneth's browser history or cookie!

The meeting place.

QUEUE UP! WAIT FOR UR TURN! GET UR OWN PLATE AND SCAN UR 11B! (er, wait, scan what?)

Here comes the Turkey that Kenneth and Kelly painstakingly bought it from Marriot Hotel. Am I right? or Mandarin Hotel? It cost about $128++ if my memory doesn't fail me.

The baby potatoes, and it's my favourite. I love their skin, so deliciously edible. Er...

The Turkey and the fat arse.

We simply can't wait to conquer the food! Stripe the turkey, chunk the baby potatoes!

Kenneth thinks "Should I be naughty or nice this christmas?"

We started to play all sorts of card games ranging from UNO to Heart Attack. Of course, every folks love this game called heart attack because it keeps our mind, physical body going. The best part? The beating from the winner. Damn shiok to see people get tortured during this game. Hahaha!

Caught on camera! This are the pals from Kenneth's JC.

Upclose and personal to the Logcake.

It was deforestation time for the logcake as every Christmas celebration should have at least a cake to celebrate Jesus's birthday. I can't imagine or rather believe if anyone in the world would get a cake to fit the capacity of 2008 candles for Jesus's birthday.

Familiar logo?

There's Santa and the Frosty.

Look at Kenneth's expression! Let's deforest it!

Kenneth's balcony view.

I love the warm feeling at the void deck.

the 3 of us!

And the one big big huge family from Northbrooks!

Frosty says : "Wait, there's one more party to blog about! Kelly's Countdown party that went of with a pasta carbo loading bang!"

Christmas Eve Dinner (慢舞 - Rui En)

2009-01-03T22:06:00.005+08:00

The menu and the price that my mother calculated for the Christmas eve Dinner!
爱像跳慢舞
紧紧抓着一起踏步
选对舞伴万众瞩目

Hungry Papa.

但我們舞步
为了追寻完美
练太熟了反而虚伪


I know it looks a pile of guey dung but it's sirlion steak with the steak sauce on it! There's a lot of steak sauce because I simply love the sauce catalyst the beef flavour.

飞旋一起飞旋自我麻醉
旋转不停旋转忘了彼此抓紧
此空虛无止漫步跳舞
小心翼翼舞步
心里有数是最后支舞
就闭眼忘了呼吸的投入

All the prove of my mother's hardwork.

像漫步跳舞我们不哭用默默地祝福
只等这远去渐渐静下来
我们学不会跳的慢舞结束

The salad.

The Turkey Ham.

My sister enjoying her food and as you can see, no vegetables on her plate.

My father kinda enjoyed the food!

We had Sparkling juice on that night, no wine because of recession lah please!

This was Kewei's plate, 2 'eyes' and a huge 'mouth'

My mother brought Kewei for a dinner too! If not he'll be spending Christmas Eve alone though..

We got a cake from Bakerzia.

It was Tiramisu cake and the flavour, smell was overwhelming fragrant. I could actually taste the tiramisu instead of smelling it only.

The cake wasn't too sweet and the flavour was just nice to be called an 'atas' cake.

Kewei's take.

The midnight drive out.

After church at the stroke @ midnight, my family went for a spin down Orchard Road, playing the cd of all the Christmas hits.

Hearts Everyone!

After entering Orchard Road and get greetings of Merry Christmas, this is what you see next 10 meters apart.

Deserted and quiet.

My present for my parents.
Phillips Divx DVD player

Now, they do not have an excuse on not knowing how to watch movies that are .avi format.

Man In The Mirror (Fireworks Countdown @ Fullerton)

2009-01-02T22:54:00.004+08:00

I'm Gonna Make A Change,
For Once In My Life
It's Gonna Feel Real Good,
Gonna Make A Difference
Gonna Make It Right . . .

As I, Turn Up The Collar On My
Favourite Winter Coat
This Wind Is Blowin' My Mind
I See The Kids In The Street,
With Not Enough To Eat
Who Am I, To Be Blind?
Pretending Not To See
Their Needs

A Summer's Disregard,
A Broken Bottle Top
And A One Man's Soul
They Follow Each Other On
The Wind Ya' Know
'Cause They Got Nowhere
To Go
That's Why I Want You To
Know

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself, And
Then Make A Change)
(Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na,
Na Nah)

I've Been A Victim Of A Selfish
Kind Of Love
It's Time That I Realize
That There Are Some With No
Home, Not A Nickel To Loan
Could It Be Really Me,
Pretending That They're Not
Alone?

A Willow Deeply Scarred,
Somebody's Broken Heart
And A Washed-Out Dream
(Washed-Out Dream)
They Follow The Pattern Of
The Wind, Ya' See
Cause They Got No Place
To Be
That's Why I'm Starting With
Me
(Starting With Me!)

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
(Ooh!)
And No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change)

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror
(Ooh!)
I'm Asking Him To Change His
Ways
(Change His Ways-Ooh!)
And No Message Could've
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make That . . .
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make That . . .)
Change!

I'm Starting With The Man In
The Mirror,
(Man In The Mirror-Oh
Yeah!)
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
(Better Change!)
No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make The Change)
(You Gotta Get It Right, While
You Got The Time)
('Cause When You Close Your
Heart)
You Can't Close Your . . .Your
Mind!
(Then You Close Your . . .
Mind!)
That Man, That Man, That
Man, That Man
With That Man In The Mirror
(Man In The Mirror, Oh Yeah!)
That Man, That Man, That Man
I'm Asking Him To Change
His Ways
(Better Change!)
You Know . . .That Man
No Message Could Have
Been Any Clearer
If You Wanna Make The World
A Better Place
(If You Wanna Make The
World A Better Place)
Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change
(Take A Look At Yourself And
Then Make A Change)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na,
Na Nah
(Oh Yeah!)
Gonna Feel Real Good Now!
Yeah Yeah! Yeah Yeah!
Yeah Yeah!
Na Na Na, Na Na Na, Na Na,
Na Nah
(Ooooh . . .)
Oh No, No No . . .
I'm Gonna Make A Change
It's Gonna Feel Real Good!
Come On!
(Change . . .)
Just Lift Yourself
You Know
You've Got To Stop It.
Yourself!
(Yeah!-Make That Change!)
I've Got To Make That Change,
Today!
Hoo!
(Man In The Mirror)
You Got To
You Got To Not Let Yourself . . .
Brother . . .
Hoo!
(Yeah!-Make That Change!)
You Know-I've Got To Get
That Man, That Man . . .
(Man In The Mirror)
You've Got To
You've Got To Move! Come
On! Come On!
You Got To . . .
Stand Up! Stand Up!
Stand Up!
(Yeah-Make That Change)
Stand Up And Lift
Yourself, Now!
(Man In The Mirror)
Hoo! Hoo! Hoo!
Aaow!
(Yeah-Make That Change)
Gonna Make That Change . . .
Come On!
(Man In The Mirror)
You Know It!
You Know It!
You Know It!
You Know . . .
(Change . . .)
Make That Change.

New Year Resolution 2009

2009-01-02T00:13:00.005+08:00

I made a mistake on my 2007 and 2008 resolution. Oh, well... I think I've made a grave mistake on my 2008 resolution where I didn't fulfill at all.

http://tiankongshini.blogspot.com/2008/01/auld-lang-syne.html

It's weird, to think of being an influential person in 2008 but Obama took it away though. As for now, I shall keep my resolution as simple as possible, thus I'm definitely able to fulfill my wish as it won't be a burden, thus I'll be happier (which is my resolution for 2009).

Ranking from the most important to the (normal priority)

Happiness
Fitness
Health
Wealth

It's really easy for 2009 now. In 2007, i was wrong about my wish although I did achieve the things that I resoluted for. All thanks to Winston and Mr. Lee Hsien Long about being the heaps of mountain top peaks. Try to be at your best in everything you do.

Life doesn't come like this as in being the best in everything. There's no such thing and you have to narrow it down. After reading the book "The Journey to Success", I was extremely enlightned and every word from that book made sense (well, to my life because I've experience tonnes of rubbish for the past few years achieving something that didn't last).

I shall review and recommend the book to you readers out there, if you are really keen on reading it, don't hesitate to ask me as I will not hesitate to lend you such motivational book.

Thus, as for the 4 points I've mentioned above, I'll elaborate further.

I just want to be really happy. I don't want to achieve something great and neglect the people that I want to seek attention for. "Yes! I've done it! Hoorays! Er, so where's my friend? I've done it my friend, I can't wait to tell you that I've succeeded!" In the end, you realized that you're running your race alone. No one was there to cheer you till the end where you succeeded. Yes, in a way I'll be happy because I've achieved my goal. No, I have no one to share the happiness with me.

Fitness, what can I say further? I've been fat since primary 4 and it's a real deal of dung hardship during my initial poly years where I've slimmed a little. How? Working in Watsons was a miracle. It really give me good memories and I'd climb about 100 steps everyday up and down, loading and unloading stocks @ my Toa Payoh Watsons store. Sometimes, I have to resign to fate. During those years, Tang Bin and Kewei would pass by my store and now? Kewei is my best friend. That's something I can't explain. Anyway, in this upcoming May, I'll be running 42km for Addidas Sundown Marathon. Everyone has already gasped and said " Melvin! Are you sure? Goodness!" Yes yes, for the KPE 10km run, I almost rolled, glide to the road during the last few kilometers but I'm determined to increase my stealth for this year. For once, just once, let me see my 6 packs as I've never seen it in my 21 years of living on earth. I only occassionally see my 6 packs in my damn dreams. Thus, make it a reality Melvin.

Health, self explanatory. If I can't achieve this, forget about my next resolution up next.

Wealth. No health no wealth. Damn simple.
I've been receiving a steady flow of about extra $200 a month doing my jailbreaking of ipod touches and iphone. All thanks to mocca.com.sg, ebay, db88 etc that publicized my experiences of jailbreaking this high tech stuffs. Remember, Jailbreak doesn't destroy your warranty. Trust me, I got my BRAND NEW IPOD after a year. The button died on me but i just exchanged an jailbroken ipod touch and received a damn new shiny one. It's beside my keyboard now, oh! She's smiling at me now!

That's all for my resolutions. Do blog about your resolutions or at least tag on my board thus I know and get inspired by your resolutions! Come, set yourself a target and I sincerely wish you all the best in your resolutions and see you achieving it successfully on the 31st December 2009.

Peace and Love you all.
Melvin

Riding 2008

2008-12-31T12:40:00.005+08:00

I do know that reflecting on the year 2008 seems like a cliché for everyone here, but isn't counting down to 2009 a more cliché practice too? It's only once a year affair and once you've written for this year, that's it, gone shit. There is no way you can come back to 2008 and reflect in it again.

Life on 2008 hasn't been a smooth riding one. In fact, this year has the most changes involved than orientation years in poly (2006), secondary (2001) and lastly primary (1996). Can't you believe it? The swift and quick transition from a polytechnic student to a full time supervisor and designer in Ramenten earning $1.6k+ to an army personnel ( where the pay is a quarter of what I earn on my previous job).

The transition isn't what many guys enlist go through and I believe that some of them are adjusting badly on it.

I didn't expect that life would turn out this way in 2008 and there's been many shifting of friendship cliques from the start of the year till the last day of the year.

Let me talk about the thankful ones first.

I've known Kenneth Goh since the 1st year of secondary school and it's really incredible being in contact with him till now from various activities. It's inevitable that during secondary school years, we meet everyday for lunch, lessons, back home and lastly, our cca (concert band) practices. I thought we'll lose contact after graduation in secondary school but I was so wrong. Maybe during the initial years after graduation, we didn't talk much because he was busy transiting from secondary school to jc whereas for me, busy transiting from secondary school, to Watsons full time and lastly,entering into a poly.

But all this didn't make us stray away from the friendship we had during secondary school. We did occassional chats on msn and meet up with Siew Feng and gang for a lung at nyp (which Kenneth made a daring trip to our poly by just crossing the grey bridge. DUH!?!).

When Kenneth went to army and I'm pretty busy with FYP, that still didn't bring our friendship into bleakness, till the extent I had with many secondary school mates; a hello, smile and bye gestures. Soon we got into Toastmasters and we were well in contact with each other with commitment to meet every fortnightly.

During the phrase of my army life ( it's still in going, mind you), I have too many things in my back. Maybe it's just me dr being weak mentally, unable to take mug stress outside of army and hoping more real peace and quite after booking out. I started to give up temporary and permanently on some of the things that I stood on to. One of it was Toastmasters, where Ive been actively not going since October. When the membership renewable came to me, I pondered really hard on this. I asked myself " Is this the activity I want for this road of my army life? My current posting is a temporary and I may be posted to any other unit that requires me to stay in. In that case, I would wasted my membership fee and having a poor attendance right?" I didn't regret my decision to quit this wonderful and exciting meeting every fortnightly and almost got the posting as a President of Membership but the future of this is too bleak for me even to think of completing the first level of communication skills practice.

Back to topic on my buddy kenny. Who says that after toastmasters, it's hard to keep in contact? I know that I'm tired of planning events for friends (even my birthday celebration, my mother is doing most of the work), but I do try to meet them out once for a while like Kenneth's awesome Christmas party.

Therefore, it has been a revival friendship for me with Kenneth in 2008 with all the toastmasters, stompchomp events and kelly's activities.

Bobby is another friend that I'm truly amazed in keeping in contact with his good old time friends. He makes a point to chat with me, understands me and probes me when I'm down. Truly, he's someone that I'll know that I will not lose contact with because we still got Bondevia! Remember? Haha!

There was a time where we question where our friendship heading to and yes, it's really too late to change anything since I got closer with Kewei and Meiyun, we were cool on what we are presently and to me, you're still my buddy! Such friendship must be treasured despite obstacles facing us since we got to know each other.

What about Meiyun? She's special. She's someone at times can be really quiet (means she is fussed up! teeheehee! Ladies are ladies lah, they do fuss up at times.) but in most situations, she's really helpful and understanding lady.

I still remember the times where 3 of us got into the same course and during java and flash lessons, I didn't really pay attention to class and yes, all the lab work stuffs are dreading me to do and complete them. Kewei wasn't the one really willing to pass me the answers but instead, it was Meiyun as I first got to know her better than him. She would be the one helping out me and Kewei will be like" Why help him so much and etc?"

Never we knew that A.M.K. would just come out like that and to date, she's still someone whom I treasure this friendship that blossomed in 2008. It is really cool and unexpected to know them, getting along much better than my peers in poly.

The Person of the Year 2008 would be Mr. Xu Ke Wei who made a difference in my life. He's not just any other special person but someone who really poise as a leader and push me up within my capabilities.

He can be really nice to you at times but occassionally, he can test your patience to your limits and make me flare up like a tiger is all ready to devour a cat. Though it wasn't an direct teaching to me but he always make me learn new things and experience new things in life.

I'm sure Meiyun will agree with me that we were not into marathons, triathlons or any other sports events until he came around, showed us the spirit and the sport. He was the one who set the barrier and the limit. Usually, most of us will set a limit in our lifes e.g. "Okok. i'll stop running because I'm in pain. What if I'll die from heart attack if I exert further? Oh shit oh crappy no. After I've finished the race, I'll get some hainanese chicken rice. Or maybe, some KFC to pamper and reward myself after the run."

As for him, he showed a different kind of spirit that many dare not try. Running 42.125km is not an easy feat but he pushed his limits to earn as much as he can before the race by helping out in race expos and scanning of championchips. If i were him, i'll jolly well stay at home for the entire week towards the event day. But he didn't, he showed great leadership and the 'i can do anything' spirit. That's some special qualities within him that dearly have to be showcased to everyone who is slogging out with chips.

One thing that everyone knows from Kewei that he is a diligent and intelligent who excels super well in his education. For that, I failed to learn from him.

On the contary, I've learn how to take up running as part of a life journey. Running is really indeed a journey, not a goal. KPE Run was my very first run that exceeds 2.4km. Last year, I was amazed that I ran 3km during the treadmill and I thought that this was my best. Never do I know that 3km is just nothing compared to other guys and ladies who ran 42km and fought with the pain they have in their legs. All of them believed that "Pain is temporary, Pride is permanent." Thus from 2008, I've learn that nothing has a limit. You think that you've done your limit but in reality, there's much more can be done. That's what Kewei has shown me. I have to say that my life was rather smooth riding than Kewei had for the past 8 years here in Singapore alone. He showed me that even you think that today might be your dooms day as you think that you've lost everything, but there's always something good coming out from a bad thing as long as you try to do something. For the past 8 years, he was being cheated countlessly in rental of rooms, O level tuitions and even the latest incident where Weihua and I witnessed, his flight ticket back to Shanghai. He was alert and sharp enough to know that the guy was out to cheat his extra $50 for the flight back and Kewei literally fought it out mentally by rushing to many other flight agencies and determined to get the best price at 8pm, where 90% of the flight agencies in Chinatown is closing.

I gasped when he finally found the cheapest price of $630 for 2 weeks in Shanghai, from the inital cheated price if $680. He believed in himself, he believed that he can find it cheaper. As for me, I couldn't. Most probably i'll resigned to my fate and fork out $50 to save the hassle.

He is my best friend and my gauge in excelling in life.

Therefore, closing this chapter of 2008 doesn't mean that I'm closing in my life for now. Life is a long journey, not a destination to relax and die off.

Yes, there are some friends whom I treasured so much during 2007 and the initial years of 2008 but falter off like footprints being washed off from the tides. However, I do believe that friendship will rekindle back as Kenneth has proven it that friendship do rekindle if you make it a point to preserve it.

In not so distant future, who knows that you'll get back the friends that you've lost them along the way?

In conclusion, 2008 was really a roller costa ride where initially, there's smooth straight ride and before you know it, you're dived down and screaming your hearts out without knowing what's clearly happening in your surroundings.

You may lose some friends along the way, but you'll definitely gain some like TAS special peeps, weihua, sophia, siew yee etc.

Life's like this. I've got my resolutions done and shall reveal it tomorrow!

Times that I'll not forget in 2008

Hong Kong Trip with my fellow colleagues
KPE 10km Tunnel run
Enagement in volunteering for many special sports events such as Vertical Marathon, OSIM Triathlons, Standard Chartered Marathons etc.

I'll still strive on and move forward!