zeke

Saturday, December 29, 2007

Closing of a chapter

This is most probably the last post of the year. I'll try to keep it typo free for once.

Today is a good day. Many reasons for this, one being that the timetrial didn't go as badly as i thought it would. Throughout the year i'm normally prepared enough for any trials, but this one was the exception. Not only did it not go so bad, i somehow managed a 48.48 finishing in 6th overall which is quite good actually. Also rewrote my 2km pb to 8.58 which is not fast but faster than in december last year, also noting i've only trained 1 month+ since exams. Ok enough about that, Lucas was great today. A great display of his lasting ability ensures that he retains the top spot in long distance.Keep it up! Another reason? It's nice to see another familiar face around.

Well, it's been a crazy year in terms or acad and canoeing. Juggling the 2 is really a crazy thing to do. It goes something like this: Wake up early to go school and do exercises before assembly, feel like dying in class with the long long hours. Once that is done, have to take bus to macritchie to train some programme that coach conjured up, take bus home or mum is nice enough to fetch me home, eat dinner and start work at near 9pm. Most of which I have trouble finishing and sleeping at 11-12 to wake up and repeat everything everyday except sunday. When there's IA the day lasts till 3am. Holidays is not very free also. Paddle in the morning, go for run or weights before lunch and a short nap at home and at 5 journey back to mac to paddle again -everyday except sunday. If anything screws up, acad suffers badly. The funny thing is that i can quit anything. Something is wrong with me, i've got an easy life to live with no CCA and i do the opposite.

But it's worth it.

Acad was ok most of the time. Not super fantastic like choo, john or feng, but ok. Singapore just happens to have alot of smart people. The tests are the problem. Especially when there's afew in a week and there's training to attend.That's the biggest headache. But i survived! Most of my teachers have been wonderful except for one. My friends are absolutely fantastic too, they keep me going through the day though i'm always sleepy. If not for them i would have diedededededed^1234567890(Esp when they announced redoing of practicals)

Canoeing was also great. Started the year slowly but things started to pick up near March with some motivation and crazy training. I've broken every pb in singles and doubles class in all distances which is a good sign. There's a long way to go still but it shouldn't be a problem. All it needs is commitment and perserverance. The foundation has been laid and picking myself up shouldn't be too hard. It's just a waste to stop before reaching the world stage.

This is also the last year as an ACSian. Sad but yeah, nothing lasts forever in this world and neither can i remain 18 forever(or i'll be so rich from the sales of age stopping ZQII facial masks).

It's been bumpy, but thanks once again for bearing with me.
:)

---
I pray you'll be our eyes,
and watch us where we go.
And help us to be wise in times when we don't know.
Let this be our prayer,
when we lose our way.
Lead us to a place,
guide us with your grace
To a place where we'll be safe.
We ask that life be kind
And watch us from above.
We hope each soul will find
Another soul to love.
Let this be our prayer.

Sunday, December 23, 2007

Feliz Navidad (almost)

I just want to say big THANK YOUs for the Christmas cards and Merry Christmas in advance :)


Coach flew off on Wednesday though he's still providing us with training programme for the next few months till a new coach comes(if ever). Quite an emotional moment at the airport when coach decided to wait till the last minute to go in. Some cried, some shed tears and others just watched silently. What's the difference between cry and shed tears? My dad used to say, "men don't cry, they only shed tears to show how much someone means to them" or something along those lines. We'll miss him alot.

Time really flies. I remember the first day he came to watch us, sam and I were doing some crazy programme and if memory is to be trusted it was something like 15 x 500m sprints in boaz k2 to prep for coming timetrial( + 5 x 500m in the morning). Now 1.5 years on, sam's in the army and i'm going to the army. Things are changing so fast indeed.


As seen in the photo, we made coach a scrapbook. Hinyang tried translating everything into greek but it wasn't too successful. Coach became "coach- bus" and coach and his brother were trying to find out what "skinny jacket" meant. They kept reading it and laughing. But they got the message, basically it's thank you coach.


Somehow the Tshirts which was the top secret project wasn't so top secret after all. Someone talked too much and the senior women found out(not my fault arh!). But the job's finally done and I can rest.

My mum also bought me some stickers from malaysia to paste on my boat. Now there will be no more lookalikes hahahaha. Next year i'll let Lucas use it and i hope he flies real fast. But it's more to relieve the boat shortage of the school now that more of the secondary school paddlers are moving up to the IB side. My year only have feng, choo(for awhile) and me. Next year's team will be much larger and with the double event rule i think we have a better shot at championships.

Having alot of weird dreams. Dreams of still being in examinations, dreams of rubbish results. The pressure of doing well is still somewhere at the back of my mind i guess. I just pray and trust everything will work out eventually though its been a really bumpy year in many many aspects. Ah...nevermind, it's christmas soon, should stop worrying and just enjoy the moment for it will never come again.

Cheers!
---
Wishing you a Merry Christmas from the bottom of my heart.

Monday, December 17, 2007

Jurassic Park

As I type now, my com screen & the rest of my house is shaking at regular intervals due to the piling right next door. After 5 year of abandonment, the company owning my neighbours house has finally pulled the whole building to the ground and started pounding in the foundations which reminds me of T rex from Jurassic Park 1 which I watched when I was still some irritating little small kid. Quite noisy, quite earthshaking, but have to live with it. They were kind enough to delay the rebuilding which was originally scheduled during my IBDP and sister's O lvl to now, so I'm not going to cause them any trouble.

Had class party this week. Went bowling at Kallang leisure park that just opened afew months back. I did a 150! Quite a crazy game. On the last frame I had a triple strike which made my score quite imba. Abit more i can win women's title already on my 1 time every 2 year training :P But that's not the highlight of the day. It was the stacks of boxes of chips my dad bought that was really funny. I asked him to buy "some" chips for my class and he bought 10 boxes containing 20 bags of chips...that's about 200packets. I had to beg them to eat as much of them up.

SEA games team came back last night and we went to pick them. The women team did well winning 2 bronze medals. This means all the women in the team have bronze medals! Rouning from junior women side also won bronze in some giant marble game of some weird name. Guys...we suck, we should just let the women do everything.(I don't mean that) We'll be having farewell dinner with coach tonight at ps. Quite sad, but it's a good move for him. At least he'll be well looked after by the Greek federation and his coaching career can really start to move on to higher levels.

Apart from that it's been paddle, captain's ball, slack for the past month. Nothing much. Also managed to watch all the old movies that came out at the start of the year which i didnt have time to watch. I know I'm lagging a few months but Simpsons and rush hour 3 was real funny...

Time to fight pwee in fps.
Bye.
---
Hide your face, so the world will never find you.

Tuesday, December 11, 2007

Treasure hunting.

It's the 11th already...the days are passing so fast still! Less than 1 month to resort stay at tekong running around like a monkey and marching in circles in a forest. I'm not looking forward to that at all. First things first, need to buy black frame specs and collect the top secret stuff i ordered today.

Today was run and fall down day. But before that I must say training was quite fun, I managed to win 1 of 12 250m sprints against lucas and daniel though i can't feel my hands after that :) After all that was a slow run on wet ground. We eventually decided to run to the zig-zag bridge and then onto the Dam and repeat the cycle. Just before getting on the bridge hinyang was talking about the incident where small sam was running on the bridge and fell down near the end beside a group of RGS girls and was helped by one.

"Mei ren jiu ying xiong" also known as beauty saves loser hero-(I can't put in chinese words, not that my chinese damn suck)

So we laughed at him and the crazy people start sprinting on the wet bridge. Mr hinyang slipped and fell twice in a matter of 10 seconds. It's retribution man...talking behind people's backs!(literally). Laugh until cannot run. We continued to the Dam and i was running way behind the crazy people with the "fallen" hinyang and "tumtum" joseph. To avoid accidents we took a detour ( I lazy lah) and only return to find out joshua fell and cut himself. Called off the run at 15mins to prevent more damage. Went back and the guys helped him put on iodine which made him scream quite loudly and frequently at high pitch. Painful yet somehow we can't stop laughing also. Sorry man hope it heals fast!

Yofats came to paddle also. Just took a boat and kept him company. Tried explaining all the fun parts of canoeing like capping and drills and riding and playing dirty all the tactics to make sure u win. Somehow he didn't find capping very appealing but seriously capping is the most fun part of canoeing. Talked nonsense till his 1 hour rental finished.

Apart from that... i feel like i've been given a slap in the face by certain people. I can't be bothered with them anymore. I don't believe i have ever let them down even once within these 2 years. Nevermind...today was interesting.

Thursday, December 06, 2007

Frank Sinatra - That's Life

Thats life, thats what people say.
Youre riding high in april,
Shot down in may.
But I know Im gonna change that tune,
When Im back on top in june.

Thats life, funny as it seems.
Some people get their kicks,
Steppin on dreams;
But I dont let it get me down,
cause this ol word keeps getting around.

Ive been a puppet, a pauper, a pirate,
A poet, a pawn and a king.
Ive been up and down and over and out
And I know one thing:
Each time I find myself flat on my face,
I pick myself up and get back in the race.

Thats life, I cant deny it,
I thought of quitting,
But my heart just wont buy it.
If I didnt think it was worth a try,
Id roll myself up in a big ball and die

Saturday, December 01, 2007

Prom night and other school stuff

Some prom night and school pics.


Brandon & xinling

.15ers - looking good!

Econs dudes + k2 partner'05

Timz & the Al


1 of 3 Ms cutie pies

There's something special about ACS IB. The Prom attendence says it all, about 98% of the level? We're some closely knit community. Gonna miss you people.