Sundown

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Back to army life, 10 days flew by way too fast.

Wanted to post about my Hong Kong trip, got to wait for another time i guess..

Time for *** training, hoping for the best =)

Kencsh blogged at 10:22 PM

Friday, December 12, 2008

It has been months since i blogged! It's like a dead blog now haha.

Anyway, I just felt like blogging as i have just finished another "phase" of my life.

Tekong - BMT, Recruit Life.

Army life wasnt what i had expected. I used to think that it's a time for me to build up physically, so that i will have more stamina to play sports that i like? Ok, it sounds stupid, but i did actually think of that =) And thats why i was somehow looking forward to it. It wasnt until enlistment that i found out the actual value of freedom, the preciousness of time, the quality of time spent and the appreciation of people around me. What a child i have been, what a lesson i have learnt. No matter what other people think national service may be, it has been a change in my life, it has been an eye opener.

Yes, army takes away our freedom as carefree civilians, especially as a poly student, where our own time management determine our own life. We are the owner of our time (absolute power?). It wasnt as though i'm a spoilt brat, but there are some things which we will only understand when we are in it. Freedom is one of those, you will only understand its preciousness when you experience the lost of it. Not curfew, not limitations onto what you can do, but to be controlled in whatever you do. It has been a culture shock somehow.

Before enlistment, one friend said to me, "i wonder if i will tear when i enlist, most of my friends who enlisted said - for sure, you will". I was laughing in my heart because i'm an independent person, i felt i could handle it, but i was wrong, i did tear during the confinement week, not because i am suffering inside physically, but because i have commitments outside, because i have enjoyed too much as a carefree person, because i have such deep memories of those enjoyment, because i have something i cant bear to sacrifice - time for family and friends.

So, for all my friends who are going to tekong tml as fresh recruits, i hereby wish them all the best, wishing them to adapt as fast as possible.

Adapting wasnt desirable, but life was much more cheery after 1 week or so after i adapted to the new soldiering life. Friends play a crucial role in NS, as we only have each other to look out for in our new home (we spend more time there than at our real home anyway).

I have just POPed yesterday, as my platoon's best recruit, but theres no hype to it. Its just like what one of my section mate said, "its like we, from a s*** hole, have just climbed out just to enter a bigger s*** hole". Nevertheless, we have covered one s*** hole, and all we have to do, is to cover the bigger one =)

BMTC days have been fun, only due to great commanders and great pals.

Biggest Takeaway: Time is precious, look to your left and right, did you spend enough time with them?

To sum this up, i wish that all my platoon mates will get the postings they want, and to be able to make good use of this 2 years' NS liability. I have enjoyed their support, their company and their friendship.

May we continue to keep contact and live our life to the fullest, wherever we are seperated, wherever we are posted.

Tough Times Don't Last, Tough Men Do.

Kencsh blogged at 12:26 AM

Thursday, May 15, 2008

It's May now, midway through 2008.

National Service
My enlistment letter came finally. On the 15th of Sept, i will be embarking on a new life journey, the last 2nd step a typical singaporean guy will take before entering the working society.

Well, there's nothing much to say now, though i am looking forward to it for various reasons, the life i have now cherishing more time with friends and kins alike is just as good.

Though it has always been in my thoughts, this thinking of mine "amplified" after i graduated from my tertiary school life. What is there for me in the working society? permenant 5 days a week work? slogging for uncle yusofs for the next few decades? I think i will miss schooling lifestyle once i'm out of it like most do. The days playing sports, the days playing the guitar, the days fooling around, the days when you seem to take control of time, instead of the other way around. Fortunate enough, with the University in my sight, i will have afew more years to cherish.

Mother's Day
Sad to say, but Mother's and Father's days is not some occasion that my family celebrates. Every occasion comes once a year, an opportunity to express your love and graditude, an opportunity for faithful memories.

Glad to say, this year, we went to kuishin-bo for some lunch on Mother's Day. This restaurant is kinda famous in my network with people feeding back to me that it is fantastic, but it wasn't that special to me. Yes, it has more stuffs and a nice ambience for relaxation, but thats all for the extra 8 bucks you spend compared to Sakura international buffet. Nevertheless, i enjoyed myself apart from the photographs my photographer to be bro took as though the restaurant has some thunder storm or smt.

But photos are impt, aren't they? =)

Also, Goodwood Park's Deli durian cake is FABULOUSLY DELICIOUS, it's a durian shaped as a cake seriously. I should have ordered one for myself! =) Though wearing a singlet into a hotel looking quite posh felt alittle awkward. Haha.

Some advertisment - This Durian thingy in Goodwood Park Deli (Scotts Road) last till July (Durian season), go try it out, i'll be going there to appease myself! and more imptly, my loved one =) Thanks for that big lump of cake! =P

Responsibility
Seemingly, i am lacking in this aspect for the time being.

I have yet to return Vone her pillow left in my car, and a guitar promised to a exchange program student from Germany.

More effort must be put into it to redeem myself

Kencsh blogged at 1:51 AM

Saturday, March 22, 2008

It has been some time since i last blogged =)

This article will be dedicated to Nanyang Polytechnic Guitar Club (NYPGC)

Guitar Club
From where i left off, La Guitare 2007 was a great success which consituted an immensely emotional feeling in me.

Being the batch 11 president, I have tried to change quite an amount of things in the Guitar Club, all for the purpose of trying to make it better. Though not all that i have visioned went according to plan, the fun derived from it was enjoyable.

Since setting out as president, i have always wanted the Guitar Club to be on par with other performing clubs like the Symphony Band or the Chinese Orchestra.

They are at what i deem, the pinnacle of a performing club in a tertiary school.

Once, i had a night where i failed to catch some sleep, visionising the steps and details to lay the stepping stones onto that pinnacle. Some people may call it stress, but to me... it's great fun because i personally wanted to change the club.

It's not a chore but an interest, something i wanted to do.

Though some of these steps have failed or have never materialised, it has been a great process, and this article is writted as a reminder of what i have enjoyed during my days in the Guitar Club.

Club Crawl 2007
I have always see club crawl as the most important event leading to the popularity of the club. It is when clubs attracts new students, who in the future will bring the club to greater heights.

First, my main objective was to have Guitar Club perform their annual concert in the Auditorium someday. It didnt have to be during my year because it's an objective that needs time. Time to have enough members, time to improve our musical pieces, time to convince the directors.

Thus, i spent quite alot of effort in club crawl planning the publications, the booth and the performances with my friends.

The most satisfying thing we did was to make a 2.8m Guitar, which is to a real guitar scale. This guitar, though spoilt now due to the lack of sturdy foundation signified my friends' effort and the period of fun we had trying to build it.

Here is some picture from the club crawl

Orientation
Orientation was right after club crawl and was another event thats different from before; Guitar Club has never hold their orientation in the Theater for the Arts (TFA - It is the venue where our annual concert is held).

The reason i wanted it was to look more grand, and it's output was quite good, drawing 150 enrichment enthus.

Here are some pictures from the orientation

Camp and Chalet
After the Enrichment course, we organised a camp and chalet. 1st time in my 3 years.

Here are some pictures from the camp and chalet

It was real fun, though budget constrained, having a chalet is always fun as we mingled and chatted.

La Guitare 2007
And so... the last major event... the finale.

For Guitar Club to achieve the objective of performing in the Auditorium, we will need to have an overwhelming attendance in the Theater of the Arts, our annual concert; And that's what i had planned from the start, to overfill the TFA.

In fact, at a moment in time, i actually thought we could make it into the auditorium during my year.

Why? Because for the 1st time, the club actually attracted 70 odd people into the ensemble.

Amazing isnt it? We did not expect so many people to say the least and failed to book enough rooms for the practices... And unlucky enough, after the 1st two lessons which we luckily got the bigger rooms from clubs that book but did not actually use it, there is a debate competition for 3 weeks. This competition disrupted our activities and brought us back down onto Earth, losing the members as the competition dragged on.

This eventually disminished any hopes of performing in the auditorium during my year which was quite a setback.

So it's the TFA again, but that place is still as good as any performing venue can get.

La Guitare 2007 attracted a full house, audiences even had to scramble on the stairs for space. The performance went smoothly and the new image of formality gave the club a new look.

In all, La Guitare 2007 is one of the most satisfying event i have ever attended and organised.

What tops it up were the problems we faced. The backdrop had to be hand tied as the service pole was spoilt. Alumni almost came late and we had to actually change the performance flow to get that extra 5mins.

Here are some pictures from the rehearsals

The concert

The post La Guitare celebration

La Guitare has always been and will always be the event that is most memorable to all NYPGC members.

I have enjoyed being the president which gives a sense of achievement when you see that your members, your friends are happy. I will always remember the sensation feeling they gave me when i stepped back into the TFA after the concert (i went back to collect the cake). The applause and cheers from all of them directed at me is just simply overwhelming =). Thank you.

I have enjoyed being part of the family in NYPGC.

All the best for the new committee! =)

Cheers!

Kencsh blogged at 11:31 PM

Sunday, December 02, 2007

19th December, La Guitare 2007

This La Guitare has really seen relatively, the end of my guitar passion. I used to play it for hours whenever i was free, even through examination periods, but it has all crumpled, at least for now.

Nevertheless, this La Guitare may be the last time i'll be performing on stage. The journey has been fun, and i cant really imagine poly life without NYPGC. For the ups and downs, all are there to cherish. Those newbie days (Though i'm still a newbie now, i meant the period i started learning) will remain the best period in NYPGC, as with the numerous friendships forged and sustained till now.

Cheers.

TPGC

I have quitted TPGC, but it will always be part of my journey in guitar. Here are some pictures from the St Mary Church performance.

It has been fun

19th Birthday

This seems to be overly late as my birthday is on the 14th of October =) But i really appreciated the dinner meant for Huiwen (13th) and me. It is always pleasant to have friends remembering your birthday, let alone having a feast with you as celebration, topping up with presents that are envious to many and symbolic to the recipent. Thanks everyone =)

Some pictures from the dinner..

Quotes

I have heard some quotes during my attachment period that made me wonder alittle. From the Dan and Yang 98.7 Perfect 10.

Yang likes this girl who has found herself a boyfriend.

After various call ins from listeners to suggest some insights, Dan commented

In edited various based on their conversation - Before the girl came into your life, you were happy and carefree, without problems and headaches. When the girl came into your life, you hurt as you see her with another person. Would you choose to have that friendship, or have a go, try to win her heart, if it goes your way, happy everlasting or when it does not, lose that friendship and return to the form before the girl came into your life.

Is it possible for a guy and a girl to be everlasting friends?

Another comment from that show was

A guy and a gal can never be lifelong friends unless one of them is really ugly

How true is this?
Does time breed affection towards one another?
Is it only affection that brings a guy and a gal together?

Sometimes, people hurt others unknowningly and unwillingly. Not everything can be done to perfection in the way one ideally perceive. For everything that cannot be done any better, one can only feel the guilt, the sorrow and the heaven's tease bestowed upon them. Apology is never enough to fill the void of a broken heart, for internal struggles can never be cured by herbs and medicines farmed.

Wrongs can be easily be atoned with the time you have with closest of kins, but may never be able for people of limited opportunities even though one may care. For that, one can only be apologetic and wish the best.

Lobsters, Steaks, Sashimi, Dim Sum, Cakes, Donuts, Pizzas etc etc etc.. Guess i'm going into NS with all the raw material needed to be a bulky soldier =)
If only cramps can be relieved with a touch of warmth, i will gladly do so.

Kencsh blogged at 12:31 AM

Sunday, October 07, 2007

This is going to be a complain and will not look nice

First
If you have something in mind, and want to get a clear answer, just get it will you? It's pathetic when someone wants an answer and donwan to get it himself. 1st of all, when i post something on my blog, i don expect to tell anyone about it, i just writes what i want, if someone sees it, so be it, in addition, you did not tell me not to say anything about it. You read it and thinks that i wrote it in a manner that i wanted Diana to see it, so be it, you have your views, but there's no one need to chant about it like an idiot right? Would you prefer to indulge cluelessly that you have been forsakened becoz she has other plans to probably go ECP with mark or let her know what you feel. It has to be the latter and be a man and accept it. You told me about it because you wanted an answer as well, didnt you? asking me whether it was fun and so on even though i did not know about it at all. Since you asked that, you wanted the answer. And be done with it, don act as though you can soak up everything and act as though nothing happen since you can't. Alright? And don be like a kid zzz.

It is true that only people sacrifice for you and not via versa, if you want people to treat you better, treat them better first. I am not that petty as well, i would still drive you to the place you wanted to go if it's on the way

Second
I had told Andri i wanted to quit TPGC, but wouldnt do so before the September performance becoz it is my responsibility to perform since it was settled so long ago. So i tot of quitting after that, and not without guts to say it, don just assume and complain over it, you don have the complete answer. You posted an article that you didnt like someone to judge you, so what right has you got to judge someone else. I don care for watever impression you have got in me now, what i bother is that i cant really take this lying down becoz it is something said about me, who can? People has the right to judge, and i will not complain about it like you do, everyone can do things to make that judgement for others, be it good or bad, if you don do anything about it and thinks that people judge you as a bad person, it is your fault, don just think that you are a good person and hopes people know it as well, becoz humans aren't gods. Also, i didnt go for practice for that saturday becoz it would be late if i went, at least i don say, alright, i'll go, and end up absent, isn't it like an empty promise? And it should sound familiar to the person i write this article for.

I am selective to who i can be bothered with now, some people just don deserve explainations

Third
La Guitare is supposed to be a grp work isnt it? It is ironic when someone threaten to don do something just becoz she don feel more important than others. Maybe she's joking and want people to see the importance of her, but i'm tired, why is it that people treat this issue as president's job alone? Don they feel the sense of belonging to NYPGC, from 05 when we had our 1st concert, the time we sat behind the curtains while Joe was playing Cavatina. Much of it is gone.

Watever it is, La Guitare will never falter

Fourth
I know i didnt really do well as president, but it doesnt mean i did nothing. All of you see the camp and chalet, ok, i didnt help that for my own reasons and people sees themselves as heros, now, for the orientation, who has really tried helping me out? It's a two way process. I'm seriously thankful for watever help i had. But this is not an issue of who did more or less now, do for the common purpose, and for those who didnt do anything at all, just shut up. I don need you to see the La Guitare as foregone, don even want to play anymore even when you didnt try helping, like, ohhh i'm the queen, i think La Guitare may falter, i donwan to play already. Great.

Reason for not "feeling" for TPGC

Kencsh blogged at 5:35 PM

Monday, October 01, 2007

Today is Children's Day, i remember having every primary school sports day during Children's Day. And i always looked forward to it because it is when i can win medals, symbols of achievement from running with friends, competing with others as a group. Well, those days are over, i don even get Youth Day Holidays now, let alone Children's Day =P, but it will always be something i have experienced before 1 decade ago.

Lina gave me a call today, calling for a meeting next week. I had wanted to call her today as well, and it was irony that Sherilyn reminded me about the same time Lina called. It's time to get everything settled out for La Guitare, though i have lofty aspirations when i stepped up as president, events did not turn out as good as it was to be. NYP events broke the rythem of lessons, Junior instructor changed, not being able to adapt to third year being the lazy me, friends having attachments and fyps that takes up all the time you can have. But it all lies on this concert now, i had wanted to bring it to the auditorium and inviting TPGC in the process to perform, but it seems not practical now..

Mao Jun, well, i pitied him the week before, but last week, my opinion totally changed, he seriously has a bad working attitude. Not only does he thinks the world is against him, he badmouths others and critise others for things he should be doing instead. Luckily, he has settled down now, being thrown to do packaging after afew days of heated quarrels with the Leadgirl (Soon Jie). All the best to him, hope he gets enlightenment someday..

Cheng Hsiang was disappointed today, for what Diana did. From what i heard from CH, She had asked whether he will be going to his Uncle shop for she has promised to help her uncle take pictures of dishes for their new Menu last time. CH said yup and both agreed on going on Sunday. But apparently, she cancelled on saturday saying she had something on and sent a wrong message to CH, presuming to mark that she had told CH (that she cancelled), and going for ECP, as well as asking whether KS, me or syarah going (Ks and i donno anything about it though, and CH was initially angry with us as well i think, for he thinks we knew and went out without him). Well, this can be quite hurtful for CH because he had been forsaked due to Mark (presumely) and wasn't invited as well. I understand his stand and feel sorry for him because he has been feeling neglected and the lost of life becoz he don really feel accepted.

Boredom can lead to depression.

Sunday, it was my last lesson with Ms Tey (Yamaha Guitar). We played the last of Grade 6 piece, Adelita with much fun =). She has been a good teacher to me, often smiling off my mistakes and teaching me patiently even though i never practice at home at all. Although i may go back to Guitar next time for some exams, i will always remember the 10months with her, teaching me from 1a to 2b.

Everyone will meet some people at some point in their life and will never meet again, so... whether it is for afew days, weeks, months or years, we should always be grateful that we have met this specific person, for we surely learn something from them, or experience something different from them.

Kencsh blogged at 7:06 PM