Today was just spectacular.
And yes! We've done it!! We've won the inter-IP 4 x 100m relay!!

YeeeeeeeHaaa!

Well, talk about exhilaration, that was some memorable moment out there on the field.
This was what happened:
I was walking with Jing Jing back to the starting line, after she ended her relay portion at the second corner.
From across the breadth of the field, we could see v14's last runner approaching the finishing line fast, but wait! Right behind, and flying fast was Le Qiao!

I think we went mad.

It was me running across the field, but from the corner of my eye, Jing Jing was doing the exactly the same too.
We ran across the field, shouting and cheering and it was as though the faster we ran, the faster Le Qiao would too. Bit by bit, Le Qiao was catching up, and we went wilder still, still running, still shouting.
Time was running out, they were reaching the finishing line, and me and Jing Jing continued running towards them, eyes fixed on them two.

They were close,
they were so close,
they were closer,
closer,
closer still,
on par,
then "YES!!! YAY!!!!"

there was this explosion of emotions.

This was where we went mad.
Jing Jing and I were running and I was screaming like I never had for years, and we were jumping, punching our fists in the air, and running all at once.

It didn't feel like running across a field,
it felt like racing through saturated exhilaration.
Euphoria has no saturation point.

When we finally reached the tent, Jing Jing and I kind of stopped,
turned to look at each other,
realised we were both as mad with wild happiness,
and started hug-jumping together and laughing like some kite that had just broke free and was whizzing its way up, up upwards...

All these, and all without words.
we had entered into a common realm where language was redundant.

Happiness flooded me...
to Jing Jing, Alvin, Jolyn and Le Qiao who brought us such a spectacular victory, and me such esctasy I had grown foreign to, thank you.

our 06v11.
We're beautiful not because of such victories but rather, these achievements are but the physical manifestations of the precious comaraderie and spirit we have.
The way we embrace each and every person, and really each and every person.
The way we privately delight in the knowledge that we are so blessed to have each other.
All these, and all without words.
I treasure these, they are dear to me.
All for one, and one for all!

And yes, next week will be so exciting.
Hey Jourdan, if you're reading these, I wonder if someone's head rolls or bounces on thursday!
Lol...

Chowa Munshi!

Perhaps I intrigue you as much as you intrigue me.

Yes, perhaps we have different standards,
different principles,
different thresholds,
different levels of resolute when it comes to sticking to our principles.
But realise that your actions have sub-conscious implications on your overall image.
Your mandate.
Even if it doesn't, these small little things build your character.

Why, have you not asked, am I such a busybody?
Why do I mind so much everytime?
I care.

Is it so hard? Is it so hard to resist a small morsel when we have fasted together for hours at a time?
Stand tall and without blame.
Fast with me when we enter prohibited grounds.
It seems you do not see reason in my insistence.
I can only offer you my apology if my zero-tolerance approach pisses you off,
but I can also only continue to stand by my principles.

Call me anal,
you'll see why.

Life is all about strivings.
Sometimes we fail,
at times we succeed.

I realise there's a facet of my life which has been in tatters for as long as I can remember,
or rather, for as long as I want to remember.
It amuses me to see that while I can manage things within and around,
I fail pathetically when it comes to things between and among.

It's frustrating too, when one messed-up, hay-wire mass of confusion strikes me about every other day.
Maybe it's because the things we ought to say we keep within...
It's like superheating, Mr Boy would say...
I hope I never break water surface tension.
Actually I prefer drawing an allusion to swimming ducks- gracefully, smoothly gliding on the water's surface and yet the frantic, unsightly paddling that goes on below.

Such things brew...
after a while, you get a very thick coffee.
I never liked coffee.
The tanin gives yellow teeth,
the smell gives me a headache.

Phantom of the Opera-Masquerade

Masquerade!

Every face a different shade!

Masquerade!

Look around - There's another mask behind you!

Masquerade!

Burning glances, turning heads ...

Masquerade!

Stop and stare at the sea of smiles around you!

Masquerade!

Grinning yellows, spinning reds ...

Masquerade!

Take your fill - let the spectacle astound you!

Masquerade!

Seething shadows breathing lies ...

Masquerade!

You can fool any friend who ever knew you!

I'm still waiting too

Elect's camp and Debate Camp, both were great in different ways =D

Am not allowed to say much about Elect's camp, but it was as much a rewarding experience as it was an eye-opener for me.
Three cheers for Team Titans!
for all the blood (okay, maybe no blood), sweat and tears we shed together,
for having come such a long way,
for the hilarious episode of magnum ice-cream in a laundry bin! =P

Thanks so much guys, for the memorable 3 days, 2 nights.
T-E-E-N T-I-T-A-N-S team titans! Let's Go!

As for Debates Camp, the greatest harvest was in getting to know my fellow debate mates better.
It was 6 debates over 2 days with the oh-so-intensive debriefs...
We freaked out Imran and some other grand seniors with our "ah-lian" cheers over dinner on the second night!

Imran: "Ben, I think you're over-working those kids" *staring wide-eyed in disbelief*

But it was fun listening to all those debates, especially with Darren's mad-dog analogy and Brian zao xia-ing.
Most memorable was that terrorist-special forces negotiation we had- Brian and Andre with their amusing accents again...
Those two are really hilarious when they get together.


For the team, it was preping for next friday's debate against ACS(I).
This is one crucial debate for us, it would either make us, or break us.

Consider the situation we are in:
1) This being our first year in A-div means we have to make a respectable impression
2) JG's the largest and most important debate championship in the debate calendar

A talk with Caitlin had us realising that:
1) We're kind of going to be debating in AC's home ground - ACS (barker)
2) ACS(I) has traditionally always made it to the semi-finals, and in late years- finals (ACS(I) was against MGS last year), the adjudicaters might be biased in thinking or hoping that it remains that way
3) The AC team this year is supposedly a not-as-good one compared to last year's but still, their alumni will do all in their power to see the present team through to the quarter's
4) The AC team has won one and lost one out of the 2 previous preliminary rounds. This means that this match is just as important to them as it is to us (we too, have only won 1 and lost 1)
5) A calculation of the scores had us realising that a win would definitely guarantee us a spot in the quarter's just as it is for the AC team

the conclusion?
This is going to be a battle of life and death between the formidable ACS (I) team and us.

We're gonna need all the help we can get, and we're blessed to have the alumni behind us.
It was touching to see so many alumni members all the way till the 96' batch at the camp and all of them so concerned with keeping banner of VJ debate flying high.
As Ben would put it " When you're in VJ debate, you'll always be in VJ debate"
These people forked out a lot of money to get us the camp site, our dinners, our lunchs etc.
I don't think any other alumni actually organises camps for their juniors.
That's really something.

Perhaps some day, I will be amongst them, giving my all for the continuation of the great name of VJ debate.
For now, we shall have to focus on winning the match against ACS (I)

A group of beavers were building a dam.
Beaver A and B were building the left flank,
and beaver C and D the right.
Maybe Beaver A was slower,
perhaps beaver A was weaker,
perhaps beaver A had a camp on the following day and was instructed to rest but went on helping the build the dam anyway because of fellowship.

Yes then, Beaver A was weaker, slower, less skillful. Fine.
Need Beaver B be so mean?
Why did beaver B need to harp on the inadequacies and incompetency of beaver A long after that?
Was he not suppose to support beaver A, instead of being annoyingly sarcastic?
Maybe Beaver B was just careless, careless enough to go on muttering under his breath about beaver A.
Maybe Beaver B expected Beaver A to feel motivated and strive harder despite the evident lack of tolerance and understanding Beaver B displayed.
On the right flank, beaver C and D starts wondering "why are the beavers of the left flank so low in morale?"

Perhaps Beaver B had scoffed deep down inside, "low morale? ask Beaver A then!"
more sarcastic remarks.
more more-than-obvious signs of impatience.
and yes.... Beaver A is supposed to be in high morale despite all this eh Beaver A?

It is inevitable that the biggest maybe comes to mind.
Maybe, the beavers need another beaver. A better one.

Beaver A would be more than happy never to build dams again.

Wheeeeee!!..... whew!

I have finally cleared my room! Old things in the trash, new things where they should be, I am ready to tackle term 2 come what may!

haha... ah I realise this is such a minor thing, probably the most minor thing that has made its way to this blog.
I guess most of my minor celebrations die off long before I get to my computer! =P

But wowee! my room is so cleared-up now, I can really hear echos when I speak!
Here's what happened when I emerged victorious from my room:
me: " yay! This feels so good, I can hear echos in my room!"
mum: "so it's the echos you're excited about?"
lol, curt as usual. Aye, that's mum.

I am going to be missing my room and my family for the next 5 days though,
camps coming up!

There is a spectrum.

On one end-moments of brilliance, moments of pride, of joy, of celebration.
On the other-moments of muddle-headedness, moments of shame, of grieve, of sombre retrospection.

We all slip-up sometimes.

As we grow, more responsibilities are bestowed.
The stake grows higher,
expectations soar.

Increasingly, such slip-ups find the perimeters of tolerance
grow small.

We are expected to perfect the art of perfection.

What you see in the previous post was a pathetic attempt to artistically not blog for *ahem* 10 days.
Well, now I'm back!
Nothing interesting going on right now though... my brother's just returned home after lunching with my uncle, my mum's talking to my sis about entering a birthday card design competition "let's go mummy" my sis is saying... and my dad is not home yet. Me? I am working on resusitating my dismal blog, and thinking about packing my room later. Once again, it's like waiting for that big bang that never comes... what's for dinner?

Dinner.
We make dinners out of practically every animal we see in "our" kingdom.
From chickens to crocodiles, from whales to snakes, the list goes on. Ofcourse, we find ourselves on the menu of several animals as well.
Often, these animals find human meat a pricey choice.
What's the price of human meat?
Your life, the lives of all your kind. And probably eventual extinction.
Think Tamanian wolves. Think mosquito.

Ah yes, tigers too. We love using the tiger to flank our banners and adorned our enblems. But having them top us in the food chain?
No.
We keep them where they belong- in the zoos and their pretty cubs as presents to other countries.
This NG documentary I saw last friday featured the Man-eating tigers of the Sunderbans.
These are tigers who know not where the boundaries lie, residing in the stretch of beautiful flooded forest along the bay of Bengal between India and Blangadesh, they routinely hunt people- 3 hundred human deaths a year.

You go, whoa! Grab those guns, set those traps! These insolent beats need to be taught who's boss on our planet.
Such a fate has yet to befall the tigers of Sunderban though, they have the protection of the forest, and the shield of the large Sunderban rivers.
So every year, the tigers of Sunderban continue to make prey of the village people. Men and women, child and even babies are devoured almost every other day. This sounds like the story of nian, but perhaps this was how nature intended it to be - tigers supreme.

Maybe nature made the mistake of giving homo habilis a high IQ. We now have not fangs and claws, but missiles and H-bombs.

If the tigers allude to nian, perhaps the people of Sunderban ought to start making tiger costumes and sound drums and cymbals.
Surprisingly, the villagers in Sunderban rather it be this way, rather the three hundred deaths each year. Such is simply because the tigers may owe them some lives, but they owe the tigers their livelihood.
The presence of the Sunderban tigers makes it too dangerous to clear the forests, and so, too dangerous to rob the Sunderban people of life as they know it.

There you have it, another inter-dependent relationship, but one with an interesting twist. The Sunderban villagers offer the tigers three hundred lives a year, in return for keeping their livelihoods. Perhaps this says something about their fear of other humans, over their fear of the Sunderban tigers.


And perhaps nature intended it this way,
So that when we look at the tigers of Sunderban,
we dawn upon revelation.

This is



Stagnation.