Hello world. I apologise for not updating in the span of the last 20-something days and leaving the few people who come back to this little trench of mine with the not so glamourous pictures of Ballack the Horse and his compatriots.

Whoa. This month has been a whirl of activity. Here's just a quick glance and what's been going on in my life.

My final National Swimming Championships have come and gone. A 4th placed finish in the 50m Freestyle was the highlight but even better was CJ's 4x50m Medley relay. I'd like to thank the team and all those who came to support us. It really meant alot. As sadistic as this may sound, I'm going to miss the good old days of waking up at 545, heading down to the pool and busting my ass off and training again from 4 to 7 in the afternoons. I'll never forget those golden moments at the Asean Cup in KL and Jakarta, the late night running around in hotel rooms and owning at the competitions. Good laughs, good times. Sometimes I wonder what I'd be without swimming. Undoubtedly, I've learnt so much in the last 12+ years of competitive swimming. From my fledgling years till now, I've met so many people and trained under different coaches, each with their own personal styles and flair and encouraging words. Adam Luscombe in Australia who awakened my passion for the backstroke while I trained in Melbourne in December 1999 and Chen Jian Bo, the crazy-assed foul mouth Beijing coach of mine who pushed me so hard with those 1500m resistance sets and 200m butterflys. I reckon I've become alot stronger mentally throughout this whole experience. The mental preparation and meditation methods taught by that Aussie sports psychologist and the course I took in learning some self-help physio. I've been through alot. Were those 5k sets stretching 2 and a half hours worth it? They sure as hell were.


Last week also saw the end of an era. The stepping down of the 31st Student Council. Many looked upon my joining of the student council last year with skepticism and some even asked me if I was mad. Perhaps I was. The long hours of meetings upon meetings and General Meetings that went round in circles. However, these minor grievances paled in comparison to how far we've come and how much we have achieved. In fact, I can say with full confidence that I've acquired skills in working in a tight bureaucracy that could match some Russian bugger working in the former CPSU. In a good way of course. Personally, as I was filling out my council workform, it struck me at the number of events that I had helped planned either at the helm or in a sub-committee be it the organising committee of Arts Week or even Carpark Duty for Careers Day last year. More importantly to me were the friendships and bonds forged with my fellow councillors and the insane stuff we used to embroil ourselves in. From wrestling in the council room to making crowd appealing announcements, I've been fortunate enough to have participated in em all. There's so much more I want to say but time is unfortunately on my side. I just want to extend my thanks, appreciation to all of you. It's been one helluva blast!





hahahaha.

Now that I've stepped down from Swimming and Student Council, it's time to focus on what matters most. The A levels and the impending Prelims. I remember mentioning this in a previous entry about the goalessness, cynicism and plain annoyance of some of my classmates. I know it's wrong for me to get angry over it and I should learn some "Zen" but it's really getting on my nerves. Here we have two dudes whose only motivation in coming to school is to play bridge and be "sian-ed". Sure, it's their prerogative whatever the hell they want to do with their lives but here-in lies the problem: they proclaim their disdain for all things to do with contributing postively to the class environment, reducing morale and dampening class spirit at the same time. It really doesn't help that they're disruptive, loud-mouthed and presumptuous during lesson time. At the same time, they still have the audacity to scoff at the efforts of those in college who willingly put their entire being in representing the school in competitions just because they don't come back with a nice shiny medal. Excuse me, but what gives you the right to look down upon someone who stuck his or her neck out for the pride of the school, hell you could be the world's best in your sport and it still won't give you the damn right. What have YOU done to contribute to the college besides sitting behind the counter in the Co-op (heck, if you even turned up for your blasted CCA in the first place)? But hey, it's almost the end of the school year and my academic life in CJC. I really don't wish to have my enriched college life be dampened by the defeatist and down-right self-centredness of such individuals. I do believe that in the same people lies alot of positive qualities. If only they embraced them and used them for some good instead of keeping them suppressed and taking the simpler way out of everything by just being cynical bastards. Perhaps this just struck a raw nerve with me. I'm more pissed with the attitudes behind it all. So much for not being lamentatious. I'm working on it, trust me. Had to let it out some time or another.

In any case, it's time to rejoice! National Day is fast approaching! woo-hoo!
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Who the !@#% am I kidding. haha.

Well, hopefully I'll have the opportunity to update again with less bleak stuff to write about.

I'm out.
Peace.