Well, I need to be stricter in some issues:
1) Keep a strict sleep schedule.
2) Eat more, I don't even want to be slim. But eat right.
3) Budgeting.
4) Find time to chat with my friends via msn. The time difference is preventing me from doing that. Plus I have nothing to talk about.
I miss them.
And I need another plan for academic issues, although this is still too early for that.
I actually don't want to be mediocre as I was in 2007.
I am quite smart when I'm not depressed.
anyway, on a totally different note, I hope my favorite singers are doing well, both for an audition in mdc and a competition in europe. I hope to hear the good news soon =]
It has been such an honour to know them.
love,
Don
It's really hard to keep a blog!
Cos:
1) It's public
2) It shows the real me
3) It should be clean
4) While it still retains the essence of me
5) It should not be too personal
6) But it's about the REAL me
well, after six point ramblings, it's really hard to keep a blog, cos it's hard to stay true to myself and reveal ALL my thoughts on a web page, while needed to maintain a high level of privacy and discreet.
I don't keep diaries. Writing takes too much time and I don't fancy my own handwriting. And what kind of guys WRITE (PEN DOWN) anyway. And I'm kind of a slight weirdo in my own hem, I can't keep my thoughts to myself, I need to TYPE OUT for others, cos I'm the kind who SHARES his ideas.
Most probably because I'm an only child since I was born, and that means a lot of things keep bottled-up since I don't have any brother or sister to share them with. So, this blog is my shelter. A shelter where I know I can share my thoughts with my friends.
With YOU =]
Have a nice day =]
love,
Don =]
hey, that's a geeky title =]
cos I GOT MYSELF A DIGITAL SLR CAMERA, with my own hard-earned salary =]
it's a Canon Rebel XTI, it's pretty fierce, although it's only an entry level SLR camera.
But good enough for me, I'm way too amateur for an expensive SLR.
=p
I'm a geek, who loves to take photos =p
That's a song by Leona Lewis, and it's the bestselling on iTunes for weeks, and you will hear it on radio stations every FIFTEEN minutes!!!
It's a nice and catchy song, but it's getting boring when you hear it HERE, THERE and EVERYWHERE!
HAHA!
Anyway, Leona Lewis is one lucky singer =]
Way to go English girl!
I'm given one year to sort out my life, and I think I'm on the right track, I'm doing a pretty ok job.
Well, when I look back on the things that happened to me in 2007, I saw GOD's plan. Everything happened for a reason, indeed. From the O level scores I got, my transfer to acjc, new roomate/hostel/environment/rules/lifestyles, my decision to skip ***** audition to go for choir audition, the friends I decided to open up to, the friends I tried to make friends with, the friends that accepted me, the "alone" time with myself, the very lengthy depre**i*n period, the ups and downs, the pw group, the girl in class, another girl in class with boy in class, the trio, the malaysian/indon/thai/filipino/viet/singaporean/myanmar/prc/cambodian individuals, the decision to stay back on friday for a CF meetings, the friends I made on the day before last in Singapore, the surprised note from a choir senior on farewell day, the million times my macbook broke down and I banged all my other stuffs due to frustration, the long msn chats with a few very dear friends EVERY night, small talks with teachers, with Sir,... everything...
has made me realized, at the end of 2007, that certain thing was done for a reason. but not the whole picture, my talk with Sir did clear a lot of things, but not everything.
BUT, I kept what he said in mind, and prayed for an answer, and it indeed came to my senses just yesterday. or was it this morning? or maybe two days ago? I don't really know when, but I know the answer.
The answer is, it's GOD's plan =]
2007 painted a REALLY wholesome 'segment' of my life, with its really dark and intense colors, but that was the colors that I focused on scrubbing away the whole time. I did not realize that the segment also contained so many other vibrant bits, colorful and cheery pieces that I forgot to look at and enjoy. I kept focusing on maintaining a clean, white, decent mural piece of art BUT that's not possible, cos a picture needs its intense parts as well.
The whole time I was wasting my time in scrubbing away those intense parts that actually defined my characteristics and mindset today, not realizing that those terrible experiences made me who I am today. They made me grow, and I should not focus on scrubbing away those memories, cos that's not possible. I was wasting my time and got myself into stress along the way.
Having said that, I should NOT focus ONLY on the BRIGHTt side EITHER. Because, that's delusional, and in the end, I had to part with the bright side - the friendships I made - anyway.
What I need to do is to focus on THE WHOLE PICTURE. To see the whole artwork of myself, examining the intense and the cheery, highs and lows, the depth and the magnitude of it.
- How did I come to this conclusion?
Cos I got time to think, I have been given a one year break to think.
- How did I got the one year break?
Cos I migrated with my parents, so we need one year to settle down and the residency status after one year will get me into a community college to buffer me for the transfer to a university.
- How did I get to migrate?
Cos at the end of november 2007, it was my family's turn to go for a migration interview.
- How can I leave Singapore to come to the United States?
After what happened in 2007, I was free of my contract. So I can leave without a penalty fee.
So do you see the whole picture?
At the end of 2007, you know what happened to me, cos only my true friends read this blog. Yes, I'm talking about YOU =] About what I was saying, yah, suddenly, it was my family's turn to migrate.
REALLY, it was PERFECT timing. Do you know that our migration files started when I was one-MONTH old. And it usually more than 10 years to complete the process.
And suddenly the process COMPLETED RIGHT at THAT TIME, when I had NOWHERE to go.
Let's talk about the other scenario.
- What if I was still ok and continued on year 2?
Then my chance of getting into a US college would be less, and by then it wouldn't make sense if I get into NUS while my parents are in US, and I could not enter Vietnamese university anyway (since they don't make plans for international certificates holder - STUPID STUPID STUPID, that's why grey matters are leaking from VN).
So what happened until now was the PERFECT plan from God!
Cos I really cannot see any OTHER way.
and I'm so thankful for this one year break. I have time to sort out my life!
Thank you GOD!
THANK YOU!
THANK YOU FOR THE WHOLE PICTURE!
don =]
P.S. When I look back at 2007, I saw a really colourful and wholesome picture, with YOU as parts of it. Thank you for being a part of my life, of God's plan for me.
His name is Tan Ngiap Heng. He's 42 years old and an ACSian (YES!!!!!).
I stumbled on his blog after a blog search about ACJC, and somehow one of his posts showed up. I enjoyed reading the blog and all the photos on it. Thanks to blogsearch.google.com.
Mac and Google, I love you two =]
This is what he said about himself:
"I am a portrait photographer. I am inspired by photographs that go beyond the literal documentation of what a person looks like. I want to show something about the condition of a person or what is inside the person. That is my daily challenge. "
Well, I'm going to feature some awesome artists on my blog from now on. I'll start with an Asian UK-based photographer.
Photography never fails to captivate me. There are so many great moments in real life that pass so quickly that we can never capture it in our memory, but photography can. It's a celebration of life, lighting and an artistic mind.
It's a feast for the eyes, and the mind.
I came across this awesome photographer (the one at the right edge of the photo) some time ago. His name is Kai Z Feng and he has great portraits and model shoots. Well, an Asian whose works are featured in Vogue and leading fashion magazines in UK, that's how good he is. Enough said!
Check out his cool shots! (can you spot the celebrities? =p )
Well, nearly 6 months have passed since I came here.
Initially, it was so horrible. I had to adapt to live with my own parents, esp. my Dad. That's how bad it was!
Fortunately, things turned out better. Not really fine yet, but so much better.
I've gone through quite a number of experiences, some were quite awesome.
After a while, it all boils down to this: try to maintain a balance of positivity and negativity, but lean towards the positive part so that stress won't get hold of me while still realize the reality of my situation.
And try to stay healthy, prayerful!
Never give up hope, but don't get my hopes up!
=]
It's going on quite alright =]
I don't like the new theme in Grey's Anatomy!
See one image of that in episode 14 is quite alright, but another one of THAT in episode 15?
I don't fancy it!!!!!
This is a finalist's entry of the competition mentioned above, initiated by Amazon.com. The prize is a trip for two to London, England and a weekend with "The tales of Beedle the Bard."
I think it's a really sweet and cute entry! A poem about Harry Potter.
Rhiannon D., age 16, Australia
When I was six, he was eleven
I learnt how to be brave.
When I was seven, he was twelve
I learnt to misbehave.
When I was eight, he was thirteen
He taught me how to cry.
When I was nine, he was fourteen
He showed me how to try.
When I was twelve, and he fifteen
He taught me to forgive.
When we were fourteen and sixteen
I learnt what it was to live.
When we were fifteen and seventeen
He showed me he could bleed.
But growing up with Harry taught me, mostly, how to read.
An ex-classmate in my first-three-month class in ACSI tagged a class photo with me still inside, together with Danny! Well, it seemed like a REALLY LONG time ago.
It certainly brought back flashes of memories.
Both good and bad, but I blocked the bad part out.
So here it is, the nice part:
. mdm Yong Lee Har
. mr Azmi Bin Azeman (father/brother/friend)
. ms Kwoh Siew Lay, I really really miss her
. T.W.Hinch Hall
. laundry aunties (sadly I did not know their names, though they know mine and what kind of clothes belongs to me, and I'm NOT kidding)
. mdm Agnes Ho and mdm Betty, nicest librarians EVER
. Koinonia sessions (like church services, but on Thursday nights in the boarding school, it has good messages most of the time)
. my ex-choir conductress, she's really inspiring
. the awesome boarding school, strict rules, but really good standard of living! AWESOME FOOD for 70% of the week.
. the really kick-ass CPA, supremely classy and well-equipped
. I was awarded the "Friend of Singa" Merit Awards, I was touched because a teacher did saw me for who I really am and submitted a recommendation of me. It was an award from the Singapore Kindness Council. I was really really really touched.
. nicest friends: Wen Hsin (child of God), Sau Chiu (freaking funny - a hongkee with a british passport), Clifton (cool bass guitar), Timothy (inspiring and I admire his courage)
well, the sad part is, there were not so much to remember about the friends part.
It was a boys' school so I did not talk to anyone. And vice versa.
Anyway, I have moved on, with a rather callous attitude about the past.
But I'm still me. I will treasure what needs to be treasured and forget what needs to be forgotten!
Is this the right way to go? I hope so.
I pray for strength and wisdom =]
Oh my goodness I LOVE GREYS ANATOMY SEASON FOUR EPISODE FOURTEEN!!!!!!
cos it's really disgusting and freaking brilliant at the same time
it's so funny and downright lame at the same time
cos it encompasses the most themes and issues of the whole series
and simply, cos DON loves this episode.
and I'm out.
au revoir!
P.S. I used to speak French. but not anymore.
I miss my friends =]
Be it at work, or while strolling along the street, browsing in a store, listening to music,... sometimes certain thing that I encountered reminds me about the lovely moments I had with my friends. All those sweet memories made me smile =]
Well, I'm so thankful that I'm becoming happier nowadays. My work has brought back my balance I guess. That's cool right?
I think I'm doing quite a good job moving on and staying positive. (and I'm so thankful for my friends' assurance and encouragement whenever I was scared and felt lonely =)
I really miss my friends! I wish I could meet them.
Well, my blog is not well-updated nowadays. But that won't be the case. Writing makes me feel good. So I'll try to post at least one entry per day.
Bye =]
P.S.I miss you!
Well, I dreamed up A PERFORMANCE last night!
It was a totally EXCELLENT performance.
And strangely, the lead is the dance captain in my ex-school. And in real life, I don't even know her personally, except that she has awesome photographic skills.
Anyway, it was so cool to dream about an art performance, cos it's ecstatic and it's totally free.
I loved my dream last night! I hope I will dream of some Corrinne May or Jason Mraz performances.
It's the first dream of its kind that I have.
=]
I can't believe I'm saying this but "DAVID COOK ROCKS!"
He showed a whole different side of him on Tuesday night. He sang "Music of the night," and I was totally surprised by his rendition. I expected to see something rockish, raw and angsty from him. But no, he sticked to the original melancholy, longing ballad version. It was so surprising to see a toned down, vulnerable David Cook with the song, and I loved everyone moment of it. The slight nuances in the songs, the vocal, the style, everything is awesome. It's a bit effeminate though, but heck cares, that made him look pretty on television, for once.
I'm so surprised at this rocker, and in a good way =]
My favorite Carly Smithson sang well =] She seemed effortless with the song Jesus Christ Superstar.
Well, sidestep a bit, I don't really like this musical - Jesus Christ Superstar, the music is not that groundbreaking as that of Phantom of the Opera. I've watched a few editions of Jesus Christ Superstar but I don't think the casts pulled it off well. The whole thing is just a little strange, as I don't like to watch the gospel that way. The only memorable song from the musical is "I don't know how to love him." I think it's for the role of Mary Magdalene.
Back to Carly, she was awesome. She sang well, and it was full of energy. I don't really like the form of her dress but I like the batik texture, it's very Asian =p I LOVE YOU CARLY =]
And I was like "WHAT??????????" when Jason Castro did not know that the legendary hit "MEMORY" is sang by a cat - well, not a real cat but an actress in a role of a cat. It's quite obvious, "Memory" is from the musical "Cats", who else will sing it besides erm... a cat? I love how goofy Jason Castro is. He is cheeky. Anyway, "Cats" is A REALLY PLOTLESS musical. I nearly chewed my hair after I finished watching "Cats" on DVD. It's just a whole bunch of people dressing as cats singing one after another. Well, the only nice part was "Memory" and I watched the version by Ellen Page and she was totally fantastic. Anyway, it's just a really really REALLLY plotless musical.
So please, after you finish watching "Cats", please don't kill yourself.
Or your cat!
David Archuleta made a whole new version of "Think of me". I think it was delectable, quite amazing how he transformed it into a whole new contemporary song. But I just love the original version so much that I don't really care about his version.
Mercado was ok, and boring, as usual.
And I don't even want to talk about Brooke White. Maybe it's her turn to leave the show.
This is a REALLY INTERESTING episode of American Idol.
And I'm out =]
MaDONna's new album is seriously, VERILY, extremely catchy!
I love it! Even though I don't bother listening to the lyrics.
=p
"Peace cannot be kept by force.It can only be achieved by understanding." - Albert Einstein
